Global Communications †Issue and Opportunity Identification

Global Communications – Issue and Opportunity Identification Free Online Research Papers Global Communications is faced with challenges as well as opportunities as it struggles to bounce back from falling stocks and competition. The company has been forced to make drastic decisions in order to survive in the telecommunications industry. For example, GC has partnered with a satellite provider to offer new products and services for customers. However, the most recent decision to outsource call centers to India and Ireland would create layoffs, and the plan has been scorned by the public and the Union. Employee morale is low and the Union is threatening to take legal action. Global Communications must explore alternatives, rebuild relationships, and improve organizational commitment in the hopes of succeeding. Situation Analysis Issue and Opportunity Identification Global Communications is faced with several challenges. These challenges include tough competition within the industry that has forced the company to rethink its business plans as consumers demand more advanced services. In an attempt to address the issues GC is faced with, GC has planned to outsource its call centers to India and Ireland allowing for a significant reduction in labor costs. Second, the company has partnered with a satellite company to provide additional products and services to customers. Third, GC plans to launch an international marketing campaign which plans to increase profits. The Union’s disapproval of the plan was not anticipated. Executives realized the decision would not be favored however, the Union’s threat for legal action was unexpected. The public’s opinion was greatly influenced by the lack of loyalty to employees and the apparent contract manipulation. Executives at Global Communications were presented with issues that required critical thinking to realize the opportunities they could achieve. â€Å"But vigilance and an understanding of how to manage decision-making groups and organizational constraints will improve the process and result in better decisions.† (Bateman, 2004, p.89). However, the decision making process was completely inadequate. Benchmarking research was limited, alternatives were not considered and risks were not taken into consideration. GC executives must now address the current issues GC is facing. These issues include: competition in the telecommunications industry, changes in technology, customer expectations, employee morale, company-union relations, and the image perceived by the public. By changing the strategy of decision-making, Global Communications can become a leader in the industry. Effective decision-making requires compiling alternative solutions together, many which can be generated by including employees in discussion sessions. Opportunities or challenges can be identified by talking to employees, customers, and other stakeholders. (Problem Solving Based Scenarios, n.d., p.4). Also, generic benchmarking, â€Å"looking beyond your own industry for the best practice† (Maul, n.d.,p.1), should provide new perspectives that would further identify alternatives. The idea is to generate as many alternative solutions as possible, eventually selecting the best alternative with the least rick involved. To regain profits, Global Communications must also develop strategies to increase organizational commitment. Announcing that lay-offs and pay decreases were likely to led to decreased employee morale and damaging company-union relationships, this would damage the company’s reputation. The Union has threatened legal action against Global Communications. To gain the trust back within the organization and the community, GC must improve communication within the company and involve the employees in the decision-making process. As morale increases, employees’ satisfaction of their jobs increases. Increased job satisfaction improves job performance, customer satisfaction and customer retention. Global Communications must also realize that the customer’s needs should determine the direction that they should take to succeed. GC cannot meet these needs alone however, exploring various options would prove beneficial. Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas Several stakeholders with various perspectives exist in the Global Communications scenario. While each group has its own perspectives, some conflicting interests, rights, and values must be evaluated. First, profitability for the company is a priority for several stakeholders, including executive management and potential GC partners. The need to be profitable may generate an ethical dilemma in relation to the needs of the Global Communications’ employees, particularly if lay-offs or pay decreases are necessary for profitability. Although company executives and employees agree that respect and fairness to others are important, the need for profitability may override those values. Second, partnerships for GC and its partners may be dependent on the reputation of each individual company. Third, each entity within the telecommunications industry realizes the competition for survival is threatening and the outcome of GC’s struggle to survive may define the entire industry. Problem Statement Advancements in technology and competition within the telecommunications industry have affected Global Communications. Stock values have dramatically decreased, customers have been dissatisfied with the services offered, employees have been threatened with layoffs and the company-union relationship has been negatively affected. GC must regain its image by developing new services in a global market. End-State Vision Global Communications will become an internationally competitive entity by providing advanced technologically services through partnerships, employee loyalty, and customer satisfaction. By responding to the needs of the stakeholders, GC will regain the profits it lost. Global Communications must respond to the immediate needs of the employees and Union by mending relationships. Secondly, the company must respond to the demands of customers for new and improved