Analyse How Businesses Are Organised Essay

Definition: The way a business is organized internally to enable employees to carry out their job roles and communicate with each other. There are many Organisational structures these organizational structures allow you to know what everyone’s role is in a business and also who they have power over. The business is able to work more sufficiently if they have an organizational chart. Span of control – A span of control is the number of people who report to one manager in a hierarchy. The more people under the control of one manager, the wider the span of control. Less means a narrower span of control. Chain of command – Chain of command is the order in which orders and decisions are passed down from top to bottom of the hierarchy. Line Manager – A Manager who is responsible for achieving an organisations main objective by executing functions such as policy making, target setting and decision making. Purpose of organisational chart: The purpose of an organizational chart is that it depicts the staffing order of a company. It is commonly shown in a hierarchical format; it also helps identify who does what in an organization, how many staff work in the company and what the chain of command is. This information is important to internal staff, HR departments, stakeholders and board members. Why is there a need for an organizational STRUCTURE? It is essential for a business to have an organizational structure because if they didn’t have one the business would be a disorganised mess. Here are the advantages of having an organisational structure. Firstly it would be favorable towards the employees. There would be less inconvenience as the employees who- know who to go to and report to if they have any problems and need a person higher up in the hierarchal structure of the business to sort it out for them. Therefore the workers would know what responsibilities they have and what job they would need to do. Without the structure a business has the employees wouldn’t be able to carry out their jobs and the departments of the business would have too many employees or too little. Moreover both business London Heathrow Marriott and McDonald are allocated nationwide which shows that they need to be able to carry out orders quick and adequately which it also shows they are well organized. London Heathrow Marriotts organ isational structure: Here is London Heathrow Marriott’s organizational chart. London Heathrow Marriott’s hierarchical structure is a Flat centralized hierarchy structure this allows the business to make faster decisions and it allows more responsibilities for the managers and others increasing motivation but this disallow to fewer opportunities for promotion leading to lower self-confidence. the advantages of a flat hierarchical structure for lhm: A wide span of control is an example of an organizational structure and where additional employees are at an equal level instead of being superior to one another. This is an advantage to the London Heathrow Marriott as it tells us that there are fewer hierarchies consequential in an easier and faster communication. Also there would be fewer employees working at the top of the hierarchical structure which means it would cost the hotel less money. This shows that employees lower in position are not constantly maintaining authority and being managed which will make the workers more persistent and give incentive to achieve their responsibilities to the best of their abilities. This will give confidence to the employees to work to the best of their abilities and show that they are committed to their job which could lead to receiving a promotion which shows that London Heathrow Marriott don’t have to spend more money in order to train new employees. This also shows that London Heathrow Marriott are not losing any sufficient amount of money which they can spend on something else and it also shows that they are achieving their aim of making ‘ £20million per annum’ of profit. In addition to being able to communicate without any trouble there is also â€Å"excellent team spirit†. Disadvantages of a hierarchical structure for lhm: Even though there are lots of advantages to having a flat hierarchical structure it has its disadvantages. When some employees have other boss’s it shows that it is a flat hierarch in a business. This is sometimes not meant or adapted for a particular purpose and can cause lot of Trouble or difficulty caused to one’s personal requirements or comfort, they may find it distressing being controlled from more than one boss’s. Also there is less control within the business as there is only one manager per department and it would be harder for the manager to keep track of each inferior to who they are in charge over. This shows that there is a large area of responsibility this might direct to some tasks that a business wants to achieve to be completely inefficiently meaning that they want to do things without any trouble which can effect the business as a loss for the business as there might be a problem but if it hasn’t been fixed or repaired after a period of time and if the person in charge of the people lower in the chain e.g. trainees, employees might be dealing with a lot of staff but some jobs and prospects of a business might be at risk of no longer existing. Therefore there will a less chance of getting promotions as a flat hierarchical structure as described in the hierarchical chart, there are more people lower in the chain than there is of superiors leading to lower morale. how flat hierarchical structure helps LHm achieve its aims and objectives: One of the objectives London Heathrow Marriott wish to achieve is; â€Å"75% of guest’s to be satisfied†. The hierarchical organizational structures lead staff a clear principle to what their job is and the aims and objectives they should meet. With a flat hierarchical structure there is less confusion for employees and also many customers are satisfied, especially when the employees in the business know what they are doing. London Heathrow Marriott also want to achieve;â€Å"Labour turnover less than or equal to 25%†.By having a flat hierarchical structure in the business shows that rules within the business are made faster, furthermore managers are able to take actions quicker to any worries which a employee has. Hence employees will feel as if their need and concerns are heard out and met so they wouldn’t have any reason to leave the business. McDonalds organisational structure: Here is McDonald’s organizational chart. McDonald’s hierarchical structure is a flat plan. Where there is one manager who is in control of the other assistants and employees. He takes all the decisions and he is in charge of the main functions. This makes it very simple for the staff because all they have to do is selling. This way they can pay more attention to the customers, so I think this is indeed the best structure for a McDonald’s restaurant. But the McDonald’s corporation has a hierarchical structure. This is a huge company with lots of different departments which has to be organized very well, because if the employees aren’t directed in the right way they won’t do their jobs right. So this way it is all ordered and the people can work undisturbed, this saves time and money for the business. the advantages of a flat hierarchical structure for McDonald’s: The advantages of a flat hierarchical structure for McDonald are that faster decision can be made so that they wouldn’t have to waste time on making decision and make quick profit. Also there is a shorter channel of communication so that employees can find out any necessary information which they need to know. It is also more cost effective as Flat Organisation is less costly because it has only few managers. It also creates fewer levels of management. It is more suitable for routine and standardized activities. Disadvantages of a hierarchical structure for McDonald’s: There are chances of losing control because there are many subordinates under one manager this will result in bad discipline in the organisation as they have lost control. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Business text book [ 2 ]. Business Dictionary [ 3 ]. Business Dictionary [ 4 ]. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/line-manager.html [ 5 ]. Interview with HR Manager Anna Foley [ 6 ]. Interview with HR Manager Anna Foley [ 7 ]. Interview with HR Manager Anna Foley

The Guide to the Perfect Date

Kendra Okey The Guide to the Perfect Date Do you think the perfect date would be going to taco bell? Or how about White Castle? The perfect date, as we all know it to be, would not be either of those two places. The perfect date would be something that was heartfelt and was meant to impress your date. The three things that would make the date perfect would be the occasion of the date, the location for the date, and most importantly the gift that was appropriate for the occasion.First, impress your girlfriend/boyfriend by planning the date on a day that has a special meaning to you and your date. Yes, we all go on those little dates with our boyfriend/girlfriend, but the perfect date would be for an event that means something. A special occasion could be an anniversary, Valentine’s Day, or maybe even a proposal. The second thing that would make the date perfect would be the location of the date. For instance, if you were going out for an anniversary, you would not take your dat e to White Castle.You would probably take them to a nicer restaurant like Applebee’s or Olive Garden. On the other hand, if you were going to propose to your date, you would probably take them to a really fancy restaurant like Eagle’s Nest. The third, and most important thing to make a date perfect, would be the gift you get for your date. For example, if you were going out for your two year anniversary, you would probably get your date a card with a sweet little not inside and a bouquet of flowers.However, if you were going out for your two year anniversary, you would probably surprise her with a card, a bouquet of flowers, and box of chocolate, and maybe even â€Å"pop the question† by the end of the night. Now that you know a little about the perfect date, I hope you can impress your girlfriend/boyfriend on your next special occasion. Just remember the perfect date is a special date that is meant to impress your girlfriend/boyfriend. Make sure you take them o n a special day, take them somewhere that is appropriate, and make sure you bring the perfect gift. If you do these things, you are sure to impress your date.

