Case Study Summary of Zara and Oxford Industries Essay Example for Free

Case Study Summary of Zara and Oxford Industries EssayZara specializes in inexpensive fashions for women and men between the ages of 16 and 35. In keeping with the spirit of that demographic, Zara moves quickly. Like legion(predicate) equip retailers, it has two seasonsfall/winter and spring/summerbut selections change frequently within those periods. Items spend no more than two weeks on the shelf before making way for new merchandise, and stores are replenished twice a week.With annual growth of around 20 percent in two sales and public figure of stores, Zara was finding that strategy increasingly difficult to execute. Part of the Inditex group of fashion distributors, it currently has more than 1,100 stores in 68 countries. With so ofttimes volume flowing through the supply chain, the company could no longer rely on guesswork by store managers as to how much crossing it claimed to replenish at each location.In the summer of 2005, Zara heard about research being done on mathematical models for retailing, by professors Jeremie Gallien of the MIT Sloan nurture of Management and Felipe Caro of the UCLA Anderson School of Management. They were invited to Zaras headquarters in La Coruna, Spain.The focus was on making better stock-allocation decisions for Zaras growing network of stores. A trope of the resulting model was implemented between March and July of the following year, as part of a six-month internship at Zara by MIT graduate student Juan Correa. Between August and December, researchers ran a live pilot involving dispersion of a dozen intersections to Zaras stores worldwide. An identical selection of products was dispatched to stores under the old process, for purposes of comparison.The mathematical model drew on historical sales data plus available stock in the warehouses to come up with a final number for each store. Gallien says the task was exceedingly complex. individually store carries several thousand items in up to eight sizes, with exact quantities to be determined for twice-weekly shipments. Through use of the model, computers could take over the basic number crunching, with humans left to make adjustments based on exceptions such as bad weather or unexpected disruptions in the sales channel.The emphasis on fast turnaround motivates consumers to purchase items on the spot. Unlike in many dress stores, where seasonal lines remain on the shelves for weeks or months, a particular air in a Zara store can disappear within a week. Zara speeds up its supply chain by strategically selecting and locating suppliers. A law of proximity model judges not only their geographic placement, but their ability to respond quickly to performance orders. About half of the retailers production meets the proximity threshold, mostly coming from suppliers in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. From a geographic standpoint, nearly 65 percent of production is sourced in Europe. Zara also buys from suppliers in Asia, but because of the need for speed, their number is considerably less than the industrys average.The model has yielded additional benefits. Product now spends more time on the sales floor, and less in a back room or warehouse. With a reduction in misallocated inventory, there are fewer returns to the warehouse and transfers between stores. And, as Zaras distribution network continues to grow, the retailer wont need to expand its warehouse team as fast as the old process required.Summary of Oxford IndustriesOxford Industries began in 1942 as a domestic manufacturer of basic, button-down shirts for mid-level retailers, particularly department stores. In recent years, however, the company has shifted its business model to focus on apparel design and marketing, with third-party producers handling manufacturing. As part of this transformation, the Atlanta-based company embraced a brand-focused business strategy. In 2003, Oxford acquired the island-inspired Tommy Bahama operations, followed by the 2004 acqu isition of Ben Shermana well-known London-based brand made renowned by the popularity of its shirts among British rock stars.Oxfords legacy business units, Lanier Clothes and Oxford Apparel, also evolved. As one of the leading suppliers of mens tailored clothing to retailers, Lanier Clothes designs and markets suits, sports coats, suit separates and dress slacks. While continuing to sell these under private labels, it also has licensed a number of well-known brands, including Geoffrey Beene, Kenneth Cole and Dockers. These products pas de deux a wide price range and are sold at national chains, department stores, specialty stores and discount retailers throughout the United States. Oxford Apparels products range from dress shirts and western wear to suit separates and golf apparel, designed mostly for private-label customers like Lands End, Federated Department Stores and Mens Wearhouse.Oxford Industries also sells through 55 of its own stores. In the late 1980s, early in its tran sformation process and prior to the acquisition of Tommy Bahama and Ben Sherman, Oxford realized that it needed to bring its business divisions up to speed with more robust information technology. After completing the implementation of a company-wide enterprise resource planning system, the company contracted with an independent consulting truehearted to determine where it should invest time and money to further increase operational efficiencies and performance. The result of that in-depth study ultimately led to Oxford Industries decision to implement two solutions from JDA parcel bespeak Planning and control Planning.With so many possible permutations of size, style and color for each of its products, improving forecast accuracy was critical. Prior to implementing JDA Demand, Oxford relied on its retail customers demand forecasts for its private-label products, as well as information provided by the companys own sales associates. If too much or too lowly product was created b ased on the retailers or the sales associates forecast, both Oxford Industries and that customer paid the price via lost sales or markdowns.JDA Demand enabled the company to better understand consumers evolving requirements and current trends, along with historical buying patterns, resulting in the ability to create more accurate forecasts and synchronize demand for replenished product with sources of supply. Oxford Industries can now compare its forecasts with those of its retail customers to ensure that the right amount of product is manufactured, leading to improved collaboration and service levels with its trading partners.The implementation of JDA Master Planning leveraged the solutions automated functionality to compile product information and production constraints to generate weekly sourcing and inventory plans from style to the SKU level. The solution also simultaneously considered factory capacities including special features, raw-material availability, and manufacturing a nd customer lead-times. Since Master Planning generated a first version of the supply plan by noon each Monday, Oxford Industries planners had four and a half eld to resolve any issues to accommodate unplanned demand, which translated to an 85-percent improvement in planning efficiency.Although the companys sourcing model has since shifted from a typical manufacturing process to more of a purchase process, manufacturing and customer lead-times, SKU-level decisions and some capacity constraints still need to be factored into the supply planning process. Master Planning provides the tools to let managers manage instead of function as data-entry technicians.

