Heart Of Darkness Essays (1110 words) - Congo Free State

Heart of Darkness In Joseph Conrad's book Heart of Darkness the Europeans are cut off from civilization, overtaken by greed, exploitation, and material interests from his own kind. Conrad develops themes of personal power, individual responsibility, and social justice. His book has all the trappings of the conventional adventure tale - mystery, exotic setting, escape, suspense, unexpected attack. The book is a record of things seen and done by Conrad while in the Belgian Congo. Conrad uses Marlow, the main character in the book, as a narrator so he himself can enter the story and tell it out of his own philosophical mind. Conrad's voyages to the Atlantic and Pacific, and the coasts of Seas of the East brought contrasts of novelty and exotic discovery. By the time Conrad took his harrowing journey into the Congo in 1890, reality had become unconditional. The African venture figured as his descent into hell. He returned ravaged by the illness and mental disruption which undermined his health for the remaining years of his life. Marlow's journey into the Congo, like Conrad's journey, was also meaningful. Marlow experienced the violent threat of nature, the insensibility of reality, and the moral darkness. We have noticed that important motives in Heart of Darkness connect the white men with the Africans. Conrad knew that the white men who come to Africa professing to bring progress and light to "darkest Africa" have themselves been deprived of the sanctions of their European social orders; they also have been alienated from the old tribal ways. "Thrown upon their own inner spiritual resources they may be utterly damned by their greed, their sloth, and their hypocrisy into moral insignificance, as were the pilgrims, or they may be so corrupt by their absolute power over the Africans that some Marlow will need to lay their memory among the 'dead Cats of Civilization.'" (Conrad 105.) The supposed purpose of the Europeans traveling into Africa was to civilize the natives. Instead they colonized on the native's land and corrupted the natives. "Africans bound with thongs that contracted in the rain and cut to the bone, had their swollen hands beaten with rifle butts until they fell off. Chained slaves were forced to drink the white man's defecation, hands and feet were chopped off for their rings, men were lined up behind each other and shot with one cartridge , wounded prisoners were eaten by maggots till they die and were then thrown to starving dogs or devoured by cannibal tribes." (Meyers 100.) Conrad's "Diary" substantiated the accuracy of the conditions described in Heart of Darkness: the chain gangs, the grove of death, the payment in brass rods, the cannibalism and the human skulls on the fence posts. Conrad did not exaggerate or invent the horrors that provided the political and humanitarian basis for his attack on colonialism. The Europeans took the natives' land away from them by force. They burned their towns, stole their property, and enslaved them. George Washington Williams stated in his diary, "Mr. Stanley was supposed to have made treaties with more than four hundred native Kings and Chiefs, by which they surrendered their rights to the soil. And yet many of these people declare that they never made a treaty with Stanley, or any other white man; their lands have been taken away from them by force, and they suffer the greatest wrongs at the hands of the Belgians." (Conrad 87.) Conrad saw intense greed in the Congo. The Europeans back home saw otherwise; they perceived that the tons of ivory and rubber being brought back home was a sign of orderly conduct in the Congo. Conrad's Heart of Darkness mentioned nothing about the trading of rubber. Conrad and Marlow did not care for ivory; they cared about the exploration into the "darkest Africa." A painting of a blindfolded woman carrying a lighted torch was discussed in the book. The background was dark, and the effect of the torch light on her face was sinister. The oil painting represents the blind and stupid ivory company, fraudulently letting people believe that besides the ivory they were taking out of the jungle, they were, at the same time, bringing light and progress to

