Papa Roach - Infest free essay sample

The new wave of rock music is upon us, and with it comesa slew of bands trying to make it big. Few have the talent to stand out, but PapaRoach does. I recently picked up their major label debut album,Infest, and I must say I am impressed. This foursome from northernCalifornia can really rock, and any fan of good music will not be let down. Thegroups first single, Last Resort, is already making a splash in themusic scene, and after listening to this album I can see why. Papa Roach combinesthoughtful, observant lyrics with rocking guitar riffs to form a unique brand ofrock. Lead singer Coby Dick uses his distinctive voice to rap and singthought-provoking lyrics about real-world situations and issues. With a talenteddrummer, bassist and guitar player backing him up, Papa Roach is ready to rockthe stage and the music scene. Their moody guitars and screaming lyrics will makeyou want to start a mosh pit on the spot. We will write a custom essay sample on Papa Roach Infest or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Amidst a sea of bands jumpingon the new rock bandwagon, Papa Roach stands out with an appealing sound that candeliver a rocking performance. As the chorus to one of their songs says,Were going to infest, were getting in your head. Papa Roach isready to rock the music world, and they will get in your head.

How to break news to employees, Training Journal - Emphasis

How to break news to employees, Training Journal How to break news to employees, Training Journal Whether the message is good, bad or indifferent; now is no time for silence, says Rob Ashton. During the ancient wars, if you wanted to deliver a message you hired a messenger to hand over the scroll personally. But approaching enemy lines to pass on bad news was a high-risk job. The bearer of bad tidings is never popular and it wasnt unusual for the messenger to be killed out of rage. Delivering any news can be fraught with difficulties because you never know how the receivers will interpret it. But imparting news of recession-prompted change can place you right in the firing line. With the credit crunch still in full swing, workers have got used to a daily, media-delivered diet of layoffs, profit freefalls and horror stories of homeless executives living out of their briefcases. A climate of fear has spread throughout the business world. And many people have adopted the mantra that change is, quite literally, the enemy. But failing to update your team is a costly strategy. Employees are likely to become demotivated if they feel theyre out of the corporate loop. If a team cant turn to management when times get tough, they quickly begin to wonder if anyone is at the helm. The uncertainty may cause the best employees to submit their CVs to rival firms while others ride out the storm, vowing to jump ship once the outlook improves. The Association of Communicators in Business (CiB) have echoed this sentiment. They warned that organisations should redouble their internal communications efforts during uncertain economic times rather than putting them on the backburner. Broaching sensitive topics is never easy. But understanding your colleagues is to key to communicating effectively with them. Never be afraid to address the real issues, but communicate them in a style and manner that they will positively respond to. Whether the news is good, bad or indifferent, its got to be shared. Creating a culture of open communication, free of management speak, can make all the difference to company morale. Studies have shown that companies with high employee engagement levels have better financial performance. So, having an effective strategy for breaking news makes it more likely that youll emerge from the recession without nursing a lengthy corporate hangover. Communicating change Whatever industry you work in, the model for communicating change is the same. As soon as you know information, pass it on. Dont wait until you have every detail or your silence may breed distrust. And never communicate any information externally before youve told staff. Follow the six steps below to ensure that you are communicating strategically. 1) Explain the new direction In changing economic times, business goals have to be revised. Explain the direct impact of the recession on your industry and organisation and say what the firm will need to do to weather the storm. 2) Be honest and open Tell people about job or budget cuts as soon as possible, along with reasons and timescales. Having this open communication means that you need never worry about what youre telling people. 3) Create a vision Dont sugar-coat your message but paint a positive picture of the changes you are proposing. Be crystal clear about your message and its implications. 4) Keep communicating Keep up the information flow and make sure its two-way. Move quickly to correct any inaccurate information and make sure staff members fully understand the direction, vision and benefits of the news you are delivering. 5) Love the word change Energise the management team to make the word change the most positive word in the company. Explain to them the benefits of any changes and always associate positive emotional words with any changes. Constantly remind employees that change is not a one-off exercise. 6) Repeat the steps Changes will keep happening so repeat the steps as soon as any new information becomes available. Once people expect change, its a lot easier for them to deal with. The write way With up to 70 per cent of workplace communication taking place through writing, honing your writing skills can help you to break news with far more ease. By choosing your words wisely, you can help to calm your readers and energise them to embrace change. The first rule is to put people first. Remember that people act and react according to their own self-interest. So communicate news in terms of what employees want or what would benefit them, rather than focusing on the benefits to the organisation. Win over your readers by giving them information in the way they like to read it. For instance, you can still use your internal newsletter to explain the ins and outs of your corporate restructure, but make sure its format and style is appropriate to its readership. For example, if you know that the favourite magazines that your staff read are glossy celebrity weeklies such as Heat and Hello, you might want to create a question and answer type article or one that presents the information in bite size chunks. Information is much easier to swallow when its broken up. Just make sure that it still provides staff with the whole picture. Think of creative, interactive ways to communicate your news. The BBC internal communications team, for instance, uses Wikis. These two-way websites mean that as well as reading the content, employees can edit it and attach their own files. In addition, blogs and internet forums are a great way to share information. But if you feel a good old-fashioned report will say it best, make sure you include all of your recommendations or most important information at the beginning. No-one wants to wade through the corporate equivalent of War and Peace to get to the important stuff. Make sure that you translate information so that it is free from corporate speak. Leave phrases such as blue sky thinking and picking the low-hanging fruit well alone. Create rapport with your readers by using no-nonsense words and phrases that do exactly what they say on the tin. Simple is best. And dont be afraid to show your personality or inject life into your written communication. Your readers will thank you for it. Three steps to effective writing Before you put pen to paper, use the checklist below: Keep it short You may think that open, flowing communication needs to be wordy, but the opposite is true. Avoid flowery phrases and practise writing your sentences in the shortest, snappiest way. Aim for an average length of 15-20 words and stick to the rule of one sentence, one idea. Use active language Write We invested 130,000 in staff development last year, rather than last year an investment of 130,000 was made in staff development. The second version is livelier and easier to read because it says who before what. It also makes sure the company gets credit for the good things. Use verbs instead of nouns Make sentences shorter and easier to understand by choosing verbs over nouns We will consider proposals submitted by the end of July has more punch to it than proposals submitted by the end of July will be given consideration to. Email etiquette Email is best reserved for following up on face-to-face communication. If what you say affects peoples lives and jobs, allow a two-way dialogue to take place. Its also all too easy to send an email to the wrong person or dash off an abrupt angry message. If you wouldnt write it on a postcard, dont send it via email. Your email could end up being circulated far and wide with negative consequences. If youre just expanding on an already open dialogue, by all means send emails. But think carefully about what you put in the email subject box. Take inspiration from newspaper and magazine headlines and choose your words carefully. For instance, Now is no time for silence is much more effective than This months communication update. You can monitor who opens the emails, but its more difficult to measure how engaged people are with the contents. By honing your writing skills, you stand a better chance of connecting with your staff. 2009 Emphasis Training Limited, first British serial rights offered

