Inter-vendor Storage Management Application Tools Essay Example for Free

Inter-vendor Storage Management Application Tools Essay Inter-vendor storage application management tools are huge enterprise software applications that are used for robust, reliable, available and effective data management. The applications are both hardware and software dependent. The choice of their implementation depends on the organizational needs and objectives. Various vendors develop and support these tools both for support of business and mission critical applications. Some of the leading Inter-vendor applications tools that have dominated the industry as well as organizational automations in the last two years include VERITAS, Oracle and NetApp (ESM, 2009). VERITAS Its application tools provides for automated storage management software for enterprise business applications which have increased dependence on data from corporate storage infrastructure. VERITAS application tools are vital for boosting administrator productivity and reduce errors in automated storage administration. Among the tools it provides is the Storage Resource Management (SRM) software tools that help to automate the erroneous, tedious and routine tasks in storage administration. The tools are able to predict when the problem is likely to happen and as a result the IT managers are able to head off these problems. The automated storage provisions help the administrators have a continuous, uninterrupted access to the enterprise storage resources. The storage administration by the automated SRM software can accomplish several tasks in use, management and applications of the storage allocations. The automation tools are able to gather data around the storage infrastructure and also give feedback on the successful storage policies and also provide input and reports on the storage environment. The accurate and timely data help managers make informed and intelligent decisions on the future use of the storage. Further administrators are able to report and monitor on resource utilization and performance. When applications crash, the pagers beep and systems panic, it is the administrator that is on the receiving end of a pager to get the problem notification. Such situations prove to be very critical especially for business users due to degraded performance, equipment failure, resource shortages, and corruption of data or storage problem risks. This interruption of application access may in turn lead to incalculable financial losses to the business or organization. Therefore the automated software provisioning has a framework that manages the growing inventory in the components of enterprise storage. When the SRM software tools are deployed into the automated storage provisioning framework, the administrator has an easier access to the event based interventions and rule based policies which adequately resolve and intercept potential problems before they reach their critical levels (Hussain, 2008). The storage management application tool for a web based directory assistance runs on a web server as a data entry component with a more sophisticated management application that runs on a separate application server. When data is entered for the directory assistance, it is updated on the web server and staged on the repository application server and it is then automatically transferred to a relational database in another server by the directory management application. For fault tolerance as provided by the database server, database tables are duplicated using the snapshots from the primary database. The services however are vulnerable to storage failures especially when space allocation to the web server, database and repository is threatened to be exhausted and as a result bring down the system. Organizations of all sizes and in all industries are dependent on enterprise technological infrastructure which means that there is immense need for automated storage management process to avert any failures in the enterprise storage infrastructure. Therefore the SRM software tools and the automated storage provisioning should be implemented to solve the storage management problems. The rule based storage automations streamlines the administrator’s routine which improves productivity, reduces potential errors and system’s availability which impacts business activities and application availability. Oracle and NetApp The Automatic Storage Management (ASM) application tool provides a way to manage storage with an underlying database on a volume manager for the files on the database and an integrated file system. Its gives an alternative to the volume management solutions and file systems for the storage management tasks in the database (Manning Bridge, 2009). On the other hand NetApp filers simplify management and deployment of the enterprise data. The ASM and NetApp storage lower ownership costs and save on costs through the configuration of combined technology. There are combined benefits for using the NetApp for database layered applications and Oracle database which includes practices for deployment of ASM with the storage solutions networked by NetApp. Oracle ASM on NetApp iSAN and SAN storage like Oracle on NAS storage by NetApp has alternative capability for volume management for customers on an Oracle server that can alter, drop and create SQL statements which simplifies the storage provisioning on the database. The NetApp and ASM storage application tools has features that complement one another in performance to avoid errors by balancing of workload and help utilize the disk drive resources available. They also provide for support of online removal and addition of storage capacity that help maximize data availability and at the same time making configuration changes in the storage. The applications tools provide data security and availability since enterprises require high levels of data availability and protection whether there are component failures or faults storage subsystems. These tools include NetApp mirroring solutions that offer protection for disaster recovery requirements and business continuance while ASM provides protection against storage failures. In shared storage, Oracle’s Real Application Clusters (RAC) provides scalability and availability for the Oracle database which requires all servers to have direct read and full access to the database files. The ASM implementation provides a simplified cluster file system with optimized functionality of the volume manager in the shared storage. The NetApp networked storage gives shared access as required by RAC while in SAN environments, ASM provides volume management by Oracle RAC and a capable clustered file system. Both application tools have a rich assortment of storage data management that can be used separately or when combined depending on the customer enterprise requirements or the data infrastructure (Animi et al, 2009). The Automatic Storage Management application tool simplifies the management and configuration of storage management for the Oracle data files in its database. It also complements iSCSI SAN products for storage and NetApp Fibre Channel and while combined, they give full value to both technologies. With several combinations for data storage management and protection exists in the market, the Oracle and NetApp partnership offer powerful combinations that offer best practices to meet business performance and high availability requirements. Storage Management Networking Industry Association (SNIA) SNIA has created Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S) application tool in order to standardize and develop storage management technologies for networking and storage. The SMI-S is for a standardized interface like SAN based storage management which are a challenge for interrogators and end-users to manage especially for multivendor SANs. The applications developed in most cases are unable to work together or are uncoordinated to perform tasks and deliver functionality, security and reliability for increased business efficiency. SMI-S therefore specifies protocols to manage communications with incorporated mechanisms for standard based management. It unifies the storage networks and also the management tools. The set of interfaces will allow the control of heterogeneous storage by storage management software packages. This way storage administrator will create and delete volumes and zones and also monitor array controllers, switches and host bus adapters. The enterprises too can manage with a single management framework their storage capacity independent of manufacturers. The application features have a common and extensive management transport, which has unified and complete which provides control of Zones and LUNs in a SAN context. It also has an automated discovery system with a newer approach in application of the CIM/WBEM technology. This specification helps to secure a reliable interface that can allow for the storage management interface classify, identify, control and monitor logical and physical resources in a SAN. The Technical Specification defines the management of a heterogeneous SAN and describes information from a SMI-S compliant CIM server available to a WBEM client. This information is object oriented, message based, XML based interface that is designed to support requirements of the managing devices through and in SANs. Using the CIM-XML on HTTP standard which is an independent management protocol, vendors increase the functions and features of their products without having to redesign the management storage therefore reducing cost and extending functionality. The SMI-S functional capabilities include the version requirements as provided and stated in the interface. Among them is that it will be able to receive the asynchronous notifications incase the SAN configuration changes. It will also be able to identify the health of vital resources in a SAN and also receive the asynchronous notification incase the SAN resource’s health has changed. It will also identify interconnects available performance in a SAN and receive the asynchronous notification incase a SAN’s interconnect performance changes. It will also identify zones that SAN enforces and help enable or disable, delete or create zones in a SAN. It will also identify the access rights and connectivity to SAN Storage Volumes and also enable or disable, delete or create access rights and connectivity to SAN Storage Volumes. These standards and specifications can only be used by a WBEM compliant and authenticated client. The language chosen for managing information and other related operations is the XML language which will help traverse the organizational firewalls and installed at low costs (Cover, 2010). In midrange computing environments and enterprise class, the SANs are highly emerging due to various functions and applications such as sharing of huge storage resources between multiple systems and having a LAN free backup. Other applications include disaster tolerant and remote online mirroring of critical data and clustering fault tolerant applications and systems with one data copy. While emergence of SANs accelerate, the informational industry requires a management interface for different classes of software and hardware products for multiple vendors to allow interoperation and reliability in order to monitor and control resources. For this reason SMI-S was created to define this interface and provide a standard for heterogeneous, functionally secure and reliable control and monitoring of resources in the complex distributed Inter-vendor SAN topologies. The SMI-S standard can simplify the huge storage management and reduced costs in storage administration but has not solved all storage problems. Since storage is an integral part in IT infrastructure to be managed with a combination of servers, applications and networks, management solutions offered by SMI-S work for servers, storages and networks. In the storage infrastructure, it provides the end-users with a consistency for device discovery, configuration and status information. SMI-S defines the behavior and structure of devices and their management and configuration in the storage infrastructure and provides management of multiple storage devices from multivendor. However, it does not solve the problem of incompatibility of hardware devices from the different vendors while its domain in storage management does not cover remote replication and backup. Conclusion There is countless demand by customers for open software from the computer industry vendors which is the reason multiple vendors such as Oracle and NetApp have had to work more closely to develop common standards, protocols and languages for storage and network management. The multipurpose standards could help storage administrators take control of the distributed applications with a resulting inter-vendor, manageable and open information systems. Using standard based storage management application tools can help increase value of IT investments. Before the multivendor standards were developed by SNIA, the individual users would need to manage the storage devices with vendor specific tools while disparate information was integrated manually. Today’s management standards and specifications are increasingly interoperable while still maintaining competitive advantage among vendors through differentiation.

