Monday, September 30, 2019

Old Company Case Essay

We are a very old company, but we recognise that our customers are changing, so we continually develop new products to reflect this. David Lee, managing director, Lee Kum Kee Company2 The problem with a lot of family-controlled local brands that have a long history behind them is that it’s very easy to become old and run out of steam. – Antony Chow, vice-president for Greater China, RSCG (an advertising agency)3 The sauce company Lee Kum Kee, one of the best known Hong Kong brands, certainly did not have the problem mentioned above, although it did have a long history that began in 1888, and was run by the same family through four generations. The company was founded by Lee Kam Sheung as a small oyster-sauce manufacturer in Guangdong Province, China. It relocated to Macau in the early 1900s, moved once more to Hong Kong after World War II, and was based there in the decades afterwards. Lee Kum Kee was already expanding beyond the Guangdong-Macau-Hong Kong distribution network in the 1920s to North America, when it was also making shrimp paste. In the 1970s and 1980s, after the torch passed to thirdgeneration leader Lee Man Tat, there was a diversification of geographical markets as well as products at a very quick pace. Lee Man Tat’s sons, who were educated in the West, inherited the leadership from their father in the 1990s, and the pace of modernisation and diversification continued while the Company’s marketing strategy remained as vigorous and Vincent Mak prepared this Case under the supervision of Dr. Chi Kin (Bennett) Yim for class discussion. This case is not intended to show effective or ineffective handling of decision or business processes. This Case is part of the Trade & Industry Department SME case series funded by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Trade and Industry Department SME Development Fund. Any opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material/event (by members of the project team) do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Trade and Industry Department or the vetting committee for the SME Development Fund.  © 2003 by The Centre for Asian Business Cases, The University of Hong Kong. The Company moreover overcame a consumer-confidence crisis — called 3-MPCD crisis — in the late 1990s and early 2000s and continued to thrive. By early 2003, Lee Kum Kee had already developed more than 200 sauces. Its distribution network covered 60 countries in five continents, and its products were available in more than 80 countries. What lessons about strategic brand management can we learn from the way Lee Kum Kee developed, maintaine d and expanded the reach of its products over a whole century? What lessons about crisis management does the Company’s handling of the 3-MPCD crisis offer? Lee Kam Sheung was born in 1868 in Qibao, a village in Xinhui, Guangdong Province, China. Threat from local gangsters forced him to leave his farming life and move to a small island called Nam Shui in the same province, where oysters were abundant. Lee opened a small restaurant there, often using oysters as stock for soups. One day, while cooking oysters, he absent-mindedly walked away for a long time, so that when he remembered the oysters and looked at the soup, it had already become a thick, strongly aromatic liquid, which he found delicious. Hence the birth of Lee’s oyster sauce, which he began producing under the brand name of Lee Kum Kee in 1888 (â€Å"Kee† meaning â€Å"company† in local Cantonese). In 1902, a fire destroyed Lee Kam Sheung’s manufacturing plant, and he moved to nearby Macau, where oysters were also abundant. He began to sell shrimp paste as well as oyster sauce, and his business soon covered Guangdong, Macau and Hong Kong. Of Lee Kam Sheung’s three sons and two daughters, the eldest son died young, and the family business passed to his two remaining sons, Lee Shiu Tang and Lee Shiu Nan. The former was responsible for marketing while the latter took up product quality and improvements to production procedures. The Company’s products were already selling successfully among the Chinese immigrant population in North American cities at that time. The company opened a Hong Kong branch in 1932 while expanding to meet the increasing demands of overseas markets. In 1946, after the Second World War, the two brothers moved their headquarters to Hong Kong, where the prospering economic climate was more conducive for businesses. The 1970s and 1980s5 Lee Man Tat, son of Lee Shiu Tang, took over as Company chairman in 1972, taking the Company to new heights. His era was marked by agile and flexible marketing; production enhancements through the automation and modernisation of production techniques; further expansion of geographical markets and sales networks, and large-scale diversification of sauce products. One of Lee Man Tat’s important early moves was to launch a new brand called Panda Oyster Sauce, capturing the hype caused by the Chinese government’s gift of a pair of pandas to US President Richard Nixon during his visit to China in 1971. The Panda brand was created as a result of slow growth in the Company’s traditional product, premium oyster sauce, which was too expensive for many families. Panda Oyster Sauce was reasonably priced and was expected to have stronger market penetration power. The brand, however, did not secure a good foothold at once, but after some effective marketing efforts it became a hit and outperformed the old labels.   Lee Man Tat learned from the success of the Panda brand that he needed to cater to different market segments. He soon launched a string of new products and brands at different prices and for different tastes, such as chilli sauce, sweet and sour sauce, chicken marinade and curry sauce. These products did well particularly in North American Chinese restaurants. In 1980, the Company, which was still quite small, with only 25 staff, began exploring the Mainland Chinese market. It was extremely difficult for them at the start, as they knew little about the market. Everything they exported to the Mainland was wrong, from the products themselves to packaging and prices, according to Lee Man Tat’s son Eddy Lee Wai Man, who joined the Company in 1980.6 The Company then reduced the number of products for the Mainland market from 50 to 15, in order to focus its promotional efforts. The products gradually became well-received in the Mainland, although delayed payment from retailers emerged as a problem. In the 1980s, Lee Man Tat’s four sons — Eddy, David, Charlie and Sammy — returned with different US degrees to Hong Kong within a couple of years of each other and joined the Company as interns.7 They all started their stints with low-level duties but as their managerial involvement increased, they began to introduce more and more new concepts from the West. When Lee Kum Kee celebrated its first 100 years in 1988, the Company changed its logo to symbolise its vision of â€Å"building a cultural bridge between East and West with our sauce products†. The Company underwent still greater changes after the 1980s. As Eddy Lee took on more and more leadership responsibility, becoming managing director and then chairman of the group, he and his brothers unleashed new initiatives that combined the flexible strategic approach of their father with Western business thinking. Quality and modernised branding were emphasised, as was an up-to-date information technology system. New Products, Brand Building and Market Expansion In 1992, the Company launched a super premium gourmet sauce called XO sauce, which was made from dried scallop, ham and dried shrimp, and had a variety of applications on noodles, porridge, dim sum, sushi, stir fry dishes and other dishes. The sauce’s popularity was a great triumph for the Company. The sauce was later diversified into additional variants such as XO Seafood Sauce and Premium XO Sauce with Abalone. In 1994, the Company started selling soy sauce, a generic product for which there were established competitors. As a result, sales were slow at the beginning.9 The Company then observed that, in most homes, the amount of soy sauce used for dipping was fairly low, both in frequency and in volume. For the Hong Kong market, however, steamed fish was popular among the Chinese, and housewives wanted to make their home-cooked steamed fish taste like those in the restaurants. Lee Kum Kee saw that it could develop a soy sauce that was sweeter than normal soy sauce, specifically for seafood. The strategy led to success, and the Company went on to develop variants including chilli soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, saltreduced soy sauce, mushroom-flavoured dark/light soy sauces, etc. Lee Kum Kee did not invest significantly in its brand until the early 1990s.10 In 1994, it scrapped its old product labels — as David Lee himself said, the old product labels were boring to him.11 The arch of the company logo became a â€Å"Golden Plaque† that implied a guarantee of product quality, while a detail of the traditional Chinese window frame at the border of the plaque reflected the Company’s Hong Kong heritage. By the late 1990s, the Company aimed to use its name and history in Asia and the many Chinese communities around the world to penetrate the general US and European household market.12 On the industry side, the Company capitalised on its status as a premier Asian food brand to expand its network of retailers, restaurateurs and other manufacturers in the West. Most importantly, to make its products even more consumer-friendly and to appeal to young families that did not wish to spend too much time on cooking, the Company continuously widened its product line. Examples included single-use sauce packets with instructions on how to prepare specific dishes, and a larger variety of ready-made sauces that could be used with a range of ingredients. Even its oyster sauce products came in variants such as Premium, Panda Brand, Choy Sun, Vegetarian and others with added dried scallops and mushrooms. In 1998, the Company launched its first five varieties of sauce packets; in the following year, it added 11 more to include dishes such as sweet-and-sour fish, black-bean chicken and spicy tofu. These lines of products became popular in Asia and were then introduced to the West. Throughout the process of geographical diversification, for new as well as old products, the Company observed the different needs of different regional markets. As David Lee said:13 We †¦ have different packaging and tastes to suit different markets, so a chilli product in Japan will come in smaller bottles and be sweeter and less thick, for instance, than it would be in Ho ng Kong. Development in China14 Lee Kum Kee built its first factory in China in 1990; the plant was located in the southern province of Guangdong. Its sales expansion also started with the Guangdong Province but gradually moved north; in 1998, the company began to sell its products in Beijing. In 2002, the Company’s sales in Beijing had already increased more than 10-fold since it entered the market there, while its sales in Guandong were also growing at a double-digit annual rate. The Company had three factories in the Guangdong Province and was considering setting up new ones in northern China. Lee Kum Kee was turning its market development focus back from overseas to the Mainland in the early 2000s. The potential for the development of this obviously huge market could also be seen in the fact that, of the 200-odd products of Lee Kum Kee, only about 60 were sold in the Mainland. As with other markets, Lee Kum Kee was sensitive about different customers’ tastes, so that a Lee Kum Kee sauce in Beijing might taste a little differently from a similarly named sauce in Shanghai. By 2002, the Company had more than 500 distribution networks in the Mainland, and was ranked fourth in total sales in the sauce market, but it had not yet expanded fully into secondary cities in provinces such as Szechuan and Guangxi. In an interview in 2002, Eddy Lee said it would already be great if Lee Kum Kee could secure one per cent of the Mainland market, which was very fragmented.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Developmentally appropriate and child-centered curricula

