Major Research Areas of Bioinformatics

Major Research Areas of Bioinformatics Engineering is a diverse discipline, which includes several different fields and different branches. One important branch of engineering is biomedical engineering that consists of the study and design of new technologies related to biology and medicine. The field of biomedical engineering is further divided into additional areas, one being bioinformatics.Bioinformatics is a special part of biomedical engineering that focuses mainly on the development and enhancement of approaches for the purpose of storing, retrieval, organization and analysis of different forms of biological data. The field includes the development of different software tools that provide biological knowledge and advancements. One major part of bioinformatics is research and thus we would discuss some of the major research areas of bioinformatics. Sequence analysis is a new and one of the most important research areas of bioinformatics.It is nothing but the study of the DNA and genome sequences of different organisms. The study of such sequences help in the comparison of genes and thus leads to the development of new approaches and new technologies for the development and use of genome sequences for different purposes and for the development of new species. These studies can even be used for the identification of causes and treatment options for genetic disorders. Evolutionary biology is another major research area that makes use of bioinformatics for further developments.Biology is no longer limited to theories and theoretical models and studies. Bioinformatics is used in different ways for calculating different aspects of biology, whether it is DNA sequencing or some other numbering. The research in computational evolutionary biology helps in examining the information related to different species and organisms that can be further used for the enhancement of the field into future developments. The study of protein expression is also a major research area for bioinformatics.The working of the human body or any other organism on earth is highly dependent on the way the proteins in their bodies work and function. Thus, an analysis of proteins present in the bodies of different organisms helps in better statistical and theoretical analysis. Cancer mutations are difficult to analyze and study but not for bioinformatics. The examination of the cancer mutations is one of the major research areas of bioinformatics and thus can slowly and steadily helps in the treatment of he currently incurable disease of cancer. This research area includes several things, starting from the study of tumor lesions to the mutants that can help in curing the disease. The research areas of bioinformatics are vast and include several different areas and fields. Comparative genomics, network and systems biology and high-throughput image analysis are some of the other research areas and these areas would continue to multiply in number with time. Reference link: h ttp://classof1. com/homework-help/engineering-homework-help

The Good Shepherd, John 10

Jesus, Our One True Shepherd Tuesday, October 30, 2012 Introduction Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus offers to those around Him, most specifically His Disciples, metaphors to help them understand who He is and what His purposes are. Jesus uses common phrases to illustrate His point. He does this twenty-three times in the Gospel of John Repeating important. He begins seven of those important statements with two exceptional words, â€Å"I AM†. These words illustrate his world-saving purpose.For example in John 6, Jesus makes the profound statement â€Å"I am the bread of life† right after feeding a huge crowd and speaking of Moses and the manna God gave from Heaven. Without the manna, the nation of Israel would not have survived their time in the desert. Later, in John 8 Jesus speaks of walking in light versus darkness, and makes the statement, â€Å"I am the Light of the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We know that a belief in Jesus allows us to walk in the light, to be out of the darkness of sin and death. By the time we reach chapter 10 in the Gospel of John, Jesus is going say again, twice, an â€Å"I AM† statement.The rest of this paper will focus on John 10:1-18. It is important however, to understand that what Jesus is doing in these verses is in the midst of a long line of hugely important moments between Him and those He came to save. In the tenth chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus makes two huge â€Å"I AM† statements. The first one Jesus speaks to is addressed in verses 1-10, and is spoken in vs. 7, â€Å"I AM the door of the sheep. † The second comes later in vs. 11, â€Å"I AM the good shepherd. † In John 10, the structure of the passage comes in two parts, yet concludes with one main theme, Jesus is our true Shepherd.The paper will take a look at the first part of the passage where Jesus talks about being the â€Å"gatekeeper†, and then will shift focus into what Jesus being the â€Å"Good Shepherd† means. While again, each could be looked at independently, the focus of this paper will be to demonstrate that each part works together to help Jesus’ followers then and people today understand what it means for Jesus to be the one true Shepherd. It is important to understand weight of each of the â€Å"I AM† statements that Jesus speaks in John 10. In order to gain a better understanding of the premise of Jesus as â€Å"Shepherd†, here are a few important things to note.First, sheep and goats were two of the most well known and spoken about animals in the Bible. Also, â€Å"sheep and goats require constant care, since they are practically defenseless† and such would require a Shepherd, someone to guard them, and provide a constant watch over them. So now, Shepherds became a pivotal part of God’s story. Shepherds not only tended to the feeding and providing of care for the sheep, they guarded and protected them against thieves and robbers. It was the Shepherd’s sole responsibility to care for and tend to his sheep – to make sure they were accounted for and maintained to the best of his ability.Second, even thought this is the first time in John that Shepherding is mentioned, the other Gospels also discus this ‘job’. It is also, as previously mentioned, seen a huge amount throughout the Old Testament. Think back to David or some of the great Prophets, like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, or Isaiah, and you find a vivid picture of what it means to be a Shepherd, one of the sheep, or part of the flock. In John Chapter 10, Jesus will identify Himself as a Shepherd, and the implications of this are great. Not only does Jesus speak about being the ‘gatekeeper’ of the sheep, He also says that he is the â€Å"Good Shepherd†.Both concepts help to illustrate Jesus’ purpose and one main idea, â€Å"Jesus is our one true Shepherd†. The Gatekeeper In the first part of the passage (John 10:1 -10), Jesus is going to identify Himself as the gatekeeper, the guard and protector of the sheep from thieves and robbers. To understand this properly, and to put the first part of this passage in context, we must go back to what the people would have understood as he said this, and why they would have understood its implications. Ezekiel 34 is the starting point for this analysis. The basic implication of Ezekiel 34 is the rebuking the false shepherds of Israel.Making note that one day He will gather the lost sheep and bring them to Himself, as promised. From Ezekiel, Verses 2, 4-5, and 11-12 â€Å"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, â€Å"Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? † 5 â€Å"They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. † 11 For thus says the Lord God, â€Å"Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 2 â€Å"As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. The idea of false or evil shepherds can also be found in Jeremiah 23: 2-5. 2Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: â€Å"You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds,† declares the Lord. â€Å"Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. 4â€Å"I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,† dec lares the Lord. What Jesus does by introducing the rightful gatekeeper in the first 10 verses of John is to open the door to Him being the true Shepherd for the sheep, His people.When looking at the passages in Ezekiel and Jeremiah, it is easy to see how the idea of false or evil shepherds was standard in this time. Up until this point, Jesus’ greatest adversaries had been the Pharisees, the ones who claimed to be the most righteous and Godly men around. They were the ‘gatekeepers’ to religious law and practice. They held the mandates and seemed to ultimately decide who was right, or â€Å"in† with the Father. The people also listened to them. They paid heed to everything the Pharisees said and did.When Jesus, in the opening verses of John 10 describes thieves and robbers, He is speaking to these individuals, and all the other leaders of the past that had led Israel astray. John 10:3 details how the doorkeeper recognizes the shepherd, and how the sheep hea r his voice and follow. This is such rich imagery. We may not value this as significant, because in the Western World most sheep are herded by a dog, or by the movement from a ranch hand from behind the flock. In the Near Eastern culture this is not the case. D. A.Carson describes it like this: â€Å"The Sheep listen to the shepherd’s voice†¦ Near-Eastern shepherds have been known to stand at different spots outside the enclosure and sound out their own peculiar calls, their own sheep responding and gathering around their shepherd. † Jesus is making a bold statement in verse 5 to say, â€Å"A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers. † Jesus is asserting that those who have come before Him, and who have pretended to be His people’s shepherds are nothing more than strangers.He shows that a time will be coming when He will call the names of those whom He loves, and they will know His voice, because they are already His. This moment links us directly to Jesus as Messiah – coming to save those who have been as scattered sheep. Only the one true Shepherd will call His sheep, and only then will the people hear the voice of the this Shepherd. Jesus being the ‘gatekeeper’ is so very important. So not only is the gatekeeper responsible for the sheep in the sense that he decides who will come and go from the fold, Jesus being the ‘gatekeeper’ or the ‘door’, is the means to eternal salvation.Only the one true Shepherd can be held responsible for those who come into the fold. In verse 7 Jesus makes the first â€Å"I AM† statement – He says, â€Å"I am the door of the sheep. † Not only now do the sheep recognize Him as the Shepherd, He now is their passage through the gate into the fold. Jesus points out again in verse 8 that those who came before Him were nothing but thieves and robbers, and that the sheep did not recognize them. The thieves and robbers were only out for their own interests (looking back to Ezekiel 34) and because of this, the sheep are eternally destroyed.But Jesus as the door to the fold, the gate itself, gives life, and does not take it away. Jesus as the one true Shepherd is the only door there is to the Father, the only true gate in which a sheep can enter into the fold. Up until this point, the passage has reflected on the Jewish nation. Jesus as â€Å"The Good Shepherd† will become an even bigger idea, also helping to verify Jesus as the one true Shepherd, and for all people. The Good Shepherd In this portion of the passage, Jesus makes several important claims about His role as the one true Shepherd of the flock.In the earlier verses, this same idea was true, but only for a certain subset of people. As we look through the following portion of the text we will see how Jesus is â€Å"The Good Shepherd† for all, and therefore is the one true Shephe rd of the flock. Right away, John points out something crucial to the passage, and that hints to earlier parts of the passage. He opens up by saying this: â€Å"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. â€Å"He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. This mention of a hired hand again points to those who came before Jesus, who were even there at that time, pretending to be Israel’s shepherds. They, the religious leaders and Pharisees were nothing but hired hands, looking after the sheep yes, but in the sight of danger, they would flee. The ‘hired hand’ cares much more for his own interest than the interests of his flock. We know Jesus to be the complete opposite, and He truly hits it home when He says that as The Good Shepherd, not only will He protect His sheep, He will die for them.Only the one true Shepherd would do that for His sheep. The next portion of the text is also monumental in meaning when it comes to Jesus being the one true Shepherd. Right after Jesus emphasizes that He will know His sheep and His sheep will know Him, He makes a gesture not only to those who already know Him, but also to those who have yet to know Him. From John 10:16, â€Å"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. The significance of this moment in scripture is profound.Jesus states here that He is the One who will bring all to the fold. That no longer will there be a division between Jews and Gentiles, but that there will only be one flock, with the one true Shepherd. Many times throughout the New Testament this same grand gesture is given to the Gentiles. See Galatians 3: 26-29: â€Å"26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were bapti zed into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 9And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. † This moment says exactly this! Jesus is the one true Shepherd, fulfilling a long foretold promise that He and He alone will bring ALL the sheep into the fold and He will be the only Shepherd. The final portion of this text helps us to understand more clearly who â€Å"The Good Shepherd† is. As The Good Shepherd, Jesus makes some declarations about who He is in not only relation to His sheep but His Father, thus explaining His own sovereignty. Jesus’ life is not taken, it is given up by Him and Him alone.This is why God sent Him. The choice to watch over, guard, protect, and call-in His sheep was the plan, the plan of a great and sovereign Shepherd, who had to give His l ife so that His sheep could live, so that they could go through the gate. Jesus was not forced to be The Good Shepherd, the one true Shepherd, He choose to do this willingly. Conclusion Throughout the first 18 verses of John 10, John helps us to understand the implications and simple delight that Jesus is our one true Shepherd. He does this first by helping us to see Jesus as the â€Å"gatekeeper† or the â€Å"doorway† through which we enter into life eternal.John also tell us of the personal relationship that a Shepherd has with his sheep, and likewise that Jesus has with each of His sheep – He knows them, and they know Him. Furthermore, John points out that there have been and will probably always continue to be, false or evil shepherds that come like thieves or robbers in the night to try and steal or sway the sheep. But in regards to the text, the sheep shall not worry, but rather hear the voice of the true Shepherd and follow Him. The second portion of the text discusses the sovereignty of the one true Shepherd.Jesus, by choice is The Good Shepherd, and subsequently came to be the one true Shepherd for all. By His choice to lay down His life for all of His sheep, we are able to enter into the fold where He will reign as our Shepherd for eternity. If another shepherd offered this same promise, or was able to, then Jesus would not be The Good Shepherd, He would simply be like the rest before Him – thankfully this is not the case. The verses in John 10: 1-18 clearly demonstrate that Jesus is our one true Shepherd, by means that He is not only The Good Shepherd, but also the â€Å"door† that we must come through to have eternal life.There are some implications that come from knowing this. As followers of Christ in the modern age, we are prone to listen to other shepherds – often times even letting ourselves run and follow after other voices. It is in fact shameful how easy and accustomed we have become to listening to the other voices, which try and replace our one true Shepherd. We find it easier to place our faith in the hands of those hired and not the One high above. We become attuned to religious practice and not the stillness of the green pasture that He leads us to.We become fixated on practice and not righteousness, letting ourselves adhere to the rules put in place, rather than the standard in which the fold was formed. We forget that our one true Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep – doing this so that they might be able to live a life, which with Him alone is full. Knowing that Jesus is the one true Shepherd also helps us to know how to be good shepherds to those around us. It helps us to better understand how to tend to the flocks that we are a part of. It helps us to understand how to love on the weak and care for those who wander.Finally, it helps us to understand the importance of truly knowing our flocks. As is found later in John, Jesus commands of those who truly l ove and follow Him – â€Å"feed My lambs,† â€Å"love My sheep,† and â€Å"tend My sheep. † The one true Shepherd offers this for us, and in turn we are to offer it, as He has commanded us, to all. Jesus is our one true Shepherd, and the Shepherd of all. Sited Works: 1. The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB 2006. The Gospel of John, pg. 1557 2. The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB 2006. The Gospel of John, pg. 1564 3. Mattingly, G. L. (2000). Shepherd. In D. N. Freedman, A. C. Myers & A. B. Beck (Eds. , Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible (D. N. Freedman, A. C. Myers & A. B. Beck, Ed. ) (1208). Grand Rapids, MI: W. B. Eerdmans. 4. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Eze 34:11–12). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 5. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Je 23:2–4). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 6. D. A. Carson (1991) The Gospel According to John, Pg. 382 7. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 10:5). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 8. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 10:11–12). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 9. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 995 (Jn 10:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 10. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Ga 3:26–29). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB 2006. The Gospel of John, pg. 1557 [ 2 ]. The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB 2006. The Gospel of John, pg. 1564 [ 3 ]. Mattingly, G. L. (2000). Shepherd. In D. N. Freedman, A. C. Myers & A. B. Beck (Eds. ), Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible (D. N. Freedman, A. C. Myers & A. B. Beck, Ed. ) (1208). Grand Rapids, MI: W. B. Eerdmans. [ 4 ]. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Eze 34:11–12).LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. [ 5 ]. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 19 95 (Je 23:2–4). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. [ 6 ]. D. A. Carson (1991) The Gospel According to John, Pg. 382 [ 7 ]. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 10:5). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. [ 8 ]. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 10:11–12). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. [ 9 ]. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 10:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. [ 10 ]. New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Ga 3:26–29). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

