Whos for the Game and Recruiting Essay Example

Whos for the Game and Recruiting Paper EA Mackintoshs Recruiting and Jessie Popes Whos for the Game? are both effective poems to look at when making a comparison between views of war in poetry, since there is definite contrast between the two. The primary difference is that Mackintoshs poem is very much anti-war whereas Popes poem takes a pro-war stance. As the poems are so fundamentally different in their approach to the topic it is not surprising that the rhyming schemes and language employed are also different. Jessie Popes Whos for the Game? presentation of war is quite different to that of Mackintosh, she is very pro war and does not regard it to be a life ending opportunity. With her poem she is actively trying to recruit young men, she attempts to do so by aiming her poem at the ordinary working classes, for this she uses everyday language. She writes in a conversational manner, which makes the poem more memorable and persuasive. She uses tactics in her poem to persuade men to join up; one of them is comparing the war to a game, implying that there is little danger on the battlefield. We will write a custom essay sample on Whos for the Game and Recruiting specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Whos for the Game and Recruiting specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Whos for the Game and Recruiting specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer She also refers to the war as a sport where a player would return with a minor injury such as a crutch. Within the poem, Pope uses many questions, which involve the reader more and together with the use of everyday language gives the poem a less formal feel. Her use of anaphora regarding the word who allows the message to be stored with the reader and has a slight brain washing effect to it. She persuades the men to join the army by making them feel deceitful and cowardly if they were to stay at home. She also has a friendly manner in her propaganda poem as she refers to the men as lads. She pressurises the men into joining the forces with her assumption that they will come on alright. Pope makes the country more appealing and dependable upon their support when she gives it a female gender. This capitalises on the sexist attitude of the era where men were expected to take care of and protect their women. Pope has written this poem in four quatrains with a regular rhythm and rhyme scheme. This makes the poem more memorable. The technique used seems to be similar to childrens poetry and as such trivialises her subject matter. This poem is a recruiting poem with the aim of encouraging men to volunteer to join the forces. It was written at the beginning of the First World War and therefore the true disastrous effects of the war had not been experienced. Those left behind, women, children and exempt men, were often unaware of the true horror of the war and instead were seduced by a romantic ideal, this is what appears to have happened to Pope. Other poets and many soldiers, who saw her as typical of the unfeeling civilian who was supporting the war from the relative safety of the home front, particularly detested Jessie Pope, EA Mackintosh was one of these people. EA Mackintoshs Recruiting is in total contrast to Jessie Popes Whos for the Game? It is a satirical view of the propaganda going on back home to an increasingly patriotic society. Fat civilians wishing they could go and fight the Hun, Cant you see them thanking God, That theyre over forty one? The simple almost jolly rhyme and rhythm help to strengthen the satirical view. Mackintoshs poem has a dark humour to it, unlike Popes poem, and it focuses on the many negative aspects of war and the consequences of staying at home. Girls with feathers, vulgar songs , women at home would hand out white feathers to the men at home, like Pope women wouldnt have much respect for healthy men not joining up for the war. Mackintosh, like Pope uses language which would be understood by everyone, he uses phrases the men would be used to Lads, youre wanted, go and help' and then compares it to the realistic image of the trenches with Lads, youre wanted! Over there. He follows the tradition of simple propaganda. He reveals how tragic an existence in the trenches is with More poor devils like yourselves waiting to be killed by you. His simple and regular poem conveys to the reader that war is not a game but a very horrific event. Mackintosh singles out journalists in his poem Help to make the columns stuff for the blasted journalists since they are making profits out of the misery of war. Pope however does not appear to think that the journalists are doing any harm since her poem has been written for a newspaper. Mackintosh has respect for all the men in the war come and learn to live and die with honest men but he does not insult the men not joining the war effort like Pope does making them sound lazy taking a seat in the stand. Pope makes the war sound like a huge source of entertainment, referring to it as fun, with the added bonus of fighting for your country. Mackintosh keeps to his anti war status throughout the poem and regards signing up for the war as helping to swell the names in the causality list. Mackintosh ends his poem on a rather sinister but truthful note come and die. Joining the war was not as Pope described and the sad truth was Mackintoshs description was probably accurate. Jessie Pope ends her poem on a positive note making the reader feel their country actually needs them and are calling for you. Both these poems are effective in studying the literature of the First World War as they both present such different pictures. Mackintoshs poem is an excellent example of poetry portraying the realism of war whereas Popes poem is an admirable model of the unfortunate attitude cultivated on the home front. The contrast between the two allows the reader to see the reality of the First World War from two different perspectives.

