Introduction to Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Business - Assignment Example While raising capital to start a small business, an individual can start by financing the businesses himself. Several benefits such as retaining all the profits are associated with this form of financing, but if a small business need to grow large then it needs to look for other options (Alterowitz, 2007. P.14). Next best alternative is to ask for assistance from family members and relatives for finance. For this purpose an entrepreneur has to make the effort of making his relatives realize that he/she has a great investment plan and will be quite successful. In very rare instances family and friends invest in a business; if an entrepreneur faces such a scenario, he/she can obtain assistance from the government (Great Britain, 2006, p.18). Government has various plans where they finance small businesses or provide money in shape of grants to entrepreneurs to start up their own business. If an entrepreneur is not eligible for such government support options, the business can obtain a loan from banks to start small businesses. Due to failure of large businesses and the risk of high amount of loss associated with large businesses, banks and governments are more willing to finance small businesses. One of the major decision made by a manger is to identify the cost of producing a product and then price the product according to make profit when they sell their goods and services. For this purpose they can use activity based costing method, by using this method they can calculate the cost of an activity.

The Inspectors character Essay Example for Free

The Inspectors character Essay In the stage diagram I have tried to show this, and all the movements of the characters. I thought from the actual text of the play, and in the way the plays stage directions are written, that the Inspector is trying to ease into the room so not focus attention on to himself, so it is a surprise for the characters and they dont notice hes there and carry on talking. As far as I can see Gerald is trying to persuade Sheila into believing him, and Sheila is listening, so Gerald is walking forward and Sheila walking backwards. Later in the dialogue Sheilas character becomes more dominating telling Gerald that its not worth it and puts pressure on Gerald. At this point the movements would be reversed Sheila walking forward in control and Gerald retreating away. When the Inspector says Well they turn round to face him; I did this to emphasise the characters shock at the entrance. The Inspectors character will come in slowly. Like Priestlys original stage directions the door will open slowly revealing the Inspector standing in shadow. He will say, Well just as Sheila finishes her dialogue. Then again at the beginning of Act Two he will move forwards and say well. The Inspector will move towards the characters keeping eye contact with Gerald. I think this is a very dramatic entrance and the lighting should reflect this in its dramatic effect. When Gerald and Sheila are talking the lighting should be slightly dim but not dark. As they are talking the lighting should dim until the characters are barely visible. At this point a spotlight should focus on the door at the back of the stage. Then the door should open slowly to show the Inspector in silhouette. He should then say well just as the curtain drops to keep the audience guessing as to who was in the doorway. When the curtain rises again at the beginning of act two the stage should be brightly lit with the door still fully open and the Inspector should be still in shadow until he walks into the light and towards Gerald to say well again. This entrance as a whole has a lot of dramatic impact because it is the Inspector walking in on Gerald admitting to Sheila about Eva Smith or Daisy Renton. In that sense it is also a key point in the play as another person is confessing and another piece of the puzzle of Eva Smith is put into place. The dialogue just before, and immediately after emphasises the dramatic impact of this entrance. After having this conversation with Sheila, Gerald says You dont, neither of us does. So for gods sake dont say anything to the Inspector. To the audience this seems ironic, because Gerald is trying to keep something away from the Inspector, that the Inspector already knows. Later on Sheila says, (rather hysterically) Why you fool he knows. Of course he knows and I hate to think how much he knows that we dont yet. Youll see youll see. This again makes an impact because Sheila is telling Gerald that hes not going to be able to keep anything away from the Inspector and showing him where things stand. Gerald is hoping the Inspector doesnt know anything and hasnt realised, but Sheila has understood he knows and is pulling him back down to earth. This is reflected in the stage directions, which say, she looks at him almost in triumph. He looks crushed. Another sentence that adds enormously to the dramatic impact of this entrance is when the Inspector says well? at the end of Act One and beginning of Act Two. This adds to the dramatic tension because it is the introduction of the Inspector to this scene, and because Geralds secret has been heard, or has it? The audience isnt sure whether the Inspector heard what was said or how long he has been standing there. The audiences attention has been on Gerald and Sheilas conversation so they have no idea about the Inspector this adds more tension. At the beginning of Act Two the Inspector says Well? again but this time it seems more directed as if now he is talking to Gerald personally.

