Are all waste products simply resources that have not been used yet Essay - 1

Are all waste products simply resources that have not been used yet - Essay Example At a holistic level, the approach to managing waste and all the resources that are part of that waste actually contribute towards the achievement of any development. The entire new concept of recycling focuses on the fact that somebody’s waste can be another person’s treasure. Now not in the literal sense, but recycling reproduces used materials into useful products that greatly reduces the need of natural resources to be used. The popularity of recycling as the new approach to waste management perhaps quite well answer the question that almost all waste products are resources in the affirmative. Waste is becoming an increasingly difficult problem to handle. In China alone, municipal solid waste generation increased from a huge 31.3 million tons in the year 1980 to a devastatingly huge number of 113.0 million tons in 1998 (Wang & Nie, 2001). The management of municipal waste is a key concern if environmental protection is a priority for the increased amount of urban con struction and overall development has vastly increased the amount of waste. One stops to wonder why the entire focus of waste disposal has shifted from managing it in a way that it doesn’t take up much space to recycling (Weitz, et al., 2002) which not to forget is an expensive procedure and has given rise to an extremely significant new industry (Wang & Nie, 2001). Solid waste management basically deals with the use of resources and the end of life deposition of materials. Managing waste often requires difficult decision involving the collection, recycling, transportation and finally the disposal of the waste so as to have minimal environmental attack and to save costs as well (Weitz, et al., 2002). The entire logic behind this shift is perhaps rested in the fact that several things that are used and usually thrown away can be brought to use again with the help of recycling. Recycling at several times is thought to be a silly notion by many but it is truly not. With the help of a little imagination recycling can be extremely useful. What is more important is the fact that recycling products doesn’t always have to be an extremely complicated process. Looking at several household items, news papers and magazines that old and become useless can be used to donate to a hospital where patients are all tied up and need an activity. Recycling doesn’t always have to be the difficult technological process but giving thongs away in charity is also a form of recycling. Goods and items that one doesn’t need any more can be of great use to a charitable organization supporting the poor and needy. In fact the simple act of using rechargeable batteries is an example of reusing things that would have otherwise contributed to waste. Recycling not only saves time and cost but also the further depletion of the world’s fast running out natural resources. Recycling doesn’t only save and generate valuable resources but has a wide array of be nefits associated with the environment and the society in general (Imperial London College, 2013). An extremely interesting fact that has come to notice is that even waste is categorized into different types as per its respective recycle value. The major materials that are recovered from the Municipal Solid Waste are the ones

Dyson and Eureka Essay Example for Free

Dyson and Eureka Essay Bissell Homecare Inc. is an American vacuum cleaner manufacturer which has a rich heritage spanning 130 years of innovation. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, they improved on their initial carpet cleaner design and began manufacturing on a large-scale. Midway through the twentieth century, Bissell had gradually transformed into a full-fledged vacuum cleaner business by incorporating feature such as shampooer and integrated heater. Bissell’s innovation was responsible for introducing deep cleaning into the mass market, which was once confined to commercial providers. Bissell has managed to build up a good reputation over the years by sustaining quality and building reliable products. Its cleaning business today is categorized into products such as deep cleaners, vacuum cleaners, bare floor cleaners and cleaning formulas. Their deep cleaners come in canister, upright and compact variants. They also include specialty attachments for cleaning couches, cars and electronic equipment. Bissell also does healthy business by selling accessories for its complete line of cleaning equipment. Bissell markets it specialty products to three different markets that include allergen control, eco-friendly and pet products. Recognizing the critical need for being environment conscious, Bissell’s current strategy is to focus on its sustainable design objective. It has introduced cleaning products made of recyclable materials and adopted eco-friendly manufacturing techniques. For instance, one of its compact deep cleaners â€Å"Little Green† does not contain PVC and is made of recycled materials, while its cleaning formula is free from phosphates and other toxic metals (Bissell 2008). It also manufactures a steam mop which eliminates the need for using chemical formulas that cause fumes. One of Bissell’s noteworthy strategic initiatives is ‘closed loop manufacturing’ which uses post consumer recycled materials to manufacture new deep cleaning and vacuuming equipment. Its chemical blow molding process uses reused resin from trimmed-off waste to manufacture new bottles. Bissell also has recycling programs for battery, paper, Styrofoam and computers in its premises. It is fulfilling its corporate social responsibility by doing charity work for children under the Ronald McDonald House Charities; it also contributes by collaborating with an online pet adoption community, Kent County Humane Society and Grand Rapids Public School system (Bissell Centre Annual Report 2007). These initiatives have been instrumental in providing Bissell an environment and socially conscious brand image. Bissell’s primary competition comes from Hoover; other competitor brands worth mentioning are Dyson and Eureka. The pricing of Bissell products is quite comparable to other similar products in the market, thereby remaining competitive in the consumer market. Bissell vacuum cleaners are relatively easy to operate, more efficient and lighter in weight compared to the competition. Its reliable customer service is also noteworthy in today’s consumer-driven market. Their vacuum cleaners are also widely available in retail outlets, online shops and home-improvement stores, thereby being easily accessible all over the country. However, their carpet cleaning variants are mostly available upon order owing to their size. Bissell have also smoothly transitioned into the age of information technology, as its website lucidly explains the features of its products and helps customers pick the right model for their requirement. Bissell’s future objectives include venturing into untapped markets in the global arena and diversifying into allied industries. Its latest business venture is its purchase of Woolite, it effort to diversify into the upholstery and carpets domain. It is also in the process of constantly developing new products to simplify domestic cleaning while striving to make a greener tomorrow. Bissell is poised to conquer newer markets in the near future owing to the recent strides in globalization. Reference: Bissell. (2008). Earth-Friendly Cleaning Solutions for your Home. Retrieved 31 July 2008, http://www. bissell. com/Page_id/47134/Earth_Friendly_Products. aspx Bissell Centre. Bissell Centre Annual Report 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2008, http://www. bissellcentre. org/documents/annualreport. pdf

The Symbolic Meaning Behind the Black Procession in OConners A Late E

The Symbolic Meaning Behind the Black Procession in O'Conner's A Late Encounter with the Enemy Czechoslovakian philosopher and political mind Vaclav Havel, in his discourse The Power of the Powerless, talks about the danger of "living within a lie" (84). He argues that individuals who refuse to develop a strong sense of self and instead "merge with the anonymous crowd and flow comfortably along with it down the river of pseudo-life" (38) inevitably experience a "profound crisis of human identity" (45). Havel was speaking specifically of communism, but more broadly of the human condition. His warning is similar to moral message of Southern writer Flannery O'Conner in her short stories, specifically A Late Encounter with the Enemy. O'Conner, unlike Havel, sends her message through her fictional characters. They frequently live in contrived worlds the neglect the realities of their lives. O'Conner operates on a highly symbolic and ironic level to demonstrate this to her readers. In A Late Encounter with the Enemy, the General is typical of O'Conner's characters, unwilling to reveal his actual self. But when he is faced with the black procession at graduation, it reminds him of his true, forgotten past, and it is this truth -- the enemy -- which ultimately leads to his death. The General refuses to remember the past. He refers to it as "a dreary black procession" (399). The past is of no importance to him because he is only concerned with the present. All he cares for are parades and "beautiful guls" (400). The General is able to justify his avoidance of the past. O'Conner tells us that he "didn't have any use for history because he never expected to meet it again" (399). There is only one moment from the... ...he gives about him, giving the reader a clear picture of what sort of character he is. But he is weak in his sense of self, content to live as a symbol of a glorious past rather than as a true human. O'Conner exploits this weakness and slowly breaks the General down through the course of the story. She demonstrates the dangers of living a lie, of becoming someone that one is not. Her message is that the fate of the General will be the fate of all man if he chooses to live within a lie. O'Conner warns that life lived without human identity is comparable to Havel's river of pseudo-life. Only she uses the image of a black procession -- dark, solemn and resulting in painful death. The analogies are very different, but the message is the same. Works Cited Havel, Vaclav. The Power of the Powerless. trans. Paul Wilson. Hutchinson Educational, 1985.