Carbon Tax Conclusion

My final argument will be based on the effectiveness of this tax: The tax will have no significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions. It has been claimed that an Australian carbon tax will have no significant impact on the level of greenhouse gases in the earths atmosphere. This claim has been made on two bases. Firstly that it is unlikely to succeed in significantly reducing Australian greenhouse gas emissions and secondly, that even if these emissions were to stop completely this would have no useful effect on world greenhouse gas emission rates. Critics of a carbon tax for Australia argue that it will damage our economy without reducing climate change. The independent think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) has stated that the proposed tax, although burdensome and damaging is not sufficiently large to force reinvestment in different forms of power generation. In a media released issued on March 2, 2011 and published in The Age, the IPA stated, The price itself, while severely harming the carbon-intensive, coal-based generators, would not force their premature departure from supply, which would be necessary to leave a gap for new gas generators. The IPA Review in September 2008 included the following response to Kevin Rudds proposed emissions trading scheme, Australia contributes 1. 1 per cent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Our contribution is dwarfed by big emitters like the United States which contributes nearly 21 per cent, China which contributes 17 per cent, and Russia which contributes just over 5 per cent. All in all, there is no positive outcome for this tax, yes it is true that it reduces greenhouse gases, but things cannot always be solved with money. If we, as the Australian people want to make our environment cleaner, we should not just pay up to the government to clean our environment, we live in it, so we must put in some effort to prevent this ongoing issue. Thank you.

Wage Labor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wage Labor - Essay Example They are portrayed as unfortunate and suffer at the hands of industrialists. On the contrary, the capitalists live in an upper class area where sun shines every morning. They are considered the fortunate ones. Their machineries churn and release steam in work areas and where labor lives. Through Fredersen, the film shows how people accumulate capital via expropriation in the sense that Fredersen’s father does not care about the welfare of his workers. For instance, when Freder tells his Father about the death of one of their workers, he fires his assistant Josephat so that he does not pay them their wages. Freder then starts thinking about the status of his workers. At the end of the film, he gets trapped in his industry and risks his life to save his labors (Freder). Similarly, in Chaplin’s Modern Times, the filmmakers try to present the matters between labor and the industrialists. In Modern Times, Charlie, the protagonist, performs the role of a struggling labor. He works at a grinding wheels industry where his boss often increases the speed so he could consume twice output from his labors. The movie shows the struggles of labor that they are not even allowed to interact directly with each others. In these two films, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times, the filmmakers briefly show the differences and issues created between the labors and the capitalists. ... In Metropolis, filmmakers present the differences from capitalists’ perspectives and it is observed that makers try to favor the industrialists in the society. Despite of the fact that how badly Fredersens’ father behaves with his employees, his son the lead character of the film, acts kind with them. He was trapped in his factory and risked his life for the labors. He then starts being a good man and becomes the connecting factor between the two fractions of the capitalist society, the labors and the capitalists (Freder). Whereas in Charlie’s Modern Times, the makers strive to favor labors point of view by showing the story from their perspective. The film shows how a laborer struggles to adjust in the society after suffering hugely in the hands of different industrialists. Even after all the struggles and sufferings, Charlie still risks his life to save his boss from an accident (Chaplin). Analyzing the information it can conclude that the both films present th e issues between labors and capitalist in two different ways but the main highlight is to develop understanding the relationship between capitalist and labors. The similarity between these two films is the plot that demonstrates the interdependency of labors and capitalists. The plot of both films emphasize when labors are nothing without industrialists, these films portray that capitalists also cannot operate their industries without the labors. Both the movies talk about the dedication of labors and capitalist and try to remove the biases on capitalists of being unfair with their labors. The relationship between the government and business is evident in the films in the sense that the government seems to draft laws that controls the operation of the business in order to avoid public

