Writing Assignment on Dopamine Transporter Research Paper

Writing Assignment on Dopamine Transporter - Research Paper Example Due to these sufferings, the veterans find it hard to adjust and gain acceptability in society. Their mental condition hampers their chances of finding jobs within US and due to this, their emotional status becomes worse. They fail to provide for their family and due to ample amount of stress and feeling of alienation from society, they end up taking steps that have dire consequences such as suicide. The government and the private sector need to join hands together to solve this problematic issue. Government has plans and budget to deal with the issues experienced by veterans, but these plans and budgets are not making much of a difference (Woodhead et al., 2011). The private and public sectors need to treat these patients of war through several treatment options available. This writing will focus upon how counseling can assist in solving the problem of anxiety disorder among war veterans and how well this method performed in the past. Cocker conducted a study on the war veterans of the Gulf War in which he studied over 1,000 veterans. The outcome of his study proved that around 59% of the veterans were diagnosed with some kind of mental and physical disorder; around 387 members of the study had some kind of illness and diagnosis of whether these illnesses were mental or physical could not be concluded; and only 90 or 9% of the veterans were not diagnosed with a health condition. A total of 195 were suffering from some kind of cognitive disorder which was caused just because of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and 16% and 18% of the members suffered from some kind of respiratory issue and muscular disorder respectively (Coker, Bhatt, Blatchley, & Graham, 1999). According to Dobson’s research, when the Australian government started its community counseling services for the Australian veterans of the Vietnam War during the period of 1987, more than 5,000 veterans signed up for the program (Dobson, Grays on,

Important Areas For Self Awareness Psychology Essay

Important Areas For Self Awareness Psychology Essay In a changing corporate world, strong leadership is becoming necessity for Business to survive.Complexity and chaos are creating emerging concerns in solving problem in business world, which leads more attention to leadership. This in turn has increased arguments how leadership is different from management. Management focus on responsibities and reaching goals effectively and efficiently which means it is the activities that keeps organization running(Huey,1994).However leadership is a role to influence others and guiding them to go in right direction to effectiveness(Bennis Nanus,1985).Three skills required for managers to create success organization includes establishing direction, motivating and inspiring people and aligning people (Cohn, 1998).This new leadership role, it puts more pressure on leaders to deal effectively in an environment in which knowledge is an economic resource. Knowledge includes explicit data and statistics as in history and tactic or inner sense. These are considered as key skills of leaders (White, Hodgson, Crainer, 1996).Self awareness is a foundation for tactic knowledge. In the White, et al(1996) self awareness involves the leaders being aware of their strengths and weakness and ability to accept them. Self analysis is a process of raising self awareness. So the key thing here is to collect sufficient and efficient information to make effective decision on ones future for a self managed development. By examining your strengths, weaknesses, skills and competences, a person can get a clear picture of what you are and what you have got. Important Areas for Self-Awareness Being a very complex and diverse creature Human beings need to have an understanding in many areas like psychological needs, personality traits, values, habits, emotions etc to become self aware. Understanding our personalities can help us to find the solutions in which we thrive and help us to avoid situation which will give us too much stress and mental pressure. It could be in personal or professional life. For instance an introvert person can find it more stressful in sales job than an extrovert person. So either the person has to learn skills to match the job requirement or should look for other opportunities. So Awareness of personality helps to make a decision that will lead to less stress to lead a happy life. Every person has its own personal values. Unawareness of own values may misguide to pay more attention to less unimportant work and feel guilty for not concentrating on priority works. Habits are the behaviours that are repeated routinely and automatically. Personal habit may affect our effectiveness. For instance if a person who is a manager doesnt have a habit to consult staff in decision making process may affect his ability to build staff members commitments. Knowing the psychological needs like esteem, affection, possessive, achievement, self actualization, power, control etc will help to understand their effect on interpersonal relationships. Emotional self-awareness is one of the five facets of emotional intelligence. Its about knowing ones feelings, what caused that feeling and how it impacts one thought and action. A person with high emotional self awareness can understand the internal processes of any emotional experience so can have a better control over it Managerial self Awareness There are many developmental assessments like multi-rater technique, Feedback process, filling questionnaire etc are designed with the underlying assumption that the awareness of any contradictions in how others see us and the perception of ourselves will lead to a greater degree of self awareness which in turn enhances the leadership behaviour. So its makes important to understand what is self awareness and its impact on managers performance. Piaget(1928) defended that a child is a self centered or egocentric being and so the perspective of others is largely ignored and are of no concern. Then there is gradual progression from self centered view to more socially aware view. Gradually a child learns to take others role in social interactions where self is viewed as an object(Mead, 1934).This process of role taking involves paying attention to needs, opinions, intentions, emotions and intellectual capabilities of others which are important characteristics for a child to become an actual communicator (Flavell, Botkin Fry, 1968). The child that is not actively taking part in this role taking behavior is not able to be an effective communicator (Piaget, 1928), because the concept of ones point of view is absent. Intellectual egocentrism can be defined as the inability to take other roles. The ability to search for the opinions of others and compare them to their own viewpoint in order to make comparisons is absent, and therefore hinders almost every part of the childs life. According to Flavell et. al (1968), the ability to assess what another persons capabilities and tendencies in a given situation are, paired with the ability to use this information to communicate more effectively is a skill that is developed with age. The move from intellectual egocentrism to consideration of perspective of others that occurs in childhood is of great importance in which manner a person perceives the self. Mead (1934) argues that for ones selfhood awareness, it is necessary to detach awareness from inside of oneself and use vantage points from another person. So taking the role of other is important in this context, as the concept of self consists of the perception of others. Duval and Wicklunds (1972) theory of objective self-awareness contradicts Meads theory by postulating that self-consciousness occurs because consciousness can focus its attention on the self in the same way that attention is focused on any object. So there is no way an individual is dependent on others point of view as in the sense that Mead intends. If the object-like nature of the self has been discovered, and stimuli in the environment are such that consciousness turns in the direction of the self, the person will become objectively self-aware (Duval Wicklund,p. 31, 1972). In other words, others point of view is not necessary to be self conscious, instead a mature individual has innate consciousness ability to focus in different directions. Duval and Wicklund (1972) define objective self-awareness as the state in which the self is the object of consciousness. On the other hand, subjective self-awareness is the state in which the self is not the focus of consciousness. So it shows the early work of Piaget, Flavell, Duval, and Mead in the current studies on the concept of self-awareness. From business standpoint different feedback techniques are important for manager self awareness. To be truly self aware a manager should not limit his thoughts,feelings to himself rather he should be aware of others standpoint and include this information in self appraisal(Duval Lalwani, 1999). This can be referred to as other-awareness (Figurski, 1987).So one must be first aware of others perspective in order to alter owns perspective and then adopt those in relation to self (Flavell, 1968).So self awareness is a practise to reflects on self and accurately access ones own behaviour and skills as they are visible in workplace interactions (Church, 1997). Many managers use the information they perceive to modify future behavior. Figurski (1987) identified four different kinds of person-awareness which all together will provide clarity to this study. As seen in Figure 1, target, perspective, and content are the three main dimensions of person-awareness.Perspective or tacit awareness (egocentric or allocentric)interacts with the target or focal awareness (self or other) to get content of awareness. Four categories of attention result: self-experience awareness, self image awareness, other-image awareness, and other-experience awareness. These can occur together in any combination or simultaneously. The allocentric perspective results when one focus on how other perceives them being self is the target. When others are the target, one is concern about how others feel. So it important to considers others internal experience before adopting their perspective. Therefore objective self-awareness is dependent upon the consideration of others experiences. Problems may arise for those who fail to integrate information from the egocentric and allocentric perspectives. If the others experience are not adequately considered, there will be less understanding between the self and others resulting in less effective communication (Wegner Giuliano, 1982). On the other hand,one who relates others experiences to themselves and integrates that information to perceive self should experience effective communication. The figures with frequency indicate that people are aware of others experiences almost 50% of the time. So self proves to be the dominant focus of attention. Although managers focus on self, they are not able to accurately judge their own behaviours as they may get biased. However, self-ratings are important as there are some characteristics like intelligence, high achievements status and locus of control are closely related to accurate self evaluation Mabe and West(1982). The greater the individuals level of self awareness the more similarity that is expected between the self assessment and the ratings provided by peers. The discrepancy between self- and other-ratings is also unclear. For example, an elevation in self-ratings could be due to lower ratings in others rather than over-estimation by the self. Atwater and Yammarino (1992) sought to determine how self-awareness affects the degree of relationship between leadership behaviour and its predictors, and between leader behaviour and performance outcomes. On comparison of self and other rating it was found that inaccurate self raters who overestimate their performance show poor performance than people who are more accurate self raters. Additionally, their peers rated over-raters lowest than the under-raters. So self-aware individuals appear to be using direct and indirect feedback to modify behaviour. Over-estimators, however, seem to be using this information to confirm or justify their self-misperception of over-achieving. The hypothesis that high performing managers are more self aware was tested using absolute average profile differences (d) as well as relative average item differences across each question. High performers showed significantly lower profile difference scores than average performers. This supports managerial self-awareness theory in that high performers display higher levels of self-awareness than average performers Church(1997). Individuals who are self-aware are more likely to respond to information from past experiences, thereby becoming more effective and displaying more leadership strengths. Individuals perceived by their managers as being high performers will be more self-aware. This can be concluded high performers receive higher congruence in self-other ratings compared to average performing managers. Therefore, there is a correlation between the overall leadership measure and higher congruence scores. If a manager is not self-aware, information on how others perceive the self is of no use. According to the Figurski (1987) model, the allocentric perspective must be utilized in order for one to be aware of how the self is considered by others. Failure to consider the similarity or differences between the self and others results in perspectives that vary. Effective communication is in turn hindered, because the understanding between people is not clear. Conversely, those who communicate effectively are using information gathered from interactions with others. It is therefore expected that managers with higher communication scores will display more congruent performance data (as reflected in self-rater agreement). Individuals tend to focus more on feedback they receive from their managers versus peers or others. Data source (self, manager, peer, and other) is expected to explain variance in self-awareness levels. Managers with emotional awareness are good decision makers. In these changing competitive environments intuitive decision makers can deal with situation with gut feeling and sixth sense. Emotionally aware persons can read their gut feeling and have better sixth sense that help them in decision making process. Jobs that dont suit a persons personality will give more stress than more compatible jobs. This is not like if your qualities are not compatible you cant go ahead with the job but you can put extra effort to develop the skills buy there are other alternative that will be less stressful. Self awareness is very powerful in revealing what is important for a person to improve performance. Understanding psychological needs increase motivation and get closer to the rewards that a person deserves. Understanding what click a person, reason of behaviour, reason of excitement etc can make what triggers others as well. So knowing to motivate yourself can help in know what motivate others. In Summary To perfect ones management skills the best way to start is getting self aware. With a sense of yourself and vision of what kind a person you are or what you want to become a plan of personal and professional development can be created, its helps to motivate a person, Help to manage stress and help in decision making and helps to lead and motivate others, which makes an effective leader. Knowing yourself is a slow process so we should try hard.

