Regent College Public Relations

Introduction The president of the United States, Barrack Obama is expected to visit Regent College during his first official visit in the United Kingdom. Mr. Obama is among the most respected intellectuals in the world. Regent College is a private Christian institution that offers a wide range of programmes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Regent College Public Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This includes certificates, diplomas and degrees (undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate). Despite its excellence and credibility, the institution has not gained a lot popularity locally, nationally and worldwide. Due to this fact, the institution does not have enough students to sustain its facilities and capabilities. Barrack Obamas visit to the college gives this institution a golden opportunity to raise awareness to the general public about the college to increase the number of students who will enrol in th e university. The visit by the American president will be covered by more than 400 local, national and international media houses. They will therefore be the avenue to use to pass this information to the target audience. The target audience for this project will be students, academicians, parents and the society all around the world. Once this goal has been achieved, the number of student enrolment in the institution is expected to increase due to the high level of recognition that it gained from the media coverage. However, achieving this goal is not easy. It requires proper planning and excellent execution. The project will therefore follow a four point plan. This includes the definition of the problem, the definition of the audience, identification of the communication avenues and finally employing the best tactics and strategies to ensure that the project is successful. In the end, an evaluation will be conducted to measure the success of the project. Definition of the Problem T he success of any project depends on proper identification of the problem1. Through proper identification and definition of the problem, the factors which need to be worked on are clearly determined and identified.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This will assist in the determination of the strengths and weaknesses of the programme. The project will therefore formulate procedure, guidelines and policies which will work on maximizing the strengths of the project and improving on the weaknesses. The main problem that Regent College is facing is the low level of publicity that the institution is experiencing. The institution has always been referred to as a small private college in the regional media coverage. It is mainly familiar to the regional societies who also view it as a small college. This notion has lead them to believe that the college does not have enough competen ce to meet their educational needs and requirements. As a result therefore, the student turnover at the institution is very low. The main goal of this project is to raise the awareness of Regent College. Once this goal has been achieved, student turnover in the university is expected to be much higher. To achieve this goal, a lot of considerations have to be put in place. First of all, the target audience has to know what the university is all about. They should therefore have the information concerning the history of the college, the programmes which are offered by the college, its goals, objectives and achievements and the impact it has created on its students, the surrounding community and in the world. By having this information, the target audience will have a rough idea of what the institution is all about. Gaining trust from the audience is also another objective which has to be achieved. At this level, the growth and development of this institution mainly depends on the trus t gained from the society. Trust can be gained in several ways. The mere fact that Barrack Obama is visiting the institution gives it a lot of trust and credibility. This is because the institution has gained international recognition and has attracted many big names including the president of the United States. This fact has to be made clear to the audience in the course of the project.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Regent College Public Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To add on this, the institution should also create a list of alumni who have been successful in their professions. Once this picture has been created, people will have more trust and belief in the institution, a move which will result to an increase in the number of students in the college. With increased awareness, the number of students is expected to increase. People normally like to be affiliated with success and good reputation. The current status of Regent College has none of these. As a result, the number of students who enrol in the institution have been low as compared to the expectation of the management. In the course of Obamas visit, the institution should therefore create an impression and atmosphere which will change the attitudes and perceptions of the audience. By the end of the visit and media coverage, people should have increased their confidence and trust towards the institution. By achieving this, the institution would have improved its reputation to the target audience. It will be more recognised locally, nationally and internationally thus attracting students from far and wide. The expected end result of this progress is the rise in number of student enrolment in the institution to pursue the various programmes which it offers. The Audience It is also important to identify the audience which the programme is targeting. This is because the success of this programme depends on a clear under standing of the audience. For the programme to be effective, it has to meet the needs and requirements of the audience. Therefore, before the commencement of the programme, it is important for the project team to identify the audience, determine their needs and formulate means through which it will meet and satisfy them2. The audience of this programme comprises of individuals from all over the world. This includes prospective students, current students, parents, visitors, alumni friends and partners within the region, nation and the entire world.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These are the stakeholders of their institutions hence their needs and requirements should be met. In doing so, the programme will be successful both in the short run and long run. Prospective students are those individual who would wish to join the programmes which are offered by the university. Senior students in high schools, students who have just completed their secondary education and academicians are just but a few of the individuals who form this group. The individuals of this group would want to join an educational institution which offers the best education and has the necessary facilities and equipments to support the available programmes. They would also like to be members of a reputable institution. This programme will therefore advertise the various programmes which Regent College has, its expertise, facilities and success. Once this group has this information in hand, most of them will definitely join the various courses that are offered by the college. It is of great importance to also have in mind the current students of various schools and faculties that constitute the college. These students play an important role of sustaining the institution. As a matter of fact, they are the institution. This project should therefore be used to improve their self esteem and motivation. This can be achieved by assuring them that they are part of a great institution which highly reputable all around the world. This self actualization will motivate them, make them feel comfortable and motivate them to work even harder to achieve their goals and dreams. This will also improve the academic excellence of the institution and in turn, its reputation will also become better. The parents and visitors who would have come to the ceremony are also another target group for this initiative. The parents need to be assured that their students members of one of the best institution of higher education in the world. This will satisfy them psychologically and mentally. The v isitors to the institution should also know more about the college. They should be aware of the programmes offered, the facilities available and the success which is affiliated by the institution. The last group to be captured comprises of alumni, friends and partners. The alumni to the institution would need to know the developments which have occurred since they left the institution. This initiative should also be a forum through which the institution strengthens the bonds it has with its friends and partners. It will also be a good time for it to get new friends and partners. Friends and partners can assist in improving the education system, research and funding various projects which the institution might be undertaking. These developments will lead to the growth of the institution and more importantly, its reputation. The audience therefore plays a critical role in ensuring that the college achieves its goals and objectives. That is why this initiative is putting a lot of effor t the creation of awareness of Regent College to them. The audience is the determinate of whether the initiative becomes successful or fails. It is therefore important to understand them, determine their needs and come up with methods of achieving them. Communication Avenues Communication is the most critical step of this project. Choosing a poor mode of communication will lead to the failure of the project. In choosing the best avenue to pass information, it is important to analyse the audience which the information is intended to reach. This project targets students, parents, friends and partners. There are several methods which can be used to pass the Regent College message to them. The ceremony will be covered by over 400 local and international media houses. This will be the best mode of communication to use to pass information to the audience. Currently in the world, media is the most commonly used and effective means to pass information. Due to this fact, it has developed a l ot of trust and credibility from societies all around the world. Furthermore, it is the fastest and most efficient mode of communication. To create awareness about Regent College, the media should mention the college name quite often in their stories. They should highlight on the history of the college, its programmes, activities which it is involved in, its strengths, success and its credibility. The media should therefore be briefed by the college administration before the coverage of the event begins. They should have a clear understanding of the college so that they give out a comprehensive story. Once this strategy is in place, the name of the institution and its reputation will be transmitted within the region, nationally and internationally. This information will reach thousands of people all around the world. The college will get a universal approval and people from different corners of the world will be interested in the programmes offered by the college. This will have an end result of an increase in the student numbers that was anticipated by the college executive. To supplement the media, other subsidiary methods will also be used. The college executive could request the chief guest of the ceremony, Mr. Barrack Obama to give in a good word for the college in his speech. Brochures, newsletters, magazines and other books and journals should also be distributed to the guest during the event. These materials should contain detailed information of the institution. This move should be viewed as advertising in marketing. By putting all these measures in place, the name and reputation of Regent College will certainly grow. Strategies and Tactics For the operation to be effective and efficient, several strategies and tactics have to be followed. To achieve this, the project should follow the basic steps and procedures. It should be simple, measurable, attainable, and reliable and it should have a time limit within which it should be completed. This should b e the first step for the approach while designing the project. Furthermore, the project should have a good management model that clearly states the duties and roles of the various individuals involved in the project. It should incorporate a programme management, portfolio management and project management. The programme management level should ensure that the project is aligned to the visions, goals and objectives of the institution. This can be achieved by setting clear priorities of the project, factoring in the risks that might be involved and ensuring that the project has good governance. The portfolio management level is concerned with evaluating the project to ensure that it has a maximum value. It also ensures that there are good communication channels to pass the information to the audience. The level of project management should ensure that all the requirements of the project are implemented within the stipulated time. The project should also have a desired outcome in terms of quality and should be completed within a certain given time. Having this approach in place will ensure that the project will be completed in schedule. This will be because the members of the project team will be working under strict conditions of achieving the goals and objectives that have been set by the college executive. Through the efficient communication channels, each team member will know his/her roles and duties which he has to perform to perfection. This approach will also ensure that there is cooperation among the different units of the project. It will also enhance teamwork among the project team members. Through working together, it will be easier for the project team to achieve the goals and objectives that have been set by the academic executive. The success of the project can be determined by several indicators. First, if the number of students who want to enrol in the college increases during the next admission period, then the project was successful. Another in dicator of success of the project will be the increase in the reputation and credibility of the project. This can be measured by conducting a survey by using simple questionnaires. I believe that if every step of this proposal is followed, Regents College will utilize the visit by Barrack Obama to its advantage and gain a lot of publicity locally, nationally and even all around the world. Conclusion Regent College has been referred to as a small private college by the media for a considerable length of time. This move has made the college to have a small number of students as compared to its capacity and capabilities. However, this is about to change. The academic executive of the college are planning to use the visit to the college by President Obama to create awareness to people from all around the world. The visit will be covered by more than 400 media houses. A project has therefore been proposed to utilize this opportunity to increase the awareness of the College. This project will achieve this goal by decimating information about the institution through the media in the best way possible to capture the hearts of its audience. This will help to improve the popularity of the college changing it from a local college to an international university of academic excellence. Works Cited Stoehr, T., Managing e-business projects: 99 key success factors. Springer: New York,  2000. Toenniges, L. and Patterson, K., Managing Training Projects: Tips, Tools, and  Intelligence for Trainers. American Society for Training and Development: New  York, 2006. Footnotes 1 Thomas Stoehr, Managing e-business projects: 99 key success factors, Springer, New York, 2000, p. 128 2 Lisa Toenniges, Karyn Patterson, Managing Training Projects: Tips, Tools, and Intelligence for Trainers, American Society for Training and Development, New York, 2006, p. 4 This essay on Regent College Public Relations was written and submitted by user Willa Watkins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A Modern Look at the Plague of Athens

