Critically discuss how THREE selected environmental tools or methods Essay

Critically discuss how THREE selected environmental tools or methods could be applied to minimise the environmental impacts of - Essay Example Wind farms with many of such structures occupy a lot of space on the landscape. Onshore wind farms are always about three kilometres away from the shoreline. The turbines in these farms are located in hilly areas since wind blows heavily on hilly areas. Wind turbines cause landscape and visual effects depending on their number at a particular area, their height, size and colour. The effects may also depend on their site tracks, buildings, their grid connection, and â€Å"transmission lines† (Murgante et al., 2011). According to Ottmar et al (2011), wind turbines have a number of impacts on the environment. These include visual impacts, noise impacts, effects on land use, and effects on the birds that live around the wind farms. In addition, there are electronic interferences and constraints on the natural reserve areas. During the construction of a wind turbine, there are some pollutants that released into the atmosphere. The wind turbines are seen to be very noisy and they ar e also unsightly, thereby interfering with the natural beauty of â€Å"the landscape.† Sustainable Development Commission (2009) disagrees that wind farms are noisy and explains that the levels of noise from wind farm is equal to the background in rural places at night. Despite their negative impacts on the environment, onshore wind farms play a crucial part in achieving renewable energy targets. However, the many advantages that come with the farms can only be realised if proper planning is done. The contemporary wind farms are mostly large and not only help in environmental conservation, but also bring a lot of benefits to the communities that live around the farms. Among the advantages of using onshore wind farms is that wind is available free of charge and appropriate technology is available to harvest energy from wind as noted by Sustainable Development Commission (2009). Moreover, although the initial costs of installing wind turbines are high, maintenance cost are rela tively low after installation. It can also be used to generate power in rural areas where there is no power connection. Given the varying impacts to the humans, landscape aesthetics and the surrounding environment that implementation of such project poses; it is critical that environmental managers employ tools to manage this impacts. Thompson (2002) lists various tools and methods that can be used for environmental management and environmental performance improvement. To manage the impacts of the 40 turbine onshore wind farm project; EIA, LCA and GIS as the most appropriate environmental management tools. EIA has been selected because it helps to predict the impacts of a project and propose mitigation measures while GIS allows environmental managers make decision based on spatial relationship of features. LCA allows decision makers to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the life cycle of the project thereby facilitating decision making. Environmental Impact Management EIA is a tool used in decision-making whose main purpose is to not only identify and evaluate the likely environmental impacts of a given project (Glasson et al., 2005). EIA is

Chaucer creates humour Essay Example for Free

Chaucer creates humour Essay The Merchants Tale is only rarely seen as humorous; most often it is noted for its darkness, its unrelieved acidity; it is said to offer a perversion of the courtly code.1 I disagree with this statement made by J. S. P. Tatlock. Chaucer was successful at creating humour within his narratives, which is partly why his works were, and still are, so popular. Humour can be achieved through a variety of elements including plot, characterisation, language, timing and circumstance. Chaucer used of all these, but largely drew upon the satirical portrayals of both the courtly love genre and religion within The Merchants Tale. The tale opens with The Merchant who is envious and astringent of all people that are of a higher class than he; therefore, in his narrative, he targets and satirizes the traditions of the knightly class, including the romantic conventions of courtly love often attributed to the upper classes.  Another of Chaucers tales is The Knights Tale which is about two knights and close friends, Arcite and Palamon, who are imprisoned by Theseus, duke of Athens. Whilst in prison they fall in love with the beautiful sister of Hippolyta, Emily (Emelye). The sense of competition brought about by this love causes them to hate each other. They eventually get let out of prison and fight each other to win the girl.  Arcite wins the battle, but dies before he can claim Emily, so Palamon marries her. The story introduces many typical aspects of knighthood such as courtly love and ethical dilemmas. The Merchants Tale begins with a description of Januarie who is presented, satirically, as A worthy knight. The Merchant however attempts to display to the audience that this knight is not worthy at all. He contrasts him to the knights in The Knights Tale. Theseus was tough, forceful, confident and young but Januarie is portrayed as old and fading, old and hoor. He is also shown as an exception to many knightly virtues, as he folwed al his bodily delit On women, thereas was his apetite. This portrayal of him shows the audience that he is in fact obsessed with women and sex. In the tale he attempts to gain himself a young wife, despite the warnings of his advisors. Chaucer uses the dialogue of the characters to explain to Januarie that a young wife will be difficult to keep happy at his age. He makes Januarie exclaim that She shal nat passe twenty yeer, certain Thanne shoulde I lede my lif in avoutrye,/ And go straight to the devel whan I die. Chaucer portrays him as a character envious of youth, so much so that if he cannot have a young wife he will have no choice but to sin. In other words, he must have a young wife for his own moral safety. This is not the image of a strong and powerful knight like Theseus. Januarie fails in the area of courtly love and ends up having his courtship mocked by the Merchant. This not only creates humour in the audiences eyes as we see how dim-witted Januarie really is, but it also creates sympathy for the character as he cannot help how he is portrayed. Another example of the use of satire is the whole incident with Damien, May and Januarie and the adultery issue. One could argue that May does not love Damien any more than she loves January. He could perhaps just be a suitable alternative for May to love. When she receives a love-letter from Damien, she disposes of it in the toilet (privy) which could show this lack of love for him. Therefore, her motivation for adultery could be seen as an action of revenge, as January assaulted May by marrying her, and not out of affection for Damien. This is satire on the whole theme of courtly love. This feeling of revenge on her part is further demonstrated in the cuckold scene. May deceives January in the garden and we, as the audience, cannot blame her for doing so. January built the garden so that he can have May sexually in the way he wants her. She feigns pregnancy and then steps onto Januarys back to have sex with Damien in the tree. She has been stepped on by January and now she gets to do the same to him. When Januarys sight is restored by the Gods, he rightfully accuses her of adultery. In response she acts impertinent and insulted: This thank have I for I have maad yow see/ Allas, quod she, that evere I was so kinde!'. This creates humour as the audience knows that Chaucer is satirising the idea of courtly love and cannot believe that Januarie is so dense that he believes Mays excuse.

