Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Decreasing Car Accidents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decreasing Car Accidents - Essay Example (WHO 2009) Several campaigns have been conducted across the world promoting the safety of road transport. ‘Make Roads Safe’ campaign is one such organization which is trying to spread the importance of knowing the safety measures of car driving and the implications of car accidents across the world. (Make Roads Safe, 2011) The predicted statistics estimate that accident deaths could go up to 1.9 million in the next years if no proper action is taken. These organizations clearly state that car accidents are a major problem and there is a need for an immediate intervention. There is an urgent need for the governments across the world to enforce the rules strictly and enable severe punishments for those breaking these rules. In addition, public needs to be made aware of the importance of road safety and with the technological advancements happening across the world, publicizing such safety measure and the impacts of car accidents would be the best way to progress forward in decreasing car accidents. The solution introduced above has two parts. The first part deals with the role of the government in enforcing the rules strictly and making the punishments severe. It is important for all the nations to work together in decreasing the number of car accidents. They could either restrict the numbers of cars used by people and make them travel by a common public transport or they could enforce strict rules. Enforcing strict rules does not mean that they have to reduce the speed limits and check each and every drunken driving case. With the growing population, it would be practically impossible to reduce accidents by these rules alone. Instead, other options would be to enforce rules on the commercial side where hotels, bars can be forced to check on their customers’ status and make sure that they are not allowed to drive if they are

Monday, October 28, 2019

Literacy Instruction and Difficulties with Reading Essay Example for Free

Literacy Instruction and Difficulties with Reading Essay In today’s world the consequences of having students attain low achievement scores in reading can be very detrimental to both individuals and society. Students who are attaining low achievement records in literacy often correlate with the school dropout rate, poverty, and unemployment. Also the gap between reading achievement of poor and middle class students is substantial, calling for a federal regulation to ensure equal opportunities for all students no matter where they may be attending school. The standards movement and evidence-based research can have a great impact on how literacy programs are used in the classroom. Evidence-based reading instruction means that a particular reading program has a record of success. The program was tested with a group of students and there is data to show the result of the research conducted. These programs are reliable and valid in saying that the children can be expected to make adequate gains in reading achievement. Evidence-based research can be very helpful when trying to find the right literacy program to use. As there are many different types of students who learn in different ways, there will never be one single successful method of teaching children to read. When teachers are looking for literacy programs to use they should be investigating how old the students were, their current reading level, what type of setting it took place in, and if it was conducted on a one-on-one or group basis. Teachers want to find programs that have been successful and relate to their own current setting. It is crucial to make sure that the program is applicable to the students and their situation in order to have an opportunity for the program to work. Another great idea is to use this research to create your own programs based on your findings. The teacher is now becoming a teacher-researcher in order to test their own situation with their created program. This is a great way to create a program for your unique students and still have the support of research that has been shown to work. If the program is successful, it is a great idea to share it with other colleagues because it may be affective for them as well. As with any type of instruction method there are always positives and negatives. Evidence-based reading instruction promotes the fact that that particular method has had a record of being successful. Teachers can look into studies that have been tested on students similar to their own, and give these programs a try. They have been shown to be successful and provide instruction that lead to a higher literacy achievement for that group of similar students. In doing this, you know there is a good chance that the method can work with your students, as opposed to trying something new that has no research to back it up. These research studies show why and how the program works, along with providing data showing the difference it has made with the students. As stated earlier, not every child has the capacity to learn the same way. What works for one student, may not work for another. So even though these programs have been shown to work, they are not guaranteed to work for your students. As teachers in the United States we will be teaching students that come from many different cultural backgrounds. Different cultures have different opinions on the best way to educate students, however they all place great value on education for children. Some of these students may just be learning to speak English, while others have lived in the United States for their whole lives. It is important, as the teacher, to get to know each student and their cultural background. This allows you to understand the needs of the child and how they can be met. Discover the child’s strengths and weaknesses and create a plan that can be used to help that child. It is important to know what is important to each student and what may be stressed in the home. The teacher needs to take into consideration how different cultural backgrounds of students may affect the classroom dynamics and learning. Students may also have certain behaviors that are taking place in the classroom, but it could be a cultural reason for why that is taking place. The largest student group identified receiving special education services is students with learning disabilities. A learning disability is a general term that refers to a group of disorders where students may face difficulty. These disorders include learning to read, write, speak, listen, or do math. Out of all the students with learning disabilities about 80% have been diagnosed with having a reading problem. The goal for students with learning disabilities, especially reading disorders, is to be on the same academic level as our general education students. For some this is an attainable goal, where for others it is not. There are many ways we can help these students improve their literacy skills. Since many of these students are reading below grade level we need to provide them with reading materials that are at their current level. If it is too difficult they will become frustrated and may give up. These students need high interest, easy to read books so that they can begin to enjoy reading and see themselves as readers and learners. In today’s schools more than 20% of school aged children speak languages other than English at home. Many of these children have difficulty speaking English and the majority of these students having difficulty are speaking Spanish in their homes. English Language Learners need to be able to read, write and understand the English language in order to become successful in today’s classrooms. We should be focusing on the student’s strengths in order to help them understand English. One strategy is allowing students to read in their native language if they are literate in that language. This allows them to understand the same reading as another child who may be reading it in English. Many times these students are seen as reading on a lower level, but it is only because of a language barrier. They don’t understand how to read in English. There are also many books that come with translations. Having students read a book in their language and then trying to read it in English can be helpful because they understand and know what the story is about, so when they face difficulty understanding the English version they can compare and figure it out. In doing this they can also make connections to many words in their own language by using cognates. This can foster comprehension by activating prior knowledge in both languages. It is important to allow them the opportunity to read in their native language because it offers a sense of comfort and success to the student.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Gone Fishing :: Personal Narrative Essays

Gone Fishing    It must have been 4 feet long and must have weighed at least 30 lbs.   It was one of the slimiest ones we ever caught.   The tentacles were almost a foot long and the scales where the size of quarters.@   AYeah right, we believe you, (Paste your name here).@  Ã‚   While my peers were playing video games or hide-and-go-seek, (a friends name) and I were out ether exploring the unknown, or sleeping from staying out all night.   None of the students in my sixth grade class Ashow and tell@ believed me when I told them about the unforgettable experiences (a friends name) and I endeavored. To tell the truth, I didnt really want them to believe me.   If one of them told my mom what (a friends name) and I did then our little butts would have been grounded for a serious amount of time.   The fishing stories that I told where true, all true.    (a friends name) and I had gone on many explorations to far off places.   We had sneaking out at night down to such an art that if we could put it on paper then it would be more famous then Leonardo da Vinci's painting, The Last Supper.   We would sometimes make dummy bodies that would lie lifeless all night under tightly nitid sheets.  Ã‚   The Abig yellow house@ is where we met.   From there we would do whatever sounded like the most fun.   Sometimes it was hanging out and eating ice cream all night. Other times we would go tick someone off by tee- peeing their house.   And yes, there were even times when we would go fishing at this lake that was out in the middle of nowhere.   We called this lake the back- lake because it was the lake way in the back of the golf course.   One night (a friends name) and I had an experience there that would shake us up for a long time to come.    The night started out like a lot of other nights.   First we went to go eat some ice-cream from Foster-Freeze, then we would get on our bicycles and pedal our little butts all the way to the golf course.   Once there, we would get on this road that golf carts use to drive around. The road was very windy.   When we arrived we would just throw our bikes down and run like little rabbits down to the lake.   We would start casting as fast as we could.   We would cast so fast that I don't think we remembered to put bait on the hook.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Motivation and Hygiene as Issues of Control Essay

