Non hodgkins lymphoma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Non hodgkins lymphoma - Essay Example These cancerous cells multiply and completely destroy the lymph nodes, tissues and vessels and later spreading (metastasizing) to other organs of the body. Lymphatic system of our bodies consists of many different parts. These are the lymph vessels, the lymph fluid and the lymph nodes. The entire lymphatic system consists of a large network of the lymph vessels that spread to all parts of the body tissues by branching and forming a network. These vessels carry the clear lymph fluid, chyle, white blood cells (mainly the smaller lymphocytes comprising of the T cells and the B cells) and also other blood cells to various parts of the body. Lymph nodes are the small pea shaped globular bodies found mainly along the way of the large blood vessels in the neck region, the chest, underarms, the abdomen and pelvis region and also in the groins. Lymph vessels are connected to these nodes and they act as filter removing harmful substances (if any) like the bacteria, from the lymph fluid. The lymphatic fluids along the lymphocytes re enter the circulatory system via the upper left part of the chest. The lymphatic system also consists of the spleen , the tonsils and the thymus gland. As the lymphatic tissue is present in many parts of the body including the bone marrow, the stomach and the small intestine, the non Hodgkins lymphoma can occur almost anywhere anytime. Though, it has been noticed that, the first to get affected are generally the lymph nodes which get enlarged when affected by the lymphoma. There are many types of non Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) that are generally seen but all can be grouped under two main types. These are the slow growing or the indolent type and the second is the fast growing or the aggressive lymphoma variety. There is also a third variety which is the intermediate type. The NHL most often than not, form from the T cells or the B cells of the lymphocytes. The lymphocytes which form a part of the white

Husbands & wives are working Essay Example for Free

Husbands wives are working Essay The study I am reviewing is Do Husbands contribute more to domestic tasks when their wives are working? This study has been researched and concluded by S. Bond. As the title suggests, this study tries to quantify the correlation between families where both partners work, compared to stay at home wives with working husbands. There have been numerous studies carried out in the area of conjugal roles in the home by sociologists such as Young Wilmot, Oakley and Martin Roberts. The writer uses information collected in the Social Trends Survey 1991 to ascertain if the new man role is still evident. Theoretical Context of the Study In this study the writer does not indicate which theoretical context he has used. I believe this study to be based upon the feminist approach, as he frequently makes reference to the roles of men and women. Specific references to the new man in the 1980s and how it did not last, displaying the stereotypical roles of males and females to be true. Methodological Approach and Methods Used The methodical approach used by S. Bond is the Positivist approach as they have used Quantitative data to collect its results. A questionnaire was used allowing the researcher to assemble the statistics that can then be easily quantified. This is possibly the easiest form of gathering information to answer specific questions and giving clear answers. The researcher has established their conclusions by using this source and produced primary data. The researcher has carried out the questionnaire on a small scale asking 10 cohabiting couples that were friends or parents of friends. It was compiled using questions to gather information on their input roles inside the household, and the time spent fulfilling these roles. As the researcher states in the report this was a quick and cheap option as they were on a limited time scale. Out of the 10 couples used 5 had the females permanently at home while the other 5 female partners worked full time. This was to see if the males in the home shared any more domestic duties as their partners worked the same hours. The questionnaire is made up of closed questions to make it easier for the researcher to turn the information into numerical data. The researcher shows how by using a questionnaire that they are using a form that is confidential and do not require any form of identity such as name or age, as there is an ethical issue in the research. The title of the questionnaire gives a clear idea of what the exact research is about, helping those taking part. The researcher collates the findings in graphs and a table. It gives a clear reading of the results. The researcher would have had to look at what method would give the best validity and reliability. A questionnaire would give the researcher good reliability.

Characterization of Invasive Group A Streptococcal Diseases, Necrotizin

Characterization of Invasive Group A Streptococcal Diseases, Necrotizing Faciitis Abstract Invasive Group A Streptococcus has been around the human civilization since the beginning of our existence, and it continues to be a threat today. Invasive Group A Streptococcus, known as invasive GAS, occurs around 9400 times a year in the United States alone, while it is unknown about the rest of the world due to recording inconsistencies. This bacterium exists as one of the most common flora in humans, and can only start infection when there is a region which has been opened. For example, these regions could include the blood, muscles, and other various locations. Necrotizing fasciitis, dubbed as the "flesh-eating bacteria" by the media, is one of the known bacteria within the invasive group A Streptococcus. Although the mortality and morbidity rate of necrotizing fasciitis is at 70-80%, treatment may reduce it to 30-50%. Invasive Group A Streptococcus disease, known as invasive GAS, is a disease that stems from the Group A bacterium found on the throat and skin. This bacterium is known as Streptococcus pygoenes. A bacterium of this strain is a gram-positive, nonmotile, nonsporeforming coccus that occurs in chains or in pairs in cells. The individual cells of this bacterium are round cocci, about .6-1.0 micrometer in diameter. The bacteria divides in 1 plane, therefore, cells occur in pairs or in chains of various lengths. Streptococcus pygoenes is also a catalase-negative nervetolerant microbe anaerobe. It requires certain encriched mediums that contain blood in order to divide and grow. GAS contains a capsule of hyaluronic acid, which makes it exhibit hemolysis, which are white colonies on blood agar. S. pyogenes is always foun... ...hould take care to protect themselves from this bacteria. Although it is not always possible, since this bacterium is found in 5-15% of humans as normal flora, there are always ways to help Characterization of Invasive Group? 5 prevent it. While this invasive Group A Streptococcus is not as rampant as before antibiotics were introduced, it is still a major problem in certain areas in the world, so research on better ways to eliminate this disease should continue. References: Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee. (1999, April 4). Invasive Group A Streptococcal Diseases. Streptococcal Diseases. July 26, 2005: http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/ID/id98-05.htm Maynor, M. (2005, January). Necrotizing Fasciits. Infectious Diseases. July 26, 2005: http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic332.htm Skinner, F. (1987). Streptococci. New York: Academic Press Inc.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and Brett Easton Ellis’ “Less Than Zero” Essay

