Saturday, August 31, 2019

Diversity Audit

DIVERSITY AUDIT Diversity Audit at Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is a multinational company based in United States. It was founded in the year 1971 and is headquartered at Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is engaged in the business of selling coffee, coffee beans and different types of bakery products all over the world. The company also has a division known as Starbucks Entertainment division which is utilized for marketing films, music and books (Yahoo Finance, 2012). The coffeehouses owned by Starbucks are known for its relaxing atmosphere and the stores are mostly located in places where there is high traffic.This study entails about the diversity audit that have been conducted for Starbucks. The findings of such diversity audit, its assessment and subsequent recommendations have been presented in this study. Findings Diversity audit was conducted for Starbucks through an online survey of the company’s website and other information required for the purpose of conducting th e audit was mostly available over the internet. In addition, some of the employees present in few Starbucks stores were also interviewed to collect relevant facts regarding the cultural diversity prevalent in the company.The key findings of the diversity audit conducted at Starbucks are given below: Starbucks operates its business and stores in different parts of the world. Hence it is obvious that people from different cultures of the world are a part of Starbucks. The people connected with Starbucks can be any of its stakeholders, including its employees, suppliers, etc. As indicated in its website, it can be found that cultural diversity is given high priority and due respect in the company (Starbucks, 2012a). Apart from selling coffees, Starbucks is also engaged in the business of building up new human connections and relationships.Celebration of cultures and community involvement are also part of Starbucks activities. At Starbucks, diversity is defined as the composition of thr ee different aspects. They are: a) Inclusion, b) Accessibility, and c) Equity. Inclusion means human relationships and their engagements in the company. Accessibility refers to removal of barriers for all kinds of people associated with the company and the ease with which people can perform their activities within the organization. Equity represents equal treatment for all with justice and fairness being the two important virtues associated with the company.The strategy of diversity being followed by the company is considered to focus on four main areas. They are: partners, suppliers, customers and communities. The employees of the company are termed as partners here. The company management is involved in the activity of engaging people belonging to different regions and following varied cultures. The people working at Starbucks come from diverse family backgrounds. Starbucks organizes different activities meant for the development of its partners or employees by educating them and engaging them in different kinds of activities.Starbucks is also committed towards giving high levels of satisfaction to its customers by catering to their unique needs. Starbucks is prompt in its service and values the preferences and tastes of its customers. Starbucks tries to build relationships with its customers through adoption of different cultures as required for the purpose. Starbucks also arranges different community development programs as well to show their concern for the community. Starbucks also creates strategic partnerships by investing in companies in the local neighborhood.It also provides different kinds of opportunities for economic development which helps to build a strong relationship between the company and the communities in which it is operating its business. As regards the suppliers of Starbucks, it conducts a program termed as supplier diversity program. This program is meant for increasing the presence of minority groups and women as suppliers of the com pany (Starbucks, 2012a). The diversity effort of the company is mainly directed through a strategic plan formulated by them which is known as Global Diversity Strategy Plan.According to New York Times, nearly 24% of the corporate officers working at Starbucks comprises of women. Women represent around 31% of the population in Starbucks, and 13% of them are people of color. The team members of the Global Diversity team are engaged in different activities in Starbucks. Employees of Starbucks working in different parts of the world and their working environment are assessed and evaluated by the global strategy team of Starbucks. The company also tracks the progress made in the field of diversifying vendors and suppliers of the company. All these are done through an accountability scorecard prepared for he purpose by the global diversity team (The New York Times, n. d. ). The diversity program run by Starbucks named as Starbucks Supplier Diversity Program is meant for encouraging divers ity amongst all the suppliers of the company. The company has set criteria for the suppliers who want to be a part of this program. The two criteria being, a) More than 50% should be owned by either minority people or women, and b) It should be certified by any of the government public agencies like National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC), National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), etc (Starbucks, 2012b).Results of Audit The interview conducted with the Human Resource Manager of Starbucks suggests that diversity is encouraged at all levels and departments of the organization. The women and minorities are given preferences. There are certain criteria laid down by the company regarding recruitment of minorities and women as a fixed percentage of the total employees recruited by the company. The findings from the interviews carried out in Starbucks store includes the employees comprising of different cultures, working together and having a good relationship with each other.It has been observed that the employees of Starbucks love to share their cultural information amongst each other and want to know more about each other. People from different communities come together at Starbucks and they are encouraged to work as a team. The employees seem to be happy while working in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere at Starbucks. Customers are always greeted with smile as they enter the Starbucks stores. Employees get rewarded for their good performance in the company. Everyone seems to encourage diversity in the company and have due respect for each other.People are found to be highly motivated to work for the company and wish to have a long term relationship with the organization. Most of them are found to be loyal to the company. Employee turnover is low and everyone likes to be a part of the Starbucks brand. People are found to be enjoying their work in Starbucks and do not feel any kind of compulsion being imposed on them. Assessment All the f indings mentioned above suggest that diversity is encouraged in Starbucks in almost all aspects of its business operations.Special initiatives are taken by the higher officials of the company to bring about cultural diversity in their organization. The company feels diversity to be the key towards being successful in their strategy of expansion of its business in different parts of the world. The corporate culture at Starbucks is multicultural in nature. The morale of the employees working in the company seems to be high and people coming from various cultural backgrounds are found to work together quite efficiently in the company.The working environment within the organization is also good. Everyone is found to be happy doing their work in the Starbucks stores. The customers visiting the stores are also found to be having a relaxed time and satisfied with the services offered by the company. The company has made a huge progress in the field of imparting cultural diversity in the co mpany through the implementation of various types of initiatives and programs. Hence the managers of Starbucks have been successfully dealing with the diversity issues related to the company.However, it has been argued sometimes that the steps taken by Starbucks regarding cultural diversity was more of a reactive type than being a proactive one (Grodan, 2008). It implies that Starbucks developed all these diversity initiatives only after they found it necessary for running a sustainable business in different parts of the world. Recommendations As evident from the findings and assessment of the diversity audit conducted for Starbucks, it has been successful in implementing multicultural activities within the organization.It is recommended that the company should continue giving value to diversity at all levels of its operations. This would help the company to maintain its competitive advantage in the market. It would also help the company to expand its business successfully in other nations of the world where it does not have presence now. Diversity in the organization would ensure that all the employees working for the company are treated equally. Hence, it would bring about a healthy competition within the organization which would in turn result in increased fficiency of the employees. Apart from the employees, the company should also continue to encourage diversity for other stakeholders of the company like its suppliers and the customers. It would mean customers from different backgrounds and culture could be easily acquired by the company, thereby leading to increased revenues for the company as well. References Grodan, G. (2008). Issues Facing Starbucks and Bank of America. Retrieved from http://voices. yahoo. com/issues-facing-starbucks-bank-america-1901086. html. Starbucks. (2012a).Diversity at Starbucks. Retrieved from http://www. starbucks. com/about-us/company-information/diversity-at-starbucks. Starbucks. (2012b). Starbucks Supplier Diversity Progra m. Retrieved from http://www. starbucks. com/responsibility/diversity/suppliers. The New York Times. (no date). Leading with Diversity: Starbucks Coffee Company. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/marketing/jobmarket/diversity/starbucks. html. Yahoo Finance. (2012). Starbucks Corporation (SBUX): Profile. Retrieved from http://in. finance. yahoo. com/q/pr? s=SBUX.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Disney Market Research Essay

In my perspective, methods that can be applied to Disney, which has a variety of different types of products (goods) and services is by applying multiple kinds of qualitative and quantitative methods, approaches, instruments, and with a variety of techniques to collect data and information. As we know that Disney has the products and services, of course, the approach method taken by both of these can be different as well. Goods are something that tangible and service is something intangible. Thus let’s discuss the research methods to be applied in any Disney product services. Disney Theme Park, Resort, Cruise Line and Hotel To explain the research methods to Theme Park etc, those tend to be characterized as a service product. With the research objective to tailor-made Disney products so the approach is the research done by; observations and field surveys on customer satisfaction after the experience they had been acquired compare by their beginning perception. The instrument used is check list for observation, self-administered & mail (online) questioners for survey, qualitative measures technological devices and interviewed guidelines for interview (personal intercept and telephone as well). Sampling techniques used is simple random sampling. Disney Studios(Movies and Music) Research approaches used for this product are observation the Disney movies and music, survey by online to the random viewers and listeners because used of purposive random sampling as a sample, qualitative measures technological devices and interviewed guidelines for interview as well. In this case we need moderator who is able to conduct a group discussion. Disney Media Network (Cable TV & Radio) Owing to the product characteristics similar to Disney studios, the method was almost the same, except the respondents are pay TV viewers and radio listeners. Disney Interactive (Social, Console Games, etc) Research approaches used for this product are observation, survey by online to the random gamers and users because used of purposive random sampling as a sample, qualitative measures technological devices and interviewed guidelines for interview as well. In this case we need moderator who is able to conduct a group discussion. Disney Consumer Products (Books, Toys & Clothes) Research approaches used for this goods product are observation, survey by intercept the consumer who bought the products at the store, qualitative measures technological devices and interviewed guidelines for interview as well. Sampling techniques used is simple random sampling with cluster samples divided by products. Â  

