Deforestation and Biodiversity Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Pa

Deforestation, defined by biologist Charles Southwick as "the destruction of forests; may involve clear-cutting or selective logging" (p. 365), is a predominantly human-driven process that is dramatically altering ecosystems worldwide. "Clear-cutting" involves the indiscriminant removal of every single plant and tree species from within a selected area. The other major process of deforestation, "selective logging," focuses removal efforts on only specific, predetermined tree species within a chosen area. The statistics gathered about human deforestation over time are considerable, and they can be somewhat controversial. Depending on the source and the location selected, the magnitude of deforestation varies. Southwick estimates that, approximately 10,000 years ago, 6.2 billion hectares (23.9 million square miles) of forest existed on earth (p. 117). That figure is equivalent to 45.5% of the earth's total land. He further estimates that, by 1990, this amount had declined 30%, with onl y 4.3 billion hectares of forest remaining (p. 117). Southwick also acknowledges other estimates that place the total amount of deforestation between 50% and 75% (p. 117). NASA has similar deforestation statistics that confirm these trends. According to their website, 16.5% of the Brazilian Amazon forests have been destroyed. They also note similar magnitudes of deforestation in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam), despite the significantly smaller total area of forest within these countries. These grim figures are somewhat tempered by the NASA finding that, over the past ten years, the deforestation rate has declined from 6,200 square miles per year to 4,800 square miles per year. Though this trend is n... ...later time. Though it is simply impossible to know what the ultimate effects will be on our long term survival as a species, it is important to bear in mind that, once a species has been eliminated through extinction, it cannot be brought back. So, for the overall health of our rainforests, their biodiversity, and the limitless potential contained therein, it is crucial for us, as humans, to make as honest an effort as possible at their preservation. References Southwick, Charles H. Global Ecology in Human Perspective. Oxford University Press: New York, 1996. Vandermeer, J. & Perfecto, I. Breakfast of Biodiversity. The Institute for Food and Development Policy: Oakland, CA, 1995. Websites NASA http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Deforestation/deforestation_3.html National Institute of Health http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1997/105-11/focus-abs.html

History Of Beverages/Soft Drink

Soft drinks can trace their history back to the mineral water found in natural springs. Bathing in natural springs has long been considered a healthy thing to do; and mineral water was said to have curative powers. Scientists soon discovered that gas carbonium or carbon dioxide was behind the bubbles in natural mineral water. The first marketed soft drinks (non-carbonated) appeared in the 17th century. They were made from water and lemon juice sweetened with honey. In 1676, the Compagnie de Limonadiers of Paris were granted a monopoly for the sale of lemonade soft drinks. Vendors would carry tanks of lemonade on their backs and dispensed cups of the soft drink to thirsty Parisians. Joseph PriestleyIn 1767, the first drinkable man-made glass of carbonated water was created by Englishmen Doctor Joseph Priestley. Three years later, Swedish chemist Torbern Bergman invented a generating apparatus that made carbonated water from chalk by the use of sulfuric acid. Bergman's apparatus allowe d imitation mineral water to be produced in large amounts. John MathewsIn 1810, the first United States patent was issued for the â€Å"means of mass manufacture of imitation mineral waters† to Simons and Rundell of Charleston, South Carolina. However, carbonated beverages did not achieve great popularity in America until 1832, when John Mathews invented his apparatus for the making carbonated water. John Mathews then mass-manufactured his apparatus for sale to soda fountain owners.Health Properties of Mineral WaterThe drinking of either natural or artificial mineral water was considered a healthy practice. The American pharmacists selling mineral waters began to add medicinal and flavorful herbs to unflavored mineral water. They used birch bark, dandelion, sarsaparilla, and fruit extracts. Some historians consider that the first flavored carbonated soft drink was that made in 1807 by Doctor Philip Syng Physick of Philadelphia. Early American pharmacies with soda fountains be came a popular part of culture. The customers soon wanted to take their â€Å"health† drinks home with them and a soft drink bottling industry grew from consumer demand.The Soft Drink Bottling IndustryOver 1,500 U.S. patents were filed for either a cork, cap, or lid for the carbonated drink bottle tops during the early days of the bottling industry. Carbonated drink bottles are under a lot of pressure from the gas. Inventors were trying to find the best way to prevent the carbon dioxide or bubbles from escaping. In 1892, the