Miltons Satan in Paradise Lost Essay -- John Milton Satan Paradise Lo

Milton's Satan in Paradise Lost After researching Satan and his kingdom, Hell, through the Bible and Paradise Lost to compare and contrast the two characterizations, I realized that Milton must have been a true Bible scholar. Milton’s Satan is described so closely to the Biblical view of Satan that it is often times hard to distinguish the two. Milton changed and elaborated on a few characteristics of his Satan and his Hell in order to create Paradise Lost, but based his characterization and his descriptions on his interpretation of the Bible, using his imagination to form a more vivid picture of how horrible Satan and Hell are in reality. The action of Book One in Paradise Lost begins immediately after God has thrown Satan and his other fallen angels down to Hell from Heaven. The reader then comes to know that Satan was cast into Hell because he became too proud and believed that his power was equal to God’s own power. He wanted to set himself up on a pedestal in Heaven. Milton writes, â€Å"What time his pride had cast him out from Heaven, with all his host of rebel angels, by whose aid aspiring to set himself in glory above his peers, he trusted to have equaled the Most High† (Norton 1819). In the book of Isaiah, the story is relayed very similarly to Milton’s version of how and why Satan fought against God and that he was thrown down into Hell. Milton speaks of Satan as â€Å"O how fallen!† (Isaiah 14:12-15). This phrase comes directly from Isaiah 14:12. Isaiah wrote, â€Å"How you are fallen fro m Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!† (Isaiah 14:12). Isaiah continues in the same fashion as Milton in verse... .... Abrams, M.H. (editor). The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 7th Edition. Volume 1. New York City, NY: W.W. Norton and Co., 2000. pp. 1815-1825. 2. Abrams, M.H. (editor). The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Volume 2. New York City, NY: W.W. Norton and Co., 1968. pp. 704-707. 3. Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. The Statesman’s Manual; or the Bible the best Guide To Political Skill and Foresight: A Lay Sermon, Addressed to the Higher Classes of Society. London: Gale & Fenner, J. M. Richardson, and J. Hatchard, 1816. 4. Extreme Teen Bible: New King James Version. Ed. Bruce Barton, Christopher Hudson, and David Veerman: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999 5. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. A Defense of Poetry. Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1904 6. The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version. Ed. Earl Radmacher,Th.D., Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997

Pride and Prejudice :: essays research papers

Pride and Prejudice is set some 200 years ago in England. When the story opens, we are introduced to the Bennett family on their estate, Longburn. A handsome, wealthy gentleman named Charles Bingley has just moved to the neighborhood. Charles develops a crush for Jane Bennett, but his friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, thinks Jane is not good enough for his friend. Becauseof this, Darcy, along with the help of Charles' sisters', plots to break up Jane and Charles. In themean time, though, Darcy falls for Jane's sister, Elizabeth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elizabeth Bennett, though, detests Darcy. She sees him as being to haughty. She hears, through word of mouth that he is rude and cheated George Wickham out of his inheritence. Then, George begins to court Jane.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since Mr. Bennett has no sons, his heir is to be the closest male to the family. This turns out to be a man named Mr. Collins. Collins is a priest who is very arrogant. He marries Elizabeth's friend, Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte marries Collins to get away from he life, not for love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Because Elizabeth frequently visits her friend Charlotte, who lives with Darcy's aunt, she sees Darcy often. Darcy beings to ask Elizabeth to marry him, but each time she refuses. She's angry at him for breaking up Jane and Bingley's love affair, and because she was led to believe he stole George Wickham's inheritance. Darcy admitted to interfering with her sisters' relationship, but denies any involvement with Wickham and his inheritence. He claims Wickham is not what he appears to be, but actually is a dishonest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At this point, Elizabeth is beinging to like Darcy. She goes on a trip with her aunt and uncle to Darcy's mansion. While there, his housekeeper tried to cinvince Elizabeth what a great person Darcy is.

