Plant Biology

Shoot architecture enhances photosynthesis largely by maximizing the ability of the plant to get sunlight. Obviously light is the crucial resource in photosynthesis, but different plants obtain the resource in different ways. For example, the basic arrangement of leaves on the plant stem (known as "phyllotaxy") is different for every species of plant -- however, in all of these cases the plant has evolved so that the emergence of leaves does not block the available light for leaves above or below. The evolutionary reason for this should be obvious: as leaves exist purely to facilitate photosynthesis, the production of leaves that underperform due to inadequate access to sunlight would be a waste of the plant's resources. We can also see the evolutionary imperative expressed in leaf size: in cold or dry environments without much access to liquid water, the leaf size is drastically shrunken in an attempt to…

earth's rotation affect plant growth?

The seasons of the year are produced by the tilt of the axis of the Earth. The earth's tilt on its axis causes the hours of daylight to shorten during the cooler months of the year. This affects the changing of the seasons and indirectly affects plant growth, as a plant's ability to survive and flourish will depend on the area where it is located and the relative heat or chill of that region and the region's exposure to sunlight. ("ill the equinoxes and solstices switch places in 13,000 years because of the precession of the Earth's rotation axis?" 2005) "Summer in the northern hemisphere occurs at the same time as winter in the south, and vice-versa." ("hat Causes the Seasons?" 2005) The precession of the equinoxes of the Earth is a motion that causes the axis of the Earth's rotation to remain fixed at…

Work Cited

"Does the Earth's magnetic field daily changes affect plant germination and growth?" (2005) Ask a Space Scientist. NASA. Retrieved 16 Oct 2005 at  http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/ask/a11575.html 

'What Causes the Seasons?" (2005) Windows to the Universe. Retrieved 16 Oct 2005 at http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/uts/seasons1.html

'Will the equinoxes and solstices switch places in 13,000 years because of the precession of the Earth's rotation axis?" (2005) Ask a Space Scientist. NASA. Retrieved 16 Oct 2005 at 2005  http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/ask/q1795.html

Biology

Strategic Defense in the Plant Kingdom

The purpose of this literature review is to detail the different ways plants protect themselves from predators. Knowledge of plant defenses can help boost understanding of more effective means of minimizing pesticide and herbicide use in agriculture or alternatively, to help develop more effective and targeted chemical pesticides and herbicides. Understanding plant defenses requires knowledge of plant biology and their role in their respective ecosystems. Moreover, their defenses ensure the survival not only of individual plants, but of whole ecosystems.

Plants have no immune system, in the same way animals do (Freeman & Beattie, 2008). Instead, they boast "a stunning array of structural, chemical, and protein-based defenses designed to detect invading organisms and stop them before they are able to cause extensive damage," (p. 1). The defenses plants have evolved to ward off predators can be loosely grouped into three categories: surface-based protections…

References

Freeman, B.C. & Beattie, G.A. (2008). An overview of plant defenses against pathogens and herbivores. The Plant Health Instructor. Retrieved online:  http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/topics/Pages/OverviewOfPlantDiseases.aspx 

Pare, P.W. & Tumlinson, J.H. (1999). Plant volatiles as a defense against insect herbivores. Plant Physiology 121(2).

"Plant Defense Against Being Eaten," (n.d). Science Daily. Retrieved online:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/p/plant_defense_against_herbivory.htm 

Schardl, C.L. (2002). Plant defenses against herbivore and insect attack. Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. Retrieved online: http://rubisco.ugr.es/fisiofar/pagwebinmalcb/contenidos/Tema29/defensa_contra_herbivoros.pdf

Sayano-Shushenskaya Hydro Power Plant Disaster

Company Background

Sayano -- Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station is geographically located on the Yenisei iver, near Sayanogorsk in Khakassia, ussia. It was the largest hydro electrical power plant in ussian and sixth largest hydro electrical power station in the world, until the accident has occurred. The plant was operated by usHydro, which was established in December 2004 during ussia's privatization movement, however about 60% of its shares are owned by ussian government. The milestone of usHydro operation was that it has recorded the satiation's all-time highest electricity output in 24 hours (usHydro, July 2009). usHydro has 55 hydro plants with the installed capacity of 25.4 GW. The annual energy generation recorded by Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station was about 23.4 TWh, which was almost one-quarter of that produced by usHydro's resources for the Unified Energy Systems of ussia and Siberia. The major consumer of the plant…

References

Akin, Melissa (August 2009). Russia markets ignore Chechen threat. Reuters.

Retrieved 15th Sept 2011.

 http://www.reuters.com/article/europeCrisis/idUSLL381101 .

Boyko, A. & Popov, S. (2010) Investigating the Sayano-Shushenskaya Hydro

Japan abolishes current nuclear plant Fukushima Crisis. What effects immediately long-term Japan world a case stop operation of nuclear power plants.

As a brief description, Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power plant was an operating energy facility in Japan particularly in the Fukushima prefecture or province. The plant was established in 1971, which occupied a total of 3.5-kilometer site that makes it as one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world by land area. This nuclear power plant was very useful in the Japanese energy regulation system because it has an economical generation costs that is more reliable than using hydroelectric power sources from dams and streams. It is operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company that is the largest operating agency around Japan as claimed by Arnold (2010).

On March 11, 2011, a powerful earthquake hit the northeastern portion of Japan with an epicenter just off the coast of Fukushima…

Reference

Arnold, Wesley., 2010. Nuclear Power Plant facilities. New York: McGraw Hill, 78-97.

Cousins, C., (2011). Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Retrieved from:  http://www.scj.go.jp/ja/info/jishin/pdf/t-110405-3e.pdf .

