Overview of the Republic of Malta

Overview of the Republic of Malta Malta, officially called the Republic of Malta, is an island nation located in southern Europe. The Malta archipelago is located in the Mediterranean Sea, about 93 km south of the island of Sicily and 288 km east of Tunisia. Malta is known as one of the worlds smallest and most densely populated countries, with an area of just 122 square miles (316 sq km) and a population of over 400,000- giving it a population density of about 3,347 persons per square mile or 1,292 people per square kilometer. Population: 408,333 (July 2011 estimate)Capital: VallettaLand Area: 122 square miles (316 sq km)Coastline: 122.3 miles (196.8 km)Highest Point: TaDmerjrek at 830 feet (253 m) History Archaeological records show that Maltas history dates back to ancient times and was one of the worlds oldest civilizations. Early in its history, Malta became an important trading settlement because of its central location in the Mediterranean, and the Phoenicians and later the Carthaginians built forts on the island. In 218 B.C.E., Malta became a part of the Roman Empire during the second Punic War. The island remained a part of the Roman Empire until 533 C.E. when it became a part of the Byzantine Empire. In 870, control of Malta passed to the Arabs, who remained on the island until 1090 when they were driven out by a band of Norman adventurers. This led to it becoming a part of Sicily for over 400 years, during which time it was sold to several feudal lords from lands that would eventually come to belong to Germany, France, and Spain. According to the U.S. Department of State, in 1522, Suleiman II forced the Knights of St. John from Rhodes and they spread out in various locations throughout Europe. In 1530, they were granted rule over the Maltese islands by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and for over 250 years the Knights of Malta controlled the islands. During their time on the islands, the Knights of Malta built several towns, palaces, and churches. In 1565, the Ottomans attempted to siege Malta- known as the Great Siege- but the Knights were able to defeat them. By the late 1700s, however, the power of the Knights began to decline and in 1798 they surrendered to Napoleon. For two years after Napoleon took over Malta, the population attempted to resist French rule and in 1800, with the support of the British, the French were forced out of the islands. In 1814, Malta became a part of the British Empire. During the British occupation of Malta, several military fortresses were built and the islands became the headquarters of the British Mediterranean Fleet. During World War II, Malta was invaded several times by Germany and Italy but it was able to survive and on August 15, 1942, five ships broke through a Nazi blockade to deliver food and supplies to Malta. This fleet of ships became known as the Santa Marija Convoy. In 1942, Malta was awarded the George Cross by King George VI. In September 1943 Malta was home to the surrender of the Italian fleet and as a result, September 8 is recognized as Victory Day in Malta to mark the end of WWII in Malta and commemorate the victory in the 1565 Great Siege. On September 21, 1964, Malta gained its independence and it officially became the Republic of Malta on December 13, 1974. Government Today Malta is still governed as a republic with an executive branch made up of a chief of state (the president) and a head of government (the prime minister). Maltas legislative branch is comprised of a unicameral House of Representatives, while its judicial branch is made up of the Constitutional Court, Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal. Malta has no administrative subdivisions and the entire country is administered directly from its capital, Valletta. There are however several local councils that administer orders from Valletta. Economics and Land Use Malta has a relatively small economy and it is reliant on international trade because, according to the CIA World Factbook, it produces only about 20% of its food needs, has little fresh water and has few energy sources. Its main agricultural products are potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, flowers, green peppers, pork, milk, poultry, and eggs. Tourism is also a major part of Maltas economy and other industries in the country include electronics, shipbuilding and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, as well as aviation, financial and information technology services. Geography and Climate Malta is an archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean with two main islands - Gozo and Malta. Its total area is very small at only 122 square miles (316 sq km), but the overall topography of the islands varies. There are for example many rocky coastal cliffs, but the center of the islands is dominated by low, flat plains. The highest point on Malta is TaDmerjrek at 830 feet (253 m). The largest city in Malta is Birkirkara. The climate of Malta is Mediterranean and as such it has mild, rainy winters and warm to hot, dry summers. Valletta has an average January low temperature of 48ËšF (9ËšC) and an average July high temperature of 86ËšF (30ËšC). References Central Intelligence Agency. (26 April 2011). CIA - The World Factbook - Malta.Infoplease.com. (n.d.). Malta: History, Geography, Government, and Culture.United States Department of State. (23 November 2010). Malta.ï » ¿Wikipedia.com. (30 April 2011). Malta.

How to Remain Productive When Working Remotely

How to Remain Productive When Working Remotely According to recent Stanford University research, more than 10% of the U.S. workforce now works remotely or from home. This setup can be beneficial for everyone- managers get more productive workers due to eliminating a commute time,  and workers get to concentrate on their duties without too much micromanaging from their bosses. Working from home in your pajamas sounds lovely, doesn’t it? You get to get your job done while throwing in loads of laundry in your coffee breaks. But being super-close to all the trappings of your home life- or just being far away from all your colleagues and supervisors- can be distracting and have an isolating effect. To make sure you’re maximally productive â€Å"on the job,† even when at home, follow these handy tips.1. Set your hours.Pencil in the hours when you will be â€Å"at work.† These hours don’t have to be 9-5, but they do have to suit your working/living needs and schedule and not conflict with the needs o f your boss. Once you set them, stick to them. Don’t plan long lunches or personal appointments during these hours. Treat it like a time card. If you prefer to break up the day into chunks, make sure those chunks are long enough to be productive (say 3 hours) to get some work done.2. Designate an office.Even if you live somewhere cramped and can’t have â€Å"an office,† at least mark off some sort of work station or area for yourself. Turn off the television, and try to get off the couch or your bed. Head to the same spot to work each day. Train your brain that this area is where your job happens, and the rest of your house is where your life happens.3. Don’t forget to get outside.Don’t go skipping around the block regularly during your work hours, mind you- unless it’s just for a wee stroll to get the blood moving. But do try and make sure that you aren’t spending all day and night, every day and night, at home. Make after-work plans , or incorporate out-of-the-house exercise at some point.4. Plan your days out each morning.Make to-do lists for yourself of all the work tasks you need or want to accomplish in a given day. Then figure out how to ration out your day to complete them. This will keep you from veering off task, even when distractions present themselves. Don’t procrastinate, and you’ll stand a good chance of getting things done.5. Minimize online (and other) distractions.The less time you spend surfing Reddit or falling down the rabbit hole of social media, the better and more productive you will be. Use programs like Freedom or Self Control to keep you off the Internet during your work hours.6. Take care of yourself.Make sure you get on a steady sleep schedule that complements your work schedule- and stick to it. Get enough sleep. Make sure to shower and put on something other than sweatpants. Eat a good breakfast and healthy lunches and snacks throughout the day. Exercise when you can t o keep your blood and brain flowing.7. Demand a quiet space.You might have to tell your friends and family to leave you the heck alone during your business hours. Tell them what your constraints are, and then be ruthless about adhering to your schedule. When your people know your break and off times, they’ll be able to train themselves not to interrupt at other times.8. Check in with others.Don’t just work all day all by yourself and send emails to your boss with progress. Check in with your colleagues and supervisor regularly. Develop relationships with other telecommuters. Perhaps set up a happy hour for other work-from-homers. Get yourself some human interaction- professionally as well as personally.9. Log off every day.Once you’re done for the day, leave your workspace, shut your computer, and step away from the job. It’s even more important to keep these boundaries fiercely drawn when you’re working from home. Don’t end up checking work emails until bedtime- you’ll drive yourself nuts!

