Applied Experience Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Applied Experience - Term Paper Example They also discover various aspects of people feeling certain response on a particular issue (Brittany, 2010). The learning from different aspects of psychology has had a deep impact on my life. Due to my education in this field, I have developed a better understanding of people and scenarios at every stage of life. To explore the different dimensions of the psychology and their application in the real life, I have participated in group psychotherapy of the adolescents, who had been displaying aggressive attitude in their everyday life. Since group therapy is about making people understand that they are not the only one who is suffering from the same circumstances, there are other people as well who are also going through same circumstances (DRB Alternatives. Inc, 2010). Group therapy is successful because the members of the groups share personal issues that they are facing (Weinberg, 2000). In a group therapy, people interact with individuals who are in either a state of emotion, or ahead, or those people who have recovered from their problem. Through this, the members of the group become a source of support and strength for each other. Moreover, because of their common experience, the participants understand each other’s situation, and therefore, they can develop a better relationship with each other. Psychotherapy In the setting that I experienced, there were altogether six adolescents and the therapist. The issue that they had on hand to deal with was increased aggression in their personalities. All these children had complained that against their own will, with the passage of time, they were developing an aggressive personality. Once the participants started discussing their family backgrounds, their life experiences and the relationship of their parents with each other, I discovered that most of the participants had previously experienced aggression in their lives to some extent. If they had not experienced it, then they had a broken family and/or w ere brought up by a single parent. While I was sitting in the setting and was listening to the experiences of the adolescents, the concept that was running in my mind was Bandura’s Experiments (Myers, 2008). In these experiments, the researcher has proved that children have exceptionally high level of observation starting from their birth. Therefore, their learning through observation is very strong. Thus, they imitate everything they see, if not immediately then possibly at some other time, but they do imitate the observed behaviour. From the explanation of the adolescents during the therapy, it was evident that out of six, four of them had someone in the family that was very aggressive, because of which they also developed a habit that keeps getting stronger by the day. The interesting part that I found about these participants is that almost every child has at least one of the parents who are aggressive in front of the children. At this point, the other theory that I have observed in my daily life is that children usually idealize their parents and tend to copy them in most of the situations where they can. They tend to do whatever their parents do in front of them, either in person or in similar settings. However, the rest of the two adolescents who were complaining about the aggression had not witnessed aggressive attitude by their parents. They were the brought up

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Transnational corporations have had a tremendous impact on the interconnectivity that between countries, corporations, and people on a global landscape. Fueled by capitalistic ideals of increasing profits numerous corporations have expanded there operations into the global marketplace, some with much more success than others. One such transnational corporation that has embodied this pursuit of expansion in domestic and foreign markets for profit is the Starbucks Coffee Company. This company, which finds its roots in the opening of a single retail location in Pike place Market of Downtown Seattle in 1971, has been able to infiltrate into countless foreign domains and grow into a global powerhouse of the food and beverage industry with over nine thousand stores across the globe today in thirty-four countries outside of the Unites States. (Business Wire, 2005) Starbucks serves is an excellent specimen of a company that follows continual patterns of expansion directly correlating to increased access to foreign markets, and also the ability to nurture growth within these markets as well as gain access to new markets through the Market merging. In my research of this company and its path to globalization, I found that information about certain aspects of the company were more readily available than others. For example, I found that I had more difficulty finding scholarly articles that dealt with the distinct business strategies that Starbucks employed in order to globalize, in that it became apparent that much of the information about the terms of their mergers and acquisitions were not released or that the companies and business groups that they did so with had websites that contained no information in English. Interestingly enough, I found more of an abundance of scholarly material on the homogeneous cultural impacts that Starbucks has had and how the spread of the companys locations worldwide has been received by some cultures as the spread of American values. A bulk of my research findings came from business reports and releases about the company, which were useful in keeping accounts of how the company was able to infiltrate global markets and expand. The Website was a good starting point for my research in that it provided points of interest about the company that I could research into greater detail in order to root out the bigger picture. In order for one to have a more complete understanding of how this company operates and how it has come to succeed at a global level, I will outline the companys geographic expansion in terms of its operations and production; second, I will explain the companys main motivation for global expansion as well as factors that had an effect on the expansion; lastly I will detail the methods of expansion and production employed by the company. These will all be discussed within the time frame from present day back to 1996, when Starbucks first became a global corporation. (Starbucks. com) Of the nine thousand locations Starbucks has worldwide, over two thousand of those are outside of the United States in thirty four different countries. (Sowa, June 2004) The expansion of retail stores into foreign countries began with a joint venture with Sazabay Inc. in Japan in 1995, and then the eventual opening of retail locations within the country during the following year. (starbucks. com) This was the first time Starbucks ever set up operations outside of the US, and it was in the form of construction of the Starbuck brand retail store locations operated by a foreign company. Starbucks entered the East Asian Market first, in countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and China, and concentrated on growth in these markets mainly for the first few years of entering the foreign market. Eventually, Starbucks was able to break into other markets as well, such as Australia, London, and New Zealand amongst others year after year until its present standing of 34 countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim with retail locations that exists today in 2005. (Business Wire, Feb 2005) Within these countries, retail operations were set up at first just primarily in areas with the densest population. (Ramsey, Mar. 1997) However, as the market for the Starbucks Brand continually increased, the locations throughout the countries would increase and fan out from the city centers. This can be seen in the example of Japan, whom after 5 years operations had opened 300 stores by the year 2000. (starbucks.com) The primary raw material that Starbucks purchases and uses in terms of production is coffee beans. Coffee beans grow in regions near the equator, where the climate is suitable to sustain their growth. It follows that Starbucks purchases all of its beans from countries in South America, Africa, and Asia. Coffee beans that Starbucks import come from regions near the equator, such as South America, Africa, and Asia (Starbucks. com). Basically, the beans that are grown in these countries are purchased by the company to be roasted or packaged in all of its 9000 locations worldwide. However, Starbucks is not the only buyer when it comes to the bean supply as numerous other coffee retail companies rely on these farms as well, which places Starbucks as part a modular model commodity chain. The production of a generic commodity such as coffee beans allows for that commodity to be purchased by numerous companies without any affiliation or necessary interconnectivity between them. Starbucks reasoning for their initial expansion domestically in the United States as well as into the foreign Market place was centered on the basic capitalistic need for increase in profits, as well as the promotion of free trade from a neo-liberalist standpoint. Looking back to Starbucks early domestic expansion, it can be noted that just prior to addition of retail operations in Japan in 1996, there had been signs of a retraction of sales and growth, even with the addition of new retail locations domestically in the United States. There were signs of slowing in the US, one such being that comparable store sales, up 9 percent in 1995, were up 7 percent in 1996 and 5 percent approaching the following year. (Ramsey, Mar. 1997) These numbers indicate that it was becoming evident that in order to further sustain growth and high profit margins; Starbucks could achieve gains and benefit from free trade by setting up operations abroad. There are certain social contexts which provide commentary on the manner in which Starbucks was able to globalize. Especially that of the companys abilities to access markets from cultural and political standpoints. In order to bridge the culture gap between markets, Starbucks must follow three basic steps; first, it must engage in prospecting the local culture and its nuances; second, it must access the market conditions and the potential response to their presence; and lastly they make or dont make the decision to mobilize (Santos 2004). All this is considered with the fact that they are marketing a product in not only the coffee but in the retail location itself, in that Starbucks attempts to blend an Italian style beverage with a highly European influenced coffee house setting (Santos 2004), which is something that has to be marketed correctly in order to effectively find its niche in a foreign market setting. This marketing schematic sheds light on the purpose in placing global operations in East Asia in the late 90s before breaking into the European market due to a feared negative response to an American global presence in what had always been a highly saturated European local market. There was also a strong potential that the War in Afghanistan and later Iraq would have a devastating effect on growth and sales in the foreign market. There were some signs of this seen in April of 2003, when Starbucks was being heavily protested and boycotted in Lebanon and New Zealand, and was forced to pull operations out of Israel for fear of terrorist attacks. Despite these setbacks, however, it remained that Starbucks International persevered in revenues, according to Greg Schroeder, a research analyst with Fulcrum Global Partners LLC, who stated Starbucks popularity persists even in an economic downturn and during the war is an undeniably impressive feat as other retailers are struggling. (Jung, 2003) Starbucks maintained strong development during this period, and continued to open stores and form partnerships in Turkey, Chile, and Peru (Starbucks.com) despite facing political tensions created by Starbucks national affiliation with the United States. Market access brought Starbucks to the foreign domain but how they were actually able to break into these markets came in the form of some key business strategies. Starbucks used a few basic strategies in order to gain access to a particular foreign market which was joint ventures, acquisitions, and licensing. Two specific examples include Starbucks acquisition of the Seattle Coffee Company in the United Kingdom with more than 60 retail locations in 1998(Starbucks.com) , and the joint venture Starbucks formed with Sazaby Inc in 1995. The acquisition of the Seattle Coffee company basically allowed Starbucks to renovate each retail location previously owned by the company and to put the Starbucks name on each location as well. Another different but successful strategy employed in Japan was that of the joint venture with Sazaby Inc. This partnership gave Sazaby Inc. the right to develop and operate coffeehouses throughout a defined region. The rationale behind both of these types of partnerships is explained by Peter Maslen, president of Starbucks Coffee International, who states, The idea is that an experienced local partner can help identify locations, sift through tax issues, and give Starbucks stores more community appeal. (Jung, Apr. 2003 p. E1) This allows Starbucks to continue to expand into other markets knowing that operations elsewhere are in the hands of carefully chosen partners and business groups who are able effectively read and access the climate of their targeted regions market. The employees, CEOs, and other workers all have an integral part in this corporations ability to globalize. Starting at the level of both full as well as part time employees which facilitate the day-to-day functions of the retail locations in each of the 34 countries that Starbucks operates in, we can see that they receive a fair amount of benefits; including above-average hourly-wages, a comprehensive health benefit plan, and stock options. (Sancovich, 2002) Increased development and growth will fair well for those with stock in the company, including employees at the retail level. If the scope is broadened however, a very large gap exists between employees at the corporate level and those who produce the raw materials(coffee beans) that the company modulates into packaged or roasted coffee sales. It should be noted that Starbucks prides itself on the sale of Fair Trade Coffee in its stores to benefit the farmers that supply their coffee beans, which certifies that growers and farmers would receive a premium price above the prevailing market price for the sale of the coffee beans they produce (Starbucks. com). It should also then be noted that, according to an author in the ecologist, Starbucks advertises the fact that it bought 1. 1 million pounds of coffee last year at fair trade prices ($1. 27 per pound). This represents less than 0. 5 per cent of the coffee Starbucks buys each year. Fair trade is also highly profitable. While Starbucks pays $1. 27 per pound for fair-trade coffee, one pound of that coffee sells for $11. 45. Thats a 90 per cent mark-up (The Ecologist, Vol. 33, p. 22, 2003) The fact that Starbucks buys Fair Trade coffee in actuality does little to benefit the farmers who grow their beans. Another notable feature of the relationship between the owners, employees, and farmers is the overall disparity between employees at the corporate level and those employed to grow coffee beans, Millions of coffee farmers survive on less than $2 a week. Orin C Smith, Starbucks president and CEO, was paid $1,088,269 in 2002, and received a bonus of L1,362,500. Exercising share options in the company made him a further $36,321,643. He stands to make around $8. 5m more on share options granted in 2002. (The Ecologist, Vol. 33, p. 22, 2003) The economic disparity between wages is a direct result of the practices Starbucks engages in, such as markups. The farmers, as well as the retail employees would gain from the continued global development of the company, in that higher demand for coffee would increase the price of coffee for farmers and stock options would benefit regular employees, but would do so to an exponentially smaller degree than the employees at the corporate level of operations.

