Henry Bessemer and the Production of Steel

Sir Henry Bessemer, an Englishman, invented the first process for mass-producing  steel  inexpensively in the 19th century. It was an essential contribution to the development of modern-day skyscrapers. The First System for Manufacturing Steel An American, William Kelly, initially held a patent for a system of air blowing the carbon out of pig iron, a method of steel production known as the pneumatic process. Air was blown through molten pig iron to oxidize and remove unwanted impurities. This was Bessemer’s starting point. When Kelly went bankrupt, Bessemer – who had been working on a similar process for making steel – bought his patent. Bessemer patented a decarbonization process utilizing a blast of air in 1855. Modern Steel Modern steel is made using technology based on Bessemers process. On the making of the first steel ingot, Bessemer said: I well remember how anxiously I awaited the blowing of the first 7-cwt. charge of pig iron. I had engaged an ironfounders furnace attendant to manage the cupola and the melting of the charge. When his metal was nearly all melted, he came to me  and said hurriedly, Where be going to put the metal, maister? I said, I want you to run it by a gutter into that little furnace, pointing to the converter, from which you have just raked out all the fuel, and then I shall blow cold air through it to make it hot. The man looked at me in a way in which surprise and pity for my ignorance seemed curiously blended, and  he said, It will soon be all of a lump. Notwithstanding this prediction, the metal was run in, and I awaited with much impatience the result. The first element attacked by the atmospheric oxygen is the silicon, generally present in pig iron to the extent of 1 1/2 to 2 percent; it is the white metallic substance of which flint is the acid silicate. Its combustion furnishes a great deal of heat, but it is very undemonstrative, a few sparks and hot gases only indicating the fact that something is going quietly on. But after an interval of 10 or 12 minutes, when the carbon contained in grey pig iron to the extent of about 3 percent is seized on by the oxygen, a voluminous white flame is produced which rushes out of the openings provided for its escape from the upper chamber, and it brilliantly illuminates the whole space around. This chamber proved a perfect cure for the rush of slags and metal from the upper central opening of the first converter. I watched with some anxiety for the expected cessation of the flame as the carbon gradually burnt out. It took place almost suddenly, and thus indicated the entire decarburisation of the metal. The furnace was then tapped, when out rushed a limpid stream of incandescent malleable iron, almost too brilliant for the eye to rest upon. It was allowed to flow vertically into the parallel undivided ingot mould. Then came the question, would the ingot shrink enough, and the cold iron mould expand enough, to allow the ingot to be pushed out? An interval of eight or 10 minutes was allowed, and then, on the application of hydraulic force to the ram, the ingot rose entirely out of the mould and stood there ready for removal. Bessemer was knighted in 1879 for his contributions to science. The Bessemer Process for mass-producing steel was named after him. Andrew Carnegie greatly advanced the steel industry in America after studying the Bessemer process and the British steel industry in the late 1800s. Robert Mushet is credited with inventing tungsten steel in 1868, and Henry Brearly invented stainless steel in 1916.

Factory Farmers Americas Very Own Bullies Essay

Factory Farmers: America’s Very Own Bullies â€Å"We take care of animals, and the animals take care of us.† (Rollin 212). The preceding phrase is a policy that American farmers in the old west lived their lives by. Modern farmers live do not live their lives anywhere near to this phrase because they own factory farms, and the whole reason for having a factory farm is to fit as many animals in a small space as possible in order to maximize profit. Factory Farms, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) first appeared in the 1920s, right after Vitamins A and D, because if animals are given these vitamins in their diets, exercise and sunlight are not necessities for the animals to grow anymore (In Defense of Animals 1). The growing†¦show more content†¦By treating animals roughly, it has a snowball like effect on the health of the animals themselves, the health of human beings and the health of the planet. Roughness with the animals can cause them to experience a lot of stress, especially if confined in a small space. The stress that is caused can worsen the food that is to come from them, which can hurt anyone who eats it. Factory farms have been around since the 1920s and have only become worse in terms of animal welfare and food safety. In order to remedy this situation, America, as a whole, must work to make factory farms a better place for animals to live. According to the â€Å"Universal Declaration of the Rights of Animals† written by the International League of the Rights of Animals in September of 1977 animals have similar right to those of humans. Animals have a right to live with respect and shall not be killed without reason. They shall not be denied the right to reproduce, or have the freedom of living in their natural habitat (Opposing Viewpoints 20). Activism in animal rights first began in the late 1960s because a documentary from Canada showed baby seals being beat to death with clubs was shown across the world. When people saw the documentary, th ey were outraged and started a massive animal-rights movement, which is now targeting factory farms (â€Å"Key Issue: Animal Rights† 1).Show MoreRelatedThe Rise of China and Future of the West17670 Words   |  71 PagesHong Kong) could attain $18,000 Billion in 2030. We must answer to three questions: 1-Is the Chinese growth expected to going on? Clearly, we answer Yes. Thanks to its population, China represents a huge market and the economy can still enjoy a very high growth rate in the next future. Despite political and social uncertainties, we are confident because of the quality of the Chinese youth. 400 Million are aged between 20 and 39 (Only 110 million in Western Europe ) and constitute the main laborRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesBetter† 392 Point/Counterpoint Heroes Are Made, Not Born 398 Questions for Review 399 Experiential Exercise What Is a Leader? 399 Ethical Dilemma Undercover Leaders 399 Case Incident 1 Leadership Mettle Forged in Battle 400 Case Incident 2 Leadership Factories 400 13 Power and Politics 411 A Definition of Power 412 Contrasting Leadership and Power 413 Bases of Power 414 Formal Power 414 †¢ Personal Power 415 †¢ Which Bases of Power Are Most Effective? 416 †¢ Power and Perceived Justice 416 Dependence:Read MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 PagesAnalysing the environment The nature of the marketing environment The evolution of environmental analysis The political, economic, social and technological environments Coming to terms with the industry and market breakpoints Coming to terms with the very different future: the implications for marketing planning Approaches to environmental analysis and scanning Summary 5 Approaches to customer analysis 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 Learning objectives Introduction Coming to terms with buyerRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesincluding: â€Å"How can I help others accept new goals, new ideas, new approaches?† â€Å"How can I invigorate those who feel outdated and left behind?† â€Å"How do I help the ‘survivors’ of a downsizing pick up the pieces and move on?† â€Å"How do I help people with very different agendas and philosophies work together, especially during periods of high stress and uncertainty?† Anyone tempted to dismissively argue that the answers to these questions are â€Å"common sense† would do well to recall Will Rogers’ pithy observation:

Night Creature Crescent Moon Chapter 34 Free Essays

My eyes snapped open. How long had I been asleep? I lay on my sleeping bag, alone – nothing new there. What was new was the crescent moon centered in the window, a bright silver slash against an indigo sky. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Crescent Moon Chapter 34 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Showtime,† I muttered. I’d rather Adam were with me, wouldn’t mind having him around while I spent the rest of the night in a tree with my dart gun. But he hadn’t offered and I hadn’t asked. In fact, neither one of us had said a word. He’d behaved as if he were drawn to me even though it was wrong, stupid, destructive. He’d behaved like a man who couldn’t help himself, and that wasn’t love. But it was something. I dug out some jeans and a dark T-shirt. As an afterthought I tucked both gris-gris in my pocket. Alligators I didn’t need, and one never could tell when the truth might come in handy. The dart gun was loaded, but I put some extra darts into my backpack, along with a bottle of water and some cookies. I could be out there all night. Last, I opened the cooler I’d bought in town yesterday and withdrew a long white paper-wrapped package from the ice. The trek to the clearing was uneventful. Though it would be too much to hope for that the loup-garou was poised to step into my trap, nevertheless, I approached quietly, just in case. However, when I pushed through the tall grass, the only thing I saw was an empty cage. Not that it was easy to see it, if I do say so myself. I’d positioned the apparatus, large enough to hold ten grown men, beneath a particularly weepy-looking cypress tree. After I rearranged the moss and the ground cover, the metal was almost impossible to distinguish by the simple light of a crescent moon. I tossed the contents of my white paper package inside. â€Å"Fresh steak ought to entice you.† Wolves preferred live prey, but they weren’t against a free meal when they could find one. Me, I couldn’t stomach tying up a live creature to await a bloody death. Prime rib would have to do. Over the past few days I’d not only readied the cage, the darts, the gun, I’d also readied a second perfect cypress nearby: tall, with acres of moss. I’d placed a portable tree stand about twenty feet off the ground. I tied my rifle to the rope I’d strung over a branch. Using the heavy-duty nails I’d pounded into the tree, I climbed to the flat metal stand. After allowing my gaze to wander over the area, I hoisted my gun upward by way of the rope pulley, secured the safety strap around my waist – more fatal hunting accidents occur when hunters tumble out of their trees because they fall asleep, have a heart attack, or are just plain stupid than when they are actually shot – and settled in to wait. The sounds of the swamp surrounded me. I’d thought the place loud when I was inside the mansion? I hadn’t met loud yet Birds, insects, alligators, nutrias – out there somewhere I could have sworn I heard a pig squeal. A farm animal gone wild? Or were there wild boars in the depths? I probably shouldn’t have been wandering around as much as I had been without a gun. My gaze was caught by shifting swamp grass beneath an ebbing moon. Not the wind. Something was coming. Slowly I raised the gun. I don’t know what I expected, but when the wolf stepped from the swamp into the clearing, lifting his nose and sniffing, I had to bite my lip to keep from making a sound. His fur shone in the sliver of moonlight, glinting black, then blue, then black again. I’d been right to gauge the dosage for an Alaskan timber wolf. This thing might even be larger than that. The animal paid no attention to the steak. Instead he trotted around and around the open area as if he knew something was there but couldn’t find it. I wasn’t surprised; I didn’t even consider it magic to have the wolf from my dream materialize. I’d seen a black tail. I knew what a wolf looked like. Put one and one together and I got two, even in my sleep. But how was I supposed to determine if this was a real wolf or a werewolf? Mrs. Favreau’s words came back to me: Though the form may be that of a wolf, a werewolf always retains its human eyes. I squinted against the night, against the distance, as the wolf circled away from me again, but I couldn’t see his eyes, let alone determine if they were human. Suddenly he stopped, stiffened, and stared right at me. I hadn’t made a movement, not a sound. What had caused him to sense I was there? Wolves did not peer into trees for their prey. I lifted the gun to my shoulder. He didn’t care. He charged across the clearing as if he planned to climb up the trunk, snarling as if he would tear me apart once he got there. Why wasn’t he afraid of the rifle? He couldn’t know that I didn’t have silver bullets. Right now that seemed like a big mistake. I forced myself to remain steady. To be patient. To aim. I didn’t think a wolf could clamber this high, but I wasn’t taking any chances. Right before I squeezed the trigger, I saw his eyes, and I had no qualms about shooting. I couldn’t determine a color, but I did see the whites. Real wolves didn’t have any. The dart struck him in the chest. He yelped, leaped. My heart did, too. The thing had a damn nice vertical extension. Too nice. If he hadn’t been shot, he might have cleared the lowest branch of my tree, about a yard below my feet. Not that he could have done much damage hanging there, but the ability startled me. What else could he do? The wolf fell to the earth, staggered, toppled, and went still. The silence following so much sound seemed deafening. I needed to drag the beast into the cage, then call Frank. Lucky for me, the animal had dropped over right in front of the enclosure. I wasn’t sure how far I’d be able to move deadweight that approximated my own. Once on the ground, I wasted no time. Though I didn’t want to, I leaned my weapon against the tree. I couldn’t do much with one hand. The grass was damp, so when I tugged on his rear legs, the beast slid. After much grunting and groaning, I had him in the cage. Straightening, I allowed myself to smile. I’d done it. Like a dog dreaming of a rabbit, the wolf’s legs twitched, and my smile froze. He lay between me and the door. â€Å"Idiot,† I muttered, and leaped over his inert body, skidding on the grass and falling on my ass. Stunned, I didn’t immediately move. Until I heard a low, rumbling growl. I rolled onto my feet in a single movement, which was pretty darned athletic if I do say so myself. Terror will do that to a woman. I dived for the open door as the wolf slowly sat up, shaking his head as if he were coming out of deep water. The dart hadn’t worked very well. Of course it had been fashioned for a 120-pound animal. This one weighed quite a bit more than that. I guess I should count myself lucky he’d fallen over at all. The door clanged and I turned the key, then yanked it out of the lock and backpedaled as quickly as I could. Slipping again, I fell to my knees. Could I be any more of a klutz? I’d specifically requested a lock and key on the cage. A wolf couldn’t undo a catch, but a person could. And if this animal was what I thought it was, he’d have opposable thumbs by morning, if not before. A body slammed into the bars. Snarling and slavering commenced. Still on my hands and knees, I looked up and my whole world shifted. The wolf was exactly like the one in my dream. Huge and black, he also possessed the eyes of Adam Ruelle. How to cite Night Creature: Crescent Moon Chapter 34, Essay examples