Fraser, Scotty., 2009. Environmental Issues: Natural Disasters. Alexandria: Tim and Gale Publishing, 35-38.

Gilbert, L.F., 2011. Application of non-conventional and renewable energy sources. Accessed at: http://www.em-ea.org/Guide%20Books/book-4/4.12App%20of%20Non%20conventional.pdf.

Family Background Plant, Breeding History Plan

isconsin fast plants were developed in the mid-1980's by professor Paul illiams as a way of enabling individuals to study the life cycle of plants in a relatively short period of time. isconsin fast plants are of the brassica rapa species, and are ideal for short-term studies because they develop celeritously over a life cycle which is completed within a year's time. They typically bloom in the winter. Although there are many different varieties of brassica rapa (which includes strains such as brassica rapa ssp. campestris L., brassica rapa ssp. sarson and others) (Itis), they are all part of the family known as cruciferae. These plants look like many types of vegetables including mustards, turnips and cabbage. Virtually all of the plants in this family have four petals that cross one another similar to a crucifix, which is where the name of this family…

Works Cited

Marstaller, Tess, Hanmer, Tasia, Lang, Caitlin. "Assessing Fast Plant Growth in Different pH Levels." http://communityemmawillard.org. 2003. Web.  http://community.emmawillard.org/Math/mathscienceweb/Fast%20plant%20growth%20in%20different%20pH%20levels_files/Fast%20plant%20growth%20in%20different%20pH%20levels.htm 

Itis. "Brassica Rapa." www.itis.gov. No date. Web.  http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt-search_topic=TSN&search_value=23063 

Williams, P.H., Hill, C.B. "Rapid-Cycling Populations of Brassica." Science. 232 1385-1389. 1986. Web.  http://www.fastplants.jp/pdf/science.pdf

The geneticist must first identify the wild crop, to be utilized as a comparative, (99) stressing that such information to be considered accurate in time and space must be gleaned from archaeological record and only based on the genetic process determined from the modern research in plant and/or even animal genetics.

In regards to the animal domesticate the issues become much more complicated, sometimes offering a richer picture of the effects of domestication upon animals but more often offering a more laborious process with more missing pieces of information. The difference between the plant and animal studies is largely do to the complicated nature of the animal as compared to the plant. The variables associated with animal selection are far greater in number and far less predictable than with those of plants as within the genetic record of an animal far more variations occur and surprises are historically evident in…

Works Cited

Emshwiller, E. 2006 Genetic data and plant domestication. in, Documenting Domestication: New Genetic and Archaeological Paradigms, edited by M.A. Zeder, D.G.Bradley, E.Emshwiller, and B.D.Smith, pp.99-122. University of California Press, Berkeley.

Smith, Bruce D. 206 Documenting domesticated plants in the archaeological record. in, Documenting Domestication: New Genetic and Archaeological Paradigms, edited by M.A. Zeder, D.G.Bradley, E.Emshwiller, and B.D.Smith, pp.15-24

Bradley, D.G 2006 Documenting domistication: reading Animal genetic texts. in, Documenting Domestication: New Genetic and Archaeological Paradigms, edited by M.A. Zeder, D.G.Bradley, E.Emshwiller, and B.D.Smith, pp.273-278 University of California Press, Berkeley.

Zeder, M.A. 2006 Archaeological approaches to documenting animal domestication.In, Documenting Domestication: New Genetic and Archaeological Paradigms, edited by M.A. Zeder, D.G.Bradley, E.Emshwiller, and B.D.Smith, pp.171-180 University of California Press, Berkeley.

edland Wastewater Treatment Plant

edland Water is the department of the edland City council that oversees the collection, treatment, and disposal of waste water in edland City. esidential households and commercial premises such as shopping centers, cafes, commercial laundries, butchers, car-washing centers, and restaurants are the main sources of waste water in edland City. Once collected, waste water is stored temporarily in abattoirs, before being released for treatment in one of the seven treatment plants located in Point Lookout, Dunwich, Mount Cotton, Victoria Point, Thorneside, Cleveland, and Capalaba (edland City Council, 2012). The author paid the Capalaba Treatment Plant a visit, and found that the plant had just upgraded to a new waste water treatment technique referred to as the Vetiver Grass System, herein referred to as the VS. The Vetiver system, "a green and environmentally-friendly waste water technology as well as natural recycling method," had just been approved by…

Reference List

AMPC, 2005. Waste Water. AMPC [online] Available at http://www.ampc.com.au/site/assets/media/reports/Resources/Wastewater-enviromental-best-practice-manual.pdf

Ash, R. And Truong, P., n.d.The Use of Vetiver Grass Wetlands for Sewerage Treatment in Australia. Dokuz Eylul University Library [online] Available at  http://web.deu.edu.tr/atiksu/ana58/new80.pdf 

Piemonte, V., De Falco, M. And Basile, A. Eds., 2013. Sustainable Development in Chemical Engineering: Innovative Technologies. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons

Redland City Council, 2010. Waste Water. Redland City Council [online] Available at  http://www.redland.qld.gov.au/EnvironmentWaste/Water/Pages/Wastewater.aspx

Ethics and Plant Closure

Situation Analysis -- ABC/DVD Manufacturing, Inc. must decide whether to close its plant in Anytown, MA. The plant closure would result in the lay-off of 50 employees. Management has asked for a brief outlining the ethical issues surrounding plant closures, and the questions apparent on profit vs. ethical behavior.

