Risk Factors For Developing Cardiovascular Disease

In today’s world, there is a plethora of ailments. Diseases such as obesity, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, and high blood glucose levels are a real concern for individuals. According to Prasanna Kumar (2011), the previously listed ailments are a cluster of individual illnesses that make up Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Therefore, MetS is not accepted as a disease, rather a syndrome with numerous risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes. Lawrence Lawrence (2013) state, in order to diagnose MetS, an individual must show signs of central obesity as well as two or more of the following risk factors: raised triglycerides, low count of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs)/dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, and a high fasting plasma glucose. It depends on the patient, but all of these risk factors can be controlled through diet and exercise. Though, some risk factors may be congenital. This syndrome normally begins with central obesity as well as development of glucose intolerance (Lawrence Lawrence, 2013). These two disease interconnect with the rest of the criteria for MetS. For example, obese individuals show increased blood pressure, increased triglyceride counts, and low HDL counts due to poor diet and exercise habits (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2012). To begin treatment for MetS, immediate intervention is required before a patient develops CVD or diabetes. Intervention options include diet change and exercise (Lawrence Show MoreRelatedRisk Factors For Developing Cardiovascular Disease896 Words   |  4 Pagesworld, it seems there are a plethora of ailments. Diseases such as obesity, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, and high blood glucose levels are a real concern for individuals. According to Prasanna Kumar (2011), the previously listed ailments are a cluster of individual illnesses that make up Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Therefore, MetS is not accepted as a disease, rather a syndrome with numerous risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes. Lawrence Lawrence (2013) stateRead MoreCardiovascular Disease And Lifestyle :852 Words   |  4 PagesCardiovascular Disease and Lifestyle Part One: There are multiple factors that lead to the development cardiovascular disease. While some individuals are born with conditions that predispose them to strokes or heart disease, a majority of people participate in a combination of risk factors that lead to the development of cardiovascular disease. A few of those risk factors include a lack of physical activity, smoking, and poor diet. The more frequently individuals expose themselves to these riskRead MoreCardiovascular Disease : A Global Health Challenge That Has Affected Developed And Developing Countries Alike794 Words   |  4 Pages Cardiovascular disease is a global health challenge that has affected developed and developing countries alike. It is the leading cause of mortality globally (WHO, 2014) and in the United States (CDC, 2014). It used to be prevalent in developed countries, however, changes in behavior and lifestyle patterns in developing countries has also caused an increase in the incidence of cardiovascular disease. This is referred to by Walley Wright (2010) as the epidemiologic transition. Cardiovascular diseasesRead MoreLinks Between Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease1303 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Type-2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common disease worldwide. According to the American Diabetes association (ADA), 1808 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes, and another 7 million are thought to have the disease but have not been diagnosed. (Hilaire, Woods, 2013). This disease has impacted everyone in some way. It is a controllable disease; however many individuals choose not to control it or are uneducated on how to control it. Many people with typeRead MoreCohort Follow-u`Studies: Cardiovascular Disease1291 Words   |  5 PagesCohort Follow-up Studies – Cardiovascular Disease: Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death and mortality across the globe, especially because of its increase in low and middle income countries. The disease is commonly referred to as heart disease since it’s a group of diseases that involve the heart, blood vessels or both. Generally, the disease involves abnormal functioning of the heart of blood vessels, which increases the risk of heart failure, heart attack, cardiac rhythm issuesRead MoreCardiovascular Disease : A Heart Failure, Arrhythmia And Mitral Valve1071 Words   |  5 PagesWith the increased consumption of fast-food and poor lifestyle choices, we have become an increasingly obese nation. For this reason, diseases such as cardiovascular disease have been on the rise. Cardiovascular disease is the combined term for a number of diseases concerning the heart and the blood vessels. Many of these life threatening diseases are related to a condition called atherosclerosis. The condition creates plaque build- up on the walls of the blood vessels. The plaque effects the flowRead MoreThe Heart Of Heart Screenings944 Words   |  4 Pagesyou’re in love, you feel it in your heart, so why not show your heart some love as well? The key to preventing cardiovascular disease is to manage your risk factors – high blood pressure, total cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. These negative risk factors can lead to coronary artery disease (CAD) and even a heart attack. The good news is there are steps you can take now to reduce your risk in the future. One way is to receive regular screening tests to review your blood levels and scan the arteriesRead MoreAir Pollution Effect On The Respiratory System And The Cardiovascular System1463 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Respiratory System and the Cardiovascular System Air pollution is everywhere in today’s society from vehicles power plants, industries, and even forest fires. These pollutants are either manmade or from natural sources. No matter where they come from one thing they have in common is that these different kinds of pollutants are harmful to people’s health. Air pollutants affect the body’s organ systems causing damage, especially to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Air pollution contributesRead MoreCauses And Differences Between Men And Women The Aging Process1399 Words   |  6 PagesIs there a gender difference in chronic illness such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, hypertension and parkinson’s disease, for older adults in North America? Aging is inevitable, it is part of nature and as an individual ages, they become more at risk for developing a chronic illness such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, hypertension and parkinson’s disease. A chronic illness is classified as a disease that lasts for at least 3 months and is progressive whichRead MoreThe General Term Includes A Wide Range Of Cardiovascular Issues1505 Words   |  7 PagesThe general term includes a wide range of cardiovascular issues: included would be heart rhythm abnormalities, arteries hardening, congenital heart defects, and coronary artery disease and heart infections. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of medical death in the United States. Blocked or narrowed blood vessels and arteries can and will cause heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular. (1) Healthy cholesterol levels: Use the equation of HDL + LDL + 20% of the Triglyceride level

Global Health And The Global Issues - 977 Words

My understanding of global health and the global issues that are prevent in our society has developed and grown over the past three months. I recognized the issues individually and how they affect our country, but I did not have a true understanding of them globally. When I think about the Millennium Development Goals, I truly realize how these affect me both as a global citizen and as a nurse. In New Zealand, a developed country, the population faces the same global health issues as any other country. A key global health issue that is directly affecting the lower income families and adults of New Zealand is diabetes. However, it is also a health problem in the higher income population. The main cause of this disease in these population groups is obesity. Where are the strategies to address this health issue, and why is a developed country having these struggles? Risk Factors: Although there are two types of diabetes only one, Type 2, identifies obesity as a risk factor for causing the disease. Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes) is caused by the body’s ineffective use of insulin† (WHO website). The other risk factors for this disease are all life style choices, and examples of these are decreased or lack of physical activity, and an unhealthy diet (Jacobsen, 2015, p. 148). The government has initiated a New Zealand Health Survey and it is completed biannually by the general population. They have addressed obesity issues in theShow MoreRelatedGlobal Health Issues1342 Words   |  6 PagesFirst, we will introduce you to the world situation with regard to health care. Then, we will explain the link between health issue, poverty and economic factors. Eventually, we will talk about the actions taken against these issues. Despite incredible improvements in health since 1950, there are still a big number of challenges as regards global health. One billion people lack access to health care systems. 36 million deaths each year are caused by noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascularRead MoreQuestions On Global Health Issues1189 Words   |  5 Pagessummary of your original proposal. What global health issues did you value, and how did you plan to address them? (1 paragraph) My last proposal addressed current health problems including communicable diseases, preventable diseases, food safety and hospital infections. During my original thought process, I felt children and young adults were not receiving proper patient education pertaining to their health and life style choices. The plan was to address these issues by using web media such as FacebookRead MoreThe Importance Of Global Health Issues1688 Words   |  7 PagesGlobal health issues go beyond national borders and therefore require international cooperation for prevention, planning and preparedness, disaster response, and provision of healthcare. Nurses’ education positions them to provide a personal approach to healthcare and health teaching worldwide as they share information and assess understanding. Nurses play a vital role in protecting patients and the community in both routine practice and emergency response care. Infectious diseases are a leadingRead MoreEnvironmental Issues on Global Health2289 Words   |  9 PagesEnvironmental Issues on Global Health Seven Environmental Issues Complete the following chart by identifying seven environmental issues that affect global health. In the second column, describe in complete sentences how the issue affects global health. Environmental issue How does the issue affect global health? Overpopulation As more humans inhabit the earth, more waste will be created. The planet earth is facing the pressure to accommodate the increasing amount of waste, much of whichRead MoreEnvironmental Issues on Global Health1410 Words   |  6 PagesEnvironmental Issues on Global Health Seven Environmental Issues Complete the following chart by identifying seven environmental issues that affect global health. In the second column, describe in complete sentences how the issue affects global health. Environmental issue How does the issue affect global health? Overpopulation The Earth’s natural resources are already being consumed at an unsustainable rate. Many of these resources are required to support world health and human life (DonnatelleRead MoreBreakdown The Global Issue Of Health904 Words   |  4 PagesIn chapter twelve, Snarr talks breakdown the global issue of health. The chapter broadens the definition of healthcare to not only just fighting off diseases, but also takes the well being of human being into consideration. The major problems we encounter today in the world are in nutritional health, infectious diseases, reproductive health, and mental health issues. The chapter also breaks down each major problem and how it might have different effects based on the regions, and the role of educationRead MoreThe Global Public Health Issue2091 Words   |  9 PagesBackground information 1.1 The outline of the global public health issue Cigarette smoking has been well documented to cause a wide range of health conditions such as heart diseases and respiratory problems and it is a major risk factor for getting various kind of cancers (Simpson Nonnemaker, 2013). Besides illness and death, there are several research evidences presenting that cigarette smoking results in less productive life years and for mounting needless health care costs. Globally, the preventableRead MoreObesity : A Global Health Issue1961 Words   |  8 Pagesthat the excess body fats which usually accumulates within the body, can lead to other health problems like increase in body size or the thickening of blood vessels, which may eventually lead to heart attack or high blood pressure. Obesity is a global health issue, but it’s mostly common in the west, due to the kind of life style the people live. Obese people are usually stigmatized by the society due to their health status, meaning they are viewed as being in trouble. Whether obesity is a cause or reasonRead MoreTuberculosis : A Persistent Issue On Global Health1638 Words   |  7 Pages Background and Risk Factors Worldwide, tuberculosis is a persistent issue in global health. India alone carries over 25% of the global TB burden, with over 9 million people suffering from active TB infection each year (Central TB Division 2015). Of growing concern is the rise of multi- and extensively- drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR and XDR, respectively). Characterized by resistance to standard first-line antibiotics including isoniazid and rifampicin (Loddenkemper et al. 2002), MDR-TB requiresRead MoreGlobal Health Issue Project : Canada Essay1562 Words   |  7 PagesGlobal Health Issue Project: Canada Canada is the second largest country by total area in the world, extending from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean and north into the Arctic Ocean. Canada has ten Provinces and three Territories, bordering the United States on the South and Northwest sides. Ottawa is Canada capital city located in Ontario. Canada became its own country July 1, 1867 with the creation of the Constitution Act. Currently, Canada is home to a little over 36 million people, ranking as

