Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Examine how Operational managers are responsible for dealing with daily routine activities and problems The WritePass Journal

Examine how Operational managers are responsible for dealing with daily routine activities and problems 1 Introduction Examine how Operational managers are responsible for dealing with daily routine activities and problems 1 Introduction2 What is Operation ManagementThe input and output process2.1 Example of Inputs2.2 Transformation Process2.3 Example of Outputs3 The role of Operation ManagementTransformation and feedback process3.1 Operations Management DecisionsOperations Management Decisions for Niger WafersThe relationship between strategic and tactical decisions4 Hotel Operation Management4.1Differences and similarities between a Budget Hotel and a Luxury Hotel5. ConclusionReferencesJournalsRelated 1 Introduction It is quite often difficult to directly apply operational management results to real-world scenarios and this give managers the reason to move away from such practices that are derived from traditional speculative results. The purpose of the report is to contrast and compare the differences and similarities between a Budget Hotel and a Luxury Hotel employing the five elements which are the major concern of operations management which are cost, quality, speed flexibility and dependability. Operational managers in an organisation are responsible for dealing with daily routine activities and problems. They are often the point of contact with the customers and involve in daily decision making regarding the business process. Operational managers often know who the customers are and what they often require. For this reason alone an evaluation of the principle theories and techniques in the area of operational management will be carried out after which an analysis of practical operations management situations in the context of real life will be made as well as suggestion of appropriate, workable management solutions. 2 What is Operation Management The way organisations produce goods and services to their customers is known as operations management. Most of the things we wear, buy, borrowed, eat, sit on, used or read and even healing we received in the hospital are produced by somebody. Performing an operation involves the transformation or conversion of certain group of resource like inputs into goods and services   and outputs. Those input resources could be raw materials, raw data, and information or can be the customers of a business. The resources that are inputs goes through a transformation stages before they become goods and services through other transformation resources which are the services and personnel of the operation. (Rev. A, 1999) Another article written by Wiley.com (1999) defined operations management as â€Å"Those   business functions applied to plan, organise, coordinate, and control the resources that required in the production of the goods and services of the company. Operations management is classified as the function of management. It entails the management of, equipment, people, technology, information, and several other resources. Operations management is the vital nervous system or unique function of every company. This is a fact that is noticeable no matter the size of the company and can provide substantial good or service which are rendered   for profit or non-profit.† (Wiley, 1999) The input and output process   Fig1. Source: Introduction to Operations Management by Rev. A. (1999) 2.1 Example of Inputs Raw materials: An clear example of raw material is a shoe maker that takes some leather, cuts it into sizes, sew it together and puts the sole and heel on, then polish the product pending the production of a piece of footwear. Information: A typical example of information is where an officer in the tourist office collects and presents information to those that are going on holiday and assisting and giveing them advice about where to stay. Customers: When   travelling , passengers are one of the numerous resources at the airport that are being processed and processing ot passenger ticket and baggage, going from ticket desk and passing the customs and duty-free areas to get to our waiting aircraft are the operation we are involved in. 2.2 Transformation Process When more part are added to the transformation process, it will provide key elements that operation managers will considered. Process:   This is the step of transforming inputs into outputs and could be series of steps or operate as decision tree. Capital Equipment: This involves all the tools necessary to support the transformation process and they could be machines, structures, computer hardware and software and information. Labour: This involves all the personnel that are needed in the execution of the transformation process. 2.3 Example of Outputs Output:   Any product and / or output required by the customer are classified as output with the customer being used in the widest logic of the word. System’s output are often inputs into other subsequent process, e.g. steel panels used for making car fenders and the car fender used for building the car. Likewise outputs can also be inputs into the same system. Quality data control can be used to improve the system’s operation, e.g. a recipe of a hamburger may be changed due to complaint about a bland of the product. (Rev. A, 1999) 3 The role of Operation Management Transformation of the company’s input to finished goods and services is the unique role of operations management. Those inputs are human resources like workers and managers, processes including facilities like buildings and equipment as well as   materials technology and information. Outputs include goods as well as services that are produced by a company. Figure 1 and 2 represents the processof transformation, and at any given factory, the physical process of changing raw materials into finished products is the transformation process such as the   transformation of rubber and leather into sneakers, denims to jeans, or plastics to toys. For the Airline industry, the professional movement of passengers and their luggage’s from one particular place to another is deemed the process of transformation, whereas in the   hospital, organisation of resources such as   medical procedures, doctors and medications needed totransform sick people to healthy ones is a signific ant examples. (Wiley, 1999) Wiley stated further that â€Å"Orchestrating all the resources needed in producing the final product is the responsibility of operations management which involves the product design, decision on the resources that are needed, schedules arrangements, equipment and facilities, inventory management, quality control, jobs design for the product and the designing of work methods.† All aspects concerning the transformation of inputs to outputs are basically the responsibility of operations management as well. It can be seen in the diagram below that performance information and customers’ feedbacks are used in the continuous adjustment of the inputs, the transformation process and the outputs characteristics and fig 2 gives a representation of the dynamics for adapting to changes in the environment. Many companies have been successful due to proper management functions of operations and a typical example is Dell Inc which is a second-tier computer maker that managed its opera tion in1994 as similar to most in the computer industry. (Wiley.com, 1999) Transformation and feedback process Fig 2 Source: Introduction to Operations Management .Pp 3Wiley.com (1999) A new business model was implemented by Dell that changed the company’s operations function role as well as the development of new and ground-breaking ways on how to manage the operations function which is one of today’s best practices. Dell company was able to offer rapid delivery of products that are of   customised nature to their customers at a lower cost, due to these changes and so therefore become the industry leader. This gives an understanding that any operation that is properly managed can lead to improvement in company success and those that are improperly managed can lead to failure. (Wiley.com, 1999) 3.1 Operations Management Decisions A general agreement stated that operation will give competitive advantage to a small firm for making   operational decision regarding the firm’s business as well as   corporate strategies. In the operation management literature these operation strategy decisions have been categorised as structured and infrastructured strategic decisions. (Hayes and Wheelwright, 1984) Satisfy Factory Demand Infrastructural decisions are often easier to change as they will not require large and physical modifications that are costly which structural decision have. However, infrastructural decisions combined are described to have strategic effect on the competitive position of the firm. The best way to look at specific decisions that are being made by operations managers is by thinking about decisions that we need to make if we start our own company called Niger Wafers producing praline pecan cookies that originates from an old family recipe. Operations management in this scenario is the decision that have to be made from the first idea to real production of the product. Although this example is exceptionally simple, every other company as well follows this decision-making process inclusive of IBM, General Motors Land’s End as well as a local floral shop. One must note in this example that we need to make a decision before we can think about specific day-to-day decisions. (Wiley.co m, 1999) Operations Management Decisions for Niger Wafers Fig 3 Source: Introduction to Operations Management by Wiley.com (1999) The relationship between strategic and tactical decisions Fig 4 Source: Introduction to Operations Management by Wiley.com (1999) It can be noted previously in our example that decisions need to be made on the   whole company that are long-term in nature before one can think about day-to-day decisions. Strategic decisions are long-term decisions which are used in setting direction for the entire organisation and can be broad in scope when setting the tone for other more specific decisions.   