Zappos Case

1. Zappos transformed the shopping experience by providing online market place and making customers comfortable buying shoes in the internet. The core competency which distinguishes Zappos from competitors was a focus on service (it was service company selling shoes). The following sources of competitive advantages allowed the company to gain and maintain this competency: fast web-site providing extensive online product information; free rapid delivery of products; free 365 day return policy; free 24/7 call center with well-trained operators whose primary goal was customer loyalty; xcellent supply chain operations with communication through web-interface system. Corporate culture has a strong influence on all aspects of the business, including core competencies. In fact, core competencies are developed based on culture. To WOW everyone they come into contact with, including customers, employees and partners, was part of their culture. Zappos was successfully doing everything to susta in it by im proving web-site, call center, distribution warehouse operations, etc, which proves that its core competencies are well sustainable. . If it is really of a value to the customer, it is important to the customer experience, because it is a sign of excellent service and WOW customers. However, if the customer doesn’t need it, the cost of shipping will not cost the perceived benefits of faster delivery. As we have seen, the customer satisfaction decreased, if the customers didn’t receive a purchase ov ernight, even though they didn’t need overnight delivery but it was promised by Zappos.Considering cost-conscious environment, I would recommend Zappos to provide the customer a choice for method of delivery. Zappos could provide ground delivery, as usually, for free. But, if the customer really needs faster expedited delivery, he/she should pay for transportation cost. 3. I wouldn’t recommend Zappos to make any big expansion plans, taking into acco unt difficult economic time and the company’s limited budget. Zappos could add new complementary products to the shoes, but not drastically different kind of products.The geographic expansion was too costly and risky for the company at that time. Zappos had experience of international expansion, but the challenges and costs of replicating the business model abroad was inadmissible. Selling own-brand products is not a good option, because it would go against Zappos’ strategy of providing a broad choice of popular world brands. Instead, the company should focus on retaining and gaining new customers in the current markets, e. g. by providing loyalty cards or coupons. . More cost-conscious shoppers would try to find the best deal searching for the same product and comparing prices at different web-sites. Therefore, the first option for Zappos is to constantly monitor prices of competitors and set its prices equal to them in order to make sure that the customers donâ€℠¢t pay more buying from Zappos. Even though the prices will be the same, Zappos would attract and maintain customers with exceptional service (free delivery, 365 day refund policy, 24/7 call center, etc. . Also Zappos has to improve supply chain operations in order to cut costs. After that, the second option is to experiment with a price (test marketing) to see what prices consumers are willing to pay for products which are provided with such exceptional service. 5. Amazon wanted to become a partner with Zappos due to several reasons. The benefits from this deal for Amazon were clear: eliminating growing competitor in the shoe market and gaining a leadership position in an apparel category.In the beginning Zappos maintained an entirely separate operation from Amazon: its own fulfillment center, inventory management, payment system and web-site platform. But in the following years, there have been moves toward integration with Amazon: 2011 – integration with Amazon’s wa rehouse management system; 2012 – handing warehousing over to Amazon. Now we can see Zappos selling at the Amazon web-site in the apparel category. Zappos is making some part of the inventory available at Amazon through Amazon ProductAds, but not through the 3P marketplace (so called Selling on Amazon).

