Monday, September 30, 2019

Communication Medium

There are two types of communication mediums needed for any successful business; Physical Media and Mechanical Media. Physical media channels where the person who is talking can be seen and heard by the audience. The whole point here is to be able to not only hear the messages, but also to see the body language and feel like they are in the room. This does not need to be two way channels. In certain situations the receiver expect physical communication. This is the case especially when dealing with high concern messages.If a message is perceived as important they expect to hear it live from their manager. On the other hand, mechanical media is more of the daily form of communication. With mechanical media written or electronic channels are the primary sources. These channels can be used as archives for messages or for giving the big picture and a deeper knowledge. But they can also be very fast. Typically though, because it is written, it is always interpret by the reader based on hi s or her mental condition.In other words, it is not best to put humor or irony in these communication mediums because it can be percieved the wrong way. Since the company is spread through several continents around the world a great new medium is Global 365. Microsoft Office 365 operates as a cloud-based replacement for Microsoft's desktop tools, packaging Office, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online and Microsoft Lync into a cloud service. Office 365 is not only marketed to a larger company, it is also provides a package for the cost consensus smaller company.What is meant by this cheaper Office Web Apps only version. While a bigger company would purchase the full version. The idea of all your Microsoft software e-mail, documents, contacts and calendars are available anywhere at any time is an enticing feature. As well as the compatibilities it has with almost all devices. It is compatible with PCs, Macs, iPhones, Android phones, Blackberry smartphones, Windows Mobile and Windows Pho nes. Office 365 is all about collaboration.Users can share large files both inside and outside their organization, from a single document location point, meaning that the current version of a document is always the most current, regardless of how many editors are involved. Office Web Apps allow users to access and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote documents in their browser, and simultaneous editing of Excel spreadsheets and OneNote notebooks with others in real time is easy and intuitive, with users able to see exactly who is editing and viewing documents at all times.A company can use emails, the company website, video conferences, slide-shows, webinars, a personal letter to the employee, the company magazine or the company's voice mail or speaker system to meet and provide feedback. The important thing to note is that positive feedback motivates people to improve, and the media a company has available to use are only limited by the imagination of its Human Resources depart ment.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Bernadine Healy

There is a sea of difference in being a leader and manager of an organization. Each one of the two persona can fit in a type of organization. But in the case of the Red Cross in the US,public interest, administrative responsibility and some of the recent ethical obligations confronting public administrators in their day to day decision making. Also examine the recent trend in privatizing government functions and appeared to have not fit at all occupying the presidency.She was a victim of the position not for becoming a tough, passionate, too-driven leader, but for not coming a manager of the international Red Cross that is largely resistant to change. It has been said that managers â€Å"do things right† while leaders, on the other hand, â€Å"do the right things†. Managers are concerned primarily with managing things. Leaders, on the other hand, are show concern for leading people.Dr. Healy’s short stint in the Red Cross showed that she was more than a leader th an a manager of the gargantuan relief service organization, whose organizational grandeur, financial resources and manpower are greater than the Philippine military establishment. In fact, she was described as â€Å"a tough professional who ruffled feathers but made things happen† and â€Å"a change agent for a culture resistant to change†.But amidst controversies generated from her tough program thrusts, changes and innovations and her strong leadership in the international Red Cross, she had to cave in to pressures even as the powerful board of governors had decided to fire her out. It came to pass that the Red Cross Red is after all a conservative, non transparent organizations with heavy decentralization down in its hierarchy, with people and chapters enmeshed in turf wars and to some extent rocked with financial anomalies and a blood business that has to be rectified. It was described to have a militaristic management and a politburo-like board of governors.Dr. He aly, who came in too passionate like a savior knight in shining armor, failed these to understand. Moreover, empathy as a vital organizational trait of a leader – as espoused by US Army logistics officer William Pagonis- was evidently lacking in the upmanship and leadership of Dr. Healy. In her rush to institute dramatic changes in the international Red Cross in the wake of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing she failed to factor in the use of empathy in drawing out support of Red Cross organizations under her leadership. As she was already hounded by criticisms right even in Red Cross board of governors, unlike Pagonis, Dr.Healy failed to build up team work and design a communication structure that could complement the Red Cross chain of command, the reason why her good intents and passions were misunderstood. She failed to approach Red Cross by managing than by leading, and to pursue a long-haul of transformation process. It worth to ponder that change requires time and pro cesses. In John Kotter’s Transformation Process in his book â€Å"Change or Die†, it takes many processes to transform men and in effect the organization, and many things have to be recognized and to make and unmake. On various areas where Dr.Healy was brought down particularly in her evident over zeal to make Red Cross perform and take novel pursuits with least shoring up of empathy to the men and women across and down the line of the organization, Kotter’s organizational processes are given much rationale*. Changing the behavior of people is the most important challenge for organizations trying to compete in a turbulent world, says John Kotter, a Harvard Business School professor who has studied dozens of organizations in the midst of upheaval: â€Å"The central issue is never strategy, structure, culture, or systems.The core of the matter is always about changing the behavior of people. Those people may be called upon to respond to profound upheavals in mark etplace dynamics — the rise of a new global competitor, say, or a shift from a regulated to a deregulated environment — or to a corporate reorganization, merger, or entry into a new business. And as individuals, we may want to change our own styles of work — how we mentor subordinates, for example, or how we react to criticism. Yet more often than not, we can’t. † In relevance to ours, the Philippine Army has to â€Å"Change or Die† if wanted to survive in the high-technological, constantly changing times.There have been more critiques leveled to the Philippine military in its organizational mission, efficacy and those relating organizational stresses and dysfunctions. The current thrusts and posturing of the country’s military for transformation have still a long way to go in so far as hurdling and taking tasks along the generalist processes spelled out. And let it be said now that changing the behavior of men and officers towards a m ission an ever-changing times is a daunting task of the Philippine Army.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The Four Noble Truths

The four noble truths are considered to be fundamental teachings of Gautama Buddha. These truths lay groundwork on how man should view his existence in this world. Others have viewed these teachings as being too pessimistic. This is because of the focus on suffering/pain as an inextricable component of life. The four noble truths aim at recategorizing man’s experience as cause and effect, skllful and unskillful rather than me/not me and being/not being (Bikkhu, 1999). The first noble truth discusses about the nature of suffering (dukkha).It claims that the latter is experienced through our relations with others, in aging, in birth, in death, and in illness (â€Å"Four Noble Truths,† 2007). In short, it is the case that everyone would encounter some sort of pain whether mental or physical. Gautama Buddha tells us that we must learn to know/understand as well as accept these sufferings as facts of life. The Second noble truth is centered on the origin of suffering/dukkha- samudaya. Accordingly one suffers because he/she craves, this can either be sensual, for eternal existence or for self-destruction.Craving (or tanha) is a corruption of one’s mind and as such ought to be avoided (â€Å"the Second Noble Truth,† 2005). There is a need for us to confront and rid ourselves of attachments, hate, and our delusions. Craving or desire can lead one to lie, cheat and steal— in short to live a dishonest life. Inability to get one’s object of desire also leads to anger and frustration; which would be self-destructive to the individual (â€Å"The Cause of Suffering,† 2007). To be controlled by one’s desire is to remain in ignorance.The latter is considered to be the inability to see the truth about things. In order for one to overcome this he/she must seek wisdom through meditation and study. The third noble truth is the end of suffering. This will be made possible if one is able to rid of his/her ill will, craving, and ignorance. When we are able to end suffering, we will be able to attain full/ultimate happiness. It is the case that as one is able to transcend his/her desires and consequently pain; he/she would be able to become increasingly at peace and happy.Buddhist calls this transcending as supreme enlightenment whereas the person is able to achieve the same clarity as Buddha. The two main features of being enlightened is wisdom and great compassion (â€Å"enlightenment,† 2006). The fourth noble truth tells us how we could end suffering. Buddha teaches us that we must take the middle path in order for us to be enlightened. This goes to say that one should not live the extremes of life. One must not live in total luxury and indulgence but he/she must also not live is pure ascetism.Both these extremes are prone to error, even the one which seeks absolute purification of one’s existence. In line with this middle path, Buddha formulates the systematic cure to suffering which is the eight fold path. The latter could be seen as â€Å"self-help† guide on how to achieve enlightenment by following different steps. I think that the teachings of Gautama Buddha with regards to the four noble truths can be applied in everyday living and modern meditation. I believe that even if one is not an official Buddhist; he/she would find meaning in these teachings.After all if we come to take a keener look at what these truths are saying; we would realize that they can be used to make one lead a more clear and peaceful kind of life. The truths that Buddha speaks of can be used by anyone wanting to achieve clarity of the mind and wishes to lead a life free from internal and external conflicts. It is the case in order for a person to achieve this he must first recognize that he/she is prone to afflict him/her and others. She must take into consideration that the things she does in life would be for the removal of superficial cravings instead of indulging in vanity, greed, and pride.I personally believe that we would be able to apply the teachings of Buddha in our day to day existence. The cessation of over-craving, and suffering would lead to a life of personal illumination. Overcoming these tendencies would not only aid our selves but also influence for the better our relationship with other people. Buddhism gives us a path to spirituality that manifest itself in the way we do and deal with life. References: Bhikku, A. ,(1999). The Four Noble Truths: A Study Guide. Retrieved September 14 2007, from http:// www.accesstoinsight. org/lib/study/truths. html. (n. d. ). Four Noble Truths. Retrieved September 13, 2007, from http://buddhism. 2be. net/Four_Noble_Truths. (2005). The Second Noble Truth. In Access Insight, Retrieved September 13, 2007, from http://www. accesstoinsight. org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca2/index. html. Gyatso, G. K. , (2006). Buddhism and the Four Noble Truths. in Meditate in London. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www. meditat einlondon. org. uk/buddhism-the-four-noble-truths. php