External and Internal Environmental Analysis Paper Essay

The purpose of the paper is to scan, â€Å"the internal and external environmental factors of AT&T internet access technologies for the consumer market. It further identifies and discusses the AT&T’s core competencies and sources of competitive advantage. Lastly, AT&T’s business model and its impact on the organizational performance† (UOP, 2013). AT&T uses the most common tool (i.e. SWOT analysis) to analyze its progress in the market and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunity and, threat. External environment analysis is important in determining the strategy that should be adopted by a business and internal environment analysis is critical to identify the core competencies of the business. External environment AT&T very well understands their competitors and external factors and hence, to better meet its customer needs, it formed the Broadband & Internet subsidiary. â€Å"The external environment consisting of all the conditions and forces that affect its strategic options and define its competitive situation† (Pearce & Robinson, 2013, p. 12). External environment can be broadly classified into three types: Remote, Industry and, Operating. 1. Remote environment consists of the forces like â€Å"economic, social, political, technological and ecological factors that originate beyond, and usually irrespective of, any single firm’s operating situation† (Pearce & Robinson, 2013, pg. 87). 2. Industry environment; â€Å"The general conditions for competition that influence all businesses that provide similar products and services† (Pearce, 2013, pg. 97). â€Å"Operating environment also called the competitive or task environment comprises factors in the competitive situation that affect a firm’s success in acquiring needed resources or in profitably marketing its goods and services† (Pearce, 2013). They also control a major portion of the Tier 1 backbone of the internet. Remote  Environment (RE): See more: how to write an analysis of a research paper With each environmental factor exerting its effect individually, the analysis in these three different kinds can be done separately. Some of the main remote environmental factor that affects AT&T are economic, political and technological factors. Economic factors affect because more and more consumers can afford excellent internet service in a good economy and, the number declines as the economy slows down. Political factors do affect the day to day functioning of the service and, regulation in the internet/ cable industry is very stringent. Any changes in the government policies/ regulations will directly or indirectly impact AT&T’s business and, consumers inflow. Technological factors also affect the company because there is always a need to adapt the latest technology in the industry. The ever changing technologies, apps, products and, services will alter consumer’s attitude and buying behavior. Industry Environment (IE): The IE factors that impact AT&T are buyer power, substitute availability and competitive rivalry. The internet users have increased dramatically in the recent years. Providing great service and technology requires a large investment, but when customer switches their internet carrier, it result in high loss (bad debt expense from this trend). While Time Warner and AT&T have attempted to combat, these losses by charging one month bill in advance. Though a huge amount was recovered before the customers were gone but didn’t guarantee, customer loyalty. New entries are always a threat, mainly if they provide services in rural areas, where AT&T is still trying to make a mark. Operating Environment (OE): The OE factors affecting AT&T are customers and creditors. With the slowed economy in the country, the â€Å"assessment of suppliers and creditors is critical to an accurate evaluation of a firm’s operating environment. Question like: Does the creditors fairly value and willingly accept the firm’s pricing strategy for the service AT&T provides? Do the creditors perceive the firm as having an acceptable record of past payment?† (Pearce, 2013, pg. 114). â€Å"Operational indicators, which measure performance in planning and implementing organizational strategies, are internal, and  external customer satisfaction, quality metrics, internal processes, internal innovation, and continuous improvement efforts tend to drive future financial performance† (Curtright, 2000). Internal analysis To analyze the internal environmental (IE) factors for AT&T, one will have to first identify the strength and weakness of the organization. AT&T is amongst the largest cable companies, serving every Fortune 1000 company, as well as neighborhood businesses around the country. â€Å"AT&T serves 17.8 million broadband customers, including wireline (DSL, U-verse High-Speed Internet and, Satellite) and wireless mobile broadband LaptopConnect subscribers† (att.com, 2015). AT&T’s services and competencies are well matched with their strength to meet the market needs. â€Å"The major internal environmental changes, or areas for change, that could be expected to impact AT&T include: Marketing: new product offerings, new technology and, market trends. Financial: ability to acquire other firms and, corporate resources, capital expenditure. Operations: network management and partner relationships. Personnel: key executive management positions.   Quality: integration of controls on projects, monitoring of quality, system modernization and, operational support systems. General Management: performance and strategic planning† (Delahunty.com, n.d.) The external environment factors that are being discussed cover most of the strengths of AT&T versus weaknesses. But addressing the ethical obligations and exceptions of the consumers will always help (Team’s feedback). Core Competencies and Resources â€Å"Core competence is a capability or skill that a firm emphasizes and excels in doing while in pursuit of its overall mission. Core competencies that differ from those found in competing firms would be considered distinctive competencies† (Pearce & Robinson, 2011). The basic resources include; tangible assets, intangible assets and,  organizational capabilities. Some of the tangible assets of AT&T are inventory, cash reserves. The financial resources and physical resources; property, plant and, equipment net. The assessed intangible assets at AT&T are its brand name, (Goodwill) reputation, trademarks, licenses, trade secrets and, copyright. All the resources available at AT&T are valuables, and they provide the customer needs better than other alternatives. The resources are scarce and drive a key portion of overall profit. This makes the service provided by AT&T sustainable over a long period, which help in making better strategic plan for the organization. Competitive position and possibilities â€Å"Distinctive competencies that are identified and nurtured throughout the firm, allowing it to execute effectively so as to provide products or services to customers that are superior to competitor’s offerings, become the basis for a lasting competitive advantage† (Pearce, 2013, pg. 164). AT&T stands strong and gives very tough competition in its current competitive position. â€Å"AT&T Government Solutions provides professional services so agencies can better serve their customers and meet mission object† (Pragmatics, 2007). AT&T’s pending acquisition of DIRECTV will give more customers more opportunities to enjoy their favorite movies, TV shows, music and, sports. â€Å"Final regulatory approval of the merger will enable the combined companies to deliver more content to customers across multiple screens – mobile devices, TVs, laptops, and the backseat displays of connected cars. It’s commitment to expand and enhance its deployment of high-speed Internet service to cover at least 15 million customer locations across 48 states – most of them in underserved rural areas† (att.com, 2015). Structure of the organization and how it affects organizational performance AT&T has departmentalization structure as seen â€Å"in the division of labor as well as the decentralized decision-making assigned to teams, it shows that the existing policies, rules and regulations are directory in nature.  Apparently, the chain of command in the business unit is rather limited to the team leaders and the Chief Operations Officer. Since the organizational structure is rather flat, the business faces the adverse attitude of the employees with reference to the change in the organization. This indicates that the informal structures of the organization tend to have a great influence on the actual behavior of the employees† (Management Paradise, 2011). Conclusion By focusing on the SWOT analysis (external and internal environmental factors), AT&T can identify its strengths, weaknesses, threats and, opportunities. This can help the company to improve its competitive position in the internet market that will in turn generate additional revenues. References AT&T. (2015). AT&T Company Information. Retrieved from http://www.att.com/gen/investor-relations?pid=5711 Coppola, J., Delahunty, S., & Keune, G. (n.d.). The Internet Connection War-AT&T Internet Services for Consumers, a Strategic Evaluation. Retrieved from http://www.delahunty.com/cv/paper_att.doc Curtright, J. W., Stolp-Smith, Steven. C., & Edell, E.S. (2000, January). Strategic performance management: Development of a performance measurement system at the Mayo Clinic. Journal of Healthcare Management, 45(1), 58. Management Paradise. (2011, February 2). Organizational Structure of AT&T. Retrieved from http://www.managementparadise.com/forums/human-resources-management-h-r/214644-organisational-structure-t.html Pearce, J.A. & Robinson, R. B. (2013). Strategic Management: Planning for Domestic and Global Competition (13th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Pragmatics, Inc. (2007). AT&T Government Solutions. Retrieved from https://ites-2s.pragmatics.com/metadot/index.pl?op=show&iid=223 1 UOP. (2013). External and Internal Environmental Analysis Instructions. Retrieved from https://newclassroom3.phoenix.edu/Classroom/#/contextid/OSIRIS:48364100/context/co/view/activityDetails/activity/df4da69c-3472-494d-952c-e99cc3619b2d/expanded/False/tab/Instructions