Ancient Theatres in Jerash Essay

Modern technology has changed matters in documentation significantly and promises to continue to bring change. This paper attempts to present:1-How should we understand documentation of archaeological Sites, historic buildings and monuments according to their particularities, categories, types, components of documentation, taking into account the internationally agreed standards for the documentation of the cultural heritage. 2- The potential of the application of 3D laser Scanner and Photomodeler in documentation of the immovable cultural heritage. As a case study the ancient theatres of Jerash (the Southern and the Northern) will be presented. While the purpose of using different methods of documentation is to make comparison comparison of the advantages ,disadvantages ,the accuracy of the traditional method – total station –, 3D scanner method, and Photomodeler method. 1. INTRODUCTION As cultural heritage is a unique expression of human achievement, and since this cultural heritage is continuously at risk, documentation is one of the principal ways available to give meaning, understanding, definition and recognition of the values of the cultural heritage. As such it constitutes an important basis of orientation for subsequent restoration and maintenance measures. Furthermore all interventions acquire the character of evidence themselves and therefore, have to be documented. Article 16 of the Venice Charter emphasizes that in all works of preservation or excavation, there should always be precise documentation in the form of analytical and critical reports, illustrated with drawings and photographs. Every stage of the work, including technical and formal features identified during the course of the work, should be included. This record should be placed in the archives of a public institution and made available to research workers. It is recommended that the report should be published. Thus documenting the Cultural Heritage not only describes the context in which the materials were found, and their relationship in space and time to geological deposits and large architectural features, but also as monitoring of the remains of past human activities. The documentation process, which may be undertaken as an aid to various CRM activities, such as protection, identification, monitoring, interpretation, registration of stolen cultural objects, can benefit tremendously from various modern techniques that are available to us nowadays. (graphic documentation) Techniques based on conventional surveying to produce plans, elevations, and architectural details. Photographic e.g. photography, rectified photography,computer-rectified photography, photogrammetry, and 3D laser scanner. The photographical documentation should provide information on the important condition of a monument, i.e. before, during, and after restoration. 3. INTERNATIONAL CORE DATA INDEX There are three internationally agreed standards for the documentation of the cultural heritage: a) The Core Data Index to Historic Buildings and Monuments of the Architectural Heritage (1992), b) The Core Data Standard for Archaeological Sites and Monuments (1995), and c) The Object ID (1997) which was developed to provide an international standard for the information needed to identify cultural objects, in response to the threat posed by the illicit trade in the movable heritage. The evaluation of the documentation process can be carried out by comparison with such standards. Other considerations could be related to the particularity of the monument, the cost, the ability to benefit from modern digital techniques and the success in acting as a historical record of human activities. 4. ANCIENT THEATRES OF JERASH Few ancient towns are as well preserved and as complete as Jerash, a city complex that once was a thriving commercial zone and part of the Decapolis. Built in the 2nd century BC the city was conquered in 63 BC by the Roman General Pompey. The grand theatres and spacious public squares, plazas and baths, the Roman Cardo running 700 meters north from the Oval Plaza and pass sky-piercing columns flanking from both sides in Jerash make this site truly an archaeological park. 4.1 The Southern Theatre in Jerash The southern theater (Exterior Diameter 70.5m) today is one of the most impressive of Jerash’s public building. Begun at the end of the 1st century AD (during the reign of Domitian) and completed in the early 2nd century. On its completion, it became one of the most splendid civic monuments in the 2. CATEGORIES AND COMPONENTS OF DOCUMENTATION Regardless of the location of the activity, it type or philosophy of art and historical conservation, the documentation should address three questions: what it is, where it is, and when! There are three Categories and Components of Documentation: Written: should comprise an architectural description, the state of preservation , an interpretation of the results of all tests and analyses, a summary of the results of all investigations, and a report on the interventions executed. Non-photographic ________CIPA 2005 XX International Symposium, 26 September – 01 October, 2005, Torino, Italy________ developing city and certainly the finest of its type in the whole province. The cavea of the auditorium was divided into two sections, with a wide terrace (diazoma) describing the full half circle between them. The lower half was built into the side of the hill. While the top half was built above it. Although the auditorium has survived remarkably well, the top rows of seats are missing, and one cannot be sure of the exact original number.(Figure. 1) Figure. 2 Plan of the Northern Theatre The theatre itself probably had two main phases during its lifetime. It was dedicated, and probably completed, in AD 64/65. It was a small, probably, theatre used for poetry readings, meetings or more modest performances than the large dramatic events that would have taken place in the city’s larger Southern Theatre. The theatre may also have been the city council’s meeting hall. It was- modified several times and probably enlarged in the first quarter of the 3rd century. It finally went out of use as a theatre by the 5th to 6th centuries. On some of the seats of the lower cevea are inscribed in Greek the names of the voting tribes (phylai) that were represented in the bouleutirium, or city council except one tribe named after the Roman Emperor Hadrian, the others are named after Olympian gods. the theatre was also used as a bouleuterion, or city council meeting-hall. The theatre’s expansion in the first quarter of the3rd century AD included the addition of eight rows of seats, doubling the theatre’s capacity to around 1600 people. The three best preserved external vomitoria, at the western end of the upper auditorium, show their original construction of three independent, semicircular arches rising towards the exterior with evidence of large wooden doors that could have been opened or closed to control access to the theatre. The original scaena wall, facing the audience from behind the stage, was dismantled and replaced by a more complex scaena composed of two parallel wal1s. The elaborate scaenae frons was probably two storeys high, and was adorned with colored marble, free-standing Corinthian columns and broken entablatures, behind which were semicircular niches decorated with mosaics. Figure. 1 Plan of the Southern Theatre The front of the stage was divided into four sections with pedestals between them. Each section was decorated with a central pedimental niche flanked by arched niches .These elaborate architectural compositions are a common feature of Roman theatres. The front of the stage is decorated with pediment and arched niches. The wall rising behind the stage, the Scaenae Frons is pierced by three doors used by the performers to enter and exit the stage from the sides. The Scaenae Frons would have had second storey repeating most of the decorative and architectural elements of the lower level. Much of the outer (north) wall of the theater is a modern reconstruction. The rebuilding, however, of the rear wall behind the scaenae frons must be regretted, for we do not know what this wall was like and such suspect `restorations` run the risk of endangering the validity of the whole structure; for how can one be sure what is genuine and what is not? Happily, the greater part of the theatre is completely genuine. (Browning. Iain/ Jerash and the Decapolis) 4.2 The Northern Theatre The North Theatre complex is composed of the North Theatre (Exterior Diameter 43, 47m, orchestra Diameter 14,33m) itself and a ‘plaza’ in front of it . A great deal smaller than the South Theatre, its orientation is determined by the northern decumanus upon which it opens and from which it is approached. The cavea shows the usual arrangement of four cunei in the lower half, and eight in the upper half .At the top of the upper section of the cavea there was scarcely room for passageway and colonnade.( Figure. 2 ) 5. METHODS OF DOCUMENTATION IN JERASH THEATRES The purpose of using different Methods of documentation of the Southern and Northern Jerash theatres is to make comparison of the advantages ,disadvantages ,the accuracy of the traditional recording method, 3D scanner, and PhotoModeler. Accuracy is the correctness of the measurement, regardless of its precision. Precision refers to the fineness of measured distinctions. Results of the case studies are presented and compared. The aim is to give (mostly nongeodetic) users recommendations, which method is suited best for what kind of application, or even if a combination of 3D scanning and PhotoModeler is advisable. Criteria like quality of the results, amount of cost and time, required equipment and occurring problems are to be considered. To investigate the advantages, disadvantages and ________CIPA 2005 XX International Symposium, 26 September – 01 October, 2005, Torino, Italy________ the accuracy of these methods, we carried out some case studies for the two theatres. Different typical objects were chosen and characteristically parts of them were recorded by tape, total station, PhotoModeler and 3D scanning. In this research project, we have installed a number of different test targets that allow an investigation in the quality of points recorded by laser scanners and the geometric models derived from the point clouds. 5.1 By using Total Station and AutoCAD Software: Conceptually, total stations are different from most measuring systems used by archaeologists because they are effective over a great range of scales and have an accuracy that is unusual in our experience. Limits on drawing precision that were once inherent in the use of scaled drawings have been removed by CAD systems. For example, it might be measuring the position of a point 1 km away from the total station and be accurate at least to the centimeter. This is equivalent to the use a tape to measure the distance to an object a meter away with .01 mm accuracy. The total station can be used to measure archaeological structures during an excavation. The precision with which a CAD system can maintain coordinates depends on the internal data structure chosen, but all standard CAD systems maintain coordinates at levels of precision beyond the scholar’s capacity to measure. A surveyor collecting data using preelectronic techniques could have used the tape to take the measurements, together with cross section for elevation information and quantity estimates. Or, the survey could have been completed using such polar techniques as transit or theodolite/EDM surveys. Electronic data collection with total station instruments permits the quick acquisition of a large amount of field data, together with the efficient and error-free transfer of the data to a computer. Once in the computer, the field data can be edited and analyzed for completeness of coverage and accuracy. For the documentation of the Southern theatre and the Northern theatre of Jerash more than 900 points were taken using the total station (Skoia). Tape measurement was conducted to record some of the dimensions of the theatre (the scene and some architectural details). The goal of these measurements was to collect more field dimensional measurement and other detail measurement for the documentation of the theatres. Full documentation for the Southern theatre of Jerash 2D and 3D was finalized with 2D documentation and reconstruction for the Northern theatre of Jerash. 5.2 By using PhotoModeler: While photogrammetry and metric surveying techniques can be suitable for archaeological sites and buildings, they present certain disadvantages for smaller and more complex objects. PhotoModeler is a windows software program that helps to extract measurements and 3D models from photographs. By using cameras as an input device, photomodeler is capable to extract accurate measurements and details. It is based on using several photos ( Figure 4 ) from different angles with known focal length, using control points ( Figure. 5 ). PhotoModeler can create 3D models and export the measured data as a dxf file. ADVANTAGES Contains information about surface detail (e.g. weathering patterns).Photographs are easier to interpret and recognize than drawing. DISADVANTAGES Essential high-skilled photographers.The enlargement of images should do accurately.Photographic format (analogue). PhotoModeler is one of the methods we used in documenting, measuring, and modeling the scene of the Southern theatre in Jerash. Several selected photos taken from slightly different positions were shot using digital camera. For calibration, some 3D points of the scene were obtained. For this purpose a modern integrated total station model Sokkia to collect more than 50 points to record the 3D points. These points were carefully chosen to be very well distributed on the scene in order to use them as GCPs (Ground Control Points). ( Figure. 5 ) With these data, we produce a 3D model, Orthorectified images (Photogrammetry) and measurements (x, y, z) or lengths for the stage of the Southern theatre of Jerash. For more accuracy we produced a detailed model for the scene features- the left Gate(Figure. 3 ) and then combined these detailed models together to produce the scene of the theatre. Figure 4. Camera Stations to produce a 3D Model for the the left Gate of the stage of Jerash Southern Theatre Figure 3 3D Model for the left Gate of the scene of Jerash Southern Theatre. ________CIPA 2005 XX International Symposium, 26 September – 01 October, 2005, Torino, Italy________ first implementation of the new technology seems to be very useful and promising. The main advantage of scanning is the fast and direct collection of large numbers of surface object points. The measurement process needs no attendance except for the set-up required when establishing a new viewpoint. The huge number of records formed a nice cloud of points, which very precisely matches the true 3D shape of the interested object (in our case the cavea and the scene of the two theatres). In the office there are two sophisticated softwared, which deal with the collected cloud of points. One of the software can import the clouds and get a nice three model of the object. The other software can also get the 3D model and rectify the model to get the measurements of the object. The final result can be exported to CAD software like Auto Cad or Micro Station. A couple of Million of 3D points were captured from different points of view. In addition to the 3D points, a set of 2D images were also been taken. In the Southern theater three stations were sat up to capture points of the theater from different angles of view as shown in (Figures 6, 7, 9). In the north theatre we used three stations to cover the whole theater and two stations to capture the surrounding area . All these stations and the cloud of points are shown in (Figures 8, 10). Figure 4. Several photos from different angles with known focal length, using control points for the Scine of the Southern theatre 5.3 By using 3D scanner. Laser scanning technology with its automated data capture capabilities is bringing new perspectives and can satisfy most requirements of this type of applications. 3D laser scanning represents today the most advanced technology available for measuring and documenting objects. Our scanner can measure on average about 1000 points per second. Terrestrial laser scanning technology is based on active range sensors measuring directly the distance between the sensor and points over the surveyed object. Objects that can be documented by 3D scanning, range from the sizes of coins or potsherds to whole cultural landscapes. Traditional heritage recording methods like close range photogrammetry are not suitable for all kinds of objects. Particularly when the objects have very irregular surfaces and not a clearly defined structure, scanning wi ll probably yield better results than photogrammetry. In contrast to photogrammetry 3D scanners directly produce a huge number of 3D points. The resulting point cloud can be used to extract CAD elements or – by using point triangulation to create a 3D surface model. Additionally, images can be mapped onto the model to get a virtual copy of the real object. While both photogrammetric and laser scanning techniques can deliver similar type of products the end users are accustomed to have, other supplementary data such as line drawings, DTM etc., A main advantage as compared to close range photogrammetry is the availability of near real time 3D coordinates for irregular surfaces. The striking capability of collecting hundreds or even thousands of points per second is praised by producers and operators. On the other hand, questions concerning the quality and accuracy of the recorded points receive little attention. Specifications stated by the producers are not comparable. The main difference between scanning and photogrammetry is obvious: While photogrammetric surveying is an indirect data acquisition method (images are needed before measurements can be executed), scanning produces 3D points directly. As geodetic surveying instruments, scanners cannot be used when the object or the observation platform is moving. In these cases, photogrammetric images, which can be acquired with very short exposure times, are the only means of metric documentation. Although surveyors tend to see accuracy as a predominant consideration when comparing measuring equipment, for the practical use there are numerous other characteristics which may be decisive under certain project pre-conditions. Four stages for doing the work: scanning in the field, registration ,segmentation, modeling . To build up a precise 3D model of the South theatre and the North theatre we used the 3D laser scanner model †GS100 MENSI†. The results we’ve obtained were very precise and the Figure 6. Mesh part of the Scene and the cavea of the Southern Theatre Figure 7. Cloud Points of the Scene of the Southern Theater ________CIPA 2005 XX International Symposium, 26 September – 01 October, 2005, Torino, Italy________ ADVANTAGES Very precise measurements. A solution in situations where 3D measurement by other means may be difficult. Quick in data capture. On-sitescanning is possible. DISADVANTAGES Very expensive. Practical limits on the object size and height. May have difficulties on some material surfaces. May have difficulties on some Material surfaces Editing the data to produce meaningful results may be difficult. other applications. The software has the ability to export the final models and solids to Auto Cad using the solid SAD converter. 2) Real Works Survey. Provides the user a set of tools for processing 3D point clouds and 2D images in order to obtain the necessary information. Generally, this processing can be divided into two modes: the Registration mode and the Office Survey mode. During the registration mode we register several scans simultaneously by using data captured during target scanning. Several test fields using white spheres as targets have been installed to get information about the accuracy of distances in scanning direction and across. We also use the Geo Referencing tool to put the scanned data into a known coordinate system. During the office survey mode, we segment the point clouds into logical parts. We also extract measurements or different types of 2D drawings from the point clouds. These extracted results were exported into CAD systems. 6. LASER SCANNER DATA ACQUISITION The laser scanner MENSI GS100 was used in this project and scanning was performed from various positions so that the full coverage of the surface will be achieved with sufficient overlapping (Fig. 10 ). The specific scanner has a recommended range of 2-100 , with optimal range of m.. The system’s horizontal and vertical field of view is 60 degrees. Reflective targets distributed over the site allowed the easy registration of the scans during data processing. Although the laser scanning software provides direct and immediate access to the scan data by visually inspecting the point cloud in situ to identify possible problem areas in the data sets, it proved that some parts of the site were excluded and larger overlap was required for the complete merging of all scans. Figure 10. North theatre; Overlapping areas and gaps Starting with the question of accuracy, it must be understood that total stations have built-in limits on precision that are often ignored and that affect ultimate accuracy. Accuracy refers to the agreement of a value with the â€Å"true† value. Whereas the problem was once measuring as precisely as possible or as precisely as a scaled drawing could display, the problem is now to measure and record as precisely as required for the particular project. A comparative evaluation of the techniques in the data capture and modeling of the northern gate of the Southern theatre is shown and measurement results of the Tape measurement, PhotoModeler, 3D Laser Scanner – GS 100 MENSI measurement are presented in table 1 Figure 8. Mesh view of the North theatre Figure 11. Cloud Points of the Cevea of the southern Theatre Figure 9. Mesh part of the northern gate of the Southern Theatre The office work included the use of two software packages: 1) 3Dipsos. Sophisticated software used to reconstruct 3D models from large sets of point cloud data captured by a 3D laser scanner. It is an intermediate data processing application between scanning and the use of environments reconstructed in ________CIPA 2005 XX International Symposium, 26 September – 01 October, 2005, Torino, Italy________ to 90 degrees as possible, 4. Ensure that all points appear on three or more photographs, 5. Ensure all point and line markings on the images are precise, and do not guess at a point location if it cannot be seen, is not distinct, is fuzzy or is hidden by some other object. Nevertheless, the precision supplied by total stations or photogrammetry software and recorded in CAD models must not exceed the limits on accuracy of the total system and must be appropriate for the job at hand. As already stated, every project has its own particularity. Those needs should be carefully determined, explicitly stated, and properly met by the survey methods and procedures. Laser scanning provides dense 3D information that can be implemented for the DEM and also for the determination of the ground coordinates of presignalized control points. The large sets of data obtained are an impediment to virtual computer visualization. Often it is very difficult to deal with the data without large RAM memory of the order of two GB. 7. CONCLUDING REMARKS The documentation of the Jerash theatre was implemented by a combination of photogrammetry and 3D laser scanning. Generally:†¢ Hand survey is labor intensive specially in the field. †¢ Computer rectified photography is the simplest method of producing drawings. Metric cameras are no longer needed and can be substituted for with simple digital cameras. †¢ The advantage of using photogrammetry is its speed and accuracy, especially over large and complex structures. †¢ Cost will inevitably be one of the deciding factors in choosing between different recording methods, but should not be used to decide the level of survey. The effort needed to get accurate and detailed DEM models by means of photogrammetric procedures only, is considerably high. There are limits on precision based upon a different group of contributing factors, lens distortion, precision of lens focal length measurements, size of photos used. PhotoModeler is an elegant measurement method used in documentation of cultural heritage applications. The shortfalls of this method, mainly associated with limited geometry of areas in the shadow of the object, are more prominent when the object is a large complex form. However its use does not involve large costs or sophisticated equipment, as only a calibrated digital camera is needed. The recent emergence of terrestrial laser scanning has shown that it has the potential to be of major value to the cultural heritage recording professionals. While data collection in this project using the PhotoModeler and Laser scanning methods indicated a small gain in time over laser scanning, the main advantage is the fully automated data capturing process using terrestrial laser scanning. Generally, laser scanning requires viewing the surveyed object from several viewpoints to resolve shadows and occlusions. To achieve the best accuracy in PhotoModeler: 1. Ensure that a well-calibrated camera is used for the project, 2. Use photos with good resolution. 3. Ensure that the angle between the camera stations is as close John Coles,† The Site Record and Publication† Conservation on Archaeological Excavations, Ed.N.P. Sanley Price, ICCROM, pp.59-69, Rome, 1995 Photogrammetric Measurement, Object Modeling and Documentation in Architecture and Industry, Ed. Petros Patias, ISPRS, VOol.XXXII, Thessaloniki, 1999 Documenting the Cultural Heritage Edited by Robin Thornes and John Bold ,Getty Information Institute,1998 MENSI 2001: Mensi training materials, German training course, May 2001. WWW 2001: An extensive collection of links to laser scanner producers and reports about applications in cultural heritage is maintained by the authors at http://scanning.fh-mainz.de -www.international.icomos.org/recording_fre.htm Browning.Iain/ Jerash and the Decapolis/ Chatto Windus.London/ 1982/ (Ds154.9 G47 B76 1982). and Carl H.Kraeling/ Gerasa City of the Decapolis/ Yale University/ Published by the American Schools of Oriental Research/ New Haven, Connecticut/1938. W. Boehler, M. Bordas Vicent, A. Marbs ( Investigatgn Laser Scanner Accuracy , The XIXth CIPA Symposium at Antalya, TURKEY, 2003. Harrison Eiteljorg, How Should We Measure † an Ancient Structure?†, Nexus Network Journal, vol. 4,no.4(Autumn2002),http://www.nexusjournal.com/Eiteljorg.ht ml) Boehler, W. , Heinz, G., Marbs, A. The Potential of NonContact Close Range Laser Scanners for Culture Heritage Recording,CIPA Working Group VI)2001.