Policy and Strategic Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Policy and Strategic Management - Assignment Example These features add on value to its low cost proposition as ticketing process through automates system reduces the cost incurred in staffing. They remain focused on a specific class of passengers so that standardized service can be provided to them. Minimizing on personalization, extra meals and keeping the services to its minimum makes the integrated service delivery concept of Southwest Airlines intact with its differentiation strategy (Appendix 1). From intangible perspective, its service value chain and freedom provided to its employees to remain innovative and empowered in their decisions supplies profitable operations and competitive edge to it which counts into its core competence (Appendix 2). The distinctive factor of southwest airlines is its unique combination of resources which its competitors are unable to imitate. For example, faster turnarounds of planes, leaner crews, use of websites to sell ancillary products, et cetera. As a result of its core competencies and value added services, southwest airlines had been able to achieve the much needed customer satisfaction levels along with financial stability and increased revenues (Appendix 3).

Who am I as a Learner and who am I Becoming a Teacher Essay

Who am I as a Learner and who am I Becoming a Teacher - Essay Example This is followed by the different responsibilities that are a part of being a teacher, as opposed to being a learner. Identifying each of these within my personal life and making the transition into the needed responsibilities and changes is the beginning of perspectives which I have to alter the way in which I look at being both a learner and a teacher. The first change in perspective and in responsibility which I have noticed is with the ideology of being a learner in a diverse classroom as opposed to working as a teacher with the need to associate with the needs of different learners. Multiculturalism, diversity, behaviors and other associations within the classroom are the main concepts now associated with the classroom. The demand is to learn how to work in the classroom with the changes and to find new solutions to the dynamics of the classroom (Greene, 1993). I have noticed that working in a classroom as a learner often creates friction because of the same problem. When I am w orking as a learner, I noticed the diversity and also note that the structure within the classroom doesn’t work. However, as a teacher, there is no solution to the current structure that is a part of the classroom. When looking at the responsibilities of an emerging teacher, there is the understanding that the environment and dynamics has to change for the right change and ability to learn with the diverse classroom. This creates more of an understanding as a learner and the ability to find new solutions as an emerging teacher. The concept of the diverse classroom and meeting the changes and needs that are a part of the teaching and learning further with understanding what is needed to begin teaching. This begins with the images that are in the classroom for the environment as well as how children perceive and respond to this. The image which a learner has toward the classroom and the image which the teacher has of the child is an alternative perspective. There are changes th at alter according to the environment and what is occurring between the changing images of the learner and the teacher (Malaguzzi, Emilia, 1993). I know that as a learner, I look at the environment first, which gives a specific impression of the teacher and what the highlights are for the year. This is followed with how the environment may affect or change my desire to learn. I also know that as a learner, I look at how the teacher looks at me and what is expected of me. This means that as a teacher, I will need to create an environment that builds the right first impression. That also means that I will need to be cautious of the images which I have of learners and what is expected. This makes an impact on the learning and the changes which occur throughout the year in the given environment. The environment and impressions in the classroom are furthered with other concepts and responsibilities between the learner and teacher. Teaching as a pedagogical activity is one which requires more than a basic curriculum and the ability to associate with the classroom. It is one which requires responsibilities for understanding what children are able to offer while building the diverse classroom. The curriculum becomes a foundation that should be expanded on by the teacher so there is an understanding of subject material and a sense of responsibility toward what all children need (Van Manen, 1991). This concept is one of the most difficult for both learners and teachers. My experience as a learner is one which has noted this, specifically because of my place in the classroom. There have been times where the curriculum and assignments didn’t make sense; however, the ability for the teacher to be available is

