Impact of brands names such as Levis, McDonald,Starbucks,Disney on Essay

Impact of brands names such as Levis, McDonald,Starbucks,Disney on consumer - Essay Example Different companies use different ways to create strong brands for their products. Among the most successful brand names use pricing, production, promotion or place development or a combination of all these elements to have a strong market presence. This research seeks to identify the impact of brand names such as the Levis, McDonalds, Starbucks, and Disney on the consumer by using branding strategies such as pricing, production, promotion, and development place. Levis For over a long period, Levis, a jeans manufacturing company has made a name for its self, cutting an edge in the clothing industry. Not only does that the company boast of a quality garments, it also has a high market presence ("Levi Strauss & Co"  2). By making sure that it is a global product, it makes it sure, that its customers can assess the great brand from any particular part of the world (Mortimer et al. 90). With an increase in the level of competition in the clothes industry, having as strong brand is the only means of winning a competitive edge over other companies in the business. The market mix of the brand, by offering high quality products, also matches this with the pricing. Levis makes sure that the customers acquire top quality from the apparel industry, especially for their originality and integrity (Doorey 592). Quality, coupled with pricing wins the hearts of the customers, earning the company a larger market share than other companies (Healey, 12). Part of its marketing strategy is identification, which seeks to make sure that kids identify themselves as being â€Å"cool.† As such, it makes sure that its products, though having an innovative pricing strategy, are affordable to the people. However, it does not price its commodities very low, as there is an association between low pricing with poor quality products by customers. The aggressiveness with which Levis markets its products and the coolness identification among the peers is one of the main reasons for the company’s success in the clothes industry ("Levi Strauss & Co† 6). Being a jeans manufacturing company, Levis targets the youth, a market ready to purchase its products, especially due to the recognition of wearing a Levis brand. McDonalds Everybody knows of the McDonalds fast foods restaurant, whether they eat fast foods or not. For most of the people who love fast foods, they are passionate about McDonalds. With its heavy presence among major towns in the country, and the quality of its products, people feel compelled to eat from one of its restaurants (Min and Hyesung 288). The proximity of these eateries to their customers and the quality products they have to offer gives the company customer preference over other fast businesses (Pike 22). Walking into a McDonald’s restaurant, a customer receives everything they need, from food to soft drinks and snacks (Thomadsen 794). McDonalds could have a price higher than most of other companies in the business, but its association with quality give it a competitive edge makes the brand more attractive than other brands in the market. People associate with McDonalds, describing their loyalty to the brand, and as such, prefer eating from the restaurant to other restaurants. Starbucks The giant coffee restaurant has earned a name for its self for providing the best quality coffee

Job roles and working arrangements of Theatro Technics Essay Example for Free

Job roles and working arrangements of Theatro Technics Essay Key jobs within Theatro Technics vary from floor workers to management. Each of these jobs help carry out a function and the general running of the business. Although it is said that there are very important jobs, high and low, each job plays an important role and all staffs contribution should be valued. Something interesting of Theatro Technics and other theatres is that jobs within the business are not all located in the actual theatre. While certain staff like reception and ushers are most visible, key jobs are in management and are usually invisible to the public. I have identified 6 key jobs following inquiries at Theatro Technics, the jobs listed below are organised in descending order of seniority excluding the board of directors: JOB TITLE ROLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS The board of directors The primary responsibility of the board of directors is to protect the shareholders assets and ensure they receive a decent return on their investment. Theatre director (Artistic director) He is responsible for the programming of productions and events, writing reports and watching over the staff. His working hours are very flexible 27 hours a week any time and he gets one month per years holiday. (But not all at once). This applies to all managerial staff. He gets paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50,000 per for being a theatre director and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½25,000 for being a financial manager so all together he gets paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½75,000 per year, monthly. His assistant gets paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½35,000 per year, monthly. finance manager The finance manager and takes care of the theatres finances incoming and out going and also fund raising. His working hours are very flexible 27 hours a week any time and gets one month per years holiday (But not all at once). They get paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½35,000 per year, monthly. But as the Theatre director is also the finance manager he is paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½25, 000 for that job. Theatre manager They have to make sure that all employees are doing theyre jobs and doing them correctly. Basically just the day to day running of the business Their working hours are quite flexible 25 hours a week 5 hours a day Monday to Friday and like all managerial staff get one month per years holiday (But not all at once). They get paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½35,000 per year, monthly. Technical manager The technical manager keeps Theatro Technics up to date with technology, deals with costumes and makes sure lighting and sounds are working. Their working hours are quite flexible 25 hours a week 5 hours a day Monday to Friday and gets one month per years holiday (But not all at once). They get paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30,000 per year, monthly. Bar manager The bar manager has to manage the bar on production nights (and days). By counting profits and such. Basically the same thing as the theatre manager but for the bar. Their working hours are quite flexible working only on production nights (and days) and get one month per years holiday (But not all at once). They get paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20,000 per year, monthly. The board of directors: The board of directors is the highest governing authority within the management structure at Theatro Technics and any other publicly traded company. It is the boards job to select, evaluate, and approve appropriate compensation for the companys chief executive officer (CEO), evaluate the attractiveness of and pay dividends, recommend stock splits, oversee share repurchase programs, approve the companys financial statements, and recommend or strongly discourage acquisitions and mergers. Theatro Technics is governed by a dedicated Board of Directors comprised of business leaders, entertainment leaders and arts advocates who share a common passion for theatre and a commitment to the community. The board also serves as a champion of the theatre arts in the London community. It is dedicated to raising the profile of Theatro Technicss theatre, supporting the development of London, and igniting interest in the theatre among the youth in the community. Theatre director (Artistic director) and finance manager: In my chosen business George Eugeniou is both of these (but he has an assistant who is paid just under half of what he is paid). In the theatre business, the theatre director is the highest job role. He is responsible for the programming of productions and events, writing reports and watching over the staff. He is also the finance manager and takes care of the theatres finances incoming and out going and also fund raising. The main theatre director has to report to the board of directors and the finance manager has to report to the theatre director (but in this case it is himself). Theatre manager: In Theatro Technics there are two theatre managers and they have to make sure that all employees are doing theyre jobs and doing them correctly. One way in which they do this is through motivation. They also have to ensure that the programme is implemented within the budget for each project within the time limit. Basically just the day to day running of the theatre. They have to report to the theatre director. Technical manager: The technical manager is the back stage person dealing with costumes, dealing with the lighting and sounds in the production and also checks if they are working. The technical manager also keeps Theatro Technics up to date with technology ensuring that they have the latest software computing. The technical manager requires experience and qualifications in I.T. and stage management. The technical manager reports to the theatre manager. And because he is managerial staff his working hours are also flexible and he gets one month per years holiday. (But not all at once). He is paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30,000 per year, monthly. Bar manager and bartenders: The bar manager has to manage the bar on production nights (and days). Counting profits and such basically the same thing as the theatre manager but for the bar and its staff team of 4. They only work on production days. Or any other (required) days. The bar manager reports to the theatre manager. The bar manager being managerial staff his working hours are also flexible and he gets one month per years holiday. (But not all at once). He is paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30,000 per year, monthly. The bartenders are paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20,000 per year, monthly. Ushers: The ushers show you where your seats are in the theatre and are on à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.50 over the U.K.s minimum wage per hour, which is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8.23. They report to the theatre manager. Working only on production nights. Or any other (required) days. Cleaners: They are on minimum wage and clean the building every day. They get à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.73 per hour daily and 50p more on production nights/days. They have to report to the theatre manager. Below I have provided a business organizational chart. A Business Organizational Chart is a management tool wherein it shows both management and workers the entire line structure of the company. Although this is mostly intended for management, as it shows the structure of the entire business. The main purpose of using a typical organizational chart is to show the power thru the use of lines and boxes. Organizational Chart ANALISIS OF IMPORTANT JOB ROLES AND WORKING ARRANGEMENTS IN THEATRO TECHNICS. Looking at key jobs in Theatro Technics it becomes clear that a job there can vary enormously, from high importance jobs to low importance jobs. Its also clear that the rout to promotion isnt as easy as it seems, although good technical workers can become technical managers and so on. This is the managerial and ground floor division. Is it necessary? Workers with ambition might be more encouraged to work harder if they knew there was a possibility of getting promoted to managerial positions. But the existing system of different levels of pay for job seniority seems to work well. There is also a real difference in the job requirements for managerial and salaried employees. Salaried workers E.G. secretaries and bartenders are reasonably skilled and well paid; top level managerial workers have degrees and other qualifications. Managerial jobs involve making decisions for the theatre, and can shape the theatre by theyre actions. Managerial workers can look at profitable and unprofitable assets, and adapt to what they think might be in popular demand. They can also recommend changes how Theatro Technics generally runs as a business, and might change the theatre many times while working there. Floor level workers like ushers and cleaners, carry out basic tasks and generally posses few qualifications, low skilled workers. They are the largest group of workers in Theatro Technics. Most of these workers are not represented by any union and hardly know any English. The secretary plays an important role within Theatro Technics, which is to help customers by carrying out useful functions like, manning the telephones and responding to E-Mails. Each Secretary contributes to Theatro Technics by becoming effective in carrying out specific tasks, which covers a lot of customer inquiries, making a good customer service. Their weakness is that usually their knowledge isnt extensive enough. If I was to criticise I would say that managerial and floor worker divides can create unnecessary and expensive bureaucracy, and having such a divided system misses some good ground floor talent.

