Civil War in Georgia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Civil War in Georgia - Essay Example There were reduced start-up costs for the civil war due to the accessibility of weapons from the Soviet and a ample number of volunteer fighters. In March 1992 and Kitovani was made the Minister of Defence- with this authority, Kitovani then organized the Abkhazia war in order to establish control over the transportation networks and valuable tourism industry of the province. In the end though, there was a total collapse of the informal and formal economy in 1993 which made it impossible to supply the troops effectively and that led to poor organization of military campaigns. Finally, Mkhedrioni and the National Guard were defeated whereas there was destruction of the economic assets they were fighting for. Due to the wars, Georgia lost control over a considerable part of its territory which remained an important difficulty for the nation's state building process as the government is not capable of controlling the smuggling business originating from the two regions. Georgia thus faces a dilemma- if it sets up customs points behind the lines of control, it would advance to identifying them as a border, which is politically unacceptable. On the other hand, if it would not do this, goods will continue to enter tax free into the nation and thus help crime networks and tainted state officials who are proving to be an obstacle in the state building process.

Purpose And Objectives Of Meeting Social Workers Social Work Essay

Purpose And Objectives Of Meeting Social Workers Social Work Essay The purpose of this meeting was to carry out an update SAP assessment, under Section 47, NHS and Community Care Act 1990, because Dianes needs have changed. Diane is a 69-year-old White British Female who has been living in Critchill Court since her discharge from hospital in Jan 2010. Diane had a Sub Arachnoids Haemorrhage, which has caused memory loss, confusion and depression in 2009. Earlier review in Feb 2010 reveals that Diane expressed a wish to return to independent living. Since then, an OT has supported Diane in re-learning independent living skills. Prior to the meeting, I went to social service to discuss with Dianes social worker to initiate information sharing and ask advice. We agreed on the need to complete the assessment before Dianes review in May 2010. I also obtained permission to have this meeting from Diane, and her daughter and their agreement that my placement supervisor would attend the meeting but only to assess me. My aim was to identify Dianes current and future needs with her and her daughter, who specifically stated her wish to be involved during earlier casual conversation. To do this I gained permission from Diane and her daughter during the meeting that I would seek the views of other professions, (OT, key worker, and CPN) to fill in some parts of the assessment. Diane has also given permission for me to share the information that she provided with others on a need to know basis. My role as a student gave me flexible time to commit in more supportive work with Diane. I had been working in partnership with Diane, her daughter, OT and social worker for 3 weeks before the meeting. I have taken Diane out, building her confidence in accessing local resources, and importantly, a relationship based on empathy, trust, and confidence. Authority/requirement for carrying out this piece of work (Legislative context/ agency policy/ government guidelines) The NHS and Community Care Act 1990, Section 47, which requires a needs-led assessment when appropriate and services provided accordingly if practicable. The Mental Health Act, 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act, 2005 apply because Diane has Sub Arachnoids Haemorrhage, which has caused memory loss and confusion. Particular attention is required, as these laws require that one must assume a person has capacity to make decisions unless established otherwise, and that one may not treat a person as unable to make a decision unless established otherwise. In my casual interactions with Diane, I have observed considerable ability to take decisions with regard to her life. The National Occupational Standards for Social Work (2002) and The GSCC Code (Code 1 for social workers) require the social worker to empower the service user by informing them their rights and entitlements and listening to what they have to say to involve them in taking any decision that may affect them. The Code also requires the social worker to recognise the users expertise in their own lives and make informed choices about services they receive. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995/2005 defines discrimination as, treating an individual less favourably than treating another. This legislation is important because it states what the government expects and requires of local authorities in relation to good practice (Trevithick, 2005: 17). Macdonald-Wilson et al (2001) defines disability as the condition of being unable to perform, because of physical or mental unfitness; to this extent, this definition follows the medical model. In the case of a person with a disability, a person is being discriminatory if they fail to comply with a duty to make a reasonable adjustment in relation to the disabled person. Higgins (1980: 123) defines stigma as a deeply discrediting trait, which may also be called a failing, a shortcoming, or a handicap. The Equality Act 2006 and the Care Standards Act, 2002 also have bearing on this case as it involves assessment of the care provided against need. Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 enables local authorities to make direct payments (cash payments) to individuals to enable them to secure provision of care in lieu of social services provision. The Data Protection Act 1998, which requires the express consent of the individual prior to sharing any personal information obtained on individuals and shared with others. Additionally, all the information gathered should be kept in accordance with the data protection guidelines. Diane and her daughter had given me consent to collect and share information with other agencies if required. Knowledge (e.g. legal, psychological, sociological, political, socio-political, procedural, social work method) applied In undertaking this meeting I carefully prepared by brushing up on my knowledge of the relevant laws, guidelines, and different perspectives on empowerment, anti-oppressive, and anti-discriminatory practice. Besides these laws, my reflection on the case before the meeting showed me the values that would help in obtaining a positive outcome of the meeting. Theory and guidelines on best practice in social work required that I adopt an approach that would place Diane in a position where she feels empowered to make decisions. This approach requires me to work with the person-centred theory (Rogers, 1959) that requires me to work on the premise that Diane is an expert on her own life, and to focus on her strengths i.e. what she can do rather than on what she cannot (Saleebey, 2006). Using the person centred method enables the creation of a comfortable environment where the caseworker demonstrates genuineness through a non-judgmental and non-directive approach that bases itself on empathy and unconditional positive regard (Rogers, 1957). Therefore, my approach had to demonstrate feelings of warmth, liking, caring, and being drawn to Mary instead of aversion and anger (Barett-Lennard, 1986: 440) I also reflected on Egans recommendations (SOLER) that help display an encouraging and open attitude towards Diane. In considering the assessment process, I have adopted Milner and OByrnes five state model of assessment (1998). These are preparation, data collection, weighing up the data, analysing the data and utilising the data. I used Systems Theory in the assessment process, for example, in preparation stage I sought information not only from the service user but also from family members, other professionals, etc. In data collection stage, I used brief solution focused techniques, which allowed me to use supportive questions aimed at enabling Diane to recognise her own strengths and abilities. I particularly chose to use scaled response questions, asking Diane to score the present, when she was came to Critchill and what she hope to achieve on a scale of 1 to 10. By using this technique, I was able to support Diane to identify the successful strategise she has used in the past and this gave her confidence to apply her own strategies to improve her situation now and for the future. The brief solution focused therapy has been useful when I addressed one of the problems in the running records about the use of language to others. Diane has acknowledged this issue and was able to identify an occasion when all the triggers were present that could have caused the problem but she was able to deal with it herself and prevent the problem occurring. Erik Erikson (1950) says that when the person is aged about 60 years old or more, The person has time for reflection and as they look back on their life, they may have a sense of satisfaction; this will lead to a feeling of integrity. If the persons reflection results in them feeling they missed key opportunities, then there is an increased risk of experiencing despair In his article, Rogers (1957) quotes a study by Kinner that found that the client who sees his problem as involving his relationships, and who feels that he contributes to this problem and wants to change it, is likely to be successful. The client, who externalizes his problem, feeling little self-responsibility, is much more likely to be a failure. This highlighted the need for me to help Mary see that change in her life situation is more likely if she feels responsibility for at least a part of the problem and make her want to change. A complaint that Diane has voiced is that people (particularly her social worker) treat her like a child. Thompson (2006) says that this happens when a younger person sees an older person not able to make her own decisions and takes decisions on the older persons behalf thinking this is natural and normal without realising the discrimination and oppression this causes. It is often the case that the social worker or the carers see the older person as disabled to take decisions, particularly if the person suffers from some disability. The medical model of disability focuses on physical deficits and individual health needs, and it is a challenge for the worker not to fall into disablest [sic] perceptions by accepting this model (Parker Bradley, 2005: 76). The individual may experience loss and bereavement (Kubler-Ross, 1976), feel they have suffered a personal tragedy, and therefore label themselves as disabled as has happened in Dianes case. It was therefore essential that I approach the assessment with this knowledge and ensure non-discriminatory practice, not attaching any stigma to Dianes needs and disability caused by her medical condition. The social model of disability switches focus away from any physical limitations the impairment to physical and social environmental limitations, thus requiring promotion and empowerment of disabled people (Oliver Sapey, 2006). Additionally, the social workers own attitudes and values affect how he/she applies theoretical models of disability (Crawford Walker, 2004). The social model of disability is inclined to focus on cultural or structural aspects of disability (Priestley, 2003) and is the predominant model of disability used in social care. This is because social work approach does not look at mending something that is broken, but relies on overcoming societal barriers, which enables the treatment of a person with a disability just as others are (DDA, 1995/2005; Davies, 2002). While it is easy to comprehend the difficulties faced by an individual with a visible disability (e.g. using a wheelchair), it is also easy to ignore the wider cultural and structural factors that affect a person with a disability (Thompson, 2001). Herein lies the problem of seeing the disability as a problem with the person themselves (ibid). What Skills did you use for this piece of work? (please distinguish between those you have and those you need to develop) I used Planning and preparation, research, information gathering skill before the meeting and this has helped me to carry out the meeting well In terms of working anti-oppressively I think I have made Diane feel less oppressive by reducing the power imbalance. I have involved her daughter whose presence has been a great comfort to Diane as she sometimes looks at her for answers due to her short-term memory. I have successfully conveyed my respect and understanding of her strengths and limitations by adopting Egans empathy skills, active listening, summarising. I used Rogers person centred to focus my attention on Diane and this in term helping me to forget that I was assessed by my placement supervisor. I used unconditional positive regard to make Diane feel a sense of acceptance of herself when addressing an issue. I need to develop assessment skills as I feel I dont feel comfortable with the forms which have so many questions. Also some of the questions are very sensitive to ask for example the section of assessment of physical health there are questions like bladder control, bowel control, etc Also I need to develop liaising skill, sharing information with other agencies. As evident prior to the meeting, there were some miscommunication between different agencies. Which aspects of anti-oppressive practice were relevant to this piece of work? In terms of working anti-oppressively, I was aware my role as a student social worker this may have lead Diane to feel oppressive and not valued because she may think that she was not good enough to have a qualify social worker. To reduce this potential oppression, I have involved Dianes daughter and have been open and honest to tell them that I was inexperienced and has never carry out a SAP assessment before. I also offered them opportunities to decline or cancel the meeting. My ethnic origin as a non-white British may have attributed discrimination or oppression to myself from Diane or her daughter. However, this has never been an issue in the meeting or prior to my engagement with Diane and her daughter. the black perspective has made clear that racism is based on white European/ white north American ideological beliefs about the claimed superiority of white people over non-white people (Maclean and Harrison 2008:58). Considering my gender, which is different from Diane may present a difficulty for both of us. From the feminist perspectives if I had not recognise the extensive inequalities in society based on gender with men consistently being dominant, I may act oppressively unaware. Women is socially constructed to be a better carer as a wife, mother and daughter and the fact that the majority of social worker are female. As a male student social worker, my role may present oppressive to Diane. the feminist perspective has noticeably failed to adequately address structural inequalities within social care and social work organisations. In employment terms some 75% of the workforce in social care organisations are women. The proportion of men in senior management has remained stubbornly high and has only recently dropped below 75% of all senior managers (Maclean and Harrison 2008:56) there has been a recognition that societal developments and social policy initiatives affect men and women differently (because of their gender). The role of women as unpaid carers of family members with personal care needs is one example (Machean and Harrison 2008:55) If I have not used Social vs medical model to see Dianes depression, I may have not recognised the negative stigma associated with the labels applied to people and may have act in an oppressive way, overseeing the facts that her depression may be attributed by her despair for her current environment and loss of her abilities, eg, health and memoey,etc In what ways would the service user and or carer have preferred your practice to be different After the meeting, I apologised to Diane and her daughter that the outcome of this meeting may not have been as productive as they had expected and I told them that I would like to have another meeting again with them in the near future to discuss a plan to support Diane. (as I feel I have failed to conduct the meeting well, because my placement supervisor joined our discussion in the midway, and this i think should not be happen because she was there to assess me, unless she think she I needed help.) However, Diane, her daughter said they were happy with the outcome and she especially appreciated what I have done for her mother. My placement supervisor said to me. What do you mean this meeting is not productive she said I did very well. The only thing that Dianes daughter asked me was to inform her of anything I do for her mother. As there was an incident the week before that I took Diane out but forgot to ask her to check her daily. Dianes son and daughter in law came to visit when we went out and as a result they have not spent much time together that day. I asked Dianes daughter how she would like to be contacted and she gave me her email address as she may not be convenient to answer her mobile in her workplace. My placement supervisor also told me that I need to share the information with her about what I do or who I have contacted for Diane. Which key Roles, units and Values/Ethics do you think were demonstrated in this piece of work and how? (these must refer to practice discussed within the direct observation) In making a thorough preparation for the meeting with Diane, where my placement supervisor would observe me, I demonstrated delivery of all the units of Key Role 1. I had reviewed the case notes, spoken with the staff at the Home, her social worker, and daughter to carefully evaluate my involvement. My efforts to build a trusting relationship with Diane during my placement, and discussions with her about her preference for those elements of her care plan she likes to be included, show that I achieved important aspects of Key Role 2 (Unit 5 and 6). In my thorough research on best practices, legal and practice guidelines, and reflection on the best way to achieve my aim showed that I have responded well to the requirements of Key Role 6 (Unit 18 and 19). With regard to the values and ethics, I demonstrated awareness of my own values, ethics, dilemmas, and conflicts of interest (VEa). I have shown respect for and promotion of the wellbeing of Diane (VEb). I have also responded with oral and non-verbal communication skills in a way not to make Diane feel oppressed (VEc). Finally by showing my ability to build and maintain a relation of trust with Diane I have met the need identified by (VEe). What evidence did you use to evaluate your practice?(e.g. supervision notes, user feedback etc) In evaluating my practice, I have used two resources. The first is a feedback from Diane, whom I asked to judge how I had done. This feedback, in the form of a written response to a questionnaire I prepared for this specific purpose. However, the feedback given by my placement supervisor after the meeting has been valuable for me in terms of understanding my performance and identifying ways to improve in future practice. Give your evaluation of this piece of work (e.g. what went well, what did not go well, what if anything would you do differently next time?) I have learnt from my previous mistake in my first direct observation. I have used a mixture of open and close questions. Also I have used paraphrasing, clarifying techniques appropriately. In terms of choosing a place for the meeting, I have considered the noise and disruption and asked Dianes opinion where she would like the meeting to be. The location of the meeting in her room turned out to be a good choice. I feel I have reduce the potential of oppression by involving Dianes daughter whose presence has been great comfort to Diane as Diane has short-term memory and she feel more confident as she could get answer or help from her daughter. Also, I feel that working together we have achieved more than I had expected, as I have made the meeting like informal discussion rather than a job interview or assessment. I have achieved the aim I set for myself and completed parts of the assessment, by working in partnership with Diane and her daughter. However, I have achieved more by building a open and trusting relationship with them, this would in term enable me to devote my supportive work with Diane in the future. I did not complete the SAP assessment in the meeting as I have not planned or anticipated. I will continue to work on this assignment with Diane, her daughter and other professionals. I have however, failed to share the information about what I do with Diane with my placement supervisor. This has resulted in miscommunication between different agencies. I need to develop skill in liaising and sharing information with other professionals in the future. What additional learning, in relation to knowledge, skills or anti-oppressive practice and values and ethics, would enhance your performance in the future? In terms of working professionally I need to work in accountability way within agency, sharing information with others. System theory will help to improve my practice in the future. I also need to use my supervision session to discuss theories, values, dilemmas and anti-oppressive practice I have improved considerably about the use of interview techniques but with more practice I will be able to communicate in more confidence. Signed Placement Supervisor_________________ Date _____________ Student ____________________ Date _____________