Battle of the Divas :: essays research papers

â€Å"Kiss my Brass! I’m not retiring and you can’t make me.† Bette Midler is in the prime of her life, selling out her concerts entertaining millions with her amazing voice and witty sense of humor. For over thirty years, Bette has been in an everlasting competition with the other world wide known sarcastically blunt entertainer, Cher. These two divas have made their way to the top by producing numerous CD’s containing hit songs that will forever be remembered, and starred in hit movies earning the title as an actor/singer, which few have been able to do. Though they are in the same line of business and have accomplished similar things, they carry their weight in two opposite manners. Bette is a better entertainer for her amount of success, and way of performing in a decent manner. With four Grammys, three Emmys, two Oscar nominations and a special Tony to her credit (as of 1999), the self-styled â€Å"Queen of Trash† Bette Midler is one of the more honored multi-talented performers in American showbiz. Bette constructed the larger-than-life role of 'The Divine Miss M' (also the title of her 1972 debut album for Atlantic Records) and built her career as a red-haired performer with the wide, lovely smile. Bette's early 1970s act "nailed the nostalgia thing" with Andrews Sisters takeoffs 1973's "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and 1960s girl-group numbers, as well as including blues and show tunes in its broad musical spectrum. Midler formed her own production company, and made her first foray into producing with the successful "Beaches" (1990), an updated woman's picture which yielded her first Number 1 hit, "The Wind Beneath My Wings". Can anyone remember when Cher wasn’t around? She has gone from pop singer, TV and movie star, to a nobody: an infomercial queen and a laughingstock. She’s back at pop superstar, and all this occurred within approximately 15 years. Throughout it all, she survived in the public eye, something no one can take away from her. The best way to summarize Cher is to say that she has lived the equivalent of 5 lifetimes in one. The whole "I believe Sonny spoke to me beyond the grave" incident didn't exactly do anything to help her credibility, but Cher has never been afraid to be outspoken. She says what's on her mind, even though she might sound incoherent at times. She has received a lot of press for doing some wild stuff, and some people might feel that the media has always underrated her acting abilities.

