Lawrence Krauss: Religious Education Is Child Abuse Essay

Lawrence Krauss has repeatedly stated that teaching religion in science is â€Å"child abuse†. The term, â€Å"child abuse† when used in this context is extreme. Krauss (2013) explains the purpose of education is to teach children the truth providing empirical evidence based on facts, and knowledge of science and religion do not coexist. However, Krauss wants to exclude religion from science because he observes that there are ethical boundaries in science such as telling the truth, but the methodology is to exclude religion from education in general because religion is fiction with no empirical evidence to support it but only have ethics. Krauss justifies how science based, not on ideology or testimonies science supports the methods with empirical facts that can provide us a better understanding to overcome ignorance. While â€Å"child abuse† perhaps antagonizing word to express Krauss’s ideas, on the other hand, creationism with science should not be taught in class because they based on different knowledge that also contradicts the other. Religion does not have a place in science but does have a role as a subject as long it is not mixed with science. Teaching creationism with science is a disservice to students because creationism has no empirical evidence to support the doctrines in the bible. The beliefs of a creationist view its doctrine that an omnipotent creator creates all things, but it is a disservice to students since there is no evidence. Krauss expresses how science can offer a better world by telling the truth on the age of the earth evidently shown on evolution (a change inherited characteristics of biological population over successive generation). Krauss stated (2013a) if parents or teachers â€Å"withhold knowledge or do anything to children to put competitive disadvantage as adults is mild child abuse†. This context explains the disservice of creationism with science; due to religious education it withholds the knowledge of expressing the facts. Krauss (2013a) stated that the purpose of education â€Å"is not to validate ignorance but to overcome it† and this suggestion is to teach children evolution the source of modern biology to overcome ignorance. Creationism is a disservice to students because there is no evidence to tell us but only the values of the biblical stories. However, Krauss (2013b) clarifies that evolution had happened, and that is science evidence of biology, â€Å"science is falsifiable and testable, and god is not testable† therefore; creationism is a disservice because there is no proof of the existence. Science has ethical boundaries based on truth provided by data evidence that does not base on ideologies. Scientists have theories that are testable to try and prove it wrong to work and challenge beliefs also hypothesis. Krauss declared (2013c) the progress of science in modern technology keeps changing â€Å"to view reality†¦ if people do not challenge their beliefs they are not learning†, and this is how to overcome ignorance with evidence in reality for progress to education. However, Krauss and Dawkins (2007) discuss the notion of science and religion do not coexist because â€Å"religion is a bad science or ancillary to science† that there is no evidence to be tested. This contrast expresses that religion, should be viewed as a subject but not taught with science. Dawkins mentioned that evolution is â€Å"easily misunderstood† (Krauss, L. , & Dawkins, R. 2007) and those who misunderstand science issues are ignorant. Although the term â€Å"child abuse† is dogmatic, because it is too violent in which Krauss uses that terminology to make awareness so that children can gain knowledge by understanding the truth and critically asking themselves questions to the purpose of life. This methodology contradicts creationism because an omnipotent creator has no evidence to existence and creationism relies on faith and fear that undergo disservice to students. However, religion should be excluded from science because there is no empirical evidence in reality. Creationism does play a role in western civilization due to moral ethnicity on Ten Commandments and legal jurisdiction; this functionalism can structure a better society for a future hope. Krauss explains (2012b) that there are no ethics on religion upon science â€Å"religion never enters on to science† because there will be a conflict theory. Krauss suggested (Krauss, L. , & Dawkins, R. 007) that children should not be forced on what to believe and how parents could educate their children on how the world functions by the modern biology of evolution. Though religion should not be excluded from education because, it purposes the students to have moral behavior. The education curriculum should not teach science and creationism side by side. Students can question their belief to be educated and to learn. Science and religion should be taught two different subject and not together, where children could make that choice to learn and not forced upon or deviated. In conclusion, religion should not be excluded in education but taught separately from science because there is no empirical evidence on the creation of this world, which is a disservice to the students. Krauss has justified how science and religion cannot mix because students will not understand the fact about the world and how we originated by evolution. Krauss also discusses the ethnicity of empirical truth in which will make a better world. However, to exclude religion in general will disrupt the social norm. Religion plays a role to moral ethnicity (performance on behavior) in civilizations and will educate students’ behavior. Students need to have discipline and morals created to their worldview and awareness to their stratification in society. The essay examines the comparison of how creationism should be excluded from science and should be applied as another subject in education curriculum. Religion has ethical boundaries, which is rational and science concludes on empirical facts supported by natural selection.

Psychoeducational Groups, the Best Option for Teen Mom

PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL GROUPS:THE BEST OPTIONS FOR TEEN MOMS. English 215 November 24,2012 Teen pregnancy has been a problem in the United States for years. Although rates have dropped since the 1990’s, teen pregnancy rates in the United States are still higher than other western societies. Teenage pregnancy is accompanied with many negative consequences such as shortened educational experience, diminished employment, larger family size, increased risk of single- parent and poverty. Teen mothers struggle on a daily basis, if you are one of them you should visit a psychoeducational group.Teen mothers should attend psychoeducational groups because they can teach teen moms parenting skills, social skills, and provide them with the support they need in order to maintain a healthy life style. The group can also include teenage fathers. Psychoeducational groups will work best for this population because it will create a safe place where teenagers can learn parenting skills and have the s upport of one another. Since each teen is going through the same situation, they will be able to relate to one another and feel understood.While there are negative consequences for the mother, the infant is also at risk by being born to a teenage mother. One of the most common occurrences is low birth weight. Low birth weight increases the mortality rate. It also has long-term effects such as developmental and cognitive delays. Low birth weight can be caused by the mother’s lack of prenatal care, poor diet and stress. Prior to becoming pregnant, the teen’s bodies are not prepared for the change. Pregnancy takes a toll on the body that most teens are not ready for. When their body is not ready, the baby can witness the negative effects.The teens need to adopt healthier lifestyles once they become pregnant. They group will provide information about the importance of a healthy diet. They will also be encouraged to seek prenatal care and attend the necessary appointments. By teaching the girls the importance of health care, they will be able to carry it over to their child’s life. The group is clearly for pregnant teens and for teen mothers since they will teach them to take care of themselves before they give birth, that way when they have the baby the teenagers will be able to take ood care of the kids. Lacking these skills is no surprise because the teens were not prepared to become mothers and have a lack of knowledge about child development. In addition, it is important that teens learn parenting skills. The teens need to be taught child care skills in order to better their life and the life of their child. Throughout life, the infant will depend on the parent for the basic needs of life. If the parent is not able to provide, the child will suffer. The group provides them with the support they need to implement the skills.The types of skills the girls can learn are†¦ Also, teenage mothers are less likely to be responsive to their chi ld, less positive child rearing attitudes, more likely to abuse their children. Learning these skills can decrease this. The stress that comes along with teen parenting is inevitable. It can stem from many aspects of their life such as school, financial responsibilities, and providing a safe environment for their child. Stress can be linked to an increase in psychological problems for the mother and increased birth complications.Teenage mothers are more prone to developing depression. However, receiving social support can decrease the amount of stress the teen experiences. When the amount of stress is decreases, the risk of birth complications also lowers. It also decreases depressive symptoms post birth. Many teen mothers lack the support they need when they are going through this stage of life. While learning new skills, the teens are also able to gain a new support system. We can define support as the presences of stable human relationships.The mothers need support because most o f them, not all, come from a low socioeconomic status; minority status, urban living, and having single parent. Having a stable human relationship can be hard to find living under these conditions. Therefore, the group is able to provide the mothers with the support they need in order to overcome the obstacles of teen pregnancy. During the teenage years, individuals go through many developmental changes such as identity development, emerging independence, and developing intimate relationships with others.When adding a baby to the equation, the situation only becomes harder and it puts stress on the development of the teenager. Much of their development is put on hold because of the baby and the need to jump into the mother role when they are not prepared. Therefore, they do not learn how to develop intimate relationships with their peers. In addition to the educational aspect of the group; it can also provide a social network for the girls. They are able to interact with others and learn how to develop intimate relationships.Since they are all struggling with the same issue, they will find it easier to relate to one another. The mother’s education level is the main predictor of the baby’s life outcome. If the mother does not receive a high school diploma, the chances of living in poverty are increased. The group can educate mothers on alternative ways to obtain a high school diploma. There are many options the teens can use to obtain a high school diploma. One alternative is obtaining a G. E. D. There are also program that allow teens to finish high school in their home.The most important thing the group can do is encourage the mothers to finish high school and teach them the negative consequences of not finishing high school. Obtaining a well-paying job will be difficult without a high school diploma. The girls will also not be able to continue their education without a high school diploma. Living in poverty can lead to a lack of many necessitie s of life such as health care. Not having health care can put the baby at risk because they are not receiving routine check-ups.If they are not able to afford health care, there are many social services that can make health care accessible to them that they may not know about. Teens need to be educated on the methods available in order to prevent having more children. Many teenagers do not use any type of contraceptive during their first sexual experience. The group can offer the girls education about contraceptives and the correct way to use them. Many sexual education courses in the United States promote abstinence. While that would be the desirable result for all teens, it is not always the case.There are many forms of contraceptives that can be readily available to the girls if they continue to be sexually active. It is important to educate them on this topic so they can avoid having another child. The group offers a neutral environment in which they girls can ask any question t hey want and offer them information about different types of contraceptives. When helping teenage mothers overcome their struggles, they need to be taught certain skills in order to survive. The psychoeducational group will provide them with the resources they need.Teenagers will benefit from a group setting over an individual setting. For one, they will be able to engage with other girls who are going through the same thing and they can see that they are not alone. In the individual setting, teenagers may feel singled out or attacked. It can be hard for them to relate to someone who is not in the same situation as them. Also, since teen mothers do not have the time to socialize and develop social skills, the group setting offers them a chance to develop the social skills needed. They will have an interactive experience for the purpose of learning new skills.While interacting with other people, they will be exposed to new ideas and viewpoints about their situation. Learning how to s ocialize with others will improve their relationships at home. It can also improve their self-esteem. While learning from the other girls, they can also teach them the strategies they have used. The focus of psychoeducational groups is preventing behaviors and teaching new skills. Therefore, it is not therapy based. This can be beneficial when working with teenagers because therapy can be viewed as a negative thing.For some cultures, seeking therapy may even be out of the question. If the group is based on developing skills, it takes away from the therapy aspect. Since many of the teen mothers are not ready for motherhood, the group can provide them with the necessary parenting skills they will need to know. By teaching them parenting skills, the girls can be more confident in their parenting abilities. When they know how to appropriately handle a situation, they are less likely to take it out on their children. Also, keeping their stress at a low level will have positive benefits f or the parent-child relationship.The benefits of a psychoeducational group for teen pregnancy are evident. At this age, teens are experiencing many developmental changes and raising a child at the same time can be overwhelming. Since teen pregnancy is becoming more common, it is inevitable that counselors working with adolescences or families will encounter this topic. Once they are taught the right skills needed, they will feel more confident about being a parent. References: 1-Ambul Pediatr (2003). The parenting project for teen mothers: the impact of a nurturing curriculum on adolescent parenting skills and life hassles. ONLINE] Available at: http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/12974663. 2- Mobley, J, & Fort, S. D. (2007). Planning psycho-educational groups for school. Retrieved August 28,2007 from http://counselingoutfitters. com/vistas/vistas07/Mobley. pdf. 3- Bethany Casarjian (2003). The youth project. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. lionheart. org/youth/youth_landing. 4- Valerie Burgess (2005). Improving Comfort About sex communication between parents and heir adolescents. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. hawaii. edu/hivandaids/Improving_Comfort_About_Sex_Communication_Between_Parents

