Airline Economics Essay

The purpose of this note is to provide background to the study of the airline industry by briefly discussing four important economic aspects of the industry: (1) the nature and measurement of airline costs; (2) economies of scope and hub-and-spoke networks; (3) the relationship between yields and market characteristics; and (4) the S-curve effect. The Appendix to this note contains a glossary of key terms used throughout the discussion. Airline Costs Airline costs fall into three broad categories: flight sensitive costs which vary with the number of flights the airline offers. These include the costs associated with crews, aircraft servicing, and fuel. Once the airline sets its schedule, these costs are fixed. traffic-sensitive costs which vary with the number of passengers. These include the costs associated with items such as ticketing agents and food. Airlines plan their expenditures on these items in anticipation of the level of traffic, but in the short run, these costs are also fixed. fixed overhead costs which include general and administrative expenses, costs associated with marketing and advertising, and interest expenses. The largest category of costs is flight-sensitive. An important point about an airline’s cost structure, and a key to understanding the nature of competition in the industry, is that once an airline has set its schedule, nearly all of its costs are fixed and thus cannot be avoided. Because it is better to generate cash flow to cover some fixed costs, as opposed to none at all, an airline will be willing to fly passengers at prices far below its average total cost. This implies that the incidence of price wars during periods of low demand is likely to be greater in this industry than in most. There are two alternative measures of an airline’s average (or, equivalently, unit) costs: cost per available seat mile (ASM) cost per revenue passenger mile (RPM) Cost per ASM is an airline’s operating costs divided by the total number of seat-miles it flies. (An available seat mile is one seat flown one mile.) It is essentially the cost per unit of capacity. Cost per RPM is the airline’s operating costs divided by the number of revenue-passenger miles it flies. (A revenue passenger mile is one passenger flown one mile.) It is essentially the cost per unit of actual output. These two measures are related by the formula: Cost per RPM = cost per ASM ( load factor where load factor is the fraction of seats an airline fills on its flights. In the end, it is cost per RPM that an airline must worry about, for it must cover its cost per RPM to make a profit. Airlines differ greatly in both their costs per ASM and costs per RPM. For example, in 1992 Southwest had a cost per ASM of 7.00 cents, while USAir had a cost per ASM of 10.90 cents. Similarly, Delta had a cost per RPM of 15.33 cents while American had a cost per RPM of 13.81. Differences across airlines in cost per ASM reflect differences in: 1) average length of flights (cost per ASM declines with distance). 2) fleet composition (cost per ASM is smaller with bigger planes). 3) input prices, especially wage rates. 4) input productivity, especially labor. 5) overall operating efficiency. Differences across airlines in cost per RPM reflect differences in cost per ASM plus differences in load factor. Two airlines might have very similar costs per ASM, but quite different costs per RPM because of differences in load factor. For example, in 1992 USAir and United’s cost per ASM differed by less than 2 cents (USAir 10.90, United 9.30), but their costs per RPM differed by nearly 5 cents (USAir 18.54, United 13.80) because of USAir’s lower overall load factor (USAir .59, United .67) Economies of Scope and Hub-and-Spoke Networks Economies of scope play an important role in shaping the structure of the U.S. airline industry. The source of economies of scope in the airline industry is the hub-and-spoke network. In hub-and-spoke network, an airline flies passengers from a set of â€Å"spoke† cities through a central â€Å"hub,† where passengers then change planes and fly from the hub to their outbound destinations. Thus, a passenger traveling from, say, Omaha to Louisville on American Airlines would board an American flight from Omaha to Chicago, change planes, and then fly from Chicago to Louisville. In general, economies of scope occur when a multiproduct firm can produce given quantities of products at a lower total cost than the total cost of producing these same quantities in separate firms. If â€Å"quantity† can be aggregated into a common measure, this definition is equivalent to saying that a firm producing many products will have a lower average cost than a firm producing just a few products. In the airline industry, it makes economic sense to think about individual origin-destination pairs (e.g., St. Louis to New Orleans, St. Louis to Houston, etc.) as distinct products. Viewed in this way, economies of scope would exist if an airline’s cost per RPM is lower the more origin-destination pairs its serves. To understand how hub-and-spoke networks give rise to economies of scope, it is first necessary to explain economies of density. Economies of density are essentially economies of scale along a given route, i.e., reductions in average cost as traffic volume on the route increases. Economies of density occur because of two factors: (1) spreading flight sensitive fixed costs and (2) economies of aircraft size. As an airline’s traffic volume  increases, it can fill a larger fraction of seats on a given type of aircraft and thus increase its load factor. The airline’s total costs increase only slightly as it carries more passengers because traffic-sensitive costs are small in relation to flight-sensitive fixed costs. As a result, the airline’s cost per RPM falls as flight-sensitive fixed costs are spread over a larger traffic volume. As traffic volume on the route gets even larger, it becomes worthwhile to substitute larger aircraft (e.g., 300 seat Boeing 767s) for smaller aircraft (e.g., 150 seat Boeing 737s). A key aspect of this substitution is that the 300 seat aircraft flown a given distance at a given load factor is less than twice as costly as the 150 seat aircraft flown the same distance at the same load factor. The reason is that doubling the number of seats and passengers on a plane does not require doubling the number of pilots or flight attendants or the amount of fuel. Economies of scope emerge from the interplay of economies of density and the properties of a hub-and-spoke network. To see how, consider an origin-destination pair – say, Indianapolis to Chicago – with a modest amount of traffic. An airline serving only this route would use small planes, and even then, would probably operate with a low load factor. But now consider an airline serving a hub-and-spoke network, with the hub at Chicago. If this airline offered flights between Indianapolis and Chicago, it would not only draw passengers who want to travel from Indianapolis to Chicago, but it would also draw passengers from traveling from Indianapolis to all other points accessible from Chicago in the network (e.g., Los Angeles or San Francisco). An airline that includes the Indianapolis-Chicago route as part of a larger hub-and-spoke network can operate larger aircraft at higher load factors than an airline serving only Indianapolis-Chicago. As a result, it can benefit from economies of density to achieve a lower cost per RPM along the Indianapolis-Chicago route. In addition, the traffic between Indianapolis and the other spoke cities that will fly through Chicago will increase load factors and lower costs per RPM on all of the spoke routes in the network. The overall effect: an airline that serves Indianapolis-Chicago as part of a hub-and-spoke network will have lower costs per RPM than an airline that only serves  Indianapolis-Chicago. This is precisely what is meant by economies of scope. Relation Between Airline Yields and Market Characteristics An airline’s yield is the amount of revenue it collects per revenue passenger mile. It is essentially a measure of the average airline fares, adjusting for differences in distances between different origins and destinations. Airline yields are strongly affected by the characteristics of the particular origin-destination market being served. In particular, there are two important relationships: Shorter distance markets (e.g., New York-Pittsburgh) tend to have higher yields than longer distance markets (e.g., New York-Denver). Controlling for differences in the number of competitors, flights between smaller markets tend to have higher yields than flights between larger markets. The reasons for relationship 1) are summarized in Figure 1. shorter distance higher cost per RPMlower load factor higher cost per RPM higher yield Figure 1 Cost per ASM generally falls as distance increases. This is because, say, doubling trip mileage does not require doubling key inputs such as fuel or labor. Thus, shorter flights have higher cost per ASM than longer flights, and airlines must achieve higher yields to cover these higher costs. In addition, shorter distance flights generally have lower load factors than longer distance flights, which implies a higher cost per RPM for shorter distance flights, again requiring higher yields. Why are load factors lower for shorter flights? The reasons has to do with the greater substitution  possibilities that consumers have in short-distance markets (e.g., car of train travel are more viable options). In short –distance markets, we would therefore expect that some fraction of time-sensitive travelers (e.g., vacationers) would travel on these alternative modes, so short distance flights would have a higher proportion of time-sensitive travelers (e.g., business persons) than longer distance flights. Competitive pressures thus force airlines to offer more frequent flight schedules in short-distance markets, which leads to lower load factors. The reason for relationship 2) has to do with the economies of density discussed earlier. Smaller markets will have lower traffic volumes, and airlines will generally operate smaller aircraft at lower load factors, increasing costs per RPM and yields. The S-Curve Effect The S-curve effect refers to a phenomenon whereby a dominant carrier’s market share (share of RPM) in a particular origin-destination market tends to be greater than the carrier’s share of capacity (share of ASM). Thus, for example, if United offers 70% of the seats flown between Denver and San Francisco, and Continental flies the remaining 30%, then the S-curve effect says that United’s share of the actual traffic in this market will be greater than 70% and Continental’s will be less than 30%. This translates into an S-shaped relationship between â€Å"share of capacity† and â€Å"market share,† as shown in Figure 2. The S-curve effects stems from two sources. First, an airline with a greater share of capacity in a market is likely to have greater visibility in that market, so passengers are likely to contact it first. Second, an airline with a greater capacity share is likely to have more frequent – and thus more convenient – departures. This, too, works to boost its share of the actual traffic. The S-curve phenomenon makes capacity an important competitive weapon in the rivalry among airlines. An airline with the financial resources to purchase  aircraft and airport gates to achieve a dominant capacity share on key routes is likely to win the fight for market share. This suggests that, in general, it will be very difficult for a small carrier to challenge a dominant carrier at a hub airport, unless the small carrier can achieve significant cost advantages unrelated to scale. The history of competition in the post-deregulation airline industry seems to bear this out.