Multivitamin Review

It has always been a practice by children or adults to take in multivitamins daily. â€Å"Prevention is better than cure† as what most adults usually say. Multivitamins are essential to your body since it provides the necessary vitamins and minerals to support you metabolic processes and helps in preventing chronic diseases. Vitamins are organic compounds needed in the diet in small amounts to promote and regulate the chemical reactions and processes needed for growth, reproduction, and the maintenance of health (_______ p.236). While minerals are elements needed by the body in small amounts for structure and to regulate chemical reactions and other body processes (______ p.280). Daily intake of multivitamins gives short-term benefits like boosting your energy and helps you combat physical stress to maintain an active lifestyle. It also provides better vision and better memory. While some of the long-term benefits include reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Using tables 8.2 and 8.3 in Ch. 8 (pp.239-240, 262), and Tables 9.1 and 9.6 in Ch.9 (pp.288, 301-08), over-the-counter multivitamins could only meet the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for Adults if these are taken in combination to a healthy and well-balanced diet as suggested by the Food Pyramid Guide. The amount of a vitamin in a food depends on the amount naturally found in that food as well as how the food is cooked, stored, and processed. The vitamins naturally found in foods can be washed away during preparation, destroyed by cooking, or damaged by exposure to light or oxygen (____ p.237). This is why it is recommended and is important to take in multivitamins everyday to maintain good health. It compensates for the lost nutrients in many of the foods we eat. Does taking a multivitamin everyday raise your intake of a particular vitamin or mineral to near-toxic levels? Vitamins are divided into two types: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Most vitamins purchased over the counters are water-soluble. Anything taken in excess of the RDI is excreted off in the urine. Also, vitamin and mineral contents in 1 dosage of a multivitamin contains less than 100% of the RDI and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL). So generally, it is safe to take multivitamins everyday. However, since multivitamins make good nutritional sense, it should not be abused. Some people who experience mild illnesses attempt to cure themselves by taking in more than the recommended dosage of their multivitamins thinking that it will speed up their recovery. This should not be the case since some health conditions require special medical attention. Too much vitamins and minerals in your body can be toxic. Some of the consequences of toxicity are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, hair changes, kidney damage, bone abnormalities, high/low blood pressure, anemia, brain damage, rashes, tingling extremities, sweating, etc. As always, too much of anything is bad. References Karani, R. (2006, March). The truth about multivitamins: can taking a multivitamin every day really help you stay healthy? Focus on Healthy Aging. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ZRQ/is_3_9/ai_n17213371 *Note: There are blank spaces after the quotations. I don’t know the title and the author of the reading sources that you gave me. Kindly just fill it out and include it in the references. Also this response is more than the required number of words but it’s hard to answer all the questions, do citations and make a point with just a limited 300-word response. Sorry I know this is very late already. But I tried.   

He Repairing Jobs That Fail to Satisfy.

