Sedalia Engine Plant Case Study Review

We have reviewed your case at Sedalia Engine Plant and believe we have found a plan that fits your needs. We believe that while your company surely holds a lot of promise, we have a few ideas to we would like to recommend to you and perhaps take into consideration. We have your best interests at hand and only serve in helping you in bettering your company and becoming more efficient. By the means of what is known as lean production, you can continue to preserve the value in your product while increasing efficiency in the production process, making your employees happier resulting in more productivity and quality control, and hoping to save your company time and money in the long run while not costing your employees, products or consumers anything, all of which are good things. You state that employees are starting to feel powerless and feel like they are unable to do tasks that would benefit the company. While you have implemented a program to address this, you indicate it is not working. One important principle of lean production is leveling out the workload. We recommend spreading the work load among all employees. If the work load is level across the board, employees will feel useful and not feel as though they have wasted efforts. Feeling like a part of a team and feeling equal amongst your work peers creates for greater solidarity and an increased chance for greater work quality, resulting in product quality. Adding standardized tasks is also the foundation for continuous improvement and employee empowerment. Employees themselves should be passionate about the company and work together for one goal. These people should be in agreement with your companies’ philosophy. Those you elect to be team leaders or managers should be equipped for the position. They should thoroughly understand every aspect of the company and also be trained in being team leaders, while at the same time understanding the teaching methods of the company. Building strong leaders to help lead and keep teams working together is essential for the well-being of your company. As mentioned prior, giving each employee a fair amount of the work will help with their morale, and providing strong leaders equipped with good leadership skills to direct their equal efforts makes for an outstanding system. Concerning the Board of Representatives, Board of Employees, and Human Resources, these teams will need to work in tandem to be effective. These three teams should be making decisions together, and rapidly implementing the unanimous decision. These decisions should focus on the long-term picture, not the short-term picture, even if sacrifices will need to be made. The Board of Representatives should constantly be watching with their own eyes to ensure production is being carried out in a proper manner. The Board of Employees should be concerned with making employee tasks standardized, and work to continuously improve the level of standardization. With standardized tasks and work evenly spread across employees, employees will feel empowered to succeed. To avoid wasting time and resources, the focus should be on building quality first, rather than worrying about fixing problems later. Your company should only be using reliable, thoroughly tested technology that serves your people and processes. You should also provide visual controls so no problems are hidden. Remember, quality is â€Å"key†. In regards to the issue pertaining to wage differentials and job security, a good way of going about handling that is to compromise with the workers. Also if you use the steps for searching for integrative solutions, that would help as well. The first step would be to separate the people from the problem. I know that wages and job security directly affect the employees, but it is best if you take away the employees from the issue and really find out the company issues with differing wages. The second step would be to focus on the shared interest of all the parties. As for the plant, you would naturally want to do what is in the best interest of the company, but if you are really trying to resolve and compromise the issue you would need to look at the issue from an employee point of view. The next step, and one of the biggest ones, is to generate options. It is good to not just come up with one solution to the job security issue, but to also formulate many options that can be used to solve that problem. I suggest layout a plan that employees were to follow and if they didn’t, that would put their wages and job security at risk. The fourth step in the breakdown would be evaluation. It is best to evaluate the options using objective criteria. This step simply means to thoroughly look over options and have a certain criteria to follow for the options to be of any relevance to the problem. The last step would be to iteration. There is not a, onetime, perfect option for every problem. The best way to go about this is to keep trying. If one solution doesn’t fully solve the wage issues at the plant, than keep trying other plans. It was mentioned that POT is still functioning, but an Organizational Review Group (ORG) was established to discuss plant guidelines along with Exempt and Non-exempt Task Force Groups (NEIG & EITG). In response to employee criticism and the potential for negative publicity, the board of trustees made a decision to establish a â€Å"Task Force on the Work/Family Interface. The mission of the Task Force was to make recommendations on possible additions and modifications to company policies and programs that will better accommodate the family responsibilities of its employees. Members of this Task Force included: company executives, exempt and non-exempt employees, and members of the board of trustees. The Task Force can make recommendations in a large number of areas including health insurance coverage, absence with pay, leave without pay, sick leave, promotion criteria and policies, training programs, family leave, job sharing, flextime and child care. I believe task forces are an improvement on past practices, but I also do believe there could be another option as well Your decision-making processes should be based on a long-term philosophy of proving good services and products, even at the expense of short-term financial goals. While profit is important and essential, a high one means nothing if your employees aren’t happy, resulting in your products not having as much quality, resulting in unsatisfied customers. This rips everyone off in the end. High morale and work ethic is core, as previously stated. Bringing back building a philosophy within the minds and work ethic of team leaders and employees, it trickles down into the product itself and reassures that your company stands for something great and admirable, not simply another big name making lots of money. It is probably very important for you to hold a high morale and solid reputation, and with these key ideals and systems, that is very much possible. We thank you for your time and hope you to take our recommendations into deep consideration. We feel these decisions would be wise for the lasting future and quality of your products, people and proficiency.

The Medieval World View

Dametrius Sanders 003 Mrs. Pike November 26, 2012 The Medieval World View, ed. ed. Candace R. Gregory, Carey Roberts, and H. Micheal Tarver (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012) Peter von Sivers, Charles A. Desnoyers, and George B. Stow. Patterns of World History: vol. 1 : to 1600. (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012) Tammy Pike. Lecture Notes What are the cosmos and what do they represent. The Buch der Natur or the Book of Nature was written by Konrad von Magenburg depicts the cosmos as levels, steps that we have to take to reach heaven in a different way that nobody else sees it.There are so many different opinions on what the stars mean because the view of them has changed over time. So what are the stars are they just there or are they one of the levels we need to reach to enter heaven. According to Konrad Von Magenburg’s illustration of Buch der Natur is a book but he depicts the cosmos as humans on earth being the lowest level, then levels of the stars, finally the top level heaven the goals of all humans. Aristotle believes that â€Å"the earth is the center of the universe, and everything revolves around them† .This idea which is called Aristotle’s Universe was adopted by the medieval church and to challenge this view of the Universe was not merely a scientific issue; it became a theological one as well, and subjected dissenters to the considerable and not always benevolent power of the Church. So making people think that God put the earth at the center of the everything and the church being the peoples connection to God putting all the power into their hands.Ptolemy was different he added to Aristotle’s view of the universe but he calculated and researched to make his own ideas as well. Ptolemy came up with â€Å"that the heavens go in a uniform circular motion and the objects in the heavens are made from perfect material, and cannot change their intrinsic properties†. These ideas togeth er became known as the Ptolemaic Universe. He also wrote about the cosmos in his book called â€Å"Almagest† in a way Ptolemy and Aristotle had the same views and ideas about the heavens its just more scientific advances in Ptolemy's time .Even though today people don't see the cosmos as the heavens or a level to become heavenly beings we still try to discover what the stars hold. The meaning of the stars today really doesn’t mean anything to Christianity or the church. So is Konrad von Magenburg right or wrong are they a level. Is heaven right beyond them and all we have to do is pass certain tests to reach it. But the stars are something that we really want to discover but we as humans no longer think that the heavens lie beyond it.

Biochemical Processes of Oil Degradation

Biochemical Processes of Oil Degradation 1. INTRODUCTION Surfactants are surface active compound that reduce the interfacial tension between two liquids, or that between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants are organic compound that contain both hydrophobic (head part of the surfactant) and hydrophilic (tail part of the surfactant) moieties. Thus surfactant contains both water insoluble i.e. water repellent group as well as water soluble i.e. water loving group. Biosurfactants are also surface active compound like chemical surfactants but unlike the chemical surfactant, biosurfactant are synthesized by microbes like bacteria, fungi and yeast. Biosurfactants comprise the properties of dropping surface tension, stabilizing emulsions, promoting foaming and are usually non-toxic and biodegradable. Recently interest in biosurfactant has increased because of its diversity, flexibility in operation, and more eco-friendly then chemical surfactant (BS Saharan et al ., 2011; Eduardo J. gudiËÅ"na et al ., 2011). Biochemical process es of oil degradation carried out by microbes involves several type of enzymatic reactions driven by oxygenase, dehydrogenase and hydroxylase (Hamamura N et al., 2008). These enzymes cause aliphatic and aromatic hydroxidation, oxidative deamination, hydrolysis and other biochemical transformation of original oil substance leading to formation of large number of intermediate degradation products. However, a major limitation of microbial degradation of crude oil is its hyydrophobicity. Biosurfactant produced by oil degrading bacteria facilitate the uptake of crude oil hydrocarbons by bacterial cells and also have low toxicity and high biodegradability (Batista SB et al. , 2006). So, crude oil degrading bacteria with the ability to produce biosurfactant is widely recommended for fast degradation of crude oil. (Kumar M et al., 2006). Furthermore possibility of their production on large scale, selectivity, performance under intense conditions and their future applications in environ mental fortification also these have been increasingly attracting the attention of the scientific and industrial community. These molecules have a potential to be used in a variety of industries like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, humectants, food preservative and detergents (BS Saharan et al. , 2011). But the production of biosurfactant on industry level is still challenge because of using high costly synthetic media for microbial growth. Biosurfactants are classified on the basis of diversity in their structure and their microbial origin. They contain a hydrophilic group, that contain an acid, peptide cations, or anions, mono-, di- or polysaccharides and a hydrophobic group of unsaturated or saturated hydrocarbon chains or fatty acids. Biosurfactants produced by a variety of microorganisms mainly bacteria, fungi and yeasts are diverse in chemical composition and their nature and the amount depend on the type of microbes producing a particular biosurfactant. 1.1 Classification of Bio surfactant: Biosurfactants are classified in to two major group one is low molecular weight surface active agent call biosurfactant and high molecular weight substance called bio-emulsifier that is especially used as enhancement of emulsification of hydrocarbon. Further these two major group is divided in to six major group known as glycolipids, lipopolysaccharides, lipoproteins-lipopeptides, phospholipids, hydroxylated and cross linked fatty acids. (a) Glycolipids: Mostly biosurfactants are glycolipds. They are lipids with a carbohydrate attached. The connection is by means of either an ether or ester group. Among the glycolipids, the best known are rhamnolipids sophorolipids and trehalolipids.