Horrifying Hammerhead Worm Facts

Horrifying Hammerhead Worm Facts The hammerhead worm (Bipalium sp.) is a terrifying and toxic terrestrial flatworm. Its both a predator and a cannibal, and is basically a large planarian that lives on land. While the distinctive-looking worms dont pose a direct threat to human beings, they are an invasive species that eradicates earthworms. Fast Facts: Hammerhead Worm Scientific Name: Bipalium sp.Other Names: Broadhead planarian, landchovyDistinguishing Features: Large terrestrial planarian with a spade-shaped head and ventral foot or creeping soleAverage Size: Over 20 cm in length (B. kewense)Diet: Carnivorous, known to eat earthworms and each otherLifespan: Potentially immortalHabitat: Distributed worldwide, preferring humid, warm habitatsConservation Status: Not evaluatedKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: PlatyhelminthesClass: RhabditophoraOrder: TricladidaFamily: GeoplanidaeFun Fact: The hammerhead worm is one of very few terrestrial invertebrates known to produce tetrodotoxin. Description The most distinctive features of the hammerhead worm are its fan-shaped or spade-like head and long, flattened body. The underside of the planarian has a large creeping sole used for locomotion. Species are differentiated by the shape of the head, size, coloration, and stripe pattern. The terrestrial planarians are earth-colored, found in shades of gray, brown, gold, and green. Small hammerhead worms include B. adventitium, which ranges from 5 to 8  cm (2.0 to 3.1  in) in length. In contrast, adult B. kewense worms can exceed 20 cm in length. The hammerhead worm has a long, flattened body and a broad head. up close with nature / Getty Images Distribution and Habitat Hammerhead worms are native to tropical and subtropical regions, but have become invasive worldwide. It is believed the planarians were accidentally distributed on rooted horticultural plants. Because hammerhead worms require humidity, they are uncommon in desert and mountain biomes. Diet Bipalium worms are carnivores, known to prey on earthworms, slugs, insect larvae, and each other. The worms detect prey using chemoreceptors located under the head or ventral groove. A hammerhead worm tracks its prey, pushes it against a surface, and entangles it in slimy secretions. Once the prey is mostly immobilized, the worm extends is pharynx out from its body and secretes digestive enzymes. It sucks liquefied tissue into its branched gut using cilia. When digestion is complete, the worms mouth also serves as its anus. Hammerhead worms store food in vacuoles in their digestive epithelium. A worm can survive several weeks on its reserves and will cannibalize its own tissues for food. Bipalium kewense capturing an earthworm. Researchers believe the planarian secretes a toxin to immobilize its prey.   Jean-Lou Justine​, Leigh Winsor, Delphine Gey, Pierre Gros, and Jessica Thà ©venot Toxicity While some types of worms are edible, the hammerhead worm is not among them. The planarian contains the potent neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin. The toxin is found in pufferfish, the blue-ringed octopus, and rough-skinned newts, but not in a terrestrial invertebrate prior to its discovery in the hammerhead worm. The worm can use the toxin to immobilize prey and deter predators. Behavior Hammerhead worms have been mistakenly called hammerhead slugs because they move in a slug-like fashion. They use cilia on their creeping sole to glide over a strip of mucus. The worms have also been observed lowering themselves down a string of mucus. Land planarians are photo-negative and need high humidity. So, the animals usually move and feed at night. They prefer cool, damp places, typically residing under rocks, logs, or shrubs. Reproduction The worms are hermaphrodites, with each individual possessing both testes and ovaries. A hammerhead worm can exchange gametes with another worm via its secretions. Fertilized eggs develop inside the body and are shed as egg capsules. After about three weeks, the eggs hatch and the worms mature. In some species, juveniles have different coloration from adults. However, asexual reproduction is much more common than sexual reproduction. Hammerhead worms, like other planaria, are essentially immortal. Usually, a worm reproduces via fragmentation, leaving behind a tail tip stuck to a leaf or other substrate, which then develops into an adult. If the worm is cut into pieces, each section can regenerate into a fully-developed organism within a few weeks. Injured worms rapidly regenerate damaged tissue. Conservation Status None of the species of hammerhead worm have been evaluated for the IUCN Red List, but there is no evidence their numbers are threatened. Land planarians are widely distributed in their natural tropical and subtropical habitats and have extended worldwide. Once established in a greenhouse, the animals disperse into the surrounding region. In cold areas, the worms are able to survive freezing by seeking protected locations. Economic Importance At one time, researchers were concerned terrestrial planarians might damage plants. Over time, they were deemed harmless to greenery, but then a more insidious threat appeared. Hammerhead worms can exterminate earthworm populations. Earthworms are important because they aerate and fertilize soil. While some methods used to control slugs also work on the flatworms, hammerhead worms are considered a threatening invasive species. Their effect on ecosystems has yet to be fully understood. Sources Ducey, P. K.; Cerqua, J.; West, L. J.; Warner, M. (2006). Eberle, Mark E, ed. Rare Egg Capsule Production in the Invasive Terrestrial Planarian Bipalium Kewense. The Southwestern Naturalist. 51 (2): 252. doi:10.1894/0038-4909(2006)51[252:RECPIT]2.0.CO;2Ducey, P. K.; West, L. J.; Shaw, G.; De Lisle, J. (2005). Reproductive ecology and evolution in the invasive terrestrial planarian Bipalium adventitium across North America. Pedobiologia. 49 (4): 367. doi:10.1016/j.pedobi.2005.04.002Ducey, P. K.; Messere, M.; Lapoint, K.; Noce, S. (1999). Lumbricid Prey and Potential Herpetofaunal Predators of the Invading Terrestrial Flatworm Bipalium adventitium (Turbellaria: Tricladida: Terricola). The American Midland Naturalist. 141 (2): 305. doi:10.1674/0003-0031(1999)141[0305:LPAPHP]2.0.CO;2Ogren, R. E. (1995). Predation behaviour of land planarians. Hydrobiologia. 305: 105–111. doi:10.1007/BF00036370Stokes, A. N.; Ducey, P. K.; Neuman-Lee, L.; Hanifin, C. T.; French, S. S.; Pfrender, M. E.; Brodie, E. D.; Brodie Jr., E. D. (2014). Confirmation and Distribution of Tetrodotoxin for the First Time in Terrestrial Invertebrates: Two Terrestrial Flatworm Species (Bipalium adventitium and Bipalium kewense). PLoS ONE. 9 (6): e100718. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0100718

Adress some aspect of criminal justice system in New York City Essay

