Using The Science Of Life As A Weapon Essays - Biological Weapons

Using The Science Of Life As A Weapon I Introduction 1) Definition of Biological Warfare 2) Talking Points II Biological Weapons 1) Different Types Used 2) Applications III History of Biological Warfare 1) How It Has Been Used in Past Wars 2) How We Can Expect It to Be Used in the Future IV Are We At Risk of Being Attacked With Biological Weapons? 1) Defending Ourselves Against Biological Weapons V Conclusion Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) warfare is one of the most dreaded forms of attack on the battlefield. In the last century, we learned a great deal about how life works, how it is organized. We have used that technology to save many lives by curing diseases and vaccinating against viruses. But it seems that whenever we have a breakthrough in science, there is an ever-present danger of a form of weapon resulting from the discovery. Biological Warfare is defined as bacteria, viruses, fungi or rickettsia, which are used in wartime to cause disease or death in people (Hay, 1984). It seems like a contradiction. Doctors work hard to find cures and vaccinations for the various diseases and viruses that plague our population. On the other side of the coin, however, there are people that would use disease as a weapon. They not only use the sort of disease that nature provides, but try to create more effective and horrific manmade diseases. Biological weapons, as opposed to chemical weapons, are effective with a relatively small quantity of agent. However, most of these agents have a limited shelf life, as their activity is continually declining (Hay, 1984). Most biological agents are dispersed in aerosol form. They can be sprayed from a small cylinder with compressed air, spread by guided missiles, dispersed as a powder from aircraft, or used in a cluster of bombs. The danger is the potential for these biological agents, if successful in infecting a population, can be spread quickly. The U.S. Navy tested the effectiveness of Biological weapons on a metropolis in November of 1950. They released harmless bacteria off the California coast, sufficient to contaminate 117 square miles of the San Francisco Bay area. Scientists reported that nearly all of the 800,000 inhabitants of the city had inhaled the bacteria (Hay, 1984). To cause an epidemic, an enemy would select a highly contagious virus or bacteria. They would decide whether to use an extremely lethal agent or one that would temporarily incapacitate a population or army to weaken defenses. Most biological weapons are influenza viruses or pneumonic plague bacillus. These meet the requirement of being highly contagious by human contact. As an example, an estimated 20 million people died in the great influenza pandemic of 1918 and 1919 just three percent of those infected. Surprisingly, then, this great loss of life actually represents a low mortality rate (Solomon, 1999). For incapacitating the target, brucellosis is preferred. This is a chronic infection caused by the Brucella species of bacteria. A person can be infected by skin contact, by eating or drinking infected material, or by inhaling the organism. This is also an agent that can be produced easily in fermenters. Symptoms vary, but common are a severe chill, a recurring fever, sweating, headache, loss of appetite, extreme exhaustion, aching joints and depression. The symptoms last upwards of four weeks, but relapses can continue for years (Hay, 1984). The most well known form of brucellosis is anthrax. Aggressors favor this primarily because it is lethal and relatively easy to manufacture. Anthrax is caused by the bacterium bacillus anthracis, and is spread by skin contact, contact with infected animals, or by inhaling or ingesting the agent. The mortality rate is highest when infected by inhalation, at eighty per cent of untreated cases. The danger of anthrax is long term as well. Forty years after being tested on Gruinard, the island is still contaminated with the bacterium (Solomon, 1999). Although the danger of biological weapons increases as technology progresses, it is not a new threat. One of the earliest reported uses was in the sixth century B.C., when the Assyrians poisoned their enemys wells with a fungus disease called rye ergot. The commander of British forces in America, Jeffrey Amherst, used biological warfare on the Ottawa Indians. He sent two wagons of blankets from the smallpox hospital to

Review, analysis and comparison of jumanji the book in 1981 and the film in 1995.

Review, analysis and comparison of jumanji the book in 1981 and the film in 1995. Jumanji, a classic story which started out as a children's book has also been converted into the movie media form. Jumanji, a children's picture book which was written and illustrated by Chris Van Ellsberg in 1981, Jumanji was the Caldecott Medal Winner of 1982, with some of the most detailed pictures I personally have ever seen done by a free hand illustrator. The book Jumanji is about two children, Peter and Judy, whose parents go out to the opera one night. Peter and Judy decide that they are bored and go for a walk outside in the park across the street. Peter finds a board game lying by a tree named Jumanji. The children bring Jumanji home to play to play with it. After setting Jumanji up on the card table in the living room, Judy reads the directions, 'Jumanji, a young people's jungle adventure especially designed for the bored and restless.A.) Player selects piece and places it in the deepest jungle. B.) Player rolls dice and moves piece along path through the dangers of the ju ngle. C.) First player to reach Jumanji and yell the city's name aloud is the winner. D.) VERY IMPORTANT: ONCE THE GAME IS STARTED IT WILL NOT BE OVER UNTIL ONE PLAYER REACHES THE GOLDEN CITY.' When Judy finishes reading the directions aloud, the children start playing Jumanji. Peter wanted to roll the dice first, he rolled a seven. Suddenly Judy saw a lion sitting on the piano and the lion started to walk toward the children. Peter jumped up from the chair, ran up stairs into a bedroom, crawled under a bed, the lion got his head caught under the bed, and Peter locked the lion in there. Peter wanted to give up at this point, but Judy said that they must...