Can it be legalize of the sale of human organs Essay

Can it be legalize of the sale of human organs - Essay Example Thus, it is unnecessary for the sale of human organs to be legalized because it will lead to the loss of many lives. Organ donors, as well as families to the deceased donor, believe that they are obliged to benefit from the organs. However, the governments, brokers as well as hospitals are the ones that benefit from the organ donated by a deceased or a living donor. Thus, legalization of the selling of human organs will only benefit the rich few in the society. Additionally, it is evident that some people are involved in the illegal sale of human organs (This House Would Legalize, 2011). For instance, the Chinese hospitals involve themselves in the sale of the organs of the executed prisoners. From this assertion, it is evident that politics will influence the sale of the organs and, as a result, many people will be convicted and executed in order to meet the demands of the few in the society. Additionally, it is evident that many debtors will be abused by their lenders. It is possib le for the organ lenders to be taking part in the selling of the organs belonging to their debtors in order to quench their demands. Thus, it is crucial to the sale of human organs not to be

PROJECT MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT - Project Plan Assignment - 1

PROJECT MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT - Project Plan - Assignment Example The plan includes a project initiation document that explains the objective and the importance of this project. Thereafter a detailed work breakdown structure has been formulated explaining the entire task associated with the project. A staff plan as well as a budget plan has also been drafted in order to explain the management regarding the requirements of the project. A project schedule has also been prepared giving an estimate of the time required to bring the project to its conclusion. The project involves the implementation of various project management tools in order to ensure the feasibility of the project. Table of Contents Project Title 4 Responsibilities of the Project Manager 4 Project plan overview and critical assumptions 4 Project Initiation Document (PID) 4 Objective 5 Stakeholders 7 Internal Stakeholders 7 Work breakdown structure 8 8 Staffing plan 10 Role Requirements 10 Project Schedule 11 Budget plan 11 Quality management plan 12 Risk management plan 12 Communicati on management plans 13 Appendix 17 Project Title Development of customer services department of Shipkart.com Responsibilities of the Project Manager The project manager will be primarily responsible for the completion of the project. The individual working as the project manager will have the responsibility of supervising the project from its initiation phase through to its execution phase and then to its completion phase. The project manager, in close connection with the project sponsor will have to develop the business case. The project manager will be required to develop a feasible project plan that caters to identify the resources that is required for the fulfilment of a particular project. In addition to that the project manager will also manage the completion of the project in accordance with the project team. The individual is also responsible for reporting the status of the project to the higher authorities such as the project sponsor, the project advisory board and the top level management of the company. The individual will also direct his/her attention towards risk management of the project and escalation of issues which are detrimental to the life of the project and cannot be resolved by the project team thereby making sure that the project stays in schedule and is very well within the budget (Project Smart, 2013). Project plan overview and critical assumptions Project Initiation Document (PID) The project initiation document will give a comprehensive overview of the project plan based upon which the project will be authorized and thereafter permitted to progress. The documents will also serve as a foundation on the basis of which the project will be evaluated in terms of the delivery timescales associated with the project as well as the content and quality of the deliverables. In addition to that, the purpose of the project initiation document is to set forth the detail required to successfully carry out and control the project thereby facilitatin g communication between the stakeholders of the project. The project plan is a dynamic and expandable and is henceforth expected to change over time with the availability of more information regarding the project. Objective The

Genetic Analytical Report. exmamine the postive & negative effects of Essay

Genetic Analytical Report. exmamine the postive & negative effects of providing patrents with information - Essay Example Awareness of the genetic predisposition to diseases will trigger the notion of taking pro-active measures to ensure health safety in the public. Cooperation and encouragement of the government of Australia are some of the most fundamental requirements of this notion. This research report will generate useful information for a common man as well as for the government of Australia to some extent who will be able to use this information to make informed decisions while making the policies regarding the promotion or restriction of disclosing the genetic predisposition to diseases to people. Researchers hold the consensus that human genetic predisposition is the cause of most chronic diseases. In a vast majority of cases, it takes more than a single defective gene to cause the disease. Nevertheless, this remains a fact that genetic component is the most fundamental causal factor in a lot of common diseases experienced in adulthood including schizophrenia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and several congenital malformations that include but are not limited to neural tube defects, cleft lip, and cleft palate. This has conventionally generated a consensus among the doctors that many individual genes play a little yet considerable role in predisposing a person to a particular condition of genetics. Despite that, identifying the genes causing a particular disease is a very cumbersome target to achieve. In order to determine and sequence such a gene, it is imperative that the scientists are able to tell a gene that is equipped with the predisposing power for a specific disorder from the others. This raises a question for the scientists whether going through such a tough process is worth it when the information has mixed effects on the life of the individual whose genes are being assessed. Telling an individual that he/she carries a certain gene that caused an awful disease in his/her parents can be very overwhelming and stressful for the individual. On the other hand, kn owledge of the existence of a dangerous gene and the likelihood of acquiring the disease in the future gets very alarming for the individual and he/she is able to take preventive measures in time. Thus, informing the individuals about their genetic predisposition to diseases has both positive and negative outcomes. This research paper is directed at identifying the potential pros and cons of letting the people know their genetic predisposition to diseases. 1.1   Background and recent findings   In order to perceive the way of portrayal of genetics and the scientists’ role in it, popular media has been studied a number of times by different researchers (Condit, Ofulue, & Sheedy 1998; Henderson and Kitzinger 1999, Conrad 2001, Petersen 2001, and Bubela & Caulfield 2004). Other researchers have conducted in-depth analysis of the published editorials and journal articles with a view to examining the way developments in genetics have conventionally been recorded by the clinici ans and past researchers and what role they have played in advancing the field of genetics (Cunningham-Burley & Amos 1999). Editorials are one of the most fundamental sources of information about the portrayal of genetics. â€Å"Published in peer-reviewed journals, editorials allow leaders of the research and clinical communities to provide commentary on developments in science and clinical practice†