Biomedical And Biopsychosocial Health Models Health And Social Care Essay

Bio checkup And Biopsycho favorable Health Models Health And Social C are EssayThe medical examination checkup mould of wellness is a negative one that is, that health is essentially the absence of disorder. Despite b gaga attempts by bodies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) to argue for a definition of health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, close medically related thought clay concerned with disease and illness.-The main point of this model of disease is that it attempts to uncover underlying pathologic processes and their particular effects.-The pathologically base and causally specific medical model became increasely dominant. In the medical model of disease, tuberculosis is defined as a disease of bodily organs following exposure to the nodule bacillus. The development of the illness involves symptoms such as coughing, haemoptysis (coughing up gillyflower), weight loss and fever . In this model the underlying cause of the illness is the bacillus, and its elimination from the tree trunk (through anti-tubercular drugs) is aimed to restore the body to health.-In the shell of tuberculosis, the symptoms described above are excessively found in different diseases, and this problem of linking symptoms to specific underlying mechanisms frustrated medical development.-Today, these are often referred to as forms of complementary medicine herbalism and homeopathy, for example that treat symptoms holistically but do not rest on the idea of underlying, specific pathological disease mechanisms.-The medical model was essentially individualistic in orientation and, unlike earlier approaches, paid less attention to the patients social situation or the wider environment. This narrowing of focus (towards the internal written reporting(a)s of the body, and then to cellular and sub-cellular levels), led to many gains in understanding and treatment, especially after(pr enominal) 1941, when penicillin was introduced, and the era of antibiotics began. But it was as well accompanied by the development of what Lawrence calls a bounded medical profession, that could pronounce widely on health matters and could act with increasing military force and autonomy. Doctors now claimed max jurisdiction (authority) over health and illness, with the warrant of the medical model of disease as their support.This situation meant that modern citizens were increasingly encouraged to see their health as an individual matter, and their health problems as in need of the attention of a doctor. It is this which Foucault (1973) saw as constituting the medical gaze which focused on the individual and on processes going on inside the body its volumes and spaces. Wider influences on health, such as circumstances at work or in the domestic sphere, were of less fire to the modern doctor. This gaze (extended in due course to health-related behaviours) underpinned the develo pment of the modern doctor-patient relationship, in which all authority over health matters was seen to reside in the doctors expertise and skill, especially as shown in diagnosis. This meant that the patients view of illness and alternative approaches to health were excluded from serious consideration. Indeed, the patients view was seen as contaminating the diagnostic process, and it was better if the patient occupy only a passive role. It is for this reason that the medical model of disease has been regarded critically in many sociological accounts. The power of the medical model and the power of the medical profession devote been seen to serve the interests of medical dominance rather than patients needs (Freidson 1970/1988, 2001) and to direct attention away from the wider determinants of health. However, before we proceed, two caveats need to be entered. Whilst medicine in the culture 20 years has continued to focus on processes in the individual body, such as the chemistry of the brain or the role of genes in relation to specific diseases, the current context is clearly different from that which existed at the beginning of the twentieth century. Today, in countries such as the UK and the USA, infective diseases are of far less importance as threats to human health.The biopsychosocial model in medical research the evolution of the health concept over the last two decades1. IntroductionThe traditional biomedical paradigm has its homes in the Cartesian division between mind and body, and considers disease primarily as a result of injury, infection, inheritance and the like. Although this model has been extraordinarily productive for medicine, its reductionistic character bars it from adequately accounting for all relevant medical aspects of health and illness 1 and 2. One of the most criticised consequences of training the biomedical model is a partial definition of the concept of health. If disease consists only of somatic pathology-or, to a greater extent strictly and according to the influential work of Virchow 3, cellular pathology-health must be the state in which somatic signs and symptoms are not present. According to this view, the World Health Organization defined health simply as the absence of disease 4.In his classic papers, Engel 1 and 5 explicitly warned of a crisis in the biomedical paradigm and conceptualised a new model which regards social and mental aspects as giving a better understanding of the illness process 6. In recent years, the so-called biopsychosocial model has found broad acceptance in few academic and institutional domains, such as health education, health psychology, public health or preventive medicine, and even in public opinion. It is now for the most part accepted that illness and health are the result of an interaction between biological, psychological and social factors 7, 8 and 9. Many authors now implicate mental and social aspects in their definitions of health 10, 11, 12 and 13.It m ight be expected that, in the two decades since Engels call for a biopsychosocial framework, the concept of health implying social and psychological components would as well have extended to practical contexts. The purpose of the present study is to find appear whether and to what extent the biopsychosocial concept of health has spread among medical researchers.4. Discussion and conclusionsIn western culture, at least since the advent of Cartesian dualism, medicine has used a mechanistic approach to human nature and has centred its interest around illness and its signs.-The main reason for the failure of psychological and social measures in the reports examined lies in the s manger deep-rooted dominance of the biomedical model which, despite the criticism of its reductionism, frame useful and still enables advances in medicine. This dominance has surely been reinforced in recent years because of the push of genetic research and therapies. Perhaps, holistic and biological-reductio nistic models should not make do but try to coexist, as two different but not necessarily incompatible possibilities for approaching health questions. The result would be, however, a reduction of biomedical terrain. First, clinical and health psychology have demonstrated their capacity to explain and treat many somatic symptoms. Second, some holistic medical models-such as conventional Chinese Medicine or Hannemans homeopathy-are gaining ground because of patients who do not find satisfactory solutions in biomedical superintend. Third, biomedical care implies enormous and rapidly-rising costs that are beginning to exceed the budget of the health care systems.4.2. Practice implicationsThe biopsychosocial model has been successfully applied to obtain a better understanding of the disease processes and their causes 18, and also for public health purposes 19 and 20, or to improve physician-patient relations 21 and 22, but medical practitioners are still reluctant to incorporate it i nto treatment plans 16. Holistic approaches remain till now restricted to chronic illness management 23, which is the field of medical care where regaining health, in a biomedical sense, is not the main goal.For the medical practitioner, the difficulties attached to the change from a biomedical to a biopsychosocial model of health can be well understood. First, this change necessarily implies taking into account a much wider spectrum of the factors influencing health and the healing process, which in turn demands greater knowledge and time investment. Second, the new paradigm implies a new demeanor of the patient-doctor relationship, a style which enables, among other things, the doctors attention to the patients psychosocial circumstances, in order to better manage his or her situation, and not only his or her illness. Undoubtedly, this kind of interaction requires a greater political campaign from practitioners, but also from the health care systems, which should provide the nec essary context and resources for it, such as communication skills training, adequate settings, or enough personnel.Despite these hindrances, which leave behind probably continue to relegate the biopsychosocial model to a secondary place in medical practice, the broadening of the doctors perspective to encompass psychological and social aspects would be really beneficial for the patient, since as Engel 24 lucidly pointed out, even though both patient and doctor may culturally adhere to the biomedical model, the patients needs and final criteria are always psychosocial.What Is the Biomedical Model? (wise geec)The biomedical model is a theoretical framework of illness that excludes psychological and social factors. Followers of this model quite focus only on biological factors such as bacteria or genetics. For example, when diagnosing an illness, most doctors do not first ask for a psychological or social accounting of the