Employment Contract Essay

Employment Contract This Employment Agreement is made effective as of June 26th, 2013 and is between Joshua James, Frederick Alan, and Dave Darwin of the Builders Licensing and Training Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan (referred to as â€Å"the company†) and John Andrews (referred to as â€Å"the employee†). The terms of this AT-WILL Employment Contract are set forth below. Employment. The Company shall employ John Andrews as a building instructor. This employee shall provide to the Company the following services: John Andrews accepts and agrees to such employment, and agrees to be subject to the general supervision, advice, and direction of the owners of the Company. The employee should perform duties that are customarily performed by an employee in this position. The Company shall employ John Andrews at least forty hours a week including holidays. Also, the employee may be required to work weekends and some mandatory overtime every pay period. Best Efforts of Employment. The employee John Andrews agrees to perform to the best of his ability, experience, and talents to perform the duties that may be set forth or expressed by the Company including the implicit terms of this agreement. Ownership of Social Media. Any social media that is used by the employee while under Company time is property of the Company. This includes but is not limited to contacts acquired through the Company examples like addresses, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Linked In, and other social media. Compensation of Employee. As compensation for the services provided by John Andrews under this agreement, the Company will pay John Andrews an annual salary of $50,000 in accordance with the Company’s usual payroll procedures, not including overtime pay which will be based upon the usual hourly rate for such employment. Upon termination of this agreement, payment shall cease, however, John Andrews shall be compensated for periods or partial periods  that occurred prior to the date of termination. Confidentiality After Termination of Employment. The confidentiality of this agreement and information of the company are special and unique assets and need to be protected from improper disclosure. In consideration of this, John Andrews agrees that for a period of two years following termination or removal from the company whether voluntary or involuntary will not directly or indirectly engage in any business competition with the Builders Licensing and Training Insitute. Employee Name ______________________________ Date _________________ Employee Signature _______________________________ Date _________________

Relationships in Little Women and Cats in the Cradle

Relationships in Little Women and Cats in the Cradle Relationships can be positive or negative. Varied perceptions define the nature of relationships as positive or negative. The effects of positive and negative relationships have lasting consequences on individuals; having both a positive and negative aspect in each relationship assists humankind but negative relationships is the build up of decisions and actions that have negative impacts. Loyalty is one of the fundamental traits that are present in a positive relationship.However, little loyalty can lead to deterioration in a person’s quality of life, happiness and connection with the people involved in that relationship. The relationships in ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott and ‘Cats in the Cradle’ by Harry Chapin shows many different views of positive and negative relationships. Positive and negative relationships are defined by varied perceptions of the characters. Having both a positive and negative aspect in each relationship assists humankind to develop, learn, be happy and survive.Positive relationships are evident in ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott as well as negative relationships throughout the March family – this shows that they are not a perfect family and even though Little Women is set in the 1860’s, families today can relate to the relationship shown between the March family, especially the relationship Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth have with each other. They fight, love, care and help each other and through tough times, they always forgive each other.Here is a quote from ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott, â€Å"My dear, don’t let the sun go down upon your anger; forgive each other, help each other, and begin again to-morrow. † – Marmee to Jo, Chapter 8, Page 76. This quote shows endearment, â€Å"My dear,† demonstrates the positive relationship that Mrs March has with Jo and the love that the y share for each other. This quote simply implies that we should not let our fury or hatred live on even during our slumber.As much as possible, we must resolve our problems and reconcile. We should build each other in trust rather than destroy each other to strengthen bonds whether it may be in filial, romantic, or friendly relationships. Positive and negative relationships are defined by varied perceptions of the characters. Relationships can be negative at times and if these negative relationships are not resolved, it can impact all individuals involved for a long period of time.Negative relationships do not necessarily occur because of one poor influential mistake – it is the build up of decisions and actions that can have a negative impact and create a negative relationship between the interactions of two people. An example of a negative relationship is evident in ‘Cats in the Cradle’ by Harry Chapin between the father and his son. Here is a quote from †˜Cats in the Cradle’ by Harry Chapin, â€Å"And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, he’d grown up just like me, my boy was just like me. † This quote shows irony.It is ironic that the son becomes like his father, in a different way than expected. It was expected that the son would want to be like the father in a career sense and this demonstrates the negative relationship that the father has with his son – not in a sense that they despise each other but putting off seeing and talking to each other creates a negative impacts throughout their relationship. Positive and negative relationships are defined by varied perceptions of the characters. Loyalty is one of the fundamental traits that are present in a positive relationship.Without loyalty doubts of trust and lack of respect begin to come to the fore and relationships begin to crumble. Within the relationship of Mr and Mrs March, loyalty is the most important factor of the relationship. Here is a quote from ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott, â€Å"That is the secret of our home happiness. He does not let business wean him from the little cares and duties that affect us all, and I try not to let domestic worries destroy my interest in his pursuits. Each do our part alone in many things, but at home we work together, always. – Marmee to Meg, Chapter 38, Page 392. This quote shows a back-story of Mr and Mrs March’s life – that they were not always like this and had the same problems that Meg has starting out married life, especially with children. This adds meaning to their current circumstances and if they did not find a way to work together and be together as much as possible, problems would have occurred but because of the above quote, Mr and Mrs March show loyalty to each other and create a positive relationships not only for themselves but also for others around them.Mrs. March suggests that the domestic sphere is a joint effort  œ husband and wife work together to create a home, instead of every aspect of it being the wife's responsibility. Positive and negative relationships are defined by varied perceptions of the characters. Within every relationship some form of loyalty will be present that contributes to the positive relationship. However, little loyalty can lead to deterioration in a person’s quality of life, happiness and connection with the people involved in that relationship. Cats in the Cradle’ introduces the subject matter indicating the troublesome relationship shared between father and son, â€Å"My child arrived just the other day, he came to the world in the usual way. † The quote is a metaphor for the birth of his son. It is an emotionless way to describe the birth of his son. This metaphor gives an initial indication of an absent relationship between the father and son. It is clear that although the father provides the necessities for the child, his career driven lifes tyle restrains him from spending quality time with his son.Positive and negative relationships are defined by varied perceptions of the characters. To sum up, varied perceptions define the nature of relationships as positive or negative. Mention topic sentences. The relationships in ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott and ‘Cats in the Cradle’ by Harry Chapin shows many different views of positive and negative relationships. The statement, relationships can be positive or negative, is true but positive and negative relationships coexist.

Module 5 Case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Module 5 Case - Assignment Example (Drury, 2004) These divisions are obligated to transact amongst themselves, the costs are decided by using a transfer. Even though the transfer prices may not differ much from the market prices, one of the divisions or the company as a whole in such a transaction go at a loss The buying divisions may buy for more than the principal market price or the selling division can sell below the market price, hence affecting their performance. This can either result into a loss or gain in any or all of the divisions. The company can also make a profit or a loss (Tully, 2012) Table1 of Supply Division C Quantity Manufactured Quantity supplied Current supply Price per unit Total Cost Proposed supply Price per unit Total Cost Supplier C part 101 2,000 3,000 $900 $2,700,000 2,000 $900 $1,800,000 Supplier C part 201 500 1,000 $900 $900,000 500 $1,900 $950,000 From the table 1: Division C will experience a loss, since it, supply of Part 101 reduces from a volume of $2,700,000 to $1,800,000. The tra nsfer price is $2,000 while the market price for this part 101 is $900. Even though the total volume of supply of part 201 to Division B indicates a slight drop from the transfer price. The overall transaction for this division is a loss. Table2 for Buying Division A Quantity Bought Current purchase Price per unit Total Cost Proposed Purchases Price per unit Total Cost Supplier C part 101 3,000 $900 $2,700,000 2,000 $900 $1,800,000 External Supplier part 101 1,000 $900 $900,000 2,000 $900 $1,800,000 The buying division A will be in profit, because the price for the part A is $900. This price is less than the transfer price of $1,000. Even though the quantity supplied by Division C has reduced, they have increased their purchase volume from the external supply from 1,000 units to 2,000 units Table three for buying division B Quantity Bought Current Purchases Price per unit Total Cost Proposed Purchase Price per unit Total Cost Supplier C part 201 1,000 $900 $900,000 2,000 $900 $1,800 ,000 External Supplier part 201 1,000 $900 $900,000 1,500 $1,900 $2,850,000 Division B is a buying division will be in profit if the proposal is implemented. This is driven by two factors: they will have to buy more units both from division C and Externally at a price less than the transfer price. The transfer price is put at $2,000 while the market price for part 201 is $1,900. Profit will be $4,650,000-$1,800,000 =$3,250,000 Table 4 External Supplier Current supply Price per unit Total Cost Proposed supply Price per unit Total Cost Supplier part 101 to A 3,000 $900 $2,700,000 2,000 $900 $1,800,000 Supplier part 201 to B 1,000 $900 $900,000 1,500 $1,900 $2,850,000 From the above data, the company will make a loss since the overall increase in the external supply of both parts. The internal supplier namely the division C is disadvantaged in the new proposal. The total supply by this division will be a total 2,500 units, while external supplier will bring in 3,500 units. Division A: Buying division or downstream Part 101 Transfer cost = $1,000 Current Operation Units bought currently = (3,000 units from supplier C + 1,000 units from External supplier) = 4,000 units Unit cost = $ 900 Total cost = $ 900 X 4,000 = $36,000

Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 11

Reflection Paper - Essay Example Moreover, the neither the host or the native country provide adequate protection to these people, so they are supported by non-profit organizations such as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Due to impact of the war and social clashes people are forced to leave their native land and cross the international border to safeguard their lives, as the government of the host country is unable to provide them with necessary security and relief. From the basic understanding gained, I have realized that the increasing numbers of refugees are due to the socio-political issues such as armed conflicts, agitations and human rights violations. The social issues of immigration have increased considerably and to protect these people UNHCR organization is taking steps. I have identified that the main objective of UNHCR is to safeguard the live of people and to provide them with asylum based on International refugee law (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, n.d.). From the research assignment, I have realized that the relief centers are providing protection and taking measures to reduce displacement and resettle the refugees to their native land with proper safety. I have further learnt that UNHCR provides care in an impartial manner irrespective of race and gender. It offers care to women and children by providing them equal rights. Moreover, UNHCR is committed to provide security to the refugees and provide them with possible solution. As per my understanding the organization is highly committed to provide protection and taking measure to resettle them in their country. From the assignment provided, I have gained a rich understanding regarding the life of the immigrants and refugees. I have gained an insight that these people have to face severe issues such as rape and trafficking during their stay. I realized that refugees live a struggling