Mind and Body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Mind and Body - Essay Example Optimistic mind seems to create a successful physical presence or cure it off its illnesses. Similarly, there are a number of cases when the presence of a strong body influences the mind and it continues to exist healthily. The interaction between the mind and the body has been suggested to be supportive in nature.   The earliest of the theories was on Dualism, the separate existence of mind and body. The physical differentiation of the mind and the body was easily achievable. As Descartes points out (Wozniak, Robert H. 1995), by cutting of a part of the body, say a leg, the body is affected but there is no change in the way the mind works. This makes them isolated and hence, the mind and the body exist as separate entities. This theory of dualism was strengthened during the days of Descartes and in the 17th century when it branched out into material or substance dualism and property dualism. Cardemoy and, later, Malebranche furthered Cartesian dualism (Wozniak, Robert H. 1995). Ev ery thing physical according to them is extendable in the physical world. One can see what the other person is holding if it is physical. In case of the mind, what is owned by the other person is not known; so also the person's own mind. It is not known fully even to the person who has it. However, in the case of Cartesian dualism, it is taken that the mind does not occupy any space whereas the physical body would occupy space (Churchland, Paul M. 1988). Since it does not occupy space, one cannot realize what the other person holds. And the mind continues to be a mystery. In the case of popular dualism, the mind would interact with the physical world but what it is made of and what it is will continue to be a mystery. Property dualism on the other hand, visualizes the mind to be a byproduct of the physical world and a part of the evolutionary mechanism. Epiphenomenalism, proposed by Skinner (1971), looks at the mind as a part of the evolutionary development of the human being. He al so proposed that mind will not be able to cause any physical change by itself. Whereas the other proponents of the property dualism argue that the mind can cause physical effect. This is reflected in a number of phenomenon of psychomotor effects to prove the point. While in the later eighteenth century and early nineteenth centuries, the Monism was proposed and discussed. While Monism essentially falls under two main categories, there are a number of sub-categories within them. Materialism viewed the entire world as a material object. This included the mind and the body as well. They both worked in sync with one another and one evolved from the other as a process. Whereas in the case of idealism, everything is controlled by the mental behavior of the people! Reality is made up of the spiritual forces and these forces are the ones that will push every action in the material world. Mind control physical power and mind can move it without the help of the physical power. In the nineteen th century, the epiphenomenon was proposed by Hodgson (1870) to further the idea that the mind and the body are inseparable; the mind cannot have a physical significance.  

Human resources FSLA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human resources FSLA - Case Study Example There are exemptions of compensation of the extra hours by the Act, meaning that not all employees are appropriate for compensation by the Act. The worker in this case is eligible for compensation of the overtime hours by the employer under the Act. From the scenario, there was denial for the employee’s appeal for compensation by the department. The department claims to have a policy where they do not consider overtime where an employee is on duty during his off duty hours (Calvasina et al, 2010). Conversely, the worker works for extra hours so that he is able to keep to the standards of his job description of top physical conditioning. The extra hours by the worker, area benefits the company too, because during the overtime hours the employee works for the good of the employee, and not for his own bosom (Calvasina et al, 2010) There are no legal exemptions by the Act against the employee in this scenario, so the department should compensate him (Costa, 2000). The Act vividly expounds overtime hours as time that one works when there are no authoritative directions from the employer to do so. The employee in this case toils for not certified operational extra hours; therefore, the employee should get his compensation from the employer. (Scott, 2010) Employers can shun FLSA claims by guaranteeing that they consult with the human resource team to ensure that they comply with the requirements by the Act (Calvasina et al, 2010). This entails making sure that there is the proper classification of all employees, to know whether the law excludes the worker. The employee does this by asking some questions relevant to the Act and carrying out tests where there is no clarification about the exemption status (Costa, 2000). The human resource department should ensure that they explain to the employees about the Act so that they avoid scenarios where the employees state to have claims, whereas there is none (Scott, 2010). Employers do

Benchmarking for Air Export Procedure in Thailand Literature review

Benchmarking for Air Export Procedure in Thailand - Literature review Example Six sigma a. Advantages of Six Sigma b. Disadvantages of six Sigma iv. Benchmarking a. Advantages of benchmarking b. Disadvantages of benchmarking v. conclusion Introduction Air transport is one of the most advanced and heavily relied means of transport not only by the developing but also the developed countries. An efficient air transport will smooth the progress of both economic growth and development of any country. In order to promote the export trade and consequently improve the rate of economic growth, Thailand will have to perform the expected duties in improving the statures of its infrastructures in order to be in the same standard as other developed economies or meet the international standard. Through business process improvement, Thailand will be able to approach its fundamental progression more analytically in order to accomplish more proficient results in air export. This article will look at some of the business process improvement tools, that Thailand can incorporate in it air export in order to realize the best results. Advantages of BPI in terms of supply chain and logistics performance Business process improvement is a methodology that allows business to approach its processes more analytically in order to achieve more dexterous results. According to Frazelle (2002, P.234) the strategy is applicable not only to the manufacturing companies but also to the service offering corporations. Among the positive consequences that can ensue as a result of incorporating the BPI with both supply chain and logistic performance as articulated by Christopher (2005, P.67) is the fact that BPI will to a big deal enhance the system of association by the stakeholders involved in moving products or services from the supplier to customers to be approached more systematically in order to realize more exemplary results. Lambert (2008,P.345) echoes similar sentiments to those of Christopher by claiming that through BPI, some logistic services could be outsourced and in the process leads to increased and better performance. Literature review Business process improvement Tools Business process improvement (BPI) tools are methodologies that permit people to develop into being more proficient in their processes. Through employing BPI tools in its undertaking, a business can recognize its weak points and recover its operational effectiveness. Among the BPI tools that are commonly utilized by many business organization include; 1) .Risk assessment analysis This particular tool entails identifying and at the same time trying to reduce or mitigate risk or chances of a risk taking place in the process (Harrington, 1991p.176). According to the same author, this particular tool is a proactive methodology that endeavors to avoid chances of risk being created from the process. Harrington (1991p.176) further remarks that the tool goes a long way in enabling the process to be perfected by doing things right rather than seeking to the right thing. In his argu ment Harrington observes that risk assessment analysis do not only act as way of warning the management of an impending risk but also try to reduce the chances of such a risk hindering the improvement process of the business process. Advantage of risk assessment analysis I. Through this tool the company or organization is relieved inconveniences that could have accrued as a result of the risk being created I the process. This cost could have been associated with means of eradicating them, which to a great extent may entail

Crew Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Crew Resource Management - Essay Example This is done for the purpose of problem solving and for efficient decision making. In the same context, the interpersonal skills refer to the behaviours, communication skills and activities which occasionally or frequently relate to the technical attributes. Moreover, these are limited to the multi crew equipment or aircraft, when spoken in terms of aviation. They are also in relation with the single operator aircraft and equipments as they have to communicate with other crafts invariably so that the ultimate mission is accomplished (O'Connor, 2008). The recruitment and training under crew resource management has been developed and introduced by the organizations involved in aviation business. These include military aviation and major airlines. Hence, the crew resource management recruitment and training and has been made mandatory all over the world. It is mandated for commercial pilots and military pilots as well. Discussion The importance of crew resource management is mentioned i n many researches and has been attributed for preventing numerous events in the past. This system is well designed and properly monitored throughout organizations. The health care system owes a great deal to the crew resource management as numerous flights require paramedical staff for coping with medical mishaps (Morey, 2003). History of crew resource management The cabin and flight crew in the present world are significantly different from the ones that existed in the commercial aviation business years back. In those days the captain of an airplane was always considered the right one and his decisions were never questioned. Other pilots on the aircraft never doubted the decision making abilities of the... The main focus of this paper was to learn and document the different aspects of crew resource management. The assignment also focuses on discussing the different crucial elements of this system and its implementation health care system. Special attention has been given to the implications of this system in paramedical practice in aviation system. The elements of communication, assertion, teamwork, leadership and decision making are not only important in the prevention of human errors in the cockpit but also in the reduction of medical conditions. These medical conditions can be life-threatening. Hence, the role of a paramedical practitioner is very important in the aviation system. The in-depth understanding of crew resource management and its implementation in regular practice is important for all the health care workers. This report makes a conclusion that communication plays an important role in the encouragement of multiculturalism, authority and teamwork. It enhances the main objectives of crew resource management such as self awareness, situational awareness, assertiveness, leadership skills, innovation, flexibility, assertiveness, decision making, event management, adaptability and mission analysis. Communication is also involved in the analysis of the disagreements between situations and events. The communication strategy can be implemented by teaching team members how to listen to each other, talk to each other, acknowledge feelings and be assertive. The administration has to take part in this regard