Population control in China Free Essays

In 1950’s China, under the government weakened by its countries opium dependence to westerners, the idea still existed that, â€Å"A large population gives a strong nation† This lead to China’s population growing very rapidly, so rapidly in fact that this phrase was beginning to prove in correct. As china’s population struggled to feed it’s self, as well as extreme overcrowding especially in its cities. The death rate in china dropped (except for a blip in the natural decrease caused by a minor famine in the 1960’s) and its birth rate continued to grow rapidly. We will write a custom essay sample on Population control in China or any similar topic only for you Order Now Even after the government implemented tolerant population control policies, for example the â€Å"later longer fewer policy†. The hope was that if people were encouraged to wait longer before marrying, they would have children later in life and therefore is much more likely to have fewer children. However this did not produce dramatic enough results to help slow China’s rapidly growing population and end its pending famine crisis. This is probably due to: a) People were still living in a very traditional way. This meant that people, especially those living in rural areas, they had big families. To make up for what was ah high infant mortality rate, during famine years. b) Women were not educated, and were considered the inferior sex whose job was in the home. They had no career so their only job was in the home. c) Being a developing country, and at that time very anti- western ideas, and almost fearful of the western world, Chinese people had little or no access to contraception, and even less education on birth control and family planning. d) No state pension meant that elderly people had to rely on their children to provide for them in their old age. So to be insured of safe elderly years they had to have at least one child who survived childhood and grew up to make an income. In this case boys were preferred, as they could have a paid job, not one in the home. e) A Cultural Revolution made the population increase by 55million every three years; this is nearly the same as the entire population of the UK. In the 1959 to 1961, a famine caused but an Industrial Revolution triggered the government to launch its first population control policies. People moved away from rural areas and their traditional work as farmers to towns and cities, to work in factories, often owned by western countries brought to china by cheap labour costs compared to the western world. This influx of western ideas thwarted the government’s campaign, as the later longer fewer Policy was not considered attractive by the Chinese population who moved towards a western ideal. But the government continued and by 1970, State Family Programmes had been introduced. This lowered the population growth rate. In 1978 3 children per family was average but the government persisted, as this was still too many. This was in the form of various advertising campaigns, however their effect was not dramatic enough, and in 1979, the government wished to stamp out population growth completely. So they introduced a strict population policy. The policy used a â€Å"carrot and stick† method to encourage families who participated, and punish those who did not. Encouragement was in the form of great incentives from the government. These included free education for the child, priority housing, family benefit and a state pension for the family. There were also high penalties for having a second child. Including loss of all incentives, and benefits and fines of up to 15% of the family’s annual income. This more than halved the birth rate per thousand from 40 per thousand to 17 per thousand. But the government continued further, the legal age for marriage was raised to 22 for men and 20 for women, to marry couples also had to apply to the state for permission. State permission was also required to have a child. Abortions became compulsory for the second pregnancy. Chinas population policy had been very successful at reducing population growth, it met targets set for 2000 in 1994. However the population policy had serious implications for the natural balance of population. The Chinese population has an entire generation of â€Å"little emperors† the title given to the supposedly spoiled, greedy, bad-tempered, lazy children of male only children. More seriously as young men this generation has difficulty finding a wife. This is a result of Chinese ideal of male supremacy. Families would try and find out the gender of the child before it was born, with the option to terminate if it was a girl. If a families first born child was female, it was at times abandoned so that the couple could try again for a boy. The Chinese government also commissioned teams to go from village to village providing a sterilisation service. This at times was a very unfair method and often breached human rights. As the teams were paid by the number of operations they carried out. So often women were sterilised against their will. In Chinas anti-feminist society it was almost always that women were sterilised instead of men. The government would defend their actions saying that there was a serious need for rapid population control or there would have been further suffering to the people. Credit can be given that the scheme worked and met target before time. Today regulations on population control have been relaxed mainly due to the fact that all targets have been met. But also because of pressure from the west. This is mainly in rural areas of china where children are still a useful form of labour on farms, so two children is permitted. But in industrial regions one child is still most likely. Sterilisation is now provided in a manner that is less likely to be damaging and in breach of human rights. How to cite Population control in China, Papers

What role will poetry play in Essay Example For Students

What role will poetry play in Essay What role will poetry play in the year 2000?-and what exactly is poetry anyway!‘An artistic way of describing things’.sounds nice. ‘A persons effort to express himself through rhyme or not’.interesting. ‘rhyming lines’.not always. ‘Attractive verses’.close. ‘don’t av a clue mate!’.. Whilst trying to establish a definition for the word ‘poetry’ as you can see from the answers to my questionnaire I came across interesting, amusing and clever descriptions. My own favourite definition sums up my feeling about poetry, it is something I read on the back of a poetry book recently;‘poetry is to prose as dancing is to walking.’Poetry means the something different to almost everyone from the window cleaner who left school at fourteen to the highly educated head of English at Malvern College. Poetry is whatever you want to be, whatever it means to you personally and whatever it means to the poet. I have interviewed over twenty people and what I have established is that everyone has their own definition of poetry. However there is a basic difference between poetry and prose. It seems to be that poetry can be set out in many different formats, and does not necessarily need to make complete sense (even though it has a meaning) Prose is set out in a ordered way where one sentence is always followed by another sentence, it follows the same punctuation rules and a continuous, logical pattern. The reason I think that everyone defines poetry differently is that we are exposed to so many totally different types of poetry. My favourite form of poetry is song lyrics. Although not one of the most obvious forms of poetry it is becoming increasingly popular especially with young people who are exposed to it regularly. For example every time you buy a C.D album or tape you can read the lyrics of the songs printed inside. A favourite of mine is a song called ‘Pockets’ by ‘Beautiful South’;Here comes pocketsHis trousers hold a thousand deadly sinsThe maddest things we ever found in binsHe clutches them and looks at you and grins.It may not be Shakespeare, but it is poetry nevertheless. It is interesting that when I ask people if they could recite any poetry to me, most of them said â€Å"no†. However when I said that it could be words from a song most people were immediately able to give a recitation of some sort!Another type of poetry with great impact in today’s society is commercial poetry. This is used in advertising regularly, it seems that big companies have recog nised that we remember things better if they rhyme. ‘A mars a day helps work, rest and play†We are exposed to advertising jingles everywhere on television, in magazines, on radio and on billboards. So it is not surprising that most us are able to recite or remember some kind of slogan or another, having been bombarded with them continuously. Greetings cards can also contain poetry, especially valentines cards as poetry is often related to romance. You hopefully have received or written in your life a poem like this; Roses are red Violets are blueSugar is sweetAnd so are youTwo of the ladies I interviewed a laundry lady and a cook both said that their favourite type of poetry the sort you find in operas. (and also plays). It is often old fashioned and sometimes complicated but still relies on rhythm and repetition, which makes it both appealing and attractive even if you can’t understand it. One of these ladies had studied higher education and the other had not, neither was well off. I had thought that generally it would be wealthy or educated people that enjoyed this sort of entertainment but obviously I was wrong. These two ladies particular liked the type of opera and play that was poetic!It is interesting that today most people would wrongly think that opera and theatre were only for â€Å"educated† and /or well off people. It is ironic that in Shakespeares times entertainment of this time appealed particular to poor and totally uneducated people. Perhaps the image of ‘boring’ plays has scared off

Narrative Essays (524 words) - Costa Rica, Republics, Americas

Narrative Narrative I was born in San Jose, Costa Rica, and moved to California when I was very young. Before I moved to California my dad traveled back and forth for 2 or 3 yrs from California and back to Costa Rica. He spent most of his time working in the Fresno area, in the cities of Tulare, and Visalia. He says he spent his time working in any available job including some farm labor jobs and went back to Costa Rica to spend time with us. After the second time he left Costa Rica to come and work he did not go back. At that time, amnesty was given to immigrants in California, and he moved up north to the Bay area to find a steady job. That is when he saved enough money for my mother, my two siblings, and I to join him in California. My first few years since I moved were adventurous. I had to become accustomed to a new environment, a new language, and a whole new diverse of people and cultures. I was in ESL programs until I entered junior high school. Learning the language, and trying to keep up with the class work was a challenge for me. Having friends who spoke my language, and the English language as well was an advantage I had. Having that extra help and support really made my school experience challenging, but exciting as well. Remembering the support I received from those friends creates a need in me to do the same for other people. I dont only believe that the support that I can give to migrant students as a Mini-Corps student will help them in succeeding in school, but I believe that an appreciation for school can be gained as well, and hopefully bring insight for continuing their studies beyond high school. As I improved in my English I also grew an interest in writing. I enjoyed my English classes, along with my math classes too. My interest grew and grew, and I joined summer girl programs. After participating two year, I became a mentor to those new peers coming into the program. I worked with teachers in Science, and in Math classes. I also participated in the volleyball activities, and group activities. This is when I realized I wanted to work with youth my whole life. My interest in English, and my interest in being a role model to youth made me decide to become an English teacher, especially worki ng with students whose first language is not English. Now, I am a college student. I first went to UC Santa Barbara, where I dealt with more hardship than I expected. My grades were poor, and I decided to come back home. I needed support from my family, and I was glad when I got it. Slowly I have raised my grades up, in this year, and I am ready to embark on a journey once again, and I would like to also be a positive influence on those students who are embarking on their journey now. By becoming a Mini-Corps student I can do that. Bibliography none Biographies

Essay about Financial Statement Analysis

Essay about Financial Statement Analysis Essay about Financial Statement Analysis Wells Fargo Co. and SunTrust Bank are two of the largest US banks, both in the top on SNL Financial’s list of 2012’s largest banks (Forbes, 2012). Although both companies are in the same business they each do business in different ways, with different focuses. Wells Fargo is a larger national bank, with branches and ATM’s in 39 states, SunTrust is a slightly smaller regional bank with branches located in only the south east in 9 states. Both banks use customer deposits to fund their primary income source of loans and mortgages, as well as offering financial advisors and investments. Over the recent recession both banks have found ways to remain profitable, Wells Fargo even used to opportunity to expand its market with the takeover of Wachovia Banks, expanding their branches into 15 more states and the District of Columbia beginning December 31, 2008 (WF, 2009). Along with new opportunities the recent financial crisis has brought more stringent regulation in the banking industry. Because of the importance of banks in the local, state, and federal economies the financial industry is heavily regulated at each level. After the weaknesses exposed by the recent financial crisis new regulations were put in place. Among these regulations was the Dodd-Frank Act, signed into law July 21, 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act mandates annual stress tests to ensure intended to ensure institutions have sufficient capital to absorb losses and support operations during adverse economic conditions so that they do not pose risks to their communities, other institutions, or the broad econo my† (FRB, 2013). The most recent of these stress tests just concluded at the beginning of March 20 13. Other areas of consideration for both financial institutions are the interest rates, both the discount rate the Federal Reserve charges banks to borrow money, as well as the rates both paid and charged by competing banks and credit unions. If a competing bank offers significantly higher interest on deposit accounts then clients may move money away, leaving the banks less capital available to lend, similarly if competing banks or credit unions offer loans with significantly lower interest rates the bank may also lose customers, or lose income as they try to match the lower interest rates. Additionally the economy as a whole greatly affects the banking industry; higher unemployment will mean fewer deposits are being held in the bank lowering the total amount the banks can lend out to their customers, higher unemployment also results in less borrowing as customers have less disposable income to buy new cars, make home improvements, or buy a new home. A sagging housing market results in lower home prices so the mortgages that are taken

