Diamonds Are My Best Friend Essay -- essays research papers

“It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in spring, when everything else begins again. And it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings. And then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone.'; A. Bartlett Giamatti, the former commissioner of Major League Baseball. From the lush, green grass to the smell of an old leather glove, baseball is truly an extraordinary game. Let us look beyond the enormous salaries and free agency and examine baseball for what it really is: an outstanding form of entertainment. Baseball is incredibly important to me, as not only have I learned an enormous amount from it, I have experienced a whole spectrum of emotions during my love affair with the game. I have been a baseball fan all my life. I remember watching my beloved St. Louis Cardinals play in their robin’s egg blue uniforms in the early 1980’s. We had a birdfeeder in our backyard, and every morning, the same cardinal would stop for his breakfast. I named him Tommy Herr, after the Cardinals second baseman at the time. Tommy has long since retired, but I will always remember the little bird flying in my backyard. It is difficult for one to approach this subject without a sense of heroism and romanticism of it’s rich history. One of my favorite parts of going to the ballpark is listening to the fascinating stories of old timers, the men who have loved the game since childhood. They remember Musial, Maris, and Mantle. They can tell you stories of hearing Hank Aaron hitting his record breaking home run on the radio, or watching Lou Gehrig as a young child. Many of the greatest baseball stories can be heard from these men, living encyclopedias if what the game once was, and it today. Someday I will be sitting in the box seats of a ballpark, and a young child will take the seat beside me. I can captive his imagination with anecdotes of Cal Ripken Jr.’s remarkable streak, Ozzie Smith’s amazing back flips, Pedro Martinez’s menacing fastball, and the magical summer of 1998 when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire mystified the world with their long ball heroics. Only in recent years have I begun to truly appreciate the game for what it really is. While some go to the ballpark to see home runs, popular players, or fireworks, I find myself attracted to th... ... that next year, it will all begin again. A fresh new start. A brand new season. However, right now, it is fall. A pitcher grabs a coat to keep his throwing arm warm in this chilly rain, and soon the entire dugout is seen donning coats. The leaves start to change to brown. Kids go back to school. Football begins to creep onto the minds and lips of sports fans. The season comes to a close, and the spring looks terribly far away with an icy cold winter between now and the promises that lie ahead. Baseball has survived throughout the years. It has survived two World Wars. It has survived a depression. It will continue to survive throughout the next millennium. It has gone on strike and saw half it’s fans leave, then watched them come back to see truly great men exhibit even greater talent. Baseball is a sport for the ages. Eighty year old men who have watched this game for years come to the park and sit next to eight year old boys who have never seen a professional game in their lives. That’s what baseball is all about. It is extraordinary. Athletes rise above the compitition and achieve greatness while astonishing veteran fans and simultaneously earning new ones.

Integrating Culture and Diversity in Decision Making: The CEO and Organizational Culture Profile Essay

