Contemporary management issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Contemporary management issues - Essay Example Though some of these values evolve to embrace the changing times and others may interpret it differently under different situation but the universal acceptance of what is right and what is wrong has given them a strong foothold to withstand the adversities of the time. Moral and ethical dilemmas are becoming frequent in one’s professional life. The cut throat competition coupled with diverse and multicultural fabric of the society, makes it difficult for a person to maintain a high level of personal integrity. Nonetheless, barring serious acts of omission and commission, the activities or behaviour that is not illegal has literally become a fact of life with the people making it very difficult to distinguish between the behaviour that persons think ethical or unethical. The main reason being that very often the personal values clash with the organization’s objectives and organization’s target based results. According to Joseph Badaracco, "We have all experienced situations in which our professional responsibilities unexpectedly come into conflict with our deepest values...we are caught in a conflict between right and right. And no matter which option we choose, we feel like weve come up short" (internet). The resolution of eth ical dilemma therefore requires a very careful consideration so that both the parties become gainers. Consequentialist ethics is defined as the acts or behaviour that is determined by the consequences of that act or behaviour which generally must be beneficial in content. Retailers take refuge in the consequentialist ethical code of conduct, in their support of the supply chain that provides flowers that are out of season at their point of sale in the United Kingdom. It is therefore important that to identify really unethical behaviour, one must be able to know whether that particular act or behaviour of the retailer is constitutionally unlawful or whether it is against the general code of values. Another most pertinent question is

Mary Shelley Essay Example for Free

Mary Shelley Essay Do you agree? Frankenstein is one of the great novels of English literature, written in 1816 by a young Mary Shelley. The name Frankenstein is generally associated with the terrifying monster created in the many film adaptations of the book. But did Mary Shelley write only to frighten the reader? Or did she write in order to explore deeper issues of the evolving times she was living in? The basic plot of the novel is typical of a blood-curdling horror story: a mad scientist creates an inhuman monster, which subsequently goes on a murderous rampage, not resting until it has avenged itself. But Shelleys novel uses various other themes throughout the book, asks questions and expresses strong views on the changing balance between science and religion of the early 19th century. Through her monster she explores the themes of isolation, the relationship between God and man, the importance of respecting nature and the dangers of obsession. Shelleys novel has been extremely influential on horror stories since as it is one of the most famous gothic horror novels of all time. It is also the first to use the idea of fear of the unknown in the context of scientific research. It is one of the forerunners of later 20th century novels such as Brave New World, which warn of the dire consequences of unchecked scientific progress. The novel was written as part of a game or competition between herself, her husband, the poet Byron and his friend Polidori. They were spending time in Geneva when Byron suggested they should each write a ghost story and see who could write the best. That night Shelly had a terrifying nightmare in which she saw the story of Frankenstein. Shelleys parents appear to have been hugely influential on the novel. Her father was the writer and political journalist William Godwin, who became famous with his work An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice. Godwin had revolutionary attitudes to most social institutions, and as result she had been exposed to many modern radical ideas and had been to public shows where they stimulated the muscles of dead animals or humans to produce twitching. Perhaps it was this which gave birth in her mind to the famous creation scene of Frankenstein? Her mother had died in childbirth and she herself had lost children, which features heavily in the book. The novel is told through letters from Captain Walton to his sister Margaret in what is known as a Chinese box style. Walton talks about his own story and we get to know him, then we are introduced to another character, Victor, who Walton meets in the desolate landscape of the North Pole. Victor tells his story to Walton who relates it to his sister. Victor then tells us, through Walton, of how he met his creation, the monster, and tells Walton all that the creature told him which is then written down in the letters. In this way we get a first hand account from several different characters and we get a feeling of the depth of the story as we delve deeper in to the plot and see each side of the story. Chapter 5 is the beginning of any real horror in the novel. Of course, there have been some mysterious circumstances and the bleak and desolate setting of the North Pole, but nothing to really scare the reader. But the creation of the creature is Shelley unearthing her fears about the progression of modern science. To begin with Shelley creates tension, setting the scene, saying : it was on a dreary night of November and the rain pattered dismally both of these creating a sense of unease and darkness. Furthermore, she tells us how the candle was nearly burnt out by the glimmer of the half extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open, which again forms an image of a dark laboratory with flickering candle light, and creates tension, which have all become classic horror settings ever since.

The Client :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I read the book The Client by John Grisham. This book was about a boy, named Mark Sway, and is younger brother who witnessed a horrible suicide. Before the suicide, he talked to the lawyer who was about to kill himself. This lawyer, Jerome Clifford, had a client in New Orleans who had murdered a United States Senator and hid the body at the lawyer?s house. Right before he shot himself, the lawyer told Mark everything about his Mafia connected client. When the lawyer took his life, the younger brother went into shock, but Mark realized that he had to tell the police something. He didn?t want to tell them that he knew the whereabouts of the body for fear of the Mafia coming after him. He just decided to tell the police that he and his brother were in the woods and they found the car and the lawyer?s body, not knowing anything about it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later, the police found Mark?s fingerprints around and inside the car, where he had been talking to the lawyer, and even on the gun. FBI agents and local police all suspected that Mark knew more than he was telling them. Mark hired a lawyer, Reggie Love, to help him get out of the mess he put himself in. A couple newspapers got word of the fingerprints of the boy and they quickly made up stories that Mark was now suspected to be the killer of the lawyer. Mark realized that the best thing to do would be to let the police know where the body was and tell them the truth about everything he knew. The next day, he and Reggie had an appointment with some FBI agents. On the way to his lawyer?s office, Mark ran into a man obviously in the Mafia. He threatened to kill him if he told anyone about what Jerome Clifford had told him. He knew the man wasn?t joking because he was holding a switchblade to his face at the time. By this time, Mark no longer wants to talk to the aut horities. Through all this, Mark?s mother was still living at the hospital, worrying about her youngest son, who was still in shock and comatose.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eventually, the FBI gets annoyed with waiting for Mark. They decide that he should be put in a juvenile home until he agrees to talk to them. Mark knows that he should not be in the home.

Continuous improvement Essay

What is continuous improvement means in the context of organisational success Continuous improvement is a quality philosophy that assumes further improvements are always possible and that processes should be continuously re-evaluated and improvements implemented. It is also the seeking of small improvements in processes and products, with the objective of increasing quality and reducing waste. It is believed that an organization must constantly measure the effectiveness of its processes and strive to meet more difficult objectives to satisfy customers. Continuous improvement is an ongoing effort to improve products, services or processes. These efforts can seek â€Å"incremental† improvement over time or â€Å"breakthrough† improvement all at once How it is possible to lead continuous improvement systems and processes -Encouraging and supporting team members to participate in decision-making processes: Quality management is a process in business that requires participation from everyone, from senior management to those on the shop floor. Quality management can only be effective if everyone participates and contributes ideas for the overall improvement of a business. Without active participation by everyone, you are not getting everything you could get from the process. You need to involve everyone; you need to ensure that you listen to everyone’s ideas. After all, often it is not just management who know how to make improvements. Those on the shop floor deal with problems on a daily basis, and this puts them in the best position to find ways of making improvements. In this section we will look at ways of working with your team to ensure that you are getting the active participation of all team members. There are a range of tools that can be used to ensure that your team is encouraged to participate in the continuous improvement process. oBrainstoming oCheck sheets oMind mapping oCause and Effect diagram oNorminal Group technique oConsensus oVoting -Ensuring continuous improvement processes are communicated to stakeholders: In order to be successful, it is important that quality initiatives and the general concept of quality management is promoted throughout an organisation. Quality management requires solid commitment on the part of management and all staff members in order to be regarded as successful, and promotion is an extremely useful means of showing, and developing, this commitment. We will examine promotion of quality through a cyclic approach. In a sense, this approach can be likened to the idea of quality management, as it involves continuous improvement of ideas. The four major means of communicating and promoting quality initiatives within an organisation are: oNewsletters oWorkshops oForum groups oPresentations -Developing effective mentoring and coaching processes: Many industries have very high worker turnover and recruiting staff and more importantly retaining them can be quite difficult to achieve. Having a coach or mentor in place can help relieve much of the stress that new staff feel when they begin a new job. New staff may lack experience or some of the core skills required to undertake a specific job and by having a coach or mentor there to provide assistance, you can assist in reducing the stress felt by new staff undertaking a new job. The process of having a coach or mentor assigned to your new staff is not a new idea, but one which can provide significant advances in improving overall quality in the workplace. They also enhance the individual employees performance. There are a number of different methods that can be used when creating a coaching or mentoring scheme in your workplace. These include: -Personal coaching programs employing external or internal coaches -Traditional’ or peer-to-peer mentoring schemes -Buddy schemes, a form of two-way peer-to-peer mentoring The method that you decide to utilise when working towards improving quality in your work place will be entirely dependant on what you are trying to fix and the type of skills that are already present in your workplace. You may also need to consider the organisation and its culture. Some organisations simply do not have the kind of culture that allows for one individual to assist another easily without the staff feeling uncomfortable. It is therefore extremely important to consider the effects of the company’s culture on any systems that you may decide to implement into the workplace. Competition, for example, among employees for reaching sales targets or earning commission may mean that there is a lack of willingness to act as an effective mentor or coach. Coaching and mentoring are generally used to provide on-job training, however it can be a lot wider than this. Coaches in the workplace can become an integral strategy in improving quality by developing staff on a continuous rather than one off basis. How an organisational leader would contribute to and implement continuous improvement initiatives It is fundamental to the success of the Management System and to the implementation of continual improvement throughout the organization that senior managers provide strong leadership; visible and active support; and, demonstrated commitment. To encourage improved individual and organization performance, executive sponsors should empower and make individuals accountable for their work. The role of senior management in continual improvement includes the following responsibilities. -Establishing a vision for continual improvement -Establishing overall goals for continual improvement -Creating the motivation for change -Establishing commitment and alignment of the senior management team -Managing the continual improvement programme -Creating a continual improvement culture -Impact on staff involved in continual improvement -Recognizing staff for continual improvement success -Openness and honesty A specific example approaches used for continual process improvement (CPI): TEPCO – JAPAN In TEPCO the following 10 steps outline the process improvement methodology: -Step 1: Determine the boundaries of the process that requires improvement, Organize, Capture â€Å"as-is† SIPOC (Suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers). -Step 2:Benchmark the process against industry â€Å"Best Practices†. – Set goals. -Step 3: Capture the current â€Å"as-is† process.