Human Hippocampal And Intracranial Volumes -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Human Hippocampal And Intracranial Volumes? Answer: Introduction The organizations are equipping the Information Technology (IT)/ Information Systems (IS) to maintain their sustainability for decades. One of that technology is the subject of the paper, Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP). ERP dates back to the 1960s however the term itself was coined by Gartner in 1990 (Stein et al. 2012). The deemed subject is the system that integrates all the essential operations of an organisation in unit database. Those processes include resources management systems, accounting and other operations of an organisation. The topics of discussion in the report are ERP and appropriate ERP vendors for implementation in CPLS (Chris and Patricias Legal Support). CPLS falls under the category of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) to offers legal support to financially weak people. The Purpose of the report is to evaluate different ERP vendors available in the market and determine the most suitable ERP system for the considered organisation. The focus is on the method of purchase and the factors that should be considered before finalising the deal between the vendor and CPLS. To achieve the deemed purpose, the author had gathered data on different vendors that are available in the market and shortlisted three of them. Further, an assessment of the shortlisted vendors and their ERP system has been done to refer the most suitable ERP system available. In conclusion, the author has also put forth some recommendations that need to keep in mind before purchasing the system. Evaluating the requirement: CPLS method of operation is a diverse one, and with around 50 associates makes it a complicated also. Their information resources include clients and the services offered to them, peak seasons, pending cases, client list along with their contact details and others. The offered case study also suggests that the deemed organisation would prefer to have a cloud based ERP system. Along with maintaining the operations of the organisation, the selected system should also be capable of recording the suggestions that a particular lawyer offers to a particular client in a particular case. The system should also offer employee management so that the organisation can reduce the effort that they invest in specifying the cases to the employees depending on their specialisation. The considered firm is famous for its free services to the unprivileged people which generate massive traffic at the organisation. Hence to manage that traffic the system should offer A robust CRM (Customer Relationship Ma nagement) System. Taking consideration of the following factors the purchase of the most suitable system should be made. General Guidelines for purchase process: The demand for the ERP system created a rush in the market, and with all the options available in the market the interested organisation developed confusion. Hence to omit the confusion, general guidelines for the purchase process was introduced which have stages. The stages included in the guidelines are defined to measure different factors. Namely, suitability, compatibility, evaluating the options, the flexibility of the product, cost efficiency, capability, defining objectives and the management. The stages of the purchase process have been discussed in the following paragraphs. The first phase of the offered guidelines assesses the suitability of the system for the users. The importance of this phase can be understood by the fact the most important reason for the failure of an implemented system is users lack of interest. Users lack of interest commonly results from the lack of suitability with the system. Hence to prevent failure of the implemented system and to use it at maximum efficiency the discussed stage should be considered. The second stage of the guidelines is defined to measure the compatibility of the system with the organisational operations and transfer of data to the implemented system. Information is the essential resource for an organisations future and hence should be preserved. The deemed stage validates the safety of the data when transferred from the older system to the newly implemented system. Evaluating the number of options that can help the CPLS to achieve their desired goal falls under the third phase. The need for this phase arises from the complexity that is involved in the requirements of the firm. Pursuing the deemed phase will enable the users to explore the options before shortlisting the vendors. In the fourth stage, the flexibility of the deemed system is evaluated. Organizations changes or expand depending on their performance. Hence it is essential to have a system that offers flexibility to cope with any potential change made in the organisation. CPLS operates its functions depending upon the funds it receives from the donation. Hence the budget of the organisation is limited which rises the need for the fifth phase (Westra et al. 2012). The considered phase measures the cost efficiency of the system that is to be purchased. Additionally, the training and resources cost that will be involved in familiarising the employees with the system are also considered in this phase. The return on investment (ROI) is also a factor that is measured in the deemed phase. The sixth phase of the guideline suggests that before continuing with the buying process, the organisation should measure the capabilities of the product they are purchasing. The purpose of doing so is to prevent any risk or interruption that may arise in the future for the organisation. Goal defining for the product that is to be purchased is evaluated in the seventh phase of the suggested guideline. CPLS is a non-profitable organisation hence they should make proper use of their investment. While to make proper use of any product their goal should be defined and hence the considered phased should be considered. The final instruction to the buyers is measured their capability of whether they are capable of managing the product they are buying or not. This is because operation of most IS systems demand expertise and ERP be one of them. Hence to make proper use of their investment the firm should consider this phase. Potential vendors In this cyber age, the market offers multiple options for everything. The case is same when considered with ERP offerings. Hence, depending upon the requirement of the organisation and the brands that offer appropriate ERP services, the potential vendors for the same have been discussed in the following section. Oracle is a name in the world of IT services and one of the its offered service is ERP. The deemed organisation is known for offering relational database. The ERP offered by the organisation offers Performance management, human-capital management tools, strategies and applications for outsourcing and PM (project management) applications (Oracle.com, 2018). The deemed service is offered in two variations namely Rise and Planning editions by Oracle. The two variations are developed for industries depending on their size. The Planning edition is designed for large organizations and the standard edition for the SMEs. Additional to the above mentioned features the considered organisation also offers monitoring system for the work, CRM and safekeeping of the informational records in real time. Decision making is also greatly supported by the offered services. SAP is a widely recognised name in the world of ERP services. Global giants like Accenture and Vistex Inc employees the ERP service offered by the SAP (SAP, 2018). The deemed service is known for handling complex situations while offering an enormous storage of relational database to store the information. The service is based on three-layered modelling of client server while taking in account of the applications, presentation and the database. The additional features offered by the deemed services include capital analytics, functions analytics and environment (workplace) analytics. However, the processing and operation of the service is considered as complex and hence mostly suitable for the larger organisations Microsoft is the most widely recognised name in the world of technology and services related to the same. The deemed firm also offers ERP services by name of Microsoft Dynamics. The considered service focuses mainly on the SMEs. Dynamics is known for offering ease of use for the customers while improving the revenue generated and the performance of the organisation (Corporation, 2018). The offered benefits are based on the data developed during the real-time analysis and monitoring operations. Additionally, Dynamics offer budget processing, organisational resource management, monitoring of the work progress and validity of the time framework. It also allows the consumer to manage the trends within the organisation and the real world along with the relationship. Apart from the SAGE and Odoo, Infor is the another alternative ERP that is taken in the case for the evaluation. The SAGE is comparatively new in the market however it has created a name for itself in its short a timeframe. Sage X3, Sage 100 and Sage 300 are the three alternative ERP offered by the SAGE enterprise (Sage.com, 2018). Out of the three available edition Sage 100 is the most appropriate for SMEs and also covers the basic needs of the deemed organisations. However, Sage 100 mostly focuses on the organisations that are involved in distribution and manufacturing of products. While, Sage 300 is appropriate for the SMEs that have units in geographically distributed locations. Sage 300 offers additional benefits of multi-linguistic diverse currency support along with the offering of Sage 100. Finally, Sage X3 is designed to be suitable for the organisations that have a single goal defined for them. Sage X3 targets a smaller audience compared to its counterparts though, offers i ntense feature to the targeted industries. Infor is a name that is in the process of creating a name for itself in the ERP service providers environment. It focuses on the SMEs for the sale and designing of the services. However, the service offered by the organisation is limited to the manufacturing organisations only. The deemed organisation offers its services in two editions namely, Infor CloudSuite and Infor Visual ERP (Infor.com, 2018). The former is a cloud based ERP that is especially designed to assist in the mechanical manufacturing units like aerospace and automotive. While, the other counterpart is desgined to offer assistance in the SMEs that are involved in the manufacturing activities. The latter is designed to offers specific functions of the organisational operations with specific controls. Both the editions offer additional benefits which includes PM, Qm (Quality Management) and shop-floor automation. The Odoo have seen a boost in its image as an ERP service provider in recent years. Odoo specialises in cloud-based services that targets SMEs (Odoo.com, 2018). The deemed service offers PM, billings, accounting, resources management, manufacturing and buying of the consumer industry. The considered service offers efficient transmission of the information within the ERP module enabled for communication. The Odoo also offers free services for a limited period of time with limited access. There are many other firms that offer service in the field of ERP however, the most efficient services have been discussed above. The sections following will be used to shortlist from the discussed ERP providers and derive to conclude the most suitable service provider. Evaluation on shortlisted ERP vendors Chris and Patricias Legal support are small industries which need Enterprise Resource Planning System for its effective business operations. The study on adoption of Enterprise Resource Planning in an agricultural farms located in Brazil shows that Enterprise Resource Planning is a necessary tool. The Study shows that Enterprise Resource Planning helps agricultural farm to be competitive and support socioeconomic and environmental functions (Haberli Jr, Oliveira and Yanaze 2017). Another study on benefits of Enterprise Resource Planning within small businesses shows that Enterprise Resource Planning is helpful for different dimensions of the business. The benefits to dimensions of small family business are operational, managerial, strategic, IT infrastructure and organizational dimensions (Lasisi, Owens and Udagedara 2017). The overall business operations will be maintained through Enterprise Resource Planning. The analysis of Chris and Patricias Legal support business situation shows that they should choose Microsoft Dynamics ERP vendor, Infor ERP vendor and Sage ERP vendor. These are the appropriate Enterprise Resource Planning vendors that are shortlisted for Chris and Patricias Legal support. The evaluation and detailed analysis of Microsoft Dynamics ERP, Infor ERP and Sage ERP are given in the following paragraph. The financial position of Microsoft Dynamics ERP vendor is high and it has high market share after SAP ERP. The support issues of Microsoft Dynamics ERP vendor are that they have compatibility issue with 64-bit version of Windows operating system in computer systems. The hardware and software infrastructure of Microsoft Dynamics ERP vendor are different for different types of Microsoft Dynamics ERP vendor. The infrastructures of Microsoft Dynamics AX are MS SQL and Windows. The infrastructures for Microsoft Dynamics GP are MS SQL along with Windows, Linux and Unix. The direction of software of Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP vendor and Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP vendor are AX (2012) and 2010 respectively. The currency of software of Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP vendor and Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP vendor is SaaS solution. The release strategies of Microsoft Dynamics ERP vendor are six months cycle release. The involvement of users in upgrades of Microsoft Dynamics ERP vendor is moderate. The financial position of Infor ERP vendor is quite moderate as its growth in market is still expanding. The support issues of Infor ERP vendor are that they do not support Firefox. The hardware and software infrastructure of Infor ERP vendor are Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and MS SQL, Linux and Windows respectively. The direction and currency of software of Infor ERP vendor are 6.5.4 version and SaaS solution (cloud) respectively. The release strategies of Infor ERP vendor are quick and frequent. The involvement of users in upgrades of Infor ERP vendors is moderate to high. The financial position of Sage ERP vendor is high as it is growing very fast in current market. The support issues of Sage ERP vendor are that they do not support certain operating systems such as MAC OS. The hardware and software infrastructure of Sage ERP vendor are ASP.NET and MS SQL server, Linux and Windows respectively. The direction and currency of software of Sage ERP vendor are 6.5 version and SaaS solution (cloud version of Sage X3 which is a different version of Sage) respectively. The release strategies of Sage ERP vendor are moderate with special focus on core accounting operations. The involvement of users in upgrades of Sage ERP vendors is high to moderate. Recommended ERP: The Enterprise Resource Planning vendor recommended to Chris and Patricias Legal support is Microsoft Dynamics ERP vendor. This Enterprise Resource Planning vendor recommendation is due to its potential of Customer Relationship Management. The Microsoft Dynamics ERP vendor provides strong market solutions and contains multiple Enterprise Resource Planning products. The moderate to low cost is an important factor that drives the adoption of this Enterprise Resource Planning vendor in Chris and Patricias Legal support. The Microsoft Dynamic ERP provides benefits of end-to-end business solution and customer management benefit to Chris and Patricias Legal support. The most important requirement of Chris and Patricias Legal support is to manage relationships with customers and provide them solutions. This requirement is completely fulfilled by Microsoft Dynamics ERP. The database is also suitable to provide storage and retrieval of data from Microsoft Dynamics ERP database. The other requ irement of Chris and Patricias Legal support is human resource management which is also completely fulfilled by Microsoft Dynamics ERP. Microsoft Dynamics ERP provides human resource management which includes recruitment, training, expense management and organizational management. ERP module to CPLS stakeholders It is a multi-language, cutting edge, and multi-currency ERP solution for the CPL that can be helpful in supporting and managing the stakeholders in better and efficient manner. There are many ways in which this software can be applicable for the CPL such as it is a helpful tool for supporting the mute-site operations that is being operated for the enterprise in local and international regions. This can provide intercompany processing that is no doubt a beneficial aspect for the organization in this competitive time and providing automation for the operational activities is another application of the software. Other application of the Dynamics AX is that it can adopt the business despite of the individual to be fit and suitable for the project. It can be described as the working in harmony with the softwares those have been already present in the systems and support the activities in better interactive way and is helpful in providing a robust platform in manner to provide leverage in the investment that is already spent by the CPL for the execution of the daily operational activities. There are many sectors within the CPL whose efficiency and affectivity ca be enhanced through the implementation of the Microsoft dynamics AX and it will be handling the distribution, finance, project, supply chain, customer relationship management, Field service management, and HR. this facilitation will be automatically reflected in the overall revenue of the organization and thus better output could be gained. Benefits of ERP system for CPLS Following are the list of the benefits that could be achieved within the CPL through the implementation of the Microsoft dynamics AX within the existing system of the enterprise: Lowered Upfront Cost: The state-of-the-art technology is the solution every organization need for the efficient delivery of the operational activities of the organization and this is the optimal choice for the CPL. This will be the best solution for the organization in manner to save the upfront cost and thus allows the company to be operatable at the SaaSs platform. Not Much Staff or IT personal are needed: this will allow the organization to be dependent on the third party that makes the organization to be reliable on them for the operational activities of the organization. True Flexibility and Peace of Mind are some of the vital benefits of this implementation within the existing structure as all the operational activities will be handled and operated automatically with the help of the software. Global availability: It is the biggest beneficial factor for the CPL in manner to enhance the scope for the organization and attract more consumers. This will allow the users to gather information and data from across the world and execute all the activities based on those. Thus, it will automatically enhance the supply chain and better supply chain management. Conclusion Based on the above report it can be concluded that CPL can implement the Microsoft dynamics AX for the accomplishment of the objectives of the organization and support the organization in the long run of the company. The above report is a thorough research on the market analysis and requirements of the CPL and provided the ERP as the possible solution for the execution of its activities in better and efficient manner. This report presents all the aspects and objectives related to the three ERP systems and vendors those underlie within the needs and requirements of the organization and its customers. Among the presented vendors, Microsoft dynamics has been presented as the best solution for the organization in manner to accomplish the goals. This report has presented all the aspects related to the implementation of the ERP based on the different modules and the vendors those are presently in the market and analyses them according to the needs and requirements of the organization. Recommendations Following recommendations can be approached for the CPL in manner to be the leading enterprise in the competitive market: It will be an effective approach for the CPL to analyse the background of the third party. Targeting the customers of the specific area is the most needed factor for the successful implementation of the project (Damaraju et al. 2014). Effectively implementation of the Enterprise Resource Planning modules can also be recommended for the organization. Other ecmmendation approached to the CPL is to regularly audit tye working of the software concerning the functioning of the software. Higher bandwidth network is recommended for the CPL inmanner o accomplish the autmatic activities of the a=operational activities oof the organization. References: Corporation, M. (2018).Microsoft Dynamics 365: Intelligent Business Applications. [online] Dynamics.microsoft.com. Available at: https://dynamics.microsoft.com/en-in/?wt.mc_id=AID631195_SEM_Y8rdToNrgclid=Cj0KCQiAzMDTBRDDARIsABX4AWy142t0wbxrXgbsxENsdFyGiwBUP3dT9nZhG_CCjnRb5rBz6yvu6FwaAqByEALw_wcB [Accessed 30 Jan. 2018]. Damaraju, E., Allen, E.A., Belger, A., Ford, J.M., McEwen, S., Mathalon, D.H., Mueller, B.A., Pearlson, G.D., Potkin, S.G., Preda, A. and Turner, J.A., 2014. Dynamic functional connectivity analysis reveals transient states of dysconnectivity in schizophrenia.NeuroImage: Clinical,5, pp.298-308. Haberli Jr, C., Oliveira, T. and Yanaze, M., 2017. Understanding the determinants of adoption of enterprise resource planning (ERP) technology within the agri-food context: the case of the Infor.com. (2018).ERP Software | End-to-End Cloud Based ERP | Infor ERP. [online] Available at: https://www.infor.com/solutions/erp/ [Accessed 30 Jan. 2018]. Lasisi, M.O., Owens, J.D. and Udagedara, S., 2017. Key benefits of enterprise resource planning adoption within small family businesses: a conceptual framework.J Bus Econ Res,14, pp.77-86. Odoo.com. (2018).Odoo User Documentation Odoo Business 0.1 documentation. [online] Available at: https://www.odoo.com/documentation/user/11.0/index.html [Accessed 30 Jan. 2018]. Oracle.com. (2018).ERP Cloud | Oracle Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.oracle.com/au/applications/erp/index.html [Accessed 30 Jan. 2018]. Answer: Sage.com. (2018).Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software and Solutions | Sage US. [online] Available at: https://www.sage.com/en-us/erp/ [Accessed 30 Jan. 2018]. SAP. (2018).ERP System | Enterprise Resource Planning | SAP. [online] Available at: https://www.sap.com/australia/products/enterprise-management-erp.html [Accessed 30 Jan. 2018]. Stein, J.L., Medland, S.E., Vasquez, A.A., Hibar, D.P., Senstad, R.E., Winkler, A.M., Toro, R., Appel, K., Bartecek, R., Bergmann, . and Bernard, M., 2012. Identification of common variants associated with human hippocampal and intracranial volumes.Nature genetics,44(5), p.552. Westra, E.R., van Erp, P.B., Knne, T., Wong, S.P., Staals, R.H., Seegers, C.L., Bollen, S., Jore, M.M., Semenova, E., Severinov, K. and de Vos, W.M., 2012. CRISPR immunity relies on the consecutive binding and degradation of negatively supercoiled invader DNA by Cascade and Cas3.Molecular cell,46(5), pp.595-605.