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Professor didnt give a topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Professor didnt give a topic - Essay Example deduce from Since Socrates, Plato’s Crito who is an old friend of him went to visit Socrates that was sent to the jail where he was to be executed (Robert & Clancy, 2004). He was trying to persuade Socrates with his prepared plans that were in place and readied for his escape to another country. I believe the final goal or aim of the text is the obedience to the law. Socrates was sentenced to death by the laws that were misused by the people of the city of Athens. Crito tried his best to let the people who supported him to assist him in avoiding the death penalty by suggesting and pleading for escape plans or at least avoiding from being executed. Unfortunately, he largely declined every possible help he could have gotten and will not try to escape execution. He chooses to die with dignity, believing his own principles to keep strong the legal system. We dont laud however are exceptionally suspicious of individuals who are chilly and figuring Star Treks Dr. Spock, for instance. (A regular subject of contrast issues in a conceptual disasterfilms, for example, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is the delineation of overall "typical" people whose status as creatures is checked by their absence of feeling.) In Camus best-known novel, The Stranger, the odd focal character is recognized above all by his absence of emotion no anguish upon his mothers demise, no loathing in the vicinity of his bullhead, ooze ball pimp neighbor Raymond, no adoration in his cozy discussions with his sweetheart Marie, no alarm in the vicinity of a potential professional killer with a blade, no misgiving for a homicide that may effortlessly have been evaded. However it is this absence of feeling (which a large portion of my people discover "cool," even brave) that makes Meursault "a barbaric beast wholly without an ethical sense" in the expressions of the exces sively passionate prosecutor at his trial. It is our emotion that make us human (Solomon, 2009). To be sensible is to have the right

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Critically examine how a firms HR strategy could be its source of Essay

Critically examine how a firms HR strategy could be its source of competitive advantage - Essay Example This success has come with its share of problems and discrepancies as well. There have been occasions when the workforce has just not been good enough. Also the fact that this workforce has relied heavily on the adequate usage of the resources at hand is another quagmire that the peculiar business fraternities have found themselves within. The manner in which the HR operations have brought about a huge drift within the global business operations and the building up of competitive advantage over a period of time is an example in its own right and one that deserves its due share of acclaim and applaud, however the significance of having diverse workforce regimes is one aspect that needs to be understood within the proper contexts. The present day workforce depends a great deal on the way in which workers perform their duties and remain committed to the growth potentials of the business. It does not really matter if the workers are full time employees, or contingent or part time ones. What is needed and looked upon is the manner in which employees work towards attaining the goals and objectives of the business and provide benefits to the eventual position of the organization. This is the single most quintessential basis for the HR to identify with and no other aspect is deemed in the same vein when it comes to the amount of significance that the organizational employees could exhibit on any given day. (Peterson, 2002) If the HR entity has a major share of temporary workers within its fold, it is of paramount essence that the organization’s own culture is strong and there are no apprehensions in this basis whatsoever. This is because organization’s culture lays the foundation stone for their devot ion and work place performance levels to a higher magnitude. Any set of values and beliefs make up a culture, the simplest definition that one could

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Sample Exam Paper Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sample Exam Paper Questions - Essay Example Then UNIQLO concentrates on different market segments using the tools of sales planning, sales promotion, and visual merchandising (UNIQLO official website). The company makes families as their focal point of sales and it keeps wide variety of models so that the customers can choose what they require. UNIQLO operates on the basis of the Ansoff’s matrix theory which says market development and product diversification are the two best techniques to enter into a new market segment (QuickMBA). Since the designers are familiar with the geographical peculiarities of each area, they give more priority to cultural designs which are highlighted in the visual merchandising. The product demonstration has a very effective role in entrancing and dominating a market as it is the fact that ‘first impression is the best impression’. 2. UNIQLO is one of the prominent leading companies with highly extended worldwide network. This large scale network reduces the material costs as it engages in large scale production and purchases. At the same time the commitment to buy 100% of the raw materials of a particular dealer adds to the diminished material costs. The intension to conquer the raw materials at the minimized prices reduces the quality of the materials which eventually leads to less worth products. This puts pressure on the supply chain of UNIQLO. The decision of UNIQLO to dissect the supply chain in order to differentiate the areas of highest and lowest costs gave way for the mismatching of the coordination between the dissected supply chains. It was concluded that reduction in the number of fabrics, designs and cuts resulted in cost effective mass production. As Hoffman and Wimbish (2009) state, changing to mass production encourages the sacrifice of style and excitement which would have an effect on the supply chain (p.10). According to the ‘Product Life Cycle’ theory, the commencement of a product in the market attains utmost customers du ring the business enlargement (The Product Life Cycle PLC). To illustrate, subsequent to the market stabilization, the product becomes mature. Gradually superior competitors overtake the product which leads to the declination and eventually the pulling out of the product. As per the ‘Product Life Cycle’ theory every product goes by the introduction, growth, maturity and decline stages. The desire of mass production and low cost production should not be a barrier for the essence of the quality of products being produced. Effective managerial strategies are one of the key issues to minimize the pressures on the supply chain such as framing of an effective managerial team with innovative thoughts, online feedback collection of the customers etc. Store revolution and streamlining product offerings would add to the efficiency. In the view of ‘Product Life Cycle’ theory product and brand differentiation play vital role in the maturity stage of a product. Product promotion and media utilization becomes essential aspect when the product is in the decline stage. Hence the maturity strategy of PLC needs to be considered during the encouragement of product offer. 3. Online customer engagement refers to the interaction between customers and company through an online medium. It enables the company to market their products and identify the changing tastes and preferences of the customers through online feed back collection. It is the least expensive

Monday, August 26, 2019

California drought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

California drought - Essay Example The climate change is a global situation which California follows. The scientists managed to predict this situation a decade before, when they discovered that â€Å"†¦warming-driven Arctic ice loss would lead to worsening drought in California†. (Romm, 2014). The researchers from Utah State University have found that the â€Å"†¦evidence connecting the amplified wind patterns, consisting of a strong high pressure in the West and a deep low pressure in the East, to global warming.† (Wang, 2014). The increasing index of dipole intensification which California has been facing since the 1970s and still faces up to this moment causes extreme droughts in this state. (Wang, 2014). Global warming is also an important actor in terms of climate-related drought reasons because it results in the Earth’s atmosphere becoming thicker which means also increase of high-pressure indices occurrence, and this is a key factor for temperature, snowfall and rainfall extreme l evels and unorganized patterns of weather observed over the recent years. (Mooney, 2013). The problem of greenhouse gases amount increase in the atmosphere is a global point of concern which result of the ozone layer becoming thinner contributes to temperature increase which, obviously, is another cause of drought in any part of the world, including California. (Takle, 2003). Lack of precipitations in the form of snow is one more natural cause of the California drought. It is also reported that if the temperature is warmer, then reduction of snowpack in winter in the mountains of California is possible, which could result in increasing of the runoff in winter and, on the contrary, decreasing of the runoff in spring. Such shifts in runoffs of the two mentioned seasons can promote conditions for drought in summer, such as too much water loss because of flood and little water saving. (Hanak, Lund, 2008). Rain precipitations are also important in terms of

Sunday, August 25, 2019

A New Computer System for Staples (part 4) Essay

A New Computer System for Staples (part 4) - Essay Example Primarily, it is needed for a widening of market operations to cover the world in scanning for opportunity and threat. The decision to enter markets outside the home country depends on a company's resources, its managerial mind-set, and the nature of opportunity and threat (Keegan, Green, 2003). Marketing in diverse countries allows Staples to reach wider target audience and take market share from an established competitor. Using the market research Staples can develop new products for existing markets or develop new products for new markets. The advantage of product originality will allow Staples to create a strong international brand image. Brand loyalty will also be important factor in increasing the costs for customers of switching the products of new competitors. Using an international market development strategy, Staples will capture a larger share of a market for current products through market saturation and market penetration. Taking into consideration rapidly changing environment and customers expectations it is not enough to operate only on a national market. Global marketing will help Staples substantially increase the level of sales (Evans, et al 2004). To get the message different types of media will be used in accordance with particulate audience. Media selection will involve choice between alternatives. Therefore, for maximum penetration it may help to select primary (first choice) media that interlock or cross support each other. If deeper penetration into the same target market, for example, is required, then vertical advertising in the media that reach the same target market will be sought. For example, advertising on commercial television may be linked with advertising in the magazine that provides the programme schedules for viewers, or local radio advertising in an area may be accompanied by direct mail or press advertising. Direct marketing refers to the marketing operations where company sale is made directly to the purchaser without any conventional distributors being involved. Direct marketing involve a number of different methods which can be used in order to reach, communicate, interest and encourage consumers to buy. The methods are: direct response advertisements direct mail and mail drops personal (direct) selling Catalogue selling (McDonald, Christopher, 2003). Mail drops on the other hand are where the delivery of promotional literature to potential customers is undertaken by agents. It may involve posting through letter boxes, handing promotion literature out in the streets, or even placing literature under the windscreen wipers of cars. It can help a company reach a widely dispersed target market, present its message in a very personalized way addressing letters directly to potential buyers (Stone, 2001). Advertisements will also be placed in the Press, on TV and radio and consumers will be encouraged to order directly by telephoning or writing to the supplier of the goods or by filling in a coupon which may be incorporated in a Press advertisement. 'Off-the-page' purchasing of this nature relies on impulse, and there is a need to present an attractive proposition. The advertisement used must be informative enough to enable Staples existing customers to make a decision to purchase. Alternatively the advert may invite the potential customer to write in or phone for a catalogue or leaflet listing the full range of services. The

