An Analysis of Poems 585 and 754 Essay -- 585 754

An Analysis of Poems 585 and 754   Emily Dickinson’s utilization of wonderful expression in sonnets 585 and 754 enlivens two lifeless things, a train and a weapon, the two of which perform activities that are helpful to man. In spite of the fact that these things can't follow up on their own, Dickinson’s word usage furnishes them with their own developments, qualities, and sentiments. In sonnet 585, a train’s day by day venture is given an importance past that of a chilly, iron machine when Dickinson depicts its creature characteristics to show its quality, obstinacy, and persistence. In sonnet 754, a weapon is depicted as a defensive, committed hireling. In both of these sonnets, Emily Dickinson utilizes word usage to give a train and a weapon attributes of creatures to clarify their conduct and emotions and to show how man utilizes them for his potential benefit and to meet his objectives. In sonnet 585, Dickinson’s word usage uncovers attributes of craving and assurance. In the principal verse, I like to see it lap the Miles- -/And lick the Valleys up- -/And stop to take care of itself at tanks (ll. 1-3) portrays the train as a creature that runs ravenously over significant stretches, eating up the land as it comes, halting incidentally to eat increasingly generous food to endure and to proceed. In spite of the fact that it can perform incredible accomplishments of transportation, the train needs sustenance, much the same as people and creatures do. With the accompanying lines, Dickinson shows the assurance of the train to meet his objective: And, scornful, peer/In Shantiesâ€by the sides of Roadsâ€And then a quarry pare/To accommodate its ribs (ll. 6-9). These lines additionally propose a difficult assurance. Regardless of whether the train needs to slither and slice through many yards of strong stone, nothing will stop this metal creature, not so much as a colossal mountain. The train can drive... ...For what reason would the ace need insurance? In the two sonnets, Emily Dickinson utilizes style to give the peruser the chance to see lifeless things with some human characteristics, first in a decided, incredible train and afterward in a committed, non-feeling weapon. In spite of the fact that these are lifeless things, the peruser can get a feeling of the impacts and commitments they provide for man. The train had an extraordinary effect on make a trip by permitting him to cover huge spans in shorter occasions. Apparently this iron pony could take man anyplace. In Dickinson’s time the intensity of trains was a shock in itself. With the rifle, man has control of something very amazing, something that can execute yet can't be murdered. With her able and intriguing word decision, Dickinson uncovers the astonishing quality of one item, the train, and the frightful intensity of another, the weapon.     An Analysis of Poems 585 and 754 Essay - 585 754 An Analysis of Poems 585 and 754   Emily Dickinson’s utilization of wonderful style in sonnets 585 and 754 enlivens two lifeless things, a train and a weapon, the two of which perform activities that are valuable to man. In spite of the fact that these things can't follow up on their own, Dickinson’s word usage furnishes them with their own developments, qualities, and emotions. In sonnet 585, a train’s every day venture is given a significance past that of a cool, iron machine when Dickinson portrays its creature characteristics to show its quality, tenacity, and constancy. In sonnet 754, a weapon is depicted as a defensive, gave hireling. In both of these sonnets, Emily Dickinson utilizes word usage to give a train and a weapon qualities of creatures to clarify their conduct and emotions and to show how man utilizes them for his potential benefit and to meet his objectives. In sonnet 585, Dickinson’s lingual authority uncovers characteristics of appetite and assurance. In the main verse, I like to see it lap the Miles- -/And lick the Valleys up- -/And stop to take care of itself at tanks (ll. 1-3) depicts the train as a creature that runs eagerly over huge spans, eating up the land as it comes, halting periodically to eat progressively considerable food to endure and to proceed. In spite of the fact that it can perform amazing accomplishments of transportation, the train needs sustenance, much the same as people and creatures do. With the accompanying lines, Dickinson shows the assurance of the train to meet his objective: And, haughty, peer/In Shantiesâ€by the sides of Roadsâ€And then a quarry pare/To accommodate its ribs (ll. 6-9). These lines likewise propose a difficult assurance. Regardless of whether the train needs to slither and slice through many yards of strong stone, nothing will stop this metal creature, not so much as an immens e mountain. The train can drive... ...For what reason would the ace need assurance? In the two sonnets, Emily Dickinson utilizes lingual authority to give the peruser the chance to see lifeless things with some human characteristics, first in a decided, amazing train and afterward in a gave, non-feeling firearm. Despite the fact that these are lifeless things, the peruser can get a feeling of the impacts and commitments they provide for man. The train had an extraordinary effect on venture out by permitting him to cover significant stretches in shorter occasions. Apparently this iron pony could take man anyplace. In Dickinson’s time the intensity of trains was a shock in itself. With the rifle, man has control of something very incredible, something that can murder however can't be executed. With her dexterous and intriguing word decision, Dickinson uncovers the stunning quality of one item, the train, and the dreadful intensity of another, the weapon.    

Uncovering the blind spot article Research Paper

Revealing the vulnerable side article - Research Paper Example 2). The way toward tackling an issue, for instance, includes generative and scientific methodology for understanding accessible arrangements and their outcomes before distinguishing the best other option. The meaning of basic reasoning that incorporate an intelligent methodology likewise compares to Scharmer’s components of generative tuning in and the U hypothesis of understanding inward condition towards educated choices and activities (Marquis and Huston, 2009). The article along these lines sets up a system for understanding a leader’s inward condition towards compelling authority and choices for taking care of existing issues. I for instance, however subliminally, applied the U hypothesis to turn away a work blacklist by my group due to neglected requests by my organization’s the executives. While the group had grumbled about poor work conditions and requested management’s intercession, the worries were overlooked. The group at that point met one morning and chose to blacklist obligation until their interests were tended to. As the group chief, I separated myself, dissected the circumstance, and chose to convince the group against the blacklist and to framework to them the most proper system for tackling the issue, a methodology that turned away the blacklist. The article’s writers distinguish a progress from the conventional hierarchical structure wherein correspondence followed bureaucratic procedures and started correspondence obstructions across levels in associations. In light of the authors’ inquire about, the customary methodology is infrequently utilized and its application bears little accomplishment when contrasted with the new casual correspondence model that associations are as of now executing. The creators further presumes that a move from the customary correspondence model is fundamental because of rising components, for example, globalization, mechanical headway, and new ways to deal with esteem creation and clients connection. Actualizing the new correspondence model

Tuition Fee Vote Scheduled

Tuition Fee Vote Scheduled The OE Blog The government has announced that MPs will vote on Thursday 9th December on plans to raise tuition fees in England to £9000. The vote will prove a vital moment for the Coalition government, whose fledgling ties have already been severely tested by the issue of university tuition. Following the Browne review of higher education, the government proposed a plan which would see state funding for education massively cut, with huge rises in tuition fees paving the way for students to foot the bill for their education instead. Liberal Democrat Difficulties This has proved a particularly sticky political situation for the Liberal Democrats, who signed pledges during the election campaign to oppose any rise in tuition fees as they wooed the student vote. Since the announcement of the new plans, students have taken to the streets in their tens of thousands to protest against the introduction of a new tuition fee system that they say will devastate access to education in this country for those from disadvantaged backgrounds as well as saddling generations of future students with untenable debt. The rage of marchers and of protesters carrying out occupations at universities across the country has focussed on the Liberal Democrats and their leader Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister. Clegg U-Turn After vociferously campaigning on the subject of tuition fees, calling the debt already imposed on students by the current system a travesty, and promising to oppose any rise in tuition fees at every turn in Parliament, Clegg now claims that the economic situation has made his former plans untenable, and that the coalition proposals are the fairest alternative. Tuition fee impact on students Clegg claims that 25% of the poorest students will actually be better off under the new tuition fee scheme, which would see students pay nothing up front, and loan repayments begin at a higher earning threshold. But respected think tank Million+ has published research indicating that the majority of students would in fact be saddled with tens of thousands of extra debt, with the brunt of the burden falling on middle-income families and earners from the middle classes. Access to University Clegg has promised extra incentives, scholarships and access schemes to prevent the rise in university fees from discouraging disadvantaged students from applying. The government announced this week that this would include a fund allowing students who had been eligible for the free school meals plan to have one or two years of their university tuition paid for by the system. Their proposal was somewhat dampened however, by their admission that the money for this scheme would come from the same pot already set aside by the government for university access and scholarship schemes, thus admitting that it does not in fact represent a new scheme or any ‘extra’ allowance for poorer students. Tuition fee protests Protesters, coordinated by the National Union of Students and led by Aaron Porter, have taken to the streets in their masses, with three huge demonstrations and marches through central London bringing Whitehall to a standstill and creating an enormous public show of indignation. Meanwhile in tribute to the peaceful civil disobedience of student protesters in the late sixties, students at several universities including UCL and Cambridge have staged peaceful occupations of university buildings to raise awareness of the cause and to persuade their institutions to act against the governments plans. They have been supported by long lists of respected academics, politicians, philosophers and artists from across the world, including Billy Bragg and respected philosopher Noam Chomsky. Liberal Democrats divided Meanwhile, Clegg’s actions have raised serious concerns and the threat of a split within his own party. A group of 100 important Liberal Democrat members signed a petition begging him to remember their “party values” and claiming that he has abandoned “party policy” as it had been decided at the party conferences. Within the higher ranks too there have been grave concerns, with members as important and high-profile as Vince Cable expressing their reluctance to vote for the proposals, and transport minister Norman Baker threatening to quit his post in order to vote against the rise in tuition fees. Party conference cancelled The strength of feeling surrounding the debate is clear, with the Liberal Democrats unable to hold a party conference this week to strengthen and unify their position due to the risk of becoming surrounded by thousands of protesters. Two independent venues have cancelled their bookings, leaving them in the embarrassing situation of being unable to hold their conference at all until the New Year, a show of strength claimed as a victory by the protesters. Labour opposition Those opposing the plan, including the Labour party and its leader Ed Miliband, claim that it is utterly unfair, brutally shoving an unbearable level of debt onto graduate backs and that it will have a devastating impact on the numbers of students from disadvantaged backgrounds applying to university at all. However the impact of their opposition in Parliament has been dampened by the Labour party’s failure to present a viable or universally supported alternative for tuition fees, with high-ranking party members such as Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson casting doubt on the feasibility of Miliband’s preferred graduate tax system. MPs to vote on tuition fees Thursday’s vote on university tuition fees remains the cause of much controversy and anticipation, with speculation rife that Liberal Democrat MPs are under simultaneous pressure from their leader to vote for the motion, and from protesters to honour their pledges and take advantage of the provision in the coalition deal allowing them to abstain. With such strength of feeling riding on the vote, there are any number of possible outcomes, with the very real possibility of a three-way split between those voting for and against and those choosing to abstain.

