Saturday, August 31, 2019

What Is the Right Supply Chain for Your Product?

The main problems in supply chain of many industries are the excess of some products and the shortage of others because of unpredictable demands for these products. In this paper, a framework that helps manager to understand the nature of demand for their product and manage their supply chain in line with their product requirements is suggested. The products are classified into two groups according to their demand patterns: Primarily functional products and primarily innovative products. Functional products are defined as the products that satisfy basic needs. The demand for that type of products is stable and predictable. They have a long life cycle. The competition in the market is fierce due to this stability in demand that results in low profit margins. On the other hand, innovative products are the ones that have clearly unpredictable demands. They may have very short life cycle because of the imitators. But luckily their profit margin is higher compared to the functional products. The supply chain management for the innovative products should clearly be different from the functional products. The managers should determine their product type and follow a supply strategy has a perfect match with their product type. Otherwise, some problems arise from the mismatch between the type of product and the type of supply chain. The author classifies the functions of supply chain into two groups: physical function and market media function. Physical functions include converting raw material into parts, components and finished good, and also transporting the product. The cost in physical function of supply chain arises from the production, transportation and inventory storage. The market media function, on the other hand, is mostly related to ensuring that variety of products reaching the market place matches what customer want to buy. The cost in marker media function arises when supply exceeds demand or supply falls shortage. Since the demand for the innovative products is uncertain, the market domination cost for innovative products are dominant. According to their type of product, managers should follow a supply chain strategy that is physically efficient or market responsive. The best matches between supply chain strategy and the product type are efficient supply chain for the functional products and responsive supply chain for the innovative products. In efficient supply for functional products, there are two models introduced: comparative and cooperative models. In the competitive model of supply chain relations, the retailer and the manufacturer compete through price negations for a bigger profit pie. In cooperative model, the retailer and the manufacturer corporate to cut cost throughout the chain therefore the size of the pie is increased for both of them. One alternative can be using competitive and the cooperative models at the same time. But, in this situation the information sharing between the retailer and the manufacturer seems problematic. In responsive supply for innovative products, the first thing to do is to reduce the uncertainty. There are three coordinated strategies are suggested in order to reduce, avoid and hedge uncertainty. The first one is to find sources of new data that can serve as leading indicators and also to have different product share common components as much as possible so that the demand for components becomes more predictable. The second one is to avoid uncertainty by cutting lead times and increasing the supply chain’s flexibility. Lastly, once uncertainty is reduced, it can hedge against the remaining residual uncertainty with buffers of inventory or excess capacity.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Fire Station Case Study Research Essay

