.
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Management of a Software Development Project Essay
Introduction Many years ago, general services offered by hotels like dinner reservations, room reservations and other services were done manually. Most hotels used books, ledgers and papers to record names of guests, their duration of stay and contact details. This required a lot of effort and time. Since the advent of the information age however, dynamic and interactive websites have been introduced which have more efficient and faster technological features and capabilities for the management of hotel services. For any business to remain competitive, it is necessary to maintain an online presence in order to reach out to customers all over the world and compete on a global platform. Reservations and payments are now done online to ensure that conduction of business is faster and more convenient for customers. Definition of Project Management A project is a temporary endeavor that is done to generate a unique product or service (Duncan 1996). Project Management is an activity that involves the overall supervision, management and co-ordination of all activities related to accomplishing a set activity. It always has a start and a finish date. According to Whitten, Project Management is a process that starts at the beginning of a project, is conducted throughout a project and doesn’t end until after the project is completed (2001).  According to Duncan (1996), Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to activities to fulfill stakeholders’ needs and expectations. It usually involves finding a balance among scope, time, cost, quality, and varying expectations of stakeholders. Another definition of Project Management is â€Å" the process of scoping, planning, staffing, conducting, directing, and managing the development of a system at an affordable cost within a specified time frame†(Whitten, Bentley & Dittman 2001, p.124). Importance of Project Management According to Dr Malcolm Wheatley, â€Å"Project management as a management discipline, supports much economic activity.†In major industries like Information Technology, Software Development, Construction, Pharmaceuticals, and Aerospace, project management is fundamental. Project Management is also important in governments that have set goals and milestones which can only be achieved with effective management practices. Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the US Department of Commerce, estimated in 2001 that the US companies spend $2.3trn on projects every year (2000).  Project management is important in any economic activity because it ensures adequate planning, scheduling and successful execution of a project; it also helps to reduce possible risks associated with a project and ensure minimal hitches. Project Management is indeed important to every economy. Many projects fail because of poor knowledge of Project Management concepts. Its relevance cannot be over emphasized. Role of the Project Manager The project manager is in charge of daily management and supervision of the project. He manages the project to ensure that things go according to plan. He also communicates with all stakeholders and project team members to ensure that there’s a clear understanding of general requirements. The project manager confirms users’ requirements to make sure that these requirements are incorporated into the end-product. A project manager engages in scoping, planning, staffing, organizing, scheduling, directing, controlling and closing a project (Whitten 2001, p.127). Swot Analysis The Regency Hotels has several strengths that serve as advantages. It has the potential to expand its services to customers internationally due to the number of branches it has, internet availability and its unique services. It is also strategically located, can leverage on its positioning and has a wide customer base. Its two major weaknesses are: 1) it has a static website which cannot provide interactive functions like online payments, online reservations, message boards, fan clubs, and so on. 2) It does not have skilled IT staff in-house that can manage the online system when it is eventually deployed. There are however, opportunities for it to become one of the best hotels in the world by maintaining a consistent and interactive global presence.  Increased competition is the major threat to Regency Hotels. Most hotels today, have a strong online presence that offers customers various services that make their experiences with the hotel more memorable and convenient, like booking and paying online. Regency Hotels is yet to rise to the challenge. Development methodology The software development methodology to be adopted for the production of this system is the waterfall method. This is an approach to software development that specifies that a project should be grouped into phases and one phase must be completed before the next. The project is carried out in a logical manner through a pre-determined number of steps. This method is preferred because the duration of the project is only two weeks and the requirements are clear.  With the waterfall method, project reviews are conducted between stages, which represent milestones. This provides an organized scenario that ensures required documentation and quality management of the developed application is carried out (Sorensen 1995). Project Scope The project scope definition involves clarifying the boundaries of the project. Regency Hotels in addition to available technological features like retrieving customers’ information, billing, checking for room availability, desires a system with added capabilities of online booking and payment. This project involves building a system that can accept online booking and payment options by customers. A portal will be developed to include the following features: Online reservations, online payment, checking room availability, checking in, checking out, discussion group and general information on the hotel. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) will be added to the website to provide for added security when paying online; search functions will be provided on web pages to check for room availability and booking; e-mail and discussion group facilities will be included to facilitate communication between customers and the hotel; and other technological features from the available website will be incorporated into the new portal to ensure that a robust system that meets the expectations of Stakeholders at Regency Hotels is built. The final system will be deployed at the hotel and tested. Staff members that need to be trained will be identified and educated on how to use the system. The change management process will be made easier for staff of Regency Hotel by ensuring that they are adequately trained, resources are provide to assist them, and maintenance/ support plans are put in place. Result of using COCOMO model to estimate effort, duration and number of people required. The Constructive Cost Model, known as COCOMO was developed by Barry Boehm in 1981. It is based on the waterfall model and is used for estimating the number of person and months needed to develop software. It also estimates the development schedule in months. The development mode for this project is organic because it is a small and straight-forward one. A small team with sufficient experience work together to develop the portal system (Merlo-Schett 2002). COCOMO is defined in terms of three basic models: The Basic model, the Intermediate model and the detailed model. The KDSI is the size of the project in Kilo delivered source instructions. These are source lines that are created by the project team. Using the Intermediate COCOMO I, calculation is done as follows: Required: Portal system for online payment and booking Development Effort (MM) = a * KDSI b Effort and development Time (TDEV) =  2.5 * MM c With organic mode of development, a = 3.2, b = 1.05, c = 0.38 4 modules to implement: Data entry – 0.5 KDSI Data update – 0.3 KDSI Online Reservations – 0.8 KDSI Online Payment – 0.7 KDSI System SIZE 2.3 KDSI MM = 3.2 * 2.3 1.05  = 7.7 TDEV = 2.5 * MM c = 2.5* 7.7 0.38 = 5.4 (Project needs more than 5 months to complete) Number of people to be hired = MM/TDEV = 7.7/5.4 = 1.4 (This means that more than one team member is needed to execute the project). The major shortcoming of the above calculation is that value of the KDSI used is approximate (Merlo-Schett 2002). Hardware and Software Requirements At least four separate computers will be needed for building the portal, testing it and hosting it.  Softwares like Macromedia Dreamweaver, Java, PHP, SQL Server and Visual Basic .NET will be needed for building the portal. A central server for hosting and managing user connections to the portal will also be required.  Work Breakdown Structure Work Breakdown Structure shows the hierarchical decomposition of projects into phases, activities and tasks (Whitten 2001, p.135). SOFTWARE REQUIREMENT SPECIFICATION 1.1      Identify sponsors and stakeholders 1.2      Meet with sponsors and stakeholders to clarify system requirements 1.3      Produce Software Requirements Specification Draft 1.4      Sign-off on software requirements TECHNOLOGY SPECIFICATION 2.1      Determine hardware and software needed for developing the system 2.2      Procure hardware and software needed for system development 2.3      Set-up hardware and software for use SCOPE MANAGEMENT 3.1      Develop a written scope statement as a basis for future project decisions 3.2      Verify Scope of the Project with sponsors 3.3      Perform Scope Change Control to prevent scope creep COST & SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT 4.1      Develop an estimate of project costs 4.2      Schedule Meeting with Stakeholders to agree on cost and deadline 4.3      Receive Payment from Stakeholders 4.4      Allocate cost estimates to individual work items 4.5      Evaluate actual versus projected schedule 4.6      Control changes to project budget to avoid going over the budget 4.7      Compare actual and budgeted costs 4.8      Schedule Development 4.9      Schedule Control HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PHASE 5.1      Identify Project Roles/Conduct Organizational Planning 5.2      Determine Skills of People needed to develop system 5.3      Determine number of people to work on the project 5.4      Recruit Project Team Members 5.5      Engage staff with appropriate skills 5.6      Develop individual and group skills to enhance project performance ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT PHASE 6.1      Develop activity list for project team members 6.2      Sub-divide major project deliverables into smaller components 6.3      Assign Team Members to tasks and deliverables 6.4      Supervise activities within the project team 6.5      Evaluate Performance and Productivity 6.6      Update activity list as necessary 6.7      Conduct meetings and review status reports on software development PROJECT OFFICE ADMINISTRATION 7.1      Attend to daily activities or events concerning the project 7.2      General project supervision PROJECT COMMUNICATIONS 8.1      Determine information and communication needs of stakeholders 8.2      Provide information to stakeholders in a timely fashion 8.3      Put contact details of all team members and stakeholders into the database 8.4      Performance reporting to stakeholders through status reports, progress measurement and forecasting 8.5      Set up meetings with project team members 8.6      Develop status reports for the project RISK MANAGEMENT 9.1      Identify all possible risks within the project and effects on project 9.2      Define steps for responding to threats 9.3      Respond to changes in risks during the course of the project QUALITY MANAGEMENT 10.1    Identify quality standards