Leadership and Organizational Behavior in Action Essay

Leadership and Organizational Behavior in Action - Essay Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is General Electric (GE), a multifarious company, setup by Thomas Alva Edison in the year 1890 by the name Edison General Electric. The company is currently headquartered at Fairfield, Connecticut in the United States and has made several breakthroughs in segments of Energy, Capital Finance, technology, power generation to name a few. Some of the benchmark innovations of GE include the mars observer, launching of CNBC news channel for business reporting in real time, GE Money which provides customers with facilities of a general credit card and at the same time the facilities of a store card with discounts and promotional offers. Such innovations have helped GE scale the position that it holds today. GE has been continuously emerging as a champion when it comes to innovation. Its businesses related to infrastructure have proven to be another step towards building a better future. GE is currently operating across many regions of all the inhabited continents of the world. GE has been a pioneer for the past 130 years and strived hard towards innovation. Since the invention of first light bulb to the present jet engines the company has come a long way in making the world a better place to live. The company which is an equal opportunity employer has a strong presence in many countries and proudly supports a diverse workforce. The company believes in fair treatment policy and has formed various forums to nurture people with differences in age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation etc. (GE, â€Å"Our Company†). This project report deals with organizational challenge of workforce diversity. Maintaining a large workforce brings along challenges and people from different background may not be able to adjust well with each other. Objectives As GE supports a diverse workforce, managers will be faced with the challenges of combating discrimination within the workforce and at the same time promoting alliances and inclusiveness i n the group. Negative attitudes and behaviors may influence decision making and might also result in a loss of productivity as well as personnel. If negative behavior or prejudices creeps up within the workplace it will affect the company’s image and may also lead to litigation. The same is the case with multiculturalism. Multiculturalism may be defined as the process whereby people from different cultural background are motivated to work as a unit and also motivated to achieve the common goals of the organisation. The objectives of this report are to make careful assessment of the situation. The report will identify the desired course of action for GE which will help them to overcome the situation. This would require the involvement of all the groups. Managers will have to work on removing personal bias and should also create ways for engaging in personal dialogues with teammates. Managers need to clearly understand that the recipe for success is teamwork and the approach sh ould be unique to the organization for resolving the dispute. Secondary resources have been used for doing the analysis and collecting evidences. Literature review Multiculturalism is the apprehension which epitomizes a new way of acclimatizing to the future world. It is the process of recognizing and respecting different diversified groups with different cultural background in an organization. The people with divergent socio-cultural class are addressed and motivated and are eventually accredited for bringing stability within the organization (Rosado 1-4). Multiculturalism has long been a sensitive issue, a never ending debate, measure of its efficacy in an organization or in the society has come under scanner. These questions or issues have been creeping over time and again to understand the need of multiculturalism, its

Red, White, and Black by Gary Nash Essay Example for Free

Red, White, and Black by Gary Nash Essay Gary Nash author of Red, White, and Black purpose to their readers is describing the early colonists, but also the relationships toward Europeans, the Indians, and the Africans. Nash successfully analyzes the impact of the colliding three cultures and interprets them to give an overall theme about the relationships between those who made America what it is today. He has shown another point of view to his reader that we grew up and was raise in a white people land; learning only the White people point of view through history. His purpose of writing Red, White Black was to prove that Native Americans and Africans were not victims, but played as a active role to American history. Nash major theme that he covers in his book was about the three cultures in America and to interpret them overall. The theme is about the issue that Americans have towards the Native American and Africans. He wanted to examine and studied other culture history instead of only learning from the American side. He figures out that they were victims to the history and was just a role in the American history. His main point of time frame was from 1492-1796. The introduction to Nash research took place in Eastern and Northern America. Nash was against how the founding fathers came to America and affected the Natives and Africans. He was against how the founding fathers came to their land and changed their destiny of lives and culture because they took what belong to them first. Anthropologists call this process â€Å"transculturation† and historians call it â€Å"Social change. † His argument towards the historical terms is that we are studying a dynamic process of interaction that shaped the history of American Indians, Europeans, and Africans in the North America in the 17 18 centuries. Gary B. Nash was arguing of something different than what is written to us. He believes of what the founding father want us to know and was marked down through history. But reality during those times American Indians and Africans had a big destiny change when the European came along. They changed and affected their lives in there home land. Gary B. Nash written Red, White, and Black purpose was mainly to let people know that, what’s ever that was passed down from the founding father in history is only what their views were and marked down in papers. How the Americans European changed the lives of all Native American and African that was located at Eastern and Northern America.