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This research study would not be possible without the help of these people in making this research a success. The researchers family and parents who supported them emotionally and financially throughout since day one until the research is completed. For showing their unfailing support, for understanding the researchers and for believing in their skills and capabilities. The researchers would also like to thank the graduate library and electronic library of Far Eastern University for allowing them to use their materials and resources such as books, thesis projects and computers that really helped the researchers for their case study. The researchers would also like to thank their professor Architect Toni Nardo who helped them throughout this whole study, for being a considerate and kind hearted professor who is always there for her students, to support and check on their improvements and for always sharing her opinion and life experiences about this certain topic which makes the researchers eager to fulfil this research. The researchers would also like to thank their friends who were also there to support, give advices and information that really helped the group. They never fail to cheer them up and show their outmost support especially in bad times. Last but not the least, to our Almighty Father God, who created and brought life in this world, who created all things beautiful, who will forever be the reason of our existence, a supportive friend, a loving father, a God who guide, love and support us no matter what we’re going through, for giving us strength and blessing of intelligence for us to use in this research, for helping the researchers make this research a success. The researchers would like to dedicate this study to their family, most especially to their parents who have given them full support in this case study research. May the almighty God bless them for their kind heart and loving gesture that is very much appreciated by the researchers. ABSTRACT We all know that a fire station is a structure with areas set aside for storage of fire fighting apparatus such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire hoses and other specialized equipment. It may also have dormitory living facilities and work areas for the use of fire fighters. Living areas are sometimes arranged above the garage bays where personnel without specific station duties during the night shift are allowed to sleep unless a dispatch is called. In that situation, fire fighters may have special means to allow entry to the ground floor quickly when a call for help is received, such as sliding down a brass pole called a fireman’s pole. This arrangement also allows for a raised area to hang hoses to dry to prevent damage. In a single story station, a tower-like structure is sometimes used for hose hanging. An occupied station will usually have a station alarm system for receiving and annunciating an alarm, and indications of where and what caused the alarm. However, sometimes the only â€Å"alarm† is a telephone that is rung in case of emergency. In a more structured operation, full-time or on-call volunteer or career fire fighters staff the station some or all of the time. There may be office space for the officers, a library of reference and other materials, and a â€Å"trophy wall† or case where the fire fighters display memorabilia. Activities in a fire station include regular inspection and cleaning of the apparatus and equipment, and continuing education in the fire service. Weekly or bi-weekly routine typically includes various drills in which fire fighters practice their skills. Some fire companies also host public activities at the fire station during annual â€Å"fire prevention week† In our case, we will be designing a first class fire station which means, this fire station will contain all of the necessary equipment and apparatus. Also, it will contain all of the necessary and additional space areas such  as recreational area, different offices, living, dining and kitchen areas, library, training area, etc. We are planning to design a fire station that has modern aesthetics that will give a positive impression to us as the designers. Good function of our space program is also what we’re striving, for which this is a fire station, and it needs great planning of spaces mostly in case of emergencies and easy access of the fire trucks to the outside. We are really striving to design an image that would automatically determine that our structure is considered as first class. We will implement in our design the usage of glass which implies modern era and it will help the staff inside the building to be aware on their surroundings outside. PART I: OCULAR INSPECTION Summary of Findings After searching for good fire stations around Metro Manila, we decided to go to these three fire stations: Makati, Intramuros and San Lazaro City. We took pictures of ourselves at the faà §ade of each fire station as soon as we arrived there. First, went to Makati City fire station. As soon as we arrived, the area was filled with citizens of Makati because the area was used as substitute place where the people will register for voting, so it wasn’t the perfect timing but we still continued to go on with our ocular inspection despite the crowd. Makati Central Fire Station was huge. The area is given big amount of spaces for the apparatus bay. We also noticed that the alignment of the apparatus bay was diagonal for more convenience and easy way out. Before we entered the fire station for inquiries and interviews, we went to measure the height, length and width of the different fire trucks such as the ladder fire trucks and the usual fire trucks to have an idea on what is their standard measurements. We also measured the emergency ambulance vehicles and the whole space area allotted for their apparatus bay. We observed and analysed the whole fire station including on how the spaces of different areas are divided and used. After that, we already went inside to have an interview with whoever officer is  available and appropriate for our questioning. Luckily, the city fire marshal was available. The city fire marshal of Makati is Supt. Ricardo C. Perdigon, he is very kind and welcoming. First, he answered each of our questions very precisely with an open mind and a lot of examples to broaden our perspectives and ideas in that field. He showed examples and different brochures from different countries about the modern fire stations that are designed and used these days. He explained and discussed different techniques and required spaces to use in a fire station. He showed different photos of fire stations that is very interesting and it really helped us to design more functional and competitive fire station, since we’re going to design a first class fire station. After that, he showed to us where the different fire stations are divided throughout the entire city. He showed us a huge map and explained it very well. He taught us where each fire stations should be in a city. After that we had a film showing about actual fire fighting and on how the different fire fighting equipment are used in actual emergency fire cases. It also showed there the different modern equipment and tools used by the fire fighters. After the interview, we requested to have a picture taking with the fire marshal and he openly accepted. But the learning doesn’t stop there. We asked the fire marshal if we can see the actual area where the fire fighters stay and do in cases of fire emergencies. He assigned one of his officers to escort us in the field. He showed us the rooms where the fire fighters spend their time, sleep, etc. He also showed us the poles where the fire fighters easily go through. After going to Makati City Central Fire Station, we proceeded to Intramuros Fire Station. The fire station at Intamuros is a little smaller compared to Makati. When we arrived at Intramuros, we couldn’t resist the beauty of the place and its historical ambiance so we took a little time to cherish and take pictures. When we arrived at the fire station of Intramuros, we took pictures of the space area and apparatus bay. It seems to have three slots for the openings of the fire trucks and vehicles. It also seems that the area was a little crowded in the exit way of the trucks, so we had an idea about designing proper exit ways to use without being crowded. When we entered the fire station, an officer is at the reception area and we asked permission to take pictures and to analyse the area. No fire marshal was available at that time we arrived, so we asked for an  interview with the higher position that was available and the Senior Fire Officer IV was the one who assisted us and fulfilled our interview. He is SFO-IV Oscar Bugarin. As what we have done at Makati, we also first did measuring of the entrance/exit way of apparatus bay, fire trucks and poles. After that, we started with the interview with Senior Fire Officer IV Oscar Bugarin. We asked the common questions just like what we asked with the other fire stations, and almost the same answer was given to us. But in this fire station, we were given different examples and experiences that the Makati City Central Fire Station wasn’t able to taught us. The Senior Fire Officer IV personally demonstrated to us how the fire fighting outfit is prepared and easily worn by the fire fighters in case of emergencies. He explained and shown us how to tuck in together all of the outfit, the suit with the boots. He took the actual outfits and demonstrated to us one by one. It was really fun and amazing that it was so easy to wear. But the fun didn’t ended there, we were offered to wear the actual gears ourselves! Who wouldn’t wear that awesome outfit? So there we are, wearing the outfits very happy and sophisticated. After all of the interviews and demonstrations, we had our little goodbyes and thank you and went out to proceed and go on to the next fire station, but we still can’t resist the beauty of Intramuros so we took a little more time to take pictures on our way to the next fire station which is located at San Lazaro City. It didn’t took time to go to San Lazaro City which we we’re only at Intramuros which is not that far. We arrived at San Lazaro City for about 30—40 minutes. As we arrived t San Lazaro City Fire Station, we took pictures of the fassad, as usual. San Lazaro Fire Staton seems to be the same amount of space area with Intramuros, so Makati City Central Fire Station seems to have the biggest or widest space area among the three fire stations we went to. As usual, we did some measuring with the space area of the fire station, the apparatus bay entrance/exit which seems to have only 2 slots in San Lazaro City Fire Station. We also did measured the fire trucks and other vehicles. But what really amazed us in San Lazaro City Fire Station is the historical fire trucks that were displayed in there. It was so amazing and mesmerizing to think that the fire trucks before were very open with old vehicle parts, so we didn’t miss a chance to take pictures with them. After that, we proceed to have an interview with the highest officer available at the time, and it was Senior Fire Officer IV Manolito Laroza. This interview took the most time compared with the other two interviews we did because a lot of facts and requirements was given to us by SFO IV Manolita Laroza. He gave us the spaces we can add in a first class fire station such as bigger training grounds, helicopters, recreational areas, and so on. A lot of facts were given to us, also the standard personnel required in a fire station, office areas such as the duputy’s, sub station commander, radio division operator, etc. they also showed us the fire preventive man size tarpaulin that they will implement around their city. Senior Fire Officer IV Manolito Laroza was very kind and open to us. After this interview, we had our goodbyes and thank you with him and his officers and went out to go home because it was already a little late and dark outside. PART II: RESEARCH STUDY Chapter 1: Introduction A. Background of the Problem Historical Fire fighting was implemented long time ago during our roman and greek era. The history of fire fighting began in ancient Rome while under the role of Agustus. Prior to that, there is evidence of fire-fighting machinery in used in Ancient Egypt, including a water pump invented by Ctesibius of Alexandria in the third century BC which was later improved upon in a design by Hero Of Alexandria in the first century BC. The first Roman fire brigade of which we have any substantial history was created by Marcus Licinius Crassus. Marcus Licinius Crassus was born into a wealthy Roman family around the year 115 BC, and acquired an enormous fortune through (in the words of Plutarch) â€Å"fire and rapine.† One of his most lucrative schemes took advantage of the fact that Rome had no fire department. Crassus filled this void by creating his own brigade—500 men strong—which rushed to burning buildings at the first cry of alarm. Upon arriving at the scene, however, the fire fi ghters did nothing while their employer bargained over the price of their services with the distressed property owner. If Crassus could not negotiate a satisfactory price, his men simply let the structure burn to the ground, after which he offered to purchase it for a fraction of its value. Augustus took the basic idea from Crassus and then built on it to form the Vigiles in AD 6 to combat fires using bucket brigades and pumps, as well as poles, hooks and even ballistae to tear down buildings in advance of the flames. The Vigiles patrolled the streets of Rome to watch for fires and served as a police force. The later brigades consisted of hundreds of men, all ready for action. When there was a fire, the men would line up to the nearest water source and pass buckets hand in hand to the fire. Rome suffered a number of serious fires, most notably the fire on 19 July AD 64 and eventually destroyed two thirds of Rome. In Europe, fire fighting was quite rudimentary until the 17th century. In 1254, a royal decree of King Saint Louis of France created the so-called guet bourgeois (â€Å"burg ess watch†), allowing the residents of Paris to establish their own night watches, separate from the king’s night watches, to prevent and stop crimes and fires. After the Hundred Years’ War, the population of Paris expanded again, and the city, much larger than any other city in Europe at the time, was the scene of several great fires in the 16th century. As a consequence, King Charles IX disbanded the residents’ night watches and left the king’s watches as the only one responsible for checking crimes and fires. London suffered great fires in 798, 982, 989, 1212 and above all in 1666 (Great Fire of London). The Great Fire of 1666 started in a baker’s shop on Pudding Lane, consumed about two square miles (5 km ²) of the city, leaving tens of thousands homeless. Prior to this fire, London had no organized fire protection system. Afterwards, insurance companies formed private fire brigades to protect their clients’ property. Insurance b rigades would only fight fires at buildings the company insured. These buildings were identified by fire insurance marks. The key breakthrough in fire fighting arrived in the 17th century with the first fire engines. Manual pumps, rediscovered in Europe after 1500 (allegedly used in Augsburg in 1518 and in Nuremberg in 1657), were only force pumps and had a very short range due to the lack of hoses. German inventor Hans Hautsch improved the manual pump by creating the first suction and force pump and adding some flexible hoses to the pump. In 1672, Dutch artist, and inventor Jan Van der Heyden’s workshop developed the fire hose. Constructed of flexible leather and coupled every 50 feet (15 m) with brass fittings. The length remains the standard to this day in mainland Europe whilst in the UK the standard length is either 23m or 25m. The fire engine was further developed by the Dutch inventor, merchant and manufacturer, John Lofting (1659–1742) who had worked with Jan Van der Heyden in Amsterdam. Lofting moved to London in or about 1688, became an English citizen and patented (patent number 263/1690) the â€Å"Sucking Worm Engine† in 1690. There was a glowing description of the fire fighting ability of his device in The London Gazette of 17 March 1691, after the issue of the patent. The British Museum has a print showing Lofting’s fire engine at work in London, the engine being pumped by a team of men. In the print three fire plaques of early insurance companies are shown, no doubt indicating that Lofting collaborated with them in fire fighting. A later version of what is b elieved to be one of his fire engines has been lovingly restored by a retired fire fighter, and is on show in Marlow Buckinghamshire where John Lofting moved in 1700. Patents only lasted for fourteen years and so the field was open for his competitors after 1704. In 1631 Boston’s governor John Winthrop outlawed wooden chimneys and thatched roofs. In 1648, the New Amsterdam governor Peter Stuyvesant appointed four men to act as fire wardens. They were empowered to inspect all chimneys and to fine any violators of the rules. The city burghers later appointed eight prominent citizens to the â€Å"Rattle Watch† – these men volunteered to patrol the streets at night carrying large wooden rattles If a fire was seen, the men spun the rattles, then directed the responding citizens to form bucket brigades. On January 27, 1678 the first fire engine company went into service with its captain (foreman) Thomas Atkins. In 1736 Benjamin Franklin established the Union Fire Comp any in Philadelphia. George Washington was a volunteer fire fighter in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1774, as a member of the Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Company, he bought a new fire engine and gave it to the town, which was its very first. However the United States did not have government-run fire departments until around the time of the American Civil War. Prior to this time, private fire brigades compete with one another to be the first to respond to a fire because insurance companies paid brigades to save buildings. Underwriters also employed their own Salvage Corpsin some cities. The first known female fire fighter Molly Williams took her place with the men on the dragropes during the blizzard of 1818 and pulled the pumper to the fire through the deep snow. On April 1st of 1853 Cincinnati OH became the first professional fire department by being made up of 100% full-time, paid employees. In 2010, 70 percent of fire fighters in the United States were volunteer. Only 5% of calls were actual fires. 