Macro and Micro Environment Analysis of McDonalds

Macro and Micro Environment Analysis of McDonalds 2. Literature Review This section provides a broad picture of the dissertation that includes setting up the arameters and limits to the field of inquiry going into the research. Its aim is to identify key ideas, marketing theories applicable and marketing case studies that impinge upon the area of this investigation. It makes an effective starting point leading into the introduction and the background of the dissertation. 2.1 Macro Environment Analysis of McDonalds The analysis is done using a top down approach where first the Macro Environment and then the Micro environment has been examined, in which McDonalds operates. 2.1.2 Internal Anlaysis Internal Analysis is done using Value Chain analysis. The term ‘value chain was used by Michael Porter (1985) in his book â€Å"competitive advantage; creating and sustaining superior performance†. Brown (1997),â€Å"described value chain as a tool to disaggregate a business in to strategically relevant activities†. In McDonalds case, the key value adding activities are inbound logistics, operation, outbound logistics, marketing sales and service. McDonalds logistics function is to buy food on behalf of its operator (franchisee) and arrange delivery in to their restaurants. McDonalds logistics includes; the procurement and shipment of raw materials in to suppliers, the procurement and shipment of finished goods between the suppliers and the distribution centres, together with the warehousing at each distribution centre, the ordering and the delivery to restaurants of all food, packaging and operating supplies. To improve its logistics operation, McDonalds combines a number of food-processing plants dedicated to its operation only. The establishment of â€Å"food towns† consisting of a distribution centre and a bakery, a meat plant, a sauce plant and a chicken plant, gives McDonalds competitive advantage. The supporting activities that can be identified are procurement, human resources development and technology. McDonalds uses electronic procurement system. It had set logistics trends for restaurants with its online ordering system. It was noted that more than 12% of McDonalds franchisees ordered food supplier electronically. Revamping its supply chain with software and technology made it easy to respond quickly and efficiently to customers needs. With the online ordering system, McDonalds had a return on investment of 23.2% in 2008. However, the human resource development at McDonalds is excellent. McDonalds uses a high-engagement approach to improving both their operations, leadership pipeline and employee satisfaction with their career growth. Every management staff at McDonalds receives training at one of the regional training centres and at the national centre, Hamburger University in East Finchley. Training all employees to work in one best way (quick-service culture) made McDo nalds to gain customers loyalty continuously leading to a competitive advantage. 2.1.3 External Anlaysis PEST analysis is applied for an in depth understanding of macro environment in fast food industry where McDonalds operated. Kotler (1998) claims that PEST analysis is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations. POLITICAL The operations of McDonalds are affected by the government policies on the regulations of fast food operation. Currently government are controlling the marketing of fast food restaurant because of health concern such as cardiovascular and cholesterol issue and obesity among the young and children in the country. Governments also control the license given for open the fast food restaurant and other business regulation need to follow such as for a franchise business. Good relationship with government in giving mutual benefits such as employment and tax is a must for the company to succeed in any foreign market. McDonalds should also protect its workers by ensuring all the hiring, compensation, training or repatriation is according to UK and European Labour Law and the Middle Eastern Labour Laws as stipulated. ECONOMICS As a business entity, McDonalds need to face a lot of economic variables outside its company or its macro environment. Dealing with international sourcing for its material McDonalds should be aware on the global supply and currencies exchange. Remember, McDonalds import most of its raw material such as beef and potatoes due to local market cannot supply in abundant to meet the demand of its product. Any upside of currencies especially dollar will be impacting its cost of purchase. Working on the local country, McDonalds must face government regulations on tax of profit where it gains from the operation and other tax such as entertainment and restaurant service tax. Each country may have different scale or types of tax available and McDonalds should follow the regulation if it wants to continue the operation. As a franchise, McDonalds should also pay certain percentage of the revenue to the parent company in United States. The economic condition and growth of the country also is an important indicator to the demand of products that McDonalds offered. As the food priced slightly above normal foods, not many people will have the income range to consume the products. Moreover if the economy is bad and income percapita is affected, the demand of McDonalds product will certainly going down. On the other hand the good economy also means disposable income is more and people can spend more on more expensive food at fast food restaurant. SOCIAL/CULTURAL The changing lifestyles of Malaysia due to development of Malaysian economy should be also taking into consideration. While more people are able financially to eat at more expensive outlet such as fast food restaurant, they have higher expectation. They want to have quality in services and more conveniences that can differentiate one restaurant from another. Young urban consumers want technology in their life and facilities such as credit card payment, wireless internet, cozy and relaxing ambient place, and other attraction for their hangout and eating. All these needs should also be taken into consideration. There is not much difference between cultural and the purchase of products in a single country but for different countries cultural sensitivity should be upheld. For example in India people (Hindu) do not take beef, Muslim countries do not take pork, German like beers, Finnish like fish type of food menu, Chinese like to associate food with something good (for ex ample prosperity), Asian like rice and Americans eat in big-sized menu. So far McDonalds has shown good efforts in localization of its menu to suit local taste but it should constantly survey and learn about local culture to better understand and design the best product for them. TECHNOLOGY For a fast food restaurant, technology does not give a very high impact on the company and it is not a significant macro environment variables. However McDonalds should be looking to competitors innovation and improve itself in term of integrating technology in managing its operation. For example in inventory system, supply chain management system to manage its supply, easy payment and ordering systems for its customers and wireless internet technology. Implementation of technology can make the management more effective and cost saving in the long term. This will also make customer happy if cost savings results in price reduction or promotional campaign discount which will benefits them from time to time. LEGAL As a certified fast food operator, there are many regulations and procedures that McDonalds should follow. For example is the Halal certification that becomes a concern to Muslim consumers. McDonalds should protect its integrity and consumer confidence by ensuring all materials and process are as claimed or must followed. Other legal requirement that the business owner should follow as stipulated in laws are such as operating hours, business registration, tax requirement, labor and employment laws and quality environment certification (such as ISO) in which the outlet has been certified. The legal requirement is important because the offenders will be fined or have their business prohibited from operating which can be disastrous. ENVIRONMENT As one of world largest consumer of beef, potatoes and chicken, McDonalds always had been critics for world environmentalist. This is because high consumption of beef causing the green house effect by methane gasses coming from the cows ranch. Large scale plantation has effect the environment and lost of green forest opening for plantation activities. Vegetarian environmentalist criticizes the fast-food giant for cruelty to animals and slaughtering. In Japan, once McDonalds want to introduce whale burger causing uproar because whales are endangered species. Before using paper packaging, once McDonalds also had been criticized for being insensitive to pollution because using polystyrene based packaging for its foods. Imagine millions of people purchase from fast food operator and how is the impact to world environment by throwing away those hard to recycle packaging. Our world is getting concern on environment issue and business operating here should not just care for prof it, but careful usage of world resources for sustainable development and care for environment safety and health for our future generation. Critics and concern from all public or activist should be review and support if necessary to ensure we play our social responsibility better. 2.2 Market Position McDonalds is operating in a very competitive market. In order to maintain on the top position of the competition, it is important to understand the companys industry environment to be prepared for actions. Porters 5 Forces is a useful model for analysing the industry environment, it identifies five competitive forces that shape every single industry and market. Supplier Power If suppliers have strong bargaining power, competitive pressure will be greater (Pearce and Robinson, 2004). McDonalds works in partnership with most of their suppliers to protect the quality of their foods and minimise the bargaining power of suppliers. Buyer Power Consumers buying power in the food market is high. With the continuously changes in tastes and the increased concern in healthy eating, companies in the food market has to make changes and improvements to satisfy its customers. Otherwise there is a high possibility in getting bad publicity and lost in profit. Threat of Substitute The threat of substitute is high in the fast food market due to the strong competition and the increasing amount of ready to eat foods. Customers have many choices other than McDonalds, and ready to eat meals are cheaper and convenient. Competition The competition in the fast food market is very high. McDonalds has to compete with strong competitors like Burger King, Pizza Hut, Wendy and KFC. Threat of Entry The threat of new entrant is low in the fast food industry because of the amount of competition with the big players in the market. New entrants will not likely to win due to lack ok economic of scale. The fast food industry is highly competitive. Taking one step further from the internal analysis, in this chapter, external analysis was done so as to determine where McDonalds I positioned in the market, given the intensive rivalry. PESTLE is used to gather data for completion of this analysis. From the data using PESTLE, swot analysis is done to determine how McDonalds strong market position as the largest foodservice and fast-food retailing chain in the world is bolstered by robust all-round growth witnessed by the company. By analyzing PEST and SWOT an understanding of overall of the companys power and how it can grow, is established. This was done keeping the focus on Western European Market and the Middle east. Hence the impact of European Regulations and turbulence caused by ter rorism and Iraq war is also taken as a significant point as part of analysis. Porters five forces model is used as the tool to analyse the market competition in the European and the middle east market. The existing rivalry in the industry is already strong although McDonalds is in a dominant market position. The above analysis helps to conclude MCDonalds competitive advantage and its uniqueness to gain broad target in the aforementioned markets. 2.3 : Marketing Strategy and Mix Every organisations need to identify their strategic aims to be able to have a direct focus of what and when to achieve it within a given time. This is usually based on the organisations limited resources and capabilities. As (Barney 1991), â€Å"stated an organisation could extend their limited resources and capabilities through organisational learning, sharing, generation of knowledge, redeployment of existing resources in an effective and efficient ways†. In this section, the strategic aim of McDonalds is discussed. This is used for evaluating the way it has implemented its objectives and the effectiveness of the global and local marketing strategies. This was important to fully understand its market and environment in order to evaluate its right marketing plans and the adopted strategies. After analysing the market and environment of McDonalds, this chapter focuses on the plans and strategies adopted by the company to overcome its weaknesses and avoid the threats. It uses various survey results to determine the effectiveness of its marketing mix. In the year 2003, when, McDonalds had been having problems on losing market share, reducing profit and bad publicity, the company started aligning their global system around a common mission with a common set of customer focused goal oriented actions. It was called â€Å"McDonalds Plan to Win† which was to put the companys concentration on the five drivers of exceptional customer experiences Product, People, Place, Promotion and Price. This plan was aimed to increase profits by improving its services to increase customers. These 5 variables are also known as the Retail Marketing Mix or the 5 Ps. They are the variables that marketing managers can control in order to best satisfy customers in the target market. This cha pter discusses and evaluates the way McDonalds has established its revitalisation plan in the European and the Middle East markets. While doing the research on the five Ps, McDonalds relationship marketing is also examined, that is viewed as an asset and the companys marketing goal is to attract, maintain, and enhance customer relationships. Then there is an argument on whether the combination of five Ps with the relationship marketing is enough to stay on the competition or is there any other areas to be focussed as well. In the aspect of marketing sales McDonalds adopted the concept of 7ps of marketing mix formulated by McCarthy (1975) and Gilligan Fifield (1996). These 7ps includes; product, place, price, promotion, people, process, physical. With these 7ps McDonalds was able to create a uniformity of items that taste the same in different countries. McDonalds realises that although there is cost savings in standardisation but success can be achieved by being able to adapt to a specific environment. It has a pricing strategy that enables it to cope with a particular market. In setting price, McDonalds looks at the elasticity of demand for its product in response to price. Considering the diverse range of culture, custom in different countries, McDonalds has localised its marketing communication strategy using different promotion and advertisement. For instance McDonalds uses the England footballer Alan Shearer as a logo to advertise its hamburgers in the UK and in France its uses Fabien Barthez, t he French international goalkeeper. Obviously, McDonalds uses a number of styles to attract customers. After analysing the market and environment of McDonalds, this chapter will be focusing on the plans and strategies adopted by the company to overcome its weaknesses and avoid the threats. In the past few years, McDonalds has been having problems on losing market share, reducing profit and bad publicity. In the year 2003, the company have aligned their global system around a common mission with a common set of customer focused goal oriented actions. It is called â€Å"McDonalds Plan to Win† which was to put the companys concentration on the five drivers of exceptional customer experiences Product, People, Place, Promotion and Price. This plan was aimed to increase profits by improving its services to increase customers. These 5 variables are also known as the Retail Marketing Mix or the 5 Ps. They are the variables that marketing managers can control in order to best satisfy customers in the target market. (Please refer to appendix 2 for further information on the 5 Ps) Product The following are the strategies applied by McDonalds on their Products: To satisfy customers desire for premium products at affordable prices. More choices on the Happy Meal such as fruit options and milk for the kids. To address the desire for foods that fit into todays lifestyle. McDonalds has added new choices like meal-size salads, fruit options and sandwiches in order to fit the increased concern on health eating. McDonalds is controlling the quality of the foods by working in partnership with its suppliers and to work closely with food experts to ensure the quality is in the highest standard. People The following are the marketing strategies adopted by McDonalds on its People: Speeding up service by simplifying the restaurant environment for their staff and customers. Ensuring the restaurant staffs are focused on being friendly, as well as fast with hospitality training. Providing cost-efficient, relevant training for their world-wide workforce. There are more than 1.6 million people worldwide working for McDonalds. McDonalds has placed emphasis on the training and development of its employees, aiming to provide career opportunities for people to achieve their potential. McDonalds has five commitments to their employees, which are: Respect and Recognition Values and Leadership Behaviours Competitive Pay and Benefits Learning, Development and Personal Growth Resources to Get the Job Done Place McDonalds has over 30,000 restaurants in 119 countries. It opens in places where has high consumer flows such as high street, shopping malls, train station, airports, retail parks, gas stations, and even schools. Freestanding restaurants are positioned so that customers are never more than a few minutes away by foot in the city or by car. The following are McDonalds strategies on Place: To make the environment the gold standard for cleanliness. They have recalibrated their standards and are consistently enforcing them. McDonalds has added additional service to customers by providing Wi-Fi accessibility in some of the restaurants so customers can stay connected to the internet while enjoying their foods. Giving customers more reasons to visit McDonalds by adding more products offering such as coffee and to locate in the right place. Relocating, renovating and rebuilding some of the restaurants to give McDonalds a fresh edge. Promotion Every year McDonalds spent huge amount of money on promotion. The company has been trying to maximise the impact of the advertising spending and broaden their reach through public relations and by placing adverts in media well beyond the traditional prime-time network television format. The objective of spending so much money on promotion is to build brand loyalty and bonds of trust. The following are the strategies: The new creative brand direction â€Å"Im Lovin It!† is designed to connect with customers around the world, especially young adults, moms and kids. It has became McDonalds signature brand voice in 119 countries, generating awareness figures as high as 96% in some parts of the world. Appealing to young adults with relevant advertising. McDonalds is bringing top creative teams from around the world to gather ideas, study trends and find inspiration to create world-class advertising. Price McDonalds has a rigorous pricing process that is used to determine the price for that particular market in each country. The reason is to be able to offer affordable prices to customers and also to be profitable for the company. The following are the process which sets out the basic framework that allows the company to set localised pricing: Selecting the price objective Determining demand Estimating costs Analysing competitors costs, prices and offers Selecting a pricing method Selecting a final price (www.mcdonalds.com) 2.4 : Performance Measurement Quality is an important issue in services due to the features of inseparability, intangibility and perishability. That which can not be stored and is intangible cannot be checked for defects before ‘delivery to customers. In addition each individual involved in the exchange process brings with them varying levels of expectations and levels of satisfaction in addition to the unpredictable nature of human beings. It is this dominant role of human interaction in services that shape customers expectations and create difficulties in understanding and implementing quality initiatives (Behara Gundersen (2001)). Officially McDonalds names three elements in their strategy to be the worlds best quick service restaurant: People (being the best employer), Customers (providing them excellence) and System Growth (for owners/operators, suppliers and company). ‘McDonalds has always been a franchising Company and has relied on its franchisees to play a major role in its success. McDonalds remains committed to franchising as a predominant way of doing business. Approximately 70% of McDonalds worldwide restaurant businesses are owned and operated by independent businessmen and women, our franchisees. Usually, McDonalds offers franchises to poor performing restaurants in order to sustain profitability. Advertising is used to differentiate McDonalds products from competitors and as a means of branding: Advertising Spend in 2001 amounted to  £39m (KFC:  £14m, Burger King:  £8.6m, Pizza Hut:  £7.4m). Furthermore, McDonalds is involved in various high profile sponsorship schemes (e.g. major Sponsor of FIFA World Cup, ‘gold sponsor and official restaurant of the Olympic Games) that secures them favourable PR. Recently McDonalds acquired Boston Market Chicken restaurants, the Donatos pizza chain and Chipotle Mexican Grill. In the UK, it purchased the Aroma coffee chain and 33% of Pret A Manger. This demonstrates that McDonalds has diversified into other segments of the fast food/ convenience /take away market. McDonalds is the worlds largest food service organisation. It has the greatest market share of the breakfast, lunch and dinner market and holds 67% of the UK Burger Market. McDonalds golden arches are the worlds biggest brand with higher awareness than Coca-Cola. McDonalds is constantly introducing new products, usually for a limited period of time. This is because management recognise that consumers like variety as well as a continuation of good products such as Big Macs and Cheeseburgers. Also, they are well aware that if McDonalds has too many products running at the same time then the speed of customer service will deteriorate. However, McDonalds has not introduced healthier products in response to growing concerns about obesity. It is difficult to evaluate the extent to which McDonalds fulfils customers demands. In the 2001 consumer survey conducted by Sandelman Associates, McDonalds was ranked as last out of 60 chains for taste. Statistics that describe McDonalds cleanliness are not available and therefore the achievement of this objective is difficult to examine, but anecdotal evidence suggests that suitable policies are in place to meet that objective. Customer service quality is difficult to assess but it is renowned for being quick. 2.5 : Ethical Criticism Ethical behaviour has come up as one of the most important aspect of any organisation. By ‘Doing the right thing internally and externally, businesses created a good working atmosphere, while also benefiting society and the environment. However many ethical issues are subjective and based on ones values and beliefs. As a result, they are often difficult to enforce and easy to neglect. The result of this is that ‘when the costs are added up, the social balance sheet contains enormous debts to society (McEwan, 2001). This chapter discusses the ethical issues that McDonalds have been facing over a period of time and how effectively it addressing its corporate social responsibility. The 2008 corporate social responsibility report has been critically evaluated and based on that it is determined, whether much of its efforts are just descriptive or has been realistic. It uses various results from the data set based on the primary and secondary research to determine the effectives. It is the notion of an organizations ‘debts to society, which led to the branch of ethics known as ‘corporate social responsibility. This refers to ‘the economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic expectations placed on organizations by society at a given point in time (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2000). This theory of responsibility to society is based around two headings, stated by Wells (1998). Social Responsibility deals with ‘the purposes for which companies should act (Wells, 1998), and Corporate Responsibility is the ‘liability attached to a company for actions done in its name (Wells, 1998). On 2002, McDonalds published its first Corporate Responsibility Report and this was followed up with an updated version in 2004. Neverthless many critics of McDonalds still believe that this, like many Corporate Responsibility Reports, is simply a medley of generalities and assumptions, that do not provide hard metrics of the company, its activities or its impacts on society and the environment (Hawken, 2002), and is ‘peripheral to the core interests of an organization (Strategic Direction, 2002). Consequentially, there is a need to analyse the claims made towards McDonalds, and whether they have been resolved within the two Corporate Responsibility Report. The incident which has done the most damage to McDonalds ethical reputation was the ‘McLibel trial, where the company expected a quick conclusion to its action against activists who had distributed a pamphlet, Whats Wrong with McDonalds?. Instead it ran for two and a half years and became the longest ever English trial , upon its completion in June 1997 (McSpotlight.org: The McLibel Trial, 2005). One of the main ethical criticisms consistently faced by McDonalds over the last 30 years relates to the food offered in its stores. Critics claim that McDonalds is a major contributing factor to the ver-increasing levels of obesity in the UK and European countries. Medical studies show that ‘waistlines are expanding faster in the UK than in any other European country†¦with 1 in 5 adults dangerously overweight (Walsh, 2003), while in 2001 it was reported that 300,000 deaths a year in the U.S. are related to obesity compared to 400,000 through cigarette smoking (McMans Depression and Bipolar Weekly, 2004). McDonalds contribution is a result of the unhealthy nature of fast food. For example, a meal of a Big Mac and medium fries would provide you with ‘910 calories, as well as 46g of fat, 13g of which are saturated (McDonalds.com, 2005). Considering the fact that this is half the Recommended Daily Allowance for a female adult, it is clear that McDonalds does not meet U. S. dietary requirements. Apart from obesity, ‘diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and some forms of cancer are related to a diet high in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). The impacts of a McDonalds diet were clearly shown in Morgan Spurlocks controversial film ‘Super Size Me, where he ate nothing but McDonalds for one month. Although this was an extreme example, the impacts on Spurlock were dramatic. ‘Spurlock gained 25 pounds, raised his cholesterol by 60 points, dropped his libido and turned his liver into pate (McMans Depression and Bipolar Weekly, 2004). He also experienced headaches and depression, and actually became addicted to the products. The impact of a McDonalds diet on children is also a major ethical concern, as an increasing number of children are faced with obesity problems. ‘Every month, 90 percent of the children between 3 and 9 in America visit a McDonalds (Schlosser, 2001). McDonalds has been cri ticised for exploiting children with advertising. They have traditionally aimed themselves towards children with collectable toys in ‘Happy Meals, as well as colorful advertising campaigns and promotions in schools. Most criticized is the use of the Ronald McDonald clown character, which has been seen as a ‘cynical exploitation of children to use a clown to drum up business (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). These marketing tactics contribute to the increasing unhealthy diet of many children. Stakeholders in a corporation may not only be human because animals are also seen as an important part of society and deserve the same treatment as humans. McDonalds has been criticized for the way it treats animals before they are killed and turned into fast food. ‘The corporation is the worlds largest promoter of meat-based products, the largest user of beef and the second largest user of chicken (McSpotlight.org: McDonalds and Animals, 2005), and thus is faced with the usual claims aimed at slaughterhouses. It is claimed that ‘chickens were crammed into sheds with less than one square foot of space per bird and no daylight (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). As a result, ‘44% had leg abnormalities and other health problems (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). This treatment was not just reserved for chicken but also other animals involved in McDonalds fast food products. 40% of piglets were held in indoor breeding units, and half had tails docked for no apparent reason (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). Ethical criticism is also aimed at the methods for killing the animals. ‘14% of chickens received pre-stun shocks, which caused undue stress, while 1% (1,350 per day) were decapitated before being stunned (Inside the McLibel trial, 1995). As well as social ethical issues, corporations must also consider environmental ethics, which means treating natural resources not just as commodities, but as part of the ecological whole. It is important because it affects the image of the company and consumers perceptions. For example, ‘a Wall Street Journal poll in 1991 claimed that 53% of people avoided purchasing a product because of environmental concerns about a product or manufacturer (Hawken, 2002). The most famous environmental issue is the suggestion that McDonalds has destroyed hundreds of acres of Brazilian rainforest to make way for large-scale cattle ranching. This not only removes a valuable natural resource, but also has an impact on global warming, as the rainforest is an essential mechanism for the absorption of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. McDonalds also ‘annually produces over a million tons of packaging used for just a few minutes before being discarded (McSpotlight.org: Environment, 2005). Traditionally a number of ozone depleting gasses were used in polystyrene foam packaging. In the 21st century, McDonalds uses almo