A Modern Look at the Plague of Athens The plague of Athens took place between the years 430-426 BC, at the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War. The plague killed an estimated 300,000 people, among which was the Greek statesman Pericles. It is said to have caused the death of one in every three people in Athens, and it is widely believed to have contributed to the decline and fall of classical Greece. The Greek historian Thucydides was infected by the disease but survived it; he reported that plague symptoms included high fever, blistered skin, bilious vomiting, intestinal ulcerations, and diarrhea. He also said that birds and animals which preyed on the animals were affected and that doctors were among the most affected by it. The Disease That Caused the Plague Despite Thucydides detailed descriptions, until recently scholars have been unable to come to a consensus of which disease (or diseases) caused the Plague of Athens. Molecular investigations published in 2006 (Papagrigorakis et al.) have pinpointed typhus or typhus with a combination of other diseases. Ancient writers speculating on the cause of plagues included the Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen, who believed a miasmic corruption of the air arising from swamps affected the people. Galen said that contact with the putrid exhalations of the infected was quite dangerous. More recent scholars have suggested that the Athens plague arose from bubonic plague, lassa fever, scarlet fever, tuberculosis, measles, typhoid, smallpox, toxic-shock syndrome-complicated influenza, or ebola fever.​ Kerameikos Mass Burial One problem modern scientists have had identifying the cause of the Athens plague is that classical Greek people cremated their dead. However, in the mid-1990s, an extremely rare mass burial pit containing approximately 150 dead bodies was discovered. The pit was located on the edge of the Kerameikos cemetery of Athens and consisted of a single oval pit of an irregular shape, 65 meters (213 feet) long and 16 m (53 ft) deep. The bodies of the dead were laid in a disorderly fashion, with at least five successive layers separated by thin intervening deposits of soil. Most bodies were placed in outstretched positions, but many were placed with their feet pointing into the center of the pit. The lowest level of interments showed the most care in placing the bodies; subsequent layers exhibited increasing carelessness. The upper-most layers were simply heaps of the deceased buried one on top of another, no doubt evidence of a spike in deaths or a growing fear of interaction with the dead. Eight urn burials of infants were found. Grave goods were limited to the lower levels and consisted of about 30 small vases. Stylistic forms of the Attic period vases indicate they were mostly made around 430 BC. Because of the date, and the hasty nature of the mass burial, the pit has been interpreted as from the Plague of Athens. Modern Science and the Plague In 2006, Papagrigorakis and colleagues reported on the molecular DNA study of teeth from several individuals interred in the Kerameikos mass burial. They ran tests for the presence of eight possible bacilli, including anthrax, tuberculosis, cowpox and bubonic plague. The teeth came back positive only for Salmonella enterica servovar Typhi, enteric typhoid fever. Many of the clinical symptoms of the Plague of Athens as described by Thucydides are consistent with modern day typhus: fever, rash, diarrhea. But other features are not, such as the rapidity of the onset. Papagrigorakis and colleagues suggest that perhaps the disease has evolved since the 5th century BC, or perhaps Thucydides, writing 20 years later, got some things wrong, and it may be that typhoid was not the only disease involved in the Plague of Athens. Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Ancient Medicine, and the  Dictionary of Archaeology. Devaux CA. 2013.  Small oversights that led to the Great Plague of Marseille (1720–1723): Lessons from the past.  Infection, Genetics and Evolution 14(0):169-185.  doi:10.1016/j.meegid.2012.11.016 Drancourt M, and Raoult D. 2002.  Molecular insights into the history of plague.  Microbes and Infection  4(1):105-109.  doi: 10.1016/S1286-4579(01)01515-5 Littman RJ. 2009.  The Plague of Athens: Epidemiology and Paleopathology.  Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine: A Journal of Translational and Personalized Medicine  76(5):456-467.  doi: 10.1002/msj.20137 Papagrigorakis MJ, Yapijakis C, Synodinos PN, and Baziotopoulou-Valavani E. 2006.  DNA examination of ancient dental pulp incriminates typhoid fever as a probable cause of the Plague of Athens.  International Journal of Infectious Diseases  10(3):206-214.  doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2005.09.001 Thucydides. 1903 [431 BC].  Second Year of the War, Plague of Athens, Position and Policy of Pericles, Fall of Potidaea.  History of the Peloponnesian War, Book 2, Chapter 9: J. M. Dent/University of Adelaide. Zietz BP, and Dunkelberg H. 2004.  The history of the plague and the research on the causative agent Yersinia pestis.  International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health  207(2):165-178.  doi: 10.1078/1438-4639-00259

