Saturday, December 28, 2019

Analysis Of Mark Twain s The Great Gatsby - 2501 Words

Mark Twain, also known as Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was a well-loved Realist, specializing in Realism. Twain is a good example of the perfect Realist author because he incorporated colloquial speech, the depiction of the â€Å"average Joe†, and creating characters that have to make ethical choices in his literature. The Realist literary movement brought many influential novels and short stories into American literature. The movement lasted for about fifty years, beginning around 1850 and ending in 1900. This was a huge time of change in America, with rising tensions between the North and South, the Civil War, westward expansion, and The Great Migration. Cities were quickly expanding and teaming with people looking for homes. Factory jobs were rapidly replacing farming and many Americans lived in city slums. Authors adapted to these changing times through their literature. This literary time period was greatly influenced by the influx of city factory workers and the pov erty they faced. Many realist works are based on the gap in society between the wealthy and the poor. Realism was greatly influenced by the Civil War (1861-1865) and the post-war period. The Civil War influenced authors to write about the lives of soldiers and the average American person in a new light. Literature about the war at this time was rare and consisted mostly of letters and personal soldier diary entries. This literary time period was also greatly influenced by the westward expansion ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Great Gatsby 974 Words   |  4 PagesMark Twain’s works are some of the most studied and exalted when it comes to American Literature. Twain lived in many different places in his life time, thus his works had roots in many different areas of American Culture. From a silver prospector to a printing press worker, he held many different jobs in these locations. He is also regarded as one of the greatest humorists of American Literatu re. In fact, his works were considered to have no place in literature by many experts until the 1910’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Great Gatsby 1179 Words   |  5 PagesFive Paragraph Essay: Mark Twain (Garrett) Have you ever heard of the Great American Novel, or its author Mark Twain? Well, I guess that s not his real name, but that is his best known pen name. His real name, Samuel Clemens, was given to him in Florida, Missouri on November 30, 1835, which funnily enough, is the day the earth had a visit from a magic shooting star, called Halley s Comet. 4 boring years later, the Mr. Twain and his family moved to the town of Hannibal, Missouri, which is inspirationRead MoreLiterary Analysis : An Inspector Calls 2046 Words   |  9 Pagesto better understand the author’s literary works; other times, it may examine the representation of such societal elements within the literature itself (Social Criticism) An example of this would be how in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huck goes against what society wants, that being harboring a slave, and instead makes a friend out of a slave named Jim and shields him from the law no matter what the consequences of that might be. In â€Å"The Informer† by Liam O’Flaherty, Gypo NolanRead More Censorship in the Classroom Essay2774 Words   |  12 PagesDead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs The Pigman by Paul Zindel POLITICS Anti American: The Girl Scout Handbook    Racist: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain My House by Nikki Giovanni    Written by a Russian: Crime and Punishment by DostoevskyRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesï » ¿TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS The purpose of Text Interpretation and Analysis is a literary and linguistic commentary in which the reader explains what the text reveals under close examination. Any literary work is unique. It is created by the author in accordance with his vision and is permeated with his idea of the world. The reader’s interpretation is also highly individual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed â€Å"model†

Friday, December 20, 2019

William Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet - 968 Words

A popular idiom that many children are told are a young age is â€Å"You can’t judge a book by its cover†. Accordingly, this idiom holds true about people, how their appearance, background, or name do not define who they are. This meaningful message is expressed in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Beastly by Alex Flinn, and Scribbler of Dreams by Mary E. Pearson. These texts reveal the message that if one is willing to look past a prejudice, one can see who another really is, leading to the most unlikely of relationships. Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, is a text that is read by a majority of students at some point in their experience of education. Romeo and Juliet is a story of two children, from feuding families, falling in love. Moreover,the families abhor each other, meaning that the two lovers must keep their romance secret. Consequently,the lovers end up committing suicide, after they think the other is dead, finally ending the feud betw een the families. In one scene, the lovers are close by and are talking about the other, and their love. One of the lovers, Juliet, says â€Å"What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other word would smell as sweet.† (II, ii, 46-47) This quote by Juliet is exemplifying the message that a name, does not change who someone is. Her family had a prejudice against Romeo, her lover, solely because of who he was related to. In the case that Romeo was not judged in behalf of his family, he and Juliet wouldShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1287 Words   |  6 PagesLizzy Baginski English Composition 2 Mr. Spera March 10, 2015 Romeo and Juliet Research Paper The movie Romeo and Juliet is a modern classic film that took place in 1996. Overall this is a timeless story that everyone should go and watch. This movie has an intriguing plot line that tells the story of two feuding families, The Montagues and The Capulets, and how the children of these two different families fall in love. The two children overcome various obstacles such as hiding their chemistry fromRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet 966 Words   |  4 Pages Beauty Over Gold â€Å"Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.--William Shakespeare, 1623. In his book As You Like It, William Shakespeare pointed out the supremacy of love rather than the want of gold and wealth. Truly, beauty is more important to thieves than wealth. Many of the thieves in this world would rather have an elegant woman than to obtain precious rubies. After all, what good is a prosperous man if he doesn’t have a charming woman? Two famous men grab my attention who didn’t fear forRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet Essay1024 Words   |  5 PagesRomeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare s most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. Romeo and Juliet belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to antiquity. The plot is based on an ItalianRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1124 Words   |  5 PagesThe play Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare s most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. Romeo and Juliet belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to antiquity. Its plot is based onRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet861 Words   |  4 Pagesgreatly shown in the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It was love at first sight with Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Meeting at a party and falling in love to get married without even spending quality time with each other. Romeo and Juliet couldn t tell there parents because the Capulets and Montagues are long term rivals. Both Romeo and Juliet had to find different ways and excuses to make this marriage work. A big problem was developed. Romeo kills Juliet s cousin and is banishedRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1770 Words   |  8 Pagesof Romeo and Juliet. The story of two destined lovers who were killed by their own doing. But what if they weren t two destined lovers who got unlucky, but doomed partners that were never going to have a good-life to begin with.William Sha kespeare gives us a view of early signs of gang conflict in the early age of Verona, Italy. He gives us a perspective of the norms and customs of Italy during the Setting of William Shakespeare s most famous story. Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, givesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1264 Words   |  6 Pagestheater-going public the most important dramatist in English literature, Shakespeare occupies a well-known position in the world of talented authors. His canon contains thirty-seven plays, written in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Additionally, throughout the years, they continue to sustain critical attention, with the majority of his works circling tragedies, one being Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet speaks to the timeless appeal of star-crossed lovers. Their loveRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet924 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy that follows t he so-called love of two teenagers. The two fall in love at a masked ball and have a secret marriage. Throughout the play, their actions show how ridiculous love is, and how it is a danger to anyone who become twisted in its choking grasp. However, in the death of the youth and survival of the elders, an alternative explanation for the tragic events may be found. Although Shakespeare seems to be mocking love throughout the play, itRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1616 Words   |  7 Pageslove can also cause some of life s most controversial battles. These battles could stem from lack of patience, disagreement of moral values, and in some cases, an absence of attraction overall. In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the issues that drive Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet s to each of their dreadful misfortunes are inevitable. When it comes to many of Shakespeare s plays, Aristotle s theory is used to describe them as tragedies. Romeo and Juliet is known by many as a tragedyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet967 Words   |  4 Pagesof ‘Romeo and Juliet’ written by William Shakespeare. Shakespearean time was between the middle Ages and the Industrial Revolution and it was branded by religious changes. William Shakespeare is widely known as the greatest dramatist of all time. Born April 1564, Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is no doubt one of his most famous pieces. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was first published in 1597 and its tragic story of banned love still captures the creativity of its audience today. ‘Romeo and Juliet’, although

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Installation and Configuration of a Network Interface free essay sample