Unit 1 DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unit 1 DB - Essay Example The regulatory environment within the region is uniform and it presents a relatively stable political as well as economic environment. To run a business in EU would have important implications. It will not prove to be more predictable and stable but it will also involve lesser complications as for as running the business in the country. EU not only provide a bigger market however it is bit regulated too that might prevent us from fully exploring the market. Further, the regional protection policies will also be a substantial barrier to our proposed entry into the market through the proposed acquisition. The most important advantage of making an acquisition offer to the firm working in the EU region will be the availability of developed infrastructure as well as readily available market. Further, this will also provide ACME an opportunity to tap the new markets of the EU region also. With the passage of time as ACMA gain knowledge of the market and understand the local dynamics, it will be able to get an access to the more formal, regulated and bigger market once it make an acquisition of the firm working in the EU

Genetically Modified Foods Essay Example for Free

Genetically Modified Foods Essay In the world, many people are not getting the balanced amount of nutrition-needed daily. There are many vitamin deficiencies that can lead to illnesses, malnutrition, and death. However, biotechnology has made this pandemic decrease through genetically modified foods. Many people think that these foods are unhealthy for people, and they are harmful. They think that this type of food is untraditional. I believe that genetically modified foods are good for countries that have high malnutrition rates. They are also good to help preserve food against pesticides. The purpose of this essay is to show how genetically modified foods are good for countries with malnutrition. Genetically modified foods are food that has received a segment of DNA or genes from another organism through biotechnology engineering. Biotechnology is the exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes, especially the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for the production of antibiotics, hormones, and etc. The most commonly known genetically modified food is golden rice. Golden rice is engineered to contain a higher amount of vitamin A to improve the health of unskilled laborers in undeveloped countries. Golden rice is mainly used in Asian countries or countries whose staple food is rice. Originally, rice doesn’t have a high amount of vitamin A, and in those countries there are high amounts of deficiency in Vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a significant role for healthy vision, strong bones, supple skin, normal cell regeneration, reproduction, and helps the immune system fend off infections. A deficiency in Vitamin A can result in eye diseases such as Nyctalopia (night blindness), Xerophthalmia (dry eye syndrome) , and/or total blindness. Golden rice is enhanced with multiple DNA, including DNA from daffodils. Also, this rice has a higher amount of beta-carotene. In my opinion, golden rice is good for undeveloped countries whose staple is rice because this rice contains DNA from another plant. Therefore, it doesn’t have a lot of chemicals that could eventually be harmful to people’s body. There are more foods that are genetically modified such as corn, potatoes, soybeans, squash, canola, flax, and tomatoes. Corn and potatoes are modified with a gene to produce an endotoxin. An endotoxin is a toxic substance produced and stored within the plant tissue. This endotoxin protects these vegetables from corn-borer pest and the potato beetle. Likewise, soybeans can be modified with a gene from a bacterium to make it herbicide resistant. A herbicide is a type of pesticide that is used to kill unwanted plants, such as weeds. This can keep vegetables safe from harmful insects. These insects can destroy or make the vegetable harmful for digestion. Some people may say that genetically modified foods are untraditional. However, many foods that are used today are modified. The genes of many plants have been modified so much over the years that they are embedded into the DNA of the plant. Cross breeding was the first forms of modifying food through genetics. Since cross breeding was discovered, it was a large part of agricultural processes. Therefore, many vegetables, whether organic or not, have been modified somewhere down the history line of that vegetable. In conclusion, many people feel that genetically modified foods are not a traditional or healthy way to eat. However, genetically modified foods can help undeveloped countries become healthier and prevent some vitamin deficiencies, such as Vitamin A deficiency. Many vegetables are modified to help prevent them from their common pest and enemy-like plants. Also, throughout the years many plants have undergone minor genetic changes. These changes are used in vegetables today to help make them healthier and keep them fresher longer. This can make the world a healthier and better place.