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Marketing - Essay Example For this reason, brands must select celebrity endorsements very carefully because the expense needed for celebrity endorsement is large yet there are many risks involved simply due to the fact that a brand cannot control a celebrity's actions in either their professional or personal lives. For brands that are looking to be successful, the easiest way to do this is by associating the brand with a celebrity that already has success. The hope is that consumers will associate the success of the celebrity with the brand they are supporting. The reality is that this is very often not the case, yet it is human nature to link one success with another. The trick that marketers have is trying to convince the target market that the celebrity really does support the brand and stands for the values of the brand. Celebrity often have their own fan bases, usually in the entertainment and sporting industries, so a key reason why marketers want to use celebrities to endorse a product is to have acces s to these loyal groups of fans. Some high-profile companies are willing to spend millions of dollars in order to attract celebrities that are well-known. One such example occurred in January of 2013 when Nike signed world number one golfer Rory McIlroy to be its major celebrity icon. Although the terms of the deal were never released, many insiders to the deal estimate that McIlroy will make $100 million over the next five years or up to $250 million over 10 years (Crouse 2013). While this may seem like crazy money, Nike is betting on the fact that McIlroy will remain a force in the golfing world for some time yet. Because of his relatively young age, 23, he has the potential to dominate the golfing world over the next decade. When McIlroy steps up for the winning putt at some of golf's major events, Nike wants the world to see McIlroy with his Nike cap on, the Nike swoosh on his shirt, and the Nike golf club that he is using. However, if a celebrity does something that brings sham e to a brand, then it may have a long-term effect on the brand. Just recently, the well-known Paralympian Oscar Pistorius shot dead his girlfriend in his South African home. Although the details of his actions are still to be determined in a court of law, some of Pistorius' main sponsors were quick to distance themselves from the controversy (Davis 2013). One popular new ad was a Nike ad in which Pistorius starred in. The tagline of the ad was that Pistorius was "the bullet in the chamber" (Davis 2013). The ad was quickly pulled by Nike when it realized how ironic this advertisement was considering the circumstances. Celebrity endorsements will continue to be lucrative for brands that are looking to increase their reach to consumers, but there are also some downsides involved if that celebrity falls from the public eye. If celebrities are used to help market products and services, then a brand needs to be very selective and only select celebrities that stand for the values of the br and. Bibliography Crouse, Karen. "McIlroy's Well-Remunerated Risk." NYTimes.com. Jan. 14, 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/15/sports/golf/rory-mcilroy-announces-deal- with-nike-golf.html?_r=0 (accessed Feb. 20, 2013). Davis, Rebecca. "Oscar Pistorius dropped by sponsors." The Guardian. Feb. 20, 2013.

Role and Functions of Law Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Role and Functions of Law Paper - Essay Example Secondly, the authority of the arms of government is enhanced thus encouraging personal freedom. Thirdly, laws help to attain the set standards and accomplish the expectations of a society. Fourth, laws enhance economic growth by ensuring a free and fair business competition. Laws promote social justice by offering ways and means of resolving conflicts. In the absence of the legislation and courts to govern the behavior of people, the result would be a chaotic society and therefore lead to a decline in business services rendered in a society (Bushman, 2007). The Federal court structure and the Michigan state court have similarities in the fact that the due process is the same whereby the court informs the defendant of his rights and allows them to access to a lawyer. In addition, the court proceedings, the sentencing, and the appealing process are similar where the defendant will listen to the sentence and have a chance to address the court. However, there are some differences in the sense that the federal courts have a limited jurisdiction while the Michigan state court has a general jurisdiction. Limited jurisdiction means that the court van only hear certain cases while in general jurisdiction a judge can listen to all cases ranging from violation of law to family disputes. Judicial review is a type of court proceeding whereby a judge reviews the decision or actions made by the government or by a public body to ascertain whether they are in line with the rules and regulations prescribed by the constitution (Joshua, 2014). The constitution acts as the supreme law of the land since it defines government functions and fundamental human rights. Therefore, the Supreme Court bears the mandate of reviewing all laws that conflict the constitution. In the absence of the judicial reviews of the decisions and actions of the government and public bodies, the

Book Report on Johnnie Cochran's book A Lawyer's Life Essay

Book Report on Johnnie Cochran's book A Lawyer's Life - Essay Example In order to better understand not only this particular piece of literature but as well the author, Johnnie Cochran himself, we must thoroughly address and discuss the most major and significant areas within this book, and as well any and all key related factors and issues that are involved here. This is what will be dissertated in the following. Cochran approaches a number of different issues in this book, and he tries to explain each one as thoroughly as he possibly can. The literature drifts from one legal matter to the next, really showcasing off his history of work, and one of the most major issues that he tries to bring to attention within it is the reasoning as to why so many African-Americans have a jaded view of the legal system overall. In the beginning of the book Cochran speaks about how he actually began in the business and how he considered himself as having derived "from conceptions of the lawyer embodied by both Dershowitz and Kunstler, leading to an awkward notion of the lawyer's vocation in which contradictory ideals are willfully joined and then corrupted for the sake of convenience (65). Cochran makes numerous different memorable and significant quotes throughout his book, including where he stated that "If one man cannot get a fair trial, no matter how hideous his crime or evil the man, none of us can be certain of getting a fair trial." (72). Another issue that Another issue that Cochran makes significant note of in this literature is in regards to Kunstler's romantic model of the activist lawyer, and he uses this to somewhat reference the strong identifications that he feels he shares with his clients. As he also states in the book, "I looked down and saw that my hands were shaking, not with apprehension but with the power of revelationBeing a lawyer means not only sharing the pain of other people's suffering but also accepting the burden of their trust. In the final moment, being a lawyer isn't about winning or losing. It's about keeping faith." (101). Cochran calculates quite exactly throughout the book, making references to at least parts of most of his cases as well as cases including other credible and notable lawyers, such as Kunstler, and he appeals incredibly to the Kunstler model in order to lay claim to being an African American leader. There is also a certain reliance that is shown by Cochran, particularly on that of the issue of political activism, especially when he feels that he should have evoked the legal process. One of the most significant issues that are discussed however is that of racism and about how his background has helped - and as well in ways negate - cases and other issues that took place during his career. As he states, "There's something in your background, in your character, that helps you understand that this is wrong. Maybe you are the right people, at the right time, at the right place, to say, 'No more, we are not going to have this. This is wrong'." (125). From this review we can conclude many different things, several which are of particular importance, and that includes the matter of racism and how Cochran feels that it is an issue within the judicial system. We truly get to grasp at least a remote idea of Cochran's background and history as a lawyer but more so we get to understand how he feels about being a lawyer and who the figures are in his life that have influenced him along the way. Although there are certainly parts throughout

Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management Essay - 1

Effective Approaches in Leadership and Management - Essay Example Adequate staffing is the solution to reduce the workload on nurses that is how a seasoned manager will look at it. Nurses usually leave due to excessive work pressures and that will be eased to a certain extent through this action. On other issues raised by the nurses, the top management of the organization must formulate a strong retention policy and for that the company needs to pay nurses generously. McConnell (2010) emphasizes on proper reward system to recognize the work of employees and that is where effective and appropriate leadership style is necessary. The issues that concern nurses and raised so far are mostly tangible and needs to be tackled by the top management of the organization where nothing much can be done at intermediate levels such as supervisors or managers because number of nurses in the healthcare unit and their salary structures are largely governed by the corporate recruitment and compensation policies (managerial decisions); however, even a well-formulated retention policy may fail if it is not supported by staff motivation and recognition efforts. It is precisely here that effective leadership is necessary at all levels. Issues That Need an Effective Leadership Approach In CareerBuilder (2010)’s survey on nurses, many issues raised by nursing staffs fall in the category of work culture, lack of training, and poor fit with boss. Yukl (2006) argues that effective leaders are usually transformational leaders. They do not hesitate to delegate authority to others, help create self-managed teams, eliminate unwanted controls; helps develop skills and self-confidence of staff so as to create self-managed teams and work toward staff... As the report states efficient managers assess the situation before resorting to any solution. Many of the issues that come out in the survey are interrelated such as fewer staff and high workload issue. Lower staff will obviously lead to the situation of high workload on nursing staff in any healthcare setting. Adequate staffing is the solution to reduce the workload on nurses that is how a seasoned manager will look at it. Nurses usually leave due to excessive work pressures and that will be eased to a certain extent through this action. On other issues raised by the nurses, the top management of the organization must formulate a strong retention policy and for that the company needs to pay nurses generously. According to the paper stresses concern nurses and raised so far are mostly tangible and needs to be tackled by the top management of the organization where nothing much can be done at intermediate levels such as supervisors or managers because number of nurses in the healthcare unit and their salary structures are largely governed by the corporate recruitment and compensation policies (managerial decisions); however, even a well-formulated retention policy may fail if it is not supported by staff motivation and recognition efforts. It is precisely here that effective leadership is necessary at all levels. Several transformational leadership frameworks are in operation and one of them is engaging leadership model.