services. The most logical choice would be to form partnerships that will allow the company to provide services quickly and safely to consumers. Next, GC should expand its customer’s and increase the retention between established customers. Global Communications ultimate goal is global expansion within three years. As plans are implemented to rebuild broken relationships, improve customer service, increase customer retention, and become global, GC should begin to regain profitability it once had. Alternative Solutions Seldom exist a single best solution to any problem. Rather there are a set or range of alternatives, one or more of which may work. (Problem Solving Based Scenarios: An Approach to Identify Opportunities to Create Value for the Business, n.d., p.7). Through the information that was gathered through benchmarking research, Global Communications can explore a variety of solutions. The first proposed solution, GC’s initial approach to outsource call centers, has been selected by a number of companies as a means to reduce costs, including IBM and Honeywell. Both IBM and Honeywell have chosen to layoff and off-shoring. This approach does not address the stakeholder needs of the customers or employees. This solution alone does not meet the needs identified in the problem statement. Delta Airlines and Global Communications have faced many of the same issues, and Delta’s approach provides a multifaceted alternative solution, each aspect was in direct response to the needs of various stakeholders including employees, the union, customers and share holders. After filing Chapter 11, Delta recognized the need for organizational commitment, which â€Å"is higher in organizations that fulfill their obligations to employees and abide by humanitarian values, such as fairness, courtesy, forgiveness and moral integrity.† (McShane, 2005,p.128). Placing emphasis on the value of employee contribution, the company held informative meetings to include employee input, giving incentives or rewards to employees, and provided up front communication. Delta’s proposed merger with Northwest Airlines promises to make Delta a global airline and increase stock over 65% in four years while saving Delta’s company-union relationship. Global Communications can be a leader in the telecommunications industry by addressing the interests of each stakeholder like Delta did. Sears approached its decrease in market shares and profits by completely restructuring the company, beginning with a new CEO. With the need to improve internal leadership, processes, and performance, this huge undertaking requires a thorough understanding of â€Å"the real issues and opportunities from all perspectives.† (Problem Solving Based Scenarios, n.d., p.5). While this approach has unlimited value, the timelines for Global Communications must be considered. Analysis of Alternative Solutions Different solutions were evaluated against a set of weighted goals. The weight or importance of each goal was determined according to a scale of one to five; one being of low importance and five being of high importance. The probability of meeting each individual goal was rated on the scale thus, the best two or three alternatives were selected for further consideration. Two goals were rated as high importance because of the direct relationship with profitability. The direct relationship included increasing the customer base/retention and increasing the stock value. The next two goals, increasing customer satisfaction and maintaining positive feedback in employees’ surveys, were rated as medium to high importance. Success is represented by customer satisfaction. Finally, expanding the international customer base was rated as middle importance because the timeline for establishing a global presence is projected to take three years. When the alternative solutions were evaluated against the weighted goals, one primary solution received higher a rating which was forming global alliances/mergers. A second solution, investing in employees and negotiating with the Union, received a lower score; a combination of the two solutions as a secondary solution receives the highest score of all. Risk Assessment and Mitigation Techniques The risks associated with each solution appear to be controllable, with benefits outweighing the overall risks involved. These risks can be minimized by careful planning. Wakeam ( 2003) identifies the following three risks associated with forming global alliances/mergers. First, cross-cultural conflict arising from the affect of political, cultural and social forces can be significantly reduced by researching some best business practices for a particular location. The company must learn to pay attention to marketing and advertising. Secondly, the potential for different visions and metrics among partners may change the direction of the business therefore, leading to alliance failure. The risks can be reduced by developing shared metrics, mapping key executives to their alliance counterparts, and holding regular meetings. Third, the effect of uncontrollable economic trends within various markets can quickly change alliance profitability. A company can help protect itself from conseque nces by frequently monitoring the status of reports and watching for new risks that may occur. One key factor in Global Communications’ success would be investing in employees and negotiating with the Union. The company’s risks further damage of relationships if efforts are not successful. Employees lack of motivation, unrealistic goals and performance standards, unmet expectations for rewards/incentives, and the inability to reach agreements must be addressed by consistent communication. Placing emphasis on the value of employee input and stockholder needs are important. Optimal Solution Based on different solutions and the risk assessment, a comprehensive solution for Global Communications can be made to help the company address issues and realize opportunities. The decision to form global mergers has many benefits that will allow to GC to meet its goals. Establishing a global presence, improving and expanding services to consumers, expanding