Inactivity and Obesity Essay

Review the article â€Å"Physical activity and sedentary activity patterns among children and adolescents: A latent class analysis approach† for this assignment. As individuals and families spend more time in front of televisions, playing video games, surfing the internet, etc., incidence and prevalence rates of overweight and obese people in throughout the world increase. Based on the article, describe family, community, and school level strategies you would use in planning an obesity prevention program. The following items in particular will be assessed: 1. Identify two specific strategies (family, community, or school level) you would use to plan an obesity prevention program. Include evidence-based information as to why you believe these strategies will be the best ones to use. 2. In your opinion, when should obesity prevention start? What should be the ideal age to start obesity prevention, knowing that lifestyle has a great impact on whether individuals will become obese? 3. Provide empirical evidence to support your position as to when obesity prevention should start. Make sure to cite your sources. Introduction Studies of the health behavior of healthy individuals and families are closely correlated since without the support of a family, an individual would not prosper in healthy behaviors. This example hit close to home since there was someone at home always trying to gear my brother, sister, and myself in the right way. This might not be the case for other families and they might have different types of issues that are involved in the studies of health behavior of individuals and families. Human behavior plays a central role in the maintenance of health and the prevention of disease. Issues Involved Some of the issues involved in the studies of the health behavior of healthy individuals and families are the different strategies for establishing healthy eating habits in children and adolescents might be quite ineffective for changing maladaptive eating behaviors. This seems to be a major issue with families of all types of financial background. The majority of individuals that lack the monetary resource to buy healthier food choices seem to be at riskiest end. Also, maintaining a particular behavior over time might require different strategies than will establishing behavior. Studies Accomplished/Reasons they are Important Studies can be accomplished through different age groups and addressing certain behaviors cues associated with healthy families and individuals. For example, one might ask a teenage group if they have ever tried smoking or drinking. From this study, they can find out information concerning the individual behavior and why it is not conducive to healthy family behaviors. Two examples of studies accomplished from the reading are classical conditioning and operant-conditioning which each has its own way of learning behaviors. For example, classical conditioning modifies behavior by repeatedly pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus that elicits the desired response. This type of learning behavior is important it allows the studies to see what mechanisms triggers different people to behave a certain way. One of the most famous classical conditioning was taught in a previous class that mentioned the salivation of dog in response to a bell being rung. The reason behind this was that every time individual brought in food for the dog, they would ring a bell. Later, they found out that just the ringing alone would set of excitement in the dog. This is important because we find out what triggers an individual’s happiness and with little help, their behavior can be geared towards a healthier one. In individuals, if someone is praised on how well they look and that they are maintaining their bodies well, the compliments alone can trigger an individual to want more praises, thus maintaining a great physique. The second type of study conducted was the operant-conditioning which builds on classical conditioning and focuses on the hypothesis that the frequency of a behavior is determined by its consequences. One example would be that of rewards for positive behavior as well as decreasing behavior from punishment. If an individual, gets praises for cleaning their room and is told that if they discontinue cleaning their room, they will make their parents disappointed, that individual might not want the negative responses thus making them decrease their negative behaviors. Contribution to Existing Knowledge These studies contribute to the existing knowledge by showing us that health behaviors can be changed by the way we treat each other. Also, with the studies, we are able to see how an individual’s health behavior can be controlled by praises and can also eliminate negative behavior by adding negative consequences.

