Recruitment process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Recruitment process - Essay Example Recruitment is the process of identifying and hiring qualified candidates for a job opening. However, recruitment process involves attracting, hiring, and interviewing new employees. On the other hand, selection process is the evaluation of candidate, through interview, for specific job. There is a difference between recruitment and selection process. Recruitment process mostly involves attracting candidates who are later hired for a job upon qualifications. The selection process involves identifying the qualities needed for a candidate to quality for a job. Internal methods of recruitment are usually done for the preparation of a recruitment process. There are a number of internal methods of recruitment. The first process in recruitment is job analysis. This entails reviewing the manpower plan of the company frequently so as to establish a gap. The Human Resource Manager liaises with the head of departments so as to see whether a job position in a given sector is necessary. Such a position should be ideal in that it should allow for future promotion and expansion. Once such a job position is confirmed, the concerned HR manager fills a requisition form which is sent to the Line Manager. The Line Manager then submits it to the Recruitment Manager upon its approval. The Recruitment Manager has the final say hence his approval leads to creation of a vacancy. (Lee, 2012:19).this new development comes with a myriad of details that include: job posting which involves the possibility of workers within the company applying for the created vacan cy; reference number of the vacancy, postal postal association and the academic qualifications, skills and experience required for the vacancy. The second stage involves writing the Job Description and PS. The departmental heads are vital components when it comes to giving the boundaries of the job in the form of a job description. This is simply because he or she is

APPLIED DATA MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

APPLIED DATA MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Focusing on this aspect, the research aims at addressing data management problem of S&R Consultants. For about 30 years, the organisation has grown steadily in home (i.e. Australia) and overseas nation. However, with the increase in business issues regarding data management frequently becomes a great challenge for the S&R Consultants. In such condition, the use of web content management system (WCMS) would be beneficial for S&R Consultants. However, as it is a new technology, WCMS is characterised by several non-technical issues, which must be considered before implementing the new technology. Purpose of the Research Based on the use of WCMS in S&R Consultants, the research intends to explore how it can be proved beneficial for the organisation. Besides the purpose of undertaking the research is to generate features and facilities of WCMS, which can fulfil the requirements of S&R, to recommend certain criteria to compare and choose apparent WCMS, to provide recommendations to the boa rd of directors of S&R Consultants about steps required to select and implement WCMS and about website management policies for proper integration of website into the business operations. Rationale for Selecting WCMS The rationale for selecting WCMS is that it can allow S&R Consultants to rapidly react with the business situation and to make important materials available on website. Besides, WCMS is much effective in updating latest information without assistance of technical experts. In S&R Consultants, WCMS might assist in making different workflows more efficient than before, because it can provide timely publication of contents and also ensure that those contents are satisfactorily revised before publication (The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 2008). Target Audience of WCMS In order to ensure that the WCMS is kept relevant, there must be clear idea about the target audience. Target audience can help to understand the key prerequisites of WCMS system an d therefore can support S&R Consultants to make decisions regarding useful contents. Besides, target audience also allow for developing proper investment strategy for development of website (Perriss & et. al., 2006). Since, the website of S&R will be a private website the key audiences will be the existing clients and other prospects who desire to obtain services from the organisation. Features and Facilities of WCMS WCMS can provide the following features to S&R Consultants: Document Management System: WCMS is intended to manage and store internal organisational data and corporate information. It helps in document workflow and interpretation of data. Electronic publishing: WCMS tools are developed for supporting online publishing of news and other reports, which are essential for key stakeholders. WCMS enable simple workflow and quick publication of contents. E-commerce facility: WCMS also authorises e-commerce through enabling online shopping and electronic relationship management for S&R Consultants (Browning & Lowndes, 2001). WCMS provides three core facilities for S&R Consultan

HIV virus Essay Example for Free

HIV virus Essay The HIV virus that causes AIDS is said to have originated from non-human primates i. e. monkeys and chimpanzees in sub-Saharan Africa and was later transferred into humans in the late 19th century. It is thus proposed that the origin of HIV is the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) which affects monkeys given those strains of SIV found in monkeys and chimpanzees corresponds with those of HIV-1 and HIV-2 respectively and that it was transferred to human through Zoonosis. The spread of HIV from West Africa was concurrent with the development of colonial cities (Emlet, 20). AIDS has become a pandemic due its high rate of mutation or variation making it escape thus rendering drug therapy ineffective. Additionally, developing countries are facing a rapid and uncontrolled spread of AIDS. This is attributed to ignorance, poverty and traditions which makes majority of these people to indulge in unprotected sexual behaviors thus facilitating the high rate of spread of the virus. HIV is a retrovirus which is part of lentivirus that attacks’ the immune system and they take a long time before they can produce any adverse effects in the body where it stays in a latent form. Acquired Immune Deficiency (AIDS) is a condition that sets in when the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has killed many T-helper cells in the white cells resulting to lower immune system which cannot resist infections. The characteristics of the virus are that they have many strains and mutates rapidly. This has made its cure to be difficult given that it does escape vaccines or treatment (Emlet, 32). An infected person will only test positive at a seroconversion point which is the level in which the HIV antibodies are detectable. HIV virus is transmitted through conduct of a mucous membrane or the blood stream with a bodily fluid containing HIV like blood, semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk or preseminal fluid. Possible causes of the virus are; unprotected sex with a person who is infected which either be oral, anal or vaginal. Use of contaminated needle especially drug users, blood transfusions, and mother infecting her child during pregnancy, labor or after delivery via breast milk and any other exposure to one of the bodily fluids (Emlet, 43). The effect of HIV virus is that it suppresses the T-helper cells by deranging or binding them together to the point that they become functionless thus not able to fight pathogens. Given that the immune system is down, the familiar AIDS complications like infections and neoplasm results. Consequently, further cell damage or cytopathy, oral health problems like candidiasis, kaposi’s sarcoma and AIDS dementia complex arises too. Moreover, it has the economical effect for it deprives the society its resources and manpower since the treatment for the disease is costly thus requiring a lot of money. The most common symptoms of the virus infection in their primary stages are; fever, aching muscles and joints, swollen glands, sore throat and malaise. Mononucleosis, recurring respiratory tract infections, prostatitis, oral ulcerations, tuberculosis, and pneumonia are later symptoms of the condition in view of the fact that the body defense mechanisms have been tampered with. In conclusion, the HIV virus has become a universal concern given that no cure, vaccine or treatments have been found which can deal with the epidemic. More research is being conducted on possible treatment and in the next twenty years, a solution could have been found. Continual usage of antiretroviral therapy, sex education and protected sex are key measures for dealing with AIDS (Emlet, 68). The research on a caraguard which is a microbicide gel derived from seaweed is believed to destroy viruses is being tried for prevention of the virus. The protein discovered within the T-cells which are attacked by the virus in order to suppress HIV replication thus there is hope for an effective treatment in the future.