the customer base while saving retention and increasingly profitability are all goals GC has established to try to meet to become successful again. Investing in employees and negotiating with the Union will also meet the company’s end-stated goals, directly improving the relationship between the two. Implementation Plan The challenge for implementing the optimal solution requires commitment from management support and employee contribution. According to Bateman, implementation requires four steps that will help ensure this commitment: (1) define the necessary strategic tasks in a simple language; (2) evaluate the organization’s ability to implement those tasks; (3) develop implementation agenda; and (4) implement the plan while monitoring the progress being made. The tasks for implementation of GC’s solution have been indentified: introduction of new services; formation of global mergers; investment into the employees; and Union negotiation. Global Communications must realize four major challenges before implementation can begin. These challenges include: â€Å"(1) the organizational immune system, (2) numerous complex variables, (3) the interconnectedness of elements affecting change, and (4) the need to change everything at once.† (Kotelnikov, 2008). Effective implementation may be limited by the organizational immune system or complex variables such as technology and organizational arrangements. Any change can create a ripple effect within the organization because of interconnected nature of organizational elements. The desired outcome can only be reached by making changes within overlapping issues. The plan for Global Communications will be guided by a committee whose members include executive management and middle management. This committee is responsible for the various aspects of implementation, picking team leaders and members, and determining the extent of decision-making to be assigned to each team leader. During the first month the committee should develop a new vision statement for the company and select team leaders and members. All disruptions in implementing should be reported to the committee. The first strategic task, the introduction of new products and services to meet consumer demands will be addressed by the Customer Response team. The team leader should be someone who is trusted and well-respected. The team members should include various performers with customer experience. The team should research customer’s needs, identify customer service issues and opportunities, and conduct benchmarking research for addressing the findings. Initial findings should be reported to the committee within the first three months. The second task which is forming alliances/mergers’ will be assigned to a new Strategic Alliance Team. They will identify potential partners who can share GC’s vision and provide services to the customer’s needs. The team should identify best practices within the industry for the merger’s to make recommendations as needed. Team members should be familiar with Global Communications’ financial status. Any recommendation should be submitted to the committee within six months. The next task would be to invest in the employees. Creating a successful Employee Incentive Program (EIP) according to best practice standards would be beneficial to the employees. The EIP director will evaluate incentive/reward options according to the benchmarking research that was conducted. Some options include stock distribution, pay for performance, or skill pay for cross-training. The overall program should focus on alignment with Global Communications’ vision and establishing feedback through communication. All EIP activities should be approved by the committee. The last task is to negotiate with the Union. Communication between the EIP director and Union representatives is essential for issues to be resolved in a timely manner. The EIP director does not have the authority in such matters. However, the EIP director should report any outstanding issues to the executive management team. Management and the EIP director both need to be present at every Union meeting. Evaluation of Results Global Communications’ strategy to turn the company around within a three year period will be evaluated using specific metrics and targets as related to each end-state goal that was previously discussed. First, GC will watch stock value as a metric for overall profitability. Stock values have decreased by half and the company expects to increase stock value by 25-35% annually, thus allowing for a projected three-year recovery time frame. Second, GC expects customer’s to be satisfied therefore, satisfaction scores should improve annually by 5-10% as services are expanded through alliances. Third, as the demands of customers are met GC anticipates a 15-25% annual customer base increase and a 5-8% annual customer retention improvement. Fourth, as Global Communications improves the relations with the Union and employees, the company should exceed expectations in 75-85% of annual morale and job satisfaction surveys. Finally, the percentage of international customers within t he customer base should increase to 25-35% within the three years. The metrics chosen for each end state goal are derived mainly from existing reports. Using a new measuring system for evaluation is not recommended. These metrics do not take into account uncontrollable economic, organizational, or social variables. The assumption is made that the implementation process for all solutions will be a success. Failure to meet these expectations should be evaluated by management. Conclusion The challenges for Global Communications’ are clearly defined. The company must make informed decisions to ensure survival in a competitive market. Global Communications must restructure services by entering into mutually beneficial partnerships. This will allow for expansion of its customers’ base. GC can then start to focus on becoming internationally competitive industry by exploring alternative solutions as they are developed. The company must also restore broken relationships with employees and re-build its reputation. With the understanding that integrity is of most importance, this will help ensure success in the industry. In addition, Global Communications must determine to build organizational commitment to increase job satisfaction, employee performance, increase morale, and customer satisfaction and retention. References Bateman, T., Snell, S. (2004). Management: The new competitive landscape. (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Kotelnikov, V. (2008). Strategy implementation: Factors impeding strategy implementation. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from University of Phoenix, ProQuest database. Maul, J. (2006). Generic benchmarking: For solving problems†¦and for life. Retrieved May 29, 2009, from University of Phoenix, rEsource. MMPBL500. Foundations Of problem-based learning website. McShane, S. (2005). Workplace emotions and attitudes. Organizational behavior: Emerging Realities for the workplace revolution. Ohio: McGraw-Hill. Problem solving based scenarios: An approach to identify opportunities to create value for Business. Retrieved June 2, 2009, from University of Phoenix, rEsource. MMPBL500. Foundations of problem-based learning website. Wakeam, J. (2003). The five factors of a strategic alliance. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from iveybusinessjournal.com/view_article.asp?intArticle_ID=417. Research Papers on Global Communications - Issue and Opportunity IdentificationThe Project Managment Office SystemTwilight of the UAWIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalOpen Architechture a white paperBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfDefinition of Export QuotasMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceGenetic Engineering

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Sainsbury - Assignment Example J Sainsbury is not expected to distribute cash, pay dividend to shareholders or share repurchases over the next five years as it expects to expand its activities and invest in all positive net present value (NPV) projects by opening more shops in Moscow and its environs. One of the priorities will be, creating an online database for customer's interaction, queries, purchases and free-draw. Consequently, all profits will be re-invested into its expansion program (Opening of new stores, extending its product line) as well as any profitable venture that the company may come across supported by the shareholders. Based on feasibility studies, the partners, I have targeted the heart of Moscow, to be used as the country head office; hosting the first shop and serving as a warehousing, and dispatch unit for online purchases. This area is unique because of its accessibility to other cities, and European countries. The partners intend to use the London Olympic to promote some of their brand such as insurance and banking options, and to benefit from ancillary auxiliary activities and industry. Rent for the building stands at $100000 per annum for the first two years. Initial funding for the project is expected to be $1000,000. ... Initial funding for the project is expected to be $1000,000. Of this amount, the parent company will contribute40%, that is, $400,000 while local shareholding will contribute 30percent; a bank loan of $300,000 has been secured to cover the remaining 30% of the funding requirements. Sales for the first year are expected to amount to about $2000,000 and are expected to grow at an annual rate of 30%. Gross profit is expected to be $475,102 against which expenses for rents, depreciation of factory equipment, wages and salaries, overhead expenses and miscellaneous expenses will be charged. Expenses during the second, third, fourth and fifth year are expected to witness increases as the company plans to increase expenditure on advertising, research and development, staff, and office and factory equipment. More stores will be created within this period, to facilitate dispatch of goods and services. About 80% of sales will be generated online. To minimize theft, customer loyalty card will be provided, to facilitate online purchases. 1.0 Introduction Globalisation, the new information technology, and deregulation of financial markets has eased the provision and search of finance. Millions of shares are traded every day on the world's stock markets. (Penman, 2003). Investors who trade on these stocks are often forced to ask themselves whether they are buying or selling at the right price. (Penman, 2003). They often attempt to provide answers to these questions by turning to various media including internet chat rooms, printed press, "talking heads" on television and financial networks, who often voice opinions on what they feel the stock prices should be. (Penman, 2003). In addition, investors consult investment

To what extent the principle of contract has been applied in the Essay

To what extent the principle of contract has been applied in the design of the Contract law in China - Essay Example Moreover it is a legal document and is directly under the law and any deviance from the agreement or the contract can lead to severe punishment by the law. The government has a direct involvement in the contract and any deviation may lead to serious consequences. A contract in general consists of an offer, the act of accommodating to the offer and a valid and valued consideration over the agreement. By means of signing of the contract each party gains certain rights and duties over the other parties involved in the contract. The amount of benefit received by the parties is not necessarily of the same amount, one of the party can gain more benefits than the other part but the other part cannot raise any voice if the part has already signed the contract; because signing the contract means that both the parties have accepted all the points of the contract and after the signing process no arguments can be raised. The most important thing in a contract is that it is done by mutual approva l and sanction (China, 1999). The Republic of China for its people has introduced the contract law for the protection of rights and to provide them with a sense of strength and independence. The government has enforced