Adress some aspect of criminal justice system in New York City - Essay Example ken by the city’s criminal justice system, with the active involvement of people, police and other agencies concerned, have been paying rich dividends with regard to crime control. The concept of ‘problem solving justice’ implemented as part of the reforms into the administration of criminal justice system of the New York City has become a trend setter and is heavily appreciated by other countries also. The reforms were so genuine and result oriented that the Commission on English Prisons Today of the UK recommended in one of its recommendations to the Government to take the reforms as a model for bringing out changes in the country’s criminal justice system (Harwood, Para 1 ). The greatness of the ‘problem solving justice’ lies in its ability to address various issues connected with the root causes of crimes. Constitution of community courts is the main component of this type of justice to attend to and solve the crime-provoking issues in the society. To make the courts successful, cooperation of local people is a must. Bean (2003, p.308) explains that responsibility of crime control is not limited to the police and criminal justice agencies alone and that different agencies and social service providers have to coordinate the efforts towards this end. Community courts, set up with proper inputs by the community members, are meant to develop amity between the community members and the legal fraternity and aimed at the sole purpose of bettering the opportunities such as educational facilities, employment and business opportunities and keeping the youth of the community on the right path (Barak, 2007, p. 586). Corriero (2006, p. 154) has explained that these courts are meant for tackling the burning social issues such as drug abuse, domestic violence, unemployment and mental illness. It is common knowledge that these are the potential issues pushing the youth towards the world of crimes when they are negatively connected with them. It is therefore

Lectures review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Lectures review - Essay Example Moreover, it has also been learnt from the study that brands are categorised into different categories including personal brands, cool brands, kids branding, nation brands and super brands among others. In this regard, according to brand managers, the brand is more than an entity which creates certain amount of awareness, prominence and reputation in the market. Brands play a very important role in the consumer life. Through the brands, customers can easily know about the products which they can purchase. Moreover, brands help the customers to reduce search cost along with helping them to identify the quality. Similarly, brands are very much an important factor for the organisations. It helps the companies to influence the customers and to generate the desired level of revenue. In today’s scenario, brand has emerged as the key term for any organisation. In this world, everything can be branded and branding is helpful for the company to reside in the minds of the customers. In the present scenario, from beer to vacuum cleaners everything can be branded and one of the top branded products is Coca-Cola in the current day context (Slade, 2013). Moreover, from the related study it is observed that according to American Marketing Association, brands and brand management is a tangible symbol that can differentiate from one organisation’s product to another. The main principle of brand management is to recognise strong consumer awareness about the brand. Moreover, brands are emotive to symbolize a promise and generate the uniqueness of idea. Similarly, brand is made distinctive by its positioning, relative to the competition and builds its personality through its images (Slade, 2013). It is further observed from the study that the notion of brand positioning signifies the manipulation of every element of the marketing mix to the segmented audience. In this regard, personality branding is the unique combination of functional attributes and values which hel ps the target audience to identify a company’s strategies. In this scenario, it has been learnt that brand image is the overall impression and the unique set of associations communicated to the public. Moreover, brand awareness refers to the consumer’s ability to recognise the brand under different conditions. Brand positioning facilitates to segment the market as per the consumers’ needs and wants. With the aid of a key focus on brand positioning and awareness, in the global arena McDonald’s, Davis Milling Co and Leo Burnett among others have evolved to be regarded as top brands in the present day context. Moreover, a few of the organisations follow certain key influences of the brand positioning and personality. Brand positioning helps these organisations to identify the competing products and attributes that define the product space. Brand positioning also helps to collect information from a sample of customers about their perception of each of the pro ducts regarding certain relevant attributes. It is also learnt that brand personality follows the five-scale-factor. These factors include sincere, exciting, competent, sophisticated and rugged. In brand personality scale, sincere signifies the brand that is down to earth, honest, wholesome and cheerful about its customers and manufacturers, for example, Kodak and Hyundai. Furthermore, the exciting scale means that the

SEC 10-K Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

SEC 10-K Analysis - Essay Example The company has successfully extended its business operations all across America (1649 outlets) and Canada (11 outlets). Lowe’s, after considering the statistics provided by different relevant institutions estimated that US home improvement retailing market is worth more than $695 billion including both product demand and installed labor opportunity. However, due to the economic downturn within USA, the market size reduced by 7% in 2008. It is also estimated that the market will show some improvement in upcoming 2009 and demand will rebound in late 2010 or early 2011 once the recession is completely over. Lowe’s faces competition with other plumbing, electrical, hardware and electrical manufacturers plus suppliers and with merchandise stores, warehouses and e-businesses. Taking this into account as well tough economic conditions, Lowe’s paid special attention to adopting innovation centered approach to update its machinery by employing modernized and sophisticated technology, improving the store-outlook, productivity and efficiency within the stores by including information system s and store expansion so that it could cater customers all across USA. It must be pinpointed that better employment opportunities and subsequent increase in real personal income, growing housing sector and property ownership are the major determinants that contribute to higher sales. Unemployment rate of 5.7% and negative growth in property sector did affect the sales but the expansion policy (115 new stores in 2008 117,000-square-foot (117K) and 103,000-square-foot (103K) stores for large markets and a 94,000-square-foot (94K) store to serve smaller markets) of top management saved Lowe’s from the negative consequences because of the contribution from new stores in sales revenue that dropped by 7.2%. This reduction would have easily crossed 10-12% if this expansion policy had not been adopted. Expenses were

Environmental Impacts On Pfizer Business Operation Commerce Essay

