swot analysis essays

swot analysis essays The soft drink industry is highly competitive. Characteristics of the industry include slow growth and maturity, a phase during which weak companies are weeded out of the market by the strongest corporations. In order to stay competitive, soft drink companies must be able to offer their product at a low price. A price that can at least match (or preferably, beat) a competitors price will allow that product to enter into a consumers mental set of possible brands to purchase. Because the pop industry produces a fairly standardized product, competitors in the industry cannot entice the consumer to pay a premium price for its product over another firm. Therefore, the ability to produce soda at a low cost to the company is an extremely important determinant of success. Secondly, the firms brand of soda must be available for consumers to purchase easily. This means that the brand must be on the shelves of stores where most consumers shop for beverages, namely, large grocery stores. Although other channels of distribution are available, once again it is important for the brand to enter into a consumers mental set of possible brands to purchase. The fact that there are no switching costs associated with pop purchases means that consumers will not travel to special distribution points just to purchase a certain brand of soda. Convenience for the consumer is a very important consideration for successful firms in this industry. Of the two aforementioned keys to success in the pop industry, the National Beverage Corporation possesses strengths in one area but may be vulnerable to threats in the other. According to its 10K, it competes by appealing to the quality-price sensitivity factor of the family consumer. It has a low cost structure as compared to its competitors, and this shows in its pricing structure. As well as being able to compete price-wise, National Beverage Corpora...

5 MORE safety tips when searching for jobs online

5 MORE safety tips when searching for jobs online Work opportunities available to skilled and hardworking professionals have evolved substantially in recent years. Current job opportunities are commonly found through search engines, social networking platforms, and job sites. However, while there are many legitimate opportunities available online, there are also plenty of scams that can result in considerable stress and financial loss for unsuspecting individuals. There are multiple steps that you can take if you are preparing to look for a job online. For example, you can and should stay current about the latest scams so that you know what to watch for. You also should ensure that any websites that you use to look for jobs are trusted. We’ve covered some of the basics before. Here are 5 more safety tips you should use for your job search.Update your device protectionYour electronic devices understandably may already have anti-virus software protection, but this technology is updated regularly to combat the latest malware, sp yware and more. Spend a few minutes ensuring that the most updated version of this type of program is installed onto your  device before you begin your search. Specifically, it should include protection against phishing, malware, viruses, and spyware.You should be aware of other ways that criminals attempt to enter a vulnerable space. For example, some of the social media and hiring apps that legitimate recruiters use could actually contain a virus or other dangers. So before downloading that app, do your research; check reviews, or ask a friend. It only takes a few minutes to ensure your privacy is safe.You also be  wary of how you connect to the Internet. A public Wi-Fi connection makes it much easier for others to monitor your activities, and they can even intercept documents and vital information that you are sharing with a recruiter.Avoid passing along private information onlineYou may be aware that legitimate websites, such as your preferred bank, ask you for sensitive inf ormation. This includes your mother’s maiden name, your Social Security number, your credit card or bank account numbers and more. Be aware that a legitimate employer will not require you to submit this sensitive information digitally. These are vital pieces of information that criminals can use to hack into all of your other accounts.You should always be observant about the information that you share and who you share it with. Some information, such as your Social Security number, may legitimately be required after you are hired, but it should not be requested before this point.If it sounds too good to be true†¦it probably isOnline scams are becoming increasingly difficult to spot, but many job descriptions may set off an internal alarm. The reality is that better-paying jobs require you to bring skills or experience to the table. If you are being offered a high-paying job with no skills or experience required, this is likely a scam. Understand what some of the more not able scams are, such as being offered a very large sum of money to complete a menial task like stuffing envelopes.Other scams require you to purchase items out-of-pocket. This could even be something seemingly acceptable, such as a software program that the employer says is needed for the job. No employer will ask you to pay for software in order to apply for the job. Some scammers go so far as to require you to deposit large checks on their behalf. These are signs of a scam, and you should walk away from these perceived opportunities.Watch out for unsolicited offers of employmentYou may be filled with a momentary sense of pride and accomplishment when you receive an email with a job offer out of the blue. However, there is a solid chance that you were not the only one who received this offer. Many scammers send out huge email campaigns with an amazing job offer that appears to be specifically designed for you. These emails may come from popular domains, such as Yahoo, Gmail or Hotm ail.In many cases, the email instructs you to click a link for more information. Understand that this is a huge red flag. Any time you feel uncomfortable or suspicious, follow your intuition by deleting the email and forgetting about the â€Å"offer†. You’ll get plenty of legitimate opportunities!Ask yourself if it makes senseAt first glance, you may be excited about an amazing job offer that you have stumbled upon or that has been directed specifically to your email address. If you do decide to proceed with looking into the offer more closely, proceed cautiously. Rather than clicking a link, you can research the company independently and see what pops up. It’s not enough that they have a website, since registering a domain is relatively easy, make sure the content of the site has some substance. You’ll find that scam websites are often devoid of anything meaningful.If you’re still unsure call the company directly, if the contact information is not listed on the website then you have your answer. Just avoid providing any personal information or clicking links.Finding jobs online is the new normal, so taking the extra steps for safety should become second nature. When you follow these tips, you can guarantee your information will be safe and you’ll have greater access to finding an opportunity fit for you.About the Author:Joe Peters is a Baltimore-based freelance writer and an ultimate tech enthusiast. When he is not working his magic as a marketing consultant, this incurable tech junkie enjoys reading about latest apps and gadgets and binge-watching his favorite TV shows. You can reach him @bmorepeters

