Basha Restaurant Business Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Basha Restaurant Business Plan - Assignment Example The restaurant meets the expectation of the customers by providing them valuable services by the restaurant staff. The manage constantly runs a check on the activities taking place in the restaurant which assures the customer that everything is in control and being evaluated constantly. The restaurant staff is trained to provide effective and efficient services to the customers. The cuisines are developed by authentic Arabic chefs and the recipes used are also authentic. This adds on to the credibility of the restaurant. The taste of the food is given special consideration as the owners of Basha want the food to be perfect in all regards for their valuable customers. The pricing and profitability strategy has been developed considering all the expenses and investments required to start up the business. Table of Contents Introduction 5 Objectives 5 Sales Objectives 5 Mission 6 Keys to Success 7 Company Summary 7 Company Ownership 7 Start-up Summary 7 Company Location and Facilities 9 Services 10 Competitive Comparison 10 Sales Literature 10 Market Analysis Summary 10 Target Market Segment Strategy 10 Marketing Programs 10 Pricing and Profitability Strategy 11 Cost of Goods Sold 13 References 17 Basha Restaurant Business Plan Introduction Basha is one of the distinctive restaurants in Dubai that offers authentic Arabic cuisines to its valuable customers.... The Basha restaurant in Dubai has its location at the terrace of Habtoor Grand Resort and Spa from where the view of Dubai is outstanding (Al Basha in the Habtoor Grand Beach Resort and Spa, Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai – Restaurant Reviews—TimeOutDubai.com, 2012). The paper discusses the business plan according to a standard format of a business plan (Floor, 2003) Objectives The objectives of Basha Arabic Restaurant in Dubai are as follows: To provide authentic Arabic Cuisine To increase the market share in Dubai amongst other Arabic Restaurants To provide a soothing ambience to the customers of the restaurant To increase profits by 25% in the year 2013 Sales Objectives To increase sales by 15 % in the year 2013 that is reach a amount of AED 140,000 Mission The mission of Basha Arabic restaurant is to provide authentic Arabic cuisines to the customers of Dubai so that they can get a feel about the Arabic cuisines. The customers should enjoy dine out at Basha and the ambien ce of the restaurant should be such that the customers should feel they are dining out in core Middle Eastern country. The ingredients used should be of good quality, the chef should be Arabic and recipes of the Basha restaurant should be authentic Arabic recipes. The cuisines served should be fresh and should be served in the most unique manner by the restaurant staff. Presentation of the cuisines should be highly appealing attractive. Customers are paying a premium price at Basha and so they should be entertained with the best Arabic cuisines in town. Basha wants its market share to increase and also the number of customers should make repeat visits in the restaurant. The staff should be well aware of all the Arabic cuisines being served in the restaurant

Language spoken Essay Example for Free

Language spoken Essay England is filled with a mixture of different dialects and pronunciation. Every area or city has its own dialect pronunciation and specific words only used in that area for example in east London innit. The closer the areas are the more similar they are. In addition people living in a specific area have their own peer groups; these peer groups have their own sociolect. Sociolect basically, means language spoken by a social group, social class or subculture. In this regards it differs to the dialect of that area slightly. Every person in that peer group has their own idiolect. Idiolect means a variety of language unique to an individual. It is manifested when that person chooses the word phrases or idioms which are unique to an individual. The idiolect you speak is influenced by many factors, for example the area you live in, where you are from and who is in your peer group. These could happen simultaneously which will make your idiolect even more unique. I believe that your idiolect is mainly changed by your geographical location. My idiolect has been changed drastically through the years I have been living. Even though I was born in the UK the first language I was taught was Farsi, this was minor setback however I was able to overcome this issue. As I was sent to school, I renovated this issue and I was able to distinguish both languages and I usually never had to code switch. As I grew my knowledge on the English language increased considerably, however my amount of Farsi I knew increased at a really steady pace. This is because in school I was improving my English as it was a requirement at home this didnt happen a lot, my parents only wanted me to know the basics of my language and that was satisfactory for them. In addition my mum and dad wanted me to fit into society better. They done this by the process of primary socialisation, they told me not to swear, not to code switch so that I do not have to be deviant in school and to speak in standard English. At a very young age of 6-7 I was slightly getting confused with the English language. This is because as I spent time with my peer group they taught me their sociolect, at the time I wasnt educated on this topic enough. For example one day my friend told me when we were inside to Look out as there was a ball flying towards our window at a high speed. As I was not educated, I thought he literally meant for me to look outside luckily I did look outside but the ball missed me. This use of a phrasal verb confused me; this is because phrasal verbs also confuse non-native speakers and I wasnt that educated on this new type of dialect. At this time I started to mix both standard English and my sociolect until I reached 8 years old. At this time I was able to make out the type language I should use in school, the one I should use with my friends and the one I should use at home. Even though I was able to differentiate when to speak each language I still had problems. My English at this time was getting better day by day however my Farsi improvements came at a standstill. When I use to speak to my parents, and I could not find the correct term in Farsi, I had to say it in English. This caused me to code switch even more. This automatically made me speak a mixture of English and Farsi when I went home. Did not finish (deliberate), Mrs Hart please tell me what I should add to improve; what I can to make it even better. I was going to talk about my transcript however I am unable as I want to know the mistakes I have made so that I can make it better with the transcript By Wariss Tamim 10. 8.

Theatre as Philosophy :: essays research papers

-Theatre as Philosophy-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The evolution of theatre is a long and complex story. What once began as a ritual to the ancient gods has since developed into an elaborate examination of mankind. Theatre originated in Ancient Greece as a celebration to the god Dionysius, where amateur actors would dance and sing in order to imitate him. Consequently, as the Greek Empire developed, so did theatre. By the end of the Greek Empire, scripts were being written, theatres were being built, and professional actors were being used. The tradition of theatre continued to flourish with the rise of the Roman Empire. This age saw great playwrights such as Seneca, Terence, and Plautus become great cultural icons, performing their plays in extravagant arenas known as coliseums. Nevertheless, the Roman Empire fell giving way to the Medieval Period, where governments were weak allowing feudalism to become prevalent. This absence of power led to a period of time where theatre was also absent. As time progressed the atre rose again and became popular throughout the world. Each territory had its own way of showing these plays, which either dealt with mystery of morality. Eventually the Medieval Period gave way to the Renaissance, whereupon nations developed into their own powers, inciting different styles of theatre. All the aforementioned time periods and some others have formed theatre into what it is today. Whether a play, movie, or even televisions show, they all can be attributed to the ever-evolving entertainment we know as theatre. However, no matter the time or the form of theatre, all have one thing in common. This is that they present a philosophy of life. In other words, they present a life lesson that intends to question the current way of life. The true challenge is entertaining an audience while teaching them at the same time. Nonetheless, this mesh of thought and pleasure is a must. Any good theatre is thought-provoking and didactic, while still remaining interesting. Most of these great works, old or new, are presented as either comedies or tragedies, where great storylines outline the theatrical production’s life philosophy. Comedies usually portray a philosophical meaning through the use of satire, while tragic writers utilize a series of unfortunate events to deliver a message. Whether one or the other, it is undoubtedly necessary to add philosophical meaning into a work in order to incite thought within the audience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some playwrights believe their moral lesson is best presented with a comedic coating.

other :: essays research papers

Public/ Private Parents these days try to find the best school for their child’s needs. Some parents can’t choose between public and public schools, because of their differences. Public and private schools have a lot of difference like cost, admissions, teachers, students, and special needs. Public schools don’t have tuition as all people know. State, Federal, and local taxes fund public schools. So when you pay taxes, you are paying for child’s education. Also you are paying for the other kids in your community. Unlike public schools, private schools have tuition. The National Association of Independent Schools says that the median tuition in the United States is $12,000 for first to third, $13,000 for grades sixth to eighth, and $15,000 for grades nine to twelve. For boarding schools it’s like another $8,000 for each group (Education World). Another difference is the admission. Public schools admit all children. This includes students with special needs. You can enroll your child in public schools by just filling out the necessary paperwork. Some private schools on the other hand are selective. Private schools are not forced to accept every child. In many schools admission is very cutthroat. The teachers are another difference in public and private schools. The teachers in public schools are usually state certified. That just means that the teacher has gone through training required by the state. In private schools teachers may not be required to have to train. Instead they have subject area expertise and an undergraduate or graduate degree in the subject they teach. Also teachers in private schools often report better working condctions. The students in public schools are usually the kids from the neighboring community. Also public schools usually have more racially and ethnically diverse populations. On the other hand a process determines students that go to private schools. All students must apply and be accepted in order to attend. Some people may say that this can create a fairly homogenous student body. Another difference is the special needs. Public schools by law must educate all children. They also have to provide the necessary programs to meet the child’s special needs. Public schools have teachers who are trained to work with students who have specific needs, because of this law. However, private schools don’t have to accept kids with specific needs. As a result most private schools do not have special education programs. Also in private schools extra resources to help children with special needs may come at an additional cost (Greatschools).