Questions similar to the unique features of our product are addressed through strategic decisions as well as the market   that one plans to compete in as well as the demand for our product, while tactical decisions are short-term decisions which focus on specific departments and task. Every day issues such as quantities and the timing of specific assets are addressed, and focused more upon by tactical decisions. (Wiley.com, 1999) Strategic decision determines tactical ones that are frequently and routinely made. Therefore operations management needs begin with strategic decisions, and then later moved to tactical ones. Fig 4 above shows the relationship and alignment of tactical decision with strategic decisions which act as the means to a company’s efficiency in the long run. Feedbacks are provided by tactical decisions to strategic decisions for modification. The example of Niger Wafers above gives an indication of the importance of operation management which are crucial to companies that are large and small. (Wiley.com, 1999) 4 Hotel Operation Management Many factors determine the commercial success of a hotel and quite a few of which are only considered and recognised by a professional. sufficient positioning, rendered service level, qualifications of personnel as well as other things will influence the profits of a hotel considering both economic and seasonal factors. When tourism business   and international partnership are energetically developed, it is then necessary to introduce complex hotel management system which can be   singled out as a separate subject of business management that have features that are quite specific. Operations management   in a hotel stipulates that organisation must have   business control over four keys important roles of a hotel: Production of food including products purchase technology, control of supply and consumption, menu card planning, as well as occupation hygiene. Service of Food and Beverages (clients services, beverages purchase and wines meeting of visitors, and orders fulfilment; Housekeeping ( general housekeeping, cleaning of client’s rooms, room services and laundrette services); Operations in front ( accommodation and reception of visitors and additional service render); Just as in any other business, decision making process will determine how current work is being organised. In other words organising hotel operation will be based on communicational technology which relies on the art of listening, convincing and solving of conflicting situations and by following ethical standards of behaviour, to offer psychological atmosphere that is favourable within the group of people. This can be described as the theme of personnel and hospitality management which forms an integral part of hotel management. (Wiley.com, 1999) 4.1Differences and similarities between a Budget Hotel and a Luxury Hotel Budget Hotels: These are small scale hotels normally considered to be one star hotel since they only provide lodging that are cheaper in cost per room per night, with some offering breakfast with these prices. The budget hotel as the name suggest are established for people that have a small budget and those who want to spend as little as possible. These hotels usually come with rooms that have basic facilities like bed and washing facilities with communal toilets. Most of them are older in nature compare to the luxury ones. They are also clean but they are not fanciful as the luxury hotels and they are sometimes equipped with worn fixtures and nothing free is offered except a simple breakfast or newspaper that is sometimes inclusive in the charged price. They are normally charged at  £45 to  £70 per room per day. Luxurious Hotels: This can be defined as an upscale hope that typically cost more than any average accommodation. In the absence of a formal threshold in most cities, any hotel that charges above  £200 to  £250 could be considered as luxury hotel. This type of hotel is only available for people that can spend a lot of money like celebrities, big investors, and the wealthy ones in the society. Crowl and Pascal Duchauffour of The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel Spa describes luxury hotel as the hotel that â€Å"Provide extraordinary experiences that exceeded customer expectations and created life-long memories.† These hotel’s employees are specially trained on how to cater for everyone of the guests need and their aim is to provide their guests with all the luxuries that the guest desire during their stay. These hotels are even constructed to make their guests stay absolutely stress-free. These hotels are usually equipped with spas offering massages in addition to basic a menities as well as a provision of gyms with the latest exercise equipment, beauty centres offering a wide range of beauty treatments, swimming pools, in-house bars and restaurants and laundry service. (articlesbased.com, 2010) The price of services in the luxury hotels is much higher when compared to budget hotels but luxury hotel do have free room service, free newspapers and better channel selections on the television with provision of robes and slippers in each rooms. Similar to the budget hotels, rate with luxury hotels vary greatly depending on where the hotel is located and LH in London usually charges between  £240 to  £250 per day. Basically it is a common practice for luxury hotels to have official website so that travellers can go online to make reservation for hotel of their choice, not all budget hotel have official website they are sometimes introduced through leaflets and word of mouth. A criteria table have been drawn below to illustrate some difference between budget hotel and luxury hotels based on the five elements which are the main concerns of operations management. (articlesbased.com, 2010) Criteria Comparison Table of Budget and Luxury Hotel Fig 5  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Source: Own self 5. Conclusion Managing a hotel property could be an uphill task, and professional operations of both luxury and budget hotel is not a smooth journey, because sometimes in both cases the guest expectations always runs high. It is pertinent to conclude from the above analysis that human resources is central to successful and profitable operations of both types of hotels. To properly manage and handle the situation by management principles, the production of hospitality management education institutes in most countries have produced able operation managers and skills necessary to operate successful hotels today and also for the future although the overall industrial requirement exceeds supply. While the management of budget hotel is done with limited resources and can be segmented into two categories of leisure users and business users, the market communication must be directed at these segments. On the other hand luxury hotels are professionally managed with large investment from corporate bodies an d tend to bring in a higher rate of return for the investors. References Introduction to Operations Management (Carlson School of Management Employer Education Services) by Rev. A. (1999) www.jpcmediallc.com/acrobat/managment.pdf Accessed (24/02/2011) 2. Technology Operations Management Website www.sussex.ac.uk/Users/dt31/TOMI/whatisom.html Accessed (25/022011) 3. Introduction to Operation management by Wiley (1999) http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/48/04713472/0471347248-3.pdf Accessed (01/03/2011) 4. Difference between Budget Hotel and Luxury Hotel www.articlesbase.com/hotels-articles/differences-between-luxury-hotels-and-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   budget-hotels-3311827.html   Accessed (07/03/2011) Journals Berry, W.L., and M.C. Cooper. â€Å"Manufacturing Flexibility: Methods for Measuring the Impact of Product Variety on Performance in Process Industries,† Journal of Operations Management, 17, 1999, 163–178. Hayes R. H. And S C Wheelwright, 1984, Restoring our Competitive Edge: Competitive Through manufacturing, Wiley, New York, Vice; DHHS Publication No.(PHS) 91-50212, Washington, DC South Asian Journal of Tourism and Heritage (2010), Vol. 3, Number 2  © 2010 South Asian Journal of Tourism and Heritage (Emergence of Budget Hotels and Metamorphosis of Small sized Commercial Hotels in India) by Professor Saroj Kant Biswal