relevant to the project and how to satisfy them 10.2    Evaluate overall project performance 10.3    Define Quality Assurance Specifications 10.4    Code and check the system for compliance with quality standards 10.5    Test System to make sure it fits clients’ requirements Hand-Over of Project 11.1    Ensure adherence to client requirement 11.2    Conduct Customer Acceptance Tests 11.3    Review Software User Manuals 11.4    Sign off & Certify Solution Development 11.5    Submit Project Close-out Report 11.6    Terminate Project Project scheduling (Please refer to attached Microsoft Project document for dependency between activities, network diagram, critical path and Gantt chart) A Project network diagram displays the logical relationships of project activities. A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart that shows tasks against timelines. Each bar is equivalent to a project task. Gantt charts show, tasks that can be performed at the same time (Whitten 2001, p.128).Any tasks on the critical path cannot be delayed. Name of Activity   Duration Starting Date  Finishing Date  Software Requirement Specification 1 Day Wed 4/23/08 Wed 4/23/08 Technology Specification   1 Day Thu 4/24/08 Thu 4/24/08 Scope Management   10 Days  Wed 4/23/08 Tue 5/6/08   Cost & Schedule Management   12 Days Wed 4/23/08 Thu 5/8/08 Human Resources Management Phase 8 Days Wed 4/23/08 Fri 5/2/08   Activity Management Phase   10 Days Wed 4/23/08 Tue 5/6/08 Project Office Administration   10 Days Wed 4/23/08 Tue 5/6/08 Project Communications   10 Days Wed 4/23/08 Tue 5/6/08 Risk Management   10 Days Wed 4/23/08 Tue 5/6/08 Quality Management   10 Days Wed 4/23/08 Tue 5/6/08 Hand-Over of Project   10 Days Wed 4/23/08 Tue 5/6/08 Possible risks related to the software development project Every project has its own share of risks. Risks associated with this project are outlined below: The period of time given for the execution of the project is short. The COCOMO model shows that a project of such magnitude requires at least 5 months for completion. There is a risk of the project exceeding the time frame allocated by the stakeholders. User requirements may change or expand during the duration of project. There is a risk of having to accommodate changes to the design of the portal. This is known as scope creep and may affect the schedule and budget (Whitten 2001). With the obvious need to procure softwares for the development of the portal system, resources like time and money may not be sufficient. There is a risk of taking short cuts around the system development methodology in order to meet the deadline and not exceed the budget. This might affect the quality of the final product. Another potential risk is that of feature creep. This refers to the uncontrolled addition of technical features to a system that is being developed without regard to schedule and budget (Whitten 2001, p.125). A portal system is a robust application that is designed to fulfill various needs of an organization. The temptation to add more features is always a prevalent risk There is the risk of a team member resigning from the project. This will cause a considerable loss of time. There is also the risk of insufficient communication within the project team which may lead to misunderstanding of customers’ requirements, and cause a deviation from the project plan, budget and schedule. Project Monitoring Project monitoring involves supervising the project throughout its lifecycle. This is important in order to know how things are going and to solve any problem that may arise during the course of the project. This can be done via meetings, emails, reports on progress and finances and also by observing project management best practices. Conclusion            Applying the principles of Project Management to the development of the portal system at Regency Hotels will go a long way to ensure that the objectives are met on time, within budget and that the software product will be of the desired quality. Project Management is a crucial practice that should be encouraged in every sector of the economy. It ensures that money, energy and time are not wasted on failed projects. With sufficient project management practices in place, stakeholders and contractors can conduct businesses without bothering about the hitches involved with long-term projects. Regardless of the end product, which could be a new service, product or knowledge, project management ensures that a successful outcome is achieved within the available resources and time frame. References Whitten, JL, Bentley, LD, & Dittman, KC 2001, Systems Analysis and Design Methods, 5th edn, Mc Graw-Hill, New York. Wheatley, M 2000, The Importance of Project Management, Project Smart. Available from: [22 April 2008] Sorensen, R 1995, A comparison of Software Development Methodologies, Software Technology Support Centre. Available from: [24 April 2008] Duncan, WR 1996, A Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge, PMI Standards Committee. Available from: [24 April 2008] Merlo-Schett, N 2002, ‘COCOMO Constructive Cost Model’, Proceedings of the seminar cost estimation W 2002/2003, pp. 1-24. Available from: [22 April 2008]. Â
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
How to Become an Effective Manager Essay
There is a lot of hard work and skills that need to be developed to become a real manager. Managers have several skills and talents they learn as they advance in the workplace, not all of them will develop the very simple and basic ability to be an effective manager. They have to do a lot more than just manage finances and give projects. A manager has to teach people and show them in a way to allow them to be the best they can be, so later on they too can advance up through the company on their own qualities. So 1st thing to becoming an effective manager, you have to improve your own leadership abilities and actions that are needed to be a great business leader. I think one of the most essential things that anyone must do is lead by example. We do this as parents, and we are taught to do it as older siblings for our younger brothers and sisters. Too many managers often live by â€Å"do as I say, but not as I do,†as a substitute of setting an example for their employees. If a manager wants hard work, and teamwork from the employees in their company, I think that they themself must first show that they can also work hard, that they are trust worthy, and that they are just as much a team player as their employees. You have to listen to the people you work with. A lot of times employees have great suggestions that get overlooked. Always communicate with them, and make sure they know they can come to you that you have an open door policy. Effective managers will always give credit to an employee who does it. Showing appreciation not only will show them they are needed and appreciated, but also build their confidence and make them always want to do better. Whether it showing them publicly or with a small bonus. When people are appreciated, it will always motivate them to want to perform better. Trusting your employees and giving them responsibility. If you don’t ever allow them to spread their wings and learn new things, where is the growth opportunity for those individuals? Delegating should be done so everyone gets an opportunity to show their potential. Everyone wants to move up, and not be stuck as an entry level employee forever. Trust in them, and give them an opportunity. Everyone has different strengths and weakness that can be used for different jobs. One might type better; one might speak a different language. This is where successful delegation will used to assign the right employee with the right task. Real leaders will show power and self-confidence. And if you are able to display these qualities to your employees again it’s about leading by example. It will in turn inspire confidence in them as well. You have to have a real vision of what your goals and intentions are, and a definite plan as to how you will achieve those goals. Put everything into writing, and go over it with all of your employees during meetings, or one on ones so they are aware of them. Talk to them about what they think, they might have concerns that need to be addressed.
Monday, July 29, 2019
Nutrition in the Early School System Research Paper
Nutrition in the Early School System - Research Paper Example An understanding of these food classes enables learners to determine the role of each category in the body, for example, carbohydrates provide energy while proteins build body muscles. Fruits, on the other hand, help the body to fight and prevent diseases (Prelip, Kinsler, Thai, Erausquin, & Slusser, 2012). Students will also have identified the effects of over or under consumption of each food to their bodies. The children will have determined the amount of food that they can consume from each class to avoid the undesired effects of unplanned consumption. Children will spread the awareness to their parents and friends from other schools after the lesson. This will create national awareness, which will improve health in the society. The outcome of the second objective is that children will identify the diseases that arise from poor nutrition, for example, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes among others. Children contract obesity more than the other diseases; therefore, the lesson will focus on this ailment. Students will understand the negative psychological and physical effects of having an overweight body, and the foods that lead to the ailment. Students will be able to determine the measures to undertake to avoid suffering from the diseases. The learners will also identify the actions to take in case they contact the disease. Students will identify various ways of exercising their bodies by the end of the lesson. The knowledge of the techniques will enable students to recognize the significance of exercise, for example, reducing weight, strengthening muscles, decreasing depression, and preventing diseases (Avery, Johnson, Cousins, & Hamilton, 2013). Teaching Plan Subject: Healthy nutrition... This report approves that students should understand and explain various food classes, which include fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. An understanding of these food classes enables learners to determine the role of each category in the body, for example, carbohydrates provide energy while proteins build body muscles. Fruits, on the other hand, help the body to fight and prevent diseases. Community resources are the materials that can help students to understand the health, and they are available in the society. The resources include journals and health magazines that are available in community libraries. Students can read these materials and learn new ways of living healthy lives. Students may also attend health conferences conducted by humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross Society. The conferences usually involve presentations of diseases and techniques of preventing the ailments. Learners practice what they learn from the projects to avoid the ai lments. This essay makes a conclusion that the increase in obesity and overweight among children has given rise to the need for nutrition awareness in the society. Teaching is the best technique to create awareness because it takes place in schools where the major stakeholders are parents, teachers, children, and the government. The objectives of teaching healthy nutrition in a class include teaching food categories, malnutrition diseases, and the need for exercise. An instructor may use books, presentations, and games as techniques to help students understand the topic. Community resources such as health magazines and nutrition conferences, which are conducted by various institutions, also help in achieving the objectives.