Critical Management Theory(CMT) and its application as an analytical Coursework

Critical Management Theory(CMT) and its application as an analytical tool for resolving problems in a post-modern organisation - Coursework Example Today managements develop their common goal as per the present requirements of society, environment and community. The increasing concern for corporate social responsibility and community development is one of major evidences in this respect. The Critical Management Theory (CMT) is a reasonable and effective theoretical approach for managing the postmodern organisations. These theories include a wide range of views and ideas that criticize the traditional management theories. CMT attempts to explore, recognise and relate the similar attributes of management basics and critical theories. Critical managements studies deals with the different areas of management theories. More specifically, it is the academic field for critical management theories. Sudhanshu Katyal has explained that â€Å"Critical Management Studies (CMS) challenges and offers alternatives to received wisdom about ‘management’† and it â€Å"is differentiated from mainstream research by (i) its unor thodox treatment of established topics (e.g. motivation, strategy) and/or (ii) its attention to marginalised issues (e.g. post-colonialism, environmentalism)† (Katyal, 2009, p.7-8). This paper will attempt to present an explanation and discussion on CMT and its application in managing postmodern organisation. The discussions will try to focus on multiple perspectives of critical management theories. At first, the importance of critical management theories in postmodern organisations will be discussed. This section will clarify term ‘postmodern organisation’ by pointing out its major characteristics. The next section will present different approaches of CMT. This section will try to evaluate critical theories. The third section will aim to demonstrate the application of critical management theories in postmodern organisation. Finally, based on the overall analyses and discussions, the findings will be summarised in conclusion. Importance of Critical Management Theo ry in Postmodern Organisation CMT is an important area of organisation management. The society and human thought processes are not static and it tends to changes with time. Therefore, the organisational behaviour of mangers and organisation culture also vary as per time periods. Such changes lead to increase the requirement new theories and new management approaches. CMT is very useful in this respect. This paper is trying to focus in CMT and its application in postmodern organisation. However, before proceeding towards the main objective of this paper, it is necessary to understand the postmodern organisation and its various aspects. The postmodern organisation is an emerging concept which differs from the modern organisational ideas and views. The managerial behaviour of postmodern organisation is more flexible and more capable in countering the organisational affairs. However, the tasks in postmodern organisation have become more complex and difficult comparing to modern organisa tions. There are five major aspects in an organisation i.e. planning, organising, influencing, leading and controlling. These aspects in postmodern organisation are shelf-managed and self-controlled by the coordination of cross-functional

Historical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Historical - Essay Example The evidence of this is in the effect of the cultural integration into the original arts of these communities. Before the arrival of Babylonians and Assyrians, Sumerian art was mainly based on clay writings. Their original art, cuneiform writing, involved writing on clay, metal, or wood using a stylus shaped like a wedge. Sumerians used cuneiform to write or draw their most important cultural and religious figures mainly the gods and goddesses. The cuneiforms mainly represented objects and was not used for scholarly purposes in the original form. Diagram 1 below shows an example of a female head carved in limestone and wood. However, when the Babylonians arrived, they introduced their culture to the Sumerians. The effect of this was the Babylonian cultural influence on original Sumerian art. Sumerian art started featuring war themes, which was not common before the arrival of the Babylonians. The Babylonian culture influenced the original art of the Sumerians by introducing concepts of war. As illustrated in diagram 2 below, Inanna-Ishtar represents this cultural influence on original Sumerian art. The art sculpture combines the original elements of Sumerian art (goddess of fertility) and the Babylonian war culture (semitic goddess of

MARKETING PRACTICE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

MARKETING PRACTICE - Essay Example The rationale iÃ'• that the more a company underÃ'•tandÃ'• and meetÃ'• the real needÃ'• of itÃ'• conÃ'•umerÃ'•, the more likely it iÃ'• to have happy cuÃ'•tomerÃ'• who come back for more, and tell their friendÃ'•. ThiÃ'• proceÃ'•Ã'• can entail the foÃ'•tering of long term relationÃ'•hipÃ'• with cuÃ'•tomerÃ'•. In order to determine cuÃ'•tomer wantÃ'•, the company uÃ'•ually needÃ'• to conduct Ã'•ome form of marketing reÃ'•earch. Overall, the marketer expectÃ'• that becoming marketing oriented, if done correctly, will provide the company with a Ã'•uÃ'•tainable competitive advantage. The concept of marketing orientation waÃ'• developed in the late 1960Ã'• and early 1970Ã'• at Harvard UniverÃ'•ity and at a handful of forward thinking companieÃ'•. It replaced the previouÃ'• Ã'•aleÃ'• orientation that waÃ'• prevalent between the mid 1950Ã'• and the early 1970Ã'•, and the production orientation that predominated prior to the mid 1950Ã'•. Ð…ince the concept waÃ'• firÃ'•t introduced in the late 1960Ã'•, it haÃ'• been modified, repackaged, and renamed aÃ'• "cuÃ'•tomer focuÃ'•", "the marketing philoÃ'•ophy", "market driven", "cuÃ'•tomer intimacy", "conÃ'•umer focuÃ'•", "cuÃ'•tomer driven", and "the marketing concept". The market orientation that a firm adoptÃ'• varieÃ'• depending on the product life cycle, the level of competition within the market, and external factorÃ'• Ã'•uch aÃ'• the economic environment. CompanieÃ'• are likely to modify their market orientation over the life cycle of a particular product, and it iÃ'• common for a Ã'•ingle company to have different productÃ'• with different orientationÃ'•. There iÃ'• no one orientation that iÃ'• appropriate for all productÃ'•, and the changing environment and global market in which todayÃ'• companieÃ'• operate mean that orientationÃ'• are likely to undergo rapid change. DeÃ'•pite the importance that market orientation playÃ'• in a companyÃ'• Ã'•ucceÃ'•Ã'•, many companieÃ'• are unaware that their productÃ'• have a particular

Marketing objectives and strategies for Special Shoes

Marketing objectives and strategies for Special Shoes EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Special Shoes is one of the most successful shoe shops in the country. Although it is quite popular, Special Shoes need an online based shopping site or a website to further enhance their position as one of the top shoe shops in the country. Currently, customers must travel to the actual shop to purchase their shoes. With the creation of the website, customer can easily browse through the selection of available shoes and products provided by the Special Shoes Company and even receive services and promotion in their member areas. As some people might not like an online store where shoes cannot be tried out before purchasing/ordering, Special Shoes will provide chiropody advice services to the customer to further enhance the customer satisfaction on the product and guide the customer to good foot health. To make both existing and potential customer aware of the new e-commerce site and in effort to encourage them to visit the website, comparative advertising will be used. With comparative advertising, it will be designed to highlight the advantages of the goods or services offered by Special Shoes Company compared to those of other shoe shops available in the country. For a successful comparative advertisement, the comparison between the goods or services must be shown by the objective and the message of the advertisement by describing their main characteristics. Marketing Strategy Part of Special Shoes marketing strategy will base solely on its products and services provided. Special Shoes will also use advertisement that will receive abundant attention by the existing and potential customer. The strategy of the marketing campaign is to increase the target customer awareness of Special Shoes. Mission Special Shoes mission is to provide a wide selection of shoes and outstanding customer service. It will exist to attract and maintain customers. Their services will exceed the expectation of the customers. Marketing Objectives The marketing objective of the new e-commerce site of Special Shoes is to build an effective pull campaign, bringing in new customer and keeping the loyalty of existing customers. Marketing Activities: Positioning Special Shoes will position itself as the premier outlet for online shoe shopping, providing the customer with the largest selection, rivaling some of the other shoe shops in the country. Special Shoes will leverage their competitive edge to achieve this desired positioning. To achieve a competitive edge, Special Shoes will provide as much selection of shoes as possible. Membership Membership can be introduced either to new or existing customer through online or offline means. With the registration of customers as members, they are entitled to special discount rates and privileges provided by the Special Shoes. The first 100 customers to register will get a one year membership for free with 12 monthly issues of Special Shoes magazine. Promotions and Discounts. Promotions and discounts of the products and services of the Special shoes can be made known to the customer through online or offline means. Through online means, customers can either be sent an email or text message to inform them of the ongoing promotion and discounts. Through offline means, advertisement can be used to attract new and existing customers. Media Advertisements To further attract new customers and to inform the existing customer of the new website, advertisements can be used to achieve this aim. Examples of media advertisements that can be used are television, radio and newspaper. Chiropody advice Special Shoes will also be able to provide chiropody advice services to the customer as Special Shoes recognize that their competitors did not offer this services. Addressing Existing Customer and New Customer Existing Customers To address the existing customer of the new Special Shoes website, encouragement and recommendation of online registration to the website can be made to get the transition of the existing customer from offline to online. New Customers Through advertisements, new customers can be made, therefore information of the website must be made clear and concise so that future customers can be attracted to become a member to the Special Shoes. Offline Marketing Requirements Offline marketing is also crucial in promoting the Special Shoes shop where examples of offline marketing techniques that can be use are outdoor signage such as billboards, press releases and including the website address on business cards or other printed marketable material. Target Market Special Shoes is targeting the population segments within a broad category of age, gender and needs. Since most of the customer will purchase shoes for the workplace as well as for leisure time. Special Shoes have targeted this broad selection of customer as they have the need for many different pairs of shoes for all of their different activities and needs. Strategies Special Shoes marketing strategy will seek to create customer awareness regarding the products that they offer, develop the customer base, and work toward building customer loyalty and referrals. The messages that Special Shoe will seek to communicate are that the offer the largest selection of shoes and provide chiropody advice services online. People no longer need to go to the actual shop to find what shoes are available. A method of communication is by advertisement in the local media which will be placed in newspapers, radio and televisions. Another method of communication will be through online advertisement such as emails, a system of communicating electronically where this will eliminate unneeded spending on postal fees to inform the customers of new products and services provided by Special Shoes. Another means of communication that can be used is the RSS feeds. What is the method to track visitors going to the website? Tracking visitors visiting the Special Shoes website may be beneficial where the data from the feedbacks of visitors can be extremely helpful in tweaking and fine-tuning your site. The more data that can be collected from the visitors, the more productive and effective the campaigns, contents, and services can be produced. There are many tools and application that is provided in the internet in order to track website visitors. Some examples of these tools are free website tracking software, analytic software and services that track and analyze data. In creating websites free website tracking software are available on the internet. In relation to this, website designer would probably have access to cpanel. Cpanel is an open-source GUI interface that administers to the websites and blogs. Cpanel also have the ability to view current and historical statistics regarding the domain. Most cpanel interface includes these two programs such as Webalizer and AwStats (Advanced Web Statistics). Webalizer is a tool that keeps track of specific types of data and shows it graphically on the web. Webalizer collects data such as the URL (shows the URL that was requested by the users browser), Hit (every single HTTP request that your visitors browser submits is counted as a hit), Visitor (each specific IP address or HTTP cookie), Visit (Each time a visitor accesses the website) and the User Agent (the web browser used by the visitor to access the website e.g. Firefox etc). 1172 words