Ford Hybrid Car Case Bass Essay

Before beginning any case, students should familiarize  themselves with the model being used. Marketing Engineering for Excel comes with tutorials that demonstrate the capability of each model. The tutorial can be found under each model within the MEââ€" ºXL menu after starting Excel. These tutorials are  designed to work with our OfficeStar examples which are located in the My Marketing Engineering directory, usually installed in My Documents during software installation.  There is no external data set associated with this case; all necessary data are included herein. Ford’s Hybrid Future In September 2006, Alan Mulally had just taken over as the CEO of Ford, the fifth largest corporation in the United States. Ford was in trouble, as was the entire American auto industry, partly due to the rapid increase in average gas prices from $1.10 per gallon for regular, unleaded gasoline in January 2002 to more than $2.50 per gallon in September 2006, according to the Energy Information Administration. Sport utility vehicles and trucks, the mainstays of Ford’s product line, no longer had the depth of consumer appeal they had in the past. Ford’s stock price had declined more than 30% from September 2004, and for the 2006 fiscal year, Ford executives were projecting a loss of almost $6 billion from ongoing operations; paired with restructuring costs, the total projected losses reached approximately $9 billion. Through its â€Å"Way Forward† plan, Ford announced buyout offers for 75,000 hourly workers and planned to cut 30% of its 35,000 salaried employees in the United States. Although these cost-saving measures would improve profitability, ultimately, Ford needed to win in the marketplace to regain its past status; to win, it needs to take drastic market-oriented actions. As part of the Way Forward plan, the previous CEO (and current Chair) William Clay Ford initially announced that the company would build 250,000 hybrid cars annually by 2010. Now Mulally is rethinking that commitment: Would it be enough? Would that be too much? He needs a quick and credible answer to this question before deciding how forcefully to push the hybrid car program within Ford. Mulally also recognizes that the technologies and manufacturing systems that support hybrid cars are growing more and more sophisticated, and companies such as Toyota and Honda, with their head starts in these areas, may move more quickly down the learning curve, producing their cars more cheaply and in greater volumes, which would make it difficult for other companies to catch up to them. To plan Ford’s long-term investments in the hybrid car business, Mulally needs a 10-year forecast of the overall U.S. hybrid Copyright  © 2008 by DecisionPro, Inc. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, go to www.decisionpro.biz. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the permission of DecisionPro, Inc.  market, the world’s largest consumer of gasoline, along with corresponding forecasts for the sales of Ford’s hybrid cars if they are made available to the market. Background A hybrid car is an automobile powered by two sources: (1) an internal combustion engine or diesel engine, as in a regular car, and (2) an electric motor. However, hybrid cars do not need to be recharged via electric plugs; instead, they receive charge from the movement of the wheels and store the generated kinetic energy through a process called regenerative braking. Hybrid cars provide higher mileage by requiring a less powerful engine than a comparable regular car and help conserve nonrenewable sources of energy, such as diesel or gasoline. The smaller engine in the hybrid car is powerful enough to move the car along on the freeway, but when it needs to accelerate or get up a steep hill, it needs the assistance of the electric motor and battery to boost the power output. Hybrid cars work much like regular cars and create little difference in terms of how they are driven, refilled with gas, or serviced. However, hybrid cars typically cost approximately $3,000 more than comparable re gular cars (base price of $25,000 to $30,000) and offer a 10– 15% improvement in gas mileage. The actual savings depend on the driving habits of the user; gradual acceleration, coasting, and the use of cruise control help increase mileage. Although many experts have predicted that hybrids will be the cars of the future, it remains difficult to predict their popularity with consumers and, consequently, their profitability for auto companies. Within the past few years, hybrid cars have gone from being novelties, bought largely by environmentalists and technology-oriented consumers, to represent an established, though small, part of the automotive landscape. According to J.D. Power & Associates, hybrids constitute approximately 1.5% of the total U.S. light-vehicle market, but sales have been growing quickly as other segments have stagnated or fallen. Sales in 2005 of 205,000 units were more than double the 2004 sales levels. A recent survey by J.D. Power also reveals that 57% of consumers who expect to acquire a new vehicle within the next two years will consider a hybrid. Worldwide, approximately 800 million cars and light trucks are in operation, and 240 million of these are in the United States. By 2020, 1 billion cars and light trucks are expected to be in use worldwide. All these cars could eventually be replaced by hybrid cars. In addition to consumer demand for hybrid cars, car manufacturers’ interest in hybrid cars is driven by CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) regulation, according to which an automaker must maintain a minimum mileage of 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) across passenger cars in its product line and 20.7 mpg across light trucks. The U.S. Congress appears likely to raise these standards in the future in response to societal pressures; according to some experts, the CAFE average may rise to 35 mpg or higher by 2020 across the entire product line (i.e., including all passenger cars and light trucks produced by the manufacturer). Hybrid cars offer the opportunity to raise gas mileage sufficiently to meet this requirement, and therefore, most car manufacturers have either launched hybrid cars or announced plans to do so. An auto manufacturer that fails to meet the standard must pay a penalty to the federal government, which some companies, including BMW, Porsche, and Ferrari, have paid i n 2006. 1 1 The penalty for failing to meet CAFE standards is $5.50 per tenth of a mile per gallon under the target. Thus, a manufacturer that produces cars that average 2 miles below the target and sells 10,000 cars in a given year will pay a fine of $1,100,000 for that year. In 2006, BMW paid a fine of $5.1 million. FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 2/8 Forecasting Considerations The chart in Exhibit 1, from www.hybridcars.com, illustrates the variety of opinions regarding sales forecasts for hybrid cars. The black line shows hybrid sales continuing at their current pace, determined in the time since hybrids first were introduced in 2000. Considering the future five-year timeframe, J.D. Power forecasts are well below the line, whereas others (e.g., D.O.E., Freedonia Group, BoozAllen) predict wider public acceptance of hybrids. Exhibit 1: Forecasts for Hybrid Cars  The wide variation in forecasts reflects some fundamental uncertainties surrounding this technology and market: Technology uncertainties: Many alternative technologies offer different price/performance points. The gas–electric hybrid is the most common; alternative technologies include pure electric cars and fuel cell cars. Alternative fuels might be used in nonhybrid cars and could gain popularity, swaying consumers away from buying hybrids. Some alternative fuels currently in use include E85 (an 85% ethanol blend), clean diesel, and natural gas. For 2006, Ford increased its production of four vehicles that can run on a mixture of gasoline and E85 (i.e., F-150 pickup trucks, Ford Crown Victorias, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Towncars). In a 2005 KPMG survey of 140 senior auto executives, 88% predicted that gas–electric hybrids would gain market share. Even within the gas–electric hybrid market, automakers apply the hybrid technology at varying levels. For example, Honda and Toyota make full-blown hybrid cars, whereas General Motors eased into the sector with a scaled-down, less-expensive hybrid technology that still needed some gasoline to power the transmission. A FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 3/8 breakthrough in battery technology may create a shakeout among the alternative technologies. According to the Department of Energy, either lithium ion or lithium polymer batteries may offer the best future technologies. Lithium ion batteries possess nearly twice the energy of NiMH (nickel–metal– hydride) batteries but require significant circuitry to prevent overcharging and undercharging. They also require thermal management and pose some safety concerns. Hydraulic hybrid technology also is considered superior to the electric hybrid technology, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); UPS is currently testing hydraulic hybrid trucks for use in its regular fleet. Auto companies are also testing other technologies; in 2007, BMW plans to produce 100 hydrogen cars for its 7 series. BMW spokesperson Andreas Klugescheid notes that these cars will not be sold but rather given to consumers who may â€Å"have a potential impact on making a hydrogen economy happen.† These cars will run on hydrogen or gasoline, depending on the driver’s preference, which acknowledges the limited availability of hydrogen fuel and the difficulties associated with distributing it. Market uncertainties: Many uncertainties surround the decisions of both dealers and consumers. For consumers, the potential economic benefit of a hybrid car depends on the price of gasoline. At a gas price of $2.50 per gallon, the breakeven point between a hybrid and a regular gasoline car can occur after 50,000 miles of driving. The higher initial cost is also a barrier to many consumers. To make hybrid cars more attractive to consumers, federal and state governments offer several incentives. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) offers consumers and businesses federal tax credits for their purchase of fuel-efficient, hybrid electric vehicles, in effect through 2007. The amount of tax credit depends on the fuel economy and ranges from $400 to $2500 per vehicle. Some states also offer special incentives for hybrid car drivers, such as solo use of high occupancy lanes (e.g., Georgia, Florida, Arizona), tax credits (e.g., Utah, Illinois, Colorado), or exemption from sales tax on the ca r (e.g., Connecticut, New Mexico). At the same time, some consumers are willing to buy hybrids, even at higher differential prices, to make a statement (you are what you drive!). The Toyota Prius was such a success that dealers charged additional fees for the car and established buyer waiting lists. According to surveys, some consumers would be willing to pay somewhat more for electricity to power their cars if they knew it was coming from renewable and nonpolluting resources. Hybrids also may require some changes in driving habits, such as learning to accelerate and stop smoothly and coasting whenever possible. Many consumers also are not aware that, unlike most regular cars, hybrids achieve better mileage during city driving compared with highway driving. Ford is organizing special â€Å"driver education† events, during which current owners  will team up with Ford engineers to discover ways to improve gas mileage when using hybrid cars. The company hopes that such activities will promote wordof-mouth communications about Ford’s hybrid cars. According to Mary Ann Wright, Ford’s director of hybrid technologies, through this program, â€Å"we created about 300 ambassadors for us. It’s free advertising, and we’re getting some great feedback from them.† Many celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Bill Maher, and Will Ferrell, not only drive hybrid vehicles but openly promote their choice. Thus, it is becoming easier for consumers to hear buzz about hybrid cars and educate themselves, such as through Internet research or by discussing the option with friends and acquaintances who may own a hybrid. The demographics of the typical hybrid car buyer thus may change in the future, especially if the cars grow more attractive to mainstream car buyers. The characteristics of current hybrid car owners are summarized in the  FORD HYBRID CAR CASE. 4/8 following list (Source: Walter McManus, director of the Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation, University of Michigan): †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ High level of education. Higher income than the average new buyer—approximately $100,000 a year versus $85,000 a year for the average buyer. More likely to be female. A few years older than the average car buyer—closer to 50 than the average age of 40 years for all car buyers. Drive fewer miles on average. Plan to keep their car longer than the average person—a little more than five years rather than less than five years. Willing to pay more for an environmentally friendly (or â€Å"green†) product. Want to do something to help reduce vehicle pollution. More pessimistic about the future of fuel prices than the average person. Forecasting Hybrid Car Adoption Using the  Bass Model A key consideration in developing forecasts using the Bass model is an understanding of the diffusion process of analogous products. Several different product categories may provide suitable analogs based on the â€Å"substitution† of one type of technology by another. Using this logic, the market research group at Ford has proposed that the diffusion process of diesel cars in Europe might provide a suitable analogous situation because, over time, diesel cars substituted for gasoline cars as the technology of choice. Starting with Volkswagen’s introduction of its Golf diesel car in 1976, the adoption of diesel cars has progressed steadily, and diesel vehicles now account for more than 50% of new car registrations in Western Europe. However, according to Christy Swiecki, an auto industry analyst, the adoption of hybrid cars in the United States is likely to be slower, if the experience of switching to renewable energy is any guide. Although wind, solar, and geothermal so urces of energy are more environmentally friendly, their adoption rates have been slow, partly because traditional sources of energy (e.g., coal, petroleum) remain relatively inexpensive and convenient, and alternative sources may not provide greater economic benefits when the total consumer experience is taken into account. According to Swiecki, initial enthusiasm for hybrid cars will fade, especially once the market expands beyond the traditional high-income, environmentally friendly consumers and as people begin to realize the potential environmental issues with respect to the disposal of the rechargeable batteries in their hybrid cars. She therefore projects sales of hybrid cars in 2015 will be, at most, in the range of 6–8% of the total light-vehicle market of approximately 16.5 million vehicles. Another approach to forecasting views hybrid technology as a â€Å"feature enhancement† to a regular car that increases its mileage. In that case, hybrid cars would be perceived as just another â€Å"under-the-hood-innovation† that delivers more fuel efficiency without sacrificing power, and they should appeal to a broad market. Using this perspective, the market research group at Ford has proposed that the adoption patterns of antilock braking systems (ABS) and fuel-injection technologies might be useful analogs. Both these  technologies were built into products and offered as enhanced features that the customer could choose to buy.  Although ABS originally was created for use in aircrafts, by the early 1970s, ABS technology was being developed for automobiles. In 1978, Bosch created FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 5/8 the first ABS that could be successfully mass produced, and Mercedes-Benz and BMW began to offer the technology. The early versions weighed about 6 lbs (compared with 1.5 lbs today) and cost several thousand dollars. By 1985, less than 1% of all new vehicles worldwide were equipped with ABS—mostly high-profile, high-cost vehicles. In 1985, the Chevy Corvette came standard with ABS for the first time, and by 1989, it was standard in all Porsche models, followed by Mercedes-Benz in 1992. By 2000, 60% of new cars worldwide had ABS, and by 2003, this rate had increased to 69%. Fuel injection is another potential technology enhancement that could serve as an analog for hybrid cars. In a gasoline engine, small amounts of fuel  mix with air during combustion. Since the inception of the auto industry, carburettors were the predominant method to meter the amount of fuel used. An engine’s air-to-fuel ratio must be controlled accurately in different operating conditions to achieve the desired performance metrics. With the development of electronic fuel injection (EFI) technology, fuel could be metered very accurately and precisely, which helped increase gas mileage and reduce air pollutants compared with their levels in carburetted engines. Even though EFI was a much superior technology, the transition from carburettors to EFI was gradual, taking about 14 years from 1979 to 1993 for EFI to displace carburettors. Reasons for the gradual transition included the initial high cost of EFI systems (about $600 more per unit than carburettors) and the lack of cl early perceptible benefits for car owners. As a result, the early EFI systems appeared only in luxury and performance cars, which could absorb their higher costs into the overall price. From Market Forecasts to Forecasts for Ford Ford is primarily interested in how many hybrid cars it will be able to sell in the next 10 years so it can make sound judgments about how much capacity for hybrid cars to build in its factories, as well as the amount of effort it should devote to training its dealer network that will sell the cars. Therefore, marketlevel forecasts need to be converted into forecasts for Ford brand hybrid cars. Exhibits 2 and 3 summarize sales of hybrid cars from 2000 to 2006 and sales of Ford hybrid cars relative to the total market in 2006. Ford introduced the Ford Escape hybrid in late 2004 and the Mercury Mariner hybrid in early 2006. Year Number of Hybrid Models (Light Vehicles) U.S. Sales of Hybrid Cars (Units) U.S. Total Number of New Cars (Light Vehicles) Sold 2000 2 9,350 13,181,000 2001 2 20,287 13,510,000 2002 2 35,000 13,639,000 2003 3 47,525 13,594,000 2004 5 88,000 13,609,000 2005 7 215,000 13,551,000 2006 10 252,636 13,271,000 Exhibit 2: Sales of Hybrids in the United States Notes: Light vehicles include passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and pickup trucks. FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 6/8 Car Model Honda Insight Toyota Prius Honda Civic Honda Accord Toyota Camry Toyota Highlander Lexus RX400h Lexus GS450h Ford Escape Ford Mercury Mariner Total Combined (city + highway) EPA mpg 57 55 50 31 39 29 29 26 34 31 Jan. 2006 59 7,654 3,165 351 n/a 2,263 1,477 n/a 801 97 15,867 Feb. 2006 72 6,547 1,780 783 n/a 2,631 1,803 n/a 1,233 108 14,957 Mar. 2006 79 7,922 2,232 581 n/a 2,987 2,470 n/a 1,441 149 17,861 Apr. 2006 110 8,234 3,087 614 86 3,768 2,247 141 3,039 381 21,707 May. 2006 92 8,103 2,890 520 3,032 3,755 2,006 294 2,434 428 23,554 Jun. 2006 77 9,696 2,601 396 4,268 2,705 1,190 231 1,569 315 23,048 Jul. 2006 91 11,114 2,673 504 5,023 2,784 1,220 157 2,060 423 26,049 Aug. 2006 109 11,177 3,411 499 4,977 2,581 1,514 192 1,789 351 26,600 Sep. 2006 19 10,492 2,508 389 4,044 2,347 1,687 164 1,369 282 23,301 Oct. 2006 9 8,733 2,288 287 2,806 1,643 1,239 177 1,343 259 18,784 Nov 2006 2 8,008 2,208 311 3,100 1,667 1,327 176 1,323 161 18,283 Dec 2006 3 9,291 2,408 363 4,005 2,354 1,981 252 1,748 220 22,625 Total Unit Sales 2006 722 106,971 31,251 5,598 31,341 31,485 20,161 1,784 20,149 3,174 252,636 Exhibit 3: Unit Sales of Different Models of Hybrid Cars, 2006. (Source: www.hybridcars.com; www.fueleconomy.gov). FORD HYBRID CAR CASE 7/8 EXERCISES (1) Summarize and justify alternative scenarios (i.e., compelling stories about the future) ranging from pessimistic to optimistic with regard to market performance of hybrid cars. (2) Develop forecasts of hybrid car penetration in the U.S. market from 2007 through 2016 for each scenario you develop, along with a justification and explanation for your forecasts. (In applying the Bass model, note that market penetration data for the four analog products mentioned in the case, namely, ABS, EFI, Solar, and Diesel cars, were all reckoned in terms of the percentage of the target market that adopted the product. Thus the maximum market potential can at most be equal to 100). (3) Recommend short-term and long-term strategies that Ford should pursue based on the forecasts that you develop. Note: This case was developed by Professor Arvind Rangaswamy with assistance from Megan Ruth De Stefano and Sasi Amarlapudi. The case is based on publicly available information as of January 2007. Its purpose is to illustrate a business situation involving forecasting, based on real events; it does not purport to represent actual decisions made by the Ford Motor Company. Data and the case situation described here are based on information obtained from public sources listed in the body of the text and the following: U.S. Department of Transportation; http://www.hybridcars.com; USA Today, October 14, 2005; Plunkett Research, Ltd.; The Wall Street Journal, September 13, 2006.

