Operational Budget

A budget is a formal plan that estimates the plausible expenditures and income for an organization over a certain amount of time. Seeing that budgets are such a valuable tool for planning and having a control of a company’s finances, budgeting affects nearly every type of organization. Typically a small business contributes in budgeting to determine the most efficient and effective approach making money and increasing its asset base.A financial plan can help a company use its restricted finances in a way that best utilizes existing business opportunities. An operational budget involves the development of monetary tactics for the organization, generally for a year. Though annual budgets need not be subdivided into shorter terms, monthly and/or quarterly budgets are particularly constructive for foreseeing cash needs and for evaluating actual knowledge with plan.An extensive master budget entails planning for all stages of the operation: sales, marketing, manufacturing, engineer ing and general administration. â€Å"Once a budget has been established comparisons may be made with actual results and variances analyzed, budgetary control. Flexible budgetary techniques may also be used to update figures or test alternative courses of action. The advantages and disadvantages of an operating budget are: Advantages| Disadvantages| | |Commitment and motivation of managers| The time taken and the cost of this time| Looks at alternatives| May be unexpected events that affect later results| Sets targets and standards| Information must remain confidential| If predicted volumes change, new sales and costs can be predicted using flexible budget techniques| Managers may treat cost budgets as separate from revenues, and hence over-spend if revenues are not achieved| Looks forward and considers both internal and external factors| | In order to be successful, operating budgets are prepared by departmental managers using the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industr y or similar to give detailed figures for all volumes, sales, costs and hence profits or costs. † (BURGESS, 2009) These may exist by month and could be determined by day for the entire financial year. The three main steps in contributing towards accomplishing a successful operating budget are: planning for achievable target and objectives, comparing the actual numbers to the budget and evaluating to differences, and taking corrective action if necessary. The key pecuniary relation between a strategic plan and an operational plan is the establishment of a departmental financial plan.The strategic plan gives a budget approximation that is based on anticipated revenue. ‘The operational plan provides a more precise number that can be used to measure the success of a strategic plan. If the operational budget is more than the strategic plan provides for, then the company needs to exert more effort to bring the two numbers more in line. † (Rosemary Peavler, 2012) Budgets are a valuable instrument for businesses to use to help evaluate the performance of their firm at the end of the time period that the budget covers. Businesses should look at actual expenses, for instance, compared to budgeted, or planned, expenditures.By doing this, the business can see how much actual expenses assorted from intended expenses in order to improve the budgeting process in the next time period. Businesses also use budgets for the idea of control. If businesses have a master budget to track, then they can carefully manage expenditures during the time period of the budget by evaluating them to the master budget. Budgets help avoid overspending. The budget also gives the company a target to use by which to evaluate the firm. Not only can expenditures be monitored, but so can income inputs. Some disadvantages of budgeting are staff time devoted to budgets bears a potential opportunity cost.The time these workers give to the budgeting process means they are not accessible to accomplish other tasks and responsibilities. There are Errors and imprecision that will always remain since it is unfeasible to forecast the future. There are major external events, such as, rising energy prices or the worldwide recession that may disfigure the whole process. Budgets also involve and affect people therefore they could be basis for conflict since there may be complicated decisions over where restricted funds are spent. Some departments with tight budgets could feel constrained. Therefore, this will carry the risk of frustrating initiative and enterprise.

Involvement in the Vietnam War Essay

In 1954, the Geneva agreement ended the fighting and declared Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam independent countries. The agreement also split Vietnam into two countries; communists governed North Vietnam and South Vietnam became a democratic country. North Vietnam reneged and the communists tried to take over South Vietnam, so the American military fought the communists in a battle that became known as the Vietnam War (Barr, 2005). The Hmong in Laos experienced tragic, long-term consequences for their wartime allegiance with the United States by secretly fighting in the Vietnam War. At the beginning of the Vietnam War, Laos was an officially neutral country (Mote, 2004). Freedom is important to the Hmong. The word Hmong means â€Å"free man† (Murphy, 1997). However, the Vietnam War spread to Laos when communist leaders decided to use Laos as a route to deliver supplies to their troops fighting in South Vietnam. Fearful that a communist victory in South Vietnam would eventually lead to communist victories throughout Southeast Asia, the United States Department of Defense, State Department, and Central Intelligence Agency â€Å"secretly created and administered a billion-dollar military aid program to Laos. (Castle, 1993). The U. S. military recruited and trained Hmong men and boys who wanted to protect their freedom from the communists. Tens of thousands of Hmong soldiers fought alongside U. S. soldiers to stop the communist’s troops and supplies from reaching South Vietnam. In 1975, the United States lost the Vietnam War and withdrew its soldiers from Vietnam and Laos, leaving behind the secret army of Hmong soldiers (Barr, 2005). Immediately, communists took control of South Vietnam and Laos, and declared war against the Hmong in Laos. Without the protection of American soldiers, Hmong soldiers and their families were hunted down and killed by communist soldiers. From 1975 until 1990, hundreds of thousands of Hmong fled Laos (Barr, 2005) to resettle in Thailand refugee camps. The United States promised to â€Å"find a new place† (Mote, 2004) for Hmong people, if the war against communism was lost. The United States had an agreement with Thailand, a democratic country, to provide safety and refugee camps. For several years, Hmong families struggled to survive in refugee camps until they received official permission from the United States to resettle in America (Murphy, 1997). When the first Hmong families arrived in the United States, they did not speak English and â€Å"lacked written language, formal education, financial saving, and support networks. † (Su, Lee, Vang, 2005). In spite of that, they held tight to their Hmong identity and loyalty. To be a Hmong in the eyes of the Hmong community of parents and elders is to be fluent in Hmong, have respect for elders, participate in family celebrations, help each other when needed, and have the will to succeed while maintaining one’s identity (Moore, 2003). Today, 18 different Hmong clan names are still passed down from generation to generation. Hmong clan names are equivalent to American last names. First names identify people and last names identify clans. The 18 clans provide life-time membership and ongoing material and spiritual support to their members from birth to death. Newborns are given the father’s clan name, which they cannot change. For that reason, Hmong women retain their clan name when they get married (Moua, 1995). The foundation of Hmong life is marriage and family (Millett, 2002). An ancient ritual requires the groom to pay â€Å"a bride-price,† a negotiated sum of money paid to the bride’s parents. Hmong newlyweds live with the husband’s parents until they have two or more children. However, Hmong culture expects the last-born married son, his wife, and children to permanently live with, support, and care for his parents and grandparents until their death. Unfortunately, time-honored Hmong traditions are challenged by American culture. For example, there is conflict between Hmong Christians and Hmong Animists. Animists sacrifice animals to worship spirits; they believe â€Å"that all living things have spirits† (Brittan, 1997). Hmong Christians worship God and condemn animal sacrifice. As a result, Christianity altered traditional Hmong rituals and ceremonies. For instance, Christianity eliminated the payment of a bride price and animal sacrifice. It also, eliminated the reciting of lengthy songs paying attribute to ancestors and natural spirits during funerals. These changes and other social and adaptive conflicts continue to cause disagreement and division among some Hmong families, friends, and clans. Once upheld with high respect and status, the Hmong shaman’s role in America has been downgraded.

Chnage Management and Communication Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Chnage Management and Communication Plan - Essay Example Customers demand increased demand for larger production of plastics as Fortune 1000 enterprise recognized (Robbins & Judge, 2011). Riordan manufacturing functions in bureaucratic and a system based on formal power structures. According to Riordan manufacturing (Organisations charts Executive), a narrow span of control displays the information. Product base and manufacturing decision are only based on a central view. The formal power structures in Riordan are mechanically based in nature thereby a managerial hierarchy chain of command works .the structures that have a narrow span of control affects negatively the company. Power structures currently at Riordan manufacturing are employee development without any job satisfaction and internal growth. With a company staff over a thousand then, company needs to create and effective and efficient computer utilization system to speed processing among departments, employees and customers (Robbins & Judge, 2011). Riordan Manufacturing needs to keep a competitive edge in order to stay competitive by implementing a formal system to manage customer information that has been traditionally been completed by employees. The power and political structures do affect employee behavior. The channels of communication are efficient and cost effective to the organization. Riordan manufacturing based on formal power structures can work efficiently if communication levels and management develops a plan diversified to increased job satisfaction by improving channels of communication. The formal power structures should not exist. Riordan manufacturing company should create a local area network, and connection of an intranet system to enhance efficient communication among departments and suppliers. The network would have a department specific access code and information based on the functionality of the site. Improving the communication is a way suppliers can see