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Tourism in Switzerland Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Tourism in Switzerland - Dissertation Example It is nearly incontestable that people across the world always seek to have new experiences and learn new things; tourism usually provides the best opportunity to enable people achieve this end. Its tourism infrastructure is highly developed, particularly in the cities and mountainous regions. Tourists are attracted to Switzerland’s landscapes and Alpine climate. Also, being one of the great and diverse commercial hubs in the world, tourists find Switzerland a preferable destination Euromonitor International (2011). Tourism plays a very crucial role in Switzerland’s economy accounting to more than 4% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) OECD (2011). Besides, it plays a very crucial role in creating employment opportunities especially in the rural areas. Just like in most countries across the world, tourism in Switzerland is impacted by external environmental factors namely political, economic, socio- cultural, and technological among others. Currency fluctuation is a maj or economic factor that greatly impacts on tourism in most countries across the world and Switzerland is no exception. According to O’Sullivan and Schifrin (2003), currency fluctuations refer to a tendency of national currencies to change relative to other national currencies at a given period of time. Currency fluctuations can be attributed to the following factors; political and social stability, country’s economic strength, increased of reduced demand for a certain currency, unemployment rates, and country’s interest rates among others. ... activities of individual or group of individuals travelling to destinations and staying in places that are away from their usual environment for a certain period of time for business, leisure and other purposes. From the definition, it is clear that currency fluctuation in Switzerland not only affects the international tourists but also the local tourists Creel (2007). When the Swiss Franc currency is weak, more tourists are encouraged to visit Switzerland as they will be able to get more Francs for their money. On the other hand, when the Swiss franc is strong, tourists are less likely to visit Switzerland as they will get less Swiss francs for their money Swiss Federal Statistical Office (2011). Tourism is very important in the Switzerland economy. This argument is proved by the efforts that the Switzerland National Bank put in 2010 and 2011 in order to prevent further strengthening of the franc especially against the euro which was impacting negatively on the country’s tour ism sector. Also, over the years, tourism sector has proved to be highly sensitive in regards to prices Luzzi and Yves (2003). Therefore, there is need for Switzerland tourist destinations especially the Swiss Alps to be in a better position to compete with other destinations such as those in France, Italy, Germany, and Austria Ewing (2010). The aforementioned countries offer plenty of hiking and skiing opportunities and mountains that also form important features of Switzerland tourists’ destinations. Ewing (2010) further argues that these countries belong to EU and use euro as their currency and most tourists who visit Switzerland come from these regions. Therefore, it is important to pay adequate attention to the fluctuation of Swiss currency in order to avoid losing Swiss- destined

Friday, August 23, 2019

Strategic Management of Human Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Management of Human Resources - Essay Example Therefore, the VEG should embrace strategic plans in ensuring active sharing of knowledge with and impacting skills of their members, in addition to aligning all members with a single objective in enhancing understanding and learning towards meeting its overall objectives. One of the most critical aspects that the VEG suffers from is lack of clear leadership that could set a clear strategy and objectives for the group. As observed, VEG has no business strategy that ties all the volunteers and the community together, and lacks a focus with which such strategy has to be aligned. This might suggest that every member contributes out of his/her own will with no clear strategy in making the contributions. Karamai, Jones and Kakabadse (2008) observed that development and implementation of well created business strategies led to improved effectiveness in firms and the industry as a whole. This could imply that organisations that design their strategic plans and operations towards a streamlined course of action achieve greater effectiveness in their operations. Therefore, as the HRM theory postulates, VEG has to ensure competent staff and a strategic human resource management body, which, alongside a strong strategic business planning, would guide the VEG towa rds achieving competitiveness and the set objectives (Fox, 2013). The HRM theory implies that human resource management has to design strong strategic plans that guide members in a common path towards attaining the specified goals. In this case, while corporate governance by itself may not guarantee a competitive advantage, failure to exercise the right governance may lead to failure of allocating the resources concerned in the right way (Barney, Wright & Ketchen, 2001). To ensure value to volunteers and encourage contributions, Aiekn et al. (2011) noted that the Localism Bill of 2007 entrusted communal based entities with more power to buy, develop and control assets. This could

