European Union and United Nations Essay Example for Free

European Union and United Nations Essay United Nations and European Union are two organizations which are very influential in the contemporary world. The two institutions play a very great role as far as implementation of rules and policy of different nature are concerned. Each body is charged with specific roles to play in the pursuit of various objectives for the member states. United Nation draws its membership from across the board,almost all countries in the world are members of this organization which was mainly created to promote peace among the nations. European Union on the other hand draws its membership from the heart of Europe,where most of the European nations are represented. The two organizations are charged with the role of implementing policies put forward or agreed upon by the member states. Each body has a mechanism which ensures that these policies and rules are followed by the members. They have powers to compel members to adhere to the laid down rules. United Nation relies on the powers granted by its guiding rules to implement the policies while European union largely depends on the constitution drawn by member states spelling out procedures to be followed by the members as far as implementation of policies is concerned. (Blacksell, M 1978) One of the main differences between the two bodies is the composition,European Union membership is drawn from nations which have a common interest and are pursuing the same goals mostly on economic intergration,whereas United Nation is a conglomeration of states brought together by the purpose of promoting peace in the world. United nation membership is far and wide due to the reason that a country is member of the larger world community. Members have serious conflicting interests making it hard at times to reach a compromise in certain occassions. On the other hand European Union is more of a voluntary organizations where members join as a result of the benefits they are going to derive from such a union (Emadi, B 2002). They are not propelled by other reason such as fear of being labelled uncoperative but rather for the benefit of creating a wider markets and opening up their economies. The European Union is a powerful entity which is rather an economic organization as opposed to United Nation which more of a political institution. The main objective of the European Union was to allow free movements of goods and capital across the borders where for the United Nation it was to prevent another major war in the world or mainly prevent conflict between nations among other things that go along with the maintenance of peace in the world. In such an arrangement members are not bound together by a common goal but rather as mere formality because they would like to be seen as countries which believe in a peaceful coexistence among nations. For those in the European Union it is more than maintenance of peace. They are bound together by the principles of creating a good enviroment for their economic advancement. (Bedjaou, M 1991) (Lister, F 1996) As an international organization,United nation has been facing problems as far as enforcement of the policies and rules is concerned. At times this has resulted to very serious consequences especially when members fail to abide by the rules set by the otganization. One of the main problem that has engulfed this institution is the feeling that some members are not well represented. The inequality as far as power is concerned has been a serious set back when it comes to the implementation of policies in the body. The issue of veto power means that some members are more powerful than others meaning that there exists a power imbalance in this organization. Though this may serve well for the group as the powerful nations will force the others to play by the rules there is a danger of this concept being misused by the powerful nations where they will be forcing others to play to their tune. On the other hand European Union presents a situation where member states operate on an equal ground (Lane, J 2006)As a supranantional government , European Union member countries have transferred some of their powers to this broader authority. This power is shared equally among the member states giving them eacha an opportunity to feel part and parcel of the organization. In such an arrangement it becomes easy to implement policies and rules set by the organization since members will wilingly be ready to comply as they are bound to benefit from such seetings. (Permott, A 2000) Though in both organizations it is possible for the member state to be forced by others to implement decisions made,in the Euopean Union it is rather not necessary to take such an action since most of the polies are reached through consensus building. Therefore most of the members will be in a position to impelement what the member country has passed. In the United Nations force can be used if a member state fails to go by the rules but this does not mean that such measures are always successful. (Joachim, J and Locher, B 2009) Members have at one time or another withdrawn their contribution or their membership from the organization as a registration of their discontement with some of the policies adopted by the organization. The fact that United Nation applies persuasive means to convince member states to comply with the rules and also take part in the implementation of policies place it in a weaker position as far as its operation are concerned. It is at a disadvantaged position since not all the members are willing to play by the rules. The mechanisms available to compel members to abide by the rules are also weak giving too much leeway to the rebel members. The issue of the power imbalance among member states also plays a great role in the impedement being experienced in the matters relating to the policy implementation. (Preston, L and Windsor, D 1997) The facts that European Union members are held together by many factors make it easy for the organization to manage its affairs. All members are bound to benefit in one way or another from the policies being adopted at any time. On the other hand United Nations experience difficulties implementing some of its policies due to the fact that the organization has a wider membership, and again the ideological differences play a major role as far as this is concerned. The feeling by some of the members that they are inadequately represented makes it hard for the organization to employ mechanism which auger well for all the members (Ionescu, G 1974) When it comes to the implementation of international rules and policies United Nation stands a better chance but it’s bogged down by various issues surrounding its composition. The fact that some nations yield more power in terms of veto creates an imbalance making other members feel that they are just used as mere pawns in rubber stamping decisions reached and brought down into their throats by the powerful nations. They feel that they are not part and parcel of some of the policies being adopted. On the other hand the issue of policy ownership in the European Union has played a great role as far as its successful implementation of policies and rules is concerned. Members participate fully in the deliberation and implementation of the policies. (Mckay, D (1996) Reference Permott, A (2000) The New Politics of Financing the UN, Palgrave Macmillan Bedjaou, M (1991) International Law and Prospects, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers Preston, L and Windsor, D (1997) The Rules of the Game in the Global Economy, Springer Publishers Ionescu, G (1974) Between Sovereignty and Intergration, Taylor and Francis Emadi, B (2002) Rethinking International Organization, Routledge Taylor and Francis Blacksell, M (1978) Postwar Europe: A political Geography, West view Press Joachim, J and Locher, B (2009) Transnational Activism in the UN and EU: A Comparative Study, Taylor and Francis Lane, J (2006) Globalization and the Politics, Ashgate Publishing Mckay, D (1996) Rush to Union, Oxford University Press Lister, F (1996) The European Union, The United Nations and the Revival of the Cofederal Governance, Greeenwood Publishing co.