The role of coaching in improving performance Essay

The role of coaching in improving performance - Essay Example Had it not been for the coaching that they had received at the right time, they would still be struck at one place or the other. International Coach Federation (ICF), the international accrediting body for coaching, the defines coaching as, â€Å" an ongoing partnership that helps [people] produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives and†¦deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life†. In Sir John Whitmore’s words, coaching is defined as â€Å"unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.† (Whitmore 2002). A coach could be someone to train you in a new skill, encourage and motivate you, give you feedback for improvement and provide you with individual attention. Plants grow in wild; however they cannot match the yield from that of a well-cultured farm. The culturing that creates a well-maintained farm out of an unevenly undulated jungle in what coaching does to an individual. At an organization level, training plays a very significant role. After getting fresh talent into the organization, it is the responsibility of the management, to ensure that they are provided with the right training plus coaching at the right time. Only this will guarantee that they work in alignment to company’s goals and objectives. Coaching at its basic level is ‘observation and feedback’. (Luecke 2004). This simple yet magical definition can turn around organizations and boost-up individual performances to great heights. That is, coaches will normally be experts, who has 360 degree experience in the field, using which they can guide prospective employees on the opportunities and challenges of undergoing coaching. (Sherman and Freas 2004). The corrective measures needed or the area to be focused and worked upon will be obtained through the feedback. Thus coaching can pump in the invaluable component of ‘trigger for change’ into

Plato on reality and the soul Essay Example for Free

Plato on reality and the soul Essay Socrates believed that the soul is pure and the body is corrupted, where wisdom is accounted for the soul and needs, thus the materialistic and carnal desires are to the body. Plato’s Phaedo discussed in the world of forms. Any entity or object has a quality or feature or multiple properties. And these properties are prior conditioned to the soul. Plato’s metaphysics can be drawn primarily from the influence of his teachers Paramenides, Heraclitus, and of course Socrates. First, the concept from Parmenides’ belief that there could be only one being, and this is a never changing entity. It has a static quality. This is where Plato derived his concept of the world of forms. It is a different concept in the material world wherein it is an always changing world. Change can be accounted as the only thing common and the only thing consistent as Heraclitus described the notion of â€Å"flux†. Academicians account that most of Plato’s thinking was influenced by Socrates. Socrates however was not at all articulate in conveying a Metaphysical or Epistemological discussion; rather, he conveyed more ethical notions. For Socrates, The idea is for one to take care of the soul so one can be happy, or attain the truth. This is especially true and evident in the Phaedo where Plato accounts the last hours before Socrates separated his soul from the body. Plato’s Metaphysics can be analyzed as a completion of that of Socrates’. The notion of the world of forms or the world of ideas is an eternal and immovable form. In contrast to this world is Chaos or the world of objects which receives the form. For example, an artist created a vase; the material form of this object is only a receiver or only partakes into the idea of the vase. The object is thus not a perfect representation of the real idea of the vase. The two worlds are joined together which infuses the soul and makes possible to Heraclitus’ idea of the visible world. The world of forms can be stated as perfect and the world of objects as an approximation of it. This meant that men strive to achieve it but fall short of achieving such perfection because the body is corrupted. Forms are independent and the world of objects is dependent to forms because they seek to compare to the perfect image. But because the senses are blurred they can never be perfect. It is also evident this pattern of ideas based on Socrates. Plato points out that a man seeks for the truth and in this speculative journey makes a man better and in turn achieve good. Another evident notion of this is in discussing perfect equality. When you look at perfect equality, you notice that it is not perfectly equal. There and then we can suppose that the idea of this equality had been existent to the soul prior to the unison of it with the body. This intensifies the ideas that the soul existed before the body. However, once the soul was united with the body, the soul’s knowledge of ideas falls into the subconscious. During sleep, man reminisces and recognizes the world of Ideas and thus there is realization. The soul from the moment it unites with the body recognizes an irrational soul that is derived from the corruption of the material world, dissatisfaction and the seeking of pleasure. This soul is situated in the heart. The soul that comes from the world of Forms is situated in the head, on top of the irrational soul, controlling its impulses and conditions the body to live within the confines of reason. Plato in his writings in the Republic described that the end result of an individual in the Good. In his society (or the republic), he stated that this is the final goal of everyone and it is not just a reward. A just man, one of Plato’s virtues, is rewarded not only in this lifetime but until one is reincarnated. This eminent idea that the soul preexisted before the body in the world of forms and its separation of the soul to reach the world of forms represents how the soul is immortal. For Plato, there is a division between the world of forms and the world of objects. In his analogy of the sun, he contrasted the two as those that are merely visible and those of intellectual value. He further explains this through the analogy of the line. Plato described four forms of knowledge. One is of the idea of pure images, dreams and imaginations. In account to the concept of the soul, as discussed earlier, the soul in the preexistence of the body originally comes from the world of Forms. Once the soul infuses with the body, all its knowledge of the world of forms becomes part of the subconscious. Through dreams and the imagination, which is a process of the head, the seat of the rational soul, it recounts and reminisces the truths in the world of forms. The next is the perception of sensible objects that gives attribute and judgment to visible materials. We imply that a certain item has such an attribute but it can change in another similar form. Another one is of mathematical knowledge which is not a perfect knowledge and one of philosophical knowledge that explains more the ideas as eternal and absolute realities. The four types of knowledge can be condensed into two more specific forms. The first two can be accounted as opinions for the things in which we perceive through sensing may look like such in one way and different in another. Another one is called understanding, in which the realities of these objects can or cannot be. It is a more logical, scientific knowledge. The idea of the soul reaching the world of forms is from an inferior to a superior level and its main goal is to reach that state where happiness exists. In the world of objects, there is always dissatisfaction. He further illustrates his ideas through the cave. He stated that the world the secludes us is an illusion to what is the truth, once we step out of the cave we get blinded by the light but as we refocus and look not into the reflections and shadows, but the real perfect forms,we see the truth and the real objects. This process of release from the cave to the outside world represents enlightenment, which in the case of Socrates’ beliefs is the separation of the soul to the body, to attain the truth. In Phaedo, Socrates sums up these arguments and philosophical intertwines by pursuing death himself. According to Socrates, the only way for one to attain the truth from all the imitations and corruptions of the material world is through death. One should never be afraid of something that would give enlightenment. Man should even welcome it when the time arrives. The world of objects prohibits a man to philosophize, thus he has a hard time attaining this virtue of justice and good. There are various distractions that hinder man to the truth. Death for Socrates is the liberation of the soul. Death is also not merely a separation of the soul and body. It is a process and an end state that progresses to achieve the truth. Dissatisfactions, pleasures, emotions inhibit the call of reason and wisdom thus inhibiting philosophy. This separation is an ultimate embrace to the truth until the time comes when the soul unites with a body as an incarnate. Plato ultimately bridges the connection between the soul and the world of forms. As is reiterated, the ultimate goal of man is good, happiness and wisdom. These ideas or forms are not of existence in the world of objects. The world of objects, are perceived representations of man through various forms of knowledge, (of opinions and of logical knowledge). The objects man builds are imitations, thus they are not perfect. Man has a perception of what is perfect because the rational soul is of prior existence in the world of forms. The world of objects cannot be perfect and man cannot be happy because the human body is predisposed to various entanglements with pleasures, emotions, diseases, and imperfections. Philosophers are to accept death for it liberates man from the soul. The soul has its ultimate goal in essence is to go back to the world of forms. In that way he would be able to attain good.