Use of informants in criminal investigation Essay

Use of informants in criminal investigation - Essay Example Identifying motivators, insuring the informant has access to the information that is desired, and maintaining control over the informant are the essential components for successful use of an informant in an investigation. The basis for American law enforcement in using informants is the concept of probable cause. In Aguilar v. Texas, the Supreme court designed a test that was divided into two aspects of determination under which to establish probable cause on hearsay evidence. The two things that must be accomplished are 1). the credibility of the informant be established, and 2). the reliability of the informant’s information also be established (Greene, 2007, pp 353). An informant’s credibility could be established by checking to see if the statements that have been made were able to lead to prosecution. An informant who has been used more than once has established a record of success or has been shown to be without value. The second aspect of determining probable cause requires that the reliability of the information be established, which is accomplished by checking to see if the informant has direct knowledge of the information that is being A variety of sources can be cultivated by law enforcement officers A cultivated source is one who is engaged in a legal business that allows for access to a person of interest. These individuals are can be hair stylists, hotel employees, doormen, legitimate gun dealers, bartenders, or anyone who does business with someone who has the potential to commit a crime and then allows some evidence of that crime to be discovered by the informant. This kind of network of individuals who watch the world as it functions within their job parameters allows for law enforcement to create a source of information that is more widespread, and sometimes very unexpected. Service workers, especially, aren’t necessarily identified as a threat and can sometimes allow for a

Object and Data Modelling Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Object and Data Modelling - Assignment Example The participants accessing the system, who can be either the diver or the customer, are both required to register on the system or sign up with their personal information. Personal information comprises of the names, sex, the users year of birth, mobile number, and email addresses of the system end users. The system is divided into a driver and client subsystem that categorically showcase the attributes and features required by the system. The registration details for sign up process are mandatory in order to allow automatic validation of the end user. The end users are expected to input additional information to support the subsequent data required for completing the sub-functions of the system. The sub-functions of the system simply include and extend other higher functions or authority within the system (SHOVAL 2007). For example getting registered on the system extends to being validated by the system. Including other use cases helps to reduce duplication of system functionalities for each user, therefore, describing other detailed parts of the system in the use case makes it easy to understand the hierarchy of actors (system end users) in the car sharing system as well. An activity diagram relatively represents the flow of information within the system showing and illustrating the sequence of activities. The conditions for the information for each activity can also be described within an activity diagram. In the case of the Car sharing system, the activity diagrams that are presented include that of the Registration and Payment process. The activity diagram shows the start and stop process for each particular activity. Designing an activity diagram requires the coordination of execution of sub-functions using a control and data flow model. The activity diagram developed and created in this particular case invokes other activities via a level of hierarchy that executes and resolves particular functions (GEORGE 2007). For

Skills for Study 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Skills for Study 1 - Essay Example This paper is a critical analysis of some of the security changes that have been seen in the aviation industry since 9/11 and some of their effects on the industry (Morgan, 2002). Before September 11th, most of the airport security operations were provided by external private companies. These companies had to be contacted by the airlines or airports to carry out the screening of passengers. After the events however, most of the airports in the US adapted the transportation security administration to carry out the screening. They had better plans for this and the first thing that they did was to install bulletproof cockpit doors that were locked and was only accessible to authorized personnel. These were one of the early changes that were made to the aircrafts to ensure that attacks to the US were minimized as much as possible. Before the attack, most airports had unsecure buildings that could provide access to criminals in case they planned an attack to the airports. Due to this, most airports had to change most of their doors to ensure that the doors were bulletproof and that the airport personnel were protected by bulletproof walls at all times. During the attack, box-cutter knives which in most cases are not considered to be weapons were used. The criminals passed these knives through the airport security systems without any problem since the knives were not illegal and anyone could pass them through. Under the guidelines of the hazardous materials act, these knives were not illegal and were considered to be tools of trade. Screeners had a lot of confusion about these blades before the attack and in most occasions, they had no option but to allow most people to pass with the knives. However, after the attack, there were rules that were put in place that prohibited any form of blade from passing through any airport. Knives and blades were therefore illegal and no one

The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran Essay

The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran - Essay Example The magical words of the Gita have been taken all around the world, and have inspired millions of people. Therefore, there can be little doubt as regards its efficacy, timeless relevance and of course, its wondrous, practical simplicity. The allegory, the wonderful symbolization of the world in all its colors - makes the song of God one of the greatest and most relevant works of religion. And this allegory can be seen in the Gita itself - a study of the entire epic is not even necessary! So, it is important to analyze and understand the reason for the Bhagavad Gita's strong influence on our minds - which can be properly done only by studying the beautiful allegory that is used in the poem. The entire Mahabharata is itself full of symbols, if we look deeply. Whether it is Dhritarashtra's blindness, Yudhishthira's flying chariot, a brotherhood of five Pandavas as compared to an ocean of a hundred Kauravas - all these strange characterizations and symbolizations carry a distinct meaning in themselves. The most prominent symbols, however, are the incarnation of Lord Krishna on the Earth, and his subsequent role as a charioteer to the Pandava Arjuna - who has been depicted as Nara (Man). It is commonly understood that the discourse given by Krishna to Arjuna is the only thing that comes close to an Allegory - being interpreted as God teaching man some important ideals (very much like the ten commandments!), but that is simply not true - The allegory can be seen and felt the moment Arjuna panics at the time of the commencement of battle - Man panics when he has to do his duty. And here, Man is Arjuna and his duty is to participate in this war. From this moment on, we can observe a great deal of wonderful and intelligent symbolization the great poet Veda Vyasa has hidden in the Gita. ".take me to the middle of the battlefield, my dear Krishna, so that I may observe the armies facing each other." - Thus did Arjuna plead with his charioteer (after the conch of the commencement of the battle was sounded!). "Middle of the battlefield" "My Dear Krishna" "may observe the armies facing each other" "after the conch of commencement of the battle was sounded" - have these questions ever been raised NEVER! But the entire soul of the poem's allegory is contained in these words. The moment Arjuna panicked, the Lord smiled. The very setting of the Gita and the conversation between Nara (Arjuna) and Narayana (Krishna) is too bizarre and eccentric for words - but that setting makes the song of God "Timeless". The "middle of the battlefield" is actually a point in everyone's life, when one has to make a crucial, life-changing decision. Arjuna wanted a clear view of both armies, and that could be done only when he could stand at the middle of the battlefield, impartially. The symbol "middle of the battlefield" actually teaches us just that - to be completely impartial while making an important decision. One should never be carried away by senseless and overwhelming

Managing Teams Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing Teams - Research Paper Example Apart from all this factors, the leader of the team is an important and powerful determinant of the success of the team. A leader who is openly cynical, ineffectual, apathetic and interpersonally hostile is less likely to maintain a positive, forward-looking team. A team leader belongs to a team and operates within it. He takes the responsibility of providing vision and mission to the team and sometimes also, represents the whole team to the organization. The main responsibility of the team leader is to ensure that the team is functioning well and also, acts as an involved member of the team (Hayes, 2002). This paper mainly focuses on the importance of teamwork in working environment, leadership and ways of building a leading and effective team. Teamwork in a work environment The use of the concepts like, workgroups and team, within the organization has increased rapidly in the Western Industrialized world. The rise of quality circles and dominance of self- managed teams has come to exemplify this movement throughout the work organizations. These concepts have gained importance due to the lack of customized form of work and flexibility, which have reduced the competitive ability. Teamwork has been introduced in the organizations for effective recruitment and better utilization of the employees in order to achieve organizational goals. Team work has also helped the employees in accomplishing their need by controlling the work environment (Doorewaard, van Hootegem & Huys, 2002). It is not unheard that a successful teamwork influences the success of a business. Kets De Vries (1999) has emphasized on the fact that research has proved that effective teamwork is one of the fundamental elements that facilitates a high performing business. The business that continues to perform successfully is largely dependent on teamwork as it is a significant basis for day to day operations. Increased employee morale, effective and efficient communication, flat management structure, client focus, quality enhancement and productivity are the main aspects of team-oriented business. Research scholars have indicated that many of the organizations described themselves as highly team-oriented but in reality, they need to create team-oriented culture within their organization to gain success. Creating an effective teamwork environment depends on flexibility of the organization, leadership styles and management structure. Scarnati (2001) has proposed that employees are less likely to work in a team unless the purpose, condition, arrangement and structure of the firm support their team effort. Once the team gets established, it is not only the responsibility of the management to nurture the effectiveness and efficiency of the working team, but is also the responsibility of the team members to perpetuate the success of the team. The managers are required to select and employ highly skilled individuals who can contribute to the teams’ environment and lead it to su ccess. Teams are a strategic practice of the management to conduct their business in order to provide flexibility to their employees, under a certain work structure. These individuals are expected to make informed decision within the team, take responsibility