Explore the function of the narrator in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s â€Å"The Great Gatsby† and Brett Easton Ellis’ â€Å"Less Than Zero† Published in 1925 by author F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, is considered a literary classic by many critics. The eponymous novel is set in the â€Å"Roaring 1920’s† post World War 1 and tells the tale of Jay Gatsby through the novel’s narrator, Nick Carraway. The exposition begins when we are told of the socio-cultural divide between the upper class of America, by a character who has just moved to Long Island from Minnesota. The clear separation between West Egg and East Egg is an idea explored by Nick, who is a resident of the â€Å"lower-upper† class West Egg. Throughout the novel, it can be observed that events that occur are a direct parallel to the life of Scott Fitzgerald, as he projects characteristics of both Gatsby and Nick that were similar to his own. It is widely believed that the book is written in a manner that is cynical of the American Dream and of the elitist society, in a biased fashion that favours Gatsby. Conversely, Less Than Zero is a novel set in the 1980s and tells the story of affluent college students, who lead hedonistic lifestyles with the security of their parents’ wealth. Brett Easton Ellis’ first novel in his oeuvre is written during the years following the Vietnam War of economic prosperity in Reagan’s America and highlights the fragmented society caused by passionless relationships between friends and family and the lack of morality present in upper class America. The two novels contrast in the cities that they are set in; The Great Gatsby is set in New York’s Long Island, whilst Less Than Zero is set in California on the opposite coast of America. However the behaviour of the two generations is quite similar, and is reflective of the influence of money on higher-class society during the respective periods. In The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway is not only the narrator, but also a character that actively participates in the novel and it his opinion that dictates how the reader perceives other characters. One obvious example of this is in the novel’s title, as the epithet â€Å"Great† is used to describe a character that the reader has not yet met. This suggests that Nick Carraway idolizes Gatsby in some aspects and to some degree, aspires to what Gatsby represents. â€Å"†¦ Produced like the supper, no doubt, out of a caterers basket.† This short extract is taken from a section where Nick is describing a lavish party that is frequently held by Gatsby. The metaphor implies that Gatsby is almost God-like in the way he is able to throw extravagant parties yet remains anonymous to those that attend. During the 1920’s, there was a period of what was known as prohibition, where all alcohol was banned, and yet people are often described drinking throughout The Great Gatsby. This could be a condemnation of upper class society, as it suggests they are just as immoral, if not more so, than the lower classes. Fitzgerald himself went from a family of mediocrity to a sudden rise in splendor through his writings, and can therefore relate to the awe that one might feel when acclimatizing to such a society. Less Than Zero’s narrator, Clay, does not represent its author in the same way as Nick does, however Easton-Ellis uses Clay to magnify the issues that surrounded affluent college students during the 80s. Clay often negatively portrays the actions of other characters, which can be seen as an act of hypocrisy. For example, â€Å"Because you both stole a quarter gram of cocaine from me the last time I left my door open. That’s why.† At this point, Clay accuses his sisters of stealing his cocaine, which they put down to him â€Å"leaving his door unlocked†. This may be a reference to the lack of privacy or a lack of trust within society to such a degree that one cannot trust even their closest family. Nick Carraway is arguably a biased narrator, through his romanticized and idealized description of the novel’s protagonist and adversely, his foil, Tom Buchanan. On their first encounter Nick describes Gatsby’s gestures with authority for example, â€Å"He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself† This quotation epitomizes Nick’s admiration for Gatsby before he has properly met him and implies that he has already formulated an opinion based upon rumours he has heard but also based on the party Gatsby invited him to. Once again, this is may be seen as a condemnation of American society by Fitzgerald who shows that capitalist and superficiality was a major factor in defining an individual. Gatsby’s flawless persona does deteriorate as the novel progresses and as Gatsby comes close to achieving his dream, however Nick appears to glaze over this and as a result, preserves Gatsby’s â€Å"greatness† to the reader. The use of the affectation â€Å"old sport† throughout Gatsby’s communication with Nick highlights a friendship that is neither formal nor informal but rather one of an illusionary nature. This is to say that Gatsby uses the affectation in order to evoke a more appealing, intellectual persona. Despite Nick seeing through his faà §ade, he chooses to ignore the matter, instead only becomes more infatuated with what Gatsby represents. â€Å"What part of the Middle West?’ I inquired casually.’ ‘San Francisco’ ‘I see† It is apparent that Nick knows San Francisco is not in the Middle West but rather on the west coast yet he chooses not to argue as if Gatsby’s word is unequivocally truth. Claire Stocks puts this infatuation down to a likeness that both men share which is that â€Å"[both men] seem to be the victims of insufficient or thwarted inheritances†¦ They are both forced to work for their living†. It can be suggested that towards the end of Less Than Zero, Clay wants to leave this society as he narrates, â€Å"My eyes keep wandering off the screen and to the two green exit signs that hang over the two doors in the back of the theater† This occurs whilst Clay, Blair and Kim are in the cinema watching a â€Å"gory† film and highlights that Clay does in fact have some form of morality despite the actions that he part-takes in. Easton-Ellis reveals a character that is torn between being moral or following the hedonistic life he is so easily acclimatized to. Fitzgerald also uses Nick Carraway as a way of criticizing the society that he strives to be a part of. This is evident in Chapter 2, where Nick spends time with Tom, Myrtle and Mr. Wilson, â€Å"I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.† At this point, Nick may be referring to the â€Å"variety† of classes that are present, as Myrtle and Mr. Wilson are of a lower class, himself of middle class and Tom from the upper echelons of society. It may be seen that Fitzgerald could not stand the behavior of the people he became associated with, however realized that their behavior was a result of what he sought after, in terms of the â€Å"American dream† and therefore feels â€Å"enchanted† by the hedonistic nature of the upper class. Nevertheless, Fitzgerald also highlights the vast socio-cultural divide between classes and as such presents the reader with an ambiguous view of fractured relationships. Clay also presents his own society with undertones of disdain, being cynical of the netherworld through his direct and succinct account of various events that take place. He rarely places emotion or opinion in his description of events and as a result, it seems that he is more of a trustworthy narrator. This is most evident when he recounts the viewing of a â€Å"snuff† movie, â€Å"It looks like a toolbox and I’m confused for a minute and Blair walks out of the room. And he takes out an ice pick and what looks like a wire hanger and a package of nails and then a thin, large knife and he comes toward the girl and Daniel smiles and nudges me in the ribs.† The repeated use of polysyndeton gives the reader the impression that Clay is not properly viewing the movie; instead, he is almost analyzing it as if it were a novel. The lack of sensory description also implies that Clay is trying to distance himself from this and that he sees the crude and disgusting nature of what he is being shown. At this time, snuff films had just been exposed and were not an unknown phenomenon. Therefore, Easton-Ellis may be suggesting that society has lost its moral compass/guidance, being reduced to ignoring such shocking acts. However, in spite of this, Clay does offer himself as a more intellectual individual compared to other characters, by the way he looks at the billboard that is titled â€Å"Disappear Here†. Evidently he does not choose to â€Å"disappear† and instead stays amongst the morally obsolete society that he is attached to and this ultimately leads to the dà ©nouement in which he is forced to leave his society. Both novels differ in the tone in which they are written though the contexts are very similar despite being in diverse decades. On the one hand, there is Nick who is biased towards one specific character and seems to show disdain for the society that he once strived for, and on the other, Clay, who has a more direct approach to narration and more expressively communicates the plot to the reader. Overall, the two narrators are used to convey to very different ideas that are relevant to their contexts. The Great Gatsby is narrated such that the reader is almost forced into liking Gatsby despite his clear superficiality, which is upheld by trivial objects such as â€Å"real books† and medals with â€Å"authentic looks†. Less Than Zero poses are more critical view of society, with the narrator becoming confused by the moral ambiguity and generally growing to hate the society that he belongs to as it has been reduced to individualism and by an large a fractured society whereby â€Å"people are afraid to merge†.

Controversial issues in psychology Essay

Controversial issues in psychology are those that cause the greatest concern within both psychology and within society as a whole. Advertising uses techniques of persuasion to manipulate people’s behaviour in the desired direction of the perpetrator of the persuasive message, which uses invasive and exploitative techniques and try to show that social norms and values are not always for the best. Advertisements are a set of shorthand signals about products we are to buy and the circumstances we would use them in. They are a ready source of stereotypes, sexual, regional and cultural, e. g. families are always happy and adults are always employed. The first advertisement on TV in the UK was for Gibbs SR’s toothpaste. The ad has become an icon of the consumer age, and psychologists have become increasingly fascinated by the art of persuading people, despite its controversies. What persuades people to buy or use the advertiser’s product or service is how the advert makes them feel, i. e. the meaning we attach to the advert. However the advert is interpreted by the individual, the impact of any advertisement is what it means to us. The author invites us to participate in constructing a meaning for the advert. O’Barr (1994) suggests that advertisers create an advertisement for us to use as a skeleton to add flesh to and breathe life into. Another area controversy in advertising is that it is difficult to disentangle the impact of advertising from other influences that might be current at that time. Hedges (1982) points out that to the consumers, advertising is just part of their background – advertisements form just one part of the sensory bombardment that we experience every day. We cannot stop to evaluate every piece of sensory input, so for the most part, advertisements are relegated to fairly low levels of consciousness. Advertisers use many psychological theories to make their work successful, including associating their product with a particular emotion or image. A need for an item must be created, therefore we must be motivated. In the case of pre-existing needs, such as for bread, the motive must be to buy a particular brand (e. g. through price, quality). Where there is no pre-existing need, it must be created, as in the case of children’s toys. Neurological research has shown that the left hemisphere of the brain is more concerned with ‘practical’ functions such as language, where styles of response are, foe example, verbal and analytic. The right hemisphere is more concerned with spatial, imaginative processing, where responses concern feelings and are, perhaps, unconscious. Lannon and Cooper (1983) suggested that because of this, much advertising is geared towards the right hemisphere. Fast marketing is a relatively new approach, which targets those that have developed brand loyalty and become offensive when they are offered a new alternative. This creates problems for advertisers trying to target new groups, so a blitz of free samples is distributed (fast marketing) so that everyone has a chance of trying out the new product. Consumers are then more likely to change their attitudes or opinions about the product, and so the advertisers will have succeeded. People are also more easily persuaded to change their minds after witnessing testimonials or adverts which use someone who they think is admirable or attractive, such as sports heroes or actresses (Pratkanis and Aronson, 1992). Advertisers typically pair an attractive person or item (unconditioned stimulus) with their product (conditioned stimulus) to produce a positive attitude towards their product (conditioned response). This helps to give positive attitudes towards the products.

The History of Income Tax in the U.S.