patient. The biomedical model is considered to be the domin ant modern model of disease.According to this model, good health is the freedom from pain, disease or defect. It focuses on physical processes that affect health, such as the biochemistry, physiology and pathology of diseases. It does not take social or psychological factors into account.The biomedical model is often referred to in contrast with the biopsychosocial model. In 1977, George L. Engel published an article in the well- cognize journal Science that questioned the dominance of the biomedical model. He proposed the need for a new model that was more holistic. Although the biomedical model has remained the dominant model since that time, many fields, including medicine, nursing, sociology and psychology, use the biopsychosocial model at times. In recent years, some professionals have even begun to adopt a biopsychosocial-spiritual model, insisting that spiritual factors must be considered as well.Proponents of the biopsychosocial model look at biological factors when assessin g and treating patients, just like users of the dominant model do. They also look at other areas of patients lives, however. Psychological factors include mood, intelligence, memory and perceptions. Sociological factors include friends, family, social class and environment. Those who examine spiritual factors also assess patients based on their beliefs about life and the possibility of a higher power.Scholars in disability studies describe a medical model of disability that is part of the cosmopolitan biomedical model. In this medical model, disability is an entirely physical occurrence. According to the medical model, being disabled is negative and can only be make better if the disability is cured and the person is made normal.Many disability rights advocates describe a social model of disability, which they prefer. This social model opposes the medical model. In the social model, disability is a difference neither good nor bad. Proponents of the social model see disability as a cultural construct. They point out that a persons experience of disability can decrease through environmental or societal changes, without the intervention of a professional and without the disability being cured. explain the main determinants of health age, sex and hereditary factors, lifestyle, housing, social class etc.The determinants of healthIntroductionMany factors combine together to affect the health of individuals and communities. Whether pack are healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and environment. To a large extent, factors such as where we live, the state of our environment, genetics, our income and education level, and our relationships with friends and family all have enormous impacts on health, whereas the more commonly considered factors such as access and use of health care services often have less of an impact.The determinants of health includethe social and economic environment,the physical environment, andthe persons individual characteristic s and behaviours.The context of wads lives determine their health, and so blaming individuals for having poor health or crediting them for good health is inappropriate. Individuals are unlikely to be able to directly control many of the determinants of health. These determinants-or things that make people healthy or not-include the above factors, and many othersIncome and social spatial relation higher income and social status are connect to better health. The greater the gap between the richest and poorest people, the greater the differences in health.Education low education levels are linked with poor health, more stress and lower self-confidence.Physical environment safe water and clean air, healthy workplaces, safe houses, communities and roads all contribute to good health. Employment and working conditions people in employment are healthier, particularly those who have more control over their working conditionsSocial support networks greater support from families, frie nds and communities is linked to better health. Culture customs and traditions, and the beliefs of the family and community all affect health.Genetics inheritance plays a part in determining lifespan, healthiness and the likelihood of evolution certain illnesses. Personal behaviour and coping skills balanced eating, keeping active, smoking, drinking, and how we deal with lifes stresses and challenges all affect health.Health services access and use of services that prevent and treat disease influences healthGender Men and women birth from different types of diseases at different ages.Success of NHS was also its Achilles heel demand increasedThe dental plate and nature of the problemIncidents involving incorrect medication dosageIncidents involving the use of technical proceduresA number of women became pregnant following failure of earlier sterilisations which had been carried out by laparoscope (keyhole surgery). The surgeon had attached the sterilisation clips to the wron g part of the Fallopian tube.Incidents involving failures in communicationA man admitted to hospital for an arthroscopy (an exploratory operation) on his knees had a previous report of thrombosis (blood clots). This was noted by a nurse on his admission form, but was not entered on the operation form which had a section for risk factors and known allergies. The operation was carried out and the patient was discharged from hospital the same day. Given his history of thrombosis the patient should have been given anticoagulant drugs following his operation, but because his history had not been properly recorded none were given. Two days later he was admitted to the intensive care unit of another hospital with a blood clot in his lungsThe impact of adverse events on individuals2.15 Adverse events involve a huge personal cost to the people involved, both patients and staff. Many patients suffer increased pain, disability and psychological trauma. On occasions, when the incident is insen sitively handled, patients and their families may be further traumatised when their experience is ignored, or where explanations or apologies are not forthcoming. The psychological impact of the event may be further compounded by a protracted, adversarial legal process. Staff may experience shame, guilt and depression after a serious adverse event, which may again be exacerbated by follow-up action. 20,212.16 The effect of adverse events on patients, their families and staff is not sufficiently appreciated and more attention should be given to ways of minimising the impact of adverse events on all those involved. These issues, while of great importance, cannot be fully addressed indoors this report and may require separate attention, though we made some limited comment in the context of our discussion on litigation in chapter 4.Conclusion teaching on the frequency and nature of adverse events in the NHS is patchy and can do no more than give an impression of the problem. Informatio n from primary care is particularly lackingThe financial costs of adverse events to the NHS are difficult to estimate but undoubtedly major probably in excess of 2 billion a yearThere is evidence of a range of different kinds of failure, and of the recurrence of identical incidents or incidents with similar root causesCase studies highlight the consequences of weaknesses in the ability of the NHS as a system to learn from serious adverse eventsThere is a need for further work focusing specifically on how the impact of adverse events on patients, their families and staff can be minimised.From the cradle to the grave, increasing aging population etcBritains population is ripening fast, with statisticians predicting a huge increase in the number of 100 year olds by the next century.With people living longer and longer because of medical and other advances, health experts believe the number of people suffering from debilitating conditions such as cancer and heart disease will grow and could mean a rising demand for nursing care.Health experts are worried that as people get older, they could become prone to an increasing number of debilitating conditions if they do not keep active.The WHO has launched a campaign to promote good health in old age.Doctors in the UK say people have an over-gloomy picture of old age and that there is no reason why they should have a lower quality of life than other people if they keep healthy.People do have anxiety that there will be a period of disability at the end of their lives.But there is no evidence that that is the case if they are encouraged to live a healthy life and this generation of elderly people are in better nick than the previous generation. flogging the ageing processOrganisations which campaign for the elderly are in favour of policies which support old people to be as independent as contingent and allow them more choice and power over their future. They say cuts in local authority and health budgets mean services like home helps have been whittled (cut) away.Without a boost in those services which support independence, there is likely to be increasing pressure on those that cater for dependence our hospitals, nursing and residential homes.The organisation wants a national strategy which sets a framework that encourages independence and inclusion. It says that such a strategy would be much cheaper than putting people into care homes.They want to see a wider debate on issues such as who funds long-term care, rationing of care particularly in the light of increasing technological change, and health promotion.They argue that the present division between social and health services over long-term care is artificial and damaging.It means people in places funded by social services have to contribute towards their care costs, whereas those in places funded by the NHS get free care.