Examination Paper of Business Communication Essay

Examination Paper MM.100 Subject Code-B-109 Business Communication Section A: Objective Type & Short Questions (30 marks) ï‚ ·This section consists of multiple choices and Short Notes type questions. ï‚ ·Answer all the questions. ï‚ ·Part one questions carry 1 mark each & Part Two questions carry 4 marks each. Part one: Multiple choices: 1.__________is an essential function of Business Organizations: a. Information b. Communication c. Power d. None of the above 2. Physiological Barriers of listening are: a. Hearing impairment b. Physical conditions c. Prejudices d. All of the above 3.Which presentation tend to make you speak more quickly than usual: a. Electronic b. Oral c. Both „a‟ and „b‟ d. None of the above 4. What is the main function of Business Communication: a. Sincerity b. Positive language c. Persuasion d. Ethical standard 5. The responsibilities of the office manager in a firm that produces electronics spares is: a. Everything in the office runs efficiently b. Furniture and other equipment in the office is adequate c. Processing all the incoming official mail and responding to some d. All of the above 6.Labov‟s Storytelling Model based on: a. Communication through speech b. Language learning c. Group Discussions d. None of the above 7. Diagonal Communication is basically the: a.Communication across boundaries b.Communication between the CEO and the managers c.Communication through body language d.Communication within a department 8.How to make Oral Communication Effective? a.By Clarity b.By Brevity c.By Right words d.All of the above 9. Direct Eye contact of more than 10 seconds can create: a.Discomfort & Anxiety b.Emotional relationship between listeners and speakers c.Excitement d.None of the above 10. Encoding means: a.Transmission b.Perception c.Ideation d.None of the above Part Two: 1. Define 7C‟s of effective communication. The 7C’s of effective communication is the seven term starting with the letter C which makes communication more understanding, valuable and effective. They are:- Courtesy & Consideration – To improve relationship Completeness & Consistency- To introduce stability Clarity – To make comprehension better Concreteness – Reinforcing confidence Credibility- for building trust Conciseness – Saves time Correctness – for building confidence 2. Explain ‘Space Language’. Space language is how we communicate with the space around us. The space around its content and the people surrounding around the organisation differ to convey a definite meaning. For example, the personal space such as the office environment, defined for higher ranked workers differs from that of lower ranked workers in terms of comfort in seating and settings. 3. Differentiate between good listeners and bad listeners. Good listener Bad listener Finds opportunity and ask question Tunes out dry subject Does not judge until he understands fully and interrupts only to clarify Argumentative in approach Listens for central themes Listen for facts More flexible in its approach to taking notes Less flexible approach to taking notes Fights/avoids distraction and tolerates bad habit and knows how to concentrate Distracted easily Exercise the mind by working on heavier material Seeks light material Interprets emotional without getting hung up Reacts to emotional words 4. List the different types of business report. Business reports can be classified based on the purpose of preparation: a)Routine Reports:- Progress reports Inspection reports Performance Appraisals Periodical reports b) Special Reports Investigation Reports Survey/feasibility reports First information reports Business Reports can also be classified based on content of report such as: Informational reports Analytical reports 5. Define ‘Kinesics’. Kinesics is the interpretation of body language such as facial expressions and gestures or, more formally, non-verbal behaviour related to movement, either of any part of the body or the body as a whole. ‘Kinesics’ means body movements. Using these movements or body language, communication is possible. It can reflect thought, feelings and position. Examples of body language are blinking our eyes, nodding our head or waving our hand. Kinesics is important for communication since it is a form of communication the receiver of the communication can interpret and can act on. For example, the nodding of the head can be a response such as ‘yes’ and the waiving of a hand can mean ‘move’. However one of disadvantage of kinesics is that sometimes the body language can be wrongly interpreted to represent the wrong information received by the receiver from the sender. This barrier communication with kinesics is an issue can be synonymous as having a breakdo wn in communication and also since it is non-verbal, ‘kinesics’ can also be a hindrant to communication if overemphasised in its use. However Kinesics can be a facilitator to communication if it is used in an efficient and conformed way. A typical example is the use of giving signs such as  Ã¢â‚¬ËœHand signals’ on the road by traffic officers to facilitate traffic flow. In Organisations and communication, ‘Kinesics’ can help to direct communication when used in conjunction with verbal communication. END OF SECTION A Examination Paper of Business Communication Section B: Caselets (40 marks) ï‚ ·This section consists of Caselets. ï‚ ·Answer all the questions. ï‚ ·Each Caselet carries 20 marks. ï‚ ·Detailed information should form the part of your answer (Word limit 150 to 200 words). Caselet 1 Mr. and Mrs. Sharma went to Woodlands Apparel to buy a shirt. Mr. Sharma did not read the price tag on the piece selected by him. At the counter, while making the payment he asked for the price. Rs. 950 was the answer. Meanwhile, Mrs. Sharma, who was still shopping came back and joined her husband. She was glad that he had selected a nice black shirt for himself. She pointed out that there was a 25% discount on that item. The counter person nodded in agreement. Mr. Sharma was thrilled to hear that â€Å"It means the price of this shirt is just Rs. 712. That’s fantastic†, said Mr. Sharma. He decided to buy one more shirt in blue color. In no time, he returned with the second shirt and asked them to be packed. When he received the cash memo for payment, he was astonished to find that he had to pay Rs. 1,900 and Rs. 1,424. Mr. Sharma could hardly reconcile himself to the fact that the counter person had quoted the discounted price which was Rs. 950. The original price prin ted on the price tag was Rs. 1,266. Questions 1. What should Mr. Sharma have done to avoid the misunderstanding? It was apparent that Mr. Sharma did not read the price tag. By reading the price tag, he would have known about the actual price.Mr. Sharma should have also  asked the counter person about the actual price of the shirt instead of relying on Mrs Sharma’s interpretation of the price. The fact that the counter person nodded when Mrs Sharma pointed