Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Should Marijuana Be Legalized - 1099 Words

Can a drug that is responsible for thousands of arrests each year actually be considered beneficial? Cannabis Sativa, or more commonly know as marijuana, has been previously known as a gateway drug . It is the most commonly used illicit drug amongst varying age groups in the United States. Although there are 85 active cannabinoids in marijuana, two of them make up the plants majority. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is one of the main active cannabinoids in marijuana. Cannabidol (CBD), which makes up 40% of the plants extract, leaves the user with an overall body high making this the main ingredient in marijuana s medical uses. Marijuana is typically smoked but can also be taking orally in forms of oils, baked goods, teas, and candies. Smoking marijuana is the quickest route of administration moving quickly from the lungs to the blood-stream. When marijuana is ingested, the body absorbs THC slower and the effects will occur 30 minutes to an hour later. Some short-term effects include altered senses, changes in mood, impaired body movement, difficulty with thinking and problem-solving and impaired memory. (NIDA, 2015) Historically, marijuana was thought of as a harmful drug that children should steer clear of. However, the stigma surrounding marijuana has changed. Many have been calling marijuana the new miracle drug with medical benefits for cancer and AIDS patients. Although still federally illegal, states like Colorado and Washington have legalized marijuanaShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?849 Words   |  4 Pageswhether marijuana should be legalized. Around 23 states have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use. In the state of Illinois, medicinal use of marijuana has been passed on April 17, 2013. Since January 2014, patients are able to obtain marijuana with a doctor s recommendation. The new debate is whether marijuana should be legalized for the general public as a recreational drug. Although some believe that marijuana is harmless, and that it has beneficial medicinal uses, marijuana shouldRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1715 Words   |  7 PagesMari juana in Society Cannabis, formally known as marijuana is a drug obtained from the tops, stems and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis. The drug is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Only substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are used more (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). In the U. S. where some use it to feel â€Å"high† or get an escape from reality. The drug is referred to in many ways; weed, grass, pot, and or reefer are some common names used to describe the drug (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). Like mostRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1489 Words   |  6 Pagescannabis plant or marijuana is intended for use of a psychoactive drug or medicine. It is used for recreational or medical uses. In some religions, marijuana is predominantly used for spiritual purposes. Cannabis is indigenous to central and south Asia. Cannabis has been scientifically proven that you can not die from smoking marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized to help people with medical benefits, econo mic benefits, and criminal benefits. In eight states, marijuana was legalized for recreationalRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1245 Words   |  5 PagesMarijuana is a highly debatable topic that is rapidly gaining attention in society today.   Legalizing marijuana can benefit the economy of this nation through the creation of jobs, increased tax revenue, and a decrease in taxpayer money spent on law enforcement.   Ã‚  Many people would outlaw alcohol, cigarettes, fast food, gambling, and tanning beds because of the harmful effects they have on members of a society, but this is the United States of America; the land of the free and we should give peopleRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1010 Words   |  5 PagesThe legalization of marijuana became a heated political subject in the last few years. Twenty-one states in America have legalized medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington are the only states where marijuana can be purchased recreationally. Marijuana is the high THC level part of the cannabis plant, which gives users the â€Å"high† feeling. There is ample evidence that supports the argument that marijuana is beneficial. The government should legalize marijuana recreationally for three main reasonsRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1231 Words   |  5 Pagesshows the positive benefits of marijuana, it remains illegal under federal law. In recent years, numerous states have defied federal law and legalized marijuana for both recreational and medicinal use. Arizona has legalized marijuana for medical use, but it still remains illegal to use recreationally. This is absurd, as the evidence gathered over the last few decades strongly supports the notion that it is safer than alcohol, a widely available substance. Marijuana being listed as a Schedule I drugRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1350 Words   |  6 Pagespolitics in the past decade would have to be the legalization of marijuana. The sale and production of marijuana have been legalized for medicinal uses in over twenty states and has been legalized for recreational uses in seven states. Despite the ongoing support for marijuana, it has yet to be fully legalized in the federal level due to cultural bias against â€Å"pot† smoking and the focus over its negative effects. However, legalizing marijuana has been proven to decrease the rate of incrimination in AmericaRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1145 Words   |  5 PagesLegalizing Marijuana Marijuana is a drug that has been actively used for centuries. This drug can be traced back to 2737 BC by the Chinese emperor Shen Nung. He spoke about the euphoric effects of Cannabis and even referred to it as the â€Å"Liberator of Sin.† Since early on, marijuana was seen as a medicinal plant that was recommended for medical uses. Marijuana is currently in schedule I, which means that physicians are not allowed to prescribe it in the United States (Hart, Ksir 2013). This drugRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?997 Words   |  4 PagesLegalize It: The Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana Should marijuana be legalized? Many Americans have been asked this question or have heard some type of news about the issue. Marijuana is commonly known as cannabis which refers to the dried up hemp plant cannabis sativa, even though marijuana is a plant and has no chemical additives it has been a tropic of controversy for many years but nowadays it is in the spotlight more than ever. For centuries, marijuana has been used by people throughout theRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1457 Words   |  6 PagesSHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED? Marijuana is a drug that has sparked much controversy over the past decade as to whether or not it should be legalized. People once thought of marijuana as a bad, mind-altering drug which changes a person’s personality which can lead to crime and violence through selling and buying it. In the past, the majority of citizens believed that marijuana is a harmful drug that should be kept off the market and out of the hands of the public. However, a recent study conducted

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Literary Analysis The Dak Of Amontillado - 877 Words

Literary analysis: THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO The short story THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO is a story about of a person name Montresor. That has been seeking revenge. Its all happening in the Carnival season. Montresor was wearing a black silk mask. He says to Fortunato that he has something to pass for Amontillado, A light Spanish sherry. Fortunato wears the multi-colored costume of a jester with cone cap and bells. Montresor tells Fortunato that if he is too busy he can ask lunches to taste. Fortunato is considering lunches a competitor and this man could not tell Amontillado from the type of sherry. Fortunato is not painted to drink the wine and Montresor not is truly amontillado. Fortunato keeps asking to the vaults. Montresor has a plan to†¦show more content†¦The layer continues to rise. Montresor is about to finish and Fortunato laughs as if the jokes played on him. For a plea. For the love of God, Montresor! Fortunato never answers Montresor. Montresor heart felt sick because of the dampness of the catacombs. The las t stone into place and plaster the wall closed. The sound of jingling of Fortunato bells. For fifty years, he writes, no one had disturbed them. Concludes Latin phrase meaning may he rest in peace. The story revenge and secret murders to avoid any punishment. Montresor experiences of Fortunato insulting to the name himself a judge. Montresor in this fifty years after it’s happened. The amount of passage of time between the events and the story of the story. Montresor the rationale of evidence such as of insult that would be guilty. The color imagery is central to the questioning of Montresor. His face was cover, Montresor represents not justice but a gothic opposite. Fortunato costume of the court fool who get fooled by Montresor masked motives. Fortunato Italian for the fortunate one. That even the carnival. Montresor distorts its abandon turning the carnival. Montresor family that the vaults foreshadow the story. Two men underground travel that would represent the travel the underworld as they go deeper and further into the vault. Taking the carnival underground of the vault. The story builds up the suspense by foreshadowing the story thats lead to the events that has

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Human Resources Health and Occupational Wellbeing

Question: Explain two negative impact of age discrimination on the organisation and two recommendations on how HR managers can avoid this form of discrimination. Answer: If an organization discriminates as per the age of employees, it is rather possible that the organization will lose the broad work experience and understanding of elder workers. Like if the organization fires an elder employee because of age, it might be losing his familiarity, know-how and experience[1]. The same experience which could be applied effectively to assist the business. Due to this ageism aligned with younger workforce, the organization might lose the possibility to mould and retain an important worker for future years. When the staff members come to know of this age discrimination then there will be a negative atmosphere created and this would lead to poor insights about the management of organization. This way, the workforce will probably be less involved in increasing the efficiency of a biased business. Actually, the workforce might get very worried that they could lose their jobs too because of the age or any other kind of discrimination. To avoid age discrimination, there can be useful training sessions which can help in raising staff consciousness regarding the discriminatory exercises[2]. The business managers must support (or necessitate) involvement in these sessions for workers at each level of the organization. The spotlight of the training must exceed just information to embrace actual transforms in performance. Peer reinforcement is another way to be supportive. The business managers must motivate the workers to raise the voice when they come across or observe annoyance. Individual accountability has to be accentuated. References "Age Discrimination At Work And Correlates With Health/Occupational Wellbeing". 2015. The Gerontologist 55 (Suppl_2): 621-621. doi:10.1093/geront/gnv332.02. Bytheway, B. 2012. "Age Discrimination, Work, And Retirement". Public Policy Aging Report 22 (3): 14-16. doi:10.1093/ppar/22.3.14.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Lord free essay sample