10 Fascinating Facts About Painted Lady Butterflies

10 Fascinating Facts About Painted Lady Butterflies The painted lady is one of the most familiar butterflies in the world, found on nearly all continents and in all climates. They are a favorite subject of study in elementary school classrooms and are a familiar visitor to most landscape gardens. Yet common as they are, painted ladies have some unique attributes.  Here are 10 fascinating facts about the painted lady, or  Vanessa  cardui. 1. The painted lady is the most widely distributed butterfly in the world. Venessa cardui  inhabits every continent except Australia and  Antarctica. You can find painted ladies everywhere from meadows to vacant lots. Its sometimes called the cosmopolitan butterfly, because of its global distribution. Although it is resident only in warmer climates, it often migrates into colder regions in spring and fall, making it the butterfly with the widest distribution of any species.   2. The painted lady is sometimes called the thistle butterfly or the cosmopolitan  butterfly. It is called the thistle butterfly because thistle plants are its favorite nectar plant for food; it is called the cosmopolitan butterfly because of its global distribution. Its scientific name- Vanessa cardui- translates as butterfly of thistle.   3. Painted ladies have unusual migration patterns. The painted lady is an irruptive migrant, meaning that it migrates independent of any seasonal or geographic patterns. Some evidence suggests that painted lady migrations may be linked to the El Nià ±o climate pattern. In Mexico and some other regions, it appears that migration is sometimes related to overpopulation. The migrating populations that move from North Africa to Europe may include millions of butterflies, and migrating populations numbering hundreds of thousands of individuals are common.  In spring, painted ladies fly low when migrating, usually only 6 to 12 feet above the ground. This makes them highly visible to butterfly watchers, but also rather susceptible to colliding with cars. At other times, evidence suggests that painted ladies migrate at such high altitudes that they are not observed at all, simply appearing in a new region unexpectedly.   4. Painted ladies fly fast and far. These medium-sized butterflies can cover a lot of ground, up to 100 miles per day during their migration. A painted lady is capable of reaching a speed of nearly 30 miles per hour. Painted ladies reach northern areas well ahead of some of their more famous migrating cousins, like  monarch butterflies. And because they get such an early start to their spring travel, migrating painted ladies are able to feed on spring annuals, like fiddlenecks (Amsinckia). 5. Painted lady butterflies do not overwinter in cold regions. Unlike many other species of butterflies that migrate to warm climates in winter, painted ladies die once winter hits in colder regions. They are present in cold regions only because of their impressive ability to migrate long distances from their warm-weather breeding areas.   6. Painted lady caterpillars eat thistle. Thistle, which can be an invasive weed, is one of the painted lady caterpillars favorite food plants. The painted lady probably owes its global abundance to the fact that its larvae feed on such common plants. The painted lady also goes by the name thistle butterfly, and its scientific name- Vanessa cardui- means butterfly of thistle.   7. Painted ladies sometimes damage soybean crops. When the butterflies are found in large numbers, they can do serious damage to soybean crops. The damage occurs during the larval stages when caterpillars eat soybean foliage after hatching from eggs.  Ã‚   8. Males use the perch and patrol method for finding mates. Male painted ladies actively patrol their territory for receptive females in the afternoon. Should a male butterfly  find a mate, he will usually retreat with his partner to a treetop, where they will mate overnight. 9. Painted lady caterpillars weave silk tents. Unlike other caterpillars in the genus Vanessa, painted lady larvae construct their tents from silk. Youll usually find their fluffy shelters on thistle plants. Similar species, such as the American lady caterpillar, make their tents by stitching leaves together instead. 10. On overcast days, painted ladies can often be found on the ground, huddling in small depressions. On sunny days, the butterflies prefer open areas filled with colorful flowers.