What Is The Pre Modern Society?

What Is The Pre Modern Society?Human history can be divided into three phases pre-modern, modern and post modern. thither is no definite beginning or end to each of these phases rather they merge into 1 another, as not all societies moved forward at the same time.Sociology and contemporaneousness have been described as closely intertwined, but it has also been argued that sociology is a product of modernity. Sociology came out of something described by Polanyi (1973) as the broad Transformation, a term which refers to loving, economic, political and cultural changes, which were the cause of new forms of social life.During this piece I will discuss pre- modern society, the impact industrialisation had on society and why the study of this era is important for sociology.What is Pre- modern Society?In pre-modern society, work was not highly specialised and the physical body of roles necessary to arouse things were relatively small, therefore the division of labour was simple when c ompared to modern societies. Most of the labour forces engaged in agricultural activity and produced food through subsistence bring uping. The absolute majority of pre-industrial groups had standards of living not much above survival, meaning most of the population were foc apply on producing only enough goods for means of survival.The term pre- modern, covers a number of different societal forms hunter-gatherer, agrarian, horticultural, pastoral and non-industrial. Pre-modern social forms have now virtually disappeared, although they are still in subsistence in some of todays societies.An example of a hunter- gatherer society that exists today is the Inuit battalion, who inhabit northern Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Due to the lack of vegetation in these areas of the world, most Inuit people live on a viands of meat. Many Arctic people are exceedingly mobile like the feudal societies of pre- modern times, and travel around the land, often moving with the seasons, in pursua nce of migratory living organisms.Hunting and gathering societies hunt animals and gather vegetation in order to survive. All humans were hunters and gatherers up until around 12,000 years ago, and although, these societies still exist today in some parts of the world, they are in fast decline as they are being interpreted over by the parent of industrial society (Macionis J. Plummer K, 2005, p.75).Hunting and gathering societies began to turn into horticultural and pastoral societies after new technology was introduced. People began to use hand tools to help them to farm the land and to work the soil in order to sow seeds. Societies living in mountainous or parched regions turned to pastoralism which is based on the vapidity of animals. Some societies combined the two technologies so they could produce a variety of foods.Agrarian societies came about with the discovery of large scale farming, which involved using ploughs which were harness to animals. Farmers could work larger plots of land unlike the horticulturists who worked garden sized plots of land. Agrarian societies began to permanently settle and created large food surplus, which they could now transport using animal powered wagons. Increased food production provided societies with surplus materials, which meant the build up of storable produce. This represented a cultural advance for civilisation. With the development of storage, in some idealistic cases came some social unrest, as what could be stored could also be stolen, although is thought that in pre- modern times there was very little deviance, as communities were extremely close knit and everybody knew each other. This new technology could have also created social inequality as some families produced more goods than others. The families producing more food whitethorn have assumed positions of authority and privilege.industrialisation and the making of Modern SocietyIn order to understand why the study of pre- modern times is lively to s ociology, it is important to look to the Industrial Revolution, as this was a time of great change for European society, and the crossing over from pre- modern to modern society.Industrialisation is the butt against whereby social and economic change transforms a pre- industrial society into an industrial one. Until industrialism the main source of energy was humans and animals, where as mills and factories now used water, and later steam, to power machinery. Industrialism is technology that powers sophisticated machinery with advanced sources of energy (Macionis J. Plummer K, 2005, p.79).During the Industrial revolution, an economy based on manual labour was re prescribed by one taken over by industry and the manufacture of machinery. Rapid industrialisation cost many craft workers their jobs and scores of weavers also found themselves unemployed as they could not compete with machinery. Many unemployed workers turned their anger towards the machines that had taken their jobs and began destroying factories and machinery. These activists became known as Luddites and became extremely popular. The British government took drastic measures against the Luddites using the army to cling to the factories.The Industrial Revolution also saw the emergence of class, urbanisation and the bad conditions in which people had to live and work. Marxism essentially began as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. As the Industrial Revolution progressed so did the gap among class structures. According to Karl Marx, industrialisation polarised society into the bourgeoisie, and the much larger proletariat.Ordinary working people found increased opportunity for employment in the mills and factories and in some cases had no choice but to move to the towns and cities in search of work. By the early 1900s up to eighty per cent of the population of Britain lived in urban centres (Kumar, 1978, cited in Bilton et al, p.28).Using the clock to time ones self, as a basis of social organ isation, was an indicator of the emergence of a modern society. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries both agricultural and manufacturing labour became set by the clock in a way that was very different to pre-modern production. In pre-modern times factors such as hours of daylight set work rhythms, whereas the factories were regulated by the clock, labour was synchronised and took place for a certain number of hours each day and on particular days of the week. For the factory owners and their employees, time now equalled money. The working conditions were often strict with yen working hours and a pace that was set by machinery and production.With the Industrial Revolution came an increase in population. Education was still limited and therefore children were expected to work. chela labour was appealing to employers as it was cheaper than employing an adult yet productivity was similar. The machines did not require strength to operate and there were no experienced adult laboure rs as the system was completely new.The majority of ordinary people were greatly affected by capitalism and industrial production. By the late 1900s Englands Black Country was one of the most industrialised parts of the United Kingdom and in the 1830s was described in the following wayThe earth seems to have turned inside out. The coal. is blinding on the surface by day and by night the country is flowing with fire, and the smoke of the squeezeworks hangs over it. There is a rumbling and clanking of iron forges and rolling mills. Workmen covered in smut, and with fierce white eyes, are seen moving amongst the glowing iron and dull thud of the forge-hammers.(Jennings,1985 p.165)Societies were changing faster than they had ever do before and industrial societies had transformed themselves more in a century than societies had for thousands of years before. In the 19th century the invention of the railway and steamships revolutionised transport and make the world feel much smaller th an it had previously. The invention of Sociology was created out of concern for a rapidly changing industrial world (Macionis J. Plummer K, 2005).ConclusionThe transition from pre- modernity into modernity was important for sociology as people began to see that society was something important to study. Some argue that this was when sociology began as the emergence of modern societies created a new intellectual world aware of its surroundings and concerned with acquisition of knowledge.As modernity came about, changes in social attitudes within society occurred making society itself interesting to others. dissimilar the static pre- modern society, modern societies appear to have created many different groups, causing new and interesting communications and interactions between people. In the pre- modern era, relationships between people in society were extremely similar and perhaps uneventful and society had been static, therefore sociology was not required.