The History of Income Tax in the U.S. Every year, people in the United States frantically race to get their taxes done by mid-April. While shuffling papers, filling out forms, and calculating numbers, have you ever stopped to wonder where and how the concept of income taxes originated? The idea of a personal income tax is a modern invention, with the first, permanent U.S. income tax law in October 1913. However, the general concept of taxation is an age-old idea that has long shaped history. Ancient Times The first, known, written record of taxes dates back to ancient Egypt. At that time, taxes were not given in the form of money, but rather as items such as grain, livestock, or oils. Taxes were such an important part of ancient Egyptian life that many of the surviving hieroglyphic tablets are about taxes. Although many of these tablets are records of how much people paid, some describe people complaining about their high taxes. And no wonder people complained! The taxes were often so high, that at least on one surviving hieroglyphic tablet, tax collectors are depicted punishing peasants for not having paid their taxes on time. Egyptians were not the only ancient people to hate tax collectors. Ancient Sumerians had a proverb, You can have a lord, you can have a king, but the man to fear is the tax collector! Resistance to Taxation Nearly as old as the history of taxes - and the hatred of tax collectors - is resistance to unfair taxes. For instance, when Queen Boadicea of the British Isles decided to defy the Romans in 60 CE, it was in large part because of the brutal taxation policy placed upon her people. The Romans, in an attempt to subdue Queen Boadicea, publicly flogged the queen and raped her two daughters. To the great surprise of the Romans, Queen Boadicea was anything but subdued by this treatment. She retaliated by leading her people in an all-out, bloody revolt, eventually killing approximately 70,000 Romans. A much less gory example of resistance to taxes is the story of Lady Godiva. Although many may remember that in the legend, Lady Godiva of the 11th century rode through the town of Coventry naked, most probably do not remember that she did so to protest her husbands harsh taxes on the people. Perhaps the most famous historical incident that relates to the resistance to taxes was the Boston Tea Party in Colonial America. In 1773, a group of colonists, dressed as Native Americans, boarded three English ships moored in Boston Harbor. These colonists then spent hours smashing the ships cargo, wooden chests filled with tea and then throwing the damaged boxes over the side of the ships. American colonists had been heavily taxed for over a decade with such legislation from Great Britain as the Stamp Act of 1765 (which added taxes to newspapers, permits, playing cards, and legal documents) and the Townsend Act of 1767 (which added taxes to paper, paint, and tea). The colonists threw the tea over the side of the ships to protest what they saw as the very unfair practice of taxation without representation. Taxation, one might argue, was one of the major injustices that led directly to the American War for Independence. Thus, the leaders of the newly created United States had to be very careful as to how and exactly what they taxed. Alexander Hamilton, the new U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, needed to find a way to collect money to lower the national debt, created by the American Revolution. In 1791, Hamilton, balancing the need of the federal government to collect money and the sensitivity of the American people, decided to create a sin tax, a tax placed on an item society feels is a vice. The item chosen for the tax was distilled spirits. Unfortunately, the tax was seen as unfair by those on the frontier who distilled more alcohol, especially whiskey, than their eastern counterparts. Along the frontier, isolated protests eventually led to an armed revolt, known as the Whiskey Rebellion. Revenue for War Alexander Hamilton was not the first man in history with the dilemma of how to raise money to pay for a war. The need for a government to be able to pay for troops and supplies in wartime had been a major reason for ancient Egyptians, Romans, medieval kings, and governments around the world to increase taxes or to create new ones. Although these governments had often been creative in their new taxes, the concept of an income tax had to wait for the modern era. Income taxes (requiring individuals to pay a percentage of their income to the government, often on a graduated scale) required the ability to retain extremely detailed records. Throughout most of history, keeping track of individual records would have been a logistical impossibility. Thus, the implementation of an income tax was not found until 1799 in Great Britain. The new tax, viewed as a temporary one, was needed to help the British raise money to fight the French forces led by Napoleon. The U.S. government faced a similar dilemma during the War of 1812. Based on the British model, the U.S. government considered raising money for the war through an income tax. However, the war ended before the income tax was officially enacted. The idea of creating an income tax resurfaced during the American Civil War. Again considered a temporary tax to raise money for a war, Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1861 which instituted an income tax. However, there were so many problems with the details of the income tax law that income taxes were not collected until the law was revised the following year in the Tax Act of 1862. In addition to adding taxes on feathers, gunpowder, billiard tables, and leather, the Tax Act of 1862 specified that the income tax would require those that earned up to $10,000 to pay the government three percent of their income while those that made over $10,000 would pay five percent. Also notable was the inclusion of a $600 standard deductible. The income tax law was amended several times over the next few years and eventually fully repealed in 1872. Beginnings of a Permanent Income Tax In the 1890s, the U.S. federal government was beginning to rethink its general taxation plan. Historically, most of its revenue had been from taxing imported and exported goods as well as taxes on the sale of specific products. Realizing that these taxes were increasingly bearing on only a select portion of the population, mostly the less affluent, the U.S. federal government began looking for a more even way to distribute the tax burden. Thinking that a  graduated-scale  income tax placed upon all citizens of the United States would be a fair way to collect taxes, the federal government attempted to enact a country-wide income tax in 1894. However, because at that time all federal taxes had to be based on state population, the income tax law was found unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1895. To create a  permanent income tax, the Constitution of the United States needed to be changed. In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified. This amendment eliminated the need to base federal taxes on state population by stating: The Congress shall have  the power  to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration. In October of 1913, the same year the 16th Amendment was ratified, the federal government enacted its first permanent income tax law. Also in 1913, the  first Form 1040  was created. Today, the IRS collects more than $1.2 billion in taxes and processes more than 133 million returns annually.

Chemicals That Should Never Be Mixed

Chemicals That Should Never Be Mixed Some chemicals shouldnt be mixed together. In fact, these chemicals shouldnt even be stored near each other on the chance that an accident could occur and the chemicals could react. Be sure to keep incompatibilities in mind when reusing containers to store other chemicals. Here are some examples of mixtures to avoid: Acids with cyanide salts or cyanide solution. Generates highly toxic hydrogen cyanide gas.Acids with sulfide salts or sulfide solutions. Generates highly toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.Acids with bleach. Generates highly toxic chlorine gas. An example of this would be mixing bleach and vinegar.Ammonia with bleach. Releases toxic chloramine vapors.Oxidizing acids (e.g., nitric acid, perchloric acid) with combustible materials (e.g., paper, alcohols, other common solvents). May result in a fire.​Solid oxidizers (e.g., permanganates, iodates, nitrates) with combustible materials (e.g., paper, alcohols, other common solvents). May result in a fire.Hydrides (e.g., sodium hydride) with water. May form flammable hydrogen gas.Phosphides (e.g., sodium phosphide) with water. May form highly toxic phosphine gas.Silver salts with ammonia in the presence of a strong base. May generate an explosively unstable solid.Alkali metals (e.g., sodium, potassium) with water. May form flammable hydrogen gas.Oxidizing agents (e.g., nitric acid) with reducing agents (e.g., hydrazine). May cause fires or explosions. Unsaturated compounds (e.g., substances containing carbonyls or double bonds) in the presence of acids or bases. May polymerize violently.Hydrogen peroxide/acetone mixtures when heated in the presence of an acid. May cause explosions.Hydrogen peroxide/acetic acid mixtures. May explode upon heating.Hydrogen peroxide/sulfuric acid mixtures. May spontaneously detonate. General Advice About Mixing Chemicals While it may seem like chemistry is a good science to learn through experimentation, its never a good idea to randomly mix together chemicals to see what youll get. Household chemicals arent any safer than lab chemicals. In particular, you should use care when dealing with cleaners and disinfectants, since these are common products that react with each other to yield nasty results. Its a good rule of thumb to avoid mixing bleach or peroxide with any other chemical, unless youre following a documented procedure, are wearing protective gear, and are working under a fume hood or outdoors. Note that many chemical mixtures produce toxic or flammable gases. Even in the home, its important to have a fire extinguisher handy and work with ventilation. Use caution performing any chemical reaction near an open flame or heat source. In the lab, avoid mixing chemicals near burners. At home, avoid mixing chemicals near burners, heaters, and open flames. This includes pilot lights for ovens, fireplaces, and water heaters. While its common to label chemicals and store them separately in a lab, its also good practice to do this in a home. For example, dont store muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) with peroxide. Avoid storing household bleach together with peroxide and acetone.

How to Write a Perfect Barista Resume (Examples Included)

How to Write a Perfect Barista Resume (Examples Included) These days, coffee is serious business. If you control someone’s daily caffeine access, you could very well hold their entire day in your hands. Sure, it may not be the level of social responsibility of, say, a brain surgeon, but you’re still providing what many people (myself included) would call a very necessary service. From the trendy euros)How to Write a Perfect Occupational Therapist ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Physician Assistant Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Receptionist Resume (Examples Included)How to Create a Perfect Retail ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Sales Associate Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Social Worker Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Truck Driver Resume (With Examples)

Druq design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Druq design - Essay Example Inside the cell, the HIV reverse transcriptase converts the viral RNA into DNA; this DNA is transported into the cell nucleus where it is inserted into the human genome by the HIV integrase enzyme. The HIV DNA may lie dormant, but is later expressed for the synthesis of new HIV proteins and enzymes. The HIV protease is active at this stage of the life cycle where its role is to cut long protein strands to form viral cores. The development of the pathogenic effects of HIV is characterized by the interaction between viral and host factors. A broad spectrum of antiviral strategies was developed for each step of the viral replication cycle. Every stage in the life cycle, and every gene product of HIV is a potential target. Host proteins that are recognized to have an essential role in the viral life cycle are also targets of HIV therapy (Nielsen, Pedersen, & Kjems, 2005). As of 2007, more than 20 anti-HIV drugs have been approved (De Clerq, 2007). The drugs block the enzyme activity of any of the enzyme that HIV needs to replicate inside host cells: reverse transcriptase, protease, fusion inhibitors, and lately integrase inhibitors. The norm is to utilize highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which combines two or three drugs to overcome the development of drug resistant targets. Nevertheless, multi-drug resistant HIV continue to develop due to the high viral mutation rates. Integrase is the chosen target for the drug to be designed for HIV treatment; it facilitates the insertion of the double-stranded DNA copy of the HIV RNA genome into the host genome, an absolute requirement for viral replication (LaFemina, et al., 1992). Integration of the HIV DNA requires 3 processing of the final two bases of the viral DNA long terminal repeat (LTR), and DNA strand transfer activity. HIV integrase was found to be composed of several multimers with functional domains sufficient for 3 processing and