Importance of Internal Communications Essay

Importance of Internal Communications for a company and two case studies. Internal communications is considered a vital tool for connecting people within the company. It does not refer only to those few â€Å"official† channels of communication in a company, it is also the strategic management of information flows to ensure the optima level of employee engagement. (Civicus, 2001) This business context of communication is a dual listening process. It is a top-down, bottom-up, side-to-side communication harnessed as a means of delivering messages, listening to concerns and motivating staff. Maintaining a good internal communications within a company could reinforce the vision, values and culture among employees, who can then communicate it to internal and external audiences. Internal communications aims to ensure that employees in the company work together towards the same goal, know what they should be doing and by when. Internal communication has evolved various ways of communicating internally. Traditionally, it started off with informal and formal one-to-one and one-to-many meetings where usually the ‘the boss’ would communicate in a highly one-way fashion with employees. Lee, 2006) In this case the message is mostly communicated in one way, it does not include feedback from the message recipients. When print materials were introduced, it was then involved for formal, top-down transmission, for instance, company annual report. Internal communication then evolved to the digital era where Internet was highly used as a communication tool. When email was in troduced into the business settings and with it the nature of communication has radically changed. Lee, 2006) As the digital technology advances, internal communication has evolved to the point where not only can employees and employers freely email each other, forward messages without any editing (showing the whole conversational trail), and forward those messages outside of the corporate walls, but also employees and employers can use these emails to bring about grievance procedures, litigation and dismissal. (Lee, 2006) It is seen that internal communication has undergone deliberately change and will continue growing. Today’s internal communication practitioner is focused on challenging and stimulating employees, managing change and gaining employee engagement and commitment. (Chalmers, 2008) The aim has moved from controlling and directing people, through providing information, making announcements and supporting industrial relations, to supporting the development of a flexible work environment which adapts to change, seeks improvement, shares knowledge and know-how, generates ideas and involves people in achieving strategic goals. Chalmers, 2008) Most of the people understand the significance of internal communication but very few could manage it efficiently. Many people think that internal communication is one of the functions that they think they can do well. In fact, when it comes to real situation on handling employees, certain strategies and techniques are needed to communicate and tackle. In talking to many individuals at very different levels in very disparate sectors, what has come across as crucial is the need for internal communication to be championed at the very top of the organization and also for senior management and the boardroom to respect the expertise of the specialist tasked to deliver, be they internally or externally placed. Smith, 2008) A large number of studies by both professional management groups and professional communications bodies consistently find that ‘communicating with employees’ is a useful and powerful way of engendering greater ‘engagement’ – the propensity of the employee to want to come to work and want to contribute to the success of the company. (Lee, 2006) Gauri Deshmukh, head of HR at SAS India states that internal communication is important for a company as it provides information and encourages sharing by driving and supporting the organisation’s short-term and long-term goals and objectiv es. In addition, Deshmukh also mentions that with effective internal communications, it ensures that knowledge-sharing and communication processes are part of the daily workflow across all functions of the business. By having good internal communication, a company ensures that in between employers and employees they are constantly updated with information. In fact, a good internal communications not only affects organizational and operational success, but it has a considerable impact on external functions such as marketing, community and government relations, nd investor relations. (Brown, 2002) Internal communication is significant in any company because it is the building block of the organisational culture. (Civicus, 2001) Furthermore, internal communication is important so that employees become advocates for company. It is important to create a ‘common purpose’ across the company – creating the sense of a team where everyone feels ownership in their roles and in a chieving the company’s goals. (WK, 2010) In this way employees feel accepted and being part of the company. Likewise, internal communication is one of the key ‘intangible’ factors leading to high performance. (WK, 2010) For instance, if communication in a company is managed well employees are more confident and clear with the company mission and vision thus makes excellent financial as well as business. Not only that, having good internal communication helps build out company’s brand internally as employees are the best ambassadors, and internal perceptions should mirror what the company is telling the world. Trout, 2012) When the company is communicating effectively with its internal stakeholders, be it employees, management or volunteers, programmes and departments share more resources and information resulting in less duplication of work and stronger impact as a whole company. (Civicus, 2001) Without an effective internal communications, a company allows others to determine what information (or disinformation) is communicated to employees about their company. Brown, 2002) Smart employers realize that in environments where employees are able to move from one employer to another with relative ease, it is in the company’s best interests to retain the smarter and more productive employees; doing all they can to communicate with them, inform them, influence them and enter into some sort of psychological contract with them is a wise move. Lee, 2006) Besides, without effective internal communications, the crisis of confidence in businesses and corporate leadership could hurt sincere efforts to build a positive corporate culture and to enhance employee morale and productivity, and devastate the overall image of an organization. (Brown, 2002) Case Study I: Nokia is one of the top mobile phone manufacturer favoured by many people. In order to compete with other mobile phone manufacturer Nokia is constantly improvising and upgrading their gadgets to serve people needs these days. The reason Nokia has been so successful is no doubt its creation on mobile phones, as well as the strong team in the company that has made where it stands today. In a technologically savvy company like Nokia, it’s no surprise that they’ve been successfully implementing social media into their internal communications. (Kass, 2012) Nokia’s motto is connecting people and exploring ways to enhance communication. (Kass, 2012) In order to realize that vision, Nokia uses a number of different vehicles for two-way and push or pull communications; social media plays a big part with fitting into that strategy. Nokia’s Social Media Communications team was established in early 2008, aimed to improve inter-company communications and engaging employees. The objective of the team is to: encourage the use of social media internally to bring out the company’s unique authentic voice and to engage in social media externally on behalf of Nokia, and contributing to product and service announcements by opening up a dialogue and driving online engagement. (Kass, 2012) Nokia has 125,000 employees around the world. It is the company’s utmost important task to engage all employees in order to achieve company business goal. There are a few platforms in Nokia allowing employees from global to connect as if they work in a small company together. According to Molly Schonthal who worked on the company’s Social Media team in North America, the BlogHub is Nokia’s most powerful and effective social media tool that is used internally. It has been said that BlogHub lowers the barriers for employees to find conversations relevant to them. In terms of interaction, employees are allowed to communicate freely via BlogHub. They could make comment on posts, share ideas and knowledge on issues that have been mentioned. In addition, BlogHub serves as a useful search engine for employees to seek out information relevant to them. From a management point of view, through BlogHub feedback on various issues are gained quickly and track the conversations that are happening inside the company. Voting and ratings on posts are enabled as well for employees to be part of the decision team. Nokia has also introduced Nokia Conversations blog where latest Nokia product news would be posted. Through this blog employees could find a big overview of all the topics going on in Nokia. Similar to any other company that is engaged on social media, Nokia has its very own YouTube and Twitter account. Other than that, VideoHub has grown increasingly popular with employees allowing for postings to be updated on a daily basis. Besides, Nokia’s Infopedia wiki allows employees to share knowledge inside the company. If someone needs to quickly check a piece of information, Nokia’s effective internal communication channel, Instant Messaging (IM) is available for employees. It claims to remove the barrier of more formalized communication in between employees. For global company like Nokia, in order to save cost and time, Nokia has it’s own video conference channel where annual communication meetings and real time conversations could be held. Considering people do not check their mailboxes as much anymore Nokia has slowly cut down prints publications in an effort to become more environmentally aware. In fact Nokia in North America has completely eliminated print publications. Newsletters are now kept to an electronic HTML format, which is e-mail so it is more easily distributed. Similar to every other company Nokia uses intranet communications as well. It is the center of where people go to get information on benefits or organization charts. Furthermore, to reach more employees, Nokia regularly posts relevant company announcements on plasma screens around regional offices, usually in cafeterias and breakout rooms, with its promise on going environmental friendly. At North America, leadership also encourages employees to speak directly with their line managers to better understand organizational strategy and what role they can play in that strategy. For all of Nokia’s Web 2. 0 tools, Schonthal is quick to point out that â€Å"social media is never a replacement for high touch engagement. † (Kass, 2012) Instead, it can contribute to various company events and other in-person initiatives. â€Å"Social media complements these things but doesn’t take away from the ability to internally engage and share ideas,† she further explains. Nokia provides many platforms for employees to stay engaged, all for one clear identified goal – connect all the people in the company. For such global company I believe Nokia in different countries or branches could decide on which channel they prefer but I believe as a whole, all the employees in Nokia stay connected via BlogHub. After reviewing how Nokia strives to engage the employees I could see that the management team work hard on receiving feedback as well. They listen to their employees. They make changes. All these actions give employees feel accepted and belonged to the company. The end result is the employees are clear with the goals, mission and procedures of the company, which can result increase their work effort and efficiency and boost business. Case Study II: â€Å"We were driven to connect the organization with itself, and realized enterprise social networking was the solution. I can truly say after more than two years that we have achieved an official internal communications channel. Socialcast lifted the boundaries and made our organization transparent. We connect daily with people from India, China, the US, and Brazil. Without Socialcast it would not be possible,† says Dennis Agusi, Global Internal Communications Officer, Royal Philips Electronics. Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of â€Å"sense and simplicity†. Philips Case Study 2012) In 2010, Philips began to explore how the company should help its employees spread around the globe to feel engaged, work like a small team driven by shared goals. On the way of researching, the Corporate Communications and IT department discovered that approximately 1,600 employees were actively using a free tool they had found on the Internet to communicate and collab orate. Knowing two platforms for collaboration would not be a great idea so the team took initiative to introduce a new platform to these early users. These early users provided positive and valuable feedback and recommendations on how to improve the enterprise social experience the best it could be. Then it led to a successful launch of an enterprise social network. The company adopted â€Å"Connect Us† and the network was launched with wide support. On launch day, Connect Us had 400 members. Within two months, 7,000 employees had joined the community. Through Connect Us they allow employee-to-employee exchanges as well as management-to-employee communications. Employees are allowed to post freely, share knowledge to make work easier. Connect Us helps to remove barriers between departments as well. Through Socialcast Reach, employees are allowed to share information and data in between departments resulting a more seamless flow of work. In addition, a new idea can be communicated more broadly, increasing sense of connectedness and engagement across the company. From management perspective, through Connect Us, the Communications and IT team could monitor what’s happening in the company, check trending topics or people, at real time. According to report, Connect Us has enabled new and sometimes unexpected forms of employee engagement. All Employee Jam† was a crowdsourcing project designed to bring to life the company’s new, refreshed Mission and Vision statement through dialogue, discussion and debate. This exercise has successfully drawn employees who had not yet joined the social community into Connect Us. According to feedback, employees who participated in this exercise were found to be far m ore aware of and aligned with the Philips Mission and Vision than those employees who did not participate. This resulted Philips truly believes that enterprise social networks help companies increase employee engagement and retention. I liked the idea of how Philips tries to maintain the communication channel as one, which is Connect Us. I believe there are other platforms available for instance intranet but Connect Us is actively used by people in the company. From not knowing employees are using free online tool to communicate to introducing socialcast network, Philips has come a long way into realizing the importance of internal communication. The All Employee Jam has definitely demonstrated the power of enterprised social networking. It encouraged the employees to share knowledge, to stay connected which resulted in a greater identity with the company. In this two case studies, both companies Nokia and Philips selected appropriate channels for communication according to its needs. Nokia has different communication platforms serving different purposes. For instance, BlogHub allows employees to find information they need and Instant Messaging is a tool for quick and easy communication. On the other hand, Philips focus mainly on Connect Us, from searching information to accelerating ideas to sharing data it is all done on Connect Us. However, on my opinion, Nokia has too many platforms it might be tough to engage all the employees in one platform, as the users are free to choose which platforms they get information from. Whereas Philips uses Connect Us, most of the employees are part of the community and anything they need require can be found on Connect Us. I think this is one of the advantages of having a focused channel. Likewise, the tools and tactics, both companies chose to be focus more on information technology. In terms of interactivity, both companies engage their employees as well as welcoming their feedbacks. The employees are encouraged to utilise these channels to feel more accepted and being part of the company. For instance, Philips Connect Us not only allows employees-to-employees exchange, as well as management-to-employees communication. In this case it removes barriers between management and employees so work can be done easier. As for Nokia, feedbacks are valued through voting and ratings on posts and comments, allowing management to understand the employees better. Besides, both case studies reviewed the importance of evaluation on internal communication. In order to improve, the management team has to constantly measure the effectiveness of the communication tools and find ways to improve. Nokia and Philips monitor their employees through these platforms to find out what is really happening in the company. This way they could make sure the employees are on par with company’s goals. In conclusion, internal communication has never been so important. Many people know what internal communication is and they think they know how to function this but they might not know the true meaning behind it. Effective internal communication does not mean to have a lot of communication platforms, spending big budget on this function but utilizing the appropriate communication tool for employees get involved. If you want to build brand for your company first you have to build your brand internally. After all employees are the representatives of your company, they are the brand. Internal communication comes a long way to build, it might need more time and effort to achieve the effective result as desired but the end result is always proven satisfaction, that I am sure. A combination of strong communication, teamwork and camaraderie framed within trusting relationships will help achieve remarkable results in times of large-scale change and uncertainty, writes University of Nottingham chief executive Peter Homa. And finally, in my own words, you can’t communicate with your audience until your internal message is crystal clear.