Analysis of The Crucible Essays

Analysis of The Crucible Essays Analysis of The Crucible Paper Analysis of The Crucible Paper Matters are taken to court, and Proctor brings Mary Warren (his servant and a member of Abigails circle) to court and tells Judge Danforth that she will testify that the girls are lying. Danforth is suspicious of Proctors motives and tells him, truthfully that Elizabeth is pregnant, and will be spared for a while. When the girls are bought to court, they turn things around by accusing Mary of bewitching them. In rage, Proctor confesses his affair with Abigail. Danforth interrogates Elizabeth to test Proctors claim. Despite her honesty, she lies to protect her husband and Danforth denounced Proctor as a liar. Meanwhile, Abigail and the girls again pretend that Mary is bewitching them. As a result of this, Mary has a break down and accuses Proctor of being a witch. As the autumn arrives, we find that Abigail has run away. Reverend Hale, the expert on witchcraft, has lost faith in the court and begs the accused witches to confess in order to save their lives, but they refuse. However, Danforth has conjured a plan: he asks Elizabeth to persuade John into confessing, and she agrees to do this. Proctor agrees to confess but refuses to incriminate anyone else, and when the court insists that the confession must be made public, Proctor became resentful and retracts his statement. With that, the witch trials reach their awful conclusion, as Proctor is sent to the gallows with the others. Tragedy is a genre of drama, which stemmed from the Greeks; devised by the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Tragic plays always had a tragic hero, which in The Crucible is expressed through Proctor who is in conflict with the law and social drama, contending with the conflicts facing individuals within the conventions of society. As the play is set in 1692, this drama was based upon documented historical events. Miller does this is a number of ways by the use of compressing time, composite characters and conjecture events. This is called artistic license. John Proctor himself is husband to Elizabeth Proctor. He is a good father, and loyal to his friends. He is very passionate about having justice and doing what is right for the welfare of as many people as possible. This is seen at the end of the play when he makes a difficult decision, and this reflects Millers concern with the battle between the responsibilities of self and society. The relationship between Proctor and Elizabeth is very strong. Dramatic tension is built up by Elizabeth constantly mentioning the past and how they used to be; Proctor constantly feels guilty and apologises to Elizabeth. Elizabeth is constantly suspicious of what her husband is doing. What keeps you up so late? Its almost dark (Elizabeth) This suggests that their relationship is deceptive; there is no longer trust between them. This promotes the audience to question why? And why does Elizabeth stay with him? In spite of this, John is convinced to make amends. I mean to please you Elizabeth (Proctor) At this stage, the relationship is still together, but the audience may feel sorry for him. A contrast is seen when Proctor confesses in court about having an affair with Abigail, and Elizabeth denies it without knowing he had confessed to try and protect him. This made everyone question whether the affair actually took place. In the end, when John is hung, Elizabeth forgives him. However the relationship between Proctor and Abigail is very different, being based mainly around sex, creating sexual tension in the play. I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! (Abigail) Proctor commits adultery, and keeps secrets from Elizabeth. Abigail is not living in reality; she wants revenge, and uses the complicated relationship as a weapon. Abigail thinks that the relationship she had with Proctor was love and tries to make him believe that he is in love with her too by reminding him of the past. She becomes obsessed, and the relationship becomes complicated, and it becomes dangerous and she misjudges his morals and personality. We never touched, Abby. (Proctor) Aye, but we did. (Abigail) Aye, but we did not. (Proctor) Dramatic tension in this scene is created through the basic instinct of sex which is expressed through Abigail. She confronts Proctor about sex, and the conversation becomes very physical in its self, as she grabs him and begs him to come back to her. In reaction to this situation the audience would feel quite shocked, and would want to know whats going to happen next as a result of what she is saying and how it will affect the people of Salem if they find out. Salem is guided by Puritanism, influenced by the religious teachings of the Bible. The life of a Puritan has a dominant and constant force characters in the play are faced by the demands of their religion, which creates a lot of hysteria and witch hunts, which consequently results in trials and deaths, and the build up of tension. The characters have closed minds and abided by their religion but Proctor behaved differently making him be seen by others as the devil. When a society develops itself thinking that their way of life is the only acceptable way, there will be intolerance of all other ways of life. An example of this is Parris reaction to Bettys illness. It was seen as completely abhorrent and this triggered the condemnatory behaviour. The reaction to John and Abigails affair also reflects intolerance within the community. Intolerance is also provoked by the rules within a society, which may motivate rebellion it is inevitable in a world based on induction. This theory is meditated throughout the play through Proctor and Abigail. Abigail induces witchcraft, and Proctor fights against the court. Rebellion will build up excitement and tension in the audience as they ponder what will happen as a consequence, which in the end is death.

Case study in ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Case study in ethics - Essay Example One of the core things that must be understood with advertising is that it is a representation that appeals to the sensibility aspect of an individual and it is intended for popular consumption. Thus, the popular appeal of a certain depiction that is rendered in an advertisement creates a condition of biased, shallow perception. This kind of perception is highly reductive. In this case study, I shall focus on the issue of the image of Obama in an advertisement that has a certain pedigree of racism and political labeling. This discourse shall be explained and engaged further in the succeeding parts of the paper. At the same time, aside from the construction of the image, the impression derived thereof shall be put into account by looking into the formal elements that make up the image. At the same time, there is also a need to clearly assess why the image creates an impression through certain sensibilities, which are political, cultural and sociological in nature and must be discussed in conjunction with the signs that parts of images create for the spectator to gaze. Looking at the elements of the image, Obama’s image is presented with sickle and hammer, which are embodiments of communism (Empty Suit, â€Å"Image†). Another crucial thing to look at the image is the use of the terms â€Å"somewhere in Kenya a village is missing its idiot Obama† (Empty Suit, â€Å"Image†). Together with the image comes the face of Obama, smiling and wearing formal attire that befits the campaigning needed for the elections. The advertisement has these elements that evoke a totally different level of problematic propositions and discourses of representation. To understand the points to be raised in this paper, there is a need to understand that the context of presidential elections must be duly considered since this defines how the image works and creates a certain

Family Business Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Family Business - Research Proposal Example But it is very normal for governance issues to arise in a family business every now and then because a family business, like all other non-family businesses, involve more or less the same issues like personalities, passions, power, deadlines, resources, supervisors and subordinates. Conflicts can be avoided and resolved if arise because of good governance strategies that govern not only the business but also the family that runs that business. Many large and medium sized family businesses are running in the Middle East today that contribute a great percentage of GDP to the region. But most businesses survive only until the third generation and very few pass on to the fourth generation because of generational conflicts and difference of opinions and perspectives between the elders and the youngsters of the coming generations. Hypothesis: Governance issues bring bad reputation to the organization and are the main cause of splitting up or failure of a business that was running smoothly and earning large profits before the dispute.

Epidemly and biostat Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Epidemly and biostat - Assignment Example Calculate: Q6. What is the annual incidence rate (per 1,000 persons) of lung cancer, if it is diagnosed in 70 patients per year within a community of 30,000 unaffected individuals? (Please show your calculations) [ONE POINT] Q7. Colon cancer is diagnosed in 20 patients per year within a community of 10,000 unaffected individuals. Half of the affected individuals die from colon cancer. What is the case fatality of colon cancer in this community? (Please show your calculations) [ONE POINT] Q8. Breast cancer is diagnosed in 20 patients per year within a community of 10,000 unaffected individuals. A screening test is applied to all residents of this community. What is the sensitivity (in %) of the screening test, if it detects 9 of the breast cancers. What is the specificity if the test correctly determines that 9,900 of the unaffected persons do not have breast cancer? (Please show your calculations) Q9. A physical examination and an audiometric test were given to 500 persons with suspected hearing problems, of whom 400 were actually found to have them. The results of the examinations were as follows: C. The occurrence of illnesses of similar nature clearly in excess of the normal expectation for that population at that time (this helps in vigorous management of the disease at that time to prevent its spread) Sensitivity is the ability of the test to correctly identify those individuals who have the disease. False negative is when testing equipment provides a negative result in a patient who has the disease (Gordis, 2009). Example: a glucometer may show high level of glucose in a newly diagnosed Diabetic patient this is called sensitivity, while in the glucometer can show low blood glucose in a patient with high blood sugars. Specificity is the ability of a test to correctly identify those individuals who have no disease, while false positive is when