Juvenile Delinquency related to drugs and alcohol Essay

To tackle this topical issue, it is fairly relevant to first of all define some key terminology employed in contextual jargon as regards the question at hand. At the fore, a juvenile can be said to be a minor of such age as may be stipulated by a particular state, usually below the age of sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years, who may be in the frame of mind to willfully conceive criminal intent whilst perpetrating a crime, be it in the form of a robbery, murder or assorted other criminal acts. Along the same line, ‘juvenile crime’ denotes several offences committed by the said minors (less than 18 years), infamously referred to as juvenile delinquency, and may include acts which would be considered ‘crimes’ if committed by adults, and misbehavior like disobedience to parents and authorities or even instances of truancy. As may be warranted by prevailing circumstance, such youthful offenders may be put to trial as either full-blown adults or simply in a capacity as juveniles, as influenced by a variety of factors, inclusive of the severity of the crime in question. For the more weighty crimes, the juvenile offender may be tried in either a juvenile or adult court, then subsequently incarcerated among the adults or juveniles, as the presiding judge may deem fit. More serious criminal offences may even spell out prison sentences for the ‘minor’ (Stafford, 1991). However, the root causes of juvenile delinquency remain a baffling mystery, as clear-cut reasons are yet to be outlined for the same. However, it is clear that the major causes of delinquency are the use of alcohol and abuse of drugs and substances. Some theorists pen a myriad of intervention mechanisms to aid in arresting this situation before it grows into being the downfall of youths the world over. In this reaction paper, I endeavor to handle each of these issues, one at a time (Shaw, 1942).). Drug trafficking has become the major source of violence in the country with rival gangs engaging in extreme violence that sometimes leads to fatality. Drug abusers sometimes results to crime in order to acquire money to satisfy their addictions since drugs are expensive. Furthermore, drugs alienate one from reality and leads to aggressive behavior which results to violence or misdemeanor. A lot of attention has been given in this area and extensive findings exist. However, it is clear that there is room for more to be done since this existing literature has not resulted to a dramatic decrease from behavior that is considered wrong in society. Furthermore, there seems to be little or inadequate research on the effect of to younger siblings if their older counterparts are abusers of alcohol and drugs (Kuntsche et al, 2009). Causal Relationships Diverse theories have been put forth as relates to the chief reasons why there is the onset of juvenile tendencies in the first place, and why this eventually metamorphosis’s into criminality in the long run. Among those advanced include schools of thought which are modeled around historical and modern – day scenarios. These theoretical traditions range from deliberations on; Theories: –   Early theories – these peg the juvenile tendencies to the forces of nature, for example, spiritual beings and even demons. Key aspects in this arena include deliberations on naturalism (the science relating human affairs and eventual behavior to interactions with the forces of nature) and spiritualism, whereby deviance and criminal tendencies can be pegged to influences of nature, and the perpetrator’s inappropriate connection with supernatural powers that be. In this theory, offenses were considered to be against nature itself – The Classical theory, which goes on to rationalize personal choice, brings to focus the issue of humanitarianism. Theorists here are of the stance that proven perpetrators ought to be held personally accountable for their delinquent acts, and that punishment was best administered accordingly. This was based on the premises that humans are by nature reasonably rational, criminality being morally wrong and outlawed in society, and also that the civil society would play its role of disciplining wrong-doers as a form of deterrent mechanism, with such punishment being proportionate to the crime at hand (Loeber, 1989). – Biological theories, which detail the physiological developmental traits of juveniles, in relation to their physical development, mental (under) development, or even hereditary characteristics, and their eventual impact on human behavior. It holds that some people are naturally-inclined toward being deviant, and that it is woven-into their genes, with little or no chance of altering this state of being. The point of note here is that delinquency and its roots are traced to a person’s physical/ physiological predisposition, as opposed mainly to the question of free will. Chief among these are theories dealing with – hereditary issues (heredity), – evolution of man and his characteristics (atavism), as well as, – The development of certain bodily traits that are common amongst people already oriented toward behaving in a particular manner (somatotyping), to name but a few. – Psychological theories – these touch on psychopathic personalities, correlation between dysfunctional and/ or troubled childhoods and the prevalence of the juvenile mannerisms in individuals. These also ascribe deviant behavior to one’s surrounding environment, as may be influenced by chemical interplay in the brain, or an assorted number of reasons. Here, it is necessary to   point out that delinquents may not have a sense of right or wrong as they go about their deviant actions, and that not only can’t they control themselves, but also, their personalities border being christened ‘abnormal’, and the root of such can be re-traced back to their age as little children. These include; Psychopathology, which relates one’s lack of a viable conscience to deviant mannerisms and also, the dys-functioning of given personalities, conditioning, which details the response to stimulating factors prevalent in the environment, and Psychoanalysis, dealing with incomplete development of one’s personality. – Sociological theories – serve to link deviance to societal interactions and also the already existing caste structures, not to mention the inherent disparities in existence between the level of achieving goals and objectives and actually being in a position to go about the same. These include; – Differential Association theory, which deals with ways in which we as humans have the tendency of picking up all manner of behavior from those around us. It further posits that delinquency is an acquired behavior that is adopted from lifestyles of varying criminals. – The Structural/ Social Ecology theory, as pertains to structural conditions in a given area that may play a pivotal role in shaping the mental framework of individuals inhabiting that area. These include; overcrowding, unemployment, poor housing, poverty, sub-standard sanitation, and last but not least, illegitimate births. – Strain and anomie theory; anomie details the aspect of lack of norms in society, especially in instances where there may be experienced some upheavals like wars and the like. When this materializes, the traditional customs and regulations are no longer abided by. Conversely, Strain refers to a situation whereby there already exists a standard set of acceptable goals and means of achieving the same. The inherent problem however, is that not all members of society have the necessary resources to go about meeting this end, thus, a scenario of need is created with some members literally straining to make ends meet, as it were. Thus, lack of opportunity and inequality can be zoned off as the major bones of contention here. – Critical theory – has a lot to do with forces of subjugation in society, and also the capitalistic nature of shrewd individuals. Societal inequities play a major role in molding the character and adaptive mind-state of given persons, more so in the earlier years right after one begins the journey to discover him/ herself.   This is further broken down into; – Radical criminology; this has the general proposition that since the wealth and power in society have been inequitably distributed, then, those less economically – empowered will ultimately seek out alternative modes, mostly of criminal nature, so as to achieve whatever it is they are in (dire) need of. This situation is set to persist until control mechanisms are put in place by society to ensure that all and sundry are catered for as pertains to the same. – Conflict theory; the main assumption is that societal conflicts and tensions are part and parcel of society in general. There thus arises a distinctive classification of peoples, pitting the haves against the have-nots, with the latter being tagged in a relatively negative light. The theory posits that there subsequently arises the need for specialized institutions that can be employed to maintain a certain degree of law and order in society. Thus, in a nutshell, this theory serves to deliberate the economic tensions created, focus being placed on the political and economic systems in existence.

Cornflake Production Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cornflake Production - Assignment Example The main production raw material for production of cornflakes is definitely maize crop (hybrid yellow and white corns) that is widely available in most countries. Most maize producing countries currently produce nearly 7,700metric tons of maize.   Sugar is also another raw material that is used in production of corn flakes together with other ingredients such as cocoa powder and food flavors, all of which are extensively available. Machinery and Equipment such as Storage (Silo), Extruder Cooker, Mixer, Coating Machine, Packaging Machine, Storage Bin, and Laboratory Equipment are also needed as relevant materials in cornflakes production. Land as a means production is also required. The production plant can be sited on an approximated land space of  close to 1 Plot including space assigned to office buildings and facilities. According to (Gupta & Engineers India Research Institute, 2003), the appropriate site for the envisaged production plant should be nearer to major corn growin g regions or urban Market. For a bigger production capacity of this sort, the choice of production shall require an entirely automated system in all steps-in the production, packaging and boxing (KlemesÃŒÅ', Smith & Kim, 2008). As such, for the capacity of production visualized by the production plant under study, such a choice of technology is feasible. Below are the steps involved: In this process the corn kernels are removed from the cobs and are turned into flaking sized ‘grits’. Here, malted barley may be added to improve the flavor of the Cornflakes. In the cylinder below, the corn grits are cooked inside steam pressure cookers (temperatures exceeding 100C). Energy used here is about 13.5 kJ/kg. This cooking process goes for an hour and it softens the hard grits. Throughout cooking additional water is added in form of steam that condenses raising the water content

Saudi arabia running dry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Saudi arabia running dry - Essay Example The depletion of the earth’s natural resources is due to human activities. Identification of the economic natural resources such as oil has led subsequent depletion of other resources for instance, people clear the forest to create room for mining of oil underground yet forest are rain catchment areas (hindering effective production of hydroelectric energy); hence, leading not only to the exhaustion of oil, but also the emergence of the desert, yet some of these resources are non-renewable (Gonzalez, 4). The author of this book was motivated to do the research in order to understand the extreme shifts in oil prices, future durability of oil, the impact it has on the environment and what should be done. The argument of this book is that economically valuable natural resources such as oil has led to Saudi Arabia running dry. In the process of mining, oil there is interference of other fundamental natural resources such as land, water and forest. There is the use of chemicals on the land, leaving it infertile; cutting down the forest to create more space for extracting the oil these have led to less water availability and food insecurity posing threat in the economy. The book also gives factors to put into consideration, to change the situation. It talks about the population growth-over population puts pressure on the limited natural resources, leading to their over exploitation (Gonzalez, 29). Pollution of the environment should be limited as it is the major cause of desertification, for example, water pollution, land pollution, which leads to food insecurity. Policies should be put in place to govern the management of natural resources. The book covers the natural resources as an economic problem. In this book, he talks about the interdependency of Saudi Arabia as the cause of it running dry. Saudi has got limited underground water to support its wheat plantation and agricultural support leading to their reliance on other states for food supply; hence, food

Jean Watson's theory on caring is adopted in many aspects of nursing Essay

Jean Watson's theory on caring is adopted in many aspects of nursing. Listen to the monologue by Dr Watson. What does this mean - Essay Example 98). This emphasizes transcendence of nursing practice from mere physical healing to spiritual one. Historically, transition of nursing practice and healing in past decades evolved within margins of caring value and away from it (Daniels, 2003). The act of caring, then, is no longer central in nursing dynamics, as evident in current times. At this point, the monologue gives clear perspectives on what had been missing in the delivery of nursing service. Caring serves as essential tool that makes nursing unique from other medical professions. As direct providers of medical attention, students and registered nurses alike need to project empathetic attitudes, tempered by caring behaviors--as primary strengths in nursing service. Indeed, the monologue sheds light to the weakened area in nursing--lack of healing in the soul by way of caring. In account, nurses have to integrate elements of holistic care in their practice, in order to be both efficient and effective in their field of expert ise--constantly considering the status of clients in the midst of professional practice. Therefore, the monologue seeks to exhibit that nursing is not only the embodiment of a profession that heals the physical body; more importantly, it seeks to tap the spiritual being of every client. Enhancements in care, thereby, need to be reapplied in nursing practice, as had been originally intended from the beginning of the profession. References Basavanthappa, B. T.

The five key theoretical relationships among spot exchange rates, Coursework

The five key theoretical relationships among spot exchange rates, forward exchange rates, inflation rates, interest rates that result from international arbitrage activities. Critical analysis - Coursework Example The effect of arbitrage on demand and supply is to realign prices so that no further risk-free profits are made. In international monetary and foreign exchange markets, arbitrage takes three forms namely; locational, triangular and covered interest arbitrage. Locational arbitrage occurs when the bid price of a bank for the same currency is higher than another banks selling price. On the other hand, triangular arbitrage occurs when the exchange rate quote is different from the calculated rate from spot rate quotes. Similarly, covered interest rate capitalizes on interest rate differential between two countries while covering the risk of exchange rate. It exploits the relationship between forward rate premiums and interest rate differentials. The arbitrage activities result in five theoretical economic relationships that explain the connections among prices, interest rates, spot exchange rates and forward exchange rates. The relationships are; purchasing power parity, Fischer effect, international Fischer effect, interest rate parity and forward rates as unbiased predictors of future spot rates (Werner and Stoner, 2010). It is a theory that determines the adjustments required in the currency exchange rates of two countries, to make them in equilibrium when their purchasing powers at that exchange rate are equivalent (Lyhagen, Osterholm and Calrsson, 2007). In other words, the expenditure on a particular commodity ought to be the same in both currencies once exchange rate takes it into account. For instance, suppose one US Dollar is selling at 120 Japanese yens. In the United States, say a baseball bat is selling for $50, while in Japan the same bat goes at JPY 500. Then it means the bat will cost only $10 if bought in Japan. It is advantageous to purchase the bat in Japan and consumers will show preference to the low cost. In the event of

Sale & Marketing assisgnment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sale & Marketing assisgnment - Essay Example Only quantifiable data are being grouped together and evaluated in this type of research. Qualitative research instead spawns non-numerical data. It emphasises on the collection of mainly verbal facts rather than quantities. Gathered material is then studied and produced in an explanatory and subjective manner (Patna, 2010). This gives us a slight idea of the area of concentration of both the research studies. Now let us do a comparison and evaluation of both the research methods. First of all we have to determine the goal of each research method. The key aim of a Quantitative Research emphasises more in counting and categorising features, and building geometric/statistical models, figures or simulations to explain the observations (Creswell, 2003). Qualitative Research in contrast delivers a complete descriptive explanation of the research topic. Like the name suggests, its results are not quantifiable but rather a detailed description of the analysis and observations made. Next we have to determine the usage of both the researches. Qualitative Research is best used for earlier stages of research projects, whereas Quantitative Research is recommended for the concluding part of the research (Experiment-Resources.com, 2009). Quantitative Research offers the researcher a clearer depiction of what to anticipate in his research as opposed to Qualitative Research. Here we compare the tools of gathering data in both the researches. Quantitative Research uses questionnaires, forms, surveys and other tools to collect statistical or quantifiable data (Dawson, 2002). In Qualitative Research, the researcher aids as the key data gathering tool (Experiment-Resources.com, 2009). The researcher can use various data-gathering approaches, depending upon the manner of the research. Examples of data-collecting strategies used in Qualitative Research can be focus groups, individual comprehensive interviews, descriptions, structured and