Economics is usually considered a basically quantitative affair: numbers, charts graphs. It is rare that professional economists remember that there are real people under those pompous numbers, real communities and families who suffer if times get bad. Frederick Herzberg’s (1959) two level theory on worker satisfaction, while not specifically from the field of economics, is important in rectifying this imbalance: in general, Herzberg’s theory of motivation and hygiene is a qualitative set of ideas that speak not merely of numbers, efficiency and production, but also the qualitative nature of worker satisfaction and reward which is far more important than anything the numbers suggest. This paper will deal with a few ideas related to employee control and ownership over business and its relation to Herzberg’s variables in terms of worker satisfaction. First, the nature of the theory itself. Herzberg deals with the concepts of worker satisfaction through both motivation and hygiene. The former deals primarily with questions of satisfaction through what is to come: promotion, recognition, rewards, increases in pay. The latter is more quantitative, but still of immense qualitative importance: basic job security, good work environment and the expectation of future satisfaction (Herzberg, 1959). Herzberg’s findings show, insofar as immediate causality is concerned, that the former are key to satisfaction on the job. The latter are important, but only indirectly, they do not (in themselves) lead to any sense of job satisfaction, but any qualitative lowering of these variables can lead to substantial dissatisfaction. However this is stated, they are both of immense importance. Second, this paper must deal with the present economic crisis. The issues here involve the increasing debt of the American economy, as well as the American state. The present economic crisis can be summarized by the extension of credit far beyond the economy’s ability to repay. But this extension of credit came into existence in order to absorb excess production, as well as maintain America’s central role in the global economy as the â€Å"world’s marketplace.† All of this has led to an explosion of public and private debt, massive foreclosures, bankruptcy and, most important, a major threat to the integrity of the American dollar and America’s role in the world economy. As of 2009, this has meant that the US economy is in a period of contraction, as firms no longer have the ability to extend credit with any sense of the possibility of being repaid. Once the banks got the jitters over this, they sent signals throughout the economy that confirmed the contraction of credit: the lifeblood the modern economy for better or for worse, especially in the real estate market. Debt artificially inflated prices (including stocks), leading to an overvaluation far beyond the actual value of the commodities.   But, since the US market is the world’s largest and the savings rate the lowest, there is little to cushion such a accumulation of debt, and hence, it affected America’s major trading partners as well, leading to a global recession and indeed, depression. Now, third, the remainder of this paper will deal with the relation between Herzberg’s two level theory and the present depression. Unfortunately, this is where things get depressing, and the economists obsession with numbers that don’t have personalities start to make sense. Let us begin with the first level, that of motivators: Since, in general, this depression is based on the massive and irrational expansion of credit (and hence, debt), debt must be the first issue in dealing with motivators. If one has run up credit card debt and has seen the interest rate shoot up as banks seek to make up lost ground, the issue of default is a real one. This develops as a negative motivating factor that will not be made up anytime soon. One sees himself as laboring harder and harder while unable to keep up even with the interest in various debts: credit cards, homes, cars and luxuries such as entertainment systems. But just as important, if one is working just to finance debt, one can not also help but notice the fact that class differences in the western world are getting sharper and sharper. The wealthy classes can weather such storms, and in fact, may benefit from them, seeing their smaller competitors go into receivership. Hence, the first positive motivating factor is for class divisions to be reduced: the wealthy, whose practices helped bring the current crisis about, need to begin assisting labor in the payment of debts. While high profile cases such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett giving billions to their own charities that reflect their personal and corporate ideological positions, none of this high profile giving assists the rank and file laborer. It is possible that substantial profit sharing and employee ownership of businesses should be mandatory and guaranteed by the state in exchange for worker loyalty. The question of employee ownership (hence, disenfranchising the major stock holders) is an important one given the confines of Herzberg’s theory of motivators, since such an approach will provide a certain emotional boost, as well as solve the problem of employee recognition and promotion. Employee ownership and employee direction of business is essential to assist workers in paying debts and increasing job satisfaction, since they will be working for themselves. Jobs should become careers rather than merely slaving for a living. Giving workers a say in the day to day running of business and a financial stake in the firm itself is essential for increasing productivity. It will certainly come at the expense of the upper classes, but it is these classes that have benefitted from the long standing extension of credit that has fueled the western economic bubble.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Balanced Scorecard Essay

Introduction Performance management systems are often designed to enable organizations to plan, measure and control their performance, so that decisions, resources and activities can be better aligned with business strategies to achieve desired results and create shareholder value. The Balanced Scorecard is a performance tool using financial and nonfinancial measures. It provides an organization with ways to develop and evaluate strategic objectives and goals. For the past two decades, the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) has been proposed as an integrated framework for the implementation of financial and nonfinancial performance measures that helps organizations align their initiatives with the organization’s strategy (Kaplan ; Norton, 1992). The United States Postal Service delivers more mail to more addresses in a larger geographical area than any other post in the world. The Postal Service delivers to more than152 million homes, businesses and Post Office boxes in every state, city, town and borough in this country. Everyone living in the United States and its territories has access to postal products and services and pays the same postage regardless of their location (USPS, 2014). This paper will examine the effectiveness of the implementation of the balanced score card approach. Key Issues for Discussion Explain how the Voice of the Employee supports improved internal processes (Voice of the Business), and how the Voice of the Business supports customer satisfaction (Voice of the Customer). Employees have a huge impact on their organization’s financial results. When employees are empowered to make decisions they share information relating to the strategic processes and direction of that organization. When it comes to carrying out the message and mission of the organization the voice of the employee is very crucial. Through empowerment, the employees are able to create an opportunity to show management how they will apply the company vision to their daily task. The voice of the business relates to information derived from financial data. This data can be used to indentify weakness in certain market areas and the status of the research and development process. In order to move the organization forward or closer to its overall objectives, analyst must understand the relevance of the balanced scorecard process. The voice of the customer indentifies the needs of the customer which are keys to the strategy to defining which processes can be viewed as value added products or services. The customers are a continuous source of feedback both good and bad. Customer feedback can also provide new opportunities to identify and develop new products. Kaplan and Norton advocated a well-connected map ping that leads from an organization’s main strategy to the four perspectives of the balanced scorecard: Financial, Customer Satisfaction, Internal Process, and Learning and Growth. Each element works to support the strategic objectives in a linked process. Customer satisfaction leads to the desired financial outcome, which in the case of the Postal Service is sufficient revenue to support the universal delivery service mission (Evans, Lindsay, 2011). While Figure 8. 14 shows only representative measures associated with the balanced scorecard, suggest some other measures that might be included using your knowledge of postal operations. Based on my personal experience and knowledge of the United States Postal Service, I would suggest that the organization add some additional measures to it balanced scorecard. The organization should measure customer complaints relating to package handling and damaged goods. Damaged packages generally lead to claims brought forward by customers which is certainly a value associated with it that should be tracked and measured. The organization should also measure and analyze the effects of the employee turnover rate. Employee replacement cost can have a huge affect on the financial element. Cost associated with the orientation and training of a new employee as well as the cost associated with employee separation can have an effect on the bottom-line. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Balanced Scorecard Some organizations have a difficult time establishing a process that can translate its strategic vision into concrete goals and actions. There are clearly some beneficial advantages to applying the balanced scorecard approach. Some of these benefits include gaining a cross organizational team that will open channels of communications. The company will have enthusiastic people who are focused on carrying out the organization’s mission and commitment to quality. Also, the company will gain a unique competitive advantage relating to reduce time frames, improved decisions and better solutions. Most importantly, initiatives are continually measured and evaluated against industry standards. There can be some disadvantages as well. The balanced scorecard takes a lot of planning and forethought. Defining clearly stated objectives and setting goals are crucial to the process. There can be resistance from employees or even management. Some individuals may see the implementation as a threat or indication of a lack of performance on their part. While the balanced scorecard gives an extensive overview of the organization’s performance, it does not give recommendations regarding how to resolve discovered problem performance areas. Conclusion The case study involving the United States Postal Service presents evidence that the balanced scorecard approach can have a positive effect on an organizations overall performance. If integrated successfully, the balance scorecard will be a tool that ensures clarity and consistency across all departments or individuals involved. Solving quality management issues rely on the right approach and planning. Understanding the importance of the linkage among all four of the balanced scorecard is crucial to its success. Special attention should be given to the proper implementation and cultivation of intangible assets relating to learning and growth. The USPS has improved its service and has increased customer satisfaction. First-class mail performance has improved to over 95 percent of overnight mail being delivered on time, with improvements in other categories of first-class mail (Evans, Lindsay, 2011).

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Charlotte Riots and the Killing of Keith Scott

