Enterprise Resource Planning Essay

There are twenty KSFs considered in this study. They were chosen from literature review. The KSFs are classified into five stages of ERP implementation life cycle; namely: project preparation, technology selection, project formulation, implementation/development and deployment. To address the study objectives, a survey questionnaire was considered the most appropriate research method. It was sent to 74 companies that have been implementing ERP system for at least one year. The respondents are staff at management level, IT staff and users involved in the development and use of the ERP system. The survey received 248 responses from 740 quesitionnaires that were sent to the companies. To find the priority of KSFs on ERP implementation life cycle, a quantitative analysis is applied to identify the weighting of KSFs toward ERP implementation success. The success of ERP implementation can be measured through five indicators; namely: system quality, information quality, service quality, tactical impact and strategical impact. Based on the weighting of KSFs on each stage of ERP implementation life cycle, it is found that the communication is most critical KSF on project preparation stage (? 0. 664). While the strong ERP product (package selection) is most critical KSF on technology selection stage (? = 0. 554). The change management is most critical KSF on project formulation stage (? = 0. 406), and on implementation/development stage, user training is the most critical KSF (? = 0. 422). This study is expected to improve knowledge in ERP implementation, especially the role of KS F on each stage of ERP implementation life cycle. Keywords: Priority of KSFs, ERP Implementation Success, ERP Implementation Life Cycle, Key Success Factors (KSFs) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is an integrated information system that is used to support business processes and resource management within an organization. These systems integrate between one business unit with other business units. With the implementation of this system in an organization to support the company’s operations, it is expected to provide optimum benefit for the company. This is especially needed by the various industrial sectors in this era of lobalization. So, the company can compete with competitors or even create a competitive advantage. In addition, ERP selection is also done with various strategic reasons both tangible and intangible. ERP software has grown rapid ly the last 10 years. According to AMR Research, ERP system sales increased dramatically in 2004 reached 23. 6 billion dollars. Market Journal of Enterprise Resource Planning Studies 2 growth rate remained stable in 2005, and the end of 2009 the ERP software sales reached 24. 5 billion dollars (Hestermann, Anderson ; Pang, 2009). One of the largest ERP companies is SAP AG (a German Company). The company controls about 40% of the market and it is the third largest software company in the world. Based on data from SAP AG, about 80% of SAP’s sales occur in Europe and the United States, while the remaining 20% spread in Asia. The main reason of the investment made by companies is due to the ERP system integration business and it promises to improve the company’s competitive position in the market (Luo and Strong, 2004). Some benefits have also been frequently cited in several studies related to the ERP system, such as: data and pplication integration as a substitute for legacy systems, lower cost and faster deployment compared with in-house development, adopting ERP best practices into business company processes (Markus, 2004). However, some other cases show that investments of Information Technology (IT) with substantial funds may not necessarily bring optimal benefits. This is shown by Dantes & Hasibuan (2010) who i llustrate that nearly 60% of ERP implementation in Indonesia in both public and private companies have failed. Even big companies in the world such as: FoxMeyer Drug and Dell Computer have pent quite a lot of funds for implementation of ERP but the benefits obtained are not optimal (Kalakota and Robinson, 2001). It was reported that FoxMeyer like all large companies engaged in pharmaceutical declare themselves bankrupt because of failure in implementing the system. In line with the above data, a survey conducted by Robbins-Giowa in American companies in 2001 found that about 51% of companies in America have failed in the implementation of ERP (IT Cortex, 2003), In China, it is estimated that the ERP implementation success rate is only 10% (Zhang et al. , 2003). Success and failure of ERP system implementation is influenced by several aspects of both internal and external organizations. Various factors are influencing the success of ERP implementation. Many researchers found critical success factors on ERP implementation, but they were not put in practice. Therefore, in this study we examine the KSF and propose a priority of KSFs on ERP implementation life cycle, both technical and non technical issues that influence the ERP implementation success. Theoretical Background The following sub sections discuss ERP implementation life cycle, KSFs on ERP mplementation process, and measurement of ERP implementation success model. Implementation Life Cycle ERP implementation is changing from legacy systems into ERP system. It is more on process change instead of technology change itself. This section will describe the stages on ERP implementation from previous research, in which each model has different stages. In general, ERP implementation process has three main stages: pre-implementation, implementation and post-implementation (Capaldo and Rippa, 2009). However, some researchers considered each stage to be sub-stages according to their perspectives.

Haroun and the Sea of the Stories Essay

â€Å"Haroun and the Sea of Stories†, a novel by Salman Rushdie spans the adventurous journey of the protagonist of the story, Haroun who wishes to bring back his father’s gift of storytelling. Haroun is the son of the famous storyteller Rashid Khalifa whose stories enthrall the listeners. The author of novel was placed under fatwa which compelled him to lead a life of isolation and hiding. And it was during his hiding that he wrote the above novel. Salman Rushdie uses his novel as a medium to defy the censorship placed on his writings. Through the characters of his novel, the author presents his own thoughts about the censorship and the people who imposed the censorship upon him. The characters in the novel are influenced by the personal experiences of the author and resemble the persons of the real world. Prominent among them is the character of Khattam-Shud who reminds one of Ayatollah Khomeini, the person responsible for the fatwa of Salman Rushdie. Khattam-Shud rules the Land of Chupwalas by making them behave according to his rules. He wants to rule the whole world but his wish remains unfulfilled for he is unable to be in command of the world of numerous stories. Rushdie (2001) writes â€Å"inside every single story, inside every Stream in the Ocean, there lies a world, a story-world, that I cannot Rule at all†. (pg. 161). So when he realizes that he cannot control the world of the stories he decides to poison the Sea of Stories so that the source of stories itself is destroyed and the imagination of the story tellers is snatched from them forever. This attitude of Khattam-Shud is analogous to that of Khomeini who wants to control the writings of Salman and when that is not possible he issues orders for Salman’s killing. Khomeini insists that the world accept his beliefs about Islamism and when anyone tries to revolt against his authority he suppresses him by using his powers.

