Simulation Models for Supply Chain Design

Simulation of the supply chain is vital for companies. Simulation identifies the market and product dynamics of a company. It also improves the services rendered to a company’s clients. Nikon has lately focused its attention to improving the effectiveness of its supply chains.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Simulation Models for Supply Chain Design specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More UPS has helped the company to have a fully synchronized supply chain that is quite effective. UPS took up the task of coming up with an integrative supply chain to help the company to introduce a new product line (Nikon, 2010). United Parcel Services was able to come up with an integrated, yet not sophisticated, supply chain solution that saw Nikon have the capacity to control inbound flight and ocean freight. The concept was put in simulation and the company was quite happy with progress that was realized. Initially, the compan y would have to wait and to have its products shipped specifically due to their delicate nature (Nikon, 2010). The goods had to be repackaged using other human resource which added onto the cost for the company. UPS however came up with software that could disembark the whole product into parts way before the departure of the flight. This was meant to enable it use as minimal space as possible which is one of the requirements of an effective supply chain. This also ensured there was little space used when packaging products which is also important to save on the cost associated with the supply chain. This was highly beneficial to the company as it reduced the length of the supply chain which served the purpose of increasing the availability of the company‘s products in the market. Therefore, it increased profits for the company (Nikon, 2010). The software employed the use a machine that could easily dissemble products of a company that had similar features quite fast. Once tha t was done a person would be involved in putting the parts together for a particular product. This was very fast and efficient. When all was complete the company would employ the services of cranes that would pack the goods either in a ship or an aero plane.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The software can even estimate the space that would be needed for a particular product sample to be fully packaged (Chang et al. 2010). Compared to human product handling, the software is quite economical as it reduces the advent of damaging the product as the process of transfer from one mode to another is done. The process also upholds most of the principles of an efficient supply chain. These include ergonomic principle, safety principle and cost principle among others (Saunders, 2000). In the modern world it is paramount to focus energy on the effectiveness of the whole supply chain an d the above software ahs the capacity to deliver just that. Once the journey is complete, the software is able to get the product to shape (Winsberg, 2001). Some of the products that use this software, which gets instructions from a central person, are cameras. It helps to keep them in god condition and to enhance the need for lesser human handling. It is also used in manufacturing as it is able estimate the different sizes of the diverse parts and to inform the engineers. It is computer aided and has the capacity to make supply chains more efficient in future (Hertel, 2002). References Chang, Y. et al. (2010). Supply Chain Modeling Using Simulation. Simulation Journal, 2(1), 21-35. Hertel, J. (2002). Using Simulations to Promote Learning in Higher Education. Sterling, Virginia: Stylus. Nikon. (2010). Nikon Focuses On Supply Chain Simulation. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Simulation Models for Supply Chain Design specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Saunders, D. (2000). The International Simulation and Gaming Research Yearbook. London: Kogan Page. Winsberg, E. (2001). Simulations, Models and Theories: Complex Physical Systems and their Representations. Philosophy of Science 68(4), 442–454. This essay on Simulation Models for Supply Chain Design was written and submitted by user Angela S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico essayEssay Writing Service