“Social Construction of Reality”

â€Å"Social Construction of Reality† Reality is not an objective thing that is imposed upon us, but is created by us. Reality does not exist externally but internally, as each individual or group interprets it, and is always changing. Due to these concepts sociologists often speak about the â€Å"social construction of reality† which is essential to understand when attempting to explain human social behavior. Since realty is the basis of people’s actions, W. I. Thomas states, â€Å"If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences†.The â€Å"social construction of reality†, human social behavior and W. I. Thomas’s statement are three concepts that fit hand in hand and are important when trying to explain one another. Sociologists speak about the â€Å"social construction of reality† as a way to describe the significance of how society shapes our definition of reality. People coming together to build reality and define something as real because we define it as real. As sociologists explain the social construction of reality they have observed that each society or the social groups that each person belongs to forms ones particular views on life.Our â€Å"social construction of reality† constructs our views of how we see the world around us therefore affecting how we see reality and why we do the things we do. People construct reality using the five senses: sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste. For example, when taking a table into consideration, one does not react to the concrete object but the meaning we give it. If this same table were to fall out of the sky, land in a jungle and tribe people were to stumble across it they most likely would not use it in the same context but maybe as a bed or a sacrificial altar.The â€Å"social construction of reality† not only applies to inanimate objects but to relationships and the basis of how someone treats someone else, such as symbo lic interactionism (Essentials of Sociology, pg. 15). Symbolic interactionism such as we attach meaning to things and this is how everyone understands similar views in the world and how we communicate with one another. This is evident when one dissects the idea of the enslavement of Africans, known as the â€Å"white mans burden†. Whites defined blacks as less than human, savages or creatures that could not survive off of their own minimal cognitive reasoning.This understanding was the basis of slavery. Another example is the idea of marriage and divorce, and how the institution is ever changing. Up until the early 1900’s marriage was viewed as a lifelong commitment, divorce was â€Å"taboo† and shunned as being immoral and the abandonment of adult responsibility. In 1945 sociologists Ernest Burgess and Harvey Locke noted that couples were looking at marriage as less of a lifelong commitment and more of an arrangement that was based on attraction and feelings, i t became a situation that could be broken when feelings changed.Divorce became more common and was defined more positive as freedom and new beginnings (Essentials of Sociology, pg. 16). An example of another â€Å"reality† is how from person to person there is no true definition of success. The letter grade â€Å"B† brings on different emotions depending on the individual. One student would jump for joy to pass with the â€Å"B† while others would be sad, even cry. In actuality â€Å"B† is just a shape, a letter of the English alphabet, given on paper but what the person defines it as gives it meaning to their reality, and then forget about the â€Å"+† or â€Å"-â€Å" given accompanied with the letter grade.Our social construction of reality defines our behavior and how we respond to the meaning that we give these situations or objects. Human social behavior is what is based off of once a reality is socially constructed. This is why it is so im portant to first understand the concept of the â€Å"social construction of reality† before trying to explain why people act the way they do. Because this object with four legs attached to a flat surface is defined as a â€Å"table† one uses it to eat on or sit at and not other things such as sleep on.If an individual were to use it as something else they would be looked at as being weird because they are not doing what is socially accepted or viewed as â€Å"breaking the rules†. The concept of ethnocentrism is where a group of people tries to change another group of people to make them like them so they can â€Å"save† them for their own good. This is done because according to their social construction of reality however the opposing group behaves is â€Å"wrong†. This can be seen throughout history for example the crusades, as stated before the â€Å"white mans burden† in Africa, and the war in Iraq.During the days of slavery, treating a b lack individual maliciously was socially accepted because of the way reality was constructed. The changing attitudes toward marriage and divorce are evident when one looks at the trends. Marriage is not viewed the same as it was 100 years ago; it is not necessary to be married forming a family by age 15. This concept of social construction of reality also explains why patterns form and how people can develop similar behavior without having to know each other.On the streets of New York good sidewalk etiquette is defined as passing another person on the right, walking far enough not to brush the other person ,if one can help it, and ensuring not to look at the person when walking by. However, when any of these rules are broken it makes the other individual uneasy or even angry. But these unwritten rules aren’t necessarily the same in different parts of the world, for example in London it is socially correct that if you are walking towards and passing someone else that you part ways on the left side.Other areas where unwritten rules exist are in elevators, such as where and how to stand, and also seen in face-to-face conversations, such as eye contact and distance something known as â€Å"personal space†. Ones views for what is right from wrong also comes from the foundation on what one defines as real. W. I. Thomas’s quote, â€Å"If men define a situation as real, its real in its consequences† correlates directly to the idea that human social behavior is based off of the â€Å"social construction of reality†.Thomas is analyzing that reality is a social product that is construed by whatever we define as real. Humans do what they do and react solely by the meaning we give things and not the things in and of itself. This is why money, gold and diamonds are â€Å"valuable†. Money is simply made of paper but because it is defined as currency we make it out to be very valuable. To better understand this notion one can take not e of our system of crime and punishment, which is based off of W. I. Thomas’s thoughts.When the jury makes a decision, they are deciding on what they perceive as reality. They do not know exactly what happened but from witnesses and evidence they make this judgment. W. I. Thomas’s idea is significant in the study of human social behavior because it further proves that human actions are based off of the reality that something is true. This is why what is defined as â€Å"normal† varies from culture to culture and the decided meaning to an object or action is arbitrary. The â€Å"social construction of reality†, human social behavior and W.I. Thomas’s quote, â€Å"If men define a situation as real, it is real in its consequences† are concepts that compliment one another. To be able to understand fully, one must be able to comprehend all concepts. When sociologists speak about the â€Å"social construction of reality† through the groups that we belong to we learn ways of looking at whatever happens to us and what we see because through social interaction is how we construct reality and from that point on is how we behave and respond.It’s not a question of which came first the chicken or the egg, because in the eyes of sociologists human social behavior is caused by the â€Å"social construction or reality† and W. I. Thomas’s statement is an abridgment of these concepts explaining men’s definitions of situations given the meaning of what is what or who is who. It doesn’t matter what is real or not, what does exist or not exist, because we give meaning or â€Å"consequences† to this reality that has been portrayed and instilled in our minds. References Henslin, J. M. 2011. Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach-9th edition. Pearson. Social Construction of Reality The â€Å"Social Construction of Reality† is a work of hypothetical reasoning to the redefine the task and to broaden its range to understand the redefining of sociological knowledge. Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann both argue that reality is socially constructed by the knowledge of the people for social reality is produced and communicated amongst others. They emphasize on the fact that human is a part of a product of society and vice versa: society is a product of human. Berger and Luckmann follow the Schutz’s concept of viewing the reality of everyday life as an â€Å"intersubjective world†- a world shared with many others.Berger and Luckmann begin with emphasizing strongly on the multiple interpretations of â€Å"reality† amongst the â€Å"intersubjective world† they share. They argue the meanings that we, as human, interpret from the messages and what we situate ourselves in, is affected by our knowledge, our surroundings and our interactio ns. And what we interpret corresponds with others’ interpretations. It’s a constant, ongoing paralleling conflict/agreement between your individual meaning and others’ meaning of a message. Berger accentuates that we take the â€Å"reality of everyday life for granted as reality. I felt in the way that he was criticizing humans for being ignorant and close minded to what more the world can offer and only focusing on the views of our individual society. Human only seek to understand our individual knowledge of a subject, hence that I mentioned before in my interpretations, that our society is constructed by knowledge. I then concluded that Berger was arguing on the concept that we, as humans, are de-humanizing ourselves through our view of society. He gives off an example, which I completely agree with, to further emphasize on how humans can become oblivious to the world that is outside OUR individual world.He speaks of a case, where an automobile mechanic who k nows of only American cars is put in a situation where a customer brings in a Volkswagen-a foreign-made car. Now this mechanic is required to enter the â€Å"problematic† world of foreign cars with curiosity to lead, or makes the choice to not leave his â€Å"everyday reality. † We, as humans (depending on the individual’s personality) become cautious when the problematic world is presented to us. Whether the society involves humans to be risk taker, no human would leave their world of comfort and sanity to join and explore something completely different from the world they are familiarizing with.After hours of re-reading this excerpt, I finally got an idea or at least a gist of what Bergen and Luckmann argues. I then related their argument to past historical events or events that we deal and struggle with today. I related this excerpt to the struggle that women endured in the mid 1800’s. Many, more in general, men, didn’t recognize women were huma n with rights according to the governmental documentations. Men saw women as property, especially if they were married. Women were stripped off their rights when married and were considered delicate and weak.Women possess the knowledge that they were equal to men; they knew that the society there were stuck in was incorrect. So they, as â€Å"delicate and weak† beings took the chance to explore their own â€Å"problematic† world. And that lead to a movement, a strong revolution consisting of women fighting for their rights. And the ignorance in this situation is presented through the share of the men’s interpretation of what a woman is and the purpose they are to be serving in society. As Berger argues that we take our reality of everyday for granted, I agreed.In today’s society, it becomes clear that certain women belittle themselves for men. In today’s society, women don’t realize how grateful we are to be able to a complete true citizen. From sending nudes and selling their body, it puts a strong movement that was revolutionizing in the19th century to waste. Women become close minded, exactly as Berger and Luckmann argued, and only see for their individual society. That’s why we need to vote; at least to appreciate that the rights we now possessed were fought for, for us to be equal.

