Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 42

Ethics - Essay Example According to privacy laws private information is owned by the person it describes this includes medical records and even school grades. This information is deemed to be obtained illegally and cannot be used without permission from the owner. Privacy law and protection of student’s private life and information was affirmed in the class action suit of Robbins v. Lower Merion School District. The counter opinion is that the students may be accessing illegal sites or using the computers for immoral behaviors and hence may require monitoring. The merit of this opinion lies whereby most parents also have guards in their computers that inhibit or lock out their teenage children from various sites. This is then enforced by the Superintendent in the schools.There are laws in place to help monitor student’s social media interactions and focus on gang related activities, threats of violence and may include surveillance of non-violent student activity like alcohol and drug consumption. The software installed on the computers can also be used to track stolen or lost laptops hence aiding in their retrieval. The merit of this counter opinion lies with the force of the law and the necessity to keep the students and their property safe. Similar situations I have encountered include an online company accessing personal information of social media users and calling the users with the intention to defraud them. This is a violation of privacy laws at the same time a criminal activity. The companies will track internet usage of the customers, determine their buying habits and movements and collect personal information without consent from the users. This is a breach of business ethics and the companies must determine ethical behaviors and put in place guidelines and policies to deter this kind of behavior. I would say I exhibit good ethics because I possess the ability to distinguish between right and wrong and in most situations choose to do the

Political Disputes by 1860 Essay Example for Free

Political Disputes by 1860 Essay During the 1800s, Americans in the North and South often had conflict but could no longer resolve their political disputes through compromise by the year 1860. In this time period, compromise was not an option because slavery and states rights caused political disputes between the north and south.The two political parties in the north and south lost their ability to cooperate and by the mid 1800s increased the issue of the division of the states. The political view on slavery and states rights grew as compromise between the north and south political parties began to collapse during the mid 19th century. Henry Clay stated that it is impossible for South Carolina to become an independent state. (Doc A) A report of the American Anti-Slavery Society was opposed to slavery naming slave owners as man stealers and believed that slaves should be free. (Doc B) Political compromise was not greatly effected by their belief but the Compromise of 1850 resulted in the Fugitive Slave Law being passed which caused the collapse in the political parties. The issue of slavery continued to increase as compromise slowly disintegrated. Abolitionism increased by the encouragement of Frederick Douglass, a leader, who promoted freedom for all slaves. Also, Uncle Toms Cabin published by Harriet Beecher started up abolitionism in the North while the South to oppose against abolitinists. Senator Daniel Webster who is opposed to secession stated that the North is not complied with the Fugitive Slave Law. (Doc D) In addition, a New York Tribune comparing working class men in the north to southern gentlemen (Doc F) caused more conflict between the states over the issue of slavery. The division of the states over the issue of slavery enhanced the collapse of compromise between the North and South political parties.

Municipal Solid Waste Management Essay

Municipal Solid Waste Management Essay Waste management is the collection, transport, processing, recycling or disposal, and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity and is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics. Waste management is also carried out to recover resources from it. Waste management can involve solid, liquid, gaseous or radioactive substances, with different methods and fields of expertise for each. Waste Management is the term that refers to the collection, processing, recycling, transport, and monitoring of waste products. The waste products means the various materials produced by human activity and is undertaken for reducing their effect on health, environment or aesthetics. Another application of the waste management is to recover the various resources from it. It involves the management of solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes. Each type of waste requires a different methods and fields of expertise. The practices of waste management differ from developed and developing nations. In fact, there is difference in methods used in the urban and rural areas, and also for industrial or residential producers. It is the responsibility of local government authorities to manage non-hazardous residential and institutional waste in metro areas. However, the management for non-hazardous commercial and industrial waste is done by the generator. There are various methods of waste disposal including integrated waste management, Plasma gasification, Landfill, Supercritical water decomposition and Incineration. There are lots of concepts about waste management which differ in their usage as per the varying regions or countries. Some of the widely used concepts include Waste hierarchy, Extended producer responsibility and Polluter pays principle. The waste hierarchy points to the reduce, reuse and recycle that classify waste management strategies as per their effectiveness in regards to waste minimization. The waste hierarchy is the cornerstone of majority of waste minimization strategies. It focuses on taking out the maximum practical advantages from products and generating least amount of waste. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a strategy that is intended for the integration of all costs related with products across their life cycles into the market price of the product. The Polluter Pays Principle suggests that in case of waste leading to any impact on the environment, the polluting party is held responsible and it needs to pays for it. The waste management refers to the need for a waste producer to pay for proper waste disposal. Effective Techniques of waste management:- 1) LANDFILL: it is one of the inexpensive methods of waste management. In this waste is dumped on an abandoned land. Be cautious that no toxic or hazardous waste gets dumped in landfill. 2) INCINERATION: Toxic substances that cannot be dumped are burnt. This method is not much in action as this emits harmful pollutants leading to pollution. 3) COMPOSTING: Organic wastes from homes garden eg- food, plants, etc are decomposed, recycled used as manure for agriculture purpose. 4) MECHANICAL BIOLOGICALTREATMENT: Glass, plastic other recyclable waste is put into waste treatment plant. Recyclable content from waste is taken converted to calorific fuel that in turn is used by power plants. 5) PYROLYSIS GASIFICATION: Waste products are treated at high temperature7 high pressure. Its a thermal technique. In pyrolysis, waste is converted into solid liquid, in which solid is refined into carbon form liquid got from the waste is used as energy giving oil. In gasification, waste is converted into synthetic gases: that are burnt to give high energy. (6) Disposal: Non recyclable wastes are dumped into a vast abandoned land. This is called landfills. Only care should be taken that toxic waste does not enter the soil and water system. The people in charge of landfill department must supervise approve the dumping site. Care should be taken about depth allowed till dumping, the nature of the waste dumped, etc must be approved MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE 1. Municipal Solid Waste Garbage is generally referred to Waste and is also termed as rubbish, trash, junk, unwanted or undesired material.As per the Municipal Solid Waste (Management Handling) Rule,2000 garbage is define as Municipal Solid Waste which includes commercial and residential wastes generated in a municipal or notified areas in either solid or semi-solid form excluding industrial hazardous wastes but including treated bio-medical wastes Municipal solid waste consists of household waste, construction and demolition debris, sanitation residue, and waste from streets. This garbage is generated mainly from residential and commercial complexes. 2. Main Sources of Municipal Waste House hold waste Commercials: Street sweeping Hotels and restaurants Clinics and dispensaries Construction and demolition Horticulture Sludge 3. Composition of Municipal Solid Waste in India In India, the biodegradable portion dominates the bulk of Municipal Solid Waste. Generally, the biodegradable portion is mainly due to food and yard waste With rising urbanisation and change in lifestyle and food habits, the amount of municipal solid waste has been increasing rapidly and its composition changing. There are different categories of waste generated, each takes their own time to degenerate (as illustrated in the table below). 4. Life Cycle of Municipal Solid Waste 5. Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices in India The term municipal solid waste refers to solid waste from houses, streets and public places, shops, offices, and hospitals. Management of these types of waste is most often the responsibility of Municipal or other Governmental authorities. Except in the metropolitan cities, SWM is the responsibility of a health officer who is assisted by the engineering department in the transportation work. The activity is mostly labour intensive, and 2-3 workers are provided per 1000 residents served. The municipal agencies spend 5-25% of their budget on SWM A typical waste management system in a low- or middle-income country like India includes the following elements: Waste generation and storage Segregation, reuse, and recycling at the household level Primary waste collection and transport to a transfer station or community bin Street sweeping and cleansing of public places Management of the transfer station or community bin Secondary collection and transport to the waste disposal site Waste disposal in landfills But in most of the Indian cities open dumping is the Common Practices which is adversely affecting on environment and Public health. 6. Adverse Effect of open dump An open dumping is defined as a land disposal site at which solid wastes are disposed of in a manner that does not protect the environment, are susceptible to open burning, and are exposed to the elements, vectors, and scavengers. Open dumping can include solid waste disposal facilities or practices that pose a reasonable probability of adverse effects on health or the environment. Health Effect The health risks associated with illegal dumping are significant. Areas used for open dumping may be easily accessible to people, especially children, who are vulnerable to the physical (protruding nails or sharp edges) and chemical (harmful fluids or dust) hazards posed by wastes. Rodents, insects, and other vermin attracted to open dump sites may also pose health risks. Dump sites with scrap tires provide an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, which can multiply 100 times faster than normal in the warm stagnant water standing in scrap tire causing several illnesses. Poisoning and chemical burns resulting from contact with small amounts of hazardous, chemical waste mixed with general waste during collection transportation. Burns and other injuries can occur resulting from occupational accidents and methane gas exposure at waste disposal sites. Environment pollution Air pollution Dust generated from on-site vehicle movements, and placement of waste and materials Water pollution Runoff from open dump sites containing chemicals may contaminate wells and surface water used as sources of drinking water open dumping can also impact proper drainage of runoff, making areas more susceptible to flooding when wastes block ravines, creeks, culverts, and drainage basins also contamination of groundwater resources and surface water from leachate emissions. Soil Contamination Permanent or temporary loss of productive land Global Warming and Climate Change In most of the cities towns, the municipal solid waste is being dumped burnt in open spaces without understanding the adverse impacts on the environment. The waste in the dumping ground undergoes various anaerobic reactions produces offensive Green House gases such as CO2, CH4 etc. These gases are contributing potentially to Global Warming Climate Change phenomenon. 