The Definition Of Stress Psychology Essay

The Definition Of Stress Psychology Essay Stress  is a term that is commonly used today but has become increasingly difficult to define. It shares, to some extent, common meanings in both the biological and psychological sciences. Stress is the bodys reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response. Stress can be defined in terms of all people responding in the same biological way to the same stimulus, or as dependent upon the persons response to the stressor. Any perception of a stress stimulus triggers the persons physiological and psychological responses to situations or events that disturb the equilibrium. Stress is any event that a human being perceives as harmful or threatening. The body reacts to stress with fight or flight response. Stress hormones like adrenalin, dopamine, cortisol, noradrenalin, and endorphins are released in the blood when one experiences stress. The term  stress  had none of its contemporary connotations before the 1920s. In the 1920s and 1930s, the term was occasionally being used in biological and psychological circles to refer to a mental strain, unwelcome happening, or, more medically, a harmful environmental agent that could cause illness. Walter Cannon  used it in 1926 to refer to external factors that disrupted what he called homeostasis. Homeostasis is a concept central to the idea of stress. Environmental factors, internal or external stimuli, continually disrupt homeostasis.  Factors causing an organisms condition to waver away from homeostasis can be interpreted as stress. A life-threatening situation such as a physical insult or prolonged starvation can greatly disrupt homeostasis. Psychologists have defined stress in a variety of ways. Contemporary definitions of stress regard the external environmental stress as a stressor, the response to the stressor of distress, and the concept of stress as something that involves biochemical, physiological, behavioural and psychological changes. While there is little consensus among psychologists about the exact definition of stress, it is agreed that stress results when demands placed on an organism cause unusual physical, psychological, or emotional responses. In humans, stress originates from a multitude of sources and causes a wide variety of responses, both positive and beneficial (Eustress) and negative and harmful (Distress). The most commonly used definition of stress was developed by Lazarus and Launier (1978), who regarded stress as a transaction between people and the environment and described stress in terms of person-environment fit. Stress typically describes a negative concept that can have an impact on ones mental  and physical well-being, but it is unclear what exactly defines stress and whether or not stress is a cause, an effect, or the process connecting the two. With organisms as complex as humans, stress can take on entirely concrete or abstract meanings with highly subjective qualities, satisfying definitions of both cause and effect in ways that can be both tangible and intangible. Both negative and positive stressors can lead to stress. The intensity and duration of stress changes depending on the circumstances and emotional condition of the person suffering from it (Arnold. E and Boggs. K. 2007). Humans may all be faced with the same stressor (stimulus) but the stress response that they show will depend on their individual differences or gender or culture. Stress is an extremely adaptive phenomenon in a person which contributes to his/her survival, activities, and performance.1 Physical and psychological stress can induce a number of immunological alterations in the cell mediated.2 Stressors may influence the immune system through their impact on neuroendocrine, autonomic and central nervous system.3 Psychological stress may influence the functions of the immune system both indirectly through hormonal changes, and directly through nervous regulation during brief but acute stressful periods.4 Exposure to psychological stressors can modulate the primary antibody response.5,6 (4) Some common categories and examples of stressors include: Life experiences such as poverty, unemployment, clinical depression. Obsessive compulsive disorder, heavy drinking,  or insufficient sleep  can also cause stress. Students and workers may face performance pressure stress from exams  and project deadlines. The medical student: Medical students are frequently individuals with a long-standing need for caring, a capacity to tolerate, being in a providing, dispensing, and nurturing relationship with other people. It is not uncommon for medical students to have chosen medicine after a death of a family member or close friend, sometimes with the quite conscious desire to learn how to fight wasteful death. The goal of medical education is to graduate knowledgeable, skilful and professional physicians. The medical school curriculum has been developed to accomplish these ambitions. Medical students are a highly self-selected group who arrive in medical school with a set of developed abilities, motives, adaptive styles, and values that must be taken into account if we are to understand the impact of their medical studies on them. Teams of sociologists have studied the ways medical students organize themselves to excel and to manage the vast amounts of information that they should learn. They consider success in medical school as the first step to a future of helping others and they are not about to jeopardize that. Medical students as a group are attracted to medicine partly because of their special sensitivity to and concern on three psychological issues: death, suffering, and care. Secondly, medical students are distinguished by a preference for certain adaptive techniques, styles, and defences-specifically by a propensity to counter, master, and overcome sources of anxiety, a tendency to react to stress and anxiety. (3) Stress and medical studies: There is extensive literature demonstrating that medical students begin medical school with mental health profiles similar to their non-medical peers. Since the healing profession is distinctively motivated to confront the issues of suffering, death and care, issues that most of their fellows anxiously avoid, through the course of medical school, they experience substantial deterioration in their mental quality of life, due to stress and anxiety. Medical students have to deal with stressors specific to medical school in addition to normal stressors of everyday life which explains this high prevalence of anxiety. (1) Medicine is a kind of training which is emotionally demanding and therefore medical education can be regarded as stressful. High levels of stress have been found in medical students in various studies. Amongst medical students, stress has been reported to be caused by academic pressure, perfectionist standards, increased psychological pressure, mental tension and too much work load. The demanding nature of medical practice requires involvement with the most personal or emotionally draining aspects of life (human suffering, death, sexuality and fear) and these are considered to be stressors. Stress during medical school can lead to problems later in professional life compromising patient care. (1) Studies suggest that medical students experience a high incidence of stress with potential adverse consequences on academic performance, competency, professionalism and health. Medical students experience substantial stress from the beginning of the training process. Students use various coping mechanisms to process stress that vary by year in training and source of stress. The specific coping strategies that students use may determine the effect of stress on psychological and physical health and may determine whether stress has a positive or negative influence. Strategies that centre on disengagement such as problem avoidance, wishful thinking, social withdrawal and self-criticism have negative consequences and correlate with depression, anxiety and poor mental health. In contrast, strategies that involve engagement such as problem solving, positive re-interpretation, reliance on social support and expression of emotion enable medical students to respond in a manner that leads to adaptation, which can reduce stress. Medical education has deleterious consequences. Trainees (students, interns, and residents) suffer high levels of stress, which lead to alcohol and drug abuse,  interpersonal relationship difficulties, depression and anxiety,  and even suicide.  