Entrepreneurship Master Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Entrepreneurship Master - Assignment Example Craftadelic was set up in January 2004, a little over two years ago, by an individual who loved to make handmade greetings cards, using items found from her worldwide travels. Following a visit to a local craft store - Hobbycraft - the individual saw that crafts were very popular with other people, and started to think that there may be a future in selling the items she had found on her travels. Many people had commented on her cards, and when she had exhibited at local craft fairs, selling her cards, many people had asked her where the items she had used on her cards were from, and if they could be brought - other people therefore seemed interested in using the same items on their cards, as the items were very unusual, obviously reasonably priced, and of high quality. This fact, coupled with the fact that the local craft store was full of people buying supplies for their crafts, suggested that there would be a strong market for the goods she was thinking of selling. Within a few months of thinking of the idea to set up the business, her personal circumstances had changed, following a car accident, which caused damage to her shoulder and hands, and which left her unable to work on her main job (writing). At this point, she decided to use some of her savings to set up the craft business. She set about buying stock in bulk from her suppliers, whose names/addresses/business terms she had gathered on her travels. She had also located some British suppliers for some craft supplies that were too heavy, and therefore not cost effective, to post from abroad in small, initial, quantities (for example, card). It soon became apparent that in order to be able to buy in bulk from some suppliers, she had to prove her trading status, and so the decision was made at this point to register for VAT, which would give the business credibility, and which would be necessary anyway, as it was expected, from market research, that the business would be trading over the VAT threshold within its first few months of sale, and definitely within the first year of trading. Whilst the supplies were arriving, she made the decision that the business had to be run through an online store front, in order to catch the greatest number of customers, and in order that no initial outlay was made on renting premises, as in this way, the business could initially be run from her home, through the website. She set about using her local contacts to find someone who would be able to build the website for her, as she did not possess the relevant skills, and was not able, anyway, in her physical condition, to work on such a large project, involving such a lot of computer time. After a few months, the website was developed, through a collaborative process between the web designer and the individual. Many issues came up in the design process, such as branding and imaging of the business, graphic design, methods of payment acceptance etc., and in order to deal with these issues at the time of initiation of the business, and in an easily manageable, ongoing, manner, a plan was created by the individual for the development and implementation of these issues. For example, analyzing the set-up costs versus the ease of use, it was decided that PayPal would be used as a payment processor, not any of the more expensive payment processors (such as WorldPay), as many crafters use PayPal, as eBay

Arthur Millers play Essay Example for Free

Arthur Millers play Essay Arthur Millers play The Crucible is, on the surface, a play about a real life historical event that took place in the small American town of Salem in 1692. A mass hysteria gripped the town because of accusations of witchcraft and compacting with the devil. This led to many innocent people being hanged. However, some people believe that if you look deeper into the play you can see clear parallels with 1692 Salem and 1950s America. After the end of the Second World War most of Europe was devastated and left trying to recover. This left the USA and the USSR as the two dominant superpowers, both of these heavily armed nations were extremely scared of the other attacking them and so came an arms race to try to beat the other side. Diplomatic relations between the two powers broke down and widespread fear of communism took over the USA. So began the Cold War. Senator Joseph McCarthy set up the House Un-American Committee to root out communists and their sympathisers. This included anyone who had remotely left-wing views. Many actors, writers and musicians were brought before the committee including Miller himself. If you remember a crucible is a dish used to heat out the impurities from metals, you can see how it relates to Proctor in court being heated to provide names and confessions. This is much the same as what happened to Miller who was also asked to name names (but refused). To answer the question it has to be remembered that Miller intended that the play be performed on stage and not read like a book. He uses stage directions to convey to the audience some of the feelings characters are experiencing. On page 108 stage directions for Proctor say With great force of will, but not quite looking at her. The shows the audience that Proctor still cannot forgive himself for his affair with Abigail. It also shows the conflict between Proctor and Elizabeth and also Proctor and Abigail. Proctor also has a conflict with Parris, who he correctly believes is an incompetent fool. In addition to this he also has conflict he also a conflict with all the girls because he knows they are faking the whole thing. Miller shows this by having Proctor go to court to try and prove the girls liars. He brings Mary Warren into Court saying, She never saw no spirits. He also has conflicts with judges Haythorne and Danforth. On page 113 he says I speak my own sins, I cannot judge another. (Crying out with hatred) The stage directions for this quote clearly shows this conflict. These conflicts are all of one particular type, conflicts with other people, except for the conflicts with Judges Haythorne and Danforth who could also represent Proctors conflicts with Authority.  Reverend Hale has a conflict with Proctor because he believes that Proctor should sign the confession to live and not die for his pride. At one point he shows his anger at Proctors decision to tear up his confession says Man, you will hang! You cannot!.  A lot of characters especially Proctor have conflicts with authority. Proctor has a huge conflict with the courts and also the church, although the two are very close together. This is where Miller uses him to explore his own conflict with McCarthyism and his own experiences before the House Un-American Committee. On page 114 stage directions for Proctor read Proctor has finished signing when Danforth reaches for the paper. But Proctor snatches it up and now a wild terror is rising in him, and a boundless anger this shows very much how much Proctor hates the courts and could also show us something of Millers feelings towards McCarthyism. This is because both Proctor and Miller know that the courts/government are almost trying to bribe people into giving the names of others even if the others are innocent people that are being named to get them out of trouble or being named for some kind of revenge purpose. To add to his long list of conflicts Proctor also has a conflict within himself about whether or now he should sign the confession and name people to save his life or to protect others and his honour and die. Miller also faced this (although he was only threatened with jail not death) but like Proctor he refused to name people and escaped without severe punishment.  Elizabeth Proctor also has conflicts within herself as to whether or not to help John Proctor in his decision to sign the paper or not. In the end she does not help him and he must do it himself. This may show how alone you could feel when being questioned about your Un-American Activities in 1950s/60s America. In the end of the play Proctor is hung for not confessing or naming names. This ending solves many of the conflicts in the play. It solves all Proctors conflicts with people and authority and also other people conflicts with him. However it could spark of new conflicts within people such as the girls who faked the whole thing and must be wondering whether they should have said something before people were killed or whether to say something now. I think Miller is using his characters to show us different conflicts in society and the problems with people and how they can do things they ordinarily wouldnt to gain an advantage or to escape trouble. He also uses the conflicts to show problems with high authority and how they could collapse if they were revealed to be wrong about serious things like the witch trials. I think Miller is trying to tell us something we should all probably learn from.

Traditional Versus Lean Project Management Techniques Information Technology Essay