out about the discount meant that there was no verbal understanding when they received their cash memo. 2. Discuss the main features involved in this case. The main features involves in this case is that the right message was not conveyed to the user. In fact, the message was ineffective to Mr. Sharma since he failed to communicate using the linear model. This meant that the sender did not encode the message by not reading the price tag and hence failed to decode and receive the message properly. This meant a breakdown in communication. Also the two-way communication did not work since the feedback was not appropriate and lead to disastrous outcome when payment receipt was given. Also body language was wrongly interpreted hence leading to failure in effective and correct response. All these features meant that there were barriers to communication leading to undesired result. Caselet 2 I don’t want to speak to you. Connect me to your boss in the US,† hissed the American on the phone. The young girl at a Bangalore call centre tried to be as polite as she could. At another call centre, another day, another young girl had a Londoner unleashing himself on her, â€Å"Young lady, do you know that because of you Indians we are losing jobs?† The outsourcing backlash is getting ugly. Handling irate callers is the new brief for the young men and women taking calls at these outsourced job centres. Supervisors tell them to be „cool‟. Avinash Vashistha, managing partner of NEOIT, a leading US-based consultancy firm says, â€Å"Companies involved in outsourcing both in the US and India are already getting a lot of hate mail against outsourcing and it is hardly surprising that some people should behave like this on the telephone.† Vashistha says Indian call centres should train their operators how to handle such calls. Indeed, the furor rais ed by the Western media over job losses because of outsourcing has made ordinary citizens there sensitive to the fact that their calls are being taken not from their midst, but in countries such as India and the Philippines. The angry outbursts the  operators face border on the racist and sexist, says the manager of a call centre in Hyderabad. But operators and senior executives of call centres refuse to go on record for fear of kicking up a controversy that might result in their companies‟ losing clients overseas. â€Å"It’s happening often enough and so let’s face it,† says a senior executive of a Gurgaon call centre, adding, â€Å"This doesn’t have any impact on business.† Questions 1) Suppose you are working as an operator in a call centre in India and receiving calls from Americans and Londoners. How would you handle such calls? Handling such calls involves effective communication to limit the misunderstanding between callers and receivers. It is crucial that the caller is handled with the best practice of effective communication and this involves basic knowledge of elements of communication process. For example, the caller is basically the sender and must be interpreted properly by the receiver who in turns encodes the message for a desired outcome. Through this channel of communication, it is important that the receiver does not give feedback which influences the sender’s moods and attitude and is not in accordance with the sender’s expectation. For example, angry outburst can sometimes be remedied by controlled ideas of reinforcement or correct ideas in the mind of the receiver. Such can be seen in examples whereby proper questions as well as words are used to the sender is asked and proper as well as correct answers is provided to eliminate doubt in the senders mind. Handling such calls inv olved having the proper mindset in terms of communication in the operators mind as well as proper training. 2) Do you agree with the view such abusive happenings on the telephone do not have any Impact on business? When communication is effective such abusive happenings will be limited although there is what we call ‘difficult customers’. Impact on business can be positive if abusive calls are turned into ‘happy successful stories’. These customers will show appreciation if they are handled with care. Whilst of course, it is not always easy to please everyone; effective communication can help build bridges between the callers and the person handling these calls. Racist remarks can sometimes be ignored and maybe misunderstood due to cultural barriers at times. Callers must be diverted to stay on the course of achieving the goal of communication and hence limit the impact on business. END OF SECTION B Section C: Applied Theory (30 marks) ï‚ ·This section consists of Applied Theory Questions. ï‚ ·Answer all the questions. ï‚ ·Each question carries 15 marks. ï‚ ·Detailed information should form the part of your answer (Word limit 200 to 250 words). ` 1.What do you understand by Communication Barriers? How and why do they occur? What can be done to overcome the Barriers to Communication? Communication barriers happen when there are negative forces affecting effective communication. Since communication is a process of transfer of ideas and expressions, it is crucial that the basic elements of communication are achieved in terms of sender and receiver via proper channels of communication. Barriers can be semantic whereby meaning of message is wrongly receipted via sender to receiver. An organizational barrier occurs when there is negative communication influence within the organization limiting effective communication. An interpersonal barrier happens upon inter-relations, values held and attitudes of individuals also limiting the correct flow and effectiveness of communication. Individual barriers also limit effective communication and are also called psycho-sociological barriers. Most of the individual barriers is due to the incom petence to process the information properly and results in negative flow of information thus providing a communication barrier. Cross-cultural barrier occurs based on cultural perception by the individual thus also limiting communication effectiveness. Physical barrier are occurring whenever there is noise, distance or any physical-related barriers limiting  the proper flow of communication. Technological barriers also affect effective communication due to the technological advancement used in disseminating the communication. In order to overcome the barriers to communication, it is vital that meaning of messages is clear, precise and not ambiguous to convey the correct meaning to the receiver. Information sent and received must not be wrongly interpretation by proper contextualising and also properly defined to achieve 100 percent transmission efficiency from sender to receiver. Organizational barriers can be limited by implementing positive communication influence with example s uch as proximity of telephones to operators and effective communication procedures in place. Interpersonal barriers can be adjusted by overcoming superior and subordinate relationship in the organization. Individual barriers can be limited by working on effective communication in interpersonal communication. Cross-cultural communication can be overcome by understanding the customs of the communicator and responding appropriately to their cultural diversity. Physical barriers need to be resolved in terms of limiting loss of content and message when sending and delivering as well as in the process of the information for an effective communication. Technological assets need to be carefully selected before being implemented to limit communication effectiveness. To overcome the barriers, the sender should know who the message is for, Why should the message be communicated, what to communicate, When to communicate the message and How and Where the message should be communicated. The recei ver should be ready to accept the message by being attentive, listening actively, clarifying and repeating where necessary and check receipt of information with sender. 