Individual Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Individual Report - Essay Example Being the largest employer in the world and one of the biggest companies in the world, Wal-Mart faces a number of business risks as well as human resource challenges. The human resource challenges faced by the company are factors of internal threat to the business and Wal-Mart has been trying its best to alter its strategies and adopt the best possible human resource practices to negate the effect of the negative publicity caused by the internal human resource challenges faced by the organization. Discussion The employees of Wal-Mart have been dissatisfied with the discrimination and low pay policies which is resulting in negative image of the company. The employee engagement issue has been chosen for this purpose. Employee engagement In an attempt to enhance employee engagement, Wal-Mart has started the employee advancement program. The company takes care to ensure that the employees are presented with enough opportunities to rise through the ranks. Wal-Mart has a reputation of not treating their employee’s right and not being as up to date with technology as they could be. Wal-Mart is showing improvement with using the technology of e-training to enhance the knowledge and skills of their employees. The company along with trying to be customer centric is also trying to touch the base with their consumers (Laris, 2013). In the company the employees are referred to as Associates to promote equality and advices the managers to think themselves as servant leaders. This policy is used to encourage the mangers to serve others while staying focused on reaching the objectives in keeping with the values and integrity of the organization (Wall Street Journal, 2006).Many issues have arisen inside the organization due to the large and diverse workforce in the company. Maintaining the work culture while balancing the diversity level has been a challenge for the human resources team. Due to the existence of numerous stores and a huge number of employees, a vast range of requirements for pay and benefit is necessary (Dessler, 2005, p.97). Wal-Mart recognizes the need for a comprehensive list of options for its employees. Wal-Mart maintains a wide range of choices in the benefits packages offered by them under the career benefits offered by the organization. In terms of employee engagement issue Wal-Mart had faced a number of wage discrimination and class action gender lawsuits resulting in tarnishing the image of the company. It hired more specialized human resource managers and created a team of five legal professionals to handle the workplace issues and the concern of the supervisors on employment matters. A class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart encompassing more than one million female employees, making it one of the largest workplace discrimination cases in the history of the United States. In response to the charges of discrimination, the organization has hired a director of diversity, implemented a companywide computer posting of managemen t opening and also implemented a system in which the bonuses of the executive managers are based on the diversity of the workforce (Ungar, 2013). In order to judge the engagement of the workers in the workplace the company follows the performance measurement system. It was implemented in an organization need to be aligned with both the organization's competitive strategy and the internal HR practices (Bratton, 2007, p. 374). The performance management system of

Training and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Training and Development - Essay Example On the other hand, development can be described as the process of getting hold of knowledge as well as skills that might be utilized even in the future (Fitzgerald, 1992). Thus, development process prepares the human resources to take up further responsibilities in the future. Training and development program in an organization ensures that the skill development and up-gradation of its employees happens in a very structured way. It is essential for present day’s organizations to properly train as well as develop their employees for the improvement of their business performances. This is because regular up-gradation and augmentation of the skills and proficiencies of the employees is necessary for developing innovative approaches for the production of new products and services in the organization (Haynes & Fryer, 2000.). Thus, training and development of employees performs an important role in the creation of innovation in the organization and also in bringing about positive or ganizational change. In this study, a Sydney based Australian Restaurant was selected and the manager as well as an employee of the restaurant would be interviewed to comprehend the processes utilized by the restaurant for the training and development of its employees. The study would then critique the restaurant’s training and development system with the help of relevant human resource management theories by reviewing numerous studies on Human Resource Management (HRM). The study would further analyze whether the training system of the selected restaurant conforms to the recommendations of the reviewed HRM studies. The study would also provide recommendations for the enhanced management of the training and development... The findings of this research will provide insight of the training as well as development programs in an organization that operate as an initiator of fresh proficiencies and knowledge amongst the human resources. Such programs influence the ingenuity as well as creativity of the employees and hence structure the skill base of the entire organization. The updated and developed skill and knowledge base of the human resources confers an organization with unique distinguishable characteristics which differentiates the organization from its peers. Every organization, irrespective of the sector it belongs to, has to rearrange and adapt itself and focus on new practices and approaches of carrying out their business activities in order to remain competitive in the market. Nevertheless, it is not possible for an organization to maintain its competitiveness in the long run if its employees are not adequately trained and developed to incorporate advanced expertise and knowledge. Thus, it can be inferred that the major aspects of training and development programs in an organization are to facilitate the workforces to develop into more proficient professionals at work and also to assist the employees to become accustomed to their definite roles. Training and development also assists the employees to take on futures responsibilities as they establish themselves within the organization. This substantiates the value of training and development programs in every organization for the betterment of its overall performance.

Philosophy, Mission, and Organizing Framework of caring nursing theory Assignment

Philosophy, Mission, and Organizing Framework of caring nursing theory - Assignment Example The college lives on the philosophy that the nursing discipline and profession is based on caring. The philosophy states that the contributions of nursing to the society focuses on the person as a whole through caring. The discipline requires a response by the practitioners towards the enhancement of a person’s well-being. There are situations that call for nursing to occur and include enhancement of well-being through the contact of nurses and persons involved. He discipline has an art and science presence with the former etched on creativity in practice, and the latter on the complex body of knowledge. My philosophy in nursing is that, as a nurse, I have the responsibility of providing safe, holistic and patient-centered care to the public or the nursed individuals (American Nurses Association, 2010). In this case, patients deserve and require individualized attention and assistance whenever they need. On the other hand, nurses remain the providers of health assistance and care. The organizational framework of the college is based on criteria of nurturing a person through caring. Therefore, the main basis for examination is caring. Nursing is unique and requires a response from the nurse to a call from another person, where the nurse is supposed to respond by getting into the person’s situation and assisting professionally. According to Ray (2007), there is a challenge in nursing caring as described in her theory of bureaucratic caring. The theory suggests that nurses struggle with the requirement of serving the bureaucratic needs of the system while required to serve the caring needs of the human beings. This philosophy seems to be in opposition to the CON philosophy that aims at human needs for caring as the primary necessity. The bureaucracy has been brought about in the society by politics, social statuses, economy and technological advancements. The author notes that various hospital units

The Soloist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Soloist - Essay Example has long escaped from it, being more disposed to unconventional living where he is caught between schizophrenia and the will which Lopez desperately helps him with for the revival of his exceptional talent and passion for music. The story identifies the premise in the musician’s yielding to profess virtuosity at the time the effect, unconsciously leads him beyond norm. Accordingly thus, his schizophrenic behavior necessarily reflects significant disturbance in the manner he wanders about with his instrument and in an odious external, deed and talking which no real person with common logic seeks to afford. A mentally disordered individual in Nathaniel’s case, may be found to exhibit symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and grossly disorganized behavior (DSM Criteria). The film gives evidence to the fourth sign showing Ayers to have a rather crudely embellished outfit, that strikes an abiding impression as both bizarre and beaten up like his wagon of improvised percussions awkwardly set up. Characterized by unwieldy facial gestures, some repressed desire manifests through his overall countenance. Visual hallucinations have had recurrences in his childhood, the varying instances of which have one element in common. At the early stage of his deepening struggle, Nathaniel sees a rolling cart of fire by the window when he was by himself playing cello one evening. Likewise, when Steve sends him over to watch a classical concerto, he perceives flashes of colorful lights in the middle of raptures, having transported the symphonies to his full attention, earn ing remembrance of his fondness for Beethoven. The time he gets the chance to perform with a live audience however, just when he’s about to hit the bow on string, a brilliant light passing the slits of the upper deck collides his eyes. It comes too bright to blind a sight away from the rest that subsequently makes him recollect an act of rudeness toward his sister, a scene at daybreak

Philosophy, Mission, and Organizing Framework of caring nursing theory Assignment

Philosophy, Mission, and Organizing Framework of caring nursing theory - Assignment Example The college lives on the philosophy that the nursing discipline and profession is based on caring. The philosophy states that the contributions of nursing to the society focuses on the person as a whole through caring. The discipline requires a response by the practitioners towards the enhancement of a person’s well-being. There are situations that call for nursing to occur and include enhancement of well-being through the contact of nurses and persons involved. He discipline has an art and science presence with the former etched on creativity in practice, and the latter on the complex body of knowledge. My philosophy in nursing is that, as a nurse, I have the responsibility of providing safe, holistic and patient-centered care to the public or the nursed individuals (American Nurses Association, 2010). In this case, patients deserve and require individualized attention and assistance whenever they need. On the other hand, nurses remain the providers of health assistance and care. The organizational framework of the college is based on criteria of nurturing a person through caring. Therefore, the main basis for examination is caring. Nursing is unique and requires a response from the nurse to a call from another person, where the nurse is supposed to respond by getting into the person’s situation and assisting professionally. According to Ray (2007), there is a challenge in nursing caring as described in her theory of bureaucratic caring. The theory suggests that nurses struggle with the requirement of serving the bureaucratic needs of the system while required to serve the caring needs of the human beings. This philosophy seems to be in opposition to the CON philosophy that aims at human needs for caring as the primary necessity. The bureaucracy has been brought about in the society by politics, social statuses, economy and technological advancements. The author notes that various hospital units

The Non-Rational Models Of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Non-Rational Models Of Leadership - Essay Example One of the more recent leadership concepts – which also challenge the traditional, rational images—links leadership to organizational outcomes. Subsequently, as for as social transforms are a concern, this idea differentiates people connecting leaders and outcome, to create a sense of their executive worlds,   apart from the any bona fide or genuine leadership effect. This course takes for granted that:  One of the more recent leadership concepts – which also challenge the traditional, rational images—links leadership to organizational outcomes. Subsequently, as for as social transforms are a concern, this idea differentiates people connecting leaders and outcome, to create a sense of their executive worlds,   apart from the any bona fide or genuine leadership effect. This course takes for granted that:  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ People consider and distinguish that leadership matters.  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ These attitudes and discernments are calculable.  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Perception s are shared.This framework is alternatively referred to as the confidence in leadership result or the story of leadership.   James R. Meindl proposes that the greater importance of leadership as an idea for executive science is that it is a phenomenological vital facet of how bystander and contributors appreciate, understand and otherwise present connotation to organizational behavior as a result. Therefore, it comes into view that the notion of leadership is an enduringly deep-rooted part of the socially build certainty, which we bear in our mind in the investigation of organizations. This compass interpretation posits that leadership does matter but in a non-rational way.  The view that workforce appreciates organizational ending result to their influential leader is very much in lieu of the notion that one of the leader’s chief responsibility or task is to give details of actions. The leaders are not judged according to authentic executive outcomes as much as by the e nlightenment they bestow.  ... People consider and distinguish that leadership matters. These attitudes and discernments are calculable. Perceptions are shared. This framework is alternatively referred to as the confidence in leadership result or the story of leadership. James R. Meindl proposes that the greater importance of leadership as an idea for executive science is that it is a phenomenological vital facet of how bystander and contributors appreciate, understand and otherwise present connotation to organizational behavior as a result. Therefore, it comes into view that the notion of leadership is an enduringly deep-rooted part of the socially build certainty, which we bear in our mind in the investigation of organizations. This compass interpretation posits that leadership does matter but in a non-rational way (Lieutenant, 1995). The view that workforce appreciate organizational ending result to their influential leader is very much in lieu to the notion that one of leader's chief responsibility or task is to give details of actions. Therefore, leaders are not judged according to authentic executive outcomes as much as by the enlightenment they bestow for the conclusions. According to Lewis R. Pondy, the efficiency of a leader always lies in his capability to build activity momentous for those in his [organization]-not to modify deeds but to provide others wisdom of accepting regarding what they are doing. The observation concerning to the leadership as not-rational ought to be measured additional source for practice of management. Each perspective can be believed as if a part of set of imaginary lenses that leader can place so he can make accurate different shapes of leadership nearsightedness. For example, the troop of strategic actions center tends to be more muddled and frantic