How does the body obtain and utilise energy? Essay

The cardiovascular system The myocardium, commonly referred to as the heart, acts as a pump for transporting blood around the body via a collective system, known as the cardiovascular system. This system has various components; blood vessels; mainly arteries, veins and capillaries. The cardiovascular system has four main functions within the body. Firstly to transport dissolved oxygen, hormones, nutrients, salts, enzymes and urea to cells located around various places within the body, whilst at the same time eliminating any waste products such as carbon dioxide and water. Secondly, to protect the body from infection and blood loss. Thirdly, to distribute heat around the body to enable a healthy temperature of 37oc and finally to aid the body to maintain fluid balance. This ‘human pump’ can be regarded as two pumps. The fist sized organ contains two muscular chambers; the upper chamber; the atrium and the lower; the ventricle. The right side of the heart pumps deoxygenated blood from the veins to the lungs for oxygenation, whilst the left side pumps oxygenated blood from the lungs to the body. It is important to note that the two sides are separated by a septum. The blood flows through the heart twice within one cycle, this is known as ‘double circulation’. The cardiovascular system carries oxygen and glucose to the cells and transports waste products such as co2 and urea away from the cells and to other parts of the body, such as the lungs and kidneys. Adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP, is a chemical energy that is produced when nutrient molecules are burnt. ATP is constantly being produced on a daily basis due to the breakdown of glucose. Glucose is a sugar which is the main  source of energy for the body. Glucose is broken down and the energy from the glucose molecule chemical bonds are released and utilized by the cell to produce ATP molecules. Catabolism is a metabolic action that breaks down more complex molecules, such as lipids and proteins and transforms them into simpler molecules, such as fatty acids and amino acids in order to release energy. The breakdown of food allows energy to be released as the foods molecules’ bonds are breaking. This energy is then utilized to refine the bonds that have been broken to enable an increase of ATP to be created. More energy can be produce when oxygen is present. An aerobic production of ATP takes place within the mitochondria. The broken down food molecules enter the blood stream. The blood is a liquid which is made up of red and white cells. The red blood cells are attached to a protein called hemoglobin, (which is responsible for giving blood its red appearance) oxygen is present within these red blood cells. Glucose is dissolved in the plasma. Plasma consist of water, fats, proteins and salts. Plasma is responsible for transporting blood cells throughout the body and nutrients i.e. glucose, It also transports waste products, antibodies, clotting proteins and hormones. Iron is also present within red blood cells and iron attracts oxygen. The cells require oxygen to produce energy. The body would not receive the nutrients it needs if the cardiovascular system was not in place, therefore it is essential. The cardiovascular system is dependent on metabolic reactions. The heart itself needs ATP to function therefore the CV system would not work without the products of metabolism. The digestive system The digestive system consist of various organs such as, the pancreas, stomach and gall bladder, which all work together to convert food into energy and to extract the vital nutrients that the body requires to function efficiently. The digestive system has several components which all have their own duties to carry out in order to break down the food step by step. Although digestion has several steps there are two main forms of digestion that these  steps fall into. The first form being; mechanical digestion. Mechanical digestion involves physically breaking the food into smaller pieces by chewing. The second form being; chemical digestion. This involves breaking down the food into simpler nutrients with the assistance of digestive enzymes such as, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. Digestive enzymes are proteins that break up large molecules of food into smaller molecules to enable them to be absorbed and used by the cells in the form of nutrition. The digestive tract plays a vital role within the digestive system, it is a tube that is responsible for passing the food to be further broken down. It consist of; the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, the small and large intestines and the anus. The other organs that work within the digestive system include; teeth, tongue, three pairs of salivary glands, the liver, the pancreas and the gall bladder. The teeth cut and grind the food in order for it to be swallowed, the salivary glands also produce and secrete salvia to aid the swallowing. As stated before there are three salivary glands which all carry out a different function; the parotid, which produces amylase in order to digest the carbohydrates. The submandibular provides mucin as a form of lubrication for the food bolus to travel down the esophagus to the stomach. Finally, the submandibular which secretes mucus. The tongues job is to roll and mix the food into a formulae known as bolus, which consists of small pieces of  mashed up f ood. Once the bolus is made, the tongue pushes it towards the pharynx and into the esophagus during the process of swallowing. The esophagus takes the food down to the stomach. The stomach is where the food is churned and mixed together with gastric fluids, such as enzymes and hydrochloric acid secreted by the stomach walls to make a paste like substance known as chyme. The alimentary canal is the small intestine. The alimentary canal is a tube that flows from the mouth to the anus. It consist of three parts; the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum. The duodenum is attached to the stomach and is majorly involved in the breaking down process. Digestive enzymes are secreted by the pancreas to the duodenum. These enzymes are responsible for breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The pancreas also performs the role of producing insulin,  which is the main hormone responsible for metabolizing sugar, secreting it directly into the bloodstream. The jejunum and the ileum absorb the nutrients into the bloodstream. Contents of the small intestine initially begin semi-solid and transform into complete liquid form after passing through the organ. Water, bile enzymes and mucus are responsible for the change in consistency. The villi are vital for the absorption of digestive nutrients. The cells of the villi transport the food from the digestive tract into the bloodstream where the body can utilize them efficiently. The villi increase the surface area of the small intestine, they also contain specialized cells which transfer various types of nutrients into the blood. The liver then takes over and processes the absorbed nutrients from the small intestine. Liver also secrets bile into the small intestine which aids in the digestion of fats. There is a muscular tube known as the colon, which provides a pathway from the small intestine to the rectum. The large intestine plays a crucial role within the digestive system, it is responsible for processing waste which allows the emptying of the bowels to be easy and efficient. Undigested food is transferred from the small intestine to the large intestine. Once in the large intestine water is reabsorbed and undigested food and fibre are eliminated. After this process the food waste products harden and turn into faeces. Which are finally excreted via the anus. Once food has completed the process of digestion and has completely broken down, energy is provided to enable physical activity from walking to talking, from sports to working. Food provides the energy that is essential for everyday tasks. It also provides energy for involuntary activities such as, thinking, breathing, nerves, organs (especially the heart) to carry out their functions and the ability to build and repair tissues.

What Do We Know About The Election Process essays

What Do We Know About The Election Process essays WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE ELECTION PROCESS How much do we as a people know about electing a candidate for an official office? I have wondered about this so I thought I would look and see just how much information is out there to be discovered. As I soon discovered, the information is out there, you just need to know how to get it and analyze it. The hard part is trying to make sense out of chaos. I did not know much about Article II Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, and after reading it, I had to do some serious thinking about how we elect I often thought about our election system and thought it was really the best way to elect a President, now I am not so sure. We, the people, do not elect the President of the United States. If the President was elected by popular vote Bill Clinton would never have made it to the White House, either time. It really does not matter whom the American People want for their President, because more than likely it will not be their choosen candidate. So far the information I have found has confused me, as I am sure Most of what we know about a candidate is what we hear on the news, by word of mouth, on television, and on the radio. Can we believe what we hear about a candidate or should we make him or her prove themselves to us by deeds instead of words? When the candidates have a debate there are always the newsmen telling us what we heard was not what the candidate said, so who do you believe? Do we vote for the good-looking candidate or do we vote for the one who has our best interests at heart? Is the news media bias in their opinions about these candidates? Do they give a slanted view, according to their way of thinking? James Wilson was responsible for the introduction of the Electoral College into the Constitutional Convention in 1787. According to what I have read about t...

