Apple Disruptive Innovation free essay sample

The next products and services to be leased by the company did not only save the business but also [Dyer, Greenest Christensen, 2011]made a substantial impact in the global music industry which at the time was plagued with piracy. The digital hub strategy was an encompassing innovative strategy developed by Apple that rejuvenated the personal computer market, disrupted digital publishing and the music industry. The digital hub strategy took advantage that its discovery driven manager understood the capabilities of Apple has a business.The capabilities of the business was based on three main factors which are, its resources, its processes and its values. When these factors are meshed together with the DNA, vision and creativity of its leader, a resulting disruptive innovation was developed in the technology industry as a whole [Christensen,1997]. The tangible resources at Apple at the time the innovative digital hub strategy was developed consists of some discovery-driven people who were part of the initial team Apple started out with on the Apple l. We will write a custom essay sample on Apple Disruptive Innovation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These people have over the years been involved with experimenting and launching of innovative products during the early days of Apple as a company. Another tangible resources also available was he technologies Apple had. It was believed that Apple was the only company which owned the whole widget the hardware, the software and the operating system [Caisson, 2012] and could deliver an end to end solution, thereby controlling the user experience from all front. To create this digital hub, Apple had to depend mostly on the capabilities of the mimic, firework, the Macintosh and the ability of its software and hardware engineers to produce simple intuitive programs and products respectively. To elaborate further on the latter, Apple with its processes formal and informal always ensures across all teams communication, interaction and strong collaboration between its software and hardware engineers to transform resources into products and services[Christensen,1997]. The first foray into the digital market was with video.Apple realized that by creating a program that allows a user to not only record videos but can allow for personalization and recreation of a recorded video. According to Steve Jobs, this makes your camcorder ten times more valuable [Caisson, 2012]. This lead to the production of software applications or editing and which also allows the user burn digital videos to a DVD drive; movie, DVD. Similarly, technology of a consumer dri ve that could burn a DVD which Apple was the first to ship [Caisson, 2012]. The main drive for this complete innovation in the digital video market was to make the portable device easy to use by removing complicated functionalities manufacturers had cramped into these devices. The same strategy Nas used in digital photography. The mimic became the hub for portable cameras and software application; photo for editing pictures. However, there was an already existing competitor in this market, but because of the success of DVD and movie in digital video, creative people were more inclined to try out software applications developed by Apple for digital photography as well.As was mentioned above, the idea of a digital hub strategy embodied all classes of innovation incremental, radical, sustaining and disruptive. At this point where there was impact in the digital died and photography market, Apple was both incrementally and radically innovating in terms of technology focus but in a sustaining way to acquire more market share to remain in the technology market. The disruptive moment came for the company when it ventured into using the same strategy in the digital music market. The foray into the digital music was in similar fashion as into other digital markets.Learning from its mistake of not producing computers that had the ability to burn CDC, Apple developed software applications that made portable music devices ten times more valuable, Greenland for creating and mixing music; tunes for competition in this market, Apple was able to make an impact in the music revolution that was going on at the time by making tunes really simple and removing lots of extraction other music managing software had at the time. This in itself didnt disrupt the market but what came next did. In the same year, the company introduced its own portable media player the pod.The pod at the time of release questioned all the status quo concerning music and technology. It was the only media player that could hold up to a thousand songs and could fit into a pocket ultramontane. To realism this ultra portability, a lot of creative effort was put into the technology of hard drive th at was thin and small enough. Once this technology was achieved, combined with Apples own technology of firework fast transfer, it was easy enough to disrupt the music player market by producing a device that embodied the values of Apple in simplicity