Employment and desistance

Abstract As societies Jails become increasingly over populated there seems to be a new question as to why people recommit crime and how to influence the desistance process. For those in the Criminal Justice fields theories on why individuals commit crimes are abundant. Society, biology, genes, and upbringing are all fair game in assessing the why a person commits crimes. Although understanding the etiological reasoning for crime is important, it has now become increasingly important to understand the importance of desistance and curbing criminal behavior.There are everal links that have been associated as positive correlation with deterring further crime. These include marriage, family and employment. It is easy to give a broad reason to why these factors have such a positive influence on crime, but even more important is the understanding policy implications that research into this topic will create. This paper will begin by examining existing research on the topic of employment and desistance. A survey of local employers will be conducted on employers in the Du Page, IL area to identify hiring processes of convicted criminals.Lastly if employment is the key to curbing criminal activity why are we turning away droves of quality employees? Introduction Desistance in Criminology is the cessation of criminal or other antisocial behavior. TA this point criminals have already taken a leap into the criminal world. Etiological theories have already been developed into the reason why these individuals have accepted a life of crime. Whether it is Strain, labeling, Social Learning or disorganization.Although all these theories gives us possible insight on why individuals turn to crime as a society we still need to understand how to successfully urb criminal and anti-social activity. Our corrections model that we currently have has failed in the rehabilitative aspect. It has served as a great method of temporarily removing criminals from the streets but what happens when these convicted labeled individuals are returned to the our streets. Jobless and labeled a criminal by our societies Justice system will most certainly assure a return to criminal enterprise.According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics 67. 5% of the 300,000 prisoners released in 1994 were rearrested within 3 years. There aren't many institutions that succeed ith a success rate as dismal as that, however we keep churning them out. There are approximately 1 3 prisoners at yearend 2012 According to the United S Department of Justice there are approximately 650,000 ex-offenders released from prison every year. According to the same website it is expected that 433,000 of those will return to Jail, that is 2/3 of the p opulation released.That is staggering figure that contributes to the overpopulation of our prisons. One of the issues at the center of this dilemma is lack of employment opportunities for recently released convicts. The fact that the there is no such thing as an ex-con in society doesn't promote smooth reintegration even for those that do intend of becoming productive members of society. Even though these released individuals have, in the eyes of the United States Justice system paid their debt, society is unwilling to assist by denying employment and training opportunities that will make them a viable candidate in the Job market.We will examine the link between gainful employment and desistance from crime. And how will such a large segment of the population find a Job in an ailing economy. Literature Review Learning new skills, asserting ones free will, and accepting additional responsibilities. The fact that the older we get the less likely we are to engage in risky behavior. Davis Matza referred to this concept as Reform† in his 1964 book delinquency and drift. In this piece of literature he explained hoe delinquency is transient and that adolescent would grow out of there delinquent ways (Matza, 1964).This theory of delinquency lends to th e argument â€Å"boys will be boys† John H. Laub and Robert J. Sampson expand on this idea with The Life Course Perspective consists f evaluating causation of change in the desistance of from Crime through social controls that include key elements attributed to aging; a good marriage; securing legal, Stable work; and deciding to â€Å"go straight,† including a reorientation of the costs and benefits of crime† According to research conducted by Phoebe Potter â€Å"The Hazard ratio for employment is Significant at the . 0 level, suggesting that being employed does positively influence the decision to desist from crime†. In addition the text suggests a %23 percent likelihood that being employed lowers the risk of recidivating. Given the amount of people returning to Jail such studies need to be seriously looked at and action plans develop that seek to enhance employment opportunities for ex-offenders. Drug Use, Work and Desistance Drug use inherently seems to promote criminal activity for those hat use, sell or traffic. Drug use is also another antagonist to getting a Job.Much like background checks drug testing is common most positions. These drug tests are used Justifiably so to avoid workplace injuries and to minimize turnover associated with attendance issues. Considering that a significant majority of incarcerated adults were active drug sers according to National Institute of Drug Abuse website (NIDA). According to the website a survey conducted in 1997 estimated t O percent ot State and 5 percent of Federal prisoners used drugs regularly prior to incarceration†. (NIDA, 2006).The fact that drug use is so prevalent within the population committing crime serious attention needs to be paid to instituting drug rehab programs. Abstinence from drugs has a dual effect on individuals. One it facilitates finding a Job and second the chances of re-offending goes down. According to O'Connell's research for his paper Working Toward Reco very concludes hat drug treatment during the integration phase serves as a therapeutic reintegration that changes the roll of the individual from drug user and criminal to a socially compatible individual. Abstinence from drugs will then cause a departure from the old self and the new self.This separation will then have positive outcomes on the individuals economic and personnel wellbeing outcomes. (O'Connell, 2007). Allowing individuals to make a cognitive change and be able to correlate positive socially acceptable change, through abstinence from drug use and gainful employment is will contribute to future desistance form crime. It would however be counterproductive to believe that these individuals could do this by themselves. A framework needs to be built that encourages abstinence and gives people the necessary skills to be a productive member of society. Policy Implications.Understanding the link between that lives events that have a deterring effect on future criminal activit y is a significant step in being able to successfully being able to implement policies that promote hiring of this disenfranchised segment of our population. According to Phoebe Potter in her 2011 thesis she suggests certain key spects in the implementation of policies to assist in the re-integration of recently released offenders. Potter suggests that the ban on post-secondary financial assistance be lifted for Felony offenders, employers should have stiffer regulations against the discrimination of individuals with criminal records. Potter, 2011) Combined with lack of training and ever expanding background checks, make finding a Job for the pettiest of criminals a challenging task. Potter adds that there should be more intermediary agencies and re-entry programs to assist in getting ex- offender's additional opportunities (Potter, 34). Given the amount of people returning to Jail such studies need to be seriously looked at and action plans develop that seek to enhance employment o pportunities for ex-offenders. Race meets desistance As a society we are not far removed from days where public areas were segregated and minorities were openly discriminated.It would be irresponsible and naive to assume that race doesn't play a role in recidivism, employment opportunities, and ultimate desistance from crime. â€Å"According to Ryan Schroeder research has indicated that minorities, primarily African Americans, continue serious violent offending after dolescence at a rate twice as high as whites. † (Schroeder, 2005 P. 71) When minorities are released from Jail economic opportunities like employment might not be adequately distributed through society. How then are minorities with a double strike on their record; one a conviction on their background and second uneven opportunities due to race.Methodology In an effort to contribute to some of the previous research on the subject of desistance we will conduct our research. This research will be based on employers hiring practices in the area of Du Page, IL. At the time of hire applicants will be given urveys to establish a baseline of employment characteristics. The employees economic, race, sex, and criminal history will be gauged. Upon determining a baseline of qualified personnel two control groups will be targeted and followed to conduct further research.Offenders will be grouped into those that received a position and those that didn't. Salary, and amount of time subject spends at the work. Our findings should be consistent with previous research. Results should see a disproportionate number of non-employable convict's returning to criminal activity. While those that successfully were able to land a Job should see a more favorable result with desistance numbers. Conclusion Criminology has for the large part had a definite concern in establishing a reason to why individuals embark in criminal activity.More obscured was the reasoning as two why people continued to offend. Maturation sugge sts that engaging in risky criminal activity was to an extent a part of growing up. How then are career criminal classified. Our Jails are overflowing at the brim with continuously re-offending aging criminals. The economic problem is undeniable as recidivism continues to be a problem. With a two thirds rate of likelihood to re-offend and be brought back to a state or federal institution a new framework for dealing with out criminal population needs to be developed.It is inevitable that most of the incarcerated population at some point will again walk our neighborhood streets. Desistance from criminal activity must be the ultimate goal of the release process. Through existing research we have seen the connection with life achievement i. e. marriage, education, military enlistment and employment contribute to the desistance trom criminal activi ty. In order to promote successtul re- ntegration back into the community. Offenders must be given the necessary tools to do so. There is a s ignificant amount of money going into the incarcerating criminals that have been released.Samson and Laubs's work on Life-Course theory has laid the ground work in criminology in determining what needs to be done to prevent people from re- offending. â€Å"Taking a Job, graduating from high school, entrance into the military, and marriage all represent potentially pivotal periods in a transition. † (Wright, 2004 p. l). Coming from experience I could attest to how Joining the military and staying ainfully employed has helped me stay out of trouble. Truth be told I was quite the shit-bag before entering military service with United States Marine Corps.The same application of pivotal life changing and perspective changing opportunities need to be given to the recently released criminal population. Research into Desistance need to be coupled with policy changes. Re-integration programs must be designed to give offender's the tools to obtain positions. Groups like the safer founda tion in Chicago, IL must be given much needed funds to act a conduit between offenders and society. Society as a whole also needs to be willing to accept that these individuals have already paid for their crime.Background checks need to stop being a discriminating factor in handing out Jobs. An Idol mind is the devils playground is a popular saying that rings very true with our recently released offender population. Sitting at home without social skill, and without a Job will most definitely lead to re-engaging in criminal activity. Society will always need Jails, however these institutions need to also serve a rehabilitative function with the understanding that most criminals will not die in Jail. Money needs to be funneled into programs that keep offenders from returning to Jail.

