Apple Mission Statement Essay Example for Free

Apple Mission Statement Essay Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices. When shoppers sleep outside of stores just to be one of the first to buy an iPhone, its obvious that Apple Inc. is a company that enjoys fanatical brand loyalty. However, this brand success is not a result of dumb luck or forces beyond Apples control; its part of a well-thought-out plan to deliver strong products and to create an Apple culture. Find out more about these and other strategies that Apple employs to achieve its tremendous customer loyalty. A Store Just for Apple: Apple has historically been troubled by big-box sales staffers who are ill-informed about its products, a problem that made it difficult for Apple to set its very different products apart from the rest of the computing crowd. By creating a store strictly devoted to Apple products, the company has not only eliminated this problem but has made an excellent customer-loyalty move. Apple stores are a friendly place where Mac and PC users alike are encouraged to play with and explore the technology that the company offers. This is a space where Macheads can not only get service but also hang out with others who enjoy Apple products just as much as they do. By creating this space, Apple encourages current and new customers to get excited about what it has to offer. Complete Solutions: Apples products complement and complete each other. Buy an iPod, and you can download music via iTunes. For the average user, most Mac programs are produced by Apple. This sort of control over the entire user process, from hardware to software, strengthens customer loyalty. Apple users generally dont have to stray to find products and solutions they want. Are You a Mac? : Lets face it, Apple is a hip brand. It pushes a strong identification with everything young, up-to-the-minute and smart. Consider Apples Im a Mac campaign. The Mac guy is smooth and confident, while PC appears uptight and old. Once youve become smooth, would you want to go back to uptight? Varied Products: Many consumers may not be ready to buy an Apple computer, but theyre willing to give gadgets like the iPod or iPhone a try. By selling products with lower entry costs, t creates an opportunity for new users to be introduced to Apple. If these users enjoy their gadgets, theyre more likely to consider buying an Apple computer in the future. Media Fodder: Media outlets, especially bloggers, love to write about Apple. Why? Because Apple makes it so easy. With leaked rumors about new developments, its very own expo and mysterious shutdowns of its online store, Apple gift wraps news stories that are just begging for speculation and hype. By perpetuating this cycle of media frenzy, Apple keeps its customers excited about buying new Apple products now and in the future. Education Sales: By selling its products to schools and universities, Apple turns classrooms into showrooms. If students go through school using Apple products, they become comfortable with the interface and familiar with the superior performance the brand offers. By creating this early exposure, Apple captures customers before they even know that they are customers. Products That Deliver: Apple carefully considers what consumers are looking for, so its products are a result of both extensive research and strong design. This meticulous planning is a large contributor to Apples high customer-satisfaction rates. Its plain and simple: Robust and easy-to-use products not only make your customers happy, but also make them want to buy more products from you in the future. Outsourcing Unpleasantness: With Apple products, the average consumers interaction with the company is likely to be low. Unless something goes wrong, you dont have any reason to speak with an Apple customer-service representative. Of course, the iPhone presented an opportunity that could have made Apple much more involved, similar to administering iTunes for the iPod. With a phone, interaction becomes multifaceted. You have to consider billing errors, quality of wireless service, contracts and a number of other factors that often lead to customer frustration. With the iPhone, Apple was wise to stick with building a good product and letting ATT handle the service. Consistency: All of Apples products have the same basic architecture. Because of this consistency, customers who already own Apple products have a good idea of what theyll be getting before they make a purchase. They know that it will be easy to adapt to new hardware, and this makes them more open to making a repeat purchase. New Innovations: Although the architecture of Apple products is consistent, its portfolio is not. The company offers consumers a number of different ways to enjoy its products. By giving customers an opportunity to employ Apple in their living rooms, pockets and offices, Apple makes it easy to stay loyal to a brand they already like. Attractiveness: From packaging to aesthetic design to user-interface experience, Apple makes its products accessible and attractive. Bright colors, a smiling icon and slick-looking hardware remind customers every time they use Apple products that what Apple offers is appealing.

Fundemental Rights of India Essay Example for Free

Fundemental Rights of India Essay The Fundamental Rights in Indian constitution acts as a guarantee that all Indian citizens can and will live their lifes in peace as long as they live in Indian democracy. They include individual rigts common to most liberal democracies, such as equality before the law, freddom of speech and expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom of religion, and the right to constitutional remedies for the protection of civil right. Originally, the right to property was also included in the Fundamental Rights, however, the Forty-Fourth Amendment, passed in 1978, revised the status of property rights by stating that No person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law. Following are the Fudamental Rights in India Right to Equality | * Article 14 :- Equality before law and equal protection of law * Article 15 :- Prohibition of discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. * Article 16 :- Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment * Article 17 :- End of untouchability * Article 18 :- Abolition of titles, Military and academic distinctions are, however, exempted| Right to Freedom | * Article 19 :- It guarantees the citizens of India the following six fundamentals freedoms:- 1. Freedom of Speech and Expression 2. Freedom of Assembly 3. Freedom of form Associations 4. Freedom of Movement 5. Freedom of Residence and Settlement 6. Freedom of Profession, Occupation, Trade and Bussiness * Article 20 :- Protection in respect of conviction for offences * Article 21 :- Protection of life and personal liberty * Article 22 :- Protection against arrest and detention in certain cases | Right Against Exploitation | * Article 23 :- Traffic in human beings prohibited * Article 24 :- No child below the age of 14 can be employed | Right to freedom of Religion | * Article 25 :- Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion * Article 26 :- Freedom to manage religious affairs * Article 27 :- Prohibits taxes on religious grounds * Article 28 :- Freedom as to attendance at religious ceremonies in certain educational institutions | Cultural and Educational Rights | * Article 29 :- Protection of interests of minorities * Article 30 :- Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions * Article 31 :- Omitted by the  44th Amendment Act | Right to Constitutional Remedies | * Article 32 :- The right to move the Supreme Court in case of their violation (called Soul and heart of the Constitution by BR Ambedkar) * Forms of Writ check * Habeas Corpus :- Equality before law and equal protection of law | Fundamental Right 1. Part-III, containing articles from 12 to 35 deal with Fundamental Rights. 2. The Fundamental Rights can be enforceable by a court against the State. 3. These are primarily aim at assuring political freedom to the citizens by protecting them against the excessive State action. 4. The Fundamental Rights are given a pride of place by the Constitution makers. 5. The chapter of Fundamental Rights is sacrosanct and not liable to be abridged by legislative or executive act or orders, except to the extent provided in appropriate Article in Part III. 6. Grover Justice Supreme Court said: â€Å"where as the fundamental rights lay down the means by which that goal was to be achieved.† 7. Fundamental rights occupy a unique place in the lives of civilized society and have been variously described in judgment of the Supreme Court as â€Å"transcendental†, â€Å"inalienable† and â€Å"personal†. 8. There are negative in character. The State is asked not to do certain things for the people. Directive Principles of State Policy 1. Part –IV, containing Articles from 36 to 50, deal with Directive Principle of State Policy. 2. The Directive Principles of State Policy can not be enforceable by any Court. 3. These are aimed at securing welfare, social and economic freedoms by appropriate State action. 4. The Directive Principles are given a place of permanence by the Constitution makers. 5. The Directive Principles of State policies have to confirm and to run as subsidiary to the Chapter of Fundamental Rights. 6. Grover Justice Supreme Court said: â€Å"Directive Principles prescribe the goal to be attained.† 7. The Supreme Court described the Directive Principles of State policy as â€Å"Conscience of our Constitution†. 8. These are positive in character. The State is directed to take certain positive steps for the welfare and advancement of the people. Directive Principles Of State Policy The Constitution lays down certain Directive Principles of State Policy which  though not justiceable, are ‘fundamental in governance of the country’ and it is the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws. These lay down that the State shall strive to promote welfare of people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may a social order in which justice social, economic and political, shall inform all institutions of national life. The State shall direct its policy in such a manner as to secure the right of all men and women to an adequate means of livelihood, equal pay for equal work and within limits of its economic capacity and development, to make effective provision for securing the right to work, education and to public assistance in the event of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement or other cases of undeserved want. The State shall also endeavour to secure to workers a living wage, humane conditions of work, a decent standard of life and full involvement of workers in management of industries. In the economic sphere, the State is to direct its policy in such a manner as to secure distribution of ownership and control of material resources of community to subserve the common good and to ensure that operation of economic system does not result in concentration of wealth and means of production of common detriment. (1) Equitable distribution of wealth or the socialist pattern of society and equal pay for equal work for both men and women. (2) Provision of adequate means of livelihood to all its citizens, men and women. (3) Provision of employment to all. (4) Free and compulsory education for children. (5) Living wage for workers. (6) Protection of childhood and youth against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment. (7) Organization of village panchayats as units of self-government (Article 40). (8) Prohibition of the consumption except for medical purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs injurious to health. (9) Organization of agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines. (10) Promotion of international peace and security and maintenance of just and honourable relations between the nations of the world. THE DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE Policy in the Constitution of India have been inspired by the Constitution of Ireland. It contains ideals of a Welfare State. The Directive Principles are  contained in Part-IV of the Constitution. RIGHT TO WORK IN THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION Article 41 in Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy) in the Constitution of India reads, â€Å"The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of undeserved want.† The custodian of Fundamental Rights is the Supreme Court of India. The differences between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles are: Fundamental Rights * Fundamental Rights are justiciable * Indian Constitution mentions some of the most important rights of the citizens called fundamental rights. * These rights are necessary if citizens are to act properly and live democratically. * These rights are fundamental in legal sense. If Government passes any law which restricts them, then those laws would be invalid. * The Constitution guarantees us six fundamental rights. * Fundamental rights concern the individual. Directive Principals * Directive Principles of State policy are not justiciable. The provision of Directive Principles thus can not be enforced in court of law. * These are actually directions given by the Constitution of the State to adopt policies which would help to establish a just society in our country. * The aim of these instructions is to create proper economic and social conditions in which citizens of our country can lead a good life. * Directive principles concern State.