Financial Accounting Essay -- Business and Management Studies:

Financial Accounting Financial accounting or ‘book-keeping’ is the process of recording financial transactions from the day-to-day operation of a business. The sale of goods to a customer and the subsequent settlement of the debt are two examples of financial transactions. Sales Accounting When credit sales are made to customers, a record needs to be kept of amounts owing and paid. Payment is normally requested with an invoice. An invoice usually gives details of goods supplied, quantities, prices and VAT. Credit sales are usually made on weekly a basis, which means that the customer has to pay within that period to obtain the discounts, if any offered. Overdue payments need to be chased, so sales accounting systems normally produce reports analysing the indebtedness of different customers. Debt control is vital to business profitability and computerised systems can produce prompt and up-to-date reports as a by-product of the main application. Human Resources --------------- The human resources (personnel) function is responsible for the selection (usually by interview), recruitment, training and development of staff. Personnel records on employees will store all the information needed by Salaries and Wages to make the correct payments to employees; this will include details of, for example, gross salary, tax code, statutory sick pay and holiday entitlement. Depending on the size of the organisation, information may also be held concerning: qualifications, courses attended; and career development plans. Design ------ The design function is present where an organisation develops its own products and services; a trader who simply buys and sells goods has no need of a design team unless designing logo’s etc which maybe carried out by another firm. Design is part of the research and development (R&D) function, which is vital to organisations wishing to radically develop their product range. The nature of design teams depends on the product or service being designed. The skills and talents of a car design team are clearly very different from those of a team designing a cover for a magazine. Production Markets for a business’s products should ideally, drive the production function. In other words, it should be geared to produce the necessary mix and quantities of products required by customers. If goods ar... ...ons need specialist staff to develop, introduce, maintain and update the various systems that make use of information technology. The responsibilities of ICT Services are much broader than those traditional held by wholly centralised computer services or data processing departments because communication is a larger part of IT with the introduction of the internet and E-mail amongst other things.. The development of cheaper and more powerful microcomputer systems has resulted in computer facilities being distributed more widely. For this reason, ICT Services needs to provide a much more flexible service and support user systems at the point of use. For example, uses of network workstations need support when equipment, such as a shared printer, breaks down or they may require help in the use of software on the network. This contrasts with a centralised department, which holds all the computer equipment, carries out all computer processing and restricts user access to specialised applications, run through dedicated terminals. ICT Services may be known variously as Computer Services, Management Information Services or less commonly now, the Data Processing Department.

Bad news letter Essay

Thank you for bringing in your Mercedes-Benz C300. We greatly appreciate that you chose us to tend to your vehicle concerns and we fully agree with you that vehicles of this standard should not be experiencing problems two years after the original purchase. In this regard Nelson Automotive Limited provide our customers with excellent after service for their pre-owned luxury vehicles and offer one year warranty on all vehicle parts. The replacement of vehicle parts for your four year old 2010 model would commence after a period of five years under normal circumstances. However, upon inspection our engineers discovered that the recommended brake fluid as stated in your vehicle manual was not used and as such shortened the life span of the part which resulted in brake malfunction. Although your vehicle is past the one year warranty, we can and will help you restore your automobile to its original working condition. Our company is certified to conduct repairs on your vehicle and our approved mechanical engineers can source the required part in approximately three weeks. The cost of the part and installation is three thousand dollars ($3,000.00). The original part will be sourced from its manufacturer abroad to ensure the safety and efficient operation of your vehicle and our company is dedicated to pay all shipping costs and offer a warranty for a period of thirty days on repairs done. We also invite you to visit our showroom at the end of the year for our year end upgrade sale, where you can view and trade in for a more recent Mercedes Benz model at the best industry price. /†¦2 We will keep in touch and will update you on the progress of your vehicle repairs. For further inquiries, please contact Ms. Alice George, our customer service representative of the Repairs Department at 662-2369.

