Facebook considers opening site to children

Facebooks manager of privacy & safety had announced that the social network has â€Å"thought a lot† about opening up the site to children under the age of thirteen to get the opportunity to access on to Facebook. Similarly, Facebook had changed its policies that allow children under thirteen to put public post online that can be viewed by everyone in the world. Therefore, this may effect children's life. Opening the site to children under the age of thirteen is a bad idea due to many issues.First, it might cause cyber bullying on the social medias; second, it might effect the children and their families' communication; and third, it might cause kidnapping, rape or murder cases. Cyber bullying is an anti-social behavior and this is related to technologies and the internet. First, cyber bullying is referring any kind of aggressive behavior through social media. Cyber bullying could happen by text, Facebook posting, Tweet, Skype, or E-mail, but most constantly happen on Facebook .Cyber bullying usually resulting in trauma victim, can also cause low cademic achievement, interpersonal, alienation, there may even produce retaliatory attacks forced the victim or the victim turned to bullying others; it also has some impact in the offender, the offender adult crime, alcohol abuse is quite high, with the offender characteristics, 60% male perpetrators for crimes committed before the age of 24, non-male offender characteristics only 23%.So if Facebook do allows children under the age of 13, there might be a chance to increase the cyber bullying cases. Second, communication between the children and their family is very important, but f Facebook allows children to gain access to Facebook, it will affect the communication the children and their family. A family with good communication between each other might involve lots of technological activities; indeed, technology may become a tool or media for the communication between each other.For example, some people do not like to tell things face to face, but they open their heart through online chatting or messages (Facebook chatting); in this way, technology become a media to connect children and parents. Thus, it even improved the communication between children and parents. This will definitely effect the children and families' communications, by not communicating with each other. So if Facebook allows children access on to Facebook under the age of 13, it may effect the communication between the children and their families'.Third, allowing children of the age of 13 or under gain access to Facebook might cause kidnapping, raping and murdering cases. Now a day, a lot of teens have Facebook accounts, and they enjoy using it. Chatting online with strangers turned going out in real life and this will lead them to getting kidnaped, raped or murdered; the crimes creates a fake nternet profile on Facebook and start chatting to the innocent teen or children, after they got the teen's or child's trust, an d convincing them to go out together in real life.Thus, the crimes such as kidnaps, rapes or murders them during the time when they are outside. Because these cases already happened to a lot of teenagers, it will increase possibly of the teens and childrens getting involve will kidnap, rape or Facebook opening site to children under the age of 13 to get the opportunity to access on to Facebook is extreme dangerous, because it will effect children's life, etal health, education or the negative effects and causes above.Also, it takes up a lot of time on an online world and playing all the cyber games; instead in reality they may think it is not. Sometimes, people or things on the internet are fake and it is not trust worthy. Furthermore, the teenagers should be ware of the strangers on Facebook, must not share any personal information with them, or else they can find you and kidnap, rape or murder you. Due to many issues, Facebook should re-discuss and make an correct decision, becaus e this will cause or effect many things that no one will want to happen.

To What Extent Do Functionalist Writings Accurately Reflect the Role of the Family in Modern Societies?

Functionalist writings go into much depth in regard to the state and roles of the family in modern, post industrial revolution, society. How accurately the interpretation and observations that are made by the Functionalist view represent the state of the family is, however, a contentious point. Functionalists see the family as the key place where primary socialisation of the young, next generation of society, takes place. The functionalist view of the family is that the family is the corner stone of the whole of society; indeed, the writings of key functionalists, such as Murdock and Parsons describe the family as having four basic functions – sexual, reproductive, economic and educational. All of these functions can be seen in the model modern family – it is, in effect, somewhat of an idealistic view of the way in which family within society behaves. This is one way in which the functionalist perspective is challenged. When looking at modern society and the role family has within it, the functionalist perspective fails to identify that, in some cases, this family model does not exist. Both Murdock and Parsons observations of the family have failed to identify with any other form or institution that may be in place to emulate, and that can take the role of, the family. Indeed, as Morgan notes in his criticism of Murdock’s view on the family, Murdock does not answer ‘to what extent these basic functions are inevitably linked with the institution of the nuclear family’ (Morgan, 1975). By doing this, both Murdock and Parsons fail to depict the form that alternatives to the family may take, and thus cannot reflect the modern role of the family in society today accurately. Another criticism of the functionalist representation of the family is that it does not take into account the effect that different social classes and religious views have on the form of the modern family. Clearly, modern society has a multi-religious, multi-class organisation, and this affects the way in which different families are organised. If the functionalist view does not take this into account when attempting to reflect modern society, and for this reason may be said to not accurately represent the state of the modern society. The view that the family benefits both its members and society as a whole in modern times, as functionalists present, has come under strong attack itself. Some cases show that, far from being a positive institution to society, family can in fact be a cause of friction and unrest that leads to contamination of wider society. R. D. Laing notes how the family is a ‘nexus’, and that ‘the highest concern of the nexus is reciprocal concern. Each partner is concerned about what the other thinks, feels, does’ (Laing, 1962). It is for this reason that, Laing argues, the family is a source of social unease. This view is in direct opposition to the functionalistic view that the family has only positive attributes. The Functionalistic perspective also stands at a direct oppositio n to some other sociological perspectives, and this may have an affect on how accurate the functionalist view of the family is seen. The Marxist perspective, for example, takes the family as a negative institution as a whole, and believes that, although the observations of some functionalistic writings are correct in terms of how the family is structured, it is not a wholly negative institution for society. This is, however, because of the direct opposition to the basis of the functionalist paradigm on a greater scale. Marxist writers believe that the family is a breeding ground for the reproduction of a capitalist ideology, and that this, for society, is negative. Although the contrast of other sociological paradigms does not prove nor disprove the validity of the functionalist reflection of the family within modern society, it does give people an idea, when trying to decide how accurate the functionalist perspective is, of other stances that may be as, or a more, accurate description of modern family and its relationship to the rest of society. Therefore it is an important aspect of looking into the accuracy of any different perspective, to also hold it in comparison with other recognised views. Although on the surface the functionalist view of the family appears to be an accurate description of modern family arrangement, it can be faulted at many points. However, this is not to say that the perspective is totally worthless of being granted some identity within the whole of the sociological family situation. The functionalist perspective gives a good insight into the way in which a family is organised in, and, supposedly supports, a capitalist society – the main framework of post industrial revolution western society. All sociological views have flaws that mean they cannot be fully accurate in description of any situation, and everyone has their own objective view of each of the sociological paradigms, so it is not possible to say, definitively, if one or another accurately depicts a situation or not. It must be left to an informed individual to make up his or her own mind on the subject.

Wee shall be as a City upon a Hill Essay

God almighty in His most holy and wise providence hath so disposed of the condition of mankind, as in all times some must be rich, some poor, some high and eminent in power and dignity, others mean and in subjection. Reason: First, to hold conformity with the rest of His works, being delighted to show forth the glory of His wisdom in the variety and difference of the creatures and the glory of His power, in ordering all these differences for the preservation and good of the whole. Reason: Secondly, that He might have the more occasion to manifest the work of His spirit. First, upon the wicked in moderating and restraining them, so that the rich and mighty should not eat up the poor, nor the poor and despised rise up against their superiors and shake off their yoke. Secondly, in the regenerate in exercising His graces in them, as in the great ones, their love, mercy, gentleness, temperance, etc., in the poor and inferior sort, their faith, patience, obedience, etc. Reason: Thirdly, that every man might have need of other, and from hence they might all be knit more nearly together in the bond of brotherly affection. From hence it appears plainly that no man is made more honorable than another, or more wealthy, etc., out of any particular and singular respect to himself, but for the glory of his creator and the common good of the creature, man. Thus stands the cause between God and us. We are entered into covenant with Him for this work, we have taken out a commission, the Lord hath given us leave to draw our own articles we have professed to enterprise these actions upon these and these ends, we have hereupon besought Him of favor and blessing. Now if the Lord shall please to hear us, and bring us in peace to the place we desire, then hath He ratified this covenant and sealed our commission, [and] will expect a strict performance of the articles contained in it, but if we shall neglect the observations of these articles which are the ends we have propounded, and dissembling with our God, shall fall to embrace this present world and prosecute our carnal intentions seeking great things for ourselves and our posterity, the Lord will surely break out in wrath against us, be revenged of such a perjured people, and make us know the price of the breach of such a covenant. Now the only way to avoid this shipwreck and to provide for our posterity is to follow the counsel of Micah, to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God. For this end we must be knit together in this work as one man, we must entertain each other in brotherly affection, we must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities for the supply of others’ necessities, we must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience, and liberality, we must delight in each other, make others’ conditions our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, our community as members of the same body So shall we keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. The Lord will be our God and delight in all our ways, so that we shall see much more of His wisdom, power, goodness, and truth than formerly we have been acquainted with. We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies, when He shall make us a praise and glory, that men shall say of succeeding plantations, the Lord make it like that of New England. For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and byword throughout the world, we shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God and all professors for God’s sake, we shall shame the faces of many of God’s worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us till we be consumed out of the good land whither we are going. And to shut up this discourse with that exhortation of Moses, that faithful servant of the Lord in His last farewell to Israel, Deut. 30., Beloved there is now set before us life and good, death and evil, in that we are commanded this day to love the Lord our God, and to love one another, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His ordinance, and His laws, and the articles of our covenant with Him that we may live and be multiplied, and that the Lord our God my bless us in the land whither we go to possess it. But if our hearts shall turn away so that we will not obey, but shall be seduced and worship other Gods, our pleasures, our profits, and serve them, it is propounded unto us this day we shall surely perish out of the good land whither we pass over this vast sea to possess it. Therefore let us choose life, that we, and our seed, may live, and by obeying His voice, and cleaving to Him, for He is our life and our prosperity. View as multi-pages