Meaning of Life Essay

Here’s what a recent survey found: †¢ 25% of people say it is to seek truth and create meaning for yourself †¢ 22% think the meaning of life is to lovingly help others and make the world better †¢ 18% say there is no meaning †¢ 8% think it is to reproduce and continue your genes and the human race †¢ 8% say it is to find happiness †¢ 6% believe it is to learn how to serve and worship God, while †¢ 8% don’t know While it seems there are several purposes to life, science is beginning to reveal there is one fundamental purpose to all life. Every moment of your existence your body works to keep energy flowing. Every second you breathe air, you add food and water to replace the energy you use. Everything you sense or do is connected to the flow of energy in one form or another. You are so used to this energy flow that you hardly notice it. It is the ultimate process of your life. If your energy stops flowing you die: flowing energy differentiates living creatures from dead ones. While the purpose of all life might be to help energy flow, the same laws of energy indicate that a meaning of your own life is to find how your energy flows best. Is this science echoing those scriptures that suggest you have your own unique ‘gift’ that you should use? What does your energy enable you to do best? This can be as simple as determining what you are truly passionate about or what you do better than anyone else. Unfortunately, many of us are not aware of what this is. As such, the individual meaning of your life is for you to discover what makes your energy flow best and then how to do that. How you use energy best varies for everyone – therefore, everyone has a slightly different meaning to someone else. Ignoring this means your energy will be all mixed up and your life will be chaotic. This is what most scriptures and spiritual writings are trying to tell us, but just didn’t understand energy well enough. If you look at ancient scriptures and spiritual writings in terms of energy you start to realise that they, and modern science, are all saying something similar. In short, while the purpose of all life is about helping energy flow, spread and balance, your individual meaning is about determining how you do this best, what you do that helps your energies flow best.

Aristotle on the Soul Essay

Aristotle’s notion differs from the usual conception of a soul as some sort of substance occupying the body, existing separately and eternally. To him, the soul is the essence of a living thing. The soul is what makes an organism an organism at all by actualizing its potential for life, and it’s constituted by its capacity for activities essential to that specific type of being. His investigation into the nature of the soul demonstrates basic principles of his philosophical theories at work, including Hylomorphism, potentiality and actuality, and his four causes. His use of these theories in analyzing and teasing out the complexities of the soul make for a cohesive and comprehensive study, easily amenable with his other works. In this paper I will analyze his notion of the soul as described in De Anima, recounting how he came to define the soul, the explanation of the soul, how the souls of different kinds of ensouled beings differ, and his unique concept of how the soul is related to the body. Aristotle begins Book 1 of De Anima by stating that since the soul is a principle of animals, and here I will interpret animals to mean more broadly beings, describing its essence has implications beyond its obvious scope. In unfolding the nature of the soul, it is possible to determine which attributes belong to the soul alone and which belong to the organism in virtue of having a soul (Aristotle, De Anima 402a). So besides exploring the nature of life, his analysis will also seek to answer the question of whether all mental states (of the soul) are also material states of the body, or whether some attributes of the soul are unique to it. In doing so, we are confronted with the interesting implication of Aristotle’s position on the mind/body problem, to which I will get to later on. Returning to the question at hand (what is the soul? ), Aristotle starts his investigation by use of his explanatory theory of Hylomorphism, which states that substances are compounds of matter and form, and change occurs when form actualizes matter (Shields). There are three sorts of substances; form, matter, and the compound of form and matter. Matter is potentiality and form is actuality. Form actualizes matter, which possesses the potential to be what it is. So using Aristotle’s example of a bronze statue, the matter, in this case the bronze, only actualizes it’s potential of being a statue when it acquires the form, or the shape and features. Of interest is the third kind of substance, compounds, which make up living beings. The body is the substance as matter, so the soul is the substance as form or shape. Here we get to Aristotle’s preliminary definition of the soul as the actuality of a natural body having life potentially (Aristotle, De Anima 412). It is in virtue of this form, the soul, that makes an organism alive. Without the soul, the body would only have the capacity for life potentially, and so the soul is the essence (the form) of living things. This preliminary definition is taken a step further when Aristotle identifies the soul as the â€Å"first actuality of a natural body that is potentially alive† (Aristotle, De Anima 412a). He claims that the actuality that is the soul is like the actuality that is knowledge, in that we speak of it in two ways. We can distinguish between a state of knowing x and a state of attending to the knowledge of x, where the latter is more of an active process. The passive of state of knowing x is the first actuality, first because it must necessarily come prior to attending or remembering that knowledge i. e. potential precedes actual. Similarly, the soul of a sleeping person is like the passive state, the first actuality, while the soul of an awake person is like the active state. The soul must be the first actuality, for if not we would be forced to say a sleeping animal lacks a soul, a conclusion we do not want to make (Aristotle, De Anima 412a-412b). First actuality seems to correspond to a capacity to engage in the activity of the second actuality, and in this way is a kind of potential to exercise some function, like the ability to engage in thought. Aristotle makes this clear when he states that, â€Å"If the eye, for instance, were an animal, sight would be its soul† (Aristotle, De Anima 412b). Sight is the capacity of the eye for seeing, where sight is the form and the eye is the matter. The first actuality is the capacity for seeing, and the second actuality is seeing, actively exercising the potential ability. So it seems that beyond defining the soul as the ‘first actuality of a natural body that is potentially alive’, we can say the soul is a set of capacities that characterize living things. These characteristic capacities are different in different beings, and we will see that it is by these that Aristotle creates his hierarchy of ensouled beings or the degrees of souls. I will return to this distinction later in this paper, when describing how the souls of different ensouled beings differ. At this point we have a definition of the soul, but as Aristotle stresses throughout his various works, we must determine the cause or explanation in order to truly grasp the essence, and therefore get at complete picture of his view of the soul. The definition just given explains the what, but a full account must explain the why. He states in the Physics, â€Å"for our inquiry aims at knowledge; and we think we know something only when we find the reason why it is so, i.e. , when we find its primary cause† (Aristotle, Physics 194b). His criteria for an adequate definition, one that is sufficient for knowledge, rest on his theory of causation and explanation. The four causes include the material cause, formal cause, efficient cause, and final cause. Material cause is what something is made of, the formal cause is the form or pattern of which a thing is what it is, the efficient cause refers to the agent of change or rest, and the final cause is the intended purpose of the change or the reason why a thing is done (Shields). We must, therefore, determine why the soul is what it is in virtue of these four general causes. The soul is the principle and the cause of the living body, for it is in virtue of the soul that the body is alive, and thus it plays an explanatory role. It is the cause of the living body in three of the four ways, as â€Å"the source of motion, as what something is for, and as the substance of ensouled bodies†(Aristotle, De Anima 415), corresponding to the efficient cause, the final cause, and the formal cause respectively. It is the source of motion in that it causes growth and decay in the organism. The soul is also the cause of the living body by being the final cause, as the body is merely an organ for the sake of the soul, aimed at the soul. And finally, the soul is the formal cause of the living body for it causes life by being the form and actuality of what is potentially. The body makes up the fourth cause, the material cause, by being the matter that makes up a living organism (Aristotle, De Anima 415). I will use Aristotle’s example of the nature of a house as described in Book One, when he is discussing the importance of form, in order to better illustrate the necessity for analysis of a concept under his theory of causation and explanation. To merely define a house as stones, bricks, and timbers, is not to capture its full essence. A house is stones, bricks, and timbers (material cause), built into an enclosed structure (formal cause), fashioned together by a carpenter (efficient cause), in order to provide shelter from the elements (final cause). We can describe the what, but without further details about the explanation, we don’t really know the nature of a house. Similarly the soul is why, it gives the explanation for, the life activities of a living body. At this point Aristotle’s notion of the soul is quite clear; it is the first actuality of a natural body that is potentially alive, it is a set of capacities for life-giving and defining activities of organisms, and it is the form, the source of motion, and the means (it directs) to the end of the living body. Souls of different living beings are differentiated by their capacities to engage in the activities characteristic of that type of organism, which comprise their livelihood and survival. It is these differentiating faculties that make up the soul. Among these faculties are the nutritive and reproductive, perceptive, locomotive, and the capacity for thought and understanding. Aristotle claims, â€Å"the soul is the principle of the potentialities we have mentioned—for nutrition, perception, understanding, and motion—and is defined by them† (Aristotle, De Anima 413). There are three types of souls, arranged in a nested hierarchy, so the possession of a higher soul entails possession of all that are below it. The lowest, or most basic, in this hierarchy is the nutritive soul. All living things possess the capacity for self-nourishment, for without this they would not live. Next is the sensitive soul, which is possessed only by animals. The highest type of soul is the rational soul, belonging only to humans. These three souls are differentiated by their function, corresponding to the ensouled being in possession of the soul with the power to exercise that function. While the animal soul possesses the nutritive and the sensitive, and the human soul the rational as well, each has but one unified soul with a various sets of capacities (Shields). The nutritive soul is the potentiality held by all living things to preserve it and equip it for life. The function of this soul is the use of nourishment and generation, or reproduction. Generation is the most natural function, as it is a means for a living being to participate in the future (the â€Å"everlasting and divine†) by producing something else of its own sort. The use of nourishment allows the being to preserve itself, only existing while it is nourished. Nourishment allows an organism to grow as well as decay, according to its form. Since all living things possess the nutritive soul, all living things have the capacity for self-nourishment, growth, decay, and for reproduction. Further, since all nourishment involves digestion, and digestion involves heat, all beings contain heat (Aristotle, De Anima 415-416). The sensitive, or perceptive soul, distinguishes plants from animals. Perception is a type of alteration, in that a suitable sense-organ in perception is affected or changed by an external object. The external object acts as the agent, possessing the qualities in actuality that the sense-organ possesses potentially. Aristotle describes that it is through an intermediate condition, such as air, that sense organs receive the forms or qualities of the objects of perception, not the matter, when involuntarily acted upon by the external object. Thus, the sensitive soul has the capacity to receive sensible forms, resulting in perception. The sense-organs become like the agent after being affected, or receiving the qualities (Shields). Again, we can see Aristotle returning to his theory of Hylomorphism in describing perception as the change in the sense-organ as a result of the acquisition of form. The potential of the sense-organ is made actual in virtue of the external object which possesses the form in actuality. Aristotle states that every animal has the sense of touch, but not all possess the sense of sight, hearing, taste and smell. Animals are further distinguished along these lines; while each possesses a nutritive and a sensitive soul, there are various degrees of complexity of the latter soul corresponding to the activities of the animal. Aristotle continues further that the possession of the perceptive soul implies that the animal has the capacity to desire, and desiring includes appetite, emotion, and wish. He also determines possession of this soul entails the ability to feel pleasure and pain and it is in virtue of this soul that some animals possess the power of locomotion (Aristotle, De Anima 413-415). The rational soul, perhaps the most difficult section to interpret of De Anima, is essential and indicative of humans alone. It is in virtue of the rational soul, the intellect, that we come to know and understand things. The intellect is the seat of thought and thus reason. Thinking is similar to perception, as it involves the reception of form by a suitable capacity. However, while the object of perception is external and is the composite of form and matter, the object of thought is within the soul and is form alone (Shields). While hard to follow, I believe the objects of thought are the forms of forms; they get their intelligible forms in virtue of the sensible forms sensed in perception. Aristotle discusses the concept of â€Å"appearances†, which are different from perceptions and beliefs, for appearances exist while we sleep, with no external stimuli actualizing the ‘sensation’, and beliefs involve conviction, while appearances do not. Appearances are images resembling objects of perception (Aristotle, De Anima 428). It is helpful to think of appearances as the representation of reality we see in imagination. I believe Aristotle is claiming that it is these appearances that are the objects of thought. In intellection, the mind is made to be like the object of thought through reception of its intelligible form. The intellect is pure potentiality, it potentially has all of these objects of thought, and only in thought do these intelligible forms become actualized in the mind (Shields). As Aristotle’s philosophical worldview rests on a Hylomorphic principle, it is difficult to see how the alteration, bringing the intellect from potentiality to actuality in thought, comes about. In perception, this is in virtue of an external object that acts as an agent for change in the sense-organ. But what is the agent of change in intellection? Aristotle divides the intellect into the active and passive intellects. The active intellect acts as the agent of change; when the mind thinks the active intellect actualizes the intelligible forms in the passive intellect. The passive intellect stores the concepts of knowledge and intelligible forms in potentiality, to be recalled by the active intellect during thought. This means however, that the actual must precede the potential, contrary to what was discussed above. The nature of the active intellect is its activity, so it must be unremittingly active in order to cause the passive intellect to act and us to have thoughts and reason. If it is continuously active, this part of the rational soul must be eternal and thus stands in stark contrast with the rest of the souls Aristotle posits, but this controversial point is something I will not take up in this paper (Shields). Returning to the more broad implications of De Anima and Aristotle’s larger philosophical framework, we can analyze his notion of the soul in terms of the mind/body problem. Explicating his position, or lack thereof, on this matter will also illustrate his views on the soul in terms of unity, oneness, seperability, and mortality. Substance dualism is the position that the mind is separate from the body and that the mind is non-physical, often posited as being eternal. Aristotle’s conception of the soul, however, is that it is not ontologically distinct from the body. All nourishment, perception, and even thinking require a body. Further, as the living body is the composite of form (soul) and matter (body), it represents one inextricable substance. The soul and body are inseparable, except for perhaps the active intellect. While we can conceptually distinguish between a soul and a body, or form and matter, they are but one substance, related in terms of this composite. So when the body perishes, the soul does as well. Leaving aside the debated active intellect, the soul cannot be immortal. Therefore, Aristotle cannot be said to be a substance dualist. Materialism, on the other hand, claims that all that exists is physical and that substance is pure matter. But as has been said, Aristotle’s position on the soul takes it to be pure form and thus immaterial. The primary substance of a living body is the unity of body and soul, which is not purely matter. So, he cannot be a materialist either. While Aristotle does not clearly take a position towards this dilemma, he does suggest a new way of viewing it. Instead of presupposing the mind and speculating on the body as dualists do, or vice versa if you are a materialist, identifying the two as a unit and illuminating the association in terms of unity relations may prove more feasible. To summarize, Aristotle’s notion of the soul is that it is the first actuality of a natural body that is potentially alive. The concept of first actuality represents a sort of capacity for undertaking the action that characterizes the second actuality. So the soul is life-giving and facilitates the body for undertaking the actions necessary for survival and well-being. Plants have only the nutritive soul, enabling them to sustain themselves and reproduce. Animals have this soul as well as the sensitive soul, which facilitates perception and feelings of pleasure, pain, desire, appetite, etc. Humans are further distinguished in virtue of the elusive rational soul, which gives us the unique power of understanding, thought, and rationality. Aristotle’s soul is unlike other conceptions as it posits that although the body and soul is one, inseparable unit, the soul is immaterial while the body is physical. His consistency on his views of the soul with his views of nature and reality are obvious, as he frequently makes use of his broader theories of Hylomorphism, his four causes, and the potential/actual nature of everything that exists, making for a powerfully cohesive portfolio. Works Cited Aristotle, Terence Irwin, and Gail Fine. â€Å"De Anima. † Aristotle: Selections. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. , 1995. 402-34. Print. Aristotle, Terence Irwin, and Gail Fine. â€Å"Physics. † Aristotle: Selections. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. , 1995. 184-263. Web. Shields, Christopher. â€Å"Aristotle’s Psychology. † (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). N. p. , 23 Aug. 2010. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

