Operations Management at Parisons Group Essay Example

Operations Management at Parisons Group Essay Example Operations Management at Parisons Group Paper Operations Management at Parisons Group Paper During the term project for Operations Management (OM-I), we had a great opportunity to learn and apply the various concepts and principles that we have learnt in the course. For a successful and enriching learning experience, we’d like to acknowledge, with utmost sincerity, the efforts of all those who have made the successful completion of our project possible. We are thankful to Prof. Sanjay Jarkharia (Instructor for OM-I course), for his constant guidance and support throughout the period of project. Also, our honest regards for all the staff at Agrotech Pvt Ltd. who made this project experience all the more enriching and enjoying, our fellow classmates who were always at help regarding anything concerned with the project and the wonderful people of Kerala who were always helping and considerate during our field trips. LIST OF DIAGRAMS Title of Diagram| Organizational Structure of Agrotech Private Limited (Refining unit)| Block Diagram of Plant| Process Flow Diagram|TABLE OF CONTENTS S. NO| Contents| Page No| 1. | Introduction| | | 1. 1 Oil Manufacturing in India| | | 1. 2 Domestic production and consumption| | 1. 3 Classification of consumers geographically| | | | | 2. | The Agrotech Private Limited| | | 2. 1 Mission| | | 2. 2 Vision| | | 2. 3 Human Resource Management| | | 2. 4 Organizational Structure| | | 2. 5 Suppliers of raw material| | | 2. 6 Customers and market in India| | | | | 3. | Manufacturing of Vanaspati Ghee| | | 3. 1 Block Diagram| | | 3. 2 Process Flow Diagram| | | 3. 3 Description of Process| | | 3. 4 Add-on processes | | | | | 4. | Analysis and Discussion| | | | | 5. | Job Design| | 1. Introduction 1.Oil manufacturing in India India is one of the world’s largest edible oil economies with 15,000 oil mills, 689 solvent extraction units, 251 Vanaspati plants and over 1,000 refineries employing more than one million people. The total market size is at Rs. 600,000 mn. And import export trade is worth Rs. 130, 000 mn. India havin g less production as compared to its high domestic demand in edible oils has to import 57% of its consumption requirements. India is also a leading producer of oilseeds, contributing 8-10% of world oilseed production nd around 6% of the world’s production of edible oils. India is the fifth largest producer of oilseeds in the world, behind US, China, Brazil, and Argentina. Groundnut, Soybean and Mustard/rapeseed, these three oilseeds, together account for 80 % of aggregate cultivated oilseeds output.Mustard seed alone contributes Rs. 120, 000 mn turnover out of Rs. 600, 000 mn of oilseed sector domestic turnover. Cottonseed, Copra and other oil-bearing material also contribute to the domestic vegetable oil pool. Currently, India accounts for 7. 0% of world oilseeds output; 7. % of world oil meal production; 6. 0% of world oil meal export; 6. 0% of world veg. oil production; 14% of world veg. oil import; and 10 % of the world edible oil consumption. With steady growth in popula tion and personal income, Indian per capita consumption of edible oil has been growing steadily. However, oilseeds output and in turn, vegetable oil production have been lagging behind consumption growth, making it necessary to import to meet supply shortfall.Major Oilseeds| 2-Jan| 3-Feb| 4-Mar| 5-Apr| 6-May| 06-07*| Groundnut| 7| 4. | 8. 1| 6. 8| 8| 4. 4| Rape/Mustard| 5. 1| 3. 9| 6. 3| 7. 6| 8. 1| 7. 6| Soybean| 6| 4. 7| 7. 8| 6. 9| 8. 3| 8. 7| Other Six| 2. 6| 2. 1| 3| 3. 1| 3. 6| 2. 9| Sub-Total| 20. 7| 14. 8| 25. 2| 24. 4| 28| 23. 6| Oilseeds production (Quantity in mn tonnes) Edible oil or fat products can be classified into four categories, vegetable refined oil, hydrogenated oil (vanaspati), bakery fats/margarine, and de-oiled cakes. The industry mainly includes Ghanis, small scale expellers, solvent extractors, oil refiners and vanaspati manufacturers. 0% of oil produced is sold in the open market and remaining 30% is refined and sold as branded oil. After the extraction of oil, residual seeds are processed further by solvent extractors, to make solvent-extracted oil, most of which is used to make ‘vanaspati. The Indian edible oil industry is highly fragmented with a large number of small scale producers which includes ghanis that are mainly found in rural areas. Small scale expellers, much like the ghanis, use metal screws to press or expel oil from seeds.However, they are larger than the ghanis, oil expelling capacity being in the range of 5-10 tonnes per day, compared to around 50-60 kilos a day for ghanis. Solvent extractors belong to the organized segment and are also 2nd largest after SSI segment, in the domestic edible oil industry. They use modern technology to process low oil ;amp; high meal seeds like Soya bean, cottonseed into edible oil and de-oiled cake. Oil refining is also a part of the organized sector and has shown rapid growth in recent years. Refiners generally refine both expeller oils and solvent extracted oils.Vanaspati is made by hydrogenation of refined oil to vegetable shortening or spread and is similar to the milk product ghee and absorbs around 10% of the total edible oil supply in India. As a result of increased consumer preference for non-traditional oils such as soya bean and sunflower oil, the organized sector has emerged as one of the fastest growing sectors. Branded products make small portion of the total edible oils market yet they have been one of the main drivers of rapid growth. 1. 2 Domestic production and consumption of Edible oil in India Imports:Due to the strong demand from domestic consumers, Indian production has been unable to keep pace with consumption, and as a result, Indias edible oil import has reached record level in 2012. From November 2011 to September 2012, within these 11 months the import of edible oils has reached 8. 96 million metric tonnes, which is the highest ever. Imports are expected to go even further since there is likely to be a negligible growth in domest ic oil supply. For the marketing year ending in October, 2012, imports were expected be around 9 million metric tonnes.RBD Palmolein, Sunflower Oil and Soybean Oil were the major drivers of growth in imports. In 2011-12, India imported up to 57 per cent of edible oil demand, up from 49 per cent in 2008-09, higher than the average of 55 per cent during the last decade according to the data compile by Solvent Extractor Association of India. Regarding Parisons Agrotech Pvt. Ltd. , the company majorly imports crude palm oil from Malaysia, Indonesia. The data (2004) for the same is as follows: Import of Palm oil by the firm An example of import receipt Exports:Export of edible oils was permitted only in branded consumer packs of up to 5 Kgs, within a ceiling of 10,000 tonnes, for the period November 1, 2011 to October 31, 2012. However in August, 2012, government has put ban on export of edible oils even in branded consumer pack of up to five kilos due to the concern that productivity of some oilseeds may come down because of 20 per cent deficit rains so far. Export division of the Parisons group was set up with headquarters in Calicut; it is responsible for trade of edible oils after packaging.Cochin office was also established to speed operations of the group. The exports division caters to needs and demand of all overseas buyers. Due to its continuously growing production, Parisons group is one of the most competitive exporters in India. 1. 3 Classification of consumers on the basis of geography In India, chief consumers of edible oil are household and industrial buyers including food processors, restaurants and hotels. It is sold mostly as loose oil or vanaspati (partially hydrogenated vegetable oil). Only a small percentage of edible oils are sold in branded form at the retail level.In India, consumer oil preferences change with the region; it mainly depends upon local cultivations. Region| Oil Preference| North| Mustard/ rapeseed| East| Mustard/ rapeseed| Wes t| Groundnut| South| Groundnut, coconut| Consumer market of different types of edible oil in India In India, a wide variety of the oil-seed crops are grown in different agro-climatic zones. Groundnut, mustard/rapeseed, sesame, sunflower, linseed, Niger seed/castor are the major traditionally cultivated oilseeds. Soya bean oil consumption has also increased in recent years. Coconut oil is the most important in this category.Rice bran oil and cottonseed oil have become important among non-conventional oils. Demand for the edible oils Edible oil consumption in the country is continuously rising, was roughly 11. 2 kg/head/year which is lower world average consumption level of 17. 8 in 2008. Consumer classes (annual income in Rs)| 1996| 2001| 2007| The rich (Rs 215,000 or more)| 1. 2| 2. 0| 6. 2| The consuming class (Rs 45,000 Rs 215,000)| 32. 5| 54. 6| 90. 9| The climbers (Rs 22,000 Rs 45,000)| 54. 1 | 71. 6| 74. 1| The aspirants (Rs 16,000 Rs 22,000)| 44. 0 | 28. 1| 15. 3| The desti tute (less than Rs 16,000)| 33. | 23. 4| 12. 8| Total| 164. 8 | 179. 7| 199. 3| Structure of the Indian edible oil market India’s overall consumption is most likely to increase with growing population and economic development but it highly relies on the imports. The Agrotech Limited: It is one of the 16 units of Parisons group of companies, located in Calicut. The Parisons group is into manufacturing of wheat flour and edible oil. Corporate office of company is located in West Hills, Chungam, Kozhikode. The manufacturing unit of Vanaspati ghee is nearly 2 kms away from corporate office.Parisons Group, a legacy of trust was envisioned by late Mr  A. V. Kunhipari  in the 1950s. From its humble beginnings in a small hamlet to a leading corporate entity in south India, the group recorded a phenomenal growth over the years. Location of Agrotech Pvt. Limited 2. The Agrotech Private Limited 2. 1 Mission: The company having a strong foothold in the oil industry segment strives to maintain it and has its defined mission objectives * Parisons group complies to total quality management system in raw material sourcing as well as in product manufacturing. Parisons  group has attained a cutting edge in raw material sourcing   * Parisons group supply chain system is firmly matured through years of experience. * Parisons group also lays importance to green field marketing. * Parisons today manufactures and markets total 12 product lines and commands  market leadership in wheat products and edible oil segment. * Being one of the pioneers in agribusiness, Parisons group is competent to handle the market needs both in India  and  Middle East  countries professionally and successfully. 2. 