Medical students have mean anxiety scores one standard deviation above those of non-patients. (12) Studies which have tried to identify the sources of stress among medical students generally concern three main areas : academic stress: enormous syllabus to be covered in a limited time, sudden change in their style of studying, flooding of medical science with new concepts, lack of proper guidance, thought of failing in exams, inadequate time allocated to clinical posting, insufficient bed side teaching, social stress : relationship with peer groups, hostel friends, senior teachers, displacement from home, expectations of parents, peer pressure, change in the medium of education, physical stress : inadequate hostel facilities, hostel food etc. (5) Anxiety is also associated with feeling of loneliness, peer competition, long hours and loss of social time. The majority of stressful incidents in traditional curricula are related to medical training rather than to personal problems. (7) Stress may not only impair the quality of life of medical students but can also influence patient care and the complex psychodynamics of the doctor- patient relationship. (5) Stress is receiving increased attention because of the realization that tired, tense, anxious doctors may not provide as high quality care as do those who do not suffer from these debilitating conditions. A medical career can be particularly stressful due to the combination of involvement with life and death and the high expectations of medicine and of doctors held by both the public and doctors themselves. Partly as a result of these pressures and the need to acquire a substantial body of knowledge and skills, medical students experience considerable anxiety at various stages in the curriculum (Arndt et al., 1986; Firth, 1986; Firth-Cozens, 1987; Kidson Hornblow, 1982; Moss McManus, 1992; Tooth et al., 1989). Such anxieties may result in, for example, reduced examination performance (Tooth et al., 1989), increased alcohol consumption (Firth, 1986) and attempted suicide (Warren Wakeford, 1990). (6) Some students may perceive factors such as nutrition, exercise routines, sleep patterns, social activities, having a child to care for, job responsibilities, finances as stressors that they need to overcome in order to achieve a higher academic standing. By themselves, these constraints may have no effect at all on a student, but when combined, a student could perceive them as stressful and these stress factors could have a dramatic effect on a students academic performance. Exam stress during medical studies: Medical students are repeatedly subjected to rigorous examinations in order to check their potential to be a doctor as they have to deal with human life every single day. They have chosen a career which demands not only responsibilities but also ethical and legal liability for others lives. The onus of this responsibility and sheer volume of syllabus places a medical student under tremendous stress prior to professional exams. This stress may manifest with varying magnitude of anxiety (Kidson and Hornblow, 1982) and decrease in psychological health (Aktekin et al, 2001). (13) To a student, the prospect of sitting for an examination could be identified as a stressor and the resulting emotional and physiological state could be described as an exam stress. (4) Many students experience anxiety before a test or exam; a little bit of nervousness can actually enhance performance. However, if stress levels rise to the point where they inhibit performance on the test, then this is considered exam stress. 92% of students said that they got worried during exam time; one fifth of students surveyed revealed that they had suffered anxiety attacks as a result of pre-exam stress. Furthermore, 61% of those questioned cited lack of sleep/insomnia as a result of stress, 51% said that they suffer from headaches or migraines and 47% admitted turning to the one of the worlds best comforts, food. (10) Here below are some of the symptoms of exam stress, which can vary widely in intensity. Some test-takers experience only mild anxiety, and still perform well, but others are left nearly unable to function, failing the test or even experiencing a panic attack. Physical symptoms of exam stress include tremors, sweating, dry mouth, nausea, rapid heartbeat and even fainting. Milder cases include symptoms of butterflies in the stomach, but severe cases can lead to physical illness which must be treated. Behavioural and cognitive symptoms include defiant avoidance of exam situations, or just a little fidgeting. In some cases, exam stress can become so severe that the student is forced to drop out of school entirely just to avoid testing. Many students attempt self-medication with alcohol or drugs; still others report blanking out completely, or experiencing difficulty concentrating, inability to control thoughts and a negative outlook, which are all common behavioural / cognitive symptoms of exam stress. Emotional symptoms of exam stress include low self-esteem, anger, depression and feelings of despair. The students taking the test often feel unable to do anything about their situation, so they may berate or belittle themselves about their performance and their feelings. Exam stress is reported to have a significant impact on the well-being of the student and is associated with changes in the mental and physical health such as increasing anxiety, increasing negative mood and changes in the functions of the immune system. (4) In other words, the exam is one of the stressful events associated with lowered immune system function.14 Academic examinations have often been used in stress research because they are predictable, standardized, and discrete examples of real-life stressors. It was demonstrated that this stress caused a significant neurohormonal change. A small but significant increase in their emotional distress is indicated by an increase in anxiety during the final examination. Glucocorticoids can downregulate the immune activity, but acute stresses were reported to increase the cortisol level.19 Results show that the exam stress can result in significant increase in the cortisol level. (4) According to a study conducted by Shamsdin, et.al. (2010) on thirty five university medical students, two blood samples were provided from each participant one month (first stage) and one hour (second stage) before the exam. The results show that stress has determining effects on the immune response. The exam stress can result a significant increase in the cortisol level. So, these changes may indicate the alterations of immunological status and presence of stress in an immunosuppressed individual, affecting his / her health. Under stressful conditions, the hypothalamus releases corticotrophins into the blood circulation and when it reaches the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, adrenocorticotrophic hormones are released into the blood circulation. When this reaches the adrenal gland, lucocorticoids are released which are chemicals that modulate or regulate the immune response. Since lymphocytes have receptors for glucocorticoids as well as other steroid hormones associated with r esponses to stress, the brain and immune system are sufficiently well connected to one to influence the other. Exam stress  involves a combination of physiological over-arousal, worry and dread about test performance, and often interferes with normal learning and lowers test performance. It is a physiological condition in which people experience extreme stress, anxiety, and discomfort during and/or before taking a test. Exam stress is prevalent amongst the student populations of the world, and has been studied formally since the early 1950s. During states of excitement or stress the body releases the hormone adrenaline. This hormone is responsible for preparing the body for danger, or the fight or flight response. Adrenaline is known to cause the physical symptoms one might experience that accompany exam stress such as increased heart rate, sweating, and rapid breathing.  [3]   Symptoms of exam stress can range from moderate to severe. Students who exhibit moderate symptoms are still able to perform relatively well on exams.  [5]  Other students with severe stress will often experience panic attacks. Student expectations are one major mental factor. For example, if a student believes that he or she will perform poorly on an exam, he/she is far more likely to become anxious before and during a test. (9) Exam stress is the emotional reaction that some students face before exams. The fear is not irrational, but excessive fear interferes with performance. Many researchers suggest that a little worry is good for students because it keeps them task oriented; however excessive worry on the other hand can be very debilitating and interferes with the results if not managed appropriately. (2) Exam stress is a set of responses that includes excessive worry, depression, nervousness and irrelevant thinking to a class of stimuli from an individuals experience of assessment / test and outcome. It is experienced by many students while undertaking any exam. There are four main areas of reported stresses which can contribute to exam stress including life style issues, lack of required information, studying style and psychological factors. (2) Life styles related issues include inadequate rest, insufficient physical activity, poor nutrition and lack of time management are found to be the contributing factors leading to exam stress as reported by many authors. Psychological factors which contribute significantly to exam stress are negative and irrational thinking about exams, outcomes of exams and feelings of no control over exam situation (e.g. going blank during exam) are reported by many authors. Students perception of extensive course load is also reported to cause exam stress in medical students. Examination system itself is a major stress factor for medical students. (2) In other words, the phrase exam is the same stimulus, but some medical students will be feeling very worked up about the exam, others will be more laid back. The internal and behavioural response will be different for each of them. Psychologists try to find out the factors affecting this interaction and stress management depends on the perceived interaction and response. Gender is likely to be an important factor in students anxiety. Women are reported to be more anxious than men, both overall and for most individual situations. (6) Anxiety levels increase in medical students just before exams, with female students found to be more anxious than males, shows a study undertaken by the Armed forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, India (Pahwa, et. al., 2008). (14) According to this study labelled A study of exam related anxiety amongst medical students pre-exam anxiety levels are seen to be higher in female than male population indicating greater increase in anxiety levels amongst females. This is in agreement with other studies that substantiate presence of sex differences in exam related anxiety, with female students having higher test anxiety than male students (Chapell