Business School Essay

Since I first entered university, I have evolved from being convinced that an MBA was a necessary part of my future, to believing that MBAs made careers of victimizing other people, to realizing that an MBA truly will help me achieve my passion, which is helping people in my native China. I am now passionate [Comment 1] about attending Wharton to challenge myself with powerful business lessons that will help me grow as a leaders [Comment 2] . My alma mater offered an orientation program that offered [Comment 3] new admits consultation on academic study, and more importantly,[Comment 4] early career plan. I was excited to learn that the tests confirmed what I already expect [Comment 5] – that I showed a strong ability in business. Starting that day, I pinpointed [Comment 6] MBA as an ideal master degree to pursue following several years of solid work experience. With plans made, I embarked on the trek by opting to major in international finance, in addition to taking a broad spectrum of business-related electives including intermediate accounting, economics and banking. Although most of the teaching materials [Comment 7] derived from the communist time while [Comment 8] teachers still resorted to the stale methodology of indoctrination, I looked forward to every class that gave me new insights into how good business [Comment 9] function. I missed a chance to have [Comment 10] more interactive learning environment and to be able to challenge the lessons that we were taught, but the classes further solidified my plan to acquire a formal business degree. Originally my career plan was simple: to excel at [Comment 11] workplace, get an MBA, and then work as [Comment 12] top strategy consultant before settling down as an executive at a corporation. I was happy with my career progress as an Information Technology consultant, but it was not always smooth. While my project at International Media Corporation, my second employer, was in high gear, the 9. 11 tragedy reduced international travel to a standstill. (For details, please see essay No. 2. As if this were not enough, the ensuing fiber-optic scandal in which International Media Fiber Optics [Comment 13] was involved, worked perfectly as [Comment 14] the last straw—it forced our parent company to suspend its China-based operation [Comment 15] , including my project. That meant that I was unemployed. For the first time in my life I needed to assess my career plan. I had done nothing wrong, but the action of other [Comment 16] affected me and [Comment 17] put me out of job. Was th is what MBAs did? Did they ruin other people’s jobs? Comment 18] For a time,[Comment 19] I started to think that the business world was not where I would [Comment 20] be. Over the next six months I got a much clearer picture of what I wanted to do. [Comment 21] I gained experience in the UN initiative (for details, please see essay No. 3) and I reflected upon the world at large. What did I want to do, other than plan for my next promotion or consulting assignment? What did I want to be in twenty years? Consequently, this experience allowed me to contribute to society and to learn more about what I wanted. [Comment 22] My work in [Comment 23] the UN substantially changed my view of MBAs. This time, I started to perceive MBA [Comment 24] from a new angle—first and foremost, MBAs [Comment 25] must be socially responsible before they can aspire to reap professional achievements; otherwise they are still doomed to failure however smart they are. [Comment 26] This was again solidified by my acquaintance and mentorship, at the [Comment 27] UN conference, with an investment banker turned philanthropist,[Comment 28] also the founding chairman of the US-based Green Earth Institute. There were, and are, responsible people and organizations after all. I realized that I could be earn an MBA and make an impact just like those people! Six months on, I headed back to the corporate world, confidence recovered. National Data Systems (NDS) seemed an ideal place to start my career anew—I knew so the minute I saw the receptionist for interview [Comment 29] — in lieu of charming girls [Comment 30] , a disabled person handled the task. Later I learned this deep-rooted culture resulted from NDS’s strong advocacy of handicapped-hiring. As for me, I further extend it to hiring veterans in my department. Not only do I commit [Comment 31] social obligations, but the department actually benefit [Comment 32] from their ultra reliability and diligence. In addition, I volunteered as the department representative for the office health and safety initiative. Mid 2004 will witness my department’s consummation [Comment 33] of a worldwide business transformation project, to which I have been contributing as a IT consultant and project co-leader. This is [Comment 34] perfect opportunity to see my current work to completion and then embark on my new endeavor. Upon graduation, I would like to join a top-tier IT corporation and rotate in different functions in its leadership/executive development program at mid-management level. I see this ad [Comment 35] being important for gaining the management experience that I will need for my true long-term passion, which comes from my work in the UN. I want to help the underprivileged in China. Consequently, I plan on establishing an IT-based NGO in the long run. My business experience gained from my post-MBA job will render me better positioned [Comment 36] to contribute to this scenario—applying cost-effective technologies (only possible through my experience with an elite technology firm) to improve the quality of life in communities that have not changed in decades, if not centuries. After all, the betterment of the entire nation cannot hinge upon the prosperity of but a number of regions or cities. Based on my experience in consulting and the UN [Comment 37] I believe that managing an NGO shares much synergy with running a for-profit business. The leadership experience developed and social connections established in the business arena should be most conducive to my long-term career aspiration. The end of my achievements in business will ultimately find their way in the social cause. Yes, financial standing is an important yardstick,[Comment 38] against which personal success is judged; however, it will be even more fulfilling if I can share this success with the needy and bring benefits to them. As the [Comment 39] leading business school, Wharton offers many lectures in addition to [Comment 40] cases that prepare students for all kinds of real business challenges and opportunities, which caters [Comment 41] well to my career aspiration [Comment 42]. Admittedly, Wharton is most famed for its strength in finance; however, it has, over the years, [Comment 43] also produced a plethora of successful general managers. Having said that, I [Comment 44] trust Wharton is where I can attack my weak link by brushing [Comment 45] up my financial skills, which I believe are indispensable to my career advancement later on. â€Å"He is a sharp cookie, a natural leader just waiting to burst out of his shell†, goes the comment on my first performance review. My communication with Wharton students and alumni has fully attested to my belief that Wharton is the very school that will transform me from a candidate to a bona fide leader of the future.

Honor Among Thieves and The Hacker Ethic †Information Technology Essay

Honor Among Thieves and The Hacker Ethic – Information Technology Essay Free Online Research Papers Honor Among Thieves and The Hacker Ethic Information Technology Essay The rights of a person have been well defined by law and sanctions such as the United Nations, however how are they able to protect the rights of these people when they are on a un moderated medium such as the internet? A question like this brings up many grey areas of the law that have allowed the proliferation of what seems to be the most feared type of person on the internet – often referred to as Hackers. To be hacked into means that your security measures have been compromised and that they have access to your information system. With the increasing dependence of computers to store sensitive data ranging from credit cards to correspondence, the need to protect the users of these computer sytems rises also. In order to work on society to becoming better managed in protecting their interests, work needs to be done on not so much the hardware involved, but the peoples attitudes towards them. Even if a Computer was in the ideal world properly protected, a slip of the passwords or allowed physical access can bring the whole security subsystem down. All of the worked up controversy has to be put away that they (hackers) are the most powerful computer users that exist as well. If there was an Information system developed involving a large network of computer systems, who would be the most potentially dangerous person? The hacker infiltrating the system sequentially, or the System Administrator that oversees the entire maintenance of the systems with a completeness of this view much like the Popular series â€Å"Big Brother†. In this tv show, a group of people are put into a house that is a spiers bug dream – with about 120 Cameras and other nifty inventions, the every move of the person is tracked. You would think that such would be an outrage, yet this is not the case. Being the highest rating show by far on that network, The show can pull millions of dollars each time it is shown to the millions of viewers tuning in. The reason this has been mentioned is because a virus or a large â€Å"break in† by a hacker receives similar attention. The â€Å"Mellisa/I love you† virus has been the most recent and had the largest effect of any other virus before it. Reported on the news, and reaching practically everyone, this virus spread itself by embedding itself on the infected machine, and sends out emails to everyone on the persons address book on the computer. With an exponential type of effect such as this, the virus could spread to millions of people in days (and it did).If this virus had other intentions though, like data collection on the computer and sending it back to a central source, the level of profitable information received back would rival any other source of voluntary collected information in the world. When a virus is found one way or another on a common users system though, the first reaction is almost knee jerk like, being on how to remove the present virus. If there was potential to receive a virus in the first place, I feel that how it had became an problem in the first place needs to be addressed just as importantly.If a company were to do this, that is obviously unethical as their means are for profit. It is a different kettle of fish when a hacker presents a similar situation. The aurora of a hacker is a mystical one that has eluded many of their victims. To say that they are rude and arrogant would be far from the truth. A well-known hacker by the name of Kevin Mitnick bared these ethics out to the court in what appears to be a quite truthful testimony. He aired his previous hacking experience was mostly of social engineering (using pretences of other people to intimidate low level employee’s to do what they will) and that security systems were much easier to bypass by using this method. All of the time he had spent hacking also, he said in his testimony as not to make a single dime at all1 This is far in contrast to something such as a bank robbery where the intent is to do whatever is possible to take possession of something that is not theirs, even if a human life is at stake. A hacker seemingly has knowledge of many things beyond the realm of computers and is aware of the risks and consequences of the actions they take. Some of these hackers have a lot more power than is known, and yet they do not use this power because they realise that its effects are damaging to more than themselves. Please note that this essay is concentrating on real hackers. There is a disturbing growth in what the hacking scene refers to as â€Å"Script kiddies†, People who use hackers code to break into systems in order to get the information they want without much regard for how they do it. To quote from one of the reference’s I have found, which encounters the same point. These kids dont really have any skills, says Deth Veggie of cDc, one of the oldest hacker crews around. Since they didnt learn it for themselves they dont respect the system theyre infiltrating. And so they steal things and download files, which a real hacker would never do. 2 Although the account is from the perspective from a hacker, it shows that there is a certain degree of division of the term hacker, as well. Taking the example of Rapheal Gray one may feel this veil of mystery is very much present in his interview3 where he refers to things as often to a higher authority, which he has control of. In one of the questions asked about what he would be doing in ten years. Quite the opposite of the Stereotypical Dictator, he replied that he would be making things such as artificial intelligences and other items that could help the disabled. To counteract this train of thought though is the interview with Chris Davis, The person responsible for tracking down. To him, he started beginning tracking down Rapheal because (and I quote): â€Å"Hackers have a sort of honor among thieves. Theres this hacker ethic, and this guy just didnt seem to have that. So, I think thats kind of what drove me to go after him a bit† 4 From this it is noticeable that the perceived opinion of what the persons abilities really were influenced how much he had wanted to track him down. Inside of the interview Chris went on to imply many things like that he is not worried about the hackers with ethics, but more of people who brag like Rapheal that have no respect of the ethics that people place concern on when thinking about their security. With reference to the Cyber squatting article (in regard to owning website names and selling them off to the apparent rightful company) this argument that the perceived bad guys are not that wrong at all. Ignoring Mr Culicans (the positive side) poorly presented argument, the negative side was well presented and can be discussed on. To change the current way of first come, first served would put many workings of the internet out of order, so to speak. I would bet that when the creators of the Internet would have never foreseen such major debates over companies owning their own acre of cyberspace to add to their corporate image. The Internet was and still is primarily a convenience tool in the eyes of the average consumer, and the Internet’s structure has been designed to be fast and efficient. People go on the Internet and almost expect to be able to go on any Internet service without having to remember any password they have. In the new Windows XP, a service that is activated by default is called â€Å"Auto complete†. Its purpose is to remember all of the computer users passwords to automatically log them into any services that the password will allow. This has been a largely used feature of the operating system due to the time saved by many for typing in passwords. If you were to imagine a security world hypothesis, in the above example the users would need a biometric verification along with their password just to get in, and then while on the information system no one else must be present so that the content viewed by the person is assured to have been seen by them only. Before they leave the computer, the person must delete all files created since the last time they logged in. I feel that it does not sound very practical or helpful for the user if they want to find any meaningful information. People work in social situations much more often now in the macro age of cooperative teamwork and computers, this means that perfect security is never assured unless not only the computer system they are working on is secured, but the work group is as well. Having a spy from another company keeping a tap on your workflow is just as unproductive as sending an email to your competitors saying â€Å"here is our trade secrets, please use them against us† In conclusion I write that the current perspective of the view of the importance of computers needs to be taken far more seriously, and that respect in the activities they do should reflect how they would be conducting themselves in real life. The consumers of technology are just as much to blame for the lack of security as the products that they use. By controlling their usage of the Internet much more consciously (such as not giving out credit card information except when it is relevant and necessary) they can avoid the grey areas of the Internet much more effectively. Remember that in cyber space, every one can hear you scream. Bibliography (Grouped by site) pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/ Frontline’s TV Documentary on the hackers prevalence in society pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/whoare/testimony.html 1 Testimony by Kevin Mitnick (hacker) pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/interviews/curador.html 3 Rapheal Grey AKA Curador explains about his nature of hacking pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/blame/how.html Are software companies responsible for buggy products? pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/interviews/davis.html 4 Interview with the person responsible for tracking down Curador attrition.org/~modify/texts/ethics//computer.hackers.and.ethics.html Hackers ethics, with a focus on the moral direction. Comparisons to crime. attrition.org/~modify/texts/ethics//vv-ethics.html 2 Cracking the Code of Ethics accad.ohio-state.edu/Astrolabe/noframes/topics/hacker/hacker.html A quite accurate account/list of what hackers ethics really are Research Papers on Honor Among Thieves and The Hacker Ethic - Information Technology EssayIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanGenetic EngineeringOpen Architechture a white paperBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaCapital PunishmentAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into Asia

