Faith Based Programs Are Effective With Changing Offender...

Do you believe that faith-based programs are effective with changing offender behavior? Well, even though there seem to be a lot of empirical precedents that suggest a â€Å"positive association between religious involvement and beneficial outcomes, existing outcomes research in faith-based settings have treated the faith in faith-based services as a contextual factor rather than a programmatic one† (Ferguson, Wu, Spruijt-Metz, Dyrness, n.d.). According to Fisher and Ragan (2003 2004), there are multiple studies conclude that faith-based services are effective, yet relatively few aim to identify the specific faith components related to successful outcomes . It is crucial for us to operationally and conceptually delineate what the faith†¦show more content†¦The study was only promising as long as they remained incarcerated. But, I found that only a few really wanted to make a change in their life and kept up some form of faith-based program once released. Then you had a large majority of individuals that did not follow up with any form of faith-base d programs once released. These were the ones that knew they were not going to follow this type of program once they were back in their neighborhoods and around the same negative peers that help them choice the wrong path or criminal act as a way of life. Therefore, for this reason and this reason alone I do not think that faith-based programs with changing offender behavior. It is only effective as long as they are incarcerated. What needs to be address as stated above is that we have to be able to identify the specific faith components related to successful and non-successful outcomes to gauge if it can continue to work not only inside but when they are released. The other thing that we need to understand is why would they use a faith-based program when they know they have no intension of changing their offender behavior? To me I sense deception on the offenders’ part. Do you believe that the current separation of church and state doctrine will legally permit the establishment of private public partnerships involving faith-based programs? There seems to a misconception about what individual believe about â€Å"partnerships amongst government and the religious community which

CANDLE MAKING IP Free Essays

Mr.. Meekly Sibyl for lending the book related on the study and for teaching us how to make our product. We will write a custom essay sample on CANDLE MAKING IP or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mr.. And Mrs.. Romeo F. Aquinas and Mr.. And Mrs.. Ariel Peter M. Seeding for their support to the researchers not only financially but also morally. Their batches from Ill-Titanium. Especially, Sherry Barras, Anomie Lazars, and Jenny Pictorial. ABSTRACT A candle is a solid block of wax with an embedded wick which is ignited to provide light, and sometimes heat, and historically was used as a method of keeping time. A candle manufacturer is traditionally known as a chandler. Various devices have been invented to hold candles, from simple tabletop candle holders, to elaborate chandeliers. For a candle to burn, a heat source is used to light the candles wick, which melts and vaporizes a small amount of fuel, the wax. Once vaporized, the fuel combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to form a flame. This flame provides sufficient heat to keep the candle burning via a self-sustaining chain of events: the heat of the flame melts the top of the mass of solid fuel; the liquefied fuel then moves upward through the wick via capillary action; the liquefied fuel finally vaporizes to urn within the candle’s flame. Chapter I I. Introduction Candles were once used as a source of light and were simple and plain, without color or fragrance. They came in standard sizes and shapes. Now candle making is an art form and candles have become decorative works of art that come in an infinite variety of shapes, sizes, colors and fragrances. They are generally used to create a peaceful, romantic ambiance and are treasured for their relaxing effect. Candles have recently become a big part of home decor and this has encouraged the development of new techniques and materials. The materials you use will determine the quality of your candles but each candle will require a different combination of materials and techniques. Good note taking will allow you to determine what works and what doesn’t and when you perfect your candle, you will be able to reproduce it. Whatever doesn’t work, can be melted down again and re used. Candle scraps and pieces of shaved wax can all be kept and recycled so nothing goes to waste. Candles were meant to be burned so no matter how beautiful your candle comes out, remember it isn’t done until it burns well so keep working t it until you get a good smokeless, even burning candle. Ill. Statement of the Problem This study aims to determine the compare commercial candles to a homemade candle. The objectives of this study are the following: ; To know how long is the duration of the candle ; To know if the candle is smokeless IV. Significance of the Study Candles represent a classic example of the process of combustion. When enough heat is applied, the wax of a candle starts to oxidize. The paraffin reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water, and also heat and light. The flame is the visible part Of this exothermic reaction – where the reaction is energetic enough to produce visible light. Here are some more facts about candles. V. Scope and Limitation of the Study Our study is about candles using the materials we will use. To know how to make candles and the duration of the candles. To know more about candles and to enhance our knowledge about candles. VI. Definition of Terms Fragrance- a pleasant, sweet smell. Duration- time during which something continues. Exothermic reaction- chemical reaction accompanied by the evolution of heat. Oxidize- combine or become combined chemically with oxygen. Combustion- the process of burning something. Ambiance- atmosphere of a place. Http://www. Overexploitation. Com/library/complaining. Asp CHAPTER II Review Of Related Literature I. Local Literature In the Philippines candles have come a long way since their initial use. Although no longer man’s major source of light, they continue to grow in popularity and use. Today, candles symbolize celebration, mark romance, soothe the senses, define ceremony, and accent home decors casting a warm and lovely glow for all to enjoy. II. Foreign Literature Candles were also commonplace throughout Europe. In England and France, Candle making had become a guild craft by the 1 13th century. These candle makers made candles from fats saved from the kitchen or sold their own candles from within their shops. During the middle Ages in Europe, The popularity of candles is shown by their use in Candles and in Saint Lucy festivities. Tallow, fat from cows or sheep, became the standard material used in candles in Europe. The Tallow Chandlers Company of London was formed in about 1300 in London, and in 1456 was granted a coat of arms. Dating from about 1330, the Wax Chandlers Company acquired its charter in 1484. By 141 5, Tallow candles Were used in Street lighting. The trade of the chandler is also recorded by the more picturesque name of â€Å"congresswomen†, since they oversaw the manufacture of sauces, vinegar, soap and cheese. The unpleasant smell of tallow candles is due to the glycerin they contain. For churches and royal events, Candles from beeswax were used, as the smell was usually less unpleasant. The smell of the manufacturing process was so unpleasant that it was banned by ordinance in several cities. The first candle mould comes from 15th century Paris. The first American colonists discovered that bayberries could be used to make candles, but the yield was very poor. Fifteen pounds of boiled bayberries would provide only one pound of wax. Http://en. Wisped. Org/wick/History_of_candle_making http://www. Candles. Org/about_history. HTML CHAPTER Ill l. Methods and Procedures Materials Paraffin Wax Palette Knife Wick Scent Spoon Double Boiler Crayons Water Scissors Methods Twisted Candles 1. Roll out the upper part of the candle until it is about mm (1/4 in) thick. Leave the bottom 2. CM (in) unrolled so that it can fit into a candle holder. If the candle cracks whilst rolling, then it has become too hard. Soften it by dipping it for three seconds at 71 co (1 60 OF) and then waiting for thirty seconds. 2. Hold the candle upside-down, with the unrolled base in one hand and the flattened part nearest the base between the thumb and forefinger of your other hand. 3. Pull the candle slowly upwards, sliding it between your thumb and forefinger and turning it steadily. 4. Repeat the process to give a more exaggerated twist. 5. Trim the base flat and allow the candle to cool for one hour. Floating Rose Candles 1. Melt the wax, heat it to 71 co (OFF), and prime the wicks. 2. Switch off the heat, and add twelve drops of perfume to the wax. 3. Carefully pour out the wax on to the paper so that it forms layers about mm (h in) thick, and allow it to cool until it is rubbery. 4. Cut petal shapes with the pastry cutter or palette knife. You will need petals of different sizes. Curve them with your fingers. 5. Squeeze two small petals around a wick and build up a rose flower. Wax that has cooled too much and become brittle can be softened with a hair dryer. 6. How to cite CANDLE MAKING IP, Papers

Safeguarding Children and Young People free essay sample

Unit 203 Outcome 1 1. Describe how to establish respectful, professional relationships with children and young people. It is important firstly to take into consideration the different needs and levels of development of the children or young people you are building relationships with and reflect this in the way you communicate. With foundation children, for example you could communicate in a much simpler way to make sure they understand. It is also important to relate to children in a way, which makes them feel respected and valued whilst encouraging them to respect others.It is also important to lay down the ground rules so that everyone knows what is expected of them and that they are being treated fairly but to remain positive and approachable at all times. 1. 2 Describe with examples how to behave appropriately for a child or young person’s stage of development. For younger children you should always try to get down to their level when speaking to them and to speak clearly, making sure they understand what you are saying. We will write a custom essay sample on Safeguarding Children and Young People or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page You must also remember that younger children can sometimes lose concentration quite quickly or become tired.I would ask for guidance or advice if I was unsure about something and be mindful that other people may also need help or support. I would avoid gossiping or speaking negatively about others but would try to notice other people’s achievements and efforts. 2. 2 Describe the importance of adult relationships as role models for children and young people. If children and young people are in an environment where they see adults treating those around them with respect and courtesy, they are more likely to respond that way themselves. It also helps to create a friendly and positive environment, which makes them, want to be in school and learn.We need to bear in mind that children are often shy and can be wary of approaching adults, being generally approachable and warm will help to reassure children that firstly you will treat them respectfully if they approach you and secondly will set an example to them of good relationships between people being desirable and mutually beneficial. Children will often mimic the behaviour of adults and the mimicking of pleasant and courteous behaviour can create very positive feedback for the child, reinforcing the importance of being patient, tolerant and communicating clearly.It is also important to demonstra te that you find other people’s views important and you are able to listen to them and consider them, this shows children that adults can work cooperatively with one another. It is important to make sure that our communication shows and tells children what we want them to do, rather than what we do not want them to do. Outcome 3 The learner can: 3. 1 Describe how communication with children and young people differs across different age ranges and stages of development.Younger children may need more attention and reassurance and it is important to be patient when they are trying to communicate and to remember that it may not be easy for them to express what they are trying to say. They may also need more physical contact to help them feel reassured. Older children may need more help to discuss thoughts and feelings they have but may lack the vocabulary to express them adequately 3. 2 Describe the main differences between communicating with adults and communication with children and young people.The main differences are firstly to remember your role in relation to the child or young person, that as the adult, we are the carer and must maintain a formal relationship with them. Secondly, we need to be very clear and unambiguous when communication with a child and young person and make sure they have understood what we are saying. Thirdly, with children and young people we are setting an example of how to behave towards other people so should always behave in a way, which encourages positive and respectful communication. 3. 3 Identify examples of communication difficulties that may exist.