The Self Defense/Excessive Force Wild Card Essay -- Legal Issues, New

â€Å"Get out of the car! Get down on the ground now! Get your hands out of your jacket! Stop moving!† The suspect is a Latino male and speaks no English. The officer puts a bullet into the chest of the suspect because he refused to obey. The police officer later finds out that the man was trying to give him his I.D. Was this a justified shooting? In Albuquerque New Mexico, situations like this happen all the time on a regular basis. In fact in the past 20 months, Albuquerque police have shot 20 people, 14 fatally (McKay C1). Are the police justified in self defense or is the police using excessive force and how does this ratio of shootings in Albuquerque compare to other cities in similar size and population? Methodology With my research, one can see how this controversy has two very distinct sides, however, what facts that aren’t as evident in my writing fall into a grey area. I conducted my research by mainly shifting through several online journals and newspapers using the database called News Bank. Since this issue is very local I decided that the Albuquerque Journal would be the best source. Most of the journal articles were either supporting the idea of police abusing their power or defending the police’s right to self-defense, however, there were several periodicals that suggest a neutral ground between the two extremes. These articles suggested that it was solely biased on the situation in which each officer was in and to never assume that all situations in which an officer faces the decision to use deadly force will be identical or justified. Results Many families of the suspects that were shot, as well as many activists, argue that police involved shootings are getting â€Å"out of hand† and are considered â€Å"e... ...could be a knife or a gun, also use a deadly weapon† (Galvan A1). The best way this policy can be amended is through crisis intervention training (Galvan A1). Conclusion Are the police justified in self-defense or is the police using excessive force and how does this ratio of shootings in Albuquerque compare to other cities in similar size and population? The results show the sides of two groups of people that believe they are in the right. The activists against police involved shootings believe that the officers of Albuquerque react to situations with deadly force too often. The supporters of the police force believe that the shootings are higher in Albuquerque because suspects in the area give police more reason to use deadly force. Albuquerque has the highest ratio of population to police involved shootings in six cities of similar size and population.