Evaluation of Theoretic Structure of Research Paper Term

Evaluation of Theoretic Structure of Research - Term Paper Example sideration of outcomes of the experiment conducted, the authors concluded that conducted imaginary interventions contributed significantly to the reduction of patients’ depression, anxiety, and stress, and improved their comfort. To confirm the statement it is enough to consider the quantity of psychiatric inpatients all over the world: according to the report ‘Mental Health Policy and Practice across Europe: The future direction of mental health care’, approximately 450 million of population undergoes various types of mental disorders at any point of time (Knapp, McDaid, Mossialos, and Thornicroft, 2007). It is not a rare situation when people with mood disorders need to repeat their treatment for several times and although hospitalization provides them with some kind of refuge, it also implies certain limitations on patients’ freedom. Moreover, hospitalization could also cause extra discomfort in addition to that, which is invoked by the illness itself. Taking into account that GI interventions might ease patients’ depression, anxiety and stress factors and improve their health, the method influences essentially on the whole success of mental disorders treatment (Shapiro, 2003). Implementation of nursing should be grounded on relevant theories and is aimed to provide psychiatric inpatients with the highest possible level of comfort in order to help them to be full-fledged members of society. Regarding the fact that Comfort Theory application relieves patients reduce their depression, anxiety, and stress and increase their comfort, the method is an important element of nursing process. The main purpose of the paper is to examine the effects of GI interventions recorded on compact discs (CDs) on psychiatric patients’ mental health and test the Null hypothesis, which states that people with mood disorders, who receive GI interventions, would perceive higher comfort level and lower stress and nervousness. Relief is defined as a state when certain

John Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

John - Essay Example There is utilization of symbolism and double meaning, for example, referring the temple as the body, water and spirit, life and death. With reference to the use of vocabulary, there is simple use of English. The book of John contains immense differences that are striking and enhance its differentiation with the rest if the three gospels books. It is worth noting close to 90% of the content of this book are not found in the rest of the gospels. It makes them unique. However, the four books complement each other in delivering the message of the gospel. John provides immense information about the messiah that is unavailable in the synoptic gospels. The first three gospels are the synoptic gospels, in that they all have a common revelation and view unlike the book of John that differs significantly from the rest with close reference to themes, time of recording, content, style of writing and order of events. In the introduction section of the synoptic, the authors express about the birth of Jesus and His baptism. They are very systematic in presentation, in that Jesus is born, baptized, and then commences his ministry after temptation in the desert. They also mention the baptism of John the Baptist and the role he did play in the coming of the messiah. He continues with his ministry, until his last week, death and resurrection. All this information is detailed enough. It differs in the way John writes. The book commences with a prologue and ends with an epilogue. In between there, exists some stories of Jesus that are not related chronologically or geographically. These stories simply emphasize how the messiah engaged in different controversies with other people and the various signs that he worked. Between chapters 13-20, he explains of the in-depth stories of death and resurrection. In comparison with the synoptic that explains how Jesus went to Jerusalem at the end of his life, Johnà ¢â‚¬â„¢s perceive that the ministry of Jesus is mainly

A business proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A business proposal - Essay Example Consequently, several homes provide an opportunity to sale televisions. Besides, most of the residents in the rural areas lack the expertise in terms of installation and operation of the televisions, providing these services will be quite profitable. The residents will not only be informed from the television news but they will also be entertained by the various programs cast on the television. The target market will be the workers in various institutions such as schools, hospitals and manufacturing industries. Advertisements in radios and newspapers will be a major marketing strategy. In order to achieve the goals, road shows and organizing talks in the various institutions will also be essential because planning is essential to any new business, (Mc Keever 2). Question Two The business venture is to be implemented though partnership. Partnership refers to the legal entity in which two or more people own a business (Walston, 463). Apart from partnership, other legal entities that ex ist are corporations and associations. Partnership is characterized by sharing of wealth as well as losses. This means that in the event of profit, the partners will enjoy and share it together. In the event that a business makes a loss, all the partners will miss on the agreed income that is to be received. The business fits a small by involving only two partners or agents in the partnership. The two agents will still undertake managerial tasks. Another characteristic of partnership is that the agents or the partners usually pay tax individually. Even though, the assets of the agents are not usually protected, there exist laws that protect the partnership (Walston, 464). For instance, the law of contracts and agency will oversee the operations, and provide guidelines in the event of partnership termination. Question Three For any business organization to be successful, it requires that managers seek assistance and guidance from various sources. Some of the common sources that exist are board of director or advisors, personal lender, business consultants and legal representations. In this proposal, business counselors will be consulted. By definition, business consultants refer to experienced and specialized individuals in matters concerning business operations or activities. Managers or owners of various businesses usually get advice from them at a fee. Business consultants are preferred in this case because two agents run the business. However, varied situations useful in the growth of the business might be overlooked. In addition, by involving consultants, much time will be spent in the actual operations of the business because the consultants will communicate to the business about the effectiveness of the business strategies. It is also known that business consultants usually upgrade the workers’ or managers’ experience (Davey, 07). Since the stock, will be obtainable from various suppliers, they can offer consultation at no fee. For example, information about the durability and quality of the television sets bought is available to them. Question Four A business usually obtains finance from various sources that could be internal or external (Sofat & Hiro, 330). The business venture will obtain finances from bank loans. It is known that bank loans are effective sources of finance for any business. Besides, bank loans are usually flexible because the contract is terminated immediately when a loan is paid early. In order to obtain a bank loan, a number of guarantors are required. Given the fact that the business is a partnership, the partners can act as guarantors or the suppliers can also be guarantors. Apart from the bank loan, friends and family members will be the source of finance because

The Lockwood Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Lockwood Group - Essay Example In the similar context, it can be stated that rather than paper and packing business, Lockwood had expanded its firm with the food industry. The company had gained long-term profitability in the market related to the food and packing industry. Further, they had expanded the business into other fields (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the major situation faced by the Lockwood Group. Though the company had faced certain problems in the competitive market, it is essential to analyze their marketing situation and provide appropriate recommendations for the company. Therefore, it can be stated that the main motive of the paper is to provide recommendation for future by analyzing the Lockwood Group’s present as well as past marketing scenario (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Major Situation Faced by the Lockwood Group Lockwood Group had faced major ch ange in the competitive market, as the company had initially started the business with packing and paper section. During the second part of the 20th century, Lockwood Group was engaged in producing auto parts, electrical equipments, metal alloys, electric motors, communication equipments, furniture, appliances, power equipment, specialty equipments and consumer products. However, Lockwood could not succeed in the above mentioned businesses. All the segments were sold or liquidated at losses (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Though the Lockwood was bearing a loss, the CEO of the company has taken various majors in the 21st century to set up long-term profitability in the competitive market. Their main business was financial services, energy, and packaging along with forest products. The company had reinvested the funds in vicinity promising the expansion of cost-effectiveness. In 2001, Lockwood had increased its sales from the four main bus inesses due to adoption of various strategies as it has been stated earlier that the company had expanded the business in the four sectors (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Financial Services Lockwood had started financial services in 2000s. The company had appointed the investment banker to trade the unwanted business and had invested the capital in financial business. Lockwood insurance sector had good profitability in the market. Visualizing the profitable financial scenario, the company had extended to insurance operation. In 2002, Lockwood financial services had three broad categories i.e. life insurance, real estate and causality insurance. Though the company was strongly positioned in the financial sector, its competitors were high, because Lockwood financial division was petite by the national standards (The Lockwood Group, Inc, â€Å"New Strategies for the 21st Century†). Energy Lockwood had operated in the energy business since 2004. The company had entered into energy businesses through the acquisition of the EasyGas Energy. Previously, Lockwood had small businesses in the offshore and onshore oil industry but later on expanded the firm into Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi. Lockwood had gained long-term

Career Development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Career Development - Case Study Example Analysis of the Actions of Madeleine Lagarde and Her Mentor 6 2.2. Analysis of the Actions of Eric Wong and His Mentor 7 3.0. Ways to Make Mentorship More Different 8 Bibliography 9 1.0. BCG’s Career Development and Mentorship Processes: Strengths and Weakness Boston Consulting Group is considered as the ideal place for strategy consulting as an organisation. The main objective of the organisation is to attract, develop and retain the best of the candidates in the organisation. The career development process for the professionals and mentorship program in the organisation is the best. The strengths and weaknesses of these processes are discussed in the below paragraphs. 1.1. Strength of the Career Development and Mentorship Process The career development in BCG is quite remarkable. There is a good scope for career building in the organisation, ranging from associates to officers. The associates and consultants in the firm are primarily focused on the organisational module. The project leader handles various projects in the organisation. The managers have the responsibility to handle both the project and the clients of the organisation as both are termed essential for the success of the business. The officers of BCG give much emphasis on clients and the success of the organisation. ... The incoming consultants are assigned a Career Development Consultant (CDC) advisor, as they provide guidance to the clients in their project work and help them in their success. They also provide positive and/or negative feedback to the incumbents for their improvement. Therefore, the employees can grow skills by the opportunities from staffing. Consequently, the employees need to be proactive in building their skills. The training is also conducted for the professionals for qualitative and administrative purpose. The formal training helps the employees to improve their social skills, networking skills and becoming more familiar with the working environment of BCG. With an overall point of view, the on-job training is quite productive for the professionals. The BCG officers are assigned as informal mentors for incoming consultants and CDC advisors are the formal mentors. The mentors, who are selected for the incumbents, assist them to deal with several issues and stimulate their ski lls. There is no structured time for the mentors to talk to the consultants. From the first month of their joining up to 24th month, mentors discuss and try to explore various problems that may arise with the consultants in their work and workplace. 1.2. Weaknesses of Career Development and Mentorship Process BCG gives primary focus on handling the clients rather than the growth of the people. The promotion in the organisation is decided by the senior persons depending on the skills of the professionals and not by their time period in the job. Thus, biasness is most likely to arise in the workplace. There is a criterion of voluntary exit for the professionals during their on-job training period due to poor