Maltese Village Cores

THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MALTESE VILLAGE CORE [pic] Name: Daniel Cossai Class: F4 Matteo Ricci Table of Contents: ? Introduction p. 3 ? A typical Maltese village core p. 4-6 ? How is the village core being protected nowadays? p. 7-8 ? An example of a Maltese village core – Attard p. 9-10 ? Conclusion p. 11 ? References p. 12 Introduction In the Maltese Islands one can find around 67 villages all around the island. Since Malta is quite populated some villages are close to each other, like the three villages of Attard, Balzan and Lija, and one might think that they are actually one village, while others are more isolated with surrounding rural areas. Villages vary from old and modern but they all have distinct features and characteristics and they are mainly built around the village core. In this project, the various characteristics of a typical Maltese village core are discussed followed by a detailed example of the old village of Attard. A typical Maltese village core A typical Maltese village core usually has several characteristics which can be seen in most of the older villages, which are much more common than the more modern ones. The parish church The main focal point of any old village is the parish church which is mainly of the baroque style and occupies a central position. It is a grand style and the village church contrasts strikingly with the flat roof tops of the nearby houses and other buildings. Attard Parish Church The majority of the Maltese people are Roman Catholic and the church has always played an important role in the villagers’ lives. In olden times when villagers worked in the nearby fields they would return home when the church clock struck 6 tolls of the ‘Ave Maria’. Nowadays after mass many people gather in the church parvis to talk about daily events. This is a typical scene in any village and shows the social aspect of the Maltese people. The village core comes to life during the feast of the patron saint. During this time the streets are decorated with flags, banners, garlands, flowers, multi-coloured lights and statues on wooden pedestals. There are kiosks selling traditional food, nougat and candy floss. Brass bands entertain the crowds, together with fireworks in the main square. The procession with the saint’s statue passes through the narrow streets of the village core. The narrow streets Another particular feature of the old part of a village is the narrow, winding streets which normally lead to the church. These are usually quite narrow as cars and buses did not exist in the time in which they were built. It is said that the streets were winding as a way of defense against enemy attacks. Most streets in the village core have alleys. A narrow street in Attard In these streets one can usually find several niches dedicated to saints. They were a form of beautiful and artistic decoration and showed the devotion which the Maltese had towards their religion. They also served as a point of easy reference to find a particular place in times when people were highly illiterate and could not read street names. An example of a niche in |ebbu[ The main buildings The buildings in the old village core are usually farmhouses or houses of character with a central courtyard, outer staircases and rubble-walled rooms. Many of these are being renovated by expert architects to restore their natural beauty. Since they are built after the baroque or neolithic style these buildings are quite big with large doors and windows. A particular feature is the different door knobs which one can find at every door. Another reason for such large houses was that noble people used to live in the village core. Also, most extended families used to live in one house. In the village core one can also find various shops, like the grocer, butcher, baker and vegetable vendor. The most important buildings are also found in every typical village. These may include the local council, the police station, the parish priest’s office, the parish hall, the cemetery, the school and the band and political clubs. Another characteristic feature is the village bar where men usually meet to have tea, eat ‘pastizzi’ or ‘]ob bi-ejt’, gossip or watch a football match. Other characteristics In the village core one can usually find several decorations including statues, fountains, street lamps and benches. Local activities are normally held in the village square. These are either held by the church or local council as an occasion for villagers to meet and have some fun. Bazaars and car washes are often held as fund raising activities. In recent years some villages are becoming more innovative and organize unique activities, such as a chocolate or strawberry fair, to attract outsiders and tourists. How is the village core being protected nowadays? As the name implies the village core is the most important part of any society. All of the important buildings can be found there and it is also the place where the majority of people meet and socialise. Therefore it goes without saying that the village core must be an attractive and safe place to attend. Local councils have the duty of ensuring a clean, safe environment and fight against vandalism to preserve the beauty of the village. A short interview with a representative of the Attard Local Council was held regarding the protection of the village. Interview: ? The village core is an important part of the village. Does this make it a main target for vandals? Yes, unfortunately, our village core has suffered from a lot of acts of vandalism. For example, the garden of Thomas Dingli, which can be found in the village square, has been vandalised several times. What does the council do the try and protect the village core from these acts of vandalism? Recently, we have asked the local police and wardens to increase their patrols, and to keep better watch over certain places especially the gardens and street decorations. We also do our best to repair any damage done as quickly as possible. ? Is the village core protected in any other way not related to vandalism? Yes, the village core i s a very important part of the village because most people often gather here. We are doing our best to keep the village core as Bring-In Sites – Attard Village Core clean as possible. For example, we have set up Bring-In Sites in the village core, so that people will recycle more for a cleaner environment, and at the same time avoid throwing away their litter outside. The Bulky Refuse removal truck comes around the village every day so that bulky items such as fridges do not end up thrown away in one of the gardens. Unfortunately, this has happened in the past. Street sweepers are also employed so that the environment is as clean as possible. ? What about traffic? The streets in the village core are quite narrow. Are there any special rules which help to avoid pollution and damage to streets and buildings? Yes, like you said the streets are quite narrow and this makes it hard for large trucks to pass. They could easily hit the buildings and cause damage, plus they cause congestion of traffic. Signs are put up so that heavy vehicles cannot pass through the village core unless they need to render a service to a particular street. The village core must not be used as a by-pass. This has also reduced the amount of pollution and hence we have a cleaner environment. An example of a Maltese village core – Attard The old village core of Attard is made up of the Church Square and several streets and alleys. These are Qormi Road, |ebbu[ Road, Valletta Road, Main Street, Church Street, Small Square Street, St. Dominic’s Street, St. Mary’s Street, and Thomas Dingli Street. The village core is the oldest part of Attard. It dates back to 3,000 years B. C. The Parish church dedicated to The Assumption was built between 1613 and 1616. It was designed by the architect Thomas Dingli. Adjacent to the church is the Parish Hall where social functions take place. Attard Parish Church The architect Thomas Dingli is still remembered in Attard, and in 1998 a new village square was built and named after him. In the square one can find a small garden used as a relaxation area. There is also a monument which mentions the names of all the residents of Attard who died during World War II. Thomas Dingli Square The Local Council is also found in the village core. It is in the same building as the local Police Station. On its wall, there is a mail box which dates back to the time of Queen Victoria. It is the only mail box remaining in Malta from the time of Queen Victoria. Attard Police Station Attard Local Council In front of the parish church one can find the parish priest’s office, where people go to get information relating to births and marriages, or talk to the parish priest. Nearby is the Stella Levantina Band Club. Club members and musicians meet here throughout the year either to practice the band’s music in preparation for the village feast and other occasions, or else simply to talk with each other. As the feast starts approaching, the club becomes more crowded. The parish priest’s office In St. Dominic’s Street, there is a museum about the train’s history. In olden times the train used to pass from Attard on its way to Mdina. Recently, the Council has decorated all the streets in the village core with decorative street lanterns. Conclusion The village core is a very important part of every village because it is the centre of all activity. It is vital for the local community and something which cannot be removed or easily changed, in fact certain old buildings cannot be modernized and have to keep their characteristics. This is ruled by the MEPA. As one can see from the characteristics mentioned in this project, living in the village core can be a different experience from living on the outskirts. Some people, especially the new generation, would prefer somewhere quieter and more modern buildings. In the future, every local council in the Maltese Islands should continue working on improving the situation of their village’s core. Most localities are already protecting the core, but there can always be more room for improvement. For example, cameras can be installed near places in the village core which suffer from vandalism frequently. References: Alfie Guillaumier (2002): Bliet u Ir]ula Maltin. Malta: Klabb Kotba Maltin Magazine: }’Attard Magazine: Malta this Month (July 2002) Magazine: Grip (Issue 4) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Attard http://www. attard. gov. mt/default. asp http://www. malteseislands. com/malteseislands. asp Attard Local Council

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In the light of the challenges facing global business today, all Essay

In the light of the challenges facing global business today, all companies listed on stock exchanges should adopt the UN Global - Essay Example This paper argues that â€Å"in the light of the challenges facing global business today, all companies listed on stock exchanges should adopt the UN Global Compact on responsible management† Globalization conveys people, culture, societies together and necessity and chances for cooperation enabling more prosperity and complex understanding to boost. Accountable businesses that establish proactive corporate practices and policies involving those valued by human rights, upon ensuring decent and safe working environments protection and excellent corporate governance contribute largely towards achieving social, economic and environmental goals. They also assist in making of markets more maintainable, inclusive and stable. Forming practices and rules which boost business responsibilities may also contribute towards business competitiveness. Enforcement and adoption of regulations and laws lies with the governments thus, business guided efforts can only be maintained and scaled whe n rules of law, public institutions, predictable regulatory and transparent efforts maintain the accountable business exercises. Much more, the collaborative multi-stakeholder enhancements amidst business, institutions, labor organizations and civil society give chances to boost promote innovation and extensive sustainable progression in manners capable to extend what businesses and governments produce on their own (Creaton, 2007). There are some ways in which Governments may sustain accountable business exercises. These are: Forming enabling conditions where governments may allocate crucial conditions for corporate accountability matters for dialogue and progression. This could also involve guiding by example like by articulation maintaining for corporate accountability principles and guidelines. Raising consciousness as the governments may dynamically draw attention to usual matters, benefits and aspects of corporate responsibility and enable for public debates. On promotion gover nments may come with best practices like giving of awards likewise to endorsement or invite wider community and invite businesses support for voluntary corporate accountability activities, programs and initiatives such as UN Global Compact. Tools progression ensure recognizing that business sectors can at times require requirement facilitation or guidance help as governments could help the progression of corporate accountability guidelines, programs and realization of particular designed which encourages entrepreneurism and corporate accountability amongst the medium and small sized enterprises areas. Funding where the governments have resources and may directly add to resources to assist voluntary initiative to exploit their effects. UN Global Compact renewed the multi-stakeholder obligations, widening of business establishment, boosting of financial market incentives, added governmental maintenance and extending of wider UN-premises agenda. All the points lies with the decision th at business workings in pragmatic and principled