The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico essayEssay Writing Service The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico essay The BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico essayExecutive SummaryThis report discusses the issue of concern because an oil spill is considered to be a disaster for both for human beings and the environment. The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is no exception. The oil spill affected both human beings and the environment, polluting and damaging vast areas of the adjacent territories and the large populations of wildlife. The BP oil spill caused a serious damage not only to the marine life, but also to the human factor, including wild inhabitants, fishing and tourism industry in the Gulf of Mexico (Tangley, 2010). A large number of factors, including Petroleum toxicity, Corexit dispersant usage and oxygen depletion can be viewed as the major causes of the disaster which led to the negative impact on ecological system (Smithsona Venette, 2013).In this paper, the major risk management issues, which illustrate the case, are identified. Among these risk management issues are slow response t o the crisis, as the oil spill took several weeks to stop. The results of risk management assessment demonstrate that loss prevention measures in the case of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 were in place to prevent the oil spillage starting and the proper cost containment steps were taken to manage the cost of the required clean-up operations, recovery procedures to promote business continuation, many days had been lost. Second, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrated poor governance of organization as the company lacked the effective crisis plan.Thus, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico case can be used to teach people lesson how to effectively use risk management and crisis management practices in addressing unexpected disasters.   To manage the crisis, a special plan should be developed and tested. Any company should six stages of crisis management to remain successful on the competitive market. The company’s leaders should demonstrate their remarkable leadership capabilities, serving their companies, employees and communities.Introduction and AimsThe Gulf of Mexico is one of the most valuable territories because of the availability of the great variety of marine life, including fish, shrimp and other species. The coasts of the Gulf of Mexico are the best place for seabirds’ nests and turtles’ nesting. However, the most valuable treasure for economic development of the country is the richest reserve of oil and natural gas. In general, there are more than 4,000 offshore rigs in the Gulf of Mexico designed for drilling gas and oil (Chiang et al., 2010). According to researchers, â€Å"many people who live in the five U.S. states that border the Gulf of Mexico (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida) depend on the Gulf for jobs and survival†(Chiang et al., 2010, p. 5). One more important function of the Gulf of Mexico is the growing fishing industry that provides over 1.3 pounds of fish an d shellfish each year. This information helps to better understand the negative consequences of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that occurred on April 20, 2010.   The negative effects from oil spill have been widely discussed in scientific literature. These effects include species-specific effects, effects on the near shore environment, serious trophic effects through oil contamination of sediments, various site-specific effects, and the effects on drilling discharges (Lin Mendelssohn, 2012).   Based on recent research findings, â€Å"the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that followed the explosion of the exploration platform Deepwater Horizon on 20 April 2010 was the largest accidental oil spill† in America that requires finding the proper solutions to develop effective risk management practices. It is very important to find out â€Å"if an accident of this size could have been expected† (Acton, 2013, p. 501).The general aims of the analysis presented in this paper include:providing an overview of the key facts surrounding the caseidentification of the major risk management issues identified in the caseComparing and contrast the way in which these three risk management issues were dealt with by the firm(s) involved with material presented in the course or other reference material dealing with the concepts or issues that the case illustratesAssessment of the effectiveness with which the crisis, created as a result of the failures in risk management evident in the case, were managedIdentification of the lessons that can be learned from the case, providing conclusions and the nature of any control procedures and/or risk treatment systems that should have been implemented or where failures occurred.This report is significant for assessment of the key risk management issues that are associated with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The BP’s handling of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that occurred in 2010 teaches people some i mportant crisis management lessons. Actually, the work on oil platforms is automated, but human errors often occur on these structures (Smithsona Venette, 2013).   According to researchers, these oil drilling rigs are considered to be the largest movable human-made structures in the world, as such â€Å"they have become virtual cities afloat that will always have minor equipment failure and human error, not to mention working in hurricane-prone environments† (Ostrom Wilhelmsen, 2012, p. 23). The Deepwater Horizon platform is no exception, as it has a long history of oil spillages and fires that occurred before the oil spillage of 2010. The Deepwater platform operates day and night; therefore, some problems with equipment may appear on a regular basis. This report is aimed at giving explanation of some important risk management practices that should be taken into consideration by other companies to avoid negative consequences, similar to the Deepwater Horizon platform†™s disaster.Case StudyDescription of the key facts surrounding the caseThe BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is considered to be the â€Å"largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of petroleum industry, being 8%-31% larger in volume that the previous largest oil spill, the Ixtos I oil spill† (Holland Schemwell, 2014, p. 23). The BP oil disaster is often called the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It occurred on 20 April 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. Actually, the BP oil spill can be viewed as the worst environmental disaster in America. The BP oil spill occurred near Mississippi River Delta, as a result of a deep-sea floor oil gusher, which was made by the massive explosion of the Deepwater Horizon platform, one of the most efficient and effective semi-submersible drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. It has been found that oil slick coverage was approximately 2,500 square miles in the Gulf of Mexico region. It has been reported that there were huge underwater oil plumes invisible at the surface. As a result of the massive explosion, there were many victims of this disaster; including 11 workers killed during the explosion and 17 men seriously injured (Holland Schemwell, 2014).  On the 15th of July, 2010, the gushing wellhead was capped, but the Deepwater Horizon platform released over 4.9 million barrels or 780,000 m3 of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico (Griggs, 2011). This fact means that as a result of the explosion, over 53,000 barrels of oil were spilled each day of the accident (from July 10 till July 15) before the workers could cap the well. The experts state that for 87 days, the oil continued to flow to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, causing serious damage to the environment and local economy. In other words, crude oil was flowing into the estuaries, marshes and beaches of three states affected by the spillage Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi (Griggs, 2011). The U.S. government declared that the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico can be regarded as a national disaster.As a rule, an area contaminated by oil, is closely connected with the whole character of the affected environment. The free spilling of oil leads to a wide range of negative consequences, including â€Å"the spread by wind and wave† (Bai Bai, 2014, p. 363). The oil spillage from the Deepwater Horizon platform floating on the surface could evaporate through air and sun, spreading over the water surface. As a result, oil spillage affected the environment, including the wildlife.Identification of three major risk management issues illustrated by the