â€Å"Crown Cork Bottle Seal† was patented by William Painter, a Baltimore machine shop operator. It was the first very successful method of keeping the bubbles in the bottle.Automatic Production of Glass BottlesIn 1899, the first patent was issued for a glass-blowing machine for the automatic production of glass bottles. Earlier glass bottles had all been hand-blown. Four years later, the new bottle-blowing machine was in operation. It was first o perated by the inventor, Michael Owens, an employee of Libby Glass Company. Within a few years, glass bottle production increased from 1,500 bottles a day to 57,000 bottles a day.Hom-Paks and Vending MachinesDuring the 1920s, the first â€Å"Hom-Paks† were invented. â€Å"Hom-Paks† are the familiar six-pack beverage carrying cartons made from cardboard. Automatic vending machines also began to appear in the 1920s. The soft drink had become an American mainstay. http://inventors.about.com/od/foodrelatedinventions/a/soft_drinks.htmIntroduction to PopThe History of Soft Drinks Timeline By Mary Bellis See More About soft drinks beverageGirl Serving From Soda Fountain Bar Serving Soft Drinks LOC See More About soft drinks beverageThis timeline accompanies Introduction to Pop – The History of Soft Drinks Soft drinks by definition are carbonated drinks that are non-alcoholic. Carbonated soft drinks are also refereed to as soda, soda pop, pop, or tonic. 1798 The term â €Å"soda water† first coined.1810 First U.S. patent issued for the manufacture of imitation mineral waters. 1819 The â€Å"soda fountain† patented by Samuel Fahnestock. 1835 The first bottled soda water in the U.S. 1850 A manual hand & foot operated filling & corking device, first used for bottling soda water. 1851 Ginger ale created in Ireland. 1861 The term â€Å"pop† first coined. 1874 The first ice-cream soda sold. 1876 Root beer mass produced for public sale. 1881 The first cola-flavored beverage introduced. 1885 Charles Aderton invented â€Å"Dr Pepper† in Waco, Texas. 1886 Dr. John S. Pemberton invented â€Å"Coca-Cola† in Atlanta, Georgia. 1892 William Painter invented the crown bottle cap. 1898 â€Å"Pepsi-Cola† is invented by Caleb Bradham. 1899 The first patent issued for a glass blowing machine, used to produce glass bottles. 1913 Gas motored trucks replaced horse drawn carriages as delivery vehicles. 1919 The American Bottlers o f Carbonated Beverages formed.1920 The U.S. Census reported that more than 5,000 bottlers now exist. Early 1920's The first automatic vending machines dispensed sodas into cups. 1923 Six-pack soft drink cartons called â€Å"Hom-Paks† created.1929 The Howdy Company debuted its new drink â€Å"Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Sodas† later called â€Å"7 Up†. Invented by Charles Leiper Grigg. 1934 Applied color labels first used on soft drink bottles, the coloring was baked on the face of the bottle. 1952 The first diet soft drink sold called the â€Å"No-Cal Beverage† a gingerale sold by Kirsch. 1957 The first aluminum cans used.1959 The first diet cola sold. 1962 The pull-ring tab first marketed by the Pittsburgh Brewing Company of  Pittsburgh, PA. The pull-ring tab was invented by Alcoa. 1963 The Schlitz Brewing company introduced the â€Å"Pop Top† beer can to the nation in March, invented by Ermal Fraze of Kettering, Ohio. 1965 Soft drinks in can s dispensed from vending machines.1965 The resealable top invented. 1966 The American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages renamed The National Soft Drink Association. 1970 Plastic bottles are used for soft drinks. 1973 The PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottle created. 1974 The stay-on tab invented. Introduced by the Falls City Brewing Company of Louisville, KY. 1979 Mello Yello soft drink is introduced by the Coca Cola company as competition against Mountain Dew. 1981 The â€Å"talking† vending machine invented.http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/soft_drink.htmHISTORY OF COCA-COLA:Invented in the City of Atlanta over a hundred years ago. Atlanta 1886. John Pemberton in 1886 was experimenting with a new recipe. Took some secret ingredients and boiled them into a syrup. Took some to Jacob’s pharmacy where he mixed it with carbonated water and place it on sale for 5 cents a glass. Thus greatest invention of all time. Accountant of Pemberton – Frank Rob inson, coined the name Coca-Cola and famours trademark News spread across Atlanta 1st year – average drinks sold 9 drink per day 1888 – sold to Asa G. Candler and Co. to produce and distribute coca-cola Mr. Candler was a marketing genius, countless creative ways to promote the product. Gave the color red in barrels to give a distinctive appearance All over America-Soda foams. Then in bottles – idea Sold them the right to do that – 1dollar 1916 – introduced coca cola contour bottle; so unique it became instantly famous 1919 – Candler sold the company to a group of investors. Robert Woodriff who became the company’s president Make ice-cold coca cola available to anyone, where, placeFIRST TRULY GLOBAL BRAND 100 YEARS LATER – FORMULA IS STILL A GUARDED SECRET MOST RECOGNIZED TRADEMARK IN THE WORLD ENJOYED IN MORE THAN 200 COUNTRIESHISTORY OF BOTTLING:Coca-Cola ® originated as a soda fountain beverage in 1886 selling for five cent s a glass. Early growth was impressive, but it was only when a strong bottling system developed thatCoca-Cola became the world-famous brand it is today. 