certain laws regarding the issue of contracts and the laws have been designed so that during the process of contract or agreement signing the weak party or person cannot suffer from any lose or come under the pressure of the powerful party, person or organization. The law also states that no party or person can be forced to sign a contract or to withdraw from any contract. Each and every citizen of the country has been given the full right to enter or leave a contract on their wish. The most important issue that is discussed in the law is that the contract points must be entirely based on honesty, justice, and equity and the rights of the people must always be kept under consideration. It is a binding on the parties or individuals involved in the contract that whateve r agreement takes place in the contract, it must be taken place by the mutual consent of both the parties and no individual person or party of the contract will have the power to make any changes or amendments without the consent of the other party (China, 1999). It is a binding on the parties of the contract to strictly observe the points of the contract accordingly. One very important point for the contract enforcement is that both the parties have their signatures on the contract and this signature process must be performed within a certain time period. If the time limit exceeds then the contract will no longer remain valid and applicable and will have to be renewed from the beginning. There is a possibility that the other party signs the contract and the contract reaches the offering party after the time limit then in these cases usually the contract is considered to be accepted but in certain cases the offering party rejects to accept after the time limit has passed. To withdra w from the contract is not an easy task as it is against the principle of contracts and if a party wants to withdraw from a contract then the withdrawal must be made soon after the acceptance of the agreement (China, 1999). The contract law of the Republic of China is quite a lot in accordance to the principle of

Chemicals in Food Essay Example for Free

Chemicals in Food Essay Those hard-to-pronounce chemicals that are in the list of ingredients on the label are used for more than just flavoring, appearance, and preserving the food (Food Additives). Those additives are used in some other very harsh items such as bug repellent (Food Additives). However, there are some simple and sustainable options that can help consumers avoid running into harsh chemicals and additives that may be lurking in their food. These changes will not only help them make healthier and safer choices, but also help them to save some money in the long run. Many unanswered questions will be addressed within this paper such as: What are the hormones in some of the foods such as dairy and meat and what exactly are they used for? How do they affect us? What can consumers do to avoid purchasing these items? How can one avoid unsafe drinking water and are additives really that bad? According to Credit Loan, Americans consume on average 110 pounds of red meat a year, 600. 5 pounds of dairy products (not including cheese), and 31. 4 pounds of cheese a year (Food Consumption in America). The common theme here is that all of these food groups come from cows. It is not, however, that we are eating cattle and beef, but what that cattle is being fed into its body. â€Å"In 2005, 32. 5 million cattle were slaughtered to provide beef for U. S. consumers. Scientists believe about two-thirds of American cattle raised in for slaughter today are injected with hormones to make them grow faster (Sustainable Table). † This does not include hormones used for the increased production of dairy/milk. With just beef alone, there are six natural and artificial hormones that are injected into cattle and they include: Oestradiol, Progesterone and Testosterone (these are natural occurring hormones). Then there are Zeranol, Trenbolone and Melengestrol (these are artificial hormones) (Sustainable Table). Although there has not been any significant case studies done on these hormones, scientists believe that these hormones pose some threats to human health. â€Å"The Committee [European Union’s Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health] also question whether hormones residues in the meat of ‘growth enhanced’ animals can disrupt human hormone balance, causing developmental problems, interfering with the reproductive system, and even leading to the development of breast, prostate or colon cancer (Sustainable Table). Scientists also believe that those at the greatest risk are children, women who are pregnant and unborn babies (Sustainable Table). â€Å"Hormone residues in beef have been implicated in the early onset of puberty of girls, which could put them at greater risk of developing breast and other forms of cancer† (Sustainable Table). However, health risk of humans is not the only factor. Aquatic ecosystems are being greatly affected by hormone residue in the manure of cows by contaminating run-off and groundwater. Recent studies have demonstrated that exposure to hormones has a substantial effect on the gender and reproductive capacity of fish, throwing off the natural life cycle† (Sustainable Table). The United States and Canada, however, continue to allow the growth hormones to be injected. The European Union does not, and they strictly prohibit trade with the U. S. and Canada on hormone-treated beef. Injecting growth hormones into cattle is not the only kind of hormone they are being given either. RBGH is a hormone that gets injected into cattle for an increase production of milk. Developed and Manufactured by Monsanto Corporation, this genetically engineered hormone forces cows to artificially increase milk production by 10 to 15 percent† (Sustainable Table). The natural hormone for growth and lactation is Bovine Somatotropin. When it is man-made it is known as rBST or better known as rBGH. â€Å"Approximately 17% of all cows in the US are given the artificial growth hormone† (Sustainable Table). FDA approved the drug in 1993. However, â€Å"According to opponents of the drug, effects of rBGH were never properly studied,† (Sustainable Table). RBGH poses many health risks to the cows and what is effecting the cows, could quite possibly effect us. â€Å"Problems included an alarming rise in the number of deformed claves and dramatic increases in mastitis, a painful bacterial infection of the udder which causes inflammation, swelling, and pus and blood secretions into milk† (Sustainable Table). IGF-1 (Insulin Growth Factor-1) is a naturally occurring hormone in human bodies. It is also is in rBGH. â€Å"Humans also naturally have IGF-1, and increased levels in humans have been linked to colon and breast cancer† (Sustainable Table). America consumes about 31. 