La Indolencia de Los Filipinos Essay

La indolencia de los filipinos (y de los estudiantes tambien) 1. What was the effect of conviction of â€Å"inferiority? † -The child or youth who tries to be anything else is blamed with vanity and presumption; the curate ridicules him with cruel sarcasm, his relatives look upon him with fear, strangers regard him with great compassion. No forward movement — Get back in the ranks and keep in line! With his spirit thus molded the native falls into the most pernicious of all routines: routine not planned but imposed and forced. Note that the native himself is not naturally inclined to routine but his mind is disposed to accept all truth, just as his house is open to all strangers. The good and the beautiful attract him, seduce and captivate him although like the the Japanese he often exchanges the good for the evil, if it appears to him garnished and gilded. What he lacks is in the first place liberty to allow expansion to his adventuresome spirit, and good examples, beautiful prospects for the future. It is necessary that his spirit, although it may be dismayed and cowed by the elements and the fearful manifestation of their mighty forces, store up energy, seek high purposes, in order to struggle against obstacles in the midst of unfavorable natural conditions. In order that he may progress it is necessary that a revolutionary spirit, so to speak, should boil in his veins, since progress necessarily requires the present; the victory of new ideas over the ancient and accepted one. It will not be sufficient to speak to his fancy, to talk nicely to him, nor that the light illuminate him like the ignis fatuus that leads travelers astray at night: all the flattering promises of the fairest hopes will not suffice, so long as his spirit is not free, his intelligence is not respected. 2. What is the meaning of the statement, tila ka kastila? The pernicious example of the dominators in surrounding themselves with servants and despising manual or corporal labor as a thing unbecoming the nobility and chivalrous pride of the heroes of so many centuries; those lordly airs, which the natives have translated into tila ka castila, and the desire of the dominated to be the equal of the dominators, if not essentially, at least in their manners; all this had naturally to produce aversion to activity and fear or hatred of work. 3. What does Rizal mean by saying that indolence in the Philippines is a chronic but not an inherited disease? When in consequence of a long chronic illn ess the condition of the patient is examined, the question may arise whether the weakening of the fibers and the debility of the organs are the cause of the malady’s continuing or the effect of the bad treatment that prolongs its action. The attending physician attributes the entire failure of his skill to the poor constitution of the patient, to the climate, to the surroundings, and so on. On the other hand, the patient attributes the aggravation of the evil to the system of treatment followed. Only the common crowd, the inquisitive populace, shakes its head and cannot reach a decision. Something like this happens in the case of the Philippines. Instead of a physician, read government, that is friars, employees, etc. Instead of patient, Philippines; instead of malady, indolence. 4. What proofs did Rizal give to show that pre-Spanish Malayans were not indolent? -Before the arrival of the Europeans, the Malayan Filipinos carried on an active trade, no only among themselves but also with all the neighboring countries. All the histories of those first years, in short, abound in long accounts about the industry and agriculture of the natives; mines, gold-washings, looms, farms, barter, naval construction, raising of poultry and stock, weaving of silk and cotton, distilleries, manufactures of arms, pearl fisheries, the civet industry, the horn and hide industry, etc. , are things encountered at every step, and considering the time and the conditions in the islands, prove that there was life, there was activity, there was movement. 5. How did it happen that the industrious pagan culture was transformed into that of an indolent Christian culture? -We have already spoken of the more or less latent predisposition which exists in the Philippines toward indolence, and which must exist everywhere, in the whole world, in all men, because we all hate work more or less, as it may be more or less hard, more ore less unproductive. The dolce far niente of the Italian, the rascarse la barriga of the Spaniard, the supreme aspiration of the bourgeois to live on his income in peace and tranquility, attest this. It seems that there are causes more than sufficient to breed indolence in the midst of a beehive. Thus is explained why, after thirty-two years of the system, the circumspect and prudent Morga said that the natives have forgotten much about farming, raising poultry, stock and cotton and weaving cloth, as they used to do in their paganism and for a long time after the country had been conquered! † 6. Why does the city of Hong Kong have more commercial and trade activities than the whole of the Philippines? It has more commercial movement than all the islands together, because it is free and is well governed. The great difficulty that every enterprise encountered with the administration contributed not a little to kill off all commercial and industrial movement. All the Filipinos, as well as all those who have tried to engage in business in the Philippines, know how many documents, what comings, how many stamped papers, how much patience is needed to secure from the government a permit for an enterprise. One must count upon the good will of this one, on the influence of that one, on a good bribe to another in order that the application be not pigeon-holed, a present to the one further on so that it may pass it on to his chief; one must pray to God to give him good humor and time to see and examine it; to another, talent to recognize its expediency; to one further on sufficient stupidity not to scent behind the enterprise an insurrectionary purpose land that they may not all spend the time taking baths, hunting or playing cards with the reverend friars in their convents or country houses. And above all, great patience, great knowledge of how to get along, plenty of money, a great deal of politics, many salutations, great influence, plenty of presents and complete resignation! 7. Was there gambling in the country before the coming of the Spaniards? -Yes, we do not mean to say that before the coming of the Spaniards the natives did not gamble: the passion for gambling is innate in adventuresome and excitable races, and such is the Malay, Pigafetta tells us of cockfights and of bets in the Island of Paragua. Cock-fighting must also have existed in Luzon and in all the islands, for in the terminology of the game are two Tagalog words: sabong and tari (cockpit and gaff). But there is not the least doubt that the fostering of this game is due to the government, as well as the perfecting of it. 8. What are the effects of too many religious festivals on the country? Remember, that lack of capital and absence of means paralyze all movement, and you will see how the native was perforce to be indolent for if any money might remain to him from the trials, imposts and exactions, he would have to give it to the curate for bulls, scapularies, candles, novenaries, etc. And if this does not suffice to form an indolent character, if the climate and nature are not enough in themselves to daze him and deprive him of all energy, recall then that the doctrine of his religion teach him to irrigate his fields in the dry season, not by means of canals but with amasses and prayers; to preserve his stock during an epidemic with holy water, exorcisms and benedictions that cost five dollars an animal, to drive away the locusts by a procession with the image of St. Augustine, etc. It is well, undoubtedly, to trust greatly in God; but it is better to do what one can not trouble the Creator every moment, even when these appeals redound to the benefit of His ministers. We have noticed that the countries which believe most in miracles are the laziest, just as spoiled children are the most ill-mannered. Whether they believe in miracles to palliate their laziness or they are lazy because they believe in miracles, we cannot say; but he fact is the Filipinos were much less lazy before the word miracle was introduced into their language. 9. What other evidence may be pointed out to show the lack of national sentiment? -The very limited training in the home, the tyrannical and sterile education of the rare centers of learning that blind subordination of the youth to one of greater age, influence the mind so that a man may not aspire to excel those who preceded him but must merely be content to go along with a march behind them. Stagnation forcibly results from this, and as he who devotes himself merely to copying divests himself of other qualities suited to his own nature, he naturally becomes sterile; hence decadence. Indolence is a corollary derived from the lack of stimulus and of vitality. That modesty infused into the convictions of everyone, or, to speak more clearly, that insinuated inferiority, a sort of daily and constant depreciation of the mind so that it may not be raised to the regions of life, deadens the energies, paralyzes all tendencies toward advancement, and of the least struggle a man gives up without fighting. If by one of those rare incidents, some wild spirit, that is some active one, excels, instead of his example stimulating, it only causes others to persist in their inaction. There’s one who will work for us; let’s sleep on! † say his relatives and friends. True it is that the spirit of rivalry is sometimes awakened, only that then it awakens with bad humor in the guise of envy, and instead of being a lever for helping, it is an obstacle that produces discouragement. 10. How do we know there was no national sentiment? -Absence of all opposition to measu res prejudicial to the people and the absence of any initiative in whatever may redound to its good. A man in the Philippines is only an individual, he is not a member of a nation. He is forbidden and denied the right of association, and is, therefore, weak and sluggish. The Philippines is an organism whose cells seem to have no arterial system to irrigate it or nervous system to communicate its impressions; these cells must, nevertheless, yield their product, get it where they can; if they perish, let them perish. In the view of some this is expedient so that a colony may be a colony; perhaps they are right, but not the effect that a colony may flourish.

Geology Of The Area. Sources Of Natural Materials and Construction Essay

Geology Of The Area. Sources Of Natural Materials and Construction Problems - Essay Example It is composed of quartz or feldspar since they are the most common minerals in the earth crust. The colors of sandstone have been identified with several regions because their beds often form very highly visible cliffs. It usually allows water and other fluids to percolate; additionally sandstone is porous enough to store large quantities of fluids, therefore, are valuable aquifers and reservoirs of petroleum. It finds application in house wares and domestic construction. Structurally, they can be fragments of pre existing rock or mono-mineralic crystals. These rocks are very strong especially when mature therefore suitable for construction purposes. Mudstone-according to the map it is elbow-shaped and uniformly distributed in the map. This is a fine grained sedimentary rock. Its original constituents were clays or mud their individual size can only be identified with the help of a microscope. It has no layers due to original texture or disruption of layering by burrowing organisms prior to lithification. It may show crack or fissures depending on how it is formed. According to Dunham (1962), the classification of limestone, a mudstone is a carbonate rock with less than 10% allochens in carbonate mud matrix. Mudstone is a soft rock material therefore is not appropriate for construction purposes. ... It is the hardest rock layer among the three appearing in the map and is used for construction purposes, an aggregate for base of roads, mineral filler passing 0.075mm – 0.425mm of mineral size. It can be used in the manufacture of glass, toothpaste and cement. POSSIBLE PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE DURING CONSTRUCTION The following are the possible problems that may arise during the highway construction process between points A and B. As stated by Amelin et al. (2002), ‘It is important to consider that if we choose to ignore the surrounding geology in the construction of engineered works, then the surrounding geology will most certainly assert its influence on our engineered structures.’ First the material cut may be less than the required fill. Cut and fill, is a process of constructing a railway, road canal or high way whereby the total material extracted more or less is the same as the quantity of material for fill. Since the cut is less than fill, it would warrant acquiring materials from other sources for example borrow areas, importing from other areas. The material cut may be more than the required fill any excess cut above the fill would warrant an additional transportation cost. Secondly, there may be mobility problems due to the rugged and steep topography of the land which may not favor human and machine movement during the highway construction. This triggers use of special machinery in cutting, filling and compaction processes to achieve the desired objective or shape. The land’s landscape may be too rugged such that it may incur more cost especially when it as to get the materials from other areas. There is difficulty in cutting due to topography of land, stability of slopes and since any

Response 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response 2 - Assignment Example The information in the EHR applies even when there is patient transfer between different healthcare facilities. The post shows clearly that the availability of previous patient information to the health care providers may limit some danger hence improving life expectancy in the society. The article gives instances where the use of informatics in accessing healthcare records is important in providing quality services and making a decision. The use of the electronic healthcare records has become crucial in improving services to the patients. Electronic healthcare records (EHR) mainly include previous medical information of the patient to assist especially nurses in providing better healthcare through decisions and services. Achievement of these quality services is through minimal errors in making fast decisions. The article also mentions the achievements of the EHR in upholding the patients’ privacy. However, the author fails to mention the importance of EHR in the follow-up of patient actions and efficiency in minimization of labor. The follow-ups may include appointments to the doctors or recovery process. The post acknowledges the contribution of EHR in improving services in the healthcare