Employee Satisfaction at Emirates National Oil Company

Employee Satisfaction at Emirates National Oil Company Introduction Employee satisfaction is a critical element in organisations’ pursuit for success. Therefore, organisational leaders are obliged to foster a high level of employee satisfaction to attain optimal ordinary performance. One of the most important areas of strategic management that organisational leaders should focus on in order to nurture a high level of employee satisfaction involves human resource.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Employee Satisfaction at Emirates National Oil Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Different studies on improving organisational performance have been conducted. Some of these studies have focused on integrating effective operational strategies. However, it is imperative for organisational leaders to nurture an environment that motivates its workforce (Bockerman Ilmakunnas, 2012). The level of employee productivity is subject to the level of job satisfaction. Naseem, Sheik, and Malik (2011) further opine that the level of employee satisfaction influences the extent to which customers are satisfied, and hence the firms’ financial performance. Company profile The Emirates National Oil Company [ENOC] was founded in 1993 in the United Arabs Emirates (UAE). The firm is wholly owned by the Dubai government and it is a critical institution in UAE’s quest for sustainable development and economic diversification. The firm specialises in the development of upstream and downstream operations within the gas and oil sector. ENOC intends to be the most profitable government-owned entity by integrating social responsible practices into its workforce and the overall society (ENOC, 2014). ENOC is focused at attracting, developing, and retaining a talented workforce, hence positioning itself as the employer of choice. ENOC intends to achieve this goal by integrating ethical business practices and integrity into its operations (ENOC, 2014). The firm has adopted an extensive Code of Business Conduct, which emphasises a number of core values such as integrity, teamwork, respect, transparency, and customer focus (ENOC, 2014). These aspects show that the firm is committed at nurturing an enabling working environment. Research objective This research paper evaluates the impact of employee satisfaction on the ENOC’s profitability. In order to achieve this primary objective, the research focuses on a number of aspects that are related to employee satisfaction. Some of these areas are illustrated by the following secondary objectives.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To evaluate how employee satisfaction influences the level of motivation amongst ENOC’s employees. To examine the ENOC’s reward management practices and their impact on employee productivity To assess ENOC employeesà ¢â‚¬â„¢ level of satisfaction and their impact on customer satisfaction, and hence the organisations level of profitability. Literature review Employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction Most profit-oriented entities are focused on maximising the level of profits. Daft (2008) defines profitability as â€Å"an organisation’s capacity to generate profit within a particular period of time using its resources† (p. 82). Human capital constitutes one of the essential organisational assets. However, the level of profitability is determined by diverse factors. Some of these aspects relate to the organisation’s technical, structural, and human aspects (Allen Wilburn, 2002). Tarigan and Widjaja (2011) define employee satisfaction as the employees’ general attitude towards their job. Employees who are highly satisfied with their job are likely to portray positive attitude as opposed their disgruntled counterparts. Employee satisfaction constitutes a fundamenta l element in organisations’ long-term existence. Bockerman and Ilmakunnas (2012) argue that lack of employee satisfaction is one of the main reasons that explain the source of poor job performance, absenteeism, and employee turnover (Mbah Ikemefuna, 2012). However, some organisational leaders have not understood the impact of employee job satisfaction on the overall organisational financial performance. Conversely, some organisational leaders do not have sufficient knowledge on the policies that can be integrated into their strategic human resource management practise in order to enhance employee satisfaction. Naseem, Sheikh, and Malik (2011) assert that employee satisfaction is a multi-factorial construct, which means that it is comprised of three main categories of actors. These factors include the basic factors, performance factors and excitement factors (Lussier, 2012). The basic factors involve the minimum job requirements, which if not addressed can increase the level of dissatisfaction amongst employees. On the other hand, Shahzad et al. (2013) assert that excitement factors â€Å"increase employee satisfaction while performance factors result in satisfaction only when performance is high† (p. 167). Hellermann (2006) corroborates that employee satisfaction is strongly correlated with productivity, and hence a firm’s profitability. Despite this realisation, some studies show that there are situations whereby employee satisfaction is not positively correlated with the level of profitability. For example, some studies have identified a negative relationship between employee satisfaction and the level of gross profit (Bernhardt, Donthu, Kennett, 2000).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Employee Satisfaction at Emirates National Oil Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Customer satisfaction The concept of customer satisfaction has been a major concern amongs t scholars and practitioners in different economic sectors. Its significance has arisen from the emphasis by most organisations as one of their core priorities. Bernhardt, Donthu, and Kennett (2000) assert that the significance of customer satisfaction has emanated from the growing concern on the relationship between customer satisfaction and organisations’ bottom-line performance. Kuballa (2007) argues that most studies have considered customer satisfaction to be directly linked with an organisation’s performance as opposed to employee satisfaction. Additionally, most studies conducted on customer satisfaction have only focused on service quality areas such as tangibility and empathy. Only a few studies have established the connection between the level of satisfaction and performance measures (Chi Gursoy, 2008). Additionally, varied results on the relationship between organisational performance and customer satisfaction have been established. Customer satisfaction is positively correlated with organisational profitability. Conversely, other studies assert that the level of customer satisfaction is not always indicated by an organisation’s level of profitability (Lumley, Coetzee, Tladinyane Ferreira, 2011). The literature review illustrates the existence of mixed results amongst employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, and an organisation’s level of profitability. According to the findings of previous studies reviewed, the relationship amongst these variables can be correlated positively or negatively depending on the prevailing situation. Despite these findings, an organisation cannot be considered successful if it ignores the element of employee satisfaction (Solanki, 2013). The employees’ contribution to an organisation is determined by their interest or organisational identification.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Subsequently, the significance of improving the quality of the employees’ relationship with organisations, for example, through employee engagement should not be underestimated (Soni, 2013). Organisational leaders can improve employee satisfaction via different strategies. Some of these methods include the fulfilment of the employees’ needs, improving interaction amongst the various levels of management, and adaptability. Furthermore, employee empowerment constitutes a critical aspect in employee satisfaction (Solanki, 2013). Methodology Research design This research paper evaluates the impact of employee satisfaction on the ENOC’s profitability. In a bid to achieve this goal, the study has adopted mixed research approach by integrating qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The choice of mixed research design will enable the researcher to improve the validity and credibility of the study, and hence its relevance to target stakeholders. Moreover, mixe d research design will improve the research findings by providing the researcher an opportunity to gather sufficient data from the field. Jha (2008) argues that qualitative research design â€Å"involves detailed description of situations, events, observed behaviours, and attitudes from different sources such as case studies and correspondence† (p. 45). The quantitative design will enable the researcher to explain the relationship between the research variables numerically and analyse the data collected statistically (Brooks, 2006). Population and sampling The research data was collected from ENOC’s employees who were selected from different levels of management within the organisation. The research respondents were selected using random sampling approach. This approach would provide employees in the top and lower levels of management with an opportunity of being selected (Easterbys of motivator factors entail rewarding employees through non-monetary benefits such as r ecognising superior performance and providing them with an opportunity to progress through their desired career path. In its quest to improve the level of satisfaciton amongst its workforce, ENOC has developed a comprehensive employee training program dubbed ENOC National Development Program. The program focuses on five main training areas, which include functional, professional, leadership, managerial, and behavioural skills (ENOC, 2014).The program is aimed at equiping employees with new skills within the oil and gas industry. The training program is conducted by adopting both on-the-job and off-the-job training program. Furthermore, the firm outsources experts within the oil and gas sector to equip the employees with new skills and techniques. This aspect improves the employees’ knowledge, and hence their ability to cope with the industry trends. Furthermore, the ENOC’s training program has successfully contributed toward improvement in the firm’s service del ivery to its customers. Consequently, the firm has managed to increase the level of satisfaction amongst its workforce, and hence its sales revenues. ENOC has adopted transformational leadership style in an effort to maximise the employees and organisation’s benefits. First, the firm has adopted task delegation as one of its employee engagement strategies. This aspect depicts that the firm’s top management team has nurtured a high level of trust and integrity with the lower levels of management. ENOC’s success in delegating tasks has been enhanced by its adoption of the project-based approach in executing diverse gas and oil projects. In this aproach, ENOC develops a project team that is assigned specific tasks and responsibilities. Furthermore,the project teams are required to meet predetermined milestones within a specific period. This approach provides the firm’s employees with an opportunity to make decisions on the best approach. Subsequently,through task delegation, ENOC has been in a position to improve the effectiveness of its work-design. For example, work design has significantly improved the employees’ job-depth. Rauner, Maclean, and Boreham (2008) argue that job enrichment â€Å"gives employees the freedom to plan, execute and make decisions related to their job† (p. 34). Furthermore, ENOC has succeeded in nurturing an enabling working environment by establishing a collaborative workplace. Collaboration amongst employees in different departments is a fundamental element in improving the effeciency and effectiveness with which employees execute their duties. Collboration improves knowledge and information sharing within an organisation’s workforce. Consequently, an organisation attains synergy hence improving the quality of output delivered to the final consumer. ENOC appreciates that employee satisfaction is directly linked to customer satisfaction. Subsequently, the firm’s top management team associates its strong business results with the high level of employee and customer satisfaction. For example, between 2011 and 2013, ENOC’s sales revenues increased by over 50%, while its profit levels increased by 39% (ENOC, 2014). According to Saeed Khoory [ENOC’s Chief Executive Officer], the firm considers employee satisfaction as a fundamental driver in its growth path and over the past two years, the firm’s customer satisfaction index increased to 77% in 2013, while the level of customer loyalty increased from 61% in 2012 to 65% in 2013 (ENOC, 2014). Employee involvement and recognition comprise another fundamental strategy that organisations can adopt in enhancing employee satisfaction, and hence the employees’ productivity. Hellermann (2006) argues that recognition constitutes an essential element in employee motivation. In its reward management practices, ENOC recognises employees who depict exemplary performance in their job by offering them a wards. Lewis (2007) argues that employee satisfaction plays an important role in enhancing commitment within a workforce. Subsequently, all the employees’ activities are focused at achieving the overall organisational goal. Furthermore, employee involvement significantly reduces the rate of employee turnover, hence minimising the cost of retraining new employees. Furthermore, employee engagement in the decision-making process increases the likelihood of developing a product aligned with the market demand. Therefore, an organisation can be in a position to maximise its sales revenue and hence the level of profitability (ENOC, 2014). ENOC’s focus on establishing a high degree of employee involvement and engagement has significantly improved the firm’s innovative capability. For example, in 2013, the firm received over 1,000 suggestions from its workforce on how it can improve its competitiveness. The firm’s CEO asserts the suggestions generated have enabled the company to improve its operational efficiency and profitability (ENOC, 2014). Conclusion The case study shows that employee satisfaction is strongly correlated with an organisation’s level of profitability. Therefore, organisational managers are compelled to institute effective human resource management policies in order to improve the level of satisfaction. One of the issues that managers should consider relates to work design. The study shows that jobs should be designed in such a way that they contribute towards the employees’ quest for career progression. Some of the work plan techniques that managers should consider include work enhancement, work alternation, and work extension. Job designing provides employees’ with an opportunity to undertake challenging tasks, hence breaking the boredom associated with specialisation. Furthermore, the case study underscores the importance of integrating effective leadership style in order to improve the level of emp loyee satisfaction. Considering the changing nature of the labour market, it is imperative for organisational leaders to integrate transformational leadership style. This style will increase the likelihood of attaining optimal competitive advantage. For example, transformational leadership will improve an organisation’s efforts to establish a collaborative working environment. Consequently, the quality of the final output improves due to of the synergistic working relationship that contributes to information and knowledge sharing. Thus, the probability of increasing and sustaining level of customer loyalty is remarkably improved. Reference List Allen, D., Wilburn, M. (2002). Linking customer and employee satisfaction to the  bottom line: a comprehensive guide to establishing the impact of customer and employee satisfaction on critical business outcomes. Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Quality Press. Bockerman, P., Ilmakunnas, P. (2012). The job satisfaction productivity nexus: A study using matched survey and register data. Industrial Labour Relations Review, 65(2), 1-21. Brooks, I. (2006). Organisational behaviour: individuals, groups and organisation.  Essex, UK: Pearson Education Limited. Chi, C., Gursoy, D. (2009). Employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction and financial performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(3), 245-253. Bernhardt, K., Donthu, N., Kennett, P. (2000). A longitudinal analysis of satisfaction and profitability. Journal of Business Research, 47(2), 161-171. Daft, R. (2008). New era of management. Mason, OH: Thompson South-Western. Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R., Jackson, P. (2008). Management research.  London, UK: Sage. ENOC: ENOC unveils 2014 growth strategy to accelerate operational efficiency and  Ã‚  profitability. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.enoc.com/en/ Hellermann, R. (2006). Capacity options for revenue management; theory and  application in the air cargo industry. New York, NY: Springer. J ha, N. (2008). Research Methodology. Chandigarh, India: Global Media. Kuballa, J. (2007). Employee satisfaction; a precondition for economic success of  Ã‚  service company. Chicago, IL: GRIN Verlag. Lewis, P. (2007). Management; challenges for tomorrow’s leaders. Mason, OH: South- Western. Lumley, E., Coetzee, M., Tladinyane, R., Ferreira, N. (2011). Exploring the job satisfaction and organisational commitment of employees in the information technology environment. Southern African Business Review, 15(1), 100-118. Lussier, R. (2012). Management fundamentals; concepts, applications, skill  development. Mason, OH: South Western. Mbah, S., Ikemefuna, C. (2012). Job satisfaction and employees’ turnover intention in Total Nigeria Plc in Lagos. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(14), 275-288. Naseem, A., Sheikh, S., Malik, K. (2011). Impact of employee satisfaction on success of organisation: Relation between customer experience and employee sa tisfaction. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Science and Engineering, 2(5), 41-47. Rauner, F., Maclean, R., Boreham, N. (2008). Handbook of technical and  vocational educational and training research. New York, NY: Springer. Saiyadain, M. (2003). Organisational behaviour. Delhi, India: Tata McGraw-Hill. Shahzad, M., Ahmad, M., Qasim, M., Mushtaq, M., Ferdoos, A., Naeem, H. (2013). Impact of employees’ job satisfaction on organisational performance. European Journal of Business Management, 5(5), 166-172. Solanki, K. (2013). Flexitime association with job satisfaction, work productivity, motivation and employees stress levels. Journal of Human Resource Management, 1(1), 9-14. Soni, B. (2013). Employee engagement; a key to organisational success in 21st  Century. Voice of Research, 1(4), 51-56. Tarigan, D., Widjaja, C. (2011). The impact of employee satisfaction on profitability of restaurants and cafes: A research in Surabaya, Indonesia. International Conferenc e on E-business, Management and Economics, 25(3), 266-271.