How does the theme of loneliness affect the friendship and relationships in “Of Mice and Men?” Essay

The novel is set in California in the 1930’s. It is about migrant workers working on a ranch. The novel tells us about two lonely men who travel together. While they are together they carry something inside called â€Å"The American Dream†. It was a dream that one day they would make money and have a place of their own but it was hard because of The Great Depression. The Great Depression was a result of the Wall Street crash which meant economy declined and people worked hard but got low wages. Migrant workers had to travel from ranch to ranch for work and often stayed for a short period of time. Because of their circumstances, life was lonely. Migrant workers led a lonely life, but often factors in the 1930’s prejudice caused people to become lonely. Society discriminated people because of their race, gender, age and often simply because someone was different, which meant if you black, or too old and weak to be useful or if you were a women on a ranch, you could lead a very lonely life. This affects a number of characters in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† Furthermore, some characters isolate themselves from others. Carlson and Crooks do so, in order to protect themselves from the harshness of life. George and Lennie are two men who travel together trying to save money so that one day they can have their little place where Lennie could pet the rabbits and chickens and they can â€Å"live ‘off the fatta the lan†. To an extent George and Lennie understand each other emotionally but are physically different. George is described as having â€Å"strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose†. Whereas Lennie is the opposite, he is, â€Å"a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws†. Steinbeck often compares Lennie to animals which reinforce the wild uncontrollable side of his character. Lennie is like a child in a man’s body. George gives a lot of care for Lennie so he doesn’t get in any trouble like he did in Weed. People thought Lennie was going to rape a girl. Lennie provides George with company and without Lennie, George would probably be an ordinary lonely isolated worker. George and Lennie have a relationship that is almost like father and son, George the father and Lennie the son. George needs Lennie by his side to keep him motivated but he does not like to admit it as we see in the novel, â€Å"If you don’t want me, I can go off in the hills and find a cave. I can go away any time†. George then replies â€Å"No look! I was just foolin’. Lennie cause I want you to stay with me†. George is much more dominant because he has all the control over Lennie and is much cleverer therefore he would know what to do in difficult situations, but on the other hand George is also lonelier because he looks after Lennie who is simple minded. George does not have a friend who is his intellectual equal and makes him even lonelier. â€Å"God a’ mighty, if I was alone I could live so easily. I could get a job an’ work†. Showing us there is an advantage and disadvantage with George having to look after Lennie. Lennie’s shortcoming leads George and Slim to make friends. George confides in Slim in manor that suggests he has not been able to talk with someone who understands him for some time. Migrant workers had a bad way to make relationships with women who they simply paid for sex and because they worked all day they were too tired to make friends or relationship. They moved from place to place which meant they did not have many possessions, just anything they could carry with them. Whit is a good example of the life of a typical migrant worker. He was lonely and found it hard to make friends or relationships with anyone, but when making friends he sees them as very important as his friend Bill, who he reads about in the magazine. Migrant workers went through that sort of lifestyle because they thought â€Å"The American Dream† was something worth working hard for so everyone did their best to accomplish the dream but as Steinbeck illustrates, many failed due to loneliness, they have no motivation or support from anyone so being lonely does not help at all. Slim thinks, â€Å"Everybody in the whole damn world are scared of one and other†. This might be because there is hardly any communication in the ranch. George and Lennie’s â€Å"Dream† was to own a ranch of their own and Lennie to pet rabbits and feed the chickens. It was the ambition that bought them and kept them together. Candy is an old man who has only his dog left in his life. He is not physically strong like the other men so he is useless in the ranch. He gossips a lot because he wants to make himself seem useful and make friends. He is isolated by the other men because he is old and so is his dog. When Candy wants to go in the bunk house he can not leave his dog outside because he loves it, so he brings it in but the other men kick him out. Carlson says, â€Å"God almighty that dog stinks. Get him outta here, Candy! I don’t know nothing that stinks so bad as an old dog. You gotta get him out!† Candy’s dog gets shot because it is old and worthless to the other men. Steinbeck shows us what life is like in the ranch by the dog. The dog gets shot but life continues. This influences George at the end of the novel, Lennie gets shot but life continues. Candy’s dog is a metaphor for Candy’s life and what might happen to him when he becomes useless. Candy is frightened he will lose his job in the ranch and end up with no money because he is old. He then tries to get involved with George and Lennie’s dream so he does not end up with any money. Lennie talks ambitiously about the dream and Candy says, â€Å"An’ they give me two hundred an’ fifty dollars cause I los’ my hand. An’ I got fifty more saved up right in the bank, right now†. He says he could be useful when they buy yhe place and feed the chickens. The dream makes Candy more confident after his dog had got shot. Curley’s Wife’s death made Candy give up hope on the dream because he knew things were not going to work. This happened before Curley’s wife was killed. As readers we feel sorry for Candy because he has nothing left in his life now. At the time of the novel everyone was prejudice and racist to Crooks because he is black. Crooks works in the â€Å"horse stable†. He is not allowed to step in the bunk house with the other men so he is separated and is forced to sleep in the â€Å"horse stable† with the horses. Crooks is independent, one of the loneliest characters in the novel and keeps to himself. He is bitter to other people because of the way he is treated. He is not used to socializing with others. We notice this when Lennie suddenly appears at â€Å"horse stable† to ask Crooks if he could check on his pup and Crooks replies bitterly, â€Å"Well I got a right to have a light. You go an’ get outta my room. I aint wanted in the bunk house and you aint wanted in my room†. Crooks carries this attitude because of all the racism that went on. He then says, â€Å"Cause I’m black they say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all stink to me†. Lennie tells Crooks about the dream and Crooks starts getting friendlier because he becomes interested on what the dream is about. All of a sudden Curley’s wife steps in and asks for Curley but then ends up talking about Lennie’s dream. Crooks sticks up for himself and tells her to go out of his barn or he will tell the boss to never let her in. Curley’s wife intimidates Crooks saying, â€Å"Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you stung up on a tree so easily it ain’t even funny†. It shows how Curley’s wife made Crooks bitter and all to himself again just when he started to have a bit of faith in people. Curley’s wife is the only women living in the ranch. We never know her name in the novel, she is only described as Curley’s wife and Steinbeck clearly does this to show she is his possession and she does not have any freedom. Because of this she lives a life of loneliness with no friendships with anyone other than Curley. The other women in the novel are Sussy, Clara and Aunt Clara. Susy and Clara both run a whorehouse each but Susy’s whorehouse is more successful. Aunt Clara used to give Lennie mice to pet. And What does this tell us about men and women in that society? Curley’s wife puts make up on and has her hair neat. â€Å"She had full, roughed lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers†. Steinbeck describes Curley’s wife with the colour red because red is the most emotionally intense colour and the colour of love and blood. It also symbolizes danger which comes at the end of the novel when Lennie kills her. Curley’s wife also stands in a very sexy manner as Steinbeck illustrates she put her hands back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward and she then says, â€Å"You’re the new fellas that just come, ain’t ya?†. The men in the ranch call her different names. Candy says â€Å"Well, I think Curley’s married a tart†. George says, â€Å"Jesus what a tramp†. Whit calls her a â€Å"bitch†. She is a very lonely woman so she acts very sexy towards the other men in order to get attention because she has no friends. Curley imposes her loneliness on her. He doesn’t like her being in the ranch with the other men and so she is lonely because is not entitled to friendship. In the novel the men say she is a tart but I think she is just lonely and wants attention. As readers we feel a lot of sympathy for her. Curley’s wife had a dream too. She says she could have been a star because she met a man in the movie business. â€Å"He says he was gonna put me in the movies, said I was a natural†. She also says â€Å"Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes†, but her mother stole a letter she was expecting so she could be a movie star. She ends up marrying Curley and becomes a woman in a ranch affected by â€Å"loneliness†. Curley’s wife’s death is significant to the other characters because it changes everyone. George knew Curley’s wife’s death was a mistake by Lennie. Lennie got very scared and panicked. Candy was confused and did not know what was going to happen next. Curley wanted revenge. Lennie and Curley’s wife are both very lonely people affected by loneliness because they are both one of a kind, Lennie being simple minded and Curley’s wife being the only woman in the ranch. They are both two people in the novel that can not communicate with any one else well in the novel because no one can understand their unique personalities. Lennie and Curley’s wife find themselves alone right after Lennie killed his pup. Lennie did not want to talk to Curley’s wife because George said, â€Å"she is nothing but trouble†. Eventually they both start talking friendly amongst each other. Curley’s wife shares a secret with Lennie. She tells him something she has not told any one. She says, â€Å"I don’t like Curley. He’s not a nice fella†. We find out that she does not even like Curley so she’s even lonelier then us as readers thought. Lennie tells Curley’s wife he likes to touch and feel velvet and anything that is soft. Curley’s wife lets Lennie stroke her hair because it is soft. Lennie says, â€Å"Oh! That’s nice†. He gets carried away and starts stroking harder. Curley’s wife yells out â€Å"stop†. Lennie panics and covers her mouth and nose with his big hand. He accidentally kills her. Steinbeck shows us that the death of Curley’s wife and Lennie are both due to loneliness. As readers we are affected by their death because we can se what excess of too much loneliness can come to. We also feel very sorry for Curley’s wife because she could have had a much better life being a movie star but ended up in the wrong environment and now, dead. The life she led was unfair. We feel sorry for Lennie because he does not realise what he does and George has no choice but as a good friend, George shot Lennie. George also learnt that its better he shot as a favour of a good friend than to have Curley to kill him with revenge. As soon as George saw Curley’s wife’s body he knew Lennie had committed a big mistake. Candy lost hope in the â€Å"dream† because he knew things were not going to work out, whereas everyone else got their guns and wanted to kill Lennie. Steinbeck shows us that all the characters in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† are affected by loneliness in one way or another. As readers we learn from the novel that loneliness can lead to death. We learn we should not choose to be lonely. We are all alone in this huge universe so companionship should be treasured.