The Codex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Codex - Essay Example By describing brief history of different codices, an attempt has been made to highlight the importance of codex history. Such history will not only provide a better understanding of past work but it will also provide an understanding of the development of ideas as well as a base for future research. Today’s physical form of the book took a series of severe changes of about 5000 years. However, its most popular format has been in the shape of codex i.e. a collection of bounded and covered pages. Just after few hundred years of its creation, the codex book gained a distinct domination over the past well-liked format of papyrus scroll. One important factor that brought the supremacy of codex on scroll was the effective role of Christianity. Christian church took revolutionary steps to distinguish the writings of its holy books from the Jewish influence. They implemented several unique codex formats for its scriptures. Consequently, Christianity spread throughout the history and its codex formats as well. The Romans civilization is considered as the pioneer that used the codices (plural of codex) as personal notebooks e.g. their use in the form of mail etc. For this purpose they used wax-covered pills of wood and stylus. These codices were ephemeral and informal because after using once, they were washed out for their use again. In the history, the first occurrence of the use of the codex is the later part of 1st century when The Romans used the codex for the circulation of educational works. At that time, literary works were carried out through scrolls media which remained dominantly effective till the 4th century. Later on Chinese remained in practice in using of scroll for their literary purposes. Christians also widely used the papyrus codex during 2nd century. Evidences revealed that the most primitive surviving fragments from codices came from Egypt during the 1st and 2nd century (Turner, 1977 and Roberts & Skeat, 1983). An example of egypt

Health and Safety 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Health and Safety 1 - Assignment Example Principal contractor's legal responsibilities for notifiable projects: Monitor and oversee construction while coordinating with the contractor. Prepare and implement a plan for the project and site rules. Share relevant portions of the plan with contractors. Provide suitable welfare facilities available on site before beginning work on site, and maintain them through the project. Check competence of all parties appointed by him. Ensure dissemination of all needed information to all workers. Consult with workers before and during work on site. Assist CDM co-ordinator by liaising with him on design. Ensure security of site and safety of all workers on site. Contractor's legal responsibilities for all projects: Monitor and oversee own performance as also that of workers on site. Assume responsibility for competence for their employees. Training of their employees Providing information to their workers to enable maximum productivity and quality. Comply with requirements as set out in Part 4 of the CDM regulations document. Provide good and adequate welfare facilities for own workers. Contractor's legal responsibilities for notifiable projects: Check whether the client is aware of his own duties, and whether a CDM coordinator has been appointed and HSE notified prior to beginning work. Cooperate and coordinate with principal contractor while planning and executing work, as also setting down site rules and reasonable directions. Provide details pertaining to the work to any contractor engaged in the project, including the principal contractor. Provide information for the health and safety file whenever required. Give feedback on the plan to the principal contractor, identifying and pointing out any problems. Inform the... The main provisions outlined within the document and their introduction by project management is as follows. These are common for both MHSWR 1999 and CDM regulations, 2007, differing in scope and resultant measures: Encourage all involved (Client, design team, contractors and workers) to work towards the seamless integration of safety and health issues into the process of building construction. This has been made possible by introducing the CDM coordinator who makes compliance possible through extensive pre-project coordination between all concerned. Reduce and eliminate hazards through better planning and management from the start of a project. As the client responsibilities have been more clearly defined, it is in the clients best interests to involve designers and the contractors to identify and reduce hazards before actual construction starts, thereby reducing project creep through efficient project management and time lines. Effective targeting of effort to maximise health and safety improvement outcomes.

Introduction to marketing and advertising assessment Assignment

Introduction to marketing and advertising assessment - Assignment Example Companies resort to advertising as a way of creating market awareness that they have a new product in the market whose purpose is to satisfy or offer certain benefits. For the current media campaign, an analysis of the effectiveness of various advertising media is essential. Advertising specialty institute (2013) carried out research to find out the most effective way of reaching consumers in Canada, UK and USA and people gave preferred advertising media as shown in the pie charts below. Instant coffee is a drink that many people take as a way of relaxing the mind more especially after a tedious day at the office. On the other hand, people who go shopping have a tendency of grasping a cup of instant coffee before they return to their homes. Using the research findings in the figures above, this study shall incorporate the following media outlets. Calendars occupy the fourth position as the most preferred mode of advertising in the US Market and third position in Canadian and UK market. Calendars and Diaries have the potential of reaching people at the office and homes. Advertising is a communication and a special kind of communication. The advantage of using a calendar and diary is that it will reach many working class people and students who could love to relax over a cup of coffee. If such people can see the name of instant coffee on the calendar before going for a break, chances are high that they shall try it out. Writing instruments occupied the first position as the preferred media for advertising in all the three regions. Writing instruments include pens, books, writing pads among other office equipment. This advertising outlet could be expensive given the need to produce many pens and give them out free, but the contagion effect they shall create will be worth the investment. Engeseth (2009) acknowledge that in advertising, the source, the message, and the receiver all have multiple dimensions but the path from the sponsor to the consumer can be

How equilibrium occurs using the aggregate supply (AS) and aggregate Essay

How equilibrium occurs using the aggregate supply (AS) and aggregate demand (AD) framework - Essay Example This paper describes the occurrence of the equilibrium using aggregate supply and aggregate demand curves, and the fluctuation of real GDP around the potential GDP with reference to the economy in UK. Aggregate Demand Aggregate demand curve represents the desired spending, consumer behaviour and the buying of equipment by governments and foreigners. The aggregate demand rises with the increase in expenditure caused by increased optimism by the households on lifetime incomes and increased need for the product. The combined monetary assets and the decrease in interest rates stimulate the desire to spend by the firms and households. Low interest rates reduce the saving reward and borrowing costs for households, but for businesses, this reduces the borrowing costs for investing in equipment and plant (James, Walte and James 2006, p. 777-790). The aggregate demand curve slopes downwards due to the fixed nominal value for some assets, particularly the money itself. The increase in prices f or the goods with no changes in money leads to the real value of money balances declining and this result to decreased liquidity. The rise in prices increases the demand for dollars in financing the transactions. Short liquidity to the monetary assets results when nominal dollars’ supply does not change. ... Prices and output are inversely related. Shifts in aggregate demand curve Aggregate demand curve changes due to wealth effects like the money supply, interest rate effects, and the net exports effects. The changes are represented by shifts in aggregate demand curves either to the right, or to the left. A right shift in aggregate demand curve (AD1 to AD2) indicates an increase in GDP at the same price level for the quantity demanded. A left shift (AD1 to AD3) indicates a decreased GDP for the quantity demanded at the same price levels (Justiniano & Claudio 2011, p. 89). Shifts in aggregate demand curve Source:http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Aggregate-Demand-AD-Curve.topicArticleId-9789,articleId-9737.html Aggregate Supply Aggregate Supply (AS) model measures volume of the goods and services produced by an economy at given overall price level. The AS curve summarizes the production behaviour for the side markets, and it slopes upwards. The Aggregate Supply curve may be horizonta l or vertical depending on the conditions (James, Walte and James 2006, p. 777-790). The curve is inelastic in the long run and elastic in the short run. Therefore, when the long-run curve is vertical, the return is to natural output level as the equilibrating forces pull back to vertical long-run curve. The upward facing slope is caused by changes in firm prices due to the increased demand. In the presence of menu costs, firms raise the prices or increase the production, resulting to aggregate increase in both output and prices (Berrah and Cliville 2007, p.709-719). Graph 2: Aggregate Supply Curve Source: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Aggregate-Supply-AS-Curve.topicArticleId-9789,articleId-9738.html The vertical axis in aggregate supply curve represents the

Operations Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Operations Managment - Essay Example Through the utilization of new technological applications, the said process of recruiting shall be given the most important development it is expected to take to cater to the needs of the growing number of applicants. Computers and the benefits that it provides the society has made the present generation of humanity what it needs in terms of technological assistance. Along with this, several other supporting programs were then produced to be able to give answer to other demands of the society from computing operations. Yes, it just gets better every time. Some programs are created for individuals, while some are created especially for business companies, which are controlling the global economic stability of the society today. All these programs are considered assistance for users for them to be able to have better access to the technological innovations brought about by computing operations. According to an article entitled "Computer-Tool or Tyrant", Computers, through the history of mankind have provided the society with the necessary assistance at times even more than that as it continuously develop for better applications. This claim is especially true when the talk is all about companies who are dealing with multitasking in their daily activities. The storage of the files that are needed to be kept for record could not be done through the traditional file-shelves system. Hence, the introduction of programs and operating systems brought so much ease to this so called corporal responsibilities and duties. In this paper, a suggested process of operations management using the computer office operations shall be presented so as to assist in the process of shortening the time by which an institution approves the application of hopefuls who want to enroll in Marine Officer Programs offered by the organization. Through the said process to be suggested, it is expected that the process of application would become more efficient and the process of approval be less time consuming thus allowing the personnel of the organization to put their attention to more important things such as improving the whole program for the enrollees. The Importance of Knowing How OS Works Living in such a technologically driven world, it could not be denied that the interest of people in the developing systems of computing operations is also growing. As the computing operations and applications develop, the demands of the society from the benefits that it provides for the individuals and the large organizational companies also increases. The discussion that shall be presented herein Technology too, controls the present situation of the global economy. In fact, the internet applications have completely revolutionized the processes by which trade systems are operating in the current business industry. Certainly, it could be noticed that the production of operating systems that are ready to provide business entrepreneurs with the assistance that they need to be able to cope up with the global competition of industries, the global economy tends to grow even bigger and more stable. The discussion that would be presented in this paper then shall give a clear vision on how Linux is able to provide the said needs of companies worldwide. What is it that makes Linux one of the most reliable operating