The Charlotte Riots and the Killing of Keith Scott Deadly riots broke out in Charlotte, North Carolina, in September 2016. What had been peaceful protests over the police killing of an African American man named Keith Lamont Scott turned into a melee involving both demonstrators and the authorities. The spread of gunfire, vandalism, and smoke bombs during the riots led the North Carolina governor to declare a state of emergency. In the end, neither the city of Charlotte nor the people caught up in the protests were left unscathed. The 2016 Charlotte Riots The Charlotte riots took place in 2016 after a black man named Keith Lamont Scott was killed by police on Sept. 20. Officers said he had a gun, but Scott’s family denied he was armed and suggested he’d been framed. The riots ended by the morning of Sept. 23, but they had resulted in property damage, injuries, and more than a few dozen arrests. Tragically, one man, Justin Carr, died during the violence that broke out in Charlotte after Scott’s killing.The district attorney ultimately decided not to file charges against the officer who shot Scott because evidence suggested the slain man had been armed and did not follow commands. The Killing of Keith Lamont Scott The Charlotte riots took place just one day after a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer fatally shot married father of seven Keith Lamont Scott. The 43-year-old man had parked his car in the lot of the Village at College Downs apartment complex, where police had arrived to serve an arrest warrant to a different individual. The officers said they saw Scott with marijuana and that he’d gotten in and out of his car with a handgun. When they told him to drop his weapon, he ignored their commands, making him an â€Å"imminent threat,† according to the authorities. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Brentley Vinson, who is African American, fired his weapon, wounding Scott. First aid was performed, but Scott did not survive. His wife, Rakeyia Scott, had witnessed his killing and maintained that he was holding a book in his hand, not a gun. Given the history of police shooting unarmed black men, supporters of Scott believed his wife’s account. However, the authorities attempted to verify their version of what happened by stating that they had recovered Scott’s loaded gun from the scene and that he had been wearing an ankle holster. They also said that no book was ever found. Protestors march up Trade St. September 21, 2016 in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.   Sean Rayford / Getty Images The disparities between law enforcement’s account of events and Rakeyia Scott’s led protesters to take to the streets. The fact that his family suggested that the authorities had planted the gun at the scene only led to more skepticism about the officers involved in Scotts shooting. Several people were harmed during the demonstrations over his death. Riots Break Out in Charlotte Just hours after Scott’s killing, demonstrators poured into the streets. They held the trademark â€Å"Black Lives Matter† signs often spotted in the wake of deadly police shootings of African Americans. The grassroots Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement gained momentum after Mike Brown’s killing in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. The movement raises awareness about the fact that African Americans are disproportionately killed by the police. Protesters affiliated with BLM and other groups chanted â€Å"no justice, no peace!† as they marched through downtown Charlotte. Some members of the public reportedly began to pelt the police officers on the scene with water bottles and rocks. The officers responded by firing tear gas. During the unrest, police, news reporters, and civilians all sustained injuries. Arrests were made when some crowd members didn’t disperse, blocked the lanes of Interstate 85, vandalized vehicles and buildings, robbed an ATM and various shops, and set fires. A civilian named Justin Carr, 21,  lost his life in the violence, and a fellow civilian, Rayquan Borum, was arrested for shooting him and sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2019. Altogether, 44 people were arrested for various crimes in the days following the police killing of Keith Lamont Scott. Police officers face off with protesters on the I-85 (Interstate 85) during protests in the early hours of September 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina.   Sean Rayford / Getty Images When North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency in Charlotte after the first night of violence, the North Carolina National Guard and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol arrived in the city to quash the rebellion. In addition, Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts instituted a curfew preventing civilians from being on the streets between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.  With extra law enforcement patrolling the streets and a curfew, the protests had calmed down considerably on the night of September 22. The mayor extended the curfew one more night, but by September 23, Charlotte businesses were already up and running again. Reaction to the Violence The riots made international headlines and everyone from then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to black activists commented on them. â€Å"Our country looks bad to the world, especially when we are supposed to the world’s leader,† Trump said. â€Å"How can we lead when we can’t even control our own cities? We honor and recognize the right of all Americans to peacefully assemble, protest, and demonstrate, but there is no right to engage in violent disruption or to threaten the public safety and peace.† The North Carolina NAACP issued a similar message, decrying violence and calling on Scott supporters to use their First Amendment rights to call for redress of wrongs,† the group said. â€Å"We understand efforts that undermine the legitimate calls for justice with unjust, random or purposeless acts of violence.   Police stand outside of a vandalized storefront September 21, 2016 in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.   Sean Rayford / Getty Images Nation of Islam leader B.J. Murphy had a different response to the riots. He called for an economic boycott of Charlotte, a city with a history of police shootings involving black men. In 2013, former college football player Jonathan Farrell, an African American, was fatally shot by Charlotte police after seeking help following a car crash. A jury deadlocked on whether to find the white policeman who killed Farrell guilty. Later, charges against the officer were dropped. In light of police violence against blacks, B.J. Murphy argued that black money shouldn’t matter in Charlotte if black lives don’t.   Restoring the Public’s Trust After the riots, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department attempted to rebuild the public’s trust in its officers. It produced DNA results tying Keith Lamont Scott’s prints to the gun at the scene and turned up evidence indicating that he’d purchased the weapon. The department did this, in part, to offset claims by Scott’s family that he’d been framed in death, but this evidence failed to put an end to the disputes between the family and the police department. Video of the encounter taken by police dashcams and Rakeyia Scott’s cell phone did not end the dispute either because it did not include the actual shooting. The footage also lacked a clear image of what Scott had in his hands when police fired their shots, so the debates about his conduct that fateful day continued. The authorities said he was a threat, while his widow said he walked toward police calmly with his hands at his sides. Residents gather for a vigil and march to protest the death of Keith Scott September 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Scott, who was black, was shot and killed at an apartment complex near UNC Charlotte by police officers, who say they warned Scott to drop a gun he was allegedly holding.   Brian Blanco / Getty Images Two months after Scott’s killing, Mecklenburg District Attorney Andrew Murray said that no charges would be filed against Brentley Vinson, the officer who fired the fatal shot. Murray reasoned that the evidence indicated that Scott had been armed at the time of his killing. His .380 semiautomatic handgun, according to police, had fallen to the ground after he was shot. The district attorney concluded that Scott didn’t aim his weapon at officers, but he didn’t obey their orders to drop it either. Scotts family expressed disappointment in the district attorney’s findings but asked the public to keep the peace. Sources Gordon, Michael. â€Å"Charlotte protests, riots are the backdrop in the murder trial of Rayquan Borum.† Charlotte Observer, 7 February 2019.Maxwell, Tanya and Melanie Eversley. â€Å"N.C. Gov. declares state of emergency following violent Charlotte protests.† USA Today, 21 September 2016.â€Å"Jury deadlocked in North Carolina officer shooting trial; mistrial declared.† CBS News, 21 August 2015.â€Å"State of emergency in Charlotte amid 2nd night of violent protests.† CBS News, 21 September 2016.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Malthus and Africa essays

Malthus and Africa essays Africa, being a third world country with much economic oppression, is currently being debated in the General Assembly about whether or not it should have population control. Many experts believe that, if not controlled, the rate of the increasing population of Africa will have disastrous effects. Over two hundred years ago, a man by the name of Thomas Robert Malthus wrote an essay on the effects of population and the food supply titled "An Essay on the Principle of Population." This essay dealt with the growth of population and if not restrained, how it would destroy man's subsistence here on Earth (Geyer 1). Much of what he wrote applies to not only Africa, but also the entire world today. Currently, the population growth in the Western Nations is approaching zero. This means that each family is having 2.1 children, enough to replace the current population. For North America to double, it would take one hundred years, for Europe, two hundred. But for Africa to double, it would take only twenty-four years. There are many factors as to why Africa, and many other third world countries, reproduces at such a rate. Lack of contraceptives, traditional values, high infant mortality, and poor education are a few of these factors (Duffey 2). "It is a lot easier for a country to deal with its problems if it has less people," says Brian Hailwel, who studies Malthus's theories (Kolasky 1). Carl Haub who stated, "It is almost impossible for a developing country to move from the Third World to the First World when their population is rising so rapidly" supports Hailwel's statement. Malthus believed that the evolution of mankind existed in cycles. Good times occurred when there were high wages and good living conditions, which led to early marriages and rapid population increase. Then come the bad times. Disease, low wages, and epidemics lead to population decrease and a restored balance between population and resources. This c...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Key Facts About Canadas Provinces and Territories

Key Facts About Canadas Provinces and Territories The fourth-largest country by land area, Canada is a vast nation with much to offer in terms of culture and natural wonders. Thanks to heavy immigration and a strong Aboriginal presence, it is also one of the worlds most multicultural nations. Canada consists of 10 provinces and three territories, each boasting unique attractions. Alberta   Alberta is a western province sandwiched in between British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The provinces strong economy relies mainly on the oil industry, given Albertas abundance of natural resources. The province features many different kinds of natural landscapes, including forests, a portion of the Canadian Rockies, flat prairies, glaciers, canyons, and wide tracts of farmland. Alberta is home to a variety of national parks where you can spot wildlife as well. Its largest cities are Calgary and Edmonton. British Columbia British Columbia, colloquially referred to as BC, is Canadas westernmost province, bordering the Pacific Ocean. Many mountain ranges run through British Columbia, including the Rockies, Selkirks, and Purcells. The capital of British Columbia is Victoria. The province is also home to Vancouver,  a world-class city known for many attractions including the 2010 Winter Olympics. Unlike indigenous groups in the rest of Canada, the First Nations of British Columbia have for the most part never signed official territorial treaties with Canada.  Thus, the official ownership of much of the provinces land is disputed. Manitoba Manitoba is located in the center of Canada. The province borders Ontario to the east, Saskatchewan to the west, Northwest Territories to the north, and North Dakota to the south. Manitobas economy relies heavily on natural resources and farming. McCain Foods and Simplot plants are located in Manitoba, which is where fast-food giants such as McDonalds and Wendys source their french fries. New Brunswick   New Brunswick is Canadas only constitutionally bilingual province. It is located above Maine, to the east of Quebec, and along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. A beautiful province, New Brunswick has a prominent tourism industry built around the areas main scenic drives: Acadian Coastal Route, Appalachian Range Route, Fundy Coastal Drive, Miramichi River Route, and River Valley Drive. Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador make up Canadas most northeastern province. Its economic mainstays are energy, tourism, and mining. Mines include iron ore, nickel, copper, zinc, silver, and gold. Fishing also plays a big role in Newfoundland and Labradors economy. When the Newfoundland Grand Banks cod fishery collapsed in 1992, it heavily impacted the province and lead to an economic depression. In recent years, Newfoundland and Labrador have seen unemployment rates and economic levels stabilized and grow. Northwest Territories   Often referred to as NWT, the Northwest Territories are bordered by the Nunavut and Yukon territories, as well as British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. As one of Canadas northernmost provinces, it features a portion of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. In terms of natural beauty, Arctic tundra and boreal forest dominate this province. Nova Scotia Geographically, Nova Scotia is composed of a  peninsula and  an island called Cape Breton Island. Almost totally surrounded by water, the province  is bordered by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Northumberland Strait, and the Atlantic Ocean. Nova Scotia is famous for its high tides and seafood, especially lobster and fish. It is also known for the unusually high rate of shipwrecks on Sable Island. Nunavut   Nunavut is Canadas largest and northernmost territory as it makes up 20 percent of the countrys landmass and 67 percent of its coastline. Despite its tremendous size, though, it is the second least populous province in Canada. Most of its land area consists of the snow-and-ice-covered Canadian Arctic Archipelago, which is uninhabitable. There are no highways in Nunavut. Instead, transit is done by air and sometimes snowmobiles. Inuit make up a heavy portion of Nunavuts population. Ontario Ontario is the second-largest province in Canada. It is also Canadas most populous province as it is home to the nations capital, Ottawa, and the world-class city of Toronto. In the minds of many Canadians, Ontario is separated into two regions: north and south. Northern Ontario is mostly uninhabited. It is rich in natural resources which explains why its economy heavily depends on forestry and mining. Southern Ontario, on the other hand, is industrialized, urbanized, and serves Canadian and U.S. markets. Prince Edward Island The smallest province in Canada, Prince Edward Island (also known as PEI) is famous for its red soil, potato industry, and beaches. PEI beaches are known for their singing sands. Because they are made of quartz sand, the beaches sing or otherwise make sounds when wind passes over them. For many literature lovers, PEI is also famous as the setting for L.M. Montgomerys novel Anne of Green Gables. The book was an instant hit back in 1908 and sold 19,000 copies in the first five months. Since then, Anne of Green Gables has been adapted for the stage and screen. Quebec Quebec is the second-most populous province in Canada after Ontario. It  is primarily a French-speaking society and the Quebecois are very proud of their language and culture. In protecting and promoting their distinct culture, Quebec independence debates are an important part of local politics. Referendums on sovereignty were held in 1980 and 1995, but both were voted down. In 2006, the House of Commons of Canada recognized Quebec as a nation within a united Canada. The provinces most well-known cities include Quebec City and Montreal. Saskatchewan Saskatchewan boasts many prairies, boreal forests, and about 100,000 lakes. Like all Canadian provinces and territories, Saskatchewan is home to Aboriginal peoples.  In 1992, the Canadian government signed a historic land claim agreement on both federal and provincial levels that gave the First Nations of Saskatchewan compensation and permission to buy land on the open market. Yukon Canadas westernmost territory, Yukon  has the smallest population of any province or territory. Historically,  Yukons major industry was  mining,  and it once experienced a large population influx thanks to the Gold Rush. This exciting  period in Canadian history was written about by authors like Jack London. This history plus Yukons natural beauty makes  tourism an important part of Yukons economy.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Highly competent teachers who collaborate in planning and problem Assignment