Mitochondrial DNA Analysis: Techniques and Applications

Mitochondrial DNA Analysis: Techniques and Applications Introduction Because of advancements in technology and techniques, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis has become a common method in forensic procedure. Polymorphisms in human mtDNA were first discovered in 1980 (Brown 1980) while a complete sequence was first achieved in 1981 (Anderson et al., 1981). MtDNA sequencing is frequently used in cases where biological samples are degraded or low in quality, instead of nuclear DNA (nDNA), because each cell contains more than 1000 copies of mtDNA per cell instead of only two per cell in the case of nDNA. This article will examine the background information and techniques of mtDNA analysis as well as several of its applications. Background Information Mitochondrial DNA is located outside the nucleus of a cell in organelles known as mitochondria. The chief advantage of mtDNA is the fact that it is present at a rate of between 100 and several thousand times per cell, making it much easier to be typed than nuclear DNA (James and Nordby, 2005). This characteristic makes mtDNA a very useful tool in a sample that is either degraded or limited in quantity. Its typical sources include hair, bones, teeth and bodily fluid such as saliva, blood, and semen. Another feature of mtDNA is that it is maternally inherited so a sample can be collected from any member of the maternal lineage (Giles et al. 1980). The mtDNA for humans is ~16,569 base pairs and consists of two regions, the control region and the coding region. The control region is located in the displacement loop (D-loop), and contains hypervariable regions 1, 2, and 3 (HVI, HVII, and HVIII). HVI and HVII are sufficiently polymorphic to allow two samples to be differentiated. However, HVIII is currently being assessed to determine its capacity for use in discriminating between individuals and could one day be used to increase the discerning power of mtDNA. The D-loop of mtDNA does not contain any functional genes, and accumulates mutations at a rate of up to 10 times that of nDNA (James and Nordby, 2005). See image below for a sample mtDNA structure. The HVI region is approximately 341 base pairs (bp) in length while the HVII region is 267bp. The other regions in the mtDNA genome have been successfully analyzed but have not been frequently used in forensic works because they havent been proven sufficiently hypervariable. Techniques of mtDNA Analysis The methods for mtDNA typing have gradually changed over the past thirty years. The process has gradually changed protocols from low-resolution restriction length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis to sequence analysis of the HVII and HVII regions and is moving towards a complete sequence of the mtDNA genome for each case. The sequencing and comparison of the mtDNA can be broken down into four steps: Extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, sequencing, and comparison. Extraction A biological sample contains main substances besides DNA. The purpose of extraction is to separate the other material from the DNA before it is examined. The sample is prepared and mixed with certain organic chemicals that lyse the cell membranes, separate proteins from the DNA, and then denature the proteins and destroy their structures to decrease their solubility. Using a phenol chloroform, the denatured proteins are removed. The DNA is then purified using ethanol precipitation and isolation by centrifuge. PCR Amplification The polymerase chain reaction is process similar to the one used by cells to copy their own DNA. By using this process, a relatively small number of copies could be multiplied into over a billion in around thirty cycles. PCR amplification is a three step process. First, the two mtDNA strands are denatured by heat at 94 °C. This means the strands separate from each other into two equal and opposite strands. Second, the sample is cooled to 60 °C and the primers bind to the DNA template, which gives a start sequence to the DNA polymerase in step three, which extends the primers by adding the respective nucleic acids to the base strand and completes the sequence, thus turning one copy of the DNA into two. By repeating this process, the number of copies increases exponentially. Sequencing The primary sequencing method in mtDNA analysis is known as the Sanger method, which is a six step process that builds off the PCR amplification. First, the removal of remaining Deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dNTP) and primers from PCR through spin filtration or enzyme digestion is required. The PCR quantity is then found to determine if there is enough product to sequence the DNA. Then, four different colored fluorescent dyes are attached to the four differenet ddNTPs. After that, the unincorporated dyes from the sequencing reaction are removed using spin filtration. The purified sequencing reaction is then diluted in foramide and separated through gel electrophoresis. Finally, the sequence analysis of each reaction performed is compiled and interpreted. Comparison After sequencing the HVI and HVII regions of the DNA, the sequences are confirmed with the forward and reverse strands for that sample. Differences are then noted from the revised Anderson sequence, which is the newest standard for mtDNA. Finally, the known and the unknown samples are compared with each other and then compared with the database to determine halotype frequency. Applications As previously stated, current applications of mtDNA analysis are best suited to DNA which is very old and highly degraded. Some of the applications in this include individual identification, evolutionary biology, and maternal lineage testing. Individual Identification MtDNA can play a considerable role in the identification of individuals in which the biological sample would be highly degraded, for example, identifying remains of unknown soldiers. In June, 1998, a DNA sample from one of the US tombs of the unknown was collected and compared to reference samples from seven different families who had lost a family member during the war. The results eliminated six of the families, and provided a positive identification on the final family. The results proved consistent and the soldier was identified as Air Force First Lieutenant Michael J. Blassie. In this case, the small, closed population allowed relative ease of identification. To date, the remains of around 150 soldiers from the Vietnam War and 1,200 from the Korean War have been reunited with their families. Evolutionary Biology There are two main hypotheses about human evolution and phylogenic trees trying to guess where the human race branches off from the rest of the animal kingdom and spread all over the world. The multiregional evolution suggests that modern humans evolved from Neanderthals and Homo erectus at the same time in different