The Definition Of Health Management Essay

The Definition Of Health Management Essay This assignment is actually will describe about the contradictory demand of cost reduction program and the need to invest to enhance the standard of health, safety and environment (HSE) in the industry. This assignment consist of the definition of Health, the definition of Safety, the definition of environment, Professional Organization in Malaysia, Cost Reduction, Profit, Discussion and also the Conclusion of this assignment. 2.0 THE DEFINITION OF HEALTH Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a persons mind and body, usually meaning to be free from  illness,  injury  or  pain  (as in good health or healthy). The  World Health Organization  (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Systematic activities to prevent or cure health problems and promote good health in humans are undertaken by  health care providers. Applications with regard to animal health are covered by the veterinary sciences. The term healthy is also widely used in the context of many types of non-living organizations and their impacts for the benefit of humans, such as in the sense of  healthy communities,  healthy cities  or  healthy environments. In addition to health care interventions and a persons surroundings, a number of other factors ar e known to influence the health status of individuals, including their background, lifestyle, and economic and social conditions, these are referred to as determinants of health. Generally, the context in which an individual lives is of great importance for his health status and quality of life. It is increasingly recognized that health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of  health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent  lifestyle  choices of the individual and society. According to the  World Health Organization, the main determinants of health include the social and economic environment, the physical environment, and the persons individual characteristics and behaviours. 3.0 THE DEFINITION OF SAFETY Safety  is the state of being safe, the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage,  error,  accidents,  harm  or any other event which could be considered non-desirable. Safety can also be defined to be the control of recognized hazards to achieve an acceptable level of risk. This can take the form of being protected from the event or from exposure to something that causes health or economical losses. It can include protection of people or of possessions. There are two slightly different meanings of  safety. For example,  home safety  may indicate a buildings ability to protect against external harm events (such as weather, home invasion, etc.), or may indicate that its internal installations (such as appliances, stairs, etc.) are safe (not dangerous or harmful) for its inhabitants. Safety is the condition of a steady state of an organization or place doing what it is supposed to do. What it is supposed to do is defined in terms of public codes and standards, associated architectural and engineering designs, corporate vision and mission statements, and operational plans and personnel policies. For any organization, place, or function, large or small, safety is a normative concept. It complies with situation-specific definitions of what is expected and acceptable. Security is the process or means, physical or human, of delaying, preventing, and otherwise protecting against external or internal, defects, dangers, loss, criminals, and other individuals or actions that threaten, hinder or destroy an organizations steady state, and deprive it of its intended purpose for being. Safety can be limited in relation to some  guarantee  or a standard of  insurance  to the quality and unharmful function of an object or organization. It is used in order to ensure that the object or organization will do only what it is meant to do. It is important to realize that safety is relative. Eliminating all  risk, if even possible, would be extremely difficult and very expensive. A safe situation is one where risks of injury or property damage are low and manageable. 4.0 THE DEFINITION OF ENVIRONMENT 4.1 Environment system In  science  and  engineering, a  system  is the part of the  universe  that is being studied, while the  environment  is the remainder of the universe that lies outside the boundaries of the system. It is also known as the  surroundings, and in  thermodynamics, as the  reservoir. In some disciplines, such as  information theory,  information  may also be exchanged. The environment is ignored in analysis of the system, except in regards to these interactions. The Environmental systems are vital to the human race and to all living organisms. Without the systems in place and working, we would all cease to exist. Rivers and streams are an example, if the system of this were to not work, then the whole system would collapse. 4.2 Environmental Health Environmental health  is a branch of  public health  concerned with all aspects of the  natural  and  built environment  that may affect human  health. Other phrases that concern or refer to the discipline of environmental health include  environmental public health  and  environmental health and protection. The field of environmental health differs from  environmental science  in that environmental health is concerned with environmental factors affecting human health whereas environmental science is concerned with the environment as it affects ecosystems. Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments. This definition excludes behaviour not related to environme nt, as well as behaviour related to the social and cultural environment, and genetics. Environmental health is defined by the  World Health Organization. Those aspects of the human health and disease that are determined by factors in the environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing and controlling factors in the environment that can potentially affect health. Environmental health as used by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, includes both the direct pathological effects of chemicals, radiation and some biological agents, and the effects (often indirect) on health and well being of the broad physical, psychological, social and cultural environment, which includes housing, urban development, land use and transport. 4.3 Environmental Health Profession Environmental health practitioners may be known as  sanitarians,  public health inspectors, environmental health specialists,  environmental health officers  or environmental health practitioners. In many European countries, physicians and veterinarians are involved in environmental health. In the United Kingdom, practitioners must have a graduate degree in environmental health and be certified and registered with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. In Canada, practitioners in environmental health are required to obtain an approved bachelors degree in environmental health along with the national professional certificate the Certificate in Public Health Inspection (Canada). Many states in the  United States  also require that individuals have a bachelors degree and professional  licenses  in order to practice environmental health. 4.4 Disciplines of Environmental Health Three basic disciplines generally contribute to the field of environmental health. The three disciplines of Environmental Health is environmental epidemiology, toxicology, and exposure science. Each of these disciplines contributes different information to describe problems in environmental health, but there is some overlap among them. Environmental epidemiology  studies the relationship between environmental exposures (including exposure to chemicals, radiation, microbiological agents, etc.) and human health. Observational studies, which simply observe exposures that people have already experienced, are common in environmental epidemiology because humans cannot ethically be exposed to agents that are known or suspected to cause disease. While the inability to use experimental study designs is a limitation of environmental epidemiology, this discipline directly observes effects on human health rather than estimating effects from animal studies. Toxicology  studies how environmental exposures lead to specific health outcomes, generally in animals, as a means to understand possible health outcomes in humans. Toxicology has the advantage of being able to conduct randomized controlled trials and other experimental studies because they can use animal subjects. However there are many differences in animal and human biology, and there can be a lot of uncertainty when interpreting the results of  animal studies  for their implications for human health. Exposure science  studies human exposure to environmental contaminants by both identifying and quantifying exposures. Exposure science can be used to support environmental epidemiology by better describing environmental exposures that may lead to a particular health outcome, identify common exposures whose health outcomes may be better understood through a toxicology study, or can be used in a risk assessment to determine whether current levels of exposure might exceed recommended levels. Exposure science has the advantage of being able to very accurately quantify exposures to specific chemicals, but it does not generate any information about health outcomes like environmental epidemiology or toxicology. Information from these three disciplines can be combined to conduct a  risk assessment  for specific chemicals or mixtures of chemicals to determine whether an exposure poses significant risk to human health. 