The George Lopez Show

The show stars George Lopez as manager of Powers Brothers Aviation (originally Powers & Sons Aviation), an airplane parts factory. He is married to Angie Palmero (Constance Marie) and has two outgoing children, Max and Carmen (Luis Armand Garcia and Masiela Lusha). They all live together in Los Angeles, California. George had a difficult childhood. He was abandoned by his father, Manny, and further mistreated and traumatized by a careless, abusive, chain smoking, alcoholic mother, Benita â€Å"Benny† Lopez (Belita Moreno). She usually criticizes Angie's cooking and parenting skills.George and Benny's adult relationship mainly consists of the two of them trading insults about each other, mainly referring to George's childhood (one example being how George was forced to eat a chair because Benny did not feed him). They appear to care for each other, and George has admitted his feelings for Benny in some episodes. Benny works at Powers Brothers Aviation, as does George's best friend, Ernesto â€Å"Ernie† Cardenas (Valente Rodriguez), who is mostly luckless in the dating arena and still lives with his mother. George's father-in-law, Dr.Victor â€Å"Vic† Palmero (Emiliano Diez), thinks Angie should have married someone better than George, but as the series progresses, he begins to respect and accept him. George always tries to catch his children getting in trouble when they misbehave, whether it be by confronting them straight on, or sneakily investigating, then punishing them later. It is still always shown that George loves and cares deeply for his family, even though in one episode he said that his kids were definitely in the top 5, and he would sometimes insult Angie.

Leadership and Management Essay Example

Leadership and Management Essay Example Leadership and Management Essay Leadership and Management Essay This assignment provides you with the understanding and skills required of a manager/leader in an organisational context, through applying current theories.Learning outcomes On successful completion of this assignment you will: 1 Understand the link between management and leadership 2 Understand the skills and styles of management and leadership 3 Be able to apply theory in an organisational context 4 Be able to plan for the development of leadership and management skills Assignment Focusing on a work role, previous work experience or a voluntary work position, using examples from your own workplace experiences where possible, and drawing on your studies of this subject, please answer ALL four sections below and please complete the reflective statement.Deadline for Submission: Please see your time table Please answer ALL four sections: Section 1 Word Length: Approx. 375 words Demonstrate your understanding of the link between management and leadership You will need to: ? ? explain the relationship between management and leadership analyse how management and leadership style impacts on the achievement of organisational objectives Section 2 Word Length: Approx. 375 words Explain the skills and styles of management and leadership You will need to: ? ? ? xplain the personal and professional skills required for effective management compare the skills and styles of successful leaders assess the expected impact of own leadership styles on work groups Brighton School of Business and Management Limited Brighton School of Business and Management Limited Section 3 Word Length: Approx. 375 words Demonstrate how you would apply theory in an organisational context You will need to: ? ? select appropriate theories of management and leadership to identify management and leadership requirements in given situations report on the usefulness of using theories or ga ining insights into leadership requirements in given situations Section 4 Word Length: Approx. 375 words Demonstrate how you would plan the development of leadership and management skills You will need to: ? ? ? use appropriate methods to assess the skills needed by a leader in a given situation plan the development of management and leadership skills for a given job role make justified evaluations of the management and leadership development methods selectedReflective Learning Statement Explain how the main themes of this unit have impacted (or could in the future) on your work role – you should include an analysis of your strengths and weaknesses relating to this unit both at the start and end of the unit. Word Length: 100 words Brighton School of Business and Management Limited Brighton School of Business and Management Limited Guidance on Grade AwardedThe final Unit grade assessment is based on how well you have met the Assignment Criteria / Task Requirements: we look pri marily for evidence that you have followed the Assignment instructions and have responded to the Assignment in a way that meets the specific outcomes / requirements / criteria as described in the Assignment Brief We also look at the depth and breadth of your work: where we look for evidence of supplementary reading and research, appropriate examples, some original thought, a professional standard of layout, structure, and overall presentation in order to come to a decision about the actual grade.Below is an overview of the guidelines that our Assessors work to: Pass All identified criteria in the assignment are met Merit Satisfied the identified Assignment criteria, plus the content confirms that the student has: Shown evidence of a sound understanding of the subject matter; Given a broad and detailed response to the assignment tasks and criteria; Shown evidence of careful analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of information and data; Used complex arguments/lines of hinking; Shown the ability to make judgements based on the research and the response discussion points; Described how appropriate techniques and-or tools should be selected and used; Applied an appropriate structure and layout to their response; Selected and used relevant graphics to illustrate key points; Presented all documents to a professional standard that would be accepted at middle management level. Brighton School of Business and Management Limited Brighton School of Business and Management LimitedDistinction Satisfied the identified Assignment criteria, plus the content confirms that the student has: Demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge base and understanding of the subject matter; Shown originality of thought and application of ideas, models and theories to their assignment response; Shown evidence of the student using critical reflection to evaluate their own work and justify valid conclusions; Shown an awareness of the wider implications of the issues being analysed and discussed; Appli ed a customised structure and layout that supports and enhances their response; Selected and used a wide range of relevant graphics to illustrate key points; Presented all documents to a standard that would be accepted at executive-board level. Brighton School of Business and Management Limited

Cassius Dio

Cassius Dio Cassius Dio, also sometimes known as Lucius, was a Greek historian from a leading family of Nicaea in Bithynia. He is perhaps best known for publishing a through history of Rome in 80 separate volumes. Cassius Dio was born in Bithynia around 165 AD. Dio’s exact birth name is unknown, although it is probable that his full birth name was Claudius Cassius Dio, or potentially Cassius Cio Cocceianus, although that translation is less likely. His father, M. Cassius Apronianus, was proconsul of Lycia and Pamphylia, and legate of Cilicia and Dalmatia. Dio was in the Roman consul twice, perhaps in A.D. 205/6 or 222, and then again in 229. Dio was a friend of the emperors Septimius Severus and Macrinus. He served his second consulship with Emperor Severus Alexander. After his second consulship, Dio decided to retire from political office, and he went home to Bithynia. Dio was named praetor by Emperor Pertinax, and is thought to have served in this office in 195. In addition to his work on the history of Rome from its foundation to the death of Severus Alexander (in 80 separate books), Dio also wrote a history of the Civil Wars of 193-197. Dios history was written in Greek. Only a few of the original 80 books of this history of Rome have survived to this day. Much of what we know about the various writings of Cassius Dio comes from Byzantine scholars. The Suda credits him with a Getica (actually written by Dio Chrysostom) and a Persica (actually written by Dinon of Colophon, according to Alain M. Gowing, in Dios Name, (Classical Philology, Vol. 85, No. 1. (Jan., 1990), pp. 49-54). Also Known As: Dio Cassius, Lucius History of Rome Cassius Dio’s most well-known work is a thorough history of Rome that spans 80 separate volumes. Dio published his work on the history of Rome after twenty-two years of intensive research on the topic. The volumes span approximately 1,400 years, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. From The Encyclopedia Britannica: â€Å"His history of Rome consisted of 80 books, beginning with the landing of Aeneas in Italy and ending with his own consulship. Books 36–60 survive in large part. They relate events from 69 bc to ad 46, but there is a large gap after 6 bc. Much of the work is preserved in later histories by John VIII Xiphilinus (to 146 bc and then from 44 bc to ad 96) and Johannes Zonaras (from 69 bc to the end). Dio’s industry was great, and the various offices he held gave him opportunities for historical investigation. His narratives show the hand of the practiced soldier and politician; the language is correct and free from affectation. His work is far more than a mere compilation, though: it tells the story of Rome from the perspective of a senator who has accepted the imperial system of the 2nd and 3rd centuries. His account of the late republic and the age of the Triumvirs is especially full and is interpreted in light of the battles over supreme rule in his own day. In Book 52 there is a long speech by Maecenas, whose advice to Augustus reveals Dio’s own vision of the empire.†