in marrying art, design and technology.Ninth complete integration with its own music management software, the device was simple and intuitive enough, because most functionalists where put in tunes that made the pod ten times more valuable. Cannibal Illumined Syllabi 1263626 sides owning the hardware that delivered great music experience and the software that managed music in the most intuitive and simple way, Apples aim to liver the best experience with music wasnt complete as there was no control of Inhere users acquired their music from.Moreover, at the time the music industry was trying so hard to resolve the issue of privacy. Apple realized early that one of the important use of the internet was for music delivery as it gives users near instant preview and mo st of all allowed for unauthorized usage of music. To solve the latter Nas the main need for the music industry. Apple was able to deliver a solution with the tunes store, which managed the technologies available the internet and a huge USIA database to provide a legal way for users to acquire music. The most part was getting the main players in the music industry to realism that Apple was the only company that could solve the problem as they had the hardware, software and could create a service that uses these resources. The role of Steve Jobs as the head of Apple was important in creating this service as he understood the great divide between the art industry as a whole and the technology industry [Caisson, 2012]. Ere creative people lacked how to maximize technology to their advantage which he noticed during his time at Paxar.Likewise, the technology industry had major shortfalls in creative designs when it came to their products. He leveraged on his capabilities to relate with suppliers, distributors and customers of the music Industry. With over 200,000 music available at launch, unbinding purchase of singles from an album and close integration with tunes which eliminates poor management of music files, the tunes Store, tunes and the pod disrupted the hole music and technolo gy industry.Finally, it can be said that the whole digital hub strategy could only have been delivered by Apple which understood its abilities of having resources like Steve Jobs a discovery driven manager and other people like him, a brand, different technologies and expertise which have been developed over time, processes that ensure close collaboration between teams to transform resources into products and service and values that reflect simplicity by blurring the line between art, design and technology. This strategy would begin the transformation of Apple from being a computer maker into being the worlds most liable company. [locations, 2012] NH It is Disruptive Disruptive innovation transforms a product or service that was expensive and implicated that only a few people with a lot of money and skills had access to.Disruptive innovation makes it so much more affordable and accessible to a much larger population Christensen Clayton [Christensen,1997] Apple went through the different forms of innovation incremental sustaining innovation, radical sustaining innovation, incremental disruptive innovation and radical disruptive innovation before succeeding in being disruptive. One of the transformation understood, was to change the market context it operated in. Before the digital hub strategy, Apple was leveled to be in the personal computer (PC) market.The PC market was in a decline and it was used mostly for professional use. Software applications were developed to improve producti vity in the business context. Figure 1: Business Model Personal Computers User 70% Business Professionals 30% Everyday Creative Individuals Value Capture Value Creation Improved Productivity Value Prop MIDGET Personal Computers Ere digital hub strategy disrupted the PC market in the sense that it made the capabilities of the PC more accessible to a larger population which was everyday retrieve users.Using the same model as seen in Fig. In which the real value creation Nas improved productivity but for creative and art contents like video, photography and music. Despite the fact that manufactures of portable devices that delivered alee creation for creative and art contents tried so hard to cramp more functionalities to improve productivity relating to creating, editing and sharing these content, they got to a point of producing products that became complicated and difficult to use. Figure 2: Business Model Video Recorders User User Record VideoRecord Video, Personalize, Share MIDGET camcorder Oldie Recorder E re first innovation came from Apple solving this complex model by transferring some of the value creation of the portable devices (e. G video recorder) to the personal computer which was better at handling this functionalities due to its capabilities, for example the PC had a larger screen size. Incremental innovation was also carried out on the personal computer to carry out these functionalities faster. Example is the development of the DVD burn drive that allowed for easy creation and sharing of contents.