# 8217 ; s Test Essay, Research Paper * * The Lord # 8217 ; s Trial * * I woke up this forenoon * * and knew that today, * * The Sun would non be reflecting * * and the clouds would be grey. * * * * As I stepped outdoors, * * rain fell upon my caput. * * My auto wouldn # 8217 ; t start * * so I walked to school alternatively. * * * * I forgot all of my assignments * * I failed all of my trials. * * I dropped my caput in disgust * * and asked the Lord for * * one petition. * * * * # 8220 ; Lord, why is it that * * things won # 8217 ; t travel my manner? # 8221 ; * * He gently replied, * * # 8220 ; Dear kid it is because * * you didn # 8217 ; t thank me yesterday. * * * * I woke you up and enabled * * you to see the Sun once more. * * I gave you shelter, * * protected your household, and even allow * * you make a new friend. * * * * I blessed you far * * greater than I of all time had before. * * But you were excessively busy * * to thank me one time more. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lord or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page * * * * You didn # 8217 ; t experience ill * * because I maintained your wellness. * * You had money in your pocket * * because I maintained your wealth. * * * * You had places on you pess * * and apparels to have on, excessively. * * You had plentifulness of nutrient to eat, * * and what did you make? * * * * You ignored me and went * * about your undertakings. * * But when you wanted something lt ;< p>* * you neer hesitated to inquire. * * * * I was at that place when you needed me * * and that wasn # 8217 ; t excessively long ago. * * But when things started traveling your manner, * * it was me you did non cognize. * * * * As if that weren # 8217 ; t plenty, * * I provided your favourite luxuries. * * This was something I didn # 8217 ; Ts have * * to do-they weren # 8217 ; t even necessities. * * * * And when it was clip to acquire on your * * articulatio genuss and demo your gratitude, * * You decided that after such a * * fulfilling twenty-four hours, you weren # 8217 ; T in the temper. * * * * So I decided to * * give you merely a small trial. * * To demo you how it would experience * * to halt being blessed. # 8221 ; * * * * I began to recognize what * * the Lord was stating. * * And when I got place, I fell * * to my articulatio genuss and started praying. * * * * He said, # 8220 ; My kid, you have * * learned and you know I do forgive. * * But retrieve to retrieve this twenty-four hours * * every bit long as you shall populate. * * * * I love make fulling your life with joy, * * and your hurting I # 8217 ; ll relieve it. * * But merely a simple thank you * * would demo how much you * * appreciate it. # 8221 ; * * * * Pass this on to everyone * * you pray the Lord will bless. * * There are no gimmicks or * * regulations merely this simple trial. * * * * How many people to direct * * it to is all in your custodies. * * *

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

A Feasibility Study to Automate The School System Essays

A Feasibility Study to Automate The School System Essays A Feasibility Study to Automate The School System Essay A Feasibility Study to Automate The School System Essay Polar encourages students with financial capabilities to enroll in private schools. Polar only accepts students with low-income parents but intellectually capable. Presently Polar has an MIS department that basically maintains all computer installations in the University especially the computers in the two computer laboratory rooms. There are more or less four Internet connections shared by offices in the university. There are only two personnel in the MIS department, one is the head and the other one is a computer technician. There is a proposal to automate the enrolment system but unfortunately, the budget for it is not yet allocated. The eve for automation was approved but the budget is still yet to be allocated. All the offices have computers with Internet connection but not connected locally. It nearness that there is no Intranet system installed. Moreover, there is no Wi-FL connectivity installed that can be availed by students. Since Polar is Local Government Unit, all legal aspects are referred to the Civil Service Code of the Philippines. In the use of Information Technology, all legal aspects are referred to the e-commerce law of the Philippines and the anti-cyber crime law that was recently passed. Polar is funded by the City of Marking. All collections in the University is deposited in a bank account under the Universitys name but controlled by the City Government. The Vice President for Financial services of the school monitors the financial activities of the University. Budget preparation is done in the university level through the different departments then collated by the Finance department for submission to the Board of Trustees for approval. The approved budget is submitted to the city counsel for approval. The final approval will be coming from the Mayor of Marking. In proposing a School Automated system, there is a need to do cost/benefit analysis to estimate the total cost of the project. The cost analysis result will then be submitted to the Budget officer to be included in the Budget preparation for the next fiscal year. This section will do the following: Inventory Ana appraise current Ana proposed unaware Ana steward Ana ten way It supports human interactions with technology Evaluate software by addressing the trade-offs among creating custom software, purchasing COTS software, and outsourcing to an application service provider Forecast tangible and intangible costs and benefits, and perform a cost-benefit analysis using cash-flow analysis method. : We are in the information age and the use of Information Technology is paramount to success in any organization. We have to accept the fact that we cannot do away without computers. The image of a progressive organization is reflected on what kind of technology it is being utilized. Nowadays, if you are not considered High-tech then your image is considered conservative. Moreover, schools are also dealing with young people who are well versed in Information Technology applications. Information technology is a fast-changing technology and therefore, developing systems are no longer that expensive. Computer units are getting cheaper everyday with better technical specifications. The government is advocating the use of CIT (Information-communications Technology) in its various operations and therefore local government units should also make use of this technology. In this light, it is strongly recommended that all operations in the Panamanian Eng Lungs Eng Marking be automated as soon as possible. The university is growing very rapidly in terms of the number of students and in the quality of education. The only drawback is there is no automated school system in place. To be progressive, change must happen and it should be

Friday, November 22, 2019

Significance of the Stono Rebellion

Significance of the Stono Rebellion The Stono Rebellion was the largest rebellion mounted by slaves against slave owners in colonial America. The Stono Rebellions location took place near the Stono River in South Carolina. The details of the 1739 event are uncertain, as documentation for the incident comes from only one firsthand report and several secondhand reports. White Carolinians wrote these records, and historians have had to reconstruct the causes of the Stono River Rebellion and the motives of the slaves participating from biased descriptions. The Rebellion On Sept. 9, 1739, early on a Sunday morning, about 20 slaves gathered at a spot near the Stono River. They had pre-planned their rebellion for this day. Stopping first at a firearms shop, they killed the owner and supplied themselves with guns. Now well-armed, the group then marched down a main road in St. Pauls Parish, located nearly 20 miles from Charlestown (today Charleston). Bearing signs reading Liberty, beating drums and singing, the group headed south for Florida. Who led the group is unclear; it might have been a slave named Cato or Jemmy. The band of rebels hit a series of businesses and homes, recruiting more slaves and killing the masters and their families. They burned the houses as they went. The original rebels may have forced some of their recruits to join the rebellion. The men allowed the innkeeper at Wallaces Tavern to live because he was known to treat his slaves with more kindness than other slaveholders. The End of the Rebellion After journeying for about 10 miles, the group of roughly 60 to 100 people rested, and the militia found them. A firefight ensued, and some of the rebels escaped. The militia rounded up the escapees, decapitating them and setting their heads on posts as a lesson to other slaves. The tally of the dead was 21 whites and 44 slaves killed. South Carolinians spared the lives of slaves they believed were forced to participate against their will by the original band of rebels. Causes The rebelling slaves were headed for Florida. Great Britain and Spain were at war (the War of Jenkins Ear), and Spain, hoping to cause problems for Britain, promised freedom and land to any British colonial slaves who made their way to Florida.   Reports in local newspapers of impending legislation may have also prompted the rebellion. South Carolinians were contemplating passing the Security Act, which would have required all white men to take their firearms with them to church on Sunday, presumably in case of unrest among a group of slaves broke out. Sunday had been traditionally a day when the slave owners set aside their weapons for church attendance and allowed their slaves to work for themselves. The Negro Act The rebels fought well, which, as historian John K. Thornton speculates, may have been because they had a military background in their homeland. The areas of Africa where they had been sold into slavery were experiencing intense civil wars, and a number of ex-soldiers found themselves enslaved after surrendering to their enemies. South Carolinians thought it was possible that the slaves African origins had contributed to the rebellion. Part of the 1740 Negro Act, passed in response to the rebellion, was a prohibition on importing slaves directly from Africa. South Carolina also wanted to slow the rate of importation down; African-Americans outnumbered whites in South Carolina, and South Carolinians lived in fear of insurrection. The Negro Act also made it mandatory for militias to regularly patrol to prevent slaves from gathering the way they had in anticipation of the Stono Rebellion. Slave owners who treated their slaves too harshly were subject to fines under the Negro Act in an implicit nod to the idea that harsh treatment might contribute to rebellion. The Negro Act severely restricted the lives of South Carolinas slaves. No longer could a group of slaves assemble on their own, nor could slaves grow their food, learn to read or work for money. Some of these provisions had existed in law before but had not been consistently enforced. Significance of the Stono Rebellion Students often ask, Why didnt slaves fight back? The answer is that they sometimes did. In his book American Negro Slave Revolts (1943), historian Herbert Aptheker estimates that over 250 slave rebellions occurred in the United States between 1619 and 1865. Some of these insurrections were as terrifying for slave owners as Stono, such as the Gabriel Prosser slave revolt in 1800, Veseys rebellion in 1822 and Nat Turners rebellion in 1831. When slaves were unable to rebel directly, they performed subtle acts of resistance, ranging from work slow-downs to feigning illness. The Stono River Rebellion is a tribute to the ongoing, determined resistance of African-Americans to the oppressive system of slavery. Sources Aptheker, Herbert. American Negro Slave Revolts. 50th Anniversary Edition. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993.Smith, Mark Michael. Stono: Documenting and Interpreting a Southern Slave Revolt. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2005.Thornton, John K. African Dimensions of the Stono Rebellion. In A Question of Manhood: A Reader in U.S. Black Mens History and Masculinity, vol. 1. Ed. Darlene Clark Hine and Earnestine Jenkins. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1999.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