Ensuring that curriculum in early childhood education is both developmentally appropriate and child-centered involves educators making decisions about the most relevant content to include in the curriculum based on the needs, interests and capabilities of the learners. Developmental psychologists such as Erik Erikson and Jean Piaget, have done extensive work in describing the cognitive changes that children go through throughout their lifetime. Knowledge of these changes is important in guiding decisions about curricula content, material and activities.Piaget proposed that each child moves progressively through each of four stages of cognitive development as they mature physically. These are the sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational periods. At the early childhood level a child is in the sensorimotor and preoperational stages which lasts between ages zero (0) to two (2) years old and two (2) to seven (7) years respectively. Children first â€Å"le arn about their surroundings by using their senses and motor skills†.  (Slavin, 2000, p. 33).Edwards (2005) believes that these stage-based characteristics that Piaget has identified are important starting points for curriculum design as educators need to have a clear understanding of the characteristics of learners before any decision can be made about what curricula content to deliver to them. In designing an early childhood curriculum Jalongo, Fennimore, Pattnaik, Laverick, Brewster, and Mutuku (2004) contend that the child must figure at the center of this process.As a results the developmental needs of the child must be first and foremost in the mind of the educator as decisions are made about curricula content and structure. First and foremost an early childhood curricula must be specific to the early childhood level. Jalongo et al (2004) caution that early childhood programs must be designed specifically for early childhood education â€Å"rather than replicate the c urriculum and pedagogy that characterizes later academic experiences† (p. 145). Consequently tasks should be so designed so that they are manageable based on the cognitive and physical capabilities of the children.Additionally the designers of curricula material need to ensure that such programs and the material that go along with them are innovative. Educators in the field should work collaboratively in deciding on the most appropriate material to include in the curriculum. Moreover when it comes to actual classroom implementation the curriculum should be used as a guide and not as an absolute (Jalongo et al, 2004). This means that teachers should be flexible in implementing aspects of the curriculum based on the unique needs of their particular set of learners.Furthermore curricula should be continuously improved to reflect new knowledge about how children at the early childhood level learn. For each group of students the curriculum should be adopted to better serve their ne eds and challenges. Consideration must be given to the particular ethnic, cultural, and language characteristics of the children concerned and seek to meet them where they are. This means that, rather than trying to force children into a pre-made mold, educators must ensure that the children are the basis used in constructing the mold.Evidently the task of designing developmentally appropriate curriculum, though it is left mainly up to the educator who interacts most intimately with the students, must take into account the specific needs, interests and capabilities of learners. Educators cannot leave the child out of planning the early childhood curriculum. Failure to include the group at which early childhood programs are geared will only result in failure both on the part of the educator and the learner. References Edwards, S. (2005, Mar). Children’s learning and developmental potential: Examining the theoretical informants of early childhood curricula from the educator’s perspective. Early Years, 25(1), 67–80. Jalongo, M. R., Fennimore, B. S., Pattnaik, J., Laverick, D. M., Brewster, J. & Mutuku, M. (2004, Dec). Blended perspectives: A global vision for high-quality early childhood education. Early Childhood Education Journal, 32(3), 143-155. Slavin, R. E. (2000). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Sociology - Essay Example Humans themselves are emotional creatures; biologically each reaction is a chemical response to additional visual, chemical or other form of stimuli. At the very base of what makes a human’s emotional framework run is the chemical responses or neural framework that exists. This cannot of course discount the effect of ones surroundings, their culture and society on their reactions. In many ways we respond based on taught responses. While we are growing up we are adapting to the society that we are directly involved in, and the cultural variances that may accompany that society. We react to some forms of stimuli based solely on our understanding of those stimuli which was trained into us from birth. An example of this could be seen by using a simple observation of a set of parents and their progeny, by observing the individual and separate reactions to different forms of stimuli it becomes readily apparent that the child will likely mimic the adults in many areas. A group is a n umber of people continuously interacting with each other in a structured way according to shared morals or social outlooks. A primary group would represent a family unit, such as parents and children and possibly grandparents as well. In my life it would be my parents and my significant other. Because our contact is based on a large amount of contact and an understanding of each other in more than a few hours a week at work or in meetings with various social gatherings this would be a primary group. An example of a secondary group would be fellow students with whom I share several hours a week in a similar manner though we are unlikely to have much actual face to face time and the time we spend together will likely be more cohesive and rule based. Max Webber’s six-traits of bureaucracy according to Professor Alazzawi are a formal hierarchical structure, management by rules, organization by functional specialty, a focused mission, purposely impersonal and employment based on t echnical qualifications. This organizational form works well within a secondary group however, would likely cause problems within a primary group. Humans thrive on being able to â€Å"personalize† everything around them, and while this has its obvious drawbacks within society as a whole it does make it difficult to promote long lasting, self-sustaining relationships within any group. There is a level of inflexibility that would likely cause frustration and in fact in many organizations that are secondary groups frustration with the role being played by the individual is often voiced. The sexual revolution was the extremely liberal approach to human sexuality as embraced in the 1960’s it accompanied for the most part a large amount of experimentation in drugs, political approaches and lifestyle changes as well. There have been many various views applied to the â€Å"why† of this revolution, one that I tend to embrace is that this revolution is the result of the c ontinued stifling of free thought along with the sexist and racist approaches embraced and taught leading up to this point. It was a complete rebellion against the status quo as it were. As for the various issues discussed I believe that sexual violence in the form of rape, child sexual abuse and other related

Friday, September 27, 2019

Becoming a nurse Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Becoming a nurse - Personal Statement Example Establishing that as my goal, I kept thinking about the potential ways in which I could benefit others throughout my childhood and teenage. I finally reached the conclusion that I need to join a profession that enables me to involve with people emotionally to console and satiate them, and no profession allows that more than the profession of nursing. Nursing is more than just a profession as it requires a nurse to be personally and emotionally involved in his/her interaction with the patients. This personal and emotional link has healing power and is sometimes even more special and effective than medicines. I also want to become a nurse because there is currently a shortage of nurses in the US. Becoming a nurse gives me the surety that I will be employed as soon as I attain my degree. Moreover, I want to join the profession of nursing as it provides an individual with the opportunity of social networking which is essential for both personal and professional growth of an

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Assignment1 economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assignment1 economics - Essay Example living for many in the Asian countries. However, the rapid growth in the economy of these countries have left the Middle East strained of skilled and unskilled labor. The Middle East's booming construction industry currently faces two main threats, the supply chain management of materials for construction, the supply of work force and the issues associated with them. Let us look at the questions below: 1. What has the government done to improve the situation The rise in the prices of oil affects the price of materials imported into the country for construction. The UAE government has cut down on import duty and is planning to launch its own materials supply company. More over the UAE is also launching its Nuclear energy program implementation organization according to the recommendations of the IAEA and the implemented organization will be called as the Emirates nuclear energy corporation. This is done mainly to meet the growing energy demand and facilitate construction companies. Company strategy& decision 4 Sources say that the UAE lifted cement and steel duties in March to reduce the burden on contractors and stabilize the steel market. The Dubai gold and commodities exchange launched its first steel rebar futures contract in October 2007 (Said Summer, Reuters 2008). The government has also paid attention to the rising dislike among laborers for gulf as a job destination the reason for the dislike being the low wages, poor working conditions, and lack of job security. Update "The UAE government has announced a review of workers' wages in the construction sector, following a series of strikes recently. The Cabinet has ordered a study on the salaries of construction workers." (Emirates Update... Said Summer (July 9, 2008) , 'UAE steel prices soar 15% in July' Construction and Industry news, Arabian Business.com , Retrieved on August 9, 2008 http://www.arabianbusiness.com/524340-uae-steel-prices-soar-15-in-julyln=en

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Got Milk Advertisement Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Got Milk Advertisement Analysis - Essay Example The body copy of this ad is strong in the sense that it suggests that having strong bones is pertinent to the females’ bodies since bones usually grow till an age of 35 years. The calcium present within milk makes a woman look strong and make her feel healthy at the same time. More than that there is no harm in having a schedule which is reliant on consuming milk and it is a part of her fashion regime all the same. The subtextual content is also demonstrated by the girl’s dressing style where certain parts of her body are kept naked so as to have a sort of interest by the target audience, i.e. both males and females. (Davis, 2005) This woman holds a glass filled with milk till the half level which implies that she drinks on a regular basis and hence the reason that she remains fit and healthy. Also some milk is left on the corners of her lips which proves the notion just mentioned. The element of sexuality is very clearly presented within this ad since the manner in whi ch the woman has been attired speaks volumes about the way the ad is being targeted to the people under study. Her belly is apparent enough and so is one of her breasts which suggest that the ad is hitting on the sexuality aspects that have been presented within the ad itself.  