Soviets Side and View of the Cold war Research Paper - 1

Soviets Side and View of the Cold war - Research Paper Example The revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin asserted that Russia was encompassed by a ‘hostile capitalist encirclement’ (Gaddis 1997). This laid the groundwork for what was to follow, i.e. years of hostility and isolation between differing ideological camps. The culmination of the conflict came after the end of the temporary alliance formed between the USSR and US aiming to topple Germany into defeat. The difference in lifestyles and beliefs was so significant that the two nations were at loggerheads over ideological reasons as soon as their alliance ended (Mcmahon 2003). The arms race that supplemented the cold war resulted in dire consequences for several nations after the dissemination of the USSR. The weapons are still used by terrorist and rebel movements all across the world as both the USA and USSR aim to liquidate their excess artillery in the search of economic returns. Joseph Stalin, the revolutionary communist leader of the USSR, considered the world to be divided into two ideological parts: the capitalist and imperialist regimes and the ‘progressive’ and communist world. The soviet leader believed that the concept of communism was widely acceptable and good for all considering that it followed a utilitarian philosophy of good for the greater number. Non ideological disputes arose between the soviet nation and western democracies post world war II over the soviet occupation of eastern European states. These states were later called soviet republic states and formed the eastern block of nations that would ‘endorse’ soviet communism and adopt the economic methodologies of the soviets. The united states, which had no business in the region according to soviets, warned that an ‘iron curtain’ was being brought down over Europe (Archives 2010). Joseph Stalin later emphasized that the cold war was a consequence of capitalist and

Financial Intermediation and Risk Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Intermediation and Risk - Coursework Example The author of the work does some research of financial intermediation. It is a core function of commercial banking. Banks facilitate customers and corporations in such a way that they absorb the surplus liquidity in the market and pass it onto the entities which require these funds to meet their requirements. Customers can gain, firstly, by placing surplus funds which give no profit at home into the bank and earn some interest. Secondly, entities which require funds to manage their financial situation can obtain convenient loans from commercial banks. The work outlines the basic outlook and mechanism of a bank’s balance sheet. Any and all funds which have been placed with the bank come under the liability section of the balance sheet of the bank, whereas any and all fund placements by the bank come under the asset section of the balance sheet of the bank. Huge volumes of funds are flowing in and out of the bank which define various forms of bank’s participation in financial markets. The work describes how banks cope with interest rate risks. The tenure of the transaction is the first major factor which needs to be considered. For longer tenures, the risk is higher owing to the opportunity cost of entering into a less liquid transaction. The second risk which needs to be accounted for is the inverse relationship between yields and prices of securities. In an economy where the interest rate climate is on the rise, increased yields will drive the price of the security down.