Operations Decisions for Krafts Foods Inc. and Manute Foods Company

Operations Decisions for Krafts Foods Inc. and Manute Foods Company Companies’ Background The two companies referred to in this study operate in the foods and beverages industry. In addition, the companies concentrate in the production of low calorie microwavable foods.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Operations Decisions for Krafts Foods Inc. and Manute Foods Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Krafts Foods Inc. is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of beverages and packaged foods (MarketResearch.com, 2011). It has its headquarters in Northfield, Illinois, but also operates in the other continents. Low calorie microwavable products from the company fall under the convenient meals sector. For instance, cheese and Kraft Macaroni come in ready-to-heat pouches. Manute Foods Company is also a multinational foods company. It specializes in the manufacture and distribution of low calorie microwavable foods. Its operations are not as widespread as those of Krafts Foods I nc. However, its presence in the industry is significant. The organization operates from the state of Texas. Low Calories Microwavable Foods Market Structure and Companies Effectiveness Determination Plan Mankiw (2011) regards market structure as the number and types of competing firms operating in a given industry. Consumers across the US and the rest of the world are exhibiting increased preference for healthy and fat-free food products (MarketResearch.com, 2011). According to IMAP (2010), the global demand for convenience foods and increasing health consciousness are expected to facilitate continued growth in the low calorie microwavable foods sector. In addition, majority of the processed foods consumed in the world are packaged. Competition in the low-calories microwavable foods industry is intense. Krafts Foods Inc. competes with other global foods and beverages brands, not only in the low calorie microwavable foods sector. Some of the competitors include Tyson Foods (US), Dan one (France), and JBS (Brazil). Others are Kellog Co. (US), ConAgra Foods (US), and HJ Heinz Co. (US) (IMAP, 2010; Rayburn, 2014; Jambrak, 2012). In spite of the stiff competition, profits in this sector are relatively high. For instance, Krafts Foods Inc. recorded $42.2 billion in revenues in 2008 from its global operations. Operating profits and net income stood at $4.9 billion and $2.9 billion respectively (IMAP, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Krafts Foods Inc. market analysis above reveals that the low calories microwavable foods industry has a monopolistic competition market structure. The market is highly competitive, characterized by numerous operators (Yorke, 1984). The companies in this industry usually compete through the distribution of slightly differentiated products, albeit in the same line. Manute Foods Company exhibits these characteristics in line with the reality in the industry. The two companies analyzed in this paper are operating at the product-market competition level. Analyzing market effectiveness should indicate the two organization’s firm and industry performance in terms of profits. The market effectiveness plan should be based on the entities’ operational strategies. Business strategies should exhibit the ‘forward-looking’ ability of the venture in relation to the choices and investments made. In addition, they should anticipate the future actions of the firm and those of the competitors. Both Manute Foods Company and Krafts Foods Inc. should invest in markets that are characterized by viability and stability, as far as anticipated outcomes are concerned. Viability means that companies can make profits from the markets they are venturing. On the other hand, stability implies that entry into a new market will not lead to losses in the near future. Two Factors Likely to Cause Chang e in the Low Calories Microwavable Foods Monopolistic Competition Market Structure There are various factors that may affect the operations of the two companies. One of them includes regulations in relation to licensing and product quality. Strict licensing terms with regards to these products might lock out some companies. Such a scenario may limit the freedom of entry into the market and exit from this industry. In addition, the terms may reduce the number of firms operating in the industry (Yorke, 1984). Reduced competition will translate to higher profits and market share for the existing companies (Arslan Klaus, 1994). The structure of the market may also be altered by the increasing health consciousness among consumers in the food industry. What this means is that demand for these foods may rise, leading to a rise in the number of new entrants. As a result of this condition, competition in the industry will increase. In light of this, the two companies may be eliminated from the market, in addition to experiencing an erosion of their market share. Short-Run and Long-Run Production and Cost Functions and their Applications the Operations of Manute Foods Company Production is characterized by a number of processes. It involves a series of activities aimed at increasing the value and altering the utility of raw materials or inputs (Mankiw, 2011). Production function determines the relationship between the inputs and the products per unit of time (Collier, Sherell, Babakus Horky, 2014). The inputs may lead to massive costs for organizations if not well managed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Operations Decisions for Krafts Foods Inc. and Manute Foods Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The production and cost function for Manute Foods Company can be determined symbolically as follows: Q = f(Xa, Xb, Xc,†¦ Xn). Q represents total quantity of products per specified period. It takes into consideration specific combinations of inputs (Mankiw, 2011). Xn represents the quantity of the different types of inputs. Considering the market conditions, the production levels of Manute Foods Company can be determined or forecast using varying combinations of inputs within specified durations of time. Analysis of costs highlights the relationship between cost and production over a specified period. In essence, the cost function provides different results depending on the firm’s application of varying utilization or inputs percentages (Arslan Klaus, 1994). Businesses experience fluctuations in their long-run production costs. One of the main reasons behind these changes is sustained alterations in production levels over time. Whenever Manute