1. Define and explain the term Negotiation and also briefly explain the phases of Negotiation. Negotiation is a process by which a compromise or agreement is reached while avoiding argument. In order, to achieve negotiation, one must negotiate effectively and hence use effective communication to achieve a positive end result such as a positive agreement or compromise. In order for any negotiation to be effective, individuals must achieve the best possible outcome for their position or for the organisation they represent. The  principles of fairness, seeking mutual benefit and maintaining a relationship are the keys to a successful outcome. Negotiation is important to reduce conflict and disagreement that arise from misunderstanding and ineffective communication. The process of negotiation includes the following stages: Preparation, Discussion, Clarifying goal, Negotiate towards a positive outcome, Agreement, Implementation Preparation: In order for negotiation to take place, and to be effective a decision needs to be taken as to when and where a meeting will take place to discuss the problem and who will attend. Setting a time-scale is important to prevent the disagreement continuing. The Preparation stage will help to avoid further conflict and unnecessarily wasting time during the meeting. Discussion: In the discussion stage, individuals or members of each side submit and put forward their case as they see it, i.e. their understanding of the situation. Important key skills during the discussion stage are questioning, listening and clarifying. Sometimes, notes during the discussion stage are taken to record all points put forward in case as there is need for further clarification. Clarification of goals: Based on discussion, the goals, interests and viewpoints of both parties in the disagreement need to be clarified. Through this clarification it is often possible to identify or establish common groun d. Negotiate towards a Positive outcome: A positive outcome or Win-win situation is emphasized at this stage. If such is not possible, parties will try to compromise and try not to differ as much as possible for arguments and agreements sake. Agreement: Once both sides have understood the terms of the negotiation, agreements are reached by both sides with the objectives of being clear of what has been decided and agreed upon. Implementation of a course of action: Based on the agreement, a course of action is therefore implemented to carry through the decision. Failure to achieve negotiation might involve recalling or rescheduling another meeting to re-discuss. There are instances where negotiation can be informal and these can happen when there is different in opinion or how the matter at hand is settled. The three elements that affect negotiation outcomes are: 1. Attitudes 2. Knowledge 3. Interpersonal Skills Dismissal of the negotiatiated issue can also occur if there is no solution to the negotiation. END OF SECTION C

Exam Paper on Quality Control Management and Six Sigma Essay Example

Exam Paper on Quality Control Management and Six Sigma Essay Example Exam Paper on Quality Control Management and Six Sigma Essay Exam Paper on Quality Control Management and Six Sigma Essay A. Evaluate the organizational changes made by the company in 2005 relative to the theory of LEAN and TQM. Assignment 2 (Weight: 60%): LEAN Value Stream Analysis A. Make a Value Stream Map (VSM) of the companys current set-up B. Analyze the urrent value stream and describe waste and improvement opportunities (Kaizen events). C. Present a VSM future state, and discuss/argue for your choices of design Assignment 3 (Weight: 20%): Six Sigma A. Explain what characterize a process that has a Six Sigma Capability. B. Explain the difference between special cause variation and common cause variation (i. e. assignable variation versus system variation), and why the ability to identify and distinguish between these types of variation is crucial when working with Six Sigma. Case to the exam assignment: Office Chairs Inc. The company Office Chairs, Inc. in the case the Company) designs and produces office chairs. The company is placed in Denmark where administration, design and manufacturing takes place. The company sells its chairs to whole sellers throughout the ELI, who in turn sell the chairs to retailers. Both the whole sellers and companys chairs. Market situation: retailers keep a small inventory o Since 2005 the company has experienced an increasing pressure from the whole sellers demanding: 1. Lower prices 2. Faster delivery performance (lead time) 3. More product variants 4. Customer tailoring (i. . the customer designs his/her own chair) Key financial figures: Figure Year 2006 2007 2008 Total revenue (in million DKR) 235 243 Number of chairs sold (in thousands) 213 241 265 EBIT on million DKR) 31 5 -11 Total number of full time employees 110 114 119 Orders delivered on time -performance 82% 98% Raw material inventory (average, in million DKR) 2 7 11 Work in progress inventory (average, in m illion DKR) 6 Finished goods inventory (average, in million DKR) 4 9 18 Organizational changes made in 2005: In 2005 the company made the following organizational changes: 1 . The company builds a new production plant (schematically shown at the last page f the case) 2. New vision: The company wants to be the best supplier in the EIJ with regards to delivery time. The goal, which the company more or less reached in 2006, is to be able to ship orders the day after the order is placed. Most of the companys whole sellers now expect this fast service, the effect being a significant increase in the companys inventories. 3. The company changed its chair design so that all office chairs are build using the same basic components. The company produces the following components: 2 types of feet (one with and one without wheels) 2 types of seats (soft and hard) types of back rest (low and high) The company orders the following components from suppliers: 1 type of piston (making the seating height adjustable) 1 type of arm rest These basic components allows for 16 different basic models (8 basic models that can be fitted with arm rests if the customer so desires). All components are in the same color (black). The company offers 5 different types of fabric (for the seat and back rest) in 10 different colors. 