Saturday, November 23, 2019

5 Tips for Keeping Warm at Work

5 Tips for Keeping Warm at Work It’s freezing. You can’t feel your fingers, and the warmth of summer is but a distant memory. Except you’re not even outside in the elements- you’re at your desk. Your complaints go unheeded by the Facilities team. You’d change the thermostat yourself, except Joe from Accounting sits closer- and he seems to have the blood of a Viking, judging by how often he turns the temperature down. And many offices prohibit space heaters these days due to fire hazards. So what do you do? There are ways to get around the office deep freeze.Put on some fingerless gloves.Keep your delicate mitts warm and flexible while you type those temperature complaint emails or post pictures of your arctic agony on Instagram.Wrap up in a heated scarf.This is totally a thing now! What a time to be alive†¦Bundle up.Just keep adding layers until you’re comfortable. This has the added bonus of coming in handy when the heat gets stuck in tropical mode, and you can peel t hem back off.Find your inner barista.Keep drinking hot tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Not only will it warm you up, but staying hydrated is pretty key when temperatures are off.Take â€Å"business casual† to a new level.Okay, so wearing a Snuggie in the office is a bit drastic. But if things get to that point, double check your new interpretation of the dress code with HR.Stay warm, office dwellers! Spring will come again†¦uh, someday.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Issue of Equality and Fairness between Employees Research Paper

