Importance of Friends Essay

â€Å"The silver friend knows your present and the gold friend knows all of your past dirt and glories. Once in a blue moon there is someone who knows it all, someone who knows and accepts you unconditionally, someone who is there for life.† This is a quote I read once in an article by Jill McCorkle in my cousin’s house. McCorkle’s description of a â€Å"gold friend† describes a friendship that I have with a group of girls who mean the world to me. These friends are the pearls of my life. This word bears its great meaning to me and only to those who could understand the greatness of its meaning. It’s something sacred, it needs to be cherished and build up for many years with much care. It’s a complex, magical process, which must contain fluid that will start spinning the wheel. Let me tell you something about my friends.When I was a freshman in high school, I became friends with these girls-Guia,Krisha, Carla, Magz, Cj, Jian, and Chantel. Since the beginning of that year, we have all been best friends. There were many times we rode around together. However, this particular Jeep ride was very significant because I realized what friendship is all about. One Tuesday night, we all went to Greenwich in SM, except Chantel, and eat there with the parents of Guia because it was the celebration of her birthday. This experienced will remain and will never be erased from me because it was one of the happiest things that had happened to me. Friendship like ours was something many people had never experienced. To me, the significance of our relationship is a unique bond that I feel with these ladies. They are like sisters that God did not give me. They have been there for me at times when my world was falling apart. As I finally drifted off to sleep that night, I thanked God for allowing me to have them in my life. These eight girls, including RIchel of course, have been my guardian angels. I have always been able to count on them, no matter what the situation is. They have helped me face the next day when I did not know if it was possible. We have been through everything; we have laughed, cried, and then laughed at ourselves for crying together. There have been many times when I have been lonely and I reminisce back to the experiences I had with them. It reminds me that there are people who care about me and accept me for who I am. A true friendship is a magnificent thing and as Talbot Jennings said â€Å"Friend is the finest word in any language. Life without friends is a life I could not imagine.