7. Integrated Solid waste Management Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) is a tool to determine the most energy-efficient, least-polluting ways to deal with the various components items of a communitys Solid Waste stream. The twin goals of ISWM are to: Retain as much as possible of that energy those materials in a useful state. Avoid releasing that energy or matter into the environment as a pollutant. Benefits of Integrated Solid waste management The concept of ISWM plan derives from the necessity to look at alternative sources of collection, transportation and most importantly, disposal to ensure a healthy living environment in urban cities. Local and regional economies benefit by the continued exchange value of the reclaimed materials and products and the jobs created in reprocessing and reselling them. National and global resource natural depletion is reduced, contributing to a more sustainable long-term economy. Pollution from landfills is reduced because many toxic or otherwise polluting materials are diverted from the landfills, and because the overall volume of land filled material is reduced. 8. Legal framework for Municipal Solid Waste in India Municipal Solid Waste (Managment Handling ) Rule was notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Govt. of India [vide No.S.O.908 (B) dated the 25th September 2000]. The objective of these Rules was to make every municipal authority responsible for the implementation of the various provisions of the Rules within its territorial area and also to develop an effective infrastructure for collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of Municipal Solid Wastes. The Civic bodies have the responsibility to enforce these rules.

Frankenstein Kickass Paper -- essays research papers

The daughter of an active feminist, Mary Woolstonecraft Shelley eloped with the famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley at the age of 15, and after was continually and profoundly influenced by his words and writings. Her novel Frankenstein is named among the best written and most meaningful of the gothic works, and is one of the few still popularly read today. A precursor to the Romantic trend in art and intellect, gothic novels rejected of the precepts of order, balance, idealization, and rationality that typified Classicism in general and late 18th-century Neoclassicism in particular. The gothic tradition grew out of disillusionment with the Enlightenment and 18th-century rationalism and physical materialism. Romanticism as a whole emphasized the individual, the irrational, the imaginative, the spontaneous, the emotional, and the transcendental. Shelley herself defines "gothic" as a story "which would speak to the mysterious fears of our Nature, and would awaken thrill ing horror--one to make the reader dread to look around, to curdle the blood and quicken the beatings of the heart." By infusing moral and social concerns into the gothic style, Shelley achieves more than a simple horror story, however. The universal societal and psychoanalytical questions raised in Frankenstein secure its place in world literature and promise decades of similarly fashioned gothic writings. As stated above, the gothic genre developed as a harsh reaction to the predominant Neoclassic ideals of the time; the emphasis shifted from the whole to the solitary, and from society to nature. The "Graveyard Poets," one of whom is Thomas Gray, are attributed with having ushered in the new philosophy and are often termed "Pre-Romantics." Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" has all the elements of the gothic: graves, overtones of death, a rural setting, and a desire for return to a more simplistic, natural time. Simultaneously, Jean-Jacques Rousseau preached a similar creed which presented society as evil, and called for a "natural state of man." Shelley was schooled in both writers, and took their words to heart. In 1776 and 1789 Revolutions swept America and France, indicating that the Neoclassic ideals were not as stable as was previously thought. News of these ... ...; and "Fall of the House of Usher" and Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" use many gothic conventions and themes, such as the ominous tone, dream-like or surreal sequences, and warnings about interdependency and the manipulation of one's mind. The gothic novel revolves as part of the literary cycle, periodically returning for a brief period in the public's eye and then again disappearing into obscure circles of its few disciples. In this scientific age, the gothic is viewed as being overly sentimental, predictable, and implausible. As the ages change, readers, like Victor, are forced to "exchange chimeras of boundless grandeur" which the gothic inspires for "realities of little worth" (Shelley 46). The gothic, the fantastic, is a necessary balance for logic and reason as much as light is to dark, and good to evil. Without one, the other is undefined and therefore has no purpose in its existence. Frankenstein will live on as a brilliant insight into both the political environment of the 18th century and the eternal condition of man as an extension of nature.