1. Introduction Analysis of the article, we have a certain understanding of the Repairing Jobs That fail to Satisfy. The report focuses on how DrainFlow can improve in three areas: job structure, incentive structure, and hiring practices. The main contents include an introduction to the problems DrainFlow is encountering, analyses of the current business, and recommendations on how DrainFlow can overcome these issues to foster a long-term competitive advantage. Goal and RecommendationsThe goal of this proposal is to provide recommendations for a new job structure, a new incentive structure, and new hiring practices. The job structure recommendations will allow for more cross training between office workers and service providers. This will enrich all jobs at DrainFlow by adding different tasks, autonomy, and feedback. The new incentive structure will allow for flexible benefits and recognition. This is designed to motivate employees and improve customer service. Lastly, the new hiring practices will provide a repeatable solution for finding a cohesive set of new employees. . Satisfaction The job characteristics model offers such a framework. It identifies five primary job characteristics, interrelationship, and impact on employee productivity, motivation, and satisfaction. (Hakman, Lawler, 1994) The present system of job design may be contribution to employee dissatisfaction; the most important reason is from the interrelationship, according the figure from the essay, we can know the lowest satisfaction parts are the interactions with the employees’ supervisor and the company asked them to do the work.Therefore, after our group analysis we think the important with employees’ dissatisfaction of reasons are the interactions and motivation problems. Frome the essay we know DrainFlow company’s employees working in four basic jobs categories, plumbers, plumber’s assistants, order processors, and bulling representatives. That is a very good team to make the response with customer's demand, all the works division very clearly, through it customer can very quickly get the service from the company, and save a lot of time for the company. However, there has a big defect for this company.Employees lack of interaction, they just do the work what kind of work belong to them and do not care about other employees’ work, because the employees just want to finish the work and take the wages, the work’s wages are same no matter with the customers feel satisfaction or not. It is not very good for the company to development, so our group suggest add the rewards system to increase the employees’ motivation. For example when the employees after service if the customer feel dissatisfaction they can make a call to the DrainFlow Company which employees make them feel dissatisfaction.The company should record that, and when the employees take the wages, company can follow this record to give the rewards or punish to the employees. According this system the employees will have to motivation to better cooperation with co-workers and feel more satisfaction with works. 3. Data Analysis Job Structure and Organizational Design It is evident from the Original Survey that DrainFlow employees are not satisfied with their jobs Research suggests that this could be a reason for concern. Job dissatisfaction can lead to higher absenteeism, job turnover and workplace deviance which can lead to decreased levels of productivity.Satisfied employees are more likely to talk positively about the organization, help others, and go beyond the normal expectations of their jobs. Therefore, increased employee satisfaction at DrainFlow can directly affect positive customer outcomes. Satisfied employees increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, which leads to repeat business. All DrainFlow employees work directly with the customer, so it is imperative that DrainFlow take measures to ensure both job satisfaction and custo mer satisfaction.DrainFlow’s current organizational structure is designed to keep costs as low as possible. DrainFlow achieves this through specialization of its work force. Plumbers are the most specialized and highly trained and are therefore paid the highest wages. Plumber assistants are paid about one-fourth the salary of a plumber. 4. Incentive Structure There are no rewarding variable-pay programs. Plumbers are compensated the most, based on their high level of skill while the rest of the employees make approximately one-fourth of the plumber’s wage.The current pay structure may be externally competitive; however, DrainFlow must also look at the internal equity or worth of each job to the organization. With low customer retention and customer satisfaction, DrainFlow may consider paying employees more to meet customer needs. Additionally, high pay often leads to better-qualified, more motivated employees who want to stay with their current organization. DrainFlow must weigh the costs and benefits of a cash rewards system. Financial incentives can have certain negative impacts by fostering unethical behaviors to obtain personal objectives.These might include, but are not limited to, billing work performed at a lower price to make a sale, offering free parts at company expense and coercing clients into non-complaint and positive review situations. Therefore, a cash rewards system should not be the only basis of DrainFlow’s incentive structure. Renaldo does not mention finding a balance between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Examples of intrinsic rewards include private and public recognition, employee of the month awards, or even a personal thank you note.Some research shows that while financial incentives provide short-term motivation, intrinsic or nonfinancial rewards motivate long term. This helps employees feel valuable and needed in a dynamic environment and would be valuable in DrainFlow’s incentive structure. 5. Hiring P ractices It is imperative in any place of employment to hire individuals suited for specific positions, particularly for positions involving customer service. Organizational structure and clarity is required to ensure that DrainFlow is attracting the right type of potential employees.Interested candidates must also fully understand company goals and all job responsibilities. Employees hired based on inaccurate perceptions developed during the interview process can result in employees that are unqualified for the position and/or dissatisfied with work. This is the current situation at DrainFlow. Most employees lack training in customer service, organizational behavior and are anxious about speaking with customers. Order processors do not have sufficient knowledge or skill to explain the customer's situation to DrainFlow Plumbers or Plumber Assistants.Billing representatives must deal with the negative reactions of dissatisfied customers, however, are only involved at the end of the j ob process and unaware of any job details. DrainFlow plumbers do not like being in the position of having to deliver the bad news of an unexpectedly high bill to customers. Recommendations 6. Recommendations Firstly,repair workers must adapt to the development of technology requirements, which determines the development of repair industry. Thus the repair workers not only improve their own quality, , the government also should make efforts to improve the quality of workers.People also need to strengthen the understanding of theory and equipment using Enterprises ought to do a lot of things for personnel training,which can improve the level of the technical. The enterprises regularly hold all kinds of different levels of training to enhance the effect of training and improve the quality of training. Combining with practice, the enterprises continuously strengthen the occupation morals to establish the philosophy of† serve customer,and the quality is the perfect†.The Big f ive personality traits has been preferably used,since it is able to measure the customer service responsibilities and emotional labor. The Big Five personality traits are  openness,  conscientiousness,  extraversion,  agreeableness, andneuroticism. And then let me show you the Big five personality traits in detail,and it contribute much to the customer service responsibilities and emotional labor. Openness to experience  Ã¢â‚¬â€œAppreciation for art,  emotion, adventure, unusual ideas,  curiosity, and variety of experience.Openness reflects the degree of intellectual curiosity, creativity and a preference for novelty and variety. Conscientiousness  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ. A tendency to show  self-discipline, act  dutifully, and aim for achievement; planned rather than spontaneous behavior; organized, and dependable. Extraversion  Ã¢â‚¬â€œEnergy, positive emotions,  surgency, assertiveness, sociability and the tendency to seekstimulation  in the company of others, and tal kativeness. Agreeableness  Ã¢â‚¬â€œA tendency to be  compassionate  and  cooperative  rather than  suspicious  and  antagonistic  towards others.It is also a measure of ones' trusting and helpful nature, and whether a person is generally well tempered or not. Neuroticism  The tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as  anger,  anxiety, depression, orvulnerability. Neuroticism also refers to the degree of emotional stability and impulse control, and is sometimes referred by its low pole  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ â€Å"emotional stability†. 7. Material Incentive Many people think that spiritual incentive effect more long, but sometimes it may only play a short-term effect.Such as the boss public praise or certificate of an employee, the employee will not only have a sense of pride, will thus germination a pay raise or promotion of desire, because he will recognize as a signal, if only praise without any action, the incentive effect is very difficult to achieve. That is to say spiritual incentive effect also need to consolidate the material incentive. Material incentive is the use of physical means to make inspired by material satisfaction, so as to further mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity.Material incentive funds, awards, by satisfies the requirement of production, stimulate their efforts, the motivation to work. Its starting point is to concern the vital interests of the masses, and continuously meet the people's increasing needs of material and cultural life. Incentive, can ease the staff some particular period inner imbalance. Therefore, to create a motivating employees be enthusiastic and press on the enterprise environment, which has the effect of general material incentives irreplaceable.Spiritual motivation is intrinsic motivation, means the intangible incentive spirit aspect, including employee empowerment, on their job performance in recognition, fair, open the promotion system, to provide learning and development, further improve their chances, flexible working time system flexible and establish the road occupation career development for everyone characteristics etc.. Spirit encouragement is an intensive, complex and changeable, wide application, far-reaching, it is advocated the spirit of enterprise management by the means of moral education, is the effective way to mobilize staff enthusiasm, initiative and creativity. . Strategy and Implementation To begin the challenging process of improving employee and customer satisfaction while increasing DrainFlow’s profits it is vital that the recommendations that have been presented in this report be implemented in a clear and systematic fashion across the affected departments within DrainFlow and across the various regional locations. The implementation of these recommendations will require the full dedication of upper management at DrainFlow to ensure that the organizational changes as well as process and protocol changes are e mbraced by all the employees.Upper Management will be responsible for implementing and monitoring the new job structure, incentive structure and hiring practices outlined in the recommendations. This will be accomplished by introducing the program to all employees and setting their expectations about implementation. Managers must realize that a cultural shift must happen as well which can take time. Change management will be important throughout this process and managers must measure each step of the implementation to make sure it is on track. Success will be measured in four areas: customer satisfaction, customer etention, employee satisfaction, and profit. To measure customer satisfaction, a survey will be given to willing customers to periodically measure their satisfaction. It will ask about different aspects of their service that encompass all types of employees at DrainFlow. Customer retention numbers will also be monitored and computed to track repeat business. Employee satis faction will be measured against pre-program satisfaction levels. By using the same survey questions as the past survey, managers can better identify trends in the data.Employees will also be asked to rate the new program and suggest adjustments to better meet company goals. 9. Conclusion The above proposal outlined how DrainFlow can improve in three areas: job structure, incentive structure, and hiring practices. The recommendations are relatively easy to implement at little to no cost to DrainFlow. The proposal utilizes the current talent within the organization to manage employee satisfaction and trains employees on vital technical skills that are currently lacking. A new incentive structure will motivate employees in all positions and foster productivity and customer retention.Both concepts lead to increased profit long term. Lastly, by modifying hiring practices, DrainFlow will find and train employees that fit with their business model. With the support of LIGHTNING Consulting , DrainFlow will see a positive increase in both employee and customer satisfaction and lasting success in the plumbing industry. 10. Reference 1. Barb Lyon(2012) Satisfaction of employee. Available from: http://managementhelp. org/customers/service. htm [accessed 24th May,2012] 2. Shkurko, S. I. Material’noe stimulirovanie v novykh usloviiakh khoziaistvovaniia.Moscow, 1970. 3. Moreinis, Ia. I. Fondy ekonomicheskogo stimulirovaniia v promyshlennosti. Moscow, 1974. 4. Miliukov, A. I. Pooshchritel’nye fondy na predpriiatii (Problemy obrazovaniia i ispol’zovaniia). Moscow, 1974. 5. Eloise Linger(1992)’ Behavior and SociJJ/lssl’[online]. Available at: http://www. firstmonday. org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index. php/bsi/article/viewFile/181/2888 [Accessed 2nd Nov,1992] 6. Thomas O. (1995) Why Satisfied Customers Defect. Available from: http://hbr. org/1995/11/why-satisfied-customers-defect/ar/1 [accessed Nov,1995]