The Social Demography of Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Social Demography of Health - Essay Example Based on the data presented by the World Health Organization, one of the most effective ways of fighting the health problems in the society is to target the issues outside the health sector which is the main view presented in the study of the population, poverty and pollution. One of the reasons that can be associated to the said action is the fact that upon the reorganization and improvement of the other sectors in the society, the beliefs and habits of the people also changes. If programs that are related to the improvement of livelihood and alleviation of poverty are implemented, there is an improvement of the capacity of the people to target the improvement of their health for example in cases of communicable and contagious diseases (â€Å"Socioeconomic Determinants of Health†). For that matter, poverty being one of the most important socioeconomic factors that can affect health is included in the fundamental target to the improvement of global health (Poverty and ILL Heal th). In terms of the effects of population changes in the state of global health, it can be connected to the factors inducing poverty. Basically, the scenario can be compared to the population of all types of organisms. An increase in the population results to scarcity of resources. In simple types of organism, lack of resources can lead to death of the significant number of population but for humans diseases can be equated to the lack of resources both for basic needs and healthcare (Galea 15). For that matter, an improvement in the practice of population control towards the sustainability which can be achieved if there is improved access to the basic need can be considered as a path towards the improvement of global health. The issues related to pollution can also be connected to both the issue of poverty and that of population. In the increase of population size, there is a significant chance of worsening the livelihood situation. Due

