Monday, December 16, 2019

For four years the guilt still haunted my Mum Free Essays

As we sat down for dinner or ‘tea’ as it has come to be called in our small two up-two down house, 174, Lonsdale Street, there was that same ominous feeling in the air that all too often filled me with dread and a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. That would set the tone for the remainder of the evening and most probably continue late on in to the night and early hours. The hunger that now eluded my whole body had earlier been forced to become a mind over matter issue as I struggled fruitlessly with my maths homework, but now, tea was ready. We will write a custom essay sample on For four years the guilt still haunted my Mum or any similar topic only for you Order Now Unfortunately though, my hunger was no more satisfied even after I had ravenously finished off every last bite of my half – yes my whole half – of the gourmet dish of Heinz beans and sausage, so expertly cooked – or rather opened from the tin – by Paul. This was another tell-tale sign of what was to come in the next few hours. As per usual, the rather bland evening meal was complemented by certain happenings in our house that even I struggled to deal with as I maybe would have done in the past. By now, we had grown used to, and even begun to accept, the fact that Dad was no longer around to bring a sense of buoyancy and a friendly, smiling face to our home and our lives. Maths homework was left unfinished and certain D.I.Y jobs, such as the burst water pipe in the small dingy bathroom at the end of the landing, were left leaking. But we all understand that life must go on and we must stay strong – if not for our sake, for Mum’s. This was something we had done very well since Dad left. Just the two of us, until she found Paul. As soon as we finished our tea, Mum set about busily clearing the table as I put the kettle on, offering Paul a drink and anxiously awaiting his most-probable violent reaction. Much to my disbelief, he simply just declined the drink, but left the kitchen hurriedly, in a similar fashion to the one in which he had entered, irritably mumbling something about Janet and how he had had to put up with this for too long now and how he is not putting up with it for much longer. With this, my thoughts and fears were confirmed and my heart pounded once again. It had been plainly obvious from the second I awoke that morning that they had been arguing the night before and it would once again be Mum who came out worse off. The atmosphere was tense all too often in our house. It was impossible to tell when things would boil over, but it was obvious that the tension was always at a light simmer, biding its time and appearing to await the perfect moment. It was for exactly this reason that I never invited any of my friends round to sleep or even to watch a film or for tea. The whole environment and aura is too aggressive, too heated for others to understand. In fact, everything that happens in our house with regards to this situation is kept to myself. Just as the kettle boiled my mind jolted back into reality and I poured water in to each of the three mugs. I heard the front door close with a bang and the letter box swung backwards and forwards, probably hanging off even more than it had before. â€Å"We shan’t be seein’ ‘im again tonight,† said Mum softly in her ever-calming voice. â€Å"He’ll be back,† I replied tentatively. â€Å"Oh, he’ll be back all right. Drunk as a skunk, no doubt.† She even said this in a subtle tone, as if she had seen it all before and was now finding the whole scenario increasingly monotonous. I decided that the best reply, was no reply. We sat in the lounge in silence. No sound apart from Matthew Kelly on Stars in their Eyes gaily welcoming some middle aged house-wife from Wales as Christina Aguilera. I glanced across at Mum, still glaring at the television intently, steel-eyed. She did not even look up, not a second thought. Nothing. Perhaps all recent happenings had hardened her to such petty behaviour†¦ When Gillian had finished her piece as Christina, I drained the remainder of my mug, said good-night to Mum and proceeded up the stairs that creaked more and more with each processional step higher, and to my bedroom. The only place of sanctity I could find. After having only a wash due to the broken shower, I wearily clambered into bed and took out my football magazine from my bedside drawer. The last thing I remembered before dozing off to sleep was groggily reading an article about the demise of Spain on the World stage. The lines upon lines of text slowly transformed into horizontal lines in my mind and became wood, lots of wood all lined up neatly, now vertical, forming walls. Fence panels. My eyes came into focus as I gazed around what slowly materialized into a beautiful open space, lined with borders and rockeries immediately before the mahogany slats, containing amazingly colourful trees, plants and grasses that thrived in the gorgeous weather. Now my mind caught up with my vision and I recognised the setting as our old house. It was peaceful. Perfect. Birds chirruped in the trees and a plethora of insects busily went about their duties. Bees buzzed in and out of open petals and buds all around the garden. Ladybirds landed gracefully on emerald green leaves and butterflies parading stunning spectrums of colour fluttered aimlessly in the gentle breeze. Beyond a finely pruned hedge towards the opposite end of the garden was a ray of light that glared brilliantly in my eyes. It drew me towards it with an almost hypnotic supremacy as I felt the heat of the beating sun on my neck. I stood over the pool and watched tiny insignificant creatures skate on the water’s surface, backwards and forwards with no evident purpose. Gradually, large elegant petals floated down from an overhanging tree, landing on the surface of the water charmingly. One by one they came down in to the water. At first with grace, causing minuscule