Friday, September 27, 2019

Action research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Action research - Essay Example This study aims at analyzing the pros and cons of action research. This will aid in understanding the benefits accrued by practitioners as well as shortfalls of action research. Action research is a process of practitioners checking their work to confirm if it is as good as they want. As action research is done by, the practitioner is often referred to practitioner-based research or even self reflecting practice as it entails checking the effectiveness of work done personally (Dick 440). Action 5research is not a replacement of quasi-experimental research but acts as a means of finding out results where other research paradigms may not be effective. This is due to the difference in the conditions inherent with different research conditions for the choice of a research paradigm to be utilized. Action research is mainly used for the analysis of an ongoing situation for example performance in a work environment. A choice of a research paradigm depends on it being able to meet the method ology and goals of the research. Action research, as a paradigm, was mainly used for the improvement of the teaching profession, which is the main reason for pros and cons of action research examples being centered on education. ... This is possible owing to the better understanding of the practices in the profession that will be effective in meeting the needs and inculcated by practitioners for the development of the culture. Action research also has an advantage of augmenting the practitioner’s problem solving abilities within and without their service delivery centers. For teachers, this is possible through an interactive process of the augmented process of the teachers to be analytical in the course of taking part in research. Action research aids teachers to be more reflective of the situation they are faced in and the ability of meeting the requirements of the students. Critical analysis of own teaching styles and methods is another requirement of action research. The consequence of incorporation of critical evaluation of teaching styles, analysis, and reflection results in the ability of the teachers to solve problems. Action research has the ability of sharpening reasoning abilities of the practit ioner and aids them in the development of measures of self monitoring to augment performance effectiveness. Through action research, teachers become more aware of their teaching practices, the difference between practice and beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and learning of their pupils. This allows them to tailor their teaching in a well reasoned and with high skill to meet the learning requirements of their pupils. Action research also aids in the ability of teachers to focus on student explanation and conceptions. This is brought about by the fact that action research involves collecting data on student’s understanding and thinking, making teachers understand the students better (Calhoun 33) The research base of practitioners augments with participation in action research. This is due

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Energy supply chains and states Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Energy supply chains and states - Essay Example This paper will discuss the main actors in the oil supply chain and the roles they play, and analyze relations of power among the actors and regulation. It will also discuss the key arguments linking oil to war. Supply chains serve the key purpose of overcoming the gap between customers and suppliers and manufacturers (Bowersox, Closs & Cooper 2007). Operations that can only be done, or are best done, in distant locations are made possible by supply chain networks. Apart from their ability to bridge physical distance, or space gaps, supply chains also overcome, time gaps, quantity gaps, variety gaps and information gaps. Time gaps occur when the time between products being available and the time when consumers need to buy them differ. Quantity gaps occur when the stocks available from the suppliers cannot match the consumers’ demands, while variety gaps occur when consumers demand a wider product variety than can be available from one supplier. When there is an information gap , consumers are not able to know of the source or availability of products and the suppliers are also unable to know of potential consumers. The Main Actors and their Roles in the Oil Supply Chain In the oil industry, the key actors are the oil companies (which are the operators), the main contractors and sub contractors, and then the suppliers and consumers (Rushton, Croucher & Baker 2006). The existence of numerous actors has been necessitated by highly specialised and unique business processes, which encourage fragmentation. In the oil industry, the supply chain can distinctly be viewed through the different fragments concerned with exploration, production, refining, marketing and finally, the consumer. The oil companies, which may be state-owned or private organizations, interface on a worldwide scale with governmental entities, whereby some have direct links with the governments themselves. The main contractors are usually traditional service, construction or engineering firms, most of which have undergone nurturing under protective government policies on development for years. Suppliers and sub contractors are made up of regional agents, service companies and manufactures. The supply chain network is bound together by expertise, and the assumption that safety requirements and interruption-free operations should never come under compromise. Conventional definitions dictate that the large part of petroleum reserves are held by state-owned (or national) oil companies, which also produce most of the world’s crude oil supply. By virtue of their privilege of holding exclusive rights to the development and exploration of petroleum resources in their home countries, national oil companies also have the power to decide to what degree they may require the private companies’ participation in the activities of the industry. Further, the national oil companies are typically not compelled to strictly operate basing on market principles. For countries tha t are members of the

Defining and Measuring Quality in Health Care Organizations Term Paper

Defining and Measuring Quality in Health Care Organizations - Term Paper Example Strengths and weaknesses related to how quality is defined, measured, and monitored within the organization are also covered in this paper. Quality in Brookwood Medical Center is defined in terms of well structured and designed care practices, ability to recruit and maintain well trained employees, realization and putting into practice sound management practices, ability of the management to build a constructive and encouraging working environment, and fiscal health that initiates the attainment of quality practices. The kind of quality related measures currently being monitored in Brookwood Medical Center include balancing and outcome measures. In terms of balancing measures, the organization is investigating whether implemented strategies aimed at reducing patients waiting times are leading to other issues such as increased medical errors. Outcome measures according to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (2011) looks at "how the system impacts the values of patients, their health and wellbeing" (para. 4). For instance, Brookwood Medical Centre monitors the number of days to the next available appointment. Data collection for both balancing and outcome measures in Brookwood Medical Center is conducted through a sampling procedure. For balancing measures relating to whether reducing patients waiting times is leading to other health issues such as increased incidences of medical errors, four data collection are conducted on a monthly basis. A sample size of thirty patients per data collection is used. The number of patients re-admitted due to issues relating to medical errors is then determined. This information is communicated to the staff during weekly team meetings. One of the weaknesses relating to how quality is defined is the fact that differences in measurements may occur due to chance and risk factors (Mant, 2001). For instance, there may be underlying factors such as predisposition to specific

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Graphic Design of the 20 th Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Graphic Design of the 20 th Century - Essay Example By medieval times, the symbols within the great churches communicated meaning to the largely illiterate citizenry regarding their religion and the lessons to be learned from the Bible. It was graphics rather than words that typically called attention to a place of business within the towns and villages with names such as the â€Å"Boar’s Head† saloon and the â€Å"Red Lion† Inn. This use of symbols to provide a quick and easy message to customers can still be seen in use today, although now refined in keeping with its more sophisticated audience, as company logos. For most who study the development of graphic design, though, the typical starting point begins with the Arts and Crafts Movement of the 1860s and the Art Nouveau movement of the 1890s. To get a feel for the evolution of graphic communication, one must therefore trace the movements, events, people, places and technological innovations that have influenced its development. The start of the Arts and Crafts Movement is generally attributed to William Morris in response to the ever-encroaching identical sameness of the machine-made objects churned out during the Industrial Revolution. â€Å"Not only art but also everyday objects, buildings, dà ©cor, everything lacked a face, and it was the realization of its lack in this particular respect which began to make the period so cruelly conscious of its anonymity† (Cassau, 19). In everything they did, crafters working under its influence placed value in art created by hand for limited edition prints such as the highly scrolled first page of â€Å"The Nature of Gothic,† designed and printed by William Morris. This movement naturally evolved into the Art Nouveau movement of the 1880s and 1890s. Rather than repeatedly reinventing the ideals of their ancestors, these crafters wanted to develop a new style, one that emphasized ornament and the curving, flowing lines of nature. Using

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Transition From in Rem to in Personam Dimensions of Property Essay

Transition From in Rem to in Personam Dimensions of Property - Essay Example This paper is the best analysis of the most important theoretical concepts, developed by great economist and lawyers during last centuries, regarding the definition of a property. From the concept of right in rem, property rights impose a duty and attach to anyone, thus, providing a sense of security to a person who introduces improvement to the resources In the desire of the economists and economically oriented lawyers to define property in the context of the economic system, they drifted away from the in rem concept of property. They sought to determine property relationships in an economic perspective using some variables. This evolved property as a right to a thing to a mere collection of rights and privileges which are easily distributable, categorizing it as rights in personam. For the realists, the move to dethrone the concept of property as a natural right is politically motivated. Since property is a mere collection of interests, which social convention determines, the state may intervene, regulate and redistribute property. The state may vary list of interests for the general welfare, thereby allowing greater state intervention on economy and reducing the constitutional rights guaranteed to property owners Although law and economics movement was skeptical towards state intervention, its economic scholars embraced the legal realists conception of bundle-of-rights. To them, property is a listing by the state of permitted uses of a limited resource - the hyper-realist conception of property attributed to Ronald Coase. His 1960 article, The Problem of Social Cost, becomes the groundwork for later theorists on this subject. Three schools of thought followed Coase’s view of property as a collection of use rights.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Ecomerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ecomerce - Essay Example developed world, there is one upcoming piece of technology which might have a greater effect on the economies of the developing work than anything else in the past. The internet and electronic business might have got their start in America but the expansion and further development of their use will take place in countries like Venezuela, Brazil, India and other countries where the cost of computer equipment still places it out of reach for many people. This is where the $100 laptop and the one laptop per child program comes in, with the market penetration that the low cost laptop brings the number of people who are online will be increased many fold and along with that there will be additional input for e-commerce. In the coming years, EBay could get bids on products from across the world and other discount retailers could find themselves selling to individuals living in places where they wouldn’t even have dreamt of selling their wares. Fundamentally, the $100 laptop is a solution for bringing the internet to the real masses of the world that have till yet remained outside the information loop (Laptop.org, 2006). Since the laptop also functions as a capable internet device the information access and communication technology which is taken as a given by the developed world will also make their way towards the developing countries (Wikipedia, 2006). It may not be the perfect method to bring about equality in the world but it will certainly boost global e-commerce over the coming years. The central characteristic of the project is the cost of the laptop which is expected to start somewhere in the range between $130 and $140 initially when it is launched in 2007 (Zuckerman, 2005). However by the year 2008, when it is delivered in large numbers to distribution centres around the world, the cost is actually expected to be less than $100 (Stecklow, 2005). Additionally, due to the donations expected from large organizations which are supporting this initiative the