Biological Anthropology - Bipedalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biological Anthropology - Bipedalism - Essay Example Disadvantages are that the eyes are now further from the ground, so further away from tracks being followed, or from low growing food. Also, by standing tall, the person is more likely to be seen at a distance by enemies and predators. As hominids moved out of Africa into cooler climates they were at a disadvantage as more of the body surface was exposed to colder weather. The Dikika infant was a three year old (Sloan) member of the Australopithecus afarensis group, and was found encased within Ethiopian sandstone. The baby is apelike in her upper body, but human like below the waist. She is very small, and is likely to have been carried a lot of the time. Her skull supports only the same space that a three year old chimp’s brain would, so, in evolutionary terms, bipedalism seems to have come before great brain development. Jenk describes how some argue that the ape like, tree climbing facilities exhibited in this specimen may simply be inherited, and were not necessarily used. Others say that these creatures used both humanoid bipedalism and ape like methods of locomotion. This is the skeleton of a very young child. This means that the skeleton does not exhibit the changes that would have occurred in an adult, because certain muscles were being used in preference to others. What is needed is a complete adult skeleton before a definitive answer can be arrived at with regard to the preferred method of

Corporate Finance Case (MBA) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Corporate Finance Case (MBA) - Essay Example Thus, this value net of taxes is added on the eight year cash flow. Lastly, the cash flows are discounted using 16% cost of capital and are added up to come up with the NPV. b. Since the decision criterion of the company is to accept projects whose payback periods are within six years, this project is viewed to have a good profit potential. Investment decision is to accept the project. c. Different from the simple payback period, the discounted payback requires the cash flows to be discounted. Thus, it is expected that the discounted payback period is longer than the simple one. In this case, the discounted payback is 5.43 years. 3. Two of the conceptual weaknesses of the payback period are the following: inability to recognize the time-value of money by treating each dollar inflow as the same whether they are generated earlier or later in the projects life and its lack of recognition for the cash inflows after the initial investment is recouped. These flaws of the payback period make it inferior to other capital budgeting techniques. For example, because it does not discount cash flow, it is not realistic to use since we know that the value of money depreciates over time. Also, it becomes misleading when assessing projects which have lower cash flows in the early project life and large ones in its later years. The payback period almost always favor projects where the investment can

Monopoly vs. oligopoly Essay Example for Free

Monopoly vs. oligopoly Essay Monopolies and Oligopolies are both marketing situations that are present in today’s economic system. Many people are aware of what a monopoly is and the federal government has even taken steps to make monopolies in the United States illegal. However many are unaware of the many oligopolies operating in the US economic system today. Monopolies and Oligopolies are similar but not the same, this paper will explore their similarities and differences, and provide examples of both operating in today’s economic system. A monopoly is where one cooperation or business controls the supply of a particular good or service. In monopolies these firms or cooperation’s not only try to control their respective industry but go out of their way to stop others from entering with heavy restrictions, low price costs, and strategic marketing plans. The business dictionary defines oligopoly as; a few or single supplier effectively controlling the supply and therefore the price of a particular product or service creating a seller’s market. These two situations as defined are similar in the fact that one or few corporations or businesses control the industry and its prices. The consumer is the target in both situations; you see where its one or few the consumer is forced to pay the prices set by these controlling corporations. Monopolies and Oligopolies differ in a few ways. In a monopoly you have one cooperation that controls the price and supply of the said product or service, allowing for no competition. Or in other words allowing them to charge consumers whatever price that want and even the opportunity to raise prices at any time for no reason thus in a way holding the consumer hostage. In oligopolies there is more than one major player and this allows for some competition in the industry. It also gives consumers more than one option. If one company lowers the price a consumer may choose to switch companies. The most evident difference as stated above is that monopolies are illegal and mandated by the US government where oligopolies are a common market situation in the United States. A great example of an oligopoly is the US Automobile industry. There are a variety of manufactures to choose from,however most Americans will agree the major players are Ford, General Motors, Honda and Toyota. These major players in the industry control the actions of each other and their competitors. In 2005, GM offered customers employee pricing. This affected the whole industry, Ford, Toyota and other manufacturers were forced to do the same thing or offer something better in order to match the prices of GM to generate profits in the industry. This is a common marketing strategy for automobile manufacturers, the use these tactics to anticipate the next move of their competitors. It also can cause smaller manufacturing companies to go out of business as they can no longer compete with these large companies. Monopolies are a little harder to explain in today’s economic system as they are illegal. However they do still exist, for example utility companies usually operate in specific areas where they do not have competition. Consumers are forced to use them do to the region, city or district in which they live. They do not have choices and are required to pay whatever prices their utility company charges for the service. Another good example would be DirecTV, while there are other cable and satellite companies to choose from they offer a service no other company can; NFL Package. They are the exclusive owner of this service and football fans have no other option that offers them every game anytime at their fingertips. Most notable in recent history was Microsoft, who was inevitably fined and regulated by the US government in 1998. While monopolies and oligopolies have their similarities and differences the consumer is the target of both and is a victim to these multimillion dollar corporations and industries. Monopolies even if illegal still exist and operate in today’s economy. Oligopolies are very prevalent and still allow corporations and businesses to operate at will against the consumer as long as there is competition among the various players in the industry. Whether a monopoly or an oligopoly the consumer has little to no say in the market situation and one or few businesses are allowed to dictate prices and supply of their respective products and services. Works Cited Evans, K.(2013, 02 21). Monopoly Vs. Oligopoly. Retrieved from E How Money: http://www. ehow. com/about_4795365_monopoly-vs-oligopoly. html Site contributor. (2013). Dictionary . Com. Retrieved 02 21, 2013, from Dictionary. com: http://dictionary. reference. com/ Stein, T. (1999, November 6). Microsoft Ruled a Monopoly / Court finds firm abused its power. Retrieved from SanFransico Chronicle: http://www. sfgate. com/news/article/Microsoft-Ruled-a-Monopoly-Court-finds-firm-2899336. php.