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Team and Group Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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RENAL COMPONENT ASSESSMENT (IN ITU) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

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At The Back of the Stage Essay Example for Free

At The Back of the Stage Essay Dated back April 7, 2014, at 8:00 pm the Search for Bb. Jimenez .The most prestigious event in the town where I considered being one of my most unforgettable moments in life because it’s like a dream came true. Before, I’m just an audience who dreamed to be part of the show who ramp at the stage watched by my own fellow Jimeneznon. But it’s my fortune to be given a chance to be one of them. At the start I hesitate because it’s my first time to ramp at the stage crowded by a lot of people, but I changed my mind because I told to myself why not try it? There is nothing to lose of trying right? As long as we enjoy and we love what we do. Someone will say, how came that the Search for Bb. Jimenez 2014 is one of my unforgettable moment if I didn’t made it to the top 5? Well, getting the Crown is not all that matter but what matters most is the learning’s, the experienced, the friendship we build with all the staff and the memories that I will treasured for the rest of my life. Not all of us had given a chance to be part of that prestigious event. So, win or lost that moment will still marked an important part of the piece of my heart and soul. In every competition it is not just the Crown, the medals, or any awards that matters but it is for us how we accept things without any regrets, because we all know within ourselves that we did our best and accept the fact that in every competition from small to the biggest one there will always be a winner and there is always be a loser, Loser in the eyes of everyone but a winner for themselves.

The Elements Of Hacktivist Computer Science Essay

The Elements Of Hacktivist Computer Science Essay Hacktivism a portmanteau of hack and activism is the nonviolent use of illegal or legally ambiguous digital tools in pursuit of political ends. These tools include web site defacements, redirects, denial-of-service attacks, information theft, web site parodies, virtual sit-ins, virtual sabotage, and software development.[1] It is often understood as the writing of code to promote political ideology promoting expressive politics, free speech, human rights, or information ethics. Acts of hacktivism are carried out in the belief that proper use of code will be able to produce similar results to those produced by regular activism or civil disobedience. Hacktivist activities span many political ideals and issues. Freenet is a prime example of translating political thought into code. Hacktivismo is an offshoot of Cult of the Dead Cow; its beliefs include access to information as a basic human right. The loose network of programmers, artists and radical militants 1984 network liberty alliance is more concerned with issues of free speech, surveillance and privacy in an era of increased technological surveillance. Hacktivism is a controversial term, and can often be misconstrued as cyberterrorism. What separates hacktivism from cyberterrorism is a distinctly political or social cause behind the haction. Some argue it was coined to describe how electronic direct action might work toward social change by combining programming skills with critical thinking. Others use it as practically synonymous with malicious, destructive acts that undermine the security of the Internet as a technical, economic, and political platform. Essentially, the controversy reflects two divergent philosophical strands within the hacktivist movement. One strand thinks that malicious cyber-attacks are an acceptable form of direct action. The other strand thinks that all protest should be peaceful, refraining from destruction. Controversy Some people describing themselves as hacktivists have taken to defacing websites for political reasons, such as attacking and defacing government websites as well as web sites of groups who oppose their ideology. Others, such as Oxblood Ruffin (the foreign affairs minister of Hacktivismo), have argued forcefully against definitions of hacktivism that include web defacements or denial-of-service attacks.[2] Critics suggest that DoS attacks are an attack on free speech; that they have unintended consequences; that they waste resources; and that they could lead to a DoS war which nobody will win. In 2006, Blue Security attempted to automate a DoS attack against spammers; this led to a massive DoS attack against Blue Security which knocked them, their old ISP and their DNS provider off the internet, destroying their business. Depending on who is using the term, hacktivism can be a politically constructive form of anarchist civil disobedience or an undefined anti-systemical gesture; it can signal anticapitalist or political protest; it can denote anti-spam activists, security experts, or open source advocates. Critics of hacktivism fear that the lack of a clear agenda makes it a politically immature gesture, while those given to conspiracy theory hope to see in hacktivism an attempt to precipitate a crisis situation online. Elements of Hacktivist Hactions A Haction usually has the following elements. Politically motivated Place a premium on humor, and often resembles a digital form of clowning Owns a moderate Outlaw Orientation as opposed to severe The result of aggressive policy circumvention rather than a gradual attempt to change a policy Always non-violent- a haction never places another in direct danger Capacity for solo activity while most forms of political activism require the strength of masses, hacktivism is most often the result of the power of one, or small group. Is most often carried out anonymously, and can take place over transnational borders. Forms of Hacktivism In order to carry out their operations, hacktivists use a variety of software tools readily availble on the internet. In many cases the software can be downloaded from a popular website, or launched from a website with click of a button. Some of the more well known hacktivist tools are below: 1. Defacing Web Pages Between 1995-1999 Attrition.org reported 5,000 website defacements. In such a scenario, the hacktivist will significantly alter the front page of a companys or governemental agencys website. 2. Web Sit-ins In this form of hacktivism,hackers attempt to send so much traffic to the site, that the overwhelmed site becomes inaccessible to other users. 3. E-mail Bombing Hacktivists send scores of e-mails with large file attachments to their targets e-mail address Notable hacktivist events The earliest known instance of hacktivism is documented by Julian Assange as follows:[4] Hacktivism is at least as old as October 1989 when DOE, HEPNET and SPAN (NASA) connected VMS machines world wide were penetrated by the anti-nuclear WANK worm. [] WANK penetrated machines had their login screens altered to: W O R M S A G A I N S T N U C L E A R K I L L E R S _______________________________________________________________ __ ____________ _____ ________ ____ ____ __ _____/ / / / / / | | | | | / / / / / / / /__ | | | | | |/ / / / / / / / ______ | | | | | | / _ /__ /____/ /______ ____| |__ | |____| |_ _/ ___________________________________________________/ / Your System Has Been Officially WANKed / _____________________________________________/ You talk of times of peace for all, and then prepare for war. One of the earliest documented hacktivist events was the Strano Network sit-in, a strike action directed against French government computers in 1995. The term itself was coined by techno-culture writer Jason Sack in a piece about media artist Shu Lea Cheang published in InfoNation in 1995. The hacking group milw0rm hacked into the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in 1998, replacing the centers website with an anti-nuclear message; the same message reappeared later that year in what was then an unprecedented mass hack by milw0rm of over 300 websites on the server of hosting company Easyspace.[5] In 1998, the Electronic Disturbance Theater conducted virtual sit-ins on the Web sites of the Pentagon and the Mexican government to bring the worlds attention to the plight of Indian rights in the Mexican state of Chiapas. A Mexican hacking group took over Mexicos finance department website in support of the same cause.[5] One of the more notorious examples of hacktivism was the modification of Indonesian web sites with appeals to Free East Timor in 1998 by Portuguese hackers.[6] On December 29, 1998, the Legions of the Underground (LoU) declared cyberwar on Iraq and China with the intention of disrupting and disabling internet infrastructure. On January 7, 1999, an international coalition of hackers (including Cult of the Dead Cow, 2600 s staff, Phracks staff, L0pht, and the Chaos Computer Club) issued a joint statement condemning the LoUs declaration of war.[7] The LoU responded by withdrawing its declaration. Hacktivists attempted to disrupt ECHELON (an international electronic communications surveillance network filtering any and all satellite, microwave, cellular, and fiber-optic traffic) by holding Jam Echelon Day (JED) on October 21, 1999. On the day, hacktivists attached large keyword lists to many messages, taking advantage of listservers and newsgroups to spread their keywords further. The idea was to give the Echelon computers so many hits they overloaded. It is not known whether JED was successful in actually jamming Echelon, although NSA computers were reported to have crashed inexplicably in early March, 2000. A second Jam Echelon Day (JEDII) was held in October 2000, however the idea never regained its initial popularity. JED was partly denial-of-service attack and partly agitprop. The Electronic Disturbance Theater and others staged a week of disruption during the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, conducting sit-ins against Republican web sites and flooding web sites and communication systems identified with conservative causes. This received mixed reviews from the hacktivist community.[citation needed] The Hackbloc collective started publishing Hack This Zine a hacktivist research journal Hacktivists managed to break into computer systems at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center in India to protest against nuclear weapons tests.[citation needed] Bronc Buster, later a member of Hacktivismo, disabled firewalls to allow Chinese Internet users uncensored access. The Crackers also defaced a Chinese website which explained what the people of China could access over the internet legally. Wired 01.01.98[citation needed] Hacktivists worked to slow, block, or reroute traffic for web servers associated with the World Trade Organization, the World Economic Forum, and the World Bank.[citation needed] Throughout 2006, Electronic Disturbance Theater joined the borderlands Hacklab for a number of virtual sit-ins, against the massacre in Atenco, in solidarity with striking french students and against the Minutemen and immigration laws.[8] On March 25, 2007, hacktivists organized the event freEtech in response to the OReilly Etech conference, and started a series of West coast hackmeetings. Electronic Disturbance Theater stages a virtual sit-in against the Michigan Legislature against cuts to Medicaid. On January 21, 2008, a message appeared on YouTube from a group calling itself Anonymous. The group declared Project Chanology, essentially a war on The Church of Scientology, and promised to systematically expel The Church from the internet. Over the following week, Scientology websites were intermittently knocked offline, and the Church of Scientology moved its website to a host that specializes in protection from Denial-of-service attacks. A computer hacker leaks the personal data of 6 million Chileans (including ID card numbers, addresses, telephone numbers and academic records) from government and military servers to the internet, to protest Chiles poor data protection.[9] Throughout early 2008, Chinese hackers have hacked the CNN website on numerous occasions in response to the protests during the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay and claims of biased reporting from western media. The majority of the DDoS attacks took place between March and August, at a time where Chinese nationalistic pride was at an all time high due to the 2008 Olympic Games.[10][11] Electronic Disturbance Theater and the Hacklab stage a virtual sit-in against the war on Iraq and biotech and nanotech war profiteers, on the 5 year anniversary of the war, in solidarity with widespread street actions. Intruders hacked the website of commentator Bill OReilly and posted personal details of more than 200 of its subscribers, in retaliation for remarks OReilly made on Fox News condemning the attack on Palins Yahoo email account [1]. In 2008 hacktivists developed a communications and monitoring system for the 2008 RNC protests called Tapatio. In early 2009, the Israeli invasion of Gaza motivated a number of website defacements, denial-of-service attacks, and domain name and account hijackings, from both sides[12]. These attacks are notable in being amongst the first ever politically-motivated domain name hijackings. During the 2009 Iranian election protests, Anonymous played a role in disseminating information to and from Iran by setting up the website Anonymous Iran[13]; they also released a video manifesto to the Iranian government. On August 1, 2009, the Melbourne International Film Festival was forced to shut down its website after DDoS attacks by Chinese vigilantes, in response to Rebiya Kadeers planned guest appearance, the screening of a film about her which is deemed anti-China by Chinese state media, and strong sentiments following the July 2009 ÃÆ'Å“rÃÆ'Â ¼mqi riots. The hackers booked out all film sessions on its website, and replaced festival information with the Chinese flag and anti-Kadeer slogans.[14][15] In November 2009, computers of the Climate Research Unit of East Anglia University were hacked, and email purporting to expose a conspiracy by scientists to suppress data that contradicted their conclusions regarding global warming was made available on a Russian FTP server.[16]