2 Vision:The group has in store its vision which it constantly strives for * To be market leader in Agro-Business both in India and Middle East countries, through holistic marketing * To develop market opportunities by scaling through innovation * To employ innovative and world class production technology in all its ventures * Exploit its capabilities and resources efficiently to venture out into diverse new areas * To encourage R;amp;D in food processing for product and process development * To enchant policy support, promotional initiative and physical infrastructure to promote value added exports * To chart out new job opportunities especially in rural areas 2. 3 Human resource management Mr. Habeebu is the Human Resource manager at Agrotech Private Limited. HR manager has been appointed nearly a year ago, since people did not feel the need for HR manager before that time.The organization exhibits a clan control, workers are made responsible for their work. Mutual trust exists among employees of the firm, as well as between managers and the workers. The system looks more of a self managed system. Appraisals are given on the basis of seniority rather than performance. On one hand the system keeps clan control managed, but the flip side is that it l eads to lower performance. Organization is moving towards scientific management, hence they want to hold someone responsible for managing issues related to human resources. 2. 4 Organization Structure The organization structure of the organizations is drawn in the figure given below RU General ManagerProduction Manager HR manager Workman1 Workman2 Workman3 Oil chemist Lab Assistant Prod. Supervisor3 Production supervisor2 Production supervisor1 Record Keeper2 Record keeper1 Production Manager Every oil refinery unit is managed by one production manager in that unit. The production manager acts as liaison between production, marketing, purchases and HR manager. He is responsible for scheduling all production related activities including materials procurement for the unit, transportation of finished product out of the unit, managing shifts of various specialists, estimating performances, measuring workmen requirements, product quality tests and packing etc.Every production unit manage r acts as a HR Manager for its unit and is in touch with HR manager for all workers related activities. Parisons Group holds a fleet of trucks for materials movement but it requires hiring transportation services from outside then such requirements are estimated and managed by the production manager. The activities being managed in production unit are Neutralization, Bleaching, Hydrogenation, Hydrogen Gas Generation, Post Treatment, Deodorization, and Blending ;amp; Packing. This department ensures all the machinery works, technology for product quality and necessary maintenance of working tools is done appropriately. SpecialistThe specialist in the department makes sure the process is continuous for 24*7. The specialists who are typically 3-4 in a particular production unit work in rotating shifts. Under the guidance of specialists there are 3-4 workmen working. Workmen They are responsible for material flow into machines, steaming and power generation within the plant machinery, a nd storing the finished product. The main challenge for any production unit manager is to maintain steady flow of materials into the unit while minimizing incoming and outgoing inventory both. 2. 5 Suppliers The suppliers of sunflower seed oil are from Ukraine and the suppliers of palm oil are from Indonesia, Malaysia etc.The imported materials are received either at Cochin Port or at Mangalore Port and then the materials are transported to required production units across Kerala. In order to take advantage of economies purchases mostly are bulk. 2. 6 Customers ;amp; Market in India: Edible Oils: Parisons group entered the retail market through Parisons liberty gold  palmolein brand. It is a premium brand in the market. Palmolein is the common people’s cooking medium, and is mainly used for cooking purposes at homes, bakeries and hotels. Parisons also manufacture palm oil in the brand name,  Kerala palm oil  which is also used for cooking purposes. Vanaspathi and specia lty fats: Parisons is the only manufacturer of vanaspathi in Kerala.It has set up a state of the art hydrogen plant with Belgian technology for the first time in India. Vanaspathi is mainly used in homes, hotels and other catering industries for cooking purpose. Parisons Agrotech manufactures two brands of vanaspathi. Parisons liberty is already one of the leading brands in north Kerala. It has now opened a new depot at Ernakulum to enter the southern markets more effectively, where it has limited presence. The group has got sales points at Kakkanchery, Kuttippuram ;amp; Angamali , recently Trivandrum will also become a sales point. Parisons chakra, dream ;amp; premier no. 1 bakery shortenings are used for preparation of ordinary bakery items like breads, cakes, cookies, biscuits etc.Golden puff is especially used in making quality puffs. Margarine, for pastries ;amp; cakes will soon be introduced in the market. Parisons group is the first and only manufacturer of specialty fats or bakery shortening in Kerala. They are used in the catering, confectionery ;amp; bakery industry. Within a short period of introduction with quality and Parisons groups goodwill support, it has captured a major share of north Kerala market. Now it hopes to capture a good part of south Kerala market as well and become a market leader in this segment. There are 4 brands of specialty fats manufactured by Parisons. 3. Manufacturing of Vanaspati Ghee 3. 1 Block Diagram Removal of fatty acids BleacherRemoval of impurities Neutralizer Storage Tank Boiler Furnance Distillation Hydrogenation Condensation Tank Removing odor Autoclave For cooling Deoderizer Ghee well (Storage of finished product) Figure 3. 1:Block Diagram showing various states of Vanaspati Ghee Furnace Firewood 3. 2 Process Flow Diagram Neutralization By-products Fatty Acids Phosphoric acid + caustic soda Raw palm oil Bleaching earth Bleaching Heating at high temperature From Boiler Distillation Nickel Catalyst Hydrogenation P ost treatment Deodorization Add Vitamin A,D Packaging Blending Process Diagram of Vanaspati Manufacturing 3. 3 Description of process: 3. 3. 1 Neutralization:The edible oils permitted for manufacturing Vanaspati contain certain percentage of free fatty acids (FFA), gums and other impurities with FFA, varying between 0. 5% to 5%. To remove the FFA and other impurities, the oil is first treated with Phosphoric Acid to remove Phosphatides and then with caustic soda solution to neutralise the free fatty acids into a soap stock. The soap stock so formed is removed by allowing it to settle in a batch process. To remove all the soapy matters hot water wash is further given to the oil under constant agitation in the vessel. The washed Water being heavier settles down and is removed from the bottom in batch process and by centrifuge in continuous process. An image showing various tanks in a refining unit 3. 3. 2 BleachingOil so obtained after neutralising and washing is taken in a bleaching vessel where the oil is first dried by heating under vacuum at temperature of 100 degree centigrade and then bleached by adding earth and activated carbon to remove its colour. At the end of bleaching process the oil is filtered in filter press to remove the spent bleaching earth and carbon. The cleaned oil so received after bleaching is taken into autoclave for hydrogenation. An image showing Bleaching tank 3. 3. 3 Distillation Oil is heated with the help of steam at a high temperature (200-250 C). Vapors so formed are condensed in a condensation tank (shown in figure). 3. 3. 4 Hydrogenation The oil is first heated with the help of steam in coils and then spent nickel catalyst is fed into the process.Since, most of the oils used for Vanaspati manufacture are unsaturated, they consume hydrogen gas which is passed through the oil at that temperature in the presence of nickel catalyst and thus the melting point of the oil rises. Fresh quantity of nickel catalyst is added into the proc ess, the quantity depends upon the type of oil. When desired melting point of oil is obtained, the supply of hydrogen gas to the process is stopped. Then the hydrogenated nickel catalyst mixed oil is first cooled from 200oC and then it is filtered through a filter press. Some time for easy filtration filter aid is also added. An Image showing Autoclave 3. 3. 5 Post Treatment There are two processes carried out in post-treatment : Nickel Removal As nickel is an important caustic agent which is used during Hydrogenation process, it becomes necessary to remove this agent.Even a miniscule portion left will be hazardous so there is the need to clean it out. The process mainly removes nickel catalyst. For this the solution is left with either much diluted caustic soda solution or with hot water as found suitable at that time. The extremely hot water will help out in nickel vaporize and this is collected in another suitable container. The neutralizing, washing and bleaching process will be repeated in the same manner as were carried out for soft oil. FFA Removal After hydrogenation, there appears a slight increase in the FFA (free fatty acid) content of the oil, which is removed again by the neutralization and bleaching process.However, the caustic employed is less and more diluted and the bleaching earth usage is lower. After this, the oil is filtered again for removing the bleaching earth. 3. 3. 6 Deodorisation Another oil refining step in the manufacturing process is Deodorization carried by the process unit Deodorizer. It is the high temperature process in which any kind of undesirable trace contents which give undesirable flavours and odours are removed from oil. The process essentially involves the removal of these volatile components by steam at about 240-260 °C under a vacuum of 2-5 mbars. Thus the removal and recovery of residual free fatty acids and other volatile impurities via vacuum steam distillation is the main part.The heat treatment also produces a bleaching effect. The process is defined in steps as follows Deodorization process conducted in a closed vertical steel tube provided the heated oil from the previous step into the Deodorization vessel. Oil is then heated at a temperature of 210 °C at atmospheric pressure and then at low pressure (below 1 kPa). The steam is flown into the system for 1-2 hours to transport a compound that can evaporate. The pressure must be consistent and high. Any drop during the deodorization process will reduce the amount of steam that will be used. The adverse impact of is that it prevents hydrolysis of oil by water vapor.In general situations, The Deodorization tank (D-240) works at a temperature of 210  ° C and pressure of 0. 03 atm to meet the desirable standards of ghee manufacturing process. Following diagram shows a closer look at the Deodorization process. Depending upon the sophistication of the technology being used, some of the steps may be removed or some steps may be redundant. B ut an ideal deodorization looks as below diagram. 3. 3. 