Most of the household’s networks use the star topology. A star network forms a central connection point called a hub that may be a hub, switch or router. Devices are mostly connected to the hub with Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Ethernet. The Star topology requires more cable wire compared to ring network. Tree Topology: Tree topologies are kind of multiple star topologies together onto a bus. In its simplest form, only hub devices connect directly to the tree bus and each hub functions as the root of a tree of devices.This bus/star hybrid approach backs future expandability of the network much better than a bus or a star (limited by the number of hub connection points) alone. Mesh Topology: Mesh topologies involve the concepts and theories of routes. Unlike the previous topologies, messages sent on a mesh network can take many possible paths from source to destination. (Recall that even in a ring, although two cable paths exist, messages can only travel in one direction). We will write a custom essay sample on Installation and Configuration of a Network Interface or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It provides physical access to a networking medium and often provides a low-level addressing system through the use of MAC Address. Each network interface card has its unique id. This is written on a chip which is mounted on the card. Role of Software and Hardware: All computer systems consist of hardware and software. Both the hardware and the software are very important for the way in which the computer works. Problems that might occur within the working of computer hardware or software changes the way in which the computer works or functions .This is why it is very important for all to become aware of what our computer consists of and how its components operate so as to be able to overcome certain problems that might occur within the PC. The hardware is considered the most important part within a computer because even the software is influenced by it. This is way it is very useful to know about the importance of computer hardware so as to become aware of the necessity of attaching good quality components for the PC so that it may function smoothly.A very important aspect to be taken in notice when describing about the importance of computer hardware is the great importance of the computer memory. All users have information about the random access memory (RAM) that deals with the way in which data is being stored within our computers. The random access memory is the most important element within computer systems. The main reason for this is because without the RAM it would be impossible for the systems to find important programs within its storage, programs that are used on regular basis as we use them every day. http://www. warepin. om/importance-of-computer-hardware/ The factors influencing choice of networks stating advantages and disadvantages: A combination of two or more different topologies makes for a hybrid topology. When all the basic topologies are connected to one another, they do not display characteristics of any one specific topology. It becomes hybrid topologies with all this characteristics. It is chosen, when there are more than two basic working topologies in place already and these have to be connected to one another. When a star topology is connected to another star topology, it remains a star topology.Advantages of Hybrid Topology: ?One of the topmost advantages of hybrid topology is its flexibility. The hybrid topology is designed, so that it can be implemented for various different network environments. Most probably it’s the combination of different configurations, due to which it works perfectly for different amounts of network rush. Adding other peripheral or external connections is easy, as the new nodes and/or peripherals can be connected into a topology and the said topology can be connected to the hybrid topology. As compared to most other topologies, this topology is reliable.It has better fault tolerance. Since, a number of different topologies are connected to one another, in case of breakdown, it becomes rather easier to leave out the different topologies connected to each other and find the problem with the hybrid topology. When a particular link in the network breaks down, it does not affect the working of others. Any type of topology can be combined with another without making any changes to the existing topology. The speed of the topology is consistent, as it combines the strengths of each of the topologies.The most important advantage of this topology is that the weaknesses of the different topologies connected are neglected and only the strengths are taken into consideration. Although it makes for a very complicated topology, it is among the most effective and efficient ones. Disadvantage of Hybrid topology:- ?Since different topologies come together in a hybrid topology, managing the topology becomes difficult. It is also very expensive to maintain. The cost of this topology is higher as compared to the other topologies. ?Installation and configuration of the hybrid topology is difficult.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Strategic Planning General Electric Company -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Strategic Planning General Electric Company? Answer: Introduction Jeff Immelt was appointed as the chairman and CEO of General Electric in the year 2001 after which slowly and gradually various events took place which required strict changes in the existing strategy for the company. Immelt handled the situation after deep analysis of the situation and after taking into account all the possible outcomes of the strategy. In what ways has Jeff Immelt redirected the strategy of GE? Answer The corporate landscape of GE was affected by a variety of events that took place soon after the appointment of Jeff Immelt as the CEO of GE (Skarzynski Gibson, 2008). Immediately, he confronted a series of events in the form of challenges which affected GEs business environment. The events included 9/11, and high profile corporate scandals like Enron, WorldCom which caused a crisis of assurance over financial reporting, corporate governance and business ethics. Few years later in the year 2008, GE Capital, which was the main growth source for GE, suffered from a major financial crisis which led to the increase in bad debts and asset write downs. As a result, the domestic economic growth and investors confidence underwent a major downfall. This led to the change in environment which demanded Immelt to change the emphasis of the organization to the creation of new products, services and market. Therefore, his prime focus was to redirect the strategy of GE with the help of con sumer focus, innovation and organic growth (Metzger, 2014). It was long-term transformation approach in which the complete business portfolio of GE was configured around two fundamental businesses of GE i.e. - specialty financial services and infrastructure with a view to redirect the performance goals set by GE towards profit maximization. The strategy also aimed at making technological innovation and customer service as the key strength of GE and also required to make necessary alterations in the structure, corporate culture and management processes. Immelt wanted the company to turn into high technology infrastructure company in the areas where GE had competitive advantage over the other similar organizations (Bartlett, 2006). Therefore, he developed a growth strategy depending upon five crucial elements- Technical Leadership- It was believed that technology was one of the most important drivers of growth for GE from the day it was founded. Immelt further committed to achieve future growth with the help of technical leadership. Services acceleration- GEs capability to serve its customers more appropriately was further enhanced by building service businesses on locomotives, aircraft engines, power turbines, medical devices, etc. while making high profits and increasing the entry barriers for other organizations. Commercial excellence- The main aim revolves around creating a world-class commercial culture in order to overlap the monetary orientation and engineering bias of the overriding business approach possessed by GE under Welch (Abetti, 2001). Globalization- Basically, Immelt focused on the opportunities which still remain underexploited in developing countries like India and China and committed to enlarge its sourcing strategy and market admittance globally. Growth platforms- It was recognized that in order to build new business opportunities that significantly exploit the trends with the view to achieve growth in the future by proper resource allocation. The central theme of Immelts strategy revolved around organic growth of GE which he aimed at 8% per annum in the year 2002. This aim was set with the idea of maintaining the revenue growth between two to three times of the world GDP. GE started concentrating on the businesses where they found strong growth potential like healthcare, energy, technology infrastructure, broadcasting and entertainment by reallocating resources from the slow growth businesses. This required complete analysis and division of market to recognize high-growth segments that have the capability to offer attractive returns to obtain a leading position in the market either by acquiring other business in a way such that various technical, financial and managerial resources are organized or by building upon GEs current businesses (Ocasio Joseph, 2008). Immelt placed emphasis in the areas where GE shared a competitive advantage over other similar organizations. Three sources of competitive advantage were recognized as global presence, customer focus and integrated solutions, innovation and technology. He identified technology as the most important aspect in growth of GE in the coming years and recognized the need to speed up the distribution of new technologies within the company. The customers were considered as the prime focus and attempts were made to build strong relationships with them along with taking proper steps for solving their problems on time and aimed at delivering high quality products. This led to the requirement of increased investment in the marketing function of the company which also includes the appointment of capable marketing executives. A number of evolving global trends were identified by him like the requirement of improved infrastructure, the demand for sustainable infrastructure, opportunities in the developing market and the ageing population. Moreover, GE provided additional financial support to its research and development capabilities. Therefore, it can be con cluded that the whole strategy focused on creating differentiation advantage through the introduction of innovative products and services and improved customer focus. In the year 2006, Immelt recognized General Electrics growth engine as a six-part process which was distributed in the entire organization and also turned out to be an important source of communication to their external constituencies. It involved leadership in technology, globalization, commercial excellence, customer value, innovation and growth leadership (Lea, 2005). Under the business portfolio, Immelt adopted a value creation approach and opted for selected expansion. The main focus was shifted to the long-term earnings along with undertaking those mergers and acquisitions activities which were essential for worldwide growth. It aimed at exploiting all the available opportunities in various areas like infrastructure, healthcare and environmental conservation (Gunther, 2007). As far as performance management is concerned, the customer satisfaction was considered as the prime focus and the investment criteria for marketing was subsequently increased. The organizational structure achieved a level of flexibility as different businesses of the company were combined together and was reduced from six to five. This led to greater level of ease in knowledge sharing and cooperation among the divisions. Moreover, the strategy was influenced to great extent with the personality of Jeff Immelt as he was the man of the people and also an idealist (Ireland, et. al. 2001). He used to encourage people by teasing them, being polite and sophisticated and praising them for their efforts which acted as non-monetary motivation for the employees. This can be better with the help of a BCG matrix also known as growth share matrix which determines the position of business units within important determinants of profitability. There are four categories in the model dogs (low market share, low growth rate), question marks (low market share, high growth rate), stars (high market share, high growth rate), cash cows (high market share, low market growth) (Hanlon, A. 2017). Power, energy management, oil and gas and renewable energy business of the company are stars in the BCG matrix with high growth rate and market share and therefore comprise the areas of competition for GE. GE can use innovative technologies for competing in these industries. Other businesses such as transportation, healthcare, capital and financial business and lighting and appliances are the question mark of GE (Marketing 91, 2018). To what extent is the strategy aligned with a. The requirements of the 21st century business environment? b. GEs resources capabilities? Answer :(a) The business environment of the 21st century placed a challenge before Jeff Immelt to find out the probable sources of profit for GE (Pearce, 2009). The time when Immelt took over the charge of GE was the end of the period when the market economy was growing with optimism and confidence and now it was heading towards a downfall (Kikoski Kikoski, 2004). Under Jack Welch, GE identified the value can be created by the elimination of underperforming assets, reduction of cost and by taking the full advantage of the opportunities offered by the financial services (Slater, 2003). But these sources were completely utilized and of no use thereby requiring Immelt to look into new areas for growth. He further identified that in order to progress in the existing market situation, the growth needs to be organic growth (Prokesch, 2009). Therefore, with a view to achieve profitable organic growth, various important global trends were recognized by him that would offer immense business opportunities for GE (Grant, 2016). These trends were- demography or aging of the worlds population, infrastructure, emerging markets and environment. The changing business environment necessitated GE to prepare itself for faster growth rather than adopting a slow growth process. It focused on reallocating resources to the areas where there were chances of growth while taking the complete benefit of the evolving global trends (Fernando, 2012). Therefore, the growth strategy adopted by Immelt concentrated on recognizing new growth platforms in new business areas or as the extensions of prevailing businesses (Magee, 2009). The strategy can be better analyzed with the help of PESTLE analysis. Political Government support for digitalization of industries created opportunities for GE to bring improvement in its business. Government also supported for the shifting to renewable resources that affected GE Renewable Energy and Oil and Gas operating segments. Therefore, political factors aligned the strategy in a way such that the growth and expansion opportunity can be captured (Kissinger, 2017). Economic Full exploitation of the strategic synergies was planned through proper control on the diversified portfolio in order to achieve its growth objectives in the emerging economies. Growth in GE was seen as a result of the increase in the disposable income which resulted in increased purchase of lighting products and consumer appliances by customers. However, it also required the strategy to be concerned regarding the increased competitive rivalry in conglomerate industry environment. Social The changing business environment also changed the needs, wants and expectations of the customers. With a view to become customer oriented, Immelt started valuing the time spent with the customers and took steps to build strong relationships with them along with considering their problems (Wilson, 2007). Attempts were made to increase the customer