Solutions to Case the Harvard Management Company

The Harvard Management Company (2001) Case You will design an excel spreadsheet that allows you to answer the following questions: i) Given figures in Exhibits 4 and 11 what is the expected return and volatility of the policy portfolio? ii) Find an efficient portfolio having the same expected return as the policy portfolio but lower volatility. iii) Find an efficient portfolio having the same volatility as the policy portfolio but higher expected return. iv) Repeat question ii using the constraints in Exhibit 13. ) Repeat question iii using the constraints in Exhibit 13. vi) Consider the following seven asset classes: Domestic Equity, Foreign Equity, Emerging Markets, Private Equity, Commodities, Inflation-Indexed Bonds, and Cash. Using HMC’s input assumptions (see Exhibit 11, and also using the constraints shown on Page 22, Exhibit 12), what would be the allocation across these seven security classes if HMC was looking for optimal portfolios that would have expected real retu rns of 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8%.For each of these cases, also show the resulting standard deviation of the portfolio, and the Sharpe (efficiency) ratio (see footnote a in Exhibit 12). vii) Redo part (vi) but now constrain the minimum and maximum weights on the seven different asset classes using the constraints shown in Exhibit 13. It may not be possible to achieve some of the expected real returns you were getting earlier. If that is the case, use five expected real return levels that you can attain. iii) Compare the investment opportunities implied by part (vi) to those in part (vii). ix) Explain the pros of the mean variance paradigm. x) Explain the cons. I will describe how to perform portfolio optimization in class. Excel is equipped with an optimizer (Solver) that requires you to specify what you are trying to maximize or minimize, the variables (weights) that may be adjusted in order to maximize portfolio efficiency, and the constraints imposed on those variables.The Harvard Manage ment Company (2010) Case & Harvard Management Company Endowment Report (Sep 2009) xi) Policy portfolio reflects Harvard Management Company's asset allocation strategy. Compare Exhibit 4 of the 2001 case with that of the 2010 case: describe how the policy portfolio has changed before and after the 2008 financial crisis. xii) What do you think are the reasons for the Harvard Management Company to make the above adjustments in asset allocation choices?

How Humanitarian Logistics Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Supply Chains

Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics How Humanitarian Logistics Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Supply Chains: A View from the Field Michael Howden Humanitarian Consultant michael. [email  protected] com ABSTRACT Humanitarian logistics represents a broad range of activities taking place within humanitarian organizations, the bulk of these activities are also components of a broader humanitarian supply chain – the network involved with providing physical aid to beneficiaries.Humanitarian logistics information systems improve information flows, which integrates logistics units more efficiently with non-logistics units within the humanitarian supply chains and provides better feedback to donors, ensuring more effective operations. Humanitarian logistics activities occur across the disaster management cycle. Humanitarian logistics information systems not only improve logistics activities in each phase, but can improve the continuity of h umanitarian operations by sharing information throughout the transition of different disaster management cycle phases.Through collaboration between organizations, humanitarian logistics information systems also have the potential to reduce corruption and the market distortion which can occur during humanitarian operations. Keywords Humanitarian Operations, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Information Systems, Disasters, Disaster Management AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY Michael Howden completed a Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Auckland and originally worked as a software engineer in New Zealand.He has worked for International Rescue Committee in Indonesia, Pakistan and Uganda developing and implementing their global logistics database ProLogs and for Save the Children US in Indonesia, developing logistics software and systems which were components of a broader supply chain management system. INTRODUCTION Within humanitarian operations logistics is requ ired to procure, store and distribute supplies for the assistance of beneficiaries. In order to function effectively humanitarian logistics must coordinate with other actors and be considered throughout the lifespan of humanitarian operations.This paper will explore how humanitarian logistics information systems can: 1. Integrate logistics units into the broader humanitarian supply chain throughout the organization. 2. Enhance logistics activities and provide continuous support across the preparedness, response, transition, recovery and mitigation phases of disaster management cycle. 3. Create new possibilities for collaboration between humanitarian organizations. In these ways humanitarian logistics information systems can also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian operations.HUMANITARIAN LOGISTICS INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN THE HUMANIATARIAN SUPPLY CHAIN Humanitarian Logistics Humanitarian organizations can include government agencies such as United States Agency fo r International Development (USAID) and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), multilateral agencies such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (WFP), non-government organizations (NGOs) such as Save the Children and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.Many humanitarian Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics organizations will engage in long term development activities as well as disaster management activities supporting people affected by disasters. This paper will only discuss humanitarian logistics as it is applied in disaster management. Humanitarian organizations usually include logistic units which can have different functions depending on the organizations or even the disaster and can include: Procurement †¢ Warehousing †¢ Fleet Management †¢ Transportation (of both supplies and people) †¢ Asset Management †¢ Building Management †¢ Security †¢ Information Technology (IT) †¢ Radio Communications Humanitarian operations consist of a diverse range of activities, therefore logistics in this context can have a broader scope than in the commercial sector. Areas such as security and IT may be considered under logistics due to respective military or technical experience of logisticians, either currently or historically within an organization.Humanitarian Supply Chains In this paper a humanitarian supply chain refers to the network created through the flow of supplies, services, finances and information between donors, beneficiaries, suppliers and different units of humanitarian organizations for the purpose of providing physical aid to beneficiaries (Mentzer et al. 2001). Humanitarian supply chains include functionalities whic h do not typically fall into the field of humanitarian logistics.Managing relationships with donors, performing needs assessments, planning for supplies required and monitoring and evaluating the impact of distributed supplies, are usually the responsibility of non-logistics program units. Figure 1 presents a summary of the major flows within both humanitarian supply chains and humanitarian logistics. Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics Figure 1.Humanitarian Logistics and Humanitarian Supply Chain Flows This paper will focus on the value of information systems for logistic units of NGOs within the humanitarian supply chain. Integrating Logistics into Supply Chain Management With the exception of organizations which specialize in disaster response or distribution, such as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and World Food Program (WFP) res pectively, the core business of humanitarian organizations tend towards health, education, protection and economic development.Logistics units are only considered as a function to support these activities of humanitarian organizations. Logistics units have traditionally been marginalized within organizations (Rickard, 2003) and logisticians have been â€Å"pigeonholed† in the field, making it hard to move into management positions (Chaikin, 2003). This has contributed to a silo mentality in regards to logistics within humanitarian organizations. Better integrating logistics with other units within the organization will form stronger humanitarian supply chains.In order to integrate logistics into broader humanitarian supply chains, a clear distinction is required between the two. In Indonesia, one major NGO moved all logistics functionality into a supply chain management unit. In the terms logistics and supply chain management are used interchangeably (Rickard, 2006) and perso nal discussions with humanitarian professional have revealed the there is not a clear distinction between the terms logistics and supply change management, and some have regarded any differences are semantics.In literature on humanitarian organizations there is a shift from logistics to supply chain management (Thomas and Kopczak, 2005) Humanitarian supply chains include units implementing programs, managing grants with donors, controlling budgets and monitoring activities which must coordinate with logistics units. Humanitarian supply chains cannot be built by solely increasing the capacity or responsibility of individual units, but are formed by Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. HowdenHow Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics the creation of stronger links between units within the supply chain. Humanitarian logistics information systems can improve the flow of information with other units, in a mutually constructive manner, improving the effectiveness of the humanitarian supply chain. Humanitarian logistics information systems can: †¢ Enhance needs assessments by ensuring that field staff know what supplies are available for beneficiaries, either in local warehouses, pre-positioned emergency stocks or from local and international markets. Share lists of supplies available in both local and international markets, including prices and lead times, logisticians to empower program staff to better plan their procurement activities. †¢ Keep program staff informed of procurement activities will help to develop an understanding of the constraints within logistics and create trust. †¢ Provide budget holder more accurate financial information regarding funds which are committed within the procurement process, to avoid the over or under spending of budgets. †¢Provide warehouse inventory reports to program staff to allow them to take more responsib ility for their supplies, and ensure that they are utilized effectively. †¢ Share information on the distribution of supplies to allow program staff to better monitor and evaluate activities and avoid the need for duplicate record keeping between logistics and programs. †¢ More accurately divide logistics overhead costs such as warehouse rental, transportation and logistic staff wages into program budgets according to the activities logistics is supporting.Information empowers program units to become more engaged consumers of logistic services. In this way information systems can integrate logistics into humanitarian supply chains and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian operations. The improved information flow from humanitarian logistics information systems will also contribute to the overall effectiveness of the humanitarian operation. The Value of Information in the Humanitarian Supply Chain Information plays a significant role in humanitarian suppl y chains.In humanitarian supply chains is that the end recipient of aid (the beneficiary) is decoupled from the commercial transaction and has no direct influence over what supplies they receive (Gray and Oloruntob, 2006). The key decision makers within the humanitarian supply chain are the donors who are funding the operation and many NGOs regard the donor as the customer in the humanitarian supply chain (Beamon and Balcik, 2006). In commercial supply chains, the end recipient decides what supplies they require, and fulfillment can be easily evaluated by monitoring the receipt of these supplies.In humanitarian operations as supplies are determined by external assessments of the needs of the beneficiary, evaluating fulfillment become more difficult, as additional analysis must be done to determine if these needs have been met by the supplies. Figure 2. Donors, Humanitarian Organizations and Beneficiaries within the Humanitarian Supply Chain Humanitarian logistics information systems can provide accurate and timely information on what supplies are required, what supplies have been delivered to beneficiaries and in which locations.With this information Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics evaluation units should be able to determine if those supplies have met the needs of the beneficiary. This feedback ensures that donors and humanitarian organizations are engaged and responsive to the beneficiaries, and supporting aid according to the beneficiaries needs.HUMANITARIAN LOGISITCS IN THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE Response, Transition, Recovery, Mitigation and Preparedness The operations of humanitarian organizations in disaster management can be separated into four major phases: response, recovery, mitigation and preparedness (Haddow and Bullock, 2004). During humanitarian operations there will be overlap between act ivities from different phases, and a separate transition phase can be considered between the response and recovery phase (Asian Development Bank, 2004).Humanitarian supply chains must provide supplies to beneficiaries in each of these phases (Kovacs and Spens, 2007) and these activities require logistic support (Perry, 2007), although the volume, variety of supplies and urgency will change according to the phase. Humanitarian logistics information systems improve the effectiveness of logistics units throughout the disaster management cycle and can provide continuity throughout the phases. Figure 3. Disaster Management Cycle (Haddow and Bullock, 2004). PreparednessThe preparedness phase involves building the capacity to respond to a disaster, such as working with communities to ensure they know evacuation options, pre-positioning emergency response supplies and building organizational capacity to respond to disasters. These activities are ongoing and are implemented prior to the onse t of a crisis. Pre-positioned emergency response supplies tend to be less varied, as they are specific life supporting items, such as food, medical supplies, water and sanitation equipment, shelter, household kits, etc.The necessities of life are less dependent on the social, cultural or economic context of the disaster, therefore it is easier to standardize the supplies required. Also, because it is not known if these supplies will be available in local markets, or if markets may be disrupted by the disasters, they will need to be procured internationally. Both Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Red Cross have standard catalogues of items for emergency response. These items can be procured internationally, with pre-existing arrangements with vendors, and are also pre-positioned in warehouses globally, ready to be deployed. Chomilier, Samii van Wassenhove, 2003; Coyne, 2006). Organizationally NGOs need to ensure that they not only have staff trained to respond to emergencies, but that they have the systems and process in place to support these staff. 80% of the disaster response phase consists of Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics logistics activities (Kovacs and Spens, 2007) therefore in the preparedness phase organizations should focus on building the capacity of logistics units. ResponseThe response phase occurs immediately after the disaster, and activities are focused primarily on saving lives and preventing further damage. Humanitarian operations are most reliant on logistics during the response phase as they distribute food, medical supplies and other necessities of life to affected populations, and lives will be dependent on the speed of logistics activities. The response phase may last from days to months, depending on the scale of the disaster. While the humanitarian logistics is most significant durin g the response phase, it is important to consider its role throughout the entire disaster management phase.Transition During the transition phase NGOs begin to look at providing ongoing assistance, such as temporary shelter and revitalizing basic social services (ref ADB). NGOs will also plan strategically to transition from implementing response activities to longer term recovery and mitigation programs. Logistics activities, such as identifying suppliers to in either local or international markets to provide supplies for longer term programs, ensure a smooth transition. Recovery The recovery phase involves aiding communities to return to their conditions prior to the disaster.These activities may include training people and distributing supplies for livelihood building, reconstructing houses, buildings and infrastructure and may be carried out over a period of months to years. Across both the recovery and following mitigation phases the supplies are no longer essential for the liv es of affected population and are therefore no longer required at such a high rate or with such short lead times. The activities across these phases are largely dependent on the social, cultural, economic and geographical conditions of the affected communities. These may vary hugely between different disasters.Humanitarian organizations supported fishermen affected by 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami by distributing new boats and fishing equipment whereas the needs of landlocked communities recovering from 2005 Kashmir Earthquake were quite different. Humanitarian organizations will also attempt to procure supplies locally in order to support local communities and avoid flooding local markets through the influx of external supplies. The recovery phase represents a significant proportion of the duration and funding of a humanitarian operation and may last from 5-10 years (ADB reference).In April 2005 the Government of Indonesia established a 5 year time frame for reconstruction after the In dian Ocean Tsunami, and activities are still ongoing at the start of 2009, indicating the long duration of the recovery phase. Recovery phase activities such as reconstruction and distributing supplies are essential for restoring the lives of affected people and require significant logistic support. Mitigation Mitigation involves increasing the resilience of communities to natural hazards to reduce the impact of disasters they cause. According to the specific vulnerability of the community these activities may include lanting mangroves to protect coastlines against cyclones, constructing dams and reinforcing buildings. Humanitarian organizations implementing these activities will require logistics support, although not typically at as large a scale as in the other phases. Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics Summary Phase Preparedness Response Transition Recovery Mitigation Period Long Term Continuous Days – Months Months – Years Long Term Continuous Logistics Volume Low High Medium Low SuppliesRequired Specific standard supplies prepositioned for disaster response Specific standard supplies: Food, medical supplies, water and sanitation equipment, shelter, household kits, etc. Varied supplies depending on the context of the disaster: reconstruction material, livelihoods equipment Varied supplies Urgency Low High: Lead times for supplies can make the difference between life and death. Medium: There may be government and donor pressure to complete recovery activities Low Procurement of Supplies Local International Local-International Local Table 1. Humanitarian Logistics Throughout the Disaster Management CycleHumanitarian organizations are required to provide physical aid to beneficiary throughout the disaster management cycle. Although these activities differ in volume, variety of supplies and urge ncy, there is enough commonality that standard processes and systems can be used by logistics units throughout the disaster management cycle. This avoids the overhead of developing multiple standards and implementing new systems when transitioning between phases. It is therefore important to consider humanitarian logistics as operating in each of the phases of the disaster management cycle. Humanitarian Logistics beyond the Response PhaseA large amount of literature on humanitarian logistics and supply chain management focuses on the response phase of a disaster and pre-positioning of supplies done in the preparedness phase (Beamon, 2004; Beamon and Balcik, 2008; Maspero and Ittman, 2008; Oloruntoba, 2007; Rodman, 2004; Thomas, 2003; Thomas et al, 2005). This could be influenced by a number of factors: †¢ This is the phase in which logistics plays the largest role in proportion to the humanitarian operation. †¢ The key focus of the response phase is the preservation of liv es therefore improved logistics can be directly linked to lives saved.During other phases of disaster management, the outputs become more varied, such as providing trainings to teachers and medical professionals. Therefore impacts, such as better education levels and healthcare in communities harder to measure. †¢ The disaster response is the phase that creates the most media coverage, therefore may be the phase which experts outside of the humanitarian domain get the most exposure to and are most familiar with. Media coverage could also create a perception of more status with disaster response. This paper has shown that the field of humanitarian logistics is more broadly focused than just disaster response.More focus needs to be placed on the role of humanitarian logistics in the transition, recovery and mitigation phases of disaster management. It could be argued that humanitarian organizations already have a higher capacity for disaster response than for disaster recovery. I n Indonesia the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (BRR) claimed that in the response to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami: â€Å"No one died of starvation, there were no deaths due to a lack of medical care or disease, law and order was maintained and major infrastructure—including telecommunications and electricity—was restored within a few weeks time. In contrast during the recovery phase there have been delays, underperformance and corruption. Humanitarian logistics information systems can improve logistics activities in each of the phases of disaster management and also help to provide continuity to logistics operations throughout the disaster management cycle. Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian LogisticsHumanitarian Logistics Information Systems across the Disaster Management Cycle Humanitarian logistics information sys tems must be able to operate across the entire disaster management cycle. In order to be applicable for all phases, they must be scalable to manage the large volumes of supplies during the response phase, as well as the high diversity of supplies across the recovery and mitigation phases and manage the flow of information from the preparedness phase to the response phase, and during the transition phase.A single humanitarian logistics information system which integrates information from all phases within the disaster management cycle will assist an organization in the complex task of transitioning their activities between the different phases. Preparedness NGOs prepare for disasters by pre-positioning emergency response supplies. It is equally important to implement humanitarian logistics information systems which can be utilized by logisticians responding to disasters.Logisticians must be trained to use these information systems and simulations should be run in preparation for thei r use in disaster response. Humanitarian logistics information systems should also be used to record what emergency response supplies are available at the onset of the disaster. In response to Cyclone Nagris in Myanmar one major NGO was better able to more efficiently send air shipment of emergency prepositioned supplies by having maintained records of the their volume and weight.This allowed the logistician to arrange the optimal charter flights required to transport the supplies. Response Humanitarian logistics information systems can eliminate the need for duplicate data entry and offer more timely and accurate information during the response phase (Lee and Zbinden, 2003). This not only increases the efficiency and effectiveness of the disaster response, but also assists in later phases of the disaster management cycle. After the response to the 2005 Kashmir Earthquake one NGO had a number of emergency response supplies remaining.However, due to a lack of proper information syste ms, it was unknown which donor funded the items, and what the donor’s regulations were regarding their use. As a result, they were unable to be distributed in response to flooding in Pakistan the following year. Where warehouse inventory reports are not maintained, it is common for surplus stock from emergency response not to be utilized and to go to waste. Transition Once the response phase is complete, humanitarian logistics information systems will enable organizations to know what supplies have been distributed, and what supplies are remaining.This will allow them to utilize surplus supplies in recovery activities or return them to pre-positioned stock and know what supplies were required, to better plan for the next disaster response. The transition phase will also typically involve the replacement of short term emergency response teams with longer term staff. If information regarding what supplies are currently stored in warehouses is not recorded, it may be forgotten a s staff leave, and the supplies may remain unutilized.Humanitarian logistics information systems can ensure that new staff are aware of what supplies are currently available, so they are able to utilize them. Recovery The recovery phase takes place over a period of years, which offers enough time for conditions to stabilize, and also the availability of funding, for humanitarian organizations to plan strategically and develop information systems. During disaster response humanitarian logistics operate in a realm of uncertainties and rapidly changing conditions. This is not an appropriate environment to develop, test or implement new systems.There are already enough unknown variables present, without introducing new systems or software, which may contain bugs or functionality which needs refining. Implementing new systems requires the investment of time and resources, and doing this during a disaster response will detract from the primary goal of the humanitarian operation – s aving lives. Developing humanitarian logistics information systems during the recovery phase provides the opportunity to involve the staff of the organization, which is essential, as the solution will be more appropriate to their needs and they will have ownership over it.New systems can be implemented through trainings and simulations, however it is more effective as having systems which have implemented within the operations of the organization and socialized with staff in the field. In this respect the recovery phase can offer a suitable environment to develop and test new information systems for humanitarian logistics which can then be applied to disaster response activities. In 2007 one major NGO developed a warehouse database in Indonesia to support their recovery activities following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.In September 2007, they were able to deploy the same database in Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Land gren and S. Jul, eds. Howden How Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics response to an earthquake in Indonesia. A staff member who was already using the database to manage supplies for the tsunami recovery effort was then easily able to use it to manage the distribution of emergency supplies in the area due to their familiarity with the system. MitigationAlthough logistics activities occur at a lower scale during the mitigation phase such as the procurement of supplies to reinforce buildings, it is important to ensure that humanitarian logistics information systems are still utilized by organizations, to ensure that they become standard practice with logistics units. This continuous use will institutionalize the systems within the organization and ensure the sustainability of their use across the disaster management cycle. HUMANITARIAN LOGISTICS INFORMATION SYSTEMS BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONSHumanitarian supply chains could be viewed more widely to include the multiple org anizations providing physical aid to beneficiaries in the same region. Humanitarian logistics information systems have the potential to enable better information sharing between organizations which can enhance the overall humanitarian operation (King, 2005). One area which could be improved by information systems is local procurement. Procurement is vulnerable to corruption through collusion between organization staff and vendors and the payment of bribes to choose specific vendors.Analysis of procurement data is capable of revealing trends and irregularities, indicative of corruption, such as consistently purchasing from specific vendors or certain purchasers always receiving higher than average quotes. This analysis would be more effective using procurement data from different humanitarian organizations in the same region, as comparisons could be made between prices, to monitor if one organization is paying significant more for similar items, which could indicate corruption within that organization.Humanitarian organizations often rely on local markets to provide supplies, however the large amount of purchasing activity following a disaster can often lead to inflation over supply and stock-outs. Complex analysis of purchasing trends from multiple humanitarian organizations, and improved information sharing with local vendors, could mitigate this, by spreading requirements over multiple vendors and informing them of expected demand. This could also allow humanitarian organizations to sustainably support and stimulate local markets.Although there are many challenges in encouraging collaboration between humanitarian organizations, better humanitarian logistics information systems could facilitate collaboration by creating more incentives to do so. CONCLUSION Humanitarian logistics units are actors in a broader humanitarian supply chain and information systems can help to build logistics capacity of while also building better links with other units, better integ rating logistics in the humanitarian supply chain.Humanitarian logistics information systems can improve the effectiveness of humanitarian supply chains by providing timely and accurate information regarding what supplies are required and have been delivered, enabling donors to be more responsive to the needs of beneficiaries. Humanitarian logistics operates across the disaster management cycle. Humanitarian logistics information systems can improve logistics activities in each of the phases and also help to provide continuity to humanitarian operations throughout the entire cycle.Humanitarian logistics information systems could also provide opportunities for better corruption prevention and market control through collaboration between different humanitarian organizations. Humanitarian logistics information systems can strengthen logistics units and integrate them with other units and across to the disaster management cycle to create more efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian supply chains REFERENCES 1. Asian Development Bank (2004) Disaster and Emergency Assistance Policy, At: http://www. adb. rg/Documents/Policies/Disaster_Emergency/Disaster_Emergency. pdf, accessed 20 February 2009 2. Beamon, B. M. (2004), Humanitarian relief chains: issues and challenges, Proceedings of the 34th International Conference on Computers and Industrial Engineering, San Francisco, CA. 3. Beamon, B. M. and Balcik, B. (2008) Performance measurement in humanitarian relief chains, International Journal of Public Sector Management, 21, 1, 4-25 Proceedings of the 6th International ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds. HowdenHow Information Systems Can Improve Humanitarian Logistics 4. Chomilier, B. , Samii, R. and van Wassenhove, L. (2003) The central role of supply chain management at IFRC, Forced Migration Review, 18, 18-19. 5. Coyne, J. (2006) Humanitarian Logistics: Musing Aloud, Monday Developments, 24, 20, 12-13. 6. Gray, R a nd Oloruntoba, R (2006) Humanitarian aid: an agile supply chain? , Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 11, 2, 115–120 7. Haddow, G. D. and Bullock J. A. (2004) Introduction to Emergency Management, ButterworthHeinemann, Amsterdam 8. King, D. 2005), Humanitarian Knowledge Management, Proceedings of the Second International ISCRAM Conference, Brussels, Belgium, 1-6 9. Kovacs, G. and Spens, K. M. (2007) Humanitarian logistics in disaster relief operations, International Journal of Physical, 37, 2, 99-114 10. Maspero, E. L. and Ittman, H. W. (2008) The rise of humanitarian logistics, 27th Annual Southern African Transport Conference 2008, South Africa. 11. Mentzer, J. T. , DeWitt, W. , Keebler, J. S. , Min, S. , Nix, N. W. Smith, C. D. and Zacharia, Z. G. (2001) Defining Supply Chain Management, Journal of Business Logistics 22,2 12.Oloruntoba, R (2007) Bringing Order Out Of Disorder: Exploring Complexity in Relief Supply Chains, Proceedings 2nd International Confe rence on Operations and Supply Chain Management: Regional and Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Bangkok, Thailand. 13. Perry , M. (2007) Natural disaster management planning A study of logistics managers responding to the tsunami, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 37, 5, 409-433 14. Rickard, J. (2003) A logistician’s plea, Forced Migration Review, 18, 9. 15. Rickard, J. (2006) Humanitarian Logistics: Musing Aloud, Monday Developments, 24, 20, 6-7. 6. Rodman, W. K. (2004) Supply Chain Management in Humanitarian Relief Logistics, Thesis, Department of Operational Sciences, Air Force Institute of Technology, Air University 17. Thomas, A. (2003). Humanitarian Logistics: Enabling Disaster Response, The Fritz Institute. 18. Thomas, A. and Kopczak, L. (2005) From Logistics to Supply Chain Management: The path forward in the humanitarian sector, Technical Report, Fritz Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA. Proceedings of the 6th Internati onal ISCRAM Conference – Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2009 J. Landgren and S. Jul, eds.