Letter of Intent for college admission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Letter of Intent for college admission - Essay Example I will gain enough knowhow on how to integrate technology into the teaching process, assess the school environment, and make relevant recommendations towards improvement relying on successful research studies. The program will equally enable me to create a safer and positive learning, environment that foster performance. Moreover, the Concordia’s M.Ed. Program will accord me leadership skills that will enhance my teaching practice. Indeed, the inclusion of leadership aspect in this program will mould me personally and professionally. Actually, for me this is the right time to pursue my Masters degree.  This is because am readily available to study and I have considerably completed the credential program and attained the advanced course work and capstone experience which are the requirements to admission in this program. More so, I have chosen the Concordia’s M.Ed. Program in my pursuit to attaining a Master in Education degree in Environmental Education because of its flexibility, its availability online, and the short time it takes to complete the full program. Indeed, the one year it takes to complete the degree motivates me. Additionally, the inclusion of leadership lessons in the program and the fact that the program is available throughout the year motivated me to choose the Concordia’s M.Ed.

Responsible Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Responsible Management - Essay Example It is important for every organization to consider the social, economic and environmental systems in which it is operating. In the long-run it is the corporations that develop a long-term vision for their business along with fulfilling their responsibilities towards the society which are able to sustain their development in the economy (Albareda, 2008; Crane et al., 2008). Due consideration of the environment in which the organization is operating will help to ensure that all the functions of the organization are conducted in the right perspective and in an ethical manner. When an organization accepts its involvement in controlling the economic resources of the society, the management will automatically be accountable to the society about the assets used. This level of accountability needs to be conducted on fair grounds and in a sincere manner by the organization. Even in cases where the organization faces losses, it should still maintain its accountability and not indulge in any false practices or excuses. In order to help managements fulfill their social responsibilities several models have been proposed and one such concept is the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ (TBL) (Park & Stoel, 2005). The introduction of this concept acted as a vehicle for proper and clear reporting of the corporation’s environmental, economic and social performance (Ketola, 2009). Performances related to the environment and social concerns can be monitored with the help of this concept. TBL has grown in popularity as it assists an organization in determining the extent to which it is successfully meeting its responsibilities towards the community. The concept of TBL has given a direction to the management in developing the goals and objectives of the organization according to its business environment. By following the guidelines specified in the

Ethics system table Essay Example for Free

Ethics system table Essay This ethics is also referred to as teleological ethics. This refers to the end results or the outcomes of certain decisions. The acts determine what is ethical. What is viewed to be ethical is the action most likely to result to in the best good or the action with the most significance. This action usually gives the best consequence. Rights-Based Ethics This is the ethics that outlines the privileges that an individual is entitled to. This is based on the ground of categorical imperative which views a person as a moral agent in relation to other people. The rights are treated to be true and correct as they are approved by many people. However, it is difficult to determine which rights should be approved and which ones should be discarded. Human Nature Ethics Also referred to as humanistic ethics. These ethics emphasis on doing what is right and best for the society as a whole. This ethic which mainly dominates ethical theory is a more clearly altruistic. The ethics aims at virtue as well as having social improvement rather than having personal success. The ethics is concerned about everybody in the society. People should not be afraid to lend a helping hand or to receive one Relativistic Ethics This ethics is viewed as an inquiry to what is right or wrong through a critical review of the people’s beliefs and practices. The ethic however fails to recognize that some societies have better reasons of holding tom their views than others. The ethic raises important issues in that different cultural societies have different beliefs and are greatly influenced by culture. The ethics challenges people to explore on the belief systems that differ their own and to find an explanation why people hold their belief system. Entitlement-Based Ethics This is an ethic that views that you owe me because its my right to have everything that you have. Virtue-Based ethical This ethic places less emphasis on the rules that people should follow and instead tries to find of teaching people good virtues such as generosity and kindness. These traits later help the person to make better decisions in life. They also emphasis that people should know how to avoid bad virtues such as greed and hatred. These are viewed as hindrances of becoming a good person. Ethical Theory or System Brief Definition Other Names for Theory Real-world Example Workplace Example Duty-based Ethics Regardless of consequences, certain moral principles are binding, focusing on duty rather than results or moral obligation over what the individual would prefer to do (Trevino and Nelson, 2007, Ch. 4). Deontology, pluralism, moral rights, rights-based Categorical imperative Golden rule I believe people should be able to eat sand because it is the right thing to do. It is my duty to follow through with instructions my boss gives me, even if I do not agree with the concept. It is my moral obligation to respect authority figures. Consequence-based Ethics What is viewed to be ethical is the action most likely to result to in the best good or the action with the most significance. teleological ethics I believe people should be able to eat sand because it is good for one’s health. We ignore the consequence of telling the truth to the police as it may lead to the imprisonment and detention of another person. Rights-based Ethics the privileges that an individual is entitled to Society norms I believe people should be able to eat sand if they want to because they are free to make the decision themselves. In America it is so clear on the right of the people to choose their faith; therefore people in the USA have a right to choose their religion. Human Nature Ethics emphasis on doing what ibis right and best for the society as a whole Humanistic ethics. I believe that if sand is going to be eaten, it should be available for everyone to eat. In an organization people should encourage teamwork as much as possible in order for it to run successfully. Relativistic Ethics Viewed as an inquiry to what is right or wrong through a critical review of the people’s beliefs and practices. Ethnocentric ethic I believe I will eat sand because it is the standard meal for my community. Every organization should be viewed as unique and different from others as it has its own practices and code of conduct. Entitlement-based Ethics Views that you owe me because its my right to have everything that you have. I believe people should be able to eat sand if they decide they want to, regardless of whether it is someone else’s sand. A person may claim to be paid his salary by the company at the end of the month. Virtue-based ethics places less emphasis on the rules that people should follow and instead tries to find of teaching people good virtues such as generosity and kindness Character based ethic I believe people should be able to eat sand if they like the taste of it. The organization should teach people what is right or wrong and leave them to make good decisions later. Reference Trevino, L. , and Nelson, K. (2007). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right. Hoboken: Wiley.

Organizational Change Plan Essay Example for Free

Organizational Change Plan Essay The proposal discussed is Electronic Health records. There are numerous advantages to using Electronic Medical health Records however, there are disadvantages as well. I believe that the Electronic Health Records process needs to be improved. Staff are having major difficulty using EHR‘s and this detrimental to the use because the staff feel uncomfortable therefore avoiding using EHRs. In order to change how the health care providers feel towards using EHRs, management must communicate adequately the need for the change and the great benefits of it. The next step would be for management to educate the staff by using evidence based processes. In this stage, management must make use of EHRs simple for staff to follow and provide enthusiasm in using EHRs correctly. An organizational boundary would be lack of deadlines, lack of funding, and lastly lack of participation from staff. Lack of deadlines leave staff to make their own deadline according to how necessary they feel the change is. Usually, new processes get put off because theyre used to the then existing habit and feel that the new process would require more time and energy. Despite the fact that actually using EHRs require a lot of training the primary benefit of EHRs is that it doesnt require an unnecessary amount of effort. One could save time and make other staffs tasks much easier resulting in faster outcomes and more time to focus on more issues. Another organizational boundary would be lack of funding. EHRs need computers, trainers/ End users, training manuals, subject matter experts, and time which could be rather costly. If an organization does not have the funds to provide training manuals, subject matter experts, or any of the other matters reported then the use of EHRs will not be possible. Lastly, lack of participation from staff is an enormous regulatory barrier. Without the use of EHRs by the staff the employees wont see the benefits of using EHRs and they will continue to use the old and less productive way. Individual barriers include problems comprehending the new information, fear of changing, and computer illiteracy. All the problem stated are rather large personal barriers and are interconnected. One may fear or feel that they dont want to change to EHRs because they are computer illiterate and cant comprehend how to use a computer. When using EHRs one must have basic  computer knowledge and be proficient in using all the necessary tools and softwares on a computer and without this knowledge then a person would feel overwhelmed in trying to use EHRs. There are both good and bad factors that may influence my proposed change. An example of a negative factor would be poor performing computers. Positive factors include good communication. Negative factors such as poor performing computes could negatively impact the use of EHRs significantly. The purpose of using EHRs are to save on time resulting in an increase of productivity but if working on a poor performing computer one may be result in going back to writing out information on health records. The main decisive factor in using EHRs is the incr ease of communication. With the use of EHRs not only all the staff will be able to access a patients information but another organization like a hospital or insurance company will be able to see and use the record. Using EHRs inside an organization will allow for all the staff to view the same information and to be updated. Lewins model relates to the change proposed because the process needed to change the process of EHRs which require Lewins three steps unfreezing, changing and refreezing Spector (2010). Unfreezing would be getting the staff to realize that they need to make a change. It is said that communication is essential in this step because it is needed to convey the urgency and specific outcome wanted (Change Management In Ehr Implementation, 2013). However in this scenario the change wouldnt be to implement EHRs it would be to get the staff to use go from avoiding the use of EHRs to become the new norm. The second step of the Lewins model is change. Change is moving from old habits or behaviors to the new and efficient implementations. Learning new habits and processes are what happens during this changing phase. Also, resistance is often seen in this stage, usually employees are set in their ways and view the new change as difficult or more challenging therefore they will resist the change Spector (2010). This is where the main problem occurs in the use of EHRs especially at my place of employment. The staff was introduced to a new method in recording health records however the staff still had doubts and felt intimidated towards using EHRs. In order to change or prevent the negative attitude towards the change, managers should let the employees know that the new change is necessary and that it contains more benefits than the last process. This is a problem within our organization. Usually providers state  to the workers that a change is going to be made then they train employees immediately and then they leave it up to the employees to continue to use the new process. In addition, managers and other employers sh ould make themselves available to the staff in assisting them with the new change. The last step discussed in Lewins model is freezing. The step freezing ensures that the new process is set in place and will continue to be the new norm. The employees at my workplace were not able to complete the final phase freezing because they resisted the change and reverted back to the old process. Internal resources available to support the change initiatives are using consultants or using expert help or allowing staff to take leadership roles in implementing the use of EHRs. Using expert help specialists allow the trainees to learn more about EHRs and how to prevent and correct problems with EHRs. Allowing staff to implement the use of EHRs through leadership is a very rewarding internal resource (Change Management In Ehr Implementation, 2013). The staff feels good about the change their making and the staff will use EHRs instead of writing this will provide them as well as the viewer with information about a patient and give them a better overview on what is happening with a patient. External resources available to support change initiatives are journals or using sites and articles. External resources would be journals, articles or websites on the subject matter of EHRs. These resources allow one to see anything from the purpose of EHRs, the history of EHRs, as well as how to resolve technical issues with EHRs. I believe that increased efficiency in EHRs will reduce the time it takes to access medical records. The pros outweigh the cons. Depending on whether or not staff has basic computer knowledge the education will be minimal as well as time. The advantages include better time management, more efficient communication, and less space taken up by papers and files. References Change Management in EHR Implementation. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/nlc_changemanagementprimer.pdf Spector, B. (2010). Implementing Organizational Change: Theory Into Practice (2nd ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix Ebook Collection database.