Reserve Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reserve Banking - Essay Example On the other hand, full-reserve banking is popular as 100% reserve banking which involves alternatives to the fractional reserve banking approach. This way, banks are called to maintain full amount of the depositors funds through a cash basis ready for instantaneous withdrawal on customer’s demand. Funds which are deposited by the customers within the demand deposit accounts and checking accounts are not loaned out because they are legally required to maintain full deposit for satisfaction of potential payment demands (Daly and Farley 65). The proposals of full reserve banking systems do not attach restrictions on deposits which are not payable to the demand on savings accounts or time deposits. The mitigation of risks of bank operates based on larger proportions of the depositors seeking to withdrawal from the deposits given times. The problems are widespread and extreme, systemic crises, the existing governments for most nations oversee and regulate commercial banks. This involves providing deposit insurance and acting as lending platforms for last resort among commercial banks. In different nations, central bank or alternative monetary authority regulates the bank credit creation while imposing capital adequacy ratios and reserve requirements. This limits amounts of money creation while developing the commercial banking system while helping banks have solvency (Daly and Farley 121). It avails enough funds for meeting demand for existing withdrawals. Further, there is a direct limit for money supply for which central banks pursue interest rates and target controls of bank credit issuances. Monetary reforms, which is included within full-reserve banking are proposed within different contexts which are notably established as responses to the Great Depression. No nation across the world is in requirement of full-reserve banking. The era of post-World War II showed minimal

Preeclampsia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Preeclampsia - Essay Example Other risk factors include promigravida, hydatidiform mole, multiple pregnancy, urinary tract infection, black race, nulliparity, presence of chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, chronic hypertension and renal disease, and positive family history of preeclampsia (Erogul, Emedicine). Hypertension means a systolic blood pressure (BP) greater than 140 mm Hg and a diastolic BP greater than 90 mm Hg on 2 successive measurements 4-6 hours apart. Proteinuria means 300 mg or more of protein in a 24-hour urine sample or a urine protein-to-creatinine ratio of 0.19 or greater (Erogul, Emedicine). The pathophysiology of preeclampsia is not well established. However, most researchers believe that placental hypoperfusion is the inciting event resulting in abnormal formation of uteroplacental spiral arterioles. These arterioles are highly sensitive to vasoconstriction. Placental hypoperfusion causes release of systemic vasoactive compounds which cause exaggerated inflammatory response, vasoconstriction, endothelial damage, capillary leak, hypercoagulability, and platelet dysfunction (Erogul, Emedicine). Mild-to-moderate preeclampsia may be asymptomatic. Most of the cases are detected through routine prenatal testing. Infact symptoms are mostly seen when end-organs are affected. Some of the symptoms which can be attributed to preeclampsia are headache, visual disturbances, dysnea, malaise and edema. Along with increased blood pressure, physical examination may reveal altered mental status, decreased vision, papilledema, hyperreflexia, seizures and focal neurodeficit (Erogul, Emedicine). Preclampsia should be managed by controlling blood pressure with antihypertensive agents. The goal should be to maintain diastolic blood pressure between 90 and 100 mm Hg and systolic pressure between 140 and 155 mm Hg. In case the patient develops seizures, the patient should be admitted to emergency

Three common physiological disorders manifested in developing Coursework

Three common physiological disorders manifested in developing countries - Coursework Example The most common physiological disorders manifested in developing countries include diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure) and Alzheimer’s disease. High blood pressure is often regarded as silent killer due to its significant risk for causing heart attacks. Similarly, diabetes caused by increased content of sugars in blood and Alzheimer’s disease caused by mental disorders such as loss of memory affect human health on a wide scale. The rapid rise of casualties due to these chronic or so-called non-communicable diseases has surpassed casualties due to other diseases in the people of developing countries and has been listed by Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) in their report on global health, to be cured properly and on urgent basis. Diabetes, one of the prominent metabolic syndrome, occurs when level of glucose (sugars) in blood gets increased (Haslam and James, 2005) either due to inadequate production of insulin or inability of body to respond to insulin and even sometimes, due to combination of both factors. The common treatments available to cure for this disease include treatment with insulin in order to control blood sugars along with increased physical activities and stringent control on diet and weight. The intake of a balanced and nutritious diet that is low in fat,  cholesterol, and simple sugars may be quite helpful in regulating levels of blood sugars. Diabetes can be monitored by checking blood glucose levels on daily basis. It can be screened in patient due to its easy recognizable symptoms such as  frequent urination, intense thirst and hunger, weight gain, injuries that do not heal, tingling in hands and feet, male sexual dysfunction and fatigue. Diabetes is closely linked to increase in obe sity which may further lead to several cardiovascular diseases. During diabetes, the glycosylation (addition of sugars) of some advanced