TIM OBRIEN ACTUAL EXPERIENCES AND HIS STORIES essays

TIM OBRIEN ACTUAL EXPERIENCES AND HIS STORIES essays Vietnam war has been one of the most controversial and humiliating military experiences of the United States. While it was a military defeat for the country and the government at large, it meant something more for those who experienced it first hand in the battlefield. The war meant erosion and sudden loss of innocence, it meant deep and ugly scars on hearts and minds that even years of therapy couldn't heal and it also meant an apparent suspension of reality. For those who saw the people dying in this senseless conflict and experienced their pain and suffering, life was never the same after coming back from the war. They remained in a state of disillusionment, forever wondering why this war took place in the first This confusion, persistent bombardment of questions, a barrage of unresolved issues took their toll on the veterans and some completely lost their grip on reality. For them reality was no longer what it was other people. They had seen something horrible, which was definitely so terrible that they must have questioned themselves if it really happened or what they just imagining the whole conflict. But this is not because they didn't remember the truth but simply because the ugly nature of war urged their minds to seek escape. Their internal alarm system made them turn away from reality and develop numerous different versions of it just to remain sane and retain their ability to function as normal human being. But it is not very often that we are given true account of war veterans and their experiences on the battlefield. Most of the accounts that reach us are fabricated stories with some grain of truth. The real and close analysis of veterans' experiences during the Vietnam War shows that none of them actually remember clearly what happened on the battlefield. Their vision has been blurred and their minds have refused to accurately recall the events of the war. For this re...