65% were medical aid. 8% were false alarms. The first fire brigades in the modern sense were created in France in the early 18th century. In 1699, a man with bold commercial ideas, Franà §ois du Mouriez du Pà ©rier (grandfather of French Revolution’s general Charles Franà §ois Dumouriez), solicited an audience with King Louis XIV. Greatly interested in Jan Van der Heyden’s invention, he successfully demonstrated the new pumps and managed to convince the king to grant him the monopoly of making and selling â€Å"fire-preventing portable pumps† throughout the kingdom of France. Franà §ois du Mouriez du Pà ©rier offered 12 pumps to the City of Paris, and the first Paris Fire Brigade, known as the Compagnie des gardes-pompes (literally the â€Å"Company of Pump Guards†), was created in 1716. Franà §ois du Mouriez du Pà ©rier was appointed direct eur des pompes de la Ville de Paris (â€Å"director of the City of Paris’s pumps†), i.e. chief of the Paris Fire Brigade, and the position stayed in his family until 1760. In the following years, other fire brigades were created in the large French cities. It is around that time that appeared the current French word pompier (â€Å"fire fighter†), whose literal meaning is â€Å"pumper†. On March 11, 1733 the French government decided that the interventions of the fire brigades would be free of charge. This was decided because people always waited until the last moment to call the fire brigades to avoid paying the fee, and it was often too late to stop fires. From 1750 on, the French fire brigades became para-military units and received uniforms. In 1756 the use of a protective helmet for fire fighters was recommended by King Louis XV, but it took many more years before the measure was actually enforced on the ground. In North America, Jamestown, Virginia w as virtually destroyed in a fire in January, 1608. There were no full-time paid fire fighters in America until 1850. Even after the formation of paid fire companies in the United States, there were disagreements and often fights over territory. New York City companies were famous for sending runners out to fires with a large barrel to cover the hydrant closest to the fire in advance of the engines. Often fights would break out between the runners and even the responding fire companies for the right to fight the fire and receive the insurance money that would be paid to the company that fought it. Interestingly, during the 19th century and early 20th century volunteer fire companies served not only as fire protection but as political machines. The most famous volunteer fire fighter politician is Boss Tweed, head of the notorious Tammany Hall political machine, who got his start in politics as a member of the Americus Engine Company Number 6 (â€Å"The Big Six†) in New York City. Napoleon Bonaparte, drawing from the century-old experience of the gardes-pompes, is generally attributed as creating the first â€Å"professional† fire fighters, known as Sapeurs-Pompiers (â€Å"Sappers-Fire fighters†), from the French Army. Created under the Commandant of Engineers in 1810, the company was o rganized after a fire at the ballroom in the Austrian Embassy in Paris which injured several dignitaries. In the UK, the Great Fire of London in 1666 set in motion changes which laid the foundations for organised fire fighting in the future. In the wake of the Great Fire, the City Council established the first fire insurance company, â€Å"The Fire Office†, in 1667, which employed small teams of Thames watermen as fire fighters and provided them with uniforms and arm badges showing the company to which they belonged. However, the first organised municipal fire brigade in the world was established in Edinburgh, Scotland, when the Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment was formed in 1824, led by James Braidwood. London followed in 1832 with the London Fire Engine Establishment. On April 1, 1853, the Cincinnati Fire Department became the first full-time paid professional fire department in the United States, and the first in the world to use steam fire engines. The first horse-draw n steam engine for fighting fires was invented in 1829, but not accepted in structural fire fighting until 1860, and ignored for another two years afterwards. Internal combustion engine fire engines arrived in 1907, built in the United States, leading to the decline and disappearance of steam engines by 1925. Today, fire and rescue remains a mix of full-time paid, paid-on-call, and volunteer responders. Many but not all urban areas are served by large, paid, fire fighting teams. Etymological Fire From Middle English fier, from Old English fÈ ³r (â€Å"fire†), from *fuà ¯r, a regularised form of Proto-Germanic *fÃ… r (â€Å"fire†) (compare Saterland Frisian Fjuur, West Frisian fjoer, Dutch vuur, Low German Fà ¼r, German Feuer, Danish fyr), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pà ©hâ‚‚ur (compare Hittite (paá ¸ «Ã¡ ¸ «ur), Umbrian pir, Tocharian A/B por/puwar, Czech pÈ ³Ã…â„¢ (â€Å"hot ashes†), Ancient Greek Ï€á ¿ ¦Ã  (pÃ… ·r, â€Å"fire†), Armenian Õ °Ã• ¸Ã–‚Ö€ (hur, â€Å"fire†)) and perhaps Albanian prush (â€Å"embers†). This was an inanimate noun whose animate counterpart was Proto-Indo-European *hâ‚ ngÊ ·nis, *hâ‚ ngÊ ·ni-. Old English fyr, from Proto-Germanic *fuir (cf. Old Saxon and Old Frisian fiur, Old Norse fà ¼rr, Middle Dutch and Dutch vuur, Old High German fiur, German Feuer), from PIE*perjos, from root *paewr- (cf. Armenian hur â€Å"fire, torch,† Czech pyr â€Å"hot ashes,† Greek pyr, Umbrian pir, Sanskrit pu, Hittite pahhur â€Å"fire†). Current spelling is attested as early as 1200, but did not fully displace Middle English fier (preserved in fiery) until c.1600. PIE apparently had two roots for fire: *paewr- and *egni- (cf. Latin ignis). The former was â€Å"inanimate,† referring to fire as a substance, and the latter was â€Å"animate,† referring to it as a living force (see water). Fire applied in English to passions, feelings, from mid-14c. Meaning â€Å"action of guns, etc.† is from 1580s. Firecracker is American English coinage for what is in England just cracker, but the U.S. word distinguishes it from the word meaning â€Å"biscuit.† Fire-engine attested from 1680s. The figurative expression play with fire â€Å"risk disaster† is from 1887; phrasewhere’s the fire? â€Å"what’s the hurry?† first recorded 1924. Station late 13c., â€Å"place which one normally occupies,† from Old French station, from Latin stationem (nominative statio) â€Å"a standing, post, job, position,† related to stare â€Å"to stand,† from PIE root *sta- â€Å"to stand† (see stet). The meaning â€Å"place for a special purpose† (e.g. polling station) is first recorded 1823; radio station is from 1912. The meaning â€Å"regular stopping place† is first recorded 1797, in reference to coach routes; applied to railroads 1830. Meaning â€Å"each of a number of holy places visited in succession by pilgrims† is from late 14c., hence Station of the Cross(1550s). Station wagon in the automobile sense is first recorded 1929, from earlier use for a horse-drawn conveyance that took passengers to and from railroad stations (1894). Station house â€Å"police station† is attested from 1836. B. Statement of the Study The following study aims to answer these questions: 1. What design, materials and ideas contains in a first class fire station? 2. Why does first class fire stations are implemented and preferred nowadays? 3. What to expect in a first class fire station? C. Significance of the Study The following would benefit from this study: This study aims to know what design, materials and ideas contains in a first class fire station, why does first class fire stations are implemented and preferred nowadays and what to expect in a first class fire station. This study would be really helpful in terms of guidelines in constructing and designing first class fire stations. To those who are planning to construct or to design a first class fire stations to know what to implement and to use, to have a smart space planning or programming and to have a satisfying way of life for their fire fighters and company. To the government, for which this study will serve as a great guidelines in designing and constructing a first class fire station for their country or city, having many facts and ideas in this study. D. Definition of Terms The following terms have been defined operationally for the understanding of this research. 1. First Class – Constituting or belonging to the highest or best class or quality, best-equipped and most expensive. 2. Fire Station – a building where fire-fighting vehicles and equipment are stationed and where fire fighters on duty wait Also called as firehouse station house. 3. Municipality – a city, town, or district enjoying some degree of local self-government. 4. Fire Fighters – a member of a fire department who tries to extinguish fires. 5. Fire Trucks – any of various large trucks that carry firemen and equipment to the site of a fire. 6. Apparatus Bay – is primarily the parking space of the fire trucks and vehicles in a fire station. 7. Sliding Poles – also known as fireman’s pole is a wooden pole or a metal tube or pipe installed between floors in fire stations, allowing fire fighters responding to an alarm to quickly descend to the ground floor faster than by using a standard staircase. E. Conceptual Framework of t he Problem The conceptual diagram shows and explain the following factors affecting the implementation of first class fire stations and its results brought out by the following factors. When first class fire stations are implemented and constructed, better services will be offered by the fire fighters because of their better equipment and things to use in a fire emergencies. Also, a better way of life for them because their fire station is transformed into a habitable space to stay in for a long period of time, having that comfort of home and more spaces for training grounds, recreational areas for entertainment, better dormitories, etc. With all of these factors, the impact will be positively great for our society, having more inspired and dedicated fire fighters and their team to give better services and thus will make our society a safer and a better place. This design guide provides the basic criteria to evaluate, plan, program. and design standardized Air Force fire station facilities for the United States Air Force. This information is intended to make wing commanders, base civil engineers, fire chiefs, and designers aware of the unique functional design requirements for the facilities, and to provide a basis for developing main and satellite fire station projects. The upgrade and renovation of existing fire stations and the proper planning., programming, and design of new facilities will ensure the safety of all personnel and support our vision: â€Å"To Defend the United States Through Control and Exploitation of Air and Space. The number and location of fire stations must be reevaluated periodically, but at least annually, as a community’s structures and population change. The number of stations a department should have depends, like everything else, on a balance between the costs of the stations and their maintenance, on the one hand, and the need for more stations, on the other. If a station is located near the high-response section of a community (such as a heavily populated area of multiple-occupancy or wood-frame structures) that location will probably be appropriate. Station relocation is necessary over time if the types of hazards and the locations of most fires move to a significant distance from the station. This is an impor tant consideration for selecting a new site for a fire station. If a department finds that relocation or construction of a new fire station is necessary, the three issues to consider are location, station design, and funding. Location: The location of a station in a community directly affects the total response time needed to combat fires effectively. For example, although a fire station is centrally located in a community, the majority of the responses might be at substantial distances from the station. Therefore, an evaluation of the time from receipt of an alarm to the arrival at a fire plays an important part in determining the need for relocating a fire station. The total time is the sum of the time it takes to complete each of the following five fire-fighting processes: 1. Detection: The time it takes to detect a fire. Automatic fire detection systems, such as smoke and heat detectors, give early warnings of fire and save considerable response time. Some detectors are connecte d directly to a fire station through a central station signaling system, whereas others sound only in the building in which there is a danger. In the latter case, detection time depends on human response and then on the number of people who are in the vicinity of the fire, how rapidly they respond, and the time of day. 2. Alarm: The time that elapses between detection of the fire and transmission of the alarm to the fire station. It depends on the availability of alarm boxes, directly connected alarms, telephones, the extent of automation, reliability, and the speed of transmission. 3. Dispatch: The time required to alert responding companies. If information is recorded automatically and if dispatchers have the most modern communication equipment, the time needed for dispatch is minimal. 4. Turnout: The speed with which personnel—paid, off-duty, and volunteers—can report for duty. Turnout depends on the location of the personnel at the time of the alarm, whether at the station, at work, or in their homes. 5. Response time: The travel time for the apparatus and on-duty personnel from the station to the fire. It depends on the distance from the station to the emergency and on the topographic, traffic, and weather conditions. When traffic is particularly heavy, the police department might be needed to aid in traveling to the fire and in beginning evacuation. Each of these issues must be consciously considered as you work towards a decision on how and where to build a new fire station. I will have more on this critical topic in an upcoming post. F. Theoretical Framework of the Problem When a fire occurs, the fire fighting services implemented by a fire department is one of the most important aids for the fire victims. So that is why we need the outmost services offered by the fire fighters, marshals and officers. This means that we cannot change the fact that when it comes to fire emergencies, the fire fighters and officers are the ones who will help us the most, so we need their services. The services that they offer us can be a lot better with this implementation of first class fire station for the reasons, they having more modern and better equipment to use in fire emergencies, more advanced vehicles and gadgets. They also have better experience and alertness when it comes to this kind of circumstances because of the better training grounds in their very own first class fire stations. Not only the services of our fire fighters and fire marshals are upgraded, also their way of living. The environment of a first class fire station captures the aura of their own homes, having the comfort and safety because of well planned space programming, modern materials used in the construction and breath taking designs. The economy, competition and a changing business environment require companies to diversify, change their business plans and adapt. Television networks change their programming to compete with each other, cable channels and the internet for decreasing market share. The fire service has evolved far past having fire buckets outside each home to concepts never before envisioned. Boston Fire Chief John Damrell helped drive this evolution in 1866 when he warned about the dangers of fire, the lack of compatible fire hydrants, water supply issues and the need for building and fire codes. Phoenix Fire Chief Alan Brunacini did it with fire command and customer service. Fire departments have done it with regulations requiring smoke detectors, carbon-monoxide detectors and commercial and residential sprinklers. Many concepts have come from need as the traditional fire suppression department has evolved into the more-accurate emergency services. Other concepts have been forced upon us: lightweig ht construction, weapons of mass destruction and active-shooter incidents. New concepts and practices in the fire service have come about from the economic need to offset budget cuts while maintaining levels of service. These include alternate revenue sources from private-public partnerships such as Adopt-A-Fire Station programs, interfacility transports, even ads on fire apparatus. The fire department’s jurisdiction is organized by the governmental body that controls the department, although there are private fire departments as well. This comes from a municipality, county, prefecture, state, province, or nation type of government. The most common type of government control is at the municipality level. The jurisdiction size and organization would be set up by department or the government in charge of these duties. This deals with the placement of fire stations, equipment, and personnel within the area of control. Fire departments periodically survey their jurisdiction areas and use the data for redeploying proper coverage. This data comes from travel time, range from station, and/or a population survey. This brings equal service to the entire community and gives the department efficient places to launch operations. Some fire departments such as the Statue Of Liberty Fire Brigade which covers Liberty Island and Ellis Islands respond to medical emergencies and provide care until advanced personnel can take over. In the United States, firefighters may get their First Responder Certification, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License, or Paramedic License. Some fire departments even offer ambulance services. A fire department may also provide â€Å"fire protection† or fire prevention services, whereby firefighters visit homes and give fire safety advice and fit smoke alarms for members of the public. In many countries fire protection or prevention is seen as an important role for the fire service, as preventing a fire from occurring in the first place can obviously save lives. Chapter 2: Discussion and Analysis A. Local Related Study on: Metro Manila – Oldtimers of Makati’s Fire Station Do you like oldtimers or have a kid that is crazy about fire trucks? Then you should pay the Makati Central Fire Station a visit. The fire station possesses a collection of older but beautiful and seemingly well-maintained vehicles from past decades. The fire station is not secluded from the street and passer-by can have a close look at the ambulance and deep-red fire engines. As elsewhere in the Philippines, the municipal budget does not often seem to allow the purchase of expansive state-of-the-art rescue equipment. Concerns were already raised that the fire brigades in Metro Manila are not really prepared for fighting fires in the ever-growing condominiums throughout the megacity. However, the local government of Makati recently agreed to buy more search and rescue equipment and disaster preparedness tools, among them a chemical fire truck with foam. Three people were hurt when two fires broke out in Makati City Thursday morning, one near the Makati Medical Center, authorities sai d. The city’s fire department said the first fire started at around 10 a.m. in a slum colony at the corner of Ayala and Gil Puyat avenues in Barangay Pio Del Pilar, about 30 steps away from the MMC’s emergency department on Amorsolo Street. Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. said the fire was put under control at 11:30 a.m. after reaching the general alarm, which required the assistance of all available fire fighting units in Metro Manila. Binay said the fire officials refrained from ordering the evacuation of the hospital as the blaze was quickly contained by responding firefighters. Some firefighters, on the other hand, were seen spraying water on MMC’s faà §ade to prevent it from being set ablaze in case the wind blows the fire towards it. About 300 families who lost their homes blocked Urban Avenue and Dela Rosa Streets with whatever meager belongings they managed to save, causing gridlock. Each displaced family will receive P15,000 in assistance and P5,000 for renters, according to Binay. Prior to the inception of 117, emergency services were reached through a myriad of telephone numbers. The fire department in Manila, for example, had fifty telephone numbers, one for every fire station in the city.[2] At the time, 117 was solely used in the Metro Manila area by the Philippine National Police for the reporting of ongoing crimes as part of a program called the â€Å"Patrol 117 Street Patrol Program† in cooperation with the Foundation for Crime Prevention.[1] Efforts to expand the capabilities of 117 began in the 1990s, starting with the addition of e mergency medical services to the scope of 117 in Metro Manila through a private-sector initiative called Project EARnet (Emergency Assistance and Response network). Government involvement in the expansion of 117’s scope began in late 1998, when the DILG announced the formation of Emergency Network Philippines, a project that sought to support a national emergency telephone number in order to enable the faster delivery of emergency services to the Filipino people. On August 8, 2001, a memorandum of agreement was signed between the DILG and Frequentis, an Austrian company specializing in communications and information solutions in safety-critical environments, on the implementation of the ENP project.[4] The National Economic and Development Authority approved the project later in the year, and project funding was secured with a loan agreement being signed between the Philippine and Austrian governments on December 6. By virtue of Executive Order No. 226, 117 became the officia l national emergency telephone number of the Philippines on July 14, 2003. The P1.4 billion project was completed on August 2, 2003, with the opening of a new 117 call center in Quezon City, serving the entire Metro Manila area. Four more 117 call centers were opened in 2006, and the full 117 network, consisting of sixteen networked call centers, was rolled out in 2007. http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/07/12/two-fires-hit-makati/ B. Foreign Related Study on: New fire station in Andersonville, community effort The Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department celebrated a long-awaited new addition this afternoon. The department celebrated the opening of its third fire station, located in the Belmont community. The new station is located at the site of the former Belmont School, which was destroyed by fire in the 1960’s. The fire station only cost about $22 dollars a square foot, instead of $80, for a total cost of about $110-thousand dollars. Some of the materials were donated and most of the construction was done by volunteers who once attended the former school. â€Å"There’s no way to put a cost on what they mean to us. The four men particularly that worked and worked tirelessly, day in and day out, Sunday afternoons, Saturday’s late. There’s no way to put a figure on it,† said Chief Jeff Bagwell. The station includes a community room and community picnic area. Firefighters will live at the station for free and be available to answer calls at night to help reduce response time. Andersonville residents who worked on the latest fire station will share their efforts with the public Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. According to a press release, the Belmont Fire Station will help make fighting fires in the community more efficient and serve as a public gathering place. In addition, the fire station’s contruction and design provides the neighborhood with a link to the past. The fire department expects to respond to fire calls in the area more quickly since firefighters will live at the station for no charge. The fire station serves more purposes than housing the fire department. Community groups can meet and hold picnics there. In addition to being more than a fire station, the facility has a legacy. It is on the site of a former school which burned down in the 1960’s. Former Belmont School students who are now retired helped build the new fire hall. Volunteers also lent a hand designing the exterior of the firestation fashioning the cupola after one at the old school. Building material contributions and volunteer labor helped to keep the cost of the project down. The grand opening will start at 4:00 p.m. Tours will be offered. A ribbon cutting will take place at 6:00 p.m. The station is on the corner of Park Road and Sequoyah Road in Andersonville. The fire department expects to respond to fire calls in the area more quickly since firefighters will live at the station for no charge. The fire station serves more purposes than housing the fire department. Community groups can meet and hold picnics there. In addition to being more than a fire station, the facility has a legacy. It is on the site of a former school which burned down in the 1960’s. Former Belmont School students who are now retired helped build the new fire hall. Volunteers also lent a hand designing the exterior of the firestation fashioning the cupola after one at the old school. According to a press release, the Belmont Fire Station will help make fighting fires in the community more efficient and serve as a public gathering place. In addition, the fire station’s contruction and design provides the neighborhood with a link to the past. The fire department expects to respond to fire calls in the area more quickly since firefighters will live at the station for no charge. The fire station serves more purposes than housing the fire department. Community groups can meet and hold picnics there. The department celebrated the opening of its third fire station, located in the Belmont community. The new station is located at the site of the former Belmont School, which was destroyed by fire in the 1960’s. The Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department celebrated a long-awaited new addition this afternoon. The station includes a community room and community picnic area. Firefighters will live at the station for free and be available to answer calls at night to help reduce response time. http://www.wbir .com/news/article/286122/2/Andersonville-to-open-3rd-fire-station- Chapter 3: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations A. Summary We all know that a fire station is a structure with areas set aside for storage of fire fighting apparatus such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire hoses and other specialized equipment. It may also have dormitory living facilities and work areas for the use of fire fighters. Living areas are sometimes arranged above the garage bays where personnel without specific station duties during the night shift are allowed to sleep unless a dispatch is called. In that situation, fire fighters may have special means to allow entry to the ground floor quickly when a call for help is received, such as sliding down a brass pole called a fireman’s pole. This arrangement also allows for a raised area to hang hoses to dry to prevent damage. In a single story station, a tower-like structure is sometimes used for hose hanging. An occupied station will usually have a station alarm system for receiving and annunciating an alarm, and indications of where and what caused the alarm. However, sometimes the only â€Å"alarm† is a telephone that is rung in case of emergency. In a more structured operation, full-time or on-call volunteer or career fire fighters staff the station some or all of the time. There may be office space for the officers, a library of reference and other materials, and a â€Å"trophy wall† or case where the fire fighters display memorabilia. Activities in a fire station include regular inspection and cleaning of the apparatus and equipment, and continuing education in the fire service. Weekly or bi-weekly routine typically includes various drills in which fire fighters practice their skills. Some fire companies also host public activities at the fire station during annual â€Å"fire prevention week† In our case, we will be designing a first class fire station which means, this fire station will contain all of the necessary equipment and apparatus. Also, it will contain all of the necessary and additional space areas such as recreational area, different offices, living, dining and kitchen areas, library, training area, etc. We are planning to design a fire station that has modern aesthetics that will give a positive impression to us as the designers. Good function of our space program is also what we’re striving, for which this is a fire station, and it needs great planning of spaces mostly in case of emergencies and easy access of the fire trucks to the outside. We are really striving to design an image that would automatically determine that our structure is considered as first class. We will implement in our design the usage of glass which implies modern era and it will help the staff inside the building to be aware on their surroundings outside. B. Conclusions Based on the findings, the following conclusions have been drawn: 1. In answer to question number 1: What design, materials and ideas contains in a first class fire station? The researchers found out that in a first class fire station, designs of modernism such as the usage of glass, metallic silver borders and bright glossy colors are used. Ideas of minimalism is always applied in modern first class fire stations, vast spaces is implied for better circulation and comfortable aura. Materials like glossy marble, picture glass window, etc. are used. The idea of having wide apparatus bay and more offices is implied in a first class fire station, having complete space areas and additional ones to. More dormitories and spaces for fire fighters, having a sense of home comfort during their stay in the fire station. 2. In answer to question number 2: Why does first class fire stations are implemented and preferred nowadays? The researchers found out that first class fire stations are implemented and preferred in a lot of ways because primarily, first class fire stations have it all. The flexibility and functionality of a first class fire station when it comes to the services being offered by our fire fighters and officers are more upgraded because of modern technologies and design ideas used in a first class fire station. The needs and wants of the fire fighters and officers are met in a first class fire station. With this kind of environment, they are more eager to take and do their jobs more motivated because they are being paid off by the beauty and home comfort of their fire stations. 3. In answer to question number 3: What to expect in a first class fire station? Well obviously, you will expect in any first class structures, buildings, etc. the quality of the materials and designs used. In a first class fire station, it is expect that the materials and equipments used are top of the line, the designs are great and the way the space are programmed is outstanding. You will also expect in a first class fire station the aesthetics or beauty of the structure, the modernism of its design. First class fire stations have it all. The equipments and facilities are expected to be compete. The offices for different officers are divided in such for their own work to be accomplished. Modern tools and apparatus are used, clothings and gears of fire fighters are complete, training grounds and recreational areas are found. C. Recommendations Authoritative The following recommendations were made by the researchers after analysing the beneficiaries of this particular study. These are follows: 1. To those who are planning to construct or to design a first class fire stations to know what to implement and to use, to have a smart space planning or programming and to have a satisfying way of life for their fire fighters and company. 2. To the government, for which this study will serve as a great guidelines in designing and constructing a first class fire station for their country or city, having many facts and ideas in this study. 3. To those concerned citizens who are curious enough to think of a first class fire station implementation for the betterment of our society in the field of fire emergency cases. 4. To future researchers that would make a further study of this kind, it is recommended for them to absorb this study for them to have more knowledge and facts on what will they expand on their chosen research study topic. Researcher’s Recommendations 1. As what is stated above, it is really advisable to recommend this research study to those who are planning to construct or to design a first class fire stations to know what to implement and to use, to have a smart space planning or programming and to have a satisfying way of life for their fire fighters and company staff. This study would really help them throughout their thinking of what is needed in a first class fire station. This study will give a lot of bright ideas and will totally benefit from their design. -Ron Adrian P. Cruz 2. This is recommended to those individuals with plans to construct a first class fire station for which this study contains a lot of facts and details on what to use and to put in a first class fire station. This study will make their ideas more broad and flexible, they will know where to start and to put additional details that they unfortunately didn’t saw on this research study. -Patrica Marie B. Dayao PART III: REFERENCES The researchers would like to thank all of the persons and websites that openly expanded and broadened our research, their help contributes a lot in our case study research. Websites/Articles: http://www.google.com.ph/ http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/07/12/two-fires-hit-makati/ http://www.wbir.com/news/article/286122/2/Andersonville-to-open-3rd-fire-stati on- http://megacities-go-services.com/layout/set/print/Manila/Latest-News-Articles http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/f/fires_and_firefighters/index.html http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2013/08/wrightstyle-looks-back-from-curfew-to-modern-us-fire-safety.html http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/keyword/fire-department http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Bureau_of_Fire_Protection http://www.quezoncity.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=69&Itemid=366 http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/reports/2007/R1813part3.pdf http://www.isomitigation.com/ppc/fire-station.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_department http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=fire&searchmode=none http://www.finedictionary.com/fire%20station.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_City_Fire_Department http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Fire_Department http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/ http://www.peoriagov.org/fire-department/ http://www.firestations.org.uk/Station_Details.php?stn=Woodford%20fire%20station&lat=51.609343&lon=0.024014 http://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/stationdetail.htm?stcode=01&stname=basingstoke http://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/stationdetail.htm?stcode=29&stname=petersfield http://fireservices.ap.gov.in/ http://www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za/Content.aspx?objID=218 http://710keel.com/more-details-surface-about-the-scandal-in-the-shreveport-fire-department/ http://www.mfb.vic.gov.au/Contact-Us/MFB-details.html http://www.mfb.vic.gov.au/About-Us/Stations-and-Districts/Station-No-27.html Persons/Establishments: The graduate library of Far Eastern University for allowing them to use their materials and resources such as books and thesis projects The electronic library of Far Eastern University for allowing them to use their books and computers Makati City Central Fire station for letting the researchers do an ocular inspection, interviews and provide demonstrations for broader knowledge about this case study research topic To Supt. Ricardo C. Perdigon for providing wide range of answers to our questions and additional facts for more understanding and knowledge about this case study research topic