Treatment For Women Survivors Of Childhood Abuse Psychology Essay

Treatment For Women Survivors Of Childhood Abuse Psychology Essay Many women in the United States are adult survivors of child abuse. As testimony to this to this fact, it was discovered in surveys of 1,931 women that up to 62% had a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and up to 30% reported childhood physical abuse (McCauley et al). Numerous female adult survivors of child abuse will experience psychological and behavioral issues as a result, and may benefit from some form of psychotherapy as treatment. Typical strategies used include cognitive-behavioral, trauma-focused, and emotion [-] focused approaches (qtd. in Hodges). Cognitive-behavioral therapy should be considered by women survivors of childhood abuse who are experiencing depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The impact of childhood abuse on women is profound. Dr. Ileana Arias reports in her article The Legacy of Child Maltreatment: Long-Term Health Consequences for Women that Documented psychological problems in adulthood among women survirors of child maltreatment include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, somatization, substance abuse, eating disorders, personality disorders, and suicidal behavior. According to reported and documented occurrences of abuse, one particular type of abuse that affects females more than males is childhood sexual abuse. The National Center for Victims of Crime (2007) reported that girls are victimized at least three times more often than boys, and one in four adolescent girls will experience CSA before reaching 18 (qtd. in Hodges). Unfortunately, for the disproportionate amount of female survivors, results of childhood sexual abuse are so traumatic that it can actually alter the brain. For example, this information was given in The Publics Health, Newsletter for Medical Professionals in Los Angeles County in an article titled Adult Manifestations of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Controlled studies have shown that adult survivors of child sexual abuse (ASCSA) are more likely to exhibit adverse psychopathologies in adulthood, and neuroimaging studies confirm that exposure to sexual abuse in childhood alters the neurobiology and neurostructures in the brain, leading to scarring, an abnormal neurohormonal response to future stressors, and predisposes the victim to a lifetime of negative consequences. (3) The article states that the affected areas of the brain are the left hemisphere, the hippocampus and amygdala, and the corpus callosum. If there is neurodevelopmental damage to these parts of the brain, the victim can experience a number of psychological results, including depression, panic disorder, and PTSD (qtd. in DeCarli 3). This is of particular concern to women because PTSD is often a result of experiencing sexual abuse as a child. PTSD is defined in Women Are Diagnosed With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder More than Men, Says Research, as an anxiety disorder precipitated by a traumatic event and characterized by symptoms of re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance and numbing and hyperarousal. (APA). The article notes findings by the American Psychological Association (APA) that women are diagnosed with PTSD more than men. It is common knowledge that men and women are different in a variety of ways, and the way that trauma seems to affect each gender is no exception. The article states that, A reason that men may not fit the current diagnosable criteria of PTSDà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦is that their symptoms may manifest themselves differently. (qtd. in APA). Women would be more likely to report depression or anxiety whereas men would report behavior or drug problems (APA). Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the best methods of treatment available and practiced in the U.S. today. Dr. Helen Kennerly defines CBT as therapy which aims to improve mood and change unhelpful behaviors by tackling the thoughts, memories, images and beliefs which are linked with problems (Kennerly 58). Use of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques would be beneficial to women survivors because it is aimed to supply the victim with a thought process to counter the thoughts that provoke or perpetuate depression, anxiety, or PTSD. The process is explained in The Clients Guide to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: How to Live a Healthy, Happy Lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ No Matter What! by Aldo R. Pucci, President of the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. First, the book teaches the Emotional ABCs. The ABCs are this: one is aware of something, then he or she has a belief about it, and the result of the belief is the consequential emotion that results. The belief is positive, neutral, or negative (23). Those thoughts are propelled by underlying assumptions that would be the core to the beliefs (35). Being aware of this process and core beliefs is empowering, and this awareness gives the victim the power to change it. In example, if a woman was abused as a child, and her underlying assumption is that shes not worthy of respect as a result, then that could influence her beliefs and actions in any number of scenarios. She may act timidly in a situation or be a doormat to others because that is her underlying assumption. The core belief must be found and challenged, and the emotional ABCs lead the way to discovery. Next, Puccis version of the The Common Mental Mistakes, mistakes that could also provoke depression, anxiety, and PTSD in a female adult survivor, is introduced. Pucci lists 26 mental mistakes, and then gives a list of Common Emotional Problems and the Common Mental Mistakes. Of the 26 mental mistakes, he lists some that would cause a feeling of depression, including irrational hopelessness/helplessness and catastrophizing (85). A female adult survivor might feel helplessness or hopelessness as an adult because those feelings were likely in the child who had no control of or escape from the abuse. As an adult, however, the former abuse victim has much more control of their life. Pucci describes catastrophizing as another form of underestimating ones potential to deal with a situation effectively (71). He goes on to say that words and