Single Mothers

Just Mom and the Kids More than one fourth of all children in the United States live with only one parent (Healthy Children). Single mothers and their children face a variety of financial and emotional complications on a day-to-day basis. Though single motherhood can be just as satisfying as sharing these experiences with a partner, there are unique difficulties to its situation. Single Motherhood is when a mother is raising a child without the support of spouse. Around half of today's mothers will spend some time as a sole custodial parent (Legal Momentum).Statistics say around forty-five percent of single mothers have never been married (Legal Momentum). That meaner fifty-five percent of single motherhood is due to divorce, abandonment, or death of a husband. The reasons why American women are increasingly becoming single mothers are teen pregnancy, father disappearances, adoption and the biggest of all, divorce (Webster University). Of three people interviewed two single motherhoo d were due to divorced and one was by choice of never being married. Single motherhood is less ideal and leads to extreme amounts of stress.Epidemiological rivers show that single mothers have low levels of self-satisfaction and high levels of anxiety and depression compared to other mothers (Social Science Computing Cooperative). Not being able to provide for your child, going through a divorce or death of a husband and dealing with the behavior of the kids are causes of a single mother's stress. When explaining how she copes with her situation Veronica Williams says, â€Å"It was rough, really rough, trying to manage all they have going on and fitting it in day to day. It was stressful at times, but I took it one day at time did what I could o† (Williams).The depression and stress also can come from all the household tasks, everyday Jobs, and errands the mothers have to take care of on a day-to-day basis. Their responsibilities are overwhelming for one person. Single mother s have a great amount of weight on their shoulders with finances, house keeping, and parenting with no help from a spouse. Veronica Williams, a single mother of two young children, explains the biggest financial burden in her family is childcare. â€Å"Finding child care for my children is a financial burden it can be so expensive, but it's something I need to o in order to work.I have to get money to raise them† (Williams). Having a spouse there to help maintain finances for the family would take a load of weight off of the single mother. A mother has to perform responsibilities that would traditionally be a father's Job, for example; taking out the trash, caring for the law, home repairs and vehicle maintenance. They often look to their children for help around the house. When asked about how her children helped around the house Veronica said, â€Å"They're much younger so they can't do much, but keep their toys picked up.House keeping ill be a little easier when they can help though†(Williams). Looking to the children for assistance around the house is not an option for single mothers when the children are so young. As the children get a little older they become more helpful and responsible. Christine Wilson, is a teacher and single mother of a fifteen year old daughter, when asked about managing housekeeping she explains, â€Å"My daughter is able to complete household chores like washing the dishes, dusting the furniture, well when money is involved† (Wilson).Since the 20th Century children with single others were sent out to work earlier than those who had both parent's in their lives (Gordon, Pitied but Not Entitled: Single Mothers and the History of Welfare, 1890-1935). As the child gets older the single mothers have a little more help around the house, but whom do they have to turn to for help with parenting? Parenting is extremely difficult without a spouse to turn to for advice, assistance, and comfort.Children of single mothers have a significant amount of responsibilities to take care of, because their mothers especially need help when she is raising the child (Kids Health). The extra responsibilities can bring a lot of stress to the child in that situation. These stressful situations can lead children to sleeping disorders, self- esteem issues, and drug and alcohol abuse. Its only normal for children of single mothers to think about what it would be like if their parent's were still together.Single parent children are more likely to have emotional or behavioral problems. Children of single mothers also are more likely to have low self esteem, use drugs or commit suicide (Wisconsin Fathers). Single motherhood often leads to excessive tress and responsibilities for the children in the family. When asked about how she coped with her parent's divorce eighteen-year-old student, Miracle Hawkins said â€Å"l was young so I didn't really understand it, but now it doesn't really bother me. It's probably better that they aren't together anyway.It's actually a life lesson for me. My mother shows me how to be a strong, independent woman and I feel like if they were together I wouldn't have realized some of the things I know now. It helped me to mature much quicker than friends who aren't living with single mothers†(Hawkins) Having only one parent in a child's life forces them to grow up much faster than a child whose parent's are still together. Through observations, interviews, and research it is concluded that single motherhood is a difficult task not only for the mother, but for their children as well.The financial and emotional problems and responsibilities it comes with are overwhelming for a mother with children. Single motherhood is not an ideal lifestyle, however it is manageable for hard working and dedicated mothers and their kids. While at the Thurman Brisbane Center I observed some of these hard working and dedicated mothers and their children. The Thurman Brisbane Homeless Center provides a variety of programs and services to assist individuals and families who are homeless.Since 2000, Thurman Brisbane Center has provided residential services to more than 15,000 individual men, women and children (Thurman Brisbane Center). When volunteering at the Thurman Brisbane Homeless Shelter I organized arts and crafts, instructed, talked, and played games with the children living in the shelter. I realized the children learned differently depending on their family situation. I deiced that certain children were more independent, than others. The weekend of Valentine's Day the project of the day was to make Valentine's Day cards for their family.There were two little girls, Gabby and Raven, they both were five years old, but had very different personalities. I then wondered if that had anything to do with the parenting of the children. Gabby was very quite and shy and didn't ask for any help when we were creating our Valentine's Day cards. She colored a picture of her mother, her brother and herself. Gabby spelled everything without any help from me. Ere family. She asked for help drawing hearts on her card and she asked me to help her with spelling when she was writing in her card.After talking and observing the girls a little more, I learned Gabby mother was a single mother living at the shelter with only Gabby and her older son. I then learned that Raven's father, mother, and older sister were also living at the shelter with her. These two girls helped me to understand that family situations can make huge impact on personality of a child. Working at the Thurman Brisbane Homeless Center has helped me improved my rebel communication skills, develop more patience, and it taught me valuable Job skills.Before I started working at the homeless shelter, I considered myself a shy person when communicating with people I didn't know. After volunteering for approximately five months, I became more comfortable and confident with myself and with com municating with others. When you learn and practice patience you don't get as irritated, stressed or overwhelmed. Working with young kids requires tons of patience, mainly because you have to explain and re-explain, especially when they re young, Just so they can understand. After working with the kids on a few Sundays I have developed that patience I needed.I learned how to talk in a tone that they would listen to and understand and how to take deep breaths to try to relax when I found myself getting impatient. Working at the shelter taught me valuable Job skills such as, commitment, organization, and active listening. I committed myself to working at the shelter for two hours every other Sunday. Although, there were times when I would have preferred to go to the mall or go to the movies, I knew I had mad a commitment to myself and the staff at the shelter to be there. I was determined to finish the Job I started.Another Job skill I improved on at the Thurman Brisbane Center was or ganization and creativity; I had to come up with ideas for arts and crafts to do with the children at the shelter. Each day we brought entertaining activities for them to do and often awarded them with candy, popcorn, and other prizes for the good awesome art projects they created. The activities and projects were based on the upcoming holidays or the current season. In October, for Halloween time the kids and I made fake ghost and decorated bags for them to put their trick-or-treating candy.During Thanksgiving holiday we made colorful turkeys out of brown paper bags and construction paper. In January our projects consisted of designing snowmen, snowflakes and mittens all out of construction paper. As mentioned before during the month of February we made Valentine's Day cards for families and friends. Before going to the Thurman Brisbane shelter I had to assure I was prepared and organized to make sure the day went smooth. Based on my lesson I had to make sure I had all he art suppl ies and prizes I would need for the day.I had to focus on what they kids liked, didn't like, and their personalities so I could try to relate to them better and develop relationships with them. I now realize that active listening skills are critical when working with anybody. Working at the Thurman Brisbane Center was very beneficial not only did it help with my research project, but it also helped me to develop mentally. Seeing the grins on the kids faces when we came with activities and candy for them made volunteering worthwhile. I was glad to have made a difference in the lives of the children.