7 Blending ;amp; Packing Blending Keeping in view the nutritional quality required to bring in the vanaspati ghee according to ISO standards, in the fully processed oil that is obtained after deodorization, the specified quantity of vitamin A ;amp; D are added into a churn having cooling and agitating arrangement. PackingAfter the blending with required nutrients is complete, the oil so produced is complete with all qualities of a typical Vanaspati ghee and according to Parisons product availability requirements, the Vanaspati so processed is filled into containers to make package of 15 liters, 5 liters, 1 liters,1/2 liters. Two forms are possible either into tins, big plastic jars or in poly packs. The containers are then taken to a cold room in which the temperature is maintained for having good environment settings for the product. After putting the product in cold rooms for about 24 hours, it is removed to the storage godow n where the Parisons brand labels are pasted with batch number, date of manufacturing, best before etc. as per standard rules. After this the product is ready for dispatch. Vanaspati is produced either with a granulated texture resembling ghee or as a smooth grain less product. 3. 4 Add-on processes: 3. 4. 1 By-productsFatty acids removed during the process of neutralization are sold to the local soap manufacturers. 3. 4. 2 Use of near to expiry date product Parisons Manufacturing process takes back the products which have crossed the expiry date or are near to expiry. This keeps the buyers of products ensured that any left out stock at their end won’t cause losses. Once these products are brought back into factory they are again fed to the manufacturing process as an intermediate material. The vanaspati ghee in these packets or tins is collected into a big well. This well becomes a source of material to hydrogenation process. And thus finally after all the process it becomes part of the finished product. 4. Analysis and DiscussionBased on the data collected from employees of the organization, Throughput rates of equipment at different manufacturing stages are calculated as follows Throughput Rate=Average Production /hour Manufacturing Stage| Throughput Rate| Neutralizer| 1. 5 tons/hour| Bleacher| 1. 5 tons/hour| Condensation tank| 2. 5 tons/hour| Autoclave| 1. 25 tons/hour| Deodorizer| 2. 0833 tons/hour| Packaging| 1 ton/hour| Table No 4. 1: Throughput rates of various manufacturing stages of Vanaspati production The Flow Time (MLT) for the processes are also calculated and the data is put below. Manufacturing Stage| Flow Time/ton in minutes| Neutralizer| 40| Bleacher| 40| Condensation tank| 24| Autoclave| 48| Deodorizer| 28. 81| Packaging| 60| |   | Total Flow Time in hours| 4. 013 hours|Table No 4. 2: Flow Time calculation of various manufacturing blocks and the complete process Thus the Cycle time is observed to be 48 Minutes which is the time tak en by Autoclave to finish the process. Thus Autoclave is the bottleneck in the manufacturing process. Also, we observed that after Deodorizer, vanaspati is collected in a temporary storage tank of capacity 3 tons. The Packaging unit collects vanaspati for packing from this tank. Also currently the Packaging unit completely relies on manual labor for Packing and storing the end product (Vanaspati). The process is relatively simple and we estimated a 70% learning curve for the process.The data supporting our learning curve analysis is given below. | Time for Packing for a New Employee (In minutes)| Iteration No| Collecting Vanaspati(i. e. using collecting tools)| Cutting and Collecting Packaging accessories| Packing + Folding + Cleaning| Total| Learning rate| 1| 10| 10| 20| 40| | 2| 9| 10| 19| 38| 95| 3| 6| 8| 14| 28| | 4| 4| 7| 12| 23| 60. 52631579| 5| 4| 6| 12| 22| | 6| 4| 5| 10| 19| | 7| 3| 5| 9| 17| | 8| 2| 3| 7| 12| | 9| 2| 3| 7| 12| 52. 17391304| 10| 2| 3| 7| 12| | | | | | appro ximately 70% learning curve| 69. 23340961| Table No4. 3: Learning curve estimation of Packaging unit We calculated the total efficiency i. e. the material Utilization rate to be 98% with 2% of input material being wasted at various stages of manufacturing processes. The typical wastages are given below. Manufacturing Stage| Wastage Percentage as a percentage of total input| Storage tank| 0. 3| Neutralizer| 0. 1| Bleacher| 1. 02| Condensation tank| 0. 01| Autoclave| 0. 2| Deodorizer| 0. 2| Packaging| 0. 16| Total wastage| 1. 99| Table No 4. 4: Learning curve estimation of Packaging unit 5. Job Design Employee Job Performance ;amp; Motivation There are no strict ways of monitoring performance, there is no firing of employees, workers are given salary hike yearly, and promotions are based on seniority in the organization.Hence there is no external force to push them to work. It is their willingness. Moreover, workers share responsibility of work among themselves. There is no explicit t ime for lunch, dinner, or breaks. They take on breaks according to their capacity and willingness. Thus it is more of a self-controlled system. Why we are considering workers as important is because it is a manufacturing unit and the ultimate outcome depends on workers’ efficiency to large extent. Giving them responsibility is working very well in the organization. As the HR manager, Mr. Habeebu Rahman says-â€Å"You treat workers like animals and they will behave as animals, you treat them as humans, and they will behave as humans†.As reported by him, there have been no incidences of workers cheating the organization. They are given responsibility right from collecting the raw materials consignment to delivering the finished goods to the shops. They count/weigh the items, record it in proper registers, and deliver them at their correct destinies. There have been no incidences of theft of material, or money; although the Parisons group is in manufacturing for past 20 y ears. Workers consider completion of tasks as their responsibility. They compete among themselves for who does the task in a better way. New workers are taught by the older ones about the techniques to be adopted.Thus if we look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs framework, it turns out that Parisons group is satisfying workers’ social needs. Modifying Jobs to Provide Broader Range of Needs Satisfaction Cross Training Workers are trained to perform multiple jobs- a direct result of which is that there is low dependency on individual workers. Even if a worker falls ill or couldn’t come to work, others can substitute him. Job Enlargement To make the job more interesting, there is a horizontal job expansion i. e. employees are given a variety of tasks to perform. Job Enrichment There is no job enrichment in Parisons group. Workers are not given any kind of managerial powers and authority. Team Production Workers are generally organized into teams.For instance there are teams for packaging, maintenance etc. Sociotechnical Systems Task Variety Employees are given a variety of tasks to perform which makes their work somewhat interesting and allows the employee to rest from a high level of attention or effort while working on another task. Skill Variety Employees are also trained on multiple skills which enhances their satisfaction. Feedback Each worker is supervised by a supervisor who quickly points out any error which the employee has committed. This greatly accelerates learning process for new employees. Task identity Employees have responsibility for a set of tasks that is clearly defined, visible and meaningful.In this way, work is seen as important by the employees undertaking it and others understand and respect its significance. Task autonomy There is little or no autonomy i. e. employees can’t exercise much control over their work. Not much decision making power is available to them. Plant Layout Design Product (Line) Layout * Specia l purpose expensive equipment are used * Changeover is expensive and lengthy * Material flow approaches continuous * Material handling equipment is fixed * Operators need not be skilled 6. Operations Strategy Strategy for Competitive Advantage Cost Leadership The Parisons group follows mostly a low-cost leadership strategy.They produce majority of the products in bulk so that the costs are reduced. The selling price of their products is much lower than the competitors. They offer a variety of products at low cost to the consumers. Order Qualifiers ;amp; Winners Qualifiers Parrisons group leveraged the reputation of its ‘Liberty’ brand to gain entry into edible oil market. When they decided to launch their edible oil, ‘Liberty wheat flour’ was already a market leader in Kerala, well known for its high quality. Hence they used the same brand name ‘Liberty’ for this oil. Winners Low selling price is the order winning characteristic which won order s for them in the marketplace.But it doesn’t mean that they compromised on quality. They achieved low cost by using efficient production techniques and by producing items in bulk. Variety of Products Process Design Product focused Continuous Volume Moderate Moderate High High Low Low Parrison group produces high volumes of same product i. e. edible oil. Hence, they use Product focussed continuous process design. Positioning Strategy in Manufacturing Type of Product| Type of production process| Finished Goods Inventory Policy| Standard| Product focussed| Produce-to-stock| Product life Cycle Growth rate Current Phase 1992 Time Parisons group established their first manufacturing unit in 1992.Now the group has a total processing capacity of 380MT for edible oil refining per day and they are growing continuously. In fact, an Edible Oil refinery with a capacity of 1 lakh metric tonnes/annum is to be commissioned by end of 2012 at Cochin. Capacity Strategy Parrisons group believes in adding capacity before it is needed. They maintain excess capacity to satisfy surges in demand. For instance, they built a number storage tanks in mangalore for their own usage but now they are using the excess capacity for leasing purposes. 7. Recommendations 1) After neutralization process, the soap stock so formed is removed by allowing it to settle down (batch process). This takes lot of time, while the plant remains operational and hence results in wastage.To fasten the process, centrifugal process can be adapted which will remove the impurities in one go, and with greater efficiency. 2) Autoclave is the bottleneck, so a parallel autoclave can be put in the process. This will increase the capacity of plant from 30 tons to 36 tons. If demand is not there, the plant can be shut down for some time, and hence can result in saving of energy. 3) Manual labourer is there to put firewood into furnace, one by one. This requires 5 workers per day, as the task is quite laborious. Inste ad of this, movement can be done with the help of conveyor belts. This will reduce the man power cost. Also, an automatic indicator can be installed, which can help to shut down the supply of wood whenever there are ample.