Examine the culture of the selected organization. Explain how you determined that the selected organization showed the signs of the culture that you have identified. Determine the factors that caused the organization to embody this particular culture. Determine what type of leader would be best suited for this organization. Support your position. Imagine that there is a decline in the demand of product or services supplied by the selected organization. Determine what the change in culture would need to be in response to this situation. Zappos, which started as an on-line shoe retailer in 1999, has grown into a multi –million dollar company and expanded past simply selling shoes to selling accessories, handbags and other clothing items carrying over 1,136 brands (Zappos IP, 2013). It was named one of Fortune Magazine’s â€Å"Best Places in America to Work† (Koetsier, 2013) and has extended their organization’s reach by developing Zappos Insights, which allows other companies a deep look into the organization, enabling them to adopt the same culture that has allowed Zappos to achieve immense success. Zappos is an organization committed to delivering happiness, not only among their employees and customers, but to other growing companies as well (Zappos Insights, 2013). Zappos embodies a laid-back service-oriented culture and has fun doing it. This is apparent through their training program which requires all new hires, regardless of position, to complete four weeks of training in the customer call center (Zappos IP, 2013). The culture at Zappos can be immediately felt as CEO, Tony Hsieh, introduces himself as just â€Å"Tony† in a company welcome video on the Zappos Insights website. A virtual tour of the Las Vegas corporate office gives a peak into the laid back culture the company embodies. With decorations hanging from the ceiling and writing on the walls, the open office space blends a fraternity house look with a mood that screams fun. â€Å"Monkey Row† is an area of the work floor that houses Hsieh’s and other executives desks, pushing an open door policy even further since no walls or cubicle barriers separate the leaders of the company from it’s customer call center employees (Zappos Insights, 2013). Hsieh, who strives to spread â€Å"happiness† as a business model, truly understands that company culture affects the performance of an organization and the job satisfaction of its employees (Schermerhorn, Osborn, Uhl-Bien, & Hunt, 2012). At Zappos, â€Å"customer service isn’t just a department—it is the entire company† (Zappos IP, 2013). Organizational leaders set the tone for the culture of a company (Schermerhorn et al., 2012). Hsieh has established a strong culture for the Zappos organization by creating the Zappos Familky Core Values. These ten statements ranging from ‘create fun and a little weirdness’ to ‘be humble’ encourage employees to be themselves, work hard and seek positive change. Hsieh’s favorite core value, be passionate and determined, along with the remaining nine, are heavily referred to during the hiring process (Zappos IP, 2013). Zappos is so committed to maintaining their culture that, after the four week training course, they offer every new hire $2000 to quit if they don’t see themselves fitting in with the culture of the company (Koetsier, 2013), thus eliminating subcultures and countercultures (Schermerhorn et al., 2012). The best type of leader for the Zappos organization is a transformational leader. Transformational leaders, who encourage employees to look out for the good of others (Schermerhorn et al., 2012), strongly align with the Zappos core values of ‘drive change’ and ‘build a family spirit’ (Zappos IP, 2013). The company also values growth and learning, another aspect of transformational leadership (Schermerhorn et al., 2012). Inspiration, another dimension in transformational leadership, lines the walls of the Zappos corporate office. Official signs and quotes hang next to team created posters, revealing that the culture lives deep within the organization and its members. The Zappos organization also benefits from having a servant leader (Schermerhorn et al., 2012). Hsieh creates a positive impact on the community by inviting striving businesses to participate in a program called Zappos Insights which offers opportunities such as free tours, paid two-day seminars and dinner with the CEO (Schermerhorn et al., 2012). This opportunity to share knowledge and learn the culture that has helped Zappos reach success is one way the company serves their business comuunity. Zappos, has expanded its market past internet sales and into the world of information sharing with Zappos Insights. With the program already paying for itself (Schermerhorn et al., 2012), it is doubtful that the organization would need to change their culture dramatically in order to respond to a decline in demand for the products supplied by their internet sales. Hsieh, a visionary, sees Zappos Insights representing ten percent of the company profits in the future (Schermerhorn et al., 2012). In the event of decreased shoe and accessory sales, Zappos, rather than change their culture, can be profitable by diving deeper into their existing culture and creating more opportunities similar to Zappos Insights to capitalize on their successful business plan and company secrets. Dew, J., & Fisher, M. (2013, July 13). Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh Mentors Gamemaster. (T. Hsieh, Interviewer) Koetsier, J. (2013, Feburary 17). Zappos culture coach: how ‘squishy’ stuff like culture took us to a billion dollars in revenue. Retrieved July 20, 2013, from Ventrurebeat.com: http://venturebeat.com/2013/02/17/zappos-culture-coach-how-squishy-stuff-like-culture-took-us-to-a-billion-dollars-in-revenue/ Rosenbaum, S. (2010, June 4). Fastcompany.com. Retrieved July 20, 2013, from The Happiness Culture: Zappos Isn’t a Company- It’s a Mission: http://www.fastcompany.com/1657030/happiness-culture-zappos-isnt-company-its-mission Schermerhorn, J. R., Osborn, R. N., Uhl-Bien, M., & Hunt, J. H. (2012). Organizational Behavior. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. Zappos Insights. (2013). Zappos Insights. Retrieved July 20, 2013, from zapposinsights.com: http://www.zapposinsights.com/ Zappos IP. (2013). Zappos.com. Retrieved July 20, 2013, from About: http://about.zappos. com/zappos-story/in-the-beginning-let-there-be-shoes