Japan and American politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Japan and American politics - Essay Example Their motto being â€Å"Japanese spirit, Western things†. This is easily discernable by their deep involvement in the modern economic growth of their own country as well as the East Asia, yet their refusal to give up their own culture and sense of identity. This is not limited to the clothes they wear, or the language they speak, but can also be discernable by the customary practices of the Japanese in their offices as well as their clinging to local traditions that help maintain harmony in their lives. There is no denying that this form of modernization has been successful in maintaining balance and harmony in the lives of the Japanese, both at home and at work in corporations. They have successfully brought together their own culture with the economic policies of the West. However, sometimes the â€Å"Japanese spirit, Western things† slogan has been given another meaning by the anti-liberal Japanese, who want to amalgamate Western technology in such a way into the Japanese system that it would protect them from political competition and protect their interests alone. Hence, the slogan is used to protect economic and political threat to their powers, which they refuse to share or give up. This causes a lot of problems for the Japanese economy, as it results in bad businesses carrying on with little or no respite for the investors, and the bad or weak corporations continuing their business with little or no accountability, and often by a monopoly. Albeit, this slogan has helped maintain Japanese identity and has enabled them to have their own place, culturally and economically in the world, however, it has resulted in many a losses, which include the losses resulting from their refusal to allow competition and private enterprising in many domestic sectors, as Japanese culture is hostile towards competition in the economic life. Moreover, the Japanese back bad banks, and refuse to close down even those

Analyse and evaluate the view that language affects cognition Essay

Analyse and evaluate the view that language affects cognition - Essay Example â€Å"Children learn languages that are governed by highly subtle and abstract principles, and they do so without explicit instructions or any other environmental clues to the nature of such principles† (Pinker, 1995: 135). Despite the complexity of language systems, every child successfully learns his/ her first language in a few years, without conscious effort or formal lessons. Hence, language acquisition is distinct from general intelligence; it is based on inherent cognitive programming, and is unique to humans. One of the important aspects of cognitive science is language acquisition. According to Robinson-Riegler & Robinson-Riegler (2004, p.172), â€Å"inhibitory processes serve a restraining function by preventing strong responses† from taking control of effectors responsible for thought and action. This constraining measure ensures that other less likely responses are also considered; hence incorrect interpretations of text and language are avoided. These functions work together to ensure that information in the memory buffer pertains only to goal-relevant information. Language learnability is related to the cognitive processing that gives meaning to language. There is a distinction between top-down and bottom-up processing. Top-down refers to starting with the complete picture and working down to the basic processes; bottom-up means starting with the minute details and working towards understanding the whole process. Thus, the former is a breaking down process, and the latter is a building up process (Robinson-Riegler & Robinson-Riegler, 2004). In top-down processing of stimulus, knowledge and memory function together to explain the details while information from the general context is used to help organize the stimulus. On the other hand, bottom-up processing of a stimulus is that in which information is from a physical stimulus, and not from a general context. The bottom level of processing is