Traditional Versus Lean Project Management Techniques Information Technology Essay Project management is a structured approach towards managing projects. It is defined as The application of knowledge skills, tools and the techniques to project activities in order to meet stakeholders needs and expectations from a project (Burke, 2003). The project management team is responsible for finding methods of meeting the control budgets and schedule rather than justifications for not meeting them (Ballard and Howell, 1997). Developing a fully integrated information and control system to plan, instruct, monitor and control large data amounts, quickly and accurately for problem solving and decision making will determine the success of the manager. Projects are temporary production systems. Production is defined as designing and making things. Designing and making something for the first time is done through a project, which is arguably the fundamental form of production system. Three fundamental goals of production systems are (Ballard and Howell, 2003) Deliver the product Maximize value Minimize waste Lean Project Management Performance improvement for competitive advantage is a general characteristic of practitioners in most industries (Porter, 1985). In project management for satisfactory performance the consideration of time, cost and quality is not adequate. Performance is described in terms of attaining value effectively and efficiently where effectiveness is maximising value of output whereas, efficiency refers to minimising or elimination non value-adding items in production. Beside a stream, dont waste water, even in a forest, dont waste firewood. Chinese Proverb The systems those are structured to deliver the product while maximizing value and minimizing waste, are said to be lean projects (Ballard and Howell, 2003). Lean is the term originally coined in 1990 by Womack, Jones and Roos to describe the Toyota Production System (Reeves, 2007). A production system which was capable of producing more and better vehicles in less time, less space and using fewer labour hours was given the name Lean. Organizations can reduce project timelines and costs by eliminating waste and focusing on value creation for the customer. The bottom line with lean is: if the action does not provide value to the end customer then it is waste. Lean refers to a general way of thinking and specific practices that emphasize less of everything fewer people, less time, lower costs (Reeves, 2007). Lean project management has been constructed by drawing together two approaches: management of projects and lean production. For project management performance improvement, the management of project focuses on meeting customer needs effectively while lean production aims at meeting customer needs efficiently utilised in lean project management. The justification of lean production with management of project is done at the methodological level (Horman and Kenley). Lean Project Management Methodology Management of Projects Methodology Lean Production Methodology Figure 1: Generation of Lean Project Management Methodology Fig. 1: Generation of Lean Project Management Methodology Lean product development helps improve a companys competitive advantage. Its application in the automobile industry has brought significance performance improvement. But this does not mean that lean production is applicable to only automobile industry. Many non manufacturing companies like the one those are involved in product development, transportation, accounting, hospital, sales, administration, vehicle repair and many others are making use of the lean principles. There are five traditional lean principles that are applicable outside the automobile industry (Womack and Jones, 2003) value to the customer value stream to provide the product or service that the customer values seamless flow of the product or service pull mode- provide the customer with the product or service in a timely fashion perfection for continuous improvement Traditional versus Lean Project Management Techniques Lean project management differs from traditional project management in the goals it pursues, the structure of its phases, the relationship between phases and the participants in each phase. The traditional production methodology manages conversion of an input to an output. Lean production is managing the production process by converting input to output, by minimising the input flow waste and maximising the value of the output efficiently. Thus the lean production methodology has flow management and management of value in addition to the input, conversion and output of the conventional project management technique. The traditional approach focuses on efficiency rather than value, whereas in lean production the focus is on minimising waste (efficiency) and maximising value of output (effectiveness). Under lean production with the introduction of the notion of value, effectiveness is expanded. In the traditional approach, value is not given much importance. Customers requirements are compromised which extends barely further than market requirements and lowering costs. Lean production emphasises on maximising the value of output by satisfying the customers specific requirements. The change in the production management from conventional to lean production management is because: Inappropriate control mechanisms and performance improvement efforts are used in conventional methodology. Poorly understood and addressed quality under traditional method. These show poor efficiency and effectiveness in the production process which roots from inadequate understanding of the production process. The change in production method from traditional to lean was to add to the existing approach and make it more appropriate for contemporary and complex production systems. Lean Product Development Lean product development encompasses numerous inter-related techniques. The first technique is supplier involvement. Instead of being involved for detailed design specification, suppliers are involved from the beginning of a new product. Since it is the responsibility of the suppliers to develop complete modules for the product, often without detailed specifications, black box engineering is used. Second technique is simultaneous engineering which means performing different activities parallely in the development effort. Parallel development helps reduce time. Another technique is the use of cross-functional teams which consists of members from different functional areas in the company, to facilitate the development of products that are easy to manufacture and assemble. This technique aims at integrating rather than coordinating all the functional aspects in the product from the beginning. When individuals work together to develop a new product, the physical proximity that arises results in the team being integrated. To improve communication, create stronger commitment towards the project and bringing focus for cross-functional problem solving, one should use the heavyweight team structure where the project manager has direct access to and is responsible for the work of all those involved. Instead of detailed specifications because of visions and objectives the whole project is straegically managed. Even though a company implements these techniques, it does not achieve lean product development in a simple way, for successful lean product development the company has to approach these interrelated techniques as a whole. Techniques other than Lean Product Development Lean is a continuous process improvement technique that can be used to evaluate, analyze and improve how a company delivers values to its customers. However this is only one of the several approaches, some other techniques are six sigma and theory of constraints (TOC). Lean focuses on the flow of value to a companys customers whereas six sigma focuses on individual problems, which shows the companys ability to satisfy the customers needs and TOC focuses on the constraints and how to minimize those to improve the volume of throughput within a system. Another technique is lean six sigma which combines the analytical tools of six sigma with the speed and customer value focus of lean to optimize the improvement process. For companies undertaking continuous improvement initiative, it is important for them to first determine the goal, and then apply the appropriate method to achieve the goal. Lean Project Delivery System Theoretical and practical investigations led to the emergence of the Lean Project Delivery System emerged in 2000. It is in the process of on-going development through experimentation. The job of the project delivery system is not only fulfilling the customer needs, but also help the customer decide their needs. It is necessary to understand the customers purpose and constraints, exposure of customer to alternative means for accomplishing their purposes and help them understand the end results of their desires. The lean project delivery system model consists of four phases: Project Definiton, Lean Design, Lean Supply and Lean Assembly. The four phases are a set of interconnecting triads, where some downstream activity takes place from the subsequent phase in each triad. Alteration Decommissioning Commissioning Fabrication Logistics Product Design Design Concepts Purposes Detailed Engineering Design Criteria Operation Maintenance Installation Process Design Use Lean Assembly Lean Supply Project Definition Lean Design Work Structuring Production Control Learning Loops Fig. 2: Lean Project Delivery System. Project Definition Project definition is the first phase in project delivery system which consists of determining the purposes (customer and stakeholder purposes and values), design criteria for translating those purposes for both product and process, and design concepts against which purposes and criteria can be tested and developed. The movement through these three need not follow any specific sequence, although the logical starting point seems to be the purpose. To reveal to stakeholders the consequences of their needs and different value generation possibilities, the cycle through these three modules is necessary. The involvement of stakeholders is a must for the best outcome from the project definition phase. Typical stakeholders can be the client (holds the contract), users of the facility, governing agencies, designers, installers, operators, fabricators, etc. The Lean Design phase should be launched only after bringing the three modules of project definition into alignment. (Project Definition Process: Appendix 1) Lean Design The alignment of values, concepts and criteria is the gate between Project Definition and Lean Design. At the functional systems level, developing and aligning product and process design can lead towards Lean Design. If at all the search for value reveals opportunities that are consistent with customer and stakeholder constraints, the project may go back to Project Definition stage. In order to allow more time for developing and exploring alternatives, the decisions are deferred systematically until the last responsible moment. This differentiates the Lean Design from the traditional practice of selecting options and executing design tasks as soon as possible causing rework and disruption because of conflicts in decisions made by specialists. Lean Supply Lean Supply consists of detailed engineering, fabrication, and delivery. To know what to detail and fabricate, and when to deliver the components, the system requires prerequisite product and process design. Also Lean Supply helps reduce the lead time for information and materials. Lean Assembly Lean Assembly begins with the delivery of materials and the relevant information for their installation. When the client has beneficial use of the facility, which typically occurs after commissioning and start-up the assembly completes. Comparison of Lean and Non-Lean Project Delivery System Lean Non-Lean Focuses on production system Focuses on transactions and contracts Transformation, flow and value goals Transformation goal Downstream players involved in upstream decisions Sequential decisions by specialists thrown over the wall Product and process designed together Process design begins after product design is complete Considers all product life cycle stages in design Not all product life cycle stages are considered Activities performed at last moment Activities performed as soon as possible Systematic efforts to reduce supply-chain lead times Separate organizations link together through the market and take what the market offers Incorporates learning into project, firm and supply-chain management Learning occurs periodically Stakeholders interests aligned Stakeholders interests not aligned Sized buffers located to perform their function of absorbing system variability Sized buffers located for local optimization -(Ballard and Howell, 2003) The Difficult Path to Lean Product Development Lean product development is not an easy thing to do. Several factors can hinder attempts to achieve lean product development. The different factors are: Cross-functional team is a technique that helps an organization in lean product development. They might be having a positive impact on the development effort, but creating cross-functional teams is a difficult task. Even today development is regarded to be a task for the Research and Development department, this shows lack of cross-funtional focus in the organization which ultimately leads to difficulty in creating cross-funtional integration. Simultaneous engineering is another technique towards lean product development, but working with concurrent activities and thus overlapping phases in the development effort is a very complicated task. It is impsossible for the individual engineers to perform simultaneous activities. Coordination of the lean product development effort is not an easy task. For coordination, regular meetings with the whole group needs to be held which is a time consuming activity. If the size of the group is large it resulted in longer meetings with repeated discussions and it may also happen that individuals from one department may find it difficult to understand discussions on issues on other department than the one he is from. Organizations face difficulty in coordinating a visionary-led development project, where visions also create problems. Requesting for detailed design specifications disturb the visionary-led projects. For any project, the suppliers must be involved from the beginning of he project, which results in difficulties for the suppliers to give detailed estimate of costs demanded by the top management. The desire to have the flexibility of black box engineering and known cost of the detailed estimate approach, obstructs a lean process. Hindering factors are more easily identified. Other than the hindering factors in the process of implementing lean product development, there are some supporting factors, which helps in the implementation of lean product development (Appendix 2) Benefits Despite lean being originated in manufacturing, it is now applied in many other business areas including product development, administration, accounting, project management and many others, because of its generic approach of eliminating waste to create more value for customer. A variety of lean product development techniques when applied to project management can reduce project timelines, increase customer value and reduce costs. Some other benefits of lean project management are, it helps increase the productivity, higher quality products, reduction in order processing errors, etc. Conclusion An alternative method to project management is lean project management. The lean approach to project management has worked successfully in potentially difficult and complex areas. The approach contributes to project management performance by focusing on the effectiveness and efficiency of delivering value that is satisfying client needs. Its implementation offers the potential for faster product development with fewer engineering hours, improved manufacturability of products, higher quality products, fewer production start-up problems, and faster time to market. Lean implementations have also yielded improvements in the value generated for clients, users and producers, and also a reduction in waste, including waiting time for resources, process cycle times, inventories, defects and errors, and accidents. It also led to a high level of commitment and motivation from the team, and to the satisfaction of the client organization. Lean thinking when paired with an appropriate agile development methodology can provide significant benefits to an organization. It has the advantage of reducing risk to the client, with the right balance of quality, performance and value for money. Lean product development is the beginning of the journey of continuous improvement. Lean techniques are not simply management tools but rather they embody a culture that needs to be enforced from the top leadership down throughout the company. Systematic implementation of lean in all areas of project management will yield benefits that other improvement methods cannot.

Star Wars :: essays research papers

You're sitting in a dark movie theater. X-Wing fighters whiz across the screen, and light sabers flash. You've seen it all before, but now it's better than ever. Star Wars, the Special Edition, is a classic that has been updated for the 1990s. The new Star Wars has additional special effects, a more realistic home planet, and improved sound.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The original Star Wars movie had great special effects, but they weren't as good as today's computer-generated special effects. In the new Star Wars, the spacecrafts are more realistic-looking, because they are images created by a computer rather than actual models. So, they have been given more details than the original spacecrafts, and they can fly and maneuver more easily. An example of this improvement can be seen near the end of the movie when the Rebel Fleet attacks the Death Star. For example, there are more rebel ships, and the ships can twist and swoop with ease when they're fighting the Imperial ships.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thanks to today's technology, Luke Skywalker's home planet, called Tatooine, is also more lifelike. It has new creatures, more people, and additional flying machines. For instance, the scenes in the city of Mos Eisley seem genuine. In the original Star Wars, it looked as if not much went on in the city. Now, added people, creatures, and robots walking on the streets make it look busy. Also, there are many more spacecraft taking off, landing, and flying overhead. The effect is that the city is more believable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finally, the sound of the new Star Wars has been digitized --it has improved in several ways. Explosions sound bigger. The exhaust sounds from the flying spacecraft are louder and actually sound as if they're swooshing. Also, voices and noises in the movie seem to come from your right or left side, which is a more realistic effect. For example, when several of the main characters are stuck in a garbage room with steel walls, Han Solo shoots his light saber to try to escape. The laser beam bounces off the walls, and you hear it hitting the right wall as if it were on your right side, and you hear it hitting the left wall as if it were on your left side.