parts of the world. This hypothesis is supported by fossil evidence, particularly a gradual change in facial structure from earlier to modern humans. The other hypothesis suggests a more recent African origin around 100,000 200,000 years ago, in which a small group of modern humans populated the rest of the world. This would have been done without mixing genetic material with other forms of humans. Because the human mitochondrial genome was one of the first to be completely sequenced, it took researchers a while to see the advantage of sequencing the entire genome. First, mutations in the D-loop occur at a rate 5-10 times faster than that of normal nDNA, and having the complete genome showed the same polymorphism on two different loci. Also, while the D-loop was changing at a high rate, mutations outside the D-loop were near zero, allowing the rate of evolution for the rest of the genome to be seen clearly and evenly between different complexes. The data collected gives evidence to support the recent African origin theory. By finding the substitution rate between the sequences, it is possible to find dates at which the genetic material coincided with itself and thus makes it possible to find approximate dates and points on the phylogenic tree. From this information, the sequence of events in human evolution can be established. The data suggests a severe population constriction around 180,000 years ago. (Brown, 1980) This evidence supports the recent African origin hypothesis while with the multiregional hypothesis you would expect to see this constriction at an older date. Maternal Lineage Because mtDNA testing can be done with a smaller quantity of DNA, it is well suited for maternity testing and forming a family tree. Right now, mtDNA is the most common form of DNA analysis performed to determine parental maternity testing today. Obviously, this is used in the legal system for the purpose of deciding custody battles. MtDNA also has precedence in accurately performing historical identifications through maternal lineage. A famous case of this would most likely be the case in which Jesse James body was identified by using a comparison between his DNA and the great-great-granddaughter of his sister. This lineage would provide a positive match if in fact it was Jesse James remains, which in fact it was. However, the James case was not without its faults. The initial attempts at mtDNA analysis of the bone specimens from the specimen were not successful. More, specifically, there was no product formation during the Polymerase Chain Reaction. The most likely cause of this type of error would be the poor condition the material was in.(Stone et al. 2001) After running several tests on the bones, teeth and hair of the remains, mtDNA was collected and analyzed from two molar teeth and two hair fibers. This just shows that while mtDNA analysis has the possibility for up to 100% exclusion, because of mix-ups, laboratory errors, contamination, and degradation, its not 100% accurate. Conclusion Because of its impact on the forensic community, mtDNA analysis has become a power discrimination tool in forensic science. The methods that have been developed over the past thirty years have been firmly founded in scientific research. Each tool used in the aid of sequencing the mtDNA has a specific purpose that plays an important part the analysis as a whole. As technologies evolve, the discriminating power goes up, as in the case of adding the HVIII loci to the standard, and the error rates go down because of new information regarding contamination prevention procedures and determining the presence of degraded sample. Finally, by applying all of these concepts to the forensic world, mtDNA analysis becomes a powerful tool that has the potential to trace lineages, prove maternity, and identify unknown persons. References Anderson, S., Bankier, A.T., Barrel, B.G., Bruijn, M.H.L., Courlson, A.R., Drouin, J., Eperon,I.C., Nierlich, D.P., Roe, B.A., Sanger, F., Schreier, P.H., Smith, A., Staden, R., and Young, I.G., 1981, Sequence and Organization of the Human Mitochondrial Genome.MRC Laborator of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK Brown, W. M. 1980 Polymorphism in mitochondrial DNA of humans as revealed by restriction endonuclease analysis Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USAVol. 77, No. 6, pp. 3605-3609 Butler, J. 2005, Forensic DNA Typing. Elsevier Science pp.242-298 Giles, R.E., Blanc, H., Cann, H.M., and Wallace, D.C. .1980, Maternal inheritance of human mitochondrial DNA, Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USAVol. 77, No. 11, pp. 6715-6719, Ingman, M. ,2001,Mitochondrial DNA Clarifies Human Evolution, http://www.actionbioscience.org/evolution/ingman.html Image Source: MtDNA. http://www.nfstc.org/pdi/Subject09/images/pdi_s09_m02_01_a.1_large.jpg James, S.H. and Nordby, J.J. 2005, Forensic Science: an introduction to scientific and investigative techniques. N.W. Ciroirate Blvd., Boca Raton, Florida Michael Blassie Unknown No More, 2006, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs//galleries/cases/blassie.html Stone A.C., Starrs J.E., Stoneking, M. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of the presumptive remains of Jesse James. J of Forensic Sci 2001;46(1):173-176. What is the relationship between the cold war and the war on terror’ in afghanistan? What is the relationship between the cold war and the war on terror’ in afghanistan? What is the relationship between the Cold War and the ‘War on Terror in Afghanistan? How far can one be said to be the continuation of the other? Introduction The Cold War period lasted for nearly 45 years, from 1945 to 1991. It began at the end of the Second World War and with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The war was the stage for the Wests struggle against communist ideas and changes. This long wearing conflict brought to pass an increase in production and trade of arms and an appearance of a new world order formed by America. The main principle of the cold war can be seen as the East-West competition in ideas, arms and spheres of influence. (REF) After Afghan terrorists dramatically attacked the United States on September 11, 2001; America declared a war on terror and flew its troops into Afghanistan in pursuit of avenging their nation and capturing al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Again America found itself in opposition to the East, nevertheless this time a different region. And Again the East was fighting against this new world order and Americas quest for world domination in a globalising world. The aim of the essay is to explore the relationship between the cold war and the ‘war on terror in Afghanistan and to find similarities in political patterns and warfare, in order to answer the question. Main Body History Main question Relationship The cold war marked the struggle between America and the USSR after