value by providing products with support and technology services. Such products will also help GE to achieve new heights in the international markets along with meeting the local market needs. Technological Immelt ascertained that technology was one of the major factors that will lead the organization towards growth but it is possible only after expansion of R D budgets. This was clearly revealed in the Imagination breakthroughs which were promising projects related with technological research and development and were capable of generating $100 million sales over a period of three years. Immelt believed that technology will act as the key driver of sales and future growth for GE (Barlett, Hall Bennett, 2007). Environmental GE has made the investment of billions of dollars for improving and protecting the environment. Wind energy, solar and nuclear power also comprise the significant areas of experience for GE. Sustainability is embedded in the business strategy and culture of GE. Operations of GE are spread over 120 countries which makes compliance with various laws very important. Compliances are infused in every aspect of the business of GE as deals in both national and international business (General Electric IRR, 2018). After the identification of growth platforms, the next step aims at acquiring a leading position with the help of some strategic acquisitions and organization of various technical, managerial and financial resources. The external business events held in the period 2001-09 like Twin Towers destruction, scandal of the Tyco International, collapse of Enron and the financial crises of the year 2008-09 led to increased responsiveness in corporate governance subjects. In the matter of GE, the investment committee has the opinion that the company has not reported their profits in an open and transparent manner which ultimately reduced shares of GE. This led to a drop in the rating of GE from AAA to AA+ (Gall, et. al., 2010). Answer (b) The reason behind the success of GE is its ability to constantly adapt its management systems and business portfolio to meet the demands and opportunities of the changing business environment (Rothschild, 2007). The core competency of GE lies in the recruiting and nurturing of the best people from the globe along with cultivating them in order to develop desires to do things better every day. Moreover, the company makes the selection, adaptation and implementation of the best practices that are most relevant to its immediate future. The management practices are changed and new methods are adopted in accordance with the need (Martin, 2014). The best efforts of its employees along with the application of best practices allowed the full utilization of the resources and capabilities of GE by applying new thought processes, knowledge and innovative skills in order to implement their strategy emphasizing on customer focus, innovation and organic growth. Its success is the result of using correct ideas and innovation and then applying required expertise in managing and formulating the ideas into successful investments. Immelt particularly focused on supporting those projects that provided large-scale market potential. This was clearly revealed in the Imagination breakthroughs which were promising projects related with technological research and development and were capable of generating $100 million sales over a period of three years. Immelt believed that technology will act as the key driver of sales and future growth for GE. He made proper analysis of the evolving trends in the world and developed a complete understanding of SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and then made technical leadership as its competitive advantage. Therefore, the strategy seems to be appropriate with the resources and capabilities of GE. As a result of GEs diversification and variety of technology, more customers are now engaged with the company and share an immense relationship. One of the important features of the organizational change is that it led to increase in coordination between businesses in order to take full advantage of new opportunities for the purpose of bundling the various goods and facilities and sharing resources and capabilities. GE has now make it possible in a way that now such customer orientation, bundling and technology fits in along with increase in performance with cost efficiency and quality. Huge investment was made in the research and development department which also resulted in new products like sodium battery and Smart Grid. The managerial capability was optimally utilized in a manner so as to increase the efficiency along with the reduction in costs. This led to increase in customer satisfaction and building of brand reputation. What organizational changes has the new strategy necessitated? Will GE be able to successfully execute the new strategy? What alternative strategies should GE consider? Answer: The new strategy implemented by Immelt required some changes to be made in the business portfolio, management systems, organizational structure and the adoption of new methods to value creation and competitive advantage (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2008). The new strategy placed more emphasis on customer focus, innovation and organic growth, therefore, various systems and structures followed by GE needed to be realigned in order to be capable of managing and handling complex circumstances of diversified businesses along with upholding the performance and efficiency (Kumar Rangan, 2012). Major structural change was initiated in the year 2002 due to the focus set by Immelt on new growth platforms and greater cross integration. The regrouping and reorganization of GEs division into broad based sectors made it easier to identify numerous connections among the businesses. GEs broad markets in which it had a market leadership were: GE Capital, technology, industrial and commercial, infrastructure, NBC Universal and healthcare. For making the organization more customer oriented, GEs marketing function was revitalized and various customer-oriented programs were put in place. This led to the transformation of the business from being operating efficient to become a marketer. Moreover, the business portfolio was altogether reshaped by developing opportunities with high level synchronization across multiple organizational divisions. This led to the increase in organizational complexity of GE along with complexities in the performance management as it created difficulties in linking individual incentives with the performance of the organization. Furthermore, organizational structure was changed for the purpose of integration of various businesses but this led to the coordination problem as it was beyond cross selling. The organizational structure became more complex due to the fact that the company was constantly engaged into the acquisition of new businesses to accelerate the growth in know-how and energy sector . The basic requisite of enterprise selling and customer orientation is a simple structure. In order to implement the strategy productively and successfully, Immelt needs to look for a way such that the complexity of the organizational structure can be minimized while having the capability to purchase new businesses to grow in the market (Brady, 2005). It is believed that the strategy adopted by Immelt will be successful but in order to make it possible in the era of 21st century, it is necessary that GE shift its emphasis to sophisticated management, risk taking and innovation (Petrie, 2011). In this way, they will be able to provide new variety of goods and services which will also provide them the opportunity to enter into new markets. Efforts must be made with the view to reduce the organizational complexity which in turn will establish stronger relations among the employees of the organization. Also, the combination of innovation and efficiency will provide success along with the opportunity to meet the demands of constantly changing environment (Bagley, 2015). It is expected that GE will certainly play a leadership role as it is engaged in conglomerate business model and will uphold its significance (Leinwand Mainardi, 2012). The funds acquired from the sale of the businesses will enable GE to reinvest such funds in innovation and technology. Moreover, GE must aim at reducing the complexity of organizational structure and should set its focus on specialization and DE conglomerating (Colvin, 2015). Approximately 41% of the total revenue of GE, between 2000-2015, was contributed by GE Capital but with the view to focus on the high- value industrial businesses, it sold most of the GE Capital assets to Wells Fargo and only retained the financing verticals (GE Capital Aviation Services, Energy Financial Services and Healthcare Equipment Finance) that were directly related to GEs industrial businesses (Reuters Kelly, 2015). As an alternative strategy, GE should always come forward in developing new systems and should not consider the breaking up of GE because that group of businesses has resulted in the growth, benefit and competitive advantage for the company (Govindarajan Trimble, 2012). The company and shareholders benefit from the working systems of GE, therefore, they must be continued. The strategy can be reproduced by GE by working with best and most advantageous performers of the market (Samaha, 2014). Also, GE should bring more transparency within the organization and between the clients and shareholders along with providing detailed financial reports for proper information. After Immelt, the new CEO John Flannery is expected to make changes in the strategy to attain the new heights of success through rejiggering GEs portfolio and cost cutting. Furthermore, in order to achieve sustainable growth Flannery can change the strategies of its most successful lines of business by engaging in new grow th vectors and by investing in capabilities that create new sources of growth (Cohan, 2017). Moreover, the new strategy of the company includes shedding $20 billion in assets in the next two years (Lohr, 2017). Intensive marketing tactics can be adopted for improving relations with clients and thereby strengthening the subject matter of ecomagination which will further contribute towards GEs brand appeal (Hill, Jones Schilling, 2014). Moreover, the developing world continuously offers various opportunities for other businesses handled by GE like entertainment as the population growth leads in expansion in demand. The company is now focusing on the prime business lines- aviation, power and healthcare and is expected to exit majority of other business lines (Cox, 2017). Conclusion Jeff Immelt implemented the strategy tactfully by making the requisite changes in the organizational structure, management systems and taking into account the adoption of new methodology to achieve success. The strategy is expected to achieve greater heights in the future if the inconsistencies are also given proper consideration. Some changes are required to be made in order to remove the organizational complexity and to make the organization prepared to take up the available opportunities and face the challenges in the market. Therefore, it can be concluded that overall the strategy adopted by Immelt has performed very well in the era of 21st century by focusing on consumer orientation and innovation. Moreover, it can be said that Immelt has completely recreated GE under his leadership by providing his vision as a connection of physical and digital world and mixed the elements of flexibility, speed and scale. References Bartlett, C.A., 2006.GE's growth strategy: The Immelt initiative. Harvard Business School. Brady, D., 2005. The immelt revolution.Business Week,28(2005), pp.64-73. Cohan, P. 2017. 2 Things GE's CEO Must Do To Revive Its Stock. [Online]. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2017/11/13/2-things-ges-ceo-must-do-to-revive-its-stock/#ae778d1af393 [Accessed on: 14 November 2017]. Colvin, G. 2015. For GE, breaking up is hard to do, [Online]. Available at: https://fortune.com/2015/08/21/general-electric-end-of-conglomerates/ [Accessed on: 14 November 2017]. Fernando, R., 2012. Sustainable globalization and implications for strategic corporate and national sustainability.Corporate Governance: The international journal of business in society,12(4), pp.579-589. Govindarajan, V. and Trimble, C., 2012.Reverse innovation: Create far from home, win everywhere. Harvard Business Press. Grant, R.M. 2016. Contemporary Strategy Analysis Text and Cases Edition Wiley EText Card. John Wiley Sons. Gunther, M., 2007. Green is good.Fortune,2, p.44. Hill, C. W. L., Jones, G. R. and Schilling, M. A. 2014. Strategic Management: Theory: An Integrated Approach. Cengage Learning. Ireland, R.D., Hitt, M.A., Camp, S.M. and Sexton, D.L., 2001. Integrating entrepreneurship and strategic management actions to create firm wealth.The Academy of Management Executive,15(1), pp.49-63. Kikoski, C.K. and Kikoski, J.F., 2004.The inquiring organization: Tacit knowledge, conversation, and knowledge creation: Skills for 21st-century organizations. Greenwood Publishing Group. Kocieniewski, D., 2011. GEs strategies let it avoid taxes altogether.New York Times,24, p.10. Kumar, V. and Rangan, V.K., 2012. Healthymagination at GE healthcare systems. Lea, B.R., 2005. Leveraging Information Technology to gain competitive advantage: a case study on General Electric Consumer Products.Journal of International Technology and Information Management,14(1), p.3. Leinwand, P. and Mainardi. C. 2012. The Coherent Conglomerate, [Online]. Available at: https://hbr.org/2012/06/the-coherent-conglomerate [Accessed on: 14 November 2017]. Lohr, S. 2017. G.E. Rolls Back the Breadth of Its Ambitions. [Online]. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/13/business/ge-dividend-flannery.html [Accessed on: 14 November 2017] Metzger, K. 2014. General Electric. Corporate Strategy Analysis. GRIN Verlag. Ocasio, W. and Joseph, J., 2008. Rise and fall-or transformation?: The evolution of strategic planning at the General Electric Company, 19402006.Long range planning,41(3), pp.248-272. Pearce. 2009. Strategic Management 10E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Petrie, N., 2011. Future trends in leadership development.Center for Creative Leadership white paper,5, p.5. Prokesch, S., 2009. How GE teaches teams to lead change.harvard business review,87(1), pp.99-106. Reuters and Kelly, M. B. 2015. GE is selling most of its $30 billion real estate portfolio and planning a $50 billion buyback, [Online]. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.in/GE-is-selling-most-of-its-30-billion-real-estate-portfolio-and-planning-a-50-billion-buyback/articleshow/46877516.cms [Accessed on: 14 November 2017]. Rothschild. 2007. The Secret to GE's Success. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Skarzynski, P. and Gibson, R., 2008. Innovation to the core.Harvard Business School Press, Boston. Slater, R., 2003.Jack Welch and the GE Way. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Wilson, I., 2007. An insider's guide to the history of GE's management strategies.Strategy Leadership,35(4). Hanlon, A. 2017. How to use the BCG Matrix model, [Online]. Available at: https://www.smartinsights.com/marketing-planning/marketing-models/use-bcg-matrix/ [Accessed on: 20 January 2018]. Marketing 91. 2018. Marketing Strategy of General Electric General Electric Marketing Strategy, [Online]. Available at: https://www.marketing91.com/marketing-strategy-general-electric/ [Accessed on: 20 January 2018]. Kissinger, D. 2017. General Electric (GE) PESTEL/PESTLE Analysis Recommendations, , [Online]. Available at: https://panmore.com/general-electric-ge-pestel-pestle-analysis-recommendations [Accessed on: 20 January 2018]. General Electric IRR. 2018. PESTEL Analysis, [Online]. Available at: https://sites.google.com/site/generalelectricirr/pestel-analysis [Accessed on: 20 January 2018]. Martin. 2014. General Electric Business Model, [Online]. Available at: https://www.cleverism.com/general-electric-business-model/ [Accessed on: 20 January 2018]. Barlett, C. A., Hall, B. J. and Bennett, N. 2007. [Online]. Available at: https://hbr.org/product/ges-imagination-breakthroughs-the-evo-project/907048-PDF-ENG [Accessed on: 20 January 2018].