Introduction Of Company Petronas Commerce Essay

Introduction Of Company Petronas Commerce Essay PETRONAS is the acronym for Petroliam National Berhad. PETRONAS not only focused on oil and gas, and provide education. PETRONAS is an incorporated public organization and has it separate legal entity. PETRONAS was incorporated on the 17th of August 1974 and was owned and controlled by the government of Malaysia. PETRONAS has a set of vision, mission and values. PETRONAS is a well known worldwide company that has ventured into 32 countries including Argentina, Russia and Egypt. PETRONAS practices a culture that stresses mainly on being environmental friendly and people orientated. It currently employs over 30, 000 employees of 38 nationalities. PETRONAS with the fully integrated oil and gas multinational, it has involved the entire petroleum activities. From managing the sharing contractors of the foreign production, we have been change into developing our own capabilities in the upstream sector allow us to take the lead in the exploration and production of the nations oil and gas resources. Besides that, we also ventured into downstream activities. We seek to maximize value creation and strengthen of our operations all the way down the value chain. The range of our downstream activities includes oil refining, gas processing and liquefaction, gas transmission pipeline operations, petrochemical manufacturing and marketing, property investment, shipping, marketing of liquefied natural gas, marketing and distribution of petroleum products, and trading. Furthermore, PETRONAS has operated service station in Malaysia, South Africa, Sudan, Thailand and Indonesia. It has distribution of automotive and industrial lubricants globally, including the PETRONAS Syntium and Sprinta premium grade engine oil. Internal Environment There is a high level of interdependence between an organisation and its internal environment. The internal environment comprises elements that have a direct influence on the day to day operations of the organisation. They have an impact on the achievement of the organizations goals. The Micro forces of the environment are: Vision and Mission PETRONAS is a big organization and a corporation which is widely known to the world as its a company that exports Malaysian oil. Being a big organization, PETRONAS has of course its very own vision and mission to achieve its common goal and to serve its customers the best service they can provide. As we all know vision is a long-term plan that almost every company or organization has. PETRONASs vision statement is to be a leading oil and gas multinational of choice. As an organization they are hoping to become a worldwide known organization and to become the first choice among all other oil companies present so far. Their mission statement, on the other hand, is as follows: We are a business entity. Petroleum is our core business. Our primary responsibility is to develop and add value to this national resource. Our objective is to contribute to the well-being of the people and the nation. (intext citation) Their mission and vision we believe has made them grow tremendously since they were incorporated in the month of August on the 17th in the year 1974. PETRONAS has become a fully-integrated oil and gas corporation and is ranked among FORTUNE Global 500s largest corporation in the world. They have now ventured globally into more than 32 countries worldwide in its aspiration to be a leading oil and gas multinational of choice. Organizational structure Organizational structure is the internal, formal framework of a business that shows the way in which management is linked together and how authority is transmitted. (Stimpson, 2006) structure.jpg Figure 1: The Corporation Organisational Structure of PETRONAS (Picture taken from http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/files/6389_ggmalaysia.pdf) PETRONAS adopts the functional organization structure. It enables specialization, allowing employees to focus on their respective areas. There is cross functional bonds between the respective divisions and departments. It is the bond and process of specialization that has led to the success of the organisation. Team work is encouraged, all the departments work together to achieve the companys goals and targets. This has proved to rewarding for the organization as a whole and the employees, customers, suppliers and the community as a whole. The line of authority is clearly drawn, orders are sent from the top most level, the president and the CEO. PETRONAS has also hired consultants to improve business and organization results. Functional Strategies    Human Resource  division Its main objective is to meet the organizational needs of the company it represents the needs of the people hired by that company. The most important function of the human resource department is recruitment, selection and training of employees among others. PETRONAS selects the best and brightest of employees through talent searches amongst local and overseas graduate. PETRONAS trains and molds its own employees through technical training and innovative program provided in University Technology PETRONAS. Finance division The Finance Function provides the company with its accounting and financial reporting backbone of the company. Its role is to identify financial sources willing to finance the operations of the company and to locate profitable areas where the business can invest their money to get higher returns. PETRONAS is involved in the sports world through its investment with Mercedes F1team. PETRONAS has also contributed towards the development of Turkmenistan economy, by investing US dollar $ 1.8 billion in the oil and gas industries. Corporate Planning and development division This division plans long term and short term business strategies which lead to the development of the organisation. Technical Services division This division is set up to drive and manage the technological activities of PETRONAS. Education division This division undertakes the responsibility of all the educational activities PETRONAS is associated with. It involves the scholarships provided by University technology PETRONAS and the education programs provided to the underserved community. Shareholders Shareholders of a firm can directly influence its policies and activities. PETRONAS shareholder is the government. It generates income and value for its shareholder. PETRONAS gave the government RM 52.3 billion from its RM86.8 billion pre-tax profit, in the form royalty, dividends, corporate tax, income tax and export duty. PETRONAS provides shareholders with the opportunity to gain first hand exposure on the Companys operations by organizing several visits to its Gas Processing Plants. Such two-way communication increases corporate transparency and helps shareholders take a longer term view of their investment based on a better understanding of the companys corporate strategy and operation PETRONAS recognizes the importance of timely and equal dissemination of information to shareholders. Therefore they arrange the Annual General Meeting (AGM) which is a crucial mechanism in shareholders communication. Employees PETRONAS must be committed to enhancing the capability of its employees, as a corporation is only as good as the people who work for it. This phrase is from PETRONAS mission statement. Employees are the most important asset of an organisation, since it is the dedication, motivation and skills of an employee that make a business successful. PETRONAS highly values its employees and understands the importance of their motivation. Therefore PETRONAS arranges various programmes to encourage and support its employees by involving them in voluntary work. Programmes such as Sentuhan Kasih and Jalinan Insan allow our employees to contribute directly to homes for disadvantaged children and orphans in the areas of their operations. These programmes provide the employees with job satisfaction, which in return highly motivates them to perform better. Community Lord Holme and Richard Watts used the following definition. Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large The culture now is to be generous by giving back to the community. Therefore organisations have certain responsibility towards the community they work in. PETRONAS is a responsible citizen of the community, thus is has successfully imitated and supported various social, environmental and community projects. PETRONAS and Education PETRONAS is committed is developing the people and they operate in by providing education particularly in the field on science and technology. They are determined to create a skilled human resource base for Malaysia through various schemes. Scholarships University technology PETRONAS (UTP) Provides hands on technical training and innovative programs to help employees build skills and competencies. PETROSAINS provides a rich and stimulating environment for the public to learn about science and technology PETRONAS benefits from this program since they are molding their own workforce, by educating them in standards which are important to PETRONAS. PETRONAS and Environment PETRONAS recognizes the importance of conserving biological diversity in order to ensure people, animals and plants. Therefore they developed the KUALA LUMPUR CITY CENTRE (KLCC) PARK, to balance the challenging demands of growing urban populations, with the environmental conservation. A much needed public park and green lung for the city of Kuala Lumpur. External Environment External environment refers to the factors that happen outside the business which cannot be controlled by the business. These factors will influence the internal functions of the business and its strategies to adapt itself to the changing environment. Political Environment The Malaysian government chose to create a state company, rather than using taxes, production limits, leasing, or other familiar instruments of supervision. The government sought to assert national rights over the use of the countrys resources. A state company, having both supervisory powers over the majors and production activities of its own, was a workable compromise between allowing the majors full rein and excluding them, along with their capital and expertise, altogether. Petronas is given fulltrust by Malaysia government to conduct business independently from the government. Government holds 100% of Petronas and formulates and implements energy policies including oil gas. The company cooperates with the government for the common purpose to develop the country to achieve the level of advanced countries. Regarding the relationship between Petronas and the government, one executive at Petronas said, There is a world, especially in the Third World, where only the government and the government (GG) can open the first door. He claimed that there is the world which does not function well with the absence of mutual trust between the government and NOC. Legal Environment PETRONAS is a multinational organisation. Therefore the company is subjected to laws in all of its host countries, such as taxation and consumer rights. Government taxation A large sum of the profit is usually paid off to government in the form of income tax, dividends etc. Despite the lowered net profit, PETRONAS paid RM 30.0 billion as dividends, RM20.3 billion as income tax, RM 9.1 billion as corporate income tax, RM 2.2 billion as export duties and RM 6.2 billion as royalties. Health and safety at work This aims to protect the workers from any kind of physical injuries. It requires the working environment to be safe with adequate equipment and sanitation. These requirements usually add up to the business cost. Consumer rights This law protects the consumer from products that do not reach a reasonable level of safety. PETRONAS sternly practices this as to ensure maximum popularity amongst other oil and gas company as well as looking after customer satisfaction. It generates income and value for its shareholder. PETRONAS gave the government RM 52.3 billion from its RM86.8 billion pre-tax profit, in the form royalty, dividends, corporate tax, income tax and export duty. Economical Environment Economical environment refers to the economic factors that affect the business in terms of recession, interest rates, exchange rates and global economic factors. Recession Recession results in the fall of demand for certain products, as income is reduced. To keep the demand on going, the prices of products is lowered. PETRONAS has net profit declined by 13.9% due to high production costs and low oil price that has been caused by the recession. Interest rates During inflation, there will be increase in the supply of money associated to the amount of goods available. This will result in a rise in prices of goods and services in the economy over a period of time. The high interest rates and fall of purchasing power would consequently affect the cash flow of the organization. Globalisation Technological Environment In order to adapt itself to the rapid growing technological environment, an organisation has to be versatile and recognises the value of technology to its business growth. PETRONAS is a technology dependent organisation that promotes and uses technology vastly for research and development. PETRONAS focuses its technology on advancing operational excellence through better plant and Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) performance. It also aim to create niche technologies to improve the performance of its core businesses. In the upstream sector, PETRONAS focuses on technological development to increase hydrocarbon resources and to enhance productivity and recovery of its fields. On the other hand, downstream, PETRONAS maximises yield in oil, gas and petrolchemical operations by applying appropriate technology. It also creating a renewable energy lab to enable itself to move further forward and become a technology-driven company. Competition PETRONAS PRIMAX 3 is designed to provide maximum protection and performance for your car. Based on comprehensive tests,  PETRONAS PRIMAX 3 unique cleaning formulation will  starts to work right from the first time you fill it up, ensuring that your engine is always at its most powerful. By formulating with unique additive components, PETRONAS PRIMAX 3 efficiently protects your engine against injector fouling and corrosion, reinstating your car to its peak performance to  improve fuel economy. However, Shell is the leader in developing high  quality fuels. Shell Super with fuel economy formula is specially designed by Shell experts to give you extra miles at no extra cost. It is formulated with Shells Synthetic Viscous Friction Improver, designed to reduce friction in this crucial part of your engine, helping to improve its efficiency. On the other hand, all Caltex petrols now include technologically-advanced, patented fuel ingredient, Techron ®. Caltex Techron with cleaning agent is unsurpassed at keeping engines clean and cleaning up deposits to help reinstate original performance. It contains powerful detergents which help in removing deposits from fuel injectors intake ports and valves. The key benefits for using Techron ® are improved performance, enhanced reliability, smoother drive, restored fuel economy and lower emissions. Social culturePressure group Sponsorship Programmes: PETRONAS will offer academic sponsorships to deserving students for studies in secondary schools and institutions of higher learning every year. There are more than 19,000 students have benefited from PETRONAS   tertiary education sponsorship programmes at the Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels. Besides that, more than 11,000 secondary school students have received sponsorships from PETRONAS. Students can get the sponsorships by obtaining excellent results in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations for undergraduate studies at established universities, both in Malaysia and overseas. On the other hand, students can choose to pursue technical and non-technical courses that are related to the industry. In addition, scholarships are offered to Malaysian secondary school students. Employees and Community: In reaching out to society, PETRONAS promised to serve disadvantaged groups and communities around the world goes the extra mile with the proactive participation of their employees at the grassroots level as volunteers. PETRONASs employees dedicated their time and energy to help ease the needs of the disadvantaged communities in Malaysia and abroad. Group-wide, PETRONAS organized different programmes to encourage their employees in their voluntary efforts to connect with the communities that need help the most. PETRONAS organized annual programmes like  Sentuhan Kasih  and  Jalinan Insan  for allowing their employees to contribute directly to homes for disadvantaged children and orphans in the areas of PETRONASs operations. In addition, the  PETRONAS Volunteer Opportunity Programme  works together with selected NGOs and relevant parties to scout for volunteer opportunities and provide necessary training, direction and support to develop skills useful in programmes such as disaster rehabilitation and education outreach activities. Conclusion PETRONAS has managed its business environment well because it is now has ventured to 32 countries. Therefore, PETRONAS has to be innovative and creative to adapt the dynamic environment of business in order to maintain and expand its business. As the result of well planning and well utilizing of technology, PETRONAS has grown to become a massive power to succeed in petroleum industry from the past to the present. Great organisation of power and technology had become the main factor of this success. With the strategy of integration, adding values and globalization, PETRONAS has the new routes to deliver excellent performance to the stakeholders, employees, nation, and host countries and communities where PETRONAS operate. PETRONAS will continue to develop the businesses in Malaysia and overseas as the journey towards comprehend our vision To be a Leading Oil and Gas Multinational of Choice.