the Second World War. The war influenced international affairs majorly. It influenced the way conflicts were handled, the way countries were divided up and the increasing growth in weaponry production. The United States of America as well as the USSR had weapons of mass destructions in nuclear form, which formed a global threat for all humanity. However, both superpowers were aware of the exceeding dangers of their nuclear weapons. Therefore they would not fight an open war against each other. However they fought wars by proxy, supporting other countries to fight each other on their behalf. An example of this is the Vietnam War. While the Soviets supported the communist north of Vietnam, the United States supplied the anti-communist south with weapons and fighters. Therefore it was not just a war between North and South Vietnam but a proxy war between the Soviet Union and America. America perceived the USSR as anti-d emocratic and as oppressor of civil liberties. However one can argue that capitalist America was opposing the USSR because they were spreading communist ideas and they were anti-capitalist and therefore an obstacle to global domination. (REF) The USSR perceived America as severe threat to their communist borders. Both parties lived in a form of paranoia about one another, with feelings of suspicions and distrust and this lack of understanding of politics and cultures lead to a dangerous course, which was the cold war. In the late 1970s Afghanistan was experiencing political difficulties. Hazifullah Amin, the prime minister had a plan to change Afghan politics and society and to do away with Muslim traditions in order to introduce a more western system. This did not please most Afghans who valued their Muslim traditions. Therefore they joined the mujahideen, a guerrilla group who opposed Amins regime and Soviet intervention. It is interesting to know that the Taliban are a faction derived from a group of mujahideen. (REF) The Soviets fought a hopeless war against the group in the unfamiliar territories of the mountains. Though the Russians were a superpower they did not prevail against the guerrillas, who they deemed terrorists. The mujahideen eventually overthrew the Afghan government and drove out the Russians. Furthermore, it is believed that the mujahideen had sponsors as well as access to American missiles. As such it can be argued that America used the guerrilla group as proxy against communi st Russia. Now at the beginning of the twenty-first century, many years after the cold war, a different yet similar type of threat engages the United States. Terrorism nowadays is part of constant political debate. America was wounded deeply on 9/11 which lead the nation to fight on open ended war against terrorism and to invade Afghanistan. The nation believed, as former US president George W. Bush said that the al-Qaeda and Taliban were evil doers who continued the course of fascism, Nazism and totalitarianism. (Ref) Bush himself here draws a parallel to the Cold war. Further he states that â€Å"either you are with us or you are with the terrorists†. (CNN) Terrorism was an evil that had to be fought and neutralised. Afghanistan needed to be freed from its extremism and it needed a reasonable system with liberal democracies and western values. Again there was a divide between the west and the east and between freedom and oppression. And again on both sides there was the readiness to im mediately use powerful military force. However one important difference between both wars is that during the cold war, though wars were fought by proxy, the opposing nations still had civilised meetings and debates in order to find a peaceful solution. The war on terror however, did or does not leave room or time for negotiation. Whether the perception of the threat was exaggerated or the response appropriate has been debated since day one of the invasion. However America should not have been so quick to invade Afghanistan. There are many reasons for this argument, firstly because Afghanistan as a country did not attack the United States but it was the work of a small group of people in Afghanistan. (REF) Secondly America should have aimed to meet with leaders of the Afghan government to discuss a cooperation in order to capture terrorists groups and to tackle the problem internally. If this would have failed, the States would look for other alternatives and if all cooperation faile d, then threaten the country with an invasion. America was wounded, it was hurt, ashamed and scared and yes it was angry and demanded action, yet the action it took was not the right one. It has been over eight years since the invasion of the Middle East and not much has been achieved. As the Cold war can be describes as a war of ideas, so can the war on terror be describes as a war of ideas and values. The Cold war was a competition and struggle for power.   It lasted for decades but the states involved did negotiate and did meet in discussion to find possible solutions to the conflict. In contrast, the war on terror does not accept negotiations between the west and the terrorists. Though there are cooperation between many states worldwide to combat terrorism, there is no real communication between the states who matter, namely between the West and the East. However during both wars America dealt with a perceived threat and fear of the foreign. There emerged a new national security state with internal surveillance and increased security measures. (REF) Nowadays more and more intelligent surveillance technology is being developed. However these inventions might not always be ethical and they do pose a threat to civil liberties. In the case of the newly manufactur ed 3D full body scanners at airports, which are so detailed that it becomes possible to perfectly see a person naked, people and groups have been outraged. The state faces a difficult decision between increased security and the protection of peoples privacy. (The Guardian) However, the terrorist threat of al-Qaeda also can be seen as different from the danger of the USSR. While the al-Qaeda is a relatively small group, the Soviet Union is an enormously large state, with a great amount of nuclear weapons, forces and allies. While the first was about a struggle for power, the later is a struggle against the influence of western capitalism and mistreatments. Nevertheless both the Soviet Union and the al-Qaeda were and are fighting against capitalist ideas. This is not to suggest that Russia has terrorist features. But it is to identify the relationship between the two conflicts. Thus it can be said that there is a continuation of the fight against capitalism and therefore a continuation of the conflict between the West and the East. Also this conflict is a fight against globalisation. As capitalism thrives on an ever shrinking and interconnected world, with open borders and free markets which globalisation facilitates.