Performance Appraisal System

Performance Appraisal System Procedural justice and Interactional justice: Assessing employees perception of fairness of performance appraisal; an empirical study of a small manufacturing company. ABSTRACT This research identifies procedural justice and interactional justice influences on perceived fairness of performance appraisal at a small private manufacturing company located in Newcastle, UK. Distributive justice refers to the perceived fairness of procedures used to determine the appraisal ratings. Interactional justice refers to the perceived fairness of the raters interpersonal treatment of the ratee during the appraisal process. A qualitative and quantitative case study method was used to obtain an understanding of employee perceptions of the fairness of their performance appraisal. Data from both interviews with nine employees was collected along with questionnaires completed by these participants. Two hypotheses were developed. Both hypotheses were supported by research data. 1.1 Aim of the researcher The researcher will assess the relationship between perceived fairness of justice among employees of the performance appraisal system. The aim of this research is to prove through this study that level of employees satisfaction with the appraisal system is influenced by the employees perceived fairness of procedural and interactional justice of the performance appraisal session. 1.2 Introduction Performance appraisal is a process designed to evaluate, manage and ultimately improve employee performance. It should allow the employer and employee to openly discuss the expectations of the organisation and the achievements of the employee. That is, the primary emphasis is on future development of the employee within the objectives of the organisation. There is no universally accepted model of performance appraisal. However, more often than not this process is designed around the following elements: setting performance goals and objectives; measurement of performance against those goals and objectives; feedback of results; amendments to goals and objectives. Performance appraisal systems can provide organisations with valuable information to assist in the developments of organisational strategies and planning. The information gained from this process can assist: in identifying and developing future management potential; in increasing performance and overall productivity; it works towards identifying strengths and managing weaknesses; in providing clarity to employees about an organisations expectations regarding performance levels; in providing an opportunity to audit and evaluate current human resources and identify areas for future development. Managers may conduct appraisals primarily to affect employee input through the feedback process, or justify some sort of human resource action (termination, transfer, promotion etc). Jawroski and Kohli (1991) identify other benefits that can be obtained from performance appraisals. Among these benefits are increase in role clarity, performance, and job satisfaction. Given the positive returns obtained from performance appraisals, one could reasonably expect that organisations would devote considerable resource to the appraisal process. Correspondingly, it may be anticipated that managers try to make certain that the dimensions of the appraisal process are known, understood, and supported by the participants. Theres probably no management process that has been the subject of more research than the performance appraisal. At the best managed companies, the performance appraisal is no joke it is a serious business that powers the success of the organization. (Montague, 2007) It has been suggested that to enhance satisfaction, managers should consider expanding the evaluation criteria to include those criteria which are important to the employee, perhaps creating a participatory performance appraisal system. (Thomas and Bertz 1994) In fact, employee input into the process has been described as having an impact on the perceived fairness of the evaluation (Latham at el. 1993). It has been stated that the opinions of employees, as they pertain to the appraisal system, may be greater determinant of the systems effectiveness than the validity or reliability of the system itself (Wanguri 1995). As stated by Thomas and Bretz (1994) without a sense of ownership, both managers and employees may view the process with fear and loathing. Thus, they contend that a major concern in the evaluation process is an acceptance of the system by those employees being evaluated. To this end, if employees believe they are evaluated based upon inappropriate criteria, it would fol low that their commitment to and satisfaction with the organisation supporting this particular evaluation system would be correspondingly reduced. Academic background 2.1 The social context of performance appraisal Levy Williams (2002) argue that identifying, measuring, and defining the organizational context in which appraisal takes place is integral to truly understanding and developing effective performance appraisals. Further, it is believed that this has been the framework driving the performance appraisal research since about the 1990 and into the beginning of the 21st century. Whether it is discussed as the social-psychological process of performance appraisal (Murphy Cleveland, 1991), the social context of performance appraisal (Ferris, Judge, Rowland, Fitzgibbons, 1994) the social milieu of performance appraisal (Ilgen at al. 1993), performance appraisal from the organisational side (Levy Steelman, 1997) the games that rates and rates play (Kozlowski, Chao Morrison, 1998), or the dues process approach to performance appraisal (Folger, Konovsky Cropanzao, 1998) it is argued along with other scholars that performance appraisal takes place in a social contact and the context plays a major role in the effectiveness of the appraisal process and how participants react to the process (Farr Levy, 2004). It has been suggested elsewhere that research over the last 10 years has moved noticeable away from a limited psychometric scope and toward an emphasis on variables that compose the social context (Fletcher, 2001). Distal factors Levy Williams (2002) definition of distal variables is generally consistent with Murphy and Cleveland (1995). Specifically, distal variables are broadly construed as contextual factors that affect many human resource systems, including performance appraisal. In other words, distal variables are not necessarily related to performance appraisal, but they may have unique effects on the performance appraisal process that are useful to understand and consider. Distal factors include but are not limited to organisational climate and culture, organisational goals, human resource strategies, external factors, technological advances, and workforce composition. Levy Williams (2002) believe these factors have an effect on rater and rate behaviour, although not directly. For instance, an organisation that espouses a continuous learning culture may structure and implement a very different type of performance appraisal system than an organisation without such a culture. A review of the performance appraisal literature over the last 7-10 years reveals little systematic empirical work on the distal variables other than some studies on culture, climate and technology issues (see, e.g. Hebert Vorauer, 2003). While this is at some levels disappointing, it is rather understandable. First, there is little theory specific to performance appraisal to methodically guide this level of research. Second, the breadth of the constructs Levy Williams (2002) construe as distal make it difficult to measure and implement within the research setting. Third, given the distal nature of these factors, their direct effects on performance appraisal behaviour may be small. Perhaps closer examination of the relationships between distal and proximal relationships would prove more fruitful. Even with the difficulties regarding this type of research, however, it is believed it will be important to continue examining these factors to fully understand the social context in which performance appraisal operates. (Levy Williams, 2002) Process proximal variables The next two section of the paper will underscore those proximal variables (both process and structural) receiving attention in the recent appraisal literature. Some researchers chose to categorize the proximal variables as either process (i.e. having a direct impact on how the appraisal process is conducted including things such as accountability or supervisor subordinate relationships), or structural (i.e. dealing with the configuration or makeup of the appraisal itself and including areas such as appraisal dimensions or frequency of appraisal). Rater issue Rater affect is one of the most studied rater variables. Although the literature has not been consistent regarding a formal definition of affect in performance appraisal (Lefkowitz, 2000), a good general definition linked to most of this research involves liking or positive regard for ones subordinate. The Affect Infusion Model (Forgas Georges, 2001) suggests that affective states impact on judgements and behaviours and, in particular, affect or mood plays a large role when tasks require a degree of constructive processing. For instance, in performance appraisal, raters in good moods tend to recall more positive information from memory and appraise performance positively. Consistent with the Affect Infusion Model, a few recent studies have examined the role of mood or affect in performance appraisal. Lefkowitz (2000) reported that affective regard is related frequently to higher appraisal ratings, less inclination to punish subordinates, better supervisor subordinate relationships, greater halo effect, and less accuracy. A couple of recent studies have looked at the role of similarity in personality and similarity in affects levels between raters and rates, finding similarity is related to appraisal ratings. Antonioni and Park (2001) found that affect was more strongly related to rating leniency in upward and peer ratings than it was in traditional top-down ratings and the this effect was stronger when raters had observational time with their subordinates. They concluded from this that raters pay so much attention to their positive regard for subordinates that increased observations result in noticing more specific behaviours that fit their affect-driven schema. It was also found that although affect is positively related to appraisal ratings; it is more strongly related to more subjective trait-like ratings, then to ostensibly more objective task-based ratings. Further, keeping performance diaries tended to increase the strength of that relationship between affect and performance ratings leading the authors to conclude that perhaps affect follows from subordinate performance level rather than the other way around. A second broad area related to raters that has received considerable research attention has to do with the motivation of the raters. Traditionally, research seemed to assume that raters were motivated to rate accurately. More recently, however, researchers have begun to question whether all or even most raters are truly motivated to rate accurately. One line of research related to raters motivation has focused on the role of individual differences and rating purpose on rating leniency. Most practitioners report overwhelming leniency on the part of their raters and this rating elevation has been found in empirical papers as well as surveys of organisations (Murphy Cleveland, 1995). The role of attributions in the performance appraisal process has also attracted some recent research attention. In some of these studies investigators have examined how the attributions that raters make for ratees behaviours affect their motivation to rate or their actual rating. For instance, using a traditional social psychological framework, researchers found that whether individuals opted for consoling, reprimanding, transferring, demoting, or firing a hypothetical employee depended in large part on the extent to which rater believed that the exhibited behaviour was due to ability or effort. It was found that both liking and attributions mediated relationships between reputation and reward decisions. More specifically, raters consider ratees behaviour and their reputations when drawing attributional inferences and deciding on appropriate rewards. The implications of this line of research are clear: attributional processing is an important element of the rating process and these attributions, in part, determine raters reactions and ratings. (Murphy Cleveland, 1995) A second line of research related to rater motivation has to do with rater accountability, which is the perceived potential to be evaluated by someone and being held responsible for ones decisions or behaviours (Frink Ferris, 1998) With respect to performance appraisal, accountability is typically thought of as the extent to which a rater is held answerable to someone else for his or her ratings of another employee. They concluded that accountability can result in distortions of performance ratings. It is demonstrated that raters told that ratees had been rated too low in the past responded by inflating ratings while others told that they would have to defend their ratings in writing provided more accurate ratings. In a follow up to this study it was hypothesized that the accountability pressure on raters to justify ratings may operate through an increased motivation to better prepare themselves for their rating task. This was manifested in raters paying more attention to performanc e and recording better performance-related notes. A related study looking at accountability forces in performance appraisal found that raters inflated ratings when they were motivated to avoid a negative confrontation with poor performers, but did not adjust ratings downward when good performers rated themselves unfavourably (Levy Williams 1998). Ratee issues A second major of focus of performance appraisal research consist of research centred on the performance appraisal ratee. Two areas were covered, in particular, the links between performance ratings and rewards; those elements of the performance appraisal process which increases ratees motivation such as participation. Related article argues the while pay is an important motivator along with recognition, work enjoyment , and self-motivation, very few organisations actually link the performance appraisal system to pay or compensation in a clear, tangible way (Mani, 2002). Both traditional academic research (Roberts Reed, 1996) and more practitioner-focused research (Shah Murphy, 1995) have identified the significance of participation in the appraisal process as an antecedent of ratees work motivation. It suggests that participation is simply essential to any fair and ethical appraisal system. It was identified that participation and perception of fairness as integral to employees pe rceptions of job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Roberts Reed (1996) take somewhat similar track in proposing that participation, goals, and feedback impact on appraisal acceptance which affects appraisal satisfaction and finally employee motivation and productivity. Performance appraisals are no longer just about accuracy, but are about much more including development, ownership, input, perceptions of being valued, and being a part of an organisational team. Focus on reactions to the appraisal process Cardy and Dobbins (1994) arguing that perhaps the best criterion to use in evaluating performance appraisal systems was the reactions of ratees. The claim was that even the most-psychometrically-sound appraisal system would be ineffective if ratees (and raters) did not see it as fair, useful, valid, accurate, etc. Good psychometrics cannot make up for negative perceptions on the part of those involved in