The Issue of Equality and Fairness between Employees - Research Paper Example Inputs include all the rich and diverse elements that employees believe they bring, or contribute, to the job – seniority, prior work experiences and job performance. Outcomes are the rewards they perceive they get from their jobs and employers; outcomes include direct pay and bonuses, fringe benefits, job security and economic rewards. Employees analyze the fairness of their own outcome/input "contract", and then compare their contract with contracts of other workers in similar jobs and even with those outside their job. Fairness of rewards (equity) may even be judged in comparison with relative criteria such as gender. Pay was a symbolic scorecard by which an employee may compare his/her outcomes with his/her inputs. An employees' reaction may be one of the three combinations that can occur from social and pay comparisons - equity, over reward and underreward. If employees perceive equity, they will be motivated to continue to contribute at about the same level. Otherwise, under conditions of inequity, they will experience tension that will create the motivation to reduce the inequity. The UK labor sector is still composed mostly of direct hire workers and employees although there is no doubt that there is a constant increase in the emergence of agency workers who mostly get affected with the ongoing issue of inequality. With this situation, the agency workers are susceptible to inequality or abuse in the employment sector. It is apparent that the legal framework and constitution should be reviewed and understood in reference to the rights that these agency workers have and if they are indeed fully covered and sheltered from any maltreatment of any kind.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

BUSINESS STRATEGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

BUSINESS STRATEGY - Essay Example The SWOT analysis indicates how the firm can use these forces for sustainable competitive advantage. The five forces are the entry of competitors, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, and rivalry amongst the current players in the field. New entrants have to consider government rules and regulations, although most of the times they enjoy certain benefits like tax holiday for a specified period. The SWOT analysis of these five forces help them to identify the capital investment and the whether the costs would justify the right amount of turnover. Brand extension strategy keeps the marketing costs low and the chances of success are high. Vodafone, the UK based mobile phone company decided to enter the US market, they made a very strategic move. To keep the market penetration cost low, they acquired the US firm AirTouch at an investment of  £112bn. They had studied the bargaining powers of the buyers. Acquisition of an existing firm immediately gave them all the customers without having to make a fresh start. The market penetration period reduces and prevents in the number of competitors in the market. Entry barriers like government licenses are also overcome. While these five forces help in studying the competition, buyers, suppliers and the general market trend, it has limitations. Porter’s five forces model does not indicate whether an industry could be attractive because certain companies are in it. Besides, the environment changes very rapidly and it may not be possible to change the strategy as fast by using the five forces model. Most importantly, by using this model, one may concentrate on an existing market but a new market may have better prospects. The Value Chain framework of Michael Porter is a model that helps to analyze specific activities through which firms can create value and

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Investigating Rates of Reactions Essay Example for Free