Organizational Behavior Essay -- essays research papers

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts April 2, 2005 Organizational behavior encompasses a wide range of topics, such as human behavior, change, leadership, and teams. Organizational Behavior is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations. It interprets people-organization relationships in terms of the whole person, group, organization, and social system. Its purpose is to build better relationships by achieving individual, organizational, and social objectives. An organization’s base rests on management’s philosophy, values, vision and goals. This in turn drives the organizational culture which is composed of the formal, informal and the social environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Donald R. Clark there are four major Models of Organizational Behavior (1998) that organizations operate out of: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Autocratic – The basis here is power with a managerial orientation of authority. The employees are oriented towards obedience and dependence on the boss. The employee need that is met is subsistence and the performance result is minimal. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Custodial - The basis of this model is economic resources with a managerial orientation of money. The employees are oriented towards security and benefits and dependence on the organization. The employee need that is met is security. The performance result is passive cooperation. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Supportive – The basis here is leadership with a managerial orientation of support. The employees are oriented towards job performance and participation. The employee need that is met s status and recognition. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Collegial – The basis is partnership with a managerial orientation of teamwork. The employees are oriented towards responsible behavior and self-discipline. The employee need that is met is self-actualization. Although there are four models listed, I do not believe that any organization operates exclusively within one. My company, Caesars Entertainment, Inc. operates predominantly in the Supportive model. My position is run mainly on job performance and quality of work produced. My department also uses Collegial and Custodial (we are a gaming company after all). The culture of an organization is the personality o... ...rder to be successful. By understanding behavior, culture, diversity, communication and effectiveness, a company has a great chance of making their business work. Companies are not here to create a club with a certain culture. They are here to accomplish something; they have a core mission, a purpose. References American Heritage Dictionary of English Language, (2000). Houghton Mifflin Company, 4th Edition. Retrieved April 3, 2005 from: http://www.dictionary.com Caesars Entertainment, Inc., (2005). Corporate: About Us, Diversity. Retrieved April 3, 2005 from: http://www.caesars.com Clark, D., (March, 1998). Models of Organizational Behavior. Elements of Organizational Behavior. Retrieved April 2, 2005, from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/.html Prasad, C. (2004). How to distinguish yourself as a culturally diverse candidate. Retrieved April 2, 2005 from: IMDiversity http://www.careerjournal.com/myc/diversity/20040429-imdiversity.html Sonnenfeld, J., (2004). Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision. What is culture?. Retrieved April 2, 2005 from http://www.mapnp.org/library/culture/culture.htm   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Human Resource Information Systems Essay