Life and Death After the Invasion :: essays research papers

Returning to their New Hampshire home, Barney and Betty Hill had the worst time adjusting to the â€Å"invasion†. Barney began smoking and Betty began to hallucinating. * 3 weeks later* Barney was on the verge of getting fired from his assistant supervisor job because he constantly got high in the workplace. He also began hallucinating about small martians speaking to him and telling him that everyone in their town are secret F.B.I. Agents and are out to get him and his wife. Also, that it would be a good idea to take his wife and drive to the Grand Canyon. That is where no one would find him. Due to Betty’s â€Å"strange behavior†, her boss awarded her with another week off to relax. She planned a trip alone to Arizona. After her day shift was over, she walks over to her car and grabs the handle. Only the door is stuck. Betty tugs and tugs, but the door still wont budge. She takes a deep breath and tries for the door again. With a mighty thrust, she tugs. The door opens and Betty falls to the ground. Everything in her purse falls out. Her red lipstick rolls underneath the car. As she reaches to grab it†¦. SLAM!!! The car door shuts again. Puzzled, she opens the door and looks, but no one is in her car. She puts her key in and cranks the engine†¦ â€Å"DAMN IT!† cursed Betty. The car wont start. She looks at the gas hand to see if the tank was empty. The tank was full. She picks up her cell phone and tried to call her husband, only to be accompanied by static. â€Å"Hello?† Silence. She then begins to hear something really weird. Whispering. â€Å"Hello? Who is this? Can anybody hear me? Barney? Barney, can you hear me?†, questioned Betty. Before she could even hang up the phone, a bright light surrounding the car making it very difficult to see. She then decides to get out of the car and investigate. She reaches for the handle, but cant open the door for it seems to be stuck. Betty tries to scream, but nothing manages to come out. The light becomes so bright, that she passes out. When she comes to (10 minutes later), she tries the engine again. â€Å"Hotdog, it works!† Betty rejoices. Barney, feeling â€Å"light as a feather†, she attempts to drive home. He pulls up in his driveway, hitting the garage door.

Chaucers View of Women Exposed in The Canterbury Tales Essay -- Geoff

Often, the most memorable female characters are those who break out of the stereotypical â€Å"good wife† mold. When an author uses this technique effectively, the woman often carries the story. In Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, he portrays the Wife of Bath, Alison, as a woman who bucks the tradition of her times with her brashness and desire for control. Chaucer effectively presents a woman's point of view and evokes some sympathy for her. In the author's time, much of the literature was devoted to validating the frailties of women. However, in this story, the Wife is a woman who has outlived four of five husbands for â€Å"of five housbodes scoleying† (P50) is she. She holds not her tongue, and says exactly what she thinks, even if she contradicts others, even Jesus. For in the Bible it states that Jesus â€Å"Spak in repreve of the Samaritan:/‘Thou hast yhad five housbondes,' quod he,/‘And that ilke man that now hath thee/Is nat thyn housbonde'† (P16). Despite this quote from the holy writ, the Wife states that ther are no other arguments â€Å"Eek wel I woot he [Jesus] saide that myn housbonde/Sholde lete fader and moder and take me,/But of no nombre mencion made he [Jesus]--/Of bigamye or of octagamye† (P30). She maintains her position and dismisses the one contention in the Bible by stating in relation to the above quote â€Å"Wat that he mente therby [she] can nat sayn,/But that I axe why the fifthe man/Was noon housbonde to the Samaritan?/How manye mighte she han in mar...