Sunday, July 28, 2019
The Impact of the Black Death Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
The Impact of the Black Death - Essay Example As a result of the massive deaths of sheep, Europe was plunged in wool shortage and even had to import wool (Byrne, 2012). The other impact is that between 1348 and 1349, Jews were massacred and many others chased or ran away to avoid being killed. The killing was in the name of purging the European community and a way of seeking forgiveness since they believed that the plague was a form of divine punishment (Hamm, 2009). In the Byzantine Empire, the plague was brought by soldiers from Mediterranean in 1347 and infested Constantinople, the empire’s capital and it spread as fast among them. Since it was first discovered among soldiers, it killed so many of them that military power declined sharply (Byrne, 2012). The other impacts were the same as those experienced in Medieval Europe (death that led to decline in population) because they also believed it was divine punishment. The plague killed their animals most of which were for trade since the empire was thriving with merchant trade and hence the economy declined also sharply (Gottfried,
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Catcher in The Rye Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Catcher in The Rye - Coursework Example He is depressed, and he admits it himself several times throughout his narration. Besides the circumstances he got himself into, his brother died, and it had a great impact on Holden. Later, during his school years, he had another encounter with the death, when one of the boys, James Castle, jumped out of the window. However, I do not think Holden is capable of committing suicide. It is not â€Å"phoniness†; it is exaggerated way to express the feeling of depression and utter despair. He is not the type of guys that are so brave. He admits himself that â€Å"I’m one of these very yellow guys. I try not to show it, but I am†¦The more I thought about my †¦yellowness, the more depressed I got.†He would talk suicide, he will consider it, but he will not master up the courage to do it. Also, he does really love his parents and especially his sister Phoebe. He knows his death will make her very sad. He thinks about different things a lot, but he doesnâ€℠¢t do it. For example, he is thinking it would be good to go and say hello to Jane, and he is very excited about it, however he is not â€Å"in the mood†for it. In the other instance, he invites the prostitute, but he feels so peculiar about having sex, that he just talks with her. When thinking about prostitute coming to him, he took care to groom himself, even though he thought he did not have to.
Friday, July 26, 2019
Henry Ford Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Henry Ford - Speech or Presentation Example Still, Henry had been a courageous fellow with an ambition to improve his conditions and standard of life. From very early age, he joined a small workshop with an inclination to learn and change his lifestyle. Undoubtedly, he had innate interest towards machines, tools and equipments, which induced him to progress in the field of engineering and automobiles. With the passage of time, Henry gained experience and became an engineer of Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit. For instance, he continued his progress in life and promoted to the post of Chief Engineer in 1890s that helped him in maximise his savings due to relatively higher income at his respective key post (Wiley Report, n.d). Henry Ford, with innovative ideas always flowing into his mind, attributed his success to efforts of wife who made him belief about his potential, skills, knowledge and expertise. Henry also established his own firm in early 1890s in collaboration with some investors, which however failed due to some internal deficiencies. Nevertheless, Henry did not quit his job as he was well settled at that time. As mentioned earlier, Ford had natural desire towards machines so he made some experiments of gasoline combustion engines to check their viability, business scope and potential. Finally, the experiments resulted in invention of his first self-propelled four wheeler (of wires) vehicle named Quadricycle. The vehicle was not considered as a huge success as it did not have any gasoline engine unlike gasoline vehicles offered by other manufacturers in the marketplace at that time. Nonetheless, Henry had gained confidence and headed to formation of Ford Motors in 1903, which in later years produced low priced, safe and fuel - efficient automobiles that won the trust of consumers. Indeed, that was the beginning of phenomenal success. Then, the comprehensive launch of consumer – friendly, durable, secure and reliable T-model by Ford Motors triggered its massive growth, and within 15 years Ford Motors had received nationwide consumer acceptance and became a household name. The success of Ford could be easily measured by highlighting the fact that over 55% of total automobile sales across USA were of Ford’s T-model (HFMGV Report, 2003). Ford, then, introduced new quality standards, changed its mission, vision and values so that it could enhance its growth rate and could accomplish its goal of becoming a truly global organization. For instance, the automobile producer emphasized the adoption of modern production techniques, induction of assembly lines, specialized workers, mass production facilities (economies of scale), research and development, product / process innovation, advertising and branding. Indeed, the aforementioned enabled the producer in not only enhancing its sales and profitability in core US markets but also expanding in markets worldwide. Ford has changed the industry dynamics through introduction of safe, reliable, fuel – efficient , uniquely designed and premium quality vehicles for normal and commercial use. The consumers have inclination towards acquiring a Ford automobile as it maximizes their utility (due to need fulfillment) and ensures that they are being valued. In conclusion, the customers adore that the benefits they receive from purchase decision are stupendously greater than monetary costs incurred during
Identifying, Stating, and Addressing Research Problems Essay
Identifying, Stating, and Addressing Research Problems - Essay Example A foremost flaw of â€Å"polygraph research†is the nonappearance of a self-governing decisive factor for setting up deception. As per a study, as well as lots of other experts relies on the assessor, who analyzes the polygraph to extort an assertion, which is then further utilized to corroborate the effectiveness of that course of action. Such non-independence unnecessarily puzzles research findings on â€Å"polygraph techniques.†We have exercised dual techniques to collect loads of polygraph investigations for the purpose of evaluation. (Rogers, 2008) Research methodology adapted for the assessment of â€Å"dishonesty and deception†increasingly has been standardized. Despite its obvious benefits, this standardization carries its own risk, that is to say, an unnecessary narrowing of research methods and a disinclination to explore alternative approaches. Via utilizing a huge sample â€Å"N = 1,424†of â€Å"military recruits, simulators and coached simulators†evidently enhanced their scores over controls on objective behavior scales concerning to â€Å"emotional adjustment, work orientation, and non-delinquency.†â€Å"Zickar and Robie†assessed and discovered an outsized gap of disparities that were steady with the â€Å"changing persons†mold of faking. It was also analyzed that items functioned in a different way on both thing i.e. â€Å"DIF and DTF levels.†They also observed about the susceptibility of items and scales to defensiveness. (Zickar, 1999) â€Å"Stark†proposed that â€Å"IRT†is the technique of selection for testing the impacts of precise responses styles on test scales as the technique of â€Å"IRT†goes further than mean divergence in probing â€Å"trait distributions.†(Stark, 2001) Post advanced investigations Stark et al discovered the extensive differences via both discrepancy prevalence i.e. â€Å"applicants vs. non-applicants†and â€Å"bootstrapping†{high vs. low on
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Summary the al chemist book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Summary the al chemist book - Essay Example While he has to understand the importance of realizing his dreams, Santiago needs control over his fear of failure and defeat, which he may face, as he continues his quest for fortune. The characters of the story include, apart from Santiago, the gypsy woman, the old king, the crystal merchant and the English man. The story tells the alchemist being a 200 year old man, who lives at the Al-Fayoum oasis, this man has an intuition of Santiago coming to him and thus Alchemist feels his responsibility to lead and guide him in his pursuits. All these characters play an important role in his quest. As Santiago dreams about a child leading him to the pyramids of Egypt, the gypsy woman motivates him for going there, while Santiago meets the old king, who teaches him about the omens. As he buys a ticket for going to Tangier, Santiago is robbed of all his money, after he arrives there. Accordingly, Santiago has to work for the crystal merchant for almost one year, to collect money for returning home. (The Alchemist) Like all those who want to realize their dreams, Santiago needs doing something different and in this direction, he must trust completely the Alchemist, although the man may look mysterious and unreliable. He surely has knowledge, which Santiago can use. Although Santiago faces many obstacles, during his adventure and travel, he always has a clear vision about his aim and the path that he needs taking for realizing the same. Ultimately he realizes his dreams, which turn out to be far better than his expectations.( The Alchemist Summary & Study Guide
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Reflections on Contemporary Leadership Issues and Strategies Essay
Reflections on Contemporary Leadership Issues and Strategies - Essay Example The application of various concepts in the practical world allows one to understand the functionality and dynamic nature that leadership requires, in order for this subtle art to be effective. The class boasts of a plethora of different nationalities and backgrounds that have made me appreciate key ideologies like teamwork, motivation and appreciating diversity amongst many other. Leadership is not merely about managing people and increasing productivity to generate higher profit levels. It is an amalgamation of various personal, social and strategic skills. True skills promoted by leaders are developed over a period of time, and are evolved through regular use in all aspects of the daily routine of an individual. This by no means implies that the same skill set will apply and work in all situations. While certain individuals possess inherent leadership qualities and abilities, others will need to perfect their skills through learning and practicing. One feature which must be remembered by all is that true leadership values can never be taught; they must be groomed through use. The feedback provided by my fellow colleagues was an enlightening experience that allowed for an understanding from a different perspective. Conversations and discussions allowed everyone to contribute to the matter in an open environment, with each individual able to discuss their views and experiences of leadership. This provided a more comprehensive outlook of the subject, with examples of various industries and sectors like information technology (IT), health care, hospitality, human resources (HR) and construction; from the public and private aspects, with global and local perspectives. Everyone has a different way of relating to/with leadership. I believe that my personal reflection varies from most of the generic scenarios. Most of the course text assigned to us provided detailed discussions on leadership from a business outlook. While these harnessed ideas and