4 pounds of cheese every year, along with 600. 5 pounds of other dairy products (Food Consumption in America). â€Å"In 2006, the United States dairy industry produced over 20 billion gallons of milk. This milk is pasteurized and sold, or transformed into cheese, butter, cream, and ice cream for consumers in the U. S. and around the world† (Sustainable Table). However, it was never this simple. Back in the 1700’s milk was not a familiar drink and was not studied enough. The conditions under which the milk and the cows were kept were not clean. There was no form of refrigeration and insects could easily be accessible to milk that was left out (Sustainable Table). It was not until the end of the 19th century when pasteurization was invented (Sustainable Table). Pasteurization means â€Å"to expose (a food, as milk, cheese, yogurt, beer, or wine) to an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to destroy certain microorganisms, as those that can produce disease or cause spoilage or undesirable fermentation of food, without radically altering taste or quality† (Dictionary). However, this may not be enough. Farmers are continuing to use the rBGH, antibiotics, and high-concentrated feed for the increase production of milk (Sustainable Table). In a way, it is benefitting the consumer. By injecting these artificial hormones, the cows are producing almost four times as much milk as they previously were, in turn, is cutting down the cost of milk and other dairy products (Sustainable Table). â€Å"The biggest fear surrounding this breeding technique is the eventual inability to ward off viruses or mutation in the dairy cow’s DNA chain, resulting in rapid spread of disease and possible death† (Sustainable Table). Because of the growing concern of all the use of artificial hormone, slowly, more dairies are turning to organic. â€Å"While organic milk makes up only 1% of the dairy market, demand has increased 477% between 1997 and 2003† (Sustainable Table). Hopefully, the trend continues to increase so the food becomes less processed and more natural at healthy level. For the most part, Americans include water in their daily diet somehow during the day. Whether it is rinsing their mouths out from brushing their teeth, drinking water, or using it to swallow down a pill, water is a part of most people’s life style. However, it is not as clean as most people would think. A team of researchers out of Washington State has found traces of illicit drugs, hormones, and cooking spices in drinking water. The team found that certain spices â€Å"spike during the holidays. â€Å"For instance, thyme and sage spike during Thanksgiving, cinnamon surges all winter, chocolate and vanilla show up during the weekends (presumably from party-related goodies), and waffle cone and caramel-corn remnants skyrocket around the Fourth of July† (Cocaine, Spices, Hormones Found in Drinking Water). But as stated earlier, harmless Cooking spices are not the only traces of remnants in drinking water being found/. â€Å"Around the world, scientists are finding trace amounts of substances-from sugar and spice to heroin, rocket fuel, and birth control-that might be having unintended consequences for humans and wildlife alike† (Drinking Water). One may be wondering how drugs get into the drinking water system. â€Å"After a person has taken drugs such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and ecstasy, active byproducts of these substances are released into the sewage stream through that person’s urine and feces. These byproducts, or metabolites, are often not completely removed during the sewage –treatment process†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Drinking Water). This not only may post a threat to human health, but it poses a threat to the marine life as well. â€Å"Though these drugs traces are still tiny, it’s possible that the potent residues could be toxic to freshwater animals† (Drinking Water). There are still strict regulations from the EPA on the contaminates in drinking water that must be followed. The EPA claims that more than 90 contaminants must be filtered out of drinking water systems (Drinking Water). Richard Keil said something that everyone can take into consideration. He stated; â€Å"’that everything you do is connected to the watershed† (Drinking Water). It is a simply message with a very strong meaning; No matter what one person eats, takes, or drinks, it is somehow later going to affect something or somebody and without any control. Almost half of an American’s diet includes fruits and vegetables. About 273. 2 pounds of fruit and 415. 