2.Annotated Outline Introduction

3. Objective The basic purpose of HRP is to decide what positions the organisation will have to fill and how to fill them. Objectives of human resource planning Forecast personnel requirements Cope with changes Use existing manpower productively Promote employees in a systematic way Human Resource Planning 4. Importance Organisations use HRP to meet future challenges, cut costs, and achieve greater effectiveness Importance of human resource planning Create a talent pool Prepare people for future Cope with organisational changes Cut costs Help succession planning Human Resource Planning 5. The Process Of HRP The HRP is a four step process: demand forecasting, supply forecasting, estimating manpower gaps and formulating HR plans. The demand for human resources is influenced by several factors Forecasting the demand for human resources External challenges Economic developments Political, legal, social, technological changes Competition Organisational decisions Workforce factors Human Resource Planning 6. The Process Of HRP External Challenges: Liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation (LPG era) have created huge demand for people in software, finance marketing, and manufacturing fields. Organisational Decisions: Decisions such as expansion, diversification, and relocation leading to demand for people possessing requisite skills Workforce Factors: Such as retirement, resignation, and termination etc creating manpower gaps. Human Resource Planning 7. Forecasting Techniques HR forecasts are an attempt to find out an organisation's future demand for employees Forecasting techniques Expert forecasts Trend analysis Workforce analysis Workload analysis Human Resource Planning 8. Forecasting techniques Expert Forecasts: These are based on the judgements of those who possess good knowledge of future human resource needs Trend Analysis: This is based on the assumption that the future is an extrapolation from the past. Human resource needs, as such, can be estimated by examining pas trends. An example of trend analysis 2001-02 Production of Units : 5,000 2002-03 No. of Workers : 100 Ratio : 100:5000 2003-04 Estimated Production : 8,000 No. of Workers required : 8000 ? 100 = 160 5000 If supervisors have a span of 20 workers, 8 supervisors are also needed in 2003-04. Human Resource Planning 9. Forecasting techniques Workforce Analysis: All relevant factors in planning manpower flows in a firm such as transfers, promotions, new recruitments, retirement, resignation, dismissal etc are taken into account while estimating HR needs Manpower flows in a bank Promotions out Transfers In ; ; Job Hopping ; Transfers Out ; Retirement ; VRS Scheme (Golden handshake) Recruits In ; ; Discharge or Dismissal ; Terminations ; Resignations Promotions In ; ; Retrenchment ; Attractions in Other Banks, etc. Human Resource Planning 10. Forecasting techniques Workload analysis: Based on the planned output, a firm tires to calculate the number of persons required for various jobs. An example of workload analysis Planned output for the year 10,000 pieces Standard hours per piece 3 hours Planned hours required 30,000 hours Productive hours per person per year 1,000 hours (estimated on annual basis) (allowing for absenteeism, turnover, idle time etc. ) No. of workers required 30 If span of control in the unit is 10 per officer, then 3 officers are also required. Human Resource Planning 11. Supply Forecasting A) Internal labour supply: a manpower inventory in terms of the size and quality of personnel available (their age, sex, education, training, experience, job performance, etc) is usually prepared by HR departments. Several techniques are used while ascertaining the internal supply of manpower (a supply of employees to fill projected vacancies can come from within the firm or from new hires ) Human Resource Planning 12. Estimated internal labour supply for a given firm Sources of Inflows The Firm Projected Outflows ? Promotions ? Transfers ? Quits Current Staffing ? Promotions Level ? Terminations Employees In Employees Out ? New Recruits ? Retirements ? Recalls ? Deaths ? Layoffs Current Projected Projected Firm’s internal staffing – outflows + inflows = supply for this level this year this year time next year Human Resource Planning 13. Supply Forecasting Staffing table: Shows the number of employees in each job, how they are utilised and the future employment needs for each type of job. Marcov analysis: Uses historical information from personnel movements of the internal labour supply to predict what will happen in the future Human Resource Planning 14. Marcov analysis for a hypothetical retail company 2003-2004 Store Asst. Store Section Dept. Sales Exit Managers Managers Heads Heds Executives Store Managers 80% 20% (n = 15) 12 3 Asst. Store 11% 83% 6% Managers 4 30 2 (n = 36) Section 15% 11% 66% 8% Heads (n = 94) 11 63 8 14 Departmental 10% 72% 2% 16% Heads (n = 288) 29 207 6 46 Sales Executives 6% 74% 20% (n = 1440) 86 1066 288 Forecasted Supply 16 41 92 301 1072 353 Figures in circles show the transition percentages Human Resource Planning 15. Supply Forecasting Skills inventory: It is a summary of the skills and abilities of non managerial employees used in forecasting supply. Human Resource Planning 16. Skills inventory: an example Name : A. K. Sen Date printed : 1-4-2004 Number : 429 Department : 41 Key words Work experience Word Description Activity From To Accounting Tax Supervision 1998 2000 T clerk ax ABC Company and analysis Book Keeping Ledger Supervision 2000 2002 Accountant XYZ Co. Auditing Computer Analysis 2002 2003 Chief Accounts TT Bank records Officer Education Special Qualifications M em be rsh ips Degree Major Year Course Date 1. AIMA MBA Finance 1998 DBF 1996 2. ISTD B. Com Accounts 1995 Risk Management 1999 3. ICA Computer Languages Position Location Hobbies Literacy preference choice ? Tally French Accounting Kolkata Chess ? Banking Auditing Delhi Football Software Bangalore Boating Employees Signature __________ HR Department________ Date _______________________ Date ________________ Human Resource Planning 17. Supply Forecasting Replacement chart: It is a visual representation of who will replace whom in the event of a job opening. Human Resource Planning 18. Replacement chart General Manager Key V. K. Garg Names given are replacement A/2 candidates P A to A. Promotable now General Manager B. Needing development L. Mathews C. Not suitable to position B/1 1. Superior performance 2. Above Average performance Assistant General Manager 3. Acceptable performance R. K. Arora A/2 4. Poor performance B. K. Nehru B/3 Division: Division: Division: Accounting & Planning Manager Technical Advisor HR Manager Taxation Manager A. N. Gupta A/1 N. R. Murthy B/3 C. P Thakur . A/1 A. T Roy . C/2 K. P Rao . B/1 Northern Region Central Region Southern Region Manager Eastern Region Manager Manager A. Subramanyam B/2 Manager L. C. Srivatsav A/2 S. P Kumar A/1 . B. K. Menon B/1 R. Krishna B/3 A. Thapar C/4 R. Pandey B/3 Human Resource Planning 19. Supply Forecasting B) External Labour supply: External hires need to be contacted when suitable internal replacements are not available. A growing number of firms are now using computerised human resource information systems to track the qualifications of hundreds or thousands of employees. HRIS can provide managers with a listing of candidates with required qualifications after scanning the data base. Human Resource Planning 20. Important barometers of labour supply 1. Net migration into and out of the area 2. Education levels of workforce 3. Demographic changes in population 4. Technological developments and shifts 5. Population Mobility 6. Demand for specific skills 7. National, regional unemployment rates 8. Actions of competing employers 9. Government policies, regulations, pressures 10. Economic Forecasts for the next few years 11. The attractiveness of an area 12. The attractiveness of an industry in a particular place Human Resource Planning 21. Manpower Gap Analysis This is used to reconcile the forecasts of labour demand and supply. This process identifies potential skill shortages or surpluses of employees, skills and jobs Estimating manpower requirements Year 1 2 3 1. Number required at the beginning of the year 2. Changes to requirements forecast during the year DEMAND 3. Total requirements at the end of the year (1+2) ——- —— 4. Number available at the beginning of the year 5. Additions (transfers, promotions) SUPPLY 6. Separations (retirement, wastage, promotions out and other losses) 7. Total available at the end of year (4+5+6) ——————– 8. Deficit or surplus (3-7) RECONCILIA TION 9. Losses of those recruited during the year OF THE ABOVE 10. Additional numbers needed during the year (8+9) MANPOWER NEEDED Human Resource Planning 22. Formulating HR Plans Once supply and demand for labour is known adjustments can be made formulating requisite HR plans A variety of HR plans ? Recruitment plan ? Redeployment plan ? Redundancy plan ? Training plan ? Productivity plan ? Retention plan Human Resource Planning 23. Responsibility For Human Resource Planning HRP is a top management job. HR plans are usually made by the HR division in consultation with other corporate heads. Any deviations from the formulated plans and their causes must be looked into, from time to time in order to assess whether the plans require revision or modification. Human Resource Planning 24. Limitations Of Human Resource Planning HR professionals are basically confronted with three problems while preparing and administering HR plans: accuracy, inadequate top management support, lopsided focus on quantitative aspects. Human Resource Planning 25. Effective Human Resource Planning HR plans must fit in with overall objectives of a firm. They must get consistent support from top management. Computerised human resource information systems must be used for applicant tracking, succession planning, building skills inventories etc. The whole exercise must be carried out in coordination with operating managers. Human Resource Planning 26. 4-1 JOB ANALYSIS 27. INTRODUCTION Job analysis is the process of gathering information about a job. It is, to be more specific, a systematic investigation of the tasks, duties and responsibilities necessary to do a job. Job Analysis 28. Nature of job analysis Job Tasks Job Analysis Job Duties Job Responsibilities Job Analysis 29. -4 Partial job analysis questionnaire The information about a job is usually collected through a structured questionnaire: JOB ANALYSIS INFORMATION FORMAT Your Job Title_______________ Code__________Date_____________ Class Title_______________ Department_____________________ Your Name_________________ Facility___________________________ Superior’s Title______________ Prepared by_______________________ Superio r’s Name____________ Hours Worked______AM______to AM____ PM PM 1. What is the general purpose of your job? 2. What was your last job? If it was in another organisation, please name it. 3. To what job would you normally expect to be promoted? Cont†¦ Job Analysis 30. Partial job analysis questionnaire 4. If you regularly supervise others, list them by name and job title. 5. If you supervise others, please check those activities that are part of your supervisory duties: ? Hiring ? Coaching ? Promoting ? Orienting ? Counselling ? Compensating ? Training ? Budgeting ? Disciplining ? Scheduling ? Directing ? Terminating ? Developing ? Measuring Performances ? Other____________ 6. How would you describe the successful completion and results of your work? 7. Job Duties – Please briefly describe WHAT you do and, if possible, How you do it. Indicate those duties you consider to be most important and/or most difficult: Cont†¦ Job Analysis 31. Partial job analysis questionnaire (a) Daily Duties (b) Periodic Duties (Please indicate whether weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc. ) (c) Duties Performed at Irregular Intervals 8. Education – Please check the blank that indicates the educational requirements for the job, not your own educational background. No formal education required ? College degree ? Less than high school diploma ? Education beyond graduate ? High school diploma or equivalent degree and/or professional license. ? College certificate or equivalent List advanced degrees or specified professional license or certificate required. Please indicate the education you had when you were placed on this job. Job Analysis 32. Benefits of Job analysis Job analysis information is useful for a variety of organisation purposes ranging from human resource planning to career counselling Job Analysis 33. Important benefits of Job Analysis Multifaceted Nature of Job Analysis Recruitment Human Resource Planning Selection Job Evaluation Placement Job Design and Training Redesign Performance Counselling Appraisal Employee Safety Job Analysis 34. Who should conduct job analysis? ? Job incumbents themselves ? Supervisors ? External analysts Job Analysis 35. The process of Job analysis The major steps involved in job analysis are: ? Organisational analysis ? Selection of representative positions to be analysed ? Collection of job analysis data ? Preparation of job description ? Preparation of job specification Job Analysis 36. The Competency Approach to Job Analysis This approach encourages employees to develop role based competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities needed to play diverse roles ) that may be used in diverse work situations, instead of being boxed into a job. Job Analysis 37. Methods Of Collecting Job Analysis Data Seven general techniques are generally used to collect job analysis data; ? Job performance: the analyst actually performs the job in question and collects the needed information ? Personal observation: the analyst observes others doing the job and writes a summary ? Critical incidents: job incumbents describe several incidents relating to work, based on past experience; the analyst collects, analyses and classifies data. ? Interview: job incumbents and supervisors are interviewed to get the most essential information about a job Job Analysis 38. Methods Of Collecting Job Analysis Data ? Panel of experts: experienced people such as job incumbents and supervisors with good knowledge of the job asked to provide the information. ? Diary method: job incumbents asked to maintain diaries or logs of their daily job activities and record the time spent and nature of work carried out. Questionnaire method: job incumbents approached through a properly designed questionnaire and asked to provide details. ? The Position Analysis Questionnaire: it is a standardised form used to collect specific information about job tasks and worker traits. Job Analysis 39. Methods Of Collecting Job Analysis Data ? Management Position Description Questionnaire: it is a standa rdised form designed to analyse managerial jobs Management Position Description Factors 1. Product, marketing and financial strategy planning. 2. Coordination of other organisational units and personnel. . Internal business control. 4. Products and services responsibility. 5. Public and customer relations. 6. Advanced consulting. 7. Autonomy of actions. 8. Approval of financial commitments. 9. Staff service. 10. Supervision. 11. Complexity and stress. 12. Advanced financial responsibility. 13. Broad personnel responsibility. Job Analysis 40. Methods Of Collecting Job Analysis Data ? Functional job analysis: it is a systematic process of finding what is done on a job by examining and analysing the fundamental components of data, people and things. Job Analysis 41. Behavioural Factors Impacting Job Analysis The following behavioural factors must be taken care of while carrying out a job analysis: ? Exaggerate the facts ? Employee anxieties ? Resistance to change ? Overemphasis on current efforts ? Management straight jacket Job Analysis 42. Job Description And Job Specification The end products of job analysis are: Job description: this is a written statement of what the job holder does, how it is done, under what conditions it is done and why it is done. Job Analysis 43. Specimen of Job Description Title Compensation manager Code HR/2310 Department Human Resource Department Summary Responsible for the design and administration of employee compensation programmes. Duties ? Conduct job analysis. ? Prepare job descriptions for current and projected positions. ? Evaluate job descriptions and act as Chairman of Job Evaluation Committee. ? Insure that company’s compensation rates are in tune with the company’s philosophy. Cont†¦ Job Analysis 44. Specimen of Job Description ? Relate salary to the performance of each employee. Conduct periodic salary surveys. Develop and administer performance appraisal programme. ? Develop and oversee bonus and other employee benefit plans. ? Develop an integrated HR information system. Working conditions Normal. Eight hours per day. Five days a week. Report to Director, Human Resource Department. Job specification: it offers a profile of human characteristics (knowledge, skills and abilities) needed by a person doing a job. Job Analysis 45. Specimen of job specification Education ? MBA with specialisation in HRM/MA in social work/PG Diploma in HRM/MA in industrial psychology. ? A degree or diploma in Labour Laws is desirable. Experience ? At least 3 years’ experience in a similar position in a large manufacturing company. Skill, Knowledge, Abilities ? Knowledge of compensation practices in competing industries, of job analysis procedures, of compensation survey techniques, of performance appraisal systems. ? Skill in writing job descriptions, in conducting job analysis interviews, in making group presentations, in performing statistical computations ? Ability to conduct meetings, to plan and prioritise work. Work Orientation Factors ? The position may require upto 15 per cent travel. Age ? Preferably below 30 years. Job Analysis 46. Role Analysis To have a clear picture about what a person actually does on a job, the job analysis information must be supplemented with role analysis. Role analysis involves the following steps: ? Identifying the objectives of the department and the functions to be carried out therein ? Role incumbent asked to state his key performance areas and his understanding of the roles to be played by him ? Other role partners of the job such as boss, subordinate, peers are asked to state their expectations from the role incumbent ? The incumbent's role is clarified and expressed in writing after integrating the diverse viewpoints expressed by various role partners. Job Analysis + dasaritapaswi, 3 months ago Embed . without related content for WordPress. com 1055 views more its use full to students of management Related Presentations An Analysis Of Fm Radio Advertising Rates In The Arab World TOC . Human Resource Planning – Concept And Need. Factors Affe†¦ 17487 views Hrp 2453 views Job Search Tips For New Grads For Slide Share . Hrp 769 views Human Resource Planning Hrp And Corporate Objectives 4079 views Hrp 110 views Hrp 291 views HRP Challenges And Recent Trends 81 views HRPS DC Deck 96 views Hrp 128 views .. More by user Shortrunandlongruncosts 75 views Production Function 74 views Marketing Cost Control 202 views Market Structure 217 views Market Forms 42 views Market Equilibrium,Supply,Demand 257 views .View all presentations from this user .. ADVERTISE ON SLIDESHAREAbout this presentation  © All Rights Reserved Downloads 133Total Views 1058 1058 on SlideShare Go to text version Uploaded via SlideShare Uploaded as Adobe PDF Flagged as inappropriate Flag as inappropriate Flag as inappropriateSelect your reason for flagging this presentation as inappropriate. If needed, use the feedback form to let us know more details. None Pornographic Defamatory Illegal/Unlawful Spam Other Terms Of Service Violation Cancel File a copyright complaint ADVERTISE ON SLIDESHARECategories Career Business & Mgmt Automotive Books Business & Mgmt Career Design Education Entertainment Fashion & Beauty Finance Gadgets & Reviews Health & Medicine How-to & DIY Humor Investor Relations News & Politics Pets Photos Real Estate Spiritual Sports Technology Templates & Forms Travel Cancel Tags parenttoolbox 0 tweets . 2 shares . 0 shares . WordPress . Blogger .