Essay --

I think that there are and aren’t any limits to ‘appropriation’ in art and design. I think because in art and design, there are different ways that artists use ‘appropriation’. Certain artists use it as their base of inspiration or parody, but there is a limit to appropriating an artwork. It depends on the material used for the artwork that lets it be determined if it is fair enough to say it has been â€Å"appropriated† or not. Personally, I thing it is only considered appropriation if the material used and the meaning of the artwork has been changed. For example, Jeff Koons, he is known for his animal balloon sculptures made out of stainless steel with a mirror surface. Picture source: http://design-milk.com/a-closer-look-at-jeff-koons/ He took an everyday object and re-created it by changing the material and the size of it. He is best known for his orange balloon dog that was sold at $58million. So far, there aren’t any bad comments about his balloon sculptures as the material he used also intrigues people. Koons once complaint that a gallery infringed his rights by selling bookends that looks exactly like this balloon dog. But as I quote the gallery as they filed a complain for declaratory relief stating â€Å"As virtually any clown can attest, no one owns the idea of making a balloon dog, and the shape created by twisting a balloon into a dog-like form is part of the public domain.† But despite being known for his work, Koons has also been sued several times for copyright infringement over the use of other artist’s image and recreating it with minimal changes. One example would have to be the case of Rodgers Vs Koons. It is said that he had lost the case because Rodgers owns all copyright to the photograph he took. I persona... ...ot so successful when they attempt to do it. Although to some artists, copyright isn’t an issue. But how much changes do we have to make to appropriate an art piece, for it to be considered complying with the copyright law. The copyright law protects an artist’s exclusive right to reproduce or authorize others to reproduce the artist’s work. But the copyright law isn’t as strict as we look at it to be because there isn’t such a thing as international copyright law because in different countries, there are different agreements on what a copyright law should be about. Source credit: http://painting.about.com/cs/artistscopyright/f/copyrightfaq1.htm http://99designs.com/designer-blog/2013/04/19/5-famous-copyright-infringement-cases/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Koons#cite_note-104 http://www.owe.com/resources/legalities/30-jeff-koons-copyright-infringement/

Advantages of a Press Club in schools Essay

A press club is an organization for journalists and others professionally engaged in the production and dissemination of news. The press generally has to do with gathering, evaluating and distributing facts of current interest. It makes use of reporters, learners in this case, who research and write stories to be presented during school assemblies or to be posted on boards often with the guidance teachers as editors. Such news, in most cases consists of events that have happened in the school, the current ones, and those still on the pipeline. A school press club is important to the learners involved, school at large and even the community. There are a number of benefits that can be aligned with a press club. Some are; The press club will furnish the students and school populace with the information of things happening around them in the school, within the country and the world at large. It also brings the community closer to the school and makes people feel as though they are active participants in the education process as they asked to comment on aspects of either the school or education system every now and then. The club would help build interpersonal skills in members as they will interact with a number of people in search for information. The club can create in learners both in the club and outside the interest in a journalism career. It would also instill and build confidence and self-esteem in learners. ïÆ'ËœIt also gives training on journalism to those involved. A press club also does establish a culture of excellence. The learners will strive to produce the best they can. It isn’t anything that is ever verbalized or stressed in the program; it is inherent in the culture of the program. They think they are supposed to be â€Å"the best,† and they make it reality. It would also impart into learners the skill of researching which they will also use in other areas of learning. The press club will also impart and improve the writing and speech skills in learners as they will be exposed to it, be it daily or weekly. As the Chinese put it â€Å"tell me and I will forget, show me and I will remember, involve me and I will understand†, a press club is one such forum  where our pupils can be involved in their learning and surely they will not only remember but also understand. With press clubs in our schools, we will have learners who will understand that composition writing is not always letter writing but it involves much more. Let us ensure that we have these clubs in our schools and maybe and just maybe we may always be updated on the number of districts the nation has!