Digital Education

Essay On Online Vs Traditional Education Working adults and stay-home parents looking to further their education may use online education as a resourceful tool to extract a better learning environment. In today’s society, online education is designed specifically for working adults and stay home parents with busy schedules and social responsibility. Some employers are now demanding more education from their employees along with in field experience than ever before and the job market is increasing competitive for those who want to succeed in their career.Traditional Learning provides the oldest method of education. Allowing the student to see the professor face to face and ask pertinent questions concerning their classes. Students have the ability to meet with other students for study groups and friendship. During my research, students who choose the traditional method of education believed that the face-to-face students enjoy the ability to learn with others, allows for class instruction, presentations, live speaking and they love the ability to get to know their instructors. Relevant materials: How Businesses Can Learn From Text MiningStudents in the face-to-face courses are able to get together in study groups that help them achieve better in testing. On-line Learning provides new age technology to widen the educational scope. With new age technology, I sense enormous excitement about the promise of online learning to prepare today’s students to succeed in an increasingly technology-driven global economy. Prospective students are facing a new kind of college experience — online education. It employs portable devices, computers and PDA’s to facilitate learning.With advances in information technology, portable devices, computers and PDA’s have traditionally been seen as a way of carrying information in a more convenient format, with longer battery life than a laptop computer and less weight than a bag full of reference books. Virtual classroom settings and message boards offer a variety of learning techniques. A setting usually contains an electronic whiteboard. The instructor presents instruction and interacts with students in real-time. Virtual classrooms include chat functions and often the ability for participants to speak to one another.It also, it allows student to learning without having to commute. For those students who are not able to attend their regular classes and colleges can easily carry with their higher education through online education mode of study. Students can create study environment of their like, they can make their own schedule; they can carry education while on the move, along with business they can pursue with their higher education. Best practices, a sustainable effort to extract and establish the best learning environment.Online is a quickly growing means of education for all students. It allows students to work and learn at their own pace without the unyielding time restrictions of traditional learning. Online education provides access to learning materials at any time. This allows students the flexibility to schedule their learning around families, jobs and other activities. Technology also provides accessibility and time management. Working while going to school is the potential applicability that studies may have on your job.In other words, it’s one thing to go to class and learn about something in theory, and it’s another to take that theory and put it into practice. Students who work can apply their newly acquired knowledge immediately to their jobs; they can also focus their studies on the kinds of real-world problems that professionals face daily in the workplace. It collaborates both students and teachers just alike from across the globe. No technological invention in the history of man has connected the people of the world like the Internet.While there is still a huge disparity between those who have access to the Internet and those who don't, the mere fact that any of us can communicate across the globe speaks to the importance of this medium. Many times the web sites we visit in a course are based in another country. What better place to find out about the works of Michelangelo than to go to Italy (virtually, of course)? What better way to learn about the Amazon rain forest or the history of China or the customs of islanders in the South Pacific than to visit those places online?And if you participate in global learning days or other online events, you may even meet and make friends with someone in another country. It is a small world, after all. The point is that we live in a diverse-changing world that is ripe with new possibility. The ability to learn new information or a new skill whenever you want and wherever you want offers far greater opportunities for education than ever before. The scope and reach of education broadens to far greater horizons that perhaps ever imagined. ______________________________________________REVIEW I'd like to begin, if I may, by just clearing up a couple of things. Onlin e education is not a tool to extract a better learning environment. Learning environments aren't extracted with tools. A spade, however, is a tool that can be used to extract a potato from the ground. The important thing to know about potatoes, however, is that whether they are good or blighted is independent of the specific tool of extraction. Online education is also not one thing. The Khan Academy provides free educational videos.Stanford provides free online educational courses. EssayJudge. com provides brilliantly insightful reviews. (Honest! ) Then there's a galaxy of pseudo-educational sites and lousy overpriced university sites and fraudulent degree mills for the gullible and the desperate and the cheaters and the pretentious and the ne'er-do-wells. So if you want to compare online education with traditional education, you need to be clearer about what exactly you mean by online education. Online education facilitates plagiarism.For instance you can go to sites that list the seven benefits of online education or the ten advantages of online courses and then cut and paste into your own essay, without attribution, vapid sentences like: â€Å"What better way to learn about the Amazon rain forest or the history of China or the customs of islanders in the South Pacific than to visit those places online? † or â€Å"Students who work can apply their newly acquired knowledge immediately to their jobs; they can also focus their studies on the kinds of real-world problems that professionals face daily in the workplace. â€Å"

Seminar unit 5 public health Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Seminar unit 5 public health - Term Paper Example The examples of non-communicable diseases are obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer which can be modified through lifestyle change (Kotecki, McKenzie & Pinger, 2011, 98). Identification and treatment of multiple risk factors will help in addressing the burden of communicable diseases. Non-communicable diseases can be prevented by reducing or totally eliminating the risk factors that contribute to the illness. Multiple risk factor reduction is a special form of intervention that aims in helping in the reduction in a series of risk factors that contribute in a particular disease, such as cardiovascular and respiratory illness. The strategy is most effective if the sequences of risk factors are cluster together in a certain group of people or population (Riegelman, 2010, p. 90). For instance, in asthma cases the different factors involved are air pollution, cockroaches, allergies, and non-compliance to medication tend to occur together and effectively to address at the same time. In addition, health teaching, screening and the multiple risk factor reduction are the key approaches and are part of the intervention of preventing non-communicable diseases and other illnesses (Riegelman, 2010, p. 91). Clinicians, physicians and even researchers had several interventions and approaches in treating the disease, but the question is: Are the methods and interventions cost effective and net effective? Multiple risk factor reduction techniques has advantages and benefits and with less financial costs in dealing with non-communicable diseases. For instance, increase exercise and diet modifications are the key interventions to solve obesity. Similarly, mammography, childhood vaccinations and immunizations, cigarette cessation program and other public health programs are found out to be cost effective (Riegelman, 2010, p. 93). Kotecki, J.E. McKenzi, J.F. & Pinger, R.R. (2011).

Summar of the Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Summar of the - Essay Example Bi-directional case studies were conducted to assess the impact at back end and at the clients end. This paper does not limit its research to one area, rather it is based on the study of the content assessment, the technology incorporated and the algorithm used towards the data collection techniques. The categorized usage of blogs has seen implementation from the main leads of the industry. One similar example of its categorized usage came about from Microsoft when they implemented MSDN. The core function of this blog was to provide the technical platform of the users and the players associated. This was one of the broad line major approaches undertaken in recent years towards overall expansion of the blogging field. Apart from this other major efforts and seminars conducted towards further expansion of this field came about in 2008, 2009 in the form of TREC conference. The purpose of this entire activity is to bring uniformity and more effective outlook to the usage of blogs. The broad sectoring would allow for a more active and interactive outlook of the blogging entity making it useful towards different clients. Organizing the blogs can help the companies in many ways. This in turn would allow the companies working according to the needs of the clients. Through the desired segmentation and organization of the data and information of the blog websites that are spread all over, the companies and their targeting approach will allow for promoting their ideas at the right place. In other words, it would enable them reaching to the right kind of clients at the right time and in the right manner. This is the core idea proposed by the research paper at hand. Critical decisions can be made with regard to the areas of investment and the areas of clients requirements fulfillment. Undertaking this task would bring along number of

Tips for Action For Single Parents Health Education Essay

Tips for Action For Single Parents Health Education - Essay Example I have chosen 4 of the guidelines to discuss in this paper based on my experience with my parents. They are: set fair ground rules and discipline with love, be positive, give the child responsibility commensurate with maturity levels, and be a good role model. As am I not yet a parent myself, the only personal experience I have with parenting is by observing my own parents. Our household had a set of rules that were strong as iron. An infraction, or breaking of one of these rules was akin to a slap in the face. The rules were elegant in their simplicity. #1 Respect - above all else. Each person in the household was entitled to respect as a person. Our parents respected our opinions, and listened to what we had to say as long as it was in a correct tone of voice and in turn, we respected our parents because they seemed less dictators than guides. #2 Work hard, and work together. This meant if there was a job to be done, we were all to assist in completing it. Mom might have assigned individual tasks to us, but it was based on who was available at the moment, not who's "job it was".. Often, we were all working on different tasks at the same time in order to ensure everything got done in the least amount of time. These two simple rules governed our daily lives, and it worked to bring easy harmony. When one of the rules wasn't followed, my parents were believers in "reality discipline". This meant that we had to accept the reality of the outcome of our decisions. "Reality itself is conditional: If you do certain things, you face certain consequences" (Leman 27). This meant that the time I forgot to pick my clothes up off the floor, I didn't have any clean socks to wear. My parents were experts at this type of discipline. They were not being mean to me, I did not feel unloved. I only felt that the decision I had made was the wrong one and since I made the decision I was forced to accept the consequences. In this way, there was love - not anger- in my parent's discipline. In my opinion, this method of discipline was most effective for me and would be useful for most parents. Single parents would find this method particularly useful, as it allows the natural course of action to assist in teaching their children; acting in a fashion as an additional parent. Conversely, when we did something exceptional, or just noticeable, my parents rewarded our good behavior. Single parents would find this tip most helpful because it encourages the children to do right, in effect making them more helpful to the parent. Single parents are at a disadvantage when it comes to time with their children. In a traditional dual-parent home, there are two adults to share the responsibilities of maintaining a household; whereas in the single parent home the parent must shoulder the burden of everything. The single parent is the primary provider and caretaker, the gardener and the cook, the cheerleader and the coach. When the children are rewarded and encouraged, they feel that they can make a difference and are more willing to help around the house. This is a tremendous help to the overwhelmed single-parent. Children who are rewarded for picking up their toys, folding clothes, or any number of chores will remember that praise and will actively look for another opportunity to receive it. This will enable the single-parent with a wiling, helpful support

