Pre-Darwinism Views Essays (834 words) - Biology,

Pre-Darwinism Views November 24, 1859, many people simply believed that species were created by God in their present forms, or that it was possible for organic matter to be spawned from inorganic matter. However, Charles Darwin used these ideas to create his thesis, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. The first true theories on evolution arise during the classical Greek period. On a handful of Greek philosophers believed in the theory of evolution and natural selection. Unfortunately, the two philosophers who influenced western civilization the most, Plato and Aristotle, opposed any theory of evolution. Plato believed that there were two worlds, one real world, and one imperfect world that we perceive with our senses. Any variations in life were imperfect images of their ideal forms. However, Aristotle didn't believe in two worlds; instead, he believed in a "scale of nature." Each life form was arranged on a type of"ladder". It started at the bottom with the least complex organism and continued up to the most complex organism. Each organism had a pre-determined"rung", which allowed no ability to move up, and no open spaces for a new organism to fill. According to Neil Campbell in his book, Biology: Fourth Edition, "Juedo-Christian culture fortified anti-evolution theories." (p. 400-401) The creationist-essentialist dogma that species were permanent and created for a specific purpose became deeply embedded in Western thought. Any person who dared to theorize or believe in theories about evolution were instantly labeled heretics. The medieval church saw evolution as saying that God did not exist, that we are not the "supreme creation", and that humans could just be evolutionary mistakes. However, in the later 1700's and early 1800's there was a "scientific revolution" taking place. People began to use scientific experiments to explain what they had always put faith in. According to Campbell, the first big step in the development of the theory of evolution was made by Carolus Linnaeus. (p. 400-401) Linnaeus was the founder of taxonomy and developed the naming system for organisms that we still use today. He grouped organisms based on similar characteristics. This, for Darwin, would become a focal point of his theory of evolution. When Darwin began his research aboard the H.M.S. Beagle in 1831, he had some pre-constructed ideas. The first was that he rejected Plato's, Aristotle's, and the Church's ideas that organism were made the way they are, and will never change. The second was about Linnaeus' filing system; Darwin believed that similar species must of evolved from similar ancestors. During his trip on the Beagle, Darwin collected 13 different types of finches that he believed were different species. When he returned to Great Britain in 1836, he learned from ornithologists that the 13 different types of finches he collected, were indeed separate species. This discovery led Darwin to theorize that if a species was isolated, then it would adapt to fit it's surroundings; just like how the finches adapted new beaks depending on their native types of food. Finally in 1844, Darwin wrote an essay on his theory of natural selection and the origin of species. When Darwin finished his book on evolution, The Origin of Species, he had two major ideas: the first was that evolution was the explanation for life's unity and diversity; the second was that natural selection is the cause for adaptations. Darwin provided numerous example of his theories, but he was still doubted. However, on of his modern day supporters named Ernst Mayr has provided his own theories and proof of Darwin's ideas. With respect to Darwin's ideas on natural selection and adaptation, Mayr used an closely related group of insect species to prove this point. In Malaya round, pink flowers are common; so the mantid native to Malya is round and pink. However, in Central America, most plants have green, oval-like leaves; so the mantid to Central America is green and oval-like in shape. This example shows how species of common ancestry have adapted to fit their individual surroundings. With respect to Darwin's ideas on evolution, we will look at the mustard plant. The mustard plant is the evolutional ancestor of six different vegetables: cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi. Breeder have been able to prove this by focusing on one particular part of the plant to accentuate. The process of accentuating the plant parts by breeders is evidence of evolution, except that humans are manipulating the results to meet their own needs. There really is not much more information on Darwin's theory of evolution, due to the fact that the majority

Tracking Your Goals for Success

Tracking Your Goals for Success Working on commission can be stressful, especially when you dont know how much money comes in each month. Just as you keep track of your bills, you should get in the habit, if you havent already, of staying up-to-date with each piece of work you have in the pipeline. Not only will this help your bottom line, but youll also keep on track with your major goals. For instance, if your goal is to write for  The Writer Magazine, you may need to climb the ladder from where you stand now. Its rare for first time freelancers to break into the national magazine market, so build a system and break down your goal into smaller bites to develop your portfolio to improve your effort toward that big accomplishment. Using the system outlined below, I wrote my first article for a paying ezine and quickly followed it with work for Writing for Dollars, Writers Weekly, and Writer2Writer. Twenty articles later, I had my first article accepted While I use Excel, you may use Microsoft Word, a day planner, or simply a blank notebook (If you prefer, you can use apps), and just as you would schedule your doctors appointments and kids soccer games, create a task list of everyday activities needed to bring in the income. As a freelancer, your times can be flexible, but I caution you to adhere to certain goals each day. Divide your list into four separate sections like the example below. The first section is research, the second is reviewing the guidelines, the third is preparing and submitting, and the fourth is writing and editing. To stay on task with your goals, you have to set aside time each day to do all four. Research Review Guidelines Prep Submission Pkgs Writing Editing Research mags blogs for places to submit article on Writing Tight Review writers guidelines for Parenting Today and  Working Moms Prep submission pkg for Adopting at 50 Parenting Today Working Moms Begin writing the Writing Tight article. Edit other article on staying healthy during the winter When an idea for an article strikes, begin researching places that might be interested before you waste time writing. Some writers suggest pitching before the article is written, but such a move is dependent upon the publications guidelines. After your research, review the guidelines once more for the article you finished the evening before. Guidelines can change so confirming what you should be sending saves time for you and the editor.   Then prepare the submission package for your article and move on to the writing phase of your evening. As you work, highlight each completed task so at the end of the day, youll see the progress youve made. Each evening, create a new list so you start fresh each morning. Carry over the activities you didnt complete the previous day onto the new list and start with those first. Never skip over one of your tasks because doing so erases a potential income opportunity and sets you back a step. Yes, you work on more than one article at a time. Hope Clark keeps as many as thirteen in play, as she likes to put it. Youre always moving forward, working multiple opportunities at different levels. Trust me, its doable. Just ask every successful freelance writer. To achieve goals, you need to keep up with where you are on your journey. This system is designed to help any writer climb the ladder of success, but even if you dont use this one, you should have a way to track the steps youre taking toward your dream.