Multiple temperature Essay Example

Multiple temperature Essay Example Multiple temperature Essay Multiple temperature Essay By running fully operational 365 days a year, we would have a substantial advantage over our competitors who only runs warehouse operations from 9 am to 6 pm.  Multiple temperatures and huge space  At CCN, there multiple temperatures cold rooms to cater for all sorts of items that requires different temperatures. There are also space for dry items and etc.  Impact on organizations competitiveness  Innovative products and services  Wide range of products and services  Ability to change the timing or quantity of products and services. Measuring KPI for Flexibility  For flexibility, measuring KPI would be for:  the number of different product types CCN is able to cater  number of volume / quantity increase  timing of delivery  types of customers  COSTS  Costs play a major role in decision making at CCN. A single activity made possible will firstly involve the costs. The first question would be How much would that cost to make it possible? will be asked by the customer in order to allow CCN handle their products. Other costs would involve operational costs, handling costs, equipment costs and etc. Operations Strategies  Quality costs  As an operations manager, decisions must be made according to these five factors as it affects costs. High quality operations do not waste time or effort having to re-do things, thus making customers not influenced to do mistakes. By providing quality services, costs must also go down at the same time vice versa.  Speed significantly reduces overhead costs of administration as delays and complaints by customers can be eliminated. Fast operations in the warehouse reduces stock holding and inventories thus also cutting on rejected deliveries as orders will be delivered on time. Dependability costs  CCN can significantly reduce customers costs as being a reliable distributor for them. CCN can be relied on to deliver exactly as planned. This eliminates wasteful disruption and allows the other micro operations to operate efficiently.  Flexible operations at CCN can adapt to changing circumstances quickly and without disrupting the rest of the operation. For example, MAFC will not receive stock until after 8 pm at night, however, there are trucks already arriving at 10 pm which is 2 hours away. Operations at CCN will have to make do with in-transit stocks which by right operates better with buffer stocks however CCNs flexibility policy allows the operation to continue in order to fulfill orders for MAFC. Implementation  Implementations for costs are to be able to accommodate enough resources to actually fulfill the 5 objectives of operations management without wasting resources with over-spending.  Inside the operation, therefore, one important way to improve cost performance is to improve the performance of the other operations objectives.  Impact on organizations competitiveness  At CCN, we currently run on minimal costs as in my opinion as the Operations Manager at CCN, the utilization of resources up to the optimal level allows this to happen. We are allowed to be extremely competitive in the market as we are able to offer:- All customers are looking for the best service and cheapest solution to their warehousing issues. We at CCN are able to offer them just that by giving them what they require by being flexible as well.  Quality Services at Affordable Prices  With this motto as our company objective, we are able to keep the prices low on all fronts thus being able to beat our competitors if we were to go direct competition with them.  Measuring KPI for Costs. Measuring KPI based on costs:-  Operational Costs by quantity, duration, location  ii) Handling Costs by quantity, duration, location  CONCLUSION  A Brief summary  Operations Management plays an important role in determining the direction of an organisation. By researching each of the five management objectives, a conclusion can be made that a balance must be reached by the organisation in order to be able to satisfy customers needs and requests. The operations manager or the person who is in charge of warehouse operations plays an important figure in fully optimizing the resources available to him/her. A properly managed operations can indirectly and directly affect an organizations competitiveness and effectiveness in the eyes of competitors and also potential customers. At CCN, we try our best to accommodate and make each customer feel secure with their products when we are handling them. We also must show the clients that we can actually manage our resources accordingly in terms of quality level, speed in fulfilling orders, reliability by being consistent with our services, flexible with requests from customers and also cost management. With being all 5 fulfilling each others cause, operations will then be able to run smoothly and successfully. References Web Resources  1. Nigel Slack, Stuart Chambers, Robert Johnston (2008) Operations Management 4th Edition, http://wps.pearsoned.co.uk/ema_uk_he_slack_opsman_4/17/4471/1144820.cw/index.html, Date accessed 25/02/2009.  2. C.Jarvis (2005) BOLA : Operations Strategy, bola.biz/operations/opstrat/, Date accessed 24/02/2009.  Books  Nigel Slack, Stuart Chambers, Christine Harland, Alan Harrison, Robert Johnston. (1998) Operations Management 2nd Edition, Great Britain: Pitman Publishing.