disturbances on the glistening mirror-like surface, but with each descent came a larger and more portentous landing until the pool was littered with petals that gave the water a mystical purple-red glow. At once – or so it seemed – the garden was silent. Insects and birds still seemed to buzz, sing and twitter contentedly in and around the garden, but no sound. Silence. I turned back to the pool to see its emptiness. No buds, no petals, not even a single solitary blade of grass. My eye lids opened with surprising ease to focus on the blankness of the familiar surroundings. Despite my disorientation, there were recognisable sounds from beyond my immediate surroundings. It took another moment for it to make sense. Mum? There was a loud, ear piercing smash, followed by a thud then an emotional cry of pain and torment! I was right. All my thoughts and fears were so damningly correct, but what could I do? Was I to go down? My mind wavered. Could I help her, or was it not worth it? Would it only worsen the situation? Could it only worsen the situation? It did on the previous occasion. Another loud scream later, followed by a familiar bang and it was over. He was home. Her haven. She whimpered in his arms, but he was oblivious. Immensely intoxicated by drink, he had fallen backwards onto the empty bottle on the table. Well, that was our version. Who would doubt it though? Her numerous breaks and bruises were plain for all to see. For four years the guilt still haunted my Mum. And Chloe, the result of that fateful night. 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Sunday, December 8, 2019

Business Corporate Governance and Stakeholders

Question: Discuss about the Business Corporate Governance and Stakeholders. Answer: 1. Corporate Responsibilities Owed to the Stakeholders Stakeholder Group of James Hardie Corporate governance responsibilities owed Employees According to Section 20 under the 2004 OHS Act, the management has a duty of care towards its employees that eliminates risks to health and safety (Ohsrep.org.au 2016). According to Fair Work Act 2009, the employees must be provided with Workers compensation in the form of insurance payment for the health impact or injuries caused in work (Fairwork.gov.au 2016). Suppliers Contractors The management owes human rights such as being informed, ethical sourcing, labour relations practices and disclosure to the suppliers which is supported by Australian Government. The contractors performing mining activities for asbestos-based products must be informed about the health impacts (Ato.gov.au 2016). Society The management has moral obligations to the society and no misleading information must be provided. The health effects such as cancer and other lung diseases caused by asbestos must be communicated to the society or community as a whole (Hasnas 2013). Government James Hardie has responsibility towards the NSW government as they are responsible for handling claims of the entire community. They are liable for stopping any business that causes harm to the society (Hasnas 2013). Financial Investors The company owes to the financial investors as they make decisions looking at the overall business structure, revenue sources, profit patterns and compliance with corporate social responsibility. They look for the best return on investment (Hasnas 2013). Shareholders Shareholders are the owners in the company who have a right to obtain information. The management has a fiduciary responsibility for disclosing necessary information as they hold interest in the business (Hasnas 2013). Customers Customers consume the products manufactured by James Hardie and they have the right to information. The customers must know about the sourcing and the management must charge reasonable costs by them (Hasnas 2013). Union The Australian Union protects the rights, health and safety of the employees in Australia. The management has a responsibility towards them as they represent the interests of workers (Australianunions.org.au 2016). Legal Bodies The management has responsibility towards legal bodies as they are required to provide corrective justice by conducting in the correct manner and not harm under tort liability (Spender 2003). 2. Key Corporate Governance Issues ASX Principle Key corporate governance issue corresponding to that ASX Principle Lay solid foundations for management and oversight According to the James Hardies case, there is no balance in authority. The individual has unfettered powers because even after health warnings and potential impact of liabilities from compensation due to asbestos, the organization continued to manufacture products thereby jeopardizing lives. Structure the board to add value The business does not have a proper understanding of the current and potential issues of the business. The company does not have a strong board that are committed to their responsibilities and duties. Act ethically and responsibly Evidently, the organization does not act in favour of its stakeholders and harms the shareholders, employees, business partners, creditors, consumers, the environment and the broader community with their work practices. Safeguard integrity in corporate reporting The company does not present a truthful and factual representation of the financial position. The company formed Medical Research Compensation Foundation (MRCF) so that the fund could be used to pay the victims affected by asbestos. However, the MRCF was underfunded and the estimated liabilities rose up to $1044 million from $693 in 2000 (Haigh, 2006). Make timely and balanced disclosure Deed of Covenants between MRFC and JHIL were deliberately hidden by the organization. The information memorandum was misleading as it lacked disclosure about meeting future moral obligations. Respect the rights of security holders The company did not respect the rights of shareholders as the communications were misleading. There was an imbalance between the company and its proposals. Recognise and manage risk James