4 pounds of vegetables are eaten (Food Consumption in America). However, these suppose to be healthy foods could be potentially dangerous to our health. Pesticides are used on almost every major crop. â€Å"Pesticides are chemicals used to eliminate or control a variety of agricultural pests that can damage crops and livestock and reduce farm productivity. The most common pesticides are insecticides (to kill insects), herbicides (to kill weeds), rodenticides (to kill rodents), and fungicides (to control fungi, mold, and mildew)† (Sustainable Table). Pesticides are not a new invention at all. They date back all the way to the ancient Sumerians’ time. The makeup of pesticides ranged anywhere from elemental sulfur, to chemicals such as arsenic and lead (Sustainable Table). It was not until the 19th century that the use of pesticides became more geared to natural techniques such as â€Å"roots of topical vegetables and chrysanthemums† (Sustainable Table). DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane) was discovered in 1939 and was extremely successful, however a huge concern came into effect with its health impact on humans (Sustainable Table). Not only are the pesticides being sprayed on the fruits and vegetables that are eaten, but it also be sprayed on grains as well. This may not seem like that big of deal on a global scale, but when one looks at the cycle of how it effects humans, it is quite concerning. Grains are in all breads, no matter if it is super bleached or straight off of the wheat barley. Therefore, it is a direct source. However, the grains are being fed to livestock as well. In fact, 66% of the grain grown in the U. S. is used for livestock feed (Sustainable Table). â€Å"This grain is grown by intensive farming operations that use massive quantities of pesticides while producing problems such as pesticide resistance in insects and weeds, and pollution of nearby water supplies with toxic chemicals† (Sustainable Table). It is not as common to use manure as a type of soil, but it is definitely not out of the question. The tainted manure could be used to grow the fruits and vegetable crops, that will then again be sprayed with more pesticides, which after awhile, the dead material and soil will run off as ground water, or to a straight water supplies and pollute the water (Sustainable Table). As stated earlier, this will not only affect marine life, but human drinking water. When and if this water goes through sewage treatment plants, not all of the pesticide chemicals will be removed. So not only will humans be ingesting chemicals from the fruits and vegetables, but possibly their drink and meat as well! Pesticides are a public health concern and have been linked to a range of diseases and disorders. Many chemical pesticides are known to cause poisoning, infertility and birth defects, as well as damage to the nervous system and potentially cause cancer† (Sustainable Table). The most susceptible to these conditions are small children. â€Å"According to data collected by the Centers for Dise ase Control and Prevention, the average American child between ages six and eleven carriers four times the acceptable level of pesticides called organophosphates (which are known to cause nerve damage)† (Sustainable Table). The CDC also conducted a blood and urine test in 2004 and that in 100% of the subjects pesticide residues were found. â€Å"Two insecticides- chlorpyrifos and methyl parathion- were found at levels up to 4. 6 times greater than what the U. S. government deems acceptable† (Sustainable Table). Somebody has to take the blame for these absurd high numbers, the question is who to blame. Pesticide use goes through a rigorous test before any products that came in contact with pesticides are even put out on the shelves. Pesticides are tested and approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which establishes â€Å"tolerances,† or maximum residue levels, that limit the amount of a given pesticide that can safely remain in or on a food. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is then responsible for monitoring pesticide levels on fruits and vegetables, while the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is charged with the task of surveying pesticide residues in meat, eggs , and dairy products† (Sustainable Table).

The Iliad of Homer :: essays research papers

The Iliad Outline &explain the qualities of a â€Å"Homeric Hero†. Who best fits the bill? Why?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Homeric hero strives to be the best among his peers. His goal is to achieve the greatest glory in order to earn the highest honor from his peers, his commander, and finally from his warrior society. He strives for excellence in particular areas of human behavior, such behaviors are strength, skill, and determination. These are necessary on the both the athletic and battlefields, it is known as the idea of arete.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Homeric hero judges his own arete by what his warrior society thinks of him. How well the Homeric hero will be remembered and honored is determined upon how well he fights, how his heroic adversity is, and how well he faces death. He feels that society’s attitude towards him is more important than is own attitude. He chooses to act in a way that will make him acquire public approval that he needs in order to have self- esteem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The greatest insult to a Homeric hero is to with hold the honor that he has earned. He is completely shattered when honor is denied him. The honor that he would not have received would be from a battle, not receiving an appropriate impressive prize, or being judged a loser in a competition he should have won. The highest and most honored prize is called the prize of honor. In the Iliad this prize is the most attractive, intelligent, and skilled female captive. The most absolute honor is everlasting fame. It is the only for of immortality that a mortal can acquire. This places the Homeric hero lower than the gods, but higher than the ordinary man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Achilles, Hector, Agamemnon, and Patroclus are considered Homeric heroes. Achilles acted childish when he did not receive the appropriate prize. He said, â€Å"you threaten to take away my prize of honor, which I earned and which the Greeks gave to me. Whenever I sack a town, my prize is never as great as yours, even though I am the greatest Greek fighter. Even so, my small prize is my own. So now I will return to my homeland. I refuse to stay here, dishonored, in order to win greater wealth for you!† He is upset that he did not receive a great prize as Agamemnon did. Achilles had worked so hard to earn a prize and Agamemnon had taken the credit for it and gotten the better

Government ensure