Organisation and ICT Essay Example for Free

Organisation and ICT Essay Hardware In ASDAs finance department, as I wrote about in unit 2A, a total of 30 computers are used to deal with business on a daily basis. The specifications of these computers are as follows: * 30 colour, high resolution and flat screen monitors. Used to display the information produced by the computer. patriotic * 30 ergonomic keyboards. To type in the information to the computer. * 30 IBM computer mice which all have infra red enabled wheels. Used to click and go where you want on the computer. * All computers in ASDAs finance department have a 1GB RAM and an 80GB hard drive to allow fast running of the computer and a lot of storage. * All the computers contain sound, graphics and network cards. This allows the computer to use the monitor to display virtually anything. * The computers have USB ports and CD ROM/DVD drives and CD RW drives. This allows transferring information form work to home in the form of a USB key. There is also a main file server which all the computers within the finance department have access to and can get some files from. This computers description is different to all the others and has a 5GB RAM and 200GB Hard drive. This is to allow easy and quick access for files and to fit an enormous amount of files. Other hardware peripherals used in the finance department are printers. There are 16 laser printers in the department meaning 1 printer for every 2 computers. These printers are evenly distributed between each computer and the extra printer is located in the manager of the finance departments office. Also the printer in the managers office also serves a photocopier and a fax machine to utilize work time. In the finance department there are also 5 scanners, 1 scanner serving 6 computers. The main reason scanners are used in the finance department is to scan important documents such as receipts or pictures into documents. These files which are scanned can also be stored as JPEG files on the main server of all the computers. There is also a digital camera which is always kept in the managers office. The main file server has an excellent broadband internet connection that serves all of the computers in the finance department. This internet is supplied by BT as internet service provider (ISP). Computer Hardware Used in ASDAs Finance Department Input Devices How many and location Keyboards ergonomic 30 One on every computer Computer mouse Infra red wheels 30 One on every computer Scanner 5 Six for every computer Microphones 10 Used when needed Debit and Credit Card Machine (ATM) 5 One between every 6 computer Output Devices How many and location Flat Screen high resolution monitors 30 One on every computer Speakers 30 One on every computer Printers 16 2 between 1 computer, 1 in managers office Processors How many and location Central Processing Unit 30 1 in each computer File server. Data Storage: How many and location USB Ports 30 One in every computer Hard disks 30 One in every computer Ports and Cables How many and location USB Ports 30 One in every computer CD Port 30 One in every computer Headphones Port 30 One in every computer Microphone Port 30 One in every computer Software How many and location Microsoft Word 30 One in every computer Microsoft Excel 30 One in every computer Microsoft Access 30 One in every computer Microsoft Outlook 30 One in every computer Microsoft Outlook Express 30 One in every computer Norton Anti Virus 30 One in every computer Dreamweaver 30 One in every computer Sage Accounting Package 30 One in every computer Connections How many and location Intranet connections 30 On all computers Internet link with ISP On main server, but allows all computers to access internet and use e-mail The list above sums up the hardware used by ASDAs finance department. Hardware Applications used by ASDAs Finance Department Input Devices Keyboards: This device is essential to the use of computers as it allows you to type in the information that you want to. Without keyboards, computers would obviously be useless. The arrangement of keys on the core part of the keyboard is identical as any other typewriter. The computer keyboard does have keys which are specifically designed for the computer. Function keys, for example, are programmable and are used by software packages to access particular options, such as Help menus. A number of general uses of keyboards are entering text and numbers into the computer, perhaps using a word processor. Entering keywords into a search engine, a type of program used to find information on the World Wide Web. Controlling animated graphics characters in computer games and entering commands when using a command line interface, such as that for MS-DOS. Keyboards are probably the most commonly used input devices in the finance department along with computer mice and monitors. Computer Mouse: This device is used to navigate through the computer and click on the application that you which to use. This is essential to the efficient running of the computer. There are many types of mice and they have developed over the years. The mouse which the ASDA finance department used is fitted with optical lights which makes it much more quick and efficient and is much more productive than regular mouses. ASDAs finance department want to provide their customers with the best equipment to help them work to the best of their ability. Scanner: The finance department uses scanners to insert photographs or other types of images such as graphs and tables into a document. An example of a sort of document which scanners will be used for is a forecast. The finance department will scan graphs of predicted sales into the forecast to show what will have to be done to achieve the aim of the project. Also previous sale trends will be inserted into the document. Now the forecast is done the finance department will produce a budget where yet again, a scanner will be used to insert some images into the document. An example of this could be a table where the company can expect to make a certain amount of money if they charge a particular price for an item. Microphone: This is an input design which is not used all the time in ASDAs finance department. This is because it is only used to telecommunicate over a distance where the person who needs to communicate to is not in the same place as you. This allows the finance department to be able to hold meetings despite the whereabouts of the staff and times allows the department to make the most of the time that they have. Debit and Credit Card Machine (ATM): This ICT peripheral is an input device when the information needed is inserted into the machine. These pieces of ICT are used in the finance department so that ASDA can pay suppliers and also pay their creditors (who they owe money to) and basically clear their debts. ASDA also use these machines to pay people, including their employees and suppliers. So these machines are very useful to the finance department because it allows them to go about their business quickly and very efficiently. Output Devices Monitors: The monitors which are used in ASDAs finance department are flat screen high resolution monitors. This makes the viewing of the screen very easy and you can see the screen without getting sore eyes. This is an output device because it shows the result of your typing and all the work that you have done. The quality of the monitors at ASDAs finance department is very high and they are 17 in size. The reason why they are used is obvious they display all the work that you have done and is essential to the efficient running of the computer. Speakers: This is an output device because it releases the sounds that the computers are making. The ASDA finance department uses speakers whilst involved in videoconferencing. This allows the department to hold meetings with their staff despite the fact that they might not be at the office at the actual time of the meeting. The speakers are connected to the big screen in the meeting room so it is as is they are in an ordinary meeting. Printers: This is an output device as it gives you the work that you have done when you want to print it. There is a printer for every two computers in the finance department making a total of sixteen computers in ASDAs finance department. The printers in the finance department are fitted with both color ink and black and white ink. This is essential to the finance department as it allows the department to print of vital data from e-mails and documents. Processors This is a component in a computer which is capable of executing a program and it interprets computer program instructions and processes data. This is the core component of a computer. The processor which is in the computers which ASDAs finance department has is Pentium XEON Processor which is a very good processor. Data Storage USB Ports: The definition of a USB port is a Universal Serial Bus standard to interface devices. In ASDAs finance department so the employees are able to complete some work at home and then bring it to work and transfer it to their computer at work. However USB connects far more than some people think, they connect: mouse devices, keyboards, scanners, digital cameras and printers. ASDAs finance department uses this data storage device for all of these reasons. Hard Disk: This storage device is a non volatile storage device which stores digitally encoded data on rotating platters with magnetic surfaces. The hard disk in ASDAs finance department contains a memory of 80 GB. This huge hard disk is used to save numerous files such as forecasts, stock control and budgets. Without a big memory ASDAs finance department wouldnt be able to operate properly as they wouldnt be able to store all the files they needed to. Connection Intranet: The intranet is an internet service based just within the ASDA company. Briefly, an intranet can be understood as a private version of the Internet, or as a version of the Internet confined to a company. So ASDA has an internet service based on ASDA so information on the employees, employee of the moth and just general information on the website is displayed on ASDAs intranet. Internet: The internet is used in ASDAs finance department to use e-mail, gain information to help the department create a forecast and check the news as breaking news in the stock market can affect every single business in the UK including ASDA. So ASDA have to be in the best position possible to predict trends and forecast future sales. The finance department uses the internet to send e-mails to Software Applications used by ASDAs Finance Department Microsoft Word: All the computers in the finance department have Microsoft Word as standard. All the computers are updated as soon as the new Microsoft Word comes out so the finance department has Microsoft Word 2007. This has many features which benefits the department and is used for mail merging, memo and also to just write letters to other departments. The finance department of ASDA uses this software to produce the yearly financial report which takes away the profit the company has made from the expenditure to create the net profit of the year. ASDA uses Microsoft Word for this task as it makes the document look more professional ad the spell check tool allows ASDAs finance department to save a lot of time. Also, the finance department uses Microsoft Word to compile pay slips for their employees. Pay slips are essential as they show how much the worker ahs made and how much tax has been taken away from the worker. Once again the reason why Microsoft Word is used for this task is to make it look more professional and also save time because the finance department probably has a template of a pay slip and just have to alter it to match the correct information for each worker. Microsoft Excel: ASDAs finance department uses Excel to produce graphs and tables for several purposes. One of these purposes is to use graphs to accompany forecasts and budgets. They are used in budgets to show how much money is to be spent on each project. More importantly it is in forecasts to validate their prediction by producing graphs of previous trends to show why they think the company will go in the direction they think. Microsoft Access: The finance department uses this software to create databases for many reasons. One is to keep track of their creditors and keep records of whether they have paid them back or how much they still have to pay back. Also, databases are used by the finance department to keep records of each financial report of the year and see if the net profit of the company is increasing or getting worse. Moreover, Access is mainly used because of the advantages it possesses. These are being able to filter, sort and make queries which saves time. The database includes fields with information of ASDAs employees such as surname, first and second name, address lines, town, date of birth, date of employment, current position and salary, National Insurance number and notes where ASDA can comment on any employee. Microsoft Outlook: This software is used to keep the main diary of the office and all the events are noted to the Outlook calendar, using color codes for particular kinds of events. Any member of staff is enabled to access the diary on the main server. Also, Microsoft Outlook is used for workers to notify fellow staff when they are going to take their holidays on the calendar. Microsoft Outlook Express: This is used for sending e-mails to fellow employees and other departments in ASDA. The finance department needs to use e-mail to communicate to stock holders and stock suppliers and manufactures. Also the finance department needs to stay in contact with stock control to be notified if they need to make orders for the purchasing department Norton Anti Virus: This software is used to protect and defend the finances department computers against viruses. Viruses need defending against because they can cause damage to computers and destroy vital files. Viruses are so dangerous because they can cause the finance department to lose files that can stop them from operating efficiently. However, Norton Anti Virus prevents this and protects the computer. Sage Accounting Package: This is professional software for accountants and bookkeepers to help them do the job they need to. It is specially made to help the finance business do what they do. Dreamweaver: The ASDA finance department uses this piece of software to design a good website to advertise the finance department or just ASDA in general. The site includes opening times, news, online shopping, and history of the company and the mission statement of ASDA. The ASDA Finance Department Intranet: All the computers in the department have network cards and network software to allow them to access the sever and printers. Every worker in the finance department has their own passwords and this allows them to use all the software available from the main server and access all of their files from the finance department database. There are some common files on the server and others which are password protected so that only the person with the password can access them. This also prevents staff members accidentally amending or deleting another persons work. Evaluation The objective of ASDA is to comprehensively be recognised as the best supermarket in the UK. ICT as a whole enables ASDAs finance department to achieve its objectives in the following way: 1. Computers allow the finance department to create forecasts which indicate how products are going to sell and how many. 2. The database system which the department uses is much more efficient and quicker than other databases which the finance department was using. 3. ASDA have much software including Sage Accounting Package which is specifically designed for the efficient running of the finance department. 4. The ASDA finance department has the finest ICT equipment for their employees which ensure the employees can do their job with all the help needed from the very best equipment.