Pro-Choice Persausive Essay

â€Å"One method of destroying a concept is by diluting its meaning. Observe that by ascribing rights to the unborn, i. e. , the nonliving, the anti-abortionists obliterate the rights of the living†(Rand). The meaning behind this statement is powerful and the speaker is trying to surface the need for concern of the living when regarding abortion. Although the nonliving should be considered when contemplating an abortion, the primary focus should be on the mother. Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy and is becoming an increasingly volatile issue; a topic that almost everybody has a stance on.Abortion opponents or â€Å"Pro-lifers† believe that the fetus is a human being at the moment of conception, and abortion therefore is murder. Those against abortion also agree that the government should have control over a women’s body and forbid her to have abortion. On the flip side, â€Å"Pro-choicers† argue that the fetus is only a potential child, and not a human until the moment the child can survive on its own. So, the rights of the self-sustaining, living, mother overpower the rights of the dependent fetus. Abortion should be an available option to women throughout the United States.Especially since in some cases it’s an option that separates life and death. First of all, sometimes medical issues decrease the chance of a healthy, successful birth or life, and abortion should be available to prevent a disastrous outcome. In many instances, abortions are needed to save the life of the pregnant women. An example of this situation is an ectopic pregnancy, or a pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus- usually in the fallopian tubes. (Hurley) This causes certain death to the fetus, and if not aborted, also to the expecting mother.If abortion was not permitted under any circumstance, these women would lose their lives trying to give birth. Medical problems can also occur in the fetus, that make a healthy life seem near impossible. Patau syndrome, a rare and very severe chromosome disorder leads to mental retardation and physical defects-so severe that many babies die soon after birth. (Day) Because Patau syndrome is a chromosomal disease, it can be detected during the pregnancy, giving the women an option to end the pregnancy. This option is beneficial to both the fetus and mother.The trauma of having your newborn die soon after birth is unbearable. Also thinking of the child, the suffering of hospitalization only to pass away in the near future is horrible, and therefore abortion is the most humane solution to this horrific disease and others similar. Living in the 21st century, the prevalence of young girls becoming pregnant is high, and the sheer age of girls causes many concerns of health for both the fetus and the girl. â€Å"70,000 girls ages 15-19 die each year from pregnancy, and babies being carried by young mothers have a 60% higher chance of dying as well†(Roleff).By allowing very young gir ls to go through pregnancy, more deaths occur, then if the embryo was aborted. In cases with young girls, abortion is a well thought out alternative to taking the chance of a child giving birth to a child. Medical issues are a significant argument against getting rid of abortion, but having a child can also have a negative impact on the mental health of a mother. Secondly, the mental health and stability of the women should be taken into consideration before giving birth, and abortion should stay an option to those who are not suited to give birth.Many things can contribute to the instability of women such as being a victim of rape. The woman who has been raped has undergone a terrible trauma, and carrying around a baby for nine months-her rapist’s baby- could significantly impact the victim’s mental health. Common mental health disorders resulting from sexual assault include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and even substance abuse. All disorders that a newborn should not be brought up in, and abortion should be available to the victims of such injustice.The results from giving birth can also have a very large impact on the lives of teenage and young girl’s lives. These problems include the most extreme cases of fear, disappointment, regret and low self-esteem (â€Å"Why Women Choose Abortion – Reasons Behind the Abortion Decision. â€Å"). Being a very young mother, many obstacles are thrown your way, and having one of these symptoms or conditions can make having a baby truly difficult. Most of the times teen mothers are left to be a single parent, making raising a child seem near impossible.Likewise not being emotionally ready for a baby, causes many women to be remorseful and regret having the child, this isn’t the best situation to bring a baby up in. A child should be blessed to people who are willing to take care of him or her. Abortion is sometimes a moral choice when pregnancy is unwanted and will be uncared for. â€Å"There are approximately 210 million orphans in the world (Knapp)†. It’s obvious that there are not enough families for all these children. If a pregnancy will lead to giving the baby to an orphanage maybe abortion is an option for that mother.Since the numbers are so high, and spots so precious, women should be able to receive an abortion instead of allowing the child to end up on the streets somewhere. If the fetus is kept, the children are likely to be neglected and don’t receive the attention and support they need. â€Å"Children who are born out of wedlock to women who are not prepared to raise a child are more likely to be unable to function in society and to become violent or criminals†(Roleff). This fact proves that because originally the fetus was unwanted, the parents failed to use proper parental guidance.This aspect was overlooked and therefore these misfortunes end up the criminals in society. Every child should be a want ed child, and if not, abortion should remain an option to those who are unwilling to take responsibility for the fetus. Although sometimes an individual is willing to take care of the future child, but financial obligations don’t permit it. According to several small studies across the country 73 percent of women absolutely cannot afford to have a baby at the moment.As of 2009 the cost to initially have a baby was between 9,000 dollars and 25,000 dollars without insurance (Ford). Also, the cost of raising a baby to age 18 is between 125,000 dollars and 250,000 dollars and that's not including college tuition (â€Å"Baby Expenses†). For some women this kind of expense is too much to handle, and not a possibility where they are at in their lives. Women who cannot afford to have a baby, might need abortion as a last resort, so it should stay legal.If abortion does not stay legal, many poor choices will be made in a time of desperation. Lastly, the negative outcomes of mak ing abortion illegal outweigh the positive outcomes because many women now have to go to great lengths to get one. A negative effect of making abortion illegal would be that women will resort to â€Å"back alley clinics† in order to receive treatment. This type of clinic would obviously be illegal, so the people whom run these centers would have trouble keeping the environment sanitary, or just wouldn’t care.If the clinics no longer are sanitary, the women receiving the abortions would be exposed to disease in their fragile state. This type of center would result in a large number of deaths from ill performed abortions. If not being regulated these centers will become who knows what. In order to prevent the spread of disease and back alley clinics, abortion should continue to be legal. Abortions being legal allows sanitary offices for women to turn to for help. If abortions weren’t legal, mother would also try to kill the fetus themselves.Nicknamed â€Å"self-a bortions† many women try different tactics to try to kill their baby, such as causing trauma to themselves and the fetus in order to rid of the fetus. This also provides a greater chance of death to women just trying to get an abortion. As a result of making abortion illegal many flustered, women with nothing left to do, will turn to dangerous solutions. In the end, Abortion should be an option for desperate women across the nation. There are many supporting points on why this last resort should continue to be legal.Sometimes medical issues decrease the chance of a healthy, mother or child or the survival of either could be jeopardized as well. Secondly, the mental health of some women is just not a suitable environment to bring a baby into, but also the result of the pregnancy could just as well induce mental issues too. Abortion is sometimes a moral choice because the child will not be cared for properly. Lastly, there are drastic measure women will take to get one, so they should not be illegal. All in all, the option to keep abortion legal is the right one. For some women it’s the only one.

Religious freedom in prison Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Religious freedom in prison - Research Paper Example However, the court rulings set limitations to the right of worship when a prisoner’s demand of worship endangers prison safety and function. Almost all correction facilities offer these structures mainly for religious faiths such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Chaplains and volunteers provide pastoral care to prisoners and wardens (Livingstone 313). Allowing inmates freedom of worship has both positive and negative implications. However, prisoners’ right of worship should be granted because it benefits them and it is their constitutional right. Inmates should be allowed to worship within established structures provided by prison programs and religious organizations. The disadvantage of freedom of worship according to the government is it may endanger prisoners’ the lives. The law limits freedom of worship if it interferes with safety of the prisoners/wardens and prison operations. When this happens, the government can deny the right of worship for the greater good of all citizens. However, the government uses this clause to abuse prisoners’ rights (Livingstone 310). For example, a case where a Muslim prisoner wanted to retain his long beard for religious purposes was upheld by the Supreme Court. Gregory Holt, the prisoner, had requested the prison to allow him grow a half-inch beard as a religious practice. The prison officials denied the request claiming security reasons of inmates smuggling contrabands in beards. Judge Samuel Alito said since prisoners were allowed to grow long hair on their heads, the prison systems should allow religious beards like Gregory’s. In this case, the prison authorities denied the prisoner his right without good reasons. Prison authority may restrain the right of worship for security reasons but should have concrete reasons or concerns for the restriction. Many advantages exist of allowing prisoners to

Negative Shopping experience assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Negative Shopping experience - Assignment Example Ignorance from the staff when trying to enquire about something also makes it uncomfortable when shopping in a given store. The presence of these experiences tends to make shoppers shy off from visiting a given shopping store for their shopping. Lack of the customers preferred item on a particular shopping center makes the experience more frustrating. It always feels good for any shopper to find his or her preferred item with ease, when the process of obtaining the item becomes tedious, then the experience is always not good as the shopper has to move from one shop to the other wasting lots of his or her time. Shopping together with irritating shoppers who usually dont care what they do in the shops may be a bad experience too. Some shoppers are always not patient, and some tend to overrun the queue to do their payment acting as if the other shoppers are not in any hurry. Such shopping habits are so irritating and make the experiences too bad for some of the shoppers. Some of the malls usually insist on their customers to carry out their shopping online, and the retailers will in turn organize for the delivery of the goods. The problem with this type of shopping is that, there will always be late deliveries, the customer care number indicated may fail hence the customers may fail to ask some important questions before shopping from the store. A study carried out to know why some clients are not comfortable with this type of shopping has identified that the shopping method is very demanding as the potential customers are bound to take lots of time trying to browse through the net and the information given to describe the products is very minimal. The result of this is the delivery of low-quality goods that do not meet the expectations of the customers and affect the experiences of the customers negatively. Again, most of the online shoppers have complained of clicking through many pages that makes the whole process

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT 3 - Essay Example While there are a number of interest groups and political parties that play a role in influencing the policies and make their voices heard, it is fitting that we focus on the two main political parties, which are the Democrats and Republicans, as these are the two largest parties in the United States that make their voices heard the loudest and have the most influence compared to that of other much smaller and less notable groups. According to an article in the New York Times, it states that the Republicans have always supported capital punishment from the beginning. Because they feel this way, they have no problem making this known loud and clear, and they fight hard to create new policies and shape current ones to allow more criminals to be executed. Democrats, on the there hand, are strongly against capital punishment, especially the segments of the party that are African American. The democrats are against capital punishment because they not only fear too many innocent people bei ng executed, as has happened around the country in times past, they feel that it is much worse to make criminals sit in a small cell for the rest of their days without parole, being deprived of their freedoms.