Theory Of Constaints Assignment Essay Example for Free

Theory Of Constaints Assignment Essay Question 1:  Ã‚  Ã‚   Highlight the production management philosophy and principles of TOC Any manufacturing company’s success is dependent on how well its resources perform, in other words the level of performance of its factory. The factory’s performance is in turn constrained by the manufacturing infrastructure and is hence designed so as to suit the company’s strategy related to the products and their quantities. Production management essentially takes the company’s strategic requirements in terms of its key competitive objectives, for instance shorter lead time, low cost etc. , and translates them into schedule for the factory environment in terms of inventory, job sequencing and time table etc., so that these objectives are met (Childe, 1997, p.28). In an industrial environment, there are always constraints that affect the throughput of a system in terms of quantity or quality of product delivered or the delivery time (Lange Ziegenbien, 2005, p.1).Some of these constraints are bottlenecks i.e. resources whose availability is less than the demand placed on them, while others are potential bottlenecks or Capacity Constrained Resources CCRs i.e. resources who utilization is close to capacity and in case of non-optimal utilization may become bottleneck (Telsang, 2002, p. 518). Theory of Constraints was developed to address such practical problems in manufacturing. This theory given by Goldman and Cox in their famous book Goal is basically a productions and operations management strategy dealing with the CCRs i.e. potential bottlenecks in an industry environment (Quassin, 2000, p.3). According to Goldman and Cox, the goal of all the manufacturing companies is to make money (quoted, Childe, 1997, p.29). Hence according to them the success for any manufacturing company would come if they can properly identify the aims to their business and then deal with the constraints which would prove to be present or potential bottlenecks in achieving the goal (Childe, 1997, p.115) The Theory of Constraints was developed in over a decade’s period, by the Israeli Physicist Dr. Eliyahu M Goldratt based on his observations of certain common characteristics that effect system operations (Dettmer, 1998, p.11). This combined with his thoughts comprises the Theory of Constraints TOC, which is a collection of principles, a set of generic tools and the specific applications of these tools. The principles explain the management actions and the various interactions between processes. The tools are methods that can be used to apply these principles in specific instances, while the applications are the instances where these tools have been successfully applied in these situations many times so that they can be considered as generic solutions to the problems. Hence, the TOC is still evolving to this day (Dettmer Schragenheim, 2000, p.13). Among the principles of TOC, the most basic are three key assumptions about constraint management, five focusing steps to guide the system and three measures to assess whether the actions being taken at the local level are producing the desired results at the global level. Assumptions – TOC is based on three interrelated premises:   Every system has a goal and asset of necessary conditions that must be satisfied if the goal has to be achieved, The overall system’s performance is more than just the sum of its component performances, and Very few factors or constraints, often only one, limit a system’s performance at any given time (Ronen, 2005, p.21) Five Focusing Steps – Goldratt created five steps as a way to make sure that the management focuses on the process for continuous improvement Identify the system’s constraint, Decide how to exploit the system’s constraint, Subordinate everything else to the decision taken in the step above Evaluate alternative ways to elevate the constraint Return to the 1st step in case the system constraints have been changed (Srinivasan, Jones Miller, n.d., p.136) Evaluation – The evaluation of the operating decisions can be done by the three financial yardsticks which are provided by the constraint theory – Throughput (T), Inventory or Investment (I), and Operation Expense (OE) (Dettmer Schragenheim, 2000, p.40). These form the yardsticks because as mentioned earlier, according to Goldman and Cox, the goal of all the manufacturing companies is to make money (quoted, Childe, 1997, p.29) Question 2:  Ã‚  Ã‚   Describe how TOC can help to prioritize the most profitable high impact initiatives within a production environment The use of Theory of Constraints in the production management was initially done to solve the problems of bottlenecks, scheduling and inventory reduction (Wang, 2002, p. 149). Industry’s aim to achieve the goal of making money has been traditionally achieved by reducing the operating costs. The logic is that every dollar that is saved adds up to the profit. A compelling reason for adopting such a measure is that the costs can be controlled. The next step is to reduce the inventory while increasing the throughput is the last priority with the production managers. Japanese saw the value that can be achieved by reducing the inventory and hence put this as their first priority. They developed what is known as the Just-in-Time philosophy. For doing this the pipeline needs to be kept flowing i.e. a pull phenomenon, which correspondingly increases the importance of increasing the throughput to being the second highest priority (Dettmer Schragenheim, 2000, p.44). However, according to Goldratt’s Constraint theory, the highest priority should be given to increasing the throughput, while reducing the inventory or investment should have the second priority and reducing the operating expense should be the last priority (Bushong Talbott, 1999, p. 2). The reason for this is in the traditional methods, the production managers were assuming that an infinite amount of hours were available in each factory’s work and machines, which is not practically possible. Hence, Goldratt began by assuming that the manufacturing company is essentially a system with machines and people available for finite periods of time per day or week or month. He further assumed that at any instant in time only one factory or resource could prove to be a bottleneck in achieving the goal of making money. Hence, it followed that if this bottleneck was running to its full capacity, increasing the speed of the other centers would not do any good, as the speed of this particular centre would not increase (McMullen, 1998, p.105). This can also be explained as follows. Theoretically the any of the constraints could vary from zero to infinity, but practically the operating expense and inventory cannot be reduced under zero, neither can the throughput be increased till infinity. However, the practical limits for reducing the operating expense and the inventory are actually much higher than zero. This is because the manufacturers have to spend money on them in order to make money from the end products using these investments as inputs. While the practical limits for increasing the throughput is still much less than infinity, but its potential for adding up to the profits is much higher than the potential to do the same using cost-cutting. Cost-cutting is also risky in nature, because there is always the danger of spending less than what is required which would directly impact on the quality, and hence the inventory too in the long run (Dettmer Schragenheim, 2000, p.44). The management philosophy of Theory of Constraints can hence be viewed into three separate areas which are interrelated: logistics, performance management and logical thinking. Logistics includes the drum-buffer-rope scheduling, buffer management and VAT analysis. Using these tools, the tasks are scheduled in a production environment and prioritized. The next area is the Performance measurement which includes the Throughput, Inventory, the operating expense and the five focusing steps which have been discussed earlier. The thinking process tools help in identifying the root-problem (current reality tree), identifying and expanding win-win solutions (evaporating clouds and the future reality tree), and developing the implementation plans (prerequisite tree and transition tree) (Stein, 1997, p. 199). .DBR Scheduling – The basis for the DBR or drum-buffer-rope scheduling is the factory’s primary constraint which could be a present or potential bottleneck. This primary constraint acts as the drum for the DB scheduling. This scheduling process produces the schedule of what jobs to be produced and in what order on the drum. A time element known as the buffer is then used to establish the realistic commitment dates for the operation and its deadline. Another time element called the rope determines the schedule for introducing additional tasks and materials into the work process flow of the operation. Each task or batch in the drum schedule has a buffer and a rope time element. There are other time elements in the buffer also which when taken as a group form the time buffers (McMullen, 1998, p.106). This DBR scheduling process synchronizes the entire work throughout the factory, and creates a synchronized manufacturing state by basing all the schedules on the drum schedule or the bottleneck. In addition to this, it also provides feedback and control process which is known as buffer management. The function of the buffer management system is to ensure that all the other factory resources which are non-constrained are working on the right jobs, at the right times in the sequence, and in the right production batch quantities such that the schedules are supported from the drum task and customer deliveries are met. Finally all the non-constrained by definition have some spare capacity. While this is not excess capacity and can be used in the productive or protective sense, the scheduling of these is also important so as not to have excess inventory or investment condition. This is taken care by introducing the time buffers, discussed earlier, in the DBR schedule such that no production is lost at the drum. The extension of this process into the dynamic buffering can be used for fine-tuning the extra capacity (McMullen, 1998, p.107). Hence, this scheduling process reliable delivery schedules for the customers, because the schedules are based on finite capacity assumption instead of the erroneous infinite capacity assumption (Bushong Talbott, 1999, p. 3). Question 3:  Ã‚  Ã‚   Discuss how you will implement the proposed philosophy in order to rescue a sick hypothetical