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The eNotes Blog Scholarship Spotlight July2015

Scholarship Spotlight July2015 Every month, we  select some of the best scholarships around and post them here on our blog. When you are ready to apply,  check out our tips on How to Write a Scholarship Essay! Vegetarian Video Scholarship   Amount: $250 Eligibility: Applicant must be a U.S. citizen. Requirements:  Applicant must create and submit a video relating what they want to tell others about vegetarianism and/or veganism. Due Date: July 15, 2015 Bachus Schanker  Scholarship Amount: $2,000 Eligibility: Applicant must be a high school senior that has been accepted to attend a four-year university by the time of the award, or a full time student attending a four-year university in the United States who has a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Requirements: Essay Due Date: July 30, 2015 From Failure to Promise Essay Contest Amount: $500-$10,000 Eligibility: Applicant must be either a high school senior or an undergraduate or graduate student  who will be attending a college or university in the United States, Canada, or Mexico during the 2015-2016 academic year. In addition applicant be have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Requirements: Essay Due Date: July 30, 2015 Doctor on Demand Scholarship Amount: $5,000 Eligibility: Applicant must be a enrolled in a pre-med or health-related field-of-study at a four year, accredited college or university for the fall of 2015. Requirements: Essay, cover sheet Due Date: July 31, 2015

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Kalamazoo River PCB content or Oil Spill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Kalamazoo River PCB content or Oil Spill - Essay Example It stretches across several states, and drains into Lake Michigan. The rivers course covers about 178 miles and its median flow is about 2000 cubic feet per second. The archeological artifacts show the use of this river by humans for a period of over 10000 years. The river is home to abundant aquatic life and a natural habitat for several fish species. It has ponds and a natural scene that is conducive for most aquatic invertebrates. The river has though undergone a lot of pollution from industrial wastes in the past. Despite the continued efforts to clean the river of industrial wastes, the presence of chemicals left behind by previous pollution is still a setback to the efforts. A major oil spill that occurred in the Kalamazoo River in 2010 spelled a major disaster as a broken pipeline leaked a million gallons of diluted bitumen into the river. The occurrence sparked the most costly cleanup operation in the history of the United States. It took over 750 million dollars to clean up the leak, but the long term effects still remain to date. The Alliance for Great Lakes blames the leaks on companies trying to minimize costs and use of substandard pipelines, which lack proper maintenance. Oil spills are a major cause of worry in relation to the effects they have on the environment, oil in its form inhibits penetration of gases and can easily suffocate marine by cutting oxygen supply. After the oil spill, the Kalamazoo had dead fish all over the surface; fishing activities ban for some time affected the livelihood of the people. Enbridge Energy Partners came under criticism, as they owned the pipeline. The effects of the Kalamazoo oil spill are both direct and indirect. The spill led to the closure of sections of the river for dredging. The dredging works cost Enbridge more than the insurance cover they had undertaken and was subject to many legal battles. They also came under public criticism due to closure of sections which used by many people. The slow pace of t he cleanup exercise too attracted public criticism and dissatisfaction. It ended up bringing back the subject of pollution experienced previously on the river, according to a survey AGL conducted people complained of companies being allowed time to conduct more research on the effects rather than concentrating on removal of the toxic wastes from the river. The presence of carcinogenic chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyl’s from wastes of landfills left by paper mills from recycled carbonless paper a now illegal chemical. Despite a major cleanup exercise, AGL believes everything changed after the leak. Some people vacated the area; others still live in uncertainty and are unsure of what long-term effects to expect. The land along the shores soaks with oil and solid materials still float along the riverbed. The scars of the disastrous spill are still visible. The period it takes to clean up an oil spill completely is hard to tell especially on such a large water body. The ef fect on wildlife is under research and turtles and ducks submerged in oil. The effect of this oil coating on feathers and turtle shells is may cause a change in breeding patterns, a negative effect on the animal’s reproduction or even damage to organs in their bodies. The uncertainty breeds anxiety on the actual impact expected to result. There is a drastic change in the food chain, and already there is a drastic reduction of fish in the most affected parts of the river. Certain insects

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Role of the Environment (Geography) in the Emergence of the Egypti Essay - 2

The Role of the Environment (Geography) in the Emergence of the Egyptian Civilization - Essay Example People grew food along the river due to the availability of water and the fertility of the land. The river became an important feature that attracted settlements, leading to a significant growth of cities (Stalcup 2000). Being in a desert, Egypt’s survival relied on the river. Therefore, as civilization continued people came to live in the cities near the river in order to increase their chances of survival. Egyptians lived in an environment with a lot of dessert features. Due to the seasonal rains in East Africa where River Nile originates, the Nile overflowed annually during the ancient Egyptian civilization (Smith 1916). When the rains decreased, the rich black soil was deposited on the floodplain. This environmental phenomenon led to successful agricultural production in Egypt (Stalcup 2000). The sun was also shining relentlessly, providing light and heat for the people and crops. Furthermore, natural dessert barriers caused protection of the Egyptians against foreigners. In terms of arts and writings, a strong and creative society was created following the rise of cities and civilizations along the Nile Delta. The Lighthouse at Alexandria and the Pyramids of Giza became two of the five wonders of the world. There were a lot of written records of ancient Egyptians including moralistic treatises, love poetry, instructional texts and tales. Their knowledge of Mathematics and architecture motivated by the environment also led to the development of large stone buildings (Smith 1916). The availability of building stones and other architectural materials encourage the ancient Egyptians to develop writings and architecture in the Nile Delta region. The Nile River was also a good environment for the growth of papyrus plant that was used to write texts. This encouraged the development of writing during civilization, which  was one of the earliest forms of writings.  

Monday, November 18, 2019

Case 2 Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

2 - Case Study Example The firm had a profound financial standing while it enjoys a drastic market across the world. It is worth noting that G.E has a comprehensive system of operation that reduces wastage while promoting optimal utilization of organizational resources. The firm also benefits from a thorough company culture that attracts wide and detailed talents from all occupations. The firm enjoys an extensive facility development commitment in the end. The political environment presents an ideal stability for GE to conduct business. The challenges in the worlds environmental status present opportunities for the firm to achieve much. The technological environment allows the firm to generate innovative solutions benefiting its society and customers (Reed & Neubert, 2011). However, the legal environment poses much risk for the firm in terms of legal fees and litigation processes due to the Ecomagination policy. It is for this reason that GE has a vision and commitment of harnessing its global capabilities, market knowledge, and technology leadership while taking on the worlds tough struggles and accelerating company growth. The turbine expertise acts as the strength of the company and enhances quick moves towards renewable energy. However, one of the weaknesses of the company is the poor outlay of the communication channels set. The environmental sustainability campaign by government succeeds in presenting GE with an opportunity to engage in environmentally and socially responsible actions.In addition, the company meets the consumer’s future and current needs (Reed & Neubert, 2011). However, a threat coming with these efforts is that the public may mislead the intentions of the company leading to decline in the company’s reputation. The firm, has launched healthymagination and ecomagination as branding initiatives that highlight the commitment of the company towards social responsibility and