Foods Company incurs losses or makes profits, long-run costs change. In the long term, fixed factors of production are non-existent (Mankiw, 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The short run costs of Manute Foods Company, on the other hand, should accumulate throughout the production process in relation to the production function (Mankiw, 2011). However, it is important to note that fixed costs do not affect short-run costs. The only factors that influence production in the short term include revenues and variable costs, a fact applicable to Manute Foods Company. Short-run and long-run costs and production functions are very essential to managers. As already indicated, the low calorie microwavable foods industry is characterized by monopolistic competition. In the short term, such segments lack efficiency. The inefficiencies result from profit maximization and specified production levels in the industry (Collier et al., 2014). Managers at Manute Foods Company should determine industry market trends in advance. By so doing, they can forecast demand and compute the levels of input necessary to ensure that production meets the demand. The developments highlig hted above have various effects on stakeholders. For example, they may lead to a net loss to both consumer and producer surpluses. The managers of Manute Foods Company can maximize short-term profits from the results of the short-run production and cost functions. When the marginal revenues equal marginal costs from the function, the costs incurred can generate profit for the companies (Mankiw, 2011). Long-term cost and production functions can provide the low calorie microwavable foods managers with information necessary to their operations. For example, they can use the information to plan and implement business strategies. In addition, they can effectively plan for the current and the projected market environments. The information will aid them in making the appropriate production decisions. Efficiency in the long-run costs would also be sustained following the production of the desired quantities of products at the lowest possible costs (Mankiw, 2011). Managers can make other de cisions that affect the status of their organizations from the production and cost functions. For example, they can decide to expand or decrease the size of the companies, change production quantities, and exit or penetrate other markets. Such decisions are based on the results obtained from the production and cost functions. Possible Situations for Discontinuing Operations by the Low Calorie Microwavable Foods Company The two foods company can cease their operations following a legal order faulting their criteria of production. The managers can contest the legal order if they believe their operations do not breach any regulations. Alternatively, the companies can opt to rectify their production systems to adhere to the regulations (Mankiw, 2011). The company can also terminate operations if they do not expect to generate profits or revenues from the industry in the near future. Such a scenario can arise from radical changes in consumption trends, rendering their products obsolete. Pricing Policy for Maximizing Profits in the Low Calorie Microwavable Foods Industry Mankiw (2011) defines psychological pricing as an effective marketing strategy. It involves basing the prices of products on such factors as quality, consumer’s value perceptions, and popular price points (Yorke, 1984). In the low calorie foods market, basing prices on consumer’s health value perception will maximize profits in the long term (Girz, Polivy, Herman Lee, 2012). As already indicated, consumer trends in the foods and beverage industry are changing. To this end, most consumers are adopting more health conscious consumption practices. In light of this, the proposed pricing policy will facilitate the development of positive perceptions among consumers as far as the products of the two companies are concerned. Evaluation of Financial Performance for the Low Calorie Microwavable Products Company A company’s financial performance indicates the financial health of the enti re firm. Evaluations of the performance are carried out from time to time (Mankiw, 2011). Organizations can use their financial performance to compare their position in relation to competitors in the industry. Return on equity would be appropriate in determining the performance of both Krafts Foods Inc. and Manute Foods Company (Girz et al., 2012). The measure would indicate both profits and losses made by the companies, as well as the overall efficiency of the production costs. The return on equity metric has significant impacts on both long-term and short-term managerial decisions. The measure would also incorporate returns for all stakeholders. As a result, the managers have to focus on more than just the profits made by the company. Increasing Profitability and Stakeholders Value in the Low Calorie Microwavable Foods Industry Manute Foods Company and Krafts Inc. should exploit the growing demand for healthy and convenient food products. Conducting research on consumer demands an d developing products to meet identified requirements will enhance return on investments. Effective management of production costs and investment in long-term market targets would improve performance in the monopolistic competitive market (Mankiw, 2011). Positive returns mean increased profits for the companies and value addition to stakeholders. Reference Arslan, G., Klaus, B. (1994). Market structure and profitability in the U.S. food manufacturing industries. Atlantic Economic Journal, 22(1), 103. Collier, J., Sherell, D., Babakus, E., Horky, A. (2014). Understanding the differences of public and private self-service technology. Journal of Services Marketing, 28(1), 2-3. Girz, L., Polivy, J., Herman, P., Lee, H. (2012). The effects of calorie information on food selection and intake. International Journal of Obesity, 36(10), 1340-1345. IMAP. (2010). An IMAP consumer staples report: Food and beverage industry global report2010. Web. Jambrak, A. (2012). Application of high power ultrasound and microwave in food processing: Extraction. Journal of Food Processing Technology, 4(113), 1. Mankiw, G. (2011). Principles of economics (6th ed.). New York: Cengage Learning. MarketResearch.com. (2011). Kraft Foods, Inc.: SWOT analysis. Web. Rayburn, W. (2014). Improving service employee affect: The transformative potential of work design. Journal of Services Marketing, 28(1), 4-5. Yorke, D. (1984). Marketing and non-profit-making organizations. European Journal of Marketing, 18(2), 17-22.