A Pestel Analysis Of Australia Economics Essay

A Pestel Analysis Of Australia Economics EssayAustralia is a country in the Southern cerebral hemisphere comprising the of importland of the Australian uncorrupted, the island of Tasmania and numerous sm all(prenominal)er islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Neighbouring countries accept Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the northeast and New Zealand to the southeast.For at least(prenominal) 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century, Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians who belonged to one or more of roughly 250 lecture groups. After discoery by Dutch explorers in 1606, Australias eastern half was claimed by Britain in 1770 and initially settled through with(predicate) penal transportation to the closure of New South Wales, earnally founded on 7 February 1788 (although formal possession of the land had occurred on 26 January 1788). The population grew steadily in subsequent decades the continent was explored and an additional five self-governing Crown Colonies were established.On 1 January 1901, the six colonies became a federation and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since Federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal participatory political system and is a Commonwealth realm. The population is 22 million, with approximately 60% concentrated in and around the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. The nations capital city is Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory.A prosperous stupefyed country, Australia is the worlds thirteenth largest economy. Australia ranks highly in many inter issue comparisons of home(a) performance such(prenominal)(prenominal) as human being out egression, quality of life, health c atomic number 18, life expectancy, public upbringing, sparing freedom and the protection of civil liberties and political rights. Australia is a member of the United Na tions, G20, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, OECD, APEC, Pacific Islands forum and the World Trade Organization.PESTEL ANALYSISThere be many factors in the macro-environment that will effect the decisions of the managers of any organisation. Tax qualifyings, new laws, trade barriers, demographic change and organization policy changes are all examples of macro change. To help analyse these factors we can categorise them using the PESTEL model.Political factors. These refer to government policy such as the degree of intervention in the economy. What exhaustivelys and services does a government want to provide? To what extent does it believe in subsidising firms? What are its foregoingities in foothold of business support? Political decisions can impact on many vital areas for business such as the education of the workforce, the health of the nation and the quality of the infrastructure of the economy such as the road and rail systems.The federal government is separated into thre e branchesThe legislature the bicameral Parliament, comprising the Queen (represented by the Governor-General), the Senate, and the sign of the zodiac of RepresentativesThe executive the Federal Executive Council, in practice the Governor-General as advised by the Prime see and Ministers of StateThe judiciary the High Court of Australia and other federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Governor-General on advice of the Council.Business in Australia has a high degree of certaintyAustralia is a safe culture for investment. The countrys political and regulatory environment is stable, open and progressive, providing investors with a high degree of confidence and certainty.Australias strength as an investment destination stems, in part, from a political system that has been assessed as being highly effective in responding to economic challenges and policy direction. The adaptability of Australian government policy to changes in the economy has been ranked in the top two cou ntries in the region.Similarly, the transparency and effectiveness of government are besides rated highly .Efficient and transparent effectual manikinAustralia also has an open, high-octane and transparent legal framework. Corruption levels are judged lower than those in the US, the UK, Canada and most regional countries .These results can be attributed to a strong system of checks and balances, and a highly respected judicial and law enforcement system.Stable political environmentThe benefit to companies of a stable political environment can flow right through to the bottom line.Australia is one of the most important markets for MNCs in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia hosts a growing economy a stable political and business environment a skilled, rise educated and multi-lingual workforce a strategic time-zone and a competitive cost base. These factors provide a sophisticated market and the right environment enabling heterogeneous MNCs to drive innovation and technology.ECON OMIC FACTORSProperty prices are generally high in relation to income levels in Australia, creating a great convey for rental properties. In fact this demand is so high in some major cities that rental prices are firmly set to increase, making any purchase into a buy-to-let blank space market potentially profitable. While the population grows and incomes rise, the demand for housing now outpaces supply, causing prices to continue rising.Capital GrowthAustralia still has certain areas crack great investment opportunity. For example, in 2006 Perth property prices rose by between 36.6% and a staggering 42% and commercial properties in cities such as Brisbane and Perth are also currently offering many excellent returns on investment.Off-PlanPure investment strategies are viable options in many areas, enabling you to purchase off-plan property in Australia at the best possible prices. Investors purchasing as early as possible with a minimum notes-down payment and then selling prior to completion are gaining substantial profits.Low-cost Commercial PropertyAustralias cost-competitiveness has led to a growing number of foreign companies using Australia as a supply for their Asian operations. Between January 2002 and March 2003, 54 foreign companies established or relocated their operating centres in Australia, making it one of the most successful countries in the world in attracting such investment. Today Australia consistently emerges as a low cost base amongst developed nations.Currency ExchangeCurrency commute rates against euros, dollars and sterling are very favourable in Australia today, making property investment an attractive option to foreign investors who avoid losing vast amounts of money in their exchange transactions against the Australian dollar. In addition, foreign purchasers are generally able to buy much more for their money than back home. equal of LivingThe cost of living in large cities such as Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth is drama tically less than that of the worlds most expensive cities. At the same time, Australias major cities are all ranked among the worlds top 30 cities in cost of quality of life.Economic StabilityAustralias strong economic growth rates are high than in most OECD countries including the US and UK. Currently the countrys GDP is higher than that of the UK, Germany and France for example. There is a low degree of risk in the Australian economy epoch it boasts consistently strong GDP growth, stable interest rates, rising exchange rates, relatively high levels of employment and a low rate of inflation.In the main cities unemployment is relatively low and on average the national