A critical review of the literature. has E-prescribing reduced Essay

A critical review of the literature. has E-prescribing reduced medication errors in inpatient settings in England - Essay Example The central role ÃŽ ¿f the physician is the provision ÃŽ ¿f care to individual patients. This process centres around the consultation between the physician and the patient. This process requires and generates information, historically recorded on a paper based medium. The limitations ÃŽ ¿f paper records as a standard repository ÃŽ ¿f information, is universally recognized as lacking the dynamic which electronic data medium promise: in effect, paper strangles the process ÃŽ ¿f delivering timely high quality health-care delivery. So what’s wrong with a medical system based on paper? Paper gets lost, degrades, and no matter how voluminous, paper files are limited in the quality and quantity ÃŽ ¿f data they contain@ (Scalet, 2003). From the viewpoint mainstream medicine, IT has long offered the promise ÃŽ ¿f significant improvements supporting the business ÃŽ ¿f provider operations. An inventory ÃŽ ¿f situational experiences, passive inquiry ÃŽ ¿f physicians, collateral health-care providers, and review ÃŽ ¿f literature, identified the following business support opportunities recognized secondary to the effective use ÃŽ ¿f IT: Promises ÃŽ ¿f transformation through IT have reverberated through my decade long career in health care. Yet, progress to date has been slow. The Institutes ÃŽ ¿f Medicine’s 2001 report bemoaned the fact that AIT has barely touched patient care,@ as evidenced by the storage ÃŽ ¿f the vast majority ÃŽ ¿f clinical information in paper form@ (as cited in Fromberg, 2003). Analysis ÃŽ ¿f passive inquiry and observation ÃŽ ¿f physicians, collateral health-care providers, and review ÃŽ ¿f literature, buttresses a frequently voiced sentiment: Electronic medical records, and increased IT applications, should top hospital CIO=s agendas because they can prevent errors, enforce standards, make staff more efficient, simplify record keeping and improve patient care. However, the current reality experienced by the author ÃŽ ¿f this essay,

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Leadership of Generation X and Generation Y in the European Service Dissertation

Leadership of Generation X and Generation Y in the European Service Industry - Dissertation Example Based on these responses, one group may in some ways be more effective than the other, but regardless of efficacy, each group has its own skill and qualities which make each group more efficient in some ways than the other. Aims: This study shall establish the differences between the leadership of generation X and Y within the European Service Industry. Specifically it shall determine: differences in leadership qualities between Generation X and Y how these differences impact on the European Service Industry whether or not one leadership style is more effective than the other in terms of securing specific and efficient goals for the industry and the organization involved areas of improvement for either group which can help improve their leadership skills. Discussion At present, there is a new generation of workers which have entered the workforce. These new workers have new expectations and there are also new expectations being anticipated for these new workers. Based on the report b y Yu and Miller (2005), Generation X workers will decline to 7% within the 1998 to 2008 period, and the younger Generation X workers would also fall to 1% within this same time period. On the other hand, Gen Y workers in the 16 to 24 year age range is expected to increase by 15% (Cole, et.al., 2002). In terms of actual numbers, these percentages represent about 44 million Gen Xers and 80 million Gen Yers (Sujansky, 2004). Moreover, even as Gen Y members are already included in the workforce, they have not gotten to a critical number as yet. Consequently, managers are expected to manage the generational gaps which seem to exist for employees and also manage the specific needs of the Gen Yers (Smola and Sutton 2002). Under these conditions would conflicts between these two groups be more manageable, decreasing possible misunderstandings among employees from different generations (Smola and Sutton 2002). The entry of Gen Y into the workforce with their unique work qualities have caused major shifts and changes in the workplace, with employers wanting to know everything there is to know about this group (Raines, 2002). The purpose of this paper is to establish such qualities and to compare these with the Gen Xers. Generational groups include individuals who have similar historical and social experiences (Kupperschmidt, 2000). These experiences consolidate this group, often allowing for shared values and most of them related to experiencing and seeing in the world in similar ways (Patterson, 2007). Even as each individual worker is very much unique, each generation usually establishes a common personality which impacts on how members are managing their lives and activities, their feelings towards managers and corporations, their work participation, and the means by which they seek to manage such ends and desires (Kupperschmidt, 2000). Although it is not appropriate to have generalizations about individuals within each generation, it is often inevitable to observe t hat those who belong to the same era are influenced in similar ways; and these influences often make them predisposed to similar expectations (Patterson, 2007). Even as there seems to be an agreement in terms of how a generation is defined based on birth years, there are also issues in the exact years by

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Eagle Boys Pizza Report Essay Example for Free

Eagle Boys Pizza Report Essay Founded by a young baker in his mum’s garage in 1987, Eagle Boys now operates more than 335 stores throughout all states of Australia. It is one hundred per cent Australian owned and operated and delivers pizzas to hungry families across Australia from metropolitan inner city areas to small remote towns. With over 8,000 team members nationally, Eagle Boys makes just under 18 million pizzas a year and generates an annual turnover of more than $200 million. Focused on delivering real taste, real size and real value to pizza lovers across Australia, Eagle Boys is customer-focused and continually examines ways to improve its customer satisfaction and service. Eagle Boys ensures pizza lovers across Australia receive tasty meals and exceptional service every time by training its franchises to commit 110% to customers’ satisfaction. Explanation of its legal structure Eagle Boys pizza is a Proprietary company, meaning that it is private. The shareholders of Eagle Boys Pizza Pty Ltd, have limited liability protection, which means that the most money they can lose is the amount they paid for their shares. Eagle Boys began as a family business, as it was founded by Tom Potter and his mum in 1989. It is an incorporated business, meaning that the business is a separate legal entity from the owners. This allowed the business to be sold and still be operated, in 2007 to Todd Clayton who is now the CEO and managing director of Eagle Boys Pizza. The fact that it is a separate legal entity, allows the company to sue, be sued, buy or sell property and also have perpetual succession. Identification of the current stage of the business life cycle the business is currently in and give reasons for your views Eagle Boys pizza is currently at the maturity stage of the business cycle. Its goal is to maintain profits at pre-existing levels. Recently, in February 2011, Eagle Boys responded to the growing sophistication of Australians’ pizza palate by unveiling its new Gourmet Pizza Range featuring ingredients such as, Roasted Potato, Salmon Steaks and Tandoori Chicken. Eagle Boys is also the only Australian pizza maker to offer Ready 2 Go! â„ ¢, which allows customers to get their hands on some of their favourite pizzas without phoning beforehand or waiting between 5. 30pm and 8pm daily. Since Eagle Boys was purchased by private equity firm NBC Capital and the current executive team in 2007, Network store numbers have grown by 63% which is the highest period of growth in the company’s 24-year history. Eagle Boys saw sales grow 15. 4% during the 12 months up to June 2010, bringing total sales growth during the past three years to 43. 2%. The company expects the strong double digit growth to continue with the opening of additional stores and the launch of new products. Identification of one business law and one regulatory body in relation to this business – explain how this business complies An example of a business law of the Eagle Boys pizza is a privacy law. Eagle Boys is subject to Privacy Legislation, including the National Privacy Principles (NPPs) under the Privacy Act 1988, The Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act (1988) and contractual requirements relating to Privacy pursuant to a number of State and Territory Government Licence Agreements. Eagle Boys Pizza complies with this law by collecting information by either specifying or letting the reason be apparent at the time the information is collected. It is not Eagle Boys’ general practice to collect sensitive information and they will only collect sensitive information with the persons consent. A regulatory body that Eagle Boys Pizza complies with is the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Eagle Boys applied for notification of conduct whereby it would grant franchises on condition that franchisees acquire goods and services from specified suppliers. That notification was lodged on 13 August 2009 and allowed to stand on 21 September 2009. Eagle Boys complies by ensuring product safety and liability and does not provide any false or misleading advertising. Identification of two significant challenges for management in the business life cycle – one challenge management has faced prior to 2011 and one they will face in the future (ensure you state which stage of the life cycle the business experienced /will experience this challenge) A significant challenge that Eagle Boys pizza management has faced prior to 2011 is responding to the growing amount of different pizza businesses, in competition with Eagle Boys, and the need to introduce new ranges and varieties of products to satisfy the needs of consumers. They had been challenged to introduce new products such as gourmet pizzas, desserts, and sides such as pastas, chicken wings, garlic bread etc. This challenge was experienced during the growth stage of the business cycle. A significant challenge that Eagle Boys pizza management will face in the future is decline, in the Recession stage of the business life cycle. As the business would have been running for a while now, it will have become a high-risk business. Products may become obsolete, leaving the business with unsold stock. Another factor influencing decline is well qualified employees beginning to leave and seek better job opportunities. Due to the ongoing introduction of new businesses in the same field, Eagle Boys will be affected by consumers no longer buying the businesses products, resulting in a large dent in the cash flow. Consequently, profits will also decline. Identification of the business environmental influences, both internal and external, that have impacted upon this business Internal environmental influences that have impacted Eagle Boys Pizza include product influences such as the range of menus that it provides as well as services provided. E. g. Delivery services. Location influences also have a large effect on the business. The location of franchises is vital as a prime location means the business will attract higher numbers of customers as it is convenient and visible. The proximity to customers, suppliers and support services is also essential in determining the location of the business. Another internal influence is resources. Employees, being the main asset to the business are an extremely important resource. Other important resources include cooking and servicing equipment and machinery as well as raw materials that allow the business to create and sell their products. Management influences control the workers and help to provide a more organised structure and easy way of communication and co-operation. External environmental influences that have impacted Eagle Boys Pizza include Legal influences such as increasing legal obligations and business requirements. Political and institutional influences include taxation, employee superannuation, approval of new development and alteration applications. These influences have a strong impact on how and where the business is run. Another external influence is financial influences. Financial influences create changes in the financial market which can cause risk for the business. Geographical influences heavily impact the opportunities for the business. Demographic factors such as population, age, and income control the popularity of the business. Explanation and critical analyses of how management has responded to the above range of challenges and influences The first Eagle Boys Pizza opened in Albury, New South Wales. Eagle Boys advertised their products as semi-gourmet pizzas that quite unique to the larger chains, yet cheaper due to the high production output. This successful idea caught on, and the first store in Albury was quickly creating a generous profit. Within less than a year, Eagle Boys opened up two more stores in the neighbouring cities of Wagga Wagga and Dubbo. As the company sustained its growth, it put a lot of energy into researching ways to meet consumer demands in different regions. With stores opening up in rural, suburban and urban areas throughout Australia, the company became very popular due to operating in areas that other large fast food businesses would often ignore. One particularly successful store model was the development of a drive-thru pizza store in 1999, a concept which was unheard of at the time. Australia’s first drive-thru pizza store demonstrated to be immensely popular, as it was easy and convenient. Expanding on this quick pizza delivery system, the company launched the Eagle Boys Pizza Express Store shortly after, which was designed to provide quick service pizza out of a small location in highly populated foot traffic areas. This express system proved to be very popular, and new locations started to spring up at airports, shopping malls and pedestrian malls around the country. Many locations were now generating up to forty precent of their sales. As the company started to experience increased competition, it had to do something to differentiate its express pizza service from other companies offering similar products. Eagle Boys eventually developed a popular offshoot menu for Eagle Express stores: â€Å"Ready, Fresh Go! † in 2008. This idea meant that while it is an express delivery system, the pizzas are made fresh and held in specially-designed slow-cook ovens that ensure their freshness. The company’s dedication to research and response to consumer trends and the development of new, quality products quality concluded in the largest reformation of the Eagle Boys menu in its history. Launched in early 2010, the new menu featured a variety of new items. Apart from new pizzas, new items such as a chocolate fudge mousse dessert, pasta dishes, additional side dishes and drinks were introduced. Customers have responded with a resounding satisfaction, and throughout 2010 Eagle Boys enjoyed one of its biggest increases in sales in company history. Eagle Boys continues to develop new and accessible ways to respond to challenges and internal and external influences. Creating innovative and unique products is what has propelled the company to success, and it continues to be a mainstay of Eagle Boys’ activities today.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Voter Habits Based on Demographics Essay example -- Voting Voters Demo