Han Poems ( Chinese Poetry ) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Han Poems ( Chinese Poetry ) - Research Paper Example It is worthwhile to note that the Han dynasty led to the development of different poetic forms. Thirdly, China has the modern period poetry that is characterized by westernized free poetry structure (Maghiel Van Crevel 405). The Han poetry also known as classical poetry was developed during the Han period. This is the period during which, the Chu lyrics advanced and evolved into the fu lyric. In this lyrical pattern, a poem is simply in rhymed verse except for the introduction and the concluding passages, which are in prose. More often, the introductory and concluding parts of the poem are in the systematic form of questions and answers. This form is often referred to as poetic essay. For instance, Xi Kang’s Qin Fu is a perfect of the poetic form in this context. The Han poetry was also characterized by the yue fu poems (newpages.com). The yue fu poems are simply song lyrics that were inclusive of indigenous folk songs as well as, versions of renowned artists such as Li Bai. T he literary history of Chinese history was dominated by the fu genre which is a descriptive prose combined with verse. The Han period is described as an important cultural flowering age of the Chinese poetry. ... , the emergence of the Han poetry, Confucius has the credit of revolutionizing the Han poetry due to his effort in educating pupils on poetry by use of the book of songs whose impact on Chinese literature led to the undisputed success of the Chinese poetry. Undisputedly, the vigor and realism of the Han art inclusive of poetry is notably among the most sophisticated periods in Chinese lengthy history. Most people fond of art are curious to find out the founder of the Han poetry who is none other than Liu Pang. Liu Pang (forum.kungfumagazine.com). In a comprehensive detail, the Han poetry was written during the period dating back to 206 B.C-A.D.220. The Han dynasty lasted during this period. The form of writing was simply the â€Å"yuefu† style. A later period of the Eastern Han was characterized by poems, which were in the form of five characters in each line. The repetitive use of five characters in each line stood out as the distinguishable attribute that achieved melodious smoother effect evoking subtler human feelings. The Han poetry was written in the form of the fu genre until the classical period when it began to develop into the modern known as Shi form. In contrast to the fu genre, the Shi form has seven characters in each line. The Han poetry entailed the use of an adopted persona to address a wide range of topics in the ancient Chinese society (Maghiel Van Crevel 344). Concisely, the Han poetry is a reflection of the territorial expansion of China hence the purpose for which it was written was to record the history of China. During the Han period, China experienced a drastic development in knowledge, which led to its tremendous expansion linking it to other countries such as Syria, Iran and India. The Han poetry gives a detailed account of the sorrow filled,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Analysis of Johnson Johnsons production Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Johnson Johnsons production Essay 1. Company characteristics and supply chainJohnson Johnson is a global American pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in the state of New Jersey, United States in 1886 (Wikipedia, 2008). The corporations headquarters is located in New Brunswick and its consumer division is located in Skillman, New Jersey. The corporation includes some 250 subsidiary companies with operations in over 57 countries while its products are sold in over 175 countries. Johnson Johnson and its subsidiaries have approximately 115,600 employees worldwide. Johnson Johnsons primary focus has been on products related to human health and well-being. According to MarketWatch (2006) states that Johnson Johnsons worldwide business is divided into three segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices and Diagnostics. The Consumer segment manufactures and markets a range of products used in the baby and child care, skin care, oral and wound care and womens health care fields, as well as nutritional and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products. These products, available without prescription, are marketed principally to the general public and sold both to wholesalers and directly to independent and chain retail outlets throughout the world (MarketWatch, 2006). The Pharmaceutical segment includes products in the following therapeutic areas: anti-fungal, anti-infective, cardiovascular, contraceptive, dermatology, gastrointestinal, hematology, immunology, neurology, oncology, pain management, psychotropic and urology. These products are distributed directly to retailers, wholesalers and health care professionals for prescription use by the general public (MarketWatch, 2006). The Medical Devices and Diagnostics segment includes a range of products distributed to wholesalers, hospitals and retailers, used principally in the professional fields by physicians, nurses, therapists, hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and clinics. Distribution to these health care professional markets is done both directly and through surgical supply and other dealers (MarketWatch, 2006). From the research we gather, that effective supply chain at Johnson Johnson is similar to the above scenario of trust based partnerships, which mean suppliers are working in tandem with the business for mutual benefit. It also suggests a proactive approach being taken rather than a reactive approach to manage logistics issues. 2. Importance of Supply chain managementThe company and its subsidiary like Lifescan are one of the top users of collaborative product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions for the value chain. For example it uses MatrixOnes PLM environment, which provides a secure, collaborative product development environment that will streamline product design and development across LifeScan Scotlands global operations, enabling the company to quickly and cost-effectively bring new products to market. The deployment was prompted by the results of a Johnson Johnson study into the key product lifecycle solutions in the market. Johnson Johnson aimed to cut their product development cycle by as much as 20%. In addition, the company aims to drive improved customer satisfaction, integrate suppliers into the development process, improve visibility to design centers throughout the world, and have easy access to all vital product information. (Lifescan press release 2005 from HREF 1)Fig 1 Mutual Accounta bility Map between buyer Seller at Johnson Johnson (Source Slobodow, B Abdullah, O Babuschak, W C 2008p 78) Distribution CentresJohnson Johnson has finished the construction of a 440,000 square foot distribution centre in Memphis, TN to provide direct shipment of their medical products with no third party distributor involvement (Healthcare Purchasing News, 2004). In addition, Johnson Johnsons new European distribution centres for its medical devices diagnostics division in Courcelles, near Charleroi, Belgium (Janssen Pharmaceutica, 2005). In this way, the centre will increase the competitiveness of the organization and facilitate delivery to the companys customers. Orders completed through the Johnson Johnson direct model would eliminate that distributor mark-up, providing incrementally lower procurement costs for customers. Thus, this lower pricing will be enough to entice customers to bypass the convenience of their one stop distribution relationship (Healthcare Purchasing News, 2004). The Supply Chain graph source Heizer, J. and Render, B. 2004 p 414The supply chain includes all the interactions between suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and customers. The chain includes transportation, scheduling information, cash and credit transfers, ideas, designs, and material  transfers. Risk ManagementAccording to a report from Goldman Sachs, Johnson Johnson is requiring all of its medical products distributors to agree to not source any Johnson Johnson products from any entity other than Johnson Johnson (Healthcare Purchasing News, 2004). It appears that the aim of this mandate is to reduce the risk of counterfeit medical products reaching end customers by forcing distributors to agree not to participate in the secondary market and to purchase only from Johnson Johnson. While over 100 distributors have signed the agreement none of the publicly traded medical distributors are on Johnson Johnsons list of those who have agreed with the companys terms and signed its agreement. This decision is important because of the clear mandate made in its trading partners. According to Healthcare Purchasing News (2004) Goldman Sachs believes that Johnson Johnson products may account for as much as 14% of the hospital distribution market and Owens Minor indicates that Johnson Johnson products represent approximately 16% of total company sales. However, Johnson Johnson remains an extremely important supplier for any medical products distributor whose managements are under significant pressure to come to agreement with company demands and to remain as authorized distributors (Healthcare Purchasing News, 2004). 3. Operational Features reflecting common practice in supply chain management. Efficient Consumer Response (ECR)It is a strategy where partners in a supply chain synchronise the product flow through the distribution pipeline from point of manufacture to point of final sale. ECR is primarily related to strategic partnerships in the distribution channels of the grocery industry to increase the performance of the consumers while Johnson Johnson states two-digit turnover increases in their respective business segments by using it (Kotzab, 2000, p. 145). Master Cyclist PrinciplesIt is defined that how a market literate management team would approach short-run functional decisions regarding inventory, production, marketing and pricing as well as more strategic choices  regarding capital expansion, acquisitions and divestitures (Navarro, 2004, p. 19). According to Navarro (2004, p. 19) reported, Johnson Johnson cut its capital expenditures by over $100 million the first decrease in seven years and as the significant cash reserves, it saw double-digit growth in both revenues and earnings. Two-Way ScorecardThe Two-Way Scorecard is a tangible means of embedding cooperation in the supplier-buyer relationship. In Johnson Johnson, supply chain performance is measured across five components: execution, compliance, financial impact, new products and partnership. Furthermore, the Two-Way Scorecard has been put into practice with strategic suppliers over the last four years. Positive results have been seen in a range of areas, from resolving potential supplier liquidity problems to addressing the inefficiencies of global trading. Several habitual pain points have eased; most notably new product launches (Slobodow, Abdullah Babuschak, 2008, p.76). 4. Effective interaction. Johnson Johnson Health Care Systems Inc. (JJHCS) uses a standard internal process for design, development, and implementation while utilizing Six Sigma and change management tools. Importance of Organizational DesignOrganizational design is important for several reasons. Organizational design can be a competitive tool by providing the organization with flexibility needed to respond to changing customer needs while bolstering organizational efficiency and effectiveness. It can create the infrastructure to enable a strategy to be implemented and provide accountability to employees by clearly demarcating the areas of ownership and control. It can also provide personal growth by creating opportunities for people to take on different and challenging roles within the same organization. Any work process in the organization can be in scope for organizational design (Yacovone, 2007, p. 105). Benefits of Organizational DesignJJHCS identified the need for an organizational design model and process through an internal Six Sigma business assessment. Six Sigma is a rigorous and disciplined methodology  that uses data and statistical analysis to measure and improve a companys operational performance by identifying and eliminating defects in manufacturing and service-related processes (Six Sigma.com cited in Yacovone, 2007, p. 106). This ensured that the customers needs and critical quality factors were the drivers of the redesign. These findings drove the development of the JJHCS organizational design framework, process, and toolkit to conduct organizational design, along with the recognition that several large change initiatives within the company were going to require significant organizational design. Additionally, the organization recognized that the human resources (HR) business partner role required new competencies, such as change management and organizational design, to meet the needs of the business (Yacovone, 2007, p. 107). ResultsA key business metric for accounts receivable is days sales outstanding (DSO), and this project resulted in reducing the DSO by over one day. This equates to several million dollars a day for Johnson Johnson. Also the use of the impact assessment tool resulted in robust change management plans such as communication activities, standard operating procedures, and proper training (Yacovone, 2007, p. 105). 5. Issues SolutionsGrey MarketJohnson Johnsons Medical Device Diagnostics business (MDD) is one business that has faced brand risks head on and taken a proactive stance to address its current issues and mitigate future risks from counterfeiters and related concerns. For example, According to Wald and Holleran (2007, p. 58) reported that in 2003, some doctors submitted surgical mesh to MDD that did not have the handling qualities they were used to with MDDs product. The company sent the product through its quality assurance processes for authentication and determined it was fake. This grey market is a concern because it can signal questionable third-party business practices, present a possible avenue for counterfeit products and cause significant lost revenue. Therefore, MDD decided to take action, they asked Ernst r Young to expand the investigation to regions around the world to identify additional risks. Finally, the studys findings were that the company had a diversion problem which involves the selling of a legitimate product in markets other than  those for which it was intended, and it opens the door for counterfeit products to enter the supply chain (Wald Holleran, 2007, p. 58). CausesOne factor was MDDs business culture. Because Johnson Johnson is a highly decentralized business, each of its operating and regional companies was approaching grey market issues and counterfeiting with disparate brand protection policies or strategies (Wald Holleran, 2007, p. 59). As a result, different operating companies were independently developing their own anti-counterfeiting and anti-grey market solutions. Another cause was the business design and practices. One example was that no single person or group at the MDD level was responsible for protecting MDDs brands or its products. A second example was that the companys due diligence process, which it reviewed third-party suppliers, manufacturers and distributors, was incomplete. The company also did not have a robust supply chain strategy to assess how it might negotiate standardized terms of sale such as authorized distributors, the right to audit and the right to data in jurisdictions outside the United States that allowed the sharing of such data (Wald Holleran, 2007, p. 59). The third identified cause of the companys vulnerability was a lack of information. SolutionsTo establish a system whereby MDD could manage its brand-related risk day to day, the team focused on policy design, organization design, market monitoring and enforcement which were vulnerable from a business culture, business design and informational perspective (Wald Holleran, 2007, p. 60). Firstly, the team developed a brand protection policy that is now being used as a guideline by MDD. The policy addresses the protection of intellectual property, accountability issues, product protection and supply chain standards, and incident reporting and enforcement protocols. Secondly, an organization was put in place throughout MDD to address brand protection across the business. The team helped to define the key resources and assign them specific roles, responsibilities and accountability. These roles include a vice president and executives responsible for product protection, supply chain management, and incident reporting and enforcement. Thirdly, for those products at highest risk, the company will develop product protection plans that include overt and covert anti-counterfeiting  technologies and features based on their risk levels. This allows the company to consistently manage its products throughout the organization, from sourcing through distribution. Finally, which also is under development, is a market-monitoring program to keep tabs on the product actually being sold to consumers. Today, Johnson Johnson executives report that they are now more effectively dealing with counterfeits than ever before, which they credit to the heightened awareness and new reporting policies (Wald Holleran, 2007, p. 61). References Healthcare Purchasing News 2004, Johnson Johnson launches self-distribution program, accessed 26/04/2008, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BPC/is_2_28/ai_n6364792Heizer, J. and Render, B. 2004, 5th edn, Principles of Operations Management, Pearson: Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Finch BJ, Operations Now Profitability, process, performance, 2nd Edition 2006, McGraw Hill Irwin New YorkJanssen Pharmaceutica 2005, Johnson Johnson starts building European Distribution Centre for its Medical Devices Diagnostics Division in Courcelles, Belgium, accessed 27/04/2008, http://www.janssenpharmaceutica.be/news_headlines43_E.aspKotzab, H 2000, Managing the Grocery Industry in an Efficient Consumer Response Manner, Retail, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 145-150. Lifescan Press Release, 2005 from HREF 1 http://www.matrixone.com/matrixone/press_releases_20050208_lifescan.htmlMarketWatch 2006, Company Description, accessed 25/04/2008, http://www.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/profile.asp?sid=2689symb=jnjsiteid=mktwNavarro, P 2004, Principles of the Master Cyclist, MIT SLOAN Management Review, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 19-24. Slobodow, B Abdullah, O Babuschak, W C 2008, When Supplier Partnerships Arent, MIT SLOAN Management Review, vol. 49, no. 2, pp.76-83. Wald, J Holleran, J 2007, Counterfeit Products and Faulty Supply Chain, Risk Management, vol. 54, iss. 4, pp. 58-61. Wikipedia 2008, Johnson Johnson, accessed 26/04/2008, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson__JohnsonYacovone, L 2007, Organizational Design for a Supply Chain Transformation: Best Practice at Johnson Johnson Health Care Systems Inc., Organization Development Journal, vol. 25, iss. 3, pp.103-109.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Sg S Pastries And Ice Cream Marketing Essay