caseThe BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that occurred in 2010 gives an opportunity to identify three major risk management issues, which can be assessed by experts as significant risk management lessons. One of the key risk management issues is that â€Å"the oil spill took some weeks to stop† (Hopkin, 2012, p. 175). Although the results of risk management assessment show that loss prevention measures in the case of the BP oil spill were in place to prevent the oil spillage starting and the proper cost containment steps were taken to manage the cost of the required clean-up operations, recovery procedures to promote business continuation, much time had been lost. According to Paul Hopkin (2012), â€Å"it is, perhaps, the case that the damage limitation measures were not as robust as may have been required†(p. 175).Besides, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has raised serious risk management issues regarding the governance of organization involved in the case. Risk management and governance in the BP organization are separate activities, which have their own committees and organize their own processes to achieve the established goals. According to researchers, â€Å"the BP oil spill disaster has clearly shown that the board has to own both the general governance of the organization and its many and varied risk activities† (Wright et al., 2013, p. 16). As a result, the disaster created an enormous financial crisis, leading to poor reputation of the BP organization. According to Otto Lerbinger (2012), â€Å"its image as a leader in deep sea technology was shattered, as well as its professed dedication to corporate social responsibility and the environment†(p. 24).   Now the organization needs to use the proper strategies aimed at restoring its reputation in order to successfully operate in the Gulf of Mexico.Based on the US federal government report that was issued in 2011 after investigation of the key causes of the disaster, the following failures were identified:Poor risk management practicesLast-minute changes in decision making (Anastas et al., 2010)Failure to adequately observe and effectively respond to critical indicators that were identified on the platformInadequate and insufficient well control responseâ€Å"Insufficient emergency bridge response training by emplo yees responsible† (Guinness Walpole, 2012, p. 227).Comparing and contrast the way in which these three risk management issues were dealt with by the firm(s) involved with material presented in the course or other reference material dealing with the concepts or issues that the case illustratesIn the case discussed in this paper, the BP failed to avoid certain management errors that led to massive damage to the environment and caused considerable harm to people. The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon platform rig can be viewed as an example of â€Å"a designation that is a prevailing contention of government and other reports on the disaster† (Lerbinger, 2012, p. 24). The disaster in the Gulf of Mexico that occurred in 2010 was caused by certain management failures both by the organization (the BP Company) and its contractors (Transocean and Halliburton). Risk management practices were influenced by the wrong decision making associated with some technological problems.Ac cording to the material presented in the course lectures, the risk management cycle involves several stages, which help an organization to manage risks: Identification, Quantification, Risk assessment, Risk treatment, Monitoring, Risk context. These stages are interrelated (Business Risk Management Week 2, 2014, p. 2). Based on the established components of risk management process, it is possible to avoid negative consequences of disasters in all spheres of human activity, including oil and gas industry. In the Deepwater Horizon platform, many events led to the disaster because inadequate risk management practices were ineffective in that situation.In the case of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, â€Å"the behaviors and attitudes of leaders have been disappointing at best and irresponsible at worst† (Corkindale, 2010, p.1).   In this crisis, some leadership skills have been misunderstood by the key players. The BP are responsible for the environmental disaster, but the BP CE O Tony Hayward demonstrated some failures in leadership practices, providing control over the â€Å"organizational culture that sanctioned extreme risk-taking, ignored expert advice, overlooked warnings about safety issues and hid facts† (Corkindale, 2010, p.1). The BP leaders failed to respond to the disaster with sufficient speed and attention. Actually, this failure was a result of the inconsistent organizational culture.Assessment of the effectiveness with which the crisis, created as a result of the failures in risk management evident in the case, was managedThe effectiveness with which the crisis of the Deepwater Horizon platform, created as a result of the failures in risk management is evident in this case. There are six stages of crisis management, including â€Å"avoiding the crisis, preparing to manage the crisis, recognizing the crisis, containing the crisis, resolving the crisis and profiting from the crisis† (Business Risk Management Week 3, 2014, p. 1). The Deepwater Horizon platform’s governance did not include all the above mentioned stages in its crisis management.In the Deepwater Horizon platform, there were serious problems with governance as the Company failed to examine all possible scenarios, assess all possible consequences and identify the cost of prevention of these negative consequences. The response to the crisis was not planned in a proper way. This fact means the BP Company failed to use the appropriate strategies to avoid the crisis. Because of the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling platform, over 5 million barrels of oil were sent into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.   This fact proves that the company failed to avoid the crisis. According to researchers, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is an example of a â€Å"company without crisis planning† (Cox, 2012, p. 87). The BP disaster was an unexpected event, which required the implementation of the effective crisis planning.   According to Charles E. Cox (2012), â€Å"BP’s advantage was that, even without a crisis plan, the company had billions of dollars in the bank and enough cash reserves to manage its way through the crisis and take steps to rebuild its reputation† (p. 88). Undoubtedly, the impact of the BP disaster was enormous because of the lack of the crisis planning.Nevertheless, the BP governance managed to take some reasonably decisive action, using the media and public relations to address the issue of concern and demonstrate the company’s response to the disaster. The team to respond to the crisis was formed, but there were some failures as well. Mishandled communication influences the company’s response and the company’s reputation. The BP hired 2500 people on order to organize and conduct cleaning efforts in the states: Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida (Anastas et al., 2010).   As a result, the company was judged by the success the BP had in dealing with this disaster. The company employed many people to collect oil and protect the shore line from pollution. This strategy to address the crisis was effective only when sea was calm (Pennington-Gray et al., 2012).ConclusionThus, it is necessary to conclude that pollution from the activities of offshore companies leads to degradation of the marine environment. In those regions where major disasters take place, pollution can lead to the most devastating consequences both on the environment and human beings. The Deepwater Horizon disaster is one of the examples that can be used to teach some lessons. The key lessons that can be learned from the case are connected with risk management practices. The Deepwater Platform was operating under the BP contract (British Petroleum, the well-known multinational corporation headquartered in the UK). The discharge of oil had negative impact on the region, caused serious damage to fisheries and marine habitants, bringing to light the risk s of deep water oil and gas drilling.The lessons that can be learned from the case give an opportunity to other companies to avoid negative consequences of the crisis and develop, maintain and implement effective crisis management practices. One of the most important strategies to manage crisis is to implement a well-developed crisis plan, provide effective control procedures and risk treatment systems that must be developed and implemented in the areas, where failures occur frequently. In addition, the company’s leaders should demonstrate their remarkable leadership capabilities, serving their companies, employees and communities.