Essay on Themes and Themewriting :: Expository Essays

Essay on Themes and Themewriting Writing what I want, how I want. Finding my own voice. I could write forever on things I enjoy writing about, but writing about writing it - that's another story. (did you notice how often I used 'writing or write'? maybe those are the words that will hold my paper together. ah - I don't know if anything will hold this together!) I think I must speak first in defense of themewriting. As someone who has been away from structured writing for more than 20 years, I have to admit I enjoyed doing my first research paper last year. And it wasn't easy for me. It seems everyone else in the class thinks it is simple to slap together a theme paper. But I've been writing off the cuff for years and to actually research something and sound intelligent was a challenge. In high school, I was fortunate enough to have great English teachers who let me use my creativity. In seventh grade, I would write plays, bring them to my teacher, and he would let us act them out. It was like that throughout my high school years. (no - I didn't continue writing plays - we out- grew my princess and dragon fluff by ninth grade!) I'm sure we did some themewriting, but I mainly remember writing 'my stuff'. Having that kind of encouragement, I continued writing in that manner. When I had a column in our local paper, I wrote about what I wanted in the way I wanted to. It was an 'Erma Bombeck' type column and I just wrote whatever came to mind every week. I have a tendency to go for the laughs when I write. This paper is supposed to be my own thoughts, but I don't think it is supposed to be funny. That could be tough for me. Now where was I? Oh yes, I was lost as usual!! Hmmmmm, finding my way, finding my way... I'm really upset with myself. I like to write, but this paper has me befuddled. (isn't that a great word!) I guess I need a direction to be comfortable. It must be old age. A person is frightened when trying something unfamiliar, and doing so in this environment is really frightening. I keep thinking that I've always written in the dramatic style. And yet, I need a focus. Maybe what I used to write wasn't as unstructured as I thought.

Alcohol Television Commercials are Misleading Viewers Essay -- Media

Alcohol Television Commercials are Misleading Viewers At any given time a person can turn on their television and find a commercial of some sort. Their main purpose is for them to throw information about their product to anyone who will listen. It is also common for this form of advertisement to be promoting an alcoholic beverage. Whether it’s a catchy song with the chorus chanting â€Å"This Bud’s for you!† or three frogs belching â€Å"Bud-Wei-Ser!†, viewers learn the slogans and use them in their own lives. Needless to say, alcohol companies have mastered the art of grabbing the attention of their audience by imbedding their images and words through commercial advertising. Although clever, these advertisements can be misleading their viewers to think that drinking brings unattainable excitement and pleasure rather than the serious consequences that frequently arise. Statistics for drinking are alarming for any age group. However reports about adolescent drinking are possibly the most alarming, and are a large indicator that alcohol advertisements mislead their audiences. The National Institute on Media and the Family has reported many disturbing facts about the false portrayals of alcohol consumption. For example, the institute reports that â€Å"by the time teenagers reach driving age, they will have seen 75,000 alcohol ads† (Baran, 2004, p. 445). This means that adolescents are exposed to almost 13 alcohol advertisements a day. Whether it’s subtle or obvious, children still get the message that alcohol consumption leads to parties and happiness. In fact, statistics show that â€Å"56% of children in grades 5 through 12 say that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink† (Baran, 2004, p.445). By the use of image ad... ...d federal mandated warnings), research has shown that they hurt the cause as opposed to helping. The boomerang effect expresses just this: â€Å"drinkers perceive alcohol as having more benefits when the warning is present† (Lapin, McKinnon, 1998, p.3). Alcohol is almost like a forbidden fruit, which makes the idea even more exciting and its consumers to feel as though they are overcoming the infringement on their own rights. This research, as discomforting as it is, makes it almost impossible to find a solution to overcoming the misleading information handed out through alcohol commercials. As long as alcohol is sold, it will have to be advertised with the enthusiasm and appeal that it does now, in order to maintain the consumer’s attention. Sadly enough, this has to be done through false conditions which will steadily impact our society’s view of drinking.