Airborne Express case study Essay

Airborne Express, an air express transportation company has succeeded to compete with a few big competitors such as Federal Express and United Parcel Service (UPS) even it does not have funding as much as its competitors. In 1996, it held third position in the industry with 9 percent of the market. Even Airborne is smaller size company compared to its main competitors, it still can survive with the competitive advantage through its resources and capabilities. With some unique resources and core competences, a company may have competitive advantage over its competitors, and this is the way small capital company able to compete with its competitors. Airborne Express is the first and only air express transportation company that owns an airport. Because of the limited control, Airborne has purchased an airline at Wilmington in 1980. Since then, the airport became the hub of the company, and all the operations of the company were conducted here. It is also the biggest privately owned airport in United States. With the ownership of the airport, Airborne is able to control the operations more easily. Besides that, Airborne does not need to pay for any landing or service fees to the airlines company like its competitors. Comparably, Federal Express and UPS own the planes but still need to lease the airport from other party. It helps Airborne to save a lot of costs. Apart from that, Wilmington airport is one of the strategic airports in United States. It means that the place is having a well weather record. For express air transportation industry, weather is a big factor that can affect the daily business operation. If the weather is bad, the shipments will not be sent to the final destination at the promised time. Time is the promise to the customers and it does affect the confidence of a company’s customers. Besides airlines, Airborne also has a complete system of ground transportation. With the establishment of trucking hubs in some places, Airborne able to deliver the shipment that near to the hub using the ground transport. Almost 25 percent of the company’s domestic volume is dealt with ground transport. However, the cost of service by ground transport is not transparent to the customers who assume that the packages are flown. Thus, the charge is same with the air-transported goods. Compare to air transport, ground transportation costs five times lower. From here, the profit margin  has been increased. In the other way, the company also can offer lower price for ground transportation packages. Instead of making more profit, the company can utilize the low cost benefit to compete with its competitors. In 1996, Airborne Express owned a fleet of 105 aircraft. To keep the capital expenditure down, Airborne has purchased only used planes. The planes will be modified to suit its specification for air express transportation. The cost of purchase and modification is $30million lower than purchasing a new plane. Compare to other companies, a big amount of money is being saved by Airborne. Further more, Airborne’s DC-9 and YS-11 aircraft require only two person cockpit crew compared to normal three person crews required in Federal Express and UPS. Labour cost has been saved again. Airborne also have its own maintenance facility in Wilmington. It is the only all-cargo carrier to do so. It can handle most if the maintenance works except major engine repairs. It was estimate that the labour costs of $16 per hour is $49 lesser than the subcontracted labour cost. It was a major source of annual cost savings. Instead of serving all kinds of customers, Airborne decided to focus on serving the needs of high volume corporate accounts. It is because the severe competition and the cost of serving small customers. The company is able to establish scheduled pickup routes and use it as ground capacity more efficiently. Due to this factor, the unit cost structure has been reduced. According to the Airborne executives, their unit cost is $3 lower than its main competitor, Federal Express. Besides that, because of the different consumer behaviors between different groups, the focusing of the service is one of the ways to win a part of market in severe competition. By matching the needs of the groups, the company will have a better chance to win the customers than its competitors. Another aspects that Airborne get competitive advantage is the creation of the only privately certified Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) in United States at its Wilmington hub. In a FTZ, merchandise is tax-free and no customs duty is paid until it leaves. It is a big attraction to the foreign companies. The companies can keep their inventories in Wilmington hub, and the inventories  will be delivered to the destination by Airborne when needed. The local companies that implement Just-In-Time policy will prefer the service very much. It is because the inventories cost will bear by the suppliers that keep inventories in Airborne hub. For foreign companies, not only can satisfy the needs of local customers, but also can save the cost of tax and duty paid. The FTZ is a good factor that will help Airborne to set foot into the international market. However, because of the capital constraint, Airborne still unable to compete with Federal Express and UPS in the international market. Normally, large sizes A-containers are used in the air cargo business. Around $1million per plane is required to install cargo doors to take A-containers. To solve the problem, Airborne has developed C-containers that are six times smaller, and can fit through the passenger doors of the aircraft. The equipment to load the C-containers also about 80 percent less expensive than the equipment needed for A-containers. The shape of C-containers also designed to allow maximum utilisation of the plane space. To prevent other competitors copy the design, Airborne has taken out the patent on the C-containers. Therefore, C-containers seem to be the speciality of Airborne Express. It helps the company to save a lot of costs. It is a long term cost savings because it involves in daily operation. Therefore, it also a long term competitive advantage over the other competitors. Apart from that, through its subsidiary company, Advanced Logistics Services Corp., Airborne is promoting a range of third-party logistics service. It provides customers with the ability to maintain inventories in a 1 million square foot â€Å"stock exchange† facility located in Wilmington hub. The customers can choose to manage the inventories themselves or subcontract to Airborne. In â€Å"stock exchange† service, third party will involve in the instruction for movement of the inventories. It easier the process of the movement of inventories, and also help the customers to minimise inventory holding costs. Airborne is the first and only air express transportation company that provide this unique service. It actually involves a complex system. Therefore, knowledge or human resource is very important in order to develop the system. Since it is the only company, customers who interested  with the â€Å"stock exchange† service will come to Airborne. The unique competence gives Airborne a competitive advantage. Science and technology is developing rapidly in the world. Information system becomes more and more important in the business world. The more developed system a company has, the more competitive advantage it gets. Airborne uses three information systems to help in its daily operation. LIBRA II system is a metering device and computer software that easier the transaction between Airborne and customers. It also lowers Airborne’s operating costs. FOCUS is the main system provided by Airborne and it benefits customers the most. It is a worldwide tracking system that help the customers to track the location their package through Internet link. It increases the company’s reliability and service quality. With the trust on the company, customers will be more confident to give the job. The third system is the Customer Linkage electronic data interchange program. It eliminates repetitive data entry and paperwork by the customers. It also a system that created purposely to benefit its customers. The company also benefits from lowering the costs by eliminating manual data entry. From all the resources and capabilities mentioned above, we could realise that most of the competitive advantages Airborne has over its competitors is through costs reduction. According to Porter’s Generic Strategies Model, Airborne is actually implemented a cost-focus strategy to get the competitive advantage. Because of the lesser capital, Airborne is unable to compete with the giant of the industry, such as Federal Express and UPS. If Airborne can be the cost leader in the industry, it can give a severe competition to the competitors. Besides that, the unique resources such as C-containers and Foreign Trade Zone are also giving core competences to the company. In conclusion, facing the competition from competitors that have powerful funding, Airborne not only can survive, but also get a strong position in the air express transportation industry. A correct and suitable strategy adopted by a company can change the company position. A company, which can fully and smartly utilise its resources and capabilities, it can have  competitive advantage over the other competitors and it really benefits the company a lot.

Approach to Marketing vs Value Approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Approach to Marketing vs Value Approach - Essay Example All the four P’s are classified to as the marketing mix. The most important thing is the product and should satisfy the consumer. The price is the amount that the customer pays for the product. The things that should be put into consideration when setting up a price is the neutral pricing, market skimming price and the penetration pricing. The price determines the companies’ profit. Promotion is basically all the skills of advertising brought together to market products. Place is the same as distribution and it is the location where the consumers go to purchase the products (Ramas, 2012). When it comes to marketing all the aspects of retaining and attracting more customers becomes a priority. This is achieved by creating, communicating, and delivering to the customers. Advertising of the products is very important through magazines, newspapers, internet ads and TV advertising. There are other ways of making the products to prosper in the market like the branding, pricing, promotion, product design and many others. Marketing is very important since one cannot run a business without customers. They are the most important stakeholders in businesses (Charles, 2010) Creating, communicating, and delivering values to customers gives us what a good definition of marketing is. Both marketing and market mix are important and go hand in hand to achieve a good successful

Paper on Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paper on Speech - Essay Example I informed her the abstracts of these videos and shared to her the links so she can view them. She confirmed that the nationality of those people featured in the Chicken a la Carte film is Filipinos from the Philippines. As she herself is a Filipino, she confirmed that these incidents really happen in their country. There was even featured news commentary that previously broadcasted the situation in their national television. We both agreed that the situation was indeed very sad and heavy to reflect on. The issues presented on the Miniature Earth confirmed the inequality experienced by peoples around the globe in terms of economic wealth and human rights. However, the sorry state of global inequality has been known for decades but not one government has enacted laws and legislations to improve the welfare of mankind. Even international organizations fail to address critical concerns of social poverty, economic inequalities, human injustice, racisms, chronic and epidemic illnesses, and environmental destruction, among others. Even the most developed countries in the world contain issues of poverty, unequal distribution of economic wealth, and violations of human rights. Their governments remain to shift their priorities to military weapons and expenditures rather than focusing on developmental assistance promoting education, good health, food production, and prevention of diseases. Emily even shed tears when she saw the short film presentation. She agreed on the contentions presented and mentioned that more and more governments all over the world have shifted their agenda towards enriching their own selfish interests and turning their backs on the more pressing and obvious dilemmas on inequality and poverty that pervades human life. Further, she said that parents must train their children to be more appreciative of what they have. The little things that each and every family could do to assist in improving the plight of human welfare must be done to

The Reason Why the Developing countries are not developing Essay

The Reason Why the Developing countries are not developing - Essay Example The question that puzzles the minds of many economists, politicians and the general population pertains to why the developing countries are not developing. This is due to the fact that they have remained underdeveloped for more than a century and very few show signs of becoming industrialized or developed in the near future. The objective of this paper is to explore why and what measures make a country be categorized as a developing country. It will also discuss why there is the lack of development in these countries. The development of a nation is usually measured with statistical indexes such as life expectancy, income per capita, gross domestic product (GDP), and literacy rate among others.2 A Human Development Indicator for the above statistics has been developed by the United Nations to measure the human development levels for countries where reliable data can be found. Based on these statistics, a country is categorized as developing when it has not yet achieved a considerable degree of industrialization relative to their population, and with low standards of living. These countries are also categorized as developing countries since they have low literacy levels, low income per capita, and short life expectancy. Why Developing Countries Are Still Not Developed Several reasons have been established as the leading factors contributing to underdevelopment in developing countries, first being lack of infrastructure. Most of these developing countries have not yet taken the initiative of investing enough to construct the infrastructure that boosts the efficiency of both capital inputs and labor.3 The main reason is that it is generally costly to install an infrastructure as it requires a large capital expenditure. However, since most of these countries are still poor, they are not in a position to invest much in the infrastructure. Infrastructure is important for the development of a nation. For example, hospitals are necessary to maintain the health of the wo rking population. Roads are also important to promote trade and attract investments in a country. Lack of good highways usually increases the cost of transport, thus hampering trade. Good housing as an infrastructure is also necessary to shelter the working population. Moreover, growth of urban areas is dependent on investment in infrastructure. However, all these infrastructural facilities being either unavailable or poor is what hamper development in developing countries; this is evident in countries such as Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Syria among others. Lack of skills has also been singled out as a factor contributing to underdevelopment in developing countries.4 Development of a country is highly dependent on the literacy level of the population and the ability to embrace the use of technology. This is what has made countries such as the United States, Britain, Germany, and France to become fully developed. China is also a new country that was a decade ago considered as a dev eloping country has embraced the use of technology. This has moved it from a developing country to an industrial one. However, most developing countries lack the skills and the proper education to enable its population to employ the use of techno

Issues in Australian Health Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Issues in Australian Health Services - Essay Example Australia has many problems in the healthcare system of today, very much like many other countries in the world . In an effort to determine what the top issues for this system are, a survey was done. This survey was posted on Google Master and healthcare workers were informed that it was available. The goal was five responses and twelve actually responded all professionals and all but two were RNs. This paper will take the results of this survey and compare the top three issues to the research. (Note full results of survey in Appendix A). The top three issues as noted in the survey of professionals in the system were, in this order, the increasing aging population including the aging of the healthcare workforce itself, lack of adequate funding to meet the needs of the community or to incentivize nurses to join or remain in the system, and access to health care for rural Australians. All of these three issues, though they appear to be different are tied to two issues. The first is the nursing shortage and the second is the political atmosphere related to healthcare at this time. Research supports the surveyed nurses and their concerns about healthcare in Australia. The biggest challenge at this time is the increased need for care causing a high demand when there are both financial and manpower shortages in the healthcare industry (Gray, Mell & Meinsch, 2009). There is a major shortage of carrers for an increasing number of paitents entering the system. According to Australian Nursing Federation (ANF, 2006). workers in aged care are less often supervised than they need to be based on the fact that there no one to supervise. The Aged Care Assessment Team is becoming overwhelmed and the effect of that is shift to stigmatizing, targeting, and selecting of available care for those that most often need it (Gray, 2009). The second group that deals with this issue is the HACC (home and community care) which is a