Friday, November 15, 2019

Analysis of Human Resource Responsibilities

Analysis of Human Resource Responsibilities INTRODUCTION The title of the project is ‘Analysis of HR practices followed by ONGC with reference to TRAINING, PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL and SAP-HR MODULE . The internship encompasses understanding the unique HR practices employed by the organisation in PSU to enrich and sustain the culture of integrity, belongingness, teamwork, accountability and innovation, and enhance employee competencies continuously. The purpose of this project to be given is to understand the practical working and effectiveness of the core HR responsibilities with special concentration on: Training Performance Appraisal SAP-HR Module The scope of this study is to comprehend and adopt the practical working environment of an organisation. Here, a link has to be formed between the academic study and the actual in-world implementations of the knowledge. Its important to realize the effect of proper training on employees, transparency in the appraisal process and up to date technological support in the HR stream. For the above study, data is collected from various primary as well as secondary sources. Basic and general information is gathered from the library which comprises of various HR journals and magazines (names are mentioned in references). Interviews are taken of the employees and questionnaires are prepared and surveys are done. Various inputs are provided by the Company Guide during formal and informal meetings. Overview of TRAINING Training employees do have a significant role in modern business era. As an HR manager, the responsibility is to utilize the HR resources optimally and develop the skills of the employees so that they can contribute to the growth of the organization as well as to their personal growth. It leads to improved organization culture. Therefore, its important to understand: What different kinds of trainings / workshops are conducted by the organization? What are the criteria of nominations? How nominations are done? How many training sessions have to be conducted in a year? (Training Calendar) What the employees think about the training sessions? Training objective tell the trainee that what is expected out of him at the end of the training program. Training objectives are of great significance from a number of stakeholder perspectives, Trainer Trainee Designer Evaluator Trainer -The training objective is also beneficial to trainer because it helps the trainer to measure the progress of trainees and make the required adjustments. Also, trainer comes in a position to establish a relationship between objectives and particular segments of training. Trainee -The training objective is beneficial to the trainee because it helps in reducing the anxiety of the trainee up to some extent. Not knowing anything or going to a place which is unknown creates anxiety that can negatively affect learning. Therefore, it is important to keep the participants aware of the happenings, rather than keeping it surprise. Secondly, it helps in increase in concentration, which is the crucial factor to make the training successful. The objectives create an image of thetraining program in trainees mind that actually helps in gaining attention.Thirdly, if the goal is set to be challenging and motivating, then the likelihood of achieving those goals is much higher than the situation in which no goal is set. Therefore,training objectiveshelps in increasing the probability that the participants will be successful in training. Designer -The training objective is beneficial to the training designer because if the designer is aware what is to be achieved in the end then hell buy the training package according to that only. The training designer would then look for the training methods, training equipments, and training content accordingly to achieve those objectives. Furthermore, planning always helps in dealing effectively in an unexpected situation. Consider an example; the objective of one training program is to deal effectively with customers to increase the sales. Since the objective is known, the designer will designthat will include ways to improve the interpersonal skills, such as verbal and non verbal language, dealing in unexpected situation i.e. when there is a defect in a product or when a customer is angry.Therefore, without any guidance, the training may not be designed appropriately. Evaluator -It becomes easy for thetraining evaluatorto measure the progress of the trainees because the objectives define the expected performance of trainees. Training objective is an important to tool to judge the performance of participants. Systematic model training consists of five phases. The training should achieve the purpose of helping employee to perform their work to required standards. The steps are as follows: Analyze and identify the trainingneeds i.e. to analyze the department, job, employees requirement, who needs training, what do they need to learn, estimating training cost, etc The next step is to develop a performance measure on the basis of which actual performance would be evaluated. Design and provide training to meet identified needs. This step requires developing objectives of training, identifying the learning steps, sequencing and structuring the contents. Develop, this phase requires listing the activities in thetraining programthat will assist the participants to learn, selecting delivery method, examining the training material, validating information to be imparted to make sure it accomplishes all the goals objectives. Implementing is the hardest part of the system because one wrong step can lead to the failure of whole training program. Evaluating each phase so as to make sure it has achieved its aim in terms of subsequent work performance. Making necessary amendments to any of the previous stage in order to remedy or improve failure practices. Overview of PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL A very important function of the human resources department for any organization, are conducted to gauge the net worth of all its employees. Appraisal methods benefit the organization immensely. The aim of appraisals is to improve the present performance of the employees and draw on the future potential. The HR department undertakes this processes usually annually in which they procure, analyze and document facts about the performances of the employees of the organization. This provides employees and managers with opportunities to discuss areas in which employees excel and those in which employees need improvement. Performance appraisal in ONGC is conducted annually also known as E-PAR. All organizations practice performance appraisal in one form or another to achieve certain objectives. These objectives may vary from organization to organization or even within the same organization from time to time. It has been found that there are two primary objectives behind the use of this meth odology. One is to use it as an evaluation system and second, to use it as a feedback system. The aim of the evaluation system is to identify the performance gap. This means that it helps determine the gap between the actual performance of the employee and that required or desired by the organization. The aim of the feedback system is to inform the employee about the quality of his work or performance. This is an interactive process by which the employee can also speak about his problems to his superior. An effective performance appraisal system should emphasis individual objectives, organizational objectives and also mutual objectives. From the viewpoint of individual objective the performance appraisal should talk about What task the individual is expected to do? How well the individual has done the task? How can his performance be further improved? His reward for doing well. From the organizational view point a performance appraisal should generate manpower information, improve efficiency and effectiveness serve as a mechanism of control and provide a rational compensation structure. In short the appraisal system establishes and upholds the principle of accountability in the absence of which organization failure is the only possible outcome. Overview of SAP-HR Module SYSTEMS, APPLICATIONS AND PRODUCTS IN DATA PROCESSING- SAP. It is an enterprise resources planning Software Company based in Germany.It integrates all the functional units of an organization into a unified one.It deals with various activities done in the human resource department of an organization, such as, Personnel administration, personnel development, training and event management, payroll etc. SAP- HR Module distinguishes between task, job, position, and person. It provides access to all HR data and transactions in one location. Advanced SAP HR features are time management, payroll, travel management, training and development. Advantages of implementing SAP HR Module : Saves time and money, and improves information for decision making and Planning. Greater automation ensures greater accuracy. Improved reporting capability. Improved employee history data. Better budgeting, compensation adjustment. MAIN TEXT The information extracted from the primary and secondary sources of data pertaining to training, appraisal, and SAP HR module are as below: TRAINING ONGC accords top- most priority in the development of Human Resource through quality training, qualification up gradation programs and accreditation programs. ONGC also has the expertise to conduct customized training programs for its partners. In ONGC, there are following training institutes which are engaged in meeting, training and development needs of the vast human resource of the organization by designing and organizing training programs focused on organizational needs. ONGC has five training institutes of its own all across the country, viz. ONGC Academy, Dehradun Institute of Petroleum Safety Health and Environment Management, Goa School of Maintenance Practices, Vadodara Institute of Drilling Technology, Dehradun Institute of Oil and Gas Production Technology, Mumbai The training Institutes of ONGC are committed to : Impart best in class training programs across the entire industry. Continuously evolve training programs based on feedback from the participants. Provide training solutions to the corporation and partners, both from Indian and foreign, covering entire spectrum of operations. Providing best in class infrastructural facilities for the training programs. Focusing training programs on the emerging business opportunities of the corporation. ONGC measures its training in MANDAYS i.e. 01 man * 3days of training = 3 MANDAYS 10 men * 3 days of training = 30 MANDAYS Minimum target of 1400 MANDAYS are set per year. Training provided by ONGC is broadly divided into Three categories: Safety Technical Interpersonal skills During the internship study of various trainings programs are done in order to understand the objectives and deliverables. 1. SMP (Senior Management Programme) Program overview objectives: Since ONGC is extending its operations to various parts of the world, it is imperative that ONGC executives are exposed to International perspective and develop a mindset of global managers. Keeping this in view a comprehensive program has been specially designed for E-5 level Executives of ONGC. The program aims at: Understanding global perspective and developing a mindset of managing at international level. Build Customer Centric Work Culture Inculcating a mindset of Transformational leadership Evolving a culture of innovation and creativity ONGC Academy is in collaboration with MDI , Gurgaon for SMP 2. AMP (Advanced Management Programme) Program overview objectives: Designed for senior executives of ONGC to achieve the following objectives: Develop awareness and appreciation of the emerging business environment and its implications for the future of ONGC Help the participants to recognize the requisite mindset to make ONGC, a world-class organization Develop insights into the organizational processes that drive excellence Expose the participants to the best in business practices. ONGC Academy is in collaboration with IIM, lucknow . ONGC also provides Overseas Learning Sessions which includes visit to EP Industries and Executives meet in European / Western countries for exposure to best in Business Class Practices. E6and above level executives are eligible for AMP. For choosing the candidates for training / workshop sessions, nominations are done. Circulars are rotated to the Head of each department and they recommend the names of those employees which they think are appropriate to undergo the training. The institute plans and conducts training programs professional areas which involve holistic approach of management in effective accomplishment of various integrated tasks. 3. Executive Excellence through SMET, HOLSYM and Yoga Techniques Program objectives and Overview: The multi- dimensional etiological factors for stress need a multidimensional solution at physical, mental, emotional and intellectual levels. Yoga provides this holistic solution. Self Management of Excessive Tensions is the basic concept for designing this program for executives. The program aims at: Help participants understand the nature and sources of stress in individuals and in organisations, and enable them to understand the relationship of Stress to Managerial Effectiveness. Familiarise the participants with the techniques dealing with individual stress and Organisational stress and give them an opportunity to practice some techniques of Stress Management. Its a 5- days program conducted in Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana , Bengaluru. 4. Global Managers Program objectives and Overview: Todays business environment has created many challenges where managers need to think globally as the world is transforming into a ‘Global Village. The program is designed: To provide professionals with a proactive approach to deal with cultural diversity in todays multi- cultural environment. To understand the domestic Business ethics, values and practices and as well as best global practices. To prepare the participants for the challenges ahead in the highly competitive global environment. ONGC is in collaboration with IIM, Bengaluru for this 5- days progam. 