Highly competent teachers who collaborate in planning and problem solving - Assignment Example Moreover, collaborative planning in education enables educators and learners to work on the same problem - real world situations - and solve them through shared knowledge. The teacher becomes part of the team and attempt to solve individual learning problems. They jointly stimulate solution finding and hence initiate systematic and practical learning. In practice, classrooms teachers can play the important role of change agent because they can facilitate hands-on experience for students through interactive and tactile learning environment. With the goal to induct students into practical settings like college and workplace in mind, teachers can develop learning structures such as: In addition, teachers who are competent recognize efficacy of personalization and relationship building to filter weak students from smart ones. Not will they stop at this but arrange for equitable learning environment involving shared tasks, knowledge, and peer learning. They will also assess performance not only based on right or wrong answers but how problems have been solved, leadership qualities, knowledge application and so on. Assessment of collaborative planning and problem solving outcomes is imperative for students’ motivation for further education. Assessment criteria should be fair, explicit and systematic in order to reach to a mutually accountable assessment outcome. For this to be viable, students should be given collaborative projects with collective outcomes but assessed based on their contribution in the project. Some examples of practical projects include presentation, field research, and real-life problem/case study. Students might work on these projects in collaboration with peers but they will be assessed based on ability to work in a team as well as independently. The objective of such a plan is to ensure students learn how

Friday, October 18, 2019

Public health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Public health - Essay Example The noxious smokes produced by gasoline grass mowers are toxic and very harmful to both the environment and to the populaces (Williams & Thompson, 2010). Reports on those fumes emitted by the use of the machine are certainly correct. According to the investigation carried out in 2001 by the Sweden, air pollution as a result of cutting grass for about one hour by use of gasoline mechanized mower is very high. The pollution is about the similar as that resulting from the 100 mile car travel. According to the American environmental guarding organization, 54 million citizens cutting their grass every weekend with the gas-powered machines might be adding as much as 5% of the county’s air contamination. It also outlined that a new gas motorized grass cutter machine release nitrogen oxide and organic compounds in one hour of work. The contamination is identical to that produced by 11 new vehicles that are compelled in one hour (Lamarre, 2004). The problem with the use of small engines contributes to large toxic waste challenges. Small engines are believed to produce disproportionately great amounts of volatile organic compound, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide that add to smog. The issue of the high pollution rates related to the use of small grass mowers is a controversial issue. The human health consequences of pollution-laden atmosphere have increased dangers of asthma attacks, inflammation and injuries to the lungs and lesser amounts of oxygen in the blood stream. The reduced amount of oxygen the bloodstream can worsen heart conditions leading to fatalities in the long run. Solution: the utilization of the gas powers is not the only alternative to minimize pollution. Eco-conscious clients looking for new machines should consider electric replicas that are currently available in the market. The electric model is most efficient and has less if not negative impacts on human health and to the surrounding (Lamarre, 2004). The

Entrepreneurship course work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Entrepreneurship course work - Essay Example This is one of the most foundational benefits of offering organic food and skin care products to consumers: there is a pre-existing set of attitudes and beliefs that they are less harmful than non-organic products in many different consumer markets. Leonard (2011) illustrates that the organic cosmetic industry has moved from being a niche product line and is now available in more traditional channels such a major department stores and even hypermarkets. This has been a product of years of marketing distribution improvements and brand promotions. With more and more consumers linking quality with organic personal care products and more convenience by being available in multiple channels, companies now witness opportunities for higher profitability. The responsiveness of many companies offering organic products illustrate that the long-term opportunities for capturing broad target segments are significant. Worldwide, the organic skin care market was worth $7.6 billion USD in 2012 (Patterson 2015). The entire industry is expected to achieve a growth rate of 9.6 percent by the year 2018 (Pitman 2013). The UK, though a smaller market than Asia, ranks as the eighth largest market for organic cosmetics and personal care products. Falk and Benson (2008) asserts that the UK government has been instrumental in helping many consumer markets to understand the differences between chemical-based and organic-based personal care products which is creating higher levels of demand (and increased perceptions of value) for these products. Therefore, all indications is that the organic skin care and personal care product industry in the UK is favourable for achieving growth and profitability where there is measurable demand and beliefs about the quality of these products. Europe, as a whole, represents that second largest market in the world for organic skin care products. The organic skin care industry is moving toward double-digit growth as the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Ethical Guidelines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Ethical Guidelines - Essay Example The American Statistical Association on their part should ensure that everybody using statistical practices is well informed on the Ethical guidelines for statistical practices. The importance of statistical analyses in our current society cannot go unnoticed. Statistical practices are employed in various sectors in the economy such as health sector, education, environment, agriculture, industry and many other sectors. Therefore, an ethical decision-making in statistics practices in inevitable. Before making any statistical decision, proper professionalism must be adhered to. The decision maker has to ensure relevance before making the final statistical decision. For instance, before making any policies that may arise from statistical results, statisticians have to take into consideration the long-term effects that the policy will have on the general public. The ethical guidelines require that the researcher should ensure that adequate statistical and subject-matter expertise in both applied to any planned study. Therefore it is unethical for somebody who is experienced on agriculture to undertaken research on a medical field where he/she has no expertise. In terms of responsibility, the guidelines clearly states that a person should maintain personal responsibility for all the work bearing his/her name. This will ensure that plagiarism is avoided at all cost. The field of statistics is characterized by many stakeholders. This is because many people have personal or public interests in the results of the statistical practices. The most likely stakeholders in statistical studies are funders, clients and employers. Funders are those who sponsor the entire study and are mostly interested on the positive results from the study. They may use the results to make policies that may serve their interest or the general public’s. In most cases NGOs and

The Tale of Genji by Lady Muraski Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Tale of Genji by Lady Muraski - Essay Example The theme of love based on gender will be examined in this paper. This story revolves around Hikaru Genji, the son of an Emperor. Genji is stripped of his royal stature and force to live like a commoner. So throughout the story Genji has a royal demeanor, but forced to live as common Imperial soldier. Genji is handsome. He also has a very powerful persona. In one passage of the book, Genji sees a naked woman in a window. He enters the bedroom and engages in relations with the woman. The woman did not protest since he had such a powerful presence. Genji comes into contact with many women. Genji professes love for different types of women. From a princess, concubine, and even wife Genji loves them all in their own way. He has been with a princess, attendant, and even some women named captain after their father’s rank. Since there is a multitude of women, only the most important women loved by Genji will be examined here. In this novel, women are seen as possessions or prizes. Even his own daughters or mother must be provided support by a man. Lady Kiritsubo, Genji’s mother, was supported by the Emperor. However since her father was dead, she suffered at the hands of the other concubines. This caused her to die a premature death. Due to the other concubines’ jealousy, Genji was made a commoner through politics. Although Genji does not love Lady Kokiden, his mother’s enemy, she does show how a woman can achieve power through a man’s love. After Genji’s father died, Lady Kokiden’s son achieves power as emperor. Through her son’s love and respect, Lady Kokiden has the power to persuade the emperor. This is one way a woman can come to power. The power of an emperor’s mother was always considered the highest a woman could achieve. Genji does not care if he sleeps with another man’s wife or concubine. One of Genji’s great loves is his own stepmother, Lady Fujisubo. Lady Fujisubo was the previous emperor’s daughter. Thus she