Dylan Thomas Essay -- essays research papers

Dylan Thomas was born in October 1914 in Uplands, Swansea, where he grew up. His father, David John Thomas, had taken his degree at University College Aberystwyth and obtained a First in English, which he taught at Swansea Grammar School. His pupils found him quick tempered and intimidating, but he had a beautiful, sonorous voice for reading aloud, which his son inherited. Thomas' mother, Florence Hannah Williams, had been a seamstress before her marriage. Welsh was her first tongue, but her husband - although he did speak Welsh - preferred English. He was cynical about religion, whilst she was traditional in her piety. The name "Dylan" comes from a character in the Welsh Medieval Romance The Mabinogian. In Welsh it would be pronounced "Dullun", which Mrs Thomas was unhappy about, preferring the English pronunciation "Dillan". Thomas' childhood summers were spent at the Carmarthenshire dairy farm of his mother's sister, Ann Jones, and her husband, Jim. These holidays inspired the poem Fern Hill. Before the age of 11, he was writing poetry. He was also telling lies and pinching money from his mother's purse. In her eyes he could do no wrong, which was particularly irritating for his sister, Nancy. Thomas attended Swansea Grammar School from 1925-1931. When he started at the school he was small and pretty, so the bigger boys bullied him until they discovered he was aggressive and pugnacious and knew a prodigious number of swear-words. ...