Seagate Technologies: Operation Hedging

Seagate Technologies: Operation Hedging The Seagate Technologies as a group assignment in our Production Logistics course. The purpose and aim of this case it to learn the impact of each assets (location) capacity on the overall profitability of the processing network. In addition, investigate how the entire capacity portfolio can be designed to provide an optimal hedge against uncertainty. We have been following six questions: i) what is Seagates corporate strategy? Describe and evaluate how its operational strategy and processes support the corporate strategy. Critically evaluate Seagates product and process development strategy, which calls for development in its respective product / process centre in U.S. and then exporting the developed process to site in the Far-East for high-volume production. ii) What are Seagates major risks? How does it manage those risks? iii) How would you describe the capacity of the processing network if the current CAR capacity proposal were implemented? What is the expected profit and ROI under this investment? (Given the short product life, assume the firm is making its decision for a single time period of length one year, at the end of which manufacturing capacity will zero salvage value). iv) The case states that the true demand forecast contains uncertainty. Given this forecast, recommend a capacity portfolio that maximizes expected NPV. (Recall, capacity investment must be performed before you observe actual market demand). Verify financial attractiveness of your recommendation. What is the expected profit and ROI now? v) Interpret your recommended capacity portfolio in intuitive terms: in what sense does your capacity configuration prepare you to hedging and why is your plan to be preferred? vi) In broad conceptual terms, what are the advantages of sales-plan driven capacity planning? What is wrong with that practice end how would you improve on it? LITERATURE REVIEW Operations Management: In operations management, there are two streams of research originating from two separate, but conceptually similar, definitions of operational hedging. The first definition, as introduced by Huchzermeier (1991) and quoted in Ding and Kouvelis (2001, p.2), states that Operational hedging strategies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ can be viewed as real (compound) options that are exercised in response to demand, price and exchange rate contingencies faced by firms in a global supply chain context. Real options might have value-enhancing capabilities under uncertainty. The value-enhancing feature of real options under uncertainty is called exploiting uncertainty. Huchzermeier and Cohen (1996) analyze operational flexibility, which they define as the ability to switch among different global manufacturing strategy options. Cohen and Huchzemeier (1999) illustrate how the deployment of excess capacity can be a source of operational flexibility in global supply chains. They argue that investing in capacity in excess of the aggregate demand forecast provides flexibility in coping with demand uncertainties. Additionally, excess capacity enables the firm to produce more in that location, providing a value-enhancing opportunity in addition to reducing its downside risks. The second definition of operational hedging is found in Van Mieghem (2003). Without referring to real options, but making an analogy with its financial counterpart, financial hedging, Van Mieghem defines operational hedging as mitigating risk by counterbalancing actions in a processing network that do not involve financial instruments. He lists dual-sourcing, component commonality, having the option to run overtime, dynamic substitution, routing, transshipping, or shifting processing among different types of capital, locations or subcontractors, holding safety stocks and purchasing warranty guarantees as operational hedging strategies. One of the main contributions of this definition is the observation that operational hedging can be employed in the absence of tradable risks, particularly exchange rate risk, as all the other academic fields mostly consider operational hedging in an exchange rate framework. Again departing from the literature, Van Mieghem does not consider any particular risk measure to formalize the effect of operational hedging in terms of risk mitigation. In addition, the term counterbalancing actions is not formalized: criteria to determine whether given actions are counterbalancing are not developed, this term corresponds to investing in more than one resource, or betting on two horses that is, investing in operational flexibility, similar to the former definition of operational hedging. Finally, as with real options, counterbalancing actions described by Van Mieghem have a value-enhancing capability and increase expected profit in a risk-neutral setting. This is demonstrated on a two-product, two-stage production system where capacity imbalance is the operational hedging strategy (Harrison and Van Mieghem 1999, Van Mieghem 2003). By purposely unbalancing the capacity vector, i.e. having safety capacity (in excess of the capacity that would be optimal in the deterministic case), firms can hedge against demand uncertainty and increase expected profit. Counterbalancing actions, taken in such a way as to maximize expected profit for a risk-neutral decision maker, are called operational hedges. Finance In the finance literature, operational hedging is the course of action that hedges the firms risk exposure by means of non-financial instruments, particularly through operational activities. Similar to the operations management literature, operational flexibility is the major operational hedging strategy discussed in the finance literature. In addition to operational flexibility, geographical diversification is another operational hedging strategy in a multinational context. Geographical diversification is aligning the costs and revenues of a firm so that they are exposed to the same risks. Domestic firms selling to foreign markets can ensure that their production costs and sales revenues are exposed to the same exchange rate uncertainties by opening a production facility in these markets. Therefore, geographical diversification reduces the total variability of cash flows. Chowdry and Howe (1999) argue that the facility location decision is considered to be an operational hedging strategy only when firms are concerned with the variability of their operating profits. Hommel (2003) argues that operational flexibility is employed as a hedging device when the exchange rate and demand volatility are sufficiently large (in that case the minimum profit constraint is violated); otherwise it serves as a value driver to enhance expected profits. It is emphasized that because operational flexibility can be used for a purely value-enhancement motive, it is considered to be an operational hedging strategy only when there is a risk hedging motive for employing it. Generally speaking, operational actions are considered to be operational hedges if they are taken in order to reduce a risk measure of concern. In particular, if firms care about downside risk (e.g. having a minimum profit constraint), then operational hedges mitigate risk through a reduction in the downside exposure. In summary, the finance literature defines operational hedging as mitigating firms risks by operational means. Operational flexibility achieved through various operational means (ability to shift production, transferring technologies, product differentiation etc.) and geographical diversification is the operational hedges of firms utilized in conjunction with financial hedges. Compared to their financial counterparts, operational hedges require higher levels of capital investment (opening a production facility), but create longer term hedges against risk exposures including risks that are not contingent on asset prices (e.g. demand risks, political risks). Strategy and International Business Diversification is defined as having different lines of business through mergers and joint ventures (Wang and Lim 2003), of which geographical diversification is one type. Kogut (1985) analyzes diversification and operational flexibility as risk management tools of multinationals. He argues that an operational decision (the sourcing policy in this case) can create three different types of risk profile: speculative, hedged and flexible. The speculative profile is betting on one site mainly to benefit from economies of scale in operations. By matching the exchange rate exposure on the cost side with that on the profit side, the firm can create a hedged risk profile. This approach corresponds to the geographical diversification strategy. Finally, a flexible risk profile created through operational flexibility permits the firm to exploit uncertainties by creating real options. In the international business literature, Pantzalis et al. (2001) define operational hedging as the firms operational decisions (related to marketing, production, sourcing, plant location, and treasury) that are best suited to managing the exchange rate exposure on the firms competitive position across markets. In summary, the strategy literature focuses on operational flexibility and diversification as risk management tools without defining them as operational hedges. Operational flexibility achieved through several operational means (developing in-house capacity, product differentiation, keeping excess capacity etc.) creates both arbitrage and leverage opportunities for multinational firms. In addition to aligning costs and revenues, real option benefits of geographical diversification in the form of growth options are discussed. The international business research, similar to the finance literature, focuses on operational flexibility and geographical diversification as long-term operational hedges of multinationals against exchange rate exposures. Analysis of Seagate Technologies: Question 1: What is Seagates corporate strategy? Describe and evaluate how its operational strategy and processes support the corporate strategy. Critically evaluate Seagates product and process development strategy, which calls for development in its respective product / process centre in U.S. and then exporting the developed process to site in the Far-East for high-volume production. Answer: Seagate Technologies Corporate Strategy: The Barracuda The Cheetah are two new Seagates high-end disk-drive products families that are scheduled to go into volume production in the first calendar quarter of 1998. The capital appropriation request called for $ 103 million capital investment in two final assembly facilities, one for the Barracuda and one for the Cheetah and one for joint test facility. The companys establishment and ongoing expansion of production facilities in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, China and Ireland are directed toward cost reduction. Describe and evaluate how its operational strategy and processes support the corporate strategy. Operational Strategy and Processes: Manufacturing Strategy: Process Choice Establishment and maintenance of key vendor relationships. Produce and sell its disc drives in significant volume, continue to lower manufacturing costs and carefully monitor inventory levels. Transfer volume production of disc drives and related components between facilities, including transfer overseas to countries where labor costs and other manufacturing costs are significantly lower than in the U.S. Infrastructure The key element if the Seagates manufacturing strategy is high volume, low cost assembly and test; vertical integration in the manufacturing of selected components. Seagate continually evaluates its components and manufacturing processes. Seagate rapidly achieve high manufacturing yields in new production processes and obtain uninterrupted access to high quality components in required volumes at competitive prices. Marketing Strategy: Seagates ability to compete successfully depends on its ability to provide timely product introductions and to combine to reduce production costs. The companys establishment and ongoing expansion of production facilities in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, China and Ireland are directed toward such cost reductions. The two new products were planned to be in volume production only for the four quarters of 1998. The capital investment to build production capacity was significant and had two components. First, there were significant fixed costs estimated at about $ 40 million associated with designing, commissioning, and starting up the three new facilities. The second component was that the capital expense of building new capacity increased with the amount of capacity: larger production capacity required larger space requirements and tooling costs, leading to an linear increase in the capital expense. Seagate products include over 50 rigid disc drive models with from factors 2.5 to 5.25 inches and capacities from 1GB 10 23 GB. Seagate believes it offers the broadest range from of disc storage products available. It provides more than one product at some capacity points and differentiates products on a price / performance and form factor basis. Seagate typically devotes its resource to developing products with industries leading performance characteristics and to being among the first to introduce such products to market. The company continuously seeks to enhance its market presence in emerging segments of the rigid disc drive market by drawing on its established capabilities in high volume, low cost productions. The Marathon and Medalist disk drive product lines are targeted for the personal mobile and desktop computing market, respectively, while the high end workstation and server/multi user systems market is served with the Barracuda, Cheetah, and Elite product families. The Barracuda family of 3.5 inch drives was first introduced in 1992. At 7,200 rpm the Barracuda had the highest rotation speed of any drives produced at that time. In fiscal year 1997, Seagate introduced two new products in the Barracuda family, the Barracuda 4LP and the Barracuda 4XL, with 4GB and 4.5GB respectively. The Barracuda 4XL, which began volume production during the fourth quarter of fiscal 1997, was designed to provide a balance of price and performance for the workstation market as it matures. In August 1996, the company announced the 3.5 inch Cheetah family the worlds first drives to offer rotation speeds of 10,000 rpm for increased data throughout and lower latency times. The Cheetah drive is focused at the very high performance segment of the market. Volume production of the Cheetah 4LP and the Cheetah 9 began in the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 1997, respectively. Seagate is going to announce the fifth generation Barracuda 9LP and the second generation Cheetah 0LP in