Pathophysiology Case Study Essay

Patient Case Question 1: For which condition is this patient likely taking nifedipine? Nifedipine is a calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain. Patient’s past medical history indicates that he has had hypertension â€Å"for years,† the patient is most likely taking Nifedipine to manage this condition. May also be taking nifedipine so as to prevent chest pain from his past condition of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Patient Case Question 2: For which condition is this patient likely taking lisinopril? Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor that treats high blood pressure and heart failure. Patient could be taking lisinopril in tandem with nifedipine to manage his hypertension and Coronary Artery Disease. Patient Case Question 3: For which Condition is this patient likely taking paroxetine? Paroxetine is used to treat various mood disorders. It is most likely that the patient is taking paroxetine to treat his generalized anxiety disorder, which he has been experiencing for the past 18 months (according to his past medical history). Patient Case Question 4: What is meant by â€Å"tenting of the skin† and what does this clinical sign suggest? â€Å"Tenting of the skin† involves a skin turgor test. By pulling a fold of skin from the back of the hand, lower arm, or abdomen with two fingers one can assess the ability of the patient’s skin to change shape and return to normal (elasticity). â€Å"Tenting of the skin,† indicates that the skin is not returning to normal quickly, which means the person has severe dehydration, a fluid loss of 10% body weight. The result of his skin turgor test indicates late signs of dehydration (patient had skin with poor turgor), and the presence of tenting in the skin indicates the severity of his dehydration. Patient Case Question 5: Are the negative Grey Turner and Cullen signs evidence of a good or poor prognosis? A positive test for Cullen sign occurs when a patient has superficial bruising in the subcutaneous fat around the umbilicus. A positive Grey  Turner test occurs when a patient has bruising of flanks (last rib to top of hip), which indicates a retroperitoneal hemorrhage. Both Cullen and Grey Turner signs are used to indicate/predict acute pancreatitis, when these signs are present one has a high rate of mortality (37%). The patient tested negative for both Grey Turner and Cullen signs, so his prognosis is good. Patient Case Question 6: Identify THREE major risk factors for acute pancreatitis in this patient. Patient has sinus tachycardia, paired with the patient’s severe dehydration the patient is showing signs of having acute pancreatitis. Patient also has a history of alcohol abuse and is regularly taking ACE inhibitors, which puts him at a high risk of developing acute pancreatitis. Patient also has diminished bowel sounds that indicate possible acute pancreatitis. Patient Case Question 7: Identify TWO abnormal laboratory tests that suggest that acute renal failure has developed in this patient. Patient’s Blood Urea Nitrogren (BUN) level is 34 mg/dL; which indicates decreased kidney function. Patient has a potassium level of 3.5 meq/L which is below normal range (3.7- 5.2 meq/L), this indicates possible renal artery stenosis. Both of these lab results suggest that the patient has developed acute renal failure. Patient Case Question 8: Why are hemoglobin and hematocrit abnormal? Patient’s hemoglobin level is 18.3 g/dL, normal hemoglobin levels for men are between 14 and 18 g/dL. Patient’s hematocrit level is 53%, normal hematocrit levels are 40-50%. This abnormally high lab results indicate early stages of kidney disease and anemia. Patient has developed acute renal failure, so these test results are as expected for a patient under such conditions. Patient Case Question 9: How many Ranson criteria does this patient have and what is the probability that the patient will die from this attack of acute pancreatitis? Patient has seven points of Ranson criteria. Patient’s WBC count was over 16K, patient is over age 55, patient’s blood glucose level was higher than  200 mg/dL, patient’s LDH level was over 350, patient had high BUN level, and Patient had high fluid needs due to his dehydration. Patient’s predicted mortalitiy is 100% based upon the Ranson criteria, so it is very likely that the patient will die from this attack of acute pancreatitis. Patient Case Question 10: Does the patient have a significant electrolyte imbalance? Patient has a sodium level that is 1 meq/L below normal range, and a potassium level 0.2 meq/L below normal range. This indicates that the patient is having renal complications that are interfering with electrolyte balance. Patient Case Question 11: Why was no blood drawn for an ABG determination? No blood was drawn for an ABG determination because patient’s lungs were clear to no auscultation, so no test was needed to test patient’s blood PH. Also patient had urine with a PH within normal range, so an ABG test was not really needed.