Careers in law are open to all and the legal profession is sufficiently diverse. Discuss.

This essay will begin by summarising the history of the position of women in society, move to look to the challenges that face women and employers and finally, summarise steps that can be taken in an effort to eliminate such restraints. Women have fought a long battle against subordination. As late as the twentieth century, in England and Wales, women remained legally subordinate to men. In other cultures, this position remains in practice today. In England and Wales, coverture referred to the rights of women being subsumed by those of her husband through common law marriage. This legal doctrine left women without an identity and gave her husband control of her, her property and the custody of her children. Marital rape was not outlawed until R v R came before the House of Lords in 1992. Society saw women merely as objects of their husbands. It was not acceptable for women to study medicine or law or to engage in politics. Liberal ideals were quashed by the belief that women were irrational, temperamentally unfit to deal with such subjects and their place was in the home being a subservient wife and maternal parent. During the war effort, in particular, women proved that they were capable of holding down important r oles within the workforce and society more generally, and were seen as rational and intelligent in their thinking as their male counterparts. Women were granted suffrage in 1928 through the Equal Franchise Act and have since broken down the barriers into almost all professions. Despite, in theory, women having the ability to do everything a man can do, challenges remain that make it difficult to suggest that men and women are truly equal. Both society and the legal profession now support women embarking on careers within the industry. By 2008-9, 60% of all new admissions to the Roll were women and 52% of those called to the Bar in the same year were women. The Bar society indicated that in 2009, 34% of barristers were women. These figures demonstrate that women now make up over a third of all barristers, however, barristers are usually well educated and often from high socioeconomic standing, so this figure does not fully represent whether the legal profession is diverse for the average woman. Statistical evidence also proves that women still struggle to be appointed to the highest positions within the legal profession. Few women are promoted to Queen’s Counsel and the first woman to sit within the House of Lords was only appointed to this position in 2003. Women are traditionally paid lower than men. The Equal Pay Act 1970 has attempted to solve the disparity between the male and female pay gap, however, it is not uncommon for a case of this nature to arise. Recently, an employee sued her employer, Lewis Silkin, on the grounds that she was being paid lower than a male counterpart. Arguments suggest that due to the more emotional, sensitive and maternalistic nature of women in comparison to men, often women opt to specialise in different areas of law, such as family or personal injury law rather than male dominated specialisms, such as corporate or banking law. Family and personal injury law are also often less high-profile and do not hinge on lucrative deals so the specialisms are often not as well paid. To dismiss a woman for falling pregnant and wanting maternity leave is unfair dismissal. Pregnancy does, however, play an important role in this debate. Most employers would assume that a young woman will take a break to have a baby in the future and the fact that having a child is traditionally less disruptive to the work life of a man, it makes the male counterpart a cheaper and safer option in the long-term. A break in work is seen as disruptive and employers need to fill that position during the maternity leave, effectively causing the employer to pay twice for the same job to be completed. In a time when employers are facing tough economic times, having reliable staff that do not have to be replaced for extended durations appears, on face value, to be commercially viable option. Furthermore, there is a concern for the employer that childcare issues may cause disruption and lost working hours when the employee does return. Legal professionals who are self-employed, such as barris ters, can find the transition far more difficult in terms of covering their living costs and retaining clients during maternity leave and the stress of a new baby when they later return to work. In 2004, the Bar Council published policies that cover the issues of maternity, paternity and flexible working hours in an attempt to balance family life and legal practice. To actively reflect this aim, the policy has increased the time a barrister’s seat may be open rent free with Chamber’s expenses from three months to one year. In Heard and another v Sinclair Roche and Temperley (a firm) and others, it was ruled that the firm had unlawfully discriminated on the grounds of family status and combined with unlawful sex discrimination, constituted unfair treatment. This claim arose when the firm failed to promote or progress the individual. The firm had a total of 36 partners and only 6 were women. This case suggested that women are also less likely to be appointed to managerial positions, particularly if the dominating power is male. Other arguments suggest that women are more emotional than men and office politics are more present. Webley suggests that women struggle to progress in the profession for a variety of reasons including masculine office culture, the pressure of working long hours and high billing targets and dissatisfaction with commodification’s effect on work quality. In terms of the legal profession, lawyers represent the legal position of their client and to do so, must relate well and truly understand the situation of their client. If all lawyers were men, one could question whether women in society could ever be adequately represented by the legal profession. There is an argument to say that there is as much a place for women in the profession as men, as women solve problems in a different way, can be more compassionate and can balance an all-male work environment. Parliament has made attempts to allow greater access to the legal profession to minority groups by enacting legislation such as the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. The main purpose of this enactment was to reform the legal profession after the findings of the Benson Commission in the 1970s. To the judiciary, in particular, important changes were made to appointments and pensions and significant changes were implemented towards the organisation and regulation of the legal profession. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 later recommended that an independent body should be created to deal with the appointment of judges, which came after criticism from the Law Society regarding the old system. Such legislative and societal support towards the accessibility and diversity of the legal profession should instil a hopefulness into affected women that the profession is moving in the right direction. There have been several attempts by the profession itself to promote and encourage accessibility and diversity. The PRIME initiative saw 23 UK and Irish law firms come together to form a ground-breaking initiative to increase social mobility through a wide ranging work experience scheme. Whilst this initiative focused more on socioeconomic status rather than gender, the results suggest that real opportunities within the legal profession have been offered to those who are otherwise unlikely to have been given the opportunity. In conclusion, the legal profession is not yet sufficiently diverse. Both historical and contemporary statistics prove a bias towards men due to the maternalistic nature of women. Statistics demonstrate a trend that the profession is moving in the right direction in terms of equality, diversity and accessibility for women, however, the battle for truly equal treatment, rights and pay for both genders is an ongoing issue within the legal profession, as it is in society generally. Historically, women were refrained from having an identity and practicing within the legal profession because they were considered irrational and incapable. Whilst that perception has clearly disappeared, which is a positive shift, women still face challenges due to the physiological differences between men and women. These differences will never change and unless there is a shift in the mentality of employers’, these are likely to be challenges that remain for the duration. One could argue that the ba ttle between equality and diversity within the legal profession and commercial viability for business owners will never truly resolve. Bibliography Deborah, L. ‘Title of the article’ [2001] Women and the Legal Profession 156 Fredman, S. ‘Discrimination Law’ (New York, United States: Oxford University Press Inc, 2001) Leighton, P. ‘Discrimination and the Law’ (Camp Road, London: Short Run Press, 2004) Macdonald, L. ‘Equality, Diversity and Discrimination’ (Camp Road, London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2004) McColgan, A. ‘Discrimination Law’ (North, America: Hart Publishing Co, 2nd edn., 2005). Roach Anleu, S. ‘Law and Social Change’ (City Road, London: Sage Publication Limited, 2000) Sargeant, M. ‘Discrimination Law’ (Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited, 2004) Sommerland, H., Webley, D., Duff, L., Muzio, D., Tomlinson, J. ‘Diversity in the Legal Profession in England and Wales: A Qualitative Study of Barriers and Individual Choices’ Suddards, H. ‘Sex and Race Discrimination’ (Camp Road, London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2nd edn., 2002) Webley, L., Duff, L. ‘Women Solicitors as a Barometer for Problems within the Legal Profession: Time to Put Values before Profits?’ (2007) 34 Journal of Law and Society 374 Wilkins, D. ‘Rollin’ on the River: Race, Elite Schools, and the Equality Paradox’ (2000) 25 Law and Social Inquiry 527 Cases Heard and another v Sinclair Roche and Temperley (a firm) and others [2004] All ER (D) 432 (Jul) R v R [1992] 1 A.C. 599 Legislation Constitutional Reform Act 2005 Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 Equal Franchise Act 1928 Equal Pay Act 1970 Careers in law are open to all and the legal profession is sufficiently diverse. Discuss. This essay will begin by summarising the history of the position of women in society, move to look to the challenges that face women and employers and finally, summarise steps that can be taken in an effort to eliminate such restraints. Women have fought a long battle against subordination. As late as the twentieth century, in England and Wales, women remained legally subordinate to men. In other cultures, this position remains in practice today. In England and Wales, coverture referred to the rights of women being subsumed by those of her husband through common law marriage. This legal doctrine left women without an identity and gave her husband control of her, her property and the custody of her children. Marital rape was not outlawed until R v R came before the House of Lords in 1992. Society saw women merely as objects of their husbands. It was not acceptable for women to study medicine or law or to engage in politics. Liberal ideals were quashed by the belief that women were irrational, temperamentally unfit to deal with such subjects and their place was in the home being a subservient wife and maternal parent. During the war effort, in particular, women proved that they were capable of holding down important r oles within the workforce and society more generally, and were seen as rational and intelligent in their thinking as their male counterparts. Women were granted suffrage in 1928 through the Equal Franchise Act and have since broken down the barriers into almost all professions. Despite, in theory, women having the ability to do everything a man can do, challenges remain that make it difficult to suggest that men and women are truly equal. Both society and the legal profession now support women embarking on careers within the industry. By 2008-9, 60% of all new admissions to the Roll were women and 52% of those called to the Bar in the same year were women. The Bar society indicated that in 2009, 34% of barristers were women. These figures demonstrate that women now make up over a third of all barristers, however, barristers are usually well educated and often from high socioeconomic standing, so this figure does not fully represent whether the legal profession is diverse for the average woman. Statistical evidence also proves that women still struggle to be appointed to the highest positions within the legal profession. Few women are promoted to Queen’s Counsel and the first woman to sit within the House of Lords was only appointed to this position in 2003. Women are traditionally paid lower than men. The Equal Pay Act 1970 has attempted to solve the disparity between the male and female pay gap, however, it is not uncommon for a case of this nature to arise. Recently, an employee sued her employer, Lewis Silkin, on the grounds that she was being paid lower than a male counterpart. Arguments suggest that due to the more emotional, sensitive and maternalistic nature of women in comparison to men, often women opt to specialise in different areas of law, such as family or personal injury law rather than male dominated specialisms, such as corporate or banking law. Family and personal injury law are also often less high-profile and do not hinge on lucrative deals so the specialisms are often not as well paid. To dismiss a woman for falling pregnant and wanting maternity leave is unfair dismissal. Pregnancy does, however, play an important role in this debate. Most employers would assume that a young woman will take a break to have a baby in the future and the fact that having a child is traditionally less disruptive to the work life of a man, it makes the male counterpart a cheaper and safer option in the long-term. A break in work is seen as disruptive and employers need to fill that position during the maternity leave, effectively causing the employer to pay twice for the same job to be completed. In a time when employers are facing tough economic times, having reliable staff that do not have to be replaced for extended durations appears, on face value, to be commercially viable option. Furthermore, there is a concern for the employer that childcare issues may cause disruption and lost working hours when the employee does return. Legal professionals who are self-employed, such as barris ters, can find the transition far more difficult in terms of covering their living costs and retaining clients during maternity leave and the stress of a new baby when they later return to work. In 2004, the Bar Council published policies that cover the issues of maternity, paternity and flexible working hours in an attempt to balance family life and legal practice. To actively reflect this aim, the policy has increased the time a barrister’s seat may be open rent free with Chamber’s expenses from three months to one year. In Heard and another v Sinclair Roche and Temperley (a firm) and others, it was ruled that the firm had unlawfully discriminated on the grounds of family status and combined with unlawful sex discrimination, constituted unfair treatment. This claim arose when the firm failed to promote or progress the individual. The firm had a total of 36 partners and only 6 were women. This case suggested that women are also less likely to be appointed to managerial positions, particularly if the dominating power is male. Other arguments suggest that women are more emotional than men and office politics are more present. Webley suggests that women struggle to progress in the profession for a variety of reasons including masculine office culture, the pressure of working long hours and high billing targets and dissatisfaction with commodification’s effect on work quality. In terms of the legal profession, lawyers represent the legal position of their client and to do so, must relate well and truly understand the situation of their client. If all lawyers were men, one could question whether women in society could ever be adequately represented by the legal profession. There is an argument to say that there is as much a place for women in the profession as men, as women solve problems in a different way, can be more compassionate and can balance an all-male work environment. Parliament has made attempts to allow greater access to the legal profession to minority groups by enacting legislation such as the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. The main purpose of this enactment was to reform the legal profession after the findings of the Benson Commission in the 1970s. To the judiciary, in particular, important changes were made to appointments and pensions and significant changes were implemented towards the organisation and regulation of the legal profession. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 later recommended that an independent body should be created to deal with the appointment of judges, which came after criticism from the Law Society regarding the old system. Such legislative and societal support towards the accessibility and diversity of the legal profession should instil a hopefulness into affected women that the profession is moving in the right direction. There have been several attempts by the profession itself to promote and encourage accessibility and diversity. The PRIME initiative saw 23 UK and Irish law firms come together to form a ground-breaking initiative to increase social mobility through a wide ranging work experience scheme. Whilst this initiative focused more on socioeconomic status rather than gender, the results suggest that real opportunities within the legal profession have been offered to those who are otherwise unlikely to have been given the opportunity. In conclusion, the legal profession is not yet sufficiently diverse. Both historical and contemporary statistics prove a bias towards men due to the maternalistic nature of women. Statistics demonstrate a trend that the profession is moving in the right direction in terms of equality, diversity and accessibility for women, however, the battle for truly equal treatment, rights and pay for both genders is an ongoing issue within the legal profession, as it is in society generally. Historically, women were refrained from having an identity and practicing within the legal profession because they were considered irrational and incapable. Whilst that perception has clearly disappeared, which is a positive shift, women still face challenges due to the physiological differences between men and women. These differences will never change and unless there is a shift in the mentality of employers’, these are likely to be challenges that remain for the duration. One could argue that the ba ttle between equality and diversity within the legal profession and commercial viability for business owners will never truly resolve. Bibliography Deborah, L. ‘Title of the article’ [2001] Women and the Legal Profession 156 Fredman, S. ‘Discrimination Law’ (New York, United States: Oxford University Press Inc, 2001) Leighton, P. ‘Discrimination and the Law’ (Camp Road, London: Short Run Press, 2004) Macdonald, L. ‘Equality, Diversity and Discrimination’ (Camp Road, London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2004) McColgan, A. ‘Discrimination Law’ (North, America: Hart Publishing Co, 2nd edn., 2005). Roach Anleu, S. ‘Law and Social Change’ (City Road, London: Sage Publication Limited, 2000) Sargeant, M. ‘Discrimination Law’ (Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited, 2004) Sommerland, H., Webley, D., Duff, L., Muzio, D., Tomlinson, J. ‘Diversity in the Legal Profession in England and Wales: A Qualitative Study of Barriers and Individual Choices’ Suddards, H. ‘Sex and Race Discrimination’ (Camp Road, London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2nd edn., 2002) Webley, L., Duff, L. ‘Women Solicitors as a Barometer for Problems within the Legal Profession: Time to Put Values before Profits?’ (2007) 34 Journal of Law and Society 374 Wilkins, D. ‘Rollin’ on the River: Race, Elite Schools, and the Equality Paradox’ (2000) 25 Law and Social Inquiry 527 Cases Heard and another v Sinclair Roche and Temperley (a firm) and others [2004] All ER (D) 432 (Jul) R v R [1992] 1 A.C. 599 Legislation Constitutional Reform Act 2005 Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 Equal Franchise Act 1928 Equal Pay Act 1970