1. â€Å"Suggest how HR professionals can use online recruiting to more effectively support recruitment activities while reducing organizational costs.† Retaining and acquiring talent with high qualities is crucial to an organization’s success. â€Å"As the economy and job market heats up, so has the market for corporate recruiting and recruiting service and consultants† (Bersin, 2013). Therefore, the labor force becomes more competitive and available skills become more diverse, HR professionals need to be more selective when choosing the right candidate. Poor decisions made by recruiters can result into negative effects for the company. Another thing that can impact an organization as well as an employee’s morale is high training and development cost. For this reason alone, many companies have turned to e-Recruiting. â€Å"Online recruiting involves less human interaction, reaches a much broader audience, files records electronically, and provides select ion tools electronically† (Friend, 2014). Companies can conduct everything online while spending less money sending all employees to a training session or meeting off-site. Just by conducting meetings, training, etc. online saves the company a lot of money. For example, new hires really make up the majority of the cost because they need to be trained in every aspect of the job they are taking on. Also, training occurs with other employees besides new hires when a new product or service surfaces within the company. All employees need to learn about the new products or services in order to promote them to their clients. Online recruiting comes in handy since it’s a real money saver by having employees do everything online via internet instead of meeting each time for different things. Online recruiting is not only cost effective but it’s quick and easy to do. HR professionals can posts job postings anywhere there is an internet  connection and receive responses just as quickly. Online recruiting can become very convenient. 2. â€Å"Recommend four (4) strategies to mitigate the unintended consequences associated with e-Recruiting.† Four strategies to mitigate the unintended consequences associated with e-Recruiting include: Ensuring consistent high customer satisfaction online and maintaining consistent high service When e-recruiting, recruit and select applicants who appear to have out-going personalities that fit within the organizational culture This can be determined from likes/dislikes Express that training and incentives will be provided in order to encourage loyalty, motivation, and focus on doing whatever it may be to meet the needs of the customer, and create Create a consistent set of HR practices that work together to create a culture of customer service. A strategy is not always planned and HR professionals usually have to adopt this strategic plan. Maintaining excellent service and high customer satisfaction is a good look for the company. Also, it’s a great strategy to have to meet all the needs of the customers to ensure their returned business and for them to spread the good comments about the company to their family, friends, and co-workers. The last strategy to mitigate the unintended consequences is for HR to get their practices to work together for the good of the company. HR needs to put a process in place that will be successful and beneficial to the employees and the company. 3. â€Å"Propose one (1) approach in which online recruitment can help ensure the employee’s psychological contracts are fulfilled.† According to Kavanagh, Thite, & Johnson (2012), psychological contract fulfillment, employee satisfaction, and retention rates are three other important goals of the recruitment process. The employees’ beliefs about the obligations and promises between them and their companies are what the psychological contract refers to. It’s going to be important to explore the extent to which online recruitment can help ensure that employees’ psychological contracts are fulfilled. Information that is collected and distributed during the recruitment process shapes the expectancy that leads to psychological contract fulfillment, which directly affects employee satisfaction and retention rates. The numerous expectations that shape the psychological contract include the work role, such as job performance; social relations, such as co-w orker and customer interactions; economic  rewards (raises, monetary incentives), and company culture. According to Heneman and Judge (2006), one approach to use to ensure psychological contracts are filled is a realistic recruitment message. 4. â€Å"Suggest three (3) strategies you would use to attract high-quality candidates and members of diverse groups using an e-Recruitment approach.† One strategy to use to attract candidates would be through social media. Examples of social media would be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even email such as Hotmail, Yahoo, and Google, etc. Today’s world is very technical savvy and most people now use the internet for everything, these medias would be perfect for announcing job vacancies and announcements. For example, when I used to work for State Farm I made a Facebook page for the company and promoted different products and services that we offered. Another strategy I would use is at the end of applicants completing their work history, etc. before submitting to the job, a series of detailed questions would be asked that relates to specific job in which they are applying for such as years of experience performing that particular job, and skill competencies, etc., this would eliminate applicants that don’t have the necessary experience and skills and alleviate unwanted applications. One last strategy I would use to determine diverse groups is have the applicant fill out an optional survey informing of their race, gender, etc. The survey if completed or not would not have an impact on whether or not the applicant is interviewed and the applicant would also be informed of this as well. This would only be for survey purpose that will allow the organization to see if and how many people from diverse backgrounds are applying. 5. â€Å"Take a stand on whether or not the attributes of a Website (attractiveness, quality, and ease of use) would affect your motivation to apply for a job at that company. Justify your position with specific examples from two (2) business Websites that you are familiar with.† In my opinion, I find that when applying for positions the company’s attractive quality and ease of use website is very important. This lets me know that the company takes pride in their name and what to make an impression on the candidates that are applying. Even though they are the ones that are hiring, they need employees to work as well as a candidate needs a job. The first impression is a lasting impression, and if I’m impressed with the Website then chances are I’m going to be impressed with the company and would want to work for them. Two websites that I’m  familiar with are www.indeed.com and www.careerbuilder.com. I used these two websites frequently because they always have up to date posts on their websites every day and have a variety of positions available. Both sites are colorful, and allow you to type in key words related to the job of interest along with the city and state. Next, it will display jobs related to the key words that are entered. The jobs that are displayed list the job title, company name, and a brief description of the job that includes the range in job salary, for some. Both search engines are easy to navigate, the content of the information is relevant to what I’m looking for. Also, usability is a plus, because they both allow you to receive job alerts, creat user accounts, and answer frequently asked questions. 6. â€Å"Propose four (4) security controls you would put into place to prevent unauthorized access to data and unauthorized disclosure of data when using e-Recruiting systems.† One security control I would use is each applicant would have to set up their own personal username and access code. This should ease the mind of the applicant, because this is information that only the applicant would use and have access to. Next, I would design a security control that is time sensitive and require the user to sign back in if the computer is idled for a certain amount of it the user spends too much time in one area without moving on to the next area. Third, I would use an online security system that would prevent hackers and unauthorized access to applicant’s information. â€Å"The last security control that I might put in place would be some type of software where you have to answer personal related questions about your past that only that specific person would know† (Zeidner, 2007). For example, a multiple choice question might pop up and ask which of the following are related to you and the employee that is trying to gain access would have to answer the question correctly. According to Kavanagh et al, I would develop privacy protection policies that (1) restrict access to data, (2) restrict disclosure of data, and (3) ensure that only job-relevant data are collected for decision-making purposes. Everyone has to be careful nowadays, because hacking into computers is just as easy as breaking into a house nowadays. References Bersin, J. (2013, May 23). Corporate Recruiting Explodes: A New Breed of Service Provders. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2013/05/23/corporate-recruitment-transformed-new-breed-of-service-providers/ Friend, L. (2014). Advantages of Online Recruiting. Retrieved from Chron: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-online-recruiting-3093.html Heneman, H.G., & Judge, T. A. (2006). Staffing Organizations (5th ed). Boston: McGraw Hill (nd). Introduction to Online Recruitment. HRM: Guide Human Resource Management. Retrieved from: http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/recruitment/introduction_to_online_recruitement.htm Kavanagh, M. J., Thite, M., & Johnson, R. D. (2012). Human Resource Information Systems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Zeidner, R. (2007, December 1). HR Magazine: Making Online Recruiting More Secure. Retrieved from SHRM: http://www.shrm.org/Publications/hrmagazine/EditorialContent/Pages/1207hrtech.aspx

Debut Speech Essay

During my 18 years, I’ve learned how important family is. Your family will always be there for you no matter what. My family supports me in everything I do. All their time and money cannot express how much they love me because love is more than any of that. Love between families is a special bond of time, laughs, smiles and memories. Love is something that family doesn’t have to say to each other because we already know and I am blessed to have a family that loves me in every way possible. As for friends, I’ve learned something important about friends. You will meet many people throughout your days and for a moment in time you will be that person’s friend or more. Friends are the ones that stay by your sides during the bad and will never intentionally stab you in the back. To all my friends here tonight, thank you for everything; I hope we’ll continue our friendship for many more years to come. Ahead is a new journey, not only for me but for all of us. And what I have to say to that, â€Å"Challenge accepted. I can only imagine the way my parents are going to feel watching me grow up more and more and having to let go little by little each day but even then my imagination cannot comparable to the feelings they feel. Even then, I willingly accept this new chapter of my life which I wouldn’t have been able to reach without every single one of you. No matter how small to how big of an impact you’ve had in my life, I thank you all equall y. So now I will end my speech with a thank you. Thank you for joining me in celebrating my 18th birthday. Thank you Mc Three McQueens for taking those beautiful pictures for this debut especially to kuya Michael and Kuya Chieboy. Thank you Kuya Elvin Sagun and Kuya Jervyn for coming over countless times to help with all the planning. Thank you cousins and Leo for helping me. Thank you kuya Frederic Rodriguez for making my dream dress. To my friends, classmates titas, ninongs and ninangs for sharing this special day that I will cherish forever. And a special thank you to my Mama and Papa for making this all possible. I love all of you very much!