the system. Folger et al. (1992) define three elements that must be present to achieve higher perceptions of fairness: adequate notice, fair hearing, and judgement based on evidence. Although they identified specific interventions that should be implemented to increase due process, they cautioned that â€Å"due process mechanisms must be implemented in terms of guiding principles (i.e. designed with process goals in mind) rather than in a legalistic, mechanical, rote fashion. In general studies have found that both ratees and raters respond more favourably to fair performance appraisal systems (e.g. less emotional exhaustion, more acceptances of the feedback, more favourable reactions toward the supervisor, more favourable reactions toward the organisation, and more satisfaction with the appraisal system and the job on the part of both rater and rate) (Taylor et al. 1995, 1998). Trust issue Researchers have posited that trust is the key element in managing the supervisor employee relationship. According to Mayer and Davis (1999) trust is made up of three components: ability, benevolence, and integrity. In other words, if an employee believes a supervisor has the skills to properly appraise, has the interests of the employee at the heart, and believes the supervisor upholds standards and values, the employee is likely to trust that supervisor. Interest in understanding the processes related to trust are the result of research that support both direct and indirect effects of trust on important organisational and individual outcomes. For instance it is supported by research the relationship between trust and outcomes such as employee attitudes, cooperation, communication, and organizational citizenship behaviours. As with appraisal perceptions and reactions it is also believed that trust issues can limit the effectiveness of performance appraisal. If ratees have low level s of trust for their supervisor, they may be less satisfied with the appraisal and may not as readily accept feedback from the source. More to come 2.2 Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) performance appraisal Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) are a relatively new approach to performance evaluation. They are in effect a combination of the graphic rating scales and the critical incident method. An actual description of important job behaviour is developed and â€Å"anchored† alongside the scale. The evaluator is then asked to select the description of behaviour which best matches actual employee behaviour for the rating period. In a controlled field study, Silverman and Wexley (1984) used BARS to test the effect of rate participation on the appraisal process. BARS were developed for each of the following job classifications: clerical, non-clerical staff, technical and professional, nursing, management/supervisory. Those employees who participated in creating, and were evaluated by, the behaviourally-based scales, had a more positive reaction to the entire performance appraisal process. Specifically, they felt that the performance appraisal interviews were more useful, that their supervisors were more supportive, and that the process produced more motivation to improve job performance. BARS address many of the problems often found in traditional evaluation approaches such as the halo effect, leniency, and the central tendency error. In addition, research suggests that many employees prefer this evaluation method (Rarick Baxter, 1986) BARS are however not a panacea for management and do possess both advantages and disadvantages. According to Rarick and Baxter (1986) advantages of BARS are: clearer standards both subordinate and superior have a clearer idea of what constitutes good job performance. Ambiguity concerning expectations is reduced; more accurate measurement because individuals involved with the particular job develop the BARS instrument they have a good understanding of the requirements for good performance; better performance feedback since the BARS is based on specific behaviour it provides a guideline for improving future work performance; better consistency BARS have been shown to be more consistent in terms of reliability than more traditional e valuation methods. In other words, when more than one supervisor rates the same employee, the results are more similar when BARS is the evaluation method. Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales are, however, not without drawbacks. Disadvantages of BARS are: more costly more time and effort, and eventually more expense is involved in the construction and implementation of BARS; possible activity trap since BARS are more activity oriented, they may cause both supervisor and subordinate to become more concerned with activity performance rather than accomplishing actual results; not exhaustive behaviour scale even if the rator posses lengthy listing of behaviour examples he/she may not be able to match the observed behaviour with the stipulated anchor. As Rarick and Baxter (1986) note Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales have the potential to increase both the accuracy of employee appraisal and ultimately the effectiveness of the organization. BARS are equally useful as a judgemental instrument and as an employee developmental device. They are designed to make performance appraisal more accurate by minimising ambiguity and focusing on specific behaviour. BARS move employee performance appraisal away from the subjective opinions of the evaluator and closer towards on objective measure of true performance. 2.3 Limitations in performance appraisal The advantages and disadvantages of using performance assessment in making employment decisions are well documented (e.g. Murphy Cleveland, 1995). The limitations of performance assessment, such as inflated ratings, lack of consistency, and the politics of assessment (Tziner, Latham, Price Haccoun, 1996), often lead to their abandonment. Managers responsible for delivering performance reviews who are uncomfortable with the performance rating system may give uniformly high ratings that do not discriminate between rates. Poor ratings detract from organisational uses and increase employee mistrust in the performance appraisal system (Tziner Murphy, 1999). Employees on the receiving end of the appraisal often express dissatisfaction with both the decisions made as a result of performance assessment and the process of performance assessment (Milliman, Nason, Zhu De Cieri, 2002), which may have longitudinal effects on overall job satisfaction (Blau, 1999) and commitment (Cawley, Keepin g Levy, 1998). The extensive research on performance appraisal (Arvey Murphy, 1998: Fletcher, 2001: Fletcher Perry, 2001, Murphy Cleveland 1995) has not addressed the fundamental problems of the performance appraisal process the performance appraisal is influenced by a variety of relevant, non-performance factors such as cultural context (Latham Mann, 2006), that it does not provide either valid performance data or useful feedback to individuals (Fletcher, 2001) , or that performance appraisal instruments often measure the â€Å"wrong things† (Latham Mann, 2006). Murphy and Cleveland (1995) state that â€Å"a system that did nothing more than allow the making of correct promotion decisions would be a good system, even if the indices used to measure performance were inaccurate or measure the wrong set of constructs.† No assessment system, however, would meet with success if it did not have the support of those it assessed. In developing a new performance appraisal system it is important to use past research on performance appraisals that identified a number of factors that lead to greater acceptance of appraisals by employees. Firstly, legally sound performance appraisals should be objective and based on a job analysis, they should also be based on behaviours that relate to specific functions that are controllable by the rate, and the results of the appraisal should be communicated to the employee (Malos, 1998). Secondly, the appraisals must be perceived as fair. Procedural fairness is improved when employees participate in all aspects of the process, when there is consistency in all processes, when the assessments are free of supervisor bias, and when there is a formal channel for the employees to challenge or rebut their evaluations (Gilliland Langdon, 1998). In addition to perceptions of fairness, participation by employees in the appraisal process is related to motivation to improve job performance, satisfaction with the appraisal process, increased organisational commitment and the utility or value that the employees place on that appraisal (Cawley et al. 1998). 2.4 Blended approach Competencies To overcome the problem of job-specific performance dimensions, the performance assessment system was based on behaviourally defined core competencies (Dubois 1993; Klein 1996). The core competencies had been previously identified through an extensive process as being common to all positions; these competencies were to become the basis for training new recruits and for the continuous development of existing members (Himelfarb, 1996). Fletcher Perry (2001) stated the â€Å"the elements constituting what we normally think of as performance appraisal will increasingly be properly integrated into the human resources policies of the organisation using the same competency framework for all HR processes, linking individual objectives with team and business unit objectives framing the input of appraisal to promotion assessment in an appropriate manner, and so on† making it â€Å"more effective mechanism and less of annual ritual that appears to exist in a vacuum.† Along the s ame lines, Smither (1998) went on to note that the same competency model should guide â€Å"numerous human resource initiatives†. The competency development process used for this study followed the suggestions of Fletcher Perry (2001) and Smither (1998) and included a review of functional job analysis data for general police constables that covered a majority of the different job positions. In this sense, the competencies were blended by incorporating the values and specific attributes (Schippmann et al., 2000). A blended approach is one that couples and organisations strategy in the derivation of the broad competencies with the methodological rigor of task analysis. As Lievens, Sanchez, and De Corte (2004) note, blended approach is likely to improve the accuracy and quality of inferences made from the resulting competency model because a blended approach capitalizes on the strength of each method. Strategy is used as a frame of reference to guide subject matter experts to identify those worker attributes or competencies that are aligned with the organisations strategy and the to use the task statements to pro vide more concrete referents for the associated job behaviours (Lievens et al., 2004) 2.5 Justice of fairness The study of justice of fairness has been a topic of philosophical interest that extends back at least as far as Plato and Socrates (Ryan, 1993). In research in the organizational sciences, justice is considered to be socially constructed. That is, an act is defined as just if most individuals perceive it to be on the basis of empirical research (Cropanzao Greenberg 1997). Each approach propose a different way of conceptualizing justice, from the provision of process control (Thibaut Walker, 1975) to a focus on consistency control (Leventhal et al. 1980) and an examination of interpersonal treatment (Bies Moag, 1986). Performance appraisal systems are among the most important human resource systems in organizations insofar as the yield decisions integral to various human resource actions and outcomes (Murphy and Cleveland 1995). Reactions to appraisal and the appraisal process are believed to significantly influence the effectiveness and the overall viability of appraisal systems (Bernardin and Beatty 1984; Cardy and Dobbins 1994; Carroll and Schneier 1982, Lewer 1994), For instance. Murphy and Cleveland (1995:314) contended that â€Å"reaction criteria are almost always relevant and an unfavourable reaction may doom the most carefully constructed appraisal system†. Perceptions of fairness are important to all human resource processes, e.g., selection, performance appraisal, and compensation, and particularly so, to the performance appraisal process. Indeed, a decade ago, Cardy and Dobbins (1994:54) asserted that â€Å"with dissatisfaction and feelings of unfairness in process and inequity in evaluations, any appraisal system will be doomed to failure.† Other researchers have also acknowledged the importance of fairness to the success or failure of appraisal system (Taylor et al. 1995). 2.6 Procedural justice Procedural justice refers to the perceived fairness of the procedures used to determine appraisal outcomes (Greenberg 1986a), independent of favourability or fairness of the performance rating or its administrative consequences (Skarlicki, Ellard and Kelln 1998). Folger et. al (1992) have developed a procedural justice model for performance appraisal, rooted in the due process of law, and possessing three basic factors: adequate notice, a fair hearing and judgment based on evidence. Adequate notice involves giving employees knowledge of appraisal system and how it affects them well ahead of any formal appraisal. More specifically, it entails developing performance standards and objectives before the appraisal period commences. These standards and objectives must be well documented, clearly explained, fully understood and preferable set by mutual agreement, with employees only held accountable for standards and objectives properly communicated to them. Adequate notice also involves hi gh appraisal frequency and giving employees constant feedback on timely basis throughout the performance evaluation period, so that employees can rectify any performance deficiencies before the appraisal is conducted (Folger et al. 1992). Studies show that adequate notice is important to employee perceptions of procedural fairness. Williams and Levys (2000) study of 128 employees from three US banks revealed that system knowledge significantly predicts appraisal satisfaction and procedural fairness, controlling for the much smaller effect on organizational level. The second factor that affects employee perceptions of procedural fairness is a fair hearing. A fair hearing means several things in a performance appraisal context. These include: an opportunity to influence the evaluation decision through evidence and argument, access to the evaluation decision, and an opportunity to challenge the evaluation decision (Folger et al. 1992). Fundamentally, a fair hearing entails two-way comm unication, with employee input or voice in all aspects of the appraisal decision-making process. Several researchers have consistently found the ‘voice effects procedural justice in a variety of work contexts (Greenberg, 1986; Korsgaard and Robertson, 1995). In a study of 128 food service employees and their 23 supervisor at a large, US university, Dulebohn and Ferris (1991) found that the informal voice provided by influence tactics affected employee perceptions of fairness in the appraisal process. Two types of influence tactics were differentiated: the first on the supervisor and the second on the job. Influence of the supervisor focused on, for example, efforts at ingratiation. Influence on the job focused on, for example, manipulating performance data. Uses of supervisor-focused, influence tactics were positively associated with employees perceptions of procedural justice, but uses of job-focused influence tactics were negatively associated. The authors argue that this negative association may result from reverse causation: perception of unjust appraisal procedures ma y encourage employees to adopt job-focused influence tactics. The third procedural justice factor is the judgment based on evidence. This means convincing employees that ratings do accurately reflect per