Are Skyquakes Real Science of the Mystery Boom

A skyquake or mystery boom is like an earthquake in the sky. If youve ever heard a sonic boom or cannon fire then youll have a good idea what a skyquake sounds like. Its a stupendously loud, window-rattling noise. While a sonic boom is caused by an object breaking the sound barrier, a skyquake is when a boom occurs with no apparent cause. Are Skyquakes Real? You can search YouTube for videos of skyquakes to hear what they sound like, but be warned: many of these videos are hoaxes (e.g., skyquake2012s channel). However, the phenomenon is real and has been reported for centuries. Locations reporting skyquakes include the Ganges river in India, the East Coast and Finger Lakes of the United States, the North Sea of Japan, the Bay of Fundy in Canada, and parts of Australia, Belgium, Scotland, Italy and Ireland. Skyquakes have their own names in various parts of the world: In Bangladesh, they are called  Barisal guns (referring to the Barisal region of East Bengal).Italians have several names for skyquakes, including balza, brontidi, lagoni, and marine.The Japanese name the sounds umimari (cries from the sea).In Belgium and the Netherlands, skyquakes are called mistpoeffers.In Iran and the Philippines, they are retumbos.In the United States, some recurring skyquakes are the Seneca guns (near Seneca Lake, New York) and Moodus noises in Connecticut. Possible Causes While sonic booms from aircraft might explain some skyquakes, the explanation doesnt account for reports predating the invention of supersonic flight. The Iroquois of North America believed the booms were the sound of the Great Spirit continuing creation of the world. Some people believe the sounds are produced by UFOs. Most scientists propose other possible explanations: Some modern skyquakes may be sonic booms from meteors or military aircraft.Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may produce sounds that are heard far from their point of origin. There are well-documented accounts of booming sounds associated with earthquakes, particularly those with a shallow origin. For example, the quakes in Spokane, Washington in 2001 and New Madrid, Missouri in 1811-1812 were accompanied by reports resembling artillery fire.The sound may be distant thunder, with the sound focused by atmosphere. Some skyquakes may also result from clear-sky lightning (the bolt from the blue).  which occurs near mountain ranges or large open areas, such as plains, sounds, or lakes.Some skyquakes may be produced by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). A CME is a solar radiation storm that can accelerate protons to 40 percent of the speed of light, potentially generating shock waves that break the speed of sound and produce sonic booms.A related explanation is that the Earths magnetic fiel d produces the sounds, either by accelerating particles or from resonance. While skyquakes occur all over the world, most of them have been reported near a coast. Some explanations focus on the possible relationship between proximity to water and skyquakes. One disputed hypothesis is that the sounds may be produced when parts of the continental shelf fall into the Atlantic abyss. Problems with this hypothesis are the extreme distance from the ridge to the site of reported sounds and the lack of modern evidence. Another water-related explanation is that the sounds are produced when underwater caves collapse, releasing trapped air, or that trapped gas escapes from vents or from beneath decaying aquatic vegetation. Experts disagree about whether the sudden release of gas could produce a loud report. Scientists believe there are several occurrences which are not likely causes of skyquakes. There is no evidence booming sounds are associated with global warming, industrial disasters, tectonic plate shifts, the hole in the ozone layer, or ghosts revisiting past battles. Other Strange Sky Sounds The booming sound of a skyquake isnt the only incompletely explained atmospheric noise. Strange hums, trumpeting, vibrations, and wailing have also been reported and recorded. Sometimes these phenomena are called skyquakes, although the origin of the boom is likely quite different from that of the other eerie noises. Fast Facts A skyquake is a loud boom that has no apparent cause.While some videos of skyquakes are hoaxes, the phenomenon is real and has been reported all over the world.Scientists believe skyquakes have a variety of causes, including meteors, coronal mass ejections, escaping gas, and collapsing landmasses. References and Further Reading Dimitar Ouzounov; Sergey Pulinets; Alexey Romanov; Alexander Romanov; Konstantin Tsybulya; Dimitri Davidenko; Menas Kafatos; Patrick Taylor (2011). Atmosphere-Ionosphere Response to the M9 Tohoku Earthquake Revealed by Joined Satellite and Ground Observations. Preliminary results.K., Krehl, Peter O. (2008).  History of shock waves, explosions and impact a chronological and biographical reference. Springer. p. 350.T.D. LaTouche, On the Sounds Known as Barisal Guns, Report (1890-8) of the annual meeting By British Association for the Advancement of Science, Issue 60, pp. 800.

Gender Roles Today s Media - 867 Words

When I was young I was always told to be ladylike; sit up straight, be polite with ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, and the biggest one for me was don’t burp in public. It is these standards that shape our societies view on how a woman should act and vice versa for men. Society aides the conformity of gender roles through role models, toys, and even media. To exhibit some gender roles in today’s media there are two gender specific commercials to demonstrate masculinity and femininity. In 2011, Miller Lite, aired a commercial belittling a man about his masculinity in order to advocate Miller Lite that it is the manliness beer. In a majority of cleaning commercials, women are shown to be the one cleaning this includes a Glade commercial in 2012. The commercial presented the idea that women are responsible to clean the house. In these two commercials selected reveals the symbolism on how our society still perceives gender roles today to target specific g ender roles to sell their products. Men are seen to be the protector and provider, they are supposed to be the macho man. Some qualities that our society deems men to be like are the following; they make the money, need to be competitive, physically strong, able to fix anything, and to engage in sex. The society views these qualities as a masculine thing and media takes advantage of the insecurity of men if they can’t perform to society perspective. Between the years of 2010-2012 Miller Lite aired a series of commercials campaigning toShow MoreRelated Judith Lorbers The Social Construction of Gender Essay853 Words   |  4 Pagesabout our contemporary conceptions of gender in her essay, ?The Social Construction of Gender.? Not only does she clearly express her opinions on the roles of physiological differences of the male and female bodies, but she also elaborates on the roles of the mass media and professional sports among other things. 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Lifestyle Choices and Our Health Free Essays