Forces for expansion of Atlantic world and relation to North American Essay

Forces for expansion of Atlantic world and relation to North American colonial history - Essay Example The avenues created by the so launched project created the pathways for the Europeans to migrate into the Americas right from the sixteenth century, they then fought and defeated the native populations and even went to an extent to ensure they were extinct by devouring them completely. These were facilitated by the need for these populations to create and establish European agricultural and urban settlement schemes. Furthermore, the European powers were driven by the urge to impose upon the subjects’ rules and regulations on commerce and trade, land owning and the general political life (Linebaugh, Peter, and Marcus 2000 pg.43). These are the fundamental factors that lead to the transformation of the old world according to the historical fundamentals into the so called new world and hence the Atlantic world. The creation of the Atlantic world was also characterized by the creation of the empires. These were facilitated by the urge and zeal by which commerce and trade was expanding from Europe to America. Other factors being the movement of the population for religious freedom, escape from oppression, adventure with the largest majority of the Europeans moving in search of economic empowerment through the search for economic opportunities (Linebaugh, Peter, and Marcus 2000 pg.67). Therefore, the Europeans immigrants in America attained their settlements through a connection between Europe and America as a result of trade or commerce; this is evident due to the yearly growth in commerce both extensively and in a quite complex manner. These also intensified with the sharp increase in demand for labor in the new world characterized by commerce fueling expansion of trade hence increased migration from the old world to the new world. Increased commerce also became the cause of the increase in slavery in the Americas hence the growth in slave trade between the European America and Africa and these draws us to the fact that the Atlantic world was not only inclusion of the Europe and America but also Africa (Linebaugh, Peter, and Marcus 2000 pg.93). The other major factor that was binding to the Atlantic world is religion. The majority of the American settlers carried their Christian religions from Europe which they maintained. While the Catholics maintained their close ties to the Vatican in Rome where they originated, the Protestants who were the majority in North America were closely linked to their European counterparts. Religion through new ideas and movement spread across the Atlantic like bushfire resulting into the movement of the great revival of the into America, it is important to note that the ideas and movements we are talking about originated from Europe. For example, the great evangelist George Whitefield propelled the movement of the â€Å"Great Awakeningà ¢â‚¬  form great Britain to America in quite a large chunk. The

Course Project Essay Example for Free

Course Project Essay (A). Law Review Article: Tristin K. Green, Discrimination in Workplace Dynamics: Towards a Structural Account of Dispute Treatment Theory, 38 HARV. C. R-C. L. L. REV. 91 (2003) (B). Government Agency Website:http//hreoc. gov. au/about/mailing-lists/index. html Section two Gender Discrimination Worker Type Employee Handbook Undocumented Workers Marital Status Employee Freedom Family Responsibility Employee Privacy Pay and Hours Health and Safety Section three Jury finds Curtiss-Wright liable in gender bias case. Oct. 25, 2006. This was a case whereby Curtiss-Wright who is a maker of aircraft electronics lost a $9M verdict when a woman executive was passed over for a promotion and later fired because of her gender. This case is very much relevant to Ms. Collins’ . As is clear, one of Ms. Collins claims is that she has never been promoted since she joined `ABC’ as an account executive since 1989. Again all the male employees hired during the same time and with the same classification as hers have evidently been promoted one to four times and have a salary to boot. $1. 6M Suit Alleges Gender Discrimination. March 22, 2004 In this case, former chemical engineering assistant professor, Lynn Russell, filed a 1. 6M suit against the university as she alleged gender discrimination and breach of contract. The suit claims chemical engineer chair discriminates against female junior faculty and undermined Russell’s tenure. This case is relevant to Ms. Collins as it is an evidence of her claims of being discriminated against. It is a strong indication that gender discrimination does exist. Tropicana Sued for Discrimination Against Pregnant Woman. Sept. 12, 2003. A federal law suit was filed by The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Tropicana Casino Resort alleging it violated a pregnant employee’s civil rights. According to 32 year old Elizabeth of Lancaster, she was fired 24 hours after she informed her boss about her condition who refused to allow her to work part time claiming the job was performance related. This particular case is very much relevant to that of Ms. Collins as it is evident that employers do not put into consideration that women are likely to go on maternity leave as a result of pregnancy. Again, at times one will call in sick. Like in Ms. Collins case, she is always getting home on emergency calls as she has disabled child who suffers from severe medical and emotional problems. Does it mean that she will lose her job when she requires an immediate leave to attend to her child? Robinson may settle Lawsuit for $15Mril 13, 2006 C. H Robinson, a transportation logistics company is said to have reached what is said to be a tentative settlement with former and current women employees over the allegations of gender discrimination in pay and promotion. This is so much like Ms. Collins case whose main cry is low pay and being passed over for promotion. EEOC Accuses Die Maker of Bias Against Women. July 24, 2003 The government says that a Northeast Ohio tool-and-die maker has deemed women too weak to work in the company. This is a clear indication that employees overlook women when it comes to certain jobs just like in Ms. Collins case where she says that her employee claims that she does not fit the image right for the higher positions. Section four Brown O. Judith, Subrin N. Stephen, Baumann T. Phyllis, Some Thoughts about Social Perception and Employment Discrimination Law: A Modest Proposal for Keeping the Judicial Dialogue, 46 EMORY L. J. 1487 (1997) Godsil D. Rachel, Expressivism, Empathy and Equality, 36 U. MICH. J. L. REFORM 247(2003)

The Kalabagh Dam Consequences

The Kalabagh Dam Consequences The Kalabagh dam is controversial for many reasons. A key reason has to do with the decision making process, which is highly centralized, politically coercive, and technically flawed. Regrettably, when the need is for broad-based stakeholder consultations, the existing trend is towards even greater centralization. For instance, the rotating chairmanship of the Indus River System Authority has recently been converted into a permanent appointment, provincial resolutions against Kalabagh have been given short shrift, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has consistently ignored the matter and community concerns continue to be met with blatant disregard. Small wonder then that the political leadership in the smaller provinces and civil society are up in arms against Kalabagh. In this essay, we critically examine four contested aspects of the Kalabagh dam. These relate to: water availability; environmental impacts; food and energy; and technical and financial feasibility. The work of colleagues is gratefully acknowledged. Water availability is an over riding concern. Is surplus water available to justify the Kalabagh project? WAPDA itself the generic source has sown confusion on this issue. It cites two average flow figures: 123 MAF (million acre-feet) and 143 MAF. The first calculation is based on a 64-year period (1922-1996) and includes both wet and dry cycles. The second estimate is based on a much shorter and wet cycle period of 22 years (1977-1994). Since the total requirement (inclusive of the additional allocation of 12 MAF under the 1991 Water Accord), is calculated at 143 MAF, there is a clear short fall of 20 MAF if we use the first estimate. This means Kalabagh may remain dry every 4 out of 5 years. Even the higher flow figure (143 MAF) overlooks certain factors. The first of these is system (evaporation and seepage) losses. If such losses increased from 6.2 MAF post Mangla to 14.7 MAF post-Tarbela, presumably, they will be even higher post-Kalabagh. This would have adverse implications for inter-provincial water distribution. New irrigation infrastructure appears untenable in view of these losses, since the increased upstream off-takes would be at the expense of downstream flows. This concern is also ignored when presenting Kalabagh as a replacement for Tarbela. Tarbela is projected to lose 5.3 MAF of its storage capacity by the year 2010. Since Kalabagh would, essentially, be replacing this loss, the Right and Left Bank canals would divert even more of Sindhs allocations than they presently are. In addition, illegal off-takes would also tend to be exacerbated. Consider now the environmental implications of constructing yet another large dam on the Indus River ecosystem. A catalogue of existing degradation provides the context for future environmental impacts of dams like Kalabagh. Degradation of the Indus delta ecosystem, as a result of reduced water outflows, is already a highly visible phenomenon. The present level of silt discharge, estimated at 100 million tons per year, is a four-fold reduction from the original level before large dams were constructed on the River Indus. The combination of salt-water intrusion (some reports show this as 30 km inland), and reduced silt and nutrient flows has changed the character of the delta considerably. The area of active growth of the delta has reduced from an original estimate of 2,600 sq. km (growing at 34 meters per year) to about 260 sq. km. The consequent ravages to the ecosystem have been exceptionally severe, in particular to the mangroves, which are its mainstay. They sustain its fisheries, act as natural barriers against sea and storm surges, keep bank erosion in check and are a source of fuel wood, timber, fodder and forest products, a refuge for wildlife and a potential source of tourism. Without mangroves and the nutrients they recycle and the protection they provide, other components of the ecosystem would not survive. The direct and indirect benefits of mangroves are enormous. In 1988, Pakistan earned Rs.2.24 billion from fish exports, of which shrimps and prawns constituted 72%. Additional income is generated from fuelwood, fodder and forest products was another Rs.100/- million. Not only is this revenue at risk from mangrove loss, but the physical infrastructure required to replace the natural protection provided by the mangroves (dykes, walls) would entail enormously high capital and maintenance costs. The health of mangroves is directly linked to fresh water inflows. Releases below Kotri barrage in most years and excluding floods average 10 MAF. Of this, little or none actually reaches the mangroves. The rest is lost due to evaporation or diversions. According to the Sindh Forestry Department, about 27 MAF is required to maintain the existing 260,000 ha. of mangroves in reasonably healthy condition. This is 27 MAF more than currently available, a situation which has contributed to ecosystem instability and mangrove loss. Within the framework of the Indus Water Accord, an additional 12 MAF would be diverted for upstream dam construction including Kalabagh. This would reduce existing sub-optimal flows further and aggravate an already critical situation. A community of about 100,000 people, residing on the northern side of the Indus Delta, depends on the mangroves for their livelihood. The prevailing view is that being under privileged, such communities are prone to degrade their environment. However, it is difficult to fathom why poor communities should endanger the very basis of their existence. The more likely explanation is that community practices have not changed, but they appear unsustainable because the resource base has begun to degrade. Communities are more often the victims than the agents of such degradation are. The real culprits are water diversion; biological and chemical water contamination and large-scale commercial practices, compounded both by institutional ignorance and complicity in such practices. Mangrove loss is only one among the many manifestations of biodiversity deficits emerging along the entire length of the Indus River ecosystem. The ecosystem has been severely fragmented over time by its extensive network of dams, canals and barrages, resulting in threats to a variety of species and organisms, the most notable among them being the Indus dolphin and the palla fish. Both can be classified as indicator species, as their impending loss represents the loss of a way of life, characterized by interdependence between communities and their environment. Another myth firmly embedded in the minds of our planners is that large dams are the perfect flood prevention devices. The evidence for Pakistan shows otherwise; that its large dams not withstanding, there has been no reduction in the incidence and intensity of floods nor in the associated losses in lives, crops, livestock and infrastructure. There is no seeming pattern to the floods other than the fact that they could have coincided with wet cycles. In actual fact, the severity of flood impacts appears to have increased after the two major dams, Tarbela and Mangla, were constructed. In actual fact, the shrinking of the riverbeds due to water diversions reduces their absorptive capacity and hence enhances the danger of flooding. River ecosystems have a natural capacity to deal with floods and these natural processes provide many benefits. Flood plains, wetlands, backwaters are commonly referred to as natures sponges; they absorb and purify excess water as a hedge against lean periods. They act as spawning grounds for fish and wildfowl. The floods themselves replenish agricultural soils. Communities living around these areas adapt to this natural rhythm and use its bounty to ensure reliable and sustainable livelihoods. It has also been pointed out that dams dont prevent floods, they merely create flood threat transfer mechanisms. The solution is to work with communities, rely on their knowledge and to supplement their flood mitigation and coping strategies. Two of the most commonly cited arguments in favor of large dams relate to food security and energy. Such arguments have become increasingly compelling in the light of perceived threats to food security and the recent furor surrounding the private power projects. We examine both of these arguments in turn. Additional water from Kalabagh can enhance crop production in three ways: by irrigating new land; by enhancing cropping intensity on existing land; or through yield enhancement. The first option appears tenuous. It is claimed that Kalabagh will irrigate close to an additional million hectares of barren land, and bring Pakistan closer to wheat self-sufficiency. However, the reports of the National Commission on Agriculture and the National Conservation Strategy suggest otherwise. They indicate that available cultivable land is almost fully utilized, leaving little scope for extensive cultivation. Between 1952 and 1977, about 80% of the increase in total cropped area was due to the cu ltivation of new land. Since then, this proportion has fallen dramatically, with double cropping accounting for the bulk of the increase. The reports suggest that in addition to the water constraint a very tangible land constraint exists as well. Crop production can also be increased through cropping intensity increases or crop yield enhancements. Both are water dependent and establish an a priori justification for Kalabagh. The NCS report states that at present 12.2 million hectares of land are available for double cropping while only 4.4 million hectares are being double cropped clearly water is the constraining factor. With respect to yield enhancements, water is again required in large quantities by the high yielding seed varieties (wheat, cotton, rice, maize) and for its synergetic effects upon chemical inputs. However, a critical choice needs to be made here. Does one opt for additional water, or can the same results be achieved through improved water use efficiency? Higher water retention in the system risks aggravating an already massive problem of water logging and salinity. In fact, the controversial and exorbitantly expensive ($780 million), 25-year National Drainage Plan project has been launched to mitigate its impacts. Kalabagh is bound to add to the problem, not only in its immediate environs but also where new irrigation infrastructure is to be situated. A clearly preferred choice is to use existing water more efficiently, and to focus on the necessary institutional changes for its equitable distribution. Some of the proposed measures are canal and watercourse rehabilitation, land leveling, improved on-farm water management and, at the policy level, switching demand based management while protecting the needs of the poor small farmers. These are clearly win-win solutions as they are relatively low cost, efficient, equitable and environmentally friendly. After the recent commotion over private power, the government began to hype up Kalabagh as an alternative source of cheap and clean energy. In the process, it switched adroitly from its earlier position that energy demand had been overstated, to one where it now posits a deficiency in supply. However, the cheap energy argument is becoming increasingly untenable both financially and technically. Donors such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are unlikely to provide concessional funding for Kalabagh. This reflects their commitment to the thermal based private power projects, as well as the censure they have faced for getting embroiled in projects with major environmental and resettlement costs. And even if concessional funding was available, it is still not clear that hydel unit costs would be lower than thermal, once these costs are factored in. At this point, the whole debate appears to be moot since the government is scampering for funds to keep the economy afloat against the backdrop of sanctions. Even so, renewed policy statements suggest there is a resolve to proceed when the situation permits. Apart from the political compulsions, there is an inertial aspect to this decision as well. Institutional and financial paralysis inhibits the scope for energy conservation, efficiency improvements and diversification. The options have been identified often enough: on the supply side these are reduction of transmission and distribution (TD) losses and renewable energy development technologies (solar, wind, biomass). On the demand side, both technical and economic options exist for energy conservation. While these have been employed to some extent (tariff increases, energy efficient lighting), the efforts are a far cry from the kind of sustained initiatives launched in some South Asian countries, such as Thailand, where revamped e nergy supply systems are part of a larger network, with linkages to RD, the private sector and trade facilities. The title of a study Tarbela Dam Sedimentation Management, carried out by TAMS-Wallingford (March 1998) is self-explanatory. It shows that a de-silted Tarbela would yield the same irrigation benefits as Kalabagh, but at one-seventh the cost in net present value terms. The study states that, replacement of [irrigation and energy] benefits by constructing a new dam and reservoir down stream is feasible, but will be expensive, environmentally damaging and socially harmful. An alternative option cited is the construction of new outlets at the Tarbela Dam that will enable sediment to be flushed from the reservoir. The proposed Tarbela Action Plan is based on computer simulations of sediment flows. These simulations were designed to determine whether flushing was technically feasible and could be used to enhance long run storage capacity and to predict future sedimentation. Based on these simulations, a three phased action plan was proposed. The implementation of this plan would ensure long term and sustainable storage with only a small annual reduction in capacity. The estimated increase in retention at 6 MAF is exactly what the Kalabagh reservoir is designed to hold. Our conclusion is that the burden of proof is on those who advocate building the Kalabagh Dam. Our findings show that it is not economically, socially or environmentally viable. Also, the proposed benefits are based on faulty or misunderstood premises and, in any case, there exist in each case more viable and cost effective alternatives.