et al 2005, Eller et al 2006). (13) Females are more likely to report concern and stress due to self expectation, a feeling of lack of competence and a tendency to over report symptoms. (1) Comparison of rankings between 1992 and 1995 Birmingham students shows that rankings were consistent over time for both genders, particularly for the higher ranked questions. More detailed analysis of the 1995 data shows that individual female students were more likely to have higher total scores than male students. (6) All stress factors were more common among female students with statistically significant differences in factors which included: studying all night before exams, feeling no control over exam situations, improper nutrition and lack of exercise. Personality and stress: Mental health professionals believe personality plays a significant role in how individuals perceive stress (Martin, 2011). Lazarus and Folkman (1984) define stress as a product of the relationship between the person and the environment. Stress occurs when a person appraises a stressful event as exceeding his / her coping abilities or threatening his / her well being. Personality can influence both health related and everyday behaviours and is also related to an individuals appraisal of a stressful experience (Booth-Kewley, 1994). Stress is not a simple, stimulus-response reaction; rather it is the interaction between an individual and the environment, involving subjective perception and assessment of stressors, thus constituting a highly personalised process. Specific inherited characteristics, early experience in life, and in particular, learned cognitive predispositions make individuals more or less susceptible to the effects of stressors. Resilience and vulnerability to stressors as well as intensity of stress response mainly depend on age, gender, intelligence, and many other characteristics of personality (19). (Psychiatrike. 2011. Stress and personality. Lecic-Tosevski D, Vukovic O, Stepanovic J. psychiatric Department, Belgrade University, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.) Research has indicated that certain personality traits can make individuals more vulnerable to stress. There is a number of personality traits that could be described which measure human personality. A broad and comprehensive way of identifying the traits and structure of human personality is the Five Factor model (Digman, 1990). J.M. (1990). (Personality structure: Emergence of the five-factor model.Annual Review of Psychology  41: 417-440). Five Factor Model: This model has originated in a decades-long factor-analytic research tradition (13). Most researchers goal was to create a brief inventory that would allow efficient and flexible assessment of the five dimensions when there is no need for more differentiated measurement of individual facets. (6) Big Five has proven useful as a framework for organizing any findings on adult personality in areas such as behavioural genetics and industrial psychology. (6) The five factor model of personality is better understood as a lexical and factor analytic derived personality approach (Haslam, 2007). McCrae and Costa (1991) claim that this model provides a comprehensive taxonomy of personality traits. However this model has not always been regarded as noteworthy (McAdams, 1992). McCrae and Costa have conducted a lot of research on the model, including cross-sectional and longitudinal research designs (Cavanaugh Blanchard-Fields, 2006) and they argue that the model includes a large number of traits found in language and scientific theory. Thus, this model allows for a systematic approach to personality (12). The five factors model is more than a simple classification of basic personality traits. By the late 1980s, Costa and McCrae were convinced that they and other researchers had found a stable structure of personality. (11) In McCrae and Costas (1996, 1999, 2003) personality theory , behaviour is predicted by understanding the three central or core components and the three peripheral ones. The three central components include (1) basic tendencies, (2) characteristic adaptations, and (3) self-concept. (11) The five factors are labelled by McCrae and Costa (1992) as extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. These dimensions make up the personality traits of the five-factor model, which is often referred to as the Big Five (Goldberg, 1981). The first of the five factors is extraversion. Extraversion has a different importance in different measures. Sometimes it is based on assertiveness, sometimes on spontaneity and energy. Sometimes it is based on dominance, confidence, and agency (Depue Collins 1999), sometimes on a tendency toward happiness. Extraversion is often thought to be implying sociability (Ashton et al. 2002). Others see a sense of agency and a sense of sociability as two facets of extraversion (Depue Morrone- Strupinsky 2005). Finally, others argue sociability is a by-product of other features of extraversion (Lucas et al. 2000). A connection has also been made between extraversion and the approach temperament; thus, some now view extraversion as reflecting a relative sensitivity of a general approach system (DepueCollins 1999, Caspi Shiner 2006, Caspi et al. 2005, ElliottThrash 2002, Evans Rothbart 2007). People who score high on extraversion tend to be affectionate, jovial, talkative, joiners, and fun-loving. In contrast, low extraversion scorers are likely to be reserved, quiet, loners, passive, and unable to express strong emotion (11). The second factor, neuroticism, refers to the ease and frequency with which a person becomes upset and distressed. Moodiness, anxiety, and depression indicate higher neuroticism. Measures often include items or facets relevant to hostility and other negative feelings, but they are dominated by vulnerability to anxiety and general distress. Neuroticism has been associated with the avoidance temperament discussed above (Caspi Shiner 2006, Caspi et al. 2005, EvansRothbart 2007), suggesting that anxiety and sensitivity to threat is its emotional core. People who score high on neuroticism tend to be anxious, temperamental, self-pitying, self-conscious, emotional, and vulnerable to stress related disorders. Those who score low on neuroticism are usually calm, even-tempered, self-satisfied, and unemotional. (11) The next factor is agreeableness. Agreeable people are friendly and helpful ( John Srivastava 1999), empathic (Graziano et al. 2007), and capable of inhibiting their negative feelings (Graziano Eisenberg 1999). Agreeable people become angry over others transgressions than do less agreeable people (Meier Robinson 2004), and this probably short-circuits aggression (Meier et al. 2006). At the opposite pole is an oppositional or antagonistic quality. People who are low in agreeableness display their power to deal with social conflict (Graziano et al. 1996). Agreeableness as a dimension is often characterized as being broadly concerned with maintaining relationships (Jensen- Campbell Graziano 2001). People who score high on agreeableness tend to be trusting, generous, yielding, acceptant, and good-natured. Those who score low are generally suspicious, stingy, unfriendly, irritable, and critical of other people (11). The most commonly used label for the next factor is conscientiousness, although this label does not fully represent the qualities of planning, persistence, and purposeful trying to achieve goals that are part of it (Digman Inouye 1986). Other suggested names include constraint and responsibility, reflecting qualities of impulse control and reliability. Specific qualities included in this trait vary considerably across measures (Roberts et al. 2005). Individuals who score high on conscientiousness are hardworking, conscientious, punctual, and persevering. In contrast, people who score low on conscientiousness tend to be disorganized, negligent, lazy, and aimless and are likely to give up when a project becomes too difficult (11). Agreeableness and conscientiousness share an important property. Both suggest breadth of perspective. Many manifestations of conscientiousness imply taking future contingencies into account. Agreeableness implies a broad social perspective: taking the needs of others into account. It has been suggested that both of these traits have their origins in the effortful control temperament (Ahadi Rothbart 1994, Caspi Shiner 2006, Jensen-Campbell et al. 2002). The fifth factor, most often called openness to experience (Costa McCrae 1985), is the one about which there is most disagreement as far as content is concerned. Some measures (and theories) enrich this factor with greater overtones of intelligence, terming it intellect (Peabody Goldberg 1989). The fifth factor involves curiosity, flexibility, imaginativeness, and willingness to immerse oneself in atypical experiences (McCrae 1996). People who consistently seek out different and varied experiences would score high on openness to experience. They are creative, imaginative, curious, liberal and have a preference for variety. Those who score low on openness tend to support traditional values and to preserve a fixed style of living and they are typically conventional, down-to-earth, conservative, and not at all curious. (13) Big Five and Medical students: Most of the research on the Big Five is based on self and peer ratings, typically made by college students. (6) Conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness have been shown to be related significantly to academic performance (Poropat, 2009). (15) Neuroticism, in contrast, has a negative significant relationship with academic performance. The relation between educational operation and neuroticism, particularly with regard to anxiety in stressful situations such as university examinations has been clarified 14 (18). It is often