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Difference Between Management And Leadership In School System Essay

The Difference Between Management And Leadership In School System - Essay Example This essay discusses leading for change in the education sector, and also the contribution that teacher leaders can make to school leadership. It examines the type of leadership required and highlights some important differences between management and leadership. Management concerns the process of dealing with, controlling and being responsible for all activities and operations of an organisation. It involves coordinating all members and resources belonging to the organisation according to their potential, and the attempt is to be as efficient and effective as possible. Usually, aims and objectives are defined, planning is undertaken, and the progress is monitored. There is therefore, a focus on structuring, In the UK school system, the managerial tasks in schools are mostly handled by the head teacher, although some may be delegated to deputy heads and/or subject co-ordinators. Leadership places a great emphasis on personal qualities and how leaders influence others. Leadership is n ecessary for organisations in general because without it, an organisation fails to have vision, direction, order and discipline, and consequently, the performance of individuals within the organisation varies and they are unable to exploit their full potential. There are several forms of leadership, which differ in their style although they all share the essential qualities of leadership. Transformational leadership is one very popular form of leadership. In this form, there is a greater attempt to bring about changes to achieve certain goals.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Holy Mosque of Mecca Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Holy Mosque of Mecca - Essay Example It is covered with silk. Pilgrims must, as their first duty, walk or run around the Ka’ba seven times murmuring prayers. It can be seen in the courtyard a particular well in which pious Mohammed is said to have dipped linen that is later made into shrouds. The hill of Arafat is hold with greatest reverence by pilgrims. It lies about thirteen miles east of Mecca. All those who make the pilgrimage to the Holy City go to Arafat. They travel on foot, donkeys, horses, and camels. Some caravans have two kinds of camels: one is for carrying baggage and other provisions, while the other bears the name â€Å"shugdufs† and is decorated with tents of carpets and curtains which protect the riders from the sun. Millions of Moslems flock to Mecca, just like centuries ago, beginning the month of December. During the Haj, streets are crowded as people continually come in filling the Haram mosque like a balloon growing larger up to its bursting point. With the growing number of followers and the increasing architectural and engineering possibilities, The Great Mosque of al-Haram is still on the path of restructuring and redesigning until today without losing its commodity, firmness, and delight – the elements of architecture. However, although great Moslem populations are open to constructions and renovations, the believers strictly adhere to their belief and strong Islamic culture and the 21st century architecture and methods of construction being implemented on the Great Mosque of al-Haram clearly threatens Islamic culture and belief. Architecture is known by many not only as a course in tertiary education and a profession that brings a promising career but an art of building. As Sir Henry Wotton said in The Elements of Architecture, published posthumously in 1651, it must possess â€Å"commodity, firmness, and delight;† in

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Developing Language Skills Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Developing Language Skills - Assignment Example But only few can be used for a specific level or specific purpose of teaching. Before selecting a required material it is important to profile Students instructional needs and institutional goals. To make decision that what and how to teach a particular group of learners, the teachers should have some basic knowledge. Teacher should be directly informed about the learner population, student needs, and institutional goals. A systematic and ongoing needs assessment should obviously be a primary source of data for both course design and materials selection, so teachers can choose materials that best accommodate goals and objectives. Before evaluating textbooks, teachers should therefore study their students' backgrounds and the requirements of their programs and institutions, perhaps by reviewing the findings of a recent need assessment. After getting the basic information about the skills of learner it has become easier to select suitable resources for learners. As described above a vast range of published material is available that can be used for developing skills of learners. Following four very famous books were selected after thorough research and investigations. A lesson plan is a comprehensive and predetermined schedule of every activity of teacher in classroom for achieving optimal results. A lesson plan can be of many forms and types. It usually depends on time span, style of educator and type of subject to be taught. But the basic and main objective of any type of lesson plan is to provide teacher a pre-planned line of action for presenting materials and interacting with learners. The lesson plan should not be merely an action plan but it should provide a useful link between objectives of curriculum and material to be taught. As per instructions a detailed two-hour lesson plan is presented here for ESOL Curriculum Level I. First chapter of simple and attractive novel of Charlotte Bront Jane Eyre

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Hunting should not be outlawed Essay Example for Free

Hunting should not be outlawed Essay Hunting should not be outlawed. It is still a source of food for people who still live off the land . Hunting can be a very effective method of population control. Hunting is a sport of tradition it offers recreation from everyday life. Hunting animals for food is better for people because it does not have all the hormones that farm raised animals have. There aren’t very many diseases that affect humans in wild animals. Majority of the animals that have seasons are edible. Hunting is a very effective method of population control. If too many animals of one species or several related species live in one area they could possible wipe out there entire food source or sources. Then many of them would starve to death which unknown to the tree huggers that want to stop this is a very painful death, being shot is a very quick painless death. Hunting can save an ecosystem and entire species, by killing some of the animals in the ecosystem you can save the food source for the animals still left living. Hunting is a tradition in most of the world. People have been hunting for tens of thousands of years. Many people still use hunting as their many food source throughout the world. It is also a recreational activity. Tradition’s should not be outlawed. Hunting can help save the environment in which they live in by population control. It is a source of food. It’s an activity that people have been using to get away from society as we know it for several years. In conclusion Hunting should not be outlawed.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Exercise for Balance in the Elderly | Research