Jourody Journey of Homers Odyssey, Joyces Ulysses and Walcotts Omer

The Journey of Homer's Odyssey, Joyce's Ulysses and Walcott's Omeros      Ã‚   This essay explores how the theme of the journey, pervasive in Homer's Odyssey, find expression in James Joyce's Ulysses (1922) and Derrick Walcott's Omeros (1990), epics written in very different historical periods.   Common to all three epics is a plot structure that involves a protagonist who longs for home but who must first endure a life-altering change before he returns. The theme of the "journey" provokes an image of both a natural and spiritual quest occurring simultaneously, both significantly viable because each passage contributes equally to the manifestation of the maturing male identity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Homer's Odyssey, captures the essence of the "journey", a word signifying the movement from one place to another, by juxtaposing Odysseus's palpable journey against his spiritual one. Odysseus attempts to navigate at sea the ships and crew from Troy to Ithaca while a number of nymphs and demons make obstacles that impede his success. Both visible and invisible, the journeys produce a change in Odysseus that ensure his maturity into manhood before he returns to his wife, Penelope, in Ithaca.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Odysseus's journey begins at home where a summons to war prompts him to leave Ithaca for Troy. Odysseus and Penelope have a newborn son they name Telemachus. The war lasts ten years. Ending when Odysseus leaves a belly full of soldiers in a wooden horse at the beach before the enemy's compound. Thinking it a gift from the Greeks, the Trojan's roll it in and before dawn, a final siege occurs that ends the war. Smug and accomplished about the downfall, Odysseus sets sail for Ithaca. War inflicts Odysseus with a primordial disposition, and ... ...ort van he names the "Comet." Philoctete, a native African-Caribbean nurses a festering wound on his shin caught by a rusty anchor while timbering. A journey in a metaphor that denotes the survival and recovery of the African-Caribbean culture, spirit and mind after colonialism.          Works Cited Campbell, Joseph. Mythic Worlds, Modern Words: On the Art of James Joyce. New York: Harper Collins, 1993. Mamner, Robert D. Epic of the Dispossessed: Derek Walcott's Omeros. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1997. Hexter, Ralph. A Guide to The Odyssey: A Commentary on the English Translation of Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Random House, 1993. Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Random House, 1990. Joyce, James. Ulysses. New York: Random House, 1986. Walcott, Derek. Omeros. New York: Harper Collins, 1990.    Jourody Journey of Homer's Odyssey, Joyce's Ulysses and Walcott's Omer The Journey of Homer's Odyssey, Joyce's Ulysses and Walcott's Omeros      Ã‚   This essay explores how the theme of the journey, pervasive in Homer's Odyssey, find expression in James Joyce's Ulysses (1922) and Derrick Walcott's Omeros (1990), epics written in very different historical periods.   Common to all three epics is a plot structure that involves a protagonist who longs for home but who must first endure a life-altering change before he returns. The theme of the "journey" provokes an image of both a natural and spiritual quest occurring simultaneously, both significantly viable because each passage contributes equally to the manifestation of the maturing male identity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Homer's Odyssey, captures the essence of the "journey", a word signifying the movement from one place to another, by juxtaposing Odysseus's palpable journey against his spiritual one. Odysseus attempts to navigate at sea the ships and crew from Troy to Ithaca while a number of nymphs and demons make obstacles that impede his success. Both visible and invisible, the journeys produce a change in Odysseus that ensure his maturity into manhood before he returns to his wife, Penelope, in Ithaca.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Odysseus's journey begins at home where a summons to war prompts him to leave Ithaca for Troy. Odysseus and Penelope have a newborn son they name Telemachus. The war lasts ten years. Ending when Odysseus leaves a belly full of soldiers in a wooden horse at the beach before the enemy's compound. Thinking it a gift from the Greeks, the Trojan's roll it in and before dawn, a final siege occurs that ends the war. Smug and accomplished about the downfall, Odysseus sets sail for Ithaca. War inflicts Odysseus with a primordial disposition, and ... ...ort van he names the "Comet." Philoctete, a native African-Caribbean nurses a festering wound on his shin caught by a rusty anchor while timbering. A journey in a metaphor that denotes the survival and recovery of the African-Caribbean culture, spirit and mind after colonialism.          Works Cited Campbell, Joseph. Mythic Worlds, Modern Words: On the Art of James Joyce. New York: Harper Collins, 1993. Mamner, Robert D. Epic of the Dispossessed: Derek Walcott's Omeros. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1997. Hexter, Ralph. A Guide to The Odyssey: A Commentary on the English Translation of Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Random House, 1993. Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Random House, 1990. Joyce, James. Ulysses. New York: Random House, 1986. Walcott, Derek. Omeros. New York: Harper Collins, 1990.   

Ibsens A Dolls House being Dated Essay -- A Dolls House Henrik Ibse

Ibsen's A Doll's House being Dated To answer the above, one needs to be aware of when the drama was first written (1879) and how audiences were shocked at Ibsen's radical perception of the social roles of husband and wife in middle class society at that time. The role of middle class women at that time was simple, they bore children and kept house in a very clear manner, albeit with the aid of a housekeeper or maid. They were subservient to men and were considered accoutrements and playthings. This comes across very strongly in the manner that Torvald Helmer addresses Nora. The main thrust of the play has a lot to do with gender relations in modern society. It offers us, in the actions of Nora, a strengthening of the view of women struggling to overcome a society governed wholly by men resistant to change. Although this has changed dramatically since, there are still many corners of society nowadays that still cling to this belief and ethic. What was radical the case of this play was that Ibsen chose to bring this into the open. My first impression of Nora was that she was a shallow figure, that she was a selfish, self indulgent manipulative person with not a care in the world. We see as the play progresses that this is not the case and her personality changes to reveal someone very different. The will to 'do right' by her husband becomes evident as the play unfolds. We learn that life then was very much the same as today, in that middle class life was, in the main, affluent and agreeable, but only for those that could operate within it successfully. For those who couldn't life was brutal and unforgiving. We see that the Helmers are looking forward to life being even more comfortable once Torv... ...n truly happy, she had only experienced fun. That she had finally lost her love for him because of his reaction to Krogstadt's letter outlining the dishonesty in obtaining the loan. 'No man can be expected to sacrifice his honour, even for the person he loves' he exclaims. 'Millions of women have' she retorts. She leaves, the play closes. What I gather from the play, the only clue to the age is that of some of the dialogue. I don't think the theme is dated at all. Consider, the need for social standing, still as potent today as then. Consider the political manoeuvrings, surrounding position in the workplace, very much still in place today. Consider the power of seduction and finally, the strength of character a woman needs to stand up for what she feels is right even to her own detriment. Very powerful, very thought provoking and very, very enjoyable.

Cultural Sensitive Care Essay -- Sociology, Transcultural Care

Cultural sensitive care Culture The classic definition for culture was proposed by Tylor (1871/1958) and still commonly cited: Culture is â€Å"that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, arts, morals, law, custom, and many other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society† (p. 1). This definition focuses on attributes that are acquired through growing up or living in a particular society, rather than through biological inheritance (Kottak, 2002). In Giger and Davidhizar’s (1991) Model for transcultural care, culture was defined as a patterned behavioral response that develops over time as a result of imprinting the mind through social and religious structures and intellectual and artistic manifestations. Culture is also the result of acquired mechanisms that may have innate influences but are primarily affected by internal and external stimuli. This definition gives more illustration on the social and religious dimensions and identified that culture is shaped by values, be liefs, norms, and practices that are learned and transmitted by members of the same cultural group (Leininger, 1991). Leininger (1991) explained In her model of transcultural care that culture is focused on the total or holistic life ways of human beings, religion (spiritual), kinship, politico-legal, education, technology, language, environmental context, and worldview are all considered. The importance of understanding patients’ culture was clearly articulated in Giger and Davidhizar’s (1991) work. They have indicated that culture guides our thinking, doing, and being and becomes patterned expressions of who we are and that cultural values guide actions and decision-making and facilitate self-worth and self-esteem. Transcul... ...ials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (1998) and The Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced Practice Nursing (1995). Other disciplines have adopted similar steps to ensure appropriate level of knowledge and skills on cultural diversity. Elementary school and college educators were urged to respect the cultural richness of students and incorporate culturally sensitive curricula (Percival & Black, 2000). The importance of adequate physician knowledge in relation to cultural sensitivity has led to the imposition of legal mandates (Institute for International Research, 2005). In the military field, it has been recommended that cultural sensitivity training be added to the basic training curriculum (Holt, 2002). Additionally, in the market of business, cultural training is linked as the key to success (Local Relationships, 2003).