claimed that, besides cognitive abilities, a mixture of personality characteristics is necessary for people to be successful in medical studies and eventually in the medical profession. However, there is debate as to which personality traits are typical of students in medical studies as compared to students in other academic fields 1-3. (5) A study conducted by Nauert (2009) which was labelled Personality profile of medical students studied more than 600 Belgian students over their seven years of medical studies to determine what impact their personality had on their performance. The researchers employed a commonly used test to measure the Big Five personality traits. Although the study was conducted in Belgium, the personality factors and the modern medical practices are similar around the world so personality should consistently relate to valued outcomes in medical education. Personality traits can reveal a lot about how students perform during the different demands and emphases of a students medical studies. For example, trait conscientiousness was a good predictor of learning success throughout the medical studies of the students. The researchers speculated that extraverted students are more likely to spend less time on studying than on their social relationships during the first years of medical school, which could hinder their academic performance and result in lower grades, whereas students who scored well in persistence and conscientiousness experienced success in their studies (Grohol, 2009). Big Five and Stress: Personality has been linked to the probability of experiencing stressful situations (Bolger Zuckerman, 1995) and to the evaluation of an event as stressful (Guthert, Cohen Armeli, 1999). Stress plays a role in personality/psychopathology associations (Klein, Wonderlich, Shea, 1993). Stressful reactions act as a medi

Factors influencing TESCOs decision to invest in Malaysia

Factors influencing TESCOs decision to invest in Malaysia For any company to enter into the international market for the first time, a proper research and analysis regarding the challenges and current marketing conditions prevailing in the targeted country must be undertaken. The project has been undertaken to analyse, understand and highlight the major challenges that TESCO can face while entering into Malaysia for the first time. The report focuses on the Political and Legal, Economical, Socio cultural Technological and environmental challenges that may create a difficulties for TESCO to start its business in Malaysia. Introduction to TESCO Tesco PLC is a UK based supermarket chain. It is the largest British retailer, both by global sales and domestic market share, and the fourth largest retailer in the world behind Wal-Mart of the USA, Carrefour of France, and The Home Depot of the USA. Tesco has a long term strategy for growth, based on four key parts: growth in the Core UK business, expand by growing internationally, be as strong in non-food as in food and to follow customers into new retailing services. Environmental Analysis of Malaysia Political Legal Environment Rising Political instability Data In recent months, The political ruling party Barisan Nasional is facing the problem of fall in its strength in ruling the country. The opposition Party Pakatan Rakyat power influence on the Malaysians is increasing which has resulted into possibilities of undertaking of elections in the coming months. Analysis It is predicted that the opposition party may emerge as victorious which lead to increased political uncertainty lower economic growth for 1-2 years. Sales may slow down in the initial years which may be due to increased political uncertainty and disturbance on spending of public during the handover process. The handover process is generally a time consuming lengthy process. it may result into impaired business for the company. lower economic growth in the beginning years may affect the purchasing power of consumers. The company may have to reduce its cost to overcome lower sales in initial years. TESCO may have to reduce its cost on marketing and advertising . The consumers may prefer price and value over quality brand. Political war between the two parties may also result in the outcome of riots which may also result into physical damage of Tescos Property and buildings. Challenge Slow economic growth at the time of change in government which may lead to slow business in the beginning of setting its business in Malaysia. The consumers may prefer price over quality. TESCO may need to have strong control over its expenses. Riots may cause physical damage to TESCOs property if the Political war emerges. Restrictions on Press Advertising Data The Malaysian Government has a very tight control on media like TV, radio, newspapers, outdoor advertising etc for broadcasting of commercials and advertisements. The advertising code code of ethics are to be followed by all the companies business in Malaysia. Analysis The government has kept ban on advertisement of products like alcohol, pork, products with unacceptable images etc. Also, advertisement related to exposure of body parts anti social content like foul language, uncompetitive practices, religious comparisons etc are strictly prohibited. The advertisement must be shot in Malaysia with Malaysian models in the advertisements. No international models from other countries are allowed. Also, the musicals of the ad must be done in Malaysia. Advertisements related to food drink products must highlight the importance necessity of balanced diet to the viewers. Powerful emphasis on the speciality lifestyle of the country of origin of an imported product is not allowed in the advertisements. Challenges TESCO will have to change its marketing and advertising strategy in Malaysia. The government control on advertising media may disallow advertisement commercials of many products of TESCO UK. The company may also have to undergo the process of repackaging re labeling on their products. TESCO will have to create new ideas to advertise its product which could be expensive and time consuming. Focus on many cultural groups Data Malay, Chinese Indian community are the 3 major cultural groups in Malaysia. Chinese Indian community are the minority communities in the country. The recent attacks against the Christian church has created political instability social unrest among the people. Analysis The wealth gap between less richer Malays very rich Chinese and Indian ethinic group in Malaysia has always been a point of concern in Malaysian politics. There has been many issues regarding this issue in the past which created a tension in the Malaysian political environment. But currently, the government is taking efficient measures to reduce the tension between the cultural groups. Christianity is also a minority religion in Malaysia on which government has to keep its attention. However, in the beginning of 2010, there were a series of attacks against Christian church because of some high court decisions. All these factors may lead to political instability in the near future. Political instability may result into the change in government. Christianity is the major religion in UK. Malaysians may tend to emotionally link the products of TESCO with Christianity as TESCO is a UK based company. This may initially led to the unacceptance of the products by Malaysians due current social unrest which may affect the sales and brand image of TESCO in Malaysian market. This may also affect the marketing and advertising strategy of TESCO. The company may have to frequently and carefully advertise its product to the consumers to change their perception about the link between Christianity and the Companys product offering. This may result into heavy expenditures resulting into the rise in cost of the company. Challenges Recent attack on churches may create the perception of link between UK TESCO products and Christianity religion which may affect the sales of TESCO. TESCO will need to advertise more frequently to change the consumers perception about the Christian religion and the local products it sells to Malaysians. Impact of terrorism Data Analysis Rising tension between Malay, Chinese Indian cultural groups in Malaysia in last few years have created a threat of internal terrorism in Malaysia. The war between the ethnic Chinese terrorists Malaysian government came to end after 42 years. However, in the beginning of 2010, there were a series of attacks against Christian church because the court said that the Christians can refer GOD as ALLAH. Challenge Sales may become difficult due to religious unrest. TESCO many have to opt for an option of Public relations on a regular basis which may increase the expenses of the company. Economical Environment Low Purchasing Power Data The GDP per capita income of Malaysia and UK for 2008 was $14,215 $35,468 respectively. Malaysia can be classified as the country of people having upper middle income level whereas UK population can be classified under high income level. Analysis The purchasing power of UK is more the purchasing power of Malaysia. It clearly reflects that the disposable income of Malaysia is comparative low to that of Uk. The per capita income disposable income of Britishers is very high thereby increasing their purchasing power. Due to high purchasing power, normally people in UK prefer brands and are brand loyal are willing to spend extra on the products. The per capita income of Malaysians is comparatively very low to that compared with Britishers. Lesser income signifies that the disposable income will be lower thereby reducing purchasing power. This will directly result in the emergence of price sensitive market condition in Malaysia where brand loyalty could be given less priority by Malaysians. Lower per capita income of Malaysians will result into low purchasing power making