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Ethical Guidelines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Ethical Guidelines - Essay Example The American Statistical Association on their part should ensure that everybody using statistical practices is well informed on the Ethical guidelines for statistical practices. The importance of statistical analyses in our current society cannot go unnoticed. Statistical practices are employed in various sectors in the economy such as health sector, education, environment, agriculture, industry and many other sectors. Therefore, an ethical decision-making in statistics practices in inevitable. Before making any statistical decision, proper professionalism must be adhered to. The decision maker has to ensure relevance before making the final statistical decision. For instance, before making any policies that may arise from statistical results, statisticians have to take into consideration the long-term effects that the policy will have on the general public. The ethical guidelines require that the researcher should ensure that adequate statistical and subject-matter expertise in both applied to any planned study. Therefore it is unethical for somebody who is experienced on agriculture to undertaken research on a medical field where he/she has no expertise. In terms of responsibility, the guidelines clearly states that a person should maintain personal responsibility for all the work bearing his/her name. This will ensure that plagiarism is avoided at all cost. The field of statistics is characterized by many stakeholders. This is because many people have personal or public interests in the results of the statistical practices. The most likely stakeholders in statistical studies are funders, clients and employers. Funders are those who sponsor the entire study and are mostly interested on the positive results from the study. They may use the results to make policies that may serve their interest or the general public’s. In most cases NGOs and

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Job Losses Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Job Losses - Case Study Example To give the senior management a feel of the new operational scenario, they were asked to work in these combination stores. Many outlets were closed down as a consolidation drive. Reasons for the above actions The company felt that their present staff strength in the support function areas was enough to take up the consolidated workload. Mrs Field’s always believed in the philosophy that keeping high employee strength diverts the attention of the employees from processes and operations to employee management which causes inefficiencies to creep into the system. Hence, only indispensable employees of the previous organization were kept. This makes a logical sense as the support functions usually add to the administrative cost and hence reduce operating margins. R&D and operations of the acquired company are the functions where Mrs Field’s employees would not have any expertise. Hence, it is imperative to keep the experts of these functions so as to understand the technica lities of operations and products and carry out a smooth merger of the two entities. New store designs were also required because the company plans to sell both products from the same outlets as this merger is considered to be a logical extension of the previous business. Using the same facility for both the products will also provide economies of scale to the company as Mrs Field’s already has a store structure which has the baking area just behind the service area. Some modifications (if required) can be made for baking the new products within the same facilities. The facilities added from LPB act as outlets to reach out to the new market segment of LPB. Thus, there will be a synergistic effect from the merger of outlets. Asking senior management to work on the shop floor will help them acclimatise themselves with the new environment which will further help them in understanding the pros and cons of the new situation for better future planning. Views as an LPB store manager at this time As an LPB store manager I would be very much worried about my job security. Looking at the way support functions of LPB were integrated, with just 5.67% of the staff retained, the situation does not look very promising. However, one positive aspect of this retention policy is the fact that employees with expertise in areas not known to Mrs Field’s employees have been retained. Since at present both operations at the store level have to be merged, inputs of LPB store managers would definitely be required as the acquiring company’s managers would not understand the nuances of the business. Thus, in the near future, there is some amount of job security depending on one’s performance standing before the merger. It is understood that only the best performing store managers, who are perceived to be well acquainted with the business, will be retained. But after that, it depends on how well the LPB managers are able to gel with the new work culture and cre ate a niche for themselves.

Monday, October 14, 2019

WorkBook Exercise Essay Example for Free

WorkBook Exercise Essay 1. What demographic variables were measured at least at the interval level of measurement? Education, Marital status, type of feeding, amount of household and infant care responsibilities. 2. What statistics were used to describe the length of labor in this study? Were these appropriate? Hours. These are appropriate because they are the standard. 3. What other statistic could have been used to describe the length of labor? Provide a rationale for your answer. Minutes could have been used instead for more precise data. Days would be to general. 4. Were the distributions of scores similar for the experimental and control groups for the length of labor? Provide a rationale for your answer. I believe that they are similar as they are only a three hours difference. 5. Were the experimental and control groups similar in their type of feeding? Provide a rationale for your answer. The experimental and control groups were very similar in their type of feeding because they were only +/- 2 in each sub-category. 6. What was the marital status mode for the subjects in the experimental and control groups? Provide both the frequency and percentage for the marital status mode for both groups. The marital status mode is separated/divorced. Frequency and percentage for separated/divorced in experimental group: 1, 3.1% Frequency and percentage for separated/divorced in controlled group: 1, 2.8% 7. Could a median be determined for the education data? If so, what would the median be for education for the experimental and the control groups? Provide a rationale for your answer. Yes, a median can be determined for the education data. Experimental: 11, Some college Controlled: 13, College graduate or higher The median is the middle number for a sequence of numbers. 8. Can the findings from this study be generalized to Black women? Provide a rationale for your answer. No, the majority of the statistics were for white females. 9. If there were 32 subjects in the experimental group and 36 subjects in the control group, why is the income data only reported for 30 subjects in the experimental group and 34 subjects in the control group? Numbers do not always total 32 for experimental group or 36 for control group because of missing data. 10. Was the sample for this study adequately described? Provide a rationale for your answer. No, the sample for the study only gives majority of the data for white females. The sample also leaves out several large racial groups.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