Concrete: Advantages And Disadvantages

Concrete: Advantages And Disadvantages In this era which we live in, there are more than 7 billion (1) people on Earth and its resources are limited and quickly depleting. As a response to this high demand and burden on the Earths precious goods, there has been a green movement. Governments and companies are implementing laws and constantly looking for ways to be more efficient and conserve whatever little we have at our disposal. In the light of all this innovative research and as university students studying environmental engineering, concrete evolution has sparked our interest. Concrete is very much a large part of the environment, being one of the most widely used materials in construction, concrete is virtually everywhere. Its high durability and versatility has made it superior to all other building materials however there are some downsides to concrete that has made it a threat to the environment, mainly the greenhouse gas emissions that come with making cement. The cement manufacturing industry is under increasing pressure to reduce these emissions due to the fact that it releases a lot of gases, namely carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide. The real struggle is to find ways to produce a concrete that is environmentally safe, without losing the integrity of the concretes durability and reliability. In this paper, the making of concrete and its advantages and disadvantages will be discussed, alongside some different alternatives that have been implemented at present time to deal with energy efficiency and environmental security. Economic and social effects are also looked at and discussed. The main alternatives in focus are; the use of chemical admixtures, recycled concrete materials and fuel alternatives for the kiln. Kiln and Efficiency The most energy consuming part of the cement making process is the burning of the mixture of the constituent parts of cement within the kiln. A large amount of emissions is released by the fossil fuels used to heat the kiln up and the chemical reactions that take place within the kiln itself. A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber or oven, in which a controlled temperature is maintained and kilns used for making cement get to temperatures of about 1500 degrees Celsius (2). In order to get to these temperatures, large quantities of coal are burned to generate the energy needed for the kiln. Coal is the primary fuel burned in cement kilns, however, the use of alternative fuels in cement kilns is now common and increasing. This high energy consumption however leads to high carbon emissions, about 7% of the worlds total carbon emissions. Cement production is an energy-intensive process consuming thermal energy of the order of 3.3 GJ/tonne of clinker produced. Electrical energy consumption is about 90 120 kWh/tonne of cement.(3) These are the reasons why more efficient fuel alternatives are being investigated to firstly help improve the quality of air we breathe and secondly protect the earth from adverse conditions that come with too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. There are two types of kilns being put to use, one utilizing a wet process and the other dry. The wet process is the older method and involves a slurry mixture of water and the cement ingredients being transferred to the kiln. The wet process however uses a lot of energy and therefore the modern dry process is more commonly used. It uses the dry ingredients blended together and then transferred to the kiln, the only disadvantage it that a lot of dust is released. Both diagrams below will illustrate the the cement making process and more importantly the two different kinds of kilns. Material Science According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, material science is the scientific study of the properties and applications of materials of construction or manufacture (as ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites).(5) The concise encyclopedia further explains how material science goes into how the properties of different materials depend on their composition such as atomic mass and electron configuration.(5) It also points out the importance of material science to engineers of all disciplines as they need to know as much as possible about different materials in order to come up with designs and fix problems in their respective fields. With a sound knowledge of materials and their properties, they can be manipulated in any way necessary to be an asset to us. In our case, understanding the chemical reactions that take place in concrete will help to understand why the methods chosen have been picked in the first place to help rectify any problems. From the manufacturing of the cement in the kiln to the demolition of concrete structures, knowing and understanding the reason behind different aspects surrounding the whole concrete process is very beneficial in finding alternatives to make it more environmentally safe and efficient. Alternative Fuels Fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas, have been used as energy sources in the cement manufacturing industry for decades. In more recent years, these traditional fuel sources have become increasingly substituted with alternative fuels typically of waste sources such as municipal solid waste, scrap tires, waste wood, agricultural biomass, meat and bone meal, and petroleum coke. The list of candidate materials is continuously expanding and regulatory pressures, economic factors and the fact that we are running out of landfill space are all reasons why these alternative fuels are continuously sought for and studied. Alternative fuels used today in cement manufacturing and the different potential alternative fuels differ considerably from the traditional fuels, and the cement manufacturing industry is faced with several challenges in making the switch from traditional to alternative fuels. Some of these challenges include, inadequate heat distribution, blockages in the preheater cyclones, unstable precalciner function, higher SO2, NOx, and CO emissions, congestion in the kiln riser ducts and dusty kilns (6). Furthermore, due to the fact that the cement industry is strictly regulated by national and international legislation for environmental related issues, health and safety of practices, and the quality of cement produced, special approval is required for the use alternative fuel since they all different and can potentially introduce harmful environmental effects or affect the quality of the cement. The type of combustion implemented, which is determined by the type of fuel used can have a direc t affect on the composition and characteristics of the output product, and the function of the kiln as different manufacturing plants may differ in their design. A common practice in cement manufacture is the addition of the ash produced by the fuels, which are comprised of compounds containing silica and alumina, into the clinker (6). The composition of the fuel ash created by different fuels can determine in which proportions an alternative fuel can substitute a conventional fuel, for example some can yield silica rich fuel ash which can later reduce the amount of ground sand needed as a raw material to make cement. Moreover, the inclusion of constituents that can have a deleterious effect on concrete performance must be controlled, since this can happen even at very small concentrations. An example of this would be alkalis such as potassium oxide and sodium oxide, which can in the presence of moisture can cause reactions in concrete called ACR and ASR which can cause cracking in the structure. These alkalis can also react with SO3 to form alkali sulphates, which can affect the reactivity of the cement with aggregates, resulting in hardenin g problems (6). Therefore, the inclusion of alkalis from the kiln system should be minimized. In certain kilns that have preheaters, the use of alternative fuels can lead to the volatilization of certain molecules they introduce, which can lead to their subsequent recirculation in increasingly higher loads. Their recirculating can lead to their condensation in cooler areas, binding to circulating dust particles and can potentially cause blockages, thereby affecting the heat-exchange system. Some of these molecules are sodium oxide, potassium oxide, alkali sulphates, and chlorine, which not only are responsible for deposits, preheater blockages, and kiln rings but can also affect the quality of the cement produced if they are retained to some proportions(6). Petroleum coke or petcoke is a solid residue from the crude oil refineries. It is considered a low volatile fuel with a typical volatile content of 5-15 %. The fact that its volatile content is low means that it has a low reactivity / burning rate and therefore is not possible to burn 100% petcoke in kiln or precalciner without using other high volatile fuels along with it (6). Consequently, this alternative fuel requires finer grinding and is pushing new kiln designs into the market to allow for their complete burning. Another negative is the fact that it has a high sulphur and vanadium content. This can result in increasing the sulphur circulation in the kiln and precalciners and as mentioned before causing build-ups and blockages, and increasing sulphur dioxide emissions. Sulphur contamination of the cement can cause cracking and high vanadium content can cause reduce the strength of concrete (6). A 0.2 percent addition is reported to lead to a 10 percent reduction in 28-day stren gth of cement. However, due to low ash content of petcoke such high contents of vanadium in cement are unlikely (6). This is an attractive fuel as it has a high calorific content and relatively less expensive than coal and other fossil fuel conventionally used. Sewage Sludge is generated from wastewater treatment from industrial, residential, commercial, and institutional sources. Sewage sludge is usually disposed of by throwing it in the sea, its use as fertilizer, its incineration, or it is dumped in a landfill. Due to stricter environmental specifications associated with its disposal, the possible health and environmental risks in using it as a fertilizer and the increasing cost for its disposal in landfills, its use as an alternative fuel in cement manufacture is becoming more attractive. The organic components of the sludge are entirely destroyed when it is burned as fuel and the inorganic components and heavy metals are combined and included in the final product. The sulphur content of sludge is not greater than coal so it does not pose a major concern in comparison, and although it has higher nitrogen content the nitrogen oxide emissions are lower than when fossil fuels are burned (7). However, there are higher contents of volatile c ontent, ash, and low fixed carbon compared to coals. Sludge usually requires pretreatment before it can be used as a fuel and has to be burned in controlled conditions as with most alternative fuels. Using sludge is also attractive economically, as it resulted in an increase in return when used instead of fossil fuels, in spite of its lower energy content than coal and the fact that it needs to be stored in special silos in order to avoid contamination (7). Its storage and handling and reduction of water content are the most difficult part of its use as a fuel, however it is definitely a far better option than use of non-renewable resources since it is widely available and a nuisance to dispose of. The use of sludge as a fuel source cannot have much of a social impact other than perhaps peoples perception of it, some may regard it as a better option than incinerating sludge which forms poisonous by-products, while others may be bothered by its use in anything else. Scrap tires have become utilized as an alternative source of fuel for various parts of the developed world instead of fossil fuels in many industries including cement manufacture. When tires are burned the rubber is completely destroyed and the inorganic component and heavy metals are included in the cement product. Different cases present different conclusions about the emission of SO2 and NOx, which may suggest that it depends on the kiln system and the burning process implemented. However, two Portland Cement Association (PCA) reports (2008, 2009) found that nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxide, and particulate emissions were reduced when scrap tires substituted a portion of the conventional fuels (7). Heavy metal, dioxins and furan emissions showed different results in different studies however, again Portland Cement Association studies collected data from 31 cement plants that used tire as fuel and found a significant reduction in the emissions of dioxins and furans (7) . Some problems with tire derived fuel is incomplete combustion and zinc oxide present at concentrations that may be detrimental to the quality of the cement. Overall, the use of tires as fuel is an environmentally, and economically sound option compared to other end-of life alternatives of tires and the use of 100% fossil fuel. Tires have a higher energy content than coal and allow for savings in the purchase of coal. Another source of fuel being used is agricultural biomass, which includes all forms of biomass not included in the categories of meat and bone meal, or sewage sludge. Some common sources are rice and coffee bean husks, palm kernels, algae, and cottonseed oils. The use of agricultural biomass has been proven to be an effective way to reduce greenhouse gases and the dependency for fossil fuel (7). Furthermore, its been determined to have low SO2 emissions, low dioxin and furan emissions, and very low heavy metal emissions. Biomass in the form of waste from industrial or agricultural processes is less expensive than fossil fuels, and therefore its use would reduce operational costs. However, equipment specific to the processing of biomass may be needed and may incur additional costs. Also, supply seems to be a major concern, a continuous supply may be difficult to achieve. Socially it can be beneficial to some agricultural communities, allowing them to make an additional income from sel ling their agricultural by-products (7). Finally the last alternative fuel to be discussed is the meat and bone meal (MBM), a by-product of the rendering and food industries. Their co-incineration with fossil fuels in cement kiln systems has become a common way for their elimination. MBM has a lower fixed carbon and high ash content and high levels of phosphate, sodium, potassium, magnesium and chlorine (7). Due to the fact that chlorides can volatilize and condense at high temperatures in the kiln and can react with alkalis and sulphates to form compounds with low melting points, which can lead to their recirculation and condensation. As mentioned earlier this can can have harmful effects on the production process and cement produced . Consequently the MBM used as substituted fuel and the compounds introduced into the cement needs to be controlled and monitored. The sulphur content, on the other hand, is a little lower than can be found in coal, and the high calcium content in MBM can help retain most of the SO2 released f rom its combustion (7). The use of MBM in cement production reduces CO2 emissions, SO2 emissions, and introduces a safe and environmentally friendly way to disposing of them. And as with the previous alternative fuels mentioned, it reduces the demand for landfills and their associated environmental and health risks. In summary the cement kiln provides numerous advantages over other end-of life alternatives for much of these wastes. The high temperatures, oxygen rich environment, and adequate residence time provided by the kiln system allows for the complete destruction of the organic material. Also, aside from being able to process a wide range of waste materials, since the ash is incorporated into the final product there is no additional waste to manage from the use of these wastes. However, these alternative fuels are