Laws, Lawyers, and Punishment in the Victorian Period :: Victorian Era

Laws, Lawyers, and Punishment in the Victorian Period The Law †¢At the beginning of the 19th century there were 3 types of law in England: -Common Law: the â€Å"law of the land†(Pool 127), which was built up over many centuries *referred to in order to determine such cases as the validity of a contract or whether or not someone was guilty of murder †¢3 courts that heard cases: -King’s Bench- criminal cases -Eschequer- disputes about money -Common Pleas- disputes between citizens -Equity: seen over by the Chancery Court; designed to give relief from strict decisions made by the common law -Church Law: 4 courts -Court of Arches-Court of the archbishop -Court of Faculties-granted special permission to do things such as hold multiple livings -Consistory Court-handled divorce and wills -Prerogative Court- wills of bishops However, this system of laws changed much throughout the century. The Chancery became merely a joke for there you could not present evidence during trials and Parliament came to view it as necessary for matters of will and divorce to be referred to new civil courts instead of the church. In 1873 the 3 common law courts and the Chancery were combined to make the Supreme Court Lawyers †¢There were two types of lawyers: -those who argued in court- barristers, sarjeants, and advocates -those who prepared the cases for these lawyers- attorneys, solicitors, proctors †¢Courtroom lawyers held more prestige especially the barrister, who was often well born †¢To become a barrister one had to go to a certain number of dinners at the Inns of Court for 3 years. Then if you were approved of by the older lawyers you’d be â€Å"called to the bar† and then could become a barrister. There was no exam required. †¢Solicitors had to serve as an in-between between the barristers and their clients. So they were â€Å"in trade† which was less respectful to become solicitor one had to be an apprentice for 5 years to a practicing lawyer Punishment †¢In 1800 there were over 200 offences punishable by death including sheep stealing and doing damage to the Westminster Bridge -This harshness was probably due to the lack of real paid policemen at the time. So when someone was actually caught and convicted they were made an example.

The Wonders of Planet Earth

‘The perpetual cycle of change which has created the face of the Earth, with all its rugged and Fascinating variety usually happens too slowly to be noticed. But occasionally it is rapid and Violent. Volcanoes disgorge molten lava, earthquakes rip open the landscape, landslides, carry away Whole mountainsides. Then human beings become aware of the awesome forces that are shaping Their planet. These forces are fuelled by three powerful sources of energy – heat from within the Earth, heat from the Sun, and the force of gravity.Every landform in the world has been shaped by these ttu. ee energy sources. ‘the continents that drift across the surface of the globe, setting off volcanoes and earthquakes and Building mountains. are driven by heat from the Earth's interior which has a temperature of about 5000†³C (9000'F). Most of this heat is created by the breakdown of radioactive elements. Earth is unique among the planets of the Solar System in having liquid water on the surface and water has a major role in shaping the planet.The warmth of the Sun evaporates water from seas and lakes. The vapor rises and condenses to form clouds and then falls again as rain and snow. It is then that its landscaping powers begin, weathering rocks and washing away the loose material. or grinding down the landscape under the power of a glacier. The Sun's heat also produces the rain and the waves that scour the land. The third force – gravity – causes the tides, which nibble away at the edges of continents, and landslides. hich alter the shape of mountains. Under the influence of gravity. rain works its way downwards as streams and rivers, carving the terrain. On its journey, it carries fragments of rock and sand to be deposited on the ocean floor. And over thousands of years more rock which may then be buckled and lifted up by movement of the Earth's crust to form new mountains. {source: Readers Digest, Discovering the Wonders of our World A guide to natures Sciences marvels]