Pinkerton’s Detective Agenc Essay

Pinkerton (A) Late one afternoon in November 1987, Tom Wathen, sole owner and CEO of California Plant Protection (CPP), sat in his office staring at two financing plans. Wathen was trying to decide whether or not he should increase his $85 million bid to purchase Pinkerton’s—the legendary security guard firm—from its current owner, American Brands. On the previous day, Wathen had been told by Morgan Stanley, American Brands’ investment banker, that his bid of $85 million had been rejected and that nothing less than $100 million would be accepted. While Wathen was elated at still being in the deal, he had a problem. CPP’s board of directors had reluctantly approved the earlier $85 million bid and were sure to balk at a $100 million bid. Wathen desperately wanted to buy Pinkerton’s, but was not sure how much it was worth or how to finance it. Wathen knew he had to act now or miss this unprecedented growth opportunity and probably his last chance to be one of the industry’s biggest players. The Security Guard Industry The security guard industry had two segments: (1) proprietary guards and (2) contract guards. While both types of guards performed similar services, a proprietary guard was an employee on the payroll of a nonsecurity firm. Contract guards were â€Å"rented† from specialist suppliers like Pinkerton’s, CPP, Wackenhut, and Baker Industries. The historical growth of the contract guard segment of the industry was due in part to companies concluding that they gained operating flexibility by contracting out their security needs as opposed to managing their own security operations. By late 1987, security guard services was a $10 billion industry growing at 6% a year. But the industry was also mature, fragmented, and price-competitive. As a result there was an ongoing trend toward consolidation at the expense of smaller, local guard companies whose employees were often imperfectly screened and  poorly trained. Pinkerton’s The security guard industry began in 1850 when Allan Pinkerton founded the Pinkerton’s Detective Agency. The firm gained fame in the nineteenth century with its pursuit of such outlaws as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In the film portrait of that pair, Paul Newman repeatedly asks Robert Redford, â€Å"Who are those guys?† Those â€Å"guys† were Pinkerton’s men and women. Pinkerton ran his firm until he died in 1884. The company was then headed by four generations of Pinkertons until the family’s reign ended in 1967 with the death of Robert Pinkerton. Adam S. Berger (MBA ’91), prepared this case under the supervision of Professor Scott P. Mason as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. American Brands, the $5 billion consumer goods company—with brand names such as Lucky Strike cigarettes, Jim Beam bourbon, Master locks, and Titleist golf balls—purchased Pinkerton’s for $162 million in 1982. American Brands made the acquisition in order to expand the service side of its business and because it saw the Pinkerton’s brand name as a great addition to â€Å"a company  of great brand names.† The Pinkerton family sold the company to American Brands because they felt the industry was becoming extremely price-competitive and therefore the company needed a strong parent to compete and grow. In 1987 Pinkerton’s was among the largest security guard firms in the United States, with sales over $400 million, 150 offices in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and a particular strength in the eastern United States. Exhibit 1 gives selected financial data for Pinkerton’s. California Plant Protection When Wathen bought CPP in 1963, the firm had 18 employees and revenues of $163,000. By 1987, Wathen had built CPP into a $250 million security guard company with 20,000 employees and 125 offices in 38 states and Canada. Exhibit 2 gives selected financial data for CPP. Wathen built CPP with his consummate marketing skills and the strategy of differentiating the firm with employee screening and continual training. CPP’s expansion was aided by the explosive growth of California’s economy and because the bigger, more established East Coast security guard firms had ignored the West Coast. While Wathen was the sole owner of CPP, he had a board of directors that he used as advisors. The board had three members: Albert Berger, James Hall, and Gerald Murphy. Berger was an entrepreneur, COO of an electrical connector firm and a CPP director since 1975. Hall was an attorney, a former vice president of MCA, the former California Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, and a CPP director since 1976. Murphy was president of ERLY Industries, a director of several companies, and a CPP director since 1975. CPP’s Acquisition of Pinkerton’s Wathen wanted to buy Pinkerton’s for several reasons. First, he had always had the goal of creating the largest firm in the security guard industry, and the acquisition of Pinkerton’s would put him in a virtual tie with Baker Industries—a subsidiary of Borg Warner and the largest provider of contract guard services. Secondly, Wathen had been convinced for some time that American Brands was mismanaging Pinkerton’s and destroying a great brand name with its pricing strategy. In October 1987, American Brands announced  it had decided to sell Pinkerton’s because the security guard firm no longer fit into Brands’s long-range business strategy. Upon this  announcement, Jerry Brown, CPP’s secretary and general counsel, recalls, â€Å"Tom [Wathen] called me in and from that moment I knew he was going to do whatever it took to buy Pinkerton’s. Tom was always hung up on being the largest, and on Pinkerton’s name.† Morgan Stanley, an investment bank, was to represent American Brands in the sale and the bidding promised to be hotly contested. A task force of senior managers was quickly formed to prepare CPP’s bid which they knew, given the time pressures of the sale, would not have the benefit of adequate preparation. The task force believed there were three ways CPP could create value by acquiring Pinkerton’s. The most obvious source of value would come from consolidating the operations of CPP and Pinkerton’s by eliminating common overhead expenses such as corporate headquarters, support staff, and redundant offices. Second, the task force believed that significant improvements could be made in the management of Pinkerton’s net working capital. The third source of value, and possibly a unique insight by Wathen and the CPP task force, was the Pinkerton’s name. They believed that, while the industry was highly price-competitive, the services of both Pinkerton’s and CPP could be successfully marketed under the Pinkerton’s name at a premium price. Specifically, the task force felt that even though higher prices could lead to reduced revenue, the resulting improvement in gross profit margins, due to the marketability of the Pinkerton’s name, would be su fficient to result in greater gross profits. For example, the  task force believed that a premium price strategy would definitely reduce Pinkerton’s revenues since that firm had acquired a significant amount of business since 1985 using a low-price/high market-share strategy. The new pricing strategy would result in Pinkerton’s revenues shrinking, in a smooth fashion, to 70% of their 1987 level by the end of 1990 and then growing at 5% a year thereafter. But the task force was uncertain in its estimate of the impact of the new strategy on profitability. They expected that the new pricing strategy would improve Pinkerton’s gross profit margins from 8.5% in 1988 to 9.0% in 1989, 9.5% in 1990, and 10.25% thereafter. The task force further expected the new strategy to produce higher margins for CPP, increasing the projected operating profit from CPP’s own business by $1.2 million in 1989, $1.5 million in 1990, $2.0 million in 1991, and $3 million in 1992. This increase in CPP’s projected operating profit would be over and above that level that would otherwise have been anticipated in those years, and was expected to grow at 5% a year, in line with sales, beyond 1992. (Exhibit 3 gives a five-year forecast of CPP’s net income and cash flow assuming Pinkerton’s is not acquired). However, the task force realized there was a distinct possibility that the new pricing strategy would have no impact on CPP’s projected operating profits, and Pinkerton’s gross margins would improve to only 8.5% in 1988, 8.75% in 1989, 9.0% in 1990, and 9.5% thereafter. The task force was confident that, as a result of eliminating common overhead, Pinkerton’s operating expenses, as a percentage of sales, could be reduced to 6% in 1988, 5.9% in 1989, and 5.8% in 1990 and beyond. The task force was also confident that Pinkerton’s net plant and equipment could be reduced to 4% of sales and maintained at that percentag e relationship for the foreseeable future. The task force was somewhat less confident in its estimate of improvements to the management of Pinkerton’s net working capital. This was due to concerns over the ability of CPP’s accounting department to handle a much larger and more geographically diverse operation. The task force expected that Pinkerton’s net working capital, as a percentage of sales, could be reduced to 8.6% in 1988, 7.4% in 1989, and 6.2% thereafter. However, if CPP’s accounting department experienced difficulties in integrating the two firms’ operations, then Pinkerton’s net working capital would remain at 9.5% of sales. The idea of CPP acquiring Pinkerton’s was not universally popular. Most of the investment banks and lenders contacted by CPP expressed negative feelings about the potential acquisition, citing inadequate cash flow and weak market conditions following the dramatic dislocation of the stock market in the previous month. However, a representative of Sutro & Co., a prominent West Coast investment bank, indicated he was â€Å"highly confident† he could get financing for the acquisition from either Manufacturers Hanover Trust Corporation or General Electric Credit Corporation. In addition, Wathen had some problems with CPP’s board of directors. For example, Berger thought there would be obvious synergies in merging the two businesses, but that there was not enough management depth at CPP capable of running the combined firms. According to Berger, there was no COO, no CFO, no marketing manager, and nobody to handle the day-to-day details of operating a $650 million firm. The last thing CPP needed was growth, Berger argued. He felt the field people could handle a larger firm, but the corporate management could not. Nonetheless, the task force pressed on with their analysis of Pinkerton’s. In addition to current financial market conditions, the analysis took special notice of Wackenhut, the only publicly traded security guard firm. (See Exhibits 4 and 5.) Only 12 days after receiving the details of the sale  from Morgan Stanley, and with the reluctant approval of his board, Wathen bid $85 million for Pinkerton’s. Wathen did not receive a response to his bid for two weeks. Through his own network, Wathen knew another firm had bid more than CPP and that Morgan  Stanley was negotiating with that firm. Wathen was disappointed that he might miss his last opportunity to be one of the biggest in the business. When Morgan Stanley finally called and told Wathen his $85 million bid was too low, and that nothing less than $100 million would be accepted, Wathen was elated that he had another chance to buy Pinkerton’s. But he suspected the reason Morgan Stanley had finally called him was that the other buyer had been unable to finance their higher bid. Financing a $100 Million Bid In a last ditch effort to improve his bid for Pinkerton’s, Wathen asked his investment banker to determine the options for financing a $100 million bid. The banker responded with only two alternatives. The first alternative came from an investment firm who would provide both debt and equity financing. The debt, in the amount of $75 million, would have a seven-year maturity and an 11.5% interest rate. The loan principal would not be amortized prior to maturity, at which time the entire $75 million would come due. Finally, this debt would be a senior obligation and be backed by all the assets of the new combined firm. The equity, in the amount of $25 million, would be provided in exchange for 45% of the equity in the new combined firm. The second alternative was a 100% debt financing offered by a bank. The bank would lend $100 million at the rate of 13.5% a year. The loan principal would be amortized at the rate of $5 million a year for six years, with a final payment of $70 million at the end of the seventh year. Again, this loan was collateralized by all of the assets of the new combined firm. Under either financing alternative, Wathen was very concerned about the required debt service. The new combined firm’s nonpublic, as well as high-leverage, status could make any cash flow problems over the next five years highly problematic. The task force also reminded Wathen that a $100 million purchase price would result in the creation of good will on his balance sheet which would have to be amortized at the rate of $5 million per year for the next 10 years.1 Wathen sat in his office and prepared to make the biggest decision of his career. As an entrepreneur and an experienced security guard executive, Wathen was sure Pinkerton’s was a good buy. However, he had routinely relied on his board and other advisers for  financial advice. His board had reluctantly approved his earlier bid of $85 million and was sure to balk at a $100 million bid. How could he justify a $100 million bid for Pinkerton, particularly in light of his earlier bid of $85 million? And if he was successful in convincing the board, how was he going to finance the acquisition?

Deeper Insight by Use of Point of View – Summary

Deeper Insight by Use of Point of View The majority of authors use literary elements to build up their story. However, the author of the short story â€Å"Barn Burning† uses one particular element to build up his own story in a very unique format. William Faulkner uses various literary elements in the story, but the most critical one is point of view. Faulkner uses point of view to develop characters, the theme, and the plot of the story.Faulkner’s use of point of view helps the reader understand who the characters are, how the characters develop, and aids in understanding the characters actions throughout the story. Faulkner uses a nonparticipant narrator as well as Sarty’s thoughts and views for point of view. This unique usage provides readers to infer and interpret the characters. This point of view raises an interesting question. Does the narrator defend Abner throughout the story? The illustration of the fire building passage provides us with proof of the d efense. †¦that the element of fire spoke to some deep mainspring of his father's being, as the element of steel or of powder spoke to other men, as the one weapon for the preservation of integrity, else breath were not worth the breathing, and hence to be regarded with respect and used with discretion. † (Yunis 1). The narrator speaks of Abner’s use of fires as how he dealt with being in the lowest of low classes and his feeling of injustice. By the narrator focusing on the barn burnings in this way, it makes the reader feel sympathy for Sarty and the rest of his family without ever having to state it.Not only does it provide the reader with sympathy for the family, but also a better understanding of Abner. If the narrator did not inform us of the lowness of life Abner lived then the beating of his children, his unlawfulness, his disrespect, and his barn burning would just imply that he was evil. Abner was indeed a very evil man, but the defense of Abner by the nar rator gives the reader a better understanding of Abner’s characteristics and actions. When the point of views shifts into Sarty’s thoughts, Sarty does not necessarily defend his father’s actions, knowing they are wrong, but instead tries to understand them.From the beginning of the story, when Sarty is asked to testify in the case involving his father and Mr. Harris, Sarty is conflicted. He knows he should be honest and tell the truth, but he knows loyalty is vital to his father. In the end, he chooses to follow his father’s commands. However, as Sarty matures he chooses to value honesty over loyalty which ends up costing his father’s life. Themes of â€Å"Barn Burning† greatly submerge from Faulkner’s use of point of view.One theme in particular is the theme of Sarty’s search for peace. Relating back to the courtroom case, Sarty is loyal to his father. His loyalty to his father brings only violence within his family and confli ct within himself. Sarty finds no escape from the vicious environment he is surrounded in until they arrive at Major de Spain’s house. At this point the point of view shifts in and out between Sarty’s thoughts and the narrator. â€Å"Hit’s big as a courthouse he thought quietly; with a surge of peace and joy†¦They are safe from him.People whose lives are a part of this peace and dignity are beyond his touch†¦the spell of this peace and dignity rendering even the barns and stable and cribs which belong to it impervious to the puny flames he might contrive†¦Maybe he will feel it too. Maybe it will even change him now from what maybe he couldn’t help but be. † (Faulkner 159). Sarty believes at this point he will find peace at last, he has escaped violence, and that his father will change. He believes his father will see that the house is too magnificent to destroy. However, the size of the house does not faze his father.Only a few momen ts later Abner purposely steps in horse manure, walks into the house, and soils an expensive rug. Faulkner’s use of point of view is critical to the development of the plot of the story. By entering Sarty’s mind the reader understands how he is developing. The narrator aids in the plot build-up by describing the events occurring in the story. The reader learns at the beginning of the story (scene of courtroom) that Sarty is already conflicted between family loyalty and his own morals. At this point the reader understands that Sarty will eventually have to choose between family loyalty and his own morals.All of this sets up the plot of the story due to the fact that the climax of the story is Sarty's final decision of this confliction. He struggles with this confliction throughout the story which first establishes itself at the beginning in the courtroom. Sarty’s decision to tell Major de Spain of his father’s plan to burn his barn exposes his ultimate cho ice of his own morals over family loyalty. Major de Spain shoots and kills his father because of Sarty's warning that Abner was going to burn his barn. It is only after Abner’s death when Sarty finds something related to, but not quite peace.Although there will be no more fires, lies, beatings, and violence, his father is no more as well. The use of point of view is crucial to William Faulkner’s short story â€Å"Barn Burning†. Point of view helps the reader to learn who the characters are and the reasons behind their actions, provides a better insight to the themes of the story, and supports plot development. Without the unique use of point of view it would be very difficult to understand the story because â€Å"the narrator can do for Sarty what the young Sarty cannot: he understands Abner's anti-social behavior, his anger†¦ an tell the truth about Abner's fires†¦ † (Yunis 6). The use of point of view in this intricate form provides deeper ins ight to the story as a whole.Works Cited Faulkner, William. â€Å"Barn Burning. † Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 11th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 155-67. Print. Yunis, Susan S. â€Å"The Narrator of Faulkner's â€Å"Barn Burning†. † The Faulkner Journal 6. 2 (Spring 1991): 23-31. Literary Resource Center. Web. 3 Oct. 2012.

Second Language Acquisition Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Second Language Acquisition - Thesis Example English is regarded as lingua franca and so notwithstanding your educational and cultural background, you have to obtain a minimum level skill in spoken and written English, if you want to be a global person. â€Å"For better or worse, by choice or force, English has ‘traveled’ to many parts of the world.† (Sharifian 2009) It is the circumstances which led me to become a multi lingual person. Learning English thoroughly and being a language teacher had never been my choice of career. English was not a completely new language for me as my parents knew English very well. I acquired the language in a quite easy and unconscious manner, as I had been learning English from the age of 6. I was born in Malaysia and later on my family transferred to Hong Kong, when I was just one year old. My kindergarten education was in Chinese medium. When we shifted to Hong Kong, my parents sent me to an International school. English then became my first language. The entire atmosphere in my school was utterly cosmopolitan. The students in our international school had come from different parts of the world. The teachers were from UK and they spoke to us in pure English. So we had an exposure to what we call a â€Å"Queen’s English.† I did not have to take much effort while learning English. It was a traditional method of teaching which the teachers used. Apart from that, it would not be difficult for me to grasp English. It was because the entire culture in my school was English. The books prescribed in our curriculum were typical language books, which consisted of innumerable pictures. It was really wonderful to read them and to watch the pictures. We would be having different tables, quizzes, games as our exercises. I was learning English very comfortably and naturally like I learnt my mother tongue. The medium of instruction was English, hence every subject was taught in English itself. Though I have never been a language person, I could speak En glish fluently. I could read English very comfortably. My listening skill developed automatically, as I was hearing English constantly in my school, and later, in the places where I travelled. As long as writing is concerned I was a little bit behind. For me, English had been the source of communication with my peers. I had absolutely no problem in speaking English. The atmosphere in the school was global and multicultural. We had no choice but to communicate in English with each other. I was accompanied by the children from different parts of the world. Among them, some children were from India, Philippines, Korea, and Japan. Some of them were also from United States and England. When we were in school, we used to learn lots of nursery rhymes and Christian rhymes as it was a Christian school. When the teachers would sing the rhymes, we would repeat them. We would follow the same accents. Thus we got acquainted with the accents and pronunciation without any effort. Acquisition of En glish as a foreign language was really not a matter of concern for me. In our school, French was another language for study. To be frank, I used to get bored. I was not good in French. Consequently, I know French very little. English and French actually are the language of same family. But like English I could not be fluent in French. It might be firstly because I was not a language person and secondly because we taught French as other language and it was not our medium of instruc

Cameron Mackintosh's contribution to the development of the Essay

Cameron Mackintosh's contribution to the development of the megamusical - Essay Example This paper further highlights the legacy of Mackintosh’s transformation of musical theatre through the increasing importance attached to the marketing of megamusicals; which in turn has fuelled debate as to the repercussions of the megamusical for the musical as an art form as opposed to a corporate controlled money spinner. In considering Mackintosh’s contribution to the megamusical, it is imperative to consider the contemporary framework for the business of theatre production in London’s West End and Broadway. For example, if we contextually consider the theatre market in the West End, recent hit shows from the Sound of Music to Joseph have driven the reversal in fortune of West End theatres, which had suffered a trend in declining ticket revenue and profits in the last decade. In January 2008, the Society of London Theatre announced a record breaking year in 2007 with more than 13.6 million theatregoers generating total tickets sales of almost  £470 million, passing the  £400 million mark for the first time. Furthermore, the Society’s Chief executive Richard Pulford cited the revenue statistics as an â€Å"annus mirabilis† for London theatre, stating that â€Å"these figures are a wonderful start to our centenary year but we’re under no illusions that we’re going to have to work very hard to maintain this success† (Maev Kennedy., 2008).