1894 †¦ A modest start for a bold ideaIn a candy store in Vicksburg, Mississippi, brisk sales of the new fountain beverage calledCoca-Cola impressed the store's owner, Joseph A. Biedenharn. He began bottling Coca-Colato sell, using a common glass bottle called a Hutchinson.Biedenharn sent a case to Asa Griggs Candler, who owned the Company. Candler thanked him but took no action. One of his nephews already had urged that Coca-Cola be bottled, but Candler focused on fountain sales. 1899 †¦ The first bottling agreementTwo young attorneys from Chattanooga, Tennessee believed they could build a business around bottling Coca-Cola. In a meeting with Candler, Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead obtained exclusive rights to bottle Coca-Cola across most of the United States (specifically excluding Vicksburg) — for the sum of one dollar. A third Chattanooga lawyer, John T. Lupton, soon joined their venture. 1900-1909 †¦ Rapid growthThe three pioneer bottlers divided the country into territories and sold bottling rights to local entrepreneurs. Their efforts were boosted by major progress in bottling technology, which improved efficiency and product quality. By 1909, nearly 400 Coca-Cola bottling plants were operating, most of them family-owned businesses. Some were open only during hot-weather months when demand was high. 1916 †¦ Birth of the contour bottleBottlers worried that the straight-sided bottle for Coca-Cola was easily confused with imitators. A group representing the Company and bottlers asked glass manufacturers to offer ideas for a distinctive bottle. A design from the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana won enthusiastic approval in 1915 and was introduced in 1916. The contour bottle became one of the few packages ever granted trademark status by the U.S. Patent Office . Today, it's one of the most recognized icons in the world – even in the dark! 1920s †¦ Bottling overtakes fountain salesAs the 1920s dawned, more than 1,000 Coca-Cola bottlers were operating in the U.S. Their ideas and zeal fueled steady growth. Six-bottle cartons were a huge hit after their 1923 introduction. A few years later, open-top metal coolers became the forerunners of automated vending machines. By the end of the 1920s, bottle sales of Coca-Cola exceeded fountain sales. 1920s and 30s †¦ International expansionLed by longtime Company leader Robert W. Woodruff, chief executive officer and chairman of the Board, the Company began a major push to establish bottling operations outside the U.S. Plants were opened in France, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Belgium, Italy, Peru, Spain, Australia and South Africa. By the time World War II began, Coca-Cola was being bottled in 44 countries. 1940s †¦ Post-war growthDuring the war, 64 bottling plants were set up ar ound the world to supply the troops. This followed an urgent request for bottling equipment and materials from General Eisenhower's base in North Africa. Many of these war-time plants were later converted to civilian use, permanently enlarging the bottling system and accelerating the growth of the Company's worldwide business. 1950s †¦ Packaging innovationsFor the first time, consumers had choices of Coca-Cola package size and type — the traditional 6.5-ounce contour bottle, or larger servings including 10-, 12- and 26-ounce versions. Cans were also introduced, becoming generally available in 1960. 1960s †¦ New brands introducedFollowing Fanta ® in the 1950s, Sprite ®, Minute Maid ®, Fresca ® and TaB ® joined brandCoca-Cola in the 1960s. Mr. Pibb ® and Mello Yello ® were added in the 1970s. The 1980s brought diet Coke ® and Cherry Coke ®, followed by POWERADE ® and DASANI ® in the 1990s. Today hundreds of other brands are offered to meet consum er preferences in local markets around the world. 1970s and 80s †¦ Consolidation to serve customersAs technology led to a global economy, the retailers who sold Coca-Cola merged and evolved into international mega-chains. Such customers required a new approach. In response, many small and medium-size bottlers consolidated to better serve giant international customers. The Company encouraged and invested in a number of bottler consolidations to assure that its largest bottling partners would have capacity to lead the system in working with global retailers. 1990s †¦ New and growing marketsPolitical and economic changes opened vast markets that were closed or underdeveloped for decades. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Company invested heavily to build plants in Eastern Europe. And as the century closed, more than $1.5 billion was committed to new bottling facilities in Africa. 21st Century †¦The Coca-Cola bottling system grew up with roots deeply planted in local communities. This heritage serves the Company well today as people seek brands that honor local identity and the distinctiveness of local markets. As was true a century ago, strong locally based relationships between Coca-Cola bottlers, customers and communities are the foundation on which the entire business grows.