Leadership Quality of Kumar Mangalam Birla Essay

Are we doing everything we can to help people be the best they can be? † asked Birla in the Q203 issue of The Smart Manager. The question is close to his heart. Since he took over the reins at the Birla Group he has focused on fine tuning the group’s talent pool. If this meant taking hard decisions Birla did not shy away. More than 350 senior managers left the group. Some through natural attrition, others through counseling, leaving space for new faces and new talent. Management means attracting talented people, nurturing them, developing them, and giving them space,† asserts Birla, â€Å"decisions need to be made at every level and decisions need to be quick. So, we have to spot, incubate and groom talent at every level of the organization, because more people need to be making high quality decisions. † To build this culture in the group, Birla has created a system based on meritocracy. His HR initiatives fall under three broad heads: learning and relearning, performance management and organizational renewal. For example Gyanodaya, the group’s learning center falls in the first category. It helps in the transfer of best practices across group companies thus sharpening the group’s competitive edge. The training calendar is accessible to employees via Aditya Disha, the group wide intranet, and the teaching programs consist of a mix of classroom, outreach, and e-learning initiatives. Birla has also instituted The Organisational Health Survey (OHS) which tracks the satisfaction levels of 8,670 managers across the group. A direct result of such initiatives is that today his brand as an employer has enhanced significantly, allowing Birla to access to some of the best minds and talent available in the country. The group is considered among the top 20 preferred employers in Asia. For performance management Birla instituted the Aditya Birla Sun awards an annual internal awards system. Here each group company makes an open presentation on their successes and failures to a group of 400 managers drawn from different group businesses. This leads to information sharing and also encourages healthy competition in the group. Birla believes that star performers need appreciation and recognition. â€Å"It is very important for people who are doing well to be told they are doing well,† he says. He insists that performance levels jump considerably higher after a person/team receives an award. The Aditya Birla award is for teams while the chairman’s award is for individuals. A group company that has won numerous such awards is Hindalco. Birla has transformed Hindalco into a globally competitive non-ferrous metals company. The first step was to merge the copper division of Indo Gulf with Hindalco unifying the group’s non-ferrous metals business under one company with 40% market share. He acquired 74. 6 % equity stake in Indal for Rs 10 bn to make it a wholly owned subsidiary of Hindalco. This made him the largest producer of aluminum in India and today Hindalco-Indal command a 70% market share. Having made Hindalco competitive now Birla is pursuing market growth. He recently entered the Rs 2. 50 bn branded foil market. Within a year of launch Hindalco captured a 40% market share and put a robust distribution in place. Last year Hindalco launched of as many as five branded products. The launch of â€Å"Aura† Alloy Wheels in early 2002, uniquely positioned as â€Å"dress code for your car†, was followed by the launch of its kitchen utility range – Freshwrapp aluminium foil and Freshpakk semi-rigid containers, and Everlast roofing sheets. Hindalco also introduced â€Å"Al Planet†, a unique exhibition format highlighting products from the secondary aluminium industry. For organic growth Birla has embarked on an Rs18 bn brownfield expansion at Hindalco’s integrated complex in Renukoot to increase aluminum metal capacity from 100,000 TPA to 342,000 TPA. This will ensure Hindalco’s leadership position in the domestic market and improve its export markets as well. But while Birla was revamping Hindalco, a move towards untangling the cross-holdings among group companies, a legacy of the ‘licence raj’, was also initiated. He unified his diverse companies under the Aditya Birla Group head. â€Å"If one were to encapsulate it (the group strategy) in a single word – the dominant strategic theme over the past four years has been consolidation,† says Birla. The process was threefold. Birla rearranged the companies, consolidated market presence in the different industries and then went on an acquisition spree to further strengthen leadership position. The result is a streamlined group with all aluminium companies merged under Hindalco, cement companies under Grasim, copper companies under Birla Copper and textiles and garments under Indian Rayon. Losing some of its loss making divisions also made Indo Gulf a debt free fertilizer company. In the process the group’s revenues have risen from Rs 72 bn to Rs 270 bn in eight years. â€Å"Our strategy dictates that we get out of businesses where we are bit players and strengthen the businesses where we have clear competencies, so that we get to the top of the league or consolidate our position there, as the case may be. This leads to a sharper and tighter business portfolio with our firepower being better targeted,† says Birla. Birla began with Grasim in 1995. His first step was to move the cement division of Indian Rayon to Grasim, thereby integrating the cement holdings within the group. Then in 2003 he acquired the cement division of Larsen & Toubro for Rs 22 bn increasing Grasim’s total capacity to 31 MTPY. Today Grasim is the largest producer of cement in India and the seventh largest in the world. Similarly the copper division of Indo Gulf was divested and incorporated into Birla Copper. Then Birla increased the smelter capacity of Birla Copper from 100,00 to 150,00 MTPY and acquired two copper mines in Australia. Birla has been nicknamed the ‘non-ferrous general’ by the industry: his aluminium, copper, and carbon black units are ranked among the top three in their respective segments. Indian Rayon also saw dramatic changes in portfolio. Its cement division was demerged. Then it acquired Madura Garments, the apparels and garments division of Madura Coats for Rs 2. 6 bn in January 2000. This takeover gave Indian Rayon ownership of prominent brands — Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Byford, Peter England and San Frisco. This marked a dramatic change in focus for the commodity based group. Though a major player in textiles, Birla had not been able to impact the branded menswear market. Building brands from scratch takes time as well as money, and the easiest way was to acquire an established one. â€Å"The apparels business is one in which we want a leadership position. We will make a focused entry into the high-value, ready-to-wear segment. This acquisition as well as the acquisition of certain overseas brand rights has catapulted the group to the top of the league in the branded apparels market,† says Birla. Today after a long period of negative growth Madura Garments has reported a 14. % increase in revenues. As a part of the restructuring process he sold Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals to ONGC. â€Å"The exit from MRPL indicates our firm resolve to rationalized the Group’s portfolio of businesses with a view on the future, and also bears testimony of our commitment to a key group of stakeholders: our lenders,† says Birla. The other major restructuring at Indian Rayon was demerging the insulator business into a new JV with Japanese company NGK to sustain leadership position and to acquire a global marketing network for the insulator business. The consolidation initiative has allowed each company to emerge with a stronger balance sheet. The three largest companies in the group, Grasim, Hindalco, Indian Rayon, turned in a cumulative net profit of Rs 10. 55 bn in FY03, a jump of 2. 1% from FY02. Their combined sales increased to Rs 110. 45 bn in FY03, an increase of 36% over the previous year. The group’s overall revenues touched Rs 2,700 bn. Management style Birla is his father’s son, but he has gradually developed his own personal management style. Commonalities include performance orientation, a strict eye for detail, close attention to budgets. Differences include more informal interaction with managers from top to bottom; a greater gap between personal and office life; and a strong emphasis on financial performance. For example he has replaced the old Parta system, which focused only on production with the Cash Value Added method, which emphasizes profitability, asset productivity and growth. Birla is a firm believer in meritocracy. In his father’s time, there were several marwaris in top management. Today there are plenty of non-marwaris. He places a lot of emphasis on HR and hired Santrupt Mishra from Hindustan Lever to spearhead the groups HR initiatives. A 360 degree feedback program that allows managers to question even Birlas own leadership style and does away with the ‘babu culture’ prevalent in the group. But while on one hand Birla nurtures employees, on the other he is very careful about performance measures. Birla is equally adamant about strict adherence to policies and procedures that have been discussed and approved. For example he introduced a retirement policy, similar to the one Ratan Tata introduced over at the Tata  Group. While a cresendo of unhappiness was heard at Bombay House, peaceful silence reigned at Industry House. At Lever House, no doubt Vindi Banga is closely watching these events. Birla’s retirement policy saw 325 senior executives, between the ages of 62 and 65, step down after years of service. Though the policy was drafted in 2001, he took a year to implement. He then hired 190 young executives to infuse fresh and out of the box thinking in the group. â€Å"I think its been one of the most important decisions I’ve had to make,† says Birla. People skills are Birla’s biggest strength. He has the ability to get on with both the old guard and the new turks. Soft spoken and insistent Birla likes to be directly involved. For example he sends individual notes to employees regarding their performance. Debu Bhattacharya currently the managing director of Hindalco and another former Hindustan Lever employee says, â€Å"it won’t be an exaggeration to say that I joined this group because of Mr Birla. For somebody who is from a highly respected MNC in the country, going to an Indian business house, I had a lot of reservations. My reservations came from that perception of the group. But I was so overawed with his simplicity, his genuineness, and his ability to explain simple things without trying to sell the job. If I had to take that decision all over again I’d do the same. † For all this Kumar is a low profile person, with a sense of humor and the rare ability to laugh at himself. This ease spills into his business relationships. For example the stalemate between the houses of Tata and Birla is now history. Ratan Tata recently invited Birla to join the board of Tata Steel, and Birla just as easily accepted.