Proper oils, proposals to improve in all the segments of their company Essay

Proper oils, proposals to improve in all the segments of their company - Essay Example Key Words Biodiesel, Cooking oil. Introduction A SWOT analysis of the company reveals crucial points regarding the company’s market position. The following is the detailed SWOT analysis. Strengths The company has increased in size which means stronger bargaining power over supplies. The company has employed a strong marketing campaign. The company has a motivated team that comprise of 6 people. The team provides reliable and professional service to the company. The company has also adopted a new database system that will be used to manage customer data. The company has also set to increase awareness through redesigning the company with brand and more involvement in the social media. This will create recognition for the company and its products (Kerin 2012).The company has also made liaison with a local company. This will facilitate exchange of ideas between the two companies. The company has set to increase the fleet of vehicles and hence improve delivery of raw materials and products to the market. Opportunities The world consumption of biodiesel is growing and hence this presents a perfect investment opportunity. According to a world report, this growth has been driven by government mandates, tax incentives and the need for energy independence (Fredrick 2012). Cooking oil consumption is also high. The new database system is set to significantly increase the number of customers. Redesigning and branding is set to win back old customers and improve services. The company is relatively new in the market hence it still have potential for growth as it is yet to maximize production. The company can be able to increase productivity through use of new vehicles. The company has the potential to grow through making acquisitions. Weaknesses The company has placed more focus on production of cooking oil at the expense of biodiesel. If the cooking oil products does not bring in the expected revenue the company may face financial difficulties. Brand failure is also a potential weakness for the company. For example, biodiesel produced by the company does not attract a profitable margin. Increase in price of the raw material is also a major challenge facing the company. The company is currently spending a lot on caterers for oil. Loss of customers is also a weakness for the company. There is lack of a reward system. This may make customers feel less valued (Subramanian & Sanjoy 2003). Security is also a major challenge. Threats Competition from other companies has been identified as a major threat facing the company. The local supply of biodiesel in the European market has tremendously grown. The industry is already suffering from overproduction (Thurmond 2008). There is lack of adequate finances to expand production and carry out promotions. The market for cooking fat is saturated by other brands from rival companies. Low margins from biodiesel sales are also a major threat facing the company. Production is also limited to the available used coo king oil that can be collected. A series of failed advertising attempts has also been a major threat. The company’s current situation may not be termed as severe. However, certain issues are eminent from the above analysis which may negatively affect the performance of the company. Key among these issues is the lack of a proper advertising mechanism that could see the company gain more customers. There is little communication between the customers and the company. This may not be effective in retaining customers and creating loyalty. The company is

Assignment4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assignment4 - Assignment Example It is simple for learners to get disappointed in a class of blended capability. Stronger students may feel kept down weaker people may feel compelled. The instructor may feel focused. The best answer for this is to have an open-class talk about the classroom circumstance - to guarantee the best for everybody it is better to recognize the circumstances and for everybody to concur how to manage it. It is most likely best to stage and structure the talk (Reyes, 2014). All classes are blended capacity to one degree or an alternate. Great cases, when you have close local level speakers with novices, could be extremely trying for the instructor. In these cases, it is vital to recall that all learners will get something out of the class, however not so much the same things, and not so much, what you expect to show them! For instance, the tenderfoots may start to get a grip of your classroom dialect whilst the stronger understudies may start to have the capacity to put another strained into utilization. A class of thirty students learning English in a mixed ability class can be very tedious and challenging for any teacher. In this class, there will be a percentage of students that will not be at the same pase as other students. Grade four English is one of the fundamental bases of English. One needs to pass this stage of English so that they can be conversant and fluent with English. A grade four English teaches the students how to read and write new vocabularies, presenting and language structure. These are very vital in learning how to speak and writing the English language. The formative differences that exists in any optional and/or upper auxiliary school requests that instructors can consider the circumstances and make a move, they should proficient to utilize techniques that make it feasible for all scholars to encounter accomplishment by means applying the perfect specified in the educational program under the heading (Solatorio, 2014). Multi-level

Reserach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reserach - Essay Example This occurs when the given researchers become more curious in establishing or increasing one’s knowledge and understanding the given topic. Exploration also assists an academic research to unveil new or related but undisclosed facts about the given field of study. Research also helps in description of phenomenon not known or well understood by particular individuals. Descriptive research tell clarifies the orientation of facts about particular field and their significance in the given field of study additionally, research helps in explanation of concepts by answering questions such as how, when, what and where. Effectiveness of nay research relies on its validity and the underlying purpose of the given research. Effective research should answer or present viable solution to certain definitive and real problems faced in particular field of study. Researches have common characteristics underscored from the terms used during collection to presentation of data. Data in a research work refers to the investigated and unprocessed information. Data collection refers to the process of exploring, investigating and recording of information during research. Data collection may involve various activities like sampling, experimentation, questioning, interviewing and case studying. Data analysis involves synthesis of the gathered information to produce viable and reliable conclusion about the study. Sampling in research involves selection or taking part of the research sample to move and accomplish the investigation. Experimentation in a research work entails organization and carrying of experiments using the collected samples. Experimentation is a common procedure in accomplishing scientific researches and usually carried in science laboratories. Case study is a common research technique employed when investigating business organizations and processes. Case study focuses on the business’ organization, leadership, marketing

Trip to Hinduism temple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trip to Hinduism temple - Essay Example Another interesting point that I noticed is a little box for donation which is place next to each Statue. I acknowledge that any temple needs maintenance which, in turn, requires money. Since religious institutions can not directly ask for money, people are encouraged to make donations. This was particularly interesting for me as it shows that different religions all over the world actually have a lot in common, even in such daily matters as donation boxes. What was even more important is that visitors were not allowed to take pictures. I believe this shows that people who come to the temple to pray to their gods find it particularly disturbing when other people come to the temple as if they were visiting a museum. I thought that this prohibition was quite logical. Speaking of the aspects of my visit that surprised me the most was the need to take off ones shoes prior to walking into the temple. To my mind, this is one of the most intriguing aspects about Hinduism temple as the place feels so much different when one walks around barefooted. There is no doubt that this tradition is conditioned by the warm climate of India. Continuing the idea of similarities between religions, I was surprised very much to learn that there was an analog of Christian Sunday school – the Hinduism temple that I visited also had a little school on the other side of it. It is quite obvious that this shows a close connection between religion and society as well as how there two important aspects mutually shape each other which may be seen in the form of education. Finally, I was quite surprised to learn that many people who attended the temple were wearing traditional Hinduism clothes. I believe that this is extremely important since this kind of clothes allowed them to maintain and reinforce their identity through religious as well as through garments; it also reflects the fact that they treated

MacDonald Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MacDonald - Essay Example India has been chosen as the host country. The project tries to bring out the impacts cultural differences existing between India and USA has on the decision making, communication, leadership, teamwork and human resources in organizations. The company is known for its respect for culture of the place where is operates. The company has even developed a menu especially for India. This has been done with special emphasis on Indian culture and tastes. Culture consciousness of the company reflects from the fact that India is the only first nation in the world where the company does not offer pork or beef items. In fact MacDonald even had to re-engineer its operations in order to serve the requirements of the vegetarians of the country. The company ensures that the vegetable items are prepared separately using separate utensils and equipments. Separate preparation of vegetarian and non vegetarian items is maintained throughout all stages of procuring, cooking and serving (MacDonalds India, 2009, p.1). This reflects company’s respect for local culture where it operates. This tradition can be attributed to its popularity and success. Apart from abiding by the local cultures and traditions, the company is also said to e nhance their corporate responsibities. It provides employment opportunities to the Indian people and also provides bright career growth for them (MacDonalds India, 2009, p.1). Hofstede’s analysis has revealed that national cultures differ along four different dimensions. Power distance is the first among these. Power distance refers to the fact that each one in society has unequal power. In cultures characterised with high power distance people accept hierarchical organisational structures readily. In such cultures, power disparities exist among people as well. In such countries power remains in the hands of a few people only. On the contrary, cultures with low power distance have greater equality of power among people. Uncertainty

Diversification Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Diversification Strategy - Assignment Example With the help of ski patrol, ski guides, and ski teams from Dartmouth University, the school properly utilizes the almost ideal slopes of Ragged Mountains. I was also not surprised to learn that SNHU hosts and caters events through www.uniquevenues.com because of the campus’ convenient location on the border between Manchester and Hooksett (SNHU, n.d.). 3M offers products that balance the work and personal lives of the American public. For instance, 3M Command Strips are all-purpose hangers that users can use in bathrooms for towels, in the bedroom for jewelry, belts, photos, and accessories (3M, 2015). This makes 3M’s command strips ideal for users who rent houses since property owners do not allow them to drill into walls or shelves. However, in February 2014, products made by 3M and aimed at industrial and consumers were recorded to be underperforming (Govindarajan and Srinivas, 2013). One 3M business is Display and Graphics, particularly its Architectural Solutions in the United States. 3M’s diversification approaches in its Architectural Solutions form groundbreaking assets for individual and corporate clients. These approaches form the structure, methods, and tradition that allow clients to think and carry out tasks in different ways in an effort to accomplish exceptional success (Govindarajan and Srinivas,