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - Essay Example As the paper outlines, the knowledge statement makes adequate performance on the job possible while the skill statements refer to the proficient manual, verbal or mental manipulation of data or things. On the other hand, the ability statements refer to the power to perform an observable activity at the present time. Integrating these statements can serve as a basis for distinguishing the 'qualified candidates' from the 'unqualified candidates' for a position.  The development and selection of job performance tools depend upon the type of job. Not all kinds of performance instruments can be attributed to a person and therefore different tools such as Monitoring, Testing, Observations etc are employed. Because competence is multi-dimensional and individual assessment approaches have limitations, it is unlikely that a single approach to assessment will be adequate.  The primary question with any personnel instrument is of overall effectiveness. This is considered an extremely import ant factor in selecting a job performance instrument. This includes the feasibility and cost-benefit analysis of developing a specific type of instrument. It caters to factors like time and training required to implement the assessment, equipment or technology required, number of assessments required per examinee, financial cost, and the extent to which an assessment has been used. If an instrument that is not practical to be tested upon the candidates, then it is useless and therefore it must be rejected. Similarly, if the time and cost incurred to train and test the candidate are more than the value that can be derived from assessing the instrument then again the instrument it useless. Also, the assessment should provide new and useful information that facilitates teaching and learning. For instance, the assessment should allow the collection of enough detailed information that it is possible to know what performance improvements or curricular modifications are needed. If this is not provided by the performance instrument then again the instrument must be rejected.  Another factor that is equally important to effectiveness is the validity of the data. Valid data provide accurate information about what is being assessed. Different types of evidence may be used to infer validity. It may be inferred when assessment results help to predict performance in actual practice. Validity may be inferred also when it is possible to detect the responsiveness. Data that is invalid is of no use to the company and hence an instrument that extracts invalid data must not be considered for measuring job performance.  Apart from the factors mentioned above, job performance instruments must be broad so that they cater to various aspects of an employee. This helps in diminishing any bias that may arise in the instruments.  

Education in soviet Ukraine in the post-world war 2 Essay

Education in soviet Ukraine in the post-world war 2 - Essay Example Then the Ukraine’s People’s Republic was under the control of Soviet and then Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic was formed. It was to become one of the establishing Republics of the Soviet Union. The 2nd world war that lasted for 60 long years and as a result had a drastic effect i.e., there was so many calamities across around the world, especially it was the nuclear weapons which used by US on Hiroshima, Japan. After the World War II, Ukraine’s history in the 20th century had witnessed the burden of a tyrannous Soviet government, Nazi’s attacks and the ruling of Stalin. In 1991, it was the end for the Soviet Union; Ukraine became an independent and reforming a new statehood that entered into the 19th century. The decades of enmity between Russia and Ukraine, it used this opportunity to conquer the nation. Ukraine has developed a varied economy with the technology and manufacturing sector and the aviation force, space and defence industries. A considerable development of Ukraine in 1960 was the intellectual development. The intellectuals tried to achieve further freedom in national and civil rights. Some of them were coming out of the demand of culture and edu cation with the Jews. The 20th century of Ukraine’s history was noticeable for human cataclysm. The nation had a well educated population. Currently Ukraine is a presidential- parliamentary democracy which passed through a firm transition to the market economy. This caused emigration of people from the entire social circles.Previous emigration was held in the 19th and 20th centuries when peasants struggled for land and a better life, after the decline of attempts of founding an independent Ukraine in 1917 and also during and after the World War II.... uggled for land and a better life, after the decline of attempts of founding an independent Ukraine in 1917 and also during and after the World War II. A community of Ukraine came into being in a stable and intricate model of secular and religious organisations which came into existence in Australia in the 1940’s, just after the arrival of Ukrainians from Europe. Ukrainians immigrated into Queensland from Russia in the early 20th centuries. Some of them got employed in China on the construction work of Manchurian railway during 1898-1903. A small number of political emigrants have anti-Tsarist political outlook. â€Å"In addition to its advocacy of workers' interests, the Ukrainian Workers Circle, which was represented on the Brisbane Industrial Council of Trade Unions, organised a library that included works of Ukrainian literature†(Ukrainians, 2001, p.354). From 1960, Ukraine gradually acquired the economic development. During the period 1945 and 1989, Ukrainians allo wed for the formation of State controlled organization for socio- cultural development. There started the development of education. The Ukraine union published nearly about 15 books in the Ukrainian language. In the period of post World War, they published around 40 books, which are mostly about the library and historical books. Their next works are the school handbooks. The minority of Ukraine prepared a program for popularisation of Ukrainian language. There were so many limitations for the Ukraine government; the educational system was developed with the institutions in Galicia and L’viv. L’viv has been an institution for higher education for over more than 500 years. According to the study in 2007, there are eight institutes, six academics, thirteen universities and a number of colleges in which

Narration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Narration - Essay Example It was a pleasant fifteen minute walk. We joked the entire way and enjoyed the much awaited warm breeze swooshing though the trees. Finally the library came into view. It was a small, single level brick building, situated at the corner half covered by tall green trees. We stepped inside and were met by a smiling elderly lady. She escorted us to a corner in the children’s section and seated us at the small wooden and colorful benches designed for kids. Our teacher looked comical, hunched down on a purple stool, her knees bent at an odd angel because there wasn’t any room. The librarian proceeded to tell us about the general rules of etiquette of the library. I tuned out and busied myself in observing the quaint and serene atmosphere. For some reason, the quietness of the library and the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by so many books put me to awe. I didn’t know why but I loved everything about this ordinary little building. The softness of the carpet beneath my sneakers, the quiet rustling of the indoor plants, the soft and soothing overhead lights, and the smell of new and old books mingled together gave me a sense of calm and comfort. I was jolted by the sudden sound of everyone getting up and snapped out of my daydreaming. The librarian, along with our teacher, was ready to give us a brief tour of the library. The building was basically divided into two sections, the adult and the kids. The checkout desk in the middle separated the two areas and was surrounded by a low shelf filled with bright blue encyclopedias. The librarian picked up a bunch of sheets from the desk and brought us back to where we were seated before. The time had at last come to fill out our individual applications. I felt strangely grownup as I carefully penciled in my name and phone number. We all handed in the applications and the librarian told us to look around because we could each take home two books of our own choosing at the end of the

A House Divided Speech Analysis Essay Example for Free

A House Divided Speech Analysis Essay If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could better judge what to do, and how to do it. We are now far into the fifty year since a policy was initiated with the avowed object and confident promise of putting and end to slavery agitation. Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only not ceased, but has constantly augmented. In my opinion, it will not cease until a crises shall have been reached and passed. A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved I do not expect the house to fall but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new, North as well as South. Have we no tendency to the latter condition? Let any one who doubts carefully contemplate that now almost complete legal combination piece of machinery, so to speak compounded of the Nebraska doctrine and the Dred Scott decision. Let him consider not only what work the machinery is adapted to do, and how well adapted; but also let him study the history of its construction, and trace, if he can, or rather fail, if he can, to trace the evidences of design and concert of action among its chief architects, from the beginning. The new year of 1854 found slavery excluded from more than half the States by State constitutions, and from most of the national territory by congressional prohibition. Four days later commenced the struggle which ended in repealing that congressional prohibition. This opened all the national territory to slavery, and was the first point gained. But, so far, Congress only had acted; and an indorsement by the people, real or apparent, was indispensable to save the point already gained and give chance for more. This necessity had not been overlooked, but had been provided for, as well as might be, in the notable argument of squatter sovereignty, otherwise called sacred right of selfgovernment, which latter phrase, though expressive of the only rightful basis of any government, was so perverted in this attempted use of it as to amount to just this: That if any one man choose to enslave another, no third man shall be allowed to object Then opened the roar of loose declamation in favor of squatter sovereignty and sacred right of self-government. But, said opposition members, let us amend the bill so as to expressly declare that the people of the Territory may exclude slavery. Not we, said the friends of the measure; and down they voted the amendment. While the Nebraska Bill was passing through Congress, a law case involving the question of a negros freedom, by reason of his owner having voluntarily taken him first into a free State and then into a territory covered by the congressional prohibition, and held him as a slave for a long time in each, was passing through the United States Circuit Court for the District of Missouri; and both Nebraska Bill and lawsuit were brought to a decision in the same month of May, 1854. The negros name was Dred Scott, which name now designates the decision finally made in the case. Before the then next Presidential election, the law case came to and was argued in the Supreme Court of the United States The election came. Mr. Buchanan was elected, and the indorsement, such as it was, secured. That was the second point gained The Supreme Court met again; did not announce their decision, but ordered a reargument. The Presidential inauguration came, and still no decision of the Court; but the incoming President in his inaugural address fervently exhorted the people to abide by the forthcoming decision, whatever it might be. Then, in a few days, came the decision. The reputed author of the Nebraska Bill finds an early occasion to make a speech at this capital indorsing the bred Scott Decision, and vehemently denouncing all opposition to it. The new President, too, seizes the early occasion of the Silliman letter to indorse and strongly construe that decision, and to express his astonishment that any different view had ever been entertained! At length a squabble springs up between the President and the author of the Nebraska Bill, on the mere question of fact, whether the Lecompton constitution was or was not, in any just sense, made by the people of Kansas; and in that quarrel the latter declares that all he wants is a fair vote for the people, and that he cares not whether slavery be voted dow n or voted up. I do not understand his declaration that he cares not whether slavery be voted down or voted up to be intended by him other than as an apt definition of the policy he would impress upon the public mind the principle for which he declares he has suffered so much, and is ready to suffer to the end. And well may he cling to that principle. If he has any parental feeling, well may he cling to it. That principle is the only shred left of his original Nebraska doctrine. Under the Dred Scott Decision squatter sovereignty squatted out of existence, tumbled down like temporary scaffolding, like the mold at the foundry, served through one blast and fell back into loose sand, helped to carry an election, and then was kicked to the winds We cannot absolutely know that all these exact adaptations are the result of preconcert. But when we see a lot of framed timbers, different portions of which we know have been gotten out at different times and places and by different workmen, Stephen, Franklin, Roger and James, for instance, -and we see these timbers joined together, and see they exactly make the frame of a house or a mill, all the tenons and mortises exactly fitting, and all the lengths and proportions of the different pieces exactly adapted to their respective places, and not a piece too many or too few, not omitting even scaffolding or, if a single piece be lacking, we see the place in the frame exactly fitted and prepared yet to bring such piece in in such a case we find it impossible not to believe that Stephen and Franklin and Roger and James all understood one another from the beginning, and all worked upon a common plan or draft drawn up before the first blow was struck Our cause, then, must be intrusted to, and conducted by, its own undoubted friends -those whose hands are free, whose hearts are in the work, who do care for the result. Two years ago the Republicans of the nation mustered over thirteen hundred thousand strong. We did this under the single impulse of resistance to a common danger, with every external circumstance against us. Of strange, discordant, and even hostile elements, we gathered from the four winds, and formed and fought the battle through, under the constant hot fire of a disciplined, proud, and pampered enemy. Did we brave all then to falter now? now when that same enemy is wavering, dissevered, and belligerent? The result is not doubtful. We shall not fail if we stand firm, we shall not fail. Wise counsels may accelerate or mistakes delay it, but, sooner or later, the victory is sure to come.