International tourism management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International tourism management - Assignment Example One of the major challenges of corporate social responsibility of international tourism is to curb child prostitution and sex tourism. Despite many meaningful campaigns to curb these social evils, this heinous trade continues to flourish and is endangering the social fabric in and around the vicinity of the tourist hotspots across the world. This is not a sustainable practice it is time to evaluate the potential contribution of ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) strategies to achieving more environmentally sustainable international tourism. Tourism is an extremely heterogeneous socio-economic phenomenon which encompasses a large array of lifestyles and cultures (Fuchs, 2010). The travel and tourism industry is one of the fastest growing industries for almost half century despite ups and downs in global financial and political ups and downs (Fuchs, 2010). Tourism casts complex and varied impact on the societies. While, there are great many tourists, there are also a large variety of societies that host the tourists catering to their every need and taste (Kala, 2008). Tourism is undoubtedly one of the major drivers of global economy. It increases opportunities in all countries whether developed or developing for its people to take part as hosts and guests in this socio-economic phenomenon (Kala, 2008). Source: UNWTO, 2010. Tourism trends and outlook update UNWTO. [Online] UNWTO Available at: http://www.unwto.org/facts/eng/pdf/barometer/UNWTO_Guilin_Forum10_day2_JK_fin_1x1.pdf [Accessed 24 November 2010]. The geographical reach and the labour intensive nature helps in generating employment, particularly remote and rural areas, where three-fourth of the two-billion people live under extreme poverty conditions (World Tourism Organisation, 2010). The World Tourism Organisation identifies seven factors that make tourism as an

History of Protests in Government Contracting Research Paper

History of Protests in Government Contracting - Research Paper Example It is also applied as a method of acquiring services as well as supplies from non-federal sources. There are essentially six different phases which for implementing the government contracting processes such as procurement planning, solicitation planning, solicitation, source selection, contract administration and contract closure (Rendon 9-14). It is worth mentioning in this regard that the ultimate mission of government contracting is to develop an environment for small as well as disadvantaged businesses to participate in contract awards of the federal government as well as in major subcontract awards. Furthermore, government contacting assists small businesses in the procurement processes to obtain greater competencies in the federal world (SBA. GOV, â€Å"Office of Government Contracting†). Government contracting is also considered to be an important method of assessing opportunities for businesses. It is in this context that government contracting is often utilized for ac quiring important information with the objective of less riskier performance of businesses along with competitiveness in the global market (American Express Company, â€Å"An Introduction to Government Contracting†). ... the discussion will also emphasize on the evaluation of contract protests which include the Administrative Procedure Act, 1946 and the Completion in Contracting Act (CICA), 1984. 1.0. Discuss the three ways an offeror can protest (Agency, GAO, COFC) An offeror who is not satisfied with the government contracting method can adapt three ways or procedures for protesting against the method. One of the options to protest against the government contracting method is by filing a bid protest. The bid protest can be lodged with the agency, where an agency-level bid protest is required to be resolved by a Contracting Officer (CO). The bid protest can also be filed with the Government Accountability Officer (GAO), or with the US Court of Federal Claims (COFC). However, according to the enacted rules and policies, an offeror filing a protest at the agency level is required to lodge a bid protest before the GAO or COFC. Moreover, if the offeror is required to file a protest bid with the GAO, he/ she needs to file another bid protest to the COFC as well (Schaengold, Guiffre, and Gill, â€Å"Choice of Forum for Federal Government Contract Bid Protests†). Agency Level An offeror who is disappointed with government contracting can file a bid protest with the agency. In this procedure, protests which are made at the agency level are sorted out by the CO or by any higher authority at the primary level. Many a times, protests at the agency level can also be decided by high ranking officials of an agency or by any other official who is not involved with the procurement process (Schaengold, Guiffre, and Gill, â€Å"Choice of Forum for Federal Government Contract Bid Protests†). It is worth mentioning in this context that protests which are filed with the agency are required to be precise and

History of scientific method Essay Example for Free

History of scientific method Essay Francis Bacon was born in London in 1561 and died 1626. He ended up being a great philosopher, an author, and the inventor of the inductive method, also known for advancing the scientific method. He was the second son of Sir Nicholas Bacon and Lady Anne Cooke Bacon. Lady Anne was the second wife of Sir Nicholas. Sir Nicholas was also the Lord Keeper of the Seal at the time, which is a job that would eventually be held by his son, Francis Bacon. Bacon started going to Trinity College in Cambridge in 1573, when he was only 11 years old. He completed his course of study there only two years later. After that he went to the school that his older brother, Anthony, went to which was Grey’s Inn, where he studied law after his father died in 1579. Bacon’s involvement in high politics started in 1584. He always aimed to change the thoughts of natural philosophy and tried to get himself in high political offices. However, Queen Elizabeth tended not to trust him very much especially he refused to agree to her request of funds for the Parliament. He decided to vote to allow the subsidies but to double the amount of time it takes to deliver them. â€Å"Bacon had emphasized the necessity of scientific improvement and progress. Since he failed to secure for himself a position in the government, he considered the possibility of giving up politics and concentrating on natural philosophy. It is no wonder, then, that Bacon engaged in many scholarly and literary pursuits in the 1590s†(Klein). In 1597, he published his first book, the seminal version of his Essays, though his income was still fairly unstable. I find it fairly humorous that Bacon planned to marry a rich widow named Lady Hatton, but was unable to because a man named Sir Edward Coke was courting her. In 1617, Francis Bacon was made the new Keeper of The Seal, and was made lord chancellor the next year and received the title of Baron Verulam. In 1620, Bacon wrote the book â€Å"Novum Organum,† which means â€Å"New Method. † He was the leading advocate of the inductive reasoning method. Inductive reasoning is the process that draws on the particulars of sensory evidence to form general principles(Fiero). He used inductive reasoning in attempts to improve the errors made by both Plato and Aristotle. â€Å"Aristotelian philosophy was based on a set of rules that governed the consistency between conclusion and a foundation that was accepted as unquestioningly true; Bacon’s philosophy was the opposite†(Soibelman). Bacon turned his back on Aristotle and Classical science. He looked to remove errors by blind obedience of religions and traditional authorities(Fiero). Bacon was also warned against four â€Å"Idols† that make clear and objective thoughts difficult. The first he called The Idols of the Tribe, which are deceptive things inherent in the mind of man, and so the entire human race has it. These may include that people always try to fit things into patterns, even if it isn’t actually in a pattern. They see what they want to see according to their beliefs because their six senses are flawed and are able to fool them(Terry). The next he called The Idols of the Cave, which are in the minds of each individual and are based on the individual education and background of each person. The â€Å"Cave† represents the mind. The person’s thoughts wander, some peoples thoughts wander more than others, through the cave of the mind. They can be changed by the person’s mood, education, background and habit. People will usually look back on conclusions they have learned before or come up with themselves and they will tend to favor the ideas that support those previous ideas. Individuals also tend to favor different things because of their background or education. For example, some will favor differences, while others favor similarities. People will see different things depending on their interests as well. The mathematician will see math and numbers in all things, like the T. V. character Charlie Eppes from the show Numb3rs. The chemist will see chemistry in all things and the architect tends to see shapes in all things. The third he called The Idols of the Marketplace, and that one was based on the verbal communication of people. It is based primarily on bad word choices and misunderstanding of others. He believed that, though people like to think they use words to express their thoughts on a subject, the words would replace thoughts all together. â€Å"†¦Words arise as substitutes for thoughts and men think they have won an argument because they have out-talked their opponents†(Hall). Words can have several different meanings. For example, the word light could mean the opposite of heavy or it could mean something that illuminates, such as the sun, a lamp, fire, or a beacon. Another example of this is the word like. Like could mean to be similar to, or it could mean to have a preference for something. Words can frequently work against what the speaker is really trying to say. They can make things seem different than what was really intended. The last was known as The Idols of the Theatre, which are hindrances caused by philosophy, tradition, theology, and science. Since these idols are practiced and defended by the well-educated people, the less-educated people tend to just accept their validity without question. This is how cults and even some religions have started. A person will take a single verse or small group of verses out of the Bible completely out of context and build a whole religion off of it. Using that method, a person could make the Bible say whatever they wanted it to say. The really sad part about that is that those cults will often still see themselves as, and call themselves Christians. People who follow these ways of thinking have children and grandchildren who just accept it as truth because it’s all they’ve known, so it becomes part of their way of life and influences their way of thinking. In 1626, Francis Bacon decided to try an experiment on how the cold would affect the decay of meat. So he bought a chicken and stuffed it with snow. Unfortunately, he caught a cold, which developed into pneumonia, and he died on April 9th. Bacon was the man that set up the basis that let people like Galileo come up with the theories that they did. Before this peoples’ philosophies were based on pure faith and, actually, had very little to do with logical reasoning. He was the guy that disagreed with the way things were and pointed them out. Descartes probably would not have gotten along with him very well. Even today, we base the majority of our philosophies on reasoning rather than just human belief. Actually, Bacon’s Four Idols are, even still, good things to watch out for and avoid. They do pose serious problems even if you aren’t a philosopher. There is a lot to be learned from the way Bacon looked at the world. Works Cited