Scarlet Letter And Sin Essays - English-language Films,

Scarlet Letter And Sin Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the Puritan ways, committing adultery. For this irrevocably harsh sin, she must wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life. "On the breast of her gown, in a fine red cloth surrounded by an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter 'A.'" Hester's scarlet "A" serves as a public symbol of her private sin. Because Hester is able to declare her guilt openly, she is freed from excessive remorse, and her sin serves to enrich and dignify rather than to destroy her. The letter makes her stronger and more an individual. As foreshadow as Hawthorne speaks of the scarlet letter, "..It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself," Hester indeed does isolate herself, and stays ".... out of the sphere of social activity.." and moves out to an isolated cottage. Hester decides that "Here....had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment, the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul and work out another purity than that which she had lost; more saintlike, because of the result of matyrdom. Hester Prynne, therefore did not flee." This is where she sinned, this shall be where she suffers and gives penance. As expected, Hester is at first shunned and humiliated by the townspeople, who ignore their own faults and project them onto Hester, and then later their children project them onto Pearl, who does not have the "divine maternity" of Hester, who can do no wrong. Hester behaves with decorum and grace, helping others who are hungry, sick, or in need. Slowly the disdain of the townspeople turns to admiration, "...Many people refused to interpet the scarlet "A" by it's orginial signification. They said it meant "Able"..." and Hester becomes a respected person in a Puritan society by overcoming one of the harshest punishments, the scarlet letter. All in all, in the conclusion of the book, Hawthorne demondstrats to us that Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmsdale, whom both commited the same sin, but dealt and lived with it in completly different ways, were ultimately both forgiven. We learn that their graves were next to one another, but "..with a space inbetween, as if the dust of the two sleepers had no right to mingle." but, in the end "Yet one tombstone served for both." Finally, we are left with: "On a Field, Sable, The Letter A Gules." Arthur Dimmesdale is his own worst enemy. He hates himself and must physically inflict pain upon himself. "He thus typified the constant introspection wherewith he tortured, but could not purify, himself" to never forget what he has done. He lacks the courage to risk his important position in society by admitting his sin publicly, but is unable to achieve any inner calm while living with his hypocrisy. To Dimmesdale, it is bad that Hester is shown publicly as a sinner, but people forget that. What is far worse than public shame is Dimmesdale's own cruel inner shame. Publicly he becomes more and more passionate and effective in his sermons and moral counsil to his congregation. Privately he is torn with self-hatred, and his body wastes away because of the remorse and knowing what only he and Hester know gnaws at his soul. He has not confessed, therefore he knows he can't begin his true penance, thus never being forgiven. He finally has the courage to do so at the hour of his death.

Free Essays on SNCC And The Betrayal Of The Kennedy Administration

SNCC and the Betrayal of the Kennedy Administration By: Catherine A. Jenkins Thesis: Although the late former President Kennedy and his administration are recognize and commended for ‘aiding’ in the Civil Rights movement; there are a lot of black activist such as SNCC who look back with bitter feelings. Activist who are hesitant to use the word ‘aided’ when speaking of the Kennedy administration and the Civil Rights Movement. Introduction: To many Negroes who lived during the 1960’s and lived as well as breathed the Civil Rights Movement it was more than a historical time line of events. Events such as the student sit-ins (which gave rise to SNCC-student Non-violent Coordinating Committee), pray-ins, Freedom Rides, March on Washington’s famous â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, Malcolm X’s assassination, Lowndes County Freedom Organization, King’s assassination, and the birth and fall of the black Panther Party. To the Negroes who were the movement this historical time line is as surface as the history of it taught in contemporary high schools. Where high school teachers, teach their students of three names and three associations to define the Civil Rights Movement as a struggle. These three names are Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks. The three associations are: â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, the quote of Malcolm X’s philosophy, â€Å"By all means necess ary†, and the women who was too tired to give her seat up on a segregated bus. Now ask these students the contents of the, â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech and majority of them all will recite the same abstract. â€Å"I have a dream that one day my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.† If you ask the student for more than that they will almost always give you a perplexed expression or search and find no answer. If you ask a student the phi... Free Essays on SNCC And The Betrayal Of The Kennedy Administration Free Essays on SNCC And The Betrayal Of The Kennedy Administration SNCC and the Betrayal of the Kennedy Administration By: Catherine A. Jenkins Thesis: Although the late former President Kennedy and his administration are recognize and commended for ‘aiding’ in the Civil Rights movement; there are a lot of black activist such as SNCC who look back with bitter feelings. Activist who are hesitant to use the word ‘aided’ when speaking of the Kennedy administration and the Civil Rights Movement. Introduction: To many Negroes who lived during the 1960’s and lived as well as breathed the Civil Rights Movement it was more than a historical time line of events. Events such as the student sit-ins (which gave rise to SNCC-student Non-violent Coordinating Committee), pray-ins, Freedom Rides, March on Washington’s famous â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, Malcolm X’s assassination, Lowndes County Freedom Organization, King’s assassination, and the birth and fall of the black Panther Party. To the Negroes who were the movement this historical time line is as surface as the history of it taught in contemporary high schools. Where high school teachers, teach their students of three names and three associations to define the Civil Rights Movement as a struggle. These three names are Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks. The three associations are: â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, the quote of Malcolm X’s philosophy, â€Å"By all means necess ary†, and the women who was too tired to give her seat up on a segregated bus. Now ask these students the contents of the, â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech and majority of them all will recite the same abstract. â€Å"I have a dream that one day my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.† If you ask the student for more than that they will almost always give you a perplexed expression or search and find no answer. If you ask a student the phi...

A Review Of Personal Loans Commerce Essay

A Review Of Personal Loans Commerce Essay If you already have a personal loan, the chances are that it is costing you more than it should. Even though there are a number of great opportunities to make your money work harder, most people don’t bother changing their loan and stick with a loan rate that doesn’t reflect the best deal. By using our search tool to compare loans, you can compare offers available from loan providers in the UK including both personal loans and homeowner loans. A loan is an amount of money you borrow from your bank or any financial institution, usually over a fixed period of time, which is repaid at regular intervals. Interest is charged and added to the original loan amount, and other charges, such as an Administration Fee, may apply to the loan as well. Generally, there are 2 types of loans secured and unsecured loan. Secured loans are secured against the mortgaged property. Secured loans usually ranges from  £3,000 to  £50,000, although some lenders will consider lending up to  £100,000. The amount borrowed is repaid monthly over a term agreed at the outset, ranging between three and 25 years. Unsecured loans can be taken out without offering the lender any security. Unsecured personal loans are available for a range of different amounts and repayment terms. Larger loans such as those for over  £10,000 can usually be taken over longer terms, for example between seven and 10 years, and the maximum you can borrow is about  £25,000. Payday loans are short-term borrowing solutions aimed at those facing an immediate financial difficulty. If you find yourself short of cash towards the end of the month, you can apply for a same-day payday loan, usually lasting for 31 days and are generally available for amounts between  £100 and  £1,000. The interest rates on payday loans are much higher than those on most other types of borrowing. The most common personal loans are fixed, which means repayments are set at a certain amount over a set period of time. Vari able loans are also available, although this means that your interest rate is dependent on the bank base rate and could fluctuate. When choosing a loan you should pay careful attention to the APR, the Annual Percentage Rate, this is important because it tells you how much you are paying back. Secured loans Secured loans are secured against the mortgaged property. Secured loans usually ranges from  £3,000 to  £50,000, although some lenders will consider lending up to  £100,000. The amount borrowed is repaid monthly over a term agreed at the outset, ranging between three and 25 years. Unsecured loans can be taken out without offering the lender any security. Payday Loans Payday loans are short-term borrowing solutions aimed at those facing an immediate financial difficulty. If you find yourself short of cash towards the end of the month, you can apply for a same-day payday loan, usually lasting for 31 days and are generally available for amounts between  £100 and  £1,000. Th e interest rates on payday loans are much higher than those on most other types of borrowing. Payday loans are intended only as a short term arrangement. As with an overdraft, payday loans should not be seen as a long term solution.

Self-Report Measures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-Report Measures - Essay Example They are ideal tools when the researcher wishes to study a few participants in greater detail (Stangor, 2010). A typical example would be the use of T.A.T. (Thematic Apperception Test) cards to gather data from the participants. The stories told by participants yield rich data; but it can become very cumbersome to study a large sample in this manner. Fixed Format Self Report measures, on the other hand, are techniques that limit the number of responses that a subject can give to any answer by providing alternatives, or scaled attributes; where the participant indicates one (or more) of the alternatives provided as a response. With such measures, the data obtained is easily analyzed with quantitative techniques; but is limited in that the participant cannot give a response that is not provided among the options (Stangor, 2010). A typical example would be the use if Likert Scales to measure the extent of agreement or disagreement with a particular issue. Such measures can be used with a large sample size; often many individuals can be asked to contribute data at the same time. Explain the advantages of free-format self-report measures and fixed-format self-report measures. No.