5.0 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION IN MALAYSIA 1. Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) Occupational Safety and Health Agency OSHA is comprised of a diverse team of safety and quality professionals whose expertise is focused on what the company does best. With technical expertise as diverse and complex as the sites and facilities of its clients, OSHA is strategically positioned to help the regulated community manage a wide range of technical and regulatory issues related to past, present and future operations. OSHA is distinguished by the range and variety of professional disciplines it provides; the advanced technical expertise of OSHA staff; and professional contributions that OSHA has made to industry as well as the local community through participation in a number of projects and events that have helped to raise public awareness related to safety, and quality concerns. OSHA has established long term-valued relationships with our clients, providing customized approaches to occupational injury and illness prevention.   The OSHA organization work closely and discretely with clients to identify hazards and provide perspective on risk. OSHA can then correct deficiencies and improve performance within an existing organizational framework. 2. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Malaysia is a company limited by guarantee owned by the Government of Malaysia. In the words of the Minister of Human Resources, Malaysia, NIOSH would be a critical catalyst in the promotion of occupational safety and health that would also serve as the backbone to create a self-regulating occupational safety and health culture in Malaysia. NIOSH is committed to ensure a safe and healthy working environment to all employees and others involved in or affected by its operation taking into account statutory requirement and relevant national and international standards and codes of practices.   Implementation and effectiveness of this policy is a line management responsibility together with the participation and involvement of all employees and NIOSH will ensure that adequate resources, training and time are made available.   Safety and Health management systems and programmes will be regularly reviewed to ensure continuous improvement. Humanistic approach will be adopted by NIOSH to promote a safe and healthy work culture which employer and employees share the common responsibility of creating a better work environment for all. This policy will be monitored to ensure achievement of our objectives and reviewed in light of legislative or organizational changes. 6.0 COST REDUCTION Cost reduction  is the process used by companies to reduce their  costs  and increase their  profits. Depending on a companys  services  or  product, the strategies can vary. However, it is important to remember that every decision in the product development process affects  cost. Companies typically launch a new product without focusing too much on cost. Cost becomes more important when competition increases and price becomes a differentiator in the market. There are several types of main cost reduction strategies:- Supplier consolidation Component consolidation Re-source to low cost countries Request For Quotations Supplier cost breakdown analysis Function analysis / Value analysis / Value engineering Design For Manufacture / Design For Assembly Reverse costing Cost driver analysis Should cost Product benchmarking Design to cost Design workshops with suppliers Competitor benchmarking There are right  cost reduction  techniques and there are wrong ones. Using the right strategies will result in a more efficient company spending. Using the wrong techniques will create a reduction of expenses required to maintain product quality and company value. It is a fine line sometimes, but a systematic approach can help managers avoid making serious mistakes in the rush to cut expenses. Cost management strategies should be utilized as components of a larger objective to maintain maximum profitability. As such, cutting expenses will be just one part of a plan that focuses also on maximizing revenue. Effective techniques will begin with the setting of goals and objectives. There can be many reasons why a company might need to cut costs. To create additional cash reserves To reduce price of product or service To bring expenses in line with revenues To eliminate unnecessary expenses or wasteful spending To increase company value To increase competitive advantage To move costs between departments Identifying the goal of the expense reduction exercise will assist with implementation of an effective plan. In other words, if you dont know why you are cutting costs, how are you going to know where to cut costs? The purpose of expense reduction is to help the company towards long term survival. Purposes of expense reduction include: Create cash for reinvest in research and development Reduce manufacturing costs to stay competitive Reduce costs as a non profit so able to serve more people Lower costs of service in order to provide additional services To become more efficient To prevent employee lay-offs To prevent reduction in employee benefits Cost reduction techniques should also be evaluated in terms of impact on the organization. Prioritizing the goals of the cost cutting program will insure that the strategies are implemented appropriately. There are many different ways a company can institute a plan to reduce expenses. Across the board reductions Prioritized reductions Departmental reductions Reductions based on professional assessment Cost reduction techniques can be an important strategy for another reason. They can teach a company to be economical, by forcing a regular review of spending at every level of the organization. It can keep a company vital and streamlined. The Alternate Considered Cost Reduction Ideas When seeking to reduce its expenditures on goods and services, the first thought in many organizations is Lets find cheaper suppliers. But in many cases, sourcing for new suppliers are either not practical or its a suboptimal alternative.  Fortunately, there are several ideas for achieving cost reductions without switching suppliers. Ask You May Receive   Ask your suppliers if they have cost savings ideas. You never know when the answer may surprise you.   Aggregation   According to Patton, Aggregation is any effort that makes the buyers requirements more attractive to the seller by bundling those requirements with the volume of other buyers. This can be internal across business units or geographies or external with other companies. For external bundling, you can build your own consortium or join an existing group purchasing organization. Spec Rationalization   Spec Rationalization involves looking at the goods and services you buy and determining smarter ways to specify them. Patton shares an example from previous employment: We discovered that we had between 80 and 100 different specifications across the company worldwide for water. No reasonable person in Purchasing or Engineering is gonna say that we really need that many specs for water.   Leveraging The Supply Chain   In this technique, youre looking at suppliers suppliers, one or two steps back in the supply chain, Patton explains. Sometimes, the biggest cost component in the equation is really out of your own immediate suppliers direct control. Patton recommends working to identify situations where several of your suppliers buy the same material towards what they make for you and then leveraging that combined demand to drive cost reductions from lower tier suppliers. 7.0 PROFIT A financial benefit that is realized when the amount of revenue gained from a business activity exceeds the expenses, costs and taxes needed to sustain the activity. Any profit that is gained goes to the businesss owners, who may or may not decide to spend it on the business. Calculated as: Profit = Total Revenue Total Expenses Profit is the money a business makes after accounting for all the expenses. Regardless of whether the business is a couple of kids running a lemonade stand or a publicly traded multinational company, consistently earning profit is every companys goal. 7.1 Economic Profit In neoclassical  microeconomic  theory, the term  profit  has two related but distinct meanings.  Normal profit  represents the total  opportunity costs  of a venture to an investor, whereas  economic profit  is, at least in the  neoclassical microeconomic theory  which dominates modern economics, the difference between a  firms total  revenue  and all costs (including normal profit).   