Owl Facts

Owl Facts Hailed for their supposed wisdom  and their appetite for pesky rodents  but derided as pests and subjects  of superstition, owls (families Tytonidae and Strigidae) have had a love/hate relationship with humans since the beginning of recorded history. There are over 200 species of owls, and they might date back to the days of dinosaurs. Fast Facts: Owls Scientific Name: Tytonidae, StrigidaeCommon Names: Barn and bay owls, true owlsBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: Wingspans from 13–52 inchesWeight: 1.4 ounces to 4 poundsLifespan: 1–30 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Every continent except Antarctica, most environmentsConservation Status: Most owls are listed as Least Concerned, but a few are Endangered or Critically Endangered. Description There are about 216 species of owls divided into two families: Barn and Bay owls (Tytonidae) and the Strigidae (true owls). Most owls belong to the group of so-called true owls, with large heads and round faces, short tails, and muted feathers with mottled patterns. The remaining dozen-plus species are barn owls, which have heart-shaped faces, long legs with powerful talons, and moderate size. Except for the common barn owl, which is found worldwide, the most familiar owls in North America and Eurasia are the true owls. More than half of the owls in the world live in the neotropics and sub-Saharan Africa, and only 19 species reside in the United States and Canada. One of the most remarkable things about owls is that they move their entire heads when looking at something rather than moving their eyes, like most other vertebrates. Owls need large, forward-facing eyes to gather scarce light during their nocturnal hunts, and evolution couldnt spare the musculature to allow these eyes to rotate. Some owls have astonishingly flexible necks that let them turn their heads three-quarters of a circle, or 270 degrees, compared to 90 degrees for the average human being. The tawny owl is just one of the more than 225 owl species in the world. Nick Jewell/Flickr/CC by 2.0 Habitat and Distribution Owls are found on every continent except Antarctica, and they also inhabit many remote island groups including the Hawaiian islands. Their preferred habitats vary from species to species but include everything from arctic tundra to marshlands, deciduous and conifer forests, deserts and agricultural fields, and beaches. Diet and Behavior Owls swallow their prey- insects, small mammals and reptiles, and other birds- whole without biting or chewing. Most of the unfortunate animal is digested, but the parts that cant be broken down- such as bones, fur, and feathers- are regurgitated as a hard lump, called a pellet, a few hours after the owls meal. By examining these pellets, researchers can identify what a given owl has been eating and when. (Baby owls dont produce pellets since their parents feed  them soft,  regurgitated food in the nest.) Although other carnivorous birds, such as hawks and eagles, hunt during the day, most owls hunt at night. Their dark colors make them nearly invisible to their prey and their wings beat almost silently. These adaptations, combined with their enormous eyes, put owls among the most efficient night hunters on the planet. As befitting birds that hunt and kill small prey, owls have some of the strongest talons in the avian kingdom, capable of seizing and grasping squirrels, rabbits, and other squirmy mammals. One of the largest owl species, the five-pound great horned owl,  can curl its talons with a force of 300 pounds per square inch, roughly comparable to the strongest human bite. Some unusually large owls have talons comparable in size to those of much bigger eagles, which may explain  why even desperately hungry eagles usually wont attack their smaller cousins. In popular culture,  owls are invariably depicted as extremely intelligent, but its virtually impossible to train an owl, while parrots, hawks, ​and pigeons can be taught to retrieve objects and memorize simple tasks.  People think owls are smart for the same reason they think kids who wear glasses are smart: Bigger-than-usual eyes convey the impression of high intelligence. This doesnt mean owls are especially dumb, either; they need lots  of brain power to hunt at night. Reproduction and Offspring Owl mating rituals involve dual hooting, and once paired, a single male and female will remain together through the breeding season. Some species stay together for an entire year; others remain paired for life. They dont typically build their own nests, instead, they take over nests abandoned by other creatures. Owls can be aggressively territorial, especially during the breeding season. Mother owls lay between one and 11 eggs over a few days period, with an average of five or six. Once laid, she does not leave the nest until the eggs hatch, some 24–32 days later, and, although the male feeds her, she does tend to lose weight over that period. The chicks hack themselves out of the egg with an egg-tooth and leave the nest (fledge) after 3–4 weeks. No one is sure why, on average, female owls are slightly larger than males. One theory is that smaller males are more agile and therefore more suited to catching prey,​ while females brood young. Another is that because  females dont like to leave their eggs, they need a larger body mass to sustain them for long periods without eating. A third theory is less likely but more amusing: Since female owls often attack and drive off unsuitable males during mating season, the smaller size and greater agility of males prevent  them from getting hurt.   CGander Photography/Getty Images Evolutionary History Its difficult to trace the evolutionary origins of owls, much less their apparent kinship with contemporary  nightjars, falcons, and eagles. Owl-like birds  such as Berruornis and Ogygoptynx lived 60 million years ago during the Paleocene epoch, which means it is possible that the ancestors of owls coexisted with dinosaurs toward the end of the Cretaceous period. The strigid family of owls broke off from tyronids and first appeared in the Miocene epoch (23–5 million years ago). Owls are one of the most ancient terrestrial birds, rivaled only by the game birds (e.g., chickens, turkeys, and pheasants) of the order Galliformes. Conservation Status Most of the species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are listed as Least Concern, but a few are listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, such as the Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) in India; the Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) in North America, Asia, and Europe; and the Siau Scops-Owl (Otus siaoensis), on a single island in Indonesia. Ongoing threats to owls are hunters, climate change and habitat loss. Owls and Humans It  isnt a good idea to keep owls as pets, and not just because thats illegal in the U.S. and most other countries. Owls eat only fresh food, requiring a constant supply of mice, gerbils, rabbits, and other small mammals. Also, their beaks and talons are very sharp, so youd also need a stock of bandages. If that werent enough, an owl can live for more than 30 years, so youd be donning your industrial-strength gloves and flinging gerbils into its cage for many years. Ancient civilizations had widely divergent opinions about owls. The Greeks chose  owls to represent Athena, the goddess of wisdom, but Romans were terrified of them, considering them bearers of ill omens. The Aztecs and  Mayans hated and feared owls as symbols of death and destruction, while many Native American tribes scared their children with stories of owls waiting in the dark to carry them away. The ancient Egyptians had a kinder view of owls, believing that they protected the spirits of the dead as they traveled to the underworld. Sources Askew, Nick. List of Owl Species. BirdLife International, June 24, 2009.BirdLife International. Micrathene The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689325A93226849, 2016.  whitneyi.BirdLife International. Bubo . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689055A127837214, 2017.scandiacus (errata version published in 2018)BirdLife International. Heteroglaux . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689335A132251554, 2018.blewittiBirdLife International. Aegolius . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689362A93228127, 2016.  funereusBirdLife International. Otus . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22728599A134199532, 2018.siaoensisLynch, Wayne. Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Behavior. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007.