Leading Change

â€Å"The harder you push, the harder the system pushes back† is the 2nd law in The Laws of the Fifth Discipline.   These laws are the core of a process called systems thinking and the concept is that it’s â€Å"best to manage the system, not just the individual processes.†Ã‚   (West & Cianfrani, 2004, p. 69)   Corporations have a tendency to look at the â€Å"direct linear cause and effect relationships,† rather than looking at â€Å"interactions.†Ã‚   (West & Cianfrani, 2004, p. 69)   Peter Senge’s book The Fifth Discipline identified 10 laws that defined systems thinking. The 2nd law in The Laws of the Fifth Discipline can be interpreted as â€Å"Compensating feedback.†Ã‚   Senge defines this as â€Å"when well-intentioned interventions call forth responses from the system that offset the benefits of the intervention.†Ã‚   (Senge, 1990, p. 58) In other words, the more effort exerted to change or improve the current organizational processes, the more effort it requires. Organizations have experienced this process when, for example, a product or brand suddenly begins to lose its popularity within the market.   When organizations begin to push new marketing strategies aggressively it often turns out that more revenue is spent on the marketing efforts with only a temporary pay back.   This process is not only limited to the business market, it can also be illustrated in personal experiences.   Senge uses the smoker as an example – if a person who is a regular smoker suddenly quits he or she might begin to gain weight, become frustrated with personal appearance and then suddenly begin smoking again.   (Senge, 1990, p. 59) As humans it is natural for us to get drawn into the process of compensating feedback.   We push harder and it’s exhausting and we often â€Å"glorify the suffering that ensues.†Ã‚   (Senge, 1990, p. 59)   When our efforts to produce change fail initially, we push harder and often have the belief that our hard work and effort will overcome all of the obstacles in front of us. However, compensating feedback is a process where we become blind to the fact that our efforts are actually contributing to the current obstacles we are facing as well as creating others we must overcome. (Senge, 1990, p. 59-60) Over the past two decades information and communication technology has continuously evolved and has empowered small businesses and large corporations with new emerging markets and tools.   The Internet has become the information highway and has impacted both social and economic relationships in various sectors such as education, health, government, trade and tourism.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. vii) In order to maintain its impact on society the information technology must continuously evolve to compensate for future needs for both local and global societies.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. VI)   Focusing on one idea or concept that does not elicit long-term success consumes time and effort that is imperative to online success. The consistent evolution of technology and the platforms provided are numerous and are impacting our society regularly.   These newly emerging technologies affect the way we do business, communicate with others, daily entertainment, study and do research.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. VI)   Ecommerce is the largest growing platform of the World Wide Web and it has provided a â€Å"new momentum of doing business in the digital economy.†Ã‚   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. VI) In order to compensate and adjust to the constant change through the internet environment we must be able to identify the implications. At the end of 2004 it was estimated that 750 million users represented the Internet community worldwide.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. VI) The e-marketplaces consist of various products and services that market their products both from Business to Business and Business to consumer.   These products and services provide value for both buyers and sellers. In order to create a successful ecommerce venture processes must be transformed from the traditional ways of doing business to modern Internet transactions that are efficient to both the buyer and the seller.   The biggest challenge for internet businesses is adapting to the virtual environment and integrating their current business processes into the e-marketplace. (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 97) The Internet environment has its benefits as well as disadvantages, or threats.   On a local business level it immediately provides â€Å"easy and fast entrance to new markets,† 24/7 business hours, less physical structure maintenance, and the possibility of sales increasing.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 99) For buyers this offers more selection of products and services, 24/7 business access and easy comparison between the various seller’s offers.     (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 99) Threats for businesses as a whole are the loss of direct customer face to face relationships, increased competition and the extra funds required for consistent upgrading of products and platforms.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 99)   For buyers there is the same lack of direct face to face relationships, the unknown reliability of the seller and lack of trust in products and services.   (Waddell & Singh, 2003, p. 99) E-commerce is about â€Å"rediscovering the individuality of the customers and their needs, and the creation of frictionless modes of commercial interaction with them.†Ã‚  Ã‚   (May, 2000, p. 4)   Businesses must approach change in an internet environment carefully, as in the traditional business model the direct interaction allows the consumer to feel important.   Ecommerce does not provide the close interaction; therefore it is imperative that the online business practices allow the consumer to feel like a person, not a type.   (May, 2000, p. 5) A great example of ecommerce success is Amazon.com.   This company has proven its ability to implement change and business growth without affecting its customer base or falling behind the competition.   The vision of the â€Å"Earth’s biggest bookstore† (May, 2000, p. 52) was to offer a range and large quantity of products that would dominate traditional booksellers and to â€Å"achieve market ubiquity without acquiring retail real estate.†Ã‚   (May, 2000, p. 52) Jeff Bezos identified books as an ideal product for selling online because the number of books the traditional bookseller could offer was limited; therefore, if these products were offered online the number available would be unlimited.   In a sense the book trade has always been â€Å"virtual† – any customer can enter a traditional bookstore and order any book in print. Amazon.com brought a new online concept to the book trade and improved the efficiency of a traditional process.   However, though this insight was extraordinary introducing the concept into the ecommerce marketplace meant that consistent change was necessary and that customers must receive the same attention and personal relationships currently experienced in the traditional environment.   (May, 2000, p. 53-54) In order to change the ecommerce impersonal environment Amazon.com had to introduce a new strategy into maintaining and increasing its customer base.   Changing the internet environment is not a simple display creation or the addition of a personable salesperson to physically approach customers.   Amazon.com had to approach this change with a technology based solution that offered a personal approach to its customers.   The applications Amazon implemented offered their customers a positive experience. Customers are now able to access their portfolios at any time and without interaction with a sales representative.   These portfolios are personalized and address customers on a first name basis, provide purchase history and even suggest similar titles that might be of interest to the customers.   This change provided a personal touch, saved Amazon on staff time and clearly benefits the customer.   (May, 2000, p. 54) Rick Berry, CEO of ICGCommerce.com, an Internet-Based procurement business, describes leading an e-commerce business as â€Å"driving a Ferrari with a cinderblock on the accelerator.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004)   This fast-paced environment requires consistent change, as â€Å"E-Procurement is a $10 trillion market worldwide.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004) Berry states that building a procurement business in the traditional sense would take at least 10 years to become successful; however within the internet environment they are making an attempt to establish credibility within six months.   Their goal is â€Å"to grab a chunk of that market before the competition moves in.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004) Berry believes that talent is what businesses require to provide effective leadership and the ability to change quickly within Internet based businesses.   Leadership must have the ability to â€Å"attract teams of talented risk-takers.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004)  Ã‚   The speed of the working environment in an e-commerce structure means that very little time is available to train staff; therefore leaders of e-commerce ventures â€Å"must strive to create a specific type of work culture† that is high-energy and results-oriented.   (Pandya, 2004) Because little time is allowed for training and communication in an internet environment is more direct than others, changing the actions of others as well as effectively communicating the vision of change is difficult.   â€Å"You communicate directly, and you must build a team that can cope with that.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004) If an internet company is to be successful it must begin with establishing a visionary culture with the ability to attract and retain talented staff.   Talented staff members have the ability to effectively introduce change within the internet environment effectively and without disrupting business flow. David Perry, founder of Chemdex says that creating a successful business with the ability to adapt to the constant change of the internet environment is â€Å"raising money, so you can hire good people, so you can make and sell good products, so you can raise more money.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004)   These staff members must be â€Å"enthusiastic, passionate and share the organization’s values.†Ã‚   (Pandya, 2004) In his article titled The True Value of Change Management, George Spafford quotes â€Å"The only constant is change.†Ã‚   (Spafford, 2005)   He believes that many IT organizations â€Å"lack a fundamental understanding of the need to manage change† and that these organizations feel that change management stops at budgetary planning. When introducing change into the internet environment organizations must understand that this process has huge impacts on business operations – the more complex the change is within the system the â€Å"effective change management processes† increase.   (Spafford, 2005)   As most change within the internet environment is technology based, it’s imperative to know that 80% of security breaches have been caused by human error. (Spafford, 2005) Potential solutions in technology have three parts â€Å"people, technology and process.†Ã‚   (Spafford, 2005)   Most organizations have processes in place where change requests are â€Å"submitted, reviewed, planned tested, scheduled and then implemented.† (Spafford, 2005)   The procedures are put into place to ensure that proper thought and planning have been applied and the implications assessed before introducing it within the business structure. Spafford believes that many organizations lack the resources to implement change and that many simply give up once the implications have surfaced with unsuccessful results.   He believes that companies must learn from their mistakes and work continuously to improve and implement future successes.   Developing one simple model of change in an internet environment can also be devastating.   â€Å"The point is to be flexible, keep costs down and remain responsive, adopting multiple change models.†Ã‚   (Spafford, 2005) The ability to manage change within the internet environment will always be a challenge for organizations.   Effective leadership is the key to any organization’s success as well as leadership’s ability to attract talented staff members who are constantly looking to the future, rather than traditional one-sided ideas. Technology is constantly evolving and introducing new competitive strategies into the ecommerce marketplace and little time is available to adapt to the competition.   Looking back at The Laws of the Fifth Discipline, â€Å"The harder you push, the harder the system pushes back† we see that it’s imperative to remain open-minded and constantly looking to the future where new concepts and ideas will introduce positive changes to the Internet environment. References May, P. (2000). The Business of Ecommerce: From Corporate Strategy to Technology. New York, New York: Cambridge University. Pandya, M. (2004). Center for Leadership and Change Management:   Leadership in E-Commerce:   What does it Take to Lead an E-Commerce Venture? Retrieved from http://leadership.wharton.upenn.edu/ecommerce/articles/Wharton_ECommerce_Forum.shtml Senge, P. M. (1990). The Fifth Discipline. New York, New York: Doubleday Dell Publishing Group. Spafford, G. (2005, August 15). Datamation:   The True Value of Change Management. Retrieved from http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/service/article.php/3527471 Waddell, D., & Singh, M. (2003). E-Business Innovation and Change Management. London: Idea Group Inc (IGI). West, J., & Cianfrani, C. A. (2004). Unlocking the Power of Your Qms: Keys to Business Performance Improvement. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: American Society for.          Leading Change Introduction Intense global competition, rapid technological change, and international capital markets are creating more demand for change leadership than at perhaps any other time in history. These forces, combined with the complexity of new and more global organizational forms that span nations and unite organizations through alliances, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions, make the job of leadership increasingly difficult. No wonder it is popular to suggest that leadership is in short supply in most organizations. Moreover, we have a limited understanding of the role that leaders should play in making effective change a reality. This is the motivation for this essay. In the pages that follow, I discuss how leaders can help organizations change to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.Body of the Essay It is one thing to argue that organizations need to reinvent themselves and develop new, more effective approaches to organizing, and quite another to accomplish it . Large-scale organizational transformation is, at best, a developing art that has yet to produce any clear formulas for success, but more and more attention is being turned to executives as the principle agents of change and adaptation. It is increasingly common to assume that leadership plays the crucial role in an organization's successful adaptation to a changing world. Companies are paying record compensation to attract the best and brightest executive talent to lead them safely through today's turbulent business environment. Many boards and executive recruiters assume that there exists an elite corps of individuals who possess leadership skills that have almost universal application.The subject of leadership and organization change is embedded deeply in the lexicon and discourse of business executives, management consultants, and organizational scholars. Business periodicals, the trade press, and academic publications are brimming with information and knowledge about leading o rganization change. Widespread attention to leading change is largely a reflection of the times. Fueled by unprecedented changes in technologies, markets, and economies, organizations are experiencing rapidly changing environments and enormous competitive pressures. Responses to these challenges are resulting in a virtual revolution in new organizational forms and systems. Organizations are increasingly seeking to transform themselves to become more adaptable and competitive, with leaner, more flexible structures, more empowered and committed employees, and more performance-driven human resource practices. (Lawler et al., 1995)As organizations strive to implement these innovations, they discover that change is incredibly arduous, requiring a great deal of expertise, resources, and luck. The sheer difficulty of transforming organizations is evident in their enormous inertial qualities as well as the scope and magnitude of the required changes. Organization transformation typically in volves radical changes in strategy and structure, in work practices and methods, and in members' perceptions, norms, and work behaviors. As many observers have pointed out, because transformational change involves the total organization including strategic relationships with the competitive environment, top leaders or CEOs need to lead the change process and are essential to its success. (Tichy & Devanna, 1986; Greiner & Bhambri, 1989; Nadler, 1997)â€Å"The Harder You Push, The Harder The System Pushes Back† Any organization has its own corporate culture and the employees in all hierarchies are accustomed to that particular culture. Bringing about any change at any level is bound to shake the status quo and bring in an element of disturbance within the smooth functioning of the organization. Keeping that in mind, the change leader has to be extremely careful in doing the job and allowing ample space and time for the employees and other variables to adjust to the change being brought about. If the change process is accelerated too much and transformation is imposed hard on the people and the system as a whole, it will result in increased resistance from the system and mounting difficulties in the process of change.â€Å"Change involves moving from the known to the unknown (Cummins/Worley, 1993). Because the future is uncertain and may adversely affect people’s competencies, worth, and coping abilities, organizational members generally do not support change, unless compelling reasons convince them to do so. Similarly, organizations tend to be heavily invested in the status quo, and they resist changing it in the face of uncertain future benefits. Consequently, a key issue in planning for action is how to motivate commitment to organizational change, such as Business Reengineering. This requires management attention to two related tasks: creating readiness for change and overcoming resistance to change.† http://www.prosci.com/w_4.htmPeople c an be made ready to accept and contribute towards change once they themselves get to feel the need for change. This means making people so discontented with the status quo that they are provoked to try new ways of performing. Generating such discontent can be to a certain extent difficult. People who have been functioning and behaving in ways that have become norms for them now, may find it difficult to the level of hurt, prior to their undertaking the change seriously. In a situation as sensitive as such, the change has to be led very cautiously providing room for delay. The many issues related to change leadership could be structured around multiple themes. They include leader behaviors for effective change, sources of change, different change strategies, whether leadership really matters, and the development of change leaders.Most leadership scholars emphasize the importance of developing a vision or direction as the first step in leading change. This direction is critical in mak ing sure that everyone is moving in the same direction. It is, however, an open question whether a vision is really necessary for leading change. A key issue, particularly in the literature on charismatic leadership, is how to create a sense of empowerment and ownership for employees.One argument is that this requires giving employees the autonomy to determine appropriate means for implementing the vision. (Conger, 1989) Prior research has shown that employees are most motivated when they have the freedom to determine what works best given their talents and skills. (Spreitzer et al., 1997) However, in order for such autonomy to work employees must have access to the resources necessary for implementation and to information about the competition and the financial situation of their organization; without these they are likely to feel helpless in bringing about change. Also, rewards may be particularly helpful in building a sense of ownership. (Lawler, 1986)Leaders in crisis organizati ons facing a revitalization challenge must devote considerable effort at the front end of their transformation to the creation of resources. Individuals' resistance to change builds in direct proportion to the magnitude of the gap they perceive between the level of effort expected of them as part of the transformation process and the resources available to get the job done. Often this initial resource-generating step involves closing and consolidating peripheral or under-performing operations, trimming employee payrolls, reducing corporate staff overhead expenses, and suspending or deferring programs so that current operations can generate more cash to be redeployed to the launch of the corporate transformation process. Leaders attempting to revitalize their organizations also need to seek new external resources as they launch their transformation process.For example, at General Electric during the early 1980s under Jack Welch, the creation of slack resources was not so much a probl em as was the reallocation of existing resources to the corporate transformation effort. So the initial transformation issue was less one of resource creation than one of resource reallocation. Businesses that did not fit the vision had to fix, sell, or close themselves, and resources that would otherwise be consumed by these ill-fitting businesses were reallocated to enhance productivity and automation initiatives and to fuel capital investments in businesses that offered greater promise for achieving Welch's lofty vision of being first or second in their chosen global markets. (Aguilar et al., 1985)It might be argued that the key role for the leader is setting context; he or she must create a culture that embraces the importance of change. The leader then needs to create an organization structure that will support the new vision. This might, for example, involve a team-based design to reduce centralization, hierarchy, and bureaucratization. The leader must select and hire top-notc h people who have the skills necessary to bring the new vision to actuality. If the vision involves globalization, for example, this might involve hiring or promoting people who have international experience. The leader must also create a reward system that encourages behaviors appropriate for the new vision. For example, if the vision requires more focus on the customer, then employees must be rewarded for actions that improve customer satisfaction. In other words, the leader's most important role may be to devise an organization that sustains the vision.Implications For Change In An Internet Environment Sebastian  and Samuel  (2004) â€Å"explore the challenge that technology will deliver to management at both the tactical and strategic level. Changes in communication, content of communication, globalization of communication, are critical to these changes. The environment will support a greater degree of discontinuities in planning which is brought about by the globalization of management activities. Successful management must encompass the management of these discontinuities but use information in an artificial intelligence environment. The integration of these data and the actions that come from that integration must be understood within a moral framework.† (Sebastian  & Samuel, 2004)In the present era of technological innovation and globalization, when the world’s business is coming closer to work as a network, when the logistics are being designed in a way that encompass the ever so easy access of technology, communication and information, when a single business is catering to the markets around the globe, the changes within the organization become more important than those ever were. It is the international culture that the employees have to work in, the greater than ever expansion plans and newer and faster service demands that they have to attend to. All these developments and enhancements come as part and result of the Internet en vironment in which virtually all businesses are operating these days.ConclusionLeading change in such circumstances become an even more demanding and challenging of a task for the managers or leaders. As the trade of goods and services around the world is getting faster and easier, the need for as fast a change continues. However as mentioned in the preceding pages that such changes cannot be brought overnight, nor can those be imposed or pushed hard on the individuals. The system pushes back even harder and poses even more resistance to the change. Instead, the vision once established has to be communicated to the people properly, make them ready for the change by suitably establishing the loopholes of the current state and furnish the future expectations of being technologically sound and equipped.ReferencesAguilar, F. J., Hamermesh, R. G., and Brainard, C. General Electric, 1984. (1985) Boston: Harvard Business School Press (9–385–315, Rev. Mar. 24, 1993).Conger, J. A. (1989) â€Å"The Charismatic Leader† San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Greiner, L., and Bhambri, A. (1989) â€Å"New CEO Intervention and Dynamics of Deliberate Strategic Change.† Strategic Management Journal, 10, 67–86.Lawler, E. E. (1986) â€Å"High-Involvement Management† San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986.Lawler, E., Mohrman, S., and Ledford, G. (1995) â€Å"Creating High Performance Organizations: Practices and Results of Employee Involvement and Total Quality Management in Fortune 1000 Companies† San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Nadler, D., (1997) â€Å"Champions of Change† San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Spreitzer, G. M., Kizilos, M., and Nason, S. (1997) â€Å"A Dimensional Analysis of the Relationship Between Psychological Empowerment and Effectiveness, Satisfaction, and Strain.† Journal of Management, 23 (5), 679–704.Tichy, N., and Devanna, M. (1986) â€Å"The Transformation Leader† New York: Wiley.Wolf D. Schumacher â€Å"Ma naging Barriers To Re-engineering Success.† http://www.prosci.com/w_4.htm Accessed January 31, 2007.