Psychopathy and Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD) Essay -- What I

Stories of the ‘psychopath’ are often intriguing to individuals in the general population as they receive exhaustive media coverage and are the basis for many interesting story lines in books, television and movies. The idea of the ‘psychopath’ is usually misunderstood and merged with other dispositions such as Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD), but these concepts are two distinct entities. Defining a ‘psychopath’ is a difficult task. Frist, psychopathy is a trait and not a disorder (Strickland et al, 2013). Characterizing psychopathy using the Diagnostic Statistical Manual Fifth Edition (DSM-V) has demonstrated effective trait-based coverage in terms of psychopathy and its facets that are identifiable through the Personality Inventory for DSM-V (PID-V) (Strickland et al, 2013). The identification of psychopathy as a trait indicates that individuals with this specific trait possess patterns of thoughts, feelings or actions that are distinguishable. For example, the Five Factor Model (Costa and Wildiger, 2002) describes five broad dimensions of personality that are used to describe human personality. Individuals all possess some degree of these identifiable traits, however they are expressed in different comportments upon a continuum. Possessing the average trait has not historically bred problems (Costa and Wildiger, 2002) but, when individuals approach an extreme end of a trait (extremely low or extremely high) then there may be indication of some kind of personality disorder. Hence, the term psychopathy and ASPD are often used interchangeably as individuals that demonstrate extreme forms of psychopathy are often diagnosed with ASPD (Strickland et al, 2013). The DSM-V aims to correct this binder. The dimensional persona... ... Psychopathy Scores Predict Adolescent Inpatient Aggression. Assessment, 10(1), 102-112. Strickland, C., Drislane, L., Lucy, M., Krueger, R., & Patrick, C. (2013). Characterizing Psychopathy Using DSM-5 Personality Traits. Assessment, 20(3), 327-338 . Szalavitz, M. (n.d.). Why Do Some People Become Psychopaths?. MSN Healthy Living. Retrieved October 23, 2013, from http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/why-do-some-people-become-psychopaths-1?pageart=2 Woodworth, M., & Porter, S. (2002). In cold blood: characteristics of criminal homicides as a function of psychopathy. Journal of abnormal psychology, 111(3), 436. Winko v. British Columbia (Forensic Psychiatric Institute), [1999] 2 S.C.R. 625 World Health Organization. 2001b. Burden of Mental and Behavioural Disorders. http://www.who.int/whr/2001/chapter2/en/index.html (accessed March 21, 2008).

Jeannie Brown and Invasive Group A Streptococcus :: essays research papers

our everyday lives bacteria is constantly surrounding us, some of the bacterium that we encounter are beneficial to us but then there are the ones that are severely detrimental to our health. The way that they effect a persons body can differ from person to person. Many of the â€Å"microscopic foes† are very resilient and have a very fast reproduction rate. Not only do they reproduce quickly they sometimes seem to outsmart our immune system and not allow our bodies to fight the infection making it almost impossible to stop them. One thing that a lot if people rely on is the assistance of prescription drugs to get them better but even the drugs are not being effective and we can’t stop the pathogens from invading our personal places such as work, home, school, or anywhere. Even though modern medicine is advancing the pathogens could still get the get the best of us. The scary thing is we never know when the next pandemic or epidemic is going to arise. All it needs is s ome ordinary microbe to swap genes with a deadly germ to produce a â€Å"super pathogen† and it could happen to anyone, anywhere, as it did to Jeannie Brown who is from â€Å"our neck of the woods†. Jeannie Brown was a hard working thirty- two year old woman from Canton North Carolina. She worked two jobs to make ends meet at home for her and her ten year old son. Jeannie was insecure about her recent weight gain and that caused her to get sucked into depression. Not only was she stressed and depressed she also had high blood pressure which she was taking medication for. Jeannie needed a break and she decided that she was going to take one and go to Myrtle Beach with one of her friends for a relaxing three day weekend. After they got settled in at the beach Jeannie changed into her bathing suit and it was then when she noticed an unfamiliar feeling in her neck and behind her left ear. She also said that she felt as if there was a knot in her neck. Jeannie then asked her friend if she noticed anything different. There were no visible signs that would make them come to the conclusion that anything significant was wrong with her. Not â€Å"overreacting† to the situation they came to the conclusion that Jeannie had probably slept funny the night before, so they continued with there day relaxing on the beach.

Is Collusion Possible :: essays papers

Is Collusion Possible 1. Introduction. In this essay I would discuss the price and output determination under the one essential type of imperfect competition markets- oligopoly. Inter-firm interactions in imperfect markets take many forms. Oligopoly theory, those name refers to "competition among the few", lack unambiguous results of these interactions unlike monopoly and perfect competition. There is a variety of results derived from many different behavioural assumptions, with each specific model potentially relevant to certain real-world situations, but not to others. Here we are interested in the strategic nature of competition between firms. "Strategic" means the dependence of each person's proper choice of action on what he expects the other to do. A strategic move of a person influences the other person's choice, the other person's expectation of how would this particular person behave, in order to produce the favourable outcome for him. 2. Two types of behaviour (Collusive and non-collusive). Models of enterprise decision making in oligopoly derive their special features from the fact that firms in an oligopolistic industry are interdependent and this is realised by these firms. When there are only a few producers, the reaction of rivals should be taken into account. There are two broad approaches to this problem. First, oligopolists may be thought of as agreeing to co-operate in setting price and quantity. This would be the Collusive model. According to this model, firms agree to act together in their price and quantity decisions and this would to exactly the same outcome as would have been under monopoly. Thus the explicit or co-operative collusion or Cartel would take place. Second approach of the oligopoly analysis is based on the assumption that firms do not co-operate, but make their decisions on the basis of guesses, expectations, about the variables to which their competitors are reaching and about the form and the nature of the reactions in question. The Non-collusive behaviour deals with this model. Here, though in equilibrium the expectations of each firm about the reactions of rivals are realised, the parties never actually communicate directly with each other about their likely reactions. The extreme case of this can even imply competitive behaviour. Such a situation is much less profitable for firms than the one in which they share the monopolistic profit. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the case of the possibility of collusion between firms in order to reach the monopolistic profits for the industry, assuming that they do not co-operate with each other.