Voter Habits Based on Demographics Abstract In this paper I intend to evaluate the voting habits of the American public. I will look at how race, sex, education level, marital status, income level, current employment status, and age affects whether or not people vote. I am also going to examine which political parties these groups have historically voted for, why they vote for them, how this has changed over the years if it has changed at all, and why it has changed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that from previous voting information you could fairly well predict the voters’ choices. I’m not saying you could foretell the outcome of upcoming elections, but you could figure out what to expect given the state of current affairs. I find this interesting because I didn’t know there were so many statistics out there on this. Many that I have looked at already are pretty surprising. It would give me a better foundation of understanding of how our country and society works. Understanding the world around me better will assist me for the rest of my life. Academically I think this is very important and relates to the future elections. For a true democracy people need to get out and vote. With this information we can see what groups aren’t being represented through a lack of voting and we can take action about this. They can be educated on the importance of voting and what a difference they can make.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For my research I will need to find out a lot of statistics. Also I will need to know where they came from. Then I will need to find some information on how to evaluate all this information and what conclusions can be made about it. I will most likely find this information in studies and information included with the statistics. Body There are many differences that separate the American population. I am going to examine some of these differences in relation to voting and make some assumptions as to why these differences occur. These conjectures will be based on statistical numbers obtained from the 2002 congressional elections and previous years. I have chosen to exclude the presidential elections because I feel that they would be too complicated to analyze in a paper of this length. Also I believe the congressional elections provide more consistent and traceable trends in our society. First I will have to take into account the number of people that a... ...he polls. About thirty percent of registered voters did not vote in the 2002 congressional election. Twenty-seven percent of these people said they were too busy or had conflicting work or school schedules. This group was mostly made up of younger males, Hispanics, and people with higher education levels. Going back to education levels, people with lower levels of education were more likely to report that that chose not to vote because they were just not interested or they felt that their vote wouldn’t make a difference. In congressional elections each persons vote carries more weight, because it is only the voters in your state that decide who is going to be your representation on the federal level. There needs to be more information given to people when they register to vote to decrease these numbers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I found many more aspects to the evaluation of voting while doing my research for this paper than I had thought existed. It brought to light many difficulties that our country needs to overcome to try and achieve a situation where everyone’s voice is heard. There are programs and services in place to help try and achieve this goal, but there is still much work to be done.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Home-Style Cookies

HOME-STYLE COOKIES CASE ANALYSIS 1 Submitted by: George Ramselle P. Deposoy Georgia Hur Jinseog Noreen Rose A. Duran Garry A. Gallo Nina Jessa Marie Ladera Jan Rhett S. Simbulan Daisy Mae O. Tambolero December 13, 2012 COMPANY BACKGROUND The Lew-Mark Baking Company—Archway Cookie’s largest franchise is located in western New York State which produces fifty varieties of high-quality soft cookies with no preservatives added. The soft cookies mostly appeal to customers over 45 years old and to parents who have young children. The company has less than 200 employees, mostly blue-collar workers.The production process begins as soon as orders from distributors arrive. Furthermore, the ingredients needed for each type of cookie entered into a computer which determines the amount of each ingredient needed, according to the quantity of cookies ordered, and relays that information to storage silos located outside the plant where the main ingredients are stored. The ingredients ar e then mixed and later on, the batter is cut into individual cookies. The company has also increased the length of each oven by 25 feet resulting in an increase of production rate.The finished cookies are placed into boxes while deformed cookies are removed. This is done manually by workers. The boxes are then wrapped, sealed and label automatically. Most cookies are loaded immediately unto trucks and shipped to distributors. Some are stored in the warehouse but are shipped shortly after because of limited shelf life. CENTRAL PROBLEM The decision whether to adopt new production processes and alter some of the old ones and its effects to the entire production process as well as the product itself. OBJECTIVES To find the most favorable course of action that will benefit the entire company in the long-run * To exploit potential improvements and use it to their advantage * To improve the quality of the product SWOT ANALYSIS Strength * The product is very marketable especially to the hea lth conscious segment of the society like the elders, and parents for children since it has no added preservatives—something which gives them an edge to other competitors. * Efficient in their production Weakness * The product has a short shelf-life. * Use of broken cookies as oatmeal cookies may distort the product itself Opportunities Automation of production processes * Less delivery lead time if they employ nearer suppliers—subject to the permission of the mother company * Product expansion—still subject to the permission of the mother company Threats * The company might lag behind other companies in terms of technology and productivity since they manually do the production processes. * Growth will be stagnant if they refuse to expand their product line ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTIONS Automate the packaging process Advantage/s: * Saves money, more efficient, and time-savingDisadvantages/s: * 30 workers in the production team will be rendered jobless. * Broken cookies might be included also in the packaging process since there is no one to take them off considering the shift from manual to automated. Use additives/preservatives in the ingredients to make cookies Advantage/s: * This will allow a longer shelf life to the cookies. * The company will be able to extend its current location points. Disadvantages/s: * The customers perception might change in terms of ‘quality’, knowing that the company is branded of producing ‘good food’.Sell broken cookies Advantage/s: * This will ensure that all the products produced are fresh. If all broken cookies are used to make oatmeal cookies—that is, including filled cookies—it will distort the product itself Disadvantage/s: * Waste disposal costs would increase. Use suppliers located closer to the plant Advantages/s: * This will lessen delivery lead time and transportation costs They can also test if the products of the supplier can meet the same quality of thei r original suppliers’ products Disadvantage/s: Product quality may suffer. RECOMMENDATION The first, third and fourth ACA is recommended. Since the company is highly concerned of the quality of the product, they should use fresh ingredients and not just scraps from the other ones made. With regards to the waste disposal costs, they can just sell the broken pieces as animal food to zoos or other animal sanctuaries. The fourth one is also recommended since it will allow the company to save on some expenses.If they are dubious about the quality, they may have a cookie taste test using the local products and compare it to their cookies which were made using their original suppliers’ products—that is of course subject to the approval of their franchisor. CONCLUSION Judging from the background given, the company is doing exceedingly well in the production of their products. They are highly efficient and effective as well. Their products are very marketable, inventory control is good, and their regard for quality is highly commendable. Conclusively, the over-all performance of the company is well and they are in control of the business.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Children of Heaven Essay