Cultural Diversity in Criminal Justice Research Paper

Cultural Diversity in Criminal Justice - Research Paper Example This aspect of the constitution is not reflected in the justice system as various discriminations are observed in the justice system. Gender, age, size, social status, race or ethnicity, residence, and wealth status are some of the main factors that result in inequitable treatment of citizens. Adults are treated differently compared to juveniles, which is in line with the constitution since both parties have different needs. On the other hand, adults should be treated equally with other adults and juveniles treated equally with other juveniles. The age of the juvenile and the intention and gravity of the crime are some factors that should be put into consideration when arrests, arraignment in court and acquittal are done by officers. This paper reviews the role of race and ethnicity in discrimination of juveniles by the justice system. It also aims to draw a line that connects arrests and detention rates and suspects’ races. Juveniles are discussed as they are least represente d in government agencies. Race and ethnicity is seen to play a role in administration of justice in various states despite a fair constitution. Race and ethnicity Race comprises the physical appearance of a person due to inherited genetic make-up of their parents. If one's parents are Caucasian then the physical characteristics of a Caucasian are passed on to them. On the other hand, ethnicity is about the aspects of culture that one learns in the course of life because of living in a certain environment. This makes one acquire behavioral characteristics, beliefs and perceptions of the people around them. Consequently, one may be genetically and phenotypically a Caucasian but not have the cultural characteristics associated with Caucasians. The behavioral tendencies will, therefore, comprise one’s culture. In addition, race is permanent while one can, subject to change in environmental factors, change their ethnicity. It is, therefore, not advisable to conclude one’s e thnicity based on physical appearance alone, other factors must be considered. The concept of race is also becoming fuzzy as these days many children are born of parents from different races and thus their races become harder and harder to determine. For instance, in the US, there are many African Americans who have a white parent; these people are undoubtedly as white as they are black. In addition, these people are born and brought up in the American environment. This means that despite having a mixed parentage, they have the same ethnicity as White Americans and, therefore, skin color, eye color or hair appearance is no basis for treating them differently (DifferenceBetween.net, 2010). Juvenile population The juvenile population, like other components of the American population, is growing consistently and, therefore, it should be taken care of better than current trends reveal. Adequate protection of these young people from discrimination by the legal system should be enhanced. Racial characteristics of the American juvenile population are continually changing. In 2000, people classified as of mixed race accounted for 1.4 percent of the whole population and 2.5 percent of the juvenile population. More interaction between people from different races will result in an increase in the mixed race class. It is, therefore, quite essential that this new race be protected from discriminatio

Inside Obama's Presidency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Inside Obama's Presidency - Essay Example The second challenge was the huge bonuses awarded as compensation to the banks; .the public was angry. When Obama met with the top banks C.E.O’s, most people expected that he would take on a hard approach against them, but this was not the case to the dismay of many. The banks seemed to have gotten it all on silver Plata. Another challenge was the reforms on the health care. Again he tried to take a bipartisan approach, but there came the problem; dealing with the congress that often slows down processes. The republicans were on his case: they did not vote for the motion. When faced with the issue of terrorism and handling Osama Bin Laden, he had to make the verdict to send U.S troops to Iraq. Leon Panetta, the CIA director, had information that Osama lived in a compound in Pakistan. The American troops went for the raid, and that reported that Osama had been killed. Another obstacle came which Obama had not foreseen. During the mid-term elections, his party lost to the republicans. Most of his supporters had been ousted, and he now had to take another approach to get things done. To take care of the debt crisis, he met John Boehner, who let him down when he needed him the most. To Obama it seemed that he had total confidence in his governance. He was so sure that his bipartisan approach would work. But if we would gauge his performance on this, I’d say that he was not successful. In all instances, he had to look for a second option. For example, looking at the stimulus bill, it passed without the votes from the republicans. Clearly, his promise to offer bipartisan solutions did not see the light of day. This was not because he was not willing to do so, but because the republicans were not ready to cooperate. From the first term’s performance, Obama tried too much to change how things worked: he had too many expectations that there wouldn’t be politics. He ought to have taken it as it is. In politics, everybody tries to be better

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 21

History - Essay Example During the Middle Ages, Europeans had become keenly aware of the wealth existing outside of Europe, particularly in the Far East. Moreover, improvements in navigation and maritime technology during the 1400s meant that Europeans could access riches in other parts of the world with far more efficiency and effectiveness than ever before (McCannon 2008, 208). Spain and Portugal were the first European nations to venture across the Atlantic (Page and Sonneburg 2003, 481). Spanish reaction to the New World cultures across the Atlantic is characterized as mixed. Spanish ranchers, miners and farmers saw the Indians as a source of fre labor and set about attempting to and ultimately achieving these ambitions. Other Spaniards, particularly Spanish missionaries preferred to treat the New World Indian natives with a degree of compassion and to convert them to Christianity. Spanish bureaucrats were frequently at a crossroad, attempting to temper the call for compassion and conversion with the a desire to secure wealth by virtue of exploiting free labor (Benton 2002, 84). The Portuguese systematically took control of Asia building a commercial empire in the region. The Portuguese essentially established a monopoly over the Asian spices and other valuable products by seizing maritime control over Asian ports and acted as the sole trader between Asian nations and Europe (Love 2006, 27). Essentially, Spain and Portugal’s different treatment of their respective conquests were dictated by their respective discoveries. The Spanish encountered human capital rather than rich resources and therefore put their attention to reaping benefits in terms of free labor. The Portuguese encountered rich resources and focused their energies on taking control of those resources. In each case, the goal was to advance and improve economics and each conquering nation focused on how best to advance their economic positions by reference to the sources

Analyze an article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Analyze an - Article Example It is evident even when it comes to sourcing of finance. Manufacturing companies in Egypt are expected to give more collateral when seeking cash to finance import of raw materials. On the other hand, the Egyptian pound has dropped by 6.6% making exports low-priced. On the opposite, the price of fuel has increased. Therefore, companies incur higher cost of manufacturing. In the long run, the manufacturers end up getting minimal profits. Companies can reduce the risk of losing their customers by refraining from increasing the price of their commodities. When manufacturers pass the added cost incurred to the buyers, they stretch the ability of the consumers. Therefore, the customers will consider buying cheaper alternative goods. Manufacturers can also opt to seek to produce cheaper affordable goods. Customers will tend to spend the cash they had put aside as saving. Therefore, more money will be in circulation making the rate of inflation to go

Coccidioidomycosis Valley Fever Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Coccidioidomycosis Valley Fever - Research Paper Example It is spread through the air when its spores are disturbed by wind. It is estimated that 150,000 infections take place annually in the US, although roughly half of this do not present any symptoms. The fungus is found in South America, Central America, Mexico, and South Western US since these areas weather conditions and dust that allows for the growth of Coccidioides. People get this illness when they inhale dust that contains the spores of this fungus. This spores spread into the air when dust containing the fungus undergoes disturbance through construction work, digging, or strong winds (Williams 41). The illness is hard to prevent, and no vaccine exists at present, although efforts towards its development are continuing. This research paper seeks to use journal articles and boos to discuss the epidemiology, pathogenesis, types, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and use in biological warfare of Coccidioidomycosis. Region of Primary Location The map provided below shows areas in the Americas where mass testing has revealed valley fever as an endemic illness. Taking note of the fact that two thirds of cases in the United States are found in Arizona with Tucson and Phoenix being the most affected is essential. In California, the endemic area is Kern County (Tabor 27). There are also areas of high endemic occurrences in Northwestern Mexico, South America, and Central America. In addition, it has been known for environmental conditions to spread spores across hundreds of miles and cause infection. The mass testing that identified the primary areas has not been done again for more than 50 years. Valley fever is restricted to America with an approximated 150,000 infections every year with the infection rates in the rest of the Americas currently unknown (Tabor 27). Approximately 25,000 new cases annually in the US lead to ~75 deaths annually. There are occasional epidemics with case numbers rising in Arizona, which may be related to people immigrating there. Out side of the United States, the most affected nations are Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Guatemala, and Mexico. (Williams 18) Epidemiology Valley fever is confined to areas that lie between 400N and 400S. The organism is particularly supported by dry and dusty soils in the lower sonaran life zone. Incidences of the organism’s occurrence increases significantly in periods where there is heavy rain followed by dry periods (Einstein & Catanzaro 23). The fungus is known to infect majority of the mammals, especially cats, dogs, and humans. Species such as marine mammals like the sea otter, llamas, and livestock have been found to be especially vulnerable to the valley fever fungus. Pathogenesis The valley fever fungus exists in the form of filaments in lab environments and soil. Cells that are found within the hyphae, over time, degenerate and form arthroconidia that are barrel shaped cells (Stevens 1079). These cells are light in weight and are transported by wind where they are eas ily inhalable sans knowledge of the individual. Once these cells arrive in the individual’s alveoli, they become larger, developing internal septations, whose structure is referred to as spherule and develop into endospores. Once these spherules rupture, the endosperms are released with the cycle being repeated, spreading a local infection. The nodules that at times form around the spherules could rupture, and their contents released, into the bronchus, to form cavities with thin walls. These cavities led to persistent coughs, haemoptysis, and chest pain (Stevens 1079). In people whose immunity is compromised, this infection could spread through the vascular system. Presentation Valley fever tends to mimic atypical