unemployment figures stand at around 5%. The country receives many applications each year from those wishing to emigrate to Australia and enjoy the high standard of living and general opportunities the country has to offer.MortgagesRepayment mortgages are functional to purchase property in Australia, covering 75- 80% of the valuation or purchase price (whichever is lower) and they are available for a period of between 5 and 30 years. Interest only mortgages are widely available in Australia and are on offer for 5 or even 10 year periods.SOCIAL FACTORSChanges in social trends can impact on the demand for a firms products and the availability and willingness of individuals to work.SOCIAL STRATIFICATIONClasses and Castes. The three main social kinfolkes are the working class, the middle class, and the upper class, but the boundaries between these groups are a matter of debate. The wealthiest 5 to 10 percent are usually regarded as upper class, with their wealth derived from ownership and control of property and capital. The growing middle class is defined as individuals with nonmanual occupations.Nonmanual workers typically earn more than manual workers, although upper-level manual workers such as tradespeople earn more than those in sales and individual(prenominal) service positions. The pro fessions, which include such occupations as accountants, computing specialists, engineers, and medical doctors, have been one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. Since the 1980s the number of manual workers has been in decline. manual workers form the nucleus of the working class 20 to 40 percent self-identify with this category. Class consciousness includes the acknowledgment of class divisions, but there is also a broad commitment to an ethic of egalitarianism. Australians commonly believe that socioeconomic mobility is possible and exhibit a basic tolerance and acceptance of inequality associated with social class.Symbols of favorable Stratification. The upper-class can be signified by expensive clothes, motor vehicles, and homes. In particular, the economic value of housing and other real estate properties varies greatly across different suburbs in all cities.However, class is not always evident from clothes, cars, and living circumstances. Middle-class people from e conomically wealthy backgrounds may inter their prosperity according to fashion, choice, or participation in particular subcultures. Young people such as students may dress to mimic imagined styles valued for their emblematic rejection of wealth, and some working-class families go into debt to purchase expensive cars and other commodities.Patterns of speech, consumption patterns associated with entertainment and the arts, and participation in certain sports may be useful indicators of class. assimilationInfant Care. baby rearing varies considerably with the country of origin, class background, the education and occupation of the parents, and the religious group to which a family belongs. While most practices are aimed at developing a responsible and independent child, Aboriginal and many migrant families tend to indulge young children more than do most Anglo-Celtic parents. Some ethnic groups supervise their young more strictly than the dominant Anglo-Celtic population, encourag ing them to mix only with family and friends, be dependent on the family, and leave decision making to the parents.Child Rearing and Education. Mothers are the preferred primary caretakers, although fathers are taking increasing responsibility for child care. In the past mothers were not as isolated in their child care responsibilities, receiving help from older children, extended kin, and neighbors. The reduction in family and household size in recent years has meant that the burden of care irrigatefall largely on mothers. There is real variation in ideas about good parenting, reflecting the diverse cultural values and traditions of parents ethnic background.Higher Education. Higher education is considered to offer the best employment opportunities. Consequently, tertiary education has become more widely available and is undertaken by an increasingly larger proportion of the population. It is available in two forms universities and institutions of technical and further education (TAFE). In 1992, 37 percent of women and 47 percent of men received post-school qualifications, and 12.3 percent of the labor force held university degrees in 1993. Universities also attract substantial numbers of overseas students. The government is responsible for funding most universities and institutions, with increasing contributions being made by students in the form of fees and postgraduation tax payments.TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORSNew technologies create new products and new processes. Technology can reduce costs, improve quality and lead to innovation. These developments can benefit consumers as well as the organisations providing the products.Two organizations support most of Australian government look into and development. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), headquartered in Melbourne and founded in 1926, is an independent government agency that supports research and development in all fields of the physical and biological sciences except defense science, nuclear energy, and clinical medicine. The defensive measure Science and Technology Organization (DSTO), headquartered in Canberra, supports military research and development by providing scientific and technological assistance to the Australian Defence Force and discussion section of Defence.Several issues dominate current Australian science and technology policy the concentration of research and development in national research centers tensions among and between university researchers over allocation of research and development funding resources effective communication between effort, government, and university researchers the growing role which industry is playing in support of national research and development and the role which Australia is playing in international science and technology collaboration. High-technology exports totaled $1.5 million in 1998. organization funds about 55% of all research and development and industry about 40%. In 1996, there were 73 agricultural, medical, scientific, and technical professional associations and societies, the foremost of which is the Australian Academy of Science, founded in 1954 by royal charter. The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering was founded in 1976. The Australian Science and Technology Council (ASTEC) provides an independent source of counsel for the Australian Prime Minister its role was augmented in 1986 by the creation of a post for a Minister Assisting the Prime Minister with portfolio for science and technology.Environmental factorsEnvironmental factors include the weather and climate change. Changes in temperature can impact on many industries including farming, tourism and insurance. With major climate changes occurring due to global warming and with greater environmental mindfulness this external factor is becoming a significant issue for firms to consider. The growing desire to protect the environment is having an impact on many industries such as the travel and transportation industries (for example, more taxes being placed on air travel and the success of hybrid cars) and the general move towards more environmentally friendly products and processes is affecting demand patterns and creating business opportunities.The Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) title of 1974 establishes procedures for ensuring that environmental impact is considered in governmental decision making. The Whale Protection tour of 1981 prohibits killing, capturing, injuring, or interfering with a whale, dolphin, or porpoise within Australias 200 mi economic zone or, beyond the zone, by Australian vessels and aircraft and their crews. The Environment Protection (Nuclear Codes) Act of 1978 mandates the development of uniform safety standards for uranium mining and milling and for the transport of radioactive materials. The Protection of the Sea (Discharge of Oil from Ships) Act of 1981 and the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of pollution from Ships) Act of 1983 prevent or