Exploration of Form Simulations

Line Line is in many ways the simplest element of form: the connection between two points. It is also one of the most powerful elements of art, because it readily suggests movement and also, as a contour, can suggest solid form or mass. Lines often function as the abstract underpinnings of compositions, both in pictures and in sculptures. Line is one dimensional, and is therefore a very versatile tool in the creation of art. There are a number of different ways to use line. Drawing the outlines of an object is called contour drawing.Line that shows emotion, movement or direction is called expressive line, and line that is simple, ordered and symmetrical is called classical line. Implied line shows the edges of things without actually outlining them, and is used to draw the viewer's eye into the plane of a picture. Line can be used to shade or add texture to a picture using cross-hatching, which is composed of parallel crossed lines. Shape Shape becomes visible when a line or lines en close an area, or when an apparent change in value [lightness or darkness] or texture sets an area apart from its surroundings.Shapes are two-dimensional graphic elements like lines, but they can also suggest masses or solid objects in flattened profile. If the end of a line connects with its own beginning, it forms a shape, and the character of a shape is really determined by the kind of line that forms its outer border. There are broad categories of shape: curvilinear, angular, geometric, biomorphic and irregular. These types of shape have abstract associations that can be connected to real world objects they resemble. Color is another factor that affects the expressive impact of a shape. | MassMass is the term we use to describe solid form in art. Mass is a principle characteristic of most â€Å"things† in the real world: mountains, stones, apples and the human figure. Carved and modeled sculpture works with mass, as its primary component, often connected with linear princ iples that suggest movement. Mass is also an important factor in flat art work, although special techniques are required in painting and drawing to make mass appear to exist on the page. Mass describes three dimensions. If an object has mass, you can walk around it or see it from both the front and the back.Three-dimensional art forms include sculpture, ceramics, and architecture. These art forms involve creating actual mass. Drawing and painting are two-dimensional art forms, but there are techniques that can be used to represent three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface. This is called creating apparent mass. Linear The spatial relationships between three-dimensional objects in a two-dimensional picture are shown using perspective. Perspective is created using overlapping images, vertical placement of images in the picture plane, and scale, or relative size of objects.In Western art, the most common type of perspective is linear. Linear perspective was developed in Italy durin g the early Renaissance. It orders the geometric depiction of objects in a picture in relation to an imaginary viewer's eye level: called the horizon line. All horizontal receding edges, such as the edges of a square table or the line of the floor in a room, will converge in the distance toward a point on the horizon line. Vectors below eye level will move up on the picture plane (or surface of the page) as they go back in space, while vectors above eye level will move down as they recede in space.The points where these vectors meet the horizon are called â€Å"vanishing points†. Perspective applied to the human figure is called foreshortening. In foreshortened view of the figure, closer parts of the body appear very large and in front, often blocking the view of parts behind. Spatial Spatial Depth refers to the relationships of objects to the space around them. In a two-dimensional picture, the illusion of depth is created in several ways. One is linear perspective, which is explored in section A. Another is the relationship between figure [an object] and ground [its background].Changing the value [lightness and darkness], color [chroma or hue], and scale or overlap of images can all have an effect on how we perceive spatial depth. Tonal relationships and edge can also affect the sense of spatial arrangement in a picture. Tones work to create depth in relation to a background tone. The greater the similarity of the tonal color of an object to the tone of the background, the more it will seem to recede toward the background. The more different or contrasting the object's tone, the more it will pop forward, away from the background.Soft edges will tend to push objects back in space, mimicking the effect of a foggy atmosphere. Directional Spatial Depth refers to the relationships of objects to the space around them. In a two-dimensional picture, the illusion of depth is created in several ways. One of them is the use of light. Light is an important part o f our understanding of space. Because it is so important, artists have learned ways to depict and manipulate light. Some artists, such as architects, manipulate light directly through a series of windows, for example.Other artists imitate the action of light as it reveals forms in three-dimensions. The way light strikes an object can affect how we perceive its mass or its depth in space. Elements of Color