Gagne’s Nine Events

The process of learning is an on-going event that occurs in each stage of human development. Human beings acquire a great deal of their personal qualities and characteristics through a variety of different learning methods. Through the work of educational psychologist Robert Gagne, a better understanding of learning and instruction can be found. Gagne presented the idea that there are different types of learning and that different instructional methods are needed to accompany these learning types in order to achieve the desired learning outcome.In recognizing learning as a process composed of several phases, Gagne created the Nine Events of Instruction. Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction are a series of steps to be followed during the instruction phase, often said to be necessary for learning to occur. The work Gagne produced is considered the primary research and contributor to instructional design and training.Robert Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction can best be desc ribed as an instructional design model utilized to organize strategies within a lesson. The Nine Events of Instruction include: Gain Attention, Inform the Learner of the Objectives, Stimulate Recall of Prior Learning, Present the Stimulus Materials, Provide Learner Guidance, Elicit Performance, Give Feedback, Assess Performance, and Enhance Retention and Transfer. Gagne firmly believed that effective learning involved a series of events.The instructor begins by gaining the learners attention and from there he/she will use â€Å"†¦a series of steps related to the development of learning expectations, introduction of stimuli, and recall of related ideas to move concepts from the student’s short to long-term memory† (Zhu & StAmant 2010). The events are completed successfully when the learner is able to apply what they have learned to new situations outside of the classroom. This is often seen within workplace training, where the employee applies what they have learne d in training to their job.The Nine Events of Instruction were created to work in conjunction with the cognitive stages associated with the adult learning process (2010). Prior to the development of the Nine Events of Instructions, Gagne performed an in-depth examination of learning and its conditions. The foundation for the events model can be found in his book, The Conditions of Learning. To better understand the Nine Events of Instruction it is important to examine the work documented in this book. Learning, according to Gagne, is â€Å"†¦a change in human disposition r capability, which persists over a period of time, and which is not simply ascribable to processes of growth† (Gagne, 1977, p. 3). Learning, in its most basic form, is a change in behavior. This change may be brought upon by a change in attitude, interest or value and is often due to an increased capability for some type of performance. To be classified as change it â€Å"†¦must have more than mom entary permanence; it must be capable of being trained over some period of time†¦it must be distinguishable from the kind of chance that is attributable to growth, such as a change in height or the development of muscles through exercise† (p. ). With a clear definition of learning, one can identify the ways in which learning is brought about. Gagne’s work identifies four elements having to do with learning: learner, stimulus situation, contents of memory and response/performances. For learning to take place, there must be a learner. The learner is a human being whom possesses sense organs through which he/she receives stimulation. Learning will occur when stimulus situation and contents of memory (information previously learned and stored) affect the learner in a way that his/her performance changes.This change in performance ultimately indicates that learning has occurred. It is important to note, however, that it is necessary to show that there has been a change in performance, for the presence of the performance does not always result in learning (Gagne, 1977, p. 4). In understanding learning, to its very core, Gagne concluded that there are multiple levels of learning and that each level requires a different type of instruction in order to achieve the desired learning outcome. Learning takes place throughout a person’s lifetime.In all stages of development a person learns to interact with their surrounding environments. Education at a young age allows individuals to learn basic knowledge and skills such as language and symbol-usage. Once these basic skills are acquired and education continues, people are capable of learning more specialized knowledge and complex skills that will be useful in their areas of interest. Though learning becomes more specialized and focused to the individual as they progress, Gagne determined a common ground among the many instances of learning by identifying five major categories of capabilities that hu man beings learn.The five categories are as followed: intellectual skills, verbal information, cognitive strategies, motor skills, and attitudes. Intellectual skills involves the interactions people often learn to engage in by using symbols. As their education becomes more advance, so does their symbol-usage. Verbal information is ultimately the ability to state information or ideas that have been previously learned and organized. Following this learned capability is cognitive strategies, which describes the individual as managing his/her own learning, remembering and thinking.Learning to execute movements through a series of motor acts, such as throwing a baseball refers to the learned capability of motor skills. Lastly, mental states are learned which influence the learner’s choice in personal actions which has been categorized at attitude (Gagne, 1977, p. 27 & 28). Each of these categories require different internal and external conditions. Meaning, learning distinctions a re partly internal, in which they come from the memory of an individual’s previous learning. They are also external, which may be arranged as an aspect of instruction (p. 48).For example, â€Å"†¦for cognitive strategies to be learned, there must be a chance to practice developing new solutions to problems; to learn attitudes, the learner must be exposed to a credible role model or persuasive arguments† (Culatta, 2013). In identifying the categories of learned capabilities, Gagne was able apply this information to the planning of instruction. It is important to understand the various ways in which people learn prior to planning instruction. In understanding what learning is and how learning is engaged will provide the instructor the necessary information he/she needs to address all levels of learning.This is where Gagne’s Nine Events come into play. Each step within this model creates opportunity for the instructor to incorporate various learning methods th at cover all learning types. Gagne understood that having knowledge of the learning process as well as the analysis of human tasks would be essential to designing instruction. Understanding learning and the ways in which people learn is crucial when designing an instruction plan because the instructor must know the various ways in which people learn.It is recognized that there is information far beyond what has been mentioned in this paper that accompanies the development of the Nine Events of Instruction. However, this paper serves to identify the underlying meaning of learning and how knowing what learning is, in all aspects, is important to understanding the Nine Events of Instruction. Though Gagne’s Nine Events have been specifically designed for creating instructional programs, its functions can easily be used elsewhere. As a graduate student in the Communications program I am exploring all areas of communication and hope to one day work within the Public Relations field .During my examination of Gagne’s Nine Events it was easy for me to connect his series of events for instruction to those conducted in Public Relations. While they differ in many aspects, it seemed that a variety of steps within the events of instruction could be used when developing and conducting a Public Relations campaign. Which brings me to why I chose to focus on this particular topic from our formal training discussions. Not only have we utilized Gagne’s Nine Events, on more than one account, but I have also found great interest in its functions and similarities to what I hope to be doing in the future.Designing a Public Relations campaign for a client or an organization involves a series of steps, which are general in nature but become more specific depending on the organization or client in which you are working with. Public Relations practitioners, from the start, need to understand their client in their entirety. This involves extensive research on the clien t, ranging from financials to previous campaigns and employee information. I would link this stage to the Stimulate Recall of Prior Learning step in Gagne’s Nine Events because it involves getting the client to recall information on their business or organization.Ultimately, they are recalling what they do and what they have done in order to determine what needs to be done, which ties into the objective. Public Relations practitioners also need to become well aware of who their clients audience is. Once they have determined this they need to come up with a way in which they will gain the audience’s attention, just as Gagne proposes in his Nine Events. This is often done through the use of celebrities or community leaders. Assessing performance, too, can be linked to that of what a Public Relations practitioner does.Though they are not testing a person on what has been learned, they are gathering results on what they have done which assesses their performance throughout the campaign and tells them whether or not the campaign was successful. To determine success, results are measured, quantitatively or qualitatively, and compared to the objectives. Lastly, the Enhance Retention and Transfer step in Gagne’s Nine Events can be compared to Public Relations in that they both serve to inform the individual about how the information given to them will affect them and why t is necessary to know the information. The work Robert Gagne produced throughout his lifetime has been heavily used in instructional design and training. Best known for his book, The Conditions of Learning, Gagne provided an in-depth examination of learning in all aspects of its meaning. This book served as a foundation for the creation of the Nine Events of Instruction which attends to the idea that there are many different learning levels, all of which require different instructional methods.In identifying the categories of learning, Gagne was able to produce an instructional m odel that allows instructors to engage in a variety of techniques to meet the needs of all learners. Though Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction were created for instructional design and training purposes, I have found many similarities between his approach and the work a Public Relations practitioner produces. In recognizing these similarities I was interested in learning how the Nine Events of Instruction came to be. Knowing what learning is, in all aspects, is essential to creating an instruction plan.References Gagne, Robert, M. (1977). The Conditions of Learning (3rd ed. ). New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc. Zhu, P. , & StAmant, K. (2010). An applicaton of Robert Gagne’s nine events of instruction to the teaching of website localization. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication. Retrieved from, http://ezproxy. ithaca. edu:2048/login? url=http://search. proquest. com/docview/633019743? accountid=11644 Culatta, Richard. (2013). Conditions of Learning (Robert Gagne). Instructional Design. Retrieved from, http://www. instructionaldesign. org/theories/conditions-learning. html