Biography of Attila the Hun

Biography of Attila the Hun Attila the Hun was the fierce 5th-century leader of the nomadic, barbarian group known as the Huns, who struck fear in the hearts of the Romans as he plundered everything in his path, invaded the Eastern Empire and then crossed the Rhine into Gaul. Occupation:  RulerDates:  We dont know when Attila was born. It could have been around 406 A.D. He ruled from about 433 until his death in 453. Offices and Titles Attila was the king of the Scythian hordes known as the Huns, who frightened those in their paths even with their appearance. For devastating much of Europe - mostly while on horseback shooting javelins, composite bows and arrows, Attila the Hun is also known as the Scourge of God. Jordanes says the following about Attila: His army is said to have numbered five hundred thousand men. He was a man born into the world to shake the nations, the scourge of all lands, who in some way terrified all mankind by the dreadful rumors noised abroad concerning him. He was haughty in his walk, rolling his eyes hither and thither, so that the power of his proud spirit appeared in the movement of his body.The Origin and Deeds of the Goths Military Attila successfully led his forces to invade the Eastern Roman Empire, whose capital was in Constantinople, in 441. In 451, on the Plains of Chà ¢lons (also known as the Catalaunian Plains), which was located in Gaul (modern France), although the exact location is disputed, Attila suffered a setback. Attila was ranged against the Romans and the Germanic Visigoths who were settled in Gaul. This didnt stop him, though; he made progress and was on the verge of sacking Rome when, in 452, Pope Leo I [d. 461]) dissuaded Attila from proceeding. Death The death of Attila was the following year, on his wedding night in 453, supposedly of a nosebleed. There are other explanations, including an assassination plot. With Attilas death, the Huns fade from prominence as a foe of the Romans. Sources We know about Attila through Priscus (5th century), a Roman diplomat and historian, and Jordanes, a 6th-century Gothic historian, and author of the Getica. Biography of Attila the Hun Attila the Hun and his warriors rose from the plains of Scythia, modern-day southern Russia and Kazakhstan, and spread terror across Europe. The citizens of the weakened Roman Empire gazed in fear and disdain upon these uncouth barbarians with tattooed faces and top-knotted hair. The Christianized Romans could not understand how God could allow these pagans to destroy their once-mighty empire; they called Attila the Scourge of God. Attila and his troops conquered vast swaths of Europe, from the straits of Constantinople to Paris, and from northern Italy to islands in the Baltic Sea. Who were the Huns? Who was Attila? The Huns Before Attila The Huns first enter the historical record far to the East of Rome. In fact, their ancestors probably were one of the nomadic peoples of the Mongolian steppe, whom the Chinese called the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu launched such devastating raids into China that they actually motivated the construction of first sections of the Great Wall of China. Around 85 A.D., the resurgent Han Chinese were able to inflict heavy defeats on the Xiongnu, prompting the nomadic raiders to scatter to the west. Some went as far as Scythia, where they were able to conquer a number of less fearsome tribes. Combined, these peoples became the Huns. Uncle Rua Rules the Huns At the time of Attilas birth, c. 406, the Huns were a loosely organized coalition of nomadic herder clans, each with a separate king. In the late 420s, Attilas uncle Rua seized power over all of the Huns and killed the other kings. This political change resulted from the Huns increasing reliance on tribute and mercenary payments from the Romans  and their decreased dependence on pastoralism. Rome paid Ruas Huns to fight for them. He also got 350 lbs of gold in annual tribute from the Eastern Roman Empire based in Constantinople. In this new, gold-based economy, people did not need to follow the herds; thus, power could be centralized. Attila and Bledas Rise to Power Rua died in 434 - history does not record the cause of death. He was succeeded by his nephews, Bleda and Attila. Its not clear why the older brother Bleda was unable to take sole power. Perhaps Attila was stronger or more popular. The brothers tried to extend their empire into Persia in the late 430s, but were defeated by the Sassanids. They sacked Eastern Roman cities at will, and Constantinople bought peace in exchange for an annual tribute of 700 lbs of gold in 435, rising to 1,400 lbs in 442. Meanwhile, the Huns fought as mercenaries in the Western Roman army against the Burgundians (in 436) and the Goths (in 439). The Death of Bleda In 445, Bleda suddenly died. As with Rua, no cause of death is recorded, but Roman sources from that time and modern historians alike believe that Attila probably killed him (or had him killed). As the sole King of the Huns, Attila invaded the Eastern Roman Empire, seizing the Balkans, and threatening earthquake-ravaged Constantinople in 447. The Roman Emperor sued for peace, handing over 6,000 pounds of gold in back-tribute, agreeing to pay 2,100 pounds annually, and returning fugitive Huns who had fled to Constantinople. These refugee Huns were probably the sons or nephews of the kings killed by Rua. Attila had them impaled. Romans Try to Assassinate Attila In 449, Constantinople sent an imperial ambassador, Maximinus, supposedly to negotiate with Attila over the creation of a buffer zone between Hunnic and Roman lands, and the return of more refugee Huns. The months-long preparation and journey were recorded by Priscus, an historian who went along. When the gift-laden train of Romans reached Attilas lands, they were rudely rebuffed. The ambassador (and Priscus) did not realize that Vigilas, their interpreter, had actually been sent to assassinate Attila, in collusion with Attilas counselor Edeco. After Edeco revealed the whole plot, Attila sent the Romans home in disgrace. Honorias Proposal A year after Attilas not-so-close brush with death, in 450, the Roman princess Honoria sent him a note and a ring. Honoria, the sister of Emperor Valentinian III, had been promised in marriage to a man she didnt like. She wrote and asked Attila to rescue her. Attila interpreted this as a marriage proposal  and happily accepted. Honorias dowry included half of the provinces in the Western Roman Empire, a very nice prize. The Roman Emperor refused to accept this arrangement, of course, so Attila gathered his army and set out to claim his newest wife. The Huns quickly overran much of modern-day France and Germany. Battle of the Catalaunian Fields The Huns sweep through Gaul was halted at the Catalaunian Fieds, in northeastern France. There, Attilas army ran up against the forces of his former friend and ally, the Roman General Aetius, along with some Alans and Visigoths. Unsettled by ill omens, the Huns waited until almost dusk to attack, and got the worse of the fighting. However, the Romans and their allies withdrew the next day. The battle was not conclusive, but it has been painted as Attilas Waterloo. Some historians even have claimed that Christian Europe might have been extinguished forever if Attila had won that day! The Huns went home to regroup. Attilas Invasion of Italy - The Pope Intervenes (?) Although he was defeated in France, Attila remained dedicated to marrying Honoria and acquiring her dowry. In 452, the Huns invaded Italy, which was weakened by a two-year long famine and epidemics of disease. They quickly captured fortified cities including Padua and Milan. However, the Huns were dissuaded from attacking Rome itself by the lack of food provisions available, and by the rampant disease all around them. Pope Leo later claimed to have met Attila and persuaded him to turn back, but its doubtful that this ever really happened. Nonetheless, the story added to the prestige of the early Catholic Church. Attilas Mysterious Death After his return from Italy, Attila married a teenaged girl named Ildiko. The marriage took place in 453  and was celebrated with a grand feast and plenty of alcohol. After dinner, the new couple retired to the wedding chamber for the night. Attila did not show up the next morning, so his nervous servants opened the chamber door. The king was dead on the floor (some accounts say covered with blood), and his bride was huddled in a corner in a state of shock. Some historians theorize that Ildiko murdered her new husband, but that seems unlikely. He may have suffered a hemorrhage, or he could have died of alcohol poisoning from the wedding night revels. Attilas Empire Falls After Attilas death, his three sons divided up the empire (reverting, in a way, to the pre-Uncle Rua political structure). The sons fought over which would be the high king. Eldest brother Ellac prevailed, but meanwhile, the Huns subject tribes broke free from the empire one by one. Only a year after Attilas death, the Goths defeated the Huns at the Battle of Nedao, driving them out of Pannonia (now western Hungary). Ellac was killed in battle, and Attilas second son Dengizich became the high king. Dengizich was determined to return the Hunnic Empire to the glory days. In 469, he sent a demand to Constantinople that the Eastern Roman Empire pay tribute to the Huns again. His younger brother Ernakh refused to get involved in this venture  and took his people out of Dengizichs alliance. The Romans refused Dengizichs demand. Dengizik attacked, and his army was crushed by Byzantine troops under General Anagestes. Dengizik was killed, along with the majority of his people. The remnants of Dengiziks clan joined Ernakhs people  and were absorbed by the Bulgars, ancestors of todays Bulgarians. Just 16 years after Attilas death, the Huns ceased to exist. The Legacy of Attila the Hun Attila is often portrayed as a cruel, bloodthirsty and barbaric ruler, but its important to remember that our accounts of him come from his enemies, the Eastern Romans. The historian Priscus, who went on the fateful embassy to Attilas court, also noted that Attila was wise, merciful, and humble. Priscus was amazed that the Hunnic king used simple wooden table implements, while his courtiers and guests ate and drank from silver and gold dishes. He did not kill the Romans who came to assassinate him, sending them home in disgrace instead. It is safe to say that Attila the Hun was a much more complex person than his modern reputation reveals.