Diversity Walkabout

It cost us $12 to get in, but we learned that all proceed des go towards the Human Rights Education Project which aims to educate refugees and immigrant ants about their legal rights and responsibilities. In the hour or so that we were there, we saw a display of diverse backgrounds and cultures. We ate a variety of unfamiliar foods. My favorite the inning I tried was Baklava made by a woman named Man. It was uplifting to see how proud SSH e was of her culture and what she had made. It was very crowded and as we walked throw GHz we encountered efferent cultures being represented through art, music, dance, and cuisine.T here was one woman displaying what looked like handmade corn husk dolls, squatting next to a man dancing and playing the drums. This was just one example of how the cultures mixed and blended and everyone was just happy to be celebrating this day together. At the end of the nightwear watched Erik George, a Professor of Law at the University of Utah receive the Human Rig hts award for her work against sexual assault. It was an nice closure to the night. This experience was very new for me but I really enjoyed it.The atmosphere was very friendly and I didn't feel like anyone was judging anyone else and there was a sense of appreciation amongst everyone. It was an opportunity for me to see how dive rose Salt Lake really is, something that think people are often oblivious to. This experience was did efferent than other experiences I have had because it was as though I was an outsider learning lee raring about cultures knew nothing about, when usually my culture is the prominent one. Am very happy that ended up attending this event.It made me feel like I had learned a lot a ND exposed myself to cultures I wouldn't have otherwise been exposed to. I now have a deeper a appreciation for the diversity that Salt Lake has to offer. This event is very relatable to what we have been learning in social justice. We have learned that the main reason why stereotype s and generalizations exist is beck cause people are uneducated and ignorant to how things really are. By going to this event, I WA s able to learn about different cultures. I don't think had any prejudices before going but I w as under many else impressions about the people that also call Salt Lake a home.Now, I can say that know a little more than I did before and hopefully I can use that to do my part to stop the discrimination that happens against diverse cultures. There are still so many things I could lee ran about these cultures, but at least now I know they exist and I have seen a small portion of all the beautiful things they do and create. If anyone tried to tell me that Salt Lake wasn't diver SE or that the mixing of cultures throughout the city aren't important I would tell them that I eave seen first hand how wrong that is.

Coping with e-commerce (look at firm's distribution strategy in Essay

Coping with e-commerce (look at firm's distribution strategy in meeting delivery performance) - Essay Example To deliver aptly to all these customer sets, Amazon has put in place the largest warehouse and distribution systems for a e-commerce company in the world. Utilizing this extensive and efficient system, Amazon has bee able to improve its delivery performance optimally, even becoming a role model for other companies. â€Å"In the US, more and more traditional retailers are seeking to compete with the efficiency and shipping speed of online.† (Virtual Strategy 2011). E-Bay, which facilitates transactions between sellers and buyers of wide range of products, also exhibit good delivery performance, but not up to the levels of Amazon. However, lately it is trying to improve its delivery performance by adopting various measures. For example, for the sellers, who have optimum delivery performance or times, it offers financial discounts and better placements for their products. In addition, it also added shipment tracking codes, so as to prove that they have shipped the products on tim e. This way, e-Bay could match Amazon in delivery performance. "This is part of the whole picture of [eBay] getting more involved and more controlled like Amazon," (trendbird.biz). 2. B2B and B2C It becomes clear that the World Wide Web, unconstrained by the geographical territories and boundaries, allows the businesses to operate in a truly globalized scale. A business which not only takes orders for products online from its merchants or suppliers or the direct consumer customers, but also completes the transaction is a true example of B2B and B2C commerce. Business-to-business or â€Å"B2B† for short, is a term which is commonly used to explain the electronic form of business transactions that takes place between businesses (with minimum role for customers). B2B commerce website will serve as channels that will permit coordination between different businesses and outsourcing companies. Thus, the companies adopting this form or e-commerce will have online outlets, and throug h which they will prefer to deal with other companies only to sell their products and services, instead of directly offering it to the consumers. On the other hand, companies adopting Business to Consumer, or B2C for short, will put in place online portals, which offer products and services directly to the consumers. Many companies or retailers or online retailers all adopt this method, as they reach the product directly to the customer through their own network of supply chain and distribution centers. â€Å"B2C has grown to include services such as online banking, travel services, online auctions, health information and real estate sites† (Bajaj and Nag 2005). Apart from the basic difference in ‘end users’, the difference between B2B and B2C is B2B involves more long-term relationship than B2C, which is maximally one-off. That is, in the case of B2C, after the transaction is over, there may not be continual relationship, however in the case of B2B, the transact ions and relationship could continue for a longer time, if everything works out well. 3. Buy-side and Sell-side As stated by Chaffey (2002), â€Å"when evaluating the impact of e-commerce on an organisation, it is Instructive to identify opportunities; for buy-side and sell-side transactions". Only if those opportunities and the related challenges are identified, organizations can optimally tune its strategies and its organizational processes.

The Financier Alwaleed bin Talal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Financier Alwaleed bin Talal - Assignment Example l who is currently fifty years old has being able to amass a lot of wealth since the year 1979 after finishing his university education and the latest Forbes ranking placed him as the 26th richest man in the world with a net worth reported to be approximately US $20 billion. Al Waleed Talal’s main investment vehicle is his Kingdom Holding Company where he owns 96% of the total shareholding. Khan (2005) further wrote that despite being a member of the Saudi’s royal family, Al Waleed Talal early childhood was not that rosy since a single mother raised him and this could be perhaps among the driving forces that have propelled him to be a successful man. According to Khan (2005), among the personal initiatives of Al Waleed Talal that have shaped him to become the most prominent Arab businessperson and investor is the military training that he received upon finishing high school that can be assumed made him a strict business man who is fully active on all of his business ventures. According to Khan (2005), the military training hardened him as a person and hence the reason why despite being a member of the Saudi royal family, he is the only member who has been able to amass a lot of wealth on his own, and even become the most influential Arab in the world. According to Khan (2005), in the business world Al Waleed Talal personal character is seen as an aggressive investor eager to tap on potential opportunities that may appear non-lucrative at the time, such as buying Citigroup’s shares while the company was in crisis. Al Waleed Talal is a philanthropic businessperson and through his foundation, he has made numerous donations mostly in a bid to further Islamic education in the world. Al Waleed Talal’s successful career has also being shaped up by his professional initiatives that have given him the skills required to run a successful business and even become a successful businessperson. To begin with, Khan (2005) stated that Al Waleed Talal has a Bachelor of

What are the advantages and the disadvantages of Unions Essay

What are the advantages and the disadvantages of Unions - Essay Example Trade unions as explained earlier is when a group of workers of an organization get together and using their leadership skills, bargain with the employers on behalf of the union members. This bargaining ideally is for wages, working hours, working conditions or any issue that an employee faces at the workplace. These unions also discuss and negotiate the labor contracts. Labor contract refer to the contracts that an employer and one or more unions. Here the unions get together and together decide about the various work issues related to pay, working environment, work rules, hiring, firing, promotions etc (Ledwith, 2007). Trade unions are normally comprised of the workers, ex workers, and professionals. They also include the unemployed in a few cases. They work with an aim of improving the conditions of their employment. The trade unions work to provide benefits to members of the union. It also looks into matters where employees can receive benefits against unemployment, old age, funeral expenses etc. Also as mentioned they work on the basis of collective bargaining. Trade unions are generally the ones that can enforce strikes within the organizations and can also be the only ones who can resist lockouts by the management. These unions can also promote legislation favorable to the members of the union. They can also be a part of conducting campaigns, lobbying, or even provision of financial support for parties or even individual candidates. They play a very important role and are one of the strongest unions. These unions have the power to make or break companies (Miller and Mulvey, 2007). a) Firstly, trade unions ensure that employees are given the dignity, rights and respect at all times. This is a very important aspect and needs to be taken into consideration at all times. The existence of unions allows the employees to be treated respectfully and any misbehavior from the management could cost the company a fortune.