Employee Feedback Questionaire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employee Feedback Questionaire - Essay Example This will be linked to the general view of the class regarding staff morale and their satisfaction and motivation in the work environment. The secondary purpose of this research is to describe the leadership style of the immediate supervisor, recognize the strengths and weaknesses, and recommend possible solutions in areas that need improvement. The research design for this study employed both qualitative and quantitative survey method. The questions were qualitative in nature and the quantitative aspect is on the number of positive, negative, and neutral responses gathered, which gauged the overall strength of the opinion and aided in formulating insights. The target population of this study included a practicum class at Hillcrest Medical Center. The sample size included all 23 members of the target population. The participation rate is 100%. With the high level of positive responses from the respondents, it can be inferred that the class is highly motivated and satisfied with their working environment and working relationship with their immediate supervisor.

Do Talking Gorillas and Signing Chimpanzees and Bonobos Have Rights Research Paper

Do Talking Gorillas and Signing Chimpanzees and Bonobos Have Rights and What Distinguishes Them from Human Rights - Research Paper Example First of all, human beings must realize the fact that the members of ape family are able to make a number of signs to express their desires and emotions. This is similar to the words and signs used by human beings for communication purpose. Bekoff (2010), states that â€Å"Some of the reports by ape language researchers suggest that nonhuman great apes may be remarkably creative in producing new signing combinations† (p.307). The research works based upon the sign language used by apes prove that they are special among the animals because they make use of signs as the medium of communication and are able to improve the same. On the other side, the chimpanzees and bonobos are able to use some symbols for the purpose of communication. Burling (2007) states that, â€Å"Several captive chimpanzees have gestured spontaneously in iconic or indexical ways to show their human companions what they want† (p.79). The research work based on chimpanzees in captivity proves that they make use of their sign language to communicate with human beings. This is important because chimpanzees make use of their verbal or nonverbal mode of communication to interact with human beings. ... Smith (2002) opines about a bonobo (Kanzi) that â€Å"It would appear that Kanzi in some sense has the faculty of language and, as he can indulge in pretend play, he may also be endorsed with a ‘Theory of Mind’† (p.83). One can see that bonobos make use of sign language as the mode of communication and some bonobos possess comparatively high intelligence. So, these animals are with high intelligence and ability to communicate and they have the individual right to be treated like human beings. Besides, these animals make use of signs to generalize certain objects to a wider context. For instance, the word ‘dog’ is used to signify dogs, not a particular dog. From a different angle of view, this habit of generalization is similar to the children who are not aware of the importance of grammar in communication. But these animals are unable to speak because their vocal cords are not similar to that of human beings. In short, one can see that similarity in i ntelligence between these animals and human beings prove that these animals have certain rights. If human beings possess individual rights, the members of ape family deserve the same. The scenario of human rights is limited to the context of certain rights assigned to human beings. Within this context, the most important right is the right to live. One can see that most of the human rights activists fight to defend this right. At the same time, some members of ape family are special and these animals must have certain rights. For instance, the apes that can use signs and symbols to communicate with each other and with human beings must be considered as similar to human beings. The members of ape family must not be considered as mere animals because their intelligence level