Aggregate Demand and Supply Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Aggregate Demand and Supply Models - Essay Example 65) explained that the aggregate demand is pertaining to the value or amount of money in which the business entrepreneurs are expected to receive out of selling their products and services whereas the aggregate supply is pertaining to the value or amount of money that the business entrepreneurs should receive from selling their products and services. It means that the aggregate demand and supply represents the aggregate expenditure and aggregate production cost respectively. Under the Keynesian model perspective, the aggregate demand is pertaining to the â€Å"aggregate demand expenditures† whereas the aggregate supply is pertaining to the â€Å"total value of the output† (Jain, 2007, p. 66). Specifically the recently reported decrease in the U.S. consumer income has a significant impact in the movements of the aggregate supply and demand. Since there is a significant decrease in the U.S. consumer income, the business entrepreneurs are more hesitant to put in more investment. For this reason, there is a strong tendency wherein the aggregate supply curve would decrease. This partly explains why the aggregate demand curve would also decrease. As a result, the unemployment rate in U.S. is currently high. demand. Under the Obama administration, part of the fiscal policies include the extending a portion of the government collected taxes to unemployment insurance and Medicaid. The problem with implementing such fiscal policies is that these type of economic stabilizers could only result to the increase of the federal spending while the government collected taxes continuous to decline (Lucking & Wilson, 2012). (See Figure I – Impact of Fiscal Policies on Federal, State, and Local Government Spending below) Under the Classical economic perspective, the market should be allowed to regulate on its own without the presence of government intervention. On the contrary, the Keynesian economic perspective strongly support the use of fiscal

Thematic Critical Paper Essay Example for Free

Thematic Critical Paper Essay Two stories, â€Å"Miss Brill† by Katherine Mansfield and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, are stories about two women’s lives, so different and yet so similar. Mansfield’s Miss Brill is a character which does not provide us with many details about itself. This is a woman who goes to the same park every Sunday to observe the same people, and is not given by the author any particular details to her appearance or character. The only exact thing we know about her from the story is that she is a teacher. Also the conversation of a young couple in the end of the story gives us a little idea of the Miss Brill’s age.   Here â€Å"No, not now, said the girl. Not here, I cant. But why? Because of that stupid old thing at the end there? asked the boy. Why does she come here at allwho wants her? Why doesnt she keep her silly old mug at home?† (Mansfield 124) the dialogue gives a feeling that Miss Brill is probably a woman in her late forties.   So, the character of this story is not a strong individuality at all, but is more like a â€Å"mirror-character†, which only â€Å"reflects† the story. And though the reader seems can read only about one small episode of Miss Brill’s life, it is vividly understood from the context, that this short episode is actually a â€Å"photocopy† of her whole, everyday routine. This woman seems doesn’t exist. The author shows a human being, living in the society, but there are no interests, dear things, personal ideas or thoughts brought in there with her. â€Å" It was like a play. It was exactly like a play.†¦ They were all on the stage. They werent only the audience, not only looking on; they were acting. Even she had a part and came every Sunday† (Mansfield 122). In Faulkner’s story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† we are told the life story of Miss Emily Grierson. Unlike in â€Å"Miss Brill† we find here more facts about her life events. We find some information about her background, her â€Å"noblesse oblige† (Faulkner 72), about her relatives, about her personal life, about her life activities, like china-painting etc. Not a small episode of Emily’s life is described, but the author shows us its different stages, periods and accompanying them events. Nevertheless, it does not help us to reveal the Emily’s character. We know nothing about her feelings, her thoughts and ideas about her life events. We meet no comments of hers as to the things happening with her in the story. We only can observe some changes in her appearance with the time flowing, but we are completely unaware of the character’s inner world. We can find and read the judgmental statements or ideas as to Emily’s life, what it must be or mustn’t be like, of those surrounding her, like â€Å" So we were not surprised when Homer Barronthe streets had been finished some time sincewas gone. We were a little disappointed that there was not a public blowing-off, but we believed that he had gone on to prepare for Miss Emilys coming, or to give her a chance to get rid of the cousins†¦.Sure enough, after another week they departed. And, as we had expected all along, within three days Homer Barron was back in town†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Faulkner 73). All these â€Å"we were not surprised†, â€Å"we were a little disappointed†, â€Å"we believed†, â€Å"we had expected† show us that mainly this is a society, which â€Å"forms† a personality and presents it to the world, but not the personality itself grows and develops. So, to conclude it can be said that though the stories describe two different women, two different lives, different sets of circumstances, they still both tell us about people who seem to live in the society,   but at the same time they are isolated and all alone. They are closed to the world, and their inner world is a mystery known by nobody. Are these two women rare examples of the lost souls? Or are they usual people we come across with everyday? That is a question the stories make us think about. Works cited Inge, M. Thomas, ed. William Faulkner: A Rose for Emily. The Merrill Literary Casebook Series. Columbus: Charles E. Merrill, 1970. Mansfield, Katherine. Miss Brill. Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Eds. Kirszner, Laurie G,and Stephen R Mandell, 5th ed. Boston: Wadesworth, 2004.

THE SOUTH :: essays research papers

THE SOUTH   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The south can be defined in many ways depending on the person’s feelings toward it and that of which they have experienced. To me the south has to be the best place to live in all the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the things that stick out in my head about my beloved birthplace that will never be forgotten, because they’re held so dear to my heart, are the smiling faces that you see everywhere you look. I’m telling you; people here are so nice that you would be lucky to find someone rude towards you within a week’s period. That can only be best described just as plain ole’ southern hospitality. I mean the dialect of all the southerners is so comforting, it just reassures you that your plenty welcome all the time. The thing that gets me and always makes me appreciate the southerners’ lingo is the great analogies used by them. Seriously, For every situation you can think of there’s got to be about five southern phrases used to describe that very thing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another thing that defines the south is its culture. Where else can you find a garage sell at every turn. I mean where else is there a state park that hosts a gathering of country folk to sell all there junk to another southerner who in turn will be right back at that same place with a stand of their own trying to get rid of the dang thing they bought just a few weeks ago. The funny thing is, if you ever decided to take a drive through the south, you would probably mistake some southerner’s land as a yard sell or junkyard for that matter. Most southerners aren’t surprised when they see they’re friends yard covered with old tires, rusty cars, broken chairs, and all of these things just swallowed in 3 foot of grass that hasn’t been cut since little Bo wrecked the tractor used to bush hog the thick stuff. I mean there’s just no telling what you might find in that very grass. All southerners love wearing boots and I can surely see why, because every yard you walk through you’ll soon stub your toe on just about anything from a old toilet to some scrap metal that’s going to be used to put a roof on a shooting house whenever winter blows in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The atmosphere down here is great also.