Final Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final Paper - Essay Example The major cause roots of the ecological crisis are the population size, high levels of poverty and need for development. This has resulted to global warming that has far reaching efforts towards the environment, and its endowment (Kinsey, pp 43). However, the Zen Buddhism and the Eastern religions brought more philosophy on how man should be friendlier to nature basing on the behaviors and the attitude. One philosopher argued that if both religion and philosophy avails wrong information about the earth-harming geared by the human behaviors then there would be no sources whatsoever to provide the clue. Buddhism educates people upon earth-harming behaviors and with time they alter their behaviors and become more conscious and caring thus protecting the environment. Buddhism believes that human do not have any difference with nature and therefore they should consider nature as themselves. Buddhism philosophy is more related to the deep ecology ideology. Buddha, who is a Buddhist believer sat under a bodhi tree and analyzed the environment and concluded that trees should have a special place in their world view. The Buddhism perception on nature and human beings is that, man should retreat from material desires and view nature a s sacred, hence protect God’s creation (Young pp 21). Buddhism responded to ecological crisis by showing â€Å"to others how the human species arose out of other life forms and hence an argument for our responsibility to ensuring the continuity of all life forms and their habitats, not just human life,† (Orton Para 9). They stated that, there is need for human beings transformation into another form of life in order to rule out the idea of anthropocentrism where by they view themselves as the only important creatures on earth. In addition to that, man should not be awarded credit or merit in the expense of other life forms but rather

Customer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Customer Behaviour - Essay Example Three key concepts, service quality, satisfaction, and customer loyalty are no longer the centre of creating a relationship with consumers. The latest trend in emphasis in relationship to the consumer is value (Foss 2011). Creating value for the consumer, or at the very least the appearance of value, has emerged as the economic crisis has created a dynamic in which economic restraint is in fashion. Therefore, expenditures are assessed for the value in contrast to the cost that is experienced by the consumer. While value may be at the forefront of the corporate goals in relationship to consumer expectations, service quality, satisfaction and customer loyalty comes through the value that is attached to a product or service. While these concepts may seem to have become set aside in favour of value, value is defined by these aspects so that the consumer feels they are getting the best possible service and product for their money. One cannot truly create value if quality and satisfaction are not met, and without quality and satisfaction, loyalty will not be the result. In trying to determine value, it is important to set criteria through which the company can operate and the consumer can perceive the value of their purchase. As an example, if a company can build computers for a lower rate, but still maintain high quality that have added an aspect of value for the consumer. ... Customer value comes when people become customers through repetitive buying behaviours, though adapting to the culture of the product line, and through becoming a resource that is then tapped in order to create further success. Understanding how customer value is achieved requires understanding consumer behaviour. Thus an understanding of the relationship between the organisation and the consumer can be achieved (Samover, Porter, and McDaniel 2011). The necessity to understand how value to the consumer and customer value is achieved must be attained through an understanding of relationships as they are defined through service quality, satisfaction and customer loyalty provides for the comprehensive understanding of customer value and in achieving value for the customer. Without the foundational concepts, the idea of value becomes a meaningless term with no basic understanding. It is essential that service quality, satisfaction and customer loyalty be involved in the construction of t he overall dynamic of the relationship that exists between the organisation and the consumer. Through these concepts, value is constructed Value The idea of value is based upon the exchange of use for benefit. From the perspective of the consumer, a product provides value through the benefits that are achieved in its use in comparison to the money that was spent to achieve the purpose that was intended. Value to a consumer, in this economic stage of history, is defined on a great number of levels, some of which are at the basic level, others residing at the level of self-actualisation. If Maslow’s Theory of Needs is applied to the concept of value, the basic needs such as food, shelter, and safety are

Separation of church and state Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Separation of church and state - Essay Example "   First coined by Thomas Jefferson in his letter to Danbury Baptists Association in 1802, the phrase ‘separation of church and state’ does not appear as such in the Constitution. But, in the First Amendment to the constitution, it is noted that Congress â€Å"shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof†, which in spirit translates to the sentiment expressed by Jefferson in his letter. Later, when the Supreme Court quoted Jefferson’s original phrase in one of its cases, it got assimilated into American legal parlance. 3- What is the secular or liberal point of view?   This governing principle is celebrated by liberal sections of American society. At the time of the country’s founding a vast majority of its people were believers of Christian faith. So, while separation of church and state was accepted at a nominal level, there was seldom any need to enforce it. But as more waves of immigrant s arrived on the country’s shores, bringing with them their native religious and cultural legacies, this principle found more frequent application in matters of public dispute. To this extent, liberal politicians and commentators much appreciate this separation. 4-What was the intent of the founding fathers   Even among the group of intellectuals now recognized as the founding fathers of the country there were arguments and disagreements.