What You Need to Know About MBA Application Deadlines

What You Need to Know About MBA Application Deadlines An MBA application deadline signifies the last day that a business school is accepting applications for an upcoming MBA program. Most schools will not even look at an application that is submitted after this date, so it is really important to get your application materials in before the deadline. In this article, were going to take a closer look at MBA applications deadlines to determine what they mean for you as an individual. Youll learn about the types of admissions and discover how your timing can impact your chances of getting accepted business school. When Is the Deadline for Submitting an MBA Application? There is no such thing as a uniform MBA application deadline. In other words, every school has a different deadline. MBA deadlines can also vary by program. For example, a business school that has a full-time MBA program, an executive MBA program, and an evening and weekend MBA program may have three different application deadlines - one for every program that they have. There are lots of different websites that publish MBA application deadlines, but the best way to learn about the deadline for the program you are applying to is to visit the schools website. That way, you can ensure the date is completely accurate. You dont want to miss a deadline because someone made a typo on their website! Types of Admissions When youre applying to a business program, there are three basic types of admissions that you might encounter: Open AdmissionsRolling AdmissionsRound Admissions Lets explore each of these admissions types in more detail below. Open Admissions Although policies can vary by school, some schools with open admissions (also known as open enrollment) admit everyone that meets the admission requirements and has the money to pay the tuition. For example, if the admissions requirements dictate that you have a bachelors degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution (or the equivalent) and the capacity to study at the graduate level, and you meet these requirements, you will most likely be admitted into the program as long as space is available. If space is not available, you may be waitlisted. Schools with open admissions rarely have application deadlines. In other words, you can apply and get accepted at any time. Open admissions are the most relaxed form of admissions and the one most rarely seen at graduate business schools. Most of the schools that have open admissions are online schools or undergraduate colleges and universities. Rolling Admissions Schools that have a rolling admissions policy usually have a large application window - sometimes as long as six or seven months. Rolling admissions are commonly used for freshmen at undergraduate universities and colleges, but this form of admissions is also heavily used by law schools. Certain graduate-level business schools, such as Columbia Business School, also have rolling admissions. Some business schools that use rolling admissions have what is known as an early decision deadline. This means that you have to submit your application by a certain date to get an early acceptance. For example, if you are applying to a school with rolling admissions, there may be two application deadlines: an early decision deadline and a final deadline. So, if you are hoping to get accepted early on, you have to apply by the early decision deadline. Although policies vary, you may be required to withdraw your application from other business schools if you accept an early decision offer of admission that is extended to you. Round Admissions Most business schools, especially selective business schools like Harvard Business School, Yale School of Management, and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, have three application deadlines for full-time MBA programs. Some schools have as many as four. Multiple deadlines are known as rounds. You could apply to the program in round one, round two, or round three.   Round admissions deadlines vary by school. The earliest deadlines for round one are typically in September and October. But you shouldnt expect to hear back right away if you do apply in the earliest round. Admissions decisions often take two to three months, so you could submit your application in September or October but not hear back until November or December. Round two deadlines often range from December to January, and round three deadlines are frequently in January, February, and March, though all of these deadlines can vary by school. The Best Time to Apply to Business School Whether youre applying to a school with rolling admissions or round admissions, a good rule of thumb is to apply early in the process. Assembling all of the materials for an MBA application can take time. You dont want to underestimate how long it will take you to prepare your application and miss a deadline. Even worse, you dont want to slop something together quickly to make a deadline and then get rejected because your application was not competitive enough.   Applying early has other advantages as well. For example, some business schools choose the majority of the incoming MBA class from applications received in round one or round two, so if you wait until round three to apply, the competition will be even stiffer, thus decreasing your chances of getting accepted. Furthermore, if you apply in round one or round two and get rejected, you still have an opportunity to improve your application and apply to other schools before their round three deadlines have ended. A few other considerations that may be important depending on your individual situation: International applicants: As an international student, you often need a student visa (either an F-1 or J-1 visa) to study in the United States. Youll want to apply in round one or round two if possible to give yourself enough time to get this visa before the actual program starts.Dual degree program applicants: If you are applying to an MBA/JD program or another dual or joint degree program, youll want to pay particularly close attention to the deadlines. Some business schools, even those with three rounds, require applicants to apply for dual degree programs in round one or round two.Submatriculation applicants: If you are an undergraduate who is attending a business school that allows qualified juniors to apply for early entry (Submatriculation) to the schools MBA program, you may want to utilize a different application strategy than the average MBA applicant. Rather than applying early (like most applicants would), you may want to consider waiting until round three so that you hav e a more complete academic record when you submit your transcripts and other application materials. Reapplying to Business School Business school admissions are competitive, and not everyone gets accepted the first year that they apply to an MBA program. Since most schools will not accept a second application in a single year, you typically have to wait until the next academic year to re-apply. This is not as uncommon as many people think it is. The Wharton School at the Universality of Pennsylvania reports on their website that up to 10 percent of their applicant pool consists of reapplications in most years. If you are re-applying to business school, you should make an effort to improve your application and demonstrate growth. You should also apply early in the process in round one or round two (or at the start of a rolling admissions process) to increase your chances of getting accepted.

Hitler's table talk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hitler's table talk - Essay Example He categorically states that our body follows the cycle of nature. He advises humans to conform to the laws of nature and take inspiration from it and that is the way one can triumph over religion. He asserts that in nature a will of stronger prevails and it is perfectly a natures way of doing the things (38). He vehemently put his views on social class stating that "as long as social classes existed, it was impossible to set free the forces of the nation" (108). He never believed in rejecting anyone from the national community (108). He was clear in his thinking that class prejudices had no place in a socially advanced state like Germany (255). Hitler believed in shaping the Germany in such a fashion that whosoever happened to visit Germany would be relieved off his or her prejudices against Germany (22). Hitler made a special mention about Germany describing its uniqueness in a sense that it was the only country having no unemployment issue (42). He also argued about the Germany having several towns in its fold of a high cultural level and because of that Germany did not suffer either from any inferiority complex or from any superiority feelings (47). His views on Church and Christianity described his philosophy to govern people as well. He did not believe in making a pact with the Church for it could not offer long lasting benefits. The scientific advancement sooner or later, in all likely hoods, would expose the harmful effects that such compromise might bring. For this reason he kept party matters separate from the religious beliefs – that is how one could keep confrontation between Catholic and Protestant groups. He further stated that it was better to be clever in this matter rather than invite the trouble in the long run. He accepted the fact that the human beings were afraid of so many unknown things of nature for which no explanation is available. Science would resolve enquiries of metaphysical nature

Personal & Professional Development Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Personal & Professional Development Plan - Essay Example In colleges and university phase, the individual is interested in the academic careers and growth, after graduation the need shifts towards becoming a successful professional in the business market (Megginson and Whiaker, 2007). This particular plan reflects upon my personal and professional development requirements and the skills needed to become successful in the personal and professional phase of life. The report discusses and how the individual plans to accomplish the tasks and goals of development for future growth perspective. Current Employment Sector I am a marketing graduate and my current employment is in an indoor manufacturing company. My designation is of a marketing assistant in the company. I have been employed in this organisation since 6 years. I have gained hands on experience in dealing with the marketing activities of the firm. I have the potential in dealing with international customers but unfortunately my current company does not many international customers an d so this area of expertise remains unexplored. One of my strengths is that I can represent my organisation well as being a marketing assistant I deal with many clients for the company and hence have developed good representation skills. I have a command on a number of languages such as English, Russian and Lithuanian. For marketing managers it is important to be well versed with the native language of the country where the marketing practices are being conducted and I have this skill. My current work tasks are include preparation of email shots, brochures, ringing up to costumers and asking if they are happy with our service, noting the feedback of customers, and working upon future plans upon how the marketing strategies for the organisation can be improved. I also at times handle part of the administration work in my organisation. My organisation basically follows the UK sales strategy and we are operating with this strategy to accomplish all our marketing goals. Future Career As pirations My career aspiration is focused towards attaining a challenging designation, specifically top managerial post, in the field of marketing. I aspire towards implementing the knowledge and skills attained during the degree program of marketing. I want to gain professional experience and growth in the areas of marketing management. I am a quick and ambitious learner and would love to gain guidance from the top management of any organisation. Experienced marketing professionals can provide valuable guidelines as to how things should be carried out. This guidance will help me to gain expertise and widen my knowledge horizon. For achieving the future career aspiration goals and objectives, I would need to undergo training and development sessions. By receiving training and development sessions, I would be receiving valuable guidance in improving my skills and also achieving my aims set for my professional career path. There are certain workshops and training sessions conducted on improving the marketing

Using data for Sainsburys plc, critically evaluate the relative Essay

Using data for Sainsburys plc, critically evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of internal performance measurement techniques and those relying on external performance measures - Essay Example In its specifics, the graph below depicts the trend of MVA for the company. Writing on the variable for critiquing MVA of companies, Baum , Sarver and Strickland (2004) emphasized the need for the MVA to increase at an even rate with the market value of the company. Rightly so, it can be said that for most of the years, Sainsbury’s MVA has been directly proportional to its market value, which is a major strength for the company. The reason this is an important variable is that when MVA is not proportional to market value, it exposes the company to much external deficit. On the other hand, Bender (2012) also mentioned that it is very important for companies to have a steady growth rate in their MVA. This is a major weakness with Sainsbury as the company has been highly inconsistent with its MVA. Apart from the inconsistency, the rate has been declining sharply since 2009. This is a major weakness for the company as it suggests that the company is not income resourceful when the capital input from investors is taken out. The table below summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of Sainsbury’s MVA. On the second external performance measure which is total shareholder return (TSR), Bender (2012) explained that TSR is calculated by dividing the sum of change in stock price an dividends paid by beginning stock price. The relevance of TSR as an external performance measure is that it highlights the returns that shareholders make from investing in stocks. To have a perfect critique of the TSR of Sainsbury, it is important to relate the calculated TSR to the share price and dividend per share. This is because according to Stern (2011, p. 5), â€Å"firms with high retention ratios (low payout ratios) generally have higher growth rates in earnings than firms with lower retention ratios (higher payout ratios).† In the figure below, the share price, dividend per share and calculated TSR of Sainsbury since 2009 are compared. From the

What caused the surge in oil price during the period 2000-2005 Essay

What caused the surge in oil price during the period 2000-2005 - Essay Example This projection is mainly attributed to the changes in demand and supply by the non-OPEC and OPEC members. The oil price surge is a major economic issue as it slows down global economic recovery. This paper highlights the major issues that are behind the oil price surge during the 2000 – 2005 periods. In this essay we seek to address the question of the effects of additions to OPEC capacities and economic activities on oil prices (mostly in the future) and why oil prices are literally depend on the OPEC’s ability to maintain control over the marginal supplies of oil. Global oil demand had a slow increase in the year 2000 – 2005 periods than it did in the last five years. Each time when the demand growth accelerates annually, the prices are always seen to rise and vice versa. The yearly rate of demand growth has changed markedly over the last few years with this kind of growth dipping into a low of just about half a percent in the year 2001 and a then having a sha rp rise through 2004. During the year 2004, the oil demand had surged by 4% and this was the fastest rate since 1977. In the year 2005, the demand growth fell callously although its growth rate was maintained above 1%. A significant part of this growth was contributed by China and most of the rest of the developing Asia (Menecon Ltd. 2006, p1). The United States and other non-Asian developing countries accounted for the bigger share of the volume increase in demand during the 2000 – 2005 periods. With the supply capacity going high in the recent years, the rise in demand has squeezed spare capacity in pushing up prices. Causes of Oil Surge during the 2000 – 2005 Period During 2000 – 2005 period great oil surges was experienced, the possible causes of this surge in oil prices include: supply, monetary inflation and the value of the US dollar, demand and investment demand. Supply Lower supply of oil is considered to be a main lasting fundamental cause of the risin g prices during the period 2000 – 2005. The intermittent supply contributed majorly on the surges in oil prices and therefore, the oil price crises. Monetary Inflation and the Value of the US Dollar Price inflation develops from monetary increase and other economic policies. Wobbly monetary policy attained from the Federal Reserve and other central banks is listed as one of the major contributor to the increase in the oil prices. It therefore forms the main cause in the dollar devaluation and commodity speculation characteristic with changes in oil prices. The value of the US dollar also had some impact on the oil prices as oil is normally quoted and traded in US dollars. This means that the value of the dollar determines the rise or fall in the oil prices. Demand High demand for oil is also one of the main causes of the surge in the oil prices. The demand for the crude oil was seen to be growing at an average of 1.76% per year. This effective growth (in percentage) was recor ded from the year 1994 to 2006. Still, during this period (1994 to 2006), a higher rise of 3.4% was experienced in the year 2003 to 2004. As the demand for oil is on a high rise all over the world an increase in demand of 37% is expected by 2030 hence the demand for oil is projected to have an increase. Normally, increase in oil prices reflects on the global demand rise for oil. Prices usually affect the demand as the relationship between them is considered to be not a way street. If the demand gets a certain shift a direct impact on the oil prices will take place; when the oil prices get affected thy in general will lead to a (United Nations staff 2005, p6). Investment Demand Invest demand is also one of major issues to the surge in oil during the 2000 - 2005 period. Investment demand usually occurs when investors pay for future