Industrial Grinders Essay Example for Free

Industrial Grinders Essay With the introduction of less costly plastic rings by company, Henri Poulenc, Industrial Grinders is faced with a decision of a total changeover from steel rings to plastic rings for their machines that would also fit similar machines manufactured by other companies. Henri Poulenc has introduced the less expensive plastic rings in a small market affecting 10% of Industrial Grinders’ sales . Industrial Grinders believes the market will eventually change-over to all plastic rings. Industrial Grinders must decide a timeline for changing production. It is estimated that production could begin by mid-September. With raw steel and steel rings already in inventory, IG must sell-off existing inventory before changing total production to all plastic rings. a. Plastic Rings versus Steel Rings Steel rings last approximately 2 months Plastic rings last approximately 8 months 100 steel rings cost $263.85 to produce 100 plastic rings cost $66.60 to produce At a weekly profit/Loss, Net income for 690 steel units would be $390.00 At a weekly profit/Loss, Net income for 172.5 plastic units would be $437.80 If sales continue at 690 units per week from May to mid-September, 10,350  units will have been sold, leaving 15,100 steel rings in inventory at a cost value of $39,713. This would require approximately 22 more weeks of sales to deplete inventory. As steel rings will last for two months, the sale of existing steel rings will have a faster turn- around time for continued depletion of stock. Knowing that Henri Poulenc is affecting sales in only a small portion of Industrial Grinders’ territory, retooling for plastics should also begin while steel rings are being phased out. Industrial Grinders can continue to charge the same amount, or more, for its plastic rings, as Henry Poulenc has set the standard in pricing. During the upcoming slack period, the company will employ workers at 70% of regular wages to finish all steel production, while full-time staff completes retooling on available machines. Examine alternative theories, assumptions and ideas: a. Rings account for a substantial portion of Industrial Grinder’s revenue. b. Plastic rings, sold by Henry Poulenc, are sold for at least the same amount as Industrial Grinder’s steel rings. c. Only 10% of Industrial Grinder’s market is affected by Henry Poulenc. d. Henry Poulenc is the only company producing plastic rings. e. Shipping weight for plastic rings is less than steel rings. f. As plastic ring use spreads, the customer will demand the longer lasting plastic ring. g. Steel ring production will be phased out due to market demand for plastic rings. As the future production of rings within the industry will undoubtedly change from steel to plastic, Industrial Grinders must take swift action to keep up with industry changes and customer needs – jumping ahead of further competition. However, taking into consideration the 8 month life of plastic rings and their lower production cost as opposed to the 2 month life of steel rings at a higher production cost, sales must increase to sustain the higher profit margin of plastic rings. Determine the appropriate actions, alternatives or conclusions for the case: Industrial Grinders should change to plastic ring production. As plastic rings have been introduced by competitor, Henry Poulenc, rings with a longer life will be in increasing demand by customers. Industrial Grinders must forge ahead and heavily market the plastic rings as a better product for their customers. The plastic rings are less expensive to make, less costly to ship but have a longer life on machines. Although some revenue will be lost due to the longer life of plastic, Industrial Grinders will recoup losses with added sales. 2. Inventory Analyzing the cause of the problem or situation A changeover to plastic rings poses a problem for Industrial Grinders. Its inventory of special steel and inventory of produced steel rings must be dealt with before or during the production of plastic rings. a. Raw Steel The raw steel inventory cost value is $26,444. The steel cannot be sold to another party and will have to be used or counted as a loss to the company. b. Steel Rings The steel ring inventory cost value is $67,149. These rings could be sold within the existing market.The total cost of raw steel and steel rings inventory exceeds $93,000.00. The decision whether to use all raw steel and sell all existing steel rings becomes a major concern within Industrial Grinder’s management. Examine alternative theories, assumptions and ideas: a. Industrial Grinders wants to change from steel rings to more cost effective plastic rings. b. Management does not want to absorb the cost of unused inventory. c. Not all management agrees on use of raw steel inventory. d. The introduction of plastic rings will spread throughout the industry. e. Industrial Grinders could produce steel rings while retooling some machines for plastic production. f. Industrial Grinders could sell existing steel rings and take a loss on raw steel. Determine the appropriate actions, alternatives or conclusions for the case: Industrial Grinders is faced with a financial decision regarding disposition  of current inventory. Believing that the future lies with the more cost effective plastic rings, IG should continue to sell existing steel ring inventory while producing further steel rings, using the raw steel inventory on hand. The plant down time could use excess labor to deplete the raw steel. During this period, retooling could also occur and plastic ring production would begin. The machining changeover would be possible with a minimal cost of $1800.With Henry Poulenc affecting only 10% of IG sales, Industrial Grinders should deplete stock and introduce plastic rings. 3. Management Concerns Analyzing the cause or problem of the situation: Within management, it is agreed that plastic rings should be produced. However, the disposition of inventory on hand is not agreed upon between sales management / engineering and plant management/ parent company management. a. Sales Manager, Harry Greiner, believes inventory could be counted as a loss. Plastic production should begin and steel rings should no longer be sold. Selling both steel and plastic would be cause for market retaliation. b. Development Engineer , Anders Ericsson, is concerned about inventory not being depleted by plastic ring production in September. c. German Plant General Manager, Lawrence Bridgeman, is concerned about inventory. He believes, at the onset, that plastic rings should only be sold in markets affected by Henry Poulenc. d. Parent Company Head, Hein Van Boetzalaer, agrees to plastic rings but states that IG must use inventory. Examine alternative theories, assumptions and ideas: a. All but the Sales Manager are concerned about inventory cost. b. Selling plastic rings within some markets may cause steel ring sales to slump when other customers learn of the plastic rings and their longer life. c. The raw inventory could be in production during plant down time. d. The existing steel rings could be sold while the raw steel could be accepted as a loss. e. Henry Poulenc is the only company producing plastic rings. f. IG has time within the industry to sell all existing inventory while retooling for immediate production of plastic rings. Determine the appropriate actions, alternatives or conclusions for the case: Industrial Grinders upper management should implement the course of using and selling the existing inventory while retooling for plastic rings. Although sales and engineering opinions are taken into account, the idea of taking a loss for inventory on hand is unacceptable in IG’s current position. Henry Poulenc only affects 10% of IG’s current market. Upper management must make the decision on the company’s future operations. It is not proven that IG’s total market must immediately receive plastic rings. Depleting inventory, while offering plastic rings in the affected market , is an acceptable alternative. Depleting inventory first, then changing to all plastic rings is also an acceptable alternative. However, the parent company must decide the fate of inventory and future plastic production.

Management Information Systems for Shipping Company

Management Information Systems for Shipping Company Course Title: Management Information Systems Background of the Enterprise Mediterranean Shipping Company was started in 1970 in Brussels as a tramp operator with only one second-hand ship carrying containers, the Patricia. The following year Rafaela, a much bigger and more modern vessel was added, eventually inaugurating a link Italy-East Africa that has remained a part of the MSC service ever since. Similarly the next years MSC continue the growth with more ships and at the end of 1978, MSC moved from Brussels to Geneva and became a Swiss company. The worldwide network of MC services were added slowly and quietly, but judiciously; with strategically placed hubs. Most of the worldwide success-story of MSC can be traced at this junction because Mr. Aponte the founder of the company was quicker than most to appreciate the benefits of containerization and hubbing. Mediterranean Shipping Company Greece S.A. was founded in 1994 with main shareholders the liner shipping MSC Geneva S.A. and the shipping agent Dimitri Theodorikas. Within a short period of time MSC Greece S.A. attained a leading position in the liner shipping sector in Greece as a result of the gradual connection of Greek ports with the world network of MSC and the continuous upgrade of services of MSC Greece to its customers. In 1997 on the initiative of Dimitris Theodorikas MSC Geneva signed a contract with the Piraeus Port Authority deciding to use the port of Piraeus as its main hub port in the Mediterranean area. This vanguard action opened the door for the globalization of Greek ports. Very soon Piraeus climbed in the worlds top 50 list of container ports with multiple benefits for a wide spectrum of local port related services providers The weekly connection of the basic Hellenic ports (PIRAEUS, THESSALONIKI, HERAKLION, VOLOS) with the globalnetwork of MSC, the continuous upgrade of the fleet of MSC through the incorporation of modern units, and the high quality services provided by our 200 specialized executives, guarantees the high level of qualitative transport services that Hellenic Import and Export enterprises seek to receive . (http://www.mscgreece.com/index.html ) 1. Security/Threats Security has always been a priority concern of IT professionals, especially the Information Officers of Mediterranean Shipping Company who hold ultimate responsibility for their companys computer and internet security. In the years since the internet first came on the scene, the security scenario has undergone rapid changes and developments as threat and counter-threats have been developed and deployed. Recent surveys tend to confirm this perception. While IT security threats continue, the form and nature of these threats may not be what most people expect or even suspect. Â © SANS Institute 2003, as part of the Information Security Reading Room6 2. Global MIS/Risks Global Information Management is a new class of enterprise solution that provides the essential business strategy and tools for enabling a corporation to manage the escalating requirements for local language delivery. Many companies have invested in content management and web management solutions to manage the content creation, approval and publishing processes. Whilst these systems can manage and deliver localized content once it has been created they do not have the capability needed to manage the localization process. Global Information Management solutions augment a companys existing solutions to provide the capability needed to manage the process of taking approved content and localizing it appropriately fora global audience. Effective GIM can dramatically reduce processing time whilst reducing localization costs. 3. Ethics/Social Issues In business today there are many instances of corporations that act from an ethical standard, including the company that I work for. Ethics and Social Responsibility are very important for modern businesses to possess to function productively and profitably. In a world that has been rocked my multiple corporate scandals and environmental disasters, it is essential that companies put forth the effort to regain and maintain the trust of their customers and the public in general hopefully the efforts of organizations. Lucas, H. C.; Jr. Implementation: The Key to Successful Information Systems. New York: Columbia University Press, 1981 . 4. Project Failures A project is usually a one-time effort composed of many interrelated activities, costing a substantial amount of money, and lasting for weeks or years. The management of a project is complicated by the following characteristics. Most projects are unique undertakings, and participants have little prior experience in the area. Uncertainty exists due to the generally long completion times. There can be significant participation of outsiders, which is difficult to control. Extensive interaction may occur among participants. The many interrelated activities make changes in planning and scheduling difficult. Projects often carry high risk but also high profit potential. (http://www.gantthead.com/article.cfm?ID=187449) 5. New Technology Given the right locale and purpose these shipping containers of MSC can provide a viable option for housing people and businesses and the strategy of implementing these shipping containers should not be limited to the finite size of the container itself. The process of threat identification begins with an understanding of the financial institutions environment, including its business strategy, information systems, policies and procedures, human stakeholders (management, employees, customers), and physical resources (facilities, equipment) of the MSC company. Each of these factors will impact potential threat sources, their motivation, method, and consequences. An understanding of threats can best be achieved by grouping them into categories. Three intuitive categories include human, non-human, and mixed threats. Some examples include the following: Human People-based threats can include individuals from inside and outside the shipping company. Hackers These individuals are characterized by their strong interest in computer technology and desire to learn more by playing with systems and testing their capabilities. Often this involves testing systems they do not own. Crackers This group is distinguished from hackers by their more malicious intentions. While claiming a strong interest in technology, their goals tend to be criminal in nature (e.g., theft, destruction, or denial of service to data or systems). In the other part Mediterranean Shipping Company are turning into global concerns. Information technology is an important tool in making this transformation and in designing the international organization. As tariffs fall, you can expect to see firms rapidly moving operations to different parts of the world to take advantage of special competencies and disparities in wage rates. Even a one-person company can have worldwide sales through the Internet. The General Manager of MSC Greece said that information technology is the glue that can hold an international organization together and help coordinate its operations. All of our IT design variables that focus on communications, such as electronic links, technological matrixing, electronic customer/supplier relationships, and virtual components, are available to help manage and coordinate the global firm. Also MSC managers are exposed to new, complex risks more and more frequently and they often can only understand their financial implic ations when its already too late to react. Additionally, regulatory changes and regional legislations are forcing MSC to rethink their approach to risk management. Equally important for the MSC as a worldwide transportation company of goods are the ethical issues as safety and security that concerns the overloading of the vessel, the theft of the goods, the maritime accidents and all the terrorist activities that happening now days. More can be included the air and water pollution of the ships, the excessive consumption of fuels and several times the oil slicks of the shipping industry. MSC Secretary-General, who exchanged Memoranda of Understanding with all companies, said he would like to see the GIA serving as a model for more such alliances, all embracing the goals of corporate social responsibility and addressing the many safety, security and environmental protection issues that characterize todays shipping industry. MSC headquarters aware that the overall purposes of the United Nations are to maintain international peace and security, to develop friendly relations among nations, to co-operate in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these ends. As a reminder, heres the list of The Top 10 Reasons Projects Fail: Inadequately trained and/or inexperienced project shipping managers Failure to set and manage expectations Poor leadership at any and all levels Failure to adequately identify, document and track requirements Poor plans and planning processes Poor effort estimation Cultural and ethical misalignment Misalignment between the project team and the business or other organization it serves Inadequate or misused methods Inadequate communication, including progress trackingand reporting Parsons, G. Infonnation Technology: A New Competitive Weapon, Sloan Management Review. (Fall 1983), pp. 55-85. Garud, R.; and H,. C. Lucas, Jr., Virtual Organizations: What You See May Not Be What You Get. New York: Stem School, NYU working paper, 1997. Differently Options to considerate as a Manager In Shipping industry a different option to considerate is selecting proper partners in the current time is a big concern for corporate with other shipping companies. In the container shipping management on the issue of carrier selection, we have to be able to look for information that we might not have been looking for so much in the past. In these circumstances one of the considerations for shippers like managers is to try and anticipate what is going to happen and be sure we select the proper partners. We of course take more interest in the financial situation of the company for whatever information we can obtain to avoid exposure. Financial viability especially has become such a big concern that when shippers and carriers meet to negotiate freight rates and other transportation terms, shipping line representatives themselves volunteer to highlight their financial strength and ability to sustain through the trying times. When we meet with carriers on a face to face basis without as king them first, their opening is to describe what makes them able to survive the crisis as opposed to their competitors. We hear arguments that their activities are much diversified and that containers are only part of it. So after hearing all of this its up to us within a strategic management to make a judgment on it and to see what is more likely to happen. Its not always easy to do but thats what we have to do at this point in time. Shippers fretting over the financial strength of carriers and its collateral impact on their own business may however draw consolation from the recent move by many national governments to bail out companies on the verge of bankruptcy. Recent financial bailouts of shipping companies can be attributed to their corporate or government linkages and affiliations. For example, the Korean shipping industry has benefited from its governments bailout package. Likewise state-backed carriers in China like COSCO and CSCL and Singapore like the APL have received automatic financial assistance. In Hong Kong, OOCL reportedly gained US$2 billion by selling off some of its terminal operations just before the crisis began. A great move was when Piraeus Port Authority and MSC Greece renewed a contract for the movement of containers through the countrys biggest port. The contract was signed by the Piraeus Port Authoritys general director, Hairless Psaraftis, and MSC Greeces chairman, Dimitris Theodorikas. Under the terms of the deal, MSC Greece wills double its annual minimum transit container movement through Piraeus from 100,000 to 200,000 per year. The new five-year contract offers an option for renegotiation of prices, which are charged in euro, after the first two years. The deal with one of the worlds largest shipping companies shows the confidence in the quality of services offered by the port of Piraeus, and is expected to boost the ports growth plans in a time of increasing competition among ports in the Mediterranean seas. (http://www.imo.org/) Conclusion Good performance in ships management translates into high standards in health, safety, quality, and operational efficiency. Extraordinary performance is about outperforming ourselves, by a wide margin and in every respect, and maximizing the benefits for all our company in a fair and balanced way. It means being recognized by our best customers and our principals as a preferred service provider and strategic partner. Extraordinary performance also implies covering longer distances with less energy: increasing the quality while decreasing the cost. Overcoming the ordinary requires innovation and breakthroughs, as well as cohesiveness to the principles in developing the ways that we have to work. Mediterranean shipping companys responsibilities towards society must to incorporate a wide range of commitments: protection for the environment, rewarding workplace and opportunities to their people (both shore-based and seafarers), ethical way of business conduct, and respect for the communi ties in which we deliver our services. References (http://www.mscgreece.com/index.html ) Â © SANS Institute 2003, as part of the Information Security Reading Room6 Lucas, H. C.; Jr. Implementation: The Key to Successful Information Systems. New York: Columbia University Press, 1981 (http://www.gantthead.com/article.cfm?ID=187449) Parsons, G. Infonnation Technology: A New Competitive Weapon, Sloan Management Review. (Fall 1983), pp. 3-14. Garud, R.; and H,. C. Lucas, Jr., Virtual Organizations: What You See May Not Be What You Get. New York: Stem School, NYU working paper, 1997. (http://www.imo.org/)