Harley Davidson Supply Chain Improvements Essay Example for Free

Harley Davidson Supply Chain Improvements Essay In the early 1980’s Wisconsin-based Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the country’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles, was struggling to survive. Faced with an onslaught of sever competition from Japan and failing new products, †¦ Harley-Davidson was challenged to remain profitable. However, not only did Harley-Davidson survive, it became a huge success story, with sales increasing from 36,735 motorcycles in 1986 to 291,417 in 2003 to over 350,000 motorcycles in 2006. It has also expanded globally into Europe, China and India. A significant factor in its turnaround was the strategic changes it made in managing its supply chain during the next decade. †¦ In the mid-1990’s Harley-Davidson initiated sophisticated supply chain strategies to reduce inventory and purchasing costs while improving product quality and delivery times from suppliers. Harley-Davidson now expects suppliers to focus strategically on cost, delivery, and quality improvement and to hit established cost and quality targets. Suppliers are expected to meet â€Å"twice the level of quality† and to develop a written strategic plan to achieve goals for quality improvement. Suppliers are graded according to defective â€Å"parts-per-million† and it has a target goal of 48 defective parts-per-million that suppliers are expected to achieve. Harley-Davison sends suppliers a monthly report showing their quality and delivery performance, and if the supplier receives a bad report Harley-Davidson sends their people to the supplier to determine the problems and help them resolve them. If the supplier does not improve its performance, it is replaced. In 1995 defective parts-per-million for suppliers were generally around 10,000; however, by 2001 approximately 75% of Harley-Davidson’s supplier base was performing at 48 defective parts-per-million or better, and 36 suppliers were performing at zero defective parts-per-million. †¦ These objectives consciously reduced Harley-Davidson’s supplier base that could not meet expectations for cost, quality, and delivery by 80%, from 4,000 suppliers to 800. In some cases Harley-Davidson has moved toward single-source relationships with suppliers. In these instances, the company partners with one supplier for a part, system, or component – for example, lighting systems, instrumentation gauges, or ignition systems – and works closely with the supplier to develop technology that the company needs to remain competitive. Approximately 80 on-site (resident) suppliers take part in new product design, creating an interface between the company and its suppliers that helps Harley-Davidson improve quality and cut costs. In return, Harley-Davidson remains loyal to the supplier and reduces supplier uncertainty, provided of course that the supplier continues to meet the company’s objectives for improvement. In order for Harley-Davidson suppliers to remain competitive they must enforce similar exacting goals and standards on their own suppliers, thus creating efficiency and cost effectiveness along the entire length of the supply chain from Harley-Davidson’s suppliers to its suppliers’ suppliers, and so on. Harley –Davidson is using the Internet to further improve its supply chain performance. The company launched an interactive Internet-based supply chain management strategy that placed a large portion of the company’s supply chain management only to the Internet. It provided all suppliers with information they need to conduct online financial transactions and reduce the time spent chasing invoices. Suppliers are linked by a web portal to critical business transaction information, including data on delivery and quality performance and the status of financial transactions. In-house software reports defect rates that provides quick feedback to suppliers about bad components. Suppliers can look at production schedules and delivery requirements and assess their ability to meet those schedules. Documents and information previously sent using an EDI format are now sent more cheaply through the Internet, which is also more universally available to supply companies, particularly smaller ones. What has been the effect of these changes in supply chain management at Harley-Davidson? They reduced operating expenses by $161 million; the company now manages its inventory according to a JIT system, and it runs on 6. 5 to 10 days’ worth of inventory compared to 8 to 15 days of inventory before its supply chain initiatives; its logistics and distribution center costs as a percentage of sales decreased by 59%. By any measure Harley-Davidson’s supply chain management strategy has been a success.

Cultural diversity :: essays research papers fc

Many people are affected by cultural differences, but if one tries to break the barriers, the attempt is usually received with open arms and graciously. I remember when preparing for my trip to Germany friends asked why I chose Germany. I responded with â€Å"why not?† Then I was confronted with reasoning like â€Å"look what happened in World War II, you do not know their language,† and my favorite, â€Å"all there are is Nazi people over there.† I looked at them for a second then replied with something to the affect that I have always had a fascination with World War II and especially Adolf Hitler and Germany. It is true that I do not know the language, but English is becoming more and more a universally recognized language, and while it is true there are Nazi types of people there, I’m sure there is an equal amount of â€Å"hate† right here in the United States. While this is interesting, it so far simply doesn’t respond to the assignment , which is to respond to an essay from Language Awareness. You need to make clear from the start what essay you’re responding to. Not deterred by other’s comments, I set off for Germany in November of 2002. This was post 9/11 so I was a bit nervous. The first jaunt was from Cleveland to Toronto where I had my first encounter with traveling outside the United States. Toronto has many Muslim people. As I approached the security gate to get into the area where I was to board the plane, I noticed a Muslim man yelling in Arabic or some other Middle Eastern language to someone across the security gate. By yelling, I mean angrily and forcibly. Being that this was my first international trip and only my 2nd airplane ride in my life, I was already nervous to begin with. Add the fact that it was post 9/11, I was nervous as hell. I thought to myself, â€Å"Did World War III break out in the hour that I was in the air to Toronto?† Then I realized that just maybe the person was upset about having to unbuckle his belt or something trying to get through the gate. I landed safe and sound in Frankfurt which has the largest airport in at least Europe. This is where I had my first cultural shock. I knew I had less than