Investigating Rates of Reactions Essay Investigate which factors out of temperature, surface area and concentration speed up the reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid the most. Chemical reaction: Mg (s)+ 2HCI (aq)== MgCI2 (aq)+H2 (g) Prediction: I think the most effective factor to speed up the rate of reaction will be temperature, I say this because when the molecules are at a higher temperature they will have greater kinetics energy and move more rapidly, so they will collide more frequently and most importantly with greater energy. Then surface area will be second greatest effect, increasing the surface area of the solid increases the number of collisions between solid and particles in solutions. If we take into consideration a cube with each side 1cm long it has a total surface area of 6cm2, halve each of the cubes so that there are eight cubes each with 0. 5cm long sides and the total surface area has doubled to 12cm, now halve the size of these smaller cubes. Surface area of 1 cube, sides 1cm= 6 sides x (1cm x1cm) = 6cm2 Surface area of 8 cubes sides 0. 5cm= 8 sides x 6 sides x (0. 5 x 0. 5)=12cm2 Surface area of 64 cubes, sides 0. 25cm= 64 cubes x 6 sides x (0. 25 x 0. 25)= 24cm2 Having the average size of the particles in a given quantity of solid, doubles the surface area. So making a solid reactant in a lump form into powder considerably increases the surface area. Concentration will be the third greatest factor, which will speed up the rate of reaction. Any increase in concentration should also increase the rate of reaction; if there are more molecules present there will be more collisions. Increasing the number of collisions does not always increase the rate of reaction. What matters is the numbers of effective, effective collisions have to involve the relevant molecules, in the correct orientation, with energy at the least equal to the activation level. Equipment   Conical flask   Hydrochloric acid of 4 different molars (0. 1, 0. 5, 1, 2) Stop clock Basin of water   Bung with the tube   Magnesium   Measuring tube   Top pan balance Plan: Concentration Four different concentrations will be used. (0. 1, 0. 5, 1, 2) firstly I will use the 0.1 molar of hydrochloric, 6cm of magnesium in conjunction with the 15 ml of hydrochloric acid. When the bung is put into the conical flask the amount of gas given off can be read. I will leave the magnesium and the acid for 1 minute and I will check how much gas is given off every 10 seconds and I will record it. This will be done for all the other ranges of concentrations. Temperature I will be using 4 different temperatures (fridge 12oC, room 24oC, 50oC, 60oC). The high temperature acids will be placed in a water of their designated temperature. The other acids will be placed in their obvious places. The acid will be put in the conical flask with 6 cm of magnesium then the gas given off will be read and recorded as done previously for the concentration. Surface Area For surface I will be using 5 different lengths of magnesium ribbon, (6, 5, 2, 1, 0. 5cm) I will also be using 0. 06g of magnesium powder. Each measurement of magnesium will be used in conjunction with 15ml of hydrochloric acid. When both elements are put into the conical flask the gas given off will be read and record in the same fashion as the other tests. For each test I will do it twice to make sure my results are realiable. Fair test To ensure that I carry out a fair test I will make sure I will use the same amount of magnesium apart from when I am testing that particular variable. Also I will also use the same amount of hydrochloric acid, also I will use the same concentration apart from when Im testing that variable. I will also time each test for the same amount of time. Safety   Safety goggles worn at all times.   Precautions taken when dealing with acids.   Follow all the rules of the lab so that I can work efficiently alongside others when they are doing their experiments. Results  Concentration 2nd set of results Temperature  Fridge 4 Conclusion From doing this investigation I have successfully achieved my aim, my aim was to investigate the factors, which affect the rate of reaction. My prediction was also correct. For concentration the gas given off for o. 1 molar of hydrochloric acid was much less that what was given off for 2 molar. When powder was used for surface area ample amounts of gas was given off where as when 6cm was used not much was given off. When the acid was at a higher temperature more gas was given off, this hypothesis wasnt backed up with the results from the first test, which is why it was good that I repeated all the tests. Evaluation On a whole I thought I worked quite well, but the investigation could have been conducted in a better fashion. The particular method we used to collect the gas wasnt that effective. If a gas syringe in conjunction with a clamp stand was used our results would have been much better. I think doing the investigation twice was a good decision because doing this made it manifest that the first set of results werent as reliable, this is because when the first set of results were compared to the 2nd set of results they were quite different especially room temperature and 50oC. In the experiment the amount of gas given off for those specific temperatures were lower than the second experiment. Scientific knowledge proves that when the temperature is raised the rate of reaction will be faster. Also another thing I could of done was to do all experiments in the method we did to collect gas and also kept everything the same but the variable to change could have been the method in which we collect the gas. By doing this I could of seen which method to collect the gas would have been most effective. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Patterns of Behaviour section.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

New Public Management and Decision Making in UK Public Policy Essay

Discuss how the tendency of New Public Management has impacted on decision making in UK public policy. New Public Management is generally used to describe a management culture that emphasises upon the citizen or customer as being central, as well as having accountability for results. It also suggests organizational structures and promotes decentralized control, many different types of service delivery mechanisms, including quasi-markets with public and private service providers competing for resources. New Public Management does not suggest that a government should stop performing certain tasks. Although the New Public Management often is associated with such a perspective on a policy level, New Public Management is not about whether tasks should be undertaken or not. It is about getting things done better. New Public Management was devised as a means to improve efficiency and responsiveness to political changes. Its origins were in parliamentary democracies with excessively strong executive powers, centralized governments, and not much administrative law. In this setting, New Public Management embodies the idea of a chain of contracts leading to a single ministerial person who is interested in getting better results within a sector over which he or she has significant and relatively unchallenged control. One area of reform that illustrates many of the New Public Management principles is the creation of QUANGOs (Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations) to carry out the service delivery. The New Public Management argument for agencies is that service providers should concentrate on efficient production of quality services, with the distractions of evaluating alternative policies removed. The discussion of the creation of â€Å"executive agencies† in the UK and the similar developments in Australia, Canada and France has been common with references to clear, well-defined targets that allow providers to concentrate on their main business. Similarly, policy-making is seen to be more focused, more rigorous, and sometimes even more adventurous if it can be made without the burden of concern for the existing service providers. Once purchasing has been detached from policy-making, there are opportunities for creating contract-like arrangements to provide performance incentives. A pandemic of public sector management ref... ...or the problems of the public sector, a careful and selective adaptation of some elements to selected sectors may be beneficial. The public sector has been completely rearranged as a result of the tendency towards New Public Management and decision making within UK public policy has changed drastically, there now exists a much more formal and planned approach. References [1] Pollitt, C. and G. Bouckaert (2000) Public Management Reform Oxford, Oxford University Press. [2] Hughes, O. (1998) Public Management and Administration London, MacMillan, 2nd Edition. [3] Boyne, G.A., C. Farrell, J. Law, M. Powell and R. Walker (2002) Evaluating Public Management Reforms: Principles and Practice Buckingham, Open University Press. [4] George A. Larbi, 2000, â€Å"Public Sector Reform and Crisis-Ridden States†, â€Å"UNRISD†, 1st September 1999. [5] Lee, D., Newman, P. & Price, R. (1999) Decision Making in Organizations, London: Pitman FT. [6] Lindblom, Charles E. The Science of Muddling Through. Public Administration Review, 19 (1959), 79-89 [7] Downs, G. and P. Larkey (1986) The Quest for Government Efficiency, New York, Random House.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Using Material from Item a and Elsewhere, Assess Sociological Views of Crime Reduction Strategies.