Nuclear Power - a Reliable Energy Source for the Future Essay Example for Free

Nuclear Power a Reliable Energy Source for the Future Essay Nuclear power A reliable energy source for the future India is on the move. Indeed, one of the primary reasons why we are even having this competition is a result of the 8% plus annual GDP growth over the last 8 years. This growth has been driven by strong domestic demand, and with that electricity consumption per capita has doubled from 355KWh in 2000 to 720kWh by 2009. This is a huge increase, but in absolute terms is puny when compared to other countries globally, being only 20% and 3% of the figures for China and America respectively. Juxtapose this with the deplorable fact that about 400 million people are yet to be connected to the electricity grid and the writing is on the wall. In this regard it’s best to compare ourselves to China but it’s already clear that demand is going to soar in the coming years. On the supply side, the power generation figures are much gloomier, and most years hover stubbornly around the ‘Hindu rate of growth’ of 3%. Understandably power generation requires huge capital investment; even so, the pace of growth has been extremely tardy over the past 20 years. In many states (Maharashtra being the notable example) reasonably healthy power surpluses from the early 90s were allowed to stagnate into power deficits by the end of the decade, setting the stage for a huge uphill struggle to cope with the demand surge of this past decade. The net result of all this is that overall national power deficit is around 12% consistently, with no major state being power surplus. There can be no doubt as to what is responsible for this; poor planning and lack of foresight on the part of the Government. Thankfully, it appears to have finally woken up to the challenge, and there are hasty efforts being made to meet the XIth plan revised target of 62,500 MW with a far more ambitious target for the XIIth plan. Given this changed outlook on the part of the Government, I think this is an excellent opportunity to not only work for the short term goal of bridging the deficit, but also looking further ahead and envisioning scenarios for 2020 and beyond. Let’s take a step back and see exactly how we get our power from. At the oment, the predominant source is thermal – a kinder word for what are mostly coal-fired plants. Totally these contribute 64. 6% of the total installed capacity. The other major contributor is hydroelectric powerwhich provides another 22. 6% of total power. Both are hardly what you’d term green; coal powered plants , especially in India are inefficient and polluting whereas large scale hydroelectric projects tend to cause large scale environmental ch anges as well as trigger population shifts. Finally there is nuclear and renewables, which come in at 4. % and 7. 2% respectively. Given the scale of problems associated with large scale hydroelectric projects, it is going to extremely difficult (and not advisable from an environmental viewpoint either) to attempt to build huge hydroelectric projects. Indeed, most of the current capacity has been installed in the immediate years post-independence and there has been little progress with large scale projects in the last twenty years (the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the movements against the Tehri dam come to mind here). It is quite clear therefore, that apart from small scale hydroelectric projects that do not require massive dams on rivers, it is going to be very difficult to raise the conventional hydroelectric generation capacity by as much as is required by the growth in demand discussed above. It is quite an accepted view that the renewable energy sources like wind, tidal and geothermal just will not have the ability to compensate for current fossil fuel generation. Wind and waves could only be used at the coast or in elevated areas in the mountain ranges, and apart from the four monsoon months, wind patterns across the subcontinent are rather subdued. In my view, there are strong reasons for opting for the latter, which I will detail in the paragraphs below. India abounds with coal. Indeed, this is the only fossil fuel we have a huge supply of. Beneath the ground in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa lies about 10% of the known reserves, making India the 3rd largest coal producer in the world. With reserves enough to last for at least another 100 years, it is no surprise then that post-Independence a huge emphasis was placed on enhanced production and utilisation for electricity generation. There are of course other demands for coal, most notably by the steel industry where it is used as a raw material. Like many other areas for the economy, the steel industry has also boomed in the last 20 years with a six fold increase in production. But this may also prove to be too little as demand is increasing at an annual pace of 10%+ and is likely to accelerate given the renewed push for infrastructure development by the government. All of this has meant that once again India is importing large quantities of coal negating the trade cushion that large domestic production naturally affords us. What is the reason for this mismatch? All mines in India were nationalised in the 1970s, and have fallen behind the rest of the world in production standards and efficiencies. Finally, Indian coal has a high ash content and low calorific value which means that larger quantities of raw material will need to be mined. All of these last points highlight the much larger problem with coal- its huge impact on the environment. Fossil fuels pollute, but they do so in two ways- through the emission of particulate matter, S02, N02 and other harmful gases (traditional pollution) and the emission of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. In most of the developed world, the former has vanished almost completely with strict regulations on emissions from plants. In India, with the poor quality of mining and lax environmental normscoal power plants are a huge source of local pollution. This significantly mars the quality of life of the people in the surrounding area, and if a dramatic increase in coal power is planned, a much larger number of people will be affected. Of course, the much bigger problem and challenge is the huge carbon emissions. To many, the whole debate on climate change is a conspiracy by the West. Just when India appears to be settling on a path of sustained growth, the bogey of carbon emissions is raised by nations that have made full use of carbon based industries themselves. Climate change debate in India is extremely low on facts and high on rhetoric and outlooks range from a care-a-damn attitude to holding it liable for everyunusually heavy downpour. Climate change is by and large not a burning topic for public discussion, certainly not one of the aam aadmi issues and so receives short shrift amongst our politicians- many of whom know precious little on the matter. Imagine then the unease, when the whole issue blew up suddenly at Copenhagen in 2008 and India thrust into a prominent position alongside China. No longer an innocent bystander as at Kyoto a decade before, India’s growth and emergence in the world’s eyes have also ensured that it is now seen as essential to the solution. While there was no deal reached on the matter in part due to India and China standing firm, the writing is on the wall for India. Emission limits are going to come sooner or later. Indeed, they may be pretty soon given the unexpected change in the Government’s stance at the current round of negotiations in Cancun. All this makes coal powered plants the real villains of the lot. Spewing huge amounts of carbon in the atmosphere, they can (and especially the ones in India) be highly inefficient. Technologies like Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) exist which can reduce this but is at the moment prohibitively expensive and reduces the efficiency of the plant by a further 50%. There is also the additional problem of safe storage of the captured CO2 so that it does not leak out for 100s of years. If even in the West it will require significant government subsidy to implement, there is not much scope of it taking off in India where there will be no governmental support. A simple modification could be to build gas/oil based plants. While the carbon emissions will be curtailed somewhat, and air pollution unquestionably reduced, these are not a solution to the problems of carbon emissions. And finally India’s oil and gas (despite recent finds) reserves are far short of meeting demand, which would place these plants at the mercy of large fluctuations in international prices or global unrest. Good examples of this are the countries of Europe who are trying hard to diversify themselves away from Russian gas. Now these can be perceived as significant setbacks, or else as a whole new set of opportunities with the chance for a level playing field. I earnestly believe that these two issues- the burgeoning power deficit and the push to eliminate it and the need to begin some action on climate change have fortuitously come at the same time. Nuclear energy has a long association with independent India. Nuclear energy caught the attention of our founding fathers and Jawaharlal Nehru was an eager advocate. In an influential letter Homi Bhabha, the architect of the Indian nuclear program wrote â€Å" Moreover, when nuclear energy has been successfully applied for power production in say a couple of decades from now, India will not have to look abroad for its experts but will find them ready at hand. † But the fortunes of our nuclear ambitions mirrored only too closely that of India’s relations with the rest of the world. The early optimism of the Nehru years disappeared abruptly with the China war, and the 1964 Chinese atomic test only served to highlight India’s isolation from the world’s major powers and the precarious security balance with regards to China. Acquiring a bomb became a national priority; and while the 1974 tests were a triumph for Mrs Gandhi domestically, it spelt doom for civilian nuclear efforts. An outraged international community imposed tough sanctions, which were further intensified after the 1998 nuclear tests. For most people, it seemed that civilian nuclear efforts had been given a quiet burial. But was this really the case? Amazingly, and in what must be one of the greatest triumphs of Indian science and engineering, it was not! Despite tremendous odds, a great deal of effort was put into civilian nuclear technology. Realising that they couldn’t rely on the West, our scientists decided to revisit the entire basis of the nuclear process and press on with phase II of the so called three stage nuclear program. The emphasis would now be placed on Thorium, which is much more abundant in India. There are significant challenges to using this material, mostly due to the fact that it does not produce the fissile stable Uranium 235 as a by-product of decay. A lot of work has been done in this area, and today we are ready to commission projects at phase II and planning work has already begun for Phase III Advanced Heavy Water Reactor systems. However, in that period the Cold War became history and our growing economy and some unexpectedly dogged diplomacy won India the landmark nuclear deal of 2008. While the sceptics may decry the ‘loss of sovereignty’ India is now no longer a nuclear pariah and can trade and develop its civilian nuclear capabilities as it sees fit. What I want to underscore here is just how competitive we are; our atomic energy facilities are in many cases at the cutting edge of nuclear research and certainly the best work on Thorium is coming out of India. So much so that nuclear scientists from the West are extremely keen on using our facilities and collaborating with us. I think the nuclear deal will enable us to leverage our strengths well, and if properly planned out, India could very well turn from customer to supplier, exporting high value technology to other countries around the globe. This is an opportunity that surely cannot be missed! But to return to nuclear energy- does it fulfil the requirements for a reliable source of energy? Well air pollution is extremely limited, and so are carbon emissions as there are no fossil fuels involved (except perhaps for the transfer of the fuel). India possesses vast reserves of Thorium, and electricity from nuclear power will also be cost effective. Sure, it takes longer to build these plants but that in part has been to our lack of experience and the stifling of nuclear commerce pre 2008. This has been taken into account in the growth plans to 20,000 MW by 2020 and then a further tripling to 63,000 MW by 2032. Unlike the solar power targets though, these should be readily achievable. At the moment, Indian industry doesn’t possess many of the skills required by the industry and this will be a great impetus itself for developing high tech industries in India. However, there is the serious issue of disposal of nuclear by products and the catastrophic scenarios that can arise from a nuclear accident. Indeed it is the latter which has led to large amounts of anti-nuclear feelings especially in Europe. The largest such accident was at Chernobyl in 1986 and the radiation from this affected most of continental Europe. But as has been pointed out, safety standards in the Soviet Union were not as stringent as the West, and even these were blatantly violated as the Soviet economy began to crumble. In other words, it was a terrible exception and given correct management, shouldn’t happen again. In many ways this was eerily similar to Bhopal, which is worrying for two reasons. One it shows we don’t have an inbred safety culture and two that such comparisons could be a convenient bogey for derailment of nuclear projects. The solution is to tackle the former and build up a culture of professionalism and discipline at these nuclear power plants, with safety standards that compare with the West and are adhered to. The memories of Bhopal are still fresh in people’s minds and let’s hope the lessons stay with us also. France is a great example of a system that works. 70% of its electricity is generated in nuclear plants and it has an unblemished safety record. So along with technology, we should have no qualms in learning from the best in the trade and imbibing their safety ethic. If this is done, there is a great chance of nuclear technology becoming another transformative sector for the economy like IT was in this decade. Being a nuclear energy powerhouse will have a knock-on effect for Indian diplomacy and our relations with the rest of the world. Given the volatile nature of world events, it is almost a certainty that access to nuclear technology will be continue to be restrictive in the years ahead. All of the world powers today have strong nuclear programs- even Japan is a key supplier for civilian nuclear technology. A strong domestic nuclear sector will add a lot of weight to our voice in the world and hasten India’s ascent on the world stage. Nuclear energy will enable us to make significant progress in meeting any emissions targets that could be set for us and will make clear to the world that India is serious about climate change. Not only is this good for us in the long run (India is particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures) but it will also deflect pressure back on the developed nations who are primarily responsible for the problem. Such a bold move would be another shot in the arm for Indian diplomacy. If a stopgap solution is required, then coal and gas plants are the way forward. Indeed, to meet the immediate deficit, this is the only way. But it is not the technology for the future. At the moment, that mantle lies with nuclear energy. Our country has already done a great deal of work under very difficult conditions to build up our nuclear program. It would be a tragedy to let this slide and not harness its capabilities. Accomplishing this will require vision- but then, that is exactly what is needed to build the India of the future.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Epidural