New York Police Department Recruitment and Challenges

Thesis StatementSome of this is funny†¦most of it, if accurate, is outrageous. While some of the latter is verifiable, it is difficult to sort out just how much is simply sour grapes and whining because 40 miles to the East, Suffolk Country MOS have a huge contract. New York Police Department cannot get enough applicants to give a test for Police officers 88% of Port Authority Police Department Academy graduates are from New York Police Department cops, 50% of a new class of NYFD class are from New York Police Department. (Lung Worthy et al, 1986).IntroductionThe New York City Police (NYPD) has over the last years been known to be the largest municipal police force in the world with a vital primary responsibility to enforce the law and carry out investigations within the five boroughs of the New York City, which include Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester etc. (Fred. M. Rafilson, 2000).NYPD is dedicated to work towards enhancing the quality of life in the city by working in accordance to the constitution. This is achieved through its mission statement, which is â€Å"Enforce the law, preserve the peace, reduce fear and provide for a safe environment†. (Fred. M. Rafilson, 2000). This in result entails to preventing fear and responding to crime.In the United States, NYPD is considered as being the first modern style police department being an array of specialized services. It is contracted and dedicated to offering expertise in technical operations, K-9, diving or marine skills, aviation or helicopter skills, bomb disposal technology, counterterrorism technology, intelligence skills, antigang techniques, narcotics detection, public transportation, control and public housing. The NYPD has extensive crime scene investigations and laboratory resources while not also overlooking their units, which assist with computer crime investigations. (Fred. M. Rafilson, 2000)Recruitment Requirements for NYPDTo pace afoot into the NYPD academy, the following requirements ar e a prerequisite: one must be an United States citizen at the time of application; one must possess a valid high school diploma or an educational equivalent; one must have successfully completed either sixty (60) college credits from a credible college or a university with at least 2.0 GPA or two (2) years full time United States Military Service. (Reaves, Brian A., 1996).However, one could achieve the above qualifications yet be disqualified for admission because of the following factors: – One may have been convicted of an offence, which indicates lack of good moral character, or disposition towards violence or disorder or which is punishable by one or more years of imprisonment; one may have undergone repeated convictions of an offence, which indicates disrespect of the law; one may have been discharged from an employment as a result of poor behavior or inability to adjust to discipline; one may have been discharged in a dishonorable manner from the military service; one m ay have been convicted of an offence for domestic violence misdemeanor; and lastly, one may have been convicted for committing a felony. (Lung Worthy et al, 1986).A Practical SituationDespite all these requirements and all the theoretical expectations from these special, well-trained and skilled cops a great problem looms in their working circumstances. For any person to work there is always expectations of commensurate benefits from the field of occupation necessary for the daily upkeep of the individual and dependants. The standard of life should also have a direct relationship with the rightful inputs of an individual to the workplace.Future progress should also be projected by the current occupation performance and renumeration. Other workplace related benefits are also very crucial determinants of an employee wellbeing and welfare. All these issues if not properly addressed, will lead to decreased morale, decreased output and poor performance and ultimately high degree of emplo yees’ dropout leading to high turnovers.This is the critical condition facing the NYPD. In 2005, there was a state arbitration and a panel of judges’ decree covering a contract negotiation between NYPD representatives and state representatives, which came up with a pay decrease for new officers. The new outcomes have been discussed here: – On admission, a new hire during training is supposed to earn $25,100 per year. This continues for the next six (6) months. On the completion of the Police Academy, the respective individual becomes entitled to an annual salary increase up to $32,700. To explain this, the state argues that the salaries were adjusted as a result of inflation. In practice these figures are far much low below the living standards of an employed person and they happen to be the lowest pay levels in history for rookie NYPD cops.This was a wrong decision by the jurisdiction of lowering the starting pay for new officers at such a time that the officer s are most impressionable and this act seems particularly unwise to majority of the people. The salary plunge is blamed on state arbitrator and is seen as a bad public policy to reduce the starting salary. The union officers argued that the city first suggested lower starting salaries to fund the pay raises and arbitration was taken to because the city refused to negotiate across the table. The conventional wisdom when applied tends to purport an inverse relationship between salary and corruption as witnessed in the jurisdiction such as New Orleans. (Fred. M. Rafilson, 2000).The issue at hand is very crucial towards motivation of workers. A person of proper orientation cannot even dream or think about joining this career, which is devoid of motivation considering that there exists a high degree of risk in this profession. The situation is further compounded by the fact that out of the meangle pays, the respective officer is expected to purchase virtually all of their belongings and personal items. The items include officers’ uniforms and equipment, which one would expect to get from the Academy or employer. Some issues of quality items in this respect it is worth mentioning.Due to the fact of fluctuated pay anybody is highly tempted to go for the least expensive item and it is common sense that least expensive is least quality. The practice of officers buying uniforms and equipment for themselves has an outlay that can easily run into thousands of dollars. As a solution, the Municipal Union in 2007 through the Municipal Credit Union began issuing visa credit cards to the Police Academy as a way to borrow the money needed towards the mandatory equipment purchases.Top pay for experienced officers is no better compared with pay of other potential employers. The recommended top pay for an experienced NYPD officer is $59,588 not including overtime payments and other forms of compensation. The major contributor to these problems is the municipal funding agent s, which although it has continually funded other city project.The new basketball arena in Brooklyn got an approximate 8.3 acres land, which although it was a part of a forest the administration asserts that this is no land grabbing. For the sake of its development it got a further $100 million. (Kleining John, 1996). The Second Avenue Train line got the full funding agreement with a massive $2.5 bond issues and its work expected to follow within weeks to months. (Kleining John, 1996).The Mayor’s Green Plan is raising quite substantial amount whereby drivers are levied for entering Manhattan at rates of $8 for personal vehicles and $21 for truck operators. Major tugs of war have been evidently available as is the case of the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), which urged the council members to provide the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) with adequate funding and to hold it accountable for recent lapses in its performance. NYCLU decried to Mayor Bloomberg’s proposals to cut CCRB funding by $1.2 million eliminating twenty four investigator positions and urged the city council to restore the CCRB’s funding to demand cooperation from NYPD and other agencies involved in the civilian review process.The NYCLU was actively instrumental in the creation of the independent CCRB in the year 2002, and has been an outspoken advocate for a vigorous and independent civilian review system. As part of this effort, the NYCLU has fought CCRB budget cuts year after year and has been highly critical of NYPD efforts to undermine the CCRB’s work. (Kleining John, 1996). Whereas the policy makers and implementers argue that they are in favor of keeping tabs on the people suspected of unlawful activities, they argue that the police should not be scrutinizing law abiding New Yorkers’ activities without regulations.Low pay is driving more and more New York’s finest to leave the job despite ranks being bolstered. Especially in 2005 and 2006, 1,769 officers were reported to quit job before their retirement eligibility. (Kleining John, 1996). The numbers have had a real impact on the streets and city hall does not have the courage to solve the problem.Difficulties Compounding Police Force IssueSome extremely difficult times were experienced in the city brought about by the economic downturn of the 1970. An arson attack particularly plagued Bronx leading to permeability of an atmosphere of lawlessness in the city. In addition, the city’s financial crisis led to a hiring freeze on all city departments including the NYPD from 1976 to 1980. (Eli B. Silverman, 1990). A crack epidemic of late 1980s and early 1990s followed in suit the arson attack, which is believed most certainly led to the city’s homicide rate to soar to an all time higher. A marvelous record of murder, so great that it has yet remained difficult to break in any other US major city, was recorded in 1990. (Eli B. Silverman, 1990).The situat ion was further complicated by continuous thefts associated with drug addiction increasing became common. Furthermore, on September 11, 2001, twenty-three NYPD officers were killed when the World Trade Centre collapsed due to terrorist attack. More lives were lost that year than any other year in the NYPD’s history. (Eli B. Silverman, 1990).All through history, the NYPD has suffered from numerous allegations of corruption. However, as the many commissions of inquiry convened to inquire about these alleged matters, the results have shown these instances of corruption reflect far greater on the individual’s involved rather than do on a systemic form of corruption. As a matter of fact, the instances of corruption when compared through statistics to the sheer number of the departments as a whole, the NYPD actually has a lower corruption rate than many other departments.Most commissions on corruption blame low morale and chronically low salary as the large contributing fact or. As things sour up to such heights it remains questionable as to the destiny and way out for these unlucky officers. Information permeability is in place of existing training and working condition in other departments of equal capacity as the NYPD.Situation Outside NYPDIt is crystal clear that in nearby departments’ payments is considerably more ranging from $50,000 for new hires and over $90,000 for experienced officers. Over the last few years hundreds of NYPD city officers have been found to leave for higher paying jobs with other agencies notably the Nassau County Police Department, the Suffolk County Police Department and the Port Authority Police of New York and New Jersey. (Bratton et al, 1998). Discontent over pay issues has become so widespread and so well known that higher paying departments in the lower cost of living areas such as the Rochester New York Police are actively recruiting NYPD officers to join their forces.Large numbers of NYPD officers have also mi grated to the New York City Fire Departments where, although the payments are similar to that of NYPD, work schedules are more attractive and they are privileged to have a more amicable relationship with the public. (Bratton et al, 1998). However, the NYPD is not comfortable with the exodus taken by their trained employees. Resources have been used for the training and therefore the exodus is a big loss to NYPD. Employees’ turnover is also a bad influence facing NYPD as a result of this exodus.Therefore, to counteract the exodus, the NYPD is using contract changes to forbid the prior practice of allowing police officers who join the fire department to transfer their seniority for a compensation purposes. With all new firefighters now compelled to begin working at the same starting pay, the number of NYPD officials willing to exit over to the FDNY is likely to fall considerably. (Bratton et al, 1998).Some NYPD officers charge that the department leadership is seeking to stem t he flow of officers to other jurisdictions by administrative means. In January 2006, 35 NYPD officers seeking to move to the Port Authority Police sued the NYPD claiming that it was refusing to make their personal records available to Ports Authority Police Department (PAPD) background investigators. The plaintiffs won the injunction at the trial level but the appellate division in January 2007 overturned that ruling and ordered that case to trial. (James T. Hamilton, 2000). For its part, the NYPD claims that its actions are merely in line with the personnel practices of any other employers and that there is no â€Å"stealth† effort to prevent officers from moving elsewhere.Nonetheless, it is a fact that no NYPD officers have been included in the last PAPD Police Academy as a result of the deliberate confinement of their background records by their employer NYPD. Despite these obstacles, there are signs that the exodus from the NYPD may become accelerating. In 2006, 902 offic ers resigned before eligibility for retirement. The number had been 867 in the previous year (2005) and 635 in the other previous year (2004), which contributes for an attrition rate of around 2%. (James T. Hamilton, 2000).While the Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly insists that the figures compares positively with the turnover rates in private industry, police union officials note that the proper comparison should be with prior years on the NYPD records in past years. For example, in 1991 only 15% officers left early thus recording an attrition rate of less than one half of one percent. (James T. Hamilton, 2000).The unfair state in NYPD has impacted negative picture of the Academy. Recruits and skilled officers are expected to take care of their transport costs. They are also supposed to cater for costs of their duty belts, handcuffs, flashlights etc. whenever they wear out. The cost of maintaining fresh supplies has been uncatered for by the Academy. The supervisors treat recruits and officers like children and the harsh manner of the supervisors create disrespect in the Academy. Recruits are taken for field experience and during the occasion they are given up to supervisory jobs. Due to the frequent turnover some identified officers and recruits are forced to act on supervisory capacity without an extra pay.At the end of it all participation in unions is crippled due to crippled financial status. They are also incapacitated to play meaningful roles in the society and their background society issues are very poor.The potential recruit of NYPD should expect to earn the lowest pay while working in the most dangerous environment in the tri-state area and should also expect picayune disciplinary action with a trial room having nearly 100% conviction rate. Dozens of civilian complaints from criminals and then complaints are investigated by cop hating, democratic club hacks. The recruit should also expect to be a great â€Å"white defendant† seeking publici ty, grand-standing district attorney have their life ruined when they make a good faith mistake they become financially destroyed plus their families by paying huge money in legal fees.The cop expects the boss ever behind while executing duties, any civilian complaint with a controversial case falls on the cops shoulders. The supervisors of the cops are ready to protect politicians at the expense of their junior cops. The members of the department above the rank of lieutenant are ready to earn promotion through suppression of their juniors. The NYPD cop members are the most demoralized army group. They give protection to millions of liberal, unappreciative citizens and democratic officers who hate them.The cops are also vilified by phony ministers who command huge sums of government poverty money to aid and assist crime. The cops transcend through six months of training then in disquiets join other police departments leaving their leaders searching for reasons of the exodus. As seni or members of NYPD shift to other departments, such as Suffolk County Cop, a vacancy opening leaves a promotion slot quickly.ConclusionThe result of poor funding in NYPD is a poor social economic structure. This leads to exit and exodus of those who enter NYPD Academy leading to brain drain and employee turnover. The lack of funding has created a huge salary disparity between NYPD and other same category departments. Any well-qualified person fears any indulgence with NYPD. Although their entry requirements are well outlines, a number of recruits gain entry into the Academy without the possession of valid driving licenses, relevant credentials possibility of suffering some disqualifications creates problems of retention of probationary employees since discontent and lack of motivation is the cause of exodus to a better place.ReferencesBratton, William J. & Knobler Peter (1998) Turnaround: How American Top Cops Reversed the Crime Epidemic. New York: Random House.Eli B. Silverman (199 0) NYPD Battles Crime: Innovative Strategies in Policing. North Eastern University Press. ISBN-13:978-15555340011.Fred. M. Rafilson (2000) Police Officer Arco; 13th Ed. ISBN-13:978-0028637419.James T. Hamilton (2000) Channeling Violence. Princeton University Press. New Ed. ISBN-13:978-0691070247.Kleining John (1996) The Ethics of Policing. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.Lung Worthy, Robert H. (1986) The Structure of Police Organizations. New York. Praeger.Reaves, Brian A. (1996) Local Police Departments. Diane Pub Co. ISBN-13:978-0788130076. New York Police Department Recruitment And Challenges Some of this is funny†¦most of it, if accurate, is outrageous. While some of the latter is verifiable, it is difficult to sort out just how much is simply sour grapes and whining because 40 miles to the East, Suffolk Country MOS have a huge contract. New York Police Department cannot get enough applicants to give a test for Police officers 88% of Port Authority Police Department Academy graduates are from New York Police Department cops, 50% of a new class of NYFD class are from New York Police Department. (Lung Worthy et al, 1986).IntroductionThe New York City Police (NYPD) has over the last years been known to be the largest municipal police force in the world with a vital primary responsibility to enforce the law and carry out investigations within the five boroughs of the New York City, which include Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester etc. (Fred. M. Rafilson, 2000).NYPD is dedicated to work towards enhancing the quality of life in the city by working in accordance to the constitut ion. This is achieved through its mission statement, which is â€Å"Enforce the law, preserve the peace, reduce fear and provide for a safe environment†. (Fred. M. Rafilson, 2000). This in result entails to preventing fear and responding to crime.In the United States, NYPD is considered as being the first modern style police department being an array of specialized services. It is contracted and dedicated to offering expertise in technical operations, K-9, diving or marine skills, aviation or helicopter skills, bomb disposal technology, counterterrorism technology, intelligence skills, antigang techniques, narcotics detection, public transportation, control and public housing. The NYPD has extensive crime scene investigations and laboratory resources while not also overlooking their units, which assist with computer crime investigations. (Fred. M. Rafilson, 2000)Recruitment Requirements for NYPDTo pace afoot into the NYPD academy, the following requirements are a prerequisite : one must be an United States citizen at the time of application; one must possess a valid high school diploma or an educational equivalent; one must have successfully completed either sixty (60) college credits from a credible college or a university with at least 2.0 GPA or two (2) years full time United States Military Service. (Reaves, Brian A., 1996).However, one could achieve the above qualifications yet be disqualified for admission because of the following factors: – One may have been convicted of an offence, which indicates lack of good moral character, or disposition towards violence or disorder or which is punishable by one or more years of imprisonment; one may have undergone repeated convictions of an offence, which indicates disrespect of the law; one may have been discharged from an employment as a result of poor behavior or inability to adjust to discipline; one may have been discharged in a dishonorable manner from the military service; one may have been con victed of an offence for domestic violence misdemeanor; and lastly, one may have been convicted for committing a felony. (Lung Worthy et al, 1986).A Practical SituationDespite all these requirements and all the theoretical expectations from these special, well-trained and skilled cops a great problem looms in their working circumstances. For any person to work there is always expectations of commensurate benefits from the field of occupation necessary for the daily upkeep of the individual and dependants. The standard of life should also have a direct relationship with the rightful inputs of an individual to the workplace. Future progress should also be projected by the current occupation performance and renumeration. Other workplace related benefits are also very crucial determinants of an employee wellbeing and welfare. All these issues if not properly addressed, will lead to decreased morale, decreased output and poor performance and ultimately high degree of employees’ dr opout leading to high turnovers.This is the critical condition facing the NYPD. In 2005, there was a state arbitration and a panel of judges’ decree covering a contract negotiation between NYPD representatives and state representatives, which came up with a pay decrease for new officers. The new outcomes have been discussed here: – On admission, a new hire during training is supposed to earn $25,100 per year. This continues for the next six (6) months. On the completion of the Police Academy, the respective individual becomes entitled to an annual salary increase up to $32,700. To explain this, the state argues that the salaries were adjusted as a result of inflation. In practice these figures are far much low below the living standards of an employed person and they happen to be the lowest pay levels in history for rookie NYPD cops.This was a wrong decision by the jurisdiction of lowering the starting pay for new officers at such a time that the officers are most impr essionable and this act seems particularly unwise to majority of the people. The salary plunge is blamed on state arbitrator and is seen as a bad public policy to reduce the starting salary. The union officers argued that the city first suggested lower starting salaries to fund the pay raises and arbitration was taken to because the city refused to negotiate across the table. The conventional wisdom when applied tends to purport an inverse relationship between salary and corruption as witnessed in the jurisdiction such as New Orleans. (Fred. M. Rafilson, 2000).The issue at hand is very crucial towards motivation of workers. A person of proper orientation cannot even dream or think about joining this career, which is devoid of motivation considering that there exists a high degree of risk in this profession. The situation is further compounded by the fact that out of the meangle pays, the respective officer is expected to purchase virtually all of their belongings and personal items. The items include officers’ uniforms and equipment, which one would expect to get from the Academy or employer. Some issues of quality items in this respect it is worth mentioning.Due to the fact of fluctuated pay anybody is highly tempted to go for the least expensive item and it is common sense that least expensive is least quality. The practice of officers buying uniforms and equipment for themselves has an outlay that can easily run into thousands of dollars. As a solution, the Municipal Union in 2007 through the Municipal Credit Union began issuing visa credit cards to the Police Academy as a way to borrow the money needed towards the mandatory equipment purchases.Top pay for experienced officers is no better compared with pay of other potential employers. The recommended top pay for an experienced NYPD officer is $59,588 not including overtime payments and other forms of compensation. The major contributor to these problems is the municipal funding agents, which althou gh it has continually funded other city project. The new basketball arena in Brooklyn got an approximate 8.3 acres land, which although it was a part of a forest the administration asserts that this is no land grabbing. For the sake of its development it got a further $100 million. (Kleining John, 1996). The Second Avenue Train line got the full funding agreement with a massive $2.5 bond issues and its work expected to follow within weeks to months. (Kleining John, 1996).The Mayor’s Green Plan is raising quite substantial amount whereby drivers are levied for entering Manhattan at rates of $8 for personal vehicles and $21 for truck operators. Major tugs of war have been evidently available as is the case of the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), which urged the council members to provide the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) with adequate funding and to hold it accountable for recent lapses in its performance. NYCLU decried to Mayor Bloomberg’s proposals to c ut CCRB funding by $1.2 million eliminating twenty four investigator positions and urged the city council to restore the CCRB’s funding to demand cooperation from NYPD and other agencies involved in the civilian review process.The NYCLU was actively instrumental in the creation of the independent CCRB in the year 2002, and has been an outspoken advocate for a vigorous and independent civilian review system. As part of this effort, the NYCLU has fought CCRB budget cuts year after year and has been highly critical of NYPD efforts to undermine the CCRB’s work. (Kleining John, 1996). Whereas the policy makers and implementers argue that they are in favor of keeping tabs on the people suspected of unlawful activities, they argue that the police should not be scrutinizing law abiding New Yorkers’ activities without regulations.Low pay is driving more and more New York’s finest to leave the job despite ranks being bolstered. Especially in 2005 and 2006, 1,769 of ficers were reported to quit job before their retirement eligibility. (Kleining John, 1996). The numbers have had a real impact on the streets and city hall does not have the courage to solve the problem.Difficulties Compounding Police Force IssueSome extremely difficult times were experienced in the city brought about by the economic downturn of the 1970. An arson attack particularly plagued Bronx leading to permeability of an atmosphere of lawlessness in the city. In addition, the city’s financial crisis led to a hiring freeze on all city departments including the NYPD from 1976 to 1980. (Eli B. Silverman, 1990). A crack epidemic of late 1980s and early 1990s followed in suit the arson attack, which is believed most certainly led to the city’s homicide rate to soar to an all time higher. A marvelous record of murder, so great that it has yet remained difficult to break in any other US major city, was recorded in 1990. (Eli B. Silverman, 1990).The situation was furthe r complicated by continuous thefts associated with drug addiction increasing became common. Furthermore, on September 11, 2001, twenty-three NYPD officers were killed when the World Trade Centre collapsed due to terrorist attack. More lives were lost that year than any other year in the NYPD’s history. (Eli B. Silverman, 1990).All through history, the NYPD has suffered from numerous allegations of corruption. However, as the many commissions of inquiry convened to inquire about these alleged matters, the results have shown these instances of corruption reflect far greater on the individual’s involved rather than do on a systemic form of corruption. As a matter of fact, the instances of corruption when compared through statistics to the sheer number of the departments as a whole, the NYPD actually has a lower corruption rate than many other departments. Most commissions on corruption blame low morale and chronically low salary as the large contributing factor. As things sour up to such heights it remains questionable as to the destiny and way out for these unlucky officers. Information permeability is in place of existing training and working condition in other departments of equal capacity as the NYPD.Situation Outside NYPDIt is crystal clear that in nearby departments’ payments is considerably more ranging from $50,000 for new hires and over $90,000 for experienced officers. Over the last few years hundreds of NYPD city officers have been found to leave for higher paying jobs with other agencies notably the Nassau County Police Department, the Suffolk County Police Department and the Port Authority Police of New York and New Jersey. (Bratton et al, 1998). Discontent over pay issues has become so widespread and so well known that higher paying departments in the lower cost of living areas such as the Rochester New York Police are actively recruiting NYPD officers to join their forces. Large numbers of NYPD officers have also migrated to th e New York City Fire Departments where, although the payments are similar to that of NYPD, work schedules are more attractive and they are privileged to have a more amicable relationship with the public. (Bratton et al, 1998).However, the NYPD is not comfortable with the exodus taken by their trained employees. Resources have been used for the training and therefore the exodus is a big loss to NYPD. Employees’ turnover is also a bad influence facing NYPD as a result of this exodus. Therefore, to counteract the exodus, the NYPD is using contract changes to forbid the prior practice of allowing police officers who join the fire department to transfer their seniority for a compensation purposes. With all new firefighters now compelled to begin working at the same starting pay, the number of NYPD officials willing to exit over to the FDNY is likely to fall considerably. (Bratton et al, 1998).Some NYPD officers charge that the department leadership is seeking to stem the flow of o fficers to other jurisdictions by administrative means. In January 2006, 35 NYPD officers seeking to move to the Port Authority Police sued the NYPD claiming that it was refusing to make their personal records available to Ports Authority Police Department (PAPD) background investigators. The plaintiffs won the injunction at the trial level but the appellate division in January 2007 overturned that ruling and ordered that case to trial. (James T. Hamilton, 2000). For its part, the NYPD claims that its actions are merely in line with the personnel practices of any other employers and that there is no â€Å"stealth† effort to prevent officers from moving elsewhere.Nonetheless, it is a fact that no NYPD officers have been included in the last PAPD Police Academy as a result of the deliberate confinement of their background records by their employer NYPD. Despite these obstacles, there are signs that the exodus from the NYPD may become accelerating. In 2006, 902 officers resigned before eligibility for retirement. The number had been 867 in the previous year (2005) and 635 in the other previous year (2004), which contributes for an attrition rate of around 2%. (James T. Hamilton, 2000).While the Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly insists that the figures compares positively with the turnover rates in private industry, police union officials note that the proper comparison should be with prior years on the NYPD records in past years. For example, in 1991 only 15% officers left early thus recording an attrition rate of less than one half of one percent. (James T. Hamilton, 2000).The unfair state in NYPD has impacted negative picture of the Academy. Recruits and skilled officers are expected to take care of their transport costs. They are also supposed to cater for costs of their duty belts, handcuffs, flashlights etc. whenever they wear out. The cost of maintaining fresh supplies has been uncatered for by the Academy. The supervisors treat recruits and officer s like children and the harsh manner of the supervisors create disrespect in the Academy. Recruits are taken for field experience and during the occasion they are given up to supervisory jobs. Due to the frequent turnover some identified officers and recruits are forced to act on supervisory capacity without an extra pay.At the end of it all participation in unions is crippled due to crippled financial status. They are also incapacitated to play meaningful roles in the society and their background society issues are very poor.The potential recruit of NYPD should expect to earn the lowest pay while working in the most dangerous environment in the tri-state area and should also expect picayune disciplinary action with a trial room having nearly 100% conviction rate. Dozens of civilian complaints from criminals and then complaints are investigated by cop hating, democratic club hacks. The recruit should also expect to be a great â€Å"white defendant† seeking publicity, grand-st anding district attorney have their life ruined when they make a good faith mistake they become financially destroyed plus their families by paying huge money in legal fees. The cop expects the boss ever behind while executing duties, any civilian complaint with a controversial case falls on the cops shoulders.The supervisors of the cops are ready to protect politicians at the expense of their junior cops. The members of the department above the rank of lieutenant are ready to earn promotion through suppression of their juniors. The NYPD cop members are the most demoralized army group. They give protection to millions of liberal, unappreciative citizens and democratic officers who hate them. The cops are also vilified by phony ministers who command huge sums of government poverty money to aid and assist crime. The cops transcend through six months of training then in disquiets join other police departments leaving their leaders searching for reasons of the exodus. As senior members of NYPD shift to other departments, such as Suffolk County Cop, a vacancy opening leaves a promotion slot quickly.ConclusionThe result of poor funding in NYPD is a poor social economic structure. This leads to exit and exodus of those who enter NYPD Academy leading to brain drain and employee turnover. The lack of funding has created a huge salary disparity between NYPD and other same category departments. Any well-qualified person fears any indulgence with NYPD. Although their entry requirements are well outlines, a number of recruits gain entry into the Academy without the possession of valid driving licenses, relevant credentials possibility of suffering some disqualifications creates problems of retention of probationary employees since discontent and lack of motivation is the cause of exodus to a better place.ReferencesBratton, William J. & Knobler Peter (1998) Turnaround: How American Top Cops Reversed the Crime Epidemic. New York: Random House.Eli B. Silverman (1990) NYPD Bat tles Crime: Innovative Strategies in Policing. North Eastern University Press. ISBN-13:978-15555340011.Fred. M. Rafilson (2000) Police Officer Arco; 13th Ed. ISBN-13:978-0028637419.James T. Hamilton (2000) Channeling Violence. Princeton University Press. New Ed. ISBN-13:978-0691070247.Kleining John (1996) The Ethics of Policing. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.Lung Worthy, Robert H. (1986) The Structure of Police Organizations. New York. Praeger.Reaves, Brian A. (1996) Local Police Departments. Diane Pub Co. ISBN-13:978-0788130076.