Exercise for Balance in the Elderly | Research CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The ageing process is considered as a biological reality, and which cannot be controlled by human being. It is dynamic in nature. The beginning of the old age is about 60 or 65 years and it is equivalent to retirement age. According to the developed countries, old age means at the point when the active contribution is no longer possible (Gorman et al., 2007). As a natural part of aging, physiological and psychological changes can occur and it can affect the lifestyle and health of old age people. Most of the older adults commonly affected by the problems like osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fractures, diabetes, hypertension, poor vision, hearing impairment, cardiovascular diseases, COPD, poor kidney function, cancers, urinary incontinence, anxiety, depression and balance problems.(Nabili,2010) One of the leading health concerns, in case of elderly is falling and which is related to balance Problems. (Cochrane library).  Balance problems and falls are common, and falls can occur due to impaired balance among elderly .Worldwide, the number of persons over 60 years is growing faster than any other age group. In the middle of the 20th century 14 million people were in the age group of 80 years or older. By, 2050 it will be about 400 million in world wide. Approximately 28-35% of people over the age of 65 fall each year, and this proportion increases to 32-42% for those aged more than 70 years. 40% elderly people living in long term care setting experienced recurrent falls during each year and it is high as compaired to community older adults. Falls may lead to, increased dependence, loss of autonomy, confusion, immobilization and depression. (WHO). According to the centre for control of diseases and prevention (CDC) , one in every 3 adults over the age of 65 falls each year. Walking difficulty and poor balance are common impairments in old age group and which is the high risk for falling. In 2011American geriatric society recommended that all adults aged 65 or older should screen for falls. (Shubert, 2011). Falls can occur in all age groups especially in older adults. The prevalence and incidence of falls more commonly occurs after the age of 65 and (30-60) percentage in annually. As compaired to men, women are more prone to get falls. A study was conducted in Cape Town of South Africa to identify the risk factors of falls. The subjects were selected randomly aged more than 65 years. Total number of samples was 837 from different groups like whites, black Africans and Indians. The study result shows that, incidence of falls was high in women and prevalence of falls was different for different groups. (Kalula, 2010) The risk factors for falls are mainly Gait disturbance, muscle weakness, Dizziness, postural hypotension, visual Impairment, and syncope, use of an assistive device, visual deficit, arthritis, impaired activities of daily living, depression, and cognitive impairment. (WHO, 2006) As age increases, individuals experience decreased strength and balance, which is a risk factor for falls. Balance is the ability to maintain an upright posture during dynamic and static tasks. Maintaining balance requires interactions between central and peripheral factors. (Knerl, 2009) Balance problems are commonly reported by elderly people. Good balance has been associated with independence in daily activities. Deterioration in balance may leads to reduced physical activities and fear of falling. Balance assessments serves several purposes, such as quantitative, description of ability, monitoring subject’s progress overtime and evaluating the effectiveness of intervention.(Sihvonen,2004) For old age people 65 or older, in 2010 the total direct medical cost was 30 billion dollars due to fall injuries and by 2020 it is expected to be about 54.9 billion. Implementation of effective intervention could reduce the health care costs of fall related injuries.(CDC) From the Health Day News, exercise programme means to prevent falls in the seniors, but according to new review it says that exercise programme helps to prevent injuries also. Balance training has been identified as one of the top 10 worldwide in the fitness industry. In 2008 Physical activity guidelines for Americans recommend that balance exercises for 3 days in a week was effective for active and inactive elderly aged more than 65. Gait and balance disorders are common in elderly. As a health care team, physicians or nurses have the responsibility to ask about the previous history of falls. Due to the lack of standardized measures,evidence for the effectiveness of balance training is limited. Yet the exercise and physical therapy are included in effective options for gait and balance. NEED FOR THE STUDY With the exponential growth in older population, exercise is a key target(WHO,2002) and it is a subset of Physical activity that is planned , structural and repetitive and it is considered to be the important rehabilitation programme to improve the functional ability of old age people (Cochrane library). Dr.Nick cavil says that â€Å"A people get older and their bodies decline in function, physical activity helps to slow that decline. In older adults reduced balance is associated with, decreased physical functioning and increase risk of falling. This review analyses the effect of exercise on balance in older adults. (Cochrane editorial unit). In 1960’s an astronaut called John Glenn disqualified from his service, because he experienced balance problems during his working. Then after the rehabilitation programme, at the age of 77, he performed well. As per Indiana University, exercises that speedup swaying that may help to forestall balance problems in later. For the exercise programme safe environment is recommended, for that first step, to acquire sufficient fitness and Self-confidence. Gait balance training is effective, in clinical balance outcomes in elderly. These interventions are probably safe. (Howe, 2011). One in every 3 adults over the age of 65 falls each year . Balance is critical when it comes to avoiding falls at any age. Balance exercise improves strength and flexibility on both sides of the body, not only do they reduce the risk of sips , trips, and falls but also increases the likelihood that seniors will be able to recover balance or reduce the injuries . After 50 years of age , begins to lose 10% of our strength per decade of life , which leads to balance problems. Balance exercise help to reduce the decade of life. (CDC). A study to evaluate the effectiveness of an enhanced balance training programme to improve the mobility of older adults with balance problems. The study was conducted in Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust general hospital; the design adopted for the study was prospective singled blind randomized controlled trial. The subjects participated in the study were 199.The interventional group received balance training programme and control group received physiotherapy. The outcome measures were Berg balance scale,Frenchay Activities Index (FAI), Falls Handicap Inventory (FHI), and European Quality of Life questionnaire were measured regularly at 6,12 and 24 weeks.Both groups showed improvements. (Intervention: 22.5-16.5 seconds, P =.001; control: 20.5-15.8 seconds, P =.054). As by conclusion, the results shows that exercise programmes had an effect on balance among elderly. (Steadman, et.al 2003) Older adults can improve their quality of life by participating in balance exercises. Their by they can improve their mobility and get fit. The researcher says that as age increases, there is a chance of losing muscle mass and strength. Exercise programme helps to improve the postural alignment in sitting and standing position. Many of the older adults, admitted to the hospitals due to decreased balance problem and it results in falls related injuries, so the investigator reveals that exercise programme helps to reduce the falls by improving balance among elderly. According to American journal of epidemiology 30% of community – dwelling seniors /citizens will experiences falls at least once a year due to balance problems. so, as a health care professionals we are responsible to make out the solution. During cinical posting in medical and surgical ward in KMCH, the investigator came across so many persons with fall related injuries due to balance problems, and most of them were in the age group of more than 60.So in order to reduce the rate of falls and to improve the balance the researcher selected the exercise programme as an intervention for elderly people. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Effectiveness of exercise program on balance among elderly in selected old age home at Coimbatore. OBJECTIVES Objectives of the study were to assess the balance score among elderly. determine the effectiveness of exercise programme in improving balance scores. identify the association between the balance scores with selected demographic and clinical variables of elderly people. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Balance:-Ability of an individual to maintain the line of gravity of a body within the base of support with minimal postural sway during different activities such as bending forward, transfer and closing eyes. Exercise programme:- Systematically planned programme for the old age people to improve the balance, of 5 exercises namely sit to stand, heel to toe walk, one leg stand, sideways walking and step up. Elderly:-Both male and female in the age group of 60-80 years. HYPOTHESIS There is a significant improvement in balance following exercise programme among elderly. ASSUMPTIONS Balance impairments are important risk factor for fall. Balance impairments are higher in elderly people. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK A conceptual frame work in nursing is the backbone, on which the nursing research is built. A theoretical explanation of the phenomenon or problem and serves as the basis for the formulation of research hypothesis. The conceptual framework adopted for this study is wiedenbach’s Theory, (1970) which is established by Ernestinewiedenbach, who was early nursing leader. Wiedenbach focuses on individualizing care for each patient. This is done by assessing the individual needs of each patient, so the nurse knows when to step in and help the patient. Central purpose Central purpose of this study is to improve the balance among elderly people. Prescription The investigator plan the prescription that will fulfil the central purpose (improve the balance among elderly).Thus the investigator, selected the method, exercise programme for elderly people, and which is considered to be the effective measure of improving the balance. Realities Agent investigator Recipient elderly people with decreased balance Goal improvement in balance Means provision of exercise (make them to do) Frame work old age home. Identification This includes identification of balance problems among old age people and also importance of exercises and its effects to improve the balance among elderly. Ministration Provision of exerciseprogramme (balance exercise) for elderly with balance problem. Validation Evaluation of the effectiveness of exercise programme on balance with the use of berg balance scale

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Action of Myofibrils In Muscular Contraction and ATP as an Energy Sourc

Action of Myofibrils In Muscular Contraction and ATP as an Energy Source for Muscular Contraction Abstract: The objective of this research was to determine how myofibrils and ATP are involved and/or altered in muscular contraction. I analyzed the structure of myofibrils and their subunits of myosin and actin. I then determined that myosin shortens actin, carrying out a muscular contraction, by forming cross-bridges between the myosin heads and the actin filaments. I also discovered how ATP is used in muscular contraction and then replaced by undergoing a reaction with PCr. This research is very important to athletes and doctors in order understand how to increase muscular performance and treat muscular diseases, respectively. The human body has an uncountable number of muscle fibers. There are so many, packed so tightly, that it makes it nearly impossible to isolate any small number of cells. In one study, it was determined that the tibialis anterior was made up of 160,000 muscle fibers. [1] The size of this muscle is not particularly impressive and the ?biceps brachii muscle likely contains 3-4 times that number.? [2] Not only that, but human skeletal muscles are always changing how they interact with themselves, and the rest of the body. This is especially apparent in muscular contraction. In fact, it has only been in the last 50 years that we have begun to really understand them, and much of the research that has been done has been conducted on animals that are not humans; one can see the problems that may arise from cutting up a human and examining muscles as they contract. It is important to have at least a rudimentary understanding of these processes for one?s own health purposes, athletic performanc... ...296-305. [5] MacIntosh, B., Gardiner, P., & McComas, A. Skeletal Muscle: Form and Function 2nd Edition. Chpt 11. 2006 [6] Huxley, H. E. The Contractionof muscle. Scientific American 199,67-82. 1958 [7] Currie, David. The Molecular Basis of Muscular Contraction: Hanxon and Huxley?s sliding filament theory of muscle contraction. http://faculty.etsu.edu/currie/muscmolec.htm 2007 Figures Figure 1 Courtesy of www.edcemter.sdsu.edu Figure 2 Courtesy of www.ohioline.osu.edu/sc172/images/sc172_42.jpg Figure 3 Courtesy of www.biomed.miami.edu/pharm/faculty_Szczesna.html Figure 4 Courtesy of: http://www.embl-heidelberg.de/CellBiophys/LocalProbes/motorproteins/myosin.html Figure 5 Courtesy of http://www.edcenter.sdsu.edu Figure 6 Courtesy of http://biology.clc.uc.edu/graphics/bio104/atp.jpg Figure 7 Courtesy of http://staff.jccc.net/pdecell/cellresp/glycolysis.gif

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Othello the Outsider Essay -- Othello essays

Othello the Outsider   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare's tragic hero, Othello, was a man whose gifts far outnumbered his weaknesses. On the battlefield, he was accomplished; in his profession, he was highly ranked; and, in his life, he was blissfully married. Despite these great advantages, however, Othello's destiny was ruin. Everything he had so carefully made for himself would be destroyed by one flaw: his fear of remaining an outsider. He feared this fate, yet he harped on it continuously, tearing himself between his identity as a foreigner and his desire to live as a normal citizen. Even so far back as his first public speech, perturbations caused by this internal unrest surfaced, and it was unrest that would ultimately lead to his horrible and complete undoing.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Othello's first speech is an address to the Venetian council, through which he introduces himself to the council members. Brabantio, Desdemona's angered father, has accused Othello of bewitching his daughter and stealing her away into marriage, and Othello is defending himself against these charges. To start his case, he begins thusly, "Most potent, grave, and reverend signors, / My very noble and approved good masters, / That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter, / It is most true; true I have married her" (page 19). Just by itself, this is perhaps the most poetic stanza of the play to this point, yet he continues it in short order with, "...Rude am I in my speech, / And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace" (page 19). Now, only seven lines into Othello's first public text, he has already made use of his outsider status. By humbling himself amidst spectacular oration, he is appearing non-threatening to the judges, while still making a great case. T. .. ... true; true I have married her. The very head and front of my offending Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace; For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith Till now some nine moons wasted, they have used Their dearest action in the tented field; And little of this great world can I speak More than pertains to feats of broils and battle; And therefore little shall I grace my cause In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience, I will a round unvarnished tale deliver Of my whole course of love - what drugs, what charms, What conjuration, and what mighty magic (For such proceeding I am charged withal) I won his daughter.    Works Consulted    The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice, William Shakespeare, I.III.76-94   

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Personal Narrative- The Lonely Middle-Aged Woman :: Personal Narrative Writing