Milton’s Satan in Paradise Lost

Critics abroad have argued about who the hero is of John Milton’s â€Å"Paradise Lost:† Satan, Adam or Christ, the Son? Since Milton’s overall theme stated in the opening lines of Book I is to relate ‘Man’s first disobedience’ and to ‘justify the ways of God to men’, Adam must be regarded as the main hero. John M. Steadman supports this view in an essay on â€Å"Paradise Lost:† â€Å"It is Adam’s action which constitutes the argument of the epic. Steadman continues: The Son and Satan embody heroic archetypes and that, through the interplay of the infernal and celestial strategies, Milton represents Satan’s plot against man and Christ’s resolution to save him as heroic enterprises. Christ and Satan are therefore epic machines. (268-272) Although Satan may be an epic machine, he is best portrayed as the tragic anti-hero of â€Å"Paradise Lost† or, at the very least, a main character who possesses the stature and attributes which enable him to achieve tragic status. In the Greek tradition, the essential components of tragedy are admiration, fear and pity for the ‘hero’, who has to display a tragic weakness or flaw in his character, which will lead to his downfall. It might be argued that the flaws in Satan’s character are such that we should feel no admiration, fear or pity for him, yet he can be seen to inspire these emotions. Satan’s tragic flaws are pointed out in Book I. They are envy, pride, and ambition towards self-glorification. Satan’s pride, in particular, is stressed throughout Paradise Lost. In accordance with epic convention, Satan is frequently qualified by Milton’s use of the word ‘proud’. Virgil used the same device in his epic the Aeneid, in which the name of Aeneas rarely appears without being preceded by ‘pious’. The most striking visual example of Satan’s main weaknesses appears in Book IV (89-90) during Raphael’s narrative to Adam regarding the battles in Heaven, Raphael refers to Satan as ‘the proud/Aspirer’. Proud’ at the end of one line and ‘Aspirer’ at the beginning of the next gives equal emphasis and impact to Satan’s pride and ambition and it is implied that, in Satan, the two characters are inseparable and of equal importance. Milton, in fact, defended his use of blank verse as a suitable vehicle for epic poetry, as opposed to the frequently favored heroic couplet. How then, does Satan inspire t he feelings of admiration, fear and pity necessary to a tragic figure? Milton was, undoubtedly, conscious that he was in danger of portraying Satan as too much of a heroic figure and made efforts to belittle im through the use of unflattering imagery, and by highlighting his less complimentary characteristics. Nonetheless, our emotions are still fired. Our first encounter with Satan and his rebel hosts occurs in Book I when they are recovering from the shock of having been expelled from heaven by the Son after three days of fighting the angels of God. Despite the defeat he has suffered, Satan gains our admiration by displaying resilience in quickly coming to terms with the change in his circumstances, in remustering his forces and organizing the building of his palace, Pandemonium. At the same time he demonstrates his determination not to be defeated and shows true qualities of leadership, persuasively arguing that there is still hope for battle and victory. Satan is convincing in his first speech to Beelzebub, his chief partner in crime, as he declares: What though the field be lost? All is not lost; the unconquerable will, And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to submit or yield: And what is else not to be overcome? That glory never shall his wrath or might Extort from me. (I. 105-111) The language here is particularly powerful and the lines are extremely weighted, underlining Satan’s resolution. He similarly instills renewed resolve in his followers to challenge God and hope of regaining their former state, claiming that they are now better placed to contend because there is not fear of division in their own ranks (II. 11-42). He then gives his supporters the opportunity to speak their minds as to whether to engage in open warfare or in guile to achieve their end; although ultimately they agree the course of action he has pre-planned – that is, to introduce evil on Earth. Through Satan’s speech at the beginning of Book I, Milton emphasizes Satan’s self-glorification. Satan has no dread of being challenged in hell because he sees himself in the most dangerous position and the one to be most severely reprimanded by God. Satan is daring, which is best demonstrated when the resolve to send someone to investigate Earth has been taken and Satan offers to undertake the task. Milton diminishes Satan’s courage by points out that Satan stands forward with bravado and purely to gain personal glory for any success he might win. Yet, Satan does not volunteer immediately but is only undertaking what his followers are afraid to attempt. Milton’s suggestion is, however, supported by Satan’s speech itself, in which he states that he will go to Earth alone and defies any of his followers to accompany him in case they detract any of the hoped for acclaim from him. Satan’s courage is restored during Milton’s description of Satan’s journey through Chaos to Earth – in fact, the poet dedicates over 400 lines to such – (II. 629-1055) – and Satan’s exaggerated claims to his peers of the danger and difficulty of his enterprise when he returns to Hell in Book X after the seduction of Adam and Eve are not without some justification (X. 460-80). In Book IV (917-23) when the angels guarding Paradise confront Satan, Gabriel also belittles Satan by accusing him of being less valiant than his peers and less able to endure the pain of hell. There appears to be some inconsistency during this confrontation between Satan and the angels towards the end of Book IV. Having become even more steadfast in his determination to seduce Adam and Eve against God’s will and now directing his hatred against man also as a result of his envy of their happy state (IV. 502-35), it seems inconsistent that the next time he speaks, he is so sensitive to the taunts uttered by Zephon, Ithuriel and Gabriel. Although Satan’s scorn for the angels is still apparent, he stands ‘abashed’ and provides Gabriel with the means by which to insult him (IV. 888-90): â€Å"Lives there who loves his pain? Who would not, finding way, break loose from hell, Though thither doomed? † It is important that we believe in the Satan as portrayed in Books I and II: Milton’s argument depends upon that belief. Satan must be seen as being of sufficient stature to attempt God’s overthrow. If Satan is considered too weak, he can pose no threat to God or to Man and there would be no reason for Milton to ‘justify the ways of God to men’. Therefore, while making allowances for Satan’s arrogance in the opening Books of Paradise Lost, he does give the impression that he is ruling hell and it is not expedient to deliberate to what extent it is possible for Satan to succeed in his quest to corrupt God’s good works with evil. The very structure of Paradise Lost assists in creating the illusion of Satan’s power, since we first learn of the expulsion of Satan and his followers through the rebels themselves and it is not until much later when Raphael tells Adam of the wars in heaven in Books V and VI that we hear the ‘official’ version in which Satan emerges in a less favorable light. Stanley Fish in his essay, ‘The Harassed Reader in Paradise Lost,† argues that Satan possesses a form of heroism which is easy to admire because it is visible and flamboyant and that, on that basis, Satan’s attractiveness is only initial (Fish 189-190). B Rajan, on the other hand, writes: The heroic qualities which Satan brings to his mission, the fortitude, the steadfast hate, the implacable resolution, which is founded on despair, are qualities not to be imitated or admired. They are defiled by the evil to which they are consecrated’ (Rajan 190). Nonetheless, it is often Satan’s despair, which comes through more potently than his evil intentions. Satan’s bravado is most clearly evident in Books I and II when he is able to flaunt before his followers; by Book IV, his feeling of confidence and resolution shows signs of cracking, with Satan talking to himself he is revealing much about his inner torment and self-doubts. As his steadfastness wavers, some of his initial charisma also diminishes, as we become more aware of his ability to fall. This argument is reinforced by Milton’s physical description of Satan. In Books I and II, Satan appears an impressive figure, â€Å"In bulk as huge/As whom the fables name of monstrous size† (I. 196-7). He is conspicuous amongst his followers because of his size and his lustre, which, although faded, outshines that of his peers (I. 589-604). On closer examination, however, it emerges that, even in Book I, Milton has been careful to downgrade Satan. Milton states that Satan â€Å"stood like a tow’r’ and that his lustre was like the sun’s through mist. The first simile is bare and unqualified and, in essence, tells us nothing about Satan’s dimensions or his stance. A tower may be any size and of too wide a variety of constructions for the simile to be of any significance. The reference to Satan’s reduced brightness is a symbol of his fall from glory and failing strength; and is mentioned by Ithuriel and Zephon in Book IV when while maki ng fun of they suggest to Satan that his lack of lustre has made him almost unrecognizable. Our fear and pity for Satan can be considered together since they stem from the same cause. On one level, Satan can be regarded as pitiful as much as pitiable. Although it is undoubtedly not Milton’s intention, it is almost possible to view Satan throughout in the light of sympathetic pity, especially if we accept that Satan cannot be something other than what he is no matter how much he wrestles with hons constantly shifting and mounting in intensity, the dramatic individual grows, expands, developes to the point where, at the end of the drama, he looms upon the mind as a titanic personality infinitely richer that at the beginning. This dramatic personality in its manifold stages of actuation in as artistic creation. In essence Macbeth, like all other men, is inevitably bound to his humanity; the reason of order, as we have seen, determines his inescapable relationship to the natural and eternal law, compels inclination toward his proper act and end but provides him with a will capable of free choice, and obliges his discernment of good and evil.