MAE 102 Global Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MAE 102 Global Economic - Essay Example Information will be get from the following informational source http://data.worldbank.org/indicator. Question 1 First of all, we are going to consider such important economic indicator as GDP. This indicator for all the mentioned countries is provided in the table below. ... However, the gap between the degrees of GDP of both countries is quite high. The common feature between both countries is that they both suffered the global financial crisis quite well. Spain and Australia are almost similar in the terms of GDP. The last country in this group is Zimbabwe. In fact, it is an obvious fact, taking into account the recent economic problems in this country, about which we will say a few word below. Question 2 In order to evaluate the degree of social and economic development of a country it is important to evaluate not only an absolute level of GDP, but also such indicator as GDP per capita. This indicator for all the countries is provided below. Country Name Australia Brazil China Spain Zimbabwe 1998 21 364,21 4 980,99 820,86 15 126,43 522,11 1999 20 578,83 3 413,26 864,73 15 475,52 552,83 2000 21 708,04 3 696,15 949,18 14 413,79 534,79 2001 19 541,42 3 129,76 1 041,64 14 952,09 538,96 2002 20 100,99 2 812,33 1 135,45 16 611,71 503,03 2003 23 445,60 3 041 ,68 1 273,64 21 041,54 454,10 2004 30 375,83 3 609,88 1 490,38 24 468,75 460,84 2005 33 944,98 4 743,27 1 731,13 26 056,39 457,83 2006 35 986,07 5 793,40 2 069,34 28 024,75 434,48 2007 40 461,07 7 197,03 2 651,26 32 118,10 423,99 2008 49 232,97 8 628,95 3 413,59 34 977,39 354,63 2009 42 333,45 8 391,67 3 749,27 31 714,24 491,68 2010 51 628,60 10 992,94 4 433,36 29 956,16 591,29 2011 61 789,48 12 593,89 5 444,79 31 984,73 757,09 This table proposes the different picture. China now occupies the second place from the end, while Australia can be considered as the most economically developed country. In any case, the degree of well-being of its citizens is much higher than the same indicator of Chinese people. The main reason for it is of course the fact

Application of Microscopy in Biomedical Sciences Lab Report - 1

Application of Microscopy in Biomedical Sciences - Lab Report Example New applications are used to find the path of the unexpected discoveries (Suhling, French and Pillips 2004). Atomic Force Microscopy is the most important technique used in the biomedical applications, but it cannot compete with the traditional electron microscopy and confocal microscopy because of speeds at which later techniques capture the images (Haupt, Pelling and Horton, 2006). Some other scholars also emphasized on the importance of confocal microscopy used for the observation of living cells. Use of the confocal microscopy is now common as non-ionizing radiations are employed, which are also used for the tissue preparation and study of the living cells. TGFÃŽ ² stands for the transforming growth factor ÃŽ ², a family of the secreted factors, which are involved in the growth regulation, migration, differentiation, apoptosis, adhesion in the multistep processes for the wound healing, and angiogenesis. For the epithelial cells, the most important factor of family TGFÃŽ ² is the TGFÃŽ ² 1. It also acts as the growth inhibitor and expresses the early gene JunB. TGFÃŽ ² 1 also plays an important role for the morphology and transcriptional programme of cells. Endothelial cells differ from the epithelial cells, and show the additional features in order to achieve the specific functions. In these cells, the TGFÃŽ ² 1 also controls the process of angiogenesis (Var on et al., 2008). TGFÃŽ ² performs the dual role as metastasis promoter and tumour suppressor and keeps the balance between Smad3 and Smad2. Smad2 is found to be deleted or mutated in human cancers. ROCK Inhibitor such as Y27632 is used for inhibition of the GFP expression (Stuelten et al., 2007). Anti-Endo180 and B3/25 used as the anti-transferring receptor were taken from the Medical College in New York. American Diagnostic Inc. provided the Mouse anti-human LDLR and Mouse anti Human Upar. The wild type known as the Endo 180 was

MAE 102 Global Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MAE 102 Global Economic - Essay Example Information will be get from the following informational source http://data.worldbank.org/indicator. Question 1 First of all, we are going to consider such important economic indicator as GDP. This indicator for all the mentioned countries is provided in the table below. ... However, the gap between the degrees of GDP of both countries is quite high. The common feature between both countries is that they both suffered the global financial crisis quite well. Spain and Australia are almost similar in the terms of GDP. The last country in this group is Zimbabwe. In fact, it is an obvious fact, taking into account the recent economic problems in this country, about which we will say a few word below. Question 2 In order to evaluate the degree of social and economic development of a country it is important to evaluate not only an absolute level of GDP, but also such indicator as GDP per capita. This indicator for all the countries is provided below. Country Name Australia Brazil China Spain Zimbabwe 1998 21 364,21 4 980,99 820,86 15 126,43 522,11 1999 20 578,83 3 413,26 864,73 15 475,52 552,83 2000 21 708,04 3 696,15 949,18 14 413,79 534,79 2001 19 541,42 3 129,76 1 041,64 14 952,09 538,96 2002 20 100,99 2 812,33 1 135,45 16 611,71 503,03 2003 23 445,60 3 041 ,68 1 273,64 21 041,54 454,10 2004 30 375,83 3 609,88 1 490,38 24 468,75 460,84 2005 33 944,98 4 743,27 1 731,13 26 056,39 457,83 2006 35 986,07 5 793,40 2 069,34 28 024,75 434,48 2007 40 461,07 7 197,03 2 651,26 32 118,10 423,99 2008 49 232,97 8 628,95 3 413,59 34 977,39 354,63 2009 42 333,45 8 391,67 3 749,27 31 714,24 491,68 2010 51 628,60 10 992,94 4 433,36 29 956,16 591,29 2011 61 789,48 12 593,89 5 444,79 31 984,73 757,09 This table proposes the different picture. China now occupies the second place from the end, while Australia can be considered as the most economically developed country. In any case, the degree of well-being of its citizens is much higher than the same indicator of Chinese people. The main reason for it is of course the fact

Physical Chemistry Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Physical Chemistry - Lab Report Example Chemical electronic transitions that are usually induced through the absorption of visible light spectrum result in excited state molecules. In the process energy is absorbed, dissipated or both. The absorbed energy must be released to return the excited species back to the original ground state. Typically, on absorption of light at their absorption maxima, dye molecules exhibit long excited state lifetimes and emit radiation at longer wavelengths (fluorescence or phosphorescence). The excited state of the luminescent dye can be quenched by an energy transfer mechanism upon collision with oxygen molecules [1] As a result, the intensity of luminescence is reduced along with the lifetime and the degree of quenching is proportional to the oxygen concentration. Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an optical oxygen sensor. The active components of the sensor are the luminescent dye encapsulated in a polymer medium, a light source (commonly a LED or laser) for exciting the dye at a particular wavelength, (550–800 nm) [2], a photodiode to detect the fluorescent radiation and an optical fiber for the transmission of light. The quenching of the luminescence can be characterized by the Stern-Volmer eqn. [3] Figure 1 Schematics of an optical oxygen sensor. (1) Gas or liquid path, (2) Lumophore dispersed on oxygen permeable membrane, (3) lens and filter, (4) exciting radiation, (5) fluorescent radiation, (6) optical fiber, (7) LED/Laser, (8) photodiode, and (9) display In a typical ground electronic state is a singlet (all electrons paired). Electronic excitation results in an excited state singlet that may undergo internal conversion to a triplet state. Due to the forbidden nature of a triplet singlet transition, the triplet state may exist for a substantial length of time. The emission from this state is known as the phosphorescence. Fluorescence refers to the emission from