5. Self Development Program for Women Employees Program objectives and Overview: The effectiveness of women employees depends upon the ability to manage multiple roles. The program has been especially designed to focus on the demands of these multiple roles and skills set required for effective performance. The program caters to up needs of women professions facing the challenges of work family balance. The objectives of the program are: To develop basic values of life to make them effective at home and work place. To be able to identify individual goals and align those with organization goals. To increase personal motivation to do the best possible in the most effective way. To appraise the participants on various issues involved in personal growth and effectiveness. To increase personal motivation to do best possible in the most effective way. To make participants aware of their strength and areas of potential development 6. Train- The- Trainer Course Program objectives and Overview: The program focuses on the Adult Learning Process, is built around the â€Å"Three Wheels of Mastery† Expertise, Planning and Presenting, Engaging and Facilitating, which are essential for Internal Faculty members/ Black Belts for motivating others to apply Six Sigma on the job and for enhancing and accelerating their learning process. ONGC provides many discipline specific programs for is employees. Some Exploration Programs: Petroleum Risk and Decision Analysis Latest trends and Development in Estimation of Oil and Gas Reserves Workshop on Basin Evaluation and Modelling Techniques in Deep Water Depositional Systems Some Production Programs: Developments in Stimulation techniques and Candidate Well selection Advances in Water Control Technology Advances in Natural Gas Engineering Reservoir Engineering for Production Operations Some Engineering Programs: Welding and Inspection CAD for Mechanical and Process Logistics Management Flow Measurement and Instrumental Practice PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Performance appraisal report is an index of an employees work performance over a given period of time. It is crucial for his or her career growth as it indicates the strengths, weaknesses, training needs, nature of job being performed and problems faced in work situation. The objectives of the performance appraisal system at ONGC are: To set norms and targets of work performance, as well as, to monitor the work progress of employees. To facilitate placement of employees in accordance with their suitability for different types of assignments. To provide an objective basis for determination of merit, efficiency and suitability for the purpose of promotion. To identify areas requiring exposure for training and development. The performance appraisal system seeks to evaluate: The work performance of an employee on the present job in relation to the expected levels of performance, both qualitative and quantitative. The extent of development achieved by the employee during the period under review. Evaluation of behavioural attributes, attitudes and abilities. Evaluation of potentials for assuming higher responsibility. Appraisal is done in three stages. First, KPIs/ KRAs are to be declared in March(beginning of appraisal year) then midterm evaluation is done which is compulsory in October and finally in March evaluation on performance of the employees is done. Employees get certain percentage of PAT based on their grades or marks of the appraisal. Earlier Appraisal was done on paper. Forms were distributed to the employees wherein they used to fill in the KPIs and then submit it. This system reported delay in recording appraisal reports. Low priority is accorded to recording appraisal reports as there was no visible accountability for delays. Inadequate time and attention was given to the process and last minute rush efforts were experienced. But now ONGC follows e-PAR which has distinct advantages: Streamlining of PAR process Uniform application of Company Policy Reduced Cycle- time and adherence to time schedules Enhanced data security and confidentiality Authenticity and audit trail of transactions Availability of on-line information System driven control and monitoring mechanism Performance based rewards and incentives for future The appraisal process constitute of one appraise and appraiser. Appraisee is the employee who fills the PAR form and submits it. Appraiser decides the KRAs/ KPIs with the employee then mid- term review is done. This is the duty of Reporting Officer. Then it is forwarded to the Reviewing Officer, who reviews it and then forward for co- review (in special cases) otherwise directly to the Moderating Officer. He sends it to Accepting Officer who accepts and forwards it to central PAR Section in Dehradun. (Refer Annexure 2) Circular of Roll out of e- PAR It suggested KPIs is issued first wherein dates are declared for joint setting of KPIs by Appraisee Appraiser. Commitment is made by the HRD group that a suggested list of KPIs applicable to different functional areas would be made available accordingly. HRD constituted a multidisciplinary committee comprising HR planners, corporate HRG and corporate PAR. This committee held detailed deliberations and consulted senior executives of different functional areas across the organization and come out with an exhaustive list of suggested KPIs. All Assessors and assesses may use the table during the process of setting KPIs. PAR DISCLOSURE, APPEAL AND COUNSELLING (A).Disclosure of PAR: The following information on PAR assessment would be shared with the employee on completion of PAR Final grades and marks given by the accepting Officer. Adverse comments (if any) Specific advice to be communicated for improvement (if any) Communication: The communication should be within 15 days of completion of PAR and in the form of system generated message in case of e-PAR. (B). Appeal and Review : Appeal may be preferred by aggrieved employees against assessed PARs as well as having adverse remarks/entry. Aggrieved employee may appeal once per assessment year directly to the Appellate Authority, through local PAR officer, instead of submitting through proper channel. The local PAR officer shall keep record and forward the same to concerned Appellate Authority, with intimation to Corporate PAR office. Appellate Authority (AA) : The designated Appellate Authority based on the reporting hierarchy have been defined in Annexure 3 and 4. While the hierarchy in the route has been defined in the table, Appellate authority must be minimum one rank higher than the Accepting Authority in any case. Each Appellate Authority shall constitute Appeal Review Committee (ARC) under him/ her comprising of representative of functional areas, with 3 members in each committee. In case Appellate Authority is at the level of GM or L- II, the members should not be below the level of E6 and for all other Appellate Authorities, members should not be below the level of E7. The meeting of the ARC shall be convened by each Appellate Authority once in a year preferably in the month of September/October, as the closing month of PAR process is generally August. The ARC may seek PAR record from respective location PAR Officer/ Corporate Officer, as the case may be. The Committee may also obtain views/recommendations of the concerned authorities involve in the assessment of the PAR, for which appeal is preferred, if needed. Based on the recommend ation of the respective ARC, the Appellate Authority shall finally decide on appeal. In case of Appellate Authority comprises of two directors, they may jointly decide on the appeal. If Appellate Authority considers and find reasonable grounds for revision of PAR grade on appeal made by aggrieved employee, such revision shall only be one step higher or lower to that of original grades for all categories. Any revision beyond one level or below will be decided by one level higher than the appellate authority, highest appellate authority being EC. For this proper justification /recommendation have to be given by the Appellate Authority. The decision of the Appellate Authority shall be conveyed to the Corporate PAR office / location PAR office, as the case may be, who in turn shall communicate to the employee in the Performa at Annexure5.The decision of the Appellate Authority shall be binding forever. No further appeal shall be entertained for the same assessment year. Each Appellate A uthority shall forward a status report on the disposal of Appeal to the Corporate PAR office for onward submission to the Director (HR). (C). Counselling: It has been decided in the 353rd EC Meeting to provide counselling to the employees with B, C, D grades and those cases having recommendations for counselling in the PAR. Scope of Counselling Group: The Counselling may be continued as an integral part of PAR process for widening employees development opportunities. The Counselling Group shall not review the final grading of the appraisee, assigned to him/ her by Accepting/ Moderation Authority. The Counsellors during the interviews of the employee shall ascertain the reasons, system constraints and the behavioural dimensions of the employees and efforts shall be made to develop self awareness for correcting personality traits. The Counselling Group shall send a report on each case to the office of Chief HRD. The Counselling Groups are to be assisted by the Corporate PAR officer at the counselling locations. The formation of Counselling Committees is depicted in Annexure 6. SAP- HR MODULE Scope of SAP- HR Module: 1) Personnel Administration Module (Including Establishment and Loans) Personnel Administration Module takes care of employee master data. Various PA processes have been built in this module. This module includes the loans and advances processes also. 2)Time Management Module Time Management Module takes care of Employees Leaves etc related processes. The Time Management component offers support in performing all human resources processes involving the planning, recording, and valuation of employees work performed and absence times. 3) Payroll Payroll module takes care of personnel claims, month end payroll run and pay slip generation. Form 16, Form 24 and all statutory statements related to personal income tax is also taken care by the payroll module. The System calculates the gross and net pay, which comprises the individual payments and deductions that are calculated during a payroll period, and are received by an employee. These payments and deductions are included in the calculation of the remuneration using different wage types. 4) Organisation Management Module: This module defines Organisational Hierarchy, positions, Head of sections etc and also deals with assigning employees to various departments / sections etc through proper positions. 5) SAMPARC:(ESS MODULE) SAMPARC stands for (System for Automated Management of Personnel Activities, Reimbursements and Claims) the employee self service portal of ONGC. Using ESS reports an employee can view his career details, leave details, training booking details etc using an ESS User Id. He can also write a mail to his personnel administrator if he detects any error in data recorded in the system. Getting started with SAP: On your PC, find the SAP Logon pad icon. The icon style varies deepening on the SAP version installed in your PC. To open Logon Window: Double click on the Toolbar â€Å"SAP Logon† on above Screen. Following Logon window shall open on your screen: This window lists all available servers to which you can Login with your user ID. Double click on the desired server name or click on the line and then click on ‘Log On. After a brief delay, following window shall open on your screen : To open the SAP Easy Access window : Enter your client number (It will always show 500 by default). Enter your SAP User ID. Enter your SAP User Password. Please remember that the Password is case sensitive. Press Enter on your Keyboard. SAP Easy AccessWindow Elements The SAP Easy Access user menu is the user-specific point of entry into the SAP System. A typical user menu (here, in the R/3 System) is shown below : The user menu contains those items such as transactions ,workflows, reports etc. you need to perform your daily tasks. If your system administrator has defined a user menu, it appears when you log on to the system. Various elements of the SAP Easy Access Window are shown above. Navigating in the SAP Screen You can expand and collapse menus in the workplace menu by choosing the dropdown arrows to the left of the menu items, as in the example below : To open an application in the workplace menu : Type the transaction code in the command box / field and then press Enter, or Navigate to the transaction node in the tree and Double-click its node in the tree, or Click on node and then press Enter Company Code: The company code is an organizational unit within financial accounting (FI). Personnel Area This field defines the location of the employee, e.g., ABAD (Ahmedabad), BRDA (Baroda), etc. Personnel Sub-area This field defines the duty assigned to the employee, e.g., OFDT (Office Duty), FLDT (Field Duty), OSDT (Offshore Duty), etc. Employee Group This field defines the employment status of the employee, e.g., Active, Retiree, Deputation-in etc. Employee Subgroup This field defines the Grade of the employee, e.g., E1, E2, E3, etc. Personnel Number This field defines the CPF Number of the employee. Pay roll Area: A payroll accounting area (often abbreviated to payroll area) is an organizational unit containing all of the employees for whom the payroll runs at the same time. The payroll accounting runs for payroll accounting areas. Each payroll accounting area determines the specific dates for which the payroll runs, the earliest payroll period for which retroactive accounting is possible, retroactive accounting recognition, and the periods for which the payroll runs. Organization Unit This field defines the Department / Section within the Organizational structure in which the employee is working, e.g., ICE, IRS, Drilling, etc. Position This field defines the post, which the employee is occupying within the organizational structure, e.g., Manager PA, Location Manager AMD Cementing, etc. Infotype: In SAP information is stored in info types. An Infotype can have further subtypes. Click here to view the list of Infotype being used in ONGC. Sr No. Transaction Codes Transaction Description 1 SBWP Mail Inbox 2 PA20 Display HR Master Data 3 PA30 Maintain HR Master Data 4 PA40 Personnel Actions 5 ZPT60 HR TIME : Time Evaluation 6 PP01 Maintain Object