Tips for Finding and Producing Trend Stories

Tips for Finding and Producing Trend Stories Trend stories used to be a subsection of journalism reserved for light features, like new fashions or a television show thats attracting an unexpected audience. But not all trends are pop culture-oriented and depending on where youre reporting, trends in your town may vary wildly from a city in another state or country. Theres definitely a different approach to writing a story about teenagers sexting than there would be for a story about a hot new video game. But both of those could be considered trend stories. So how do you find a trend story, and how do you tweak your approach to suit the subject matter? Here are a few tips for finding and reporting on trends. Know Your Reporting Beat The more you cover a beat, whether its a geographic beat (such as covering a local community) or a topical one (like education or transportation), the more easily youll be able to spot trends. A few that might pop up on the education beat: Are there a lot of teachers retiring early? Are more students driving to school than in years past? Sometimes you’ll be able to spot these trends just by being observant and having well-developed sources, such as parents in the school district or teachers. Check Public Records Sometimes a trend won’t be easy to spot, and you may need more than anecdotal information to establish what the story is. There are many sources of public information, such as police reports, and reports from government agencies that may help illustrate a trend that hasn’t been fully established yet.   For instance, on the police beat, you may notice a lot of drug arrests or vehicle thefts in a given neighborhood. Could this indicate a larger crime wave or a problem with drugs flowing into the area? If you’re going to use data from public records in your reporting (and you absolutely should), you’ll have to know how to file a public records request. Also referred to as an FOIA (Freedom Of Information Act) request, this is a formal request of a public agency to make available public information. Sometimes agencies will push back against such requests, but if it’s public information, they have to provide a legal reason for not providing the information, usually within a given time frame. Keep Your Eyes Open for Trends Trend stories don’t just come from a reporting beat or public records. You may notice a trend just in your everyday activities, whether it’s at the diner where you get your coffee, the barbershop or hair salon, or even the library. College campuses are a great place to observe trends, especially in clothing and music. It’s good to keep an eye on social media, although any trends you notice there probably will be noticed by hundreds of other people as well. The object is to track down whatever it is thats generating a buzz at the moment before it becomes old news. Know Your Readership or Audience As with any journalism, it’s important to know your audience. If you’re writing for a newspaper in a suburb and your readership is mostly older people and families with children, what are they not going to be aware of and what do they need to know about? It’s up to you to figure out which trends are going to be of interest to your readers and which ones they may already be aware of. Make Sure Your Trend Is Really a Trend Journalists are sometimes derided for writing stories about trends that arent really trends. So make sure whatever youre writing about is real and not the figment of someones imagination or something only a handful of people are doing. Don’t just jump on a story; do the reporting to verify that what you’re writing about really has some validity.

English 101 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

English 101 - Essay Example This provided her both with few playmates and multiple teachers, so that she learned to read, write and compute mathematics early and without apparent effort. However, she credits the youngest of her older brothers for the life-giving lessons of how to sit a wild horse on a wild ride in the middle of a battlefield. â€Å"Sometimes, in later yeas, when I found myself suddenly on a strange horse in a trooper’s saddle, flying for life or liberty in front of pursuit, I blessed the baby lessons of the wild gallops among the beautiful colts† (Barton, 1907: 20). After a relatively common childhood for her time period, marked by particular attention to her education thanks to the influence of brothers and sisters, Clara’s first brush with the field of nursing came as she was helping her brother, David Barton, recover from a fall that had him incapacitated for approximately 2 years (Barton, 1907: 79-88). From this experience, the young girl began moving ever closer to the nursing profession. Following the Battle of Bull Run near the beginning of the Civil War, Barton began her work as a nurse, organizing the collection and distribution of necessary medical supplies and gaining permission to ride behind the lines and in the mobile ambulance wagons to provide medical assistance to wounded soldiers on the field. Her tireless efforts earned her the nickname of ‘Angel of the Battlefield’ and she was eventually appointed the superintendent of nurses in 1861. By 1869, though, she was taking her skills to Europe to help in the Franco-Prussian War. It was in Switzerland that she first learned of the European organization already in existence there called the Red Cross. Although an attempt had already been made to establish a branch in the United States well before Barton went to Europe, this was her first time to hear of it and she spent the rest of her time in Europe learning more about it. When

Multicultural in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Multicultural in Education - Essay Example However, some professionals accept as factual that putting them all into one assembly for the study is unjust and does not supply ethnic minorities with the identical achievement they deserve. All education has a sense of solace and belonging for students. In the varied world, supplying education for cultures diversity is essential. The first step in conceiving a multicultural education is to realize the cultures and ethnic assemblies of students. As teachers, it is significant to manage a little study, in numerous cultures. As a class varies from year to year, is the cultures composition of your students. One way to start is to realize that it is culture. According to Bell (2004), cultures mind-set, standards, conviction schemes, norms and customs of the assembly, who formed their own cultures? For teachers to do well, they should seem that somebody cares about if or not they succeed. Teachers should boost all teachers to make their full promise, despite of their culture. Creating a n air of tolerance, acceptance, and care will encompass the whole class. When cultures dissimilarities are initiating difficulties should be advised as a group. Children should understand that this is usual, in another way. Combining the dissimilarities in the open air, it will open the minds of those teachers not revealed to cultures differences.

Ronald Reagan, Lyndon B. Johnson and Franklin D. Roosevelt - most Essay

Ronald Reagan, Lyndon B. Johnson and Franklin D. Roosevelt - most dominant and active presidents of the United States of America - Essay Example President Roosevelt regarded public welfare considerations to eclipse individual autonomy in importance; however, he prepared to use the influence of the government to force people to act in the public interest. Unlike Roosevelt, we find that Ronald Reagan acknowledged or considered the government as being part of the problem and not the solution in the economic impasse. On the other hand, President Lyndon Johnson was the major proponent of the thought that the government, particularly a big national government, was the best solution to most of the problems of the United States. During the presidency of Johnson, the first debates regarding minimum wage was initiated, being extensively backed by the Equal Opportunities Office. These individuals believed that if the redistribution of income were to be done in an appropriate manner, then a ware rate would actually be a big step (Tim 56-85). Just like Reagan, we find that Johnson also had a dislike for communism and promised to bring it to an end in Vietnam.

Why is Charlemagne considered to be the Imperial Father of Europe Essay

Why is Charlemagne considered to be the Imperial Father of Europe - Essay Example He implemented the livre caroliniene standard based upon a pound of silver as the currency of his region. As an economic innovator, he also lay the groundwork for standard accounting practices and computations used for record keeping. Such great accomplishments for a man who was known to many as being uneducated. Though not formally educated himself, the man had a thirst for knowledge and learning. Which is why his reign gave particular importance to growing the academic successes of his people. He is credited with having ushered in the Carolingian Renaissance era that is embodied by the continuous growth of scholarships, literature, and art during his reign. Allowing for a free exchange of knowledge and experience between the countries of his conquering that increased the number of schools and book copying centers in France. Though he worked hard to establish the stability of his empire on both the political and religious front, Charlemagnes attempts to find the perfect balance between the relationship of Church and State was a tenuous one as his reign was based upon the loyalty, efficiency, and support, of his subjects. Religious pressures aside, he still managed to implement what he felt were important political reforms in the realm for the benefit of his subjects. Such were the documented accomplishments of Charlemagne throughout his life that it is easy to see how he could easily have come to be known as the â€Å"Imperial Father† of Europe even if the Roman Catholic church had not bestowed the same title upon him in an apparent political move meant to give the church the upper hand when it came to empire

Are humans born with a conscience will send assignment sheet for 300 Research Proposal

Are humans born with a conscience will send assignment sheet for 300 level english class - persuave writing - Research Proposal Example What he is saying is that many theologians believe that some people are born with the capacity to be good, and others aren’t. Paul doesn’t agree with this assessment. He believes that we all have the capacity to be good, because God gave it to us. While he also believes that â€Å"one must love to do good and avoid evil,† (120) the fact is that whether we choose the right road has nothing to do with the fact that God’s grace has given us all the possibility to always choose good. Paul added, â€Å"Conscience is not an infallible judge; it can make mistakes† (121). This is obviously true. The Bible teaches us that none are perfect, and that all fall short of God’s glory. Still, Paul maintains that the important thing is to know the difference in what we choose, and what we have the ability to choose. While it is clear to Paul that we have, innately, all we need to make good decisions, we still need to study the Bible, and attend, church as a c ompass to keep us headed in the right direction. In Lois Walker’s â€Å"Religion Gives Meaning to Life,† Walker writes about a similar belief. It is her opinion that who we are is determined at the time of our births. She writes, â€Å"We are not the products of chance† (626). Walker’s essay is in response to an atheist who claims that people only need to practice being responsible to know the right thing to do. According to Walker, the atheist proclaimed, â€Å"We don’t need a big Daddy in the sky. We need to grow up and become our own parents† (624). While we do need to know how to govern ourselves, we do, also, need our Father in heaven. Walker is states that she believes in the theistic philosophy that holds, â€Å"The universe is suffused in goodness and that good will win out over evil† (627). God’s purpose, according to Walker, is to give us a continuous reason to want to behave. If God can give his son