Eva Peron essays

Eva Peron essays What is happening to our people is a drama, an authentic and extraordinary drama for the ownership of life... of happiness... of the pure and simple well-being that my people have been dreaming about since the beginning of history. The Evita that people worldwide cherish as the Argentinian sweetheart is a stronger woman than I had ever envisioned. From reading her personal message to the people, I saw a woman who knew so much and had the will of an army to achieve her virtuous goal. She was a leader of the people, the people who lacked the power and authority to speak out for their cause. And she had a love for her nations people, like a mothers undying love for her children. But more than all else, she had a devotion to her beliefs, exemplified through her husband, the man she loved. Her message serves so many purposes, but ultimately it was a goodbye to all her loved ones. She wanted to leave them in body only after her death, and never desert them in spirit. And she never shall. Her ideals, and the spark she invoked in her people will always exist. She tells of truths about the people against her. She talks of politicians and people who claim they work for the good of Argentine. She tells her people not to believe their lies, because they only think of themselves, and they do not care about the impoverished. Only Pern has the understanding that they need. Even though he has come from military backgrounds, he has broken free of the selfish upper class ways, and has seen what is going on in Argentine. What most people of power try not to see is what is the most important and prevalent problem. Eva also points out that this devotion to the descamisados means much more and suggests greater character coming from Peron. For Eva, it is easy to rally her beliefs behind the impoverished, because she is one of them, and understands them. So, she def ...

Radial Symmetry in Marine Life

Radial Symmetry in Marine Life Radial symmetry is the regular arrangement of body parts around a central axis. Definition of Symmetry First, we should define symmetry. Symmetry is the arrangement of body parts so they can be divided equally along an imaginary line or axis. In marine life, the two main types of symmetry are bilateral symmetry  and radial symmetry, although there are some organisms that exhibit biradial symmetry (e.g., ctenophores) or asymmetry (e.g., sponges). Definition of Radial Symmetry When an organism is radially symmetrical, you could cut from one side of the organism through the center to the other side, anywhere on the organism, and this cut would produce two equal halves. Think of a pie: no matter which way you slice it, if you slice from one side to the other through the center, youll end up with equal halves. You can continue slicing the pie to end up with any number of equal-sized pieces. Thus, the pieces of this pie  radiate  out from the central point.   You can apply the same slicing demonstration to a sea anemone. If you draw an imaginary line across the top of a sea anemone starting at any one point, that would divide it into roughly equal halves. Pentaradial Symmetry Echinoderms like sea stars, sand dollars, and sea urchins exhibit a five-part symmetry called pentaradial symmetry. With pentaradial symmetry, the body can be divided into 5 equal parts, so any one of five slices taken out of the organism would be equal.    In the feather star shown in the image, you can see five distinctive branches radiating from the stars central disk. Biradial Symmetry Animals with biradial symmetry show a combination of radial and bilateral symmetry. A biradially symmetrical organism can be divided into four parts along a central plane but each of the parts is equal to the part on the opposite side but not the part on its adjacent side. Characteristics of Radially Symmetrical Animals Radially symmetrical animals have a top and bottom but dont have a front or back or distinctive left and right sides.   They also have a side with a mouth, called the oral side, and a side without the mouth called the aboral side.   These animals typically can move in all directions.   You can contrast this to bilaterally symmetrical organisms like humans, seals or whales, who usually move forward or backward and have a well-defined front, back and right and left sides. While radially symmetrical organisms can move easily in all directions, they may move slowly, if at all. Jellyfish primarily drift with waves and currents, sea stars move relatively slowly compared to most bilaterally symmetrical animals, and sea anemones barely move at all.   Rather than a centralized nervous system, radially symmetrical organisms have sensory structures scattered around their body.   Sea stars, for example, have eyespots at the end of each of their arms, rather than in a head region. One advantage of radial symmetry is that it may make it easier for organisms to regenerate lost body parts. Sea stars, for example, can regenerate a lost arm or even an entirely new body as long as a portion of their central disk is still present.   Examples of Marine Animals With Radial Symmetry Marine animals that exhibit radial symmetry include: Coral polypsJellyfishSea anemonesSea urchins References and Further Information: Morrissey, J.F. and J.L.  Sumich. 2012. Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life (10th Edition). Jones Bartlett Learning. 467pp.University of California Museum of Paleontology.  Bilateral (left/right) Symmetry. Understanding Evolution. Accessed February 28, 2016.

A Synapse Happens When Psychology Essay

A Synapse Happens When Psychology Essay A synapse happens when the electrical activity in the pre-synaptic neuron influences the post-synaptic neuron. There are two types of synapses in the body, the electrical (gap junctions) and chemical. Electrical synapses occur in pre and post synaptic neurons that are joined via gap junctions. A chemical synapse releases a neurotransmitter molecule that is triggered by an action potential. The neurotransmitter is then released into the synaptic cleft. The neurotransmitter is diffused across the cleft and binds to receptors on the post-synaptic neuron and can trigger a new action potential. In further detail, when an action potential begins in a neuron, it travels down the axon, when the action potential reaches the axon terminal, calcium channels open, and calcium ions rush into the neuron. The neuron then makes and stores neurotransmitter in vesicles. When calcium binds to the vesicles, the vesicles carry neurotransmitter toward the presynaptic membrane. When the vesicles contact t he axon terminal membrane, the neurotransmitter is released into the synaptic cleft. The action potentials arriving at the presynaptic terminal cause voltage-gated calcium ion channels to open. Calcium ions (Ca2+) diffuse into the cell and cause synaptic vesicles to release acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter molecule. After the release, the neurotransmitter is still in the cleft, which then can be removed by diffusion, re-uptake, and deactivation. A reuptake is when a transporter moves the neurotransmitter back into presynaptic neuron which uses energy. Deactivation is when the enzyme breaks neurotransmitter down into parts. The acetylcholine is broken with the acetyl cholinesterase. This happens in the synaptic cleft. Neurotransmitter diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. The postsynaptic neuron receptors are activated. In this case, these receptors allow Sodium in the neuron by facilitated diffusion, causing an action potential to sta rt in the postsynaptic membrane. Neurotransmitters are released from receptors and diffuse back to the synaptic cleft. Vesicles recycle some neurotransmitter to prepare the neuron for its next action potential. Acetylcholine molecules diffuse from the presynaptic terminal across the synaptic cleft and bind to their receptor sites on the ligand-gated sodium ion (Na+) channels. This causes the ligand-gated sodium ion channels to open and sodium ions diffuse into the cell, making the membrane potential more positive. If the membrane potential reaches threshold level, an action potential will be produced. There is a specific neuron for each colour, shape, when we think of two different things; two neurons make a connection, these results in thinking, learning and our behaviours. Learning involves neurons in the brain and the synapses between them. Neurons ad synapses make connections in order for us to think and learn new things. Signals are sent from one neuron to another by jumping ac ross the synapse. In the process of sending signals, it involves the presynaptic neuron, the neuron sending the signal, the neurotransmitter which is a chemical released by neurons at the synapse for the purpose of relaying information to other neurons via receptors. The synaptic cleft is the space across which a nerve impulse passes from an axon terminal to a neuron or effector cell. The receptor molecule is a protein that recognizes a specific 3-dimensional shape which then goes into the postsynaptic neuron, the neuron which receives the signal.

Discussion Forum Post Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion Forum Post - Assignment Example Human nature and the tendency to change can be viewed from two dimensions, which include norms and lifestyle. Human nature is not independent of other influences because, in the absence of external factors, human nature can be said to be fixed. Cultural issues, norms and way of life determine to a great extent human behavior, attitude and the nature of interactions. A number of issues arise in so far as the study of the nodes is concerned. Study of the nudes, especially as depicted in the artwork symbolizes the human beauty and the inherent qualities posed by either gender (Powers 80). Consequently, nudity demonstrates various aspects of human life, such as energy and emotions manifested by the posture and the interventions depicted by the nudes (Powers 89). Nudity simply brings out the inner human into display and provides a broad basis over which a number of issues can be

Ohio Sentate Bill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ohio Sentate Bill - Essay Example Having said this, it is not as though the nation has no responsibilities to play in ensuring that the citizen is well protected and provided for to give back to the nation. It is for this reason that bills and laws that are made in the nation must take a human face and consider the welfare of the citizen as the most important conditions. To this effect, it is absolutely necessary, right and appropriate that citizens are airing their views on the Senate Bill 5 and how it might affect them. The debates and discussion are therefore highly encouraged and no side of the argument can immediately be judged as invalid, out of place or unnecessary. Especially as voting is yet to be done, it is important that debates continue to clarify issues so that the voting public would have better reasons why they should make a particular choice on the day of voting. The Issues No body can deny the fact that the mere mention or thought of the fact that a person’s earning would be reduced directly or indirectly is unpleasant news to hear. In fact, monies are earned through labor and labor is a difficult phenomenon. It is for this reason that everyone would want his or her earning secured. But what about cases where the deductions would bring about an eventual and long term benefit. Like in the payment of life insurances and fixed deposits, so would the long term benefit of the Senate Bill 5 be. Vardon and Siegel (2011) note that â€Å"Senate Bill 5 also would save $191 million at the state level by eliminating employee longevity and step pay increases.† In the wake of times when America is trumpeting for rapid economic take after the recession, such an amount pumped into the economy would in no small way raise the economic fortunes of the nation. Having made this point, it is important to reiterate the need to ensure accountability at the hands of higher governmental officials so that the professed economic benefits would be achieved. There is also an urgent need for c ritics’ cry on the implementation process to be considered. This is because there seem to be a kind of disparity that creates the impression that someone is robbing Peter to pay Paul. This point is strongly supported by Kasich who decries how there exists â€Å"imbalance between the costs of health insurance for the private and public sectors† such that one group wound eventually be making losses for another person’s gains. There is the much talked deprivation of employees to air their views and bargain on their entitlements. Some say that the Senate Bill 5 will be â€Å"taking away the power to negotiate deductibles and co-pays that contribute to the overall cost of health insurance† (Vardon and Siegel, 2011). However, that is not all what the Senate Bill 5 presents as far as employee bargaining power is concerned. As a matter of fact, public service workers such as teachers, firefighters and law enforcers â€Å"will be able to negotiate with local and state officials for important contract provisions including wages and some working conditions, including those related to safety† (The Intelligencer, 2011). The fears continue to rage on but citizens are encouraged to consider the full impulse of the bill deeply. If for nothing at all, it is known that the little restrictions on bargaining power would go a long way to restrict excessive spending to help Ohio maintain a balanced budget. It should however be noted with caution that this does not become an avenue for killing the