and Light Functions Light is essential to visual art, including most photography. The amount of light can radically change the way a photograph or painting reads. The direction of light modifies the way an object appears in a photograph, painting or drawing. In addition, light controls the colors we see. Artists manipulate and control the amount of light and color in their work to control the effect they are trying to achieve. Properties Color is an important cue for the relationship between forms in an image or in space. In a two-dimensional image, color can control the relationsh ip between the figure and its ground. If the color of the ground is similar to the color of the figure, the figure-ground relationship can be unclear. If the contrast between the figure color and the ground color is strong, the figure and its ground will seem more separated. By changing the relationship between the figure color and the ground color, the relationship between the igure and the ground is also changed visually. | Expressive Color is also an expressive element. Different colors mean different things in different societies and cultures. Colors that mean mourning in one society mean celebration in another. In the Western world, black is associated with mourning, but in Nigeria, white signifies death. In the Maori culture of New Zealand, there are over a hundred words that distinguish different shades of red. Even within a culture, different groups have different color vocabularies.Women in the United States have a very sophisticated color vocabulary, due in part to the fas hion, cosmetics and home decorating industries. Within individual works of art, the feeling of the artwork is strongly affected by the color choices of the artist. The way we use color to express ourselves is very personal. Some of our color choices are made by what is currently in fashion and some are more or less classical. The important thing to remember is that the use of certain colors together will imply a deep space, while others will make the space seem flatter. Optical illusions can be fun to try.Optical The optical effects that produce colors can be divided into two media: light and pigment. The mixing of colored lights is an additive process. This means that greater or lesser amounts of colors are mixed optically. The colors are refracted. Mixing pigments, such as paints and pastels, is a subtractive process. The colors in a paint mixture cancel each other out because they show the amount of reflected color in the mixture. Unlike the additive process, in which color becom es more brilliant, in the subtractive process, a mixture of large amounts of the primary colors produces a muddy black.

Current Ethical Issues Paper

Current Ethical Issues Paper Heidi L. Hinckley XMGT/216 December 16, 2012 Dan Mitchell In creating this paper I have decided to use the Kudler Fine Foods organization, due to the fact that I enjoy trying new flavors from around the world. Kudler Find Foods is â€Å"a local upscale specialty food store† (Kudler website) located in California. Kudler Fine Foods currently has three locations in the state of California. There focus is to bring the finest foods and finest team members they can to their potential customers.They offer a wine steward at each location, as well as monthly classes for customers to lean about various wines in the store. Kudler Fine Foods wants to promote the best in food and service. The Kudler Fine Foods organization first opened their doors on June 18, 1998. The owner and creator, Kathy Kudler, decided to take her passion for gourmet cooking and turn it into a business that she could be successful at as well as enjoy doing. That success has been proven in the opening of two additional stores one in 2000 and another in 2003.Kudler Fine Foods offers a variety of ingredients, fresh baked goods, meats, local seafood, cheeses and wines. Kudler Fine Foods is a one stop shop for any gourmet cook or even want to be gourmet cook in the family. One large ethical issue is the lack of leadership on the part of the owner Kathy Kudler. She lacks interaction with her customers as well, spending most of her time doing all of the ordering for all three of her stores. This can create large ethical issues in that she is not in touch with what her customers really want.There is also the ethical issue of using family to when referring to legal issues. First is the issue of nepotism and secondly there is the advice to always settle on customer accidents. This action makes the business appear as if they are always at fault and not taking the customers safety into consideration. Another issue that jumped right out is in the wording of certain areas of he r website. If she truly wants to bring the best to everyone, then she needs to remove statements from her website that list herself as upscale.I understand that she is trying to create an atmosphere, but in that statement it would seem that she only want to work with certain kinds of customers. This could lead some consumers to think that they are not welcome in her stores. .Kathy Kudler has a moral and ethical obligation as a business owner to promote an atmosphere that is open and welcoming to all. There is also the questionable promotion on Kudler Fine Foods website on how they only hire the best employees.Although I personally understand the statement, it can be considered unethical in the