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Bertrand Russell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Bertrand Russell - Essay Example Family is the unit of the society and a happy and contented family is an asset for the nation. I am willing to applaud that individual who has worked for his family all through his life. This is virtuous living, for he lives for a noble cause. Viewpoint of Russell: According to Russell, in such conditions, an individual need not work and such an individual must spend from his earnings, and should not save, as saved money leads to unemployment, and spent money generates employment. My response: This problem arises when philosophers try to become economists and make an attempt to advise the Finance Ministers! Job satisfaction is a psychological virtue, as such earning money and saving with a purpose, are alternative beats of the same heart. Viewpoint of Russell: â€Å"If the ordinary wage-earner worked four hours a day, there would be enough for everybody and no unemployment -- assuming a certain very moderate amount of sensible organization. This idea shocks the well-to-do, because they are convinced that the poor would not know how to use so much leisure.†(p.5) My response: I agree on this issue partially. The important point is how one will spend the remaining 20 hours. One is not expected to sleep for more than 8 hoursâ€â€that will be inviting idleness. Recreation for the remaining 12 hours of the day on a long term basis is impossibility. I will be bored of such a recreation. For example, suppose an individual likes ice cream. The first cup is fine; the second one is good; the third one is tolerable. The fourth one, that individual will vomit!! As such happiness is not in free time, but spending the time
Monday, July 22, 2019
Psychology Stress Coursework Essay Example for Free
Psychology Stress Coursework Essay Stressed, unbalanced and permanently under pressure. This is how in the movie â€Å"Office Space†Peter, a programmer in a big software company, passes his days and therefore hates his bothersome job, his boss and his whole life. When seeking help in hypnosis the therapist dies suddenly and leaves him back in a state of total relaxation and casualness so that he neglects orders to do extra work at weekends, finds the courage to start dating the long admired girl next door, and surprisingly impresses some evaluation interviewers with his new coolness what ends up in unexpected promotion. In the new position he decides to strike back against his company by installing a virus-like software to invincibly transfer money from the company to their bank account together with his just fired friends Michael and Samir. By mistake, however, the plan gets totally out of control so that they fear their uncovering and decide to secretly return the money, which – after some confusion produced by mentally handicapped Milton who has been humiliated by the boss so far and therefore sets the whole office on fire – finally brings all of them to a happy life in relief, relaxation and harmony. But before that relaxation can ease his life, Peter is exposed to a variety of stressors (most of them having been discussed in our lesson) at the beginning of the movie. Most prominent are task-related job stressors. Peter is responsible for essential reports to fix millennium bugs in bank software and simultaneously works for eight bosses. This situation sets him under daily pressure when e.g. his boss asks him to deliver a report by the same day he didn’t even start working on by midday, or when he gets negative feedback from all his bosses for a single mistake. Together with high levels of monotony and the fact that he has almost no control on the type and amount of work he’s got to do within rigid deadlines, this situation is a constant source of psychological pressure and imbalance. Additional stress originates from physical stressors like the need to work in small and stuffed office boxes, disturbances by loud and annoying office equipment or by getting periodic calls from colleagues and bosses, like e.g. Milton, who permanently talks crab and even calls him on the phone for that. Further stressors can be identified as demanding and privacy-hostile working-time arrangements. When he for example tries hard to escape his boss on a Friday afternoon to not risk a â€Å"last-minute†weekend shift, but badly fails, one can imagine that the view of a boring and stressful Saturday at work is everything but relaxing. But even in his private life poor Peter is far from being relaxed and easygoing. When he for instance comes home to relax after a long day in the office, his neighbour can hear every single breath he does and they can talk to each other through the thin wall, which can be considered as a kind of social stressor within his own apartment. The same is true for his fear to talk to the waitress in his favourite lunch restaurant, who he always wants to invite for a date, but never finds enough courage to do so. All those stressors show obvious consequences and lead to clear symptoms of strain. While no real physiological strain in form of illness or injury is shown in the movie (although I’d be quite sure that he suffers from high blood pressure!), job-related and emotional signs of strain are heavily appearing. In his job, Peter reacts to raising stressors with lack of motivation and a clearly decreased satisfaction in both his professional and private life. Emotional strain can be identified in his general burnout symptoms and e.g. in dramatic loss of patience. The latter is nicely shown at the very beginning of the movie, when he is stuck in heavy traffic and tries to be faster by permanently changing lanes to the assumed faster one – which of course turns out to be a totally wrong strategy and makes him proceed even slower than an old and handicapped pedestrian on the sidewalk. To deal with his stressors, Peter applies several coping strategies in both problem-focussed and emotion-focussed manners. His activities to start work always late, to avoid real work as good as possible and to play computer games or surf in the internet instead, can all be classified as problem-focussed because they all are an attempt to change the stress producing conditions at work and make his daily routine more relaxed. The same is true for his regular and elongated coffee breaks with Michael and Samir, independently if there is the boss waiting or an urgent deadline approaching. On the other hand, his decision to undergo a hypnosis therapy is an emotion-focussed coping strategy, because it’s an internal process to change his attitude to stressful events, rather than changing the cause of stress itself. However, I believe those two categories of coping strategies are somewhat flexible and interfering, since a persons’ internal attitude towards a job can become a stressor itself by e.g. setting a person under additional pressure to fulfil certain tasks under high self-expectations. However, it was the hypnosis that finally brought substantial relief and relaxation in Peters life. Due to the – unplanned – fact that he stayed trapped in his hypnotized state, he managed to approach both his work and his private life in a very relaxed and cool way, and even when initially not expected by himself and his environment, led to an increase in his motivation, joy, brought him more credit in his professional evaluation and finally facilitated a relaxed and satisfied life. Even when the movie is clearly exaggerating at many points, the basic idea of how Peter is coping with the mentioned stressors is quite reasonable to me. In an office environment it is normally quite difficult to change tight work schedules, deadlines or an over demanding boss. For that reason, the attempt to minimize stress by e.g. keeping social contacts in coffee breaks or maintaining short resting phases during work seem to be helpful and applicable coping mechanisms. If by hypnosis or any other method, the relaxation of internal tension seems to be most reasonable to me. In real life changes will certainly never be as dramatic as shown in the movie, but reducing internal pressure can surely help to find a way back to a relaxed and balanced life, which doubtlessly can increase overall satisfaction, joy and motivation. This can by the way partially be supported by allowing aggressions against bothersome machines like the poor office printer in the movie†¦ I do believe that such behaviour can bring big relief sometimes!
Ranking of Learning Benefit of Each CEO Essay Example for Free
Ranking of Learning Benefit of Each CEO Essay For those who have not read any great leaders biographies and theirs accomplishments, the book provide good introduction of all the seven exceptional corporate leaders and their signature strategies. The books should be able to stir reader interest for more serious reading and learning on other more in-depth leadership books. 2. Strengths Kramess rigorous analysis of each of the CEO and their strategies, provide reader an understanding of what are their strategies and how the strategies implemented and why they were implemented. The book not only discusses the framework of each of their strategies but also entails some of the example of the leaders relevant experience. Through these leaders, the book portrays proven business insights, ideas and innovations of practiced by these world-class organizations. The inclusion of thoughts provoking case studies and self-test Assessing Your CEO Quotient at each of the chapters provide interactive learning experience. 3. Weaknesses The book could have provided experience from wider spectrum of leaders from other non-profit organization, corporate leaders from emerging economies and corporate leaders from Asia. The definition of successful leaders in this book is narrow is the sense its only from the perspective of immediate financial wealth creation. 4. General Learning Benefit The author, being a novice in the area of strategic leadership studies found that the book provide a very good introduction to strategic leadership and corporate strategy. The books open the author mind on the dynamism of strategic and critical thinking of addressing corporate problems. The author found that the More Lesson From CEO sections at the end of each chapter were practical and applicable to the author current profession. Ranking of Learning Benefit of Each CEO Out of all the CEOs the author has learned the most is from Andy Grove. Turning from negative situation to positive though it took resourcefulness to achieved, without real strong courage and determination, many leaders would not succeed. These strong qualities possessed by Grove no doubts would have developed through his early days hardship and this had earned Grove the respect of being a leader. Through his ability see the condition Intel from the perspective of an outsider enable him to prepare Intel for drastic change and turn into a multi-billion dollars business. The author admired Grove leadership style based on truth telling. Ranking second after Grove is Herb Kelleher. The author learned the important of building performance-based culture in business. Kellehers down-to-earth leadership style, by putting customer and employee, putting aside title and protocol caught the attention of the author especially when it came from the leader from big organization like Southwest. Kelleher lean management structure that made him accessible by his front lines supervisor plus his flamboyant and people treatment breed loyalty and commitment from his staff. Ranking third is Sam Walton. Walton continuous endeavor to be better by learning from his competitors, and remain faithful to his vision to provide lowest cost impressed the author. Normally when organization became big, they will not adopt lowest cost strategy. Lesson that the author draws from Walton leadership style was to lead by example in the aspect of learning from others. Ranking fourth is Bill Gates. Bill Gates leadership approach to knowledge management was definitely a lesson that that the author have learned. Gates ability to see the future label him as visionary leader. Ranking fifth is Jack Welch. Jack Welch was good corporate strategies. Though through learning organization make GE a great company, his number one or number two strategy was mean and neglected the human aspect which the author believe negate the overall leadership pursuit. This strategy though might work with big corporation like GE, might not work on the smaller organization. People commitment to their job could be due to job security. Ranking sixth is Lou Gerstner. Gerstner approach to put IBM under the scrutiny of its customer and use the market feedback to transform IBM would be expected of him. His previous experience in Nabisco naturally would give IBM a fresh perspective of how to business would be directed. No doubt his leadership abilities would have contributed to his success transforming IBM. Ranking seventh is Michael Dell. Dell approach to build DELL business model surround the customer and his strategy of mass customization would be the natural things to do for highly competitive industry like computers. Whereas other failed, Dell succeeded to harness the power of Information Technology to build DELL supply chain. Probably other computer makers would have recognized the important of bringing the business closer to the customer but they fail to know how. 6. Other Prominent Leader. Another leader that the author regards to be prominent is Fujio Cho, the president of the Toyota Motor Corporation. Fortune reported that Toyotas worldwide sales leapt 10%, to 7. 