Social Studies: The Invasion of Kuwait

Social studies notes Chapter 1 The Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which resulted in the seven-month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which subsequently led to direct military intervention by United States-led forces in the Gulf War. [edit] Dispute over the financial debt Kuwait had heavily funded the 8 year long Iraqi war against Iran. By the time the war ended, Iraq was not in a financial position to repay the $14 billion it borrowed from Kuwait to finance its war. 6] Iraq argued that the war had prevented the rise of Iranian influence in the Arab World. However, Kuwait's reluctance to pardon the debt created strains in the relationship between the two Arab countries. During late 1989, several official meetings were held between the Kuwaiti and Iraqi leaders but they were unable to break the deadlock between the two. [edit] Economic warfare and slant drilling According to George Piro, the FBI interrogator who questioned Saddam Hussein after his capture (in 2003), Iraq tried repaying its debts by raising the prices of oil through OPEC's oil production cuts. However, Kuwait, a member of the OPEC, prevented a global increase in petroleum prices by increasing its own petroleum production, thus lowering the price and preventing recovery of the war-crippled Iraqi economy. [7] This was seen by many in Iraq as an act of aggression, further distancing the countries. The collapse in oil prices had a catastrophic impact on the Iraqi economy. According to former Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz, â€Å"every US$1 drop in the price of a barrel of oil caused a US$1 billion drop in Iraq's annual revenues triggering an acute financial crisis in Baghdad. [5] It was estimated that Iraq lost US$14 billion a year due to Kuwait's oil price strategy. [8] The Iraqi Government described it as a form of ‘economic warfare,' which it claimed was aggravated by Kuwait's alleged slant-drilling across the border into Iraq's Rumaila field. The dispute over Rumaila field started in 1960 when an Arab League declaration marked the Iraq-Kuwait border 2 miles north of the southern-most tip of the Rumaila field. [9] During the Iran–Iraq War, Iraqi oil drilling operations in Rumaila declined while Kuwait's operations increased. In 1989, Iraq accused Kuwait of using â€Å"advanced drilling techniques† to exploit oil from its share of the Rumaila field. Iraq estimated that US$2. 4 billion worth of Iraqi oil was stolen by Kuwait and demanded compensation. [10][11] Kuwait dismissed the accusations as a false Iraqi ploy to justify military action against it. Several American firms working in the Rumaila field also dismissed Iraq's slant-drilling claims as a â€Å"smokescreen to disguise Iraq's more ambitious intentions†. [9] [edit] Kuwait's lucrative economy After the Iran–Iraq War, the Iraqi economy was struggling to recover. Iraq's civil and military debt was higher than its state budget. Most of its ports were destroyed, oil fields mined, and traditional oil customers lost. Despite having a total land area 1/25th of Iraq, Kuwait's coastline was twice as long as Iraq's and its ports were some of the busiest in the Persian Gulf region. The Iraqi government clearly realized that by seizing Kuwait, it would be able to solve most of its financial problems and consolidate its regional authority. Due to its relatively small size, Kuwait was seen by Baghdad as an easy target as well as a historically integral part of Iraq separated by British imperialism. The Persian Gulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991), commonly referred to as the Gulf War, and also known as the First Gulf War[12][13], the Second Gulf War,[14][15] by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as The Mother of all Battles,[16] and commonly as Desert Storm for the military response, was the final conflict, which was initiated with United Nations authorization, by a coalition force from 34 nations against Iraq, with the expressed purpose of expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait after its invasion and annexation on 2 August 1990. The invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi troops that began 2 August 1990 was met with international condemnation, and brought immediate economic sanctions against Iraq by members of the UN Security Council. U. S. President George H. W. Bush deployed American forces to Saudi Arabia and urged other countries to send their own forces to the scene. An array of nations joined the Coalition of the Gulf War. The great majority of the military forces in the coalition were from the United States, with Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Egypt as leading contributors, in that order. Around US$40 billion of the US$60 billion cost was paid by Saudi Arabia. [17] The initial conflict to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait began with an aerial bombardment on 17 January 1991. This was followed by a ground assault on 23 February. This was a decisive victory for the coalition forces, who liberated Kuwait and advanced into Iraqi territory. The coalition ceased their advance, and declared a cease-fire 100 hours after the ground campaign started. Aerial and ground combat was confined to Iraq, Kuwait, and areas on the border of Saudi Arabia. However, Iraq launched missiles against coalition military targets in Saudi Arabia. Further information: Iraq-United States relations Throughout much of the Cold War, Iraq had been an ally of the Soviet Union, and there was a history of friction between it and the United States. The U. S. was concerned with Iraq's position on Israeli–Palestinian politics, and its disapproval of the nature of the peace between Israel and Egypt. The U. S. also disliked Iraqi support for various Arab and Palestinian militant groups such as Abu Nidal, which led to its inclusion on the developing U. S. list of state sponsors of international terrorism on 29 December 1979. The U. S. remained officially neutral after the invasion of Iran, which became the Iran–Iraq War, although it assisted Iraq covertly. In March 1982, however, Iran began a successful counteroffensive – Operation Undeniable Victory, and the United States increased its support for Iraq to prevent Iran from forcing a surrender. In a U. S. bid to open full diplomatic relations with Iraq, the country was removed from the U. S. ist of state sponsors of terrorism. Ostensibly this was because of improvement in the regime’s record, although former United States Assistant Secretary of Defense Noel Koch later stated, â€Å"No one had any doubts about [the Iraqis'] continued involvement in terrorism†¦ The real reason was to help them succeed in the war against Iran. â€Å"[18] With Iraq's new found success in the war, and its rebuff of a peace offer in July, arms sales to Iraq reached a record sp ike in 1982. An obstacle, however, remained to any potential U. S. -Iraqi relationship – Abu Nidal continued to operate with official support in Baghdad. When Iraqi President Saddam Hussein expelled the group to Syria at the United States' request in November 1983, the Reagan administration sent Donald Rumsfeld to meet President Hussein as a special envoy and to cultivate ties. Main article: Invasion of Kuwait By the time the ceasefire with Iran was signed in August 1988, Iraq was virtually bankrupt, with most of its debt owed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraq pressured both nations to forgive the debts, but they refused. Kuwait was also accused by Iraq of exceeding its OPEC quotas and driving down the price of oil, thus further hurting the Iraqi economy. The collapse in oil prices had a catastrophic impact on the Iraqi economy. The Iraqi Government described it as a form of economic warfare, which it claimed was aggravated by Kuwait slant-drilling across the border into Iraq's Rumaila oil field. [19] Iraq claimed Kuwait had been a part of the Ottoman Empire's province of Basra. Its ruling dynasty, the al-Sabah family, had concluded a protectorate agreement in 1899 that assigned responsibility for its foreign affairs to Britain. Britain drew the border between the two countries, and deliberately tried to limit Iraq's access to the ocean so that any future Iraqi government would be in no position to threaten Britain's domination of the Persian Gulf. Iraq refused to accept the border, and did not recognize the Kuwaiti government until 1963. [20] In early July, Iraq complained about Kuwait's behavior, such as not respecting their quota, and openly threatened to take military action. On the 23rd, the CIA reported that Iraq had moved 30,000 troops to the Iraq-Kuwait border, and the U. S. naval fleet in the Persian Gulf was placed on alert. On the 25th, Saddam Hussein met with April Glaspie, an American ambassador, in Baghdad. At that meeting, Glaspie told the Iraqi delegation, â€Å"We have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts. † On the 31st, negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait in Jeddah failed violently. [21] On 2 August 1990 Iraq launched an invasion with its warplanes, bombing Kuwait City, the Kuwaiti capital. The main thrust was conducted by commandos deployed by helicopters and boats to attack the city, while other divisions seized the airports and two airbases. In spite of Iraqi sabre-rattling, Kuwait did not have its forces on alert, and was caught unaware. After two days of intense combat, most of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces were either overrun by the Iraqi Republican Guard, or had escaped to neighboring Saudi Arabia. After the decisive Iraqi victory, Saddam Hussein installed his cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid as the governor of Kuwait. [22] Saddam Hussein detained several Westerners, with video footage shown on state television On 23 August 1990 President Saddam appeared on state television with Western hostages to whom he had refused exit visas. In the video, he patted a small British boy named Stuart Lockwood on the back. Saddam then asks, through his interpreter, Sadoun al-Zubaydi, whether Stuart is getting his milk. Saddam went on to say, â€Å"We hope your presence as guests here will not be for too long. Your presence here, and in other places, is meant to prevent the scourge of war. [23] Within hours of the invasion, Kuwaiti and U. S. delegations requested a meeting of the UN Security Council, which passed Resolution 660, condemning the invasion and demanding a withdrawal of Iraqi troops. On 3 August the Arab League passed its own resolution, which called for a solution to the conflict from within the League, and warned against outside intervention. On 6 August UN Resolution 661 placed economic sanctions on Iraq . United Nations Security Council Resolution 665 followed soon after, which authorized a naval blockade to enforce the economic sanctions against Iraq. It said the â€Å"use of measures commensurate to the specific circumstances as may be necessary †¦ to halt all inward and outward maritime shipping in order to inspect and verify their cargoes and destinations and to ensure strict implementation of resolution 661. †[24] One of the main concerns of the west was the significant threat Iraq posed to Saudi Arabia. Following the conquest of Kuwait, the Iraqi army was within easy striking distance of Saudi oil fields. Control of these fields, along with Kuwaiti and Iraqi reserves, would have given Hussein control over the majority of the world's oil reserves. Iraq also had a number of grievances with Saudi Arabia. The Saudis had lent Iraq some 26 billion dollars during its war with Iran. The Saudis backed Iraq, as they feared the influence of Shia Iran's Islamic revolution on its own Shia minority (most of the Saudi oil fields are in territory populated by Shias). After the war, Saddam felt he should not have to repay the loans due to the help he had given the Saudis by stopping Iran. Soon after his conquest of Kuwait, Hussein began verbally attacking the Saudi kingdom. He argued that the U. S. supported Saudi state was an illegitimate and unworthy guardian of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. He combined the language of the Islamist groups that had recently fought in Afghanistan with the rhetoric Iran had long used to attack the Saudis. [25] Acting on the policy of the Carter Doctrine, and out of fear the Iraqi army could launch an invasion of Saudi Arabia, U. S. President George H. W. Bush quickly announced that the U. S. would launc h a â€Å"wholly defensive† mission to prevent Iraq from invading Saudi Arabia under the codename Operation Desert Shield. â€Å"Operation Desert Shield† began on 7 August 1990 when U. S. troops were sent to Saudi Arabia due also to the request of its monarch, King Fahd who had earlier called for U. S. military assistance. [26] This â€Å"wholly defensive† doctrine was quickly abandoned, as on 8 August, Iraq declared Kuwait to be the 19th province of Iraq and Saddam Hussein named his cousin, Ali Hassan Al-Majid as its military-governor. [27] Liberation of Kuwait Main article: Liberation of Kuwait campaign American decoy attacks by air attacks and naval gunfire the night before the liberation of Kuwait were designed to make the Iraqis believe the main coalition ground attack would focus on Central Kuwait. On 23 February 1991, the 1st Marine Division, 2nd Marine Division, and the 1st Light Armored Infantry crossed into Kuwait and headed toward Kuwait City. They overran the well designed, but poorly defended, Iraqi trenches in the first few hours. The Marines crossed Iraqi barbed wire obstacles and mines, then engaged Iraqi tanks, which surrendered shortly thereafter. Kuwaiti forces soon attacked Kuwait City, to which the Iraqis offered light resistance. The Kuwaitis lost one soldier and one aircraft, and quickly liberated the city. Most Iraqi soldiers in Kuwait opted to surrender rather than fight. [edit] Initial moves into Iraq [edit] Coalition forces enter Iraq General Colin Powell briefs then U. S. President George H. W. Bush and his advisors on the progress of the ground war Shortly afterwards, the U. S. VII Corps assembled in full strength and, spearheaded by the 3rd Squadron of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (3/2 ACR), launched an armored attack into Iraq early on 24 February, just to the west of Kuwait, taking Iraqi forces by surprise. Simultaneously, the U. S. XVIII Airborne Corps launched a sweeping â€Å"left-hook† attack across the largely undefended desert of southern Iraq, led by the 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment (3rd ACR) and the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized)). The left flank of this movement was protected by the French 6th Light Armoured Division Daguet). The French force quickly overcame the Iraqi 45th Infantry Division, suffering only a small number of casualties and taking a large number of prisoners, and took up blocking positions to prevent an Iraqi counter-attack on the Coalition flank. The right flank of the movement was protected by the British 1st Armoured Division. Once the allies had penetrated deep into Iraqi territory, they turned eastward, launching a flank attack against the elite Republican Guard before it could escape. The battle lasted only a few hours. 