limit pollution from oil or noxious substances.Water being a scarce resource in Australia, problems of pee quality and availability are a constant concern. As of 2001, the country had only 352 cu km of renewable water resources, although safe drinking water was available to all urban and rural dwellers. A cause for concern has been the increased salinity in the Murray Valley, caused by diverting water inland from the lantern slide for irrigation, as well as the rise in saline water tables in Western Australia, due to excessive land clearing for dry-land farming.Another significant environmental problem is inland damage due to soil erosion. The quality of the soil is also affected by salinization. As of 1993, Australia had 145 million hact. of forest and woodland and had the third most extensive mangrove area in the world, covering over one million ha.LEGAL FACTORSThese are related to the legal environment in which firms operate. The introduction of a ge discrimination and disability discrimination legislation, an increase in the minimum wage and greater requirements for firms to recycle are examples of relatively recent laws that affect an organisations actions. Legal changes can affect a firms costs (e.g. if new systems and procedures have to be developed) and demand (e.g. if the law affects the likelihood of customers buying the good or using the service.Contractual issuesContracts do not have to be in writing on a formal document and signed to be legally binding. The major elements of formation of a contract are offer and acceptance consideration intention to create legal relations and certainty of terms. Thus, provided these elements are met, a contract may be construed via exchange of e-mails, scribbling on the back of a docket or even verbal exchanges.Compliance with government sanctions and regulationsExporters should be aware that Australia maintains United Nations Security Council sanctions and bilateral sanctions in re spect of a number of countries. These sanctions require Australian organisations and individuals to comply with a range of measures and, in general, also apply extraterritorially to Australian nationals overseas. Sanctions may include export and import restrictions, prohibitions of technical assistance, training and financing, travel sanctions, and financial sanctions against specific persons and entities.Dealings with terrorists what the Australian business union should knowThe Government has passed laws making it a criminal offence to hold assets that are owned or controlled by terrorist organisations or individuals, or to make assets available to them, punishable by up to five years imprisonment.In addition to the Consolidated List, the Australian Government also maintains a list of groups that are require as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code.Australian companies need to ensure that they have checked the credentials of overseas partners and buyers. Australian com panies also need to be aware that there are scam operations working in some markets and again this emphasises the need to conduct background checks. Before signing or judge contracts, it is in your interests to seek professional legal advice from legal firms specializing in international work.PORTERS DIAMOND MODELPorters Diamond Factor Model (DFM) is a theoretical framework that achieved prominence in Australian economic policy development since its inception in 1990. Despite its widespread adoption, however, Australia has remained significantly below the OECD average in terms of its industrial clusters contributions to innovation and real wealth creation. In order to conceptualise the specific role that Porters DFM might play in the Australian policy development context, this paper analyses the 25-year history of the interaction between the Tasmanian state government and the Tasmanian Light Shipbuilding Industry cluster. This analysis provides an insight into the set of governmen t roles that facilitated the development of one of Australias most internationally competitive industry clusters, and proposes a reconceptualisation of Porters DFM that will potentially increase its value as a predictive legal instrument for regional economic developmentFactor conditions These are the economists traditional factors of production land, labor, capital, and infrastructure.Demand conditions The characteristics of the domestic market, including the size, demand, value, and sophistication. cerebrate supporting industries The presence of suppliers and supporting industries that are as competitive and of high quality.Firm strategy, structure, and rivalry The regulatory and other governmental environment in which companies are created, organized, and managed, including the nature of the domestic competition.Since the 1970s, the onrush of globalisation in Australias markets has presented significant economic policy challenges to the countrys federal and state governments. A major concern for Australian legislators was the question of making a nation previously protected by a fortress of tariffs and subsidies more productive and competitive in world markets. One theoretical framework that achieved prominence in Australian economic policy development was Porters Industrial Cluster Theory (ICT). Porters ICT proposes that for a region to increase its innovative capacity and export earnings, its government must interact to develop a sustainable array of internationally competitive industry clusters . Porters ICT argues that a nations industry clusters will likely be internationally competitive if a synergetic interrelationship exists between four Diamond Factor variables (i.e. Factor Conditions, Local Demand Conditions, Related and Supporting Industries, and Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry) and the two influencing roles of Chance Events and Government for a discussion of the Diamond Factor Model (DFM) that underpins ICT.The role of government in the stage of cluster life cycleThe first was the state governments initial non committal stance towards the development of the states burgeoning shipbuilding industry. At the time, the governments policy focus was primarily on the macro-economic restructuring of the states economy away from its dependence on hydro-industrialisation , and not the growth requirements of the potential industry cluster.The second key role was the state governments development of the regions reputation within the broader domestic maritime market as a national centre for maritime research. The Tasmanian government implemented a series of lobbying initiatives that resulted in the federal government providing additional funding to the Australian Maritime College and relocating its national maritime research institute (the CSIRO) to Hobart. These state government lobbying efforts were largely aimed at the federal government rather than the private sector, but their success had implications for the regions Facto r Conditions, Related and Supporting Industry, and Local Demand Conditions. The regional economys factor conditions were advanced by developing the regions supply of human capital through both the generation of work employment and education within the broader industry.The Tasmanian governments enhancement of the regions reputation helped to develop the demand conditions faced by the private sector shipbuilding firms, most significantly in the from of customers ready to import their products from interstate.Competitive advantage of AustraliaInstant access to high technologyGiven the proven track record of Future Materials partners, unitedly with our highly skilled, experienced team of professionals, Australian companies now have easy access to the kind of services and equipment previously difficult to attain. For instanceMaterials characterization and military ratingProblem solving, such as investigating contaminants and materials failures.Studies and testing on coatings, thin film s and surface modifications.Expert and independent opinion in litigation and IP matters.collaborative research aiding the development of new products and processes.Also,The governments policy focus was primarily on the macro-economic restructuring of the states economy away from its dependence on hydro-industrialisation , and not the growth requirements of the potential industry cluster.