The Re-emergence of Internatiol War- Was Mueller Overly Optimistic in Essay

The Re-emergence of Internatiol War- Was Mueller Overly Optimistic in the End of War Debate - Essay Example He considers that there was strong emotional opposition to war when the First World War was fought, and that by the time of the Second World War, this sentiment was so strongly advanced that war became obsolete1.Mueller’s arguments follow two perspectives. The first is the recognition that war has become much less popular, and the second is an explanation for this pattern. Both of these viewpoints are important, and it is only by examining both of these can the relevance of Mueller’s perspectives to the current world situation be understood. The term war is a word that has many uses and is defined differently depending on the situation that is occurring, and the desires of the people describing what is occurring. Understanding these distinctions is important in examining Muller’s arguments, as he uses a specific definition of war and argues his points on this basis. As an expression, war is often used to refer to any strife or conflict, whether within a state or between different states. This period of conflict may not be longstanding, and the use of the word war may be used to escalate the perception of the events. The term war is also used as a way of describing a particular campaign. For example, two well known ‘wars’ that the United States has created are the ‘war on terrorism’ and the ‘war on drugs’, phrases that have become well known since their instigation. However, the term is most relevant when used to describe a serious, extended armed conflict that occurs within a state (civil war) or between states (international war)2. One useful definition is that war is â€Å"sustained coordinated violence between political organisations†3 Muller’s argument is focused on war occurring between international bodies and he argues that major war between important states has not occurred since the Second World War, and that this long, unusual, period of peace is due to a change in the perceptio n of war. The hypothesis that major war has become obsolete does not state that war never occurs, rather that it has moved from being a viable option, to something that is only considered under extreme circumstances, meaning while it may still happen, it is rare4. There is a significant amount of evidence supporting this proposition. Since the end of the 1980s the overall level of large-scale violence has decreased worldwide, both in terms of the amount of conflicts and the number of deaths. Furthermore, within the same time period, even the prevalence of non-state conflict has decreased5. Mueller’s argument considers that peace has come as the result in of a change in perceptions, with war becoming aberrant or not considered in the same way that two men having an argument do not consider duelling one another, and how slavery is no longer considered a legitimate option6. However, war is generally not caused, or prevented by a single factor; instead there are many different re levant factors that can interact with one another7. One perspective on why international war has decreased in prevalence is that in the current era, there are many less rivalries between great powers, and therefore, the likelihood of a large scale international war is significantly decreased8. Simply put, the major states do not have as much to argue about as they once did. This is also influenced by the fact that the international

Brand management in Irelands indigenous sector Essay

Brand management in Irelands indigenous sector - Essay Example 442). Brand assets are difficult and expensive to develop, maintain, and adapt. The offering environment is cluttered, confused, and complex in part because of the proliferation of products, brands, and sub-brands. Dynamic market contexts with the emergence of new sub-categories make it necessary to adapt and stretch brands, putting additional strain on their ability to deliver the needed support. Consequently to understand the dynamics of brand management and assess whether or not they are successful in communicating the brand to consumers and whether or not those strategies enhance their brand equity, this proposal was developed. The organization of this proposal is the following. Firstly, a description of the project is presented. Secondly, the methodology is proposed. Thirdly, an approximated time schedule of research is developed. Finally, a provisional table of contents is suggested. The aim of this research is to assess whether a firm is successful in communicating the brand to consumers and whether their strategies enhance their brand equity of three Ireland companies. Consequently, the general objective is: In reference to academic relevance, this research pretends to support empirical evidence to the field of marketing metrics. The suggestion of Rust et al. (2004) about search for empirical support to the chain of marketing activities has been taken into account. With respect to managerial relevance, th... 1.3. Academic and Managerial Relevance of the Subject In reference to academic relevance, this research pretends to support empirical evidence to the field of marketing metrics. The suggestion of Rust et al. (2004) about search for empirical support to the chain of marketing activities has been taken into account. With respect to managerial relevance, this research pretends not only to tell the board that brand management contributes to the company, but also to give them the effectiveness of marketing in money terms. 2. Description of the Project 2.1. Literature Review in Short 2.1.1. Brand Management Brand Management is the best way for firms to manage their precious brand assets (Low and Fullerton 1994). Additionally, brand managers are responsible for the performance of brands as well as central coordinators of all marketing activities for their brand and responsible for developing and implementing marketing plan. Along the years the research in Brand Management has been associated with Corporate approach, Retailing, Strategies, Alliances, Brand Extension, new Research methodology approaches, Non-profit firms, International decisions, and others. One reason for studying brand arises from a strategy-based motivation to improve marketing productivity (Keller 1993). Perhaps a firm's most valuable asset for enhancing marketing productivity is the knowledge that has been created about the brand in consumers' mind from the firm's investments in previous marketing programs. What consumers know about brands is the brand knowledge. On the other hand, brand Awareness is related to the strength of the brand node or trace in

American Eagle Airlines Flight 3379 Accident Research Paper

American Eagle Airlines Flight 3379 Accident - Research Paper Example   The research will conclude by providing recommendations of what needs to be done to prevent such accidents in the future. Air accidents have continued to occur despite the measures by the National Transport and Safety Board (NTSB), and the aviation industry. Recently, the aviation industry has witnessed major accidents, including the disappearance of the Malaysian Airline in 2014, and the recent German airline in the French Alps. The main causes of airline accidents have been cited to be inexperienced pilots, physiological and psychological factors, and weather conditions (Grossman, 2013). Most busy airlines overwork pilots and cabin crew, a situation that has been blamed for making pilots make wrong decisions. Fatigue is a major factor that interferes with the level of productivity and job satisfaction of cabin crew. Some pilots experience mental disorders, such as depression, hence affecting their judgment and prone to making the wrong decisions. The flagship airline flight 3379 crashed in 1994. The flight origin was Piedmont Triad International Airport and the final destination was Raleigh-Durham Airport. There were 18 passenger and 2 crewmembers (Aircraft Accident Report, 1995). The experience any mechanical problem until when the pilot received the clearance to land. The ignition light of one of the engines illuminated in the cockpit, calling for immediate intervention. It appears that the pilot panicked on realizing the speed of the plane began to decrease drastically. Without taking a moment to determine the cause of the incident, the pilot decided to execute a missed approach.

Developing imaging reporting by Radiology Practitioner Assistants Article

Developing imaging reporting by Radiology Practitioner Assistants - Article Example However, as with any change there was resistance to the changing developments on the role of RPA’s and minimal acceptance of the benefits in speeding up radiology reporting, with particular emphasis in radiology reporting in the case of accidents and emergencies that came from the increased role of RPA assistance in radiology reporting (Williams et al, 2005). The advent of imaging technology as a diagnostic aid is nearly a century old and certain practices evolved with the reporting traditions in radiology. These practices have created the requirement of a medical report. Statutes relating to the medical report to accompany radiological findings have made it essentially the domain of radiologists, negating any intrusion on the medical report by radiographers. This has led to a situation, wherein radiographers find that despite developments in their role whereby they are encouraged to point out their imaging findings, they are forced to avoid making any comments on the medical significance of their imaging findings. In short this makes their imaging findings deficit in supporting clinical decisions (Robinson, 1998). In the United States of America this practice in radiological reporting has led to a limited role in the advanced functioning of RPAs to three key areas under the supervision of a radiologist. These key areas are responsibility for the assessment of patients, patient management and education of patients; evaluation of image quality, initial image observations, and the communication of these observations to the supervising radiologist, and performing certain selected radiology procedures that include fluoroscopy. RPAs are not allowed to interpret images, make diagnosis, and prescribe medication or therapies, which remain in the realm of radiologists (The Radiologist Assistant: Improving Patient care While Providing Workforce

Conduct of Monetary Policy in Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conduct of Monetary Policy in Kuwait - Essay Example In order to accomplish these broad goals, CBK has been adept in controlling the level of the domestic money supply and different interest rates. During the fiscal year 2005-2006, the broad definition of money supply or M2 amounts to KD14524.7 which represents a double digit increase of 17.2% from its previous level. This growth represents the ballooning of both quasi-money (18.6%) and narrow money (13.5%). The increase in money supply is attributed to the increase in both CBK's net foreign assets by 31.1% and the net foreign assets of local banks by 14.4% (Annual Report 2005-06 15). The strict monitoring of interest rates is primarily attributed to CBK's efforts in "ensuring their consistency with the domestic economic and monetary developments (Annual Report 2005-06 16)" and "their alignment with trends in major currencies (Annual Report 2005-06 16)." In general, this is to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of Kuwaiti dinar relative to foreign currencies.