How to Play Chess

Learn How to Play Chess: The Rules It's never to late to learn how to play chess – the most popular game in the world! If you are totally new to the game or even want to learn all of the rules and strategies, read on! |History of Chess |Special Rules |Chess960 | |Starting a Game |Check & Checkmate |Basic Strategies & Openings | |How the Pieces Move |Draws & Repetition |Getting Better at Chess | pic]Prefer to watch a video? Click here to learn chess with a 15 minute video! [pic] History of Chess The origins of chess are not exactly clear, though most believe it evolved from earlier chess-like games played in India almost two thousand years ago. The game of chess we know today has been around since the 15th century where it became popular in Europe. The Goal of Chess Chess is a game played between two opponents on opposite sides of a board containing 64 squares of alternating colors. Each player has 16 pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns. The goal of the game is to checkmate the other king. Checkmate happens when the king is in a position to be captured (in check) and cannot escape from capture. At the beginning of the game the chessboard is laid out so that each player has the white (or light) color square in the bottom right-hand side. The chess pieces are then arranged the same way each time. The second row (or rank) is filled with pawns. The rooks go in the corners, then the knights next to them, followed by the bishops, and finally the queen, who always goes on her own matching color (white queen on white, black queen on black), and the king on the remaining square. The player with the white pieces always moves first. Therefore, players generally decide who will get to be white by chance or luck such as flipping a coin or having one player guess the color of the hidden pawn in the other player's hand. White then makes a move, followed by black, then white again, then black and so on until the end of the game. How the Chess Pieces Move Each of the 6 different kinds of pieces moves differently. Pieces cannot move through other pieces (though the knight can jump over other pieces), and can never move onto a square with one of their own pieces. However, they can be moved to take the place of an opponent's piece which is then captured. Pieces are generally moved into positions where they can capture other pieces (by landing on their square and then replacing them), defend their own pieces in case of capture, or control important squares in the game. The King The king is the most important piece, but is one of the weakest. The king can only move one square in any direction – up, down, to the sides, and diagonally. Click on the â€Å">† button in the diagram below to see how the king can move around the board. The king may never move himself into check (where he could be captured). [pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. Kd4 Kf6 2. Kd5 Kf5 3. Kd6 Ke4 4. Ke7 Kd4 5. Ke6 Kc5 6. Kf5 Kd5 7. Kf4 Ke6 8. Ke4 [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | The Queen The queen is the most powerful piece. If moved she can move in any one straight direction – forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally – as far as possible as long as she does not move through any of her own pieces. And, like with all pieces, if the queen captures an opponent's piece her move is over. Click through the diagram below to see how the queens move. Notice how the white queen captures the black queen and then the black king is forced to move. [pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. Qg4 Qa8 2. Qg7 Qa2 3. Qc7 Qg8 4. Qb6 Qe6+ 5. Qxe6+ Kd8 [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | The Rook The rook may move as far as it wants, but only forward, backward, and to the sides. The rooks are particularly powerful pieces when they are protecting each other and working together! pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. Rh7 Rc8 2. Rb6 Rc1+ 3. Kd2 Ra1 4. Rb8# [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | The Bishop The bishop may move as far as i t wants, but only diagonally. Each bishop starts on one color (light or dark) and must always stay on that color. Bishops work well together because they cover up each other’s weaknesses. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. Bc4 Be7 2. Bf4 Bd7 3. Bb8 Bg4 4. Bb5+ Kf7 5. Be5 Bh5 6. Bc4+ Kg6 7. Bd3+ Kg5 8. Bh7 [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | The Knight Knights move in a very different way from the other pieces – going two squares in one direction, and then one more move at a 90 degree angle, just like the shape of an â€Å"L†. Knights are also the only pieces that can move over other pieces. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. Ne2 Nc6 2. Nd2 Nf6 3. Nf 1 Ne5 4. Kf2 Nh5 5. Ne3 Nf6 6. Nf5 Ne4+ 7. Ke3 Nc5 8. Nc1 Nd7 9. Ng3 [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | The Pawn Pawns are unusual because they move and capture in different ways: they move forward, but capture diagonally. Pawns can only move forward one square at a time, except for their very first move where they can move forward two squares. Pawns can only capture one square diagonally in front of them. They can never move or capture backwards. If there is another piece directly in front of a pawn he cannot move past or capture that piece. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. c4 dxc4 5. b3 cxb3 6. axb3 c5 7. dxc5 a5 8. f4 f6 9. g4 g5 10. fxg5 fxg5 11. h4 h6 12. h5 [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | Promotion Pawns have another special ability and that is that if a pawn reaches the other side of the board it can become any other chess piece (called promotion). A pawn may be promoted to any piece. [NOTE: A common misconception is that pawns may only be exchanged for a piece that has been captured. That is NOT true. ] A pawn is usually promoted to a queen. Only pawns may be promoted. [pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. a7 f2 2. a8=Q f1=N+ 3. Kd3 [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | En Passant The last rule about pawns is called â€Å"en passant,† which is French basically means â€Å"in passing†. If a pawn moves out two squares on its first move, and by doing so lands to the side of an opponent’s pawn (effectively jumping past the other pawn’s abili ty to capture it), that other pawn has the option of capturing the first pawn as it passes by. This special move must be done immediately after the first pawn has moved past, otherwise the option to capture it is no longer available. Click through the example below to better understand this odd, but important rule. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. e4 dxe3 2. dxe3 e5 3. fxe6 fxe6 4. g4 g5 5. h3 b5 6. axb6 axb6 [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | Castling One other special rule is called castling. This move allows you to do two important things all in one move: get your king to safety (hopefully), and get your rook out of the corner and into the game. On a player’s turn he may move his king two squares over to one side and then move the rook from that side’s corner to right next to the king on the opposite side. (See the example below. ) In order to castle, however, it must meet the following conditions: it must be that king’s very first move it must be that rook’s very first move there cannot be any pieces between the king and rook to move the king may not be in check or pass through check [pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. O-O O-O-O [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | Notice that when you castle one direction the king is closer to the side of the board. That is called kingside. Castling to the other side, through where the queen sat, is called castling queenside. Regardless of which side, the king always moves only two squares when castling. Check and Checkmate As stated before, the purpose of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king. This happens when the king is put into check and cannot get out of check. There are only three ways a king can get out of check: move out of the way (though he cannot castle! ), block the check with another piece, or capture the piece threatening the king. If a king cannot escape checkmate then the game is over. Customarily the king is not captured or removed from the board, the game is simply declared over. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. f3 e5 2. g4 Qh4# [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | Draws Occasionally chess games do not end with a winner, but with a draw. There are 5 reasons why a chess game may end in a draw: The position reache s a stalemate where it is one player’s turn to move, but his king is NOT in check and yet he does not have another legal move The players may simply agree to a draw and stop playing There are not enough pieces on the board to force a checkmate (example: a king and a bishop vs. a king) A player declares a draw if the same exact position is repeated three times (though not necessarily three times in a row) Fifty consecutive moves have been played where neither player has moved a pawn or captured a piece. Chess960 Chess960 (also called Fischer Random) is a chess variant that follows all of the normal rules of chess, but where the â€Å"opening theory† does not play a large role in the game. The starting position of the pieces is randomly chosen by following only 2 rules: the bishops must be on opposite colors, and there must be one rook on each side of the king. The black and white pieces are in a mirrored position. There are exactly 960 possible starting scenarios that follow these rules (thus the name â€Å"960†). The only odd rule is with castling: the rules are mostly the same (king and rook cannot have moved and cannot castle through check or in check), with the additional rule that the squares between where the king and castled rook will end up must be vacant from all pieces except the king and rook. For more info and examples, click here. Some Tournament Rules Many tournaments follow a set of common, similar rules. These rules do not necessarily apply to play at home or online. Touch-move If a player touches one of their own pieces they must move that piece as long as it is a legal move. If a player touches an opponent’s piece, they must capture that piece. A player who wishes to touch a piece only to adjust it on the board must first announce the intention, usually by saying â€Å"adjust†. Introduction to Clocks and Timers Most tournaments use timers to regulate the time spent on each game, not on each move. Each player gets the same amount of time to use for their entire game and can decide how to spend that time. Once a player makes a move they then touch a button or hit a lever to start the opponent’s clock. If a player runs out of time and the opponent calls the time, then the player who ran out of time loses the game (unless the opponent does not have enough pieces to checkmate, in which case it is a draw). Click here to watch two players quickly playing a timed game of chess! Basic Strategy There are four simple things that every chess player should know: [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Nxd5 Nf6 5. Nxc7+ Kd8 6. Nxa8 Ne4 7. f3 Bf5 8. fxe4 Bxe4 [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | #1 Protect your king Get your king to the corner of the board where he is usually safer. Don’t put off castling. You should usually castle as quickly as possible. Remember, it doesn’t matter how close you are to checkmating your opponent if your own king is checkmated first! #2 Don’t give pieces away Don’t carelessly lose your pieces! Each piece is valuable and you can’t win a game without pieces to checkmate. There is an easy system that most players use to keep track of the relative value of each chess piece: A pawn is worth 1 A knight is worth 3 A bishop is worth 3 A rook is worth 5 A queen is worth 9 The king is infinitely valuable At the end of the game these points don’t mean anything – it is simply a system you can use to make decisions while playing, helping you know when to capture, exchange, or make other moves. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] 8 a b c d e f g 8 h 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 a b c d e f g h 1 pawn  promotion [pic][pic][pic][pic] 1. e4 a6 2. d4 h5 3. Nf3 Rh6 4. Bxh6 Nxh6 5. Bc4 b6 6. O-O f6 7. Nc3 g6 8. Re1 Bg7 9. Qd3 Bb7 10. Rd1 Qc8 11. e5 Qd8 12. Qxg6+ Kf8 13. exf6 Bxf6 14. Qxh6+ Ke8 15. Qg6+ Kf8 16. Qf7# [pic] Copy/paste the code below into your webpage or blog html to display this game: [pic] |HELPRESTARTSOLUTION |P|| | |FLIP|SHARE |ANALYZE |PGN | | | | | #3 Control the center You should try and control the center of the board with your pieces and pawns. If you control the center, you will have more room to move your pieces and will make it harder for your opponent to find good squares for his pieces. In the example below white makes good moves to control the center while black plays bad moves. #4 Use all of your pieces In the example above white got all of his pieces in the game! Your pieces