organization The prior section dealt with the drum-buffer-rope i.e. DBR scheduling, which is the TOC production planning methodology. As the aim of the TOC is to see to it that the constraint does not effect the production schedule, the DBR takes care of the weakest link i.e. the drum, schedule i.e. the buffer, and deadline i.e. the rope (Greeff Ghoshal, 2003, p. 70). In addition to the DBR scheduling, a buffer management scheme was also described above, which is needed to monitor the entire process. In the tradition approach, the DBR scheduling was used as the planning process and the buffer management was used to monitor the plan’s progress. In the present scenario, the DBR and buffer management process are dynamic and offer continuous feed backs to the production manager so that he can improve upon the system. As was mentioned in the first section, throughput is the primary are of focus of the TOC arrangement. The throughput is the money generated by the system after taking out the external costs, and this should be maximized for the profits to increase according to the theory of constraints. However, the implementation of TOC is not very easy in a practical situation, and in many cases it necessitates a change in the entire way a company operates. This difficulty can be explained by a simple example as follows. A company has identified that for increasing the its throughput, there is a need for producing the product and selling it with the lower sale price per product unit. As of now the company compensated its sales forces on a commission basis, based on the percent of sales and the people in this department try to sell their products with the highest sales price. This means that the company would need to develop an entirely new way of compensating its sales force. There might be further problems if the arrangement is not satisfactory enough to the sales people, which might lead to a drop in the sales – quite opposite to the goal of the company. Care should also be taken to remember that TOC is a dynamic management process. This means that the task does not end after finding out the constraint. On the contrary, the management should continuously analyze to see if this factor can be increased or some other factor might become a constraint. Such analysis should be made regularly and the options should be revised. In addition to this, continuous analysis should be made to check the operating expenses and inventory and investments should also be minimized (Bushong Talbott, 1999, p. 4). Example The above theories will be explained by taking an example below. First the basic system application is given using the TOC to explain the various constraints of the system. After this the complete system is shifted to a plant, which is a sick unit and steps are given to convert this plant into a optimal unit. Basic System and Constraints The example has a manufacturing unit which is essentially a machine that cuts silicon wafers into individual chips (Anderson, 2003, p. 30). The number of wafer cut by this machine in a unit time without getting overloaded is the constraint of the machine and the primary constraint of the entire manufacturing system. For instance, the machine can cut on 100 wafers per hours. In this case, it would be immaterial to get more raw materials since the constraint would still not be affected in this case. Now that the constraint of the system has been identified, a decision must be made on how to minimize its constraining ability on the system. The utilizing capacity of the constraint must be maximized i.e. the Capacity Constrained Resource, in this case the machine, must be fully utilized and must never be idle. Every unit of production that is lost on this system is a unit lost to the complete system (Anderson, 2003, p. 29). This constraint can be protected from being idle by providing a buffer or queue of raw materials for it to cut. For this example, let us assume that each wafer can be cut into 25 chips. That is to say 4 wafers would be needed by the machine per hours. This follows the generalization that the constraints are protected by buffers. The queue of silicon wafers in this case would be physical buffer of inventory.   In addition to this protecting a constraint is a necessary part of exploiting a constraint to the full (Anderson, 2003, p. 29). In case of the manufacturing system, the manufacturing unit can be protected from starvation or idle moments, by providing a buffer of silicon wafers. The unit also needs to be protected from power interruptions and surges, by providing a uninterruptible power supplies, and further giving a backup generator. The manpower related constraint can be sorted out by working the machine in three shifts by people of eight hours each, so that the machine is utilized for 24 hours per day. Finally the quality related issues can be sorted out by performing a quality check on the wafers prior to being set on the queue, to ensure that only good quality wafers are passed on to the manufacturing unit. In case of TOC care should be taken to ensure that subordination of all the activities are obtained to take care of the constraint (Anderson, 2003, p. 31). As can be seen in the example a decision is taken to see that the manufacturing unit is the constraint of the system, a and hence steps have been taken to take care of this constraint and utilize he machine for obtaining the maximum productivity. Ti subordinate all other activities to this decision, the flow of inventory should be regulated from the factory gate to the wafer cutting machine. The rate of sending the wafer to the machine should be same as the rate of the machine to entirely cut the wafer. Here, the rate of the cutter is the drum. The inventory of the factory gate to the cutter is the rope and a buffer in front of the cutter to prevent it from getting idle is the buffer. Plant as a Sick Unit Suppose that there are 10 such systems in a plant which is a sick unit. There are problems with excess inventory, the quality of wafers produced, the throughout is varied and is not stable and there are problems with delays between the operations with long periods where the machines are idle and others where there is extra load on the machines. The primary problem here is to streamline the operations. The basic constraint is already mentioned in the prior section i.e. the number of wafers that can be cut by a unit. This cannot be changed and must be utilized to the maximum. All the remaining actions must be subordinate to this activity such that the constraint or the drum is taken care. First of all the machines as a total can process 1000*10 =1000 wafers in a hour, which means 4*10 = 40 wafers must be passed to the machines per hour (as each wafer can be cut into 25 chips). Now that this has been decided, the queuing systems should ensure that the wafers are taken from the resource gate and passed to the machines. The easiest way of doing this would be to pass 4 sets of wafers per hour, after every 45 minutes 4 more wafers would be passed to the machines. This means that there would be enough time for checking the quality of the wafers and passing them to the machines, without worrying about the exact synchronization of each wafer to rate at which a machine cuts them. This would also take care of the idle periods of the machines, as in this case the machines would always have one wafer to cuts, by which time the other 4 wafers would be sent to it. The inventory would be controlled too. In addition, the throughput would be at a constant rate. Finally, the technique would also ensure that the burden on the quality checkers and machine operators is minimal. In the former case, the quality checkers could have a quality check wafers ready for a couple of hours advance, which would be passed to the machines every three quarters of an hours, which means these people do not need to be on job 24 hours a day. Also, the machine operators would have more time to check the power supply and other maintenance issues, while checking if the new wafer lot has been passed or not. The above example gives the implementation of Theory of Constraints method to a sick unit, to make it operate in an optimized way. The example taken is a very simplistic application which can be solved easily using the single DB technique. References Books Anderson DJ, 2003, Agile Management for Software Engineering: Applying the Thoery of Constraints for Business Results, New Jersey: Prentice Hall PTR Childe SJ, 1997, An Introduction to Computer Aided Production Management, 1st Edition, London: Chapman Hall Dettmer HW, 1998, Breaking the Constraints to World-Class Performance, Milwaukee: ASQ Quality Press Dettmer HW, Schragenheim E, 2000, Manufacturing at Warp’s Speed: Optimizing Supply Chain Financial Performance, Florida: CRC Press Greeff G, Ghoshal R, 2004, Practical E-Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, Oxford: Elsevier McMullen TB, 1998, Introduction to the Theory of Constraints (Toc) Management System, Florida:  CRC Press Ronen B, 2005, The Theory of Constraints: Practice and Research, Amsterdam: IOC Press Stein RE, 1999, The Theory of Constraints Applications in Quality and Manufacturing, New York: CRC Press Telsang M, 2002, Industrial Engineering and Production Management, New Delhi: S Chand Company Ltd. Wang JX, 2002, What Every Engineer Should know about Decision Making Under Uncertainty, New York: CRC Press Online Articles Bushong JG, Talbott JC, 1999, The CPA in Industry: An Application of the Theory of Constraints, The CPA Journal, April 1999 Issue, http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/1999/0499/Departments/D530499.HTM, Article Accessed on 18th September 2007. Lange I, Ziegenbien A, 2005, The Constraints Game – Learning the Theory of Constraints with a Dice Game, 9th International Workshop on Experimental Interactive Learning in Industrial management New Approaches on Learning, Studying and Teaching, http://www.simlab.tkk.fi/events/lange.pdf, Article Accessed on 18th September 2007. Quassin RY, 2000, The Theory of Constraints in Manufacturing, Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences, J. Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci.  vol.22  no.4  Rio de Janeiro, 2000, http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0100-73862000000400001script=sci_arttext, Article Accessed on 18th September 2007. Srinivasan M, Jones D, Miller A, n.d., Applying the Theory of Constraints Principles and Lean Thinking at the Marine Corps Maintenance Centre, Defense Acquisition Review Journal, http://www.dau.mil/pubs/arq/2004arq/Srinivasan.pdf, Article Accessed on 18th September 2007.