Watching the movie entitled â€Å"Children of Heaven† made me realize how a simple plot/ story can be as heart-warming and inspiring as any other film available out there in the market. It doesn’t take an elaborate story with so many twists and turns to make a terrific film for everyone to appreciate. Although the movie has some parts which are heavily dramatic like the scene where Zahra was crying due to Ali losing her shoes, the movie still has a predominant light tone. The film makes the audience including myself feel sympathy towards the main characters – portrayed by Ali and Zahra, two siblings who sincerely care for each other. This technique of touching the emotion of the audience is surely effective since it makes them want to go on and finish the film (as I did when the earlier mentioned scene was shone in the very beginning of the film). Captivating the audience, however, does not stop there. Including certain exciting and problematic moments in their life makes the story more interesting and natural. Examples of which are: the scene when the sneakers fell off Zahra’s foot then landed into the canals so she had to follow where the waters went to recover it and the scene when Ali was at the sprint race about to win when another boy bumped him off the course. More than that, the film also brings the audience to capture the daily lifestyle and culture of the Iranian people (as this film was set in that country). Having a background of the characters helps me understand their values and way of thinking. Therefore, I could comprehend the film in an easier way since it has this characteristic. Capturing the realistic view of the world aided me in relating to the film even though I am foreign to the concept it was showing. Having so many values encompassed in the story, I have learned many things regarding determination, compassion and familial love. These values were interspersed in the different scenes of the story. There were some in the beginning about familial love when both Ali and Zahra agreed that they share the sneakers since they attend school in separate shifts – a natural dramatic device for the story. Determination was clearly seen when Ali tried so hard in the race to win the rubber shoes. Compassion was evident in scenes when they took care of the sick neighbor and their mother. Using the typical backdrop and props (as I see it) made everything very earthly. Nothing to fancy was used to show the social status of the family – it was not exaggerated. The objects to be found in the film were ordinarily available in the daily life of everyone. Also, the acting of the characters in the story was very natural. It almost looked like it is a life-story being told and not just a scripted one. I deem that the view of most people regarding those of Iranians will change after seeing this movie. Their genuine care for each other shows how much they appreciate those people and things around them. This contradicts the stereotype given to them as those violent people of the Middle East. Moreover, the film serves as a heart warming meditation about real goodness in humanity – helping balance the negative prejudices that most people project towards Iranians especially nowadays. With all these to be found in the film, I can say that everyone is encouraged to watch it. Not only will they learn family values and self-discipline, the audience could also be inspired to live out their lives to the fullest in each day that passes.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Business Process Improvement

Business Process Improvement Introduction According to the evaluation of the Benchmark System Company, Business Process Improvement is a contemporary management technique that can assist the organization in achieving its critical success factors. Business Process Improvement is a technique that involves the manager and the workers commitment to continuous improvement in quality as well as critical success factors (Tidd and Pavitt, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Business Process Improvement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rationale for Business Process Improvement Business Process Improvement results in an increase in operation efficiency and customer focus. Therefore, the rationale for Business Process Improvement includes the need for change, motivating factors of the change process and competition in the business environment. According to Blocher, Stout, Cockins (2010), operation processes in the current competitive universe experience the effects of technology. For instance, networks, software and access to information are changing at a faster rate while interfering with the expenditures of organizations. As a result, organizations need to adapt to changes as they continuously receive process updates. In the Benchmark System Company, the questions that frequently presents concern the business goals, competition, improvement processes and the change techniques. This is because the company has several critical success factors that require assessment. They include high turnover, client improvement, customer satisfaction, expenditure management and support issues. Therefore, in order to improve these factors, the Benchmark System Company has a challenge of putting new processes, procedures as well as systems into place. This is possible through implementation of Business Process Improvement because it will affect the profitability as well as the stability of the company. Moreover, the Benchmark System Com pany has some motivating factors to the process of change. They comprise concern for customer services, operation cost, employees’ production, operation processes, technology advancement, challenges in the market and organization infrastructure. Therefore, these motivating factors create the need for Business Process Improvement. This is because the process aid in providing solution to most of the concerns.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, Business Process Improvement assists in production enhancement via achievement of specific goals. They include, enhancement of customer services, improvement of employees’ ability to anticipate and respond to changes that take place in the business environment, maximization of business opportunities and reduction of inefficiencies as well as errors (The Frame Group Limited, 2008). Since these goals apply to Benchmark System Company, there is need for the implementation of Business Process Improvement. Additionally, Business Process Improvement helps an organization to understand the need for doing business, cumbersome processes, competition and the desire of having a working environment with excellent practices. A description of the Business Process Improvement Drucker (2008) states that Business Process Improvement assist organizations to maximize resources. Moreover, Business Process redesigning and engineering are rooted to it. Therefore, it focuses on doing the correct thing because it tries to minimize variation in processes so that the organization can achieve the anticipated outcome with proper resources utilization. As a result, the Business Process Improvement works via definition of goals, determination of customers and alignment of processes. To begin with, the definition of goals as well as purposes involves determination of the organization reason for existence, t he activities that they undertake and the rationale. Secondly, the determination of customers involves a thorough analysis of the people that the organization serves (Kerzner, 2010). Lastly, alignment of the processes entails organization realization of the techniques that improve the existing activities. Therefore, the aim of Business Process Improvement is a fundamental change in performance and not incremental in amendments. This helps an organization to fit in the competitive business environment. In order to have a successful Business Process Improvement, everyone in the organization needs to be involved. This is because people contribute differently in the achievement of an organization vision. Hence, role definition is imperative in Business Process Improvement. Griffin (2010) explains the four roles that include leadership, ownership, management and operator.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Business Process Improvement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although the roles are peculiar, they work together to achieve an effective and efficient Business Process Improvement. Furthermore, some people in the organization may find themselves performing more than a single role. As a result, the roles have four categories that include planning, doing, checking and acting. The leadership role involves the creation of procedures and resourcing plans that aid in the achievement of Business Process Improvement. It entails the definition of the customers, the employees as well as the business needs (Hazlett McAdam, 2010). Thus, the planning, doing, checking and acting phases play a significant role in elimination of barriers to critical success factors. For instance, it ensures that products produced are of high quality and customers are satisfied. In the planning phase, performance objectives are determined via analysis of the customers, the stakeholders, the community, the employees and th e suppliers (Tidd and Pavitt, 2009). This involves an understanding of competition in order to translate business issues into performance objectives. For example, a company can react to the threat of market demand by formulation of an objective that ensures constant supply of products. Blocher, Stout, Cockins (2010) state that the doing phase entail removal of barriers to Business Process Improvement. The barriers can be lack of training, inadequate resources of harsh working environment. As a result, the organization requires collecting data and analyzing performance of the business. This is possible in the checking phase where activities appraisals take place as issues that hinder Business Process Improvement are rectified or eliminated. Finally, in the acting phase, the organization creates action for improvement. This helps the company to achieve its vision of effective and efficient Business Process Improvement. The Frame Group Limited (2008) argues that ownership is important in Business Process Improvement because it give employees the power to create, update as well as approve work procedures that aid in the achievement of the organization goals and objectives.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hence, employees need to understand the customers need in order to create procedures that lead to customer satisfaction and growth. Moreover, the employees need to determine their needs and address them. This will lead to achievement of critical success factors like employee satisfaction, training and competence. Moreover, the organization can use problem solving skills, risk assessment as well as root cause analysis to address the issues of Business Process Improvement (Drucker, 2008). Problem solving skills involve a critical analysis of existing issues followed by proposed solutions and implementation strategies. On the other hand, risk assessment help in reduction, elimination and mitigation of anticipated factors that can interfere with Business Process Improvement. This alleviates obstacles of critical success factor. Lastly, the root cause analysis reacts to an existing problem. For example, the organization uses it to determine the cause of a problem and implement corrective measures. In a recent research, Kerzner (2010) explains that Business Process Improvement has four fundamental processes. They include the necessity of aligning business goals, client focus, benchmarking and establishment of owners. To begin with, the alignment involves integration of balance scorecard and Business Process Improvement initiatives. Secondly, client focus concentrates on the customer issues to ensure that the organization hears their voices and address complains. Thirdly, benchmarking stress on specific, achievable and realistic goals that lead to measurable results. Finally, establishment of owners empower the employees with authority and responsibility. This make them feel valued thus increasing their motivation towards Business Process Improvement. In order to implement Business Process Improvement, the methodologies are important. They include definition of the problem, determination of the outcome and reorganization of the organization ability to meet the new ob jectives. The implementation of Business Process Improvement The implementation involves four fundamental steps. They include identification and selection of the procedures, mapping and redesigning of the processes and implementation of the solution (Griffin, 2010). Although they are steps, they form a cycle that the organization follows without making a stop. This continuity allows interaction that ensures efficient and effective implementation of Business Process Improvement. The first process involves identification of business procedures and it involve acceptance of the need of change. This is because the acceptance will lead to identification of an opportunity that will result to excellent outcome (Hazlett McAdam, 2010). The determination of process owner then follows. This process empowers the employees with authority and responsibility of implementing the Business Process Improvement. Finally, the organization develops goals and objectives that will direct the selected busin ess procedure. Additionally, the identification process creates an understanding of doing business, the stakeholders’ involvement as well as the idea of change (Hackes, 2008). As a result, it comprise of identification of barriers to critical success factors and the activities that will alleviate them. For example, if the problem is lack of employees training, activities that promote workers development require consideration. The mapping process involves analysis of the procedures that take place in the organization. This involves all the activities that relate to the employees, the customers and the management (Tidd and Pavitt, 2009). They may include production, processing, supply and management activities. Additionally, the mapping process includes evaluation of available resources and determination of weaknesses. The evaluation of available resources is imperative because the principle of Business Process Improvement states that an organization should use what it own, as it is cost effective. On the other hand, determination of weakness helps an organization minimize them while maximizing the strength. This process usually helps an organization to choose the best Business Process Improvement activity. For instance, an organization that has a weakness of employee turnover will implement strategies that lead to workers retention. Finally, the mapping process involves documentation as it ensures consistency in routine. The first step in the redesigning of the processes and the initial activity is the identification of goals for the selected procedure (Blocher, Stout, Cockins, 2010). For example, if the procedure entail employee training, then the goals should aim at increasing the competency of the workers. Secondly, the employees together with the managers should work together and formulate processes that lead to workers development. The processes can be on job training or scholarship for further education. Stimulation, evaluation as well as redefini tion of the suggested processes follow it (The Frame Group Limited, 2008). Thereafter, the organization selects a process that meets the set goals. This is because it will lead to effective implementation of the Business Process Improvement. Finally, the organization implements the chosen process by integrating it with the existing procedures. This entails an analysis of the available resources together with cost benefit. For instance, the organization will analyze the benefit of the proposed process as well as anticipated problem. The final step in Business Process Improvement is implementation. It involves all the activities that the company will perform to ensure that the selected Business Process Improvement procedure is taking place. This step involves finalization of the Business Process Improvement (Drucker, 2008). It includes activities like gaining consensus, funding, improving infrastructures and developing processes. Therefore, the organization should cautiously implement as well as integrate the Business Process Improvement activities in to the existing system. This ensures that the Business Process Improvement is in line with the objective of the organization. As a result, continuous monitoring and evaluation is imperative as it aid in identification and rectification of problems. Moreover, it ensures that the selected process is on the road to achieving the organization mission and vision. Therefore, this makes Business Process Improvement a continuous process. Application of Business Process Improvement by other organizations Different organizations apply Business Process Improvement in a peculiar way depending on their vision and mission. Some common techniques involve problem solving, brainstorming, cause-effect diagrams and policy deployment (Kerzner, 2010). Problem solving cycle is a continuous process that entails identification of a problem together with the solution. For instance, the problem can be an emergency or an attempt to do someth ing in a different way. The organization need to analyze the cause as well as the way forward. Next is the selection of a suitable solution. The solution may provide an answer to the problem or it may lead to a repeat of the whole process. Therefore, this technique is a circle and with careful monitoring it alleviates problems that hinder the success of an organization. In other organizations, brainstorming has been successful in achievement of Business Process Improvement. Brainstorming is pooling of ideas from all the people in the organization before declaration of a final decision (Griffin, 2010). It begins with formation of a team, definition of a problem and generation of ideas. A thorough review of the ideas follows. Finally, the organization selects the procedure that facilitates Business Process Improvement. For instance, if an organization has a problem with customer satisfaction, all workers will have a chance of airing out their views. Finally, the management together wi th employees will select a favorable solution. According to Hazlett McAdam (2010) other organizations apply the cause and effect diagrams to achieve Business Process Improvement. This entails exploration of links that exist between causes and effects of issues. It operates under the principle that a single problem can have many causes. It is used to identify the causes of any effects. The effect can be a problem or something beneficial. Moreover, if something beneficial occurs, the organization should find out its cause so that they can increase the chances of it happening again. For instance, an organization with satisfied employees should find out the cause of that satisfaction so that they maintain it. On the other hand, if an organization produces low quality products, it should establish the cause so that it can rectify. There are steps that organizations need to follow in order to apply the process of cause and effect diagram. They include problem identification, cause analys is selection as well as implementation of a probable solution. Finally, some organizations use policy deployment to implement Business Process Improvement. This technique entails breaking down of an organization objective into several goals that ensure every member play a role in Business Process Improvement (Hackes, 2008). For example, if the company wants to improve its product, it will formulate several goals that ensure every person play a role in the improvement process. Applicability of Business Process Improvement to Benchmark System Company Business Process Improvement applies to Benchmark System Company at three levels. They include the organization, the employees and the customers’ levels. This is because the company has problems with some critical success factors that concern the organization, employees and the customers. Therefore, Business Process Improvement will offer a solution to these problems. To begin with, the Benchmark System Company has a number of issu es concerning sales, support, products and internal processes. The sales have been decreasing instead of rising. Additionally, the company has ineffective support quality leading to poor products. Moreover, inefficient internal processes have resulted to long waiting hours. As a result, Business Process Improvement will assist in streamlining those issues. This is because it will help in identification of causes of those problems as well as proposing the way forward. Therefore, the company will have an increase in sale, efficient support, quality products and effective internal processes. Secondly, Benchmark System Company has some problems with critical factors that concern the employees. They include satisfaction, training and competence. The employees are dissatisfied, have inadequate training and are incompetent. Therefore, the company needs to find a solution, which is Business Process Improvement. This is because it is a contemporary management technique that ensure the compan y has qualified and skilled employees. As a result, it will ensure that employee development and satisfaction take place. Finally, the Business Process Improvement is important because it will help the company satisfy the customers’ needs. This is because the Benchmark System Company has a number of issues concerning the customers. They include client growth and customer dissatisfaction. As a result, Business Process Improvement is the best contemporary management technique that applies to the company. This is because the technique will ensure that customers receive quality products. Besides, their demands and concerns will receive attention. The plan for implementation of Business Process Improvement in Benchmark System Company The implementation of Business Process Improvement will involve problem solving, brainstorming, cause-effect diagrams and policy deployment. This is because these processes are efficient and effective in ensuring that the implementation of Business Pr ocess Improvement take place. To begin with, the problem solving cycle will begin by determination of all the companies’ problems that concern the organization, the employees and the clients. Thereafter, every person in the organization will suggest the applicable solution. A thorough analysis of the proposed solutions will take place. Finally, a selection of solutions will take place and then implementation phase begins. During the implementation phase, monitoring and evaluation will take place to ensure that the Business Process Improvement is on the right track. The second technique will be the brainstorming process. This will involve formation of different groups within the organization. The different groups will then generate ideas of how the workers can improve the relationship with each other as well as the customers. The different groups will then come together and select some imperative ideas. After that, the assembling of the required recourses will take place and t he selected proposals implemented. This technique is important because it will ensure implementation of a sustainable Business Process Improvement. Thirdly, the company will use the cause effect diagrams to implement the Business Process Improvement. This will involve investigations of the causes of both the company’s problems as well as successes. For example, the company can investigate the cause of all the problems relating to the critical success factors like employee dissatisfaction. On the other hand, an investigation of factors that leads to strengths will take place. After the cause identification, alleviation of the causes that result to problems will take place. On the other hand, enhancement of the causes that lead to strengths will also take place. The two activities will result to a perfect organization, which is the aim of Business Process Improvement. Finally, policy deployment is a technique that will facilitate a smooth implementation of Business Process Impr ovement. It will begin by formulation of goals that focus on different activities that facilitate the implementation of Business Process Improvement. The goals will focus on the organization, the employees and the clients. For instance, the company can formulate a goal that ensures all the clients receive quality services. After goal formulation, policy development will take place. The policies will provide directions for all the activities that the employees engage in. For instance, activities towards the implementation of Business Process Improvement will have policies that direct them. Conclusion In conclusion, Business Process Improvement is an imperative contemporary management technique. This is because it will help the Benchmark System Company achieve its critical success factors. References Blocher, E., Stout, D., Cockins, G. (2010). Cost management; A strategic Emphasis. New York: McGraw Hill Companies. Drucker, P. (2008). Management: Tasks, Responsibilities and Practices. New York: Taylor and Fransis. Griffin, R. (2010). Fundamentals of Management. New York: Cangage. Hackes, C. (2008). Top Quality Mangement: The Key to Business Improvement. North Carlifornia: Springer. Hazlett, M., McAdam, R. (2010). Business Improvement: Intergrating Quality, Inovation and Knowledge. New York: Routledge. Kerzner, H. (2010). Project Management. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. The Frame Group Limited. (2008). Business Process Improvement. The Business Process Improvemnt Workbook , 23 (18), 58-67. Tidd, J., Bessant, J., Pavitt, K. (2009). Continuous Improvement: Specific Techniques. Managing Inovations , 1 (7), 31-34.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Battle of Midway in World War II