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Emergency Care Nurse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Emergency Care Nurse - Essay Example The study in today’s Lancet by M. Sakr and colleagues is a reliable comparison between nurse practitioners and SHOs in the service they provide in an emergency department. Patients were allocated randomly to management by a nurse practitioner or a SHO. No significant differences were noted in the accuracy of examination, adequacy of treatment, use and interpretation of plain radiological investigations, or arrangements of follow-up. Fewer patients seen by nurse practitioners needed unplanned follow-up. However, nurse practitioners took longer to assess patients and were more expensive to employ. The findings of this study, in general, support the case for employing nurse practitioners in the emergency department. The findings also raise several points for consideration. Nurse practitioners posts that are to be established within a department should be seen as a new resource and must be supported by appropriate funding to ensure that nursing levels are adequate to provide nursi ng care to patients not seen by nurse practitioners. If no additional nurses are provided, there may be difficulties in providing an adequate routine emergency service (Tye, et. al., 1998). The nurse practitioners may then be diverted to other nursing tasks, and the impact of having a nurse practitioner is lost. Concerns about the loss of clinical judgments and skills because of specialization can be addressed by rotation of nurse practitioner duties with those of traditional nursing.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

On an individual basis critically analyse the CSR strategy of Disney Assignment

On an individual basis critically analyse the CSR strategy of Disney drawing upon Husted and Allens 7-step corporate social strategy framework - Assignment Example It will also help them to design the implementation plan of the strategy. Corporate social responsibility is the initiative taken by any organisation to assess various social and environmental issues and actively participating in the betterment of the society. 7 steps of well designed strategic plan have been introduced by Husted and Allen for the proper implementation of corporate social strategy (Husted and Allen, 2010). The 7 step framework of Husted and Allen has been used to design the implementation plan of corporate social strategy of Disney. The CSR of Disney includes activities such as healthy cleaning, recycling of waste materials, providing nutrition guidelines and online safety for kids (Hopkins, 2012). Women economic empowerment is a factor that can be considered by Disney to expand their existing range of CSR activity. Economic condition of women is miserable in various parts of African and Asian countries. The locations of Disney in those countries can help them to resolve this issue. Large companies like Wal-Mart and Coca-Cola are already involved in various operations to enhance the economical position of women in the society. Government of those countries are attracting more investment from top corporate towards the solution of unemployment and poverty (Lownes-Jackson and Guy, 2012). Disney can conduct training facility for the women under poverty level of these countries to enhance their working skills. Offering employment to these women can improve the economical status of these countries. Disney needs to analyse their available resources and the capabilities of the organisation before creating any plan. The major resources of any organisation are their financial resources and physical assets. Walt Disney holds a large number of consumer franchises that caters from soft toys selling to theme parks which are established in various parts of Africa and Asia. They have

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Contrast and compare 'karnak cafe' and 'The day the leader was killed' Literature review

Contrast and compare 'karnak cafe' and 'The day the leader was killed' by Naghuib Mahfouz - Literature review Example The mutual interaction over delicate situations between the characters reveal in the most natural way, the convictions for which the novel stands for. This is the uniqueness of the writing style of the author. As the story develops, it becomes poignant without losing its ground and reality. Mahfouz has created a sensational and beautiful character in Qurunfula, the proprietress of Cafe. She is just like the oases in desert. The stern author becomes an entirely different man when he portrays her character. He turns a poet in adoring her qualities of head and heart. How she puts up with the vicissitudes of life is brilliantly elucidated by the author. How intelligently she detaches from her glorious past and maintains her essential dignity as a common individual, is a lesson for womenfolk in any part of the world. Contrast†¦.2 The protagonist, though entered the Cafe, by chance, he was surprised to see Qurunfula there in her new role. He describes his past relationship with her in a cryptic style. Mahfouz (2008, p.4) writes, â€Å"We had never had any kind of relationship, whether of affection, self-interest, or simply courtesy.† How and to what extent she is able to retain her past beauty of the body and nobility of soul! Here is another masterful description of the Karnak Cafe with the presence of Qurunfula. Mahfouz (p.5) writes, â€Å"Here you get to sense past and present, in a warm embrace, the sweet past and glorious present. To top it all, there is that enticement that the unknown brings.† The author has intelligently analyzed the contemporary ground realities of the Egyptian government. Though the governments change, nothing much happens to improve the social and economic conditions of the common people. The author touches upon the issues, how psychological imprisonment works in a seemingly free society, how an atmosphere of fear persists and how people are subjugated. No positive improvement is seen to break the age-old societal tradit ions, the freedom of the individuals is not guaranteed. It is a peculiar type of society of mutual suspicion. No violent or radical reactions are depicted in the novel from the side of the government or from the people, though! The discontent of the people is seething within and they are compelled to carry on with the available discipline and remain amenable to the bitter realities of the Cairo-world from where political power is unleashed. Kanak Cafe is sort of a ‘mini parliament’ of the people where a cross-section of the people meets. An attempt has been made by the author to depict the generation gap that was Contrast†¦.3 emerging in the society, the clash of the values of the old and the combustible younger generation. The legendary former dancer Qurunfula is the link, and the ambience created by her is to the liking of both the old and new, for strange reasons. Perfect human values, love and affection springs forth in that Cafe, and the people gather there, f ind psychological relief by discussing the hot political issues and by tendering varied reactions. The disappearance of the three young customers of the Cafe, create terror in the hearts of the customers. Various guesses float forth about their fates. Secret police took them to an unknown destination and they were cruelly tortured. The pleasant atmosphere in the Cafe stands vitiated due to mistrust with the fear that someone amongst them is the police informer. The heaven of