Inherit the Wind: Religion vs. Science Essay -- Inherit

Inherit the Wind: Religion vs. Science Stanley Kramer's film, Inherit the Wind, examines a trial based on the 1925 Scopes trial in Dayton, Tennessee. Often referred to as "The Trial of the Century" (Scopes Trial Web Page), the Scopes trial illuminated the controversy between the Christian theory of creation and the more scientific theory of evolution. John Scopes, a high school biology teacher, was arrested for illegally teaching evolutionism to his class. "The meaning of the trial emerged because it was seen as a conflict of social and intellectual values" (Scopes Trial Web Page). Kramer's film dramatizes this conflict between the Christian believers and the evolutionists in "Hillsboro, heavenly Hillsboro, the buckle on the Bible belt" (Inherit the Wind). Prosecutor Matthew Brady represents the values of fundamental Christianity while defense attorney Henry Drummond is the voice of reason and science. Although the two men have been good friends and partners in the past, the case in Hillsboro illuminates the difference in their values. Through the scene on the porch with Matthew Brady and Henry Drummond, director Stanley Kramer illustrates the incessant tug-of-war between religion and science. More specifically, camera angle and Drummond's metaphor of the "Golden Dancer" help deliver Kramer's belief in evolutionism. As the scene opens, Matthew Brady approaches Henry Drummond, who is rocking peacefully on the front porch of their hotel. The tone between the two men is light and friendly and the bland music playing in the background helps to portray the easiness of the scene. The opposing lawyers converse in a genteel manner, unlike their relationship in the courtroom. In response to B... ...lues. As the camera physically turns towards Drummond, Kramer leans towards evolutionism. Not only does this scene confirm Kramer's belief in the theory of evolution; it also expresses reason for Kramer's reservations regarding Christianity. With Drummond's metaphor of the "Golden Dancer, " Kramer enlightens the audience with some of the shortcomings of religion, such as susceptibility to corruption of the church. The porch scene in Inherit the Wind is not completely one sided though. It acknowledges the existence of both theories, resolving that the debate between creationism and evolutionism will continue forever. Works Cited Inherit the Wind. Dir. Stanley Kramer. With Spencer Tracy, Fredrick March, and Gene Kelly. MGM. 1960. Scopes trial web page. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/evolut.htm. Inherit the Wind: Religion vs. Science Essay -- Inherit Inherit the Wind: Religion vs. Science Stanley Kramer's film, Inherit the Wind, examines a trial based on the 1925 Scopes trial in Dayton, Tennessee. Often referred to as "The Trial of the Century" (Scopes Trial Web Page), the Scopes trial illuminated the controversy between the Christian theory of creation and the more scientific theory of evolution. John Scopes, a high school biology teacher, was arrested for illegally teaching evolutionism to his class. "The meaning of the trial emerged because it was seen as a conflict of social and intellectual values" (Scopes Trial Web Page). Kramer's film dramatizes this conflict between the Christian believers and the evolutionists in "Hillsboro, heavenly Hillsboro, the buckle on the Bible belt" (Inherit the Wind). Prosecutor Matthew Brady represents the values of fundamental Christianity while defense attorney Henry Drummond is the voice of reason and science. Although the two men have been good friends and partners in the past, the case in Hillsboro illuminates the difference in their values. Through the scene on the porch with Matthew Brady and Henry Drummond, director Stanley Kramer illustrates the incessant tug-of-war between religion and science. More specifically, camera angle and Drummond's metaphor of the "Golden Dancer" help deliver Kramer's belief in evolutionism. As the scene opens, Matthew Brady approaches Henry Drummond, who is rocking peacefully on the front porch of their hotel. The tone between the two men is light and friendly and the bland music playing in the background helps to portray the easiness of the scene. The opposing lawyers converse in a genteel manner, unlike their relationship in the courtroom. In response to B... ...lues. As the camera physically turns towards Drummond, Kramer leans towards evolutionism. Not only does this scene confirm Kramer's belief in the theory of evolution; it also expresses reason for Kramer's reservations regarding Christianity. With Drummond's metaphor of the "Golden Dancer, " Kramer enlightens the audience with some of the shortcomings of religion, such as susceptibility to corruption of the church. The porch scene in Inherit the Wind is not completely one sided though. It acknowledges the existence of both theories, resolving that the debate between creationism and evolutionism will continue forever. Works Cited Inherit the Wind. Dir. Stanley Kramer. With Spencer Tracy, Fredrick March, and Gene Kelly. MGM. 1960. Scopes trial web page. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/evolut.htm.