Midterm for Business Law Ethics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Midterm for Business Law Ethics - Term Paper Example In the second stage of the cycle, action is seen to occur and regardless of the immediate effects that might have been caused by the action, the monetary cycle is seen to move on an things eventually end up correcting themselves. The third stage of the cycle is the inefficiency stage that is seen to characteristically be marked by the inability of the market to sufficiently create wealth as a result of the actions taken during the more frantic times. The fourth stage of the cycle which is the circumvention stage is seen to involve for a lobbying of the removal of the restrictions seen to be placed in the second stage of the cycle and the development by the firms of activities designed to try and circumvent the established rules and achieve the same effects as the forbidden practices. The regulatory cycle is seen to critically affect management decisions in the automotive industry. This is exemplified that in line with the cycle, the increase in carbon dioxide emissions and the result ant attempts by various governments and organizations to try and limit or curb these emissions essentially helps mark out the first stage of the cycle. The decision making of managers in the automotive industry is seen to have been affected by the cycle as they made various decisions to try and act on the increasing CO2 emissions developing various technologies such as biofuels. Question 2: The value of Corporate Sustainability Corporate sustainability which is commonly defined as being the basic corporate response to sustainable development where the organization engages in a number of practices and strategies that are designed to ensure that the organization is able to address the key issues pertaining to the world’s sustainable development. The value of corporate sustainability can never be exaggerated as is demonstrated by the efforts by various companies to try and quickly respond to any crises that might be seen to be endangering the image of the company’s corpor ate sustainability as was the case seen at KFC when reports emerged of excessive animal cruelty at one of its slaughter houses. In the incident, workers were shown displaying excessive animal cruelty when they were recorded stomping on chicken, flinging them mercilessly against the wall and at times even squeezing them to death. In response to this, the company is seen to have responded quickly by sending inspectors to the plant and implemented measures that saw the contractor fire 11 of the employees and extract pledges from the employees at all the other 25 plants to treat animals in a more humane manner (Trevin?o and Nelson 323-324). Taco Bell, a fast food restaurant, is also seen to have quickly responded to a Mexican tomato pickers workers strike by improving the pay offered to the workers and promising to monitor the company’s suppliers as well as adopt an improved code of conduct that would enable the company to be able to drop any suppliers that were seen to abuse far mworkers (Trevin?o and Nelson 324). Trevin?o and Nelson, point out that by effecting a pragmatic approach to matters relating to corporate social responsibility and sustainability, it is possible for an organization’s manager to be able to effectively scan the environment

Are humans born with a conscience will send assignment sheet for 300 Research Proposal

Are humans born with a conscience will send assignment sheet for 300 level english class - persuave writing - Research Proposal Example What he is saying is that many theologians believe that some people are born with the capacity to be good, and others aren’t. Paul doesn’t agree with this assessment. He believes that we all have the capacity to be good, because God gave it to us. While he also believes that â€Å"one must love to do good and avoid evil,† (120) the fact is that whether we choose the right road has nothing to do with the fact that God’s grace has given us all the possibility to always choose good. Paul added, â€Å"Conscience is not an infallible judge; it can make mistakes† (121). This is obviously true. The Bible teaches us that none are perfect, and that all fall short of God’s glory. Still, Paul maintains that the important thing is to know the difference in what we choose, and what we have the ability to choose. While it is clear to Paul that we have, innately, all we need to make good decisions, we still need to study the Bible, and attend, church as a c ompass to keep us headed in the right direction. In Lois Walker’s â€Å"Religion Gives Meaning to Life,† Walker writes about a similar belief. It is her opinion that who we are is determined at the time of our births. She writes, â€Å"We are not the products of chance† (626). Walker’s essay is in response to an atheist who claims that people only need to practice being responsible to know the right thing to do. According to Walker, the atheist proclaimed, â€Å"We don’t need a big Daddy in the sky. We need to grow up and become our own parents† (624). While we do need to know how to govern ourselves, we do, also, need our Father in heaven. Walker is states that she believes in the theistic philosophy that holds, â€Å"The universe is suffused in goodness and that good will win out over evil† (627). God’s purpose, according to Walker, is to give us a continuous reason to want to behave. If God can give his son

Evolution of the Nation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Evolution of the Nation - Essay Example The New International Encyclopedia, Dodd,Mead and Company-New York. Copyright: 1902-1905 21 Volumes.] The causes are many. Firstly, the Railway Transportation hit rock bottom and locomotive transportation came to a stand-still. Secondly, fires engulfed a number of cities and people suffered immensely. In fact, many buildings were razed to the ground. Thirdly, the Coinage Act of 1783 brought about a huge change in the silver prices. Gold and Silver could no longer be mined. This not only affected the internal economy, but foreign relations as well. Debts of farmers increased and this affected the lower middle class. The Army Cavalry had to fight the Apaches and there was a huge emergency, when they were required to pull the wagons by hand. This had a big impact as well. In addition to this, the immense growth of the Railways saw most of the financial resources channelized to the sector, leaving the economy in the dumps. Big banks like Jay Cooke and Co. had invested majorly in the railways and couldn't meet the bonds they were supposed to clear. Besides all of this, the fiscal policies of the then President and the other entrepreneurs made things worse. So much so, that Jay Cooke and Co. went bankrupt. All these causes led to the Economic Depression of 1873, which not only affected the internal and external affairs of the United States. b. What caused the rise of American industry Initially, the American factories were run by using hydel power from the fast flowing rivers in Northern America. However, after the Civil War, rail links were laid between Southern and Northern America. Then, industrialisation, which was catching up in the rest of the world, took over the United States. This happened because of steam-powered manufacturing in factories, which succeeded water-powered factories. When the fast-flowing rivers were situated in Northern America, factories were located in the region. However, since steam-power was universal, the factories began to sprout everywhere, leading to industrialisation. Then, the first cotton industry came up, followed by wool processing. Mills came up everywhere and this initiated the first phase of industrialisation in America. Since Britain and the rest of the developed world were taking to industrialisation, America couldn't stay far behind and thus, industrialisation was brought about in the U.S, leading to the agricultural sector taking a backseat. c. What impacts did big business have on society, economics, and politics The Age of Industrialisation paved way for the establishment of big industrial houses. These houses grew by leaps and bounds and became establishments that help immense power and contributed immensely to the economy of America. These