There Are No Children Here Essay example -- Essays Papers

There Are No Children Here Alex Kotlowitz was a freelance journalist. In 1985 a friend came to him and asked him to write a text for a photo essay he was doing on (children living in poverty) for a Chicago magazine. That is when he met the Rivers brothers, Lafeyette, age ten, and Pharoah age seven. He spent only a few hours with them interviewing for the photo essay. Lafeyette had an impact on Kotlowitz. When asked what he wanted to be, Lafeyette responded with "If I grow up, I'd like to be a bus driver." Meaning, at ten years old, he wasn't sure if he'd make it to adulthood. In 1988 Kotlowitz suggested to the boys' mother, LaJoe, the idea of writing a book about Pharoah, Lafeyette and the other children in the neighborhood. LaJoe liked the idea. However, she then said, "But you know, there are no children here. They've seen too much to be children." Alex Kotlowitz entitled his book, There Are No Children Here. It is a story of two brothers growing up in a housing project of Chicago. By the author following the boys throughout their day to day lives, we, the readers, are also enveloped in the boys' surroundings. We learn about their everyday lives, from how they pick out their clothes, to how they wash them. We go to school with them and we play with them. Throughout the book, we are much like flies on the wall. We see and feel everything the boys' go through at Henry Horner Homes, the project where they live. LaJoe moved into the Henry Horner...

Palestine and Israel Essay -- Middle East War Palestin Israel Essays

Palestine and Israel On the day of January 18th, 2004 Israeli forces rushed through the Gaza strip and attempted a dangerous raid. The effects of the raid left eight Palestinians civilians dead in cold blood. Within twenty-four hours a young Palestinian police officer by the name of Ali Jaara climbed onto a Jerusalem bus and detonated a bomb, killing him and ten Israeli passengers. This is a very sad but common example of the never ending war that takes place not only on the battlefield but now on the streets and in homes of innocents. The war between Palestine and Israel may be able to date back to Biblical times and there seems to be no end in sight for either side. (Winder) The war in the Middle East is a great one. The cause for the fighting between both sides has changed repetitively. One of the earliest problems dates back to the bible. It is said that an angel promised the exiled slave Hagar that her son Ishmael would be the father of a country and his descendants would be hated and against everyone. Ishmael’s descendants did become the Arabs and would be hated by many especially the Jews. But in fact the Jews would face much more persecution and hatred than the Arabs ever did until recent events. From 1250 BCE to 138 CE the Jews fought many wars against the Roman Empire, the Babylonians, and the strength of Alexander the great. Over this time period the Jews were exiled, revolted, and then after a Jewish revolt in 133 CE, Jerusalem was destroyed and all of its inhabitants were exiled, banished, and forced into labor and slavery. (Porat) Thousands of years later in 1897 the first Zionist congress met in Switzerland to make plans for a Jewish state. Their dream was finally realized in 1917 the British Foreign Minister Arthur Balfour agreed to establish a national home for Jews in Palestine. He informed a leading Zionist and this became known as the Balfour Declaration. This was the first action that may have led to the rekindling of the rivalry between Jews and Arabs. After The Declaration over the next 15 years many Jews began to immigrate to British Mandate Palestine. This caused a lot of unrest among the Palestinian Arabs, and caused a strike by the Arab population, this was countered by the Irgun Zvai Leumi who was a Zionist group that attacked not only Arabs but also British targets. The Zionist groups hoped to liberate themselves... ...they affect a lot of people who want nothing to do with the brutality and violence they are forced to face everyday. Some like the Father of the policeman who became a suicide bomber had to face many consequences. With the death of his son his family mourned and was unable to support itself. On top of those problems days after the suicide bombing Israeli forces stormed into his house and destroyed it leaving it lying in mere rubbles and stones. Now his family is forced to live in tents and on the streets to starve with it being no fault of there own. So many chances of peace have been ignored or just completely forgotten, it’s an eternal and never ending war. Works Cited Mallison, William Thomas. The Palestine problem in international law and world order. Essex: Longman, 1986. â€Å"The Origin of the Palestine Israeli Conflict.† THE WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS. 6 Jan. 2005. Jews for Justice in the Middle East. 6 Jan. 2005 . Porat, Dina. The blue and the yellow stars of David : the Zionist leadership in Palestine and the Holocaust. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1990. Winder, Rob. â€Å"My son the suicide bomber.† BBC News Online. 2 Mar. 2004. 6 Jan. 2005

Ucla Econ 101 Final Spring 2011

1 Final Exam (VERSION 1): Econ 101 †¢ Please write your name at the top of every page of this mideterm †¢ Please write your name, TA’s name, and the time of your discussion section here Your Name: TA’s Name: Discussion Time: †¢ The exam has one parts: Written Questions. †¢ There should be 16 total pages (front and back). Quickly read through the exam before beginning. †¢ There are 100 total points available. Point values are listed next to each problem part. Please allocate your time accordingly 1 2 Written Questions 1. Consider the following payo? matrix Player L M T 2, 0 3, 1 Player 1 C 3, 4 1, 2 B 1, 3 0, 2 2 R 4,2 2,3 3,0 . (5pnts) Find the pure strategy Nash equilibria of the simultaneous game b. (5pnts) Now suppose the game is played sequentially. Find the subgame perfect equilibrium if player 1 goes ? rst and if player 2 goes ? rst. c. (5pnts) Discuss whether each of the players would want to go ? rst or second. d. (5pnts) Write down a sy stem of equations such that the solution to the system would give a completely mixed strategy equilibrium of this game (please clearly de? ne all of your notation). Can this system of equations be solved? (Hint: think about the condition requiring player 1 to play B with positive probability).Explain what the answer means. 2 WORK SPACE 3 WORK SPACE 4 2. Suppose Player 1 and Player 2 are playing a simultaneous move game with the following payo? matrix: Player 2 L R T 0, 4 ? , 3 Player 1 B 3, 3 4, 6 where ? ? 0 a. (5pnts) De? ne a dominant strategy equilibrium. Is there any value of ? for which there is a dominant strategy equilibrium. If so, ? nd the values of ?. If not, show why. b. (5pnts) Describe all the pure and mixed strategy equilibria of the game as a function of ? c. (5pnts) Suppose ? = 5. What would the outcome be if the players could cooperate? 5 WORK SPACE 6 WORK SPACE 7 3.Billy has just inherited a horse ranch from his uncle. The ranch is located in Oshkosh, WI and rents horses. A unique feature of the stable is the nearby riding trails that overlook Lake Winnebago. Billy has two types of potential customers: novice riders (N) and serious riders (S). The (per customer) demand for horse rides on the ranch is qS = 75 ? 1. 25PS , where qS is the number of hourlong rides a serious rider makes per year. The demand for novice riders is qN = 57 ? 1. 25PN . Assume there are 75 riders of each type in the town. Billy’s cost function is T C = 12q, where q is the total number of hours the horses are ridden per year. . (5pnts) Suppose Billy does not price discriminate. Find prices, quantities, and Billy’s pro? t. b. (5pnts) Suppose Billy can tell who’s a serious rider because of the types of hat they ware. Find the 3rd degree price discriminating prices, quantities and pro? ts. c. (5pnts) Suppose Billy is not able to tell the di? erence between the two types of rider. He decides to start charging a yearly membership fee, T , as well as an h ourly price, p. Find the optimal choices of T and p d. (5pnts) Suppose Billy IS able to tell the di? erence between the two types of but still thinks the 2-part tari? is a good idea.Find the annual fee and per hour price that Billy would charge to each group 8 WORK SPACE 9 WORK SPACE 10 4. (16pnts) Boeing and Airbus are the 2 ? rms that produce commercial aircraft. The demand for airplanes is given by: Q = 10 ? P . Boeing’s costs are given by T CB = cB qB and Airbus’ costs are given by: T CA = cA qA where cA , cB are constants. a. (5pnts) Find the Cournot quantities, prices and pro? ts. Find Stackelberg quantities, prices, and pro? ts assuming Boeing chooses output ? rst b. (5pnts) Suppose that right now cB = cA = 5. Boeing has access to a process innovation that will lower marginal costs from 5 to 0.How much would Boeing be willing to invest to implement the innovation. (Assume Cournot Competition from here on) c. (5pnts) Suppose that the innovation is such that Airbu s can (imperfectly) copy it, so if Boeing makes the investment Airbus’ costs fall to 2. How much is Boeing willing to pay now? d. (5pnts) If Airbus can perfectly copy the innovation, how much would Boeing be willing to pay? Why is Boeing willing to pay a positive amount? 11 WORK SPACE 12 WORK SPACE 13 5. There are two types of people in the world Sky Divers and Cat People. Both types have wealth W = 100 and utility functions U (W ) = ln(W ).Both types of people can have an accident that leads them to lose $50 of wealth. Sky Divers are riskier and have accidents 75% of the time, while Cat People have accidents only 25% of the time. The proportion of Sky Divers in the economy is pS and the proportion of Cat People is pC = 1 ? pS a. (5pnts) How much would each type be willing to pay for an insurance policy that fully reimbursed them in the event of an accident? b. (5pnts) Write down the equations that, if you solved them, would give the amount each type would be willing to pay f or insurance that covered half their losses? . (5pnts) What is the fair price of (full) insurance for each type (i. e. if an insurer knows which type he is dealing with)? What is the fair price if the insurer cannot distinguish the two types? d. (5pnts) Assume insurers cannot distinguish the two types and that insurance markets are competitive so prices are the fair prices. Describe prices and who is insured in equilibrium as a function of pS e. (5pnts) Discuss the meaning of adverse selection in the context of this example 14 WORK SPACE 15 WORK SPACE 16