Technology Forecasting Essay

Technology Forecasting Essay The various mathematical models being used to carry out forecasts sometimes lead to significant errors. This occurs because the development of new relationships is not taken into account and possible trends changes are considered negligible. A major failure in forecasting arises from the fact that social and political issues are not taken into consideration when forecasting is carried out. It is impossible to predict the future based only on past data. The models that do that are actually excluding qualitative parameters such as the opinion of the individuals. Therefore it is essential to use a different method for dealing with these problems. According to the theory of Godet, the future is not a continuation of the past but an â€Å"outcome of the wishes of various actors and the constraints imposed on them by the environment† (Godet 1982). The configuration of prices within an energy market depends a lot on the balance between the supply and demand for energy. In order to evaluate future energy price scenarios, it is necessary to mention the parameters that affect the supply-demand balance. In 1, some typical parameters are presented. Economic growth refers only to the quantity of goods and services produced. Energy is actually the driving force that moves every economic activity. The economy can be set in motion by specific activities that convert energy from naturally sources (e.g. solar, heat, wind, running water, fossil fuels and chemicals) into forms that will be used to produce goods and services. Eventually, a high economic growth rate implies urgent needs concerning the uninterrupted supply of energy. In response to that, the infrastructure network may choose to readjust the price of energy in order to cover the demand for stable power (Alam 2006). According to Shafiee and Topal (2008), high prices might indicate the threat of a physical scarcity of fossil fuels (e.g. oil, gas). If production cost increases, then producers will try to pass this cost to customers. Eventually, the price of energy will rise. When the population increases steadily and in combination with the desire for better living conditions, the demand for energy will increase too. This leads to the requirement for additional energy production which eventually will increase prices. When an energy market is characterized by the domination of one or at least two or three suppliers, then these companies may take advantage of the surge in demand and increase prices in order to make profits and cover financial losses. Environmental taxation is a tool that can be used to meet environmental and national objectives. In the case of energy production, the pollutant will try to pass this additional cost to the customer. Eventually, the inability of the producer to comply with specific rules concerning the environment, will force the consumers to pay more for the same amount of energy. 2) Among the elements that can influence the procedure of energy price planning, there are some parameters that can be quantified, such as population, economic growth, energy consumption, type of market and greenhouse gas emissions. According to 2, three possible scenarios concerning the evolution of the earths population are presented. By taking as a typical reference point the year 2050, the difference between the final results of the three scenarios is rather large. The current population of earth according to U.S. Census Bureau (2009) is 6,792,134,536 billions. This number compared with the three different results reveals three different change rates. Table 1: (Source: United Nations 2004). Current Population Scenario High Scenario Medium Scenario Low 6.79 billions 10.6 billions 8.9 billions 7.4 billions Change concerning current situation + 56.11% + 31.07% +8.98% Taking into consideration the current population of earth and the three scenarios, someone may conclude that the low scenario is impossible to occur in the future. If something unexpected takes place (e.g. fast spread of a certain virus, war, births control etc.) slight changes may occur and the three scenarios might arise in a different form. Another parameter that can affect the future scenarios of energy pricing is the magnitude of economic growth. Economic growth is often measured through the measurement of gross domestic product (GDP).According to 3, the average annual increase for the period 1981-2008, compared to the GDP of 1980 is 1334.56%. If someone takes into account the projections indicated by the red color, the average increase for the 34 year period is 1773.29%. The PPC S.A. (2009) generates 85% of the countrys electricity and holds 91% of lignite exploitation rights in Greece. Despite the liberalization of the electricity wholesale market which started in 2001, the PPC continues to enjoy a monopoly over access to lignite (EUbusiness 2009). Partially affected by this phenomenon, the price of electricity in Greece started to rise after the so-called liberalization (RIZOSPASTIS 2002; NAFTEMPORIKI 2005; RAE 2007; Media2Day Publishing S.A. 2007; iNews.gr 2009). The emissions of carbon dioxide are a parameter that can introduce an additional cost for every country. This is because the emissions that occur from the consumption of fossil fuels, provided that they are greater than a specific limit, are accompanied by a certain amount of money that will have to be submitted by the pollutant. According to the most recent plan for the emissions rights from 2008 to 2012, the following limits/emissions rights are attributed to the sector of electricity generation (Voutsadakis 2008): Total quantity: 328 million tones of carbon dioxide Electricity generation sector: 230 million tones of carbon dioxide PPC: 220 million tones of carbon dioxide If the structure of the electricity generation sector in Greece remains the same, beginning from 2013, 2.2 billion euros will have to be submitted for purchasing additional emissions rights. This is equal to 35 more euros for every MWh produced. Consequently the price of electricity will increase by approximately 45% compared to the current prices (Voutsadakis 2008). As mentioned in section 1, numerous parameters, some of which can easily be quantified, have to be taken into account in order to form future scenarios concerning the price of energy. Godet in â€Å"La Prospective† (Godet 1982) emphasizes on the lack of a global and qualitative approach concerning the forecasting process. Although quantitative methods are characterized by a high reliability, especially in short term forecasts, in the case of long time periods quantitative methods present many blind spots. This is justified by the fact that in a long time period, the probability for a person to face unexpected events is rather high. For this reason, it is not proper to depend only on mathematical methods to make forecasts. What is needed is a combination of both quantitative and qualitative methods. This is exactly what Godet (1982) proposes in his written work. Price of energy can not be cut off from the existence of phenomena, that even though can not be easily quantified, do affect in a significant level any action related to the energy scheme. For this reason, I totally accept the view of Godet, according to which forecasting apart from numbers should be based partially on assumptions, insight and judgment; each one of these factors depend a lot on the opinion of the individual. Experience curves can make accurate estimates about the evolution of technology cost. This requires the inclusion of the methodology limitations. Once the limitations are taken into account, experience curves can be an effective tool for every private or public firm dealing with technology issues. Experience curves describe the relation between past costs and cumulated production. This way it is possible for someone to estimate future costs through the extrapolation method. An important observation is that in order to obtain reliable experience curves, it is essential to apply the specific method to a wide set of cost-cumulative production numbers. Otherwise, the forecasts will be of low reliability. On the other hand, even when the learning curve is evaluated over a wide range of data, relatively dissimilar fits of the same set of numbers are possible to occur; each one of them is equally justifiable. The conclusion is that the output of a process can be described as the total of a procedure through which experience is gained and one for which no cost reductions occur. The experience gained from individual components explains why experience curves usually bend towards the horizontal axis; this indicates the slowdown of the cost change when a technology matures (Ferioli et al. 2009). The use of experience curves based on a single countrys data might designate many difficulties and uncertainties. When dealing with specific sectors of the energy market (e.g. wind energy) a global industry analysis is more useful; especially when someone is trying to forecast global cost issues related to the energy market (Junginger 2001). As mentioned in the first paragraph of this section, limitations of experience curves have to be taken into account. First of all, lets mention the advantages of this tool (Neij et al. 2003). 1. Experience curves describe how cost declines with cumulative production; the curve emphasizes the need of experience to realize cost reductions. It clearly illustrates that RDD programs cannot stand alone. 2. Experience curves can be used as a support in strategic decisions. 3. Experience curves can be used to analyze the effect of combined policy measures in terms of installed units and cost reductions. 4. Experience curves can be used to investigate the existence of national and international systems through which experience is possible to be obtained. 5. Experience curves can assist many individuals, such as financial analysts, industry, researchers and policy makers, in analyzing and assessing strategies and policy measures. Correspondingly, the limitations of the experience curves are the following (Neij et al. 2003): The success of this method depends on high-quality data. Unfortunately, uncertainty is an element that dominates in the international literature. Constructing trustworthy experience curves requires a basic understanding of the technology in question. In order to avoid misinterpretation during data analysis, specialists should be asked for their opinion before drawing any conclusions from experience curve analysis. Experience curves are a tool that must be combined with other methods of analysis of cost reduction sources. Even when a vast amount of data is available, it is possible to draw just conclusions on an aggregated level. For a detailed analysis, other data and tools are required. Experience curves do not show the effects of individual parameters, but the combined effect of several elements. The analysis of individual parameters requires additional analysis tools. The limitations of the experience curves arise from data availability. Due to their limitations complementary methods should also be taken into account. Experience curves should be considered as a generic tool for energy technology analysis. Technological forecasting is an effective tool in setting technology strategies. A large number of techniques have been evolved for technological forecasting. The quality of forecasts depends on the selected techniques. The selection can affect the accuracy and reliability of the forecast. According to Levary and Han (1995), a good choice of forecasting method should be based on the following factors: * Data availability * Degree of data validity * Number of variables affecting technology development * Degree of similarity between proposed technology and existing technologies According to the international literature, the elements that reduce the efficiency and accuracy of technological forecasting are the following (Mishra et al. 2002): Insufficiencies of Technological Forecasting I. Limitations of Quantitative Techniques  · Adaptability to current rate of technology change is low. * Many degrees of freedom in a rapid changing environment are difficult to address. * Complex mathematical models are difficult to comprehend and practice. * Accuracy, stability and reliability are negatively affected by long-term forecasts. * Lack of adequate past data. II. Limitations of Qualitative Techniques (Exploratory)  · Definition and selection of experts is difficult. * Individual bias enters into subjective assessment methods. * Validity of assumptions in scenario development tends to be uncertain with time. * Social, political and economic factors are usually neglected. * Sharp disruptions in trends and unexpected events are usually avoided. * Forecasts are sometimes carried out by someone who belongs to a specific organization. III. Limitations of Qualitative Techniques (Normative)  · The chosen data may be conveniently selected to fit a particular technology. * Technology at the bottom of the tree may be preconceived. IV. Human Related Problems with Forecasters * Selection of forecasters team is not correct. * There is a tendency to avoid information gathering and scanning prior to forecast. * Some forecasters lack imagination and/or nerve. V. Problems in Selection of Techniques * Monitoring prior to selection is lacking. * Validation of one technique by another is not carried out to reduce subjectivity. * Techniques do not incorporate performance measures. * Failures are not considered during the forecasts. According to the previous issues, the process of forecasting will deliver low reliability results if the limitations are not restricted. In order to improve the accuracy of technological forecasts, one of the issues that need to be addressed is the proper selection of technique. Apart from this, the complexity of technology has to be taken into account as well. Finally, in order to increase the