AMRICAN Jewish Striggle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

AMRICAN Jewish Striggle - Essay Example At the same time, those from Germany called themselves Ashkenazi Jews (Rosove 50). With the American Independence, the nation granted its citizens freedom which extended to religion. Consequently, Jews had to struggle against members of their community dissenting from their Judaic religion to join among other religious inclinations, Christianity, Atheism and secular ways of life. Jews had to withstand prejudices promoted by the freedom of worship in the United States. Starting from the 1840, American Jews struggled against widespread adoption of American models in their synagogues which threatened their long-held traditions. For example, rabbis began to merge aspects of their religion with Orthodox and Protestant American denominations as others sought to adopt the Reform Judaism (Rosove 52). When the American Civil War began, Jews also found themselves split into Southern pro-slavery and Northern anti-slavery Jews. The ensuing tensions brought anti-Semitic sentiments in America to the fore. In the armies, Jews fought to have their own chaplains until the law was amended to allow this (normally, only Christian ordained ministers occupied this role). In 1872, General Order No.1; an anti-Jewish order called for the expulsion of Jews from General Ulysses Grant’s army regiment. Protests by Jews made President Abraham Lincoln reverse the order (Sarna and Golden). Politics, particularly prior to and after World War II has presented a trying existence for American Jews. The persecution of Jews by the Stalinist regime in Russia, the Nazi regime in Germany and the Holocaust show manifestations of Jewish struggles that account for significant immigration to the U.S (Charters 24). After 1948, American Jews have fought with allegiance and political identity issues around the sense of belonging to the Zionist nation of Israel and the U.S. The Palestinian and Arab World challenge on the

Aspects Of Connected Speech Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Aspects Of Connected Speech - Research Paper Example Preceding the conclusion, findings will be accrued in relation to the three particular characters providing the dialogues (Chapter 3), in an attempt to determine whether particular phonetic features and/or phonological rules pertain to each individual accent or whether the same occur across the connected speech of all three people. Hypothesis: it is expected that results will show similar occurrences in terms of pronunciation and phonological rules across all three characters. Apart from the fact that all three actors are of British descent this assertion is made on the basis that all three are portraying a British accent in a British movie, so it is to be expected that similar phonetic and phonological occurrences will be evident. Chapter 1: Simplification Assimilation An important aspect of connected speech is that of assimilation, wherein the articulation of words is altered in accordance with phonetic characteristics in their immediate environment; in other words sounds are influ enced by other immediate sounds and thus assimilated (Davenport & Hannahs, 2005, p.25). It largely depends upon context, with speakers who are speaking slowly and carefully using it less, and speakers who speak rapidly using it more (Roach, 1998, p.123), and is the reason why mechanized speech, where each word is recorded in isolation, does not work (Roach, 1998, p.123). Roach (1998, p.124) states there are two basic types of assimilation, namely progressive and regressive. Progressive assimilation is where the affected word comes after the word that affects it, as in ‘did you’ [did ju]; for example, in connected speech many speakers would assimilate the approximant /j/ with the alveolar /d/ and articulate it as [did?u] or [did] (Tyrode, 2008, p.2)....   An important aspect of connected speech is that of assimilation, wherein the articulation of words is altered in accordance with phonetic characteristics in their immediate environment; in other words, sounds are influenced by other immediate sounds and thus assimilated (Davenport & Hannahs, 2005, p.25).   It largely depends upon context, with speakers who are speaking slowly and carefully using it less, and speakers who speak rapidly using it more (Roach, 1998, p.123), and is the reason why mechanized speech, where each word is recorded in isolation, does not work   (Roach, 1998, p.123).   Roach (1998, p.124) states there are two basic types of assimilation, namely progressive and regressive.   Progressive assimilation is where the affected word comes after the word that affects it, as in ‘did you’ [did ju]; for example, in connected speech many speakers would assimilate the approximant /j/ with the alveolar /d/ and articulate it as [didÆ ·u] or [didÆ ·Ã‡ ] (Tyrode, 2008, p.2).  Regressive assimilation, on the other hand, is where the affected word precedes the word that affects it, as in ‘is she’, where in isolation the word ‘is’ ends with a voiced alveolar fricative /z/ [É ªz] not its voiceless counterpart.   In connected speech, however, the final articulation of ‘is' /z/ assimilates with the voiceless postalveolar fricative /ÊÆ'/ to and becomes devoiced [É ªs ÊÆ'i] (Tyrode, 2008, p.1).

Lobbyists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lobbyists - Essay Example Lobbying is therefore, the practice of promoting, opposing, or in any manner influencing or attempting to influence the introduction, defeat, or enactment of legislation before any legislative body; opposing or in any manner influencing the executive approval, veto, or amendment of legislation. It is also the practice of promoting, opposing, or in any manner influencing or attempting to influence the enactment, promulgation, modification, or deletion of regulations before any regulatory body (Smith). A lobbyist is therefore a term that includes the following; a person who receives compensation from another person, group or entity to do the lobbying work. A lobbyist is also the person who lobbies as a regular and usual part of employment irrespective of whether there is compensation in addition to regular salaries and benefits is received. a lobbyist is also the a consultant to the state, county, or municipals parts of the government, they are employed to make an influence legislation or regulations irrespective of whether they are paid or not; in full or in part the funds that relates to these forms of government (Luneburg, William, and Susman). Lobbying is quite an important act given the experience they give to the Lobbyist groups. From research it is clear that experienced and successful lobbyists extensively understands the legislative process and therefore they have a strategic plan which enables them to ensure a close follow up that is quiet significant to the client or group that they present. The understanding of the process is quite complex due to the increased competition of the recent past in the field. Lobbying through the Lobbyists helps the congress to follow issues in a timely manner making issues to be handled quite in time due to the avoidance of the delay likely to be created. This is driven by the fact that opportunities and challenges often present themselves with quite a short time to respond to such allegations prompting the need for lobby ing and lobbyist groups. Ongoing, active representation in Canadian legal departments is critical to effectively responding to these situations (Luneburg, William, Thomas, Susman, and Gordon). Lobbying is therefore meant to help specialists groups which may be of a special religion, belief or industry to get their voices to be heard by members of any law making body of a nation. In addition, lobby groups of large amounts of money are able to influence the opinions of the crowds in their favor making politicians against them vulnerable (Smith). Currently, Lobbying has become a way for corporations, religions, and other private and special interest groups present their influence over the legislature and essentially circumvent the standard law-making procedure. Lobbying is therefore protected by the model of government in place and since corporations and other special interests are legally considered a singular entity, they are represented in the same context in Congress (Smith). The d ata from the office of the Commission of Lobbying of Canada shows us the various lobbying groups that exists in

Social Welfare, Democracy and Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Social Welfare, Democracy and Government - Essay Example Under the democratic system, election becomes a political obligation because it is the process where the public chooses who and how the government should be managed. It is the process wherein the voting public are given the chance to choose people that will represent them. It consolidates the voice and opinion of the populace and transforms these into what is called the political representation (Watt 2006). Ergo, political representation defines the value of the act of voting that in effect produces a political contract. It is a contract between those who govern and being governed. It ensures that the interest and welfare of the people will be the primary responsibility in managing the state’s affairs. As a political obligation, widespread participation during election also seals responsibility and accountability for those people elected in position (Bernard Manin 1999). It is through the votes casted by majority of the people that that a nation can ensure that its government will act on the best interest of the people. The accountability of the governments is in the hands of voters that can distinguish whether governments are acting in their interest and can be sanctioned accordingly. Thus, voters enable responsibility for government performance. A person’s right to vote is a powerful weapon that can sanction incumbent and can place more competent candidates. When it comes to policy-making electoral procedures, such as referendum among others, the exercise of the right to vote can make a big difference, thus it is imperative (Chandler 2001). The right to vote is also a social responsibility because this is a citizen’s direct commitment and contribution to the whole gamut of the democratic process. Broad participation during elections guarantees that candidates are being elected with confidence. The right to vote did not come naturally. Two decades ago, one has to be white, male, powerful and wealthy to be able to vote. The attainment of th e public’s right to cast their votes and their voices be heard is the product of a long history of men and women for civil and political right. For some countries, the struggle for their rights to vote was accompanied by their struggle for national sovereignty and independence. There were people who suffered persecution and even death in asserting and demanding this right. In the United Kingdom, during the 1800, only three percent of the adult population was entitled to vote – those who are rich and male. By 1832, it merely increased to five percent as certain leaseholders and householders were allowed to vote. With the Second Reform Act in 1867, it again increased to 13 percent as voting was extended in counties and boroughs. It was only in 1918 through the Representation of the People Act that all men over the age of 21 were allowed to vote. Women were also given the right to vote, but only if they are over the age of 30. Women also could sit in the House of Commons. In fairness, UK is one of the first countries that implemented the reform allowing women to participate in the election. In 1928, women were given the same voting rights as men by allowing all adults over the age of 21 to vote. In 1969, the voting age was lowered to 18 years of age.