SF-9 Lepidopteran Cells Essays - Benzofurans, Biochemistry Methods

SF-9 Lepidopteran Cells Essays - Benzofurans, Biochemistry Methods SF-9 Lepidopteran Cells PHM499 Research Project Supervisors: Dr. P. S. Pennefather, Dr. S. M. Ross Calcium transport study of SF-9 lepidopteran cells and bull frog sympathetic ganglion cells Kenny Yu Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 19 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S2 ABSTRACT The intracellular calcium level and the calcium efflux of the bull-frog sympathetic ganglion cells (BSG) and the SF-9 lepidopteran ovarian cells were investigated using a calcium-sensitive fluorescence probe fura-2. It was found that the intracellular calcium levels were 58.2 and 44.7 nM for the BSG cells and SF-9 cells respectively. The calcium effluxes following zero calcium solution were 2.02 and 1.33 fmolecm-2s-1 for the BSG cells and SF-9 cells. The calcium effluxes following sodium orthovanadate (Na2VO4) in zero calcium solution were 6.00 and 0.80 fmolecm-2s-1 for the BSG cells and the SF-9 cells. The SF-9 cells also lost the ability to extrude intracellular calcium after 2-3 applications of Na2VO4 while the BSG cells showed no apparent lost of calcium extruding abilities for up to 4 applications of Na2VO4. INTRODUCTION Spodoptera frugiperda clone 9 (SF-9) cells are a cultured insect cell line derived from the butterfly ovarian tissue. SF-9 cells are used by molecular biologists for the studies of gene expression and protein processing (Luckow and Summers, 1988). However, there is not much known about these cells' basic biophysiology. Since calcium is involved in many cells' activities such as acting as a secondary messenger, it is important for cells to control their intracellular calcium level. This study was aimed toward looking at the some of the basic properties of the SF-9 cells such as resting calcium concentration and rate of calcium extrusion after being calcium level being raised by an ionophore 4-bromo-A23187. The effect of sodium orthovanadate (an active transport inhibitor) on calcium extrusion was also looked at. Microspectrofluorescence techniques and the calcium-sensitive probe fura-2 were used to measure the intracellular calcium concentration of these cells. In addition, the BSG ce lls were used to compare with the SF-9 cells for the parameters that were studied. It was found that the SF-9 cells appeared to have a calcium concentration similar to the BSG cells. Moreover, the calcium extrusion rates of both cell types with no Na2VO4 added seemed to the same. However, due to insufficient data, the effects of Na2VO4 could not be statistically analyzed. From the data available, it suggested that the BSG cells' rate of calcium extrusion was enhanced by the Na2VO4 and was greater than the SF-9 cells. It was more important to note that the calcium extruding capabilities of the SF-9 cell seemed to impaired after two to three applications of Na2VO4 but it had apparent effects on the BSG cells even up to 4 applications. After obtaining these basic parameters, many questions raised such as how does the SF-9 cells extrude their calcium and why the Na2VO4 affected the calcium efflux for the SF-9 cells but not the BSG cells? The SF-9 cells may have a calcium pump or exchanger to extrude their calcium and they may be very sensitive to the ATP (adenosine 3'-triphosphate) supply. This was apparently different from the BSG cells' since their calcium extrusion were not affected by the Na2VO4.. It may be useful to find the mechanism(s) of the actions of Na2VO4 on the SF-9 cells because it may find possible applications in agriculture such as pest control. MATERIALS AND METHODS Chemicals and solutions 4-bromo-A23187 and Fura-2/AM were purchased from Molecular Probes (Eugene, OR). Na2VO4 was purchased from Alomone Lab (Jerusalem, Israel). Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was obtained from J. T. Baker Inc. (Phillipsburg, NJ). All other reagents were obtained from Sigma (St. Louis, MO). The normal Ringer's solution (NRS) contained (mM): 125 NaCl, 5.0 KCl, 2.0 CaCl2, 1.0 MgSO4, 10.0 glucose, 10.0 N-[2-hydroxyethyl] piperazine-N'-[2-ethanesulfonic acid] (HEPES). The calcium free Ringer solution (0CaNRS) is the same as the NRS except CaCl2 was substituted with 2.0 mM ethylene glycol-bis(b-aminoehtyl) ether N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). Fura-2/AM solution was prepared as follows: a stock solution of 1mM fura-2/AM in DMSO was diluted 1:500 in NRS containing 2% bovine albumin. It was then sonicated for 10 minutes. It was then kept frozen until the day of the experiment. 20 SYMBOL 109 f "Symbol"M 4-bromo-A23187 solution was prepared by diluting a stock of 5mM 4-bromo-A23187 in DMSO 1:250 with NRS. Na2VO4 solution

Compare and Contrast essay on China and Mesopotamia Essays

Compare and Contrast essay on China and Mesopotamia Essays Compare and Contrast essay on China and Mesopotamia Paper Compare and Contrast essay on China and Mesopotamia Paper Around 5,000 years ago early civilizations settled near rivers. Ancient China civilizations established on the Hang-He River Valley, while early Mesopotamia civilizations settled near the Tigris and Euphrates River Valley. While both Hang-He River Valley and Mesopotamia have similar politics they also differed in the interactions with the environment and economics. China and Mesopotamia had several ways of interacting with the environment. China s type of farming differed from Mesopotamia s farming style. China used terrace farming while Mesopotamia s still used a little of hunting a gathering. Chinese people used terraces to adapt to the environment, Mesopotamia s also used hunting and gathering to adapt to the habitat. Terraces were used because terrace fields decreased erosion;hunting and gathering was used because the river valley flooded often. While China had the Hang-He River Valley, Mesopotamia had the Tigris and Euphrates River Valley which both had to make people adapt to them. In China people had to built complex flood control systems and Mesopotamia had to build bridges. The flood control systems helped by guiding the water when it flooded, the bridges helped people cross the rivers. Trading was an important characteristic from Ancient China and Mesopotamia. China used the Sailboard while, Mesopotamia used different trading roots. This both helped the societies in agricultural growth. Keeping record of money or monetary issues was a major thing in ancient times. Mesopotamia had a written record meanwhile, China only had the language they spoke. China and Mesopotamia both used Barter Systems. Politics and laws in the Hang-He river valley and Mesopotamia had several similarities and differences. The law code from Mesopotamia was Hamburgs Code; made by its inning, Hamburg, meanwhile in China it was the Mandate of heaven. The Hamburgs Code helped keep order in the society, on the other hand, the mandate of heaven gave the king absolute power. One thing that these civilizations had in common was that they both used decentralized ruling. Mesopotamia used city-states while China used Central Government. In conclusion, China s Hang-He river valley and Mesopotamia have several similarities and differences in Interactions with the environment, political issues and economically. They both settled near the rivers; Hang-He river, Tigris, and Euphrates rivers.

BioServer Systems Analysis Essays

BioServer Systems Analysis Essays BioServer Systems Analysis Paper BioServer Systems Analysis Paper Most individuals who have worked or intend to work with organizations dealing with restricted information do require security clearance. Security clearance is done by employers who are dealing in information which is deemed by government to be of utmost importance to the nation. This is because most of these persons will have access to information in classified documents. BSS will thus conduct security clearance tests from all its current or potential employees as they will hold sensitive positions. The security clearance can be got from head of department, agency or division of federal government (Humbucker, 2010). According to Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (2010), some of the security clearance checks which can be performed by BSS are: driving records, criminal records, credit records, social security number, education records, court records, workers’ compensation records, and records showing bankruptcy, character references, past employers, personal references, incarceration records and sex offenders’ record. All this checks are aimed at information that should not be obtained for legal or EEO reasons. Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) and the law agree that there are certain checks which an employer cannot conduct which apply to BSS too. The two agree that an employer like BSS can conduct a background checkas long as such a test does not in any way conflict negotiated commitment like union or employee contract and it does not lead to a discriminatory impact on any class without showing a valid reason consistent with business need. Some of discriminatory tests include tests on religious background, if the applicant has disability, ancestry or national origin and family status (Chally Group, 2010). How BSS can know that its background testing programs are effective BSS should not only have an effective background testing, it should also be cost conscious. An effective screening process involves more than just checking criminal records after a candidate has been picked. In order to ensure that BSS has put into place an effective check system, the following should be used as guidelines: job announcements should show that the firm needs background checks; all interested participants should sign consent to background checks; a language concerning release of background check records from foreign nations should be included. Applicants to be asked directly if they have criminal records in interviews and employment application; a clear statement that any false information or omissions is enough material to terminate application process or employment if it has already begun, despite when information is obtained; a statement indicating that employment is subject to completion of background test; past employment references should be well checked; a listing of all past addresses should also be obtained and the organization should finally include future screening in consent language for purposes of promotion, retention or reassignment. If all these are put in to place, BSS will have an effective screening process. In addition to this, BSS can conduct further tests to satisfy due diligence like courthouse searches for criminal records (Rosen, 2010).