Balance of power: East African Region

The last half of the nineteenth century saw most of the African countries gaining political independence. However, their united voice in the fight against colonialists seemed to last only for as long as the colonial powers was still in charge of the continents political affairs. In East Africa, the three major partners: Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda adopted differing policies in terms of land, public investments strategies and political approaches. The policies symbolized the emergence of divergent post-independence national approaches.The result was each nation taking different paths aimed at promoting its strength regionally. However, not all the strategies were intended to result into taking of differing directions by the nations but rather some had unintended consequences. This paper will look at the East African region’s balance of power strategies and politics as from 1970’s to the modern day. The East Africa region emerging from years of war, civil strife and violen ce currently offers fresh grounds for interplay of power games and intrigues. Each country is increasingly seeking to assert its position as the regions strength.This is unlike other world regions where power intrigues have reached climax and relevant alliances formed against or for in a bid secure the relevant states positions. For instance, in the United States region the U. S has asserted its authority and countries in fear of it have had to positively align themselves and the resentful ones like Cuba have undertaken a negative alignment. However, the question as to who wields the power balance in their favor is no longer an issue. The same cannot be said of the East African region.The region is currently in a race for minerals exploration and policy formulation aimed at consolidating each nation’s position. Even as its nations head towards an economic integration, they cannot help but treat each other with caution and more so Kenya which is considered economically advanta ged. This makes it a rich ground for analysis of the power issues. The East African region has seen substantial and profoundly unmistakable changes in terms of strategic frameworks. These transformations dating back to the colonial days have had the effect of shaping up the power balance in the region.The most profound transformation aimed at balance of power was the fall of the East African Community in 1977. This was a result of each nation’s diverse approach to consolidate its positions of strength in the region. Kenya apparently based on its economic strength demanded to be awarded more seats in the regions decisions making organs, Idi Amin adopted dictatorship and expansionist ideas that threatened the regions stability and balance, while Tanzania undertook a more socialist approach unlike Kenya’s capitalist.Uganda’s Idi Amin was often viewed as militant as he not only ruled dictatorially, but also made attempts at expanding his regional power militantly. F or instance, is his 1978 attempt at annexing part of northern Tanzania formally Kagera. The result was constant tension between the states. Tanzania on the other hand often viewed Kenya as being an economic predatory nation more so regarding its material and human resources and hence embarked on policies aimed at locking out its population from taking over the countries investment opportunities and professional market.Generally, they embarked on protectionist policies against a nation they believed had the potential of sucking up its market and in one instance considered joining the Southern Economic Block. Kenya on the other hand, contrary to its neighbors disregarded the idealistic socialistic block then that would have had severe economic, social as well political consequences given its years of British linkage. In balancing its position, Kenya opted to adopt a wait and see policy in positioning itself on international issues.In general, Kenya opted to take non-aligned positions that would neither peach it alongside the west or the East’s rivalry at the time. Basically, the Kenyan policies aimed at protection of its integrity territorially, securing its economic as well as political structures but most importantly sustain its unique East African economic status. Kenya as a country has had to reckon with the challenges faced by its neighbors that have continuously threatened its economic stability in the region.The death of president, Kenyatta in 1978 came at a time when the Somalia- Ethiopian war was still on, Uganda was making attempts at annexing Kagera area of Tanzania. The then vice president, then took over powered and declared ‘Nyayoism’ often translated to mean following in the footsteps of the preceding president Kenyatta. Just like his predecessor, Moi adopted a neutral approach towards its neighbor’s conflicts and in stead focused on consolidating the countries position of power in the region. The re-emergence of the Eas t African Union saw Rwanda and Burundi join the bandwagon.While Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan are not part of the East African Union, they have often been considered as part of East Africa geographically. Consequently their activities have an effect on the political balance in the region. The race for a balance of power has thus increased in the recent past with Kenya dominance increasingly being threatened. Rwanda emerging from a gristly genocide has in the recent past embarked on policies that are attractive to the investors hence its recent ranking as having the best rate of project execution in East Africa and the leading regions investment destination.Its IT system is only rivaled by Kenya’s. Worth mentioning are also its new airports and radar systems bearing high sophistication. This advancement has often been cited as threatening to Kenya’s position as the economic hub in the region. Ethiopia’s infrastructural expansion has also been cited as meant to chal lenge Kenya’s position in the region. However, in reaction to this Kenya has currently embarked on a massive infrastructural expansion with roads being built more significantly in Nairobi and its environs.Kenya is also undertaking enormous expansion of its main airport while the Kisumu airport is undergoing upgrading to an international status. While Tanzania has been unable to do much with its mineral rich resources to strengthen its position of power in the region, the same cannot be said about Uganda which has re-emerged strongly from dictatorship under Idi Amin. Its recent striking of oil has seen Kenya vehemently embarking on the search of the same in a bid to ensure that it is not overtaken by Uganda.Additionally, Uganda has often been viewed as being militant and bearing expansionist ideals with its recent attempts being the attempts to acquire Migingo islands which allegedly belong to its neighbor, Kenya. Analysts have been quick to argue that this could be attempts b y Uganda to test Kenya’s ability to respond to external threat. However, Kenya’s diplomatic approach to issues still leaves its neighbors wondering its standing militarily though bearing in mind that it probably still holds the regions military as well as economic power.However, the recent striking of huge uranium deposits by Tanzania is likewise making the race for position of power in the region more complicated. The general summary of all these boils down to a race fro the regions economic leadership which is often accompanied by military leadership. Probably the realization of the common market has even catalyzed the race more as each country sees prospects of expanded markets for its produce. However, the milestone made by Kenya is still unrivalled and the expansion of the market would probably see professional services exportation from it.This is a position that all indications show that Kenya is not yet ready to relinquish as witnessed by its heavy investment in oil exploration as well as other minerals. Recent reports indicate that Kenya has struck uranium too and is likewise close to striking oil. In terms of policies, the East African countries have often treated each other with caution more especially the other countries viewing of Kenya which has often been cited as being at an economic point of advantage. This has seen various regions countries employing protectionist policies against Kenyans who are considered aggressive economically.Kenya has also embarked on key foreign relation aimed at securing its positions against the external threats from countries like Somalia which are constantly posing the threat by Al shaabab and piracy which has greatly affected the regions trade. Piracy has led to the Kenyan government having to review its policy on money laundering which could negatively affect the economy. This is due to the belief that the money collected in terms of Ransom is being laundered to the Kenyan market. This has arisen fro m the recent large unaccounted for balances announced by the Central Bank of Kenya.In conclusion it’s worth mentioning that despite Kenya’s dominance in the region, its position is increasingly being threatened as most of the regional players attempt to shift the balance of power in their favor. The region however, remains under siege more so regarding the increasing violence in Somalia, and Sudan. Some analysts have argued that the race for economic power in the region could live it far ahead of other regions in Africa in the near future. Paper break down This paper considers the East African geographical region in respect the period immediately after independence, early 1970’s to the modern period.Its appropriateness for study is based on the fact that it is currently re-emerging from a period of wars, civil strife and other forms of unrest that rocked it immediately after independence. These include the Uganda’s dictatorship under Idi Amin, Ethiopia an d Somali wars, civil strife in Sudan and most memorable Rwandan Genocide. Out of this has come the increased realization of the regions potential and hence a race for economic power position to outdo Kenya which has remained relatively calm save for the recent 2008 post-election violence.The region that has lot of current power plays to offer. The regions balance of power dynamics is depicted b the power balance plays as a result of the regions volatility and the diverse nature of policies outlined by individual states to consolidate their positions within the region. the countries in the region themselves face power shift dynamics either as a result of war or politics some thing that makes the region unique and possess two level of power balance dynamics namely; regional and national level dynamics.The proposed hypothesis then can revolve around whether or not power parity can be a recipe for peace in the region which more effort being shifted towards attaining power equilibrium ra ther that engagement in conflicts. However, the balance of power may be threatened by the interstate protectionist views held by the member states towards each other and more so those considered economically strong. The paper thus takes an overall look into the region as an emerging field for power play in search of economic superiority citing various statesmen and women who have had a role in the situation.Works Cited Aluanga, L. â€Å"The trouble with Kenyan Boarders† The East African Standard, 10/05/2009, 12 Onyango, C. O. Race to unseat Kenya from regions leadership, The East African 40(5) 2010:16, Oyugi, O. W. (2004) Politics and administration in East Africa, Nairobi; East African Educational Publishers, 2004, 313-319 Potholm, C. P. & Fredland, R. A. â€Å"Integration and disintegration in East Africa† Washington, D. C. : University Press of America, 1980 Segal, A. â€Å"The politics of land in East Africa,† Comparative Series, East African Journal, 1(287) 2007:1-22