Electricity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Electricity - Essay Example Moreover, the industrial sector and business of any country owes its development to the electricity system of that country. Energy consumption is also an omen of a country’s wealth, because higher consumption indicates a higher proportion of middle class, who can afford to utilize energy. (Hill) This graph show that Global demand for Electricity is set to grow 76% by 2030 (source: WNA, July 2012) .This is only a little reflection of the whole story, whereas in developed countries like United States, frequent brownouts result when the consumption grows. It also results in total blackouts at times of storms. In other countries such as India, it is getting difficult to fulfill the energy demand for domestic matters, resulting in power outages for several hours. This is worsened with the additional buying of electric appliances, inability of electric companies to generate electricity and illegal theft by people. But, frequent brownouts or prolonged blackout affect the sales of electrically powered products. A major part of the electricity generated every year goes to power electrical appliances at home such as televisions, computers, kitchen appliances, etc. Sudden blackout affects the performance of electrical appliances. Fluctuating voltage, which is the result of this blackout, causes lower operational efficiency in electrical appliances. This frequent brownout and prolonged shutdown affects the electrical appliances in a way that it increases the losses of the buyers, causes changes in power and voltage and premature wearing of the router. Blackout may also produce defective parts in automatic or computerized machines and it causes unwanted triggering of the units of UPS, thereby causing the malfunctioning of the security system and inconsistency in the speed of the motor. All these defects that occur as a result of frequent

Sterling Financial Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sterling Financial Study - Essay Example Bill Border's managerial experience has gotten off to a rocky start. Having only three months previous work as an area manager for Sterling was not really enough experience to the thrust in a position without time for adjustment, and with his closest help, Mary Gross-district manager, being 100 kilometers away. Bill has also come into the position at a time when a depressed economy was limiting productivity. Bill is focused on employee performance than job satisfaction, but given the circumstances of the economy's effect, and not researching previous performance levels, he cannot formulate an accurate perception of the work environment. Bill's lack of networking time, communication, and misconceptions on employee performance, led to the firing of a potentially valuable employee, and has led to other, larger problems such as higher anxiety, lack of positive motivating forces, and even less communication than before. The most pressing problem in Bill's situation is the lack of communication on his part. When Bill Border arrived to the position, he held an introductory meeting and individual reviews to discuss employee goals and the firm's expectations. Although the meeting and reviews were good ideas as ways to get acquainted with the staff, Bill's method failed because it was too generalized. Bill offered the employees the opportunity to discuss concerns with him, but he never did anything to address and resolve the issues presented. Harper (2006) stated, "Managers often believe that lack of employee ability and motivation are reaons for declining performance but other factors directly within the manager's influence may, in fact, be the real reaon for the decline (pag. 68). A lack of knowledge regarding his subordinates gave Bill a false perception about the real issues, and effected his decision making skills. Aside from effective communication, it is important for managers to have an accurate perception of the issues at hand. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (n.d.) defined perception as, "A capacity for comprehension" (perception, n. pag.). Bill lacked this because he did not consider any external forces that were affecting worker productivity, believing they were just not motivated enough. Bill did not see the bigger picture of how the economy was stunting business, or any external problems that were affecting his subordinates. This distorted perception led Bill a decision that would hinder his progress as a manager further when he dismissed Keith Taylor, a 23-year-old management trainee. Keith had been with the Sterling Financial Company for 18 months and was considered by peers to be a well-liked, intelligent employee that gave satisfactory performance. Bill was concerned with Keith's increased absenteeism, but never considered the external factors affecting Keith's attendance. Bill did not communicate these concerns directly to Keith, but made a general and vague reference to the attendance issue during a meeting. Although Keith deserved a reprimand for his act of no call/no show, termination of his employment was unnecessary. When Bill tacked on the announcement of Keith's departure to the end of an office meeting without giving explanation, job stress skyrocketed with employees. His lack of effectively communicating the reasons