As days go by, almost everyone living today gets involved in activities that make us either healthy or unhealthy. Continuing to engage in some habits day in and day out can take a substantial amount of time off of one’s life. Some of these habits can have a positive impact on one’s health system, being it physical or mental, while others can affect one’s health system negatively. We will write a custom essay sample on Lifestyle Choices and Our Health or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this paper, I will be writing on how our daily habits can affect our mental and physical health negatively. First of all, mechanization and heavy dependence on technology is one of the common ways, probably for all humans, which has a negative effect on the human health system. We rarely give a second thought when we turn on a microwave or turn on the television as we sit down for dinner. These common practices are commonly seen in most families. If I may ask, is it a good practice? I asked one of my instructors at school who made it clear to me that, these families don’t just consume electricity, but also have many adverse effects on their physical and mental health. If you find yourself eating and watching television at the same time, the rate at which you consume is greater which at some point in time becomes very difficult to go to bed at night. And as many of us know, improper sleeping habits cause results in many of our health problems. Secondly, failure to exercise is also another problem many of us face today. Physical activities are absolutely necessary to our overall health. And because our physical and mental health is so interconnected, they affect one another directly. When our physical health deteriorates, our mental health does the same. Our mood and our brain’s mental capabilities are therefore affected by lack of exercise. Regular exercising which helps to maintain and build muscles, and also fight against diseases is very necessary for every human and should be practiced continuously. Thirdly, smoking has also been known to be one of the dangers which affect the human health negatively. Very few people are unaware of the dangers of smoking. Yet surprisingly, many are engaged in this deadly habit. Infertility, low birth weight, sudden infant birth and many more, are some examples of the negative effects that one is likely to contact if he or she has a habit of smoking. Those who quit smoking see changes almost immediately and it also helps them live longer. In conclusion, many of our daily activities can cause our death prematurely. Many of those who don’t die prematurely have a very bad health system which makes them almost uncomfortable every day. I therefore advise everyone to get involved in activities that help to improve one’s physical and mental abilities positively. How to cite Lifestyle Choices and Our Health, Papers

With reference to waste management, discuss the extent to which sustainability can be achieved free essay sample

Waste management is all about the need to change our attitude to waste. The four methods of managing waste at the moment are: landfill, composting, recycling and energy recovery (incineration). To be sustainable, waste must be managed in a way that is maintainable for the foreseeable future and will not be hurtful to the environment or the population. Waste is a problem at the moment because the amount of waste we use is increasing and therefore so is toxicity along with the time that the rubbish is toxic for. We are also running out of landfill sites. Therefore, another method of waste management must be found that will solve these problems. The most harmful way of dealing with waste is through sending it to landfill. This proves to take up huge spaces of land and is therefore extremely unsightly to individuals living close by. It is also a threat to groundwater and river quality as polluted substances can leak out of the landfill sites and find their way down into the ground or into nearby rivers and lakes. We will write a custom essay sample on With reference to waste management, discuss the extent to which sustainability can be achieved or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another environmental impact is that decaying matter will produce methane gas, which is explosive and a greenhouse gas. This decaying matter will take ages before it finally breaks down, producing a considerable amount of gas. For example, disposable nappies take 500 years before they break down. It is also extremely expensive; it costs ? 40million to dispose of 1 million nappies. The worst problem with landfill is also the amount of space that it takes u. In the UK we only have enough sites until 2015. This is why the government is looking for alternatives. However, EU legislation bound the UK to decrease the amount of waste it sent to landfill to 75% of the 1995 levels by 2010. One place that relies heavily on landfill is Jakarta in Indonesia, home to 28 million people. 3000 men work as bin men, pulling the rubbish in a cart by hand. They live and work at the dump, with no sanitation or clean drinking water. Council lorries often do not take the rubbish is well and so it builds up in piles right next to their homes. This causes the presence of flies and rats and with no health and safety laws they are often without gloves, bare foot and without help if they are injured. Each man only receives 315 a day for 6 days a week, which is barely enough to pay the rent. No one separates the recycling and so the bin men often do this themselves to try and earn some extra money. The landfill sites cause huge problems for the environment. Rivers are heavily polluted as 20% of rubbish ends up in the river. The one landfill site that is to the east of Jakarta was opened in 1986 and is home to 3000 people. Therefore, managing waste with landfill is definitely not sustainable, especially when it is not managed properly. The process of composting is the most environmentally friendly way of dealing with waste but it is one of the most difficult to operate. Composting is when waste is converted into something that is easier to manage, such as fertiliser. It means that waste can be converted into a saleable product and so the process does partly pay for itself. However, it is extremely expensive on a large scale and requires huge amounts of resources and time to manage. There is a lot of benefits involved with composting, mostly on the land. This is why it is considered the most sustainable processes, as well as the fact that the waste is being used and therefore does not sit around taking up space. One place where composting takes place is Slough in the UK. The nutrient-recovery facility takes waste water from the Slough Trading Estate and turns the phosphorous in it into crystalline fertiliser pellets. It is said that about 150 tonnes a year of fertiliser will be produced and sold on to farmers. The world’s affordable mineable reserves of phosphorous are set to run out in the next 20 to 30 years and so it provides a solution to this problem. However, although the composting process is environmentally sustainable, the huge costs mean that it is not easy to maintain. For example, the reactor in Slough cost ? 2 million to build. Many places are looking to deal with their waste through recycling. This is where materials are converted so that they can be reused. This is the most effective way of dealing with waste as there are no by-products of this process as the material is simply reused. However, there are other problems. Recycling has hidden environmental costs, such as transport leading to pollution and hot water being used for the cleaning process. There are also high set up costs and low market value for products such as plastic. The process also relies on individuals for it to operate and be able to separate their waste for themselves. In Singapore, the government set a target to be recycling 60% of its waste by 2012 and by 2008 they were well on their way to achieving this; recycling 56% of their waste. They achieved this through various mean, mainly by talking to companies and individuals about how they can help. They made voluntary agreements with the food and drinks industry about lowering their packaging. They asked residents to separate their rubbish, with waste being collected weekly and recyclable materials being collected separately. They put initiatives in place for industrial and commercial waste and put charges in place for construction waste. All combustible waste is sent to an incinerator and electricity generator, which reduces the volume of waste by 90%. The remaining waste is sent to the Semakau landfill site, which is 2 small islands and 350 hectares of sea, enclosed by an impermeable membrane to prevent any leakage. Therefore, Shanghai is well on its way to being sustainable in its waste management. Relatively new method of waste management that a lot of people are looking to is incineration, where energy is recovered from the waste by burning it. It means that less rubbish is sent to landfill, although there is a very small amount of material that cannot be burnt. Incineration can produce electricity or power through heating schemes. At the moment, there are 17 licensed municipal waste incinerators in the UK and emissions have fallen since 1990. However, incineration can be seen as having negative impacts. The process does release CO2 and other toxins which can be dangerous to health. The buildings are also often very unsightly and cause added traffic congestion as lorries deliver the waste and they are built on main roads. There is currently a debate being carried out in Hertfordshire over whether an incineration plant should be built in Hatfield, on the New Barnfield site. Veolia Water plan to build this incinerator against the wishes of the residents of Hatfield and the villages of Welham Green and Colney Heath. Herts County Council argue that the incinerator is needed if we want to meet energy targets and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, which is unsustainable. The incinerator would increase the recycling rate by 3% as it would sort the rubbish before burning it. This means that half of all the rubbish taken to the site would be recycled and the remaining waste would be combusted, with the energy created by the steam being used to power 50,000 homes in Hertfordshire. The left over ash would be given to the construction industry to use as aggregate. Veolia claim that the building which will hold the incinerator will be designed to integrate into the local landscape and would contain odours and noise. On the opposite side however, the residents claim that there will be increased traffic, up to 172 lorries a day. They are also worried about pollution being carried by the wind and the loss of rare newts which live on the site which will be built on. The incinerator will also be huge and unattractive and the site is located next to a school for children with special needs and a central resources library, which would have to be knocked down. Furthermore, although the facility will save Herts CC ? 31 million a year in landfill costs, it will cost them ? 220 million to build and ? 1. 3 billion to run. In conclusion, I believe that sustainability can be achieved as long as people are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve it. A great example of this is composting. Composting would be an extremely sustainable way in which to manage our waste as long as the government is willing to spend the money to maintain it and residents are willing to put in the effort of separating their waste and composting themselves. Similarly with incineration, there will come a point in the future when it will become necessary to burn our waste if we want to carry on living sustainable and not use up all our land with landfill. Therefore, local people are going to have to be willing to make sacrifices in their area. They will have to lose a few things but if we want to maintain our rubbish sustainably then we need to start building places in which we can do this. There are countries which are already leading the way to sustainable waste management. These places include Shanghai and Rio Cuarto in Argentina, where the government is working with the waste disposal workers to achieve a healthier and more efficient waste management scheme. To achieve sustainability in waste management, I believe that all four processes must be used and a healthy balance must be found between them.