The Importance Of Sustainability In Hotels

The Importance Of Sustainability In Hotels Human activities over the past centuries have affected the earths ecosystem. Today, the negative consequences of human actions can be noticed everywhere. Being one of the larger industries in the world, the hospitality industry is an important contributor to these problems. In this report, Ill be focusing on what impacts humans have on the eco-system. Defining what sustainability truly is. How hotels can benefit from practising sustainability and what they could do to be sustainable with references. Human Impacts on the Planet To understand the magnitude of human impacts on the environment, economies, cultures and society, we must first understand the contributions of the travel and tourism sectors. Travel and tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, which is responsible for creating jobs, increasing a countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating revenue worldwide and many more. It comes with positive and negative effects. In 2008, there were 922 million international tourist arrivals with tourism receipts of US$944 billion [8]. It is estimated that the global travel and tourism industry contributed 9.6 per cent of global GDP and 7.9 per cent of worldwide employment in 2008 [9]. Tourism and travel is also a vector of climate change, accounting for approximately 5 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Our human footprint on earth is disrupting the biogeochemical cycle that has remained unchanged for millions of years. Lavish cities built on deserts irresponsibly waste our limited water supply and fragment habitats. Hotels wasting huge amounts of energy, water and food after being built upon habitats that contain life necessary to the biogeochemical cycle such as photoautotrophs and other primary producers. Excessive amounts of food are both consumed and wasted beyond our human needs. Another consequence of human activity is the changing climate. Human activity has caused increases in the concentration of greenhouse gases, which have led to increases in air and ocean temperatures, and global sea levels. As our planets natural resources become depleted, man is urged to become more responsible in their usage of non-renewable resources and look for other renewable resources either in the form of energy, water or raw materials. What is Sustainability? UNWTOs definition of sustainability is: Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability [9]. In simple terms, sustainability means: things can keep going, can sustain themselves, can continue into the future and go on forever. From a human perspective, sustainability for our planet means that it can continue to do what it was designed to do; provide fresh air, clean water, produce food and have a high quality of life. Unsustainability means that it cannot and that is where we are at now. There are four basic principles to follow to achieve sustainability. These could be seen as the care instructions for our planet. Reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and heavy metals. Reduce our dependence on synthetic chemicals that persist in nature. Reduce our destruction of nature. Ensure we are not stopping people globally on meeting their needs. Demand for the earth services: air, water and food increases as the population increases and living standards rise. But the earths ability to provide these services is declining because of the way we are living. In our search for prosperity, growth and success, we are destroying the system that we as humans are completely dependent on, nature. We humans have become a threat to our own way of life. The earth is a system and everything is connected, society, environment and economy. To live sustainably, we need to follow the four care instructions and apply them to everything we do at home and at work. Sustainable operation in hospitality can be defined as a hospitality operation that manages its resources in such a way that social, economic and environmental benefits are maximised in order to meet the need of the present generation while protecting and enhancing opportunities for future generations [2]. Many hotels today have recognised the negative effects their business activities have had on the environment and have taken steps to minimise or prevent those impacts from happening. Today, the term green hotels describes hotels that achieve to be more environmentally friendly through the efficient use of energy, water, and materials while providing quality services [10]. Green hotels conserve and preserve by saving water, reducing energy use, and reducing solid waste. They have seen benefits such as reduced costs and liabilities, high return and low-risk investments, increased profits, and positive cash flows [10]. Identifying these benefits and incentives has allowed the popularity of green hotels to grow. Using the Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco, as an example, what is so different about this hotel? Why is it green? The answer truly is that its green from the inside out. The concrete of the basement, and all the walls and floors have recycled contents in them. The carpet backing is 100 per cent recycled. The drapes, the sheets, curtains and bed spreads in the hotel are washable. This is very important because they do not have to use chemicals to keep them clean. The wood that Orchard Garden uses throughout the hotel is actually Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified maple and all the guestroom furniture is made out of that material. The beautiful wood panelling that you could see in the restaurant, lobby and hallway is actually recycled particle board. Another unique feature of the hotel is the key card management control system. Simply by slotting the key in a switch right by the front door in the guestroom will enable all the light switches, air-conditioning and heating. Or chard Garden also encourages their staff to implement green business practices. These are the things that you can truly do and it shows that it does not necessary cost more money to go green. (For more information, refer to case study, page 18) Why Should Hotels Practise Sustainability? Hotels, resorts, motels, hostels and other forms of accommodation are the largest sector of the travel and tourism industry, and it has been shown that hotels have the greatest negative impact on the environment compared to other commercial establishments. Implementing good environmental practices in hotel operations, including using biological resources more sustainably, can result in positive business benefits as well as make an important contribution to biodiversity conservation. Key business benefits include: Appealing to engaged consumers Tourists are increasingly motivated by sustainability and contributions to biodiversity conservation, as well as healthier environments and products. Reducing costs Good biodiversity practices can actually lower a hotels operating costs, by reducing expenses for resource procurement, usage and disposal. Improving the quality of the destination Destinations rich in biodiversity are attractive places, appeal to quality customers, and offer scope for biodiversity-based recreational activities. Improving employee productivity and sense of responsibility to the environment Employees are often strongly motivated by actions to enhance biodiversity; such motivation helps to increase employee productivity and loyalty, and can reduce staff turnover. Securing a hotels license to operate Implementing good practices for biodiversity demonstrates that a hotel cares about the environment and runs a responsible business, and can lead to increased support from government, staff and local communities. Attracting investment from socially responsible investors Investors want to be sure that their funds are invested in businesses that have good environmental records. Energy and Water Consumption, and Waste Created in the Hospitality Industry Hotels are one of the largest consumers of energy, which provide guests with high levels of comfort, services, facilities and amenities. On average, Americas 47,000 hotels spend $2,196 per available room each year on energy. This represents about 6 per cent of all operating costs. Through a strategic approach to energy efficiency, a 10 per cent reduction in energy consumption would have the same financial effect as increasing the average daily room rate by $0.62 in limited-service hotels and by $1.35 in full-service hotels [2]. Hotels are aware of their costly consumption of non-renewable energy, huge generation of wastes and excessive use of water, and are taking measures to be greener. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there are 47,000 hotels that spend $2,196 per available room each year on energy which represents about 6 per cent of all operating costs [2]. Utilities make up 20 per cent of the average US hotels operating costs a huge percentage with a major impact on the bottom line and the environment. Inefficient use of lights, heating and air conditioning is one of the major culprits in this waste of resources. Solid waste generated by hotels comes in many sizes and forms. Wastes from 25 hotels were examined. The statistics showed that from 1991-1993 the hotel waste consisted of 46% food waste, 25.3% paper, 11.7% cardboard, 6.7% plastics, 5.6% glass, and 4.5% metals [10]. This gives a clear indication of the various forms of waste that a small number of hotels can be produced in a city. It is estimated that by 2010, water use will increase to approximately 475 gallons per day for each room in high luxury facilities [10]. This will continue to put more stress on an already stressed environment. The use of water will always be a vital part of the guests experience. However, hotels must take the initiative to inform guests of the impacts their actions would have on the environment. Energy Conservation Hotels can have large, costly energy requirements, especially in areas for cooling, heating, lighting and others. There are various alternatives and ways to conserve energy such as: Solar Power The application of the suns rays can be used for natural lighting, heating and capturing electricity through solar panels. Wind Power Wind turbines capture the kinetic energy stored in the wind, which is then converted into electricity, very similar to those used in farms. Hydropower Hydropower is electrical energy that is generated by using the flow of water through a turbine with a generator. Geothermal Power Geothermal power is energy that is gained by heat stored beneath the surface of the earth. Pumps bringing heat from beneath our feet can be used to directly heat hotels and other buildings or used as a source of power that drives steam turbines to produce electricity. Hotels worldwide are recognising the benefits of energy conservation and are undertaking projects to tap onto these benefits, and doing their part to save the environment. Choices made when purchasing equipment can have a major impact on the hotels operating expenses and on the environment; therefore, it is important that efficiency be considered before purchasing energy intensive equipment. For example, the Solar Valley Micro-E Hotel, Dezhou City, eastern China, is the worlds largest solar-powered hotel. It has thousands of permanent solar panels and solar heat pipe collectors to harvest the energy from the sun, and stores enough energy to sustain 70 per cent of its needs. The Hyatt Regency International Hotel in New Zealand understood that guests often left appliances and heating and cooling systems on when they were out of their rooms. The hotel developed a project to link energy use with room occupancy. Now when a guest leaves the room, all energy appliances shut down, with the exception of refrigerators, alarm clocks, and other essential appliances. The project costs were $16,000, while the payback period was only 14 months, with savings of $14,000 annually [10]. About 40 per cent of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louises electricity needs are met by wind and hydro electricity. Since 1999, they have been using green power derived from sources such as wind, hydro and biomass. They produce little or no greenhouse gas emissions and have minimal environmental impacts. The Sheraton Auckland Hotel and Towers realised that the daily washing of sheets, towels, flannels, tablecloths, and other linens accounted for 35% of the energy consumed in the laundry process, while drying consumed 65%. The hotel simply changed the temperature of the wash from 85 degrees Celsius to 65 degrees Celsius. This change saved $2,000 in energy costs in the first 3 months alone, and the linens came out just as clean. This project, in addition to reducing energy costs, reduced the use of washing chemicals and decreased pollution of the hotel wastewater. Also, allowing the hotel guests the option of having linens washed every other day rather than daily can significantly assist in energy and water conservation [10]. A hotel can have thousands of individual light bulbs and may use 30 per cent of its total electricity. Lighting is the second largest energy consumption system in a hotel and presents one of the best opportunities for energy savings by doing some simple upgrades. By making upgrades in guest rooms, common areas and behind-the-scenes areas, a hotel can see immediate, consistent savings with no impact on the overall guest experience. Ways to save electricity: Replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs can reduce maintenance and cut lighting costs. CFLs last many times longer and use five times lesser energy than a traditional light bulb. A compact fluorescent light used in place of an incandescent light that is left on continuously for 12 months, all 8,760 hours of the year, will pay for itself in less than one year [10]. Install motion sensors or key-activating systems in rooms. With such a system the room lights will always be off when unoccupied, without inconveniencing the guest. When upgrading lighting systems in common areas, consider installing new control systems to manage