Hardie had no risk management strategy. It does not take any measure to assess or manage the risk that would arise from asbestos mining. There was clear medical implication arising from exposure to asbestos but no mitigation strategies were adopted by the company. Remunerate fairly and responsibly As James Hardie did not stop manufacturing asbestos-based products, the remuneration was paid to the employees for their work. This payment cannot be termed responsible as there was no link between performance and remuneration. Source: (Asx.com.au 2016) 3 Actions to Comply with ASX Guidelines ASX Principle Actions company should have taken to comply with the ASX guideline Lay solid foundations for management and oversight The company must assess the leadership authority of James Hardie and the security holders must decide whether to elect a person or no. As the authority has unfettered powers, there is a need to change the directors so that there is proper functioning. Structure the board to add value There is a need for a board that has proper commitment, size and composition so that they are adequately discharged with roles and responsibilities. James Hardie must have a board that understands and deals with the existing and potential issues. Act ethically and responsibly James Hardie needs to address the interest of its stakeholders including employees, business partners, creditors, consumers, the environment and the broader community. The code of conduct must be established where the directors, employees and executives are expected to act honestly and in the best interest of the organization. Safeguard integrity in corporate reporting The organization must establish an audit committee who would ensure the adequacy of the reporting process. The committee must also obtain a declaration from the CEO that the financial statements are properly maintained and are accurate. Make timely and balanced disclosure The organization must have a written policy for disclosure about financial performance, governance and ownership. The information must not be misleading and media must be used as an appropriate channel. Respect the rights of security holders The website must be used for providing information about the company and its governance. The copies of annual reports, financial statements, current business pattern, structure and effective communication must be established with the security holder. Recognise and manage risk The board needs to establish an appropriate risk framework by identification and managing the risks. The management must oversee the risk involved in asbestos-based products and the compensation it needs to pay to the victims. The risks must be disclosed in every reporting period. Remunerate fairly and responsibly The management needs to disclose its remuneration policy for the non-executive directors, executive directors and other seniors. The compensation must be responsible and fair. James Hardie needs to set up a performance management system to ensure fair remuneration. Source: (Asx.com.au 2016) 4 Effect on Long Term Interests of Stakeholders between 1930s-1987 Stakeholder Group of James Hardie How long term interests of stakeholder groups were affected or exacerbated Employees The employees working for James Hardie were observed having asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer (Ramazzini 2016). Suppliers Contractors The health impact was not limited to the employees, but also the demolition contractors who worked in neighbouring manufacturing plants (Chen and Zorigt 2013). Society The community and environment was damaged due to asbestos-mining. Asbestos can easily travel through air into the water supply, settle at the soil surface and can be picked up by the wind. The entire society faced significant threat as asbestos as inhaled by the human lungs (Frank and Joshi 2014). Government As government is obligated to protect the rights, safety and security of the common public, the government reputation was affected as they let James Hardie conduct business while jeopardizing lives (Heenetigala and Lokuwaduge 2014). Financial Investors There were misleading statements presented regarding cash flow and cap percentage. The investors may have invested in the company while they were disclosing the social issues. Their money was used to conduct unethical business (Harrison and Smith 2015). Shareholders The shareholders were not informed about the working of the company. As the claim was stated as high as A$1.5 million, the money was decided to be taken from the shareholder fund of $30 million thereby affecting long-term interest of the shareholders (Haigh 2006). Customers As claims were being paid by the company, eventually it was added as cost paid by the customers. Due to unethical business practices, the customers had to bear the compensation paid to the victims (Frank and Joshi 2014). Union The union was affected as they are responsible to provide safety and security to the employees. However, the union could not provide security to the employees thereby causing harm to the Australian workers (Fooks et al. 2012). 