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Epidural Is epidural the best of all words – no pain but full consciousness? (Yerby, 2000). Discuss During pregnancy many women give some thought on what they will do to cope with labour pain. Some women aim to have the most natural type of birth, with the least possible pharmacological interventions. Others request a pain free labour, such as opting for an epidural anaesthesia as a type of pain relief. But do women actually know about the risks epidural anaesthesia can create for them and their baby? Or do they opt for it just because they heard other mothers say that it was the best? Epidural anaesthesia is a type of regional anaesthesia which is rapidly increasing in its popularity. Epidural works by blocking nerve conductions from the lower spinal segments, resulting in a decreased sensation in the lower half of the body, while at the same time the mother is still awake and conscious (Fraser Cooper, 2009). The drug is administered in the lower back, into the epidural space, specifically in the lumbar region between lumbar 1 and 4. This is achieved by cautiously inserting a Tuohy needle through the lumbar intervertebral space. Once the epidural space is reached, a catheter is threaded through the needle, which will facilitate the administration of the drug either by bolus top ups or continuous infusion. Once epidural is injected, it will start to exhibit its effect within approximately 20 minutes (Johnson Taylor, 2011). Indications for using epidural anaesthesia There is no absolute indication for opting for epidural anaesthesia, however clinical instances may include: Maternal request: mothers now acknowledge the fact that they can give birth with the least possible amount of pain. Today the majority of parents already have a plan in mind of what they wish and request for their birth experience. Having ongoing accessibility to internet encourages parents to search for types of pain relief, allowing them to make their own choices of what they think is best for them. Upon searching and from what they hear from other mothers, they are actually believing that epidural is one of the best choices of pain relief medication (Johnson Taylor, 2011). Pain relief: prolonged labour can be very tiring and stressful for the mother. Having an epidural can help in reducing the continuous stress of contractions and can possibly help the mother to relax, making her able to conserve energy for later use during the active phase of the second stage of labour (Johnson Taylor, 2011). Hypotension: epidural has the potential to lower down the blood pressure. This can be used as an advantage for women who suffer from high blood pressure. Thus this anaesthesia can possibly stabilise the blood pressure during labour, aiming to reduce complications (Johnson Taylor, 2011). Preterm labour: epidural aims to decrease the sensation of powerful contractions and so can be opted for to possibly lower the desire to push during a preterm labour. Use of such anaesthesia depends on the specific condition of the mother and the baby (Johnson Taylor, 2011). Side effects of epidural anaesthesia on the mother Opting for an epidural can deliver a good experience amongst many women. Mothers are able to rest and relax from the painful contractions while at the same time they are awake and conscious. However, opting for this anaesthesia is very likely to be the beginning of a cascade of interventions. This means that birth can be transformed into a very medicalised experience, ending up with the mother feeling that she has lost control over her own birth experience. In fact, the World Health Organization states that, â€Å"epidural analgesia is one of the most striking examples of the medicalisation of normal birth, transforming a physiological event into a medical procedure.† Generally, decision of opting for such a pain relief is made without the mothers awareness of the possible complications it can create. Hypotension: Studies show that epidural can be the cause of a sudden drop in blood pressure. Although the drug is injected around the spinal cord, there can be a degree of the anaesthesia that passes into the maternal blood stream, with the consequence of lowering the blood pressure (Healthline Editorial Team, 2012). This in turn would require, prompt venous access in order to administer fluids to quickly correct the blood pressure. Low blood pressure will result in less oxygen reaching the baby, which upon prolonged exposure can result in hypoxia of the baby. In much more severe cases, medications and oxygen may also be required in order to maintain a stable condition (Mehl-Madrona Mehl-Madrona). Delayed labour: Studies have shown that epidural anaesthesia, can be the cause of slowing down labour process. This is mainly due to the interaction of the drug with the birthing hormones. Epidural anaesthesia tends to decrease the production of oxytocin (Rahm, Hallgren, Hogberg, Hurtig Odlind, 2002). Oxytocin is one of the main hormones of labour, that is episodically released from the posterior Pituitary gland in order to stimulate the uterine myometruim to contract and retract, facilitating the foetal ejection reflex of birth (Fraser Cooper, 2009). Moreover, epidural also lowers the production of prostaglandin. This uterotonic hormone is essential for cervical ripening, effacement and dilation during labour (Kresser, 2011). As a result to this reduction of birthing hormones, the process of labour is hindered and thus upon medical decision, synthetic oxytocin known as Syntocinon is given in attempt to accelerate labour process, aiming to strengthen and increase the frequency of contractions (Fraser Cooper, 2009). Prior to the administration of Syntocinon, amniotomy is to be performed, unless membranes were previously ruptured. Having Syntocinon infusion, requires continuous electronic foetal monitoring in order to accurately observe the foetal heart and uterine activity. This in turn restricts mobility. The rate of Syntocinon infusion should be carefully observed in order to exclude uterine hyperstimulation. This is when having four or more contractions in a ten minute period, which in turn causes poor placental perfusion ending up with the foetus getting compromised, as blood flow between the mother and the foetus tends to decrease during contractions (Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, 2012). In addition, if uterine hyperstimulation is ignored, it can ultimately cause uterine rupture or placental abruption. It is the role of the midwife to continuously monitor the state of the mother. Palpation of the fundus is one of the skills used to determine the strength, frequency and length of contractions, altogether with electronic foetal monitoring (Buckley, 2005). Moreover, Syntocinon can create a feeling of lack of breath, confusion, fast and irregular heartbeats, severe headaches and chest pains. In-coordination of Pelvic Floor Muscles: Epidural also negatively affects the strength and coordination of the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles guide the foetal head to enter the pelvis in the best position for the delivery of the baby. Lack of such coordination results in foetal malposition (Mander, 2011). Changing labour positions aids in the rotation of the foetal head, however if malposition persists, instrumental delivery is next in choice. The decision to proceed with an instrumental delivery would increase the likelihood of performing an episiotomy, in order to enlarge the pelvic outlet to provide the necessary room for the clinicians hands to deliver the baby (Fraser Cooper, 2009). Episiotomy on itself can be very detrimental to the mother. Not only can it be a bleeding point, but also a source of pain and discomfort especially during urination and rest. Moreover, lack of hygiene further increases the risk of acquiring an infection (Enkin ,Keirse, Neilson, et al., 2000). Having an episiotomy, may also instigate a feeling of uncertainty and fear of when to resume to sexual life, which ultimately may create unnecessary conflict between partners. It is the midwifes role to give the mother advice on perineal care in order to reduce such negative incidences. Urination Difficulties: Epidural anaesthesia may cause numbness of the bladder, this is exhibited as decreased sensation to urinate. Inability to pass urine during birth can possibly impede the rotation of the foetal head with the consequence of inadequate foetal descent (Baston Hall, 2009). During birth, the midwife is to encourage the mother to urinate frequently. If she is unable to do so, the midwife should look for other signs that may indicate a full bladder. Abdominal palpation is one of the skills that can be carried out to indicate such a measure. In urinary retention, the mother may require catheterisation. A urinary catheter is inserted through the mothers urinary orifice. This is temporarily situated in the bladder, and allows the mothers urine to drain freely (Johnson Taylor, 2011). The procedure of catheterisation itself may make the mother feel uncomfortable. Moreover, the catheter pipe provides the perfect pathway for the entry of bacteria possibly ending up with a urinary tract infection, especially if there is a poor level of hygiene (Fraser Cooper, 2009). Pyrexia: If epidural anaesthesia happens to be in place for more than 5 hours, there is an increased tendency to a rise in maternal temperature, resulting in the foetus getting compromised which is generally manifested as tachycardia. An increased maternal temperature altogether with a raised foetal heart rate could be an indication of a possible infection such as chorioamnionitis. This would require prompt action, so as to reduce the risk of adverse morbidity to the foetus. Usually an emergency caesarean section is the option (Mander, 2011). Having to follow such a procedure may create a lot of anxiety and fear amongst the parents, as suddenly they are receiving an unexpected news which leaves them confused on the health of their baby. Caesarean section is one major operation, which on its own carries a lot of risks. In fact there is a greater tendency of bleeding. Also, the mother has to cope with a lot of after pains following the procedure. Furthermore, following delivery the baby is most probably admitted to the neonatal intensive unit for investigations regarding the possibility of infection. This early separation surely creates a lot of fear and uncertainty in the newly parents. Limited Mobility: Since epidural numbs the body from the waist down, it creates a lot of restrictions in mobility. Nevertheless, it is very likely that continuous foetal monitoring is required to monitor the baby and uterine activity. This restricted mobility does not help in the physiology of normal labour (Baston Hall, 2009). Other side effects of epidural anaesthesia may include: pruritus, generalised itching of the skin, nausea, vomiting, shivering, headache, permanent nerve damage, heart and breathing difficulties. Side effects of epidural anaesthesia on the baby As discussed earlier, epidural can be the cause a variety of side effects on the labouring women, nonetheless, the baby is also very likely to be negatively effected. When epidural is injected, there may be a degree of the drug that enters the maternal blood stream. Blood eventually passes through the placenta, with the consequence of drug components ending up into the foetal circulation. Studies show that the degree of drugs in the foetus can reach levels that are equal to or even higher than that in the maternal blood stream. In addition, the elimination process of a newborn is still quite immature, with the consequence of taking longer for the drug to be eliminated from the body. Foetal distress: this is the commonest side effect of epidural. As discussed earlier, epidural tends to lower down the maternal blood pressure with the consequence of decreasing the amount of oxygen and nutrients that reach the foetus. This phenomena is better known as foetal distress. This is commonly manifested as bradycardia as well as abnormal variations in the foetal heart rhythm (Lohse, 2015). This distress puts the baby and the mother at greater risk of intervention, which may include opting for instrumental or operative delivery. Such choice depends on the explicit condition of the mother and baby. Furthermore, the baby is also prone to experience difficulties after birth, which may include: Breastfeeding difficulties: Epidural drug components are likely to interfere with the release of oxytocin. This hormone plays an important role in the let down reflex of breastfeeding; when the baby sucks, oxytocin is released which positively feedbacks to release even more oxytocin which in turn altogether with the aid of other hormones, milk is released (Amis Green 2008). Epidural anaesthesia also has the tendency to effect the babys neuro-behavior. The newborn may show signs of drowsiness, difficulty in latching and sucking which will make breastfeeding far much more difficult to establish (Amis Green 2008). This will require more intensive care and time to acquire efficient breastfeeding, which may put the mother under great stress and anxiety. Poor condition: as stated earlier, epidural anaesthesia may cause maternal fever during labour. This in turn affects the babys condition in having poor muscle tone, may require resuscitation immediately after birth, and to a greater extent may experience seizures. This all sums up to a low apgar score at birth (Buckley, 2010). Having said that, the baby may be admitted to the neonatal intensive care for more intensive observation in order to stabilise and maintain his/her condition. This early separation from the parents surely interferes with bonding. It may even create a sense of anxiety and stress in the parents; being greatly concerned on the heath of their child. It is the role of the midwife to inform the parents on the daily condition of their baby and as much as possible find measures and ways to make them feel reassured and closer to their child (Buckley, 2010). Other side effects seen in infants are: rapid breathing and low blood sugar levels. As we midwives are knowledgable of all the risks this pharmacological pain relief brings with it, it is our role that during labour we suggest other methods of pain relief, possibly non pharmacological ones. If the mother happens to request for pharmacological ones, we should make her aware of all the benefits and risks, and in this way we enable the mothers make an informed choice. Reference List Amis, D., Green, J. (2008). Prepared childbirth the family way (Revised ed.). Family Way Publications Inc. Baston, H., Hall, J. (2009). Midwifery essentials: Labour: Volume 3 (1sted.). Churchill Livingstone. Buckley, S. J. (2005). Epidurals: Risks and concerns for mother and baby. Buckley, S. J. (2010). The hidden risk of epidurals. Mothering the Home for Natural Family Living. Enkin,M., Keirse, M., Neilson, J., Crowther, C., Duley, L.,Hodnett, E., Hofmeyr, J. (2000). A guide to effective care in pregnancy and childbirth (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Fraser, D.M., Cooper, M.A. (2009). Myles textbook for midwives (15th ed.). London:Churcill Livingstone. Healthline Editorial Team. (15 March 2012). Risks of epidurals during delivery. Johnson, R., Taylor, W. (2011). Skills for midwifery practice (3rd ed.) London:Churcill Livingstone. Kresser, C. (2011). Natural childbirth IV: The hormones of birth. Lets Take Back Your Health — Starting Now. Lohse, M. (2015). Epidural side effects for a baby. Livingstrong.Com. Mander, R. (2011). Pain in childbearing and its control (2nd ed.) London:Wiley Blackwell. Mehl-Madrona, L. Mehl-Madrona, M. (2008). Medical risks of epidural anaesthesia during childbirth. Rahm, V., Hallgren, A., Hogberg, H., Hurtig, I., Odlind, V. (2002). Plasma oxytocin levels in women during labor with or without epidural analgesia: A prospective study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 81. Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust. (2012). Use of oxytocin. Clinical Guideline for the use of Oxytocin (Syntocinon) in the First and Second Stage of Labour, Danica Chetcuti

meteorology :: essays research papers

Midterm 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  METAR CYSX 161700Z 24015KT 3SM – SN OVC015 –4/-5 aq3006 RMK SC8 SLP221 In the weather report above, what is the: (include units) (6 marks) Wind  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Prevailing Visibility  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Current Weather  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Clouds (base and type)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Temperature / Dew Point  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Altimeter Setting  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Name two weather elements normally found in a Metar that will not be reported in a SPECI. (2 marks) 3. â€Å"SKC† in a TAF stands for ____________________________________________. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decode completely ‘1/2SM + RA BR VV020’. (3 marks) 5. TAF CYPR 061742Z 061806 26015G25KT P6SM SCT020 BKN060 FM1800Z 33015G25KT P6SM SCT012 BKN025 TEMPO 18045SM – SHRAOVC012 FM0400Z 33020G30KT 3SM – SHRA BR OVC005 BECMG 0305 P6SM NSW SCT005 OVC012 (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the period of this TAF? (2 marks) (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At 2000Z what is the forecast surface wind? (2 marks) (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the lowest ceiling forecast between 18 and 06Z? (d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At 0500Z what weather conditions are being forecast at CYPR? (5 marks) Wind__________________________________________________________________ Ceiling_________________________________________________________________ Visibility_______________________________________________________________ Weather and/or obstruction to vision__________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ (e) At what time are winds forecast to begin to decrease? Explain your answer. (2 marks) 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  FDCN03 CWAO 051530 FCST BASED ON 051200 DATA VALID 061200 FOR USE 06-17 3000  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6000  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9000  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  12000  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  18000 YVR 1838  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2048+03  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2146-03  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2251-08  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2264-19 YYF 9900  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1912-01  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2231-03  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2248-07  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2766-18 YXC  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2307+00  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2428-02  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2537-07  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2544-17 YZP2026  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2127-05  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2128-12  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2131-19  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2041-31 YZT 2215  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2222-03  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2231-08  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2139-14  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2060-25 YPU  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2115-02  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2139-06  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2149-12  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2064-23 YXS  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1834-04  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2240-05  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2246-10  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2056-22 YYD  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1721-06  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2133-09  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2040-15  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1953-27 (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the valid period for the forecast winds above? (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the digital winds above, wind direction is forecast in degrees____________and wind speed in_____________. (2 marks) (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the forecast wind (direction and speed) and temperature at 12,000 feet over Puntzi Mountian (YPU)? (2 marks) (d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the forecast wind direction and speed at 9,000 feet over Kelowna? (2 marks) (e)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Estimate the wind direction and speed and temperature over Penticton (YYF) at 15,000 feet. (3 marks) 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decode completely the following digital wind for 34,000 feet – 619935. (4 marks) 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You are flying at 10,000 feet towards an airport with elevation of 2,127 feet. You ask the FSS operator for the current digit winds at 3, 6 and 9 thousand feet and are told that no wind is available for 3,000 feet. Why is no wind available? 9.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On a ‘Clouds and Weather’ panel of a graphic area forecast cloud layers will be described as to: (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  amount and the base of the cloud (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  amount and the top of the cloud (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  amount and the bases and top of the cloud (d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  none of the above 10.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For an equivalent amount of cooling, more energy is released during condensation at ____________________temperatures. (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  colder (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  warmer (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  they will be the same (d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  energy will be absorbed, not released 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The three principle properties of the atmosphere are: (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  rain, snow, hail (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  heat, cold, moisture (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  expansion, compression, mobility (d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  pressure, temperature, wind 12.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Atmospheric processes which effect the weather are, for the most part, restricted to the: (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  thermosphere (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  mesosphere (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  stratosphere (d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  troposphere 13.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The temperature in the lowest part of the stratosphere_______________with altitude. (a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  increases (b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  nearly constant (c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  decreases slowly (d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  decreases rapidly 14.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why when using a graphic area forecast is it important to be aware of the elevation of the local topography?