Case Study Analysis of Casual Togs

Introduction The present-day business environment is characterized by increasing competitiveness in different industries. In this regard, it is vital for organizations to ensure that all their functions or departments are aligned towards being ahead of their competitors (Rugman et al., 2012). There is a wide range of problems that may adversely affect the progress and competitiveness of organizations. These include structural problems, communication, management issues and failure to embrace change. Given that there is no fixed approach to management that is ideal for all organizations, each company has to ensure that it adopts the most ideal approach, which can be determined by several factors in the internal and external factors that are specific to the company (Hill et al., 2014). Businesses also need to ensure that they are flexible enough to promptly change in response to the adjustments that might be taking place in the tastes and preferences of their clients or even the tactics that their c ompetitors in the industry are using. Companies that are not flexible enough might fail to maintain their relevance towards their target market segments and lose their competitive edge (Carter et al., 2013). This report presents a case analysis of Casual Togs, a women’s apparel company that is known for its moderately priced products. Most of the company’s products are blouses, shorts and knit dresses. In the analysis, the report highlights the problems that are being faced by the company and the factors that might have contributed to these issues. The importance of addressing these issues in a business is that it provides a guidance or basis for formulating strategies that will help to improve the company’s performance. The report also provides recommendations for Cy, Casual Togs’ principal stockholder, on the changes that he needs to make in the company. It also provides recommendations on how the company should change its management practice, structure and response to change, so as to avoid a recurrence or the problems it faces. The major problems facing the firm With reference to the case study of Casual Togs, there are a number of problems that are currently being faced by the company. One of these is that many of its products are being returned by consumers because of their low quality. For any business, the quality of products that are offered to clients is among the key attributes that determine its performance in the market (Bhardwaj & Fairhurst, 2010). For Casual Togs, this also led to the loss of a major portion of its old loyal consumers. It also posed a challenge to the company in attracting new clients. Consequences of this issue include a drop in the company’s revenue and its overall brand position in the industry. It has also been outlined in the case study that the company also faces stiff competition from companies that have long been in the apparels industry as well as new upcoming ones. Another issue that faces Casual Togs lies in the human resource department. The company has failed to attract the necessary skills for it to run successfully. This is evidenced by the halt in the construction of the company’s distribution centre in the middle of the construction, which was attributed to the fact that the company did not get a qualified person who could supervise the construction project. In addition to this, two of the company’s designers resigned. This contributed to a drop in the company’s overall production in its nine centres by approximately 15%. The fact that Andy Johnson, the company’s budget manager and Sol Green, the market analyst could not speak to one another also clearly depicts a communication flaw among the employees in the firm. Judy, who was the company’s vice president, is also depicted in the case study as being aggressive in her communication with other employees. There are several incidents mentioned in the case study that highlight the failure by a section of the company’s executives and employees to embrace change. For instance, Judy objected most of the proposed changes, arguing that they were either too expensive or that they had been suggested by incompetent individuals. Another incident was when Andy rejected suggestions that were made by Bill Smith, his assistant, on new approaches that could be used in the collation and analysis of daily sales printouts so as to make better sales forecasts. Even though there are several other issues that are faced by Casual Togs in its operations, three main issues have been outlined in this section. These include the decline in the company’s competitiveness, human resource issues and the resistance to change among a section of the company’s staff. Causes of the Problems The first problem about the company is the fact that it is losing its old customers, and more of its products are being returned as a result of either poor quality or late delivery to customers. For any business to effectively win over the loyalty of its target customers, it has to be dependable in terms of the products and services it delivers (Dervitsiotis, 2011). Prolonged incidences of poor quality products and services or inconsistencies tend to repel customers. As earlier mentioned, there is high competition on the apparel and fashion industry, which also increases the purchasing power of buyers. Failure of one company meet consumer expectations, regardless of how slightly the gap may be, will make even the loyal customers to switch brands (Talib et al., 2011). Late delivery of products to customers also denotes the incompetence of the department that is concerned with the delivery of the company’s products. Another issue that is affecting Casual Togs lies in the human resource management approaches. With reference to the case study presented, there is evidence of a lack of equal of opportunities for career advancement in the company. An example is Andy, who had worked with the company for 15 years without any promotion because was not related with the other managers and was also of a different nationality. According to Choi et al. (2012), one of the causes of employee turnover is the failure of organizations to provide all the employees with a chance to attain their ultimate career goals. The aggressive nature with which Judy addresses employees in the organization also intimidates the employees and lowers their self esteem. This has an adverse effect on the organizational commitment of employees and has and ultimately, affects their levels of productivity (Adler, 2013; Lutgen-Sandvik & Tracy, 2012). The issue of rigidity and failure to embrace change has also contributed to the problems being faced by Casual Togs. One of the organizational aspects that have led to this is the fact that Cy, the company’s president gave all the departmental heads the freedom to make decisions that they considered to be fit for the organization. Whereas it can be argued as an approach that is relevant to the present-day business environment, it poses a challenge to decision making when rapid change are to be made because the opinions of every departmental supervisor have to be considered (Myers et al., 2012). These factors have affected the effectiveness with which Casual Togs adjusts in response to the changes in the market, leading to its dwindling performance. This shows the need for organizations to be flexible enough to maintain its relevance to the target markets (Dervitsiotis, 2011). This section has presented some of the main factors that have led to the existence of the issues that faced by Casual Togs. These include the failure of the company to adhere to quality in the design of its products and the failure to motivate employees, which adversely affects their levels of commitment. Several measures have to be put in place to ensure that the earlier mentioned issues have been overcome. Suggestions for changes to be implemented by Cy, Casual Togs’ President In regard to the issues that have been earlier identified, there are different approaches that ought to be used to change the current situation of the organization. With regard to the quality issues that have led to a loss of clients by the company and increased returns of goods, the direct measure that has to be taken is to ensure that the designers of the company’s apparel products pay attention to detail so as to enhance the quality of the products (Bhardwaj & Fairhurst, 2010). There is also a need to intensify the quality management process to ensure that defective products are minimized (Rosenfeld, 2012). As presented in the case study, market research that is carried out mainly focuses in the levels of sales that should be expected in certain seasons. However, it is also vital for the organization to incorporate the on-going trends in fashion so as to effectively address customer needs (Witell et al., 2011). Human resources in any organization are among the most valuable assets, and have a key contribution towards its overall success. However, it is vital for organizations to motivate them so as to increase their productivity and organizational commitment (Bratton & Gold, 2012). One of issues that are evident at Casual Togs is that employees from a certain nationality are more likely to be promoted than the other employees. In this regard, Cy, the company’s president, needs to ensure that an equality policy is implemented to provide all employees with an equal chance of promotion within the organizational ranks (Giuliano et al., 2011). This will not only motivate employees to work more, but will also attract talented job seekers. The management meetings that were held between managers and other departmental leaders within the organization were informal, marred with emotionally charged arguments, shouting and door slamming. This is a clear indication of the failure to recognize authority an order during these meetings. It is also quite unlikely that such meetings met the intended objectives. To avoid recurrence of such scenarios, the company’s president needs to change the way board meetings are held from informal to formal (Diefenbach & Todnem, 2012). This will instil a sense of order, and will increase the possibilities of attaining the goals set to be met in the meetings. In the presented case, there is evidence of interference of departmental operations by managers or vice presidents of different departments. An individual from a different department could question an action carried out in another department that has no connection to his. Whereas there is need for cross-functional communication and cooperation within an organization (Hongjun & Yajia, 2012), such interferences as those depicted at Casual Togs are destructive. To limit this, the company’s president needs to change the structure of the organization (Deb, 2009). Suggestions to prevent future issues at Casual Togs To prevent future problems from occurring at the organization, it is necessary for Casual Togs to ensure that it makes the necessary adjustments. These include structural changes, management practices and their response to changes taking place in the competitive environment. Suggestions for change are provided in further detail below.Management PracticeThere are a number of changes that ought to be made in the management practices of Casual Togs. The individual in management that raises concern in the case study is Judy, the vice president. Her aggression towards employees, as well as her interference with operations across all departments within the organization, has to be addressed. Given that she is among the majority shareholders in the company and related to the president, there is no possibility of sacking her from the position she holds. Instead, she needs to be encouraged to attend management seminars so as to improve her employee management approach (Bratton & Gold, 2012). R ather than being autocratic in her management and aggressive in communicating with other employees in the organization, she needs to change and become a persuasive or democratic in her management and assertive in communication (Adler, 2013). In persuasive management, managers provide a clear explanation to their employees as to why they have made a certain decision. In democratic management, employees are allowed to make suggestions in the decision making process, and the opinion with the highest votes is selected (Hill et al., 2014). By being assertive in communication, points or arguments are firmly put across to other employees, but respect is still maintained (Adler, 2013). Cy’s approach of management is too lenient to departmental heads within the organizations. This has also affected the way in which he handles suppliers, who often take advantage of his leniency to secure tenders even though they are supplying products at a higher price. Even though his consultative approach to management allows departmental heads to take part in decision making, there is still a need for him to exercise authority, especially when holding meetings with them (Diefenbach & Sillince, 2012).Structural ChangeBefore making a suggestion on the structural changes that ought to be implemented in the organization, it is vital to describe the organizational structure of Casual Togs as depicted in the case study. Based on the informal nature of meetings between departmental heads and the company’s president and the lack of a clear hierarchy of authority in the firm, it can be argued that the organizational structure of the company is adhocratic (Deb, 2009). Even tho ugh such a structure is ideal in encouraging creativity and innovation among employees and effectively adjusting with the changes in the market, it also has several demerits. These include a difficulty to solve routine problems that may arise in the organization, an unclear line of authority and high exposure of the organization to risk (Diefenbach & Todnem, 2012). With reference to the case study, even though Judy is the vice president, she seems to have more authority that the company’s president, Cy. In this regard, the company needs to consider changing its structure to a more formal and well structured bureaucratic structure (Dervitsiotis, 2011). Even though such structures are known to limit innovation and creativity within the organization, it may be ideal for Casual Togs for a number of reasons. These include easing the decision making process, reduction of the exposure to risk and the acknowledgement of a certain structure of authority that has to be adhered to (Bratton & Gold, 2012). Implementing such a structure is likely to eliminate the emotionally charged informal meetings’ scenarios and also the interference of individuals like Judy in all organizational departments.Responding to Changes in the Competitive EnvironmentBased on the fact that the apparels industry is highly competitive and dynamic, it is also necessary for the company to be flexible enough and ready to implement changes that will maintain its relevance to the target markets (Rugman et al., 2012). One of the measures that have to be undertaken to attain this objective is to intensify market research and carry it out on a regular basis. This could be through seeking customer feedback or studying the changing trends through observation. Market research also involves studying the tactics or strategies that are being used by competing companies in the industry (Witell et al., 2011). It is through these market research efforts that the Casual Togs will be able to adjust its product designs and marketing strategies to fit the market preferences while at the same time ensuring that it effectively competes with other players in the market. Maintaining a competitive edge in the industry also depends on the skills that the company has in its human resource force (Dervitsiotis, 2011). It is important for Casual Togs to hire employees that are not only qualified, but also innovative enough to come up with designs that will be well accepted by the target markets. Innovation can also be nurtured among employees in the organization by utilizing appropriate motivational and reward strategies (Wright et al., 2012). Workers at Casual Togs also need to be informed on the inevitability of change in organizations, and why they should always be ready for it. By so doing, resistance to change among employees will be reduced. Some of the changes that may need to be implemented at Casual Togs include technological advancements in the production of its apparel and alteration of product designs to reflect the needs in the market (Myers et al., 2012). Conclusion and RecommendationsConclusionThis report has presented a case study analysis of Casual Togs, a fashion business that mainly deals in the manufacture and distribution of women’s apparels. After two decades of operation, the company’s performance in the market dropped due because of a number of reasons, which have been highlighted in the report. One of these is the poor quality of products, which led to an increase in the volume of returned products. It also led to the withdrawal of many old customers. Another issue that has been identified is the failure to keep employees motivated enough to increase their organizational commitment. The causes of these issues at Casual Togs have also been presented in the paper, as well as some suggestions on how the president of the company can make the necessary changes to improve the situation at the company. Suggestions that have been provides comprise of management changes, structural changes and how the company can respo nd faster to changes and competition in the market. Further recommendations that can improve the company’s brand position are presented hereunder.RecommendationsIn order for the company to appeal to a wider market and increase its returns, it needs to consider expanding its product line. As opposed to the current products that only target ladies, Casual Togs can also consider introducing men’s and children’s clothes. As presented in the case, the products that the company distributes are mainly shorts, blouses and some knit dresses. Introduction of other female apparel like skirts, trench coats and pants can also be advantageous for the company. The case has also highlighted the high costs of production that the company incurs. Though some of these costs are inevitable, the company can reduce the overall costs by using appropriate lean production strategies, which are aimed to minimize the cost and maximize production. Some of the approaches that can be used include minimization or even elimination of errors in the design and production of products and standardization of work processes. In terms of human resource management, the company needs to ensure that it hires and strives to maintain talented and innovative employees that will contribute towards its progress in the market. Some of the approaches to motivation include offering them a reasonable remuneration and rewarding them for unique contribution. Given that the fashion industry is quite competitive, failure to motivate and retain skilled employees may tempt them to cross over and work for competitor companies, which may be detrimental for Casual Togs. References Adler, G., 2013. Management Communication. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Bhardwaj, V. & Fairhurst, A., 2010. Fast fashion: response to changes in the fashion industry. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 20(1), pp.165-73. Bratton, J. & Gold, J., 2012. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice (5th edition). London: Palgrave. Carter, M.Z., Armenakis, A.A., Feild, H.S. & Mossholder, K.W., 2013. Transformational leadership, relationship quality, and employee performance during continuous incremental organizational change. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 34(7), pp.942-58. Choi, S., Cheong, K.K. & Feinberg, R.A., 2012. Moderating effects of supervisor support, monetary rewards, and career paths on the relationship between job burnout and turnover intentions in the context of call centers. Managing Service Quality, 22(5), pp.492-516. Deb, T., 2009. Managing Human Resource And Industrial Relations. Excel Books. Dervitsiotis, K.N., 2011. The challenge of adaptation through innovation based on the quality of the innovation process. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 22(5), pp.553-66. Diefenbach, T. & Sillince, J.A., 2012. Crossing of Boundaries–Subordinates’ Challenges to Organisational Hierarchy. Research in the Sociology of Organizations, 35, pp.171-201. Diefenbach, T. & Todnem, R., 2012. Reinventing Hierarchy and Bureaucracy: From the Bureau to Network Organizations. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing. Giuliano, L., Levine, D.I. & Leonard, J., 2011. Racial Bias in the Manager-Employee Relationship An Analysis of Quits, Dismissals, and Promotions at a Large Retail Firm. Journal of Human Resources, 46(1), pp.26-52. Hill, C., Jones, G?. & Schilling, ?M., 2014. Strategic Management: Theory: An Integrated Approach. Mason: Cengage Learning. Hongjun, L. & Yajia, G., 2012. Study on Chain Companies Human Resources Management. Information and Business Intelligence, 267, pp.227-32. Lutgen-Sandvik, P. & Tracy, S.J., 2012. Answering Five Key Questions About Workplace Bullying How Communication Scholarship Provides Thought Leadership for Transforming Abuse at Work. Management Communication Quarterly, 26(1), pp.3-47. Myers, P., Hulks, S. & Wiggins, L., 2012. Organizational Change: Perspectives on Theory and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Rosenfeld, S.A., 2012. Competitive Manufacturing: New Strategies for Regional Development. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Rugman, A.M., Oh, C.H. & Lim, D.S., 2012. The regional and global competitiveness of multinational firms. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(2), pp.218-35. Talib, F., Rahman, Z. & Qureshi, M., 2011. A study of total quality management and supply chain management practices. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 60(3), pp.268-88. Witell, L., Kristensson, P., Gustafsson, A. & Lofgren, M., 2011. Idea generation: customer co-creation versus traditional market research techniques. Journal of Service Management, 22(2), pp.140-59. Wright, B.E., Moynihan, D.P. & Pandey, S.K., 2012. Pulling the Levers: Transformational Leadership, Public Service, Motivation, and Mission Valence. Public Administration Review, 72(2), p.206–215.