Blood Clotting Essay

Coagulation, or thrombogenesis, is the process by which blood clots in an attempt to restrict blood loss from an injury site, and repair the damaged vessel. Most of the time clotting is a good thing, however there are circumstances when a clot can form abnormally, leading to heart attack, stroke, or other serious medical problems. A blood clot forms almost immediately after the bleeding occurs, which is possible through enzymes and other substances in blood that respond to breaks in vessel walls. The clot is a temporary fix preventing further blood loss. There are four major parts of blood clot formation. The first step in clotting is the formation of the platelet plug. Platelets are the smallest of the three major types of blood cells whose primary function is to prevent bleeding. When encountering a damaged blood vessel, the platelets become stimulated and rush to the injury site where they clump together, forming a plug and restricting the bleeding. They also release substances to begin the chemical reaction of the clotting process. These chemical reactions are responsible for growing the blood clot. Dissolved proteins, also referred to as clotting factors, are contained within the blood for the purpose of promoting blood clots. These proteins send signals to each other and enhance each other’s activity exponentially at the site of injury, resulting in a rapid chemical chain reaction which produces fibrin, the main protein forming clots. This blood clot formed with fibrin is tougher and more durable than the platelet plug. Once the blood clot forms, it is important that it not grow and spread to the rest of the body, which can cause serious damage. This is where â€Å"anti-clotting† comes in to play. Proteins such as antithrombin, protein C, and protein S, are known anti-clotting proteins and exist in a natural balance with the clotting factors. These substances work to neutralize excess clotting factors, preventing the clot from going to places it should not. The final part of the process is where the clot is slowly broken down by the body. Once the damaged tissue heals, the body gradually degrades the clot and reabsorbs it. The tough fibrin strands in a blood clot are dissolved by an enzyme called plasmin. Plasmin is activated by other substances working together to help the clot break down. The whole process of blood clotting is whenever the blood is exposed to certain substances. These are known as thrombogenic substances because they promote the formation of thrombus (clot). Many of these substances, such as tissue factor, collagen, and von Willebrand factor, are located in the skin or in the blood vessel walls, typically separated from flowing blood. If they come into contact with flowing blood, this typically means the blood vessel wall is ruptured and bleeding. A clot may also form when blood is not flowing properly. http://www.hematology.org/patients/blood-disorders/blood-clots/5233.aspx http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/blood-clots

Process of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Essays

Process of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Essays Process of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Essay Process of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Essay Procedure of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Meeting new people will arouse assorted responses. The scope of possible responses can be predicted by or explained utilizing a figure of sociological theories. This paper explains the procedure of run intoing new people in little group point from the positions of the undermentioned theoretical constructs: ( a ) Tamotsu Shibutani’s symbolic interaction theory, Scheff’s theory of emotional distancing, Marshall Rosenburg and Abraham Maslow’s constructs of basic demands and Erving Goffman’s feeling direction theories. Given the alone focal point of each of the theories above, the survey explores them in bend.Tamotsu Shibutani’s Symbolic Interaction Theory Symbolic interaction theory holds that worlds will be given to move towards things that bear some significances to them. The significance or significance of such things are derived from one’s societal experiences and societal interaction with others, as modified by one’s readings and perceptual experience ( Becker A ; McCall, 2009 ) . In the context of a little group, an person will be more inclined to fall in the group if members of the group have some significance or engage in the activity of significance to the person. In this instance, there will be an urge to portion individuality or prosecute in affairs of common involvements ( Becker A ; McCall, 2009 ) . If the single members of the group present themselves as conveying together members of common religion, so the expectedness of religion will ensue into a positive perceptual experience that the group is of high value, provided the mention group of the connection member are those who claim to be spiritual. The g roup s members will necessitate to exhibit conformity with the norms acceptable to the faith-based group, because it is the values of the faith in inquiry that will bond ( consummate ) the person to the group. The individuals’ positions will every bit count, as it shapes the reading the single gives to the Acts of the Apostless of single group members. Tom Scheff: Theory of Emotional Distancing The theory of emotional distancing suggests that the basic emotions that one exhibits towards a relationship spouse will find the behavior of the spouse and find the relationship distance with the spouse ( Scheff et al. , 2002 ) . Where one meets new people in a little group, the person will be given to pull closer ( maintain near relationship distance ) with the persons who exhibits emotions that build the single public assistance. Such emotions include felicity, friendliness, joy among others. The emotions are likely to trip fond regard to the specific persons and the group. On the other manus, the person will be given to maintain off from the group members who exhibit to the single emotions that potentially amendss the single public assistance. Such emotions include fright, choler, hatred, shame, disapproval among others ( Scheff et al. , 2002 ) . Hatred, shame, disapproval and choler, for case, endanger one’s individuality and would do the single perceive as being bastard and unwelcomed.As a defense mechanism mechanism, an person may be detached or rebel from the persons exhibiting the baleful emotions. The distance between the person and the group as a whole is besides capable to the same form of fond regard and withdrawal. That is, where the group shows emotion that Fosters one’s public assistance, the person will be more affiliated to the group. However, emotions damaging a group member’s behavior will arouse withdrawal and rebellion from the group ( Scheff et al. , 2002 ) . Marshall Rosenburg and Abraham Maslow Theory of Needs Basic demand theories, like those postulated by Rosenburg and Maslow, suggest that human demands are the indispensable motive for all behaviors. As such, persons are likely to keep on to a relationship if such a relationship promotes meeting of their demands. Maslow identifies the love and sense of belonging as critical constituents of human demands, which persons are likely to prosecute ( Boeree, 2006 ) . Persons are hence expected to be more affiliated to the group if members of the groups show the single love and a sense of belonging. However, isolation or favoritism an person from the group is likely to trip a feeling that one does non belong to the group, therefore arousing withdrawal. Alternatively, the person may try to look for an alternate group that would run into the individual’s needs for love, attending and sense of belonging. Other interpersonal demands, which if achieved will do an single satisfied and hence more affiliated to the group include credence, grasp, love, honestness, regard, support, trust apprehension, consideration, community among others ( Marshall, 2001 ) . When the group fail to run into these demands, person will experience disgruntled with the group and finally detach oneself from the group. Alternatively, they may place with a subdivision of the group that meet the demands. Erving Goffman’s Impression Management Harmonizing to Erving Goffman’s feeling direction ( IM ) theory, persons or groups may pull strings the perceptual experience of others by picturing an feeling that will arouse the coveted end ( Solomon, Solomon, Joseph, A ; Norton, 2013 ) . The feeling will so look to the mark audience as the world and will last until such a clip that the person or group win in or fails to vibrate with the group. When a lazy and chesty member joins a little group, the person may dress neatly and talk with courtesy to make an feeling that the individual is good organized and mannered. Sometimes, they may suggest at how good connected they are, to give an feeling of how resourceful they are. These will represent look behavior that earns them admittance to the group on history of the feeling created ( Solomon et al. , 2013 ) . Once an insider and have got used to the members, or is non welcomed wholly, the same individual may now speak impolitely or non care much about their garbs. This constit utes offstage behavior. The audience here are the group members, and the histrion is single. Decision To reason, assorted theoretical point of views have a different anticipation of how single will react in a little group puting. Overall, interpersonal relationship among the group members and the group every bit good as feelings created are some of the chief forecasters of behaviors in a little group puting. Mentions Aksan, N. , KAÂ ±sac, B. , AydAÂ ±n, M. , A ; Demirbuken, S. ( 2009 ) . Symbolic interaction theory.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,1( 1 ) , 902-904.Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042809001633 Becker, H. S. , A ; McCall, M. M. ( Eds. ) . ( 2009 ) .Symbolic interaction A ; cultural surveies. Chicag. University of Chicago Press.Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //books.google.co.ke/books? hl=en A ; lr= A ; id=EgDM_zn7EZYC A ; oi=fnd A ; pg=PP2 A ; ots=lkrdUPLJp1 A ; sig=mI-PrBO7U-jVr9lwnzrskgos2c0 A ; redir_esc=y # v=onepage A ; q A ; f=false Boeree, C. G. ( 2006 ) .Abraham Maslow. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.lake.k12.fl.us/cms/lib05/FL01000799/Centricity/Domain/3306/Abraham_Maslow.pdf Marshall, S. K. ( 2001 ) . Do I affair! Construct proof striplings perceived mattering parents and friends.Journal of adolescence,24( 4 ) , 473-490. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.researchgate.net/profile/Sheila_Marshall/publication/222855213_Do_I_Matter_Construct_validation_of_adolescents_perceived_mattering_to_parents_and_friends/links/00b7d51b63539337a5000000.pdf Scheff, T. , Stanko, E. A. , Wouters, C. , A ; Katz, J. ( 2002 ) . How Emotions Work.Theoretical Criminology,6( 3 ) , 361-380.Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //tcr.sagepub.com/content/6/3/361.short Solomon, J. Solomon, , Joseph, N. L. , A ; Norton, S. D. ( 2013 ) . Impression direction, creative activity and fiction in societal and environmental coverage: Penetrations from Erving Goffman.Accounting, organisations society,38( 3 ) , 195-213. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //wrap.warwick.ac.uk/2681/1/WRAP_Spencer_oatey_073125-cal-290110-spencer-oatey_jop07.pdf .

smoking on the body essays

smoking on the body essays Tobacco is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States. Nicotine, which is an alkaloid derived from the tobacco plant, is a potent chemical that has powerful effects on the human body, especially when administered rapidly or at high doses. Prenatal exposure to nicotine is associated with adverse reproductive outcomes, including altered neural structure and functioning, cognitive deficits, and behavior problems in the offspring (9). At least 20% - 30% of pregnant women are estimated to smoke cigarettes, although smoking is associated with low birth weight, prematurity and infant mortality. In the United States, smoking accounts annually for estimated fetal deaths ranging from 19,000 to 141,000, for 1,900 to 4,800 deaths during or immediately after parturition, and for 1,200 to 2,200 death from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (7). Maternal smoking has been implicated in long term deficits in infant mental development and adverse behavioral problems in children such as attention disorder. Nicotine crosses the human placenta and has direct effects on the developing fetus. Pre-clinical studies suggest that maternal smoking during pregnancy produces changes on the offspring's neural functioning, including reductions in uptake of serotonin, alterations in dopaminergic systems, alterations in peripheral and central noradrenergic neurons, and changes in DNA and RNA synthesis in the brain (9). Children prenatally exposed to nicotine consistently score lower in the two subcategories of expressive language and conceptual comprehension. Evidence from studies of human neonates suggests that maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased rates of neurobehavioral difficulties. Several studies have linked maternal smoking during pregnancy with childhood inattention, impulsivity, and motor hyperactivity in offspring. Similarly, maternal smoking during pregnancy has been associated with parent-t...