Philip Morris Ethical Issues Essay

The Philip Morris founded a cigarette company in 1847 London. They specialized in hand-rolled cigarettes and were very much a small, family ran business. In 1902 the company moved to New York City and had a new demographic in a new country. The company remained small and was actively only the sixth largest tobacco company in the United States. With the famous â€Å"Marlboro Man† advertising campaign the company gained popularity and in 1983 Philip Morris was the largest cigarette company in the United States. From there, the company began to expand into other businesses expanding on its international market. Philip Morris acquired Miller Brewing Company in 1970 and General Foods in 1985. The same year Philip Morris Companies was incorporated as a publicly traded company. Philip Morris continued their expansion with the takeover of Kraft in 1988 and the merger between South African Breweries with Miller Brewing in 2002. Philip Morris Companies changed its name to Altria Group Inc. in 2003 and spun off Kraft Foods in 2007. (4) They then gained the international business of Philip Morris as a separate company and acquired U. S. Smokeless Tobacco Company. The holding company owns Philip Morris USA, U. S.  Smokeless Tobacco Company, Philip Morris Capital Corp and Nu Mark, a new company that produces Nicotine Lozenges. Company Success and Campaigns Today Philip Morris is still top in the cigarette market. The company’s cigarette brands have about half of the cigarette market in the United States. The other Philip Morris brands include Parliament, Virginia Slims, Merit, Cambridge, and Basic. The majority of the company success comes from their genius advertising in the 1950’s. (4) Widely regarded as one of the most successful marketing campaigns of all time the â€Å"Marlboro Man† helped Philip Morris bring itself to the top of the industry. Marlboro used the image of a rugged cowboy enjoying a cigarette on horseback quickly adapt men into enjoying their brand. Released in 1955 the success of the advertisement was incredible. In 1954 Marlboro sales accounted for $154 million in cigarette sold. From there the campaign expanded into other professions including sports stars, racing drivers, and other â€Å"manly-men† to boost bran recognition. (6) The campaign continued through 1999 and is still widely recognized in today’s pop-culture. A lot of Philip Morris’s success can be attributed to the fact that their product is addictive. Having customers with a physical dependency to their product makes customer loyalty an easy thing especially when demand is high. Tobacco Regulation and its Effect on the Company While Philip Morris enjoyed uncontested financial success throughout the latter half of the 20th century it appears trouble is coming. Through the 60’s smoking was a lifestyle in the United States. It was associated with a life of glamor and practically had everyone smoking. By 1963 American adults were smoking an average of 12 cigarettes per day. In 1963 the Surgeon General released the linking of cigarette smoking and cancer. Since then the tobacco industry has only become more regulated. A year later the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act was passed which required all cigarettes sold to carry the Surgeon General’s warning. As research into the negative effects of smoking grew stronger the regulations and bans began. In 1990 smoking was banned on buses and domestic flights the first movement in the prohibition of smoking and its dangers to others. With these regulations came lawsuits against the industry from individual smokers and various parties. The tobacco companies settled in 1998 to gain immunity from future lawsuits from government groups in return for $246 billion to be paid out over the course of 25 years. (4) While big tobacco was able to avoid these trials general concern for health caused sales to fall. At first Philip Morris and other tobacco companies publicly disclaimed any link between lung cancer and smoking but this was not enough. To combat these health claims cigarette companies released filtered cigarettes that claimed to limit the amount of dangerous particles in tobacco smoke. The filtered cigarettes were in fact just as harmful as regular cigarettes because consumers would take bigger drags to make up for the lack of smoke. In 2006 the District of Columbia District Court ruled the tobacco companies had made many offenses including lying about health risks and marketing to children. (8) As a result tobacco companies are now required to remove misleading statements about filtered cigarettes being safer and to provide more insight into company procedures. Increased regulation has had Philip Morris dealing with a constantly increasing tobacco tax. The government directly taxes cigarettes in all state owned property. These taxes have led to the drastic increase in cigarette prices. Philip Morris and other companies push the tax down towards their customers. The current state of the tobacco industry is not what it use to be but Philip Morris remains profitable with their large involvement in all markets. (4) Despite a clear public understanding of health risks millions of addicted smokers continue their habit. As Philip Morris continues to make money off a product that is addictive and damaging to its customer it is easy to question the moral roots of the company. An Ethical Look on a â€Å"Evil† Company With full speculation as corporations go Philip Morris is certainly on the list as a â€Å"Evil company. The fact is that the company sells a harmful addictive products that kill almost 20% of Americans each year. In addition the company has long known about the dangers of smoking despite repeatedly denying the medical claims. Although these accusations Philip Morris is taking steps to change their business outlook. The steps to gain a more favorable public opinion shows that the company is not acting unethically. When the reports about health issues came along with smoking Philip Morris made an unprecedented decision. Instead of targeting the health problems and looking to manufacture â€Å"safer† cigarettes Phillip Morris began marketing to the younger crowd. (6) While not necessary breaking the law by physically selling to minors it is clear that the company believes that targeting a younger more impressionable crowd is the solution. It’s hard to pinpoint the moral beliefs of Philip Morris. The company is still extremely successful and their success comes with the expense of the well being of their customers. Philip Morris and Positive Ethical Behavior Philip Morris a company speculated for its concerned about its stakeholders has also still had initiatives that benefit society. Unlike most of its smaller competitors Philip Morris has never manufactured flavored cigarettes. Other tobacco companies came under serious fire for flavored blends like Twista Lime, Mandarin Mint, Beach Breezer. These flavored cigarettes provided a way to appeal to a younger crowd. Philip Morris has never engaged in this kind of behavior and in some cases has made an effort to even deter minors from smoking. Since 1998 the company has spent a self reported $1 billion on youth smoking prevention including its â€Å"Think Don’t Smoke† campaign that was started in the 2000’s. (3) The Philip Morris website is packed with information on the dangers of smoking and the company even supported FDA regulation of tobacco which was eventually allowed by the Tobacco Control Act in 2009. Most recently Altria was listed on Fortune Magazine’s Top 100 most admired companies of 2011 for positive business behavior. In the Socially Responsible category they ranked fourth. The company donated $54 million to multiple nonprofit organizations including the Red Cross, the Smithsonian, and the United Negro College Fund. Looking at the company they engage in parts of an ethically sound corporation that values the impact it can have on society. However once the nature of the business that Philip Morris is engaged in is known only then will the company be hindered. Company Views and the Utilitarian Approach There is no doubt that Philip Morris’s public relation division are hard at work. Despite their social outreach its intention is misguided. The company’s social agenda is arguably just another operating cost to help improve the reputation of Philip Morris as the best of the worse. The company’s support of FDA tobacco regulation might have seemed like a moral move but FDA regulation of tobacco ends up helping Philip Morris. FDA regulation makes it much harder for smaller cigarette companies to survive. Only Philip Morris has the supply chain and brand recognition to remain profitable as cigarettes become more regulated. Additionally FDA regulation makes the industry unattractive heightening the barriers that Philip Morris’s has gaining a competitive advantage. (1) Applying the Utilitarian approach provides an interesting insight into the ethical breakdown of the company. The Utilitarian thinking is the ideal society that starts in an original position where everyone is equal. From there changes in equality should be open to everyone and the changes in equality are to everyone’s advantage. Essentially this approach with an unequally high proportion of wealth, assets, or abilities would have an affect on this type of company. With an equal chance to have an unequal proportion of wealth, assets, or abilities every individual would fight to make unequal distribution to benefit society. Looking at Philip Morris through the Utilitarian approach shows that the company is not acting fairly. Philip Morris engages in many business activities to help maintain their competitive advantage including supporting FDA regulation that would kill their competitors. On a more broad scale the inequality of wealth that Philip Morris has amassed over the years has not been to the advantage of society as a whole. In fact the success of the company has come at the expense of the health and well being of society. While it’s apparent that Philip Morris does not abide by this approach it is hard to blame the company. The Fact of the Matter for Philip Morris Because the negative effects of smoking are widely known and well supported the right to a healthy life falls on the individual to uphold in this situation because smoking is known to be detrimental to that right. That being said the addictive properties of nicotine make this argument known. Philip Morris for years repeatedly denied claims about the health issues of smoking and released filtered cigarettes that claimed them to be healthier. In many ways avoiding helping to deprive people of their right to live healthily would have been directly in opposition of their business. This makes Phillip Morris an interesting situation. Tobacco has been in western culture for around 500 years and for the majority of that time it was a large part of culture and was celebrated as a luxury. It helped bring the colonies money. Today tobacco is frowned upon and the companies that were once so wildly successful and respected in America are being asked to limit business. To ask Philip Morris to act completely ethically would be asking them to shut down operations completely. They sell a product that takes years off of lives and is responsible for 440,000 deaths each year. (4) While they can continue to pursue â€Å"healthier† forms of smoking and ingesting nicotine there is no way for the company to operate without harming someone. What makes tobacco an anomaly in the business ethics debate is the willingness for their customers to purchase products that will end up harming them. When we think of business ethics it is normally thought of as creating negative actions in the environment. In the case of Philip Morris the negative actions fall on the company’s customers who willingly accepts them. The solution to this problem does not lie in the hands of Philip Morris or any of the other tobacco companies. In Conclusion While in the past the company has made unethical business decisions like covering up health concerns or trying to convince the public that their cigarettes are safer the industry is at a point now where they are acting as ethically as possible.  They are simply providing a product that has strong demand. It is within our government’s duty to protect citizens when they are incapable of making smart decisions as individuals. From this report the real danger here is nicotine the addictive substance in cigarettes. This matter should be controlled by the FDA and needs to be limited. Until then tobacco and its and its suppliers will always be contested and Philip Morris will continue doing what they have been doing.

Common book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Common book - Essay Example The message was received the same day and it was relatively cheap. Letters and the postal service was another method. There were transistor radios as well, these were new radios that could be carried anywhere. Ans2. Well there was this thing called the teletype. It was a huge machine that could communicate with another machine of its type. Computers started replacing the teletype slowly. I think it was the 80s when the modem was introduced. It used the landline to connect to computers. I am not sure how it worked but you couldn’t call if the modem was in use. It was mostly an office thing. Ans3. Television was a very new thing when I was young. We didn’t get one for a long time but lots of people I knew did get it. It was magical at first. They said that the radio and print will soon become obsolete. We saw so many things on the box like other cultures and world views. It really opened your eyes. Ans4. It has changed it immensely. Letter writing was an art form and sitting down with a nice fountain pen and some good quality paper to write a letter was really something. A lot of effort went into buying postcards and writing those letters. It all meant something. Now its all about instant messaging and instant gratification. You can connect in seconds and its all so cheap. We had to think twice before making a call. Ans5. I wouldn’t say that. You look at the television now or the internet and you can see that it has a lot of good uses. There is information at your fingertips and easy access. Anyone can open a YouTube channel and communicate with millions. But I do know that personal or one on one communication has suffered. Since we put in so much time to talk to someone else, it all meant something. There was heart felt thought behind every