Lessons Learned :: Personal Narrative Friendship Essays

Lessons Learned â€Å"Hey hun, how did ya sleep?† my husband Max said as he gave me a quick peck on the cheek. â€Å"Fine. What time is your meeting?† I asked â€Å"The Board is meeting at noon and then I have another briefing at 2.† He took a sip of his orange juice and asked, â€Å"What do you have planned for today?† â€Å"Well... ya know it’s Lucy’s birthday, I thought I would go see her.† â€Å"Okay I gotta go, try to be home before 5. We’ll go out to dinner. Ohh and can you pick Emily up from school at 4, I won’t be able to,† he said as he tightened his tie, grabbed his briefcase and then vanished through the kitchen door, not waiting for my reply. I went upstairs to change out of my pajamas. I grabbed a faded pair of jeans and pulled my sun-streaked hair into a loose ponytail. I grabbed the gift that I had bought for Lucy and headed out the front door. In a few minutes I was heading away from my sub-division and steering my Lincoln Navigator onto the expressway. I let my mind drift upon thoughts of my best friend. Lucy White and I had been best friends since the day we met in kindergarten. She caught my eye while standing in the corner crying for her mom. I wanted to cry too, but was too afraid. I thought she was pretty cool because she could wear her long stringy blonde hair down, and I had to wear mine tightly pulled back and stiffly braided. I still remember her standing there in her new Jordache jeans and sucking her thumb when I went up to her and said, â€Å"My mom told me that only babies suck their thumbs.† She quickly pulled the drool soaked finger out of her mouth and stopped crying. From then on she was always following my lead. I thought of how I could always convince her to do the things that I knew were wrong but wanted to find out about anyways.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Essay -- Health, Menta

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Introduction Among the behavioural disorders that are commonly diagnosed, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent among youth and children. It is a persistent disorder that is attributed to neurobehavioral problems. About 3%-5% of all the children in America are affected by ADHD (NINDS Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder Information Page, 2011). The disorder is characterized by inability to concentrate or focus on a task and exercise behavioural inhibition that is normally related to age. There are several warning signs which can indicate the possibility that a child may be affected by the disorder. These include difficulties adhering to instructions, talking a lot, disorganization, leaving homework or other chores unfinished, and having problems paying attention to details or responding (NINDS Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder Information Page, 2011). The fact that the disorder is considerably prevalent and costly has prompted research efforts in finding treatment and management approaches for ADHD. The research into this mental illness has been largely inspired by findings regarding its physiological basis which has paved way for discovering treatment approaches. It is imperative for those taking care of children affected with ADHD to understand the diagnosis, prognosis and phenomenology of ADHD so as to provide quality care for the affected (Sefa, 2007). In this paper, the physiological basis as well as the symptoms of ADHD will be discussed. In addition, the paper will discuss a biological approach to ADHD treatment and compare and contrast the genetic and environmental influences of the disorder. Finally, a summary of two articles reg... ...n From the above discussion, ADHD is a mental illness that not only affects children but also adults. It is characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, disorganization, and inability to focus and complete tasks without being distracted. In order to unravel the physiological basis of ADHD, research has targeted neurobiological and neurochemical aberrances notable in individuals with ADHD. The use of psychostimulants in the treatment of ADHD alters the functioning of the brain by enhancing attention through increasing blood flow in the frontal lobe areas. Current treatment trends emphasize the use of a multimodal approach so as to comprehensively address the complex nature of ADHD. From the discussion, ADHD is seen to be influenced in a significant way by both genetic and environmental factors. Genetic research has focused on twin studies and familial studies.