French Indefinite Relative Pronouns

French Indefinite Relative Pronouns Just as in English, a relative pronoun links a relative clause to a main clause. This is true for both relative pronouns and indefinite relative pronouns. The difference is that regular relative pronouns have a specific antecedent, but indefinite relative pronouns do not. If you dont understand relative pronouns, I highly recommend that you go back to that lesson before studying this one. There are four* French indefinite relative pronouns; each form is used only in a particular structure, as summarized here. Note that theres no one-to-one equivalent for these words - depending on context, the English translation may be what or which: Subject ce qui   what Direct object ce que/qu   what Object of de** ce dont  Ã‚  which, what Object of a preposition** quoi  Ã‚  which, what *Theres a fifth indefinite relative pronoun, quiconque, but it is rare and complicated, so I address it in a separate lesson. **Remember that French verbs often require different prepositions than English verbs, so you really need to be careful with ce dont and quoi - its not always obvious which one is correct. When there is no preposition, of course, you use ce que. Note that when the pronoun tout is used with indefinite relative pronouns, it changes the meaning to everything or all. Ce qui serves as the subject of a relative clause and takes the il form of the verb.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ce qui mintà ©resse, cest la langue.What interests me is language.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Sais-tu ce qui lui plaà ®t?Do you know what pleases him?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Cest ce qui me dà ©range.Thats what bothers me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Tout ce qui  brille nest pas or.All that glitters is not gold. Ce que is used as the indefinite direct object in a relative clause.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ce que je veux, cest à ªtre trilingue.What I want is to be trilingual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Sais-tu ce que Pierre a fait ?Do you know what Pierre did?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Cest ce que je dà ©teste.Thats what I hate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Tout ce quil à ©crit est amusant.Everything he writes is funny. Ce dont is used as the object of the preposition de.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ce dont jai besoin, cest un bon dico.What I need is a good dictionary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Sais-tu ce dont Luc parle ?Do you know what Pierre is talking about?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Cest ce dont je me souviens.Thats what I remember.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai tout ce dont jai envie.I have everything I want. Quoi is the object of any preposition except de.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Sais-tu quoi il pense ?Do you know what hes thinking about?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai à ©tudià ©, aprà ¨s quoi jai lu.I studied, after which I read.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Avec quoi à ©crit-il ?What is he writing with?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ce quoi je mattends, cest une invitation.***What Im waiting for is an invitation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Cest ce quoi Chantal rà ªve.***Thats what Chantal dreams about. ***When quoi is at the beginning of a clause or follows cest, the word ce is placed in front of it (ce quoi).

Case analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case analysis - Assignment Example The problems at the company started when Don Smith took over the firm. The biggest mistake that was made by the Mr. Smith when he acquired the company was that he did so through a highly leveraged transaction that drastically increased the long term debt of the company. A company that had a policy under the leadership of Blake of not mortgaging the opening of any new store became burdened by debt. A second issue at Friendly was conflicts of interest between TRC, Smith, and Friendly. Smith was both owners of TRC and Friendly. He approved a lot of dubious contracts including two shared costs programs of an Illinois office, where the company had no presence, and leasing agreement of a jet with TRC. There were also conflicts of interest in the board of directors which had some members that were dual board of directors of both companies. A third major issue at the firm was that its chairman was misusing company funds for personal expenses such as using the private jet for personal reasons . A fourth major issue at the firm was the lackluster financial performance of the company. The company lost over $30 million between 2005 and 2006. In 2007 the company achieved profits, but its net margin was a very thin at 0.9%. The net margin ratio measures the absolute profitability of a company (Peavler). A potential solution for the shareholders of the company is to sell off the shares of the company all at once. The problem with this solution is that a selling frenzy might further erode the price of the stocks driving it to become a penny stock. A second solution for the firm is to force the resignation of Don Smith. The problem with this solution is that his resignation would have to be forced by the board of directors and Smith has them on his pocket. A third solution is for the shareholders of the company to unite in the efforts of Sadar Biglari to turn around the company by getting two seats in

Macroeconomics Creative Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Macroeconomics Creative Project - Essay Example There exists a big distinction of social issues and economic issues within our society; but, what we may tend to consider more social can best be explained using the analytical tools of economics. Attending exhibitions such as art exhibitions or museum exhibitions is part of social life and fun. From a classroom perspective, attending an exhibition, particularly in a museum is often part of history, art, literature, and architecture courses, but acquiring any economics knowledge form an exhibition in a museum is quite novel. Attending an exhibit would be more beneficial to art, history and architecture student than it would be for an economics student. It would be perceived by many as having fun. Imagine of an exhibition relating to identity politics and issues of race in America in the 21st century. This is more history and political science. Race is a social issue in the society that has been on the forefront since the emergence of civil rights movements in the U.S. Such an exhibit can easily be integrated into a history and art class and help students understand class theory better; but, for a macroeconomics class, it would seem less beneficial. The typical introductory course in macroeconomics covers measurement of national incomes, theories of income determination, market systems, inflation and unemployment, and the effect of fiscal and monetary policies. Usually, there is no inclusion of a discussion on the economics of race. Taking a close reflection of the literature of race issues in the America, including some articles from reliable writers on issues of racial discrimination; for example, the issue of African American not being included in Social Security, it is possible to integrate race in economics. Issues of employment discrimination on the basis of race have been reported all over in the society since time in history. From classroom skills acquired in the macroeconomics course, I believe outside classroom activities

Virtualisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Virtualisation - Essay Example Due to this fact, even very small data centers are forced to deploy many servers though they can never operate at 100% efficiency (Costas, 2006). These servers tend to operate at just 5-15% of capacity and by any given standard this is considered to be highly inefficient. Virtualization therefore can be described as the most effective way that is used to reduce the expenses relating to IT in small as well as medium sized businesses. Virtualization also boosts efficiency as well as the agility of the businesses. Costas further goes ahead to describe how virtualization software solves this problem and this is through ensuring that several software and applications are enabled to run on one physical server also referred to as the host. In order for this to successfully take place, each of the self-contained virtual machines are isolated from all the others. The self-contained server machine is then set to use much of the hosts’ computing resources that it needs in order for its operations to be effective. Further in his book, Costas goes ahead to discuss the benefits that are achieved from server virtualization. First, there is greater utilization of every server up to 80%. As a result, each server is separated from the others and; thus, increases the efficiency from 15% to 80%. Deploying many servers in one place at the same time tends to reduce the efficiency of their operations. The second benefit associated with virtualization is reduction in hardware requirements by a ratio of up to 10:1. This is a very high ratio and the benefits of efficiency that will result from the reduction of hardware will be very beneficial to the particular business (Costas, 2006). Another benefit associated with virtualization software is the fact that capital and operations expenses are cut into half. As discussed earlier we saw that organizations that do not employ virtualization software tend to use most of their profit back to processing rather than focusing it on

Manegerial Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Manegerial Leadership - Essay Example Managerial and leadership development is becoming an increasingly recognized tenet of sustainable performance improvement in organizations both in the public and private sectors. Managerial leadership development can be discerned as a complicated function of training, evaluation, feedback and strategy that requires meta frameworks to be effective and traceable. Dubai Municipality is a public sector organization in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Its job descriptions involve planning and regulating permissions for business, construction and development activities. The Municipality is facing a massive demand for its services and is under pressure to deliver a high standard of services at a volume that satisfies the rising demand. This report will endeavor to discuss a process of implementing a managerial leadership development program for this organization, in order for it to stay in tune with the rising expectations. It is a widely recognized fact that effective managerial leadership programs can help employees become more effective in managing the scarce resources available and aligning them with company objectives, in environments that are becoming tricky to negotiate due to a confluence of factors such as globalization, heightened competition and increased levels of customer demands. Yet it is equally widely recognized, e.g. by Cook (2004) that most leadership development programs operate bereft of tracking and evaluation mechanisms. Nevertheless, evaluating the success of managerial leadership development programs is a very important step in understanding the effectiveness of these programs. Only by introducing an evaluation, monitoring, evaluation and feedback loop will it be possible for us to isolate the positive impact (if any) of specific managerial leadership development programs and to explore ways of improving their effectiveness in meeting the stakeholders' objectives . In the sections below, this paper will dwell on the concepts of strategic planning, evaluating, controlling and improving managerial leadership development interventions at the Dubai Municipality, and how these factors will help the organization to make its services more efficient. Models of management and leadership development: Leadership development is defined as "every form of growth or stage of development in the life cycle that promotes, encourages, and assists the expansion of knowledge and expertise required to optimize one's leadership potential and performance" ( Brungardt, 1996). The literature on management theories is extensive. As organizations realize that their employees may be ill equipped to become leaders in a fast evolving global scenario, organizations by and large are investing in programs to enhance employee managerial and leadership development skills (Collins and Holton, 2004). Moreover, there is evidence that managerial and le