The Use of Mideast Oil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Use of Mideast Oil - Essay Example The possession of oil production facilities and fields for future development determine the relationship that the developing nations form with the oil rich nations. Without oil, Iraq would have been one more unfortunate dictatorship in a world where oppression and exploitation is commonplace. However, the United States has taken a keen interest in seeing that Iraq is a democracy in an effort to keep the oil flowing. American taxpayers have been willing to funnel billions of dollars in aid and infrastructure into this Middle Eastern country. The potential oil that they can produce has formed the basis of our foreign policy in relation to Iraq. Even more astounding is the propensity that the US has for arming an oil rich nation with the latest high tech weaponry available. Saudi Arabia, which produces over 12 percent of the world's oil, can demand and receive huge allotments of fighter aircraft, missiles, and JDAMS, which are some of the world's most advanced 'smart bombs' (Strobel, 2007). The United Arab Emirates, a top ten producer of oil, has been supplied with similar weapons. These military aid packages are in return for the steady supply of crude oil. Because the State Department knows that these are politically risky and volatile nations, the US offers Israel upgraded military equipment to maintain a balance of power. By co

Human Resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Human Resource - Essay Example With the help of the human resource management practice, HR mangers around the world measure performances of individual employees. It helps the organization to reach their goal. Human resource is the most important, valuable and complex resource to manage. Measuring their performances with the help of appraisal is also very difficult. Performance appraisal and performance management has very deep rooted relationship between them. According to the article, the term performance appraisal may be a modern terminology but the concept is very old. Over the years, this Human resource management practice has evolved a lot. Like many other human resource management practices this practice is not free from criticism. It is often being noticed that performance appraisal are not proper. There are certain intangible things related with performance which cannot be measured with performance appraisals. The authors state that sometimes performance appraisals are very orthodox. Performance appraisals can create unnecessary mental pressure in the mind of employees. Often performance appraisals are done by human beings. Often human beings are bias in nature. In spite of all these limitations performance appraisal is a very widely used HRM practice for performance management. The above mentioned article will contribute in measuring the performances presented by group members in case of group presentations. Performance management is all about identifying different dimensions related with employee performance. All these dimensions are scrutinized very strictly. It is a very important practice of human resource manager. According to this article, every organization wants good performances from their employees. Here comes the important of performance management. There are many tools for managing performances. The article discusses that performance appraisal is a very competent performance management tool. Modern day business is full of cut throat competitions.

Shared Practice Evaluation Methods Part II Assignment

Shared Practice Evaluation Methods Part II - Assignment Example soda is concerned, I strongly believe that you could have chosen at least two of the alternatives instead of wanting to use all of them at one point or the other. This notwithstanding, it is a good thing that you recognized that there will be different stages of decision making and thus the need to diversify your decision making tools. Â  Hello John, it is great to read about how you identify instances where each of the decision making tools is relevant and the advantages and limitations that come with each of them. I have always believed that companies have failed in the implementation of decision making on investments because they refuse to weigh out their options very well. This is because in most cases, the companies overly rely on the advantage that a particular decision making tool would bring without looking at possible disadvantages. But as stressed by quote (year), it is very important that at every point in time, decision making will be made around whether the company’s priority is with time value of money or with the quantitative outcomes from investment. Regarding your current project, I believe it is a very good thing that you decided to select only two methods which are discounted payback and NPV. With such specification, you will be able to stay focused on the monitoring of your

The Legalization of Same-sex Marriages Research Paper

The Legalization of Same-sex Marriages - Research Paper Example This can be seen as an extension of the discrimination that homosexual individuals have to face in the society. The lack of legalization also results in a lesser number of families amongst the homosexual communities across the world. In a society that still does not recognize any other social unit as much as the family, the lack of recognition for homosexual families can result in psychological problems that may lead to many problems for the individuals involved. This paper shall look at the psychological aspect of the problem and argue that the problems faced by such couples has a lot to do with the lack of legal recognition that they receive at the hands of the state and religious groups that they may be a part of. This paper shall examine the different aspects of the problem at hand and attempt to look at the perspectives that different groups endorse as far as same-sex marriage is concerned. There are several arguments that are used against the institutionalization of gay marriag es. One of the most important of such arguments is advanced by religious conservatives who argue that there is a need to improve the health of the institution of marriage. They cite the high divorce rates and the general lack of belief that the youth of today demonstrates in marriage as reasons for it to be preserved as a bastion of heterosexual normativity (Overview of Same-Sex Marriage in the United States). In many of these arguments is visible a strain of religious orthodoxy that bestows n heterosexual marriages the mantle of legitimacy. What is important here is that in such arguments, a marriage is defined as one where there is a certain level of productivity. It is true that same-sex marriages do not result in a traditional production of children. It therefore, is against conventional ideas of a marriage where one of the most important aspects is that of procreation. Heterosexual marriages, according to those who oppose same-sex marriages, weaken the foundations of marriage a s a social institution. While looking at children as only part of the reason for marriage, one removes the focus from marriage as an institution meant for procreation. This results in a greater emphasis on individuality and this weakens the concept of the couple as a sacrosanct unit. This can then be considered to be a reason for the frequent breakups of marriages and the condition that children of such marriages find themselves in. Another argument against the implementation of the clause of same-sex marriages is that it is considered to be too divisive to take up. This can be seen in the reluctance that certain institutions of the state have in pursuing it to a logical conclusion (Hope and fear in gay marriage cases at high court). There is a chance that there may be chaos in the violence that may result from the implementation of such a decision. Here, violence is not meant in merely a physical sense. The mental and psychological stress that may result in the people who are homos exual and live amongst a largely heterosexual community is something that is avoidable. Thus, there is the fear of a backlash from communities who feel that their sentiments are not taken into account by the state. This may lead to the breaking of neighborhoods and relationships that are forged without taking into account the sexual orientation of a person. The importance of such relationships cannot be disregarded as they result in many transactions that an individual is a part of.  Ã‚  

What would be most useful in planning an expedition to the summit, a Essay

What would be most useful in planning an expedition to the summit, a map of the mountain or a preliminary visit - Essay Example Note that the word used was â€Å"statement† and not â€Å"problem†, because using the latter might invite elaborate problem-solving activities, which may not be necessary for making the best decision. This was the contention of Starbuck (1983) that organizations should be problem solvers. Having this kind of perspective, one will perceive the above statement to be a problem that justifies the problem-solving model. It is not yet in the action-generating mode, because the expedition is still in the planning stage, but nevertheless could also be taken as an action-generating trigger. While this perspective is pervasive among organizations who would justify their relevance by interpreting events (such as the question posed) as a problem that needs to be solved or acted upon, this mindset is problematic. This model of Starbuck will murk the issue of merely identifying the most useful in planning an expedition, because Starbuck’s model of problem-solving may lead to busy work whereby exercises are performed for the sake of solving the perceived problem. This is no different from the actors in an organization who bloat events into a problem to justify their existence; they create bureaucracy after bureaucracy to satisfy the need to act or to solve any event that is interpreted as a problem and thus is not an ideal model for responding to the statement. Equally problematic to the approach of Starbuck is Weick’s dependency to technology in solving any given proposition. Data provided in their cryptic representations were taken as if they were absolute truths when they themselves are imperfect and incomplete. Weick elaborated that these data are flawed for two reasons; first, these data does not have the sensory information such as â€Å"feelings, intuitions, and context† (52), all of which are critical in accurate assessment of a situation. Second, data provided by machines cannot speak in qualitative terms such as â€Å"metaphors, corporate culture, archetypes, myths, history†(52). Without these inputs in the information that we are going to factor in our decision making, we are rendered handicapped because it would be impossible for us accurately diagnose and address any issue that we will confront (1985). In the statement that this paper is trying to resolve whether â€Å"what would be most useful in planning an expedition to the summit?† Relying on information provided by machine as enunciated in the paper of Weick will render us incapacitated to make a sound decision because there is no way that a computer could relate the sensory nuances of climbing the summit that would make us a better judge which of the two options presented would be more appropriate. Bazerman and Moore’s article about â€Å"Bounded Awareness† provided an interesting perspective on how our filtering reflexes can lead to an erroneous interpretation of an issue, thus making an incorrect decision. Due to excess ive information available about a certain issue or event, we tend to ignore some information which could have been equally important. We make assumptions to fit problems into our defined space during our decision-making process, and these assumptions are our prejudices, biases, and preconceived notions that could impair the result of the decision (Starbuck, 1983). Yet, even as Bazerman and Moore defined how the filtering of bounded awareness limits good decision-making, the study still did not provide

Identify the Claim 99.9% of Proper Grammar is Obsolete - CS2 Case Study

Identify the Claim 99.9% of Proper Grammar is Obsolete - CS2 - Case Study Example bject-verb agreement, capital letters, etc is still being followed by main stream publications but it is not the case outside of such environments where correct use of grammar has already started decaying. Sentences structured carefully are disappearing on the internet. As users are getting acquainted of each other’s vocabulary, proper grammar is deteriorating. He recognizes that there is a tendency of feeding customized â€Å"Internet Speak† that is developing among those on the internet. The grammar on formal websites still follows the traditional laid out rules, emails are starting to see a condensed version and instant messaging is even worse. The reason for this is rooted in the belief that expertise is not a necessity and is a waste of money and time. He cites the example of existence of many civilizations for centuries. Also proper use of grammar does not solve any problem as many cannot read at a collegiate level. The author then goes on to sarcastically criticize such form of writing as saying that he wonders how such messages are legible (Wertheimer, 2002). He says that on examining any message, even be it from a CEO, many grammatical errors can be found. He points out the reason why such messages have been working. In the last few years as the use of internet has increased, users have not only tolerated such abuse of grammar but encouraged such styles in order reply to messages as soon as they receive it. Need for speed is the reason behind this development. Punctuating and capitalizing is just a loss of time. Hence the need to be fast has lead to this condensing of sentencing and in turn grammar. One of the examples that author gives is the use of â€Å"g2g† which means â€Å"got to go†. The author goes on to explain that languages demand perfectionism by being grammatically correct but this is not the case on the internet. A communication’s effectiveness is dependent on the speed of the communication. Longer the sentence is slower the process and