Facility Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Facility Management - Essay Example ‘Green buildings provide financial benefits that conventional buildings do not’ (Kats 2003). This dissertation attempts to find an optimum path for green construction where the possibly higher costs of using sustainable technologies and materials can be offset by lower running costs of such facilities. Facilities management mainly deals with the management of facilities of communal buildings like offices, colleges, hospitals, etc. Facility management is very similar to property management but is in most cases applied to larger commercial properties where the operations and management of the building is more extensive and complex. Newer buildings and facilities need to be developed with a ‘green’ design basis, contextual relevance, cost sensitivity, adherence to building code as also the fundamental requirement of functioning in the best manner possible i.e. it is very important that the building serve its necessity (Atkins& Brooks, 2005). A green building consists of several aspects, including the building envelope, building services including HVAC, Electricals, IBMS, Efficient waste management (including solid waste and e-waste) and a Water Balance Plan that seeks to reach a point where all the amount of water that the facility needs is used productively within it. S tress on the importance on the building envelope in the ‘greening’ of a facility is obvious, as it is in many ways the first line of defence against wasteful energy expenditure. It may be considered like an epidermal covering that regulates the inside, as also indicated the status of components within the body. It is important as a gateway between the climate-controlled interior and the uncontrolled exterior environment. This allows for a differentiation from the surroundings and provides an entity for the building on its own (Barret & Baldry, 1991). The

Immigration Policy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Immigration Policy - Term Paper Example This paper seeks to analyze the changes in immigration policy in the lights of broad and diverse academic resources. From essay written by Lars Von Torne, it is apparent that the Canadian immigrant policy was evolved and adopted in order to foster and support cultural diversity. The writer has discussed the Taylor-Bouchard Commission, which concentrates on dealing with the issues related to immigration and their integration. The main aim of this commission was to offer an open channel for public in order to introduce and develop new ideas to deal with the issues related to immigrants. Furthermore, the commission concentrated on dealing with "already simmering debate and turn it into a nationwide discussion which quickly spread all over Canada as well as holding a few very interesting lessons for Germany (Trne, 555)." In order to avoid such issues, Canada had developed and implemented immigration policy, which based on equality and differed from the U.S policy. The Canadian immigrant policy concentrated on protecting the identities of the immigrants. However, immigrants are still engaged in lower j obs even though they are highly qualified. From the research conducted by Derek Hum and Wayne Simpson, it was concluded that immigrants were most likely to receive less training as compared to their counterparts, who were born in Canada. ... From the research conducted by Derek Hum and Wayne Simpson, it was concluded that immigrants were most likely to receive less training as compared to their counterparts, who were born in Canada. They recommended that a policy should be directed towards the immigrants, which would concentrate on improving their accessibility to training. They also concluded that special provisions should be introduced for both male and female immigrants, in order to ensure that they both have equal access to training. An immigrant training policy concentrates on improving and changing the job conditions for immigrants. It concentrates on polishing their skills as well as it would help them to assimilate in the workplace. From the research paper of Reed, it is evident that certain organizations have employed temporary foreign worker programs as a method of regulation, which is preferred by the government. The Canadian government has adopted the policy of temporary worker programs in order to provide training to immigrant workers and to maintain the Canadian custom of acknowledging and accepting immigrants on basis of economic and monetary benefits (Reed, 471). The temporary program provides ample opportunities, depending on the condition of the Canadian market (Reed, 484). However, such programs have several negative impacts. It is responsible for giving rise to neocolonial association, which created partialities and inequalities among countries. It also creates a distinction in the labor market, in which the skill level is used to determine citizenship and labor rights. Three Perspectives Structural Functional Theory From the structural functionalism, the society is considered to be system. From this perspective, a society is divided into different groups, which are mutually

Modifying Consumer Behaviour Sustainable Development Environmental Sciences Essay