derived from selected waste streams and usually require some level of pretreatment, such as the shredding of tires, drying of sewage sludge and reducing its pathogen levels, etc. This is a extra investment of time and money that the cement manufacturers will need to take on as the pretreatment of these wastes is an integral part of their recovery and in most cases is taken care of externally by waste treatment experts or outside suppliers. Despite, these extra costs for the prepr ocessing of these wastes, the cement manufacturers are expected to make a larger return on this investment in comparison to the purchase of fossil fuels. Also, the use of these wastes as fuels would create a market for these them in neighboring communities, which will help reduce the number of operating landfills and put to use the calorific value in these wastes rather than have them wasted. The burning of carbon neutral wastes which include agricultural biomass, municipal waste, animal waste and paper waste are considered as GHG sinks since they would otherwise decay in landfills and form methane which is a more harmful GHG than CO2 (8). Other wastes that are derived from fossil fuels such as tires, are not carbon neutral, however burning them in cement kilns rather than incinerating them, which also induces GHG emissions, can result in significant CO2 reductions. Although the kiln emerging technologies and their capacities to process these fuels was not discussed, since it is too broad of a subject to cover and is not the main purpose of this paper, it is understood that some alterations to tradition kiln systems is required to adapt to the different combustion of these fuels. An example of these changes is features such as a multi-channel burner design and thermograph systems which allow for the control of the flame and optimize burning of different fuels (10). There are also different mathematical models, which look at which combination of alternative fuels in which proportions can produce optimal burning conditions (11). There has been much progress over the years in the substitution of fossil fuels in cement kilns, especially in the EU where substitution rates are much higher than in North America, however, there is much more work that needs to be done in the evolution of the cement industry towards greener and more sustainable practices. Advanced Chemical Admixtures Our society relies greatly on building materials, concrete being one of the oldest, and most important of those materials. Concrete is a combination of 60% to 75% aggregates and 25% to 40% paste. The paste is comprised of 7% to 15% cement, 4% to 8% of air content, and 14% to 21% water (15). Although paste only contribute less than 40% of concrete, the components greatly affects the overall quality. An example is with the reduction of water to cement ratio, and in turn increases the compressive and flexural strength, increases resistance to weathering reduces shrinkage and cracking, and lowers permeability. To achieve these characteristics in concrete, engineers came up with admixtures, an important ingredients used when the goals are to reduce the cost of concrete, maintaining the quality of concrete during the different stages of its production, basically to achieve desirable properties of concrete. Admixtures are classified under the following; Air-entraining mixtures, water reduci ng admixtures, plasticizers, accelerating admixtures, retarding admixtures, corrosion inhibitors, etc. Superplasticiser/High range water reduction is made up of synthetic polymers, which are admixtures that increase slump flow, essentially used for low to normal slump and water-cement ratio. The use of superplascticiser not only brings the water-cement ratio down, but it drastically increases the workability, as well as increasing the strength at an early stage up to 200% within 16 hrs (13) . A great example of a new and innovative plasticizing admixture is Glenium SKY. The third generation high range water reducer or superplasticizer also known as Glenium was introduced in the 1990s. Glenium is a polycarboxylic ether polymer, that attracts entrringite molecules, through a static electric charge. This entrringite provides a protective barrier around the surface of cement particle, which prevents hydration and crystallization. In September 2003 Glenium SKY (Synthesis of Key performance and Yield) was introduced. This new superplasticizer was developed for ready mixed concrete, concrete that contains high performance quality from the production to the usage. Unlike the other types of Glenium; Glenium 21 and Glenium 27 , Figure 1 Glenium SKY, new chemical monomers controls the rate in which the entrringite molecules cover the cement molecules. Therefore the cement molecules are not completely covered, which allows the crystallization to take place at a slower rate, and accelerated strength at an early stage without compromising the consistency. Glenium SKY was tested against Glenium 27, it is noticeable from the table below that Glenium needing less water and lower cement-water ratio, but still was a able to produce a more consistent slump and greater strength according to the test results in table 1. Within 90 min, the slump dropped only by 2 mm. The usage of Glenium SKY benefits socially, economically, and environmentally. With the increase in workability, decrease in water-cement ratio, and high early strength, allows the most optimum concrete design which in turns have a positive effect on the economical aspect The definition of sustainability means to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their need (15). Sustainability is achieved when these 3 factors are properly balanced, economy, social, and environmental. It is evident that the addition of the superplasticiser used in concrete mix designs will help to achieve environmental sustainability. The concrete industrys main goal is to produce a superior material with a positive impact to the environment. This super-plasticiser or high range water reducer will decrease the water-cemnet ratio, meaning less cement needed as well as water. Water usage can be reduced from 10% to over 30%. A 10% reduction is equivalent to 600 000 tonnes of water saved annually (14). Not only are the usage of water is reduced but also other environmental factors. Analyzing the effects of the super-plasticiser shows a generally positive effect on the environment. Figures 3 and 4, shows 2 concrete structures impact on the environment with the addition of super-plasticiser in relation with the structures without the admixture. For the flat Slab concrete, adding the super-plasticiser admixture decreases these negative impacts by a great margin. It is evident that the total energy requirement is reduced by 8%, the toxic impact on human health is reduced by 10 %, the acidifying pollutants is reduced by 8%, and the CO2 is reduced to almost 20%. However, using this admixture, there is an increase in chemical waste, the values have been normalized to 100% for the control, which means the increase of the non-hazardous chemical wastes will only increase by 1% (13). Overall for this cement mix the superplasticier admixture is beneficial because it decreases major negative impacts such as abiotic depletion and eootox sediment by 3% and another 3 categorie s by over 10%. The effect of the admixtures vary depending on the different type of mixes and their purpose. The concrete mix for a precast wall unit was also analyzed using these admixtures. Based on that analysis we can conclude that this admixture has the desired effect by decreasing the energy by 10% by volume of concrete. As with the previous concrete mix the superplasticiser has a greater impact on a number of impacts. While there is an increase in chemical waste by 10% by volume of control concrete the decrease in energy is of 20%. This outweighs the negative of this admixture. Overall the super-plasticiser admixture has a great effect on a number of impacts but also a negative impact on chemical waste. Figure 3 and 4 compare the strength with and without the admixture versus the energy and climate change. It is evident that the super-plasticiser are effective in reducing the CO2 emissions and the energy consumption. A cement mix with this superplasticiser admixture will have a positive overall effect and has very beneficial impact on the environment. The use of this super-plasticiser admixture in concrete mixes allows for social sustainability. As previously stated before, with the addition of this admixture, concrete mix can be made to have a higher strength. An increase in the strength of the concrete will result in a more durable material, and a longer life expectancy. With concrete having higher strength and a longer life, maintaining these structures will be reduced especially within major highways and roadways within a city. Traffic congestions greatly impacts our lives, career, and safety. By reducing the amount of traffic will allow a better quality of life. In central Ontario alone, there are 11 zones where major structures are being repaired and maintained. On the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) near Hamilton, a $7.3 million dollar contract has been approved for the structural rehabilitation (14). According to the traffic reports, the QEW Burlington Skyway Bridge, the Millen and Fifty Road structures and glover road will be u nder construction, which means a delay up to 30 minutes (14). The 30 minute construction delay with the addition of bottlenecked areas, and overcrowded vehicles can increase the delay to be even longer than 30 minutes. Lets say 30 minutes delay for construction, and because of a large amount of the population commute to the city of Toronto for work, another 10 minutes due to vehicles overcrowding the roads. We have a total of 40 minutes delay, and a total of 80 minutes delay a day, which comes up to 6400 minutes or 106.6 hours in traffic until this specific project is completed in 4 months. These delays will cause people to be late for work, school, or other commitments, which can lead to stress, and road safety. By producing an optimal concrete design using a super-plasticiser such as Glenium SKY, we can increase the strength and life expectancy of the structure, which will reduce traffic caused by maintenance and repair, and create a more socially sustainable environment. Reaching economic sustainability is just as important as social and environmental sustainability. With the increase in workability, decrease in water-cement ratio, and high early strength, allows the most optimum concrete design which in turns will help to achieve economical sustainability. The increase in workability allows proper installation into areas of low clearance, underwater placements, and areas where consolidating methods cannot be used. Which means savings on equipment, transportation, and time. When mix designing, with the addition of Glenium SKY admixture, the water-cement ratio is decreased, which results in a smaller amount of water and cement needed. Economically, this is a positive result, not only does it reduce the cost of the amount of cement needed it also reduces energy cost. According to the Ministry of Transportation, Ontario is increasing driver and vehicle fees in order to maintain bridges and roads. The price of maintenance has increased. Consequently this increases taxes and other fees. Using this admixture the amount of maintenance required can be reduced, with increase in tax will not be necessary. Recycled Concrete Concrete as one of the mostly used building materials when produced and transported creates a lot of CO2 and when disposed generates a huge amount of waste; therefore it causes a lot of concerns for environmental activists. In order to address these environmental issues, it is necessary to recycle the concrete when demolishing buildings built using concrete. Also reuse of this construction waste is important in terms of life Cycle Assessment that is the standard method of evaluating environmental impacts associated with different stage of products life, which includes recycling (22). There are 3 basic concepts to promote the proper reuse of the construction waste, (A) assurance of safety and quality, (B) decrease of environmental impact, and (C) increase of cost effectiveness of construction. In this paper we focus on some benefits of proper recycling of concrete for the environment. First, we are going to address some of the main environmental problems with concrete. Concrete production emits huge amount of CO2, which is the main issue of this industry that leads into global warming. Up to 8% of all the CO2 produced in the world comes from concrete production. Using recycled concrete can dramatically reduce the amount of emitted CO2 and fight against global warming. Nitrous oxide emission and other articulated air emissions on one hand, and on the other hand the traffic congestion caused by delivery of the ready concrete wastes a lot of energy and cause air pollution. Water pollution and adverse effects of concrete on health are among the other problems that make concrete recycling more essential. (19) In the past, the resulting concrete from demolishing the buildings was released in the environment which had enormous negative impacts. Conventionally recycling concrete has been considered as a difficult task, however recycling technology has been improved and now it has become a feasible technology. Recycling concrete has become a simple process that involves breaking the concrete pavements, removing them from the sites to the recycling machines that can be also installed near the construction sites and finally crushing the concrete into pieces that can vary in quality and size. (18) Furthermore, recycling technology has reached the stage that can prepare the recycled concrete to produce superior recycled aggregate for structural concrete. Recycled concrete has become one of the best construction materials as it is stronger than new concrete. There are only few restrictions on the type of concrete that can be used as recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) (20). Recycling now has become more common method of developing the waste produced by demolishing or renovating the structures made of concrete rather than transferring them by truck and leaving them in landfill. Environmental awareness and also the desire of contractors to keep construction costs as low as possible, has made concrete recycling an attractive proposal in any construction project involving concrete. Unlike most of the materials, such as, glass, bottles or metals that can be reused to produce the same material, once concrete has been made from cement, it cannot be decomposed to its initial component of sand, cement and water. However, Crushed concrete can be combined with virgin aggregate in producing concrete. (17) It is important to develop standardized guidelines to create new materials. These standards are needed for quality control of Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA), and the correct use of this recycled materials to produce new concrete. Recycling can reduce the amount of waste concrete that must be landfilled so it saves landfill space by keeping the waste concrete out of landfill. In addition, it reduces the need of virgin aggregates which help to cuts the negative environmental issues of extraction process. Recycled concrete can be used as gravel and it reduces the need for gravel mining. Another positive impact of recycling is the reduction of transportation requirements to transfer the new material to the construction sites, which in turn can reduce air and water pollution significantly and also decrease the greenhouse emission. One of the most important environmental advantages of concrete recycling rather than leaving the concrete in the landfill and buying the new material is to save up to 1,360 gallons water by recycling one ton of concrete. Using developed recycling system, to recycle the concrete waste produced from demolishing structures or roadways, can reduce t