Disaster Management Cycle

Disaster Preparedness and Management Assignment No. 1 [pic] Submitted to: Sir Muhammad Akmal Khan Submitted by: Tayyab Hasnain Janjua Reg # 14DD-410004 D. DRM Second Quarter Fall 2010 Disaster Management Cycle Disaster Risk Management includes sum total of all activities, programmes and measures which can be taken up before, during and after a disaster with the purpose to avoid a disaster, reduce its impact or recover from its losses. The three key stages of activities that are taken up within disaster risk management are as follows [pic] INITIATIVES TAKEN [pic] Figure 1. Three phases of disaster management cycle 1. Pre Disaster Phase Before a disaster (pre-disaster). Pre-disaster activities those which are taken to reduce human and property losses caused by a potential hazard. For example, carrying out awareness campaigns, strengthening the existing weak structures, preparation of the disaster management plans at household and community level, etc. Such risk reduction measures taken under this stage are termed as mitigation and preparedness activities. 2. During disaster Phase During a disaster (disaster occurrence). These include initiatives taken to ensure that the needs and provisions of victims are met and suffering is minimized. Activities taken under this stage are called emergency response activities. 3. Post disaster Phase After a disaster (post-disaster). There are initiatives taken in response to a disaster with a purpose to achieve early recovery and rehabilitation of affected communities, immediately after a disaster strikes. These are called as response and recovery activities. Explanation The Disaster risk management cycle diagram (DRMC) highlights the range of initiatives which normally occur during both the Emergency response and Recovery stages of a disaster. Some of these cut across both stages (such things as coordination and the provision of ongoing assistance); whilst other activities are unique to each stage (e. g. Early Warning and Evacuation during Emergency Response; and Reconstruction and Economic and 48 Social Recovery as part of Recovery). The DRMC also highlights the role of the media, where there is a strong relationship between this and funding opportunities. This diagram works best for relatively sudden-onset disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, bushfires, tsunamis, cyclones etc, but is less reflective of slow-onset disasters, such as drought, where there is no obviously recognizable single event which triggers the movement into the Emergency Response stage. According to Warfield (2008) disaster management aims to reduce, or avoid the potential losses from hazards, assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims of disaster, and achieve rapid and effective recovery. The disaster management cycle illustrates the ongoing process by which governments, businesses, and civil society plan for and reduce the impact of disasters, react during and immediately following a disaster, and take steps to recover after a disaster has occurred. Appropriate actions at all points in the cycle lead to greater preparedness, better warnings, reduced vulnerability or the prevention of disasters during the next iteration of the cycle. The complete disaster management cycle includes the shaping of public policies and plans that either modify the causes of disasters or mitigate their effects on people, property, and infrastructure. The mitigation and preparedness phases occur as disaster management improvements are made in anticipation of a disaster event. Developmental considerations play a key role in contributing to the mitigation and preparation of a community to effectively confront a disaster. As a disaster occurs, disaster management actors, in particular humanitarian organizations become involved in the immediate response and long-term recovery phases. The four disaster management phases illustrated here do not always, or even generally, occur in isolation or in this precise order. Often phases of the cycle overlap and the length of each phase greatly depends on the severity of the disaster. ? Mitigation – Minimizing the effects of disaster. Examples: building codes and zoning; vulnerability analyses; public education. ? Preparedness – Planning how to respond. Examples: preparedness plans; emergency exercises/training; warning systems. ? Response – Efforts to minimize the hazards created by a disaster. Examples: search and rescue; emergency relief. ? Recovery – Returning the community to normal. Examples: temporary housing; grants; medical care. To analyze the scope of disaster management in the revised context, it should be studied the cycle of the phenomenon (Figure 2). Disasters are as old as human history but the dramatic increase and the damage caused by them in the recent past have become a cause of national and international concern. Over the past decade, the number of natural and manmade disasters has climbed inexorably. From 1994 to 1998, reported disasters average was 428 per year but from 1999 to 2003, this figure went up to an average of 707 disaster events per year. Figure 3 presents the deadliest disasters of the decade (1992-2001). Figure 3. Reported Deaths from all Disasters: World Scenario (1992-2001) Drought and famine have proved to be the deadliest disasters globally (45%), followed by floods (16%), technological disaster (14%), earthquake (12%), windstorm (10%), extreme temperature and others (3%). Global economic loss related to disaster events average around US $880 billion per year (CBSE, 2006). Conclusions There has been a dramatic increase in disasters and the damages caused by them in the recent past. Over the past decade, the number of natural and manmade disasters has climbed inexorably. Accordingly to the statistics, the number of disasters per year increased with 60% in the period 1999-2001 in comparison with the previous period, 1994 -1998. The highest increase was in the countries of low human development, which registered an increase of 142%. In these countries, the responsible institutions should play an important role but, in general, the disaster management policy responses are influenced by methods and tools for cost-effective and sustainable interventions. There are no long-term, inclusive and coherent institutional arrangements to address disaster issues with a long term vision. Disasters are viewed in isolation from the processes of mainstream development and poverty alleviation planning. For example, disaster management, development planning and environmental management institutions operate in isolation and integrated planning between these sectors is almost lacking. Absence of a central authority for integrated disaster management and lack of coordination within and between disaster related organizations is responsible for effective and efficient disaster management. State-level disaster preparedness and mitigation measures are heavily tilted towards structural aspects and undermine nonstructural elements such as the knowledge and capacities of local people, and the related livelihood protection issues. In conclusion, with a greater capacity of the individual/community and environment to face the disasters, the impact of a hazard would be reduced. ———————– DURING 2