Economic for Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economic for Managers - Essay Example The failure in major financial markets exists because of either of these conditions. Prior to the financial crisis, the financial markets such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds markets are considered markets where the invisible hand operates. The stock market has always been referred to as an efficient market by economists. According to Brealey, Myers and Marcus, â€Å"the competition [in this market] to find misvalued stocks is intense. So when new information comes out, investors rush to take advantage of it and thereby eliminate any profit opportunities (2004, 165).† An efficient market, according to Samuelson and Nordhaus in their book â€Å"Economics† is defined as â€Å"one where all new information is quickly understood by market participants and becomes immediately incorporated into the market prices (2004, 534).† This characteristic of the stock market as an efficient market is attributed to the availability of timely information which is incorporated in the prices of the stocks. The stock market indeed needs investors who believe that the market is inefficient in order to make the market efficient. As investors think that there is a certain degree of inefficiency in the market, these investors’ notion of the stock prices are that they are underpriced, and there is a chance to profit from this situation. Therefore, as investors believe in this inefficiency, and the possible reward of profiting from these undervalued stocks, they are driven to action. When investors are driven to action, they look for more sources of information, analyze the information and push the prices up or down depending on the value of the information as regards the certain stock. When investors are prompted to take action either by driving the prices of the stocks up or down depending on the information, the direction of the prices tend to be that which incorporates the value of the information—thus, eliminating the possible profits from buying

Alexander the Great Essay Example for Free

Alexander the Great Essay He was the father of Alexander the Great, Philip III and possibly Ptolemy I, the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. *Hephaestion son of Amyntor, was a Macedonian nobleman and a general in the army of Alexander the Great. He was by far the dearest of all the kings friends. *Darius III was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia from 336 BC to 330 BC. He was deposed during Alexander the Greats conquest. *Roxana was a Bactrian noble and a wife of Alexander the Great. Ptolemy I Soter was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great who became ruler of Egypt *Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. *Craterus was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great and one of the Diadochi. *Parmenion was a Macedonian general in the service of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great *Philotas was the eldest son of Parmenion, Alexanders most experienced and talented general. Plot .. The film is based on the biography of Alexander the Great, the King of Macedon, the first Macedonian Emperor who conquered Asia Minor, Persia and eventually Ancient India. It provides a glimpse into some of the key moments of Alexanders youth, and his invasion of the mighty Persian Empire, until his death. It also outlined his early life, including his difficult relationship with his father, Philip II of Macedonia, the conquering of the Greek city-states under the League of Corinth, and the conquest of the Persian Empire in 331 BC. It also details his new plans to reform his empire, and the attempts made to reach the end of the world. The storyline begins in 356 BC with Ptolemy I Soter, who narrates the story throughout the film. In lavish sets and images Stone shows his vision of Alexanders daily life in the court of his father, Philip, and portraying the strained relationship between his parents. Alexander grows up with his mother Olympias and his tutor Aristotle, where he finds interest in love, honour, music, exploration, poetry and military combat. Late on, his relationship with his father is destroyed when Philip marries Attalus niece, Eurydice. Thereafter Philip is assassinated and Alexander becomes king of Macedonia and the rest of Greece. After a brief mentioning of his punitive razing of Thebes and burning of Persepolis, Ptolemy gives an overview of Alexanders west Persian campaign, including his declaration to be the son of Zeus by the Oracle of Amun at Siwa Oasis, his great battle against the Persian Emperor Darius III in the Battle of Gaugamela, and his eight-year campaign at Hydaspes against Porus in modern day Pakistan), both of which are shown in the film. The plot also illustrates Alexanders private relationship with his childhood friend, Hephaistion, and later his wife Roxanna until his death. Before succumbing to an unknown illness or poison (it is never revealed which and both are suggested) Alexander distanced himself from his wife Roxanna despite her being pregnant, believing she has killed his childhood friend Hephaistion. The film accurately places Hephaistion in a far closer position than his first wife Roxanna. It is suggested in the film that Alexander died in part due to the loss of Hephaistion, which occurred less than three months earlier. Early in the film Hephaistion compares Alexander to Achilles, to which Alexander replies that if he is Achilles then Hephaistion is his Patroclus (Achilles cousin and supposed lover). Hephaistion mentions that Patroclus died first and then Alexander pledges that if he should die, he would follow him into the afterlife. A promise Ptolemy himself says Alexander apparently kept when he died shortly after Hephaistion. In the film after conquering Babylon Alexander admits that Hephaistion is the only person he loves. (no one can back up that Alexander was homosexual). During the film Hephaistion shows extensive jealousy when seeing Alexander with Roxanna and deep sadness when Alexander marries her, going so far as to attempt keeping her away from Alexander after the former murdered an old friend in India. The film also focuses intensively on the close and warped relationship Alexander shared with his mother Olympias. Summary .. Alexander was born in Macedonia in 356 BC. His father, King Philip II of Macedonia, hired the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle to tutor young Alexander. In the summer of 336 BC, Philip was murdered by one of his bodyguards. Alexander then became king. Many people in Macedonia plotted against the young king, but Alexander was shrewd. He quickly ordered the execution of all the conspirators. At the same time, some Greek cities ruled by Macedonia rebelled and others threatened to seek independence. Alexander crushed the rebellions and restored Macedonian rule. Next, in 334 BC, Alexander turned his attention toward the Persian Empire (now Iran) in southwest Asia. Alexander led Macedonian and Greek soldiers to attack Darius III, Persia’s king. Their armies met at Issus in Syria in 333 BC, and fought a fierce battle. Alexander won, and Darius fled. Alexander then led his soldiers south, into Egypt. Alexander seized power from the pharaoh, who ruled Egypt on behalf of the Persians. The grateful Egyptians saw Alexander as a person who freed them, and they crowned him pharaoh. At the mouth of the Nile River in northern Egypt, Alexander founded a new city. He named the city Alexandria, and it became a famous center of learning In 331 BC, Alexander led his troops back north into Persia. King Darius was eager for revenge. Alexander and Darius fought another great battle, this time at Gaugamela. Once again, Alexander won. The battle at Gaugamela ended centuries of Persian rule in Asia. Alexander then turned south and conquered other important Persian cities. At Persepolis, he burned down Darius’s palace to show he had conquered the Persian Empire. In 330 BC, Alexander went north to find Darius again. This time, Darius was killed by his own men as he fled. Alexander was a military genius and a great explorer. But he also had a grand ambition. He wanted to rule a world empire where people could live in peace with one another. From 330 to 327 BC, Alexander led his soldiers east, through Afghanistan and into Central Asia. As he travelled, he built more cities. He recruited soldiers, merchants, and scholars from many lands to settle there. In 326 BC, Alexander turned south, into India. But by then his men were tired and weak. They were far from home in an unknown land. The soldiers rebelled and refused to go farther. Reluctantly, Alexander turned back. By 323 BC, he reached Babylon in Iraq. While there he caught a fever and died at the age of 33. His empire was divided among his generals. Moral / Lesson O The first moral / lesson in this film is to never dreamed of becoming as powerful as God because He is the only one no one compared with Him. Secondly is â€Å"power† is the counterpart of jealousy. Comprehension Questions .. 1. )What characteristics of Alexander in his young age is being portrayed in the film? Did these characteristics still evident in his adult life? How? O Even Alexander was only a child, you can clearly see his unique characteristics specially his braveness and genuine in terms of battle. O Yes! He conquered half the globe because of his intelligent plans, braveness and his greatness in terms of ruling. . )How did Olympias influenced Alexander? OOlympias influenced Alexander by supporting him to his decisions and teaching Alexander the values of being a child, a man, and also a warrior. 3. )Did Philip have a good relationship with his son? Support your answer. O At first Yes, because they are close to each other(a father and son relationship). Later on, his relationship with his father was destroyed when Philip married Euridice. And in the last part of Philip’s life, Alexander accepted what happened and their early relationship came back. 4. Enumerate all the lands being conquered by Alexander. O Alexander conquered Asia Minor, Persia and eventually Ancient India. 5. )Did the wife of Alexander became an asset or liability to him? How? O No, Hepastion was the only person loved by Alexander. And Roxana(his wife) was just like an ordinary person to him. 6. )How was the vast empire of Alexander divided? O After Alexander died, the vast empire he conquered including Macedonia were divided to his four generals. 7. )In the film, the eagle soars high over the vast army of Alexander during one of his conquest. What does the eagle symbolize in lieu with Alexander’s characteristics as a man, a leader, and a warrior? OAlexander as a man is great compared to an eagle flying in the air. An eagle when flying covers a large part of land by it’s shadow likewise to Alexander’s genius leadership. Even Alexander is only one he can rule properly and control his vast army and lead it to victory. 8. )One of the themes or universal truth of the film is â€Å" The thirst for power and it’s consequences†. In not less than 400 words explain the said theme. O For me the theme or universal truth in the film, â€Å"The thirst of for power and it’s consequences† means that having a power is having a responsibilities. Just like the sayings in Superman â€Å"great powers come great responsibilities† which means If you got power expect that there are consequences like protecting people, beating bad guys, and preserving peace. Similar in the film Alexander, we know that Alexander was very powerful at that time that the other people consider him as a God. But as he got this power he must face the risk. One is he must protect his army whatever happens. Also as a king he must do his best to achieve peace, prosperity, and love in his land. And the main problem or consequence on having superiority is jealousy. Many powerful people died not in battle but because of jealousy of others to their power. Examples are Alexander the great and Julius Caesar. Although the death of Alexander is unknown if due to illness or poison. Some historians thought that its poison that killed Alexander. The suspects are his generals and other officials. It is said that his men are so jealous to Alexander due to his success and supreme power. So they tried to kill him by adding poison to his wine when they are in Macedonia after the battle in Ancient India. Alexander died and his vast empire were divided to his generals. Same as Julius Caesar, he was also a genius in conquering lands as Alexander. Caesar had an absolute power in his time and also because of that â€Å"power† opposition against him grew. Some denounced him as a tyrant, while others were jealous of his popularity. On March 15, 44 Before Common Era, he was stabbed to death. I knew that having a power is awesome and great but too much of it may lead to disaster. A taste of it is enough because as your power increases the risk increases too as well as your enemy. And sadly even the one you trust and love can lie and sell your friendship to get only your power. Once I read a book about power, and it stated that no one can ever have an absolute powers because all these powers belong to God. And also thre’s no one can compare to Him. That’s all. And that’s my own explanation to the atatement â€Å"The thirst for power and it’s consequences†. I hope you understand what I am trying to say or point out. Hehe . Again thanks for reading. God bless.