Searle's Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Searle's Theory - Essay Example This action occurs in a perfect manner such that the people outside the room begin to believe that actually the person understands Chinese. The same experiment is performed by a computer that applies syntax program to manipulate Chinese Language despite the fact that the computer may not comprehend the language. The Theory in regard to Syntax Manipulation To begin with, Searle does not show anywhere in his theory that Syntax manipulation does not involve any form of thinking nor does he suggest anywhere that Syntax manipulation entails thinking. However, a clear conclusion that can be derived from his argument is that the fact that a computer can manipulate certain functions to produce desired results is not a reason to conclude that it can understand certain issues. Personal Opinion in relation to Searle’s Theory Taking a careful analysis of Searle’s argument, it is quite evident that his argument is correct. To begin with, any computerized technology utilized in the c ontemporary generation is made and designed and by man. This entails that any application in the computer, is designed in a manner that is satisfy specific human needs. Moreover, the manner by, which this computers satisfy or perform their functions is designed and guided by human efforts meaning all the information contained in any computer program emanates from human brain, basically human intellect. The fact that all the information contained in a computer emanates from human mind is evidence that computers are generally designed to process already existing information. However, the speed at, which they process this information is what exhibits a difference with humans. Humans have the knowledge, but their levels of information processing are relatively slower and vary from one to another. Therefore, Searle’s argument those computers are only capable of manipulating syntax information, but cannot understand certain information is correct. Another reason that may lead to a conclusion that Searle’s argument is correct is the fact that computers cannot process information without the guidance of human. Computerized gadgets i.e. calculators require human efforts to provide desired results. Human has to feed in information in the computer in order to get results. In this process, the results provided are performed by already stored programs, basically providing data that has already recorded. This is a great evidence indicating that computers do not understand information i.e. language but rather provides information in regard to already stored data that are manipulated through a syntax process. Issues that are not exhibited in Searle’s Argument Searle’s presents a very imperative argument that requires critical thinking. In his argument, he does not support it by indicating the actual difference that occurs between information processed by humans and computers. He does not recognize the fact that computers have a higher information p rocessing speed as compared to human beings. Additionally, he does not recognize the fact that information provided by computers is usually generated from already stored data that are basically manipulated through syntax processes. These are substantial arguments that he should have added to back-up his theory. Additionally, Searle should also argue that computers a

Wendy's Hamburgers Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wendy's Hamburgers - Case Study Example His desire to control his life and business is a good illustration of some of the basic entrepreneurial traits. Also, he has demonstrated open mindedness and innovation traits when decided to open burger restaurant with new innovative and creative ideas. When he has made a decision to shift to hamburgers, he made a decision to shift to the thing which he really liked. In such a way he has demonstrated his passion to do what he loves. Despite the skepticism and negative forecasts of experts he has made a decision to move forward with his idea. Thus, Dave has demonstrated optimism and belief in himself and his expertise, which is also critical for successful entrepreneur. 2. Dave’s success with the first Wendy’s restaurant can be attributed to an idea to offer fresh hamburgers of high quality. This was something new as the competitors offered hamburgers made from a frozen meat. Even though the market was saturated he has managed to find a unique selling point or the so called competitive advantage, which enabled his business to develop and grow despite fierce competition on the market. It is possible even to suggest that he has broken some stereotypes, as fast food is usually associated with bad quality and unhealthy food. Thus, fresh high quality fast food offered in Dave’s restaurant has contributed to shift in consumer’s perceptions about fast food. He has managed to satisfy customers’ needs and even exceed their expectations, making the restaurant profitable within the first weeks after the opening. 3. The phrase about the most difficult thing in running business is â€Å"being willing to listen to customers then doing whatever it takes to make your dream (and their wants) a reality† could be interpreted as Dave’s vision of his role as an entrepreneur. Dave is an entrepreneur who pursues his own dream, and chooses optimal

Contemporary Challenges Facing Sufis In Egypt Dissertation

Contemporary Challenges Facing Sufis In Egypt - Dissertation Example This agrees with historical development and formations of Sufis. It noted the prophet was a leader who ruled at Madinah. This is also informed by the fact that Sufis are organized into orders and orders are further organized into Sufism Council whose chairperson is approved by the President. The Sunni Institute in Egypt is also considered independent and influential on Islamic matters.Sufism is a virtuous movement that involves mysticism and spirituality in Islam. It involves Muslims holding on the foundation and teachings of the Prophet. This is anchored by teachings of the Quran and Sunni doctrine. However, this does not mean Sufism is confined to Sunnis but it involves the attempt to move people closer to God. It can also be concluded that criticism and political involvement are inevitable to the Sufis in Egypt. This can be visible through Sufism direct involvement in politics and organizational structures. Although this can be argued as a source of weakness for Sufis it is, in fa ct, the greatest point of strength. The group can use its position in politics to influence the state towards basic Islamic foundations through constitutional means. The group can also, use the position to reach out to rival religious groups and secular groups by engaging them from a political platform, to social, and economic by making them understand Sufism perspective. This can be supported by the truth that Sufism is not for the Sunni’s in reality but both for Muslims and non-Muslims who consider its goal, getting closer to God.

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 9

Management - Essay Example Economic rewards were known as primary and sole motivators for employees and hence improving worker efficiency. Traditional approach assumes that people are rational and would work harder for higher pay.1 However, this is not a true case for most employees. Contemporary theories2 explain higher needs of employees that are met by different incentives. This is problem should be recognized because ignoring other factors that influence motivation can cause an organization’s productivity to fall or remain stagnant/indifferent to incentives.3 Motivation is defined as the arousal, persistence and direction of behavior.4 The factors that may lead to motivation are subjective. These are relative to values and priorities of the employee who is working towards attaining a goal. When these priorities/needs are met, this develops motivation for an employee for work. In the study of Management, Human Relations approach recognized that there are needs greater than money, from the experiment known as Hawthorne Studies. Hawthorne Studies were a series of experiments to check changes in worker productivity and brought an unexpected outcome. The experiment involved tests that changed environment factors and also a group of people were assigned to check other possible reasons for change in worker behavior. The change did indeed improve worker productivity, but due to unexpected factors. Human relations were the strongest factor that was influencing an increase in worker productivity, because the attitude of supervisors had improved.5 This test, although no longer part of contemporary theories, it proved that people have greater needs than money, and also at one point monetary compensation becomes ineffective for improving labor productivity. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory is one of the contemporary approaches to understanding motivation that introduces a host of new factors that influence motivation. Abraham Maslow detected that all

Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko - Essay Example The essay "Pablo Picasso and Mark Rothko" explores two famous artists, their main ideas and art practices. Pablo Picasso is the name that no art history can miss out when it records Modern Art. Mark Rothko is yet another name that appears in Modern Art, though a bit later than Pablo. This paper will look into the influences and ideas that shine through the art work of both Picasso and Rothko, give a quick overview of their art practice and look into the formal qualities of their art work. Pablo Picasso had become very popular in the art circle by 1910. His art period started around 1900 and lasted till his death. However, in his very young age, he created some of the significant paintings in Spanish art history. In 1896, his The First Communion portraying his sister gained acclaims. Similarly, Portrait of Aunt Pepa was painted when he was just fourteen years old. It was called as â€Å"one of the greatest in the whole history of Spanish painting† by Juan-Eduardo Cirloz. These paintings were realistic until they became tinged with symbolism after 1900. There were a series of landscapes rendered in unnatural mixture of violet with green which were mainly due to the influence of Rossetti, Edvard Munch and Lautrec. He was also greatly influenced by his love of Greco’s paintings that he found in the Madrid art galleries. He created numerous, nearly a thousand art works of a variety of genres: paintings, print works, sculptures and ceramics. His art life is divided into major periods based on his style.

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga - Essay Example Balram is a boy with little education and the urge to break away from the life of poverty and misery into which he is born. As Balram Halwai is thrust into the glittering life of the rich in India’s capital, the difference between those in his station in life and that of his employers is sharply brought into focus. This is the turning point, and it is the humiliations and injustices that he faces that finally push him into using any means to escape into a better life. As he explains "In the old days there were one thousand castes...in India. These days, there are just two castes: Men with Big Bellies, and Men with Small Bellies."(pg 64) Balram is determined to do whatever it takes to become a big-bellied man, and to this end, he resorts to bribing the police, bending the rules or even worse. After all he has learnt these lessons from his rich masters themselves! I think the protagonist of Aravind Adiga’s novel is an entrepreneur. He has most of the qualities that are re quired for entrepreneurship. Balram himself lists these when he says â€Å"The Indian entrepreneur has to be straight and crooked, mocking and believing, sly and sincere at the same time.†(pg 9) Einstein once said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." (Albert Einstein Quotes) and Balram Halwai echoes this when he swears by his favourite poet Iqbal’s words â€Å"They remain slaves because they cannot see what is beautiful.† (pg 40)... His ability to think on his feet is sharply brought into focus when he alone is able to answer the inspector’s questions. His ability to recall things he has seen, read and overheard and his intuition about the way they fit into the scheme of things is what is appreciated by the inspector who sees a bright future for the village lad. Balram calls himself a â€Å"half baked fellow’’ because he has only a few years of schooling, and further adds that â€Å"entrepreneurs are made from half baked clay.† (pg 11) Balram Halwai’s ability to take life as it comes and seize opportunity whenever it arises is amply displayed as he eavesdrops on conversations at the teashops where he is forced to work, and uses the scraps of knowledge thus gained to educate himself on the goings on in the world around him. He puts it very succinctly when he says â€Å"I am a man of action and change†. Overhearing that drivers were paid well and they were required in lar ge numbers in the coal mining town of Dhanbad where he works in a teashop, the boy cajoled his granny into giving him the money he needed to learn how to drive a car. Although he knew that the driver who taught him was taking advantage of him and making him spend a lot of his time doing free repair jobs on taxis; he stuck to his resolve to learn driving and mastered it. Having mastered driving skills was only a beginning, he had to get a driver’s job in an environment where merit was no criterion. Caught up as he is, in the morass of corruption, inequality and poverty, he bides his time and waits for the right opening to press home the advantage. Knowing the right people and greasing the right palms was how one got a job, and the poor lad was a nobody and had no help in that department. His intuition and ability