Leadership in Practice: the Columbia Accident Essay

Introduction: For this paper, I have chosen to analyze the leadership performance of Linda Ham, Chair of Mission Management Team, and Daniel S. Goldin, NASA Administrator, 1992–2001. Both, in my estimation, were part of the problem, and not part of the solution. Both succumbed to outside political forces and placed much more emphasis on meeting self-imposed deadlines than astronaut safety. Both gradually dismissed the vast majority of the recommendations of the Rogers Commission after the loss of the Challenger and doomed NASA to repeat history. Background of leader #1: Linda Ham, Chair of the Mission Management team for the last Columbia mission, was hired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) soon after she graduated college. She began her career with NASA as a Propulsion Systems Monitor at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Over the years she rose through the ranks of NASA to Chair the Mission Management team for STS-107, which was the failed mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia that broke up upon re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere. Background of leader #2: Daniel S. Goldin, NASA Administrator, 1992–2001, was hired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) soon after he graduated college. He began his career at NASA’s Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio working in electric propulsion systems for human interplanetary travel. He left NASA a few years later and began working for the TRW Space and Technology Group. Over his 25 year career at TRW, Goldin rose through the ranks to become the Vice President and General Manager of TRW. Goldin then returned to NASA and became its longest tenured Administrator. Goldin was known for being able to cut costs and still provide many space programs. His â€Å"crusade for efficiency† (2004) ended up being the most visible flaw in an administration philosophy that lost another seven astronauts. Another glimpse into what kind of man and leader Daniel S. Goldin is, can be found in a lawsuit by the Department of Justice that â€Å"that seeks more than $170 million from TRW Inc., which is accused of padding government space contracts with research-and-development costs ‘that should have been paid out of TRW’s profits.’ The lawsuit contends that Daniel S. Goldin, who ran the company’s Space & Technology Group during the early 1990s, participated in the alleged overcharges by authorizing suspect accounting practices.† (1998) Leadership styles: Both Goldin and Ham clearly pushed the NASA agenda which was set by Goldin. Both appear to fit into the autocratic leadership style in that they demanded absolute obedience. Neither fostered a culture where diverse opinion was welcome. Both created an atmosphere where diverse or dissenting opinion was ignored and unwelcome. Goldin and Ham forced many NASA employees, specifically engineers and safety personnel, to become â€Å"organizational bystanders† (2008) because they were unwilling to risk their career to challenge the agenda of Goldin and Ham. NASA became a workplace with administrative blinders on. â€Å"NASA is not functioning as a learning organization† (Gehman, 2003). â€Å"[NASA mission managers] were convinced, without study, that nothing could be done about such an emergency. The intellectual curiosity and skepticism that a solid safety culture requires was almost entirely absent. Shuttle managers did not embrace safety-conscious attitudes. Instead, their attitudes were shaped and reinforced by an organization that, in this instance, was incapable of stepping back and gauging its biases. Bureaucracy and process trumped thoroughness and reason† (Gehman, 2003). Ham’s influence on STS-107 is most clearly described in this excerpt from the Case Study on the Columbia Accident by Maureen Hogan Casamayou, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia: Ham did inquire about the foam strike, but: not to determine what action to take during Columbia’s mission, but to understand the implications for STS-114. During a Mission Management Team meeting on January 21, she asked about the rationale put forward at the STS-113 Flight Readiness review passed muster not because of their inherent validity (and hence greater safety for the crew) but simply to launch another shuttle into space on schedule. As the CAIB report states, Ham’s focus on examining the rationale for continuing to fly after foam problems with STS-87 and STS-112 indicates that her attention had already shifted from the threat of the foam posed to STS-107 to the downstream implications of the foam strike. Ham was due to serve . . . as the launch integration manager for the next mission, STS-114. If the Shuttle Program’s rationale to fly with foam loss was found to be flawed, the flight, due to be launched in about a month, would have to be delayed per NA SA rules that require serious problems to be resolved before the next flight. An STS-114 delay could in turn delay completion of the International Space Station’s Node 2, which was a high priority goal for NASA managers. Further evidence of her preoccupation with meeting the designated launch schedule was reflected in Ham’s concern about the length of time to process photos of the Columbia on-orbit. According to the CAIB, on January 23rd: Ham raised concerns that the extra time spent maneuvering Columbia to make the left wing visible for imaging would unduly impact the mission schedule; for example, science experiments would have to stop while imagery was taken. According to personal notes obtained by the Board: â€Å"Linda Ham said it was no longer being pursued since even if we saw something, we couldn’t do anything about it. The Program didn’t want to spend the resources.† (CAIBR 2003) Further evidence of the unchallenged assumptions and lack of intellectual curiosity at NASA is described by Niewoehner & Steidle, â€Å"At the January 24, Mission Management Team meeting at which the â€Å"no safety-of-flight† conclusion was presented, there was little engineering discussion about the assumptions made, and how the results would differ if other assumptions were used. Engineering solutions presented to management should have included a quantifiable range of uncertainty and risk analysis. Those types of tools were readily available, routinely used, and would have helped management understand the risk involved in the decision. Management, in turn, should have demanded such information. The very absence of a clear and open discussion of uncertainties and assumptions in the analysis presented should have caused management to probe further.