Environmental Impacts On Pfizer Business Operation Commerce Essay The operations management is involved in all types of organizations and it is considered as a core value of the organization. Business is a typical field where operations management fits in. However, several other fields require good understanding of operations management such as industry, Healthcare, education, and governmental sectors. The scientific background of these sectors is quite different from each other but the managers in these fields usually share same management qualification. The pharmaceutical companies always reflect the field of science and rarely been thought of their highly demand of operations management. Sales and researches are the main activities in pharmaceutical companies which require certain procedures to be carried out in a specific sequence. Despite its scientific background, pharmaceutical companies procedure would reflect the operations in this type of organization; thus, managing these operations are highly demanded to avoid errors. Pharmaceutical companies are one type that host scientific from several backgrounds. Despite its necessity for high sales achievement, pharmaceutical companies aim to keep their image as a trusted source of information and adding values to the health care culture. As a result, operations in Pharmaceutical companies require indeed a high level of operation management, and challenges that apply to organizations in the business field are applied here as well. Operations management consists of several aspects such strategy, process design, planning and control, supply chain management, and improvement which could be applied on the laboratory work. However, the current study will emphasis only on three aspects related to operations management, which are IT and decision making, performance measurements, and productivity, in the Pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceutical companies now face a lot of challenges which need more agility to react properly with. Many of those problems are external and unpredicted as what is going to be discussed later. Literature review Information Technology (IT) and Decision Making The emergence of Information Technology (IT) as most efficient tool made the communication, monitoring operations and performance, and managing data easier than before. Sometimes it is used as a product delivery medium in software developing companies for example. As consequence, it becomes a powerful for tool that influences the decision makers for its accuracy and clarity. Numerous researches have been carried out that showed the significant influence of IT on the decision makers. This section will covered various aspects related to IT and decision making in different type of organizations. One obvious example of using IT is the internal communication within an organization. Anderson carried out hypothesis testing research to study the effect of enhanced telecommunication capability on performance while practicing improved strategic decision making and improved coordination of strategic actions. The study investigated the influence of internal communication by using computer networks (Intranet) and external communication through (Internet). The investigation was associated with two strategic decision making approaches (autonomous and participatory) alongside the strategic planning. In order to assess probable environmental contingencies, two different industrial settings that are characterized by low and high levels of dynamism and complexity were used to test the relationship. The use of intranet showed positive association with innovation in less dynamic and complex industries. Whereas internet use indicated positive association with profitability and innovation, but companies following participatory decision approach. On the other hand, the combination of intranet usage and autonomous decision approach was found positively associated with high profitability and sales growth in highly dynamic and complex industries. The combination of internet usage and participatory decision making was found positively associated with higher innovation. Finally, the study revealed that using both internet and participation are highly related to innovation in general. Also, use of Intranet and autonomy has a positive relation with the economic efficiency in dynamic and complex industries. The effect of IT in term of network speed was found to influence the decision making of medical personnel. Networking specialists execute an empirical investigation by constructing testbed to control the network impairment levels. A video obtained from a medical institution was used as well as physicians who evaluated the contribution of video quality to their diagnosis. Despite the utilization of one video and small number of physicians, investigators concluded that medical decision making capability are dependent on video frames instead of overall video quality. Internet . The study was able to show the significant effect of one small aspect of computer networking on the decision making of medical personnel. The effect of IT on strategic decisions in the industrial companies was studied. Executives from thirteen companies in The Netherlands and in Germany were interviewed. Information about decision process followed in thirty two recent decisions . Executives found to apply a rational approach while collecting and using ample information. The structured decision-making process undergoes number of distinct phases before decision is made. The necessary information gathered by IT increases confidence and reduces uncertainty. Authors stated clearly that circumstantial evidence was obtain about changes in the decision making process. The underlying causes of these changes were regarded to developments in new information acquisition and analysis methods, ex. Internet use became common practice. The study revealed that with more relevant information available, decision making process can be controlled efficiently in addition to facilitating rational decision making. The necessity of IT is not restricted to industrial or business firms, the role of information delivery enhances decision-making capabilities of Indian farmers within Indian Tobacoo Companys, e-Choupal initiative . E-Choupal implemented information communication technology (ICT) to increase information deliver among farmers in different areas. On various agricultural practices across the agricultural supply chain, users of e-Choupal significantly show better decision-making aptitudes compared to non e-Choupal users. The study emphasizes the importance of designing information communication technology (ICT) which enables information systems to suit different socio-demographic groups. It is obvious that implementing up-to-date applications in business firm become a priority in highly competitive market. Business environment remain changing every while and required modifiable and scalable IT application to adapt itself instantly when it is required. Often, a dramatic change in market environment requires essential system upgrade. However, decision for investing in system upgrade sometimes remains tough task for managers in term of cost and time to upgrade. Mukherji et.al. clarifies a decision support model able to determine the optimal time and choice of upgrades. Their analysis confirmed that feasible continuous upgrading is not always optimal strategy when the cost is significant. They suggest that necessary upgrade has to take place after measuring the gap between current technology and new technology. As the gap increases and reaches a critical threshold, system upgrade become essential and company priority. Performance Measurements In its general meaning, performance measurement is action of measuring and evaluating