The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein

The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein Are modern-day, American women happy? Are their lives more fulfilling than those of women who lived before the Equal Rights Amendment? Have the expectations of stereotypical gender roles faded away? Is society still dominated by a patriarchal boys club? Wendy Wasserstein considers these questions in her Pulitzer Prize-winning play, The Heidi Chronicles. Although it was written over twenty years ago, this drama still mirrors the emotional trials many of us (women and men) experience as we try to figure out the big question: What should we do with our lives? A Male-centric Disclaimer First of all, before this review continues, it should be disclosed that it was written by a guy. A forty-year-old male. If the subject of analysis in a womens studies class, your reviewer might be labeled as part of the ruling class in a male-biased society. Hopefully, as the critique continues, it wont present as obnoxiously do the self-confident, self-loving male characters in The Heidi Chronicles. The Good The strongest, most appealing aspect of the play is its heroine, a complex character who is emotionally fragile yet resilient. As an audience we watch her make choices that we know will lead to heartache (such as falling in love with the wrong guy), but we also witness Heidi learning from her mistakes; ultimately she proves that she can have both a successful career and a family life. Some of the themes are worthy of literary analysis (for any of you English majors looking for an essay topic). In particular, the play defines feminists of the 70s as hard-working activists who are willing to forgo gender expectations to improve womens status in society. In contrast, the younger generation of women (the ones who are in their twenties during the 1980s) is portrayed as more consumer-minded. This perception is demonstrated when Heidis friends want to develop a sitcom in which women Heidis age are very unhappy. Unfulfilled, frightened of growing old alone. In contrast, the younger generation want to get married in their twenties, have their first baby by thirty, and make a pot of money. This perception of a disparity between the generations leads to a powerful monologue delivered by Heidi in Scene Four, Act Two. She laments: Were all concerned, intelligent, good women. Its just that I feel stranded. And I thought the whole point was that we wouldnt feel stranded. I thought the point was that we were all in this together. Its a heartfelt plea for a sense of community that for Wasserstein (and many other feminist authors) failed to come to fruition after the dawn of the ERA. The Bad As you will discover in more detail if you read the plot outline below, Heidi falls in love with a man named Scoop Rosenbaum. The man is a jerk, plain and simple. And the fact that Heidi spends decades carrying a torch for this loser drains away some of my sympathy for her character. Fortunately, one of her friends, Peter, snaps her out of it when he asks her to contrast her misery with the more devastating problems going on around them. (Peter has recently lost many friends due to AIDS). Its a much-needed wake-up call. Plot Summary The play begins in 1989 with a lecture presented by Heidi Holland, a brilliant, often lonely art historian whose work focuses on developing a stronger awareness of female painters, getting their work exhibited in otherwise male-centric museums. Then the play transitions to the past, and the audience meets the 1965 version of Heidi, an awkward wallflower at a high school dance. She meets Peter, a larger than life young man who will become her best friend. Flash forward to college, 1968, Heidi meets Scoop Rosenbaum, an attractive, arrogant editor of a left-wing newspaper who wins her heart (and her virginity) after a ten-minute conversation. The years go by. Heidi bonds with her girlfriends in womens groups. She crafts a thriving career as an art historian and professor. Her love life, however, is in shambles. Her romantic feelings for her gay friend Peter are unrequited for obvious reasons. And, for reasons hard to fathom, Heidi cant give up on that philandering Scoop, even though he never commits to her and marries a woman whom he does not love passionately. Heidi wants the men she cannot have, and anyone else she dates seems to bore her. Heidi also desires the experience of motherhood. This yearning becomes all the more painful when she attends the baby shower of Mrs. Scoop Rosenbaum. Yet, Heidi is ultimately empowered to find her own path without a husband. Although a bit dated, The Heidi Chronicles still remains an important reminder of the tough choices we all make when we try to chase not just one but a whole handful of dreams. Suggested Reading Wasserstein explores some of the same themes (womens rights, political activism, women who love gay men) in her comical family drama: The Sisters Rosenweig. She also wrote a book called Sloth, a parody of those over-enthusiastic self-help books.