A related concept, sometimes considered synonymous in certain contexts, is that of  economic rent. Other types of profit have been referenced, including  social profit  (related to  externalities). It is not to be confused with  profit in finance and accounting, which is equal to revenue minus only explicit costs and  super profit. Profit is not synonymous with the concepts of profitability and the  profit motive. 7.2 Normal Profit Normal  profit is a component of (implicit) costs and so not a component of business profit at all. It represents the opportunity cost for enterprise, since the time that the owner spends running the firm could be spent on running another firm. The enterprise component of normal profit is thus the profit that a business owner considers necessary to make running the business worth his while for example it is comparable to the next best amount the entrepreneur could earn doing another job. Particularly if enterprise is not included as a  factor of production, it can also be viewed a return to capital for investors including the entrepreneur, equivalent to the return the capital owner could have expected (in a safe investment), plus compensation for risk.   In other words, the cost of normal profit varies both within and across industries; it is commensurate with the riskiness associated with each type of investment, as per the risk-return spectrum. Only normal profits arise in ci rcumstances of  perfect competition  when long run  economic equilibrium  is reached; there is no incentive for firms to either enter or leave the industry. 8.0 DISCUSSION 1. Cost Reduction  by Design How to Reduce Product Cost by Design: Practice  Concurrent Engineering  with early and active participation of manufacturing, purchasing, vendors, etc. Implement  Design for Manufacturability  ( DFM ),  Design for Lean, and  Design for Quality For dramatic cost reduction   half cost to order-of-magnitude  Ã‚  optimize the concept/architecture phase To convert ideas, research or prototypes into viable products, use commercialization techniques to ensure success Activities Supportive to Low Cost Product Development: Co-locating Engineering with Manufacturing  ensures the best teamwork; avoid distant  off shoring If outsourcing, choose local vendors which ensures early and active vendor participation in product development teams Pre-select Vendor/Partners  who will help develop products, avoid low-bidding so that vendors will help with design Implement  standardization  and good product portfolio planning for the best focus Total cost measurements  to quantify all costs affected by design Correcting  Counterproductive Policies.  Ã‚  New ventures and start-ups will be able to implement these principles right away. Established companies may have to first correct  counterproductive policies, by prioritizing portfolio planning, scrutinizing high-overhead sales, emphasizing thorough up-front work, quantifying all costs, and avoiding time-draining attempts to  reduce cost after design, going for the  low-bidder, or  moving production offshore. See full  article on counterproductive policies. 2.  Lean Production  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Manufacturing Cost: Implement Lean Production Activities Supportive to Lean Production: Design product families for lean production Concurrently Engineer flexible processes Implement  standardization to enable  dock-to-line distribution Rationalize products to eliminate the most unusual products with the most unusual parts and processes Total cost measurements to quantify all costs related to manufacturing Keep control of manufacturing in house or with vendor/partners. 3.  Overhead  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Overhead Cost: Implement  Build-to-Order  and  Mass Customization  to build products on-demand without forecasts or inventory Activities Supportive to Build-to-Order Mass Customization: Implement  lean production Rationalize products Total cost measurements  to quantify overhead costs 4.  Standardization  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Cost with Standardization: Implement Standardization  with a practical procedure has been developed to standardize part and materials for new designs Activities Supportive to Standardization: Rationalize products  to eliminate or outsource the most unusual products that have the most unusual parts and materials Total cost measurements  to justify standardization efforts and encourage picking standard parts 5.  Product Line Rationalization  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Cost with Product Line Rationalization: Implement Product Line Rationalization  to eliminate or outsource low-profit products that have high overhead demands and are not compatible with cost reduction strategies Activities Supportive to Product Line Rationalization: Product Portfolio Planning focuses new product development Total cost measurements  to identify opportunities and supports rationalization decisions 6.  Supply Chain Management  Cost Reduction How to Reduce Cost in Supply Chain Management: Design products around standard parts  to simplify Supply Chain Management Standardize parts  to focus Supply Chain Management on high-volume, easy to get parts Rationalize away the most unusual products  which have the most usual, hardest-to-get parts Establish Vendor/Partnerships, which saves more money than  low-bidding Activities Supportive to Supply Chain Cost Reduction: Total cost measurements  to encourage and justify standardization and rationalization Dont merge acquired products into the same plant or build others products 7.  Quality Cost  Reduction How to Reduce the Cost of Quality: Eliminating quality costs starts with  designing in quality Rationalizing away unusual products  raises net factory quality and avoids wasting quality resources on inherently lower quality products Activities Supportive to Quality Cost Reduction: Total cost measurements to quantify the Cost of Quality 8.  Total Cost  Measurement to Support All Cost Reduction Activities How to Reduce Cost with Total Cost Measurements: Implement total cost measurement  with the easy-to-implement  cost driver  approach Activities Supportive to Total Cost Measurements: Until total cost can be quantified, everyone must make decisions based on  total cost thinking Senior management understands the importance of quantifying total cost, implements total cost measurements, and encourages all cost decisions to be made on basis of total cost 9.0 CONCLUSION As conclusion we can said that, the objectives of this assignment have been achieved which is to understand how to be cost effective but yet meeting the ever increasing HSE requirement. The conclusion is made due to what I have done about this assignment, describe properly about the problem required in this assignment. Cost becomes more important when competition increases and price becomes a differentiator in the market. Identifying the goal of the expense reduction exercise will assist with implementation of an effective plan. The purpose of expense reduction is to help the company towards long term survival. 10.0 REFERENCES [1] http://mydiposh.wordpress.com/tag/niosh-malaysia/ [2] http://www.niosh.com.my/en/ [3] http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/cost-reduction/index.jhtml [4] http://www.the-cost-reduction-consultant.com/CostReduction.html [5] http://www.nextlevelpurchasing.com/articles/cost-reduction-ideas.html?gclid [6] http://www.halfcostproducts.com/

Personality and Personal Growth Essay -- Psychology Research Papers

Personality and Personal Growth â€Å"An integral being knows without going, sees without looking and accomplishes without doing† – Lao Tzu The text book definition of Personality is an individual’s unique pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviors that persist over time and across situations. I agree with this idea that a personality is what makes all of us who we are. I believe that a personality is a combination of innate characteristics that everyone is born with and the sum of total life experiences. I believe that a personality is a portrayal of an individual’s reality. The way that an individual walks, talks, speaks and even the career path that they choose to go on is all a reflection of their personality. I believe that each individual is put on this earth to influence every person that they come in contact with; it is the responsibility of every individual to learn as well as teach each other. I strongly believe that you are born with a unique, distinct personality. I remember when both my nieces and my nephew were born each one of them had a specific personality that has transformed and made them each as they are today. My oldest niece, since the young age has always had this older wisdom about her like she was a reincarnated older spirit. This wisdom always comes out in her personality; she is continuously teaching us (older folk) and making us look at life in a different manner than what we would originally look at something. She has made us look out o...