Crimes against Humanity in Tibet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Crimes against Humanity in Tibet - Essay Example In return, to the peaceful pursuit of their rights, a group faces negative pressure from their counterparts, which may be a strong force, far much, beyond what the first group has engaged to pursue their rights. The struggle is characteristic in some countries in the world, in which some perceived minority groups continue to suffer violent attacks and killings, from their counterparts. One of the most commonly recognised groups of people that have faced the struggle of this nature is the Tibetans in the hands of the dominant and majority Chinese community. For some time, there has existed a struggle between the Tibetans and the larger Chinese community because they have diverse belief systems. While the Tibetans would not like the form of life of the larger Chinese community, they experiences immense pressure each time they attempt to advocate for their rights as independent group. Through the killing of peaceful demonstrators from the Tibet side, the attacks have risen to a level of crime against humanity and therefore, it has attracted criticism from different people and institutionsi. Tibet is a region that has people who practise religious beliefs that are very different from the major Chinese community and this problem sparked crime against humanity. While people in the Tibetans practise Buddhist, the Chinese community practise Confucianism faith, a religious practise that is far different from the Tibetans’ religion. In an attempt to influence the Tibetans to follow the Confucianism, the Chinese Communists have used unnecessary force that is against the law to discourage the Tibetans from the Buddhist religion. Some of the notable incident in this case is when the Chinese communist destroyed the Buddhist monasteries so that they minimise the effects of the religion in the Tibet area. This was a calculated move to disintegrate the Tibetans from meeting together as a group of people solidified by religion. The rights that each individual in the world has to worship the way he or she could be willing and in the places they would like is contravened. Although the event has faced a lot of condemnation from the religious leaders of the Tibetans, the crime continues to suppress the place of the religion among the Tibetans. The injustice that does not only require local intervention but also requires to be addressed by international jurisdiction, which will help the Tibetans to reclaim their possession and have protection. Throughout time, the attempt of the Tibetans to pursue their rights to worship has been unfruitful with many processes of jurisdiction taking years to addressii. Chinese communist regime has advanced to curtail the freedom of the Tibetans when they are in the monasteries for worship to prevent the Tibetan Buddhists from advancing their religion. The Chinese communists focus on influencing the Tibetans to Confucianism but not to allow them to practise their religious rituals and they have regularly monitored the are as of worship. This has resulted to development of enmity between the religions of the two groups in which the Tibetans are the minority and the Chinese communists are the majority. Regardless of the outcry from the spiritual leader of the Tibetan

Diabetes mellitus, Essay Example for Free

Diabetes mellitus, Essay Since diabetes is such a complex disease with many different forms, we decided to focus on diabetes type I. This is known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). This type of diabetes includes people who are dependant on injections of insulin on a daily basis in order to satisfy the bodies insulin needs, they cannot survive without these injections. OVERVIEW OF DIABETES TYPE I What is diabetes type I? In order to understand the disease we firstly need to know about insulin. Insulin is a hormone. The role of insulin is to convert the food we eat into various useful substances, discarding everything that is wasteful. It is the job of insulin to see that the useful substances are put to best use for our well-being. The useful substances are used for building cells, are made ready for immediate expenditure as energy and also stored for later energy expenditure. The cause of diabetes is an absolute or lack of the hormone insulin. As a result of this lack of insulin the processes that involve converting the foods we eat into various useful substances does not occur. Insulin comes from the beta cells which are located in the pancreas. In the case of diabetes type I almost all of the beta cells have been destroyed. Therefore daily injections of insulin become essential to life. Health implications of diabetes type I One of the products that is of vital importance in our bodies is glucose, a simple carbohydrate sugar which is needed by virtually every part of our body as fuel to function. Insulin controls the amount of glucose distributed to vital organs and also the muscles. In diabetics due to the lack of insulin and therefore the control of glucose given to different body parts they face death if they dont inject themselves with insulin daily. Since strict monitoring of diabetes is needed for the control of the disease, little room is left for carelessness. As a result diabetic patients are susceptible to many other diseases and serious conditions if a proper course of treatment is not followed. Other diseases a diabetic is open to: Cardiovascular disease, stroke, Peripheral artery disease, gangrene, kidney disease, blindness, hypertension, nerve damage, impotence etc. Basically there is an increased incident of infection in diabetic sufferers. Therefore special care needs to be taken to decrease the chances of getting these other serious diseases. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY What is physical activity? (Bouchard 1988) States that physical activity is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles resulting in energy expenditure. Therefore this includes sports and leisure activities of all forms. Why do we need physical activity in our lives? Physical activity and exercise helps tune the human machine, our bodies. Imagine a car constantly driven only to stop for fuel. It would be a client for all sorts of damage, rusting, oil leaking, dehydration and the chances are most likely it would die in the middle of the road not long after. This is what the body would be like if we didnt exercise at all. We would be and as a result of todays lifestyle many of us are, the perfect target to all kinds of diseases and infections. For those of us who are carrier of some disease or illness we are still encouraged to exercise by our physicians if we have the strength to. This is to help make our organs, muscles, bones and arteries more efficient and better equipped to fight against the disease or illness. This is our way of counter attacking. And if we are still healthy then we reduce the chances of getting an illness or a disease. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND DIABETES (EPIDEMIOLOGY) Recently insulin injections have become available to dependant patients. However in the pre-insulin era physical exercise was one of the few therapies available to physicians in combating diabetes. For an IDDM carrier to benefit from exercise they need to be well aware of their body and the consequences of exercising. If an IDDM carrier has no real control over their situation and just exercise without considering their diet, time of insulin intake, type of exercise, duration of the exercise and the intensity, then the results can be very hazardous to the patient. In the first journal article that I used for this part of the research (Sutton 1981) had conducted an investigation on drugs used in metabolic disorders. The article is designed to provide some background information on previous beliefs and research conducted early this century. As well as his own investigations conducted during the beginning of the 1980s. He has compared the results and came to the same conclusion as the investigations done early in this century. Suttons findings show that decrease in blood glucose following an insulin injection was magnified when the insulin was followed by physical activity/exercise (see figure 1). This shows that if a person gets involved in physical activity or exercise after insulin the volume of glucose drops dramatically. This leads to symptoms of hypoglycemia. The reason this occurs is that glucose uptake by muscles increase during exercise, in spite of no change or even a diminishing plasma insulin concentration. As a result of this type of information we know now that if a patient is not controlled through a good diet and program then they could put themselves in danger. A person who might be poorly maintained and ketotic will become even more ketotic and hypoglycimic. Good nutrition is of great importance to any individual especially one that exercises. In the case of diabetes even more consideration must go into the selection of food before and after exercise. Doctors suggest large intakes of carbohydrates before exercise for diabetes carriers to meet the glucose needs of the muscles. The second article that I used was that of Konen, et al. He and his colleagues conducted testing and research on changes in diabetic urinary and transferrin excretion after moderate exercise. This article was a report of the way the research was conducted and its findings. The researched found that urinary proteins, particularly albumin, increase in urinary excretion after moderate exercise. Albumin which is associated with micro- and macrovascular diseases in diabetic patience was found to increase significantly in IDDM patients, while remaining normal in non-diabetics. (See table 1 and 2 for results) These results cannot be conclusive to say that this shows that exercise causes other micro- and macrovascular diseases in diabetics. Since albumin is not associated with any disease in non-diabetics then the same may be the case for diabetics as well. However further research is required to find out why such a significant increase occurs in diabetic patients and what it really means. It obvious that there are many very complicated issues associated with diabetes which cannot be explained at this stage. Therefore much more research is required and its only a matter of time for these complications to resolved. Although there are no firm evidence to suggest that exercise will improve or worsen diabetes still it is recommended by physicians. Aristotle and the Indian physician, Sushruta, suggested the use of exercise in the treatment of diabetic patients as early as 600 B.C. And during late last century and early this century many physician claimed that the need for insulin decreased in exercising patients. The benefits of exercise in non-diabetic individuals is well known. For example reduce the risk of heart disease. This makes exercise very important to diabetic carriers since they are at a greater risk of getting heart disease than non-diabetics. Unquestionably, its important for diabetics to optimise cardiovascular and pulmonary parameters as it is for non-diabetic individual. Improved fitness can improve ones sense of well-being and ability to cope with physical and psychological stresses that can be aggravated in diabetes.