Monday, August 26, 2019

Report for the head office of Electrocom Ltd(Case Study) Essay

Report for the head office of Electrocom Ltd(Case Study) - Essay Example The notion of learning is applied to the organization as a whole, not as a sum of the parts of individual learning of individual employees. Organizations like these encourage continuous learning and innovation and advocate an integrated knowledge management structure for the organization. Other features of such organizations include being proactive, flexible, innovative and able to tap into potential to gain competitive advantage. (Cors, 2003). Another important introduction is one that focuses on organizational learning. Organizational learning in an organization relies on three factors, the first one being routine, the second being dependency on the company’s history and the third one being the targets that the organization has set for itself. Organizations add to their knowledge bank through practice and over time, that is through practical experience. This experiences interpreted and the lessons learned are applied to future scenarios to ensure that mistakes are not repeat ed and good practices are adopted. Learning can also occur by looking at other organizations, competitors or those who are similar to the organization in question so that generalizations can be studied and applied to own organization. (Levitt and March, 1988). Electrocom needs to focus on knowledge acquisition; this will have two pronged benefits for the organization. First, it will provide them further consumer insight which will help them better understand, connect with and cater to their consumer base. Second, it will help them build a knowledge bank from which they can take assistance in the decisional process and which will enable further learning for the company’s employee base. Knowledge acquisition can be done through surveys, R&D activities, reviews of performance and a thorough analysis of competing firms in the market. Another aspect to be focused on is how this knowledge and information is disseminated throughout the organization. Organizational structure should b e flatter so information can flow quickly from source to destination without any hold ups or barriers to stop the flow. Electrocom also needs to focus on how the information is interpreted, for this will determine how the information impacts the organization, if at all. Lastly, through revision and incorporation of this knowledge over and over again in practice the organization needs to make sure that it remains fresh in the organization’s memory. (Huber, 1991). In the same vein, Schein (1993) writes about how it is important for organizations on the modern business environment which is becoming increasingly globalised and culturally diverse, to engage in dialogue. To effective in this business environment, it is necessary for Electrocom to increase and improve communication to enhance levels of integration within the organization and across borders and cultures. Organizational learning will only take place once there is an established healthy level of communication and integ ration internally and creating dialogue will be the first step in this direction. This approach will also improve cohesiveness of work groups, thereby improving their performance. Once a healthy level of communication has developed internally within the organization, subcultures will develop, often providing a motivational source for better performance at work because they promote

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Impacts of Emotional Intelligence of leaders on job satisfaction and Essay

Impacts of Emotional Intelligence of leaders on job satisfaction and Turnover Intentions of followers 02141 - Essay Example Job satisfaction among its employees has been a fundamental reason of the turnover problem as research conducted by Brunetto et al. (2012) suggests. Conversely, whenever an organisation is committed to emotional intelligence, it becomes easier for its employees to be motivated. In fact, Trivellas et al (2013) found that organisational commitment determines the satisfaction of the staff, hence influencing the turnover intentions. In light of these facts, it is highly recommendable that a research be conducted to find a way to mitigate the situation. Therefore, this research intends to analyse the impact the emotional intelligence of leaders has on job satisfaction and subsequent turnover intentions on followers. Credible statistics have proved that Job Satisfaction (JS), Emotional Intelligence (IE) and Turnover Intentions (TI) are firmly intertwined. In essence, it means that none of it can be overlooked or given more attention that the other (Ganzach and Fried, 2012). Unfortunately, this is not something that many business owners have noticed, but rather they tend to focus on the TI without a decisive action to investigate the root problem (Siddique, 2014). Consequently, this approach has proved to be a dilemma for many business owners. For this reason, it would a grievous mistake not to identify these issues and deal with them conclusively. Corporate play an important role in creating employment thus any issue that could prove to be a hurdle ought to be assessed and dealt with early. The proposal will highlight the underlying issues in the three aforementioned areas. In addition, it will offer the concerned parties an opportunity to find a solution in a bid to continue guaranteeing profitability, which is possible through maintenance of a motivated, satisfied workforce. As stated above, the research seeks to understand and bring into the limelight the issues that influence JS

Slavery and Western Expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Slavery and Western Expansion - Essay Example In the article, the author explores the failures and triumphs of this period in American history and ends the article by citing fewer celebrations from the period and more disappointments. The author believes that land distribution was a missed opportunity and an egregious failure of this period, claiming that this should have been integral during the emancipation (Dubois 601). This oversight was compounded by injustices directed at the freed slaves concerning civil and labor rights such as black codes and sharecropping. Du Bois, despite the failings, describes the Reconstruction’s failure as splendid wedged between its shortcomings. It is the triumphs of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments, as well as education for African Americans. Overall, the reason that Reconstruction failed was due to the many defeats that outweighed the few successes. In the article, Du Bois emphasizes the issue of land distribution to the slaves who had been freed as one failure after the Reconstruction. General Sherman’s Field Order 15, given in 1865, gave hope for redistribution as he ordered the confiscation of plantation land and its division into sections of 40 acres, which would be given to the freed slaves. Unfortunately, they were removed from the land with the government failing to follow up on General Sherman’s order, as well as reneging on the pre-war declaration by Andrew Johnson regarding land redistribution’s necessity. The author has a Marxist view of the failing, claiming variously â€Å"Liberalism did not understand . . . revolution was economic and involved force. . . . It hoped with the high humanitarian of Charles Sumner eventually to induce the planter to surrender his economic power peacefully . . . that other Charles —   Karl Marx   Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  had not yet published  Das Kapital to prove to men that economic power underlies politics† (Du Bois 591). The force and economics referred to by Du Bois are tenants of General Sherman’s Field Order 15, which involved the confiscation and redistribution of land to be put to use by freed slaves. This would allow for the assimilation of the former slaves into the South’s economic structure. The argument put across by Du Bois is not in violation of American principles present at the time. The Republican Government gave railroad corporations Southern land in the same period. Since these corporations were eligible for this, then the massive numbers of former slaves were too. Instead of economic independence via land redistribution, Southern landowners were free to implement tenant farming to control the former slaves. Dubois describes the system as serfdom that was established in territories, in the South. Serfdom gave a false impression of land distribution with landowners requiring that those who lived on their land gave them part of the crops that they harvested. They were also expected to get their equipment from the landown er at inflated prices that caused them to fall further into debt (Dubois 597). Tenant farming, in essence, is representative of an effort to bring back slavery to the furthest possible degree in the South after the war. Since chattel slavery was now illegal, they turned to binding former slaves to land via perpetual poverty and debt, creating legal and new forms of servitude. Black codes were another dehumanizing aspect faced by Southern freed slaves with legislation that limited and stripped their civil liberties and rights during this period. Passed in late 1865, the Black Code

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Research Methods College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Methods College - Essay Example Cheerfulness enhances the quality of life and improves productivity. A positive outlook makes one upwardly mobile. A cheerful disposition naturally reaches out to help someone. This person is not sticking out his neck. He knows he is doing something within reach. He knows he is capable. He simply reaches out, achieves the purpose and continues with his course. He radiates life and all the issues that make life happy and purposeful. It is difficult to say if strengths outweigh weaknesses. If it was so easy for strengths to outweigh weaknesses, almost everybody would be happy. Even the happiest people go through bouts of depression and anxiety. However, happy people have the resilience to bounce back. They do not carry forward their depressions to another day. As a matter of fact, going through depressions and anxieties improve resilience. They make a person stronger. It is mentioned that for every 17 articles on negative emotions such as anxiety and depression, there was only one article that dealt with the emotion of joy (Happiness). Basically, it is hope that drives man to live on. As long as man has life, he also has hope. Irrespective of his constant state of mind, there is the urge within man to press on. He knows better days are ahead. Even the most hardened skeptic harbors the notion that there is the silver lining. In the ultimate analysis, one has to learn to live above factors that make for weaknesses.

Friday, August 23, 2019

CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY - Assignment Example For development of self-control, one has to have parental attachment and is affected by the parenting strategies and supervision employed to bring an individual. Attachment that helps in self-control is with the family. One has to form beliefs in law and family attachment, commitment with social norms and institutions and involvement in social activities (Bouffard & Rice, 2011). According to Social control theory/social bonding theory, with the help of crime, we can satisfy our wants quicker as compared to conventional behaviour. For controlling delinquent behaviour, we must have social bond that is created by â€Å"emotional attachment to parents, peers and conventional institutions, such as the school; commitment to long-term educational, occupational, or other conventional goals; involvement in conventional activities, such as work, homework and hobbies, and belief in the moral validity of law† (Costello & Vowell, 1999, p. 817) Social learning theory can be defined as a theory according to which, an individual learns through observation or direct training. When an individual learns more positive definitions of criminal behaviour and less negative definitions of crime, he will depict criminal behaviour. Because according to his cognition and understanding, crime is positive. Those having delinquent peers themselves show delinquency (Costello & Vowell, 1999). Young people tend to appear delinquent based on imitation, learning positive or negative definitions of law violating behavior and the knowledge about rewards and punishments attached to breaking of law (Neff & Waite, 2007). Agnew’s general strain theory states that any kind of strain can result in depressing emotions that can lead to consequences involving crime. Strains are there because of inability to attain valued objectives such as economic success, educational

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Josephine Beauharnais Essay Example for Free