Essays --

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a psychological disorder that is described in the DSM-5 as a specifier to describe subpopulations of patients with recurrent depressive disorders and bipolar disorder. It is unique because unlike depression symptoms, seasonal affective disorder has variations in onset, intensity and remission following a temporal pattern (American Psychiatric, 2013). Seasonality is seasonal variation in behavior and mood and seasonal affective disorder describes the extreme end of seasonality. The most common form of this disorder is Winter SAD in which the depressive symptoms begin in the fall and winter and go into remission in the spring in summer but the opposite, Summer SAD where depressive symptoms begin in the spring and summer and go into remission in the fall and winter is also sometimes observed. In recent years, there has been more of a push to advocate getting help for seasonal affective disorder for those that need it. The treatment that is most often provided is bright light therapy. The cause of this disorder is generally considered to be lack of exposure to sunlight but there are many factors that have been found to contribute to the susceptibility to seasonal affective disorder, such as the latitudinal position, the activity level, gender and age, and the personality of a person. One of the most widely known and tested factors that affects susceptibility to seasonal affective disorder is latitudinal position. This factor was one of the first used in explaining seasonal affective disorder. As a person moves higher in latitude which means goes north, the amount of sunlight per day is significantly reduced, which can cause seasonal affective disorder to begin to arise. This lack of sunlight can c... ...light-latitude hypothesis of seasonal depression needs to be looked at again or more focus added to another possible factor that could contribute to SAD (Haggarty et al., 2001). In conclusion, though often looked over, seasonal affective disorder is a very serious disorder that is shown to be as severe as non-seasonal major depression. Both Winter SAD and Summer SAD can be debilitating for the patient who has them. The latitudinal position, the activity level, gender and age, and the personality of a person are all factors that can contribute to susceptibility to seasonal affective disorder or can help us in understanding and possibly even treating it. Aside from these factors, there is research going on even now looking into other possible factors that could contribute to the susceptibility to seasonal affective disorder as well as new treatments for the disorder.

Welsh Poetry Essay - Compare and contrast White Roses with Stop all the

Welsh Poetry Essay - Compare and contrast White Roses with Stop all the Clocks. -Compare and contrast "White Roses" with "Stop all the Clocks." "White Roses" is about a young boy who dies. It was written by Gillian Clarke, a modern Welsh poet. The title of the poem is ironic, because "White Roses" suggests youth, beauty and innocence. The poem starts with, "Outside the green velvet sitting room" This suggests luxury and wealth. The use of the colour green is also very indicative, because the colour green suggests spring and fertility and overall life. This is in contrast with the theme of the poem, which is suppoused to be one of death, but in actuality, it is as much about life as it is of death. The next two verses fit in with the theme of green, fertility and springtime. "White roses bloom after rain" "They hold water and sunlight" This is a simile. Water and sunlight are essential to life, which interlock with the theme of life. The newly-bloomed white roses are only still alive because of the water and sunlight they hold. The reader is then taken inside , to a scene of sickness and disease. "Within the boy who sleeps in my care, In the big chair" "Big chair" suggests that this boy is a very small boy. The boy awakens to pain. "The cold bloom Opens at a terrible speed And the splinter of ice moves" The second and the third stanza are linked together, through enjambment. "In his blood as he stirs in the chair" From the next line we can assume that the boy and carer are not family. The narrator is merely a nurse or a carer for this boy. The boy is obviously in a lot of pain. A sympton of some unknown disease. He grits in teeth in effort to subdue of forget the... ...ve, where-as "Stop all the Clocks" is written in first person narrative. "Stop all the Clocks" is also a more personal poem where as "White Roses" is more vauge and abstract. More objective . "White Roses" is about a child, who was not close to the poet, dying. "Stop all the Clocks" is a poem all about grieving and mourning for a lover, a partner. It is about the complete and utter outpouring of grief. "White Roses" is simply a reflection of death. The poem I prefer is "Stop all the Clocks", because I feel it is a more significant poem than "White Roses" simply because it is a more personal poem. A poem full of heartache, grief and despair that someone the poet truly loved has gone forever. I feel it is a more realistic poem. Although "White Roses" is a sad poem, "Stop all the Clocks" is a sadder poem. Full of an overwhelming sense of grief and of loss.