The Life, Music, and Accomplishments Of Lee Morgan

The Life, Music, and Accomplishments Of Lee Morgan Free Online Research Papers â€Å"If it wasn’t for music, this country would have blown up a long time ago, in fact, the whole world. Music is the only thing that spans across all ethnic groups and all languages. Music is the only thing that awakens the dead man and charms the savage beast. Without it, this would be a hell of a world.† -Lee Morgan, January 1972 Edward Lee Morgan, the trumpet player, composer, and band leader who was considered to be a quintessential hard-bopper, was one of the most important jazzmen of his time. In his fast paced life, he played with Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band, Art Blakely’s Jazz Messengers, released twenty-five albums of his own on the Blue Note label, appeared as a sideman on many more, and was a leader of the Jazz and People’s Movement. Few people accomplish half as much in their lives as Lee Morgan managed to fit into his thirty-three year life. He is undoubtedly worth studying for his music, compositions, and his efforts to change the public’s perception of jazz. Lee Morgan was born on July 10, 1938 (the same year as Freddy Hubbard), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although he was born in Philadelphia, his roots lie in the south, where both of his parents were from. Both of his parents were from large, poor families and came north to find a higher quality of life. His father was an amateur trombone player and pianist who also played organ for their church. This was important because it gave Lee a gateway to music, and it was also one of the primary factors behind his family’s strong support for his career. When Lee was thirteen years old, his sister gave him his first trumpet. He immediately began studying with his father and sister and soon after enrolled in Mastbaum High School for the Arts. Being in a vocational school enabled him to study music for half of the day as well as play in the school concert band, dance combo, and theater group. Morgan’s first private teacher was a local professional trumpet player named Hyy Wynn who played for the Philadelphia Ice Capades, but wasn’t a good influence for his students. Lee’s childhood friend, Michael La Voe, who also studied with Wynn recalled, â€Å"He would look for any excuse to light up a cigarette while he was giving a lesson†¦ Wynn was a chain smoker and would breathe out massive amounts of smoke to demonstrate the lung capacity needed to play the trumpet.† Outside of school Lee was very active in the local music scene. He began playing professionally when he was fifteen years old. He and bassist James â€Å"Spanky† Debrest led their own group which played mainly at dance clubs and fraternity parties. Lee and James also cut out of school early on Tuesdays to attend jam sessions at Ellis Jollin’s Music City. This put Lee in contact with Dizzy Gillespie and his main influence, Clifford Brown, who Lee visited frequently at his West Philadelphia home. These early contacts were crucial to the development of his career. Also of great importance was Lee’s personal record collection, which he listed in his high school yearbook as his favorite hobby. He was well versed in music from Louis Armstrong to what was current at the time, but his collection was dominated by be-bop wind players. Aside from Clifford Brown and Dizzy Gillespie, he loved Fats Navarro, and his earlier playing actually had some resemblance to Fats in the numerous grace notes, the light tone quality, and the long melodic lines both players shaped. As soon as Morgan graduated high school in 1956, he started gaining recognition as the next great jazz trumpet player. The month he graduated, Clifford Brown died in a tragic car accident, thrusting Lee into the spotlight as his successor. This happened much in the same way Cannonball Adderly was showcased after Charlie Parker passed away. That summer, after playing several engagements in Wildwood and Atlantic City, New Jersey, Lee Morgan and â€Å"Spanky† Debrest subbed with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers when the band arrived in Philadelphia missing a bass and trumpet player. At this point, Lee didn’t want to sign a contract, so he did not stay with the Jazz Messengers as Debrest did. Only a few months after playing with Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie returned from a tour of South America and hired Morgan to fill Joe Gordon’s seat in his big band. In the liner notes to ‘Lee Morgan Indeed,’ Lee states, â€Å"I’d met him a couple of ye ars before at the [music city] workshop, and he knew about me. He needed a replacement for Joe Gordon, and I needed some big band experience, so it worked out fine.† Lee played at such a level that Dizzy entrusted him to play the trumpet solo on â€Å"A Night In Tunisia,† which was one of Dizzy’s most famous compositions. Nat Hentoff, in the liner notes to ‘Leeway’ recalled, â€Å"My back was to the bandstand as the band started playing Night in Tunisia. Suddenly, a trumpet soared out of the band into a break that was so vividly brilliant and electrifying that all conversation in the room stopped and those of us who were gesturing were frozen with our hands outstretched.† Although joining Dizzy’s band prevented him from attending Julliard, to which he was accepted, no one would disagree that Lee Morgan was a student of music. In the period between his joining of Dizzy Gillespie’s Orchestra and rejoining the Jazz Messengers in 1958 (a span of approximately fifteen months), Lee was on over forty recording sessions. Although many of these were with Dizzy’s band and as a sideman, six of them were with his own group. As a sideman Lee was playing with Hank Mobley, Donald Byrd, Johnny Griffin, Clifford Jordan, Jimmy Smith, John Coltrane, and Tina Brooks. Out of all these recordings, John Coltrane’s ‘Blue Train sessions’ stood out the most because it served as a middle ground between his Clifford Brown influence and the development of his own style. Lee’s eight bar solo break on â€Å"Locomotion,† (example one of the Selected Lee Morgan Excerpts) a twelve bar blues with an eight bar bridge, demonstrates a line similar to one Clifford Brown might play. It has the same constant flow of information, similar punchy articulation, and similar angularity Clifford Brow n used in his playing. He also â€Å"digs† into the time, which is something Brown started. It is also worth noting that the fourth bar in Lee’s second chorus sounds similar to the beginning of the second chorus on Clifford Brown’s â€Å"Joy Spring.† Lee Morgan’s recordings as a bandleader during this period demonstrate his search for an individual sound, although they do not feature his original compositions. It was not until he rejoined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers that Lee was truly able to reach an individual artistic statement. Although there were still ties to his influences, at that point he reached his individual style, which he maintained and built on throughout his career without making any dramatic changes. A strong example of his style is the title track of the album, ‘Moanin’ (example 2 of the Selected Lee Morgan Excerpts). It displays his bold, acrobatic, blues-oriented style that essentially defined hard-bop trumpet. He started the solo energetically, in the upper register of the trumpet, while using a lot of space in the first six bars. In the eighth bar Lee presented a motif involving an offbeat, sixteenth note triplet figure, which was based around the simple blues scale and reappeared several times in the solo, with slight rhythmic variations. This solo was also a textbook example of the nuances Lee incorporated into his playing. He frequently used grace notes to build intensity at the beginning and ending of phrases as shown in bars one, three, and fifteen, and sixteen. He also tended to use half valve effects, smears, and staccato notes to accentuate his intense feeling of time. He stayed with the Jazz Messengers until 1961 and recorded on twenty-nine different sessions with the band. He played with tenor saxophonists Benny Golson and Hank Mobley. Eventually trombonist Curtis Fuller was added to the group, and in 1959, Lee convinced Art Blakey to hire Wayne Shorter as the tenor saxophonist. Due to an unfortunate heroin addiction, Lee was forced to leave the group in 1961 because he had become unreliable and his playing began to suffer. He was replaced by Freddy Hubbard. Morgan went back to Philadelphia until 1963 and appeared on few records in this period. He had such a low profile in New York during this two year struggle that one radio announcer thought he had died and held a Lee Morgan tribute that Lee happened to be listening to. He did play a handful of engagements with Jimmy Heath between 1962 and 1963. These performances are interesting because it is the first time Lee played with â€Å"Spanky† Debrest since they subbed in the Jazz Messengers. When Lee Morgan returned to New York in the winter of 1963, he recorded ‘The Sidewinder.’ The title track of this album became his largest commercial success, reaching the top twenty-five on RB billboards. This annoyed Lee because he only recorded the track as ‘filler’ to take up space on the album. The album itself is of great importance to Lee Morgan’s career and to the development of jazz. This recording acted as the spark plug for a new style of music which fused jazz with soul. After recording ‘The Sidewinder’ he went briefly back on the road with Art Blakey but returned to New York to pursue his commercial success. It is important to note that before ‘The Sidewinder,’ almost none of the songs used on Lee Morgan’s albums were his original compositions. However, from this recording on he generally featured his own compositions, which explored the fusion of jazz with soul, in a hard-bop setting. In 1965 Lee Morgan recorded ‘Corn Bread,’ another landmark album for his career. On this album was what is considered to be his finest composition, ‘Ceora.† It is a relatively slow, thirty-two bar (ABAB), bossa nova, with a pretty piano introduction played by Herbie Hancock. The melody of ‘Ceora’ bears resemblance to the standard, â€Å"If Someone Had Told Me.† Lee plays an incredibly lyrical solo that is brilliantly constructed (example 3 of the Selected Lee Morgan Excerpts). He simply outlines the changes while managing to build passionate lines that dig deep into the pocket of the time. Although Lee Morgan continued to preserve the hard-bop tradition throughout his career, his music got progressively more experimental as he grew older. The biggest changes were in the instrumentations he was writing for. In 1969, he hired Bennie Maupin as a woodwind doubler to play tenor saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet. He also started using electric guitar, bass guitar, piano, and organ to achieve different effects. Some of his compositions leaned towards a more modal harmonic structure, but he was never able to fully abandon his blues-focused hard bop style. The biggest problems he ran into in the last phase of his life (outside of a continued struggle with drug addiction) were his tone quality, range, and endurance, which became dramatically worse with time. One factor was that Lee always played unusually loud in his earlier years, which led to the deterioration of his chops. Another obvious problem was his drug use, which left him in a constant state of exhaustion. He eventually reached the point where he fell asleep in the most unusual places, such as pool tables. His girlfriend at the time, Helen Moore (who eventually became his common-law wife), helped him to reestablish himself, and in 1970 he put a band together for the first time in two years. He recorded the album, ‘Live at the Lighthouse,’ at full playing capacity. Equally as important as his playing in the latter part of his career was Lee Morgan’s active involvement in attempting to make the public aware of jazz. Lee was not only a prolific improviser and composer but also an articulate and intelligent person who wanted to see all good music viewed equally. He understood that the media’s view of jazz was a dark, greed-driven social problem that needed to be changed. Michael Bourne wrote in the last interview of Lee Morgan: To Morgan, this dilemma was two-fold, or rather two-faced: lack of respect, and a lack of proportion black American art and the general American culture. Regarding the first lack, Morgan condemned indifference toward music, reinforced by media tokenism, specifically the over exploitation of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong as representative jazz personalities. The media viewed jazz as too hard to sell and covered up the problem by hiring a few black musicians to play in the show’s house bands and occasionally bringing famous jazz musicians such as Armstrong and Ellington to play with the house bands. This gave the viewers the false perception that jazz was still an important part of American culture. Lee didn’t resent pop artists for being successful; the movement he helped to lead stood for the exact opposite- they wanted jazz to have equal exposure to the American culture. One method Lee used was through the Jazz and People’s Movement, which included renowned jazz artist Rahsaan Roland Kirk. One action this group took was interrupting talk show tapings, which got an immediate response from host Merv Griffin, who offered both of their bands spots on his show in order to quiet them down. In an interview Lee Morgan gave account of his response, â€Å"I told him, I couldn’t care less if he ever had me on; In fact I would insist on not going on, at least not at first, because right away, people got so pessimistic that not only the public, but the musicians as well thought we were just out there thinking about ourselves. I don’t care if you never show me! Put Dizzy on, Horace Silver, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Blue Mitchel, Herbie Hancock- Put somebody on!† Unfortunately, before any substantial results were achieved, the J.P.M. and its protest against the medias’ ignorance and indifference towards jazz artists lost mo mentum in 1971 Before Lee could find another approach to solving this dilemma, he was tragically murdered. Regardless of its lack of success, it is important to be aware of this protest because it shows the ignorance that jazz artists are constantly facing. Because of the controversy it created, it is of some importance to mention how Lee Morgan died. Early in the morning, on February 19, 1972, Lee Morgan was playing at Slugs in New York City. Earlier that night, Lee asked his wife Helen Moore to bring him his gun, because he was afraid of a drug deal that was going to happen. Moore arrived at the club but left soon after. At some point after midnight, she unexpectedly returned to the club, and found Lee sitting at the bar in-between sets with another woman. During the argument that immediately followed, Moore managed to shoot Lee Morgan in the head. He died instantly at thirty-three years old. The loss of Lee Morgan was a tragedy to the jazz community. He added numerous songs to the jazz repertoire, was a prolific performer and composer, and was an important activist in improving the music world. The impact of his music and life lives on and continues to shape modern perspectives on jazz. Biography- Lee Morgan. Blue Note Records. 2007. Apr. 2007 . Blumenthal, Bob. Liner Notes. Rev. of The Complete Blue Note Lee Morgan 50’s Sessions. 13-2. Bourne, Michael. Lee Morgan the Last Interview. Down Beat May 1996: 38-39. James, Michael. Morgan, Lee. Grove Music Online. 2007. Oxford UP. 13 Apr. 2007 . Lee Morgan: Jazz Can Be Sold. Down Beat 9 Feb. 1970. Down Beat. Mar.-Apr. 2007. Lee Morgan Catalog. Apr. 2007 . Lee Morgan. Shout.Net. 25 Apr. 2006. Apr. 2007 . McMillan, Jeff. Delightfulee : the Life and Music of Lee Morgan Diss. Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers Newark, 2000. Morgan, Edward L. Jazz Encyclopedia Questionare. Shuster, Fred. When Your Chops are Shot. Down Beat Oct. 1995. Mar.-Apr. 2007 . Uberall, Bernard. The Music of Lee Morgan. Performed by the Whit Williams Sextet. Glenarden Community Center, MD. 19 July 1997. Woody Shaw: Trumpet in Bloom. Down Beat. Apr. 2007. Research Papers on The Life, Music, and Accomplishments Of Lee MorganHip-Hop is ArtWhere Wild and West MeetPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyStandardized TestingTrailblazing by Eric AndersonThe Hockey GameBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use