Nurses' and patients' perception of digniy Essay

Nurses' and patients' perception of digniy - Essay Example 143). Method or Design Phenomenological research is a science that deals with describing, interpreting and understanding human experiences of individuals, particularly patients and nurses. In this research, nurses were asked to tell their experiences with patients whose dignity was maintained or compromised. Patients were also asked about their hospital experiences in which their dignity was maintained or compromised. The whole process was done through unstructured interviews which lasted for about half an hour, and audiotaped by the researchers. The unstructured interview is used to motivate the participants to relate their stories at their convenient time. In arranging for interviews, the researcher informs the participants about the aim of the interview, the time frame, and the method it will be conducted whether audio-taped or video-taped. The participant have to be informed that the results of the interviews will be transcribed and that some of the answers will appear in article s, but the identity of the respondents will not be revealed. An unstructured interview is considered retrospective as the participants tell about their experiences about the subject being investigated. (Morse 2001) Unstructured interviews were used to explore and gather experiential narrative material and done in such a way that the researcher and the participants were like conversing with each other. The participants were not asked about their opinion on dignity but on their experiences wherein their dignity was maintained or compromised. After the interviews, the text was interpreted and analysed using ‘an interpretative hermeneutic approach,’ whereby themes were used and assigned on the participants’ responses. Out of the interpretations, the researchers drew their conclusions on the meaning of dignity and the circumstances where dignity was maintained or compromised. Sampling Sampling or recruitment of participants was done by way of posting notices in wards of a large hospital, which meant participants were asked to volunteer on the proposed study. Five patients and four nurses responded to the call and gave their informed consent. The sampling done in the study was not representative of the population of patients and nurses in that large metropolitan hospital mentioned in the study. Posting notices in wards do not draw the desired number of participants for a sample and does not generate a general opinion of the nurses and patients. However, the researchers were sure that the participants they intended to question possessed the desired information and that they were willing to answer the questions. Moreover, researchers should always try to obtain a sample that is representative of the population of interest. (Fraenkel & Wallen 2006, p. 402) There are other ways of drawing a sample, like random sampling, stratified random sampling, and cluster sampling. A simple random sample provides opportunity for every member of the population to have ‘an equal and independent chance of being selected,’ and ‘the larger a random sample is in size, the more likely it is to represent the population’ (Fraenkel & Wallen 2006, p. 95). This was not done in the research. What the researchers should have done was to ask permission of the owners or administrators of the hospital for the research to be

AeroMedical Education Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

AeroMedical Education Plan - Essay Example As the research declares Bloom’s taxonomy of learning recognizes that there are three major domains that are fundamental in the promotion of higher forms of thinking in the learning process. According to Bloom, Engelhart, Furst, Hill and Krathwohl, the three domains of educational training are 1) cognitive domain that deals with mental skills, 2) affective domain that involves growth in feelings or emotional areas, and 3) psychomotor domain that deals with physical or manual skills. Atherton argues that each of the domains is sub-divided into various levels in a hierarchical model starting with the most basic process to the most complex one as shown below. According to the paper findings Bloom’s taxonomy helps education planners contextualize teaching programs that enable learners attain a holistic study and understanding of knowledge in terms of its foundations, scope and validity. This brings about the desired effectiveness in educational and training programs among learners. The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport System (CAMTS) is charged with the responsibility of developing standards for the aero-medical environment. According to CAMTS, the requirements for the orientation, training and continuing education programs for the aero-medical personnel are premised on the transport program’s the purpose of the service, mode(s) of transport provided and its constituents contained in the mission statement, scope of care and patient population.

War of 1812 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

War of 1812 - Essay Example Britain was engaged in war with France and wanted to curtail the trade capability of its enemies thus cutting trading channels (Wait 42). At the same time, Britain had implemented a forced recruitment of US seamen in to Royal Navy and started assisting Native American Indians who were engaged in forced resistance of the expansion of US frontier to the North West. The other immediate cause of the war was the desire by the United States to annex Canada territory and expand its frontier Northwest through conquering the Indians (Norton, et al 627). Over several decades, Americans developed the feeling that the Mexicans had very little respect for the young United States. Besides, Mexicans prompted arrogant attacks to the United States and this created a lot of hostility to both nations. Even though the war got official, declaration in June 1812, preparations for engagement in such kind of an attack was already in place with the government congress inviting more volunteers to join the mil itary and the number was rapidly increasing (Black 118). American Indians had cordial relations with the British as a way of building up power to fight against a common enemy. This led to a military support since Britain offered weapons to the red Indians in order to suppress United States military from invading the northwest region that had fertile soil and natural resources (Wait 42). The possible resistance of invasion of the territory from both sides was as an imminent factor to stage the war later named the Mexican war. There was anxiety because the United States had a composition of two major armies. The fist one termed as the United States Amy seconded by the one authorized by the congress. Therefore, the congress army was set up with an agenda to wage wars in order to restore dignity and honor from the nations as one of the strongest forces in the world and it was through this, that the Mexican war came into place as a solid test to determine the strength of such an existenc e (Hanson 31). The United States achievements from the Mexican war Despite objections by the abolitionists, the United States gained recommendable boost on military confidence and mighty since volunteers who joined the forces to help fight enemies. Their military populations remained the same even after the war had technically ended and the US was considered a military power. In addition, the Indians having being supported by the British with the sophisticated weapons, finally agreed to sign treaties in order to allow for United States frontier expansion in Northwest. The United States asserted its trade independence under the international law and need for neutral rights of the countries engaged in the war. Later, Mexican government accepted to a fine charge for having assaulted the United States and agreed to pay a debt amounting to more than three million United States dollars (Wait 42). Conclusion I believe that the United States attained high military confidence by defeating a force that was large and superior in terms of military equipment to the United States and President Jackson demonstrated to the entire world that the US was a powerful military force. Although the signing of treaty after British defeat at New Orleans technically ended the war, the United States attained nationalism and was capable of signing treaties in Northwest thus opening the Native Indian lands for American expansion. Accordingly, the US asserted its trade

Methods for Simply Supported Beams and Columns in Steel Essay

Methods for Simply Supported Beams and Columns in Steel - Essay Example (Lecture 10.6.2: Shear Connection II) To define the total and fractional shear connection, one can simplify as only a simply supported beam by means of 'constant cross-sections' that are deemed to consideration of an evenly dispersed loading or of one concentrated load, but cannot be both. By taking the 'critical length' of a simply supported beam into consideration, the ultimate worth of the overall longitudinal shear force in the length could be calculated by presuming that the plastic resistance moment can be attained within the inner critical cross-section. Therefore the overall longitudinal shear force is equivalent to the less significant plastic axial resistance within either the steel component or the concrete slab within the critical cross-section in question. We can assume that ductile connectors are used for the reason of the design method for a partial shear connection. One should establish the notion of a lessened definitive moment curve and lacking the need to assess the slip along the steel-concrete interface. By assuming that every connector cultivates its design shear resistance, the overall longitudinal shear force within every significant length is equivalent to the total of the shear resistances of the connectors and also to the ultimate compressive force within the concrete slab. A significant choice for the efficient usage of composite beams in buildings is the partial shear connection. Simply supported beams designs depend on the connector ductility and when non-ductile shear connectors are employed the use of an elastic beam theory is used within the simplest design method, assessing the longitudinal shear force per unit length, although when the ductile shear connectors are used, the employment of plastic resistance of cross-sections used within the 'stress block design method'. (Lecture 10.6.2: Shear Connection II) A minimal measure of connectivity depends upon the beam's extent and attention is attracted to the requirements thereof. Through the application of the new (FRP) fibre reinforced polymer bars as extra strengthening within civil engineering constructions, by speedily attaining progress, it may well substitute the conventional steel as it consists of superior matter and of a very good cost-effectiveness. It also adds an advantage of more durability to conventional steel within a problematic atmosphere and surroundings and within areas where conventional steel has the unneeded magnetism or electricity conduction. 172357 3 Another method of column design is within a non-sway bare steel structure. "A semi-rigid design of partially restrained columns in non-sway steel frames." (Journal of Constructional Steel Research 1999) This of which withholds the semi-rigid action of the 'beam to column' connectivity upon the approximation of the efficient length ratio.