Sanitary conditions in Mauritius slaughter houses

Sanitary conditions in Mauritius slaughter houses INTRODUCTION A slaughterhouse, also known as an abattoir is a place where animals are sacrificed for food. It can also be defined as any premises used for the slaughter of animals whose meat is intended for human consumption. The slaughtering of animals for community consumption is inevitable in most nations of the world and dated back to the ancient times (Bello and Oyedemi, 2009). Public slaughter houses had been traced to Roman civilization and in France by 15th and 16th centuries, and were among the public facilities. In Italy, a law from 1890 stipulated that public abattoir should be provided in all communities comprisingof more than six thousand inhabitants. Similar things were reported in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands and Rumania (Jode Loverdo et al. 1906). The animals most commonly killed for food are cattle, sheep (for goat and mutton), pigs (for pork), goats (for chevon), and fowl, largely chickens, turkeys, and ducks, for poultry meat. The most important issue in all meat-processing plants is maintenance of proper hygiene and adequate sanitary conditions to prevent contamination and in this way caters for a product which is safe and sound for the public. An abattoir as defined above is a building approved and registered by the controlling authority for hygienic slaughtering and inspection of animals, processing and effective preservation and storage of meat products for human consumption (Alonge, 1991), as such the sanitation line in a slaughter house must be flawless. Slaughtering animals on a large scale brings about significant technical problems and public health concerns. Furthermore, some religions insist on certain specific conditions for slaughtering practices so that slaughter within slaughter houses may change. As such abattoirs commence the chain of the meat industry, where livestock come from farms for processing and dressing and passes through markets to enter the food chain (Wikipedia Encyclopedia). The values, morals, ethics and regulations ruling slaughter houses changes significantly throughout the world. In several countries the slaughter of animals is delimited by folklore and traditions instead of the law. In the non-Western world, including Muslim countries both forms of meat are obtainable, that is product from modern mechanized slaughter houses, and the other from local meat shops. The situation in Mauritius is typically representative of the conflict between modern processes and religious practices with regards to the slaughtering of animals for the supply of meat to the population. Over the last few decades there have been important developments meat inspection systems in slaughter houses. As compared to the most highly developed countries which have taken the lead in bringing about changes in the meat inspection procedures in slaughterhouses by enacting new legislations (These new laws have been reproduced by the Codex Alimentarius in its Codes of Good Practice and this resulted in the homogenization of the world trade in foodstuffs) (Schnà ¶ller, 2006), we, on the national level, are dealing with a more pious look over the slaughtering industry which is delimited by religious practices. As per the legislation enforced in Mauritius, the Mauritius Meat Authority is the only institution empowered to deal with the slaughtering of animals. Aim The aim of the study is to carry out an assessment on the sanitary conditions prevailing in slaughter houses in Mauritius. Objectives The main purpose of this survey is to know to what extent are the workmen of slaughter houses aware of importance of sanitary practices and what it entails, to see if sanitary practices are respected and analyse the possible route by which contamination by pathogenic micro organisms may occur in slaughter houses. LITERATURE REVIEW Sanitation in the slaughter house Thewordsanitationcomesfromthelatinwordsanitas,whichmeanshealth, it has many different meanings but it can be generally defined as the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Such hazards can be physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease (Wikipedia Encyclopedia). The slaughter house should be constructed in such a way as to respect all the norms and regulations and planned such that all processes runs smoothly without contaminating or hindering the quality of the end product. Primarily there are several key factors that a slaughter house should observe to be able to satisfy the necessary conditions which will contribute to adequate sanitation for the prevention of contamination. PROPER INFRASTRUCTURES AND PLANNING OF THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE Site of building Ideally the slaughterhouse should be located away from residential areas to prevent possible inconvenience to dwelling-places either by way of pollution from slaughter wastes or by way of nuisance from noise (FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 49). There must be free access for animals to the site by road and the slaughterhouse should be situated in areas where flooding is unlikely to happen. If the slaughterhouse is of regular buildings construction the ground should be free of bushes or vegetation in the vicinity of the structure (FAO, 1985). Size The amount of animals to be slaughtered should take into account the the size of slaughter facility and the number of animals to be slaughtered is of great importance to avoid sanitary problems due to overcrowding (Tove, 1985). Building / facility The building or facility of such process has normally been described as places which stands for good sanitation and hygiene. According to the norms stipulating such process the building should normally have clean and unclean processes separated. Walls and Floors The flooring of the facility which is one of the major source of contamination must be hard, free of cracks, evenly leveld and impervious, and sloping adequately towards a drain to allow cleaning with water and disinfection. The walls as well must be smooth enough to be easily cleaned by water, and recommended materials are, for instance, stone, lava blocks, bricks or concrete. To provide shade, a good environment and finally to keep down the internal temperature in the slaughter line, a roof made up of concrete would be ideal (P.J. Eriksen, 1978). lighting system As a matter of hygiene, the slaughterhouse should have a proper lighting system inside the slaughter line to allow proper functioning and avoid accidents and moreover will act as a deterrent to insects and rodents. Ventilation system The internal temperature inside the slaughter house shall be maintained to prevent proliferation of unwanted micro organisms and also to cater for a good working environment. Equipment Equipment for undergoing such process, normally have to follow certain norm and regulation, it has been reported that such equipments have to be of non-corrosive materials, for example stainless steel and structures like tables, hooks and machines should be that they are easy to disassemble to facilitate cleaning and disinfection. The key step for the hygienic handling of carcasses is the equipment for elevating the carcass when slaughtered. In the processing line cranes are preferred to working tables due to hygienic practices. Procedures assuring continuous cleaning of hoists are recommended and should be performed on a periodical basis. However the cleaning and disinfection is usually complicated or simply impossible because of the complexity of the machines (Tove, 1985). Water supply Water is a vehicle for the transmission of several agents of disease and continues to cause significant outbreaks of disease in developed and developing countries (Kirby, 2003). A cholera epidemic in Jerusalem in 1970 was traced back to the consumption of salad vegetables which were irrigated with raw waste water (Shuval, 1986). In Canada, an outbreak of E.coli was reported (Kondro, 2000) and In the USA, Cryptosporidium affected approximately 400,000 consumers and caused 45 deaths and in 1993 due to the consumption of contaminated water (Kramer, 1996, Hoxie, 1997). Since slaughtering is a process which generates a lot of wastes, to cater for the good running of the processes and minimize contamination, there should be a good supply of water of drinking quality to allow processing and cleaning procedures which will assure hygienic quality products. Working routines should be planned in such a way as to economically use the consumption of water because of waste water disposal (Tove, 1985). Sanitary facilities Several water points, sterilizers for hand tools, hoses and cleaning equipment is the key to provide a good standard of hygiene and must be provided sufficiently. The availability of hot water in preference to chemical disinfectants should be supplied with the sterilizers where possible (Tove, 1985). Sanitary facilities must also include an adequate number of toilets and arrangements for hand-washing and even for bathing (showering). Such facilities must be clean and well kept at all times and the toilets should possess hand wash basins along with soap, disinfectants, antiseptics, nailbrushes and clean towels readily available. A mess room for resting and eating should be provided to the staff and as such be separated from the processing line to assure that the carcasses and the food for the personnel cannot be mixed (FAO animal production and health paper; 53). ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE As in all sectors of hygiene, the external and internal environment of the slaughter house should be protected against any infestation. Insects, birds and rodents have been recognized as important carriers of pathogens and other micro organisms (Olsen and Hammack, 2000). To avoid these, a strict control should be exerted over the following: Pests Control Good Hygienic Practices (GMP) should be employed to avoid generating an environment favorable to pests (CAC, 1997). A control system for pest control must include the following: Good Hygienic Practices should be used to avoid creating an environment conducive to pests Pest control programs could include preventing access to principle site, eliminating harbourage and establishing monitoring detection and eradication systems. Physical, chemical and biological agents should be properly applied by suitably qualified personnel. Souce: http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/Y1579E/y1579e02.htm Proper fencing The aim is to prevent access of unauthorized persons, the public in general, dogs and other animals around the slaughterhouse premises. The fencing should have direct contact with the ground and should be sufficiently high to prevent access inside the premises. Bird control The best control is to prevent them from accessing the buildings by placing nets on the openings and windows. Allowing birds to fly inside the slaughter house might cause contamination through its droppings. Bird are often attracted by food supplies, water, special vegetation around buildings, and these attractants should be removed. SLAUGHTERING PROCESSING The hallmark for hygiene principle in processing is that the procedures considered as clean and considered as unclean should be efficiently separated. This requires a well-structured plant layout, where the purpose of any structure should be the protection of the end product against accidental contamination (Tove, 1985). Transport The animals are hauled from pastures or farms to the slaughterhouse. All necessary precautions during transportation should be considered to minimize stress and injury to the animals and as such will cater for the good quality of the end product (Tove, 1985). Road transport is probably the cheaper and more convenient means for conveying animals. Below are some precautions that are worthwhile during road transporting of the animals to slaughter: The transport facility should be designed and modified to convey the stock; they should provide for sufficient ventilation and lighting; for open trucks the top should be covered with a tarpaulin to protect the animals from bad weather conditions, they should be equipped with appropriate loading and unloading mechanisms to prevent injuries, and most importantly; they should be as comfortable as possible for the animals. Source: FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 49, Manual for the slaughter of small ruminants in developing countries, 1985. Lairage Lairage is a place where livestock are kept temporarily (Microsoft Encarta 2008) and in our present situation is a specific area inside the premises of a slaughter house where the animals are conveyed for rest. Rest is an important factor because when animals are stressed, carcasses of lower quality result from slaughter. There should be sufficient space for the animals and a good supply of potable water for drinking purposes. A washing system where the animals can be cleaned before passing to the slaughter house is generally recommended (FAO animal production and health paper; 53). Source: Heinz G, Abattoir development. Options and designs for hygienic basic and medium-sized abattoirs, 2009 (http://www.fao.org, Annex 7). Stunning, slaughtering and bleeding Common methods for stunning consists of: Captive Bolt Pistol (CBP) This stunning method is extensively used for all agrarian animals. Gun powder (cartridge), compressed air and spring under tension propels the bolt through the skull of animals. The name captive means that the bolt is shot out of the barrel but remains in the pistol. Concussion stunning: A mechanically operated instrument which delivers a blow to the brain. Used for cattle, sheep and calves. Another method which consisted of knocking or striking a hammer on the head of the animal is now banned with regards to humane practices in some countries. Free bullets: are generally used on animals which are difficult to handle for instance, wild pigs, bison and deer. Electric Stunning Head-Only Stunning: generally cattle, sheep, pork and are all stunned by the use of this method. The technique involves the application an electric shock using a pair of tongs on either side of the animals head. An electric current is passed through the brain and this leads to the temporary loss of consciousness. Source: The Slaughter of Livestock (part 2): Modern Techniques of Slaughtering by M.Abdulsalam (www.IslamReligion.com). Slaughtering and Bleeding After stunning, the animal is vertically hanged lifting the animal (head down) to a convenient height. The bleeding operation is made by inserting a knife through the neck behind the jaw bone and below the first neck bone. The aim is to sever the carotid artery and jugular vein (Pig slaughtering, www.Hyfoma.com) and let the blood to drain out. The exsanguination process should be as fast and complete as possible due to hygienic norms since insufficient bleeding and slow death could result in blood clotting in the deep tissues and this might be hazardous in the later stages of slaughtering. Elevation bleeding is more hygienic and is preferred other alternatives as it decreases the potential risk of contaminating the carcass (Heinz, 2008). This process is usually separated from the operations which will follow. If the blood is not intended for use it should be drained away into a separate pit and should not be allowed to drain into the