GCSE English Coursework Essay Example for Free

GCSE English Coursework Essay My room was dark, you could barely see the hands reaching out to grab you in your dreams, all you heard were the screams echoing down the hallway, the fury behind them, and the angered blood lust churning to be free from its mortal outer-shell. Then it all changed, he came for you after that, his sodden pitch black trench coat and his face so pale he looked as if he was a ghost; his eyes so red from all the built up torment. Then there were his teeth, he looked like a demon, yet his teeth were immaculate, a pristine definition of some good that was left in his heart, but from ones soul there is always something, lurking, slunk down in the hidden depths that is waiting there to turn evil. He seemed to enjoy his job, the chaotic screams of his victims bellowing, throughout, he endured fatalities, he loved to see them although the only thing he wouldnt let you do, was die, he expected you to live through your curse until you were freed. The only problem was, you could never leave, once you made an agreement with the brotherhood they expected payment and if you didnt, you end up being taken to this place; there they would extract their blood money. My name My name no longer exists; the brotherhood snatches everything you have to keep, including your identity. I have always been prisoner 101, sometimes I do wish I could go home though, see my family again, enjoy the holidays, and have a life. I expect you are wondering how I got here, well, it all started when I was 14, my friends and I were having a laugh and decided to explore this run-down windmill by the old orchard, that was supposedly haunted and apparently home to a witch. Being kids, this is something you believed and you would dare each other to go up to it. I had to go into the windmill and find some proof that there was something that there, and there it began, I slowly opened the door and clambered in, unaware of what was to come, I began to climb the winding staircase and as I reached the top there was something Something strange and peculiar; a girl, just standing there, looking over the edge, past the rotating blades and beyond the field, as if there was something to see in the blackness. As she turned round to look at me I saw nothingness in her gaze, no emotion, not a feeling, she looked right through me. She didnt look much older then me, she had long, dark hair and a pasty white face, she had a blank sense about her, it seemed she didnt know where she was or who she was, I asked her, her name but she didnt reply, she just kept on swaying from side and humming , she looked like the dead, she smelt like it too, I kept on asking her questions so I could get a response from her but finally she answered to me, she shouted at the top of her voice, it had a frightened feel to it as she was stuttering and trembling. They are coming. She said I was trying to say to her Who was coming? and Why are you crying? She just kept on saying it but getting more shaky and slower, until suddenly She stopped; petrified with horror, her eyes began to fix and then I began to feel something was wrong, I saw her eyes begin to slowly move until they were fixed on something forming a shape behind me. I knew from that point on there was something materialising behind me. I sensed its darkened gaze looking at me and its breath beating on my head, and thats when I saw him for the first time. As I turned to look behind me, there he was, looking down on me, his sodden, black trench coat, his eyes looking deep inside me and his sharp white teeth glinting at me in a murderously smile that sent shivers down my spine. I started walking backwards to stand next to the girl to have some company, but he kept coming closer towards me, the stench about him made me want to throw up, he slowly lifted his arm and stretched out his crocked finger and pointed at me, You have a debt to pay Said he. As I came up to the girl she looked at me once, then began to turn away again and look over the fields, she began to hum again a tune of which I never heard, this mysterious figure placed his cold hands on my shoulder, and then I saw something appear behind him, he grasped his hands onto me and threw me into the shape, both figures following behind me until I landed onto a cold flag stone, it was slimy to the touch and smelt vile, when I got a beam on moonlight shine down upon me, I realised I landed into a pit, the coagulated blood filled my sinuses with the stench of death and the ever-staring eyes watching me all over

Lord of the Flies :: Character Analysis, Jack and Ralph

One’s personality changes over time when it is necessary to adapt to one’s environment or when one suffers or even thrives from another’s actions. In the Lord of the Flies, both Jack and Ralph underwent changes in their personalities, which also affected their relationship. It was obvious in the beginning that Jack would not get along easily with Ralph and Piggy because he ridiculed Piggy for his weight and awkwardness. However, Jack felt threatened because Ralph was voted chief. By saying â€Å"I ought to be chief†¦ because I’m chapter chorister and head boy,† Jack’s overconfidence was shown (Golding 22). On the other hand, there was Ralph, who was taller and more attractive than Jack was, and after being elected leader, he gave part of his power to Jack, displaying his generosity. This was when â€Å"Jack and Ralph smiled at each other with shy liking,† showing the beginning of their friendship (Golding 23). Ralph, starting off as a strong, demanding leader, was most adult-like out of everyone else; he was very concerned about the younger children, shown when he says â€Å"‘We need shelters as a sort of—’ ‘Home’† (Golding 52). Also in the beginning, while they were exploring the island, their â€Å"eyes shining, mouths open, triumphant, they savored the right of domination. They were lifted up; were friends† (Golding 29). Their friendship was already growing at this point. A little later, Jack had made a pathetic attempt to stick a pig, but he let the pig go free. He made an excuse that he â€Å"was choosing a place†¦ just waiting for a moment to decide where to stab him;† however, â€Å"they knew very well why he hadn’t: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood† (Golding 31). Then he â€Å"snatched his knife out of the sheath and slammed it into a tree trunk... [a nd] looked around fiercely, daring them to contradict,† expressing not only his violent nature, but also his inability to kill (Golding 31). This also foreshadowed his savage hunting. In chapter two, Ralph calls a second meeting, when he makes up the rule that whoever is holding the conch gets to speak. This demonstrated that he was trying to establish order in some way; however, he was also shown to be a bit irresponsible, when he said that they â€Å"want to have fun† (Golding 37). When they were all making a fire by bringing up wood, â€Å"Ralph found himself alone on a limb with Jack and they grinned at each other, sharing this burden† (Golding 39).

Intra and Interpersonal Skills

Today I am going to introduce what I have learnt in IIC. I have several skills that would be useful for my future, such as concentrate on positives when I am in bad moods, self-disclosure and giving positive response to criticism for better communication. However, these are not the most important aspects for me. This is because I cherish more on relationships. Besides, I don't have good relationship with family members. Also, friends cannot always be with me. Therefore, love is the only thing I pursue in my entire life. However, there are lots of barriers on my love path.My lovers just left me very soon and said â€Å"you are too good for me†. I wondered if it is just simply an excuse for breaking up with me. After the Developing and Enriching Intimate Relationship lesson, I realized the reason that none of them want to stay with me and commented I am too good for them. This is because I am having obsessive love with them, giving them too much love and so pressure. This is one of the obstacles for love to the lecture notes. On the other hand, we didn’t have a mutual direction for our future. We had intimacy and passion but no commitment was involved. The first thing I have to do is self-love.This is because obsessive love only gives pressure to the other person. To have a healthy relationship, loving yourself is essential. Then, I have to plan a long-term involvement with that person. I used to have romantic loves. However, that is not I need, what I need is the consummate love. According to Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love, consummate love includes intimacy, passion and commitment. I will be open and honest to let my relationship grows healthy. â€Å"Learning to love doesn’t just happen if we meet the right person†. I believe if you want to have a good result, effort is necessary for it, even love.