Quiz Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Quiz - Coursework Example In simple terms bourgeois refers to the rich, the ruling class and those who owns the means of production. On the other hand, proletariat is the working class in the society. The two classes are created by the forces of capitalism and the working class are left being exploited by the rich people (Vattimo & Zabala, 2011). In simple terms, it refers to the â€Å"ethics of care vis-à  -vis the ethics of rights† (Mappes, 1994). Expounded, this refers to a situation whereby women are praised and are at the same time confronted for what they do. It also refers to situations where women are tangled in two opposing ethics, which involves care on one end and rights on the other end.   A woman, according to Mappes, is mostly confronted by a situation that she cannot handle or she is faced with two irreconcilable demands or a choice between two undesirable courses of action. Eventually, such demands usually lead to serious problems (Mappes, 1994). According to Mappes, care acts as the basis of the other ethics related to rights. When women are subjected to such situations Mappes argues that they are led to moral madness. The traditional role of women, according to Mappes is.to utilize the ethics of care. in this case, women are required to take care of the needs of others. The are also endowed with the duty of maintaining relationships. This simply means that the traditional role that women should play is that of care-giving. Mappes argues that this traditional role is not good as it associates women with low status and assumes that they are not supposed to use the public space (Mappes, 1994). Communism refers to the principles of economic fairness through the elimination of private property. Communism’s main role is to come up with social order since social classes and other things such as the state and money are not present. In communism, the community is entrusted with the ownership of resources and not individuals as it is the case with capitalism

Academe plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Academe plan - Essay Example the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) serve to determine positions that are most suitable for an individual in various areas be it academic, leisure or professional activities. Using the results from these reports, one is able to identify areas where they have a higher chance of success. One of the issues that should be observed when dealing with the choice of a career path is the past influences that may play a part in the final decision. This could be because of the experience that an individual underwent in these times (whether positive or negative) and the overall effect that such experiences could have on a person’s mindset. There are a number of past influences that could be considered in this case such as the external factors that played a role in enhancing the level of attractiveness of a particular position as well as the resulting outcomes that fell into place at the end of that particular experience (Hooley, 2012). A combination of these influences could play a large role in the final decision that is made by an individual. In this case, in particular, some of the past influences that can be considered would be the careers that older individuals had around me as well as the smaller part time positions that were occupied on occasion during weekends and school holidays. Other past influences deal with the nature of the work that was available as well as the level of enjoyment that one was able to achieve from taking part in such activities. In this case, this would mostly deal with positions that were largely socially interactive of financially attractive in terms of remuneration, which had a positive impact on the level of enjoyment that was to be had at that particular point in time. There are a number of results that one can use to obtain the best possible career path that is available to them using the two reports. These results will be based on a number of elements that arise from the design of the Strong Interest Inventory and the MBTI. These

Compares and contrasts the interpretations of McClellans generalship Essay

Compares and contrasts the interpretations of McClellans generalship - Essay Example It is known that the common view in most books depict that the victory of the North in the Civil War is something inevitable due to mismanagement on the part of the South. Only few authors tackle the Civil War and the victory of the North in a perspective which emphasizes the North's dominance in terms of supplies, industrial infrastructure, and manpower. Thomas Rowland's George B. McClellan and Civil War History: In the Shadow of Grant and Sherman and James McPherson's Ordeal by Fire The Civil War and Reconstruction are two books which completely covers the Civil War and McClellan's generalship. Thus, it is interesting to know which information about George McClellan in the two books contradicts and which facts correspond with one another. Thomas Rowland's book revolves around George B. McClellan as a general and his contribution and role in the Civil War. Since the story revolves around him, the book covers his beginning--- from his previous work in the railroad to how he landed the position of a general in the Civil War. Initially, McClellan immediately attempted to get in touch with Winfield Scott, commander in chief of the American army, sending him several messages in which he suggested that the states between the Alleghenies and the Mississippi be organized as a military department under a head. On May 13, 1861, he received an order (dated May 3) appointing him to the command of the Department of the Ohio, consisting of Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, with later additions of western Pennsylvania and western Virginia. On the other hand, McPherson's book tackles the Civil War as the focal point of the story, discussing only McClellan as one of the major contributors in the battle and North's victory. It covers all the facets of the war itself. Hence, the story covers the start of the Civil War which depicts the philosophical, social, political and economic political arguments that lead to the battle. Also, the book includes post-war events which include reuniting the nation and specifying the rights of the slaves from the South who have just gained freedom. In conclusion, the major difference between the two books is its approach on discussing the Civil War and McClellan's generalship. Rowland's work utilizes the inductive method of discussion as it focuses on McClellan while broadening the topic to the Civil War as it tackles McClellan's contribution to it. On the other hand, McPherson's work uses the deductive method ofdiscussion as its central subject is the Civil War and discussions of McClellan's generalship were only emphasized as the story narrates deductively from the Civil War to the figures who played important roles in it. Concerning McClellan's generalship, there are several points of agreement in the two books. Most importantly, both books confirm McClellan;s position as a general of the Department of the Ohio, which consists of Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, Pennsylvania and Western Virginia and his contributions toward the Civil War. Also, the **other parts to follow Dec 31st, the

In what way did the use of nuclear weapons against Japan change Essay

In what way did the use of nuclear weapons against Japan change international relations - Essay Example The first use of atomic bomb symbolized the ever widening gap between mans dynamic progress in the attainment of destructive capacity through science and technology and his corresponding lack of progress in area of peace and security. In his message to congress President Truman on October in 3 1943 stated that; ‘International relations as in domestic affairs, release of atomic energy constitutes a new force to revolutionary to consider in framework of old ideas. (Viner, 1946 p 53). The use of nuclear weapons meant that that nations were the only genuine international actors as well as the only foundation for national defence since states in the nuclear power had ability to annihilate one another, none of the states would be willing to pick up a nuclear risk for another one, since its every survival would be at stake. Secondly no state could fully trust one another. Nuclear bipolarity forced all states that were non –nuclear to line up in their respective blocks, and prev ented legitimate emergence of other nuclear actors. Nuclear weapons and threat had an influence on how states and statement acts. For these reasons the use of nuclear weapons would not, could not and will not be ignored. (Lewis, 1999. p225) International relation as a system of interaction between nations underwent major changes. From the end of the Second World War up to the end of cold war in 1991 several issues gained prominence in the international relations. These are; strengthened existence of non state actors as vital players in international relations, energy, environment, terrorism, globalization, communication and revolution. Although the world become unipolar as the United States remained the only super power. The present international relations became more interdependent due to spread of globalization and international trade, information technology evolution, terrorism and environmental degradation. States started to seek cooperation from other states and compete with ea ch other as they became largely dependent with each other. (aneek chaterjee, 2010 p7) After the bombing of Japan, they surrendered and this led to the end of the Second World War. This was seen by many in Britain as blessing in disguise as it provided a unique rapture in the international relations and provided an opportunity for its reconstruction into a peaceful and lasting form. He focus shifted in united nation organisations and allied agencies. (The Journal American History published, 2011) Use of nuclear weapons haunted every international conference and treaties.First and vital cause of use of nuclear weapons against the Japan led to the cold war. â€Å"Cold war was a product of clash between Soviet Union and American Ideologies and stuggle for advantage between the two and the personality of John Stalin†( Colin S Gray 2007). In addition it caused a split to the second world wars allies especially between the United States and the Soviet Union. There two issues that st rained the relationship of the United States and Soviet Union: the secrecy of manufacturing the atomic bomb and the sequential dropping of the bomb in Japan. Soviet Union viewed this as betrayal of trust between the two super powers. This became the beginning of mutual suspicion and mistrust that led to mutual distrust between the two nations. United States continued to enjoy the monopoly of