Quality Improvement Email Essay

Quality management in healthcare facilities is organized to meet the needs of the organization. Today, most organizations have a program of continuous improvement in all functional areas. Data collection and analysis and resulting improvements have become an accepted way of doing business. An organization must address how it is going to achieve a successful Quality Improvement program (LaTour, p. 520). This paper is going to discuss the quality improvement in the health care industry along with stakeholders, roles, and resources to name a few. The purpose of quality management in the health care industry is to enhance the safety, efficiency and effectiveness of all businesses from health care processes and the performance of delivering products to human resources (The Purpose of QI Healthcare, 2014). The improvement is achieved using various methods, both qualitative and quantitative. With the passing of time, healthcare delivery has become more complex. There is a requirement for ne w and enhanced methods that will reduce costs and provide access to new technologies (The Purpose of QI Healthcare, 2014). Bringing a change into the system can facilitate the achievement of a new performance level. When a system remains unchanged over time and no enhancements are made, it cannot generate better results than the ones already created. The inefficient parts of the structure are replaced with new inventions that can prove to be worthy (The Purpose of QI Healthcare, 2014). Quality Management is needed because of competition. The primary goal is to beat the competition. It will add value at each stage of production defining long term plans for your company while at the same time providing a framework for it. The stakeholders define quality of care in various ways. Each stakeholder has different concerns relative to the  project’s objectives and goals (LaTour, p.808), which can translate, into different ratings of quality. â€Å"Exploratory interviews suggest that ratings are influenced by past experience, expectations, definitions of quality of care, and perceived power relationship s between stakeholders† (Campbell, 2004). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has defined â€Å"stakeholders† as persons or groups that have a vested interest in a clinical decision and the evidence that supports that decision (The Effective Health Care Program Stakeholder Guide Chapter 3: Getting Involved in the Research Process). Stakeholders may be patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, advocacy groups, professional societies, businesses, policymakers, or others. Each group has a unique and valuable perspective. With quality improvement, there are roles that are involved. The leader’s role in promoting and developing quality improvement begins with creating and sustaining a personal and organizational focus on the needs of internal and external customers (Quality Improvement, 2014). A leader demonstrates a clear commitment to the organizational mission, values, goals, and expectation that promote quality and performance excellence through its actions. Key staff roles in a quality improvement p rogram are day-to-day leader, data entry person, provider champion, operations person, and data specialist. Monitoring provides the method to identify how the organization compares with the original opportunities for improvement and achieving those goals. (Wiley, 2007) Every area needs monitored because of providing every needs monitored because of providing patient can with any deficiency affect the entire hospital. Leaders determine the areas that need monitoring for improvement, monitoring the compliance of policies and procedures and standards for the hospital. The accrediting and regulatory agencies that are involved in the quality improvement process are The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Joint Commission evaluates the quality of health care provided to the patient. They also requires that organizational leadership set expectations, plan, manage how to measure, assess, and improve in all aspects of providing care (LaTour, p.521). Another agency that is involved is the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which represents the federal funded agency that focuses on improving the health care. The federal government mandates the areas for monitoring for quality, for example, preventive care,  infection control, fall rates, and chronic disease management. (HRHA, 2013) National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) represents the accrediting agencies for the hospitals. It also evaluates the quality of health care provided to the patient. In conclusion, there are many resources for helping the improvement of quality. The patient, providers, nurses and management plays a part in the improvement that will guide to reach desired levels of performance. An organization that affects quality improvement is Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). AHRQ is the lead Federal agency charged with improving the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. (Quality Improvement Organizations) The accrediting and regulatory organizations protect the public the regular reporting quality measures of the health care facility. References: LaTour, K. (2010), Health Information Management Quality Improvement Organizations Retrieved from: http://www.aap.org/en-us/professional-resources/practice-support/quality-improvement/Pages/Quality-Improvement-Organizations.aspx Quality Improvement, Retrieved from: http://www.hrsa.gov/quality/toolbox/methodology/qualityimprovement/part2.html The Effective Health Care Program Stakeholder Guide: Chapter 3: Getting Involved in the Research Process. February 2014. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/evidence-based-reports/stakeholderguide/chapter3.html The Purpose Of Quality Improvement in Healthcare, Retrieved from: http://www.sixsigmaonline.org/six-sigma-training-certification-information/the-purpose-of-quality-improvement-in-healthcare.html Campbell, S. (2004) How do stakeholder groups vary in a Delphi technique about primary mental health care and what factors influence their ratings?

One word essay: Harmony Essay

Confucius once said â€Å"Let the states of equilibrium and Harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.† Harmony is defined as the state of being in agreement or concord. Singapore is a bustling metropolis and a multi-racial society, where people of different ethnic groups co-exist and lived harmoniously. Singapore has thrived rapidly because of our openness to international trade flow, knowledge and cultures, all of which have brought us opportunities and progress. As Singapore moves towards a more diverse landscape, it is important that Singaporeans continue to embrace diversity and live in harmony. Singapore is also a cosmopolitan city , just like many other dynamic cities of the world. Singaporeans also need to go beyond understanding the main races to respecting all people regardless of race, language or religion, who live and work in Singapore – for the harmony, prosperity and progress of the nation. The nation’s turbulent and tumultuous history is a coherent testimony to the significance of racial harmony. The day commemorates the communal riots that broke out on 21 July 1964 between Malays and Chinese during a Muslim procession celebrating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, which led to 36 dead and 590 injured. That is why we make it a point to commemorate Racial Harmony Day every year on 21 July. George Washington once said â€Å"Cultivate peace and harmony with all.† More importantly, throughout the year, we must strive to better understand the multifarious myriad of cultures and practices, and form strong friendships across the communities. These relationships that bind us as a nation will help us in difficult and dark times. Disharmony will also lead to schism , enmity and discord such as in Sri Lanka or Northern Ireland which kindles hostility. As Albert Einstein once said, â€Å"Harmony cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.† Singaporeans have to continue to build strong bonds in our community — bonds of friendship and understanding — to meet the challenges of the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous global environment one faces today. Racial harmony is vital for peace, progress and prosperity in this multi-racial Nation. Through Racial Harmony Day,  Singaporeans can strengthen religious harmony through mutual tolerance and understanding. Singaporeans in turn will recognise the secular nature of our State, promote cohesion within our society and respect each other’s freedom of religion. As a nation, Singaporeans can then grow our common space while respecting diversity, foster interreligious communications, and thereby ensure that religion will not be abused to create conflict and disharmony in Singapore. Imperative is this celebration, as Singaporeans can assimilate and learn cultures and traditions of other races. This is paramount in avoiding misunderstandings and conflicts of different races and make our country a democratic society. So, what does the government do to promote racial harmony in our multi-ethnic society? Besides food tasting, games, homestays and the practice of donning ethnic costumes, a few key activities have been introduced to the Racial Harmony Day celebrations over the years. The practice of wearing orange ribbons – the colour symbolising racial harmony and intolerance towards racism – first began in 2001, when the Singapore History Museum (now known as the National Museum of Singapore) introduced it in a school. In addition, since 2008, OnePeople.sg has organised the Orange Ribbon Celebrations, a signature month-long event held every July, to commemorate racial harmony on a national level. The Government has also established Inter-Racial Confidence Circles (IRCC) and Harmony Circles in all our 84 constituencies to reach out to all Singaporeans in order to strengthen understanding and a shared sense of responsibility among Singaporeans of all races and religions. The IRCCs create opportunities for Singaporeans to explore and appreciate their differences and develop bonds among different ethnic and religious communities. They organise visits to the houses of worship of different religions. This fosters greater religious harmony between the different religious and ethnic groups. This can promote racial harmony in our society. In addition, more than 80 % of Singaporeans live in HDB flats. Living in multi-racial housing estates is a step towards forging a bond between the different racial groups in our society. As the various communities are brought closer together and share common facilities in the housing estates, it allows them to interact with and understand one another better. Living together in multi-racial housing  estates may also increase the likelihood of friction between different races. Hence, residents have to learn to live in harmony with one another.  Furthermore, government encourage schools to organise a range of cross-cultural activities for students during Racial Harmony Day, which may extend to become a weeklong event. Some of these activities include dressing up in ethnic costumes, sampling ethnic food and playing traditional games. Students also revisit the 1964 communal riots in different ways such as skits, talks and oral history accounts. Moreover, The National Heritage Board and its various museums took part in the Racial Harmony Day celebrations in 2001. Activities organised by the National Heritage Board included an exhibition at the National Archives titled â€Å"Living History: Tracing Our Customs and Traditions† and another exhibition at the Singapore Philatelic Museum, which explored Singapore’s ethnic cultures through stamps and postcards. We should not take our Singapore’s harmony for granted and should continue to flourish as a nation, regardless of our differences. Sallust, a roman historian, once said â€Å"Harmony makes small things grow. Lack of it makes great things decay.†