Radiation in Space and Astronomy - Definition

Radiation in Space and Astronomy - Definition Astronomy is the study of objects in the universe that radiate (or reflect) energy from across the electromagnetic spectrum. Astronomers study radiation from all objects in the universe. Lets take an in-depth look at the forms of radiation out there. Artwork of a planet orbiting a pulsar. Pulsars are very rapidly spinning neutron stars are the dead cores of massive stars and rotating on their axes often hundreds of times every second. They radiate radio waves and in optical light. Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library (Getty Images) Importance to Astronomy In order to completely understand the universe, scientists must look at it across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. This includes the high-energy particles such as cosmic rays. Some objects and processes are actually completely invisible in certain wavelengths (even optical), which is why astronomers look at them in many wavelengths. Something invisible at one wavelength or frequency may be very bright in another, and that tells scientists something very important about it. Types of Radiation Radiation describes elementary particles, nuclei, and electromagnetic waves as they propagate through space. Scientists typically reference radiation in two ways:  ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing Radiation Ionization is the process by which electrons are removed from an atom. This happens all the time in nature, and it merely requires the atom to collide with a photon or a particle with enough energy to excite the election(s). When this happens, the atom can no longer maintain its bond to the particle. Certain forms of radiation carry enough energy to ionize various atoms or molecules. They can cause significant harm to biological entities by causing cancer or other significant health problems. The extent of the radiation damage is a matter of how much radiation was absorbed by the organism. The electromagnetic spectrum show as a function of frequence/wavelength and temperature. Chandra X-Ray Observatory The minimum threshold energy needed for radiation to be considered ionizing is about 10 electron volts (10 eV). There are several forms of radiation that naturally exist above this threshold: Gamma-rays: Gamma rays (usually designated by the Greek letter ÃŽ ³) are a form of electromagnetic radiation. They represent the highest energy forms of light in the universe. Gamma rays occur from a variety of processes, ranging from activity inside nuclear reactors to stellar explosions called  supernovae and highly energetic events known as gamma-ray bursters. Since gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation, they do not readily interact with atoms unless a head-on collision occurs. In this case the gamma ray will decay into an electron-positron pair. However, should a gamma ray be absorbed by a biological entity (e.g. a person), then significant harm can be done as it takes a considerable amount of energy to stop such radiation. In this sense, gamma rays are perhaps the most dangerous form of radiation to humans. Luckily, while they can penetrate several miles into our atmosphere before they interact with an atom, our atmosphere is thick enough that most gamma rays are absorbed b efore they reach the ground. However, astronauts in space lack protection from them, and are limited to the amount of time that they can spend outside a spacecraft or space station. While very high doses of gamma radiation can be fatal, the most likely outcome to repeated exposures to above-average doses of gamma-rays (like those experienced by astronauts, for instance) is an increased risk of cancer. This is something that life sciences experts in the worlds space agencies study closely. X-rays: x-rays are, like gamma rays, a form of electromagnetic waves (light). They are usually broken up into two classes: soft x-rays (those with the longer wavelengths) and hard x-rays (those with the shorter wavelengths). The shorter the wavelength (i.e. the harder the x-ray) the more dangerous it is. This is why lower energy x-rays are used in medical imaging. The x-rays will typically ionize smaller atoms, while larger atoms can absorb the radiation as they have larger gaps in their ionization energies. This is why x-ray machines will image things like bones very well (they are composed of heavier elements) while they are poor imagers of soft tissue (lighter elements). It is estimated that x-ray machines, and other derivative devices, account for between 35-50% of the ionizing radiation experienced by people in the United States.Alpha Particles: An alpha particle (designated by the Greek letter ÃŽ ±) consists of two protons and two neutrons; exactly the same composition as a hel ium nucleus. Focusing on the alpha decay process that creates them, heres what happens: the alpha particle is ejected from the parent nucleus with very high speed (therefore high energy), usually in excess of 5% of the speed of light. Some alpha particles come to Earth in the form of cosmic rays  and  may achieve speeds in excess of 10% of the speed of light. Generally, however, alpha particles interact over very short distances, so here on Earth, alpha particle radiation is not a direct threat to life. It is simply absorbed by our outer atmosphere. However, it is a danger for astronauts.   Beta Particles: The result of beta decay, beta particles (usually described by the Greek letter Î’) are energetic electrons that escape when a neutron decays into a proton, electron, and anti-neutrino. These electrons are more energetic than alpha particles but less so than high energy gamma rays. Normally, beta particles are not of concern to human health as they are easily shielded. Artificially created beta particles (like in accelerators) can penetrate the skin more readily as they have considerably higher energy. Some places use these particle beams to treat various kinds of cancer because of their ability to target very specific regions. However, the tumor needs to be near the surface as not to damage significant amounts of interspersed tissue.Neutron Radiation: Very high-energy neutrons are created during nuclear fusion or nuclear fission processes. They can then be absorbed by an atomic nucleus, causing the atom to go into an excited state and it can emit gamma-rays. These photons will then excite the atoms around them, creating a chain-reaction, leading to the area to become radioactive. This is one of the primary ways humans are injured while working around nuclear reactors without proper protective gear. Non-ionizing Radiation While ionizing radiation (above) gets all the press about being harmful to humans, non-ionizing radiation can also have significant biological effects. For instance, non-ionizing radiation can cause things like sunburns. Yet, it is what we use to cook food in microwave ovens.  Non-ionizing radiation can also come in the form of thermal radiation, which can heat material (and hence atoms) to high enough temperatures to cause ionization. However, this process is considered different than kinetic or photon ionization processes. The Karl Jansky Very Large Array of radio telescopes is located near Socorro, New Mexico. This array focuses on radio emissions from a variety of objects and processes in the sky. NRAO/AUI Radio Waves: Radio waves are the longest wavelength form of electromagnetic radiation (light). They span 1 millimeter to 100 kilometers. This range, however, overlaps with the microwave band (see below). Radio waves are produced naturally by active galaxies (specifically from the area around their supermassive black holes), pulsars and in supernova remnants. But they are also created artificially for the purposes of radio and television transmission.Microwaves: Defined as wavelengths of light between 1 millimeter and 1 meter (1,000 millimeters), microwaves are sometimes considered to be a subset of radio waves. In fact, radio astronomy is generally the study of the microwave band, as longer wavelength radiation is very difficult to detect as it would require detectors of immense size; hence only a few peer beyond the 1-meter wavelength. While non-ionizing, microwaves can still be dangerous to humans as it can impart a large amount of thermal energy to an item due to its interactions with water and water vapor. (This is also why microwave observatories are typically placed in high, dry places on Earth, as to lessen the amount of interference that water vapor in our atmosphere can cause to the experiment. Infrared Radiation: Infrared radiation is the band of electromagnetic radiation that occupies wavelengths between 0.74 micrometers up to 300 micrometers. (There are 1 million micrometers in one meter.) Infrared radiation is very close to optical light, and therefore very similar techniques are used to study it. However, there are some difficulties to overcome; namely infrared light is produced by objects comparable to room temperature. Since electronics used to power and control infrared telescopes will run at such temperatures, the instruments themselves will give off infrared light, interfering with data acquisition. Therefore the instruments are cooled using liquid helium, so as to lessen extraneous infrared photons from entering the detector. Most of what the Sun emits that reaches Earths surface is actually infrared light, with the visible radiation not far behind (and ultraviolet a distant third). An infrared view of a cloud of gas and dust made by Spitzer Space Telescope. The Spider and Fly Nebula is a star-forming region and Spitzers infrared view shows structures in the cloud affected by a cluster of newborn stars. Spitzer Space Telescope/NASA Visible (Optical) Light: The range of wavelengths of visible light is 380 nanometers (nm) and 740 nm. This is the electromagnetic radiation that we are able to detect with our own eyes, all other forms are invisible to us without electronic aids. Visible light is actually only a very small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is why it is important to study all other wavelengths in astronomy as to get a complete picture of the universe and to understand the physical mechanisms that govern the heavenly bodies.Blackbody Radiation: A blackbody is an object that emits electromagnetic radiation when it is heated, the peak wavelength of light produced will be proportional to the temperature (this is known as Wiens Law). There is no such thing as a perfect blackbody, but many objects like our Sun, the Earth and the coils on your electric stove are pretty good approximations.Thermal Radiation: As particles inside of a material move due to their temperature the resulting kinetic energy can be described as the total thermal energy of the system. In the case of a blackbody object (see above) the thermal energy can be released from the system in the form of electromagnetic radiation. Radiation, as we can see, is one of the fundamental aspects of the universe. Without it, we would not have light, heat, energy, or life. Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Should doctors performing plastic surgery be more regulated Essay

Should doctors performing plastic surgery be more regulated - Essay Example Deformities caused by fractures are treated through plastic surgery referred to as adult craniofacial surgery. This type of surgery is also used to heal hereditary deformities of the head. It has been used significantly to treat extreme cases of congenital disorders, injuries especially on the hands that may be acute as well as the persistent ailments that attack the hands. Plastic surgery is important in the treatment of burns, especially for acute burns. When done after burns have healed, it is referred to as reconstructive surgery. It assists in repairing body parts that might have been damaged by burns, restoring the original state of the body (Buckle 2003). For aesthetic purposes, plastic surgery is usually designed to satisfy an individual’s desire. It is especially designed to alter the outward appearance for beautification purposes and elimination of certain undesirable physical appearances. This kind of plastic surgery is also referred to as cosmetic surgery. It is mainly used to remove excessive fats from the body, reshaping some body parts such as enlargement of the breasts or making them smaller. The exercise is usually risky as it can be detrimental to personal health if not carried out by an expert in plastic surgery. In the United States, doctors are legalized to perform plastic surgery, their specialty not withstanding. There should be more regulations for the doctors who perform plastic surgery Currently, there is an influx of the doctors who are practicing plastic surgery. This corresponds to the number people who are seeking their services. Medical doctors are currently working outside there area of specialization and training. This has been propelled by the rising demand of people to undergo plastic surgery in order for them to change their looks and do away with the undesirable physical characteristics. People are progressively seeking to look young and slim and therefore they are ready to fore go many other

Performance Appraisal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Performance Appraisal - Essay Example Therefore, the value of performance appraisals should not be underestimated by any organization. Performance appraisal is a system that evaluates job performances over a given period. It is simply an annual report on the performance of employees. Performance appraisal processes differ depending on organization, but they all serve the same purpose, which is to evaluate employees. Well-structured appraisals have numerous benefits to the organization. The main benefit of performance appraisal is to offer motivation to employees. Motivation adds energy to employees, making them remain focused to organizational goals and objectives. Achieving employee motivation through appraisals occurs through several ways (Arthur, 2008). Appraisals serve as strong indicators of the need to improve on job performance. Without the knowledge on how one is performing on the job, an employee lacks the motivation to make improvements. Recognizing employee performance improves their psychological wellbeing. The important issue about performance appraisals is that they make employees feel valued by the organization. The message passed over to employees by their managers motivates the employees regardless of being a positive or negative message. Through performance appraisals, employees realize the need for personal development, growth and learning. Employees focused on taking their careers to higher levels use appraisals to advance their careers (Arthur, 2008). In cases where appraisals reveal that employees are sleeping on their jobs, a wake up signal is passed over to employees, and they realize the need to refocus and reenergize. Appraisals further increase job satisfaction in situations where employees get positive recommendations from their managers. Organizations have strategic plans, which need to be met within a stipulated period. Effective appraisals are fundamental tools, which enable an organization to meet its strategic goals. With such

Current Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current - Research Paper Example It there for means that Eli Lilly and company is basically the bedrock or pillar of Lilly Endowment. However, Lilly Endowment remains a motivator for the pharmaceutical company, and hence it affects some of its business and management strategies. Lilly Endowment entails some community and volunteer programs in the community. It is believed that its budget is greatly financed by Eli Lilly and company and this means that the pharmaceutical company would do anything to make gain, to put in a capacity to support Eli Endowment. This could mean cutting on expenses like reduction of labor, adoption of modern and effective digital management strategies like e-human resource management (E-hrm) to reduce the number of workers hence reduce on the labor expenses among others. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical company may have to organize some workshops and seminars to encourage the beneficiaries and officials from the Lilly endowment and this could mean some cost and time as well. Some senior management team are always required to mentor the youths and women in the Lilly Endowment and this means they have to forego their core roles in the Eli Lilly and company to encourage some members of the Lilly Endowment Inc. Lilly Endowment was founded by the core owner of Eli Lilly and company and his three core values revolved around community development, education and religion among others. This means that the same principles must be incorporated in the pharmaceutical management strategy. The element of community development could be related to its CSR which entails building schools for the locals, initiating clean water projects in the community, constructing health institutions and funding certain health related projects to eradicate epidemic like HIV and TB among others. The company is known to donating food and pharmaceuticals to the less fortunate like the street homes and elderly homes