Goal of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Goal of Education - Essay Example No parent would against his or her children’s education. There is no child who does not hate his school and yet would not want to be deprived of one either. So the question here is why is education so desirable? When asked in a survey, most people said that education, for them, is a way to make money. Parents who struggle hard for their kids’ education do so in hope of a financially brighter future and an upward mobility. Children who spend all their childhood and adolescence period in studying do so, in order to attain a social standing, where they can enjoy better standard of life. Thus, education is merely a way to become rich and make money (Eames, 1977). As simple as the statement sounds, there are a few loopholes in the argument. First, if education is the best possible way to earn money as proven by its popularity, then why do facts show that the richest people on the planet are either illiterate or high school dropouts? Bill Gates, who dropped out of high school, remained the â€Å"richest man of the world for ten consecutive years† (Dewey, 1998). Secondly, history shows that the system of education was not invented to help people make more money (Dewey, 1998). The idea of education leading to upward financial mobility emerged at the onset of capitalism when all processes and social phenomenon were commodified in order for powerful to outdo the powerless, which is principally the Marxist perspective on capitalism. One now asks, if it is possible to become as rich as anyone can without going to school and the process does not even accredit its alleged purpose, then why bother. What is the ultimate edge that an educated man has over the uneducated one? The answer lies in the quote of Dr. Martin Luther King, "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education" (Warren, 2001, 27). Education, in its true essence is

Cause and Effect of Sleep deprivation Essay Example for Free

Cause and Effect of Sleep deprivation Essay I am a firm believer that many factors such as our culture, our upbringing, and beliefs that we were introduced to all affects what we do, how we live and even what we eat! People in China, Vietnam and Switzerland have been known to eat dogs for thousands of year, some as a source of survival during war and famine while others eat it as a cuisine meaning it is a part of their regular diet! I’ve even read somewhere that people in China have been known to say that a huge reason they consume dog meat is to keep them warm in the harsh winters! Have they heard of a jacket and hot coco? They don’t see it any different from eating cows and pigs, but someone like me thinks that is disgusting! I see people all the time whose treat their dog as their best friend, I’ve heard that when you begin to grow attached to your dog you soon see them as people. I could never imagine it being okay to eat a dog! Functionalism has a lot to do with this also when you come to think of it. This tradition has been the norm in these places for years! It wasn’t until recently that proposed laws have been presented to implement a law that bans the eating of cats and dogs. Americans are truly the people of the land of the free and are strong believers that a dog is a mans best friend, in my opinion. Beating, not feeding, and mistreating dogs are all violations of the law, neglect, and animal abuse! I could not even imagine hearing a story of someone eating one! It is common knowledge here that dogs are like people and should be treated as such and so they are not put on a dinner plate, at least the way I view things. I strongly feel that our individual believes and knowledge is the reason we eat what we eat, they are culturally relative in more ways that one. This definitely is a beautiful thing as everyone can be their own person and act how they feel but this causes cultural diversity conflict all the time! Take this scenario for instance; two people are meeting for a blind date and obviously know nothing about one another. It becomes time to order and the woman is disgusted by the menu because everything is meat and fat of the meat from some type of animal, see, she’s vegetarian. The woman loves animals and does not believe in eating them and this sparks a conversation. Do you think it’s a good one as her date has already ordered the number four, which is the half slab of baby back ribs with chicken shish kabobs, and a side of pork rings? I can imagine that she stormed out of there after giving him a good lecture. Though her actions are understandable they aren’t quite right. Ethnocentrism would be the perfect would to explain that situation! The woman thinks that he beliefs are the right ones and that the man is wrong for eating what he loves to eat! Ethnocentrism is when you believe that your culture, your beliefs are better than everyone else’s and only yours make sense! This is a big reason there is conflict within cultures. Instead of using cultural relativism and trying to understand others point of view or even just accepting it as their choice we fight for what we think is the right way, the only way. Interactionism helps us understand that our mind plays a role in our how what our body does including why we eat or don’t eat what we eat. I love dogs, so I would vomit at the thought of eating one. However, once again this doesn’t mean I should hate someone that eats it as a dish at home. Being open and understanding can truly help because just as the conflict theory states that there is a power struggle between cultures, these cultures have the power to become knowledgeable of one another and ultimately obtain culture relativism.