Personal Narrative- The Lonely Middle-Aged Woman I got off the bus, not knowing where I had to travel in the cold night. I had a rough idea, but I’ve been having terrible luck trusting my rough ideas lately. I thought I’d ask someone for details. The passengers that had gotten off the bus with me obviously knew where they were going, because their strides were purposeful and quick. Looking for someone to help, I turned to a middle-aged lady in smart business clothes and voiced my question. She looked at me strangely for a second, as though I was speaking a foreign language, then just as quickly she snapped out of it and told me the direction I had to walk. Then she added "But I have to go that way. I can give you a ride if you’d like." When she said that my mind traveled years back to primary school, when they would sit us all down on the floor and try to convince us not to do stupid things. Don’t light fires. Don’t play with guns. Don’t trust anyone wearing a trench coat. Don’t accept rides from strangers. I’ve broken most of these, except the trench coat one, so I decided that I should accept her offer. The situation, statistically speaking, was more dangerous for her than for me. Newspapers are hardly littered with stories about middle-aged women kidnapping and torturing innocent teenage boys. We walked to her car. She pointed it out to me, and I wasn’t surprised to see that it was a little red two-door BMW. She opened the door for me first and I slipped into the leather seats, running my hands along the wood dashboard that contained an elaborate stereo system. I pictured her zipping along the road, humming happily along to a Brahms concerto. Or maybe some jazz. I didn’t ask her. Sitting in her car I was consumed by warmth, not just from the heating, but because of her. If men use cars as penis extensions, this was the female equivalent. We kept talking. It was on a different level to small talk, but neither of us said what we were thinking. I felt her quiet desperation- she told me of her divorce; or rather she talked enough to let it slip. She talked about her sons and their jobs and wives. I’ve never experienced any of it but I had an idea how she felt.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Physician And Managed Care Contracts Essay

A contract is a legal binding agreement between two parties that is aimed to execute a certain objective. It is a kind of arrangement wherein a certain action is pledged in exchange for a specific proposition or offer. In order for a contract to be valid, four essential elements must be present in a contract. Firstly, two parties should exist in the contract. One party is presenting an offer while the other party is accepting the offer as a form of return for whatever specifications are requested in the contract. Secondly, the contract should indicate that both parties give their consent or are willing to enter into such an arrangement. Such intention should show that the person giving the offer is capable of providing the offer, while the party accepting the offer should be able to clearly show his/her acceptance of the offer. In addition, both parties must be willing to enter an agreement without any other hidden conditions. Thirdly, a purpose or objective should be indicated in a contract. The purpose should be detailed enough to clearly show what is requested or expected in exchange for the specific offer. And lastly, adequate consideration or an adequate value must be indicated as offer in the contract, in the form of money or in kind. The consideration or compensation can not be given to the accepting party prior to the acceptance of the offer. The act of accepting an offer constitutes a deal. Certain offers have a limited time of availability, wherein an expiration date is indicated and the offer can not be accepted after the said date, unless the offer is renewed or stands indefinitely. In addition, the party presenting the offer has the right to withdraw its offer, but only before an acceptance is received. Once an offer is accepted, the contract may not be modified or revised. Changes in the offer may only be incorporated during the negotiation stage of the agreement, which then makes a contract some kind of a bargain. Similarly, physicians enter contracts with managed care organizations (MCOs) or health management organizations (HMOs) in order to promote their services. The four essential elements of a contract should be carefully studied before accepting any offer or signing any contract. For example, as for the element of willingness and capability to enter a contract, a physician should initially must find out the MCO/HMO’s length of operation and financial stability, because this will give the physician an idea whether the company is capable to pay him at a regular schedule. In addition, it would be good to contact some colleagues who have signed contracts with the same company, in order to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the organization and to unearth any unwritten conditions or policies. The physician should also investigate the identity of the MCO/HMO, and any other parties in the contract, should there be more than two parties indicated in the contract. The most overlooked element of a contract between a physician and an MCO/HMO is the purpose or objective of the contract, which describes a several definitions of services and people that will be covered by the health plan, both during emergency and out-patient consultation events. A comprehensive study of the contract may possibly prevent misunderstandings between the two parties and therefore provide a clear-cut description of the services that the physician is expected to deliver. Another important element of a physician-MCO/HMO contract is the obligations of each party. It is usually indicated in the contract that the physician will actively maintain his/her medical practice documents such as licenses, certifications, registrations and permits in order to provide his/her services to patients. The physician should also inform the MCO/HMO of any modifications on his/her status as a practicing physician. In turn, the MCO/HMO presents its rules and regulations to the potential physician or health care provider working under their company. All policies, guidelines, reviews and appeals should be revealed in order to have its physicians working at the standardized efficiency and competency. The physician’s compensation should be indicated in a physician-MCO/HMO contract. Details including the amount and schedule of payment should be clearly stated in the contract. Payment modes may be in form of per diem, per case, per service or a certain percentage of the premiums. The physician, in turn, should understand the protocol for filing claims and any other arrangements or coordination with the MCO/HMO, including the limited time when these documents may be filed. The MCO/HMO should also indicate in the contract that the physician will receive his/her salary on a regular basis. A physician-MCO/HMO contract may be terminated by either mutual agreement of both parties, or with sufficient cause or reason from the physician, or without cause or reason from the physician. However, a 30-day notice is usually required before any termination takes effect, to provide ample time for the physician to finalize any current patients, cases, services and/or referrals. Contracts are legally binding documents which must be carefully studied and considered before pursuing an agreement and letting the contract take full effect. Every contract has its specific details and all sections of the contract should be well understood and explained.

Effects of the Colombian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange effected Europe and the Americas similarly and differently in environmental ways such as crops and in demographic ways such as diseases. The Columbian Exchange involved the transfer of lots of people, the exchange of crops, animals and resources that went between the New and Old World. European explorers came over to the Americas and brought things that ultimately helped the Natives to prosper such as new farming techniques, hunting, fighting, and city building these were some of the more demographic effects.Europe also affected the Americas environmentally by bringing foods such as wheat, rye, barley, oats and millet. Just like Europeans, the Americans helped to bring new plants, vegetables, and fruits back to the old world such as corn, tomatoes, and coco beans. Another demographic effect of the Columbian Exchange was diseases. When Europeans explorers came to the Americas they introduced new diseases such as tuberculosis, measles, cholera, typhus, and smallp ox.Of all the exchanges between the Native Americans and Europeans, disease had the most impact. Native Americans also gave the Europeans diseases as well such as Syphilis. The European explorers then brought that disease back to Europe killing many Europeans in the process. The Americans attracted more disease than the Europeans because a majority of the diseases that the Europeans brought over they were already immune to, but the Americans were not. This was a major difference and was the reason for a majority of Native American deaths.An environmental difference between Europe and the Americans was that European explorers brought new cattle over to the New World. The natives had never seen or used European cattle before such as horses, cows, buffalo, and pigs. Many Native Americans abandoned agricultural for the nomadic lifestyle because hunting Buffalo made them far richer. An environmental difference was that New World food was far more caloric than Old World food, so the popul ation doubled. Corn and potatoes could now grow in soil that was useless for Old World crops.Also deforestation occurred in the Americas where it did not occur in Europe. This essentially harmed the environment. People were now beginning to leave Europe and repopulate the New World. The Europeans were able to affect the Europeans demographically by converting mass amounts of Natives to Christianity in the New World. However, Native Americans were not able to convert a large amount of Europeans to their belief. The effects of the Columbian Exchange were overall terrible for the Native Americans and very beneficial to Europeans in the Old World. Effects of the Colombian Exchange The Columbian Exchange effected Europe and the Americas similarly and differently in environmental ways such as crops and in demographic ways such as diseases. The Columbian Exchange involved the transfer of lots of people, the exchange of crops, animals and resources that went between the New and Old World. European explorers came over to the Americas and brought things that ultimately helped the Natives to prosper such as new farming techniques, hunting, fighting, and city building these were some of the more demographic effects.Europe also affected the Americas environmentally by bringing foods such as wheat, rye, barley, oats and millet. Just like Europeans, the Americans helped to bring new plants, vegetables, and fruits back to the old world such as corn, tomatoes, and coco beans. Another demographic effect of the Columbian Exchange was diseases. When Europeans explorers came to the Americas they introduced new diseases such as tuberculosis, measles, cholera, typhus, and smallp ox.Of all the exchanges between the Native Americans and Europeans, disease had the most impact. Native Americans also gave the Europeans diseases as well such as Syphilis. The European explorers then brought that disease back to Europe killing many Europeans in the process. The Americans attracted more disease than the Europeans because a majority of the diseases that the Europeans brought over they were already immune to, but the Americans were not. This was a major difference and was the reason for a majority of Native American deaths.An environmental difference between Europe and the Americans was that European explorers brought new cattle over to the New World. The natives had never seen or used European cattle before such as horses, cows, buffalo, and pigs. Many Native Americans abandoned agricultural for the nomadic lifestyle because hunting Buffalo made them far richer. An environmental difference was that New World food was far more caloric than Old World food, so the popul ation doubled. Corn and potatoes could now grow in soil that was useless for Old World crops.Also deforestation occurred in the Americas where it did not occur in Europe. This essentially harmed the environment. People were now beginning to leave Europe and repopulate the New World. The Europeans were able to affect the Europeans demographically by converting mass amounts of Natives to Christianity in the New World. However, Native Americans were not able to convert a large amount of Europeans to their belief. The effects of the Columbian Exchange were overall terrible for the Native Americans and very beneficial to Europeans in the Old World.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Human resource management Essay