Life Is Beautiful (1997) - Movie Review

Life Is Beautiful (1997) - Movie Review When I first heard about the Italian movie Life Is Beautiful (La Vita e Bella), I was shocked to discover that it was a comedy about the Holocaust. The articles that appeared in the papers bespoke of many that found even the concept of the Holocaust portrayed as a comedy to be offensive. Others believed that it belittled the experiences of the Holocaust by inferring that the horrors could be ignored by a simple game. I, too, thought, how could a comedy about the Holocaust possibly be done well? What a fine line the director (Roberto Benigni) was walking when portraying such a horrendous subject as a comedy. Yet I also remembered my feelings to the two volumes of Maus by Art Spiegelman - a story of the Holocaust portrayed in comic-strip format. It was months before I dared read it, and only then because it was assigned reading in one of my college classes. Once I started reading, I couldnt put them down. I thought they were wonderful. I felt the format, surprisingly, added to the books power, rather than distracting from it. So, remembering this experience, I went to see Life Is Beautiful. Act 1: Love Although I had been wary of its format before the movie began, and I even fidgeted in my seat, wondering if I was too far from the screen to read the sub-titles, it took only minutes from the films beginning for me to be smiling as we met Guido (played by Roberto Benigni - also the writer and director). With a brilliant mixture of comedy and romance, Guido used flirtatious random encounters (with a few not so random ones) to meet and woo the school teacher Dora (played by Nicoletta Braschi - Benignis real-life wife), whom he calls Princess (Principessa in Italian). My favorite part of the movie is a masterful, yet hilarious, sequence of events involving a key, time, and a hat - youll understand what I mean when you see the film (I dont want to give too much away before you see it). Guido successfully charms Dora, even though she had been engaged to a fascist official, and gallantly retrieves her while riding on a green painted horse (the green paint on his uncles horse was the first act of anti-Semitism that is shown in the film and really the first time you learn that Guido is Jewish). During Act I, the movie-goer almost forgets he came to see a movie about the Holocaust. All that changes in Act 2. Act 2: The Holocaust The first act successfully creates the characters of Guido and Dora; the second act delves us into the problems of the times. Now Guido and Dora have a young son, Joshua (played by Giorgio Cantarini) who is bright, loved, and doesnt like to take baths. Even when Joshua points out a sign in a window that says Jews are not allowed, Guido makes up a story to protect his son from such discrimination. Soon the life of this warm and funny family is interrupted by deportation. While Dora is away, Guido and Joshua are taken and placed in cattle cars - even here, Guido tries to hide the truth from Joshua. But the truth is plain to the audience - you cry because you know what is really happening and yet smile through your tears at the obvious effort Guido is making to hide his own fears and calm his young son. Dora, who had not been picked up for deportation, chooses to board the train anyway in order to be with her family. When the train unloads at a camp, Guido and Joshua are separated from Dora. It is at this camp that Guido convinces Joshua they are to play a game. The game consists of 1,000 points and the winner gets a real military tank. The rules are made up as time goes on. The only one that is fooled is Joshua, not the audience, nor Guido. The effort and love that emanated from Guido are the messages relayed by the movie - not that the game would save your life. The conditions were real, and though the brutality was not shown as directly as in Schindlers List, it was still very much there. My Opinion In conclusion, I must say that I think Roberto Benigni (the writer, director, and actor) created a masterpiece that touches your heart - not only do your cheeks hurt from smiling/laughing, but your eyes burn from the tears. As Benigni himself stated, ...I am a comedian and my way is not to show directly. Just to evoke. This to me was wonderful, the balance to comedy with the tragedy.* Academy Awards On March 21, 1999, Life Is Beautiful won Academy Awards for . . . Best Actor (Roberto Benigni)Best Foreign Language FilmOriginal Dramatic Score (Nicola Piovani) * Roberto Benigni as quoted in Michael Okwu, Life Is Beautiful Through Roberto Benignis Eyes, CNN 23 Oct. 1998 (http://cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9810/23/life.is.beautiful/index.html).