Bosch India

Submitted by Group E 12: Simon Mohsin Jonas Noel Surojeet Bosch India Bosch is a leading supplier of technology and services in the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods and building technology in India. The Bosch Group operates in India through six companies, viz, Bosch Limited, Bosch Chassis Systems India Limited, Bosch Rexroth India Limited, Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Limited, Bosch Automotive Electronics India Pvt Ltd, Bosch Electrical Drives India Pvt Ltd.In India, Bosch set up its manufacturing operation in 1953, which has grown over the years to include 13 manufacturing sites and seven development and application centres. The Bosch Group in India employs over 25,000 associates. In India, it generated consolidated revenue of over Rs. 11,300 crores in 2011. Bosch Limited is the flagship company of the Bosch Group in India. It earned revenue of over Rs. 8000 crores in 2011. The business sectors of Bosch include Automotive technology, I ndustrial technology, Consumer Goods and Building Technology, and Engineering and IT services.Vision: Creating Value, Sharing Values. Mission: To improve the quality of life with Bosch products and enabling customers by maximizing value as an offshore partner in technology and business solutions. ENVIRONMENT SCANNING Competitive structure of industry The Auto Components sector in India registered a strong growth rate of 36. 3% as compared  to 30. 6% growth rate in FY’2010. The revenue growth in the domestic automotive component market can be attributed to the reduction in excise duties on certain  vehicles and the grant of 100% foreign investment in the component sector.However, poor market sentiments, increased food & fuel prices and interest rates took their toll, what with the sale of passenger cars in October 2011 falling to the lowest in two years forcing the industry to slash forward looking forecasts. The widening price differential between petrol and diesel ha s further favoured the demand for diesel cars. This notwithstanding, OEMs continued to launch new models in all market segments especially passenger cars.Overall, the automotive sector was able to sustain double digit growth aided by a solid performance in the first half of the year 2011 and partially aided by stable rural demand. Factors affecting the Industry: Economic: * The auto ancillary industry has been one of the fastest growing sectors in the Indian economy. It has a CAGR of 24% over the last 5 years. It had a sale of Rs 1600 billion in the year 2010-11. * Capacity utilisation rates of the auto ancillary sector as a  whole decreased significantly in light of  reduced exports and  slowdown in the domestic markets. The industry players had to grapple with the issues of extreme volatility in rupee and input cost and as a consequence, tremendous pressure was witnessed on margins. * In terms of international trade, the auto components industry grew rapidly in both exports and imports over last 5 years. Political: * The government has taken many  initiatives to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) in  the industry. * Automatic approval for foreign equity investment upto 100% of manufacture of automobiles and components is permitted. * The automobile industry has been  de-licensed. There are no restraints on import of components. * To identify the necessary activities, the DHI (Development of Heavy Industries) has setup the Development Council for Automotive and Allied Industries (DCAAI) * The Governments infrastructure initiatives such as  the Golden Quadrilateral project and NHDP (National Highway Development Program) also  have an  indirect favorable effect on the industry. Technological: The auto components industry is a very technology-intensive industry. Historically, India’s strength in exports has lied in forgings, castings and plastics.But this is changing with more component manufactures investing in up gradation of tech nology in recent years. The organised sector has increased focus on quality and has been recommended setting up of an auto design centre at National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmadabad. The DHI has recommended the creation of a Rs 1000 crore modernization/automotive development. ACMA has also spoken about a similar fund. Social: Social environment is intrinsically linked with automobile sector and has changed the demand to the tune of preferences of customers in major way. 1.Business is booming as  the Indian middle class is  increasing its consumption. 2. The increased focus on environment sector has also resulted in companies researching in developing parts to use energy efficiently and reduce carbon emissions. 3. Also more and more companies are getting ISO 14001 certification (Environment Management System). 4. Entry of global players has also necessitated a change in the organisation culture. Competitive position of Bosch India Core Competencies: Bosch core competency revo lves around developing high class innovative products and achieving cost leadership.For that it invests heavily in R&D and focus on a lean efficient system in highly competitive environment of auto component sector. With investments in R&D, Bosch is able to focus more on cleaner and economical product. Also with economies of scale and skilled, educated workforce of India, it is able to reduce cost. 1. High Market Share: With a market share of almost 95%, it has a virtual monopoly in the Diesel Fuel Injection Equipment. 2. Technological competencies: a. Manufactures modern gasoline and diesel engine systems of high quality, cleaner and economical. . Diesel Fuel Injection Equipment (FIE) has been the core business of Bosch Ltd. , right from its inception in 1951. c. Today  MICO (Motor Industries Co. Ltd. , a Bosch company) continues to be a supplier of FIE to a majority of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) with a market share of over 81%. d. MICO  has also earned a p lace for itself, in the Bosch world, where it has been identified as Center of Competence for Single Cylinder pumps, Multi-Cylinder Inline (‘A'  and ‘P† type) and Distributor pumps (Mechanical and Electronic type). 3.Alternative Energy: MICO Bosch is moving towards energies such as electricity while also improving existing power train technologies, including diesel systems, gasoline direct injection and hybrids to reduce the energy from conventional resources. It has also taken up bio diesel and CNG technologies to address energy challenges. 