1. How can human resource management contribute to a company’s success? Human resource can contribute to a company’s success in that, it helps the organization motivate people ensuring that their goals are met and satisfied, individual’s goals or needs could vary from money, self-realization, learning, developing and more so growing as an individual. 2. Imagine that a small manufacturing company decides to invest in a materials resource planning (MRP) system. This is a computerized information system that improves efficiency by automating such work as planning needs for resources, ordering materials, and scheduling work on the shop floor. The company hopes that with the new MRP system, it can grow by quickly and efficiently processing small orders for a variety of products. Which of the human resource functions are likely to be affected by this change? How can human resource management help the organization carry out this change successfully? The human resource functions likely to be affected by almost all nine functions of Human resources. The design of work would need to be considered in a new light than it was before the change in systems. The human resource management job would change itself as it’d become automated, Recruitment, selection, hiring as well as training would require some modifications. Performance management would need to be reevaluated because of the changes from the new system. Human resource management can help the organization carry out the change successfully by using its knowledge of individual’s behavior as well as performance management tools so as to help the organization to manage the process in a productive manner. 3. What skills are important for success in human resource management? Which of these skills are already strengths of yours? Which would you like to develop? The skills important for Human resource management are as follows: * Organizational * Business Ethics * Communication * Multitasking * Dedication * Decision making skills * Leadership skills * Technical skills All of these skills are strengths of mine; however, I need to improve on my leadership skills as well as my technical skills to keep me updated on new techniques. 3. Traditionally, human resource management practices were developed and administered by the company’s human resource department. Line managers are now playing a major role in developing and implementing HRM practices. Why do you think non-HR managers are becoming more involved? Line managers are becoming involved in the development and implementations of human resource management practices because the information from line managers is needed to determine policies and practices that would be used to reinforce the day to day needs of the organization 5. If you were to start a business, which aspects of human resource management would you want to entrust to specialists? Why? If I were to start a business, the aspects of human resource management which I would entrust to specialists are Administrative services and transactions, which would take care of hiring employees and answering questions. I chose this aspect because, with the knowledge of my business, the human resource specialist will be in a better position to find the qualified applicants. 6. Why do all managers and supervisors need knowledge and skills related to human resource management? All managers and supervisors need knowledge and skills related to human resource management because; some of their responsibilities are usually closely related with the functions of human resource managers, such as interviewing candidates, providing training, analyzing employees work. Taking a close look at their jobs, managers and supervisors are sometimes the face of the company to their employees. 7. Federal law requires that employers not discriminate on the basis of a person’s race, sex, national origin, or age over 40. Is this also an ethical requirement? A competitive requirement? Explain. In my opinion, it is not an ethical requirement because ethics simply refers to the principles of knowing what is right and what is wrong. Further, organizations have to adhere to laws and regulations which are put in place. It is not a competitive requirement either because; most people would rather work for a company who they can trust. If the company is operating on an unethical manner, its might be detriment to the company and if they operate in an ethical manner, then the company would benefit from that. 8. When a restaurant employee slipped on spilled soup and fell, requiring the evening off to recover, the owner realized that workplace safety was an issue to which she had not devoted much time. A friend warned the owner that if she started creating a lot of safety rules and procedures, she would lose her focus on customers and might jeopardize the future of the restaurant. The safety problem is beginning to feel like an ethical dilemma. Suggest some ways the restaurant owner might address this dilemma. What aspects of human resource management are involved? The restaurant owner may address this dilemma by acquiring some knowledge on the values of safety training as safety is important for workers as well as the customers. If the owner views the safety training as an addition to value to the restaurant, the owner may be able to get over any fears and worries associated with this dilemma. The area of human resource management that could be involved would be the training and development function. 9. Does a career in human resource management, based on this chapter’s description, appeal to you? Why or why not? No, a career in human resource management does not appeal to me, this is because, I have career aspirations which does not fall under any aspects of Human resource management.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Hamburger Hill Essay

The entire mountain is a rugged, uninviting wilderness blanketed in double- and triple-canopy jungle, dense thickets of bamboo, and waist-high elephant grass. Local Montagnard tribesmen called Ap Bia â€Å"the mountain of the crouching beast. † LTC Weldon Honeycutt, commander of the 3d Battalion, 187th Infantry (the â€Å"Rakkasans†), called it â€Å"Hill 937. † The Soldiers who fought there dubbed it â€Å"Hamburger Hill. † The ? ght on Hamburger Hill occurred during Operation Apache Snow, the second part of a three-phased campaign intended to destroy North Vietnam Army (NVA) bases in the treacherous A Shau Valley. The American and South Vietnamese units participating in Apache Snow knew, based on existing intelligence and previous experiences in the A Shau, that they were in for a tough ? ght. Beyond that, however, they had little evidence as to the enemy’s actual strength and dispositions. Masters of camou? age, the NVA completely concealed their bases from aerial surveillance. When the NVA moved, they did so at night along trails covered by triple-canopy jungle, again confounding observation from above. They effected their command and control mainly by runner and wire, leaving no electronic signature for the Americans to monitor or trace. Technology, therefore, provided scant assistance to the American battalion commander trying to â€Å"see the enemy† during Apache Snow. He had to generate his own tacticalintelligence. Patrols, captured equipment, installations, documents, and occasionally prisoners provided combat commanders with the raw data from which to draw their assessment of the enemy order of battle and dispositions. Gathering this information took time, though. Moreover, intelligence about the enemy’s strength and dispositions did not necessarily illuminate his commander’s intent. It took days to ascertain this, and the learning experience proved decidedly unpleasant for the Americans. On 11 May, Honeycutt dispersed his Rakkasans and scoured the vicinity to the north and northwest of Ap Bia Mountain. When Bravo Company made heavy contact with some NVA late in the day, Honeycutt adjusted his estimate of the enemy’s strength from â€Å"a few trail watchers† to a reinforced platoon or even a company. The Rakkasans could still deal with a force that size, but they would have to concentrate to do so. For the next three days, Honeycutt fought the mountain and the NVA to bring his scattered companies together for a coordinated battalion attack. Despite the fact that, since the initial assault, no company was more than about 1,500 meters from the crest of the mountain, it took two days to consolidate the battalion for a three-company assault. Time and again, the American infantrymen found themselves hampered as much by the topography as by the enemy. The rugged terrain slowed dismounted movement to a crawl. Between 12 and 14 May, for example, Delta Company was virtually immobilized when it went down a steep ravine and was caught there by the enemy. In one grueling ? ve-hour period, the company labored to advance a total of only 500 meters. The steep, mud-covered slopes, more than the enemy, kept this company from ful? lling Honeycutt’s intent. In the end, the troops had to abandon their attack and withdraw the way they had come. These three days were a period of intensely unpleasant â€Å"discovery learning† for Honeycutt and his men. Map reconnaissance and helicopter over-? ights did not indicate that his initial scheme of maneuver was impractical. It took Delta Company’s three-day ordeal to do so. Though Honeycutt had a long and distinguished record as a combat commander in both Vietnam and Korea, he underestimated Ap Bia Mountain and the NVA facing him. Although his estimate of the enemy strength was incorrect, his miscalculation was not immediately apparent to him or to any of the American leadership. It took three days of assaults by Bravo and Charlie Companies, each bloodily repulsed, before the situation became clearer. The enemy was stronger than anticipated, much stronger than company strength, and he grew more powerful every night as he received reinforcements from Laos. The NVA commander’s demonstrated tenacity and willingness to replace heavy losses indicated he intended to put up a stiff ? ght for Hill 937 (Scalard).

Friday, September 13, 2019

Compression test Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compression test - Essay Example he lateral forces acting on the can ultimately act on a single line, which is, takes a rectangular shape and is relatively small in area, thus the quick crumbling. Once the yield point, or yield stress, has been reached, the crumbling requires less force for continued deformation, thus the dip in the force used. When the compressive load is directed onto the tops of the soda can, the compressive force acts on the wholesome vertical wall of the can, thus distributing the force equally. By distributing the forces subjected to the can equally as opposed to a single point in the side-crushing test, the can has more resistance to the compressive forces. Since the can is hollow, it exhibits characters that are varied as opposed to the side crushing. From the graph, when the forces supplied reach the yield point, there is a drop in the required forces (Voland, 2003, p. 192), but the crumble suddenly strengthens the can as it is compressed, and gets compacted. The can requires a lot more force to continue the deformation, thus the curve that gets a positive gradient as opposed to a continued drop. The changes are not uniform since the compacting assumes various strengths with continued compacting, until the ultimate load is reached. The forces show that the can takes of fragile characteristics as o pposed to ductile traits in the compression tests, since the graph changes are sudden as opposed to the curved changes a ductile object displays. The relationship between the force and the standard travel (deformation) is proportional, though there exists a constant since the change does not begin at the origin for both