Red worm food preferences and the rate of consumption Research Proposal

Red worm food preferences and the rate of consumption - Research Proposal Example Most of these countries already started the recycling of their garbage. Many recycling plant were built for plastics, metals, and biodegradable waste but dumping of waste on landfills is still being practiced. The rate of recycling of biodegradable waste was the major difficulty for most of the landfills. The faster rate of waste input as compared to the waste degradation to the landfill pushed many governments to look for an alternative and faster way of decomposing organic waste products (Recycled Organics Unit 9). Decomposting is a process by which organic waste matter is buried or stood still to allow bacterial decomposition to occur. Bacterial decomposition of organic waste is naturally occurring in garbage landfill but the rate of it is slow. Other methods were used to allow faster decomposition of organic waste in garbage landfill. Using worms to increase the rate of conversion from organic waste to fine organic materials is known as vermicomposting (Munroe 1). The result of decomposting is the "compost" production. Compost is a fine, nutrient-enriched, soil-like materials from the decomposed organic waste. Composts are used as an organic fertilizer by farmers. The use of worms in decomposting, which is known as vermicomposting, would produce a vermicompost. Vermicompost is like compost and both are used as an organic fertilizer. Since the rate of production of vermicompost is faster than the compost, the use of vermicomposting in organic fertilizer production and organic waste management recycling is favored (Recycled Organics Unit 9). The increasing popularity of vermicomposting on both waste management and fertilizer production leads to the increasing demand of worms. The worm, specifically earthworms, culture is called vermiculture. Vermiculture is a process by which earthworms are nurtured and fed in a bin or other storage materials to increase their numbers. The number and reproduction rate of the worms should be enough to sustain a regular harvest (Munroe 1). Although vermicomposting uses earthworm, there are only some species of earthworm that could be used and readily available for vermiculture. There are three types of earthworm namely epigeic, endogeic, and anecic type. Epigeic type of earthworm thrives on the surface of the ground. This type of earthworm feeds on fine or decaying organic matter readily available on the ground. On the other hand, endogeic type of earthworm thrives in the ground. This type of earthworm makes and lives in a horizontal hole within the ground. Endogeic earthworm surfaces very seldomly because it already feeds on organic matter imparted within soil. Anecic type of earthworm makes and lives in vertical hole within the ground. The vertical burrow serves as their protection and passage to the surface of the ground to obtain food at night (Recycled Organics Unit 13). Epigeic type of earthworm is used mainly in vermicomposting but anecic type could also be used in addition to the epigeic. Although there many species of epigeic earthworm that can be found in decomposting and vermicomposting area, Eisenia fetida is the most commonly used species in vermicomposting particularly in temperate countries because the rate of organic matter utilization and reproduction is fast, the range of tolerance to chemical and physical

To What Extent Is Scientific Management an Appropriate Way to Manage Essay

To What Extent Is Scientific Management an Appropriate Way to Manage In the 21st Century - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the evolution of management has been termed as a continuous process that changes and adapts according to the need for the scenario. Schaltegger and Burritt observed that managerial theories and concepts have been developed by scholars mainly by observing the nature of work being conducted and managed at an operational level in the companies. However, Levin observed that most of the theories were developed with a single focus on improving employee management and resource utilization process of the firms. Cash et al. stated that Taylor’s theory of scientific management was among the first managerial concepts to widen the scope of management approach for the business houses and also develop a national focus on the aspect of efficiency. The theory of scientific management was praised and criticised for its principles and policies by the contemporary researchers of management. Considering the contemporary scenario of management practic es, it can be stated that with the changes in the market and customer response, organizations have also initiated numerous alterations in their operational practices. One of the most crucial aspects of the business management processes, as stated by Waddell, is the power enjoyed by the workforce of the firms which was almost ignorable during the time of scientific management. Carrying forward these arguments and statements, the essay will focus on evaluating the validity of the scientific management process in the contemporary scenario. According to Schaltegger and Burritt, scientific management primarily focuses on the aspect of discipline for developing better employee management processes. The features of the scientific management can be assessed by evaluating the principles and guidelines of the managerial processes. Although many changes have taken place in the aspect of business management processes, discipline has always remained one of the core variables. The first feature o f the scientific management system can be thus reflected as the systematic approach which allows managers to control their workforce and direct them in the desired manner. This systematic approach is designed by observing the behavioral pattern of the employees and the needs of the organization. Managing the employees in a controlled atmosphere helps the company to achieve employee loyalty.

Economic Statistics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economic Statistics - Research Paper Example The existence of autocorrelation in our estimation is determined using the Durbin Watson test and the Breusch Godfrey test to check for first order correlation. Autocorrelation however has its own remedies and one of the remedies involves time lagging variables also known as general least square method, this method involves replacement of the model with the serially correlated error term with a model with a serially independent error term. Estimation of the model one LGDPt = 1 + 2LXt + 3LFDIt + 4LDIt+5INF involves the use of the data for the period 1970 to 2002 regarding the UK economy, estimation of the above model using Eviews had the following results: From the results of the correlation of determination R squared which is equal to 0.99229 we can conclude that 99.22% of variations in LGDP are explained by the independent variables, this shows a very strong relationship between the dependent and the independent variables. From the results if we hold all other factors constant and the level of LX, LFDI, LDI and INF are equal to zero then the level of LGDP will be equal to 11.158 which is also our autonomous value, we can explain the coefficient of the log of exports by stating that if we hold all other factors constant and increase the level of LX by one unit then the level of LGDP will increase by 0.366704 units, also if we hold all other factors constant and increase the level of LFDI by one unit then the level of LGDP will decrease by 0.006544 units. If we also hold all the other factors constant and increase the level of LDI by one unit then the level of LGDP will increase by 0.265253 units, finally if we hold all factors constant and increase the level of INF by one unit then the level of LGDP will decline by 0.00131. Having explained the coefficients of the estimated model we can conclude that if we increase the level of exports and domestic investment then the level of gross domestic product will increase, on the other hand an increase in the level of inflation and foreign direct investment will reduce the level of gross domestic production. Statistical significance: Our estimated coefficients may be statistically significant of statistically insignificant, for this reason there is a need to undertake hypothesis test to determine their significance in the model, a two tail T test at 95% level of test showed the following results: 95% TEST LEVEL VARIABLE coefficient null hypothesis alternative hypothesis T calculated T critical reject or accept null C B1 B1=0 B10 14.3179 2.04841 REJECT INF B2 B2=0 B20 -1.459259 2.04841 ACCEPT LDI B3 B3=0 B30 5.183639 2.04841 REJECT LFDI B4 B4=0 B40 -1.010641 2.04841 ACCEPT LX B5 B5=0 B50 13.04894 2.04841 REJECT From the above test of hypothesis it is clear

To What Extent Is Scientific Management an Appropriate Way to Manage Essay

To What Extent Is Scientific Management an Appropriate Way to Manage In the 21st Century - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the evolution of management has been termed as a continuous process that changes and adapts according to the need for the scenario. Schaltegger and Burritt observed that managerial theories and concepts have been developed by scholars mainly by observing the nature of work being conducted and managed at an operational level in the companies. However, Levin observed that most of the theories were developed with a single focus on improving employee management and resource utilization process of the firms. Cash et al. stated that Taylor’s theory of scientific management was among the first managerial concepts to widen the scope of management approach for the business houses and also develop a national focus on the aspect of efficiency. The theory of scientific management was praised and criticised for its principles and policies by the contemporary researchers of management. Considering the contemporary scenario of management practic es, it can be stated that with the changes in the market and customer response, organizations have also initiated numerous alterations in their operational practices. One of the most crucial aspects of the business management processes, as stated by Waddell, is the power enjoyed by the workforce of the firms which was almost ignorable during the time of scientific management. Carrying forward these arguments and statements, the essay will focus on evaluating the validity of the scientific management process in the contemporary scenario. According to Schaltegger and Burritt, scientific management primarily focuses on the aspect of discipline for developing better employee management processes. The features of the scientific management can be assessed by evaluating the principles and guidelines of the managerial processes. Although many changes have taken place in the aspect of business management processes, discipline has always remained one of the core variables. The first feature o f the scientific management system can be thus reflected as the systematic approach which allows managers to control their workforce and direct them in the desired manner. This systematic approach is designed by observing the behavioral pattern of the employees and the needs of the organization. Managing the employees in a controlled atmosphere helps the company to achieve employee loyalty.