How Coca Cola HBCs practices enable it to achieve strategic goals

How Coca Cola HBCs practices enable it to achieve strategic goals Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to assess how Coca Cola HBCs practices enable it to achieve their strategic goals. It is aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the organisation and information factors which affect the planning, management and delivery of its products. Coca Cola HBCs strategic supply chain management and operations approach is a success story enable them to achieve . The company has been able to identify the real problems in production and their causes, which has enabled it to correctly address them. Theyve also had targets for improvement and accomplishment, which has helped the throughout the way. Coca Cola HBC is a solid and very well managed company and its approach to establishing long-lasting relationships with customers, suppliers and retailers is a key aspect to success in todays challenging and aggressive business environment. Introduction Humble beginnings for Hellenic Bottling Company S.A. were marked by a single soft drink packed in small glass bottles at its modest headquarters in Greece in 1969 . This single product was a response to the simple business environment encountered by the company then. Operations were straightforward and supply replenishment to distribution centres were a simple job for the drivers who would only have to load the trucks, determine a route and drop off supplies. Throughout the years, with the impact of globalisation upon world consumption and production, the business environment was transformed and the company steadily grew and adapted to these changes. More products were developed, production increased and its operations became more competitive and complex. In 1981 a private holding company acquired majority interest in the firm. After this, the organisation expanded its business through acquisitions. Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company was formed in 2000 as a result of the merger of the Hellenic Bottling Company and London-based Coca-Cola Beverages. Today, the company is one of the largest bottlers and vendors of The Coca Cola Companys products in the world, and the largest one based in Europe. The company produces markets and sells to customers one of the most well-known brand in the world, Coca Cola. 1 Operations Management Practices Critically assess the extent to which CCHBCs operations management practices enable it to achieve strategic goals as set out in the Four As credo. Coca Cola HBC focuses on a Four As credo in order to sustain its constant and growing demands in its markets: Availability Affordability Acceptability Activation Their operations strategy cleverly brings their processes together to form a supply chain that extends beyond the physical walls of the organisation and reach further involving suppliers and customers. According to Krajeski et al (2010) a firm competes not only by offering new products, innovative marketing or expert finances, but also through its unique competencies in operations and solid management of core processes. The Sand Cone Model suggests that firms can develop four sustainable competitive advantages following a particular order of strategic priorities. The proposed order is quality, dependability, flexibility and cost. Excellent operations performance in quality gives the company the ability to deliver high quality products. Excellent operations performance dependability will give the company the ability to compete on fast and reliable deliveries (availability). Excellent operations management in flexibility gives the company the ability to deliver on a wider range of products and new products (activation). Excellent operations performance in cost gives the company the ability to deliver on low price (affordability). The model suggests that if this focus is followed, organisations are then able to build up their advantages concerning all the elements. Considering the Hayes Wheelwright four-stage model for manufacturing competitiveness, Coca Cola HBC can easily be described as externally supportive, or stage 4. Their operations are managed proactively to drive the business strategy of the entire organisation. Operations are world class and seen as the means to achieve customer satisfaction. The establishment of mutual beneficial relationships with suppliers enables them to deliver the best value in terms of quality, cost, service and innovation, helping to achieve the four As in their credo. These relationships involve regular collaboration over long-term direction of these partnerships and generally cover operational issues, but can also accommodate business issues such as joint investments and operations. Relationships are so tight that various international suppliers have established local production in different countries. y in order Product data and information sharing with trade partners is also a critical part of operations management practices. New product developments, promotions and other marketing initiatives, new advances in operational processes, supply availability, pricing strategies, costing, logistics plans should be undertaken in a sharing culture between all involved where there is a high level of honesty and trust. Nowadays bar codes are an essential technology for supply systems, independent of the product. The use of this technology enables the unique identification and tracking of all products through the supply network. Like many firms, Coca Cola HBCs operations strategies are only feasible with the use of bar codes, electronic data interchange (EDI) and point of sale (PoS) data sharing, which firmly link all activity in the supply system to real time customer demand. It is not understood whether the company uses it, but electronic data interchange (EDI) is also a vital technological component to enable links between firms in a mutual operational network. This technology is capable of extending the interconnection between retailer and supplier to an entire network. EDI is also used as a means to support electronic trading facilitating global sourcing and acting as a low cost communication option. The establishment of good relationships and partnering with customers, suppliers and other members of the supply chain enables CCHBC to save on costs whilst addressing and influencing consumer preferences at the point of sale. For this type of company, point of sale (PoS) data collection is vital, but it would be of little use if retained only by the organization. This data is essential for a flexible and responsive supply and demand can only be met using forward inventory builds and forecasting rather than operating in-line with real time demand patterns. This helps to support a continual and automatic replenishment system which is important to enable items to be restocked by a vendor or supplier to the exact rate of sale. Demand information can drive operational schedules and replenishment is direct from production output rather than stock holding. These tight relationships also help them to involve customers, retailers and suppliers in the processes of product development, modification and planning. This allows the rapid development of new products or innovative packaging to be tested in-store prior to product launches, for example. Their intelligent production and better and faster supply chain offers a high degree of response, speed and agility. Despite high initial costs and time to fully implement, many supplier manufacturers are increasing the use of this form of production organization as long term benefits are very valuable. All of these practices are important building blocks of Coca Cola HBCs operations strategy. These are the forces that help shape them into a customer-driven and customer-focused organisation. Their operations function provides the basis of competitive advantage and set standards for the entire industry. Todays marketplace is increasingly complex. The retail landscape is ever-changing, consumers are seeking greater variety and our customers are demanding higher service levels. In this vibrant and dynamic environment, we are constantly evaluating the way we do business as we strive to achieve profitable and sustainable growth. To ensure that the business results we deliver are sustainable over the longer-term, we implemented a new strategic initiative in 2006. Excellence Across the Board focuses on developing best-in-class commercial and distribution capabilities, as well as streamlining the management of financial resources. In particular, we are building powerful route-to-market systems and dynamic partnerships with customers to ensure that our execution in the marketplace is unparalleled. At the same time, we seek to optimise the use of our financial working capital and rethink internal processes and systems. In addition to the Excellence Across the Board strategic initiative we are looking to Expand into territories that prove to be a geographic fit and contribute to our long term growth prospects while we remain committed to Explore other adjacent business areas to leverage our infrastructure, strengthen customer relationships and explore new avenues for growth and value. We also manage our business following the six priorities: to increase our beverage categories in order to become a more diverse non-alcoholic beverage company to build brand equity in order to create value for customers to drive profitable package mix and exploit new channels in order to enhance margins to manage capital for growth and value to drive cost efficiency throughout our business to create superior sustainable returns Here are some examples that show how we fulfill these objectives. Customer collaboration Coca-Cola Hellenic aims to have an excellent co-operation with the 1.4 million shops, restaurants, supermarkets, discount chains and other businesses that sell the Companys beverages. In view of this, we enhance our route-to-market and commercial capabilities to ensure the availability of an ever-expanding range of products in the marketplace. Effective route-to-market systems Another key element in driving sustainable growth is the Companys route-to-market strategy for the fragmented trade channels. This strategy is focused on adopting the most effective means to ensure the full availability of our products in the marketplace and build lasting relationships with outlet owners. Excellence in marketplace execution Excellence in marketplace execution is supported by our continuous investments in building salesforce effectiveness. We invest in merchandising equipment to generate impulse sales and equip our sales people with mobile devices to enhance order taking, invoicing and asset tracking. The second key element of our business imperatives is to develop each of our markets by providing superior customer service and quality products. In Coca-Cola Hellenic we work hard to adapt our business to the changing needs of our customers. We initiate a number of customer-specific programmes. This aims to facilitate a cross-functional approach to planning for the purpose of better aligning our organization with the way our customers do business. The goal of this approach is to create value for our customers. Improved preparation of joint annual plans encompassing promotional planning and revenue growth initiatives, inventory management and customer-specific cooler placement strategies, are examples of what we believe will bring additional value to our customer relationships. In serving consumers our blueprint can be summarised in four words: availability, affordability, acceptability and activation. Availability We place our range of products within easy reach of consumers in the right package, in the right location, at the right time. We focus on developing strong relationships with our customers to ensure that the right products are in stock, highly visible and readily accessible wherever and whenever consumers may desire a non-alcoholic beverage. Affordability We offer a wide variety of desirable, premium quality products, in packages appropriate for the occasion, at the right price. In doing so, we aim to reach as many consumers as possible while taking into account the differing levels of purchasing power in the countries in which we operate. Acceptability We supply an extensive and growing range of products that meet the highest quality standards in each country, increasing their acceptability to consumers. We have a detailed understanding of consumer needs and access to the most effective communications channels. Combined with our experience in quality control, customer service and efficient distribution, we are able to reach out to customers and consumers in each of our markets and meet their demands. Activation We motivate consumers to choose our products by improving product availability and attractiveness at the point of purchase and by building brand strength in our local markets. We achieve this in close cooperation with our customers through: the placement of cold drink equipment, such as coolers and vending machines the provision of signage and other point-of-sale materials the implementation of local marketing and promotional initiatives 2 Capacity Management Approach How would you characterise CCHBCs approach to capacity management (including production, planning and control). What are the specific challenges of this approach? The success of an organisation is greatly determined by their ability to meet customer demand and to respond promptly and effectively to changes in this demand over time. Only an effective approach to capacity management will enable this to be achieved. According to Barnes (2008), the aim of capacity management is to match supply and demand. If capacity is insufficient the company risks having many dissatisfied customers and losing prospect sales as consumer demand cant be properly met. If capacity is excessive, costs will generally be higher than necessary as resources wont be fully utilised. Coca Cola HBCs approach to capacity management is certainly to try and match capacity to demand. This strategy relies heavily on being able to produce reliable future demand forecasts, which is notoriously proven to be a difficult task. Whilst this seems to be the most appropriate approach for this company, it still means the organisation is not able to meet sudden upturns in demand as capital investment decisions can typically involve a long lead time. Barnes (2008) points out that decisions involving adding capacity should be made within the necessary lead time as in some cases it can take years to devise the necessary structure and equipment. Coca Cola HBC consider that production planning based on long term forecasting is no longer necessary. Instead, they have opted to operate a continuous planning process. Krajeski et al (2010) agree, as they affirm that forecast accuracy declines as the forecast horizon lengths. However, Barnes (2008) disagrees asserting that forecasting future demand is important both in long term and short term scenarios. He defends that long term forecasts are needed when planning investment in new facilities and equipment and short term forecasts are important to manage effectively existing capacity. At Coca Cola HBC, a dedicated forecast manager is responsible for using historical sales information and