expressions often used when catastrophizing are: awful, terrible, horrible, catastrophic, and end-of-the-world (71). If those words were to be replaced with a more neutral word, such as unfortunate, the impact might be deflated (Pucci). This is not say that a female adult survivor of child abuse should want to minimize the validation of their feelings during childhood, but rather to recognize in adult situations if those overwhelming feelings and words are automatic when met with challenge in adult life. These are some of the stepping stones that would lead women survivors to a rational approach, so that even if happiness isnt always attainable, maybe a neutral, solid ground can be reached instead of being sucked into the quicksand of depression and anxiety (Pucci). Alternatively, a trauma-focused CBT approach may be more beneficial to the women survivors experiencing PTSD as a result from childhood sexual abuse. This therapy requires the client to revisit the traumatic experiences through detailed descriptions of the occurrences to assist in identifying the triggers for PTSD, then developing cognitive processes to counter the behavior that follows, such as avoidance of things that are non-threatening triggers. Hodges states, Counseling interventions like trauma-focused therapy presuppose that the focus of therapy with women survivors of CSA is the trauma experience and that reviewing the experience is necessary for the client to improve psychologically. This type of therapy has been stated as generally beneficial for adults who were sexually abused as children (qtd. in Hodges). Although CBT would prove beneficial to treating adult female survivors, there are, of course, alternative treatments, and some experts would not consider this to be the treatment of choice. For example, Hodges takes a different stance on treatment, suggesting a wellness approach instead. Focusing primarily on the trauma itself neglects the individuals growth potential and the positive effect posttraumatic growth has on psychological distress (qtd. in Hodges), she notes, however, Wellness-focused interventions validate the individual and the fact that the important thing is not why the individual survived but how (Hodges). This type of therapy would pay homage to the clients strong points in having dealt with sexual childhood abuse, such as resiliency. Though this, too, could prove beneficial to the women survivors, the CBT approach helps to excavate the core self-belief that is the origin of the suffering they are experiencing in adult life, and gives them tools to successfully comba t the origins of their suffering. Another approach to treatment would be medication for anxiety or depression, in combination with therapy or as a sole treatment. Not only do antidepressants have the potential to cause side effects ranging from weight gain to insomnia to anxiety, they are of particular concern to women who are or could potentially become pregnant. The Mayo Clinic states that some types of antidepressants have been associated with health problems in babies. For instance, these risks are listed by the Mayo Clinic for the selective serotonin reuptake inihibitor (SSRI) Citalopram, better known as Celexa: Risks: Has been associated with a rare but serious newborn lung problem (persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, or PPHN), when taken during the last half of pregnancy; has been associated with septal heart defects; has been associated with a birth defect that affects the brain and skull (anencephaly), a birth defect that affect sutures on the head (craniosynostosis) and a birth defect that affects the abdominal organs (omphalocele). This is just one example, and nearly all the other popularly prescribed antidepressants have similar or equally serious risks. This possibility of side effects in all users and the risks of use in pregnant women make psychotherapy a more reasonable treatment, and the effects may be longer-lasting, as cognitive behavioral therapy aims to treat the causes of depression, not just the symptoms. Likewise, anti-anxiety medications come with their own risks. Anti-anxiety medications known as benzodiazepines (i.e., Ativan) are effective in treating anxiety disorders, however, side effects include drowsiness, poor concentration, and irritability (WebMD). Perhaps of greater concern, these medications are addictive and are not as desirable for long-term use (WebMD). A female adult survivor of child abuse would most likely find long-term benefits and methods that can be used indefinitely in the tools that are developed in cognitive-behavioral therapy rather than relying on medication for these reasons. Although using cognitive-behavioral techniques with a therapist as a guide is ideal, some seeking help may not have the means to attend therapy. In that case, there are a good number of self-help books that employ the fundamentals of this approach. One book that directly addresses using CBT for the adult survivors of child abuse is Overcoming Childhood Trauma: A self-help guide using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques by Helen Kennerley. Puccis book could be used without a therapist as well. Because childhood sexual abuse affects more women than men, books can more easily be found that are written for women. One book is called The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis. If the woman survivor has the will to treat her anxiety, depression, or PTSD but does not have the financial luxury (or insurance coverage) to use a therapist, any of these books and others available can be of assistance. In conclusion, the primary goals cognitive-behavioral therapy of identifying the mental cues that perpetuate the women survivors suffering and then dealing with the irrationality of some beliefs and behaviors is an ideal treatment. Identifying the underlying assumptions of what has shaped the survivors thoughts and being given those mental tools to fix the problem would be more beneficial than some of the alternatives. Some therapies may not get to the core of what the client is experiencing, and medications can have unfavorable side effects and carry risks for babies carried by mothers using the medications. A therapist can help guide the women survivors in recovery with the cognitive-behavioral techniques, yet if this is not possible, self-help books using those techniques can also help.