Environmental and Consumer Influences Analysis Essay

People should not be locked into the use of one or two categories of products, therefore companies have to expand their brands to fit into the lives of consumers. People are unique and so are the preferences of their needs and wants. A basic product such as laundry detergent that so many consumers use on a continuing basis can be affected solely by the consumer. There are many factors that influence consumer purchases, psychological and social being the main facts. Everything from motives, perception and attitudes contribute to the influence consumer behavior toward the products. I want to explore three external factor traits and the effects they have on a social, ecological and cultural consumer plain. Cultural The factors that influence consumer behavior toward laundry detergent purchases are personal and from family among other. It is almost guaranteed that whatever detergent that was used in the house during their childhood will be the detergent they buy in their adult age. Ironically they can choose from more than 80 different laundry detergents in the United States. Personality also can have an impact on choice, however which brand they decide to purchase is what they will purchase on a consistent basis, is generally a recognizable order and regularity to cultural behavior. When dealing with consumers from two different cultural backgrounds are married then they have to make a compromise. This in turn creates a new cultural purchasing desire for the next generation. From the perspective side of it when growing up the thought and idea of laundry soap does not appeal to you. All you know is that your clothes are clean and they smell good. As you  get older your perspective changes and you take notice of the brand use and how effectively it works. Once out on your own you either, stay with the product you grew up with or you make a change. It is your attitude toward the long history of the product you use, more importantly you trust in your parent’s judgment as to why they chose the product they used so therefore you use it without really noticing. Tide and Gain has a great way of advertising toward good wholesome family values. This in itself is why they both are the top leading brands in sales. These two products among others have also learned from extensive studies to not only tap into the social aspect of the customer, but to also look into the social aspect relevant to the environment. Detergents now reach out and advise to the environmental side of a new social group. In other words being more environmental friendly, this along with the psychological need helps to create the feeling of doing more for the environmental needs of the world and still holding true to family values. Consumers feel empowered when they go to the store to purchase the detergent for his or her family. Each consumer has buying power and that power determins which brand is worth the money he or she has earned. Manufactures know and understand this hence why they try to market toward the emotional, historical or strongest social grouping to keep that market interested in staying loyal to that brand. Social As consumers we are either pressured or constantly being influenced as to what, when and how we should spend our money. Marketers have learned to advertise on most if not all social media, plus word of mouth. Detergent fits into social marketing with young people cause most of the time clothes are washed in a Laundromat or dorm type atmosphere. When at first the consumer was influenced by cultural and family. Being with his peers can create a different reason for purchasing detergent. If a particular brand is still testing on animals or still using harmful chemicals for the environment, the consumer through social understanding might make a different choice in the detergent they use. Price perception plays a part in the choice also. Consumers want to know that there hard earned money is being spent on fair and reasonable products. Marketers take this into effect when advertising. A consumer’s attitude toward something that might be overpriced and did not work will not be apt t o make the same purchase  again. This experience affects expectations, and interest. When conversation comes up as to what detergent you use a negative experience will result in notifying shoes within their social group as to why not to use product so and so. I know it seems far fetch that the younger generation sits around and talks about laundry detergent. However in the middle class families do talk about things like this. This external factor affects consumer behavior in many ways, considering that America is actively changing. Society has undergone a constant change in response to the development of new technology. Laundry detergent has changed its formula to meet the needs of a socially environmentally aware society, and so has new washing machines. Ecological The ecological factors that affect consumer behavior are physical and social surroundings. The physical surroundings of the consumer at the time of purchase can affect the brand purchase if the store does not offer the brand of choice. Then the consumer can choose another brand that they feel is close enough to the brand they normally purchase. This is why most stores now carry a store brand that is located close to the leading brand. Pricing plays a part also, with prices increasing and the economy still trying to make its way back into good standings. It no longer seems reasonable to pay high prices for a product when you get a similar product that does the exact same thing but at a lesser price. Then we look again at the environment effects of the way we shop. We now have more environmental friendly detergents, being able to use cold water rather than hot water. We also have less chemicals and better machines to efficiently get more out of the laundry detergent we use. Conclusion The factors that influence us as consumer to purchase the products we do connects to our psychological and social being. Our motives, perception and attitudes contribute to the influence of goods we consume. Marketers study our behavior toward products to see what mostly influence us to spend the way we spend. It is our external factor is that have the most effects. How we engage in our social environment draws from our cultural background, this also gives way to our ecological consumption of goods. References Household Care. (2012). Retrieved from Proctor and Gamble: http://www.pg.com/en_US/brands/household_care/index.shtml Laundry Products: Laundry Detergents. (2012, March 12). Retrieved from The United States Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/formulat/formpart.htm#101 Psychological Factors. (2012). Retrieved from Medical onditions: http://medconditions.net/psychological-factor.html Bagozzi, R. P., Gurhan-Canli, Z., & Priester, J. R. (2002). The Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour. Philadelphia: Pearson. Cherry, K. (n.d.). What Is Personality? Retrieved from About.com Psychology: http://psychology.about.com/od/overviewofpersonality/a/persondef.htm Cherry, K. (n.d.). What Is Social Psychology? Retrieved from About.com Psychology: http://psychology.about.com/od/socialpsychology/f/socialpsych.htm Chapter 5: Perception and Individual Decision Making. (n.d.). Retrieved from California State University, Sacraimento: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sablynskic/Ch5OBE150.htm Schiffman, L. G., & Kanuk, L. L. (2010). Consumer Behavior. Upper Saddle River. NJ: Pearson.