50 Iraqi armored vehicles were destroyed, with few coalition losses. On 25 February 1991 however, Iraq launched a scud missile attack on Coalition barracks in Dharan, Saudi Arabia. The missile attack killed 28 American military personnel. [44] The mixture of civilian and military vehicles on the Highway of Death The Coalition advance was much swifter than U. S. generals had expected. On 26 February, Iraqi troops began retreating from Kuwait, after they had set its oil fields on fire (737 oil wells were set on fire). A long convoy of retreating Iraqi troops formed along the main Iraq-Kuwait highway. Although they were retreating, this convoy was bombed so extensively by Coalition air forces that it came to be known as the Highway of Death. Hundreds of Iraqi troops were killed. Forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France continued to pursue retreating Iraqi forces over the border and back into Iraq, fighting frequent battles which resulted in massive losses for the Iraqi side and light losses on the coalition side, eventually moving to within 150 miles (240 km) of Baghdad before withdrawing from the Iraqi border. One hundred hours after the ground campaign started, on 28 February, President Bush declared a cease-fire, and he also declared that Kuwait had been liberated. CAUSES OF CONFLICT: There are three basic causes to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. First, Iraq had long considered Kuwait to be a part of Iraq. This claim led to several confrontations over the years (see below), and continued hostility. Also, it can be argued that with Saddam Hussein's attempted invasion of Iran defeated, he sought easier conquests against his weak southern neighbors. Second, rich deposits of oil straddled the ill-defined border and Iraq constantly claimed that Kuwaiti oil rigs were illegally tapping into Iraqi oil fields. Middle Eastern deserts make border delineation difficult and this has caused many conflicts in the region. Finally, the fallout from the First Persian Gulf War between Iraq and Iran strained relations between Baghdad and Kuwait. This war began with an Iraqi invasion of Iran and degenerated into a bloody form of trench warfare as the Iranians slowly drove Saddam Hussein's armies back into Iraq. Kuwait and many other Arab nations supported Iraq against the Islamic Revolutionary government of Iran, fearful that Saddam's defeat could herald a wave of Iranian-inspired revolution throughout the Arab world. Following the end of the war, relations between Iraq and Kuwait deteriorated; with a lack of gratitude from the Baghdad government for help in the war and the reawakening of old issues regarding the border and Kuwaiti sovereignty. 1973, March- Iraq occupies as-Samitah, a border post on Kuwait-Iraq border. Dispute began when Iraq demanded the right to occupy the Kuwaiti islands of Bubiyan and Warbah. Saudi Arabia and the Arab League convinced Iraq to withdraw. 1980-1988- Kuwait supports Iraq in the First Persian Gulf War with Iran. DESCRIPTION OF CONFLICT: Amid growing tension between the two Persian Gulf neighbors, Saddam Hussein concluded that the United States and the rest of the outside world would not interfere to defend Kuwait. On August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait and quickly seized control of the small nation. Within days, the United States, along with the United Nations, demanded Iraq's immediate withdrawal. U. S. and other UN member nations began deploying troops in Saudi Arabia within the week, and the world-wide coalition began to form under UN authority. By January of 1991, over half a million allied troops were deployed in Saudi Arabia and throughout the Gulf region. Intense diplomacy between U. S. and Iraqi officials failed to bring an Iraqi withdrawal, so, on January 16, 1991, Allied forces began the devastating bombing of Iraq and her forces in Kuwait. The Allied bombing sought to damage Iraq's infrastructure so as to hinder her ability to make war while also hurting both civilian and military morale. To counter the air attack, Saddam ordered the launching of his feared SCUD missiles at both Israel and Saudi Arabia. He hoped to provoke the Israelis into striking back at Iraq, which he theorized would split the Arab nations from the anti-Iraq coalition due to the ongoing hostility between Israel and the Arab world. Israel came very close to retaliating, but held back due to President George Bush's pledge to protect Israeli cities from the SCUDs. As a result of this promise, U. S. Patriot missile batteries found themselves deployed in Israel to shoot down the SCUDs. Another result of the SCUD launches was to divert Allied air power from hitting the Iraqi army to hunting for the elusive mobile missile launchers. Even so, the Allied air strikes and cruise missile attacks against Iraq proved more devastating than expected. When the Allied armies launched the ground war on February 23, the Iraqi occupation forces in Kuwait were already beaten. Cut off from their supply bases and headquarters by the intense air campaign, thousands of Iraqi soldiers simply gave up rather than fight, as the Allies pushed through Iraq's defenses with relative ease. In the few cases where the more elite Iraqi forces, such as the Republican Guard, stood and fought, superior American, British and French equipment and training proved the undoing of the Soviet-equipped Iraqis. By February 26, U. S. and Allied Arab forces, along with the underground Kuwaiti Resistance, controlled Kuwait City and Allied air forces pounded the retreating Iraqi occupation army. In southern Iraq, Allied armored forces stood at the Euphrates River near Basra, and internal rebellions began to break out against Saddam's regime. On February 27, President Bush ordered a cease-fire and the surviving Iraqi troops were allowed to escape back into southern Iraq. On March 3, 1991, Iraq accepted the terms of the cease-fire and the fighting ended. CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICT: Saddam's second war of foreign conquest ended even worse than the first one. Iraq again stood defeated with the liberation of Kuwait. Despite the crushing defeat and subsequent Shiite and Kurdish rebellions, Saddam's government retained a strong grip on power in Iraq. As a result of the cease-fire terms, Iraq had to accept the imposition of â€Å"no-fly zones† over her territory and United Nations weapons inspection teams sifting through her nuclear and other weapons programs. The economic and trade sanctions begun during the war continue to the present day, ontributing to severe economic hardship in Iraq. Some reports say hundreds of thousands of children have died due to the sanctions. There are no indications that the government or military suffer undo hardships. While the world (and the United States and Europe), concentrated on Iraq, Syria moved to crush the last resistance to her de facto control of Lebanon, thus ending that country's long civil war. It is believed that Syria's President Assad was given a free hand to deal with Lebanon in return for joining the war in Kuwait. It's also believed there was a cash for annuity payment agreed upon When Yemen declared sympathy for Iraq, Saudi Arabia expelled upwards of a million Yemeni guest workers, causing economic hardship in Yemen and increased tension between the two neighbors. See Saudi-Yemen Border Conflict page. CASUALTY FIGURES: Update as of August 2, 2009 Iraq: Original figures listed 100,000 Iraqi military dead, but more recent estimates place Iraqi dead at 20,000 military and 2,300 civilian. United States: 148 killed in action, 458 wounded, and one Missing In Action (MIA). Also, 121 Americans died through non-combat incidents. The one MIA (compared to 1,740 MIA in the Vietnam War), was Navy pilot, Captain Michael â€Å"Scott† Speicher was shot down and was neither rescured, nor was a body found until, on August 2, 2009, the Pentagon announced that U. S. Marines stationed in Iraq had found Speicher's remains. See also: U. S. identifies remains of pilot missing in Persian Gulf War–LA Times, Aug. 2, 2009 Ironically, or perhaps intentionally, the Pentagon announced the recovery of Speicher's on the 19th anniversary of Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, which occurred on August 2, 1990, and sparked the following 19 years of war between the U. S. and Iraq. Gulf war (1990-1), a limited war in which a US-led coalition enjoying overwhelming technological superiority defeated the armed forces of Iraq in a six-week air campaign crowned with a 100-hour land campaign, with minimal coalition casualties. However, the coalition forces failed to destroy the Republican Guard, mainstay of the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who remained a threat primarily because of his continued development of nuclear and chemical and biological weapons, leading to repeated aftershocks in the form of US and Allied air strikes throughout the 1990s. The proximate cause was the Rumaila oilfield straddling the Iraq-Kuwait border. In mid-July 1990 Saddam claimed that Kuwait had stolen oil from this field by diagonal drilling and refused to pay back loans received from Kuwait to fund the recent Iran-Iraq war, saying that he had been doing the Gulf monarchies' dirty work for them. Neither argument was completely without merit. He massed armour on the frontier and after being told by the US ambassador that the USA did not wish to become involved in the dispute, at 01. 0 local time on 2 August the Iraqi columns invaded. Minds were concentrated and Pres Bush denounced the invasion, alarmed that the Iraqis would carry on into Saudi Arabia and thus control half the world's oil reserves. The UN condemned the invasion in Resolution 660, demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal and on 7 August the USA announced it was sending forces in a joint operation with Egypt and Saudi Arabia: DESERT SHIELD. The following day the UK announced it would send forces too, in GRANBY. On 29 November 1990 the Security Council adopted Resolution 678, authorizing the USA-led coalition to use ‘all necessary means’ against Iraq to liberate Kuwait if it did not withdraw by 15 January 1991. Instead, the Iraqis reinforced their positions along the southern Kuwaiti border and by 8 January had an estimated 36 to 38 divisions, each nominally 15, 000 strong but actually considerably less. The coalition eventually had about 700, 000 troops in the theatre, with the main ground contributions coming from the USA and important contingents from the UK, France, Egypt, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, under the operational command of US Gen Schwarzkopf. The maintenance of the coalition, in which Arab states were arrayed with infidels against another Arab state, was pivotal. It was therefore imperative to ensure that Israel—a target for Iraqi missile attacks—should stay out of the war. The Iraqis were known to have the means to deliver their chemical and biological weapons (CBW) with their al-Hussein missiles, which had a range of 373 miles (600 km), double that of the original Soviet Scud missiles on which they were based. At 02. 