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Indictment of the United States in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Essay Example for Free

The Indictment of the United States in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Essay The Grapes of Wrath is a novel written by John Steinbeck. In the bulk of modern literature, it is consider a masterful epic unmatched in the realm of the written word. The novel centers around a family of workers who are immigrants The Joads. When the novel takes place they are in California attempting to survive the scarce conditions of the depression. Steinbeck monitors and recounts the ups and downs of the family and their experiences in United States. The Grapes of Wrath is an indictment of the United States because much of the plot is Steinbecks commentary on the rampant capitalism which literary sucked the land and the people dry during the 1930s. The story is based on real life excerpts of John Steinbecks field research. The real life conflict was created by greedy business men, and lending institutions which bought up land and employed workers to farm. The majority of these workers were lower class immigrant families that were paid so little that their struggles have often been paralleled to that of slavery which plagued the United States in the 16th and 17th centuries. The old adage was particularly relevant when examining this novel, as the rich get richer, the poor end up dead worked to death. Steinbeck is not casual in his assault of capitalism and it not fearful to express his disgust for the supposed American dream. He has a clear political viewpoint and asserts: the great fact: when property accumulates in too few hands it is taken away. And that companion fact: when a majority of the people are hungry and cold they will take by force what they need. And the little screaming fact that sounds throughout all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed. (333). A major theme developed by Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath is his believe that the survive of the lower class is based on their dedication to family. His approach is a delicate mixture of Marxism and Socialism, both of which promote cooperative living. In the context of the time, Steinbecks beliefs were not just controversial but also dangerous. The United States went through a two periods in which the government hunted after individuals they considered unamerican, the 1920s and the 1950s. This novel was written in the the 1930s. However, Steinbeck intricately weaves a tale of family strife, struggle, and survival, in The Grapes of Wrath, which has become a beloved and honored classic since its publication. Steinbecks depiction of the devastating conditions during the 1930s is historically accurate. In particular, Steinbeck articulately describes what a Dust Bowl actually is and how it was created. He explains that the great plains experienced the greatest droughts ever during the great depression. The Dust Bowl was created due to lack of rain and also the over use of the land. Once pieces of land are over farmed they lose their nutrients and crops will not grow. These areas, once plush with grass and trees became â€Å"virtual deserts. † It was this drought which forced families, hungry and tired, to see out new hope in the west. The west promised folks clean and cheap living, and with access to regular work. Steinbeck describes the Dust Bowl in the following way, â€Å"The wind increased, steady, unbroken gusts. The dusts from the roads fluffed up and spread out and fell on the weeds besides the fields . . .the sky was darkened by the mixing dust, and the wind felt over the earth, loosened the dust, and carried it away. † For the people living in these devastated lands, this was a very accurate account as to what the â€Å"weather† was like for weeks and months. There are two general groups of people at conflict in the novel the rich bosses and the labor force. Steinbeck writes heart wrenching characters of the lower class which are just barely surviving. These workers are victimized by the greedy upper classes, their bodies treated like commodities. The audience can feel nothing but empathy for these immigrant workers who toil the land drawing figures in the dust with bare toes, (10), while the men that own the land [sit] in their cars to talk out of the window, (43), making money on the backs of the poor folk. Steinbeck explains that these capitalists have never done a day of hard work in their life and their only motive in using big earth augers into the ground for soil tests (43) is to squeeze more money from the land they own. Steinbeck is also quick to point out that farmers and these land owners are different. While landowners corrupt the land leaving it near death with their iron penes [and] orgasms set by gears [rape] methodically, [rape] without passion. (50). Whereas the farmer works with the land keeping it healthy. He explains A bank isnt like a man. Or an owner with fifty thousand acres, he isnt like a man either. Thats the monster. (46). Steinbeck does offer an alternate choice to this capitalistic nightmare which is represented by the Weedpatch Camp. This a town in which folks elect their own cops (400), and everyone who lives and works in the town has say about the choices are made. It is within Weedpatch, that all people including immigrant are treated fairly and with kindness. Steinbeck asserts that it is socialism that ensures that there is respect, and equality between all its citizens. It is in Weedpatch that Joads family ends up and while their struggle is not over, at least their victimization is. Steinbeck fully explores the cruel experiences that many migrant workers had to face in the 1930s and continue to face today. Steinbeck accurately and historically portrays the perils which many family has to overcome in the newly capitalistic culture in the United States.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Manufacturing Processes Of Plastic Commerce Essay