Justifying Frances Demands during the Two World Wars Essay

Justifying Frances Demands during the Two World Wars - Essay Example Given her diminished state, France's demands in treaties following each of the two world wars in the 20th century is of no surprise. Thus, as this essay will argue, France's demands during World War I and World War II are essentially similar, and based on similar justifications - the fear of a German threat, worsened by the concern that her allies will not come to her aid, and the inevitable need to embark on economic reconstruction after the war - all of which shaped France's stance during post-war negotiations. In January 1919, the victorious powers after World War I, led by President Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Premier Georges Clemenceau of France, and Britain's Prime Minister Lloyd George began negotiations for what will later be known as the "Treaty of Versailles." The main goal of the treaty is, at the very least, to ensure the stability of the international system after the war (Treaty of Versailles, Article 1). ... Thus, what justifications did France have for such demands First, it is of no surprise that France, after both World War I and World War II will demand guarantees for its security justified by the fear of a possible German attack. In the case of World War I under the Treaty of Versailles, this fear is based on the fact that towards the end of the war, France is in no position to defend itself from an attack, be it Germany or another country because of the massive destruction left by the war rendering France defenceless. As Pitman Potter points out, "in case of a German attack, there can be no doubt of the reality that of the fear of such an attack on the part of the French" (1919: 666). In addition, with regard to the territorial arrangements along the Rhine, France's fear is justified because Rhine is a strategic location for France against a German invasion (Finch 1933: 727). However, what is unique about France's fear of Germany, at least after World War I is based on France's historical experience. As Potter notes, Though the need for French fear of a repeated German attack seem slight from this distance, the state of feeling in France - even in Government circles - is determined more by the facts of 1870-1914 than by the facts of 1918-1919. (Potter 1919: 665) Where during such time, France has experienced, and is still experiencing, a significant decline in its population compared to Germany. According to a census comparing French and German military manpower, the military manpower of the two countries began to display a steadily widening gap after 1870, despite the increasing rate of immigration in France such that by 1911, there existed a 3 million gap between the two countries in favour of France (Population Index 1946: 75).

Discuss strategies adopted by the President to improve U.S. relations Essay

Discuss strategies adopted by the President to improve U.S. relations with Iran - Essay Example Nuclear weapons have been banned in wars and only those countries that had nuclear weapons by the time of the ban in the 1960s have been allowed to keep them. These are five in number. Further, these five countries have been urged to reduce their missile heads in a wave of reducing risks of nuclear attacks. Although manufacturing of nuclear weapons goes against international treaties thus illegal, Iran has been accused of having ambitions of creating nuclear weapons. The Obama administration has been very vocal in their effort to ensure Iran does not engage in such activities. President Obama has offered to negotiate directly with Iran in an effort to improve the US relation with the Arab countries. He visited Cairo, Egypt in 2009 and expressed his willingness to work together with countries with similar visions as the US in maintaining peace. He recognized both the Israel and Palestine states and stressed the need for these nations to co-exist together. Iran’s president, Ahmedinejad has been vocal in the opposition of the creation of the Israel nation citing that Israel should be wiped off the world map. The stern and provocative comments have always jeopardized negotiation talks between the US and Iran as Israel wants to be part of the negotiations with both Israel and Iran having hard-line stands. In a negotiation meeting in 2009 held in Geneva, involving Iran and six global powers, President Obama was very critical to point out after the meeting that Iran must not use negotiations as delay tactics for it to further its nuclear ambitions. In the meeting, Iran pledged to let UN inspectors to inspect its suspected enrichment programs in return for Iran to be allowed to pursue peaceful nuclear research. Although the US and Iran have engaged in other talks like discussing the war in Afghanistan, the nuclear saga continues to be the main area of focus (Wolf, 2009). During the held negotiations, various diplomatic negotiation rules have been broken. Hard line

American Stereotypes Essay Example for Free

American Stereotypes Essay The United States is a unique nation in several ways, but there is especially one (fact) which fascinates me. And that is foreign peoples interests and ideas about the American people. The diversity of ideas and meanings about the American people is astonishing, and the stereotypes are many. Some stereotypes are more commonly used than others and I have some theories about how they occurred. Because stereotypes in our days are the results of impressions, I will write what I believe are the sources to the stereotypes and if they are valid. I will use three of the stereotypes I believe are the most popular in our days, in order to illustrate my theories in this essay. I have chosen these stereotypes; ? The common white American living in the city ?The common Afro-American living in the city. ?The common white American living in the countryside The common white American living in the city. One of the stereotypes which often is recognized as a typical American, is the common white American in the city. This stereotype is usually characterized as a obese and lazy person with poor eating habits, a small apartment and working as a daily manager in a store. This stereotype is often recognized of having a poor social life and it is often implicated that the person has tendencies of being bitter. The common Afro-American living in the city. This stereotype is usually described as an obese person with little intelligence, a poorly paid job and an unattractive apartment. This stereotype is often recognized of having qualities, such as horrible eating habits, a tendency to be loud and is often criminal. The common white American living in the countryside. This stereotype is usually described as a person with low intelligence who work with agriculture and lives in a old hut. This stereotype is often recognized with such qualities as being inhospitable towards strangers, having terrible personal It is wring to dra alle over en kam. America is a widespread and multi cultural nation and this means that there is impossible to standardize a american.

Comparing Ritual in Beckett, Hemingway, and ONeill :: comparison compare contrast essays

Ritual in Beckett, Hemingway, and O'Neill "Perhaps the public psyche has simply been overloaded and, like an electrical circuit, has blown its fuse and gone cold under the weight of too many impulses" (Miller, lvi). The modern world is often looked upon as a cold and unfeeling one. And the modern existence is such that it has been called a "Wasteland" by T. S. Eliot. It has also led Camus to parallel it with the ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus, who was condemned to repeatedly push a boulder up a mountain, after which it would roll down the other side, and he would have to start all over again. It is this ritualistic behavior which has become a significant factor in modern life. Although ritualism is a common theme in modern literature, its function had been interpreted differently by modern writers. Many, like Beckett and Hemingway, see ritualistic behavior almost as a form of therapy, a healing action used to cope with internal turmoil. Others, chiefly expressionists like O'Neill, look upon ritual with scorn. They see it as the deadening of society, the mechanization of humanity. "Expressionist drama protested strongly against the system of industrialized production that transformed man into an automaton" (Glicksberg 51). O'Neill's scorn of ritualism, which is typical of the expressionists, is evident in his plays. The expressionists believed that humanity is out of kilter with nature, and man's obsession with materialism and machines is a factor in the deadening of the soul. O'Neill was a man described by Joseph Golden as being a godless, despondent, pessimistic, antisocial creature who was also prone to such exuberance that he could write to a friend "I'm tickled to death with life! I wouldn't 'go out' and miss the rest of the play for anything!"(31). O'Neill's lack of belief in religion was a constant struggle for him. He was disturbed not only by the absence of Christianity, but by humanity's inability to find a replacement for it. He described this feeling in a letter to George Jean Nathan when he wrote, The playwright today must dig at the roots of the sickness of today as he feels it--the death of the Old God and the failure of science and materialism to give any satisfying new one for the surviving primitive religious instinct to find a meaning of and to life in, comfort his fears of death with (qtd in Golden 39).