4. Service: In India 50 per cent of Bosch’s current business is accounted for by the diesel segment. Bosch positions itself as a one-stop shop for sales and service and to make available the entire range of products to those who come for service.Bosch is expanding the product range in this business by bringing some of its global technology products into India. It is also planning to manufacture some of these products i n India. A CORE COMPETENCY CENTRE has been created in the country to manufacture these equipments in the MICO production complex. 5. Quality: MICO Bosch has ISO Certified Quality Management System. Certified Locations are MICO, Incorporated; MICO Europe ltd. and MICO Mexico. Sources of Competitive Advantage: 1. The company is highly centralised by the headquarters in Germany. The headquarters keeps things firmly under control.Strategic departments such as Research and Development, Corporate Identity, Production, Purchase and External affairs are based in Stuttgart and dictated to the worldwide subsidiaries. Decentralised are only operational departments like Personnel, Sales or Accounting. Furthermore, decisions given to responsibility of subsidiaries are mostly of operative quality only. 2. Based on the business strategy that complies with the value chain and support activities, the company holds the competitive advantage of selling products at a price radically less than the offer of its competitors. . Global R&D hub: Over the years, focus on producing innovative products with continued R&D has led to many firsts like ABS, EPS, PAS , FIE etc and thus has provided competitive edge in industry. 4. Large Contact Base: MICO has a large supplier and customer base and maintains a long term relationship with them. VRIN Analysis of Strategic capabilities: Bosch capabilities satisfy the following 4 conditions – 1. Valuable – Bosch’s capability to manufacture high quality diesel and gasoline systems provide cleaner and economical alternatives, thus adding value for the customer. . Rare – Bosch has pioneered the R&D in these technologies, and remains highly innovative to differentiate its products. Most component manufacturers fall into Tier III and Tier IV. Bosch is one of the rare Tier I manufacturers. 3. Costly to Imitate – Bosch also has been building these capabilities over many years. Huge R&D investments prohibi t others to imitate Bosch’s Technology. 4. Non-substitutable – In this technology-intensive industry, having high quality and efficient products is the only way to gain competitive advantage. Opportunities and ThreatsBased on the above analysis of the external and competitive environment, we can identify the opportunities and threats as follows. Opportunities 1. Domestic Investments and Growth a. The size of the Indian automotive industry is expected to grow at 13 per cent per annum to reach around US$ 130 billion to US$ 150 billion by 2016. b. The demand growth at 14% CAGR makes India one of the fastest growing markets. c. Though India's auto component industry has conventionally relied on exports for its profits, the domestic market itself is ripe with rapidly growing opportunities. . Industry experts are hopeful that the country will be able to offset China and other Southeast Asian countries' traditional manufacturing advantage in the coming years, facilitating the industry's achievement of its targeted market value of US$ 40 billion by 2014. e. During the quarter ended June 2009, all costs as a percentage of sales have seen a decline except for power, oil and fuel costs. Raw material costs have contributed the maximum to improvement in margins as these costs have come down from 63. 3 per cent in March 2008 to 57 per cent in June 2009. . The relaxation of FDI norms for the small-scale sector could emerge as one of the key growth drivers in the long run. g. With investments around US$ 15 billion slated for the sector over the next few years, the prospects for India's auto market look very bright indeed. 2. Huge Labour Force a. With 400,000 engineering graduates every year, out of which 7 million enter the workforce, there is a huge supply of labour force. b. Skilled labour costs in India are also among the lowest in the world. 3. Linked to Automobile SectorThe opportunities for the industry are also tied to the fortunes of the automobile indus try. As the Porter’s Five Forces Analysis showed above, auto manufacturers hold the greatest influence. a. The automobile sector is cyclical and dependent on the growth of the economy and improvement in infrastructure. Factors like increased public spending, favorable interest rates and general improvement in per capita income point towards higher demand for automobiles in the future. b. There has been a conscious effort by auto manufacturers to improve productivity of their suppliers (i. e. component providers) in the past few years. Though the number of active vendors has declined significantly for auto manufacturers, technology transfer and fresh fund infusions have resulted in improved productivity in the remaining ones. c. The growing Chinese automotive market also presents attractive business opportunities for automotive component manufacturers for exports. Threats 1. Lower Margins a. Highly competitive: Margins are likely to come under pressure in the long term because as competition increases, auto manufacturers will find it difficult to increase prices and will try to cut costs.The burden will eventually fall on auto ancillary players. b. Consolidation: As manufacturers sourcing components are keen to get components from fewer sources in future, this will lead to consolidation in the sector. Companies will have to focus on quality and abide by delivery schedules if they want to survive. 2. Trade Agreements The growing number of Free and Preferential trade agreements being signed by India with countries like Thailand, Singapore and other ASEAN countries will hurt the cost competitiveness of Indian companies as Indian players play significantly higher duties than their Asian counterparts.Therefore, Indian companies might lose out on big orders if the duty structure is not rationalised. Competitiveness & Position of Major Rivals The Company is operating in a highly competitive market which may exerts pressure both on the top line as well as th e bottom line of the company. The market structure is fragmented for a large number of ancillary products. The net profit fell 11. 