History of Medicine and Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

History of Medicine and Science - Essay Example To this end, medieval scholars such as Thomas Aquinas supported Aristotle’s theory concerning the material world ( Gribbin, 47).The theory stated that the world was made up of four elements such as water, fire, air, and earth. Moreover, the medieval scholars used the theory of the four elements to formulate the principle alchemy. In this regard, they believed that the four elements formed part of the human body to create the four humours. These were blood, yellow bile, phlegm and black bile. Furthermore, medieval civilization believed in the philosophy of a Greek astronomer known as Ptolemy ( Gribbin, 104). In this regard, the Ptolemaic system espoused that the earth was placed at the centre of everything in the universe. However, following the advent of the scientific revolution, these medieval lines of thought were challenged by eminent intellectual leaders. Notable scholars in the scientific revolution included people such as Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543). Evidently, Cope rnicus is credited with publishing â€Å"De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium† also known as â€Å"On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres† (Gribbin, 398). In this regard, Copernicus theorised that the Earth revolved annually, around through sun through its daily, rotational movements on its axis. This theory was a direct challenge on the long held theory that the Earth was situated centrally at the universe with all the planets, Sun and moon rotating around it. Galileo Galilee was another eminent Italian physicist, astronomer and philosopher associated with the scientific revolution (Gribbin, 298). To this end, he created a telescope which produced a magnification 30 greater than that seen by the natural eye. In this regard, he used the telescope to make numerous astronomical discoveries such as sunspots, valleys and mountains present on the moon’s surface, various phases evident on the Venus planet, and Planet Jupiter’s four greatest moons. To this e nd, he published the â€Å"Dialogues on the Two Chief Systems of the World.† Sir Isaac Newton was another great scientist of the scientific revolution engaged in the field of physics and mathematics. He is credited with publishing the â€Å"Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica† also known as the Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy† ( Gribbin, 476). Evidently, his findings exhibited how the gravity as a universal force was acting on all the objects within the universe. The scientific revolution scholars faced several obstacles that slowed down the progress of the scientific revolution. For example, Nicholas Copernicus was first afraid to publish his works â€Å"Concerning the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres.† Evidently, he was frightened at the possibility of provoking the theological views of the Church pertaining to the Church. On the other hand, Galileo’s work on the ‘Dialogues on the Two Chief Systems of the Worldâ₠¬â„¢ was challenged by the Church. It contributed to Galileo being placed under house arrest. 2) Explain the Scientific Method. Who were the pioneer thinkers who developed it in the 17th-18th centuries? Why was it a central concept in the growth

PEST Analysis Of AirAsias Essay Example for Free

PEST Analysis Of AirAsias Essay 1.1Background AirAsia was set up by Dato Tony Fernandes in 2001. In December 2001, Fernandes and his partners set up Tune Air Sdn Bhd (Tune Air), an airline holding company then bought over AirAsia. Now, AirAsia has become one of the most successful airlines in the Southeast Asian region and the pioneer of low cost and no frills travel in Malaysia. The leading low fare airline in the Asia AirAsia has been expanding rapidly since 2001, to become an award winning and the largest low cost carrier in Asia. With a fleet of 72 aircrafts, AirAsia flies to over 61 domestic and international destinations with 108 routes, and operates over 400 flights daily from hubs located in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. To date, AirAsia has flown over 55 million guests across the region and continues to spread its wings to create more extensive route network through its associate companies, Thai AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia. AirAsia believes in the no-frills, hassle-free, low fare business concept and feels that keeping costs low requires high efficiency in every part of the business. Efficiency creates savings which are then passed on to guests so that affordable air travel can become a reality. Through our philosophy of ‘Now Everyone Can Fly’, AirAsia has sparked a revolution in air travel with more and more people around the region choosing AirAsia as their preferred choice of transport. As AirAsia continuously strives to promote air travel, we also seek to create excitement amongst our guests with our range of innovative and personalized service. The aim of the investigation The aim of this analysis is to conduct a PEST and SWOT analysis in the context of AirAsias international business operations, identifying the major variables involved and the impact of the specific threats and opportunities confronted by AirAsia .Besides that, The purpose of this report is to identify its stakeholders and core competencies, carry out a investigation of its external environment, review a strategic analysis of Airasia to identify opportunities and threats it might face, and to isolate key strengths and any weaknesses that need dealing with. Moreover a SWOT analysis will be carried out to assess the extent to which its strategies are suitable to what is happening in its present environment. Finally, after  identifying competitive strategy a Strategic plan will be made to gain competitive advantage. Chapter 2 DISCUSSION 2.1 Company Overview AirAsia is currently one of the leading low cost airlines in South East Asia which has expanded rapidly and it’s still the second largest air carrier in Malaysia. It dynamic nature of business is based on domestic and international flights, holiday and business arrangements for its customers domestically and internationally around the region with the low fare, safe and convenience means of transportation. (www.airasia.com). AirAsia’s vision To be the largest low cost airline in Asia and serving the 3 billion people who are currently underserved with poor connectivity and high fares. AirAsia’s mission To be the best company to work for whereby employees are treated as part of a big family Create a globally recognized ASEAN brand To attain the lowest cost so that everyone can fly with AirAsia Maintain the highest quality product, embracing technology to reduce cost and enhance service levels AirAsia’s values AirAsia make the low fare model possible through the implementation of the following key strategies: SafetyFirst: Partnering with the world’s most renowned maintenance providers and complying with the with world airline operations. High Aircraft Utilisation: Implementing the regions fastest turnaround time at only 25 minutes, assuring lower costs and higher productivity. Low Fare, No Frills: Providing guests with the choice of customizing services without compromising on quality and services. Streamline Operations: Making sure that processes are as simple as possible. Lean Distribution System: Offering a wide and innovative range of distribution channels to make booking and travelling easier. Point to Point Network: Applying the point-to-point network keeps operations simple and costs, low. Products and Services offered By Air Asia In-flight services: †¢ Air Asia offer food and drinks on board programme . †¢ In-flight services customise meals and merchandise package upon request e.g. caps, T-shirts, and pants. Online services: †¢ Online booking makes it more convenient for its customers to book online anywhere anytime. †¢ Flight information is available to help customers make enquiries on flight schedules arrival and departure time and date. †¢ Chatter –flight: Created for a group of people, business travellers for purposes like meetings, conventions, leisure or even exhibition. Channels of distribution A number of alternate channels of distribution may be available: Selling direct: †¢ Outbound sales forcer †¢ Via mail order, Internet †¢ Telephone sales Selling indirect: †¢ Agent, who typically sells direct on behalf of the producer †¢ Distributor (also called wholesaler), who sells to retailers †¢ Retailer (also called dealer or reseller), who sells to end customers Sales and Marketing AirAsia is an international company, and going global invites a lot of competition. AirAsia has to deal with the competition of local companies in the same field- Airline services. Competition for AirAsia would also be encountered in the virtual world-the internet. As they entered into the use of modern technology such as the public domain would invite competition on the global scale. Different localities and countries have different technological standards, and quality control policies, which AirAsia would have to adhere to, by adherence to these policies; certain intended developments may be possible in certain communities but not acceptable in others. According to CEO’s of the company, Mr. Fernandez, there are a lot workers or low pay salaries earners who would like to travel often to meet their families especially during special occasions but due to how expensive it was that time, their desire are not fulfilled. By introducing a low fare will give all those people opportunity to travel if not more than once in a year. This enables them to identify their target market. Reduced price sales  is one of the basics of securing a target market for AirAsia. They reduce their price to suit their class of customers Branding AirAsia went into intensive General advertisements and other high profile activities, which contributed to the high offering of their companys image. They came with a brand â€Å" Now every one can fly† These points of contact with their target customer help them to build their image, which in turn created loyalty from their customers. Group Discounts and Offers Discounts or other offers can help exposure business to new customers, resulting in a sales increase . AirAsia is a ticketless Airline that allows customers to purchase their ticket online with at a discounted rate. They also have a scheme of group discount and this help to get more target market, especially internet based customers. 2.2Core competencies: Computer Reservation System (CRS) AirAsia’s CRS (Open Skies by Navitaire) has helped it to grow at a dramatic pace in the past couple of years. Tony Fernandes, CEO AirAsia described that Navitaires Open Skies technology has truly enabled Airasias growth from 2 million passengers to 7.7 million passengers in less than two years. Open Skies scaled easily to accommodate our growth. It is an integrated web-based reservation and inventory system. It includes Internet, call center, airport departure control and more. It is a direct sales engine that effectively eliminates the middleman (travel agents) and the sales commissions that need to be paid to them. Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) AirAsia has recently (May 2005) opted for a full fledged ERP system implemented by Avanade consultants. By implementing this package AirAsia is looking to successfully maintain process integrity, reduce financial month-end closing processing times, and speed up reporting and data retrieval processes. Self Check In With the use of the new self check in service a quicker and more convenient way to check in using mobile phones, laptops etc, connecting to the internet. This system is easier and faster for customers and their family to  check in at or before they get to the airport without having to queue up at the counter to check in. Air Asia credit card Air Asia offers a choice of credit card facilities to fit in their customers travel life style be it business, leisure, training or holidays. With an Air Asia credit card a customer can purchase any goods or services while travelling anywhere in the world online. Go Holiday services Air Asia has a product called Go Holiday, with the help of E-commerce Air Asia is able to display their coverage maps, holiday resorts, first and average class hotels, car rental services, and activities in different countries with their different rates and prices on Air Asia’s web page.. Using E-commerce, customers are able to select and make a holiday and travel arrangement with a hotel of their choice and class, a pick up car and even medical services. And payments for all this can be done on the internet using credit cards or other online E-payment methods ahead of travel time. Foreign workers and Contractors strategy AirAsia also target most foreign workers from Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, China, Macau who may not afford the expensive flight home and offer them the cheap fare which attracted most of them as would go home very often without paying much. 2.3 The Competitors Companies in all industries have direct as well as indirect competitors. Direct competitors in the aviation industry are companies that offer flights to similar destinations on comparable terms of travel. Direct competitors include: Malaysia Airlines: offering flights in same routes . Singapore Airlines: offering flights on same routes between London and Kuala Lumpur. Thai Air : operating flights between Bangkok an Kuala Lumpur. Air Srilanka: operating flights between Colombo and Bangkok. AirAsia are facing strong competition with major international and national airlines on the market shares In contrast to other airlines ,AirAsia offers better value for money 2.4Analysis of Environmental Factors In analyzing the macro-environment, it is important to identify the factors that might affect a number of vital variables that are likely to influence the organization’s supply and demand levels and its costs (Kotter and Schlesinger 1991). The external environment of any organization can be analyzed by conducting a PEST analysis. The acronym PEST is used to describe a framework for the analysis of a range of macro environmental factors including the Political, Economical Social and Technological environment. PEST Analysis for AirAsia: Political Flying outside Malaysia is difficult. Bilateral agreement is one of the main obstacles in the way of low cost carriers. Landing charges is also another big influencing factor on costing of low fare airlines. The low- cost airline industry in south-east Asia has been underdeveloped because the aviation market is tightly regulated by bilateral air rights agreements. Threat of terrorism, people is afraid to fly after the September 11 terrorist attacks incident. Economic In spite of strong competition from Malaysian Airline (MAS), AirAsias low-cost carriers offering cheap tickets and few in-flight services are gaining attraction in the region. Current recession hit the aviation business. But with this economy slowing down, more people will want to enjoy its cheap tickets. Oil prices is another regulatory factor for this type of airlines. If oil prices go high, it is very difficult to control cost of operation. Social Passengers are reluctant to board a no-frills airline for a long-haul flight. Increasing worlds population, tourists and number of educated people helpful for the growth of aviation industry. Outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has scare people to fly. AirAsia commit to Safety First; comply with all regulatory agencies, set and maintain consistently high standards; ensure the security of staff and guests. Technology AirAsia provides online service that combines air ticketing with hotel  bookings, car hire and travel insurance. To help keep costs in check, Air Asia has pushed internet booking services. AirAsia also recently introduced GO Holiday, the airlines online programme where guests can book holiday packages online in real time AirAsia has bought in A320 to replace Boeing 737. The Airbus A320s improved fuel efficiency and extra capacity which leads to better performance and reliability. SWOT analysis for AirAsia Strengths Low operational and maintenance cost by having a single aircraft type fleet i.e. from Boeing 737 to Airbus A-320. Economy of scales benefits. Low operating cost due to being No Frill, online reservations system, quick check in etc. There is huge untapped market in the region, especially for business travellers and for-the-first-time-flying segment. As it is low cost airlines, it can target customers who are currently using non-aircraft modes like, Bus, Trains, car to travel to distances. Weakness Huge investment to purchase air planes and implementing latest technologies there is high amount of operational cost. Rising fuel price. Increased the operational cost. The flight times are more or less limited to 2.5 hours. So they cannot operate flights of longer duration without any Frill, so No-Frill becomes impossible to implement for passengers. Opportunity Low fares offer by AirAsia has encourage people from all walks of life style to fly. Especially, during economy down turn. Airbus A320 would encourage greater passenger capacity and offer comfortable service to customers. Introduction of SMS booking allows customer to book their seat at anytime and anywhere. With the commitment in ensuring the security of staff and customers, customer will have more confident to fly via AirAsia. Threats There are more no-frills airlines may take off in Asia to meet increasing consumer demand following the success story of Malaysias budget carrier AirAsia. Singapore Airlines plans to launch a budget carrier, they see the success of AirAsia. They know how big the market is and how good the opportunity is in Asia. Travelers may not choose AirAsia if they are to  travel long distance flight. They will prefer airlines such as MAS or SIA which provide better services. Demand to fly decreased via terrorism and outbreak of the SARS. 2.5 Marketing Plan Cost advantages activities: AirAsia already introduced cost advantages activities. Some of them describe below: Utilising one type of aircraft (Boeing 737-300 which will be fully replaced with Airbus A320) results in reduction of maintenance cost (one of the major expenses in airline industry), scheduling cost, administrative cost, and inventory of parts. Creative and low-cost advertising significantly reduces marketing cost. On the other hand, AirAsia direct sales through internet, call centres, walk-in airport sales, and sales offices significantly reduce the commission fee to travel agents as AirAsia only assigned its sales to limited travel agents AirAsia assigned multi-skilled cabin crews (2-3crews/flight), cost-effective training, performance based reward and incentives systems Target Market: Low- income Customers and tourism segment Malaysia emergence as a regional business and tourism hub has provided AirAsia plenty of room for growth and has fuelled regional air passenger traffic. Transit passengers Kuala Lumpur is the operational hub for AirAsia, which is the best connection point between Europe and Asia/Australia has supported the growth of their business. AirAsia has been using this connection point to promote their business. 2.6 Proposed Strategy for further expansion of AirAsia Extending New Routes: Extending current services into new markets may be helpful to further growth of this company. It is possible to achieve this strategy by launching existing services into new geographical area or new market segments. Adding new routes and destinations are possible; especially there is growth Malaysia and East Asia tourism. Activities related to this strategy: Marketing research Feasibility Study Contract with hotels and tourist agency at new destinations Finding out strategic partner Marketing new routes and destination Time frame and cost: It will take 1 to 2 years to start a new route and estimated cost around $200 million to new aircraft and for marketing cost. Organizational change: Recruiting new employees Arranging training for new employees Opening new office in new destination Evaluation criteria: New destinations are implemented to achieve new market development. Flight number in new destination is the best way to measure result of this strategy. Private Suite for business customer: Introducing new services into existing markets implies product development. This strategy involves the development of fresh competencies and requires business to expand customized services which can apply to current markets. That’s why Emirate Airlines introduce high quality first class private lounges to attract business travelers. Activities related to this strategy: Technical and feasibility Study Allocated budget Contract with a company to install new facility. Installation and modification of aircraft’s onboard facilities Time frame and cost: It will take 6 months to 1 year to complete installation new facilities in a single aircraft and estimated cost around $0.2 million to new aircraft and for marketing cost. Organizational change: Recruiting new employees to serve business customer Contract with new or existing company for catering service for business customer. Evaluation criteria: Quantitative measurement of this product would be number of booking or occupancy. Chapter 3 CONCLUSION 3.1 Conclusion By studying PEST, SWOT and marketing analysis, it could be said that AirAsia  is situated in standard cycle markets where it get competitive advantage for its business policy and strategy. Providing customers with superior products and services with low fare is synonymous to the AirAsia brand. However, it is necessary that Airasia should re-evaluate its strategies and focus on core values and competencies. For this why, AirAsia should reconsider their market and specific routes to obtain value other than price and survive the competition. From this study, it is possible to say that still there is some other option to expand this company. Adding new route and introducing business class suite may be suitable option for AirAsia for further growth. 3.2 Recommendations To remain leader in the market in serving customers, AirAsia has to re-evaluate their current strategy. Recommendation for improvement can be outlined as follows: AirAsia should make any major changes to their strategy after proper technical and feasibility study to avoid unnecessary risks. Oil price is a big factor to low fare airlines. So this company should make longer contracts with fuel suppliers for more stability As Airasia operates their fight very frequently, so they should have a spare aircraft at each location to avoid delays. AirAsia should consider environmentally friendly operation system as such as carbon offsetting to save environment. REFFERENCE Daniels, J. D. Radebaugh, L. H. (1998), International Business ‘Environments and Operations, 8th edition, Addison-Wesley, USA. Peng Mike W, 2006, Global Strategy, Thompson, United States Porter Michael E, 1998, Competitive Advantage, The Free Press, United States. Websites: www.airasia.com www.navitaire.com/res