Zara: It for Fast Fashion

Zara: IT for Fast Fashion Identification of issues: The case study, Zara: IT for Fast Fashion, focuses on the retail giant, Inditex, and how its largest retail chain, Zara, has been so successful with their business model of high fashion, product variation, low cost, speed, and flexibility. Several issues are identified in this case study. One glaring issue that is apparent relates to the fact that a long term Information Technology (IT) strategy does not exist. There is no formal system in place to plan and predict for their future needs, including operational and capital expenses.Another issue consists of the retailer not having a centralized distribution system in place, their stores do not share inventory counts, and the managers do not have a system in place to look up their inventory balances in their stores or other stores, (they accomplish this by canvassing the stores). Another significant current issue relates to the fact that their current IT system is unsustainable, as th e equipment is obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. Their IT system is not wireless, their screens are small, they are using styluses, which can be cumbersome, and older technology such as floppy disks and modems.The last issue involves a lack of shared knowledge of the current system in place; one person is relied upon and depended for knowledge of the systems functionality. Being so dependant upon one person places the whole system at risk. Importance of the key issue: The key issue in this case study involves whether or not Inditex should upgrade the retailer’s information technology infrastructure and capabilities or whether they should continue using their current system. The problem that Zara faces now is that their current system, P-O-S (Point of Sales terminals), runs on DOS, which Microsoft does not support any longer.Any hardware change in the POS terminal would not be compatible with their current POS software. Without an upgrade, they risk that their current sup plier could no longer support them. Investing in IT infrastructure is inevitable as Microsoft DOS is obsolete technology and there is no guarantee that their POS vendor will continue supplying the same terminal without changes to their hardware. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) are currently used in all Zara stores, POS terminals are not connected with Zara’s headquarters or with other stores. here is no system in place to link employees’ daily sales, causing employees to copy this information onto a floppy disk. Zara’s success and main business strategy is dependent upon their ability to respond very quickly to the demands of their customers. By upgrading their current system, they could add functionality and capabilities that could resolve other issues they face, such as sharing inventory, and being proficient at matching supply and demand. They can comfortably meet their mission by keeping current with fashion.Without the infrastructure to support i t, it would be impossible to accomplish, as they would not have the security controls, and back up systems in place. This issue is more important than any other issue to resolve, as Zara’s mission, success and future depends on technology reliability and accuracy. If this issue is not resolved, it is impossible to address all of the other issues identified above. Key Stakeholders: There are numerous stakeholders who are affected by the key issue of whether or not they should upgrade their IT Zara’s customers system want the latest fashions in stock, in their size and color, in a timey fashion.By having an upgraded, efficient IT system, Zara’s customers could experience better inventory controls to meet their needs. This in turn develops customer loyalty which equates to a higher volume of sales. Another key stakeholder is Zara’s employees. Employees want job security. A well defined, upgraded, efficient IT system can assist in sales volume, which turns in to profit for the company. Employees also want to reduce their workload and redundancy. Their current system does not take advantage of functional automation and communication, which can increase their work load.Another stakeholder, Zara’s IT vendor, certainly wants to maintain their business relationship with them, but may find it difficult to continue conducting business with a company who uses such an obsolete, unsupported, vulnerable system. Zara’s managers are also important stakeholders in the decision to upgrade. Their managers want the current POS system to do more, such as look up inventory balances in stores. This basic functionality is lacking. They want to be in a position to negotiate pricing and keep up with their competitors.Zara’s shareholders are interested in maintaining the financial success that Zara has experienced. They want a system in place to assure that their current fashion demands are met, that a system is in place to account for and share merchandise. They want to be able to invest wisely and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry. Another stakeholder, Zara’s suppliers wants a functional IT system to provide better lead time for orders and materials, and to be able to communicate in a timely, seamless manner. Causes of the issue:There are many causes that contribute to the situation that Zara faces at the moment. Having a mission and vision without having a strategic plan to get there is a contributing factor. Having a decentralized decision making system in place can also be a root cause. Having equipment that is obsolescence is a result of the above factors. Not having staff and systems in place to effectively plan for the future, leads to antiquated equipment and manual, cumbersome, inaccurate, processes. Other factors responsible for the lack of strategic IT planning at Zara include their current business model and leadership complacency.Alternative solutions: There are three alter native solutions. The first would be to purchase the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology, and continue functioning the way they have been. The second solution involves hire a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options. The third solution to the key issue identified is to proceed in upgrading their current IT system and add functional capabilities to meet the needs of their organization.Recommendations: I recommend the third solution, that Zara purchase and implementing a new POS networking system. This recommendation would create a robust system that is more responsive to Inditex’s supply chain network. It also removes the risk of the system becoming obsolete and non- compatible with the vendor’s machine upgrade. It decreases their exposure for system failures, helps to maintain and improve efficiency of decentraliza tion because information flow can be improved between stores, distribution chains and vendors.The most important aspect of Zara’s approach to information technology includes the ability to meet the needs of their customers, whether that involves accuracy, timeliness, marketing, demand, or communication. Their original business model involved linking demand to manufacturing, and linking manufacturing to distribution, this involves a reliable, compatible IT system. Upgrading the POS applications to include additional functionality, such as networking capability, and the ability to share inventory with other stores, only makes their corporation more productive and efficient.The use of larger screens, and keyboards, vs. smaller screens and styluses would also be beneficial to the employees and customers. There are however pitfalls to this recommendation. Above and beyond the obvious capital expense of the equipment and software, implementing the recommended solution in the short term may require restructuring the IT department to include a Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO would also be responsible to conduct a comprehensive review of current industry technologies and determine which IT capabilities and functionalities will best support the company’s strategic mission.This person would also be responsible to initiate a formal IT budgeting process that is part of the broader capital budget, and create a formal process for selecting and prioritizing IT projects that includes both financial and non-financial metrics (Porter, M, 2001). In the medium term, Zara may consider an outside team to initiate this IT change. It is questionable if Zara currently has the time and internal talent to effect the change. An outsourced professional team may accomplish this task, while allowing personnel to focus on their day to day operations.Zara can cross train a few IT personnel to work closely with the implementation team, to assure a seamless transition. A à ¢â‚¬Å"train the trainer† may be beneficial. This may mean that they may have to hire replacement personnel on a temporary basis. In the long term Zara should develop a â€Å"long-term IT renewal plan† as recommended by Feld and Stoddard, 2004, to develop a plan to maintain and sustain their new system; this requires time, money and talent. Incorporating the three principles in executing IT effectively: A long termIT renewal plan linked to corporate strategy, a simplified unifying corporate technology platform and a highly functional, performance-oriented IT organization would benefit Zara (Feld and Stoddard, 2004). Keeping up with technology allows Zara to focus on future fashion trends, with effective IT they will be able to stay ahead of the curve and keep their leadership. They will sustain their business model based on short deadlines, decrease quantities, and updated styles and fashion.If Zara anticipates opening up new stores in the future, they would need to upgr ade their system anyway. If they opened up new stores with new technology, their current technology would not be compatible and the stores could not communicate effectively with one another and share information. The second solution mentioned above, which involves hiring a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options is not in the best interest of the corporation.Hiring consultants takes time and energy and are expensive. They are not familiar with the organizations structure, strengths, weaknesses or capabilities. Financial resources would be better spent on the purchase of new upgraded equipment vs. putting off the inevitable. The first solution described above, purchasing the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology and continuing to function they way they have been is not an option, if they want to remain viable.Change is unavoidable , as this profitable, highly reputable company cannot continue to function with obsolete equipment. Obsolete equipment sets them up for failure in the event the equipment fails or needs repair. It does not allow them to implement a systematic plan to move the organization forward, instead it stagnates their capabilities. The likely outcomes of my recommendation would be an efficient, accurate, timely IT infrastructure that communicates well with all stores, accurately accounts for all inventory, allowing manual processes to dissolve.This creates greater efficiencies on the part of the staff. Changing and upgrading their IT system would compensate for their internal communication weaknesses. Upgrading the POS terminals to modern inventory management software, would allow orders to be made on a daily basis instead of twice a week. This would allow the demand and supply to be matched more accurately, making the production process leaner. Inventory management software would lso allow de signers to follow the sales of garments more closely, instead of relying on manual orders from store managers. Store managers could send new fashion or fabric ideas over the internet to headquarters. This constant monitoring and updating can give designers an advantage over the competition in developing new styles and keeping up with the latest fashions. Updating their communication and IT system sooner, rather than later would overall sustain viability of the corporation and enhance their business success. Zara: It for Fast Fashion Zara: IT for Fast Fashion Identification of issues: The case study, Zara: IT for Fast Fashion, focuses on the retail giant, Inditex, and how its largest retail chain, Zara, has been so successful with their business model of high fashion, product variation, low cost, speed, and flexibility. Several issues are identified in this case study. One glaring issue that is apparent relates to the fact that a long term Information Technology (IT) strategy does not exist. There is no formal system in place to plan and predict for their future needs, including operational and capital expenses.Another issue consists of the retailer not having a centralized distribution system in place, their stores do not share inventory counts, and the managers do not have a system in place to look up their inventory balances in their stores or other stores, (they accomplish this by canvassing the stores). Another significant current issue relates to the fact that their current IT system is unsustainable, as th e equipment is obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. Their IT system is not wireless, their screens are small, they are using styluses, which can be cumbersome, and older technology such as floppy disks and modems.The last issue involves a lack of shared knowledge of the current system in place; one person is relied upon and depended for knowledge of the systems functionality. Being so dependant upon one person places the whole system at risk. Importance of the key issue: The key issue in this case study involves whether or not Inditex should upgrade the retailer’s information technology infrastructure and capabilities or whether they should continue using their current system. The problem that Zara faces now is that their current system, P-O-S (Point of Sales terminals), runs on DOS, which Microsoft does not support any longer.Any hardware change in the POS terminal would not be compatible with their current POS software. Without an upgrade, they risk that their current sup plier could no longer support them. Investing in IT infrastructure is inevitable as Microsoft DOS is obsolete technology and there is no guarantee that their POS vendor will continue supplying the same terminal without changes to their hardware. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) are currently used in all Zara stores, POS terminals are not connected with Zara’s headquarters or with other stores. here is no system in place to link employees’ daily sales, causing employees to copy this information onto a floppy disk. Zara’s success and main business strategy is dependent upon their ability to respond very quickly to the demands of their customers. By upgrading their current system, they could add functionality and capabilities that could resolve other issues they face, such as sharing inventory, and being proficient at matching supply and demand. They can comfortably meet their mission by keeping current with fashion.Without the infrastructure to support i t, it would be impossible to accomplish, as they would not have the security controls, and back up systems in place. This issue is more important than any other issue to resolve, as Zara’s mission, success and future depends on technology reliability and accuracy. If this issue is not resolved, it is impossible to address all of the other issues identified above. Key Stakeholders: There are numerous stakeholders who are affected by the key issue of whether or not they should upgrade their IT Zara’s customers system want the latest fashions in stock, in their size and color, in a timey fashion.By having an upgraded, efficient IT system, Zara’s customers could experience better inventory controls to meet their needs. This in turn develops customer loyalty which equates to a higher volume of sales. Another key stakeholder is Zara’s employees. Employees want job security. A well defined, upgraded, efficient IT system can assist in sales volume, which turns in to profit for the company. Employees also want to reduce their workload and redundancy. Their current system does not take advantage of functional automation and communication, which can increase their work load.Another stakeholder, Zara’s IT vendor, certainly wants to maintain their business relationship with them, but may find it difficult to continue conducting business with a company who uses such an obsolete, unsupported, vulnerable system. Zara’s managers are also important stakeholders in the decision to upgrade. Their managers want the current POS system to do more, such as look up inventory balances in stores. This basic functionality is lacking. They want to be in a position to negotiate pricing and keep up with their competitors.Zara’s shareholders are interested in maintaining the financial success that Zara has experienced. They want a system in place to assure that their current fashion demands are met, that a system is in place to account for and share merchandise. They want to be able to invest wisely and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry. Another stakeholder, Zara’s suppliers wants a functional IT system to provide better lead time for orders and materials, and to be able to communicate in a timely, seamless manner. Causes of the issue:There are many causes that contribute to the situation that Zara faces at the moment. Having a mission and vision without having a strategic plan to get there is a contributing factor. Having a decentralized decision making system in place can also be a root cause. Having equipment that is obsolescence is a result of the above factors. Not having staff and systems in place to effectively plan for the future, leads to antiquated equipment and manual, cumbersome, inaccurate, processes. Other factors responsible for the lack of strategic IT planning at Zara include their current business model and leadership complacency.Alternative solutions: There are three alter native solutions. The first would be to purchase the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology, and continue functioning the way they have been. The second solution involves hire a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options. The third solution to the key issue identified is to proceed in upgrading their current IT system and add functional capabilities to meet the needs of their organization.Recommendations: I recommend the third solution, that Zara purchase and implementing a new POS networking system. This recommendation would create a robust system that is more responsive to Inditex’s supply chain network. It also removes the risk of the system becoming obsolete and non- compatible with the vendor’s machine upgrade. It decreases their exposure for system failures, helps to maintain and improve efficiency of decentraliza tion because information flow can be improved between stores, distribution chains and vendors.The most important aspect of Zara’s approach to information technology includes the ability to meet the needs of their customers, whether that involves accuracy, timeliness, marketing, demand, or communication. Their original business model involved linking demand to manufacturing, and linking manufacturing to distribution, this involves a reliable, compatible IT system. Upgrading the POS applications to include additional functionality, such as networking capability, and the ability to share inventory with other stores, only makes their corporation more productive and efficient.The use of larger screens, and keyboards, vs. smaller screens and styluses would also be beneficial to the employees and customers. There are however pitfalls to this recommendation. Above and beyond the obvious capital expense of the equipment and software, implementing the recommended solution in the short term may require restructuring the IT department to include a Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO would also be responsible to conduct a comprehensive review of current industry technologies and determine which IT capabilities and functionalities will best support the company’s strategic mission.This person would also be responsible to initiate a formal IT budgeting process that is part of the broader capital budget, and create a formal process for selecting and prioritizing IT projects that includes both financial and non-financial metrics (Porter, M, 2001). In the medium term, Zara may consider an outside team to initiate this IT change. It is questionable if Zara currently has the time and internal talent to effect the change. An outsourced professional team may accomplish this task, while allowing personnel to focus on their day to day operations.Zara can cross train a few IT personnel to work closely with the implementation team, to assure a seamless transition. A à ¢â‚¬Å"train the trainer† may be beneficial. This may mean that they may have to hire replacement personnel on a temporary basis. In the long term Zara should develop a â€Å"long-term IT renewal plan† as recommended by Feld and Stoddard, 2004, to develop a plan to maintain and sustain their new system; this requires time, money and talent. Incorporating the three principles in executing IT effectively: A long termIT renewal plan linked to corporate strategy, a simplified unifying corporate technology platform and a highly functional, performance-oriented IT organization would benefit Zara (Feld and Stoddard, 2004). Keeping up with technology allows Zara to focus on future fashion trends, with effective IT they will be able to stay ahead of the curve and keep their leadership. They will sustain their business model based on short deadlines, decrease quantities, and updated styles and fashion.If Zara anticipates opening up new stores in the future, they would need to upgr ade their system anyway. If they opened up new stores with new technology, their current technology would not be compatible and the stores could not communicate effectively with one another and share information. The second solution mentioned above, which involves hiring a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options is not in the best interest of the corporation.Hiring consultants takes time and energy and are expensive. They are not familiar with the organizations structure, strengths, weaknesses or capabilities. Financial resources would be better spent on the purchase of new upgraded equipment vs. putting off the inevitable. The first solution described above, purchasing the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology and continuing to function they way they have been is not an option, if they want to remain viable.Change is unavoidable , as this profitable, highly reputable company cannot continue to function with obsolete equipment. Obsolete equipment sets them up for failure in the event the equipment fails or needs repair. It does not allow them to implement a systematic plan to move the organization forward, instead it stagnates their capabilities. The likely outcomes of my recommendation would be an efficient, accurate, timely IT infrastructure that communicates well with all stores, accurately accounts for all inventory, allowing manual processes to dissolve.This creates greater efficiencies on the part of the staff. Changing and upgrading their IT system would compensate for their internal communication weaknesses. Upgrading the POS terminals to modern inventory management software, would allow orders to be made on a daily basis instead of twice a week. This would allow the demand and supply to be matched more accurately, making the production process leaner. Inventory management software would lso allow de signers to follow the sales of garments more closely, instead of relying on manual orders from store managers. Store managers could send new fashion or fabric ideas over the internet to headquarters. This constant monitoring and updating can give designers an advantage over the competition in developing new styles and keeping up with the latest fashions. Updating their communication and IT system sooner, rather than later would overall sustain viability of the corporation and enhance their business success.