Farid Ud-Din Attar. The Conference of the Birds Essay - 2

Farid Ud-Din Attar. The Conference of the Birds - Essay Example A good illustration of how the context of the story helps to clarify the meaning is shown in the case of when the hoopoe is telling the tale of a poor fisher boy whom King Mas’oud befriends. Later when the king upon casting the boy’s line successfully lands a sizeable catch, he then gives to the boy. The next day the king decides to make the boy a partner to his throne The story is taken from a religious allegory and can be interpreted probability to be a fable regarding God’s grace. However once we put the story into its real context the allegory gains more prominence. The hoopoe had just been asked by a bird why he is spiritually flourishing unlike the other birds that seem to be getting nowhere (Williams 49). The hoopoe explains that this is so because Solomon has glanced at him. The Hoopoe tells the birds that this glance is worth far more than prayer but continues to explain that this does not mean that an individual does not need to pray, but rather one should continue to pray continuously until Solomon glances at him. In this story of the fisher boy, we see that the boy has been unceasingly fishing (in the same spot every day, which represents the spiritual â€Å"fishing† of constant prayer (Williams 51). According to the Hoopoes previous explanation, the king’s visit is the glance of Solomon. This story is mostly demonstrative of individual effort and grace plus the reality that both are indispensable for spiritual advancement (Davis, 8). The point of a tale may at times seem rather elusive at the first reading; therefore, it is advisable to read it again or to refer to some previous text to remind you what the question being answered by the hoopoe is. This case with the stories resembles the story of the king and the fisher boy from which we got our excerpt. Throughout the poem, two themes in particular are intricately interwoven into the very fiber of the poem. These are the need to destroy the Self, and the weight

Manegerial Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Manegerial Leadership - Essay Example Managerial and leadership development is becoming an increasingly recognized tenet of sustainable performance improvement in organizations both in the public and private sectors. Managerial leadership development can be discerned as a complicated function of training, evaluation, feedback and strategy that requires meta frameworks to be effective and traceable. Dubai Municipality is a public sector organization in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Its job descriptions involve planning and regulating permissions for business, construction and development activities. The Municipality is facing a massive demand for its services and is under pressure to deliver a high standard of services at a volume that satisfies the rising demand. This report will endeavor to discuss a process of implementing a managerial leadership development program for this organization, in order for it to stay in tune with the rising expectations. It is a widely recognized fact that effective managerial leadership programs can help employees become more effective in managing the scarce resources available and aligning them with company objectives, in environments that are becoming tricky to negotiate due to a confluence of factors such as globalization, heightened competition and increased levels of customer demands. Yet it is equally widely recognized, e.g. by Cook (2004) that most leadership development programs operate bereft of tracking and evaluation mechanisms. Nevertheless, evaluating the success of managerial leadership development programs is a very important step in understanding the effectiveness of these programs. Only by introducing an evaluation, monitoring, evaluation and feedback loop will it be possible for us to isolate the positive impact (if any) of specific managerial leadership development programs and to explore ways of improving their effectiveness in meeting the stakeholders' objectives . In the sections below, this paper will dwell on the concepts of strategic planning, evaluating, controlling and improving managerial leadership development interventions at the Dubai Municipality, and how these factors will help the organization to make its services more efficient. Models of management and leadership development: Leadership development is defined as "every form of growth or stage of development in the life cycle that promotes, encourages, and assists the expansion of knowledge and expertise required to optimize one's leadership potential and performance" ( Brungardt, 1996). The literature on management theories is extensive. As organizations realize that their employees may be ill equipped to become leaders in a fast evolving global scenario, organizations by and large are investing in programs to enhance employee managerial and leadership development skills (Collins and Holton, 2004). Moreover, there is evidence that managerial and le

The delivery of adult social care is going through a period of Essay

The delivery of adult social care is going through a period of profound challengechallenge and change. Give a critique of the so - Essay Example The 2010 report of the Department of Health has assured additional funding of ?2 billion by 2014/15 but there had been programmes which funds were discontinued and without any clear direction as the Department seem to grapple with opposing demands as well as criticisms and evaluation outcomes. This paper will try to identify and evaluate relevant provisions of current adult social community care, critically analyse the current adult social care policy agenda and its impact on social work provisions, and critique the social care policy agenda and how it will impact on future social work provision with a focus on an adult with learning disability. It will also incorporate in the discussion the theories of normalisation, biological, social model/neo-liberal, social valorisation and person centred approach, medical model and social models. Discussion Government Initiatives The most recent effort of the government about social care is to address empowerment of communities and individuals to address local challenges. Adult social care policy applies the â€Å"putting people first† (PPF) approach that helps individuals become more independent, and in control of their own lives through their choices. This is called â€Å"self-directed support† where individuals choose their options for home care, hiring personal assistant, or use Adult Social Care (East Sussex County Council, 2010, P 1). High quality services are geared towards making people healthy and in-control of the kind of support they are provided. The Department of Health promotes in the system freedom with the aim to strengthen communities and individuals as autonomy replaces dependency. Another value promoted is fairness addressing the question â€Å"how do we pay for care?† (Department of Health, p 4). The government vies for clear, comprehensive and modern framework that considers both carers and adults who need support. The third value promoted is responsibility where Communities are e ncouraged to become innovative in creating networks of support for individuals. As the Department of Health suggested, â€Å"Care must again be about reinforcing personal and community resilience, reciprocity and responsibility, to prevent and postpone dependency and promote greater independence and choice,† (p 5). The main goals of PPF are: introduce self-directed support prevent problems through early intervention ensure availability of the different types if support for everyone help people use support networks (East Sussex County Council, 2010) . For social care workers, assessment and eligibility criteria may remain the same but changes may be in the care services and solutions that individuals may chose. Social workers involved in the process may include those working in Adult Social Care, voluntary or independent sector, or personal assistants. Carers are provided more involvement in decision-making through assessment of needs as well as planning for support. This will help the team or group involved in the importance of each contribution as well as understand the support the carer or social worker may need. The support plan involves an action plan that includes the list of things to do, by whom and a time table. The team of professionals will then have their roles defined. Additional funding for the future provides a cushion for policy-making and the implementation of improvement as well as redesigning of services to gain