CSR Policy At BHP Billiton

CSR Policy At BHP Billiton After thorough deliberation of the research, the analysis indicates that BHP boasts of a good CSR reputation. However the activities that feature in this report are questionable CSR practices and there is a growing gap between BHPs rhetoric and the reality of its operations. The report also evaluates why these controversial activities have not had a significant effect on BHPs corporate image. In particular, outlining BHPs use of its CSR Policy as a Public Relations (PR) tool to manage its reputation. Table of Contents Introduction BHP Billiton was formed in 2001 through the merger of the BHP (a natural resource company) and Billiton (mining company). It now operates in 25 countries, employs approximately 41,000 people and has a market value of over 250 billion (BHP Billiton, Our business n.d.). Milton Friedman describes CSR as a fundamentally subversive doctrine and states that there is one and only one social responsibility of business which is to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so as long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud (Hamilton Fitzgerald 2005). While many leading companies are genuinely moving in this direction, others are simply seeking a relatively short-term improved public perception of their operations. Increasingly CSR has become a major concern in the global mining economy because of the heightened awareness of unethical business behaviour. Most recent examples of this include the devastating oil spill in 2010 by British Petroleum (BP) in the Gulf of Mexico (BP, Gulf of Mexico Restoration n.d.). Price Waterhouse Coopers identify a number of challenges BHP and many other natural resource companies face in todays environment: improving safety and reducing the environmental impact improving performance and operational effectiveness managing risk complying with regulatory reporting requirements and addressing sustainability issues. (Price Waterhouse Coopers, n.d) BHP Billiton BHP responds to community expectations with a combination of policys including a code of conduct, sustainable development policy and many others designed to set the standard of which it conducts its business. At the forefront of this approach stands BHPs CSR Policy. CSR Policy BHP define its CSR Policy as a requirement to address risks, explicitly stating it has zero tolerance for the misconduct of: child labour, forced or compulsory labour, treatment of employees, living wages, workplace health and safety, freedom of association, world heritage sites and protected areas, biofuels, corruption, bribery and extortion, compliance with laws, discrimination, indigenous rights and the environment (BHP Billiton, Corporate social responsibility requirements n.d). Communication and Advertisement BHP uses four communication channels on its website to advertise its CSR Policy: reports, which reference CSR information for stakeholders, announcements, available on its home page which are designed to provide updates on their CSR performance and activities, multimedia, the website also offers effective use of multimedia to enhance their CSR information through relevant images, interviews and other media, feedback, BHP invites stakeholders to provide feedback via their website by submitting online questions (BHP Billiton, Our business n.d.). Uniqueness of CSR Policy The level of CSR differs from each company, however after comparing BHP with Shell and British Petroleum, two of its natural resource competitors; it is clear all three competitors are trying to get value from their CSR reporting by focusing on the environmental and social concerns of their stakeholders. This includes such things as political, economic, environmental, social, legal and cultural factors. Drivers of CSR (Benn Dunphy 2007) argue that corporate social responsibility may in fact be the consequence of profitability rather than the cause. So the question stands, is BHPs CSR Policy driven by true concern for society, or is it another way to increase corporate profit? BHP argue that its decision to report on Corporate Social Responsibility is based on: consideration of the key health, safety, environment, community and socio-economic risks of our business consideration of stakeholder feedback and commentary with regards to issues of materiality a desire to continually improve reporting standards Evidence of Commitment to CSR BHP uses a number of methods to ensure it complies with its CSR Policy. This includes but is not limited to: conducting a progress assessment on its performance in relation to the UN Global Compact principle and the Global Reporting Initiative which are designed to align their operations. holding an annual Forum on Corporate Responsibility (FCR) that brings together representatives of senior management and key non-government organisations and community opinion leaders to discuss and debate social and environmental matters relevant to BHP. Investing in community projects and recording its community contributions spend against the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG), this presents a consistent framework for measuring tangible progress. The reporting methods noted above are publically available on BHPs website, this is proof that BHP acknowledges the challenges in the nature of its operations. Assurance BHP commissioned the URS in 2006 to provide an independent review of its Sustainability Report (URS Australia, n.d). The results indicated that BHPs Sustainability Report fairly represents the health and safety, environment, community and socio-economic impacts of its operations. Rhetoric or Reality BHP Billiton has argued in theory that it abides by its strong corporate responsibility; however there is a growing gap between its rhetoric and the reality of its activities. The following cases are examples of challenges faced by BHPs operations when policy does not equate to practice: Natural Resource Industry BHPs core business is to provide natural resources, an industry which has had increased social pressures to act responsibly. It can be argued that BHPs CSR Policy was produced as a public relations tool to mitigate the negative impacts of its core business activities and also to maximise profits for its stakeholders. The real test here is does BHP act ethically when it has the opportunity to make a profit (Pratt Nikolova 2006). This was demonstrated most recently when BHP advised of its intentions to supply the Chinese energy market with an additional 10,500 tonnes of uranium annually. The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) warn that once the uranium enters China it will disappear from the safeguards radar, this could potentially lead to devastating outcomes such as nuclear proliferation. Clearly BHP has a greater CSR here but unfortunately the $80 million in revenue was more important than its public image or the health of the wider community. Economic Influence BHPs CSR Policy specifically prohibits the influence of government officials to support the company practices. Most recently in 2010 the Australian Federal Government proposed a super profit mining tax estimating to have made $100 billion in revenue between 2012-13 and 2020-21. However the government was subsequently influenced by three major mining companies including BHP, who explicitly opposed the tax proposal, threatening Australias investment capital (The mining company that cried poor 16 February 2011). As a result the Prime Minister slashed 30 per cent of the tax which means the Australian taxpayers will take a forecast revenue hit of $60 billion over a decade while BHP reports over $10 billion profit for the second half of 2010. Corruption, Bribery and Extortion Clarke (2007) argues that the debate concerning the true extent of the accountability and responsibility continues to the present day. BHP states that: All contract related transactions and payments, including those in connection with gifts and hospitality and other expenditures, must be accurately recorded in reasonable detail in the books and records of any supplier who works on behalf of BHP Billiton (BHP Bilton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However in April 2010 BHP was investigated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission after Cambodias Minister for Water Resources told the countrys National Assembly that BHP Billiton had paid US$2.5 million in unofficial payments, to the government, to secure a mining concession (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). BHP has not revealed what over payment was for but controversially the countries BHP operates in have poor records on corruptions and are desperately in need of foreign investment. Protection of the Environment BHP states that: Protection of the Environment: The supplier must operate in a manner that is protective of the environment and comply with all applicable environmental laws, regulations and standards, environmental permitting and re porting (BHP Bilton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However in 1996 it was sued by Slater and Gordon for one of worlds most devastating environmental disasters when it discharged over one billion tonnes of tailings and waste material into the source of the Ok Tedi River in Papua New Guinea (PNG). This caused more than 3,000 square kilometres of deforestation, turned the tropical rain forests into savannahs, caused 95% decline in fish population (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). Workplace Health and Safety BHP states that it must ensure: the provision of safe and healthy working facilities and appropriate precautionary measures to protect employees from work-related hazards and anticipated dangers in the workplace (BHP Billiton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However five of its workers in the Western Australia operations died in fatal injuries due to unsafe working practices from 2008-2010 (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). BHP also states that it must ensure: workers receive regular and recorded health and safety training (BHP Billiton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However in its South African operations employees were not informed about the health and safety risks of handling a chemical element called manganese which causes illnesses such as Parkinsons Disease (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). Effectiveness of BHPs CSR Policy Despite its bad history BHP has usually maintained a good CSR reputation. In fact the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility went so far as to list BHP in the 2010/11 Top 20 Australian Listed Companies based on its advanced CSR capabilities (State of CSR in Australia Annual Review 2010/11). The real question here is has BHP earned its right to good CSR reputation? History of Public Relations It is a well-known fact that many companies spend a lot of money on Public Relations (PR) to manage their reputation. In the late 1990s BHP employed the Ecos Corp, an environmental PR company founded by former Greenpeace International Executive Director Paul Gilding to help repair its reputation after the OK Tedi Mine disaster in PNG (Ecos 2007). The public relations was aimed at countering the bad publicity through campaigns including advertisements in business publications such as the Financial Review and Australian TV. BHP also offered legal support to the PNG Government for the development of new environmental laws. Unfortunately for BHP, this resulted in an even bigger public outcry, as the company was accused of interfering with its legislation in an effort to protect its own interests (Quester et al 2001). Evaluation The evaluation of BHPs CSR Policy resides in the adequacy of its reporting standards. Clarke (2007) argues that in order for a company to receive creditability they must disclose their processes, procedures and assumptions in reporting. It can be argued that BHP has intentionally chosen not to transparently report on the cases as mentioned in this report, for the simple fact that it leaves it open to more risk and public scrutiny. However this lack of acknowledgement effectively contradicts its stewardship and attests its reliability. Increased public awareness demands that CSR reporting will no longer be used as a public relations tool. This can be seen, as mentioned previously, through the introduction of the Australian Federal Government Mining Tax and other legislation such as the UK Bribery Act, both will inevitably have a significant impact on the way BHP conducts its business. Additionally important are organisations such as BHP Billiton Watch, which was formed to deal with the prominent concerns of communities and organisations across the world regarding BHPs activities (BHP Billiton Watch n.d). Conclusion It is inevitable that organisations such as BHP, in controversial industries such as mining, are never going to be holistically accepted. However, todays forward thinking generation recognise the impacts and challenges of CSR including safety, environmental, community and socio-economic issues. Stakeholders including shareholders demand greater accountability than simply financial returns. Therefore verification and transparency are key to BHPs success and the credibility of its CSR. BHP boasts of a strong reputation and has an opportunity and increased responsibility to enhance and contribute to a safe renewable environment and set an example for other companies alike.