The Legalization of Same-sex Marriages Research Paper

The Legalization of Same-sex Marriages - Research Paper Example This can be seen as an extension of the discrimination that homosexual individuals have to face in the society. The lack of legalization also results in a lesser number of families amongst the homosexual communities across the world. In a society that still does not recognize any other social unit as much as the family, the lack of recognition for homosexual families can result in psychological problems that may lead to many problems for the individuals involved. This paper shall look at the psychological aspect of the problem and argue that the problems faced by such couples has a lot to do with the lack of legal recognition that they receive at the hands of the state and religious groups that they may be a part of. This paper shall examine the different aspects of the problem at hand and attempt to look at the perspectives that different groups endorse as far as same-sex marriage is concerned. There are several arguments that are used against the institutionalization of gay marriag es. One of the most important of such arguments is advanced by religious conservatives who argue that there is a need to improve the health of the institution of marriage. They cite the high divorce rates and the general lack of belief that the youth of today demonstrates in marriage as reasons for it to be preserved as a bastion of heterosexual normativity (Overview of Same-Sex Marriage in the United States). In many of these arguments is visible a strain of religious orthodoxy that bestows n heterosexual marriages the mantle of legitimacy. What is important here is that in such arguments, a marriage is defined as one where there is a certain level of productivity. It is true that same-sex marriages do not result in a traditional production of children. It therefore, is against conventional ideas of a marriage where one of the most important aspects is that of procreation. Heterosexual marriages, according to those who oppose same-sex marriages, weaken the foundations of marriage a s a social institution. While looking at children as only part of the reason for marriage, one removes the focus from marriage as an institution meant for procreation. This results in a greater emphasis on individuality and this weakens the concept of the couple as a sacrosanct unit. This can then be considered to be a reason for the frequent breakups of marriages and the condition that children of such marriages find themselves in. Another argument against the implementation of the clause of same-sex marriages is that it is considered to be too divisive to take up. This can be seen in the reluctance that certain institutions of the state have in pursuing it to a logical conclusion (Hope and fear in gay marriage cases at high court). There is a chance that there may be chaos in the violence that may result from the implementation of such a decision. Here, violence is not meant in merely a physical sense. The mental and psychological stress that may result in the people who are homos exual and live amongst a largely heterosexual community is something that is avoidable. Thus, there is the fear of a backlash from communities who feel that their sentiments are not taken into account by the state. This may lead to the breaking of neighborhoods and relationships that are forged without taking into account the sexual orientation of a person. The importance of such relationships cannot be disregarded as they result in many transactions that an individual is a part of.  Ã‚  

Identify the Claim 99.9% of Proper Grammar is Obsolete - CS2 Case Study

Identify the Claim 99.9% of Proper Grammar is Obsolete - CS2 - Case Study Example bject-verb agreement, capital letters, etc is still being followed by main stream publications but it is not the case outside of such environments where correct use of grammar has already started decaying. Sentences structured carefully are disappearing on the internet. As users are getting acquainted of each other’s vocabulary, proper grammar is deteriorating. He recognizes that there is a tendency of feeding customized â€Å"Internet Speak† that is developing among those on the internet. The grammar on formal websites still follows the traditional laid out rules, emails are starting to see a condensed version and instant messaging is even worse. The reason for this is rooted in the belief that expertise is not a necessity and is a waste of money and time. He cites the example of existence of many civilizations for centuries. Also proper use of grammar does not solve any problem as many cannot read at a collegiate level. The author then goes on to sarcastically criticize such form of writing as saying that he wonders how such messages are legible (Wertheimer, 2002). He says that on examining any message, even be it from a CEO, many grammatical errors can be found. He points out the reason why such messages have been working. In the last few years as the use of internet has increased, users have not only tolerated such abuse of grammar but encouraged such styles in order reply to messages as soon as they receive it. Need for speed is the reason behind this development. Punctuating and capitalizing is just a loss of time. Hence the need to be fast has lead to this condensing of sentencing and in turn grammar. One of the examples that author gives is the use of â€Å"g2g† which means â€Å"got to go†. The author goes on to explain that languages demand perfectionism by being grammatically correct but this is not the case on the internet. A communication’s effectiveness is dependent on the speed of the communication. Longer the sentence is slower the process and

Marios Game and Video Masters Rentals Essay Example for Free

Marios Game and Video Masters Rentals Essay This project will aim to solve the information handling problems of Marios Game and Video Masters Rentals. Marios Game and Video Masters Rentals is a rental store that rents videos, games, and now DVDs (newly added) and is run by a man named Mario Anderson. To provide these services information is collected and stored about the items, and the members. Information about each member is written on a card, which is then put in to a card index box, which is sorted out by the member surname, then forename, then member number. Information about the items is put onto a card, which is then put in its case. After each day, a shop assistant writes loans list of all the items that have been rented out, along with the member number and video number, and name. What happens in Normal circumstances? When a member wants to rent out a copy, the customer must take it from an empty case from the shelf with the item card inside it. When he/she hands it into the counter, the shop assistant takes the card out and looks at the video number, and then takes the member number from the customer. If the member has lost their membership card, then they must pay a fee of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.00, and will receive a new card. The persons old card for the store is destroyed, and the new one is put in the box .The shop assistant then asks the customer how many days he or she will want to rent it for, and writes it on the item card. The shop assistant then hands the item over to the customer. When an item is returned, the shop assistant goes back to the loan list from the date of rental. He or she then crosses it off. Then, he or she puts the case back onto the shelf and the item behind the counter. At the end of everyday, the loan lists are searched to find out if there are any overdue items. Then, by hand they must write a letter to the corresponding people. What happens in Special circumstances? When a new member joins, he must pay a joining fee of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.00. Their details are stored on the card and placed in the index box in order. The shop assistant then gives the new member a membership card. When a member leaves, hand in their membership card, and their card in the index box is taken out and destroyed. When an item is bought, an item details card is filled out and put in the case. The actual item is put behind the counter, and the case with the card inside is placed on the shelf. When an item is sold because it is not popular anymore, the video card is taken out and destroyed. What Problems do the current system cause? The current system causes the following problems: Members lose their membership cards. They must pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.00 for a new one. Sometimes the cards go missing, so then new ones must be written out, and that is quite time-consuming. Sometimes, when different shop assistants write out the video card, other assistants may not be able to read the others handwriting, which leads to huge error e.g. a 4 written could look like a 9. A members card or an item card could be misplaced and could take a lot of time to find It is very time consuming when a shop assistant must look through the loan lists and write the reminder letters. When customers ask the staff whether a particular title is available, the staff will not be able to know it unless they have a particularly good memory. How could Mr Anderson solve the information-handling problems? Mr Anderson could solve their information handling problems by using a filing cabinet to store their information about members and items using detail cards. The advantage of this system is that much more information can be stored using this system. But the disadvantages are that these could be misplaced, lost or damaged, just like the existing system. Unauthorised people can take some records. It would also be quite time consuming. Another way of solving the problems would be to use a computer to store information about members, rentals, and items. The advantages of this system are that it can store a lot of data in a small space, searches through it very quickly. But computers can be quite expensive. There are two ways a computer can be used. You could write a program to solve all the information-handling problems, but I do not know how to write programs on the computer and it is very expensive to pay a programmer and it would be time-consuming. Or, you could use an application package such as a database. This database could store and process all the information about members, items, and rentals What is the best way out of the solutions? The best way to solve the information handling problems of Mr Anderson will be to set up a new system using a computer. I have decided to use a computer because: * Computers can store large amounts of data in a small space. * The information can be searched very quickly * Lists and reports about the information in a computer can be produced very quickly and easily. * There is already a computer that can be used (Mr Anderson has two computers at home, one of which he does not use) I have decided to do this using an application package because: * I do not know how to write computer programs * There is a wide variety of application packages * Application packages can be changed and customised to suit the needs of the user * Have used different application packages I the past The most suitable type of application package will be a database because: * Database packages are specially designed to store and process information. * I have used database packages before, so I know a lot more about these as oppose to packages I have never used before What must the new system be able to do? The new system must be able to perform the following tasks: * Allow member details to be looked up, edited and stored quickly, easily and accurately * Allow item details to be looked up, edited and stored quickly, easily and accurately * Allow rental details to be looked up, edited and stored quickly, easily and accurately * Allow item details to be searched to answer customer enquiries quickly and easily * Produce a report listing member and video details for overdue items. * Produce reminder letters to members with overdue items. The following criteria will be used to evaluate the success of the new system: * The system must be able to store at least 10 member records * The system must be able to store at least 20 item records * The system must be able to store at least 10 rental records * It must take no longer than 30 seconds to find and display a rental, item or loan record. * It must take no longer than two minutes to answer customers enquiries by entering search criteria and finding matching item * It must take no more than one minute to find and delete a member, item or rental record * It must take no more than two minutes to find and edit a member, item or rental record * It must take no more than two minutes to create a new member, item or rental record * On-screen data entry forms must be clearly laid out to make data entry easy * On-screen data entry forms must use automatic data validation to reduce data error on input * It must take no longer than 5 minutes to search for members with overdue video and produce a summary report * Reminder letters to customers with overdue videos should be clearly laid out and include all the details of the videos that need to be returned.