Modifying Consumer Behaviour Sustainable Development Environmental Sciences Essay The use of plastic bags warrants attention in the sustainable consumption debate, especially when packaging accounts for a significant amount of the resources consumed and waste generated by our consumer lifestyles. Governments, retailers and manufacturers are striving to improve sustainability performance by finding ways to reduce plastic bag use. The authors have done sufficient research in providing a global perspective through approaches adopted by different countries in reducing their plastic use. For example, India banned the use of plastic bags while voluntary action is on the part of consumers and the business community to reduce plastic bag use in the UK. References obtained by the authors are credible and reliable as information was based on recent data and reputable sources. The authors also present a balanced view of both advantages and disadvantages of plastics bags. They are energy efficient to produce, cost-effective, convenient to store and easy to use. However, they have adverse impacts in terms of waste disposal and one significant problem is that plastic bags are non-biodegradable and take at least hundred years to decompose. When they break down in size, they kill marine animals which mistake the plastic bags for food and ingest them (Aldred, 2007). Plastic bags clog drainage systems and create pollution where discarded plastic bags float in oceans. Large amounts of money also have to be spent on cleaning up the plastic bags and the damages caused by them (Russo, 2012). However, the claim that many countries spend a substantial amount on cleaning up the plastic bags and the damages caused by them is not justified. In many cases, these claims are merely guesses by advocates instead of data based on actual studies, and cost is often thrown in as a justification after bans are enacted for political reasons (†¦). Science also does not support the fact that plastic bags do any genuine harm. Plastic bags end up doing less damage than other alternatives and the benefits that the bags offer far outweigh their cost. Independent studies also show that plastic bags are environmentally preferable to paper because plastic bags have a lighter environmental footprint than paper and when they are reused, they are preferable to the reusable plastic totes. In addition, current plastic bags use 70% less plastic than those of 20 years previously and account for less fuel to transport, fewer emissions than paper bags. Nevertheless, moderate reuse; plastic totes mad e from polypropylene are better for the environment even though plastic bags are a more environmentally friendly choice than paper bags and reusable totes. Due to the damaging environmental effects which plastic bags have, countries like Taiwan banned the use of plastics bags to reduce environmental issues such as litter and landfill. With a ban on plastic bags, funds would be redirected to infrastructures. Consumer demand shift toward other alternatives, creating more opportunities for entrepreneurs to come up with alternatives to plastic. Companies that manufacture reusable bags could also expand their product lines and create more jobs (..). However, research by †¦ revealed that banning of plastic bags would lead to an increase in paper bag production, resulting in a greater amount of methane being released in landfill. Other research also revealed that banning plastic bags does not help the environment as it increase carbon emissions and other environmental problems. Research by Lane showed that even though most of the waste in landfill sites comes from packaging, plastic bags form only a small fraction of the litter stream. They occupy lesser of the landfill space, leading to lesser greenhouse gases and pollution, as compared to wood and paper (British Retail Consortium News, 2007). I agree with the authors assumption that plastic-bag bans would not lead to a long-term solution in saving the environment. The use of materials and energy should not be restricted where only unnecessary use of plastic bags is avoided. Instead, there should be a sustainable use of everything which includes the reinforcement of public awareness and motivation to reduce, reuse and recycle (3Rs) to resolve environmental problems. Therefore, some countries like UK do not support an outright ban on plastic and seek other possible alternatives such as reusable totes or paper bags or having a tax imposed on plastic bags. Prendergast et al. (2001) found that consumers are more likely to reuse a paper bag an average of 2.7 times whereas a plastic bag will be reused 1.6 times and retaining a paper bag over a plastic bag leads to increased re-usage. However, alternatives such as reusable totes and paper bags have a worse effect on the environment than plastic bags. Plastic bags require 40 perce nt less energy than paper bags and that paper bag manufacturing creates 70 percent more air pollution and 50 percent more water pollution (†¦). Alternatives to plastic bags may not be practical because in many cases, efforts to increase bag recycling have shown minimal success to date (†¦). Furthermore, when governments outlaw plastic bags to encourage