BIM Based Life Cycle Assessment Tool

BIM Based Life Cycle Assessment Tool Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to evaluate a particular product, process, or activity from cradle to grave the environmental effects. LCA is methodology for measuring and evaluating some aspects of all relevant costs, revenues, environmental impacts and performance associated in all stages of an asset over its life cycle (ISO15686, 2008), it compiles and evaluates an inventory of relevant input, output, and potential environmental impacts in relation to the objective of study throughout its life cycle (ISO14040, 2006). LCA provides a complete picture of the interactions of activities with the environment and it is one of the decision supporting tools providing information on environmental effects of these activities and identifies opportunities for environmental improvement for stakeholders to make decision. The concept of LCA started from late 1960s, the earliest forerunners were the Resource and Environmental Profile Analyses (REPAs) and a research founded by Coca Cola funds study of different beverage containers and packaging system. LCA been extended used during global oil crises from 1973 emerged many countries began to explore substitute resources to produce energy. Energy analysis by comparing different substitute sources through life-cycle basis gave a true indication. The interest of LCA continued used for decision making policy through the 1980s. The REPA early studies emphasized on raw material, energy inputs and waste generation through environmental impact as LCA methodology and modern LCA methodology outlined the components of contemporary LCA from four distinct analytical steps: goal definition, inventory assessment, impact assessment, and improvement analysis in the late 1990s released ISO standards 14040 14043 by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). The latest series includes ISO 14040:2006 life cycle assessment principles and framework, ISO 14041:1998 standards for goal and scope definition and inventory analysis, ISO14042:2000 life cycle impact assessment and ISO 14043:2000 life cycle interpretation. There still much development tacking place till today. The stages of the LCA methodology based on international standards of series ISO 14040 consists of defining the goal and scope, creating the inventory, assessing the impact and finally interpreting. Today, the usage of LCA is extended to the construction industry; works have been undertaken on both large and small aspects from internal to external. Internally, LCA can be used in process analysis, product evaluation, material selection (cement or bricks) and product comparison (heating systems). From externally use, LCA can be used for marketing, information and education, eco-labelling. LCA is a comprehensive method to evaluate environment impact through whole life approach, LCA has 40-years history and still not been used widely due to there are limitations in using this tool. Firstly, expected life-time is various. Data collection and data reliability is always the question and difficulties to LCA tool. Further, uncertainty is everywhere and comparisons between studies are difficult. In all LCA is a decision supporting tool, no single methods can be used individually in providing a clear solution or decision. There are various LCA tools have been developed based on qualitative and quantitative methods that can assess building environmental impacts from embodied energy, operational energy, CO2 emission and other emissions from buildings. These tools have been classified and categorized into five major categories: Detailed LCA Modelling Tool; LCA design Tool; LCA CAD tool; Green Product Guides and Checklist and Building Assessment Schemes. Detailed LCA Modelling Tools: This category of LCA tools to calculate embodied energy and environmental impacts based on materials used, building components and processes of the work. The most famous used software under this category includes SimaPro, TEAM, Gabi, KCL-ECO, Boustead, GaBi, PEMS, Athena, BEES, LISA, ECO-QUANTUM, EQUER, Green Building Advisor USA, SIA D0123, Energy Life Cycle Assessment Model for Building Design (SBI) [14]. SimaPro is one of the most widely used professional LCA software under detailed LCA modelling tool category and worked based on calculating of material used by consultants, research institutes and universities. It contains several impact assessment methods can direct calculate for each element in a project; inventory databases can be edited and expanded easily; open and transparent database (Pre4 database, FRANKLIN US LCI database, IDEMAT database, BIWAL250 database, FEFCO database) which helps in fast data entry and database consistency checks. BEES (Building for Economic and Environmental Sustainability) USA be developed and to implement the most appropriate balance between environmental sustainability and economic performance. It can be used throughout all construction stages from preliminary design stages, construction or building product manufacture, maintenance of building and to building services. The data used in this software including inventory flow items of energy used and materials. It a typical detailed LCA modelling tool worked on building components. LCA Design Tools: LCA Design Tool is the yardstick for designers to measure environment performance of the building during design stage. By using this kind of LCA tools, designers can easily evaluated environment impact. Environmental information can be optimized measured. Envest is one of the widely used software under category of LCA Design tools developed by Building Research Establishment (BRE) in the U.K. Designers input the basic design information such as building element choices, building height, number of storeys, window areas and building Gross Floor Area. Calculation of building associated impacts and different options comparisons then performance. This software measures each environmental issue separately in their own units. Environmental issues data is more easily to use and gather on UK basis. Envest use weighting system based on BREs Ecopoint score. LCA CAD Tools: Similar to LCA Design Tools, some of LCA tools integrated with CAD planning tool or CAD assessment tool. Tools under this category are able to read building component information from CAD. Some tools can work with 3-D CAD to work get the material information and building components from CAD directly in order to work out environmental impact analysis. Well known software under this category include EcoScan, ECOit, LCAiTLCAid, ECOTECT, ENER-RATEE, Energy 10, EQUER, PAPOOSE, Legoe, Ecopro, OGIP, EPCMB [15]. LCAidTM is a decision-making tool developed by Australia and aimed to help building designer, LCA practitioner, LCA researcher or building rating practitioner for evaluating the different options of building or building components environmental performance and impact. It makes evaluation work easier and faster with working on 3D CAD system by importing materials quantities and assigning materials to each building elements. It is based on Green Building Challenges rating guide to weighing the elements. Life Cycle Inventories of building materials data are stored at LCAid library. Green Product Guides and Checklists: It is the most common use methods to assess environment impact currently. They are combine of global analysis and problem analysis take into consideration. Tools under this category provide qualitative guides of environmental issues to help stakeholders in decision making with consideration of environment performance at design stage when selecting alternative materials, or building components. Many countries or regions they have their own standards or guides to follow. Some guilds are famous and used worldwide like LEED from US and BREEAM from UK, International standards ISO 14040 to ISO 14043, and other famous guides include Environmental Preference Method (EPM), BEPAC, GREEN housing A-Z, ECDG, EcoSpecifier. [15]. Building Assessment Schemes: Basically, tools under this category are used to predict or assess building performance during its operational stage. They normally can be used before or after building occupancy. Examples include GBTool, BEAVER/ESOII, BUNYIP, DOE2.2, GSL-Giselle, Okoprofile, NatHERS, SEDA, ECOPROFILE, E2000 and BEE 1.0. [15]. Building information (bim) Changes in Information Communication Technologies lead to a change in the way information represented and in particular, information is being fed more easily and distributed more quickly to different stakeholders by the use of tool such as the Building Information Modelling (BIM) [15]. BIM is a digital building model which generating, managing and sharing information during its entire life cycle. [17] The development of BIM results in fundamentally changes of building design. With design information input of product materials, specification, finishes, costs, carbon content and any other special requirement transfers into virtual building model. Different stakeholders have better collaboration by using BIM. Figure 3 shows the usage of BIM and its functions. BIM has fundamentally changed how buildings are designed. There is now plenty of hard evidence that the wealth of information from virtual building models has completely transformed how the designers make their design decisions lead to a far better sustainable design buildings indeed. Typically collaboration between design disciplines is a low level information exchange, via a simple electronic or published format, however it is a existing commonly form of information collaboration in construction sector, in which there is none of added-value to the design process. The maintained situation is due to todays software tools, in particular to the BIM, have merely facilitated meaningful information collaboration across the sustainable discipline. Proportionally through adding time factor into BIM, BIM becomes a 4D modelling tool. The usage of BIM can then be expanded to planning, supply chain management, life cycle costing and assessment. The integration of LCA disciplines into BIM enables to assess both economic efficiency and sustainability of buildings. Its availability lies in a central building component repository. Further, BIM can be seen as a 5D modelling tool with element/material cost information, together with time information stored in BIM, it can work out the project estimating cost and its cash flow along the project life cycle. Comprising assessment to the environmental information into the BIM, BIM can further become a 6D modelling tool that can calculate the environmental impacts from buildings. Eventually, it can become even nD model with other special information added in [18]. Performance-based design supported by product models is becoming stage-of-the-art practice [19]. Therefore, one of the key advantages of using BIM as an analysis tool allows multi-disciplines to simulate building performance in a virtual environment. The number of performance criteria can be analyzed that are depended on several aspects includes architectural, structural, mechanical, energy. Therefore, BIM tool is a feasible approach for multidisciplinary team members to access and collaborate effectively Current existing BIM tools like Autodesk Revit, Tekla Structures, Digital Project, Bentley Syetems, ArchiCAD, AutoCAD- based Application, DProfiler and so on. Through the applications of construction practices, they have been found on their own strengths and weakness, especially in terms of technique, operational ease and the facilitation of sustainable information across. The analysis to the usedBIM tools being used shown below: Introduction Strengths Weakness Revit Introduce by Autodesk in 2002 Leader for the use in BIM gbXML interface for energy simulation and load analysis Direct interface to ROBOT and RISA structural analysis Conceptual design tool 2D section of detailing View interface: DGN, DWG, DWF, DXF, IFC, SAT, SKP, AVI, ODBC, gbXML, BMP, JPG, TGA, TIF Functionality is well-design and user-friendly Broad set of object libraries Direct link interface Bi-directional drawing Slow down on project larger than 200MB Limitation on parametric rules with angles Bentley Systems Introduce in 2004 by Bentley Architecture Integrated with others Bentley software Broad range of building tools Supports modeling with complex curved surfaces Multiple support for custom parametric objects Provide scalable support for large projects Large and non-integrated user interface Hard to learn and navigate Less extensive object libraries ArchiCAD Produce by Graphisoft in early 80s Serve MAC platform in addition to Windows Support range of direct interface Contains extensive object libraries Suite interfaces for energy and sustainability OBDC interface Intuitive interface and relatively simple to use Large object libraries Rich suite in supporting applications in construction facility management Only strong BIM product for MAC Limitation to parametric modeling Encounter scaling problem with large project Partition large project to manage them Digital Project Develop by Gehry Technologies Require a powerful workstation to run well Able to handle even the largest projects Model any type of surfaces Support elaborate custom parametric objects Complete parametric modeling capabilities for controlling surfaces and assemblies Relies on 3D parametric modeling for most detailing Steep learning curve Complex user interface High initial cost Limited object libraries (including external) Architectural drawing are not well developed Output section to drafting systems for completion AutoCAD- based Application Architectural Desktop ( ADT) Autodesk original 3D building modeling tool prior to Revit Provide a transition for 2D to BIM Relies on AutoCAD well-known capabilities for drawing production Interface: DGN, DWG, DWF, DXF, and IFC Easy to adopt for AutoCAD user Drafting functionality and interface Not parametric modeling Limited interface to other applications Scaling problem Tekla Structure Offered by Tekla Corp. Multiple divisions: building and construction, infrastructure and energy Support fabrication-level detailing of precast concrete structure and facades Structural analysis Interface: IFC, DWG, CIS/2 DTSV, SNDF, DGN, and DXF Export CNC Model structures that incorporate all kinds of structural materials Support very large model Concurrent operations on some projects Multiple simultaneous users Support complex parametric custom component libraries Too complex to learn and fully utilize Parametric component require sophisticated operators with high skill Not able to import complex multi-curved surfaces Relatively expensive Dprofiler Product of Beck Technologies in Dallas, Texas Provide feedback for construction cost and time User gain a set of drawing with financial and schedule reporting Can input own cost data or data from RS Means Support Sketchup and DWG Interface with Excel and DWG Market as a closed system for feasibility studies before actual design begins Ability to generate quick economic assessments Not a general purpose of BIM tool Purpose is economic evaluation of construction project Interface to support development in BIM Design tools is limited to 2D DWG files As presented above within the existing BIM tools, they provide less supports in sustainable information discipline across the models throughout the whole construction stages. Life cycle assessment in relation to carbon and energy emission Bim-based lca tool There is a high level of demand for sustainable construction due to the rising awareness of climate change and the most important buildings sustainable features are decided at design stage. Designers need to analyses sustainable features including building type, building forms, major materials used, context, MEP system. As mentioned in the previous section, BIM allows for multi-disciplinary information to be combined within one container and it creates a platform for multi-disciplinary to conduct sustainability analyses at construction initial stage. Adopting LCA concept integrate into BIM technology take consideration of low impact building design decision in time, embodied carbon, waste and cost (as shown in Figure 2). The principle of BIM-based holistic modelling in the building lifecycle, LCA can be available in the form of static visualization analysis at design stage whilst its dynamic simulation can be achievable through all stages of construction till demolition. During design phase, associated sustainability issues like energy consumption, carbon emission, waste generation, involved in building design and materials can be accurately quantified on the basis of a unique visualized static 3D information building model. From the phases of construction, to operation and demolition phases, LCA are a dynamic process where building sustainability are being embedded in those phases. For instance, carbon emission and waste production are likely to occur in the boundaries of manufacturing for building construction, maintaining for building operating and routine repairing, as well as recycling and disposing of building components and materials. These dynamic features are suggested to using a simulation approach for analyzing, while popular 4D/5D CAD techniques provide a viable approach to this dynamic simulation. The BIM-based LCA tool is therefore being considered as an enabler for multidisciplinary collaboration across specialty boundaries throughout the building lifecycle. The viability of model-based collaborative work has been verified by an interactive approach targeting on 4D CAD [21]. Planners with different specialties can collaboratively perform planning and 4D simulation underpinned by the 3D model. Similarly, taking the advantage of integrating LCA into BIM can realize optimal design decisions from a holistic perspective in multidisciplinary coalition. Sustainability issues and related costs in HVAC, structure, for instance, in a building can then be examined using the same BIM environment. In this kind of design decision process, the central information repository provided by the BIM model can create a collaboration context for potential stakeholders. Different specialties information in the repository can be accessed not only by information owners but other collaborators. Theref ore, sustainable design decisions on LCA can be made on the basis of informed rather than isolated approaches. The convenience of central information repository from the BIM model also brings the flexibility in applications. Given an online BIM model, distributed LCA application can be available through network support for geographically dispersed stakeholders. Conclusions This document provides authors with basic guidance on how to prepare the full papers. It is highly advised to use the Paper Template or strictly follow the instructions provided. A paper that does not meet the requirements will be returned to the author(s) for revision.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Essay --