lighting in large areas. Computerised lighting controls will allow hotel operators to provide the ideal level of lighting based on the time of day, event or situation. This will prevent unnecessarily high lighting levels or unneeded lighting. Hotels should educate their staff to switch off lights and turn down heating or air-conditioning when rooms are unused. Simple actions like closing the drapes during the summer months can save the hotel money in air-conditioning costs. Install films on windows, which will lower heating and cooling loads. Window films can also reduce the glare in guestrooms. Use proper insulation and reflective roof coverings. This can save in heating and cooling costs. Purchase appliances, which are Energy Star certified wherever possible. In laundry areas, remove old washing machines and replace them with both energy and water conserving models. Use natural daylight in lobby, bar and restaurant for as much as possible. Consider installing skylights. Exterior lighting can be used as a design element and can have dramatic effects. However, consider adding timers, which would switch off the lights at times like 3am, when no one is around to impress. Install solar water heating systems for heated pools. Use covers to cover hot tubs and pools when the areas are closed, this will reduce evaporation. Exit signs, such as LED, when installed throughout a building can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in energy and maintenance costs. Use an energy management system (EMS), which is designed to control the mechanical equipment in the hotel, thereby saving utilities such as gas and electricity. This system determines when air-conditioning or heating can be switched on/off or up/down. As soon as the guest enters the room, his room key card is inserted in a slot behind the door. Electricity for the light and the air-conditioner will now be activated. As soon as the guest leaves the room the utilities will be automatically switched off. The energy consumption of the hotel can be monitored by comparing reports generated by the energy management system and the front office. For example, if occupancy levels are not high the energy consumption should be lower and visa versa. In kitchens, use smaller convection ovens to replace oversized conventional ovens. If available, schedule an energy audit with the local energy provider or energy auditor. Water Conservation Water conservation is just as important as energy conservation. Fresh clean water is one of the most valuable commodity on earth. Using improved technologies hotels can deliver equal or better services to guests using less water. From a guests perspective, the use of water is a vital part of his or her experience. Any water restrictions would result in guests being unhappy and so maintaining adequate water comfort must be central to all water management strategies. Ways to save water: Start a linen reuse programme for towels and sheets in all guest rooms. Giving the option to guests to choose whether or not they want to reuse their towels and sheets, which can save huge amounts of water and reduce chemical wastage. Laundry washers, which use final rinse water for prewashing of the next load of laundry. Install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators. 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM) showerheads and 1.5 GPM aerators are recommended for water savings and guest satisfaction respectively. The latest generation of sink taps is equipped with infrared sensors that automatically turn off when a person walks away or when the allotted quantity per wash has been delivered. Install low-flow toilets or toilet-tank fill diverters. The THC Rotorua Hotel in New Zealand had urinals that flushed automatically every nine minutes. Each flush used 10 liters of water. This added up to 66 litres per hour, regardless of whether the urinals had been used or not. The total consumption for three urinals was 4,740 daily [2]. After realising the huge water cost, the hotel installed detectors that could sense when someone is using the urinals, and allow flushing to occur after being used. This greatly reduced the water usage from 66 litres per hour to 40 litres during the day and 20 litres in the night. For gardens, watering should take place either early in the morning or later in the day to reduce the possibility of evaporation in hot weather. Switch to drought resistant plants. Replace mowed landscaping with artificial ground cover or native ground cover. Pool covers will reduce evaporation and have the added advantage of reducing heat loss in cooler climates. To reduce water use, consider rainwater harvesting and/or a greywater system. Properties investing in fountains and water features should turn off appliances at night and consider the use of greywater. In kitchens, use a food-thawing machine instead of running water over foods for faster thawing. Water conservation urges hotels to use improved practices that will reduce and enhance the beneficial use of water, addressing the technical and human side of water management issues. For example, The Houston-based Green Hotels Association observed water use in the San Antonio-based La Quinta Inn. Through a one-month period, the hotel showed an average of 100 gallons of water being used per guest per billing period. The chain totaled more than a billion gallons in the first nine months in 1996. La Quinta Inn then installed low-flow showerheads and aerating faucets in each room, resulting in a saving of $1.50 per room per month. Replacing all toilets with ultra-flow toilets at a cost of $3,250 showed a payback in 2.1 years and annual water saving of 180,000 gallons per year [10]. Waste Reduction The hospitality industry creates tons and tons of waste each year due to its mass facilities, amenities and services provided to their guests. To give an indication of the size of waste created, The European Union produces 1.3 billion tons of waste each year. In other words, 3.5 tons of refuse and liquid or solid waste per European citizen, nearly a third of this food waste for which the food service industry has a responsibility. Another 40 45 million tons of this huge mountain of waste is classed as hazardous, or particularly dangerous [2]. In response to current trends, hotel owners and operators are analyzing ways to make changes in operations to cut waste disposal costs, protect the environment and increase guest loyalty. A few proactive hotel corporations have mandated hotel environmental programmes such as water and energy efficiency and more recently, waste reduction and recycling. Ways to reduce waste: To increase guest involvement, place recycling instructions in guest rooms and locate recycling collection containers in convenient locations in convention halls and public areas throughout the hotel. Always place a trash container along side of the recycling container in public areas to avoid trash being thrown in the recycling bin. Buy guest amenity and office products that contain recycled material. Provide amenities such as shower caps, shoe wipes on request. Shred office paper and use it to package shipments. Decrease the number of hard copies of documents by establishing a central filing system to store documents. Use recycled, unbleached and chlorine-free paper products, and try to minimise the amount of paper used by staff and guests. Print with soy-based inks, which are less harmful to the environment. Purchase vacuum cleaners with reusable bags versus disposables ones. Reduce the need for pesticide applications in guest rooms and employee work areas by removing food containers, garbage and recycling containers daily; clean employee break rooms daily to remove crumbs and spills; and report cracks around doors and windows to the engineering department for repairs to prevent crawling pests from entering. Re-dye stained bath towels and washcloths for reuse as pool towels and cleaning cloths. Re-dye linens and carpet to match remodeled decor. Re-dye tablecloths and napkins to match new color schemes when remodeling; reuse worn table linens as cleaning rags or remake into aprons, laundry bags, mattress covers. Provide reusable items such as cloth napkins, glass cups, ceramic dishes, etc. with all food and beverage services. Just by using glass or plastic coasters can reduce cocktail napkin waste, and by providing mugs for coffee instead of disposable cups can play a large part in conserving the environment. Purchase refrigerators, freezers, and coolers which are CFC-free. Donate leftover food to a local non-profit organisation. Consider using a compost bin. Purchase cleaning products with less hazardous constituents. Use a hazardous chemical containment pan to prevent leaching of unused chemicals. Donate leftover guest amenities, old furniture and appliances to charities. Refinish and reupholster damaged and dated furniture. Use dry, concentrated dishwasher chemicals in dispensers to reduce chemical spills and waste. Most guests are pleased to see the use of products made from recycled materials, energy efficient light bulbs, low-flow showerheads and recycling programmes in hotels and restaurants that they patronise. Hotel managers report that most guests are willing to participate in the hotels recycling efforts. No matter how well planned the hotels waste reduction and recycling initiatives may be, they probably wont succeed without the support of the hotel department managers and staff. Successful hotel recycling programmes require employee involvement, training and recognition. Involve all employees in the recycling programme. They are already disposing of waste as they perform their daily jobs. Recycling is simply disposing of job related waste in a different container from the one used for trash. Hotels should seek their ideas in organising the recycling programme and for methods of collecting and storing the materials. Employees are more likely to support a programme that they understand and have helped design. Case Study The Orchard Garden Hotel Location: 466 Bush Street, San Francisco, California 94108 Management Company: Portfolio Hotels Resorts, LLC Number of Guests Rooms: 86 rooms Awards and Certifications: San Francisco Green Business Green Seal Certified Silver LEED certified U.S. Green Building Council Best Organic Restaurant in San Francisco British Airways Tourism Located in the heart of San Francisco, the Orchard Garden Hotel is near the Financial District, Union Square, and the Chinatown gate. At 10 stories, the 56,000-square-foot building includes 86 guestrooms and a 56-seat restaurant and bar. The hotel opened in 2006, and in 2007, it became the third hotel in the U.S. and the fourth hotel in the world to earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Among the Orchard Gardens most innovative features is the key card. After allowing guests into their room, the card becomes a powerful energy-management system. Guests activate the rooms lighting and mechanical systems by inserting the card into a slot near the door. When they leave the room, they remove the card from the box, turning off all systems except for one outlet, which can be used to charge laptops or cell phones. The system, which cost about $37,000 to install, was anticipated to save nearly 20 per cent in energy costs, paying for itself in two years. Since the building is located in an urban centre, multiple public-transit lines stop within walking distance of the hotel. The hotel also features bicycle stalls for both employees and guests, and employees who cycle to work are welcome to use a guestroom shower. High levels of insulation reduce sound transmission between rooms while improving energy efficiency. More than 80 per cent of all regularly occupied spaces are day lit, reducing the need for electric lighting, and a roof terrace strengthens visitors sense of connection to the natural environment. The project team selected materials for their recycled content, regional origin, and low chemical emissions. Materials used in the project include concrete made with flyash in place of some of the cement, wood certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards, and low-emitting carpeting made with recycled content. During the construction process, the project team diverted 77 per cent of all waste, by weight, from the landfill. The entire hotel is designated tobacco-free. Housekeeping staff use green cleaning products, and all fabrics, selected for their low chemical emissions, are machine-washed to avoid the use of dry-cleaning chemicals. Bins in each room encourage guests to recycle, and the hotel uses recycled paper and soy-based inks for their printed materials. Thanks to these and other strategies, the hotel has been recognised by the San Francisco Green Business Programme and certified according to Green Seals standard for lodging properties. Conclusion For a hotel to change its traditional ways of operating and to accept sustainability will take time. Being sustainable is not costly and does not really have a slow payback rate. A hotel can start its journey in becoming green by implementing simple changes, policies and services such as providing your guests with bicycles, walking maps to encourage them to do something that is more environmentally friendly and healthy. Creating an incentive programme to encourage your staff to participate in and improve upon environmentally friendly practices. Replacing a simple incandescent light bulb with a CFL. Coming up with creative ways to reward hotel guests for being green. One great example is Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers offers a free meal to guests who generate 10 watt hours of electricity on the gym bicycle [12]. These are only a few examples of what hotels could do, while some steps may be small, none are insignificant. If we can follow the four basic principles (page 4) to achieve sustainability, we can work together to be sustainable. We will all have a better quality of life, we will waste less, we will pollute less and we will create more things we value in society while improving our planets chance of providing us with the very things we need to survive.