5 million vehicles, posting strong growth in all regions. Toyotas profits for fiscal year 2003 exceeded those of GM, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and Volkswagen combined. (Annex A) Cho portray his leadership style particularly dedicates his time through interaction with the working group on the production floor, congratulating them of their best achievement. Cho leading by example has earned him admiration and respect from his employees. (Annex B) Cho none compromising stand on environmental issue evident went he lambasted his own company saying The sense of crisis we feel, despite increasing sales and profits, stems from our fear that we have no kept up. Particularly fears that we have not kept up with environmental issues (Annex C) To be globally competitive today, according to Cho, a company must be agile, able to make rapid decisions and respond quickly to changing business environments (Annex D) and this factor has brought Toyota to the current level. Cho leadership exemplifies the quest for organization for continuous improvement. Lesson that can be drawn by the author from his leadership and strategy are, his treatment for his employee, passion for quality and meeting customer expectation and respect for the environment. Conclusion The reading of the book provides the author a good introduction of the practice and the dynamics of strategic leadership. Based on experiences of these CEOs, the author realized that the application strategic leadership varies depending on the personality of the leadership and the circumstances and type of the organization they are in. Source:Â http://www.fortune.com
Sunday, July 21, 2019
How Does Mauritius Deal With Solid Waste Environmental Sciences Essay
How Does Mauritius Deal With Solid Waste Environmental Sciences Essay Being an important ecological, economic and social or cultural resource, which is fundamental to the sustainable development, the environment has a positive impact on the standard of living of the local residents (Nautiyal.S and Kaedrele.H; 2007). Since the last two centuries, industrialization has supported a mushrooming and voracious population and have created massive prosperity; however, this growth has often been detrimental to the environment (Daily.B.F and Huang.S; 2001). The growing up of environmental problems that is associated to the rise in production and consumption of the population have resulted to the development of sustainability (Fortunski.B; 2008). The concept of sustainability is considered as being normative since it describes the way things should be done instead of describing how they are actually being done (Byrch et al; 2007). Sustainability or sustainable development is defined as an economic pillar that sustains the needs of the present population without p utting constraints on the next generations to meet their needs and is based on its three fundamentals which are namely economic, social and environmental (Sarkis.J; Meade.L; Presley.A; 2006). Since Mauritius is aiming towards Maurice Ile Durable it is very important for both private and public organizations to adopt and implement Environmental Management System (EMS). Environmental management is not only a fact of awareness or public image, but beyond that; it is the way through which the performance and competitiveness of organizations are secured (Bahmed.L; Djebabra.M Boubaker.L; Boukhalfa.A; 2009). It is not only the duty of private or public enterprises to ensure that the environment is sustainably managed, but also the responsibility of each and every individual to adopt the good practice of managing the environment sustainably. Waste of natural resources and creation of all types of pollution are generally areas that urgently need to be considered. Waste management is one of the prior conditions for the sustainability of any country (Schneider.D.R Bogdan.Z; 2011). The inappropriate link between consumers demand for goods (and the consequence of generated waste) and the ability of the local authorities to collect and handle this waste (Cardinali.R; 2001), has resulted into a heavily disturbed environment. Solid waste can be considered as the universal pollutant. It has always contributed to the human condition as long as man has been a biological species. Most of the consequences resulted from solid waste are similar to those of air and water pollution. They are aesthetically displeasing, they can pose threat to human health and they represent a loss of useful resources. Only recently with the concept of sustainability and the rising awareness on the consequences of ineffective waste management, that the concern of local authorities on environmental health demands the effective management and disposal of waste, in order to reduce and where possible eradicate its capacity to cause harm to humans, plants, animals and natural resources (Ayotamuno.M.J Gobo.E.A; 2004). Aim The aim of this assignment is to analyze the extent to which municipal solid waste is sustainably managed in Mauritius. 1.2 Objectives The objectives behind this study are: to assess the impacts of wastes and waste disposal methods on humans and the environment, to assess how far solid waste management is leading to Mauritius Green Island to assess the health and safety aspect in solid waste management Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.0 Introduction Waste management which has always formed part of the human society consists of waste prevention, reuse, recycling of materials, composting, energy recovery and final disposal. The mushrooming of the worlds population, increasing industrialization, improving quality of life, and developments in technology have all resulted in an increase in both the quantity and the different types of solid wastes generated by industries, households and other activities (UNEP,1991). The problems of dealing with large amount of waste materials arise specially in developing countries where these changes have not been met by developments in waste-management technologies (Wilson Balkau, 1990). Domestic solid waste has become a health and environmental hazard in many developing countries as a result of careless handling and a failure to make arrangement for appropriate solid waste collection techniques. It is a common belief that improving solid waste management (SWM) implies making waste collection and d isposal systems more efficient, raising residents awareness and enforcing SWM laws and regulations (Obeng.P.A; Donkor.A.E Mensah.A; 2009). 2.1 Definition of solid waste Solid waste can be defined as a different types of solid materials and also some liquids in cans, that are disposed as being spent, useless, worthless or in excess (Nemerow.L.N, Gardy.A.J.F, Sullivan.P and Salvato.A.J; 2009) 2.2 Classification of solid waste The classification of solid waste is based on the content, moisture and heating value. An example of classification is as follows: Garbage refers to the biodegradable solid waste constituents, obtained during the preparation or storage of food (meat, fruits, and vegetables). These wastes water content of about 70% and a heating value of around 6ooooookg (Rao,1991) Rubbish refers to non-putrecible solid waste constituents either combustible (paper, wood, scrap) or non-combustible (metals, glasses ceramics). These wastes contain about 25% of water and the heating value of the waste is around 15000000kg (Rao, 1991). Solid waste can be further classified based on the source of the solid waste: Domestic waste Commercial waste Institutional waste Industrial waste Agricultural waste 2.3 Sources and Types of solid wastes Table 1.0 below shows different source types of solid wastes produced Sources Typical locations where wastes are generated Types of solid wastes Municipal wastes (domestic, commercial, institutional) Residential, open areas (street) Food wastes, rubbish, paper Industrial wastes Factory wastes Organic wastes from food processing, metallic sludges Agricultural wastes Forestry wastes Crop residues, animal manure Mining Quarrying wastes Mining minerals Rock, topsoil Energy generation wastes Thermal power plants Fly ash Source: Peavy, Rowe Tchobanoglous (1985) Since, domestic waste, commercial waste and institutional wastes are collected and transported by similar authorities, that is the municipal council or district council, they are usually group together and called Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). 2.4 What is solid waste management? Solid waste management is considered as a serious matter in different parts of the world. The unexpected increase of waste production emphasizes on the necessity of a right balance in the various technological facilities for the collection and treatment of waste, taking into consideration the existing regulations, economic constraints, environmental issues and also public acceptance, (Caputo.C.A, Pelagagge.M.P and Scacchia.F; 2002). Solid waste management can be defined as practical measures that ensure the proper functioning of collection, transport, processing, treatment and disposal of solid waste. The global concern about environmental health suggests that wastes be managed in an efficient manner and disposed of in an acceptable way, in order to reduce and or where possible get rid of its potential dangers that are posed to human beings and the environment as a whole, (Robinson 1986). 2.5 The need for municipal solid waste management The need for municipal solid waste management arose since the effects of solid waste in the environment outweigh the benefits. The following illustrate some examples of improper solid waste management. Public Health Problems and Diseases The uncontrolled fermentation of garbage provides the food source and habitat for bacterial growth. Furthermore, there is proliferation of insects, flies, mosquitoes and some birds which act as passive vectors in the transmission of some infectious diseases. Aesthetic consideration Dumping of solid waste everywhere and failure to collect those wastes in a proper way, not only provide rooms for the growth and spreading of mosquitoes and insects, but also give rise to strong odour and lead to an unsightly and unpleasant environment. Air Pollution Uncontrolled and incomplete combustion of solid waste materials can result in a number of unwanted air pollutants including particulate matter, smoke, sulphur dioxide and other noxious gases from the burning of plastic materials. Thus by analyzing the few health hazards and environmental impacts of solid waste, we conclude that a safe and environmentally and economically sustainable solid waste management plan is indispensable. 