Lowering Testing Standards in Third World Countries Essay -- HIV AIDS

Lowering Testing Standards in Third World Countries ABSTRACT: Recently, Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group (PCHRG), charged the National Institute of Health (NIH) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) with sponsoring fifteen immoral HIV studies in sub-Saharan Africa. The trials are being conducted to determine if certain alternate medical procedures or a short course of treatment with AZT, zidovudine or other drugs prevent some mother-child HIV transmissions. (1) Since the control group receives only placebos rather than AZT, Wolfe claims that the tests give suboptimal treatment that will result in more children contracting HIV and AIDS. (2) Public Citizen’s Health Research Group and others are calling for an immediate cessation of these important experiments. Public Citizen raises an important moral question. (3) Is it morally permissible to lower testing standards for the Third World? Unlike PCHRG, I contend that the answer to this question is yes, if the trials meet certain conditions. I e xplain both the First Best and Second Best Method (FBM and SBM, respectively) of testing new drugs and then compare the two. Next, I show the FBM’s impracticality in developing countries releases researchers from the moral obligation to use it. I then propose a new set of criteria — the Second Best Criteria (SBC) — that show if a test is moral or not. Finally, I argue that imposing a developed country’s moral standards for clinical trials in the Third World is immorally insensitive to the needs and conditions present in the latter area. Section 1 In clinical trials there are two different standard protocols for testing new drugs. The First Best Method tests the effects of a known drug (a benchmark), rathe... ...Biotechnology, vol. 11, pp. 135-143. Pederson, Daniel and Eric Larson, "Too Poor to Treat" Newsweek, 28 July 1997, p. 60. Rath, Richard, "Horton Hears the W.H.O." Dissonance, AIDS and Africa Resource page, 3 June 1996, http:/www.way.net/dissonance/nyrb_ltr.html, pp. 1-3. UNAIDS "HIV/AIDS: The Global Epidemic", Press Release, 28 November 1996, http:/www.us.unaids.org/highband/document/epidemic/situat96.html, pp. 1-15. —— "HIV/AIDS epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa", 3 July 1997, http:/www.hiv.unaids.org/unaids/press/factafr.htm, pp. 1-3. —— "UNAIDS Announces New Clinical Trials for the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV", Press Release, 9 July 1996, http:/www.hiv.unaids.org/unaids/press/mtctpren.html, pp. 1-2 No Author Listed: "AIDS in Africa", The Guide, 9 May 1996, http://www.guidemag.com/newsslant/aids.africa.html. pp.1-2

Am Getting Old Now

I'm getting old now is a prose poem. It is quite vibrant and simple and presents the theme of cycle of life. It depicts the poet's acceptance of death and links with with his nostalgic memories of his mother. The first part of the poem symbolize his dream while second part signifies that he is close to death. He address death as a long lost friend whom he seeks to meet in the near future. Realizing that he has got less time to spend on earth he reminisce his past memories and dream a lot. In his dream he recollects how much love and pride his mother had in him. The poem is very touching and it instills in us the pain we feel when we reminisce about good things long lost. A few Key Points: Meeting of different cultures: tourist comes from modern world, and thinks he can dispose of this irritating beggar. But when she speaks she casts a spell, and shows him who is really in control. Woman rooted in where she lives – identified with sky and hills, and draws power from them. Things not what they seem: woman has more power than the poet suspects. Poem has a formal structure in triplets (three-line stanzas). Occasional half rhymes (â€Å"coin†/ â€Å"shrine†, â€Å"on†/ â€Å"skin†) and full rhyme to mark a pause: (â€Å"crone†/ â€Å"alone†). Lines are short but always with pattern of two stressed syllables, apart from in the final line, where the single stress brings the poem to a full stop. Most words monosyllables. Poem refers to old woman with third-person pronoun â€Å"she† and tourist with second-person pronoun, â€Å"you†. This makes poem like an account of real experience, putting reader in tourist's place. Coin which woman begs at the start of the poem, gives the ending its enduring image. Tourist's weakness is suggested in metaphor of â€Å"small change†, while â€Å"in her hand† indicates that woman has power over him. Her power also suggested by appearance – her eyes are â€Å"bullet holes†, dark spaces with nothing behind. â€Å"Cracks† (lines) in her face turn into cracks in sky, hills and temples, while the old woman remains invulnerable (â€Å"shatter-proof†). Crone† suggests the magical power of the old woman. CHURCH GOING Larkin starts his poem after making it sure that no ceremony was going on in the Church. It connotes that Larkin himself did not like ceremonies being performed in the Churches, perhaps due to people’s unconcerned attitude towards churches, otherwise he would not have said: â€Å"Once I’m sure here’s noth ing going on†. When Larkin says â€Å"Another church†, in line number three, it denotes that he has visited all the churches and every church of the city is empty. Perhaps, he has found some mental tranquility in the present church that is why he made his mind to stay in the Church for some time as it was his habit. There is a beautiful blend of similar and dissimilar objects in the poem. For example in stanza number four, line number 28 â€Å"after dark† and â€Å"dubious women† and in stanza number six, line number 48 â€Å"suburb† and â€Å"scrub† respectively. The ellipses, personification, humour, rhetorical questions, transferred epithets, synaesthetic imagery and irony combined make the poem a thing of beauty. The last stanza brings about the final and absolute conclusion. â€Å"A serious house on serious earth it is† pays tribute to churches. Everything of this world may wipe out, even â€Å"superstition, like belief, must die† but the essential uniqueness of churches can never obsolete and out dated. This final stanza not only brings about the ultimate message but it also removes the ambiguity of the poem. In the poem the poet asked his readers â€Å"And what remains when disbelief has gone? †. When everything will be annihilated, the church shall renovate humanity. This is a poetic reaction to the failure of organized religions of all traditions, not merely of Christianity, as the word â€Å"church† might lead us to suppose. Traditionally the way of devotion has been pointed out as the method of spiritual pursuit for the ordinary man of this Age of Kali. And organized religions, even though they are severely afflicted with schisms and sectarian conflicts and even open fights, flourish; and pilgrimage itself has become a billion dollar business the world over. But this is a far cry from the real way of devotion. Sri Aurobindo has expounded the nature of this path in his The Synthesis of Yoga. But he has conceded that in the religions of the masses, â€Å"†¦a most external form of ceremonial worship† , has a legitimate role to play. This is said in the light of the tantric gradation of spiritual pursuit which begins at the level of â€Å"†¦the herd, the animal or the physical being, the lowest stage of its discipline†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But larger and larger segments of this herd is getting estranged from their usual beaten tracks and wandering away from moral ways and seeking solace in drugs and debauchery. This is a clear indication that mankind has come of age, that here after mankind has no use for organized religions of the traditional types. The clergy knows this; that is why it resorts to terrorism in desperation. A college professor's palm was chopped of by the agents of terror who speak for Islam. And the Christian management of his college had him dismissed. Do you know what he was accused of? He had used the name Muhammad in a question he had set for his students. The question required the students to apply punctuation marks to a passage that reported a conversation between a character named Muhammad and God. And well/hell, the professor got his palm chopped off in the name of the Merciful. If this is religion then religion is doomed. church going is rather reality of life.. according to the present generation church going is just a tradition that they have been following since childhood, so its a part of their practise more than faith. Larkin is not interested in any ceremony or any sort of prayers and priests instead he visits the church when it is silent. He does not have belief in church but cannot stop visiting it. However he still has that respect for church as he removes his clips of trousers as a mark of respect. Throughout the poem his thoughts reveal his concern for the present as well as future of and wonders what is their fate. It is worth noticing that even though poet is not a believer of these churches, he still continues with his traditions and not only him, in fact most of us do have the same mindset, be it a temple, mosque or church. Therefore the poem is applicable in present era.