Retail Loss Prevention Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Retail Loss Prevention - Assignment Example The 11.9% increase in eFencing from 49.2% in 2012 is a clear indication that ORC needs specialized attention. The loss resulting from ORC flows through the entire chain of distribution and the consumer becomes a victim too either by purchasing stolen products or by having to pay more money as a result of increased prices on commodities or services. Moreover, the criminals are becoming more aggressive harming those who happen to interdict them. While the article highlights partnerships and advocacy as well as federal legislations as the best methods of curbing ORC, I perceive increasing visibility on merchandise and employees involvement to be best ways of curbing the disgraceful act. The staff should be in a position to keep an eye on every stock as n uncomplicated and less costly way of preventing occurrence of ORC. Employees should also be fully exposed to the company’s policies regarding theft and stern warnings and possibly dismissal given to those caught participating in the practice (Greggo, Alan & Millie, 127). Noteworthy, Greggo, Alan, and Millie attribute the continual increase in ORC to the lessened interests to work, high unemployment and the need for individuals to uphold cozy lifestyles despite the prevailing economic hardships (p. 132). Securing credit card data has also become extremely and with the increased cyber crime, it will be challenging to handle ORC (Hedgie, N.p). The article by the National Retail Federation informs how important law enforcing agencies are in preventing retail losses. Hedgie Bartol. "Loss Prevention."  Integrated Solutions For Retailers, POS Software, POS Hardware, Retail Software. N.p.,  2014. Web. 24  Apr.  2015.

The HRM implications of new technology in organisations Dissertation

The HRM implications of new technology in organisations - Dissertation Example The most primary issue is cost and labour investment that goes into development and whether the advantages outweigh these issues in regards to new technology adoption. Background: The implementation of new technologies in any industry has significant implications for human resource managers and line management. Depending on the nature of the system, such as HRIS for the human resources function, there are significant costs and labour expenditures to ensure proper development and training of existing staff members who must use this software. Other systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software or other system-wide technologies designed to facilitate better use of resources, also have cost issues and training problems that must be rectified by human resources management. Especially in international organisations, the complexity of these systems requires ongoing assistance from information technology support teams and the development of appropriate flowcharts that identify each key role and their job function related to the new technology implementation. Any such systems can be exceptionally problematic for human resources leadership in terms of driving motivation to use these systems effectively and eliciting change policies within the organisation. Discussion & Analysis: HRIS systems, human resource information systems, have some of the largest implications for human resource leadership and line management in virtually every organisation. HRIS is â€Å"a composite of databases, computer applications, and hardware/software necessary to collect/record, store, manage, deliver, present and manipulate data for HR† (Ngai & Wat, 2006, p.299). Such systems have administrative function to assist in record-keeping related to subordinate staff members and also assist in business decision-making throughout the organisation. A 1998 survey shows that 60 percent of Fortune 500 companies rely on HRIS systems in daily operations (Ngai & Wat). This number has likely increased over the last decade. The benefits of such systems is better record-keeping related to issues of health care, benefits, and training documentation that only serves to support the HR role more efficiently. However, there are many drawbacks that must be considered before implementing such a system in a dynamic organisation. First, lack of budget is a considerable problem if the company does not have adequate resources for the expenditure. Secondly, the costs associated with ongoing information technology support teams can be a burden. Further, these systems create an organisation-wide inter-dependency that forces unrelated operational systems to work together, thus requiring additional training (Ngai & Wat). If unrelated systems with no formal knowledge of one another now must rely on technology to become integrated, management must devote their labour and expertise to ensuring proper flow of information and the social systems that support such interdependencies. The re are significant benefits, however, to implementing new technology to support better business function. First, HRIS systems have self-service element to them that allow employees to handle some of their own human resources activities online. When linked with the corporate intranet, as one example, employees can request time off, review job postings as they change throughout the business, review company policy changes, and even update their demographic information in real-time (Copeland, 2004). Self-service systems give employees a broader sense of

Nursing Theory Website Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nursing Theory Website Paper - Essay Example An example was the theory by smith that contradicted the child as the client. she was a nursing theorist who was a veteran in the development of theories that concerned nursing. However, the goal attainment theory is the most popular being featured in major nursing theories. The site that delineates the particulars of the theory is the most accessible. The subject matter is also broader than that of Casey’s model (Imogene, 1987). Most of the nursing books have also come into existence after the advent of the goal attainment theory. Nevertheless, the theories have borrowed from the theory. Books that are reaching the market after the theory include `Imogene King’s nursing theory by Varghese and the Helvie theory books by Carl Helvie. The theorist still serves as an American licensed nurse and also a professor of Nursing at Old Dominion University. The site for her theory is well updated and easy to locate while surfing the web. On the other hand, the site is peculiar in that the theory bases the argument on primary findings from research carried out to peasant persons and consequent education and practice (Jarrà ­n, 2007). Books written after the theory are by people such as Julia B George, Melanie McEwen and Evelyn M Wills. Their books are also readily available and provide good

About this star---Enif Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

About this star---Enif - Essay Example The star; enif has many other names attributed to it. It also goes by the names Os Pegasi, Enf, Al Anf , Enf, Enir or Fom. Enf, Al Anf, Enf and Enir are obtained from the Arabic word, Al Anf which means â€Å"The Nose of the horse. Os Pegasi also means the same only that it is a Latin translation. It is a supergiant that is cool and orange in color. It falls under the constellation named Pegasus. The estimated age of this star is 15 million years and is distanced at 673 light years. The spectral class and visual magnitude are K2 and 2.39 respectively. Absolute magnitude of the star is around -4.19. In relation to the sun, Enif exhibits 6700 times more luminosity, its mass is 10 times more than that of the sun and its diameter is 661 times more than that of the sun. It is the brightest star in its constellation. The orange colored giant changes its size gradually and unevenly. It is subject to ferocious eruptions at various times; a phenomenon that is yet to find a conclusive explanation. The constellation in which Enif falls under is called Pegasus. Pegasus is seventh inn size of all the constellations in the sky. It assumes a square shape often referred to as â€Å"the Great Square of Pegasus†. It has a total of 8 stars and occupies 1121 square degrees area. It falls under the location between -60 and +90 degrees latitudes. Enif is the brightest of the stars at 522 L/Y. Enif is not part of the square but it forms a winged horse structure midway from the square. The other dominant stars in the constellation are Scheat, Markab, Algenib, Homan, Matar, Baham and Salm. It is subject to myth that Pegasus was a winged horse who emanated from the neck of Medusa when she was being beheaded by Perseus. The horse obtained a hero status for helping Bellerophon to conquer Chimera (a fire spitting adversary). In the end, Pegasus was turned into a constellation that is visible during the beginning of the month of October. Pegasus was believed to be visible in the

New york state court decision cases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

New york state court decision cases - Essay Example One of the officers relayed that he saw the defendant throw over the table on another inmate, and also that both officers saw the defendant fight with this inmate-victim. According to one of the officers, the defendant allegedly pulled out a metallic object from his left shirt sleeve and attacked the said inmate victim with punches and jabs to his body causing blood on the victim’s shirt. Finally, it was testified by one of the correction officers who followed the defendant walking over the shower area, that the defendant was seen placing an object down in one of the drains before he returned to the day room. After the prisoners involved were removed from their cells, a nine-inch shank with a point and a sharpened edge was said to have been retrieved from the drain. The inmate victim who was taken to the prison clinic for treatment was found to have puncture wounds, multiple stab wounds and lacerations. The defendant however, rebutted the said version by using the testimony made by the inmate victim stating that the defendant was a friend and was not among the assailants. The prosecution however cast doubt on the inmate-victim’s credibility through their cross-examination and found variance as to the inmate-victim’s reaction. The very first reaction of the said victim against the defendant was to accuse him, which when after the attack, suddenly signed a handwritten statement stating that he didn’t know what happened and didn’t know who did the said assault. Prosecutors then concluded that the victim may have been intimidated by the defendant. The jury then convicted the defendant with attempted assault in the first degree without however considering the other crimes charged. The defendant motioned to set aside the verdict but was unsuccessful and was thereafter sentenced to a term of 16 years life imprisonment. The defendant

Evaluation of Engineering Markets Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Evaluation of Engineering Markets - Assignment Example From this study it is clear that about 200 million motorbikes are currently in use as a mode of transport in different countries across the globe. This accounts for about 33 motorbikes for every 1,000 persons. Research also indicates that third world countries in the Asian continent lead in terms of motorbike usage, which stands at about 58% with the exception of Japan where cars still lead as the preferred mode of transport. China, for example, had about 54 million motorbikes by 2006 that were already in use. At the same time, China’s motorbike production currently stands at about 22 million per year. China is followed closely by its neighboring India where an estimated 37 million motorbikes are in use.This paper outlines that  European countries where the use of motorbikes has widely been embraced. In this regard, it is reported that nowadays a majority of the U.K. citizens used motorbikes as a means of transport. In fact, it is said that one hardly walks for more than a m ile before coming across a motorbike in the U.K. today. The number is also expected to increase as more people continue to embrace the use of motorbikes as a mode of transport in the U.K.  One such is the motorbike test law, which is aimed at encouraging additional training among young riders. This new legislation has changed the rules for obtaining a motorbike license in the U.K.  despite resistance by the British government arguing that the new legislation being imposed by the European Union is very complex and not achievable.