Helical CT Scan in Comparison to MRI Scans

Helical CT Scan in Comparison to MRI Scans Introduction Helical CT is also known as spiral CT; the two terms are interchangeable (Kalender, 1994). Both MRI and helical CT have been introduced into clinical practice ahead of any evidence for cost-effective improvement in clinical care. Both technologies are still evolving. For instance vascular 3D imaging is a newly expanding indication within CT. Although helical CT is replacing conventional CT the question arises as to whether it will replace MRI. 1) Equipment Helical CT began in the 1990’s. It is a fast technique; data is collected continuously at less than one second for a 10 mm slice. It is called helical because the patient moves continuously though the machine whilst the X-ray tube rotates around them. Slip ring technology enables the scanner, mounted on a gantry, to continue rotating in the same direction around the patient yet still maintain its power supply and x-Ray capability. Because it is so quick breathing does not affect the quality of the final image and it is an excellent way to view the lungs and liver. Because of the continuous rotation helical CT enables patient translation and the acquisition of data to take place at the same time. Helical CT requires completely different equipment to convention CT necessitating the replacement of the entire unit not just an upgrade. A multislice CT scanner is along the same principle as a helical scanner but is even faster still and contains more detection elements. Although the actual data acquisition is so much faster with multislice the time required to process the image is lengthy (so patient through put will be no faster). The amount of data storage space required for multislice images is incredibly vast and may overload the capability of the existing PACS system within the hospital. The equipment for MRI consists of a large, heavy magnet which creates the magnetic field. Magnetic shielding of the room is necessary together with stringent safety precautions to avoid accidents for instance with flying metal objects within the room. The scanning tube where the patient must lie is relatively enclosed and this can create problems with claustrophobia. The equipment is also very noisy which may unnerve the patient. MRI requires more extensive software for viewing the images than does CT. Some MRI machinery is more open permitting greater patient access even to the extent of allowing simultaneous surgery (Gould and Darzi, 1997). 2) Techniques MRI involves the person being placed in a large magnet the magnetic field of which causes all the protons (the nuclei of hydrogen atoms) in the body to line up and oscillate at a certain frequency (precision frequency). Radiofrequency pulses are emitted from the machinery at the same frequency as the precision frequency causing the protons to come out of alignment for a brief time and subsequently realign emitting energy in the process. The radiofrequency of these emissions is specific to the type of issue (since it reflects the hydrogen content) and is then computed to form an image. Patient movement is a major problem with the MRI technique since data acquisition is quite slow and so it is not as good as helical CT for moving organs such as the lungs and liver. MRI scans are more expensive to produce that helical CT. The major advantages of MRI over helical CT are that MRI involves no x-Ray exposure and certain structures provide better images with MRI such as the brain and musculo skeletal system. MRI is definitely the best test for acoustic neuroma (Renowden and Anslow 1993). CT is better than MRI for imaging brain trauma and is better in the abdomen for the bowel (on account of it being a moving structure) whereas MRI is better in the pelvis. Helical CT is finding a place in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (Roy 2005). The disadvantages of CT are the x-Ray dose and the nephrotoxicity of some contrast agents. In 1993 the Royal College of Radiologist guidelines recommended MRI be used for investigations on the brain, musculoskeletal system, oncology and paediatrics, the 1995 version of the guidelines recommended back pain beyond six weeks be investigated by MRI. The Royal College of Radiologists document on oncology (1999) provides graded evidence based recommendation of which scanning modality to use according to tumour site. 3) Staff Staff training is necessary for both modalities of scanning. MRI staffing costs are higher than with CT. Because MRI scans are in such demand and scanning time long it is often necessary to run the machines in the evenings and at weekends (Moore Golding, 1992). Multislice CT can involve increased radiologist workload. 4) Patient Patients with metal implants or pacemakers or who are claustrophobic are unsuitable for MRI. Mechanical ventilation is a relative contraindication. Patients with acute major trauma including head injury are unlikely to be suitable for MRI because of the duration of scanning. The increased x-Ray dose to patients (and to the community) of the later generation CT scanners is of concern (National Radiological Protection Board, 1990). For this reason MRI is the preferred modality for children and fetuses (Duncan 1996). Patients requiring interventional procedures may be suitable for a CT fluoroscopy (Wagner 2001). 5) Quality of results MRI is preferred for the brain and spine (where it is of overriding advantage), orthopaedics and the pelvis. MRI produces very accurate images of soft tissues but imaging time is longer and artefacts are caused by patient movement. It is likely it has reduced the number of knee arthroscopies (Stoner, 1995) and it is anticipated to reduce the number of invasive radiological investigations such as angiograms. MRI may develop a clinical role as investigating the actual function of the brain in neuropsychiatry (Callicott and Weinberger1999). CT is preferable for bone. In brain trauma, subarachnoid haemorrhage and acute cerebrovascular disease MRI is not as good as CT. Spiral CT is used for the lungs and abdomen and pelvis. It is valuable in detecting small lesions. It is helpful in trauma patients since the procedure is so quick. Spiral CT does lose a bit of resolution as compared with conventional CT and so for structures that are not moving conventional CT or MRI has the advantage. 6) Cost Cost considerations include those of initial purchase (or lease) set up and also running costs. Assistance in the procurement process is available from the Diagnostic Medical Equipment team which is working closely with the Department of Health in the optimising of value for money in the replacement of all MRI and CT scanners that are pre-1997. A 16 multislice CT scanner costs approximately  £500 000 whereas an MRI scanner is more at  £800 000; running costs are also more with MRI (Frank, 2003). Bowens and Smith (writing in 1999) state the costs of an MRI scanner are from  £400 000 for a 0.5T and  £750 000 for a 1.5T. They state the service contracts are around  £50 000 per year and that to lease a machine costs about  £120 000 per year. MRI may be more expensive to install since the magnet is large and heavy. The site may be unsuitable with regard to load bearing or access. In any case expense will be incurred in magnetic shielding. MRI is a relatively expensive imaging modality. Fletcher (1999) has analysed costs of acquiring and operating MRI in the NHS over a seven-year machine lifespan. Its staffing, upgrade, maintenance and running costs are all high. The cost of an MRI scan varies from  £30 to  £180 (Bowens and Smith, 1999). In evaluating costs it is necessary to look at the whole picture. The running costs of isolated MRI machines will be higher than where machines are grouped together. Smaller MRI scanners just for joint scanning use may prove cost effective (Marti-Bonmati Kormano, 1997). If a more expensive scanning modality saves on the costs of surgery then overall there may be economic gain. For instance MRI may avoid knee joint surgery (Bui-Mansfield 1997). It is important to ensure that it is actually replacing other investigations or surgery and not just adding to them (Hailey Marshall, 1995). Overall the cost effectiveness will depend on how appropriately the imaging modality is used. Regarding CT the X- Ray tubes are expensive. A helical scanner is likely to need one x-Ray tube replacement per year (possibly more frequently in the case of a multislice scanner) and this will cost approximately  £30000-40000 (Conall and Hanlon, 2002). Berry (1999) performed a systematic review finding little clinical or economic impact of spiral CT. Conclusion Although there has been away from MRI to helical CT in some clinical situations units will need access to both types of scan. Cooperation between different units is important in order to provide a comprehensive service to the population. It is likely that some patients such as orthopaedic outpatients should move to another unit for the scan. Computerised reporting makes off site scanning realistically closer. Choice of scanning modality is likely to ultimately depend upon collaboration with local units to develop a hub and spoke approach to providing cost effective services which are also effective and convenient for patients. References Book Fishman EK Jeffrey RB Spiral CT. Principles, Techniques and Clinical Applications. 2nd edition. 1998 Philadelphia. Lippincourt Raven. Articles Berry E et al A systematic literature review of spiral and electron beam computed tomography: with particular reference to clinical applications in hepatic lesions, pulmonary embolus and coronary artery disease. Health Technology Assessment, 1999; 3(18) Bui-Mansfield LT et al Potential cost savings of MR imaging obtained before arthroscopy of the knee: evaluation of 50 consecutive patients. American Journal of Roentgenology 1997; 168: 913-18 Callicott JH and Weinberger DR Neuropsychiatric dynamics: the study of mental illness using functional magnetic resonance imaging. European Journal of Radiology, 1999: 30(2): 95-104 Conall JGarvey CJ and Hanlon R Computed tomography in clinical practice BMJ 2002;324:1077-1080 Fletcher J et al The cost of MRI: changes in costs 1989-1996. British Journal of Radiology 1999; 72(5): 432-437 Duncan KR. The development of magnetic resonance imaging in obstetrics. British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 1996; 55(4): 178-81 Frank J introduction to imaging Student BMJ 2003;11:393-436 Gould SW and Darzi A The interventional magnetic resonance unit the minimal access operating theatre of the future? British Journal of Radiology 1997; 70 (Special issue): S89-97 Kalender WA Spiral or helical CT; right or wrong?[letter] Radiology 1994; 193:583. Hailey D and Marshall D The place of magnetic resonance imaging in health care. Health Policy, 1995; 31: 43-52 Marti-Bonmati L Kormano M. MR equipment acquisition strategies: low-field or high-field scanners. European Radiology 1997; 7(Supplement 5): 263-68 Moore NR and Golding SJ Increasing patient throughput in magnetic resonance imaging: a practical approach. British Journal of Radiology, 1992; 470-75 26 National Radiological Protection Board. Patient dose reduction in diagnostic radiology. Didcot, 1990:1(3). Renowden SA and Anslow P. The effective use of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of acoustic neuromas. Clinical Radiology 1993; 48(1): 25-8 Roy P-M Colombet I and Durieux P et al Systematic review and meta-analysis of strategies for the diagnosis of suspected pulmonary embolism. BMJ2005;331:259 Royal College of Radiologists. A guide to the practical use of MRI in oncology. London RCR, 1999b Royal College of Radiologists. Making the best use of a department of clinical radiology: guidelines for doctors (2nd edition). London RCR, (3rd edition) 1993, (4th edition) 1998, (5th edition) 2003. Stoner DW. The knee. In: Seminars in Roentgenology 1995; 30: 277-93 Wagner LK. CT fluoroscopy: another advancement with additional challenges in radiation management. Radiology 2001; 216: 9-10 Reports Bowens A Smith I Magnetic resonance imaging: current provision and future demands. Nuffield Portfolio programme Report No3. Northern and Yorkshire RD Portfolio programme at the Nuffield Institute for Health. December 1999. Available at http://www.nuffield.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/portfolio/mri.pdf Royal College of radiologists Making the Best Use of a Department of Clinical Radiology Guidelines for Doctors. Fifth Edition 2003 BFCR(03)3 Making the Best Use of a Department of Clinical Radiology Guidelines for Doctors. Fifth Edition Websites British Association of MR Radiographers http://www.bamrr.net/ Department of Health www.dh.gov.uk Diagnostic Medical Equipment team http://www.pasa.doh.gov.uk/dme/radiology/mr.stm