Equality and Difference amongst indigenous Australians

Equality and Difference amongst indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians have poorer education rates compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. The ABS reveals that 39% of Indigenous Australian students stayed on to year 12 at high school, compared with 75% for the non-Indigenous population. Less than half of indigenous adults (22%) had a vocational or higher education qualification, compared with 48% for the non-Indigenous Australian population. Although the situation is improving slightly, (with significant gains between 1994 and 2002) these results illustrate inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Unemployment rates are also a problem in Australia, more so for Indigenous Australians. As of 2002, the average household income for Indigenous Australian adults was 60% that of the non-Indigenous average. The 2006 census showed a large gap regarding unemployment rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, with Indigenous people being 3 times more likely to be unemployed compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. Data from the 2002 NATSISS also indicated that Indigenous Australians were twice as likely as their non-Indigenous peers to be a victim of violent aggression, with 24% of Indigenous Australians reported being a victim of violence in 2001. In 2004, Indigenous Australians were 11 times more likely to be in prison with 1/5 ( 21%) prisoners in Australia being Indigenous-Australian. A study by the ABS in 2009 revealed the estimated life expectancy at 67.2 years for Indigenous men (11.5 years less than for non-Indigenous) and 72.9 years for Indigenous women (9.7 years less than for non-Indigenous). It shows a difference of about 5 years to the previous figures but at the same time, points to another issue of inequality. Studies in the 1960s reveals, among Indigenous Australians, a high rate of infant mortality of around 100 infant deaths per 1000 live births. In following years, there was a steady decline to around 26 per 1000 by 1981, with much of it due to improvements in post-neonatal mortality. While this can be seen as slightly promoting equality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, the latest statistics reveal that Indigenous infant mortality rates are consistently around two and a half times the Australian average, an obvious example of inequality in this area. The key to improving indigenous lives is education. Photo: Terry Irwin The major difference between equality and inequality is very simple education. Family circumstances and genetics play their part, but the be all and end all to eradicating inequality is a good education. It is the one essential ingredient above all others that would raise the indigenous communities of northern Australia out of poverty and Third World conditions to an equal place with white Australia equal health, equal wealth and equal status. As indigenous leader Noel Pearson said recently, indigenous education is a shameful failure. There is no colour divide in maths, physics, world history, geography or languages. Nor to the guaranteed opportunities education brings. The only barrier is the ability to deliver it quickly enough, in enough quantity and quality to make the transformation. And it does need to be done quickly we are already 200 years behind time. Pearson calls for two new methods of delivery: a change in the governance of indigenous schools; and a departure from centralised public education delivery in favour of independent publicly funded schools like those known in the United States as charter schools. This is no easy solution. Cultural barriers, poverty, misunderstandings and a chronic lack of infrastructure are real problems, but they are all within our capacity to solve. If for no other reason, our pride as a nation should drive us. We are justly proud of our athletes and sportsmen, our business men and women, our actors, painters and scholars. But while we parade our successes on the world stage, just a few words bring us crashing down: You allow your indigenous people to live in poverty and ignorance. On that matter you are by world standards a huge failure. We are extraordinarily accomplished and generous in bringing many different cultures from around the world to live peacefully and successfully in this country, yet we cannot accommodate our own indigenous culture. The delivery of well-educated, indigenous VCE students to universities and TAFEs can be achieved on two levels. Our top schools, both public and private, receive a fortune in government funding and commonly see about 90 per cent of their students enrol in university. They should take on the task of educating the brightest indigenous children. I once chaired a lunch meeting at which principals made clear their embarrassment that our schools are educating students from cultures all around the globe, but not educating significant numbers of our own indigenous children. Tired of waiting for government policy, many top schools have embarked on their own scholarship schemes in an ad hoc manner. It is estimated that by working with indigenous communities and with government, these schools could deliver 1000 indigenous university entrants each year without causing a ripple in their daily routines. The problems of culture shock and family support for students at such schools can be solved with the help of local communities. The second level involves enticing children in the outback to school and providing them with quality teaching. Interactive technology means that teachers throughout the outback can work with the best virtual teachers in city schools. School attendance might be a condition for joining the local football team, going to swim, or for mum and dad to collect their welfare cheque. If there is transport, a reason to turn up and a pay-off, children will attend. Initiatives in Cape York showing between 70 and 96 per cent attendance rates put paid to arguments by sceptics that high indigenous attendance in far north and outback Australia are unachievable. Fresh thinking is called for in the delivery of education