The Fourth Knowledge Management Dimension

Knowledge management system is a cluster of technologies that aid the collection, arrangement, transmission and circulation of knowledge in an organisation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Fourth Knowledge Management Dimension specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some aspects of systems and technology that relate to knowledge management include intranets, data warehouses and data mining tools, applications for brainstorming and help desk, push technologies, workflow systems, document management systems and information retrieval engines (Maier 2004). First, intranets offer a perfect avenue for circulation of information. Nevertheless, most organisations present too much information on the intranet, thus creating data accumulation, which makes it hard for both employees and managers to access information swiftly. This incidence has attracted attention from scholars. While some academicians propose that organisation s should convey their entire knowledge to the intranet, others are of the contrary opinion (Tsui 2005). These scholars feel that the intranet should be separated into the webserver and the technological infrastructure. This separation can boost the pace of integration for application developers and enhance access to data for various clusters of knowledge personnel. These proponents of intranet separation argue that imposing all knowledge assets onto the webserver cannot be compared with letting users obtain the entire business knowledge, via a web browser. Second, document management systems act as stores of crucial company records and are thus central stores of explicit information (Schwartz et al. 2000). Besides, document management systems are useful instruments for crafting and processing intricate documents (Wiggins, 2000). These systems thrive in controlling the course of document formation, processing and evaluation. A number of organisations are using document management to manage enterprise knowledge (Davis et al. 2005). Nevertheless, most users never take part in intricate document formation directly and thus, do not obtain sufficient value from these systems because they never take time to learn how they should be used.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While most organisations do not use document management systems in knowledge management systems, they act as essential knowledge silos that should be incorporated into the business knowledge network. Third, most organisations use technology to retrieve information comprising legacy matter (Tsui 2005). Such technology can either be in the form of intranet services or business repositories. Dealers of information retrieval continue to add aspects like natural language inquiries and relevancy ranks, which augments the rate and accuracy of finding data, in order to gratify the wants of information searchers. Forth, companies utilise groupware systems for communication among users in units or workgroups (Housel, 1999). This system enables formal and impromptu communications in situations where instant communication is impossible. Hence, groupware is a crucial technology since it facilitates the exchange of implicit information. Nevertheless, groupware databases must be incorporated into the enterprise knowledge construction (Tsui 2005). Processes of knowledge transfer usually happen on an impromptu basis when the call for knowledge crops up somewhere in the business, although, businesses also have many formalized procedures that control information flow (Stankosky 2005). For instance, procedures of creating proposals usually oblige the writer to gather preceding knowledge assets and obtain endorsement on the whole proposal (Stankosky 2005). These procedures require controlled and prearranged information review (Awad, 2007). Fifth, technologies that facilitate transmission of d ata to end-users have obtained substantial attention. While e-mail has played this role for long, novel web-based technologies, have provided an enhanced structure that offers instant information as well as the capacity to push content and applications. Capacities of agents are usually significant in settings that have intense knowledge, where personnel lacks sufficient time to supervise resources with discreet information frequently. Systems of knowledge management must offer a method for users to obtain the precise forms of knowledge assets, which they require to examine, without obliging them to know complicated methods of searching.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Fourth Knowledge Management Dimension specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Also, most institutions utilise help-desk technology to react to both external and internal needs for information (Maier 2004). Nevertheless, the knowledge accrued in these systems can contain many, full applications than responding to certain queries. So as, to obtain this potentially useful information, organisations must amalgamate their help-desk technologies with their knowledge management system. Further, use of brainstorming instruments instigates creative thinking. Such end-user applications facilitate classification and systematisation of knowledge resources. Hence these applications are valuable for knowledge construction. A Company’s knowledge management system should offer a straightforward method for users of these applications to recognize, capture and distribute the outcomes of these activities with others in the industry. Lastly, most organisations have adopted data mining tools and data warehouses because of the need to formulate decisions from complex data collections (Stankosky 2005). Companies have created data warehouses in order to exploit current relationships and establish new relationships amid distributors, consumers an d internal practices. Hence, KM systems should offer significant access to data warehouses through using typical protocols (Thierauf 1999). Besides, organisations with KM systems should offer a method to describe and offer access to general reports to enable users who are not familiar with data mining procedures find and use reports on fields of research (Rollett, 2003). This section reveals that knowledge management should start by choosing knowledge that requires management. It does not make sense amass lots of knowledge in one area, as this will only make it difficult for such knowledge to be assessed. This is so for organisations that present too much information on the intranet, thus creating data accumulation and making it hard for both employees and managers to access information swiftly. A consideration that should be made in knowledge management systems is the nature of the working group, as well as, information that should be conveyed to the working group.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Besides, organisations that use document management to manage enterprise knowledge should offer training on how such systems should be used. Also, users who are not familiar with data mining procedures experience difficulties while using reports in fields of research. Hence, systems of knowledge management must offer a method for users to obtain the precise forms of knowledge assets they require to examine without obliging them to know complicated methods of searching. Similarly, organizations with data mining procedures should offer a method to describe and offer access to general reports to enable users who are not familiar with data mining procedures find and use reports on fields of research. Use of technology and systems enhance the competence of management processes in organisations and offer new ways of improving the ability of reaction to environmental necessities (Jashapara 2004). Technology systems play various roles including making data accessible to persons, storing vas t amounts of data, offering communication modes, creating records of transactions and communications, as well as, computerising activities (Olivera 2000). Use of information systems in order to create knowledge may assume two shapes. The first shape is the ability to integrate knowledge from external sources. The second shape is the capacity to generate new knowledge from the restructuring and reexamination of existing and lately obtained information. Similarly, Information Technology (IT) aids the procedure of knowledge transmission. Technology allows people to synchronize the logistics of face to face conferences. Technology may also be used to record proficiency of members in an organization, thus, promoting knowledge sharing and ensuring access to the right personnel (Barnes 2002). Some systems like groupware offer a virtual space where members can process knowledge and information immediately, providing increased chances of interaction (Lee Choi 2003). Spaces of exchange grow to be the ideal situations to create innovative and ingenious behaviours surrounding issues and circumstances. An essential trait of these virtual communities and exchange spaces is that they depend on the democratisation of information. Therefore, they allow the manifestation of natural flows of the association s and transference, which in turn supports inventiveness and novelty (Narayanan 2001). Further, technology facilitates the process of knowledge organisation and preservation. Technology supports the standardisation and computerisation of some tasks, aiding conversion of implicit information into explicit data (Anand et al.1998). Equally, technology offers the required systems to organise and keep the knowledge. Nevertheless, knowledge stores should be available to organisation members and should be in a shape that will allow every member to make identical interpretations, thus, becoming a component of the knowledge base for the entire organisation. Technology, together with its practices and platform principles, offers an ideal system for connecting dispersed persons through a common system and allowing members in an organisation to have easy access to information that is vestiges in memory bins. This allows new knowledge to be construed and combined with existing information (Tippins Sohi 2003). First, a knowledge management program should be open and distributed. By description, a knowledge management system connects available knowledge silos. Preset procedures and application programming interfaces allow incorporation amid applications like e-mail, groupware and document management services (Tsui 2005). While applying unifying structure, organisations should make sure that the information construction is supple enough to cater for the growing needs of entity organizations. Besides, knowledge management systems must enable system management from every location through using ActiveX, HTML and Javascript that can be accessed through every attuned web browser (Barnes 2002). Second, a knowledge management program should be customisable. Organizations should have a customizable knowledge management system. This system must provide user interfaces through templates for customization by users (Tsui 2005). A well-built knowledge management system must facilitate easy amalgamation of new and available applications. It should have documented APIs that enable the organisation to connect systems. For example, when the system manager connects a screening system to a technical documentation store, he can push the right technical documentation straight to a repair expert in case the screening system discovers that a system is faulty. Third, a knowledge management program, should be measurable. Measurement is a vital feature of any knowledge management endeavor to hit the correct balance between technological and organisational transformations. Organisations can establish whether the systems are producing the preferred outcome, by computing a nd processing the outcomes. Every knowledge management system must have instruments that enable managers to quantify and confirm usage to obtain an image of how the system gets utilised, establish performance obstructions and, most significantly, utilise the information to develop the process of organisational knowledge transmission. Lastly, a knowledge management program should be secure. Whereas conventional applications require the manager to offer access to those who require specific information, applications of knowledge management center on exploiting access to information. Hence, knowledge management applications are apt to necessitate the manager to bar access to certain content parts to staff members or administrators who should not have access. A knowledge management program must protect repositories and safeguard security models that are evident in current knowledge silos, while enabling access to those who require them in the organisation. Generating and controlling the enterprise security construction is a difficult issue. Nevertheless, new principles like Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) seek to fuse distinct systems and abridge their administration (Barnes 2002). LDAP enables the knowledge management system to obtain user rights, without obliging anyone to reconstruct and uphold user directories in the knowledge management system, and all the accessible knowledge bases (Barnes 2002). The Role of Systems and Technology in Knowledge Management There exist different opinions when it comes to the role of systems and technology in knowledge management. Those who denounce the role of technology and systems in knowledge management see this perspective as a disruption from customs, administration and change management (Ruggles 1997). These scholars argue that individual socialisation and organisational conduct stipulate the quantity of knowledge which transfers among individuals and thus, do not see technology as a solution to knowledge mana gement (Stankosky 2005). On the same note, some scholars argue that real knowledge becomes generated and used in the course of externalisation, internalisation and amalgamation, which are outside the sphere of knowledge management technologies (Nonaka Takeuchi 1995). Similarly, Ruggles (1997) bases his argument upon an examination of many corporations and stresses that what counts is the activities that people perform with computers and not the computers themselves. He also stresses the role of users’ inspiration and dedication in IT performance. On the other hand, there are information technology proponents who view technology as the answer to the knowledge management problem. These proponents argue that technology offers the required systems to organise and keep the knowledge. For instance, Olivera (2000) asserts that technology systems play various roles in making data accessible to persons, storing vast amounts of data, offering communication modes, creating records of t ransactions and communications, as well as, computerising activities. Similarly, Stankosky (2005) claims that technology allows people to synchronise the logistics of face to face conferences, and it may also be used to record proficiency of members in an organisation, thus, promoting knowledge sharing and ensuring access to the right personnel. Besides, technology together with its practices and platform principles offers an ideal system for connecting broadly, dispersing persons through a common system and allowing members in an organisation to have easy access to information that is vestiges in memory bins (Tippins Sohi 2003). Regardless of all these arguments, I believe that an efficient knowledge management program necessitates an adjustment in both technology infrastructure and organisational behaviour. While technology facilitates an organisation’s knowledge management processes, it is not the answer to an organisation’s knowledge management requirements. That is to say proficient knowledge management programs necessitate both social and technical skills. Besides, the use of intranets or groupware is not sufficient to provide business performance. Such technologies have to be accepted and operated by humans, incorporated in their work contexts and efficiently employed while getting motivated by the performance results of the business. Most proponents of knowledge management systems concentrate on technology and not how people in organizations obtain distribute and generate new knowledge for the gain of the entire organisation. For instance, Ahmed and Lim (2012) reveal that human aspect of organisational knowledge construction obtains little focus in knowledge management. Proponents of knowledge management systems view technology and systems as vital in an organisation’s capacity to manage knowledge (Ahmed Lim 2012). They see use of intranet technologies as one way that has reduced obstacles to sharing knowledge. Besides, they argu e that Information technology has a vital role in facilitating knowledge transfer processes across many organisations. However, organisations should know that Knowledge management does not just involve setting up new software or modifying a diminutive feature of the business. While this study focuses on the fourth dimension of knowledge management, other dimensions of knowledge management such as learning and culture cannot be ignored, since knowledge management is an integrated topic. The fourth dimension of knowledge relates to learning since it is through learning that humans can be able to operate and share information using technology. Besides, culture relates to the fourth dimension in that it is only through human relationships that use of technology in knowledge management can be possible. Also, Individuals must be flexible and willing to accommodate change In order to embrace the use of new technology. Hence, all dimensions of knowledge management relate to the fourth dimen sion. In conclusion, knowledge management entails sharing knowledge amid people in the organisation, as well as, using technologies and systems to aid the sharing and distribution of knowledge. Failure to acknowledge this fact has caused many incidences of knowledge management systems failure. For instance, some organisations use document management to manage enterprise knowledge without learning how such systems should be used. Also, users who are not familiar with data mining procedures experience difficulties while using reports in fields of research. Hence, systems of knowledge management must offer a method for users to obtain the precise forms of knowledge assets they require to examine without obliging them to know complicated methods of searching. Also, organizations with data mining procedures should offer a method to describe and offer access to general reports to enable users who are not familiar with data mining procedures find and use reports on fields of research. This is because an effective knowledge management system must exploit both technology efficiencies and affluence of human interaction, in order to create a business application that is knowledge-intensive. In other words, knowledge management can only be effective when it involves technology and human integration. Also, technology together with its systems offers an ideal system for connecting broadly dispersed persons through a common system and allowing members in an organisation to have easy access to information. However, knowledge management systems must only contain relevant information. It makes little sense amass lots of knowledge in one area, as this will only make it difficult for such knowledge to be assessed. This is particularly so for organisations, which present lots of information on the intranet, thus creating data accumulation and making it hard for both employees and managers to access information swiftly. This paper further demonstrates that knowledge management is a multidimensional issue that has some elements of interpersonal relations and culture. Hence, while technology and systems offer an ideal system for connecting broadly, an efficient knowledge management program necessitates an adjustment in both technology infrastructure and organisational behaviour. This is because proficient knowledge management programs necessitate both social and technical skills. Lastly, use of technology and systems enhance the competence of management processes in organisations and offer new ways of enhancing the ability of reaction to environmental necessities. Technology systems play various roles including making data accessible to persons, storing vast amounts of data, offering communication modes, creating records of transactions and communications, as well as, computerising activities. References Ahmed, P. Lim, K. 2012, Learning through knowledge management, CRC Press, London. Anand, V., Manz, C., Glick, W. 1998, ‘An organizational memory approa ch to information management’, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 23 no. 4, pp 796–809. Awad, E. 2007, Knowledge management, Pearson Education, Delhi. Barnes, S. 2002, Knowledge management systems : theory and practice, Thomson Learning, South Melbourne. Davis, J., Subrahmanian, E., Westerberg, A. 2005, Knowledge management organizational and technological dimensions, Physica-Verlag Heidelberg :New York. Housel, T. 1999, Knowledge management for the telecommunications industry: strategic analysis report. The Consortium, Chicago. Jashapara, A. 2004, Knowledge management : an integrated approach, Prentice Hall, Harlow. Lee, H Choi, B 2003, ‘Knowledge management enablers, processes, and organizational performance: an integrative view and empirical examination’, Journal of Management Information Systems, vol. 20 no.1, pp 179–228. Maier, R. 2004, Knowledge management systems : information and communication technologies for knowledge management, Spring er, Berlin. Narayanan, V. 2001, Managing technology and innovation for competitive advantage, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey. Nonaka, I. Takeuchi, H. 1995, The knowledge-creating company, Oxford University Press, New York. Olivera, F. 2000, ‘Memory systems in organizations: an empirical investigation of mechanisms for knowledge collection storage and access’, Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 37 no.6, pp. 811–832. Rollett, H. 2003, Knowledge management: processes and technologies, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston. Ruggles, R. L. 1997, Knowledge management tools, Routledge, London. Schwartz, D., Divitini, M., Brasethvik, T. 2000, Internet-based organizational memory and knowledge management, Idea Group, Hershey. Stankosky, M. 2005, Creating the discipline of knowledge management : the latest in university research, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Amsterdam. Thierauf, R. 1999, Knowledge management systems for business, Quorum Book, Westport. Tippins, M. Sohi, R . 2003, ‘TI competency and firm performance: Is organizational learning a missing link’? Strategic Management Journal, vol. 24 no.8, pp745–761. Tsui, E. 2005, ‘Technology in knowledge management’, Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 9, pp1367-3270. Wiggins, B. 2000, Effective document management: unlocking corporate knowledge, Gower, England. This essay on The Fourth Knowledge Management Dimension was written and submitted by user Juliet E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Evolution of management theory Essay examples