Puppy vs. Dog

Buying a Puppy vs. Buying an Older Dog Since the Internet was not working, I had to chose another theme to write about. I picked the theme â€Å"Buying a Puppy vs. Buying an Older Dog. † These two topics don't have much in comparison, but they are very different. Buying a puppy at a very young age can be a difficult or easy process, depending on how you train the puppy. Buying an older dog is very tricky in many ways. There are very few comparisons about buying a puppy versus buying an older old. One comparison is that they are both pets.They are alike by there structures and mannerisms. Another comparison is that they are a very good companionship to you and your loved ones. There are many different things about a new puppy and an older dog. For one thing if you buy a puppy, you can train the puppy to the way of life your used to living to. You can train your puppy to be on a schedule. If you buy an older dog, it may not be trained. Older dogs aren't as easily trained as youn ger puppies. A puppy can grow up knowing who you are and get familiar to you and the people around you.An older dog may have had a bad past, and may be meaner or not as friendly towards others. The older dog won't be familiar to you, your family, or the people around you. I think you should buy a puppy instead of buying an older dog. If you are looking to buy an older dog, you have to look at the dogs past and determine if it is going to be easier (for you and the dog) to train a puppy or have to teach an old dog new tricks. To me, it will be easier to buy a new puppy versus buying an older dog. Puppy vs. Dog Buying a Puppy vs. Buying an Older Dog Since the Internet was not working, I had to chose another theme to write about. I picked the theme â€Å"Buying a Puppy vs. Buying an Older Dog. † These two topics don't have much in comparison, but they are very different. Buying a puppy at a very young age can be a difficult or easy process, depending on how you train the puppy. Buying an older dog is very tricky in many ways. There are very few comparisons about buying a puppy versus buying an older old. One comparison is that they are both pets.They are alike by there structures and mannerisms. Another comparison is that they are a very good companionship to you and your loved ones. There are many different things about a new puppy and an older dog. For one thing if you buy a puppy, you can train the puppy to the way of life your used to living to. You can train your puppy to be on a schedule. If you buy an older dog, it may not be trained. Older dogs aren't as easily trained as youn ger puppies. A puppy can grow up knowing who you are and get familiar to you and the people around you.An older dog may have had a bad past, and may be meaner or not as friendly towards others. The older dog won't be familiar to you, your family, or the people around you. I think you should buy a puppy instead of buying an older dog. If you are looking to buy an older dog, you have to look at the dogs past and determine if it is going to be easier (for you and the dog) to train a puppy or have to teach an old dog new tricks. To me, it will be easier to buy a new puppy versus buying an older dog.

Apa Reference Examples

Reference Allgood, S. , Bosshardt, W. , Van Der Klaauw, W. , Watts, M. (2011). Economics coursework and long-term behavior and experiences of college graduates in labor markets and personal finance. Economic Inquiry, 49(3), 771-794. Atkinson, B. , Heath, A. , & Chenail, R. (1991). Qualitative research and the legitimization of knowledge. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 17(2), 175-18. Battistelli, A. , Galletta, M. , Portoghese, I. (2012). Mindsets of commitment and motivation: interrelationships and contribution to work outcomes. The Journal of Psychology, 147(1), 17-48.Benjamin, B. O’Reilly, C. (2011). Becoming a Leader: Early career challenges faced by MBA graduates. Academy of management learning & education, 10(3), 452-472. Brewer, K. L. , Brewer, P. D. (2012). Influencing variables and perceptions regarding MBA degree programs. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 16(4), 27-38. Brown, D. J. , Cober, R. T. , Kane, K. , Levy, P. E. , Shalhoop,J. (2006). Proacti ve personality and the successful job search: A field investigation with college graduates. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(3), 717-726. Brown, S. D. , Fischer, A. , Nord, D. Solberg, V. S. (1995). Career Decision-Making and career Search Activities: Relative effects of career search self-efficacy and human agency. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 42(4), 448-455. Bruce, G. (2010). Exploring the value of MBA degrees: Students’ experiences in full- time, part-time, and executive MBA programs. Journal of Education for Business, 85, 38-44. Corner, J. (1991). In search of more complete answers to research questions: Quantitative versus qualitative research methods is there a way forward? Journal of Research, 16, 3, 718-727. Crant, J. M. (2000).Proactive behavior in Organizational. Journal of Management, 26, 435-462. Crede, M. , & Kuncel, N. (2008). Study habits, skills, and attitudes: The third pillar supporting collegiate academic performance. Perspectives on Psychological Sci ence, 3, 425-453. de Leeuw, E. D. (2008). Choosing the method of data collection. In E. D. de Leeuw, J. J. Hox, & D. A. Dillman (Eds. ), International handbook of survey methodology (pp. 113-135). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Duffy , M. E. (1985). Designing research the qualitative –quantitative debate. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 11, 3, 225-232.Eisner, S. (2010). Grave new world? Workplace skills for today’s college graduates. American Journal of Business Education, 24-27. Fink, A (2009). How to conduct Survey; a step by step guide. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE. Griffin, R. , MacKewn, A. , Moser, E. , Van Vuren, K. W. (2012). Learning skills and motivation: correlates to superior academic performance. Business Education & Accreditation 5(1). Howard, C. M. , Schnusenberg, O. (2012). Student preparation and personality traits in the job market. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 16, 35-53. Kardam, B. L. & Rangnekar, S. (2012). Job satisfaction: Investigatin g the role of experience & education. Journal of Arts, Science & Commerce, 4(1), 16-22. Khan, N. S. , Riaz, A. , Rashid, M. (2011). The impact of work content, working conditions, career growth on employee motivation. Interdisciplinary Journal of contemporary research in business, 3(3), 1428-1434. Meila, K. M. (1982). Qualitative methodology. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 7, 4, 327-335. Meyer, J. P. , Becker, T. E. , & Vandenberghe, C. (2004). Employee commitment and motivation: A conceptual analysis and integrative model.Journal of Applied Psychology, 89, 991-1007. Putman, D. B. (2002). Job satisfaction and performance viewed from a two dimensional model, The Journal of Defense Software Engineering, 26-28. Ridgell, S. , & Lounsbury, J. (2004). Predicting academic success: general intelligence, â€Å"Big Five† personality traits, and work drive. College Student Journal, 38(4), 607-618. Rowden, R. W. (2002). The relationship between workplace learning and job satisfaction in US small midsize businesses, Human Resource Development Quarterly, 13(4), 407-25. Swaminathan, S. , Jawahar, P.D. (2013). Job satisfaction as a predictor of organizational citizenship behavior: An empirical study. Global Journal of Business Research, 7(1) 71-80. Tantiverdi, H. (2008). â€Å"Worker’s job satisfaction and organizational commitment: Mediator variable relationship of organizational commitment factors’, The Journal of American Academy of Business, 14. Tanyel, F. , Mitchell, M. A. , & McAlum, H. G. (1999). The skill set for success of new business school graduates: Do prospective employers and university faculty agree? Journal of Education for business, 35.