Nestle vs Cadbury: Financial Analysis

Nestle vs Cadbury: Financial Analysis The report mainly analyzes and compares two companies financial reports between 2005 and 2008. The two companies chosen are CADBURY PLC and NESTLE SA. Both of them are renowned in consumer business and are transnational enterprises. The differences between them are NESTLE SA is a Swiss company and listed in several stock exchanges, while the CADBURY PLC origins from United Kingdom and is listed in the London Security Exchange (LSE). Referring to their core businesses, Nestle SA groups principal activities are to manufacture, process and sell food products, including diary, confectionery and culinary products, coffee, beverage and drinking water, Besides this, they also sell ancillary equipment. Similarly Cadbury groups principal activity is also to manufacture, distribute and sell confectionery products. Its products consist of three categories: chocolate, gum and candy. Thus in the overlap fields, the competition between them exists all the time. The purpose of this report is to eva luate their financial performance in past four year since 2005. The structure of the report will be as follows. The first part will list the reformulate financial statements, including balance sheets and income statements of the two companies from 2005 to 2008, respectively. The second part will calculate relative ratios based on the reformulated statements; then on basis of these ratios, analyze their probability and growth; finally compare them on the common size, and research their trend during the research period as well. The last part will discuss the result and make a conclusion. Reformulate financial statement In the following part, the two firms reformulate balance sheet and income statement will be exhibited. Note: taxes are calculated at 30% according to the UK tax Note: the taxes includes withholding taxes on income from foreign sources, as well as Swiss taxes for which adequate provisions have been established. Analysis of profitability The key indicator for profitability is ROCE-Return on Common Equity. ROCE reflects the average earnings of common shareholders equity. Under the premise of maximize shareholders interests, its a comprehensive indicator to evaluate the production and operation of an enterprise. It can be clearly seen from the chart that the ROCE of Cadbury increased almost 100% from 2005 to 2006 followed by a sharp decrease in 2007, and then kept steady in 2008. Specific ratios about profitability are as following: As we can seen from the table above, the Financial Leverage of Cadbury was decreasing from 2005 to 2008. Opposite trend can be seen in Net Borrowing Costs which increased from 0.0345 to 0.515. The significant increase in ROCE in 2006 is mainly because the suddenly increase of RNOA in that year. The Asset turnover was fluctuated slightly around 1 during 2005 to 2008. The PM saw an incredible increase in 2006 but fall sharply in 2007. So the PM is the main cause for the change of ROCE in Cadbury. FLEV FLEV = NFO/CSE The financial leverage of Cadbury was decreasing. As we can seen from the chart, the NFO is decreasing generally while the CSE is relatively steady. Third-level Breakdown: PM: Generally speaking, both sales PM and other items PM are is an increasing trend. It can be clearly seen that Sales PM is the main source of PM. The cause of the significant increase in ROCE, RNOA, PM in 2006 is because the other items PM increased to an unusual level. Selling, General admin expenses were steady for Cadbury while the Gross Margin continuously increased from 2005 to2008. ATO: The ATO drivers are shown in the following table: Nestle It can be clearly seen from the line chart that the ROCE of Nestle keeps a good trend of increasing, especially in 2008. The ROCE of Nestle in 2008 was 0.15 more than that in 2007. Trough the table above, we can see that the RNOA of Nestle was increasing from 2005 to 2008.The NBC was fluctuated around 0.05. The FLEV of Nestle had a increasing trend although a slight decrease can be seen in 2008. It can be clearly seen in the bar chart that both sales PM and other items PM are very steady from 2005 to 2006, significant increase can be seen in both the two kind of PM. The components for sales PM of Nestle from 2005 to 2008 had not been changed much. All of them were steady. Comparison It can be clearly seen from the chart that the ROCE of Nestle was increasing in the past 4 years while ROCE of Cadbury dropped about 80% from 2006 to 2008. In 2005, ROCE of Cadbury is higher than that of Nestle. But after a 4-year increasing, the ROCE of Nestle had catch up and even 0.25 higher than ROCE of Cadbury in 2008. In terms of RNOA, it is similar to the situation of ROCE, thus the profitability of operational assets of Nestle is better than that of Cadbury. In terms of NBC, they are almost the same, that means the expenses they used on financial obligation were almost the same and very steady. In terms of FLEV, the FLEV of Cadbury is much larger than that of Nestle, which means Cadbury faced with more risk. The OLLEV of Cadbury is larger than Nestle too. It illustrates that Cadbury relies more on liabilities both in operation and general. The PM and ATO of Nestle are both larger than those of Cadbury. The larger the ATO is, the better the firms ability on sales is. That mean s the ability on sales of Nestle is better than Cadbury. In a nutshell, the profitability of Nestle is generally better than Cadbury according to the past 4 years data. Analysis of Growth It is a sensible way to view growth in terms of growth in residual earning as a growth firm is ones that can grow residual earnings. Changes in residual earnings are driven by return on common equity (ROCE), the amount of common shareholder investment (CSE), and the cost of capital. We focus on the analysis of changes in ROCE and CSE. Analysis of Growth in ROCE Return on common equity (ROCE) is driven by operations and by the financing of the operations. So the change in ROCE is explained in two parts: 1. Analysis of Changes in Operations There are two kinds of components in explaining changes in profitability (RNOA). One is generated by repetitive business called core income, while the other is referred to as unusual items (UI) or transitory items, which applies to a particular period, and so are nonrecurring. It is important to distinguish core and unusual components of RNOA in the analysis.The great volatility of RNOA in 2007 and 2006 is largely caused by the changes in unusual items which are not lasting. It is proven in 2008 when RNOA changes little with few UIs. Unusual item, asset turnover and profit margin play an important role in the change of RNOA in 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively. In general, unusual items contribute to the growth of RNOA less in Nestle than in Cadbury. It seems that Nestle is more likely to generate profits from sales.. 2. Analysis of Changes in Financing Changes in RNOA partially explain changes in ROCE. The explanation is completed by an examination of financing. It can be separated into three parts: changes in operating profitability, changes in spread and changes in leverage. For Cadbury, the changes in ROCE in past four year are largely due to the rise or drop of core operations or spreads, rather than changes in leverage. For Nestle, the situation is quite similar expect in 2007. The growth of ROCE that year was almost totally due to the financial leverage. On the whole, it can be concluded that the change in ROCE is driven by core operation to a large extent rather than by changes in leverage in these two companies. Analysis of Growth in Equity Investment The change in CSE can be explained by three components: change in sales at previous level of asset turnover plus change in asset turnover while minus change in financial leverage. Cadbury shows a decline trend in CSE as their sales drop sharply in past four years. Nevertheless, Nestle exhibits a relatively smooth rise trend in both CSE and sales. It can be derived that sales growth is the primary driver of the change in CSE but sales growth requires more investment in net operating assets, which is financed by either net debt or equity. And investments earn through ROCE and the factors that drive ROCE. Together, investment and ROCE drive residual earnings and abnormal earnings growth. It has been recognized that there is a tension to growing CSE. Equity investment can easily be increased by issuing new shares or reducing dividends. But the new equity might not be used wisely. It could be invested in projects with low RNOA or financial assets with low return, reducing ROCE, residual earnings, and value. Common size analysis Common size analysis on balance sheet Compare the operating section of common-size Balance sheets of the two companies between 2005 and 2008 respectively, the result will be shown in exhibit 5. Take the comparison in 2007 as an example. From exhibit, we can know clearly the composition of operating assets for the two firms. For both of the two firms, the most important part in the operating assets is Other Assets, the reason might be the intangible assets take a huge amount in the two companies. In Cadbury, other assets occupied up to 62.08%, much more than that in Nestle SA, which is only 40.56%. The second most important part is Other Investments, occupied 21.59% in the Operating Assets for Nestle SA and 17.84% for Cadbury. Following this, it is Receivables Net, 15.09% for Nestle SA, compared with 10.64% for Cadbury. Besides this, Investment in Unconsol Subsidiaries for Nestle SA is 8.74% but for Cadbury, it is only 0.30%. In other three years, the composition is almost the same. Refer to the composition of Operating Liabilities for the two companies. For Nestle SA, the most important two parts are Account Payable and Provision for Risk and Charges, which account for 51.50% and 30.81%, respectively. By contrast, the most important parts of Operating Liabilities for Cadbury are Other Current Liabilities and Deferred Taxed, which take up for 35.89% and 30.69%. The situation did not change too much in other research years, except in 2008, Deferred Taxed for Cadbury decreased hugely, from 30.69% to -2.15%. The huge change might be caused by the reassessment of capital losses and the tax basis of goodwill on the classification of Australia Beverages as an asset held for sale in Cadbury. Common size analysis on income statement Exhibit 6 compares the reformulated income statements of Cadbury and Nestle on the basis of common-size. Given the Operating expense, the two companies have similar cost structure. With higher cost of sales (47.58%), Cadbury charge approximately 10% less in General expense than Nestle while the difference between the depreciation costs of the two companies are small. However, when the Nestle cost 0.24% in Other operating expense per dollar of sales, Cadbury has no Other operation costs. In comparison with 10.09% Operating profit margin from sales in Cadbury, this margin in Nestle is just a litter higher with 10.57%, the extraordinarily small difference is due to a higher gross income and also a higher general expense in Nestle. However, due to the significant extraordinary charge in Cadbury, its profit reduced to only 6.62% while the Operating income increased a bit to 11.22% attributable to the earnings from equity interest. Comparing with the earning of a net 5.09% per dollar of sales in Cadbury, Nestle earns approximately 10%. The profits are correspondingly decreased by 1.51% and 0.64% owing to financing activities. Trend analysis In this part, we will analysis how financial items have changed over time for the two firms. For both of the cases, the index is 100 for the base year of 2004. For Cadbury, Accounts Receivable, Inventories and Property, plant and equipment have grown steadily in the first three years, but decreased in 2008, which resulted huge decreasing in Operating Assets in 2008. Additionally, the Operating Liabilities fluctuated volatile from 2005 to 2008, contributed to the similar change to Net Operating Assets. Cadburys 2008 Net operating Assets decrease rate was 30.00%, compared with the 50.00% decrease in Net Financial Obligations in the same year. In 2008, Common Shareholders equity decreased by 20.00%, which indicated that the owners investment was declined. Given the income, the sales of Cadbury decreased a bit in 2005, followed by a continuous grow up in the next two years with 110% and 118% but drops dramatically by almost 20% in 2008. The expense of sales in 2007 is higher than other years with 131 percent while it stays stably in other years. Because the costs of sales have grown quickly than revenue of sales, gross income grow up at a lower rate. The sales of Cadbury in 2005 decrease by nearly 4 percent and grow at the rate of 14.58% and 7.2% in 2007 and 2007 respectively, compared with a significant decline (32.45%) in 2008. Because of a low operating expense in 2005, the operating income from sales in 2005 has an 11% growth compared with the 7% decrease in gross margin. At the same time, though the company has reduced the expense in 2008, the income from sales also lower than 60%. Finally, the comprehensive income grows up to 177% in 2005, followed by a high growth rate of 136.74% owing to a gain from asset sales. However, this i ncome to common is only 93 and 84 percent of that in 2004. For Nestle SA, the steady growth in all of the indexes happened in 2005, 2006 and 2007, but the trend changed in 2008, decrease in these indexes appeared, especially for the Net financial Obligations, it decreased by a much huge amount, almost 50.00%, which is discerned in exhibit 8. The revenues from sales grow up stably over the four years with 8.1%, 9.2% and 2.42% growth rate. Correspondingly, the comprehensive incomes increase bit by bit as well with 119%, 137%, 158% from 2005 to 2007 and due to a large gain from other income, the income in 2008 is high to 268%, which presents a greater growth trend in comparison to the Cadbury. Looking forward In comparison with the stably growth in Nestle since 2005, Cadbury suffers a significant decrease up to 20% in sales. In 2008, Cadbury increase its price, which may be a important reason for the decline combing with the global economic crisis. For Cadbury, in 2009 and even the next few years, it will in a difficult situation to against the unexpected global economic outlook and the high cocoa prices. On the other hand, the company of Nestle shows a bright prospect.