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Journal 2 - Essay Example Nonetheless, this essay aims at analyzing ethical discrimination. In most cases society have some stereotyping behaviors and they apply or use to discriminate against others in the society. For instance, the study carried out by Dr. Sinikka Elliott, a professor of sociology from North Carolina State University, shows stereotyping in the sexuality of teenage girls and boys by their parents (North Carolina State University 01). From the study, Elliott notes that parents of these set of boys and girls do not believe that their child know or have sexual desires. However, as per report, parents who think that there teenage children may have such feeling, state that their children may be driven to such actions by opposite sex children from other families. This notion is not appropriate for the cohesiveness in the society were members of the society set blames on each other. Therefore, for this case, parents must accept sexuality of their teenage children and learn ways of teaching them on the same rather than blaming the same of teenage children from ot her families thereby leading to discrimination in the society. North Carolina State University (2010, May 4). My kid wouldnt do that: Study shows parents difficulty with teen sexuality. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 8, 2013, web

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Domestic Terrorism in the United States Research Paper

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Domestic Terrorism in the United States Research Paper

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A US Perspective Essay Example for Free

A US Perspective Essay With a total import of 6926. 2 million dollars in December 2008, the US is arguably the leading player in the global textile industry (US Government, 2009). China is one of USAs leading partners in ensuring that the textile industry develops. The textile industry has in the past years been displaying positive growth except for the 2007-2008 period when the level overall imports dropped by 3685 million dollars (US Government, 2009). Developing an understanding of the dynamics that affect the textile industry is important in ensuring that this sector is sustained due to the important role it plays in ensuring that US nationals are clothed and economic development. It is apparent that if the trends are not corrected the US economy may be negatively affected. Demand in the US clothing industry is affected by a large number of factors within sits social and economic environment. Though the US records considerably low levels of birth rate, immigration greatly affects the levels of population growth rate. Due to clothing being a basic need, the textile industry is affected by the levels of population growth. Demographics though dependent on culture and even the levels of educational attainment are affected by existing legal systems and political policies that are in place. The US governments failure to deal with illegal immigration may increase the pressure that the textile industry faces in meeting high demand for clothing. Clothing and lifestyle are two factors that display high levels of correlation (Nordstrom, 2007). Trends in clothing that may be affected by the levels of economic empowerment, the prevailing economic conditions, fashions and dynamics within the society for instance short term preferences all affect demand within the clothing industry. Seasonal factors for instance weather pattern greatly affect specific clothing that is in demand. The effects of climatic patterns are an important factor that even supersedes fashion in determining demand for clothing. It is therefore apparent that the political, social, legal and even technological environment relayed through fashion affect demand for clothing in the US. The textile industry is labor intensive and success is dependent on not only ability to organize internal inputs but also availability of required resources (Plunkett, 2008). The cost of labor in nations like China is lower than in US which is one of the key reasons as to why the US imports clothing (Rofel, 2007). Another reason for importing clothing is availability or raw material especially natural fabrics; cotton, wool and silk are readily available in nations like Turkey than in the US though it produces some of these materials (Rofel, 2007). Due to the drop that has been experienced in textile imports, it is logical to expect an increase in internal production especially in non synthetic fabric. Moreover, designing as a segment in the clothing industry will continue growing due to the role played by fashion in determining the nature of demand in the clothing industry. Natural fabric and low cost clothing segments however will still continue relying on imports due to low availability of raw materials in the US and the need to create a cost advantage that is critical to ensuring affordable clothing. A look at data derived from the textile industry clearly shows that nearly 70% of the nations that export textile to the US are Asian (US Government, 2009). This can be explained by the low cost of labor in such nations and the close bilateral relationship between Asian nations and the US (Taylor, 2008). Another important trend is the general increase in textile imports; this can be explained by population growth experienced in the US. On the contrary, recent poor performance can be blamed on the negative trends that were displayed by the US economy in late 2007 and early 2008 that may have reduced investor confidence (Taylor, 2008). The US is clearly dependent on other nations for its clothing and textile needs which may negatively affect its internal potential to develop its textile industry. However, high level segments like designing have come up as beneficiaries in the considerably long textile industry chain. It is evident that by importing textile more entities or industries gain than if the US heavily relied on its internal ability. This universal gain is important in ensuring sustainable economic development. References Nordstrom, C. (2007). Global outlaws: crime, money, and power in the contemporary world. Santa Barbara, CA: University of California Press. Plunkett, J. W. (2008). Plunketts Apparel Textiles Industry Almanac 2008: Apparel Textiles Industry Market Research, Statistics, Trends Leading Companies. Houston, TX: Plunkett Research, Ltd. Rofel, L. (2007). Desiring China: experiments in neoliberalism, sexuality, and public culture. New York, NY: Duke University Press. Taylor, M. (2008). Global economy contested: power and conflict across the international division of labor London: Taylor Francis. US Government (2009). U. S. Imports of Textiles, Textile Products and Apparel, Top Trading Partners Top Countries based on current month. Retrieved 30 June 2009 from http://www. census. gov/foreign-trade/statistics/country/sreport/country. txt