Janet Jackson :: Essays Papers

Janet Jackson You know she's a Jackson. And you know she's a singer. Of course, you know the girl can dance. You know she's a leading lady in Hollywood. And maybe you still think of her as a cute little girl with a famous last name and big , bright eyes. Do you think she's what she was yesterday? Better think again. As many of her other fans and followers already know, the only label that fits her is†¦ Janet. Time flies when your having fun and that's the way she wants its. Since the grown Miss Jackson burst upon the music scene in 1986 with Control Selling eight million records and establishing her as a bold, sensual, independent woman, she's been breaking the molds and banishing the stereotypes the world would set for her. She's not just the cute, little girl- actress we loved on "Good Times" and "Different Strokes" or the earnest teen we followed of "Fame." She's not the Jackson family's baby-not any more. Clearly, the only thing you can safely say about her is that she's Janet. And that's saying a lot. Consider that she's already appeared in five television series, made seven albums, and starred in a major motion picture. She's sold over 24 million albums worldwide, achieved five Top Five hits from her 1986 record, Control and a record seven Top Five Hits from the 1989 Rhythm Nation 1814 album, four went to no.#1. She followed that up with a record breaking world tour, a movie and her self-titled album Janet. You might think that a woman with a pedigree and resume as impressive as this would have had a smooth ride all along. Not so. Says Janet, "I went through a great deal of pain from about sixteen to nineteen and a half†¦ Pain that I really wouldn't wish upon anyone." During those years, challenging years for anyone, Janet released two albums, Janet Jackson (1982) and Dream Street (1984). She spent a difficult and lonely year away from her family in New York while appearing in "Fame," and by the time she was nineteen, had been through a divorce after a short-lived marriage to James DeBarge of another somewhat less famous singing family, the DeBarge Family.