particular process of the entire operations performance. Therefore, organizations performance is most important concern for stockholders and company owners. This activity is a helpful tool to know how effective the current operations are as well as how much the organization meets the market demands. Performance measurements vary according to the organization field. Some measurements are very critical at particular organizations and useless in others. A literature review was performed on supply chain performance measurement recommended the adaptation of partnership development, collaboration, agility, flexibility, information productivity and business excellence metrics in performance measurement system. The study indicated further research is required as the environment of this business is changing . Along the same way, most of performance measurement systems practiced is proposed to improve the productivity only. As a result, managers utilize insufficient measures to increase performance, which in turn does not reflect the reason of using this tool. Developing a performance measurement remains challenge. The desired performance measurement system needs to serve both purposes, improved performance and accountability . The human factor was found to play a significant role in improving performance. In practice, performance measurements serve the higher level managers who monitor the overall organization and therefore draw the suitable strategy. Involving managers on the operation level showed a significant impact on performance. It is the consequent enhancing the employees beliefs in performance measurements system and the commitment of operation managers to performance improvement . Authors adopted a developmental approach for performance measurement based on five principles. Among these, building on employees professionalism, transparency and employee ownership, and outside facilitators were more toward employees and leadership rather than measurements themselves. (I advise to remove the below part as Pfizer RD is only in USA Europe and not relevant to the focus case of Pfizer Gulf States) Performance Measurements vs. RD In the field of research and development (RD), defining performance measurement system is very critical and was found to be challenging mission. It is still uncommon among RD organizations. Avoiding the under or over estimating performance is more important issue when it reaches decision making level and motivates people in RD companies. Designing effective performance measurement system properly found hard to achieve and was regarded to the lack of intensive studies in actual context, such as pharmaceutical research field in a biotech company . In healthcare organization, selecting an appropriate performance measurement system is still unresolved issue. One study suggested that performance measurement system has to be sensitive to both changes in the external and internal environment of such organization . Authors proposed a framework that measures performance from both multi and interrelated perspective, specifically effectiveness, flexibility, and efficiency. An early effort seeking a proper definition for performance measurement system for RD activities took place but it was very difficult. The most likely reason is the uncontrollable factors which influence the measurement elements used and hence delay the assessment. These studies was focused mainly on performance measurement such as dimensions of performance to be controlled and the metric measurement of such performance . The drawback of these studies is the ignorance of managerial and organizational meaning of each measure. Taking them into consideration would allow an appropriate use of each measure. This approach will lead to better RD performance analysis with respect to the organizations strategy. Later, Kerssens-van Drongelen and Bilderbeek applied the same idea using Balance Scorecard (BSC) to RD, a performance measurement method that link all four measurements to each other and was suggested by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton . In general, numerous attempts was found in the literature suggest that efficient performance measurements depend desperately on the type organization and should take its internal and external environment into account. Performance Productivity Measures In principle, productivity is a measurement that used to evaluate the performance. It is necessary to implement various processes in performance measurement but it is more important to include at least one process that has a significant influence on the productivity. They are quite linked to each other and derive confusion often. Performance measurement is highly demanded when goals achievement is under assessment in the top managerial level. It illustrates how efficient the resources are used so it has high impact on the company overall. Productivity Measuring productivity is a challenge and is a result of many factors contributing separately or together. A ratio of output to input is a basic measurement company performance. Thus, variety of ratios can be defined based on the measurements type such as physical or financial terms as well as type of resources implemented in performance assessment . A ratio of current output to current inputs will yield the production technical efficiency. A ratio of current outputs to the maximum possible outputs for a given set of inputs will yield the production cost efficiency. A ratio of current inputs to the minimum possible inputs for a given output level will yield the production capacity utilization efficiency. Therefore, the relationships of productivity propose that productivity ratios are interlinked with various internal processes. It is influenced by the mixture of input factors. Input resource is a combination of capital, labor, etc. and every type of resource has its own effect on productivity to a certain level. Likewise, non-production labor (e.g., product designer, engineers, administrators, and quality inspectors) was found to have a value in manufacturing plants productivity. However, a comparison of the effect of non-production labor with other input resources was not investigated deeply. As a result, lacking the understanding of individual input resources affect might lead to mismanage resource investment hinder the growth of productivity afterward. In this manner, a study was conducted to examine relative elasticity of three input resources on factory productivity (production workers, non-production workers, and capital equipment) away from comparing relative productivity levels . 508 samples from 16 countries were used in the study. Authors developed three hypotheses: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Non-production workers or capital equipment, have higher elasticity than production workers in most countries studied. This finding suggests factories studied are more automated and require non-production workers to support output. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In developed countries, concentrating the investment on capital equipment showed a significant impact on output, which means that improved productivity is a consequence of improved capital investment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Some countries have higher levels of non-production employee elasticity than other countries. How do you measure the productivity or evaluate the total performance in an organization of professional functions such as purchasing, accounting, personnel, and data processing? Operations Challenges Pfizer Inc. Pfizer was founded by Cousins Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart in 1849. Since that time, it has remained dedicated to the discovery and development of disease treatment and healthcare improvement. The company focuses on meeting the worlds diverse health needs and continually evolves to keep pace with the needs and expectations of its stakeholders and society as a whole. The production of Penicillin, Pfizer Helpful Answers, and Medicine Safety website are strong evidence of Pfizers flexibility. Pfizers Executive Leadership Team is the companys senior-most leadership and decision-making body. It brings together top leaders to focus on major financial, strategic and operational decisions. A series of decisions has been made by this team which provides extra evidence of Pfizers high flexibility management. One example is the establishment of two distinct research bodies, Pharma Therapeutics Research Development Group and BioTherapeutics Research Development Group. The decision was made to maximize new opportunities in biomedical research, and bring more innovative medicines to more patients more quickly. Pharma Therapeutics Research Development focuses on the discovery of small molecules and related modalities where BioTherapeutics Research Development Group focuses on large-molecule research such as vaccines. Pfizer has also developed an enhanced commercial operating structure and has nine diverse health care businesses: Primary Care, Specialty Care, Oncology, Emerging Markets, Established Products, Consumer Healthcare, Nutrition, Animal Health and Capsugel. Each of these businesses is managed by an executive who has strong accountability through the entire processes that start at product development level to proof of concept followed by providing access to patients all the way to the end of product life cycle. The businesses are supported by resources to pursue attractive growth opportunities and to deliver benefits to everyone require certain medications around the world. The strategy was made to enable rapid investment on opportunities which would develop the business in turn. The strategy was focused on supporting new successful medicines, increasing partnerships with key customers, entering co-promotion and licensing agreements, investing in new technologies, and acquiring new products and services from outside the company. Environmental Challenges Pfizers Evolution Product uniqueness was the cornerstone of pharmaceutical product success but the whole environment has been changed. The high competition and patency expiration were the most underlying causes the recent dramatic changes in pharmaceutical market. For example, Lipitor Norvasc, the widely used medicines for cholesterol hypertension, is not restricted within Pfizer anymore. These changes placed a huge force on Pfizer to move from a Product Focused company to a Customer Focused company. This mind shift was clearly reflected on the strategies as well as plans operation, which will be discussed shortly in the following context: Information technology its effects on operation decisions Performance measurements which satisfy all stakeholders Performance productivity measures its framework Pfizers Operations and Current Challenges Information Technology and Decision Making It is very crucial for Operations Managers to have clear, consistent reliable data to be able to make right and precise decisions. The role of IT is to make these data manageable and usable rapidly and accurately. Accordingly, decisions are usually about budget setting, processes, performance improvement, and revenue analysis within the company. Many examples would illustrate the importance of IT in Pfizer: 1. Business Technology Department: The information technology solutions unit. 2. Weighting Matrix Project: Customer targeting -segmentation program. 3. e-SMART: Sales force comprehensive reporting system. 4. Gulf States Portal: A Portal where all the different aspects of the commercial activities (Sales, Marketing logistics) executed are analyzed together to measure our ROI. Performance Measurements: A set of performance measures was used by the company to monitor the daily and the short term and long term performance. It ensures how close the company operations are to the right track in terms of achieving the strategic objectives resources usage. These measurements consider all the stakeholders. Performance measurements are dubbed Key performance Indicators or KPIs. The KPIs is helpful signs for an operations manager in Pfizer Gulf States to judge the operation and pinpoint errors. Pfizers Performance Measures: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Financial achievements: Evaluate revenues and profits of short and medium term and monitor sales and overheads to ensuring they match the plans. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ On time commitments achievements: in terms of on time supply to the accounts and on time payments to the internal suppliers and on time payments of salaries and expenses of the employees à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Consistency of performance in the operations: Observing fluctuation in the performance. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Budget restricting processes: The company operates within the budget or not? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Risk and change management: plan the company response to risks or changes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Clear guidelines for the operations: clarity of the processes in each department i.e. criteria of hiring people and qualification of people recruited à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Discipline of the company employees: in terms of in and out timings, and their complying with the values and ethics of the company à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Optimization of the company design: Evaluate the company structure to estimate the future needs i.e. establishment of key account management department à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Data reliability: evaluate data reliability and accuracy The need for a performance measurements framework: Performance measurements are all interrelated and interlinked with each other, so they are all encompassed together for achieving the goals. Analysis of the Operation Challenges Information Technology in the Operations Decision Areas Business Technology Department Offering innovative IT solutions improved the performance of several processes and helped in achieving the overall Pfizer Gulf States objectives. Developing an automated dash board where all the data (sales, consumption stocks, and market data) are encompassed on regular basis to enable both operations manager and senior managers make the right decision forecast. It allows a rapid response to any risk or change before it virtually harms the performance. Weighting Matrix Project It has an essential role in stating the concept of (customer focused) company. The system filters the costumers to different layers by weighting them according to coverage area and value of investment. The system then suggest particular layer to be focused on. e-SMART Reporting system enables all the operations processes