in outback Australia and it may be we will never get that from government bureaucrats. Is it time for private enterprise the bastions of initiative and lateral thinking to bring some of their energy and relentless determination to the table? The initiative presently being considered in Queensland of an independent indigenous academy will have its critics, but it is the sort of bold move that is needed. It should attract private money from the many Australian companies and benefactors who support and sponsor important community causes. And what more important cause in this country could there be? Private not-for-profit schools should collectively take up this challenge as well. With access to private foundations and innovative teaching techniques, and being experienced in providing accommodation and cultural leadership, they are well placed to deliver such focused education institutions. I am damned if I know why Australias determination, sense of fairness and ingenuity have not enabled us to overcome this major national failure even if for no other reason than sheer embarrassment. (b) The article highlights the importance of education in reducing inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. It reveals that education guarantees opportunities thus the improvement of education for Indigenous Australians will promote equality of opportunity and equality of outcomes for Indigenous peoples, by raising indigenous communities of northern Australia out of poverty and Third World conditions and establishing equal health, equal wealth and equal status.The author also hints at Australia pride in its cultural diversity and our success in ensuring different cultures live peacefully and advantageously yet we cant even ensure the same level of equality for Australias Indigenous population. A number of ideas also surface regarding the ways education can be improved for Indigenous Australians to help promote equality in the long term. A change from centralised public education in favour of independent publicly funded schools is suggested, similar to charter sch ools in the US. Other ideas also include incentive for Indigenous students to attend school and the use of technology for communication between teachers in the outback and those in the city, enabling them to work together. Equality and difference for Indigenous Australians has experienced some change overtime. Significant changes include the earlier laws of the mid-late 20th century which focused on the rights of Indigenous Australians. The policy of Assimilation, introduced in 1937 saw Indigenous Australian on a different level to white Australians, with Aboriginal Australians having little or no rights; Aboriginal people of mixed descent are to be assimilated into white society by force and, those not living tribally are to be educated, with all others having to stay on reserves. Segregationist practices were also put in place and continue until the 1960s including separate sections in theatres for Aboriginal Australians, separate wards in hospitals and schools able to refuse enrolment to Aboriginal children. The policy of integration of was introduced in 1965, supposedly to give Aboriginal people more control over their lives and society. This is an example of a change over time, which allowed Indigenous Australians to make more decisions, however it is still a poor improvement in relation to equal rights for non-Indigenous Australians at the time. The Commonwealth 1967 Referendum is another event of significance as it recognised that Indigenous Australians were a part of the nation to be included in the census, a significant step in identifying Aborigines as equal and to the rest of Australian society. The abolishment of the White Australia Policy and the subsequent introduction of the Self-determination (self-management) policy is arguably one of the largest steps in establishing that Indigenous Australians are no different to the rest of Australian society. The change meant that Aboriginal Australians would have the right to preserve their culture and language and to manage the natural resources on Aboriginal land. These rights were already available to non-Indigenous Australians, revealing a delay in equality for Aboriginal Australians, obviously as a result of discrimination. Despite these milestones in policies to improve equality, the issue of poor health among Indigenous Australians is still a major issue. The overall life expectancy and health issues that occur among Indigenous Australians are proven to be more severe than for non-Indigenous Australians with poor education, socio-economic status and employment rates to blame. The infant mortality rate is an example though, that illustrates a decline in the number of infant deaths since the 1960s and proves that future trends may continue to decline, possibly along with other health issues regarding Indigenous Australians. Individuals, groups and governments can help achieve desirable outcomes for all people in the future by contributing and ensuring equality of opportunity, if not for outcomes for every Australian, in particular, disadvantaged groups such as Indigenous Australians. Individuals need to recognise the level of inequality that can be found in society, especially inequality in many aspects of Indigenous Australian life including, large numbers of unemployment rates, many of which are issues that can be solved, although it may take some time to improve dramatically. Groups can play a large role in improving equality in society, particularly for the state of Indigenous Australians and the issues they face. Dick Estens Aboriginal Employment Service is an example where action has been taken by a community to improve equality in employment for Indigenous Australians. Establishments like Estens can also be extended to other services, by the government, such as Indigenous health care; ensuring all Indigenous Australians have access to proper health care. The recent ban of alcohol for areas in the Northern Territory seems a poor way to reduce rates of violence relating to alcohol consumption. The consequences of alcohol for many Indigenous Australians is evidently