2.6 General solid waste management in Mauritius In Mauritius, it is the local authorities which consist of five municipalities for urban areas and four district councils for rural regions, private sectors such as Securiclean, Maxiclean, Atics among others, and the Ministry of Local Government which carry out waste collection. The Chief Health Inspector in all the five municipalities controls the operation of collection, disposal and street cleaning. The officer is also responsible for transport allocation and operation, including control of drivers, except in Port-Louis where transport and drivers are on the establishment of the City Engineers department. There exist a similar structure in the three district councils concerning the management and operational transport. However since the labour force is small, employees from the government are supplemented to perform the work. The frequency of collection regarding domestic refuse varies from twice a week to once monthly between local authorities. The collection of commercial or trade waste in urban and rural areas is treated as a main concern and a daily service is provided. With respect to storage, some municipalities have provided plastic bins and plastic bags to the residents. This has facilitated the collection process. All waste collected by the district and municipal council and the private contractors are disposed of directly to a dump site or to a transfer station where the waste is processed and compacted before dumping. (Source: http://localgovernment.gov.mu) Chapter 3 3.0 Profile of the study area http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/mlge/images/map.gif Figure 2.0 Municipalities District Councils of Mauritius Source: (http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/mlge/menuitem.f9c1c444c628df3cb3347524e2b521ca/) Key: Municipality of Port-Louis Municipality of Beau-Bassin/ Rose-Hill Municipality of Quatre-Bornes Municipality of Vacoas/ Phoenix Municipality of Curepipe Pamplemousses/ Riviere du Rempart District Council Moka/ Flacq District Council Grand Port / Savanne District Council Black River District Council Chapter 4 4.0 Findings and Discussions 4.1 Findings On our visit to the municipality of Beau Bassin / Rose- Hill, we found that municipal solid wastes are not sustainably managed. As we have been told by a senior Health Inspector Mr. Beefnah Kishan, the true reason why the proper management is not being done is because there is a lack of willingness from the local authorities, and that the municipality alone cannot take this initiative since it is a very costly project. We found that the municipality is only trying to sensitize the people about living in a clean environment. We have been told that even with the sensitization campaign, the local inhabitants are not abiding by the basic elementary principles which according to the authorities, is a demarcation line for sustainable solid waste management. For instance, during our visit we noticed that though people are aware that there are two separate bins available (at plaza) for waste disposal, that is, one for plastic wastes only and the other for any other kind of wastes, they throw their waste carelessly. We have been told that as far as the municipality is concerned, their duties and responsibilities are being respected they are maintaining their efforts to preserve the environment. Furthermore, from the findings we got at the municipality of Vacoas/ Phoenix, we found that the idea of managing municipal solid wastes in Mauritius has not yet come into existence. As we were told by the Chief Health Inspector Mr. Lobin, there is a lack of mindset on behalf of the local authorities. The authorities take only the cost factor into consideration, they missed the point that investing in this project will be a long term benefits. During our meeting with the Chief Health Inspector, he also pointed out clearly that collection and disposal of wastes is the only responsibilities of the municipalities, and managing wastes is the responsibility of the local authorities. Moreover, we also had a visit at the Moka/ Flacq District Council, where again we found that the idea of sustainable solid waste management is only an idea. We were told by two assistant Health Inspectors, Mr. Aumeer Imteaz and Mr. Chitbauhaal Foorkhan, that the District Council at present is only working towards keeping the environment clean, by maintaining their responsibilities and duties, and by organizing different awareness campaign programmes. But concerning the sustainable management of solid waste, nothing yet has been done. According to these persons, in order to realize the project of managing solid waste sustainably, first and foremost the local authorities should have the willingness and afterwards others will follow. Finally, during our visit to the Ministry of Local Government, we have met with the Senior Project Officer Mr. Dookee Ganesh, who confirmed that municipal solid wastes are not sustainably managed in Mauritius. According to the project officer, managing municipal solid waste sustainably is a big and costly project and it will take time. He however pointed out that to some extent wastes are being managed though not sustainably, in the sense that some wastes (plastics) are being recycled, some other types of wastes are being incinerated and the rests are sent to the landfill site at Mare Chicose. 4.2 Overall Discussions Efficient waste management is one of the best ways for sustainable development of any country, (Schneider.D.R Bogdan, 2011). Sustainable and effective planning on waste management is lacking, although many initiatives are in progress, notably in the area of legislation (Mohee.R, 2002). We do agree that managing municipal solid wastes sustainably is a big and costly project, but the government needs to realize that managing municipal solid waste sustainably is an investment and not a cost. In the long run, the results will reflect the investment; the benefits will outweigh the cost. From the findings we obtained, we have understood that wastes that are not being recycled are either incinerated or sent to the landfill site. Some types of wastes such as metals, glass, paper and plastics are not to be burnt since they can be recycled, but unfortunately not 100% of the recyclable wastes that are sent to the recycling industries. Since organic wastes consist of large amount of water, therefore the quantity of energy that is needed to dehumidify these might be more than what the incinerator produces. Furthermore, incinerators release huge amount of smoke. Similarly, landfill is not an option. Like we have at Mare Chicose, it seems to be worse than incinerators. It does not only result in visual impact, but it is also very polluting. Critically speaking, municipal solid wastes are not sustainably managed in Mauritius. The ways or techniques used in Mauritius to manage municipal solid wastes seem to be an irony, since the reason behind managing wastes is first and forem ost to protect the environment and human beings by preventing pollution, but the reality is that the means that are being used to manage these wastes are sources of pollution. One of the major issues in Mauritius is ignorance. People are not enough aware of the fragility of the environment. If fines are not imposed, people will not change their habits of throwing wastes everywhere. It must be realized that it may be the responsibility of the authorities to manage wastes, but the wastes producers are the inhabitants. Large amount of solid wastes are generated from households, therefore people should be made aware that wastes as such do not exist, it is only when not in use that the resources become wastes. Furthermore, tourists produce huge amounts of wastes, mainly during the peak tourism period, making it difficult for the local authorities to manage waste with their limited capacities, (Mohee.R, 2002). We believe that managing municipal solid wastes sustainably cannot be done at one go. However, there exist some effective techniques that can be adopted to ensure that solid waste is properly managed and thus making a way for the sustainable management. For instance, waste management hierarchy which includes the effective techniques can be adopted by the local people. The waste management hierarchy is a widely accepted order of waste management options. The European Council in its Waste Directive of 1991 sets the hierarchy of waste management options as follows: Waste prevention Recovery Safe disposal Chapter 5 5.0 Recommendation Conclusion 5.1 Recommendation Mauritius is a small island and due to land scarcity, it can neither have many landfills nor have all its wastes recycled. But it should be noted that incineration is not the ideal solution to this problem; it will rather encourage more wastes to be produced. First of all the Government should try to implement a zero waste policy. The use of plastics bags should be forbidden. Sorting of wastes should be encouraged to be done at home or onsite itself (plastics/organic/metals). Electronic gadgets should be made in such a way that they can be processed for parts that can be recycled and the toxic elements disposed of in the proper way and not burnt. If some of the steps are implemented, there will be nothing to get incinerated or a minimum amount of wastes would be burnt. Therefore, the followings are some of the proposed ideas towards sustainable municipal solid waste management: Policy planning and Strategy Solid waste management plans First of all there should be solid waste management plans in place. Waste management plans have essential roles to play towards sustainable waste management. Their primary purpose is to provide an outline of sources of wastes and treatment options. Waste management plans, national as well as local/regional are essential tools helping in the implementation and achievement of policies and targets that have been set up. Furthermore, the plans give an outline of the amount of wastes to be managed. Also, they contribute to ensuring that the capacity and the way of collection and treatment systems are coherent with the waste to be managed. The plans also identify areas in which technological measures should be taken to get rid of or minimize certain types of waste. Moreover, waste management plans make way for a statement of financial requirements for the operation of collection schemes and treatment of waste among others. On this basis, the needs for further investments in waste treatment plans may be determined. As a solution to many waste management problems, the involvement of several participants/authorities are required and coherent planning helps to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort and thus benefits all participants, (EU Commission, Environment, 2003). Zero-waste policy The aim of this policy should be geared towards a sustainable economy. The purpose is to minimize consumption to a reasonable extent by using design-for-environment in every product and their packaging, and to make them all recyclable. The determining factors to achieve Zero Waste are the products designs and industrial processes, that is, their components should be made in such a way that they can be easily disassemble, repaired and/or converted into reusable materials. Zero Waste implies merging communities, businesses and industries such that ones waste becomes anothers feedstock, which results in preventing pollution at its source. By implementing the Zero waste policy, the discharge of highly toxic materials to land, water, or air that threaten the planetary, human, animal or plant health can be eliminated, (Recycling Council of British Columbia, 2009). Management of Municipal Solid Waste Waste Minimization Waste minimization is considered as a waste management approach that emphasizes on decreasing the amount and toxicity of hazardous waste that is generated. It is believed that waste minimization methods that focus on avoiding waste from ever being created, (source reduction) and recycling is encouraged. There are three general methods of waste minimization: source reduction, recycling, and treatment, (Scott.W.D, 2005). Waste minimization can be achieved by reusing materials. In doing so, materials which were bound to become waste can be used again and there will be no need for recycling, combustion for energy purpose and disposal of waste materials to landfill. This can lead to a reduction in waste management costs. However this can effectively be done by planning, fabricating, buying, or making use of materials in a way that reduce the amount of trash created, less waste is created and fewer natural resources are used. Waste Sorting Waste sorting should be done at home and this can be achieved by the help of the local authorities, in the sense that, the three bins system should be implemented and there should be continual training and education awareness programmes. People should be taught how to