of the field force (sales teams) to be reported. The system delivers and analyzes both field force activities performance and feedback. It enables senior managers make their decisions about operations reforms or changes. Gulf Portals The latest innovation of the company is the Gulf Portals that evaluate the performance of the operation processes. Gulf Portals is deep analysis achieved by comparing directly the input of the company to the output. Gulf Portals receives all the information about the number of visits, and number of activities investment per account, Then it compare those data to the revenue of each account. For example, if a sales person has 2 accounts A B, and he spent 2000 visits equally for those account annually. Account A achieved 30% of the total budget, while Account B achieved 70%, so was that the optimal exploitation of the time effort? The answer is no, hence we need to reallocate visits between these 2 account, and the same is true regarding any other resource. So, its a matter of reallocating the company resources for a better outcome. Performance Measurement to Satisfy Various Stakeholder Groups According to Pfizer operations manager, KPIs has to be a real measurement for the job description of operations manager as it is summarized below: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Participating with senior managers in plans setup, forecast and budgets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Aligning the resources of Enabling Functions (HR, Finance, Logistics and IT) with the opposite part (commercial parties) of the Core Functions(Sales, Marketing and medical) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Facilitating decision making related to employees, investments and strategies in all the departments à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Continuing improvement of the process à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Re-engineering the company design when needed to cope with changes and risks. Performance objectives or KPIs has to satisfy all stakeholders, internally and externally, for reasons shown below: Financial objectives are vital to satisfy the senior managers and external audits because every business will end up with the level of profits. Moreover, on time commitments is a common interest for all stakeholders such as employees, senior managements, internal suppliers and customers which become priority according to customer focused strategy. Senior managers concern is performance long term consistency and prepared for market dynamics. Reducing the operation cost will increase the net profit directly and will satisfy the senior management and the audits. Having clear guidelines to follow and to minimize errors may occur within the operations. Discipline of the employees is a good indicator the people compliance inside the company to the rules and strategies applied. Company design is a crucial issue for reacting with the changes. For instance, new regulations in the market, based on new policies and cost cutting, gave Pfizer an indication of the necessity to establish new department called (Key Account Management) to focus on the key accounts and to secure the business. Reliable data is the basis of any successful plan and determining the achievements also needed by stakeholders. The Need for a Performance Measurements Framework Productivity is part of performance measurements as it is the ultimate goal of the company. The direct link between each performance measurement and represented productivity measurement can be noticed. Financial achievements: improvement in achieving financial goals is an indication of productivity increment, the more Pfizer achieves goals with cost effective the more its productive On time commitments achievements: on time commitment allows more product consumption and prescriptions loss. It increases the demand and the sales consequently. More Commitment with suppliers will force them to be restricted to time frame which enables smooth steadiness supply to maintain Pfizers productivity. Along the same way, employees will becaome more motivated to achieve their target, which is a very important element for improving productivity. Consistency of performance in the operations: Consistency ensures high productivity level and avoids backlog. For example, satisfying the customers demands and expedite their shipments by increasing performance of some products would help increasing sales. Budget restricting processes: complying with budget is certainly a synonym for doing the best cheaply. So, restricting with budget leads to optimum use of the resources and ends up with increasing the profit. Risk and change management: It reflects the reliability and the agility of the company to react properly to any change or risk to keep the company productive and profitable constantly. That is, fast reaction to the exclusion of one product from Health Authority Formulary will help the company to return it to the Formulary after two weeks only to secure the business. Clear guidelines for the operations: Understanding operations guidelines is critical to do the job correctly within time frame to reach high level of professionalism. Along the same way, it minimizes errors and failure in the operations, reduces the cost, and raises performance and productivity. For instance, setting up a criterion for marketing approvals prevents time and investment loss. Discipline of the company employees: According to Pfizer ethics and laws, employees discipline minimizes errors and reduces loss. if a product manager put an off-label indication for a medicine in a campaign, the company will be entitled to millions of dollars as a penalty. Also ensuring that employees effort will be reflected on the productivity. Optimization of the company design: A proper design maximizes the use of human resources. The recent restructure of business units in Pfizer to serve customer focused strategy showed better performance and productivity. Also creating new departments helped the company in maintaining business growth, such as the key account managers dept. which allowed the company to build relationships to the decision makers in the market. Data reliability: data can be used to show an adequate description of productivity and performance; however, it demands high level of accuracy and consistency to give the company a clear vision to current situation. Finally, we can say that performance measurements are closely related to the productivity so that to achieve the company goals. The need for clear framework that includes satisfaction of the internal and external stakeholders was achieved by Pfizers management (see figure 1). Figure 1. Performance Measurements used by Pfizer Conclusions Comparison of Case with Theory Information Technology and Decision Making Pfizer Gulf States has improved its business operations in the past two years through the utilization of tailored IT solutions to fit in pharmaceutical industry in the Gulf. Considering customer centricity, the operational decisions which was made to expose both resources and established projects to the right customer within precise program was successfully achieved. Managers utilized right applications that were fed with data about the market which interpreted significant information about the market demand and business opportunities. The holistic approach application analyzes sales, projects, and