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Politicians and Social Order :: essays research papers

A social order. A person’s beliefs and values that allow them to make the choices that to have the type of government they want. My social order- one of an African-American, 17-year-old, low middle-class female- will differ widely from my mother’s, or Shemair’s, or even your social order. For instance, I strongly value education. So does my mother, Shemair, and I am sure you do, too. My mother might value my education because it will help her later on in life. Shemair might value my education because it means that we will be able to move out after graduation. You as my teacher, will value my education because it proves that your education was good and your life as a teacher is worthwhile. I value my education for the sake of getting knowledge. Everyone might have the same value and yet they will have different reasons for valuing it. The same is true of our political values. People might want a strong government because of the type of social order that they hold. The government maintains my personal and political social order. The government allows me to vote for people who have the same purposes as I do. Representatives who fall into my political social order are the ones who will get my vote as I get older. For instance - the issue of abortion. I am strongly against abortion for any reason at any time. When it comes time to vote for people to be a part of my state government, I am going to choose someone who believes that killing at any stage in life is immoral. This way, through elections, I will have the ability to participate in the government. I will have someone who protects individual rights, thus maintaining my social order, and keep the government holding the same ideas as me. The principle of our democratic government will allow me to express my individualism. My personal liberty will be established because the government protects our interacting values that we hold. Another value that we have is the idea of equality of opportunity. This fact is evident in the decision to have affirmative action used in places such as colleges, universities, and jobs. I believe 100% that affirmative action is good and justifiable. I will vote for someone who pushes for affirmative action in the state of Florida. My social order clearly shows that I want someone who favors post-secondary education, especially for minorities. Also, the idea of majority rule will be upheld in all of the elections that we hold. This way I can have free expression in my personal life, as well as in the political arena. Politicians and Social Order :: essays research papers A social order. A person’s beliefs and values that allow them to make the choices that to have the type of government they want. My social order- one of an African-American, 17-year-old, low middle-class female- will differ widely from my mother’s, or Shemair’s, or even your social order. For instance, I strongly value education. So does my mother, Shemair, and I am sure you do, too. My mother might value my education because it will help her later on in life. Shemair might value my education because it means that we will be able to move out after graduation. You as my teacher, will value my education because it proves that your education was good and your life as a teacher is worthwhile. I value my education for the sake of getting knowledge. Everyone might have the same value and yet they will have different reasons for valuing it. The same is true of our political values. People might want a strong government because of the type of social order that they hold. The government maintains my personal and political social order. The government allows me to vote for people who have the same purposes as I do. Representatives who fall into my political social order are the ones who will get my vote as I get older. For instance - the issue of abortion. I am strongly against abortion for any reason at any time. When it comes time to vote for people to be a part of my state government, I am going to choose someone who believes that killing at any stage in life is immoral. This way, through elections, I will have the ability to participate in the government. I will have someone who protects individual rights, thus maintaining my social order, and keep the government holding the same ideas as me. The principle of our democratic government will allow me to express my individualism. My personal liberty will be established because the government protects our interacting values that we hold. Another value that we have is the idea of equality of opportunity. This fact is evident in the decision to have affirmative action used in places such as colleges, universities, and jobs. I believe 100% that affirmative action is good and justifiable. I will vote for someone who pushes for affirmative action in the state of Florida. My social order clearly shows that I want someone who favors post-secondary education, especially for minorities. Also, the idea of majority rule will be upheld in all of the elections that we hold. This way I can have free expression in my personal life, as well as in the political arena.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Fire Protection Systems-Bachelor of Science Essay