Malaysia a price sensitive market where buyers may be ready to buy any product with less or no brand importance. So the company sales might get affected due to this. TESCO may have to change its products, lower the quality lower the price so that the products can be produced cost effectively consumers can afford to buy. TESCO may have to start its own manufacturing unit along with its own new supply chain management and search for local suppliers in Malaysia who can provide products of good quality at a lower price. This may help in producing products at lower cost which the Malaysians can intend to buy. TESCO will have to search the place to set up their business to get proximity to the market which may help in lowering the distribution cost of its product. Challenges Lower consumer income will affect sales of the company. Uk products have high quality with high price. The company may have to rechange its quality of the products as per the price. TESCO will have to start its new supply chain management distribution system to make the local products for cost efficiency. TESCO will need to find their place of setting business where Distribution cost is very low. The company will have to look for local supply chain who can meet all above requirements. Foreign Currency Fluctuation Risk Data The foreign exchange of 1GBP to 1Malaysian Ringett in recent months has fallen from 5.8RM to 4.7RM. The interest rate of Malaysia UK in the beginning of the year 2010 were 2.25% 0.5% respectively. Analysis The key factor for fluctuations in currency exchange rates is the interest rate in different countries. Malaysia offers significantly higher interest rates than UK. Then investors will want to put money into Malaysia, thus increasing demand for the currency. The increase in currency demand may result into lowering value of Pound thus creating Foreign currency fluctuation risk.Exchange Rates are very important for any country as they determine the level of imports and exports. Challenge Importing products may become a costly option due to fluctuation in currency risk. The company may have to look for local suppliers and also may have to start new supply chain management to reduce the cost. Unemployment Level Data The recent Global financial crisis is still having a major impact on employment level in all the countries of the world. The unemployment rate in UK has reached to 8% in march 2010. The unemployment rate has increased from 3.2% in 2007 and has reached to 3.7% in march 2010. Analysis Increase in unemployment of Skilled, Semiskilled Labourers has been a major concern for Malaysian government in last few years. The Malaysian Government may put some employment restrictions on all the Multinational companies in Malaysia to hire the local Malaysians for employment. The restrictions may include more hiring of Malaysians in comparison to foreign employees irrelevant of their level of skills. Even though the higher unemployment in their home country, TESCO may undergo the pressure of hiring more Malaysians in comparison of foreign employees and provide training to them to meet the required skills for employment which may increase the overall expenses of the company. Also, employing foreign workers in Malaysia will be an expensive cost incurring idea thus increasing the operational cost of the firm affecting the product pricing. Challenge Employing foreign talent may not be possible to run the business. Providing training for Local staff would be expensive and time consuming process. Creating new supply chain management Data Low purchasing power of Malaysians, high foreign currency fluctuation and price sensitive market in the country are becoming major factors for the companies to reduce their prices of the product. Analysis Low Purchasing power of Malaysians in comparison with those of UK will create a price sensitiveness in the country where people may prefer Price over quality. Foreign currency fluctuation between Malaysian Ringett and UK Pound has been unstable in recent times. In importing goods, TESCO may end up in paying more than their usual price thus increasing the overall cost of the product. TESCO will have to reduce the price to meet the market price with its competitors product. The company will have to look for new supply chain management along with new suppliers who can provide the required quality at lesser price to meet the comsumers expectation. Setting up the new supply chain along with new local suppliers will be a big challenge as TESCO is an International Company. Challenges Importing goods from UK will be expensive for TESCO. Tesco may have to compromise on the quality of the product in case of price sensitive market. TESCO will have to set up new supply chain management along with new local suppliers to meet both the price and quality requirement of the consumers. Socio Cultural Environment Labeling Packaging Requirements Data Analysis The Malaysian government is very strict about the labeling language used on the products sold in the country. The language on all the products saleable, whether local or imported, must be written in Bahasa Malaysia or English. And in case of imported goods, the language used in either case may also include translation in any other languages. Since the Government rules regulations is very strict in Malaysia, TESCO would have to Change its labeling repack the products with descriptions in both English bahasa Malaysia Language. Also, the company will have to give more information on the product about its HALAL Certification, ingredients, Date marking, Nutrition Labeling etc. The company will have to change its packaging strategy for its products due to hot humid climatic conditions prevailing in Malaysia This will increase the cost of packaging labeling of all the products to be sold. So to gain economies of scale, TESCO may have to increase its sales volume to cover up the cost of change in labeling packaging. Challenge Relabeling and repackaging the products due to language barrier will be costly and time consuming. TESCO may have to keep on advertising its product on a regular basis to overcome the language barrier. Halal certification Data Analysis The concept of Halal on food non food category of product consumption is a vital issue in any muslim country. Islam is the official religion followed in Malaysia. The religion of Islam demands that the product to be consumed must be HALAL. In Malaysia, The Muslim consumers look for the HALAL certification on the products which is issue by Malaysias Department Of Islamic Development (JAKIM). In recent years, the Muslim consumers in Malaysia are faced with broad selection of products services which are either locally named or are international products certified as HALAL. The Competition is intense in the Malaysian market where local retailers have an upper hand for the sale of products by projecting their products as Islamic brands with the help of creative packaging labeling on their products. TESCO will have to certify HALAL certification on all it products will have to show the logo on each HALAL certified product. This will result into rising of its operating cost. Also, The HALAL certificate is valid for only 1year. So, the company may have to incur these cost every year. Challenge Certification of Halal on all products is costly and time consuming. The validity of certification is very less which results into occurrence of repetitive expenses every year. Advertising, packaging and labeling strategy would change which may increase the cost of the firm. Intense competition from local retailers will be a challenge. Technological Environmental Factors Accessibility Updation of Information Data and Analysis The percentage of urban population to total population in the year 2008 was 70.4%. Most of the hypermarkets are located in the urban areas. Rural consumers may have little access to either buy the product online or going to the nearest hypermarket in their area. So, setting the business in urban market will be a challenge to TESCO to meet capture the market share the requirements of both rural urban population. In recent years, in Malaysia, Online purchasing has become an easy, time, cost energy saving way to buy the products. This method is more followed by the urban consumers to book an order. So, TESCO will have to keep a regular update on timely basis about the availability of its products on its online purchasing website for its consumers. Challenge Target market may get narrow down due to low internet access in rural areas. Starting a business in rural area may increase the transportation cost to the urban consumers. Regular update on timely basis about the availability of its products on its online purchasing website for its consumers will be a challenge. Impact of global warming, deforestation environmental factors Data Analysis Water air pollution, impact of global warming has affected the health of the people in Malaysia. Deforestation due to regional development is also another factor affecting the country. The Malaysian government is now becoming very strict for control over these environmental problems. Any business, whether local or multinational business, has to comply with all the set of rules and regulations related to the environmental issues laid by the Malaysian government. Government may also disallow the companies in setting up of warehouses in the certain selected parts of the country. TESCO, being an multinational brand, will have to follow the strict prescribed rules laid by the Malaysian Government and may have to submit regular reports to the government regularly regarding the working of the company. Challenge Setting up of warehouses near TESCOs hypermart can be a big challenge. Transportation cost may get increased due to problem in selecting area for warehouses. Restriction on certain products can affect the business of TESCO.