[Name] [Professor] [Subject] [Date] Mexican American War What started the Mexican American war in 1846 was the obsession of the Americans, rather the one President Polk to expand American up to north through a vision of â€Å"Manifest Destiny†. Sure, this manifest destiny was the vision of Americans but it was blood and loss for Mexicans. In the plan that we now remember as Manifest Destiny President Polk asked the Mexican chief to sell New Mexico and California for $ 30 million to the US. But this was blatantly refused and the boarders that were previously drawn between the then two separate nations came out to be the point of conflict. The US claimed that the official boarder for the US was Rio Grande River, while on the contrary the Mexicans claimed that the boarder was Nueces River. In the instance, President Polk sent army to protect their claimed boarder, and when they reached there, they had a little battle with the Mexicans and some of the US army men lost their lives. This was the opportunity that the president was waiting for and he got approval for the war on Mexico as he vehemently declared that the Mexicans have shed â€Å"American blood upon American soil† (cited in Anthony). This was the beginning of what started a two year war on Mexico, that to many was not justified, not ethical, and is perceived as a mere confiscation of someone else’s land. But to some it is still regarded as the fulfillment of the dream, of the Manifest Destiny, of the vision to expand the America. I wonder why statue of liberty still survives! O'Sullivan writes that the â€Å"American people having derived their origin from many other nations, and the Declaration of National Independence being entirely based on the great principle of human equality, these f... ...nwar.htm, Accessed 11/05/03 O'Sullivan, John L. (1839) Manifest Destiny, Available at http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/osulliva.htm, Accessed 11/05/03 Heys, John (1995) Enough Blame to Go Around: Causes of the Mexican-American War, Available at http://www.azteca.net/aztec/war/Mexican-American-War.html, Accessed 11/05/03 Combs, Jerald A. (1986) The History of American Foreign Policy. New York: Knopf Publishing. Lavender, David. (1968) The Mexican War: Climax of Manifest Destiny. Palo Alto: American West. The Story of America. Ed. Elizabeth L. Newhouse. Washington, District of Columbia: The National Geographic Society, 1984. Messages and Papers of the Presidents. Ed. J.D. Richardson. Library material. The Diary of James K. Polk. Ed. M.M. Quaife. Library material The Columbia History of the World. Ed. John A. Garraty and Peter Gay. New York: Harper and Row, 1981.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Justification for Torture

Torture is a scenario that dates back to the old government ages. Is government torture ever justified? This answer is can be answered by this quote,†Torturing the terrorist is unconstitutional? Probably. But millions of lives surely outweigh constitutionality â€Å"(Levin 1). Who would not save the lives of fellow citizens If the only option to solve the issue was torturing an individual for his crimes? Many people would see the situation as a sacrifice for the better of the people. The lives of Americans should be the most important priority of a nation. Torture is justified as long it is for the safety of the people and not for the mere cause of violence. Torture is the considered to be a harmful mentally and physically to anyone. It is a very well known method in the time of war. There have been many cases where it used on children and women. The course of torture can range from physical abuse to sexual abuse. Those are without a doubt an international crime. Using torture on innocent human being is completely out of the question. The use of torture in terms of water boarding on terrorist can be another matter. Torture without a doubt is a cruel treatment for an individual but it must be a nation policy (Falbaum 15). Saving innocent lives should be a governments priority in a â€Å"ticking time bomb † scenario. The scenario states, lets say an officer, got control of a terrorist planning an attack on hundreds of people. It is highly likely this terrorist will be interrogated by other officials to obtain information about the attack. Torture should be an option if the individual refuses to give the data to save hundreds of lives. Falbaum also mentions that 9/11 attack could been prevented if the United States had torture as part of their system. If the US policy was more strict at those times the terrorist would have feared their policy or would have captured their leader and gained details about the whereabouts of the attack. A poll shows that majority of registered citizens prefer harsh techniques that can keep America safe (Bauer 27). The society should support inhumane behaviors like torture if it is seen as last hope for innocent lives. Successful interrogations can keep America safe for the future. The world revolves around information and if your country is lacking information, terrorists can take advantage of the situation. Using torture on terrorists to gain information will benefit in prevention of future attacks on the country. Marc A. Thiessen goes into detail how many terrorists that have been interrogated provided them with reliable information that ended up saving thousands of American lives. â€Å"Thiessen believes that terrorist suspects will talk if pressured in the right way† (Thiessen 36). Some people may argue that torture does not provide the right detail because the victim will say anything to stop the deadly act. A statement said by the terrorist Abu Zubayah explains that captive terrorist tends to resist as long as they can, if they fail to do this they are given permission by their religious belief to tell what they have known. â€Å"The job of the interrogator is to safely help the terrorist do his duty to Allah, so he then feels liberated to speak freely â€Å"(Thiessen 40). It leads to show if the US practice and enhance their torture techniques it will lead to a safer nation. What techniques can be considered torture? Water-boarding is the act where the victim is drained water on his head to stimulate the pain of drowning. Water-boarding to Joseph Farah is not considered torture. He states that the technique is relatively safe with the right management. Not only that he argues that United State also practice this technique on their own soldiers as training (Farah 82). According to him while water-boarding is very abhorrent it is not as bad as cutting of a hand or anything gore. The truth is Water-boarding is very effective and most of the time the result are given in less than a minute. The success stories range from learning about al-Qaida's top plans. It is said that the terrorist agents resisted normal interrogations for hours and hours but gave into water-boarding sooner than the word can be said. This scenario can happen anywhere in the nation. Lets say an al-Qaida member was captured by the CIA and found whereabouts of bombs being placed around a city. They hire the top of the line negotiators to spoil the information. The real question still remains. Will they be able to make the terrorist member talk before it's too late? Then again we could resort to the use of water-boarding and save their lives before it is too late. It is not like we have torn their limbs off to order to get the information. â€Å"But a few seconds of dripping water on a prisoner's face? That's not torture to me â€Å"(Feah 85). Some believe that torture disregard true American standards. Patrick J. Buchanan gives a great insight about this issue. He states that torture is viable as long as it fit to save the American people. It is just like how murder is seen unethical yet you see soldiers and cops given the permission to kill as long as it fits the right scenario (Buchanan 55). Would a war hero that killed twenty men in order to rescue 2,000 citizens receive a death sentence? Just because he murdered 20 men, no. He would be honored as a hero he so deserved to be. There are doctors that inflicts pain to many soldiers in the war field by cutting of parts of their body. This saves their life by preventing death by decay. These are one of the exceptions that torture should be given into. Take for example someone's son or daughter was captivated by a terrorist group. One of their remember was found, he would not spoil or hint any information by simple conversations. What will a parent would want from the government to do? It does not matter if they oppose torture or not, a parent would choose water-boarding compared to the death of their child. Torture is not to be taken lightly but should be considered an option if the situation arise. Torture should the last option if it ever to be used. It a very sensitive topic for many people. There are groups that strongly rejects torture in any situation and there are people that support torture if it leads to saving lives. Ultimately saving lives should be the priority of any government. If it result in agreeing to an â€Å"harsh techniques † like water-boarding to stop future 9/11 attacks, the majority will agree. It is very hard to come to a conclusion about this specific topic because both sides can provide very good viewpoints. It will be one of those controversial topic that will go on for decades.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Globalizing an Australian Wine Company Essay