Eli Whitney Essay Example for Free

Eli Whitney Essay Eli Whitney (1765-1825) was a mechanical wizard. While travelling in the south, he became acquainted with the problem of removing the seeds from cotton. Enormous numbers of slaves were employed pulling the seeds out by hand. Eli Whitney spent a whole two weeks on this challenge and invented the cotton gin. He patented the invention and went on to capitalize on his invention by opening a factory to make cotton gins. It ended in bankruptcy. The failure of Eli Whitney to make his fortune on the cotton gin was due primarily to the very simplicity of the design of the machine. Once the initial shipments of Whitneys cotton gin arrived on the cotton plantations of the South, entrepreneurial individuals pried off the top and peered inside. What they saw was eminently copiableand copy they did. The Patent Office in Washington wasnt eager to send agents into the South to enforce Eli Whitneys patent rights, and he couldnt obtain legal redress in the court system, so he eventually walked away from his invention. Business students, in common with all students, are told not to copy. Copying is dishonourable and deserving of dismissal. They graduate and enter a world in which copying is endemic. A new idea is not the property of its originator because everyone copies in all areas of business. If a firm discovers a more efficient way of doing something, it will be copied. If a firm discovers a more effective way of marketing a product, it will be copied. If a firm discovers a more efficacious way of financing its expansion, it will be copied. Copying is critical in understanding the nature of the business cycle. Copying contributes to the ups and downs of the business cycle by directing larger investments into new areas than would occur if copying were not so endemic. The building of a greater number of factories than is necessary is a consequence of copying that helps to keep the good times good. (Randall Bartlett, 1998). On the other side of the coin, copying can cause businesses to dedicate too much productive capacity to new products. When all the investments are completed and the combined productive capacity of a thousand and one copyists is brought to bear on the market, all the copyists have for their efforts are huge unsold inventories and excessive productive capacity. Then they copy one another again by collectively slashing production to try to keep inventories in line with sales. This type of copying helps to turn good times into bad. One might expect that patent protection should limit copying. However, if what is being copied is a strategy for marketing or making financial deals, there is no patent infringement because an idea cannot be patented. Even copyrights on computer software have been difficult to enforce because a program can be essentially copied by rewriting it with minor editorial changes, such as calling something X that was called Y in the original program. Patents on products and processes are enforceable within a given nation, but they are more difficult to enforce in the international arena. Thus, a firm can spend millions to develop a new product and find itself in the position of not being able to recoup its research and development expenditures because copies are being imported from foreign copiers that do not have to price the goods on the basis of recouping the initial RD expense. The globalization of manufacturing facilities and free trade has proved to be a boon for copyists. The simplicity of the cotton gin, the ease of copying it, and Whitneys sad return on his investment in his invention are of interest in understanding the role of copying in the business cycle. But the real point of this discussion is Eli Whitney on the comeback trail. Whitney obtained a government contract to make ten thousand muskets. The contract presumed that he would make the muskets in the way that all muskets, and everything else, were made. In the cottage industry of the day, a musket was assembled by an individual who made a barrel, a stock, a flintlock, a trigger, and the other mechanical parts. As each part was made, it was filed to fit the rest of the components making up the musket. The result of this mode of production was that each particular part of a musket was unique. A flintlock made for a musket could not be removed and interchanged with the flintlock of another musket and be expected to work. The parts were not interchangeable without further filing because they were not uniform in design and would not fit together properly. Each musket was, in effect, tailor made to its own set of specifications. (David Burner, Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Virginia Bernhard, 1991). To fill his contract with the government, Eli Whitney built a factory near New Haven, Connecticut, in 1798, that was unique in several respects. Water-powered machines were designed to replace human effort as much as possible. The machines were dedicated to the manufacture of the individual component parts of a specified design, rather than each part being individually handmade. In other words, Eli Whitney was substituting machine labour for manual labour, thereby increasing the productivity of labour. In Whitneys factory, the parts produced were of sufficiently close tolerances to be interchangeable. Quality control was introduced to ensure that the flintlock of one musket would be interchangeable with the flintlock of another with no additional filing. Eli Whitneys uniformity system had at its core the idea of manufacturing ten thousand barrels, ten thousand stocks, ten thousand flintlocks, ten thousand trigger mechanisms, ten thousand whatever, all of sufficiently close tolerances to be interchangeable without additional filing. The parts were manufactured first, and the completed musket was assembled later. Whitneys uniformity system was the forerunner of todays assembly line. Eli Whitney gave to modern society the most productive means of manufacture known to mankind. There are those who can point to the fact that he did not originate the idea, that it had antecedents in Europe. That is true and bears about as much weight as the fact that Christopher Columbus was not the first European to discover America. Leif Ericsson may, or may not, have been first. Even if Ericsson was first, what does that do to take away from Columbus achievement? It was the discovery of America by Columbus that counts. The nations of North and South America owe their existence to Columbus explorations, not to Ericssons. The same holds true for Whitneys uniformity system. More than any other individual, he popularized the idea of Adam Smiths specialization of labour. Eli Whitney vastly increased the productivity of his specialized labour force by replacing tools with machines and by introducing quality control measures to ensure that the interchangeable parts were indeed interchangeable. His water-powered factory in New Haven was the progenitor of many such plants in the northern states. Daniel A. Wren, Ronald G. Greenwood, 1999). Eli Whitney affected the course of the development of the United States in two quite unintentional ways. The removal of the cotton seeds by the cotton gin rather than by a slaves fingers had a dramatic impact on the profitability of growing cotton in the South. One might conclude that the price of slaves would fall with the invention of the cotton gin because the labour required to remove the seeds from the cotton was nearly eliminated. Was there no other impact that might have turned out to be true? But the cotton gin made cotton growing much more profitable because the slaves could dedicate more of their time to planting and harvesting the cotton rather than to removing its seeds. Nothing did more to spread the growing of cotton in the South than did the cotton gin. As new areas of the South were brought under cultivation, there was a greater demand for slaves. The price of slaves increased, and the institution of slavery, which was actually waning at the time of the invention of the cotton gin, was given new life. The South embarked on a path of agriculture based on slave labour. In the North, just the opposite occurred. Whitneys factory in New Haven was a cause of the Norths embarking on a path of industrialization, based, as some would assert, on wage-slave labour. As in the South, Eli Whitney himself had no pretensions of embarking on anything. He invented the cotton gin and tried to make a buck from his invention. When that failed, he devised the uniformity system to make a buck out of a government contract. Nevertheless, the social repercussions of his contributions to technology had a significant impact on the history of the nation. (John G. Blair, 1988).