International Law Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Law Questions - Assignment Example The Australian and New Zealand markets permit competition in their markets. Being new target markets for business, there are various market strategies that would assist the firm in penetrating the markets. Franchising, which involves selling rights of the firm’s business model to local affiliated firms is an appropriate method. The corporation sells the rights of distribution to local Australian firms. The other market entry strategies apt for these markets include joint ventures, Greenfield projects and exportation.Zimbabwe and Cuba markets are different from the aforementioned markets because of their corruption. Foreign firms, before entry, have to bribe government officials despite the market entry strategy adopted by the firm. The bribes facilitate faster processing of legal and business documents and the required licenses for operation in these markets. Without bribes, the firm will enter these markets after a prolonged time. The World Trade Organization stands out as a treaty because it promotes more free trade amongst its members. By promoting international trade, the treaty encourages member states to increase their individual output through specialization. The main objective of this treaty is to promote peace amongst member states during the trading process. Trading amongst individuals usually leads to disputes and the WTO seeks to avoid these disputes by enabling smooth flowing trade. TRIPS, on the other hand, is a treaty that deals with intellectual properties.

Andres Serrano Ana Mendieta's Artworks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Andres Serrano Ana Mendieta's Artworks - Essay Example Apart from this to capture art he travels with his equipment to the most mundane places and picks up his subjects randomly yet always creating a stir (Ontani, 2000). By carrying his photographic background paper and lights in New York subways he was able to capture the homeless in their bedraggled clothes .His most recent shows contained another example of this fashion in which he photographed couples in Bizarre way and although caught in tender moments yet were provocative which Adrian Searle of the Guardian described as a "young couple, she with a strap on dildo he with a mildly expectant expression (Nairne & Howgate, 2006)". Many of his works have received much controversy especially true was in the case of Piss Christ which is a photograph of the crucifix submerged in a glass of his own urine. There are other works that too are subjected to the submerged forms of bodily fluids. Yet it is to be observed that although the much contrived Piss Christ was not appreciated when first exhibited it nevertheless sold for $ 162,000 in 1999 in a London Museum and was originally estimated at $20,000- $30,000. Still many slandered him for producing offensive art but nevertheless he got scot-free from circles who believed in artistic freedom (Stilles and Selz, 1995). Expression In Art Serranos work has received a lot of criticism it has been labeled notorious, lurid, offensive, at one point yet on the other it has also gained popularity and is famous .What makes him popular and notorious at the same time is the fact that perhaps he picks up controversial subjects for his work and has a provocative mind for the application of contrasting beautiful serene images with offensive material (Cahan & Kocur, 1996). To the mind of Serrano what at one instant is pure is also containing the darker side to it as well. There is always a twist to the most ordinary and leaves one to wonder if not everything is not as we have always imagined but there is more to it than just what we had always imagined. Applications Of Seranos Work Some of his most famous works are seen as Blood and Semen III on metal band Metallica's " load" Piss and Blood is used on Metallica's "Re Load" Indirect Approach: Serrano's has a very indirect approach to all his art work and he utilizes this in a very cool and subtle manner. Much of his mature work began as early as in the 80's. His focus initially remained mainly on catholic iconography. However he soon turned his attention to be more taboo stuff. This included his use of bodily fluids for his artwork. For much of his creations he received death threats and hate mails. Yet this did not deter the artist in the least and he remained focused on his work as before. The fuss created for his artwork only resulted in the increase of price of his work pieces. Piss Christ It is a 30 by 40 inch color photograph of the crucifix in which the artist has submerged it in the body fluid semen. This piece of art met many disagreeable circles who voiced their opinions very openly calling him a

WWII Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

WWII - Essay Example ch led to the outbreak of this very war and there were the formation of the Central and Allied Alliances which eventually went a long way in lengthening the duration of the war. (Harvey, 1993) Meanwhile, the Western and Eastern fronts within Europe were formed up as well as an eruption of a combat on the sea front started to take place. Apart from this the mighty role of United States in this war zone and throughout the duration of the war is also a significant one and is duly addressed in this paper. Indeed there were victories as well as losses for all the parties in this war but the war in itself was a mere defeat for the humanity as so many mothers lost their children, so many women became widows and thousands of kids lost their parents. The tale has no positive ending attached with it, nonetheless. The victory brought laurels for the victors while the defeat turned wrong on the losers’ heads. There were plenty of battles within the war itself, at different fronts and on many boundaries for the sole purpose of maintaining a rule which was there to be accepted by all and sundry. This Great War eventually resulted in the Balfour Declaration as well as the Arab re volt, which was basically aimed at the Turks and the prospective offensive action on the part of the United States in the post-war state of affairs. The Russian Revolution also took place due to this very war and ultimately Germany collapsed thus leaving an ever-lasting impact on both the victorious and the losing parties, but from different perspectives altogether. (Jahn, 1995) There were undoubtedly a number of suave and diplomatic mistakes as far as this war is concerned. All the mistakes that will get attention here comprise of the overall tactical and strategic errors committed by either Russia in the backdrop of attacking the Germans or in the form of the ever-resilient foreign policy constituted by the Germans time and time again. Firstly, there was a lack of general foresight and ineptitude

HISTORY From Poverty to Social Exclusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HISTORY From Poverty to Social Exclusion - Essay Example (NEW YORK TIMES 1909) A wealthy businessman, Seebohm Rowntree is well known for his in depth analysis of poverty. When concentrating on this particular time period, he stated that in the 1890s, it was low wages that was the major cause of poverty in Great Britain (ROWNTREE 2008). The problem of unemployment was especially important in bringing about poverty in late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. "More than one-quarter of the years from 1834 to 1911 were plagued by high levels of cyclical unemployment". If a worker was unemployed for more than a couple of weeks, he would find himself in economic distress, and would have to look for government support. (BOYER 2004) A very important factor that led to poverty was widowhood. In case of the death of a husband, women were generally left without any earning family member to support them. This problem arose because at the time, it was not as easy for women to get a job as it is today. The opportunity to get a job for women was easy in the textile centers of the country, but was negligible in the mining and industrial towns. In these areas, therefore, women became victims of acute poverty when left without husbands.