a suitable function of construction industry

a suitable function of construction industry Introduction Until 1958 when the construction industry began to be formulated following rules, construction businesses had suffered a poor reputation due to wrong practices of the past. The construction industry was known as an area of illegality and corruption. Accordingly, it is no exaggeration to say that for Korea’s construction industry, the past six decades were characterized by a war against illegality and corruption. Ironically, the response to this was the introduction of the American type of construction system. In addition, it is notable that competition has been introduced for construction project bidding. To be sure, there were limitations in rooting out illegality and corruption. Through these efforts, however, the nation could establish a modernized delivering system for construction projects over the year. Additionally, it is not too much to say that policy and system were formulated. In meanwhile, large-scale construction accidents frequently occurred due to dishonest work , which will happen in the process of industrialization. In April 2002, the South Korea government announced that it will work more closely with non-governmental actors in the fight against corruption. The government procurement agency announced the introduction of an ombudsman system and a clean procurement committee in an effort to break ties between the government and its contractors. The corruption law also established an anti corruption commission, with a specific mandate to investigate cases involving high rank officials. Before the commission was launched in January 2002, however, its first chairman resigned because of his suspected involvement in a major corruption. Like this, corruption is occurring by human selfishness. There were many accidents through human errors and misdeeds. Sampoong Department Store is one of the examples. On 29 June 1995, a department store building in Seoul suddenly collapsed. It was only five years old and killed 502 people and injured 937 people. The structural collapse of the Sampoong Department Store was not an isolated deviation but a clear omen of deeper problems within society. In the Sampoong collapse, bribery of inspectors was rampant. No one raised any alarm when a huge, unauthorized air-conditioner was erected on the roof of the building which caused enormous cracks in the walls. A probe revealed that the building’s owners sacked contractors who had complained that planned design changes were unsafe. The new contractor, a subsidiary of the store, had no objections. In this accident, at the same time, South Korea’s construction industry had been attacked by man-made disasters even before the Sampoong Department Store tragedy. In this paper, the main reasons of the collapse and evaluation of this collapse will be briefly described. Background The Sampoong building had two wings, with one housing the department store and the other sports and leisure facilities. The wing that collapsed was the one housing the department store. It was built by Sampoong Construction and Industry Company and completed in November 1989. An addition to the building was completed in October 1994. The building housed 556 departments with 681 employees. It stood 27.6 meters high and sat on a 29,008-square-meter.The four underground floors consisted of a parking place and an electricity control room. Three of the collapsed building’s floors which comprised the department store was operated by Sampoong Construction Company whose engineering ranks 858th among the nation’s construction firms. If it was careful, the warning signs that could have prevented the collapse of the Sampoong Department Store came as early as 15days before the accident. At that time, a restaurateur on the fifth floor reported a crack on the ceiling of the building to management. But, management’s response was lukewarm, and management took no action. Then, 5 days before, a customer who had entered the same restaurant to get something to eat after some routine weekend shopping, was showered with a water leak from the ceiling of the restaurant. Three days before the collapse, a report of a gas leak again went unheeded by the department store management. On the day of the collapse, June 29, the signs that should have set off alarm bells appeared before opening hours in the restaurants on the fifth floor. Around 9:30 a.m., the floor of the restaurant cracked open slightly. An environmental technician reported the incident to the management. Top executives of the department store stopped by an hour later, mumbling something about seeking professional assessment. Between 11a.m to 12p.m, neighbouring restaurants were experiencing water leaks from ceilings and cracks in the floors. Only at this point did the management close off the fifth floor, while the other floors continued with business as usual. Sometimes after 1 p.m., a breakdown of air conditioning and gas services as well as a power failure occurred throughout the department store. The management met around 3 p.m. for an emergency meeting without notifying the employees and shoppers of the situation. When things were at their worst, the executives of the department management lef t the building, consequently leaving many employees and shoppers still inside. At 6p.m. on 29 June, the centre of the building collapsed, similar to a controlled implosion, in 20 seconds. Customers were concentrated in the basement and in the fifth floor restaurant. The customers and employees had no time to escape. Some survivors were found in the wreckage, and one was brought out 17 days after the collapse. The overall death toll was 502. Corruption The main issues addressed in this paper are corruption, frequent design change and maintenance repair in South Korea. The first section of this paper will examine corruption in the collapse of the Sampoong Department Store. This report was delivered by Seoul District Prosecutors Office, entitled The Final White Book of Finding out the Real Truth of the Collapse of the Sampoong Department Store. The public was outraged. In particular, the news that the senior executives had fled the building without warning others was disturbing. The report on the collapse, as well as earlier structural and construction failures, suggested a widespread pattern of corruption in the country’s construction business. A government survey of high-rise structures found 14% were unsafe and needed to be rebuilt, 84% required repairs, and only 2% met standards. Joon Lee, the chairman of Sampoong, and his son Han-Sang Lee, were convicted and sent to prison for 10 and half years and 7 years, respectively. Twelve local building officials were found guilty of taking bribes of as much as $17,000 for approving changes and providing a provisional use certificate. The cause of the Sampoong collapse, then, was not a technical issue as much as outright fraud. The Korean construction industry, protected by government regulation from outside competition, had become complacent. Bribes were used to get around the usual government checks and balances that serve to protect public safety. Relationship problem between the architects and builders In the design planning process, relationship and communication between architectural designers and structural designers are important. Generally, if their relationship and communication are in discord some construction works, it can bring out accidents such as Sampoong Department Store collapse. This paragraph begins by laying out the theoretical dimensions of the research and looks at how design problems occurred in this collapse. In recent years, the subject of the design quality has become one of the important issues in the domestic construction industry. However, important design processes are made by judgement of the architect without the rational communication and information sharing among the related participants. Therefore, the objective of this research suggests the constitution plan of design error management system not only for systematizing types about the design error in construction projects but also for analyzing the primary factors of design error to embody the actual condition of trouble between architects and builders. Normally, in South Korea, builders think know-how is more important but architects think that beauty of art and quality what contractor ordered, are more important so that there were lack of communication of information and a narrow sense between architects and builders. Relationship and communication problem between architectural designers and Structural designers Generally, design drawings are distributed, such as architectural design drawing, structural design drawing, mechanical facility design drawing, electric facility design drawing and engineering design drawing. Structural calculations need to be correct in order to ensure the safety of the building and structural design drawing with structural calculations need to be written exactly and used on-site. Mechanical facility and electric facility design drafts are written considering the calculations which were reviewed in advance about facility capacity or standards according to the structure calculations in the structure design drawings which include the safety of a building and standards. In the process of structural design planning which affected the most important reason of the collapse, architectural designer and structural designers decided the scale of a building, stories, appearance and use in the early architecture plan and then on a basic structure plan like pitch of columns or structure style. The architectural designer writes the architectural design draft first, and the structure designer carries out structure calculations according to all conditions given in the architecture blueprint which the architectural designer wrote. In many cases, however, architectural designers distribute structural design drafts which are calculations made by structural designers. As the result, structural designers are different with structural draft authors, so that structural designers’ design can be changed by authors who may make fatal errors. In this accident, it the relationship and communication between architectural designers (architect) and structural designers (structural experts) was not adequate, and their communication was only call and memoranda, so that they had not exchanged information. Thus, structural calculations, structural drafts and construction drafts were different. Design problems There were many structural and architectural problems in the Sampoong Department Store collapse. This paragraph will describe problems of use change and flat slab systems in the problems. Firstly, construction of the Sampoong Department Store was a flat slab system. The flat slab system can be defined as a construction method that builds safely several columns established in the upper part inside of the building. However, the weak point of this system is many columns. So, this flat slab system is insufficient to department store buildings because if there are lots of columns in the building, the space will be narrow. So, structural designers removed block walls for the purpose of making wide clearances to sell products and punched a passage for an escalator. Also, size and shape of uplift column was changed. In flat slab system, the column is very important but structural designers of Sampoong Department Store had neglected design load calculus. Moreover, even though the fifth floor was made, column size was lessened 25% (79cm to 58cm) for appearance and even columns located near the escalator were lessened more. Secondly, the use of the Sampoong Department Store was four stories office building at first and this building was approved as a four stories building. However, owners of the building wanted to change to a department store building and the owners referred it to Woosung Construction Company. Constructors and managers of Woosung Co. opposed that because it needed more columns and thicker columns. Thereupon, the head of the Sampoong group changed Construction Company to own Sampoong Construction Company. Lastly, the five stories Sampoong Department Store were built without reinforcement of uplift columns by the company. The most serious problem was the fifth floor. The fifth floor was the restaurant area and the interior was composed of a Korean floor heater for a luxury Korean traditional restaurant so that, 30cm concrete was added for the Korean floor heater. Also, heavy kitchen equipment was needed. As the result, the whole building collapsed when these added loads affected columns. Maintenance problems This paragraph explains the maintenance of collapse of this Sampoong Department store. Sampoong made significant changes to the structure. The most important was the conversion of the original use as an office block to that of a department store. Other changes included changing the upper floor from a roller-skating rink to a traditional Korean restaurant. Stricter standards had to be met for fire, air conditioning and evacuation. Although the structure apparently met all building code requirements, the revised design was radically different from the original. This accident was a man-made disaster that the government official allowed haughty businessman who brought out blind money as a result and the building company built it. Conclusion The construction work of Sampoong Department store was started on July 1987 and opened on December 1st 1989 with Temporary Use Permit and operated for 5 years. Unlike a normal building framework using beam and column, its structure system uses Flat Slab structure so that the floor slab supports the column by itself without any beam. In a flat Slab structure, one column can stand the same amount of stress so that the collapse of one column can cause progressive collapse which can be them the entire building. Investigating the present state of collapse was analyzed minutely and based on this analysis, the design, construction work, and maintenance of this building was discovered as the direct and indirect cause of collapse. As a result, the collapse of this building was brought from a flaw in design, unreliable construction work, and maintenance problems interacting with each other for long term. A brief summary is the following. Firstly, the one that influenced collapse the most is the maintenance problem. Changing design and use, without any approval, causing additional overweight to be added and also cutting structures left the whole building structure with low durability. Secondly, in the process of construction work, managing the work and superintendence was negligent which caused part of the collapse. Thirdly, inappropriate construction and structure plan caused progressive collapse. Moreover, neglecting safety diagnosis on the long term cracks and sinking process and insufficient managing of crucial moments like right before the collapse brought about a disastrous accident. Finally, those causes, which continued for 5 years, gave no security and safety, and at the end, around the fifth floor, the roof slab was destroyed and the adjoining slab destroyed, which caused progressive collapse. A building can maintain safe conditions through fine design, construction work/supervision and appropriate maintenance. However, if a domestic construction system does not include a structure expert who puts safety first anywhere in the process of design, construction work/supervision and maintenance, there will be major problems. According to the law for architect, article 4 clause 1 and clause 2, designing and supervision of construction can only be done by an architect, and blocks the structure expert from designing and supervising the construction from the beginning. In addition, the law for architect article 2 clause 2 states that structure expert has subordinate relationship with architect, so that structure expert is not at the position where he can take responsible for the safety. Such a system cannot be found in developed countries except in Korea. For example, America does not limit the construction right to either architect or structure expert and Germany gives right to design structure only to structure expert. Also, Japan and Singapore structure expert takes care of structure design. Especially in Germany and other EU, client or representative picks ‘safety coordinator’ who takes charge of every process from beginning to the end, such as consulting and superintendence. To look at design, construction work/supervision and maintenance of Sampoong department store closely, structure expert was never in the responsible position so that he did not finish his work with responsibility. Moreover, the current domestic system had no coordinator who could point out faulty structure design and construction so that an architect who was responsible for construction asked the structure expert only for structural calculations and used them on the structure layout. When use and design were changed, the architect only asked the structure expert orally or in memo form and not with any official document. It seemed that structure expert was legally only in an assistant position which made it harder to ask for formal documents and the structural expert also did not have any obligation to be responsible for the structure problem since they are only an assistant. Recently constructions with size over fixed standard or for special needs are required to have affixing a seal of structure expert on the structure layout. However this is only the action of affixing a seal from the structural expert, it does not mean that they are responsible for construction like in other developed countries. In Korea, the current system does not have any way to prove the faulty safe the issues from in the process of design, approval, and construction/supervision like Germany or EU. In the deliberation for a Construction Permit, structure field is handled but it’s only 10 or 20 minutes which is impossible time to point out any problem in the structure and examine an entire complex design perfectly so that the Construction Permit is only a formal document to avoid responsibility. In conclusion, although common administrative regulations should be softened in order to solve inconvenience of the people and the vitalization of market, strengthening the regulations to protect the nation and their property is a global trend. To take this into consideration, experts who can take care of their work with responsibility and specialty is essential and needed on every step in the process of design, construction/supervision, and maintenance in order to prevent the reappearance of such a disaster like the collapse of the Sampoong department store.