4. With the new design the company also changes the way offices chairs are ordered by retailers. The company have made a catalogue and an order sheet showing the ifferent design components (i. e. types of feet, seat, arm rest ) fabrics and colors, and the customer (end user) simply fill out this order sheet in the retail shop. The retailer then fills out an order form that is faxed directly to the company (or to the whole seller that taxes the order torm to the company). . Customer orders are processed in the Customer service and order processing department, where the faxed order forms from the retailers/whole sellers are registered in the companys ERP system. The ERP system contains all delivery orders as well as data on inventory evels of all raw materials, work in progress inventory and finished goods inventories. The ERP system automatically transfer packaging and invoice instructi ons to the shipment department, who is responsible for packaging and shipment of all incoming orders. Orders received before 2 0clock are made ready for shipment before 12 0clock the following day. The whole sellers are responsible for arranging transport from the company to the whole seller (or directly to the retailer). 6. The company makes a Department for quality control, that are placed organizationally nder the inventory department. Quality control is done using statistically calculated samples, which are analyzed by specialists from the inventory department. Samples are taken from both the raw materials inventory and the finished goods inventory no later than one week after it is places in inventory. Quality control results are registered in a computer program that will alert the specialist in case the sample deviates from the set specification limits. In the case of deviations from the specified limits the specialist will notify the production department, who is responsible for lacing the inspected lot in quarantine and wait for instructions from the department for quality control. The department for quality control inspects quarantined goods once a week and decides what to do with it (i. e. rework or scrap). Production The production takes place in different production units (see the schematic drawing at the last page): Piston: Delivered by an independent supplier, who receives an order every 14 days. Pistons are ordered when the minimum inventory level reaches 8000 and a minimum order of 15000 is placed. The pistons are delivered within 2-3 days, and are placed in he raw material inventory. Arm rests: Also delivered by independent supplier, who receives an order every 14 days. Delivery time is much longer (typically up to 6 weeks), which is the reason why the minimum inventory level is set at 14000 pairs. Arm rests are placed in the raw material inventory. Feet: The company produces the feet in their own metal casting department. The foot is made of aluminum and the production capacity is 180 feet per production hour. Production is planned when the inventory level reaches 3000 feet, and a minimum batch size of 5000 feet is produces. The feet are the same regardless of wheels or nor the foot is mounted with wheels or rubber cylinders right after the foot have cooled off, and the feet are then placed on pallets in the work in progress inventory (50 feet on each pallet). Change over time is O. Seats: The company produces the two types of seats in their own plastic casting department (casting unit 1), and the capacity is 100 seat per hour. Production is planned when the inventory level reaches 2000 units, and a minimum batch size of 3000 units is produced. The seats are then placed on pallets in the work in progress inventory (40 seats on each pallet). Change over time is 2 hours. Back rests: The company produces the two types ot back rests in their own plastic casting department (casting unit 2), and the capacity is 150 back rests per hour. Production is planned when the inventory level reaches 1500 units, and a minimum batch size of 4000 units is produced. The back rests are placed on pallets in the work in progress inventory (30 seats on each pallet). Change over time is 2 hours. Seat and back rest upholstery: The company prepares and do the upholstery in the upholstery department. The upholstery department is responsible for making sure that there is minimum of 50 seats and 50 back rests on inventory in each of the fabrics and colors offered by the company. The capacity is 250 seats or 250 back rests per hour when all machines are running. The upholstered seats and back rests are placed on pallets in the work in progress inventory (25 seats or back rests on each pallet). Change over time is 30 minutes. The workers in the metal casting department and the two units in the plastic department operates one machine only, and each worker is responsible for getting the raw materials he/she needs from the inventory, and also for transporting the nits they produced to the work in progress inventory. Because it takes 2-3 days of training to learn how to operate each machine, the majority of workers can only operate one machine. Assembly: The assembly department assembles the chairs by mounting a piston, seat, back rest, and arm rests on a foot. The workers assemble chairs based on actual customer orders, sent to the department from the shipping department. The capacity is 200 chairs per hour. When a chair is assembled it is labeled with the customers order number and transported by the worker to the shipping department. Change over time is O. Shipping: The shipping departments prints out shipping documents and invoice, and pack these with the finished chair. The chair is then transported to the loading area where it waits for the whole sellers transport to arrive. Factory layout: The metal casting and plastic casting units are placed in production site 1, and all machines in each department and unit is placed in one line. The other production units are placed in production site 2. Inventory and production planning Production is planned using MRP to calculate inventory levels for all inventories. The MRP is based on a running forecast on the next 30 days of sold chairs. If an inventory level reaches a defined threshold, a procurement or production order is generated. The MRP is done once a week by the production planning department and the result is an overall production schedule for the next 30 days. Based on the estimated production needs for the next 30 days, the production department makes a detailed production plan tor the tollowing week, trying to minimize the number of change over on each machine. Schematic representation of information and production flow in Office Chairs Inc.