Time for a Change Essay Example for Free

Time for a Change Essay Part of running a major business involves periodically examining what’s working and what can get better (Hogg, 2010). As everyone knows, just as every other company needs to work to remain relevant, we have to keep up with our primary competitors including Allstate, Farmers, Geico and Progressive. We need to do work better to perform processes uniformly across the state and the only way to do so is go from four regional offices in California, to one regional office. We first will need to create a transition committee that will have supervisors from each offices, section and division managers as well communication with other zones that have gone through similar transitional change. With this transition, we will also need to take into consideration how much this will cost the company and also how much will be saved as a result in the conclusion of the process. Which office will be the first to close, which will come second which will close last and finally which will remain open? There will also need to be a plan for the increase of work load when we close the offices and how we will keep the work load down and manageable by adding specialty teams that focus on certain areas of the work instead of handling it all. Additionally, we will also need to review how this will affect the potential impacted communities, and how we will handle the internal and external communication plans. When creating a transitional committee we need to select the right members for this committee. We understand that some may not be making the move but their assistants will be beneficial to everyone. Within this committee we need to select who will handle what roles each person will be in charge of. We will have groups in charge of different areas. Such as people count, communication, timelines, training and expenses. For the people count, this group will be in charge of finding out how many people will be moving and how many will be leaving. With this information they ill be required to determine the amount of new associates that need to be hired and how many hiring waves. The group that will handle communication will be the ones who will communicate to associates the time line of transition as well as information on the specialty teams that will be formed. This group of individuals will be required to travel to all offices to a job fair for associates so that they can see how their department is changing and what the new roles will look like. It will give them an opportunity to find out if they would be interested in a certain specialty team. For the training group, their job is to determine how many trainers will be needed and if temporary trainers will need to be pulled to help train new associates as well as set up refresher courses for existing associates. The expense committee will not only be covering the transition expenses, but also travel expenses and hiring expenses. Why is it necessary to transition from 4 regional offices to one? First, with the recent move of our payment plan department and our Life/Health department to other states all four regional offices now have less than 60 percent occupancy. One of our offices is even at 40 percent and the building itself needs some costly upgrades to minimally keep it as a viable work location. Another reason why we need to close these offices is due to the fact that each office seems to do work their own way in lieu of processing work items in the same manner as intended and designed by the corporate office. By combining everything into one singular location, we can ensure that processing consistency is achieved while also aiming to treat every policyholder in the state exactly the same way with consistent high quality service. Doing so would enable our Zone to achieve and retain the Remarkable expectations set forth by policyholders. Another reason why it would be highly beneficial to transition from 4 regional offices to 1 is the day to day expense. The current cost per average month to simply cover electrical utility expenses is one hundred thousand dollars in a single office with gas expenses around fifteen thousand and forty thousand in public water fees. Since we are not a company regulated by stakeholders but a company literally managed by our policyholders also referred to as a mutual company, it is our policyholders who are paying for all the utilities on 4 offices that are not being used at full capacity. In transitioning to a single office we will be saving our policyholders an estimated 5. 6 million ollars annually which can be reinvested into the organization by way of rate reductions and directly benefit customers. We need to determine which office will remain open. Since a separate entity of the company manages facilities and all are owned the decision really comes down to a few details. Which facility can house a majority of the associates, can new talent be recruited in that community to sustain the growth, which facility is the most energy efficient, which facility needs the least amount of necessary upgrades, and where would a majority of our associates be willing to relocate to? This decision was relatively simple as the Central California office location was the newest facility and the only that was not a single level structure, is in a growing city that has an established university and the ability to add much more housing that will be required. An added benefit is that water expenses are minimized as the grounds are all hydrated with reclaimed well water. As a result of that decision the next decision is determining which office to close first. We will first close our West Lake and Costa Mesa offices as each is very costly to keep open and sit on prime freeway real-estate. When any transition involving associates is being planned, one must realize that there are numerous impacts both positive and negative. While the realization is there that we will lose very loyal, experienced, tenured associates we must also realize that we will also shed a significant expense. Employee compensation is our largest investment in the organization. With the loss of those associates and backfill with newer associates there will naturally be a savings component in conjunctions with that realization and change. Newer associates will have a lower base salary, fewer vacation benefits resulting in increased days producing at the office, and potentially an improved work ethic as they are very happy, not for a new job but the potential for a new career. Combined occupancy of the southern office locations were at a total of 70 percent capacity. For those associates there will be a few options. We will offer early retirement packages for those who are at retirement age. We will offer a relocation package to all employees who are willing to relocate and we will provide them with a weekend tour of the new facility and community to assist them with their decision. This package also includes a bonus if they were able to sale their house prior to the move. If not, State Farm will buy their house and sell it for them. The last office that will close will be our Northern California office. That will not happen for at least 3 years after the first two offices close in an effort to minimize work flow disruption and well as mitigate the loss of tenured employee capital. With the closing of the two offices, we will need to learn the number of employees that will be part of the transition and how many employees that will take the early retirement package and how many will quit State Farm all together. We will need to determine the work flow as well as how many new associates that need to be hired in the final location. Also being incorporated into the transition process is a new workflow distribution system along with a new specialized team concept approach to facilitate with training new associates to make each job responsibility less than what it currently is. Different associates are strong in certain areas and weaker in others so the thought is to capitalize on each of the strengths. The teams that we need to create should be the following. For example in our Auto Department, they will be going to the following. New business application issuance team consisting of both underwriters and assistants, added car application issuance teams, three processing/production teams, one rating/accounting team, three call center teams finally one training team and one quality review/improvement team. Our Personal Lines Fire team will be doing something very similar as well as our Business Lines Department. Our claims department will also go into smaller specialized teams. With these specialty teams in place it will help with the work flow as well as ensure that the work gets processed correctly an efficiently. Additionally, since our current underwriting assistant training program last a surprising three years due to the complexity of the job. With the specialty teams that will be in place the training will not need to be as long as the focus of each role will evolve to its new state. The new training program will last up to 15 to 18 months to get fully proficient with continuing development to refine complex skill sets in their respective specialty areas. The first year training will be focused on the basics and once the trainers get a feel for what the trainees strengths are after that year, the next 8 months will be focused on their area of specialization. By doing this, we will provide better and more accurate service to our policyholders and more time will be spent doing the work. When we get to the point of communicating to our employees we will be earing different remarks from them such as why us, why not the other office, what am I going to do and so on and so on. They’ll need information to make decisions about their and their family’s future (Van Camp, 2012). When we determine when we are going to tell them employees there are five key concepts that we need to remember when we are communicating to all employees. The news we will be providin g will be life changing for numerous amount of people and we will need to be prepared to handle a large amount of questions and backlash and personal feelings. What we need to do and focus on is providing regular, weekly e-mail blasts from leadership describing the changing events. Let employees know when major decisions are expected to be made; for example, communicate when benefit and personnel information will be released. Encourage dialogue between managers and their teams. If needed, have leadership step in and directly communicate with employees through town hall-style meetings and discussions. Create a channel for two-way open communication. For example, create a virtual suggestion box or a forum for discussion between employees and leadership. Posts can remain anonymous for employees at every level through the organization. If there is no information available or something has yet to be decided, let employees know that, but don’t keep them guessing. Employees who have to wonder about their futures are not engages in their jobs, and productivity and loyalty will be affected (Van Camp, 2012). When we go to the public with this information we will need to provide our plans in writing so that the media does not misconstrue any of our information. We do not want false information being provided and pushed out to the public. We already know that we are changing the lives of our employees but we will also be changing the communities. We also need to be prepared for questions such as what will this do to smaller area’s that depend on the business from State Farm associates, impact to the local housing market and loss of existing talent. For associates not wanting to continue with the company we will assist them with their resumes and interviewing skills in an effort to minimize their personal impacts of the transition. There will be numerous classes to assist with resumes and interviews as well as letter of recommendation from their supervisor to help them get another job. Finally we will have our operations managers from each office deliver the message of the closing of the offices. No one looks forward to addressing an angry audience, but you do have one major factor working in your favor: People definitely care about your message. As with an apprehensive audience, treat their emotions with respect and avoid humor. Prepare thoroughly so you can provide complete information in a calm, rational manner. Consider using the indirect approach to build support for your message while addressing points of concern along the way. Remain calm and don’t engage in emotional exchanges with the audience (Bovee Thill, 2012, p. 477). Our operations managers would be the perfect candidates that will be able to deliver this message so that they will be able to hear the compassion in their voice and to understand that this is not an easy move on anyone. We want to remain ahead of our competitors. We want to ensure that we are not one of those companies that will start having massive layoffs due to the decline of the business. State Farm has been around for 90 years and we want to be around for even more. By having a transitional committee, we will be able to affectively shut down 3 offices and move the work load and employees to one. We will be able to have specialized teams within all of the departments. We will drastically reduce cost which will allow our policyholders to have more rate decreases on their auto and homeowners policies. We will show compassion when delivering speaking to our associates and to the media. Last but not least we will keep everyone in the loop through emails and meetings with management so no one is left in the dark.