5 Ethical Decision Making According to the legislative body Safe Work Australia, the Safe Work Australia Act 2008 defines a workers compensation as a form of insurance providing wage and medical benefits to the employees. The first case of providing the first workers compensation occurred in 1939 (Hills 2005). The disease related to asbestos exposure is termed as a deemed disease (Safeworkaustralia.gov.au 2015). Lung cancer is one of the common diseases caused to the workers due to asbestos exposure. However, the people may be exposed to asbestos as occupational or non-occupational reasons. The case-study clearly states that even back in 1930s, asbestos was known for giving harmful and deadly lung diseases. The actual discovery of health impact and liabilities was known in the 1960s (Spender 2003). Therefore, to continue manufacturing asbestos-based products after knowing its deadly impact on lung cannot be termed as ethical decision making by the board. The products continued to be manufactured till 1987 eve n after the liabilities arising from compensation was mentioned to the organization (Spender 2003). The main difference between moral and business ethics is that in case of moral ethics, a person makes decision knowingly or unknowingly based on own beliefs. However, in case of business ethics has normative elements when the business owners understand the impact of their decision on others. In this case, James Hardie ignored both moral and business ethics. The profit motive was prioritized at the expense of a social contract (Chell et al. 2014). The decision of continuing to manufacture asbestos-based products were made knowing the potential health impact. This questions the moral ethics of James Hardie as they decided to continue jeopardizing the lives of employees and entire community. Considering their stakeholders funds sufficient and significant enough to pay the victims affected by asbestos, argues the relevance of business ethics. All the employees and customers have different social and economic backgrounds. The facts regarding health impacts were hidden from the stakeholder s that question the business ethics. Misleading information was provided to the stakeholders that question the ethical principles followed by the company (Donaldson, Werhane and Cording 2012). 6. Actions of Stakeholders Threatening Corporate Sustainability Specific Stakeholder Group How did actions threaten James Hardies corporate sustainability Board of Directors and Senior Management The board of directors and senior management are responsible to set objectives for the employees and look after the organizational goals. There were health warnings and potential impact of liabilities from compensation. By continuing to manufacture asbestos-based products, the concept of corporate sustainability was ignored. The environmental concerns such as damaging land, air and water was continued. Further, the societal point of view was ignored in which the mining activities damaged the health of society (Moerman and Laan 2015). Not just the employees of the organization were affected, but the neighbouring communities and contractors were affected. Therefore, James Hardie could not achieve corporate sustainability as the moral obligations to the society were ignored deliberately (Mohrman and Shani, 2011). Shareholders The shareholders agreed for the fact that the victims of asbestos shall be paid from the funds agreed with the NSW state government (Spender 2003). Giving away the money from shareholders funds based on the formula on percentage of capital and free cash flow, led to economic viability. Such compensations dwindles the economic effectiveness of the company. It can be argued that the profit motive of the company was at the expense of a social contract and irresponsible practices were not a sign of economic or social sustainability (Davies 2014). References: Davies, S., 2014. The legal framework for corporate social responsibility.Governance Directions,66(11), p.693. Moerman, L. and van der Laan, S., 2015. Exploring Shadow Accountability: The Case of James Hardie and Asbestos. Social and Environmental Accountability Journal, 35(1), pp.32-48. Mohrman, S. and Shani, A., 2011. Organizing for sustainability. Bingley: Emerald Group Pub. Spender, P., 2003.Spender, Peta --- "Blue Asbestos and Golden Eggs: Evaluating Bankruptcy and Class Actions as Just Responses to Mass Tort Liability" [2003] SydLawRw 11; (2003) 25(2) Sydney Law Review 223. [online] Austlii.edu.au. Available at: https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/SydLawRw/2003/11.html [Accessed 31 Aug. 2016]. Ato.gov.au, 2016.Contractors and suppliers | Australian Taxation Office. [online] Ato.gov.au. Available at: https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Manage-your-invoices,-payments-and-records/Employees,-contractors-and-suppliers/Contractors-and-suppliers/ [Accessed 31 Aug. 2016]. Australianunions.org.au, 2016.ACTU Australian Unions. [online] ACTU Australian Unions. Available at: https://www.australianunions.org.au/ [Accessed 31 Aug. 2016]. Fairwork.gov.au, 2016.Welcome to the Fair Work Ombudsman website. [online] Fair Work Ombudsman. Available at: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/legislation [Accessed 31 Aug. 2016]. Hasnas, J., 2013. Whither stakeholder theory? A guide for the perplexed revisited.Journal of Business Ethics,112(1), pp.47-57. Ohsrep.org.au, 2016.Duties of Employers - OHS Reps. [online] Ohsrep.org.au. Available at: https://www.ohsrep.org.au/law-rights/ohs-legislation/the-ohs-act/duties-of-employers [Accessed 31 Aug. 2016]. Spender, P., 2003.Spender, Peta --- "Blue Asbestos and Golden Eggs: Evaluating Bankruptcy and Class Actions as Just Responses to Mass Tort Liability" [2003] SydLawRw 11; (2003) 25(2) Sydney Law Review 223. [online] Austlii.edu.au. Available at: https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/SydLawRw/2003/11.html [Accessed 31 Aug. 2016]. Asx.com.au, 2016. Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations. ASX Corporate Governance Council. [online] Melbourne, pp.8-31. Available at: https://www.asx.com.au/documents/asx-compliance/cgc-principles-and-recommendations-3rd-edn.pdf [Accessed 31 Aug. 2016]. Haigh, G., 2005.Asbestos House. Carlton North, Vic.: Scribe Publications Asx.com.au, 2016. Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations. ASX Corporate Governance Council. [online] Melbourne, pp.8-31. Available at: https://www.asx.com.au/documents/asx-compliance/cgc-principles-and-recommendations-3rd-edn.pdf [Accessed 31 Aug. 2016]. Chen, J.K. and Zorigt, D., 2013. Managing occupational health and safety in the mining industry.Journal of Business Research,66(11), pp.2321-2331. Fooks, G., Gilmore, A., Collin, J., Holden, C. and Lee, K., 2012. The Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility: Techniques of Neutralization, Stakeholder Management and Political CSR.J Bus Ethics, 112(2), pp.283-299. Frank, A. and Joshi, T., 2014. The Global Spread of Asbestos.Annals of Global Health, 80(4), pp.257-262. Haigh, G., 2005.Asbestos House. Carlton North, Vic.: Scribe Publications. Harrison, J. and van der Laan Smith, J., 2015. Responsible Accounting for Stakeholders.Journal of Management Studies, 52(7), pp.935-960. Heenetigala, K. and Lokuwaduge, C., 2014. Directors Duties and Responsibilities towards other Stakeholders: A Discussion of Case Studies on Corporate Disasters.Journal of Business Systems, Governance Ethics, 8(1). Ramazzini, C., 2016. The global health dimensions of asbestos and asbestos-related diseases.Journal of Occupational Health, 58(2), pp.220-223. Chell, E., Spence, L., Perrini, F. and Harris, J., 2014. Social Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics: Does Social Equal Ethical?.J Bus Ethics, 133(4), pp.619-625. Donaldson, T., Werhane, P. and Cording, M., 2012.Ethical issues in business. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Hills, B., 2005. The James Hardie Story: Asbestos Victims' Claims Evaded by Manufacturer.International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, 11(2), pp.212-214. Safeworkaustralia.gov.au, 2015.DEEMED DISEASES IN AUSTRALIA. [online] Safe Work Australia, p.12. Available at: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/931/deemed-diseases.pdf [Accessed 2 Sep. 2016]. Safeworkaustralia.gov.au, 2016.Workers' compensation - Safe Work Australia. [online] Safeworkaustralia.gov.au. Available at: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/workers-compensation/pages/workers-compensation [Accessed 2 Sep. 2016]. Spender, P., 2003.Spender, Peta --- "Blue Asbestos and Golden Eggs: Evaluating Bankruptcy and Class Actions as Just Responses to Mass Tort Liability" [2003] SydLawRw 11; (2003) 25(2) Sydney Law Review 223. [online] Austlii.edu.au. Available at: https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/SydLawRw/2003/11.html [Accessed 31 Aug. 2016].

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Sales and Operations Planning

Research is consistent with the idea that sales and operations planning (SOP) is increasingly gaining repotation as one of the most important strategies that leading organizations are implementing to respond to contemporary business challenges and at the same time maintain their growth, profitability, competiveness and customer satisfaction (Muzumdar and Fontanella 1; Paganini and Kenny 2).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sales and Operations Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the most salient issues that come across upon reading the articles is that contemporary SOP practices lead to firm competitiveness. This paper is a reaction to this critical issue.  Most of the readings confirm clear and direct relationship between contemporary SOP practices and the realization of competitive advantage. Organizations implementing modern SOP practices, according to one of the readings, are able to achieve and maintain competitive advantage reducing production costs, improving order lead time, identifying and addressing production overruns, developing a more accurate forecast and increasing forecasting accuracy, improving delivery performance and cost management, enhancing efficiency, increasing visibility into their supply chain, introducing cross-functional metrics, as well as aligning all areas with the view to making superior business decisions (Upton and Singh 6-7). These findings are consistent with the views of other researchers, who posit that contemporary SOP practices lead to firm competitiveness in terms of dramatic increase and consistency in forecasting accuracy (â€Å"Sales and Operations Planning† 10), alignment and execution of an overall corporate strategy (Bower 3), strategic planning and decision making aimed at enhancing profitability (Chopra and Meindi 252-253), as well as avoidance of margin loss and customer dissatisfaction (Paganini and Kenny 2). At a perso nal level, I agree with the claims made in the readings about the potential of SOP to leverage firm competitiveness. From theoretical, as well as practical experience, I am inclined to support the authors’ assertion that contemporary SOP practices lead to competitive advantage. The capacities of organizations to not only improve order lead times, but also to develop a more accurate forecast and increase forecasting accuracy are some of the most important factors that have been cited by business practitioners and mainstream commentators as leading to firm competitiveness, customer satisfaction and growth. These factors or outcomes are well documented in most of the readings (e.g., â€Å"Sales and Operations Planning† 10; Upton and Singh 6-7). Global retailers such as Wal-Mart and Tesco, in my view, have been able to achieve and sustain leading positions in the market due to deployment of effective SOP strategies, which ensure that they are able to plan their decisions t o serve customers with the best combination of products and markets.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At a personal level, I have had the opportunity to reade case studies on how automobile companies, such as Toyota and Isuzu, have successfully used SOP to leverage competitive advantage through enhancing responsiveness and increasing visibility. Consequently, I support the claims made by the authors of the readings regarding the critical role of SOP in achieving firm competitiveness. Overall, it is evident that SOP will play an instrumental role not only in actualizing my dream of being a professional business practitioner, but also in ensuring that the companies I work for are able to achieve and sustain competitive advantage by ensuring that I employ SOP strategies with the view of responding more effectively to demand and supply variability with deep insight into the most favorable market deployment and most cost-effective supply chain approaches. As has been suggested in the readings, effective implementation of contemporary SOP remains one of the most tenable approaches that companies could use to achieve competitive advantage as it enhances those critical factors that give enterprises sustainable competitiveness. Works Cited Bower, Patrick. â€Å"12 Most Common Threats to Sales and Operations Planning Process.