a problem with high rates of abuse and violence but Perhaps this government initiative should have been altered to the formation of rehabilitation centres instead. This may also have followed with incentives to attract and consequently help Indigenous Australians overcome excessive alcohol consumption or provide them with better knowledge of its consequences rather than intrude on their rights by not allowing the consumption of alcohol. For issues regarding Indigenous Australian education; private, non-for-profit schools like SMH author Robert Dean suggested should possibly be put in place to promote better education for Aboriginal Australian students in society, the results of which would most likely achieve a greater equality for Indigenous Australians to have better opportunities and outcomes in life than in previous years. Hopefully, these opportunities and outcomes will one day, equal that of non-Indigenous Australians. Helen Pham, 11.2SOC

Essay example --

Konsep pembelajaran sepanjang hayat (PSH) ataupun lifelong learning bukanlh merupakan satu perkara yang asing lagi dalam sistem pendidikan negara ekoran daripada perubahan persekitaran baru di mana sekotor ekonomi pada sekarang berasaskan pengetahuan atau K-ekonomi menjadi keutamaan. Justeru itu, institut pendidikan guru hendaklah menerapkan nilai pembelajaran sepanjang hayat dan kemahiran untuk berfikir pada aras tinggi (KBAT). Budaya ilmu ini sangat penting, oleh itu, pengamalan budaya membaca dalam kalangan guru pelatih telah lama dipraktikkan oleh warga IPG malah ia sudah menjadi sebahagian intipati budaya oleh IPG. Di samping itu pelajar-pelajar di IPG bukan sahaja diterapkan dengan nilai pembelajaran sepanjang hayat sahaja, malah guru-guru pelatih di IPG juga telah dilatih untuk meningkatkan teknik pengajaran dalam bilik darjah. Keberkesanan aktiviti pengajaran dan pembelajaran dalam bilik darjah juga akan memberikan impak maksima kepada pelajar keraana persekitaran pembelajara n yang kondusif akan memudahkan para pelajar untuk lebih cekap dalam menimba ilmu. Oleh itu, bakal guru yang menuntut di IPG juga diajar dengan pelbagai jenis dan kemahiran mengajar untuk menarik minat pelajar semasa proses pembelajaran dan pengajaran di dalam kelas. Contohnya, penggunaan alat bantu pengajaran telah memudahkan lagi kerja guru dalam menyampaikan pengajarannya dan kaedah melakukan kerja dalam kumpulan juga telah mewujudkan suasana yang seronok untuk belajar dalam kalangan pelajar. Dengan ini guru bukan sahaja melahirkan insan yang berilmu tinggi malah mengamalkan budaya pembelajaran sepanjang hayat agar modal insan yang dihasilkan kelak akan dapat memacu kegemilangan negara sehingga ke peringkat global. Hal ini adalah sangat wajar kerana... ...dunia juga bermaksud kemampuan dan pencapaian cemerlang Malaysia dalam membangunkan sektor pendidikan negara agar kita dapat mempellopori perubahan dan kemajuan dinamis iaitu pembangunan tenaga manusia, kecemerlangan budaya fikir dan pembangunan teknologi dan sains. Jika system pendidikan disusun dengan dirangka dengan telus dan terbaik, maka negara kita akan dapat mengurangkan lagi kadar buta huruf yang berlaku kepada pelajar terutamanya kepada mereka yang bersekolah di kawasan luar bandar. Pendidikan bertaraf dunia juga merupakan satu komitmen dan usaha Kementerian Pendidikan bagi memperbaik kualiti pendidikan negara agar ia dapat dilonjakkan kepada satu standard yang tinggi dan mampu menyaingi negara-negara maju yang lain, pendidikan juga merupakan salah satu langkah penting untuk mengangkat martabat dan status Malaysia salam dunia pendidikan di peringkat global.

Laptop Computers: School Utilization and Student Achievement :: essays papers

Laptop Computers: School Utilization and Student Achievement It has become all too evident in today’s society that there is a need for a quality, successful education system. The need for skills in technology are also obvious. Schools across the nation are now trying to achieve both of these goals by providing a laptop computer to each student. Principal John Kozusko, an administrator at one such school claims, â€Å"It’s like a world apart. It’s changed the way teachers teach†¦the way they think about kids.† (Chute, 2000  ¶4) According to Speaker Rick Johnson of the Michigan House of Representatives, â€Å"Students have progressed from learning about computers to learning from them.† (Johnson, 2003,18) This paper will examine how laptops are being utilized in schools and the effect that they have on student achievement. Participation The movement to use laptop computers to provide a first-rate education to all students has quickly been spreading across the nation. Throughout the United States, Microsoft has counted more than 125,000 students and teachers at 800 schools participating in such programs. (Chute, 2000) In researching this topic, I have found documentation of programs in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools in a number of different states. These states include, but are not limited to, New York, Maine, Pennsylvania, California, Michigan, and Texas. Some schools fund the program on their own, often starting with a pilot program and expanding as funds become available. (Seeing is, nd) Others collaborate with corporations such as Microsoft and Netschools. (Chute, 2000) Additional funding has come from sources such as business donations, personal monies, federal funds, and bond money. (Corcoran, 2002) Laptop Usage The cases described throughout this paper all include schools that provided laptops for students and/or teachers so that the student to computer ratio was 1:1. As stated above, for some schools this was done with a pilot group, while other schools provided computers to all students. Students are then required to bring their laptop to class, ready to use, just as they must bring their textbooks, pencils, and other necessary materials. (Chute, 2000) They are also responsible for charging the battery for their computer and transporting their computer to and from school on a daily basis. How the computer is equipped varies depending on the make of the computer and the operating system and firewalls set up by the schools.