38 local time on 17 January DESERT STORM began when US Apache helicopters began attacking Iraqi air defence sites near the border to clear a corridor through which a massive air armada then passed, beginning a 43-day air campaign involving 100, 000 sorties. The F-117A Stealth light bomber was very successful in striking key targets in heavily defended Baghdad, as were sea-launched cruise missiles. Early targets were the Iraqi air defences, electrical power, and command and control facilities, also suspected nuclear and chemical and biological warfare facilities. Although precision-guided munitions got all the publicity thanks to the excellent TV pictures they sent back, the bulk of the ordnance delivered were conventional bombs. As the campaign continued, the Allies switched to Iraqi ground forces although the elite Republican Guard was less badly damaged than the poorer quality infantry in the forward positions. Schwarzkopf later explained that this was because of his strong concern to avoid his ground troops being held up and rained with CBW. {draw:frame} _The Gulf war, 1991: the land campaign, 24-8 February. Top: positions of forces 24 February. Bottom: Allied envelopment of Iraqi forces (Click to enlarge)_ Early on 18 January Iraq responded to the air onslaught by attacking Israel, the coalition's most vulnerable point. A missile landed in Tel Aviv, initially reported to have a chemical warhead. The coalition later denied this but the relevant log, released after the war, recorded it carried cyclo-sarin, a particularly deadly nerve gas. Israel prepared to counter-attack, but was dissuaded when the USA promised to destroy the Scuds. As a result, a great deal of effort was diverted into the ‘Scud hunt’, although the mobile Iraqi missiles proved difficult to find. British and US special forces were also sent in to find and destroy Scuds, with mixed results. The US also used the Patriot, originally an anti-aircraft system, to shoot down incoming missiles, the first time anti-missiles were used in the history of war. Very few incoming missiles were actually hit and those that were broke up, possibly doing even more damage than they would have otherwise. On 20 January, Iraq also began firing missiles at Riyadh, one of which hit a temporary US barracks and inflicted the worst Allied casualties of the war. Schwarzkopf formulated a classic military plan of encirclement. While the Iraqis were to have their attention fixed to the south and on the coast by the US Marines, his main effort would be to the west of the main Iraqi forward defences, swinging round behind them and straight for the Republican Guard. The aim was ‘to conduct a swift, continuous and violent air-land campaign to destroy the Republican Guard Force Corps while minimising friendly force casualties. Aim is to make Iraqi forces move so that they can be attacked throughout the depth of their formations’. After several days of probing and artillery raids, the main ground attack began on 24 February with direct attacks into Kuwait from the south by the US Marines and two Saudi task forces. The next day, the outflanking forces swung into action, the main force being the US VII Corps including the 1st British Armoured Division, while the XVIII Airborne Corps including the French 6th Light ‘Daguet’ Division swung even wider to protect the left flank. The VII Corps hit its breach area with 60 batteries of artillery and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, delivering more explosive power than the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Although Iraq was expected to use CBW, Saddam showed a little belated discretion and refrained, as there were a number of extremely unpleasant options the coalition held in reserve, including retaliation in kind or the destruction of Iraq's extremely vulnerable water-supply system. Late on 25 February he gave the order to withdraw from Kuwait, but the bulk of Iraqi armour was trapped between the Allies closing in from the south and west, and the Gulf and the Euphrates marshes to the east and north. TV pictures of the comprehensively incinerated Iraqi column that had been attempting to flee Kuwait City raised fears of public revulsion and Pres Bush called a halt after only 100 hours of land campaign. There were also geopolitical considerations. Until the invasion, the West had been concerned to maintain a balance of power between Iraq and Iran in the region, and the Arab members of the coalition might have bolted if the land war had been extended into Iraqi territory. At 08. 00 local time the guns fell silent, and Saddam was to be left with most of the Republican Guard and the freedom to use attack helicopters to crush the rebellions among the Sunni in the south and the Kurds in the north that the coalition had encouraged. Post-war, the extent and sophistication of his weapons development programmes came as a shock, and despite UN inspections and economic sanctions that affect mainly the civilian population, there is very little doubt that he has retained some CBW and possibly also some nuclear weapons. Nonetheless, Kuwait's territorial integrity was restored and most of Saddam's larger fangs were pulled. The war could only be considered unsuccessful if the hyperbole about human rights that accompanied it had ever been taken seriously by anyone involved. The first phase was Operation Desert Shield—a largely defensive operation in which the United States and Saudi Arabia rushed to build up the defensive forces necessary to protect Saudi Arabia and the rest of the gulf, and the United Nations attempted to force Iraq to leave Kuwait through the use of economic sanctions. The United States then led the UN effort to create a broad international coalition with the military forces necessary to liberate Kuwait, and persuaded the United Nations to set a deadline of 15 January 1991 for Iraq to leave Kuwait or face the use of force. The second phase, known as â€Å"Desert Storm,† was the battle to liberate Kuwait when Iraq refused to respond to the UN deadline. The fighting began on 17 January 1991 and ended on 1 March 1991. The UN Coalition liberated Kuwait in a little over six weeks, and involved the intensive use of airpower and armored operations, and the use of new military technologies. The Gulf War left Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in power, but it destroyed nearly all of Iraq's conventional forces and allowed the United Nations to destroy most of Iraq's long? range missiles and chemical weapons and capabilities to develop nuclear weapons. Saddam Hussein almost certainly saw the seizure and annexation of Kuwait as a means of solving Iraq's economic problems, of greatly increasing Iraq's share of world oil reserves, and as a means of demonstrating that Iraq had become the dominant power in the region. Kuwait was capable of adding at least 2 million barrels a day of oil to Iraq's exports of roughly 3. million, and offered the opportunity to double Iraq's total oil reserves, from 100 billion to 198 billion barrels (representing nearly 20% of the world's total reserves). Although he continued to negotiate his demands on oil revenues and debt relief from the Persian Gulf Arab nations, Saddam Hussein ordered his troops to the Kuwait border in July 1990, built up all of th e support capabilities necessary to sustain an invasion, and then ordered his forces to invade on 2 August 1990. Kuwait had not kept its forces on alert, and Iraq met little resistance. It seized the entire country within less than two days; within a week, Iraq stated that it would annex Kuwait as its nineteenth province. Iraqi forces also deployed along Kuwait's border with Saudi Arabia, with more than five Iraqi divisions in position to seize Saudi Arabia's oil? rich Eastern Province. Saudi Arabia had only two brigades and limited amounts of airpower to oppose them. Saddam Hussein may have felt that the world would accept his invasion of Kuwait or would fail to mount any effective opposition. However, Saudi Arabia and the other gulf states immediately supported the Kuwaiti government? n? exile. The Council of the Arab League voted to condemn Iraq on 3 August and demanded its withdrawal from Kuwait. Key Arab states like Algeria, Egypt, and Syria supported Kuwait—although Jordan, Libya, Mauritania, the Sudan, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) supported Iraq. Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and most other European nations as well as the United States, Canada, and Japan condemned the invasion. U. S. President George Bush announced on 7 August that the United States would send land, air, and naval forces to the gulf. Equally important, the end of the Cold War allowed the United Nations to take firm action under U. S. initiative. On the day of the invasion, the Security Council voted 14–0 (Resolution 660) to demand Iraq's immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait. The United States, Britain, and Saudi Arabia led the United Nations in forming a broad military coalition under the leadership of U. S. Army Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf that deployed the military forces necessary to enforce the United Nations' sanctions and to defend Saudi Arabia. This was the defensive military operation code? named â€Å"Desert Shield. † On 29 November 1990, the United States obtained a Security Council authorization for the nations allied with Kuwait â€Å"to use all necessary means† if Iraq did not withdraw by 15 January 1991. Key nations like the United States, Britain, France, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and several others began to deploy the additional forces necessary to drive Iraq out of Kuwait. In 1990–91, the United States deployed a total of 527,000 personnel, over 110 naval vessels, 2,000 tanks, 1,800 fixed? ing aircraft, and 1,700 helicopters. Britain deployed 43,000 troops, 176 tanks, 84 combat aircraft, and a naval task force. France deployed 16,000 troops, 40 tanks, attack helicopters, a light armored division, and combat aircraft. Saudi Arabia deployed 50,000 troops, 280 tanks, and 245 aircraft. Egypt contributed 30,200 troops, 2 armored divisions, and 350 tanks. Syria contributed 14,000 troops and 2 divi sions. Other allied nations, including Canada, Italy, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates deployed a significant portion of their small forces. Iraq responded by building up its military forces in the Kuwait theater of operations to a total of 336,000 troops and a total of 43 divisions, 3,475 battle tanks, 3,080 other armored vehicles, and 2,475 major artillery weapons. This buildup on both sides made full? scale war steadily more likely and triggered a number of political debates within the West and the Arab world over the need for war. The most important of these debates took place within the United States; largely because of President Bush's political leadership, the Congress, after Bush gained UN endorsement, requested such authorization on 8 January 1991. On 12 January the House of Representatives by 250 to 183 and the Senate by 52 to 47 voted to authorize the use of force. Though a number of new efforts were made to persuade Iraq to leave Kuwait in late December and early January, Saddam Hussein refused to withdraw under any practical conditions. Baghdad also continued to expand its military capabilities in Kuwait and along the Iraqi border with Saudi Arabia, and continued its efforts to convert Kuwait into an Iraqi province. As a result, the UN Security Council voted to ignore yet another effort to negotiate with Iraq. On that date, 15 January 1991, President Bush ordered the military offensive to begin. Desert Storm: The Air War The Gulf War began early in the morning on 17 January when the United States exploited its intelligence and targeting assets, cruise missiles, and offensive airpower to launch a devastating series of air attacks on Iraqi command and control facilities, communications systems, air bases, and land? based air defenses. During the first hour of the war, U. S. sea? launched cruise missiles and F? 117 stealth aircraft demonstrated they could attack even heavily defended targets like Baghdad. Within three days, a mix of U. S. , British, and Saudi fighter aircraft had established near air superiority. In spite of Iraq's air strength, UN air units shot down a total of thirty? five Iraqi aircraft without a single loss in air? to? air combat. Although Iraq had a land? based air defense system with some 3,000 surface? to? air missiles, the combined U. S. and British air units were able to use electronic warfare systems, antiradiation missiles, and precision air? to? surface weapons to suppress Iraq's longer? range surface? to? air missiles. As a result, Coalition air forces were able rapidly to broaden their targets from attacks on Iraq's air forces and air defenses to assaults on key headquarters, civil and army communications, electronic power plants, and Iraq's facilities for the production of weapons of mass destruction. Victory in the air was achieved by 24 January, when Iraq ceased to attempt active air combat. A total of 112 Iraqi aircraft fled to Iran, and Iraq virtually ceased to use its ground? based radar to target UN aircraft. This created a safe zone at medium and high altitudes that allowed U. S. nd British air units to launch long? range air? to? surface weapons with impunity. The UN air forces were also able to shift most of their assets to attacks on Iraqi ground forces. For the following thirty days, UN Coalition aircraft attacked Iraqi armor and artillery in the Kuwaiti theater of operations, as well as flying into Iraq itself to bomb Iraq's forward defenses, elite Republican Guard units, air bases an d sheltered aircraft, and Iraq's biological, chemical, and nuclear warfare facilities. Iraq's only ability to retaliate consisted of launching modified surface? to? urface Scud missiles against targets in Saudi Arabia and Israel, which had remained outside the war: forty Scud variants against Israel and forty? six against Saudi Arabia. U. S.? made Patriot missiles in Israel shot down some Scuds, but although the United Nations carried out massive â€Å"Scud hunts† that involved thousands of sorties, it never found and destroyed any Scud missiles on the ground, which demonstrated the risks posed by the proliferation of mobile, long? range missiles. Iraq's Scud strikes could not, however, alter the course of the war. Iraqi ground forces were struck by more than 40,000 air attack sorties; U. S. authorities estimated that airpower helped bring about the desertion or capture of 84,000 Iraqi soldiers and destroyed 1,385 Iraqi tanks, 930 other armored vehicles, and 1,155 artillery pieces before the United Nations launched its land offensive. They also estimated that air attacks severely reduced the flow of supplies to Iraqi ground forces in Kuwait and damaged 60 percent of Iraq's major command centers, 70 percent of its military communications, 125 ammunition storage revetments, 48 Iraqi naval vessels, and 75 percent of Iraq's electric power–generating capability. Desert Storm: The Land War The Aftermath of the War