International Business Course work 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Business Course work 2 - Coursework Example Ethnocentricity is defined as the belief in the superiority of ones ethnic group (Thefreedictionary). This quality is very common in a lot of cultures does marketers have to come up with strategies to persuade the population of a specific cultural group to purchase the products and services your company offers. A way to differentiate a company’s product in new marketplace is to create specific branding strategies that are geared towards the purchasing behavior or the target population. The values and beliefs of a country are characteristics that must be analyzed to determine the buyer behaviors of a country and to be able to send out messages that are clear to avoid miscommunications. Colors have different means across cultural boundaries. For example the color red in Europe is a sign of danger, while the same color in Japan means life (Halman). The customs and attitudes of a group of people determine the preferences of the customers of a region. Environmental scanning of the socio-cultural factor is a technique that can allow a firm to determine the existence of subcultures that can create further segmentation of the market that allows for marketing campaigns for specific customer profiles within a culture (Kotler). There are many elements of a culture that a company must be aware in order to operate a successful and profitable operation in an international location. Some of these elements are: local business hours, the existence of consumerism tendencies, society’s view about the importance of tangible possessions, and governmental intervention in local commerce among other elements. The culture of a region is composed of many different elements. The attitude towards work between nations varies considerably. For example American workers are workaholics who on the average work nearly 50 hours a week, while in

Principles and practice of Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Principles and practice of Human Resource Management Essay In 21st century, the organization which considers its employees as an asset rather than cost has competitive advantage. The term suggested for employees is human capital. It refers to productive potential of ones knowledge and actions. In todays knowledge economy, efficient management of human capital ensures success for the organization. This tells the importance of human resource management. It is about managing human capital in the same way as asset management or financial management. Actually human resource management acts as a medium of exchange between employees and organization. Employees offer knowledge, abilities, skills, efforts, time, motivation, commitment and performance to the organization in return for job security, empowerment, generous pay for performance, training, promotion and trustful relationship. Thus human resource management is considered as a matching process that is matching organizational goals with employees needs in order to satisfy both optimally. The more formal definition of human resource management is the activities undertaken by the organization to attract, develop and maintain an effective workforce within an organization. (Daft, 1982) Thus attracting an effective workforce for an organization, developing it to its potential and finally maintaining it are the three main goals of the human resource management. And all the strategies are developed by the human resource department for attaining these three goals and these strategies tend to be organizational wide in order to support the overall corporate strategy. The skills required for attracting the workforce includes human resource planning, job analysis, forecasting, recruiting and selecting; skills for developing the workforce includes training and performance appraisal; and skills for maintaining the workforce includes wages, salaries, benefits and termination. Organizations especially perform human resource management in order to tackle the issues related to human resource proactively rather than reactively. ( Price , 2007). Having developed the concept of human resource management, we will now talk about the different approaches taken by the organization for pursing HRM. Read more:Â  Managing The Human Resources The first approach is hard HRM developed by Michigan business school and the second one is soft HRM developed by Harvard business school. (Fombrun, Tichy and Devanna, 1984) Both approaches are opposite as they are based on different sets of assumptions. (Storey 1992) Soft HRM has humanistic edge in managing employees while hard HRM considers employees as resources which have to be managed in the same way as capital equipments and raw materials. That is hard HRM is bit more technical and mechanical in its approach which involves in obtaining as cheap labor as possible that should be fully exploited. Soft HRM advocates unitary perspective which means employees and organization needs and interest are coherent which leads to mutual goals, influence, respect, rewards and responsibility. The outcome is therefore employee commitment and organizational success (Walton 1985). On contrary, pluralist perspective sees differences in employee and organization goals as a cause for conflicts and problems. Management’s task is to induce the appropriate behavior in workers so that their actions accomplish the company’s goals, not their own. This paves the way for showing direction and coercion by management. This perspective underlies hard HRM. .( Price , 2007) Mc Gregor in 1960 gave Theory X and Theory Y about the nature of employees. Theory X depicted employees who dislike work and try to avoid it when they can. People have to be coerced to work and have to be closely directed and regulated thus leading to tight managerial control. On the other hand theory Y depicted employees who like to work and exercise self direction and self control if they are committed to the goals and objectives. In this case there is loose managerial control and managements function is to foster individual growth and development. Apparently soft HRM is associated with theory Y which emphasizes employees commitment through trust, open communication, training and development and autonomous work environment. This will produce employee behavior which is self directed and this is the main reason for organizations competitive advantage. Whereas hard HRM contingent to theory X, focuses on quantitative, calculative and strategic aspects of managing HR as for any other factor of production. The practices of hard HRM consist of strict performance appraisal, supervision and external control over individuals activities. Now we will examine how soft and hard HRM approaches lead to different kinds of activities and outcomes at different stages of human resource lifecycle. The first stage is of attracting the potential employees. This requires human resource planning by forecasting HR needs and matching the individuals with expected job vacancies. The soft HRM will seek to forecast needed employees in order to complete a work unit or finding the best mix of employees for the team in order to elicit commitment from team members by setting of good team norms and strong cohesiveness. Whereas hard HRM will look to minimize the need for additional employees and will try to reduce the head count. This will lead to incomplete work unit. The job vacancies will not be fully matched with potential employees, which will lead to incomplete work outcomes or delays in achieving goals deadlines. However hard HRM is best suited in condition of financial crisis and economic recession. In these conditions companies are incurring losses and they cannot afford hiring of new employees. Hard HRM is helpful in minimizing external hiring and shifting and relocating existing employees within organization. This will make existing employees loyal because they were not laid off by the organization when downsizing is the only option that remains during financial crisis. (Fombrun, 1984). The recruitment and selection is the most important process in hiring of employees. It requires analysis of both job applicants and job itself. We have to look for desired characteristics in applicants so that he must make a good match with particular job requirements. If his skills, education and experience are not adequate for the specific job then it will lead to frustration and confusion. The result will be poor performance, job dissatisfaction and high turnover. Both soft and hard HRM approach will provide realistic job preview and job description so that employees can judge their potential for a specific job. However soft HRM approach will be more insightful as it will look into the hidden personality traits, attitudes and beliefs of the applicants so that they can be better integrated into overall corporate culture, norms and values. Whereas hard HRM will only look to match the applicants skills with the technical specification of the job. Soft HRM give more attention to the human processes such as communication, sharing of knowledge, cohesiveness and trust among employees. Interviews, paper pencil test etc are the most common selection devices and are used by both approaches. However soft HRM approach has additional selection devices such as personality test, psychological test, case studies and different types of surveys. The second stage in HR lifecycle is development of effective workforce which includes training and performance appraisal as the two most important activities. Soft HRM approach will be more inclined towards training for individual advancement and career development. Soft HRM will go for various types of training techniques such as on the job training, class room training, computer assisted instructions, conferences and case discussion groups. Employees will be made to learn multiple skills so that they can be rotated among various jobs in order to reduce monotony and introduce variety. Hard HRM will see training as an expense. It will usually design job which leaves little room for showing discretion and creativity. The job is monotonous and set rules and procedures are there to perform the job. So training is limited to learning those specific job procedures which limits career advancement. This reduces employee motivation and cause job dissatisfaction and high turnover rate because of increase in monotony. The practice of hard HRM is most suitable in assembly line work. However it will fail in work demanding creativity and originality and whose environment is more unstable and uncertain, for example, film industry. While considering the activity of performance appraisal, hard HRM is more stringent in its appraisal process. The poor performance is mostly attributed to individuals lack of ability and no consideration is given to various external factors influencing the individuals performance. External factors are outside individual control and includes pathetic work environment, work place conflicts, distrust, no sharing of information and resources, bad relations and poor communication with top management. (Drucker , 1954 ) On the other hand soft HRM gives objective feedback on employees performance. It also uses the technique of 360 degree feedback that uses multiple raters and self rating to enhance the reliability and credibility of feedback in the eyes of employees. Multiple raters can include customers, co workers, supervisors and subordinates. Employee is also given a chance to explain his point of view and give explanation if his performance is not up to the standard. At the end of the appraisal top performances are also rewarded with bonuses, recognition and promotion. The feedback style of soft HRM is such that employees are motivated to improve their performance further. It enhances employees self efficacy by making clear role expectations and removing role conflicts and role ambiguity. This approach is therefore best suited for organizations whose culture encompasses total quality management. TQM stresses for customer satisfaction by providing better quality product or services through dedication to training, continuous improvement and teamwork. The third and last stage in HR life cycle is maintaining of workforce so that they continue to work for the organization over the long run. This stage consists of four activities such as rewards management, industrial relation, occupational health and safety and termination. In soft HRM approach rewards are such that it recognizes individual’s accomplishment as well as teamwork. Rewards are administered in such a way that it promotes collaboration and cooperation among employees so that they work as a unit for the overall goals of the organization. The focus is on creating the synergy so that different department of organization works coherently and in alignment of corporate strategy. Ivancevich, 2003). Soft HRM approach also gives rewards which increases intrinsic motivation of employees. Intrinsic motivation to work comes from the internal satisfaction and honor one feels when he completes some meaningful work which makes the difference for the organization. These types of rewards increase employees’ sense of meaningfulness, competence, progress and choice. Intrinsic rewards which increase intrinsic motivation are important for increasing employees’ commitment to organization’s goals and mission. The hard HRM has tight control over rewards. Apart from basic salary, less effort is made to recognize individual performance. However calculated yearly bonuses are given when year end profit target is achieved. In other words no effort is made in hard HRM’s reward system to increase employees’ commitment to work. The main problem is that hard HRM follows corporate strategy in rewarding employees and no analysis is done about employee’s needs and desires. Soft HRM is good enough as its rewards system makes a best fit between employees’ needs and rewards. Moreover the other organization dynamics which affects rewards system is employees’ perceived equity of rewards. If the distribution of rewards is not considered equitable by employees then motivating effects of rewards will vanish. There will be feeling of cognitive dissonance in employees and to remove this feeling, he will either alter his inputs to the work or will demand changes in rewards. The soft HRM approach dealing with human processes designs reward system to improve employees’ perceived equity while hard HRM fails to do so. According to Herzberg, working conditions, pay, good company policy and interpersonal relationships are called hygiene factors and their presence removes job dissatisfaction. The hygiene factors are well cared by soft HRM approach. The hard one fails to provide hygiene factors because its main objective is to accomplish a task in most economical terms as possible. It is only the soft HRM approach that has clear and functional policies and procedures about occupational health and safety. (Noe, 2003). Soft HRM approach looks to build long term relationship with employees. It opens all channels of communication such as upward, downward and lateral. Moreover grapevine and management by objective techniques are also used by managers to delve deeper into employees’ problems and requirements. Hard HRM only uses formal and hierarchical communication channel. This is also the cause for many communication breakdown and distortion. The most important feature of soft HRM is of mentoring and socialization which greatly helps in building cooperative and trustful corporate culture and environment.