Manufacturing Processes Of Plastic Commerce Essay Plastic is a major part of almost every industry imaginable. From food and beverage packaging, to childrens toys, to automotive applications, plastic is all around us. Plastic is a versatile material which can be used for many purposes depending on the specific properties. This report will explore the history of plastics, the manufacturing process, and what to expect from plastics in the future. For simplicity, we will look primarily at the two of the main types of plastics: high density polyethylene, HDPE, and polyethylene terephthalate, PET. These two types of plastic have been the stepping stones for other plastic discoveries and their properties attributed to the many bottle applications. There are different processes that correspond to each plastic type depending on the specifics of the end application. Quality control and quality assurance are vital to plastic companies. These departments provide the customer with the satisfaction of a well designed product, which is why it is so vitally important. There are other problems plastic companies face on a daily basis such as change-outs, direct printing, stopping time, and damaged goods. These problems are capable of setting a company back from profit, and there are solutions being made for each of these issues. Perhaps the biggest concern regarding the plastics industry today is about recycling and what is being done to reuse and conserve our natural resources and minimize the negative impact on the environment. Recycling needs to be faced head-on and the steps to reuse and minimize waste are explored in this paper. The History of Plastics Plastics have always been viewed in two different ways. On the one hand, some view plastics as one of the most useful materials ever made, but on the other hand some see plastics are artificial, toxic, and detrimental to the environment. Plastic is a material that is engineered by men and can be shaped into almost any desirable form. They were designed in order to replace prominent products with an inexpensive yet efficient substitute. For centuries people have used natural resins similar to plastic, but not until the mid-1800s, did the commercial development of plastics begin (Plastics 563). In 1862, the first man-made plastic was developed by Alexander Parkes. This plastic, known as Parkesine, was designed to be molded and yet retain its shape when cooled, in order to replace natural rubber (Masterson). Later in the decade John W. Hyatt developed a material to eliminate the need for ivory in the manufacturing of billiard balls. In 1870 the material was patented and named celluloid, and this was the first synthetic plastic to succeed commercially (Plastics 563). This plastic was a breakthrough, but did have a problem with being highly flammable. Other plastics would soon be invented to fix these problems and cover a wide variety of products. In 1909, Leo Baekeland patented a resin (a material made from acids) known as Bakelite which helped pave the way for the development of commercial plastics. Bakelite opened the door to scientists to begin to understand the chemistry of plastics (Plastics 564). All plastics belong to one of two groups, thermosetting plastics and thermoplastics. Thermosetting plastics are plastics that are heated but can only be molded once. Since we are covering the manufacturing of plastic bottles, we will not deal with this type of plastic. Bottles are commonly recycled, requiring the reformation of a plastic, which is the definition of thermoplastics. The thermoplastic we are most interested in is polyethylene (PE). Polyethylene was first produced in 1933 and used on radar systems during World War II to make them light enough for airplanes (Masterson). The rise of polyethylene continued after the war and became one of the most used plastics in the world. In 1953, high density polyethylene (HDPE) was invented by Karl Ziegler and Erhard Holzkamp and used in the production of pipes (Gabriel). However, this material didnt reach success until 1956 with the breakthrough of the Hula Hoop. The toy led to the high commercialization of HDPE being used in pipes, which revealed the materials usefulness in the making of other products such as detergent and baby bottles (Ceresana Research). Another form of PE which will be of interest is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which was invented in 1941 by John Whinfield and James Dickson. PET was generally used in clothing but began to see more use in the manufacturing of bottles (Bellis). Not until the early 1970s did PET see use in plastic bottle manufacturing. Nathaniel Wyeth developed this bottle, by improving the method of manufacturing the bottle through blow molding. Blow molding was developed earlier in the 1940s but was inefficient because of inconsistent products. In 1973 Wyeth improved this method, leading to how bottles are currently made by stretch blow molding (Secrest). Plastics have evolved from a little known substance into materials completely facilitated in many areas of production. Although the first substantial invention was credited in 1862, the general public didnt use the word until the mid 1930s (Masterson). Currently, in 2010, plastics have woven their way into many facets of manufacturing and production, yet these innovative breakthroughs have also brought many new challenges. Plastics Types Plastics come with unique properties and colors. Their ability to be molded into nearly any shape while maintaining their strength at a low cost makes them an ideal material for many uses. From piping to bottles, plastic is a very common and highly useful material. Not every type of plastic can be applied in the same way as another type. Each type of plastic also has its own advantages and disadvantages. An example of the different characteristics of plastics can be seen when comparing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and high-density polyethylene. PVC is a type of plastic often found in piping materials while HDPE is a plastic that is often used in bottles containing materials such as detergent. PVC is very rigid and suited to applications requiring weathering resistance, inherent flame resistance, high gloss, abrasion resistance, and low cost (Bryce 129). HDPE, on the other hand, has a good balance of chemical resistance, low-temperature, impact strength, light weight, and low cost (Bryce 122). Both materials are useful in their own rights, but some plastics are much better than others at different tasks. Plastic bottles are generally made from three different types of plastic. HDPE is a material generally found in detergent bottles, such as Tide or Gain. PET is a plastic often found in drink bottles. Lastly, polypropylene is a plastic often found in clear bottles with small handles, such as a hand soap refill bottle. Each of these plastics has their advantages and disadvantages, which the industry is trying to overcome so that each plastic can be used more widely. HDPE HDPE is very commonly seen in colored, opaque plastic bottles. A large advantage of HDPE in bottle making is its ability to be layered. For example, Tropicana orange juice bottles are a multilayered, allowing the orange juice to stay fresh longer by keeping the outside environment from touching the juice contained inside. This layering process is not limited to just this bottle (Knueve). In Tide brand bottles, there are 3 layers. The outer layer is made of virgin material, HDPE that has never been used before, and the color. The middle layer contains PCR, post consumer recycle, and regrind, which is the reground excess flash that comes off other bottles. The inner layer, or the layer that touches the product is another layer of virgin material. This layering system allows the product to be stronger and also helps keep the product safer from the outside environment (Knueve). The main reason for layering however is to consume PCR and regrind while also maintaining a protective interface layer with the product. This can also allow the color (external) and internal layers to be much thinner. A typical detergent bottle is 15% outer, 65% middle and 20% inner (Hatch). If a material is sensitive to the outside environment or even oxygen, a six layer bottle is possible. Similar to the composition of the three layer bottle, the outside layer consists of the virgin material and the next layer is regrind. However, the next three layers is what helps give the bottle the protection to the environment. Most environmental barriers do not bind well with the HDPE, so an adhesive layer must be added to each side of the barrier layer. The inside adhesive layer is then attached to the sixth and final layer, which consists of virgin resin (Knueve). HDPE is a good material choice because it is a low cost plastic. Often made using a blow mold process, bottles made from high-density polyethylene often show very good performance during bottle drop tests, a test for impact strength. HDPE also shows high low temperature toughness along with excellent resistance to chemicals and good electrical insulating properties (Lee 190). HDPE, also has some disadvantages as well. Due to the nature of the material, it has low clarity. Also, the neck dimensions are less accurate than that compared to PET bottles because of the blow molding process (Knueve). PET PET is often found in carbonated drinking bottles, such as Mountain Dew or plastic water bottles. PET bottles are often formed in injection blow molding, as opposed to extrusion blow molding. This type of plastic incorporates stiffness and good heat tolerance (Bryce 120). PET bottles are also very clear. When compared to an HDPE bottle, such as a milk container, you can easily tell which bottle is made from which type of plastic. Due to the injection blow mold process PET have neck dimensions that are much more accurate. Lastly, after a bottle is blown, the temperature drops much faster due to PET having much thinner walls, allowing less cooling time during manufacturing (Knueve). This also increases the rate at which you can produce PET bottles when compared to HDPE bottles. PET also has its disadvantages. The biggest and most obvious problem is that you are unable to blow a handle into this type of plastic. This causes issues when bottles become increasingly large, such as gallon or larger sized containers. Recently, external handles have been produced which have created a solution to this problem .These external handles can be added during the injection blow mold process, or after the bottle has been blown. Examples of these types of bottles can be found in stores today on products such as Lipton Green Tea (Knueve). Polypropylene A third type of plastic used in bottles is polypropylene which is mainly used in bottle closures. Although not common in bottles, polypropylene can be found in products that resemble PET bottles, such as a hand soap bottle. A large advantage of this material is that it can resemble a PET bottle in its gloss and clarity, but can be formed with a handle (Knueve) using an extrusion blow molding process. Polypropylene also has good impact strength unless a low temperatures. Polypropylene bottles also have good chemical resistance, high abrasion resistance and high melt strength (Lee 194). These characteristics are very similar to that of HDPE, but in bottle drop tests, especially at low temperatures, a HDPE bottle will fare better and show more impact strength (Knueve). Each type of plastic has tradeoffs however. Although HDPE has more impact strength, it is very opaque and less shiny when compared to a polypropylene bottle. Plastic Bottle Creation The first common step in any bottle making process is extrusion. Extrusion is the process by which the plastic resin is mixed and melted. Similar to a meat mincer, plastic is fed from a hopper in certain predetermined quantities and is then melted. This process mixes plastic resin together to form a uniform mixture (Lee 103). Continuous Extrusion Blow Molding (Wheel) Extrusion blow molding is a very common technique in the creation of HDPE bottles. The process of forming the bottle in extrusion blow molding is a five step process. First, the plastic resin is melted in the extruder and mixed. This melted resin then enters a die which forms the melted plastic resin into a molten hollow tube know as a parison. The parison is then fed into a mold which clamps shut. A blow pin pierces the parison inside the mold in a section of the bottle known as flash and high pressure air is injected causing the plastic to spread throughout the mold taking on the shape of the inside of the mold. After some cooling time, the piece is ejected and the flash is trimmed (Hatch). A multilayered HDPE bottle is achieved through the use of multiple extruders each feeding into the same die forming a multilayered parison. The rotary wheel and shuttle system are the two most common types of continuous extrusion blow molding. In a wheel process only a single parison is formed. The molds are mounted to a wheel and rotate around at a slow speed. As they travel past the extruder, the mold closes, encasing the parison. With the wheel, at any given moment, the parison is being captured, a part is being molded, a molded part is being cooled and a cooled part is being removed (Lee 109). Two major disadvantage of the rotary system is the complexity and setup of the clamp mechanism and the inability to produce calibrated neck finishes (Lee 110). Later in the paper, we discuss how the speed of change outs is improving, allowing this type of technology to become more dominant. Continuous Extrusion Blow Molding (Shuttle) The shuttle system follows the same principles as the rotary system. However, the molds are kept on a track. Instead of one parison being produced, the shuttle technology produces as many parisons as there are molds (Hatch). When accepting the parison, the molds clamp when the molten tube reaches the proper length. This group of molds then moves quickly back to the blowing station after the parison is cut and a blow pin enters the mouth of the bottle forming the mouth of the bottle and then blowing the remainder of the parison into the mold cavity. Shuttle molds have a few distinct advantages over a wheel. The amount of flash produced in this method is much less because the parison length matches the bottle length. In a wheel method, the parison in-between the molds can vary because of the mold spacing around the wheel. Along with more efficient trim, a shuttle system creates a calibrated neck, where as a wheel system needs to have a separate process done to finish the neck of the bottle (Hatch). Injection Reheat Stretch Blow Molding Injection reheat stretch blow molding is often used for PET bottles. This technology is a two-step process. First, the molten resin is injected into a mold cavity which forms the threads, neck and body. This shape is then transferred to a different mold where it is expanded forming the shape of the bottle (Lee 124). The first step creates what is known as a preform. These preforms do not need to be used directly after they are formed. Using quartz lights, the preforms are re-heated until they are in a pliable state where a rod then stretches them downward while a blast of high pressure air expands the bottle into the shape of the mold (Lee 124). Significant engineering goes into the design of the preform. The plastic distribution in the final bottle is obtained through the plastic distribution in the preform as well as selectively reheating the preform. The hotter areas after reheating will flow more producing thinner areas. Through the combination of preform design and reheating you can redistribute plastic to areas of the bottle that need extra strength and thin out areas of the bottle dont need the added strength. Typically the shoulder and base of the bottle have thicker areas to produce a bottle that can carry