Fat Americans Essay examples -- Overweight Health Obesity Food Essays

Fat Americans There is a growing trend of overweight people living in America. This is nothing new however, overseas Americans are known for being â€Å"fat† and â€Å"lazy†, and for the most part it is hard to argue otherwise. American’s being overweight has become such a common trend, that when I walk down the street, and happen to see an overweight person, I don’t even consider them as being overweight anymore, because it has become commonplace, and obese American’s may get a look here and there but for the most part they are just passed by the same as everyone else. Americans are living in a society where people worship food and supermarkets have become the new cathedrals in this country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a multitude of reasons why American’s are overweight. You could argue that the main reason is that we just don’t get enough exercise, and sit in front of the television or computer all day. Our lack of exercise is one of the main reasons that we are overweight, but it seems to me at least that our diet is the bigger of the two problems. Our culture is so immersed in food, that everywhere we look there is someone or something trying to convince us to eat at their restaurant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In New York City, there seems to be at least 3 different choices for places to eat at on every block. What is most freighting about this is that, in my opinion, even with so many restaurants on each block, there are still waiting lists to get into some of these restaurants and there are still lines of people waiting outside in the freezing weather so they can go inside and eat until they are stuffed to the gills. People in America have fallen in love with food, they are willing to pay $20 for a light lunch at a restaurant, just so long as it includes a appetizer and dessert.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eating has also become more of a routine now then anything else. Allot of people I have asked about this subject came to the realization that they don’t eat because they are hungry anymore, they eat because its time to eat, and once they are eating they don’t stop till they are full, the only way they are stopping is when what is on their plate is completely clean. We have been raised to finish everything on our plate, and that there are starving kids in India who would do almost anything for the food that we didn’t like, so that we didn’t eat. This mentality combined with the ridiculously cheap and ... ...more surprising is that more heavy adults could be on the way, because more than 25 percent of today's children are overweight or obese, which has risen 40% in the last 16 years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It seems odd to me because all over television you see ad’s for the bow flex, and other machines that are supposed to keep you in shape. There are about a million different diets to choose from, yet American’s keep getting fatter and fatter. I really can’t figure it out. Is anyone buying into these exercise machines, and eat healthy diets? Or is it the already healthy conscious minority of American’s who are buying into these things just to reaffirm their health in this society obsessed with food. We need to begin to look overseas, and try to mimic their diets and their way of life, we need to eliminate our love affair with food and soda. However, I am a pessimist and I truly believe that once we see what the Europeans eat, and how they live their healthy lives, if we try to mimic it we would be so turned off at the lack of variety and taste that there diet offers that in a couple days we will be back waiting at the drive threw line at McDonalds, getting the biggie size for only 49 cents extra.