use this system effectively and the reason behind using it. The three bins can either be coloured differently or labelled in order to facilitate the users to dispose their wastes in the corrective way. Waste sorting helps in achieving a sustainable environment, in the sense that recyclable wastes will be disposed separately and thus can be sent directly to the recycling industries and other wastes can be processed accordingly. This will save time and cost of labour also. Composting Composting is the decomposition of organic matter by microorganism in warm, moist, aerobic and anaerobic environment. There are different ways to do composting. It varies from simple and cheap backyard or onsite composting methods to more costly and sophisticated methods such as in-vessel composting. For materials such as food scraps and other materials which are degradable, adoption of proven technologies for processing such waste as backyard composting can be used; as this can reduce the amount of waste destined for disposal. Inhabitants can then sell the compost to nearby farmers and other users. Government should favour and stimulate the development and acceptance of appropriate technologies for the conversion of municipal solid waste to compost and promote markets for its use as a soil amendment. It can also be noted that inhabitant can use the soil conditioner obtained from composting to grow their own vegetables and crops. This is a good path towards sustainability and it dema nds patience and cooperation. However this project may take time to develop in Mauritius because there is lack of willingness on the part of communities, local authorities and other parties such as the informal sector and the formal waste collector. Best practices Enforcing Law To achieve a sustainable waste management, the Government must take actions against those who by-pass the law by throwing wastes haphazardly. The pay- as -you -throw program should be put in place and the local authorities must ensure that the legal duty to abide by this particular program is imposed on all people in the country, including tourists. The government should enforce a law for the purchase of recycled products such as paper, re-refined oil, and retread tires by recycling companies all over the island. Companies who are willing to do recycling, should be subsidised to provide a special bin for recyclable materials and also for the collection purpose. This will encourage people not to throw those materials which can be transformed in valued resources once more, hence reducing the waste which was bound to be incinerated or landfilled. Education and awareness There should be a continuous awareness programme in place, so that every person gets well accustomed to the new techniques of municipal solid waste management. There should also be public education so that people are not only made aware of the new techniques, but also that they can understand the reasons behind managing municipal solid wastes sustainably. The public should know and understand the importance of sustainable development. For example, when doing shopping, people should always look for the labels of a product to ascertain its recyclability. This will encourage the production of recycled-content products. People, can practice bulk buying and make greater use of plastics containers for refillable products. People should be made aware of the benefits of buying products refillable in containers and also bulk buying. They can save money and also reduce packaging waste in so doing. They should avoid products of unnecessary packaging when choosing between two similar one. Close neighbours or family should be willing to share recent newspapers or magazines. This can maximise the use of such items and lead to a reduction in the generation of wastes. Even for old tools, equipments or other materials which can still be used, willingness on the part of people should exist to ask friends, relatives, neighbours or community groups if they can use them before it is discarded. Inhabitants of communities should be willing organise a special day for donating or reselling goods to organisation in need such as clothes, furnitures and reading materials. Local or regional programs to collect compostable material should be set up with the help of public officials or community leaders. If people cannot do composting at their places, they must collect all the compostable materials and give it to their neighbours who are involved in gardening or crop growing. These values should be inculcated at school itself. Environmental education should be introduces at schools, where students will learn how to do source reduction, reuse or recycling and composting. 5.2 Conclusion The severity of waste management problems in Mauritius has long been recognized. The impact of municipal solid waste on the environment is greatly determined by the way this waste is handled, (Ludwig et al., 2004). The lack of suitable disposal sites has affected the environment. New technologies have been developed in order to help in the treatment of waste and in safe disposal. Other technologies will be set up for the recovery of material and energy in the near future. There are key issues that need to be considered in sustainable management, such as the environmental performance of technologies and the economic costs. After subsequent analysis of the whole solid waste management system in Mauritius, it has been found that the actual system is not enough to manage municipal solid waste effectively. To manage municipal solid waste sustainably in Mauritius, the existing system should be reviewed and problems should be tackled preferably at source, and if not possible, then appropriate mechanisms for safe disposal should be installed in an effort to combat the increasing volume of untreated solid waste dumped into canals and drains or any other open dumping sites, (United States Agency for International Development, 2005).
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Essay --
As part of the cell cycle, mitosis is the nuclear division of replicated chromosomes by the disconnection of the replicated chromosomes to form two genetically identical daughter nuclei. Escorted by mitosis is commonly the process of cytokinesis. The cytokinesis process entails a dividing cell splitting into two, resulting in the subdivision of the cytoplasm into two cellular suites. The process of mitosis can take place in either a haploid (23 chromosomes) or a diploid (46 chromosomes) cell. Before a cell can be ready for a mitotic division it must primarily undergo its interphase stage. Following the interphase stage several other stages come into play. These stages are prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. During each specific stage certain sequences of events take place that assist to the completion of the division. During interphase, cell growth, DNA replication, separation of centrioles and protein synthesis takes place. This phase is acknowledged to being the most extensive period of the cell cycle thus signifying the stage in which the cell devotes th...
Friday, July 19, 2019
John Brown :: essays research papers
How the Actions of Governor Wise and the State of Virginia in the Case of John Brown may be easily Justified. Â Â Â Â Â After months of planning, John Brown and his twenty-one “soldiers'; marched into the strategically located town of Harpers Ferry with the goal of starting a slave revolt which would lead to the abolishment of the institution of slavery. Within hours Brown and his followers had taken several hostages, and gained control of the armory, the arsenal, and the engine house. The following days consisted of skirmishes with the towns people and the arrival of the United States Marines. After a brief confrontation the Marines easily captured Brown and his few surviving followers. On October 27 the trail of John Brown began. Only five days later the trial came to a rapid conclusion, with the jury finding Brown guilty on all charges. Two days later Brown was sentenced to death. His execution followed precisely one month later, on December 2nd. Clearly, Governor Wise and the state of Virginia acted justly and fairly when they tried John Brown and executed him for his dee ds at Harpers Ferry. Â Â Â Â Â John Brown was born on May 9, 1800 in Torrington Connecticut. When he was about five years old, his father moved the family to Hudson Ohio. There, John was filled with the heavy anti-slavery sentiment that was present in that area. This, combined with personal observations of the maltreatment of blacks and the influence of Calvinism, started John Brown on his crusade to abolish slavery. While still living in Hudson he married Dianthe Lusk and began to raise a large family. To support his family he worked as a farmer, tanner, and surveyor. In 1849, John Brown moved with his second wife Mary Ann Day, and their seven children to North Elba. He planned to aid the free blacks living in Garrit Smith’s colony, dubbed “Timbucto';, adjust to the hardships of farming in the Adirondacks. After realizing the impossibility of this task, John left, and followed the abolitionist movement to Kansas where five of his sons were already stationed. Here in Kansas, Brown c ontinually struggled to become financially secure, but gained “a reputation as a ferocious opponent of slavery'; (John Brown’s Raid). This reputation was greatly enhanced when Brown and his sons led a brutal mission against the proslavery population, which resulted in five innocent proslavery settlers being mutilated and murdered. After staying in Kansas for a while longer, Brown returned to the North where he gave many speeches and fund raising meetings based on the abolishment of slavery.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a story of an unlikely friendship :: Free Essay Writer
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a story of an unlikely friendship between two migrant workers, George Milton and Lennie Small â€Å"Of Mice and Men†by John Steinbeck is a story of an unlikely friendship between two migrant workers, George Milton and Lennie Small. This story is set in the 1930’s, around the time of the Great Depression in which America entered a long period of economical depression from which it eventually came out of after World War II. During this period of poverty and bad business, many workers from all over America went to California to find work. Throughout this novella, Steinbeck portrays the thoughts and dreams of many of these workers which was to find a piece of land to settle down on. The story is also about the loneliness of most of these workers, and this is why the fact that George and Lennie travel together is strange to most of the ranch hands. The name of the novella comes from a famous poem by Robert Burns which is called, â€Å"To a Mouse†– â€Å"...the best laid schemes o’ Mice and Men, Gang aft agley†. This basically means that however much you plan something out and figure out in detail what you will do, the future is unpredictable and plans can easily go wrong. The main characters of the novella are people who face challenges in life. The major themes which are expressed throughout the novella are loneliness, friendship and racism. The characters which Steinbeck uses to portray these themes are seen as â€Å"outsiders†, such as Crooks, Candy, Lennie and Curley’s wife. Crooks is black and crippled and is disliked by the ranch hands due to his race; Candy is old and disabled and so excluded from the social life of the ranch-hands. Lennie is mentally challenged and Curley’s Wife is the only woman in the ranch and she is extremely misunderstood. These characters all illustrate the extreme circumstances under which people had to survive throughout the Great Depression and they do so by each having their own unique characteristics and qualities. Curley’s wife is the wife of the boss’s son, Curley. She has the hardship of being the only woman in a ranch full of men who have no understanding of her or women in general. Throughout the novella she is described in different ways – some, where one feels sorry for her and others where one feels utter hatred towards her. She is a character that is misunderstood because of her outward actions, but the truth is that she is actually very similar to many of the characters – lonely and sad.