consumers to use other environmentally damaging products, more pollution is actually created. There might also be society and economic impacts on the less affluent in terms of employment loss, due to reduced plastic bag manufacturing Another possible alternative which the authors did not consider could be the recycling of plastic bags in recycling centers where plastic is melt and polymers are reused to carpets or clothes. However, plastic recycling has proven to be difficult to process mechanically as plastic bags are made of polyethylene where it is often labour intensive and cost intensive to sort plastic waste. A key assumption made by the authors is that plastic bags bans are beneficial for the environment. Therefore, the issue of banning plastic bags still remain a controversy as many variables are at play and the process of changing consumer behaviour in relation to plastic bag use can be a complex one. There are different perspectives as to how such consumption should be modified. For countries such as Bangladesh and India, flooding and public health concerns resulted in the use of legislation to ban the use of plastic bags. Plastic bag bans can prevent flooding in urban areas and human health problems. In the UK, voluntary action is on the part of consumers and the business community to reduce plastic bag use. Consumers are urged to reduce their use of plastic bags while manufacturers and retailers are expected to introduce measures to encourage consumers to act responsibly. Other countries like Italy, Ireland and Denmark prefer to impose tax to encourage consumers to reduce plastic bag use and taxes collected can help raise revenue for further environmental improvement. To conclude, the use of plastic bags have a great impact on sustainable consumption and changing consumer behavior through voluntary action, legislation banning the use of plastic bags, or taxing their use can make an effective contribution to a more sustainable future.

Persuasive Essay on Gun Rights Essay

Gun Control Have you ever been involved in a home invasion? How did you protect yourself, or if this would happen have you thought about how you would protect yourself? This is a real concern in families’ minds across the nation. When I think of having a future family I think about how I would keep them safe. Growing up I never had to worry about this, because I knew that my parents would be able to protect me. The way my parents would and have protected me was with a gun. Today, gun control is a major concern in political campaigns across the nation. I will be talking about why we should keep our gun rights based on: home safety, illegal guns and the second amendment of the constitution. We would agree that home safety is in the minds of most Americans, but no matter how hard we try to protect our homes it’s not always a realistic fact. According to fbi.gov, nationwide in 2010, there were an estimated 367,832 robberies. According to Gary Kleck, Ph.D. a professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University in Tallahassee and author of â€Å"Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America† conducted a survey by random telephone sampling of 4,978 households in all the states except Alaska and Hawaii. Results indicating that American civilians use their firearms as often as 2.5 million times every year defending against a confrontation with a criminal, and that handguns alone account for up to 1.9 million defenses per year. My family and I had a personal experience with a home invasion. It was a normal Wednesday night; I was finishing up some late night studies while I heard something from down stairs. Someone had decided to rob our house. I went to my parent’s room to tell them about the intruder. My dad went and unlocked his gun safe and pulled out his twelve gauge shotgun. He exited the room with a loud pump of the forestock. The intruder was quick to run out the door after hearing this. We never had to fire a shot and our guns saved are possessions from being stolen and are family from being harmed. Gun control that is proposed isn’t stating that all guns should be taken away, but that restrictions should be put on guns. Well this does sound logical and does sound like it should work, but it doesn’t necessarily mean  it will. Almost all drugs are illegal except for marijuana in few states, but how many in this room knows someone who could provide them with illegal drugs? Almost everyone. This is the same with guns. Criminals find ways to get drugs just as easily as they could find ways to get illegal guns. According to a recent Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) report, there is a significant diversion to the illegal gun market from Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL). The report states that â€Å"of the 120,370 crime guns that were traced to purchases from the FFLs then in business, 27.7 % of these firearms were seized by law enforcement in connection with a crime within two years of the original sale. This rapid `time to crime’ of a gun purchase d from an FFL is a strong indicator that the initial seller or purchaser may have been engaged in unlawful activity.