Global warming and our economy Essay

Global Warming is always been a debatable issue since last century and with the rise of globalization, this issue is in continues focus. This paper will discuss effects of global warming in this era of global economy. This relates to our interest in giving social rationales the centrality that it deserves. By social purpose we mean that all environmental politics as well as policy reflect particular point of view, values, and preference. Even if nature challenges political economy, it does not leave it unnecessary. This paper highlights that various view points of analysts who understand and speak for nature. And therefore speak in many voices. However, the reasons for focusing on social purpose are not only moral. In fact, it is not probable to make sense of the origins, impacts, and effectiveness of policies, including environmental policies, without understanding how they classify and affect the universe of stakeholders implicated. Introduction: Global warming has emerged as a prevailing issue, can help understand whether it will remain so and what kinds of solutions are practical. It makes a great deal of difference to recognize whether the fate of global climate policy is obsessed by scientists or energy concerns. In addition, and without contradicting the role of scientific advice, it makes for a much more precise analysis to know how scientific networks are themselves engaged in politics and that scientific knowledge is internally challenged. Thus, in promoting the idea of global economy, how do select the most important risks to be avoided? All too often, decisions are not made realistically, but primarily on how scarily the scenario can be portrayed. Global warming is one of these cases. Main Body: Global warming is a natural phenomenon to which human literally owes their lives. Without natural global warming, this planet would be thirty-five degrees colder, bitterly cold at night and hot during the day. Global warming is typically (some estimate 75 percent to 80 percent) caused by natural phenomena, such as cloud cover, temperature gradients, the heat absorption of the seas, etc. The question raised is whether so-called greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, considerably add to global warming. And, if they do, is the calculated increase more or less than the natural variation that would occur without the â€Å"greenhouse† gases? It all started in 1988, which was a mainly warm year. Despite the fact that similar temperature variations had occurred several times in history, suddenly this phenomenon became headline grabbing news. A climatologist by the name of Jim Hansen at NASA’s Goddard Space Institute testified at a Senate hearing that he was persuaded that the warm temperatures that year were a consequence of the greenhouse effect. He postulated that carbon dioxide coming from industrial activity was causing the atmosphere to replicate heat from the earth back to the ground, thus raising temperatures (Joseph, 2000). As Hansen expressed a â€Å"high degree of confidence† that the unusual rise in temperature in 1988 was linked to this greenhouse effect, it made big, scary headlines, implanting it in popular thought. As a result, few people today have any doubt that there is a greenhouse effect and that it does grounds global warming. The basic implication is that the result will be bad for humanity. Yet, every one of those popularly held opinions is open to serious question (Joseph, 2000). In his book, Sound and Fury: The Science and Politics of Global Warming, which was published in 1992, Patrick J. Michaels debunks these ideas. Fred Singer, a climatologist with perfect credentials, has not only called all of these notions into serious question but has presented a scary assessment of the costs that will be incurred if the apocalyptic vision of global warming is the cause of unwise along with costly legislation. Other noted climatologists took issue with Hansen’s predictions. First of all, the basic data upon which he postulated his scary headlines were questioned. There are several other records of global temperatures that indicate that NASA’s data were perhaps 30 percent too high. The grounds of this variation can be in the way each of the groups measured those temperatures. So, the fundamental effect that Hansen was scaring us with may have been grossly incorrect. Then, and this error is evident to anyone, he took the average temperatures for the first ten years of the fifty-year period and compared them with the average temperature of the last ten years, totally ignoring what happened in between! Selecting only those data that support your thesis is pretty intuitive. As a matter of fact, historical data shows that increases and decreases of temperatures from year to year are wider than the ones Hansen used to scare us to death. Furthermore, the computer program that projected global warming was tested against history by Hansen’s critics. It shows completely no correlation with any global warming over the past fifty years — and these were the years in which carbon dioxide emissions improved dramatically. The major vehicle of global-warming optimism has been the Hoover Institute, a conservative think tank, under whose banner Thomas Gale Moore has coined a signature slogan for the cynic: â€Å"Global change is inevitable—warmer is better, richer is healthier† (Moore 1997). For pure evangelistic eagerness in the face of â€Å"global warmists,† few can excel Moore, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute. Moore’s 1998 book A Politically Incorrect View of Global Warming: Foreign Aid Masquerading as Climate Policy was published by the Cato Institute. Moore believes, â€Å"Global warming, if it were to occur, would probably benefit most Americans† (Moore 1997). If global climate models point out that a rising in the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will cause temperatures to increase more at night than during the day, so much the better, according to Moore. Moore asserts that ninety percent of human deaths occur in categories that are more general in winter than summer (Moore 1996). Left unmentioned by Moore is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) estimate that a doubling-up of carbon dioxide levels could lead to about 10,000 estimated additional deaths per year for the current population of the United States from higher summer temperatures, yet after factoring in the helpful effects of warmer winters and assuming that people in a warmer world will become somewhat adapted to their environment. Moore argues, to the contrary, that human civilization has flourished throughout warm periods of history, and declined while climate cooled. Therefore, Moore argues that a warmer world will benefit human society and economy. In addition, he enthuses, â€Å"Less snow and ice would reduce transportation delays and accidents. A warmer winter would cut heating costs, more than offsetting any increase in air conditioning expenses in the summer. Manufacturing, mining and most services would be unaffected. Longer growing seasons, more rainfall and higher concentrations of carbon dioxide would benefit plant growth†. (Moore 1997) Virtually any attempt to ameliorate global warming, according to Moore, would entail â€Å"a huge price for virtually no benefit† (Moore 1997). The best way to deal with potential climate change, says Moore, â€Å"is not to embark on a futile attempt to prevent it, but to promote growth and prosperity so that people will have the resources to deal with it: Global warming is likely to be good for most of mankind. The additional carbon, rain and warmth should promote the plant growth necessary to sustain an expanding world population† (Moore 1997). Contrary to some scientists, who project an intensification of storms in a warmer world, Moore believes, â€Å"Warmer periods bring benign rather than more violent weather† (Moore 1995). Moore, like most greenhouse skeptics, celebrates humankind’s dominance of nature. Patrick J. Michaels agrees with Moore, writing, â€Å"Moderate climate change would be inordinately directed into the winter and night, rather than the summer, and that this could be benign or even beneficial†¦. [T]he likely warming, based on the observed data [would be] between 1. 0 and 1. 5 degrees C. for doubling the natural carbon dioxide† (Michaels 1998) Michaels draws on research by Robert Balling, indicating â€Å"that observed changes are largely confined to winter in the very coldest continental air masses of Siberia and northwestern North America† (Michaels N. d. ). According to Michaels, atmospheric carbon dioxide is escalating at slower-than-expected levels as more of it is being captured by plants whose growth is being keyed up by the carbon dioxide itself. Many scientists criticize Moore’s analysis as simplistic. According to George M. Woodwell, president and director of the Woods Hole (Massachusetts) Research Center, evidence explaining that higher temperatures will have little effect on rates of photosynthesis, a course that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Instead, warming will raise rates of respiration amongst some organisms, thus releasing more carbon dioxide. A 1 degree C. (1. 8 degree F. ) increase in temperature often raises rates of respiration in some organisms by ten percent to thirty percent. Warming will thus speed the decomposition of organic matter in soils, peat in bogs, and organic wreckage in marshes. Indeed, the higher temperatures of the last few decades seem to have accelerated the decomposition of organic matter in the Arctic tundra (Woodwell 1999). Woodwell suggests, also, that global warming will lean to erode habitat for large, long-lived plants (such as trees) supportive of small plants with short lifetimes and rapid reproduction rates, such as shrubs and weeds. He says that the death of some plants and their decay will liberate more stored carbon into the atmosphere (Woodwell 1999). Many global-warming skeptics argue that the sunspot cycle is causing a considerable part of the warming that has been measured by surface thermometers throughout the twentieth century’s final two decades. Accurate measurements of the sun’s energy output have been taken just since about 1980, however, so their archival value for comparative purposes is relentlessly limited. Michaels, editor of the World Climate Report, cites a study of sunspot-related solar brightness conducted by Judith Lean and Peter Foukal, who assert that roughly half of the 0. 55 degree C. of warming observed since 1850 is an effect of changes in the sun’s radiative output. â€Å"That would leave,† says Michaels, â€Å"at best, 0. 28 degree C. [due] to the greenhouse effect† (Michaels 1996). J. J. Lean and her associates also estimate that more or less one-half of the warming of the last 130 years has resulted from variations in the sun’s delivery of radiant energy to the earth (Lean, Beer, and Bradley 1995). As solar inconsistency has a role in climate change, Martin I. Hoffert and associates believe that those who make it the means variable are overplaying their hand: â€Å"Although solar effects on this century’s climate may not be negligible, quantitative considerations imply that they are small relative to the anthropogenic release of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide† (Hoffert et al. 1999, 764). Like lots of his fellow skeptics, Fred Singer believes that a â€Å"warmer climate would, overall, be good for Americans, improve the economy, and put more money in the pockets of the average family† (Singer 1999). Singer, professor emeritus of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia and president of the Science and Environmental Policy Project, advises adaption to a warmer world: â€Å"Farmers are not dumb; they will adapt to changes—as they always do. They will plant the right crops, select the best seeds, and choose the appropriate varieties to take advantage of longer growing seasons, warmer nights, and of course the higher levels of carbon dioxide that make plants and trees grow faster†. (Singer 1999)