Mining Pollution Debate Summary Essay -- Mining Argumentative Persuasi

Mining Pollution Debate Summary Though it has had many negative impacts on the environment in the past, mining is a vital industry completely necessary to our economy and lives. Nearly every item we use or encounter in our day to day lives is mined or contains mined products. Without the excavation of such materials things like computers, televisions, large building structures, electricity, and cars would not be possible. Virtually every technological and medical advance uses minded materials, without which millions would suffer. Some examples of minerals in the home include the telephone which is made from as many as 42 different minerals, including aluminum, beryllium, coal, copper, gold, iron, silver, and talc. A television requires over 35 different minerals, and more than 30 minerals are needed to make a single personal computer. Without boron, copper, gold and quartz, your digital alarm clock would not work. Every American uses an average 47,000 pounds of newly mined materials each year, which is high er than all other countries with the exception of Japan, which is a staggering figure representative of our dependence and need for mined minerals. Coal makes up more than half of nation’s electricity, and will continue to be the largest electrical supplier into 2020 & accounting for some 95 percent of the nation's fossil energy reserves – nine of every ten short-tons of coal mined in the United States is used for electricity generation. As the population of the world grows more mineral resources must be exploited through mining in order to support the rising demand for such products. Though it may present a hazard to the environment and those physically located nears the mines, the materials extracted from mines... ...s/Tmain_business_MWTP.htm 6. http://www.geus.dk/program-areas/common/int_bo-dk.html 7. http://www.deh.gov.au/ssd/publications/ssr/108.html 8. http://www.cciw.ca/wqrjc/32-2/32-2-229.htm 9. http://www.triesteassociates.com/project-bunkerhill.htm 10. http://www-dateline.ucdavis.edu/012800/DL_mining.html 11. http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/rpeagle.asp#Environmental%20Concerns 12. http://ecorestoration.montana.edu/mineland/histories/superfund/default.htm 13. http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/success/casestud/chercsi.htm 14. http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/success/casestud/anaccsi.htm 15. http://www.uswaternews.com/homepage.html 16. http://www.ctcnet.net/scrip/aboutamd.htm 17. http://www.nma.org/statistics/pub_fast_facts.asp 18. http://www.eli.org/pdf/cscanadaminingpollution.PDF 19. http://www.nma.org/statistics/pub_fast_facts_2.asp

Perspective of Nick Carraway, Narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby :: The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

Narrator's Perspective in The Great Gatsby  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Nick Carraway has a special place in this novel. He is not just one character among several, it is through his eyes and ears that we form our opinions of the other characters. Often, readers of this novel confuse Nick's stance towards those characters and the world he describes with those of F. Scott Fitzgerald's because the fictional world he has created closely resembles the world he himself experienced. But not every narrator is the voice of the author. Before considering the "gap" between author and narrator, we should remember how, as readers, we respond to the narrator's perspective, especially when that voice belongs to a character who, like Nick, is an active participant in the story.   When we read any work of fiction, no matter how realistic or fabulous, as readers, we undergo a "suspension of disbelief". The fictional world creates a new set of boundaries, making possible or credible events and reactions that might not commonly occur in the "real world", but which have a logic or a plausibility to them in that fictional world. In order for this to be convincing, we trust the narrator. We take on his perspective, if not totally, then substantially. He becomes our eyes and ears in this world and we have to see him as reliable if we are to proceed with the story's development.   In The Great Gatsby, Nick goes to some length to establish his credibility, indeed his moral integrity, in telling this story about this "great" man called Gatsby. He begins with a reflection on his own upbringing, quoting his father's words about Nick's "advantages", which we could assume were material but, he soon makes clear, were spiritual or moral advantages. Nick wants his reader to know that his upbringing gave him the moral fiber with which to withstand and pass judgment on an amoral world, such as the one he had observed the previous summer. He says, rather pompously, that as a consequence of such an upbringing, he is "inclined to reserve all judgments" about other people, but then goes on to say that such "tolerance . . . has a limit".   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is the first sign that we can trust this narrator to give us an even-handed insight to the story that is about to unfold. But, as we later learn, he neither reserves all judgments nor does his tolerance reach its’ limit.

Symbolic Mockingbirds Essay examples -- English Literature Essays

Symbolic Mockingbirds Symbolism is used extensively in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The theme of prejudice in the novel can be best perceived through the symbol of the mockingbird. Atticus advised his children that if they went hunting for birds to "shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (96). Miss Maudie explains this further by saying that "mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (96). Bluejays are considered to be the bullies of the bird world. They are very loud, territorial and aggressive. The bluejays represent the prejudiced bullies of Maycomb, such us Bob Ewell. Mockingbirds, on the other hand, are innocent and all they do is sing beautiful songs; they would not harm anyone. Tom Robinson is an example of a mockingbird. Tom never harms anything or anyone. The only mistake Tom made was to help Mayella and hack wood. Mayella accused Tom of raping her. When asked if Tom was the man who raped her, she replied and said that he "most certainly is" (192). He is unmistakably innocent, but still, those around him must sin and kill a mockingbird. "Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed" (247). After Tom was killed for attempting to escape from prison, Mr Underwood wrote in an editorial that...

Anything Goes Play Review Essay

On Thursday, February 20th, I finally saw my first college play. Unlike the majority of plays I’ve seen in the past, Anything Goes actually caught my attention for once. Musicals and plays were big in my high school, but East Central took it to the next level in terms of talent and preparation. After watching the play, I came to the conclusion that Mrs. Grace Austin did a wonderful job as the director, putting on an intriguing show. I’m no expert in terms of set design, but I was really impressed with how real it looked. While watching the play, I could easily imagine myself being on that ship. What made it look most lifelike was the lifesavers hanging up alongside the walls of the ship’s staircases, and the authentic looking wood making up parts of the ship. Opposite of the set design, I thought that the lighting could actually have been a little better. While there was nothing actually wrong with the lights, I think there was room for improvement. The lights were very simple throughout most of the play, which is sometimes good, but there could have been more color and movements with the lights to make it more exciting. The spotlight, however, was perfect. As for special effects, there was nothing noticeable besides the lights. Good thing that the play had decent lighting, that way the audience was able to see the perfectly fitting costumes. Everyone was mostly dressed up and looking nice to match the luxury theme. I liked everything about the costumes, but I didn’t get why the angel costume was red. It would have made more sense to be in white, but did not make much of a difference. All of these things came into play to make a pretty good performance. The main characters were Riley Dunn who played Billy, Sam Rodgers who played Hope, Lee Garner who played Evelyn, and Sarah Hopp who played Reno. Overall, Anything Goes turned out to be a pretty good story line. And thanks to the ECC casting crew and Mrs. Grace Austin, they provided a high quality production that I wouldn’t mind seeing again. Even being critical, I would give ECC’s production of Anything Goes a 7 out of 10. It was enjoyable to watch.