Case study of a man with parkinsons disease

Case study of a man with parkinsons disease Mr Henderson has arrived in hospital after a history of falls at home and has just commenced a new medication regime. It is very possible that he may be anxious, worried, frightened as a result of falling at home which also may result in loss of confidence. He may also be apprehensive about his new medication regime. Having been diagnosed with Parkinsons for 5 years, he more than likely knowns the importance of getting his medications on time, in reducing the symptoms allowing him to maximise his independence. However, it is not for the nurse to presume this and she/he must sit down, talk to him, allowing him time to talk and express his worried and anxieties. This was help to establish a relationship and Mr Henderson will understand that you are there to support him throughout his journal of care. The nurse should also make sure that all members of the multidisciplinary team are aware of Mr Hendersons condition and if they are not aware of the importance of getting medication on time out with normal drug rounds then they should be informed of its importance and understand the significant consequenc es resulting from not getting the drugs on time such as reduced independence and prolonged hospital stay. As medications are a large part in maximising independence and mobility and it may be suggested that Mr Henderson receives his medications before getting out of bed in the morning. This will allow time for the drugs to work and therefore enabling him to get out of bed more easily. Freezing, a symptom of Parkinsons disease can be distressing for patients. It affects gait initiation, turning and moving through small spaces, such a doors and busy areas. Anxiety can exacerbate freezing and it is vital that the nurse can firstly recognise anxiety, this may be achieve through effective communication and listening skills and secondly developing strategies to reduce anxiety levels such as allowing him time to talk, listening and taking on board his expressions allowing for a trusting relationship to be developed, helping him to build in confidence and preparing him psychologically for going home. Various strategies have been suggested to assist with freezing. Alexander, Fawcett and Runicnan (2006) suggest cognitive techniques in breaking down movement. They suggest breaking down the task of getting out of bed in the morning and describe that patients should bend their knees so that feet are flat on the mattress and they the patient should swing knees in the direction that he wants to turn. The next stage involves clasping both hands and lifting them straight up, straightening the elbows, then turning the head and swinging the arms in the same direction as the legs. Finally the patient can grip the edge of the mattress and adjust his position until comfortable. When Mr Henderson is mobilising then it is important that he does not have any distractions and the nurse or other members of staff should not disturb or interrupt if at all possible as this could lead to freezing. The Parkinsons Disease Society describe cueing strategies as external meaning visual, auditory or preprioceptive or internal meaning cognitive. Visual cues could be stepping over a cue in the floor, for example tape can be placed on the floor in strips to help initiate in confined spaces when freezing has taken place. Tape can also be placed on the edges of stairs. Mr Henderson may also find useful to imagine he is taking steps up stairs and this may prompt movement. The nurse should ensure that the area is clutter free and this can exacerbate freezing. Auditory cues as the name suggests would indicate sound used to enhance movement. Metronomes have been described as a useful tool in support gait initiation. Counting out rhythms or singing and walking in time to this can be beneficial. Proprioceptive cues which means taking a step back before starting to walk; rocking gently from side to side or marching on the stop before stepping. The nurse should ask Mr Henderson if he has experienced falls in the past year and frequency, obtaining as much information as possible about the falls, this can form part of the patients assessment namely a Falls Risk Assessment. Nice (2004) provides clinical guidance on falls risk assessment and suitable referrals should be initiated to the physiotherapist who will help to improve balance and the occupational therapist can help to make Mr Hendersons home safer place to live by attending a home visit and suggesting suitable aids that can improve safety, maximising independence. One of the most devastating consequences of falling in older people is a fractured neck of femur which can have significant impact on independence and quality of life. The nurse may suggest to Mr Henderson about wearing a hip protector, this again can improve confidence and also help to protect the hip if her were to fall. A full explanation as to why this is being suggested should be provided allowing for in formed choice. Falls can be as a result of loss of balance and posture, freezing, only being able to take small steps, or dyskinesia and it is important to use techniques such as cues to minimise the risk of falls. Also physiotherapy input will help with exercise, improving balance and posture. Multidisciplinary collaborating is essential in proving effective care. The nurse can find out what strategies are being taught to Mr Henderson and the nurse can encourage continuation of these exercises within the ward environment. It is important to continue to communicate with Mr Henderson allowing for evaluation in care and understanding what strategies are working and ones that are not. Once evaluated alternative strategies may be considered. Postural hypotension should be monitored/assessed for patients with Parkinsons as this increases the risk of falls as a result of dizziness or fainting in the drop in blood pressure. The patient should be supine for at least 10 minutes before taking a supine blood pressure reading. Then another reading should be taken within 3minutes of him standing up from the supine position. The nurse should be aware the dizziness the patient may experience when standing up should be standing next to him when she does the reading. If there is a significant fall in systolic blood pressure, by 20mmHg or goes below 90mmHg then this would indicate that the person has postural hypotension. Strategies can be adopted to improve the deficit before considering pharmacological methods such as recommending gradual compression stockings to improve venous return and therefore blood pressure. For them to work efficiently they much be measured and fitted to ensure the correct pressure is applied to the legs and ensuring that Mr Henderson is achieving recommended fluid intake of 1500-2000ml per day. If Mr Henderson is in a bay of beds for example 6 beds, then his location within the room should be considered in relation to the toilet. The bed should be relatively close to the toilet, if his fluid intake perhaps is being increased then frequency to micturate will potentially be increased. Mr Henderson is experiencing reduced mobility then bed position should be definitely considered to minimise the risk of unnecessary bowel or bladder incontinence. A commode may be considered and placed discretely closer to his bed for the evening or provision of urine bottles and buzzer placed in a position that is easily available. Appropriate footwear should be consider, the nurse should ensure that the are well fitted and not falling off increasing the risk of falls. The nurse should also check his feet or ensure there are no problems such as ingrown toe nails or blisters. The nurse should also ensure that Mr Hendersons vision is examined or glasses should be worn at all times if required as this could result in unnecessary falls. 1299 words Parkinsons Disease Question 2b Within the substantia nigra and basal ganglia there is progressive degeneration of cells which produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. The substantia nigra is a strip of dark pigmented cells located in the midbrain and the basal ganglia are collections of nerve cells located in near the base of the cerebrum. When motor impluses are initiated in the motor cortex, they need to be modified by the basal ganglia and substantia nigra by modifying motor activity, posture and making fine adjustments to movement. This is contained within the extrapyramid motor system and within the system there is normally a fine balance of neurotransmitters dopamine and acytylcholine. Dopamine is inhabitory and acytylcholine is excitatory. Due to the reduction in dopamine there is excess of the excitory neurotransmitter acytlecholine resulting in excitable muscle tone and the symptoms associated with Parkinsons disease. Mr Hendersons has begun a new medication regime using co-careldopa used to regain and maintain the balance between dopamine and acytlecholine. Dopamine cannot be given on its own as it will fail to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a physiological barrier that prevents substances from getting across from the blood stream and into the brain. Instead of dopamine, the drug levadopa is used which can cross the blood brain barrier and is then converted into dopamine. The dopamine then acts on dopamine receptors in the extrapyraminal motor system to maintain the neurotransmitter balance and therefore control the Parkinsons disease symptoms. When levadopa is administered it is broken down in the gut and liver by an enzyme called dopa decarboxylase, therefore combined with levadopa is a drug that inhibits the enzyme from breaking down levadopa is used which will lengthen the effects of levadopa meaning that less drug is required. This drug is called dopa decarboxylase inhibitor (cardidopa) This combination of levadopa can be provided as a preparation of one drug called co-careldopa or Sinemet (the brand name) There may be side effect such as nausea and vomiting, postural fall in blood pressure, constipation, and red stained urine. Mr Henderson must be made made aware of these side-effects and should inform the nurses when he is experiencing them. Domperidone can be used as an anti-emetic to stop the side-effects of nausea and vomitting. Blood pressure should be monitored for signs of postural hypotension and if required a medication review may be required, the nurse may ask the patient not to sit up or stand up too quickly. Parkinsons Disease 2c

Writers of the 1920s Essay -- Authors

Writers of the 1920's The 1920's had many influential writers in literature. While reaching this time period it is almost certain that the names William Faulkner, Earnest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald will be found. Each of the writers has their own personal style of writing and each one of the lives has influenced what they write about to even the way they each portray their literature. William Cuthbert Faulkner was born into a financially stable family from New Albany, Mississippi. Faulkner dropped out of high school to work in his grandfathers store. While at the store Faulkner found out he enjoyed writing. Faulkner enrolled at U of Mississippi to pursue his his passion of writing. ("William Faulkner",Discovering Authors) Another author of great influence was Earnest Hemingway. Hemingway was a genius. He had a way of making his novels talk to his readers. Hemingway had a very well to do childhood, but as he grew older he resented his parents. Hemingway's first writing job was for the Toronto Daily Star. (Nelson32) At the star he did a lot of police and hospital beat ...