Risk Management in Business: A Case Study

Risk Management in Business: A Case Study INTRODUCTION SITUATION Every day, there is the chance that some sort of business interruption, crisis, disaster, or emergency will occur. Anything that prevents access to key processes and activities can be defined as a disaster. Companies can experience many different threats to their mission critical systems such as fires, floods, lightning storms and humidity to disgruntled employees, hackers, human error, power failures and viruses. A disaster can happen at any time and it is vital to be prepared in the event that one occurs. NEED To be prepared for a business interruption, the organization must have a carefully crafted and comprehensive plan that describes risks, impacts, and step-by-step recovery strategies for critical business processes in various disaster and emergency scenarios. Without a plan, the team will be flying blind when an interruption occurs. The plan provides the necessary tools to mitigate interruptions and resume operations as quickly as possible, greatly facilitating decision-making and taking action when there is scant time and stress levels are elevated. CHALLENGE Using the information in the risk assessment to create effective recovery strategies for critical processes in all departments, incorporating these strategies into a comprehensive business continuity plan, and encouraging ownership of the plan across the organization, and ultimately, achieving the highest resiliency possible with limited resources. SOLUTION Create the recovery strategies department-by-department, process-by-process. This allows each department to focus on strategies specifically relevant to their critical processes without extraneous information from other departments. Do the same for your business continuity plan, writing smaller plans by department. Also, use a template to document your recovery strategies to ensure process consistency across the organization. Finally, have plans reviewed and approved by department heads and distributed to all employees to encourage ownership and pride in the plan. RESULT Each department in the organization will have a comprehensive action plan for business continuity outlining the steps to take to recover vital processes in various emergency scenarios. All employees will have their own copy of the plan, ready to use immediately when a disruption occurs. Employees will take ownership of the organizations business continuity effort and this effort will be further ingrained in the organizations corporate culture. CHOCOLATE MANUFACTURING COMPANY AN OVERVIEW The Chocolate Company since inception in 1990 has been largely responsible for satisfying the countrys demand for Chocolates and Sugar Confectionery. Situated at Rusayl Industrial Estates in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, the plant has various lines producing a wide range of confectionery like Éclairs, Toffees, Fudges, Caramels, Hard Boiled Candy and Enrobed Chocolates. These products are available in attractive packaging and premium Gift Boxes making them ideal for gifting as well as for own consumption. Most of the packaging in the Gift Pack segment has been carefully selected to ensure its enduring utility, thereby giving our valued customers an added benefit. The confectionery is produced by experienced personnel under stringent quality control and hygiene standards. State-of-the-art manufacturing facilities ensure products of international quality. The company in its relentless pursuit of quality obtained HACCP Certification in April, 2004. The Company, through its uncompromising stand on quality and competitive pricing, has successfully penetrated countries all over the Gulf, the African continent, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, USA and the UK. The principal business processes involved are Procurement of raw materials and consumables. Production and Quality control. Distribution and marketing. Inventory Management. Pricing and cost control. Feedback from consumers and redressal systems. Publicity and promotional activities. Recruitment and HR. Finance Administration. Corporate communications and public relations. Legal and secretarial matters. Investor relations. Maintenance of equipment and other assets. Capital expenditure for equipment and other purposes. IT systems and telecommunications. Transportation and Logistics. Today, manufacturing sector companies like chocolate manufacturing operates in increasingly complex, competitive and global markets. The ability to manage risks across geographies, products, assets, customer segments and functional departments is of paramount importance. The inability to manage these risks can cause irreparable damages. Chocolate company will always face the likelihood of being impacted by uncertain or adverse future events. These uncertainties will have an impact on a companys ability to generate capital and shareholders returns. The company Board expects that management will not only look at where the company may be exposed to risk, but also how these risks can be managed to influence favorable business outcomes. RISK AND RISK MANAGEMENT Risk Management Methodology followed by the chocolate company The risk management methodology at the chocolate company encompass the scope of risks to be managed, the process/systems and procedures to manage risk and the roles and responsibilities of individuals involved in risk management. The framework is comprehensive enough to capture all risks that the company is exposed to and have flexibility to accommodate any change in business activities. The chocolate companys effective risk management methodology includes Risk Policy framework. Identification of risks. Measurement and Impact Assessment. Management of the risks. Monitoring Reporting and Control. A. Risk Policy Framework The following fundamental principles should be considered by the company to develop and implement a proactive risk management program and help them to identify any potential areas of concern: Acceptance of a risk management framework: A formal risk management framework is needed at this company, to guide the integration of risk management into the companys day to day operations. Corporate governance and risk: At this company,corporate governance is the prime responsibility of the Board of Directors and the General Manager. It combines legal duties with responsibilities to improve and monitor the performance of the company. Establish the risk response strategy: Following the agreement on the risk assessment rankings in all functional departments, management action will need to be taken to reduce the risk levels where they have been deemed unacceptably high or alternatively remove constraints where they are preventing the business from pursuing opportunities. Assigning responsibility for risk management change process: It is important for the company to ensure that the daily operation of the business supports this strategy and that the staff understands the proposed changes. Re-sourcing: Risk management is the responsibility of all levels of management. Communication and training: Implementing a communication and training program is important to introduce the concept of risk management. Monitoring of risk management process: To ensure that risk responses gaps are filled and that the risk responses continue to operate effectively and remain appropriate in light of changing conditions. B. Identification of Various Risks of The Company While drafting this Risk management Policy, the primary risk exposures at the company X that are identified is provided below, which are inclusive but not exhaustive and it will be the responsibility of the Risk Management Committee to review these on a periodic basis. I. Market Risks It is the risk that the value of the company will be adversely affected by movements in market rates or prices, foreign exchange rates, national global fluctuations, credit spreads and/or commodity prices resulting in a loss to earnings and capital. The market risks identified at this chocolate company are as follows Government Policy risks Product Risks Environmental risks Volatility of export orders Price Competition in the local export market Currency fluctuation for export orders II. Operational Risks The operational risks identified at chocolate company are as follows Fire Allied Risks Machinery breakdown/ obsolescence Volatility of Raw material Packing material prices Quality/ Ageing risks of Raw material/ Packing material Delivery risk of Suppliers Loss of data information- IT security Manpower Availability risks Accidents Inventory carrying risk III. Reputation Risks These are risks arising from negative public opinion resulting from failures of process, strategy or corporate governance. The Reputation risks identified at this company are as follows Contamination-hygiene Product expiry/Shelf life Corporate Governance IV. Credit Risks Non receipt of receivables or delay in receipts is the credit risks attributable to the company. These may be identified as Payment risk from customers-local Payment risk from Customers- export Security from customers Advance to Suppliers V. Liquidity Risks The possibility is that the company will be unable to fund present and future financial obligations. These may be identified as Cash flow working capital management CAPEX decisions Cost overruns VI. Strategic Risks Risk those are arising from adverse business decisions or the improper implementation of such decisions. These may be identified as follows Business Plan forecasts. Attrition of key people. C. Risk Prioritizing and Impact Assessment Risk Prioritizing To adequately capture institutions risk exposure, risk measurement should represent aggregate exposure of the company to both risk type and business line and encompass short run as well as long run impact on it. To the maximum possible extent the company should establish systems / models that quantify their risk profile. However, in some risk categories, quantification is quite difficult and complex. Wherever it is not possible to quantify risks, qualitative measures should be adopted to capture those risks. The company should utilize a Risk Matrix to evaluate the level of risks which are identified in the Company. The Risk Matrix is formed by assessing the probability of the risk, the severity of the risk, and the quality of control that exists specific to those risks. Scoring is attributed for each the three parameters namely probability, severity and Internal control. The aggregate score is computed and ranking of the risks is ascertained. The probability of the impact occurring is arranged ranging from low to high. Scores assigned as 4 for High, 2 for medium and 1 for low. Severity of the Risk is assessed as High, Medium and low based on the experience and normal prudence. Scores assigned as 4 for High, 2 for medium and 1 for low. Quality of Internal control is also similarly categorized as high, medium and low. The scores assigned in the reverse order since the better the existing control the lower is the impact and vice-versa. So scores here can be assigned as 4 for Low, 2 for Medium and 1 for High. Aggregate Score was thereafter computed after adding the individual scores for each parameter. Companys Risk Matrix using the above method is shown in Annexure I ii. Impact Assessment The company being a medium scale manufacturing unit should focus on the manageable risks like Operational risks, Liquidity risks and Strategic risks. Market risks, Credit risks and Reputation risks though an integral part of risk management may not need detailed impact assessment at this stage unless the probability of such factors seem to be out of proportions in time to come. Impact assessment of the Operational risks, liquidity risks and strategic risks at the company termed herein as Manageable risks, can be assessed as follows Risk associated with any event has two components, loss severity and loss probability. Loss, in itself consists of expected and unexpected components. The unexpected loss component could be severe or catastrophic. Usually, expected losses are adjusted for in pricing or in reserve allocation. Unexpected losses require capital allocation. Given that operational risk, liquidity and strategic risk events are most often subject to internal control, any manageable risk system that passively measures these risks would clearly be inadequate. Once risk factors are identified as likely causes of the Risk losses, mitigating steps need to be initiated. While quantification would indicate risk magnitude and capital charges, it may not by itself suggest mitigating steps. This makes it advisable for the company to combine qualitative and quantitative approaches to manageable Risk. The broad steps involved here would be: determine the types of operational losses that could occur identify the causal risk factors estimate the size and likelihood of losses Mitigate associated risks Qualitative Approaches Qualitative approaches involve Audits, Self-assessments Expert / collective judgment. Critical Self-Assessment: (CSA): This is one of the common qualitative bottom-up approaches where line managers of the company can critically analyze their business processes given specific scenarios to identify potential risks and gaps in their risk management processes. Tools like questionnaires, checklists and workshops are used to help the managers analyze the risk profile of their business units. The key idea behind this method is that businesses managers of this company are in the best position identify and manage the Operational Risks pertaining to their business units. Risk Audit Employing the services of external (or internal) auditors to review the business processes of a business unit is another approach. This process not only helps identify risks but also helps put in place the oversight organization for the manageable risks. Key Risk Indicators (KRI) Using the KRI approach the company can blend the qualitative and quantitative aspects of Operational Risk management. Factors that have predictive value and that can be easily measured with minimum time lag can serve as risk indicators. Some risk indicators inherently carry risk related information, for instance, indicators like