Situation Evaluation

Maria also states that n her department, she stand alone as the only individual of Latin descent as well as the only individual of color and the only female. And also adds that her mediocre job assessments were culturally bias because her immediate supervisor is a White male just as Alex. Maria also offers that her immediate boss told her that her accent is a cause for concern as it pertains to any potential client of the company. She explained that he was fearful that the clients would not understand her because of her accent.Maria was furious so she lodged an additional complaint against the company for displaying discriminatory practices. Maria's upper management reports that she possesses a fair quality of work, however she frequently exhibits a brash and hostile attitude when dealing with her co-workers and supervisors. She has been reprimanded on a few occasions by her immediate boss for lateness and absences. She astutely combated each reprimand with an excuse of family issues . Maria would always defend that when or if her family is in trouble, she would have to attend to their needs.When the topic of her accent was brought up, it was explained that the accent was a significant factory in obtaining the particular position therefore, no discriminatory raciest were conducted by the organization. Maria habitually spoke very fast, and when she spoke in such a manner, comprehending what she was saying due to her accent was almost impossible. The company declared that the ability to communicate clearly was an essential aspect of the job in question. The purpose of the paper is to discover if there are indications of organizational or personal discrimination or prejudicial attitudes involved in Maria's complaint.Also, if there is any suggestion that Maria was unjustly or unlawfully treated. And if the company has a legal basis to expect Its employees who converse specifically with customers to speak accent free English. This paper also will offer some approache s to take which can proven any such events from transpiring in the future. Prejudice and Discrimination As Maria is the only female of Latin decent in her department, the existence of prejudice and discrimination due to race and gender could be an issue. To substantiate any such claim, prejudice and discrimination has to be defined.Prejudice is an unjustified or incorrect attitude towards an individual based merely on the individual's race, gender, or creed (McLeod, 2008). It may be directed toward a group or an individual of that group. Discrimination is an unfavorable action, behavior, outcome, or treatment directed against and individual or group (McLeod, 2008). The difference between the two is that prejudice is a belief or mindset and discrimination is the manifestation of tall belief or mindset. Prejudice in the case would be very difficult to prove unless a discriminatory act has been committed.Hypothetically speaking, if Maria was called employee X and Alex employee Y and ea ch of their performances and evaluations were examined, employee Y would be considered for the promotion over employee X hands down. Therefore, an investigation would most likely determine that there is no conclusive evidence that shows organizational or personal prejudice or discrimination towards Maria. Moreover, a statement from a possibly disgruntled employee would not be enough to prove unjust or unlawful treatment toward the employee.Unaccented English To totally satisfy Maria's complaint, the question, â€Å"Is the company violating any lawful regulations because it expect its employees who converse specifically with customers to speak accent free English† must be answered. According to Title VII of the Act of 1964, a company can put an individual's accent under scrutiny when the individual's accent directly hinders the individual from performing a specific job (EEOC, 2014). This consideration is contingent upon the explicit responsibilities for the duty to be performe d and the magnitude of the individual's accent influencing the capacity to conduct business.Although Maria has been with the company for 10 years and her accent was not a hindrance to her current position, her accent could cause confusion for the clients if she is in the position in question. Since the company acknowledged that a requirement for the position was to speak fluent English, and according to the National Origin & Employment Policies/ Practices under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the company is within legal rights. The company is under no legal law to promote Maria into the position in question.The company can however promote her into a position with the same prestige as the other and this position will not require her to interact directly with the clients. This will create a win-win situation for everybody. Consequences of Prejudice and Discrimination Although no wrong doing by the company was proven, the mere mention Of discriminatory practices could cause a company to falter. The productivity of the employee in question as well as other employees have the possibility to diminish.This reaction alone may trigger a downward spiral for revenue, which could chase away potential investors who may have been interested in the business. Not to mention, the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), U. S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFFICE) and Wage and Hour Division (WAD) will have a scrutinizing eye on every business practice the company may implement (Mayhem, 2014). No organization want to go through anything like this.That is why it is imperative for every member within a company to be well abreast that diversity is very prevalent in almost every organization in today society. Furthermore, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, people who are discriminated against can initiate court proceedings towards a company. And if substantiated, the complainant can recoup money for any dam ages rendered by the company as it relates to discriminatory practices (Scott, 014). This can open the door for others who may have felt discriminated against to file complaints, which could lead to a very messy situation for a thriving organization.Solutions to Prevent Discrimination in the Workplace Education: everyone must be aware of cultural diversity in the workplace, which simply means understanding that people are different and should be treated as such. There is a well-known saying, â€Å"team work makes the dream work,† which means to work well with a person, one must know and trust a person. If equal and fair treatment is not practiced, discrimination will not be reverted it will be just getting started.Confrontation: anyone witnessing any signs of discrimination should openly acknowledge it and â€Å"nip it in the bud,† in essence, stopping it before it gets started. Research has shown that making people aware of a discrepancy between their discriminatory b ehavior and their egalitarian self-concept can lead to self-dissatisfaction and subsequent reductions in discriminatory responding (Divine, Mennonite, Suzerain, and Elliot (as cited in Good, Raisin, and Sanchez, 2012)). Music: as music can sooth the savage beast, it can also sooth the souls of people who possess rejoice and discriminatory attitudes.In fact, Mark Cliches, a psychotherapist in New York City and the author of Healing from Family Rifts offers, â€Å"music can be a salvation and antidote to most psychological challenges: that's why people sing in the shower and while driving the car, or simply listen to music that's inspiring and distracting from emotional upset† (Cliches, 2008). No matter if discrimination or any unfair treatment was found to substantiate Maria's claim, the company in question can and will prosper through the implementations of the aforementioned solution to prevent discrimination in the workplace.Top managers within an organization must play an active role in interacting with the employees as it relate to cultural differences. This will promote cultural harmony and bring an understanding to all that everybody has to Stay mindful Of the other guy. Conclusion In the cultural diverse environment, someone will feel discriminated against for one reason or another. Fifth truth is told, it may be next to impossible to please everybody all the time. This could lead to alienation, frustration, separation, and termination. Unfortunately, prejudice and discriminatory thoughts as well as actions of such do exist in the workplace.Organizations can and will go tumbling down which could cause a lot of innocent people some unnecessary hardship. It could be a horrible feeling to think a person cannot advance because someone may not like them just because they are different. Nothing good can come from a company that overlooks prejudice and discriminatory behavior exhibited by the members within that company. Let us stamp out this ugly form a degradation before it ever gets started. It is going to take education, confrontation, and annihilation through music to rid or prevent this unspeakable form of injustice which is known as workplace coordination.

Compare and contrast the three poems exploring the image each poet gives to pre-1900 London Essay

The three poems ‘Conveyancing,’ ‘Composed Upon West-Minister Bridge, September 3rd, 1820,’ and ‘London’ give an image and they show a diverse view of Pre-1900 London. All three poems are written by male poets, they use various techniques, style and imagery, that give different effects to the reader. 3 POEMS The first poem is ‘Conveyancing’ and is written by Thomas Hood; it’s about the movement from one place to another by using different vehicles such as Gurneys, hackney carriages and horse drawn caravans, which were used in the Victorian times. He says that the horse’s work is done by the powers of attorney. This poem shows humour and lighthearted jokes. An example of this would be cab-age; here the poet uses this so that it rhymes with Queen Mab age. Also he uses this as to make a mockery of the word cabbage, while referring to the age or era of the cab. The poet picks out words and phrases from Shakespeare’s plays such as Queen Mab who is a character from ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ she is the Queen of fairies and causes mischief that rides in a carriage made of nutshells. Also he uses a phrase ‘The world a sage has call’d a stage’ he refers to this as the ‘sage’ being Shakespeare the wise man and he said life was a stage on which we all performed. He writes about how there are loads of people in London and that everyone loves London. He uses the word Loco-motion to slow the rhyme down. He talks about an unknown character Jarvis and a man named Malthus who wanted to control the population. He describes them by showing their character through many ways by rhyming and by emphasising the words. He quotes a line from a silly little song and he doesn’t want be caught on a journey with boring people. If a handkerchief was taken from the side of your trousers and u didn’t notice till ages, you wouldn’t be able to see who took your handkerchief because there was so much traffic going past. The poet’s attitude to the poem is that, he tries to make the poem cheerful by rhyming and emphasis. He uses false rhyme such as cab-age and dickey, which is slang term for yucky! It’s a witty poem with a lot of merry jokes. Stanzas put the structure of the poem together, which gives a good impact on the reader because it’s such a long poem and it’s easier to read. The poem is observational and full of detail because, he describes all the different types of transport, names of shops and the different characters. Reference to the songs, which are written in irregular verses, allows him to use irregular voices and rhymes. London is a very busy city; therefore there are many places and objects for the poet to express. The second poem is ‘Composed Upon West-Minister Bridge†¦.’ which is written by William Wordsworth; this poem is about how the atmosphere around London and how it differs from the early morning to the late afternoon. In the morning the atmosphere is clean and steady whereas in the afternoon it’s smoky and cloudy. He writes about how he admires the view of London and how people are missing out on this magnificent view of the day. If you didn’t see this view, it would show that you’re insensitive, you had no feelings and you were dull. He describes this view as powerful and grand and calls it ‘its majesty,’ he says this just because it rhymes with ‘pass by,’ which is on the line above this. He is so high up that he can see all the skylines and he can see the horizon of the countryside. As the sun rises, you can see the sun lighting up the city. He has a feeling of calmness by watching this sight of awe. There are no people moving because it’s so early in the morning and the town is still. The poet’s tone is that he has a positive attitude about London. He is in high spirits when seeing this wonderful view so early in the morning of London. He believes that this is the most beautiful place to be on Earth at this very moment. He also assumes that if you haven’t seen this view then you haven’t got no spirit in you at all, because you are missing out on such a sight. He puts his message across by being very affirmative and putting a grudge against the people who haven’t seen this sight. He expresses himself through his awe of the view. His choices of words are very vivid and vibrant. He uses similes and a lot of personification, to describe this city. There’s no humour in the poem but a lot of detailed expressions. Rhymes are used to make the poem more appealing in order to maintain the rhythm. The formation of this poem is in the form of a sonnet. London is a very beautiful place and nothing on Earth is more beautiful than this morning. The final poem is called ‘London’ and is written by William Blake; this poem is about fears, and gives a darker view of London at that time. It talks about how people are affected by the plague of poverty and how little children are sent up chimneys to clean them. Also, how the people are mentally and physically trapped because there’s so much grime and dirt. He writes about the harsh conditions that drag everyone down and how the prostitutes would regularly give birth. All the people are miserable and they are trapped in an environment of gloom. How in every voice you hear the cry of fear. He writes about the psychological handcuffs that restrict you. Now that soldiers have returned they risk death everyday. When you get married it is the happiest day of your life and the atmosphere around you is blissful, whereas in this poem the poet describes the poem as being a funeral carriage. Even though there is a wedding it feels like a funeral and people are still in fe ar. The poverty has increased immensely. The people’s expressions are described as sad, mournful and sombre. The poet’s attitude to this poem is distressing; he doesn’t look on the positive of ‘London’ but on the negative side. He writes about how the people have caught the plague and how everyone is miserable. The mood of the poem is dull and wretched; it has no life to it. It feels like the life has been taken away and been replaced by the plague. His choices of words are old fashioned; he uses words like ‘harlots’ ‘blights’ and ‘manacles.’ Similes, personification and metaphors aren’t used. The only imagery used is rhyme, which I believe makes the poem even drearier. The construction of the poem is in stanzas; this is to separate the poem up. Because the plague has spread everywhere and ruined peoples lives there’s isn’t a social area of this poem. The historical and cultural contexts tell us that in the Victorian epoch, the children were the chimneysweepers because they were little enough to get up there, this was also cruelty to the children as this was their child labour. Also, contraception wasn’t available, prostitutes were giving birth frequently. Back then it was more of a manufacturing era; therefore there was a lot of smoke and filth in the atmosphere. This caused the churches to turn black. I believe that, Blake sees nothing to admire except hardship and suffering. COMPARE AND CONTRAST ‘Conveyancing’ and ‘Composed Upon West-Minister Bridge†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ show a comparison by giving a positive attitude towards London. ‘Conveyancing’ talks about the movement of different transportations and ‘Composed Upon West Minister Bridge†¦.’ talks about the beautifulness of the still city in the morning. Both the poems are written in full detail, ‘Conveyancing’ has a lot of rhyming, emphasis, rhythm and has a lot of humour. There is a lot of action and deeds. Also in this poem, it talks about how there is a lot of traffic and noise. The poem is split up in stanzas so it’s straightforward to read. Many old- fashioned words and phrases are used to indicate the type of language used. Humour and light-hearted jokes are used to highlight the poem, so it’s more amusing to read. It’s observational and imaginable, so that it’s easy to understand. This poem is a contrast to ‘Composed Upon West Minister Bridge†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ by the way in which the linguistics have been used. There is a lot of personification, rhythm and similes. The atmosphere is calm, serene and cool. The poem talks about the glorious view of London in the morning and how there are no people moving around. All the houses are asleep. Also how the sun lightens the city with its superb shine. There’s no action in this poem but the poet is still observing. The atmosphere is calmer, whereas in the first poem there is a lot of traffic and hustling. ‘Conveyancing’ and ‘London’ show a contrast. ‘Conveyancing,’ talks about the different types of transport and the action happening in London. ‘London’ shows the darker side of the city and of how people’s lives have changed because of the poverty. The poet writes a lot about fear, woe and tears, whereas in ‘Conveyancing’ the poet uses witty and humorous jokes. This poem is very mournful, but in ‘Conveyancing’ the poem is light-hearted. In ‘Conveyancing’ a lot of imagery is used. A lot of imagery is used in ‘London’ as well because of the restricted manacles and the children crying. ‘Composed Upon West Minister Bridge†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and ‘London’ is another contrast. ‘Composed Upon West Minister Bridge†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ talks about a bright atmosphere whereas ‘London’ writes about a dull atmosphere. ‘Composed Upon West Minister Bridge†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ talks about how the sunrises and lightens the city, whereas in ‘London’ if the sun-rose there still wouldn’t be any joy in the city because of the spread of the plague. In both ‘Composed Upon West Minister Bridge†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and ‘London,’ both poets use Imagery, expressing good and ghastly language. MY FAVOURITE Out of all the three poems, I have read and looked at, I would say that my preferred poem would have to be ‘Composed Upon West-Minister Bridge†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ This is because the poem shows a calmer tone and a positive mood about London. The poem is written out and structured in a sonnet; therefore, it’s not too long and it’s concise. The poet uses a lot of linguistic imagery, which makes the poem more interesting. If I had to describe this poem, I would say that it as very, vivid and vibrant. The way the poet describes this poem is exalted. He uses personification to describe London in detail, rhyme to keep up the rhythm and he uses simile to compare London to beautiful garments. I especially liked this poem as the mood is subtle and has a tranquil atmosphere. Although there isn’t any humour, you can still imagine this awed view that Wordsworth portrays. I believe that this was the only poem where the poet expressed his feelings in full detail by using diff erent types of linguistic features on his view of London