Evolution of management theory Essay examples Evolution of management theory Essay examples Evolution of Management Theory Some thoughts In the beginning †¦. Parry opines that the earliest amino acids may been formed by volcanic action (Perry, 2011). Businesses need to look for the opportunities when the environment changes. Then in the ‘primordial soup’, gene sequences that replicated themselves more quickly than other flourished [growth can lead to victory]. Suggested research topic: ‘In the post war period why was the Japanese motorcycle industry successful while the English motorcycle industry failed?’ Starting references: Yamamura E., Sonobe T., Otsuka K., (2005), Time path in innovation, imitation, and growth: the case of the motorcycle industry in post was Japan, Journal of Evolutionary Economics 15: 169-186 Wexel F. C., van Witteloostuijn A., (2005), From Scooters to Choppers: Product Portfolio Change and Organizational Failure: Evidence from the UK Motorcycle Industry 1895 to 1993, Journal of Long range Planning 11.001 Dinosaurs Then the dinosaurs ruled the earth [Size matters]. Not much management theory yet †¦ Dinosaurs ruled the earth for 120 million years. We have so far managed 2 million years. They have been much more successful than us. Suggested research topic: ‘Why did the dinosaur era last so long?’ Starting references: Brusatte S. L., Benton M. J., Ruta M., Lloyd G. T., (2008), The first 50 Myr of dinosaur evolution: macroevolutionary pattern and morphological disparity, biology letters December vol. 4 no. 6 733-736 Cooper R. G., Edgett S. J., Kleinschmidt E. J., (2002), Portfolio Management For New Products, Perseus Publishing, Second Edition Then we had some global cooling, or was it a big bang and the dinosaurs disappeared and the little furry creatures - our ancestors - began their long march. Our furry cousins hunt in gangs. So do we. [Many successful businesses have a team or gang culture] Suggested research topics ‘Teams (gangs) at Work’. Starting references: Warner M., (2013), The Sociology of the Workplace, Routledge Library Editions: Organizations Roman Empire Let us jump forward to the Roman Empire. This ran on procedure manuals developed over hundreds of years. Roman Army Formations The Romans used a variety of battle formations depending on the situation. For an open field conflict, the Romans would place their infantry in the middle with auxiliaries on the right and left sides. Cohorts of calvary formed the rear flanks, and there would be a large reserve of infantry men behind the main force. Another formation was known as the pig's head. The infantry was placed into a wedge-shaped formation and would push into the enemy with a wall of shields. When surrounded, the Romans formed a square formation with interlocking shields. When laying siege to a fort, they used a formation called the tortoise. The soldiers in front and sides interlocked their shields. The soldiers in the back lines placed their shields over their heads to form a protective "shell" over top of the men. "It was so strong that (in training) a chariot could be driven over the top!" (Williams 2003, pg 28). Here are seven specific instructions by Vegetius regarding the layout before battle: 1 On level ground the force is drawn up with a centre, two wings and reserves in the rear. The wings and reserves must be strong enough to prevent any enveloping or outflanking manoeuvre. 2 An oblique battle line with the left wing held back in a defensive position while the right advances to turn the opponent's left flank. Opposition to this move is to strengthen your left wing with cavalry and reserves, but if both sides are successful the battle front would tend to move in an anti-clockwise direction, the effect of which would vary with the nature of the ground. With this in mind it is as well to attempt to stabilize the left wing with the protection of rough or impenetrable ground, while the right wing should