Compare and Contrast the Cultures of Indian and China essays

Compare and Contrast the Cultures of Indian and China essays Patriarchy is something that China and India have in common because they both follow it. Patriarchy is when the men in the house have dominance over the women. This means that the women have to ask the men for permission to go out and do things. Part of the power of men, means that they can beat their wives as long as the wounds are smaller than their thumbs. Buddhism started in India, with the story of a young prince running away from his home to find the meaning of life. One day he was sitting under a tree in the forest. He finally found the answers he had been looking for, for most of his life; he called them the Four Noble Truths. All of life is suffering, the cause of suffering is desire, the end of desire leads to the end of suffering, and the means to end desire, is a path of discipline and meditation. After that he became known as the Buddha or enlightened one. He spent the rest of his life in India converting disciples. Then around eighty years old he died, but his work was still continued from his committed followers. By the third century Buddhism was being spread around in South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia. It was one of the biggest religions in the world. After many centuries Buddhism was still being maintained by royal leaders in India. Therefore Buddhism in India was pretty big, similar to Buddhism in China. In Chin a it was even bigger though; as they thought that Buddhism had many attractive features like the text and the approach to follow the text and apply it to their everyday lives. The only difference in Chinas and Indias belief system is that China also has Confucianism and Taoism. Confucianism was considered more a philosophy or way of life. This showed the people how life should be, and how things should be in the household and with families. Confucianism is still around today, and is most likely going to stay around forever. Another way of life that the Chinese fo...

A Cultural Approach essays

A Cultural Approach essays The cultural and developmental aspects of American history in the 17th and 18th centuries are certainly among the most important and influential factors in the shaping of this country's long and storied history. Historiographically speaking, there are undoubtedly thousands upon thousands of different studies and opinions on the most influential cultural strides of early Americans well as the pros and cons that each colonial region developed in shaping America and readying it for the Revolutionary Era. Each of these four studies brings a slightly different and even, at times, conflicting approach to analyzing the cultural and social roots of early America, but each one provides a fresh perspective that enhances the idea that America is a true "melting pot" of ideas, social values, and cultural traits. Zuckerman, in his article, focuses his attention on the middle colonies and the erroneous tendencies of historians to ignore controversial or pertinent historical issues in favor of obvious, harmless social arguments. Historians have focused on New England as the true "birthplace of America" because of its early literature and thought that focused solely on Puritanism, and therefore offered an obvious and easy starting point with which to measure the region's cultural metamorphasis. However, as Zuckerman points out, New England was fairly unrepresentative of the real America, as it was a homogenous society dominated by English Puritans and their inflexible doctrines and unstatic customs and economy. The middle colonies, on the other hand, were made up of people of many different origins, races, and creeds, and their interrelationships are definitely more symbolic of American culture. Like most people's idea of America, the middle colonies developed a commercial culture ba! sed on a balanced economy, and, besides that, showed no real homogenous cultural traits that ran through the region. Indeed, most of th ...

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Top 100 Allied Health Jobs That Are Hiring Today If you’re interested in a career in medical and health services, you have your eye on the right prize. Allied health positions can vary from patient work, to management positions, to technologist jobs, and come with a solid salary. While some require a bit of schooling, most don’t need a huge amount of education to break into, and offer good growth opportunities.Here is a varied list of jobs that fall under the allied health umbrella.Allied Health Job TitlesAssistant Director of NursingBehavior AnalystCardiac NurseCath Lab NurseCertified Medical Assistant (CMA)Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)Certified Ophthalmic TechnicianCertified Registered Nurse (RN)- MidwifeCharge NurseClinical AssistantClinical Documentation SpecialistClinical EducatorClinical PsychologistClinical Services DirectorClinical Services ManagerClinical SupervisorCritical Care NurseCT TechnologistDental AssistantDental HygienistDentistDietary AideDietitianEmergency Medical Technician (EMT)- ParamedicEme rgency Room NurseEnvironmental Health SpecialistEnvironmental Services ManagerER TechnicianFamily PhysicianHealth Information TechnicianHealth Service CoordinatorHealthcare Information Services ManagerHealthcare Project ManagerHome Care AdministratorHome Care NurseHome Health Aide (HHA)Home Health Care NurseHospital Admissions CoordinatorHospital TransporterLaboratory CourierLicensed Practical Nurse (LPN)Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)MDS CoordinatorMedical AssistantMedical Case ManagerMedical CoderMedical DirectorMedical Laboratory Technician (MLT)Medical Records AnalystMedical Technologist (MT)Medical TranscriptionistMedication TechnicianMental Health TechnicianMonitor TechnicianMRI TechnicianNurse ManagerNurse Practitioner (NP)Nurse SupervisorNursing AideNursing AssistantNursing Care CoordinatorNursing DirectorNutritionistOccupational Health ManagerOccupational Therapist (OT)Occupational Therapist AssistantOffice NurseOncology NurseOperating Room NurseOpticianOptometric Technicia nOral Surgeon AssistantOrthodontic AssistantPACU NursePathology AssistantPatient Care Technician (PCT)PediatricianPhlebotomistPhysical Therapist (PT)Physical Therapist AidePhysical Therapist Assistant (PTA)PhysicianPhysician AssistantPractical Registered Nurse (PRN)Psychiatric NursePsychiatric TechnicianPsychiatristRadiologic TechnicianRadiologic TechnologistRegistered Dental Assistant (RDA)Registered Nurse (RN)Respiratory TherapistSafety RepresentativeSchool NurseSchool PsychologistSpeech Language Pathologist (SLP)Staff NurseSurgical TechnicianUltrasound TechnicianAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of allied health  jobs is projected to grow 19% through  2024, adding about 2.3 million new jobs.The median annual wage for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (such as registered nurses, physicians and surgeons, and dental hygienists) is around $63,420, while healthcare support occupations (such as home health aides, occupational therapy assistant s, and medical transcriptionists) have a median annual wage of $27,910.

Should College Ban Alcohol Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Should College Ban Alcohol - Research Proposal Example Coupled with many other problems, the freedom to drink alcohol in colleges has been seen to be responsible for a number of social ills. A section of the society feels that colleges should ban alcohol so that students do not drink on campus (Correia 56). Similarly, there are also others who feel that colleges should not ban alcohol. Both sides of the argument have advanced various reasons for their arguments. Nothing much in those two wide opinions has changed. The debate still rages. Pro-Alcohol Ban in Colleges Arguments Alcohol Drinking in Colleges Impact Negatively in Learning Outcomes To begin with, supporting side of the argument on whether colleges should ban alcohols has advanced various reasons for this position. Research results published in AlcoholEdu between 2008-2009 found out that alcoholism in college impacts negatively on learning objectives and outcome. The authors say, â€Å"The number of drinks consumed correlates with the number of classes missed.† By this, the authors imply that the more a student drinks in college, the more such a student will be inclined to miss classes. The authors feel that it should be the responsibility of the society to shape the development of such student so that do not waste study time. The strength of this assertion is that it logically points out that missed classes may most likely result in a fail grade in the unit concerned. Therefore, as such students mature up with time, they should be guided on the right path by banning alcohol on campus. Even so, it appears that such an argument is weak in the sense that it insinuates that colleges should babysit adult students.