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Develop Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Develop - Assignment Example With the aid of slides, the computer system will also contain instruction handout to be distributed to students in soft copy. Others include The labor mobility training program is included in the circular in the institutional training package. As such, learners already have a slight exposure concerning such a program. Besides, many professionals including human resource personnels perceived such a program as an important element within every organization since it forms the backbone of productivity of the institution (Wankel & DeFillippi, 2003). It is important for the mobility training program to be delivered to learners within the organizational environment. The availability of working environment and infrastructure are considered towards the delivery of such a training program (Wankel & DeFillippi, 2003).The coursework is developed in such a way that all the learning procedures to suite employees from different departments both the staff and the executives in a similar, but distinct training platform. The package developed will allow for scalability and enhance learning from a simple training domain through real life working environment situations. The main focus of the above part of the revision is to provide an assessment and identification of areas within the training program that may require adjustments. For the labor mobility training program, evaluation of the feedback assessment procedure will be used to determine if indeed the students understood the coursework of the study. Simple questions with very brief answers will form part of the assessment. Some of the questions would require a practical effort while others will be moderated in form of multiple choices. After the final integration of the courseware into the training program, it is important to conduct a prototype training test. Such a test will be carried out for the duration of three weeks as planned by the training department. A good number

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

LOG503 MOD 3 SLP Assn - Logistic Planning Essay

LOG503 MOD 3 SLP Assn - Logistic Planning - Essay Example In this paper, the determination of maximizing logistics efficiency of Wal-Mart will be taken into concern. Logistic Operation of Wal-Mart An effective supply chain management has been viewed to be one of the core competitive advantages of Wal-Mart by which the company comply with the requirements as well as the demands of its valuable customers. The core competencies of Wal-Mart relating to its supply chain network encompass superior logistics management, purchasing power, appropriate retail decisions and effective cost control within distribution system. Contextually, Wal-Mart’s logistic system comprises assimilation of necessary information, transportation costs, excellent inventory management and efficient material handling as well as packaging among others. In order to determine the maximization of logistics efficiency of Wal-Mart through facility location planning, it has been apparently observed that majority of the outlets of the company are located in sub-urban areas, low-rent and close highway regions that helps them to transport as well as distribute its products in cost-efficient manner. One of the key features of logistics department of Wal-Mart has been identified to be ‘Cross Docking’ or direct distribution where stores obtain finished products directly from the manufacturing plant and helps to manage inventory system in an efficient manner. Maintaining effective interrelation with the suppliers along with efficient packaging and labeling of the products supported the organization to merchandize its product not only in the US but also in different regions throughout the globe. The company incessantly focuses upon partnering with its suppliers in order to increase its labeling functioning for enhancing its efficiency towards transporting goods from one distribution center to other retail outlets. It has been viewed that a majority of the distribution centers of Wal-Mart are located closely to its retail outlets that helps them to allocate its broad assortment of products in a cost-efficient manner (Surti, 2010; Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 2012). Example, Analysis and Recommendation The effective logistic system and efficient supply chain management supports Wal-Mart to distribute its broad assortment of products from distribution centers to its different retail outlets in an effective manner. Thus, it can be affirmed that the company maximize its logistics efficiency through facilitating effectual location planning. For example, the private fleet of trucks that possess by the company provides point-to-point services according to the store requirements. In this similar concern, it has been viewed that the transportation mechanism of the company operates 24/7 in order to maintain fleet of 6,500 tractors and 55,000 trailers across the overall distribution centers within the US. Moreover, Wal-Mart emphasizes upon following leading-edge logistic systems in order to increase the satisfaction level of the customers a nd attain its predetermined business targets. The other example through which the company can maximize its logistics efficiency through facility location planning is the introduction of ‘DotCom’ center. This particular center supports the online distribution of the

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

International Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Law - Assignment Example States may also uphold the principle of international law, even when national interests do not benefit from it, in order to protect universal and common human values. Treaties and their effectiveness can be measured using their success in ensuring all parties abide by the agreement (Chayes & Chayes, 2008). Nations enter into international treaties with other states because of the need. Nation states enter into treaties for political and military alliances, territorial exchanges, international violence control, creation of new states, and peacemaking. Treaties set out the rules  in a clear version, compared to other forms of international law. Nation states also find it to be easier to achieve the consent with treaties, as compared to other international laws. Question # 2 2. With regard to the 2009 military coup in Honduras, it appears that the national Congress, Supreme Court, attorney-general and military supported the detention or removal of an elected leader on constitutional g rounds. In such a case, does the "international community†, or outside States have the right to condemn the coup? How does UN Charter Article 2(7) fit into the picture? No foreign authority or power recognized the coup leader’s presidency. ... Despite the widespread condemnation of the Honduran coup, and suspension of the country from receiving aid from the EU and the US, efforts to reinstate Zelaya to power have failed. President Zelaya’s removal and replacement was an interruption of the country's constitutional democratic order (Halperin, 2011). If this coup were to stand, it would portend a dangerous democratic precedent for other countries. Thus, the international community needed to act to protect themselves from the possibility of a recurrence in their own country. Article 2(7) of the UN charter states that the UN can not intervene in matters within an individual state’s domestic jurisdiction. Since the Honduran coup did not breach chapter Vii of the UN charter, the article stands. Despite the precedent the coup set, the international community could not intervene in the matter. Question # 3 3. What sorts of reservations do signatories insist on in, for example, an agreement such as CEDAW? A reservatio n is a unilateral statement made by a nation state when ratifying or approving a treaty, whereby they purport to vary or exclude certain provisions and their legal effects in that state’s application (Blanchfield, 2009). The reservation must be rejected or accepted by other states for it to be valid. In the case of the reservation's rejection, that the state must first withdraw its reservation to be part of the treaty. Article 19 of the Vienna Convention allows reservations unless the treaty impliedly or expressly prohibits reservations. If the reservations requested are not compatible with the purpose and object of the treaty, then the reservation is invalid. In CEDAW, the United States signed, but did not ratify the multilateral convention. CEDAW defines women discrimination as: Any

Monday, September 9, 2019

Monitoring and controlling the offshore oil and gas processes using Research Paper

Monitoring and controlling the offshore oil and gas processes using ad-hoc wireless network - Research Paper Example The superiority of ad-hoc wireless network is attributed to their exploitation of a remote, automated and digitally implemented communication system, which circumvent the inefficiencies of an analogue and manual communication system. Ad-hoc wireless network is specifically suited for industrial control and monitoring processes, which are characterized by a large scale deployment of a comparatively reduced data as such, its best suited for oil and gas industry for in the control and monitoring of the wide range of products and processes (Jensen et al., 2013). The efficiency of ad-hoc wireless network also comes in handy in matching an oil and performance gas industry with the growing demand of fossil fuel. Despite, the role of ad-hoc wireless in revitalizing the productivity competence and capacity of oil and gas industry, there is still room for improvement particularly in the promotion of the security authenticity of the oil and gas industry ad-hoc wireless network (Ardenas et al, 2011). This call is inspired by the concern against a productivity biased development in oil and gas industry network system, which overlooks security and reliability aspects of the network system. This research explores the advantage s and disadvantages of using an ad-hoc wireless system in the monitoring and control of an oil and gas industry. It also indentifies security loopholes, which threatens the safe and reliable operation of an oil and gas industry. collection and analysis of data from various monitoring and control sensors. This is attributed to their exploitation of the low cost data collector monitoring method. Nevertheless, the exorbitant operating cost for ad-hoc wireless network leverage the cost benefits from a low cost monitoring method. This disadvantage is attributed to the labour intensive manning of an ad-hoc wireless network system, which are comparable with a surveillance system. However, this cost implication is

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Tablet Devices and Comfort Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tablet Devices and Comfort - Essay Example We have the slate tablet which is also referred to as the iPad.It has a touchscreen unit which and does not have a keyboard. Lastly, there is the rugged tablet that can stand all the rough handling by the students. They have hard drives that are usually shock protected. Some people argue that the tablet devices should replace the books that learners use in their classrooms. Using the tablets may have various disadvantages to the learners like the costs. Some of them are expensive and not each parent can afford to buy for their children. Background The tablet devices may have their advantages but some people choose to be against it. In the world today, the education system has been in the recent years become technological. Many learners now are able to use computers at school and at home. Looking at the question of using the traditional books that almost all the schools use, some parents and most students find it very hectic to move around carrying bags to schools. Some of the bags ar e very heavy and may cause the students to acquire diseases of the lower back. Both the books and the tablet devices have their advantages and the disadvantages. From the kindergarten to most universities in the world today, tablet devices are playing the biggest role in the education system.  Ã‚   The tablets may enhance their urge for going to school. With the use of tablets in schools, students are able to prepare themselves for the 21st-century workforce which uses the tablets for the smooth running of their work. Tablet devices may be seen as very costly as compared to the traditional books. Other than that, they have advantages to the parents and the learners. First of all, the tablet devices have apps. The apps are important and very efficient because whether the device is pointed to the sky or elsewhere, the educational apps make learning fun for many kids especially those in the elementary level. In the classroom settings, the use of the apps can be used by tutors who will give the learners the curiosity to learn more. The apps are used as a research tool for all the students especially in colleges (Jarrett and Su 25). If one compares the tablets and the traditional books, it is evident that the books are not very interesting and many learners don’t find it very interesting to use them in a classroom setting. Secondly, the tablet devices bring about interactiveness among the learners and all the teachers. The uses of the tablets that were used in the 20th century like the computers have video games that mostly bring the learners together. As a result of this, they learn and most of them think very differently. For a classroom to have the very interactive lesson, they need to have tablets which engage the students and thus giving them interactive experiences. These experiences cannot be found when the students just use books in the class. The tutor needs to have outside class activities in order for them to interact with the students.