Iraq War Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Iraq War - Annotated Bibliography Example In addition, it analyzes the question of the beneficiary in broader terms by looking at possible ways, long and short-term impacts. It also considers economic and interest of China and US concerning the aftermath of the war. This article notes that China has emerged as the biggest economic beneficiary of the war by snagging five lucrative deals, hence helping the nation to overcome its security risks. It also notes that China displaced US as Iraq’s trading partner making them loose on many opportunities and trade ties. The article notes that Iraq-US war led to the death of over 4500 soldiers and over 30,000 injured and more than $1 trillion operational cost in the US. Similarly, US failed to establish capitalist democracy, making them loose. On the other hand, Iraq lost over 100,000 civilians and the displacement of over 2 million people. This was a loss to the two nations involved in the war. The book talks about grafts in the Administration of George Bush and the ways it went down as a lasting damage to the country. The book also outlines the decisions that Bush took to invade Iraq without any positive impact on the Americans. According to the book, the US was a loser in the war against Iraq, and it will take the nation decades to recover from the effects. The book notes that neither US nor Iraq won the battle since they all loss because there was material waste among other factors. US failed to achieve its control, but instead laid a framework for other nations such as China to take control of Iraq. It concludes by stating that political mileage was never reached as America had anticipated, and this led to their loss. The author of this book argues that the US-Iraq war was a blessing to the enemies since Iraq benefited because Shiite got power after eighty years of oppression and exclusion under the leadership of Saddam Hussein. There was power balance in Iraq as minority communities

Corporate finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Corporate finance - Essay Example Market efficiency is a crucial factor in deciding the investment strategies of an investor. If the securities market is efficient, the best estimate and returns will be reflected in the price of the shares and there will be no undervalued securities that would offer higher return than expected. However, opposite could be the case in the weak efficient markets. (WOOD, DASGUPTA & POSHAKWALE, 1995) THREE FORMS OF MARKET EFFICIENCY BY FAMA (1970): In this aspect the most contributing work was presented by Fama in 1970. He formulated a market efficiency hypothesis (EMH) which discussed the three types of market efficiency that can prevail in a capital market depending on the available information in the market. These three forms of market efficiency are (1) Weak form efficiency (2) Semi-strong form efficiency (3) Strong from efficiency. 1. Weak Form Efficiency: The weak form of market efficiency hypothesis asserts that the current stock price reflects all the information related to histor ical prices or past price movements only. This information includes trading volume, rate of return and market generated information etc. This form of market efficiency assumes that the current stock prices reflect all the past information and no one can earn huge profits by knowing information which is known to everyone in the market. This implies that the future rate of return can’t be predicted by using past rate of return and can’t provide with huge abnormal returns. In order to predict the movement of prices based on the past information a technique called technical analysis is sued widely. (BHOLE. 1982; CLARKE, JANDIK & MANDELKER, 2001) 2. Semi-Strong Form Efficiency: The semi-strong form of market efficiency hypothesis explains that the current stock price reflects all the publicly available information along with the historical information. The available public information includes: stock earnings and prices, declared dividends information, political, economy an d company related news, dividend yield ratio, price earning ratios, announce merger plans, available information in company’s financial statements, financial situation of competitors and stock splits etc. The assertion behind this form of market efficiency is the same that no one can earn huge profits by knowing information which is known to everyone in the market that is the information is public. In this way the public information is already absorbed into market prices and the investors can’t yield above average profits in such investments and markets. (BHOLE, 1982; CLARKE, JANDIK & MANDELKER, 2001) 3. Strong form Efficiency: The strong form of market efficiency hypothesis explains that the currents stock price reflects all the available information including public and private information both. It encompasses both the weak and semi-strong form of markets. In this hypothesis the emphasis is on insider dealings. It implies that, when both public and private informatio n is reflected in stock price, the directors or the bunch of individuals in the company who have more knowledge of the company will not be able to benefit from the above average profits. The difference between semi-strong and strong efficiency is that in a strong efficiency market nobody will benefit from the information that