United Airline history (from 1990 to 2000) Research Paper

United Airline history (from 1990 to 2000) - Research Paper Example â€Å"And if I did [fly with you], I wouldn’t bring my luggage / ‘Cause you’d just go and break it, / Into a thousand pieces, / Just like you broke my heart† (Carroll, n.d.). This is not a love song; it is rather a sad song about a passenger’s bad experience when he boarded the plane managed by the United Airlines. The persona in the song criticizes the â€Å"complete indifference† exhibited by the flight attendants towards him. Entitled United Breaks Guitars, the music piece subtly reveals two facets in the narrative: (1) the passenger’s plight; and (2) the United employee’s lack of professionalism. First, the needs or reasonable complaints of the customers appear to be insignificant to the employees of the United Airlines. This shows the level of treatment in which the United provides its customer-passengers. And second, the United flight attendants apparently fail to behave professionally by reacting to the passenger’s plight with the heartless words â€Å"Don’t ask me.† Communications strategy Smith, Berry, and Pulford (1999), on the other hand, states that the United Airlines has been pondering on the minds of its travellers. For instance, United inquires or explores on the daily activities of its passengers and on the persons whom these customers speak to whenever they book a flight. The underlying principle here is, obviously, the end in which the United Airlines can track and attract numerous costumer-passengers. The problem, however, is that United is more concerned with obtaining and gaining a number of customers rather than in providing satisfactory services towards them. Moreover, the focus on the traveller has a drawback to the personnel who book the flight and other United employees associated to booking and travel policy. Smith et al. (1999) argue that these people (e.g., travel agents) have the capacity to â€Å"influence over the choice of airline† made by the cu stomer-travellers. It is empirical for the travel agents, they say, to possess a much more detailed information about â€Å"routes, schedules and prices† in order to better serve their customers (Smith et al., 1999). Technology It appears that the United Airlines cares less to the passenger’s plight and more to the company’s ways of gaining more traveller-customers. Kelly (1999) writes about the United’s parallel processing technology wherein it functions as a machinery in â€Å"forecast[ing] demand† and thereby increases the company’s profit. According to a study, the United Airlines dramatically accumulates a large amount of profit from such technology by as much as $100 million per year (Kelly, 1999). Named as IBM RS/6000, the technology operates through an analysis or calculation from the given data in order to determine the passenger-demand forecast. In using this technology, United only looks and focuses on the flight â€Å"paths† of a particular travel route in contrast to its flight â€Å"legs† (Kelly, 1999). That is to say, the path that is to be analyzed or computed, from the Boston-to-Los-Angeles flight route with a stopover in Chicago, is the Boston-to-Los-Angeles path. The signifier â€Å"legs† signifies the short route (i.e., stopover) from state to state while the term â€Å"paths† refers to the ultimate destination of the passenger-traveller from one state to another. On employees Blacks The United Airlines composes employees of different colors; of the many colors, the Black stands high and bright. For one, there are numerous African Americans working in O’Hare International Airport situated in the state of Chicago. Most of them are United’

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How is food gendered How do men or women differentiate themselves from the other gender with food What does this accomplish in terms of identity and their r - Essay Example In contemporary times, especially in the western world, there is a tendency to focus on the thinness of the body as a symbol of self-control, power and assertion of individuality. This is in contrast to other cultures such as that in Jamaica and Fiji, where a plump body is acceptable and preferred, with its connotations of care-giving, generosity and social cohesion. In the United States power relations are established through subordination, where women frequently experience dissatisfaction and self-hatred directed at their body. This results in women and to some extent men, spending huge amounts of time and energy for relentlessly pursuing thinness. Differentiation between the genders and personal identity construction is increasingly food-related. Where the desire for thinness is predominant and obsessive, psychopathological outcomes such as Anorexia nervosa and bulimia may result (Counihan, 1999: 11). The purpose of this paper is to examine how food is gendered, how differentiation from the other gender is conceptualized by men or women based on food; determine its impact on the formation of personal identity, and on relationships with own gender and the opposite gender. Women almost exclusively have observed fasts since centuries, using food as a unique voice to express themselves. Among men and women in several cultures, food is used as a means of differentiating between the genders as well as a channel of connection between them. Males and females claim different roles with regard to food, and specific attributes through identification with particular foods. Food is used as a means for defining their masculinity and femininity along with similarities and differences between them (Counihan, 1999: 13). In Papua New Guinea, Wamiran men and women define gender through their relation to taro a food that is considered both nutritionally and symbolically to be of great significance. Taro plants grown

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Industrialization and the environment Annotated Bibliography

Industrialization and the environment - Annotated Bibliography Example Roome substantiates his argument by giving the example of Japan and France, countries that industrialized later, which realized peak at intensity of energy lower than the ones of United States and United Kingdom, which industrialized earlier. He argues that industrialization paths that were less-energy intensive developed as more ways of industrial, transport and domestic technologies on the world markets became available. Roome maintains that countries that industrialized earlier continued using older technologies, which reduced the efficiency of their economies. He also points out that generalizing developing countries as using less energy and therefore reaching their peaks at lower energy intensities is not right. This is because the energy intensities reached by some developing countries has been very high even to the point exceeding the peaks reached by Japan. Roome suggests that the observations show that wealth and resource use do not have a fixed relationship with the consequ ent impacts on the environment. This book is going to be useful for this research as it helps to argue against the erroneous sentiments that developing countries use less energy and therefore minimal impacts to the environment. Blame made to developed nations that they contribute a lot to environmental degradation through their industries can be refuted from the evidence that some developing countries, for example in the Sub-Saharan Africa use the old technologies earlier used by the now developed nations. United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Industrialization, environment and the millennium development goals in Sub-Saharan Africa: The new frontier in the fight against poverty, Volume 1. New York: United Nations Publications, 2004. Print. UNIDO in this book talks about industry and the environment in the Sub-Saharan Africa. It points out that the

Definitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

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Industrialization and the environment Annotated Bibliography

Industrialization and the environment - Annotated Bibliography Example Roome substantiates his argument by giving the example of Japan and France, countries that industrialized later, which realized peak at intensity of energy lower than the ones of United States and United Kingdom, which industrialized earlier. He argues that industrialization paths that were less-energy intensive developed as more ways of industrial, transport and domestic technologies on the world markets became available. Roome maintains that countries that industrialized earlier continued using older technologies, which reduced the efficiency of their economies. He also points out that generalizing developing countries as using less energy and therefore reaching their peaks at lower energy intensities is not right. This is because the energy intensities reached by some developing countries has been very high even to the point exceeding the peaks reached by Japan. Roome suggests that the observations show that wealth and resource use do not have a fixed relationship with the consequ ent impacts on the environment. This book is going to be useful for this research as it helps to argue against the erroneous sentiments that developing countries use less energy and therefore minimal impacts to the environment. Blame made to developed nations that they contribute a lot to environmental degradation through their industries can be refuted from the evidence that some developing countries, for example in the Sub-Saharan Africa use the old technologies earlier used by the now developed nations. United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Industrialization, environment and the millennium development goals in Sub-Saharan Africa: The new frontier in the fight against poverty, Volume 1. New York: United Nations Publications, 2004. Print. UNIDO in this book talks about industry and the environment in the Sub-Saharan Africa. It points out that the

Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Company Law - Essay Example The essay starts by outlining the essence of the law of separate corporate personality. This will be followed by an outline of the case of John who is an employee of Diamond Car Sales as well as application of this law to the case. The essay will also look at the circumstances under which the corporate veil can be pierced. The main body of the paper will give a critical analysis of the facts that can lead the court to pierce the issue of corporate veil in certain instance. Essence of separate corporate personality Cillers et al (2004), state that an association of persons or an organised body can acquire legal personality by way of separate Act. Thus, when the company is formed as a separate entity, it acquires the capacity and authority to have its own rights and duties (Gibson, 1988). Thus, once the company has been incorporated, it can be viewed as a separate or independent person with rights and liabilities that it chooses for itself. This is reflected by the case of Salomon v Sa lomon& Co [1897] AC 22 (Hl). Salomon is the sole owner of the once glamorous company and he decides to turn the business venture into a limited company having realised that it had great potential. As such, Salomon got ?10Â  000 in debentures from the shareholders which were acquired through a bond of the company’s assets. ... This may involve creating a brand name for the company that is used as a source of identity which makes the company different from other enterprises. In as far as the aspect of corporate personality is concerned, it can be noted that the aim of the law is concerned with protecting the interests of the company since it is treated like an individual person with legal rights. For instance, Diamond Car sales built a strong corporate personality where it even went on to categorically state that there was no person who would directly compete with it after leaving the company within the first six months of termination of the contract. Situational analysis John is works for Diamond Car Sales and his contract states that upon termination of his employment, he cannot start a business that directly competes with Diamond Car Sales for a period of six months after the termination of his contract. Apparently, John’s contract is terminated and he decides to go into business straight away des pite the provisions of his contract. Fearful of the provisions of the principle of "Separate Corporate Personality" John wants to know if he can operate a business. John decides to set up a company with his son and it competes with Diamond Car Sales. However, John is neither a director nor shareholder of the new company, but he runs the business and everyone refers to him as "the boss." Against this background, this paper seeks to critically analyse the authenticity of Diamond Car Sales’ warning to John to cease trading or they will opt for legal action in order to stop him from trading in direct competition with the company. Case analysis In this