Josephine Beauharnais Essay Behind every great man lies an even greater woman. The woman adds character to the man and also affects his actions and morals. The story of Napoleon Bonaparte would be incomplete without consideration of his first wife, Josephine. She contributed so much to his development and passion because of her influence. This greatly impacted his leadership, military victories, and and was an inspiration behind the Napoleonic Code. Therefore without Josephine’s influence, Napoleon would not have become who he was. To understand Napoleon one must first understand Josephine Bonaparte’s history. Marie was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.She was a popular Empress and had many defining characteristics which helped to shape her life. Josephine had a great impact on Napoleon’s emotions which affected the decisions and actions that he made directly and indirectly. (PBS; Napoleon and Josephine, http://www.pbs.org/empires/napoleon/n_josephine/courtship/page_1.html) She made him feel secure, provided him with emotional support, and gave him confidence which ultimately had a bearing on his decisions and actions. (PBS; Napoleon and Josephine, http://www.pbs.org/empires/napoleon/n_josephine/emperor/page_1.html) Another one of the ways in which Josephine helped Napoleon was through his military accomplishments. Prior to meeting Josephine, Napoleon was nothing more than a short, slight, shabby young artillery man, lacking real military victories. (Mossiker, 79) Josephine allowed Napoleon to strive for more than just a mistress but love. (Mossiker, 81) His fondness for her still remained with him even during his battles. After their wedding, he successfully conquered Italy in 1796-97. (Mossiker, 202) He continued his success conquering Egypt and this battle was significant because France gained a lot of gold and rare gems as well as the Rosetta stone; which was the key to hieroglyphic translations. (Mossiker, 134-139) While Napoleon was fighting his campaigns, Josephine used her connections to Frances political leaders to further Napoleons political career, hosting several parties that resulted in Napoleon quickly being promoted. That resulted in Napoleon gaining national prestige. (Josephines Influence on Napoleon, http://sphseuro.blogspot.ca/2009/02josephines-influence-on-napoleon.html) However, Josephine was chronically unfaithful to Napoleon. Napoleon nearly ended his Italian Campaign early simply to return to France and confront his wife. (Josephines Influence on Napoleon, http://sphseuro.blogspot.ca/2009/02josephines-influence-on-napoleon.html) A letter written to Josephine from Napoleon on the subject of her infidelity was published in several English newspapers, which mocked France and its ruler. Her several affairs almost led to their divorce, but Napoleon felt that a seemingly stable marriage would further his political aspirations and the two remained married. Josephines Influence on Napoleon, http://sphseuro.blogspot.ca/2009/02josephines-influence-on-napoleon.html) Therefore, even without her being present on the battle field, or even in the same country, it was Josephines inspirational spirit, that encouraged Napoleon throughout all of his major victories against Italy and Egypt. Napoleon created a code in which reflected his morals towards the family unit and marriage. In 1803, Napoleon established his own code of laws in order to repeal previous laws that weakened marriage. (The Law Behind the Man, https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/jkr/napoleon.html) The 1792 divorce law was repealed and drastically changed. Before it was possible for either a husband or wife to petition for a divorce on numerous grounds, but Napoleon changed the laws so divorce could only be petitioned for under mutual consent and incompatibility. (The Law Behind the Man, https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/jkr/napoleon.html) There were criteria that had to be met before a husband or wife could petition for a divorce on either of those grounds; if it was because of incompatibility the petitioner had to show proof of cruelty, adultery, or objected to certain humiliating forms of punishment administered by her spouse (Phillips 1988, p. 185). This is significant because it helps strengthen the family by giving both husband and wife the power to separa te. The Napoleonic Code also emphasized the family as a functioning unit. The needs and desires of the individual had been put ahead of others in the eighteenth century. (The Law Behind the Man, https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/jkr/napoleon.html) Napoleon heightened parental authority by requiring their permission in divorce cases and a husbands power by reducing the rights of his wife. A wife.owed obedience to her husband, a husband protection to his wife, and that the wife was obliged by law to live with her husband and to follow him wherever he judged it convenient to live. (Phillips 1988, p. 186) This law strengthened the family unit, giving each marriage partner specific duties and rules. Again, because of Josephine’s influence he created this law to protect his family by providing more structure in the family unit. Even though it may seem that Josephine did not have a more profound impact on the world as Napoleon did, her relationship with Napoleon helped to motivate him to develop his military, personal, social achievements. Without Josephine, Napoleon would not have accomplished what he did and the world we know today would be drastically different. Works Cited Biography.com. A+E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . Courtiers and Favourites of Royalty. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Open Library. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . only read the short 4 paged biography Empress Josephine. London: Oxford UP, 1963. Print. Encyclopedia Brittanica. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . European History. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . Heritage History. Heritage-History, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . History Reference Centre. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Ebscohost. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . Napoleon and Josephine. N.p.: Simon, n.d. Print. Bonaparte. London: Allen Unwin, n.d. Print. Empress Josephine. Cambridge: Knapton, 1964. Print. Frances Mossikers Napoleon Josephine. N.p.: Frances Mossiker, 1965. Print. Napoleon. New York: Aubry, 1964. Print. Napoleon Bonaparte. New York: Thompson, 1952. Print.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Fitbit: SWOT and PESTEL Analysis