At the heart of the decision are several questions that must be considered prior to a decision. Each question plays into the overall analysis of the issue, and affects various stakeholders in different ways:

Primary Stakeholder

Affects

If plant closes, can a good portion of the employee base be transferred to other locations?

Employees: relocation of families, etc.

Company: costs for relocation.

Increased costs for corporation, but would those be absorbed by closing the plant?

Are jobs skilled or unskilled? Where will production be now (offshore?) Is it possible to relocate employees?

What affect would closure have…

REFERENCES

MacIntyre, A. A Short History of Ethics. New York: Routledge, 2006.

White, T. Ethics Toolbox. Center for Ethics and Business at Loyola Marymount University.

2011. Retrieved from:  http://www.ethicsandbusiness.org/toolbox/philoethics.htm

Straight Line Depreciation -- an equal depreciation amount each year;

2. Units of Activity-- depreciation is based on asset's productivity rather than time passage;

3. Declining Balance -- an accelerated method which uses a fixed percentage of the asset's declining book value each year.

An asset may need to be replaced, bought or sold when it has outlived its useful life. For example, this can occur with trucks used in transporting goods and services. Overtime, their useful life depreciates. As such they will need to be traded in, or sold for cash to purchase new trucks.

What are the options for accounting for these dispositions?

In regards to accounting, irrespective if the firm sells the asset, trades the asset in, or discards it altogether, they will need to follow the ensuing steps.

1. ecord the additional depreciation in the general journal. Update the plant asset record. Depreciation expense is recorded…

References:

1) Kaplan, Robert S. And Bruns, W. Accounting and Management: A Field Study Perspective (Harvard Business School Press, 1987) ISBN 0-87584-186-4

, and inhibits herbivores and pathogens" (Las Pilitas Nursery). This is the reason the manzanita is such an excellent survivor: it has good roots. Thus, the manzanita can grow for over a century if the conditions are right.

Manzanitas also serve as a good source of nectar for some of the more pleasant fauna of nature: butterflies and hummingbirds. The manzanita, therefore, is a shrub that can bring an element of natural beauty to the native Californian landscape.

A view of the different hybrids that are available may give some indication of the different varieties of manzanitas available for different tastes.

First, there is the "Austin Griffith" manzanita -- which is a cross between the A. densiflora and the Dr. Hurd. It can reach a height of 10 ft and a width of 6 ft. It is a flowering shrub (the flowers are small and pink) and the leaves are…

Works Cited

"Las Pilitas Nursery." Web. 24 July 2011.

The price charged for the company's biodiesel product lines will be tied to the prevailing prices charged for feed stock and production costs, but any costs in excess of traditional diesel fuel alternatives will be offset by marketing initiatives designed to promote the environmentally responsible aspects of the products' use, as well as the patriotic aspects of reducing America's reliance on foreign oil.

Distribution (Place). Transportation for the company's product line will be outsourced.

Promotion. As noted above, biodiesel products possess a number of characteristics that can be promoted to different industries and organizations depending on their specific needs. Larger enterprises such as Universal Studios Theme Park could be encouraged to use biodiesel alternatives based on the tax advantages and public relations opportunities such use affords; likewise, governmental agencies could reap economies of scale by converting large vehicle fleets to biodiesel applications and also enjoy the P benefits that accrue…

References

Cravens, D.W. (2000). Strategic marketing (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Edinger, R. & Kaul, S. (2003). Sustainable mobility: Renewable energies for powering fuel cell vehicles. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Kram, J.W. (2008, April). Biodiesel blossoms in the Sunshine State. Biodiesel Magazine. [Online]. Available:  http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2209&q=&page=3 .

Schmidt, C.W. (2007). Biodiesel: Cultivating alternative fuels. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(2), 86-87.

Other performance plastic intermediates and products manufactured by Dow include bisphenol a, polyurethane and epichlorohydrin amongst others.

The water solutions business unit of Dow Chemical Company manufactures Film Tec reverse osmosis membranes. These membranes are largely used for water purification for human use and include Dowlex ion exchange resins and Carbowax polyethylene glycols. The agricultural segment of Dow Chemical Company, Dow Agro Sciences, produces various agricultural chemicals and consumer products. This segment is not only responsible for herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, but it also sells different agricultural seeds commercially. On the other hand, consumer products include various chemicals like detergents, soaps and cosmetics.

Product Safety:

Despite the fact that Dow Chemical Company is the world's second largest chemical manufacturing firm, the company is also infamous for production of chemicals that are harmful to human beings. Throughout its history, Dow Chemical Company has from time to time come under serious criticism…

References:

"Dow Chemical Company" (2009, October 30). Zacks Investment Research. Retrieved June 25,

2010, from  http://www.zacks.com/mediaroom/zer_get_pdf.php?r=Z533773 

"Dow Energy-Track Record" (n.d.). The Dow Chemical Company. Retrieved June 25, 2010,

from  http://energy.dow.com/track_record/

Superior Living

For the plant construction project, we need to have a way to determine if this project is something we should do or not. There are a number of different ways the firms evaluate such projects, but the most common are the net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR) and the modified internal rate of return (MIRR). Each of these is based on the concept of discounted cash flow. The incremental cash flows of the project are evaluated to determine whether or not there is a positive cash flow, on a time-adjusted (discounted) basis (Investopedia, 2012). In theory, if the project makes a positive contribution to the company, it should be accepted. In practice, companies face decisions between mutually exclusive options. Given our tight financing, that might be the case here. So the different projects that people want to have financed will need to be evaluated against…

Works Cited:

Investopedia. (2012). Capital budgeting. Investopedia. Retrieved March 6, 2012 from axzz1oHefP0yK

No author. (2012). Modified internal rate of return -- MIRR. Think & Done. Retrieved March 6, 2012 from http://finance.thinkanddone.com/mirr.html

iordan Fans

iordan's plant A is in China and produces the plastic fan blades and housings, with the Michigan, USA, location the customized look of the fans. Challenges were identified that show obstacles to the manner in which the process design and supply chain were handled and could be improved.