Building a global network

The paper shall examine some of the challenges that PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) are confronting after a merger between Pricewaterhouse and Coopers and Lybrand. The company is one of the most influential within its respective business arena. Such a position presents a fresh set of challenges in terms of creating an efficient and fully functioning network. These issues shall be examined below. Importance of having a knowledge base or intranet resources The latter company had benefited from the economies of scale that emanated from creation of such a large and influential global company.Consequently, there was a need to ensure that one of the most important qualities in business was attained and this was speed. The latter trait would only be efficiently carried out if the companies under consideration had fast technologies to help them achieve this. One of the latter modes of technology is the use of intranet and possession of a knowledge base. (PWC, 2000) The intranet would go a long way in facilitating communication between a series of stakeholders within this firm. Some of them included its employees, the company’s suppliers, its clients and many more.Since these stakeholders were distributed globally, then there was a need to make sure that this information was shared efficiently and the best way to do this was through the utilization of a sound knowledge management system or the intranet. A good knowledge base was also essential in adding value to the various clients by providing them with easy access to their resources. Intranet would also assist in boosting the process of deployment that provided products and services within the firm. In addition, the knowledge base was also essential in ensuring sound management of those resources.Lastly, the use of the intranet was important in ensuring that the merger was effectively carried out. This was because the latter form of technology would ensure that information was fist captured, then updated and distr ibuted effectively within this organization. In other words, knowledge within the two firms would be made available to the entire organization and this would make the process a whole lot more effective. Advantages and disadvantages of the Knowledge curve implemented at PWC There are a number of strong points that the Knowledge Curve (the intranet) that was implemented by PwC.First of all, it provided a platform against which all the knowledge within the firm was incorporated. This meant that the Knowledge Curve was instrumental in providing a tool for providing the company with a source of competitive advantage. (Thomas, 2000) The Knowledge Curve was also advantageous because of its profiling capabilities. Through this methodology, it was possible to understand the needs of the company on the basis of geography, line of business and industry. This intranet system was important to the company because it would assist the company to achieve knowledge management both at global level and also at office level.However, there was a problem with the Knowledge Curve owing to the fact that certain priorities at office level would not be implemented on a global level. This was because only the aspects that were common between various firms would be included in this global level system of profiling. (Law, 1998) It should be noted that this limitation was dealt with by providing Knowledge Curve homepages for each office. This would go a long way in ensuring that personalized information was restricted for these areas. Another major disadvantage was that it was difficult to customize this respective system.This eventually led to the creation of another website whose purpose was to ensure that local needs within each enterprise level were addressed. The latter website was known as the bridge. By adding such extra features, then it can be said that Knowledge Curve was a bit ineffective at achieving most of it objectives. (Lambert and Langley, 2000) How PWC would encourage user s to contribute knowledge towards the intranet First of all, PWC could ensure that they break down all the bureaucratic systems within the company.This means that the former mentality where it had been held that the support teams are implementers while the more experienced members were the decision makers should be changed. By doing this, people who are more in touch with what is going on at the ground will be encouraged to participate more within the intranet system within the company. The company needs to ensure that there is a flatter structure implemented on the ground. This will go a long way in encouraging participants to contribute towards the internet because they will feel more valued by the organization.While the company has gone a long way in eliminating some of the office politics within the organization, there are still relatively high numbers of issues that need to be implemented by this company in order to boost participation. Since there is still a management board t hat does project approvals and constitutes the management board, then people within the organization may still be feeling a little inhibited about contributing towards that intranet. Fewer powers need to be given to this board so as to boost an open environment.How PWC could facilitate awareness about the intranet and encourage users to utilize the knowledge base PWC was faced with an enormous task of informing all its one hundred and fifty thousand employees who are distributed across one hundred and fifty two countries for this receptive company. Consequently, there was a need to look for methods that could apply in such a wide geographical arena. Presentations are always a good way of informing people about something new. Consequently, the latter company could utilize this method to inform people.It could carry this out by visiting various offices hence talking to people face to face and making them understand some of these issues properly. (Law, 1998) Besides using presentations , there is a need to interact personally with these potential users through the utilization of direct instructions. The company could go a long way in promoting awareness by distributing literature in the system. Since PWC is implementing the system on a global scale, then there is a need for the company to ensure that all the respective groups understand the intricacies involved through a method that leaves room for the communication of vast amounts of data.Other ways in which this company can create awareness include; †¢ Flyers †¢ Posters †¢ Wallet cards †¢ Give a ways †¢ Many more The company can also go a long way in ensuring that various professionals understand how to use this system. This can be done by implementing sessions tailored for such groups. Examples are all the accountants within the firm. By addressing a particular profession, then the company will have shown them just how specific the intranet will be to their respective needs. Promoting a wareness should not just be restricted to understanding the system itself.Awareness needs to be done through a two way exchange. In other words, the system needs to be made in such a manner that the underlying problems faced by the users need to be understood by the incoming team. One such example is the Knowledge Point help desk in which individuals can address their problems through such a system. Besides this, there is also a need to look into some of the challenges that the group is likely to encounter through a survey. Here, respondents can be asked about how they found the intranet and what the company can do to improve it.Tracking this intranet on an annual basis can also go a long way in ensuring its success. (Anonymous, 1998) Issues that PWC could encounter for intranet users outside PWC Most of the problems to be faced by intranet users outside of this organization will emanate from the fact that there are still a number of corrections that are yet to be done in the proces s. An example of this issue is in terms of its Notes usage; the company is yet to implement a regional basis of this system. Consequently, the following Notes names will have to be carried out †¢ Country †¢ City †¢ Line of serviceSince ensuring the implementation of such system would take up a lot of time, then it can be said that the security of the user will be at stake. Another way in which security issues could present a hurdle to the respective clients under consideration is through the implementation of a private link to the client’s system. This can be problematic owing to the fact that implementing it is too complex thus leaving security needs unmet. An example of how such a problem was revealed was when the PWC tried implementing a private system for Hong Kong which was the centre point of all Asian Pacific clients.This was implemented through Australian, New Zealand and Hong Kong gateways. Utilization of such measures could be very problematic owing t o the fact that so many security bridges can arise out of such a complex system. Evaluation of Lotus and the Knowledge Curve Benefits of using such systems Also, the intranet was very important to this company because of the fact that it was quite simple to implement. In other words, it was relatively easy to package, capture and also deliver knowledge to the respective users.Whether PWC could manage diverse and huge information with its technical infrastructure PWC can definitely manage such a diverse information system owing to the fact that it implemented a rationalization program. This was done in order to eliminate duplication of work that arose out of the availability of two sources of data. Besides this, the company was in need of synchronizing all the numerous databases that were located within different geographical areas. In order to solve such a problem, the company chose to delegate duties to lines of service.Doing this was an effective and adequate way of making sure th at all the problems being faced were dealt with meticulously. Besides that, the IT team would have been overburdened by the problem. Each line of service member was supposed to carry out identification of the data owner. PWC was able to carry this out effectively also data owners were assigned the task of regularly updating information so as to ensure that the data base was valuable. Carrying out these painstaking tasks to completion was an indication that the company can manage vast amounts of data. (Lotus, 2000)Additionally, this company is capable of covering most of its challenges to be faced in managing huge databases by choosing to maintain open rather than closed systems. Closed systems may work for relatively small companies. However, companies of a global nature such as PWC are in need of making sure that people can update and access information as smoothly as possible and an open database would definitely be the way to go. Lastly, PWC was able to eliminate the duplication problem that it was facing at the beginning of their merger. This was also another painstakingly slow process since it was manually done.Since the company was able to do this effectively, then one can assume that the company can be able to carry out the process of managing even larger amounts of data in the future. Ways in which the Knowledge Curve structure could be improved The Knowledge Curve could be improved in the future trough working on local Knowledge Curves. Already, the Development team has been assigned with this task. They need to ensure that all data is analyzed at local levels in order to streamline some of the tax management, document management and executive recruitment tasks (Farhoomand, 2000)In order for the knowledge curve to work, there should be improvement of the company’s networking system. Servers for data sharing need to be worked on. Also, there are a number of related task that need to be managed and target include; monitoring, internet services, n etwork management and security systems. The Knowledge Curve also requires continuous improvement of the Lotus Notes Infrastructure, this can best be achieved through the process of recertifying all identification within this systems. Besides this, the process of addressing through the use of initials needs to be implemented.The Knowledge Curve needs to be in line with recent technologies. This needs to be done in such a manner that items such as voice recognition technologies need to reflect such perceptions. In line with this is the issue of upgrading the power system within the company. Lastly, the Knowledge curve can also be improved through a sound feedback teams. First of all, they need to ensure that calls are answered promptly. Also, they need to improve their level of integration between the use and the integration of internal networks.How PWC should disseminate the service to its clients The company is interested in ensuring that most if not all the services offered to thei r respective clients are done in an effective manner. In order to do this, then clients should not be treated as if operational challenges are part of their problems. The company needs to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. (Leong, 1999) First of all, the company should send notifications to their clients about any recent upgrades within their system. This can be done through email.Thereafter, the company should give details about those changes and leave room for inquiries from clients in case they do not understand the instructions. Shortly after, the company needs to carry implementation in one stage. This can be done in short intervals so as to ensure that the entire process is covered within a relatively short time. Customers can get weary of this by implementation if they constantly have to grapple with new changes. It would be best to get it over and done with at one go. Whether PWC should offer the service for free or for a feeSince PWC prides itself in the v alue addition within its services, then the company should offer the service as a bonus to their clients. The rewards of implementing such a system will be depicted in the returns obtained by the system. PwC will be more effective in responding to client needs and they will also have a large capacity for managing information received from their respective clients. Consequently, the system will improve their profitability through more satisfied consumers and a wider client base. There will be no point in charging them for this because if PwC was to do this, they would be trying to get double benefits.Conclusion Building a global network is a huge challenge for PwC but this company has more than enough capabilities to deal with this issue. First of all, their networking team has been able to manage effectively and they will continue to do so. Secondly project, development and customer care groups have also done their part. The company needs to keep up this effort in order to ensure th at their Knowledge Curve has succeeded. References PWC (2000): Homepage, retrieved from http://www. pwcglobal. com/ accessed on 24th Jan 2008Anonymous (1998): Moore Schiro: We changed the competitive landscape; Accounting Today, 28th September Thomas, S. (2000): Focus – Keeping pace with knowledge; Information Week Review, 155 Leong, K. (1999): Marketing Gets Innovative, Internet week, 3rd May, Lambert and Langley (2000): PwC Interview, Hong Kong, 1st February Lotus (2000): Definition of Notes, retrieved form http://www. whatiscom/notes. htm 30 May Farhoomand, A. (2000): Price water house Cooper: Building a global network; Asia case research centre Law, G. (1998): And then there were four; Management journal, 45, 1