How do the courts deal with the battle of forms, where parties to an Essay

How do the courts deal with the battle of forms, where parties to an intended contract exchange forms containing mutually inconsistent terms - Essay Example ten negotiate through exchanging correspondence, with a series of counter offers as to price and the contract terms; this has been referred to as the â€Å"Battle of the Forms† (Beale, 2007). In considering this Beale in Chitty on Contracts underlines this problem and concludes: â€Å"Thus it is possible by careful draftsmanship to avoid losing the battle of the forms, but not†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. to win it. The most that the draftsman can be certain of achieving is the stalemate situation where there is no contract at all† (Beale, 2007). In order to address this legally, the courts have adopted the â€Å"last shot principle†, which was established in the case of Butler Machine Tool Co –v- Ex Cell-O-Corp ((1981) 24 BLR 94). According to this principle, the presumption is that the last offer which has been accepted without qualification will be determined as covering the conditions of the contract. This was confirmed in the recent case of Tekdata Communications Ltd v Amphenol Ltd ([2009] EWCA CIV 1209), which confirmed that there the general principle of the â€Å"last shot† wins was applicable unless there was unequivocal evidence of contrary intention. For example, in the Tekdata case itself the parties were in a production chain involving four companies producing aircraft components and at first instance, the trial judge departed from the last shot doctrine on the basis that the parties were part of a complex supply chain where prices were non-negotiable and the defendant did not suggest that its own terms and conditions were incorporated into the contract. However, the Court of Appeal rejected this rationale and held that â€Å"the context of a long term relationship and the conduct of the parties† may in certain circumstances be sufficiently strong to displace the usual â€Å"last shot wins† rule. Therefore, whilst the general principle is that the last shot wins, the course of dealing between parties may sometimes negate this and result in the terms and conditions

Equity Theory (Adams) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Equity Theory (Adams) - Essay Example ng to Adams, in relation to a given work situation, employees seek to maintain equity when it comes to the rewards they get from their jobs and the inputs they give to it. Without maintaining this equity, the employees would feel negatively about their work situation and be distressed about it. Overtime, the idea of equity has been developed to include and influence many other facets of organizational behavior. Two of these are the psychological contract and employee motivation since they stand out as primary examples where the equity theory becomes applicable. The idea of establishing or creating equity between the employee and the company is very clearly seen when it comes to motivation since according to the theory employees seek to create equitable relationships and rewards can be used to make individuals work harder. However, when it comes to the psychological contract, the application of the equity theory is more subtle therefore it would be important to understand how the psychological contract and the equity theory complement each other. Robinson and Rousseau (1994) say that the psychological contract is quite important for all facets of management and those employees who are given employment with a company hope to obtain equal benefits from their employment as compared to the input they are giving to the company. In essence, the psychological contract of an employee is based on the idea of creating equity. As per the meaning of the term, a psychological contract is the implicit contract of several deep understandings between the company and the employee as they relate to the expectations of the employee and the obligations of the company (Emott, 2006). Guest (2004) takes an even larger view of the psychological contract in employment situations where recommends that a full understanding of an equitable relationship should incorporate fairness to both parties and it should be based on mutual trust. This kind of equity is perhaps too idealistic since it

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 50

Assignment - Essay Example As much as layoffs are not a desirable state of the organization, it is always important for the employer to communicate to the employees about it openly instead of letting them get to learn about it through rumors and other means (Business & Legal Reports, Inc., 2009). In the case of the employee who comes for advice amidst such layoff rumors, I would advice them by doing the following: Provide honest and accurate information regarding the layoff to the affected employee. First, it is important to clarify whether the rumor regarding the impending layoff is true or false. Second, I would clarify the reasons and benefits of the payoff to both the employee and the organization. Third, I would help the employee to gain an understanding of the picture of the company following a layoff. Fourth, I would let the employee know how the layoff will take play; whether it is temporary, permanent or in phases. Lastly, I would let the employee know whether there would be any financial resources and support provided incase of the layoff. The Provision of accurate information will enable the employees feel that they are valued, are kept in the loop and that they participate in the decision that affect their lives. Once the employee has attained a clear picture of the situation, I would seek to gather information on how he or she perceives the upcoming layoff. This information is critical because it will enable me to understand how the employee is affected by the layoff rumor, whether this is likely to affect the performance of the ongoing project, issues affecting the employee during the planned layoff and whether the employee has already had job offers elsewhere. After getting the perspective of the employee, I would try to manage his attitudes and behavior about the layoff. I would let the employee know that he or she is very important to the organization although the layoff is inevitable. I would advice the

How do the courts deal with the battle of forms, where parties to an Essay

How do the courts deal with the battle of forms, where parties to an intended contract exchange forms containing mutually inconsistent terms - Essay Example ten negotiate through exchanging correspondence, with a series of counter offers as to price and the contract terms; this has been referred to as the â€Å"Battle of the Forms† (Beale, 2007). In considering this Beale in Chitty on Contracts underlines this problem and concludes: â€Å"Thus it is possible by careful draftsmanship to avoid losing the battle of the forms, but not†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. to win it. The most that the draftsman can be certain of achieving is the stalemate situation where there is no contract at all† (Beale, 2007). In order to address this legally, the courts have adopted the â€Å"last shot principle†, which was established in the case of Butler Machine Tool Co –v- Ex Cell-O-Corp ((1981) 24 BLR 94). According to this principle, the presumption is that the last offer which has been accepted without qualification will be determined as covering the conditions of the contract. This was confirmed in the recent case of Tekdata Communications Ltd v Amphenol Ltd ([2009] EWCA CIV 1209), which confirmed that there the general principle of the â€Å"last shot† wins was applicable unless there was unequivocal evidence of contrary intention. For example, in the Tekdata case itself the parties were in a production chain involving four companies producing aircraft components and at first instance, the trial judge departed from the last shot doctrine on the basis that the parties were part of a complex supply chain where prices were non-negotiable and the defendant did not suggest that its own terms and conditions were incorporated into the contract. However, the Court of Appeal rejected this rationale and held that â€Å"the context of a long term relationship and the conduct of the parties† may in certain circumstances be sufficiently strong to displace the usual â€Å"last shot wins† rule. Therefore, whilst the general principle is that the last shot wins, the course of dealing between parties may sometimes negate this and result in the terms and conditions

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 50

Assignment - Essay Example As much as layoffs are not a desirable state of the organization, it is always important for the employer to communicate to the employees about it openly instead of letting them get to learn about it through rumors and other means (Business & Legal Reports, Inc., 2009). In the case of the employee who comes for advice amidst such layoff rumors, I would advice them by doing the following: Provide honest and accurate information regarding the layoff to the affected employee. First, it is important to clarify whether the rumor regarding the impending layoff is true or false. Second, I would clarify the reasons and benefits of the payoff to both the employee and the organization. Third, I would help the employee to gain an understanding of the picture of the company following a layoff. Fourth, I would let the employee know how the layoff will take play; whether it is temporary, permanent or in phases. Lastly, I would let the employee know whether there would be any financial resources and support provided incase of the layoff. The Provision of accurate information will enable the employees feel that they are valued, are kept in the loop and that they participate in the decision that affect their lives. Once the employee has attained a clear picture of the situation, I would seek to gather information on how he or she perceives the upcoming layoff. This information is critical because it will enable me to understand how the employee is affected by the layoff rumor, whether this is likely to affect the performance of the ongoing project, issues affecting the employee during the planned layoff and whether the employee has already had job offers elsewhere. After getting the perspective of the employee, I would try to manage his attitudes and behavior about the layoff. I would let the employee know that he or she is very important to the organization although the layoff is inevitable. I would advice the

Between 1820 and 1860 there were a few fundamental differences between the economies of the North and South Essay Example for Free