Supply Chains

Question #2-Define the supply chains for the following products from the first source of raw materials to the first customer. A) Big Mac, B) Gasoline, C) Automobile repair, D) A Text book. Supply chain, its management, performance measures and improvement approaches. As an extension of the systems point of view, the system dynamics inherent in the supply chain are illustrated and the coordination in the supply chain is emphasized. Five areas where measurement of supply chain performance should be made are discussed. The five areas are on-time delivery, quality, time (business cycle) total delivered cost and flexibility.The first step in devising an effective supply chain is to consider the nature of demand for the product. For this many aspects are important: Product life cycle, demand predictability, product variety etc. But any product can be broadly classified into as either a Functional Product or an Innovative Product based on their demand patterns. Root cause for ineffectivenes s of any supply chain is the mismatch between the type of product and the type of supply chain. Functional Products are generally staples or those generally bought from the grocery stores or retail outlets.They have stable demands are price variations do not affect the demand drastically. Such products have long life cycles but they invite competition and usually have low profit margins. The supply chain performs two different types of functions: 1) A physical function and 2) A market mediation function. The physical function deals with production for goods, movement of raw materials etc; while the market mediation function ensures that the variety of products reaching the marketplace match those that the consumers want to buy.Each of these functions incurs different costs. The physical costs include costs of production, inventory shortage and transportation while the market mediation costs arise when there is a mismatch between demand and supply. If supply > demand, the product has to be sold at a loss otherwise it results in loss of opportunities and dissatisfied customers. Supply chain management is planning, design and control of the flow of information and materials along the supply chain in order to meet customer requirements in an efficient manner, now and in the future.Demand management is managing the demand for goods or services along the supply chain. Therefore, demand management is complementary to supply chain management and controls the levels of demand on the system. Big-Mac – (1) Suppliers of beef, vegetables, bread (2) Factories and distribution centers, (3) The franchises that sell Big Mac, (4) The customers. Raw materials- The raw materials are the ingredients that will go into producing the finished product. For McDonald’s, these will include the buns, beef patties, paper cups, salad ingredients and packaging.These are delivered to the restaurants between 3 and 5 times a week. The raw materials arrive together on one heavy tru ck with three sections so that each product can be stored at a suitable temperature. The three sections are: frozen†¢ chilled†¢ ambient – which means foods that can be stored at room temperature. This applies to items such as coffee or sugar sachets. Work-in-progress (WIP) refers to stocks that are in the process of being made into finished product. A Big Mac consists of a bun, two beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, sauce and a small amount of seasoning.The restaurant will only combine these items just before the customer orders them so the Big Macs are hot and fresh when served. Finished products are goods that are ready for immediate sale to a customer. At any one time, a restaurant will have a range of products ready for sale. Many of these will include finished products like Filet-o-Fish, Big Macs and side salads. At McDonald’s, all raw materials, work-in-progress and finished products are handled on first In, First out (FIFO) basis. This mea ns raw materials are used in the order they are received. Therefore stock is always fresh because products are sold in the order they are made.If the process First In, Last out (FILO) was used, then the finished product would be dry and unappealing because the first one prepared is the last one sold temperature. Benefits to customers and restaurants – The centralized stock management system generates many benefits. Many of these are for restaurants and Restaurant Managers. However, customers also benefit through improved customer experience – customers can eat a quality product, in a clean environment, when they want it. Benefits include: 1. Restaurants avoid running out of stock. As a result, customers can always receive what they order. 2.The system eliminates inexperience in the ordering. The system enables a new Restaurant Manager to ensure the order is right first time. 3. Time saved in ordering as the system calculates how much is required. 4. Orders are based on the current stocks. The Restaurant Manager simply inputs the current stock level. 5. Less waste means food costs are reduced. This cost saving is then passed on in better value for money for customers. 6. The amount of stock ordered for promotions is more accurate, being based on past performance. 7. There is a reduction in the need for emergency deliveries, saving money. . Stock levels are always at Optimum level, helping to ensure sales and the freshest product. 9. Stock can be reduced automatically at the end of a promotion, avoiding too much stock. Gasoline – Different stages in petroleum supply chain: Exploration > Production > Refining > marketing > Consumer. Exploration: Seismic, geophysical and geological operations. Production: Drilling, reservoir, production and facilities engineering. Refining: is a complex operation and its output is the input to marketing. Marketing: is the retail sale of gasoline, engine oil and other refined products.Oil drilling-Before petrol eum can be used, it is sent to a refinery where it is physically, thermally and chemically separated into fractions and then converted into finished products. About 90% of these products are fuels such as gasoline, aviation fuels, distillate and residual oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), coke (not the refreshment) and kerosene. Refineries also produce non-fuel products, including petrochemicals, asphalt, road oil, lubricants, solvents and wax. Petrochemicals (ethylene, propylene, benzene and others) are shipped to chemical plants, where they are used to manufacture chemicals and plastics.There are two major sectors within the oil industry, upstream and downstream. For the purposes of this tutorial we will focus on upstream, which is the process of extracting the oil and refining it. Downstream is the commercial side of the business, such as gas stations or the delivery of oil for heat. Oil Drilling and Services- Oil drilling and services are broken into two major areas: drilling a nd oilfield services. Drilling – Drilling companies physically drill and pump oil out of the ground. The drilling industry has always been classified as highly skilled.The people with the skills and expertise to operate drilling equipment are in high demand, which means that for oil company to have these people on staff all the time can cost a lot. For this reason, most drilling companies are simply contractors who are hired by oil and gas producers for a specified period of time. In the drilling industry, there are several different types of rigs, each with a specialized purpose. Some of these include: Land Rigs – Drilling depths ranges from 5,000 to 30,000 feet. Submersible Rigs – Used for ocean, lake and swamp drilling.The bottom parts of these Rigs are: submerged to the sea's floor and the platform are on top of the water. Jack-ups – this type of rig has three legs and a triangular platform which is jacked-up above the highest anticipated