sales volumes, order size, etc. Others are indirect indicators, for instance, production budgets, production lifecycle, performance appraisal etc. Key indicators are identified from several potential factors and are tracked over time. The predictive capabilities of the indicators are tested through regression analysis on historical loss data and indicator measurements. Based on such analysis, the set of indicators of the company being tracked can be modified suitably. Over time, as the model gets refined, the set of indicators can provide early warning signals for operational losses. D. Management of the risks Managing Market Risks: The chocolate company may be exposed to Market Risk in variety of ways as described earlier such as environmental issues, export orders, future contracts, Price competition, customer profile and marine transportation risks. Besides, market risk may also arise from activities categorized as off-balance sheet item. Government Policy Risks: Change in government policies, tax rates, introduction of new tax regimes, reduction or abolition of incentives etc carry risk to any entity in terms of its costing and pricing. In the short and medium term the company does not perceive any major risk in this segment, however the management has to be aware of any forthcoming changes that the government might envisage. Should there be any drastic change in Government policies that would affect its profitability especially in case of exports; the Company has contingency plans for producing at an alternative location outside Oman. Product Risks: Since the product is that of food item the company has to be 100% careful to maintain the product quality, product specification, pack sizes, contents in each pack etc. Producing lesser or poor quality products and not as per specification is a risk which company X needs to constantly be aware off. To mitigate such risks the company X should develop a well defined production policy develop a well defined Quality control and checks policy develop a well defined storage and Distribution policy Environmental risks: The company does not use and generate hazardous substances in its manufacturing operations. Hence the chances that the company may in future are subject to liabilities relating to the investigation and clean-up of contaminated areas is negligible. However the company should have a laid down policy of disposal of waste at pre-designed disposal points mainly for the rejected, expired and damaged items of raw materials, finished products and packing materials. Volatility of export orders: Some customers and sectors served by the company are directly dependent on general economic development, competition and frequent fluctuations in demand for their products. The prices for these products are, in part, dependent on the prevailing relationship between supply and demand. Possible price fluctuations are therefore apt to have a direct influence on each customers working capital management decisions, with subsequent influence on the customers Order Intake. This may lead to volatility in the development of Order Intake of the company. The company has a policy of geographically diversifying its customer base, as also expanding the customer base in each export market, so that transfer to less volatile locations can be made in short notice. Price Competition in the local export market: The Company does business in very competitive local and export markets. In spite of the competition the company has a 70% market share in the local market and its export business is expanding.Both these local and export markets in which it competes are highly fragmented, with a few large, international manufacturers competing against each other and against a high number of smaller, local companies. Sometimes new entrants or existing players suddenly lower their prices to get rid of the companys products. This has, in some cases, adversely impacted sales margins realized by certain of companys products. To mitigate this risk the company has taken the following steps: Maintaining complete information of its Competitors with respect to their latest technological developments, market strategies, new investments, management changes etc. Has developed emergency alternative plans to introduce different product ranges with minimal structural changes with similar or lower prices. Currency fluctuation for export orders:The Company exports its products to a large number of countries like Canada, USA, Australia, African countries, and the Middle East. Almost all export orders of the company are fixed in US dollars. Since Omani Rail is pegged with US Dollars, the fluctuation of the currencies in would have negligible impact on the export realizations at company X. Company X has a policy of booking export orders in terms of US dollars to avoid the risk of currency fluctuations. Managing Operational Risks: Being a chocolate manufacturing company, it deals with the retail market. The most important risks are those of Operational risks. Operational risk is associated with human error, system failures and inadequate procedures and controls. It is the risk of loss arising from the potential that inadequate information system; technology failures, breaches in internal controls, fraud, unforeseen catastrophes, or other operational problems may result in unexpected losses or reputation problems. Fire Allied risks: These are general risks applicable to almost all establishments. This includes Material damage to the companys property due to Fire lightning, Earthquake, Third party impact, Accidental damage, explosion, riot strike, storm tempest, burst pipes, Own Vehicle impact, malicious damage, and theft. The company should take necessary steps in mitigating such risks by taking â€Å"Property All Risks Insurance Policy† â€Å"Loss of profit insurance cover† Machinery breakdown/ obsolescence: This risk identified is a major risk element as the company has been established two decades earlier by using imported refurbished Plant and machinery. Though most of the machinery is in running condition as of now the chances of spare part obsolescence is quite high in a majority of such machines. The physical status and the possible mitigation for major machinery can be shown in ANNEXTURE II Volatility of Raw Material/ Packing Material prices: The Company faces a medium level risk in its Raw material Packing material prices. The main raw materials at are Sugar, Glucose, Milk Powder, vegetable fat, coconut, coco whey powders. The packing material required is Wrappers, Bags, Gift boxes, Gift Tins and cartoons. Other than a few packing materials almost all of the raw materials and packing materials are imported as shown below Quality risk Raw material Packing material: This is a medium sized risk and the company should take reasonable care to mitigate such risks. Since the majority of the raw materials and packing materials are imported by the company, the purchase committee should implementing a stringent policy of Should have a multiple suppliers from the same country or region. Should have proper Quality checks for each Consignment while receiving delivery. Should have a stringent penalty clause on variation of specifications in the agreements with suppliers. Delivery risk of Suppliers: This is major risk element at the company because of the fact that in most cases purchases are imported and made through Letter of Credits. Non Delivery or delayed delivery in such purchases may affect the performance of the company. The company is implementing proper penalty clauses in the purchase agreement for delayed and/ or non-delivery of the ordered items. Transporting risks: In case of local sales, the company transports the products mostly through its own personnel. The company therefore, takes a general Transit Insurance policy covering accidents and theft. Inventory carrying risk: Inventory Carrying risks are of three types: Storage risk Overstocking under stocking risk Expiry risk Storage risk The storage policies currently are The company can keeps the entire inventory in closed warehouses. Over-stocking Under-stocking: The company can maintain a good optimized production planning system in correlation with its sales plan so that it can have a optimum stocking policy. The current production plan is quite satisfactory and hence the risk is low to medium. But the company is mostly dependent on Export market, the volatility of export orders may lead to overstocking or under-stocking of inventory. Expiry risks: This risk is low to medium. Expiry risks of inventory can be mitigated by proper planning of Sales, Purchase, Production and Distribution. The Storekeeper needs to maintain up-to-date records. A system is being implemented to provide on-line information about the stock position i.e. the quantity in stock, Re-order period, Ordering level and the Expiry dates of each of the Raw material, packing material and finished stocks to the Sales, Production and Purchase department so that immediate action can be taken by the respective departments. Manpower Availability risks: There is a shortage of skilled manpower in Oman. This is however met with the expatriate staff employed mainly from the sub-continent. The company therefore faces a medium risk in terms of availability of skilled manpower. The company can met unskilled manpower availability with the local Omani population and also from expatriate staff. The gap of skilled labor availability is likely to increase and therefore the costs also increase. To mitigate such risks, the company can develop long term strategy to invest in higher capacity production machines so that the requirement of manpower is kept low. Accidents: The Company can face a chance of accidents at the factory, however the accident risks at the company is low, as it does not deal with hazardous material and the production processes are not complex. However the company may face risks from mechanical or electrical installations which cant be entirely ruled out. So the company needs to take the following steps: By providing ELCB (Electric Leakage Circuit Breakers) in all electrical circuits and ACBs for the main transformers By providing Hot masks to the manpower Having a good machinery breakdown policy Constant monitoring of the gas line leakages The company needs have a Manpower Accidents and Injury Policy to cover the possibility of injury or death of manpower within the factory premises. Managing Reputation Risks Reputation of the company may also get hamper in various situations some of which are Contamination-hygiene: Being in the Food sector the company should take utmost precaution to avoid any sort of contamination in its products which will reach to the general mass. The company should take precaution for the quality of the raw material and packing material that is required for the entire production process and the stocking procedure. The company can follow the following policy: Stringent Quality control checks of Raw materials and packing materials Stringent Quality checks of the entire production process Maintaining Hygiene standards of the Government of Oman both in production and stocking. Sample testing at each stage Have a third Party damage policy insurance coverage owing to contamination Product expiry/Shelf life risks: This is again a very vital risk to the company as it is in the Food sector. The Government of Oman is very stringent in its laws to avoid expired products to be sold to the general public. So the company should take utmost care to avoid this risk by providing a stringent Distribution policy of its finished products Checks and controls before distribution of products. Monitoring distributed products on a daily basis Attributing Responsibility to a Senior Personnel for the management Corporate Governance: Corporate Governance Policies and Procedures manual are already in place at the company. Hence the risk associated with it is low. The management has to ensure proper compliance of the policies already undertaken to avoid any risk of reputation arising out of non-compliance of corporate governance. Managing Credit Risks: Credibility Risk of Customers: The Company should develop a credit policy based on regions, volume and credibility ranking of the parties. Export: The Company exports to a wide range of countries. The contacts of customers are mainly through visits and through mail. It is initially very difficult to assess the credibility of the customers abroad. The risk element is therefore medium and high. The company should mitigate this risk in the following manner: The company should back up the export orders by Letter of Credit from the parties. In case L/C mode is not practicable, the company can ask for advance payments or Security deposit, or post dated cheques which will cover the entire order taken prior to effecting delivery of the goods. The company currently did not enter into any distribution agreement with any export party and deals with parties on a case to case basis The Company can set up a network of distributors for handling exports sales as far as practicable. The company can also set up more than one distributor; in each region/country, so that price advantage can be achieved through minimal risk. The company should select distributors with proven track record, and the distributorship agreement should be through a internationally binding legal contract. Local: Local sales are affected by the company mainly to retail customers like supermarkets and hypermarkets, small shops and to two distributors in the interior. The company should take the following steps: Sale to all hypermarkets and supermarkets where the volumes are above a certain limit are, as far as possible, affected by means of an annual contract with all modalities and terms and conditions clearly laid out. For single shop outlets, the company may face the risk of shop closing down and non-payment or delayed payment. To counter this company should maintain small stocks with such shops and should have a regular but frequent collection system. In case of distributors the company should have legally binding distribution agreements. Limit setting: An important element of credit risk management is to establish exposure limits for each single customer and distributors. The compan