The Power of Words Essay Example for Free

The Power of Words Essay For those of you who like to create, you know that you are never fully satisfied with what you produce. Sure it may get the grade or suffice for what you planned to accomplish, but the thoughts circling what you could have done differently or ways you could improve can grow in the back of your mind. Maybe after investing great measures of effort and time, you are Done  by the time you’re done; don’t want to think about it, just want to move on. But maybe you go back, and go back, and go back, and can’t stop dwelling on things you could do or change to make whatever you made/produced/created manifest the ideas in your mind in a more accurate way. Well, that is how I feel about what I write. Since coming home for the summer, I’ve revisited old papers and essays for further refinement and fine tweaking just because I think it’s fun (and because I’m a perfectionist, whoops). So some of the essays I post are more loved and tended to than others, but today I am posting the first essay I wrote for the Nonfiction Writing class I took this past spring at KU. It’s come a long way since then, and I’m certain I will pay it a visit again in a few weeks or months and mix things around yet again. One day I love it and am happy with the progress I’ve made, and another day I am frustrated by my inability to express exactly what I want how I want. But that’s just the way it is, I suppose! so all that to say, here are some thoughts on the power of words, which just so happens to be the clever title of my essay. Boom. Feedback welcome! The Power of Words The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. -Proverbs 18:21 Long before I began, words existed. Even in my infancy, I babbled indistinct jargon to empty air. As a toddler, my parents spoke to me and urged me onward as I struggled to coerce meaning into form. With great exertion, I studied the shape of their mouths and attempted to recreate the sounds myself. Through practice, frustration, and failure, I learned words. But after nearly two decades of befriending new words, there are still words left unlearnt. Each new introduction excites, confounds, and embarrasses me all in one breath. When I shy away, they beckon me to understand. Thankfully, the words are gracious to those who delight in their discovery. I live to encounter them; to be empowered by them. However, I have failed to remember this until just now, and this fresh remembrance peels the scab of a wound I’ve left untreated for far too long. No amount of stitches could seal up this wound. My hands wrung together, willing the searing fire to subside, willing to forget the sting of the blade. But the penetration of a double-edged sword permits no man to walk away unscathed. I am no exception. The memory of my injury echoed and swelled in my mind, piercing me deeper and fiercer with each remembrance. Any compliment offered to me was like putting a cold compress on the head of a patient in need of heart surgery: a kind gesture, but naive at best. No earthly remedy can heal the wound caused by a rash remark, a reckless word, a biting tongue. The words reverberated, transcending both time and space, tossing a pinch of salt into the festering puss with each visit. In one blazing breath, the levee was breached. Insecurities gushed forth from moments past to moments present. The words washed over me again and again and again, throbbing to the rhythm of a familiar pulse. Worthless. Ugly. Insufficient. Outcast. The faces of the ones who introduced me to these words flooded my mind. The playground bully, the jealous friend, the past love interest, the inconsiderate classmate – one by one, their faces appeared and circled around me, each breathing their own kind of fire. They etched their scorching words onto my memory and my heart. Each recollection brought a new wave of hurt. Their flames engulfed me and I stood defenseless. Perhaps these dragons were right about me. Perhaps I was what they said. My knees began to buckle beneath the weight of some sort of self-hatred or bitterness. But just before I collapsed to the cold kitchen tile, my mother’s arms encircled me from behind and secured me in an embrace. Her hushed whispers traveled through my ear into my aching sides, tenderly dressing my wounds with honey. Gentle reassurances momentarily cooled the scorching fire which ravaged my thoughts. My mother’s sweet lips massaged my burns as nourishing balm. Maybe I wasn’t as worthless as they said. Though words have destroyed me, they have also restored me. But sometimes my scars whisper to me in the middle of the night, reminding me, ushering me into the dragons’ lair where I am taunted by each rash remark, reckless word, or biting tongue that has ever wounded me. Even as a child, I understood the weight of words and the value in speaking responsibly. I remember shutting the door of my fourth-grade classroom, double-taking to ensure no one was watching, and skipping along the empty hallway in search of the nearest drinking fountain. My eyes danced until they rested upon the rusted spigot. Suddenly, my innocent skip-to-my-lou developed into a nutcracker’s march. I swung my arms and stomped my feet to the beat of a distant war drum, stifling giggles at my own theatrical display. I was hilarious, giddy, free. At last I lowered my lips, gently twisted the nozzle, and felt the cool water trickle down the back of my throat. After several gulps, I straightened my back and my eyes zeroed in on a laminated poster taped to the wall. It portrayed a crying girl with her back turned from a group of laughing schoolchildren. My heart sunk as I read, â€Å"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.† What a lie, I thought. Why else would the girl be crying if she was not hurt? Who wrote this? Though I stomped back to my classroom, it was not a giddy stomp as before. I felt indignant at the injustice done to the crying girl in the poster. Even as a fourth grader, I knew words were far more powerful weapons than measly sticks and pebbles. I suddenly wished I was Mary Poppins and could leap inside the poster and watch the clip-art scene come to life. I would parade right towards the menacing pack of bullying children, stand on my tippiest-toes, and wag my finger in their mocking face. How could they not see the hurt they caused, the damage they’d done? The artist of this poster flippantly dismissed the girl’s hurt – dismissed my hurt. Obviously, he has never entered the dragon’s lair; or perhaps, he has but is simply trying to forget. Perhaps he hopes that denying his injuries will ease the pain they bring. The very thought caused my own scars to burn. Rage pulsed through my body as I thought of the daggers digging deeper into the crying girl’s subconscious – into my subconscious. Feeble. Pathetic. Weak. I could see the fire on the bullying children’s breath as their words melted into her ears. Though pressed down upon on all sides, her dragons bid her to stand strong as they prodded her with white-hot prongs and secured their perpetual mark. I’ll bet her scars whisper to her at night, too. To dismiss a reckless remark is to remove responsibility. This flippancy severs the cord of accountability between speaker and speech. As the mediums of our messages transitioned from slabs of stone to paper to screen, the weight of a word lost its wonder. Consider the scribe. He pauses – an ancient practice – before dipping his pen into his jar of thick, black ink. Fully aware of the repercussions of an error, he painstakingly paints each stroke with precision. He lives in an age unacquainted with a backspace key and where few can afford the price of an error. But today, a text message mindlessly tapped out is just as soon deleted. Even this sentence was reconsidered, revisited, and revised. Our ability to communicate no longer springs from our dexterity of thought but the agility of our thumbs. Our words are no longer preserved in a weighty stone tablet. Instead, they are typed, deleted, and retyped – in a two pound, portable tablet – then launched into cyberspace to be received and deleted from an already cluttered inbox. But why not? We are entitled. We have rights. Does not every tweeted and retweeted thought deserve merit merely in its right to be said? Is it politically correct to correct a politically incorrect statement? I never can tell. Our cry for the freedom of speech made passage for the freedom from speech and the careful tending that should accompany it. Our tongues run rampant – never checked nor balanced. We demand our right to speak, but our flapping mouths pay no heed to how we speak. Because an error or offensive slip of the tongue incurs only minimal – if any – cost, our words are many and close between. I fear I also am the rambling type. The filter between my head and my mouth is shorter than I’d like to admit. Sometimes I wonder if I even have a filter or if it got lost somewhere long ago in some prattling speech. Maybe I forgot I have one and, thus, never use it. In any case, I discover amusement in meandering the trail of my own thoughts and relaying my journey to others. I have never suffered from a scarcity of words. On the contrary, I am their abuser. I am apt to respond when spoken to and likely to speak until stopped. But the scribe towers over me, soliciting silence. â€Å"If you love the words, you will treasure them,† he cries. When words are many, error is not absent. Even a fool who holds his tongue seems wise for he at least holds the appearance of revering the sanctity of a word well said. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words wield the power of life and death. One flippant remark on how one should eat cake turned nation against queen and then off came her head. By the power invested in one man’s announcement, two lives are joined and beget more life still. On the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a bearded, honest man issued a proclamation declaring that all persons held as slaves would be then, thenceforward, and forever free. A deceitful dictator once told a big enough lie so frequently that his followers ran camps where with the aim of teaching the world to decipher beauty in piles of misshapen bodies. When Sophie Scholl spoke out against that lie and called German youth to cast off their cloaks of indifference, the dictator silenced her once and for all. By the word of a King, a dream stretched over the expanse of history and cried for the equality of the emancipated. By the word of the King, dry bones rose from the grave and walked out of their tombs. The Word from the very beginning sighed that it was finished and up from the deep the dragon prince relinquished his keys. With reverence comes escape. At some point or another, I began to regard the words as my slaves. I made them toil on my behalf. Beneath my whip, they labored without rest. Though they were exhausted, I trafficked them through the night and forgot to feed them breakfast in the morning. I believed their usefulness to me fulfilled their purpose. I considered them as nothing more than a spoken sound, a written conglomeration of lines and curves and dots, existing only to serve me – the â€Å"autonomous† man, the benefactor – and my appetites. But today I realized I will soon be dead – be it in sixty years or in the morning – and the words will live on without me just as they did before me for the word and the Word cannot die.

A US Perspective Essay Example for Free

A US Perspective Essay With a total import of 6926. 2 million dollars in December 2008, the US is arguably the leading player in the global textile industry (US Government, 2009). China is one of USAs leading partners in ensuring that the textile industry develops. The textile industry has in the past years been displaying positive growth except for the 2007-2008 period when the level overall imports dropped by 3685 million dollars (US Government, 2009). Developing an understanding of the dynamics that affect the textile industry is important in ensuring that this sector is sustained due to the important role it plays in ensuring that US nationals are clothed and economic development. It is apparent that if the trends are not corrected the US economy may be negatively affected. Demand in the US clothing industry is affected by a large number of factors within sits social and economic environment. Though the US records considerably low levels of birth rate, immigration greatly affects the levels of population growth rate. Due to clothing being a basic need, the textile industry is affected by the levels of population growth. Demographics though dependent on culture and even the levels of educational attainment are affected by existing legal systems and political policies that are in place. The US governments failure to deal with illegal immigration may increase the pressure that the textile industry faces in meeting high demand for clothing. Clothing and lifestyle are two factors that display high levels of correlation (Nordstrom, 2007). Trends in clothing that may be affected by the levels of economic empowerment, the prevailing economic conditions, fashions and dynamics within the society for instance short term preferences all affect demand within the clothing industry. Seasonal factors for instance weather pattern greatly affect specific clothing that is in demand. The effects of climatic patterns are an important factor that even supersedes fashion in determining demand for clothing. It is therefore apparent that the political, social, legal and even technological environment relayed through fashion affect demand for clothing in the US. The textile industry is labor intensive and success is dependent on not only ability to organize internal inputs but also availability of required resources (Plunkett, 2008). The cost of labor in nations like China is lower than in US which is one of the key reasons as to why the US imports clothing (Rofel, 2007). Another reason for importing clothing is availability or raw material especially natural fabrics; cotton, wool and silk are readily available in nations like Turkey than in the US though it produces some of these materials (Rofel, 2007). Due to the drop that has been experienced in textile imports, it is logical to expect an increase in internal production especially in non synthetic fabric. Moreover, designing as a segment in the clothing industry will continue growing due to the role played by fashion in determining the nature of demand in the clothing industry. Natural fabric and low cost clothing segments however will still continue relying on imports due to low availability of raw materials in the US and the need to create a cost advantage that is critical to ensuring affordable clothing. A look at data derived from the textile industry clearly shows that nearly 70% of the nations that export textile to the US are Asian (US Government, 2009). This can be explained by the low cost of labor in such nations and the close bilateral relationship between Asian nations and the US (Taylor, 2008). Another important trend is the general increase in textile imports; this can be explained by population growth experienced in the US. On the contrary, recent poor performance can be blamed on the negative trends that were displayed by the US economy in late 2007 and early 2008 that may have reduced investor confidence (Taylor, 2008). The US is clearly dependent on other nations for its clothing and textile needs which may negatively affect its internal potential to develop its textile industry. However, high level segments like designing have come up as beneficiaries in the considerably long textile industry chain. It is evident that by importing textile more entities or industries gain than if the US heavily relied on its internal ability. This universal gain is important in ensuring sustainable economic development. References Nordstrom, C. (2007). Global outlaws: crime, money, and power in the contemporary world. Santa Barbara, CA: University of California Press. Plunkett, J. W. (2008). Plunketts Apparel Textiles Industry Almanac 2008: Apparel Textiles Industry Market Research, Statistics, Trends Leading Companies. Houston, TX: Plunkett Research, Ltd. Rofel, L. (2007). Desiring China: experiments in neoliberalism, sexuality, and public culture. New York, NY: Duke University Press. Taylor, M. (2008). Global economy contested: power and conflict across the international division of labor London: Taylor Francis. US Government (2009). U. S. Imports of Textiles, Textile Products and Apparel, Top Trading Partners Top Countries based on current month. Retrieved 30 June 2009 from http://www. census. gov/foreign-trade/statistics/country/sreport/country. txt