The Effect of Divorce on Children Essay -- Papers Marriage Cause Kids

The Effect of Divorce on Children Divorce, once uncommon in our society, is now becoming more and more frequent, disrupting our children's state of well-being. Some children of divorced families have long-term behavior problems such as depression, low self-esteem, poor school performance, acting out, and difficulties with intimate relationships. Children with divorced or divorcing parents often have a sense of abandonment, because their parents become too preoccupied with their own psychological, social, and economic distress that they forget about their kids? needs (Lamb and Sternberg, 1997). In 1988, Professor Jeanne Dise-Lewis conducted a survey of 700 middle school students. The students were asked to rate certain events as to the stress they causes. The death of a parent or close family member was the only thing that outranked divorce (Zinsmeister, 1996). A divorce in the family creates a major life change for most children. Loss of contact with friends, schoolmates, neighbors, teachers, and sometimes m oving to a new location may bring a lot of psychosocial stress upon the children, and that stress can be very harmful. Since the divorce boom started in the 1960?s, father-mother divorces have increased at an alarming rate. Today more than 1,000,000 kids experience a divorce in the family every year in the United States alone (U.S.A. Today, p. 8). As a result of the divorce, many children live in single-parent homes. This usually results in a drop in income for the family. Remarriage creates step families. Children often have a hard time adjusting to this new situation. Many of the remarriages end in divorce. As children see these marriages end, they may become more likely to accept divorce as they ente... ...e parents. "Divorce is now the single largest cause of childhood depression. Marital disruption, quite clearly, can wound children for years" (Zinsmeister, 1996). References Doob, Christopher Bates, Sociology, and Introduction, 5th ed. (Fort Worth: Hartcourt Brace College Publishers, 1997), p 142. Driedger, Sharon Doyle. (1998) After Divorce [On-Line] Available: http://gw3.epnet. com/ehost.asp?key=xwBRPG6&site=ehost Lamb, Michael E. and Sternberg, Kathleen J. (1997) The Effects of Divorce and Custody Arrangements on Children?s Behavior, Development and Adjustment [On-Line]. Available: http://gw3.epnet.com/ehost.asp?key=xwBRPG6&site=ehost ?Minimizing the Effects of Divorce on Kids,? U.S.A. Today May 1996: 8. Zinsmeister, Karl. (1996) Divorce?s Toll on Children [On-Line] Available: http://gw3.epnet.com/ehost.asp?key=xwBRPG6&site=ehost

Who Holds Power in the United Kingdom Today Essay -- Papers

Who Holds Power in the United Kingdom Today To approach this question it is essential to consider both the definitions of power and the various different domains within which they work. As power is central to the understanding of politics, it evokes fierce controversy over its meaning. Academics have argued that politics strives to resolve conflict by producing consensus over the issues in question. In contrast, the practice of politics may also be seen solely as a means of execising power, be it through particular coercive forces or a legitimate authoratitive body. Political activity is omnipresent, existing on both micro level (as seen in the relationship between teacher and student) and on a macro level, meaning the state. Consequently, this brings us to make a necessary distinction between 'power' and 'influence'. The former can be seen as an ability to make significant political decisions which facilitates the control over others. e.g.the power of government over society. In contrast, the latter implies the potential to transform any component part of these decisions via some form of external pressure. For instance, this may include anything from rational debating within Parliament, to open intimidation such as armed police forces. Liberal democratic politics dictate the political agenda of the British political system. The 'liberal' element advocates the support for a multitude of different networks within the state as well as a number of different groups working seprate from the state. For example, N.G.Os, a Bill of Rights, an autonomous judiciary and finally, a complex system of 'checks and balances' within the in... ...mocratic, by implication we must live under the rule of a state elite. And if it is the case that such an elite must strive in every way possible to promote big business in order to uphold social cohesion, then surely it is impossible to deny that capitalist interests are the basis of all governmental decisions. It would only be logical to conclude that the concept of who holds power in the U.K today is merely a guise with government being a necessary shadow passed over society by the interests of big business. The reason this stlye of government has endured for so long is perhaps mans neccessity to believe that he has some control over his own destiny or as Thomas Paine so eloquently put it in the "Rights of Man" (1789), "Society is in every state a blessing, but, government in its best state is but a necessary evil".

Symptom, Problem and Problem-Solving Processes

Discuss the difference between a symptom and a problem. * A symptom is the effect caused by the problem while the problem is the reason causing the symptom. Problem is used with the intention of finding solution to it while symptom assists to recognize the problem. Would you classify excessive employee absenteeism as a symptom or a problem? Discuss. * I think absenteeism is a problem because it can be caused by some reasons. And those reasons are the symptom. For example, an employee is absent because he is sick. The problem is that he is absent and the reason is because of the symptom which is he is sick.Discuss the three types of errors that can occur during the problem-solving process. * Type I error involves solving a problem that does not exist. * Type II error is failing to recognize why the problem exists. * Type III error occurs when the wrong problem is solved. Discuss the proactive approach to mess finding. * It is recognizing a problem through the observation of one or mor e symptoms. It is often begin undertaking an investigation. List the steps in the problem-solving process. * Symptom recognition/ mess finding * Fact finding/ deviation Problem identification/ test for cause * Establish objectives * Generate alternatives * Solution development * Plan implementation * Set controls/ follow up What are the main purposes of a flow chart? Why might creating flow charts of the major processes for which you are responsible be a good idea when you start a new job? * To define and understand better a process. It facilitate an analysis of the steps in a process to determine the relationships between the steps. It also facilitates the process of continuos improvement.Because it can help for the better understanding of the processes and it will illustrate how the process works. Compare the use of check sheets and pareto diagrams. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each under which circumstances each would be preferred. * Check lists provides a simple r ecording of data by categories and enable the analyst to determine the relative frequency of occurrence of the various categories of the data but the pareto diagram provides a better organization of the data and a more polished presentation of the most and least frequency occurences.Discuss the differences between a run chart and a control chart. * A run chart can simply be defined as a graph in which data is plotted over a period of time, instead of being plotted all at once while the control chart are used to track the sample quality over time and detect any unusual behavior. Which of the tools of quality might be the most helpful in the setting controls/follow-up step in the problem-solving process? Discuss how they would be helpful in this step. * I think its flowchart because it provides a visual tool that is easy to use and understand.By seeing the steps involved in an operation or process, everyone develops a clear picture of how the operation works and where problems could a rise. Compare the PDSA and DMAIC approaches to continuous improvement. What are their key similarities and differences? * Difference between PDCA and DMAIC is the organizational infrastructure required in Six Sigma.. Six Sigma and the DMAIC methodology in which its work is carried out, requires a steering committee, tollgates, a champion, and a project sponsor. Similarities is that they both improve a process in a production system.Discuss the difference between benchmarking and comparison to national average. * Benchmarking is a process in w/c organization measures its strategic operations or internal process performance against those of that best organizations within or outside of the industry while comparison to national average is used to judge the quality of their suppliers and those of national averages. National averages provides no measure of variation in performance and no information about the best in class performers.