Google Search

How does Google search engine works which search engine Is the best..? Yahoo Bing Yandex Fine.. Let's Google It! we know that Google tops the list without giving a second thought.. Let's see how It works. The web contains over 30 trillion pages and It keeps on increasing. To understand our query and to provide the most relevant solution is definitely not an easy task. So how do they pull it together? Google uses a automated program called Spiders or Crawlers.Spiders begin by fetching the data from a few web pages and then it follows the links on those pages and then follow the links on those pages and so on until a pretty big portion of the web Is linked. These pages are stored on millions of computers and have about million of ggabytes. The pages are sorted by their content and other factors and they are kept track of in the index. There are several algorithms and programs to understand and deliver the best posslbe result.Algorithms Ilke autocomplete, spelling, synonyms, query under standing etc are used to understand what the user actually want. Then using these Information the most relevant pages are sorted out based on over 200 factors. These factors Include site and page quality, freshness,This blends the relevant Images, videos, data and personal content Into a single unified search results page. After all these factors are evaluated and a fine list of search results are obtained they are Olspla to tne user. The next stage is to fight the spam off The site owners will be notified if their site is marked as spam. The siteowners could then fix the problem. And the best part is that all these things happen in Just 118th of a second and Google could support about 100 billion searches each month..!

Literary criticism over madness and symbols in Edgar Allan Poe short Essay

Literary criticism over madness and symbols in Edgar Allan Poe short stories - Essay Example As he tells his frequently bizarre and frightening tales, Poe presents his readers with symbol-rich imagery and descriptions based on binary oppositions to help build the suspense and horror of his tale. As Mowery explains, binary oppositions are things such as hot and cold, male and female, dark and light. â€Å"It is in the subtle shifts in our expectations of the character that tension and conflict are developed† (1997). This concept is frequently illustrated in terms of the madness that comes upon characters as they experience deep feelings that had potential to overwhelm. In â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart,† â€Å"The Black Cat† and â€Å"Ligeia,† Edgar Allan Poe uses madness and symbolism to convey love and hate. Poe employs two primary objects in â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† to illustrate the cause of his narrator’s madness. The old man’s eye is the first of these symbols to appear within the text of the story. As the narrator attempts to explain why he felt led to murder, he says, It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture – a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees – very gradually – I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye for ever. (156). Basic medical knowledge to the modern reader quickly identifies this condition as symptoms of a cataract, a film that gradually creeps over the eye of an elderly person, eventually rendering him or her blind while also changing the color of the eye to a pale bluish color. It is this encroachment that seems to so bother the narrator,

Applicability of the Principles of Empowerment and Recovery of the Essay - 1

Applicability of the Principles of Empowerment and Recovery of the Mentally Ill in Practice - Essay Example One afternoon, a man in his late 20s was brought in for medical attention. For the purpose of confidentiality, we shall name him Andrew. Andrew could not keep still and he kept on moving from one point to another, talking to imaginary people. The people who brought him to the hospital were his colleagues at work, who claimed that he had become very hostile, attacking everyone at the office and accusing them of trying to ruin his life. They claimed that he had also started talking to himself and repeatedly saying â€Å"they want to kill me†. Andrew was immediately taken to the psychiatrist ward for examination, while I was instructed to get more information about his actions from his colleagues. The workmates told me that in last few months, they had observed some abnormal behavior in their colleague, but had dismissed the actions. For example, he would show up at work late, looking tired and had started withdrawing from his workmates. They also claimed that he could no longer meet deadlines and that he often did substandard work. After the discussion with the patients’ colleagues, I called his family before going to check on the progress of the patient.The psychiatrist informed me that they had sedated him to ease his agitation. I explained to him all the observances noted by Andrew’s colleagues and the doctor suspected that this could be a case of schizophrenia. As we were talking, Andrew’s wife and sister came in looking very worried. The doctor explained the patient’s condition to them and asked them to offer any information.

Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Strategy - Essay Example This implies that apart from the profit motive for which the company is formed, it still has the challenge of getting the market share. In this case, those charged with the management of the company have to be more strategic toward penetrating the market (Woods, 2011). The company being co-owned by 27 members, Karen (2007) notes that all the 27 co-owners of the company have equal voice in decision-making and are accorded equal opportunities to participate in the ownership of the company. Despite having Blake Jones as CEO, this does not mean that the strategic decisions of the company are under his watch but instead the name was adopted to give the company’s customers and the media some sense of company leadership to avoid skepticism and criticism (Karen, 2007). Other problems that the company is facing as noted by the CEO of the company Jones Blake are the overhead costs associated with the design, installation and service costs. To overcome the problems and develop a competitive advantage over other firms, the company involves an engagement strategy in its growth plan as noted by Stephen Irvin the company’s chief financial officer (Nasmaste Solar). In this case, Irvin asserts that the organization cares a lot in hiring its long-time partners in this business. He notes that hiring at Nasmaste Solar is based on a person’s values and not job role. The company also practices open accounting management using consensus-based decision-making. The company ensures that their financial statements are reviewed on a monthly basis at the staff meeting and at year end and all staff members taught how to read statements of financial position and statement of income. The company also values communication in which the company has trademarked FOHtm -open, honest and frank communication as a way of preventing gossip, fostering an atmosphere of respect and trust. This has proved advantageous to the company and ha s spurred growth (Namaste Solar, n.d.). One of the major