early fall 1997, with volume production schedule to begin in the first calendar quarter of 1998. Finally, the Elite product line covers the high end 5.25 inch market. In the third quarter of fiscal year 1997, production commenced on the Elite 23, a high performance, 5.25 inch disc drive with 23 GB of formatted capacity, a rotation speed of 5,400 rpm and mean time between failures of 500,000 hours. Critically evaluate Seagates product and process development strategy, which calls for development in its respective product / process centre in U.S. and then exporting the developed process to site in the Far-East for high-volume production. Product and Process Development: The content of the Seagate product/ process strategy: Seagate has the superior strategy, i.e. business strategy or corporate strategy, requirements on the product portfolio. It is described in the case the present state of the product portfolio. It is also described in the case what would be the future state of the product portfolio. A plan of action, i.e. how Seagate wanted product portfolio can be reached in practice. The five steps/activities are described below: Requirements on the product portfolio: The most central activity in the process is the identification of the requirements on the product portfolio. The requirements should be found both in the superior strategy, i.e. business strategy or corporate strategy, and also in other functional strategies. Requirements put on the product portfolio consist of among other range, mix and volumes of products. Seagate has number of segments which is introduced in the market. New product proposals: Ideas for new products can arise in different ways; customer, market analysis etc. The new product proposal capture, visualize and preserve the ideas that are found within and outside the company. The aim of the new product proposals is to attain a more distinct product development funnel as shown in Figure 12, where several ideas are evaluated in parallel. Seagates strategy for new products emphasizes developing and introducing on timely and cost effective basis products that offer functionality an d performance equal to or better than competitive product offering. Product development process: The product development process should fit the actual company, its products and its manufacturing. The product development process should also state which design method to use when and why. Seagate devotes significant resources to product engineering aimed at improving manufacturing processes, lowering manufacturing cost and increasing volume production. Seagates process engineering groups are located with the disc drive development groups and the reliability engineering groups in many cities of U.S. and also in Singapore. Product portfolio: When making decisions within the product development process it is important to have the product portfolio in mind and vice versa. Therefore it is emphasized that the same group of managers handles both the product development process and the product portfolio. Reengineering or product deleting: All products have a limited life span. Not unusual at companies aimed at in this research is some kind of facelifts of products during their lifetime. New requirements like new features, manufacturing processes, customer needs etc. on a product or product family require a reengineering or the product will be obsolete. Seagates product life cycles of disc drives are short (high volume products introduced and sold for about 6 to 7 quarters. Due to fast changing in technology in computer industries the product deleting is very short and re-engineering might cost extra money to Seagate due to rapid development. Question 2: What are Seagates major risks? How does it manage those risks? Answer: Competitive differentiation: (e.g., price, quality, time or customization) Market: Fundamental change in supply and demand functions or global prices for commodities. The rigid disc drive industry is intensely competitive, with manufactures competing for a limited number of major customers. In addition to the product performance dimension, the principal competitive factors in the rigid disc drive market include product quality and reliability, form factor, price per unit, price per megabyte, production volume capability and responsiveness to customers. The relative importance of these factors varies with different customers and for different products. Competitors offer new and existing products at prices necessary to gain or retain market share and customers. To remain competitive, Seagate believes it will be necessary to continue to reduce its price and aggressively enhance its product offering. Technological capabilities (lead or follow in technology innovation) With the proliferation of multimedia applications, the demand for increased drive capacities has and continues to increase at an accelerating rate since sound and moving pictures require many times the storage capacity of simple text. Economic: Ability to attract and retain staff in the labour market; exchange rates affect costs of international transactions; effect of global economy. Given the high demand uncertainty of the two product families, the current capital appropriation request moves Seagate towards financial risk in terms of expenditure. Socio-cultural: Demographic change affects demand for services; stakeholder expectations change. Operational: Relating to existing operations both current delivery and building and maintaining. A pessimistic scenario with likelihood estimated at 25%, would demand only 150,000 Cheetahs and 350,000 Barracudas. Mitigating Risk with Financial Hedging: If the counterbalancing actions involve trading financial instruments, including short selling, futures, and options, this is financial hedging. Financial hedging yields an elegant approach to incorporating risk without having to resort to utility functions and price its present value using risk-neutral discounting. The basic idea is to construct a perfect hedge, which is a portfolio that provides a constant future value in any state of nature and therefore can be priced using risk-free discounting. Financial hedging requires writing an unambiguous contract that specifies capacity usages in a form that is divisible, trade able, and enforceable. Mitigating Risk with Operational Hedging: Processing flexibility such as dual or multi-sourcing, using component commonality, having the option to run overtime or to dynamically reroute or shift production (among different types of capital, locations, or subcontractors); holding safety stocks; having warranty guarantees, etc. A variety of these actions can be grouped as counterbalancing capacities to mitigate risk, often by inducing some form of resource pooling. Question 3 How would you describe capacity of processing network if current CAR capacity proposal were implemented? What is the expected profit and ROI under this investment? (Given the short product life, assume the firm is making the decisions for a single time period of length one year, at the end of which manufacturing capacity will have zero salvage value) Answer: Expected Capacity Scenario (Capacity both for Cheetah and Barracuda is 300000) There are 2 different profit and cost structure PS=Profit of solved product C=Cost of unused capacity Contribution Margins Cheetah=$400 Barracuda=$300 Demands Pessimistic (25%) Expected (50%) Optimistic (25%) Cheetah 150 000 300 000 450 000 Barracuda 350 000 300 000 250 000 Demand for Cheetah in Pessimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS-C)*(0.25) PS= $400*150000 ($30000*(150) +$80000*(150)) =$43.500.000 C= $30000*(150) + $80000(50) (The spare capacity cost is shared in Cheetah and Barracuda) =$8.500.000 Profit= $35.000.000 * 0.25 Demand for Cheetah in Expected Scenario (0.50) Profit= (PS)*(0.50) PS= $400*300000 ($30000*(300) +$80000*(300)) =$87.000.000 Demand for Cheetah in Optimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS)*(0.25) PS= $400*300000 ($30000*(300) +$80000*(300)) =$87.000.000 Total profit for cheetah = (PS-C)*(0.25) + PS*(0.50) +PS*(0.25) =$35.000.000 * 0.25+$87.000.000 * 0.50+$87.000.000 * 0.25 =$74.000.000 Demand for Barracuda in Optimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS-C)*(0.25) PS= $300*250000 ($20000*(250) +$80000*(250)) =$50.000.000 C= $30000*(150) =$4.500.000 Profit= $45.500.000 * 0.25 Demand for Barracuda in Expected Scenario (0.50) Profit= (PS)*(0.50) PS= $300*300000 ($20000*(300) +$80000*(300)) =$60.000.000 Demand for Cheetah in Pessimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS)*(0.25) PS= $300*350000 ($20000*(300) +$80000*(300)) =$60.000.000 Total profit for barracuda = (PS-C)*(0.25) + PS*(0.50) +PS*(0.25) =$45.500.000 * 0.25+$60.000.000 * 0.50+$60.000.000 * 0.25 =$56.375.000 Total Profit for the System= Total profit for cheetah+ Total profit for barracuda -Fixed Cost = $74.000.000+$56.375.000- $40.000.000 = $90.375.000 Question 4: The case states that true demand forecast contains uncertainty. Given this forecast contains recommend a capacity portfolio that maximizes expected NPV. (Recall, capacity investment must be performed before you observe actual market demand).Verify financial attractiveness of your recommendation: What is the expected profit and ROI now? Answer: As mentioned above; we calculated the total profit according to the expected capacity scenario. In uncertainty situations we also calculate total profit pessimistic and optimistic scenarios as well Pessimistic Capacity Scenario (Capacity for Cheetah 150000 and Barracuda is 350000) Demand for Cheetah in Pessimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS-C)*(0.25) PS= $400*150000 ($30000*(150) +$80000*(150)) =$43.500.000 C= $80000(50) (The spare capacity cost is shared in Cheetah and Barracuda) =$4.000.000 Profit= $47.500.000 * 0.25 Demand for Cheetah in Expected Scenario (0.50) Profit= (PS)*(0.50) PS= $400*150000 ($30000*(150) +$80000*(150)) =$43.500.000 Demand for Cheetah in Optimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS)*(0.50) PS= $400*150000 ($20000*(150) +$80000*(150)) =$43.500.000 Total profit for cheetah = (PS-C)*(0.25) + PS*(0.50) +PS*(0.25) =$47.500.000 * 0.25+$43.500.000 * 0.50+$43.500.000 * 0.25 =$44.500.000 Demand for Barracuda in Pessimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS-C)*(0.25) PS= $300*350000 ($20000*(350) +$80000*(350)) =$70.000.000 C= $80000(50) (The spare capacity cost is shared in Cheetah and Barracuda) =$4.000.000 Profit= $66.000.000 * 0.25 Demand for Barracuda in Expected Scenario (0.50) Profit= (PS)*(0.50) PS= $300*300000 ($20000*(300) +$80000*(300)) =$60.000.000 Demand for Barracuda in Optimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS)*(0.50) PS= $300*300000 ($20000*(300) +$80000*(300)) =$60.000.000 Total profit for barracuda = (PS-C)*(0.25) + PS*(0.50) +PS*(0.25) =$66.000.000 * 0.25+$60.000.000 * 0.50+$60.000.000 * 0.25 =$61.500.000 Total Profit for the System= Total profit for cheetah+ Total profit for barracuda -Fixed Cost = 44.500.000+$61.500.000- $40.000.000 = $66.000.000 Optimistic Capacity Scenario (Capacity for Cheetah 450000 and Barracuda is 250000) Demand for Cheetah in Pessimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS-C)*(0.25) PS= $400*150000 ($30000*(150) +$80000*(150)) =$43.500.000 C= $30000*(300) + $80000(50) (The spare capacity cost is shared in Cheetah and Barracuda) =$13.000.000 Profit= $30.500.000 * 0.25 Demand for Cheetah in Expected Scenario (0.50) Profit= (PS-C)*(0.50) PS= $400*300000 ($30000*(300) +$80000*(300)) =$87.000.000 C= $30000*(150) (The spare capacity cost 450-300=150) =$4.500.000 Profit= $82.500.000 * 0.50 Demand for Cheetah in Optimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS)*(0.50) PS= $400*450000 ($30000*(450) +$80000*(450)) =$142.500.000 Total profit for cheetah = (PS-C)*(0.25) + (PS-C)*(0.50) +PS*(0.25) =$30.500.000 * 0.25+$82.500.000 * 0.50+$142.500.000 * 0.25 =$84.500.000 Demand for Barracuda in Pessimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS-C)*(0.25) PS= $300*250000 ($20000*(250) +$80000*(250)) =$50.000.000 C= $80000(50) (The spare capacity cost is shared in Cheetah and Barracuda) =$4.000.000 Profit= $46.000.000 * 0.25 Demand for Barracuda in Expected Scenario (0.50) Profit= (PS)*(0.50) PS= $300*250000 ($20000*(250) +$80000*(250)) =$50.000.000 Demand for Barracuda in Optimistic Scenario (0.25) Profit= (PS)*(0.50) PS= $300*250000 ($20000*(250) +$80000*(250)) =$50.000.000 Total profit for barracuda = (PS-C)*(0.25) + PS*(0.50) +PS*(0.25) =$46.000.000 * 0.25+$50.000.000 * 0.50+$50.000.000 * 0.25 =$49.000.000 Total Profit For The System= Total profit for cheetah+ Total profit for barracuda -Fixed Cost = 84.500.000+$49.000.000- $40.000.000 = $93.500.000 Therefore according to the capacity scenarios profits are formed; Total Profit for Cheetah Total Profit for Barracuda Pessimistic Capacity Scenario $44.500.000 $61.500.000 Expected Capacity Scenario $74.000.000 $56.375.000 Optimistic Capacity Scenario $84.500.000 $49.000.000 Question 5: Interpret your recommended capacity portfolio in intuitive terms: in what sense does your capacity configuration prepare you to hedging and why is your plan to be preferred? Answer: Newsvendor: The newsvendor (or newsboy) model is a mathematical model in operations management and applied economics used to determine optimal inventory levels. It is (typically) characterized by fixed prices and uncertain demand. If the inventory level is q, each unit of demand above q is lost. This model is also known as the Newsvendor Problem or Newsboy Problem. In the case of Seagate Technologies, let K1 is the capacity for The Cheetah and K2 is the capacity for The Barracuda, K3 is the capacity of for The Final Test and D is the demand for each product family. The sales plan is 300 thousand units of The Barracuda and an equal amount of The Cheetah i.e. the sales plan corresponds to a demand vector (in thousands) D = (300, 300). The associated capacity investment vector for the three resources that makes this sales plan feasible is Kb = (300, 300, 600). The capacity portfolio Kb is balanced in the sense that all three resources are fully utilized at the sales plan. Capacity balance means that K1 + K2 = K3. Another capacity plan that may show up in practice is a plan that minimizes lost sales. In some settings, marketing managers may state that a customer lost once is lost forever and advocate ample capacity to prevent that. We refer to such plan as a total coverage capacity plan Kc. Obviously, a centralized, expected profit maximizing planner with knowledge of the probabilistic demand forecast can do better. Maximization of expected profit leads to increasing the investment in resources with high marginal return compared to marginal investment costs. This generalized typical newsvendor logic works in a coupled, multi-dimensional setting and show the risk-neutral or newsvendor network solution in Seagate case to be K* = (350, 35