Liberalism, Civic Reformism and Democracy Essay -- Argumentative Argum

Liberalism, Civic Reformism and Democracy This paper argues that liberalism provides democracy with the experience of civic reformism. Without it, democracy loses any tie-argumentative or practical-to a coherent design of public policy endeavoring to provide the resources for the realization of democratic citizenship. The case for liberalism rests on an argumentative reconstruction of the function it performs before the rise of a world economic order and, more specifically, in the creation of the welfare state after the Second World War. Accordingly, liberalism defines a reformist political program: it is an emancipatory political project by virtue of its struggle for an egalitarian and universalist extension of citizenship rights. This is but a formulation of the modern idea of citizenship, conceived of as a universalizable contract of rights. At the same time, liberalism embraces a socioeconomic emancipatory project that endeavors to provide the conditions, within the institutional framework of modern societies, for the ac complishment of citizenship rights. The origins of liberalism in the seventeenth century tell the story of the struggle for recognition of religious tolerance. This early form of pluralism provided the antecedent for the constitutional recognition of civil rights, interpreted in terms of universal adscription. A further step of constitution-building in liberal polities was taken when the universal principles of equality and liberty assumed the status of fundamental rights. That happened under the form of a constitutional program aimed at the improvement of the civil condition. Liberalism as a revolution of rights not only meant the conquest of civil rights by society, but also their extension by constitut... ... Studies, 1, pp. 73-86. Rawls, J. 1993: Political Liberalism. New York: Columbia University Press. Rosales, J. M. and J. Rubio-carracedo 1997: "To Govern Pluralism: towards a Concept of Complex Citizenship", in W. Krawietz, E. Pattaro and A. Erh-Soon Tay, eds., Rule of Law. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot. Sen, A. 1992: Inequality Reexamined. Oxford: Clarendon. Turner, B. S. 1986: Citizenship and Capitalism. London: Allen & Unwin. ____ 1997: "Citizenship Studies: a General Theory", Citizenship Studies, 1, pp. 5-18. Van steenbergen, Bart 1994: "Global Modelling in the 1990s. A Critical Evaluation of a New Wave", Futures, 26, pp. 44-56. Vogel, U. 1991: "Is Citizenship Gender-Specific?", in U. Vogel and M. Moran, eds., The Frontiers of Citizenship. Houndmills and London: Macmillan, pp. 58-85. Walzer, M. 1983: Spheres of Justice. New York: Basic Books.

Friedrich Engels Essays -- Biography Communism engels Essays

Friedrich Engels During the time of the industrial era, there were many people upset over the manner in which the nations were being run. They were upset with the idea of capitol gain and how it was affecting people’s actions. They saw this era causing people to exploit each other with the intent of monetary gain. Those that were already part of the higher ranking class, the richer, would see reason to force the lower class, the working man, to spend his life in the new factories. He would be bullied into risking life and limb at the monstrous machines while hardly earning a penny. The working man suffered because the richer man owned the factory and consumed all the profits himself. Some men, however, saw a solution as well as the problem. They thought that if the power could be taken out of the hands of the strong and power hungry, then the working class would realize the rights they had all along. The constant struggle for power would be eliminated and so society would become better . Two of these men were Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marx had received all the recognition while Engels has been shunted off the pages of history. He did, however, still have an impact on the development of communism. Friedrich Engels was born on November 28, 1820 in Barmen, Germany. Engels began to learn the family business rather early, being the oldest son of an auspicious industrialist.1 Engels studied commerce and worked for his father as an office clerk from 1837 to 1841. But this was not his only focus. He also tried his hand at poetry as did his future friend Marx. Like Marx, his attempts did not gain him any recognition in the literary world. By his eighteenth year he had sworn off poetry all together. This was... ...e story of his life. Ann Arbor Paperbacks, 1962. 3. Mehring, Franz. Karl Marx: The story of his life. Ann Arbor Paperbacks, 1962. 4. Modern History Sourcebook: Friederich Engels: Industrial Manchester, 1844 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1844engels.html 5. Anderson, Thornton. Masters of Russian Marxism. New York: Appelton-Century- Crofts, 1963. 6. BIOGRAPHICAL ARTICLE ON ENGELS, Brockhaus' Konversations-Lexikon. Vol. 6, 14th ed., Leipzig and Vienna, 1893. Translated into English by Progress Publishers 7. BIOGRAPHICAL ARTICLE ON ENGELS, Brockhaus' Konversations-Lexikon. Vol. 6, 14th ed., Leipzig and Vienna, 1893. Translated into English by Progress Publishers 8. Marx and Engels. Reminiscences of Marx and Engels. Moscow: Foreign Lauguages Publishing House.