External factors affecting the fast food industry Essay

There are a number of external factors that have a deep impact on the sales and revenue earnings of the fast food chains. The changing demographics, shift in consumer taste and preference, eating habits, increase in cost of supplies and labor, economic condition of the geographical area in which the outlets are located – all these are some of the factors that affect the profitability of the business. Pricing strategy Families and individuals in the higher income group are most frequent visitors to the fast food restaurant. The disposable income plays an important role in determining consumerism in this sector. The prices on the menu card is not so important when it comes to catering to high disposable income group. But that restricts the customer base and may not be an ideal situation for the company. Today’s lifestyle has incorporated the fast food industry into its daily schedule. The Wendy’s or the McDonald’s have menu cards that suit the pocket of the low-income segment group too. Recently McDonald’s had introduced the Dollar Menu where all items cost $1 only. It was a runaway hit with the teenagers and youngsters. The variance in price has enabled McDonald’s to attract customers from all segments. In response to this pricing strategy Wendy’s and Burger King also introduced low priced meals to suit the pocket of all segments. Back Yard Burgers on the other hand have higher priced burgers at $3. 59. The premium priced menu card has not found acceptance with all consumer segments but the management does not want to compromise on the price of the products. It believes that in terms of quality of the food items the prices are reasonable. Back Yard Burgers wanted to distinguish itself from the cutthroat competition in the industry with premium quality products. The management strategy holds good in terms of quality and service but is it good enough for the survival of the company? A look at the sales figures for the past 3 years gives an indication of the sales and revenue trend. Consumer taste and preference The ever changing taste buds and increasing changes in lifestyle of the consumer has kept the fast food industry on their toes. Rising mobility, increasing number of women joining the workforce and hectic schedules leave very little time for a home cooked meal. The need for faster options in food and service was felt that led to the tremendous growth in the fast food industry. Quick serve burgers, pizzas and sandwiches accompanied by French fries and coke became the ideal meal for the average Americans. A diet rich in fat and sugar attracted the consumers in plenty. This resulted in obesity and a disease prone society. Diabetes, heart problems were some of the impacts that the cheesy diet had on the consumers. Lawsuits were filed against some major players in this field like McDonalds for the growing obesity among children and adolescents. This awakened the consumers of fast food and they realized the necessity for healthy alternatives. Health conscious consumers are more alert of what they eat and how it can affect them. The industry witnessed a radical change in consumer taste and preference. This brought about a sharp decline in revenues for the fast food industry. The fast food chain operators brought about a change in their strategy by adding salads, fruits, and soups to the menu cards. Low calorie burgers and sandwiches are offered in addition to the regular menu items. This offers the customers with choice to healthier meal options. Back Yard Burgers has also adapted to the changing consumer preference by adding nutritious salads and milkshakes to their menu card. Introduction of grilled charbroiled burgers that claim lesser fat and lower calories have attracted the consumer interest and taste. Healthier and tastier alternatives in food items prepared with fresh ingredients are the strategic point of Back Yard Burger’s customer service. This has not only earned it a good reputation among the loyal consumers who return for more of the great quality food and taste but has also strengthened its market position. But the fast food industry cannot ensure consumer loyalty since the interest of consumers is flickering. They always want to try something new and better variety of options in food that they consume. To serve the changing tastes of the consumer and maintain their interest the restaurant needs to constantly make changes to its menu card by adapting to their taste buds. Back Yard Burgers should keep this mind while formulating their operating strategy. With more fast food companies offering a wide range of products and services, Back Yard Burgers should also draft changes to its existing operating structure. One way of achieving this objective would be to combine the essential features of both fast food and full service restaurants. A menu card that features in a regular full service restaurant integrated with fast food service will work wonders for the company – boosting sales and revenue with an increasing consumer base. Event catering and home delivery service could also open newer avenues for the company.