Applications of Group Technology

Applications of Group Technology 1.0 Introduction Nowadays, the global economic of the world is getting increase and improves. All of the countries, nations and citizens are developing in a fast growing trend. Now the manufacturing processes also have to improve to such a way that produce and manufacture a good quality product with lower costs. Therefore a term group technology has been introduced. Group technology actually refers to a kind of technique which classifies the manufacturing part (sometimes named as family part) according to the size, shape, process or length. Some companies may group in according to other criterion such as the product’s function as long as it makes the company’s works easier. Actually, this group technology really can help to reduce the production costs. This is because grouping the part together (group of the part can be known as family part) can help to save the transportation costs, time of production and all this consequently increase the productivity, therefore, group technology defi nitely will be very useful to many of us. Actually people start using group technology since the 1920s. People start using group technology in manufacturing process during that moment. We are also able to see the example of group technology in our daily life. For example, when we go to the library in our school, all the book will be classify according to the faculty and the title of the books. This method is not only makes the works of the library staff easier but also enables the students or lecturer to find the books that they need easily. During the past decades, people normally used group technology to reduce the cost of production in manufacturing process. However, now the situation has changed, group technology has now become an important strategy for most of the manufacturing processes. It is an important aspect to improve the productivity and cause the company to develop in a better way. 2.0 Method to develop family part In order to use the concept of group technology, the companies have to think of the way to classify the group. The first step will be classifying the part of the products (family parts) according to two different attributes which will be based on the geometric characteristics and production process characteristics. In geometric characteristics, the products will be classified according to the size, shape and length. However, if the products are being classified according to the operation process, then the machine used for production, method of processing and tools used to hold the products will all being take into consideration. This actually is a method to group the part based on their attributes. Therefore, the company should observe their own product and determine the best way to classify the products. For example, for those company that actually own a factory that produce screw or bolt nut, the best method of classification will be geometric classification since the products may varies in shape and size. However, if the company is actually a health care company, and they are producing body shampoo, toothpaste and mouthwash then the better way to classify the product will be the operation processing classification. This is because the products produced are actually all the same in term of size and shape, but they may be varying in flavor and smell. This is causing the operation process to be different from each other. Then, the next step will be determining the method to form part families. Normally, the company will use three different methods to form the part families. The methods include coding and classification, manual visual inspection and production flow analysis. Different product may have different method to form the part families. The company should find the best way to group them and obtain the best result. 2.1 Classification and coding Classification is a process to group all the related parts into a group and sometimes can be known as part families. Wherease, coding is means that the part families are being assigned with a symbol. People will be able to obtain the information of the particular product based on the code. Each character of the code also carries the information of the previous character. This is the most effective and accurate method to classify group technology among these three methods. Nowadays, there are almost more than 100 types of classification and coding are available in the world. Besides, the coding system may vary from one company to another company. Many company had hire some experts to improve the coding system but there is no any universal acceptance until now. Some of the people may think that coding is just a simple task and can be easily done. However, it is actually a very difficult complex problem. Many time and energy have to be spent in order to find the best coding system that suitable for the company. As stated above, there are about 100 kind of coding system available in the world. However, all of the classification and the coding systems are actually can be grouped into three different kind. That will be Hierarchical (monocode), Attribute (polycode) and Hybrid (mixed code). Hierarchical (monocode) Hierarchical (monocode) is actually a coding system which the each character being used will need to depend on the meaning and carry along the information of the previous character. This kind of system also will show a tree structure pattern. The benefit of using this coding system will be the coding system is seem to be more apparent and all the information will be able to obtained based on the code itself. Hierarchical (monocode) is very useful in many ways especially when the products are differing in shape, size or other geometric characteristics. Forming a good hierarchical system can be very difficult. However, there are some hints for those companies who wish to form hierarchical system. When forming the codes, the company should ask themselves some questions. The answers collected from the choices will enable them to form an effective coding system. The benefits of this kind of coding system will be enables us to obtain many information within a single few digits code. Furthermore, this kind system makes some part of the part can bring along some useful abstracting information to the company. However, the disadvantage will be it is quite impossible to produce a perfect hierarchical system. The other disadvantage will be the existence of sub group can lead to many different sub-sub group, this cause some position having blank code. The figure above is an example of hierarchical (monocode) system and we can see that there is some imperfection in this system due to there is some empty coding exists. There some researches being done in order to improve and increase the efficiency of this hierarchical system.     Ã‚   Attribute (Polycode) The attribute code system sometimes can be known as polycode and chain code system. This code is different with the monocode in term of their digits. In this polycode system, the digits within the code are all carrying different information. Each digit represents each different attribute of the part. The advantage of this attribute (polycode) system will be very easily understood. This is due to each character is independent from one another. The company can know the details exactly after they saw the code. Unlike hierarchical code, the character has to depend on the previous information. Therefore, only the users who are familiar with the process can read the exact details. But this kind of coding system also did show a very significant disadvantage. This will be the code formed will be very long and large. The figure below will be an example of attribute code system. From this table, we can clearly see that each character actually represent different attitude of the products. For example, if we obtain a product with a code of ‘32123’ that it will represent that this product actually has the characteristics of, boxlike in external shape, center hole in internal shape, do not have any number of hole, the type of hole will be cross and the gear teeth is actually an external spur. Digit Class of feature Possible value of digits 1 2 3 4 1 External shape Cylindrical without deviation Cylindrical with deviation Boxlike †¦ 2 Internal shape None Center hole Brind center hole †¦ 3 Number of holes 0 1-2 3-5 †¦ 4 Type of holes Axial Cross Axial cross †¦ 5 Gear teeth Worm Internal spur External spur †¦ †¦ .. †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ Hybrid (mixed code) The final category of coding system will be the hybrid (mixed code). This is a kind of code system which most of the company prefer. This system combines the advantage from the Hierarchical (monocode) and Attribute (polycode) system. People may define this is an advanced system code. The example of this code will be ‘A12131B120’. The first alphabet ‘A’ is actually represents the type of part such as gear or screw. The next 5 digit used to represent the attribute of the part. Then the ‘B’ in the code above represents another subgroup such as the material or design. The following digit will be explaining the attitude of the subgroup stated. This clearly shows that this system did rely on the precious digit but also have some digit are independent which are able to show the attribute by itself. Actually there are also some organizations and company use a special kind of hybrid (mixed code) system. They are known as DCLASS or MICLASS code and contain up to 8-12 digits in a particular code. However, there is only some specific organizations such as (The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) are using this special kind of hybrid (mixed) code system. Manual visual inspection Manual visual inspection will be one of the methods used to classify part families. Actually, this method is not accurate enough compared to coding and production flow analysis. This method is actually classifying the products based on the physical appearance. Sometimes, there will be some companies or organizations are classifying the products only based on the photograph and arrange them based on their feature. Therefore, we can conclude that this is one of the most inaccurate methods of grouping part families. However, there are actually some organizations are suitable to use this kind of coding system for their group technology. There is one company in United State successfully save their company from being backrub by using this manual visual inspection to classify their group technology. Actually, all of the method will be effective as long as it is suitable for the production of the company. Production flow analysis The other method to determine the part families will be the production flow analysis. This kind of classification system will mainly focus on the production process. The products that need to be manufactured by the same working process will be classified as a part families and then being processed by using a single kind of machines. The machines that used to manufacture part families are known as cells. Cellular manufacturing is referring to the manufacturing process when the part families are being manufacture by cell machine. The advantage will be this production flow analysis system need less effort compared to coding and classification system. When classifying products by using this system, we need to form a matrix. This matrix actually did bring along some special meaning. This actually is a machine-component chart and it is also a M * N matrix where M = number of machines and N = number of parts. The 2 figures below show the production flow analysis. The grouping will be based on the operation process and find the optimum solution for it. For example, there is a duplicate D in production flow analysis. This is because machine D need to produce too many parts. If only single machine to be used, group 1 and group 2 have to be combined but they have too many dissimilar routings, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 A 1 1 B 1 1 1 C 1 1 1 1 1 1 D 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 E 1 1 F 1 1 1 1 G 1 1 1 1 1 H 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 1 K 1 1 Figure above is the component machine chart 2 11 1 10 16 18 12 6 3 4 7 8 9 14 15 19 5 13 17 H 1 1 1 1 D 1 1 1 1 1 (Group1) F 1 1 1 1 A 1 1 B 1 1 1 E 1 1 D (Group 2) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 C 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 G 1 1 1 1 1 J (Group 3) 1 1 K 1 1 Figure above is the production flow analysis 3.0 Flow Chart in forming group technology Group Technology Advantages and disadvantages of group technology Group technology will play an important role in the future production plants although now it still does not achieve the widespread application. Using group technology strategy is definitely beneficial to all of us. This strategy is not only beneficial to the company but also beneficial to the citizen or users. The advantages of group technology toward the manufacturing process will be the production process can be improved. For example, the part control can become tighter, the physical layout of the machine group can be improved and the ordering tied toward the production also can be improved when group technology is being used. The other advantage will be a more systematic design and redesign can be produced. This will consequently lead to reducing on the planning time of the process and the setup time. The other advantage toward the manufacturing process will be the purchasing cost of the material can be reduced due to the materials are purchase in a very large quantity. This can also improve the accuracy of cost estimation of a certain companies or organizations. All these will definitely bring to an improvement toward the company and causes company or organizations to develop faster. The improvement also can be clear seen on the product itself when group technology is being used. We can clearly see the quality of the products being improved. This is because the number of completely new design can be reduced and this causes the workers more familiar with the part. This leads to a production of better quality products. The advantage that brings to the customer or users is the cost of the product is reduced when group technology being introduced. This is because the transportation fee to tr