Green Marketing Plan †Nandos Essay

The purpose of this plan is to analyse the environmental efforts of the Nando’s Carnegie branch, and to develop strategies that propels them a step closer towards a more eco-friendly and sustainable future. Nando’s was established in 1987 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It has approximately 300 stores in Australia since the brand arrived here in 1990. Nando’s has already taken action to be more environmentally responsible, with better packaging designs and partnering with organizations that are tackling the world’s social problems. The sources of information for this  marketing plan include websites, articles and the management at the Carnegie branch of Nando’s. Since some data is unavailable to us (e.g. the annual costs of the business), certain assumptions will have to be made. Nando’s already has a clear focus on reducing its packaging, but energy and water usage have not been addressed as effectively. To reduce their usage of energy, they will have to consider their lighting, and the equipment that is used in the kitchen. Solar panels will also be installed to reduce their electricity use. Water usage will also be reduced by switching to more effi cient equipment in the kitchen and toilets. By employing the strategies that have been outlined, Nando’s will be able to target their triple bottom line by reducing cost, lightening their carbon footprint and consequently improving the lives of the people. Situation Analysis Nando’s Background Nando’s is not the common type of fast food joint, but is more of a casual dining place. Nando’s first began trading in 1987, in Johannesburg, South Africa. It arrived in Australia in 1990, with its first store opening in Perth. Since then, its popularity has grown in every state in Australia, with new stores opening all the time. There are approximately 300 stores operating nationally, with plans to expand further. Nando’s is famous for its unique Peri-Peri marinade that is used for all the chicken items on the menu (Nandos, 2012). This green marketing plan is for Nando’s Carnegie and how they can incorporate sustainability into their operations. Nando’s Environmental strategies Nandos does not advertise their sustainability efforts much, but protecting the environment and â€Å"doing the right thing† has always been a part of their business strategy. They are already raising awareness for an organisation called â€Å"United Against Malaria†, which is a charity that raises awareness of malaria, and aims to put an end to it (Mumbrella, 2012). Nando’s Carnegie has been selling â€Å"United Against Malaria† bracelets to raise funds for the charity. All Nando’s restaurants also use recyclable packaging for their products (they signed the Australian Packaging Covenant in 2010, which means they must adhere to their guidelines). They have also begun selling water bottles which use 35% less plastic than the previous bottles that were used. Recycle logos and information are also printed onto the packaging to educate consumers (Nandos, 2010). Nando’s also makes use of recycling services, which are available at every branch, including Carnegie. Nando’s have implemented a system of having its suppliers of oil provide oil to each store in large quantities so as to reduce the amount of trips that they need to make. This system also reduces the use of steel drums for containing the oil. Spent oil is then sent to recyclers to produce biodiesel, which Nando’s then uses to run its trucks (Nandos, 2010). Analysis of environmental performance Even though Nando’s does undertake all of the above- mentioned activities in their business processes, they are still not realizing their full potential in terms of sustainability. Even though Nando’s does try to buy recycled products, they do not have an explicit policy that states that they should buy recycled. Nando’s also does not have a policy to encourage their overseas suppliers to improve design to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging (Nandos, 2010). Just by implementing these guidelines, Nando’s could improve their environmental performance substantially. However, Nando’s does print environmental logos on all its primary and secondary packaging to encourage recycling throughout its value chain all the way to consumers. Nando’s also discourages consumers to take away the food, and this helps to reduce the use of extra packaging. All Nando’s restaurants have a relaxed atmosphere and a â€Å"homely† feel that urges consumers to eat there rather than take the food home (Nandos, 2012) The fast-food chain also uses renewable resources i.e. sugar cane material, for most of its packaging. Also, they try to make sure that the packaging is made using no small parts so littering is minimized (Nandos, 2010). A few inefficient business methods that are specific to the Carnegie branch include the washing of dishes and the use of disposable gloves. The bulky dishwasher is used even when there are just a few dishes, which results in wastage of water. Also, workers use disposable gloves which are not made of  renewable resources, and are replaced quite often due to overuse. Evidently, Nando’s has integrated sustainability into its organizational plans. However, with a more concentrated focus on the environment, Nando’s will be able to reduce their impact further, and could position themselves as the industry standard in terms of environmental impact. Current marketing strategies Nando’s main message in its advertising campaigns is the fact that they use fresh chicken that is flame-grilled, not fried. They use this as a point of differentiation to gain an advantage over other fast-food chains, like McDonald’s or KFC (Baker, 2010). With its creative and occasionally controversial marketing campaigns and catchy taglines such as â€Å"Portugasm†, Nando’s targets an educated, younger demographic market. The organization has successfully used social media to connect with their customers, and its website to communicate any new plans, or to inform the public of any events taking place at Nando’s.  Nando’s also uses its store design to complete the brand experience for customers. Wooden tables, soft,fluid lighting and posters showing the history of its unique flavours convey an image of relaxation and a natural, friendly appeal to the brand (Nandos, 2012). Even though the target market may be a young demographic, consumers of all ages and backgrounds visit Nando’s, presumably because of its uniquely cooked chicken. Industry analysis The Australian fast food industry has flourished in the last decade, with industry revenue rising by 4.3% to reach $16,007,400,000 per annum. There were approximately 36,730 fast food establishments in Australia in 2010 (RAPS, 2011). With such a large number of fast food organisations, they definitely have a significant impact on the Australian environment and could make a massive difference if they incorporated sustainability into their business practices. The current macro-environment factors will further examine the current situation and trends in the fast food industry. Political factors – All businesses involved in the production and sale of domestic food products must abide by the guidelines set in the â€Å"Food Standards Australia and New Zealand† (RAPS, 2011). This ensures that all businesses follow at least the minimum requirements for sustainability. – The introduction of the carbon tax has resulted in prices of products like fruits, vegetables, bread and meat will rise (Sebo, 2012), this means all fast food chains including Nando’s will have to raise their prices. Social factors – Consumers nowadays place more importance on preservation of the environment and healthy eating, so businesses must ensure they must deal with these issues (Price & Lawson, 1992) – Fast food continues to be seen as unhealthy and pollutants of the environment (Price & Lawson, 1992). – Fast food businesses are also perceived as litterers by a majority of consumers (Price & Lawson, 1992). Technological factors – A new kind of method of utilizing solar power, referred to as solar thermal, means that power can be stored for a longer period of time as the technology does not rely on direct sunlight (Sorly, n.d.) – Advances in packaging designs so they use less material mean that costs for companies are decreased and they decrease their environmental impact (Joy, 2011). – Progress in the development of water efficient fittings result in reduced water usage for all businesses. Natural factors – Water is a major factor influencing all businesses in Australia, as Australia is the driest inhabited continent in the world (White, 2009). – Growing population means more demand for food, which places more pressure on the sources of fast food businesses (White, 2009). – Depleting sources of fossil fuels, which are the main source of energy in Australia, will result in increased energy prices (White, 2009). Customer analysis There has been a significant increase of fast food consumption in Australia, with traffic to fast food joints increasing by roughly 7% in 2010 (Markey & Watson, 2011). People of all walks of life come to Nando’s, but a majority of them consist of younger people. Majority of consumers who purchase fast food do so for convenience (TheTelegraph, 2007). Therefore, they probably do not consider environmental factors in their purchase decision. However, with the green consumer group growing within Australia, opportunities for going green for businesses are becoming more appealing. In Australia, there are certain trends that define consumers today. Consumers can be divided into certain groups. These include the Value Consumer, the Busy Consumer and the Green Consumer to name a few (ACRS, 2010) The Value Consumer These are consumers who spend their money more wisely, and mostly consider only what they need. This is mainly a consequence of the Global Financial Crisis as consumers have become more cautious in their spending habits. This can be evidenced by the fact that consumer spending in Australia has been decreasing steadily, and this trend looks set to continue (Schwarten, 2012). These customers then force businesses to create value, so as to attract them to their brand. The Busy Consumer These are consumers who are becoming increasingly time-poor and convenience has a major effect on their purchase decisions. They place more emphasis on â€Å"speed, simplicity and convenience† (ACRS, 2010). Time is very valuable to them, so fast food is the ideal choice for these types of consumers. The Green Consumer This has become a growing niche in the market, and identifies those consumers who are more concerned about the environment than other people. They are willing to spend more for products if they know it will help to conserve the environment. They will actively seek out green products or even organic products, and they take into account the environmental practices of the  business before choosing to purchase. This consumer market is continuously growing, with an estimated buying power of US$500 billion in 2007 globally (ACRS, 2010). In Australia, consumers spent around AU$12 billion on environmentally-friendly goods in 2009, and the market reached AU$21 billion by 2010. Australians attitude towards environmental issues Australians are undoubtedly concerned about the environment, but the high costs of going green are stopping them from being very eco-friendly. This is confirmed by the fact that 100% of Gen Y and 91% of Gen X believe in the effects of climate change, according to McCrindle Research (n.d.). However, 65% do not want to pay more than 10% for green products, while only 10% are willing to pay any price. Consumers also feel that environmentally friendly products should cost less than other  products so as to encourage people to buy them (McCrindle, n.d.) Consumers nowadays expect business to be transparent with their activities and to be accountable at every level of business (Davis, 2007). Organizations are also expected to provide accurate information regarding the environmental impact of their products, and to minimize the impact through the use of innovative designs and manufacturing techniques (Savita, 2011). This means a restaurant like Nando’s is expected to provide the information about their environmental impact to customers, and do all they can to protect the environment, and provide safe products to customers. The purpose of this marketing plan is to target the growing Green Consumer market, and to inform the Value Customer of the high level of environmentally friendly business practices taking place at Nando’s Carnegie so as to give them another reason to eat there. Competitor analysis Direct competitors of Nando’s Carnegie include Grill’d, McDonalds, KFC,  Subway and other various dining restaurants due to their geographic proximity to the Nando’s branch. McDonald’s Strengths 1. Participate in the  government’s Energies  Efficiencies  Opportunities Program. 2. Engage in countrywide water saving  programs. 3. McDonald’s has full  control over its supply  chain, which allows it to  incorporate sustainability  into its operations easily. 