Backyard burgers

The Back Yard Burgers operates and franchises fast food restaurants across the United States. It has its headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. The fast food chain is famous for its charbroiled freshly prepared gourmet hamburgers and sandwiches. The chain has 183 outlets, 44 of which are company-operated and 139 are franchisees. Since its inception in the year 1987 the company has expanded considerably following a well defined marketing and operating strategy. The fast food industry has also witnessed a gradual change over the years and the emerging market trend has enormous potential to tap.The rising competition and changing demographics in this industry has presented new challenges to the existing companies. What are the forces that will drive the market demand and how effectively can the companies adapt themselves to these changing forces are some of the questions that need to be analyzed in a broad perspective. The paper analyzes the existing strategy and brand positioning of the B ack Yard Burgers – the emerging market trends and the capability of the company to adapt to these changing forces.The paper also recommends changes in the company’s operational and marketing strategy to face these challenges in the coming years and establish a strong market presence. Introduction The fast food industry Home cooked food has rapidly given way to over the counter fast food service appealing to the taste buds of the masses. This change in food culture was fuelled by a number of factors that made a huge impact on the American lifestyle. The rising number of women joining the work force leaving them with lesser time to spend in the kitchen and cook for their families is seen as the predominant factor.A number of companies and brands came to the forefront to tap this extensive revenue generating business. Well known brands like McDonalds, Wendy’s and Burger King have been widely recognized by the consumers. The success model was adopted extensively to generate more outlets over the country and build a global presence. The past four decades has witnessed an enormous growth in the fast food industry in the United States. Small stalls and outlets selling homemade burgers and hotdogs have invaded every nook and corner of the country.Most of the fast food outlets offer hamburgers, pizzas, sandwiches, and other snack items with accompaniments like French fries, soups, beverages, and desserts. Fast and efficient customer service, effective management, and aggressive marketing strategy drive the profitability of companies in this industry. The industry has propelled chains of restaurant outlets across the nation with universal brand positioning strategies. The franchise concept has seen wide acceptance in this business arena. This business requires voluminous processing of ready to eat food items, packaging, and delivery at a fast pace.Hence fast and efficient customer service is of prime importance. Another distinctive feature of this i ndustry is the location of these outlets – supermarkets, railway stations, airports, petrol pumps, and other high traffic areas. Back Yard Burgers – an introduction Lattimore M. Michael founded the Back Yard Burgers in the year 1987 in Cleveland, Mississippi. He started as a grocery store owner and extended his business to providing delicious homemade burgers that became quite famous in the area.Aided with a bank loan and family investment Michael opened the first double drive through restaurant on March 21st, 1987 in Cleveland, Mississippi. This outlet offered charbroiled Black Angus beef burger dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. The popularity of this outlet generated franchisee inquiries and a year later in 1988 a franchise store was opened in Greenville, Mississippi. The success of these outlets paved the way for 180 restaurant outlets across 20 states by the year 2007.â€Å"To deliver the highest quality service and best tasting food in a clean environment for a fair price† states the mission of the fast food restaurant chain. Quality food, exceptional service, and clean dining environment are the key ingredients to the success of Back Yard Burgers. After all it is only great food and good service that will keep customers returning for more. The fast food chain continued to do big business till the mid 90s recording sales of $17. 2 million and a net profit of $682,000 in 1994. The consecutive years witnessed a gradual decline in sales and profit margins.What went wrong and how could this situation be redressed? The study reflects the company strategy and policies adopted over the years, the issues and shortcomings faced by the company and its remedial measures. Back Yard Burgers – The business model The Back Yard Burgers has 183 outlets of which 44 are company-operated and 139 are franchisees. The principal source of revenue for the company is from company-operated restaurant sales, franchisee fees, area development fees, and royalty fees paid by the franchisees. 84. 9% of revenue is accounted to direct restaurant sales and 10.8% to royalty fees from the franchisees. Royalty and advertising fee revenue is calculated on the sales amount reported by the franchisees on a weekly basis. Franchisee fee is realized when the company has assisted the setting up of the franchisee in terms of training, site location, equipment, structural design and operating guidance. The area development fee is applicable when a franchisee has been given the right to develop, own, and operate additional units of Black Yard Burgers outlets in certain geographical areas.Other revenue items include sale of proprietary food product to franchisees and payment from other vendors on volume purchase from the franchisees. The company’s operating strategy endorses a diverse menu that is not only fresh but also competitive with other food chains in terms of quality and pricing. The c ompany also emphasizes the restaurant design having a single drive-thru concept in integration with an indoor dining area. Training and supervision of franchisee and company operated restaurant staff is given due priority to meet the goals of a prompt, friendly and efficient customer service.Growth strategy model The company growth strategy focuses on increasing sales through good quality food and efficient service. Addition of dining rooms to create a pleasing ambience and a memorable dining experience, opening of more franchised outlets along with increasing number of company operated restaurants are synonymous to increased sales and revenue. Back Yard Burgers started with a small double drive through outlet catering to 120 to 140 cars per hour generating sales of $600 per hour at peak times.The concept was widely popular and within a year the company saw growth in number of outlets using the franchisee model. The success of the franchisee model was mainly due to the low startup c ost and seen as an attractive investment option. The setting up of a franchisee on leased land and a building structure required an investment of $260,000 to $400,000 as compared $1 million investment for franchisee of other reputed fast food brands. Back Yard Burgers maintain a dedicated staff for training and assisting the opening of new franchisees and supervising the franchisee operations.The team helps in monitoring and assessing the quality of food being served, cleanliness of the restaurant, and the service efficiency. They ensure strict adherence to company guidelines and policies. The team sends a report to the franchisees with their observations and in case of any lapses in any area the suggestions to overcome these shortcomings are also given. This strategy keeps the company updated with all facts and ensures an overall supervision over all its franchisees. The company enters into a 10-year agreement with the franchisees that is renewable for a fee of $500.The key to succ ess in the franchisee model is uniformity. The uniformity of outlets in terms of design, color-coding, logo, style, menu, and quality is extremely important. Customers are drawn to known brands and the uniformity of the outlets assures them of the brand and quality of service. The franchisee strategy spells success and but with ever changing market trends and rising competition managing this strategy is getting tougher. Market Competition Back Yard Burgers faces stiff competition from three major brands that have gained acceptance and popularity among the masses.Burger King, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s are the biggest competitors that Back Yard Burgers has to face today. The global recognition of the McDonald’s brand and its universal presence makes it one of the biggest challenges that Back Yard Burgers face. The visibility of the McDonald’s has spread to such an extent that even toddlers recognize Ronald McDonald. The success of McDonald’s encouraged others to tap this huge market in the fast food industry. This saw a rise in number of fast food outlets in the country.Wendy’s and Burger King are also growing brand names that have given stiff competition to fast food giants like McDonald’s. Their success is attributed to their marketing strategy that involves deep market penetration and brand recognition among children and adolescent who form a large chunk of the consumer base. Back Yard Burgers face stiff competition from supermarkets and convenience stores too that offer the consumers take out meals and discount stores like Wal-Mart too pose a challenge to the company. The home delivery system introduced by companies like Dominos is also eating away the market share of the company.So what are competitive forces that the Back Yard Burgers face? †¢ The brand popularity and image recognition of the McDonald’s trademark logo and character in the form of Ronald McDonald that has become iconic in the fast f ood industry. †¢ The training of personnel in the hamburger industry given by McDonald’s that has provided a new career avenue for the youngsters. †¢ The innovation in the menu and product offerings by Wendy’s targeting the matured consumer base. †¢ The penetration of market segments by Pizza Hut, Dominos, cafeterias, and coffee joints.†¢ The introduction of home delivery system of pizzas by Dominos. †¢ The option available to the consumers with take-away meals from convenience stores. †¢ The widespread openings of discount stores like Wal-Mart. These are some of the major competitive challenges faced by the company. A look into the strategies of big brands like McDonald and Wendy’s highlights the importance of branding. It is the force of a strong brand presence that drives the consumer taste and preference. Brands create a consumer expectation with their consistency and uniformity of service and quality.Strong brand awareness corr elates with loyal consumer base and increased revenues in the fast food industry. An effective strategy to achieve this goal is the company logo that portrays the company’s image in the consumer minds. In the initial stages Back Yard Burger had managed to capture the consumer interest with its homemade burgers and sandwiches. Consumers came back for more of the great taste and quality of food being served to them. As part of its expansion strategy, Back Yard Burgers had entered into a Development Agreement with the YUM! Brands Inc., for sub licensing of the Back Yard Burgers concept and trademarks in the year 2002. YUM! Brands were given the right to open ten Back Yard Burgers outlet as part of multi brand units with Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC. But this agreement fell through and further discussions were terminated. Lattimore M. Michael, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Back Yard Burgers, had stated on this development, â€Å"While we are disappointed with today's developments, we are optimistic about the future of the segment of the quick-serve restaurant industry that seeks to provide premium food and service.We will continue to focus on our principal growth strategy of setting our restaurants apart from other fast-food competition by serving freshly prepared, great tasting food comparable to that of the best full-service casual dining restaurants. † SWOT Analysis An elementary step to analyze the company’s strategies and policies is to assess the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats that are faced by the company. A SWOT analysis can provide the framework for identifying and analyzing the company’s opportunities and future course of action to achieve the marketing goals.The strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats for Back Yard Burgers is identified in the subsequent paragraphs. Strengths: †¢ Home cooked quality of hamburgers and other products offered on the menu that the consumers fe el worth the money to pay for. †¢ Cleanliness of the restaurant premises and fast efficient service by the staff. †¢ Rapid expansion strategy using the franchisee concept to tap the regional markets. †¢ Strict control of the over the franchisee operations and management right from the site selection to establishment and starting up of the restaurants.