Henry Viii And Anglicanism Religion Essay

Henry Viii And Anglicanism Religion Essay Many individuals today believe that Anglicanism began with Henry VIII for his simple wish of divorcing his wife in hopes to produce a male heir. Certainly it was established in the era of King Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, however there were many other influences that contributed to the creation of the Church of England. These influences date back to the early years of Christianity in the British Isles. After doing much analysis on this history, it is safe to say that King Henry was not the only creator of Anglicanism; he was only a contributor to its formation and the final step to its beginning. It is said that among the soldiers living in Britain, some were of Christian faith. St. Alban, the first English martyr, was killed in 209 CE and therefore the Christianity was certainly present by 200 CE. In 400, when the Romans left Britain and many invaders arrived, in the West and North the Celtic people maintained their faith and culture. A type of Christianity grew among these individuals which still influences our spirituality to this date. Celtic Christianity dated between 400 1000 CE. These stories and legends of the Celtic church are told by Saints such as: St. Ninian, St. Calumba and St. Brigit.Governed by chiefs or kings, Celtic society was organized on tribal lines. The Celtic church was controlled around monasteries ruled by abbots who ordained as priests celebrated the sacraments in the monasteries. The land for the monastery was often provided by the tribe or family unit. By 431, Ireland had received its first bishop. The government of the Irish church was controlled by the abbots however by the 1800s .The abbeys promoted learning, taught the children, and fabricated spectacular religious art in the manuscripts, metalwork and stone carvings. The Anglican spirituality had a lot of influence from the Celtic spirituality. There was a very strong sense of the presence of God in everyday life of the Celtic Christians. In all of their daily activities, God is found. There are a vast amount of prayers from the Celtics that have these examples. There is an example in the book A World Made Whole (Fount, 1991): I will kindle my fire this morning, In the presence of the holy angels of heaven. This quote from the prayer shows that God is in their everyday lives, God is not forgotten. The goodness of nature and of human nature are a part of true Celtic beliefs. It sees human as being full of potential and made in Gods image. Jesus came to free our world from its evil forces. This is an optimistic view fits well with the Anglican understanding of creation, i ncarnation, and redemption. Celtic Christianity has a strong sense of the unity. It insists that we are encircled on our pilgrimage by faithfully Christian individuals of an earlier era. God, the Trinity, the saints of old-all are near us and are always accessible to us in our prayers. Celtic Christianity is full of stories, images, art and music. With the arrival of St. Augustine at Canterbury in 597, Roman Christianity returned to Britain. This tradition and form of government spread throughout England steadily. Although Celtic Christianity was slowly concealed by Roman practice, many customs and traditions were kept. It was an era of change and turmoil in the church during the 1500-1600s in Europe. There was dissatisfaction with papal government and abuses of church traditions. Furthermore the availability of new translations of Scripture from Latin into other languages fashioned a craving to look over the ancestry of the Christian faith and a desire to return to the basics of Christian ideas. In Europe individual figures like Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin and Martin Luther encouraged doctrinal and organizational reform. England knew of the effort of these reformers and had the Scriptures in English. However, the church was not extremely affected by them. In reality Henry VIII received from the Pope in 1521 the title Defender of the Faith for his paper criticizing Martin Luther. However, the King was going through some political difficulties. His marriage of almost 20 years to Catherine of Aragon had produced only one living child, their daughter Mary. Henry became increasingly worried because he n eeded a male heir for the throne. Henry decided to divorce his wife and that he was going to marry Anne Boleyn. Securing an annulment and obtaining a papal dispensation to remarry was not an impossible request, however it made Henry anxious. But European politics launched a problematic factor; Catherines nephew was the Emperor Charles V. The Pope was being threatened by the Emperor and so could not grant Henrys request. Henry decided then to remove the church in England from the control of foreign powers. Acts of Parliament were passed, Henrys marriage was declared invalid, and he married Anne Boleyn. The Pope rapidly removed Henry. To gain [a son], he separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church and so established the Protestant Reformation in England . Henry took rising control of the church, suspending the monasteries and moving their riches to the crown and declared himself the head of the church in England. Henry ordered the English Bible located in all church es but stayed very conservative in matters of spiritual traditions. Henry was succeeded in 1547 by his son Edward VI. Edward had been well-informed by teachers with Protestant understanding. Throughout his reign the church was progressively more influenced by Lutheran and Calvinist tradition. In 1549, the first Book of Common Prayer, drawn up by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, was certified. The Act of Uniformity made its use obligatory in all churches in England. This book has become the normative statement of Anglican theology and practice. The book was a compromise between traditionalists and reformers. In 1552, a second Book of Common Prayer was issued. It followed more Protestant ideologies. During the reign of Edward VI, many Articles were published to identify the position of the Church of England on a vast amount of issues. This was an attempt to define a connection between the Old Catholic ways and the new Calvinist reforms. The 42 Articles were proposed in 15 52 and these were not accepted. However in 1559, during the reign of Elizabeth, the Thirty-nine Articles were accepted as a balanced statement of the Anglican position on certain uncertain issues. Edward was then succeeded by his half-sister Mary. As the daughter of Catherine of Aragon, Mary wanted to return England to the worship of the Roman Catholic Church. During Marys reign, many reformers were executed however on her death, her half-sister Elizabeth became Queen. She wished to restore stability to the country, while at the same time preserving England from foreign domination. The church then should retain its heritage but remain free of the rule of the Pope. The form of liturgy, the three-fold order of bishops, priest and deacons, the sacraments were all retained. But the differences were that services were in English, the reading of Scripture was encouraged, and clergy could marry. The third Book of Common Prayer was issued in 1559. The aim of the Elizabethan church was to br ing stability to both church and state. The Church of England held together in one family a variety of views by avoiding narrow definitions. Richard Hooker, 1554-1600, was the apologist for the emerging Anglican position. The Anglican approach to theology, the balance of Scripture, tradition and reason was defined by his Treatise on the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity. He saw the church as changing and adapting. The church structures its existence by looking at scripture and tradition in the light of reason and experience. Renewal and progress in the 18th century placed a new tension on personal conversion, salvation by faith in Christs agreed death, the sole power of Scripture, and the significance of the lecture of the Word. Influenced by evangelical clergy, the missionary movement brought the gospel to all parts of the world. At home in England, evangelicals played a major role in the abolition of slavery and the reform of social conditions. In the 19th century, the Anglo-Catholic restoration brought a new emphasis to the liturgical and sacramental life of the church. The Oxford Movement aimed at restoring high church ideals to the Church of England. In this movement we have the Low Church that of being the Anglican Church of Ireland and High Anglican Church that being the Church of England. This group of reformers was sometimes called Tractarianists because of the series of writings, Tracts for the Times, in which they set out their views. The movement emphasized the catholic and apostolic nature o f the church, looking back to its historic roots. It placed new importance on the liturgical and sacramental life of the church; the introduction of vestments, candles, ceremonial and ritual followed soon after. Anglo-Catholics were involved in ministry to the slums of large English cities, and in missionary work around the world. During this period, religious orders of monks and nuns were re-established, and this continues in the Anglican Church to this day. In conclusion, after much research it is understood that The Anglican Church was created by many contributions and ideas that dated back to the early years of Christianity in the British Isles. King Henry VIII was the final contribution to its foundation, but would not be here if it were not for the Celtic Spirituality. However to this day there are issues with the Anglican Church. The Anglican Church though would have liked to settle once it left the Roman umbrella will not be in a settle state. It seems as if equilibrium cannot be maintained and there is still controversy to this day with this religion that was created many years ago.