waves. Drill Ships – These look like tankers/ships, but they travel the oceans in search of oil in extremely deep water. Oilfield Services – Oilfield service companies assist the drilling companies in setting up oil and gas wells. In general these companies manufacture, repair and maintain equipment used in oil extraction and transport.More specifically, these services can include: Seismic Testing – This involves mapping the geological structure beneath the surface. Transport Services – Both land and water rigs need to be moved around at some point in time. Oil Refining – The refining business is not quite as fragmented as the drilling and services industry. This sector is dominated by a small handful of large players. In fact, much of the energy industry is ruled by large, integrated oil companies. Integrated refers to the fact that many of these companies look after all factors of production, refining and marketing.For the most part, refining is a slow and s table business. The large amounts of capital investment means that very few companies can afford to enter this business. This handbook will try to focus more on oil equipment and services such as drilling and support services. Oil and gas: Unique supply chain – In the oil and gas supply chain, process control has historically included safety solutions, such as fire detectors and high-integrity pressure protection systems, but not physical security, such as intrusion detection, access control, and video surveillance.Nor have these facilities employed considered abnormal situation management or cyber security. All of these elements of safety and security are important; each has unique business and technical challenges. Generally, there are no industry standards or norms for an integrated safety and security solution applied within the oil and gas supply chain. For example, there is no standard for interfacing access control or perimeter intrusion alarms with process control sys tems. Additionally, the systems in many facilities come from separate vendors and different business dynamics often apply.Security technology now applied in industrial sites, for example, originates from commercial building security technology, which may not be suitable for an industrial facility or geographically distributed pipeline. There are also unique internal conditions that present challenges. These conditions include lower staff ratios, unmanned installations, widely dispersed assets, significant use of unsecured public telecommunications infrastructure, exposable products, and low technology maturity. Distribution Planning: Generating operational plans for distribution.These modules are supported by various enablers that facilitate planning activity that include: (1) Supply Chain Database (SCD), (2) Geographical Information System (GIS), (3) Data Interfaces The production and the Supply and Distribution (S&D) structure forms the basis on which the optimized plan for the en tire organization is generated. This corporate plan is communicated to distribution modules and the production planning modules to generate operational plans . The optimized plan for the entire corporation is also used as a basis for feedstock selection runs.GIS can be used to obtain the distances between locations, which are used as a basis for freight calculation. Raw Material Supplies: Process industry has limited choice of suppliers for raw material supplies in petroleum industry are dominated by cartels. It is a sellers market where supply of raw material prices is highly unstable and fluctuating on weekly or even daily basis. Fluctuating prices directly affect the supply chain costs and prices of final product. Automobile repair- suppliers of automobile repair tools and parts: warehouses for the parts, repair shops, customers’ cars.Raw Materials – Glass, steel, rubber, plastic, copper, lithium, silicon, aluminum. Some of the raw materials used for cars are: alumi num, steel (body parts), titanium (some exhaust systems) and platinum (inside catalytic converters). It's always best for the translation services provider to be embedded into the manufacturing supply chain in order to be able to apply understand it from inside and accurately interpret the important aspects of the lucrative international auto parts industry and its successful marketing.Hire professional translators that have knowledge across diverse technical fields. These fields include, but are not limited to: mechanical & electrical engineering, automation technology, electronics and microelectronics, navigation systems, board computers, wiring, air conditioning, paneling, service and diagnostics. This would ensure that all the technical terms used in the translation are in accordance to the standards familiar to the local market assembly workers, mechanics, engineers, suppliers and end-customers.Auto parts are built or remanufactured to replace damaged or worn OE parts, while th e accessories are parts sold after the original sale of a vehicle intended to add to the comfort, convenience, performance, safety or customization of that vehicle. The Auto parts are shipped using both truck transports and railroads to move vehicles to dealerships, although air freight may be used if critical parts are needed as soon as possible in order to keep an assembly line moving. Offshore exports and imports are handled by ship.In addition to OE and OES parts, shipments also may include auto parts destined for the various national and regional parts distribution networks serving the aftermarket segments of the world. OES parts, like automobile sales, have traditionally been handled through the franchised independent dealership networks in the major markets of the world. In the United States, the National Automobile Dealers Association some franchised for car and truck dealers also separate franchises, both domestic and international.The independent aftermarket distribution n etworks are much more complex. There are approximately 45,000 companies engaged in the wholesale and retail auto parts. The aftermarket has traditionally consisted of wholesalers who purchase parts and components from the manufacturers; jobbers, intermediaries between wholesale distributors and retail operation; and the retail outlets. They supply for the following areas with an emphasis on hand tools: -Engine repair – high quality engine repair, maintenance and tuning supplies. Auto body tools – tooling and accessories to get cars into shape. -Air conditioning – testing and maintaining a/c systems. -Electrical diagnostic tools – testers and diagnostic equipment for car electric systems and components. -Under-car – adjustment products to steering, brakes, clutch, etc. other Text book – Suppliers of pulp, paper manufacturer, publisher, printing press, bookstores, and customers. A book can be broadly defined as a written document of at least 4 9 text pages that communicates thoughts, ideas, or information.Raw Materials-Books are made from a variety of different coated and uncoated paper stocks that differ in weight and size. In addition, different color inks may be used. Also, while front and back covers are generally made from a heavier stock of paper, they will vary in terms of weight. Pulp logs, wood chips, pulp, and recovered paper are the raw materials used to make these paper products. Pulp logs are wood destined to be made into pulp. To make paper, trees are harvested, debarked, and chipped.For example, hardback books have a durable cardboard stock cover while paperback books are made from a thinner paper stock. Usually, cover stocks are coated with different colors or designs. Since the nineteenth century, book production has entailed the use of sophisticated machinery, including typesetting machines, a web or sheet-fed printing press, and book binding machines. Design-The process of designing a book is ongoing th roughout the stages of