Sustainability at Millipore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sustainability at Millipore - Essay Example ents utilized as a part of fluid stream procedures to sift through or concentrate particulates, atoms, microorganisms, infections, and different materials. Clients utilized Millipores channels for sanitizing, cell reaping, and detaching mixes from complex blends. For instance, the refreshment business utilized Millipores channels to expel microorganisms and yeast from wine, lager, squeeze, and water. Millipore likewise delivered a variety of lab hardware, including recognition devices. The questions to be discussed in light of the company’s efforts to achieve sustainability are as below. The manufacturing process or any production process needs some inputs (raw materials). The raw materials undergo a certain chain of process or multiple chain processes before the final product is achieved. These inputs are resources that nature provides like air, water, stones, etc. Therefore, manufacturing processes consume the naturally available resources. During the production process, other substances are produced in the form of waste. The waste materials could be in gaseous, liquid or solid state. These waste materials are chemicals that are harmful to the environment. For instance, greenhouse gasses and other harmful materials that are harmful to the microorganisms living in water and on land. Overutilization of the natural resources beyond the replenishing capacity of nature is the consequence of most company’s activities. The act can be referred to as unsustainable utilization of resources. Sustainability embraces the consumption of natural resources to meet the needs of the current generation, but at the same time conserving and restoring the same resources to meet the needs of the future generation. Sustainability can be achieved through reducing the negative impact of a company’s economic activities on the environment by engaging in activities that are socially responsible. Social responsibility enhances the company’s image and reputation, which in turn, leads

Career research paper on nursing Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Career on nursing - Research Paper Example 6). In addition, there are different types of nursing as well. Nursing is ‘infinitely varied’. Although all nurses receive the same amount of education, the work they handle may vary because their placement in hospitals is different. For example, a nurse on duty in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has to know the use of sophisticated machinery. A nurse in charge of patients who are well on their way to recovery has to be skilled in the way he/she talks; the nurse has to be polite, friendly, and exuberant. Therefore, it emphasizes the fact that nursing is a very ‘people’s’ profession (Sacks, pp.5). Nursing is a profession that was started by Florence Nightingale in the mid-nineteenth century and it has undergone radical changes (Sacks, pp.6). There has been a debate over the fact whether nursing is a ‘full profession’ or a semi professional one. Researchers (Timby, pp. 23-25) state that nursing cannot be regarded fully as a profession, becaus e people in it do not possess full characteristics that are required to achieve a full profession status. However, students of the nursing field remain adamant of the fact that most of the required definition of a profession is met by nursing, therefore, qualifying it as a full profession (Hiscott, pp.4). However, nursing as a career provides many opportunities, especially part time. Women who have to manage families can actually become part of this profession.

Capacity Strategy Game Exercise Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Capacity Strategy Game Exercise - Outline Example Building too much capacity and selling my product at a very low price would mean being in the red and paying out interest on accumulated debts during every period (Henderson 2008, p.16). I think that the capacity cost (at GBP 10 per period) is relatively low, and therefore once I have put up entry costs I will stick around for a long time. In this scenario, even if you end up with profits that are relatively low (on top of your starting cash) you will probably earn more than most of your competitors (An & Fromm 2005, p.11). After taking into consideration all the factors mentioned above, I think that a capacity of 200 units would be the best option for me; let me explain why. First of all, minimum demand was 140 BTS while maximum demand was 260 BTS; this gives us a mean of 200. Apart from this, most of the time demand fluctuated between 160 and 240 BTS; this also gives us a mean of 200. In light of the fact that the two most important factors here (the average demand and the average fluctuating figure) both equal 200, it would only be wise to hold 200 units because it appears like that is what the market dictates (Klammer 2006,

Situation Analysis of the Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Situation Analysis of the Case Study - Essay Example Knowledge management is a huge matter that needs to be given proper consideration by the many organizations formed in the modern industries of global commerce at present. It could not be denied that with the effective application of efficient KM systems in particular organizations, the systems of operations of the organization are well defined as well. This is the reason why for QES/PL which is a leading provider of engineering services to mining organizations aiming to provide larger scopes of services to other markets such as that of electrical portals. This particular advancement in the industry would practically require a massive advancement on the communication and information control system that is adapted by the organization at present. This is the reason why in this documentation, a proper sense of information control system or KM approach that could be used by QES is to be presented for basis and understanding foundation on the part of the company in consideration. In a directed presentation, this documentation aims to open up the chance for each particular stakeholder of the organization to have their values be well served and assisted by the organization as much as needed. QES/PL is ... In a directed presentation, this documentation aims to open up the chance for each particular stakeholder of the organization to have their values be well served and assisted by the organization as much as needed. Table of Contents Introduction 5 Analysis 6 (Bracket 1) Problem Statement (a) Traps (b) Role Specifications 6 6 6 (Bracket 2) Culture 8 (Bracket 3) Power 10 Discussion (a) Change Management Application (b) Application of Adjustments (c) Practical Implications 11 11 13 14 Conclusion 14 Rich Picture 16 References 17 1. Introduction QES/PL is noted as a successful provider of service to mining companies with regards their engineering process suggestions as to how the organizations are better their operations through the use of modern technological solutions. However, like other organizations in the field of modern industries, QES also aims to further improve the organizational operations towards a larger market scope (Nielsen, 2007). However, with the huge contingency of employees that the company is already trying to manage today, being able to establish another set of service for a particular new market would mean a larger scope of system control especially in connection with the knowledge and informational data that is kept and re-used by the company for future projects. This system of knowledge management calls for a more systematic approach that would be much able to accommodate the growing number of people working for the organization coming from the different areas of the world, the growing number of clients who are served by the company and the projects that they open up for the organization to develop with. In this regard, this documentation serves as a response to the said need thus providing the organization with the aid

Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Nursing research - Essay Example On the other hand, the analysis of data in the research study involved a process of assembling raw data and obtaining a set-up of the overall nursing unit. By establishing this set-up, the data collected is credible since it provides an individual with a picture of the unit without a complete analysis, which is evidence of scientific rigor. Other than credibility, Meyers and Sylvester (2006) identify the importance of data transferability as evidence of scientific rigor in research. In line with this, transferability is the representativeness of the research study. In this study, Scott and Pollock understand the context they are investigating since they collected data to extent that they were satisfied that they fully addressed the issue under study. Consequently, the researchers provide a rich text that contextualizes the phenomenon in a descriptive approach that makes the findings of the research study applicable to other facilities. Dependability, which is the level of the reliabi lity's  coding procedures, is another noteworthy approach of establishing scientific rigor in qualitative research (Meyers & Sylvester 2006). ... The  other  step involved the first author documenting all the personal biases and the expectations before engaging the respondents. Finally, the researchers completed a comprehensive audit trail that concluded, interpreted, and gave recommendations based on the data obtained from research (Scott & Pollock, 2007). Through an audit trail, the research study effectively establishes the dependability of the research study, which is proof of scientific rigor in a research study (Meyers & Sylvester, 2006). In addition, the audit trail is evidence of the conformability of the research study since it provides an opportunity for reviewers to â€Å"review in detail what the researchers did, why they did it, and how they arrived at their conclusions† (Meyers & Sylvester, 2006, p. 3). As a result of  the  concept of the conformability nature of the research study, the study can be said to have evidence of scientific rigor. The research study clearly states the implications of the findings in practice. In this case, the study identifies the implications of the study in hierarchical structures of authority and approaches that necessitate utilization of research in the workplace. On the other hand, the study identifies the implications of the study in the location of work and a routine work area. Hence, the findings identify conditions that support utilization of research in the work area setting. In addition, the research study identifies the implications on working ethos by identifying the requirements for research utilization in individual nurses and their implications in research. Moreover, the study provides implications of nurses’ knowledge on research utilization by providing the values

A Sociological Look at the Feminist Movement & the Civil Rights Movement Essay Example for Free