Between 1820 and 1860 there were a few fundamental differences between the economies of the North and South Essay ?Between 1820 and 1860 there were a few fundamental differences between the economies of the North and South. How far do you agree? Between 1820 and 1860 there were problems in America that resulted in the civil war in 1861, the economy affected the North and South during the civil war, and some major differences helped win the civil war. However this does not mean that the economy had many fundamental differences. For example the methods of earning money were different, but overall both earned roughly the same amount of money. Firstly, the main difference was that the North relied much more on money from industry and manufacturing, as they had more connections with foreign countries, and more factories were built. In the North in 1860 there were 74,000 factories producing two thirds, of goods for America. Whereas in the South there were only 2 major factors: Textiles factory in South Carolina and an Iron works in Virginia set up in 1840. Although they had fewer factories, the Iron works was vital, as it supplied the North with weaponry during the Civil war. In 1850 the South only produced 10% of the nations manufactured output. However the South did lack the industrialisation because their agricultural methods were so effective they had no need for change. The South was also very traditional and disliked change, whereas seven out of eight immigrants had chosen to settle in the North, and they had seen new ideas in other places in Europe so were welcome to change. This is shown by the South’s labour force being reduced from 82% to 81% over 60 years, on the other hand, the North’s labour force was reduced from 68% to 40% over the 60 years. This is however not a reflection on the North rapidly reducing agriculturally, because they still relied on agriculture, and a lot of the North was still rural. Around the urban areas, the population was increasing as towns and cities were developing swiftly. As the North had smaller but still prosperous farmers known as yeomen, they did not earn as much money through agriculture, because they did not have many or any slaves at all, so they could not produce the high quantities that the south did. Farmers that had lots of land were called plantation owners; there were many more plantations in the south, and when the cotton gin was created in 1793, there was a boom in cotton, and the benefit of having slaves increased. This made Southern plantation owners invest their capital in the Slaves, because they produced so much cotton, which was very lucrative. 55% of slaves worked in cotton which shows how much money was made out of it. The South needed to transport their goods to the North so that it could be transported abroad, but there was a lack of transport in South, as they only had 35% of the train tracks, which affected them in the Civil war. This meant it was fairly expensive to transport the cotton, but they still received a good amount of money if they lived near a train track. When the cotton arrived in the North the Lowell factory system meant the manufacturing of it was very cheap, which meant the North earnt a large margin on it. Although the danger of the South investing all their money in Slaves was that when slavery got banned, they lost a lot of money, which was partly why they were so keen to keep slavery. However only one quarter of the population owned a slave, as they were expensive (in 1860 they were $1800 which was double the price in 1820). The Norths economy was based on free labour whereas the Souths was based on slave labour, which meant that the Norths economy was more stimulated by the presence of workers with money who could buy products, which would make money for the company, which in turn would increase wages or hire more workers. The Souths economy was largely devoid of this benefit. Essentially, the economy in the South was weaker and only based on a few important exports (cotton, tobacco, and sugar). This made the South less diversified, as they focused their sales on cotton. Another difference is tariffs; in 1828 congress passes a controversial high protective tax. This majorly benefitted the North as they were the main distributors. However the South were very worried about this because they believed that if they stopped buying the expensive foreign goods, then foreign countries would stop buying their goods, as they would have tax on them too. This affected the economy until the tax was promised to be reduced after the law in 1833. In contrast the North and South didn’t have many fundamental differences. They both created a lot of money, and were not lacking at all, the only difference was the method in which was used to make the money. The economic diversification was similar too, as 10% of Northerners owned 68% of the wealth, and the wealth was dominated by the plantation owners, called oligarchies, as there were few free-soilers. 12% of the plantation owners owned half the slaves. This shows that there were few farmers, but the big plantations owned many slaves. Even though the North seems to be more industrial, the South also made efforts to modernise industrially, but they just lacked because of the closed opinions of the southerners. Also not many people in the North and the South owned slaves, it was more of a rare thing, and the main owners, owned a large amount of slaves. However there was a larger need for slaves in the South, because there was cheap labour force from Europe settling in the North which meant slaves were more expensive so were not deemed as important. Overall I think there were many differences between the North and South between 1820 and 1860. Some affected the outcome of the Civil war such as the transport boom, and the industrialisation in the North, but a fundamental point is that numerically they have equal amounts of income; there were just different methods to earning the money. However the differences were major; the amount of industrialisation, and amount of agriculture, the manufactured output, and the need for slaves, was all very different for the North and South. The main similarity was the economic diversification.