Sg S Pastries And Ice Cream Marketing Essay In every business there must be an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur is a person who undertakes the responsibilities of running a successful business and sees to it that a profit is made. Functions of the entrepreneur in this business include: Planning- Developing an overall business plan for the business covering Pastries and Ice-Cream, to be implemented by the production manager. Developing a plan for delivery and marketing of the product. Organizing- Developing routines for food preparation and purchasing of supplies, to be implemented by the production manager. Evaluating performance- Continuously evaluating and monitoring all aspects of the operation, including staff performance, running costs, market response and sales revenue. The entrepreneur identifies issues and problems and takes corrective action where indicated. Use of Technology At SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream, we will use different types of technology. As we all know, technology is important and necessary to all business. Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. At SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream, practical and effective use will be made of the following technologies: telephones, computers, cash registers, refrigerators, ovens, management information systems (MIS) and also fax machines. The telephone will be used to call special and original customers and also to do promotions whenever there is a new product in stock. Computers will be used to store important information for the business. However, as dealing with computers, internet will be used to advertise the business. The cash register will be used to cash whatever is ordered by the customers, the deep freeze will be used to preserve the ice-cream and refrigerator to keep the juices and beverages, and also to make the ice-cream. These technologies will enhance the business by providing goods and services to supply the customers and this will result in the business making a profit and the business being successful. Potential for Growth Here at SGs pastries and Ice-Cream, we will seek to expand the business internally and externally. Since growth is important to every business, SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will seek to expand the business internally by employing more workers which will produce more goods and better services and this will result in increasing profit. Externally means outside and may be referred to the branches of the business. It is the growth of the companied by an increase of land, labour, capitals and enterprise. Externally, SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will open other branches in other parishes and towns and will also invest in ice-cream trucks to go around and sell ice-cream. Justification of Location SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will be located on Kings Plaza in the Centre of Negril Town. This town is very popular and well developed. Negril Town is also well populated and because of this the business will be well supported and this will result in the business being prosperous. There will be no problems accessing raw materials because there is a wide range of supermarkets and wholesales to supply the business with raw materials. Transporting the raw material will be easy because taxi and trucks will be ready and waiting to transport the raw materials to the business to be processed. There is also a demand for the products in Negril and opening this business will lead customers and buyers to support the business. There are also several work stations there so when its lunch time, people will just run over to get an ice-cream and a snack. Selection of Appropriate Labour The type of labour that will be used at SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream are the Skilled Labour and Unskilled Labour. These labours are necessary because the workers will need to know how to operate the different machines. These labours were also chosen because they are the most suitable labour and it will enable and enhance prompt and efficient service to satisfy our customers. To carry out the job in the business, there will be two cashiers who will be responsible for cashing what the customer wants to purchase and four chefs who will make the delicious pastries and snacks which will enlighten taste buds. There will be two waitresses to take orders from the customer and sever them what we have to offer in our comfortable, relaxing and entertaining spots in our business and most important there will be a security guard who will protect both the workers and customers from harm and danger. He will do, the best of this ability, to see to it whoever is inside the business is safe. Last but not least there will be a janitor who will be responsible for sanitizing the different parts of the business before, during and after each task. She will see to it that the business will be kept clean at all times which will attract customers and will result in them repeatedly visiting the business to support. The professionals will handle all the finance and the office work and the unskilled workers will take care of the packaging and cleaning while the skilled workers will be operating the machines. This will contribute to the profitability of the business. Source of Fixed and Working Capital Fixed Capital refers the assets of the business. These have a long life and will be used up in the business for the production of goods and for the creation of further wealth. Some of these are: Machines, premises and vehicles. This capital will be financed by a loan from Jamaica National (JN) and it will be paid back by a payment plan which will be paid monthly at a 10% rate. On the other hand, there is working capital, which can be defined as the short term assets which are turned over fairly during the course of the business. They include; cash, stocks and other items required for the day-to-day operation of the business. These may be obtained from the personal saving, the bank, supermarket and wholesale. The working capital is also used for paying expenses and workers. Type of Production SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will be engaged in secondary production. This involves taking raw material and converting them into finished or semi-finished goods. This production to SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream we will be using raw materials such as milk powder, condensed milk, evaporated milk and colouring will be converted into a product: Ice-Cream and Pastries. Levels of Production SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream operates within the domestic level of production. This level is best defined as everything produced locally in the home country. This level is necessary because it does not involve any foreign countries but does involve human and natural resources which are both employed. Pastries and Ice-Cream will also be providing for persons in the community in Negril and communities that are nearby. Quality Control Measures Quality control measures refer to the way in which a company ensures that the product meets the standard of the government regulations. It is also the way in which a country ensures that the product meet the standard the firm has set. The businesss policy is, clean up before during and after. Firstly, we make sure that our workers have their food handlers permit. Secondly, we set in place a schedule to outline the different tasks to be done on a daily basis for e.g. wiping the floor and wiping the tables etc. We also promote our policy by ensuring that the person sharing the ice cream uses a glove to avoid contamination of it. We also will ensure that the ice-cream is kept in the refrigerator for preservation. However, the ingredients that will be used to produce the goods are of high quality to satisfy our customers. The brand names, information on the product such as nutrition facts, directions and ingredients will show that the product does not have any fault. This will enable the business to gain more profit. Personnels from the Bureau of Standard will also come to do sample testing on the products that are made in the establishment. Linkages Linkage is when one industry emerges from the situation in producing a product which another industry depends on thus to carry out their own activities. Here this will be depicted because we will provide other business with ice-cream and other pastries. At SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream, we intend to use the forward linkage. SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will provide other small businesses with the best tasting ice-cream and pastries. We will provide businesses such as snack shops, small ice-cream shops, community shops and school tuck shop with ice-cream. Supplying other smaller businesses will generate more income in which SGs Pastries and Ice-Cream will not only sell consumers but also have a fixed chain of common like business owners to supply with the best ice-cream. Government Regulations The business has to follow rules and regulation. Tax is one of the most important aspects relating to the government. However, like everyone and every business, tax must be paid. It will impact on the business positively because tax aids in developing the economy in term of fixing roads and building homes for the homeless etc; and it also fund the prisoners by providing them with food. So when the business gives up what is due to the government, a positive action will be displayed by the business and the businesss taxes will help with the development of the country. However, paying taxes prevent you from being in problems with the government. We at SGs Pastries and Ice-cream will make sure that all the garbage is been properly disposed. We will also ensure that the workers adhere to the health and safety regulations and all of our workers have a valid food handlers permit which is issued through clinics. Ethical Issues Ethical issues can be defined as the rights within the scope of a law. However, ethical issues are very important as it relates to the business world. Here both the boss and workers will ensure that the environment or surrounding of the business will be kept clean at all times. Therefore if an inspector should come to the business, the business will be clean and tidy and that will result in the inspector complimenting the business and he/she will make recommendations. And they may make a suggestion and come back to see if what was suggested was taken into action and was done properly. If the business is kept clean this will enhance the efficiency of the workers. As a result, more customers will be attracted. However, at SGs Pastries and Ice-cream will do back ground checks on our suppliers to ensure that the raw material we buy are coming from legal sources. We will also ensure that the raw materials we use to produce our products are of a good quality. Proposed Business Plan for SGs Pastries Ice-Cream Production Aspect Aims of Business At SGs Pastries Ice-Cream, we provide fresh and quality Pastries and Ice-Cream at an affordable cost with exceptional customer service to meet the customers need and wants. Table of Content Title Page Aims of Business Description of Business Justification of Location Selection of Appropriate Labour Sources of Fixed Working Capital Roles of the Entrepreneur Type of Production Levels of Production Quality Control Measures Use of Technology Linkage Potential for Growth Government Regulations Ethical Issue