Toys R Us Sold Essay -- essays research papers

Toys R Us is the world's largest children's specialty retailer. The company operates toy stores throughout the world and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. In this paper I will give a brief company history, cite where the competitive environment is coming from, strategies that were attempted, and where they stand today. Toys R Us founder Charles Lazarus opened the first Toys R Us store in Rockville in 1957. The company went public in 1978 and evolved into a powerful international toy vendor, with Kids R Us, Babies R Us and Toyrus.com. It operated 638 stores in the United States and 579 outside the country. Although Toys R Us participates in the Specialty Retail industry, it has identified its major competitors not as other specialty toy retailers, but as department and discount stores, including Wal-Mart, Kmart and Target. Within the specialty retail segment, Toys R Us competes against FAO Schwartz and K-B Toys. The discount and department stores against which Toys R Us competes do not break down their revenue by product segment, so it difficult to gauge the market share of toys that these stores generate. However, as the company moves into additional segments, including children's apparel, it will be competing against these retailers in other segments, as well. In the specialty toy retail segment, Toys "R" Us enjoys a significant market share over both K-B Toys and FAO Schwartz. Toys R Us Inc. revolutionized the toy industry more than four decades ago with its big-box, low-price stores. Toys R Us may be synonymous with toys, but also has its fastest-growing business in Babies R Us, which sells children's clothes, furniture and accessories. The company opened new stores and planned to build new additional Babies R Us stores. Toys R Us ventured into a partnership with Amazon.com to improve the e-commerce division of their business. Internet retailing was cutting into the profits and the market share of Toys R Us. This financial effect was the reason they the needed to improve and establish themselves in the Internet market. This Internet market was clearly the way the trend was going, as indicated by the growth of retailers such as eToys.com and SmarterKids.com. Toys R Us needed to establish itself in this market, since bricks and mortar retai... ...strategy when the initial downsizing failed to take them out of the red or gain back lost market share. In closing Toys R Us needed capital and new ideas. They final option was to sell and bring in new investors with new ideas. The sale has already had a good sign. After the report of the sale shares jumped 5% on the New York Stock Exchange. This could be the start of their comeback. References 1. Annual Report.(2001). Montvale, NJ: Toys R Us, Inc. 2. Annual Report.(2003). Montvale, NJ: Toys R Us, Inc. 3. Elder, L.(1999, December 3). Many happy returns. Houston Business Journal 4. Raven, M. E. (2000, October). Seventh Circuit affirms FTC's ruling that Toys "R" Us led illegal boycott. Corporate Counsel (7), p. A6. 5. Bhatnagar, P.(2005). Group To Buy Toys R Us For $6.6B. CNN/Money. 6. Barbaro, M.(2004). Toys R Us Restructuring. Washington Post. 7. Wettlaufer, D.(1999, August). Is Toys R Us Toying with E-commerce? http://aolsnapshot.fool.com/news/1999/toy990817.htm

Government Spending, Deficits, and Keynesian Economics Essay -- Econom

A growing government is opposite to America’s economic interests because the various methods of financing a government - taxes, borrowing, and printing money have harmful effects upon the economy. There are many reasons why there is a high deficit in the United States such as extensive spending. This is true because government spending is often economically destructive, regardless of how it is financed. There are many causes of the steady growth in U.S. trade deficits. There are many people are against the high deficits especially economists. â€Å"Economists define government intervention in the foreign exchange market as the buying or selling of foreign exchange for the purpose of manipulating the exchange rate. â€Å"(Case, pg. 398) Economists would agree that there are situations which lower levels of government spending would improve economic growth and other situations in which higher levels of government spending would be pleasing. Economists will generally agree that government spending becomes a burden. Economists feel as though by raising the deficit we are spending money the economy does not. If United States would raise taxes to help pay off the deficit that would not work since so many Americans are out of work. In addition, they believe that raising the GDP taken by the state sector has a negative effect on the growth of the private sector of the economy. Even though the economy could benefit from the budget deficit such as economic growth, the economists do not want to take a chance on that. Also, s ome economists are also concerned that higher borrowing by the government may also openly result in reduced utilization spending. They argue households recognize that higher current government borrowing results in highe... ...ful spending because it is taking a toll on our future, our children’s future, and our children’s children future. Works Cited 1. Case. Principles of Macroeconomics, 9th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions 2. United States Economy - Monetary and Fiscal Policy." Country Studies. U.S. Department of State. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. . 3. Mitchell, Dr. Daniel. "The Impact of Government Spending on Economic Growth." Conservative Policy Research and Analysis. 15 Mar. 2005. Web. 16 Aug. 2011. . 4. Pettinger, Tejvan. "Monetary Policy vs Fiscal Policy | Economics Blog." Economics Help - Helping to Simplify Economics. Web. 09 Aug. 2011. .

Astronomy Rules :: Essays Papers

Astronomy Rules Mars would make a lousy host for the Winter Olympics. Yes, there's the lack of air to consider. But more important, Martian snow turns out to be rock hard. Worse, it is melting away at an alarming rate. In fact, Mars may be in the midst of a period of profound climate change, according to a new study that shows dramatic year-to-year losses of snow at the south pole. It is not yet clear, though, if the evidence of a single year's change represents a trend. But the study provides a surprising new view of the nature of the southern ice cap, said Michael Caplinger of Malin Space Science Systems. "It's saying that the permanent cap isn't quite so permanent as we thought," Caplinger said in a telephone interview. A second study of both poles finds that Red Planet snow is more dense and hard than the euphemistic "packed powder" advertised by Eastern ski resorts, and nothing like the soft flakes expected in Utah for the 2002 Olympics. Instead, it's hard as ice. Though unrelated, the two studies were based on observations made by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and both will be published in the Dec. 7 issue of the journal Science. The combined observations represent an exciting new way to look at Mars' atmosphere and how it interacts over time with the polar caps and even soil at mid-latitudes, said David A. Paige, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles. "The new data are showing what's going on on Mars seasonally as well as on interannual time scales in much more detail than we had with previous observations," Paige told SPACE.com. Where the snow is Both of Mars' polar regions are covered in permanent caps of ice. Scientists have known since the 1970s that some of the ice in the north is water ice. There may be water ice in the south, too, but there is no firm evidence. Both poles are covered in a veneer of carbon dioxide ice, popularly called "dry ice" here on Earth. Each cap grows during its winter and recedes in summer. The research into snow density, lead by David E. Smith of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, confirm that much of the Martian snow is in fact composed of carbon dioxide. The study involved more than 400 million elevation measurements spanning more than one Martian year, from February 1999 through May of 2001. The orbiting spacecraft bounced a beam of laser light to the surface and back, recording the round-trip time to determine elevations within 4 inches (10 centimeters).