terminology. There is an insinuation that in that way that terminology is presented. There should be a change there in that all Kudler Fine Foods employees are trained to assist customers with any questions they may have on the products that are available in the store. There is also an ethical issue in the description of the stores themselves. The website promotes the locations as â€Å"8,000 square feet of retail space in a fashionable shopping center† (Kudler Fine Foods).Again the terminology in that statement may be perceived as condescending as if certain individuals would not be welcomed within the locations. With a store like this it is important that if you are promoting the flavors of the world they you would also represent the people of those regions. A diverse workforce that is familiar with these ingredients and foods would also show that the owner take a strong diverse attitude with her business. This would also bring a welcoming atmosphere to all in the neighborhoods around these store locations.If Kathy Kudler makes that type of promotion that her store is diverse and open then her stores will be considered a gem in their neighborhoods and she will continue see more growth, and it may even be faster than she planned. Offering top services to her cust omers, by offering the best training and information for her employees, will help to lead to a business that Kathy Kudler can not only be successful at but that she can also enjoy doing. Reference: https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/index. html https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Kudler2/internet/index. asp

Network security infrastructure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Network security infrastructure - Essay Example On the other hand, Internet Security Infrastructure is the arrangement of components and tools, in a bid to offer the most effective internet protection. Before one settles on a particular plan to use, it is of the essence to clearly state the objectives of the plan. I, as a result, had to carefully select a plan that would enable me achieve the above goals at the lowest cost possible. My plan includes firewall, web contents, protection against web pharming, and phishing. A firewall is a choke-point garget that consists of a set of rules and instructions specifying the type of data to allow in or out of the system. It basically controls the flow of data into and out of the system. There several types of firewalls in the market. In this case, I chose on Zone-Alarm based on its outstanding features and performance. Zone-Alarm is a multi-purpose firewall. It is capable performing several functions simultaneously. Such functions include protecting the system against internet exposure, protecting the system against web pharming and phishing. The firewall is programmed so as to prevent any malicious emails from getting into the mail server. The use of this type is very economical, in that it forms several functions at ago, hence saves on cost. This is a server program that is responsible for handling the end-user requests to access the system. AAA server gives authorization, authorization, and accounting services. It is at this station where the users request to access the system is either accepted or rejected. Routers are referred to as traffic cops of a network system. Their function is to direct traffic into and out of the system. They also direct traffic within the network system. The process decision of a router is normally contained in a routing table. The routers are programmed so as to prevent the possible routing threats such as complete network chaos, dropped traffic, and traffic sent along invalid paths. The

Operations and Materials Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Operations and Materials Management - Essay Example Companies keep on upgrading themselves to gain competitive edge and keep up with changing demands and preferences of consumers. This paper is to observe and analyze the operations and materials management of three firms- McDonalds, world wide chain of fast food restaurant; Panda Express, a fast food Asian cuisine restaurant; Wendy’s, quick service hamburger company. Â   All the three companies have a well set operations management that focuses on acquiring the raw material cost effectively; process the raw material to make it ready to bring it out to the shelf for the final use by consumer. This is typical of the Wendy’s operations and its business strategy (Stevenson, 1996). The common thing about the three large firms is that all three have well planned and strategically designed Standard Operating Procedures in addition to their indigenous solution in relation to the nature of industry they are thriving in. In order to avoid huge amount of capital investment in acqu iring and building the infrastructure, McDonalds and Panda Express sells franchisee to local investors. McDonalds is a fast food restaurant catering to all classes of consumers across its chain of set ups globally; it relies on providing fresh food to its consumers in the quickest time possible. The key to its success globally irrespective of the geographical or cultural barriers has been its use of Just In Time (JIT) inventory management system. This system keeps a complete track of the available stock against the current and future demand of the raw material. It helps avoiding overstocking