† No matter if gun restrictions have been risen or not this is only restricting the people that are lawful with their guns and restricting the people that are responsible with their guns. Criminals are not affected by gun restrictions, because due to criminal records most can’t buy guns legally anyways, but they still find them through black markets and criminal acquaintances. Taking away the gun rights of law obeying citizens is unfair and is violating our constitutional rights. According to the second amendment of the United States constitution states â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.† I think this says it all. The constitution is what our country was built upon; it is what our founding fathers had set for us to follow in order to become a better society than the one they came. Myself, being very patriotic, I find it hard to see why someone would want their rights that they are given as a free, American citizen, taken away. These amendments have kept us as a reigning world power for so long and why would anything change now? We have been so fortunate to be founded on such morals and freedoms that we have perfected a functioning society within law. Yes, the United States has been in slump lately, but we are still considered a world power and in most eyes we are still considered top dog. So, why change something if we are already on top ? If it isn’t broke don’t fix it. Guns save lives, not takes them. Education is the big problem with guns in today’s society. We have been raised to fear guns, but in reality guns have been something that has so much as freed our nation from England’s reign. Guns have been a part of negative outcomes, but with these outcomes a bad person stands behind this gun. Bad people will always be bad, whether you stick them behind bars or if you put a bracelet around their ankle. We shouldn’t let these bad people determine how all the good people live. We should stay above the bad people and show them that they have no control in our great nation. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Thank you. Bibliography: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html Title: Bill of Rights, Second Amendment, Charters of freedom Publishing: National Archives; last revised 1791 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/guns/procon/guns.html Title: â€Å"How criminals get guns†, Hot guns Publishing: pbs.org, Dan Noyes http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/violent-crime/robberymain Title: The fbi federal bureau of investigation, robbery Publishing: U.S. Department of Justice; last revised 2010 Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America Author: Gary Klerk Publishing: A. de Gruyter, New York, 1991

1) What Legislation Is in Place to Help You Administer Medication Safely? Give an Account of How This Affects Your Work.

Unit 616 Medication Questions 1) What legislation is in place to help you administer medication safely? Give an account of how this affects your work. The Medicines Act 1968 Regulates the supply and manufacture of medicines and defines the three categories of medicine: Prescription only, pharmacy medicines and general sales list. This affects my work in that it tells me which types of medicine I can simply pick up over the counter (for example, if someone I supported had a minor problem such as a cold, by consulting this legislation I would know which drugs I would be able to pick up without a prescription).It also categorises the medication which I currently administer and gives me an idea of how different types of medications are classified. For example, many times in the setting I work in, medication orders will be repeat prescriptions. For this, correct information must be supplied: name of service user, name and strength of medication and amount ordered sufficient for the time p eriod. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1972 Categorises banned substances into bands A, B, and C. This tells me that administering certain drugs would result in me breaking the law. It outlines what is legal to administer and what isn’t.Also this act outlines the legal requirement to store controlled drugs in locked cabinets and keep a record (controlled drugs register) of stock numbers, expiry dates etc. At our workplace we administer several controlled drugs such as diazepam, so this legislation affects me in the way that is outlines my legal responsibilities for storing and safely administering these drugs. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 This act informs me of mine and my employer’s duties at work and tells me what is required of my employer to ensure the working environment is safe. Care Standards Act 2000Establishes national minimum standards in order to meet the needs of the people we support. For example, some of the people we support like to administer their own me dication and all information regarding their medication must be available for them to access at any time. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 This act outlines the requirements of employers to protect their employees from the hazards of substances used in the workplace. Medication comes under this act and it outlines principles for recording, safekeeping, handling and disposal of medicines, all things we deal with on a regular basis.