Qualitative Research and Respondents Essay

1.1. Introduction Leptospirosis is one of the deadliest bacterial infection that I commonly acquired in tropical countries. you can get the disease when you were exposed to soils and waters that is contaminated by leptospira bacteria. Rodents such as rats are the primary carriers of the leptospirosis bacteria. It is important to identify the signs of rodent infestation at home. If you regularly see rodent droppings around food packages, in drawers, cupboards, under the sink, then your house is infested. Whenever you see such droppings or boxes of food, or wirings that has rodent bites, you must take an action. Symptoms can take 2 – 26 days (average 10 days) to develop this may include: dry cough, fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, shaking chills, less common symptoms include: abdominal pain, abnormal lung sounds, bone pain, conjunctivitis, enlarged lymph glands, enlarged spleen or liver, joint aches, muscle rigidity, muscle tenderness, skin rash and sore throat. (Dugdale III, 2010) Test to be done to find if you contract leptospirosis are the following: CBC (Complete blood count), creatine kinase, urinalysis. Medications are given to the patient but complicated cases however are life-threatening if not treated promptly. The fatality rate of the disease is 5-40. (Dugdale III, 2010) Here in the Philippines one of the most common cause of leptospirosis is flood water. Leptospirosis cases goes up in the rainy period. In Metro Manila, improper disposal of our wastes such as plastics, domestic wastes, and others blocks the water pass on the sink or to the drainage system. This causes floods even in just a small amount of rain. And garbage attracts rodents that carry a letpospira bacteria and it contaminates the flood water that leads to acquiring the leptospirosis. 1.2. Background of the study Flash floods are common throughout the Philippine archipelago during the monsoon seasons, which runs from the June to December. They are particularly common in Manila, the country’s sprawling capital and home of 14 million Filipino’s. The awareness of the people is very much important especially when flash floods or typhoons occur. Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease which could be contracted by humans when exposed to flood waters containing urine infected animals like rats, dog, and pigs. The leptospirosis cases was caused by the widespread flooding caused by the typhoons that affected the Luzon areas. In Quezon City one barangay, barangay Gulod, has encountered many cases of leptospirosis. Barangay Gulod is located near the Tullahan River and Kaybuktot Creek. The barangay itself is along the Quirino Highway. The barangay is big but because of poor urban development program the drainage system is still a problem during the rainy seasons they have the most number of incidents of leptospirosis cases in the past 3 years. In 2009 the disease, according to the record of Department of Health (DOH) has afflicted more people in Metro Manila, attributing the â€Å"Outbreak† to large numbers of people wading in flood waters carrying the bacteria. The DOH had recorded 1,027 leptospirosis patients, wherein 89 died. There were 122 cases in Quezon City alone with 14 cases in Barangay Gulod. (Quezon City Health Department [QCHD], 2011) In 2010, leptospirosis was noted as the fourth on the list of the top disease outbreaks in the Philippines. The DOH has recorded over 400 leptospirosis cases in the first half of the year (Department of Health [DOH], 2010), which includes 26 deaths with 1 case in Barangay Gulod. (QCHD, 2010) Recently, the Department of Health released an announcement that casualties from leptospirosis has increased 247% in 10 months (January-October) in Metro Manila with number of 131 cases of Leptospirosis in Quezon City with 5 cases in barangay Gulod. It usually takes two weeks after the infection to manifest flu-like symptoms. If not diagnosed early enough, it can lead to more severe symptom and may cause death. Mild infections can be treated by antibiotics like doxycyline, but for severe infections generally, they require Intravenous Penicillin which is still dangerous because the patient might encounter the Jarisch-Hexheimer reaction. This disease needs prompt medication upon its contraction. (Uy, 2011) 1.3. Theoretical Framework Systems design approach is interconnected, interdependent and interacting problems that seeks to create an action to take the entity as a whole. It implies that we take the responsibility of the whole thing to be able to create future better by understanding the nature and saving the environment by fulfilling its requirement on saving it. (Laszlo & Krippner, 1998). Living in this planet, there are things we need to maintain. The Systems Design is said that it is interconnected and interacting problems. Meaning every problem we do, creates another one and relates to another, everything is a chain from small to the biggest. Just like what is happening here in the Philippines right now the people who throws their trash everywhere creates a bigger problem. Systems Design is participatory by nature (Bethany, 1996), meaning everyone from the society can make a change on how the problem will be solved by making small steps on providing a remedy on their problems. They can engage themselves by becoming an active participant on change and they can be more resourceful. Bela Bethany (1996), a Systems Theorist characterized the systems design focusing the humanities to be, experience oriented, rational, neutral, and it has concerns on future generations . (Banathy, 1996, pp. 34-35.) Here in the Philippines we believe that systems design by being participatory makes people move on their own on the time of calamities. Disasters are made by simple forms of action. Nowadays when it rained a little it floods the city and that would make people alarmed and take actions. And by that they will learn from their mistakes and try to solve their problem as a â€Å"system† and functioning as one. Because being in a societal systems human beings actively apply their skills to the analysis of the design of socially and ecologically sustainable systems by becoming active participants of their community on shaping their future. (Laszlo & Krippner, 1998) 1.4. Conceptual Framework This part of the paper will serve as a guide to study systems approach of the input-process-output devised by Stoner, Freeman and Gilbert Jr. (1995). The system has flows of information, materials and energy, including human energy that enter as an inputs then transform the processes on the system and exit as an output. A feedback is considered as a key to systems controls . Leptospirosis prevention on barangays are being followed in the subject matter. The following protocols followed by the local government is preventing leptospirosis: â€Å"Policy-Making† it refers to the concept of operation and the tasks for execution of the organization’s programs by the respective staffs and officers, ths directs the functions and responsibilities of the personnel to strict guidance and compliance. (Leveriza, 1983) â€Å"Access† it is the portal of each citizen to the city government on the services of the city government. On every projects and information about the services they need. This would let them have the power to know and accumulate certain information. (Dr. Cruz, Personal Communication, 2011) â€Å"Social Participation† is the extent of the participation of the people in both formal or informal group activities. (Leveriza, 1983) These inputs undergo the process of assessment to determine whether the existing policy and procedures being implemented by each of the subject government institutions are sufficient to protect the network resources from any unlawful acts, as well as identify problems in relation the said review of the prevention of leptospirosis cases on the barangays. (Stoner et al., 1995) The dynamic process in the framework shall contribute, as output, to a significant improvement of the review of leptospirosis cases, including the measures that should be adopted by each respondent government agency. Given the foregoing system’s model, the research paradigm of the study id presented in Figure below for a clearer understanding and appreciation.   Selected Government Institutions.City Health Government-Policy procedures-Access-Society Awareness| | Analysis of-Leptospirosis cases in Barangay Gulod, Quezon City. | | A significant review of Leptospirosis prevention on the barangays.| FEEDBACK Research paradigm As shown in paradigm, the input variables include the profile of the network of subject government institution. It is the city health department of the Quezon city is the department of the city from which the programs and developments are made while encountering this leptospirosis cases. 1.5. Scope and Limitations This study would focus more of Leptospirosis cases in Barangay Gulod, Quezon City from the year 2009 – 2011 who had recorded the most of the cases of the said disease for the past 3 years. This would include the citizens of the barangay in all age groups. We would also investigate the programs (if any) implemented to prevent the Leptospirosis cases in the Barangay before, during and after the floods, and the projects aimed at eliminating the floods and rats that caused the disease. 1.6. Statement of the Problem This study would like to the answer the following problems about the strategies of the City Government towards the leptospirosis cases encountered in Barangay Gulod Q.C.: 1. What are the efforts made by the City Government before, during and after the typhoon? 2. Are the efforts effective enough? 3. What are the programs and projects implemented on the said Barangay? Does the programs and projects help the citizens of the Barangay? 4. What are the steps of the City Government to empower its people on the time of floods and rains? This study would like to help the barangays and the Quezon City on preventing the leptospirosis cases during the time of typhoons and floods. 1.7. Importance of the Study This study is important to the following: Quezon City Government – to help them on implementing: rules, programs and projects to prevent Leptospirosis on the barangays that is said to have a large scale of Leptospirosis cases. This hopefully would help them on the ideas of the other barangays and cities to prevent and hopefully stop the spread of the disease. Barangay officials – to give them knowledge on the status of the leptospirosis on their barangay. Barangay Citizens – to help them and their families on contracting the disease. 1.8. Definition of Terms 1. Afflicted – being troubled with pains. 2. Ceftriaxone Injection- injection used to treat certain infections caused by gonorrhea (a sexually transmitted disease) and infections of lungs, ears, skin, urinary tract, blood, bones joints and abdomen. It is also given to some types of surgery to prevent the development of another disease after the operation. 3. Chemoprohylaxis – use of a chemical agent to prevent a development of disease. 4. Creatine Kinase – The mitochondrial creatine kinase (CKm) is present in the mitochondrial intermembrane space, where it produces phosphocreatine (PCr) from mitochondrially-generated ATP and creatine (Cr) imported from the cytosol. 5. Disease – disturbed or abnormal structure or physiological action in the living organism as awhole or in any of its parts. 6. Dopamine – an important neurotransmitter in the brain. 7. Doxycyline – this is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections or to treat the trave ler’s diarrhea. It acts by inhibiting the growth of bacteria 8. Fatality – a state of how bad the disease is 9. Flashflood – an event caused by heavy rain   10. Furosemide- this is used to treat high blood pressure. Furosemide reduces fluid accumulation by increasing the elimination of sodium and water through the kidneys. 11. IgM ELISA – is a fast test for a qualitative detection of IgM anti Bodies. 12. IgM leptospira Dipstickâ„ ¢ – is a fast test for a qualitative detection of IgM anti Bodies against Leptospirosis. It is used to determine the leptospirosis cases in Yucatan, Mexico. 13. Input – something put into a system or device as energy into a machine, food into the body, data into a computer, etc. 14. Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction – reaction caused by organisms (bacteria) dying off and releasing toxins into the body faster than the body may comfortably handle it. 15. Meningitis – an inflammation of the meninge, the membranes that covers the brain and spinal cord. 16. Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) – a test to determine if you are infected by leptospirosis. 17. Outbreak – a sudden and violent breaking forth; said of passion or of disease affecting large numbers of people. 18. Output – the quantity put out or produced in a specified time 19. Sanitation – making something sterile or clean. 20. Seropositivity – showing positive reaction to a serological or test on blood serum for a disease. 21. Serovars Manilae – sample Vaccines used for Leptospirosis 22. Spirochetes – any of a genus of typically saprophytic bacteria commonly found in water and sewage and characterized by spiral flexible filaments with apparently rotary movements. 23. Thrombocytopenic – relative decrease of platelets in blood. 24. Urinalysis – also known as Routine and Microscopy (R&M), is an array of tests performed on urine, and one of the most common methods of medical diagnosis. 25. Vasodilatation – dilation of blood vessel, as by the action of a nerve drug. 26. Vax-SPIRAL ® – Trivalent AntiLeptospirosis Vaccine for Human use. 27. Zoonotic – a developed individual of a compound animal or of a simple egg CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES AND STUDIES This portion of the research gives some additional information that have been made both local and foreign researchers which are in one way of the other related in the research under taken in this study. 2.1. FOREIGN LITERATURES According to www.Leptospirosis.org (2010) a reference archive on the internet for Leptospirosis information, the Leptospirosis bacteria can’t live on saltwater. We cannot get Leptospirosis by taking a bath on a beach. Contaminated fresh waters and flood waters are usually the bacteria carrier. They also said that you can get Leptospirosis by swallowing, swimming with open wounds on contaminated water. It is never air borne. It also said that the bacteria can’t survived by acid, heat, disinfectants, and alkali’s. Thus cooked foods are safe. Everything in your house should be clean most especially if your house is infested by rodents. Doxycycline offers some protection against severe illness and is the best and normal medication to be given in these situations, but it cannot guarantee protection and a mild illness may still occur. Therefore, protection is all we need. We should be aware that the disease is existing and might cause death. According to an Indian heath portal www.aarogya.com gave some guidelines on how to prevent the Leptospirosis infection. The first step is sanitation, of course cleanliness is the first step. Then protect your self with gloves, masks, boots, when going to a water area that might be contaminated by the Leptospirosis. (S. Pallavi, 2008) You should also keep your open wounds from the contaminated water, and also wash your hands after touching an animal. Do not touch rats. Prevention is better than cure. Therefore, we should educate people from the disease, do not let them swim on a possible contaminated fresh water. Get rid of rats and throw your waste properly. Waste management repels rats. The Medicenet.com states some implications or symptoms of the Leptospirosis, he said that at the first phase the patient would experience some flu like symptoms like fever, headaches, muscle pains, cough and colds. Then the redness of the eye would develop on the ninth day. Then it will develop some aching with stiffness of the nerves then some inflammations. This disease is somewhat connected to liver and kidney disease. That would take the disease to another implications. (Cunha, 2009) That is why whenever you experience the first types of symptoms then you should do something about it right away before it’s too late. Vaccines are developed already which are given to some explorers but it is not that advisable for some research are not yet done about the vaccine. According to www.nlm.nih.gov there the procedures to cure Leptospirosis, this would include the intakes of medicine, such as Ampicillin, Ceftriaxone, Doxycyclne, and Penicillin. He said that complicated cases need to be taken care in ICU (intensive care unit). Leptospirosis is curable, but serious and complicated cases maybe life-threatening. There are also other complications that the patient can get in Leptospirosis. There is the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction is a reaction of the body when the is an intake of Penicillin, there is also Meningitis, and severe bleeding. Therefore, although the Leptospirosis is life threatening there are still hopes that is coming out, there is a vaccine developed in Europe and in Asia that might not stop but at least freeze the Leptospirosis spread. Still prevention is better than the cure. We must manage our surroundings to stop the infestation of the rodents on on our households. And we should learn to clean our environment to stop the flooding. (Dugd ale III, 2010) 2.2. LOCAL LITERATURES Sison, (2009) said that â€Å"the Philippines is facing a serious problem of Leptospirosis. Poor sanitation and the increase of the urban slums along with frequent typhoons and expansion of flooding areas in the country have exacerbated the risk of infection. Leptospires are said the cause of the Weil’s disease in Japan, where it was common in coal miners. Leptospirosis can affect many species of of wild and domestic animals, including marine mammals. Prompt scientific treatment is essential, and aggressive support care with strict attention to fluid and electrolyte is a must. Some severely ill patients may require dialysis.† So with a clean surroundings, and a better prevention of the disease is a Leptospirosis free community even those people in the slum area, if know how to clean and sanitize their belongings they can’t get leptospirosis. So whenever there are contaminations in the place they should be alert. Cause prevention is better than cure. (Sison, 2009) (Medenilla et al., 2009) Leptospirosis is a disease caused by a bacterial infection when humans get contact in flood waters contaminated by animal urines from dogs, cats, pigs and specially rats. It takes 5 days t o 2 weeks before you can see the symptoms. During that time the leptospirosis cases hits a large amount of cases in Luzon with 1,027 cases with 89 fatalities. Sec. Duque said that the widespread cases were caused by the two tropical storms that hit the country. The Government warned the public to avoid flood water to prevent getting infected by the bacteria. The government that time prepared P 4-million pesos for the leptospirosis victims. Phrophylaxis, a drug which cures leptospirosis. This medicine is given immediately to those admitted cases of Leptospirosis. However, Prophylaxis is not suitable for children and pregnant women. The PCP (Philippine College of Physicians) and PMA (Philippine Medical Center) released a guidelines on an antibiotic â€Å"Prophylaxis† to people in leptospirosis-affected communities. They said that Prophylaxis is not recommended to those individuals unless they confirmed that they have visited a leptospirosis contaminated area. Ii is said that to prevent this disease, sanitation and protection is the best. Flood water is one of the risk factors that would infect you a leptospirosis. By just wearing boots, goggles, overalls, gloves and others. 2 capsules of Doxycycline is given once weekly for those who were exposed and should be continued through out the end of the exposure period. Then, the use of Prophylaxis is not 100% effective. It is said that it would depend on the quality of the drug and the timing of the intake. (Manongdo, 2009) If the rat’s urine was mixed in the flood waters, what comes next is the Leptospirosis. There lots of rats in metro manila, Rats are the largest group of mammal in the world. Their population is even greater than humans. The dirtier the place the more they would get in to your households. (Editorial: Pilipino Star Ngayon; 2009) For the past epidemiological research the Leptospirosis cases in the Metro manila especially in the Quezon City, were reported to have a high case of Leptospirosis. One of the reasons of this disease is the improper waste management. Many of Filipinos are not disciplined enough to throw their waste properly, some were just throwing their garbage on the river. And some doesn’t separate the biodegradable and the non biodegradable. So by keeping the discipline everywhere and not just throwing waste every where we can at least refrain the floods that brings the Leptospirosis.