Materials of Logistics in Management Essay

The efficiency of any manufacturing organisation depends on the availability of component parts and materials in the proper quantity, quality, price, range and time. Failure in any of these areas increases costs and decreases profit as certainly as outmoded production methods or ineffective selling techniques. This simple but obvious point has only recently come to be properly understood. This book presents the principles, methods and strategies that represent the modern approach to materials management in all sectors of the economy. In analysing business operations, the phrase â€Å"Value-added concept1†² is often used to characterise the difference between the cost of component materials and the selling price of the finished product. This difference in value represents the unique contribution of each organisation to the production process. Many companies produce component parts and materials for other firms manufacturing specialised products Remanded by the customers. On an average, a manufacturing firm buys slightly more than half of the rupee value of its sales. In other words, the value added is typically less than 50 per cent of its sales. Conversely, the average company purchases materials valued at more than half of what it sells. Therefore, a firm’s profit is to a large extent determined by how effectively it procures and manages these materials. The organisational approach known as materials management has gained validity in recent years. Production and operations managers found it necessary to develop an organised body of knowledge related to planning, acquisition and utilisation of materials in the process of production and it has resulted in the discipline known as â€Å"mate-rials management†. All activities involved in bringing materials into and through the plant are combined under one head known as â€Å"materials manager†. By giving the materials manager overall authority, responsibility is centralised to assure that the overall cost of materials is kept at the low’est possible level. The basic rationale for this organisational change is to overcome the problems of conflicting objectives. For cample, purchase department’s concern to ensure continuous supply of component materials may conflict with he inventory control department’s objective to minimise inventory levels or the objective of shipping in full car load lots. Today organisations view procurement as a professional activity including activities involved in obtaining materials at minimum cost, transporting them and providing storage and moving toward the production process. It also includes economic analysis of supply (i. e. , purchase economics), demand and prices and the assessment of international events that affect materials. * evolution of materials management Historically, the five ‘M’s of manufacturing firms viz. Men, Materials, Machines, Money and Methods have shifted their positions from time to time in their relative importance. In the early days of industrialization, the focus was on men (labour) as they were the main source of productive power. Over a period of time, the emphasis shifted towards machines, which became the main source of industrial power after the Industrial Revolution. As the methods of production became more and more complex due to the increased customer demand for sophisticated products of high quality, there was greater need of efficient management to manage the complex production systems. In the early 1920s, purchasing and maintaining stock of materials was the responsibility of purchasing managers or â€Å"chief controllers of purchasing and stores† in many industries. During and immediately after World War II the focus shifted on various functions associated with materials such as purchasing, receiving, inspecting, storing, preserving, handling, issuing, accounting, transporting and disposing surplus and obsolete materials. These functions grouped under one common head known as materials manager and the department responsible for all these activities came to be known as â€Å"materials management department†. But the head of materials management department performed a staff function to support the production department and had to report to the production head (director of production) in the organizational hierarchy. The oil crisis of the 1970’s changed the priorities of industries all over the world. The exorbitant hike in oil prices and the heavy budget allocations on oil made the industries to control their expenditure on the inputs, mainly materials of all kinds because of the large scope to reduce the expenses on materials. Since the beginning of 20th century, materials have been getting more and more attention and will continue to do so in the future also. Now a days material has* become an important and inevitable input of a production system since the cost of materials and cost on materials (cost incurred in purchasing and storing the materials) put together account for 50 to 85% of the production cost depending on the nature of the product and the type of the production system. Modern manufacturing organisations adopted systems approach to management, which resulted in the integrated materials management concept. All functions related to materials such as materials planning, purchasing, storing and inventory control were integrated under materials management function. The position of the head of the integrated materials management department was elevated to be on par with heads of other functional areas viz. production, finance and human resources. * importance of materials in manufacturing organisations Materials are any commodities used directly or indirectly in producing a product or service such as raw materials, component parts, assemblies and supplies. In the manufacturing organisations, the important inputs are referred to as 5 Ms viz. Men (Labour), Machines, Money, Materials and Methods. The relative importance among these five Ms have shifted from time to time. In the beginning of industrialisation the focus was on machines, men (labour) and methods, but from around 1970 onwards the emphasis is on materials. Material is an important and inevitable input gi J production system since the cost of materials and cost on materials (cost incurred in purchasing and storing the materials) put together account for 50 to 85’* of the production cost depending on the nature of the product and the type of the production system * importance of materials management Management of materials in most organisations is crucial to their success because the cost of purchasing, storing, moving and shipping materials account for over half of the product’s cost. Improving productivity is a crucial factor in facing the challenge of competition and this involves driving down the cost of all aspects of business activities. Since there is maximum scope of cost reduction in the area of materials, doing the job of efficient and effective management of materials is seen as the key to higher productivity.

Final paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Final paper - Essay Example The destruction of Qing dynasty in 1911 put seeds for the economic development of modern China. All the administrations followed by the Qing dynasty played their own part in making China in its present form. The economic progress of China during post Qing dynasty period can be classified into many stages. Leaders like Sun Yat Sen, Chiang Kai Shek, The nationalist era, Mao Zedong, Deng Xiao Peng etc played their roles effectively in restructuring and streamlining the Chinese economic growth back on track. Foreign policies and international relations of China are also debatable. Even the leaders of the same communist regime adopted different foreign policies. But the basic purpose of such policies were aimed at the economic progress of China rather than anything else. Sun assumed power immediately after the destruction of Qing dynasty, but forced to resign in 1912 because of his differences with the Nationalist party and the government. But he was successful in regaining the power in 1923 and worked hard for revival of the Chinese economy. He has received immense political, economical and moral supports from USSR. â€Å"Sun summarized his policies in the Three Principles of the People--nationalism, democracy, and socialism† (Chinese Cultural Studies). Sun was a great admirer of Soviet Union and the socialist policies implemented in Soviet Union. He made every conscious effort to plant a Soviet model of economic growth in China. At the same time he was aware of the value of democracy and nationalism in promoting economic growth in China. He never tried to rule China with iron fist unlike the communist regime at present. The Qing dynasty has destroyed the Chinese economy because of their dictatorship and visionless policies. Sun Yat Sen, the father of modern China can be considered as the first person who worked hard for the revival of Chinese economy after 1911. After the death of Sun Yat Sen in 1925, Chiang Kai Shek assumed power and continued