Stratagic leadership in a changing world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Stratagic leadership in a changing world - Essay Example In this war the weapon is strategy. A strategy is a tool used for managing the organization’s resources in order to mitigate risks & optimize resources. This is the simplest definition of the term strategy. However in real life, the organizations face a lot of complexity to form & maintain a strategy. Strategy forms an integral part of the discipline strategic management domain. Thus framing the right strategy and implementing it stepwise is known as the process of strategic planning. The strategic planning process is a stage wise procedure that has got specific objectives and final outcomes that can be employed and analyzed. In simpler terms, this process is the means to view the future and creating an outline on the basis of recent trends and controlling the forces that can affect the strategic decisions (Ahoy, 1998). Strategic planning is an essential part of strategic management. Strategic Management involves actions and thoughts which are focused at the long-term objectiv es the entire organization and the strategic planning is usually done during situations of uncertainty (Downey, 2007). Strategies are generally designed for meeting the future challenges and for exploiting upcoming opportunities. Every firm needs a strategy tailored according to their needs (Cole, 2003, pp. 2-15). If a firm is not following a strategic plan, then it becomes tough for it to survive in this challenging world of competitions. In the present discussion we will study the Inside out and the Outside in schools of strategic management. Inside-Out and Outside-In planning Inside out is a  business strategic planning  process  that depends on the  competitive advantage  of the  firm  to  encourage  alteration,  innovation  and product development  in contrast to the external  forces  like the  market, consumer  preferences and competition. The declaration by the strategists who believe in the inside-out approach suggests that a firm  attains  better  efficiencies  and become accustomed more rapidly to the changing situations. The inside-out and outside frameworks of strategic planning involves significant concepts that are applied in order to link strategic pattern to the external and internal accountability steps. These external and internal accountability steps are widespread in all aspects of the national govern aments, districts around the schools and the local firms like the insurance companies, banks etc. Inside-Out arrangement emphasizes on the firm as the primary customer. It facilitates an association to have a vision of the firm which goes beyond the business world. The Inside out framework of planning typically puts stress on the goals, purposes and mission. It always considers the well being of the business and is characteristically known as hasty in nature. Outside-In process of planning puts stress on the general public as the key addressees. It perceives the business from the exterior. It usually con fronts the status quo and often causes uneasiness to the existing workers since it suggests transformation. Outside-in process of planning is characteristically practical in nature (Boleman, 2003). Example of Inside Out Planning Firms adapting the inside-out approach require examining their own weaknesses and strengths by putting forth the questions like, â€Å"What are we good at making and selling?†(Civichino, 2012). As the strengths are recognized, the firm creates the products accordingly and applies

The Gestalt Approach to Psychology Essay Example for Free

The Gestalt Approach to Psychology Essay Outline and explain the principles of the Gestalt approach to psychology. How does humanistic psychology differ in essence from other analyses of mental disorder, and what are its strengths and weaknesses?  Psychiatrist Frederick Fritz Perls (1893-1970) devised Gestalt therapy. The word Gestalt is of German origin, as was Perls, and means pattern or organised whole (Gross McIlveen, 1996).  In order to make sense of life events, our perceptions are organised into gestalts. Just as we cannot fully understand a family by looking solely at the individuals without regard for its operation as a whole, neither can we understand a gestalt by merely observing its constituent parts. When a gestalt is formed, there is a focus of attention against a background of everything else of potential relevance. This foreground/background (figure/ground) formation is called field theory. Whatever is of most interest at any moment becomes figure, but if something else becomes more important, figure recedes into ground and is replaced.  In field theory all aspects of an individual and their environment are interrelated so that the field forms their context. Unless we understand a persons environment, we can never fully understand them or their behaviour. As Yontef (1973) said Behaviour is a function of the field of which it is a part. Experiencing is also a function of the field of which it is a part. Each field is organised into a gestalt by the dominant need of that moment. As a personal or social need arises, a figure/ground formation develops with whatever is perceived as being able to meet the need becoming figure. The cycle of gestalt formation and destruction, of needs arising and being met, has taken several different forms. One of the earliest models was a four-phase process called the cycle of contact (Perls et al, 1973). The first phase is fore-contact where a need arises and the individual is aware that balance has been disturbed. They have either excess or a deficit of something and are driven to restore balance. At this stage, the need is figure and everything else is ground. The second phase is contact, where possibilities of meeting the need are evaluated. When out of these possibilities a means of restoring balance arises, it becomes figure and the individual assembles their resources to contact figure and overcome any obstacles that they may encounter. As the individual identifies more and more with figure, it becomes more distinguished from ground. The third phase is final contact where the individual is so engaged with figure that there is hardly any background. It is the quality of contact that determines whether or not the need is met. If contact is good and full, the need will be met and the individual will have a new and enlarged sense of self. Good contact is only possible when the individual can maintain a sense of individuality and dissimilarity from figure. Perls was quoted in a biography as having said It is the point at which I experience me in relation to whatever is not me; when I experience me as distinct from you (Clarkson Mackewn, 1993). The fourth and final phase is post contact, the experience of satisfaction if contact has been good and complete. It is at this point that growth takes place, even though the individual may not be aware of it. The gestalt closes and balance is restored; the individual is now at rest, ready for the next need to arise.  To make good contact, it is essential that figure is clear and distinguished from ground. In order to form a clear figure, a balanced quality may be divided so that one end of the continuum can be distinguished from the other. One end of the range becomes figure, and the other ground. These polarities may appear to be unrelated but are, in fact, extremes of a mid-point called zero point. When the gestalt closes and the need is met, these divisions become balanced again. If a need arises and full contact is not made, the need will remain unmet, the gestalt will be incomplete and it will continue to demand satisfaction. If the individual stays in touch with the need it can still be met healthily at a later time but if the delay becomes too long the individual will attempt to close the gestalt before the need has been appropriately met. Premature closure feels better than leaving the gestalt open, but the original need still unconsciously demands satisfaction. The result is that experience, physiology and behaviour become totally preoccupied with resolving the unfinished business. Awareness of the present situation is now hindered, making it difficult to make contact and meet current needs.