Ancient Egyptian Medicene

Ancient Egyptian Medicine Ancient Egyptians were an advanced culture especially in medical technology which includes; the books of medicine, treatments of disease and illness and the study of the body and its functions. Archeologists and Historians have learned about these people through papyri found mostly in tombs of great pharaohs and viziers. Unfortunately, there are not many completed texts so we lack information on many things including how they diagnosed illnesses. Our understanding on many of the aspects of Ancient Egyptian medicine comes from these incomplete but thorough papyri. The most famous book of medicine discovered is the Ebers Papyrus. The â€Å"medical papyri† as it is also known as is the oldest book ever discovered. It is 110 pages long and contains about 900 prescriptions recipes all dating back to 1500 B. C. E. Archeologists can only suspect that the Ebers Papyrus came from the tomb of a swnw (physician) at Thebes because tomb robbers never recorded where they took them from. The Edwin Smith Papyrus, named after their owner, contained information on healing bruises, cuts, and bones. Hearst Papyrus was found containing much of the same information as the Ebers but in Upper Egypt with a later date. This shows that the information was widespread and that teachings of one physician would travel. There was even more specific books like the Kahun papyrus from 1850 B. C. E. that seems to be a textbook of gynecology. Physicians used the books to find a remedy, dosage and quantity or medicine, disease which it should be used for and appropriate spell. Treatments for disease begun in the earlier times as exorcism like rituals. The disease was thought of as a demon that needed to be cleaned from the soul. The sick would wear amulets with gods on them to protect them and make them better and also say prayers. But there was some herbal treatment. Hartshorn was said to be a â€Å"demon expeller† but also a pain reliever. Common foods we would never think of as medicine hard great effect on healing. With advancements in tools and metals came more successful surgeries. Sharp stone was used at first but as copper came around it became a lot easier. Physicians would remove tumors and cysts near the skin easily. After surgery the wound would be wrapped in linen with honey holding it together. Honey prevented infection by killing bacteria, and this made many surgeries turn out successful! If there is illness there will be speculation on where it came from. The Egyptians had an idea that blocked channels caused illness. They got this idea because when the Nile did not flood, there was starvation which caused mass death. Treatments were developed to unblocked channels like castor oil to cause vomiting. Blood was also commonly drained out of veins. It was very common for some to not eat or force themselves to throw up for about three days a month to ensure clean channels. They believed another cause of illness to be evil spirits. To protect themselves they would wear jewelry with prayers and gods on it to watch and protect them. The most vulnerable times to spirits were thought to be while sleeping and during childbirth. At the times there would be many statues to protect and keep the person well. Egyptians had many ideas on how the body worked. One was that the respiratory system was the breath of life going into the right ear and death leaving the left ear. This was obviously very wrong but it’s interesting to see their interests in the mechanics of the human body. Pulse was detected and was linked to the heart, which was considered the most vital organ. The brain was really not thought of, and during embalming it would be broken and thrown away. The papyrus tells us that physicians had names for some of the major organs but not all. They did not dissect bodies to learn from them because that was against their religion. The only people to ever see inside the body were embalmers, but because they were considered unclean they were cut off from the community. It is a possibility that embalming is how they learned of the hearts importance but there is a bigger chance they learned this through warriors that had been injured. With so much care into health and wellness many people lived long lives. In ancient times 10% of Egyptian people lived past 50 which was very old for the time. Most fatalities happened before the age of five. Other dangerous times were teen years for women. Many girls were having children by the age of 14 or earlier and died in childbirth. This is the reason why many Egyptian men had a longer life span on average. When Romans and Greeks came into power, Egyptians still led in medicine. When Alexandria with built in northern Egypt it became the learning center for Greek medicine. The Romans visited Memphis in 200 B. C. E to copy down books from 1000 years after Ebers Papyrus was written! And the English used Egyptian treatments up until the 1900s when discoveries on disease and bacteria started being made. These practices that seem crazy to modern technology lasted for 3000 years and helped the world thrive to wear it is today! Without Egyptian medicine history and the world would be a very different place.