Ethical Consumerism: The Local Food Company

Executive Summary The report aims to understand the concept of ethical consumerism, with the help of an organisation that operates ethically. The selected organisation is The Local Food Company in the UK. The Local food company is engaged in sourcing and delivery of fresh, local and organic food including fruits and vegetables (organic and non-organic), dairy, grocery baked products and household items. Firstly, the report will provide an introduction to ethical consumerism and ethical products. Secondly, the report will conduct a detailed analysis of The Local Food company ethical activities and its socially responsible business. Thirdly, findings from a short opinion survey based on consumer behaviour are presented, Lastly, the report will conclude with the key findings. 1. Introduction: Ethical consumerism Consumers are getting more informed with the help of Internet and this is influencing their buying decisions. According to many scholars, the idea of ethical consumerism rose from the end of the 20th century due to increased media and ability to access information, and better availability of products (Newholm and Shaw, 2007). Ethical consumers have political, spiritual, religious, environmental and social motives for purchasing one product over other options (Harrison et al., 2005). There are two types of purchase behaviour as stated by economists: traditional purchase behaviour and ethical purchase behaviour. People will normally buy the cheapest product but only if they are confident that the product is as good as slightly more costly options available (Beardshaw, 1992 cited in Harrison et al., 2005). This is known as traditional purchase behaviour. Sometimes, customers boycott a certain product or brand and opt for a fair labelled or environmental friendly product as they consider ethical means more important (Harrison et al., 2005). This type of behaviour is termed ethical purchase behaviour. An ethical consumer is not someone who is ignoring price and quality but is applying additional criteria when buying a certain product. Ethical consumerism can be defined as the degree to which the customers prioritise their own ethical concerns when making product choices (Shaw and Clarke, 1998). Ethical consumerism is linked with morality. According to Crane and Matte n (2005), morality is related to the norms, beliefs and values embedded in the social processes that aims to define right or wrong for an individual or society. Ethical consumers can boycott a product if they read something unethical about a brand or they can simply purchase products, which are ethically sourced or have ‘fair trade’ tag. Ethical consumers consider the impact of their act of personal consumption on the society and environment. They don’t purchase product that are harmful to environment and respect animal and human rights. For example: purchasing free-range eggs; boycotting products manufactured by child, forced labour or labours who are offered low wages. There are various products that fall into the ethical category are banking, cleaning, cosmetics & toiletries, dairy, energy finance, fashion, food, insurance, soft drinks, tea industry and travel. According to ethicalconsumer.org (2014), there are over 200 ethical products in different categories. for example, a washing machine to save water and energy, a cooker with the least environmental impact, baby bottle sterilizer and impact of plastic on environment; living wage of worker who manufacture clothes; materials use in shoes-pvc, leather, wool; purchasing a greener desktop computer; milk and animal welfare; low wages in banana industry; lead in lipstick; fair trade flowers; bio detergent for cleaner environment; green or eco insurance companies; mobile phone helping activists; human rights issues in constructing hotels, etc. 2. Review of an ethical organisation: The Local Food Company The Local food company is engaged in sourcing and delivery of fresh, local and organic food including fruits and vegetables (organic and non-organic), dairy, grocery baked products and household items (The Local Food Company, 2014a). The company aims to source majority of products from Devonshire and West Country. It is a family business operating for over 200 years in Devon. The company is based at farm shop, Countrymen’s Choice at Ivybridge. The company has provided an alternative to supermarket online services. Being a small producer, it is successful as an online retailer. The company has been awarded for its green practices and ethical means of working. It includes Internet retailer of the year in 2006 for the South West, Green business of the year in 2007 and greening Devon finalist in 2007 EDBI awards. The company has proved how to run a sustainable food business. The company states, â€Å"At The Local Food Company we believe in a fair deal for our customers, our suppl iers, the environment, animals and indeed for ourselves†. The Local Food Company claims to operate ethically. â€Å"The Local Food Company are a very green and ethical business; we believe right now we are the greenest place you will be able to purchase food from in the UK† (The Local Food Company, 2014a). In addition to ethical sourcing of product, a business is also regarded as socially responsible when it fulfil the needs and wants of different stakeholders such as customers, employees, suppliers and investors. Any businesses that incur ethical artefacts attract as well as retain investors, customers and employees. To formulate this aspect, we take into account the Local food company ethical trading policies (The Local Food Company, 2014b). In exercising business ethics aspect, the Local Food Company have registered all employees to trade unions and provided them with fair wages and equal treatment. The company is against child labour, deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure, forcing employees to work excessive hours and discrimination. In addition to this, the company has no tolerance to bribery, blackmailing and bullying aspects among the staff and the consumers (The Local Food Company, 2014b). The Local Food Company has improved working conditions for employees making it safe and hygienic, hence boosting the morale of employees as well as strengthening the bond between the company and consumers preferences based on the products they produce. In some areas, it also operates above the minimum standards required by law in terms of safety of employees, rewards and values. This shows that the company’s main motive is not just to earn profit but also consider their employees’ needs and wants. At Local Food Company, any member of the staff is free to view his or her sentiment and the company usually accepts the sentiment equally without racial prejudice as well as discrimination based on gender. It can be seen that the company works as a socially responsible business in terms of employmen t practices; different ethical policies of The Local Food company are clearly stated on the website. The Local food company also promotes and encourages suppliers to follow ethical guidelines. All suppliers signed up have an e logo next to their goods. Also, there is no restriction placed on suppliers. Suppliers are free to sell from anywhere, via any number of outlets to buyers. However, the company monitors supply chain standards for unethical practices. Direct suppliers are asked to sign the acknowledgement of key trading ethical practices (The Local food