†¢ Well-trained and experienced staff committed to training and assisting the franchisees as part of company franchise program. †¢ Black Angus Beef Burgers charbroiled and grilled to perfection with variety of toppings is one of the USPs of the company. Weakness: †¢ Declining market share with other big brands playing a dominant role. †¢ Weak brand positioning and brand awareness †¢ Low control over franchisees at later stages of operation †¢ Slow growth of revenue Opportunities †¢ Brand development and brand positioning – creating an awareness among the consumers†¢ Tapping t he overseas market †¢ Promoting healthy alternatives to attract the health conscious segment of the consumer base. Threats: †¢ Competition from big brands and other upcoming eateries and joints †¢ Growing awareness of the consumers to healthy eating habits Advertising and Promotion Strategy Since the inception of the company’s first outlet in Cleveland, Mississippi in the year 1987, Back Yard Burgers depended mostly on the word of mouth publicity to spread awareness and promote its home cooked burgers.New outlets that opened in the subsequent years expanded not only the company’s consumer base and revenue but also stressed the need for aggressive marketing strategy to sustain the increased cost of operations. Back Yard Burgers started advertising on the television in the year 1993. The initial advertising campaigns were titled â€Å"the great burger wars† that took a punch at the competitors. In June 1994 the company launched a series of campaigns that featured Dennis R. Phillipi, a popular comedian in Memphis who soon became famous as Dennis the â€Å"Back Yard Burgers Guy†.The commercials projected the burgers as bigger, tastier, and healthier than those offered by the competitors due to its grilled cooking method that melted most of the fat. The advertising campaigns were effective in increasing sales and raising the revenue by 10 to 15%. Launch of new products and subsequent commercials on the television featuring Dennis Phillipi was an effective strategy. The company used the audio of these commercials in radio advertising that was cheaper. In addition the company also used direct mail advertising.The company collects 1% of taxable sales from each franchisee and company-operated restaurants that goes to the national advertising fund. 50% of this fund is utilized for marketing promos through various channels like radio, television, and print media. The rest 50% is used for market research, new product testing, and development, improvising on the operational front. The company’s marketing director monitors product launch and new restaurant opening promotions and marketing managers with a well-trained staff.The management works in collaboration with the franchisees towards advertising and promotion of its restaurants. The advertising fee earned by the company increased from $314,000 in July 1, 2006 period to $318,000 in June 30, 2007 period. The $4000 increase over the earlier period is accounted to the 1% of sales that goes to the national advertising fund as per company policies. The company also recorded an increase in the advertising expense from $668,000 in the July 1, 2006 to $814,000 in June 30, 2007 that attributes to approximately 5% of the net restaurant sales on advertising in the past year.(see annexure for the comparative income statements). The company has been stressing on the advertising and promotion strategy but it has not been very effective. There are some important points that can be highlighted in this respect. †¢ The company has not been able to create brand loyalty and brand awareness in spite of good quality products and effective marketing strategy. This could be attributed to low brand visibility. This can be remedied with aggressive market campaigns that aim at the younger generation since this is the biggest consumer segment for the fast food industry.Strategies that aim for deeper market penetration, fun logo that people can relate to enjoyable food and moments are essential for brand positioning. â€Å"Fun logo† is a concept that the consumers can equate with good times. The simple logo of McDonald’s is easily identifiable and children and youngsters can spot it from a distance – this is one of the best examples of effective brand positioning. †¢ The other concept that the Back Yard Burgers can adopt is the use of bright color-coding for their outlets and the signboards.A bright color scheme attracts th e younger generation and gives it an inviting look. The uniformity in look and feel of the franchisee restaurants and the other company-operated restaurant is essential to make an easily identifiable picture in the consumer minds. †¢ In running a successful brand promotion campaign the essential point is to identify the consumer segment. Who are the consumers and the target focus group for this chain of restaurants? The children and adolescents who form a major chunk of the consumer group typically favour the fast food industry.The working people segment is another segment that will stop by for fast and filling food in their office hours. Fast service food is ideal meal for this segment. Campaigns attracting these two segments will create brand awareness and spell higher revenues for the company. †¢ Last but not the least the quality of food and service efficiency is the crux of the fast food industry. A good and satisfying meal will have the consumers returning for more. The satisfied and happy customer will not only promote brand loyalty but will have high recommendations regarding the food and service to their friends and families.This is the greatest form of publicity that a fast food outlet can expect. External factors affecting the fast food industry There are a number of external factors that have a deep impact on the sales and revenue earnings of the fast food chains. The changing demographics, shift in consumer taste and preference, eating habits, increase in cost of supplies and labor, economic condition of the geographical area in which the outlets are located – all these are some of the factors that affect the profitability of the business. Pricing strategyFamilies and individuals in the higher income group are most frequent visitors to the fast food restaurant. The disposable income plays an important role in determining consumerism in this sector. The prices on the menu card is not so important when it comes to catering to high d isposable income group. But that restricts the customer base and may not be an ideal situation for the company. Today’s lifestyle has incorporated the fast food industry into its daily schedule. The Wendy’s or the McDonald’s have menu cards that suit the pocket of the low-income segment group too.Recently McDonald’s had introduced the Dollar Menu where all items cost $1 only. It was a runaway hit with the teenagers and youngsters. The variance in price has enabled McDonald’s to attract customers from all segments. In response to this pricing strategy Wendy’s and Burger King also introduced low priced meals to suit the pocket of all segments. Back Yard Burgers on the other hand have higher priced burgers at $3. 59. The premium priced menu card has not found acceptance with all consumer segments but the management does not want to compromise on the price of the products.It believes that in terms of quality of the food items the prices are reas onable. Back Yard Burgers wanted to distinguish itself from the cutthroat competition in the industry with premium quality products. The management strategy holds good in terms of quality and service but is it good enough for the survival of the company? A look at the sales figures for the past 3 years gives an indication of the sales and revenue trend. Consumer taste and preference The ever changing taste buds and increasing changes in lifestyle of the consumer has kept the fast food industry on their toes.Rising mobility, increasing number of women joining the workforce and hectic schedules leave very little time for a home cooked meal. The need for faster options in food and service was felt that led to the tremendous growth in the fast food industry. Quick serve burgers, pizzas and sandwiches accompanied by French fries and coke became the ideal meal for the average Americans. A diet rich in fat and sugar attracted the consumers in plenty. This resulted in obesity and a disease prone society. Diabetes, heart problems were some of the impacts that the cheesy diet had on the consumers.Lawsuits were filed against some major players in this field like McDonalds for the growing obesity among children and adolescents. This awakened the consumers of fast food and they realized the necessity for healthy alternatives. Health conscious consumers are more alert of what they eat and how it can affect them. The industry witnessed a radical change in consumer taste and preference. This brought about a sharp decline in revenues for the fast food industry. The fast food chain operators brought about a change in their strategy by adding salads, fruits, and soups to the menu cards.Low calorie burgers and sandwiches are offered in addition to the regular menu items. This offers the customers with choice to healthier meal options. Back Yard Burgers has also adapted to the changing consumer preference by adding nutritious salads and milkshakes to their menu card. Introduction of grilled charbroiled burgers that claim lesser fat and lower calories have attracted the consumer interest and taste. Healthier and tastier alternatives in food items prepared with fresh ingredients are the strategic point of Back Yard Burger’s customer service.This has not only earned it a good reputation among the loyal consumers who return for more of the great quality food and taste but has also strengthened its market position. But the fast food industry cannot ensure consumer loyalty since the interest of consumers is flickering. They always want to try something new and better variety of options in food that they consume. To serve the changing tastes of the consumer and maintain their interest the restaurant needs to constantly make changes to its menu card by adapting to their taste buds.Back Yard Burgers should keep this mind while formulating their operating strategy. With more fast food companies offering a wide range of products and services, Back Yard Burgers s hould also draft changes to its existing operating structure. One way of achieving this objective would be to combine the essential features of both fast food and full service restaurants. A menu card that features in a regular full service restaurant integrated with fast food service will work wonders for the company – boosting sales and revenue with an increasing consumer base.Event catering and home delivery service could also open newer avenues for the company. Manpower Issues The fast food industry is a labor driven sector. It has an extensive requirement of manpower to serve the increasing flow of consumer traffic at the outlets. Skilled labor with fast pace of work is the basic requirement for this job. It is mostly youngsters who are eligible for this job but it can be stressful and at times hazardous. This industry requirement for long hours of duty, on the toe at all times and attentive to the needs of the customer is quite an uphill task.There is no doubt that the emergence and growth of this industry sector has solved the unemployment problem to a great extent. Many youngsters have found a living in this industry but the pay packages earlier were not very attractive. The pay scales have no doubt improved now but the work conditions remain almost the same. The Back Yard Burgers currently employ over 10,000 people throughout their chain of restaurants. Each restaurant employs around 25 employees, of which some are part timers. A company-operated restaurant has a unit supervisor and two co-unit supervisors.Each unit supervisor reports to the district manager. A district manager has about five to eight restaurants in their supervision. Their role constitutes of keeping tabs on all aspects of operations and management of the restaurants in their jurisdiction. Each of these district managers’ report to the Director of Operations. The company endorses strict training and personnel development strategy. All personnel have to go through a pers onnel-training program on fast friendly and efficient customer service, restaurant cleanliness, and proper management of day-to-day operations.The employees have to go through classroom sessions that brief them about aspects of food safety, sanitation, laws, and regulations related to the food industry and operational aspects of restaurant. The company envisages labor to be a critical factor in the coming years since the opportunities have increased manifolds. The demand for skilled labor is rising and this will lead to higher wages and compensation packages. Managing and retaining quality workforce in this industry will be a little difficult task and the key to effective manpower management is to keep the employees happy and satisfied with their jobs.Financial Analysis The Back Yard Burgers has 183 restaurants – 44 company-operated and 139 franchisees as on June 30, 2007. The sales figures indicate total revenue of $12,610,000 as compared to last year sales figure of $11,695 ,000. Restaurant sales accounted for $10,688,000 that is a 10. 3% increase from last year figures of $9,686,000. Out of this 10. 3% increase of revenue, 6. 8% is attributed to the addition of two new company-operated restaurants till Jun 30, 2007 since July 1, 2006. The remaining 3.5% increase in the revenue from restaurant sales is from the existing restaurants. Statement of income for the period July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007 The statement of income shows a net income of $209,000 only for the current year as compared to $576,000 in the previous year. An increase in the general and administrative expenses and increased advertising expenditure accounts for the lower net income of the company. The annual turnover of the company in the year 2006 was $44,710,000 as compared to $41,000,000 in the year 2005. The company reported a 9% annual growth in sales.