Process Design for Production of iordan Electric Fan:

Currently, the Chinese plant uses a made-to-order fabrication process in manufacturing. The process is high in quality, but low in efficiency because it uses batching to allow fans to be made to the consumer's needs. However, the market is growing to the point that this is inefficient. For iordan to remain competitive, it needs to be more aggressive in process design so it can gain more market share.

Inventory management should support a just-in-time delivery system (JIT) and the process should include an overview of material requirements planning (MP) and manufacturing resource…

REFERENCES

Greb, E. (2009). "Is JIT Manufacturing the Right Prescription?" Pharmaceutical

Technology. 33 (3): 72+.

Jongebloed, J. (2007). Focused Logistics - Sense and Respond Logistics. Logistics Spectrum, 41(3), 21-9.

Lee, W., & Katzorke, M. (2010). Leading Effective Supply Chain Transformation. Ft. Lauderdale, FL: J. Ross Pubslihers.

Creating Word Class Performance in a Jaguar Assembly Plant

Multiple Cause Diagram

In the above multiple cause diagram, six feedback loops exist and they relate to the following sub-systems.

Planning

Customer Orders

Purchasing

Stores, and Production

The model indicates that the goal is matching the demand with production and is causal to seamless back-to-back activities in the areas of purchasing, production and planning. The diagram explores significant areas such as the impact changes in customer schedule has on production requirements. Customer schedule changes are difficult to determine precisely, especially as pertains to production due dates and material needs (Tomar, 2008).

The diagram below can be very helpful in identifying the factors driving a certain change event. It can be used to identify "cause chains" and help in the identification of key elements. While it is relatively simple, it indicates clearly why a change is taking place and in doing so…

References

Belogolovsky, E. & Bamberger, P., 2014. Signaling in Secret: Pay for Performance and the Incentive and Sorting Effects of Pay Secrecy. Academy of Management Journal, 57(6), pp. 1706-1733.

Ahmed, A. & Hussain, E., 2014. Effect of Disturbance on Closed-Loop Control System. International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology, 3(8), pp. 15672-15676.

Andrews, R., Boyne, G. & Enticott, G., 2007. Performance failure in the public sector. Public Management Review, 8(2), pp. 273-296.

Bajorek, Z. & Bevan, S., 2015. Performance-related-pay in the UK public sector: A review of the recent evidence on effectiveness and value for money. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 2(2), pp. 94-109.

The advocator of the Iran Democracy Act incorporates the Iranian Monarchist groups, The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee -- AIPAC, and the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs -- JINSA.

It also includes the well established organizations that may get sanctions under the Bill such as Coalition for Democracy in Iran -- CDI- which was formed by Morris Amitay of JINSA, ob Sobhani, President of Caspian Energy Consulting and Michael Ledeen of the American Enterprise Institute who were recognized as the staunch supporters of the change in the rule of Iran. Moreover, the advocators also put forth that the previous U.S. funding of opposition groups in other countries was important to promotion of democracy in such countries and Iran cannot be an exception to this. This necessitates the U.S. To include human rights and democracy on its agenda in respect of Iran. (Senator Brown Back Announces Iran Democracy Act with…

References

Afrasiabi, Kaveh L. Regional Obstacles to Democracy in Iran. 24 January, 2001.

Retrieved from  http://www.payvand.com/news/01/jan/1144.html  Accessed on 7 May, 2005

Chomsky, Noam. Promoting democracy in Middle East. Khaleej Times. 4 March, 2005. Retrieved from  http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/opinion/2005/March/opinion_March6.xml& ; section=opinion& col= Accessed on 7 May, 2005

Kazemzadeh, Masoud. Political culture and obstacles to democracy in Iran. The Iranian. 30

Infrastructure Projects

Examining Power Infrastructure Projects

With natural gas and oil resources dwindling and the greenhouse gas threat continues to grow, it will be crucial to examine alternatives for cleaner power. The project will explore two different categories of infrastructure projects, including the construction of water power plants and solar plants. The two projects will be from developing nations in order to help expose potential for changes for future projects. The hydroelectricity plant to be examined is the Brantas iver Basin Development Project in Indonesia, while the solar plant is the Ourzazate Solar Power Station project in Morocco. Ultimately, this will help this current research explore the strengths and weaknesses of both in order to provide recommendations not just for projects here in the United States, but also around the world that help strengthen growing economies.