Design of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems Essay

Water pressure is the energy that powers sprinkler system, so it is very important. Water flow creates pressure which generates energy that moves water through the pipes. Flow is the measurement of water required for the smooth flow of water to perform the required task. But the fire sprinkler requires much needed effort to provide improved fire protection against high challenge fire hazards. A sprinkler gives fast response with great supply water and increases the fire suppression capability. Installation of fire sprinkler system requires certain specific construction, performance installation and operation. For e. g. the discharge coefficient of sprinkler is nominally must be within the range of 13. 5-14. 5, where the discharge coefficient is calculated by dividing the flow of water in gallons per minute through the sprinkler by the square root of the pressure of water supplied to the sprinkler in per square inch gauge. Sprinklers were initially designed to control fire with thirty-foot ceilings In United States, water pressure is measured in per square inch and water flow is measured in gallons per minute. The maximum water supply is depend upon number of conditions such as length of pipe, the place mere fire catch up, the amount of water pressure. The method to measure the water supply depends upon the source of water. The measuring process differs in city water systems, water from tank. Sprinklers were initially designed to control fire with thirty-foot ceilings where flammable stock such as plastics such as plastics is kept 25-foot high in racks. Whereas in some cases available water supplies is not capable of creating that much pressure required for the control of fire, then a supplementary pump can be used to increase the content of water pressure before sprinklers. Therefore, water quantity needed for sprinkler system should be determined according to the suitable method so that waste should not be wasted or misused. REFRENCE Referred to sites: 1. http://www. patentstorm. us/patents/6336509-description. html Low pressure fast response bulb sprinklers 2. http://www. extremehowto. com/xh/article. asp? article_id=60335 Designing a Sprinkler System Jess Stryker Dated 3rd August 2007