IS Strategic Plan Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IS Strategic Plan - Case Study Example Key Findings 8 10. User Strategic Themes 9 Improve Service Access for its Members 9 Improve Service Access for the Community 9 Access to Information 9 Hiring of Facilities 10 10 11. IS Strategic Technology Themes 10 Updating Website 10 Reduce Paper Based Membership Applications 10 Maintain Security and Integrity of Information 10 Improve Document and Record Management 10 Adherence to Regulatory Requirements 10 News 10 Engage New and Current Members 10 12. Strategic Direction 11 13. Expenditure 11 14. Roadmap and Project Descriptions 12 14.1. Members Management 12 14.2. New Members Management 12 14.3. Committee Members Management 13 14.4. Competitors Members Management 13 14.5. Dragon Abreast Members Management 14 14.6. Community Management 14 14.7. Document and Records Management 15 14.8. Function Room Management 15 14.9. Gym Management 16 14.10. Community Management 17 14.11. Documentation Management 17 14.12. Minutes and Agenda Management 18 14.13. Gym Management 18 14.14. Functio n Room Management 19 14.15. Regulatory Management 19 15. Continuous Improvement 19 16. Program review 19 17. Appendix 1 – SWOT Analysis 20 Introduction This IS Strategy will outline key goals based on the defined assumptions. It will highlight area’s that require improvement and a solution that will assist LRC to develop and grow their organisation for many years to come.

Home Schooling vs. Public Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Home Schooling vs. Public Education - Essay Example Moreover, they are not able to relate with the parents of a child properly and they remain in dark about the weaknesses of their child. Comparatively in home schooling the teacher and the parents are able to devote their time to the child understanding the teaching style and the curriculum which best suits the student. The teacher can move at his own speed and guide the students about the other activities and explore his talents which are neglected in public schools. Another main advantage is that home schooling provides parents with a sense of security regarding their child’s wrong indulgence in bad activities. Harmful peer pressure, physical and mental mugging, threat of being bullied or involvement in drugs are some factors that children who go to public schools have to face. Comparatively in home schooling a child is saved from all this mental pressure and spends quality time with the teacher and the family which builds up the family relations and consequently the child wi ll learn and embrace the good values around him. Then there is the benefit of flexibility in time. Parents can set the timetable for their child’s study hours as some children have the tendency to work best in different times of the day and the teacher has the advantage to lay emphasis on the subjects the child is weak in or needs more attention. â€Å"An added benefit of home schooling is the freedom to encourage mastery. Students can be made to repeat materials correct and retake tests, and study longer in order to master materials because there is not an entire classroom of other children ready to go on† (Andrea D. Clements). Despite the benefits, there are disadvantages to home schooling as well. Home schooling takes and requires emotional,... This essay approves that children are given loads of homework and parents have to work with their children for hours to make them grasp the concept. If that is the case many parents then prefer home schooling if they have to cover the educational aspect on their own. Children at this age can easily be influenced by bad company. Disruptive and harsh behavior is evident in children going to public schools. Children going to public schools may be familiar with a lot of knowledge but understand very little and this is where kids being home schooled outshine them. Children with some disability are not properly treated by the peers or teachers in public schools whereas home schooling can provide the right kind of environment to those special kids and enhance their confidence. This report makes a conclusion that it is true to state that home schooling is not for everyone. It may not be appropriate for every family in every circumstance. A lot of money has to be invested in order to provide the resources for projects, field trips, tuition and children with home schooling lack in social development. Every day interaction is necessary in order to learn to communicate and handle different situations and at times the child may develop inferiority complex pondering over what qualities he is lacking by not going to a public school. Public schools have a fixed curriculum and grading system which enables the parents and the child to know where he stands. Public schools offer a broad range of extracurricular activities such as sports, plays and membership of different clubs. Public schooling gives the parents a chance to have a full time job and provide and cater for all the needs of the child.