The Effect Of Temperature On Students Mathematical Skills

The Effect Of Temperature On Students Mathematical Skills Our research is about the effect of room temperature on student mathematical skills. So we have performed the research in which we would be finding new hypothesis. In our research we want to see how student perform when they are exposed to the two temperatures 18-28(degree)  ° C, 30-40(degree)  ° C. Our research was backed by solid literature that have given us the plentiful ground to start the research is these areas. We have taken sample of 100 students undergraduate and graduate from our college. We have made three groups (control and two experimental groups which include cold and hot) these were tested under the temperature ranges. The randomly selected sample have above average, average, and under average grades taken in math courses. We have conducted our research by giving mathematical skill questions, with two temperatures mentioned above. One room was selected to conduct our research, it was important to see the schedule of load shedding in order to properly conduct our research. Our results have showed us that in a higher temperature condition will lead the student to poorly perform. When the same batch was assign another test in the cooler environment the results were positive. By this outcome we have concluded that our hypothesis is realistic. Introduction The global warming is affecting the temperature of whole world so it has also been effecting in our daily lives. Now days the room temperatures are not well managed, the load shedding has been a problem for everyone living in this country, which is affecting our research also. Problem statement: Our research main purpose is to determine whether or not ones thinking capability is affected when temperatures are unfavourable. Since ICBS also faces electricity dilemma we would like to find out that if the temperature does affect the students of ICBS. Literature review: Main studies which have shown that temperature does affect students performance in hot and cold temperature, Aluciems (1972) collected data from 23 classes of children, drawn from 19 secondary schools. Aluciems opened the windows of the classroom and recorded the temperature before, during, and after the completion of the task. Nelson, Nilsson, and Johnson (1984) had its participants write stories to accompany pictures in ambient temperatures of 55.4 °, 73.4 °, and 86 ° F. They also measured changes in participants subjective fatigue and mood using the Feeling Tone Check List and Mood Adjective checklist. Interestingly, Nelson found that participants wrote more words and stories in a cooler temperature (55.4 ° F). Dawson, B., Pyke, F. S. (1988)s research has shown that when the surrounding air is cool, heat can be lost from the body by the process of radiation (transfer of heat by electromagnetic waves), convection (by air movement), conduction (by contact), and evaporation (by sweating) and thus gives a cooling effect to the mind and body. Another recent research review by Mendell and Heath (2005) stated the factors that might influence student performance found only one peer-reviewed study of how the air temperature in classrooms affects schoolchildrens performance (Schoer and Shaffran 1973). As the above experiments conducted do show how temperature can affects students performance more proof was found by Holmberg and Wyon (1969) in this experiments, three parallel classes of 9 to 10 year-old children were exposed for two hours to each of three classroom temperatures -20[degrees]C, 27[degrees]C, and 30[degrees]C, 68[degrees]F, 80.6[degrees]F, and 86[degrees]F), encountered in balanced order, and four classes of 11- to 12-year-old children were similarly exposed to 20[degrees]C and 30[degrees]C (68[degrees]F and 86[degrees]F) in the morning and the afternoon in a 2 x 2 design, again in balanced order of presentation of conditions. As far as we can see that the impact of temperature does affects students as many of the experiments were conducted in various ways. The results of the studies summarized above suggest that increased classroom temperatures can have negative effects on the performance of schoolwork by children According to Dr.Wyon from the Technical University of Denmark commented that .reduced temperatures increased work rate in subtractional and reduced temperature at increased ventilation rate increased work rate in a set of logical thinking... Hence, identifying the temperature of the working environment is essential for the significance of the concentration of the students academic performance. Theoretical Framework: In our research we evaluated that does temperature affect the way students perform in their mathematical skills. To have the accurate figures one must first understand that what are the independent variable, the dependent variable and the intervening variable. A variable is anything that can take on differing or varying values or it is the most important factor that can alter the results of the experiment. Dependent variable: It is the variable of primary interest to the researcher. In this research Mathematical skills test would be the dependent variable since it cant be in control of the experiment. We randomly choose students who have an average, above average and under average grade in their math courses hence gave them mathematical skills questions to solve with varying room temperature. Independent Variable: An independent variable is one that influences the dependent variable in either a positive or negative way. Here in our research independent variable would be the temperature since we can control it. That is, when the independent variable is present (temperature), the dependent variable is also present (Mathematical skills test) and with each unit of increase in the temperature there will be an increase or decrease in the dependent variable. In other words, the students who performed in high temperature had less concentration on their test, leading to their test scores getting affected. It have the inverse relationship between the temperature and mathematical skills. To establish a causal relationship the independent variable is manipulated. One should remember that cause precedes the effect. The cause will be the dependent variable which would be the mathematical skills test and the effect would be the independent variable. Temperature Mathematical Skills Tests Comfort of chair Comfort of table Color of the room Independent Variable Dependent Variable Intervening variable Figure 1: Theoretical Framework 3. Intervening Variable: Intervening variable is also known as anticipating, moderating variable. Intervening Variables are those that risk the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Intervening variable is one that surfaces between the time the independent variable starts operating to influence the dependent variable and the time their impact is felt itself on it. In our experiment the intervening variable is the comfort level of the chairs if they are hard to sit on resulting in the dependent variable (mathematical skills test) scores affected, the desks on which the students took their test can be unstable allowing the students to get frustrated and disturbed during their test. Furthermore, the colour of the carpet and walls can make some student annoyed thus resulting in bad test scores. There can be many intervening variables. Hypothesis: Null: is a proposition that states a definitive exact relationship between two variables. Ho: p=0 No effect of temperature on mathematical skill test. Alternative: an educated conjecture that sets the parameters that one expects to find. HA: pà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   0 Temperature does have an effect on the students mathematical skills test. Methodology Participants: We selected students from our college who were range between ages 18-30. Our sample size was 100 undergraduates and graduates; randomly chosen above average, average and under average students in math courses. Apparatus: The equipment which was important for carrying out the research was math skills questions, watch, room thermometer and a classroom. Procedure: In order to conduct our research we had set up a sample of 100 students to be divided between a control group comprising of 35 students and two experimental groups. Experimental group A Experimental group B The remaining 30 students were the part of the abovementioned experimental groups. A list of our college student was taken so that we can randomly choose students. Experimental group A was the group which took the math test in a room with temperature falling between the range of 18-28 ° C and we observed on the thermometer 25 ° C temperature while conducting the test. Further experimental group B was one in which same students of group A took the test but this time between a temperatures ranges of 30-40C. We observed on the thermometer 37C temperature while conducting the test. On 17th July Saturday we invited 15 people in Room A1 and administer the cold test. It took us almost 20 minutes to create the cold environment. Air conditioners were turned on beforehand. Duration of the tests was for 20 minutes. On the 24 July we take the remaining 15 students for Experimental group A (cold test) were asked to take the test. This way we completed giving 50 students test in one temperature condition. On 18th July Sunday, we conducted second part of our experiment. We gathered 15 same students from Cold test. We had taken down all their names and requested them to become part of our experiment for a second time. Experimental Group B was given the math test in Room A1 with a temperature range of 30-40 ° C and we observed a temperature of 37 ° C during the experiment. On 25 July we take 15 remaining students took the math test in Room A1. The Control group was given the test on 19th July which was Monday we take a sample of 35 students in A1 and on 26 July Monday i n room A1 with a sample of 35 students, showing 30 ° C on the thermometer. Reliability The reliability of the instruments was ensured through test-retest method. We again took 35 students of the same control sample we took before and another 35 students who already sat for the experiment (which were of the experimental Group A and B). Validity The content validity was ensured since all the questions of math were taken from the SAT book Result The data is collected using the questionnaires that were filled in by the participants. The control questionnaire was given out to be filled and the results were tabulated and arranged in ascending order, the total marks were out of 10. The same procedure was done for the hot and cold questionnaire and the total marks were the same. Then the correlation was found which came out to be 0.981, hence this shows that there is a relationship between temperature and students mathematical skills. We also computed the result on excel to tabulate the ANOVA Table. As per the above table is shows that the mean of Control group was 5.96 while the cold was 9.2 and hot group had a mean of 5.24. Therefore, since the F statistic is greater than the critical value, we accept the alternative hypothesis. The result shows that temperature it does affect students hence for good performance of students one should keep room temperatures preferable to cooler temperatures in summers. Table 4: Marks obtained in Control Test As per the above graph the control group had a temperature of 30  ° C hence the obtained mark of respondents are shown. Table 5: Marks Obtained in Hot Test The experimental group (hot) had a temperature range of 30-40  ° C. When we conducted the experiment the temperature on the thermometer shown was 35 ° C hence the obtained marks of respondents are shown on the graph. Table 6: Marks Obtained in Cold Test The experimental group (cold) had a temperature range of 18-28 ° C. When we conducted the experiment the temperature on the thermometer shown was 25 ° C hence the obtained marks of respondents are shown on the graph. Table 6: Comparison of marks obtained in all three tests Results of our research have shown us that students performed better in the cold comparative to the warm temperature as shown in the above line graph the Green line which represents cold was on a higher peak than hot and normal temperatures. Discussion We have concluded that we have agreed to our alternative hypothesis. Because that unfavourable temperatures have effected on our mathematical skills. According to the results of our research one can confidently say that there are a lot of drawbacks when the temperature is not according to ones choice. In our case we are talking about the high temperatures which did not allow students to perform well in their tests. We support our research based on the previous researches made on the fact that because of high temperature raises one does get effected health in the thinking capability, reading skills, physical skills (exercise) all of these factors and many more can result into negative effects to the body. We propose that ICBS should keep a temperature range of 18 to 28 ° C in the summer so as the students academic performance doesnt fall short.