† Journal of Business Forecasting. 24.3 (2005): 1-10. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. Chopra, Sunil and Peter Meindi. Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning and Operation. 5th ed. 2012. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Print. Muzumdar, Maha and John Fontanella. â€Å"The Secrets of SOP Success.† Supply Chain Management Review. 10.3 (2006): 34-41. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. Paganini, Bill and John Kenny. â€Å"The Supply Chain as Growth Driver.† Supply Chain Management Review. 11.4 (2007): 49-55. ABI/INFORM Complete. W eb.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sales and Operations Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sales and Operations Planning: Aligning Business Goals with Supply Chain Tactics 2008. PDF file. 7 Jul. 2015. https://www.adexa.com/. Upton, Harold and Harpal Singh. â€Å"Balanced SOP: Sunsweet Growers’ Story.† Supply Chain Management Review. 11.2 (2007): 51-59. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. This essay on Sales and Operations Planning was written and submitted by user Tenebrous to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Celta Language Analysis Assignment Essay Example

Celta Language Analysis Assignment Essay Example Celta Language Analysis Assignment Paper Celta Language Analysis Assignment Paper CELTA Language Analysis Written assignment 2 N. B. Please write legibly in black ink or type. Content carries the most weight, but you are also marked on clarity, accuracy (e. g. grammar, spelling, punctuation) and presentation (see CELTA criteria). Please read the shaded boxes to see the marking criteria. If your assignment does not meet the specified criteria, you will be asked to resubmit it. If the second submission is not satisfactory you will be awarded a fail grade. More than one fail grade will mean that you cannot pass the written component of the course and it is essential to pass this in order to pass the CELTA course itself. Except in extreme cases (illness etc), the deadlines given below must be observed. ASSIGNMENT 2 Language related tasks Candidates can demonstrate their learning by: a) analysing language correctly for teaching purposes b) correctly using terminology relating to form, meaning and phonology when analysing language c) accessing reference materials and referencing information they have learnt about language to an appropriate source d) using written language that is clear, accurate and appropriate to the task The task: You are going to analyse three language items; a grammatical structure, a functional exponent some lexical items. Complete the boxes below. |Grammatical structure: I’m getting used to it. | |1 . Say at which level it is usually taught. | |Intermediate/Upper Intermediate | | | |2. Provide examples of how it is used in spoken written English. | |If you moved to Spain, you would need to get used to the heat. | |You need to get used to living on your own. | | | | | |3. Explain the meaning of the item – refer to a context if it helps. | |‘Get used to’ is used when you want to express that something is not normal for someone and they would need to become accustomed | |to it. For example, the sentence above ‘you need to get used to the heat’ means that the person they are talking to is not | |accustomed to hot weather and as they will be living in Spain, that would have to become a normal situation for them. | |4. Provide concept questions to check the meaning. |If I say, ‘you need to get used to the cold weather in England. Is cold weather something I am accustomed to? No | | | |If I say, ‘you need to get used to living on your own. ’ Do you feel comfortable living on your own? No. Is it a new experience | |for you? yes | | | |5. Describe how it is formed – the grammar. | | |Get +used to + gerund/noun | |I need to get used to jogging on Sundays | |I need to get used to the weather | | | | | | | | | |6. Highlight key pronunciation features such as word or sentence stress, weak forms, intonation we clearly haven’t covered all | |of these yet on the course – have a go – check out the dictionary. | | | |used to   ? ju? st t? [yoozd or, yoost] | |7. Explain briefly how you would teach it in a meaningful context. | |I would go through the grammar on the board then I would go through examples. I would then go through some concept questions to | |check they have understood the meaning. Finally I would ask them to come up with their own examples and go through them in the | |class. | | | | | |8. Discuss the kind of problems you anticipate that the item could cause with regard to form, meaning phonology for learners of| |English and suggest some solutions to these problems. | | | | |problem | |Action | | | |meaning: | | | | | |They may confuse it with ‘used to’ as in past habit or situation or ‘be used to’. | |I would go through them and explain the differences. | | |form: | | | | | |They may use the infinitive instead of the gerund. | |Elicit the correct form of the sentence then, I would get them to come up with other sentences using the gerund in every | |sentence. | | | |phonology: | | | | | |Possibly t hey would have trouble pronouncing ‘used’ | |Elicit the sound and drill. | | | | |9. Reference books used. | | | |www. dictionary. com | |www. longmansdictionary. com | | | Lexical items: trip, travel, journey, voyage | |1 . Say at which level they are usually taught. | | | |Pre-Intermediate | |2. Provide examples of how each item is used in spoken written English. | |trip: | | my first trip to the States. | | a business trip. | | Was it a good trip? | | | |travel: | | Air travel is becoming cheaper. | | Her