Current patterns of ill health Essay

Describe the current patterns of ill health and how they are monitored In the UK patterns of ill health are identified and monitored through the use of statistics which may be viewed on the National Statistics website. Responsible for producing statistics to be put together by our UK National Statistics organisation to illustrate patterns of ill health in the UK are government statistical departments. Government statistical departments that are major contributors to identifying and monitoring patterns of ill health in the UK include: the Department of Health, the Health and Safety Executive and the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care. Although statistics do provide a clear picture, they are not totally accurate for what they represent because there will always be information on illness that is not reported so statistics can only give us an idea of what ill health in England is really like. Here are some of the descriptions of the current patterns of ill health in the UK Lung cancer: Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that start off in one or both lungs but is usually in the cells that line the air passages. The abnormal cells do not develop into healthy lung tissue, they divide rapidly and form tumours. It is health concern as â€Å"Doctors in Britain are ‘missing opportunities’ to spot lung cancer at an early stage,† BBC News reports. A study found around a third of people with the condition die within 90 days of their initial diagnosis. http://www.nhs.uk and because there are usually no signs or symptoms in the early stages of lung cancer it is hard to diagnose so more people are dying from this cancer. Lung cancer is on the increase especially in women because of the sharp decrease in the incidence of male lung cancer over the past two decades reflects the decline in smoking prevalence among men. ‘Female smokers are also twice as likely to develop lung cancer as male smokers’ http://www.nhs.uk it is on the increase becuase Women aged between 25 and 34 are more stressed than anyone else in Britain, a new study has found. At that age, women are typicall y climbing the career ladder at work, caring for demanding young children at home and paying a mortgage meaning they are smoking more because of the stress.http://www.dailymail.co.uk Diabetes type 2: A person with type 2 diabetes has insulin resistance, meaning their pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body doesn’t react properly to insulin. Insulin is used by the body to manage glucose, or sugar, levels in the blood and to  convert glucose into energy. ‘Type 2 diabetes occurs mainly in people aged over 40. 5 million people have diabetes but is more common in older people The rapid rise in the number of adults developing type 2 diabetes is due to, increasing levels of obesity, a lack of exercise, increase in unhealthy diets and an ageing population. The first-line treatment is diet, weight control and physical activity.’ http://www.patient.co.uk/ it becomes a concern as that person is causing it themselves because of their diet , or lack of exercise ect and can only help themselves Cystic fibrosis- Cystic fibrosis affects over 7500 people in the UK and over 2 million people in the UK carry the gene that causes it. It affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and the digestive system, by clogging them with thick sticky mucus. This makes it hard to breathe and digest food. It is a progressive disorder and currently there is no cure, an average life expectancy is 31 years, although improvements in treatment mean a baby born today could expect to live for longer. Cystic fibrosis is increasingly being diagnosed through screening but some babies and older children (and even adults) are diagnosed following unexplained illness. Treatments available include eating a healthy diet, exercising, physiotherapy treatment and medicine treatment. Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disorder. This means that in order to develop cystic fibrosis you need to inherit two cystic fibrosis genes, one from your mother and one from your father, and this is why it is on the increase as people who have the gene are having children. Coronary heart disease – (CHD) is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque (plak) builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle. When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis. It’s responsible for around 74,000 deaths in the UK each year. About 1 in 5 men and 1 in 8 women die from CHD. CHD generally affects more men than women, but from the age of 50 the chances of developing CHD are similar for men and women. â€Å"That number of people get CHD looks likely to rise if we allow complacency and inactivity to ruin our lives.† Professor Sir Charles George blamed people’s increasingly unhealthy lifestyles to cause this. Std- sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infectious diseases that spread  from person to person through intimate contact. these diseases can cause serious harm such as getting HIV is a virus most commonly caught by having sex without a condom.The virus attacks the immune system, and weakens your ability to fight infections and disease.At the end of 2012, there were an estimated 98,400 people in the UK living with HIV. The majority were infected through sex (41,000 gay and bisexual men and 53,000 heterosexuals).Although there is no cure for HIV, treatments are now very effective, enabling people with HIV to live long and healthy lives.You will be encouraged to take regular exercise, eat a healthy diet, stop smoking. the reason why it is on the increase is because of sexual activity at a young age, having lots of sexual paretners are more at risk and having unprotected sex, many young adults are not using condoms meaning that diseases like chylamida are increasing and more sexua l diseases are being spread around as there are also not really any symptoms to suggest you have a std. liver disease. There are over 100 types of liver disease, which together affect at least 2 million people in the UK. the most common are alcohol-related liver disease, where the liver is damaged after years of alcohol misuse, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, usually seen in people who are overweight or obese and hepatitis, which is inflammation (swelling) of the liver caused by a viral infection or exposure to harmful substances such as alcohol. the deaths becuase of liver disease has increased by 40% in the last 12 years due to alcohol. www.thegurdian.com Regional study shows significant variations in mortality across country, and men twice as likely to be diagnosed as women, studies have shown that this is becuase young men are more likely to drink more on a night out also when they are stressed and angry they turn to alcohol. â€Å"men and women have different types of stress-related psychological disorders. Women have greater rates of depression and some types of anxiety disorders than men, while men have greater rates of alcohol-use disorders than women† breast cancer- Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts in the cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that can grow into (invade) surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK. In 2011, just under 50,000 women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Most  women who get it (8 out of 10) are over 50, but younger women, and in rare cases, men, can also get breast cancer. there are many factors as to why breast cancer is increasing some are, alcohol can cause breast cancer, and even drinking small amounts can increase the risk of this disease. After the menopause, women who are overweight or obese have a higher breast cancer risk than those who have a healthy weight. The Million Women Study also looked at body weight, and calculated that obesity accounts for 7 per cent of the UK’s breast cancer cases. women who work night shifts are also at a higher risk.

The Blank Slate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Blank Slate - Essay Example The most important chapter in this book is Part IV â€Å"Know Thyself†, Chapter 12 In Touch With Reality and Chapter 13 Out of Our Depths. One of the highlights discussed in these two chapters is about discrimination. According to Steven Pinker, â€Å"Mental images are not really images at all, but instead consist of complicated opinions, positions, doubts, and passionately held convictions, rooted in experience and amendable by argument, by more experience, or by coercion. Our mental images of black men, white judges, the press, and so on do not take the form of pictures of the kind that you can hang up (or â€Å"deconstruct†) on a museum wall.... Hitler did not hate Jews because there were pictures of swarthy Semites with big noses imprinted on his cerebellum; racism does not exist in America because the picture of O. J. Simpson on the cover of Time is too dark. The view that visual clichà ©s shape beliefs is both too pessimistic, in that it supposes that people are helplessly imprisoned by received stereotypes, and too optimistic, in that it supposes that if you could change the images you could change the beliefs†(Pinker 217). ... Pinker supported this view by saying that it is only man himself who is building a wall or division among others. The human desire within him creates the conflict because in his mind, he knows what is right from wrong. We think, feel and learn from our daily experiences as we continue to explore life. This conclusion may be drawn in correlation from this statement, â€Å"Our understanding of life has only been enriched by the discovery that living flesh is composed of molecular clockwork rather than quivering protoplasm, or that birds soar by exploiting the laws of physics rather than defying them. In the same way, our understanding of ourselves and our cultures can only be enriched by the discovery that our minds are composed of intricate neural circuits for thinking, feeling, and learning rather than blank slates, amorphous blobs, or inscrutable ghosts†(Pinker 72). Man only draws out a concept based on the images he sees. This conventional formulation of conclusion based onl y on the physical attributes to embody the holistic essence of a person is also known as stereotyping. We should not look only at the physical aspect of things or persons that are presented before us. What we may see outside may be false or misleading. We should dig deeper and use our minds to decipher a concept as we look beyond what is only seen on the outside, but also on the inside. To support this impression, Pinker stated that â€Å"Also, people's ability to set aside stereotypes when judging an individual is accomplished by their conscious, deliberate reasoning. When people are distracted or put under pressure to respond quickly, they are more likely to judge that a member of an ethnic group has all

Concept for Nursing Theories course (End-of-life care) Term Paper

Concept for Nursing Theories course (End-of-life care) - Term Paper Example A sixty-year old man has decided to stop treatment for lung cancer and just wait for his death. The patient already received chemotherapy, but his conditions continued to worsen. His kidneys are failing too. The patient, relatives, and health care staff have acknowledged the imminence of death. Specifically, the patient and his/her relatives understand that they will no longer prolong life and they will only wait for their patient’s natural course of death. Second, the doctors and nurses have consulted the patient and kin for the advance end-of-life care plan, where the symptoms’ relief is outlined. The plan also integrates psychological, social, practical, and spiritual aspects of patient care in planning for end-of-life care. Since the patient is Catholic, he already listens to Bible readings every day and receives visits from a priest. Third, the plan includes providing a support system to help the family cope during the patient’s illness and their own bereave ment. This includes counseling for the family and preparing them for the patient’s death. Finally, there should be a clear system of transparency and accountability in the decision-making process. If the patient signs a do-not-resuscitate order, the relatives should respect this decision, no matter how hard it is for them to let go.