Human Resource Management Essay -- Business HR

The Employment relationship is the only reason public and private limited organisations work effectively. The Employment relationship is a fragile tie between an employer â€Å"management† and employee â€Å"worker†. This relationship can be affected by 3 factors which are interests, control and motivation. Employers have to balance these factors in order to maintain a productive working relationship. Employment relationship works like any other relationship, commitment is required from both sides. In this case the employer and employee need to have a form of understanding and objectives need to be in common. This is not impossible therefore both sides agree upon a mutual decision however interests can be opposed and have done so in the past. A recent example of this would be British Airways. British Airways (BA) have successfully operated for the past 90 years however disputes between management and cabin crew may still have occurred. After suffering the recent loss due to the recession, BA decided to make some changes in order to survive in the competitive market. These changes were aimed at workers, especially the cabin crew, BA were to cut jobs and make relevant changes to employees working conditions, in order to make up for the fewer passengers during and since the recession. This has resulted in a trade union called Unite representing 12,000 crew members, stepping in again st this decision upon employees call for help. The situation has spun out of control and BA employees have threatened to take action in form of a strike lasting more than 10 days therefore a big loss for BA, with up to 650 flights operating everyday which is 80,000 passengers, the cabin crew are at the root of the business and can force BA to cease operating, un... ...ship. (Lecture notes) Darlington, R. (2010). Managing the employment relationship.. (Lecture notes) Darlington, R. (2010).Trade Union Regulation of the Employment Relationship. (Lecture notes) Foot M , Hook C (2008). Introducing Human Resource Management. 5th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. 11-14,35-56,90-98. Kane B, Palmer I. (1995). Strategic HRM or managing the employment relationship?. International Journal of Manpower. 16 (5/6), 6-21. Milmo, D. (2010). BA cabin crew hold back on strike date amid hope of deal. Available: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/25/ba-staff-delay-strike-date. Last accessed 25 February 2010. Nowicki M , Summers J. (2003). The benevolent autocrat: is it the right fit for the times? By now, most managers have hung their autocratic management style in the back of the closet . Healthcare Financial Management. 1 (1), 1. Human Resource Management Essay -- Business HR The Employment relationship is the only reason public and private limited organisations work effectively. The Employment relationship is a fragile tie between an employer â€Å"management† and employee â€Å"worker†. This relationship can be affected by 3 factors which are interests, control and motivation. Employers have to balance these factors in order to maintain a productive working relationship. Employment relationship works like any other relationship, commitment is required from both sides. In this case the employer and employee need to have a form of understanding and objectives need to be in common. This is not impossible therefore both sides agree upon a mutual decision however interests can be opposed and have done so in the past. A recent example of this would be British Airways. British Airways (BA) have successfully operated for the past 90 years however disputes between management and cabin crew may still have occurred. After suffering the recent loss due to the recession, BA decided to make some changes in order to survive in the competitive market. These changes were aimed at workers, especially the cabin crew, BA were to cut jobs and make relevant changes to employees working conditions, in order to make up for the fewer passengers during and since the recession. This has resulted in a trade union called Unite representing 12,000 crew members, stepping in again st this decision upon employees call for help. The situation has spun out of control and BA employees have threatened to take action in form of a strike lasting more than 10 days therefore a big loss for BA, with up to 650 flights operating everyday which is 80,000 passengers, the cabin crew are at the root of the business and can force BA to cease operating, un... ...ship. (Lecture notes) Darlington, R. (2010). Managing the employment relationship.. (Lecture notes) Darlington, R. (2010).Trade Union Regulation of the Employment Relationship. (Lecture notes) Foot M , Hook C (2008). Introducing Human Resource Management. 5th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. 11-14,35-56,90-98. Kane B, Palmer I. (1995). Strategic HRM or managing the employment relationship?. International Journal of Manpower. 16 (5/6), 6-21. Milmo, D. (2010). BA cabin crew hold back on strike date amid hope of deal. Available: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/25/ba-staff-delay-strike-date. Last accessed 25 February 2010. Nowicki M , Summers J. (2003). The benevolent autocrat: is it the right fit for the times? By now, most managers have hung their autocratic management style in the back of the closet . Healthcare Financial Management. 1 (1), 1.