production.Initially, the author, in conjunction with an editor and book agent, will consider elements of design that pertain to the scope and purpose of the book, the desired approach to the subject matter, whether illustrations should be used, and other issues such as chapter headings and their placement. In determining those elements, the intended audience for the manuscript will be considered, along with accepted editorial standards. Other design considerations include whether a book should have a preface, a foreword, a glossary to define specific terms, an index to reference key words and concepts, and an appendix of supplementary material.Once the book manuscript is written, editors and authors must refine the manuscript to attain a final edited version prior to production: page size and style ,typeface size and style ,the type and weight of paper for the text and cover ,use of color ,presentation of visuals/illustrations in the text, if needed ,cover ar t/illustrations. The Manufacturing Process -After the book is written and appropriate design elements are agreed upon, book production can begin. The first stage typesetting, pages and mechanical, filming, stripping, blueprints, plate is making and them printing Binding.To help ensure that a quality product is produced; print shops conduct a number of periodic checks. In addition to checking blueprints for accuracy, printers will pull a press proof, or sample, before the print run is begun. If certain areas of the proof are too light or too dark, adjustments to the press may be required. After the book signatures are sewn together, the print shop will spot-check them to make sure they have been folded and sewn correctly. They will also check to see if the book covers are properly bound to prevent the books from deteriorating with use.Because desktop publishing is relatively new, changes and enhancements continue to make the systems more user-friendly. As more people gain access to s uch systems, book publication and publishing in general will see more widespread use of desktop publishing in the future. 16-Explain what is meant by cross-docking, and describe the associated benefits Cross docking is a distribution system where items received at the warehouse are not received into stock, but are prepared for shipment to another location or for retail stores. Cross docking can realize a cost reduction by skipping put away and retrieval steps.Benefits-Many companies have benefitted from using cross docking. Some of the benefits include: -Reduction in labor costs, as the products no longer requires picking and put away in the warehouse. -Reduction in the time from production to the customer, which helps improve customer satisfaction. -Reduction in the need for warehouse space, as there is no requirement to storage the products. Types of Cross Docking -There are a number of cross docking scenarios that are available to the warehouse management. Companies will use the type of cross docking that is applicable to the type of products that they are shipping. Manufacturing Cross Docking – This procedure involves the receiving of purchased and inbound products that are required by manufacturing.The warehouse may receive the products and prepare sub-assemblies for the production orders. -Distributor Cross Docking – This process consolidates inbound products from different vendors into a mixed product pallet, which is delivered to the customer when the final item is received. For example, computer parts distributors can source their components from various vendors and combine them into one shipment for the customer. Transportation Cross Docking – This operation combines shipments from a number of different carriers in the less-than-truckload (LTL) and small package industries to gain economies of scale. -Retail Cross Docking – This process involves the receipt of products from multiple vendors and sorting onto outbound trucks for a number of retail stores. This method was used by Wal-Mart in the 1980's. They would procure two types of products, items they sell each day of the year, called staple stock, and large quantities products which is purchased once and sold by the stores and not usually stocked again.This second type of procurement is called direct freight and Wal-Mart minimize any warehouse costs with direct freight by using cross docking and keeping it in the warehouse for as little time as possible. -Opportunistic Cross Docking – This can be used in any warehouse, transferring a product directly from the goods receiving dock to the outbound shipping dock to meet a known demand, i. e. a customer sales order. Products Suitable for Cross Docking There are materials that are better suited to cross docking than others.The list below shows a number of types of material that are more suited to cross docking. -Perishable items that require immediate shipment -High quality items that do not requ ire quality inspections during goods receipt -Products that are pre-tagged (bar coded, RFID), pre-ticketed, and ready for sale at the customer -Promotional items and items that are being launched. -Staple retail products with a constant demand or low demand variance -Pre-picked, pre-packaged customer orders from another production plant or warehouse

Life at a Medieval University Essay

Life at a medieval university for clerics was in many regards similar to our present day college experience. When college was in session, life was basically split into two categories; life in the books, and life outside the books if you will. Scholars needed to focus their attention to the tasks at hand during learning hours. As we know today, the more time you spend studying, the better grades you’ll achieve. On the other hand, scholars needed a release from the daily grind of constant academic involvement. This may have included some popular pastimes such as drinking, gambling, and wreaking havoc downtown (nothing a modern student would do). The scholars experienced many of the problems that modern day collegians deal with as well. Some of these issues included finding the college that fits you best, shortages of funds, arguments with local residents, feuds with fellow clerics, and finding the path that would be fulfilling to them in their lives. There were only a few major differences being a life centered on religion and discussions based on theology, the fact that only males were accepted to study and the clothing that scholars wore. All in all, being at a university was for the betterment of the individual. Students back then had a similar motivation to go to school. By completing university study, you would achieve a higher status in society and live a better life. Another was to get out of a home town to see what else the world had to offer. College is the best time to explore because you’re housing and food are all accounted for. Wandering scholars took best advantage of this by traveling to different universities and getting a diverse education. One reason not many people went to school was because most were not privileged at this time (the literacy rate was very poor). Academic life was structured fairly well. Rules and rights were clearly laid out by the institution itself. Students were protected from harm by any member of the faculty, as they should be. In the â€Å"Royal Privileges Granted to the University of Paris by the King of France,† it is stated that â€Å"†¦neither our provost nor our judges shall lay hands on a student for any offence whatever; nor shall they place him in our prison, unless such a crime is committed by the student that he ought be arrested. † The article goes on to talk about how under the circumstances that the scholar is found to have committed a crime, he be handed over to an actual judge for further investigation. This shows that the university has governing powers within itself to a certain extent. If an encroachment can be resolved