Gulliver in Brobdingnag Essay

The setting of the passage to be analyzed here is that of Gulliver’s voyage to a land of giants. The speaker’s context here is the basic comic devices of reversal and exaggeration. When the dimensions of things are reversed there is a comic effect. When clowns at the circus ride around in a tiny car the effect is hilarious. In a famous Gary Larsen cartoon a gigantic monster is seen peering into a man’s car through the wing mirror which reads: â€Å"Things reflected in this mirror may appear to be larger than they are. † The comic context employed by the speaker in the following passage, then, is that of a man suddenly turned tiny by circumstances beyond his control. There are, of course, classical antecedents for this type of size reversal. Odysseus in the cave of Cyclops would provide the best example. There are, no doubt, many who would argue that this incident in the Odyssey is not meant as humor. May we not at least wonder, however, if some of Homer’s audiences didn’t chuckle when they heard about how the â€Å"subtle† Odysseus outwitted the giant? It will be argued in the following that Swift’s intention throughout Part II as a whole is comic irony, and that the passage to be analyzed typifies the situation in which Gulliver finds himself when surrounded by giants. Starting off, a simple exaggeration introduces the passage: â€Å"The King’s palace is†¦ about seven miles round†¦ † suggesting the colossal size of the castle, the rooms within are â€Å"two hundred and forty Foot high. † Gulliver who is, as we have learned earlier, a proud and dignified man is reduced by his comparatively tiny dimensions to the role of a doll. All of his proud bearing and gentlemanly dignity disappears in a puff of smoke when his Mistress Glumdalclitch holds Gulliver up in her hand to give him a better view of the surroundings. Swift’s choice of words at the beginning of this passage also provides an ironic effect. Gulliver who is, in fact, a freak in this society reports that when Glumdalclitch is taken out to see the town, â€Å"†¦ I was always of the party, carried in my Box†¦ † To be â€Å"of the party† suggests social (and physical) equality, but when Swift follows this dignified phrase with the description â€Å"†¦ in my box† the effect is humorous, since Gulliver is revealed as the curiosity and freak that he is by the fact that he travels in a â€Å"box† like a doll. Swift’s imagery in this passage allowed allows the reader to see other human-like creature from the perspective of a very tiny person. It also demonstrates to the reader once again that Swift loves to engage in the humor of the disgusting and the impolite. When a group of Brobdingnagian beggars presses up against the carriage to view the strange little creature that is our speaker, Gulliver is able to observes the cancer on the breast of a beggar woman â€Å"†¦ full of holes, in two or three of which I could have easily crept†¦ † and body lice â€Å"†¦ and their snouts with which they rooted like Swine. † There is a misogynist quality to this joke. The breast of a woman is presented as disgusting rather than as an inspiration to art and poetry. The idea of crawling into a cancerous lesion on a woman’s breast is an ugly parody of what men usually think about when they see the naked female breast which is to adore, kiss, or suck it. This type of humor is based on a simple reversal of the usual emotions inspired by an image. The equivalent would be, for example, to provide an image of the Queen of England sitting on a chamber pot rather than her throne. The imagery in the rest of this passage is also unforgettable, especially the wooden legs of a beggar which were â€Å"†¦ each about twenty Foot high. † Immediately following these alarming and disgusting images is another liar’s trick based on the category of emphasis. This is offered in Gulliver’s careful description of his â€Å"Box. † Before analyzing this part of the passage in detail a general comment on Swift’s project in Gulliver’s Travels is required. The speaker mentions many times throughout the tale the phenomenon of â€Å"travelers tails† or â€Å"books of voyages. † These were supposedly factual accounts of what travelers from Europe had seen on the other side of the world. They were, of course, full of lies and Swift’s project throughout much of the book is to satirize the lying authors of these books. One well known liar’s trick is to emphasize the details of some fictional object. This is what Gulliver does with the description of his â€Å"Box. † Its’ origin is carefully described: â€Å"†¦ the Queen ordered a smaller one to be made for me†¦ † Its design and dimensions are carefully recorded: â€Å"†¦ This traveling Closet was an exact Square with a Window in the Middle of three of the Squares†¦ â€Å", etc. The important detail of the box’s construction which will eventually allow for Gulliver’s salvation by sailors is also carefully noted: â€Å"†¦ On the fourth side, which had no windows, two strong staples were fixed†¦ â€Å", and so on. There is a dual purpose to what we might call the â€Å"liar’s emphasis† lavished on this passage. The first is to satirize the books of travelers tales so popular in Swift’s days in which exact descriptions of fantastic creatures were given to fool the credulous. The second is to prepare the reader for Gulliver’s eventual escape. This happens in his traveling box which is then conveniently destroyed by the sailors who rescue him so that no substantial evidence of his adventure remains, and the gullible can easily believe the whole story of Gulliver among the Brobdingnags. The comic irony is an effective device in satirizing human folly. The absurdity in the relationship between these two elements is essentially targeted at England (Gulliver), the Wigs, specifically, whereby Swift is attacking his opposition. In the spirit of Swift’s famous word play about â€Å"†¦ his good Master Bates†, we can rename his fable â€Å"Gullible’s Travels. â€Å"