The Piper Oil Field Engineering Essay

The Piper Oil Field Engineering Essay Introduction On the night of June the 6th, 1988, an explosion took place on the Piper Alpha oil and gas production platform. It led to a series of fires that eventually melted the platform into the waters of the North Sea, killing a hundred and sixty seven men, and resulting in insurance losses of U.S. $3.4 billion. To date, it remains the worst offshore disaster in the history of the Petroleum industry, defined in terms of both human and financial loss. The images of horror broadcasted from the disaster site, the final tally of human lives lost, and the enormous financial loss shock Occidental Petroleum, the operator of the platform, violently. It has since become worthy of thorough examination, to fully assimilate the numerous lessons it has to offer. Ronin Advanced Systems investigated the events leading up to that night, pinpointing the deficiencies in the fragile Safety Matrix then applied by Occidental Petroleum, in order to provide viable recommendations that can help prevent such accident s from happening in the future and increase the overall Operational Safety of offshore installations. Purpose and Scope The impact of the Piper Alpha disaster on the Petroleum industry was huge. It was on such an unprecedented level that every oil company made it an absolute requirement to document it as a Case Study. The purpose of this research is to isolate the faults and errors carried out by both the management of Occidental Petroleum as well as the crew of Piper Alpha, which directly resulted in the disaster. This report will cover several topics regarding the Piper Alpha offshore production platform, including its location, construction, modification, Safety Matrix and Record, as well as the timeline of the disaster and its aftermath. Throughout the report, we do not include any on-site research from the Piper oil field. Assumptions Our recommendations are based on the assumption that the Piper Alpha disaster could have been completely avoided. This is in turn based on the fact that its management made a series of wrong decisions, which seriously compromised the safety level on board the platform and rendered its crew helpless in face of accidents. The failure of the crew to act appropriately with respect to the sequence of events of the disaster can only be attributed to the failure of Occidentals management. The assumption is also based on the factual and documented deterioration of the safety level on board the platform after its modification to produce gas. Several gas leaks were recorded and a research commissioned by Occidental to investigate the newly installed Gas Lines which found them of extreme risk was ignored. At the end of this report, we will prove without a shred of doubt that the assumption holds; thus, deeming our recommendation worthy of being put into action as soon as possible. Methods The information in this report was compiled from various sources including Lord Cullens Public Inquiry, numerous printed and electronic publications, video footage from the British Royal Air Force helicopters, as well as the numerous support vessels, that were present on site during rescue operations and the accounts of the survivors. Limitations As mentioned earlier, this research is limited to materials and information available in the Public Domain via the Internet, various publications, and recorded video footage. In addition, Ronin Advanced Systems was not able to send any personnel to the disaster site to perform on-location examination due to the following main reasons: The incident happened on July the 6th, 1988. The Piper Alpha offshore production platform melted down to its core. Furthermore, its remains were later detonated and removed by Occidental Petroleum. Piper oil field A hundred and twenty miles from Aberdeen, beneath some of the fiercest waters of the North Sea, lies the Piper oilfield. A joint venture of four companies, known as the OPCAL (short for Occidental Petroleum Caledonia) and led by Occidental Petroleum, obtained a license to explore those waters in 1972, after the British government allowed offshore exploration licenses in 1964 (Miller, 1991). The Piper oil field was discovered in the early months of 1973, prompting OPCAL to commission the construction of the Piper Alpha platform, as well as the pipelines and Onshore Support Installations. Oil production started in late 1976. At its peak, the Piper oilfield produced 30,000 tons of oil daily. Nearby, two more fields were discovered; those were the Tartan and the Claymore oilfields. Two more platforms were commissioned and named after the two fields respectively. The three vast oilfields Piper, Tartan and Claymore are usually referred to collectively as the Piper oilfield. Figure 1: Location of Piper Oilfield with respect to Aberdeen and Flotta Oil Facility As shown in Figure 1, OPCAL built the Flotta oil terminal on the Orkney Islands to collect and process oil from the three massive fields. As the development of the three platforms progressed, more oil and gas lines were laid, resulting in Piper being at the heart of a busy network of pipelines. Its platform acted as both a communication systems hub as well as an oil and gas collection point, before relaying it all onto shore on one main line, namely the Main Oil Line or MOL, which is the line seen connecting the Piper field and Flotta in Figure 1. This report will dedicate an entire subsection to further examine the pipeline network surrounding the Piper oilfield and its neighbouring counterparts. It will also discuss the impacts that network had on the level of Operational Safety on board the Piper Alpha platform and how it actively contributed to its tragic and total eradication off the waters of the North Sea. Piper Alpha Piper Alpha, the platform that exploited the Piper oilfield, stood tall at two hundred metres above seabed. Its sheer size made it seem almost indestructible. It was originally designed for oil production, but was later adapted to produce natural gas as well; a decision that proved to have tragic consequences. Producing almost ten percent of Britains North Sea oil and gas in 1988, Piper Alpha was highly productive. It was deemed a lucrative investment for Occidental Petroleum, shoring millions of dollars annually. It is assumed that at the time of the accident, the platform was the heaviest offshore production rig operating in the North Sea. Figure 2: Piper Alpha Offshore Oil Gas Production Platform Piper Alpha was a fixed platform constructed by McDermott Engineering at Ardesier and UIE at Cherbourg, with sections united at Ardersier during 1975 (Wikipedia, 2010). The platform consisted of four modules (A, B, C and D) separated by Fire-Proofed walls, and arranged such that the most dangerous works such as drilling were as far as possible from the Accommodation Block. At the time of the accident, the platform operated thirty-six well heads using various technologies that were then available. Figure 3, an East-side Elevation of the platform, illustrates its modular design and the locations of the areas of interest to the scope of this report, mainly Modules C, D and the Oil Separation Compartment in Module B. Figure 3: East Elevation of Piper Alpha the impacts of the 1980 Gas module fitting Impact on the platform Layout I Production Level 84 In 1980, a Gas Recovery Module was installed on the Piper Alpha platform. This decision left an unfortunate legacy in its design, as some of the gas compression works had to be sited in Module C, which was later called the Gas Compression Module. Figure 4 illustrates the layout of Production Level 84. It clearly shows how the compression works in Module C were close to many sensitive areas in Module D, such as: the Control Room, the Electrical Power Gas Turbine Generators, the Emergency Diesel Generator, the Fire Pumps Manual Control Panel and some of the Electrical Switch Rooms. The Accommodation Block, where the crewmen lived, was located above Module D, with the Helicopter Pad (or Helideck) on top of it as shown in Figure 3. Figure 4: Production Level 84 Firewalls Hazard: Blast-Proof Walls Since Piper Alpha was initially designed to produce oil, only Fire-Proofed walls were installed to separate its four modules instead of Blast-Proof walls, which are installed on gas production platforms. Figure 4 shows the locations of the Fire-Proofed walls as well as their ratings. The B/C and the C/D walls did not withstand the first explosion. Their failure was the beginning of the end for the platform. Hazard: Fire-Fighting System Piper Alpha was equipped with a state-of-the-art Automatic Fire-Fighting System. It relied on two different sets of pumps for operation; electrically powered and diesel powered. They would suck in huge amounts of seawater via underwater inlets to douse any fires. However, the safety procedures on the platform dictated that the system would be switched over to manual control in case divers were in the water regardless of their locations with respect to the inlets so that they would not get sucked in. That procedure never considered the possibility of a fire or an explosion blocking access to the Manual Control Panel, preventing the crew from operating the pumps and eventually causing the fire to rage unchallenged. ii deck support frame: level 64 Two large gas pumps, designated A and B, were placed in Module C. Those were responsible for pressurizing the produced gas and sending it to the offshore Manifold Compression platform MCP-01, some thirty miles to the North West of Piper Alpha. They were also responsible for providing the gas required for generating Electrical Power that fed the entire platform. They operated in redundancy; i.e. one was operated and the other was put on standby in case the former stopped working. Those two pumps were present on level 68, sixteen levels below production level number 84. Figure 5: Deck Support Frame of Level 68 Location of Pumps A B A pipeline eighteen inches in diameter acted as the Main Gas Line (MGL), carrying the gas production of Piper Alpha to the Manifold Compression Platform, MCP-01. A year later, another eighteen-inch pipeline was extended from the Tartan platform to Piper Alpha, in order to collect gas production from both rigs before sending it on the Main Gas Line to MCP-01. Later on, another sixteen-inch pipeline was extended from Piper Alpha to the Claymore production platform, to feed its onboard Gas Lift System. Hazard: Gas Lines In Figure 5, all gas lines also known as risers were secured with automatic Emergency Safety Valves (ESVs) and Pig Traps to cut off gas flow in an out of the platform in case of emergencies and failures. However, there were no Remotely Operated Shutoff Valves (ROSOVs) on any of the lines that the neighbouring platforms could use in case the ESVs had failed or in case things on Piper Alpha had gone out of control. Moreover, two years prior to June the 6th 1988, Occidental Petroleum commissioned a report to investigate the safety of the platform after the added functionality and pipelines. The report portrayed a fearful image, clearly warning of the dangers of the gas lines. The findings stated that those gas lines would take hours to depressurize, mainly due to their capacities that was defined based on their lengths and diameters. The report went on to speculate that should anything happen to those lines, they could result in a High-Pressure Gas Fire that would be virtually impossi ble to fight. Thus, putting the entire platform at risk, and threatening the lives of its personnel. Impact on the Pipeline network Since the Piper oilfield was the first to be discovered, and Piper Alpha was the first platform to come online, its historic development and that of adjacent fields meant that the platform would become a centre for communication systems, as well as oil transfer, reaching land-based operations (Drysdale Evans, 1998). The belated installation of the Gas Module, and the subsequent extension of Gas Lines, further complicated an already complex network of pipelines interconnecting the three platforms Claymore, Piper Alpha, and Tartan with one another as well as with MCP-01 and the Flotta oil processing facility. Figure 6 shows this complex network of oil and Gas Lines connecting the four platforms and onshore installations. The Main Oil Line (MOL) carried oil from Piper to Flotta. Oil was routed from Tartan to Claymore, via a separate line, and from there it was sent onto the MOL, some thirty-five miles west of Piper. The MOL also carried the main communication cable (originating at Piper Alpha) between the three rigs and Occidentals Control Centre (OCC) on the Orkney Islands. Hazard: Oil Back Pressure The legacy of that design had not only reduced the level of Operational Safety on board of Piper Alpha significantly, but also it had put the entire communication system at risk. The design simply jeopardized losing all cable-based communications with OCC, in case an explosion or a massive rig fire took place. Furthermore, due to the lack of any Remotely Operated Shutoff Valves (ROSOVs) which would prevent the back flow of oil because of pressure differences and/or major failures in the Emergency Safety Valves (ESVs) the design exhibited a Back-Pressure nature that would allow oil from the Tartan and Claymore platforms to flow directly back into Piper Alpha instead of going down the Main Oil Line to shore should Piper Alpha stop pumping oil. That hazard was an important factor in fuelling the oil fire that started in the Oil Separation compartment in Module B on board of the platform in peril. Figure 6: Claymore, Piper, Tartan Pipeline Network spiral to disaster The common image of the disaster can be attributed to a single devastating explosion on board the Piper Alpha. In fact, once it took place, the catastrophe unfolded gradually. During one crucial hour, there were critical moments that it could have been averted. However, an unfortunate series of events led to the total destruction of the platform. On the morning of July the 6th, Pump A was undergoing routine maintenance and its pressure valve was removed for inspection. Another maintenance overhaul, which would have taken two weeks, was scheduled for the same pump but had not begun then. The valve removed was placed between the pump and the gas pipe feeding it. The service crew sealed the pipe with a Blind Flange; a flat metallic disc used to temporarily cover pipes and risers during various routine maintenance jobs. When the Day Shift ended at 6:00 PM, the job was not done. The supervising engineer prepared a Permit-to-Work (PTW) stating that the pressure valve was removed and that the pump should not be started under any circumstance (Wikipedia, 2010). The engineer then headed to the Control Room, where he found the platforms manager busy. He chose not to inform him that Pump A was out of order, and instead signed the new PTW, placed it on the managers desk and left to the Accommodation Block. This was the first critical moment in the timeline of the accident. The failure of the engineer to inform the manager with the serious condition of the pump is nothing but a clear example of terrible lack of communication between colleagues. It showcases a superficial attitude and approach by Occidentals personnel towards Safety. This failure is one of the main reasons of the disaster, if not its main trigger. An hour later, another maintenance job was taking place underwater; divers were carrying out a routine inspection and welding job on one of the pipes. Therefore, and as we explained previously, the Automatic Fire-Fighting System was switched to manual control. This