What Do We Do with Howard

â€Å"What do we do with Howard? † Synopsis:Tad Pierson had recently been appointed as a project engineer. As project engineer for one of Agrigreen’s plants, he is responsible for the operation of the plant surveying group. For some time now Tad had been aware of some performance, safety, and conflicts with personnel within the group. These issues appear to be escalating in frequency and are causing Tad concern regarding the safety of the employees, the production schedules, and possible actions that he might need to take. Agrigreen, Inc. s a company that manufactures a verity of agricultural fertilizer. With plants located in the western United States and Canada, Agrigreen employs certified surveyors to ensure quality and safety of each project. Eighteen years ago, Agrigreen’s survey crew was composed of part-time drafting personnel or project engineers. Howard Lineberry, a lead surveyor had been employed with Agrigreen for eighteen years. Over his tenure he had been supervised by five different managers, and had three surveyor’s helpers. Howard’s work over the years has caused multiple safety and production issues.He has also had conflicts with the engineering staff, his managers, and almost everyone he worked with. Mel Cutler, a surveyor’s helper, after being employed by the company for only a few years was assigned to assist Howard. Five years into this assignment, Mel began to notice problems due to Howard’s note keeping method. These problems contributed to the production and safety issues with several projects. Later Mel began to notice that Howard was taking an excessive amount of snack breaks, coming to work late and leaving early.He also noticed Howard taking naps on the job. When the opportunity presented itself, Mel accepted a part-time assignment away from Howard. This reassignment resulted in a new surveyor’s helper being assigned, Vince Adam. Vince, an impressible young high school graduate, took on several of Howard’s inappropriate habits. Tad is concerned that the performance, safety, and personnel issues in the plant surveying group is getting out of control and is considering what action(s) that he should take, if any, at this point to intervene and correct the situations.Finding of Fact #1:One of the key issues of concern that Tad faces is the escalating quality of work being performed by Howard. Howard’s inefficient work processes in his note keeping and time management has caused issues in both production as well as safety violations on the job sites. These continual issues have cost Agrigreen in both extra man power to rebuild and delays in production. By examining Howard’s work process Tad can better understand what needs to be done and work toward eliminating these errors. Recommendation #1:Howard’s performance at work is a product of miss management and poor attitude.When Howard was first employed, his manager, Jerry Givens [now r etired], supervised with an iron hand. His management style can best be described as Theory X. Jerry took a command-and-control approach to management based on a negative view of Howard’s knowledge, skills, and ability. [ (Hellriegel & Slocum Jr. , 2008) ] He told Howard what to do and how to do it. Upon Jerry’s retirement, the next manager, Paul Jackson, used the Theory Y approach to management. He took on an empowering approach with Howard. This is where the problem truly began.Howard, with his new found freedom took it upon his self to improve the process by working directly with the project engineers. Howard’s efforts increased the pace of the work which called for a number of last minute requests and frequent changes in work schedules. By not having an establish plan of action in place, errors were made which cost the company time and money. Over the years, Howard’s performance issues escalated and upon several attempts by different managers, he refused to change. Tad has his work cut out for him.Regardless of how Howard may feel, Tad is still his boss and he is there to work for Agrigreen. Howard’s performance is not acceptable in any manner. While the failures of the previous managers to confront Howard about his performance problems have cost the company money it is now up to Tad to correct this issue. In doing so, there are a few things Tad should keep in mind. First, Tad should have a plan of action as to how he is going to confront this issue. With this plan of action, Tad should set define time as to the expected behaviors and outcomes expected in Howard’s performance.Next, Tad needs to meet with Howard and be specific in defining the poor performance that occurred in the past, and remind Howard when each error occurred. Tad also needs to be specific as to the plan of action and the established time frame to correct these errors as well as the consequences of non conformance. Tad needs to focus on the p erformance required for the job and make sure that he reiterates the guidelines that have been outlined for the workplace. Tad should consider Howard’s personality and how he handles feedback.Regardless of how Howard has been performing, Tad should always be clear and straightforward during his communication with Howard. He needs to focus on the performance which Howard has control. At the conclusion of this meeting, Tad should check Howard’s understanding to avoid any miss communications. After the meeting with Howard, Tad should document this meeting from his notes. He should document the issue and the action that has been taken to correct or eliminate the problems. After summarizing this meeting a copy of Tad’s report should be given to Howard and the original placed in Howard’s file.Finally, timely feedback should be given to Howard as Howard works on improving his performance. Should Tad note that Howard needs additional training, he should check wit h the human resource department for additional training classes, or set Howard with a mentor. Tad should realize that confronting Howard about his poor performance is not going to be easy. But once he has a plan of action in place, he will fine getting Howard back on track is far better for the company than having to replace him. [ (Busines & Legal Reports, 2006) ]The above action is how we handled an employee in our office who was a poor performer. I was set as her mentor, and working one-on-one with her I had to re-train her in our processes to ensure that she had a full understanding as to what was required in performing our job. After a brief three months, she is now producing high quality of work. As a reviewer, this young lady’s work is â€Å"spot on. † She is now off corrective action and is no longer in jeopardy of losing her job. Finding of Fact #2:The next issue Tad faces is Howard’s attendance.Over the years of Howards’ tenure, he had becom e complacent. He has been increasingly taking additional snack breaks, arriving to work late, leaving work early, as well as fall asleep on the job. For years, under the previous management, Howard’s actions have been over looked. Tad had witnessed several of these company violations, and has also noticed Vince; Howard’s assistant has been following the same pattern as Howard. Recommendation #2:Identifying attendance issues are not a simple process. There may be underlying issues which could be the driver of Howard’s absenteeism.Tad needs to first research the company’s policy and gain a full understanding of what he can and cannot do to resolve the issue. Tad also needs to consult with the human resource department as well as the legal department to understand and educate himself on the potential legal issues that also are involved. Once Tad had educated himself, he needs to approach Howard to determine if there are underline reasons for the continuing a ttendance issues. It depends on why the Howard is late, absent, or taking frequent breaks will drive the action that Tad needs to take.During Tad’s conversation with Howard, if it is determined that the reason for this attendance problem is caused by some type of stress issues, violence and or family problem Tad may need to refer Howard to the Employee Assistance program (EAP) for assistance. If the reason is medical, Tad may suggest Howard use the benefits allowed to him under the American’s with disability Act (ADA) or the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Should the outcome be something else, Tad may need to take a different approach. (Vikesland) ] A good approach is to counsel with Howard of the important of keeping time and punctuality while driving down the corporate policy and procedures. A â€Å"carrot-and-stick† approach is a time-tested method of dealing with attendance issues. Through this approach, Tad can use a combination of reward and punishmen t. As with the plan of action, Tad created for the production issue, he may wish to either add the attendance issue to the original plan, or write a separate plan of action. Also, Tad should use the same method of communication, documentation, and feedback with this issue as e does with the production issue. [ (Nayab, 2010) ] I work with a person who appears to have an attendance problem. This person comes in at various times during the day. I cannot a test to when she leaves as I’m already on my way home while she is still in the office. At times, I’ve noticed that she takes two sometimes two and a half hour smoke breaks. The issue here is we are exempted employees. Since this person sits next to me I talk with her a great deal, so I know her attendance problem is mostly stress related. I have told her about our EPA program, but she has opted not to take advantage of their services.Finding of Fact #3:The final issue may appear to be one of the hardest for Tad. This is the moral of the plant’s surveying group. For years, Howard’s continued errors and attendance has caused issues with the other employees. Mel Cutler was originally assigned to work with Howard as a surveyor’s helper. A few years ago Mel began working on other projects away from Howard. Now that the temporary assignment is reaching its conclusion, Mel had expressed his concerns with working with Howard. Tad appears to understand, since he has known the original surveyor’s helper Dan Richards and the same concerns were expressed than.There also appears to be concerns being expressed by the engineering crews. It appears that they do not trust the work that Howard produces, and takes additional time (which cost extra money) to verify Howard’s findings. As Howard’s new supervisor, Tad needs to get a clear view of the situation from different perspectives and act on them accordingly. Recommendation #3:The plant surveying group at Agrigreen works closely with the project engineers. For some time now, anxiety, frustration, and resentment has been building in reference to the growing problems with Howard.This appears to be the major cause of the low morale and high levels of employee dissatisfaction within the plant. If left unchecked this issue will only accelerate the problem and the company will lose key personal. When Tad was assigned the group, he knew that there was a continual conflict brewing. He needs to confront this issue head on. This can be accomplished by fostering interpersonal communication within the group. Tad needs to become an active listener by paying attention to the concerns of the group withhold holding judgment on those who chose to share their thoughts.He needs to develop open communication between this cross-functional team. He need to develop clear and specific goals for the team to work through their concerns. As Howard’s performance and attendance issues are protected by employment laws and regulations as well as corporate ethical policies, the solutions to those issues cannot be shared with the team. For this reason, the team must learn to work past these issues knowing that Tad is on top of those concerns. [ (Hellriegel & Slocum Jr. , 2008) ] Conflict at times can be a good thing.However this is not the case with the plant surveying group. Tad will have his work cut out. He not only has to resolve the conflict within his team, but he also need to understand his own personal issues with Howard. Tad needs to get his team together to work through these concerns. He needs to set the stage by working on an agreement within the team that the conflict is a mutual problem for all and that it can best be resolved through open communication rather than allowing the issues to fester. Next, Tad needs to get to the underlying issues and/or concerns of the team.He should ask each team member for their view points and respect their opinions and feelings. He also should express that he will need their cooperation in solving the problems. If the team cannot reach a common perception of the problem, than the team needs to try to see the problem from the other members view point. Sometimes brainstorming sessions are a great way of getting to the key factors of the conflict. This session if worked correctly, is a great tool at working through these conflicts and reaching a viable solution. (Conflict Resolution) ] As for Tad and his interpersonal conflict in reference to Howard, Tad needs to keep his concerns in check while on the job. Now that he is Howard’s boss, additional training may be needed to improve his interpersonal skills. This is what I believe my former manager should be doing. In working with her for the past two years, it has become apparent that she lacks interpersonal skills. Another lady I work with who trained the major of the staff when we first was awarded our contract has more than ten years of experience.When our former manager t alks with her, she comes across as demeaning and at time condescending. It is no wonder why she is no longer a manager. I personally feel that she needs to re-educate herself on how to deal with people.Works Cited Busines & Legal Reports, I. (2006, October 12). 8 Rules for Dealing with Poor Performers. Retrieved December 5, 2010, from HR. BLR. com: http://hr. blr. com/shitepapers/Performance-Termination/Performance-Employee-Appraisal/8-Rules-for-Dealing-with-Poor-Performers/ Conflict Resolution. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 5, 2010, from Mindtools. om: http://www. mindtools. com/pages/article/newLDR_81. htm Hellriegel, D. , & Slocum Jr. , J. W. (2008). MGMT 362: Organizational Behavior Columbia College. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning. Nayab, N. (2010, October 10). Strategies for Dealing with Employee Time & Attendance Problems. Retrieved November 5, 2010, from brighthub. com: http://www. brighthub. com/office/human-resources/articles/90380. aspx Vikesland, G. (n. d. ). Ho w to Deal with Employee Absenteeism. Retrieved December 5, 2010, from Employer-Employee. com: http://www. employer-employee. com/absent. html