Different Types Of Diversification Strategies Marketing Essay

Different Types Of Diversification Strategies Marketing Essay Expanding a business can be quite hard so business owners and their teams tend to use a diversification strategy to be able to increase their sales and be successful in their expansion. The business diversification strategy is what companies do (increasing the sales volume) in order to increase their profits. The increase in the volume of sales can be done by developing new products and targeting new market. The diversification strategy can be used at the unit level of a business as well as in their corporate level. In a company expansion in unit level of a business, the strategy can be a new segment idea that is related exactly to the existing business. For the corporate level, the new business can be without relation to the existing business. Different Types of Diversification Strategies There are three basic types of diversification strategies that may composed of several plans that range from the designed and development of new products to the licensing of these new technologies. They may also be a combination of these plans with two or more of it included. They are the concentric diversification where the technology stays the same while its marketing plan alters significantly. The technical knowledge is an edge when it comes to this type of strategy. The next one is called horizontal diversification. In this type, the technology used is somehow far from the existing business. Though the new products are not related to the existing ones, the customers who are loyal still patronized the products. This is very effective when a business have many loyal customers. Last but not the least is the lateral diversification. This strategy is almost similar to the horizontal diversification. The only thing that differentiates it from horizontal diversification is that lateral strategy targets new customers instead of targeting their existing loyal customers. Diversifications Advantages and Disadvantages When using the business diversification strategy, you must consider some things to succeed. Diversification can really help businesses achieve its full potential in the market. It helps the company increase their customers by attracting new ones and retaining loyal ones. Furthermore, it enhances the product portfolio of the business by launching products which compliments their existing products in the market. Nevertheless, the company must hire or have sufficient knowledge about diversification so that no problem can arise in the future. The management team of the company must be well trained and educated about the processes that must be followed. Lack of information and knowledge about the latest trend in the market can really be upsetting in your business goals. You must ensure that all are taken care of and you have the ability and capability of handling those things. If not, hire someone who is a professional in this kind of situation. Types of Diversification The different types of diversification strategies include the modernization and development of new products, updating the market, new technology licensing, distribution of products by another company and even the alliance with the said company. The three types of diversification strategies include the concentric, horizontal and conglomerate. Diversification is a method of risk management that involves the change and implementation of different investments stated in a specific portfolio. This is practices because of the rationale that a portfolio containing a variety of investments can yield higher profits and serve as a lower risk to the independent investments in the same portfolio. It is only through investing more securely that the benefits of diversification may be fully reaped. Investment through foreign securities may also reap benefits because of the decreased correlation between local investments. The concentric diversifications specify that there exists similarities between the industries in terms of the technological standpoint. It is through this that the firm may compare and apply its technological know how to an advantage. This is through a careful change or alteration in the marketing strategy performed by the business. This strategy aims to increase the market value of a particular product and therefore gain a higher profit. The horizontal diversification tackles products or services that are in a sense, not related technologically to certain products but still pique the interest of current customers. This strategy is more effective is the current clientele is loyal to the existing products or services, and if the new additions are well priced and adequately promoted. The newest additions are marketed in the same way that the previous ones were which may cause instability. This is because the strategy increases the new products dependence on an existing one. This integration normally occurs when a new business is introduced, however unrelated to the existing. Conglomerate or lateral diversification is where the company or business promotes products or services with no relation commercially or technologically to the existing products or services, however still interest a number of customers. This type of diversification is unique to the current business and may prove quite risky. However, it may also prove very successful since it independently aims to improve on the profit the company accumulates with regards to the new product or service. At times there are certain defensive actions that may promote to the risk of contraction within the market, or that the current product market seems to have no more growth opportunities. This must also be considered before initiating a certain type of diversification strategy. Another factor is the outcome of the chosen diversification strategy. The expected result is expected to generate a profitability growth that will complement the ongoing activities within the company. Diversification strategies are used to expand firms operations by adding markets, products, services, or stages of production to the existing business. The purpose of diversification is to allow the company to enter lines of business that are different from current operations. When the new venture is strategically related to the existing lines of business, it is called concentric diversification. Conglomerate diversification occurs when there is no common thread of strategic fit or relationship between the new and old lines of business; the new and old businesses are unrelated. DIVERSIFICATION IN THE CONTEXT OF GROWTH STRATEGIES Diversification is a form of growth strategy. Growth strategies involve a significant increase in performance objectives (usually sales or market share) beyond past levels of performance. Many organizations pursue one or more types of growth strategies. One of the primary reasons is the view held by many investors and executives that bigger is better. Growth in sales is often used as a measure of performance. Even if profits remain stable or decline, an increase in sales satisfies many people. The assumption is often made that if sales increase, profits will eventually follow. Rewards for managers are usually greater when a firm is pursuing a growth strategy. Managers are often paid a commission based on sales. The higher the sales level, the larger the compensation received. Recognition and power also accrue to managers of growing companies. They are more frequently invited to speak to professional groups and are more often interviewed and written about by the press than are managers of companies with greater rates of return but slower rates of growth. Thus, growth companies also become better known and may be better able, to attract quality managers. Growth may also improve the effectiveness of the organization. Larger companies have a number of advantages over smaller firms operating in more limited markets. Large size or large market share can lead to economies of scale. Marketing or production synergies may result from more efficient use of sales calls, reduced travel time, reduced changeover time, and longer production runs. Learning and experience curve effects may produce lower costs as the firm gains experience in producing and distributing its product or service. Experience and large size may also lead to improved layout, gains in labor efficiency, redesign of products or production processes, or larger and more qualified staff departments (e.g., marketing research or research and development). Lower average unit costs may result from a firms ability to spread administrative expenses and other overhead costs over a larger unit volume. The more capital intensive a business is, the more important its ability to spread costs across a large volume becomes. Improved linkages with other stages of production can also result from large size. Better links with suppliers may be attained through large orders, which may produce lower costs (quantity discounts), improved delivery, or custom-made products that would be unaffordable for smaller operations. Links with distribution channels may lower costs by better location of warehouses, more efficient advertising, and shipping efficiencies. The size of the organization relative to its customers or suppliers influences its bargaining power and its ability to influence price and services provided. Sharing of information between units of a large firm allows knowledge gained in one business unit to be applied to problems being experienced in another unit. Especially for companies relying heavily on technology, the reduction of RD costs and the time needed to develop new technology may give larger firms an advantage over smaller, more specialized firms. The more similar the activities are among units, the easier the transfer of information becomes. Taking advantage of geographic differences is possible for large firms. Especially for multinational firms, differences in wage rates, taxes, energy costs, shipping and freight charges, and trade restrictions influence the costs of business. A large firm can sometimes lower its cost of business by placing multiple plants in locations providing the lowest cost. Smaller firms with only one location must operate within the strengths and weaknesses of its single location. CONCENTRIC DIVERSIFICATION Concentric diversification occurs when a firm adds related products or markets. The goal of such diversification is to achieve strategic fit. Strategic fit allows an organization to achieve synergy. In essence, synergy is the ability of two or more parts of an organization to achieve greater total effectiveness together than would be experienced if the efforts of the independent parts were summed. Synergy may be achieved by combining firms with complementary marketing, financial, operating, or management efforts. Breweries have been able to achieve marketing synergy through national advertising and distribution. By combining a number of regional breweries into a national network, beer producers have been able to produce and sell more beer than had independent regional breweries. Financial synergy may be obtained by combining a firm with strong financial resources but limited growth opportunities with a company having great market potential but weak financial resources. For example, debt-ridden companies may seek to acquire firms that are relatively debt-free to increase the lever-aged firms borrowing capacity. Similarly, firms sometimes attempt to stabilize earnings by diversifying into businesses with different seasonal or cyclical sales patterns. Strategic fit in operations could result in synergy by the combination of operating units to improve overall efficiency. Combining two units so that duplicate equipment or research and development are eliminated would improve overall efficiency. Quantity discounts through combined ordering would be another possible way to achieve operating synergy. Yet another way to improve efficiency is to diversify into an area that can use by-products from existing operations. For example, breweries have been able to convert grain, a by-product of the fermentation process, into feed for livestock. Management synergy can be achieved when management experience and expertise is applied to different situations. Perhaps a managers experience in working with unions in one company could be applied to labor management problems in another company. Caution must be exercised, however, in assuming that management experience is universally transferable. Situations that appear similar may require significantly different management strategies. Personality clashes and other situational differences may make management synergy difficult to achieve. Although managerial skills and experience can be transferred, individual managers may not be able to make the transfer effectively. CONGLOMERATE DIVERSIFICATION Conglomerate diversification occurs when a firm diversifies into areas that are unrelated to its current line of business. Synergy may result through the application of management expertise or financial resources, but the primary purpose of conglomerate diversification is improved profitability of the acquiring firm. Little, if any, concern is given to achieving marketing or production synergy with conglomerate diversification. One of the most common reasons for pursuing a conglomerate growth strategy is that opportunities in a firms current line of business are limited. Finding an attractive investment opportunity requires the firm to consider alternatives in other types of business. Philip Morriss acquisition of Miller Brewing was a conglomerate move. Products, markets, and production technologies of the brewery were quite different from those required to produce cigarettes. Firms may also pursue a conglomerate diversification strategy as a means of increasing the firms growth rate. As discussed earlier, growth in sales may make the company more attractive to investors. Growth may also increase the power and prestige of the firms executives. Conglomerate growth may be effective if the new area has growth opportunities greater than those available in the existing line of business. Probably the biggest disadvantage of a conglomerate diversification strategy is the increase in administrative problems associated with operating unrelated businesses. Managers from different divisions may have different backgrounds and may be unable to work together effectively. Competition between strategic business units for resources may entail shifting resources away from one division to another. Such a move may create rivalry and administrative problems between the units. Caution must also be exercised in entering businesses with seemingly promising opportunities, especially if the management team lacks experience or skill in the new line of business. Without some knowledge of the new industry, a firm may be unable to accurately evaluate the industrys potential. Even if the new business is initially successful, problems will eventually occur. Executives from the conglomerate will have to become involved in the operations of the new enterprise at some point. Without adequate experience or skills (Management Synergy) the new business may become a poor performer. Without some form of strategic fit, the combined performance of the individual units will probably not exceed the performance of the units operating independently. In fact, combined performance may deteriorate because of controls placed on the individual units by the parent conglomerate. Decision-making may become slower due to longer review periods and complicated reporting systems. DIVERSIFICATION: GROW OR BUY? Diversification efforts may be either internal or external. Internal diversification occurs when a firm enters a different, but usually related, line of business by developing the new line of business itself. Internal diversification frequently involves expanding a firms product or market base. External diversification may achieve the same result; however, the company enters a new area of business by purchasing another company or business unit. Mergers and acquisitions are common forms of external diversification. INTERNAL DIVERSIFICATION. One form of internal diversification is to market existing products in new markets. A firm may elect to broaden its geographic base to include new customers, either within its home country or in international markets. A business could also pursue an internal diversification strategy by finding new users for its current product. For example, Arm Hammer marketed its baking soda as a refrigerator deodorizer. Finally, firms may attempt to change markets by increasing or decreasing the price of products to make them appeal to consumers of different income levels. Another form of internal diversification is to market new products in existing markets. Generally this strategy involves using existing channels of distribution to market new products. Retailers often change product lines to include new items that appear to have good market potential. Johnson Johnson added a line of baby toys to its existing line of items for infants. Packaged-food firms have added salt-free or low-calorie options to existing product lines. It is also possible to have conglomerate growth through internal diversification. This strategy would entail marketing new and unrelated products to new markets. This strategy is the least used among the internal diversification strategies, as it is the most risky. It requires the company to enter a new market where it is not established. The firm is also developing and introducing a new product. Research and development costs, as well as advertising costs, will likely be higher than if existing products were marketed. In effect, the investment and the probability of failure are much greater when both the product and market are new. EXTERNAL DIVERSIFICATION. External diversification occurs when a firm looks outside of its current operations and buys access to new products or markets. Mergers are one common form of external diversification. Mergers occur when two or more firms combine operations to form one corporation, perhaps with a new name. These firms are usually of similar size. One goal of a merger is to achieve management synergy by creating a stronger management team. This can be achieved in a merger by combining the management teams from the merged firms. Acquisitions, a second form of external growth, occur when the purchased corporation loses its identity. The acquiring company absorbs it. The acquired company and its assets may be absorbed into an existing business unit or remain intact as an independent subsidiary within the parent company. Acquisitions usually occur when a larger firm purchases a smaller company. Acquisitions are called friendly if the firm being purchased is receptive to the acquisition. (Mergers are usually friendly.) Unfriendly mergers or hostile takeovers occur when the management of the firm targeted for acquisition resists being purchased. DIVERSIFICATION: VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL? Diversification strategies can also be classified by the direction of the diversification. Vertical integration occurs when firms undertake operations at different stages of production. Involvement in the different stages of production can be developed inside the company (internal diversification) or by acquiring another firm (external diversification). Horizontal integration or diversification involves the firm moving into operations at the same stage of production. Vertical integration is usually related to existing operations and would be considered concentric diversification. Horizontal integration can be either a concentric or a conglomerate form of diversification. VERTICAL INTEGRATION. The steps that a product goes through in being transformed from raw materials to a finished product in the possession of the customer constitute the various stages of production. When a firm diversifies closer to the sources of raw materials in the stages of production, it is following a backward vertical integration strategy. Avons primary line of business has been the selling of cosmetics door-to-door. Avon pursued a backward form of vertical integration by entering into the production of some of its cosmetics. Forward diversification occurs when firms move closer to the consumer in terms of the production stages. Levi Strauss Co., traditionally a manufacturer of clothing, has diversified forward by opening retail stores to market its textile products rather than producing them and selling them to another firm to retail. Backward integration allows the diversifying firm to exercise more control over the quality of the supplies being purchased. Backward integration also may be undertaken to provide a more dependable source of needed raw materials. Forward integration allows a manufacturing company to assure itself of an outlet for its products. Forward integration also allows a firm more control over how its products are sold and serviced. Furthermore, a company may be better able to differentiate its products from those of its competitors by forward integration. By opening its own retail outlets, a firm is often better able to control and train the personnel selling and servicing its equipment. Since servicing is an important part of many products, having an excellent service department may provide an integrated firm a competitive advantage over firms that are strictly manufacturers. Some firms employ vertical integration strategies to eliminate the profits of the middleman. Firms are sometimes able to efficiently execute the tasks being performed by the middleman (wholesalers, retailers) and receive additional profits. However, middlemen receive their income by being competent at providing a service. Unless a firm is equally efficient in providing that service, the firm will have a smaller profit margin than the middleman. If a firm is too inefficient, customers may refuse to work with the firm, resulting in lost sales. Vertical integration strategies have one major disadvantage. A vertically integrated firm places all of its eggs in one basket. If demand for the product falls, essential supplies are not available, or a substitute product displaces the product in the marketplace, the earnings of the entire organization may suffer. HORIZONTAL DIVERSIFICATION. Horizontal integration occurs when a firm enters a new business (either related or unrelated) at the same stage of production as its current operations. For example, Avons move to market jewelry through its door-to-door sales force involved marketing new products through existing channels of distribution. An alternative form of horizontal integration that Avon has also undertaken is selling its products by mail order (e.g., clothing, plastic products) and through retail stores (e.g., Tiffanys). In both cases, Avon is still at the retail stage of the production process. DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT TEAMS As documented in a study by Marlin, Lamont, and Geiger, ensuring a firms diversification strategy is well matched to the strengths of its top management team members factored into the success of that strategy. For example, the success of a merger may depend not only on how integrated the joining firms become, but also on how well suited top executives are to manage that effort. The study also suggests that different diversification strategies (concentric vs. conglomerate) require different skills on the part of a companys top managers, and that the factors should be taken into consideration before firms are joined. There are many reasons for pursuing a diversification strategy, but most pertain to managements desire for the organization to grow. Companies must decide whether they want to diversify by going into related or unrelated businesses. They must then decide whether they want to expand by developing the new business or by buying an ongoing business. Finally, management must decide at what stage in the production process they wish to diversify. FURTHER READING: Amit, R., and J. Livnat. A Concept of Conglomerate Diversification. Academy of Management Journal 28 (1988): 59304. Homburg, C., H. Krohmer, and J. Workman. Strategic Consensus and Performance: The Role of Strategy Type and Market-Related Dynamism. Strategic Management Journal 20, 33958. Luxenber, Stan. Diversification Strategy Raises Doubts. National Real Estate Investor, February 2004. Lyon, D.W., and W.J. Ferrier. Enhancing Performance With Product-Market Innovation: The Influence of the Top Management Team. Journal of Managerial Issues 14 (2002): 45269. Marlin, Dan, Bruce T. Lamont, and Scott W. Geiger. Diversification Strategy and Top Management Team Fit. Journal of Managerial Issues, Fall 2004, 361. Munk, N. How Levis Trashed a Great American Brand. Fortune, 12 April 1999, 830. St. John, C., and J. Harrison, Manufacturing-Based Relatedness, Synergy, and Coordination. Strategic Management Journal 20 (1999): 12945.