1. Specifications for a dry pipe sprinkler system in a cold storage warehouse The fire protection system to be supplied based on these specifications is dry pipe sprinkler Related works include electrical installations, walls penetrations sealing as well as the relevant drawings and calculations. To assure quality, all materials designs and works shall be supervised by qualified person (NICET level III certificate). Calculations are to be based on NFPA 13 and no detail shall be left or assumed. Sprinklers shall be availed in elevators and stairwells. The sprinkler performance shall be tested after installation. The new system of sprinkling design should meet all pre-set codes and standards for effective performance. The system components and devices shall be recommended by under writer Lab in ULFPE directory. Minimum experience of the contractor is 5 years. Layout must be supervised by experienced person and quality assurance done by a different qualified person. Submittals shall be done in one package, reviewed and then signed as required. The system drawings with all relevant required information by NFPA shall be provided. Calculations for the system’s remote areas with regard to one critical light hazard and ordinary hazard areas shall be done as requires by NFPA. Relevant compliance certificates shall be submitted. They include certificate of quality assurance, experience, test certificate for contractor and the various respective NICET III certificates. Again, all design and installation documents shall be required as issued by NFPA as well as the contract drawings. The dry pipe system sprinkler shall be piped in accordance with NFIA 13. All valves (control, drain, alarm and check valves) should meet the fine specifications as listed in UL. The sprinkler installed shall UL listed, its location strategic and its temperature appropriate for the room in is installed. Listing of each sprinkler shall be based on the classification of the room in which it is installed. The rooms are classified based on their occupancy. The dry systems switch and all tamper switches have to be linked to the fire alarm control panel as required by NFPA code 71 and 72 (Zalosh, 2003, pp. 166-168). 2. The reasons why a builder or architect might give a sprinkler contractor an incomplete set of contract drawings. There are a number of reasons that have been placed to explain why an architect may end up giving a contractor for sprinklers incomplete contract drawings. First, the builder or the architect may lack the competence in the engineering field. He may not the capacity to make workable designs for fire fighting equipment and for sprinklers in particular. Again, the architect may not have the relevant experience with respect to designing various systems for buildings that are of varying sizes and that may have varying needs for fire fighting systems. Through experience, a builder is capable of easily spotting an incomplete drawing. This is because most experienced architects have customized their expertise by developing check lists for the various requirements that make a contact drawing complete. In case they are in hurry, these check lists can fruitfully assist them in ensuring all important components in a contract drawn for a sprinkler contractor is complete. It is true to say that most architects specialize in designing houses and most leave minimum provisions for structures that are installed long after the house is competed. This is because most architects do not have an idea for what purpose the house they are designing shall be used. The fire fighting systems are installed as the need arise depending on the use for which the house shall be used. Sometimes, although rarely, some architects once they spot errors they had made in their designs, they may distort the designs to cover up their errors and this way, they evade possible blame for such errors (Gagnon, 1998, p. 107). This blame is avoided because it can cause serious impacts on the company contracted to design, given that they are in business and they need to keep their reputation. However, this action is against the requirements of the Code of Conduct for engineers. 3. The response time for the Californian fire department According to the Californian fire control and suppression department, the response time for this department vary considerably. This was evident from the various reports obtained from the department. The response time as discussed here denotes the period from the time when the department is informed about a fire incident through the preparation for take off until the time they reach the fire site. The major explanation given for this difference in response time was due to the various circumstances surrounding each fire break case. This could range from issues like distance, accessibility, appropriateness of the equipment available and the preparedness of the fire fighting crew in the given station. Response time Based on the principles of effective fire control, suppression and management, there is no specified time which can be termed as the ideal response time. The ideal response time is the best time possible within which a crew will get to the burning site and start acting upon the fire, in the given circumstances. For this ideal response time to be gotten there is need of strong spirit of team work from all parties concerned, starting with the commanders at the station to the fire fighters in action (Ammons, 2001, p. 157). Communication has to be most effective and the message about the incidence must be clearly and coherently communicated and information about what, where and when should be precisely given for response time to be as short as possible. Accessibility will be determined by the location of the burning property. Air crafts may be used where the fire is deep in the forests and land vehicles may be used where the site is accessible by road. Response time is usually prolonged in cases where fire is in a slum or where the estate planning was too poor as to allow accessibility in times of emergency. Some times, the planning could have provided for this but poor management of the available structures such as bridges could be the barrier. Generally, an exponential function is the result of correlating the damage caused by fire with the time it takes before suppression efforts begin. This means the more time you take, the little you should expect to rescue. Therefore, it is essentially basic to respond within the first few minutes from the time you receive the signal and the approach should of course avoid panic. The fire should be fought professionally. Although the response time for this department appear to be timely, it is advisable for companies relying on this facility for fire management to install their sprinkler fire fighting systems to avoid any loss that can result to delayed response from the fire department. Although this may not fully content the fire, it can substantially suppress the fire before the crew from the department arrives, therefore preventing total losses. 4. Measure the height of your house from ground level to the highest ceiling. What water supply must be available to supply 35 psi for a sprinkler at the highest ceiling? Pressure A= Pressure B+ Pressure C , Force ‘B’ must correspondingly increase to maintain the equilibrium balance of forces which in turn translates to an outlet pressure rise. Therefore a maximum water supply pressure of 100 psi is required. 5. Actions taken by the fire service when fighting flammable liquid storage tank fires with fixed water spray protection installed and without fixed water spray protection installed. The fire brigade commander professionally and quickly determines the kind of flammable liquid that is burning, its immediate properties such as density as compared to that of water. In cases where the water is denser, it is mostly avoided because it can potentially worsen the situation. The commander expertly and in no time determines the flash point of the burning fluid. If the liquid has the potential of burning when it mixes with air upon ignition, the commander may command the use of water to prevent reaching the flash point of that liquid. When the fire is detected in time, the spraying of water using the fixed apparatus will but not in large quantities will lower the temperature in the room and thus reduce the potential of the ambient room temperature to cause the ignition as this has been known to cause the ignition of most flammable liquids whose flash point is low. It is necessary to close the container from which the vapors are coming from as the ignited vapor can burn back to the liquid, thus resulting to a fatal explosion. In cases where there is no fixed water spray, the portable water sprayers can be used to spray water (but not to pour because the fluid will float on water and even burn more) to the atmosphere and even near the liquid containers to lower the temperature. It is important to assess the risk in both cases by referring to the flammability characteristics of the fluid in question. Again, both cases require a person to first wear personal protection gear such as eye protection equipment, gloves on hands to prevent burning in case you come in contact with the flammable liquid, and also additional protective clothing for the whole body. Safety shield is useful in cases where a potential explosion is most likely or an exothermic reaction is most likely. Generally, the actions done here include the transfer of the flammable liquid to a working fume board if possible. Any potential source of ignition should be completely eliminated (Fitzgerald, 2004, pp. 422-424). Then locate all the safety equipment. Use appropriate mode of alerting the nearby people. The use of water as a fire extinguisher in case the fire has been ignited should not be attempted but instead, the use of dry chemical extinguishers can be suitably used. Alternatively, the use of liquefied carbon dioxide can be effective on these flammable liquid fires. Ask for assistance from the nearby fire facility by calling the emergency numbers. 6. Fire alarm systems in a factory Fire alarms noted in the factory were of various kinds. First, the M-Fire Alarm system which had manual call points. They were placed mostly near escape routes and they largely lacked an automatic way of detecting fire. It mainly relied on a person raising alarm. In case of fire disaster L-Fire alarm system which was designed to preserve life. It could enable non affected people in a factory on fire to safely escape unhurt. It had automatic sensors of a possible fire disaster, beacons and sirens. The third kind is P fire alarm system which is designed such that it can simultaneously protect life of building occupants; protect the property inside and most importantly the building itself by having the ability to automatically dial out the emergency number of the fire brigade. The available fire alarm systems identified could also be classified either as single stage system or double stage system. The single stage system when activated could transmit a signal in the whole building such that all the occupants in the building become aware of the fire danger the soonest possible. The two stage system could first release a characteristic alert signal to all occupying staff. If the staffs confirm the existence of the fire, they activate the alarm signal. In case the component alert is false, the alarm can be silenced and the system reset. According to the fire protection engineer, the M fire alarm system was used because it could serve the whole chain of factory buildings. L fire alarm system was to ensure timely evacuation and that there was no loss of life as a result of inconveniences. The system requires use of fire resistant materials in the factory to avoid fast spread of fire in the factory which is common in most factories. On the other approach to identifying the alarm system in the factory, the two stage system was installed based on the fact that most industrial workers especially those in the offices may panic very easily if they abruptly learn about a fire in the building they are in. This system was seen a necessary measure to reduce the possible effects of false alarms. Finally, the installation of single stage alarm systems in the factory sites where most machines are in operation was based on the idea that the fuel for running the machines could easily catch fire and lead to a very rapid spread and therefore this form of alarm would avoid any form of delay (Gill, 1997, p. 97). The performance objectives of the company in using these systems is to attain fastest response to fire break in industry while keeping the panic associated with raising fire alarms as minimum as possible to the senior management and other support staff in the factory offices. 7. How the first Montreal Protocol agreement has been modified since 1987. The Montreal protocol meant to address the issues related to the production of substances that result to depletion of the critical ozone layer has been modified several times. Since its signing in 1987 by only 25 nations, the membership tally has rose up to one hundred and sixty eight nations as of now. Much of these changes are as a result of more awareness of the effects of the various halogen substances and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the ozone layer. This has been obtained through intensive scientific research. The major changes in this original protocol were noted in the year 1990 in London, 1992 in Copenhagen, 1995 in Vienna and the most recent was done in 1997 in the city of Montreal. The amendments were made to speed up the withdrawal and abstinence from the production of substances that deplete the ozone layer. First, the production and the use of halogen matter have a phase-out completely on the first day of January, 1994. Exactly two years later, the production and use of other ozone depleting substances was phased out. These substances include CFCs, tetra chlorides of carbon, methyl chloroform and others like complex compounds of hydrogen, bromine, fluorine and carbon (hydrobromofluorocarbons). It is important to note that some companies in certain nations were exempted from the above discussed bans while compounds of H, Cl, F and carbon are to be phased by the year 2020. As more knowledge continue to be obtained from scientific research, the current ozone depleting potentials of various substances shall continue to reviewed from time to time and the best standards shall be used. The Montreal Protocol has resulted to a decline of chlorinated hydrocarbons while the controlled use of hydrocarbons has resulted to leveled trend in emission levels. They have been predicted to begin declining by 2020 (Newton, 1995, p. 1). 8. Aqueous and non-aqueous agents are employed by the Californian fire service, Aqueous agents used First, the most commonly used aqueous substance in fire fighting is water itself. It can either be pure or salty but mostly pure water is rarely used. Ice has been sparingly used but it is effective in keeping room temperature low below the flash point of most flammable liquids. However, an array of hydrated chemicals has been developed for use in the fire fighting exercise. Most of the agents that are used in this chemical formulations include chlorinated metaxylenol, some forms of Urea, heteropolysaccharide-7 substance, aqueous solution of equal amount of sodium decylsulfate and sodium octylsulfate (both used in equal amounts in terms of their molar masses, other compounds like monobutyl ether made of diethylene glycol as well as the hydrated form of isopropyl mixture. Other chemicals used may vary narrowly from this typical composition to contain fewer compounds than these or include a few more compounds such as ammonia and magnesium sulfate. Non aqueous agents used The most commonly used non water agents in fighting fire in this fire service was Liquefied carbon dioxide which is packed in sturdy metallic cylinders and let out through some nozzles at the top of the cylinders. It is popularly known for its effectiveness in fighting and suppressing fires on flammable liquid tanks and containers. It acts by cutting off the oxygen supply from the atmosphere by forming a blanket like layer over the fire. In additions, these kinds of fires can also be handled by the use of dry chemical extinguishers. Fire beaters are commonly used in the grassland wildfires in California and they are used by trained fire beating crew who must wear appropriate garments and gears that are not only resistant to the fire itself but also protective from the painful burning characteristic of open-fire fighting. The criteria for determining the kind of agent to be used is based on the kind of fire (in the open or in a building), the kind of material burning (flammable liquid or wood or plastic or any other) and also on the resources available. Curbed fires can be suppressed by adequate water spray while fire from a fuel tank can be suppressed by used of liquid carbon dioxide. The agent selected should be the most appropriate under the prevailing conditions (Schwartz & Perry, 2007, p. 334). 9. Gift from a client or other person with whom one has a professional relationship, which must be reported to an employer, those if accepted could create a conflict of interest and state the justification. a. A pen with promotional advertising on it. It should be reported because if kept as a secret, other parties with similar interest as this client may see this as a campaign for this particular client’s company. b. A promotional videotape- it should be reported but it has no potential for causing conflict of interest. Reporting will allow for analyzing of the message in the tape and whether it is acceptable or not. c. A book of engineering data – this should be reported because the information contained in this book has not been established to be in conformity with the applicable standards for engineering. If not reported, it can cause a conflict of interest because if an engineer beliefs in the data, he is likely to have conflicts with others who use the preset standards. d. An engraved briefcase – it should also be reported because the material used to make it may be unsafe. Since briefcases are carried at work, the engraved briefcase may act as a source of irradiations which can potentially form a source of ignition for liquids with low splash points. e. A car – This should be reported because if not reported, it may be perceived as a reward for favor done before which is not acceptable according to the engineering code of ethics. This client may also be malicious and implant explosive materials in the car, and set it to explode when parked near the factory. Reporting will give room for inspection to avoid such terrorism minded clients or persons. f. A calendar- This should not be reported and cannot be a source of conflict if reported because it does not feature any where within the codes of ethics. However, if it contains advertisements of a company with which you have business relations, it should be reported because it has the potential of influencing the decisions of the engineer and may be seen as unfair by other companies with which you have similar business ties. g. A sterling silver pen with your name engraved on it- it should not be accepted if the person is involved in fraudulent enterprise as stipulated in the Rules of Practice number 1d. The engraved material may be radioactive and thus form a hazard especially when working in factories with highly flammable liquid tanks. h. An encyclopedia. This should be accepted and never reported because it has general information and the information contained is usually standardized and can be believed to be true. In case it is not reliable, the publisher can be held responsible (NSPE, 2003, pp. 1-2). 10. About an article related to unethical conduct The article is about a company that was involved in corrupt tendering process. The way it obtained road construction tenders was questionable by its competitors. This unethical engineering conduct has led to several impacts. First, there has been pressure from the other registered road constructors to de-register this constructor and soon, this individual company may be out of business. The engineers directly involved in the scandal may as well be deregistered. Since this has been highlighted by the press, the whole society may lose the trust they had on the engineering society unless a stern action is taken. This is against the professionalism of engineering and it is ‘staining’ the profession. This act is against the code of conduct for engineers since they are required to execute their duties honestly. The law also requires them to conduct themselves honorably and ethically and always act within the law. This is meant to retain the reputation and most importantly the usefulness of the profession. The ethical actions that should be taken against the perpetrators of this act include appearing for questioning to prove the misconduct, and if found guilty, the perpetrators should be sentenced as per the law (NSPE, 2003, pp. 1-2). The engineers involved should also be de-registered from the society for engineers for ‘staining’ the society and violating the rules they know very well. References Ammons, D. (2001). Assessing Municipal Performance. US: Sage. Fitzgerald, W. (2004). Building Fire Performance Analysis. New York: J. Wiley and Sons. Gagnon, R. M. (1998). Special Hazard Design. New York: Thomson Delmar. Gill, P. (1997). Factory Management and Maintenance. Michigan: McGraw Hill. National humanity of skilled engineers (NSPE). (2003). Code of Ethics for Engineers. Alexandria: NSPE. Newton, D. C. (1995). ‘The Ozone Dilemma’, The Columbia Encyclopedia. Columbia: Columbia University press.