Battle of Midway in World War II The Battle of Midway was fought June 4-7, 1942, during World War II (1939-1945) and was the turning point of the war in the Pacific. Commanders U.S. Navy Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific FleetRear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, Task Force 17 (senior tactical commander)Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance, Task Force 16 Imperial Japanese Navy Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief, Combined Fleet Background In the months after their successful attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese commenced a rapid push south into the Netherlands East Indies and Malaya. Driving back the British, they captured Singapore in February 1942 before defeating a combined Allied fleet in the Java Sea. Landing in the Philippines, they swiftly occupied much of Luzon before overcoming Allied resistance on the Bataan Peninsula in April. In the wake of these stunning victories, the Japanese sought to extend their control by securing all of New Guinea and occupying the Solomon Islands.  Moving to block this thrust, Allied naval forces scored a strategic victory at the Battle of Coral Sea on May 4-8 despite losing the carrier USS Lexington (CV-2).   Yamamotos Plan Following this setback, the commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, devised a plan to draw the remaining ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet into a battle where they could be destroyed. To accomplish this, he planned to invade the island of Midway, 1,300 miles northwest of Hawaii. Dubbed Operation MI, Yamamotos plan called for coordinating several battle groups across large expanses of ocean. These included  Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumos First Carrier Striking Force (4 carriers), Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondos invasion force, as well as the battleships of the First Fleet Main Force. This final unit was personally led by Yamamoto aboard the battleship Yamato. As Midway was key to Pearl Harbors defense, he believed the Americans would send their remaining aircraft carriers to protect the island. Due to faulty intelligence which had reported Yorktown sunk at Coral Sea, he believed only two American carriers remained in the Pacific. Nimitzs Response At Pearl Harbor, Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, was made aware of the impending attack by his team of cryptanalysts led by Lieutenant Commander Joseph Rochefort. Having successfully broken the Japanese JN-25 naval code, Rochefort was able to provide an outline of the Japanese plan of attack as well as the forces involved. To meet this threat, Nimitz dispatched Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance with the carriers USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Hornet (CV-8) to Midway hoping to surprise the Japanese. Though he had never commanded carriers previously, Spruance assumed this role as Vice Admiral William Bull Halsey was unavailable due to a severe case of dermatitis. The carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5), with Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, followed two days later after damage received at Coral Sea was hastily repaired. Attack on Midway Around 9 a.m. on June 3, a PBY Catalina flying from Midway spotted Kondos force and reported its location. Acting on this information, a flight of nine B-17 Flying Fortresses took off from Midway and mounted an ineffective attack against the Japanese. At 4:30 a.m. on June 4, Nagumo launched 108 planes to attack Midway Island, as well as seven scout planes to locate the American fleet. As these aircraft were departing, 11 PBYs took off from Midway in search of Nagumos carriers. Brushing aside the islands small force of fighters, the Japanese planes pounded Midways installations. While returning to the carriers, the strike leaders recommended a second attack. In response, Nagumo ordered his reserve aircraft, which had been armed with torpedoes, to be rearmed with bombs. After this process had commenced, a scout plane from the cruiser Tone reported locating the American fleet. The Americans Arrive Upon receiving this news, Nagumo reversed his rearmament order. As a result, the hangar decks of the Japanese carriers were full of bombs, torpedoes, and fuel lines as ground crews scrambled to reequip the aircraft. As Nagumo vacillated, the first of Fletchers planes arrived over the Japanese fleet. Armed with sighting reports from the PBYs which had located the enemy at 5:34 a.m., Fletcher had begun launching his aircraft at 7 a.m. The first squadrons to arrive were the TBD Devastator torpedo bombers from Hornet (VT-8) and Enterprise (VT-6). Attacking at a low level, they failed to score a hit and suffered heavy casualties. In the case of the former, the entire squadron was lost with only Ensign George H. Gay, Jr. surviving after being rescued by a PBY after spending 30 hours in the water. Dive Bombers Strike the Japanese Though VT-8 and VT-6 did not do any damage, their attack, coupled with the late arrival of VT-3, pulled the Japanese combat air patrol out of position, leaving the fleet vulnerable. At 10:22 a.m., American SBD Dauntless dive bombers approaching from the southwest and northeast struck the carriers Kaga, Soryu, and Akagi. In less than six minutes they reduced the Japanese ships to burning wrecks. In response, the remaining Japanese carrier, Hiryu, launched a counter-strike. Arriving in two waves, its planes twice disabled Yorktown. Later that afternoon, American dive bombers located Hiryu and sank it, completing the victory. Aftermath On the night of June 4, both sides retired to plan their next move. By 2:55 a.m., Yamamoto ordered his fleet to return to base. In the following days, American aircraft sunk the cruiser Mikuma, while the Japanese submarine I-168 torpedoed and sank the disabled Yorktown. The defeat at Midway broke the back of the Japanese carrier fleet and resulted in the loss of invaluable aircrews. It also marked the end of major Japanese offensive operations as the initiative passed to the Americans. That August, U.S. Marines landed on Guadalcanal and began the long march to Tokyo. Casualties U.S. Pacific Fleet Losses 340 killedAircraft Carrier USS YorktownDestroyer USS Hammann145 aircraft Imperial Japanese Navy Losses 3,057 killedAircraft Carrier AkagiAircraft Carrier KagaAircraft Carrier SoryuAircraft Carrier HiryuHeavy Cruiser Mikuma228 aircraft