Analysis Of British Petroleum And Its Competitive Environment Management Essay

Analysis Of British Petroleum And Its Competitive Environment Management Essay This report highlights three aspects of business development and market growth for British Petroleum considering the competitive environment of BP, the key business strategies of BP for five years and the resources and capabilities that are available to BP for the last five years. The competitive environment point towards new capabilities that BP has developed for years to maintain competitive advantage. Competitive advantage has been analyzed using Porters model and it is suggested that differentiation and focus could be a response to changing market conditions. The competitive environment is also affected by factors such as brand image and reputation as related to social responsibility and environmental awareness. BPs strategies have focused on IT outsourcing to energy efficiency, leadership building and stakeholder management, application of resources and technologies, safety as well as climate change concerns. BPs investments have led to sustained production and volume growth and this is expected beyond 2010. BPs capabilities and financial resources received a boost with the rise of oil prices and growing demands worldwide with BP main businesses being in petrochemicals, petroleum refining, and oil and gas exploration and production. 1. Competitive Environment of BP BP is a diversified energy products company engaged in oil and gas explorations and development or production and transportation of crude oil and natural gas. BP is responsible for refining, marketing, transportation, sale of gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and other petroleum products; and the production, marketing and sale of petrochemicals. The global oil and gas industry being high competitive show that with expanse and success of a company, capabilities are stronger and competitors could have problems understanding or imitating these. So developing new capabilities would be essential in maintaining competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is attained when capabilities are neither simple and highly imitable nor too complex that defies internal steering and control. Capabilities that grow through use are considered critical to success and BP and other similar companies will have to develop such capabilities (Kay, 1993). A resource based view suggests that sustainable competitive advantage could help in developing existing and new resources and capabilities in response to changing market conditions. Knowledge and knowledge management are related to value creating assets and helps in competitive advantage. As far as the competitive environment is concerned, there could be sufficient competition in the main markets of BP although world energy markets are unaffected by government policies and changes. The global economy and globalization could be some of the factors that have triggered competition in the world market and more so for the oil and gas industry (Bowman and Faulkner, 1997). The oil industry has been dominated by a few major international oil companies, including BP, Shell, ExxonMobil and Chevron along with companies of the gulf states. Seven major oil companies produced, transported and refined as well as marketed two thirds of the oil supply around the world for several years. State owned oil companies as in Saudi Arabia, Gulf and OPEDC countries are the largest suppliers of crude oil even today. Aramco has produced more than four times as much oil as ExxonMobil which is the largest private sector oil company and ExxonMobil produces twice as much oil and gas. Gazprom is anot her such company which is majority-controlled by the Russian government but also privatized and is responsible for more than 20% of world production and of exports of natural gas. The oil industry and companies in the OPEC states have diversified into refining, marketing and petrochemicals, but these may be of secondary importance when considered on a global basis although the contributions of such companies are important in certain regional markets. There are also problems of environmental awareness and corporate responsibility and BPs strategies have been framed by these considerations. Sarkis and Tamarkin (2005) addressed the ways of reducing greenhouse gases and organizations involved in reducing emissions and with emergent markets. Investment in equipment could help reduce emissions and could boost sales. However there could be a faster price rise and projects may not be economically feasible leading to the need for more stringent regulations. Real options analysis is considered an important tool for the energy industry and the energy industry is still completely influenced by greenhouse gas policies drawing attention to emissions and the role of controlling greenhouse gas emissions within the industry. 2. Key business strategies of BP over the past five years. Analysis using Porters generic strategies to discuss why this strategy was pursued or changed. Some of the key directions towards strategy included energy efficiency with BP operations such as considering the price of carbon in investment decisions and promoting low cost energy pathways through gas or power generation. The company also plans to make continued investments in alternative energy with bio fuels, wind and solar or carbon sequestration and investments in research and technology. Companies focus on safe and reliable operations with continued journey in personal safety and implements operating management system with compliance. The people efforts are on building capabilities and leadership behaviors and performances help in restoring revenues or reducing complexity and costs. Apart from the culture of leadership and restructuring, building skills and capability and diversity or reward for performance are important elements of company strategy. BP already identified new regions of access for its operations including Iraq, Indonesia, Jordan, and new acreage in Gulf of Mexico and Egypt. The reserves and resource replacement are at 12%-250% and production growth was at 4% (Hayward et al, 2010). The success story of the company has been projected as governance and shareholder alignment, safer operations and volume growth as well as steady financial performance. 2010 expected performance has been projected at $4 billion investment, production growth of 1-2%, focus on cost efficiency and development of projects with an average 1-2% volume growth until 2015 with increased potential and sustained growth to 2020. Resource bases and sources of growth beyond 2015 has been marked through expanding deepwater, leveraging expertise in gas and managing the giant oil fields of the world and enabling application of technology. The focus of the company has been on cost and capital efficiency and profit growth and diversifying the portfolio with a growing resource base. A momentum on costs and strategies and operations and an average 1-2% volume growth was expected until 2015 (Hayward et al, 2010). BP is also shown as having increased potential to sustain growth to 2020 and changes in the process could drive capital and cost efficiency. Fuel value chains through quality and integration could mean right markets and right locations for logistics and refineries and quality products and brands through marketing and channel management. BP has also highlighted supply optimization and trading and common processes at the back office. Among its infrastructural changes, BP has undergone major rebuilds of CDU to process heavy crude and for the manufacture of crude oil and also new world scale sulphur removal and gas oil hydro treating units. Refinery infrastructure upgrade shows location advantage. The market share possibilities discussed showed 40% capital employed in growth markets with leading technologies and strong customer relationships with margin share growth and premium brands. The company also gives importance to safety and efficiency, quality and integration and application of resources and technology and the emphasis provided is on safe and reliable operations. In the next 2-3 years over $2billion of pre tax performance opportunity was also identified. Costs were at 2004 levels with their refinery modification in 2012 (Hayward et al, 2010). The strategy of the company was given as a focus on the growth of profits as well as cost and capital efficiency through upstream production and downstream strategies are higher turnaround and cost efficiency. Alternative energy is seen as focused and disciplined with higher corporate efficiency and strategic growth. The focus on strategy is based on profit growth and use of alternative energy, as also a focus on corporate performance and efficiency and on cost and capital efficiency. BP was among the first multinational companies that joined in the merging consensus to address climate change (Kolk and Levy, 2001). BP has focused on a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and along with solar energy, BPs other lines of business are seen as exploration, oil and chemicals. However as far as BPs position towards climate change is concerned, analysts have tried to examine Is BP reacting to inevitable environmental pressures, but conducting business as usual, or is BP seizing the moment and opportunity and using global climate change as a doorway to a new business model for the 21st century? This seems an important analysis as it marks whether BP is projecting a new business model through the climate change focus or simply responding to the global environmental pressures and challenges and whether the climate change focus within its strategy would be positive or negative for BP (Lowe et al, 1998). As far as the analysis of BPs strategies are concerned, Porter has argued that any firms strength would ultimately depend on cost advantages and differentiation. The generic strategies that should be followed by any firm for success have been given as cost leadership, differentiation and focus (Porter, 1998). Cost leadership is attained through low cost of materials and integration decisions and differentiation strategy offers unique products and attributes to clients giving a competitive edge, and focus provides a narrow market focus so that specific needs of segments are met. Porters general strategies could explain the key business strategies adopted by BP in the last five years and these were related to climate change as well as cost and capital efficiency and profits. Juris (1998) suggested that in the UK it is possible to move from a monopoly of one company dominating the market to a competitive environment with many players and this is true even in the natural oil and gas industry without significant structural reforms within the business environment, although this could be expensive. Structural reforms and innovation brings about differentiation and launch of products and services that the consumer perceives to be different, Any form of change or deregulation must be accompanied by regulatory and institutional frameworks and all entrants to the market should be given equal rights. With cooperation between the government and industry participants, there has to be mechanisms for appropriate balancing and operating. BP will also have to follow these regulations towards market balance despite being a major player. Industry participants have tried to reach a consensus on how to enhance the existing framework that could make markets more efficient. British oil and gas industry will have to effectively give more time and resources to developing a tariff structure for pipeline capacity and transportation services in tariff markets (Juris, 1998). BP has a role to play in stabilizing tariffs that could make the markets efficient. Cross (1995) highlighted outsourcing as a BP strategy and explained how the BP Exploration Operating Company, $13 billion division of British Petroleum Company explores and produces oil and gas and outsourcers all IT operations in efforts to cut costs and get more flexible higher quality IT resources to improve business. At BP exploration it was decided that the company no longer needed technologies that provided business information to employees and this could be outsourced. There were problems encountered with internal IT departments and the old and new machines as well as the need to focus on technological details rather than wider more important business issues led to the need for outsourcing these to technicians. As far as BPs technology strategy is concerned, BP diverted its IT support through outsourcing. Outsourcing helped in the reshaping of the IT department. At BP information technology was used as utility for operations to develop application and supply processing power as also to provide technology support. This is now given to outsourcing providers and the company buys generic applications or contracts the work. The IT department is expected to improve business rather than be an internal group that simply meets supply of the company. The company however has a different IT strategy and does not rely on a single supplier for all IT needs although this could make BP to escalate its fees and become more rigid in its services. At the same time selective outsourcing and division of IT operations led to strain on management resources. BPs IT strategy focused on buying IT services from multiple suppliers although these could be delivered in a way as if by single supplier. Contractors delivered services to 42 BP businesses worldwide. The subcontracts were also performed effectively and the cornerstone of the BP outsourcing strategy was to use services from multiple suppliers and yet project them as one. The IT department is kept separate from Operations so that the IT managers could independently work on the business rather than get involved in technicalities. Several IT services including large and small providers were used for outsourcing which was however a difficult task but had the benefits of reduced fixed costs, im proved service, and access to new ideas and technologies (Cross, 1995). However the downsides were the technical issues and the danger of operations and management getting loaded with IT problems. 3. Resources and capabilities of BP over the five years, and analysis of the extent to which the company has aligned its resources and capabilities to its business strategies The alignment or use of resources and capabilities to shape business strategies of the company shows that BP placed a great emphasis on infrastructure and profit growth by building its resources and through partnering and strategic alliances. BP has built its larger base by organizing around the smaller business units and the company has several smaller business units that work together and the resources are available easily and quickly. The company follows a decentralization strategy with its various units having independent operations although there are differing views on whether this has been particularly helpful or led to original thinking. New approaches to BP business showed how the BP business could successfully steer through crises although the recent focus has been on BPs strategy towards climate change (Kolk and Levy, 2001). Considering the changes in BP strategy, it has been noted that BP had a politicized bureaucracy managed matrix structure and with the complexity performance declined and the company faced financial crisis. In recent years however BP has reported highest profits $4 billion in the third quarter of 2004 alone. The high prices of crude oil added to the profits although the companys cost efficient operations were key to strong performance. The company also absorbed two oil companies Amoco and Arco and other companies and the acquisitions helped in the expanse and scope and several strategic and organizational changes added to the remarkable turnaround in the companys performance (Roberts, 2005). BPs transformation came as it divested unrelated lines of business and divided business into units with three basic businesses with upstream oil and gas exploration and production, downstream petroleum refining and marketing and petrochemicals. There were different functioning markets and the unit s were run independently adding to the strategic advantage of the company. The company presentations showed that the US refining portfolio was fully operational and US convenience retail helped in reducing marketing footprint with cash costs down by 15% in 2008. $4billion was invested by the company for alternative energy since 2006 and employee count was reduced to 7500 and cash costs were also reduced by billions in 2009, bringing down the overall expenses of the company (Hayward et al, 2010). Among other strategic directions of the company are using solar energy as alternative energy and fuel and BP has been successfully developing the solar energy potential as one of the greener sustainable sources of energy. BP corporate strategy has also been focused on issues of climate change (Kolk and Levy, 2001) and there are two directions to this strategy. One is the potential advantage in corporate reputation and image if BP is projected as green and clean company which controls its business units and functions according to global climate conditions, and the other is the possibility of a new business model within which BP could work and using of solar energy as green energy is already a step towards this motive. In the last five years BP resources and capabilities have changed drastically. Along with addition of BP solar energy, there has been increased investments and increased profits with higher oil prices. BP has also potentially expanded its reach and operations across many new regions and continued to add new resources and capabilities including material and financial to fulfil its strategic directions. The business strategies of BP have been primarily geared towards profitability and corporate responsibility so along with cost leadership, focus, innovation, differentiation and climate change, BP had diversified and categorized its business units along with mergers and acquisitions.