Compare Shakespeares presentation of the characters Brutus and Mark Antony Essays

Compare Shakespeares presentation of the characters Brutus and Mark Antony Essays Compare Shakespeares presentation of the characters Brutus and Mark Antony Paper Compare Shakespeares presentation of the characters Brutus and Mark Antony Paper Julius Caesar was written in 1599, a time in which the monarchy was in power in Britain. Shakespeare would have to be very careful what to put in his plays; he had to stay in favour of the royalty. If for example, Brutus was portrayed as the overall hero for procuring the safety of Rome through the assassination of someone who was going to rule Rome as a monarchist, Shakespeare would have been in trouble. Therefore, he had to ensure that this assassination was seen as unnatural, something that unsettled the natural order of things. For this reason, he made the night before the assassinations one of strangeness and peculiarity: Men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets. And yesterday the bird o night did sit Even at noon-day upon the market place, Hooting and shrieking when these prodigies Do so conjointly meet let not men say These are their reasons, they are natural For I believe they are portentous things Unto the climate that they point upon. -Casca Shakespeare had also intended his portrayal of leadership to capture the audiences attention as England herself was having leadership issues at that period of time. Queen Elizabeth was old and she didnt have an heir. He links this in a way as the Julius Caesar depicted in the play also doesnt have an heir. His wife was shown as having conceivement problems. In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare has woven through important themes; the most prominent being friendship and leadership. Within these two themes, Brutus and Mark Antony show completely different stances. Their close friendship to Caesar makes them interesting to compare as they react in different ways to the apparent growing ambition of Caesar and afterwards, his death. It is their reactions, which allows Shakespeare to use them to make the audience contemplate on the themes of friendship and leadership. In friendship or personal matters, Brutus places state before self. He had considered Caesar a true friend: It must be by his death. And for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him But for the general. Brutus Brutus honestly held no personal grudge against Caesar. In spite of this, his values bound him to assassinating Caesar for what he believed to be the good of Rome. During his speech to the citizens of Rome, he justifies his assassination Caesar by saying :Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more. Mark Antonys view however, is the complete opposite. He puts personal matters above state. However, Marks Antonys view on friendship isnt all that easy to interpret. On one hand, he is the loyal friend to Caesar, seeking revenge. From this point of view, he seems to be using himself as a medium to channel Caesars revenge upon the conspirators- And Caesars spirit, ranging for revenge, With Ate by his side come hot from hell Mark Antony and thus, why hes bring civil strife to Rome. On the other hand however, it may be that Mark Antony has always been after the power; yet clever enough to stay and work from the background. Before Act 3, he has never been an major character. On the contrary, he is one to be almost dismissed. Yet after his real arrival in scene 3, the audience begins to remember vital, albeit small roles he played earlier on. For example, he was the one who offered Caesar the crown at the Lupercal: I thrice presented him a kingly crown. From this, we can see that far from fearing that Caesar will rule Rome, he fully supports the idea. This could be due to the fact that if Caesar was the one who would be king, he, Mark Antony, in Caesars favour, would also be at the receiving end of this power. It can be said that before Caesars death, Mark Antony already had a perfect future secured for himself. He was the favourite of a man who was sighted to be the ruler of Rome and had nothing to worry about. In this circumstance then, he can be the Antony that revels long a-nights. But after Caesars death, he needs to work out how to get back into a position which is favourable. This is when the real Mark Antony, the consummate politician, comes into play. He then fights for the power, bringing civil strife upon Rome in the process. Its him against the conspirators and he doesnt care what stands in his way. He knows very well what civil war would bring about: over thy wounds do I prophesy- Domestic fury and fierce civil strife Shall cumber all the parts of Italy; Blood and destruction shall be so in use And dreadful objects so familiar That mothers shall but smile when they behold Their infant quartered by the hands of war. Mark Antony Shakespeare uses these words to conjure up vivid images. Phrases like infant quartered by the hands of war are meant to horrify and give an ominous feel for what is to come. When it comes to leadership, the contrast has never been clearer. Brutus does anything he thinks would benefit the state. He doesnt however, ever do anything that goes again his values. This is then his short coming. His greatest virtue brings about his downfall as it is his very idealism, his very naivetà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ that blurs his sight of his surroundings. He is only able to see a single path for himself, the one of goodness and purity. This then causes a problem as he cant see the alternative routes by which other men might take- ones that are not as scrupulous. For example, when Mark Antony asked to speak at Caesars funeral, he agreed. The politically astute Cassius strongly protested against this but Brutus said: What Antony shall speak, I will protest He speaks by leave and by permission Brutus Brutus at this point doesnt understand how this move would endanger their position politically. He doesnt get the fact that although he might be able to convince the Romans that they had done a the right thing by assassinating Caesar, Mark Antony would be able to turn that all around in an single speech because of his oratory skills. In a way, this is the pivotal point in which Brutus seals his fate. If he had not given Mark Antony this opportunity, Mark Antony would have never been able to even fight for the rule of Rome. The power would have been in the conspirators hands. Mark Antony works in an completely different way from Brutus. At points where Brutus is weak, Mark Antony is strong. He isnt exactly unscrupulous but he is able to spot, and then exploit the various short comings of other men. In this way, he is politically set up to go a long way. Again using the example of Act 3, Scene 1, Mark Antony appeals directly to Brutus for permission to speak at Caesars funeral by directing Brutus attention to providing reasons for Caesars death, to which he knows full well that Brutus will be the one who answers. Mark Antony does this as he is able to see that out of them all, Brutus naivetà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ and unconsciousness of underlying political meanings would be an trait to play on. He sees that Cassius would see through his ploy but Brutus wouldnt. Brutus wanted Caesar to have all true rites and