Using material from item A and elsewhere, assess sociological views of crime reduction strategies. (21 marks). There are numerous different types of strategies for crime reduction. These include crime prevention tactics which are suitable for whole societies, and also forms of punishment which are suitable for individuals. Crime prevention strategies include situational crime prevention, environmental crime prevention, and social and community crime prevention. Ron Clark describes situational crime prevention as ‘a pre-emptive approach that relies, not on improving society or its institutions, but simple on reducing opportunities for crime’.He identifies three features of measures aimed at situational crime prevention, firstly that they are directed at specific crimes, that they involve managing or altering the immediate environment of the crime and lastly that they aim at increasing the effort and risks of committing crime and reducing the rewards. For example, ‘t arget hardening’ measures such as increased surveillance in shops via CCTV or security guards increases the effort a shoplifter needs to make. Underlying situation crime prevention approaches is an rational choice theory.This is the view that criminals act rationally, weighing up the costs and benefits of a crime opportunity before deciding whether to commit it. This contrasts with theories that stress ‘root causes’ such as capitalist exploitation. Clarke argues that most theories offer no realistic solutions to crime. The most obvious things to do, he argues, is to focus on the immediate crime situation, since this is where possibility for prevention is greatest. Most crime is opportunistic, so we need to reduce the opportunities.One criticism of situation crime prevention measures is that they do not reduce crime, they simply displace it. For example, Chaiken et al found that a crackdown on subway robberies in New York merely displaced them to the streets above . Although displacement can be in several forms, spatial, temporal, target, tactical and functional. However other than the criticism of displacement, situation crime prevention methods are also criticised as it tends to focus on opportunistic petty street crimes. It ignores white collar, corporate and state crime, which are costly and harmful.Environmental crime prevention is based on the phase of ‘broken windows’, Wilson and Kelling use this point to stand for all the various signs of disorder and lack of concern for others that are found in some neighbourhoods. They argue that leaving broken windows unrepaired sends out a signal that no one cares. In these neighbourhoods, there is an absence of both formal social control and informal control. The police are only concerned with serious crime and turn a blind eye to petty nuisance behaviour, while respectable members of the community feel intimidated and powerless. Without curative action, the problem deteriorates.As i tem A shows this causes families and respectable people to move out and the area becomes a magnet for deviants. Wilson and Kelling’s key idea is that disorder and the absence of controls leads to crime. Their solution is to crack down on any disorder using a twofold strategy. First an environmental improvement strategy that any broken window must be repaired immediately, otherwise more will follow and the neighbourhood will be on the slide. Secondly the police must adopt a zero tolerance policing strategy. Instead of merely reacting to crime, the must proactively tackle even the slightest sign of disorder, even if it is not criminal.This would halt neighbourhood decline and prevent serious crime taking root. Great success has been claimed for zero tolerance policing, especially in New York. Programs that were set up to tackle subway graffiti, fare dodging, drug dealing and begging proved successful, from this in New York there was a significant fall in crime. However, it is n ot clear how far zero tolerance was the cause of the improvements, as the NYPD previously benefited from 7000 extra officers as well as there was also a general decline in the crime rate in major US cities at the time, including ones where police did not adopt a zero tolerance policy.Nonetheless, zero tolerance has been very influential globally, including the UK, where it has influenced New Labour’s anti-social behaviour policies. In contrast to Wilson and Kelling’s approach, social and community prevention strategies place the emphasis firmly on the potential offender and their social context. The aim of these strategies is to remove the conditions that predispose individuals to crime in the first place. These are longer-term strategies, since they attempt to tackle the root causes of offending, rather than simply removing opportunities for crime.Because the causes of crime are often rotted in social conditions such as poverty, more general social reform programmes a ddressing these issues may have a crime prevention role, even if this is not their main focus. All three approaches discussed above take for granted the nature and definition of crime. They generally focus on fairly low-level and/or interpersonal crimes of violence. This disregards the crimes of the powerful and environmental crimes. The definition of the ‘crime problem’ reflects the priorities of politicians and agencies tasked with crime prevention.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Bartleby the Scrivener