All Quit on the Western Front essays

All Quit on the Western Front essays All Quit on the Western, by Erich Maria Remarque, is a book that explores the true horrors of World War I thought the eyes of a German solider. This story is shows how World War I was not the glorifying war that some people envision it to be. The author uses the character of Paul to tell a realistic story of what the average WWI solider had to endure. This book raises the issue of how destructive war can be not only to a country, but also to a generation of a nation. One of the major themes in the story is that of the lost generation. What Remarque was trying to show, is that an entire generation was lost because of the war. Not only were millions of people killed in the fighting but also many of them were distorted mentally because of the horrible experiences that many of then had to endure. Paul talks about the faceless enemy and how the fight was not with anyone he hated. Paul was affected the greatest when he had to kill the French soldier in the ditch and hear him die a slow painful death. This one experience, of not only killing a man but also to do it close enough that he could put a face with his enemy, haunted Pauls mind. This was most likely a shared feeling with the soldiers at this time. They had to live though watching their countrymen die by being shot or blown up and continue fighting as if nothing should affect them. To deal with death is hard enough without having it shoved in your face. The fact of the matter is that an entire nation suffers when fighting a war. The county is physically destroyed and needs to be rebuilt. This requires money that has already been spent in a war effort. The major lost is that one generation of young adults that were forced to fight a war that they didnt understand. They were almost wiped out and those that did survive must live with the atrocities that they have seen. This is one of the main points illustrated by Remarque though the s ...

Medical School Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Medical School - Personal Statement Example And I believed that with all my heart, that doing something else would make me both happy and rich. Because of such dreams of grandeur I took a liking to engineering and business courses, thinking that one day I might strike gold and become rich and famous like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet. However, my dreams of becoming rich and famous by being a businessman or an engineer came to an end when I realized that I had no sure way of achieving those goals. I just accepted the fact that I had too many selfish hopes and high dreams with unrealistic expectations. As I went through high school, I happened to discover that my strengths actually lie in my interest in the field of biology, especially of the human body. My interest of the human body was greatly influenced by my father, a well-respected physician. As a child I could remember him talking about the cases that he worked on, and even bringing me to the hospital to get close to the action. My efforts to defy what my parents wish for failed, as I realized that what they push me to do was actually my personal calling. My decision to volunteer at a hospital and a walk-in clinic solidified my choice of becoming a doctor, especially the unique experiences that I had while being there. What inspired me even more to press on becoming a doctor was the fact that the clinic I volunteered in was a non-profit charity organization, and that everyone was putting their lives on the line by helping the neediest among the needy, the poorest of the poor. The case of Michael Thornton, a patient with a painful case of osteoarthritis in his finger joints moved me the most. After telling the secretary about his complaint, he was promptly attended to by Dr. Al i, the physician on-duty. Seeing the look of relief and joy in Michael’s face after getting treatment made me realize that this was what kept my father going as a physician. Realizing that fulfillment as a doctor is possible after seeing the relief and the

Collaboration and decision support Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Collaboration and decision support - Essay Example The managers access and utilise their required information (through data services option) to devise policies and prepare future plans. In addition, the system also identifies what information could be accessed and helpful for executives from different departments. The next support tool is ‘forecasting’, which enables managers to input business data in system so that system application automatically provides forecasts, estimations and certain calculations in the form of text, charts and tables. Hence, the manual process of forecasting is replaced with this new technology, thereby reducing time involved in decision-making and strategic planning. The third major support tool is known as ‘automatic report generation facility’, which provides updated daily / weekly / monthly reports on progress of the firm so that policy-makers will remain updated regarding business performance followed by changes in external environment. Also, the system provides email and conta ct facilities with real experts and other organisational personnel via intranet so that decision-makers could enhance interaction and information sharing before policy formulation. Reference Ba, Sulin, Karl Lang, and Andrew Whinston (1997). Enterprise decision support using Intranet Technology. Decision Support Systems, Volume 20, Issue 2, pp. 99-134

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

Marketing Communications - Essay Example The inter-dependence of the various elements within the system has vast potential to establish a market that is sustainable as well as mutually satisfying. Indeed, as per the video (persuaders), one of the major challenges of modern integrated marketing is anticipating the changing requirements of the people and using effective advertising to connect emotionally with the people. Kotler has defined IMC as the concept under which a company carefully integrates and coordinates its many communications channels to deliver a clear, consistent and compelling messages about the organization and its products (Kotler, 2009). Even though the customer base is increasing, it is becoming difficult not only to attract more customers but also to retain them. So, one need to add something ‘more’ on the existing products to make it more attractive without compromising much on the price. In fact, the more innovative the product and fancier the promotional techniques, the higher are its chances of capturing market space. Thereby, asserting that brands, advertising, and promotional techniques are very important tools of marketing. Baker and Hart have asserted that ‘putting people into marketing is essential for many reasons’ and not the least being that all businesses fundamentally cater to the needs of the people (Baker & Hart, 2007). Advertisements and media play a very crucial role in the strategy planning and are often used to define company’s position vis-Ã  -vis the market strategy for non market factors. A well defined market strategy is the key to success in any new market. The various media in the region are important tool to popularize the company and help establish its brand among the masses. Analysis and identification of the changing trends of the customer requirements are important ingredients to gain leverage against their rivals. Understanding of consumer psychology,

Rhetorical Analysis of Obamas Inaugural Address 2008 Essay Example for Free

Rhetorical Analysis of Obamas Inaugural Address 2008 Essay The 2008 presidential campaign was controversial, emotional, historical and also amidst an economic crisis. Barack Obama’s victory marked a change in American society regarding race and politics. His election as the first African American President of the United States is profound and signifies a changing America. Obama gave his inaugural address on January 20, 2009 in Washington D.C. Unlike the campaign, the inauguration was a celebration, marked by clear skies and a patriotic crowd. More than one million people gathered in the National Mall to support the newly elected President despite cold weather. His primary audience was the American people viewing, but he also appealed to a secondary audience consisting of nations across the globe. Obama’s use of diction, tone, and vocal variety created a powerful delivery that supported his implicit purpose. In order to achieve his explicit purpose, he established and maintained a positive ethos and appealed to pathos through imagery. Obama’s explicit purpose was deliberative and challenged Americans to return to the moral truths â€Å"upon which our success depends†. He does not clearly state his main claim until the end of the speech. He goes on to list these truths as, â€Å"honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty, and patriotism†. After listing these values and challenging Americans to return to them, he states, â€Å"[w]hat is required now of us is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world [. . .]†. He is leaving it up to American citizens to take responsibility to face the challenges of today by returning to principles of yesterday. Implicitly, Obama’s speech was an attempt to generate a sense of hope back into America. He chooses words such as ‘hope’, ‘unity’, and ‘peace’ in order to rhetorically soothe the audience. He delivers a powerful implicit message through his use of diction, tone, and vocal variety. The diction that Obama used in addit ion to tone and vocal variety created a powerful delivery that contributed to the success of his motives for speaking. By choosing to use particular words or phrases, Obama was able to convey his message more clearly and he was also able to affect the audience in a particular way. For example, near the beginning of the speech he says, â€Å"[t]he time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit†. This is another way of stating his explicit purpose. Telling the audience that they have an ‘enduring spirit’ is an attempt to encourage them to press on. Another example of this encouraging diction is when he says, â€Å"we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America†. This phrase received great reception from the audience because of the optimism it instilled. Not only did the specific words that he chose contribute to the success of his speech, but the way in which he delivered the words ultimately made the purpose of the speech successful. Throughout the duration of his speech, Obama maintained a clear, strong, confident voice that easil y projected across the magnificent crowd. He enunciated each word clearly and carefully and adjusted his tone appropriately with his speech. He also emphasized particular words in order to stress their significance. One particular example of this was when Obama was discussing our common defense and he said, â€Å"[a]nd we are ready to lead once more†, stressing each word separately and with great force. This is important because it gets the audience’s attention and not only focuses on his explicit purpose, but also implicitly creates optimism that generates hope into the crowd. In order to gain credibility with his audience, Obama had to first establish a positive ethos. Without credibility, Obama would not be able to achieve his primary purpose. He appeals to ethos when he opens his speech with â€Å"[m]y fellow citizens†. By putting himself on the same level as the people who had elected him President, he was able to gain their trust and respect. He does this again when he says â€Å"[. . .] We the Pe ople have remained faithful† only a few sentences later. Not only does Obama have to establish a positive ethos to accomplish his explicit purpose, he also needs to maintain a positive ethos. He does this successfully several times throughout his speech. One way in particular that he does this is by continuing to include himself with the American citizens. He does not blame the state of the economy on the government, citizens, or anyone else, but instead calls it â€Å"our collective failure to make hard choices†. He could easily point a finger at another political party, for example, but he does not, and that maintains his positive credibility. A final way in which Obama establishes and maintains a positive ethos is by addressing the opposing side. He discusses how they will criticize his plans and refutes it by saying, â€Å"[t]he question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works [. . .]†. By taking the opposing side into account, Obama demonstrates that he is well prepared and credible which enables him to achieve his explicit purpose. Obama also appeals to pathos through descriptive imagery in attempt to motivate people to return to old moral values. He discusses the Americans who have struggled, sacrificed, and persevered for generations and the examples that they are. For instance, he says,â€Å"[f]or us, they packed up [. . .] and traveled [. . .] [f]or us, they toiled in sweatshops [. . .] endured the lash of the whip [. . .] plowed the hard earth[. . .] [f]or us, they fought and died [. . .]†. His repeated use of â€Å"for us† is an example of anaphora and is significant because it reinforces the sacrifice behind the struggle. He wanted Americans to remember those in the past who had fought and endured for freedom and victory. By doing this, Obama further motivated his audience to return to old moral values and encouraged them to take responsibility to face the challenges of this age. In conclusion, Barack Obama’s diction, tone, and vocal variety contributed to an influential delivery that directly influenced the success of his implicit purpose of instilling optimism into the American people. By establishing and maintaining a positive ethos, Obama created a more receptive audience that was willing to hear what he had to say because of his recognized credibility. This enabled him to achieve his primary purpose of challenging Americans to return to old moral values and to take responsibility for themselves, their nation, and even the world. Finally, Obama appealed to pathos in an attempt to further challenge Americans by reminding them of brave Americans from the past who have struggled and sacrificed so that freedom could live on. Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address is quite successful when analyzing these elements because he effectively fit his message to the current economic circumstances and used suitable techniques to appeal to the audience.