† (2009) A different outcome: In reviewing this case study, I am nearly certain that leadership style played a secondary role in the situation. The primary issue appears to be that the leaders, Goldin and Ham to be specific, allowed the outside influence of budgetary constraints imposed by Congress and the Presidential Administration to shape their mission and vision for NASA. In practical terms, the amount of money in the budget and the self-imposed goals of the number of shuttle missions to keep that budget from decreasing over-road concern for safety. Not only did it over-ride that concern for safety, but it created an organizational culture that ignored any line of thinking that challenged or threatened NASA’s goals. We must remember that there are drawbacks in stating specific identified government organizational goals. When a government, or a component of government, forecasts where it wants to be in the future, it binds itself to those identified goals. Administrators become personally attached or emotionally involved and are loath to change for fear of appearing to admit failure. This certainly affected the leadership and policy decisions of Goldin and Ham. Rocha could have done more to bring the safety concerns to light, however in retrospect, he clearly would have risked his career in doing so. We need more leaders, and followers, who are willing to risk their career especially when human life is at stake. A different outcome for STS-107 is very likely if NASA had truly functioned as a â€Å"High Reliability Organization†, which Weick and Sutcliffe (2001) say is characterized by: †¢A preoccupation with failure †¢Reluctance to simplify interpretations †¢Sensitivity to operations †¢Commitment to resilience †¢Deference to expertise Goldin and Ham could have implemented the five key dimensions of collaboration: governance, administration, organizational autonomy, mutuality, and norms of trust and reciprocity. They could have created a team or committee to review, research, and assess each and every safety concern that was raised by any NASA employee. This team should have negotiated, committed, and then implemented those commitments. There was no trust and reciprocity between the NASA engineers and the NASA mission managers. Goldin and Ham should have embraced a more Democratic Leadership Style. â€Å"Although a Democratic leader will make the final decision, he/she invites other members of the team to contribute to the decision making process. This not only increases job satisfaction by involving employees or team members in what’s going on, but it also help to develop people’s skills. Employees and team members feel in control of their own destiny, such as the promotion they deserve and so are motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward. As participation takes time, this approach can lead to things happening more slowly but often the end result is better. The approach can be most suitable where team work is essential and quality is more important than speed to market productivity.† (2012) Yes, they would have likely missed future deadlines, probably scratched future missions, and maybe even lost some of NASA’s precious funding from Congress, but the strengths of the five key dimensions were never given a chance to prevail. The reason why is glaringly clear: â€Å"The most costly resources of collaboration are not money but time and energy, neither of which can be induced.† Huxham (1996) With NASA’s entire function hinging on budgetary concerns that became strict deadlines, time trumped safety and everyone from Congress and the Presidential administration to NASA management and the entire workforce, all have â€Å"blood on their hands.† My outlook: As a future leader, I am most profoundly struck by the impact of bureaucracy. I believe that even Goldin and Ham would have changed their decisions had they had the benefit of hindsight and knew that seven astronauts would lose their lives because of their lack of leadership, management, and administrative capabilities. We must listen to alternative viewpoints and encourage open dialogue as future government leaders. We must strive for objectivity in our perspective and not allow our vision to be narrowed by clinging too tightly to a concept or idea that was good in another setting. If human safety is in any way a factor, our level of scrutiny in gathering facts for decision making must be to the utmost. My biggest take-away from this assignment is learning the definition of a â€Å"high reliability organization† and the five bullets that must be embraced to be a true â€Å"high reliability organization†. I will take this concept with me for the rest of my career. Roberts, A. (2004). The reform bubble bursts. Public Administration Review, 64(5), 625-629. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/197172592?accountid=27965 By, A. P. (1998, Feb 20). Civil fraud lawsuit against TRW inc. over space contracts is joined by U.S. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398647798?accountid=27965 Marc, S. G., & Robert, B. S. (2008). Organizational bystanders. People and Strategy, 31(1), 47-54. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/224596278?accountid=27965 Gehman, H.W. et. al., Columbia Accident Investigation Board, Report Volume 1 (CAIB) (August 2003). Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report (Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office, Limited First Printing, August 2003) Robert, J. N., & Craig, E. S. (2009). The loss of the space shuttle Columbia: Portaging leadership lessons with a critical thinking model. Engineering Management Journal, 21(1), 9-18. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/208970180?accountid=27965 Weick, K., & Sutcliffe, K. (2001). Managing the Unexpected. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Bhatti, N., Ghulam, M. M., Shaikh, N., Muhammad, A. H., & Faiz, M. S. (2012). The impact of autocratic and democratic leadership style on job satisfaction. International Business Research, 5(2), 192-201. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/963357720?accountid=27965 Huxham, Chris. 1996. Collaboration and Collaborative Advantage. In Creating Collaborative Advantage, edited by Chris Huxham, 1–18. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. (Stillman cccxxiii) Stillman, Richard. Public Administration, 9th Edition. Cengage Learning US, Aug-04. .