Matters of Life and Death Essay

This case surrounds the controversy brought about by the Arizona state legislature defunding life-saving organ transplant operations. In 1987, the Arizona state legislature voted to eliminate funding for most organ transplants for the indigent through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). At the same time of this decision, the legislature voted to extend health coverage to pregnant women and children in a â€Å"notch group.† The public controversy began when Dianna Brown died after being denied coverage for a liver transplant that would have saved her life. After her death, there was wide spread coverage of the issue that brought the defunding of certain organ transplants into the national spotlight. The decision to move funds for the poor to mothers and children rather than to life-saving transplant services put the legislature under scrutiny. This case presents that scrutiny and the legislature’s reasoning behind their decision. III. Required Methods In order to complete this analysis, I will have to deal with issues dealing with cost/benefit thinking in a context of fairness dealing with medical procedures. I will need to look at whether or not moving funding from transplants to mothers and children did something financially astute for the state of Arizona or if this is a case of mismanagement by the government. I will also have to deal with the issues of limited public resources, growing costs of medical technology, and diminished control of medical services. IV. Analysis Question 1: Was the Arizona legislature right in deciding not to fund certain kinds of organ transplants for indigents under the state’s indigent health care program? I believe that the Arizona legislature was not right in their decision to not fund certain kinds of organ transplants. In this case, there are several issues that arise including the concepts of distributive justice, cost-benefit analyses, and the role of government in society. The fact that the legislature looked at the increased number of organ transplants and the growing costs associated with them and compared them to another development in the state’s health care system does not seem fair. By defunding the organ transplantation services, they took away the right to choose from individuals in life threatening situations. With costs being a driving factor behind this decision, it was questioned whether the state should be spending so much on high risk, high cost procedures. In the case, there was an excerpt that explained the money-making aspect of the health care system. â€Å"If it was a pure concern about the medical needs out there, we’d have far more burn units than we have transplant units. The reality is they make money on those units.† I do not believe this is how the health care system sh ould be run. Whether it is political or judicial pressure, there is too much political influence in the health industry. There is the argument of transplantation services being more readily available to those with money and political connections, but I feel that policy should be able to set specific guidelines by which all of this can be overridden. I understand the fact that if you are to make exceptions in certain cases you are starting down a slippery slope and that initially, the decision to either have transplant services or to do away with them completely was somewhat justified. Further, the decision to fund only the most cost-effective services was also justified. Everyone had a fair shot at services if they needed them. When services began being compared to each other is where I have a problem. There is no way to justify comparing deliveries to transplants. In one analysis, Shaller compared the costs on society from a bad child to a transplant. In the end he came up with the fact that the cost of 8 heart transplants would cover 700 deliveries. He said â€Å"in public program, that has the widest range of responsibilities, and limited resources to handle those responsibilities, I think it’s unacceptable to use those limited resources in a way that really doesn’t further the public good.† I can agree with this statement but still do not feel that the personal health choices that can save an individual’s life should be left in the hand of a capitalistic government. In rebuttal to the governmental policies and financial analysis, Dr. Copeland argued that even if the AHCCCS were to deny funding to transplants, the health care system would still end up incurring costs associated with hospital costs till death as well as social security benefits to the families of patients who die without receiving a transplant. Also, he mentioned that Medicare would soon approve his transplant center as one of the 10 in the country to be covered. This came under much scrutiny and in the end a compromise was reached to look at each by a case-to-case basis. After the drama surrounding Diana Brown’s death, it was the opinion of the Arizona legislature that it would make the decision that would most benefit the residents of Arizona. In the end, â€Å"the public generally is not willing to, say, double the taxes in this state to insurance that everyone got the maximum possible health care.† While the decision may have had justifications by the state legislature, completely defunding organ transplantation services takes away the rights of patients and makes it so that health care is a privilege. I do not believe this is how health care should be. With so many changes being discussed simultaneously, this issue seems to have slipped through the cracks and caused unnecessary deaths to patients who had their right to life-prolonging health coverage denied in order to fund a â€Å"notch group† that had household incomes higher than the AHCCCS maximum but were below the official federal poverty line. This does not seem ‘fair’. In the end this case asks many ethical questions dealing with fairness and equality as well as whether access to health care is a right or a privilege. Question 2: On what principles do you position in the answer to question 1? (As an example, do you consider health care a right, and if so, why?) I believe that health care is indeed a right. Especially in a country like the United States where health providers and insurance companies are big business and make huge profits each year while millions may suffer from their lack of coverage or inability to pay. In the US, healthcare providers charge premiums on insurance. Whether or not they chose to cover a condition is largely up to them and in the past few years, insurance companies have tripled their profits. â€Å"According to the World Health Organization and the Physicians for a National Health Program, the United States spends twice as much per capita on healthcare compared to other countries such as Canada, Britain & Germany, who have universal healthcare.† According to statistics, in other countries with universal healthcare, there is less bankruptcy and better economies. I believe that there is too much political and outside influence in health care and that the industry is more of a money machine than anything. With the economy in a slump and an exceedingly large population not being able to afford health insurance, I believe that those individuals have a constitutional right to receive care that will prolong life. Laws regulating health care serve to benefit the population, not punish it. With so many gaps in the system nowadays, the ACA being upheld shows that the government believes that everyone should have equal access to healthcare. Providing health care to all benefits society by providing those with an opportunity to normally operate in society and benefit society through work, social, or economic aspects. Question 3: What roles do economic and financial analyses play in your position on the state’s responsibilities? While the state has a job to provide care to its citizens, it is also obligated to maintain financial stability within the state and contribute to its infrastructure. A cost-benefit analyses of moving funding from organ transplantation services to the â€Å"notch group† of pregnant women and children shows that while looking at services offered, the state will be able to control their overall costs. In situations like this where the healthcare system is often viewed as a money machine, it is almost impossible to overlook the exceedingly high costs of transplants. In one analysis, Shaller compared the costs on society from a bad child to a transplant. In the end he came up with the fact that the cost of 8 heart transplants would cover 700 deliveries. He said â€Å"in public program, that has the widest range of responsibilities, and limited resources to handle those responsibilities, I think it’s unacceptable to use those limited resources in a way that really doesnâ₠¬â„¢t further the public good.† While this analysis has many problems with it, the financial and economic implications are exactly what a business would want. By cutting, the high-risk, high-cost procedures, the state would be able to begin making money from the health care system. While I can understand the business aspect of health care and understand that economic and financial analyses play a large role in allocating resources and money towards services, I still feel strongly that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. The state has a responsibility to maintain financial stability. In this case, stability was enhanced by cutting services to transplants and focusing on individuals that would be able to give back to society over a longer period of time. Question 4: How does the analysis of this case inform your position in the current debate about health care reform? This case has made me think of the question can medical services ever be rationed fairly. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) which was recently passes should accomplish a lot of good for the greater portion of the population. It will not only reduce the number of uninsured but also protect those at risk of losing coverage. Additionally, the ACA aims to reduce health care spending and reduce costs for patients. This plan will not only extend coverage to those that may not be able to afford coverage, but will also aim to try and cut costs for the health care industry. This is a fusion of two of the debated points in this case. In the case, we looked at cutting funding from one service in order to provide services for another set of the population. The ACA aims to try and provide services and coverage for all. Overall, there are many questions that this c ase made me think of regarding the Affordable Care Act. I was not fully aware of the health industry being a big money business and how much of a part politics played in it. Additionally, the case opened my eyes to the fact that no matter what is done, not everyone is going to be satisfied or comply with the new policies. There are always specific cases that will cause questions to be asked, but if exceptions are made, then there will have to be exceptions in every similar case. The current debate about health reform addressed these questions and now that the ACA will remain in effect, it is still to be seen the impact that this makes on not only the economy, but also how it affects the rights of Americans to utilize healthcare. V. Recommendations After reading through this case and thinking about the financial issues presented in the case, I understand the financial and economic issues that have to be addressed while also considering providing the best care for the greatest number of people. In order to decide cutting services, this case addressed governmental policy that may cause unfavorable health decisions to pass in order to remain financially stable. In the end, I believe that health care is a right, not a privilege and the decision to life or death should never be put in the hands of a third party or up to money. The right to decisions about life and death should not come down to how much money you have, but should be a human right that is extended to those in need. VI. References HHS Gov. â€Å"Through the Affordable Care Act, Americans with Medicare will save $5,000 through 2022.† United States Department of Health and Human Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. â€Å"The Health Care Law & You | HealthCare.gov.† Home | HealthCare.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. < http://www.healthcare.gov/law/index.html> Houseman, Michael . â€Å"The Health Care Law & You | HealthCare.gov.† Home | HealthCare.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. VII. Lessons Learned I enjoyed doing this case report as it dealt with many issues outside of finance as well as important financial issues. In order to complete this analysis, I had to deal with issues dealing with cost/benefit thinking in a context of fairness dealing with medical procedures. I looked at whether or not moving funding from transplants to mothers and children did something financially astute for the state of Arizona or if this is a case of mismanagement by the government. I also dealt with the issues of limited public resources, growing costs of medical technology, and diminished control of medical services. In the end it was a decision that would have to either be based on financial considerations, ethical considerations, or a mix of both. A lot of the issues in this case have also been discussed in my public health ethics class this semester, so this case allowed me to utilize knowledge from other classes along with new financial concepts in order to do my analysis. Whether it is fairness or equality or even cost-effectiveness, there are problems that arise with each approach when used alone. From a financial standpoint, using cost effectiveness analysis is very important in determining social policy matters even with its downfall that it cannot suggest how priorities are set. I would have liked to deal with some numbers associated with cost-benefit analysis just to see how they were done but I was able to understand the basic principles behind the theory through my analysis on this case.

Factors That Influence Food Habits and Culture Essay

How do you choose your food? This is a very simple question for most people,but we may get a hundred of different answers. Therefore,What factors actually influence our food habit and culture ? During the long history of human, food habits and culture are influenced by many factors. I want to discuss how food habits and culture influenced by geographical factors, religions factors,social factors and economic factors. First of all, climate is a very important factor of geography that affects our eating habits. â€Å"Climate affect local food habits by determining how long a growing season is and how many growing seasons there are per year. â€Å"(lisabeth hughes, 2011) The different weather in different region make the produce different. In warm region, most produces are up to three to four crop cycles per year. But in some cold region, the growing season will be short and crop cultivation is limited to one cycle. Compare to food in cold region, food in temperate regions can be more various. At the same time, season also have effect on our eating habits and culture. People will choose different food between summer and winter. This may not so common in California, but it is a very common phenomenon in my hometown. Chinese people like to eat hot pot in winter, because hot pot can make us feel warm. However, less of Chinese will like hot pot in summer. In addition, the living position is also a main element that impact on our food habits and culture. People who live around sea would like to eat more seafood than people live in inland city. Like people live in California are easy to get fresh seafood than people live in Colorado. That’s why I believe geographical factors affecting food habits and culture. Secondly, religions factor influence our food habits and culture. Religious proscriptions range from a few to many, from relaxed to highly restrictive. This will affect a follow’s food choices and behaviors. Much of religions have their unique food habits and culture. Fro instance, Muslims and Jewish do not eat pork. They believe that Pork is not a clean food. Also, Within Christianity, the Seventy-day Adventists discourage â€Å"stimulating† beverages such as alcohol,which is not forbidden among Catholics. As religions are have big effect on people, the rule in religions for the food also influence our eating habits and culture. Thirdly, social factors which include family and peer pressure play a important role in our food habits and culture. In the article, Eating Habits, the author shows us that people in a social group will influence each other’s behaviors and values. They also share a common culture. A person’s membership in particular peer, work, or community group impacts food behaviors. For example, we live with our family since we born. It is easy for us to follow our family’s food habits and culture when we were small. So, it is difficult for us to change our habits even it is bad. That’s why our food habits and culture can not easily change. It’s a heritage we inherit from our ancestor. Finally, economic factors influence our food habits and culture as well. Population studies show that it is obviously to see the food difference in different social classes. Money,values, and consumer skills all affect what a person purchases. If we wish to choose some healthy food, we have to pay much than some unbalanced diets. For this reason, Low-income group have a greater tendency to consume unbalanced diets and have low intakes of fruit and vegetables. It is clearly to see how economic factors affect on food habits and culture in our daily life. To sum up, I hold the view that geographical factors, religions factors,social factors and economic factors are the most important factor influence our food habits and culture. Reference Hughes, L. (2011). Geographical factors affecting food habits. http://www. ehow. co. uk/info_8210829_geographical-factors-affecting-food-habits. html Yvonne,M. (2010). What influence the eating habits of the American people? http://voices. yahoo. com/what-influences-eating-habits-american-5588233. html? ca t=5 Food today(2004). Why we eat what we eat:social and economic determinants of food choice. http://www. eufic. org/article/en/health-and-lifestyle/food-choice/artid/social-economic-determinants-food-choice/.