Increasingly multicultural Essay

Montreal is a vibrant cosmopolitan city that is becoming increasingly multicultural. although this is the case Quebec’s language laws have made it all but impossible to post outdoor signs in languages other than French. Other disadvantageous do not point just to those who do not speak French. Since Bill 101 was passed in 1977 many were skeptical over the change in the school system when it urged Quebec to change a law that requires most immigrant children to get their schooling in French. The law that now keeps most immigrant children out of English schools, Bill 101, was enacted 22 years ago under the authority of our good old friend Rene Levesque in response to nationalist fears that a pronounced tendency among Quebec allophones to choose an English education for their children – together with a low francophone birth rate – posed a long-term threat to the future of the French language, especially here in Montreal. Why couldn’t the city be left the way it was, the needless threat of all of Quebec’s language laws have posed a menace to society. The more laws that have been passed the more the French Majority have become involved resulting in a greater vigor to stay free from English. There have been in the past many riots and angered separatists willing to give their lives for the right to keep the French language intact. If the Government hadn’t been so enthusiastic over efforts to change the face of the province maybe the majority of the population would have left the issue of language alone and accepted the English for what they are. Many have grown through the upbringing of their parents to treat everybody the same, and also by the old saying. Don’t judge a book by its cover. It is a complete outrage for the Government to witness crimes of hate and to ignored them by making the problem worse by going ahead with their proposed we hate the English lets get them out of here law. That has definitely been the way that allophones have felt and they were never given a fair share of anything, not even a vote. After the referendum this had become the talk of the nation when rumors suggested that die-hard separatists had tampered with the votes after the 1994 referendum when Quebec narrowly escaped separation from Canada by just a hair’s breadth. But the havoc hadn’t only just begun, there were incidents in the past when Prime Minister Trudeau was in charge that literally tested the lives of allophones, closer to home over here in Westmount. Alleged obstinate separatists preformed acts of hate on Montreal’s well-known English community. Bombs were neatly placed in to mailboxes that were, appallingly, set to detonate once opened. This spelled danger to Montreal’s allophone community who flocked elsewhere to get away from the unbearable tensions that were built amongst them by these alleged terrorists. That is exactly why I disagree with Mordecai Richler’s opinion over Montreal’s status. He once said. â€Å"We Haven’t Lost our heads only our apostrophes†¦. Montreal however diminished is still to my mind the most agreeable city in Canada. And this is because the two cultures not only confront eachother but also continue to enrich eachother. † How could such a knowledgeable man ignore all the violence and the lack of equality. It has to be said that there has never been a time when it was liberated to say that we have grown to enrich each other because it quite simply isn’t true. Problems between the two vibrant cultures have not caused astronomical damage, but enough damage to believe that allophones are not wanted. Tensions for a while remained calm, but more recently the bombings that plagued some second Cup coffee shops, in a furious scuffle just to change the name to Deuxieme Tasse. Similar incidents include Jacques Villneuve’s opening of his bar called new town the translation of his last name. The successful Formula 1 hero was the target of many unpleased individuals over the name of his bar. Villneuve was later asked to reply and give his opinion to the miserable reaction over the name and quite simply stated that people in this city must become more open minded. Can’t really disagree there. It comes to show that times haven’t changed and that tensions are still sky high. That is exactly why I disagree with Mordecai Richler’s opinion over the Montreal’s status. He once said. â€Å"We Haven’t Lost our heads only our apostrophes†¦. Montreal however diminished is still to my mind the most agreeable city in Canada. And this is because the two cultures not only confront eachother but also continue to enrich eachother. â€Å"

Sperm Banks

Genetic defects are the biggest problem when it comes to sperm banks. The greening process that a donor must go through is intentionally designed to be rigorous and exclude any donor that does not meet the high standards. Surprisingly, only one percent of donors are actually accepted nationally. The screening process involves a health questionnaire, physical exam, medical and infectious disease testing, a thorough sperm quality evaluation, and several in-person interviews with staff at the sperm bank.Repeated physical exams and disease testing are ongoing while the donors are active, which means that the donors must maintain a healthy diet and stay active. Although he sperm bank goes through the screening process, they fail to test for genetic diseases because of the cost. A donor will be asked about any genetic diseases, but to save three hundred dollars, a donor will not be tested for genetic diseases. This is a problem because a child that is born could wind up with a heart proble m that was not mentioned in the donor's profile.If a couple has no warning that there is a genetic defect, they could be very upset due to the suffering and the cost of medical bills. Sperm banks overall could just charge more money for a couple to go through the process and spend he three hundred dollars to have the sperm sample go through the genetic defect testing, to save the heartache of couples that have no idea their child will have a medical problem. Sperm banks create a problem of unknown relative production because most of the time a couple is not aware of who the donor is.Therefore, the donor could be a cousin or family member of the woman that is accepting the sample. Inbreeding results in increased genetic disorders, lower birth rates, higher infant mortality, slower growth rate, smaller adult size, and loss of immune system function. Because a couple is not aware that the sperm sample could be a family member, they would be very surprised if any defects came from the i mplantation. Lack of diversity in the breeding pool is cause by a woman trying to pick out the best sperm. When a woman goes about the donating process, she has traits for a baby picked out.So if a woman or a group of women continuously pick out the same sperm for one particle man, there will be no diversity in society. Half of the traits will be the same in several children. Donor children eventually producing their own offspring is a major concern also. A woman is also allowed to pick several samples from the same donors in order to have two or three children with the same man. This is going to be a problem because a donor may not have enough samples to appease the quantity the woman or group of women are asking for.So there needs to be a common balance between how many samples from one man are being given out to prevent the breeding pool from being the same. Psychological issues between the family of the child and the donor of the child are bound to abrupt. Currently, the sperm d onor is protected by a luaus that is legally binding that allows the donor to show no legal rights if he does not want to. These social issues arise when the donor child grows and begins to understand how they were conceived.Questions such as who is my father, do I have any siblings, and what is my medical history will eventually come about. This may cause a problem between the family, if they feel as though the child is theirs and not the donors. Jealously could even be a problem if the dad doesn't feel like the biological father. There is also an added concern that the child may never want to find the biological father. The process of sperm donation is very emotional for the family as well. Infants can be sweet and cute, but how will the parents react if there is unforeseen behavior or medical problems?There is always an underlying concern that those problems can arise. A sperm donor could come across issues within his own family if he were to have kids, especially if the donor ch ild was to find out. It would make the donor child feel unwanted and would definitely have a psychological impact on him/her. Overall, the sperm bank process can be very time consuming and costly. Some women may not take the first sample the first time, so they must have a few more samples before getting pregnant.If it takes years to get pregnant, a woman may just give up. The average cost of going through this process is close to ten thousand dollars. Not only is there a set fee, but if a woman wants certain traits or has to get more samples the bill is just getting much bigger. A family must be prepared for the cost and the waiting process of using a sperm bank. Ultimately, there are several things that can go wrong physically, mentally, ND socially; however, there is one story about a Louisiana man being taken to court due to a sperm bank's mistake.An ex-girlfriend intentionally tricked the sperm bank into giving her the man's sperm sample, and then took him to court to receive c hild support on the child. Who's to say that the sperm bank has not done this several times without it coming out in the open? Maybe a certain bank is not as secretive and is telling the identity of the donors, or not testing the donors properly? Overall, the donor and the couple would really eve to trust the sperm bank that they were doing business with.