Planned Approach to Change Essay

The work of Kurt Lewin dominated the theory and practice of change management for over 40 years. However, in the past 20 years, Lewin’s approach to change, particularly the 3-Step model, has attracted major criticisms. The key ones are that his work: assumed organizations operate in a stable state; was only suitable for small-scale change projects; ignored organizational power and politics; and was top-down and management-driven. This article seeks to re-appraise Lewin’s work and challenge the validity of these views. It begins by describing Lewin’s background and beliefs, especially his commitment to resolving social conï ¬â€šict. The article then moves on to examine the main elements of his Planned approach to change: Field Theory; Group Dynamics; Action Research; and the 3-Step model. This is followed by a brief summary of the major developments in the ï ¬ eld of organizational change since Lewin’s death which, in turn, leads to an examination of the main criticisms levelled at Lewin’s work. The article concludes by arguing that rather than being outdated or redundant, Lewin’s approach is still relevant to the modern world. INTRODUCTION Freud the clinician and Lewin the experimentalist – these are the two men whose names will stand out before all others in the history of our psychological era.  The above quotation is taken from Edward C Tolman’s memorial address for Kurt Lewin delivered at the 1947 Convention of the American Psychological Association (quoted in Marrow, 1969, p. ix). To many people today it will seem strange that Lewin should have been given equal status with Freud. Some 50 years after his death, Lewin is now mainly remembered as the originator of the 3-Step model of change USA. Address for reprints: Bernard Burnes, Manchester School of Management, UMIST, Manchester M60 1QD, UK (Bernard.Burnes@umist.ac.uk).dismissed as outdated (Burnes, 2000; Dawson, 1994; Dent and Goldberg, 1999; Hatch, 1997; Kanter et al., 1992; Marshak, 1993). Yet, as this article will argue, his contribution to our understanding of individual and group behaviour and the role these play in organizations and society was enormous and is still relevant. In today’s turbulent and changing world, one might expect Lewin’s pioneering work on change to be seized upon with gratitude, especially given the high failure rate of many change programmes (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001; Kearney, 1989; Kotter, 1996; Stickland, 1998; Waclawski, 2002; Wastell et al., 1994; Watcher, 1993; Whyte and Watcher, 1992; Zairi et al., 1994). Unfortunately, his commitment to extending democratic values in society and his work on Field Theory, Group Dynamics and Action Research which, together with his 3-Step model, formed an inter-linked, elaborate and robust approach to Planned change, have received less and less attention (Ash, 1992; Bargal et al., 1992; Cooke, 1999). Indeed, from the 1980s, even Lewin’s work on change was increasingly criticized as relevant only to small-scale changes in stable conditions, and for ignoring issues such as organizational politics and conï ¬â€šict. In its place, writers sought to promote a view of change as being constant, and as a political process within organizations (Dawson, 1994; Pettigrew et al., 1992; Wilson, 1992). The purpose of this article is to re-appraise Lewin and his work.. The article begins by describing Lewin’s background, especially the origins of his commitment to resolving social conï ¬â€šict. It then moves on to examine the main elements of his Planned approach to change. This is followed by a description of developments in the ï ¬ eld of organizational change since Lewin’s death, and an evaluation of the criticisms levelled against his work. The article concludes by arguing that rather than being outdated, Lewin’s Planned approach is still very relevant to the needs of the modern world. LEWIN’S BACKGROUND Few social scientists can have received the level of praise and admiration  that has been heaped upon Kurt Lewin (Ash, 1992; Bargal et al., 1992; Dent and Goldberg, 1999; Dickens and Watkins, 1999; Tobach, 1994). As Edgar Schein (1988, p. 239) enthusiastically commented: There is little question that the intellectual father of contemporary theories of applied behavioural science, action research and planned change is Kurt Lewin. His seminal work on leadership style and the experiments on planned change which took place in World War II in an effort to change consumer behaviour launched a whole generation of research in group dynamics and the implementation of change programs. 978 B. Burnes  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004For most of his life, Lewin’s main preoccupation was the resolution of social con- ï ¬â€šict and, in particular, the problems of minority or disadvantaged groups. Underpinning this preoccupation was a strong belief that only the permeation of democratic values into all facets of society could prevent the worst extremes of social conï ¬â€šict. As his wife wrote in the Preface to a volume of his collected work published after his death: Kurt Lewin was so constantly and predominantly preoccupied with the task of advancing the conceptual representation of the social-psychological world, and at the same time he was so ï ¬ lled with the urgent desire to use his theoretical insight for the building of a better world, that it is difï ¬ cult to decide which of these two sources of motivation ï ¬â€šowed with greater energy or vigour. (Lewin, 1948b) To a large extent, his interests and beliefs stemmed from his background as a German Jew. Lewin was born in 1890 and, for a Jew growing up in Germany, at this time, ofï ¬ cially-approved anti-Semitism was a fact of life. Few Jews could expect to achieve a responsible post in the civil service or universities. Despite this, Lewin was awarded a doctorate at the University of Berlin in 1916 and went on to teach there. Though he was never awarded tenured status, Lewin achieved a growing international reputation in the 1920s as a leader in his ï ¬ eld (Lewin, 1992). However, with the rise of the Nazi Party, Lewin recognized that the position of Jews in Germany was  increasingly threatened. The election of Hitler as Chancellor in 1933 was the ï ¬ nal straw for him; he resigned from the University and moved to America (Marrow, 1969). In America, Lewin found a job ï ¬ rst as a ‘refugee scholar’ at Cornell University and then, from 1935 to 1945, at the University of Iowa. Here he was to embark on an ambitious programme of research which covered topics such as child-parent relations, conï ¬â€šict in marriage, styles of leadership, worker motivation and performance, conï ¬â€šict in industry, group problem-solving, communication and attitude change, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-racism, discrimination and prejudice, integration-segregation, peace, war and poverty (Bargal et al., 1992; Cartwright, 1952; Lewin, 1948a). As Cooke (1999) notes, given the prevalence of racism and antiSemitism in America at the time, much of this work, especially his increasingly public advocacy in support of disadvantaged groups, put Lewin on the political left. During the years of the Second World War, Lewin did much work for the American war effort. This included studies of the morale of front-line troops and psychological warfare, and his famous study aimed at persuading American housewives to buy cheaper cuts of meat (Lewin, 1943a; Marrow, 1969). He was also much in demand as a speaker on minority and inter-group relations Kurt Lewin 979  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004(Smith, 2001). These activities chimed with one of his central preoccupations, which was how Germany’s authoritarian and racist culture could be replaced with one imbued with democratic values. He saw democracy, and the spread of democratic values throughout society, as the central bastion against authoritarianism and despotism. That he viewed the establishment of democracy as a major task, and avoided simplistic and structural recipes, can be gleaned from the following extracts from his article on ‘The special case of Germany’ (Lewin, 1943b): Nazi culture . . . is deeply rooted, particularly in the youth on whom the . . . future depends. It is a culture which is centred around power as the supreme value and which denounces justice and equality . . . (p. 43) To be  stable, a cultural change has to penetrate all aspects of a nation’s life. The change must, in short, be a change in the ‘cultural atmosphere,’ not merely a change of a single item. (p. 46) Change in culture requires the change of leadership forms in every walk of life. At the start, particularly important is leadership in those social areas which are fundamental from the point of view of power. (p. 55) With the end of the War, Lewin established the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The aim of the Center was to investigate all aspects of group behaviour, especially how it could be changed. At the same time, he was also chief architect of the Commission on Community Interrelations (CCI). Founded and funded by the American Jewish Congress, its aim was the eradication of discrimination against all minority groups. As Lewin wrote at the time, ‘We Jews will have to ï ¬ ght for ourselves and we will do so strongly and with good conscience. We also know that the ï ¬ ght of the Jews is part of the ï ¬ ght of all minorities for democratic equality of rights and opportunities . . .’ (quoted in Marrow, 1969, p. 175). In pursuing this objective, Lewin believed that his work on Group Dynamics and Action Research would provide the key tools for the CCI. Lewin was also inï ¬â€šuential in establishing the Tavistock Institute in the UK and its Journal, Human Relations ( Jaques, 1998; Marrow, 1969). In addition, in 1946, the Connecticut State Inter-Racial Commission asked Lewin to help train leaders and conduct research on the most effective means of combating racial and religious prejudice in communities. This led to the development of sensitivity training and the creation, in 1947, of the now famous National Training Laboratories. However, his huge workload took its toll on his health, and on 11 February 1947 he died of a heart attack (Lewin, 1992). 980 B. Burnes  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004LEWIN’S WORK Lewin was a humanitarian who believed that only by resolving social conï ¬â€šict, whether it be religious, racial, marital or industrial, could the human condition be improved. Lewin believed that the key to resolving social  conï ¬â€šict was to facilitate learning and so enable individuals to understand and restructure their perceptions of the world around them. In this he was much inï ¬â€šuenced by the Gestalt psychologists he had worked with in Berlin (Smith, 2001). A unifying theme of much of his work is the view that ‘. . . the group to which an individual belongs is the ground for his perceptions, his feelings and his actions’ (Allport, 1948, p. vii). Though Field Theory, Group Dynamics, Action Research and the 3-Step model of change are often treated as separate themes of his work, Lewin saw them as a uniï ¬ ed whole with each element supporting and reinforcing the others and all of them necessary to understand and bring about Planned change, whether it be at the level of the individual, group, organization or even society (Bargal and Bar, 1992; Kippenberger, 1998a, 1998b; Smith, 2001). As Allport (1948, p. ix) states: ‘All of his concepts, whatever root-metaphor they employ, comprise a single wellintegrated system’. This can be seen from examining these four aspects of his work in turn. Field Theory This is an approach to understanding group behaviour by trying to map out the totality and complexity of the ï ¬ eld in which the behaviour takes place (Back, 1992). Lewin maintained that to understand any situation it was necessary that: ‘One should view the present situation – the status quo – as being maintained by certain conditions or forces’ (Lewin, 1943a, p. 172). Lewin (1947b) postulated that group behaviour is an intricate set of symbolic interactions and forces that not only affect group structures, but also modify individual behaviour. Therefore, individual behaviour is a function of the group environment or ‘ï ¬ eld’, as he termed it. Consequently, any changes in behaviour stem from changes, be they small or large, in the forces within the ï ¬ eld (Lewin, 1947a). Lewin deï ¬ ned a ï ¬ eld as ‘a totality of coexisting facts which are conceived of as mutually interdependent . . .’ (Lewin, 1946, p. 240). Lewin believed that a ï ¬ eld was in a continuous state of adaptation and that ‘Change and constancy are relative concepts; group life is never without change, merely differences in the amount and type of change exist’ (Lewin, 1947a, p. 199). This is why Lewin used the term ‘quasi-stationary equilibrium’ to indicate that whilst there might be a rhythm and pattern to the behaviour and processes of a group, these tended  to ï ¬â€šuctuate constantly owing to changes in the forces or circumstances that impinge on the group. Lewin’s view was that if one could identify, plot and establish the potency of these forces, then it would be possible not only to understand why individuals, Kurt Lewin 981  Ã‚ © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004groups and organizations act as they do, but also what forces would need to be diminished or strengthened in order to bring about change. In the main, Lewin saw behavioural change as a slow process; however, he did recognize that under certain circumstances, such as a personal, organizational or societal crisis, the various forces in the ï ¬ eld can shift quickly and radically. In such situations, established routines and behaviours break down and the status quo is no longer viable; new patterns of activity can rapidly emerge and a new equilibrium (or quasistationary equilibrium) is formed (Kippenberger, 1998a; Lewin, 1947a). Despite its obvious value as a vehicle for understanding and changing group behaviour, with Lewin’s death, the general interest in Field Theory waned (Back, 1992; Gold, 1992; Hendry, 1996). However, in recent years, with the work of Argyris (1990) and Hirschhorn (1988) on understanding and overcoming resistance to change, Lewin’s work on Field Theory has once again begun to attract interest. According to Hendry (1996), even critics of Lewin’s work have drawn on Field Theory to develop their own models of change (see Pettigrew et al., 1989, 1992). Indeed, parallels have even been drawn between Lewin’s work and the work of complexity theorists (Kippenberger, 1998a). Back (1992), for example, argued that the formulation and behaviour of complex systems as described by Chaos and Catastrophe theorists bear striking similarities to Lewin’s conceptualization of Field Theory. Nevertheless, Field Theory is now probably the least understood element of Lewin’s work, yet, because of its potential to map the forces impinging on an individual, group or organization, it underpinned the other elements of his work. Group Dynamics the word ‘dynamics’ . . . comes from a Greek word meaning force . . . ‘group . . . dynamics’ refers to the forces operating in groups . . . it is a  study of these forces: what gives rise to them, what conditions modify them, what consequences they have, etc. (Cartwright, 1951, p. 382) Lewin was the ï ¬ rst psychologist to write about ‘group dynamics’ and the importance of the group in shaping the behaviour of its members (Allport, 1948; Bargal et al., 1992). Indeed, Lewin’s (1939, p. 165) deï ¬ nition of a ‘group’ is still generally accepted: ‘. . . it is not the similarity or dissimilarity of individuals that constitutes a group, but interdependence of fate’. As Kippenberger (1998a) notes, Lewin was addressing two questions: What is it about the nature and characteristics of a particular group which causes it to respond (behave) as it does to the forces which impinge on it, and how can these forces be changed in order to elicit a more desirable form of behaviour? It was to address these questions that Lewin began to develop the concept of Group Dynamics. Group Dynamics stresses that group behaviour, rather than that of individuals, should be the main focus of change (Bernstein, 1968; Dent and Goldberg, 1999). Lewin (1947b) maintained that it is fruitless to concentrate on changing the behaviour of individuals because the individual in isolation is constrained by group pressures to conform. Consequently, the focus of change must be at the group level and should concentrate on factors such as group norms, roles, interactions and socialization processes to create ‘disequilibrium’ and change (Schein, 1988). Lewin’s pioneering work on Group Dynamics not only laid the foundations for our understanding of groups (Cooke, 1999; Dent and Goldberg, 1999; French and Bell, 1984; Marrow, 1969; Schein, 1988) but has also been linked to complexity theories by researchers examining self-organizing theory and non-linear systems (Tschacher and Brunner, 1995). However, understanding the internal dynamics of a group is not sufï ¬ cient by itself to bring about change. Lewin also recognized the need to provide a process whereby the members could be engaged in and committed to changing their behaviour. This led Lewin to develop Action Research and the 3-Step model of change. Action Research This term was coined by Lewin (1946) in an article entitled ‘Action research and minority problems’. Lewin stated in the article: In the last year and a half I have had occasion to have contact with a great variety of organizations, institutions, and individuals who came for help in the ï ¬ eld of group relations. (Lewin, 1946, p. 201) However, though these people exhibited . . .  a great amount of good-will, of readiness to face the problem squarely and . . . really do something about it . . . These eager people feel themselves to be in a fog. They feel in a fog on three counts: 1. What is the present situation? 2. What are the dangers? 3. And most importantly of all, what shall we do? (Lewin, 1946, p. 201) Lewin conceived of Action Research as a two-pronged process which would allow groups to address these three questions. Firstly, it emphasizes that change requires action, and is directed at achieving this. Secondly, it recognizes that successful action is based on analysing the situation correctly, identifying all the possible alternative solutions and choosing the one most appropriate to the situation at hand (Bennett, 1983). To be successful, though, there has also to be a ‘felt-need’. FeltKurt Lewin 983  © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2004need is an individual’s inner realization that change is necessary. If felt-need is low in the group or organization, introducing change becomes problematic. The theoretical foundations of Action Research lie in Gestalt psychology, which stresses that change can only successfully be achieved by helping individuals to reï ¬â€šect on and gain new insights into the totality of their situation. Lewin (1946, p. 206) stated that Action Research ‘. . . proceeds in a spiral of steps each of which is composed of a circle of planning, action, and fact-ï ¬ nding about the results of the action.’ It is an iterative process whereby research leads to action and action leads to evaluation and further research. As Schein (1996, p. 64) comments, it was Lewin’s view that ‘. . . one cannot understand an organization without trying to change it . . .’ Indeed, Lewin’s view was very much that the understanding and learning which this process produces for the individuals and groups concerned, which then feeds into changed  behaviour, is more important than any resulting change as such (Lewin, 1946). To this end, Action Research draws on Lewin’s work on Field Theory to identify the forces that focus on the group to which the individual belongs. It also draws on Group Dynamics to understand why group members behave in the way they do when subjected to these forces. Lewin stressed that the routines and patterns of behaviour in a group are more than just the outcome of opposing forces in a forceï ¬ eld. They have a value in themselves and have a positive role to play in enforcing group norms (Lewin, 1947a). Action Research stresses that for change to be effective, it must take place at the group level, and must be a participative and collaborative process which involves all of those concerned (Allport, 1948; Bargal et al., 1992; French and Bell, 1984; Lewin, 1947b).