Bartleby is employed in the narrative not merely or not really as a character but more of a representation or symbol. Bartleby’s character can be compared with another character made by Melville, Moby Dick. The reason for such comparison and at some point similarities between them is that both characters are interpreted by the readers and some literary critics in many different ways. In effect, these characters cannot be construed in a single way. In the story Bartleby the Scrivener, Melville discovers comparable philosophical concerns in a special sort of setting. In an impressive comparison with Ahab (in Moby Dick), Bartleby is also fascinated by walls – a persistent emblem in the story. Bartleby’s character can be seen as a sort of wall in a sense that no one really knows what he thinks, what he likes, what interests him, and whatsoever. Almost all things about him and about his actions are unknown and hard to explain. This description is unveiled by the character played by the lawyer, who eventually becomes Bartleby’s boss. The lawyer all throughout the story attempts to discover the absurdity of Bartleby’s character which is depicted in several scenes of the story. All throughout the story, Bartleby constantly refuses to follow what his boss asks of him. Consistently, he also refuses to state why he refuses to do so. Such attitude becomes the fundamental frustration of the lawyer in the story. He does not know how he could make Bartleby follow his orders as how his other employees do. The first impression that would justify why the lawyer does not fire Bartleby is the idea that he is probably so surprised of Bartleby’s attitude of being nonconformist such that it becomes a big challenge for him to be able to make Bartleby follow him. He does everything to do this but he always fails. To his surprise, he could not find in his heart the motivation to dismiss his eccentric employee. Lots of scenes suggest how the lawyer pays so much sympathy for Bartleby though the latter never gives him the chance of knowing the reasons why he keeps on refusing to obey his orders and why he keeps on refusing telling him the reasons. The first scene where the lawyer shows care and concern for Bartleby is when the former finds out that the latter is staying at the office even after office hours. When he learns that Bartleby does not have a home to go after work, he just lets him stay in the office. The next scene is when the lawyer refuses to agree to get Bartleby out of the office by a stranger. Probably, the lawyer feels that the stranger would not do good for Bartleby that is why he does not agree to the stranger’s proposal. Another scene is when the lawyer finally decided to relocate his office to another place and find out Bartleby standing in an empty room. He is touched by the scene and in the end gives Bartleby money but leaves him as well. The last scene is when the lawyer pays sympathy for Bartleby when he learns that he is sent to prison and he is dying because of his refusal to eat. He visits him and even pays the warden to make sure that Bartleby would eat his meals. Until the end of the story, Bartleby does not reveal his reason for behaving like what he does. No one succeeds to unveil this information not even the lawyer who becomes so frustrated of making Bartleby disclose his feelings about what is happening in his life. Towards the end of the story, the scenes between the lawyer and Bartleby suggest the tolerance and at the same time the aggravation that the lawyer feels towards Bartleby. Some critics say that it could be the case that the lawyer somehow understands Bartleby’s behavior for the reason that he too also wants to go against what the trend during that time asks them to do. But just like Bartleby, the lawyer could not find the exact words to explain the feeling that he has in his heart and the thoughts that envelops his mind.   So he tolerates what Bartleby is doing. To give a conclusion, Bartleby serves as the direct representation of the wall which is the main theme of the story. He never reveals anything just like the wall – as how the wall does not make any response whatever one does against it. Bartleby refuses to reason out for he believes that no one would understand him as he himself could not his own way of thinking. When he dies, he gives the lawyer, his boss, the lesson not to become a puppet of anyone else. Bartleby is able to show how nonconformist he is to the point of embracing death for the sake of upholding what he believes in. It is implicit in the story that somehow the lawyer is starting to realize how disgusting the trend that he is currently following (the trend of Capitalism). But he refuses to express it for the reason that he knows that when he do such, his life would be in peril. But as he sees the dying Bartleby, he understands that it is much better to die keeping one’s own principles than continue living trying to fit in with somebody else’s standards. Reference: Melville, H. (2006). Bartleby, the Scrivener, a Story of a Wall-street. Lightning Source Inc.      