The Effects of Drug Abuse

The Effect of Drug Abuse Jason Russ The Effect of Drug Abuse Many people do not understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. It can be wrongfully assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop using drugs simply by choosing to change their behavior. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting takes more than good intentions. In fact, because drugs change the brain in ways that foster compulsive drug abuse, quitting is difficult, even for those who are ready to do so.Through scientific advances, we know more about how drugs work in the brain than ever, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and lead productive lives. Today, thanks to science, our views and responses to drug abuse has changed dramatically. â€Å"Groundbreaking discoveries about the brain have revolutionized our understanding of drug addiction, enabling us to respond effectively to the pr oblem,† (Volkow).Addiction is a developmental disease that begins in infancy and adolescence and is influenced by a combination of factors involving genes, environment, and an individual’s age at first drug use. The genes that people are born with in combination environmental influences of their addiction defenselessness. To addition that, gender, ethnicity, and the mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction. â€Å"Scientists estimate that genetic factors account for between 40 and 60 percent of a person’s vulnerability to addiction, including the effects of environment on gene expression and function.Adolescents and individuals with mental disorders are at greater risk of drug abuse and addiction than the general population†, (Volkow). Few weakness genes have been found for alcohol dependence and nicotine addiction. Alcoholism is a genetically inherited disease. There are several evidences proving that â€Å"Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine conducted a genome-wide association study in 2006 and identified several novel genes involved in nicotine dependence.In 2004, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found a protein, called Arc, which may be a culprit in drug addiction. The protein helps the brain retain memories for longer than an hour or two†, (Association of American Medical Colleges). â€Å"In 1994, scientists at the Oregon Health & Science University were the first to clone the mammalian gene for the D2 dopamine receptor. Dopamine is a brain neurotransmitter that is thought to be essential to the brain’s response to drugs like opiates and psycho stimulants,† (Association of American Medical Colleges). Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers reported in 2006 that men’s brains show evidence of up to three times the amount of the brain chemical dopamine as women’s brains when exposed to amphetamines. This is the first clinical study that explains why more men than women abuse amphetamines and could lead to tailored treatments for drug abuse and neurological diseases†, (Association of American Medical Colleges).On the other hand, many people believe that â€Å"Addiction is a choice†, meaning anyone can stop or moderate their use of addictive drugs anytime they want to by just going to Meditation, Yoga, Exercise, Acupuncture and Counseling. However, drug addiction is a certain disease because one of the main reasons is called dopamine. â€Å"Addictive drugs trigger the release of the brain chemical dopamine, which in turn creates a reward circuit in the brain. This circuit registers that intense experience as â€Å"important† and creates lasting memories of it as a pleasurable experience.Dopamine changes the brain on a cellular level, commanding the brain to â€Å"do it again,† which heightens the possibility of relapse even long after the behavior (or drug) has s topped. Dopamine also helps to explain why intense experiences can be just as addictive as drugs,† (Smithstein). A person’s environment includes many different influences, from family and friends to quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and quality of parenting can greatly influence the occurrence of drug abuse and the growth to addiction in a person’s life.Many people today do not understand why some become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster obsessive drug abuse. Parents who abuse drugs or engage in criminal behavior can increase children’s risks of developing their own drug problems. Use of substances by parents and their children is strongly correlated; generally, if parents take drugs, sooner or later their children will also. Teenagers who use drugs are more likely to have one or more parents who also use drugs. Children who depend on illicit drugs usually have poor social skills or academic failures. In 2004, researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA used structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computational brain mapping to reveal structural abnormalities in the brains of chronic methamphetamine users†, (Association of American Medical Colleges). â€Å"A 2005 study at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine showed that functional MRI might be used to predict relapse in substance-dependent individuals. A simple two-choice test correctly predicted 20 of 22 subjects who did not relapse and 17 of 18 subjects who did†, (Association of American Medical Colleges). In one study, 41% of addicted parents reported that at least one of their children repeated a grade in school, 19% were involved in truancy, and 30% had been suspended from school†, (National Association for Children of Alcoholics). People, who believe that drug addiction is not a disease, claim that have nothing do with the environm ent. But the scientist says that a people were influenced by a combination factors including genes and environment increased drug abuse. â€Å"In 1995, nearly 3. 1 million children were reported to child protective services as abused or neglected. Approximately one million of these reports were substantiated.Substance abuse was found to be a factor in a majority of these cases†, (sparkaction. org). Behavioral treatments help engage people, modifying their attitudes and behaviors related to drug abuse and increasing their life skills to handle complicated, stressful life circumstances and environmental cues that may trigger intense cravings for drugs. Additionally it can enhance the effectiveness of medications and help people remain in treatment in the longer term. The combination of genetic and environmental, factors with serious developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction vulnerability.Even though taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the ear lier that drug use begins, the more likely it will progress to more serious abuse, which teenagers will suffer more. Because their brains are still developing in the areas that choice, and self-control, young people may be especially prone to risk-taking behaviors, including trying drugs of abuse. Babies may be born premature and underweight were exposed to legal and illegal drugs in the womb. This drug exposure will damage and slow the child’s intellection and behavior later in life. Adolescents who abuse drugs often, do poorly academically, and drop out of school.They are at risk of unplanned pregnancies, violence, and infectious diseases. Adults have problems thinking clearly, remembering, and paying attention because the drugs damaging their brain cells. They often develop poor social behaviors as a result of their drug abuse, and their work performance and personal relationships suffer. Parents’ drug abuse often means chaotic, stress-filled homes and child abuse a nd neglect. â€Å"Such conditions harm the development of children in the home and may set the stage for drug abuse in the next generation. It is a proven fact that substance abuse is the leading cause for people to commit crimes.Drugs and alcohol can mess with a person’s mind and cause them to do stupid things, as in robberies, murders, become violent, etc. Drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, narcotics and non-narcotics (prescription pills), opium, ecstasy, and mushrooms can all lead to psychological effects on a person’s mind. â€Å"Amphetamines and cocaine increase wakefulness, alertness and vigilance, improve concentration, and produce a feeling of clear thinking (Barton R&M, 2008). There is generally an elevation of mood, mild euphoria, increases sociability, and a belief that one can do just about anything. Depending on the drugs that are being used and the way they are being used, depends on how long the effects from it will last. Some can last from a few minutes to a few hours. Usually the prescription pills last for hours and cocaine effects last for only a few minutes. Any drug can lead to problems with a person’s brain; it can make one mentally disabled. It can also lead to regular nose bleeds, loss of smell, swallowing problems and inflammation of nasal septum. This can occur if one abuses drugs by snorting it through their nose.The abuse of prescription drugs are the second most abused drugs in our Nation, with Marijuana being first and Cocaine being third, heroin fourth, and methamphetamine fifth. This list will give an idea of exactly how serious this type of drug addiction is to our Nation today and how it will impact our future. According to the National Health Institute about 20% of people have used prescription drugs for non-medical issues (National Institutes of Health). When you are prescribed pain medication for an injury you may be told to take one pill every 4 hours but you feel that one is not work ing so you take two this is prescription drug abuse.You may not think that it is that big of a deal but studies say that if you abuse it once you are more at risk of abusing prescription drugs again. Although most people who abuse prescription drugs abuse pain killers there are other types that are abused also. Drug addiction is a chronic yet preventable. According to NIDA-funded research, they have shown that prevention programs relating families, schools, communities, and the media are effective in reducing drug abuse. Although many actions and cultural factors affect drug abuse trend, when people recognize drug abuse as harmful, will stop taking drugs.Thus, education is key in helping people and the public understands the risks of drug abuse. Teachers, parents, medical and public health professionals must keep sending the message that drug addiction can be prevented if one never takes drugs. References: Barton R&M 2008. , â€Å"Mexico's Drug-Related Violence,† Congressiona l Research Service â€Å"Drug Use and Abuse: Fighting the Destructive Grip of Addiction† Kirst-Ashman, K. (2011). Human behavior in the macro social environment (3rd ed. ). Brooks Cole.ISBN: 9780495813651. Kolar, A. F. , Brown, B. S. , Haertzen, C. A. , & Michaelson, B. S. , CHILDREN OF ADDICTED PARENTS: IMPORTANT FACTS. National Association for Children of Alcoholics, 1994 Nora D. Volkow, Science of Addiction. National Institutes on Drug Abuse, April 2007 Samantha Smithstein, Dopamine: why it's so hard to â€Å"just say no†. Psychology Today, 19 August 2010