People, Organisation and Management

| |Case Study: | |The Comparative analysis of LawrieTech. com and Coca-Cola | |Company | | Contents Introduction 3 Question 4 Teamwork and Teamworking 5 Organisational Design and Structure 9 Organisational Culture 14 Conclusion 17 Reference 18 Introduction LawrieTech. com is one of the software engineering companies in Scotland, which is developing and supplying software system for controlling electricity supply. LawrieTech. om has 240 employees who service clients in 13 countries, which are include US, France and India. Coca-cola Company is the largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups in the world. Finished beverage products bearing their trademarks, sold in the US since 1886, are now sold in more than 200 countries. Question Read the two organizational case studies and provide a comparative analysis of them in written essay format. In particular the areas of comparison should cover the main topics as below: 1. Teamwork and Teamworking 2. Organizational Design and Structure 3. Organizational Culture 1. Teamwork and Teamworking Team is a combination of people within an organisation with skills, who are working together to achieve desired goal. Teamwork is the activity of working well together as a team with a collective of individual skills, talents and effects. There are four types of teams have been identified in LawrieTech. com and Coca-Cola Company. One of the team that had been identified is self-managed team, which also known as autonomous team. Team is empowered to make decision about planning and scheduling of work, allocating tasks, controlling quality of work and evaluating performance which is essential to manage them on daily basis. Both LawrieTech. com and Coca-Cola Company exist in self-managed team. Staffs of LawrieTech. com are â€Å"expected to liaise directly with clients and have a mandate to do what it takes to find solutions to their clients’ problems†. LawrieTech. com has to ensure members of teams are in theâ€Å"†¦right mix of skills and capabilities in order to meet the very exacting demands of clients†. According to McClelland’s acquired needs of power theory, members will have a mandate to control other persons, to influence their behaviour, and to be responsible for other people to fulfill their needs and self-satisfaction. Hence, â€Å"staff turnover is minimal and every year LawrieTech. com is inundated with the CVs of eager young graduates†. Coca-Cola Company is a large company which has â€Å"†¦axed 6,000 employees†. Coca-Cola will be an autonomous team because they are given authority to re-design structure and make decisions that adapt to the country’s culture and needs. Coca-Cola produces over 300 brands worldwide† and â€Å"the bottling and distribution system is also adapted to local needs†. Besides, â€Å"they have restructured with a management team coordinates a new, nimble, and entrepreneurial network†. In addition, Coca-Cola â€Å"†¦. has positioned itself for growth by moving key decision making closer to lo cal market†. Virtual team is one of the team which had identified from both companies, where teams are using computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal. They can share information and ideas, make decisions, and complete tasks by using communication links. They can include members from the same company or link an organization’s members with the employees from other organization like suppliers and joint partners. (Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge 2005) LawrieTech. com has â€Å"set up a ‘Knowledge Transfer’ on the intranet to share and discuss ideas†. â€Å"Staffs are encouraged to communicate with other teams members†. Fully used of this network connection to let staffs to exchange information and ideas to each other to improve the resources of problem solving. Coca-Cola Company has existed on virtual team as it is â€Å"†¦fostering deeper connections to consumers† with their organization website. Through the network connection Coca-Cola â€Å"†¦ has been very sensitive to local market conditions†, and also â€Å"†¦recognizing the importance of international sales†. They are using the network connection to control and communicate with the other teams who are located in other countries around the world. Besides, Cross-functional team is the members come from different functional units and other part of organization with expectation of sharing information and ideas to solve organization’s problem. This team often functions as self-directed teams responding to broad, but no specific directives. Decision-making within a team may depend on consensus, but often is led by a manager or team leader. LawrieTech. com exists on cross-functional teams; however, Coca-Cola Company does not exist. LawrieTech. com’s employees are â€Å"†¦organized into flexible teams†. â€Å"Each team has the right mix of skills and apabilities† to fulfill clients’ needs to achieve their intention. Members are â€Å"†¦expected to liaise directly with clients and have a mandate to do what it takes to find solutions to their clients’ problems† and â€Å"†¦meet the very exacting the demand of clients†. Both LawrieTech. com and Coca-Cola have existe d on employee involvement team, where groups of employees who meet outside their regular assignment to uncover, apply expertise to improve workplace matter. This team often formed a quality circle where they will meet about once a week to discuss their work, identify problems, and present possible solutions to management. Michael P. Dumler & Steven J. Skinner 2008) LawrieTech. com has organized â€Å"regular staff social events and outings which all enjoy†. Also, â€Å"although they have job titles, no member of staff has a specific job description suggesting that anything is possible†. They will discuss and share ideas together to improve their problem solving skill capabilities to fulfill their clients’ needs. Coca-Cola Company has existed on this team as well. â€Å"The larger the company is, the harder it is to continue to grow at a steady pace†. Therefore, â€Å"products are developed to meet the varied taste preferences of consumers†, and â€Å"Coca-Cola produces over 300 brands worldwide in addition to its flagship brands†. 2. Organizational Design and Structure Organizational Design It can be defined as the creation of roles, processes and formal reporting relationship in an organization. One can distinguish between two phases in an organization design process, which are organic design and mechanistic design. Organic organization operates with minimum bureaucratic features and with a culture that encourages workers empowerment and participation. However, mechanistic organization is an ideal organization form, and operated with bureaucratic features, like clear cut labour divisions, strict hierarchy and authority, formal rules and promotion based on competency. Organic organization has a flat structure with maximum two levels of management, which called decentralized authority. Supervisors tend to have a more personal relationship with employees. However, mechanistic organization is a centralized authority with narrow span of control, more specialist positions, and homogeneous, functional departments. (Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge 2005) The Gibson, Ivancevich, and Donnelly (1995) stated, â€Å"While the mechanistic model seeks to maximize efficiency and product, the organic model seeks to maximize satisfaction, flexibility and development† (p. 542). LawrieTech. com exists on organic design as it is a decentralized authority and there is only two levels management, which is section and team. Meanwhile, the company encourages the empowerment and participation of staffs for problems solving. It is more to be informal or personal type organization as they only have few rules in the organization. Ties are banned from the office†. Also, â€Å"†¦staffs work in flexi time† and they can â€Å"†¦approach their employer, Iain, for a chat† except in the meeting hour. There is â€Å"†¦informal and relaxed atmosphere in the office†. There are wide span of control, which only has two levels of management. LawrieTech. com is also an organization with full of intellectual capital, where there are collective brainpowers of workforce that can be used to create value. Therefore, all tasks are shared, â€Å"Although they have job titles, no member of staff has a specific job description suggesting that anything is possible†. Staffs are organized into flexible teams†. Thus, LawrieTech. com has many task forces and is considered as a small enterprise, because it only has â€Å"†¦employed 240 workers†. However, Coca-Cola is a mechanistic organization since it processes as a centralized authority, where there are â€Å"twenty-four division and operations presidents†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and it has more structured. Coca-Cola is a large company, where â€Å"†¦CEO, Douglas Daft axed 6,000 employees†. In addition, it has many rules and regulations as â€Å"twenty-four divisions and operations presidents report to the chief operating officers†. Coca-Cola Company has few task forces, because their shibboleth is one company, one group. Employees are organized into departments and tasks are specialised within their organizational structure, as they have â€Å"†¦ group of individuals, along with Coca-Cola employees and partners worldwide, are responsible for implementing