Company, 2014b). Then after 1 year of work together with supplier, The Local Food Company introduces self-assessment questionnaire to promote ethical practices. Then, the company visits supplier farms on a regular basis to gain understanding of suppliers’ operation. Payment is made on time and done on the basis of market price (The Local food Company, 2014b). In order to attract customers, the company presents their ethical achievements so that customers can make informed purchasing decisions. The company engages in publishing policies, detailed supplier and product information on their website. In the first two years of trading, the company publishes comprehensive ethical and social charter giving consumers the freedom to access information about ethically sourced products (The Local Food Company, 2014b). It is good to know that any company within business platform needs to set out ethical guidelines that in turns lead to less risk hence increasing sales output. Based on this point, The Local Food Company in array of business produces various products including Bakery, Dairy, Meat and fish, Fruit and Vegetables, Prepared Ready Meals, Groceries and Drinks and Household items. These products however, are produced based on the standards bureau and local organic food regulations. The company has to ensure that buyers as well as suppliers are free with no restrictions to buy and sell the products anywhere and across the country on any outlets. In this way, the company ethically gives the buyer and suppliers all rights to their preferences without an essence of restrictions. The company has been able to drive business risks through these corporate forms of business to maintain maximal sales profit as far as financial outcomes of the business is concerned (Beauchamp, 2004). The Local Food Company has played a bigger role in encouraging small producers to implement ethical practices. To ascertain the aspect of ethics, the company exercises the aspect of ‘go green’. The company ensures that all products unveiled to the consumers are in better conditions; with highest order of hygiene and that all materials used are environmental friendly. The company sells food with a low footprint in collection and delivery. They claim to have lowest carbon footprints of all the businesses in the UK (The Local Food Company, 2014c). The company encourages customers to but locally and regionally, and cut food miles. Foods are based on high animal standards and sustainable farming practices. The company provides written guidelines on the waste disposal and insists on recycling programme for the benefit of the consumers. They reduce, reuse, and recycle everything possible. 3. Short opinion survey: what influences consumer buying behaviour A short opinion survey was carried out from a sample of students at GSM London. Students were asked about the main factors that influences buying behaviour. Most of the students considered the location of the store as an important aspect when purchasing a product. One of the student stated, â€Å"I don’t like to travel much for a product and always looking for options available near my location such as Starbucks coffee shop that can be found anywhere†. Some students also considered that they avoid stores that are crowded. Students also considered reading online reviews before making a buying decision. A student said, â€Å"If I am planning to buy something, I always search online reviews, if majority of reviews are positive, I make a purchase without thinking of the brand†. Few students mentioned about ethical behaviour in purchasing. They stated that after reading about a brand in news about forced labour or child labour, they boycotted the brand. A group of st udents mentioned about Rana plaza disaster, which changed the way they purchased products. The disasters resulted in number of deaths and injuries. Consumers regarded this as a serious issue and didn’t purchase from clothing brands that were involved. Students are also influenced by news videos circulating in social media. One of them stated, â€Å"I was very much depressed when I saw Peta video of how Chinese worker were handling rabbits for getting angora wool; this video encouraged me to say no to angora wool†. 4. Conclusion An ethical consumer is the one who applies additional criteria when buying a product. They want to buy a fair-trade labelled or ethically sourced product. They consider the impact of their private consumption on society and environment. An ethical consumer simply boycotts product that are associated with child labour or other unethical activities. There are various products that come into ethical category such as food, clothing, insurance, energy, soft drink tea and finance. One of the companies that claim to be ethical is The Local Food Company, based in Devon in the UK. The company is engaged in selling of bakery products, dairy, meat & fish, fruits & vegetables and household items. The company has been awarded with many green awards. The company acts as a socially responsible organisation and aims to fulfil needs and wants of different stakeholders such as customers, suppliers and employees. Suppliers are encouraged by The Local Food Company to follow ethical procedures in product ion. They are given the liberty to sell their food via any number of outlets. They are paid on time and treated respectfully. Ethical policies clearly show that company is against child labour and excessive working. The employees are offered safe and hygienic working environment. For customers to choose wisely, the company has listed information on supplier standards and ethical practices on their website. With the development of Internet technology, customers are getting more informed about the products they use or consume. According to the opinion survey conducted, customers make their purchasing decision on the basis of online reviews, location of store and store environment. They also consider ethical factors when buying a certain product. They boycott a brand when they read something bad about a product or say no to product that are against human rights. 5. References Beauchamp, T. (2004) Case studies in business, society and ethics, 5th edition, Upper saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Crane, A. and Matten, D. (2005) Corporate citizenship: toward an extended theoretical conceptualization, The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 30, Issue 1, p166- 179. Ethicalconsumer.org (2014) Product guides, Last accessed 23rd November 2014 at: http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/buyersguides.aspx Harrison, R., Newholm, T. and Shaw, D. (2005) The ethical consumer, 1st edition, Wiltshire: Sage. Newholm, T. and Shaw, D. (2007) Studying the ethical consumer: a review of research, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Vol.6, Issue 5, p253-270. Shaw, Deirdre S. and Ian Clarke, (1998) Culture, Consumption and Choice: Towards a Conceptual Relationship, Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, Vol. 22, Issue 3, p163-168. The Local Food Company (2014a) Welcome to the Local Food company, Last accessed 23rd November 2014 at: http://www.thelocalfoodcompany.co.uk/ The Local Food Company (2014b) Ethical Policy, Last accessed 24th November 2014 at: http://www.thelocalfoodcompany.co.uk/p/ethical-policy The Local Food Company (2014) Environmental issues, Last accessed 24th November 2014 at: http://www.thelocalfoodcompany.co.uk/p/about-us/about-environmental-issues