The Chrysalids: Character Analysis of David

The Chrysalids: Character Analysis of David Waknuk is a religious community that doesnt believe in individuality. Everything must, basically, be the same. Any differences or deviations are hateful in the sight of god. When faced with adversity, individuals are stretched to the limit and tend to show great achievements!   You must go through obstacles and adversity. Thats what provides endurance for the future. David had numerous challenges for him to overcome. The punishment of being a deviant is clearly stated throughout the chapter like sent to the fringes, a feeling of inhumanity and being discriminated which didnt allow him to express feelings or emotions. Being a deviant and having telepathic abilities has many negative effects like being isolated from your family and sent to the fringes but made David a stronger, succeeding person. Having a difference, you are not considered as humans and are sent away banished to the Fringes. These people are then left there to fend for themselves with no sympathy. The consequences of showing deviations from the wider population result in individuals being moved to the Fringes, on the edge of Waknuk. Due to the contaminated soil, there is a limited amount of food available. With the people of Waknuk being symbolic of God with their strict norms, those not fitting the population are considered outsiders and removed from the group. David, over time, gains many opponents because of his difference. Living in such a controlled community made David feel neglected because he encountered diversity due to his differences from the people of Waknuk. Being confronted by town officials, David struggled to fit in with the people of Waknuk as he faced constant hardships regarding his differences.   Recurring differences left David with no choice but to face his fears on a daily basis. To be any kind of deviant is to be hurt always. (Page 167). Waknuk functions under a set of laws and beliefs that discriminate against anyone or anything that does not look normal, ultimately being sent to the fringes. Those who look different in any way from the Image of God as set by the Definition of Man, are isolated from society, and sterilized so that they cannot produce more Deviations. This relates to the quote as they are afraid of the unknown and their differences. Being isolated from society had a positive effect on Davids identify. David was unfamiliar with the brave people of New Zealand, which made him feel inferior because he had to learn to adapt and overcome the feeling of never being accepted. With self-pride and bravery, there was a rise in strength that allowed David to overcome his obstacles, eventually succeeding. There are numerous challenges along with having a telepathic ability, one of them is having a feeling inhumanity. Inhumanity is characterized by cruelty as well as an unjustified behavior. This inhuman behavior results in catastrophic consequences, perhaps why it is not favored.   But, this is evident in the book. For example, The ways of the world were very puzzling David, (Page 9). There was no love and justice when it came to recognizing an individual unusual from the one kind of majority. Deviating features on an uncommon individual lead to victims of hatred crime. At the end of the day, we could all say that The Chrysalids definition of inhumanity is far beyond the normal standards. Assassination of an innocent being, and presentations of ignorance among family and friends are common in such a community. Waknuk can be a harsh place. For example, Anne had seen this just as well as the rest of us, but now she pretended to ignore it. She began to defy her difference by refu sing to respond to us, though whether she shut her mind off altogether, or continued to listen without taking part we could not tell. David, (Page 42). Not only does it show how people in their society behave but is telling us that something needs to change about us as a whole. This also shows how people fear change, David has a feeling of inhumanity changed the way of thinking and made him more closed minded as he was afraid of the consequences. David goes through these obstacles and events represents the skills David had to overcome this event. David let these events affect his behavior. In the Chrysalids, the people of Waknuk are bias contrary to anyone who does not live up to the true image. They will discriminate against anyone who looks or acts differently than the norm do. For example, there are signs all over Davids house saying things like WATCH FOR THOU MUTANT, (Page 2). On the other hand, Sophie has only one extra toe on each foot and she had to be sent away to the Fringes for being different. Also, Aunt Harriots baby has the smallest little mark on her but she was still labeled as a deviation. In Waknuk society, anyone deviating from the true image of God lead to persistent judgement.   For example, a plant devastation is burned, an animal deviations often slaughtered, and human with deferences or who are not the norm are sterilized so they cannot reproduce and sent out into the Fringes. If you are not the true image of God, you are considered unusual and not normal by society in Waknuk. For example, when Sophie is depicted as a deviant, she appears to elope along with her family to protect herself. David lives in constant fear that others will discover his secret of telepathy. Sophie, a character introduced in the first part of the book had to flee the village because she had an unusual number of toes. Having to hide about Sophies toe was a challenge for David as he couldnt express his emotions or opinions about one another which made him a more closed person keeping everything on the inside and not expressing it. In a time of trouble, the adversities David faced revealed his true character. David was isolated from his family, had a feeling of inhumanity, and being discriminated but all these adversities helped to improve Davids mental health and outlook on life, which contributes to strong character. Each adversity David overcomes, he gained invaluable knowledge while growing stronger. Are People Becoming Too Reliant on Technology? Are People Becoming Too Reliant on Technology? Smart phones, Facebook, Netflix, YouTube†¦. The world is living in an era of constant dynamic technological revolutions. Information Technology has become inextricable from everyday life. Information technology refers to combination of computing technology, such as networking, hardware, software, the Internet, and the people that work with these technologies. The main aim of T is to facilitate the life of each and every one, as Steve Ballmer said (brainyquotes.com). â€Å"The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didnt think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential.† However, IT can be addictive and occupy a huge place in one’s life. IT has brought about a revolution in data processing and storage. Creating a document, editing and storing a document is a task any common individual with basic IT knowledge can achieve. Storing information has become easier and less bulky, for example; a considerable of amount of data, such as a company’s information about its employees can be stored on a computer or in a secondary storage device such as a pen drive, and does not require bulky filing cabinets. This has revolutionized businesses around the world. As Bill Gates said: (brainyquotes.com). â€Å"Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I dont think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without the talking about the other.† Businessmen find it easier to check stock, demand, prices, and investment possibilities. There are dependent on this technology but only because it gives them the possibility to render their businesses more productive. Furthermore IT has allowed tremendous progress in the medical field. The research facilities set up have allowed to find the cure to several diseases and better understanding of many others, for example the use of the electron microscope has led to the understanding of the structure of the AIDS virus. Genetic Engineering has allowed to cure birth defects and treat other genetic diseases. â€Å"Im fascinated by the idea that genetics is digital. A gene is a long sequence of coded letters, like computer information. Modern biology is becoming very much a branch of information technology.† Richard Dawkins (brainyquotes.com). Machine assisted surgical operations are conducted all over the world to assist doctors in dangerous procedures and provide greater precision and reduce the risk of human error. Monitoring the heart rate, taking the Blood pressure and the amount of oxygen in the body are all machine assisted. People are dependent on IT but the latter allows many lives to be saved and helps to provide better medical assistance. IT has bestowed upon man a great favor: the internet. Man cannot fathom the kaleidoscope of facilities the internet gives him access to. People can learn whatever they want, ranging from astronomy to advanced linguistics while being comfortably seated at home. Access to education has been greatly facilitated as online courses are available to everyone and online degrees and diplomas can be obtained. In addition IT knowledge is a must as: â€Å"In todays knowledge-based economy, what you earn depends on what you learn. Jobs in the information technology sector, for example, pay 85 percent more than the private sector average.† William J. Clinton (brainyquotes.com). Furthermore, communication in itself has underwent an extraordinary transformation. As Peter Drucker said: (brainyquotes.com). â€Å"The new information technology Internet and e-mail have practically eliminated the physical costs of communications.† Skype and Facetime allow people to transcend barriers and saves them money as international calls are very expensive whereas these applications are free. Communication costs have been further reduce with the invention of Whatsapp and Viber. Teleconferences are held all over the world and the physical cost of travelling becomes inexistent. However, it is undeniable that IT has become a leech in some people’s lives, particularly youngsters. A recent survey proves that mobile users cant leave their phone alone for six minutes and check it up to 150 times a day. People make, receive or avoid 22 phone calls every day and send or receive messages 23 times a day. Dr James Roberts of Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business in Texas conducted research on the matter and said: (brainyquotes.com). â€Å"Mobile phones are a part of our consumer culture. They are not just a consumer tool, but are used as a status symbol. They’re also eroding our personal relationships.† With the advent of social media such as twitter and Facebook, people have been engulfed by IT. Youngsters feel the urge of posting everything they do and that happens to them on the internet. It seems to have caused attention deficit disorder outbreak as their self-esteem rises or falls according to the response they get on their posts. Teens all over the world have instagram, twitter, snap chat, etc. Rather than them focusing on school the only thing they care about is that everything on their social media accounts are perfect. It honestly makes no sense whatsoever. The teens are disregarding their school work and only care about those things, a lot of teens are anti-social. The only way they interact with people is through their phones. A lot of the time the people they are considering theyre friends online they have never even met. Teens do not even like to go places because they think their phones are more satisfying than having to actually go outside and do something with their lives other than going on their cell phones. So, yes we are way too dependent on technology. Health problems have also arisen due to overexposure to computers, for example; back pain, eye problems, joint problems, to name but a few. Online films and series have rendered people addicted to them, as they spend a lot of time glued t their monitor with the usual phrase â€Å"just one more episode†. Information Technology is becoming a crutch for humanity. The world is evolving to incorporate technology into every facet of human life. Because of this new reliance people are losing the ability to take care of themselves in an organic and all natural way, for example GPS systems have changed the way we travel. People cant even read a map anymore. To conclude, IT has become an inherent part of modern life. In most cases its use is vital. It facilitates tasks and allows people  to explore all possibilities and also to attain the paroxysm of his capabilities. However it should not be considered the solutions to all problems and an escape from reality. If ever IT is considered to be an evil, it definitely is a necessary one. WEBOGRAPHY/ REFERENCES http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276752/Mobile-users-leave-phone-minutes-check-150-times-day.html http://techterms.com/definition/it Steve Ballmer, SB, [online] available from: Brainyquotes.com. [Accessed: 16.02.2015] Bill Gates, BG, [online] available from: Brainyquotes.com. [Accessed: 16.02.2015] Richard Dawkins, RD, [online] available from: Brainyquotes.com. [Accessed: 16.02.2015] William J. Clinton, WJC, [online] available from: Brainyquotes.com. [Accessed: 16.02.2015] Peter Drucker, PD, [online] available from: Brainyquotes.com. [Accessed: 16.02.2015] Dr James Roberts, JR, [online] available from: Brainyquotes.com. [Accessed: 16.02.2015]