DNA Testing and the Conviction of Criminals Essay -- Exploratory Essay

DNA Testing and the Conviction of Criminals There have been many incidents where cases have needed a solid prosecution in order to convict the defendant in a murder or rape case. This is where DNA Testing comes in to help. By taking a DNA test, a person can be found guilty or not guilty. If a person claims they have been raped there can be a sperm sample taken from the suspect in order to prove that he is guilty or not. In addition, in a murder case there can be blood taken from the suspect so they can tell of his innocence. There are several ways to determine whether a person is guilty or not by this method. Many cases have begun to use this method saying that it is foolproof. People say this is the method of the future of crime scene investigation. DNA Testing is a foolproof way to prove whether a criminal is innocent or guilty. I believe in order to be able to DNA Test I have to know what DNA is in the first place. According to the National Institute of Justice DNA is "the primary carrier of genetic information in living organisms, consists of a very long spiral structure that has been likened to a 'twisted ladder"(1997). The handrails of this ladder are made up of bases, which are nucleic acids. These nucleic acids combine to form pairs, which then creates nucleotides. These pairs create the genetic code of DNA (National Institute of Justice, 1997). The National Institute claims that these nucleic acids combine to form pairs, which then creates nucleotides. These pairs create the genetic code of DNA (1999). The four nucleic acids are adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine (All About DNA, 1998). Many people cannot necessarily always rely on fingerprints. DNA evidence is the method of the future. Crimes will be sol... ... National Institute of Justice: Research in Action. (1998). The Unrealized Potential of DNA Testing. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. National Institute of Justice: Research Preview. (1997). Automated DNA Typing: Method of the Future? Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Robertson, J., Ross, A.M., & Burgoyne, L.A. (Eds.). (1990). DNA in forensic science: theory, techniques, and applications. England: Ellis Howard Limited. Stevens, M., (2002, May). Do fingerprints lie? Retrieved April 8, 2004, from http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/ ?020527 fa_ FACT What every law enforcement officer should know about DNA evidence. (1999,September). Retrieved April 18, 2004, from http://www.ncjrs.org/nij/DNAbro/evi.html Wright, R. (1999). James Watson and Francis Crick. Time Magazine. Retrieved April 6, 2004, from http://www.time.com/

An International Writing Perspective :: Essays Papers

An International Writing Perspective Introduction: â€Å"Writing has become one of the most neglected skills in the business world, yet one of the most important to productivity,† states Lin Grensing of the Associated Press; Mrs. Gensing based these findings on surveys with US executives (Hansen). If this conclusion is valid, then a key question follows -- Why are so many universities producing mediocre writers, considering that an individual who writes effectively will stand out in the work force? This question has been the subject of a long debate focusing not only on the importance of writing but the method needed to implement a solution. There are numerous concerns about student writing, and therefore many people have turned to different areas of education for the answer to improving students’ writing. One question, which deals with this subject is, â€Å"How do American students compare with international students, and are there any differences in the educational systems with respect to writing emphasis?† Th is â€Å"International Perspective,† the topic of this paper, is a comparison among cultures, students, schools, and their writing. There are hundreds of countries in the world, each with their own educational system in place. Although most countries view writing as a necessity for students, only a handful have begun the initiative of requiring writing in a university setting. Therefore, this paper will compare writing characteristics of countries with similar economic and cultural positions as the United States, including Canada, Britain, and Australia. Furthermore, this paper will identify the degree to which writing plays a role in each countries educational system and will develop an understanding of how countries view writing as a method to adequately prepare graduates for the business world. Summary: There are many studies around the world, comparing the writing abilities of high school students among countries. In many cases, the United States continuously ranks far below its competitors, including the most recent rankings presented in 2002 by the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who has ranked the United States 18th out of 24 countries when comparing the percent of 15 year-olds falling below key educational benchmarks; Canada, Australia, and Britain all ranked in the top 7 (CNN.com). During the 1999-2000 school year, American students tested in grades 4, 8, and 12 scored below minimum criteria set by the National Assessment and Governing Board. This board outlines the essential basic skills deemed minimal to meet academic standards, including writing proficiency. It was found that students who learned certain forms of writing, such as â€Å"process writing,† performed better on the exam, since they were taught how to analyze their ideas (Nations Report).