Photography term paper

â€Å"Photography can only represent the present. Once photographed, the subject becomes part of the past† (Abbott, Bernice). Since the beginning of time humans have tried to commemorate their existence and one of the ways we have done so is through photography. Photography can be found anywhere. One of the most common places you can find photography is in a museum; which is where my story begins.As I entered the doors of the Museum of Photography at the University of Riverside I was transported through time. I was taken back to a time when hydrotherapy was nearly a budding phenomenon. A time where the mention of daguerreotype; a picture made on a mirror-like surface, would stop people dead in their tracks. A time where death; as tragic as it was, was celebrated as art. The time of Post-Mortem photography.As I ventured deeper into the world of Post-Mortem photography, I quickly discovered that Post- Mortem photography meant photography of the deceased. I immediately questioned the photographers' motives and was hesitant to except their works as art. However, as I continued to examine and observe I realized that these photographs weren't as horrific as I had made them UT to be. In fact, they were quite beautiful; In that they leave something behind for the living to hold on to.As I continued through the halls of the museum I found several other photographs whose subjects were living. I favored these photographs over the other photographs because they were much more cheerful. Throughout my exploration of the museum In total there were four photographs that stood out to me. Photography term paper By zoologically out to be. In fact, they were quite beautiful; in that they leave something behind for exploration of the museum in total there were four photographs that stood out to me.

How to Get Your CDL in Tennessee and South Dakota

How to Get Your CDL in Tennessee and South Dakota If you live in Tennessee or South Dakota and want to learn about getting a CDL, this article will guide you through the process. For information on all other states, TheJobNetwork has put together a great guide on applying for a CDL in all states. TennesseeThe following people need to apply for a CDL:Operators of any vehicle or combination of vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds.Anyone transporting hazardous materialsAnyone transporting more than  15 passengers including the driverAnyone operating a  vehicle used as a school busCDL applicants must bring the following documents when applying for a license:a valid DOT Medical Cardproof of a  Social Security Numbera Tennessee driver’s license or ID, or a valid driver license or CDL from another state.proof (2 documents) of domicile in Tennesseeproof of U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident StatusObtaining a CDL learner’s permitTo obtain a permit, you must take and pass the CDL general knowledge test. Dri ver Service Centers throughout the state offer this   and the knowledge tests for any endorsement needed.Knowledge TestYou will need to take a  knowledge test or tests, depending on what class of license and what endorsements you need.The general knowledge test is taken by all applicants.The passenger transport test is taken by all bus driver applicants.The air brakes test is taken if your vehicle has air brakes, including air over hydraulic brakes.The combination vehicles test is required if you want to drive combination vehicles.The hazardous materials test is required if you want to haul hazardous materials as defined in 49 CFR 383.5.The tanker test is required if you want to haul a liquid or liquid gas in a permanently mounted cargo tank rated at 119 gallons or more or a portable tank rated at 1,000 gallons or more.The doubles/triples test is required if you want to pull double or triple trailers.The school bus test is required if you want to drive a school bus.Skills TestsI f you pass the required knowledge test(s), you can take the CDL skills tests, which include  pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control, and on-road driving.The pre-trip inspection test involves a pre-trip vehicle inspection on your own vehicle. You will be tested to see if you know whether your vehicle is safe to drive, and explain to the examiner what you would inspect and why.The basic vehicle control part tests your skill controlling the vehicle. You will be asked to move your vehicle forward, backward, and turn it within a defined area.The on-road test asks you  to safely drive your vehicle in a variety of traffic situations. The situations may include left and right turns, intersections, railroad crossings, curves, up and down grades, single or multi-lane roads, streets, or highways.South DakotaYou must have a South Dakota CDL to operate:A single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001+ poundsA trailer with a GVWR of 10,001+ pounds if the gross combination weight rating is 26,001 or more pounds.A vehicle designed to transport 16+ people (including the driver)Any size vehicle that  requires hazardous materials placards or is carrying material listed as a select agent or toxinThe following people cannot get  a South Dakota CDL:Anyone  under the age of 18Anyone who has a license under suspension, revocation, cancellation, or disqualificationAnyone who isn’t a resident of South DakotaAnyone  who has accumulated child support arrearages of $1,000 or moreCommercial Drivers Learner’s Permit (CLP)You can obtain a CLP  if you are  at least 18 years old and hold a valid Class 1 or Class 2 operator’s license. A  CLP is valid for no more than 180 days from the date of issuance and may be renewed once in the 1-year period from the issuance date for an additional 180 days without requiring the CLP holder to retake the general and specialized knowledge tests.A 14 day waiting period is required between the issue date of the CLP and to the da te it can be converted to a CDL.Obtaining  a CDLAfter passing the required knowledge test(s), you can be issued a CLP and then take the CDL skills tests. Your CLP must contain all endorsements and restrictions necessary to complete the skills test. There are three types of general skills that will be tested: pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control, and on-road driving. You must take these tests in the type of vehicle for which you wish to be licensed.The pre-trip inspection test involves a pre-trip vehicle inspection on your own vehicle. You will be tested to see if you know whether your vehicle is safe to drive, and explain to the examiner what you would inspect and why.The basic vehicle control part tests your skill controlling the vehicle. You will be asked to move your vehicle forward, backward, and turn it within a defined area.The on-road test asks you  to safely drive your vehicle in a variety of traffic situations. The situations may include left and right turns, inte rsections, railroad crossings, curves, up and down grades, single or multi-lane roads, streets, or highways.