consumer data to produce a weekly demand plan. Whilst this approach is based on the use of scientific methods and data mining tools, accuracy is still an issue. Unfortunately, independent of the number of forecasting methods used by an organisation, none of them are particularly accurate in predicting demand. Barnes (2008) affirms that nonetheless any forecast is almost certainly better than none as it forces managers to think about the future and consider how they can best respond to changes in demand. Assuming a quantitative method based on time series analysis is used, Coca Cola HBC are using the past to predict the future, which might not always be the case. A casual analysis should also be utilised in order to help them identify relationships between demand and relevant happenings, such as exceptional weather, advertising campaigns and major sports/music events. Although not clear in the case study, its very likely that they also use qualitative methods such as market surveys and scenario planning to assist them in forecasting demand. These methods are based on estimates and judgements made by either customers or managers but again cannot guarantee accurate forecasts. Their continuous planning process is also heavily dependent on achieving a consensus plan amongst all relevant senior managers. This approach can be considered valuable as it is designed to satisfy the targets and limits of all involved. However, it relies heavily on effective communication and outstanding teamwork of all members which is something far from easy to achieve. Unless relationships are very tight and teamwork is ____exceptional members could tend to focus more on their individual targets rather than the teams goal. Most challenges faced by the organisation as a result of their capacity management approach are eased by fostering good relations and partnering with customers, suppliers, retailers and other members of the supply chain. The organisation has a extended and complex supply network which makes it more difficult to manage. A firms capacity management approach should be constantly revised as capacity planning decisions have implications for all members and processes in the supply chain as well as various departments within the organisation. Therefore, the whole chain should be designed for effectiveness. Agile supply chains are more capable to meet unpredictable demand surges as they are action-oriented, competitive and driven to perform. 3 Supply Management Approach Assess CCHBCs approach to managing its suppliers. Coca Cola HBC has a truly global mindset with Coca Cola HBC has a global sourcing network with facilities in a number of countries. All activities (purchasing, etc ) are integrated and coordinated across the whole organisation and theyve worked on building fair and mutually beneficial relationships to deliver the best in terms of quality, cost, service and innovation. Relationships with suppliers They work extensively with their suppliers helping them to improve their processes, reduce costs and deliver innovation and efficiencies. Suppliers range from big international companies to smaller local companies. A number of international suppliers have established production in different countries allowing CCHBC to source from them. Relationships are managed both at country and Group level. Multi-functional teams ensure quality and efficiency. All suppliers of ingredients and primary packing materials must be approved. Suppliers must follow strict standards for business ethics, human rights, labour practices and environmental management. Independent auditing of suppliers for compliance with these principles is undertaken by independent third party firms every two years. 4 Management Information Systems How could an MIS help Coca Cola to monitor the achievement of its A for availability credo? Support your answer with specific examples that demonstrate the value of your chosen reports and information. It is widely known that good-decision making abilities and problem-solving skills enable organisations to reach its objectives and goals. Managing information systems (MIS) can help an organisation to achieve these goals by providing an insight into the day-to-day operations of the company so that they can control, organise and plan more effectively and efficiently. According to Stair et al (2008) a management information systems (MIS) is an integrated collection of people, procedures, databases, hardware and software aimed at providing managers with information to enable them to make better decisions to achieve organisation goals. Besides supporting internal operations, management information systems also enable collaboration between companies in the supply chain. Using high speed networks and data bases companies can easily share more reliable data to better manage the supply chain as a whole and their own individual operations. Hugos (2006) defends that the use of this technology is the key to a companys triumph. An effective management information system can benefit an organisation in many ways: Facilitates planning quality of planning is improved as the relevant information for decision making is available. Minimizes information overload it transforms a large amount of data into summarized form and avoid confusion that may arise when information is too detailed. Coordination facilitates the integration of activities and connect all decision centres in the organisation Aids control serves as a link between managerial planning and control. Improves ability of evaluating and optimising performance Decentralization allows monitoring of operations at low levels and frees up resources for departmental managers to devote time to strategic activities. The output of a management information system is information that sub serves managerial functions. A variety of reports in the form of charts, graphs, tables, summaries, etc, can be produced, all aimed at supporting management decisions. There are 5 main types of reports and Coca Cola CHB could utilise each one in a different context, but all with the same objective, which is to provide an insight to the companys regular operations. To guarantee availability of its products, Coca Cola HBC could use scheduled reports, produced periodically to monitor and control manufacturing output. The SCM manager could use a daily summary report to ensure he is meeting production targets. He could also guarantee that profitability targets are being achieved by using a weekly summary report to control labour costs. A key-indicator report is also a valuable managerial tool in order to understand the previous days activities. By analysing this report the production manager can take quick and corrective action in case any deviation is perceived, i.e. due to an unexpected stoppage in production or supply shortage. Demand reports can also be produced to fulfil requirements for specific information upon request. The SCM manager should use these to check on production status of particular products or measure performance of a certain production line. Coca Cola CHB could also use exception reports, which would be automatically produced when an unusual situation arises or when a problem requires management action. They could be generated when there is a production problem, for example. This would then enable the relevant manager to make a quickly, timely and informed decision. As the name suggests, drill-down reports provide very detailed data about a specific situation. This report could be used to analyse sales to determined countries, regions, cities or even unique retailers. All of these reports enable the relevant managers to make the best decisions and solve problems according fully supporting the organisations strategic planning and corporate policies. Production scheduling, inventory control, manufacturing resource planning and quality control are all activities that could potentially be optimised with the use of these various reports. In fact, Coca Cola CHB realises the importance of business reports and according to their 2009 Annual report, theyve been successfully rolling out SAP information systems which are expected to improve the efficiency of their entire business, by increasing the speed and accuracy of production, warehousing and sales functions, while increasing customer service levels. The company could also follow Coca Colas example in the United States and use a Group Decision Support System (GDSS). GroupSystem 5 helps Coca Cola save time and money by using a meeting facilitator and giving all participants an anonymous voice in decisions. This has eliminated the typical problem of a few people dominating decision-making meetings. The system displays only anonymous comments and outlines options. Interaction is allowed but kep to a minimum. The results: shorter meetings, less stressful conferences, a focus on shares values and concerns and increased efficacy. Competitive advantage can be achieved by the effective utilisation of the management information system and its reports as managers are supported whilst they work to achieve corporate goals. With an effective management information system in place, Coca Cola HBC can monitor the achievement of the Availability credo identify problem areas and opportunities for improvement. By aligning company goals with customers desires and needs, they can provide the right product, in the right location and at the right time. 5 Data Mining and Search Tools Analysis Coca Colas acceptability factor demands, among other things, effective customer service. Using specific examples, explain how data mining and related search tools can enable Coca Cola to analyse performance here. Many businesses and organisations collect data about their operations. They then examine this data for insights into their operations and into the transactions their business performs. This may be as simple as a periodic glance at a business report or may involve complex analysis using the latest software tools. Data mining is utilized because it can improve customer service, better target marketing campaigns, identify high-risk clients, and improve production processes. It is mainly used to help a company save money. Data mining can be successfully employed at the very beginning of a product lifecycle to lower costs during research and development. It can also be profitably employed to save money in manufacturing. Sensors can be installed to keep record of many variables particular to a process. The output from these sensors is then controlled by computer programs that can order slight adjustments to keep production within the proper bounds. Data mining also helps marketing professionals improve their understanding of customer behavior Good customer relationship management requires understanding of customers, their needs, their likes and dislikes. When data mining is correctly utilised within the organization the whole company will be able to benefit from an increased understanding of its customers and market, a better-focused marketing strategy and a more efficient use of resources. According to Berry Linoff (2004) data mining plays an important part both in advertising and direct marketing to identify the right audience, choose the best communication channels and pick the most appropriate messages. Coca Cola HBC can integrate their systems with retailers in order to analyse shopping baskets in supermarkets. Unexpected shopping patterns can easily be identified in this way. Another form of employing data mining is by using past behaviour to rank customers. Coca Cola HBC can use sales data to distinguish between profitable and unprofitable customers. They can also use this to predict which customers are likely to switch to an alternative brand in the future. Recently, Coca Cola started using a new vending machine, equipped with a flat screen, which displays the different products available. The machine offers a wide range of drinks, many that are not yet available in retail. The main objective of this new vending machine is to extract data regarding individuals consumption. With this data, Coca Cola is then able to recognise new consumption trends and subsequently identifies potential new blends and products to develop. Berry Linoff (2004) affirm that the promise of data mining is to return the focus of business to serving customers and to providing efficient business processes. This is very important in todays world, where weve learned that targeted marketing will lead to more satisfied and more profitable customers. Identify unexpected shopping patterns in supermarkets. Optimize website profitability by making appropriate offers to each visitor. Predict customer response rates in marketing campaigns. Defining new customer groups for marketing purposes. In short, Data Mining can be applied anywhere in your business or organization where you are interested in identifying and exploiting predictable outcomes. Using Web-based Tools for Service and Support The Web continues to put an indelible stamp on the way people live and work, impacting the way they communicate, do business, and conduct social interactions. It has empowered the population in countless ways, and continually layers on new mechanisms for connecting with anyone, anywhere. Its given voice to every kind of business and end user, as they take to social networks, blogs, wikis, videosharing, virtual reality worlds and tweets in growing numbers. This level of communication has dramatically changed the way business gets conducted, to the joy of many high-profile companies who have leveraged it to great fortune. But to the horror of some businesses, the voices directed at them are harshly revelatory: theyre bringing to light broken business practices, service faux pas, product malfunctions, and corporate malfeasance. Some of the loudest voices stem from service and support transactions, which, thanks to the Webs instant communication capabilities, can be broadcast loud and clear across a range of media. Epic stories of bad service bound around the Web in various incarnations, only replaced by the next fiasco. Businesses, particularly those who havent kept pace with newer marketing and customer response strategies, find they have less and less control over their own brands. Theres a real shift from CRM, which is very data-centric, to customer-managed relationships, says Michael Maoz, an analyst with Stamford, Ct.-based Gartner Inc. You can spend as many billions of dollars as you want, but with their Web at their disposal, your customers are going to determine your brand for you theyre going to make it or break it. Indeed, while more people are starting and concluding their support transactions in online channels, theyre shifting their search away from their providers own properties, says Tom Sweeny, an analyst at ServiceXRG. Instead, theyre increasingly going to third-party forums or relying on Google searches to get the support information they need. The upshot: The provider loses the benefit of interacting with their customer or learning from the issue. Weve taken for granted for so many years that support questions were an annoyance and came at a cost. But what happens when those interactions dry up and take place somewhere else? says Sweeny. Somebody else is creating and shaping the experience. They can shape the perception of your company, sometimes inaccurately, without you