5% year-on-year to Rs 247 crore  in the quarter ended June 2012 on rising depreciation cost. It’s competitor Motherson Sumi has recently acquired Peguform and Visiocorp and Vivek Chaand Sehgal and the acquisitions have reaped good returns so far.Its current turnover stands at Rs 15,000  crore. WABCO India has reported a sales turnover of Rs 249. 29  crore  and a net profit of Rs 41. 84 crore for the quarter ended Jun '12. The slowdown in auto sales is having a cascading effect on ancillary units forcing them to to cut production as inventories have started piling up due to demand slump. Bosch is not the only auto component supplier to curtail production. Other companies such as Mother Sumi Systems, which supplies parts to Maruti Suzuki, have also seen a drop in demand.According to Automotive Component Manufacturers’ Association of I ndia, growth of auto component industry is expected to slow down to 6-7% this year compared to 14% in 2011-12. As the growth is likely to be less, this might result in companies getting more competitive to get deals in their hand. Following are the few competitors of Bosch Ltd Name| Last Price| Market Cap. (Rs. cr. )| Sales Turnover| Net Profit| Total Assets| Bosch| 8,734. 75| 27,426. 15| 8,162. 06| 1,122. 56| 5,035. 57| Exide Industrie| 151. 85| 12,907. 25| 5,111. 02| 461. 17| 3,057. 32| Motherson Sumi| 160. 95| 9,462. 9| 3,587. 46| 317. 17| 2,152. 70| Amara Raja Batt| 224. 30| 3,831. 32| 2,371. 03| 215. 06| 907. 54| WABCO India| 1,629. 25| 3,090. 29| 1,045. 64| 153. 40| 529. 97| Amtek India| 100. 15| 2,771. 91| 1,886. 62| 151. 25| 3,758. 02| Amtek Auto| 88. 40| 1,949. 64| 2,368. 56| 288. 13| 7,533. 64| Federal-Mogul| 204. 85| 1,139. 62| 1,151. 48| 37. 46| 569. 03| Wheels| 745. 80| 736. 06| 2,077. 54| 34. 35| 555. 58| Sundaram-Clayton| 185. 45| 703. 51| 1,033. 94| 61. 17| 620. 78| Automotive Axle| 381. 90| 577. 13| 1,012. 49| 57. 56| 305. 65| Banco Products| 65. 95| 471. 67| 559. 63| 72. 43| 417. 1| Jamna Auto| 117. 20| 462. 78| 955. 58| 42. 84| 272. 62| PORTER’S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Porter’s 5 forces and analysis of the competitive environment in this sector: Threat of new entrants (Moderate) 1. De-licensing has opened the market new entrants. 2. However, there are still many barriers to entry for the auto components market. Initial capital is very huge in the organised market restricting smaller players. 3. Technology and quality demands are very stringent. 4. As OEMs constitute the largest customer segment, component manufacturers get into strategic long term relationships, esp. or high value items. 5. Other advantages to existing players include customer service and distribution network. We can conclude that threat of new entrants is moderate. Bargaining power of suppliers 1. Raw material cost comes to 50-60% of the total production cost. 2. Suppliers to the auto component sector include companies from the electronics, fabrication, plastic and rubber, casting/forging, machine tools industries. 3. Bargaining power is low for high technology products. 4. Unorganized sector dominates the domestic component market due to excise benefits. Generally, excess supply persists.Bargaining power of customers (High) Bargaining power of customers is very high. The demand for auto ancillary products in linked to automobile demand. Demand is derived from – OEMs| Low Margin| Largest Demand, Stringent Requirements| Replacement Market| High Margin| Presence of Small competitors with cheaper prices| Exports| High Margin| Increasing Demand, Focus on Quality| This means: 1. The OEM market is very competitive and component manufacturers have to compromise on margins to bag bulk orders. 2. Moreover, delivery schedules and quality standards have to be adhered to very strictly.Companies operating in the export market face competition at a global level. Export demand is linked to the increasing acceptance towards outsourcing. In light of increased competition in the global market and oversupply situation, large auto manufacturers faced significant pressure on margins. Moreover, the imperative to invest in new product development increased. This resulted in global majors increasing budget for outsourcing of components in order to save cost. Threat of Substitutes (Low) The only substitutes to auto component manufacturers are organised component players working closely with R;amp;D teams of OEMs.However, this threat is very low. The unorganised components market faces a greater threat as replacement market consumers are shifting to genuine components. Rivalry among Competitors (Moderate) Competition is moderate. At the domestic level, market structure is fragmented for a large number of ancillary products. Most companies adopt low cost and differentiation strategies. In some products (like batteries), only two or three companies control over 80% of the market. Competition in coming period is expected to intensify, as global players enter the market leading to consolidation.The dereservation of Small Scale Industries will result in access to capital and technology. EXTERNAL FACTOR EVALUATION MATRIX Key External Factors| Weight| Rating| Wtd Score| Opportunities| | | | | | | | Human Capital| 0. 10| 3| 0. 30| Labour Cost| 0. 10| 1| 0. 10| Domestic investment and growth| 0. 05| 2| 0. 10| Continuous Improvement of Products| 0. 10| 3| 0. 30| New Product Opportunities| 0. 05| 3| 0. 15| Festive season| 0. 05| 4| 0. 20| | | | | Threats| | | | | | | | Regulatory risks| 0. 10| 2| 0. 20| Input cost and inflation| 0. 10| 1| 0. 10| Currency risk| 0. 05| 1| 0. 05| Lack of demand| 0. 0| 1| 0. 10| Growth of Auto component sector to drop to 6-7%| 0. 05| 2| 0. 10| Labour Strikes| 0. 15| 1| 0. 15| | | | | Total| 1. 00| | 1. 85| | | | | The weighted score of EFE matrix is 1. 85. The score shows that the company is not very effective in taking advantage of the existing opportunities along with minimizing the potential adverse effects of external threats. References: 1. http://www. boschindia. com 2. www. moneycontrol. com 3. News Article : http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424052748703909804575122832895561158. html? mod=WSJ_latestheadlines 4. http://www. bosch. com