Integrated power production construction projects are enormous endeavors and are quite complicated. There are…

References

Konate, Ibrahima, Arfquoi, Youssef, & Faller, Tanja. (2012). Project Ourzazate Solar Power Station. American Development Bank. Web.  http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Project-and-Operations/Morocco%20-%20%20AR%20Ouarzazate%20Project%20I%20%282%29.pdf 

Shimomura, Yasutami. (2011). Infrastructure construction experiences in East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa: A comparative study for mutual learning. SOAS International Workshop on Aid and Development in Asia and Africa. Web.  http://www.jica.go.jp/uk/english/office/topics/pdf/topics111028_04_02.pdf

Location Acquisition

The author of this report has been asked to step in as an Environmental and Safety Manager to inspect a polluted work location that was bought "as is" with the understanding that the acquiring company would pay any and all costs of remediating and fixing the polluted ground and such on the worksite. The early study indications include the fact there is oil pollution in the higher earth around the plant. However, the actual source material is not known and thus a waste delineation study will be necessary. There are also three buildings where equipment has been stored and there seems to be a pit where amounts of oil and other potential substances were discarded. The author of this report is being asked to design a waste delineation program that addresses all of the necessary factors including soil impact, groundwater impact, whether there are any dissolved contaminants in…

References

EPA. (2016). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Epa.gov. Retrieved 19 February 2016, from  http://epa.gov 

Nolo. (2016). Unenforceable Contracts: What to Watch Out For -- Nolo.com. Nolo.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016, from  http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/unenforceable-contracts-tips-33079.html 

OSHA. (2016). Occupational Safety and Health Administration - Home. Osha.gov. Retrieved 19 February 2016, from  https://www.osha.gov/

food offered at the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina is unhealthy and caters to workers' wants instead of focusing on nutritional needs.

Overview of Alternatives: BMW's Spartanburg cafeteria could (1) offer only health foods including organic, low-fat, and vegetarian options or (2) could continue to offer its current choices but increase the number of healthy options available and increase employee education about healthy food choices.

Criteria: The criteria used to judge the feasibility and likelihood of success of the program include: affordability and the likelihood that employees will choose healthier options.

Evaluating the costs and benefits of implementing a healthy food program will be multi-dimensional and include an examination of the benefits of healthy eating, the likelihood that healthy habits will transition from the workplace to the home, and the financial costs of these changes.

Evaluation of Alternatives: Alternative A is offering only healthy options. Alternative B is offering…

References

Consumer Reports. (2015, March 19). The cost of organic food. Retrieved February 7, 2016

from:  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/cost-of-organic-food/index.htm 

Hall, D. (2011). How much does a good wellness program cost? Retrieved February 7, 2016

from Wellsource, Inc. website:  http://wellsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/How_Much_Should_a_Wellness_Program_Cost.pdf

Plant in Mexico

GM501-xx (xx = section #)

Management Theories and Practice II

Introduction (Summary of the Case)

This case study looks at the need for American management in Mexico and the benefits and obstacles to such a working relationship. More contemporary and dynamic management is needed in Mexico for the most part and many firms desire it strongly. Many of the most successful companies still understand that the maquiladora industry needs to be able to step up its level of production so that it can compete on a more versatile level that can play a more rigorous hand within the world market and with what can be constructed within the U.S. There needs to be more of a general perspective of American managers acting as ambassadors of goodwill. There needs to be a more heightened sense of responsibility in this light.

Analysis

Major Issue (What and Why and How)…

References

De Forest, M.E. (1994). Thinking of a Plant in Mexico? Academy of Management Executive.

Biology

Invertebrates:

Echinodermata Phyla:

What other phyla relies on "hydraulics" as part of their locomotion system?

Arthropoda

Phylum Cnidaria:

How do medusa of Aurelia and Gonionemus differ in size, arrangement of tentacles, and shape of manubrium?

Aurelia has tentacles that are evenly spaced around their center; they also have a single attached to a single tentacle bud. They are more circular in shape.

The Gonionemus is narrow and has many tentacles. They are also small and are bell shaped.

What structures within the coral polyp do the radial ridges within each depression support?

Calyx and stomach

How does fragmentation contribute to the evolutionary success of anthrozoans in their environment?

For many corals, the damage that is caused to the initial coral structure by storms or strong wave actions may create fragments. These fragments move through the water and create new colonies of coral.

Durgesia

Planarians have a head. In biological…

However, animals or human intervention are often needed to achieve seed dispersal over long distances (Czarnecka, 2005). Hurricanes are also responsible for transport of seeds over long distances (Czarnecka, 2005).

Grasslands were found to consist of a mosaic pattern where dense clusters of a single plant form. This suggests that seed rain around the plant is the primary seed dispersal process at work in these areas (Czarnecka, 2005). Wind may help to spread species to new patches, but the primary seed dispersal mechanism would be likely to be seeds falling to the ground. Compared to brush lands, the dominant species were within the Carex family. The dominant species in the brush lands was Origanum vulgare. Seed dispersal by anemochore dominated in the grasslands, with nearly 43% of the plants using this methods exclusively. Among brush land plants, dispersal by plants that depended on animals for dispersal, either by eating the…

References

Au, N., Corlett, R., & Hau, B. (2006). Seed rain into upland plant communities in Hong Kong, China. Plant Ecology. 186 (1), 13-22.

Czarnecka, J. (2005). Seed dispersal effectiveness in three adjacent plant communities xerothermic grassland, brushwood, and woodland. Ann. Bot Fennici. 42: 161-171.

Elsa, W., Lee, B. Hau, C., & Corlett, R. (2005). Natural regeneration in exotic tree plantations in Hong Kong, China.

Forest Ecology and Management. 212 (1-3), 358-366.

Gene Technology

Genetically Modified Crop Plants

The term genetically modified organisms, popularly referred to as GMOs, constitute crops, animals and even microorganisms that have undergone development my man and technology. Through the great leaps man has developed in technology, it is now possible to 'create' organisms and plants through the combination of genes considered superior, resistant and quick-maturing. Farming and animal rearing land brings a challenge in the current world, due to population explosions. This trend has been brought about by the necessity to feed the ever-increasing food demand by world populations.