After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes-- :: essays research papers

Elements of despair evident from the inner workings of Emily Dickinson are present in her poem, â€Å"After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes--.† Emily Dickinson led a difficult life which left her alone. These feelings of sorrow and isolation have produced works by Dickinson which question human existence and thought. Such works include the theme of despair which is inextricably related to spiritual strivings and misgivings. They lead inevitably to her thematic concern with man’s knowledge of death and his dream of immortality, directly relevant to â€Å"After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes--.†In this poem, Emily Dickinson renders the extinction of consciousness by pain in terms of a funeral. By paraphrasing the first stanza,After great pain, a formal feeling comes--The Nerves sits ceremonious, like Tombs--The stiff Heart, questions was it He, that bore,And Yesterday, or Centuries before?The reader perceives the first of three stages of a funeral ceremony, the formal service. After the onset of suffering through death, the presence of finality through a funeral rises. The second stanza brings with it the second stage of the ceremony, carrying off the casket by pallbearers.The Feet, mechanical, go round--A wooden wayOf Ground, or Air, or Ought--Regardless grown,A Quartz contentment, like a stone--The feet of the pallbearers work rhythmically and mechanically, performing their duty. The final stanza includes the final stage of a funeral,the burial.This is the Hour of Lead--Remembered, if outlived,As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow--First--Chill--then Stupor--then the letting go-- The reader notes that this is the time of finality, and of parting with the deceased. It is also a time of final recollections, and of healing.In an interpretation of this poem, Dickinson is neither speaking of the persona, or the funeral ritual, but instead of the state of mind at death. This perception includes the premise of one who has lost all sense of identity. The various parts of the anatomy noted in the poem, such as the nerves, heart, and feet, are no longer part of one central being,but now moving through the acts of a meaningless ceremony. In essence, they are lifeless forms enacted in a trance. As the idea of a funeral ceremony subsides, the once living body’s form emerges. The â€Å"formal feeling† that comes after a great pain is actually no pain at all, but instead the loss of form, time, and space. Throughout â€Å"After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes--†, Dickinson uses many forms of connotation, such as imagery, symbolism, and irony.

Comparing the Daily Lives of African American Women in the 1940s and To

Comparing the Daily Lives of African American Women in the 1940s and Today For much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in America, Black women were an after-thought in our nation's history. They were the mammies and maids, the cooks and caregivers, the universal shoulder to cry on in times of trouble. Often overlooked and undervalued, Black women were just ... there. African American women have come a long way. In the 1940s, women were treated as second-class citizens and Blacks faced discrimination everywhere they looked. They were not taught to be proud of being Black (Dressier, 1985). They had a hard time going to school. Black children were not taught Black history. African Americans were not able to have a sense of pride about themselves or their culture (Farley & Allen, 1987). In this paper, I will try to describe and compare the lives of African American women around the time of World War II, a period of great change in the U.S., with their lives today. Due to the enormity of this subject, I am limiting my scope to the discrimination and the resulting economic hardships African American women in particular have endured. Discrimination in Daily Life In 1940, it was very difficult for Blacks to get a job due to discrimination. Naomi Craig, an African American and former World War II defense plant worker, describes that when she graduated from high school, she could not get a job. ?I went to the offices of the different insurance companies. I was a crackerjack stenographer, and I was smart, but I was colored. When I would go down for a job, the girl in the office would look at me and then call for the employer. He?d come out; he?d say, ?Uh, uh Miss Jennings, um, yes, well the job is filled.? I?d go hom... ...own.edu/projects/WWII_Women/ McLoyd, V. C., & Wilson, L. (1992). Telling them like it is: The role of economic and environmental factors in single mothers? discussions with their children. American Journal of Community Psychology, 20, 419-444. Mitchell, L., (November 5, 2000). Personal interview via telephone. Schaefer, R.T. (2000). Racial and ethnic groups, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Sokoloff, N. J. (1999). Black women and white women in the professions. New York: Routledge. Taylor, R. D., & Roberts, D. (1995). Kinship support and maternal adolescent well being in economically disadvantaged African American Families. Child Development, 66, 15851597. Ulbrich, P. M., Warheit, G. J., & Zimmerman, R. S. (1989). Race, socioeconomic status, and psychological distress: An examination of differential vulnerability. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 30, 131-146.

AtlantiCare and the “Voice of the Customer” Essay

Introduction Located in southeastern New Jersey, AtlantiCare is a nonprofit organization that provides acute and chronic health care services in the following areas: cancer, trauma, cardiac care, stroke, behavioral health, urgent care, hospice, home care, family medicine, occupational medicine, child care, early learning, and mission care for the homeless. Because of the nature of the services it provides quality is essential at AtlantiCare, and the organization delivers it. In fact, AtlantiCare applies the principles of total quality so comprehensively and consistently that the organization has received the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. At the core of AtlantiCare’s quality program is a process the organization calls the â€Å"Voice of the Customer.† This is a five-phase process used to make the organization’s patients partners in its continual-improvement efforts. Voice of the Customer identifies patient requirements and then makes sure that AtlantiCare’s services satisfy these requirements. The company’s customer focus does not stop with external customers. It also includes internal customers-employees (Goetsh & Davis, 2011). Total quality is not a concept anymore in day to day operations at AtlantiCare. It is part of the management team work ethic and philosophy, and the rest of the nonprofit company staff. AtlantiCare applies the principles of total quality in such a way that not only takes care of its customers, but also its internal customers. By doing so, the company has achieved organizational excellence. The case that follows is about the steps taken by the administration at AtlantiCare and also the lessons learned by the executives and the staff to become a world-class health care provider. Questions AtlantiCare has learned how to apply the principles of effective communication in a Total Quality setting. If total quality is the engine, communication is the oil that keeps it running. Much of what total quality is all about depends on effective communication. Without it, total quality breaks down. Some of the key elements of the total quality concept are customer focus (internal and external), total employee involvement and empowerment, leadership, teamwork, decision making, problem prevention, problem solving, and conflict resolution (Goetsh & Davis, 2011). The core of the AtlantiCare’s Total Quality system is a process called the â€Å"Voice of the Customer.† This is a five-phase process used to make the organization’s patients partners in its continual-improvement efforts. Voice of the Customer identifies patient requirements and then makes sure that AtlantiCare’s services satisfy these requirements. The part that AtlantiCare applies perfectly well i s the focus in its internal and external customers. This approach has giving the nonprofit company the information necessary to fix its mistakes and to reengineer its process, so AtlantiCare keeps its customers satisfied. Basically, what AtlantiCare does is to listen to all the stakeholders, following the principles of effective communication: message received, message understood. To listen responsively, managers and employees must learn to simultaneously use their ears, eyes, brains, and hearts. Responsive listening can pay substantial dividends for managers in a total quality setting (Goetsh & Davis, 2011). PepsiCo and IKEA are among the top companies were people wants to work at. It is not only because these companies have a recognized name or they are multinational companies. It is basically because these two companies also apply Total Quality programs where listening the suggestions and concerns of its employees and customers is a very big component. According to IKEA Welcome Inside 2012 report they in many markets we are the employer of choice, and latest results from our co-worker satisfaction survey, VOICE, show a very high level of satisfaction among our co-workers. The VOICE result also identifies areas where we can improve. IKEA is listening actively. They paid attention to their employees. They are sensitive to the information they receive, and also they act in consequence. They are being creative by developing programs to help their employees to grow and develop. In 2012, PepsiCo was listed among the Top 25 ‘World’s Best Multinational Workplaces’ by the Great Place to Work Institute  (PepsiCo, 2012). PepsiCo is always looking for talent and sustainability for them it means to invest in their associates to help them succeed; providing a safe and inclusive workplace globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where they operate. In all of their markets, they are developing the talent of associates, preparing them to lead PepsiCo into the future. Through PepsiCo University and online courses offered by their global functions, more than 8,000 of their associates completed more than 11,500 courses in 2012. The professional development they offer to their associates enables them to develop the skills, capabilities and mindsets needed to drive sustainable financial performance and value creation. PepsiCo is combating the inhibitors of listening by providing to its employees with opportunities of professional development. Conclusion In order to have a Total Quality program that works effectively it is important to put at the core of the program the communication piece. Especially the information that is brought and communicated by the customers is the piece that has to have a mechanism that assures that it is inputted in to the Total Quality program. In the case of AtlantiCare, the nonprofit company has a system in place that voices the suggestions, complains, and demands of both customers: external and internal. The core of the AtlantiCare’s Total Quality system is a process called the â€Å"Voice of the Customer.† This is a five-phase process used to make the organization’s patients partners in its continual-improvement efforts. Voice of the Customer identifies patient requirements and then makes sure that AtlantiCare’s services satisfy these requirements. The part that AtlantiCare applies perfectly well is the focus in its internal and external customers. In the case of IKEA, the company has its own program called the â€Å"VOICE.† The VOICE result also identifies areas where we can improve. IKEA is listening actively. They paid attention to their employees. They are sensitive to the information they receive, and also they act in consequence. The area where this program could improve is in the external customer. According to this program they are only surveying the employees, but they are not taking in consideration the important information that the external customers have and can be used in the company’s advantage. On the other hand, in 2012, PepsiCo  was listed among the Top 25 ‘World’s Best Multinational Workplaces’ by the Great Place to Work Institute (PepsiCo, 2012), which means PepsiCo takes care of its internal customers. In all of their markets, they are developing the talent of associates, preparing them to lead PepsiCo into the future. Through PepsiCo University and online courses offered by their global functions, more than 8,000 of their associates completed more than 11,500 courses in 2012. PepsiCo provides for its employees professional developing opportunities and career growth, but they do not have a program in place that assures that its employees are providing information that could help the company. Less say they are not putting communication at the core of its Total Quality program. Finally, both companies could learn something from AtlantiCare by implementing Total Quality programs that included their external customers. Especially in the case of IKEA that sells directly to the final consumer. References David L. Goetsch, Stanley B. Davis. (2011) Quality Management for Organizational Excellence: Introduction to Total Quality, (7th Ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education IKEA Group (2012). Welcome inside 2012. Retrieved from http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/pdf/yearly_summary/ys_welcome_inside_2012.pdf PepsiCo (2012). Annual Report. Retrieved from http://www.pepsico.com/download/PEP_Annual_Report_2012.pdf