Research Paper on Drinking & Driving Essay

Course Project_Final Draft A real-world problem that I have conducted my research on was drinking and driving in teens. Every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver (cdc.gov). Each year there are thousands of deaths because teens seem to believe they are invincible even to drinking, they get behind the wheel, and well you can imagine the consequences to that, they don’t know they don’t only put their lives at risk but those on the road as well. This amounts to one death every 48 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $51 billion. Conducting research can lead you to so many gateways of knowledge you never could have imaged, this especially includes statistics. You never really know about anything until you are able to see numbers, information, charts or even professional speakers giving presentations based on information that is proven to be true do to these real world problems. Statistics is a math that can give you world-wide range of numbers. Statistical methods that have helped me see my research into a bigger picture were the statistical graphics, such as dot plots, bar graphs, pie graphs, etc. A little bit of describing, exploring and comparing data came in handy as well. Data collection is the best way to be able to see or show an audience your statistics, I couldn’t have looked up a better resource than what I did, I used www.cdc.gov (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). I liked this resource not only because I know it’s a reliable website since it’s a government based website but also because its gives you clear numbers, years, percentages but also visual statistical graphs that display their data. In 2010, 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. In that same year, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, that’s one of the 112 million self-reported assurances of alcohol-impaired driving each year. With all this information it makes you think who is all at risk? The main top categories of people who are at most risk of getting behind the  wheel un der the influence are young people, motorcyclists as well as drivers with prior driving while impaired convictions such as a DUI. Young people are at risk because the levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at greater risk than those of older people. Drivers with levels of 0.08% or higher involved in fatal crashes in 2010 were one of every 3 were between the ages of 21-24 which is 34%. The next two largest groups were the ages of 25-34 and then 35-44 and from 25-44 age group there is a lower percent tile of accidents, which can tell you teens are at great risk. Motorcyclists are at great risk because 28% of fatal crashes in 2010 were alcohol impaired motorcyclists between the ages of 40 or older. For those drivers that have had a prior driving impaired conviction are four times more like to have a BAC of 0.08% or higher of involvement in fatal crashes due to the same fact that they have done the action in their life before. Undergoing such scary and cruel information many of us think what is happening to the world?! What can we do about it?! There are many laws and actions trying to be done but all I can do is to think a little more and see what else can be done besides just increasing the legal drinking age, or taking away driver licenses of those driving while intoxicated. We have the option of parents or friends to not allow your friend to drive their car if they know they will be drinking or if you know you won’t be driving you can indicate yourself as the DD (designated driver). Other options that I believe can really help is have the media promoting more on the NO DRINKING AND DRIVING, instead of just promoting the alcoholic beverages on TV, radio etc. The biggest things that I believe that can make a difference is to come up with some kind of technology that can be installed in the car that can help detect or see if the driver is ok to drive the vehicle. Sprint has this new sort of technology that goes along with the NO TEXTING AND DRIVING, this happens by when the driver getting into the car, the cellphone shuts down automatically and it won’t come on until the car is in a complete none motion and engine off, pretty neat huh? We as Americans need to think about the box and realize there are bigger things out there causing great effects and so we then must build bigger and better.

5 Parallelism Problems in In-Line Lists

5 Parallelism Problems in In-Line Lists 5 Parallelism Problems in In-Line Lists 5 Parallelism Problems in In-Line Lists By Mark Nichol Constructing an in-line list a series of items in a sentence seems like a straightforward task, but writers frequently err in their attempts to produce parallel structure. The following sentences illustrate some of the pitfalls of parallel construction and how to fix them. 1. â€Å"You can pay using your bank account, debit, or credit cards.† This list refers to two types of financial resources: a bank account and a card (two types of which are mentioned). The sentence structure mistakenly suggests that the list consists of three elements, rather than two (â€Å"your bank account† and â€Å"a debit or credit card†), one of which is a compound item one consisting of two or more nouns or noun phrases. The following revision reflects the correct organization: â€Å"You can pay using your bank account or a debit or credit card.† 2. â€Å"Her writing was accurate, complete, and demonstrated attention to detail.† Of the three items in this list, two are accompanied by verbs, but the writer has erroneously assumed that complete can share the verb that precedes accurate. It can do so, but only if accurate and complete are linked with a conjunction rather than separated by a comma: â€Å"Her writing was accurate and complete and demonstrated attention to detail.† 3. â€Å"It’s free, secure, and takes no time at all.† This sentence suffers from the same slight but clumsy error as the one in the preceding example. It can be solved in the same way (â€Å"It’s free and secure, and it takes no time at all†) a comma is required before the conjunction in this case because the pronoun’s presence makes the second clause an independent one. Alternatively, each item in the list can be assigned its own pronoun: â€Å"It’s free, it’s secure, and it takes no time at all.† 4. â€Å"The pension system divested in firms doing business with apartheid-era South Africa, avoided oil and energy investments in Iran, and it dropped tobacco companies from its portfolio in 2008.† Here, too, the problem is of inconsistency of structure, but because the subject is a noun and the sentence is more complex, the simple error might not be apparent. Basically, each segment of the sentence needs a subject noun or a pronoun as if it were a distinct sentence, or, better, all segments must share the subject: â€Å"The pension system divested in firms doing business with apartheid-era South Africa, avoided oil and energy investments in Iran, and dropped tobacco companies from its portfolio in 2008.† (Alternatively, the comma following Africa could be replaced by and, but the lengthy sentence is better served by a rest-stop comma rather than another move-along conjunction.) 5. â€Å"There’s the Coke bottle and the old glove and sailboats gliding along the bay.† This sentence (referring to iconic features at a baseball stadium) almost works in its relaxed state, unhindered by internal punctuation. But the lack of a comma suggests that all three things glide along the bay. A comma after â€Å"old glove† will catch that noun phrase and the preceding one, reserving the gliding action for the sailboats alone: â€Å"There’s the Coke bottle and the old glove, and sailboats gliding along the bay.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?Excited ABOUT, not "for" How Do You Determine Whether to Use Who or Whom?