Adoption of new technology systems Essay

                 Health can be described as the state of physical or emotional well-being without necessarily the absence of a disease or any given ailments. Electronic Health Record, thereby, covers a wide scope in ensuring the electronic procedures through which the factors that lead to the health of individuals are ensured. This indicates that this practice involves the incorporation of technology such as the use of computers to ensure its implementation.                  In this research paper, therefore, one ought to undertake the role of a head nurse, and carry out the programs that will ensure the use of electronic health records system is incorporated in a facility. In addition, one ought to put his or her base of discussion in line with the Rodgers qualities that lead to the adoption of new technologies, especially in an organizational set up. This can, therefore, be discussed as follows:                  How to approach the present the Electronic Health Records to the nurses to win their approval            Nurses often play a greater role in ensuring the health care delivery to the patients, who in most cases seek medical attention. This owes to the fact that they put into consideration the patients’ issues from the moment they are registered to undertake treatment in a given facility. Furthermore, they are the individuals who make sure that the patients get proper and adequate treatment up to when they are discharged from the hospital.               Therefore, one way of presenting the Electronic Health Records system to them is by critically defining the roles they are to carry out. These run from the registration of the patients, admission procedures as in the case of patients’ illnesses, writing down of the nursing procedures. Other functions of the nurses include drug admission, dosage and their storage, carrying out of the minor surgeries and dressing of wounds.                As the Head Nurse in charge, I would clearly outline to the nurses their roles, and how the incorporation of the new electronic health record system would improve their daily activities in the delivery of healthcare. However, despite the advantages that are associated with the new technology, several cases of resistance can be noticed among the nurses. These can be in the whereby they mention that they lack the knowledge and the skills to use the methods and that it may consume their time, and lead t earlier retirement or even retrenchment of their jobs.               In such a given case, as a head nurse, I will ensure that they have adequate training on the use of the newly adopted system, and assure them that the only time they would be retrenched or dismissed from their duties would be on attainment of the retirement age. Moreover, I will ensure that new goals and objectives are set forth with the introduction of the systems to ensure a quality health delivery service. Furthermore, I would also provide some room for negotiation so that we come up with a system that will be favorable to all.               Applications as per Rodger’s theory, in the health facility setup.               The theory looks into the modes via which individuals can choose to adapt into a new system of technology, basing on the qualities that they possess. These include relative advantage/the benefits, compatibility with the current practices and the values, simplicity, trialability, and the results that are observed (the observable results). The relative advantage               In order to prepare the nurses for the implementation that is upcoming, I would ensure that the system will lay several benefits that will facilitate in the improvement of the existing one. An explanation that can be given to this is that, initially, the storage of the health records were done in a manual manner. Therefore, a lot of time would be taken to retrieve the information about the patients from the filing area, thereby leading to subsequent delays, and infectivity in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the loss of the files would be easier owing to their inadequate storage and management.               However, by the incorporation of the new technology, time taken to retrieve the information about the patients would be reduced due to their accessibility and efficient storage. This would in turn lead to faster and efficient treatment. These would also ensure that they are properly diagnosed with the diseases that they suffer from and reduce the excess costs incurred for example in the purchasing of their files. Compatibility with the existing values and practices               In the health setup, proper values need to be ensured so that the rights of the patients are not infringed on. These can be in line with the Nightingale Promises or laws, as in this case, for the nurses. Practices such as laboratory experiments and the observational routines, for example, recording of temperature, blood pressure tests, post natal and antenatal care too should be considered. As a result, in order for the nurses to adapt to the new systems, they need to understand how the technologies would be implemented as per the values and the practices. Simplicity               In the facility, several forms of resistance may arise due to the difficulty of the nurses to use the new methods as most of them may be computer illiterate. Therefore, there is need to use the simple models that they can be easily trained on and understand. An example of these may include the data entry forms like the use of Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) basically, before getting to the more complex ones. Others may include the measurements of the temperature and pressure of the patients using equipment that can easily detect the variables from one patient to the next.                TrialabilityThese can be carried out as part of the training procedures that are given to the nurses. Therefore, they can be granted some extra time to familiarize themselves with the machines, make several trials and mistakes, and eventually come to terms with the proper modes of handlement. Observable results                  In most cases, these will be evident from the institutions that have successfully installed and used the systems in place, and the progresses that they have made in relation to the admission of an adequate healthcare. Thus, these can be the referral and the national hospitals from where a variety of diseases are handled. The role of nurses as change agents in facilitating the adoption of a new technology                Nurses aid in the adoption of the new forms of technology by ensuring digitalization in the admission of healthcare. These can be in the form of the mobile clinics that reach far and wide, within and outside the country. Moreover, it gives them a wider scope to classify diseases according to the signs and symptoms thus they can relate to patients through mediums such as webcam or even Skype for those who may not be able to get to the facilities in good time.                      These can therefore help to reduce the costs that can be incurred as in the case of distant travels by the patients who are critically ill, for example the aircraft ambulatory modes, and reduce more damages that would be caused to the patients by the use of roads. Additionally, several modes of treatment too can be sought out for by the nurses in line with the researches that they carry out through the internet, thereby improving the lives of individuals. References Archer, N., & Cocosila, M. (2011). A Comparison of Physician Pre-Adoption and Adoption Views on Electronic Health Records in Canadian Medical Practices. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 13(3), 65.Devkota, B., & Devkota, A. (2014). Electronic health records: advantages of use and barriers to adoption. Health Renaissance, 11(3), 78.Mihalko, M. (2011). Cognitive Informatics and Nursing: Considerations for Increasing Electronic Health Records Adoption Rates. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 26(3), 264-266. Peden, A. H. (2009). Factors affecting adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems in United States Hospitals. New York: Mac Millan. Rogers, E. M. (1983). Diffusion of innovations (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press ;. Source document Adoption of new technology systems Essay Adoption of new technology systems Introduction                   Health can be described as the state of physical or emotional well-being without necessarily the absence of a disease or any given ailments. Electronic Health Record, thereby, covers a wide scope in ensuring the electronic procedures through which the factors that lead to the health of individuals are ensured. This indicates that this practice involves the incorporation of technology such as the use of computers to ensure its implementation.                   In this research paper, therefore, one ought to undertake the role of a head nurse, and carry out the programs that will ensure the use of electronic health records system is incorporated in a facility. In addition, one ought to put his or her base of discussion in line with the Rodgers qualities that lead to the adoption of new technologies, especially in an organizational set up. This can, therefore, be discussed as follows: How to approach the present the Electronic Health Records to the nurses to win their approval                   Nurses often play a greater role in ensuring the health care delivery to the patients, who in most cases seek medical attention. This owes to the fact that they put into consideration the patients’ issues from the moment they are registered to undertake treatment in a given facility. Furthermore, they are the individuals who make sure that the patients get proper and adequate treatment up to when they are discharged from the hospital.                   Therefore, one way of presenting the Electronic Health Records system to them is by critically defining the roles they are to carry out. These run from the registration of the patients, admission procedures as in the case of patients’ illnesses, writing down of the nursing procedures. Other functions of the nurses include drug admission, dosage and their storage, carrying out of the minor surgeries and dressing of wounds.                   As the Head Nurse in charge, I would clearly outline to the nurses their roles, and how the incorporation of the new electronic health record system would improve their daily activities in the delivery of healthcare. However, despite the advantages that are associated with the new technology, several cases of resistance can be noticed among the nurses. These can be in the whereby they mention that they lack the knowledge and the skills to use the methods and that it may consume their time, and lead t earlier retirement or even retrenchment of their jobs.                   In such a given case, as a head nurse, I will ensure that they have adequate training on the use of the newly adopted system, and assure them that the only time they would be retrenched or dismissed from their duties would be on attainment of the retirement age. Moreover, I will ensure that new goals and objectives are set forth with the introduction of the systems to ensure a quality health delivery service. Furthermore, I would also provide some room for negotiation so that we come up with a system that will be favorable to all. Applications as per Rodger’s theory, in the health facility setup.                   The theory looks into the modes via which individuals can choose to adapt into a new system of technology, basing on the qualities that they possess. These include relative advantage/the benefits, compatibility with the current practices and the values, simplicity, trialability, and the results that are observed (the observable results). The relative advantage                   In order to prepare the nurses for the implementation that is upcoming, I would ensure that the system will lay several benefits that will facilitate in the improvement of the existing one. An explanation that can be given to this is that, initially, the storage of the health records were done in a manual manner. Therefore, a lot of time would be taken to retrieve the information about the patients from the filing area, thereby leading to subsequent delays, and infectivity in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the loss of the files would be easier owing to their inadequate storage and management.                   However, by the incorporation of the new technology, time taken to retrieve the information about the patients would be reduced due to their accessibility and efficient storage. This would in turn lead to faster and efficient treatment. These would also ensure that they are properly diagnosed with the diseases that they suffer from and reduce the excess costs incurred for example in the purchasing of their files. Compatibility with the existing values and practices                   In the health setup, proper values need to be ensured so that the rights of the patients are not infringed on. These can be in line with the Nightingale Promises or laws, as in this case, for the nurses. Practices such as laboratory experiments and the observational routines, for example, recording of temperature, blood pressure tests, post natal and antenatal care too should be considered. As a result, in order for the nurses to adapt to the new systems, they need to understand how the technologies would be implemented as per the values and the practices. Simplicity                   In the facility, several forms of resistance may arise due to the difficulty of the nurses to use the new methods as most of them may be computer illiterate. Therefore, there is need to use the simple models that they can be easily trained on and understand. An example of these may include the data entry forms like the use of Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) basically, before getting to the more complex ones. Others may include the measurements of the temperature and pressure of the patients using equipment that can easily detect the variables from one patient to the next.                   TrialabilityThese can be carried out as part of the training procedures that are given to the nurses. Therefore, they can be granted some extra time to familiarize themselves with the machines, make several trials and mistakes, and eventually come to terms with the proper modes of handlement. Observable results                   In most cases, these will be evident from the institutions that have successfully installed and used the systems in place, and the progresses that they have made in relation to the admission of an adequate healthcare. Thus, these can be the referral and the national hospitals from where a variety of diseases are handled. The role of nurses as change agents in facilitating the adoption of a new technology                   Nurses aid in the adoption of the new forms of technology by ensuring digitalization in the admission of healthcare. These can be in the form of the mobile clinics that reach far and wide, within and outside the country. Moreover, it gives them a wider scope to classify diseases according to the signs and symptoms thus they can relate to patients through mediums such as webcam or even Skype for those who may not be able to get to the facilities in good time.                   These can therefore help to reduce the costs that can be incurred as in the case of distant travels by the patients who are critically ill, for example the aircraft ambulatory modes, and reduce more damages that would be caused to the patients by the use of roads. Additionally, several modes of treatment too can be sought out for by the nurses in line with the researches that they carry out through the internet, thereby improving the lives of individuals. References Archer, N., & Cocosila, M. (2011). A Comparison of Physician Pre-Adoption and Adoption Views on Electronic Health Records in Canadian Medical Practices. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 13(3), 65.Devkota, B., & Devkota, A. (2014). Electronic health records: advantages of use and barriers to adoption. Health Renaissance, 11(3), 78.Mihalko, M. (2011). Cognitive Informatics and Nursing: Considerations for Increasing Electronic Health Records Adoption Rates. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 26(3), 264-266. Peden, A. H. (2009). Factors affecting adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems in United States Hospitals. New York: Mac Millan. Rogers, E. M. (1983). Diffusion of innovations (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press ;. Source document