The world today carries over six billion people, a number that increases every day. The natural means of plant reproduction cannot support to feed this population due to the long time taken to grow to maturity, poor yields and the limited space for planting. Therefore, genetic modification has gained an edge in the development of such crops as…

References

Conway, G. 2000. Genetically modified crops: risks and promise. Conservation Ecology 4(1): 2. [online] URL:  http://www.consecol.org/vol4/iss1/art2 

McMichael, D. Costanza, R., H. Daly, C. Folke, P. Hawken, C.S. Holling, A.J. Pimentel, and D. Rapport. (2000). Managing our environmental portfolio. Bioscience 50: 149-155.

Deborah B. Whitman (2000) Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? (Released April 2000)  http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php 

Ellstrand, N. 2000. The elephant that is biotechnology: Comments on "Genetically modified crops: risks and promise" by Gordon Conway. Conservation Ecology 4(1):8. [online] URL:  http://www.consecol.org/vol4/iss1/art8

EIA eport

The project in question that of Building a reduced-sulfur generating, coal-fired plant by GHECO-One in Map Ta Phut, Thailand was examined for potential environmental impact due to the possible damage that the plant could cause. The company has stated throughout that their wish is to construct a plant that will be both environmentally and physically safe for the people, plants and animals that live within the region. This evaluation looks at that report with a specific view towards whether this environmental assessment is overly politicized in order to pacify the examining board of the country, and whether the site will have a cultural impact for the regions fishermen and others who either work in the area or are in some way affected by it. This evaluation is conducted to determine if the impact assessment met all of the requirements of a truthful and straightforward telling of the facts.…

References

EBR., 2009. Construction of GHECO-One coal-fired IPP power plant continues in Thailand. Retrieved from http://www.energy-business- review.com/news/construction_of_ghecoone_coalfired_ipp_power_plant_continu es_in_thailand_090526

Fujitsu., 2012. Fujitsu's ICT helps to solve environmental issues in Thailand. Retrieved from  http://www.fujitsu.com/global/news/pr/archives/month/2012/20120207 - 02.html

GHECO-One., 2010. Thermal power plant project. Retrieved from http://www.glow.co.th/OurProject/EN/GHECO- ONE/Summary%20report%20of%20GHECO-ONE_English.pdf

Hariharan, M., 2011. Thailand's Map Ta Phut crisis -- The NGO side of the story. Retrieved from  http://www.icis.com/blogs/asian-chemical - connections/2010/03/thailands-map-ta-phut-crisis -- .html

role a hired consultant organization. You asked president organization prepare a background paper results research findings make recommendations improve group productivity organization.

Manufacturing plant

The manufacturing plant is characterized by the fact that it conducts manufacturing operations for the parent company, yet it is physically separated from it. In the current case, a problem has been observed in the fact that the manufacturing plant is also culturally separated from the parent company. In other words, the internal culture of the parent company is one based on operational efficiency and profitability, but attained through the adequate integration of all resources available. The parent company as such develops and implements an extensive human resource programs, which is underdeveloped at the manufacturing plant.

Within the manufacturing facility then, a wide array of problems arises among the staff members and these unavoidably lead to productivity shortages. In such a setting then, it is believed…

References:

Fischer, F.M., 2010, The application of the controllability principle and managers' responses: a role theory perspective, Springer

Holt, M., Best practices for productivity improvement, Chron,  http://smallbusiness.chron.com/practices-productivity-improvement-695.htmllast  accessed on July 18, 2012

Mercer, C., What is 'role conflict' in organizations?, eHow, http://www.ehow.com/about_6304551__role-conflict_-organizations_.html last accessed on July 18, 2012

Thompson, M., 7 steps to exceptional virtual team communication, Ezine Articles,  http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Steps-to-Exceptional-Virtual-Team-Communication&id=440334last  accessed on July 18, 2012

The government has rather low environmental expectations. In fact, the consultant found that they are about as lenient as the Mexican restrictions, though the Philippines presents no public relations nightmare as protestors are not rallying against health concerns, as they were in Mexico.

Although the conditions in the Philippines may seem even more ready for outsourcing then the conditions in Mexico, the ethical costs of operating the company in the country are once again too high. Like the situation in Mexico, workers in the Philippines may work for lower wages than workers in the United States, but owners are not being provided with the same level of skill that they would be if continuing to operate the factory in the United States. Because the factory workers would consist mainly of underfed adults and impoverished children, the company would be lucky if workers managed to produce sufficient amounts of products throughout…

References

Esselaar, Jeanne. (2002). The Debate over Outsourcing in South Africa: Evidence from a case study. Proceedings from Development Policy Research Unit Conference '02. Muldersdrift, Johannesburg.

Casale, Frank J. (2006). The Outsourcing Institute: Mexico Trends & Opportunities.

Retrieved June 1, 2008, from, http://www.outsourcing.com/mexico_trends/mexico.html

Roberts, Russell (2000). The Choice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Employee theft is noted by Mishra and Prassad (2006) to be a major component of private and public retail shrinkage.There is a consensus that theft in the workplace constitutes a serious offense and is a cause of serious problem (Weber, Kurke & Pentico, 2003).Employees have been noted to steal time, money, merchandise as well as other forms of company property like information in exchange for cash and other forms of favors. Wells (2001) noted that opportunity is the main reason for commissioning fraud. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. employees lose between $20-$40 billion annually through employee theft alone. This theft is noted to be responsible for 30% of all business failure (Condon,2003).Bamfield (2004) further indicated that employee theft is commonplace in the business today.

General prevention strategies against employee theft: A literature review

Vigilance is noted as the key to the prevention of corporate fraud and the…

References

Albrecht, WS., Albrecht, CC., Albrecht, CO. Zimbelman, MF (2011) .Fraud Examination. Cengage Learning

Anderson, R. 2007. The Credit Scoring Toolkit: theory and practice for retail credit risk management and decision automation. New York: Oxford University Press.