Nervous Systems And Sensory Organs

Nervous Systems And Sensory Organs You take a needle and prick your finger, your response is probably to get your finger away from the needlepoint quickly and maybe yell ouch. You take the same needle and poke a protist, sponge, cnidarian, or worm with it and they will all probably exhibit a similar response, at least they will all retreat. But how can this be possible? Protists are unicellular organisms that dont have a system to communicate after coming in contact with a stimulus. Similarly, sponges just sit on a rock all day, they also dont have any nervous functions. Cnidarians on the other hand have a nerve net, but how do they coordinate responses without a brain? All of these questions, along with how body plans relate to nervous system evolution, will be answered as this paper explores the evolution of the nervous system and sense organs from protists to the vertebrates. The Protists The classification of protozoans has been changed a lot through time. Cavalier-Smith (1993) came up with what he called the simplest definition of the kingdom Protozoa. They are eukaryotes, other than those that primitively lack mitochondria and peroxisomes, which lack the shared derived characters that define the higher derived kingdoms of Animalia, Fungi, and Plantae (Cavalier-Smith, 1993). Even though protozoans are simple unicellular organisms, they can still respond to many of the same stimuli higher order organisms respond too. Take for example that science class most students have. You put paramecium under a microscope and try to touch them with a probe, or watch their response to the light from the microscope. Most of the time when the anterior membrane of Paramecium is mechanically stimulated the ciliary power stroke reorients so the cell swims backwards, or retreats (Ogura Machemer, 1980). If the posterior membrane is stimulated the cilia beat towards the rear, causing the organism to move forward (Ogura Machemer, 1980). The light from the microscope can affect both the photoreceptors and thermoreceptors of the protists. The unicellular alga Euglena shows two regions of peak sensitivity to light during photokinesis at 465 nm and then again near 630 nm and during phototaxis 490-500 nm (Leys et al., 2002). Euglena is phototactic and its system consists of locomotory flagellum, an eyespot, and a photoreceptor (Gualtieri, 2001). As the organism moves, the eyespot senses the amount of light that reaches it and therefore pushes the Euglena in the direction of more light (Gualtieri, 2001). But moving towards light also means a change in temperature, especially if the light source is close to the organism. Paramecium cells are themo-sensitive and tend to accumulate at temperatures they were cultured at (Toyoda et al., 2009). They become used to their membrane fluidity at this temperature, and small temperatures changes drastically change this fluidity (Toyoda et al., 2001). If the temperatures change too much the Paramecium will retreat away from the heat in order to survive (Hennessey, Saimi, Kung, 1983). Protists also have chemosensory responses to certain odorants and tastes. Rodgers, Markle, and Hennessey (2008) found G-protein coupled receptors in the Paramecium. They tested whether Paramecium and Tetrahymena could respond to the common higher order organisms odorants and tastants (Rodgers, Markle, Hennessey, 2008). If they are affected by the odorants or tastants they will do an avoiding reaction, which can be seen when the organism is leaving an attractant or enters a repellent (Valentine, Yano, Van Houten, 2008). The Tetrahymena was more sensitive and could detect all of the tastants sampled, while Paramecium only detected four or the ten (Rodgers, Markle, Hennessey, 2008). Since Paramecium feed on bacteria Valentine, Yano, and Van Houten (2008) showed that they are attracted to bacterial metabolites such as, folate, acetate, glutamate, cyclic AMP, Biotin, and Ammonium. So an organism without a nervous system or sense organs has the ability to respond to many of the same env ironmental factors that higher order organisms respond too. Poriferia Similar to the protozoans, sponges lack definite body symmetry and also lack nerves and cell junctions, allowing no communication between cells (Leys et al., 2002). Sponges do respond to both light and mechanical stimuli. Recently, some sponges have been found to respond to light by contracting their cilia (Leys et al., 2002). Most larvae, via their cilia, are sensitive to light near 440 nm and again at 600 nm causing them to respond by straightening and bending (Leys et al., 2002). Although sponges lack neurons they are sedimentary feeders and therefore need ways of dealing with excessive particulates in their feeding currents (Tompkins-MacDonald Leys, 2008). Cellular sponges have the ability to close the openings to their incurrent canals, constrict the size of their intake canals, and even carry out a series of slow contractions that expel unwanted material (Tompkins-MacDonald Leys, 2008). The syncytial tissues of glass sponges allow action potentials initiated at single or mult iple sites to propagate through the entire animal, stopping the feeding current (Tompkins-MacDonald Leys, 2008). When Tompkins-MacDonald and Leys (2008) tested this response they found that by probing the interal body wall, allowing light to touch the outer body wall, or by knocking on the outer body wall pumping was stopped. This shows that a sponge, although not having an nerves or cell junctions can still respond to its environment. Cnidaria and Ctenophora Cnidaria and Ctenophora are the most basally branching lineages with specialized sense organs. The Cnidaria are radially symmetrical and have a nerve net where the sensor and ganglionic neurons and their processes are interspersed among the epithelial cells of both layers (Watanabe, Fujisawa, Holstein, 2009). Sensory structures that form part of epidermis are found in all animal phyla. Cnidarian neurons do not cluster to form a central nervous system or ganglia, which is why the nerve net is considered the simplest nervous system (Sarnat Netsky, 2002). In cnidarians sensory structures consist of naked sensory neurons whose dendrite is formed by a modified cilium (Jacobs et al., 2007). Sensilla are individual sensory neurons, or small groupings of sensory neurons, that typically function in one of the following; light detection, mechanoreception, and chemoreception (Jacobs et al., 2007). Photoreception and chemoreception involve G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and membrane ion c hannels, similar to what was observed in the protists (Jacobs et al., 2007). Jacobs et al. (2007) believes that sense organs and kidneys in bilterians may have evolved from groupings of choanocytes in sponges. Cnidarian sense organs are usually associated with the free swimming form that resembles a jellyfish (Jacobs et al., 2007). Neural regionalization is most evident in the medusozoans that have rhopalia , an eye system with lenses (Watanabe, Fujisawa, Holstein, 2009). Other cnidarians contain simple eyes. A statocyst is a dense array of mechanosensory cells that serve as a touch plate (Jacob et al., 2007). In most cnidarians the rhopalia, sense organ, alternate with tentacles, appendages, similar to how vertebrates have organs associated with appendages (Jacobs et al., 2007). Photoreceptors responsible for contractions in Hydra in response to blue light at 470 nm, are consistent in spectral location and shape with a rhodopsin-based photoreceptive system (Leys et al., 2002). One of the newest findings deal with coral larvae and their exterior cilia being able to detect and respond to underwater sound fields (Vermeij et al., 2010). Vermeij et al. (2010) setup six chambers directed towards underwater speakers playing day and night reef sounds. Free-swimming coral larvae moved predominately towards the speakers independent of chamber orientation (Vermeij et al., 2010). This study was done because fish larvae used it as well. Platyhelminthes The flatworms have true bilateral symmetry (Reuter Gustafsson, 1995). Some flatworms have a nerve net like Cnidarians. Others have a central nervous system that consists of anterior ganglia, the brain, and one or several pairs of longitudinal nerve cords that are connected in a ladder-like configuration (Reuter Gustafsson, 1995). The peripheral nervous system is just a meshwork of nerves that are interconnected to the central nervous system (Reuter Gustafsson, 1995). Platyhelminthes has eyes, a light sensing organ, on the dorsal side of the body composed of two cell types: pigment cells and photoreceptor cells (Inoue et al., 2004). The pigment cells form an eye-cup while the visual neurons are located outside the eye-cup (Inoue et al., 2004). The eyes do not allow Planarians to see distinct images, but allows them to be repulsed by bright light, a condition known as negative phototrophism (Hyde, 2003). Not only does the head bear a pair of eyes, but a also a pair of ear-like lobes called auricles. Auricles have nothing to do with hearing; instead they are involved in mechanoreception, chemoreception, and pressure reception (Hyde, 2003). Nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been established as a genetic and genomic model organism (Zhang, 2008). C. elegans does not have a visual or auditory system so it depends on chemosensation to detect bacteria to feed on (Zhang, 2008). C. elegans has exactly 302 neurons, 32 of which are chemosensory because they have ciliated endings that are directly exposed to their external environment (Troemel et al., 1995). Free-living nematodes use amphids and phasmids as sensory structures to seek food and avoid harmful situations, while parasitic nematodes use amphids to actively or passively see a host (Srinivasan, Durak, Sternberg, 2008). Amphids are either enclosed in the amphid sheath or exposed to the environment (Zhang, 2008). Ascaris lumbricoides (A. lumbricoides), a larger nematode, contains 298 neurons (Srinivasan, Durak, Sternberg, 2008). Each group of neurons reacts to certain stimuli. For example, some respond to salt (ASE chemosensory neurons), others respond to volatile al dehydes, ketones, and alcohols (AWC olfactory neurons), and yet others respond to chemical, mechanical, and osmotic stimuli (ASH neurons) (Srinivasan, Durak, Sternberg, 2008; Troemel et al., 1995). Mollusks, Annelids, and Arthropods There are three different nervous systems seen in mollusks alone. Bivalves tend to have no cephalization, while slowing moving mollusks have some cephalization, primary to connect senses and motor information while moving through the environment (Gregory, 2006). The cephalopods require complex sense organs and so they are highly cephalized Gregory, 2006). The cephalopods are known for their well-developed eye, that functions almost exactly like the human eye, which is why they such good eye sight (Oceanic Research Group, 2007). Annelids and Arthropods have repeating segments and an anterior brain. Each segment contains its own ganglion, which controls the muscles of that segment (Gregory, 2006). The nerve cord of both phylum runs directly through all of the segments (Gregory, 2006). These two were grouped together because they are very similar in function for being two different phyla. Vertebrates Amphioxous, part of the phylum chordata, are only capable of a few reflexive responses. They do not have the ability to recognize tactile stimuli, so all stimuli are interpreted as a threat and the organism curls away in defense (Sarnat Netsky, 2002). This reaction demonstrates how neurons that feel the stimuli on one side of the body are transmitted and affect motor neurons on the other side of the body (Sarnat Netsky, 2002). The neuron that served this function was known as the decussating interneuron (Sarnat Netsky, 2002). This is the underlying groundwork of the vertebrate nervous systems. Vertebrates have bilateral symmetry, complex sense organs and complex behaviors, requiring a very cephalized, complex nervous system. Vertebrates consist of two nervous systems, the Central and Peripheral. The central nervous system (CNS) contains the brain and spinal cord, while the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is composed of the nerves running through the body. The CNS has been conservative in its evolution, especially when looking at the senses of the vertebrates (Hodos Butler, 1997). The receptor types are either monopolar or pseudomonopolar neurons, each consist of parallel pathways connecting the receptors to the primary central neurons, which are located inside the sense organs where the stimuli is processed (Hodos Butler, 1997). Nerves are bundles of neurons, without cells bodies (Gregory, 2006). Most nerves contain both sensory and motor abilities (Gregory, 2006). There are both cranial and spinal nerves. There are multiple cranial nerves in all vertebrates, with humans having 12, and they are responsible for both sensory and motor information (Brown, 2003). The nerves are numbered using roman numerals from 1 to 12 (Brown, 2003). Brown (2003) described all of the following cranial nerves. Cranial nerve I is the olfactory nerve and it carries the sense of smell to the olfactory bulb of the brain. Cranial nerve II is the optic nerve and it carries visual information to the brain. Cranial nerve III is the oculomotor nerve and it provides motor ability to the four-extrinisic eye muscles, muscles of the upper eyelid, and intrinsic eye muscles. Cranial nerve IV is the trochlear nerve and it gives motor ability to the superior oblique eye muscle. Cranial nerve V is the trigeminal nerve and it provides sensory info rmation from the face, forehead, nasal cavity, tongue, gums and teeth. Cranial nerve VI is the abducens nerve gives motor ability to the lateral rectus muscle of the extrinisic eye. VII is the Facial nerve that provides humans with facial expressions. VIII is the vestibulocochlear nerve and it innervates the hair cell receptors of the inner ear. IX or the glossopharyngeal nerve moves the pharynx, soft palate, and posterior region of the tongue. X is the vagus nerve, it is the longest nerve, and provides sense transports from the ear to the taste buds to the throat. Cranial nerve XI is the spinal accessory nerve and it is involved in swallowing and powering muscle movement for the upper shoulders, head, and neck. Lastly, XII is the hypoglossal nerve and it moves the muscles of the tongue (Brown, 2003). As you can see the ability for control of all of these senses and movements makes for a very complex nervous, something that was never seen in earlier organisms. The spinal nerves are connected directly to the spinal cord by two roots, the dorsal (strictly sensory) and ventral (strictly motor) (Gregory, 2006). All of the above are seen in the PNS, which is then subdivided into the Somatic and Autonomic Nervous System. The Somatic Nervous System is the voluntary system, including all of the nerves that serve the skeletal muscles and exterior sense organs (Gregory, 2006). Reflexes are also seen in this nervous system. Just like in the lower organisms, vertebrates respond to stimuli. Except vertebrates have a much more complex stimulus-reflex system. Remember how a Paramecium came in contact with a stimulus and retreated until adaptation occurred? Vertebrates have the ability to think about coming in contact with a stimulus, they dont have to come in contact with everything they see because they have the somatic nervous system (Gregory, 2006). The other subdivision is the autonomic nervous system that is responsible for actions without conscious control; examples are heart beating and smooth muscle actions (Gregory, 2006). Everything in the PNS needs a place to send its information too and that is why there is the central nervous system. In the more primitive animals the brain, or ganglia, was there to simply send out reflexes to external stimuli (Gregory, 2006). The vertebrates have evolved a very complex brain because they have the ability to respond to reflexes, hold memory, learn, and think (Gregory, 2006). The brain has three divisions, the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain. The important portion when talking about senses is the midbrain because it receives sensory information and sends it to the forebrain to be processed (Gregory, 2006). In fishes and amphibians it is geared towards reflexes associated with visual input (Gregory, 2006). The cerebrum in reptiles, birds, and mammals receives sensory information and coordinates motor responses (Gregory, 2006). There are four lobes the frontal (motor functions), parietal (sensory receptors from skin), occipital (vision), and temporal (hearing and sm elling) (Gregory, 2006). Similar to decussating interneuron in Amphixous, vertebrates have the corpus callosum that contains neurons that cross from one side of the brain to the other, allowing communication between both sides (Gregory, 2006). Conclusion Bioluminescence is when luciferase catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin to excited oxyluciferin that then relaxes to produce a visible photon (Akilesh, 2000). The most common colors for bioluminescence are blue and green, although red and violet can be seen as well (Akilesh, 2000). Bioluminescence was developed in order to protect the organism. For example dinoflagellates flash their light during night or dark cycles to distract predators and reveal their predator to higher predators (Akilesh, 2000). Another example is the cookie-cutter shark, whose belly lights up, and is covered during the day by another organ. When the shark swims up in the waters its neck does not have the bioluminescence and so it appears to be a small fish and when bigger predators get close it attacks (Akilesh, 2000). Bioluminescence is seen more in aquatic organisms, probably because it is more beneficial to them in the mercy waters. This paper talked about the different phylum from protists all the way to vertebrates. Protists being unicellular and having no nervous system still had the ability to respond to many different kinds of environmental stimuli. Sponges have no symmetry and they are also able to respond to environmental stimuli, although usually larvae respond to more. Cnidarians have radial symmetry and therefore a corresponding nerve net, which helps them respond to environmental stimuli. Platelyhelminthes are the first to have bilateral symmetry and to go along with that their nervous system extends the length of its body, with centralization in the head, or anterior end. They also have to ganglia at the end of each nerve cord and the nerve cords are connected to allow both sides of the body to move together. The mollusks have a wide range of diversity in their nervous systems, ranging from nerve nets to highly cephalized cephalopods. The segmentation of annelids and arthropods allows each segment to be controlled individually but the nerve cord still runs through each segment. The vertebrates have the most evolved nervous system. This is because they have the ability to respond to stimuli, hold memory, learn, and think. This means that we dont have to come in contact with everything in the environment to understand it. The more complex a body plan becomes the more complex the corresponding nervous system becomes as well. A simple body plan doesnt have the room to house a huge brain, and therefore simple or no nervous systems are seen. Literature Cited Akilesh, S. (2000). Bioluminescence: Natures Bright Idea. Retrieved from: dujs.dartmouth.edu/2000S/06-Biolumen.pdf Brown, W. (2003). Cranial Nerves. Retrieved from http://www.pitt.edu/~anat/Neuro/CranialNerves/CN.htm Cavalier-Smith, T. (1993). Kingdom Protozoa and Its 18 Phyla. Microbiological Reviews, 57(4), 953-994 Gregory, M. (2006) The Nervous System: Organization, Overview of Nervous System in the Animal Kingdom [PDF document] Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Web site: http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/michael.gregory/files/bio%20102/bio%20102%20lectures/nervous%20system/nervous1.htm Gualtieri, P. (2001). 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Cnidarians and the evolutionary origin of the nervous system. Develop. Growth Differ., 51, 167-183 Zhang, Y. (2008). Neuronal mechanisms of Caenorhabditis elegans and pathogenic bacteria interactions. Current Opinion in Microbiology, 11, 257-261