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Composition of Hydrocarbons

Composition of Hydrocarbons Samerah Mansha Chemistry – Hydrocarbons – Organic compounds are molecules comprising of both carbon and hydrogen atoms. These compounds can be found as gaseous, liquid, or solid. Organic compounds are vital in life processes as they are found in the products we use daily such as soap, cosmetics, perfumes, plastics, rubber, paper, insecticides. The source of energy we use everyday such as petroleum and coal contain organic compounds. Foods such as margarines and flavourings that we taste are the organic compounds interrelating with our taste buds.Scents in perfumes and food that we detect with our nose are organic compounds interrelating with our receptors. The main type of organic compounds are hydrocarbons, which are chemical compounds compromising of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Alkanes and alkenes are two types of hydrocarbons. Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons due to containing the full amount of hydrogen atoms possible. Alkanes also contain single bonds. The overall formula of an alkane isCnH2n+2, where n shows the quantity of carbon atoms present. The chemical and structural formula of alkanes (see figure 1). Isomers are molecules with an identical chemical formula, but differ in terms of having different structural formula due to varied arrangement of atoms, isomers also have different properties. The isomer of butane C4H10, is 2methyl-propane. (See figure 2) These two compounds are isomers of each other due to having the same chemical formula of C4H10, but vary in terms of having different structural formula. The above propane has an added methyl group, thus called methyl propane. The isomers of hexane C6H14, (see figure 3) The isomers of pentane C5H12, (see figure 4) – A homologous series is simply a group of organic chemical compounds which is ordered in increasing size, such as having similar structures but only differ slightly by a CH2 group within their chain. A series of compounds which are related like alkanes are known as homologous series. This is because alkanes have the same general formulas of CnH2n+2, but differ from the next CH2 unit. All the alkanes in the homologous series have similar chemical properties, but have different physical properties such as boiling point and density increase as the number of carbons atoms increase. Name of Alkane Number Carbon atoms Chemical Formula Simple Structure (Molecular Diagram) Methane 1 C H4 Ethane 2 C2H6 Propane 3 C3H8 Butane 4 C4H10 Pentane 5 C5H12 Hexane 6 C6H14 Heptane 7 C7H16 Octane 8 C8H18 Nonane 9 C9H20 Decane 10 C10H22 Figure: 5 Example of a homologous series of alkanes with structure of CnH2n+2, Ivy Rose, (n.d) 2.4, 2.5 – As alkanes are saturate hydrocarbons, they are deemed unreactive due to containing single bonds such as C-H and C-C bonds which are quiet strong and difficult to break due to the strong intermolecular force. However the only ways alkanes are able to react is via combustion, chlorination and cracking. Combustion is exothermic process and is known burning of carbon compounds, in particular hydrocarbons is a vital source of heat energy. For example by combusting alkanes with oxygen it releases energy which can be instantaneously be used as fuels. In combustion of alkanes such as propane, every single covalent bond within the reactants is broken down and forms a new set of covalent bonds within the products. The balanced formula is: CH3-CH2-CH3 + 5 O2——>3 CO2 + 4 H2O + heat Combustion also producescarbon dioxideand watervapour which is shown above. Another example of combustion of methane: CH4(g) + 2O2(g)→CO2(g) + 2H2O(g) (Methane + Oxygen→Carbon dioxide + Water) If there is not enough oxygen supply within the air, then this would result then would form carbon monoxide gas which is poisons. For example, the below equation shows the partial combustion of methane due to lack of oxygen present: 2CH4(g) + 3O2(g) → 2CO(g)+ 4H2O(g) (Methane + Oxygen → Carbon monoxide + Water) However the burning of alkanes has the potential to cause many enviromental problems, such as the toxic waste gas carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons which are present in cat emissions. Additional excessive combustion of hydrocarbons increases carbon dioxide emissions which contribute to the greenhouse effect. Another reaction of alkanes is called chlorination which is the when alkanes react with chlorine. For example, when the alkane methane and chlorine react together, the hydrogen atoms of the methane are simply replaced one by one by chlorine atoms. Thus forming a combination of compounds of chloromethane, dichloromethane, trichloromethane and tetrachloromethane. Figure:6 Reaction and products that occur between methane and chlorine, Chem Guide, (2000) Some fuels which are made from oil mixtures contain large hydrocarbon molecules which are not useful, as they do not flow easily and are quiet difficult to ignite. This is when the process of the cracking, a thermal decompositionreaction comes in. The process of cracking allows big hydrocarbon molecules to be broken down into much smaller and more useful hydrocarbon molecules. This is achieved by the large hydrocarbon molecules being vaporised and put in a hot catalyst which breakdowns the chemical bonds within molecules thus forming smaller hydrocarbon molecules. For example in the cracking process of the alkane hexane, a smaller alkane is formed plus an alkene. The alkene is formed because the alkane which is this case is the hexane does not contain enough hydrogen atoms in order to produce another alkane. . C6H14 C4H10 + C2H4 Figure: 7 The cracking reaction of the alkane hexane, BBC Bitesize, (n.d) 3.1 Alkenes are also hydrocarbons compromising of carbon and hydrogen atoms, but also have one or more double bonds present within the carbon chain. Alkenes are also a series of compounds within a homologous series but have a different general formula of CnH2n. Examples of alkenes and their chemical and structural formula (See figure 8) Geometrical isomerisms are formed when atoms or groups of molecules are arranged in a different way due to limited amount of rotation of the bond or bonds within a molecule. For example, there are two geometrical isomers for the alkene 2-butene, as there are two different spatial arrangements of methyl groups and double bond, thus forming geometrical isomers called cis-2-butene and trans-2-butene, these are formed because the CH3 groups are found on opposite of the double bond. (See figure 9) Another example is the 1,2-dichloroethene, forms the trans-1,2 dichoethne and Cis-1,2 dichroloethee gemotical isomers, (See figure 10) One of the isomer, the two chlorine atoms are locked upon opposite sides of double bond, thus called theTransisomer whereas in the other isomer the two chlorine atoms are locked within the same side of the double bond thus known as cisisomer. (See figure 10). 3.2, 3.3 – A single covalent bond is simply when one pair of electrons (2 electrons) are shared amongst two atoms. It typically consists of one sigma bond. On the other hand, bonds with more than one mutual pair of electrons are called multiple bonds, in particular sharing two pairs of electrons is called a double bond where 4 electrons are covalently bonded together, the double bonds typically comprises of one sigma and one pi bond. Alkanes are saturated compounds with single covalent sigma bonds, thus are more stable than alkenes as high amount of energy would be needed to break these. Alkenes are unsaturated with the presence of carbon-carbon pi-bonds and sigma bonds which connects to carbon atoms which makes them highly more reactive than alkanes due to the existence of double bonds and because they are unstable as they want to achieve full saturation. Another reason alkenes are ore reactive is because in double bond there is a lone pair of free electrons which is easily lost thus highly reactive as its easily lost in order to be covalently single bonded Thus when alkenes react in such reactions such as combustion or additions, it mainly involves the rupture of the pi bond, thus forming newsingle bonds. Within the alkenes, the double bond allows more electrons to be put into the joining within the two carbon atoms, thus held less strongly making them more likely to react with less input of energy needed to ov ercome the activation energy of reaction 3.4, 3.5 The main reaction of alkenes is the addition reaction which occurs due to the extra electron found within the C=C double bond which causes alkenes to be attacked by species called electrophiles in which â€Å"like† positve charged electrons. Due to the electrophile having an positive charge it is attracted towards the alkene which causes the electrons within the pi bond to break, then electrons from it are used in order to form a bond to the positive end joining the two carbon atoms to other things. Figure: 11 Example of an addition reaction using X-Y, Chem guide, (2003) Another example of addition reactions is hydrogen and hydrogen chloride. ethene +hydrogen→ethane = C2H4+H2→C2H6 Due to alkenes containing pi-bonds (double or triple) which can be broken easily due to their overlay, it makes them the prime target for addition reaction, which stabilises the molecular orbitals by forming sigma-bonds, which are stronger. Another example ofan addition reactionis the bromine test which is simply used in order to tell the difference between an alkane and an alkene. Alkenes undergo an addition reaction when combined with bromine water which is usually orangey-brown in colour, but when it is shaken with an alkene, the solution becomes colourless as alkene decolourise bromine water as it reacts with the double bond, which indicates the presence of a pi bond. However if bromine water was shaken with an alkane, the bromine water remains brown as there is no double bond present For example, the bromine is decolourised because a colourless dibromethane compound forms. For example: ethene + bromine → dibromoethane C2H4+ Br2→ C2H4Br2 (See figure 12) 3.6 Polymerisation is an important reaction of alkenes. During polymerisation all the atoms within the alkenes are used to form a polymer, a polymer is a large long-chain of molecule of repeated units which formed when smaller molecule called monomers join together. For example, several chloroethene monomers join end-to-end to make poly(chloroethene), which is also known as PVC via the polymerisation process. (See figure 13) Figure: 14 Addition polymerisation reaction, BBC Bitesize, (n.d) Alkenes act as monomer due to the presence of the double bond. Different polymers have different properties, so they have different uses which make them important in everyday life. For example, the polymer polyethene is commonly used to make plastic bags and bottles, whereas polyproper is used to make crated and ropes and polycholorethene is uses in water pipes and commonly in insulation of electricity cables. However regardless of the uses of polymers being useful their disposal creates various problems, due to being non-biodegradable, because being unreactive to majority of chemicals and bacteria. However can only be recycled, but this is a costly process. They can also be burnt which does produce energy but again produces toxic fumes. References: Accelerated Study Notes, (n.d), Alkenes, [on-line], Available at: http://www.acceleratedstudynotes.com/ib/chemistry-ib/ib-chemistry-alkenes/, [Accessed on 16/05/15]. Barry Gray, (2006), Organic Chemistry and the Alkanes, Alkenes and Alkynes, [on-line], Available at: http://www.barrygray.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Tutoring/OrgC.html, [Accessed on 18/05/15]. 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Chem Wiki, (n.d), Cis Trans Isomers of Alkanes, [on-line], Available at: http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Organic_Chemistry/Fundamentals/Structure_of_Organic_Molecules/Cis_and_Trans_Isomers_of_Alkanes, [Accessed on 14/05/15]. Chem Wiki, (n.d), Geometric Isomerism in Organic Molecules, [on-line], Available at:http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Organic_Chemistry/Fundamentals/Isomerism_in_Organic_Compounds/Geometric_Isomerism_in_Organic_Molecules, [Accessed on 14/05/15]. Chemistry Msu,(2013), Reactions of Alkenes, [on-line], Available at: http://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/reusch/VirtTxtJml/addene1.htm, [Accessed on 15/05/15]. Cliffs Notes, (n.d), Alkenes: Molecular and Structural Formulas, [on-line], Available at: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/sciences/chemistry/organic-chemistry-i/structure-and-properties-of-alkenes/alkenes-molecular-and-structural-formulas, [Accessed on 16/06/15]. 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Monday, August 19, 2019

Stonehenge Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are few ancient structures in the world that captivate the imagination and the critical mind of both the scholarly and ordinary individual as Stonehenge. This intriguingly mysterious Neolithic monument is located near Amesbury in Wiltshire, England and draws thousands of spectators to its arena each year. The oldest part of Stonehenge, called Stonehenge I (constructed ca. 3100 BCE), consists of little more than a circular ditch dug in the soil of the Salisbury plain, with the excess soil piled up to make an embankment approximately six feet tall. This area is approximately three hundred thirty feet in diameter, and encompasses â€Å"Stonehenge proper† – the familiar circles of massive stones that once stood upright as well as the large horseshoe arrangement of standing stones near the center of Stonehenge. (Trefil 48) The outer ring of Stonehenge proper, also known as the â€Å"sarsen circle,† consists of several upright sarsen (gray sandstone) stones. According to the text of Art History, each stone in this circle weighs up to fifty tons and stands up to twenty feet tall, and was once â€Å"capped by a continuous lintel.† To accomplish this architectural structure, the builders used the technique of mortise-and-tendon joints to join and ensure the security of the lintel sections. With this technique, a projecting pin (tenon) located on a lintel fits tightly into a hole designed for it (mortise) on an upright stone. (Stokstad 59) Inside the sarsen circle was once a ring of bluestones. These special stones consisted of various grades of bluish dolerite, which (many individuals conclude) were only found one hundred fifty miles away in the mountains of southern Wales. The inner horseshoe arrangement of five paired lintel-topped uprights, or trilithons, dominates the center of Stonehenge. These sandstone trilithons range in height of up to twenty-four feet, weigh up to forty-five tons, and radiate the mysterious majesty of the megalithic structure. (Stokstad 59) Whatever the method by which the stones arrived on Salisbury Plain, they were apparently set up in about 2800-2700 BCE in either the unfinished circle or the incomplete horseshoe open to the south-west. A century or so later, (ca. 2500 BCE) the great sarsen circle was constructed, and the bluestones were dragged from their holes only to be returned some centuries later to form the i... ...few miles from Stonehenge where there was a convenient glacial deposit of the only stones used for Stonehenge. (Burl 22) However, the view remains that the massive stones of Stonehenge were, indeed, transported hundreds of miles to Salisbury Plain. Assuming that the bluestones were brought from Wales by hand and not transported by glaciers as Aubrey Burl has claimed (or moved by the magical hand of Merlin), various methods of moving them relying only on wood and rope have been suggested. During 2001, in an exercise of experimental archaeology, an attempt was made to transport a large stone along a land and sea route from Wales to Stonehenge. Volunteers successfully pulled the massive stone on a wooden sled over land, but it was ultimately lost in rough seas after being moved to a replica prehistoric boat for its journey across the Bristol Channel. (Burl 21) As we have observed, legends about the origin and purpose of Stonehenge are many in number. It is quite possible that we may never discover the truth behind the mysterious circles of stones on Salisbury Plain, yet it is also true that the intrigue and fascination that accompanies the existence of Stonehenge will surely remain.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Relationships in Potoks The Chosen Essay -- Potok The Chosen Relation