Albrecht, W.S., and G.W. Wernz.( 1993). The three factors of fraud. Security Management 95: no pagination as electronic article

Bamfield, J. (2004), "Shrinkage, shoplifting and the cost of retail crime in Europe: a crosssectional analysis of major retailers in 16 European countries," International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 32 Nos 4/5, pp. 235-241.

Buying a 17 acre farm with the inheritance left him at age 21 by his father, Burbank got to work on producing better strains of plants and trees to increase yield, promote disease resistance, resist environmental changes, and resistance to insects and fungus'. Burbank cross pollinated all the flowers of plants by hand and planted all the resulting seeds. From these seeds, he then selected the most promising plants to cross with other ones to ensure the best was achieved. From the book, "The Cavalcade of America," the unknown author refers to Burbank as the "Plant Wizard" and writes of the many lasting accomplishments he made in regards to the field of agriculture. (Cavalcade, 1946, pg 129). Many scientist dispute Burbanks and his work due to the documentation kept was not in line with 'proper' scientific documentation.

Conclusion

The opinion of this researcher is that while Mendel studied hybridization and…

References

Stegemann, S. & Bock, R. Exchange of genetic material between cells in plants tissue

Grafts. Science, pg 649-651. Retrieved on April 1, 2010 from www.sciencemag.com.

The cavalcade of America. (1946). Retrieved on April 7, 2010 from  http://www.otrr.org/FILES/Scripts_pdf

water in your area? ("Your perspective on water differs whether you live near the Great Lakes, in the arid west, or by the coast."(McCarthy, 2009)

Outline a brief water conservation plan for your own daily use. How will these changes affect your personal life? What impact will it have on your local water supply?

There is plentiful water in my region (I live in the Great Lakes region). Nonetheless, a brief water conservation plan is the following:

To use water for just its needs and to ensure that tap water is not left running in between those needs.

To double used bathwater as water that can be used for washing the floor.

To, as much as possible, use rainwater for gardening

In order to supply water to humans certain technologies must be utilized.

Desalination is one of the methods that are used for promoting pure water supply. It literally means…

References

FAO report reveals GM crops not needed to feed the world  http://www.psrast.org/faonowohu.htm 

Forbes.com (11/03/2012) GMO Food Debate in the National Spotlight  http://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelhennessey/2012/11/03/gmo-food-debate-in-the-national-spotlight/ )

Greenopolis. Top 10 Environmental Success Stories and 10 Future Challenges. http://greenopolis.com/goblog/joe-laur/top-10-environmental-success-stories-and-10-future-challenges

Groves, J (19 December 2009 ) Climate change summit accepts 'toothless' U.S.-backed agreement - but deal is not legally binding DailMail.com  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1236659/Copenhagen-climate-change-conference-World-leaders-reach-Copenhagen-agreement  -- officials-admit-enough.html#ixzz2Cg3714zQ

Human esource Management class focus area. Here questions: 1. Your company plans build a manufacturing plant undecided locate .

New manufacturing plant

The opening of a new manufacturing plant in a different location is pegged to a series of uncertainties and risks. In order to minimize these risks, it is necessary for the economic agent to consider a wide array of elements in making the final decision of the location. At this level, a notable role is played by the purpose of the new location. The two more common reasons for opening new manufacturing plants are either a desire to expand production, or a desire to cut costs and as such support profitability.

In the first scenario then, more emphasis in choosing the location would be placed on the identification of a new site that possesses some comparative advantage in the field of manufacturing. This advantage could refer to skilled…

References:

Greenhouse, S. (2011). Union membership in U.S. fell to a 70-year low last year. The New York Times.  http://www.nytimes.com /2011/01/22/business/22union.html?_r=0' target='_blank' REL='NOFOLLOW'>

Because of the importance of a plant or other large employer in a town, virtually everyone in that town can be considered a stakeholder that will be affected when the plant closes down and people are laid off.

Who takes responsibility for the closure is also significant. Company managers and owners that attempt to pawn the closures and problems off on others are usually not well-received. Those that are truly responsible for the decision to close the plant should be honest with everyone about their roles in the closing and why they have made this type of decision. Large companies rarely do things without good reason, but making employees that are about to be laid-off understand the reasons can be difficult, and should not be done vaguely or through third parties in order to avoid 'taking the blame.'

One of the best ways that these individuals can give the news…

The analysis as described William E. Koffel, P.E., FSFPE of Koffel Associates in the Fire Protection Engineering magazine article, "A Methodology to Analyze the Concept of Balanced Design," states, the fire impact can be managed by either managing the fire or managing the exposed. The fact that the diagram contains an "or" gate indicates that one need only manage the fire or manage the exposed. However, the use of the "or" gate also assumes 100% effectiveness and reliability associated with the chosen strategy, assuming that the fire safety objectives are to be achieved in all reasonably credible fire scenarios (Koffel, 2002, ¶5).

The concept evaluates all scenarios that can happen and any failures that can occur with the fire safety and prevention equipment.