The government of Australia economic policies is failing Australians

This has increased caused an increase in debt due to loss of employments. This has fur reaching effects in accounts of most institutions which those who are laid off have financial transactions with.Most of those who are laid off are servicing loans or paying for goods or services which they got on credit now they can’t afford to pay. The loans will accrue interest for the months they will not be serviced and most of them would be difficult to be repaid hence financial institutions will report high rate of loan default.Those who will manage to pay might pay it over a long period so they shall pay it with more interest. Companies which have sold goods of on services will have to involve debt collectors who they have to pay commission which would be more than they had budgeted.Companies which are lying of staff are being involved in calculations of benefits and other payments dues. They will also need to recalculate expenses to be incurred based on the staffs that are left such as office expenses.The Australia government will loss on income tax and companies dealing with pension funds will pay more this financial year which would affect their books of accounts.If the government will not put on measures to lower the unemployment rate it shall affect accounting records of different economic sectors. The effects will be realized in this financial year and subsequent years depending on how different sectors shall be able to adapt.ReferencesThe Editor, 2009, Govt policies costing jobs, Available at http://www.wabusinessnews.com.au/en-story/1/71103/Govt-policies-costing-jobs-Turnbull

Free Essays on The Alcoholic Empire

The Alcoholic Empire: Vodka and Politics in Late Imperial Russia Patricia Herlihy begins her book with an attention grabbing quote from a Russian temperance priest stating that â€Å"There is nothing in the world worse than drunkenness.† (1) This blunt phrase sets the tone of the book and prepares the reader for an up close and frankly detailed look at the role of alcohol in Russian history in all areas, including the economic, religious, social and political realms. Herlihy explains how all social problems and â€Å"bad things† in general were attributed to alcohol and expounds upon this by looking at how the state, military, church, doctors and the czar all tried to deal with the problem of excessive alcohol consumption. Of those who fought for prohibition and strict limits on alcohol consumption, many believed that the only way for this was through extreme change. Consequently, as vodka was one of the biggest forms of revenue for the Russian government, it was inevitable that this change would be in the form of governmental revol ution. Throughout the book, Herlihy did a good job of showing a wide variety of different viewpoints and stances on alcohol from different social classes, areas and groups of people. This broad overview lent to a better understanding and feeling of the times and a window into the daily lives of the people of Russia. This book also fit nicely into the class’s recent discussions about Nicholas II, and provides some background for events to come, most notably the outbreak of war beginning in 1914. (2) In August 1914, Nicholas II limited the sale of vodka to â€Å"first-class restaurants and clubs† and later extended the ban. (3) This one simple act helped lead to his own political downfall, as well as â€Å"increased deaths from alcohol poisoning, and, most critically, a shortage of grain for foodstuffs.† (4) Although Nicholas II had a significant role in the alcohol disturbance of society, he was not the mai... Free Essays on The Alcoholic Empire Free Essays on The Alcoholic Empire The Alcoholic Empire: Vodka and Politics in Late Imperial Russia Patricia Herlihy begins her book with an attention grabbing quote from a Russian temperance priest stating that â€Å"There is nothing in the world worse than drunkenness.† (1) This blunt phrase sets the tone of the book and prepares the reader for an up close and frankly detailed look at the role of alcohol in Russian history in all areas, including the economic, religious, social and political realms. Herlihy explains how all social problems and â€Å"bad things† in general were attributed to alcohol and expounds upon this by looking at how the state, military, church, doctors and the czar all tried to deal with the problem of excessive alcohol consumption. Of those who fought for prohibition and strict limits on alcohol consumption, many believed that the only way for this was through extreme change. Consequently, as vodka was one of the biggest forms of revenue for the Russian government, it was inevitable that this change would be in the form of governmental revol ution. Throughout the book, Herlihy did a good job of showing a wide variety of different viewpoints and stances on alcohol from different social classes, areas and groups of people. This broad overview lent to a better understanding and feeling of the times and a window into the daily lives of the people of Russia. This book also fit nicely into the class’s recent discussions about Nicholas II, and provides some background for events to come, most notably the outbreak of war beginning in 1914. (2) In August 1914, Nicholas II limited the sale of vodka to â€Å"first-class restaurants and clubs† and later extended the ban. (3) This one simple act helped lead to his own political downfall, as well as â€Å"increased deaths from alcohol poisoning, and, most critically, a shortage of grain for foodstuffs.† (4) Although Nicholas II had a significant role in the alcohol disturbance of society, he was not the mai... Free Essays on The Alcoholic Empire In her book, â€Å"The Alcoholic Empire: Vodka and Politics in Late Imperial Russia† Patricia Herlihy offers an in-depth and comprehensive view into the debilitating effects of Russia’s massive problem with alcoholism. The consequences of alcohol being such an integral part of Russian life are described in detail. Herlihy’s main focus is on the struggle that the Russians faced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the eventual rise and fall of the prohibition act. The source of this struggle was one key impasse: Russian society suffered greatly from alcohol, but the Russian economy depended on it. This book examines the battle between these two forces as well as the reasons that alcohol will never lose. In her examination of the history of alcohol in the Russian empire, Herlihy gives special attention to the period of the â€Å"Vodka Monopoly.† During this period, the state was the only supplier of vodka. This created a major conflict of interest. Vodka consumption rose after the vodka monopoly was implemented. This makes sense since the state stood to gain more funds from more vodka. This is where the hypocrisy of the empire begins: a bureaucratic organization called the Guardianship of Public Sobriety was created to warn people against the evils and dangers of alcohol. Thus, the country’s lone provider of alcohol was the leader in opposing its consumption. Despite the irony, many in the country saw the formation of the Guardianship as an example and formed their own temperance societies. Herlihy spends the majority of her book discussing the efforts of these societies to combat alcohol in the various institutions of Russia. This issue of alcohol is cited a s a cause for numerous social ills by many of the figures in Herlihy’s book. Poverty, crime, illiteracy, and general inferiority are all attached to the Russian’s addiction to alcohol. The military was scrutinized very closely for its alcoholic repu...