In The Chosen, Potok describes the Jewish culture during the period of World War I. Beginning with the affluence of Polish Jews before the war, Potok established a circle of relationships. In the book, there are three main relationships. The first one is father-son, between Danny and his father, Reb Saunders and between Reuven and his father, David Malter. The relationship between Reuven and Danny is the second main relationship in The Chosen. The third main relationship is Hasidism verses Zionism. The relationship between the two fathers and the two sons is a very important theme in this book. Because of their different backgrounds, Reb Saunders and David Malters approached raising a child from two totally different perspectives. Despite the obvious differences in the two men’s beliefs, both did what they thought was right for their sons. Reb Saunders was a Hasidic tzaddik and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. He raised Danny in silence, hoping to teach him to listen to silence, to learn compassion, and to develop a soul to go with his mind. Unless it had to do with religious studies, Reb never had an actual conversation with Danny after the age of 3. Reb wanted Danny to find things out for himself. On the other hand, Reuven’s father, Mr. Malters, felt it very important that he had good and frequent communication between himself and his son. The two would sometimes talk for hours about life, different religions, friends and anything else Reuven woul d want to ...

The Last Dalai Lama? Essay -- Tibet History Dalai Lama Essays

The Last Dalai Lama? The twentieth century is rife with examples of countries being torn apart or experiencing great upheaval. Multi-ethnic Yugoslavia broke apart into several nation states with loose foundations. The Soviet Union collapsed, transforming the area into the Commonwealth of Independent States. Germany split in half as a result of World War II and then reunited over forty years later. One country that has experienced tremendous crisis and upheaval on a scale even greater than these European nations, yet often goes unnoticed, is Tibet. Tibet enjoyed peace and autonomy until 1949 when Chinese Communists invaded the country under the guise of the "Peaceful Liberation." Coveting Tibet’s vast natural resources and strategic location in Central Asia, they sent off innocent civilians and peaceful protesters into prisons and concentration camps, subverted their economic and agricultural system, and ravaged Tibetan culture. As a result of the Chinese invasion, Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet has undertaken roles and responsibilities that no other previous Dalai Lama has attempted. Determined to salvage Tibetan life and culture he fled his palace in Lhasa and instituted the Tibetan Government in Exile in Dharamsala, India. Since his flee into exile Tenzin Gyatso has diligently worked to negotiate peacefully with China and other nations to reclaim his country, institute a working democratic government in India, and promote the survival of Tibetan culture through the establishment of schools, monasteries, and cultural centers. Therefore as a result of the Communist invasion of Tibet and Tenzin Gyatso’s subsequent response to it, the role of the Dalai Lama has irrevocably changed. He has gone from an iso... ...e past half-century. His actions and success as a ruler provide a true example of the application of religion towards politics, and that faith can and does overcome. Works Cited Avedon, John. In Exile in the Land from Snows. New York: Harper Perennial, 1997. Goldstein, Melvyn. "The Dalai Lama’s Dilemma." Foreign Affairs, 77 no. 1, 1998, p. 83 – 98. Mullin, Glenn H. The Fourteen Dalai Lamas: A Sacred Legacy of Reincarnation. Santa Fe: Clear Light Publishers, 2001. Pedersen, Kusumita P. "Tibet: Liberation as Oppression." Cross Currents 38, no.1, 1988, p. 100-102. Pilburn, Sidney, ed. The Dalai Lama: A Policy of Kindness. New York: Snow Lion Publications, 1993. Verhaegen, Ardy. The Dalai Lamas: The Institution and Its History. New Delhi: D.K. Printworld, 2002. Wen, Wang. "Tibet: Change and Development." Beijing Review 44, no. 19, p. 12 – 15.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Discussion on Organ Donation Shortage

Medicine has evolved since the days of bloodletting, but from the perspective of a waiting recipient on the organ donor list, we still live in the dark ages. With a list of 110,941 hopeful candidates for organ transplant, the status of organ donation as a taboo subject in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has left an average of 20 people dead each day. (1) The high demand and low supply has led to creative solutions from both medical and government sectors, but what’s the answer? Is government intervention necessary, or should the fed keep their laws off my liver? While the fourth annual National Donor Designation Report Card prepared by Donate Life America shows 94. 7 million people were enrolled in state donor registries at the end of 2010,(2) it still doesn’t address the need that exists today. The shortage of organ donors in the U. S. is a problem. There are many factors that lie behind the reasons for shortage. From socioeconomic and demographic factors to religious beliefs, candidates just aren’t surfacing like they could. (3) â€Å"All the doctors and nurses I know are donors,† says Dr. Joshua Gitter, a practicing M. D. at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, California. â€Å"We can’t be the only ones providing organs here, ya know? The general public needs to step up. † The reason organs are in chronically short supply is partly due to the U. S. policy that requires voluntary giving. Dr. Gitter says most organs for transplant come from accident victims, who become brain dead after serious head injuries. These victims are typically put on life-support, and the next of kin's consent is required to turn off the machine and donate the organs. Dr. Gitter says there are usually good chances of receiving donations from the families of accident victims, but each case changes on a family by family basis. Studies have shown the chances of donation from families who had prior knowledge of the patients’ wishes regarding donation have a higher rate of donation from the ICU,(4) but how often does mortality come up in a healthy conversation with family? Craig Gammel, a San Jose resident says he never had a conversation with his family members on the topic of organ donation, so when his father suffered a brain aneurism in the summer of 2009, Mr. Gammel possessed no pre determined ideas of donating his fathers organs during his drive to the ICU where his father waited in a coma. â€Å"You’re never ready for a call like that. † Says Mr. Gammel, reflecting on the day he got the call about his father’s aneurism. â€Å"We didn’t wait long before the doctors confirmed my father was brain dead. † Craig made the decision to take his father off life support after hearing the news, and agreed to donate his fathers hazel eyes to a waiting recipient. When the nurse initially approached Mr. Gammel with the request for eye donation, she did so in a tentative and reserved manner. Craig says he appreciated the way the topic was introduced, and grateful for the opportunity to assist another person in need. â€Å"Of course I wanted his death to at least help someone. † He said. â€Å"The old man would have wanted the same, I think. † Craig says he wouldn’t have thought about organ donation at the time if the nurse hadn’t asked him. Since organ transplant candidates cannot rely solely on these cases, the concept of mandated choice was proposed by the American Medical Association in 1994. 5) Mandated choice would make it so people are required by law to state in advance whether or not they will be an organ donor. The American Medical Association's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs supports mandated choice. In a 1994 report, the council said: â€Å"Requiring a decision regarding donation would overcome a major obstacle to organ donation – the reluctance of individuals to contemplate their own deaths and the disposition of their bodies. †(6) â€Å"Frankly, I’m shocked that people need the government to tell them plan for their mortality. I wouldn’t want to be brain dead and have my family refuse organ donation because I never told them I wanted to donate. It’s tantamount to being buried with your money. Donate it for Christ sakes. † Concluded Craig. However, everyone does not share this belief of Craig’s. â€Å"I would never allow my daughters body to be chopped up and shared like a joint at a doobie brothers concert. † Said Santa Barbara resident David Martin when asked if he would donate the organs of a family member in the unlikely event of their sudden or accidental death. David’s cited his strict belief in Christian Science as support. His decision to abstain from all medical practices and remedies is a cornerstone in the religion, making the concept of organ donation implausible. While David’s beliefs are of a minority opinion, it still reflects a refusal to donate healthy organs to dying people. With factors influencing donation ranging from family or patient attitudes and beliefs to deaths from trauma being the decision factors, it’s hard to come up with a method for determining the right time to approach a family. â€Å"We have been trained to approach the subject with as much care and tact as possible. † Says Hillary Gitter, a practicing nurse at John Muir Medical Center. You’d be surprised how many people are open to the request if you approach them at the right time and in the right tone. † Because Hillary interacts with patients that are waiting for organ transplants, she firmly believes the need trumps any social awkwardness that arises when asking for organ donations. â⠂¬Å"How would you look someone in the eyes and say their chance of finding a donor is slim to none? You’ve sealed their fate and dashed all hope with that fact, so you do what you can to help people get donors. I think even false hope is better than a death sentence. † Said Hilary.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Animal Cruelty Intresting Introduction to Speech

Cages upon cages are stacked in a plain room. Each contains a monkey that will live there the rest of its life which could be years or days away. From isolation and insanity they pace round and round in circles. When they are taken out different tests are performed on them. Among these brutal experiments, is being shoved in tubes to be bled, having tubes shoved down their throats, and being painfully injected several times. These animals will never be free. Human clinical and epidemiological studies, cadavers, and computer simulators are faster, more reliable, less expensive, and more humane than animal tests.Ingenious scientists have developed a model â€Å"microbrain† from human brain cells to study tumors, as well as artificial skin and bone marrow. We can now test for skin irritancy on cells in a test tube, produce vaccines from human cell cultures, and perform pregnancy tests using blood samples instead of killing rabbits. Says Gordon Baxter, cofounder of Pharmagene Labor atories, a drug research company that uses only human tissues and computers to develop and test drugs, â€Å"If you have information on human genes, what’s the point of going back to animals? â€Å"Every year around 1 million animals are subjected to potentially dangerous drugs that may cause severe pain both physically and psychologically to the animal. Can you not see the irony in this? Every year around 1 million animals are subjected to potentially dangerous drugs that may cause severe pain both physically and psychologically to the animal. Visualize the pumping of chemicals into a rats' stomach, hacking muscle tissue from dogs', and putting baby monkeys in isolation chambers far from their mothers. Is there a purpose for this? When picking out your mascara or eyeliner, do you even stop to see what kind of makeup you are using?You could be supporting animal cruelty and not even know it. Today many makeup products, such as mascara, are being tested on animals. Helpless a nd defenseless animals are being performed on for different types of experiments all around the world. Animal testing is animal cruelty. It's something that goes unnoticed every day because of the benefits for people that are a result of it. You are most likely connected with it every day; it's the new cosmetic line that you just bought, your shampoo you use daily, or maybe even a vaccine. It's something that's overshadowed by advancements in the medical field.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Does Satire Influence Elections?