The Handmaids Tale Essay Example for Free

The Handmaids Tale Essay This book is a depiction of an anti-utopian future society, along with others like 1984 and Brave New World. It combines a futuristic reality, feminism and politics to create a very detailed novel considering many different aspects of Gilead. Offred is the complex lead character who draws us into the seemingly perfect but corrupt world of Gilead. Her pain is experienced by the readers who long to remember exactly what she has forgotten, and what she wants to find out. The experiences she goes through are strange, sometimes outright bizarre, and her world comes crashing down on us. The Handmaids Tale is very thought-provoking, the future of women and indeed the world lies in the actions of todays society, and Atwood uses her perceptions of the present world to support the background of her novel. Altogether The Handmaids Tale offers what all novels should: love, loss, action, comedy (ironic, but appropriate) vision, and plot. It plays with all emotions. Time In The handmaids tale (THT) the use of time is a key feature. Frequently throughout the book we experience time changes, from the present oppressive situation, and to the past of the handmaids, a happier time. In the gymnasium, time is used in reference. The narrator refers to a time gone, where the gymnasium was used for things other than sleeping. Dances would have been held there there was old sex in the room. There is reminiscence of the narrator; they call upon personal observations and experiences from the time gone by I remember that yearning. Later in the first chapter it becomes clear that the narrator, experienced the handmaids experience when she remembers how things were for her, when she slept in the army cots in the gymnasium as we tried to sleep in the army cots she uses words such as we had, then, were which all indicate its past tense. This usage of time goes on in the novel and is a way in which the writer can convey the feeling that the current situation has not always been that way, and that once this oppression didnt exist. As you read the opening chapter, the tone of the text comes across as sad, as reminiscent, as a longing for the times gone by, and a desire to return there. From reading the text, it becomes clear to me that this phantom narrator learned from her experience that she presumably had in Gilead, she learned the talent to be insatiable; she obviously didnt have it when she arrived how did we learn it, that talent for insatiability? The narrator of the text is left as something of a mystery to the reader. A name is never mentioned, but the text reads as if its somebody who is thinking back on their personal experience. This is somebody who has been there, experienced the oppression, had a yearning, this tells me that its being told by somebody who once was a Handmaid, I am sure they were a handmaid as they were being watched by Aunts and sleeping en mass in Gilead. If this person was a handmaid then surely they were a woman, I also think this because the language is quite emotional and emotive we yearned for the future.

Equations of Motion Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Equations of Motion Worksheet Essay 1. A car moving at a velocity of 25 m/s, accelerates at a rate of 6 m/s2. Find its velocity after 3s. 2. An object is dropped from rest. Calculate its velocity after 2.5s if it is dropped: a. On Earth, where the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8m/s2. b. On Mars, where the acceleration due to gravity is 3.8m/s2. 3. A motorbike is travelling with a velocity of 3m/s. It accelerates at a rate of 9.3m/s for 1.8s. Calculate the distance it travels in this time. 4. A Tesla Roadster car accelerates from rest at a rate of 7.1m/s2 for a time of 3.9s. Calculate the distance it travels inn this time. 5. A bullet accelerates at a rate of 90,000m/s2 from rest. Calculate its velocity if it travels a distance of 0.5m while accelerating. 6. An aircraft is travelling along a runway at a velocity of 25m/s. It accelerates at a rate of 4m/s2 for a distance of 750m before taking off. Calculate its take-off speed. 7. A car is travelling at a speed of 21m/s. It accelerates at an average rate of 3m/s2 for a time of 4 seconds. Find the distance it travels. 8. A car accelerates at a rate of 10m/s2 for a time of 4s. It reaches a speed of 52 m/s. Calculate its initial speed. 9. A bullet is at rest. It travels a distance of 0.34m in a time of 0.0095 seconds. Calculate its acceleration. 10. A falcon is diving at a speed of30m/s. It accelerates at a rate of 40m/s2 and reaches a speed of 100m/s. Calculate the distance it travels during its acceleration. 11. A snail is at rest. It accelerates at a rate of 0.00075m/s2. Calculate the time it takes to reach a speed of 0.0135m/s. 12. A blue shark accelerates at a rate of 16m/s2 for a time of 0.8s. During this time it travels a distance of 11.52m. Calculate its initial speed. 13. A car is travelling at a speed of 30m/s. It decelerates at a rate of 12m/s2. Calculate the time taken for the car to come to rest. 14. A stone is thrown vertically upwards. It decelerates at a rate of 9.8m/s2. It reaches a greatest height of 16.53m. Calculate its initial speed. 15. A rubber toy pops up to a maximum height of 2.51m. Find its initial velocity.

Chemicals in Disinfectants and Sterilants

Chemicals in Disinfectants and Sterilants Discuss the uses and modes of action of chemicals used as disinfectants and sterilants Disinfectants and sterilants have been available in a variety of forms for a great number of years. The pioneering work of Joseph Lister and Ignaz Semmelweis effectively opened the door to the range of chemicals that we have available today. Phenols (carbolic acid derivatives), mercuric chloride, chlorides, hypochlorites and iodine were the first major groups to be utilised. The quaternary ammonium compounds rose to prominence in the 1930s (Russell, A. D. 2002 [I]). The first detailed studies on the subject of mode of action were published by Cooper, who described the action of phenols as denaturing bacterial proteins as their main mode of operation (Cooper E A 1912) Knaysi expanded this work further by suggesting that the order of death amongst cells was determined by some form of resistance (Knaysi G 1930) and that this might be linked to the protein structure of the cell wall (Knaysi G et al. 1930). Further work on phenol suggested that resistance of E.Coli was the same at virtually any concentration of phenol (Jordan, R. C et al. 1944) and this lead to the development of the concept of specific enzyme inhibition. (Roberts, M. H et al. 1946) The term biocide is becoming more commonly used to describe the generic group. Russell (A D 2002 [II]) makes the comment that, until recently, two views permeated the field. One was that as long as they were effective, there seemed little merit in determining how they arrived at their inhibitory or lethal effects and secondly, that they were believed to act as protoplasmic poisons and, as such did not merit much attention. We will present evidence to dispute both of these views. Specific work on the mode of action of the biocides has been sporadic until comparatively recently. Gram-positive and -negative bacteria appear to have received the lion’s share of the research with less on the mycobacterium, less still on fungal and viral agents (Maillard, J.-Y et al. 1997), and few quality papers on the protozoa. (Turner, N. A et al. 1999). We know even less still on the ability of biocides to inactivate prions. (Taylor, D. M 1997). Because of the wide range of potential biocidal (and biostatic) agents, it is not possible to even begin to tackle the question of mode of action in this essay on any but the most general terms There are a number of current research issues such as the question of why it is that MIC’s of some cationic biocides such as chlorhexidine is similar for both mycobacterium and staphylococci yet they appear to possess low mycobacterium potency but are rapidly lethal to the staphylococci (Russell A D 1996) Current considered opinion is that the majority (if not all) cells are not killed by a disactivation of a single target enzyme by the biocide. (Hugo, W. B. 1999) Specific examples would be that enoyl reductase, (an enzyme involved in fatty acid synthesis) is totally inhibited by triclosan it is a combination of other intracellular disruptions that prove to be lethal to the cell. (Suller, M. T. E et al. 2000) A number of researchers have commented on the apparent similarities between the disinfectants and sterilants group and the antibiotic group in terms of their effect on bacteria. To give specific examples, filament formation in Gm-ve. Bacteria is induced by both antibiotics (eg. ß-lactams andfluoroquinolones) and biocides (eg.phenoxyethanol and chloroacetamide) (Ng, E et al. 2002). Equally we have mentioned the action of triclosan on enoyl reductase, but this enzyme is also inhibited by isoniazid. (McMurry, L. M et al. 1999). A third category of similarity would be that the cell autolysis observed with both the phenols and some mercuric compounds is apparently the same as the processes observed with exposure to penicillin. (Hugo, W. B. 1999). Other research groups (McKellar, R. C et al. 1996) have noted that exposure to some biocides can render a pathogen more susceptible to the action of antibiotics. It was postulated (although not proved) that this effect may be due to a structural change resulting in differing permeability in the cell wall of the microbe. (Morris, A et al. 1991) It is not intended to imply that because these mechanisms appear similar that they are actually the biochemically or physiologically the same. Further research is needed to clarify these points We have made comment on the apparent ability of some biocides to interfere with the integrity of the cell wall. In the case of the bacteria and fungi this may be a useful attribute to exploit, but it is a different matter in dealing with viral (and phage) vectors. The problem being that if the viral envelope which is usually derived from the host cell is damaged, then this can result in the liberation of intact viral nucleic acid which, in itself, may be infective. (McClure, A. R et al. 1992) If we consider one mechanism in some detail by way of an example, we could consider the action of chlorhexidine. This has been shown to produce a very rapid lethal effect ( about 20 seconds) in both E.Coli and Staph. Aureus. (Denyer, S. P. 1995). It has been shown to produce damage to the outer cell membrane, but this action does not directly cause cell death. (El-Moug, T et al. 1985) Chlorhexidine then crosses the damaged membrane by passive diffusion and causes leakage of the intracellular components. The cause of cell death is the inactivation of the intracellular constituents by protein denaturation of their controlling enzyme systems. This causes a further congealing of the cytoplasm and this reduces cellular leakage. This is the so-called biphasic mechanism of action of chlorhexidine. (Longworth, A. R. 1971). There was a suggestion that chlorhexidine bound and inactivated the membrane-bound ATPase. It thereby disrupts the membrane potential and this is thought to be the prime mechanism of cell death .(Barett-Bee, K et al. 1994) In conclusion, we have considered some of the mechanisms that are thought to be active in the bioactivity of disinfectants and sterilants. In doing so we should also consider the question of resistance. Many pathogens have efflux systems which can combat or eliminate biocides from their environment. These can work at comparatively low concentrations of the biocide. But it opens up the possibility of the development of biocide resistance in those cells which survive the initial exposure (possibly due to incomplete treatment or peripheral exposure to low concentrations of agent). This mechanism selectively favours the emergence of biocide-resistant pathogens. (Azachi, M et al. 1996) This issue has prompted calls for the rotation of disinfectants and sterilants in hospitals and elsewhere. (Benarde, M. A et al. 1967). The use of one disinfectant should ideally be replaced with another which has a completely dissimilar mode of action. This is one argument for the study of the mode of action of both disinfectants and sterilants. Other arguments for studying the mechanisms of action of the biocides are many, not least is the fact that the knowledge of the mechanism of how a particular biocide can exert its effect can lead to the selective development of new targeted compounds with greater efficiency. An example of this process is the development of ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA), which was specifically developed and adapted from â€Å"older† compounds. (Behr, H et al. 1994) References Azachi, M., Y. Henis, R. Shapira, and A. Oren. 1996.  The role of the outer membrane in formaldehyde tolerance in Escherichia coli VU3695 and Halomonas sp. MAC.  Microbiology 142:1249-1254 Barett-Bee, K., L. Newboult, and S. Edwards. 1994.  The membrane destabilizing action of the antibacterial agent chlorhexidine. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 119:249-254 Behr, H., M. E. Reverdy, C. Mabilat, J. Freney, and J. Fleurette. 1994.  Relation entre le niveau des concentrations minimales inhibitrices de cinq antiseptiques et la prà ©sence du gà ¨ne qacA chez Staphylococcus aureus.  Pathol. Biol. 42:438-444 Benarde, M. A., W. B. Snow, V. P. Olivieri, and B. Davidson. 1967.  Kinetics and mechanism of bacterial disinfection by chlorine dioxide.  Appl. Microbiol. 15:257-265 Cooper, E. A. (1912).  On the relationship of phenol and m-cresol to proteins: a contribution to our knowledge of the mechanism of disinfection.  Biochemical Journal 6, 362–87. Denyer, S. P. 1995.  Mechanisms of action of antibacterial biocides.  Int. Biodeterior. Biodegrad. 36:227-245. El-Moug, T., D. T. Rogers, J. R. Furr, B. M. A. El-Falaha, and A. D. Russell. 1985.  Antiseptic-induced changes in the cell surface of a chlorhexidine-sensitive and a chlorhexidine-resistant strain of Providencia stuartii.  J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 16:685-689 Hugo, W. B. (1999).  Disinfection mechanisms. In Principles and Practice of Disinfection, Preservation and Sterilization, 3rd edn, (Russell, A. D., Hugo, W. B. Ayliffe, G. A. J., Eds), pp. 258–83.  Blackwell Science, Oxford Jordan, R. C. Jacobs, S. E. (1944).  Studies on the dynamics of disinfection. I. New data on the reaction between phenol and Bact. coli using an improved technique, together with an analysis of the distribution of resistance amongst the cells of the bacterial population studied.  Journal of Hygiene (Cambridge) 43, 275–89. Knaysi, G. (1930).  Disinfection. I. The development of our knowledge of disinfection.  Journal of Infectious Diseases 47, 293–302. Knaysi, G. Morris, G. (1930).  The manner of death of certain bacteria and yeast when subjected to mild chemical and physical agents.  Journal of Infectious Diseases 47, 303–17. Longworth, A. R. 1971.  Chlorhexidine, p. 95-106. In W. B. Hugo (ed.), Inhibition and destruction of the microbial cell.  Academic Press, Ltd., London, England. Maillard, J.-Y. Russell, A. D. (1997).  Viricidal activity and mechanisms of action of biocides.  Science Progress 80, 287–315 McClure, A. R., and J. Gordon. 1992.  In vitro evaluation of povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.  J. Hosp. Infect. 21:291-299 McKellar, R. C., McKenzie, C. N. Kushner, D. J. (1996).  Correlation of resistance to proflavine and penicillin in Escherichia coli. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 10, 765–7   McMurry, L. M., McDermott, P. F. Levy, S. B. (1999).Genetic evidence that InhA of Mycobacterium smegmatis is a target for triclosan. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 43, 711–3 Morris, A. Russell, A. D. (1991).  The mode of action of novobiocin. In Progress in Medicinal Chemistry, (Ellis, G. P. West, G. B., Eds), Vol. 41, pp. 39–59.  Butterworths, London.   Ng, E. G.-L., Jones, S., Leong, S. H. Russell, A. D. (2002).  Biocides and antibiotics with apparently similar actions on bacteria: is there the potential for cross-resistance?  Journal of Hospital Infection 2002 Vol 3 pgs 239-242 Roberts, M. H. Rahn, O. (1946).  The amount of enzyme inactivation at bacteriostatic and bactericidal concentrations of disinfectants.  Journal of Bacteriology 42, 639–44. Russell, A. D. (1996).  Activity of biocides against mycobacteria.  Journal of Applied Bacteriology, Symp. Suppl. 81, 87S–101S. Russell, A. D. 2002 (I)  Introduction of biocides into clinical practice and the impact on antibiotic resistant bacteria.  Journal of Applied Microbiology, Symp. Suppl. 2002 Russell A D 2002 (II)  Mechanisms of antimicrobial action of antiseptics and disinfectants: an increasingly important area of investigation  Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2002) 49, 597-599 Suller, M. T. E. Russell, A. D. (2000).  Triclosan and antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.  Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 46, 11–8 Taylor, D. M 1997.  Inactivation of unconventional agents of the transmissible degenerative encephalopathies. In A. D. Russell, W. B. Hugo, and G. A. J. Ayliffe (ed.), Principles and practice of disinfection, preservation and sterilization, 3rd ed., in press.  Blackwell Science, Oxford, England. Turner, N. A., Russell, A. D., Furr, J. R. Lloyd, D. (1999).  Editorial: Acanthamoeba spp., antimicrobial agents and contact lenses.  Science Progress 82, 1–8