Augustus essays

Augustus essays Augustus was born plain Gaius Octavius at Rome on September 23rd. His father was the first in the family to become senator, but died when Octavian was only four years old. It was his mother who had the more distinguished connection. She was the daughter of Julia, sister to Julius Caesar. He was short in Stature, and well proportioned. His body however was covered in spots and he had many birthmarks scattered over his chest and belly. As for character it is said that he was cruel when he was young, but became better when he good older. He was tolerant of criticism and possessed a good sense of humor. Although unfaithful to his wife Livia Drusilla, he remained deeply devoted to her. His public moral attitudes were strict. Octavian served under Julius Caesar in the Spanish expedition of 46 BC. It was possible that he designated to take a senior military command in Caesar's projected Parthian expedition of 44 BC, although at the time he was only 18 years old. But Octavian was with his friends Marcus Agrippa and Marcus Salvidienus Rufus in Appollonia in Epirus completing his academic and military studies, when news reached him of Caesar's assassination. He at once returned to Rome. He learned on the way that Caesar had adopted him in his will. The news sharpened his resolve to avenge Caesar's murder. When he arrived he found power in the hands of Marc Antony and Aemilius Lepidus, who were urging compromise and amnesty. Octavian refused to accept this, and succeeded in undermining Antony's position by winning over many of Caesar's supporters, including some of the legions. He was failed to persuade Marc Antony to hand over Caesar's assets and documents. Octavian was compelled to distribute Caesar's legacies to the Roman public from whatever funds he was able to raise from other sources. This no doubt raised his standing with the Roman's considerably. ...

Introduction to New England Colonial Architecture

Introduction to New England Colonial Architecture When the British landed on the shores of the New World, they not only brought place names from England (e.g., Portsmouth, Salisbury, Manchester), but the colonists also carried the knowledge of building traditions and architectural styles. The religious separatists we call Pilgrims arrived in 1620, quickly followed by a group of Puritans in 1630, who settled in what became the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Using whatever materials they could find, the immigrants constructed timber-framed houses with steep roofs. Other settlers from Great Britain spread throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, building rustic dwellings like the ones they had known in their homeland. They colonized land that became New England. The earliest dwellings were likely hastily-constructed sheds and cabins - the recreation of the Plymouth Colony shows us this. Then, shoring up against the cold New England winters, colonists built single-story Cape Cod houses with massive chimneys placed at the center. As families grew, some colonists built larger two-story homes, still to be seen in communities like  Strawbery Banke on the New Hampshire coast. Colonists expanded their living space and protected their property with sloping saltbox roof additions, named after the shape of boxes used to store salt. The Daggett Farmhouse, built in Connecticut around 1750, is a good example of the saltbox roof style. Wood was plentiful in the northeastern forests of the New World. The English people who colonized New England grew up with architecture from late medieval and Elizabethan England. The British colonists were not far removed from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and medieval timber-framed houses, and they continued these building practices through the 1600s and well into the 1700s. The 1683 Parson Capen House in Topsfield, Massachusetts is a good example of Elizabethan architecture in New England. Since these simple homes were made of wood, many burned down. Only a few have survived intact, and fewer still have not been remodeled and expanded. New England Colonial Types Styles Architecture in Colonial New England went through many phases and can be known by various names. The style is sometimes called post-medieval, late medieval, or first period English. A New England Colonial home with a sloping, shed-like roof is often called a Saltbox Colonial. The term Garrison Colonial describes a New England Colonial home with a second story that juts out over the lower level. The historic 1720 Stanley-Whitman House in Farmington, Connecticut is described as a post-medieval style, because of its second-story overhang, but a later lean-to addition transformed the  Garrison Colonial into one with a saltbox-style roof. It did not take long for colonial styles of architecture to combine to form new designs. Modern Colonials Builders often imitate historic styles. You may have heard words like New England Colonial, Garrison Colonial, or Saltbox Colonial used to describe modern-day homes. Technically, a house built after the American Revolution - after communities were no longer colonies of England - is not colonial. More correctly, these homes of the 19th and 20th centuries are Colonial Revival or Neocolonial. Northern versus Southern Colonial Houses Early New England colonial houses were usually located mostly along the shores of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Remember that Vermont and Maine were not part of the 13 original colonies, although much of the architecture is similar, modified by French influences from the north. Northern colonial homes were wood framed construction, usually the plentiful white pine, with clapboard or shingle siding. Early homes were one story, but as more family arrived from Britain these starter homes became two-stories, often with steep roofs, narrow eaves, and side gables. A large, center fireplace and chimney would heat upstairs and downstairs. Some homes added the luxury of saltbox-shaped lean-to additions, used to keep wood and supplies dry. New England architecture was inspired by the beliefs of the inhabitants, and the Puritans tolerated little exterior ornamentation. The most decorative were the post-medieval styles, where the second story slightly protruded ove r the lower floor and the small casement windows would have diamond-shaped panes. This was the extent of decorative design. Beginning with the Jamestown Colony in 1607, New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies were established up and down the eastern coastline of what would become the United States. Settlers in southern regions such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Maryland, the Carolinas, and Virginia also constructed uncomplicated, rectangular homes. However, a Southern Colonial home is often made with brick. Clay was plentiful in many southern regions, which made brick a natural building material for southern colonial homes. Also, homes in the southern colonies often had two chimneys - one on each side - instead of a single massive chimney in the center. Tour New England Colonial Homesteads The New England Colonial home of Rebecca Nurse was built in the 17th century, making this giant red house a true Colonial. Rebecca, her husband, and her children moved here to  Danvers, Massachusetts around 1678. With two rooms on the first floor and two rooms on the second, a large chimney runs through the center of the main house. A kitchen lean-to addition with its own chimney was built in about 1720. Another addition was constructed in 1850. The Rebecca Nurse house has its original floors, walls, and beams. However, like most homes from this period, the house has been extensively restored. The lead restoration architect was Joseph Everett Chandler, who also oversaw the historic restorations at the Paul Revere House in Boston and the House of Seven Gables in Salem. Rebecca West is an interesting figure in American history for being a victim of the Salem Witch Trials- in 1692 she was accused, tried, and executed for practicing witchcraft. Like many historic homes throughout New England, the Rebecca Nurse Homestead is open to the public for tours. Many of New Englands finest colonial homes are open to the public. The Hoxie House in Sandwich, Massachusetts was built in 1675 and is said to be the oldest house still standing on Cape Cod. The Jethro Coffin House, built in 1686, is the oldest house on Nantucket.  The home of author Louisa May Alcott, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts, is a good example of farmhouses built between 1690 and 1720. The town of Salem, Massachusetts is a museum itself, with the House of Seven Gables (1668) and the Jonathan Corwin House (1642), also known as the Witch House, being two popular tourist attractions.  A Boston home built in 1680 and once owned by American patriot Paul Revere is a popular post-medieval style to view. Lastly, Plimoth Plantation is the Disney-equivalent of 17th century New England living, as the visitor can experience an entire village of the primitive huts that started it all. Once you get a taste of Colonial American house styles, youll know some of what has made Ame rica strong. COPYRIGHT: The articles you see on these pages are copyrighted. You may link to them, but do not copy them in a blog, web page, or print publication without permission. Sources Architecture of New England and the Southern Colonies by Valerie Ann Polino, http://teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/1978/4/78.04.03.x.html [accessed July 27, 2017]English Colonial Domestic Architecture of New England by Christine G. H. Franck, https://christinefranck.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/english-colonial-domestic-architecture-of-new-england/ [accessed July 27, 2017]Architectural Style Guide, Historic New England, https://www.historicnewengland.org/preservation/for-homeowners-communities/your-old-or-historic-home/architectural-style-guide/#first-period-post-medieval [accessed July 27, 2017]Virginia and Lee McAlester. A Field Guide to American Houses, 1984Lester Walker. American Shelter: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Home, 1998John Milnes Baker, AIA. American House Styles: A Concise Guide, Norton, 1994Architectural Style Guide, Boston Preservation Alliance, bostonpreservation.org/advocacy/architectural-style-guide.html [accessed July 27, 2017]