sufficient top load (Hatch). Injection stretch blow molding This process is normally considered a one step process because the preforms are produced in groups equivalent to the number of molds. This process is intermittent so instead of the preforms being manufactured and stored for later use the preforms are produced within the bottle blower. This technology is much slower that the process described above but has several inherent benefits. The first benefit is that you can produce wide mouth containers without concern for the injection mold efficiencies. In normal injection blow molding operations, the bottles have a smaller neck and some machines can create up to 144 preforms at one time. However, with a wider mouth bottle, there is less room to make each preform. Therefore, creating preforms to use at a later time, which is the reheat stretch blow process, it is much more efficient to blow directly after forming the preform. Secondly, because of the slower blowing speed this technology is well suited for smaller volume products where produ ction better matches the demand (Hatch). Quality Assurance Quality Control The traditional way to ensure that the customer received an error free product is quality control testing. In this process the products that are already manufactured undergo certain tests to determine whether or not the products meet the standards required. It is common in manufacturing that only a sampling of the products are tested not every individual item. In some facilities it would not be economical or efficient to test every single item so random samples must be used (Kalpakjian 1073). An example of a quality control test in the manufacturing of plastic bottles is to verify the thickness of the bottle walls at various locations. It would be difficult to measure the thickness at all locations using a caliper so an alternative is to slice the bottle into sections. The sections are cut using hot wires to ensure a clean cut and the bottle is always located in the same position in order to make sure the resulting sections are always the same. The sections are then weighed and compa red with standard values to ensure that the plastic is spreading appropriately throughout the mold (Knueve). It is not expected that all sections would weigh the same since specific areas need to be stronger than others such bottle shoulder or bases. Automated inspection is another process that is very prevalent in the manufacturing of products. Sensor systems are designed that measure relevant parameters of the products as they proceed through the production line. Since the products are inspected during the manufacturing process any defective ones can be removed before they reach another manufacturing process (Kalpakjian 1070). The advantage to this is that time is not wasted performing another process on an item that has already been deemed unacceptable. A problem with this process of quality control is that there is always the chance that defective products could reach the customer. Leak Tester Plastipak employs multiple quality control stations throughout their HDPE production lines to ensure that all the products that reach the consumer are of the highest quality. The main purpose of a bottle is to contain a liquid so naturally one of the most important tests along the production line is the leakage test. The bottles will be used to contain liquids but it would not be efficient to take the time to fill the bottles to capacity, ensure there are no leaks, and drain them. Also that method could lead to potential contamination and the need to completely dry the internal surface of the bottle. The solution to this method is to test for leaks with air pressure. There are multiple nozzle heads at this station and a revolving loop is incorporated into the production line at this station. When the bottle reaches this station an air tight nozzle is applied to the opening of the bottle and air is pumped into the bottle until it reaches a certain pressure (Knueve). The revolving loop allows multiple bottles to be tested at one time to ensure production is not slowed. The bottle then proceeds through the loop and if the pressure holds the bottle proceeds down the production line. If the bottle does not hold the specified pressure the bottle is taken off the line after it exits the test station by a burst of air from a nozzle locate on the side of the production line (Hatch). In order to ensure that this quality control station is functioning properly it is periodically challenged. Plastipak originally created calibrated bottles by drilling a small hole in the bottle. They recognized that not only does this create a waste of material but also leads to the chance that if the test machine is not functioning properly a defective bottle would reach the customer. The solution to this problem was to modify the machine by creating a leak of pressure (Knueve). When the test station is going to be challenged a solenoid is adjusted so that it leaks air which creates the dr op in pressure which in turn triggers the rejection of the bottle after it exits the loop. After the challenging of the test station is complete the bottles that were rejected while the solenoid was leaking can be run through the test station again eliminating the unnecessary waste of materials or risk of the challenge bottles being shipped to the customer (Knueve). Label Checker Another quality control station on the production line ensures that the labels are correct and in the right position. As the bottles travel down the line they pass through a device that takes an image of the bottle with the label on it. The software in the station is designed to recognize that specific portions of the label are orientated at specific locations on the bottle (Knueve). Once again if the bottle does not pass this test an air nozzle is located where the bottles exit the station and a burst of air is used to remove the bottle from the line. Much like the leak test station the label verifier must be challenged in order to ensure that it is functioning properly. Some defective label bottles are purposely sent down the production lines when the system is being challenged. Some examples that would be rejected are bottles with no label, skewed label, or the wrong label (Knueve). At Plastipak the tolerances are set so low that often the few bottles rejected in this station woul d still meet the standards set forth by the customer (Hatch). Spout Verifier There are certain bottles that are manufactured at Plastipak that require exterior pouring spouts attached to them. The bottles travel down the production and the spouts are secured to the bottles with an adhesive (Knueve). The spouts must be orientated in a certain direction to allow the bottle to be poured properly. A test station is situated immediately after these spouts are applied. There are many sensors located at this station to ensure that the spout will function properly. One of the sensors monitors the temperature of the spouts before they are placed on the bottle because if they are not at the correct temperature it will not seal correctly (Hatch). Immediately after the spout is placed on the bottle there is another set of sensors to ensure it was attached correctly. Two sensors located at specific locations measure to make sure the spout is orientated in the correct plane. A third sensor at the same location is used to make sure there are no gaps between the bottle and t he spout (Hatch). Finally there is a sensor that verifies the spout is the correct color. When Plastipak challenges this station they purposely send bottles through the station with spouts not positioned correctly or no spouts at all (Knueve). They also send bottles with the wrong color spout down the production line. The color recognition sensor is critical because they do not manufacture the spouts (Knueve). Process Control An alternative to a quality control system is quality process control (Quality Assurance). In a quality process control method the focus is shifted from the items produced to the processes that make the items. If the process can be fine-tuned to produce exactly the same product consistently and correctly there would be no need to check that it is to specifications and defect free. In an ideal world the production lines could be set once to produce a perfect product not only today but two years later. The reality is that things such as equipment failures, variations in the material, or unauthorized adjustments among other things could lead to the production of defective items (Gordon 424). The solution to this problem is that the processes must be monitored to ensure they are being performed within acceptable limitations. All of the monitoring systems can be networked that allows management to easily observe whether or not the processes are being performed correctly which in turn tell s them high quality products are being produced (Gordon 286). The system also has the ability to alert the operators when a process is not being performed correctly and in some cases actually shut down the production line if necessary (Gordon 287). The temperature of the resin right before the bottle is formed is an example of a key process that could be monitored. The obvious problem is that the products produced while the temperature is decreased more than likely will be defective. Another potential problem is that it could damage the molds and machinery further down the production line. If the company relied on the old method it would take the operator recognizing the error or it reaching a quality control station further down the line which would still require someone to recognize the problem and take action. In the new process control system the temperature drop could be easily detected by a thermometer and the line could automatically be shut down before a catastrophic failure. The quality process system would enable the company to streamline their production lines. Streamlining is eliminating as many activities from the production process that do not add value to the product. While the quality control checks are necessar y in situations; they do nothing to add more value to the product. Quality Assurance In the system of quality processes the quality checks that you perform actually turn into quality assurance. Since the process is being monitored to ensure correct items are being produced all quality tests that are being performed through the production line are more out of a need of assurance compared to necessity (Hatch). The question is then posed why are the production line inspections still necessary if in theory every item produced in this system is defect free. The reality is there will always be a minute amount of variation in the products being produced. The variation could be from a range of things for example quality of incoming material or wear on the machines being used (Kalpakjian 1073). There are a multitude of benefits from putting the quality into the processes instead of waiting until the product is manufactured to be concerned with quality. In the manufacturing of plastic bottles it will eliminate the amount of scrap and waste materials produced (Hatch). Also it w ill increase the reliability of the machines which improves efficiency that naturally leads to more profit. Most importantly quality process control will lead to an increase in satisfied customers (Gordon 573). Plastipak Usage Plastipak created a system that integrates all of their process control methods into a single entity. When they first began developing the system their core goals were to simply obtain a count of the bottles produced and the amount of downtime (Knueve). Plastipak realized that there was the potential to go a step further and monitor individual processes within the production line. A computer system was developed that allows management to view the status and performance of many different components of the production from any computer with internet access. The system also has an automated email system that alerts the appropriate management positions when significant malfunctions occur or there is a period of extended downtime (Knueve). A few examples of processes that are monitored are air pressure, water temperature, plastic temperature, downtime frequency and length, and reject count at different steps (Knueve). The different test stations described earlier at Plastipak now are a mea ns of assurance since the products produced meet the required specifications. Recycling The introduction of plastics into manufacturing and production has brought about a disposal problem. Being so successful, PET has attributed to this problem greatly. Since a large number of bottles are being produced, once used up these bottles create large amounts of waste because most plastics do not readily break down. These products usually were thrown away, but because of environmental concerns, active solutions were sought out. Recycling is one of the most pertinent actions taken to decrease the amount of waste created by plastic. It is a process designed to recover and reuse material, which helps conserve raw materials and keeps those materials out of landfills (Recycling 184). Instead of throwing away the bottles, people instead are encouraged to recycle them, in which case the bottles will make be used again in the manufacturing process of the same or other products. There are typically two types of recycled material used by industries: materials that have been used by consu mers and waste materials from the production process. However both of these materials can be reused in the production process in much of the same manner. These materials are usually separated by type and then broken down in different ways for reuse. Thermoplastics are re-melted and reformed into new products, or new bottles. Thermosetting plastics are usually grounded into powders or shredded, in which these are used for other products such as insulators in clothing (Recycling 184). Recycled PET was used in many other products until 1991, when the first PET bottle was made from recycled PET. This bottle was made by Coca-Cola and Hoechst Celanese Corporation and consisted of 25% recycled PET (Secrest). This paved the way for other measures taken to increase the efficiency of recycling plastics. The Process The process of recycling PET and HDPE products has been refined and engineered to get the most use out of recycled products. Typically the process is as follows: 1. All of the recycled products and waste are collected together and sent into large bales. 2. The bales are shipped to where a bale breaker which rips apart the bales. 3. The bottles are sorted by resin and color. 4. These are shredded into tiny flakes. 5. The flakes are cleaned and melted. 6. The plastic is extruded into pellets which are used in the process of forming new plastics. This completes the process of reusing the recycled plastic, where the cycle starts over for the manufacturing of plastic products (How Plastic Bottles Are Recycled). Unfortunately, recycled PET encounters problems for the manufacturing process. Although the cycle is an advantage for the environment and limiting waste, recycled PET is typically more expensive to use and has lower quality than virgin PET. Recycled PET also is regulated by the FDA which creates more restrictions (Koester). Although it would be environmentally friendly to use more recycled material in each product, it is not the most efficient decision because there are limitations involved. One reason is that the recycled material is generally more expensive. The curbside programs designed to recycle materials are not available everywhere and completely adequate. If these programs could be improved then the materials price may decrease and the quantity may increase. Also, the product needs to have a balance of ingredients, because there are limitations to the amount of each ingredient. If a bottle was