The company’s strategic vision is to become the world’s first truly global wine company. As CEO and managing director of BRL Hardy Europe, Carson’s contribution and achievements had been significant with a 10 fold increase in sales volume, in a tenure spanning just seven years. He successfully turned around Hardy’s U. K. business by implementing cost cutting initiatives and ensuring strong systems, policies, and control. Millar, CEO and managing director at BRL Hardy followed a decentralized approach to management. He believed in delegation and adequately integrated culture and management style into the merged corporation. The U. K. market contributed significantly to BRL Hardy’s revenues and represented 40% of Australian wine exports. In U. K. , the fighting brands, namely, Stamps and Nottage Hill, were positioned at price points of 2. 99 and 3. 69 pounds respectively. As low price good quality wines, they accounted for 80% of the value and volume of the Hardy brand sales. As the image of these brands began to erode, Carson decided to relaunch them by relabeling and repositioning the wines. Carson insisted that sales performance in U. K. depended on efficient labeling that should not be completely dictated by the Australian management. Although management was skeptical about local control over branding, labeling, and pricing decisions, the move significantly boosted the fighting brands’ sales. As the fighting brands gradually moved up the price points, there was an opportunity for an entry level wine that could be priced lower than 4. 9 pounds. In line with the company’s vision of becoming an international wine company, Carson decided to tap non-Australian wine sources and develop a line of branded products that could utilize the company’s strong distribution channels. This strategy would provide vital scale economies, minimize harvest risk, capture rationalizing suppliers, and avoid currency-driven price variations. Carson propose d the brand D’istinto, an Italian venture with a Sicilian based winery. He wanted to develop a recognizable brand which was easy to buy and had global potential. The wine would be positioned to the average wine consumer and would help the company leverage distribution. The Australian headquarters believed that D’istinto would eat into the fighting brands’ share as they were positioned at almost similar price points. Carson’s earlier Chilean venture, Mapocho had proven troublesome and Millar was doubtful if the European unit could support another brand. While Millar recognized U. K. s strong performance and wanted to give Carson as much freedom as possible, the reality was that the Italian venture would stretch the tight human resources of the European unit and dilute focus from the overall corporate strategy. While the Italian venture was being proposed, the Australian headquarters had launched Banrock Station, an environmentally responsible product at a similar price point. Australian management believed that the brand had global po tential and had instructed areas to launch it appropriately. Miller, away from the frontline and external demands of the local customers, has to support Carson’s entrepreneurial experimentation and dynamism. However, the proposal to launch D’istinto should not be approved. It is imperative that the business strategy fit within the broader corporate strategy of the organization. Although Carson’s proposal represented strategic interests, it ran counter the corporate strategy of maximizing global efficiency. D’istinto’s launch would certainly come with financial implications and would also stretch the operating capabilities of the European unit. On the other hand, Banrock Station had already established itself in a few markets and a strong launch in Europe would only increase scale economies. D’istinto had an innovative strategy with catchy and attractive labeling and a distinct image capturing the Mediterranean lifestyle. This positioning would definitely appeal to the mature U. K. consumer and also to the U. K. retailers, who represented the majority of sales. However, there is no certainty that this strategy would prove equally successful globally. While D’istinto would provide short term results, it is important to understand the long term viability that Banrock Station offers. Global consumers are increasingly emerging into environmentally conscious populations that expect corporations to take responsibility of natural resources and the environment. Although through D’istinto, Carson aims to build a global brand, Banrock Station appears to be better positioned in a converging global market. In order to build a true global brand, Miller must establish consistency across organizational units and ensure that the vision is shared by all.

Internet Makes Life Better Essay

Nowadays, with the development of the Internet, our life becomes more convenient than any time in the past. With the click of the mouse, you can find everything on the Internet including shopping, communication, entertainment, study, and so on. Do you know how many percent of people on the Earth have access into the Internet? – 21% In the United States, 74% of American adults use the Internet. 94% of students in the US are using the Internet. 60% of American adults use broadband connections at home.55% of American adults connect to the internet wirelessly, either through a WiFi or WiMax connection via their laptops or through a handheld device like a smart phone. Because of the Internet, we can do shopping without going to the store which is located far away. Online shopping is the process whereby consumers directly buy goods or services from a seller in real-time, without an intermediary service, over the Internet. It is a form of electronic commerce. We can talk with a people who are away 10,000 miles with high quality of voice and images. Brought us closer to people those are in another part of the world: video calls with Skype, Online support calls so I don’t have to drive 2 hours to a client site. Telephone: Voice over IP or VOIP Besides, we can find tons of information by one click on Google.com, Yahoo.com, and so on. Other conveniences of the Internet: Online banking. Driving Directions .We can work or study from anywhere in the world. In conclusion, I believe the Internet makes life better. I cannot live one day happily without Internet.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Management and Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management and Motivation - Essay Example A. As the workplace structure and workers themselves change, management faces the problem of how to motivate employees (Gerstner, 2002). Gerstner (2002) poses the questions of "How do you pull the levers of motivation to change the attitudes, behavior, and thinking of a population Different people are motivated by different things that may include money, career advancement, and recognition" (Gerstner, 2002). Effectively changing the attitudes, behavior, and thinking of workers demands that a manager knows what levers of motivation to pull in the first place. B. A global executive should provide leadership and direction to management levels according to business goals, mission, and vision. Global leaders and executives have certain characteristics and skills in order to succeed in the globalize world of business (Gregersen, Morrison, & Black, 1998). C. Knowing how to motivate well will enable managers to realize the full potential of each employee. Much literature about theories of motivation and work relate to the subject of inspiring employees to be their best (Gagne & Deci, 2005). D. This report will discuss motivation and how managers can use it for a better, more profitable, efficient workplace. This report will also explore the different theories, concepts, and practices managers can use to motivate employees. E. ... Much literature about theories of motivation and work relate to the subject of inspiring employees to be their best (Gagne & Deci, 2005). D. This report will discuss motivation and how managers can use it for a better, more profitable, efficient workplace. This report will also explore the different theories, concepts, and practices managers can use to motivate employees. E. A leader is a visionary who has the end goal in mind and can see the big picture. A leader is a motivator of his/her followers. There are a variety of leadership styles a leader may holds; what separate a leader from the rest are the traits they posses to succeed and the various background assumptions held true by the . Some of these traits may include intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity, and sociability (Cox, 2001). F. Executives are motivated by the goal and fits in the business component. S/he reacts rationally to external conditions and develops new ideas. This person holds superior information in regards to customer needs and company resources. A leader can visualize change and progress as well as the creation process. These leaders have certain characteristics such as creativity, innovativeness, and flexibility, posses certain leadership characteristics as high ethical standards, energy, prioritization skills, commitment, dedication, goal orientation, empathetic, and extroverted. Leaders adapt leadership styles accordingly in order to better create and develop new ideas or reform existing ones (Northouse, 2004). G. A manager's job is to get things done through employees, so knowing how to motivate employees is always a challenge that has never been easy and is not getting

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

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

Government - Essay Example strialized City in heart of this country, a highway was constructed, cutting across the major watershed supporting the City’s underground water supply to reduce into half the travel time from the Export Processing Zone to the International Ship-building Yard on the other side of the island. Hundreds of trees were cut to give way to the approximately 100-kilometer road traversing the mountain ridges. Since, the mountains were already cleared and accessible to motor vehicles, affluent City dwellers started building houses on the cleared areas. Soon, a large portion of the watershed turned into a housing and commercial district. A couple of years after the opening of the highway, water supply seriously dropped. It was estimated that with the current rate of extraction will soon overtake the recharging rate and fresh water supply will be gone in less than 15 years. An alarming level of E. Coli bacteria brought about by fecal contamination was also found in the water. This sad reality happening is not only happening in developing countries like the Philippines. Even developed countries have problems of similar nature. A serious review of water governance policies is in order. Water supply plays a vital role for sustainable development, be it in developed countries or developing countries. The use and abuse of water supply and the blatant disregard or ignorance of its management can cost a city even an entire country a fortune. Water shortages and water quality degradation are seriously affecting prospects for economic and social development in countries all over the world. However, most of these fatal mistakes can easily be avoided with a good water governance system. Water governance refers to the range of political, social, economic and administrative systems that are in place to regulate the development and management of water resources and provision of water services at different levels of society. This must be instituted at the regional, national and local

Monday, October 7, 2019

Organizational Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Organizational Analysis - Essay Example One could not simply analyze Starbucks Indiana Commons as disconnected from the entire organization since it sourced all policies, regulations, and standards from one main source. B. Type of organization: Starbucks Corporation is a non-educational organization that offers specialty coffee through strategically located branches all over the world. Its standard industry classification code is 5812 which is defined as â€Å"eating places (which includes) establishments primarily engaged in the retail sale of prepared food and drinks for on-premise or immediate consumption. Caterers and industrial and institutional food service establishments are also included in this industry† (Marigold Technologies, n.d., p. 1). It is therefore also classified as a global business concern that caters to different people around the world. According to the information disclosed in nyjobsource.com (2012), the total number of Starbucks stores as of April 2012 is â€Å"17,420 locations worldwide wit h 12,570 in the Americas† (par. 1). C. Classification according to Blau and Scott From Blau and Scott’s types of organizations, it could be deduced that Starbucks is classified as a business concern where external customers are served from offering specialty coffee and other food products in various strategic locations. D. Funding source(s) In a report published online by Obi (2009), it was explicitly disclosed that â€Å"Starbucks’ primary source of financing comes from proceeds from issuance of commercial papers† (Obi, 2009). From a review of its financial statements, it was specifically indicated that operating activities provide funds sources amounting to as much as â€Å"$1.6 billion for fiscal year 2011† (Starbucks Corporate, 2012, p. 36). The noted operating activities specifically mean selling coffee and other products offered in Starbucks store outlets. E. Brief history of the organization including major changes and developments The first Starbucks store was reportedly opened in 1971 at Seattle’s Pike Place Market (Starbucks Corporation, 2012). Having been in operations for 41 years now, Starbucks has grown into a global organization with 54 coffee blends. Aside from coffee, other drink options include Frappuccino, chocolate beverages, smoothies, Tazo teas, and Refreshers (Starbucks, 2012). Likewise, there are an array of food products such as sandwiches, pastries, breakfast offerings, yogurt, ice cream and petite treats. The opening of other store locations within the United States had been unprecedented since marking 17 new stores in 1987 to 1,412 ten years after that. To date, specifically as of July 1, 2012, its official website revealed a total of 17,651 stores has been established and is currently operational globally. For Indiana Commons, this particular store outlet was opened five or six years ago, as revealed by Liz, the Shift Supervisor that one successfully interviewed. Thereby, when compared to th e entire organization, the Starbucks Indiana Commons is relatively new. It is likewise noteworthy that Starbucks has grown, not only in terms of offering more coffee varieties and food products or in the number of stores opened around the world; but more so, in the number of rewards garnered through the years. The following rewards have been recently acknowledged and received, as shown in Table 1: Table 1: Recent Rewards, Starbucks Corporation Reward Awarded By Year â€Å"