Finding The Energy Given Off From Various Fuels Essay Example for Free

Finding The Energy Given Off From Various Fuels Essay Research Question: Which of these fuels (ethanol, methanol and butanol) releases the most kinetic energy per ringitt? Hypothesis: Ethanol will release the most kinetic energy per ringitt because it has an average amount of CH compounds ( Materials: Spirit burner with ethanol 3 aluminum cans Spirit burner with methanol Logger Pro Spirit burner with butanol Insulated container Matches Ring Stand Graduated Cylinder 150mL of water Procedure: 1. Pour 50mL of water into the first aluminum can 2. Place the can 7cm above the ground on the ring stand 3. Place the Logger Pro inside of the can 4. Light the spirit burner of the fuel under the can. 5. Close the container around the ring stand and the spirit burner 6. Stir the Water inside of the can constantly. 7. Record the temperature of the water for 3 minutes. 8. Repeat the steps for each type of fuel. 9. Find the number of kilojoules released by each of the fuels 10. Find the amount of kilojoules of each fuel when there is 1 liter of that fuel. 11. Divide the amount of kilojoules/litre by the cost/litre of each fuel. 12. Choose the fuel with the most kilojoules released per litre. Data Collection and Processing: Ethanol: Measuring the Mass of Ethanol Time Alcohol Container Was Burnt Mass of Alcohol Container (g) Before Burning 160.2 After Burning 158.9 Measuring Temp. of Ethanol Time Temp of Fuel (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) Before Bunrning 24.6 After Burning 93.8 Methanol: Measuring the Mass of Methanol Time Alcohol Container Was Burnt Mass of Alcohol Container (g) Before Burning 191.4 After Burning 190.1 Measuring Temp. of Methanol Time Temp of Fuel (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) Before Bunrning 25 After Burning 60.8 Butanol: Mass of Alcohol Container (g): Methanol: Ethanol: Butanol: Before burning 191.4 160.2 190.8 After burning 190.1 158.9 190.5 Temp of fuel C Methanol: Ethanol: Butanol: Before burning 25 24.6 23.8 After burning 60.8 93.8 44.8 Finding the Energy Released by The Fuels (Q = m x C x ?T) Step 1: Finding the ?T (change in temperature) ?T= ending temperature starting temperature Step 2: Finding the Heat Capacity of Water (C ) Heat capacity of water = 4.18 J/g Step 3: Find the mass of water Each can had 50mL of water 1mL = 1 g Each can had 50 g of water Energy released by Ethanol: Q= 50 x 4.18 x 69.2 Q= 14.5 kilojoules Energy Released by Methanol Q= 50 x 4.18 J/g x 35.8 Q= 7.5 kilojoules Energy Released by Butanol: Q= 50 x 4.18 J/g x 21 Q= 4.4 kilojoules Energy Released by ethanol per ringitt: Kilojoules/litre = 11153.8 Energy Released by Methanol per ringitt: Kilojoules/litre = 5769.2 Energy Released by Butanol per ringitt: Kilojoules/litre = 14666.7

Education and Racial Inequality: Analysis of Crash

Education and Racial Inequality: Analysis of Crash EDUCATION AND RACIAL (IN)-EQUALITY Albert Einstein, a German-born theoretical physicist, once stated that â€Å"small is the number of people who see with their eyes and think with their minds.†[1] People tend to scrutinize the external world with their internal prejudice, observing people under their own presumptions about race; the majority of people tend to also think with their eyes, as claimed by Einstein above, and assume that a person’s insides correspond with how they look on the outside. One stops doing so when one has an experience that contradicts one’s presumptions and stereotypes. Prejudice leads to stereotypical attitudes and behaviors in people. However, when those stereotypes are disproved by experiences, individuals are forced to re-evaluate their prejudicial attitudes. Therefore, prejudicial attitudes can be overcome when people are forced to juxtapose a reality that disproves their stereotypical attitudes. Many examples of such instances are exhibited in the movie Crash, directe d by Paul Haggis. Prejudicial beliefs lead people to stereotype others based on their race. Vincent Parrillo defines cognitive level of prejudice as an â€Å"encompass[ment of] a person’s beliefs and perceptions of a group a threating or nonthreatening, inferior or equal, seclusive or intrusive, impulse gratifying, acquisitive, or possessing other positive or negative characteristics† (Parrillo 505). Stereotyping is a form of cognitive level of prejudice as it is acquired through experience and impressions. Hence, stereotypes are external expressions of inner prejudices. In Crash, Jean Cabot and her husband is seen walking down a street in a wealthy neighborhood at night. Jean Cabot visibly holds on to her husband’s arm tighter while passing Anthony and Peter, who are of African descent. This action, caused by Jean’s presumption that the two black males were gangsters, is a clear epitome of prejudice on the cognitive level, as explained by Parrillo. Jean holds these beliefs as result of exposure to the media, and lack thereof to real people of racial minorities. Her lack of exposure to minorities comes from her predominantly white and wealthy residence and background. Nevertheless, this presumption of hers against people of certain color is fueled when the two black males hijack her vehicle. Her bigotry—and her expression of prejudice—is further illustrated in the subsequent scene, wherein she vehemently opposes the locksmith changing her locks due to her perception that the locksmith, a Hispanic man, has â€Å"prison† tattoos. She groundlessly worries that the locksmith will â€Å"sell [their] keys to one of his gang banger friends the moment he is outside of [their] door† (Crash). It can be easily inferred from the scene that although the locksmith—who is uninvolved in the couple’s affairs—has done no wrong, Jean’s false notion of who he is dictates her attitudes and opinions towards the Hispan ic man. According to Parrillo, Jean is using the locksmith as a scapegoat, as her prejudice reaches a level of emotional, action orientated and self-justified level. She considers acting maliciously towards the Hispanic man appropriate due to her criticism of his race as a whole: an act of self-justification. ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­ In yet another scene, a clerk at a gun shop refuses service towards an old American citizen of Middle Eastern descent, as the clerk malevolently mocks the customer and lets it be known that he opposes anyone related to the Middle East, insinuating that Middle Easterners are terrorists who â€Å"fly 747† (Crash) and â€Å"incinerate† (Crash) civilians. Parrillo would describe this as an â€Å"action-orientated level of prejudice† (Parrillo 505). The clerk indisputably displays strong contempt against Middle Easterners, (or who he perceives to be Middle Easterners) stereotyping them to be harmful to the American society, and refusing to sell them ammunition. Unfortunately, due to this traumatic experience, Farhad develops a prejudice against fellow Americans of different descent, who he thinks are ought to â€Å"cheat† (Crash) him. Farhad’s newfound prejudice is depicted when he feels that the locksmith is cheating him by refusing to fix his door, despite having a valid reason to do so. In the case of Jean Cabot, we can see how one’s own prejudice can form stereotypes that direct one’s antagonistic behavior against an uninvolved third party. In the case of Farhad, we can see how an act of prejudice and hatred can reversely instigate a prejudice against the prejudicial party and any deemed associates, superfluously continuing the chain of intolerance. Racial stereotypes are oftentimes disproven by their victims, forcing the oppressor to reevaluate his or her own prejudgments. In the movie Crash, when Jean suffers an injury due to her fall, and her friend Carol is nowhere to be found, her housemaid Maria takes her to the emergency room. Maria, a Hispanic woman, shows great care and compassion towards Jean, disproving her stereotype. This leads Jean to abandon her earlier prejudices against different races. The movie further depicts the refutation stereotypes with the scene wherein Peter, a black male, is seen hitchhiking at nighttime. Officer Hanson, upon seeing Peter, offers him a ride in his personal vehicle. They converse awkwardly until Peter sees the St. Christopher statue on the car dashboard. Upon seeing the statue, Peter motions to show his own statue of St. Christopher to Officer Hanson. However, Officer Hanson’s prejudice makes him reason that a black male hitchhiking at this time of the night is up to no good. Hen ce, Hanson says, â€Å"Get your hands out of your pocket† (Crash). Peter does not catch his tone, and Hanson authoritatively orders Peter to â€Å"put [his] hands where [Hanson] can see them† (Crash). Consequently, Peter reaches for his St. Christopher statue while Officer Hanson reaches for his revolver and shoots Peter. Peter’s hand unfolds, showing the St. Christopher medal inside the palm. Hanson reacts with horror as he comes to realization that his stereotyping had been disproven and he had committed manslaughter without provocation. These scenes in the movie Crash show that the world must realize that there lies a soul, a heart and a human being under someone’s skin, no matter what color. When oppressors are forced to reevaluate their prejudices, as mentioned above, they are bound to make changes to their attitudes and behaviors. Jean’s prejudices against Hispanic people dissipates after the incident involving Maria’s care. Later, in the scene in which Maria brings tea to Jean, Jean suddenly embraces Maria, and does not let go. Jean shows affection by saying, â€Å"Do you want to hear something funny? You’re the best friend I’ve got† (Crash). Jean’s glistening eyes, and the melodious soundtrack playing in the background alludes to Jean’s redemption of her past wrongful ways. This sharply contrasts the earlier scene, in which Jean frowns, leers, and blatantly asks deriding and rhetorical questions such as â€Å"Is this clean or is this dirty?† (Crash) On killing Peter, Officer Hanson has a horrified expression on his face, as he sees Peter’s dead gaze. He pushes the body out of the car, gets out, and kneels slowly over the dead body in disbelief of what he has done. He realizes that Peter was not going to hold him hostage with a gun but instead was reaching for his St. Christopher statue. In both the cases, stereotypes were proven wrong and the holders of the stereotypes feel guilty once they were proven wrong. Before this incident, Hanson portrayed himself as an individual who did not believe in stereotypes; but after this incident, he finds out that his prejudice is more deeply rooted than his conscious egalitarian actions because of his socialization process. He is not alone put through this socialization process, all individuals with constant access to media are put through this process. Media holds a strong footings in dispersal of prejudice. The movie Crash, a form of media, also forces the audience to reevaluate their prejudices that they do not believe they possess, but subconsciously does. In the movie Crash, Anthony is assumed at first to be a heartless gangster who steals from the innocent for a quick buck. Nevertheless, in the scene wherein Anthony delivers his stolen vehicle to the owner of the chop shop, he refuses to sell the refugees found in the van to the owner of the chop shop, even though the sale of refugees would have brought him immense earnings. With this act, Anthony breaks down the barriers of his stereotype set upon him by the audience. Furthermore, he displays a random act of kindness by giving forty dollars to the refugees who were visibly in need. In the following scene, he sits in the van, introspects, and cannot refrain from smiling due to his altruism, which he had not previously exhibited in the slightest. The audience can infer from Anthony’s reaction that breaking one’s own neg ative stereotypes by acts of benevolence can have a heartwarming effect. The audience is made to feel like an oppressor for holding a stereotype against Anthony; when he disproves it, the audience is also made to reconsider their own stereotypes in reality. The movie brings the detriments of prejudice out into the open and makes one realize how it is a major societal illness. Through the movie Crash, the audience can learn that although prejudices exist and dominate the inner workings of society, it can also be shattered by positive interactions with the oppressors and the oppressed. Once they are broken, the once prejudiced party gets an opportunity to cleanse their minds of such presumptions, and see the world around them with a new light. Work Cited Crash. Dir. Paul Haggis. Perf. Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Don Cheadle, Thandie Newton, Terrence Howard, Brendan Fraser, Ryan Phillippe, Jennifer Esposito, Christopher Brian Bridges, Michael Pena, Larenz Tate and Shaun Toub. Lionsgate, 2004. Film. Vincent N. Parrillo â€Å"Causes of Prejudice.† Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Eds. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, Bonnie Lisle. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2013. 504-517. Print. 1 [1] â€Å"Quotations about Prejudice†, The Quote Garden: A Harvest of Quotations for Word Lovers. Web. 16 July. 2011