Friday, September 20, 2019

Eating Disorders and Ballet - Anorexia Nervosa is Eating the Soul of Yo

Eating Disorders and Ballet - Anorexia Nervosa is Eating the Soul of Young Dancers The applauding audience, the lights, sequins and feathers, the colorful, elaborate tutus, and satin pointe shoes capture the hearts of young girls. Where else can a young girl dream of becoming a princess, a swan, a dancing snowflake or flower, or a sugarplum fairy? Where else can she be a fairy tale character like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty? Where else can she be rescued by her handsome prince and collapse into his arms? Ballet is the magical world where these dreams can come true. Young girls and women can be all of these things, symbolizing femininity in a culture that teaches young girls to be and want everything pink and pretty. However, in the shadow of the spotlight lurks an abusive world of eating disorders and malnourished dancers. When the performance ends, the dancers return to their regular routine of dancing five to seven hours a day, including both classes and rehearsal. During auditions, performances, and sometimes at random, it is not uncommon for a dancer to walk into what she thinks will be her daily ballet class and find a scale set up in the center of the dance studio instead (S. Gordon 42). These â€Å"weigh-ins† are arranged ahead of time but kept a secret from the dancers. A director from American Ballet Theatre explained that warning the dancers of the â€Å"weigh-in† to come would defeat the purpose. â€Å"A fore-warned dancer is a fore-starved dancer† (S. Gordon 43). Not only are the dancer’s weights recorded and compared but many times they are read aloud to the entire class. Famous choreographer George Balanchine was known to comment to his dancers, â€Å"Eat nothing!† and â€Å"I must see bones!† as he poked t... ..., Felicia. Understanding Anorexia Nervosa. Spring Field, IL, 1986. Rosenberg, Z'ev. "It's Your Metabolism, Not Your Diet". July 1994. 17, Oct. 2003. http://www.natural-connection.com. Something Fishy. â€Å"The Incidence rate of Anorexia in ballet dancers†. Oct. 2003. 17, Oct. 2003. http://www.something-fishy.org/cultural/ballet.php . SouthCoast Today. â€Å"Eating Disorder Blamed in Dancer’s Death†. 17, Oct. 2003. 17, Oct. 2003. http://www.s-t.com/daily/07-97/07-11-97/a03sr019.htm Vandereycken, Walter. From Fasting Saints to Anorexic Girls; the History of Self-Starvation. Washington Square, NY: New York University Press,1994. Wuhl, Charles M. â€Å"Anorexia Nervosa†. The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: Scott Fetzer, 1987. Young, Margi. â€Å"Dancing In Your Own Skin†. Oct. 2003. 27, Oct. 2003. http://www.dancespirit.com/backissues/april01/dancersbody.shtml.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Damnation of a Canyon Essay -- Edward Abbey Nature Environment Essays

The Damnation of a Canyon   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not many people know of the used-to-be 150-mile excursion that the Glen Canyon had to offer. Not many people know how to sail a raft down a river for a week. Not many people know how to interact with nature and the animals that come with it. We seem to come from a world that is dependent on time and consumed in money. Edward Abbey is what you would call an extreme environmentalist. He talks about how it was an environmental disaster to place a dam in which to create Lake Powell, a reservoir formed on the border of Utah and Arizona. He is one of the few that have actually seen the way Glen Canyon was before they changed it into a reservoir. Today, that lake is used by over a million people, and is one of the biggest recreation hot spots in the western United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, Edward Abbey admits to being a certain bias and that he is a, â€Å"butterfly chaser, googley eyed bleeding heart and wild conservative.† So, in other words he is intending this article to be read by environmental activist who will support his opinion and the action that he is trying to take. Edward Abbey worked as a seasonal park ranger for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area back in 1967, so of course he would be against any environmental action taken to change the canyon. He stated that before the damnation of the canyon that there were streams, waterfalls, plunge pools, and plenty of wildlife. Now you can only find that on a small scale and that these thing...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

An Analysis of Komanuyakaa Facing It Essay -- Komanuyakaa Facing It E

An Analysis of Facing It  Ã‚      Yusef Komanuyakaa's poem "Facing It" is a brutal examination of the affects that war leaves upon men. The reader can assume that Komanuyakaa drew upon his own experiences in Vietnam, thereby making the poem a personal statement. However, the poem is also a universal and real description of the pain that comes about for a soldier when remembering the horror of war. He creates the poem's persona by using flashbacks to the war, thereby informing the reader as to why the speaker is behaving and feeling the way he is. The thirty-one lines that make up "Facing It" journey back and forth between present and past to tell the story of one man's life. The informal language and intimacy of the poem are two techniques the poet uses to convey his message to his audience. He speaks openly and simply, as if he is talking to a close friend. The language is full of slang, two-word sentences, and rambling thoughts; all of which are aspects of conversations between two people who know each other well. The fact that none of the lines ryhme adds to the idea of an ordinary conversation, because most people do not speak in verse. The tone of the poem is rambling and gives the impression that the speaker is thinking and jumping from one thought to the next very quickly. His outside actions of touching the wall and looking at all the names are causing him to react internally. He is remembering the past and is attempting to suppress the emotions that are rising within him. The first two lines of the poem set the mood of fear and gloom which is constant throughout the remainder of the poem. The word choice of "black" to describe the speaker's face can convey several messages (502). The most obvious meaning ... ..." the speaker is telling his audience that the dead soldier was a young man. The tenderness of his age further amplifies the horrific nature of war. The poem's persona and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall depend on each other to express the poem's intention. The poem's intention is to show that war is lethal, less than gloriful, and extremely real. Although years have gone by, these recollections are still affecting how he lives. Simply standing in front of the wall reminds the speaker of all of this. The Veterans Memorial takes on a life of its own. While the speaker is in its presense, the wall controls him. It forces him to remember painful memories and even cry, something he promised himself he would not do. The persona in the poem reacts to the power the wall has and realizes that he must face his past and everything related to it, especially Vietnam.   

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Raymond’s Run Essay Essay

This is a story by the writer Toni Cade Bambara who describes the events that take place in the life of a skinny girl named Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker, a little African-American girl with a squeaky voice that has passion to run. However the tale begins describing the members of her family, the author writes more about Hazel and her brother Raymond. Raymond is not quite right; apparently he suffers a metal disease. He’s bigger and older than Hazel, but a lot of people call him Hazel’s little brother because he needs to be looking after. â€Å"Squeaky† often takes strolls down Broadway so she can practice her breathing exercises while she keeps an eye on her brother all the time. She makes Raymond walk on the inside because he always makes fantasies so he starts thinking he’s a circus performer and that the curb is a tightrope strung high in the air. Hazel is known as Mercury because she is the swiftest thing in the neighborhood, only her father can beat her to Amsterdam Avenue with Hazel having a two hydrant head start and him running with his hands in his pockets and whistling. Hazel is loyal to her brother, always ready to protect him. She’s a person, who doesn’t tolerate standing and listening talks from somebody else, she likes to get right over things quickly. She doesn’t like much a girl named Gretchen and her friends Mary Louise Williams from Baltimore and Rosie because Gretchen’s a potential rival for the fifty-yard dash. She believes she’s tough, not a strawberry or someone who enjoys dancing on her toes, she likes to run and this passion had made her to win many trophies, ribbons and it’s because of her velocity. Every time just before she takes off in a race, she feels like she is in a dream, the kind you have when you’ve fever and feel hot and weightless. She usually dreams she flies over a sandy beach in the early morning sun, touching the leaves of the trees. She also perceives the smell of apples just like in the country when she used to think she was a choo-choo train. Near the end Hazel competes against Gretchen P. Lewis at the May Day races, she wins and Gretchen comes in second. This result makes her realize that she is not the only working person who tries hard to get things done, so she started to look her rival in a very different way with a big smile of respect between them. So there she was, thinking about all the prices she’s have got and that she could retire by the time, it occurred to her that she could train her brother to become a champion as the tradition of the family is. Other characters:

Monday, September 16, 2019

Organizational Culture Essay

Organizational Culture has been described as the shared values, principles, traditions, and ways of doing things that influence the way organizational members act. In most organizations, these shared values and practices have evolved over time and determine, toa a large extent, how things are done in the organization. This definition continues to explain organizational values, described as â€Å"beliefs and ideas about what kinds of goals members of an organization should pursue and ideas about the appropriate kinds or standards of behavior organizational members should use to achieve these goals. From organizational values develop organizational norms, guidelines, or expectations that prescribe appropriate kinds of behavior by employees in particular situations and control the behavior of organizational members towards one another. † The definition of culture implies three things. The culture is ‘perspective’, ‘descriptive’ and finally ‘shared’ within the organization. Research suggests that there are seven dimensions that describe and organization’s culture. Each of the seven dimensions (shown in exhibit 1) ranges from low to high, meaning it is not very typical of the culture (low) or is very typical of the culture (high). The seven dimensions of culture are: Attention to Detail. Outcome Orientation. People Orientation. Team Orientation. Aggressiveness. Stability. Innovation and Risk Taking. The culture of an organization can either be Strong or Weak. It is the culture, that sometimes influence the employees’ behaviors and actions. Strong Culture is said to exist where staff respond to stimulus because of their alignment to organizational values. In such environments, strong cultures help firms operate like well oiled machines, cruising along with outstanding execution and perhaps minor tweaking of existing procedures here and there. Research shows that strong cultures are those in which the key values are deeply held and widely shared and have a greater influence on employees than do weaker cultures. A â€Å"Strong† culture may be especially beneficial to firms operating in the service sector since members of these organizations are responsible for delivering the service and for evaluations important constituents make about firms. Research indicates that organizations may derive the following benefits from developing strong and productive cultures: †¢Better aligning the company towards achieving its vision, mission, and goals †¢High employee motivation and loyalty †¢Increased team cohesiveness among the company’s various departments and divisions. †¢Promoting consistency and encouraging coordination and control within the company †¢Shaping employee behavior at work, enabling the organization to be more efficient. However, in a strong culture, people do things because they believe it is the right thing to do, this often creates a state where people, even if they have different ideas, do not challenge organizational thinking, therefore, resulting in a reduced capacity for innovative thoughts. Most organizations have moderate to strong cultures; that is, there is relatively high agreement on what’s important, what defines â€Å"good† employee behavior, what it takes to get ahead, and so forth. However, it is also important to view what a weaker culture in an organization may yield at: An organization’s culture is often established by its top managers and it starts at the selection process. For instance, during the employee selection process, managers typically judge job candidates not only on the job requirements but also on how well they might fit into the organization. Further to that, the risk-taking appetite and irreverence to its competitors by the top managers paves the growth and action of an organization.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

My Vocation

Well, this story is a long one, as are most of my stories, but here it goes†¦ My vocation story is simple; it began with a thought from God that my life was meant for something more. This thought resounded â€Å"priesthood† not only in my head, but also in my day-to-day life. Very carefully, through the influence of my parents, through the desire to attend Holy Mass more regularly throughout the week, and through my experiences with the other member of our church especially choir, God Holy Spirit (Mahal na Ingkong) was calling me to the priesthood.The first boy in a family of eight children,  I grew up in a Catholic family that for the most part went to Mass every Sunday. I attended the parochial school at the parish my family went to for grades one to eight. Through the school, I made my first confession when I was in the second grade and received my First Holy Communion in the third grade. Also through the parish school, I began serving at Mass in the fourth grade. Du ring this time I never considered a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. I remember that in the first few years of grade school I felt a sense of awe when I stepped inside a church.At some point during grade school, that feeling of awe and that the church building was somehow different went away. As time went on, I went to Mass on Sundays and received Communion largely because that is what my family did on Sundays and I went along. After I graduated from the sixth grade, I attended a private high school in the area that was an excellent college preparatory school. During this time I prepared for and received the Sacrament of Confirmation at my family's parish. I was mildly interested in receiving the Sacrament but to some extent, I received it because it was the next step in the life of a Catholic.My spiritual life as I graduated high school and prepared to go off to college can be summarized by the word â€Å"mechanical†. I prayed before meals with my family because that is what we did. I went to Church on Sunday because that is what my family did. I prayed before bed because that is what my mother taught me. None of that would last very long after I went to college and was on my own. During my teenage years my grandmother are hoping that I would become a priest someday. Upon hearing how she mentioned the news to my relative, I was dumbfounded.I think it was more a reaction to have a loving God in an unloving world, and my thoughts were more along the lines that if I ignored God, maybe He would just go away†¦ After high school, I attended Divine Mercy College and a working student. I attend Sunday on my own for about half of my first quarter as a freshmen and then stopped. When I was home for Christmas, Spring break, and summer, I went to Mass along with my family but did not receive Communion. Towards the end of my sophomore year, my best friend knowing I was Catholic began to ask why Catholics did certain thingsMy Best friend is not a t ypical type of religious catholic person. What he knew of the Catholic faith he had learned from so he â€Å"knew† Catholics worshiped Mary and the saints and did not read the bible. I had no idea how to answer his questions or statements regarding Catholic beliefs. I was for the large part ignorant of what Catholics believed and why we did things the way we did them, even after six years of ignorance in worshipping influenced by my parents. When praying the rosary for example, I did not know one was supposed to mediate on each of mysteries while reciting the prayers. My best friend repeated what he had learned about Catholic beliefs and I was clueless and unable to respond. I was motivated by my best friend questions to learn what Catholics believed. I may not have learned much during my years in our home but one assertion in particular made by my best friend drew my attention. It was the statement that Catholics worship statues. I definitely could not explain why that was f alse but I knew it to be false. I had stood in front of statues and prayed. I had seen other people stand in front of statues praying. I had seen people reverence statues. I never ever thought the statue was being worshiped.I knew and I think the other people knew the statue was not an object to be worshiped and that worship was only given to God. I found on-line resources like Catholic Answers and catholic. org. Based on what I learned on-line I purchased some books. I began going to Mass at our church. Something was different about Mass now. The priest was the same as before, but now his homilies were somehow better. I began to realize that while it was possible that Father's homilies had gotten better over the past year and half to two years, the problem was really with me: I simply had not been listening before.I tried to learn as much as I could about the Catholic faith. I also tried to keep going to Mass during the week and praying Morning and Evening Prayer so that those were not just things I did for Lent. I brought a rosary always for protection. During this time when my faith was renewed and I took an active part in fostering my faith and prayer life (around 2009 up to this day). I was an active auxiliary in these past few years most especially in a choir. I dreamed to be a choir of our church until I had many experiences encountered as a member. Until, one day I won the championship for Battle of the Band contest held last 2011.Lastly, I was appointed to be the chairman of Toka9 auxiliary and there are several great blessed things happened to me last year. Until, the thought of being a priest occurred to me. At times I could see myself as a priest offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. But when I though about it, it seemed like an idea that was not possible and that God would not pick me. I have a speech fluency disorder called stuttering (or stammering). At times, it seemed to me to be severe. As a result, I really did not like public speaking. I pushed off the idea of being a priest as being an impossible dream or fantasy.Certainly, I took the idea of being a priest seriously and was nervous that God was calling me. I continued going to Mass on Sundays and weekdays when possible, praying Morning and Evening Prayer, and trying to do an hour of personal meditation a night. I began to recognize that God was calling me, but I was comfortable with my life. For, so many things happened to me as an active parishioner I always ask God Holy Spirit (Mahal na Ingkong) Why should I stay? At first I had a hard time recognizing that God was calling me in this manner, but over the years I have come to better understand just how God was laying things out for me.My inspiration to say â€Å"yes† was encouraged by the example of my dream. Since, I managed to be an active member of our church I was in the process of bringing myself closer to God Holy Spirit (Mahal na Ingkong) and because of this I often spoke with him about this secret and it had influenced me to make my decision final. Through his words and even more through his example, I realized that I wanted my life to reflect the same desire to serve God. I continued my frigid relationship with God through college days. And, I considered this is one of the interesting parts of my religious life. This realization started a slow thaw.Slowly but surely I started becoming more involved in the Church, realizing eventually that God did exist and did care, so perhaps I should return that with more than I had been. Indeed, the more I frequented Holy Mass the more the desire grew within my heart to give up my life because of my sins. One day when the mass was about to start it came out to my mind when I would watch the priest during Holy Mass, especially at the moments of consecration, I longed to be the man at the altar, offering the sacrifice. Honestly, I considered this was a hilarious part of my daydreaming that time.It’s been said that if you want to mak e God laugh, tell Him your plans. So, I figured, why consult Him on the matter? But there comes a time my home life was still a mess and there are several sins I made. Someone asked me to enter a Eucharistic adoration if I want to have a conversation from god and to seek help. I started going for the first time to Adoration on a weekly basis. It was during one of this Holy Hours that I could finally ask God the question that had bothered me all though out my on-going conversion: if He loved me so much, why did he want me to enter this new world?I thought it was okay that He wanted to care for me now, but what about before? Did he understand my mortal sin? I told God that if I was mistaken, and my call was truly to the priesthood, then to please send me some type of dramatic sign to let me know. I am aware that it is a fairly common phenomenon for young people discerning a vocation to the religious life to ask for this, but it is not a healthy or appropriate request, since God does n ot generally work that way. One of the great signs I received is that when I went into the mission to Bohol, our grace asked me to pursue my dreams but I should enter the religious vocation.Secondarily, in the middle of the month after the mission my father also asked me if I want to study theology this coming school classes. Eventually, I seek for the last and other signs for I have the so-called proof of entering priesthood. But Unfortunately, I was really in crisis at this point, but I still hadn’t received three or more of the dramatic signs I wanted from God in order to show me that I was called to the priesthood rather than the normal single life. During these Holy Hours, I would ask this question again and again, until, finally, one night I opted to listen for His response (a good idea – listening at prayer! . I had heard that God suffers with His children, but, that night, I heard those words as though Christ Himself had spoken them to me: â€Å"Where was I? I was crying and suffering with you! † Gradually, from the inspiration of these experiences and from time in prayer I decided to answer â€Å"yes† to God’s desire. However, after making the decision I was afraid to mention anything to anyone for a good two weeks. Finally, after holding this decision within myself for so long (at least it seemed long to me), I decided that I should tell someone.So, I went to one of my friends, Hijas De Maria Lenny Enrica, and I talked things out with her. She, however, was not surprised by my news, which in turn left me surprised. You see, HDM Lenny was one of my co-choir member in our church and as part of her job she is also an auxiliary officer of the Diocese Region 13 Queen Of Angels and a very supportive friend of mine and I clearly explained and mentioned to her my desire to join the priesthood. Needless to say, I took this conversation as an affirmation from God that I was following the right path. Interestingly enough, HDM Lenny once again layed an important role in helping me pusue my vocation. During our time in a Choir meeting I informed her again that I desired to enter the order. I can only explain this as God’s Providence. She knew where I belonged, only I had to figure it out as well. I’m actually judgmental within myself I grew incredibly in my terrible past life and because of a combination of temptation and of my own weakness, I was not awakened in this horrible dream of my life. I thought that God probably existed, but He didn’t care one way or another about what I was doing in my life.I really owe this acceptance (as little as it seemed) to my auxiliary friends, to whom God seemed very real and very near. I realized that although the decision to become a priest would entail great sacrifice, that didn’t mean that it was not a sacrifice I was called to make. Still, it really hurt when I thought about the idea of never claiming my body’s needs and necessitie s. In many ways, all the joys of my vocation were hidden to me, and all I could focus on were the beautiful things that I would be giving up.I was really concerned that I wouldn’t have the courage to start or the resolve to follow through with my calling. But it hit me one day that no one is strong enough or worthy enough to be a priest—that grace can only come from God. And so I said, â€Å"Okay, God, I believe that you want me to be a priest, and I accept—I will do it. I know you know how much this hurts, and that my sacrifice is that much more meaningful to you because you know. † Still, I asked God for help with two things. First, I said, â€Å"I am so weak—far too weak to do this on my own.I agreed to your mysterious plan for me, but I don’t have the strength to carry it out, so all the rest has to come from you—I am leaning on you completely and entirely. † And I remember having this amazing sense of peace, knowing that G od would always make me equal to the tasks to which he was calling me as long as I could bring myself to ask. It was thrilling to realize that I wasn’t expected to—indeed couldn’t—have the strength or perseverance to do what God was asking, it was only for me to agree to do it, and then to pray!The second thing I asked for was peace of mind—I said, â€Å"God, I believe I am called to the priesthood, but I don’t want to be a miserable priest; a martyr in my own eyes—I want to be joyful! For the next 30 days, I will make sure to spend twenty or thirty minutes each day after Mass praying in your Presence. If, as I believe, you are truly calling me to the priesthood, please help me to feel at peace with my decision to enter the seminary by the end of that time. By the end of that period I was so convinced of my calling that I could laugh about the difficulties I had had a month earlier! I have learned that it doesn’t need any dram atic signs to consider or to pursue your vocation. There are simple things to consider the reason of your call. Primarily, your openness to your calling, then your understanding of your calling, then the acceptance of your calling, then you must embrace your calling, lastly, your love to your calling.I believed these can be enough reason for you to enter priesthood. And, I considered this simple appreciation would be the best sign but is a great call given to me by God Holy Spirit (Mahal na Ingkong). Just to wrap up: There’s a lot of discussion about how much our Church needs priests and religious, and I think we can all see that. But it’s a mistake to talk about a â€Å"vocations crisis†Ã¢â‚¬â€because that implies that there aren’t enough vocations to the priesthood.But Christ told us that he would never leave his Church without shepherds, and so he is definitely still calling many, many young men to the priesthood, and he calls many, many young women t o the religious life. The crisis is not in the number of men and women who God calls, the crisis is in the tiny percentage of those young men and women who actually respond to that call. That’s the crisis. I thank Our Blessed Mother Mary and St. Maria Virginia for her guidance throughout this process, which I like to call the â€Å"Origin of my vocation†.She has blessed me with so many graces that have aided me in finding the path that God Holy Spirit (Mahal Na Ingkong) has laid out for me within the religious section of my adolescence age and more importantly, within the priesthood of Christ, her Son. Although I may not recognize her heavenly assistance, I am most grateful that she has carried me here so that I may fulfill God’s purpose for giving me life. I thank God for His countless blessings and patience with my stubbornness and desire to fulfill my will. I thank God in particular for leading me to discover His call.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