Soccer :: Art

Soccer My favorite recreational activity is soccer. I play soccer a lot and have been playing for five or six seasons. in a game not long ago I made a hat trick , or three goals in one game. We placed second in our league this year. Their are lots of rules in soccer and they are all very important. If you don’t follow them you will pay the consequences. I’ll tell you about them in this paper. Probably the most important rule is that you can’t touch the ball with your hands. If you do you will be penalized by the other team getting an indirect kick or a direct kick. The only time it will be a direct kick because of a hand ball will be when the hand ball is in the goalie box. Another rule of soccer is that you can’t hit the other players or curse at them. If you do hit another player you will either get a yellow card or a red card depending on the severeness of the hit and if was an accident or not. A yellow card is a caution and a red card puts you out of the game. Soccer is played al over the country and all over the world. It is a sport that is in the summer Olympics. The games will be held in Atlanta this year and teams from all over the world will be playing there. Hopefully we will get tickets to one of the games because I really want to see one. Soccer is a very fun sport and is very good for me. I love it and will always play it. You should try it you have not already tried it. Bicycling Riding my bike is my favorite recreational activity. I have a haro race group 1zI. I ride every day and often ride to school. Their are many tipes of bikes for sale these days. My freinds all ride too. Sometimes we go all over town just for fun. There are many kinds of tricks you can do on bikes. Some of them are very difficult and others are very hard and take a while to learn. I can only do a few simple ones. One of the tricks is called an indo. This one I can do and quite well. It’s really pretty simple all you have to do is get going pretty slow and hit the front brakes.

Musical Modernism with Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoe

Musical modernism can be seen as the time where music emerges its liberty from Romantic era style -that started in the late nineteen century to end of the Second World War- and gains new ideas and freedom. With the political turmoil and chaos that took over the European countries, -that lured countries into the First World War- composers and artists started to find, create more and new ways to express themselves. They eagerly began to discover the art of Eastern countries with the hope of finding new ways of expression. The changes in tonality, irregular rhythms, tone clusters, distressed and antagonistic melodies, the expressionist, abstract, unusual ideas over powers the music, the traditional structures recreated or composed with unusual techniques and music gains Non-Western elements. Therefore 20th Century Music shows its rebellion from Romantic era –and any other era in fact- and earns itself the name ‘The Modern era â€Å" and a new importance through this moveme nt in the history. In addition, with the modernist movement, music obtained more interest as a subject that it never had before. â€Å"I wanted from music a freedom which it possesses perhaps to a greater degree than any other art, not being tied to a more or less exact reproduction of Nature but to the mysterious correspondences between Nature and Imagination† Claude Debussy (1902) Roughly from the 1900’s, the music started to obtain a big role in people’s life with its new aspects and it was not only made to please the listeners but carried meanings about life itself. With the modernist movement emotions other than love, anger and joy has started to be portrayed more securely and concisely. Composers like Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg are very... ...s were his guard against to harmonic resolution in his music. He was mostly fascinated by the waltz and march rhythm’s - as he used these rhythms in most of his works- nevertheless with the title ‘Schoenberg’ he brought the same complex and irregular approach to these rhythms too. The irregular tempo’s that even shows differences from one bar to the other in a same piece and The rhythms, time signatures he used in his compositions changed continually. To conclude, these three revolutionary composers that I have analysed in this essay brought so many levels and layers to ‘Modern Music’. With their contributions Modern era was disconnected from romanticism. Without Debussy’s unique, enjoyable compositions, Stravinsky’s rhythmic and dynamic layers and new ideas, Schoenberg’s creative theories and revolutionary 12 tone system one can not think of a Modern era.