High School Social Studies Courses Needed for College

High School Social Studies Courses Needed for College Choosing the high school courses that will best prepare you for success in college can be a difficult process, and social studies, though an important subject for a strong college application, is easily overlooked, particularly if you arent planning to enter a liberal arts program. Many students are much more concerned about their math, science, and foreign language requirements. Requirements for high school preparation in social studies vary significantly among different colleges and universities, and the term social studies can mean something different to different schools. What Courses Count as Social Studies? Social studies is a broad term that encompasses fields of study related to culture, government, civics, and the general interactions of people within a complex national and global context. War, technology, law, religion, and immigration all have a place within the category of social studies. High school classes in social studies typically include United States History, European History, World History, U.S. Government, Human Geography, and Psychology. Keep in mind, however, that colleges are free to define social studies as broadly or narrowly as they choose. What Social Studies Classes Do Colleges Require? Most competitive colleges recommend at least two to three years of high school social studies, which generally includes history as well as courses in government or civics. Here are some specific recommendations for high school social studies coursework from several different institutions: Carleton College, one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country, requires three or more years of social science. The college does not specify what courses it prefers students to take under the label of social science.Harvard University, the prestigious Ivy League school, is more specific in its recommendation. The university wants to see that students have taken at least two, and preferably three years of courses that include American history, European history, and one other advanced history course.Stanford University, another prestigious and highly selective university,  wants to three or more years of history/social studies. The university wants these courses to include a meaningful essay writing requirement so that applicants are prepared for the rigors of university humanities and social science classes.Pomona College, an excellent liberal arts college and member of the Claremont Colleges, wants to see a minimum of two years of social sciences (the term the school uses fo r social studies), and the college recommends three years. Clearly when a highly selective school recommends something, applicants should take that recommendation very seriously. UCLA, one of the countrys top  public universities, requires two years of study. The university is more specific about this requirement than many other institutions. UCLA wants to see one year of world history, cultures, and geography; and or one year U.S. history or one half year U.S. history and one half year of civics or American government.  Williams College, another top-ranked liberal arts college, does not have any specific academic requirements for admission, but the schools admissions website notes that they look for the strongest program of study offered at a students school, and that competitive applicants have typically taken a four-year sequence of courses in social studies. The table below gives you a quick glimpse of typical social studies requirements for different types of colleges and universities. School Social Studies Requirement Auburn University 3 years required Carleton College 2 years required, 3 or more years recommended Centre College 2 years recommended Georgia Tech 3 years required Harvard University 2-3 years recommended (American, European, one additional advanced) MIT 2 years required NYU 3-4 years required Pomona College 2 years required, 3 years recommended Smith College 2 years required Stanford University 3 or more years recommended (should include essay writing) UCLA 2 years required (1 year world, 1 year US or 1/2 year US+1/2 year civics or government) University of Illinois 2 years required, 4 years recommended University of Michigan 3 years required; 2 years for engineering/nursing Williams College 3 years recommended What Social Studies Classes Do the Strongest Applicants Take? You can see from the selective colleges above that all schools require two or more social studies classes, and many require three. The reality is that your application will be strongest with four classes, for its important to remember that colleges look more favorably upon applicants who have done more than meet the minimum requirements.What you take will largely depend on what your school offers. A student who takes a course in U.S. history followed by courses in African American history and America at war shows depth of knowledge and intellectual curiosity, but courses beyond basic American history arent offered in many school systems.   In general, however, you should take the most challenging courses available to you. An IB curriculum will certainly impress the admissions officers, as will AP classes in history and government. If you have the option of taking classes through a local college, those dual-enrollment classes in history, politics, sociology, psychology, government, and other social sciences will also make a good impression and help demonstrate your college readiness. College admissions officers are looking for students who have challenged themselves throughout high school, taking on advanced coursework in multiple subjects. Because social studies is an area in which most schools only require two or three years of study, you have an opportunity to present yourself as a well-rounded and dedicated student by taking additional courses. This is particularly true if you are applying for a college program in history, civics, or any of the liberal arts.

How to Write a Synthesis Essay

How to Write a Synthesis Essay How to Write a Synthesis Essay There are two basic ways of dealing with information: analysis and synthesis, known since the days of the Ancient Greeks. Analysis is a method by which a person is able to â€Å"break down† a problem to its â€Å"parts† and to examine them afterwards. This is the analytical approach, or the strategy to check every single detail one by one. Synthesis consists of bringing different parts, entities, or groups together in one whole. Real synthesis is difficult to be performed as it requires lots of knowledge. The main goal of every synthesis is to gain new information based on something already known. How to write a synthesis essay essential tips Not as easy as you think In the case of your synthesis essay, you will have to write on a well-defined topic by using a few important sources. That means, you will be given the task to work with the sources in order to incorporate the information, which is available in them, in your writing. At the beginning you will think it is a piece of cake to write such an essay. However, having read all sources, you will feel confused and unable to accomplish the task. But this is the essence of every synthesis: to derive the most useful information and to formulate your own theory, conception, or idea. For instance, you must work on the problem with the human rights in the country X. There are six excerpts from articles in newspapers dealing with this issue. From them you must use at least three (if not all six). The idea is to exercise your skills of deriving important information and basing your thesis on it. Synthesis Essay Writing Tips There are some tips for writing a synthesis essay which you should follow. 1. You should comprehend perfectly your topic and task. If needed, ask your teacher. If you cannot ask anyone, then rely on the texts. The topic must be narrow and clear. Usually the assignment is accompanied by additional explanation of the context. 2. Write some notes on each text. Try to present them with up to five short sentences (but only in your draft). These notes will contain useful information which can be found precisely on the first text, or the second text, and so forth (and not in each of them). Now you are able to incorporate them at different places in your paper. 3. Plan your work according to your own thesis. You can choose one of the sources as fully corresponding to your standpoint. You can also select a text containing the opposite opinion. If it is not possible, you can merely present at least two sources as essential parts of your text. Remember: you should integrate these ideas, and not to describe them. The synthesis essay is not a summary, but it is rather a new point of view justified by opinions manifested by other authors (that you must refer to as your primary sources). 4. This essay has the same structure as every other essay intro, body part, and conclusion; additionally, you should add a list of references and to insert references everywhere you quote a given source. The only significant difference from the most popular types of essay is that here you must write according to your sources. From all said up to here, it becomes clear that your synthesis essay requires creativity as well as the other types of essay do. So, don’t adhere too much to your sources- it may transform your paper into a boring attempt of summarization. Present your own thoughts on a topic while referring to various sources, and your synthesis will be successful.