Primary Health Care In Grenada Health And Social Care Essay

Primary Health Care In Grenada Health And Social Care Essay Primary Health Care service delivery in the Health sector in Grenada is public based, meaning, health clinics, emergency room care, general hospital and a National Insurance Scheme (NIS) for insurance, as well as private based, with the provision of private health insurance and private hospitals, such as St. Augustine. As a result it employs the use of both solo and group practice. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employment status of Physicians: The Caribbean in general is experiencing a shortage of medical professionals and Grenada is not immune to this problem. A major contributing factor is that many medical professionals leave to work in other countries, creating a situation of braindrain. It was estimated by the U.N. that around 70% of native born Grenadian physicians leave and work overseas, (UN population statistics, 2010) Grenada has a low physician to population at 8.1 for 10,000 people for comparison Mexico has 20 per 10,000, (PAHO). It is estimated that there are approximately 110 physicians currently working in the health sector in Grenada. A small section of these physicians serve as independent contractors, most of whom are specialist with a few general practioners. A greater majority of those however are in private practice but are still employed in public practice, providing healthcare services at their private establishments and/or the private hospital as well as providing healthcare services through the pub lic health facilities, health centers and hospitals. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Population Served: All citizens of Grenada and foreigners, mainly SGU students and visitors are able to get access to the healthcare facilities. The general population of Grenada served, excluding foreigners, is approximately 93,000. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Types of Hospitals: Grenadas health policy aims at ensuring that every Grenadian has access to quality health services. The Grenadian government has embraced the concept of primary health care as the main strategy for improving the populations health status. As part of its aim to attain health for all by the year 2000 it has adopted the goals and targets established through the Caribbean Cooperation in Health initiative as the priorities for its health services. Grenada is divided into seven health districts, six of which have a health center with most services and an additional 30 medical stations. These are major primary care facilities and usually serve as the first point of contact within the Grenadian health system. All health facilities are within easy access of the population and each health district is assigned a District Medical Officer, several categories of nurses, community health aides, dentists and dental auxiliaries, pharmacists, environmental health officers and mental health workers. At some Health Centers, some specialist services, such as pediatrics, and psychiatry are provided. There is a 240 bed General Hospital, which is the main hospital on island and located in the capital of St. Georges. The General Hospital is a referral hospital offering 24 hour emergency care, specialist, surgical, paediatrics, psychiatric, ophthalmic, obstetric/gynecology, and ENT. Ultrasonagraphy and electrocardiogram are also available. Support services include laboratory, pharmacy, imaging, physiotherapy and rehabilitative services. In addition there are two rural hospitals, the Princess Alice Hospital and Princess Royal hospital, with 60 beds and 40 beds respectively. As part of their provision of primary health care for all, the Grenadian government, through the health sector also provides specialized Mental Health Services providing treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up care at the Mental Hospital and in the community. The institutions include an 80-bed psychiatric hospital for acute and chronic patients, the Mount Gay hospital, and a geriatric facility at Richman Hill with 120 beds, that is usually filled above capacity. Dorothy Hopkin Home a 16-bed facility offers services for disabled children. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Prevailing Remuneration of the Health Care Workers: What currently obtains in Grenada as relates to the prevailing remuneration system for health care workers is that they are primarily salaried workers. The salary of healthcare workers is determined by the negotiation between the Government and the bargaining agent, the Public Service Workers Union. Salary is based on a scale system that is predetermined by the government. Entry into that scale is determined by qualification and the job title held. Private physicians however are paid on a fee for service basis. The fee scale is determined by the Grenada Medical Association. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Referral Restrictions: Public hospitals have a restricted referral system, access to specialist care is on the basis of referral from a General Practitioner within the public health sector. This serves as a means of gatekeeping. Home referrals are done by the district medical doctor on advisement from the district health centers. Laboratory and other medical test referrals are also assigned by public health physicians as well as private physicians from the list of preapproved test centers. Private facilities does not necessarily operate within the boundaries of a referral system as persons using private facilities would have direct access to private specialist care. Home referrals are done by the private physicians whose clinic have been visited or referred to other physicians in different specialties according to the characteristic of the disease. Laboratory and medical tests are referred by private physicians to the test centers, which have agreements with the physicians. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Level of internal integration between staff: Within the health system of Grenada both the public and the private sector are integrated. To date, there are about 110 physicians working within the private and public health sector combined. Because of this nurses /midwives and other medical professional that serve both in the private and public sector are allowed a lot of interaction with each other. Within the public sector there is a hierarchy that exists among physicians, there are the senior physicians, followed by the junior doctors. Also within in the nursing system there is a hierarchy. This lends to a flow of authority between members of staff. Though there is this hierarchy, it can be seen from interactions with members of the system that there is a respect that exists between professionals within the different fields that make up Grenadas very integrated public and private health systems. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Level of external integration with other services: The National Strategic Health Plan stated that the community health services had issues with primary care services as it was neither integrated nor coordinated. This is due to limited confidence in community services. It also reported that persons would visit the general hospital or private clinics. There is an increase in private clinics which is seen as the provider of quality care. It should be noted that one of the goals of the National Strategic Health Plan reported that there is an endeavor to improve collaboration between Non-government agencies, public health care, community centers as well as private health care services in an effective and efficient manner. A strategy that was curative in nature was developed to increase collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Regional sectors in aiding with the treatment and diagnosis of Dengue. The formation of strategies that are developed for prevention and promotion aids in the development of partnerships with other ministries to help deal with youth issues.   The Ministry of Health was in collaboration with PAHO in Barbados to develop a cost benefit analysis of a National Fluoridation Program. Level of integration of staff education and training in primary care: Generally the training in primary care for staff education is a mix between coninous professional development and undergraduate/basic education. In the National Strategic Health Plan for Grenada, the level of integration of staff education and training in primary health care is as follows: for there is in service training provided for community workers. There is also a plan to have training in the screening of cancer, a system of surveillance in communicable diseases, pre and post natal care as well as training in acquiring the proper nutrition for children and their mothers. The training of staff to be sensitive in providing quality care of the elderly, training for hospital staff and the development of the support of clinical service.

General Electrics Quality Gamble Essay -- GCSE Business Six Sigma Cou

General Electric's Quality Gamble The Implementation of Six Sigma General Electric (GE) is among the most profitable companies and, according to Fortune magazine, the most admired. It stock is the most highly valued in the world. Some critics would argue, if it's not broke, why fix it? Jack Welch, CEO of GE, believes in the "infinite capacity to improve everything." Why does a company that has experienced so much success recently invests over a billion dollars in a quality initiative? Increased competition has GE adopting the attitude that businesses that stand still become obsolete as businesses that continue to grow pass them by. Also by implementing Six Sigma, GE is preparing itself for future profitability opportunities. Finally, research indicated a need for improvement in the way GE does business. GE had been straining for years to increase operating margin and six sigma is a way to do that. What is Six Sigma? Six sigma, the mother of all quality efforts, can mean different things to different organizations. The Six Sigma Academy defines it as tactics and tools to improve profitability through focusing on improving the sigma capability of an organization's processes. GE defines six sigma as first as a management philosophy; a never ending to competitive leadership by satisfying customer requirements profitability. Second they define it as a measurement system; a measure of a processes inherent ability to meet customer requirements. In general six sigma is a statistical non-financial performance measurement at which you should design, operate, and control every process in your company in such a way that none of yield more than 3.4 defects per million units of output. Six Sigma is a tool that measures in a clear, accurate, mathematical terms how good or bad their quality levels are, how much they can improve, and what progress they are making along the journey. On a global perspective, companies that have not begun their quality journey are around one or two sigma. The worldwide average is around three sigma. The majority of the companies utilizing six sigma in India are at a low two sigma. An average domestic company is at three sigma, while a good company is at three and a half. Today GE is around three and a half with goals of reaching six sigma by the year 2000. Companies operating at three to four sigma lo... ...reduced cycle times, increased productivity, improved capacity and output, decreased work-in-progress, and improved process flow. Companies operating at 3 to 4 sigma generally loses up to 10-15% of their total revenue due to defects, on the contrast a company that operates at 6 sigma generally loses less than 10%. Six Sigma stars Motorola has reported savings of $2 billion over 10 years of implementation while GE shaved off 750 million of cost in 1998. In 1999, GE has projected a 1.5 billion in savings due to Six Sigma, and if they reach their goal of six sigma in the year 2000 they will add between 8 to 12 added to the bottom line. In conclusion, GE has decided to ride Six Sigma into the next century. The year 2000 is the deadline for reaching Six Sigma, which is also around the time its CEO Jack Welch plans to retire. If GE's quality gamble pays off, Jack Welch will go out a winner, leaving behind his most admired company on top. Reference "The Enigma of Six Sigma." (1999, May). Business Today. Online Romeo, Mary. Six Sigma Quality. GE Capital FMP Conference, Stamford, 1999. Curran, John. "GE CAPITAL: JACK WELCH'S SECRET WEAPON." Fortune July 1999.

Colette Dowlings The Cinderella Complex: Womens Hidden Fear of Indepe

Colette Dowling's The Cinderella Complex: Women's Hidden Fear of Independency In her book, The Cinderella Complex: Women's Hidden Fear of Independency, Ms. Colette Dowling states her belief in a condition which she names "the Cinderella complex", being an intricate system of beliefs put upon women which make them feel as if they must be submissive to the wills of others, seemingly less intelligent than they truly are. However, with a more detailed analysis of the tale of Cinderella, Dowling would have realized that this is not a completely accurate naming of her discovered complex. But in order to prove this, we ourselves must take a closer look at the tale of Cinderella. In the classic version of Cinderella, that written by Charles Perrault, we are presented the image of a girl completely submissive to the will of her stepmother and of her sisters. Not quite flattering to the modern woman. However, let us examine the author and the circumstances surrounding his retelling of the story. Charles Perrault was a French nobleman, whose project was to collect tales from all over the world and rewrite them in such a format as would make them suitable for his intended audience, namely the French court. In the world of royalty, it is the man who is truly important, the sole purpose of his wife being to bear him children and make him look good in public. Perrault's Cinderella is a perfect example of what, in the eye of his audience, would be considered the perfect wife. She was a hard worker, who never objected to anything that she was told. She was "sweetness itself", according to Perrault, a perfect girl without a trace of animosity in her being--as is shown in her final treatment of her stepmother and sisters. She would ne... ...lking on our drive home from school, I said to her, "if I were a girl, it's not like I would turn 19 and suddenly say I have to get married now', it's more like you know, maybe I am ready to get married'." But she responded that it's not that simple...that she felt pressured to get married quickly, because if she would wait, all the good husbands would be gone already. She also mentioned that girls who wait longer take on a status of being less than prime candidates for matches. This shows an evident external force acting on women to make them fear their own independence. (However, I cannot state the existence of such a condition in the same manner anywhere outside the American religious Jewish community.) Sarah was married on December 29th, and moved to New York three days later. So perhaps the condition would be more appropriately named the "Sarah complex".