Report on Sonys Case Study

Report on Sonys Case Study Major Question: Outline evaluate Sonys strategic position at the end of the case study, including its management change. What strategic changes (if any) would you now recommend to Sonys management? Minor Question: Analyse Sonys resources, Capabilities Competencies as depicted in the case, explain why it has grown successfully in the competitive consumer electronics industry. As an atypical Japanese Corporation, Comment in the role played by Sonys corporate Culture? Introduction. This report is based on Sony Corporation. The report below is structured focusing on the issues provided as question for the Case study in the seminar group. There is a brief History Culture followed by the SWOT Analysis Financial Analysis, followed by the management change at Sony. Finally there are a few recommendation followed up with conclusion references. This case study was Robin John, from London South Bank University. 2. Acknowledgement We as a team would like to thank Robin John Dr. Leslie Gadman for their support and providing excellent knowledge about the topic, the case study and presentation feedback which has enabled us to deliver this report in acceptable form. 3. HISTORY CULTURE. The Sony Corporation is now a $ 124 billion (2009) Company with approximately 180,500 employees (2008). Sony was formed in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka Akio Morita. It was initially know as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo; in English language Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Company. The name Sony was chosen as a strategy which would help them to Globalise as the Co-Founder Morita had the vision to see early that there was a world rather than pure Japanese market for their Innovations. The first Sony-branded product, the TR-55 transistor radio, appeared in 1955 but the company name didnt change to Sony until January 1958. The current Sony Corporation has a unique culture which is firmly rooted in its history especially in relationship to its two founders, Ibuka and Morita. They both were geniuses above their business talents. Both gave insights and visions in what the company should make and how it should be made. Ibuka, especially, gave constant advice and suggestions to the engineers involved in projects from the earlier on transistor radios to Walkmans. This created the umbrella strategy in which Sony operates under, where the top management gives the general direction in which the lower engineers actively learns, develops and improves on the vision/idea. Therefore, although there is a planned direction, the actual product development through launching is emergent with great flexibility. Although the research and development section of Sony differs greatly from other companies with its great flexibility, Sony, in its essence is still a traditional Japanese company in many ways. There is life-time employment, with strong norms and values which in turn create strategies through their actions. Status is given (the crystal award) instead of bonuses (not significant amount) for superior achievement. There is also the strong seniority system such as the mentor and apprentice relationship that is typical of a Japanese firm. All this can be classified as the cultural school in which strategy formation is of collective behaviour. Collective vision and stress on human resource, which is typical of many Japanese, can be clearly seen in the mission statement Management Policies. Sony Corp has retained good things of Japanese Culture hasnt been reluctant to adopt culture which is not atypical Japanese in nature, which has resulted in building these huge electronic giant sustain it for more than five decades, looks for a future which is very bright. 4. SONYS CAPABILITIES, COMPETENCIES RESOURCES Sony Corporation is considered one of the worlds most successful companies, operating in the electronics, games, music, films and financial services industry (Hanson et al, 2001). Sony is known for creating products that stimulate the senses and refresh the spirit (Sony, 2007). Effectively managing a combination of its resources, capabilities and core competencies, has allowed Sony to create a strong sustainable competitive advantage. Assessment of Sony Corporations Resources and Capabilities Sony Corporation is committed on its efforts to continuously develop original technology that generates a high appeal to the general public due to its quality and cost effectiveness. Over the years, Sony Corporation has been able to build a substantial base meant to boost the companys designing and manufacturing capabilities. This enables the company to bring to markets truly original and more importantly mobile devices that are reasonably priced. The research and development team of Sony Corporation also plays a crucial role in the achievement of this feat. The company also believes that making a positive impact in the society through their quality products is the very essence of being a manufacturer. Sony Corporations Competitive Advantage Economies of Scale and Scope in manufacturing and research and development arising from its numerous facilities situated in Japan, the United States and other countries worldwide. Unique Quality Technology owing to heavy emphasis on research Sony Corporations commitment to research development activities has always been one of its top strategies to remain competitive in the market. Differentiated Products Through the production and marketing of differentiated products originating from their research and development activities, Sony Corporation is able to create its own firm-specific advantages. The continuous pursuit of research and development processes enables Sony Corporation to produce a steady stream of originally differentiated products which makes it difficult for competitors to find substitutes. Because of this differentiated approach, Sony Corporation is able to market their products worldwide, which enables them in turn to maximize the returns on research and development expenditures. Sony Corporations competitive advantages could be sustained provided the company would continue to focus on its core competencies. However, the company also has to be aware of the latest technological. Sony Corporations Resources: Resources refer to factors that a company owns controls and uses for the purpose of creating value (Hill et al, 2007). Sonys numerous tangible and intangible resources help to determine its distinctive competency, thus leading to maintaining a competitive advantage. When identifying Sonys resources, both its tangible and intangible assets are included. Tangible resources include assets that are financial in nature, or have physical properties (Hill et al, 2007). In 2007, Sony recorded a sales and operating cash flow of $70,303 million, an increase of 10.5 percent from 2006 (Sony United, 2007), as part of its financial resources. Land, buildings, machinery, and equipment are also part of Sonys tangible resources, and are worth approximately $14 million (Sony United, 2007). Intangible resources include those non-physical assets that the company uses to produce goods or provide services, or expects to generate future productive benefits (Hill et al, 2007). The Sony brand is considered one of the worlds most recognisable and trusted brands and was ranked 21st in the Business Week/Interbred list of the Worlds 100 Most Valuable Brands with an estimated value of US$14 billion (Singh et al, 2005). The Sony brand is associated with superior quality, innovation and style (Sony United, 2007), in the minds of its customers. 5. Sonys SWOT Analysis. Opportunities Development of new technology Growing trend customer base (Focus on BRIC Nations) Target consistent profitability in core hardware businesses (TV, game and digital imaging) Diversify in game producing for its hardware. Listen to Voice of Customer. Easy to use products. Threats New substitute products emerging Price competition. Economic pressure. Losing the dominance in key product categories.(TV, P.S, D.I) Due to poor financial performance could have less money for RD. Strength Strong sales marketing capabilities Business location or product exclusivity High quality product Excellent customer service Cost advantage (Discount) Good distribution network Weakness Weak financial performance (Low Profitability Low ROCE) Lacking a customer viewpoint Products with many feature but difficult to use. Lack of hit products Development of similar products Patent problem in the whole Industry. Particular 1997 Millions of Yen 2009 Millions of Yen Total Electronically Business 3,930,292 (69.4%) 5,032,920 (65.1%) Music 570,119 (10.1%) 50,541 (0.6%) Picture 438,551(7.7%) 717,513 (9.3%) Insurance 227,920(4%) 523,307 (6.8%) Games 408,335(7.2%) 984,855 (12.7%) Others 87,917(1.6%) 471,398 (5.5%) Total Revenue 5,658,253 7,729,993 (+136.62%) 6. Comparing Sales Revenue by Business Area for 1997 2009. FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE. Particular 2008 2009 Sales 8,871,414 7,729,993 (-12.87%) R D Expenses 520,568 497,297 (-4.47%) Employees 180,500 171,300 (-5.1%) Profit Margin 4.2% -1.3% R D to Sales 5.9% 6.4% Current Ratio 1.25 time 0.95 time Gearing Ratio 21.04% 22.27% Return on Equity 16.4% -5.9% Roce 6.65% -2.13% 6.2 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS. Sonys financial condition is good but needs to be better for a matured Company like Sony which is in existence since 1946 more than 6 decades. It is acceptable but should be a top priority for the Management to make it better. Below mentioned are few observations: Majority of its earning in electronic Industry. Earning from music has reduced considerably could be because of piracy issues or Late M.Js bad public city. The best diversified product is gaming, so should look to diversify more in this area. (Game MFG.) Major problem with SONY is its low profitability. Gearing ratio is 22.27% which is good as has a scope for future borrowing if required. RD has just reduced by 4% ROCE Return for share holders are major concern for SONY. 7. Style of leadership and management The leadership style of Akio Morita the co-founder of Sony Corporation included the ability to imagine, design, implement and develop new products, marketing, brand management strategies and human resources skill as well. Akio Morita resigned from the post of the Chairman, during which he positioned Sony as the worlds most successful consumer electronics company. Sony was ranked 37 on the Fortune 500 global list. Under Moritas leadership, Sony developed many new products and technologies. One of the other key success factors of Sony was Moritas people skills and his trust in his employees. Sony continued its tradition of offering innovative products after Moritas death in 1999. Sony has been a modern Japanese company as they have promoted young Idei to President of Sony when he was 57 years small according to Japanese standard. It was under his leadership that they have recovered from the 1995 crisis have posted the highest ever profit. Idei also launched Transformation 60 which was not of a much success. The main purposes of Transformation 60 were: Reduce cost by 300 Billion Yen. Decrease workforce by 20000. Achieve profit margin of 10% march 06. By the early 21st century, Sony was facing several problems due to the slowdown in the global economy, but then they recovered well under the leadership of Sir Howard Stringer who was made the CEO Chairman of the Sony Corporation. A Non Japanese to senior management position was not a typical Japanese culture but has given them the desired result. So as a whole Sony Corporation has always been under a good senior management for all the years. 8. RECOMMENDATION Building of Strategy: Sony as a much international company with major branches in Europe and the United States and stocks listed in 23 stock exchanges, the Japanese cultural school strategy is not sufficient. Becoming a mature company, the strategy should also change to more profit orientated. There should also be greater emphasis on market share, especially in Japan where Sonys market is shrinking. Strategy should be aimed at greater control and communication between manager and workers, especially the engineers in the RD Department. Diversification: One direction which is possible is concentrating more on electronic know how in non-consumer business. Currently, the buyer has much more choosing power and competition is fierce. The competitors are also able to copy the product in a much shorter time. To create larger profit margins, Sony should concentrate on the business sector and industries, supplying high technology equipment and parts. This would make full use of the RD Department. Although the Sony name is often related to expensive, high-profit end of the market, the organization should also expand its product range by offering lower priced, simpler featured products that would compete head on with others. With the lower priced line, Sony can also increase its market shares in both overseas and Japanese markets. Alliance and Cooperation: Sony should try to become a leader instead of a maverick. The difference is great, the leader, besides a great innovator, should also be a great coordinator. Internally, the different RD groups should cooperate more. The product line should also be made more compatible with one another, i.e. no more secret projects. Products should be made with higher added value and longer life rather than making frequent model changes. This is also a shift from a manufacturer-orientated mentality to a consumer-orientated mentality, which is a way to save natural resources. The brand-line compatibility also builds brand loyalty for consumers. Cost Cutting: Cost cutting is important because RD plays an integral part in the success of Sony and cannot be cut drastically although it gobbles up 10% of sales. Therefore, the only way to improve profit margins is to cut cost. Sony is not fully making use of other lower cost areas in the world, especially Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines etc. By setting up factories in these countries, Sony can take advantage of their cheap labour and also get a head start in their budding consumer markets. Products should be refined instead of reinvented so that there would be less set up cost and greater automation could be achieved. This could also be seen as a long term strategy. Integration of production, design and marketing: In many ways, designing and developing of a product is separate from the production and marketing. RD should listen more to what the consumer needs and then innovate instead of always creating new product for markets. With great freedom, the designing team should also take on greater responsibility in making the product fit to the current production pattern and marketing aims. They should also be made more responsible to the profit and loss of the particular product. Empowering these three separate groups creates conflict, but it also brings these separate efficient groups together achieving synergy. Implementation: Internally, strategy should be reviewed beginning with renewing the corporate goals. It should integrate together both the Japanese work ethic and its western counterparts. This is possible, because Sony is a multinational corporation with employees and customers in many different countries. This involves writing the importance of profits and its responsibility to shareholders in the statement. Integration of the company, the designing, production and marketing should be encouraged, with increased communication between each group and the management acting as liaison and guidance. The management should be providing the organization with specific goals and strategies for the short and long term. These changes are intended to balance business Vs engineering. Setting up alliances with fellow electronic manufacturers / competitor is crucial to mutual benefit so should be pursued as soon as possible. 9. Conclusion. The reputed brand name is one the Sonys strength, but on the other hand, many competitors start to see Sony as their target and main competitor, which will inflict various threats against Sony. Sony also needs to concentrates on improving itself.   They collect Voice of Customer (VOC), which directly reflect the responses, expectations or suggestions from end-users. It could be observed that Sony is positively dealing with its competitors, through learning from failure and looking for room to further improve. Such strategy helps minimize the probabilities that their customers would turn to other competitors. It aims at retaining its present customers and keeping their Number 1 market position. Sony made full efforts to support the environment from 1989. Sony is using blue ocean strategy on the business. Toward this end, Sony has sponsored many package redesign projects and committed to considering the environment, not only to create environmentally-friendly design but also to reduce material use. Due to this heartfelt customer service, high-quality, reliable products that Sonys customers can use with confidence. At the end of this case study Sony is not in a very strong strategic position but it is also not in a very bad strategic position. The position of Sony is in between. The conclusion is that change is needed in Sony. However, even with strategically and structure change, the Sony spirit of Technovation(technological Innovation) should remain intact because that is what made Sony grow and would make it stay strong.