without going to the local or state government authorities, the scholar’s image can be protected. Even today we have University Police on campus who held regulate behavior on campuses, but do not have jurisdiction outside of the college campus. Clothing was another major aspect of scholarly life. Clerics wore long cloaks with nothing fancy that would make them stand out. Master teachers wore cloaks with the addition of a white stole. The stole was used to show status and authority over the rest of the student body. This seems to hint to the fact that all the scholars were on a level field of play, and it distinguished them from the rest of society. Typically our graduates of today’s colleges and universities adorn the traditional gowns when they receive their diploma. On a side note, I attended a private religious elementary school which enforced a policy of uniforms (shirt and tie for the guys, skirts for the girls). I believe that by wearing the same clothing as fellow students, people aren’t so concerned with what each other is wearing, and focus on learning. Religion played a major factor in medieval universities. As in my elementary experience of mass being part of the weekly routine, medieval universities had a major emphasis on religion. Robert de Sorbon tells us in his regulations that religious holidays will be followed strictly in the academic life. No meat would be allowed to be consumed on Advent and other days designated by the church. If you were at a university at this time, you would follow the religious standards, just as I could never get out of going to Friday mass at HGA. Nowadays, religion is a touchy topic. It is left to the discretion of the individual whether or not he or she wants to follow the practices and how closely. Church and state are now separated as to avoid major conflicts. Peter Abelard questions the theological teachings of medieval universities and is criticized for it. He says â€Å"Is God one, or no? † At this time scriptures were not to be questioned and were considered to be true. As we know now, science has become a major source of answers in society. Anyway, Abelard brings a whole new dimension to the table when he questions god’s existence and some of the things that the church stands for. The whole basis is to use logic and reason to ponder things in a philosophical fashion. This faith vs. reason debate involved Abelard and others who felt that god was in a persons being, or heart. Academia took up most of the students daily and weekly lives. Scholars took full advantage of down time to relax and enjoy themselves. Social life was the second major aspect of a cleric’s university experience. As we know, the student body greatly impacts the surrounding town’s economy; however social issues arise as well. When students and townspeople are in the same atmosphere, and drinking, fights are bound to break lose. These battles came to be known as â€Å"town and gown† ordeals. These were actually small wars where people would be killed! As many as three thousand students armed with weapons would flood the streets and begin fighting with townspeople, also armed with weapons. Students were also held fairly high in terms of their rights. This is what fueled most of the battles. The fact that a scholar was in progress of obtaining a degree made many seem untouchable, after all, they were going to make the world a better place with their elevated knowledge. Students were warned ahead of time by their proctors that there was a tension between the people of the town and the student body. Heavy drinking and gambling occurred frequently and poems were written as evidence. This served as a social release where students could let lose for awhile. Even today student go to the bars downtown and mix with the locals. There are rarely any incidents of deaths or injuries because of it though. The money generated by pizza shops, bars, taxi services and businesses due to the student influx is what keeps them afloat. On a lighter note, clerics needed some of the same things that modern students need. Money was a big necessity among students as it is today. In a letter home one student tells his sponsor that he is working very hard in school, and studying often, but he needs some money to pay for food, rent and other â€Å"unspecified† things (possibly beer money?). The way he words his letter makes it sound like he will not be able to go on learning without the timely delivery of some funds. The sponsor’s response shows that he knows the truth behind what the student has said. It humors me how students today do the same thing through emails and phone calls home. â€Å"I’m working so very hard in school, but the weekend is coming†¦ † Its all part of growing up and learning responsibility. In the end, life at a medieval university was not that much different from today’s experience. The focus on religion was very important, but reason came into play as well. Scholars were taught to question everything in order to get to the roots of a topic. Over time, there was a major shift from the theological answers to the scientific explanations of today. We test things in science with facts to find if they are true instead of looking toward God and scripture. As in life, there is a time for work and a time for play. We go to college because we know it is good for us, plus it gives us a little extra time in our lives to figure out what we want to be.

Impact of conflict Essay

Have you ever wonder why there are divisions and schisms around us that eventually lead to riots and wars? How can these things happen? These dilemmas happen because of conflict within the body or group of people. Sometimes conflict arises because of the superior and inferior mentality of some people. We can even notice and observe nowadays how our society is drastically changing. Our beliefs, cultures, values and morals have been changed through times. People are becoming liberal on things and somewhat approves the things that we know deep within us are wrong. They have the tendency to do things which only â€Å"benefit† them that can cause schisms and conflicts within their work, co-workers and even in their own family. They sometimes become insensitive and disregarded the right values and morals that were inculcated by their parents when they were still young in order to satisfy their selfish desires; thus, they sacrifice the welfare of their family and friends in order to meet their own desires. If an employee has conflicts with his boss, there is a tendency that he will not follow on his boss’ instructions that might be the ground of his termination. If a conflict happens within his co-workers, he might gossip about his co-workers whereabouts. But if there is conflict within the family, members within have always tension. Conflicts can bring disunity. Disunity can bring chaos and chaos can bring divisions. In the workplace, conflicts among the employees are not new. One scenario that can create conflict within the workplace is when somebody is promoted to a greater position and when you know that you are ahead of that person. Jealousy starts to creep in your heart and you feel inferior. This might lead to bitterness. On the other hand, conflicts within the family is one of the most dreadful things may happen to a person. Family can be disunited if conflict arises. Moreover, to a social psychologist, a conflict is a seemingly incompatibility of actions, goals, of ideas. The elements of conflict are much the same at all levels, from nations in an arms race to cultural disputes within a society to individuals in marital strife. In each situation, people become enmeshed in a destructive social process that produces results no one wants. Among these destructive processes are social traps and distorted perceptions (Dawes, 2000). Reference: 1. Dawes, R. M. (2000). Social Dilemmas. Annual Review of Psychology, 31 169-193.