the six strategic priorities† and they are â€Å"†¦ very sensitive to local market conditions†. The span of control is narrow, as â€Å"twenty-four divisions and operations presidents report to the chief operating officers†. Organizational Structure It is a hierarchical concept of subordination of entities that collaborate and contribute to serve one common aim. The structure of an organization is usually set up in one of the variety of styles, dependant on their objectives and ambience. It will determine the modes in which it shall operate and will perform. (Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge 2005) There are six types of structure have been identified in both company. First of all, LawrieTech. com exists on team structure, but Coca-Cola is less exists on this structure. Team structure is defined as it greatly use permanent and temporally teams to solve problems, complete special projects, and accomplish daily tasks. It often uses cross-functional teams. For examples, LawrieTech. com’s staffs are â€Å"†¦organized into flexible teams†. â€Å"Each team has the right mix of skills and capabilities in order to meet the very exacting demands of clients†. â€Å"†¦ regular team meeting† is held where members can exchange ideas and communicate with other team members. It helps them to mix easily. Secondly, network structure has been performing within both companies. It is a central core that is linked through networks of relationships with outside contractors and suppliers of essential services. Furthermore, the company own only core components and use strategic alliances or outsourcing to provide other components. LawrieTech. com is a network organization, where it hasâ€Å"†¦set up an intranet, ‘Knowledge Transfer’, to let staffs share and discuss ideas†. â€Å"Staffs are organized into flexible teams† to complete their tasks with perfect mix of skill capabilities. Coca-Cola Company also exists on network structure as well, because employees are organized into departments with using network connection to link to each other and â€Å"†¦recognizing the importance of international sales†. Besides, divisional structures delineate team who works on the same product or process, serve similar customers, and located in the same area or geographical region. It is more common in complex organization and in avoids problems associated with functional structure. LawrieTech. com and Coca-Cola have existed on it at the same time, but LawrieTech. com only base on customer structure. For examples, LawrieTech. com’s â€Å"†¦. business strategy involves the development of high specification customer-driven programmes with intense levels of after-sales services†. Its intention, that all of a worker has skills and capabilities to fulfill their clients’ needs. Coca-Cola Company also exists on this structure, which based on customer and geographical. As an example for customer structure, â€Å"products are developed to meet the varied taste preferences of consumers†. Coca-Cola tries to adapt to local needs, where â€Å"†¦all bottlers are local companies either independently owned or only partially owned by the Coca-Cola†. There would be the functional structure in Coca-Cola, yet LawrieTech. com does not exist. Functional structure lies in putting like specialists together, which minimizes the number necessary while allowing the pooling and sharing of specialized resources across products. (Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge 2005) Coca-Cola is trying to â€Å"†¦achieve profitability through economies of scale and by capitalizing on its existing distribution†. Boundary-less organization is the eliminating of internal boundaries among subsystems and external boundaries with the external environment. It is also a combination of team and network structures with the addition of â€Å"temporariness†. (Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge 2005) Due to the identification on the above, LawrieTech. com is a boundary-less organization. As it has been exist on team structure as well as network structure. Teams are â€Å"†¦organized into flexible teams† to achieve the perfect match of skill and capabilities. They are exchanging ideas with each other through the ‘Knowledge Transfer’. Coca-Cola Company is not a boundary-less organization since team structure is less performed in it. Finally, matrix structure is a combination of functional and divisional structure for increasing the advantages and minimized the disadvantages of each used in manufacturing, service industries, professional fields, non-profit sectors and Multinational Corporation. Coca-Cola is a matrix organization as it has simultaneously existed both functional and divisional structures, but LawrieTech. com is not a matrix structure. For examples, Coca-Cola attempts to â€Å"†¦achieve profitability through economies of scale† and also develop product to â€Å"†¦meet the varied taste preferences of consumers†. Besides, they aim to â€Å"†¦adapt to local needs† by â€Å"the bottling and distribution systems†. 3. Organizational Culture Organization culture can be defined as a system of shared meaning by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization. (Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge 2005) At first, LawrieTech. com has been present in people orientation. People orientation is the degree of value and respect for people. â€Å"LawrieTech. om seeks to employ the best graduates available who can bring the skills and attitudes that are consistent with the company’s business philosophy and, indeed, their philosophy on life. † LawrieTech. com concern to the staffs’ working performance in their daily tasks with joyful. Through the identification, Coca-Cola does not have people orientation. Team orientation is one of the organizational cultures in the case studies. It is the degree to which work activities are organized around teams rather than individual. (Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge 2005) In LawrieTech. com, â€Å"staffs are organized into flexible teams†. Each team has the right mix of skills and capabilities in order to meet the very exacting demands of clients†. Members are â€Å"†¦liaising directly with clients† and to fulfill the clients’ needs with taking decision themselves. â€Å"†¦Regular team meeting† set up to improve the relationship between each member of other teams. Coca-Cola has also less team orientation, as it is less performed as team structure. According to case studies, innovation and risk taking is performed in both companies. It is the degree of the company willing to experiment, take risks, and encourage innovation. In LawrieTech. com â€Å"†¦staffs are able to express themselves† and be creative in their work. Also, they have a mandate to do what it takes to get problems solving to serve to their aim. Coca-Cola Company is a manufacturer company, it needs to have more innovation and risk taking to achieve its desired goal. â€Å"Products are developed to meet the varied taste preferences of consumers† and they have produced â€Å"†¦over 300 brands worldwide in addition to its flagship brands†. Coca-Cola Company introduces aggressiveness in its company. Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge (2005) stated aggressiveness is â€Å"the degree to which people are aggressive and competitive rather than easygoing† (p. 512) Coca-Cola â€Å"growth in sales has been fueled both internally and through acquisitions and licensing agreements†. Also, it has developed products â€Å"†¦to meet the varied taste preferences of consumers†. Nevertheless, LawrieTech. com is not an aggressiveness company. Coca-Cola has introduced outcome orientation, but LawrieTech. com does not exist. Outcome orientation is the degree to which management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the techniques and processes used to achieve those outcomes. Stephen P. Robbins & Timothy A. Judge 2005) Coca-Cola is an organization which achieving their aim without focusing on undertaking the ways. It is more focus on their image and profit, so its top management â€Å"†¦axed 6,000 employees† to restructure their organization and also reduce their unnecessary cost f or maintaining its financial. Likewise, Coca-Cola is â€Å"†¦recognizing the importance of international sales, has been very sensitive to local market conditions† for their profit and gain. Conclusion Coca-Cola Company and LawrieTech. om are not being able to compare with each other, because both are not in the same line organization. Coca-Cola Company is a manufacture line company, but LawrieTech. com is a customer line organization. Employees of LawrieTech. com are working together as a team and fulfilled with needs of power for self-satisfaction and confidence. However, employees of Coca-Cola Company should be more disciplined as there are full of rules and regulations, and they need to follow instructions from top management to complete their daily tasks. Reference Books 1. Stephen P. Robbins and Timothy A. Judge (2005) Organizational Behaviour. 12th Edition. United States of America: Person Prentice Hall. P. 300-303, P. 478-485, P. 490-494. 2. Gibson, J. L. , Ivancevich, J. M. , & Donnelly, J. H. , Jr. (1995) Organizations: Behavior, Structure, Processes. 8th Edition. Boston, MA: Irwin. P. 542. 3. Michael P. Dumler and Steven J. Skinner (2008) A Primer for Management. 2nd Edition. United States of America: Thomson South-Western. P. 168.