How Technology Has Changed Law Enforcement Criminology Essay

How Technology Has Changed Law Enforcement Criminology Essay The purpose of this paper is to discover how technology has changed the role of law enforcement personnel and how crimes and criminals have changed since the days of the Roman Empire. The objective is to show the advancements in technology that will aid our law enforcement agencies and police in fighting crime and to stop crime before it happens. This paper explains how the role of police officer has slowly changed up until the 21st century. Since the year 2000, everything has been quickly changing. New technologies have provided criminals with a whole new class of crimes and have also made it extremely difficult for them to get caught. At the same time, new technologies have been developed to help law enforcement fight against this new class of crime and criminal. The problem is that the new high-tech criminals are ahead in the fight. Although there has been a trend of consolidating law enforcement agencies, over the years, there is still a large resistance to the idea. Many states have merged agencies and have become more efficient in the way of service but many more a slow to realize the benefits of merging when it comes to fighting globalized crimes. Government agencies, such as the FBI, CIA, and Homeland Security seem to have an endless supply of funds that they can use to obtain the ways and means to fight 21st century crime. Terrorism is their main concern. Those at the federal level are attempting to merge efforts with state and local law enforcement agencies. Not much evidence was found to show that the federal government agencies are providing the lower levels of law enforcement with much needed funds. How does the role of police officer need to change in order to adequately protect our citizens from 21st century crimes and criminals? Chapter 2: History of Law Enforcement From the time when the development of society first began, some sort of law enforcement existed to defend the people against violence and crime and to keep rulers in command. Even in the Biblical era, there were armed personnel enlisted to uphold the peace. In ancient Egypt, a pharaoh reined over the land and his army of soldiers pursued the Israelites through the Red Sea. There were other similar civilizations like the Babylonians, the Syrians, and the Palestinians, just to name a few (Uchida, 1993). The most well established of all military armies was the Roman Empire. The Romans had an incredibly efficient and brutal mode of law enforcement that was established in order to uphold peace and enforce order. The Roman citizens never actually had an authentic police force, it wasnt until clan chiefs and state leaders were required to protect their people, back in the 5th century that police forces were established (Uchida, 1993). London was first to hire and pay keepers of the peace back in 1663. The idea quickly spread throughout the U.K. In June of 1800, Scotland established the Glasgow city police department. Glasgow police were the first trained police officers and were proficient in defensive policing. In 1829, Scotlands Parliament passed the Metropolitan Police Act, establishing the earliest civil police force model that has, over the last 181 years, has been adopted by many other countries, including the U. S. In 1834, Canada established its Toronto Police Force, making it one of the first police agencies in North America. 1939 brought the first full-time police department in U. S., namely, the Boston Police Department (Uchida, 1993). When civic policing was originally established in London in 1829, the focus was on stopping crime before it started: The community and the officials themselves looked upon the goal of policing as the nonexistence of crime. The original police officers in the U.S. were called peace officers; nevertheless, a markedly American approach of policing started to transpire in the States subsequent to the ending of the Civil War. As early settlers colonized the West, they realized they had to protect themselves from the natives. This realization led to the development of vigilante groups that were able to establish a list of township laws and frequently hired a so called gunfighter to be the townships sheriff in expectation of adequate protection. Over the decades, the American policing system changed from preventing crime to capturing and punishing law breakers. This system of law enforcement has reigned over time and has been adopted by numerous other countries (Stephens, 2005). The first modern police teams in America borrowed a great deal from those previously established in England. American law enforcement agencies adopted the strategy of crime deterrence, defensive patrol, and the military directorial plan of the first contemporary police department in London. American policing also borrowed additional elements from the English structure, such as, limitations to the amount of authority bestowed to police officers (Maguire, 1997). The security of individual freedom was greatly stressed in both the U. S. and England, consequently, limits were established on legislative and police authorities. This wasnt the situation in other European nations, where police organizations were allowed a wider range of control and individuals had few personal freedoms (Walker, 1999). Many countries have one central, state-run law enforcement agency. The U. S. and England do not. The American structure of law enforcement is controlled at the local, state, and federal levels, with the bulk of departments being community municipalities. One feature of U. S. policing system that was adopted from English heritage is a vastly decentralized and fragmented method of law enforcement. According to 1993 statistics, there are just about twenty thousand single law enforcement agencies within the U. S. The lack of organization and cooperation between individual law enforcement groups is a common characteristic of the American approach to law enforcement (Maguire et al, 1998). Even though the U.S. adopted the English model of a police force, there are several differences between the English and U. S. methods of law enforcement. England does not have a powerful political influence over their police agencies, unlike the U.S. and our daunting relationship between politics and policing. In fact, policing in America throughout the 19th century has been described as being disorganized, unproductive, unprofessional, and extremely corrupt (Walker, 1999). Those were times of high turnover of police officers, largely due to politics. For this reason, officers were not likely to have chummy relationships with the neighborhood people. During this time, police officers were notorious for brutality and were highly disrespected by the community. Police corruption led to an increase in violence among the towns people as well and thus resulted in weapon toting policemen (Walker, 1999). The 20th century brought on major changes to policing in the U. S. Underlying these changes was three main principle forces: (Gaines et al, 1999). Political reform. Modern technologies. The civil rights movement. Early in the 1900s, an extensive social and political movement in the U. S. called Progressivism was bringing awareness to and calling for total reform across a wide gamut of societal struggles. Progressives alleged that it was the governments duty to enhance the living conditions of the people. The Progressives demanded laws that would regulation sizeable businesses and corrupt local politics, modifications in labor laws, and upgrades to the whole of social welfare services (Walker, 1999). This reform effort was to the professionalization of police officers. The professionalization movement was to reform the ineffective and corrupt police departments that had been created throughout the 19th century. During this era of reform, there was a complete restructuring of police agencies and the role of police officers was redefined. The reformers goal was to eradicate political control, hire competent leaders, and elevate recruiting standards. The reform agenda involved the development of an unbiased public service administration and the restructuring of police agencies through the utilization of the principles of scientific management and the creation of specialized units (Walker, 1999). Table 1 Number of Major Events in the Last 40 Years that helped form Law Enforcement into what it is today. 1970s 1980,s 1990,s 21st Century Civil Uprising 44 13 10 1910 KKK 1 1 0 0 Black Militancy 6 0 0 0 Terrorist Attacks 10 11 9 23 Failed Terrorist Attacks 5 3 2 10 Intercepted Terrorist Plots 0 0 7 25 Chapter 3: Early Technology in Police Work The 20th century saw new technology that had a notable affect on policing in the U. S. Three specific technologies revolutionized policing: (Garretson, 2005). The two-way radio. The patrol car. The telephone. The two-way radio furnished on duty communication among supervisors and their officers, immediately impacting the quality of service to the community. The patrol car was presented in the 1920s and drastically increased the mobility of officers and radically lowered response time. The telephone made it possible for people to have a direct connection with the police department (Garretson, 2005). These new technologies also had a few unconstructive consequences. The patrol car isolated the police officers, where previously on foot, the officers were well-known in the neighborhood they patrolled and were able to visit with the citizens they came in contact with. The patrol car made law enforcement officers outsiders in their own communities. The telephone seriously increased the patrol officers workload. Individuals commenced telephoning the police department for trivial and private troubles that patrol officers were not accustomed to dealing with. The telephone changed casual civilian contact to personal contact by bringing officers into peoples homes (Garretson, 2005). Chapter 4: Modern Technology in Law Enforcement Here, in the 21st century, technology is advancing in the areas of; communication, computer systems, weapons, brain wave sensors, density scanners, amplified realism, biometrics, vision enhancers, and many more. Developments in technology will supply police departments with viable equipment that will greatly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement personnel. Scientists within the Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center (CTAC) are operating with government agencies in the development of new technological devices that are going to be used by law enforcement agencies (Brandenstein, 2002). One such type of gadget is called the mini-buster. The mini-buster is a handheld device that senses the density of solid items so as to locate secret compartments that are concealed in the body of a vehicle. It can locate hidden compartments that could possibly be used to smuggle illegal imports, terrorist devices, and any other prohibited substances (Brandenstein, 2002). Scientists have produced a wireless interoperability system that can connect all federal, state, and local broadcasting frequencies. This system guarantees real-time communication for first-responder emergency personnel. To aid law enforcement officers with searches and evidence display, scientists have created a non-intrusive freight inspection device that discloses the contents of sealed containers. This device can also distinguish contents such as drugs, weapons, biological agents, and explosives. This device saves precious time and promises a certain amount of protection to police officers and investigators (Brandenstein, 2001). The scientists at CTAC have also created a video stabilization apparatus that electronically changes worthless, unstable surveillance video into comprehensible, court ready evidence. CTAC also supplies federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies with night vision and digital wiretapping devices (Brandenstein, 2002). Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems are built-in camera databases that also take pictures of car license plates and then compare them against databases of stolen cars or license plates (Banlingit, 2009). ALPRs were created in the 1980s to fight IRA assaults in England. ALPRs monitor all automobiles entering London. In the U.S. the ALPRs were first utilized along the borders at points of entry. This fixed position technology has become accessible in smaller, more sophisticated editions. At this time there are a number of companies manufacturing mobile APLRs that can be installed onto patrol cars (Balingit, 2009). At the moment a police officer starts his car, the APLR continuously takes 60 pictures per second and processes each license plate. As soon as a plate number is obtained, the numbers and letters are processed with OCR software (Optical Character Recognition) and compared to the information in another database to reveal a match. Although not advisable, the ALPRs works so fast that an ALPR-equipped patrol car traveling at over 100 mph can process the license plate of each and every car it passes in a parking lot, on both sides, and in total darkness. Furthermore the driver of the police car by no means needs to remove his hands from the steering wheel (Balingit, 2009). Mobile ALPRs are presently being used all over the U.S. and Canada. When other databases are linked, these ALPRs will provide police officers with important information on the vehicle itself and the vehicles owner (Belingit, 2009). Â   One of the largest hurdles in dealing with people from a different nation is speech. Language limitations make a complex job of identification and interviewing more complex. Most law enforcement officers have access to some type translation service, typically in the form of telephone translation services. However, this kind of service is not equivalent to employing a native speaker. Language translators will be able to fill the void (NLECTC U.S. 2003). There are actually quite a few varieties: desktop, handheld/portable, and Internet. The desktop systems that are presently on the market do not necessarily offer the finest in free form translation, meaning you can actually talk into them and they will translate what you said into the language you choose. Due to the large amounts of memory required, these types of systems are generally made for use on desktop computers. This technology is not broadly accessible and the cost is astronomical. Inside a few years the cost will decrease and it will likely be logical to think that an officer will be able to interrogate a suspect in their native language through a computer and in real time (NLECTC U.S. 2003). The handheld language translators that are available today offer some speech recognition capabilities. Handheld systems do not permit a person to ask any questions they want, but they do contain the ability to recognize customary questions asked by law enforcement and afterward play back a translation. Created for U.S. military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan these translators are reasonably priced and could undoubtedly aid law enforcement officers with speaking to people in various languages. Other languages can be added at any time. Translation devices have the ability to facilitate agency operations and to cut down miscommunication among police officers and the general public (NLECTC U.S. 2003). Researchers in the U. K. are conducting biometrics research in order to assemble a database of violent criminals and sex offenders (McCue, 2003). This database will use facial and voice recognition systems to correlate with the electronic