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Modular Construction Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Modular Construction - Dissertation Example As mentioned before, the increase in the demand for an economical and quick delivery for buildings both in the domestic and commercial scenarios, the innovation in the construction industry should be investigated. The modular construction method being an increasingly deployed method of construction in the UK, and the fact that it is an innovative method of construction to the existing methods makes it a natural choice of analysis in this research. Furthermore, the increasing demand for efficiency in management to reduce costs and loss of resources in the construction industry justifies the choice of research since the modular construction methods involve extensive use of project management methodologies, which will be discussed in the research chapters of this report. The scope of this research is restricted to the commercial and domestic building construction as the construction industry in the UK includes many segments like the road construction and other public utilities building construction. Although it is argued widely that the modular construction method can be deployed in these areas of construction as well, the limitations with the resources and time involved in this research that is academic in nature is the limiting factor to the scope of this report. 1.4: Chapter Overview: Chapter 1: Introduction This is the current chapter that presents the reader with the aim and objectives of the report along with a brief overview on the research envisaged in this report. Chapter 2: Literature Review In this chapter an overview on the construction industry is presented to the reader with the focus on the

Cia Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Cia Research Paper Essay Account of the work of the CIA, discussing in some detail the nature of the relationship between the intelligence-gatherer and the policy-maker. Since the 1970s the CIA has provided intelligence to Congress as well as to the executive, so that it now finds itself in a remarkable position, involuntarily poised nearly equidistant between them. It has not however abused this freedom of action, probably unique among world intelligence agencies, so as to cook intelligence. CIA deputy director. Robert M. Gates, a career intelligence officer, is Deputy Director of Central Intelligence. He served on the National Security Council staff from the spring of 1974 until December 1979. Tweet Close Style: MLA APA Chicago More Sharing Services Over the years, public views of the Central Intelligence Agency and its role in American foreign policy have been shaped primarily by movies, television, novels, newspapers, books by journalists, headlines growing out of congressional inquiries, exposes by former intelligence officers, and essays by experts who either have never served in American intelligence, or have served and still not understood its role. The CIA is said to be an invisible government, yet it is the most visible, most externally scrutinized and most publicized intelligence service in the world. While the CIA sometimes is able to refute publicly allegations and criticism, usually it must remain silent. The result is a contradictory melange of images of the CIA and very little understanding of its real role in American government. Because of a general lack of understanding of the CIA’s role, a significant controversy such as the Iran-contra affair periodically brings to the surface broad questions of the proper relationship between the intelligence service and policymakers. It raises questions of whether the CIA slants or cooks its intelligence analysis to support covert actions or policy, and of the degree to which policymakers (or their staffs) selectively use—and abuse—intelligence to persuade superiors, Congress or the public. Beyond this, recent developments, such as the massive daily flow of intelligence information to Congress, have complicated the CIA’s relationships with the rest of the executive branch in ways not at all understood by most observers—including those most directly involved. These questions and issues merit scrutiny. II The CIA’s role in the foreign policy process is threefold. First, the CIA is responsible for the collection and analysis of intelligence and its distribution to policymakers—principally to the president, the National Security Council (NSC) and the Departments of State and Defense; although in recent years many other departments and agencies have become major users of intelligence as well. This is a well-known area, and I will address it only summarily About CIA The Central Intelligence Agency was created in 1947 with the signing of the National Security Act by President Harry S. Truman. The act also created a Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) to serve as head of the United States intelligence community; act as the principal adviser to the President for intelligence matters related to the national security; and serve as head of the Central Intelligence Agency. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 amended the National Security Act to provide for a Director of National Intelligence who would assume some of the roles formerly fulfilled by the DCI, with a separate Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency serves as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency and reports to the Director of National Intelligence. The CIA directors responsibilities include: †¢Collecting intelligence through human sources and by other appropriate means, except that he shall have no police, subpoena, or law enforcement powers or internal security functions; †¢Correlating and evaluating ntelligence related to the national security and providing appropriate dissemination of such intelligence; Providing overall direction for and coordination of the collection of national intelligence outside the United States through human sources by elements of the Intelligence Community authorized to undertake such collection and, in coordination with other departments, agencies, or elements of the United States Government which are authorized to undertake such collection, ensuring that the most effective use is made of resources and that appropriate account is taken of the risks to the United States and those involved in such collection; and †¢Performing such other functions and duties related to intelligence affecting the national security as the President or the Director of National Intelligence may direct. The function of the Central Intelligence Agency is to assist the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in carrying out the responsibilities outlined above. To accomplish its mission, the CIA engages in research, development, and deployment of high-leverage technology for intelligence purposes. As a separate agency, CIA serves as an independent source of analysis on topics of concern and also works closely with the other organizations in the Intelligence Community to ensure that the intelligence consumer—whether Washington policymaker or battlefield commander—receives the best intelligence possible. As changing global realities have reordered the national security agenda, CIA has met these challenges by: †¢Creating special, multidisciplinary centers to address such high-priority issues such as nonproliferation, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, international organized crime and narcotics trafficking, environment, and arms control intelligence. †¢Forging stronger partnerships between the several intelligence collection disciplines and all-source analysis. †¢Taking an active part in Intelligence Community analytical efforts and producing all-source analysis on the full range of topics that affect national security. †¢Contributing to the effectiveness of the overall Intelligence Community by managing services of common concern in imagery nalysis and open-source collection and participating in partnerships with other intelligence agencies in the areas of research and development and technical collection. By emphasizing adaptability in its approach to intelli gence collection, the CIA can tailor its support to key intelligence consumers and help them meet their needs as they face the issues of the post-Cold War World. Posted: Dec 19, 2006 02:07 PM Last Updated: Jan 10, 2013 08:09 AM Last Reviewed: Dec 30, 2011 12:36 PM History of the CIA The United States has carried out intelligence activities since the days of George Washington, but only since World War II have they been coordinated on a government-wide basis. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed New York lawyer and war hero, William J. Donovan, to become first the Coordinator of Information, and then, after the US entered World War II, head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in 1942. The OSS – the forerunner to the CIA – had a mandate to collect and analyze strategic information. After World War II, however, the OSS was abolished along with many other war agencies and its functions were transferred to the State and War Departments. It did not take long before President Truman recognized the need for a postwar, centralized intelligence organization. To make a fully functional intelligence office, Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 establishing the CIA. The National Security Act charged the CIA with coordinating the nation’s intelligence activities and correlating, evaluating and disseminating intelligence affecting national security. On December 17, 2004, President George W. Bush signed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act which restructured the Intelligence Community by abolishing the position of Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) and Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (DDCI) and creating the position the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA).

Friday, September 6, 2019

An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps Essay Example for Free

An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps Essay The book â€Å"First to Fight: An Inside View of the U. S. Marine Corps† by Marine General Victor H. Krulack is about the life and journey of the marines. The author is a legend in the Marine Corps, and this book is his way of showing the world of the struggles and the fights that the Marines went through and still do today. The author begins by saying that the book contains some parts about history and legend and the other parts about his opinion on certain issues involving the Marines. This book is able to touch the lives of many because the author, using his personal experiences and that of his fellow Marines, conveys the very essence of being in the Marine Corps. The stories of his life serve as inspiration to those in the service. He was a former Lieutenant General and as such, everything that he has written in his book is very appealing to the readers because of its authenticity. People respect his opinion and they want to know his perspective on the controversies that have been around for quite some time. The book successfully shows how the Marines were able to deal with and get past their challenges, and it also explores the potential conflicts that may be encountered in the future. The author reviews intensely the very core foundation of the Marines by examining the war where they participated in. Examples would be the battle of Khe Sanh in Vietnam war and the 1950 Inchon landing that happened in Korea. Gen. Krulak illustrates in the book how the cooperation of both the Corps and the Navy paved the way for one of the most unforgettable operations in the history of battles (Krulak, 1999). He also provides an explanation of why and how the United States Military chain of command works the way it does today. This book is widely read mainly because the author is able to portray the relationship of the Marines with others engaged in the public service especially during trying times like the period of World War II. The author has successfully transferred into words the importance of being a Marine and how it feels like to be one, and he has succeeded in showing the world the reason behind the reputation of the marines, and the reason for their existence is not because of what they can contribute to the country but because the country believes in what they can do. â€Å"First to Fight† not only brings a new insight about marines in action, but it also provides political strategies and tactics because not all battles are won and fought in the field, and the Marine Corps has proven their worth and competence both in and out of the battle field. Gen. Krulak firmly states that what makes the U. S. Marine Corps great is their solidarity. They are more than just military machines; they are a brotherhood of people, and reading this book makes a person appreciate the past and the great men behind it (Krulak, 1999). History shows that the United States has been through a lot of war. Some of them are won and some are lost. In the conclusion of his book, the authors parting words are that the Marines should always be aware of what they stand for and meet the challenges uprightly without making any compromises. These very words are the reason why these noble men should be given utmost respect. The country will not be what it is today if not for their bravery. They fought hard for the country, and reading this book is one way of acknowledging and appreciating them and giving them the recognition that they deserve. Reference Krulak, V. H. (1999). First to Fight: An Inside View of the U. S. Marine Corps. New York: US Naval Institute Press.