College Shower Dos and Donts

College Shower Do's and Don'ts Unless youve spent a lot of time at summer camp,  theres a good chance youve  never enjoyed the dubious pleasures of a shared shower. Dorm showers are a little nicer than camp showers, but while summer campers are children with few concerns about privacy and hygiene, college students are young adults. Standards are higher, and you need to know the unwritten rules of college showers. What College Dorm Showers Are Like Most dorms have large bathrooms for each hall. If youre in a single-sex dorm you may have two bathrooms on your floor available for your use. If youre in a coed dorm, there may be separate bathrooms for each gender or shared bathrooms. In most dorms, bathrooms include multiple sinks, toilet stalls, mirrors, and separate curtained showers. If youre living off-campus or in a fraternity or sorority house, the situation may be different. You may, for example, need to take turns using a single-user bathroom. Alternatively, you may need to create a bathroom schedule. The college shower is both a very private and a very public place. Whether youre in a dorm, an off-campus apartment, or even in a situation where you have your own room but share  a bathroom with others, its important to know how things work so no one gets offended or embarrassed. So how can you make sure you know the dos and donts that surround the college shower? The Dos Do wear shower shoes. You may love every person in your residence hall or Greek house, but feet are feet and dirt is dirt. Wearing shower shoes can actually protect you from infections, so make sure you have an extra, shower-only pair of flip-flops at all times.Do bring a shower caddy. A shower caddy is a hanging bag or container you carry with you from your room to the bathroom and back again. Find one that works for you so you can always have your shampoo, conditioner, razor, and anything else you might need handy.Do bring a towel or robe to wear back to your room. Forgetting your towel can be a nightmare, so hook it onto your shower caddy, or even better, fold it on top so that you never forget one without the other.Do clean your hair out of the drain. Youre in a shared space now, so treat it with the respect youd want from someone else and do a quick swipe to make sure you dont leave hair in the drain for the next person. The Donts Dont take an unreasonable amount of time. Taking a ton of time in the shower may feel nice for you, but it creates a huge backlog of people who need to shower. Remember that youre part of a community and try to keep your shower time brief.Dont shower with a friend. Having, shall we say, romantic encounters in the shower is not only disrespectful to others in your hall, but its also inappropriate and, perhaps worst of all, pretty darned gross. With all the private spaces that a college offers, take your friend somewhere a little nicer and more personal.Dont expect too much privacy. Yes, youll have your own stall, and most likely it will have doors or a curtain. But you are sharing a bathroom with others, so just be prepared for people talking, using up the hot water, coming in and out of the bathroom, and basically eliminating the kind of privacy you might be used to back at home.

How do media affect our lives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How do media affect our lives - Essay Example As can easily be observed, the excessive that the Internet captures, comes out from none other than other activities people indulge in such as work, social and personal activities etc. This paper investigates into the impact of Internet on the various distinctive aspects of the social and personal lives of people associated with this medium or are involved in using this medium in a modus operandi fashion. Ever since its evolution, the Internet has transformed every aspect of how people live their lives. It has attracted people with its tremendous ability to provide information and integrate enhanced communication facilities into their lives (Hendersen 39). Internet has probably touched every field and walk of people's lives; whether it is working life, social life, personal relationship, education, communication etc. It has even changed the human perceptions encompassing solitude and loneliness. A person sitting alone at some place with a PC with him cannot today be called as lonely. He is likely to be surrounded with a lot of human companions online. The effects of Internet media on the lives of people are appearing as abounding these days. As people spend more and more time using the Internet, browsing through the web sites and chatting with different people, they are becoming more acquainted with the new world easily accessible to them at all times. It is impacting upon the whole spectrum of human lives, while changing the way people work, interact and entertain themselves with the technology. The most prominent aspect that is being consistently influenced by Internet media is the social lives of people. Bargh and McKenna put this as, "no one today disputes that the Internet is likely to have a significant impact on social life" (575). The social life of human beings is characterized with how people interact with each other, how often they converge to improve the relationships and how much time they denote to each other. Internet is likely to have more than influenced a person's social life, i.e., it has been systematically re-shaping the way a person engages in social activity. This medium involves exotic means of communication, unique ways of human interaction, and different fashion of entertainment and most importantly the activities for the utilization of time. Nie and Erbring emphasize that, "as Internet use grows, Americans report they spend less time with friends and family, shopping in stores or watching television, and more time working for their employers at home; without cutting back their hours in the office" (280). The Internet has undoubtedly revolutionized communication and interaction in the social system. Email, chat rooms, and even websites are allowing more and more techniques to precipitate effective communication between people. Persons living at great distances from each other now conveniently interact with each other in a matter of a few clicks and that too without any restriction of time. Bargh and McKenna illuminate that "rather than being an isolating, personally and socially maladaptive activity, communicating with others over the Internet facilitates the formation of close and meaningful new relationships within a relatively safe