fingerprint and palm print identification system. Video cameras and microphones that are being used in public and concealed surveillance systems will be able to identify thousands of violent criminals that saunter by (McCue, 2001). The Pinellas County, Florida, Sheriffs Office currently utilizes facial identification equipment to identify prisoners booked into the county jail. The facial identification system is capable of taking four facial pictures in under five seconds. The images are entered into the database where they are accessible to law enforcement agencies all over the world (Facial Recognition, 2004). Law enforcement officers face a big challenge when people provide them with false information regarding their identity. Knowing the real identity of someone they are dealing with could mean the difference between life and death. Until recently, there were very few ways that an officer could use to determine who an individual really was. MVD records could be searched if a photo drivers license was presented, if the license is legitimate (Weiss Davis, 2005). Facial recognition technology uses unalterable facial features, such as the distance between the pupil centers of the eye. It then uses an algorithm, which is a finite set of steps for solving a problem, to convert the image to numbers. The computer program compares the digital photograph of a face with the ones in the database and is able to identify a match, with the most probable match first. The police officer then decides which of the computers matches of the person in question. Facial Recognition Devices can also be used to identify a body as long as a good image can be taken (Weiss Davis, 2005). Chapter 5: Future Technology in Law Enforcement The U. S. Department of Defense research workers have developed a very unique uniform called (LEAP), which stands for Law Enforcement Advanced Protection System. This uniform delivers ballistic, chemical, and biological armor for S.W.A.T. officers and Hazmat specialists. The LEAP uniform is made of a supple body armor that is designed to contain radios, extra ammunition, hydration pouches, and other necessary gear. The ergonomic load-bearing belt contains a pistol, magazines, handcuffs, flash bangs, along with other equipment. The LEAP helmet contains a GPS system, radio antenna, flashlight, drop-down visor with heads-up display, and a detachable mandible to cover the face and neck. The LEAP uniform comes with boots, kneepads, elbow pads, and a waste management zipper (U.S. Soldier Systems Center, 2004). Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are unmanned auto pilot planes designed to survey a predetermined area. First created during World War I, robotic aircraft were utilized for target practice on antiaircraft gunners. Currently UAVs are run by computerized steering or by an out-of-the-way operator, these devices are considered to be an important factor in near future law enforcement operations (Carafano, 2005). Recently, UAVs deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq have received significant publicity due to their capacity to identify and fire upon enemy targets. UAVs have the power to remain in the air for quite a few days; these devices are considered to be a crucial force multiplier enabling police officers to keep an eye on emergent situations with a birds eye view by means of specialized sensors and video equipment (Carafano, 2005). UAVs have been tested with a range of degrees of success by federal law enforcement agencies such as the Department of Defense and U.S. Border Patrol. The future of UAVs will not be exclusively available to agencies with mega dollar budgets. Restricted border monitoring committees including the American Border Patrol have operated cheaper versions of UAVs for detecting prohibited border traffic since 2004. Purchasing smaller, consumer retail products, these types of exclusive groups have employed UAVs outfitted with night vision that cost under $30,000 each. As more and more law enforcement agencies find merit in this technology, costs are going to be driven down. In the not so far-off future, the currently used television helicopter will likely be replaced by a highflying, ultra-quiet law enforcement-issued UAV (Carafano, 2005). The militarys development of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) could significantly affect law enforcement. Using nanotechnology, the police UAVs would be the size of a small bird and stay aloft quietly for several hours. Using facial and voice recognition software, the devices could scan hundreds of yards in multiple directions, day or night, for known felons or wanted persons. One UAV could do the work of several plain-clothed officers in unmarked vehicles (Olligschlaeger, 2004). The new exoskeleton suit can be worn by an officer and uses nanotechnology and artificial muscles to allow the officer to run with minimal effort, over prolonged periods, at a speed of up to 20 mph. The suit also enables officers to lift up to four times their body weight (Olligschlaeger, 2004). The most interesting human and computer relationship could be the Mind Switch or Environmental Control Unit (ECU). Scientists at the University of Technology in Sydney have developed this extraordinary device. It could be described as a hands free remote control. The device responds to human brain waves that are brought on by thought. When the wearer of the device thinks about turning on the television, the device will remotely turn on the television (Rice, 2004). Augmented reality (AR) is a powerful new technology that is being developed. AR will provide situational awareness by projecting images into a persons real world vision. This device could aide law enforcement officers in several ways: (Cowper Buerger, 2003). Patrol car operator data and regional traffic management information on a heads-up display to make driving safer and more efficient, especially during pursuit and rapid response situations (2003). Identification Friend or Foe technology, worn by every police officer to reduce or eliminate friendly fire casualties by visually, audibly and/or haptically highlighting fellow police officers both on and off duty (2003). Display of officer location, activity and status information projected on a 3-dimensional map of the community (2003). The coordinated use of robots, UAVs and police officers managed through an AR network to enhance surveillance activities (2003). The use of realistic training scenarios to simulate dangerous police environments while blending real world equipment and fellow trainees into the scenario (2003). For some time now, computers have had the ability to process instructions from human verbal communication by means of voice analysis software. The next inherent step is voice interaction, comparable to that of an interactive robot. Robotic assistants are vastly intelligent computers that make use of a combination of emerging technologies: speech identification, vocalization synthesis, and amplified reality. The probabilities are to all intents and purposes endless. incorporating this device into an infinite number of public and restricted databases, employing data mining technology, and communicating with existing law enforcement communications systems (Computer Aided Dispatch, GPS guided locator systems, mobile data computers, etc.), will create an incredibly powerful and efficient information management system. A police officer using one of these devices in the field could accomplish many tasks at the same time by merely conversing with the device and dictating spoken commands (Cow per Buerger, 2003). Some additional technological advancement on the horizon include personal assistants, speech synthesis, wearable computers, data mining, liquid body armor, electronic clothing, artificial intelligence and crime forecasting (Olligschlaeger, 2004). Chapter 6: Agency Consolidation Research For centuries new there have agency consolidations, arguments over the idea, and endless discussions on the subject. The idea of consolidating over 17,000 law enforcement agencies throughout the U. S. into 1,000 regional agencies dates back to the 50s and was immediately rejected. Rural Americans were not pleased with the idea of losing local control. Rural communities also prefer to have very little government influence (Brown, 2009). Most small town police departments are comfortable with how their department is operated, the services they provide, and the local people whom they employ. They believe that a regional agency would bring uncertainty to their employment status and the nature of their jobs. The development of a regional agency would provide more services and better protection but this argument was also rejected due to the fact that small towns residents feel they do not need any more services or better protection. Nearly all small town communities feel their police departments are providing adequate service to the local people (Brown, 2009). Edward J. Tully (2002) believes there to be, seven main reasons why agency consolidation should at least be considered, they are listed as follows: Current regionalization efforts among jails have been successful. Las Vegas and Jacksonville have successfully merged police and sheriff offices into one metropolitan police force. Country wide based police forces have been successfully established in fast growing suburban counties (2002). Police related technology is extremely costly and the capabilities outweigh the need in most police departments. Computer technology is easily shared but the desire to share information is rare (2002). The U.S. is rapidly changing in terms of demographics, culture, and economy. Rural areas are losing population. The number of people approaching retirement age is increasing. The U.S. is more ethnically diverse than ever before. The majority of work has moved from blue collar to white collar. Crime rates have drastically increased in recent years. Our law enforcement officers have to be more sophisticated, more diverse, and more technologically proficient in order to deal effectively with todays criminals (2002). In this age of ceaseless litigation, the actions of one misguided police officer can result in liability to the entire agency. One judgment awarded against a rural police officer could bankrupt that department. A regional police agency would not directly deter misconduct but would spread the liability costs easing the financial strain (2002). Consolidation of police agencies would employ over 1500 officers and if properly trained and managed, could lead to a far more professional police force largely due to increased salaries and benefits, increased training, specialized services, and opportunities for promotion. The recruitment of highly qualified people would be considerably enhanced (2002). Police officers would have better resources to provide protection to citizens against criminal behavior, a higher quality of investigation, faster response times, and adequate man power for emergencies (2002). The nature of crime is changing. Cybercrimes, both national and international, such as terrorism, narcotics trafficking. These types of crime are beyond the available resource for small departments to investigate. Criminals realize this and use it to their advantage. Because of these reasons, it is necessary to involve the government in such criminal activity which reduces the sovereign power of state and local governments (2002). According to Edward J. Tully (2002), There is no evidence that the lack of regional police forces is causing any hardship on rural/suburban Americans. Evidence does show that this nations thousands of local police forces are getting the job done. The concept of bigger is better has proved true in our countries industries, commerce, schools, medical fields. Organizational growth allows for innovation, specialization, and increased productivity (Tully, 2002). According to OConnor (2009), The 10th Amendment of the United States Constitution reserves police powers to the states, and both federalism and tradition have resulted in a fragmented police structure at lower levels. Government, state, county, and local law enforcement agencies are constantly involved in consolidating or establishing new police departments. Massachusetts has abolished a number of county police agencies and assigned their police duties to state agencies. In Michigan, a state police agency is usually assigned to patrol just one city or county. Consolidation takes place when two or more police departments are combined into one, and commonly takes place in areas where two cities have grown closer together or one city has grown so large that it takes covers the majority of the county (OConnor, 2009). Chapter 7: Terrorism and Law Enforcement The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created by merging 22 separate agencies in one department whose primary mission is protecting the homeland. In order to be effective at fighting this countries war on terrorism, the DHS, along with local, state, regional, and national law enforcement agencies will all need to work together. What will be the role for police officers to play in the 21st Century; peace keepers, antiterrorism specialists, community outreach agents? One criminal-justice futurist, Gene Stephens, states, Better educated police officers with improved people skills and a stronger grasp on emerging technologies will be crucial to successful policing in the future. (2005) Even the most optimistic futuristic thinkers in the field are finding it difficult how police are going to be able to handle the increasing rate of terrorism and cybercrime and still be able to fight, the also increasing, crime on our countries streets. Futurists in the DHS feel that success can achieved with better education, training, and mentoring. These three things will give street cops the means to fit into the new law enforcement structure that is designed to fight and prevent terrorism (Stephens, 2005). The main challenge with this is that more than 90% of the police officers in the U.S. only have a high school diploma or GED. Police training in the U.S. takes three to four months to complete plus a little time performing on-the-job training. This short course in police training encompasses basic self defense, firing range, and field tactics. Very little time is spent on the skills needed to prevent crime and on improving community services. The members of the PFI agree that police officers in the U.S. need more education and focused training in order to be able to handle high-tech international crimes (Stephens, 2005). Attacks on our homeland are performed by criminals both inside and outside of this country. Terrorist tactics are being utilized by criminals that are U.S. citizens. These criminals are usually recruited gangs or major drug operation groups. These groups are recruited by terrorist groups to divert the police, usually through vigilant acts (Stephens, 2005). U.S. policing is being federalized in terms of policies, funding, direction, and control. The U.S. government, mainly the Office of Homeland Security, is forming alliances with police departments and private-sector corporations. The DHS is looking into adopting policing methods and standards of other countries that have been dealing with terrorism for many years, such as England, Ireland, France, and Israel. These countries also demand higher entrance and training standards for their police (Stephens, 2005). Law enforcement agencies incessantly have issues with the information privacy laws. Despite the fact that private individuals and criminals have been able to obtain and misuse the private and perso