Andy Warhol

AP Studio Art 28 September 2013 Revolutionized Artist Andy Warhol was an American artist during the sass and was a leading figure in pop art. He was an artist that revolutionized society with his art during that time. His art encompassed many forms of media including hand drawing, painting, photography and music. Andy Warhol became the symbol of a movement which made the arts easily available to and understandable for the public, thereby causing a change in the culture of America during the ass's and ass's. Acknowledging all of these factual evidence, it is unquestionable that anyone would disagree upon Andy Warhol being an artist.Through his series with common images, celebrities and death, Warhol teaches us that surface images have a lot to say about pop culture. By exploring and learning more about the artist who opened so many doors in the art world, one can see why looking at the surface of his works often meant seeing and understanding so much more about the society in which we live. When considering the life and works of Andy Warhol, one thing is agreed upon: for good or bad, he changed the visual construction of the world we live in. By the time of his death in 1987 he was ranked on the same level with Pablo Picasso and JacksonPollock as one of the three most important artists of this century. He was a working man, a social climber, a person who liked to build things, an acquirer of goods, and a known homosexual. These attributes all contributed to the interesting and complicated nature of his art. Ands intention was to get us to look at the â€Å"art† that is all around us. For example, â€Å"Campbell Tomato Soup† (1962). Whorl's Campbell soup cans are arguably some of his most famous works. Warhol wanted us to look at the simple image of the can for what it represented to our culture.He challenged â€Å"old assigned† critics to overcome their ideas of art as complex and incomprehensible by using simple, common images. Whorl's sele ction of the soup can may be the most important part of the work he did with them. He wanted to display his view of America and to him eating Campbell soup represented being American. Andy makes up art with the common tomato soup we see at the grocery store. Andy Warhol is telling us that good, bad, or very bad, there is â€Å"art† everywhere and we take it for granted. Looking at his photos really makes us fell ignorant to art making us think, â€Å"How could I miss that? Leaving us with guilt and having no confidence to being artists. Although Andy was identified with Pop art and credited with its invention, this is a misunderstanding of his creative ability. Pop is much more complicated than it seems. In creating Pop art, one must create memorable images and awareness of the unpredictable forces in nature and society in whole. It is not simply the portrayal of popular icons but more of an expression of all that is familiar and accepted American society. Pop art also conta ins a serious sub-message that is not apparent at first sight.Warhol has many famous works spanning across distinct mediums, but arguably his most important works were his silkscreen based on photography and his revolutionary usage of the popular media as an artistic medium in itself; which he created through his carefully controlled public persona. Andy Warhol produced works that defied the popular notion of what art should be. Whorl's works were meant to be taken at face value, for nothing more than what they portrayed on the surface. While he stressed this superficial attitude about his art, his works were often the cause of debate and influenced public opinion like no other cultural figure inNorth America. Andy Warhol influenced – and still influences – many modern artists. He was influential not only with the unusual images he created, but also through his extensively publicized lifestyle and attitude. He redefined the role of the artist as a public persona, like a rock star. He was able to clamoring the ordinary. After Warhol, art is no longer seen as exclusively â€Å"high† art. Glorifying Campbell Soup cans and Coke bottles was a fundamentally democratic gesture. Andy Warhol was a great artist who made art accessible for many.The popularity of contemporary art today is to mom extent due to his achievements and I believe that most importantly Warhol taught us that the artist is in reality, the art. Despite of popular belief, the tomato soup pictures were not his ideas; Andy needed new ideas to help boost his creativity. He got several ideas from a woman named Muriel Lotto; a gallery owner he knew. She advised him to paint what he loved most (like money) or what everybody would recognize (soup cans and coke bottles). Andy expanded on these ideas and his paintings of the early ass's reflected his progress as a Pop artist.He finally gained the financial success and international AMA he had longed for. This proves that art is not an ide a, it is how you exemplify that idea to be original and creative. I find it simple at first glance but the majority of his work has quite a vast and deep meaning to it once the viewer takes a moment to really look at it for example the â€Å"famous boxes of Brills pads† (1968) , as first glance it is a well taken and quirky image of a pretty mundane item, however with artistic analysis and deeper thought the ideas of mortification and consumerism seep through the image.Warhol also creates photograph collages and screen-prints of his self-portrait within his portfolio. This is a postmodern artistic medium as instead of allowing the media and public to create an opinion of him, he is taking that license and liberty away from them by creating these images himself, as if to force-feed the media before they get a chance to create a per-conceived opinion. He wanted to portray a creative image of himself, which stands out from everyone else; and he certainly has achieved this in mel low' (1968) self-portrait.Andy Warhol brought forward society's obsession with mass culture and allowed it to become the subject of art itself. Using many techniques such as isolation, repetition and color placement, Warhol brought o the world of art his views on materialism, politics, economics and the media. Some people dispute that Whorl's work isn't original, and it isn't actually creating anything ‘new and that it is simply cheating and copying the basics of an already famous image.In contrast, others believe that he is indeed creating a new work of art as it is taking traditional high art and changing the message of it in to something modern. Warhol appreciated and admired the original and did not intend to take ‘credit' for this creation, he was simply expressing his artistic license to enhance the ark further and in his own way. Ironically, Andy Warhol, a man who fantasized about simply vanishing upon death, a man who expressed so much desire to become a machine, became amortized through the media.Andy Whorl's choice of visual technologies ultimately allowed him to convey the ideas of fame and repetition through literal example. Warhol even turned his life as a whole into a musing on fame, mass-production and the culture of 20th century America. In the end, it is ironic that the very man who coined the phrase ‘1 5 minutes of fame,' received so much more than his share. Andy warhol Maria Virgins Art Fundamentals Andy Warhol Born Andrew Warhol on August 6, 1928 in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Andy Whorl's parent's were Slovakian immigrants. His father, Indore Warhol, was a construction worker and his mother, Julia Warhol, was an embroiderer. They were devout Catholics who attended mass regularly, and maintained much of their Slovakian culture and heritage. At the age of 8, Warhol was diagnosed with Chorea a rare and sometimes fatal disease of the nervous system that left him sick for several months.It was during these months, while Warhol was sick in bed, that his mother, herself a skillful artist, gave him his first drawing lessons. He passed away on February 22, 1987. Warhol attended Holmes Elementary school and took the free art classes offered at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. Warhol began at Sciences High School, and upon graduating, in 1945, he enrolled at the Carnegie Institute for Technology to study pictorial design. When he graduated wi th his bachelors in art he moved to new York. s portrait † untitled from Marilyn Monroe† is basically Just a picture of Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn is an example of the successful evolution of Whorl's goal of erasing signs of the artist's hand from the production process. † brills boxes†Warhol presented the viewer with exact replicas of commonly used products found in homes and supermarkets. † self portrait†Whorl's self portraits that he created throughout his career reveal an underlying theme of performance. By using repetitive images, each slightly different to the next, Warhol produces the illusion of movement.Andy Warhol was a strange man and that was his gift that brought us a new way of looking at the things, people, the world. He took ordinary things that we were so used to that we didn't really notice them and from his unusual perspective made them new and interesting and art. His mother influenced him to become an artist because when he contr acted his condition she was the one who taught him how to draw when he was bed sick. The first painting of Marilyn Monroe, made me feel like it was true about how when she first had passed away everyone was devastated.They cried they were sad. He was very successful communicating his message. The second painting of Brills Boxes, it honestly Just looks like carriages. Its nasty and I don't know why supermarkets would ever have them. He did succeed delivering his message. The last painting of himself, his self portrait was kind of creepy. He may think of himself in a different way but in my perspective I didn't like that painting Andy Warhol Whorl's Flowers, 1967, silkscreen on synthetic polymer paint on canvas, is included in the exhibition. Flowers were quite an inspiration for Warhol time and again. â€Å"Flowers in art and culture have been ubiquitous since the beginning of recorded art history,† says Smith. â€Å"The floral theme wasn't any more exhausted when Warhol was doing it than when 17th-century Dutch painters or the Impressionists were. But Warhol was sly; he was always playing with traditional art historical themes† (Frey). Andy Warhol, 1925-1987, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker.Warhol is famous for art that defied all standard definitions of ‘art'. He was well known for mass-producing the hallmarks of his work. He called his studio The Factory and insisted on the appropriateness of others producing his work, for which he used mainly photographs, often news photographs, which he printed in multiples by the silk screening process. Silk screening is a method of printing on a porous fabric, the portion of the design to be reproduced is left unblocked on the screen; than the screen is placed above the surface to be printed on, than the paint, or dye, is forced through the screen.Warhol appropriated most of his images and repeated these images numerous times; Warhol had a fascination with repetition, perhaps created by our compulsion to find an exception or rogue element in the composition. â€Å"Warhol was relentlessly detached, cool, and superficial: ‘If you want to know all about Andy Warhol Just look at the surface of my paintings and films and me, and there I am. There is nothing behind it,' he said† (Frazier 709). â€Å"The reason I'm painting this way is that I want to be a machine, and I feel that whatever I do and do machine-like is what I want to do.I like boring things. I like things to be exactly the same over and over again. Eve been quoted a lot as saying, ‘l like boring things. ‘ Well, I said it and I meant it. But that doesn't mean I'm not bored by them. Of course, what I think is boring must not be the same as what other people think is, since I could never stand to watch all the most popular action shows on TV, because they're essentially the same plots and the same shots and the same cuts over and over again. Apparently, most people love watching the same basic thing, as long as the details are different.But I'm Just the opposite: if I'm going to sit ND watch the same thing I saw the night before, I don't want it to be essentially the same?I want it to be exactly the same. Because the more you look at the same exact thing, the more the meaning goes away, and the better and emptier you feel† (Stiles 340). Andy Warhol had a legendary and lucrative artistic career from the early sass through 1986; some early key works are included in landmark series such as Campbell Soup, Marilyn, Jackie, Mao, Elvis, Flowers, Disaster, and Self-portraits.Flower's is considered to be one of Whorl's most significant of his later works. Employing mass-production techniques to create works, Warhol erased traditional distinctions between fine art and popular culture, subtly blurring the boundaries of mass art and high culture with his striking appropriations. His choice of subjects tapped into important themes: power, fame, and tragedy. With an unerring eye for iconic images, from common objects to celebrities and disasters, Warhol produced a lasting oeuvre that captured the essence of American culture† (Traditional Fine Art Online).Warhol believed in painting everyday ‘boring objects, but what do boring objects eve to do with Pop Art? Roy Liechtenstein was once asked what Pop Art was, â€Å"the use of commercial art as a subject matter in painting, I suppose. It was hard to get a painting that was despicable enough so that no one would hang it?everybody was hanging everything. It was almost acceptable to hang a dripping paint rag, everybody was accustomed to this. Th e one thing everyone hated was commercial art; apparently they didn't hate that enough either† (Stiles 337). For example, Coke was one of these objects that Warhol produced quite a bit.Coke is something that very American can relate too, and this is what made Warhol enjoy painting the product so much. â€Å"What's great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coke, Liz Taylor drinks Coke, and Just think, you can drink Coke, too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better Coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the Cokes are the same and all the Cokes are good. Liz

Crocs

Crocs began marketing its shoes at a November 2002 boat show. Crocs were originally intended to be sold to boaters, because of their slip proof, non-marking sole and the fact that they are waterproof and odor resistant. However, this market soon expanded to include gardeners, healthcare workers, waiters, and other professionals who had to be on their feet all day. This market began to encompass markets Crocs had never considered.Over the course of a year what had started out as simply an idea on a sailing trip evolved into one of the greatest footwear phenomena of the decade. Products and Target Market Crocs currently targets multiple market segments ranging from boaters to gardeners to simply individuals wanting a comfortable pair of sandals. However, the firm's initial target market was boaters. Crocs' initial foray into the market was an effort to provide a comfortable pair of nonslip boating shoes to a niche market.This target market soon expanded to others who would pay a premiu m price for comfort. Nurses, retail store clerks, and others who spent most of the day on their feet quickly recognized the value proposition Crocs offered: while expensive, these individuals were willing to pay a premium to avoid the discomfort of traditional shoes. Today, Crocs targets an even wider swath of the market. Crocs' product category advertisements state that Crocs are for â€Å"women, men, kid, sports, and everyone. To further broaden their market, Crocs advertises that among these segments, customer will find its products to be comfortable â€Å"on the beach, around the house, in the rain, in cold weather, off the road, for walks in town, â€Å"and even something that will â€Å"look good in the office. † Crocs has kept its original characteristics of light-weight, non-slip, brightly colored product lines while created additional styles to accommodate the needs of different consumers. Crocs also offers apparel products such as t-shirts, shorts and even women' s leggings.