Comparing IFRS to GAAP Brandi A Collins Essays - Free Essays

Comparing IFRS to GAAP Brandi A Collins Essays - Free Essays Comparing IFRS to GAAP ACC/291 April 27, 2015 Comparing IFRS to GAAP Essay Both the FASB and the IASB together moving to the fair value capacity for the financial instruments. FASB and ISAB both want to move towards a fair value capacity. Both the FASB and IASB believe in the fair value capacity to produce a more precise explanation for the companys financial records. Theres a difference in opinions between the two agreeing and disagreeing on the aspects like as, the banks doubting the system will make it easy to guesstimate accurately since the fair value is done by estimation. To answer their differences they have decided to meet on mutual grounds by concealing the fair value information of the financial reports in transcripts as well as permitting the companys relatively than require them to record some of their financials at fair values in their financial statements. The usage of fair value is a replacement for the historical cost method. Element depreciation is any detailed part of a depreciable asset that has different estimated useful lives. Element depreciation should be distinctly depreciated and is allowed to be used by the IFRS but the GAAP will very rarely us component depreciation. This should be used to view the depreciation as a distribution of cost over the assets useful life. Each asset should be depreciated distinctly for certain groups although seldom one asset will equal a number of other assets making it whole. This is irregular, and becoming one asset would only allow their own useful life. IFRS will allow revision of plant assets to their fair value at the date of reporting. Any company that decides to use the revision framework must follow the procedures if the revision, when the company does choose to use the revision it must be useful to all these assets within the same class. If the assets are suffering a rapid price change they must then be upped at an annual rate. Product development imbursements can be logged as development expenses while others are logged as development costs. The difference between development cost and development expenses is that a cost is used when an expense is made for imports to develop assets and assets for imports such as land purchased will remain an asset to the company as long as they own it. A cost would be something the company purchases that will devalue such as a vehicle for the company that will continue to devalue as time passes. The IFRS will outline contingent liability as a possible requirement that is not recognized by the financial reports, they may however be exposed if a certain criteria is met. A liable liability could be something from the companys past such as a law suit depending on the ending of the lawsuit. The company will have liability or no liability at all. For the IFRS, they use necessities which are also defined as a liability that is of tentative timing and amount, these can be employee vacation pay, warrantys and any anticipated loss . The alteration between GAAP and IFRS are slight in regards to accounting for their liabilities. GAAP for example, will list their liabilities and assets in the priority of their liquidity. Not all companys follow GAAP and will list their liabilities prior to their assets and may show their long term liabilities previous to their current liabilities. IFRS will require the effective-interest process when they are remunerating the bond discounts and premiums, while GAAP will allow the use of the straight- line method, and IFRS will not distinguish the bond at a premium or discount they must be known at by the net amount of the bond. In respects to the ideal stock the IFRS and GAAP both will require the preferred stock to be redeemed at a specific time in the future as well as be reported as a debt. In conclusion there are a lot of comparisons in the GAAP and the IFRS, though it seems that the IFRS may be somewhat more open on their practices and require more while the GAAP will rarely use some of the practices that the IFRS will use. References: Financial accounting 7e, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (2013), required text book reading

Fiduciary, regulatory, and contractual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fiduciary, regulatory, and contractual - Essay Example For example, an individual entrusting their money to a bank to keep it safely or use it for investment purposes, in this case the bank acts as a fiduciary to the individual. In this type of relationship, an individual, in a vulnerable position, vest his or her confidence justifiably, in good faith and trust in the other person’s advice, assistance or some protection. In this relationship, good conscience needs the action of a fiduciary at any given time for the interest and benefit of the individual who trusts. To indicate that an individual is fiduciary only opens a new chapter and direction for further investigation and inquiry. To whom is the individual fiduciary? What are the obligations that the individual owe as a fiduciary? The norm of the law aims at shaping a conduct that is in existence due to imperfection. It may be used to proscribe conduct or in the calibration of incentives or even in changing individual preferences. Regulation can also be used in rule enforcement and monitoring as established by the legislation either primary or delegated (Griffiths-Baker 67). Regulations focus at creating constraints, limitation or creating a duty. It takes several different forms including self-regulation as exercised by several industries and companies through association of trades, contractual obligations that bind many parties together among others. State mandated regulation attempts outcome production that might not occur, prevent or even produce outcomes in several places to what might probably occur or prevent outcomes in several areas in different timescales that would occur. In this way, regulation is viewed as an artifact of the implementation of statements of policies. Examples of regulations include control of market entries, wages, prices, effects of pollution, approval of developments, employment of some people in various companies, standard of production for some goods.

Journal 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Journal 3 - Essay Example The application of this policy helps to motivate employees to attain higher goals (Blazey, 2013). Effective retention strategy is also part of compensation policy in organization. This strategy helps employees to remain committed on the organization to build successful career. Benefits policy can also help organization to attract best employees for the organization. Some of the necessary benefits plans of organization are to focus on employee needs, increase employee satisfaction and motivate existing employees by keeping them healthy (Henderson, 2002). Some of the benefits provided by organization are retirement benefit, insurance policy, sick leave, income protection on disability, vacation leave and substitute work engagements. The application of compensation and benefits can help organization to increase revenue which can lead to effective customer service interaction and high productivity. The successful compensation and benefit plan can help to attract competent employees and maintain sustainability in the competitive

Knowledge Management at National Health Services Essay

Knowledge Management at National Health Services - Essay Example It also has 375 intensive care beds in total, and can accommodate a total of 2000 patients in the intensive care unit. The hospital aims to specialize in care giving for cancer and cardiovascular patients. it has employed around 200 doctors whose expertise includes breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal diseases and pediatrics. Reddix also employs nearly 400 nurses and other caregivers. The hospital has entirely integrated faculties for medical tests that are related to cancer and cardiovascular prognosis and diagnosis. One of the major problems that the hospital faces is the difficulty in the interoperability within the department systems. The hospital has different departments that cater to the different information needs. The hospital information system comprises the following six systems: Considering the number of systems it has it is evident that the hospital could have interoperability issues. Interoperability refers to the capacity of different and diverse systems and or physical components of a single system to work together through the use of agreed standards and specifications (Cetis, 2008). It helps the organization to create synergy in the organization. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, being inter-operable, the organization is able to work as a whole instead of working as separate entities. A recent report by the National Health Services criticized the Hospital Administration System of Reddix and said that it was extremely outdated and old and stated its concerns about the patient's files not being available to the concerned caregivers when it is direly required. This is because Reddix is unable to meet the IT needs that are needed so that the doctors, nurses and care givers can easily access all patients' files electronically whenever they nee d them. There are many strategies that the hospital can use in order to bring out a successful change process. In order to do that the Hospital needs to look at the problems individually and then come up with solutions. Specialists of management and healthcare were brought in to assess the current condition The major IT problem at Reddix is that they are using a centralized structured computing system to integrate all its IT applications and the software that is being used was developed nearly forty years ago using proprietary language which could only be used on limited software and did not have a very user friendly interface and there were problems relating to communication with other systems of Reddix such as clinical, diagnostic etc. It was also difficult to connect simple desktop applications such as word processing Reddix needs to develop a business plan that integrates a new IT system that will change its information processing in such a way that it benefits the organization as well as the people involved in it. As technology is progressing as we move into the next generation, there have been changes in the architecture of the information systems that are moving towards distributed computing systems. Distributed computing is a system of computer processing in which the system does not have a central server

Maximlianus as conscientious objector Assignment

Maximlianus as conscientious objector - Assignment Example The main change that came in society owing to the torture and killings that ensued after these protests brought in a major change in the society where people became aware of the injustice and wrong being done to others whom they ignored till then. The result was a massive awareness and movement to eradicate mention of violence in Christianity. As it is, it was pretty disgraceful to have violence become a part of Christianity even though it had to be through the conscientious efforts of Maximlianus. Therefore, we credit a major chunk of the educated and elite class shunning elements of torture and oppression to avoid recurrence of such violence in the history of Christianity to the efforts of Maximlianus.Islam and Christianity have both violent histories. What stories from Kurlansky can we find hope for a non-violent Christianity and Islam? (2 pages)Kurlansky runs a complete thesis in the context of trying to understand why and where non-violence went amiss in the glorious pasts of le ading religions of the world. Everybody understands that Christianity and Islam have had violence in their histories. But when we study the thesis brought forward by Kurlansky, we see that he has found the precise literary and scholarly articles to show why the religions could not enjoy peaceful histories. Let us begin by Buddha’s teachings of non-violence (BPF, 13). Buddhism has a non-violent history owing to the dictates of patience, love and perseverance. Kurlansky, instead of lifting ideals from the peaceful religions.