Describe a Person who has influenced you in either a bad or good way Es

Describe a Person who has influenced you in either a bad or good way Bright blue paint was chipped off the tarnished wooden siding. The glassy images were blurred, and their sills seemed to be decaying under the large collections of dust. There was a young girl playing by herself in the unkempt front lawn. This dwelling always caught my attention; it attracted me in a peculiar way. Whenever I walked down my block, my awareness was drawn to this particular house. Its run-down look set it apart from the rest of the houses on Tuttle Street, but I soon realized the contents within this house were priceless. â€Å"We have a new student today,† Mr. Kurys ecstatically said. She seemed familiar, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. It didn’t matter to me anyway; I already had my group of friends. â€Å"Wait a minute†¦. What’s her name?† That’s impossible! I have never met another Justyna before. From that day on, I looked at this girl from a completely different perspective. Just because we had the same name, I began to pay a little more attention to her. Before I knew it, two years passed and we were now in sixth grade. Justyna & Justyna BFF was written on practically anything we could think of. Her move from catholic school to our small public school became a huge impact on the next few years of my life. I was always over her house, if she wasn’t over mine. Having different classes was fine; we always managed to meet in the bathroom or by the water fountain to d...

Boundaries of the I-Function in Twins :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Boundaries of the I-Function in Twins Identical, conjoined, and half-twins are all examples of intrinsic variability in humans. Intrinsic variability exists in all animals and is an adaptive mechanism built into the nervous system in response to input. This mechanism allows humans to distinguish the same inputs as different from one another and therefore, the possible outputs vary with time. It is possible that due to identical genetic input, the twins could share identical neural pathways and identical I-Functions. This hypothesis could explain the identical behaviors and inter-connectedness of feelings and thoughts that twins share. Differences that are seen in twin behaviors could simply be due to intrinsic variability causing differing output or behaviors. During ovulation, when a woman releases an ovum, three different processes can occur. First, the ovum can remain in one piece all the way to the uterus where, if not fertilized, it will be shed out of the body along with the unused endometrium. Second, the ovum, if fertilized, can develop into a single embryo, which is the most common type of pregnancy in humans with about 99% of all births being singletons (1). Finally, the ovum can split into two separate halves resulting in genetically identical twins. The three types of twins previously mentioned are identical, which are created when the fertilized ovum separates into two complete, identical parts, conjoined, which occur as a result of a fertilized ovum not completing the equal separation resulting in two fetuses fused together in some way, and half-twins or polar body twins, which are made when an unfertilized ovum splits into two complete, identical parts and is then fertilized by two different sperm. The frequency of identical twins is 3.5 per 100 births (1) and the frequency of conjoined twins is 1 birth per 50,000 with only 100 known cases surviving their first year (5). There is no scientific explanation for why an ovum splits into two or more parts. It has been observed that ovum splitting can be hereditary but can also occur spontaneously. This spontaneity or unexplained divergence from normal egg growth and fertilization could be due to intrinsic variability. This intrinsic variability could also be connected to certain differences in behavior of two genetically and culturally identical twins. Ideally, one could say that twins with identical genetic information and environments would have extremely similar, if not the same neural pathways and central pattern generators (CPGs).