Fitbit: SWOT and PESTEL Analysis Overview Fitbit was founded as Healthy Metrics Research, Inc. in 2007 by James Park and Eric Friedman. The first product by Fitbit was launched later in 2009—the Fitbit Tracker. It was a small black device that could be clipped onto clothing and tracked steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, activity intensity, and sleep quality by combining an internal accelerometer with user data. A user could then upload their data to the Fitbit website, where they could see an overview of their physical activity, set and track specific goals, keep activity logs, and interact with friends. Initially, the Fitbit Tracker was only available online, but later was introduced into the retail store market through Best Buy.   Fitbit continued with the clip design type until later introducing the well-known wristband style commonly seen today which introduced even more features in 2013, and later introduced smartwatches beginning in 2015. By August 2015, Fitbit had two clippable activity trackers, four wristband-style trackers, and a smart scale on the market. Prices ranged from $99.95 to $249.95, depending on the product and its functions. By the time Fitbit went public in 2015, Fitbit led the U.S. fitness-tracker market with a share of 76 percent (globally with a share of 35 percent), and revenue had been growing every quarter since 2011. In the first half of 2015 alone, Fitbit generated $737 million of revenue with 8.3 million devices sold, with 80 percent of Fitbit orders being placed on Amazon or Fitbit’s official online shop. However, Fitbit was starting to face some strong competition, as more and more competitors began entering the market such as Garmin, Nike, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Apple. The most notable competitor’s product to enter the market was with the introduction of the Apple Watch in April 2015, which quickly captured the second largest global wearable device market share at 19.9 percent and caused Fitbit to fall from 35 percent to 24.3 percent global market share. Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to better understand the situation that Fitbit is in, a SWOT analysis will be performed and a Porter’s Five Forces model will be created. SWOT Analysis Strengths: As one of the early movers in the wearable device industry, Fitbit was able to capture a commanding size of market share while they built their brand and established a solid user-base. Fitbit also offers many choices to consumers with their different types of products—namely the wristbands and smartwatches—but they were able to offer them in different colors and functionality as to be able to offer a whole range of products at different price points in order to maximize customer reach. Fitbit has also partnered with insurance companies in order to offer programs that emphasize physical activity while providing individuals that take advantage of the programs lower insurance premiums. Weaknesses: Fitbit faces strong competition from competitors like Apple, Samsung, Nike, Garmin, and Xiaomi. As a relatively new company, Fitbit does not have the established customer base and brand loyalists like these other companies have, and as such are having to make up ground in order to effectively compete. Fitbit also only has one successful product line—their fitness tracking wearable devices—while the other companies have products like computers, phones, and apparel that lower their overall risk since they are much more diversified in their overall product mix as a company. Opportunities: As mentioned in the Strengths section, Fitbit has some existing partnerships with health insurance agencies, but there is a tremendous amount of growth left in this area. Partnerships could also be created with companies for services for their employees as well as hospitals for patient monitoring and physical therapy. In the era of big data, Fitbit has an opportunity to be able to sell collected health and behavior data to health insurance companies and universities, but consumer privacy is crucial. Threats: As mentioned in the Weaknesses section, Fitbit faces stiff competition in the wearables market. Apple has a cult-like following of people loyal to its brand, while Xiaomi has taken control of the Chinese market with a much lower priced alternative to Fitbit’s trackers. These all threaten Fitbit’s market position, and as such, Fitbit needs to stay on the cutting edge of technological offerings with its devices in order to maintain their industry leader status as the market continues to grow due to increased health awareness by consumers. Porter’s Five Forces Model Bargaining Power of Buyers: The bargaining power of buyers is at a high level, as there are many alternatives to Fitbit’s products which range anywhere from $34 to $850+, so switching costs are very low. This has forced Fitbit to drive innovation in their products in order to keep consumers engaged and for Fitbit to maintain their status as the leading brand in the industry. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The bargaining power of suppliers is at a low level, since Fitbit mainly outsources their manufacturing to companies in China and also buy product from them in bulk. Fitbit also has the ability to switch between any number of suppliers in China, and the entire design of the product is intellectual property of Fitbit with the software being written to the device by Fitbit employees themselves. Threat of Substitutes: The threat of substitutes is at a high level, as smartphones are beginning to integrated many features of Fitbit’s wristbands and smartwatches. Smartwatches are also becoming more dominant in the wearables market, as they are also integrating features from Fitbit’s wristband product. Threat of New Entrants: The threat of new entrants is at a moderate level, there are many barriers to entry in the wearables market—namely significant capital investment, as the products need to be manufactured and distribution channels need to be established. Since competition is high, a lot of human and monetary capital is needed for research and development as well. Level of Competitive Rivalry in the Industry: The level of competitive rivalry in the industry is high. Fitbit has positioned itself as a premium brand in the industry, but other wearables offer much of the same functionality as Fitbit’s. Even though Fitbit has a tremendous advantage with being one of the first movers, Fitbit still needs to be able to differentiate itself from their competitors as the wearables market becomes more saturated. Overall: From the Porter’s Five Forces model, buyer power, competitive rivalry, and threat of substitutes are all at a high level, which can make it challenging in the fitness wearables industry to be successful and also sustain a competitive advantage. In order to do this, Fitbit must continue to drive innovation within the industry in order to retain its leadership status. Alternatives The following are strategic directions Fitbit could move in in order to capture more market share and/or increase profit. Expand Internationally As mentioned in the Overview, Fitbit in mid-2015 had a US market share of 76 percent, while their global market share was 24.3 percent. This shows that while Fitbit had a commanding lead here in the United States, it has tremendous potential for growth internationally. Marketing efforts may need to increase internationally in order to bring awareness to the brand, as Fitbit may not be as internationally recognized as their competitors since Fitbit is relatively young as a company. However, since Fitbit has positioned itself as a premium brand, they may need to adjust product offerings for other countries that have vastly different cultures and living standards compared to here in the United States. There is also potential here to increase the total potential market share for the industry as a whole and drive industry growth as a whole. Increase Brand and Product Awareness Since Fitbit is a relatively newer company, they do not have the brand recognition that their competitors like Apple, Garmin, Samsung, Nike, and Xiaomi have, at least on a global perspective. Here in the United States, Fitbit is very much a household name and is pretty much synonymous with fitness tracking, as can be seen by its commanding 76 percent market share (per the case as of mid-2015). Consumers may also not be aware of the range of products that Fitbit offers, so they may not know that a product may be available that fits their price and functionality needs. Even though Exhibit 7 in the case shows that Fitbit has double the next competitor’s percentage for consumers purchasing intentions for a wearable device within the next 12 months—42 percent compared with Apple’s 21 percent—it would be a good idea for Fitbit to be producing more surveys in order to better understand consumers’ preferences so that Fitbit can potentially better position itself within the market as well as understand how consumers view their brand and what features may increase usage. Add Features In this industry, there is high buyer power, competitive rivalry, and threat of substitutes as shown in the Porter’s Five Forces model. In order to overcome these, Fitbit must continue to invest in research and development and drive innovation in the industry if they wish to remain the market leader, so this means continually offering new and unique features to their products in order to create value and increase customers’ willingness to pay. Certain kinds of features, like a camera for instance, may necessitate being added to the smartwatch over the wristband in order to differentiate the products and offer multiple price points to consumers. Fitbit could also integrate their products more with social media like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter in order to potentially restore some consumer interest, since consumers may be able to better track their friends’ activity as well as share their own. Increase Focus on Health and Wellness   Fitbit has a tremendous opportunity to grow in the health and wellness space by potentially integrating their product into hospitals for them to use to assist patients with health monitoring like glucose, blood sugar, and the heart in activities like physical therapy sessions. Alerts could even be set up for medications. This information could then be linked back to their healthcare provider for analyzing long term trends in a patient’s health. This would be a completely new addition to the fitness tracking wearables industry and could drive high amounts of growth as Fitbit’s product transitions from that of a ‘want’ to more of a ‘need.’ This could also help Fitbit connect with older customers rather than just targeting and connecting with the young and fit customer segments.   Ã‚  The downside of this is it could potentially be very costly and require high levels of research and development in order to deliver products that healthcare providers would require. This would also be dependent on establishing partnerships with healthcare providers. Sell Data In the era of big data, Fitbit has the potential to profit from selling user activity data that is collected when uploaded to their website by the user. The data could then be used by health insurance companies and universities for research. Using machine learning, patterns could be detected from user behavior data that could improve product positioning and customer targeting for Fitbit, provide health and activity insights that may not have been previously known, and also help health insurance companies establish health programs that could lower premiums after studying how certain levels and types of physical activity affected an individual’s health risks. The key issue here, however, is customer privacy. According to the case, Fitbit announced that it was compliant with the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in September 2015, which indicates that Fitbit is already establishing protections for customers’ data and its security. Analysis and Discussion   This section will detail the recommended path for Fitbit, as well as discuss what I have personally learned about myself through the course. Recommendation Fitbit built its brand on providing a way for consumers to have a fun and engaging way to track their fitness goals, which also provides the background and experience needed to expand efforts into providing meaningful insights into an individual’s health. Fitbit has an incredible opportunity for long-term growth if they focus on what has made them into the market leader they are today, and focus their efforts on overall health and wellness by providing easier and more in depth ways for patients and healthcare providers to track an individual’s data. Fitbit’s style will also help to replace bulky devices that are not aesthetically pleasing. Fitbit will need to conduct market research to understand what patients and healthcare providers require in order to better develop the tools they need and know the data that needs tracking. This effort will also require Fitbit to invest in research and development to meet those needs. Partnerships could be created not only with healthcare providers, but with insurance companies and medical device companies as well. If Fitbit is able to integrate other medical devices into its app, then they would be able to gain a further edge over their competitors by offering more features and utility, which could be an incredible competitive advantage, especially with how high the competitive rivalry in the industry is as shown previously in the Porter’s Five Forces model. According to the case, corporate clients account for less than 10 percent of Fitbit’s business, so there is tremendous opportunity for growth there as well. Especially if there is a partnership formed between the corporation, Fitbit, and the insurance company to be able to provide cheaper insurance premiums for employees as well as cut health care costs for the corporation. This effort could also be combined with selling data uploaded through Fitbit’s app, and Fitbit is already showing they take data security seriously since they have become HIPAA compliant. If partnerships are being formed with insurance companies, they can use the data as mentioned previously to study how certain health habits can reduce certain health risks in order to form wellness programs that provide discounts to any consumer that uses a Fitbit device and willingly shares their health activity to earn the discounts. Ultimately, these efforts will help Fitbit to position itself and its products as the go-to for health and fitness tracking by transitioning its products from that of a ‘want’ to more of a ‘need,’ which will build their competitive advantage and further differentiate Fitbit from their competitors. Media Article Analysis: Effects of High Protein Diet Media Article Analysis: Effects of High Protein Diet Introduction Media claim from ‘The Telegraph’ that high ingestion of protein would be ‘as bad as smoking 20 cigarettes a day’ and ‘have as higher risk of developing cancer as smoking 20 cigarettes a day’ is misleading and misinterpreting to the readers of general public. The article itself is over simplified making the actual study that the article was based upon, over exaggerated and misleading. Dangers of reading this claim would suggest eating less foods containing protein in middle-age individuals. Proteins are one of the major components to sustain a healthy lifestyle through all ages. () Proteins are large biological molecules consisting of one or more chains of amino acid. Main functions of protein within living organism are to replicate DNA, responding to stimuli, transporting molecules and catalysing metabolic reactions. (†¦) Although the alternative claims are found further down the article suggesting it is not as crucial to eat protein rich diet and maintaining healthy diet regardless of age, the article written suggesting that protein rich diet may be as bad as smoking 20 cigarettes a day through developing cancerous cells was written in the first few sentences. This may suggest to the public readers that they might need to change their diet. By posting this statement on the first few paragraphs the reader might only pick out the points that they are interested in and not continuing reading the article where most of the alternative suggestions are made by different professors and doctors. Describe media claim ‘High-protein diet ‘as bad as smoking’ published by ‘The Telegraph’ on 14th March 2014, written by Sarah Knapton was published to give the readers the idea of how high protein diet has the same effect of developing cancer as smoking 20 cigarettes a day. Researchers tracked thousands of adults for 20 years and found that consumption of high protein diet may have ‘The risk is nearly as high as the danger of developing cancer by smoking 20 cigarettes each day’. Dr Valter Longo of University of Southern California stated: â€Å"we provide convincing evidence that a high-protein diet – particularly if the proteins are derived from animals – is nearly as bad as smoking for your health’. Other comments from Dr Eileen Crimmins stated that with low protein diet the overall mortality longevity may be increased plus increasing an overall prevention of developing cancer in the middle-age individuals. With that in mind another proposition was made that older-aged individuals may need to avoid low-protein diets to allow maintenance of healthy weight and protection from frailty. In the article it is also stated other perspectives of low and high intakes of proteins. Dr Gunter Kuhnle and Prof Naveed Saattar stated that the results may come from a ‘survival bais’ plus public view on the article stating: â€Å"The smoker thinks: why bother quitting smoking if my cheese and ham sandwich is just as bad for me?’à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ° What is claim based on? Media has written this claim based up on ‘Low Protein Intake Is Associated with a Major Reduction in IGF-1, Cancer, and Overall Mortality in the 65 and Younger but Not Older Population’ study by several study groups from USA, Italy and Ecuador. The report was published by cell metabolism. The aim was to find if low protein intake associated with reduction in IGF-1, Cancer and overall mortality in adults ages 50 and over. Recommendations made: Reduction of protein intake may prevent development of cancer cells from 50+ individuals Reduction in red meat intake What is mechanism/theory to support claim? Somatomedin C also known as insulin-like grown factor 1(IGF-1), is a protein encoded within humans by the IGF-1 gene, consisting of 70 amino acids in a single chain with three iramolecular bisulfide bridges.(†¦) In 1970’s its effects were termed as nonsuppressible insulin-like activity (NSILA). It’s a hormone that has similar molecular structure compare to insulin.(†¦) IGF-1 has important roles through childhood growth to adulthood anabolic effects.(†¦) Cancer is an abnormal mass, resulted in dividing cells within tissues cell infrastructure. Cancer cells divide and uncontrollably grow, forming malignant tumorous growth, invading close part within the body. (†¦) Cancerous cells may also spread through the blood stream or lymphatic system, resulting in invading distant parts within body infrastructure. There are 200 different type of cancers that affect human body, over 60 different organs where cancerous tumours may develop. (†¦)Some of the tumours within the body are not cancerous, benignit tumours do spread within the cell but does not infiltrate neighbouring tissues nor do they spread throughout the body.(†¦) There are different studies in which ingestion of low protein diet have been found to be of benefit in the mid-age individuals, plus study’s that comply of ingestion of high protein may develop cancerous cells or speed up the growth of the tumour through IGF-1. (†¦) The growth hormone (IGF-1) not only encourages growth of healthy cells, but also provides sources in increasing cancer cell growth. (†¦) study suggested that increasing 10ng/ml of IGF-1 with the high protein diet have 9% higher chance of developing and dying of cancer compare to low-protein diet. But the proteins that the studies were analysing two-thirds of the protein resurces came from animal produce. When the study was performed on mice, they have found that from animal source proteins tend to have an effect on the growth of cancerous cells, whereas plant derivatives seemed to considered to be more of a ‘safer’ option. (†¦) What evidence is there to support/refute claim? Many studies were performed on low consumption of proteins and relationship between decreasing the development of cancerous cells. From the Cell metabolism article et al 2014, that this media article was based on suggested that from performing experiments on mice and monitoring human population of 50-65 and 65+ year old groups found that there is a correlation between consumption of high-protein diet and development of cancerous cell. But the article also suggested to look into 65+ year old group as instead of providing low-protein diet may have an opposite effect, promoting muscular atrophy and weight loss. Moreover, elder generations turn beneficial effects of protein restriction on mortality, into negative. Another study by Gyrd-Hansen et al 2004 proposed that ‘Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) promotes cancer cell viability by safeguarding lysosomal integrity’. The study came to a conclusion that Hsp70 has provided a platform for further investigation in alteration in cancerous cells, decreasing stability of lysosomes. So by finding this protein and deplete it from the cancerous cell it will destabilise lysosomal membrane which will then result in cancer cell depletion. On the other hand study from USA suggested that Mitrogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) provided strong correlation that inhibitors of signal-regulated kinase (ERK) MAPK will provide effective antiseptic agents for treating wild range of human cancerous cells.( P JRoberts et al 2007) Summary The media article did provide some good evidence towards the end from different professors and doctors from both sides supporting the study that high-protein diets may have an effect of cancer development and others saying that more research need to be done to provide more of a valid proposal on high-protein ingestion and development of cancerous cells within the body. Conclusion The media article claim was over simplified and suggested false claim at the beginning of the article to the general public. Although the study which this article was based up on did provide information on low protein intake has effect on reducing the risk of developing cancerous cells, the claim that is made by the newspaper was falsely advertised, misleading general public in thinking that protein foods such as ‘meats’ may be harmful to their health. But in actual fact proteins have to be a part of healthy lifestyle.