was a safety practice to ensure that divers would not get sucked in through the underwater inlets of the powerful fire extinguishing pumps. It is worth noting that on other platforms Fire-Fighting systems were controlled manually only if divers were very close to the inlets. This practice, which was enforced to ensure the safety of the divers, reduced that of the platform drastically and deprived it from an automated response by the Fire-Fighting System that could have saved it from its fatal doom; yet another critical moment down the course of the horrible disaster. At 9:45 PM, Pump B suddenly stopped and could not be restarted. The pumps were responsible for providing gas to the Gas Turbine Generators, which in turn provided the entire platform with Electrical Power. The sudden stop of Pump B, and the failure to restart it, threatened the total loss of Electrical Power during ongoing drilling operations. This meant that the drilling head could get stuck at enormous costs. The system provided fifteen minutes of backup power, via the Emergency Diesel Generator, during which the only two choices were either restarting Pump B or bringing Pump A online; a crossroads that sent the platform and its crewmen down the spiral to disaster. Pressured as time went by with no success at restarting Pump B, the engineer who was sent down to inspect the pump was forced to consider bringing Pump A online. He returned to the Control Room on level 84 and searched through the PTWs, trying to determine whether Pump A could be started or not. He located the PTW for the General Overhaul that had not started then, yet failed to find the newer one that stated that the pumps pressure valve was removed. He signed off the General Overhaul PTW and returned to level 68 to start Pump A. The reason why the engineer could not find the newer PTW is simple; the pressure valve was in a different location from the pump and therefore its permits were stored in a different box, as PTWs on board the platform were sorted by location. The engineer never checked the PTW box for the location where the pressure valve was. None of the personnel present in the Control Room then was aware that a vital piece of the pump had been removed. The platforms manager assumed from the existing documents that it would be safe to start Pump A (Wikipedia, 2010). In fact, no one noticed that the pressure valve had been removed as it was placed several metres above the ground of level 64. Furthermore, it was blocked from line-of-sight by gas risers. Ten minutes later, Pump A was started, allowing gas to flow into it in the absence of the pressure valve, which quickly resulted in an overpressure the Blind Flange could not withstand. Gas started to leak at very high pressure and in great amounts, with audible sounds that took the crewmen on level 64 by surprise. The leak triggered several gas alarms. However, at exactly 9:50 PM, and before anyone could realize the situation and plan a response, the gas ignited and exploded, blowing through the Fire-Proofed walls. In the initial blast, the Fire-Proofed walls B/C and C/D failed. Panels from the C/D wall were propelled into Module D, destroying the Control Room, the Emergency Diesel Generator, and the Gas Turbine Generators, starting a hydrocarbon fire fed by a mixture of gas and diesel and blocking access to both the Manual Control Panel of the Fire-Fighting System as well as the Lifeboat Entry Points. The platforms manager quickly pressed the Emergency Shutdown button, closing the Emergency Safety Valves (ESVs) on the sea lines and ceasing all oil and gas production, before ordering an evacuation of the Control Room. This should have isolated the platform entirely from the flow of oil and gas. However, Panels from the failing B/C Fire-Proofed wall flew into Module B, rupturing another gas pipe as well as the main oil separation manifolds, starting an oil fire in the Oil Separation compartment, which spread out to all of Module B within a few minutes. Figure 7: The Initial Fire on Piper Alpha. Black smoke indicating an Oil Fire is seen rising from Module B The manager headed to the Radio Room, where he ordered a Mayday call to be transmitted. The Radio Room was then evacuated and all personnel headed to the Fire-Proofed Accommodation Block awaiting further instructions or evacuation by helicopters. Although Occidentals management was aware that a gas explosion on board Piper Alpha would be devastating, the managers on Claymore and Tartan never Shutdown oil production after they received the Mayday transmitted out of the burning platform. Even though black smoke could be seen on the horizon, which meant that there was an oil fire, the managers never suspected the failure of the Emergency Safety Valves (ESVs). The oil fire, fed by oil from Tartan and Claymore, heated up the Tartan Gas Line to the point it failed. The pipeline ruptured, releasing 15~30 tonnes of gas (pressurised to 120 ATM) per second. The gas burst into a massive fire ball that engulfed the entire Piper Alpha platform as well as a Fast Rescue Craft launched from the Multi-purpose Vessel Sandhaven. This situation was exactly what the report commissioned two years earlier had warned against; a High-Pressure Gas Fire that would be impossible to put out. At this critical moment, the fate of the platform had already b een decided, with no viable means of reversing it. The massive fire ball can be seen in Figure 8, as it instantaneously contained the platform and darkened the clear blue sky above it. Figure 8: Sequence of Images taken from a Video Footage captured by a Support Vessel showing the Explosion of the Tartan Gas Line. MV Lowland Cavalier can be seen on the Right As Figure 8 vividly illustrates, the wind was blowing in the direction of the Helideck, which in turn pushed fire and smoke towards it, making any helicopter landing absolutely impossible and an act of suicide. No further instructions were given to the trapped crewmen, who took shelter in the Accommodation Block, while smoke began to penetrate it. Some were seen jumping off the platform and into the water, against what their training instructed. Ironically, those were the ones who survived the tragic ordeal. The actions of two crewmen are worth noting. As the situation worsened, they donned Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and tried to make their way to the Manual Control Panel of the Fire-Fighting System to start the diesel pumps. Those two men were never seen again and their bodies were never recovered. Nearby, and as the situation rapidly escalated, the managers on Claymore and Tartan believed that they did not have the authority to order an Emergency Shutdown of production without first consulting their superiors. The initial explosion knocked off the main communication line with OCC; however, Tartans manager somehow contacted his superior, and was instructed to stay online and continue pumping gas and oil. Meanwhile, Claymores manager tried for more than twenty minutes to raise OCC by satellite phone, but to no avail. When he finally succeeded at contacting his manger, the MCP 01 Gas Line failed and exploded, as they were speaking, at exactly 10:50 PM. It was not until that point that Claymores manager finally ordered an Emergency Shutdown of production, after receiving instructions from his superior, who also instructed him to contact Tartan and tell them to shutdown as well. Figure 9: Sequence of Images taken from a Video Footage captured by a Rescue Helicopter showing the Explosion of the MCP 01 Gas Line. The MSV Tharos can be seen on the Right By the time both platforms had ordered an Emergency Shutdown, there was no turning back for Piper Alpha; the platform was destined to burn for hours more to come, until the pipelines were depressurised, and all the hydrocarbons they carried were depleted. The fearsome heat ate its way at the machinery and steelwork comprising the once gigantic platform in a tremendous scene that horrified everyone who saw it. The final chapter in the disaster was inevitable and quite expectable. The gas line feeding Claymore finally failed and ruptured at 11:20 PM. The third explosion was the final nail in the platforms coffin. After withstanding the intense heat for more than an hour, the Generation and Utilities Module D, home to the Accommodation Block, finally slid into the sea. Most of the platform soon fell after it. Forty-five minutes past midnight, the entire platform was gone, and only Module A was all that remained. Figure 10: Image from Video Footage taken by a Rescue Helicopter landing on the MSV-Tharos as the Final Explosion of Claymores Gas Line take place The Role of nearby Support vessels The Multi-purpose vessel LowLand Cavalier (mv lowland cavalier) Although the Lowland Cavalier was the closest to Piper Alpha at the time of the initial explosion, she was only equipped as a Diving Support vessel then. She pulled away to safety immediately, after signalling the underwater divers to surface. Her role in the disaster was limited to reporting the first explosion. Figure 11: Recent Photos of the MV Lowland Cavalier The Multi-purpose vessel Silver Pit (mv silver pit) The Fast Rescue Craft MV Silver Pit was a converted fishing ship, with a small Landing Area (yellow circular area seen in Figure 9). It was the first support vessel to respond. The largest number of survivors thirty-seven out of fifty-nine was recovered by her crew. Her coxswain, James Clark, received the George Medal a second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom Commonwealth in recognition of his tremendous efforts in the Search Rescue operation (Scottish TV, 2010). Figure 12: Image taken from a Video taken by a Rescue Helicopter during a Winch-Recovery of a Survivor picked up by the MV Silver Pit the Multi-purpose vessel sandhaven (mv sandhaven) Though her actions show obvious disregard for common logic and safe practices, the efforts exerted by the crew of the Sandhaven were remarkable; they raced against time to rescue Pipers oilmen from the raging inferno. In an insane act of bravery, and in defiance to every safety rule and procedure known in the world of Offshore Rescue Operations, she approached the burning platform to a very close distance, launching a fast rescue boat with three men on board that rescued six of Pipers crewmen. However, when the gas line from Tartan exploded, a massive fire ball engulfed the burning platform as well as that boat, killing two of its crewmen along with all of survivors. The lone survivor on board that boat, Ian Letham, was also awarded the George Medal in recognition of his participation in the relief efforts during the tragic ordeal. Figure 13: The Tharos (Left Background) Sandhaven (Small Red Boat) next to Piper Alpha just as Tartans Gas line exploded the Multi-purpose Support Vessel Tharos (msv tharos) The Tharos was a semi-submersible, multi-purpose support vessel. She comprised several roles such as Fire-Fighting, Construction, Accommodation and Diving Support. She also carried a fully operational hospital and was equipped with a massive Helideck. She was commissioned by Occidental Petroleum precisely to deal with emergencies on offshore platforms. On June the 6th, 1988, and by pure chance, she was anchored close to Piper Alpha. She should have been a Godsend; however, upon approaching the burning platform, her crew started her water cannons too fast, tripping the Fire-Fighting system and wasting ten long minutes before successfully restarting it. Furthermore, those cannons were deemed very powerful, thus restricting the Tharos to as where to use them; since the stream could seriously injure or even kill anyone it hits. Figure 14: Images taken from Video Footage taken during the landing of a Rescue Helicopter on the Helideck on board the MSV-Tharos showing the Vessels powerful cannons engaged in Fire-Fighting Operations Figure 12 shows how close the Tharos was anchored to Piper as well as the locations of the MV -Lowland Cavalier and the MV Silver Pit mentioned earlier in this section. Figure 15: Locations of Support Vessels from Piper Alpha Worse still, the Tharos was equipped with an extensible bridge that could have worked as an escape route for the personnel trapped onboard, but due to flaws in its design it proved useless. The extension mechanism was too slow, taking five minutes to move two feet; so to extend to its full thirty metres, it would have taken over an hour. At 10:50 PM, the Tharos ran out of time; the MCP-01 Gas Line ruptured and burst. A huge fireball burnt brightly in the dark sky over the North Sea, and to date is considered an icon of the Piper Alpha disaster. The gas burning was more than the entire consumption of the United Kingdom. The intense heat threw the Tharos back, forcing her to return the bridge into its storage position, and from then on, her crew could only witness as Piper slowly melted and collapsed (McGinty, 2009). Figure 16: Screenshot from a Video Footage taken by a Surveillance Camera on board the MSV-Tharos showing the Extensible Bridge being extended towards Piper Alpha Figure 17: The Tharos docked to Piper Alpha via its Extensible Bridge Weeks before the Disaster Figure 10 shows the extensible bridge docked to Piper Alpha weeks before the disaster. Had the Tharos attempted to approach Piper to such a close distance, the situation would have turned into a nightmare, and the Tharos would have been engulfed in flames just like the Sandhaven. The Tharos continued fighting the fire from a safe distance until the morning of the following day. Divers from the Tharos recovered many bodies from the sea bed and from the galley area of the Accommodation Block, where most of the crewmen onboard gathered awaiting extraction by helicopter. The vessel supported the Fire-Fighting and Well Kill operations that eventually led to the extinguishing of the burning well three weeks later (Wikipedia, 2010). The Aftermath The Day After With the break of light of the following day, the scale of the disaster was unravelled. The entire platform melted down to its core through the night and sank into the sea. Ironically, Module A, once considered the most dangerous section of the platform, remained fairly intact. That was attributed to the fact that the Fire-Proofed wall separating modules A and B did not fail. Of the massive platform, only what shows in Figures 15 and 16 was what was left. Figure 18: Module A carrying a sign with the platforms number and name Piper A Figure 19 : The Remains of Piper Alpha with the MSV-Tharos in the Background Human Loss A total of a hundred and sixty seven men lost their lives in the disaster; of which, a hundred and sixty five were Piper Alpha crewmen. A hundred and sixty four of them died on site and one died later in hospital. Two crewmen from the MV Sandhaven died, along with six survivors from the platform, when their fast rescue craft was engulfed in flames after the explosion of Tartans gas link. Only sixty one men survived, almost all because they had decided to ignore what little training they had been given and jumped off the burning platform. Financial Loss The total financial loss amounted to U.S. $3.4 billion. It was paid in full by insurance companies that insured the platform and the personnel against operational hazards. The insurance companies also covered the cost of the Clean-Up operation. Damage to Public Image Occidental Petroleum claimed that their Safety Record was impeccable, claiming that it was the first time in twelve years that they had had a causality in the North Sea. However, their statement was challenged when various sources revealed that an oilman died four years earlier on board Piper Alph