The Titanic Was an Avoidable Tragedy Essay -- World History

Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater – For movie buffs in the 1990s, when you heard someone talking about â€Å"Jack and Rose,† you would probably think Titanic. You would think about the Love and Mystery, Excitement and Suspense. You might hear comments like: â€Å"What a great movie† or â€Å"Oh, it’s just a movie†¦ It wasn’t really that bad.† The latter people would be correct: it was worse. The Titanic was so much more than a movie could ever depict. Death, destruction, terror, sadness: those were the emotions for the people aboard the Titanic. The disaster that is Titanic could have easily been avoided, and the needless loss of life would have been spared, if just minor changes in planning were taken heed of at the beginning of the voyage. Yes, the Titanic had a tragic ending, but life on the ship was far from tragic –until the crash that is. Titanic and her sister ships, Olympia and Britannica, were considered some of the most exquisite ships in the world. The Titanic was called the â€Å"Ship of dreams,† for it was the most elegant of the ships. On Wednesday, March 31, 1909, the keel was laid and construction quickly began soon thereafter. The ship took almost a year and a half to build and was 882 feet 9 inches long, 94 feet wide and 100 feet high to the bridge level. The final cost reached an astounding  £1,500,000 or approximately $7,500,000. Why did Titanic sink you might ask? Had it not been nicknamed the unsinkable ship? Yes it had; however, it was not the only ship called â€Å"unsinkable.† â€Å"Most ships were called unsinkable because they had watertight compartments to limit flooding in case of an accident.† This was also somewhat to excite the people that a new ship was arriving and to also make them feel safer if they decided t... ...thers were afraid since third class passengers were last in line for the very few boats left, they might try to overtake some for themselves and thus put even more people’s lives in danger. With gates locked and everyone gone, they had no way to escape, and, thus, their â€Å"cabin to America† became their watery grave. April 15, 1912-- that day will forever be remembered by many people all over the world. It is sad to look back almost one hundred years ago and think, â€Å"Wow, that really happened, all the people who died really shouldn’t have.† All the needless loss of life is a sad, sad thought. Bibliography Spitz, D.J. Investigation of Bodies in Water. In Spitz and Fisher’s Medicolegal Investigation of Death: Guideline for the Application of Pathology to Crime Investigations, 4th ed. Ed. W.U. & Spitz, D.J. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas, 2006. The Titanic Was an Avoidable Tragedy Essay -- World History Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater – For movie buffs in the 1990s, when you heard someone talking about â€Å"Jack and Rose,† you would probably think Titanic. You would think about the Love and Mystery, Excitement and Suspense. You might hear comments like: â€Å"What a great movie† or â€Å"Oh, it’s just a movie†¦ It wasn’t really that bad.† The latter people would be correct: it was worse. The Titanic was so much more than a movie could ever depict. Death, destruction, terror, sadness: those were the emotions for the people aboard the Titanic. The disaster that is Titanic could have easily been avoided, and the needless loss of life would have been spared, if just minor changes in planning were taken heed of at the beginning of the voyage. Yes, the Titanic had a tragic ending, but life on the ship was far from tragic –until the crash that is. Titanic and her sister ships, Olympia and Britannica, were considered some of the most exquisite ships in the world. The Titanic was called the â€Å"Ship of dreams,† for it was the most elegant of the ships. On Wednesday, March 31, 1909, the keel was laid and construction quickly began soon thereafter. The ship took almost a year and a half to build and was 882 feet 9 inches long, 94 feet wide and 100 feet high to the bridge level. The final cost reached an astounding  £1,500,000 or approximately $7,500,000. Why did Titanic sink you might ask? Had it not been nicknamed the unsinkable ship? Yes it had; however, it was not the only ship called â€Å"unsinkable.† â€Å"Most ships were called unsinkable because they had watertight compartments to limit flooding in case of an accident.† This was also somewhat to excite the people that a new ship was arriving and to also make them feel safer if they decided t... ...thers were afraid since third class passengers were last in line for the very few boats left, they might try to overtake some for themselves and thus put even more people’s lives in danger. With gates locked and everyone gone, they had no way to escape, and, thus, their â€Å"cabin to America† became their watery grave. April 15, 1912-- that day will forever be remembered by many people all over the world. It is sad to look back almost one hundred years ago and think, â€Å"Wow, that really happened, all the people who died really shouldn’t have.† All the needless loss of life is a sad, sad thought. Bibliography Spitz, D.J. Investigation of Bodies in Water. In Spitz and Fisher’s Medicolegal Investigation of Death: Guideline for the Application of Pathology to Crime Investigations, 4th ed. Ed. W.U. & Spitz, D.J. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas, 2006.