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Essay -- use of stem cells in regenerativ

Advancements in medical technology has allowed for a new understanding of stem cells and further developments in research. The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine may hold significant benefits for those suffering from degenerative diseases. To avail such advancements in stem cell research could see the alleviation or complete cure of afflictions that take the lives of millions worldwide each year. (McLaren, 2001) A stem cell 1 is able differentiate into any somatic cell found in the human body, including those identical to itself. Differentiation is a cellular process whereby a stem cell will divide into a specialised cell, for example a neuron2. To harness the unique cellular function of a stem cell could mean the cultivation of entirely new organs; saving countless lives and resolving acute organ transplant shortages. (Healey, 2007) Although stem cell research poses a considerable breakthrough in regenerative medicine, it raises serious ethical controversy. A specific type of stem cell used in regenerative research is an embryonic stem (ES) cell; harvested through the destruction of human embryos. (Hurlbut, 2006) This poses a significant ethical dilemma, as ES cells are sourced from pre-implantation embryos leftover from In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). The destruction of embryos is seen by many as an abuse of human life, an exploitation of those that are living, but cannot decide their own fate. (Masters, 2005) Before ES cell research is to make a positive impact on modern medicine and the global scientific co mmunity, this ethical predicament must first be considered. Embryonic stem cell research will allow for an emerging era of medicine, where researches will be capable of providing a cure for many of todays degene... ...velopment, Monash University, Australia Fuchs, E 2008, Stem Cells: Biology, Ethics and Potential for Medicine, L'annuarie du College de France, France Denker, H 2006, Potentiality of Embryonic Stem Cells: An Ethical Problem Even With Alternative Stem Cell Sources, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany Scott, C 2008, Stem Cells: new frontiers of ethics, law and policy, Stanford University, United States of America Healey, J 2007, Cloning & Stem Cell Research, Volume 265 edn, The Spinney Press, Sydney, Australia Morgan, S 2006, From Microscopes to Stem Cell Research: discovering regenerative medicine, White-Thomson Publishing, Oxford, United Kingdom Dowswell, P 2000, Genetics: the impact on our lives, Hodder & Wayland, London, United Kingdom Maters, C 2005, DNA and your body: what you need to know about biotechnology, UNSW Press, Sydney, Australia

Infection Control & Environmental Safety Essay

Infection Control There are many routes by which infection can enter the body. For example infection can enter the body via blood, saliva, sexual, insect bites. If I wasn’t to wash my hands after using the toilet and went straight into preparing food this good causing infection to the people eating the food that I prepared, I could also have infected cuts and grazes on my hands which again if I didn’t was them I could pass on my infection. Elderly people find it a lot more difficult to fight infections therefore it is vitally important that we do everything we can to prevent infections. It is extremely important to wash your hand correctly when you work in a care setting environment. The most effective way of wash your hands are to firstly wet the hands with water. Apply enough soap and hand wash to cover all hand surfaces. Rub hands palm and palm. Right palm over the other hand with interlaced fingers and vice versa. Palm to palm with fingers interlaced. Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked. Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa. Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa. Rinse hands with water. Dry hand thoroughly with a towel. Again it is also very important that we wear personal protective equipment when needed. For example if someone is covered in feces I must put on an apron and gloves to make sure that I keep any infection under control. Environmental Safety Fire Make sure a fire risk assessment of the building has been done buy a specialist. Also make sure that all safe have had fire prevention training. Good housekeeping making sure that everything is clean and tidy, so therefore nothing can set a light. Keep chemicals in fire proof cabinets. If there was a fire in the building the first thing to do is ring the fire brigade and set the fire alarm off so you can let everyone in the building know they have to evacuate. Secondly you would take up a zone, meaning a part of the building that you must check to make sure there is nobody in that area. You would then follow everyone else outside to a safe place until the fire brigade told you it was safe to go back in. Gas Leak Remove the gas element by making everything all electric. If this is not possible then gas safety training for all staff members. Makes sure that the gas is turned off at the mains when it is not being used. In the event of a gas leak. You would evacuate the building and open all the windows to ventilate the building. If you know where the mains supply is for the gas and electricity then go and turn them off and contact the emergency services. Floods Make sure that all tapes and showers are turned off once they are finished with. Do regular checks on pipes to make sure they are all stable. In the event of a flood make sure that everyone evacuates the flooded area straight away. Find out what is causing the flooding and then turn of the water supply. Then contact the emergency services. Intrusion Make sure that all rubbish that is in the bin are discarded of correctly. All food is stored away in the correct storage boxes. In the event of an intrusion, contact the council, who will then send of people to catch the pest that has got in. put rat killer down, however make sure that it is well away from the residents reach. Maybe even put rat traps down to eliminate them even more. Security Breach Make sure that everyone’s valuables are safe and accounted for. In the event of a security breach. If someone’s jewellary was to go missing, then we would have to inform the family of the residents that stuff is missing and if nothing was to come of it we would then inform the police.