Sex education in Malaysia

Sex affects all aspects of human life. Sexual desires, feelings and activities extend from childhood through adolescence, adulthood and old age. As such, it is only rational to treat sex as an integral and positive facet of our lives. However, (most) Malaysians have a tendency to behave as if only a small number of politicians have sex in the nation. Sex is still a taboo topic and some tend to make a huge fuss whenever the subject is brought up for an intellectual discussion. Are we aware that such conservative attitudes cost us severely? Malaysia’s modernisation has resulted in increased sexual exposure among us, especially the teenagers. No matter how hard the authorities try, the youths can inevitably access sexual information through the mass media such as the internet. The question is: Are the people getting the right information? Movie scenes that portray a person’s NO as an indirect YES to sex are not teaching us the real meaning of consent. Unethical and violent pornography is not going to educate us that it is barbaric to treat a fellow human being as a mere sex object or unprotected sex can be a detriment to our well-being. What else then can provide us with the accurate information on sex? An open, systematic and relevant sex education in schools! Yes, it is time to teach our kids more than the reproductive anatomy and the menstruation cycle. Topics such as sexual attraction, safe sex, contraceptives and healthy relationships need to be addressed in a sex-positive environment. Upon hearing this, religious conservatives and groups alike will start echoing their traditional argument that sex education in schools will only encourage (more) minors to have sex which will eventually lead to various other social issues. As much as we want to live in a sexually-repressed fantasy world, the reality is a simple one: Malaysians including the minors are having sex before marriage with or without proper sexual knowledge. We only need to honestly ask ourselves to affirm this claim. In fact, a national survey conducted in 2000 has found that about 13% of unmarried youths in Malaysia have experienced sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral or anal). Frighteningly, 72% of them did not use any contraception during their first intercourse. These numbers may very well be an under-reporting as sex is still a forbidden subject in the country. Therefore, it is essential to equip our younger generation with proper sexual knowledge. A good sex education will help the kids to understand their body better and avoid unnecessary fear, worry and guilt associated with their normal biological development. They will also learn to be responsible and an advocate for their own reproductive and sexual health. The kids will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to be in loving and respectful romantic relationships. They will understand to reverence a fellow human being and that will help prevent various forms of sexual violence in the country. They will also have increased sexual confidence which will allow them to practice safer sex such as getting contraceptives and insisting partners to use contraceptives. Importantly, good sex education can help prevent unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other associated problems. In line with our current science curriculum, when it comes to safe sex, the adolescents are more concerned about preventing a pregnancy than a STI. This attitude might motivate them to focus solely on pregnancy avoidance, making them more vulnerable to various types of STI such as HIV/AIDS. Thus, giving them adequate information on STIs will help promoting sexual health and minimizing risks among our younger generation. It is also important to note that a review of sex education worldwide has found that sex education does not promote early sexual practice or increase sexual activity. In contrast, sex education has been shown to reduce the number of sexual partners and the frequency of sex. It also fosters safe sex and responsible sexual behaviour. Thus, a good sex education will help our kids to acquire accurate sexual information and make decisions about their sexual behaviours more wisely. No matter what they choose, may it be abstinence, delay in sexual involvement or active safe sex; they will be well-equipped to be responsible and in control of their own sexuality. It might also be argued that teaching about sex should be left to parents at home and not to teachers at school. However, the conservative parents who freak out and are in against the proposal of sex education are also least likely to talk about sex to their kids because those parents are less comfortable and/or less knowledgeable in the topic. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to include sex education as a formal subject in both primary and secondary school curriculums in the country. Yes, we need to start in primary schools. Currently, our kids formally learn about sex for the first time when they are around 15 years old. It might be too naive of us to think that our kids are not exposed to sexual materials and are not experimenting with their sexuality prior to the age of 15. Thus, age-appropriate sex education has to be started as early as possible. Furthermore, sex education should to be taught by sex-positive teachers, not individuals who see sex as something sinful and filthy, so that the kids will be exposed to unbiased information about human sexuality. In sum, sex education in schools is capable of creating a sexually-positive and healthy society, yet it is long overdue in Malaysia. So, why the wait?

Journey’s End and the Accrington Pals †Class System Essay

Explore the ways in which the class system is exposed in both Journey’s End and The Accrington Pals. How far do you agree that Sherriff explores this aspect in his play more successfully than Whelan? The theme of class is one that is important in both R. C. Sherriff’s Journey’s End and Peter Whelan’s The Accrington Pals. Class is explored through the use of characterisation, setting, structure, dialogue and also political ideologies. Both Sherriff and Whelan may have chosen to develop the class system to emphasise the change it has undergone since the war ended. The Accrington Pals is a modern novel, first performed in 1982. As well as portraying the political views of the time, there are also echoes of Thatcherism. Whelan shows this conservative ideology through the character of May. May is a working-class stall owner who aspires to be middle-class and has middle-class ideals â€Å"they’re just waiting to see you stumble, slip back and be as they are. In the end it’s just you†¦yourself. We don’t create the rules of life. They’re there. † The same ideologies are hinted at in Sherriff’s Journey’s End. There were few plays written during the 1920’s that commented on political and social events and not a lot were very successful. Sherriff said in his autobiography that his characters were ‘simple, unquestioning men who fought the war because it seemed the only right and proper thing to do †¦ (it was a play) in which not a word was spoken against the war †¦ and no word of condemnation was uttered †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ What he hoped to do was to show ‘how men really lived in the trenches, how they talked and how they behaved. ’ Although unintentional there is clear class distinction and, like The Accrington Pals, a conservative ideology. In both plays there are clear divisions between the middle and working classes, this is shown through characterisation. Sherriff exposes the class system through the use of his characterisation of the officers and serving soldiers, he portrays the officers as being from the middle-class, public school section of society. For example, Raleigh is a public schoolboy who is, †just out from England†. He is also the only officer there who has â€Å"never been up on the line before. Due to his class, he is immediately instigated as an officer and therefore as a lot in common with the other officers in the dugout. He speaks with a Received Pronunciation accent (Queen’s English) and uses a lot of sporting idioms â€Å"He was a skipper of rugger at Barford, and kept wicket for the eleven. A jolly good bat, too. † The use of the sporting language here is closely associated with an education in a public school. Raleigh’s enthusiasm when speaking of his school days also emphasises his inexperience with war and the effect it has on people. This is a huge contrast to the character of Tom in The Accrington Pals, who is a working-class boy that lodges with May. Like Raleigh he is inexperienced with the workings of war. He studied at an art school and before joining the Pals, was an apprenticed lithographer and helped May run her stall. He has socialist and progressive views, which contrast greatly with the conservative ideals of Journey’s End. â€Å"It’s a free exchange of skills†¦of produce of hand or brain. That’s what’s needed. Not money. † Whelan may have drawn inspiration for the character of Tom from the Russian revolution of 1917 that lead to the monarchy falling and a provisional government being elected. It was dubbed the ‘socialist revolution’ and Tom shares similar ideals to the Russian working-class. Setting is an important form which exposes the class system. In Journey’s End, although the characters are no longer at home, they are served three-course meals and are waited on by servants. The officers are treated differently to the soldiers and still live in a similar manner they were accustomed to back home. For example, there is an incident in the play where Mason, the officers’ cook, forgets to pack the pepper in the mess box. The soldiers tell him to fetch someone get the pepper because â€Å"war’s bad enough with pepper – but war without pepper – it’s – it’s bloody awful! † Trotter’s uniform is also rather small suggesting he has put on weight and has been eating well, unlike the ordinary soldiers who eat bread and cheese. Although the officers are eating well, the food they have is questionable â€Å"What kind of soup is this, Mason? It’s yellow soup, sir. It’s got a very deep yellow flavour. † Their living conditions are not very habitable either. When Hardy is showing Osborne the dugout he explains how the beds are in poor condition â€Å"The ones in the other dugout haven’t got any bottoms to them. You keep yourself in by hanging your arms and legs over the sides. Mustn’t hang your legs too low, or the rats gnaw your boots. † The dugout is described in a warren-like way which makes the audience feel claustrophobic, â€Å"Two officers in here, and three in there. [He points to the right-hand tunnel. ]† The small setting allowed him to include extremes of emotion. In stressful situations, strained emotions are to be expected. In creating a play which leapt from high drama to calm, Sherriff showed a true understanding of human psychology and of the war itself. The main areas of setting in The Accrington Pals are May’s stall and her kitchen in her home, but other locations (such as Sarah’s backyard and the recruitment office) are also used. Some scenes cross-fade into each other, suggesting there are connections between the two scenes – for example, Act Two, Scene one, which begins with Ralph and Eva both lit on stage, Ralph being close to the front lines in in France and Eva in May’s kitchen. This scene isn’t just marked by the lighting change but also the change in sound, from the machine guns giving way to the sewing machines whirring. â€Å"The light on Ralph fades. There is more light on Eva who begins to work on the dress with a sewing machine. The sound of the sewing machine rises above the fading away of the machine guns. † One of Whelan’s qualities is the ability to give an impression of reality in the play with his use of, setting, lighting and sound. Journey’s End takes part over the space of four days and is presented in three acts. There is a very limited and confined time span and claustrophobic setting. The play is linked by a series of almost unrelated scenes; the disorganised nature of the play reflects the state of war; it has a jerky feel about it, where events do need lead on neatly or naturally onto the next. The play includes a number of complications, moments of drama and an exploration of the characters’ reactions and relationships showing the conditions of the war, leaving the audience to come to their own conclusions about the abrupt ending. These complications lead to mini climaxes all throughout the play, for example Raleigh’s letter in Act Two at the end of Scene 1. Stanhope confiscates a letter from Raleigh insisting on his right to censor it. Stanhope is in a relationship with Raleigh’s sister and is worried that, in the letter, Raleigh will reveal Stanhope’s growing alcoholism. He is surprised to find that the letter is full of praise for him, â€Å"He hardly ever sleeps in the dugout; he’s always up in the front line with the men, cheering them on with jokes, and making them keen about things, like he did the kids at school. This complication is resolved however and the play moved on to its next complication: the raid. The use of Mason as a character is to provide moments of light relief to the audience. â€Å"There was a bit of lean in the middle of yours, sir, but it’s kind of shrunk up in the cooking. † He brings a sense of normality to the war around them. The structure of The Accrington Pals is slightly different. It is split into two acts, with ten scenes in Act One and eight in Act Two and takes place over the space of two years (1914 to 1916). The play begins with the central relationship of Tom and May. Gradually as the play moves on May becomes the centre of the play. The relationship between Tom and May is then compared to the physical one of Ralph and Eva, whom may envies for her instinctive qualities. Throughout the play may increasing isolates herself from the people around her, for example ordering both Tom (Act One, Scene Six) and Eva (Act Two, Scene Six) from her home. It is almost as though she would prefer the safety and consistency of life alone to that of an intimate relationship. The final scene with Eva and Reggie suggests that May with accept life and carry on â€Å"I need you to put me right. † Whelan also applies film techniques to the play. The technique in Act Two, Scene Seven by which reality fades into May’s dream or nightmare as it may be, is very similar to what you would find in a film. The fluency of the scene enabled Whelan to develop a dialectic structure in which the scenes are viewed in relation to each other.