Animal Farm Summary

Animal Farm Summary George Orwells Animal Farm is an allegorical novel about a group of farm animals who take over their farm in 1940s England. Through the story of the animals revolution and its aftermath, Orwell assesses the failures of the communist revolution in Russia. Chapters 1-2 The novel opens at Manor Farm, where Mr. Jones, the cruel and incompetent farmer, is drunkenly going to sleep. As soon as the lights in the farmhouse go out, the animals gather. Old Major, an elderly boar whos lived on the farm for a long time, has called a meeting. At the meeting, Old Major describes a dream he had the previous night, in which the animals lived together without humans. He then launches into an impassioned speech. In the speech, he argues that humans are the enemies of all animals, and he urges the animals of the farm to organize and rebel against the humans. Old Major teaches the animals- who have varying degrees of intelligence- a song called Beasts of England in order to instill a sense of revolutionary fervor in them. Old Major passes away three days later. Three pigs named Napoleon, Snowball, and Squealer use this sad event to rally the animals. When the animals, who are starving, break into the store shed, Mr. Jones attempts to whip them. The animals revolt and drive Mr. Jones, his family, and his employees off the farm in terror. Napoleon and Snowball quickly organize the animals and remind them of Old Major’s teachings. They give the farm a new name- Animal Farm- and hold a meeting to vote on rules. Seven fundamental principles are adopted: Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.No animal shall wear clothes.No animal shall sleep in a bed.No animal shall drink alcohol.No animal shall kill any other animal.All animals are equal. Snowball and Napoleon order that these principles of Animalism be painted on the side of the barn in large white letters. The cart-horse, Boxer, is particularly excited and declares that his personal motto will be â€Å"I Will Work Harder.† Napoleon does not join the animals in the harvest, and when they return, the milk has disappeared. Chapters 3-4 Snowball undertakes a project to teach all the animals on the farm how to read and write. Napoleon takes charge of a litter of young puppies in order to teach them the principles of Animalism. He takes the puppies away; the other animals never see them. The animals work together and know the business of the farm very well. For a time, the farm is peaceful and happy. Every Sunday, Snowball and Napoleon gather the animals for a meeting in which they debate what to do next and vote. The pigs are the smartest of the animals, and so they assume leadership and create the agenda every week. Snowball has many ideas for improving the farm and the lives of the animals, but Napoleon is against almost all of his ideas. When the animals complain that they cannot remember so many of Animalism’s commandments, Snowball tells them that all they have to remember is â€Å"Four legs good, two legs bad.† Neighboring farmers are afraid that a similar overthrow could take place on their own farms. They band together with Mr. Jones to attack the farm with a gun. Snowball thinks quickly and organizes the animals into an ambush; they surprise the men and chase them off. The animals celebrate the â€Å"Battle of the Cowshed† and confiscate the gun. They decide to fire the gun once a year to commemorate the battle, and Snowball is hailed as a hero. Chapters 5-6 At the next Sunday meeting, Snowball suggests building a windmill, which will provide electricity as well as grind grain. He makes a passionate speech arguing that the windmill will make their lives easier. Napoleon gives a short speech opposing the matter, but he can tell he has lost the argument. Napoleon makes a sound, and suddenly the dogs he took away for education- now fully grown- burst into the barn, snarling and biting. They chase Snowball away. Napoleon tells the other animals that Snowball was their enemy and had been working with Mr. Jones. He announces that the meetings are no longer necessary, and that Napoleon, Squealer, and the other pigs will run the farm for the benefit of everyone. Napoleon decides to build the windmill after all. Work commences on the windmill- Boxer works especially hard at it, excited at the easier life they will have when it is done. The animals notice that Napoleon and the other pigs begin to act more like men: standing on their hind legs, drinking whiskey, and living inside. Whenever someone points out that this behavior violates the principles of Animalism, Squealer explains why they are wrong. Napoleons leadership becomes increasingly totalitarian. When a storm causes the windmill to collapse, Napoleon deflects blame by telling everyone that Snowball sabotaged it. He corrects the animals about their memory of the Battle of the Cowshed, insisting he was the hero they all remember, and that Snowball was in league with Mr. Jones. He accuses various animals of being in league with Snowball; his dogs attack and kill each one he accuses. Boxer accepts Napoleons rule, repeating â€Å"Napoleon is always right† as a mantra as he works harder and harder. Chapters 7-8 The windmill is rebuilt, but another farmer, Mr. Frederick, gets into a disagreement over a business deal with Napoleon and uses explosives to destroy the new windmill. Another battle ensues between the animals and the men. The men are once again driven away, but Boxer is severely injured. The animals discover Squealer with a can of white paint; they suspect the Animalism principles painted on the barn have been altered. Chapters 9-10 Boxer continues to work, driving himself to do even more despite his injuries. He grows weaker, and eventually collapses. Napoleon tells the animals he will send for a veterinary hospital to come get Boxer, but when the truck arrives, the animals read the words on the truck and realize Boxer is being sent to the ‛knacker’ to be made into glue. Napoleon has sold Boxer for whiskey money. Napoleon and Squealer deny this and claim that the truck had recently been purchased by the hospital and hadn’t been repainted. Later, Napoleon tells the animals that Boxer passed away under a doctor’s care. Time passes. The windmill is rebuilt again and generates a lot of income for the farm, but the lives of the animals get worse. No longer is there talk of heated stalls and electric lights for all. Instead, Napoleon tells the animals that the simpler their lives are, the happier they’ll be. Most of the animals who knew the farm before the revolution are gone. One by one, the principles of Animalism have been erased on the side of the barn, until only one remains: â€Å"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.† The simplified motto has been changed to â€Å"Four legs good, two legs better.† The pigs have become almost indistinguishable from the men: they live inside, wear clothes, and sleep in beds. Napoleon invites a neighboring farmer to dinner to discuss an alliance, and changes the name of the farm back to Manor Farm. Some of the animals peer into the farmhouse through the windows and cannot tell which are the pigs and which are the men.