Last Voyage Of The Lusitania essays

Last Voyage Of The Lusitania essays The Lusitania was a very large ship. It was made to transport people from the US to England. It had many decks, and each deck is labeled like the ships now days. There is a deck for the first class people, a deck for second class people, an entertainment deck and some lower decks for storages and The day was May 7, 1915 just nine months into World War I. This day was to be the last voyage for the Lusitania. A German U-boat shot a torpedoe at the ship and sunk it within 20 minutes. Hundreds of people died over one hundred Americans. The biggest controversy over the sinking of the ship was, how can a ship that was so big and built to with stand up to 3 A lot of people speculated and said the reason for the sinking was, the ship was carrying military bombs and when the torpedoe penatrated the hull it ignited the bombs and blew out the whole bottom. It was true that the Lusitania was carrying military weaponry, but it was just ammunition and shrapnal, nothing that had to do with bombs. So how did it sink? Well in the movie for the first time explorer and scientist Dr. Robert Ballard discoverer of R.M.S. Titanic and the German battleship Bismarck, takes out new technology that will go down to the wreck sight and photograph the wreck and get up close and personal to see the holes in the hull to determine what actually caused the sinking of the Lusitania What they discoverd was, it was all bad luck. As they where looking around the ship on the ground they discovered coal pieces laying along the side. Now the side that the torpedoe entered was on the side that is was liying on. But when they looked for the giant hole that would have been produced from a giant explosion where the supposed bombs and explosive cargo was So they went back to the coal and went to an ...

Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Literature - Essay Example â€Å"Barn Burning,† is also set in the Southern part of the United States, and tells the story of a little boy named Colonel Sartoris Snopes, or Sarty, whose father, Abner Snopes, bitter due to the class differences, is virulently acting out against the rich and influential even as he works for them. The story highlights the awkward relationship between the boy and his father, while also touching upon the young boy’s conscious and difficult decision to choose between familial loyalty and the truth. At the outset, both stories seem to have very different themes and plots. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† starts at the end of the story, and is a tale with gothic elements. â€Å"Barn Burning† on the other hand starts at the middle, and is essentially a tale regarding the triumph of what the protagonist perceives to be right over wrong. However, upon closer inspection, they do seem to have an identical theme – that of exploring a strange and strained relationsh ip of children with their respective fathers. It is suggested in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† that Miss Grierson’s father was a strict patriarch. ... However, after his death, she comes out of the hold that her father had on her. Although it is interesting to note that she does not want to come out of that hold herself. She is caught off guard when her father dies, and not knowing how to handle life now that her father is dead, is shown to have denied the death altogether. This, in essence, shows that she could not come to terms with living life independently. In â€Å"Barn Burning,† similarly, the relationship of Sarty with his father, Abner, is explored – although, here the analysis is much more in-depth than in â€Å"A Rose for Emily†. Abner Snopes is shown to be a man filled with vengeance and hatred for the rich. He holds them in contempt and carries out acts of, what he perceives to be, rightful retribution. Sarty Snopes observes all this and though he tries to side with his father, based on ideas of familial loyalty, it is shown that the father mistrusts him all the same. Abner is a very controlling man , who does not allow his family to challenge or even question his actions. His hold on his family is complete. However, despite that, Sarty, in the end, goes against his father when he goes to report the burning to the barn’s owner, De Spain. That is where these two stories seem to differ: Emily does not know what to do without her father’s hold on her. She cannot go against her father even after he has died, so much so that she refuses to acknowledge his death. Whereas in â€Å"Barn Burning,† Sarty willfully chooses to go against his father in reporting his actions to De Spain, thus, freeing himself of his hold. Both these stories are set in southern towns and explore certain â€Å"southern† values, so to speak. Miss Emily Grierson is caught between the changing times

Communications plan Of kelloggs Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Communications plan Of kelloggs Company - Essay Example Enactment of new tariffs or changes by the same also affects the company performance and its general financial position. Changes in the existing taxes also affect Kellogg's operations since; there will be an increase in the expenses of the company (Boehlje, Krause & United States, 2001, 13). This poses a challenge for the Company because it has to find ways of increasing its revenues in order to cover up the expenses. In addition, political unrests and terrorist attacks in the Unites States also affect the flow of work in the company. For instance, terrorist attacks will normally lead to massive losses due to fall in the demand of foodstuffs. However, it is not all times that the political environment will create challenges for the company. At times it also creates opportunities for the company. For instance, when the government creates trading opportunities in the economy, or creates new investments in the country. The country is able to increase its revenue by taking advantage of s uch investments (Boyce,  2002, 32). The economic environment of the company also has a great impact on the company’s operations. Economic downturns affect the consumer demand of the products being offered by the company (Kellogg’s, 2008, 9). This is because; consumers will only be attracted to buy products which are lowly or averagely priced, but not highly priced. Therefore, economic problems such as inflation or increase in prices also affects the company’s financial statements due increase in the expenses. For instance, increase in the prices of raw materials, fuel and labor costs, increases the production costs of the company. Kellogg’s company mostly uses agricultural products such as wheat, corn and sugar. Therefore, any slight price increases in the agricultural market pose a challenge to its operations. In addition, shortages in labor, and the general inflationary pressures in the economy increase the labor costs of the company. Social/cultural effects mainly involve effects arising from the reaction of the customers. Kellogg’s Company produces products which directly affect customers since; the products involve direct consumption by the public (Kellogg's, 2008, 8). Therefore, the company has the duty to produce high quality products which will not have adverse effects on the customers’ health. Therefore, the company has to check on the safety and quality of its products. The ingredients used in the food products also have to vary depending on the culture of the target group. This is due to the fact that; different cultures consume different foods and despise different foods too (Peterson,  2004, 15). Competition is also a factor that greatly affects the operations of Kellogg’s Company because; the company operates in a highly competitive industry, the food industry (Kellogg's, 2008, 7). There are many other businesses that are engaged in the supply of fast foods and ready-to-eat cereals. Most of the se businesses also have strong financial positions and thus they are highly competitive. Therefore, Kellogg’s also has to improve its operations in order to match up the challenge posed by its competitors (West,  2001, 41). Technology is also a factor that affects the company immensely. This is because; technological failures would disrupt its operations since; the company greatly relies on information technology to store and transfer data. For instance, its inventory management system is electronic and thus, it highly