What Is the Distinction Between Equal Opportunities and Managing Diversity? How Is It Possible to Justify Either in an Organisation?

What is the distinction between equal opportunities and managing diversity? How is it possible to justify either in an organisation? What are the distinctions between equal opportunities and managing diversity? Equal opportunity ensures that all personnel decisions that relate to recruitment, pay and promotion are only based on an individual’s capability to do their job well. Equal Opportunities: The term used to describe ‘policies and practices that tackle inequalities, aiming to ensure that all staff are treated fairly, and that service users do not experience discrimination’Equal opportunity is concerned with keeping within the law; all organisations are required by law not to discriminate an individual by reasons of their colour, marital status, disability, gender, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins. At the very least organisations should abide by the; Equal Pay Act 1970, Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Diversity however is a more wide-ranging approach to equal opportunity. Diversity focuses on valuing the varying of qualities that employees bring to their job and organisation. Managing diversity therefore is when a manager creates an environment where the employees feel valued for their individual talents and where the employee’s skills and competencies are fully utilised. Taking advantage of all employees’ full potential will benefit the organisation in many ways; such as it will encourage employees to work to the best of their ability and a wide range of experience, creativity and ideas will be brought to the organisation. Managing diversity can be defined as ‘a planned, systematic and comprehensive managerial process for creating an organisational environment in which all employees can contribute to the strategic and competitive advantage of the organisation, and where no one is excluded on the basis of factors unrelated to production. ’ Equal opportunities within the workforce have many advantages; everyone is treated fairly and without prejudice, removing barriers which impact more harshly on individuals of reasons such as gender, disability, and race, focusing on an individuals abilities rather then who they are. Furthermore the concept of equal opportunities also has its disadvantages; positions such as nurses are mostly seen as a ‘women’s job’ therefore a patient might not be comfortable with having a male nurse and a job that requires heavy lifting is seen as a male position therefore a male is more likely to be recruited. If two candidates both have the qualifications needed for the job description, managers may feel that they should recruit the candidate who fits the equal opportunity policies rather then the candidate who they feel is more suitable to cope better with the dedication that the job requires. Diversity within the workforce has many advantages. These advantages include; a greater access to a wider range of individual strengths, experiences and perspectives, a greater understanding of the diverse groups of potential and existing customers represented within the workforce, better communication with these diverse groups of potential and existing customers and an improved legitimacy and organisational image across a wider audience. Diversity within the workforce also has disadvantages as well as advantages. Some of the disadvantages include; an increase in conflict among the workforce as differences in opinion makes it more difficult to agree on solutions, poorer internal communication because levels of knowledge and comprehension differ between employees, an increase in the management costs that arise from dealing with potential conflict and communication problems. Valuing diversity means that organisations recognise that all individuals have complex identities made up of many strands. These can include, but are not limited to, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation physical and mental aptitudes, nationality, socio-economic status, and religious, political or other beliefs. This means we embrace and celebrate our differences in a positive environment, and are committed to engage with the needs of our diverse staff and users to enable us, both individually and corporately, to achieve our aims. From 1971 to 2001 the rate of female participation in the workplace had increased from 56. % to 72%. This increase is due to equal opportunities; all organisations are required by law not to discriminate an individual by their gender, both men and women are equal. The Sex Discrimination Act meant that both men and women are to be treated equally in the recruitment and selection process therefore resulting to an increase of female participation in the workplace which then resulted to a decrease in male participation rate, now at 84% (Equal Opportunities Review). However equal opportunity is not yet completely equal; for instance pay differentials between men and women have only narrowed down a little since initial improvement after implementation of Equal Pay Act 1970, women still earn 18% less. Racial and ethnic groups’ rate of unemployment is still more compared to white population. Also disabled peoples’ rate of employment is 53% compared to 84% for non disabled. Age discrimination often occurs; both being too young and being too old is discriminated against. Coded language in a job description is used to identify the age range in which they managers are looking for. Managers tend to see young applicants as less worthy and less capable of fulfilling the job position. Managers also see old applicants as unreliable and they are not regarded as long term workers so they are less likely to hire an older applicant. Not all discrimination however is direct discrimination. Indirect discrimination can occur; this is when a requirement is applied equally but it affects one group more negatively then the others. Managers are faced with a number of problems when it comes to equal opportunities and diversity. Firstly they are faced with the problem of how to ensure fairness; it is not always possible to comply with the rules, for instance where a job requires heavy lifting it is more practical to seek a male worker as they are known to be the psychically stronger sex however this is not always the case. Another question managers need to face is should they ignore the differences and treat people equally or acknowledge differences and treat people differently? Everyone is an individual and therefore their differences should be taken into account when a manager makes a decision; for instance an employer has to make reasonable adjustments in respect of a disabled employee. Equality and diversity is vital for both the employees and the success of the organisation. Managers have a moral obligation to treat all individual with the same fairness and equality. It is important for managers to make their decisions without prejudice and stereotype. However it could be argued that a manager’s aim is increase profit not morality. Equality and diversity is also important to the success of a business. Equality and diversity would lead to a positive company image; therefore attracting customers and creating customer loyalty. However it is difficult to find a meaningful measure of equality and diversity. How is it possible to justify equal opportunities and managing diversity in an organisation? Tesco is an example of an organisation that tries to provide diversity for all individuals, no matter their differences. For example Tesco has devoted itself to providing more employment opportunities to disabled people by signing agreements with disability employment providers Remploy and the Shaw Trust. This has lead to 400 disabled people getting recruited. â€Å"The local community is very important to Tesco and these vital agreements ensure we help local disabled people to find employment† announced Claire Peters, head of resources. Another example is that Tesco tries to extend its workforce’s working knowledge of religions operating in the UK. Tesco issues employees with religious toolkits to improve their knowledge and understanding of all religions and their corresponding festivals, daily routines and eating habits. Tesco also provide mangers with a support pack at Ramadan which help them understand how to support staff and customers better during this time of fasting for Muslims. ‘Everyone is welcome’ is the name given to Tesco’s diversity work and it is driven by the value ‘look after our staff so they can look after our customers. Everyone is welcome trains managers so that they will feel more confident in encouraging talent from more under represented groups. Tesco takes part in national benchmarking surveys, giving them an independent assessment of how they perform under each area of diversity. This year they were awarded Gold standard in the Opportunity Now benchmarking survey and they were also recognised as an Age Positive Employer Champion by the Department of Work and Pensions. They ha ve recently completed the Employer's Forum on Disability Survey and the Stonewall Diversity Champions Index. In addition another organisation that aims to provide diversity within the workforce is Toys R Us. Toys â€Å"R† Us is a major retailer of toys and children's merchandise and has stores spread across the world. To ensure the employees are comfortable with discussing differences, Toys R Us chose to begin their workforce diversity with one day of LIFO training. LIFO training has gone beyond the successful, turnover-reducing diversity program to take an important part in the management development curriculum and in training line managers to facilitate performance improvement with store personnel. The workforce diversity program aims to encourage employees to discuss their differences and to ensure they feel comfortable and to provide a great source of insight. It is aimed to enable their participants to open up and share with each other their own styles and how their styles had helped or hindered them in the business setting. Including LIFO training in the diversity workforce program has enabled Toys R Us to achieve a number of key program goals and it has helped participants identify behaviours they want to change and what will motivate them to change. In conclusion the distinction between equal opportunities and managing diversity is; equal opportunities are policies that tackle inequality such as race and gender whereas managing diversity focuses on the varying of qualities whereby managers create an environment where the employees feel valued for their individual talents. The equity and diversity policies are designed to develop equal opportunities policies, provide training, review recruitment, selection, promotion and training procedures, consider the organisations image, set an action plan and draw up a clear and reasonable job criteria. References: Managing diversity (Online) Available at: http://www. ncvo-vol. org. uk/askncvo/index. asp? id=178 Accessed on 23/4/08 Tesco diversity (Online) Available at: http://www. tescocorporate. com/page. aspx? pointerid=7CA5D7226B6E40808B3FFC797B2443D7 Accessed on: 24/4/08 Diversity and equal opportunities (Online) Available at: http://www. nationalarchives. gov. uk/jobs/equalopportunities. htm Accessed on: 25/4/08 Toys R Us (Online) Available at: http://www. bcon-lifo. com/doc_library/ToysRUs_turnover. htm Accessed on: 25/4/08