4. Conduct extensive  research into reducing  the impact of their  packaging, and are a  member of the Australian  Packaging Covenant.  (McDonalds, 2012) Weaknesses 1. The strategies they are undertaking have  not changed their greedy, corporate brand  image (Barriaux, M. 2007) 2. McDonald’s does have a slight perception  of going green in the minds of consumers, but  its actual green performance is much lower  (Streeter, 2011) 3. McDonald’s customers alone produce 6.35  kgs of trash during peak hour. 4. McDonalds, due to its large size, is  susceptible to being sued by individuals or  organisations that see any weakness in their  sustainability efforts e.g. the 1986 court case  (Archives, 2007) 5. Damage the environment extensively from  their production techniques  (EthicalFootprint,2010) Strategies 1. Litter Control program helps  keep the restaurant grounds clean. 2. Restaurant includes rain water  tanks, dual flush toilets and water  restrictors on taps. 3. Use scorecard method for  sustainability targets for its  suppliers to make sure the goals  are being met throughout the  supply chain. 4. Use recyclable material for  packaging, and continuous  research is put into finding new  ways to reduce packaging material.  (McDonalds, 2012) KFC Strengths Weaknesses Strategies 1. Benefit from alliance  with Carbon Trust, as  they provide them with  ideas of green  technologies. 2. Yum! Brands, (KFC’s  parent company) are  always looking for new  ways for environment  sustainability (Yum!  Brands, 2010). KFC  benefits from this as  they have access to all of  the green technologies  that Yum! Brands  develops. 1. KFC has been linked with deforestation  activities in several parts of the world  (Halladay, 2012). 2. KFC has experienced problems with animal  rights groups, hygiene problems at certain  restaurants, and poor working conditions for  workers. This has had an adverse effect on  their brand image. 1. Switched to recyclable material  for packaging in 2009  (EnvironmentalLeader, 2009). 2. All wrappers for chips, burgers,  and cups are put through a dual  waste stream bin, which is then  sorted and sent out to recycle  (KFC, 2012). 3. Dual flush system and waterless  urinals in the restaurant help to  conserve water. 4. Increased insulation for floor,  walls, and ceiling (KFC, 2012) Subway Strengths Weaknesses Strategies 1. Work with  International Purchasing  Companies Ltd to  generate ideas for  environment  sustainability (Subway,  2012). 2. Subways brand motto,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Eat Fresh†Ã‚  complements its  sustainability goals  (Fitzgerald, Brown &  Stewart, 2009). 3. Member of the  Australian Packaging  Covenant, which  provides Subway with  clear goals for reducing  environmental impact  (Subway, 2012) 1. Subway received some bad press for an  incident involving animal cruelty, which may  have damaged their brand image in the minds  of a few consumers (Reale, 2011) 1. Switched to more energy saving  lighting and low flow water  faucets. 2. Furniture and cleaning materials  are made from more sustainable  materials. 3. Majority of the paper packaging  used is completely recyclable.  (Subway, 2012) – Grill’d is also a competitor of the Nandos Carnegie branch. They have a brand image that promotes healthy living and their supply consists of only fresh ingredients. Their Local Matters initiative, which is used to support local charities, is a fundamental part of their corporate social responsibility program (Grilld, 2012) Internal analysis Human Resources The management at Nando’s Carnegie has had experience with Nando’s for quite some time, so they know how to implement any new operations into the business effectively. Also, this Carnegie branch is family-owned so they would be enthusiastic about any positive innovations or advancements. Marketing capabilities Nando’s uses several mediums to reach its consumers. It uses social media such as its own Facebook page and Twitter account. They also re-designed their website to give it a more informal, fun look. Nando’s also advertises in-store with a variety of posters and brochures. Nando’s also utilises TV advertising but not as intensely as the other fast food franchises. Nando’s is known for its somewhat cheeky advertising, and this has improved brand awareness since it first moved to Australia (Squidoo,n.d). Financial Resources Average revenue daily for the Nando’s Carnegie branch is approximately $2,200. So average annual revenue is approximately $791,720. Objectives To incorporate sustainability into Nando’s accounting framework, the Triple Bottom Line will be used. This means that objectives will be formed so as to address business, society and environmental factors. The TBL framework considers people, planet and profit at the core of the business. Objective 1: Reduce overall environmental impact by intensifying focus on water usage, energy usage and packaging material. By doing this, Nando’s Carnegie will aim to achieve a 50% reduction in costs. Objective 2: Increase awareness of Nando’s Carnegie’s environmental efforts by 50% among consumers by December 2014. Green Marketing Strategy Objective 1: Reduce overall environmental impact by intensifying focus on water usage, energy usage and packaging material. By doing this, Nando’s Carnegie will aim to achieve a 50% reduction in costs. Strategy Reduce water usage by 50% by December 2014. Strategy Reduce energy use by 50% by December 2014. Actions 1. Replace existing  dish washer with  dishwasher that has 4  Star Water Efficiency rating. 2. Ensure all employees  use the dishwasher only  for a full load. 3. Install time flow taps  and dual flush toilets. Actions 1. Replace fryer with  energy-efficient fryer  that has earned the  ENERGY STAR. 2. Install ENERGY  STAR convection oven. 3. Add strip curtains and  automatic door closers  to the walk-in  refrigerator to keep  inside temperature low. 4. Install CFL bulbs in  every part of the  restaurant. 5. Install demand based  exhaust control. This  regulates the exhaust fan  speed in the kitchen to  meet ventilation needs. 6. Install energy  efficient Reverse Cycle  Air Conditioner. 7. Install 7 solar panels  on roof of building. Cost $3000- $6000. Time flow taps- $300 each Dual flush toilets- $500 Cost $950- electric $4,400- gas $1,800- electric $ 3,400- gas $5 per bulb. (Times approximately 25 bulbs for the restaurant = $125) $1500 – $2000 $3000- $4000 Through the implementation of these strategies, Nando’s will be able to reduce their overall operating cost. The investment in green technology might have a high initial investment, but will definitely be profitable in the future. For example: – Energy-efficient fryers can save up to $100 for electricity or $470 for gas annually. ENERGY STAR electric ovens can save up to $190 annually CFL bulbs can reduce energy consumption by 75% Cutting down on idle time for the combination oven can save up to $800 annually. By turning down the central cooling by 3 F, air conditioning costs can be reduced by 12-15 percent. The solar panels could help save up to $400 in electricity costs. (Energy Star, 2012) Clearly, these cost savings are quite significant, and a 50% reduction in costs is therefore perfectly realistic. Strategy 4: Nando’s is already committed to eco-friendly packaging practices, as they follow the strict guidelines under the Australian Packaging Covenant. However, Nando’s does not currently work with third-party organizations to improve design and recycling of packaging, they must begin doing so in order to benefit from specialist knowledge that those firms (e.g. The Cardboard Pallet Company) have acquired. Objective 2: Increase awareness by 50% of Nando’s Carnegie’s environmental efforts among consumers by December 2014. Strategy Actions Increase communication efforts  of eco-friendly changes taking  place through a range of  mediums and creative tactics. 1. Change in-store poster design  to a green theme to emphasize  the changes taking place. N/A Cost 2. Advertise in local â€Å"Caulfield  Glen Eira Leader† newspaper  and â€Å"The Daily Green† website  about the restaurant’s green  efforts. 3. Use outdoor banners to  advertise sustainability practices. 4. Distribute brochures inside  store to raise awareness of the  shift to sustainability at  Nando’s. $500 (approximately) $300 ($150 for each banner) $2000 Other strategies that Nando’s could undertake involve: Using their food waste and turn it into compost to use it to grow plants. They could do this by having their own compost recycling operation or send their food waste to a compost facility. Encouraging more eat-ins by providing facts about the environmental impact of packaging to consumers. Using the strategies listed, Nando’s will be able to affect its Triple Bottom Line positively. Through the implementation of the strategies, they will be able to minimise their environmental impact, reduce their costs significantly and improve the store environment for the people who visit the store (i.e. through improved design and having more decorative plants in the store). The achievement of these objectives will show Nando’s devotion to sustainability. References Archives (2007, April 11). McDonalds, Environmental McNasty? Retrieved 27 September, 2012 from http://theconcordian.com/ Baker, R. (2010, June 30). Nandos has lipsmackin’ giveaway plan. Marketing Week. Retrieved from http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/nandos-has-lipsmackin-giveawayplan/3015217.art icle Barriaux, M. (2007, July 05). McDonalds goes green, but not all customers are lovin’ it. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/ Davis, P. (2007, November 13). Is your company naughty or nice? Consumers want to know before buying. Retrieved September 27, 2012 from http://www.marketingexperiments.com/blog/ Energy Star (2012). Energy Star Guide For Restaurants. Retrieved from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/restaurants_guide.pdf?04bb-ca54 Environmental Leader (2009, January 28). KFC Switches to Earth-Friendly Packaging. Retrieved September 28, 2012 from http://www.environmentalleader.com/ Ethical Footprint (2010, May 14). Unethical companies: McDonalds. Retrieved 27 September, 2012 from http://ethicalfootprint.wordpress.com/ Fitzgerald, T., Brown T. & Stewart E. (2009, April 01). Cover Story: Subway’s Journey to Green. Retrieved September 28, 2012 from http://www.chainalytics.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/03/2009-04-Subways-Journey-to-Green.pdf Grilld (2012). Retrieved from http://www.grilld.com.au/ Halladay, J. (2012, June 25). Kentucky Fried Chicken Destroying the Rainforests. Retrieved 28 September, 2012 from http://www.the-platform.org.uk/2012/06/25/kentucky-friedchicken-destroying-the-rainforests/ Joy. (2011). 50+ Eco-friendly & Recyclable Packaging Inspiration. Retrieved from http://jayce-o.blogspot.com.au/ KFC (2012). Markey A. & Watson C. (2011, May 27). News.com.au. Retrieved from http://www.news.com.au/ McCrindleResearch (n.d.). Australians on Climate Change: Attitudes and Behaviours. Retrieved from http://mccrindle.com.au/ResearchSummaries/Australians-on-ClimateChange-Attitudes-and-Behaviours.pdf McDonalds (2012). Retrieved from http://mcdonalds.com.au/ Mumbrella. (2010, June 07). Nando’s launches single with Disco Montego in lead up to World Cup. Retrieved September 25, 2012 from http://mumbrella.com.au/nandos-launchessingle-with-disco-montego-in-lead-up-to-world-cup-27672 Nandos. (2010). Action Plan: Implementing the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines 2010-2015 (Australian Packaging Covenant). Retrieved September 25, 2012 from http://www.nandos.com.au/sites/default/files/nandos-australia-apc-action-plan.pdf Nandos. (2012). Retrieved September 24, 2012 from http://www.nandos.com.au/aboutus/nandos-australia Price, S. & Lawson, J. (1992). Nutritional and Environmental Issues in Fast Food. Nutrition and Food Science. 92(2), 4-10. Reale, R. (2011, July 15). Nike and Subway, like NFL, Support Animal Cruelty and Torture. Retrieved September 28, 2012 from http://realetybytes.com/ Retail and personal services training council (2011, n.d). Fast Food Environmental Scan 2011. Retrieved from http://rapstc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Fast-Food-EnvironmentalScan-2011.pdf Savita, H. (2011). EMERGING ISSUES IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: ISO GUIDANCE ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD CONSUMERS: IMPLICATIONS FOR MARKETERS. AMA Summer Educators’ Conference Proceedings. 22, 109-116. Schwarten, E. (2012, September 20). Consumer Spending falls again, Commonwealth Bank of Australia says. Retrieved September 26, 2012 from http://www.news.com.au/ Sebo, T. (2012, July 03). Carbon Tax: The Great Unknown. Gouldburn Post. Retrieved from http://www.goulburnpost.com.au/ Sorly, P. (n.d). The Top 5 Green Technology Breakthroughs. Retrieved September 25, 2012 from http://greenopolis.com/ Squidoo (n.d.) Nando’s Franchise. Retrieved from http://www.squidoo.com/nandos-franchise Streeter, A. (2011, August 10). â€Å"Best† Green Brands List Implies That Greenwash Works. Retrieved September