Cardiovascular Disease Among Urban Malaysians Health And Social Care Essay

Cardiovascular Disease Among Urban Malaysians Health And Social Care Essay Results from INTERHEART global case-control study (Yusuf et al. 2004, Anand et al. 2008) concluded that the following nine potentially modifiable risk factors account for over 90% of the risk of an acute myocardial infarction (in order of highest to lowest population attributable risk for Southeast Asian and Japanese subgroup): dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity, hypertension, smoking, regular physical activity, regular alcohol consumption, psychosocial factors, diabetes mellitus, daily fruit and vegetable consumption. There are six established major risk factors for coronary heart disease: adverse diet, above-optimal levels of serum total cholesterol and blood pressure, overweight/obesity, diabetes mellitus and cigarette smoking (Stamler 2005). Urbanization Urban areas are defined as gazetted areas and their adjoining built-up areas with a combined population of 10 000 persons or more at the time of the consensus (Mahari et al. 2009). The fraction of rural population in Malaysia was 4 0.4 % in 2000 and an estimated 38.4 % in 2007, compared to Switzerland with 26.6 % in 2007 (UN Demographic Yearbook 2009). The rapid urbanization of the world brings significant changes to lifestyles. Nowadays more than 50% of the world’s population is already living in urban areas, and and estimated 70% by 2050 (WHO 2010). Epidemiology of cardiovascular disease risk factors A major trend in developing countries is the epidemiological transition from communicable causes of death to non-communicable causes. Projections by Mathers et Loncar (2006) estimate that globally the proportions of deaths due to non-communicable diseases will rise from 59% in 2002 to 69% in 2030. According to Malaysia’s statistics of death, ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease are already considered the leading causes of death in 2007 (Department of Statistics Malaysia 2009). Malaysia is strongly affected by the above mentioned health-transition. The National Health and Morbidity Su rvey (NHMS) III (2006) showed that the prevalence of obesity has more than tripled in a decade (from 4.4% in 1996 to 14.0% in 2006), the prevalence of hypertension has increased by about one third in 10 years (from 33% to 43%) and the prevalence of newly diagnosed and known diabetes has almost doubled in the same period. The prevalence of diabetes is significantly higher in urban areas, whereas the rural population is significantly more affected by hypertension and tobacco use. Studies from other areas of the developing world show divergent results. A study from Vietnam (Pham et al. 2009) confirmed the higher prevalence of hypertension in the rural population of the Mekong Delta (rural male 27%, female 16%). On the other side a higher prevalence of hypertension in urban subjects was found in the National Nutrition and Health Survey 2002 in China (Wu et al. 2008) and a systematic review in Sub-Saharan Africa (Addo et al. 2007). Concerning smoking a recent study from China (Ho et al. 2010) revealed a higher prevalence of ever-smokers among urban young women. In a semi-rural community, Chia and Srinivas (2009) found a high mean predicted coronary heart disease risk: 20-25% for men and 11-13% for women (mean age of the subjects 65.4 years(Â ±8)). Studies from Vietnam (Pham et al. 2009), Brazil and Mexico (Ford et Mokdad 2008) revealed a higher prevalence of obesity in urban areas than in rural areas. With a value of 11.6 % Malaysia has the second highest estimated comparative prevalence of diabetes mellitus in South East Asia for 2010 (with Singapore representing the highest prevalence), which is more than double of highly developed Japan (Sicree et al. 2006). Dietary imbalances in South-Asian populations are common: there is often a low intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fibre, and high intake of saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates and trans-isomer fatty acids (Isharwal et al. 2009, Misra et al. 2009).

Socciological Reasearch Proposal- Violence and gun control Term Paper

Socciological Reasearch Proposal- Violence and gun control - Term Paper Example ops as â€Å"armed forces† and the importance of maintaining our firepower has been identified throughout the human history, which the firearm has helped to shape. The father of the nation have identified the necessity of arming the citizen to protect themselves and made it a part of the constitution for them to possess arms However, comparing to other countries United States have more fatalities due to fire arm violence. It is widely observed that the United States has basically higher rates of gun violence because its gun control measures are not as rigid as those found in Great Britain, Australia and Japan. The rate of gun related homicides in United States is more along with other fatalities involving gun. â€Å"President Bill Clinton initiated a $15 million program directed at lowering the number of guns in and around housing projects. When the people bring guns to local police stations they received fifty dollars on each weapon; these were then destroyed† (Squires 2001) Gun violence is an issue of major concern in America. US have a high gun murder rate as compared to England and other countries where Gun control rules are stricter. Gun control has been a controversial issue for years. A vast majority of citizens believe that, if gun control is strictly enforced it would quickly reduce the threat of crime. According to(La Follette 2001) â€Å" Based upon the production data from manufacturers of fire arms there around 300 million firearms owned by citizens in the United States as of 2010. Among them, about 100 million are handguns†. This shows the rate of guns owned by the citizens and risk of violence prevalent in the country. He suggests that 16,272 murders occurred in the United States in the year of 2008. About 10,886 or 67% were performed with firearms. It is very important to ensure the safety of the public by implementing a gun control system. If the children find gun at home they can use by not knowing the consequences of it. A much planned law and