Character Motivation How to Write Believable Characters

Character Motivation How to Write Believable Characters Character Motivation: How to Write Believable Characters If an author wants to focus on making their stories more believable, it’s crucial for them to fully understand character motivation. Readers will happily accept and suspend their disbelief for any story - whether it’s set deep in space, or in a society run by terriers - so long as all the characters have relatable motivations and behave plausibly.In this post, we’ll look at some of the big questions behind character motivation in fiction and help you understand why it’s important and, crucially, how to apply it to any book you are working on.What is character motivation?Character motivation is the reason behind a character’s behaviors and actions in a given scene or throughout a story. Motivations are intrinsic needs: they might be external needs and relate to survival, but they might also be psychological or existential needs, such as love or professional achievement.This motivation is at the heart of character profiles and is necessary if your g oal is to write believable and compelling characters.

Lonesome George Was the Last Pinta Island Tortoise

Lonesome George Was the Last Pinta Island Tortoise The last known member of the Pinta Island tortoise subspecies (Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii) died on June 24, 2012. Known as Lonesome George by his keepers  at the Charles Darwin Research Station on the Galpagos Island of Santa Cruz, this giant tortoise was estimated to be 100 years old. Weighing 200 pounds and measuring 5 feet in length, George was a healthy representative of his kind, but repeated attempts to breed him with biologically similar female tortoises proved unsuccessful. Scientists at the research station plan to save tissue samples and DNA from Georges body in hopes of reproducing his genetic material in the future. For now, though, Lonesome George will be preserved via taxidermy to be displayed at the Galpagos National Park. The now-extinct Pinta Island tortoise resembled  other members of the Galapagos giant tortoise species (Chelonoidis nigra), which is the largest living species of tortoise and one of the heaviest living reptiles in the world.   Characteristics of the Pinta Island Tortoise Appearance:  Like others of its subspecies, the Pinta Island tortoise has a dark brownish-gray saddleback-shaped shell with  large, bony plates on its upper portion and thick, stumpy limbs covered in scaly skin. The Pinta Island has a long neck and toothless mouth shaped much like a beak, suitable for its vegetarian diet. Size:  Individuals of this  subspecies were known to reach 400 pounds, 6 feet in length, and 5 feet in height (with necks fully extended).   Habitat:  Like other saddleback tortoises, the Pinta Island subspecies primarily inhabited arid lowlands but likely made seasonal migrations to more moist areas at higher elevations. Its primary habitat though would be that of the Ecuadorian Pinta Island from which it gets its name.   Diet:  The Pinta Island tortoises diet consisted of vegetation, including grasses, leaves, cacti, lichens, and berries. It could go for long periods without drinking water (up to 18 months) and is thought to have stored water in its bladder and pericardium. Reproduction:  Galpagos giant tortoises reach sexual maturity between 20 and 25 years of age. During the height of mating season between February and June of each year, females travel to sandy coastlines where they dig nest holes for their eggs (saddlebacks like Pinta tortoises typically dig 4 to 5 nests a year with an average of 6 eggs each). The females retain sperm from a single copulation to fertilize all of her eggs. Depending upon temperature, incubation can span anywhere from 3 to 8 months. Like other reptiles (notably crocodiles), nest temperatures determine the sex of hatchlings (warmer nests result in more females). Hatching and emergency occur between December and April. Lifespan/;  Like other subspecies of  Galpagos giant tortoises, the Pinta Island tortoise can live up to 150 years in the wild. The oldest known tortoise was Harriet, who was approximately 175 years old when she died at an Australia Zoo in 2006. Geographic Range/;  The Pinta Island tortoise was indigenous to Ecuadors Pinta Island. All subspecies of the Galpagos giant tortoise are found only in the Galpagos Archipelago. According to a study released by Cell Press entitled Lonesome George is not alone among Galapagos tortoises, there may still be a Pinta Island turtle living among a similar subspecies on the neighboring island of Isabela.   Causes of Population Decline and Extinction of Pinta Island Tortoises   During the 19th century, whalers  and fishermen killed Pinta Island tortoises for food, driving the subspecies to the brink of extinction by the mid-1900s. After exhausting the tortoise population, seasonal seafarers introduced goats to Pinta in 1959 to ensure they would have a food source upon landing. The goat population grew to more than 40,000 during the 1960s and 1970s, decimating the islands vegetation, which was the remaining tortoises food. Pinta tortoises were originally considered extinct during this time until visitors spotted Lonesome George in 1971. George was taken into captivity the following year. Following his death in 2012, the Pinta Island tortoise is now considered to be extinct (other subspecies of Galpagos tortoise are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN). Conservation Efforts Starting in the 1970s, varied techniques were employed to eradicate Pinta Islands goat population in order to discover the most effective method for later use on larger Galpagos islands. After almost 30 years of only moderately successful extermination attempts, an intensive program of radio-collaring and aerial hunting aided by GPS and GIS technology resulted in complete eradication of goats from Pinta. Monitoring projects have since shown that Pintas native vegetation has recovered in the absence of goats, but the vegetation requires grazing to keep the ecosystem properly balanced, so the Galpagos Conservancy launched Project Pinta, a multi-phase effort to introduce tortoises from other islands to Pinta. How You Can Help Other Giant Tortoises   Donate to the Lonesome George Memorial Fund, established by the Galpagos Conservancy to fund large-scale tortoise restoration programs in Galpagos over the next 10 years. There are also a variety of  resources for  volunteering to help endangered species  available online.

Employee drug testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employee drug testing - Essay Example The most extreme action that an employer can take is to terminate employment or refusing to hire (as the case may be). The scope of actions on part of employers are provisioned in the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, promoted and passed by President Ronald Reagan during his final year of presidency. There are other federal and state regulations which allow termination only if it is inevitable. On detection of an employee drug problem, employers are required to â€Å"encourage or require employers to allow offenders to choose a substance-abuse treatment program in place of employment termination. For example, instead of outright firing you, your employer might ban you from performing safety-sensitive duties until you successfully complete a course, counseling or treatment program and then pass a return-to-duty drug test. That's particularly so if you work in an industry regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) or for a company that follows Department of Transportation workplace drug testing rules.† (www.employeeissues.com, 2011) Testing positive for drugs have a whole array of disincentives for the guilty. For example, such employees cannot claim unemployment benefits. Provisions under CORBA would deny the guilty prolonged health-insurance coverage during the recovery stage. The state workers' compensation law is also unfavorable to those found guilty, for it denies any workers' compensation benefits. All this is not to say that the laws are favored toward employers. For example, however grievous the drug-abuse and however malefic its effects were on the organization, employers still cannot get the guilty arrested, unless the drug-abuse happens in the premises of the organization.

Trend in Architecture in the Past Research Paper

Trend in Architecture in the Past - Research Paper Example The research paper "Trend in Architecture in the Past" focuses on a detail discussion about four distinct structure of the ancient time, these are Arch, Dome, vault, and Roof. In this paper, the main discussion is about the structure and method of development of the above four construction in Greece, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. Some of the key structures of ancient Egypt were arch, vault, roof etc. All these three structures were closely related to one another as there is a number of great architectural work in Egypt based on the above three elements. A vault is associated with the architecture of an arch. There is a pair of the arch at both ends of the structure. Between both the arches, there is a long arched tunnel which is generally made up of concrete. To overcome this issue people in Greece, Egypt used to build a vault in. In order to provide support to one part or the finished part people used to take help of the process of centering, the support was at the place until the other sections were finished. In order to ensure strong support to the finished side people also took help of Buttresses which were known for providing all the heavy concrete vaults some extra support. â€Å"Architects would lay layers of light tiles directly on the centering. When the tiles were finished, it gave the centering ex tra support until they laid the final layer of concrete. When all of the concrete was dry and the tiles were laid, the Roman architects would pour concrete onto the vaults until they reached the desired thickness†.