competition performance data to retrieve clear guidance for operations managers. The integration of this approach highlighted areas where alignment across different functions is required. Therefore, it ensures successful execution and customer satisfaction for service and value added programs Performance measurement to satisfy various stakeholder groups: The satisfaction of the various stakeholders has been always the prime objective of the executive team in any successful organisation, especially in pharmaceutical industry. Hence, the operations managers are always keen to have clear KPI to both internal team members and relevant stakeholders. These managers ensure successful execution of the different tactics corresponded to the relevant strategies to meet the companys objectives. At Pfizer Gulf States, as a part of the Pfizer Global company, various stakeholders within Pfizer Africa Middle East leadership team expect clear KPIs that ensure operational objectives along with the overall business objectives. These KPIs focus on measuring the level of employees engagement with clear metrics every year. Therefore, proper evaluation and continious improvement to employees performance. The Need for a Performance Measurement Framework In matrix structured organizations, ensuring alignment across all functions working together to create deliver the service or product is vital for business success. A framework of KPIs and productivity measures has proven to be with a synergic effect on business revenues in Pfizer Gulf States. Working on growth opportunities which was sought out from the market potential is linked with clear framework for the KPIs. This clarity enables operations manager to make adjustments and follow up easily. Recommendations With no doubt, IT showed positive impact in operations within Pfizer Gulf States. Nevertheless, it indicates the success of movement toward more innovative approaches in utilizing IT with more concentration on customer information. Basically, it analyzes costumers data for

Counterculture Essay -- Culture Cultural Movements Sixties 60s Papers

Counterculture For the first time in American history, a large population of people of all ages, classes, and races came together to challenge the traditional institutions, traditional values in society, and "the establishment" in general. Youth, women, ethnic minorities, environmentalists, migrant workers and others caused the emergence of the counter culture. This cultural movement from 1960 to 1973 was caused by many factors. This era was one that was filled with many important events that shaped the way that Americans viewed life. Those who were unhappy with what was going on around them and took part in this social phenomenon reflected and demonstrated their attitudes, values, and ideals in many ways. Various things from protests to songs expressed their views and made their point get across to America. This cultural movement had a profound impact on society. It had both beneficial and detrimental effects on the society. As we look back on the sixties, it was one of the most important decades because it accomplished so many important things. The sixties was an era that was filled with so many important events that caused people to become actively involved in challenging the structure of American society and taking a stand. Civil rights was one of the most important issues. African Americans were still treated unequally although the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were supposed to grant them equality. Separate but equal wasn't enough for most people. Incidents where African Americans were denied rights caused much rebellion. When Rosa Parks was ordered to give up her seat on the bus to a white person, Montgomery's black community boycotted the buses. These incidents became more frequent and more people took... ...ew the society and take action. The actions of women, youth, African Americans, environmentalists and other caused the emergence of the counter culture that had such a profound impact on society. Although there were many different factors causing the surfacing of the counter culture and many different methods to challenge the traditional society, the goals of all of the groups were the same. They all wanted some form of change and change was what they got in return for their actions. Although women are still paid less than men, and there are still many more whites than blacks in government positions, the sixties was an era of progress. The counter culture has paved the way for American society today and created a country that allows and accepts free expression and doesn't frown down upon those who challenge the long-established society values and institutions. Counterculture Essay -- Culture Cultural Movements Sixties 60s Papers Counterculture For the first time in American history, a large population of people of all ages, classes, and races came together to challenge the traditional institutions, traditional values in society, and "the establishment" in general. Youth, women, ethnic minorities, environmentalists, migrant workers and others caused the emergence of the counter culture. This cultural movement from 1960 to 1973 was caused by many factors. This era was one that was filled with many important events that shaped the way that Americans viewed life. Those who were unhappy with what was going on around them and took part in this social phenomenon reflected and demonstrated their attitudes, values, and ideals in many ways. Various things from protests to songs expressed their views and made their point get across to America. This cultural movement had a profound impact on society. It had both beneficial and detrimental effects on the society. As we look back on the sixties, it was one of the most important decades because it accomplished so many important things. The sixties was an era that was filled with so many important events that caused people to become actively involved in challenging the structure of American society and taking a stand. Civil rights was one of the most important issues. African Americans were still treated unequally although the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were supposed to grant them equality. Separate but equal wasn't enough for most people. Incidents where African Americans were denied rights caused much rebellion. When Rosa Parks was ordered to give up her seat on the bus to a white person, Montgomery's black community boycotted the buses. These incidents became more frequent and more people took... ...ew the society and take action. The actions of women, youth, African Americans, environmentalists and other caused the emergence of the counter culture that had such a profound impact on society. Although there were many different factors causing the surfacing of the counter culture and many different methods to challenge the traditional society, the goals of all of the groups were the same. They all wanted some form of change and change was what they got in return for their actions. Although women are still paid less than men, and there are still many more whites than blacks in government positions, the sixties was an era of progress. The counter culture has paved the way for American society today and created a country that allows and accepts free expression and doesn't frown down upon those who challenge the long-established society values and institutions.