Linear Programming: Advantages, Disadvantages and Strategies

Linear Programming: Advantages, Disadvantages and Strategies I LINEAR PROGRAMMING In a decision-making embroilment, model formulation is important because it represents the essence of business decision problem. The term formulation is used to mean the process of converting the verbal description and numerical data into mathematical expressions which represents the relevant relationship among decision factors, objectives and restrictions on the use of resources. Linear Programming (LP) is a particular type of technique used for economic allocation of scarce or limited resources, such as labour, material, machine, time, warehouse space, capital, energy, etc. to several competing activities, such as products, services, jobs, new equipment, projects, etc. on the basis of a given criterion of optimally. The phrase scarce resources mean resources that are not in unlimited in availability during the planning period. The criterion of optimality generally is either performance, return on investment, profit, cost, utility, time, distance, etc. George B Dantzing while working with US Air Force during World War II, developed this technique, primarily for solving military logistics problems. But now, it is being used extensively in all functional areas of management, hospitals, airlines, agriculture, military operations, oil refining, education, energy planning, pollution control, transportation planning and scheduling, research and development, etc. Even though these applications are diverse, all I.P models consist of certain common properties and assumptions. Before applying linear programming to a real-life decision problem, the decision-maker must be aware of all these properties and assumptions. The word linear refers to linear relationship among variables in a model. Thus, a given change in one variable will always cause a resulting proportional change in another variable. For example, doubling the investment on a certain project will exactly double the rate of the return. The word programming refers to modelling and solving a problem mathematically that involves the economic allocation of limited resources by choosing a particular course of action or strategy among various alternative strategies to achieve the desired objective. STRUCTURE OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING General Structure of LP Model The general structure of LP model consists of three components. Decision variables (activities): We need to evaluate various alternatives (courses of action) for arriving at the optimal value of objective function. Obviously, if there are no alternatives to select from, we would not need LP. The evaluation of various alternatives is guided by the nature of objective function and availability of resources. For this, we pursue certain activities usually denoted by x1, x2xn. The value of these activities represents the extent to which each of these is performed. For example, in a product-mix manufacturing, the management may use LP to decide how many units of each of the product to manufacture by using its limited resources such as personnel, machinery, money, material, etc. These activities are also known as decision variables because they arc under the decision makers control. These decision variables, usually interrelated in terms of consumption of limited resources, require simultaneous solutions. All decision variables are continuous, controllable and non-negative. That is, x1>0, x2>0, .xn>0. The objective function: The objective function of each L.P problem is a mathematical representation of the objective in terms of a measurable quantity such as profit, cost, revenue, distance, etc. In its general form, it is represented as: Optimise (Maximise or Minimise) Z = c1x1 + c2X2. cnxn Where Z is the measure-of-performance variable, which is a function of x1, x2 , xn. Quantities c1, c2cn are parameters that represent the contribution of a unit of the respective variable x1, x2, xn to the measure-of-performance Z. The optimal value of the given objective function is obtained by the graphical method or simplex method. The constraints: There are always certain limitations (or constraints) on the use of resources, e.g. labour, machine, raw material, space, money, etc. that limit the degree to which objective can be achieved. Such constraints must be expressed as linear equalities or inequalities in terms of decision variables. The solution of an L.P model must satisfy these constraints. The linear programming method is a technique for choosing the best alternative from a set of feasible alternatives, in situations in which the objective function as well as the constraints can be expressed as linear mathematical functions. APPLICATION AREAS OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING Linear programming is the most widely used technique of decision-making in business and Industry and in various other fields. In this section, we will discuss a few of the broad application areas of linear programming. Agricultural Applications These applications fall into categories of farm economics and farm management. The former deals with agricultural economy of a nation or region, while the latter is concerned with the problems of the individual farm. The study of farm economics deals with inter-regional competition and optimum allocation of crop production. Efficient production patterns can be specified by a linear programming model under regional land resources and national demand constraints. Linear programming can be applied in agricultural planning, e.g. allocation of limited resources such as acreage, labour, water supply and working capital, etc. in a way so as to maximise net revenue. Military Applications Military applications include the problem of selecting an air weapon system against enemy so as to keep them pinned down and at the same time minimising the amount of aviation gasoline used. A variation of the transportation problem that maximises the total tonnage of bombs dropped on a set of targets and the problem of community defence against disaster, the solution of which yields the number of defence units that should be used in a given attack in order to provide the required level of protection at the lowest possible cost. Production Management Product mix: A company can produce several different products, each of which requires the use of limited production resources. In such cases, it is essential to determine the quantity of each product to be produced knowing its marginal contribution and amount of available resource used by it. The objective is to maximise the total contribution, subject to all constraints. Production planning: This deals with the determination of minimum cost production plan over planning period of an item with a fluctuating demand, considering the initial number of units in inventory, production capacity, constraints on production, manpower and all relevant cost factors. The objective is to minimise total operation costs. Assembly-line balancing: This problem is likely to arise when an item can be made by assembling different components. The process of assembling requires some specified sequence(s). The objective is to minimise the total elapse time. Blending problems: These problems arise when a product can be made from a variety of available raw materials, each of which has a particular composition and price. The objective here is to determine the minimum cost blend, subject to availability of the raw materials, and minimum and maximum constraints on certain product constituents. Trim loss When an item is made to a standard size (e.g. glass, paper sheet), the problem that arises is to determine which combination of requirements should be produced from standard materials in order to minimise the trim loss. Financial Management Portfolio selection: This deals with the selection of specific investment activity among several other activities. The objective is to find the allocation which maximises the total expected return or minimises risk under certain limitations. Profit planning: This deal with the maximisation of the profit margin from investment in plant facilities and equipment, cash in hand and inventory. Marketing Management Media selection: Linear programming technique helps in determining the advertising media mix so as to maximise the effective exposure, subject to limitation of budget, specified exposure rates to different market segments, specified minimum and maximum number of advertisements in various media. (if) Travelling salesman problem The problem of salesman is to find the shortest route from a given city, visiting each of the specified cities and then returning to the original point of departure, provided no city shall be visited twice during the tour. Such type of problems can be solved with the help of the modified assignment technique. Physical distribution: Linear programming determines the most economic and efficient manner of locating manufacturing plants and distribution centres for physical distribution. Personnel Management Staffing problem: Linear programming is used to allocate optimum manpower to a particular job so as to minimise the total overtime cost or total manpower. Determination of equitable salaries: Linear programming technique has been used in determining equitable salaries and sales incentives. Job evaluation and selection: Selection of suitable person for a specified job and evaluation of job in organisations has been done with the help of linear programming technique. Other applications of linear programming lie in the area of administration, education, fleet utilisation, awarding contracts, hospital administration and capital budgeting. ADVANTAGES OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING Following are certain advantages of linear programming: Linear programming helps in attaining the optimum use of productive resources. It also indicates how a decision-maker can employ his productive factors effectively by selecting and distributing (allocating) these resources. Linear programming techniques improve the quality of decisions. The decision-making approach of the user of this technique becomes more objective and less subjective. Linear programming techniques provide possible and practical solutions since there might be other constraints operating outside the problem which must be taken into account. Just because we can produce so many units docs not mean that they can be sold. Thus, necessary modification of its mathematical solution is required for the sake of convenience to the decision-maker. Highlighting of bottlenecks in the production processes is the most significant advantage of this technique. For example, when a bottleneck occurs, some machines cannot meet demand while other remains idle for some of the time. Linear programming also helps in re-evaluation of a basic plan for changing conditions. If conditions change when the plan is partly carried out, they can be determined so as to adjust the remainder of the plan for best results. LIMITATIONS OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING There should be an objective which should be clearly identifiable and measurable in quantitative terms. It could be, for example, maximisation of sales, of profit, minimisation of cost, and so on, which is not possible in real life. The activities to be included should be distinctly identifiable and measurable in quantitative terms, for instance, the products included in a production planning problem and all the activities cant be measured in quantitative terms for example if labour is sick, which will decrease his performance which cant be measured. The resources of the system which arc to be allocated for the attainment of the goal should also be identifiable and measurable quantitatively. They must be in limited supply. The technique would involve allocation of these resources in a manner that would trade off the returns on the investment of the resources for the attainment of the objective. The relationships representing the objective as also the resource limitation considerations, represented by the objective function and the constraint equations or inequalities, respectively must be linear in nature, which is not possible. There should be a series of feasible alternative courses of action available to the decision makers, which are determined by the resource constraints. When these stated conditions are satisfied in a given situation, the problem can be expressed in algebraic form, called the Linear Programming Problem (LPP) and then solved for optimal decision. While solving an LP model, there is no guarantee that we will get integer valued solutions. For example, in finding out how many men and machines would be required lo perform a particular job, a non-integer valued solution will be meaningless. Rounding off the solution to the nearest integer will not yield an optimal solution. In such cases, integer programming is used to ensure integer value to the decision variables. Linear programming model does not take into consideration the effect of time and uncertainty. Thus, the LP model should be defined in such a way that any change due to internal as well as external factors can be incorporated. Sometimes large-scale problems can be solved with linear programming techniques even when assistance of computer is available. For it, the main problem can be fragmented into several small problems and solving each one separately. Parameters appearing in the model are assumed to be constant but in real-life situations, they are frequently neither known nor constant. Parameters like human behaviour, weather conditions, stress of employees, demotivated employee cant be taken into account which can adversely effect any organisation Only one single objective is dealt with while in real life situations, problems come with multi-objectives. II SITUATION ANALYSIS Phang furniture system Inc. (Fursys) manufactures two models of stools, Potty which is basic model and a better model called Hardy. SUPPLIES Maximum of 350 pounds plastic per day at the rate of $1.5 per pound by Keow supplies Up to 30 boxes of legs per day at the rate of $7.5 per box. Each box has 10 sets of legs by Yuen supplies Using linear programming the optimal production should be determined for maximum profit. Decision Variables The production units are in terms of number on daily basis. Therefore the decision variables are: Let, X1 = No. of Pottys production daily X2 = No. of Hardys production daily Objective Function The objective in the problem is to attain maximum profit. We have selling price for Potty and Hardy as $12.75 and $18. We need to calculate the unit profit gained by selling Potty and Hardy. Cost of production for 1 Potty = one pound plastic + one set of leg = ($1.5*1) + $0.75(1) = $2.25 Profit made by selling = $12.75 $2.25 = $10.5 Cost of production for 1 Hardy = 1.5 pound of plastic + one set of leg = ($1.5*1.5) + ($0.75*1) = $3 Unit profit made by selling Hardy = $18 $3 = $15 Constraints Plastic Potty requires one pound of plastic and Hardy requires 1.5 pound plastic. So the total plastic used daily is: (1)X1 + (1.5)X2 This plastic supply cant exceed the limit of 350 pounds daily, so constraint is (1)X1 + (1.5)X2