and under stocking at any given time; thus, ensuring healthy and fresh food for consumers (MacDonald, 2000, p. 263). The McDonalds’ management strategically makes a decision on keeping the labor cost low by scheduling the roster as per the store rush depending on peak and non-peak hours. Scheduling of staff roster is one strategy that has been found to be common to all the three companies being analyzed. In all the cases, there is a team of trained staff, where each member is not only specialized to perform a specific task, but also trained to handle more tasks at the same time in case they are required to do so. The companies encourage multi-tasking at their establishments. It helps in scheduling the roster on the basis of peak and non-peak hours; as the staff strength is generally kept low during the non-peak hours, which requires every team member to handle more than just their specific task. On the other hand, during the non-peak hours the work force at all the three firms is so stationed that one individual handles one desk that he specializes in. The well planned and consistent operation process across their chain of establishments and trained staff ensures low cost and improve the overall efficiency. The operating systems adopted by the three firms are primarily the same irrespective of the level an employee holds in the organization. Costs associated with op erations maintenance and monitoring in a company can generally be put under five different headers, which are plant, inventory, labor, raw materials, and distribution. All the costs associated with a company can broadly be classified into two categories, fixed costs and variable costs. As the terms imply, fixed costs are the ones that are incurred irrespective of the running status of a firm and variable costs are ones that are incurred at various stages of operations, like equipment maintenances, labor costs, plant

English - Genetically Modified Foods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

English - Genetically Modified Foods - Essay Example Yet, these developments are not purely benevolent. As the potential long-term effects of eating the resulting food is unknown, many consumers are afraid of future side effects and prefer foods that are naturally cultivated. Genetically modified plants and animals are, by definition, altered at their most fundamental levels, mutated in ways totally foreign to time-honored methods. One of the most significant debates presently occurring in the realm of genetically altered foods is over whether or not poultry produced via the developments of biotechnology create a healthy food supply. Although the full repercussions of consuming such meat over a lifetime will not be known for many years, I believe the prospects of better yields and stronger resistance to disease outweighs this. Genetically engineered poultry are the way of the future, and this future is to the greatest benefit to farmers, consumers and the poultry themselves. For thousands of years, mankind has domesticated fowl for eggs, meat and the breeding of subsequent generations of stock. Although using completely new methods and concepts, modern science is in fact advancing the practice of farming to achieve desired beneficial traits. Historical evidence suggests that humans have manipulated birds as required through purposeful breeding schemes and animal husbandry. Theoretically, genetic engineering is only a new potential avenue in this traditional art of bettering livestock populations. Combining the traits scientists wish to insert via biotechnology into the domesticated fowl is an ideal situation for farmers. Through this new tool in farming, consumers also benefit with lower prices, better tasting meat, and even meat which will microwave more effectively, thus answering to contemporary cooking instruments. People have always sought to enhance the desirable qualities of domesticated poultry. However, these processes may hot have anyways been humane or caring towards the animals. One such customary and fully legal practice in the United States is to starve hens for weeks at a time in order to manipulate egg production, despite the potential for serious health problems that might lead to premature death. Genetic engineering of the chickens can prevent further unethical acts towards these animals, which are regularly kept in mechanized environments and regularly mutilated, starved, forced to reproduce through artificial insemination, and left unprotected from widespread disease. Through the creation of chickens that are resistant to disease and able to mature quickly and stay in better health, the current ways of increasing the chicken growth rate can mercifully be abandoned. One of the worst negative effects of captivity is a dehabilitating leg weakness caused by tibial dyschondroplasia. In the natural environment, only 1.2 percent of chickens suffer from this condition, where 49 percent of domesticated chicken are plagued with these leg problems.1 The prospect of making chickens grow larger, leaner, and faster is very appealing to farmers, and as a biotech company president said, "I'm not sure that birds have preferences about their body shape." Genetic engineering can propagate a stock that is better suited for domestic conditions, insuring a better quality of life. Disease prevention among chickens is extremely important to both farmers and consumers,