validity of the results of the selected technique, it is recommended to use another technique; this will increase the reliability of the forecast (Mishra et al. 2002). It is generally accepted between forecast researchers that the combination of methods improves forecast accuracy (Mackay and Metcalfe 2002). Experts having access to high quality data and by taking into account the previously mentioned issues are able to make relatively high accuracy forecasts concerning the evolution in the sector of technology. On the other hand, someone may wonder how come people with no expertise in a specific technological sector, have the ability to make, most of the time, an almost accurate forecast about the technological changes that will occur in the future. There are many experiments carried out in various scientific areas that justify the ability of non-experts to make an accurate prediction. A research carried out by Austin Grigg, involved specialists, trainees and people with little to none expertise. The result of the experiment was the negligible difference (in favor of the experts) in the accuracy of the prediction between the specialists and the people with little knowledge (Armstrong 1980). This phenomenon is justified by the fact that people who do not have the necessary experience and tools for a scientific forecast, depend mainly on their insight (including myself) when they are asked to make a prediction. In the third section of this assessment project, the importance of the qualitative parameters was accepted. The most significant part of the qualitative element in a forecasting process is the insight. Its about the ability to predict something, not by depending on mathematical models and numbers, but on the identification of relationships and behaviors within a model, context, or scenario (Reay 2009). Therefore, when an individual is fully aware of the interactions among the qualitative parameters, that affect the evolution of an under-study issue and the issue itself, then a prediction carried out by this individual will have a high reliability degree, concerning the proper use and explanation of the qualitative data. The chosen case study for this section is the California electricity crisis of 2000 and 2001. The deregulation of the electricity market in California was expected to reduce the high retail prices of electricity. The result was exactly the opposite compared to the initial purpose; wholesale prices increased even more, customers experienced interruptions in supply of energy and utilities bankrupted. Among the crisis roots, the following factors are included:  · The absence of additional generating capacity.  · The unexpected dry season and spikes in natural gas prices (California was greatly depended on the operation of hydro plants and natural gas).  · The market infrastructure allowed power generation firms to control wholesale prices in the power exchange market.  · The delay and inability of regulators to predict the crisis and appropriate respond to this phenomenon. In 4.2, someone may observe that power plant outages increased during the crisis period; this affected in a high degree the magnitude of blackouts that customers experienced. The yellow strip bars indicate an average increase of 8759 MW for the months January, March and May of 2001 compared to the corresponding months of 1999 and 2000. According to 7, the dawn of deregulation indicates a rather smooth trend concerning the evolution of wholesale market prices; what was expected to occur had nothing to do with the sharp increase of prices that took place after that period. The increase in retail prices ( 8-2001 to 2003) was not expected, either because the deregulation was expected to establish low prices or because past data indicated that low prices ( 8-red dots) were likely to occur in the years to come. A key point, totally irrelevant to statistical data and concerning the flaws of forecasting techniques applied before the incident of California, will be analyzed in the next lines. When the State and the regulators of California implemented the deregulation system that was successfully adopted first by other countries (Woo et al. 2003), they proceeded in specific changes (e.g. imposition of retail price caps, partial deregulation) without trying to carry out a detailed study about the complex Californian energy scheme. In other words, what might had been successful somewhere else, it was considered as a guaranteed success in the case of California. Additionally, if the adjustment of energy market infrastructure and potential manipulations had been taken into account by examining the validity of alternative scenarios concerning the risk of deregulating the Californian electricity market, certain mechanisms able to respond to a future crisis would have probably been developed. According to the previous comments, it is obvious that forecasting methods that rely exclusively on historical data trends, they ignore the opinion of individuals and do not take into account the conditions that prevail in the environment where the under-analysis phenomenon develops. Thus, any forecasts made are of low validity and reliability. The following table contains the data for the installed nuclear capacity between 1965 and 1985. These data have been highlighted with the green color. Table 2: (Source: Nuclear Energy Agency n.d.). Years Installed Capacity (GW) 1965 5 1970 16 1975 72 1980 136 1985 253 1990 326 1995 345 2000 352 2002 359 2005 368 By using the available data of table 2, the period 1965-1985 will be used as a reference time (instead of 1967-1987). Respectively, predictions will be made for the period 1990-2005. Forecast method: Trend Source: Excel Years Installed Capacity (GW) 1965 5 1970 16 1975 72 1980 136 1985 253 1990 281.20 1995 342.80 2000 404.40 2002 429.04 2005 466.00 Forecast method: Linear extrapolation Source: Excel Years Installed Capacity (GW) 1965 5 1970 16 1975 72 1980 136 1985 253 1990 280.80 1995 342.40 2000 404.00 2002 428.64 2005 465.60 Forecast method: Logarithmic extrapolation Source: Excel Years Installed Capacity (GW) 1965 5 1970 16 1975 72 1980 136 1985 253 1990 282.64 1995 343.67 2000 404.55 2002 428.86 2005 465.28 Forecast method: Polynomial extrapolation Source: Excel Years Installed Capacity (GW) 1965 5 1970 16 1975 72 1980 136 1985 253 1990 ≈ 400 1995 ≈ 590 2000 ≈ 790 2002 ≈ 900 2005 ≈ 1000 It is obvious that among all the extrapolation-forecasting techniques, the one with the lowest divergence from the actual data is the logarithmic extrapolation method followed by the linear technique. On the other hand, none of the used methods was able to give high accuracy forecasts because the nuclear installed capacity evolution was highly affected by the incident of Chernobyl. The various mathematical methods can not express the fear of the scientific community to abandon the development of nuclear sector. According to 9, knowing that the incident of Chernobyl occurred in 1986, it is obvious that the rapid increase in nuclear installed capacity started to decline approximately 4 years (1990) after the incident of Chernobyl. Based on 10 and table 3, someone may conclude that the energy balance in Europe is highly depended on the operation of Gazprom. Table 3: (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration 2008). Country 2006 % of Domestic NG Consumption Germany 37% Turkey 64% Italy 25% France 20% Czech Republic 79% Poland 47% Hungary 54% Slovakia 100% Austria 74% Finland 100% Romania 28% Bulgaria 96% Greece 82% Serbia Montenegro 87% Croatia 37% Slovenia 64% Switzerland 12% Skopje 100% According to table 3, Greece dependency on Gazproms natural gas is approximately 82%. This share indicates that a potential crisis in natural gas supply could lead to significant problems in sectors such as domestic heating and gas-fired power plants. Greece as a major energy user Greece has insignificant domestic reserves of oil and gas and relies greatly on energy imports. In 2006, the total energy consumption was 1.4 Quadrillion Btu. The distribution of this amount of energy can be located on 11. Although the share of natural in total energy consumption is not very high ( 11), the high dependency degree on Gazprom supply and the decreasing reserves of Greece in natural gas, would result in significant impacts in the energy balance of Greece. Provided that I would be somehow involved in the coordination of the energy planning of my country, I would propose the following measures. 1. Greece already has one natural gas import terminal situated at Revithoussa (DESFA 2007). The supplier is the Algerian company Sonatrach. The first thing that someone would have to do is to estimate the additional quantity that this company could provide to Greece on an annual basis. Then, proceed in reducing the imported natural gas from Gazprom by the same amount. 2. The countries currently facing problems with the natural gas supply from Russia are Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Skopje, Romania and Turkey. Partial supply decreases have also been reported by Austria (90%), Slovakia (70%), the Czech Republic (75%) and Hungary. Another solution to the problem could be the restart of Unit 3 at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant. Kozloduy-3 was shutdown in December 2006 as part of an agreement with the European Union, which was concerned about inadequate safety levels. However, Bulgarias EU accession treaty apparently allows closed reactors to be temporarily re-started in the event of an acute energy shortage (Resnicoff 2009). 3. Rational use of energy, especially in sectors being supplied by natural gas, would be the last recommendation by my side. 9) The first and the third proposed measure can be characterized as a necessary but conservative approach. The proposed energy policy of Greece towards an energy crisis must ensure the energy security of the country. Taking into consideration the great dependence on energy imports in Greece, the out of the box solutions seems to be enough risky. More precisely, the improvement on the penetration of RES is a conservative and safe solution. Additionally energy efficiency and rational use of energy can be described as an incremental approach too. The out of the box solutions in the proposed response include new natural gas suppliers and improvement on energy storage capacity. The first solution is possible to lead to disturbances between Greece and Russia and the second one might require a large capital invested in various storage methods. Regardless the type of the response (out of the box or conservative-incremental approach) that someone might propose, both approaches have their merits and limitations. The adoption of a conservative approach offers a sense of security. Usually this kind of solutions can be accomplished easily due to the fact that includes measures that have been tested in previous similar situations. Also there are various limitations for this kind of approach. For instance, the increase of RES in Greek fuel mix has the following barriers. The legal framework and the authorization procedure can be described as complex procedures. In many cases this can frustrate many small investors. Another limitation is the inhibitive cost for the interconnection to the grid (mostly for reinforcement or construction of new network lines). Additionally for larger stations (more than _20MW) and in certain areas with very high wind potential there is lack of sufficient High Voltage (HV) system capacity. Due to enviro nmental restrictions and local community protests, expansion of the HV system is in some cases completely blocked. Finally, in the case of wind farms, public acceptability is also an issue in certain cases, basically due to visual impact or other reasons (Hatziargyriou, 2007). The adoption of an out o box solution in the case of an energy crisis might be risky. For this reason, this type of approach could be followed by conservative solutions ensuring that the energy security of the country will remain sufficient in any case. As it is mentioned before, Greece began receiving gas from Azerbaijan and the relative imports will likely increase as the Turkey-Greece interconnector is further utilized. This can be described as an out o box solution that can lead to imbalances between Greece and Russia, reducing the amount of Russian natural gas in Greece. On the other hand, the competition among various natural gas suppliers will have a positive effect on the corresponding energy prices. T o sum up, both approaches have advantages and disadvantages. The selection of an appropriate crisis management scheme is a complicate procedure and requires mature choices taken by veteran politicians. In addition an out o box solution for Greece may be a conservative incremental approach for another country that is an energy exporter or a country that has a stronger economy or better international relationships than Greece. 10) References Alam, S.M. (2006). Economic Growth With Energy [online]. [Accessed 24 December 2009]. Available from: . Armstrong, S.J. (1980). The Seer-Sucker Theory: The Value of Experts in Forecasting [online]. [Accessed 1 January 2010]. Available from: . Cabral, L. (2002). The California energy crisis. Japan and the World Economy [online]. 14(3), [Accessed 5 January 2010], p.335-339. Available from: . California Energy Commission (2009). Utility-wide Weighted Average Retail Electricity Prices [online]. [Accessed 6 January 2010]. Available from: . Consumer Watchdog (2002). How Deregulation Let the Power Industry Steal $71 Billion From California [online]. [Accessed 5 January 2010]. Available from: . DESFA (2007). Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal at Revythousa [online]. [Accessed 7 January 2010]. Available from: . Energy Information Administration (2009). Greece Energy Data, Statistics and Analysis Oil, Gas, Electricity, Coal [online]. [Accessed 7 January 2010]. Available from:

Human Necessity :: Religion Christianity Papers

Human Necessity Today, we live in a world where the question, "why?" proceeds nearly every statement or action. We live in a society where faith alone, for most, is not enough to justify belief. In her novel Regeneration, Pat Barker shows us this need to question by referring to the Gospel of Saint Luke. On page 106, Dr. Rivers recites Luke 4:23 to himself: "Ye will sure say unto me this proverb. Physician heal thyself." Barker uses this Biblical reference to develop a theme concurrent with the entire novel: our innate human need to seek justification for actions. The phrase, "Ye will surely say unto me this proverb. Physician heal thyself," is spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Saint Luke. Saint Luke tells us that at the age of 30 Jesus began his public ministry. Prior to his preaching, he had worked as a simple carpenter in the city of Nazareth (New International Version Bible, Luke 3:23). Upon hearing about the arrest of John the Baptist, Jesus left Nazareth and went to Capernaum, a city close to the Jordan River. In Capernaum, Jesus began his teachings. Jesus would preach in synagogues and perform miracles: casting out demons, making the paralyzed walk, and relieving deadly fevers from the sick ("Capernaum"). News of the coming of a Messiah spread all over Galilee, including to Jesus' hometown of Nazareth, where the residents had never known Jesus as the Messiah, or as a man who could perform miracles. To the residents of Nazareth, Jesus was merely a simple carpenter. For thirty years, the people of Nazareth had referred to Jesus as "The Perfect Man," but never had witnessed a miracle or anything that would prompt them to think more highly of Jesus (Gledenhuys 167). The residents of Nazareth had heard of Jesus' miracles at Capernaum and were eager to see if this man, whom they had known since birth, was what he claimed to be. Jesus began preaching to the Nazarenes, but as he spoke the residents began to grumble and question each other: "Isn't this Joseph's son?" (New International Version Bible, Luke 4:22). They did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, because they had not seen any physical evidence; they had not witnessed a miracle. Jesus, sensing their lack of faith, says to them, "Y e will surely say unto me this proverb. Physician heal thyself" (New International Version Bible, Luke 4:23).

My Favourite Personality

MY FAVOURITE PERSONALITY Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan As arrow of time moves, the Will of God prevails and is focused on the emergence of humans endowed with exceptional intellectual capabilities and creative abilities. Such are the men who, by their good deeds, fulfill the edict of God, as revealed in the Holy Quran: â€Å"I have created man in the best of forms. † (Al Quran; Surah 95; Ayah 04) These are the people, who are destined to make history in the elevation of nations.Such is the personality of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, who is my favourite personality, who was born in Bhopal on April 1, 1936. As the time has unfolded itself, the Godly qualities enshrined in the words â€Å"Qadeer† symbolized in the name of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan have raised the Pakistani nation to new heights in high technology. After receiving his early education in Bhopal, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan obtained the degree of Bachelor of Science in 1960 from the University of Karachi.Subsequently, he studied in Berlin, West Germany, Holland and Belgium and achieved high competence through attending several courses in metallurgical engineering. The restless soul of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan took him to several laboratories in Europe including Uranium Enrichment Plant in Holland. The scientific contributions of Dr. Khan have been recognized in several ways. As an active scientist and technologist, he has published more than 188 scientific research papers in international journals of high repute.It is entirely due to his efforts that the process of enrichment of Uranium was successfully completed in Pakistan. This breakthrough ultimately resulted in the historic explosion of six nuclear bombs on May 28 and May 30, 1998. Dr. Khan is the only Pakistani to have received the highest civil award of â€Å"Nishan-i-Imtiaz† twice. He is a person imbued with the spirit of serving the cause of Pakistan and Muslim Ummah through his able researches, high acumen, intellectual robustness and unwavering devotion.He has been awarded 42 gold medals by various national institutions and organizations. As an ardent supporter of higher education, he sits on the Boards of Governors and Syndicates of numerous universities and institutes. It is rare that a person in single life time accomplishes so much. This is done only by men who are endowed with special abilities by God and who prepare themselves through hard work and devotion to fulfill the mission of serving mankind. May Allah guide our youngsters to the path, which is presented by Dr. Khan.

How Long Does it Take to Become a Nurse

How Long Does it Take to Become a Nurse Jobs for nurses are predicted to grow by nearly 20 percent in the 10 year period between 2012 and 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is credited to a â€Å"perfect storm,† of factors, including the entrance of millions of new Americans into the healthcare system due to the Affordable Care Act and the aging of the Baby Boomer population resulting not only in more patients in need of care, but also in an exodus of retiring nurses. If you’re one of the many people considering field of nursing, here’s what you need to know about what it takes. Many Different Educational PathwaysThere are several types of nurses, each of which involves a different time commitment. For example, to become a certified nurse assistant (CNA), an Associate’s degree from a two-year community college program and the passing of a certification exam suffices. Registered nurses (RNs) require a four-year Bachelor’s degree along with licensure, while nurse p ractitioners (NPs) must meet the requirements of RNs and also undertake a Master’s degree in the field. Additionally, nurses looking to advance their careers or take on administrative and teaching roles may choose to pursue the Ph.D. in Nursing.In additional to traditional routes, accelerated and online programs offer more opportunities than ever for prospective nurses to get the education they need to enter the field.When choosing a nursing school, selecting one that is accredited is paramount. Not only will a degree from an accredited institution help you get a job, but it also ensures that your education meets the prescribed standards of excellence in the field.What to Expect in Nursing SchoolWhile there’s no universal nursing school curriculum, students enrolled in nursing programs can expect to take coursework in a broad range of topics, including biology, physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, psychology, chemistry, and nutrition.However, a nursing education is not s trictly procured in the classroom. The typical curriculum also includes a clinical portion in which students learn and practice skills in healthcare settings while interacting with patients and their families.The Cost of Nursing SchoolDepending on the school you attend and type of program, the cost of nursing school varies widely. For example, programs at community colleges and states schools will cost significantly less than at private institutions. According to Nursing360, the total cost for nursing school - including everything from tuition to supplies to state nursing license exams - can range between $5,000 and $40,000 per semester.Online nursing schools can also offer a reduced cost nursing education, particularly if you factor in funds saved on everything from commuting costs to living expenses. Nursing360 further estimates that the average semester cost of attending an online nursing school is approximately $7,500 per semester.While nursing school involves an investment of both time and money, there are also plenty of rewards. Not only does a career in nursing promise job security and an average salary of just under $70,000 for RNs and just over $95,000 for NPs, it also comes with something truly invaluable: the chance to make a difference in the lives of people in need.