Big Five Personality Traits

Big five model †¢ Lewis goldberg proposed a five dimension personality model , nicknamed the big five /five factor theory. †¢ The Big Five model is a comprehensive, empirical, data-driven research finding. †¢ In psychology, the â€Å"Big Five† factors (Five Factor Model) of personality are five broad domains or dimensions of personality which are used to describe human personality. Big five factors are †¢ Factor I: Extraversion. †¢ Factor II: Agreeableness. †¢ Factor III: Conscientiousness. †¢ Factor IV: Neuroticism. †¢ Factor V: Openness to Experience. Factor I: Extraversion Extraversion is characterized by positive emotions and the tendency to seek out stimulation and the company of others. †¢ Extraverts enjoy being with people, and are often perceived as full of energy. †¢ They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented individuals who are likely to say â€Å"Yes! † or â€Å"Let's go! † to opportunities for excit ement. Continued†¦ †¢ In groups they like to talk, assert themselves, and draw attention to themselves. †¢ Introverts lack the social exuberance and activity levels of extraverts. †¢ They tend to seem quiet, low-key, deliberate, and less involved in the social world. Continued†¦ Extraversion : the tendency to be †¢ Talkative versus Quiet. †¢ Assertive versus Reserved. †¢ Active versus Shy. †¢ Energetic versus Silent. †¢ Outgoing versus Withdrawnness.. Sample extraversion items †¢ I don't mind being the center of attention. †¢ I feel comfortable around people. †¢ I start conversations. †¢ I talk to a lot of different people at parties. †¢ I don't talk a lot. (reversed) †¢ I have little to say. (reversed) †¢ I don't like to draw attention to myself. (reversed) †¢ I am quiet around strangers. (reversed) Factor II: Agreeableness †¢ Agreeableness is a tendency to be compassionate nd cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others. †¢ They are generally considerate, friendly, generous, helpful, and willing to compromise their interests with others. †¢ Agreeable people also have an optimistic view of human nature. They believe people are basically hon est, decent, and trustworthy. Continued.. †¢ Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others. †¢ They are generally unconcerned with others’ well-being. †¢ Sometimes their skepticism about others’ motives causes them to be suspicious, unfriendly, and ncooperative. Continued†¦.. †¢ Kind versus unkind. †¢ Appreciative versus Fault-finding. †¢ Soft-hearted versus Hard-hearted. †¢ Warm versus Cold. †¢ Generous versus Quarrelsome. †¢ Friendly versus Unfriendly. Sample agreeableness items †¢ I am interested in people. †¢ I sympathize with others' feelings. †¢ I have a soft heart. †¢ I take time out for others. †¢ I feel others' emotions. †¢ I make people feel at ease. Factor III: Conscientiousness †¢ Conscientiousness is a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement against measures or outside expectations. The trait shows a preferenc e for planned rather than spontaneous behavior. †¢ It influences the way in which we control, regulate, and direct our impulses. Continued†¦.. †¢ Organized versus unorganized. †¢ Efficient versus inefficient. †¢ Responsible versus Irresponsible. †¢ Reliable versus unreliable. †¢ Dependable versus Undependable †¢ Practical versus imaginative. Sample conscientiousness items †¢ I am always prepared. †¢ I pay attention to details. †¢ I get chores done right away. †¢ I like order. †¢ I follow a schedule. †¢ I am exacting in my work. Factor IV: Neuroticism †¢ Neuroticism is the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, or depression. †¢ It is sometimes called emotional instability. †¢ Those who score high in neuroticism are emotionally reactive and vulnerable to stress. †¢ They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. Continued†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¢ These problems in emotional regulation can diminish the ability of a person scoring high on neuroticism to think clearly, make decisions, and cope effectively with stress. At the other end of the scale, individuals who score low in neuroticism are less easily upset and are less emotionally reactive. †¢ They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and free from persistent negative feelings. Continued†¦ †¢ Tense, Anxious, Nervous, Moody, Worrying, Touchy, Fearful, Self-pitying, Temperamental, Unstable, Self-punishing. †¢ versus [Emo tional stability, Emotional control, Ego strength] Sample neuroticism items †¢ I am easily disturbed. †¢ I change my mood a lot. †¢ I get irritated easily. †¢ I get stressed out easily. †¢ I get upset easily. I have frequent mood swings. †¢ I often feel blue. †¢ I worry about things. Factor V: Openness to Experience †¢ Openness is a general appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination, curiosity, and variety of experience. †¢ The trait distinguishes imaginative people from down-to-earth, conventional people. †¢ People who are open to experience