The Recall of Firestone Tires Essay -- Firestone Tires Retail Automobi

The Recall of Firestone Tires Mission Statement: The Firestone Company is committed to being a good corporate citizen nationally, regionally and especially in the communities where we have manufacturing plants, sales facilities or offices. Our corporate philosophy is to build not just better products, but better communities. Firestone traces their roots to the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in 1900. Harvey S. Firestone started tire production with twelve employees in Akron, Ohio. In Japan during 1931, Shojiro Ishibashi created the Bridgestone Tire Company. Bridgestone is proud to carry on the blending of Japanese and American methods to provide quality products. Their philosophy is to serve society with superior quality and best today but still better tomorrow. In August 2000, there was a recall of Bridgestone/Firestone tires. The company recalled its 15 inch ATX and ATX II tires, plus 15 inch Wilderness AT tires. The recall involved more than six million tires. A federal investigation found at least 88 deaths and more than 300 accidents involving Bridgestone/Firestone tires that had shredded on the highway. The majority of the accidents held the same situation of the driver maintaining a speed of 65 miles per hour, the tires shredded and the rubber peeled away from the rim. Most of the tire failures involved Ford Explorer sport utility vehicles. These accidents occurred after tire treads peeled off, causing tires to burst and malfunction then drivers lost control of their vehicles which resulted in crashes and turnovers. The tires involved are made up of many different materials layered around an inner shell. The outermost layer is the tread, which covers two layers of steel cords. This tire recall was the second largest in history; i t also raised a significant social responsibility and ethical issues for both Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone companies. Firestone's last major tire recall nearly bankrupted the company in 1978, and led to its acquisition by Japanese-based Bridgestone. As with the recall announced, it involved abnormally high tread separation, resulting in accidents and deaths. Most of the tires involved in the recall were produced at Firestone's Decatur, Illinois plant. Poor quality was named as one of the main causes of the failures, and many proposals were advanced to strengthen and update regulatory procedures. ... ...dgestone/Firestone executive says complaints didn't reach him. from the World Wide Web: http://www.cnn.com/ Public Citizen. (2001, Jan. 4). Ford, Firestone officials took narrow view when recalling tires, ignoring key data while admitting tires lacked strength. from the World Wide Web: http://www.citizen.org/fireweb/firereport.htm Public Citizen & Safetyforum.com. (2001, Jan. 4). Spinning their wheels: How Ford and Firestone fail to justify the limited tire recall. from the World Wide Web: http://www.citizen.org/Press/pr-auto25.htm Ross, S. (2000, Nov. 1). Tire-safety law signed. from the World Wide Web: http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/dailynews/clinton-tires001101.htm. Schaefer, G. (2000, December 20). Wheeling and dealing: Bridgestone admits some blame for deadly tire failures. from the World Wide Web: http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/dailynews/tires001220.htm. Sears stops selling Bridgestone/Firestone tires under probe in crashes. (2000, Aug. 4). from the World Wide Web: http://www.cnn.com/ Valenti, C. (2000, September 5). What cost recalls? from the World Wide Web: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/business/TheStreet/firestonetire_recall000905.htm.