Ethical Issues in Supply Chain

Ethical Issues in Supply Chain Introduction Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the integration of critical business operations in order to efficiently provide products and services to customers (Tariq Rehman, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues in Supply Chain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Relationships along the supply chain generally tend to show how collaborating companies come together to offer reliable services that enable them retain their customers. Zaratà ©, Belaud and Camilleri (2008), defined a supply chain as a set of three or more companies linked together by the flow of products, finance, services, and information in an ideally seamless web. In the supply chain, companies move things, make things, store things, and throw things away. It is a part of an organization’s strategy to stay ahead of its competitors. Supply chain management thus has to do with the integration of both ethical and operational practic es of a company and is a proven way to reduce the chances of a company being seen to be irresponsible. This paper addresses the general nature of a supply chain as a human artifact with the potential for greatness and for failure like any other. The exact nature of the possible failures and successes are discussed, and the ethical issues are highlighted with regard to finance, research and development, and supplier/vendor management. E-commerce and Supply Chain Today, supply chain is widely recognized as a means of shortening cycle time, reducing inventories, decreasing logistic costs, and streamlining communication processes across a network. It is a mechanism through which diverse organizations are able to form alliances to meet a new form of Internet oriented consumer demand. For companies intending to take their supply chain to positions of market leadership, the addition of e-commerce services is a distinct advantage (Poirier Bauer, 2001).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For many firms, e-commerce provides a strong foundation on which the supply chain can be built and strengthened. The availability of the Internet infrastructure and accompanying services present an incredible opportunity for companies to form supply chain networks that are smooth and effective. According to Ferrell and Hartline (2010), the goal of a supply chain is to facilitate the flow of goods or services across a network. This is, however, best achieved by ensuring that there is a smooth flow of information. Without an effective way of exchanging information, supply chain performance will be affected. E-commerce is thus an effective means of integrating customers and suppliers via the Web. Ethical Issues in Supply Chain According to Ferrell and Hartline (2010), true supply chain integration requires a fundamental change in how channel members work together. Among th ese changes is a move from a win-lose competitive attitude to a win-win collaborative approach in which there is a common realization that all firms in the supply chain must prosper. Rather than selling to the next level in the chain, channel members focus on selling products through the channel, to a satisfied customer. Information flows are meant to move from guarded secrecy to open, honest and frequent communications (Ferrell Hartline, 2010). In doing this, however, there are many ethical issues that must be addressed in order to satisfy the expectations of supply chain members. Generally, ethical questions center on whether actions are right or wrong, good or bad, bringing good or harm, are praise worthy or worthy of blame.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues in Supply Chain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Achieving a high degree of channel integration is a challenging task and the reasons for this are almost easily noticeable. In the first place, each firm has its own mission, goals, objectives, and strategies that are unique to it. Secondly, the recognition and acceptance of mutual interdependence within the supply chain goes against our natural self interest seeking tendencies (Ferrell Hartline, 2010). The following subsections look at some of these issues classified into three broad categories. Under each category, ethical issues are discussed with regard to the topics of finance, research and development, and supplier/vendor management. Regulatory Issues Financially, adherence to accounting rules and regulations is an important regulatory issue. It is wrong for any supply chain member to indulge in any form of corruption that may affect other supply chain members. Supply chain management professionals must therefore take it upon themselves to alert senior management of any suspicious activities that could affect supply chain performance. As far as research and developmen t is concerned, all the supply chain members have an obligation to ensure that relevant regulatory guidelines are followed strictly. Although compliance with product related regulations such as the EU directive on restriction of hazardous substances is primarily the responsibility of manufacturing departments, supply chain professionals must ensure that their research and development activities do not go against such directives.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is also necessary for supply chain professionals to be aware of the main regulatory issues raised by the existing diversity of regulations in different countries. The geographic range of governmental regulation extends from planning commissions via regional, state, and national governments to global and intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations or European Union. A recent example of an international, intergovernmental agreement of relevance to supply chains is the Kyoto Protocol which entered into force in 2005. The protocol established binding requirements for the reduction of certain green house gas emissions at national, and consequently, at company level. With regard to supplier/vendor management, it is the responsibility of each member of the supply chain to ensure that all regulatory issues are observed. In most countries, regulatory issues have to do with carriage and handling of goods, employment and working conditions, road safety, drivers’ hours, health and safety, pollution prevention, environmental protection, noise protection and many others. Besides these complexities, there is also a growing variety of regulatory instruments directly or indirectly related to logistics and transport. These include laws, directives, technical specifications, bans, and rules. To guarantee that the supply chain relationship operates smoothly, all members of the chain must be accountable. Every member should seek to protect the interests of other supply chain members and any company that refuses to comply with the regulatory requirements should be warned. Legal Issues Financially, any disagreements that end up in the courts will lead to huge financial loses to the involved parties. Such misunderstandings eventually damage the reputation of the affected supply chain partners in the eyes of the public. In most cases, small firms in the supply chain are made to suffer if the big firms decide to make nasty decisions (Zaratà © et al, 2008). Con sider the case of a manufacturer who operates through a dealer network. If the manufacturer chooses to distribute through its own factory outlets in addition to the dealer network, a number of ethical issues with financial implications may arise. The dealer may, for example, start distributing products from other firms in addition, switch completely to another manufacturer, move to court in case the involved parties had a contract signed and there is proof that the other party has not honored their part of the deal. This is certainly not inspiring and, depending on the dealer’s power in the market, the company may have a reason to be worry as the dealer may decide to respond in a way that may harm the company. With their meager resources, small firms may not be in a position to engage in lengthy legal tussles. Any involvement by such firms in legal wars will only serve to create financial problems. Under research and development, all supply chain members must be ready to abid e by the agreed upon rules. Any research and development activities must be undertaken in line with the existing legal requirements. Supply chain professionals must be familiar with legal requirements in different geographical areas so as to ensure that any research done does not put the supply chain members at risk. A common error is the lack of respect for intellectual property rights. This is a crime that if discovered could prompt the offended party to open a legal suit against the offending supply chain member. It is therefore essential for all supply chain members to respect and protect intellectual property rights. When it comes to supplier/vendor management, all supply chain members must do their best to protect any private information linked to a particular chain partner. In most situations, leakage of private information easily creates an environment of mistrust and this can affect the performance of the supply chain. Although there are cases where it is common for private information to be shared among members of the supply chain, including those who are competitors of the firm that gave the information, this may sometimes be taken wrongly. Therefore, it is important for supply chain members to know when it is in order to share private information and when doing so will constitute a serious criminal offence that could see the end of the supply chain relationship and give rise to a civil law suit (Zaratà © et al, 2008). Ethical Issues For most firms, a reduction in the number of employees is an important cost cutting element. There are, however, ethical and unethical ways of going about the downsizing task. The less ethical way is an abrupt shutdown of a facility without notice (Neef, 2004). If not handled ethically, this can lead to a damaged reputation for the company. As an example, Caterpillar has never recovered from the local loss of reputation it incurred in the United Kingdom from its abrupt closure of a factory. It is important to treat peo ple as an end in themselves and never just as a means to an end (Zaratà © et al, 2008). A firm that understands the art of dealing with people will seek to remove them by redeployment, by voluntary release supported by a payout, by providing counseling and consultancy and, perhaps by providing an office and a phone to assist them in their job search. A reputation for being a good employer in bad times is likely to give firm a great advantage when business picks up again (Neef, 2004). Clearly, the way downsizing is carried out will have severe financial implications on the supply chain members. Unfortunately, a mistake by one member of the supply chain may equally affect other supply chain members. When a downsizing activity is not properly handled by a particular chain member, the smoothness of the supply chain operations may be interfered with and may be left in an unhappy state. This in turn creates a wrong impression of the affected companies in the eyes of the customers and eve ntually, loss of income to the supply chain members. It is therefore important for all supply chain members to take a human approach in handling issues that may eventually interfere with cash flow. Unlike in the past, business organizations are today faced with pressure from various sources including government, consumer forums, and competition to improve upon working conditions in their supply chain. As far as research and development is concerned, supply chain professionals must ensure that all supply chain members undertake their activities in a selfless manner. Every supply chain member must carry out honest research that is directed towards ensuring that the customer receives the best products or services. No avenues should exist for supply chain members to take advantage of and carry out substandard research. At the supplier/vendor management level, a number of issues may arise given that supply chain members possess different resources, skills, and advantages that may lead to varying degrees of authority or power in managing or controlling the activities across a supply chain. Depending on how it is used by a channel member, power can create considerable conflict, or it can make the entire supply chain operate more smoothly and effectively. The different types of power include expert power, reward power, legitimate power, coercive power, and referent power (Rendtorff, 2009). It is unethical for any supply chain member to use power to treat others unfairly. Conclusion In the present business environment, where stiff competition is the order of the day, it is not enough to be an ethical company. The choice of partners is equally an important consideration and must be taken seriously. Generally, the adoption of ethical practices may have positive effects on brand image, perception and loyalty both in customers and in suppliers. Failure to have ethical policies or to apply them in practice exposes members of the supply chain to significant risks with respec t to both brand perception and legal issues. As has been demonstrated in this paper, a number of ethical issues must be considered in a supply chain context. To protect themselves from allegations of social irresponsibility, organizations need to consider very carefully those companies they do business with. Although carrying out a thorough financial audit of potential partners is important, any firm that intends to form a supply chain must be ready to go an extra mile in understanding partners. Focusing only on financial viability of a potential partner may ultimately have an adverse impact on the operations of a supply chain member. To some stakeholders, effective management of the issues in supply chain is one of the indicators of how well a company is ethically run. Supply chain members are therefore left with no option but to work extremely hard in ensuring that an effective and ethically managed supply chain exists. By so doing, the collaborating companies will be able to reta in their loyal customers and attract new customers. References Ferrell, O. C. Hartline, M. (2010). Marketing Strategy. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Neef, D. (2004). The Supply Chain Imperative. New York, NY: AMACOM Division of American Management Association. Poirier, C. C. Bauer, M. J. (2001). E-Supply Chain: Using the Internet to Revoltionize Your Business: How Market Leaders Focus Their Entire Organization to Driving Value to Customers. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Rendtorff, J. D. (2009). Responsibility, Ethics and Legitimacy of Corporations. Copenhagen, Denmark: Copenhagen Business School Press DK. Tariq, M. Rehman, S. (2012). From Suppliers’ Supplier to the Buyers’ Buyers A Relationship Perspective. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 3 (11): 604 – 610. Zaratà ©, P., Belaud, J. P. Camilleri, G. (2008). Collaborative Decision Making: Perspectives and Challenges. Fairfax, VA: IOS Press, Inc.