Labour Party and the New Liberalist Ideas Essay -- social democracy, gr

Social Democracy is a political ideology referring to multiple areas in Europe during the early 20th century. Democracy is a term founded in Greece. A democracy is rule by the people, for the people. A social democracy was formed in the 1870s up until the time of World War I, the ultimate goal of a social democracy in Europe during the time between the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II was to create equality through human change and help the people lead themselves into lives of equality. Equality is a goal many nations during the early 20th century were trying to achieve. Social democracy after William returned from World War I and during the interwar period was largely comprised of the New Liberalist ideas and the Labour Movement. England: 1935. Just seventeen years after the ‘end ’ of World War I and less than four years away from the beginning of World War II, England was in the midst of great growth. England had experienced changes in their economy, their politics, and the ways of life of the British people (reword?). Whether these changes were positive or negative, the lives of the British population would have changed immensely. Throughout William’s young adult life, he has lived in different places, and had different jobs. But before World War I, William left France and came back to his homeland, England hoping to find a job. William worked as a shipbuilder while he was in France, but he eventually lost his job . While the cost of living continually rose , William suffered. During the height of World War I, William enlisted in the British army. Years after World War I came to a halt, William was living in England. In the years prior, when William was traveling for work, he felt he ha d no sense of belong... ... . Accessibility: 5 Reliability: 5 Note: This is accessible when one has internet access. The website is very easy to use and it is very reliable. Michie, R. C., and Philip Williamson. The British Government and the City of London in the Twentieth Century. New York: Cambridge UP, 2004. Print. Accessibility: 4 Reliability: 5 Note: I had not heard of this author, but the publisher is very well know, which established credibility. I received a copy of this source through the Xavier Library. Overy, Robert. "Strategic Intelligence and the Outbreak of the Second World War." War in History 5.4 (1998): 451-80. Print. Accessibility: 5 Reliability: 5 Note: I had not heard of this author, but after some research I found he is a well know British historian. He has spent most of his time studying World War II.

Plans for College and the Future :: College Admissions Essays

Plans for College and the Future What will I do for the rest of my life? Every person asks this question at some stage of their life, usually during their later teenage years. As a high school junior, I am now asking myself this question. After considerable thought, I have devised a tentative plan for my future. I realize that some of these plans and goals may change over time, but with a plan, the first steps of the journey can begin. To prepare me for the journey, I have taken very challenging high school curriculum, such as Honors and Advanced Placement courses. These classes will not only assist in my admission to college, but have also helped me to develop strong study skills and time management. While attending college, it is my ultimate goal to become a doctor, either a podiatrist, radiologist, or plastic surgeon. I intend to earn my undergraduate degree at the University of Florida, majoring in chemistry. Then, I plan to attend medical school at the University of Florida, as well. After completing a residency in my specialty, I would like to begin a medical practice somewhere in central Florida. Very important to my life after completing my education is having a family. It is my dream to become happily married and have children. Family has always been a great part of my life, and I wish to be a loving husband and parent. I am also looking forward to raising my children in the Catholic faith. As an adult, I have numerous personal goals. Most importantly, I would like to own a home. Also, I would like to pursue my interests of water-sports by owning a boat and my long love of cars by owning a sports car. Other personal interests that will affect my years after college are my love for the outdoors and the thrill of traveling to many new places throughout the world. As an educated professional in my community, I would like to make a contribution to society and my community. My background in hours of community service has prepared me for this and shown me its value.

Labor, Stocks and Bonds

According to the basic law of demand and supply, increases in the real wage rate or the price of labor must decrease the quantity of labor demanded, as employers find it increasingly expensive to hire more people.   Would increases in the real wage rate, therefore, decrease the productivity of the firm, that is, the number of the outputs that it produces? – Not necessarily. This is where the assumption of diminishing marginal product of labor steps in to save the firm from significantly reducing its supply of outputs.   Marginal product of labor refers to the â€Å"increase in output produced from a given capital stock when an additional worker is employed (â€Å"Marginal Product of Labor†).†Ã‚   On the other hand, diminishing marginal product of labor means that â€Å"each additional labor hour results in less and less extra output (â€Å"Costs of Production†).   This assumption is explained by the popular saying, ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth.’   Thus, the firm does not need to increase its demand for labor beyond a certain number in any case. Stocks and Bonds The dissimilarity between stocks and bonds is explained by the difference between â€Å"owning and lending (â€Å"The Difference Between a Stock and a Bond†).†Ã‚   The purchaser of a stock is a part owner of the company whose stock he has bought.   He gets to vote on the way the company should be run, and enjoy dividends in addition to â€Å"capital appreciation† as a participator in its success (â€Å"The Difference Between a Stock and a Bond†). Of course, he gets to participate in the failures of the company to boot, through lower dividends and stock prices.   The purchaser of a bond, on the contrary, will be paid before the stockholders in the case of company failure.   He has lent money to the company after all.   The company, in turn, promises to repay its loan at a fixed time, with interest.   Even so, the purchaser of the bond does not enjoy extra interest when the company performs exceptionally well (â€Å"The Difference Between a Stock and a Bond†). Works Cited â€Å"Costs of Production.† Ohio State University. 8 Oct. 2007. . â€Å"Marginal Product of Labor.† London South East. 8 Oct. 2007. . â€Å"The Difference Between a Stock and a Bond.† Cash +, Issue 1 (Fall 2006). 8 Oct. 2007. .

Peter Singer’s Solution to World Poverty Essay

How can we help people in need, and become better human beings? How can it be that we have money for new cars, houses and vacations, but when UNICEF or some other kind of healthcare organization ask us for just 2 dollars, we turn them down right away? In the article â€Å"Solution to world poverty† Peter Singer gives some of his suggestions on how to help others, and become better persons. Singer tells a story about a man named Bob. Bob just bought himself a new car. The car he bought is one of the most expensive cars you can get. A classic Volkswagen Bugatti. He then has to make a choice. He either has to let his car get destroyed and save the life of a child or save the car and let the child get killed. He chose to save the car. The other story comes from a Brazilian film, a woman called Dora, all she has to leave a homeless nine years old boy to a family that will adopt him in order to make a thousand dollars. Dora delivers the boy into his new family, but she is told that the boy was too old for adoption and he would be killed for organs used in transplantation. To save the boy, Dora decides to take the boy back. In fact Dora would like to save the boy because she has the direct contact with him, but for Bob, he never ever see this kid before, they have no relationship or any contact at all. But what is luxury? Money can be divided into two categories. â€Å"Need to have† and â€Å"Nice to have†. Food is something you need to have, clothes is something you need to have, but a vacation is just nice to have. â€Å"Nice to have â€Å" is just a luxury. I have just used 300 dollars on a new Xbox, but instead of using 300 dollars on this machine, I could have donated the money to the research of cancer. I would not mind giving the 300 dollars to some kind of healthcare organization, but now when I have the Xbox at my home, I say to myself that â€Å"it’s too late†, but in reality it’s not. All I have to do is return the Xbox, and give the money to the organization, but I know I won’t. Singer uses the stories to let himself into the conscience of his readers. Singer says: â€Å"If you think that is was very wrong of Bob not to throw the switch that would have diverted the train and saved the child’s life, then it is hard to see how you could deny that it is also very wrong not to send money to one of the organizations listed above.† Singer â€Å"blames me† for delaying the cure of cancer, when I bought that Xbox, instead of donating the money. I’m sure that the most of people, who have read this article, would think about the subject â€Å"donating† without doing anything more than think about it. Singers article is provoking, and you feel bad after you have read it, and maybe that’s the thing we need. What about people, how would it affect them? Most people might become more humane. The concept of donating would be difficult for the first couple of years, but slowly the public would start to get use to donating. After a few generations, it would be a part of the everyday life, around the world. Singer writes: â€Å"But he was not unlucky at all. We are all in that situation.† Singer is referring to the choice Bob had to make. Singer means that we all have to choose between life or death. Luxury or healthcare. If Peter Singer’s plan were to actually work, the amount of lives saved would be enormous. By donating the money that would otherwise would go to luxuries, organizations such as UNICEF would send the money overseas to the people who need it. With that money, they could buy food, water, and get roofs above their heads and many other products that are considered to be necessary . There is one problem, however: how much of the money donated would actually reach the people it was intended for? Some organizations take a percentage of the donated money to cover administrative costs. I have talked to a member of Green Peace, and he could not tell me how much of the money that was donated, actually goes to the area that needs it. If only one third of the donated money goes to the troubled area, it’s no wonder why the results is in so slow progress.