are intellectually curious, appreciative of art, and sensitive to beauty. Continued†¦ †¢ They tend to be, compared to more creative and more aware of their feelings. †¢ They are more likely to hold unconventional eliefs. †¢ People with low scores on openness tend to have more conventional, traditional interests. †¢ They prefer the plain, straigh tforward, and obvious over the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. Continued†¦ †¢ Wide interests versus Narrow interests, †¢ Imaginative versus Commonplace, †¢ Intelligent versus Unintelligent, Sample openness items †¢ I have a rich vocabulary. †¢ I have a vivid imagination. †¢ I have excellent ideas. †¢ I am quick to understand things. †¢ I use difficult words. †¢ I spend time reflecting on things. †¢ I am full of ideas. Thank you Big Five Personality Traits Big five model †¢ Lewis goldberg proposed a five dimension personality model , nicknamed the big five /five factor theory. †¢ The Big Five model is a comprehensive, empirical, data-driven research finding. †¢ In psychology, the â€Å"Big Five† factors (Five Factor Model) of personality are five broad domains or dimensions of personality which are used to describe human personality. Big five factors are †¢ Factor I: Extraversion. †¢ Factor II: Agreeableness. †¢ Factor III: Conscientiousness. †¢ Factor IV: Neuroticism. †¢ Factor V: Openness to Experience. Factor I: Extraversion Extraversion is characterized by positive emotions and the tendency to seek out stimulation and the company of others. †¢ Extraverts enjoy being with people, and are often perceived as full of energy. †¢ They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented individuals who are likely to say â€Å"Yes! † or â€Å"Let's go! † to opportunities for excit ement. Continued†¦ †¢ In groups they like to talk, assert themselves, and draw attention to themselves. †¢ Introverts lack the social exuberance and activity levels of extraverts. †¢ They tend to seem quiet, low-key, deliberate, and less involved in the social world. Continued†¦ Extraversion : the tendency to be †¢ Talkative versus Quiet. †¢ Assertive versus Reserved. †¢ Active versus Shy. †¢ Energetic versus Silent. †¢ Outgoing versus Withdrawnness.. Sample extraversion items †¢ I don't mind being the center of attention. †¢ I feel comfortable around people. †¢ I start conversations. †¢ I talk to a lot of different people at parties. †¢ I don't talk a lot. (reversed) †¢ I have little to say. (reversed) †¢ I don't like to draw attention to myself. (reversed) †¢ I am quiet around strangers. (reversed) Factor II: Agreeableness †¢ Agreeableness is a tendency to be compassionate nd cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others. †¢ They are generally considerate, friendly, generous, helpful, and willing to compromise their interests with others. †¢ Agreeable people also have an optimistic view of human nature. They believe people are basically hon est, decent, and trustworthy. Continued.. †¢ Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others. †¢ They are generally unconcerned with others’ well-being. †¢ Sometimes their skepticism about others’ motives causes them to be suspicious, unfriendly, and ncooperative. Continued†¦.. †¢ Kind versus unkind. †¢ Appreciative versus Fault-finding. †¢ Soft-hearted versus Hard-hearted. †¢ Warm versus Cold. †¢ Generous versus Quarrelsome. †¢ Friendly versus Unfriendly. Sample agreeableness items †¢ I am interested in people. †¢ I sympathize with others' feelings. †¢ I have a soft heart. †¢ I take time out for others. †¢ I feel others' emotions. †¢ I make people feel at ease. Factor III: Conscientiousness †¢ Conscientiousness is a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement against measures or outside expectations. The trait shows a preferenc e for planned rather than spontaneous behavior. †¢ It influences the way in which we control, regulate, and direct our impulses. Continued†¦.. †¢ Organized versus unorganized. †¢ Efficient versus inefficient. †¢ Responsible versus Irresponsible. †¢ Reliable versus unreliable. †¢ Dependable versus Undependable †¢ Practical versus imaginative. Sample conscientiousness items †¢ I am always prepared. †¢ I pay attention to details. †¢ I get chores done right away. †¢ I like order. †¢ I follow a schedule. †¢ I am exacting in my work. Factor IV: Neuroticism †¢ Neuroticism is the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, or depression. †¢ It is sometimes called emotional instability. †¢ Those who score high in neuroticism are emotionally reactive and vulnerable to stress. †¢ They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. Continued†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¢ These problems in emotional regulation can diminish the ability of a person scoring high on neuroticism to think clearly, make decisions, and cope effectively with stress. At the other end of the scale, individuals who score low in neuroticism are less easily upset and are less emotionally reactive. †¢ They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and free from persistent negative feelings. Continued†¦ †¢ Tense, Anxious, Nervous, Moody, Worrying, Touchy, Fearful, Self-pitying, Temperamental, Unstable, Self-punishing. †¢ versus [Emo tional stability, Emotional control, Ego strength] Sample neuroticism items †¢ I am easily disturbed. †¢ I change my mood a lot. †¢ I get irritated easily. †¢ I get stressed out easily. †¢ I get upset easily. I have frequent mood swings. †¢ I often feel blue. †¢ I worry about things. Factor V: Openness to Experience †¢ Openness is a general appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination, curiosity, and variety of experience. †¢ The trait distinguishes imaginative people from down-to-earth, conventional people. †¢ People who are open to experience are intellectually curious, appreciative of art, and sensitive to beauty. Continued†¦ †¢ They tend to be, compared to more creative and more aware of their feelings. †¢ They are more likely to hold unconventional eliefs. †¢ People with low scores on openness tend to have more conventional, traditional interests. †¢ They prefer the plain, straigh tforward, and obvious over the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. Continued†¦ †¢ Wide interests versus Narrow interests, †¢ Imaginative versus Commonplace, †¢ Intelligent versus Unintelligent, Sample openness items †¢ I have a rich vocabulary. †¢ I have a vivid imagination. †¢ I have excellent ideas. †¢ I am quick to understand things. †¢ I use difficult words. †¢ I spend time reflecting on things. †¢ I am full of ideas. Thank you

Production and operation management Essay

Part One: Multiple choices: 1. Production and Operations Management concerns itself with the conversion of: a. Outputs in to inputs b. Inputs in to outputs c. Outputs in to outputs d. None of the above 2. Continuous Production is a. The last operation to the finished product b. The first operation to the finished product c. The mid operation to the finished product d. None of the above 3. Independent demand is a. Demand that is controlled by the company b. Demand that is controlled by the customer c. Demand that is not controlled by the company d. All of the above 4. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has been defined as a a. Complete Enterprise wide business solution b. Complete Enterprise narrow business solution c. a & b d. None of the above 5. CAD stands for a. Computer Architecture Design b. Computer Aided Design c. Computer Aided Drafting d. All of the above 6. Delphi method is the most widely used and accurate method of a. Demand forecasts b. Exponential forecasts 1 IIBM Institute of Business Management Examination Paper of Production and Operations Management c. Technological forecasts d. All of the above 7. JIT/Kanban systems help eliminate a. Increase the number of products b. Increase the amount of raw materials c. Increase the amount of energy d. All of the above 8. PPSCS stands for a. Project Planning Scheduling & Control System b. Project Planning Sequencing & Control System c. Production Planning Scheduling & Control System d. None of the above 9. Process layout is also known as. a. Group layout b. Line layout c. Product layout d. Functional layout 10. Time study is a technique for recording the times and rate of  working a. Standard times b. Work measurement c. Allowances d. None of the above Part Two: 1. Define Job Shop Production. 2. What do you understand by „Quality Control‟? 3. What do you mean by materiel handling? 4. Define ABC analysis. END OF SECTION A Section B: Caselets (40 marks) This section consists of Caselets. Answer all the questions. Each Caselet carries 20 marks. Detailed information should form the part of your answer (Word limit 150 to 200 words). 2 IIBM Institute of Business Management Examination Paper of Production and Operations Management Caselet 1 Company Background The Bronson Insurance Group was originally founded in 1900 in Auxvasse, Missouri, by James Bronson. The Bronson Group owns a variety of companies that underwrite personal and commercial insurance policies. Annual sales of the Bronson Group are $100 million. In recent years, the company has  suffered operating losses. In 1990, the company was heavily invested in computer hardware and software. One of the problems the Bronson Group faced (as well as many insurance companies) was a conflict between established manual procedures and the relatively recent (within the past 20 years) introduction of  computer equipment. This conflict was illustrated by the fact that much information was captured on computer but paper files were still kept for practical and legal reasons. File Clerks  The file department employed 20 file clerks who pulled files from stacks, refilled used files, and delivered files to various departments including commercial lines, personal lines, and claims. Once a file clerk received the file. Clerks delivered files to underwriters on an hourly basis throughout the day. The average file clerk