Conclusion

Analysis of the fire at the Watts Bar Hydroelectric Plant and the NFPA 550, Guide to the Fire Safety Concepts Tree, indicates that the fire could…

References

Francis, G. 2003. "TVA Concludes Watts Bar Hydro Fire Investigation." Retrieved on October

5, 2010 from  http://www.tva.gov/news/releases/janmar03/fire.htm 

Koffel, W. 2002. "A Methodology to Analyze the Concept of Balanced Design." Fire Protection

Engineering. Retrieved on October 5, 2010 from http://www.fpemag.com/archives/article.asp?issue_id=10&i=208

Lee College Financial Activities

Lee College is an academic non-profit organization that awards both undergraduate and graduate degree program to students across the world. Located in the United States, the financial statements of the Lee College conform to the Government Accounting Standard Board (GASB). (Lovvorn & Kieschnick, 2011). Overview of the Lee College financial activity reveals that total unrestricted revenues at the end of the 2012 fiscal year is totaled $16,230,000 while total unrestricted expenses are $17,050,000. However, $3,290,000 is total amount record for the increase in permanent restricted revenues and $650,000 is increase in temporary restricted. Temporary restricted consists of contributions totaled $1,500,000, gain on long-term investment and net assets released from restrictions. Permanent restricted revenues consist of income of endowment totaled $2,540,000 and gains on long-term investment totaled $750,000. Overall amount of permanent restricted revenues are $3,290,000.

Unrestricted revenues reveal the total revenues and total expenses, and unrestricted…

References

Lovvorn & Kieschnick .(2011). "Lee College District Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended August 31, 2011. Lovvorn & Kieschnick."

CEO's Statement

A CEO who has elected to allow workers to make their own choices as to whether they want to do something dangerous as part of their work for the company is setting herself up for an entire host of problems. There are several reasons why it is not a good idea for the CEO to allow this kind of behavior, and the most compelling moral argument on the subject comes from utilitarianism (Cornman, et al., 1992). This particular type of moral theory states that the good of the masses is more significant and important than the good of the few (osen, 2003). In other words, people should not be allowed to have "free reign" to do what they please if that is going to harm others. In this case, one could argue that the workers would only be harming themselves, but that is not true. The chemical exposure…

References

Cornman, J., et al. (1992). Philosophical problems and arguments - An introduction, 4th ed. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Co.

Rosen, F. (2003). Classical utilitarianism from Hume to Mill. New York, NY: Routledge

Urban Forestry

Describe where you would locate your urban forest and explain why you would locate it there. emember to take into account major features, waterways, elevations, roads, etc. As well as climate and soils of the location. You can describe the area by noting bordering roads and features.

The devastation created by Hurricane Katrina was at least partially due to the decision to build homes in areas highly prone to flooding during frequent storms. Given the likelihood of another catastrophic hurricane, 'locating' an urban forest as inland as possible on elevated ground would be essential. "New Orleans offers an opportunity to study an urban forest in a subtropical environment…The city has been built on the natural levees of the Mississippi iver, backswamps, marshes, and reclaimed land along Lake Pontchartrain. Little of the natural vegetative cover of the site remains; today's urban forest is anthropogenic" (Talarchek 1987: 217). This means…

References

Gill, Dan. (2012). Fruit trees provide sweet harvest for your landscape. Times Picayune.

Retrieved:

 http://www.nola.com/homegarden/index.ssf/2012/02/fruit_trees_provide_sweet_harv.html 

New Orleans' urban forests survived Katrina. (2005). MSNBC. Retrieved:

egulations and requirements

The Federal Aviation Authority -- FAA passed the "Vision100 - Century of Aviation eauthorization Act," which among other regulations also allowed for the allocation of the AIP funds for the facilities like hangars and fuel farms. This is stated in the law that the secretary can pay the funds "apportioned to the airport sponsor under section 47114 (d) (3) (a) and if the Secretary determines that the sponsor has made adequate provision for financing airside needs of the airport." ("Airport Improvement Program," 2004) Therefore all planners and builders are required to submit a business plan. In the event where the promoter of the proposed airport is not requiring the genera fund, still considering these guidelines will help in determining the profitability and the types of facility and structures required. The foremost concern is to evaluate the need. The plan must show the demand envisaged for the facility.…

References

Banister, David; Berechman, Joseph. (2000) "Transport Investment and Economic

Development" UCL Press: London.

De Neufville, Richard; Odoni, Amedeo R. (2002) "Airport Systems: Planning, Design, and Management" McGraw-Hill.

Doganis, Rigas. (2002) "Flying off Course: The Economics of International Airlines"

Treadway

Analyze the Harvard case the Treadway Tire Company: Job Dissatisfaction and High Turnover at the Lima Tire Plant 2189

Analysis of Treadway Tire

Analysis of the Harvard case the Treadway Tire Company: Job Dissatisfaction and High Turnover at the Lima Tire Plant 2189

An analysis of the dilemma facing the Treadway Tire Company, particularly at its Lima plant in Ohio, is one that reveals many aspects and problematics of contemporary human resource management. This case is in essence a model for many of the themes and issues facing modern management and leadership in large-scale industry.

The Treadway Tire's plant in Lima has been confronted with high levels of job dissatisfaction, which is accompanied by high turnover rates, particularly among there line foremen at the company. This is partly due to the position of the foremen as they are uncomfortably situated between management and the unions. However, central to the…

References

Bandura, A. (1993) Perceived Self-Efficacy in Cognitive Development and Functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28( 2).

Greenberg, J. (Ed.). (2003). Organizational Behavior: The State of the Science (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Retrieved from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=110700896 

Jackson S. And Schuler R. (1990) Human Resource Planning Challenges for Industrial/Organizational Psychologists. American Psychologist, 45( 2) pp. 223-239

Kalliath, T, and Beck A, (2001) Alexandra Is the path to burnout and turnover paved by a lack of supervisory support? A structural equations test. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, December 01, 2001. Retrieved from  http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-83447488/path-burnout-and-turnover.html