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Dining Plan Proposal
Project 2 – Drexel Dining Plan Proposal As a freshmen and an international student at Drexel University, most of my free time is taken up in becoming accustomed to a new country, a new city, and to the culture of Drexel University. Despite attending an International private school back in Delhi and despite having traveled the world, it is only normal that I find the transition from living back home to living at Drexel University, a difficult one. Getting familiar with the system of being a college student in general is an added struggle.And at first though, most non-vegetarians may not take this into consideration due to a plentiful amount of non-vegetarian food available, but I can tell you from personal experience, food is one of the main factors contributing to homesickness. The day -to-day food available on Drexel’s campus is not varied or appetizing enough for vegetarians, especially international vegetarian students. Each student who purchases the meal plan can di ne at certain designated locations on campus.The available dining options on the Drexel University campus consist of the following: a mini cafe in the main building, Ross Commons Take 3, Creese Cafe, Chick-fil-a, Currito, Subway, Kelly Deli, Southern Tsunami Sushi, and Starbucks. This may sounds like many options, but that does not overlook quality, or the fact that vegetarians may not have as many options as those who eat meat. As Drexel has ascended in its rankings, so have the number of students from different states and different countries.This year itself, the percentage of international students at Drexel University went up about twenty-eight percent and is expected to grow next year. (Facts and Figures) A student that purchases any meal plans spends an average amount of around five thousand & two hundred dollars throughout his or her university education. A relatively large percentage of these students, whether from the states or international students, are vegetarian as one of the most frequently asked questions on Drexel’s dining website. Drexel Campus Dining) I myself know up to ten vegetarians in the freshmen year itself. The number one complaint I tend to hear, or coincidentally eavesdrop on, in the dining center is about the food. According to my survey these complaints are usually voiced by international students and sometimes by vegetarian, American citizens. I also concluded from my survey that those who dislike the food and live nearby do not feel the need to complain as homemade food and favorite restaurant visits with the parents are just a train ride away.I summarized my issues with the available dining service at Drexel by carrying out confidential surveys of a sample of students who eat at the Handschumacher Dining Center. Of course my survey was favorably given out to international students and it consisted of open-ended questions that cover a few valid issues I personally wanted to know more about. On an average, the survey revea led international students dissatisfaction with the amount of vegetarian or vegan food available at the Drexel dining locations.Although the survey revealed complaints students had about the staff, quality of food, and such, I chose to concentrate on the vegetarian food options. Students explicitly expressed their concern with the fact that vegan food was often confused with vegetarian food. A few students stated their issue with days where more of a variety of vegetarian food was made and other days where more vegan food was made, always more options of one over the other. Of course, non-vegetarian food always seems to be plentifully available.One student wrote on her survey, â€Å" although there is a pasta station that is vegetarian on the whole, the options are very limited. Vegetarians at the dining center can only eat pasta, on certain days very bland vegan wraps are available, and French fries, and the same vegetarian fried rice. â€Å" Another student said, â€Å" the pas sport section hardly ever has vegetarian or vegan food, which is sad because so many international students are vegetarian and we have to make do with salad and pasta every single day. To this I would like to add an observation I made at the Dining Center and Subway: most of the times, the staff uses the same gloves to touch vegetarian food as they do meat. This is very disturbing to me as I am vegetarian for religious reasons and cannot technically even have meat touched to my food. When I asked students about the other Dining options, Starbucks and the cafe in the main building were immediately opted out of consideration as â€Å"dining. †This leaves the unhealthy options of Ross Commons cheese Pizza and Chick-Fil-A fries. Two other options are Creese and Subway.The two of these are relatively healthier options, but again Subway has only one veggie patty. And Creese Cafe serves only two to three options for vegetarian paninis. But out of all the times I have been to Creese , they are out of one ingredient or the other, which limits the vegetarian options further. For example, when I asked for the Capri panini at Creese, I was told they were out of basil and hence, could not make that panini for me. Out of all the dining options Currito landed up being a favorite for vegetarians on my survey because of its many vegetarian varieties.Even though Currito is one stall that serves good vegetarian options, what about the rest? Vegetarian students I surveyed unanimously agree upon the conclusion that there is not enough variety out of the entire dining service on campus for vegetarian students. It think it is safe to say that a certain percentage of Drexel University students is dissatisfied with the vegetarian dining options on campus. I know I am. Yet, these students are paying for the dining services the same price as any non-vegetarian student. I propose a solution, or many solutions.Firstly, I think the staff should be educated on how to handle food for vegetarian or vegan students. For example, they should start with using different gloves and utensils for meat. Second, I believe the dining hall would be a good start for more vegetarian options as hundreds of students dine here each day. For example, the staff can make sure they do not compromise on the food for vegans or vegetarians. Both these categories should have a plentiful amount. Also, the passport section that serves international food can make sure they have one vegetarian alternative to each non-vegetarian dish they make.And the Asian food section can start searching into more feasible Asian recipes for both vegans and vegetarians. Coming to the options besides the dining center, it may be difficult to open more dining options on campus, so instead each service can find ways to increase its creativity and variety with vegetarian food. Currito can find more than just tofu to substitute meat, or they can cook the tofu in different ways and serve it. Chick-fil-A can look i nto making breakfast sandwiches. Subway can create more than just the veggie patty, or it can give more vegetable options to choose from.Ross Commons can start serving pizza with diverse vegetarian toppings. Such minor changes may go a long way. This idea may seem new, but it has been done before. Every time a fast food chain opens in different countries, it is altered to cater to the taste and customers of that country. I feel like Drexel should look into doing the same with its chains opened on campus as Drexel is an international University and the vegetarian population deserves first-rate food. (Vegetarian Subs & Different Countries, Different McDonalds) (A Picture of other Asian recipes that can be made)
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Putting the Service †Profit Chain to Work
PUTTING THE serve easy lolly CHAIN TO WORK group 5 Introduction Factors that drives kaleability coronation in people lead visual sense Patina of spirituality, importance of mundane net incomeability technology relievering frontline workers Successful dish out companies Banc One, Intuit, sou-west Airlines, usefulness Master, USAA, Taco Bell, and MCI Compensation joined to performance Recruiting and training practices The benefit dinero arrange Establishes births between profitability, node committedness, and employee merriment, faithfulness and productivity Measure and management techniquesSupport function and policies Employee allegiance, gladness, productivity Value and supporter guest satisfaction client true-bluety gain and growth The Links in the Service- advance Chain The service profit filament is in like manner defined by a finicky leadership grammatical cases Herbert Kelleher Southwest (Patina of spirituality), William Pollard ServiceMa ster (Teacher-learner managers, servants heart), John McCoy- Banc One (Uncommon Partnership, body of support) Customer obedience that drives Profitability and crop 5% increase in guest loyalty can produce profit increases from 25% to 85% Quality of foodstuff shargon in terms of customer loyalty as important as quantity of sh be in the commercialise Example Banc One Measures of Customer belongings No. of services employ by each customer depth of relationship Level of customer satisfaction turn back Customer satisfaction Drives Customer Loyalty Polled 480,000 customers per year Five point plateful satisfaction(product and service) Relationships between the scores actual loyalty differed greatly between 5s and 4s apostles Terrorists unhappy customersValue drives Customer pleasure Value related to the amount costs (price and other costs incurred) Example Progressive indemnity society right away processing and payment to claims Little indemnity holde r effort CAT (catastrophe) team Employee Productivity Drives Value Southwest Airlines seventh largest US domestic carrier 86% of employees unionized (total 14,000) Employees can perform some(prenominal) jobs Schedules, routes and company practices to enable speedy embarkment and deplaning (15 min. 40% more pilot (70hr/month) and aircraft utilization Fare charges 60-70% lower Customer perceptions of rate are very high without special facilities 14,000 employees marketing research building block Employee loyalty drives productivity Study of automobile dealers gross revenue personnel to a greater expiration employee turn over more passing play Employee Satisfaction drives Loyalty Propriety submit of a property and casualty insurance company Southwest highest retention (95%) USAA insurance and financial services providerInternal Quality drives Employee Satisfaction Working environment USAA telephone sales and service representatives Information system co okery ServiceMaster Attitudes of people toward one another make clean and maintenance Importance to mundane Leadership Underlies the Chains Success unified culture centered on service Willingness and ability to listen Examples Relating Links in the chain for management Action some have links in pregnant way Examples Property and casualty insurance company MCI Taco Bell Employee employment Periodic round table meetings, interviews Service Profit Chain audited account PROFIT AND GROWTH How do we define loyal customers? Do whole stepments of customer profitability hold profits from referrals? What proportion of business culture expenditures and incentives directed to the retention of existing customers? wherefore do customers defect? Service Profit Chain Audit CUSTOMER triumph Are customer satisfaction selective information gathered in an objective, consistent, and periodic devise? Where are the listening posts for obtaining customer feedback in your gi ving medication? How is information concerning customer satisfaction used to solve customer problems? Service Profit Chain Audit outdoor(a) return VALUE how do you measure service measure out? How is information concerning customers perceptions of value shared with those responsible for designing a product or service? To what goal are measures taken of differences between customers perceptions of attribute delivered and their expectations before delivery? Do our organizations efforts to improve external service fiber emphasize effective retrieval from service errors in addition to providing a service right the first measure?Service Profit Chain Audit Employee productivity How do you measure employee productivity? to what extent do measures of productivity recognise changes in the quality as well as the quantity of service produced per unit of input? Employee loyalty How do you have employee loyalty? Employee Satisfaction Is employee satisfaction calculated in w ays that can be linked to similar measures of customer satisfaction with sufficient frequency and consistency to commit trends for management use? Are employee picking criteria and methods geared to what customers as well as managers believe are important? To what extent measures of customer satisfaction, loyalty or the quality and quantity of service output used in recognizing and rewarding? Service Profit Chain Audit INTERNAL SERVICE QUALITY Do employees know who their customers are? Employee satisfaction with technological and personal support? LEADERSHIP To what extent Energetic, creative vs stately, cautious? Participatory, caring vs removed, elistist? Listening, coaching and teaching? motive by mission vs motivating by fear? Leading by meat personal values vs institutionalized policies? cartridge clip spent developing and maintaining culture? RELATING MEASURES what are the most important relationships in companys service profit chain? .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)