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Vulnerable Populations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vulnerable Populations - Assignment Example However, they require policy intervention of different types such as economic and social development of communities and neighborhood, income and educational policies, as well as personal medical intervention. Community health nurses have the obligation to respect, accept, and comprehend the contribution of the risk factors not only to vulnerable but also to the influence on the behavior and lifestyle of the patient (Maurer & Smith, 2013). The vulnerable population in discussion refers to those who have higher risk for both poor health access and health status. For an instant, some of the vulnerable populations are those who are HIV, homeless and marginally housed. The majority of infection of HIV is through sexual intercourse between women and men. Moreover, more than half of the adults living with the virus are women. However, there are groups of individuals such as sex workers, individuals who inject drugs, and homosexual have also been significantly affected (Maurer & Smith, 2013). This condition weakens the immune system of the infected persons. Once the immune system has been weakened, they become susceptible to other attack by other diseases. For an instant, HIV infected victim has higher chances of contacting pneumonia or even tuberculosis in comparison to patients ailing from other conditions due to the weakened immune system. The rate of new infection is actually growing among the teenagers and young adults (Holzemer, 2012). On the other hand, the homeless and marginally housed individuals have poor access to health care services and health status as well. The majority of these individuals have mental health problems and abuse substances that create situations where they careless on their health status. They are usually not cognizant to the fact that obtaining care is vital for existence of human life (Maurer & Smith, 2013). The individuals dwelling in rural areas in the US encounter some health related issues in comparison to

Thursday, October 31, 2019

The status of women around the world and whether it has changed over Essay - 1

The status of women around the world and whether it has changed over time - Essay Example There have been different women through the centuries who have succeeded in having adventurous lives in spite of social customs that were created to confine them to the home. Khaizuran. Al-Khayzuran was a woman who travelled extensively in an era when women were severely restricted in all aspects of social life. She was born at the height of the Abbasid Empire, in Yemen. However, she would be kidnapped by Bedouin traders who then sold her to the Abbasid court as a slave (Hansen and Curtis 253). After she began to serve in the house of the next Caliph Al-Mahdi, she became personally involved with him and married him. She would bear two future caliphs Harun Al-Rashid, and Al-Hadi. In spite of living in a society that deeply oppressed its womenfolk, Al-Khayzuran was able to acquire and wield political power after marrying the most important man in the kingdom (Spodek 57). Her relatives were even awarded positions due to her influence in court. She also deeply influenced her sons who wou ld be future rulers. Even though Al-Khayzuran wielded unusual power for a woman of her day, she only managed to do this because she was the wife of the caliph. The position of women in her society did not benefit from her ascension to power. Gudrid. In some cases, women actually made the decision to go against the grain and take power for themselves. Gudrid, who was the sister-in-law of Leif Eriksson made just such a decision. Leif Eriksson was the man who landed on the American continent five centuries before Christopher Columbus did. After reaching the New World, Leif left never to return. Gudrid, however, wanted to remain there. She attempted to settle in the land that was named ‘Vinland’. Even though women were not viewed as warriors in the same way that men were, they had some more freedoms than their sisters in the medieval era would have in the next few centuries. Viking women, like Gudrid, could own ships as well as farms (Hansen and Curtis 286). Sometimes they relocated with their husbands, just as Gudrid did, when their men went in search of new lands to conquer. However, during such campaigns, they were often left behind to tend to commercial activities as well as the lands that were left behind when their husbands left. Moreover, even in campaigns, there were many times when women were required on trips. Li Qing-Zhao. While this type of freedom cannot be compared to that enjoyed by women in the 21st century, it was still much more than that enjoyed by women in other areas in the world. For example, for Li Qing-Zhao, who lived during the Song Dynasty life was much harder. Women in the Song dynasty were confined to homes and could not hold business related or political leadership positions. In addition, they could only improve their status by bearing male children. Li Qing-Zhao was a unique woman of her time who became a poet in spite of all the restrictions that she was bound by. She also travelled to many places as a result of adversit ies such as invasions from other nations. After her husband lost his battle with Malaria, Li Qing-Zhao would spend the rest of her life wandering from place to place. When she settled in Hangzhou in 1132, her writings in

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Philosophical Methodologies to the Self Term Paper

Philosophical Methodologies to the Self - Term Paper Example In comparison with the nominal self, the narrative of self implicates endurance over time and is distinctly pertinent to discourses of memory and individual personality. This is an advancing agreement amid philosophers and cognitive scientist about the significance of narrative and connection to discontinuous memory. There are, nevertheless, two dissimilar perceptions of how narrative self is regulated. On a more protracted standpoint, the self is a rich fusion of narratives that permits for the ambiguities, self-deception and contradictions of individual life. There are several ways of understanding the perception of a nominal sense of self. For this case, it is relevant to understand how we utilize the first person pronoun when we are referring to ourselves in a manner that never allows errors (Neisser 1998). In a real sense, the mind is an amalgamated being. Rather, it is a natural model that consists of numerous segments. As we know, the human mind has many diverse feelings, inst incts, and desires. The self, in reality, is essentially a creation of the mind and society. The min to utilizes the notion of the self so that it can operate in a consolidated manner. By abstracting itself as a more compacted and singular object, the mind is then able to comprehend its feelings and desires far much easier. Further, the mind creates the self to amalgamate all the diverse feelings, desires and instincts into one rational set. Thus, the mind utilizes these notions to make decisions and vindicate past decisions (Bermudez 2006). Next, the community and other people also utilize the perception of the self to comprehend and associate with a human. In reality, it is improbable and impractical to know all the diverse desires, instincts and feelings that affect the humans thereby causing them to act in certain manners and to reach particular decisions. For this case, to comprehend the nature of humans, we perceive them as singular individuals with singular selves. Elementary wisdom also affects our notion of the self.     Ã‚  

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Exploring Premenstrual Syndrome in Criminal Law