The Moon Essays - Lunar Science, Moon, Lunar Phase, Lunar Prospector

The Moon Essays - Lunar Science, Moon, Lunar Phase, Lunar Prospector The Moon The Moon is the only natural satellite of Earth: orbit: 384,400 km from Earth diameter: 3476 km mass: 7.35e22 kg Called Luna by the Romans, Selene and Artemis by the Greeks, and many other names in other mythologies. The Moon, of course, has been known since prehistoric times. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. As the Moon orbits around the Earth once per month, the angle between the Earth, the Moon and the Sun changes; we see this as the cycle of the Moon's phases. The time between successive new moons is 29.5 days (709 hours), slightly different from the Moon's orbital period (measured against the stars) since the Earth moves a significant distance in its orbit around the Sun in that time. Due to its size and composition, the Moon is sometimes classified as a terrestrial planet along with Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. The Moon was first visited by the Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 in 1959. It is the only extraterrestrial body to have been visited by humans. The first landing was on July 20, 1969 (do you remember where you were?); the last was in December 1972. The Moon is also the only body from which samples have been returned to Earth. In the summer of 1994, the Moon was very extensively mapped by the little spacecraft Clementine and again in 1999 by Lunar Prospector. The gravitational forces between the Earth and the Moon cause some interesting effects. The most obvious is the tides. The Moon's gravitational attraction is stronger on the side of the Earth nearest to the Moon and weaker on the opposite side. Since the Earth, and particularly the oceans, is not perfectly rigid it is stretched out along the line toward the Moon. From our perspective on the Earth's surface we see two small bulges, one in the direction of the Moon and one directly opposite. The effect is much stronger in the ocean water than in the solid crust so the water bulges are higher. And because the Earth rotates much faster than the Moon moves in its orbit, the bulges move around the Earth about once a day giving two high tides per day. But the Earth is not completely fluid, either. The Earth's rotation carries the Earth's bulges get slightly ahead of the point directly beneath the Moon. This means that the force between the Earth and the Moon is not exactly along the line between their centers producing a torque on the Earth and an accelerating force on the Moon. This causes a net transfer of rotational energy from the Earth to the Moon, slowing down the Earth's rotation by about 1.5 milliseconds/century and raising the Moon into a higher orbit by about 3.8 centimeters per year. (The opposite effect happens to satellites with unusual orbits such as Phobos and Triton). The asymmetric nature of this gravitational interaction is also responsible for the fact that the Moon rotates synchronously, i.e. it is locked in phase with its orbit so that the same side is always facing toward the Earth. Just as the Earth's rotation is now being slowed by the Moon's influence so in the distant past the Moon's rotation was slowed by the action of the Earth, but in that case the effect was much stronger. When the Moon's rotation rate was slowed to match its orbital period (such that the bulge always faced toward the Earth) there was no longer an off-center torque on the Moon and a stable situation was achieved. The same thing has happened to most of the other satellites in the solar system. Eventually, the Earth's rotation will be slowed to match the Moon's period, too, as is the case with Pluto and Charon. Actually, the Moon appears to wobble a bit (due to its slightly non-circular orbit) so that a few degrees of the far side can be seen from time to time, but the majority of the far side (left) was completely unknown until the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 photographed it in 1959. (Note: there is no dark side of the Moon; all parts of the Moon get sunlight half the time. Some uses of the term dark

5 Top Social Media Tips for Businesses Blog

5 Top Social Media Tips for Businesses Blog 5 Top Social Media Tips for Businesses Most businesses are now on social media. This is because platforms like Facebook and Twitter offer a cheap and easy way to reach millions of potential customers. But how can you make sure your company stands out from the online crowd? We suggest the following: Use the same social media networks as your customers. Use images and infographics to boost the number of views you get. Respond to questions and give followers ways to interact with you. Use competitions and special offers to reward loyal followers. Check your social media messages carefully to avoid typos. Check out our advice below for more social media tips. 1. Cross-Platforming on Social Media So many platforms, so little time From Snapchat to LinkedIn, we have a lot of social media platforms to choose from these days. But trying to maintain a presence on every platform would be a huge drain on time and effort. As such, you may want to concentrate on the platforms most relevant to your business. If you run a craft supplies company, for example, you’ll want to be on Pinterest, which is popular with the arts and crafts community. However, Pinterest may be less relevant to companies that sell industrial mining equipment. It is thus vital to find out which platforms your customers use. To run multiple accounts, meanwhile, you can use a social media management tool. Try to tailor each post to the platform, too, as cross-posting can be off-putting for some followers. 2. Images and Infographics Public domain photos are the best, says President Harding. Posts with images get more views and responses than those without a visual element. It is therefore wise to include images and infographics in your posts whenever possible. Ideally, you should create your own original images for use on social media. But you can also use public domain images. And then there are memes. So many memes. And people seem to like those these days. Whatever you post online, though, make sure to follow all relevant copyright laws for your region. 3. Engagement, Engagement, Engagement Unlike traditional advertising, social media is a two-way street. Yes, you can use it to make announcements or promote your business. But customers can also use it to get in touch with you. The most important factor here is to respond promptly to messages. However, you can also use polls, hashtags, and other techniques to encourage your followers to engage online. 4. Deals and Competitions Getting people to follow you online is only half the battle. The real trick is keeping them interested. And this means you need to reward your loyal followers somehow. You can often do this by running regular competitions, giveaways and special offers. After you’ve done this for a while, people will know they’ll miss out on freebies and discounts if they don’t check your social media accounts. And that should keep them coming back for more! 5. Proofread Carefully! Finally, don’t forget to double check every social media post or message you write. Typos may be common online, and informal English is fine, but spelling or grammar errors on social media could reflect badly on your company. As such, it pays to proofread everything you post online.

Do Organisations Need Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Do Organisations Need Managers - Essay Example Currently, debates have risen as to whether organizations really need managers for the purposes of achieving their goals and objectives. This paper is to examine the functions and purpose of managers in organizations and there relevance in organizations. Traditional and Modern Managers Managers have existed in traditional and modem organizations and there are certain conventional functions and roles that such managers were executing. The conventional activities that managers are involved in organizations including building and maintaining relationships, getting and giving information, influencing people and decision making (Waldron, Vsanthakumar, & Arulraj, 2011). The functions and purpose of managers in the traditional management was restricted to the liaison between the owner and all the staff of the organization (Cieslinska, 2007). According to traditional and modern management principles, the functions of a manager are identified as interpersonal, informational, and decisional. I nterpersonal roles entail the development, building, and maintenance of contacts and relationships with variety of people both within and outside the organization or department. Interpersonal role requires managers to acts as a symbol for their organizations or departments and to liaise with other people outside the department or organization. The informational role requires managers to monitor and assess organizational operations through data collection and analysis and disseminating information to employees and other stakeholders and acting as a spokesperson for the organization (Puckett, Byers, & Green, 2004:32). Managers are also charged with decisional role where they are required to make innovative decisions, handle conflicts, and resolve problems and resource allocation (Yadav, 2009). Planning Managers are involved in the planning of the business environment in organizations. The planning aspect for managers entails the identification of goals and objectives that the organiza tion seeks to achieve. They also determine the methods and strategies to be used in the achievement of the pre-set goals and objectives of the organizations in which they head (Rondeau, 2011). It is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that the goals and objectives of organizations are met and achieved within the stipulated time frame. To ensure that the objectives are realized, the managers ensures that the organization runs smoothly and any impediments and obstacles that might derail the organization from achieving its goals and objectives are removed. In the traditional organizational management system, managers were preoccupied with the running of the day to day business with the sole responsibility of increasing profitability for the organizations. The responsibility of meeting the organizational goals such as the provision of safe place for employment, provision of quality products, adherence to the mission, vision and values of an organization and providing the expecta tions, wants and needs of customers squarely lies within the functions of managers (Puckett, Byers, & Green, 2004:37). The current environment in which most organizations