Causes of Poverty Essay

Development Studies Assignment 4 QUESTION Poverty is a multi-faceted concept that can be defined in various ways. Write an essay in which you: -outline this concept as well as distinguish between absolute and relative poverty. In your discussion, provide relevant examples to illustrate your understanding (2 pages) -discuss any three (3) causes of poverty in Third World countries using concrete examples (3pages) READING: Study Guide, Unit 4 Regan Chapter 19 Assessment evidence shows that you can: – define the overall concept of poverty using relevant examples – define and compare the concepts of absolute and relative poverty, using examples to help illustrate your answer – use Robert Chambers’ deprivation trap to explain how poverty is a multi faceted concept and how it has many causes and effects – discuss three factors which may cause poverty in the third world. ANSWER TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Outlining the concept of a multi-faceted poverty 3. Distinction between absolute and relative poverty 4. Discussing any 3 causes of poverty in the world 5. Conclusion 6. Bibliography 1. INTRODUCTION â€Å"Where poverty is extreme and unending, human rights are eroded; the natural resources base deteriorates; and human dignity too often gives way to despair. Breaking the cycle of poverty is an integral part of development in every nation† UNDP Annual Report, Source:Regan 2006:283. I am going to outline the multi faced poverty, discuss the causes of poverty in the Third World countries. Poverty has been stalling development in the poor countries and strategies have been developed to fight poverty against the Economic Growth. It is true that â€Å"poverty is like the heat. It can only be felt when one gets into it†, hence to explain poverty is a very difficult task especially to someone who has never experienced it. 2. OUTLINING THE CONCEPT OF A MULTI FACETED POVERTY Poverty is linked to lack of adequate food, shelter, education, health, life expectancy, sanitation and access to safe water. â€Å"People living in poverty are often exposed to ill treatment by governments and institutions of the state and society and are powerless to influence key decisions affecting their lives† Regan 2006:283. Despite the fact that many positive changes have happened in terms of technology, and mass communications, there seem to be still a gap between the rich and the  poor. The few rich are taking the biggest part of the riches while the biggest population of the poor is sharing the smaller percentage of the riches, for example, â€Å"In1960 the richest 20% of the world’s people shared between them 70% of the entire wealth of this planet. By the mid-90’s, this figure had increased to over 85%† Regan 2006:281. We see a big gap there, not talking about the current figures in the recent years. We’re there is poverty there is lack of money to go to school hence illiteracy leading to one failing to read information about the Economic growth. In that sense it becomes a cycle of poverty in which poverty refuses to escape. Population is also another factor. When these people continue giving birth under those same conditions. So it is important when looking at poverty to look at what really caused the poverty. A well known author of Development issues, Robert Chambers, wrote about what he named the â€Å"deprivation trap†. In the households described by Chamber 1983:109, 110, he described the households that he named â€Å"clusters of disadvantage†. There is a house hold which is normally child headed after it has been affect by misfortunes like the death of the parents or maybe the parents died of HIV and AIDS. These children will be left on their own to fend for each other. The oldest child there will be left to take the siblings to school, fetch them water, and get them food to eat. The household altogether is affected by a combination of â€Å"parasites†, disease and malnutrition. The other family is that which lives very far away from a town, somewhere remote. They don’t normally get enough information on the current happenings in the outside world. If they get to travel its only to go visit a relative to ask for money or food. Even if they attend meetings, they rarely participate and are not normally seen as important in any aspect except maybe in doing those difficult jobs for paltry payments. Giving an example of my rural area of Gutu in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe, this scenario really counts when the people from my village normally just go for political or church gatherings where they are just made to cook for people or just dance without any reasonable understanding. Schoolchildren from the schools surrounding my village normally are asked to do a lot of work for such functions unlike their peers in the urban areas or other bit developed areas. There is also a household that is vulnerable, less contingencies; there is also a household  that is ignorant, with less or no knowledge. No legal expertise. It is always exploited probably by moneylenders, politicians. Giving an example of the Zimbabwean peasant person during the 2013 harmonized elections, they would just accept any regalia from any political party because they wanted to find something to wear not because they love the political party. They would even take any food from any direction in a way of seeking a way to survive. There are also some areas like those people who were resettled in Zimbabwe after the land redistribution in 2000 where other families were resettled where there is no any form of communication i.e. radios, cell phones and even transport. Not mentioning schools, they are more than 10-15 kilometers from the house. At the end of the day these people have got not much entertainment therefore they end up bearing more and more children where there is no enough food to feed the children, which leads to them suffering from malnutrition and others failing to even go to school forever since there are no schools. They end up having large families of illiterate families who will be marrying the nearest family member. Their homes are precariously balanced. With this fourfold household description, Chambers compiled what he called a deprivation trap†. Hence summing all this up we learn that physical weakne ss, powerlessness, vulnerability, isolation and poverty do cause the cycle of poverty to never break. 3. DISTINCTION BETWEEN RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE POVERTY According to Regan 2006:283, â€Å"Absolute poverty is characterized by some people in other parts of the world, normally the third world lives on a $1 per day. The population gets to 1.2billion. Those who live with $2 per day add up to 2.8 billion.† Relative poverty is normally when the country is deemed not to be living within the minimum requirements. For example in Zimbabwe it’s now deemed normal not to have electricity or water at a certain time (high load-shedding) of which it is poverty in the developed countries. Relative poverty therefore measures what percentage of population is poor when a minimum baseline â€Å"for that country† is used as a yardstick. The world Bank describes poverty a series of deprivations that may include: – living without fundamental freedoms of action or choice – lack of adequate food and shelter, education and health – extreme vulnerability to ill-health, Ebonics dislocation and natural disasters – being exposed to ill-treatment by the  state and society – powerlessness to influence key decisions 4. DISCUSSING ANY 3 CAUSES OF POVERTY IN THE WORLD There are a number of causes of poverty in the world which include dictatorship, lack of education, low wage rates, overpopulation, war, disease, floods, and natural disasters but here I am going to discuss about just 3 of them which are overpopulation, lack of education and war. a. Overpopulation Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of the finest English Romantic Poets, â€Å"The rich grind the poor into abjectness and then complain that they are abject. They goad them to famine, and then hang them if they steal a sheep†. Overpopulation refers to when an organism’s number exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat? The term usually refers to the relationship between human population and its environment, the earth. World population is currently growing by approximately 75million people per year according to the United Nations Reports and the net growth by mid-century is predicted by the United Nations medium variant to be about 33million, while the low is 13million. Overpopulation in the third world countries is one of the main causes of poverty which have failed to be tackled by experts in population issues. In a poverty reduction process it has become totally impossible to lower the population because human population tends to grow at a geometrical rate while the ability to produce subsistence increases at a merely arithmetical rate hence finding ourselves in an ever-deepening spiral of suffering caused by overpopulation. The earth’s capacity ofcourse can absorb big numbers of people but the land is being used for other not very necessary things instead of growing food for the number of people that is growing every second. FAO reports that by 2020, 135 million people may lose their land as a result of soil degradation as well. The exhaustible resources are limited and cannot meet the demands of all the people; especially where the rich are getting into the habit of of having more resources than required. When there is overpopulation clean water will be limited, medical care normally will be scarce, unemployment rate increases because many habitants will be looking forward to getting jobs, shelter will be crowded. Money on its own will not be enough to sustain a certain household. Most of the land will be used to build more houses hence reducing land for agriculture to grow crops to feed the people. In a country like Zimbabwe, prior to Robert Mugabe’s seizure of  the farmland, the farme rs had been using irrigation to deal with drought but during the seizures, much of the irrigation equipment was either vandalized or looted. A 2006 BBC article about Mugabe’s land seizure states † Critics say the reforms have devastated the economy and led to massive hunger. Much of the formerly white-owned land is no longer being productively used-either because the beneficiaries have no experience of farming or they lack finance and tools. Many farms were wrecked when they were invaded by government supporters† Some argue that without religion, population will be reasonable in the sense that people will be allowed to abort for an instance. The issues of birth control have been religiously viewed in countries like China where overpopulation is also rife. However many children are being born to face malnutrition or preventable diseases as a result of lack of nutritious food and desirable medications. Hence high infant/child mortality rate There is also the issue of fresh water. If the population keeps increasing there is likely to be less fresh water available in the world. Water deficit is also spurring grain imports in numerous smaller countries. The water tables are quickly getting exhausted because of the population growth. b. Lack of Education Studies indicate that if one has little or no education, the chances of them wallowing in poverty are huge. Lack of education is another major cause of poverty in the world. Without education, one cannot go anywhere. Developing countries do have inadequate budgets when it comes to education which is affecting the majority-especially with the growing population. Illiteracy is really a big player in the â€Å"cycle of poverty† that keeps the poor being locked in poverty as they do not have a chance to receive education. In many rural set ups, education is not treated as an important aspect in life especially in the girl child. In many occasions, you find that most children are kept from schools because they are needed at home to support their families with additional income by working. This â€Å"cycle of poverty† goes this way: if one fails to receive education they cannot read or write, they can never listen to the radio and understand what will be talked about-such that its easier for any outsider to come and use them and abuse them because they do not have sufficient if any knowledge or  information at all. Most black people do not normally think about the future, they just live on a life that is unplanned. When one fails to be well educated, it is difficult to get a good job with good salary to eradicate poverty back in their home. They end up doing menial, lowest paying jobs of which sometimes these jobs are seasonal, meaning when they are not working they just stay at home and have nothing to feed their family with. In the current situation in the world, tertiary education is now what’s considered the best for one to get a good job. Just ending in â€Å"A level† or â€Å"High School† will not give one a desired job that has good returns. In the United States 73% of people who do not have a high school degree live in poverty. That is how bad it is. Here in Zimbabwe I can say that the lack of education is bleeding the economy to the last, it’s also causing too much poverty because in the country like this which has been under the leadership of one person/party. There is too much corruption in the ruling government that they are offering top posts to uneducated people just because they just â€Å"went to war† Or maybe that they are related to so and so. They get into those offices and they start waging wars, and starving thousands while feeding their families only, failing to make their country prosperous. They start abusing the only resources that are there to help the majority of the country. Hence I can say that lack of education causes a lack of strong, prosperous leadership in the government and it causes a deficit of people who are willing to be well informed and willing to act on their own behalf of their own roles in all levels of government. c. War In the third world countries, they are normally characterized by wars normally fueled by civil unrests. War really causes and increases poverty in every other aspect. Not thinking only about the people who would have died during the war, there is a need to think about the families that would have been left by these people who would have died in the war. What will they eat? And in a normal war situation infrastructure is destroyed i.e. schools, houses, hospitals, roads and even any other types of shelter. That means there are going to be homeless children, adults, no schools to learn in, increasing the poverty. There will be a need to get funds/money to build the infrastructure. Talking about clean and safe water as well, normally after the war the water will be polluted with the  chemicals, if there is any water at all. War really affects the economy in a big way because the material and human destruction caused by it is a major development problem. Coming to give an example of Iraq, the only fight over oil caused the whole economy to crumble. The roads became dilapidated, the health sector went down. There had to be help to be sent through the United Nations to start on the economy. In Zimbabwe in the post war era around 1980, there had to be pumped out money to start building, of which, in a poor country like Zimbabwe it is difficult to source funds. Some never recovered from that that they never even decided to go back to school again making it impossible to reduce poverty in their land. 5. CONCLUSION Poverty has got many causes in the world but according to what I have discussed above, there can never be total poverty reduction in the whole world. This poverty topic also makes it clear that it is difficult to separate causes, effects and characteristics of poverty. The are many ways of poverty reduction, like farming, building dams, creation of employment, prioritizing education. The biggest goal is to reduce poverty through development strategies. Having used the Human Poverty Index and other socio-economic indicators it explores critical features of wealth and poverty divide. 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY Regan 2006. 80:20, Development in an unequal world Percy Bhsseye Shelley, Romantic Poet United Nation Report Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) Essay on the Principle of Population Paul R. Ehrlich (1968) The Population Bomb