Exploring Premenstrual Syndrome in Criminal Law Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) has played a part in the malady of a womens life for many years. The development of Biological Theories has made law enforcement, attorneys, and even society study the connection biology has with individuals, particularly women for this manuscript, who commit crime. With the research gathered and studies performed, the court system has yet to adopt PMS as a suitable reason for defense. Until further evaluations of PMS can be studied, the validity of the previous test results will more than likely be questioned when introduced in court and it will be less likely to be generally accepted. Biological Theory Analysis: Exploring Premenstrual Syndrome in Criminal Law Crime in America happens any and everywhere, all the time and there will always be a lawyer out there trying to get criminals a lesser punishment or no jail time for their crime. An individuals biology comes into question when attorneys are trying to build a defense against any type of criminal activity. Schmalleger (2007) states that Biology Theory is a theory that maintains the basic determinants of human behavior, including criminality, are constitutionally or physiologically based and often inherited. There are several aspects that biological theories cover; however, the focus of this manuscript will be on body chemistry. Body Chemistry is the category that Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) would be classified under. The definition of PMS will be examined, in depth and how it is connected to a womens life. Next, there will be a discussion on the symptoms that can occur in a womens body and further investigations on PMS cases that have been tried successfully. Furthermore, there will be a section addressing the opposing views of using PMS as a defense. Literature Review In order to discuss PMS, a definitive definition of this syndrome was needed. The definition was acquired from a known and highly recommended site called WebMD (20010) and this website has been providing informative information for many years. Along with the PMS definition, there was also a list of common symptoms that were provided that occurs when women are on their menstrual cycle. Cullen and Agnew (2006) essential readings have an article that was delivered by David Rowe and it discusses the biological theories of nature and the exposure to individuals physical counter parts. Schmalleger (2007) speaks about the many aspects of biological theories of crime causation and its many assumptions; along with the body type of criminals and its beginning stages of phrenology. Phrenology was first introduced in the 19th century and had the western world thinking more about the minds of criminals and punishment (Rafter, 2008). There has been some debate among professionals when addressing the disorder of PMS. Gallant, Popeil, Hoffman, Chakraborty, Hamilton (1992) have performed a study that showed no significant difference between women under the influence of PMS to women who were not. Despite this, there have been studies performed on the effects of other syndromes that have been connected to PMS. Gehlert, Song, Chang, Hartlage (2009) studied the prevalence of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and the effects it has on women and Gallant, Popeil, Hoffman, Chakraborty, Hamilton (1992) have participated in daily studies to confirm Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD). Other research has been reviewed and compared to Dr. Katherina Dalton, an expert on PMS analysis and the effects that woman have while experiencing Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms. Downs (2002) researched the Culpability of the PMS defense and its evolvement into psychosis if not treated. Ostovich, and Sabini (2005) performed a study that compared men and women and the effects gender has when going through or reaching puberty in its final stages. Easteal (1991) discusses PMS in the courtroom and how the effects of PMS may cause automatism in certain women. There are sections that cover the controversy the disorder brings to women in society and its credibility issues men have about women and crime. Davidson (2000) explores several cases that have been tried in different judicial system and have had successful outcomes while trying to introduce a hormonal defense that connects PMS and postpartum psychosis. Discussion Biological Theory Biological Theories make several assumptions which include (1) the brain being an organ of the mind and the locus of personality, (2) the basic determinants of human behavior, include criminal tendencies, constitutionally or genetically based (3) observed gender features may be partially the result of biological differences between the sexes and racial groups, (4) much of human conduct is fundamentally rooted in instinctive behavior, (5) basic determinants of human behavior, include criminality, from generation to generation (inherited), (6) biological roots have become increasingly disguised, (7) some human is the result of biological propensities from developmental stages, and (8) interplay among heredity, biology, and the social environment provides the nexus for any realistic of crime causation (Schmalleger, 2006). With that being said, biological theories began being dissected into stages to focus on the brain. Franz Joseph Gall was one of the first criminal anthropologists that studied the human skull and that study was called Phrenology. Many followed after his discovery and Rafter (2008) developed a book that described a diagnosis of criminality and other abnormalities by studying the contours of the skull. Although the skull had a number of interesting assumptions, phrenology eventually phased itself out as one of the crucial theories in identifying biological connections in crime. In time, analyst such as David Rowe gathered data on certain aspects of research that focused on the chemical messages, or neurotransmitters that transmit signals between neurons in the brain, e.g., serotonin, and the hormones that help regulate such things as responding to stressors (Cullen, Agnew, 2006). PMS means what? PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome and the debate over using this ailment as an acceptable defense has been the topic of many argumentative discussions between professionals. WebMD (2010) defines PMS as the physical and psychological symptoms that occur in the week before a womens menstrual period. There are over 150 common symptoms of PMS that most women experience and they categorized into three parts: Physical, Emotional, and Behavioral. Some of PMS symptoms include leg and stomach cramping, abdominal bloating, pack pain, Acne, breast swelling, anxiety, dizzy spells, anger, crying, Libido changes, accident prone, social isolation, hysteria, headaches, depression, mood swings, fatigue, insomnia, and many others (Easteal, 1991). For most women these symptoms appear for a short period of time, usually a week before the menstrual period and they disappear during or right before the cycle begins. Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder The American Psychiatric Association (APA) began indentifying mental disorders of individuals and recording the data to one day create a manual that would assist medical professionals on how to classify certain syndromes by their symptoms. Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD) was developed to the DSM III-R to provide a systematic set of criteria for establishing a premenstrual mood disorder (Gallant, et. al., 1992). Some of the symptoms that women have to have include being sad, tearful, angry, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, change in appetite, difficult concentrating as well as many other physical maladies. LLPDD was created so that professionals would be able to distinguish it from Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and diagnose criteria that included psychological disturbances that seriously interfered with work, ordinary social activities, relationships, and arise during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, ending within a few days of the onset of menstruation (Downs, 2002). Pr emenstrual Dsyphoric Disorder (PMDD) became the new name for LLPDD and the new studies aimed to determine the prevalence of PMDD using all four DSM-IV research diagnostic criteria (Gehlert, et., al., 2009). For the full diagnostic criteria of LLPDD, see Appendix A. PMS Based Defenses There have been cases as early as the late 1800s where a case of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) have been used in court. The cases used PMS as a opener for the suspect to eventually plead temporary insanity. Insanity has many variations of its clinical interpretation, however, this manuscript will utilize the WebMD (2010) definition, which states insanity as the lack of understanding or having the mental capacity to enter into a rational state of normal responsibility. In the United States (US) two fundamental requirements are common to test for when determining insanity. The two fundamental elements are: (1) the defendant must suffer from a mental disease or defect, and (2) a casual relationship must exist between the disease or defect and the criminal offense (Downs, 2002). There is a defense that the US has recognized that is somewhat similar to an insanity plea and it is called automatism. Those who have studied insanity have connected the definition of automatism to insanity which states that individuals have an unconscious state of mind when committing a crime. Some researchers, such as Ostovich, Sabini (2005) have tried to link the beginning stages of puberty to account for some of the outburst of crime latter scene in women and men. The study explored the young adults first encounters with adult social and sexual behavior, attitudes, and work environment but the examination did not have enough evidence to support its claim. Another defense strategy is the diminished capacity (DC) diagnosis. Unlike automatism, a DC diagnosis is to focus on trying for a lesser sentence for the criminal act and not the conduct. If the defense handles the case with care and understanding, charges for heinous crimes will be reduced, which has been proven in several cases in England (Downs. 2002). Use in the Courtroom The studies that have been performed on women and their experiences with Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) have evolved into PMS being used as a defense in criminal cases. Davidson (2000) devised a section in his research that takes a deeper look into PMS in the courtroom. The majority of these cases took place overseas and has people across the globe interested in how the system had derived at some of their conclusions. One of the most notorious cases involved a woman named Craddock. Craddock was a barmaid in 1980 and she had murdered one of her co-workers. Craddock had many other crimes under her belt and she possessed a diary that kept a record of her violent behavior. An expert on PMS, Dr. Katherina Dalton was asked to review Craddocks case and determine if PMS had played a part in her crime. Cradock was found guilty of manslaughter (based on a plea of diminished capacity) and not murder due to the experts testimony that PMS turned Craddock into a ranging lunatic. Later, a judge had further reduced her sentence by allowing Cradock to not receive any jail time but to be placed on probation and medical treatment of progesterone. Progesterone is one of the medications that has been given to women to alleviate some of their symptoms bring them back to some form of normalcy. In the following year, 1981, Craddock had changed her name to Smith and managed to stay out of trouble until her dosage of progesterone was reduced. Smith had threatened to kill herself and a police officer on two separate occasions. Smith was once again convicted of all charges and still not awarded prison time. In the case of Regina v. Smith, Smith received probation relying on Smiths PMS in mitigation. The first American case that used Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) as a defense occurred in People v. Santos in 1982. Santos was being charged of child battering. The case was resolved through a plea bargain because Santos admitted to beating her child at the pre-trial. However, Santos claims that she suffered a black out due to PMS. This information was presented by the defense to the judge who still decided to plea in favor of the defendant and the case ended with Santos getting probation. Controversy PMS being applied to criminal law has bought about some resistance from a variety of people. The groups with the most to say about this topic are feminist groups. Feminist groups have their beliefs on this matter and do not want to give off the wrong impression of being un sympathetic. PMS is a disorder that should be considered under the proper conditions, as long as it does not stereotype all women and is not used frivolously for the defendants or the attorneys amusement in criminal proceedings (Easteal, 1991). There is also the concern that men who are being charged with domestic abuse will start to take advantage of PMS and use it to their advantage. In other words, men can claim that their wife become so annoying that he had to do something to make her stop. The fear of society not understanding Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and not realizing that all women falter to the same symptoms is what makes this syndrome so controversial. Conclusion Premenstrual Syndrome is a disorder that affects many women physically and in some cases, mentally. Several cases have applied PMS to a criminal defense and have been successful but the success came attached with mitigation to some form of insanity and as we all know, insanity is difficult to prove, not a frequently used defense and almost always raises some kind of controversy (Davidson, 2000). If more research and funding can be applied to the study of biological theories and the connection it has to women and PMS, maybe the acceptance of PMS as a criminal defense will be taken more seriously.