Multiple Births Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Multiple Births - Essay Example An inconsistency during the 2nd trimester between the measured fundal height and gestational age of the fetus usually present a case of twin or multiple pregnancies. Clinical presentation of these pregnancies elicit size of fetus greater than the date by exam, fetal motion not detected until 18-20 weeks, elevated AFP results (Tharpe, 2006). Confirmation of such pregnancies is made through ultrasonographic examination. Complications: Several risks and complications are associated with multiple gestations including early pregnancy loss, low birth weight along with the occurrence of intra-uterine fetal demise, preterm labor and delivery (Levene and Chervenak, 2009). There is an increased prevalence of congenital anomalies in monozygotic twins. Brain anomalies like hydrocephaly and micro-cephaly are found to be associated with multiple pregnancies. Also, risk for intra-partum asphyxia is increased in second born due to frequent fetal mal-presentation leading to traumatic delivery. Risk of maternal morbidity is also enhanced in these pregnancies. Other maternal complications include induced hypertension, gestational diabetes, anemia, urinary tract infections, pre-eclampsia, ante-partum hemorrhage, post-partum hemorrhage and endometriosis (Littleton and Engebreston, 2002). According to Avery et al., (2005) in multiple births increased risk of intra-uterine growth retardation is reported which may be due to unequal sharing of placenta among fetuses. Consequently, usual problems associated with intra-uterine growth retardation like intra-partum asphyxia, polycythemia, hypoglycemia and pulmonary hemorrhage are witnessed. In 5% of the multiple pregnancies, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome is observed which is due to vascular anastomosis between the circulations of monozygotic twins sharing the same placenta. The transfusions taking place in single direction may render the donor fetus anemic, while the recipient fetus becomes polycythemic. Eventually, either of the twin fetuses may become hydropic due to volume overload or anemia. In some severe cases, the donor twin may expire. Management: Patients with multi-fetal pregnancies are followed closely with ultrasonographic examination to assess fetal growths and development throughout her pregnancy. Patient m ay be hospitalized if she develops signs of preterm labor or other complications. Delivery room management of multiple births requires larger number of trained personal for resuscitation/CPR in case of preterm delivery and availability of blood as multi-fetal pregnancies experience frequent blood loss and may lead to post-partum hemorrhage (Gilstrip et al., 2002). Multiple births offer a challenge to nurses and health paramedics in delivery room. Where majority of multiple pregnancies should be delivered normally a caesarean section is suggested as a preferred mode of delivery (Levene and Chervenak, 2009). For a vaginal delivery, continuous electronic monitoring of the fetal vital signs, tolerance to labor (attained by fetal electronic heart beat monitor) and uterine activity should be done (Cruickshank and Shetty, 2009). Delivery should be done till 40th week of gestation because of increased risk of peri-natal morbidity after the due date. In the labor management of twin gestation prostaglandins or oxytocin can be administered to induce vaginal delivery (Creasy et al., 2004).

Arbitration case review Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Arbitration review - Case Study Example During the year, Mr. John Schleifer, who is the assistant superintendent for secondary school education and acting on behalf of the district superintendent for education, decided to offer both seventh and eighth grade science in summer schools. He only did this on condition that the school followed the FAST program and its teachers trained in FAST program. Consequently, a middle school tutor for middle school who is trained in FAST made an application to teach seventh and eighth grade in summer school and was hired. The teacher is scheduled to begin teaching the two classes. The grievant was not hired to the position for lack of the necessary training, which is the FAST training. The other teacher is trained in the FAST program and was employed since the relevant agreement required the District to employ an individual in possession of the required qualification to teach in the summer school. Issues The parties agreed to arbitrate on issues relating the dismissal of the grievant. The issue here is whether the grievant’s dismissal was conducted in accordance to the set guidelines on employment and dismissal. Background and evidence The material facts of the issues are not in dispute. The evidence presented shows that the District employed another teacher who is not the grievant for a position to teach seventh grade and eighth grade in the summer school. ... vant who is a fifth grade teacher had been appointed by the District to teach seventh and eighth grade classes at summer school prior to her dismissal because there was no other qualified teacher for that position. At the time of her employment, no qualified applicants applied for the position. The District, on the other hand, maintains that the grievant was previously employed to the position in the past because there was no other qualified applicant to take the position. The District relies on the regulation that gives it the mandate to employ teachers with professional qualifications in the regular schools as summer school teachers. This regulation also provides that the District can only employ non-bargaining unit teacher as summer school teachers when there are no qualified teachers to hold the position applied. An appointment, in this regard, is a onetime appointment for regularly employed members. The agreement further provides that the Superintendent reserves the right to dir ect the work of employees, hire, demote, assign, transfer, demote and retain employees. Additionally the superintendent determines the methods, means and the personnel who conduct operations. The grievant, on the other hand, asserts that an earlier arbitration decision should apply to the current issue. The arbitration decision is approximately ten years old and involves a grievance between the Union and the District regarding an issue where the District failed to reappoint a social studies department chairperson. The chairperson whom the District failed to reappoint had held the position for a number of years through annual reappointments. The school principal consequently decided to appoint another applicant to the position denying the applicant the opportunity to continue serving as a