Legalizing Mariuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Legalizing Mariuana - Essay Example Within every culture there are differences however. In every part of the world religion was used as a tool to explain things that science could not, and religion's view on mind-altering substances like marijuana, alcohol and mushrooms has traditional been negative. Early western religious leaders looked skeptically on people in an inebriated state, perhaps thinking that they were possessed. This might explain the inherent distrust of any mind-altering substance; early science was too primitive to explain the inebriated state so religious leader's denounced users as demon possessed. In the west especially, where religion was not so much of a spiritual nature but a kind of penance were substances seen as evil. Unlike other, more primitive religions of the world, where its practitioners wanted to elevate the soul to communicate with God, western Christianity seemed to want to make every person live as plainly as possible. It taught that suffering was a good thing and if the common perso n questioned why they were told by their religious leaders that it was because that was how God wanted it to be. It's easy to see now how the modern western world developed its bias against substances. Today in the United States and most parts of the western world (like Britain, Canada, and France) marijuana is illegal to possess or distribute (although in Canada possession has been decriminalized). Penalties in the United States for possessing marijuana differ from state to state but are generally severe: a hefty fine at the least to several months or even years in prison, depending on the amount of marijuana found. (Schwartz 2000) Some states have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes: relief of chronic pain and post-traumatic stress. It has been shown in every study that the large majority of the American population (around 70 percent always) agrees with marijuana use for medicinal purposes. However, federal law in many cases clashes with state law when government officials do raids on houses of known medicinal marijuana users that have been sanctioned by the state. In every case federal law supersedes that of the state law and the patient is fined or imprisoned and the ma rijuana, usually no more than a few plants for personal use, is taken from the patient. (Grinspoon and Bakalar 2002) Arguments abound over the legality of this. Should federal law supersede state law Those true to the founding fathers ideals of the sovereign state say no, while federalists say yes, that the government should have the power to restrict state laws. The arguments on both sides are long and equally compelling. Marijuana has been discovered to be very useful in the field of medicine. Effects of marijuana have been known to cause pain relief. Marijuana was used as an anesthetic in many countries. Marijuana smokers reported that marijuana ad relieved pain while smoking and a much higher tolerance to pain after smoking. In particular, marijuana helps relieve the tension in a headache because of it effect on the brain. (Doblin and Kleiman 2003) It also helps with anxiety because it can be used as a sedative. Studies have shown that marijuana can also be used as a Bronchodilator. It can help relieve feelings of suffocation during an asthma attack. Many

Business Operations and Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Operations and Systems - Essay Example As the discussion stresses people reported horrific incidents like parcels being thrown past the main gate or dumped in a bin near the recipient’s house. The courier service companies focused severely on the operational costs that a missed mail would incur. They hardly cared about the efficient service that they should be providing to the customers. In the UK, 12% of deliveries fail during the first visit, costing the industry an estimate of ? This study highlights that opinions came flooding in, suggesting that the courier companies should develop software which could enable them to track down the customer’s current location and deliver the mail at the right time, right place and to the right person. Blackbay, a company providing services to courier firms, has developed a Smartphone application which enables the delivery firms to track the current location of its customers. This would not only enhance the ability of the courier companies to make more 'first time' deliv eries but also reduce the number of complaints from the consumers. Apart from focusing on the IT service providers, bankers and advertising agencies, the company should also focus on the logistics department, as logistics is considered to be an integral part of the company. As per a survey, the companies in the UK which performed an in-house logistics to reduce cost levels was in a saturation state compared to the companies which outsourced logistics services. Retail companies with large and complex networks had to depend on third party Logistics Company, which not only focused on delivering products on time but also aimed at providing good service.  

Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Law - Case Study Example Damages as well as remedies that can be awarded will also be explored. In this particular case, Jill has to prove the kind as well as the authenticity of the employment law. She has to prove that the contract itself is somehow suppressive as it strips her off her rights. She is hired as an independent contractor but the terms of the contract reflect otherwise. The contract does not want to take full responsibility of her welfare. It seems that right from the beginning, she has no rights and is supposed to abide by the rules and regulations of the contractors. Under normal circumstances, the employment laws in the federal states forbid this practice as it seeks to subdue the employees’ rights as they would not have any power to stand up for their rights. The elements of proof she must prove is the â€Å"arbitration, mediations† clause which requires her to complete this process if there is a contract dispute, and the results will be binding legally and she will waive her future rights in federal and state court to contest any employment violations. In other words, this clause implies that she has no right to contest an employment dispute. Her rights can be violated but she is not given the opportunity to take legal recourse. Indeed, the court is the highest arbiter of disputes among contracting parties but in this case, above mentioned clause prohibits the other party from seeking legal action against the employer.

Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Analysis Paper - Essay Example These transitions are highly stressful and college years have been known to be the most stressful times in life. This stress is caused by academic, personal and social challenges. Students are expected to perform demanding tasks while adjusting to their new environment under minimal supervision. This stress has a negative impact on them which results to smoking, alcohol abuse and eating disorders. Research has shown that stress experienced in this period decreases mental health which leads to depression and low self esteem. Stress has become a major concern for the millennial student population and there is need to analyze this topic in relation to stress tolerance. It is important to note that people react differently to similar stressors. This paper agrees with this article and shall go into detail to explain why. College years are regarded as being the most stressful time in one’s life. The millennial age bracket has distinct features that entail the way they handle stresso rs. The sole purpose of the research discussed in the text was to make out lifestyle habits and coping approaches that are related to varying levels of stress tolerance among the millennial students in their college years. The methodology applied in this research was a random questionnaire that was conducted in a randomly selected college. The questionnaire included coping strategies, symptoms and checklists for stressors. The subjects were grouped into high stress tolerance and low stress tolerance and the STRs (Stress Tolerance Ratios) determined (Hellen et al. 362). From the results obtained, ten coping factors were connected to high stress tolerance, nine were put one in a situation of low stress tolerance while one was a protective factor. According to the findings of the study, it is clear that the lifestyle habits and coping mechanisms presently being used are ineffective. These strategies also put millennial students in a position of low stress tolerance. This article seeks to address the problem of stress experienced by millennial college students during the transition period. The study also identifies the strategies that are linked to low or high stress tolerance. This population is characterized by unique features thereby their stressors are also distinctive (Hellen et al. 365); thus the need for the application of non conventional coping methods. If some coping strategies are efficient, it is possible for students to develop their stress tolerance, not taking action when the stress is out of hand. This article mainly targets the college administration, teachers and general staff. It is an informative article that has information on the causes and symptoms of stress in the learning environment. It can be used as framework for formulating stress coping strategies. The article is also valuable to parents since it helps them to understand behavior of the millennial students and give them the necessary support throughout this period. The subjects themse lves are educated on how to cope with stress and develop high stress tolerance to the highly stressful college period. This is as clearly indicated in the essay. ‘Stress Tolerance: New Challenges for Millennial College Students’ is an effective essay because it is has been written is a clear language, has used supportive evidence to build on its argument and used transition statements to enhance flow. The writer has used simple and clear statements that are easy to read and understand. The essay has clearly

Self-reflective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-reflective - Essay Example Otherwise, it is termed as plagiarism. There are numerous styles of writing suited to the individualistic needs and requirements of the forum where the writing is published. Basically, there is a formal and an informal way of writing. The formal way of writing requires the writer to make use of complex words and be very particular about the selection of words, sentence construction and grammar. The informal way of writing provides the writer with more leverage. The writer is free to express his/her emotions in the writing. The informal way of writing is very much like the real life communication we make in the daily life. Full words may be replaced with slangs and there is frequent use of such expressive words as â€Å"hurrah, alas, and wow.† I personally like writing in the informal way more than in the formal way because the former provides me with more room to enrich my argument with emotions as compared to the latter. Every style of writing has a certain way to be organized with. For a paper to be properly organized, it is imperative that there is an introduction with a thesis statement that is the crux of the whole discussion that is to follow. The thesis statement should be short and precise and fully reflective of all aspects of the discussion. Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence that represents the ideas to be discussed in the respective paragraphs. Ideally, there are three body paragraphs in addition to the introduction and conclusion. The conclusion sums up the argument made in the paper and provides a brief summary of the whole essay. This course helped me polish my writing skills a lot. Before taking this course, I used to be very confused and could not even start. Having taken this course, I have done sufficient practice and learnt enough to write a piece of writing independently. Before, I did not know how to start the paper. I have learnt that when an individual has to write, he/she should