How does the Government ensure that the development of Youths in this country is consistent with National Development in general? By Hauntingly In 21st century, youth is one of the main sources to contribute in the future of a country. In Malaysia, development of country and development in youth should go side by side. Young people need to be placed at the centre of national development. By the way, youth development can be defined as government and society can support young women and men aged 12 to 24.It's about how they develop the skill and attitudes they need to take a positive part in society, now and in future. The years from 12 to 24 are critical for human development. Youths are Increasingly involved In crime; most problem youth come from homes lacking in parental guidance. Therefore, youth are likely to seek advice from friends who could pose negative peer pressure to them. Parents should make time for their children and pay appropriate attention on them but not strictly.Rel evant units should deliver some common knowledge about harm on misuse, abuse of weapon and drug even severe punishment of high court through campaign or talk. In case, Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation held a series of programmer and activities for youths under a aiming called Youths unite Against Crime'. Besides, youth development is triggered when young people fully participate. They need to be given opportunities to involve in some meaningful activities. This can aid them to identify their personality and abilities through learning and services.Youth should be encourage to join extracurricular activities, even develop their hobbles or something expert In. This can help them to determine aspiration or target In their life. For example, National Services can train their leadership, gains more knowledge, build their skills and be more respect and unity with other races. Unemployment is parallel with output of economic. This is due to labor in country can't fully utilized as unemp loyment rate is higher. Young people are main workforce to supply labor.Thus, government should provide Job opportunities to those who after school. Work can provide young people with important opportunities to learn skills, make a contribution through social connections and, in paid work, earn money. Government try to protect worker's rights and interests especially fresh graduated. The announcement of minimum wages policy came into force from 1 January 2013. Healthy lifestyle Is Important In development of youth. Nowadays, smoking Is a bad habit among teenagers. Statistic shows that 90% of smokers are youth.It Is a serious Issue for government to discuss and need Teflon a way to solve this problem. For campaign to anti smoking. In 2011, the warning cover the half top of cigarette packs meant to shock deter new smokers and motivate existing smoker to quit. How to ensure that the development of youths in this country is consistently with national development? Youth are main structur e of a country, they can bring a country toward a bad culture or a good culture. As a conclusion, national development supported by development of youth.

The Contributions of Ancient Civilizations to History Essay

What contributions did near eastern civilizations make to history? New ideas and inventions of Pre History man were important, but how they evolved and led to new and more complex ideas and inventions is imperative to history. Over time these advancements brought people into a more efficient living environment, making for higher population and spread of cultural, political, economic, and social ideals over large geographical areas. What we know about the people before written records is limited to what artifacts and artwork we find. Pre History man used crude tools made of primarily stone. During the Upper Paleolithic era, beginning about 40,000 B.C., people refined these tools by using polished stone. New tools like fishhooks and†¦show more content†¦Originally used to make pottery, but later being used on donkey driven carts and chariots. The Sumerians also invented a method of dividing time into multiples of sixty that is still used today. Other inventions of the Sumerians are the sailboat, bronze plow, and a study of pharmacology and healing. Early Egyptians were behind the Sumerian cultures in most aspects of culture. During the Archaic Period (3000-2715 B.C.) The Egyptians invented their own writing system called Hieroglyphs. These were not deciphered until the nineteenth century A.D. When an artifact called the Rosetta stone was discovered with the same text in three different scripts. Probably the most famous Egyptian accomplishment was there architecture. The great Pyramids, built in the Old Kingdom (2715-2170 B.C.), are an example of their architectural superiority. The Solar calendar was another innovation ahead of any others, far more accurate than the lunar calendar created by the Sumerians. The Romans would go on to adopt the Egyptian Calendar with the Sumerian time division. In Mesopotamia there were many innovations to law and religion with the rise of the Old Babylon. A king named Hammurabi Took the throne and used deceitful tactics to take power over Mesopotamia, turning it into the Old Babylon Empire. He then standardized law and religion. He let the people worship there previous deitys, but required everyone to worship Marduk, his god. He also createdShow MoreRelatedContributions of Greek Civilization to Western Civilization825 Words   |  4 PagesAlejandra Fraguada Ancient amp; Medieval Western Civilization Contributions of Greek Civilization to Western Civilization. Ancient Greeks made many influential contributions to western civilization such as in the areas of philosophy, art and architecture, math and science. These contributions, which are also the achievements of ancient Greece, include certain things in the areas of philosophy, art, architecture, math and science. 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Along the Nile, they developed one of the oldest and greatest civilizations in Africa until they lost their last kingdom five centuries ago. The Nubians remained as the main rivals to the homeland of Africa’s earliest black culture with a history that can be traced from 3800 B.C. onward through the monuments and artifacts. Ancient Nubia was a land of