work involves a lot of travelling! You do not say a travel. | | |journey: | |my journey to work takes 15 minutes. | | a long and difficult journey (NOT travel) through the mountains. | | I read during the train journey to work. | | Did you have a good journey? | | | |voyage: | | a voyage across the ocean. | |These are the voyages of The Star ship Enterprise. | | | |3. Explain the meaning of each item. | |trip: | |A trip is when you go on a short journey, or a journ ey you do not usually make, and come back again. Use this when the emphasis | |is on where you are going or why you are going there | | | |travel: | |Travel (uncountable noun) and travelling are used to mean the general activity of moving from place to place | | | |journey: | |Use journey to talk about travelling a long distance or travelling regularly, when the emphasis is on the travelling itself | | | | | |voyage: | |Voyage is used for a long journey in a ship or spacecraft. | | | |4. Provide concept questions to check the meaning of each word. | |trip: | |‘I’m going on a trip to Paris’ for a long time or short time? ’ Short time | | | |travel: | |‘I’m going travelling through South America’ is there one destination or more? Will she go from ‘A’ to ‘B’ or from ‘A’ to ‘B’ to | |C etc? | | | | |journey: ‘It’s going to be a long journey’ what is going to take long? The time it takes to get to from ‘A’ to ‘B’ or the | |amount of time I spend at my destination? | | | | | |voyage: | |The voyage from England to India used to take six months. Are they travelling by plane or by boat? trip, travel, journey or voyage. | | This would be followed by a speaking activity, which would involve a discussion using the language taught. which have slightly different meanings and give examples, comparing both | |sentences. | | | |form: | | | | | | | |Students may say I am going in a journey. | |I would explain the correct preposition in this case is ‘on’. | | |phonology: | | | | | | They might pronounce it how is spelt instead of [jur-nee] (? d n? ) | |Some may also pronounce the ’j‘ like a ’y’. | | | |Elicit and drill correct pronunciation. | | | | | | | | | | |voyage | |problem | |action | | | |meaning: | | | | | |Voyage may be confused with journey. | |I would explain the differences and give examples also using concept questions. | | |form: | | | | | |They may say ‘I’m going to voyage for Ibiza’ | |I would explain it should be to Ibiza | | | |phonology: | | | | | |They might pronounce ‘age’ incorrectly | |I would elicit and drill pronunciation. | | | | | | | | | | |9. Reference books used. | |The Practice of English Language Teaching. Jeremy Harmer | |www. dictionary. com | |www. longmansdictionary. com | |Functional exponent: You should stay off the booze. | |1 . Say at which level it is usually taught. |Pre Intermediate | | | |2. Provide examples of how it is used in spoken written English. | |Yo u should wear a jacket, it’s cold outside | |You should start a band | |You should do your home work | |3. Explain the meaning of the item – refer to a context if it helps. ‘Should’ is used to give advice or if you think something is| |a good idea or the right thing to do. | | | | |4. Provide concept questions to check the meaning. If I say ‘you should wear a jacket, it’s cold outside. ’ Are you obligated to| |do it? No | |Am I giving you advice? Yes | | | | | | | |5. Describe how it is formed – the grammar. |Subject + should/n’t + infinitive | | | |You should eat more fruit | |6. Highlight key pronunciation features such as word or sentence stress, weak forms, intonation we clearly haven’t covered all | |of these yet on the course – have a go – check out the dictionary. | | | |should   ( d) [shood] | |7. Explain briefly how you would teach it in a meaningful context. | |I would go through examples. I would then go through some concept questions to check they have understood the meaning. I would | |then go through some pictures on the board with different situations and ask ‘what should these people do in these situations? ’ | | | | | |8. Discuss the kind of problems you anticipate that the item could cause with regard to form, meaning phonology for learners of| |English and suggest some solutions to these problems. | | | | |problem | |action | | | |meaning: | | | | | |Students may confuse ‘should’ with ‘have to ‘ and ‘must’ | |Explain the differences and do some concept checking questions. | | |form: | | | | | |They may use the gerund by mistake | |Elicit and drill sentences. | | | |phonology: | | | | | |They may dry and pronounce the ‘l’ | |Elicit sound then drill. Possibly go through other words that sound the same. | | | | | | | |9. Reference books used. | | | |www. dictionary. com | |www. longmansdictionary. com | | | To be handed in on Thursday 13th September.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Insure vs. Ensure

Insure vs. Ensure Insure vs. Ensure Insure vs. Ensure By Maeve Maddox When in a recent post I used the word insure in a context that had nothing to do with underwriting, more than one reader wrote to chide me for not using the word ensure. I’ll confess. The rule that insure must be used only in the context of indemnifying against loss is one that has never penetrated to my subconscious. I’ve read the rule. I’ve even written about the rule, but I can’t seem to rid myself of the idea that ensure is British spelling for insure. The verb ensure entered the language in the Middle Ages. The earliest OED citation is 1385. The earliest documentation for insure is 1440. Until the 17th century, the forms ensure and insure were used interchangeably with a variety of meanings, including that of insuring a person’s life or property against loss. According to OED citations, ensure was still being used in the 18th century with the meaning of buying insurance: â€Å"The price of ensuring the Life of a Man of 20 (1693).† And in the late 19th century, insure was still being used in contexts in which the modern rule requires ensure: â€Å"An ardour which could hardly fail to insure success (1862).