In today's political climate, Congressman Anthony Wiener uploading obscene photos onto Twitter to Governor Chris Christie creating traffic jams by closing a main toll area and now, Donald Trump. Malcom Gladwell, an author who currently writes for the New Yorker, indicates in the Satire Paradox that satire should be taken seriously to create change, but then it wouldn't be funny. Gladwell talks about how ineffective satire was for SNL's sketches throughout the 2008 presidential campaign and notes in the Satire Paradox, â€Å"Lord help us if some other, even less qualified and more frightening political figure comes along† (Gladwell). Now, Donald Trump is the forty-fifth President of the United States. In 2008, Sarah Palin's lack of experience and communication skills provided SNL with a trove of political satire sketches. The satire of Palin gave a glimpse of what was to come should Senator John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin succeeded in contrast. During the presidential campaign of 2016, another work of satire by Saturday Night Live (SNL), created a parody of Donald Trump featuring Alec Baldwin. Alec Baldwin's parody of Donald Trump was accurate. The characterization of Trump as thin skinned and extremely sensitive provided a glimpse of what was to come if he were to be elected as president of the United States. Satire proved effective to showcase the absurdity of Palin as vice president; however, as the political climate changes, satire loses its usefulness as seen in the 2016 presidential election. Palins' inexperience was apparent through Fey's characterization on SNL which was an effective form of satire. Fey had an easy task mimicking Palin. Fey copied the clothes she wore, her hairstyle and wore identical frames for her eyewear. Throughout Fey's mockery, she accurately portrayed Palin as unknowledgeable about America's geography. Fey continued with Palin's inability to be define the Bush Doctrine which is about the various foreign policy principles. It is important that leaders are knowledgeable about the country they chose to lead. This made the audience question if Palin was equipped to take over as president should something befall McCain. Palin did not have any foreign policy experience and America questioned whether Palin understood exactly what a vice president does. In 2008 when SNL parodied Sarah Palin during the presidential campaign, it was entertaining, but it also forced Americans to think of who they chose to represent them. Tina Fey's â€Å"timely impersonations† showed how unqualified Palin was suited for vice president (Esralew). It was hard to forget Palin's interviews back in 2008. Her lack of knowledge and ignorance is seared in our memories. Although Palin was Governor of Alaska, she was unable to articulate any other experience that qualified her as vice president of the United States, let alone President. Fey's parody of Palins' inexperience helps show the importance of public opinion on politics. According to Gladwell, a month before the election, Tina describes and mimics â€Å"Sarah Palin's crazy accent, ‘it's a little bit of Fargo.' She tried to base it on her friend Paula's Grandma who would say, ‘Oh, this and that and stuff like that'† It lacks specificity because Fey uses terms like â€Å"this† and â€Å"stuff† to show Palin's naivetà © in how she comes across. The focus remained on Palin, even though Senator McCain was the presidential candidate. The impact of Fey's parody of Palin drew more criticism of Palin and as a result, many voters abandoned the GOP and voted for Obama. Sarah Palin's communication skills were lacking, thus, highlighting her inability to prove that she was, indeed, qualified to become the next vice president of the United States. In her interviews, Palin appeared flummoxed in her responses. Palin had participated in two key interviews with ABC and CBS news outlets which allowed the public to see for themselves how uncomfortable and indecisive she appeared. She frequently paused throughout the interview as though she was trying to come up with an acceptable response. On September 11, 2008, Sarah Palin was interviewed by Charles Gibson. Gibson asked Palin, â€Å"What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?' Palin responds, ‘They're our next-door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska'† (Gibson). It was apparent that she had not properly prepared for the interview and seemed overwhelmed with the grueling process of the campaign. She was hurting McCain's chance at the presidency. SNL's effective satire continued to put a negative light on Palin. Her interviews were cut back and appearances limited. After the Gibson interview, SNL quickly mocked her words and provided the one line that is still associated with Palin today, â€Å"I can see Russia from my House!† With the ongoing claims that Russia had interfered with the 2016 Presidential Election, Palin responded in a farcical manner and tweeted, â€Å"Russia's getting out of hand? So, says the defeated. Not to worry†¦ remember I can keep an eye on them from here† (Mazza). Gladwell seems to think Tina Fey's mimicry was a failure, but as we knew, â€Å"Sarah Palin was not elected as vice president and has not held any public office since 2009† (Blu). SNL's continued satire of Palin provoked Americans to pay attention. SNL satire was so effective in 2008 that it is still relevant now. The audience has to be receptive for satire to be effective; however, in 2016, during the Trump and Clinton presidential campaign, voters weren't responding to the satire. Some conservatives do not watch SNL because the show has a liberal approach to politics. SNL used to be bi-partisan, now it is mostly liberal, thus, proving that satire was ineffective for Trump's campaign. Throughout the course of the campaign, SNL had abundance of material to work with. The numerous interviews, speeches and remarks made it unbelievably easy for SNL to satirize Trump. He was accurately depicted as the narcissist misogynist that he is. According to Baldwin, â€Å"with Trump, we pretty much just re-created what he does, we maybe just put a bit more chili pepper in there to spice it up† (McGurk). Baldwin keyed in on Trump's weaknesses and locked in on his sensitivity. Trump is sensitive about how much money he has and how smart he is. â€Å"He constantly mentions that he has gone to the best schools and that he attended Wharton Business School† (Balz). The SNL skits were hilarious. One sketch involved a campaign ad entitled, Racists for Donald Trump which was in two parts. The first part showed Middle America praising him and the second part showed the same people elaborating their message with white supremacist labels, clothing and writing. America was entertained, but his right-wing conservative support base dug in and continued to rally for Trump. Trump won the presidency because he was the lesser of two evils. To his support base, Trump represents change, but there is a cost to that change. â€Å"People were fully aware of his lack of values, divisiveness, his bigotry and history of abusing people,† but America did not care and it has been at a great cost (Balz). America is ridiculed and no longer the leader of the free world. In 2015, hundreds had protested Donald Trump's appearance on SNL. It was learned that Trump â€Å"vetoed some of the sketches. He did this in order not to anger his support base in Iowa† who most likely were conservatives (D'Addario). In response to SNL's continued mockery of Trump, he engaged his conservative support base through Twitter, informing them of SNL's bias. Unfortunately, SNL allowed Trump to manipulate the scripted opening, as a result, â€Å"the episode was considered among the most sedative in the history of SNL† (D'Addario). SNL took control and parodied Trump the remainder of the campaign on their own terms to no avail. Satire was ineffective due to the fact that Trump vetoed some of the opening remarks. As for Trump being thin skinned, he was extremely sensitive about SNL's portrayal of him, so he took the low road and of course, continued to tweet his dislike throughout the campaign. Trump's tweets were key in increasing his support base and this contributed to the failure of satire. As SNL continues to soothe America with Alec Baldwin's parody of Trump, Baldwin continues to be â€Å"liberal America's ‘consoler-in-chief'† (McGurk). Ultimately, the political climate has changed and so, satire has to find a more effective way to engage viewers of all comedic media outlets. Satire can be both effective and ineffective, it depends on the climate. Gladwell believes that satire needs to hit hard and make an impact, he wants it to cause social change, but then it would lose humor. â€Å"Satire Paradox tells us that comedians are truth tellers, they zero in on issues we should not ignore† (Gladwell). In the end, â€Å"Satire allows you to say almost anything. That's where the truth is spoken to power in our society. When you sugar-coat a bitter truth with humor, it makes the medicine go down† (Gladwell). Works Citedump won: The insiders tell their story,† The Washington Post, November 9, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/2016-election/how-donald-trump-won-the-inside-story/Blu, Addison, â€Å"Malcolm Gladwell Doesn't Understand Satire,† Medium.com, January 17, 2017, https://medium.com/@AddisonBlu/malcolm-gladwell-doesnt-understand-satire-26545a13e509D'Addario, Daniel, â€Å"Donald Trump played it safe on Saturday Night Live,† Time, November 8, 2015, http://time.com/4103978/donald-trump-saturday-night-live-review/Esralew, Sarah, â€Å"The Influence of Parodies on Mental Models: Exploring the Tina Fey-Sarah Palin Phenomenon,† Communication Quarterly 60, no. 3 (2012), 338–352, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01463373.2012.688791?src=recsys& journalCode=rcqu20Gibson, Charles, â€Å"Charlie Gibson Interviews GOP Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin,† ABC News, November 23, 2009, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vot e2008/full-transcript-gibson-interviews-sarah-palin/story?id=9159105Gladwell, Malcom, â€Å"The Satire Paradox,† The Revisionist History, August 18, 2016, http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/10-the-satire-paradoxMazza, Ed, â€Å"Sarah Palin Can Still See Russia, Promises To Keep An Eye On Them,† Huffington Post, December 12, 2016, https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sarah-palin-russia-joke_us_584e3fe1e4b0e05aded4724fMcGurk, Stuart, â€Å"Alec Baldwin: ‘What you see with Trump is how Hitler got elected,'† GQ Magazine, October 1, 2018, https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/alec-baldwin-snl-trump-interview