Graduation Speech :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I would handle to welcome you to Tomatovilles Class of 2006 graduation ceremony. It is a cracking honor to be speaking to you whole.I would just like to take a couple of minutes to point out some things that I maintain noticed during my time in racy school.I always seem to hear complaints about how teachers dont really care about their students. But I presuppose our staff here in Tomatoville disproves that. All the teachers and administrators seem to genuinely care, especially our counselor, Mr. Bool. I am sure that he has helped all of us at peerless time or another.I also get the impression that society thinks teenagers are lazy and that we dont really care about anything. I would also like to disagree with that. Our high school has done a lot to show people that we care. We had a food drive. There is Little Buddies. In one of my classes, we all chipped in money so that a student could buy tickets for the prom. One student started a group to raise money for the Childrens Hospital. Money was collected and buy at was given for a well-loved teacher who is battling cancer. There also has been a tremendous amount of support in these last few weeks for an injured student.In addition, I think that every single member of this graduating class has great potential. As we start a new phase of our lives, I know that everybody will imbibe a chance to accomplish something meaningful to them. The possibilities are endless.The last thing that Ive noticed is something one of my teachers pointed out a few weeks ago. It always seems that in high school, there are certain groups. And one of these groups is always the geeks. But my teacher said that anybody is a geek if he has a passion for something.

Challenges of Managing a Non-Profit Organizations Essay -- Business

There are different challenges a non- cabbage organization face, although I believe that those resembling challenges are faced on for profit organization either at the same level or very similar. Trust is an issue that both non-profit and for profit organizations will encounter at some point in their business and therefore they would need to be as transparent as possible. Transparency entitles you to stand clear statements of where your money goes, how it is utilized in your organization, and how it is making your organization accomplish their goals. It is not the only thing that is necessary to make the stakeholders, other business, employees or anyone arouse in other business to place in your organization. For a non-profit organization trust is a key element to engage volunteers, donors and other business without trust chances are that the organization might fail to achieve their mission. Trust is acquire by performing the goals you have set for your mission and not devi ating from it, at to the lowest degree not too far from achieving the organizations goals either for non-profit or for profit organization. It is also important to have a plan (Taylor-Hamm) in case there is a catastrophic event that might jeopardize your organization, it will help you foresee adverse situations and you will be better prepared in case your initial plan fails.Performance challenges are faced in the same manner on both types of organizations non-profit and for profit organization. However they might be measured in a different way due to the different types of mission they have set for themselves and the different outcome they might expect. There are different slipway that a manager can measure the work performance of their employees, by what they produce, b... ...that I should mention and that is that most of these corporations that have partnered with Childrens Miracle have been with them for more at least 10 years. What is most important of all the sponsors i s that they share a common vision with Childrens Miracle. There is one thing that left me amaze and that was that most of the sponsors do some other type of fundraising for other organizations and that that like RE/MAX says the power of many is to make a difference...they have well-educated that genuine compassion in life directly corresponds to meaningful success in business and that in RE/MAX is called Premier Community Citizenship-performing popular acts of extraordinary generosity (Childrens Miracle). If there has been a problem that might have affected either Childrens Miracle or their sponsors and than that sponsor is no extended part of this tremendous cause.

gatwomen gatmyrtle Great Gatsby Essays: Similarities of Gatsby and Myrtle :: Great Gatsby Essays

Same Goal, Different Route in The Great Gatsby        A more(prenominal) thorough investigation of The Great Gatsby is necessary to uncover a well-disguised theme by Fitzgerald in this work.  Upon a simple read through one would credibly non nonice the great similarities of Jay Gatsby and Myrtle Wilson, but the two characters take careed to have the same agenda for their lives.  While Gatsby took the route of acquiring money at each(prenominal) costs to join the upper class of society and to be acceptable in the eyes of a woman, Myrtle chose to make her way up in society at the cost of her marriage by attaching herself to money.  The underlying question is who had the most success.     As a young man, Jay Gatsby was poor with nothing but his come for Daisy.  He had attempted to woe her, but a stronger attraction to money led her to marry another man.  This did not stop Gatsbys goal of good-natured this woman for himself though, and he decided to improve his life anyway he could until he could measure up to Daisys standards.  He eventually gained connections in what would seem to be the wrong places, but these gave him the opportunity he needed to get rich quick.  Gatsbys enormous desire for Daisy controlled his life to the point that he did not even question the immorality of the dealings that he involved himself in to acquire wealth.  Eventually though, he was able to afford a castle in a location where he could pursue Daisy effectively.  His life ambition had successfully moved him to the top of the new money class of society, but he lacked the culture of how to promote his wealth properly.  Despite the way that Gatsby flaunted his money, he did catch Daisys attention.  A chaotic liaison followed for a while until Daisy was overcome by pressures from Gatsby to intrust her husband and by the realization that she belonged to old money and a more proper society.  &nbs p  Myrtle eventually had similar goals as Gatsby, but her life did not begin the same way.  She was of the lower class of society and married a simple man.  The two pursued a poor life, but Myrtles husband George was a decent man.  Nevertheless, Myrtle became unsatisfied, and when the opportunity arose to better the quality of her life, she took it.  Daisys husband Tom, an unfaithful, rough man not very committed to his marriage, began an affair with Myrtle.