Essay --

In the poems â€Å"Hawk Roosting† and â€Å"Golden Retrievals,† Ted Hughes and Mark Doty, respectively, portray differing views of the world from the perspectives of two different animals. Hughes depicts a hawk as omnipotent, cunning, and calculating in its actions and motives; whereas Doty conveys the animal perspective through a golden retrieval depicted as carefree and joyful. Through utilization of poetic devices, both authors offer contrasting characterizations of the two animals and distinct perspectives of the world. Through use of poetic devices, Hughes and Doty, respectively, characterize the hawk and the golden retrieval in different lights to ultimately reveal the animals' views on themselves. Hughes’ poem, the â€Å"Hawk Roosting,† features a self-obsessed and demanding Hawk. The author characterizes the hawk through the use of first person point of view. The use of personal pronouns â€Å"mine,† â€Å"my,† and â€Å"I† furthers the author’s point that the Hawk believes the world revolves around it and it alone. It seems oblivious to the importance of the world around it. It takes on the position of a king; the hawk presides over everything. Furthermore, the Hawk never seems to mention any other living creature. As far as it is concerned, every other creature is entirely irrelevant and has no place in the world. Moreover, the hawk sees itself as a God-like creature. The hawk may â€Å"kill where [it pleases]† and in the most gruesome â€Å"ma nner,...tearing off heads.† The hawk seems to have declared itself grim reaper at this point in the poem. The hawk has no one to answer to and thus does and plans accordingly. It almost brags to the audience about its unique ability of killing other creatures in the most brutal way possible; it enjoys the viciousness of... ...ife, demonstrating that humans also calculate and systematically plan for the future, collectively trying to be the best of the best at all times much like the hawk. Hughes’ systematic hawk makes Doty’s golden retrieval seem very much lost and distracted as each day passes. The hawk would like nothing more than to fly alone and dictate the universe, whereas the dog simply travels with his master as nothing more than a companion. The hawk recognizes the world around him with a callous superciliousness and deliberate approach for the future while the dog lives in the present and concentrates on the small, but valuable things in life. Both animals live their lives differently and individually as humans do. The utilization of an animal’s point of view is accomplished completely in both poems as the poets connect the animals’ thought processes to that of the human race.

Character Analysis of Sylvia from “A White Heron” Essay

â€Å"There never was such a child for straying about out-of-doors since the world was made† (Jewett 69). A young girl, Sylvia, lived in a city environment for the first eight years of her life. Then, Sylvia came to live with her grandmother in the country, where the little girl came alive and became one with nature. One day in her travels through the countryside with her cow she encounter a lost ornithologist who was in search of a white heron that he had spotted in the area weeks before. At first, the little girl was frightened of this man who carried and gun and killed the creatures that he cared so deeply about. She could not understand why this man would do such a thing. However, as they spent time together, Sylvia found this man most charming and delightful. In the short story, â€Å"A White Heron,† by Sarah Orne Jewett, a young country girl’s innocence is lost when her heart is torn between her love for a young bird collector and her love for nature. Sylvia is isolated while living at the farmhouse; her only companion is a cow. Sylvia may be lonely, but she is not lonesome. She is much happier and lively here than in the crowded industrial town. At the farm, she spends all day outside and lives in unity with the environment that surrounds her. â€Å"They key to her vivacity is that she is utterly in harmony with nature† (Held 171). When the ornithologist aggressively whistles in her territory her equilibrium is upset. The man explains to the horror-stricken girl that he got lost while in pursuit of the white heron. â€Å"Thus when Jewett first introduces the ornithologist himself, she labels him â€Å"the enemy† (171). There seems to be something threatening in his very â€Å"boyness† that makes Sylvia fearful. Her awe of the ornithologist may in part be caused by his being the first grow-up boy she has seen in her woodland isolation† (171). The hunter attempts to induce Sylvia to lead him to the wanted bird by offering her a reward of ten dollars. â€Å"Despite his attractive qualities, there is something insidious about his attempt to bribe the girl in effect to betray her world. He suggests a sort of blithe Satan tempting a naà ¯ve Eve to eat of the fruit Tree of Knowledge† (171). When she thinks about how poor she is, her mind wanders off after the â€Å"treasures† that his money could buy. This introduction of money into Sylvia’s simplicity disrupted her sense of loyalty to nature. However, as they spent time together, Sylvia found this man most appealing. Her virgin heart that lied dormant, vigorously awakened, as the innocent child was overwhelmed with an emotion of love towards this mysterious man. â€Å"Sylvia still watched the young man with loving admiration. She had never seen anybody so charming and delightful; the woman’s heart, asleep in the child, was vaguely thrilled by a dream of love.† This does not surprise me though, it is common for young girls to have a crush on or become attracted to a charming older man who impresses them. Sylvia knew where the sportsman could find this precious bird he was in search of. Sylvia and the man are true to the gender roles society has bestowed upon them while traveling through the dense woodlands. The female instinct inside her would not allow her to lead the guest to the heron’s nest, nor be the first to start up a conversation with the guest. Instead, she kept silent observing all around her, watching his every move, and concentrating on every word spoken from his lips. â€Å"She grieved because the longed-for white heron was elusive, but she did not lead the guest, she only followed, and there was no such thing as speaking first.† â€Å"Her socialization, ironically, saves her from revealing the bird and therefore betraying her world to this intruder†(172). The day outing with the bird collector brings Sylvia closer to him, and distances her from the natural world. She could get no sleep that night, and ventured out into the forest. She climbed, and climbed the huge oak tree in search of the heron’s nest. â€Å"Once she is aloft in the pine tree, â€Å"the sharp dry twigs caught and held her and scratched her like angry talons, the pitch made her little fingers clumsy and stiff,† as though nature itself sought to keep her from succeeding in her project and thereby breaching their heart-to-heart relationship† (173). Then came the light as she neared the treetop, and a sea of sky appeared to her over the entire countryside. Only then was the heron’s exact location of the heron’s nest showed to her. She had discovered the bird’s hiding place among the green marsh. When she sees the beautiful bird, she comes back to reality and realizes the superficiality of the man. She recognizes that the  man has come between her and nature. â€Å"In this instant Sylvia balances the desire to earn the ten dollars and to please the attractive stranger against her unspoken fidelity to nature† (173). She knew that the man was well worth making happy, and after all he promised them a nice some of money, so she would also be happy. No, Sylvia could not do it. She would not give the birds life away. The girl and bird had united that morning in the golden sea, and this forbid her to speak. Her heart had developed into that of a strong feminist who could not be swayed by the charm of a man. She gave her love and devotion to the natural world that would always be there for her. In the story, â€Å"A White Heron† the heron, Sylvia, is tempted by â€Å"evil† represented by the sportsman to betray her natural self. The story emphasizes the eternal struggle between the forces of good and evil, and the continual seduction of good by evil. The story concludes that all â€Å"woodland and summertime secrets are like the heron’s safe. For in the end the heron’s life has become the equivalent of the girl’s life, at least of her existence heart to heart with nature† (174). The story implies that in a sense Sylvia is the heron, untouched and at peace with the surrounding environment. However due to external forces, the hunter in this case, the virgin Sylvia endures a loss of innocence. If Sylvia surrendered the heron it would be the equivalence of giving up a part of her and what she stands for. The heron and Sylvia depend on each other for survival. It was impossible for her to abandon her integrity and allegiance to nature or else she would no longer be Sylvia. Sylvia was able to resist the appeal of man, money, and attention. Sylvia displayed her growth as a woman by staying committed to her strong sense of values, and strengthening her heart to heart relationship with nature. Works Cited Bogard, C.R., and J.Z. Schmidt. 1995. Legacies. Harcourt College Publishers, New York, 1380. Held, George. Short Story Criticism. Volume VI. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1990.