Cost Management & Cost Control Essay

In broad sense, both the terms have the same meaning. Yet cost management seems to connote broader perspective. Cost control to an un-initiated may mean cutting down the incurrence of cost or expenditure every time or in every situation. In reality it is not always so. In many specific situations, many times, one has to spend or incur cost in order to gain or make more money. It is in fact like an investment. Cost management sounds better then. Profits Making profits or running with surpluses is an essential objective of any organization whether a business organization, non-government non-profit making trust or government. Profit = Revenue (or Price X Units Sold) – Overall Costs (or All Expenses) One can make more profit by: * Increasing the price * Selling more units * Reducing costs In globally competitive environment, increasing the price is not always feasible, Therefore, one has to resort to increasing the sales volumes or decreasing the costs. Overall Cost Reduction: Better Strategy If you do some quick calculations, you may find that: * Increasing the sales volumes by say, 5% will increase the profit by only by that much percentage i.e. 5% increase in profit. * On the other hand reducing the overall cost by 5% may increase the profit in the range from 20% to 45%. Cost Build-up There are two ways of looking at as to how products or services start costing. Conventional Way Cost = Direct Labor Cost + Direct Material Cost + Overhead Cost Activity Based Costing (ABC) Way * Various activities are performed. * Activities attract resources like man, machine, material, money, time and information. * These resources mean money or cost. * Number of activities multiplied by costs attached to the resources consumed by the activities = Overall Cost Cost Reduction Methods Conventional * Reduce direct labor expenses * Reduce direct material expenses * Reduce overhead expenses Non-conventional * Reduce or eliminate (non-value adding) activities * Reduce the consumption of the resources by these activities and even by value adding activities. Cost Management/Control by Controlling Non-Value Adding Activities * Product or services go through processes. * Processes consist of activities. * Activities are: value adding and non-value adding. * Therefore, reduce and finally, eliminate non-value adding activities. * One may think of spending money on value-adding activities if the returns because of putting that extra money (investment) exceed the invested amount. Cost Management/Control by Controlling Seven Notorious Wastes 1. Waste of overproduction 2. Waste of waiting 3. Waste of transportation 4. Waste of processing itself 5. Waste of stocks 6. Waste of motion 7. Waste of making defective products/services

Personal Dilemma Paper Essay

In today’s society people face some form or type of dilemma and it could either be a personal, ethical, or moral dilemma. As individual’s we encounter personal dilemmas, whether it is professional or educational and with these dilemmas there is always some type of choice that must be made and with this choice there is either a solution or resolution or in some cases the choice that is made could either have a positive or negative effect for those involved. Within our society we are faced with ethical dilemmas on a daily basis and they come in the forms of newspapers, television, and by Internet. Some of these dilemmas could be about a Congressman/woman, Senators, Politicians, or Celebrities. For this paper the topic that has been chosen and will be discussed is Same Sex Marriage and the following will also be addressed as well: the nature of the dilemma, the ethical decision made about Same Sex Marriage, alternative course of action and why this action was taken, and th e outcome of the situation. Ethics and Morality So what is ethics and how can it affect me and the choices I make? According to Braswell, McCarthy & McCarthy (2012), ethics can be defined as â€Å"the study of what is considered to be right and wrong, good and evil†. For example, let’s say that you caught your best friend cheating on his wife. What do you do? Do you confront your best friend and give him the chance to explain what is going on or do you just ignore what you saw and not say anything to either your best friend or to the wife. This is what would be considered an ethical dilemma in which there is a conflict and that some type of choice has to be made. In this type of situation no matter the type of choice you make it could affect your best friend and his wife in a positive or negative way. Morality can be defined by Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary as â€Å"†¦a system of moral conduct† leading ultimately to the living of a moral  life (Morality n.d.). For example, if an individual is faced with a moral dilemma this means he/she not only makes the decision about the conflict itself, but as a result there could be more than one action or reason why the individual chose that particular action. Basically, the individual has to make a choice, but with this choice there could be more than one solution or resolution and the decision must benefit the greater good of society in a whole. Same Sex Marriage As little girl’s we had this fantasy of what our ideal wedding would be like and it would be that the man of our dreams would be up there standing at the altar waiting for his soul mate and best friend. This is what most little girl’s dream of, but the reality of this is the fact that most boys and girls dream about marrying the man or girl of their dreams. The idea of marriage has taken on a whole if not different concept and meaning. When one thinks of marriage it is a union between a man and woman, not a union between a man and a man or a woman and a woman. Most of us may have family members and even friends that are in a same sex relationship. For most of these couples the only thing they are wanting is to not only spend the rest of their lives with their partner, but to have it legal and recognized in the state they live in. On October 14th, 2014 same sex marriage not only became legal in 23 states, including the District of Columbia, but in the first time in our h istory President Obama gave his full support to same sex marriage stating this: â€Å"At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married† (ProCon.org). In a decision that was made by the United Stated Supreme Court same sex couples can now be allowed to receive the same benefits as married heterosexual couples would receive. For the rest of the 20 states that have not legalized same sex marriage it would seem that there are certain laws, constitutional amendments or both prevent a same sex couple from getting married in his or her own state (ProCon.org). My Personal Belief and Reasons Why I Support Same Sex Marriage To be completely honest this issue not only hits a raw nerve with me, but I have family and friends that have been in a same sex relationship for years and have expressed to me about getting married. For example, I have a best friend, who is not only like a sister to me, but she  is considered to be part of our family. My friend and her partner live in a state where there is a ban on same sex marriage and she has expressed to me that she would like to marry her partner, but in order for that to happen she must go to another state to get married. We were both brought up and taught by our church that not only is marriage reserved for a man and a woman, but homosexuality is a sin in Godâ€℠¢s eyes. When my friend first told me of her plans to marry her partner I expressed my feelings of happiness and excitement. I have never nor will I be judgmental of my best friend’s decisions or choices when it comes to her life. As a friend I will always be supportive and I will stand with her though thick and thin. My friend and I are both bi-sexual and we are happy with our lifestyle and we do not see anything wrong with the way we live. Many times we have heard that being gay is a sin or that when we die we will not be able to go to Heaven that we are destined for a life of Hell due to our lifestyle. The dilemma in this case is that my friend and her partner do want to get married and in order to do that they must go to Minnesota, Illinois, Nevada, or New York to get married. The problem with this is the marriage will only be recognized in the state they have gotten married in and for some states you must be a resident of six month or longer in order to get married. To be perfectly honest I believe that same sex couples should be allowed to celebrate their union. If heterosexual couples can celebrate their union then why not a same sex couple? Clearly the definition of marriage has changed and people that were not fully supportive or accepting of same sex marriage are supporting the idea of same sex marriage and if same sex couples were to allowed to marry this would give them the opportunity to adopt a child and provide a stable and healthy environment for the child. In New Jersey, since making same sex marriage legal not only has the economy grown, but it has also provided new jobs and brought in additional money and with Massachusetts being the first state to legalized same sex marriage there has been a decrease in the divorce rate (ProCon.org). Reason for Decision and Outcome of the Situation With the situation of my friend and her partner wanting to getting married not only do I fully accept and support the idea of their marriage, but knowing that our government has made changes to the Defense of Marriage Act  (DOMA) is a much welcome relief and positive change (ProCon.org). With the support of the President of the United States and the Supreme Court decision that allows same sex couples to receive the same tax breaks and pension rights of married heterosexual couples this is just the beginning (ProCon.org) The next step is to lift the ban or constitutional amendments in the remaining 20 states and allow same sex couples to marry. By allowing same sex couples to marry this in no way will weaken the family values, but will only make the family values stronger and more successfully. Marriage should not be looked at as a privilege or a right, but as a reason to celebrate a union between two people that love each other not matter what their sexual orientation and the famil y unit is now being redefined as well. A family unit does consist of a mother and father, but now the family unit can consist of two mothers and two fathers raising a healthy family in a healthy environment. Conclusion Whether the dilemma you are faced with is personal, ethical or moral one thing we do know is there is always some type of conflict between the action and positive or negative consequence are made for that action or behavior. Dilemmas are personal in nature and one must find the appropriate course of action to help resolve the issue that was at hand. In the case with my friend and her partner the dilemma was simply they both wanted to get married and in order for that to happen they would have to travel to another state in order to get married, but at the same time the marriage would be recognized in the state they were married in and not the state they live in. With this type of dilemma the possibility of my friend receiving any type of benefits from her partner is looking grave and until the state lifts the ban on same sex marriage her and her partner will remain in a domestic partnership. References Braswell, M., McCarthy, B.R., and McCarthy B. (2021). Ethics, Crime, and Justice: An Introductory Note to Students. Science and Technology Morality. (n.d). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary (11th ed). Retrieved from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morality ProCon.org (2014, October 14). Gay Marriage ProCon.org. Retrieved from: http://gaymarriage.ProCon.org/