3 Basic Inventory Techniques or Cost Flow Assumptions: Fifo (Stands for First-in, First-Out), Lifo (Stands for Last-in, First-Out) and Wavg (Stands for Weighted †Average)

4. 3| As a management accounting compare and contrast the above methods and recommend suitable method to achieve the organizational objective| P2. 3,M3. 3,D1. 1| Assignment| One of the most important knowledge about accounting is 3 basic inventory techniques or cost flow assumptions: FIFO (stands for first-in, first-out), LIFO (stands for last-in, first-out) and WAVG (stands for weighted – average). In this article, I just want to focus on FIFO and LIFO. Let's review these concepts:FIFO means that the oldest inventory items are recorded as sold first but do not necessarily mean that the exact newest physical object has been tracked and sold. LIFO on the other hand means the exact opposite, the most recently purchased items are recorded as sold first. For example, a bakery produces 100 cakes on Monday at a cost of $1 each, and 100 more on Tuesday at $1. 25 each. FIFO states that if the bakery sold 100 cakes on Wednesday, the COGS is $1 per one cake (recorded on the income state ment) because that was the cost of each of the first cakes in inventory. The $1. 5 cakes would be allocated to ending inventory (appears on the balance sheet). In contrast, LIFO states that the same bakery would assign $1. 25 per cake to COGS, while the remaining $1 cakes would be used to calculate the value of inventory at the end of the period. Any company can use either FIFO or LIFO to sell their stuffs. If inflation didn't exist, both FIFO and LIFO methods would produce the exact same results. As the example above, when prices are stable, our bakery would be able to produce all of its loafs of bread at $1, and FIFO, LIFO would give us a cost of $1 per one cake.But our economy seems more complicated; prices tend to rise, which means the choice of accounting method can dramatically affect company profit. We can easily see that, if the selling price is increasing day by day, choosing the FIFO method of accounting will have the opposite affect. FIFO will help company gain more profi t. It means the inventory that you sell costs you less than the inventory that you have remaining. Therefore, the choice of FIFO accounting results in lower COGS on the income statement vs.LIFO and a higher inventory valuation on your balance sheet vs. LIFO LIFO isn't a good choice in inflation because the leftover inventory might be extremely old and, perhaps, obsolete. This results in a valuation that is much lower than today's prices. But we can't always use FIFO method because in some special situations, LIFO is the better choice. For instance, in the deflation economy, we should choose LIFO because the price will go down gradually. The newer products we sell first, the better profit we will get.One more reason for companies to consider LIFO is Tax. Because FIFO results in lower COGS on the income statement, it will make higher earnings. But when earnings are higher, taxes are also higher. And when taxes are higher, after-tax earnings become lower. On the other hand, LIFO result s in lower pre-tax earnings (since COGS are higher) and therefore it gets lower taxes and higher after-tax earnings. The process to choose FIFO or LIFO isn't simple at all, it requires the accountants to analysis carefully to give the best choice for any company.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Hazard & Vulnerability Analysis and Mitigation & Prevention Essay

Hazard & Vulnerability Analysis and Mitigation & Prevention - Essay Example On account of their interconnectedness, it can be stated that EMP is a holistic approach which links a disaster with development. As these different aspects of emergency management plan are robustly interlaced, mitigation as an isolated strategy, to deal with an emergency, is not comprehensible. It refers to plan strategies and programs to eliminate or reduce the effects of a disaster, and consequently to prevent the loss of property, personal injury or death. Hence, any effort to minimize the impact of a disaster can be termed as mitigation. Mitigation phase necessarily involves hazard identification and vulnerability analysis. Alternatively, it can be stated that without hazard identification and vulnerability analysis, it is not possible to mitigate an impending disaster. Moreover, mitigation includes a response with a plan of action for disaster preparedness, and the consequent prevention and risk reduction. Hazard identification requires preparation of a database of historical and archival information, analysis of the data, computer based simulations, preparation of a hazard map, and listing of all habitations and vital installations within a specific radius of the epicenter (Government of India 16). Some of the hazards include floods, storm, cyclone, earthquake, tsunami, volcanoes, fire, etc.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 18

Marketing - Essay Example Studies have shown the increased rate of smokers among the population especially among the youth. â€Å"Smoking kills around 114,000 people in the UK each year.† (Petrie 2007). It is where the relevance of the product and the topic under study lies. The topic is chosen in order to analyze the prospects of the company by launching the product. The final report is in the form of a report addressed to the top level executives of the company. The report is intended to conduct a study in detail about the marketability of ‘smokers’ choice’. The product aims to carve a niche of the health product market through the launch of smoker’s choice. Therefore, the report studies in detail the average smokers in the population, the market position of the toothpaste, the customer acceptability, etc. It is a report that uses standard statistical tools for the data analysis and interpretations. The primary aim of this report is a market study. The report is intended to study the market and to make required changes in the strategies if needed. This is a company project and the organization is going to benefit by knowing its market and market position. The tooth paste ‘smoker’s choice’ is launched by the company named Oral Care Plc. â€Å"The oral care market is worth $7.5 billion at retail and headed for $8.9 billion by 2012.† (Oral care products on the U.S. 2007). The tooth paste is the main product of the company at present. The product is aimed at conquering dual markets, the health care and the personal care sector. The tooth paste is very effective in whitening the teeth. But the main feature of the product is that it helps to stop the smoking habits of the people. The mouth after being brushed with smokers’ choice brings a bad taste when it comes in contact with smoke thus helping the people to stop the smoking habit. The toothpaste will keep this effect in the mouth for 18 hours. Even though the product belongs to the