Shareholder Activism Essay

Can shareholder activism actually deliver the desired change? Introduction The increasing awareness of shareholders and their level of importance to the modern organisation have raised multiple questions as to the potential role which shareholders can play in influencing the decision making of the management team and their willingness to engage with a broad range of stakeholders. Where shareholders have an impact to any degree, this is referred to as shareholder activism and is largely described as being the role that shareholders play in dominating the decisions made by management teams (Bainbridge, 1995). Whilst it is readily accepted that shareholders own the company, whereas directors manage the company, there has historically been a misapprehension that shareholders are simply interested in the financial profits that the company produces. It is argued in this paper that this is not the case and shareholders are becoming much more involved in ensuring a balanced approach and that organisations have a wider awareness of issues such as corporate social re sponsibility (Schacht, 1995). The purpose of this paper is to consider whether or not this type of shareholder activism can actually be seen to be delivering a positive change, specifically in the area of corporate social responsibility. In order to look at this issue and the development of CSR, shareholder activism in its entirety needs to be looked at, before then considering the legal regime which encourages such activism and any specific cases that are relevant, before drawing conclusions on the key question. Shareholder activism – the Theoretical Perspective The management of an organisation has, for a long time, accepted that the performance of a business is down to them and that, if the shareholders are unhappy about the performance or the returns of the business they may potentially walk away from the organisation or the position of the manager may be in jeopardy. Where shareholders take this type of action on board, it can be suggested that shareholder activism is in operation. Broadly speaking, there are several key reasons why which investors may pursue the shareholder activist approach. Firstly, shareholder activism occurs in order to procure a better return on shareholder investment; secondly, to ensure that the company pursues a different corporate strategy that will ultimately improve performance and profitability, a key example of this being the suggestion that the company should demerge; thirdly, to make changes in the management team; fourthly in order to pursue some form of special interest, such as a social and ethical agenda (it is this agenda which will be looked at in more detail in the paper below). Finally, shareholder activism is undertaken to influence the outcome of some form of corporate agenda that has already been pursued (Tarrow, 1994). Shareholders have always had the option of essentially voting with their feet, when they disapprove of the decisions of the management team. For example, they can simply sell their shares, where traditionally the criticisms of management decisions would take place in private, with shareholders simply moving away when they were displeased. Although the concept of shareholder activism is not necessarily new, in recent years, it has certainly increased in its operation and become much more prevalent. Examples of recent shareholder activism include action by an institutional investor, Knight Vinke Asset Management which lobbied for changes in the HSBC strategy, or in Tesco where shareholders became involved in demanding changes in working conditions relating to clothes’ suppliers in Asia. Interestingly, shareholder activism does not depend on the size of the market, with shareholder activism being a tool that can be used in any type of organisation. Those holding shares are also potentially able to act in this way and therefore this lends a considerably more diverse meaning to the notion of shareholder activism, which can be derived from a much broader range of sources (Roe, 2003). With this potential diversity in mind, the next step is to look at the tools that are available for the activist shareholder and to identify the statutory basis upon which such action can take place. Legal Basis One of the key statutory powers which are available in order to support shareholder activism is that of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act). This Act lays down the legal framework which enables a shareholder to exercise any of their legal rights when they are pursuing an activist agenda. The precise options available to the shareholder will depend on the type of company in which they hold shares; for example, there are different rights attached to public companies. For the purpose of this analysis, all potential legal rights will be looked at and it should be borne in mind that these may not always be available, particularly to shareholders of private companies (Warneryd, 2005). In accordance with sections 303 to 305 of the Act, shareholders are able to call a general meeting. This is a strong element of the shareholder activism as it provides members with a platform in which they can make their requirements known. In the aftermath of the Shareholder Rights Directive 2009, members and groups of shareholders representing a minimum of 5% of the public companies voting rights are able to demand that the directors call a general meeting of the company. Similarly, where the directors choose to convene a general meeting there are rules associated with giving notice to the individual shareholders. This allows shareholders the opportunity to bring a platform upon which to discuss their own issues. Secondly, in accordance with sections 314 – 317, members with a shareholding of at least 5% or shareholders or that have at least 100 shares with an average of at least ?100 per member are entitled to demand that the company circulates a statement to shareholders of up to 1,000 words regarding a proposed resolution or any other business that is going to take place at the meeting. This again provides the shareholders with the information that they need in order to be potentially active. It is also noted that beneficial owners of shares can count towards the threshold in order to meet the 5% trigger (Belloc and Pagano, 2009). As well as the ability to gain access to the meeting and information in relation to the meeting, shareholders are also entitled to be active within the meeting itself. In accordance with section 338, shareholders holding a total of 5% shares can propose a resolution, a strategy that was used by the investor â€Å"efficient capital structures† but they required a resolution as part of the 2007 AGM of Vodafone plc to pursue a specific strategy. Furthermore, section 168 provides shareholders with the ability to propose the removal of the directors. Arguably, this is one of the greater sanctions available to shareholders, from the perspective of the individual directors. Where this process is being initiated, special notice of 28 days must be given of the intention to propose this resolution and to reasonably work in line with the articles of association of the company (Filatotchev, et al 2006). Importantly, section 116 of the Act allows any shareholders to gain access to the shareholder register which then may offer them the opportunity for the shareholders to join forces in order to deal with a particular agenda, making the ability to reach the 5% thresholds somewhat easier. There are, however, requirements for shareholders to ensure that when they are canvassing support they are doing so for the proper purpose. There are certain thresholds which allow shareholders to have rights, with 5% offering the opportunity to propose a resolution, to require an independent report in the case of quoted companies, the power to require companies to publish audit concerns, again in quoted companies, and also the power to include a matter that should be considered at AGM. When the required percent of the shareholders join forces, the power becomes much more threatening to the management team, as this is the requisite amount required a specific resolution. For example, at 75%, the shareholders can require a special resolution to be passed. The regime associated with proxies can play a very important role when it comes to shareholder activism with the 2006 Act making changes as to the way in which proxies can operate, allowing the property to be much more effective. For example, members have an absolute right to appoint a proxy who can attend a meeting and vote on their behalf. Another key area of shareholder activism emerged from the ability to use corporate representation, rather than using a proxy, as this allows shareholders a much greater degree of practical flexibility when they are unable to comply with proxy deadlines, or some other form of formality. Corporate shareholders are also able to appoint representatives by virtue of their own board resolution. Finally, it is worth noting that shareholders’ rights can be utilised by indirect investors. For example, under the 2006 Act, it is possible for the beneficial shareholders holding shares to enjoy information rights, i.e. to obtain information in relation to the company and in many cases the beneficial shareholders can count towards reaching the 5% thresholds. Although this goes beyond the scope of the discussion here, it is worth noting that these beneficial shareholders can have a direct impact on any agenda for shareholder activism.Examples of Shareholder ActivismIn order to gain an understanding of just how effective these legal provisions can be, the situation in Tesco can be looked at. In 2007, the poverty charity â€Å"War on Want† used the fact that it held a 5% shareholding in order to present a resolution at the 2007 AGM, with a view to ensuring a better deal for suppliers, in particular across Asia. The matter did not rest there and in June 2008 Tesco was tar geted once again by a group of shareholders who were headed by an individual high- profile shareholder, to look at the living conditions of chickens, prior to their purchase by Tesco for sale. The shareholders in both these cases used section 338 of the Companies Act 2006, in order to demand resolutions relating to their individual issues. Once this resolution had been demanded, the company was required to circulate information relating to the resolution, as well as any supporting statements (Aguilera, 2005). This type of shareholder activism was seen to be successful in these individual cases and provided a real forum for the shareholders with a relatively minimal percentage to change the strategy and activities of the organisation itself. Tesco is not alone in facing these types of issues and many other large companies have also faced action from minimal shareholders, relating to specific issues such as wages for staff or supplier issues. This shows a clear indication of the willingness of shareholders to become much more active in putting their points forward and being willing to take on corporations by forcing resolutions to be placed and information to be provided to the broader shareholding (Hendry et al 2007).Analysis and ConclusionsThe question presented here is to consider whether or not shareholder activism can truly have an impact on organisations, when it comes to encouraging changes and improving corporate social responsibility within the organisation. By looking at the history of shareholder activism and the way in which shareholders are becoming much more willing to engage in the operation of the company, as well as examining the provisions of the 2006 Act which provide shareholders with the ability to un dertake these activities, it is argued here that shareholder activism is a growing and real threat to management teams of all sizes. In particular, the 2006 Act offers a considerable opportunity for shareholders to demand information and to have certain items discussed at the AGM. By merely providing this platform for discussion, shareholders can become more active in order to ensure their ultimate agenda is not pursued. By looking at this and using a company such as Tesco as an example, it can be seen that groups of shareholders are gaining real attention and are able to have a direct and dramatic impact on the decisions made by the management teams, particularly when faced with the ultimate sanction that shareholders can request the removal of those directors who fails to comply (Gillan and Starks, 2000). It is concluded here, therefore, that shareholder activism is a real and direct method whereby shareholder groups can encourage changes in the strategy of the organisation relating to both corporate, social responsibility and any other relevant issues. References Aguilera, R.V. (2005) ‘Corporate governance and director accountability: An institutional comparative perspective’ British Journal of Management, 16: S39–S53. Bainbridge, S. M. (1995) The politics of corporate governance, Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Vol. 18 (3), pp. 671-735. Belloc, M. and Pagano, U. (2009) Co-evolution of politics and corporate governance, International Review of Law and Economics, Vol. 29 (2), pp. 106-114. Filatotchev, I., Jackson, G., Gospel, H., and Allcock, D. (2006) Key Drivers of ‘Good’ Corporate Governance and the Appropriateness of UK Policy Responses The Department of Trade and Industry and King’s College London. Gillan, S.L. and Starks, L.T (2000) ‘Corporate governance proposals and shareholder activism: The role of institutional investors’ Journal of Financial Economics, 57 (2): 275- 305. Hendry, J., Sanderson, P., Barker, R. and Roberts, J. (2007) ‘Responsible ownership, shareholder value and the new shareholder activism’ Competition & Change,11 (3): 223-240. Roe, M.J. (2003) Political Determinants of Corporate Governance: Political Context, Corporate Impact Oxford University Press. Schacht, K.N. (1995) ‘Institutional investors and shareholder activism: Dealing with demanding shareholders’ Directorship, 21 (5): 8-12. Tarrow, S. (1994) Power in Movement: Collective Action, Social Movements, and Politics in Marens, R. (2002) ‘Inventing corporate governance: The mid-century emergence of shareholder activism’ Journal of Business & Management, 8 (4): 365. Warneryd, K. (2005) Special issue on the politics of corporate governance: Introduction, Economics of Governance, Vol. 6 (2), pp. 91-92.

Counterproductive Effects in Rewards and Motivation

When employing, retention and parting signify intricate, long term and multi- layered dealings rather than a Counterproductive Effects in Rewards and Motivation simple market deal, employees and employers will be principally careful to avoid entering the relationship with an inappropriate partner but, in speedily moving economic and industrial environments it is rational that a firm's employment needs will be changing too. In this situation, a guarantee of long-term employment would be extremely expensive if the firm is not able to reallocate workers to new tasks as the requirements rose.So, Counterproductive Effects in Rewards and Motivation for employees, surviving and been considered by the firm as a valued component in these conditions becomes a personal challenge, especially if these employees' performance is compared with others' using subjective evaluation systems based not only in performance and results, but also in perceptions and Image. Human Wealth refers to the knowledge and acquired skills; a person has to upsurge his or her ability to conduct activities with economic value. Human Wealth is most often acquired by knowledge on through teaching by others who already have the necessary skills.It is the factor that differentiates raw labor power from skilled expertise at some task or job and as a crucial determinant of productivity. Today's companies' true strength resides in their Human Capital so, an impulse to improve the human development into the organizations becomes crucial to guarantee its survival in this highly competitive world. It is necessary that top & middle management perform a deep auto critic of their attitudes in order to look, find and sustain that motivation that worries us. It is useful to distinguish between firm-specific and general-purpose (or non-specific) Human Capital.Skills and knowledge that increases the person's productivity when working for any of several different employers represents general-purpose Human Capital, an d normally, a firm is unlikely to help pay this kind of tuition. On the other hand, firm-specific Human Capital, like knowledge of the firm's specific accounting system, machines or procedures. It might seem worthwhile for an employer to invest in worker's firm-specific Human Capital.