† The Penguin Writer’s Manual notes that the verb â€Å"generally used in the active form to mean â€Å"make (something) certain† is ensure,† but also notes that ensure is often spelled insure in American English. For modern writers of American English, however, both The Chicago Manual of Style and The AP Stylebook urge the distinction: Ensure is the general term meaning to make sure something will (or won’t) happen. In best usage, insure is reserved for underwriting financial risk. –CMOS Use ensure to mean guarantee. Use insure for references to insurance. –AP Use ensure when you mean guarantee. Reserve insure for talking about a financial arrangement meant to secure the payment of a sum of money in the event of loss or damage: Worn or damaged parts are replaced to ensure the safety. They go all the way to ensure the comfort and satisfaction of their passengers. How to Properly  Insure  Your Home  Against  Winter Weather   Insuring Against  The High Costs Of Cancer   Your renters’ policy will state exactly what youre  insured against. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Does [sic] Mean?Empathy "With" or Empathy "For"?Comment, Suggestion, and Feedback

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Policy Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Policy Change - Essay Example Thus, this essay will argue that ideas affect policy change only indirectly, as paradigms frames and determinants of interest, such that its importance in understanding policy change is only secondary to other approaches. To better understand the importance of a study of ideas in policy change, it is first necessary to understand what ideas are. Ideas are shared beliefs held by individuals. However, a distinction must be made between two categories of shared beliefs, particularly "consensual beliefs" and "economic ideas", where although not mutually exclusive differ in their relation to policy. As Jacobsen explains, the difference lies between those of "means" to "ends", where consensual beliefs "shape the legitimate ends of economic activity"; economic ideas are the means to reach these ends. 3 Taking this definition of ideas, the importance of a study of ideas in policy change can be summarised in their roles as paradigms, roadmaps, or ideational frames. Comparing policy change to scientific revolutions, Hall (1989) places emphasis on the role of ideas through "policy paradigms", or "roadmaps" as Goldstein and Keohane (1993) calls them, where ideas guide policies by determining the "tracks" of policymaking and setting constraints in the policy process4. As Hall argues, policy paradigms, determine policy change in acting as "a framework that specifies the goals of policy and the kind of instruments that can be used to attain them", as well as the "nature of the problems they are meant to be addressing."5 Campbell's (1998) and Beland's (2005) ideational frames or programmes also echoes Hall's concept of paradigms, varying only in the manner that ideas are presented and implemented in the policy process. Within this strand of literature, the failures of policies to achieve economic goals are seen as the impetus for policymakers to search for alternative ideas that pave the way for new policy paradigms to be accepted. Hence, in times of uncertainty marked with "exogenous shocks, demographic changes [or] the perception of failed policy", new ideas emerge as either roadmaps or focal points that reduce uncertainty and provide alternatives.6 The policy shift during the first Thatcher government can therefore be explained as the result of a shift in policy paradigms; replacing Keynesian ideas with monetarist ideas (Hall, 1993). Looking at the first Thatcher government, it is evident that the policy shift coincided with an ideational shift from Keynesian to monetarist where Keynesian policies were perceived to have failed in resolving rising inflation (Walsh, 2000). In this respect,

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Marketing Plan - Essay Example Because of this low-key marketing concept with both competing beer products, Drifter can outperform both using innovation with localized and broad niche marketing both in the Oregon region and across the surrounding states. Neither Blue Moon or Sierra Nevada have a solid positioning strategy among other low-cost and higher-cost competing beer products, therefore in terms of positioning, options are virtually endless. For the sake of perceptual mapping and to monitor marketing activities, especially in areas of promotion, Drifter Beer will be positioned in terms of flavor and benefit to the customer, with less focus on pricing structure. Consumer attitudes, on the perceptual map, are noted for each competing brand in relation to pricing and quality. Drifter Beer is working amid a highly competitive environment where lower-cost beer products and the main competition (Blue Moon and Sierra Nevada) saturated the convenience and grocery markets. It works among competing brands where ongoing promotional activities bring higher brand exposure, such as with brands like Coors Light that hosts different sporting events such as the Urban Flats Classic Kickoff Celebration in Orlando, Florida (Marketing Weekly News, 2009). Contests and sweepstakes are often part of their strategies for building better brand equity. Even though Drifter’s two main competitors are higher priced, more luxury-minded beer brands, sales will definitely be impacted by the buying behaviors of consumers in relation to their response to lower-cost beer brand selection marketing. Because of the current economic environment in the U.S. markets, major brands such as Miller, Pabst and Busch (also known as the economy brews) are experiencing higher sales volumes as people defect to lower-cost brands (Kesmodel, 2009). In order to drive any type of brand equity for Drifter, marketing must make the consumer believe that he needs to defect to this upscale brand simply for the sake of