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on Rocks And Sand

IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rock, rock about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agree that it was. So the professor then picked a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The students laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, and your children- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff." "If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal." "Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."... Free Essays on Rocks And Sand Free Essays on Rocks And Sand IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rock, rock about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agree that it was. So the professor then picked a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The students laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, and your children- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff." "If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal." "Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Archetype vs. Prototype

Archetype vs. Prototype Archetype vs. Prototype Archetype vs. Prototype By Mark Nichol What’s your type? Archetype and prototype are both suitable matches for referring to an exemplar and then there’s stereotype but among their senses are both similar and dissimilar meanings. Before we go into details, let’s look at the root word: Type (from the Latin term typus, â€Å"image,† ultimately derived from the Greek word typos, â€Å"impression†) is defined as â€Å"a model,† â€Å"a distinctive sign,† â€Å"a set of distinguishable qualities.† Idiomatic usage for the word includes â€Å"type A personality† (indicating a high-strung person, based on popular perception of a discredited psychological theory), â€Å"casting against type† (referring to when performers are selected for roles they don’t superficially seem suited for), and â€Å"not my type† (dismissal of another person because of personal incompatibility). In two senses, archetype and prototype are direct synonyms: They both mean â€Å"original pattern or model,† or â€Å"perfect example.† However, archetype (Latin, archetypum; Greek, arkhetypon), which literally means â€Å"first model,† also refers to C. J. Jung’s concept of an idea or image from the collective subconscious; it has a more intellectual connotation. The prefix arch- denotes the most accomplished or high ranking of a type (archrival, archvillain), as does the suffix -arch (patriarch, hierarch); -archy is the basis for terms describing a system of government (monarchy) or an organizational scheme (hierarchy). Interestingly, because the prefix was so often employed, as in the examples above, to describe a nefarious person, arch acquired an adjectival sense of â€Å"mischievous, impudent.† (The arch in, well, arch, referring to a structural member, has a different etymology and is akin to arc.) Prototype has the same literal meaning, but its primary sense is more utilitarian, referring to a standard configuration, the initial model of a constructed object, or an earlier version of an organism or a device. The proto- prefix is relatively obscure, occurring mostly in scientific terminology (protoplasm, â€Å"beginning molding,† and protozoa, â€Å"beginning animal,† are examples of its use most familiar to laypeople); the root word, as an integral part of a larger term rather than as a suffix, appears in protocol (from a Greek term meaning â€Å"first sheet,† referring to a code or convention dictating proper procedure). Stereotype means â€Å"something that matches a fixed or universal pattern,† but unlike the other terms, it usually has a negative connotation: It refers to an idea, carelessly formed based on ignorance or bigotry, that one class of people generally understands to be, well, typical of another class. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should Know10 Techniques for More Precise WritingEmpathic or Empathetic?

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Jury Selection Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jury Selection Process - Essay Example (Kressel & Kressel, 2002) Since then it has experienced a growth spurt since its inception in the early 1970s. It has also received substantial publicity in the news media, e.g., for its use by the defense in the O.J. Simpson criminal trial in 1995. This relatively new field is controversial: questions exist about its effectiveness, its fairness and the fact that it is virtually unregulated. Evidence from academia largely indicates that scientific jury selection does no good, yet the market for such services continues to flourish. What methods do jury selection experts employ What are the bases for the controversy surrounding this "hot" field What, if any, solutions have been suggested to alleviate these concerns In jury selection, social scientists gain prominence but jury consultancy remains controversial in both the legal and social scientific communities (Stolle, Robbenolt & Wiener, 1996). Trial consultants have relied on a variety of methods in jury selection, including "scientific statistical methodology, folklore, pops psychology [and] astrology" (Boudouris, 1993, p. 4). However, there is also the gut feel as remarked by O.J. Simpson's attorney Jo-Ellan Dimitrius. (Dimitrius & Mazzarella, 1998, p. xiii). Traditional jury selection in most jurisdictions consists of three stages. The first stage involves the creation of a list of citizens eligible for jury duty, followed by selection of a sample of those persons to be summoned to court. The third stage occurs in court. In a process called voir dire, potential jurors are questioned either individually or in a group, sometimes by attorneys but often by the presiding judge. When jury selection experts are called in to help, they use a variety of techniques to assist in the selection of the jury that will be most favorable to, or, usually, least biased against, their side The tools at a trial consultant's disposal include community surveys, focus groups, mock trials, pretrial investigations of prospective jurors, and voir dire assistance. The widespread use of these methods indicates that SJS experts rely to a greater extent on attitudes and values than on demographic predictors, such as race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, socio-economic status and occupation, as predictors in jury decision-making (Penrod, 1990). Sophisticated statistical techniques, including factor analysis and multiple regressions, are often used to make predictions about jury decision-making from survey data. (Strier, 1999, p. 96). Trial consultants also frequently employ pretrial investigations of prospective jurors. This type of pretrial investigation takes two forms: community network modeling and surveillance. Community network modeling consists of contacting prospective jurors' coworkers or neighbors, or people in the community who are affiliated with the same school, church, or club as a prospective juror. Surveillance includes drive-by observations and photograph- taking of a prospective juro