waste water (Tove, 1985). Skinning /dehairing The process will vary according to animal (pigs and cattle). Such process consists of removing the skin of animals. Cutting of the skin is made around the leg with the perspective of exposing and loosen the tendon of the animals lower leg joint to be used for hanging the carcass, following which the entire skin is removed and the body is prepared for evisceration (Heinz, 2008). This process is usually meant for cattle, goat, deer and sheep. Whereas dehairing is a process normally done in the slaughter of pigs which consists of releasing the bled animal into a pool of boiling water for a couple of minutes and then pulling it out for removal of the hairs before proceeding for evisceration. Evisceration Evisceration is the process which consists of removing the internal organs of the abdominal and thoracic cavities. The internal organs are also known as offal and they falls into two categories: Red offal such as the heart, liver and lungs (pluck). Grey offal such as the stomach or intestine (paunch). To avoid contamination of the carcass through accidental punctures of the intestines and stomach, it is important that the carcass is placed in the hanging position. The body cavity is severed and the intestinal mass and the stomach (the paunch) are pushed slightly out. The liver is held out care is taken not to spill its bitter contents onto the carcass and as such spoil the taste of the meat. The last stage in evisceration is the removal of the contents from the chest cavity. By cutting the diaphragm which separates the thoracic cavity from the belly, the pluck can be pulled out as a unit (Heinz, 2008). Leakage from the rectum is prevented by tying the anus with a process called bagging. Splitting and trimming The carcass is cut down along the backbone and split into two sides using a brisket saw and is then subjected to inspection from an authorized officer for detection of diseases . Trimming is a process that should be performed by trained employees and consists of the removal of visible contamination. All equipment (hooks and knives) should be sanitized between each use to reduce cross-contamination between areas. Carcasses which have been railed out for visible contamination, such as fecal contamination, should be re-conditioned as quickly as possible to get the carcass through the process and back into the system (Harris and Savell et al., 2003). Delivery After undergoing all processes in the slaughter line, the carcass is weighed and finally labeled for identification and send for delivery on the local markets. PRECAUTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE SLAUGHTERING PROCESS AS PER HEINZ (2008) INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING: Disinfection on entering the premises Every time an authorized officer or member of the staff is to enter the slaughter house, he should undergo a process of disinfection by dipping his boots in a footbath, which is a basin situated at each entrance of the slaughter line, to avoid carrying infectious agents that might stick to the boots via soil particles. Bleeding and exsanguinations The knife used to slaughter each animal should be cleaned and rinsed in hot water. It is known that a contaminated knife can pass on bacteria into the animal tissues during the initial stages of bleeding, that is, when the heart is still in pumping. Skinning Knife skinning and the use of bare hands can similarly hosts contaminating organisms on the surface of the carcass. As such washing of the hands is a must after the passage of each carcass to avoid contamination of same. Evisceration Extreme care should be emphasized on not to puncture the intestines. The slaughtermen should follow the procedure of tying the end part of the intestine and the severed end of the esophagus, then removing intestine and stomach first, followed by the pluck ( heart, liver, and lungs of an animal used as meat, Microsoft Encarta, 2008). The pluck should be hung on a hook while the paunch (stomach) should be dropped in a paunch container. As a matter of hygiene, the stomach and intestines should not be processed while carcass dressing is in operation as any minor splash from same can easily cause contamination of the meat. Washing Is a process by which the carcasses undergoes washing with clean potable water. If water is a problem then a dry slaughter process by trained slaughtermen should be used as alternative as it is more appropriate as a safety measure for carcasses to be dry clean than to contaminate them with polluted water. Offal handling The offals (stomach and intestines) are the organs from the carcass which contains the greatest load of infectious organisms and for preventive measure must be moved to a separated chamber provided for them. At first they should be emptied of their contents, dried, then cleansed with water. Personnel The personal hygiene of the workmen is a primordial factor in slaughtering operations, the reason is simply that contamination of food and disease transmission as such depend equivalently upon the human factor as well as on the tools and mode of operation. Transfer of microorganisms by personnel particularly from hands is of vital importance (Chen et al.2001, Montville, 2001, Bloomfield, 2003). During handling, bacteria are transferred from contaminated hands of workers to the food and subsequently to other surfaces (Montville, 2002). Low infectious doses of organisms such as shigella and pathogenic Escherichia coli have been linked to hands as a source of contamination (Snyder, 1998). Poor hygiene, particularly deficient or absence of hand washing has been identified as the causative mode of transmission (Reji, 2003). Proper hand washing and disinfection has been recognized as one of the most effective ways to control the spread of pathogens, especially when considered along with th e restriction of sick workers (Alder, 1999, Montville, 2001). Moreover persons with unhygienic habits like spitting, coughing and nose-blowing should not be under umployment. As such it is important to allow access only to the staff into the premises at the time of slaughter and they should be wearing the proper attire, e.g. clean trousers and wearing appropriate waterproof aprons. Boots as well should be worn with the trousers neatly folded inside. And the hallmark is that the workers must strictly abide to a formal code of hygiene. Hand-washing As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): It is well-documented that one of the most important measures for preventing the spread of pathogens is effective hand washing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_washing). Fundamentally the good habit of careful and frequent hand-washing will definitely reduce contamination. Therefore hand-washing facilities with sufficient water supply is a must in such a delicate process of this kind. Basically the mess room and the working area is where there should be several hand-washing points. If it is situated away from working places, the risk that they will not be used is higher and would probably result in contamination of the meat (Tove, 1985). Hand-washing should be done by all members if the working staff: before starting slaughter after being to the toilets after being into contact with dirty objects and materials after smoking and eating The staff should understand that hands is prone to contamination if used for scratching the skin, the hair, clothes and picking the nose. Such acts may cause bacteria to be transmitted to the hands and thereafter infect the meat which is handled by the same hands. The management of slaughter house should provide antiseptic soap or germicidal, coupled with the use of brush for washing of hands since bacteria are often under the nails (FAO animal production and health paper; 53). Cleaning Operations For the purpose of sanitation clean water is usually required for the cleaning of equipment, tools floors and walls. Such operation normally starts with removal of solid waste of meat and fat trimmings, pieces of bones, blood clots by scrubbing them off the floor. High pressure water cleaning begins from the walls and finally ends with the floors. Hot water hosing under pressure would be ideal for removing sticky waste from corners and drains. For scrubbing of other surfaces such as tables, and tools, the use of hard fibre brushes and detergents is suggested. Liquid detergents are more effectual than ordinary soaps, since they dissolve easily in water while absorbing dirt, which is finally removed by flushing. Powdered soap may also be dissolved in water and used. Knives also should be sterilized or boiled in water. Source: FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 49, Manual for the slaughter of small ruminants in developing countries, 1985. DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH UNHYGIENIC SLAUGHTERING There are many different ways by which an infectious organism can make its way through the slaughtering process of animals and cause very subsequent diseases. Below is some of the common diseases related to slaughter houses: Anthrax is a naturally-occurring bacterial disease of animals caused by Bacillus anthracis, which forms spores that generally survive for years in the environment. Cattle, sheep, and goats are at the highest risk but humans can also contract the disease. Most animals are infected by oral ingestion of soil contaminated with the spores. People may acquire anthrax when in contact with infected hides or hair of animals. The organism is inhaled from contaminated dust, or is eaten in undercooked meat from infected animals, or even penetrates a wound in the skin. Animals that died of anthrax may have blood secreted from the mouth, nose, and anus (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). In slaughtering process, the bacteria can be transferred from hides of infected animals to the hides of the healthy ones during the immediate pre-slaughter phase in lairage (Small and Buncic, 2009). As such if no particular precaution is taken when removing the hides, the probability of contaminating the carcass is very high. Brucellosis Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by contact with animals carrying bacteria called Brucella which affects a wide variety of animals including dogs, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and horses. The disease has been known as Malta fever, Bangs disease, Mediterranean fever, rock fever, and goat fever (Microsoft Encarta, 2008). Humans can be infected if in contact with infected meat or placenta of infected animals. The slaughter of undetected a diseased animal is a threat since contamination may result if, for instance, blood from the infected carcass came into contact with the knife of the slaughterman and the same knife is being used for processing another uninfected carcass during the slaughtering. In case of ingestion of infected meat, symptoms in humans are undulating fever, headache, joint pain, weakness, and night sweats (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). People who handle meat should wear PPE such as protective glasses and clothing for protection of wounds from infection. Detecting infected animals prior to slaughter controls the infection at its source. Vaccination is actually available for cattle, but not humans (Franco et al, Goldman et al. 2007). Escherichia coli Escherichia coli (E. coli) are bacteria which is normally found as a normal flora in the intestines of people and animals. One can get infected after handling or being exposed to feces of a carrier animal (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). Animals usually carry it without causing disease however when humans are infected, the toxins causes serious illness which ranges from diarrhoea to kidney failure. Personal hygiene is very important, particularly after contact with animal feces, since very few organisms are required to cause infection in humans (Stevenson and Hughes, 1988). E-coli can be easily contaminate the carcass in the slaughtering process if ; for instance the worker does not wash his hands after being to the toilet, the bacteria will be transferred when handling the meat. care is not taken at the evisceration step when disemboweling the carcass, as such if the intestines get perforated and intestinal matter comes into contact with the meat ( Heinz, 2008) Prevention focuses on hand washing and proper hygiene. Hands and all equipments should be properly disinfected after touching or handling raw meat (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). Salmonellosis (Gastroenteritis) Salmonella sp. are bacteria that live in the intestinal tract of carrier animals. The bacteria are shed into the faeces of animals which are particularly stressed during steps such as being yarded and transported (Stevenson and Hughes, 1988). As in E-coli contamination, salmonella can be transferred to the carcass in the slaughtering line by: slaughtermen who are handling meat after being to the toilet without proper hand washing, fecal matter being in contact with the meat at the evisceration process, if the anus is not bagged properly, and also if the intestines get punctured upon removal and intestinal matter is in contact with the meat. If hands are not properly washed after contact with infected feces, the accidental ingestion of bacteria may occur (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). Infection also occurs as a result of equipments that are unsanitary. Symptoms generally includes fever, foul smelling diarrhea, and severe dehydration, especially in young children and infants. Life-threatening diseases like meningitis and septicemia may also occur (Montes and DuPont, 2004). Q-fever (Query fever) Q fever is a bacterial infection that can affect the lungs, liver, heart, and other parts of the body. It is found around the world and is caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii. The bacteria affects sheep, goats, cattle, dogs, cats, birds and rodents as well as some other animals (Goldman and Ausiello, 2007). Humans normally acquire fever, night sweats, and pneumonia and hepatitis in the worst cases (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). Abattoir workers (particularly those dealing with foetuses), veterinarians and farm workers ) are the people who are most at risk of contracting this disease (Stevenson and Hughes, 1988). In slaughtering meat can be contaminated in the process of evisceration whereby feces of contaminated animals have been transferred to the hands of the slaughterman which in turn contaminates other healthy carcasses. To prevent further spread of Q fever, dead fetuses and reproductive tissues should be buried or burned. Wearing of protective equipment such as gloves and eyewear (PPE) when assisting in birthings and washing of hands thoroughly afterward are highly recommended (Pelzer .K and Currin .N). LAWS PERTAINING TO THE SLAUGHTERING INDUSTRY IN MAURITIUS Nowadays not all people are entitled to slaughter animals as it used to be in the past. There are norms and standard which have been set up by the necessary authority to guarantee the safety of the end product to the public. As such in each country there is an institution which is responsible for maintaining this hallmark. In our present situation the regulating body responsible for slaughtering in Mauritius is the MAURITIUS MEAT AUTHORITY (MMA). The main lines of the re