A Sociological Look at the Feminist Movement the Civil Rights Movement Essay For centuries, large groups of individuals have come together to oppose prevailing ideas, challenge conformity and promote great change in beliefs, government policy and overall social reform. Whether it is an instinctual component of human existence or a way of survival as learned from previous generations, social reform is an integral part of Western culture’s growth and development into modern society. When discussing this topic, two very great movements come to mind. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s and the Feminist Movement of the 1960s and 1970s serve as two meaningful and consequential social reform movements. When examined from the sociological perspectives of symbolic interactionism, functional analysis and conflict theory, one can stand to gain a varied ability to conceptualize social phenomenon such as the Civil Rights and Feminist Movements. This writing will serve to review these movements from the three sociological perspectives including the influential impact that society and people have had on one another. Through the first sociological perspective of Symbolic Interactionism, the Civil Rights and Feminist Movements can be interpreted in terms of the symbols for which both represent. Symbolic interactionism examines the symbols that people attach meaning to as well as the impact that their subjective meaning has on the way in which they act (Henslin). Prior to the Civil Rights movement, there were many derogatory words associated with minorities, specifically those of the black race. These words were negative in their connotation and conveyed a sense of inferiority associated with unintelligence and animalistic characteristics. Due to the negative perception of the black race, day to day living had many other symbolic representations of the division between whites and blacks beyond just the words used to describe the segregation. Jim Crow laws, for example, ensured that public facilities maintained the segregation of blacks as it was believed for them to be inferior to the white race including public restrooms, water fountains, parks, theaters, railways, schools and hospitals. The quality of the segregated facilities was, of course, inferior. (Pillai) The many symbols associated with minorities were viewed in a positive light by those superior because they helped to maintain the stability of their beliefs, the conformity and social order for which they sought. As the Civil Rights Movement went underway, the negative symbols associated with minority groups were challenged. As great strides were made to grant equality, the symbolic representation of blacks as inferior to whites slowly shifted thus causing a reform. Symbols that once ensured the segregation of minorities were no longer such. The Supreme Court’s ruling of segregation in schools as unconstitutional granted for equal education and â€Å"freedom rides† helped to desegregate interstate travel (Pillai). Employment discrimination and segregation of public facilities were eventually outlawed (â€Å"Civil Rights Movement†). Although many symbolic representations of how minorities were once subjectively viewed still resonate with many today, the Civil Rights Movement can be said to have challenged and restructured the symbolic representations of minorities thus impacting how we as human beings interact with one another. Prior to the Feminist Movement, many symbols represented the subjective opinions of women and therefore dictated how women were viewed and treated. Women have often been described as the weaker sex, passive, emotional, un-intellectual and dependent (Evans). They were expected to dress a certain way including little to no make-up, no pants and of course, nothing deemed overtly sexy. Women in the workforce were given positions of the clerical nature and often in factory assembly lines. They were viewed as meek and were expected at all times to be respectful, polite, refined and pleasant, never to engage in rowdy behavior or use profanity. (Freeman) Symbolically, women were expected to get married, raise children, cook, clean and maintain an orderly household. Again, the symbols associated with women were believed to be positive by those superior because they maintained the stability of their beliefs. Eventually, many women began to challenge the symbols associated with them including their traditional roles and they began re-thinking the meaning of womanhood which eventually led to the Feminist Movement which similar to the Civil Rights Movement, resulted in reform. New symbols associated with women began to emerge and offered a new subjective view reflecting equality and potential for greatness. Some of these symbols include more gender neutral clothing, the right to sexual expressiveness, diminished emphasis on the double standard and the right to hold jobs of equal pay (Evans). Although some sense of the belief of women as inferior to men still holds true today and can be seen in such concepts as ‘the glass ceiling’ effect, the Feminist Movement played an essential role in reforming the symbols and subjective meanings that are representative of women. When examining these two movements from the Functional Analysis perspective, one will see how many different facets to our society come together to comprise the overall structure, similar to how many different puzzle pieces come together to form the whole picture. Functional analysis looks at how the many different aspects of society are interdependent and together contribute to how society functions at large (Henslin). Examining from a smaller level, it becomes apparent that there were many facets to maintaining the segregation and oppression of minorities and women. Segregated schools systems were inferior in quality in terms of the education being provided to minorities thus resulting in the diminished growth of educational and mental development of black children. The jobs then made available to black men were often that of manual labor requiring limited intelligence. (Pillai) Women often times were educated in order to be groomed for positions such as clerical work and home economics thus unable to really attain higher education (Evans). This kept them working at lower rates and often times they were not up to the educational capacity required to hold higher positions. Religious oppression as well kept women in a role of inferiority often denying them roles in churches and synagogues which men believed were supported by biblical versus such as 1 Corinthians 14 34-45 which stated that women should be kept quiet in the church (Sink). Minorities and women followed suit for so long and did not challenge the status quo out of fear of repercussions. So, for quite some time, these many facets, all interrelated, served to keep the overall picture together and functioning quite well which was a good thing for those viewed as superior. Taken as a whole, if the belief were that minorities and women were inferior and should be kept that way, the many facets of our society such as school, the workplace and religion served to keep that overall vision intact for so long and it worked well to serve that overall belief. It was not until social reform brought about by the Civil Rights and Feminist Movements that those aspects of our society were forced to change in order to support the new vision that minorities, women and proponents of equal rights sought to create. The third perspective of sociology, known as Conflict Theory, is one that promotes social change. Conflict Theory suggests that anywhere inequality potentially exists, there will be competition for scarce resources, contributory to the ever-changing nature of society (Henslin). Interest in Conflict Theory appeared to arise during the 1960s perhaps due to this being a time of turbulent change. The Civil Rights and Feminist Movements were alive during this time. The social order that the ‘elite’ were attempting to force upon minorities and women were being considerably challenged and this evoked fear in those wanting to maintain control. During the Civil Rights Movements, as blacks sought to gain racial equality, desegregation and the right to vote, the ‘elite’ began to fear the loss of ownership of economic, political and social systems and as well feared non-whites gaining control over whites (â€Å"The Civil Rights Movement†). During the Feminist Movement, as women sought to gain empowerment, higher education, equal pay and a voice in government, the ‘elite’ began to fear the loss of job security and better pay as well as concern for who will maintain the household and care for children (Evans). Control over such scarce resources is the driving force in establishing and maintaining social order and just as conflict theory suggests, when inequality exists such as that experienced by minorities and women, there is bound to be conflict which is not only evident in the Civil Rights and Feminists Movements, however on-going and still evident in our society today. When examined from the three sociological perspectives of symbolic interactionism, functional analysis and conflict theory, the contributory factors and ultimate results of the Civil Rights and Feminist Movements can be identified and conceptualized. These two significantly impactful movements lend themselves to having an improved understanding of the many facets that have helped maintain certain aspects of how our society functions and also the many challenges and changes that our society have undergone. The growth and development of Western culture has been largely influenced by social reform including the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s and the Feminist Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. It seems safe to speculate that large groups of individuals will continue to come together to challenge prevailing ideas, defy conformity and advocate for great changes in beliefs, government policy and overall social reform. Works Cited â€Å"Civil Rights Movement†. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. n.d. 8 Dec. 2012. Evans, Sara. â€Å"Women’s Liberation Movement.† Research. Our Voice Our Country. 2009. Our Voice Our Country, Inc. 8 Dec. 2012 Freeman, Joy. â€Å"From Suffrage to Women’s Liberation: Feminism in Twentieth Century America†. Women: A Feminist’s Perspective. n.p. 1995. 8 Dec. 2012. Henslin, James. Essentials of Sociology A Down to Earth Approach. 9th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2011. Pillai, Prabhakar. â€Å"1960s Civil Rights Movement in America†. Buzzle. Buzzle. 2011. 8 Dec. 2012. Sink, Nancy. Women’s Liberation Movement. 1960s – 1980s Women’s Liberation Movement. Evans and Sink. 2008. Nova Online. 8 Dec. 2012