Opening case: Pinterest Essay

1. Knowledge: Do you consider Pinterest a form of disruptive or sustaining technology? Disruptive technology is a new way of doing something that initially does not meet the needs of existing customers. This type of technology tends to open new markets and destroy old ones. While, a sustaining technology produces an improved product that customers are eager to buy. This technology provides better, faster and cheaper products on established markets. I think that Pinterest is a sustaining technology. Indeed, it’s a social network like Facebook or twitter but the system it’s not the same so this website improved the market of the social media. 2. Comprehension: Categorize Pinterest as an example of Web 1.0 (e-business) or Web 2.0 (Business 2.0) The Web 1.0 is a term to refer to the World Wide Web during the first few years of existence between 1991 and 2003. The e-business is ecommerce with all activities related to internal and external nosiness operations. During the Web 1.0 the first type of e-business appears. The Web 2.0 is the next generation of Internet; it’s a set of economic, social and technology trends. This platform is characterized by new qualities like collaboration, sharing and free. This new generation encourages customers to share and create communities. I think that clearly Pinterest is an example of Web 2.0. This website is all about creating a community and connect people together through the things that they find interesting. As a user you can create your own â€Å"interest boards†. Like that you can show and share with your friends what is important for you. Plus, like in twitter people can follow other. In addition to that Pinterest was created in 2010 after the end of the Web 1.0 in 200 3. 3. Application: Describe the e-business model and revenue model for Pinterest. There are several types of e-business model, and I think that the model of the company is the C2C. The C2Cmodel offers services to assist consumers interacting with each other over the Internet. Pinterest is a social network based on visual communication. All the users can really interact with others, the can talk bout a brand or a product. The revenue model is based on advertising fees that generate revenue to the company. Pinterest uses images directly linked to the retailers website and uses banner ads too. Pinterest allows retailers to put adds on the website in exchange of money. 4. Analysis: What is open source software and how could Pinterest take advantage of it? Open source software is software with a source code available free. That’s means that any third party doesn’t have to pay fees to review or modify it. The Web 2.0 counts on that. Users don’t have to pay fees to enter on the website. They can visually communicate without paying anything. Pinterest take advantage of it because people want to share and communicate about their passion, interest of favorite brands. But people will to do that is they had to pay for it. So Pinterest give to them a platform to express them. They are able to drive traffic because it’s free and open source. 5. Synthesis: Create a plan for how a start-up company could take advantage of Web 3.0 and generate the idea for the next great website that is similar to Pinterest. The web 3.0 is the future generation of the web, the Internet more â€Å"intelligent†. The future computer will can understand and analyze relationship. Plus, they will be able to analyze a request like â€Å"I want to go to the theater and go after eat Japanese! What do you suggest? A start-up can take advantage of this new web through several aspects: Integration of legacy: use current devices as smartphones, laptops, and so on, as credit cards, tickets and reservation tools. Intelligent applications: the use of  agents, machine learning and semantic web concepts to complete intelligent tasks for users. Open ID: the provision of an online identity that can be easily carried to a variety of devices (cell phones†¦) allowing for easy authentication across different websites. Open technologies: the design of website and other software so they can be easily integrated and work together. A worldwide database: the ability for databases to be distributed and accessed from ev erywhere. An idea that would be close to Pinterest laying on the web 3.0 advantages would be, that connects all the news in the world in one website. Launch a website that gathers every information on a dedicated subject. The user will type a specific request on the research toolbar of the website, and thanks to the â€Å"semantic analysis† the website will give access to the user to an amazing databases. In additions to that, the information will be rank by importance and pertinence for the user. 6. Evaluation: Evaluate the challenges facing Pinterest and identify ways the company can prepare to face these issues. The Pinterest’ s site is about pining lot of photos and images. Users can go against the law if they pin a picture with a copyright or not their. Pinterest can be the victim of a lot trails against the, accusing them that they violate the copyright. To face this issue Pinterest protects it self by completing the indemnity clause that all users have to sign. By putting images on their â€Å"interest boards â€Å" people can blame Pinterest if they are violating copyright infringement.

Discuss politics and power in the workplace. What is an example of an Term Paper

Discuss politics and power in the workplace. What is an example of an appropriate use of power What is an example of an inappropriate use of power, and why - Term Paper Example The concept of power stems from the concept of hierarchy in an organization and therefore power has to be exerted to get work done. Hence power backed with politics is an essential force to create change in an organization which leads to innovation. Power and politics can be used in both positive and negative ways. A balanced use of power in appropriate ways to regulate and monitor employees with strong leadership qualities can bring both satisfaction at the workplace and huge rewards for the organization. In contrast forceful manipulation and abuse of power to dominate others is extremely harmful for both the workers and the organization. Since power is always a bone of contention in the workplace, its proper usage can be tricky. Appropriate use of power should result in the form of happy, contended employees, a peaceful workplace and efficient performance. But by no means should the authority stop from exerting necessary power to prevent offending the employees. An appropriate use of power will be rewarding employees on their performance. This power can easily result in the reinforcement of the positive activities of the worker. These rewards do not necessarily have to be tangible but they can be small intangible praises which can be very meaningful for the employee and will boost his morale. (7 types of power in the workplace)Efficient use of power is also creating the right balance between being an ignorant leader and being a control freak. The employees should not be able to take advantage of the boss lenience but simultaneously should not be fed up of his micromanagement and criticism. The right ways to use powe r is dependent upon the organization and the workers but they all result in better performance, effective leadership and satisfied employees. When exerting power, it is very easy to cross the line and abuse it because with power comes the tendency to overuse it. In appropriate use of power will

Life Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Life Science - Essay Example Such constraints directly influence their life history stage, genetic diversity, reduced gene flow, poor genetic drift, deprived genetic multiplicity of breeding, inadequate space, thereby making the population inactive. Vast space is required for the appropriate mobility as well as to establish connectivity for the perseverance of population. Human activities not only restrict the mobility and connectivity of trouts population but also create barriers. Human deeds fragment touts habitat, eventually, causing loss of trouts population. Invasion of non-native salmonids generates potential danger too. Restricted space condenses demographic and stochastic destruction hazards. Efforts to protect and restore trouts population are being performed, but appropriate study is highly essential to protect trouts population. Some conservation methods have been proposed but fortification is required at the water shed level and catchments such as streams. Conservation measures for the protection of trouts population must be taken seriously in order to preserve their natural habitat, allowing them to move freely, minimizing fragmentation of their habitat and allowing them to have genetic

Motives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Motives - Essay Example Encouraged and facilitated by government, these schemes are designed for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and are used primarily - but not exclusively - for export activities. In general, an export grouping scheme provides the opportunity for member companies to spread the initial costs and risks of international market entry, to share information and experiences, and to pool resources to support stronger promotional efforts. Illustrative uses of network schemes are the 'export circles' in Finland which have the requirement that each circle be kept small and that the companies must be noncompetitive and the Joint Action Group (JAG) scheme in Australia which was initiated by the semi-government agency the Australian Trade Commission as a way of improving performance of Australian exporters. One requirement of such groups is that member companies must accept group-determined goals and activities, which is often difficult for smaller companies to do especially when the group comprises competitors (Pieterse, 2004). Two approaches have been used to form groups: (1) supply based, which starts with formation of a group an; then seeks an opportunity, and (2) demand driven, which starts with an international prospect or opportunity and then the group is formed. Also, to becoming parties

Russian Marketplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Russian Marketplace - Essay Example The positive side to the bakery/coffee market is it is a growing market in Russia. For an American keen on establishing bakery/coffee outlet in Russia, the difficulties may not be more than what you may encounter in any other growing economy. The distribution system in Russia does not appear to be well-organized and there are queues to make most purchases. The trend is changing with budding entrepreneurs coming up with marketing skills that, given the political nod, could easily upset the lethargic traditional system (Smilor, Ray; 2002). There are encouraging signs for anyone in America considering an entry into the bakery/coffee market in Russia. There is enormous potential for growth in this market. The annual per capita consumption of coffee in Russia is 500 gm as compared to 12 kg in neighbouring Scandinavian countries (Nestl to start coffee processing in Russia, 2004). Statistics are not available for bakery items which comprise large range of products comprising cakes, bread, biscuits, and other savouries. However, there is the eagerness to taste new assortment of baked items. There are also trade fairs and exhibitions for bakery items. So it should not be difficult for American entrepreneurs to participate in these fairs and exhibitions and glean information for starting bakery outlets in cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg to begin with (Event Profile, 2010) This does not mean that starting a bakery in Russia is a cakewalk. There are going to be difficulties and obstacles in the form of competition as well as other unknown problems. The iron curtain may not exist any longer. However, Russia is still going through teething problems and the transition to a free market is experiencing a pull between traditional radicals and budding entrepreneurs (Smilor, Ray; 2002). You got to stick to the budding entrepreneurs. While on the subject of bakeries, it is pertinent to make mention of Fazer's successful operations in Russia. "Fazer is one of Russia's leading bakery companies. During the past three years, Fazer's bakery operations in Russia have grown at an average rate of ca 40 per cent annually, and today they constitute 14 per cent of the Group's turnover. Fazer has during the past ten years invested ca 130 M in its operations in Russia and the Group's four bakeries in Russia employ 3 500 people. Fazer is a leading contract catering company in the Nordic and the Baltic countries, offering customers delicious food and tailor-made service solutions. The company operates in the Nordic countries, Estonia, Latvia and Russia." (Fazer's