Wal-Mart Assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wal-Mart Paper - Assignment Example This presentation discusses the microeconomic and macroeconomic factors that affect the operations of the giant retail outlet chains. Microeconomic Analysis In order to understand the nature of demand and supply environment in the various outlets owned by Wal-Mart, it is important to describe the product portfolio for Wal-Mart. Among the products that an ordinary retail shop offers to the market, general household products and appliances, electronics, beverages, food, stationery, textiles, furniture among many other general retailable products. From this illustration of product portfolio at Wal-Mart or any general retail outlet, certain demand and supply forces influence the operations of the shops when compared to any other shop such as wholesale outlets. One characteristic of the demand and supply is the high diversity in products that the company deals in. Whereas it is possible to monitor one line of products and the performance thereon determined, the aggregate demand and supply for the retailer is determined by the total performance of the products. This implies that the performance in demand and supply of a single product will affect the operations of the company to the extent of the overall proportion that the particular product makes to the operations of the company. This is an advantage to Wal-Mart since the high performing products soak up the impact of non-performing goods. As a disadvantage, accommodating non-performing goods at any season blocks the capacity to exclusively exploit the benefit of high demand for highly performing goods. In terms of the market structure in which Wal-Mart operates, it is perhaps important to consider the two market platforms at both the local US market as well as the international level. For Wal-Mart, the level of retail outlet design and approach taken by the company in the US is largely an oligopoly1. The structure of an oligopoly qualifies Wal-Mart to be classified as such due to the existence of few players of it s status and form. Retailing at the large size and high-end category in the US has a few players due to the inherent market forces that discourage entry of many players. According to Porter’s five competitive market forces, the entry of new players into the departmental retailing is highly restricted due to the nature of retailing business that can accommodate only a specific number of players. The few players in this kind of business in the US include Target and Costco2. In the overseas market platform, Wal-Mart assumes different statuses as defined by the retail business in the different countries. As an illustration, the market could be a monopoly in a country where such size of retail players is not present. In view of the interventions that can be taken to ensure that the oligopoly or monopoly structure is maintained for Wal-Mart to enjoy its benefits, the management needs to consider offering unique services and products. Under the circumstances that an oligopoly presen ts to the players, competition may increase and affect Wal-Mart’s opportunities in the market. To facilitate a strong and sustainable market existence amid the competition, Wal-Mart must present a unique product to act as the main customer attraction and retention factor. To illustrate this, McDonald’

Labor Law And National Labor Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Labor Law And National Labor Relations - Essay Example This essay discusses that the same act was held in a ruling made by the Sacramento County Superior Court in Ralphs Grocery Co. v United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 8. The union agents had peacefully staged a picket for five days a week, eight hours per day on the sidewalk apron of Ralph store, which is a private property. They walked back and forth in front of the store’s doors, waving placards and handing out flyers. This was meant to discourage people from shopping in the shop on the ground that its employees were not unionized.The picketers ignored Ralph request to relocate to a distance away from the store. This went on for almost nine months prompting Ralph to file a complaint about trespass against the union in Sacramento County Superior Court. The grocery shops the capability to request an injunction against the protesters who were trespassing in front of its stores in the name of picketing. The board seeks compliance with provisions of NLRA, especially in s ections 7 and 8. It orders Shirelle Company to reinstate the five dismissed workers, start collective bargaining process with the workers and recognize the union as the legal representative body of the employees. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 protects the welfare and interests of both the unionized and the non-unionized workers. The Board, therefore, holds that the employees in Shirelle Company are protected by the Act and the company has no option but to comply with the relevant provisions concerning staff welfare.... Their main desire was to have the employer afford them and their fellow workers good working conditions. In this case, the Board was of the opinion that even one employee acting solely can satisfy the concerted requirement. It further held that the striking workers had the right to express their dissatisfaction with the working conditions provided by the employer. The board considers this as one of the precedents in resolving the matter of Shirelle and the five dismissed workers. Issues to be resolved Shirelle Company has been in operation since 1983, a cool 27 years without a trade union for the employees. They have a good number of workers who are in charge of various departments within the company. However, the owners, Olga and Gregor Flambe, who are jointly responsible for the labor relations and personnel have not yet registered their employees in any trade union. The company which has been operating for a long time with no trade union for its 40 plus staff has not given the emp loyee the freedom to exercise their rights. The company instead has taken the mandate of resolving labor related disputes using its own mechanisms. This is in contravention of NLRA section 8 (a) 2 where the issue of representation of workers issues is placed under employee led unions, and not company dominated labor organizations. In the Electromation case, the electric company had requested the employees to form committees to deal with their concerns, knowing very well that the committees dominated by the employer do are in contravention of the National Labor Relations Act. In the Electromation, Inc v. NLRB, 35 1148 [1994], the court found out that the initial creation, the structure, and the administration was considerably under the control of the