Free Narrative Essays - Trip Through The Soft Soft Sand :: Personal Narrative Essays

Trip Through The Soft Soft Sand It was a warm, dry summers day in the great bowl of Nevada's desert when I made my grave error. We learn from our errors, so in some cases it doesn't hurt to make them provided there is not a permanent repercussion from your mistake. I have a rock that reminds me of this incident and I would like to tell you how this rock resembles my experience. Jamie(my girlfriend) and I were returning on a Sunday afternoon from a very successful and safe caving trip to the Great Basin National Park. The weather was just right for traveling and we were reminiscing about all of the beautiful natural formations we saw underground. Caving is a very exciting sport, upon entering a cave you leave the mundane world behind and enter a wonderful wonderland. From the commonly known stalactites and stalagmites to the lesser known soda straws and cave bacon. After a few days of exploring caves in the park we were ready to head home. With tired muscles and dusty bodies we were ready for warm showers and soft beds. Upon exiting the park and traveling along the long strait path of the highway home we spotted a dark hole in a rock formation along the side of the road. Being true cavers and adventurous types we decided we had to poke our heads in to take a look around. I veered off the road in started heading in the direction of the rock formation. Unfortunately although driving along what seemed to be tracks I was getting myself deeper and deeper into very soft sand. This was my mistake, traveling along a path that was untested and the whereabouts of the destination unknown. "Are you sure you know what you are doing" said Jamie as the tires began to spin more and more in the soft particles of sand. "Sure, don't you see the tracks in the sand? Others have been this way, and hey, if they can do it, why can't we?" I said this half heatedly based on the fact that I was moving slower and slower as we progressed. Seeing that we were close enough to the precipice I stopped the car

George W. Bushs Faith Based Initiative and the Separation of Church an

George W. Bush's Faith Based Initiative and the Separation of Church and State Clause Nowhere in the U.S constitution or any other official documents  does it say that there must be strict â€Å"separation of church and state†.   This clause was used by Jefferson in his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut on January 1, 1802 (Truthwalk 1).   After being revised six times by one of our founding fathers, James Madision, the first amendment now states that,   â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." (Parsons 40).  Ã‚   Did the fore fathers intend the first amendment to keep religion out of government, or did they want to create a law that stated religion was a free choice moreover preventing the government from forcing one religion upon the people of America. When hearing the phrase â€Å"separation of church and state† one thinks of controversy.   Every other day you hear of something on the news regarding, â€Å"the separation of church and state,† where is the right place to draw the line? Many issues have arisen in the world today that makes the topic of "separation of church and state" very controversial; however, one of most significant issues is Bush's Faith Based Initiative.   Bush’s Faith Based Initiative has strong separationists crying out â€Å"separation of church and state† all over the news. "Separationists argue that our fore fathers wanted such a complete division between church and state that any government accommodation would be unconstitutional"(Frank Guliuzza, p.116). On January 29th, 2001, right after his inauguration, Bush set up his Faith Based Initiative that would soon provide â€Å"faith-based† organizations with governmental federal fund... ... Religion. pgs: 163-164.   Boston Mass:   The Beacon Press, 1953. * "The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life."   Faith Based Initiative and the Bush Administration.   2004.   <http://pewforum.org/faith-based-initiatives> * Sheldon, Louis P.   "CON: IS BUSH VIOLATING SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE?."   The Wichita Eagle.   7 Janurary 2003.   <http://www.kansas.com/mld/eagle/news/editorial/4886897.htm>. * Scott, Robert C. "Statement of Rep. Scott on Bush's Executive Orders on Faith Based Initiatives."   Press Release. 12 December 2002.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚               <http://www.house.gov/scott/press12_12_02.htm>   * "TruthWalk"   November 7, 2004.   The Separation of Church and State.   <http://www.truthwalk.com/Feedback/separation.html> * "White House Faith Based and Community Initiative".   November 2003. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/guidance_document.pdf>