was paid $8,300 per year. One special file clerk was used full time to search for requested files that another file clerk had not been able to find in the expected place. It was estimated that 40 percent of the requested files were these â€Å"no hit† files requiring a search. Often these â€Å"no hit† files were eventually found stacked in the requester‟s office. The primary â€Å"customers† of the file clerks were underwriters and claims attorneys. Underwriting Company management and operations analysts were consistently told that the greatest problem in the company was the inability of file clerks to supply files in a speedy fashion. The entire company from top to bottom viewed the productivity and effectiveness of the department as unacceptable. An underwriter used 20-50 files per day. Because of their distrust of the files department, underwriters tended to hoard often used files. A count by operations analysts found that each underwriter kept from 100-200 files in his or her office at any one time. An underwriter would request a file by computer and work on other business until the file was received. Benson employed 25 underwriters. Management Information System Upper management was deeply concerned about this problem. The MIS department  had suggested using video disks as a possible solution. A video disk system was found that would be sufficient for the companies needs at a cost of about $12 million. It was estimated that the system would take two years to install and make compatible with existing information systems. Another, less attractive was using microfilm. A microfilm system would require underwriters to go to a single keyboard to request paper copies of files. The cost of a microfilm system was $5 million. Questions: 1. What do you recommend? Should the company implement one of the new technologies, if yes, why? IIBM Institute of Business Management Examination Paper of Production and Operations Management 2. An operations analyst suggested that company employees shared a â€Å"dump on the clerks† mentality. Explain. Caselet 2 Harrison T. Wenk III is 43, married, and has two children, ages 10 and 14. He has a master‟s degree in education and teachers junior high school music in a small town in Ohio. Harrison‟s father passed away two months ago, leaving his only child an unusual business opportunity. According to his father‟s will, Harrison has 12 months to become active in the family food-catering business, KareFull Katering, Inc., or it will be sold to two key employees for a reasonable and fair price. If Harrison becomes involved, the two employees have the option to purchase a significant, but less than majority, interest in the firm. Harrison‟s only involvement with this business, which his grandfather established, was as an hourly employee during high school and college summers. He is confident that he could learn and perhaps enjoy the marketing side of the business, and that he could retain the longtime head of accounting/finance. But he would never really enjoy day-to-day ope rations. In fact, he doesn‟t understand what operations management really involves. In 1991 Kare-Full Katering, Inc. had $3.75 million in sales in central Ohio. Net profit after taxes was $ 105,000, the eleventh consecutive  year of profitable operations and the seventeenth in the last 20 years. There are 210 employees in this labor-intense business. Institutional contracts account for over 70 percent of sales and include partial food services for three colleges, six commercial establishments) primarily manufacturing plants and banks), two long -term care facilities, and five grade schools. Some customer location employs a permanent operations manager; others are served from the main kitchens of Kare-Full Katering. Harrison believes that if he becomes active in the business, one of the two key employees, the vice president of operations, will leave the firm. Harrison has decided to complete the final two months of this school year and then spend the summer around Kare-Full Katering – as well as institutions with their own food services – to assess whether he wants to become involved in the business. He is particularly interested in finding out as much as possible about operations. Harrison believes he owes it to his wife and children to fairly evaluate this opportunity. Questions: 1. Prepare a worksheet of operations activities that Harrison should inquire about this summer. 2. If you were Harrison, what would you do? Why? END OF SECTION B Section C: Applied Theory (30 marks) This Section Consists of Applied Theory Questions. Answer all the questions. Each question carries 15 marks. Detailed information should form the part of your answer (Word limit 200 to 250 words). IIBM Institute of Business Management Examination Paper of Production and Operations Management 1. What do you mean by Tactical Planning? What are the mathematical approaches to aggregate planning? 2. What is the concept of forecasting in operation? List the different types of forecasting methods.