Epo in Sport

Competitive athletes are constantly in search of ways to get better, seeking a slight edge over their closest competition. They are willing to practice for countless hours, put themselves through rigorous training and follow a very strict diet. Those who are passionate about their sport are willing to do just about anything to improve performance, but just how far are athletes willing to go? With recent advancements in sports science, it has become possible to alter some elements of human physiology.The human body has been meticulously studied over the years, and as a result we are able to comprehend how complex systems function enabling the human body to perform simple everyday functions, as well as, impressive athletic performances. Science has discovered there are ways to improve the physiology of the human body to enhance athletic performance. By carefully tailoring specific functions to enhance a specific task an athlete will most likely be able to get the â€Å"one up† o n the competition.Science has also discovered there are dangers associated with tampering with these complex systems that keep the human body alive and well. Unfortunately, some athletes ignore the physiological risks/ professional repercussions and indulge in enhancing some physiological processes in order to gain a slight edge against the competition. Today, as well as in the past, various sporting organizations have had to deal with performance-enhancing issues through testing of their athletes, yet these people continue to seek out ways to sneak under the wire, undetected.One example of athletes trying to beat the system is that of the recently publicized performance-enhancing dispute with blood doping in the sport of cycling, namely the use of recombinant human erythropoietin (Robinson, Mangin, and Saugy 2003). The following will discuss the function of erythropoietin, its uses in medicine and athletics, the benefits and risks of artificial along with testing methods for detect ion of illegal use. In order to perform in endurance sports, efficient oxygen delivery from lungs to muscles is crucial.The cells responsible for oxygen delivery are erythrocytes, or red blood cells. The functional portion of the red blood cell that acts as an oxygen carrier is the protein molecule hemoglobin (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). Hemoglobin is a four part haem-iron containing protein, with two alpha and two beta subunits associated with each molecule. Hemoglobin accounts for 99% of the protein composition of an erythrocyte (Lippi, Franchini, Salvengo et al). Circulating blood contains approximately 40-45% red blood cells in its composition (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012).The hemoglobin associated with each red blood cell has a specific mechanism for pick-up and delivery of oxygen. This mechanism depends on varying physiological body conditions during which oxygen has differing affinity for the hemoglobin molecule. The conditions at which affinity for oxygen is high include lower body temperature, low carbon dioxide, and low 2,3-diphosphoglyerate (Elliott 2008). As these are the conditions found in the lungs, plentiful oxygen will bind to the hemoglobin for transport to the tissue cells in the body.In the tissue where carbon dioxide concentrations are high, body temperature increases, higher hydrogen ion and ,2,3-disphosphoglycerate concentrations, oxygen affinity for hemoglobin is reduced, resulting in the delivery of oxygen to tissues (Elliott 2008). During physical exercise, the body's consumption of oxygen is increased due to the demand of working muscles. As a result of this process, the carrying capacity of hemoglobin is adjusted automatically to deliver adequate oxygen to the muscle tissues (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006).Applying this principle of supply and demand, to an endurance sport, one can see how an athlete’s aerobic training regime aims to peak the efficiency of the process of oxygen delivery from lungs to muscl e tissue. To maximize the process of oxygen delivery, a high number of circulating erythrocytes is desired, resulting in more available hemoglobin and therefore more oxygen can be delivered to working muscles. Red blood cell (RBC) production, called erythropoiesis, is carefully controlled and monitored by the body (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006).This monitoring system involves oxygen-sensing cells to detect hypoxia (low oxygen concentration) in the body. During oxygen deprivation, a nerurosecretory mechanism is activated through chemoreceptors found in the carotid body ( in the carotid artery found in the neck) and in the lungs. If out of balance, the body undergoes rapid cardiopulmonary adjustments to compensate for the current stress of hypoxia (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). One of the factors present during hypoxia is the hypoxia inducible factor, HIF-1.This molecule acts as a transcription factor for controlling several genes (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). When oxygen levels are low, the enzymes that normally inhibit HIF-1 cease their activity. The HIF-1a molecule becomes available is now capable of binding with HIF-b to cross the nuclear membrane of the cell and promotes gene transcription (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). One of the main coding events that occurs as a result of the gene transcription is production of erythropoietin (Epo).This endogenous Epo is then produced in the body, specifically in the peritubular capillary-lining cells of the renal cortex of the kidneys, with minute amounts produced in the liver and brain (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). When the Epo molecule is synthesized, the composition is initially a 193 amino acid molecule that eventually is released as a 165 amino acid protein with much of the total molecule composed of carbohydrate (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). The release of Epo from the kidney to the blood then stimulates erythropoiesis in the bone marrow (Kraene, Fleck and Desch enes 2012).Science advancements in the 1980’s have led to a synthetic form of Epo known as recombinant human Epo (rHuEpo) (Spedding and Spedding 2008). It was first introduced by a team of researchers at the Northwest Kidney Centres, who conducted clinical trials that resulted in the first successful artificial form of this hormone (Eichner 2007). The production of rHuEpo, from mammalian cells to treat anemic patients was approved by the U. S. Food and DrugAdministration in 1989 (Elliott 2008). Today human recombinant erythropoietin is available in a variety of forms.It is synthesized with an amino acid sequence identical to that of endogenous erythropoietin, with slight differences in composition of carbohydrate portions of the molecule (glycosylation) (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Alpha and beta erythropoietin are produced from Chinese hamster ovary cells with the only differences being a slightly longer half-life and slight difference in molecular weight (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Another form of Epo is Erythropoietin gamma. It is produced from a different host cell and as a result has a different glycosylation pattern (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006).Erythropoietin delta, yet another variation of the synthetic hormone, is the most recently introduced form. This type is produced from human cells, and has identical amino acid and glycosylation patterns as endogenous Epo, with a longer half-life of 18-20 hours compared to the 7-12 hour range of alpha and beta forms (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). The current research is clinically testing a protein called Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator (CERA). This protein has a half-life of 133-137 hours, which equates to less frequent dosing.CERA unlike other synthetic forms of this hormone, has very mild side-effects and has yet to produce any serious adverse effects (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). This type of synthetic Epo may be the best option avail able for patients who require treatment for anemia (low hemoglobin levels). Unfortunately, some people suffer anemia due to various medical issues such as kidney disease, chemotherapy for cancer, HIV, blood loss, et cetera (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). The body's demand for Epo becomes more significant when such medical conditions arise.Often times Epo needs to be artificially supplemented to compensate for the lowered hemoglobin production/ hemoglobin loss (Catlin, Fitch and Ljungqvist 2008). Originally, recombinant human erythropoietin was developed as a substitute for endogenous Epo for those who suffered from abnormal blood conditions. It is highly effective in increasing hemoglobin levels, and as a result has numerous benefits such as, reduction in required blood transfusions, restoring energy levels, increase in exercise capacity, improves cognitive function and overall quality of life improvement (Elliott 2008).When administering this hormone, the dose, frequency of adm inistration, the rate of rise of hemoglobin and target hemoglobin levels are strictly controlled (between 10-12g per 100mL), slightly lower than the range for normal range of 13-15g per 100mL. The lower range is maintained in order to keep the risks and side effects of the rHuEpo minimal (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Careful monitoring and control is used to maximize the benefits for patients while minimizing the risks.Recombinant Epo not only benefits those who are suffering a blood condition but it has significant benefits to athletic performance (Elliott 2008). It is used illegally as an ergogenic aid primarily in endurance sports, such as cross-country skiing, track, swimming, and most notoriously, cycling (Bento, Damasceno, Neto 2003). One study, as noted in Exercise Physiology (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012), that involved well-trained male endurance athletes administered recombinant human erythropoietin 3 times a week for 30 days or until hematocrit levels reach ed 50%.The following resulted: an average hematocrit increase of 18. 9% (range of 42. 7-50. 8%), cycling time to exhaustion had increased 9. 4% (12. 8-14. 0 minutes longer), and cycling VO2 peak had increased 7% (range of 63. 8-68. 1 ml/kg/min). Another study also noted in Exercise Physiology (Kraene, Fleck and Deschenes 2012) gave low-dose subcutaneous injections of rHuEpo over a 6 week period to moderately to well-trained athletes and what resulted was a 6-8% increase in VO2 peak, time to exhaustion on a treadmill increased 13-17%, and hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit both increased by approximately 10% each.The use of recombinant human erythropoietin is found to have clear benefits in athletic performance, with higher trained individuals exhibiting enhanced results. At an elite level, where competition is so close, it is tempting for athletes to gain an edge over their competition though the use of rHuEpo. There is a certain amount of pressure on athletes in cycling to use ergogenic aids due to the fact that so many of the sport's top competitors are using it to boost performance (Vogel 2004). In cycling, the abuse of this ergogenic aid has recently come to light in the media.Although many benefits can be reaped in athletic performance from recombinant erythropoietin, it is not without risks. When synthetic forms were first introduced, many of the risks were unknown to athletes and use was not medically monitored as would be the case with an anemic patient. As a result, sudden heart attacks occurred that led to more than a dozen deaths of Dutch and Belgian cyclists (Vogel 2004). Their deaths were connected to inappropriate administration of rHuEpo. This form of Epo had not yet been clinically studied from an athletic perspective.The combination effect of increasing hemoglobin to well above normal range along with other factors associated with endurance sports, makes tampering with the body's natural blood physiology dangerous and potentially deadly ( Robinson, Magin and Saugy 2003). Myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, transient ischemic attack and venous thromboembolism were all found to be potential events associated with the misuse of rHuEpo (Catlin, Fitch and Ljungqvist 2008). Due to the increase of red blood cells, the blood becomes more viscous and leads to an increased frequency risk of thrombotic events.There have also been proven reports of increased risk for migratory thrombophlebitis, microvascular thrombosis and thrombosis of cerebral sinuses, retinal artery, and temporal veins. The increased blood viscosity also increases systolic blood pressure during sub-maximal exercise and increases platelet reactivity resulting in risk of more blood clotting (Bento, Damasceno, and Neto 2003). One of the most serious risks found to be associated is that of red cell aplasia in which red blood cell formation ceases. Although rare but ife-threatening, this condition was found to be linked to the use of subcutaneous alpha -Epo (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Anemia may also develop in individuals who mis-use rHuEpo after they discontinue the hormone, as it causes progressive erythroid marrow exhaustion due to prolonged periods of use. Some other risks and side effects include headache, muscle cramps, incomplete deviation of red blood cells, convulsion, and upper respiratory tract infections (Kraemer, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). The risks of using rHuEpo are more significant for athletes than average patients who are using for treatment.Athletes pushing to increase hemoglobin outside of a normal range run the risk of life-threatening circulatory/blood abnormalities. Testing for the use of banned erythropoietin in sports has been an ongoing challenge. As quickly as testing laboratories can produce testing methods for banned substances, new ways to slide under detection are being found (Cazzola 2000). It is difficult to directly identify rHuEpo as it has a relatively short half-life in most form s, for example an administration of 50 IU/kg given subcutaneously has a half-life of approximately 35. hours, and intravenous administration has a half-life ranging from 4 to 7 hours (Lippi, Franchini, Salvango et al 2006). Athletes could selectively time the administration of Epo and combined with concealing strategies to slip under the wire. As a result, laboratories are required to look at specific biomarkers that indicate past or current use of rHuEpo (Delanghe, Bollen and Beullens 2007). Human recombinant erythropoietin was initially a challenge to detect as various forms are extremely similar to that of endogenous Epo (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001).As it is a rising issue in sport, laboratories are required to find better ways to detect the illegal use of rHuEpo. Initially as a measure to deter doping and identify usage, cutoff levels of hematocrit (the percentage of red blood cells in the blood) were established in some sports (Adamson and Vapnek 1991). For example, the International Cycling Union established cutoff hematocrit levels of 47% for women and 50% for men. This method was flawed, as it sometimes produced false positive results in athletes with naturally high hematocrit levels (Casoni, Ricci, Ballarin et al 1993).Currently, there is no foolproof testing method to detect the use of recombinant human erythropoietin. A combination of indirect and direct testing is currently the most effective method to identify blood dopers (Cazzola 2000). Indirect testing uses a blood sample and is based on the analysis of hematological parameters, including measures of hemoglobin, hematocrit, soluble transferrin receptors, serum Epo, percent reticulocytes, and macrocytes (Delanghe, Bollen and Beullens 2007).Changes observed in the above measures are often a result of introducing recombinant Epo to the body and can be used as an indirect marker to detect the substance (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001). There is a reference range of parameters set for this form of testing, one indicating current use of Epo while the other can indicate recently discontinued use of Epo (Parisotto, Wu, Ashenden et al 2001). Indirect testing has the advantage of being able to detect Epo use several weeks after it has been administered, however the disadvantage of possibly producing false-positive results (Delanghe, Bollen and Beullens 2007).Changes in the measuring parameters used in indirect testing can also be the result of the body's natural modifications from training methods such as altitude training (increasing RBC levels due to lower oxygen at higher altitude, a naturally occurring body compensation) (Kraemer, Fleck and Deschenes 2012). Indirect testing is useful in being a primary indication of recombinant erythropoietin use, yet it is not completely reliable.If use of Epo is suspected after using indirect testing methods, direct testing will follow to confirm or deny the results (Birkeland and Hemmersbach 1999). Direct testing for recomb inant Epo involves the collection of a urine sample. The urine sample needs to be fairly large (20ml) and strongly concentrated (between 700-1000 fold) (Elliott 2008). The approved test that uses the direct approach is based on differences in glycosylation between endogenous Epo and artificial forms (Elliott 2008).The recombinant and endogenous forms of erythropoietin have varying isoelectric points (pI). Using isoelectric focusing (IEF), the isoelectric points can be determined (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001). The normal range for the pI of endogenous Epo is 3. 7-4. 7, while alpha and beta Epo have a slightly higher range of 4. 4-5. 1. The Aransep form of Epo has 2 extra N-glycosylaton sites in order to increase its stability, resulting in a pI range of 3. 7-4 (Parisotto, Wu, Ashenden et al 2001).In order to see the isoforms of Epo, double immunoblotting is used in combination with monoclonal anti-Epo antibodies. The interaction of the antibodies with the recombinant forms of Epo shows if illegal forms are present in the urine (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001). The purpose of the double immunoblotting technique is to avoid secondary antibodies interacting with proteins in urine and affect the test. A technique known as chemiluminescence is used on the blot to image the Epo (Skibeli, Nissen-Lie and Torjesen 2001).Direct testing can detect most forms synthetic Epo. When a test is found to be positive for an illegal form of Epo, a second test is performed due to the fact that occasionally enzyme activity causes a shift in the electrophoretic banding pattern of the molecule (Parisotto, Wu, Ashenden et al 2001). Additional stability testing is performed where the urine sample is incubated overnight in an acetate buffer and rHuEpo. If a banding shift is observed during the isoelectric focusing, it can be determined that the sample is negative for rHuEpo (Parisotto, Wu, Ashenden et al 2001).The direct testing method is currently the most reliable and a pproved approach and can be used during competition and off-competition periods (Elliott 2008). The development of recombinant human erythropoietin was originally an approach to treat low hemoglobin levels in anemic patients. The athletic gains that can be exhibited through introducing rHuEpo have caused abuse at the elite level in many sports. Other than disqualification and loss of credibility as an honest athlete, there are also medical risks associated with tampering with the blood's physiology in artificial ways.A combination of testing methods is currently used to identify those using rHuEpo as an ergogenic aid, as there is no single test that can clearly deny of confirm use. New ways to slip under the wire with testing are being discovered and used by athletes and laboratories are constantly working to keep up. The use of recombinant human erythropoietin is a serious issue of misconduct in sport and needs to be ended in order to keep competition ethical and fair.