Pom Study Guide

Service Processes – Session 1 The Lean Enterprise Clear focus in operating decisions leads to superior performance But, limits to flexibility, risk of (market or technical) obsolescence, or the routine Operations Strategy is about deciding what solution to offer (product or service), to who, and how to deliver it. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Manufacturing Process – Session 2 Distinct business processes are appropriate to create distinct value propositions Jumbled flow (job shop) for low volume and highly customized solutions †¢ Disconnected line flow (batch) for multiple products in moderate volumes †¢ Connected line flow (Assembly line) for high volume of major products †¢ Continuous flow for commodity products Important sources of cost differentials †¢ Operations strategy †¢ Operational efficiency The dynamics of the product-process matrix †¢ Positioning in the P-P matrix is not only driven by operations strategy but also by the product lifeline †¢ Moving in the P-P matrix requires changing the entire mindset/culture of the organization [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] pic] Part II – Business Process Analysis and Improvement Customer Response Performance in Services – Session 3 From parameters to performance If s = 1 server [pic]or use lookup table if s > 1 Parameters sNumber of Servers ?Frequency of arrivals -> x/day / x/hr / x/minute ?Average service time -> days / hrs / minutes ?=1/ ? Service rate ?Utilization; ? = /s CVCoefficient of variation; CV = ? /? (stddev/mean) CVSVariation of service time = / , = 1 if Exponential, 0 if constant. CVAVariation of arrival rate = / , = 1 if Poisson. Average performance measures WqWaiting time WTotal throughput timeLqNumber of customers in the queue LNumber of customers in the system Wq + ? Customer response time Single Server What are the parameters? ?,? , CVA, CVS 1. Find ? = 2. Find Wq from the formula above 3. Lq = ? Wq W = Wq + ? L = ? W Multiple Server 1 . What are the parameters? ?,? , s 2. Find ? = /s 3. Find Lq from table using s and ? ; Assumes CVA = 1 and CVS = 1. 4. Wq = Lq/? W = Wq + ? L = ? W Assembly lineJob Shop CVS0> 1 CVA^v Utilization (target)~90%~60% If multiple production machines, equalize Lq across the production lines Waiting is â€Å"inevitable†, even with less than 100% utilization Scale effects, ? †¢ Utilization effects, ? /(1- ? ) †¢ Variability effects, (CVA2 + CVS2)/2 Little’s Law: Inventory = rate x wait (on average) In general, for stable systems (? < 1), the average inventory in system = average arrival rate x average time in system. Can also be used to calculate the average time in system. L = ? W Managing waits/customer response time †¢ Remove non-value added steps to reduce processing time (? v, ? v) †¢ Reduce variability in demand (CVAv) and process (CVSv) †¢ Pool resources to more effectively use existing capacity (s^) Lessons for Life: Keep slackWhat is the Goa l of the Enterprise? – Session 4 Definitions ThroughputThe rate at which the system generates revenues Production is not revenue Capacity utilization is not the goal, only a possible means to achieve it InventoryThe level of capital invested in the system â€Å"It takes money to make money† †¦ just don’t take too much Money costs money; Opportunity cost of equity, interest charged on debt. Managing with bottlenecks 1. Find the bottleneck 2. Maximize throughput by exploiting the bottleneck o Avoid starving the bottleneck (create buffer for some inventory in front of it). Lost capacity at bottleneck is lost forever o Schedule to keep it busy. Reduce number of setups at the bottleneck (big batches) 3. Elevate: Increase capacity at bottleneck o Reduce length of setup time at the bottleneck o Quality check: Don’t let bad parts be processed on the bottleneck o Offload work to any other resource that can handle it (e. g. cross training, task offloading; res ources in-house or contracted out) o More capacity at bottleneck means more throughput 4. As one bottleneck is resolved, a new bottleneck appears elsewhere. Repeat! 5.Minimize inventory at non-bottlenecks o ‘Drum’ and ‘rope’ scheduling to let the bottleneck set the pace for input materials, to ‘balance flow’. o Reduce batch sizes at non bottle-neck o Efficiency & capacity improvements at non-bottleneck may reduce inventory, but won’t improve throughput 6. Bottleneck early in process simplifies flow management 7. The bottleneck may also be o Accounting systems or focus on operational targets (are not goals, should enable achievement of goals) o Mindsets o Suppliers o Market The â€Å"Goal† approach to management 1. Identify your goal . Identify your bottleneck 3. Exploit your bottleneck a. Don’t starve the bottleneck b. Lost capacity at the bottleneck is lost forever 4. Subordinate all other decisions to step 3 a. The bottle neck is the â€Å"drum† for loading the system 5. Elevate your bottleneck a. Find ways to increase the capacity at the bottleneck 6. Identify your next bottleneck a. Don’t let inertia set in Process of Continuous Improvement †¢ WHAT is it that I should seek to achieve? What is the fundamental challenge? †¢ WHERE is the bottleneck? What prohibits me/us from doing better? †¢ HOW to change?How can I alleviate or even remove this bottleneck? It is the task of the manager to create a process for continuous improvement, not just ad hoc solutions. Key Lessons from Industrial Excellence Award (IEA) Changing Strategies3 months Changing Product Design6 months – 2 years Changing Plant Process2 – 4 years Excellence of Plant Managers †¢ Forecast needed changes in company’s manufacturing strategy †¦ before anyone tells them †¢ Prepare plant’s processes for future changes in product mix †¦ before anyone tells them Busines s Process Economics – Session 5 Process Model Effective capacity of process as a whole is determined by the bottleneck step (step with the smallest effective capacity, expressed in units of final output) †¢ Expressed in units of final output, the effective capacity of a process step depends on downstream losses †¢ Effective capacity of a step also depends on the net availability of that step (including working hours, equipment breakdowns, preventive maintenance, †¦) †¢ In a continuous process, no inventory between steps is allowed. If one step becomes unavailable all upstream steps are immediately blocked and all downstream steps are immediately starved.Levers for Process Improvement †¢ Yield improvements/quality control o Before bottleneck ? Reduce input cost per unit output (lower variable costs! ) ? Capacity doesn’t change (bottleneck still limiting factor) o After bottleneck ? More output per unit input (lower variable costs! ) ? Capacity i ncreases (effect on fixed cost allocation per unit) ? Might change the bottleneck †¢ Bottleneck speed improvement (infrastructure/availability similar) o Increases capacity – more productive hours o Unit variable costs don’t change (same output per unit input) o Bottleneck might shift Ask to see throughput model †¢ Volatility: Can be in demand and price more than in production process Key Lessons †¢ Process flow analysis is needed to understand economics of production and value of improvement, which is essential for good business decisions †¢ The impact of levers for improvement depend on where (in the system) they are used: o Improvement at bottleneck ? Improves the whole system ? May shift the bottleneck o Yield (and quality) improvement before bottleneck ? Use less input per unit output o Yield (and quality) improvement after bottleneck ? Produce more outputs per unit inputYou can always improve by implementing continuous improvement/learning eff orts. Part III – Inventory: Operations and Tactics Customer Response Performance in Manufacturing Operations – Session 6 The Toyota Production System is the benchmark. Definitions BlockingCaused when downstream is slower than upstream StarvationCaused when downstream is faster than upstream BTFBuild-To-Forecast BTOBuild-To-Order Response Times – CRT ? TPT = OQT + PCT CRTCustomer Response Time TPTThroughput Time OQTOrder Queue Time PCTProcess Cycle Times The role of inventory Blocking goes down with inventory, use idle time to produce buffers.If we have a buffer, then starvation will also go down. Push 1. No WIP control 2. If buffer before has units, you produce at next machine Pull 1. WIP control 2. If inventory buffer after needs units, you produce at previous machine If no variability, PUSH = PULL! As variability increases for each machine, what happens to system capacity and why? †¢ As CV2 increases, we are already losing capacity and further increase ha s less effect. †¢ Asymptotic behaviour – capacity approaches 0. As serial length of facility increases, what happens to system capacity and why? As length increases, we are already losing capacity to variability and further increase has less effect. †¢ Asymptotic behaviour – capacity approaches 0. †¢ Once again, kanban length increases capacity. WIP Strategy | |Push |Pull | |BTO | |Target | |BTF |Compaq Now |>^ | Producing to Forecast – Session 7 Supply Chain Management – How Much To order |Demand |5 |6 |7 | |Probability |1/3 |1/3 |1/3 | Cost: $5 |Price |$5. 05 |$10 |$100 | Order Quantity |5 |6 |7 | Reasoning: Margin vs Cost. If margin < Cost, = Cost or > Cost, order quantity will vary accordingly. |Qty |5 |6 |7 | |E[Sales] |5 |5*1/3 + 6*2/3 |5*1/3 + 6*1/3 + 7 * 1/3| |E[Lost Sales] |1 |1/3 |0 | |E[Salvage] |0 |1/3 |1 | E[Demand] = 6 E[Sales] = E[Demand] – E[Lost Sales] E[Salvages] = i – E[Sales] i = ordered quantity -C + VProb (D ? i) = 0 VProb(D ? i) = C Prob(D ? i) = C/V i = ? + z?E[Profits] = Revenue – Cost = Price * E[Sales] + Salvage*E[Salvage] – i * C E[Sales] = E[Demand] – E[Lost Sales] E[Lost Sales] = E[D – i] = NormalLoss(z)* ? Supply Decisions – Alternative Manufacturing / Processing 1. Calculate â€Å"Profit† function for alternative 1 (piV1 – C1) 2. Calculate â€Å"Profit† function for alternative 2 (piV2 – C2) 3. Solve for pi by setting piV1 – C1 = piV2 – C2 4. pi defines the breakpoint. a. Alternative 1 is better when P(D? i) ? pi b. Alternative 2 is better when P(D? i) > pi 5. Use the z-lookup table to find z for pi a. Use this to calculate the order quantity for Alternative 1 (i1) 6.Calculate the full chance tree for option 2 to find total order quantity (i*) 7. Calculate i2 = i* – i1 Note: If multiple options, repeat process successively. Business Process Competition: M&S and Zara – Session 8 |[pic] |[pic] | Inventory Management depends upon the clock speed of the process †¢ Long lead times -> Forecast -> FGI Process (in contrast to product) innovation is an enormous weapon that can disupt the basis of competition †¢ Drive to mass customization, postponement, †¦ †¢ Shifts the diagonal of the product-process matrix downContinuous improvement is a key competitive weapon too, but can lead to rigidity †¢ Market segments, product needs, and technologies shift o Can you adapt your process and market approach fast enough? †¢ Business process reengineering is a difficult alternative to execute †¢ Business process portfolio management may be a good alternative Part IV – Total Quality Management Quality Management in Services – Session 9 Deming †¢ Prevention rather than cure o Process Improvement o Plan, Do, Check, Act †¢ Variations in Manufacturing and Service performance comes from o Process Design – 99% Process Operati ons – 1% †¢ How to divide process variations across design and operations? †¢ Process variation occurs due to many factors o Normal Distribution! ? Central tendency = mean (? ) ? Variability = standard deviation (? ) Historical Performance †¢ Process is in control – process works well according to historical performance †¢ Process is out of control – process has changed 1. Historical mean [pic] 2. Two points consecutively close to UCL or LCL 3. Five consecutive points above/below mean 4. Increasing or decreasing trends (mean is shifting) Tracking Mechanics Discrete variables (Yes/No or OK/defect measure) †¢ P-chart (or s-chart) track proportion defectives (or cumulative number of defectives) †¢ Identify when process goes outside of lower control limit (LCL) or upper control limit (UCL) †¢ Continuous variables (width, time, temp, †¦) †¢ X-bar identifies changes in central position (process mean) through tracking sample mean †¢ R-bar identifies changes in variability (process variation) through tracking sample range (hi-low) Capability analysis †¢ What is the currently â€Å"inherent† capability of my process when it is â€Å"in control†? Conformance analysis SPC charts identify when control has likely been lost and assignable cause variation has occurred Investigate for assignable cause †¢ Find â€Å"Root Cause(s)† of Potential Loss of Statistical Control Eliminate or replicate assignable cause †¢ Need Corrective Action To Move Forward Process Capability & Total Quality Management – Session 10 Definitions CpProcess Capability ratio CpkProcess Reliability Index LCLLower Control Limit LSLLower Specification Limit LTLLower Tolerance Limit (See LSL) UCLUpper Control Limit USLUpper Specification Limit UTLUpper Tolerance Limit (See USL) Potential [pic] gt; 1implies that potential is good, i. e. that the specification limits are greater than the potential performance of the system < 1implies that the potential is bad Performance [pic] > 1implies that performance is good, i. e. that the upper and lower specification limits are more than 3 standard deviations away from the mean performance of the system Why Quality? †¢ Revenue Impact – Customer Satisfaction o Value o Fitness of Use †¢ Cost Impact – Cost of poor quality o Prevention costs o Appraisal costs o Internal failure costs o External failure costs Costs of Quality : Juran model Prevention Costs |Appraisal Costs |Internal Failure|External Failure | | | |Costs |Costs | |Very good machines |Inspection costs |Cost of rework |Costs of warranty | |Very well-trained |Review costs |Scrap costs |Customers go to | |workers | | |competitors | |Excellent, |Workers stopping |Lost time on |Legal costs | |well-defined process |the line |machines | | |Standard operating |Process improvement| |Brand image | |procedures defined |costs | |affected | |clearly | | | | At each stage, costs multiply by a factor of 10!!! The Process Improvement Cycle – PDCA †¢ PLAN a quality improvement o Select theme, grasp situation, preliminary analysis, training programmes, introduce tracking measures and controls, etc†¦ †¢ DO the investigations for improvements Investigate the deviations from â€Å"normal† behaviour – these are opportunities for improvement – and find improvement actions †¢ CHECK the effectiveness of improvement actions o Confirm the effect of countermeasures †¢ ACT by implementing the improvement measures throughout the company [pic] PART V – Course in Review Inventory Between Buyers and Suppliers – Session 11 JIT – Just in Time †¢ Produce what the customer wants, when it is wanted, in the amount it is wanted, where it is wanted †¢ High Volume †¢ Low Inventory (raw materials, WIP, FGI) †¢ Demand pull (produce when needed) †¢ Little JIT: scheduling, inve ntory †¢ Bit JIT (â€Å"lean†): eliminate waste in all activities (scheduling, inventory, human resources, vendors, technology) Seven Forms of Waste (â€Å"MUDA†) |Seven Methods to Eliminate Waste | |Overproduction |Focused factory networks | |Waiting time |Group technology | |Transportation waste |Quality at the source | |Inventory waste |JIT production | |Processing waste |Uniform plant loading | |Waste of motion |Kanban production | |Product defects |Minimize setup times | JIT vs JIT II |JIT |JIT I |Ideal view: piece for piece; lot for lot | | | |Eliminate excess (RMI, WIP and FGI) inventory | | | |Pull supply chain view | | | |Supplier timely and efficient source (RMI) | |JIT II |Administration and management | | | |Eliminate administrative waste | | | |Supplier pulls production from his own plant | | | |Supplier is an effective source of ideas too | Potential gains †¢ Reduced lead times of delivery †¢ Reduced costs of procurement †¢ Avoid exces s inventory stock †¢ Better monitoring of incoming quality †¢ Greater role in new product development for supplier Potential hazards †¢ Supplier gains inside information on cost, process & design †¢ Loss of bargaining power with supplier †¢ Cannot change suppliers easily Requirements for JIT II to create opportunities for win-win †¢ Fair prices †¢ Commitment Communication †¢ Transparency Increasing competition leads to greater focus on core competencies and process efficiencies †¢ JIT is about having lean manufacturing processes to reduce waste †¢ JIT II is about reducing waste with suppliers and distributors Benefits of JIT II include †¢ Improve communication across firm boundaries †¢ Reducing rework †¢ Reducing duplication †¢ Offload work to any other resource that can handle it (e. g. cross training, task Real Just-In-Time delivery (less inventory in the supply chain) †¢ Increased involvement in the buyer- supplier relationship results in better products/services for the customer Conditions for JIT II to work Sufficient volume and transactions to generate cost savings †¢ Supplier has good engineering capabilities to improve overall product/service †¢ Supplier does not provide core technologies for the buyer †¢ TRUST†¦. How to build trust? o Common goal, open communication, and commitment ———————– Prob(D< i) -c C = c – s ith unit demanded Prob(D ? i) Salvage Value ith unit not demanded Revenue Value = revenue – salvage Work in Progress PUSH PULL No Inventory Control Inventory Control Finished Goods Inventory Build-To-Forecast Build-To-Order FGI >> 0 FGI ~0 Capability Analysis Conformance Analysis Eliminate Assignable Cause Investigate for Assignable Cause Pom Study Guide Service Processes – Session 1 The Lean Enterprise Clear focus in operating decisions leads to superior performance But, limits to flexibility, risk of (market or technical) obsolescence, or the routine Operations Strategy is about deciding what solution to offer (product or service), to who, and how to deliver it. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Manufacturing Process – Session 2 Distinct business processes are appropriate to create distinct value propositions Jumbled flow (job shop) for low volume and highly customized solutions †¢ Disconnected line flow (batch) for multiple products in moderate volumes †¢ Connected line flow (Assembly line) for high volume of major products †¢ Continuous flow for commodity products Important sources of cost differentials †¢ Operations strategy †¢ Operational efficiency The dynamics of the product-process matrix †¢ Positioning in the P-P matrix is not only driven by operations strategy but also by the product lifeline †¢ Moving in the P-P matrix requires changing the entire mindset/culture of the organization [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] pic] Part II – Business Process Analysis and Improvement Customer Response Performance in Services – Session 3 From parameters to performance If s = 1 server [pic]or use lookup table if s > 1 Parameters sNumber of Servers ?Frequency of arrivals -> x/day / x/hr / x/minute ?Average service time -> days / hrs / minutes ?=1/ ? Service rate ?Utilization; ? = /s CVCoefficient of variation; CV = ? /? (stddev/mean) CVSVariation of service time = / , = 1 if Exponential, 0 if constant. CVAVariation of arrival rate = / , = 1 if Poisson. Average performance measures WqWaiting time WTotal throughput timeLqNumber of customers in the queue LNumber of customers in the system Wq + ? Customer response time Single Server What are the parameters? ?,? , CVA, CVS 1. Find ? = 2. Find Wq from the formula above 3. Lq = ? Wq W = Wq + ? L = ? W Multiple Server 1 . What are the parameters? ?,? , s 2. Find ? = /s 3. Find Lq from table using s and ? ; Assumes CVA = 1 and CVS = 1. 4. Wq = Lq/? W = Wq + ? L = ? W Assembly lineJob Shop CVS0> 1 CVA^v Utilization (target)~90%~60% If multiple production machines, equalize Lq across the production lines Waiting is â€Å"inevitable†, even with less than 100% utilization Scale effects, ? †¢ Utilization effects, ? /(1- ? ) †¢ Variability effects, (CVA2 + CVS2)/2 Little’s Law: Inventory = rate x wait (on average) In general, for stable systems (? < 1), the average inventory in system = average arrival rate x average time in system. Can also be used to calculate the average time in system. L = ? W Managing waits/customer response time †¢ Remove non-value added steps to reduce processing time (? v, ? v) †¢ Reduce variability in demand (CVAv) and process (CVSv) †¢ Pool resources to more effectively use existing capacity (s^) Lessons for Life: Keep slackWhat is the Goa l of the Enterprise? – Session 4 Definitions ThroughputThe rate at which the system generates revenues Production is not revenue Capacity utilization is not the goal, only a possible means to achieve it InventoryThe level of capital invested in the system â€Å"It takes money to make money† †¦ just don’t take too much Money costs money; Opportunity cost of equity, interest charged on debt. Managing with bottlenecks 1. Find the bottleneck 2. Maximize throughput by exploiting the bottleneck o Avoid starving the bottleneck (create buffer for some inventory in front of it). Lost capacity at bottleneck is lost forever o Schedule to keep it busy. Reduce number of setups at the bottleneck (big batches) 3. Elevate: Increase capacity at bottleneck o Reduce length of setup time at the bottleneck o Quality check: Don’t let bad parts be processed on the bottleneck o Offload work to any other resource that can handle it (e. g. cross training, task offloading; res ources in-house or contracted out) o More capacity at bottleneck means more throughput 4. As one bottleneck is resolved, a new bottleneck appears elsewhere. Repeat! 5.Minimize inventory at non-bottlenecks o ‘Drum’ and ‘rope’ scheduling to let the bottleneck set the pace for input materials, to ‘balance flow’. o Reduce batch sizes at non bottle-neck o Efficiency & capacity improvements at non-bottleneck may reduce inventory, but won’t improve throughput 6. Bottleneck early in process simplifies flow management 7. The bottleneck may also be o Accounting systems or focus on operational targets (are not goals, should enable achievement of goals) o Mindsets o Suppliers o Market The â€Å"Goal† approach to management 1. Identify your goal . Identify your bottleneck 3. Exploit your bottleneck a. Don’t starve the bottleneck b. Lost capacity at the bottleneck is lost forever 4. Subordinate all other decisions to step 3 a. The bottle neck is the â€Å"drum† for loading the system 5. Elevate your bottleneck a. Find ways to increase the capacity at the bottleneck 6. Identify your next bottleneck a. Don’t let inertia set in Process of Continuous Improvement †¢ WHAT is it that I should seek to achieve? What is the fundamental challenge? †¢ WHERE is the bottleneck? What prohibits me/us from doing better? †¢ HOW to change?How can I alleviate or even remove this bottleneck? It is the task of the manager to create a process for continuous improvement, not just ad hoc solutions. Key Lessons from Industrial Excellence Award (IEA) Changing Strategies3 months Changing Product Design6 months – 2 years Changing Plant Process2 – 4 years Excellence of Plant Managers †¢ Forecast needed changes in company’s manufacturing strategy †¦ before anyone tells them †¢ Prepare plant’s processes for future changes in product mix †¦ before anyone tells them Busines s Process Economics – Session 5 Process Model Effective capacity of process as a whole is determined by the bottleneck step (step with the smallest effective capacity, expressed in units of final output) †¢ Expressed in units of final output, the effective capacity of a process step depends on downstream losses †¢ Effective capacity of a step also depends on the net availability of that step (including working hours, equipment breakdowns, preventive maintenance, †¦) †¢ In a continuous process, no inventory between steps is allowed. If one step becomes unavailable all upstream steps are immediately blocked and all downstream steps are immediately starved.Levers for Process Improvement †¢ Yield improvements/quality control o Before bottleneck ? Reduce input cost per unit output (lower variable costs! ) ? Capacity doesn’t change (bottleneck still limiting factor) o After bottleneck ? More output per unit input (lower variable costs! ) ? Capacity i ncreases (effect on fixed cost allocation per unit) ? Might change the bottleneck †¢ Bottleneck speed improvement (infrastructure/availability similar) o Increases capacity – more productive hours o Unit variable costs don’t change (same output per unit input) o Bottleneck might shift Ask to see throughput model †¢ Volatility: Can be in demand and price more than in production process Key Lessons †¢ Process flow analysis is needed to understand economics of production and value of improvement, which is essential for good business decisions †¢ The impact of levers for improvement depend on where (in the system) they are used: o Improvement at bottleneck ? Improves the whole system ? May shift the bottleneck o Yield (and quality) improvement before bottleneck ? Use less input per unit output o Yield (and quality) improvement after bottleneck ? Produce more outputs per unit inputYou can always improve by implementing continuous improvement/learning eff orts. Part III – Inventory: Operations and Tactics Customer Response Performance in Manufacturing Operations – Session 6 The Toyota Production System is the benchmark. Definitions BlockingCaused when downstream is slower than upstream StarvationCaused when downstream is faster than upstream BTFBuild-To-Forecast BTOBuild-To-Order Response Times – CRT ? TPT = OQT + PCT CRTCustomer Response Time TPTThroughput Time OQTOrder Queue Time PCTProcess Cycle Times The role of inventory Blocking goes down with inventory, use idle time to produce buffers.If we have a buffer, then starvation will also go down. Push 1. No WIP control 2. If buffer before has units, you produce at next machine Pull 1. WIP control 2. If inventory buffer after needs units, you produce at previous machine If no variability, PUSH = PULL! As variability increases for each machine, what happens to system capacity and why? †¢ As CV2 increases, we are already losing capacity and further increase ha s less effect. †¢ Asymptotic behaviour – capacity approaches 0. As serial length of facility increases, what happens to system capacity and why? As length increases, we are already losing capacity to variability and further increase has less effect. †¢ Asymptotic behaviour – capacity approaches 0. †¢ Once again, kanban length increases capacity. WIP Strategy | |Push |Pull | |BTO | |Target | |BTF |Compaq Now |>^ | Producing to Forecast – Session 7 Supply Chain Management – How Much To order |Demand |5 |6 |7 | |Probability |1/3 |1/3 |1/3 | Cost: $5 |Price |$5. 05 |$10 |$100 | Order Quantity |5 |6 |7 | Reasoning: Margin vs Cost. If margin < Cost, = Cost or > Cost, order quantity will vary accordingly. |Qty |5 |6 |7 | |E[Sales] |5 |5*1/3 + 6*2/3 |5*1/3 + 6*1/3 + 7 * 1/3| |E[Lost Sales] |1 |1/3 |0 | |E[Salvage] |0 |1/3 |1 | E[Demand] = 6 E[Sales] = E[Demand] – E[Lost Sales] E[Salvages] = i – E[Sales] i = ordered quantity -C + VProb (D ? i) = 0 VProb(D ? i) = C Prob(D ? i) = C/V i = ? + z?E[Profits] = Revenue – Cost = Price * E[Sales] + Salvage*E[Salvage] – i * C E[Sales] = E[Demand] – E[Lost Sales] E[Lost Sales] = E[D – i] = NormalLoss(z)* ? Supply Decisions – Alternative Manufacturing / Processing 1. Calculate â€Å"Profit† function for alternative 1 (piV1 – C1) 2. Calculate â€Å"Profit† function for alternative 2 (piV2 – C2) 3. Solve for pi by setting piV1 – C1 = piV2 – C2 4. pi defines the breakpoint. a. Alternative 1 is better when P(D? i) ? pi b. Alternative 2 is better when P(D? i) > pi 5. Use the z-lookup table to find z for pi a. Use this to calculate the order quantity for Alternative 1 (i1) 6.Calculate the full chance tree for option 2 to find total order quantity (i*) 7. Calculate i2 = i* – i1 Note: If multiple options, repeat process successively. Business Process Competition: M&S and Zara – Session 8 |[pic] |[pic] | Inventory Management depends upon the clock speed of the process †¢ Long lead times -> Forecast -> FGI Process (in contrast to product) innovation is an enormous weapon that can disupt the basis of competition †¢ Drive to mass customization, postponement, †¦ †¢ Shifts the diagonal of the product-process matrix downContinuous improvement is a key competitive weapon too, but can lead to rigidity †¢ Market segments, product needs, and technologies shift o Can you adapt your process and market approach fast enough? †¢ Business process reengineering is a difficult alternative to execute †¢ Business process portfolio management may be a good alternative Part IV – Total Quality Management Quality Management in Services – Session 9 Deming †¢ Prevention rather than cure o Process Improvement o Plan, Do, Check, Act †¢ Variations in Manufacturing and Service performance comes from o Process Design – 99% Process Operati ons – 1% †¢ How to divide process variations across design and operations? †¢ Process variation occurs due to many factors o Normal Distribution! ? Central tendency = mean (? ) ? Variability = standard deviation (? ) Historical Performance †¢ Process is in control – process works well according to historical performance †¢ Process is out of control – process has changed 1. Historical mean [pic] 2. Two points consecutively close to UCL or LCL 3. Five consecutive points above/below mean 4. Increasing or decreasing trends (mean is shifting) Tracking Mechanics Discrete variables (Yes/No or OK/defect measure) †¢ P-chart (or s-chart) track proportion defectives (or cumulative number of defectives) †¢ Identify when process goes outside of lower control limit (LCL) or upper control limit (UCL) †¢ Continuous variables (width, time, temp, †¦) †¢ X-bar identifies changes in central position (process mean) through tracking sample mean †¢ R-bar identifies changes in variability (process variation) through tracking sample range (hi-low) Capability analysis †¢ What is the currently â€Å"inherent† capability of my process when it is â€Å"in control†? Conformance analysis SPC charts identify when control has likely been lost and assignable cause variation has occurred Investigate for assignable cause †¢ Find â€Å"Root Cause(s)† of Potential Loss of Statistical Control Eliminate or replicate assignable cause †¢ Need Corrective Action To Move Forward Process Capability & Total Quality Management – Session 10 Definitions CpProcess Capability ratio CpkProcess Reliability Index LCLLower Control Limit LSLLower Specification Limit LTLLower Tolerance Limit (See LSL) UCLUpper Control Limit USLUpper Specification Limit UTLUpper Tolerance Limit (See USL) Potential [pic] gt; 1implies that potential is good, i. e. that the specification limits are greater than the potential performance of the system < 1implies that the potential is bad Performance [pic] > 1implies that performance is good, i. e. that the upper and lower specification limits are more than 3 standard deviations away from the mean performance of the system Why Quality? †¢ Revenue Impact – Customer Satisfaction o Value o Fitness of Use †¢ Cost Impact – Cost of poor quality o Prevention costs o Appraisal costs o Internal failure costs o External failure costs Costs of Quality : Juran model Prevention Costs |Appraisal Costs |Internal Failure|External Failure | | | |Costs |Costs | |Very good machines |Inspection costs |Cost of rework |Costs of warranty | |Very well-trained |Review costs |Scrap costs |Customers go to | |workers | | |competitors | |Excellent, |Workers stopping |Lost time on |Legal costs | |well-defined process |the line |machines | | |Standard operating |Process improvement| |Brand image | |procedures defined |costs | |affected | |clearly | | | | At each stage, costs multiply by a factor of 10!!! The Process Improvement Cycle – PDCA †¢ PLAN a quality improvement o Select theme, grasp situation, preliminary analysis, training programmes, introduce tracking measures and controls, etc†¦ †¢ DO the investigations for improvements Investigate the deviations from â€Å"normal† behaviour – these are opportunities for improvement – and find improvement actions †¢ CHECK the effectiveness of improvement actions o Confirm the effect of countermeasures †¢ ACT by implementing the improvement measures throughout the company [pic] PART V – Course in Review Inventory Between Buyers and Suppliers – Session 11 JIT – Just in Time †¢ Produce what the customer wants, when it is wanted, in the amount it is wanted, where it is wanted †¢ High Volume †¢ Low Inventory (raw materials, WIP, FGI) †¢ Demand pull (produce when needed) †¢ Little JIT: scheduling, inve ntory †¢ Bit JIT (â€Å"lean†): eliminate waste in all activities (scheduling, inventory, human resources, vendors, technology) Seven Forms of Waste (â€Å"MUDA†) |Seven Methods to Eliminate Waste | |Overproduction |Focused factory networks | |Waiting time |Group technology | |Transportation waste |Quality at the source | |Inventory waste |JIT production | |Processing waste |Uniform plant loading | |Waste of motion |Kanban production | |Product defects |Minimize setup times | JIT vs JIT II |JIT |JIT I |Ideal view: piece for piece; lot for lot | | | |Eliminate excess (RMI, WIP and FGI) inventory | | | |Pull supply chain view | | | |Supplier timely and efficient source (RMI) | |JIT II |Administration and management | | | |Eliminate administrative waste | | | |Supplier pulls production from his own plant | | | |Supplier is an effective source of ideas too | Potential gains †¢ Reduced lead times of delivery †¢ Reduced costs of procurement †¢ Avoid exces s inventory stock †¢ Better monitoring of incoming quality †¢ Greater role in new product development for supplier Potential hazards †¢ Supplier gains inside information on cost, process & design †¢ Loss of bargaining power with supplier †¢ Cannot change suppliers easily Requirements for JIT II to create opportunities for win-win †¢ Fair prices †¢ Commitment Communication †¢ Transparency Increasing competition leads to greater focus on core competencies and process efficiencies †¢ JIT is about having lean manufacturing processes to reduce waste †¢ JIT II is about reducing waste with suppliers and distributors Benefits of JIT II include †¢ Improve communication across firm boundaries †¢ Reducing rework †¢ Reducing duplication †¢ Offload work to any other resource that can handle it (e. g. cross training, task Real Just-In-Time delivery (less inventory in the supply chain) †¢ Increased involvement in the buyer- supplier relationship results in better products/services for the customer Conditions for JIT II to work Sufficient volume and transactions to generate cost savings †¢ Supplier has good engineering capabilities to improve overall product/service †¢ Supplier does not provide core technologies for the buyer †¢ TRUST†¦. How to build trust? o Common goal, open communication, and commitment ———————– Prob(D< i) -c C = c – s ith unit demanded Prob(D ? i) Salvage Value ith unit not demanded Revenue Value = revenue – salvage Work in Progress PUSH PULL No Inventory Control Inventory Control Finished Goods Inventory Build-To-Forecast Build-To-Order FGI >> 0 FGI ~0 Capability Analysis Conformance Analysis Eliminate Assignable Cause Investigate for Assignable Cause