Drunk Driving in America and Penalty Research Paper

Drunk Driving in America and Penalty - Research Paper Example In order to deal with the dilemma of drunk driving every state has formulated and implemented different sets of drunk driving laws, enforcements, courts and procedure of punishment. It is found that sometimes the complexity of the laws allow the offenders to escape without facing any punishment whereas the offenders can also avoid the conviction through plea bargain. The experts have identified some flaws in the drunken driving laws and have called for making some necessary changed in the punishment structure to avoid further cases of drunken driving accidents. The essay aims to discuss the effects of drunk driving and the laws made to prevent drunk driving. The essay also examines the effectiveness of these laws and need to make them stricter. Effects of Drunk Driving Drunk driving draws serious and long lasting impacts upon the health and lives of the people involved however, it is commonly observed that people are not well aware of the serious consequences of this habit and they r ealize it very late. The seriousness of the drunken driving impact could be estimated from the fact that every thirty minute a person is killed and every two minute a person is injured in America due to drunk driving. ... Thousands of people are killed every year in America as a result of such accidents and thousands of other got injuries when they got involved in the accidents where the driver is drunk (Hedlund and McCartt, 2002). The drunk driving also because damage of property, vehicles and other objects that came in the circle of the vehicle being driven by a drunk driver. Hence, drunk driving cause both financial and human loss and has become a very tough challenge for the society (Scott, 2006). Drunk driving is very common in America. Almost 21percent of the Americans have informed that they have driven after drinking in the part years which means that millions of trips are taken by the drunk drivers each year, many of them resulted in accidents and injuries. Though there are several laws formulated to prevent drinking driving but these laws are not very harsh. The arrests of the drunk drivers are very rare in America because people are usually released after warning or small punishment. There is need to develop improved drunk driving control system in order to assure that the people who drive after drinking are arrested consistently and are also convicted and punished according to the law. People must be made aware that they have to face stick legal procedure when they will catch involved in the drunken driving incident (Valle, 1986). Drunk Driving Laws and Punishments The effects of drunk driving have compelled the states to crack down on the offenders of the drinking driving laws and to make the legal framework more effective to deal with such people in very harsh manner. The terms DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated) are commonly used to refer to the offenders of the drinking driving laws and it is strongly demanded

Discuss the role of the world trade organisation (WTO) in the 21st Essay

Discuss the role of the world trade organisation (WTO) in the 21st century in global trading - Essay Example The world trade organization is a global international body that deals with the rules of trade between countries. It was established in 1995 with the Marrakech agreement, which was signed by 123 countries (Jones, 2015). Its main objective is to provide the framework for negotiation between participating countries during the trade. It also regulated trade rules and regulations between member states to ensure smooth running of trade activities. It is run and managed by its member governments and the members normally make all major decisions as a whole. The member states send their representatives who help in making decisions on behalf of their countries. The representatives of the member states meet after every two years to make major decisions regarding the running of the organization. The ambassadors and delegates of the member states are expected to meet regularly for decision making whenever necessary in Geneva. The world trade organization is managed by the Secretariat, which has skilled experts in all sectors of the economy who assist in the smooth running of sector’s specific tasks (Schefer, 2010). The world trade organization has many roles, objectives, and functions, which make it important in international trade (Ahearn & Fergusson, 2010). The first role of this noble body is to conduct and manage implementation, operation, and administration of the agreements covered in their constitution. The world trade organization is supposed to oversee the formation of trade agreements, their implementation, their administration, and their operation (Sampson, 2005). It also ensures that member states lower their tariffs and remove other barriers that restrict free trade between countries. This helps countries to conduct trade freely without many challenges. The next role played by the world trade organization is to provide forums for business negotiations and settling of disputes between member states (Alexander & Andenà ¦s, 2008). Although