The Marketing Functions Of Walt Disney Tourism Essay

The Marketing Functions Of Walt Disney Tourism Essay The Walt Disneys core business area is Amusement and theme parks. Organization started business in 1955 with an 80-acre Park in California US. Currently they have theme parks in US, Tokyo and France. Euro Disneyland was one of their biggest projects in 1990s; the venture was one of the American efforts to expand their business in foreign countries. Even though Walt Disneys first foreign venture in Tokyo was a success, their next expansion of business in foreign soil Euro Disney became a failure. Objective of this document is to examine marketing management and its role in the business at Euro Disney. Throughout the document it focuses on current marketing function and identifies significant issues which has caused noteworthy drop in the performance of Euro Disney and analyses fundamentals of consumer market behaviour and the use of marketing concept to overcome the situation. Euro Disney Marketing Functions Marketing research   Since Tokyo Disneyland became an instant hit, Walt Disney Company executives believed they learned so much about operating a theme park in another country, they began immediately to search for a site for a fourth park. The selection was Paris for many reasons. France had a spectacular transportation network because of its large population. The Walt Disney Company executives believed since Tokyo Disneyland and Paris was located in almost the same latitude and shared a similar cold-weather climate that they would be able operate successfully. Their research was aimed at Europe because Disney films historically have done better there than in the United States. Because of this Disney entertainment was already familiar with western European audiences, (Scimone, 1991). Marketing planning   SWOT Analysis Product development   Development of Euro Disney was mainly focused on not to repeating two mistakes that they did during past ventures, i.e. Allowing other establishments to open hotels in surrounding area of the theme park As happened in Orlando, Florida, where only 14% of the hotels owned by Disney. Allowing another company to own the theme park Where Disney just collects royalties from an immensely profitable attraction (Solomon, 1994) Consequently, Walt Disney bought far more land then it needed in order to eventually build 700,000 square meters of office space, a 750,000 square meter corporate park, 2,500 individual homes, a 95,000 square meter shopping mall, 2,400 apartments and 3,000 time share apartments (de Quillacq, 1994).   Advertisement and sales promotion Euro Disneyland did marketing to emphasize that it is a Complete vacation destination that offers enough to keep family happily occupied for a week(Scimone, 1991, p18). They promoted Euro Disney as a place where French guest could visit and stay for a long duration. Their main strategy of marketing was promoting the theme park by adopting American Style. i.e.Bigness and extravagance (Wentz Crumley, 1993, p. I 23).Furthermore they used little showcase to market what adventures guests could perform and used characters to explain what they could see inside the park. All the sign boards inside the park were themed with Pirates of Caribbean style and trademark was Smile a lot. To achieve more guest attraction into the park, Euro Disney organized events such as Halloween. Law price tickets were sold after 5pm specifically targeting Parisians, another marketing tactic was to give reductions to school groups and people below 25 and over 60. Selling and distribution   The accessibility to the location of euro Disney Land has been made easier by location itself, where its only 20 miles away from center of Paris and also its situated between two international airports of Orly and Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle. Also the site is connected with French railway regional express where its connected with the Paris metro system. On the opening day itself the direct rail link to Great Britain via the English Channel wade the pathway to countless additional potential guests.   Public relations The employees with trilingual capabilities were given more prominence in recruitment of staff, since Disney hoped to attract visitors from all over Europe. These employees were given special human resource training to implant the Have a nice day mentality and to smile the Disney Smile. Employees were also instructed to adhere to the Disney Look to be in line with the Disney culture. Analysis of the fundamentals of consumer behaviour The buying process There are four types of buying behavior: Disney Europe expected a variety seeking buying behavior from the customer, as they offered a variety of products within the theme park. Ranging from theme park rides, interaction with Disney characters, food, beverages, Disney merchandize and many more. Root cause Analysis The strategy that Disney wanted to implement was the same tried and tested model that they had adopted in the Unites states and Tokyo. However the root causes for their failure was also this strategy which failed to factor in the socio cultural differences of the French and Europeans and their over ambitious plans to develop the site plus their financial structure itself. Strategy mismatch at Euro Disney The root cause of the blunder that Disney made in France was that they perceived that their theme park was a monopoly due to its size a monopoly is described in literature is described as a single supplier with no rivals and high barriers to entry.   When comparing Disney to the other theme parks that were in existence at the time its evident that all of them were small and less known than the famous Disney brand. Also it was very difficult for an investor to come up with a park of the same size and quality due to the high cost involved. Therefore Disneys assumption about the monopolistic position could not be faulted. Disney was also focusing on tourists who would spend several days at the park in order to experience the entire park, which would entail revenue from their hotels, food and merchandise;. Euro Disney due to their perception of their park being a monopoly also priced themselves at a premium, which was more expensive even compared to the tickets for their venues in America. It was also discovered that consumers were not behaving in the manner expected for a monopolistic market. However what transpired was that the French saw it as a day destination which made Disney compete with many other smaller theme parks scattered around France. Euro Disney also miscalculated the per-capita spending of visitors to the park. It was assumed by them that customers would spend as much as Americans and Japanese, however French visitors spent about 12% less than their counterparties. Europeans left the theme parks empty handed whereas this was rarely seen to take place in America and Japan. Cultural Issues Disney failed to identify the existence of cultural differences in Europe resulting in them making the following mistakes; Disney executives thought that Europeans had the same holiday patterns as Americans who spent their money on several short holiday sprees, whereas the Europeans and French were more likely to spread their money and take a few longer breaks. The company also miscalculated the eating habits of the European visitors where they thought they would emulate the Americans by having a quick meal rather than a sit down meal at the appointed time accompanied with wine and liquor. This caused a huge uproar as the French were accustomed to taking a glass of wine with a meal. The employees who were predominantly French were expected to act in a manner that was contradictory to their social customs. The Disney Company expected their employees to adhere to a strict thirteen page guideline which imposed a well scrubbed American look. This did not sit very well with the employees who preferred their individualism. Marketing strategy mismatch The theme park was marketed as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a complete vacation destination that offers enough to keep the family occupied for a week (Scimone, 1991.p.18) this strategy boasts typical American style bigness and extravagance. Where they have completely alienated the emotional aspect of it by neglecting to emphasis on the special memorable experience the family could have. This clearly shows that the company did not consider the views of the Europeans when developing their strategies. Euro Disney also did not see the approaching recession which tumbled the French real estate market which largely negated their strategy of developing property and selling it to potential buyers; it also shrunk the European and French disposable income so that families thought twice before taking a costly vacation at Euro Disney. Operational Strategy Mismatch Euro Disney encountered several operational mismatches during its early existence some of which are still in existence today such as the right level of staffing at the theme park, it was assumed that Monday would be a light day for guests and Friday would be heavy but the reverse was true. They also miscalculated the facilities available for parking, hotel check out positions, poor management of the crowds (Large queues, restaurant seating capacity) Strategic Action Plan for Disney Euro Seven Ps of Euro Disney Product Happiness Place Euro Disney Park Promotion Powerful and widely known brand name The amount of publicity generated by the project Price Determined by benchmarking those of other Disney parks People All the cast members , current and previous customers Physical environment Theme park , hotel , retail complexes and recreational facilities Process The process by which the product happiness and satisfaction is delivered to customers Recommendation and conclusion By analyzing the above facts, there are two main objectives that Euro Disney Co will consider; those are to overcome their high debt incurred along the way of its operations and to fulfil the gap of the cultural mismatch. Euro Disneyland reported $905 million loss for the fiscal year that ended in September 30, 1993(Sterngold, 1994), and by December 31, 1993, Euro Disneyland had amassed cumulative loss of 6.04 Billion French Francs or 1.03 billion US dollars (Grumbel Turner, 1994). Therefore to overcome these debts the following strategies and tactics are recommended; Issuing of shares to the borrowers to set off against the outstanding debts. Rights issue to the existing share holders in order to raise funds to recover the company debts. Downsizing of employees. Reposition the brand to reflect its proximity to Paris. Price deductions on entrance fee and hotel prices on special promotional periods, and on different custom segments such as schools, age and etc. Offer all inclusive packages which include transport, food and accommodation to attract budget tourists. Design special festivals aimed at different seasons of the year such as Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter this will entice visitors to the park several times a year to have a different experience.(Increase Consumption) Introduce activities such as golf, tennis etc to cater to the different segments of visitors. Revamping of the way it was marketed to be a family oriented vacation highlighting the emotional aspect of it. Expand the market to other untapped markets such as the Middle East and Afric A better mechanism to lighten up the current customer service in order to attract more customers to the business. By achieving the plan mentioned above we are confident that the euro Disney operation can be made profitable successful.

A Review On Barcode Technology Deices Information Technology Essay

A Review On Barcode Technology Deices Information Technology Essay The case involves in a study of comparison between the two technologies that are being used Barcode Technology and RFID Technology. The highlights of companys sales and cost that it has incurred is been given by its CEO Mr. Jack Bracket The company has grown its sales to $78 million The cost of goods sold is $61 million The inventory level of the company is about $14 million The company has three factories each at Ohio, Kentucky, South Carolina Company has Service First has its most important competitive priority. The company does mostly pre-production services and also post production services. The company currently uses Barcode technology for scanning all the components moving out of its inventory and for shipping too. BI scans about 8, 850 items per day in all the 3 factories A average BI employee works for about 2000 hours and he has annual pay of $55, 000 inclusive of benefits These are some of the highlights that have been provided for us. Now that Mr. Jack Bracket is considering changing the Barcode technology to RFID technology. The RFID vendor provided the company the following inputs: Barcode takes 10 seconds to scan one item (this includes all the allowances and the time taken for the employee to go to the item and scan the item). The time taken to replace a defective barcode is about 5 minutes. The amount the company has to spend on installing the RFID technology is about $620,000 and $480, 000 for all training and consulting services. The time for RFID to scan a item is 2/100th of a second or instantaneous. The % of error for a bar code technology is 2% over the year for total reads and that for RFID is .2% The average money spent on a misread items was guessed to be approximately about $4 The other benefits of the system such as inventory control and reduce misplacements and reduce in theft were not quantified. 1. Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of RFID systems. How does RFID compare to bar-coding? Did you find any RFID applications for services? Advantages of RFID Technology: The RFID technology does not need line of sight as in the case of the barcodes thereby reducing the amount of space dedicated for it There are various types of RFID and can store lots of data in it. Reduce in the labor force. Decrease in the inventory Good inventory control Reduces the theft and misplacements and increases the security of the product as it can be tracked wireless. Measurement of the inventory level is accurate now due to RFID. Disadvantages of RFID technology The RFID technology is too expensive when compared to the bar-code technology. The passive RFID which is the cheap form of RFID needs a power source to transmit the information to the system. Interference from other equipments in the factory may disturb the transmission of the information to the system. The transmitting of the radio frequency in a pallet containing steel or liquid may be difficult some times. The RFID tags if worn out or removed from the item it may create a confusion. (These data and the information were collected from the websites of various supply chain companies and wireless guides such as: www.ups-scs.com; www.wireless-tracking-advisor.com) Comparison between the two technologies: Criteria RFID Technology Bar-code Technology Cost Costly Relatively Cheap Labor Not much manpower required Labor required higher than RFID Amount of Data that can be stored Maximum amount of data can be stored Not much data can be stored Scanning time 2/100th of second 10 seconds for one item Error% .2% 2% Read/Write There is read write options in RFID There is no such options they are generally read only Applications of RFID Technologies: The RFID technology has various applications in various fields. The RFID has been extensively used in the supply chain management in any manufacturing industry and it has got other applications in the inventory control of the factory. The RFID in the inventory control provides more profit for managing the inventory. The RFID has also got applications in the hospital industries and other industries which needs tracking of its products. 2. What is the payback for this possible RFID adoption? The RFID technology can scan a single item instantaneously or in 2/100th of a second when compared to 10 seconds for a single item for a Bar-code technology. This shows that there is an increase in the productivity of the product for the reason that it can scan more items than the barcode technology thereby decreasing the cycle time and increasing the production rate The RFID needs less manpower compared to the barcode technology. This shows the amount of money spent on the manpower is reduced. The amount of money spent on the technology can be recovered by this. More data can be stored in the RFID than in the barcode technology and these influences in many factors which provide more profit to the factory such as: More productivity Less labor More accuracy Less inventory Less inventory control More security Less inventory audits and inventory checking 3. What do you recommend Mr. Bracket do in the short and long terms? Explain your reasoning. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is the technology which is here to stay so, I would recommend to implement the RFID technology to his factories Even after going through all the profits because of implementing the RFID technology he has doubts about the technology, then I would recommend him to initially implement the technology in any one of his plants. This is because, now he can see the profit that are caused due to implementation of the new technology. This will also provide his employees to get used to the new technology and they can be comfortable working in the new technology. Then after a period of time he can also implement the RFID technology in all the factories of his and can earn a huge amount of profit, due to the increase in the productivity. The main objective of the BI is service first, can now not lose any more business that it had lost previously with the Wolf Furniture. He can also in the future use the RFID technology in inventory control so as to have a control over the inventory and also he can have more security for the items that are manufactured. The implementation of the RFID will also reduce the number of products that were misplaced. BI can also think of applying the RFID tags to each and every component that is being manufactured in the factory. This will help the BI to keep track of the components that are being produced and also will help in calculating the amount of time it spends in each and every operation. With this data of time spent on each and every machine, the production planners can improve on the cycle time of the product. And thereby keeping track of the component for which the process was planned is being followed. This will also help in intimating in plant engineer if there is any rejection and where the rejection occurs. Therefore the RFID can be used in all parts of the industry and it will always yield profit for the company. After all these reasoning I think Mr. Jack Bracket of BI should not have any reservations in implementing the new technology to his company