Liberty Defined Essay -- Slavery

Liberty, can be defined as freedom from control, captivity, or restraint; where all are equal and have the ability to do whatever is in their will, that none can be hindered by race, class or sex. While freedom is mostly brought within the ideas of slavery, as is within the contexts of Olaudah Equiano and Phillis Wheatley's works, it can also be that of women from their husbands and places in life, as with Mary Astell's work. Equiano has a firsthand account on the effects of slavery and the necessity of freedom. While describing a childhood that was ended quickly by being snatched and placed into slavery, his story is a reflection of one within many stories that are no doubt similar in fashion. The most memorable, and possibly disturbing narration involves his experiences within the slave ship. "One day, when we had a smooth sea, and a moderate wind, two of my wearied countrymen, who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to such a life of misery, somehow made through the nettings, and jumped into the sea: immediately another quite dejected fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also followed their example; and I believe many more would soon have done the same, if they had not been prevented by the ship’s crew, who were instantly alarmed. Those of us that were the most active were, in a moment, put down under the deck; and there was such a noise and confusion amongst the people of the ship as I never heard before, to stop her, and get the boat to go out after the slaves. However, two of the wretches were drowned, but they got the other, and afterwards flogged him unmercifully, for thus attempting to prefer death to slavery." (Equiano 749) It is almost unbeliev... ... and unsubstantiated. Works Cited Astell, Mary. "A Serious Proposal To The Ladies." The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Restoration And The Eighteen Century. Joseph Black [et all]. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press, 2006. Print. Pages 291-296. Astell, Mary. "A Reflections Upon Marriage." The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Restoration And The Eighteen Century. Joseph Black [et all]. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press, 2006. Print. Pages 297-301. Equiano, Olaudah. "Olaudah Equiano." Handout. Print. Equiano, Olaudah. "Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano." The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Restoration And The Eighteen Century. Joseph Black [et all]. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press, 2006. Print. Pages 743-750. Wheatley, Phillis. "Poems On Various Subjects." Handout. Print.

Dominance of the Ohio Valley Region Essay -- Pontiac History Essays

Dominance of the Ohio Valley Region The Ohio Valley Region was known as the American frontier during the time period from 1760 to 1813. The white expansion into the Ohio Valley Region brought about the decline and the eventual dissolution of the Native American way of life. The struggles of the French and English in the north and the westward push of American settlers in the south were met with unified pro-nativist resistance. The individual struggles of three men characterize the turmoil between whites and Native Americans. Pontiac’s war against the English, Tecumseh’s organization of a unified Indian Confederation, and Daniel Boone’s leadership in the western migration into Kentucky demonstrate the fight for control in the Ohio Valley Region. Pontiac, a heroic warrior who united previously feuding tribes in an unprecedented resistance to the men who would change their way of life and the face of their land forever, left a legacy of courage and honor. A member of the Ottawa Indian tribe, Pontiac refused to accept English control and settlement of the Great Lakes region without a fight, even after his French allies made peace with England (Rogers, 1). The French first met the Great Lakes Ottawa in 1615, finding them armed with bows, arrows, and war clubs. The fiercely painted and tattooed Native Americans wore furs and had pierced noses and ears. Members of the Algonquin language family, the Ottawa, along with the Chippewa and Potowatomi, formed the Council of Three Tribes (Eckert, 29). The Ottawa were known to other Algonquin tribes as intertribal traders. The name Ottawa in the Algonquin language means, "to trade." In 1740, there were approximately 2,000 Ottawa, 200 Huron, and 100 Potowatomi in the areas around D... .... 159 – 287, I – xx http://www.canadiana.org/cgi-bin/ECO/mtq?id802901efb5&doc-64039. *Jillson, Willard Rouse. Filson’s Kentucke. Louisville: John P. Morton & Company, 1930. Lofaro, Michael A. The Life and Adventures of Daniel Boone. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1978. Oskison, John M. Tecumseh and His Times. GP Putnam's Sons: New York, 1938. Peckman, Howard. Pontiac and the Indian Uprising. (Princeton, 1947). Parkman, Francis. The Conspiracy of Pontiac and the Indian War After the Conquest of Canada. Vol I-II. (London, 1912). Rogers, Robert. Diary of the Siege of Detroit in the War with Pontiac. Albany, New York, 1860) pp. 1 – 120. http://www.Canadiana.org/cgi-bin/ECO/mtq?id-802901efb5&doc=64039. Rugely, Terry. "Savage and Statesman: Changing Historical Interpretations of Tecumseh." Indiana Magazine of History 1989 85(4): 289-311. Dominance of the Ohio Valley Region Essay -- Pontiac History Essays Dominance of the Ohio Valley Region The Ohio Valley Region was known as the American frontier during the time period from 1760 to 1813. The white expansion into the Ohio Valley Region brought about the decline and the eventual dissolution of the Native American way of life. The struggles of the French and English in the north and the westward push of American settlers in the south were met with unified pro-nativist resistance. The individual struggles of three men characterize the turmoil between whites and Native Americans. Pontiac’s war against the English, Tecumseh’s organization of a unified Indian Confederation, and Daniel Boone’s leadership in the western migration into Kentucky demonstrate the fight for control in the Ohio Valley Region. Pontiac, a heroic warrior who united previously feuding tribes in an unprecedented resistance to the men who would change their way of life and the face of their land forever, left a legacy of courage and honor. A member of the Ottawa Indian tribe, Pontiac refused to accept English control and settlement of the Great Lakes region without a fight, even after his French allies made peace with England (Rogers, 1). The French first met the Great Lakes Ottawa in 1615, finding them armed with bows, arrows, and war clubs. The fiercely painted and tattooed Native Americans wore furs and had pierced noses and ears. Members of the Algonquin language family, the Ottawa, along with the Chippewa and Potowatomi, formed the Council of Three Tribes (Eckert, 29). The Ottawa were known to other Algonquin tribes as intertribal traders. The name Ottawa in the Algonquin language means, "to trade." In 1740, there were approximately 2,000 Ottawa, 200 Huron, and 100 Potowatomi in the areas around D... .... 159 – 287, I – xx http://www.canadiana.org/cgi-bin/ECO/mtq?id802901efb5&doc-64039. *Jillson, Willard Rouse. Filson’s Kentucke. Louisville: John P. Morton & Company, 1930. Lofaro, Michael A. The Life and Adventures of Daniel Boone. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1978. Oskison, John M. Tecumseh and His Times. GP Putnam's Sons: New York, 1938. Peckman, Howard. Pontiac and the Indian Uprising. (Princeton, 1947). Parkman, Francis. The Conspiracy of Pontiac and the Indian War After the Conquest of Canada. Vol I-II. (London, 1912). Rogers, Robert. Diary of the Siege of Detroit in the War with Pontiac. Albany, New York, 1860) pp. 1 – 120. http://www.Canadiana.org/cgi-bin/ECO/mtq?id-802901efb5&doc=64039. Rugely, Terry. "Savage and Statesman: Changing Historical Interpretations of Tecumseh." Indiana Magazine of History 1989 85(4): 289-311.