Proposal on Energy Management Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On Energy Management - Research Proposal Example So, one sees US invading Iran and Middle East to get its hands on the oil reservoirs, Pakistan shifting from natural gas to coal and other countries following the same pattern (Fawkes, 2007). Another reason energy management has gained so much importance in the past few decades is because the world as a whole has undergone industrialization largely (Beggs, 34, 1999). From industrial revolution to the internet boom of 90s, there are very few economies left, which have not adapted to the change and these economies are either isolated or agrarian. All the rest of the economies have adapted to the change that the industrial revolution brought, and therefore are heavily reliant on industries, machineries, factories, and technology for their very subsistence and sustenance. More, these industrial economies need magnanimous amount of energy resources to run their respective economies without crashing (Moss, 28, 1994). Thus, energy management and optimal usage of this energy turns out to be the most pressing concerns of the economic systems around the world (AEE, 89, 1991). Out of all the energy resources, oil and gas serve to be the most widely used and thus the most significant ones of all. With their easy accessibility and efficiency of usage, economies have strived to never run out of these two energy resources. However, in the light of recent economic recession, many economists and observers think that the production of oil and gas is falling short of their respective requirements. This paper is an attempt to propose some guidelines for oil and gas industries to come at par with the growing demand of sustainable energy round the world and to highlight its importance. As the proposal suggests, the exploration and production of oil and gas needs acceleration in order to come at par with the current demands. Literature Review As one seeks to understand the mechanisms of energy management, two very important terms come up. Energy Intensity: It is a measure of energy r equired per unit output. Thus, using less energy to derive a product reduces energy intensity. Energy Efficiency: Inverse of energy intensity, energy efficiency increases when the given units of output results from diminished levels of energy input or a given level of energy is followed by an improved level of output or the service intended. Thus, energy intensity increases when energy efficiency is reduced and vice versa. As one compares different industries that produces materials for energy production, one finds that all industries are subjected to change. The changes can be structural like a shift in the product ranges from higher energy-intensive to lower energy-intensive or behavioral depending on the target market and their fluctuating inclinations. It is now important to turn to the issue at hand: how can oil and gas industry learn from other industries with regard to efficient energy usage and production efficiency? As a template, it is ideal to juxtapose China’s flo urishing coal industry to America’s oil and gas industry; and bridge connections and comparisons between the two. One of the main features of China’s coal industry is that it is a home industry and China manufactures all the coal by itself. This reduces its imports by a great margin. On the other hand, US economy imports coal from gulf regions and is therefore highly dependent on other countries for its economy (Petrecca, 45, 1993). Another important factor to consider when