History of Network Interface Cards

History of Network Interface Cards Introduction Ethernet is a standard that enable two or more computer to share information and communicate. Ethernet network, also known as local area network (LAN), connects computers which can transfer data at the speed of 10Mbps or more. Since its invention, Ethernet standard has evolved a lot. Improved media access control methods, alternate physical medium and higher bandwidth are some of examples of evolution. This paper describes the network hardware which is used for establishing Ethernet connection. The pricing of the hardware is reducing day by day and they are very easy to maintain. Network interface cards (NIC) Most PC motherboard manufacturers offer a built-in Network Interface Card (NIC), also known as Ethernet Card, as Ethernet is now omnipresent and the twisted pair Ethernet requires small panel space. However, if a computer doesnt have NIC, it requires installation of a separate network card; CPU of the computer cannot process information at network speed. NIC is a kind of network adapter. It supports the Ethernet standard for high-speed network connections via cables; a connector in conjunction with NIC accepts cable to physical network. NIC come programmed with a globally unique 48-bit address, identified as MAC address of the machine. In the IEEE 802 LAN, the MAC addresses are used to identify both the source and the destination of each data packet. Generally, NICs do not accept packets addressed to other machines. NIC cards have evolved over the years; however, its different forms are used even today in older computers and these types of cards are available in market yet. Large ISA cards were the foremost standard for PCs and their installation required opening computer case. Modern Ethernet cards use the  PCI  standard and are usually installed inside the computer by the manufacturer. For laptop and mobile computers, smaller  PCMCIA  Ethernet cards that resemble credit cards are available. External USB Ethernet adapters are also available and they look like small boxes instead of cards. They are mostly used with video game consoles and as alternative to PCI cards. Transceiver: Ethernet interface can be either with 10BaseT or AAUI (Apple Attachment Unit Interface) connectors, in case of MAC computer. If there is AAUI port, then there is need to have a transceiver, actually AAUI-10BaseT transceiver. The transceiver has an AAUI cable at one end and 10BaseT connector jack at the other end. Cables Ethernet cables consists cable of at least Category 5 (Cat. 5) and 8P8C (often recognized as RJ45) connectors. This type of cables is used to connect all computers with Ethernet interface with 10BaseT connectors. CAT 5 UTP wire is required for basic 10/100 Mbps speed, whereas Cat 5e supports gigabit (1000BaseT) operation. Category 5 is the most popular of all twisted pair cables employed today and is the fifth generation of twisted pair Ethernet technology. Either Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) or STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) cable can be used; later is used for extra resistance to external interference. Twisted Pair cable comes mainly in two varieties, solid and stranded. Stranded cables are better applicable in short-distance usage and patch applications for desktop use. They are more pliable and resilient than solid one. Solid Ethernet cable is used in longer length runs and in fixed wirings such as office building. Newer cable technologies like CAT6 and CAT7 are in development. Tho ugh Cat 6 or higher offers future proofing measure, CAT5 / CAT5e Ethernet cable stays the popular choice for most wired  local area networks (LANs) as it gives enough speed and is affordable. Due to their physical resemblance, the 8P8C modular connectors are often called RJ45. It looks like a large phone plug with an 8-position modular connector. These connectors come in a few variations; the primary variation is based on whether the connector is meant for solid or stranded wire. Hubs More than two computers in the LAN cannot be easily connected without using hub. Hub is a small, inexpensive and passive device that connects all devices and allows only one device on the network to talk at a time. To connect the computers to Ethernet hub, an Ethernet cable is first connected into hub and then other end is connected to each computers NIC. RJ-45 connectors are accepted by all Ethernet hubs. All devices must be running at the same speed on a hub. Ethernet Hubs vary depending on the speed they support. Earlier, hubs supported just 10 Mbps speed whereas today, hubs supporting 100 Mbps speed are easily available. Some also support dual speeds i.e. 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps. The number of ports supported by hub also varies. Hubs supporting 4-5 ports (for home usage) to 16 ports (for small office usage) are available. In order to increase the network to incorporate more devices, Ethernet hubs can also be connected to each other, to  routers or switches. Bridge   A  bridge  is a hardware device which filters data traffic at a network boundary. Bridges divide the traffic on a LAN in two segments and thus reduce the amount of traffic. This device functions at the layer 2 of the OSI model data link layer. Bridge scrutinizes incoming traffic and takes decision whether to discard or forward it. For example, an Ethernet bridge looks thoroughly each incoming Ethernet frame for its destination and source MAC addresses, and sometimes the frame size and accordingly makes independent forwarding decisions. In fact, Bridges serve a similar function as switches; both operate at Layer 2. Conventional bridges support one network boundary, whereas switches generally offer four or more hardware ports. Switch Like hub, switch also allows to connect multiple computers within a LAN. However, it operates at Data Link layer and permits multiple devices to talk at the same time. Switch can perform automatic speed conversations. Switch has more intelligence than a hub. Switches can inspect data packets as they are obtained, decide the destination and source device for each packet and forward them accordingly. A network switch gives better performance than hub as it preserves network bandwidth  by delivering messages only to the device intended. Traditional Ethernet switches support either 10/100  Mbps  speed or  Gigabit Ethernet  (10/100/1000) standards. There are various models of network switches which support varying number of connected devices; generally most of network switches offer either four or eight connections for Ethernet devices. To add increasingly larger number of devices to a LAN, switches can be connected to each other this approach is also called daisy chaining  method. Router Router is a physical device that connects multiple networks together. They look just like hubs and switches, small, box-type piece of equipment which numerous computers can connect to. However, compared to switch or hub, a router is far more sophisticated network device. Conventional routers are designed to connect multiple area networks such as WANs and LANs. For example, on a large corporate network or on the Internet, routers work as midway destinations for network traffic. They receive TCP/IP packets, look into each packet to recognize the source and destination IP addresses and then forward these packets as needed to make sure the data attains its final target. Technically, a router works at the layer 3 of the OSI model, network layer and works as a gateway. Home networkers often use an Internet Protocol (IP) router as IP is the widest employed OSI network layer protocol. An IP router, like a cable modem router or DSL, connects the homes LAN with the WAN of the Internet.