lawful ceremonies. Comparing the inner selves of the two men through looking at the ways they treat people, Brutus is kind and caring, while Antony, cruel and manipulative. Examples depicting this would be Brutus asking his servants and guards to rest in his personal quarters (call Claudio ad some other of my men, Ill have them sleep on the cushions of my tent), Brutus and Antony purely and simply using Lepidus as someone to do his dirty work- ( [My horse] is a creature that I teach to fight, To wind, to stop, to run directly on, His corporal motion governed by my spirit; And in some taste is Lepidus but so.) -Mark Anthony A direct contrast of Brutus and Mark Antony can be made as Brutus refuses to kill Mark Antony along with Julius Caesar even as Cassius almost predicts the future by saying that Antony is a shrewd contriver. Brutus however, spared Mark Antony: Our course would seem too bloody, Caius Cassius, To cut the head off and then hack the limbs. -Brutus Mark Antony in contrast, isnt as merciful. He condemns his own sisters son to death at a meeting of the ruling triumvirs: He shall not live- look, with a spot I damn him. However, we cant say whether this is the real Mark Antony, someone whos cold and heartless. It might have just been sheer bravado which led him to utter those words. Mark Antony is able to read people in a way Brutus just simply cant. Mark Antony says as one of the closing lines, This was the noblest Roman of them all: All the conspirators, save only he, Did that they did in envy of great Caesar He only, in general honest thought And common good to all, made one of them. -Mark Antony Brutus didnt do as well with his interpretation of Mark Antony. This is yet again another shortcoming of Brutus that makes him vulnerable in politics. He is unable to peel back the masks that various figures in politics, especially Mark Antony, puts up. He assumes that Mark Antony wouldnt be a threat after Caesar was removed: And for Mark Antony, think not of him, for he can do no more than Caesars arm when Caesars head is off. -Brutus This was one his greatest faults of all. It ties in with his insistence in believing in the essential good of those around him. Similarities between the two characters are few but one of them is their ability to put aside or hide emotion. Both characters are stoic. Brutus doesnt grieve openly after Portias death. He says: Why, farewell Portia. We must die Messala With meditating that she must die once I have the patience to endure it now. -Brutus And after this point, he never mentions her again. This isnt normal behaviour nowadays. Mark Antony does the same after Caesars death. He allows himself a singular point over which he releases his pent up grieve and after that, Caesars name was never mentioned by him in mourning again. He does however use his emotions to his advantage. For example, at his meeting with the conspirators after the death of Caesar, he plays the role of an distraught, grieving friend to make Brutus believe that he only wanted to speak at Caesars funeral as a friend; and to try and make Cassius think that he was too embroiled in emotional turmoil at the time to be scheming for anything: That I did love thee, Caesar, O, tis true. If thy sprit then look upon us now, Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death To see thy Antony making his peace, Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes- Most noble- in the presence of thy corse? Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds, Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood It would become me better than to close In terms of friendship with thine enemies. -Mark Antony One other point of similarity between the two men was their skill at rhetoric. Both mens speeches after the assassinations of Caesar, made to move and sway the thinking of the crowd were amazing ones. For instance, Brutus used ordinary prose instead of the normal blank verse he used to speak to the people with the intention that it would be easier for him to get through to them. He also used plenty of rhetorical questions. If any, speak, for him I have offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak for him I have offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any speak for him I have offended. I pause for a reply. Brutus His speech is simple, so simple that it pangs with it sincerity whereas, Mark Antonys on the other hand, is much more manipulative and devious. He starts off by saying that he wasnt going to praise Caesar and by saying that Brutus was an honourable man. His drift gradually changed though; and gradually steers the mass towards the idea that Brutus and the conspirators were to be punished. He slowly turns the tide, so as not to startle the crowd and to ruin his chances of winning them over. He works them up by dangling Caesars will under their noses and then pulling it away and refusing to read it to them. In this way, he manages to get the crowd up to a real state. Through their speech methods, we are able to see the differences in their characters Brutus speech is calm, and contained. His peace and tranquillity is meant to rub off onto the crowd whereas Mark Antonys is dramatic and fast flowing, meant to excite the crowd. And that does in a way, convey their characters. Mark Antony is able to detect subtleties in his opponents action and react accordingly to them. Hes like a chameleon, changing to suit the mood and aims of the people. Brutus doesnt have this particular trait, he is much more subdued and this shows through in his speech. Although hes not lacking in determination to get his point across, he isnt overt with his actions or dramatics. Another similarity they share is their love for Caesar. Mark Antony says: Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving, . I feared Caesar, honoured him and loved him. Mark Antony Brutus said when he killed himself: I killed not thee with half so good a will -Brutus But even at this point of similarity, there is disparity. We can be certain that Brutus did love Caesar; but as for Antony, it can be said that he did indeed like Caesar. We cant however, be sure about his intentions where Caesar was concerned when he was alive. If the presentations of the characters are taken at face value, Mark Antony can be seen as the villain and Brutus, the tragic hero. However, one of Shakespeares themes is the relativity of goodness. Brutus assassinated Caesar allegedly for the good of Rome. And Brutus himself did believe in this a 100%. But nevertheless, this was betrayal. Caesar fell at his stab with the words: Et tu Brute?- Then fall Caesar!. Caesar said it perfectly. A friend whom he had trusted, completely and totally, was stabbing him. And this is perhaps, the most tragic thing of all. Mark Antony apparent stance is perfectly paraphrased by E.M Forster: If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country. But, this view seems rather selfish. To be loyal to one friend, causing the downfall of the entire country seems to be almost securing your own future by compensating it with others. And yet, admiration cant be not shown as Marks Antony unwavering loyalty to Caesar is portrayed. Then again, admiration cant not be shown as Brutus places nation before self. Both stances require equal amounts of courage. Courage to betray your friend, and courage again, to betray your country.