Scientific Inquiry In Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scientific Inquiry In Biology - Essay Example The condition of high Soil sodium is referred to as sodic, and is common in desert and arid lands. An example is the Yelarbon area of Australia. When the Chloride form dominates, it is referred to as saline. Salinity though may also refer to an increased amount of the chlorides of Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium. Increased Sodium salinity often leads to sodicity. An excess of the cation may lead to increased pH and increased soil osmotic pressure retarding the ability of plants to absorb water. Furthermore, an increase in the Sodium Carbonate concentration leads to an ion exchange reaction that immobilizes Calcium. Calcium is an important regulator of growth and development in plants. Its participation involves nearly all aspects of plant development. (Harper J.F, 2004) Another problem associated with increased soil Sodium is the toxicity to Na+ sensitive plants, and disruption of soil structure leading to crusting and poor drainage. (Ruiz Vera, 2006). This reduces available soil oxygen as well. The causes of increased sodium may be man-made or natural. Irrigation of soil with water having increased sodium carbonate is one artificial method. A natural cause may be weathering of rocks containing Sodium carbonates. The control of sodicity is by addition of Calcium in form of Limestone, Sulphur and drainage of the soils affected. If an increase in soil osmotic pressure leads to retarded growth of lawn grass, then addition of a proportional amount of salt to a control sample will lead

Physical Activity and Energy Pathways Coursework

Physical Activity and Energy Pathways - Coursework Example When I make healthy everyday exercise choices, I tend to make better food choices. Fruits and vegetables replace candy bars and chips in my diet when I am making better food choices. In my mind, I feel exercise should not be sabotaged by poor food choices. This affects my social activities as well. Instead of going to the movie with friends and family, I chose to do more physical activities. For example, I will go bowling or skating. I like to be more active. This is all due to my effort to walk a couple of miles a day. The three fitness activities in which I have been involved and in which I will describe Energy Pathways will be running, swimming, and tennis. The three Energy Pathways are ATP-CP, LA, and O2. ATP-CP can be defined as Adenosine Triphosphate which is a chemical compound formed with the energy released from food and stored in all cells, particularly muscles. The energy released by the breakdown of this compound can make the cells perform work. The breakdown of ATP produces energy and ADP. CP or Creatine Phosphate is a compound stored in the muscle, which when broken down aids in the manufacture of ATP. The combination of ADP and CP results in ATP. LA or Lactic Acid is a fatiguing metabolite of the lactic acid system caused by the incomplete breakdown of glucose. O2 is when in aerobic running ATP is produced from food mainly fat and sugar. This system produces ATP in abundance and is the prime energy source during endurance activities. When endurance running the Energy Pathways used are 10% ATP-CP and LA, which occurs in the first 1-45 seconds. The LA-O2 Energy Pathways are used 20% in the 45-120 seconds. The O2 is used 70% for the rest of the activity. During swimming the Energy Pathways used are 10% ATP-CP and LA, which occurs in the first 1-45 seconds. The LA-O2 Energy Pathways are used 20% in the 45-120 seconds.

Maximlianus as conscientious objector Assignment

Maximlianus as conscientious objector - Assignment Example The main change that came in society owing to the torture and killings that ensued after these protests brought in a major change in the society where people became aware of the injustice and wrong being done to others whom they ignored till then. The result was a massive awareness and movement to eradicate mention of violence in Christianity. As it is, it was pretty disgraceful to have violence become a part of Christianity even though it had to be through the conscientious efforts of Maximlianus. Therefore, we credit a major chunk of the educated and elite class shunning elements of torture and oppression to avoid recurrence of such violence in the history of Christianity to the efforts of Maximlianus.Islam and Christianity have both violent histories. What stories from Kurlansky can we find hope for a non-violent Christianity and Islam? (2 pages)Kurlansky runs a complete thesis in the context of trying to understand why and where non-violence went amiss in the glorious pasts of le ading religions of the world. Everybody understands that Christianity and Islam have had violence in their histories. But when we study the thesis brought forward by Kurlansky, we see that he has found the precise literary and scholarly articles to show why the religions could not enjoy peaceful histories. Let us begin by Buddha’s teachings of non-violence (BPF, 13). Buddhism has a non-violent history owing to the dictates of patience, love and perseverance. Kurlansky, instead of lifting ideals from the peaceful religions.

Physical Activity and Energy Pathways Coursework

Physical Activity and Energy Pathways - Coursework Example When I make healthy everyday exercise choices, I tend to make better food choices. Fruits and vegetables replace candy bars and chips in my diet when I am making better food choices. In my mind, I feel exercise should not be sabotaged by poor food choices. This affects my social activities as well. Instead of going to the movie with friends and family, I chose to do more physical activities. For example, I will go bowling or skating. I like to be more active. This is all due to my effort to walk a couple of miles a day. The three fitness activities in which I have been involved and in which I will describe Energy Pathways will be running, swimming, and tennis. The three Energy Pathways are ATP-CP, LA, and O2. ATP-CP can be defined as Adenosine Triphosphate which is a chemical compound formed with the energy released from food and stored in all cells, particularly muscles. The energy released by the breakdown of this compound can make the cells perform work. The breakdown of ATP produces energy and ADP. CP or Creatine Phosphate is a compound stored in the muscle, which when broken down aids in the manufacture of ATP. The combination of ADP and CP results in ATP. LA or Lactic Acid is a fatiguing metabolite of the lactic acid system caused by the incomplete breakdown of glucose. O2 is when in aerobic running ATP is produced from food mainly fat and sugar. This system produces ATP in abundance and is the prime energy source during endurance activities. When endurance running the Energy Pathways used are 10% ATP-CP and LA, which occurs in the first 1-45 seconds. The LA-O2 Energy Pathways are used 20% in the 45-120 seconds. The O2 is used 70% for the rest of the activity. During swimming the Energy Pathways used are 10% ATP-CP and LA, which occurs in the first 1-45 seconds. The LA-O2 Energy Pathways are used 20% in the 45-120 seconds.

Community Health Nursing Essay Example for Free

Community Health Nursing Essay Identification of Community Nestled in Southern Indiana just west of Louisville, Kentucky and south of Indianapolis, Indiana is Dubois County, Indiana. Dubois County is comprised of the towns of Birdseye, Ferdinand, Holland, Huntingburg and Jasper. Of those towns, Jasper is the largest and is the county seat (Kelly School of Business, 2014). Over fifty-two percent of the population consists of adults ranging from 25-64 years of age (Kelly School of Business, 2014). The leading cause of mortality in this county is heart disease, cancer, suicide and injuries (Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Dubois County Health Department, 2011). According to the 2011 health rankings of the county, Dubois County was higher in the benchmark of poor health, adult obesity, adult smoking, excessive drinking, motor vehicle crash death rate and teen birth rate than the national benchmarks (Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Dubois County Health Department, 2011). Industry overview consists of manufacturing, transportation/warehousing, health care, and finance/insurance with manufacturing providing the majority of the jobs at an average wage per job of $54,000 in 2010(Memorial Hospital And Health Care Center Dubois County Health Department, 2011). Obesity in the county grew to 28.9% in 2008 compared to 26.8% in 2006(Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Dubois County Health Department, 2011). Physical inactivity also increased in the two year span growing from 20.9% in 2006 to 24.5% in 2008(Memorial Hospital And Health Care Center Dubois County Health Department, 2011). Summary of Tools Population Economic Status Assessment The Population Economic Status Assessment of the county was utilized to obtain the population estimates, cultural diversity, income levels, poverty among children and unemployment rates. In 2013 the population estimates of 42, 361 were found in Dubois County (United States Census Bureau, 2014). Of  these, the cultural demographics of 98% were white and 6.4% were Hispanic or Latino (United States Census Bureau, 2014). In 2011, Dubois County provided only 0.6% of the births in Indiana and 0.7% of the deaths (Kelly School of Business, 2014). The median household income was $54,168 and 7.9% were below poverty level wen the span of 2008-2012 was studied (United States Census Bureau, 2014). The rate of poverty among children in Dubois County was under 10% in 2010(Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Dubois County Health Department, 2011). A 7.5% unemployment rate in 2010 was seen as well as an increase in families receiving temporary assistance (Memorial Hospital and Health Care Cen ter Dubois County Health Department, 2011). Neighborhood/Community Safety Inventory Environmental safety hazards present in Dubois County range from air pollution, invasive animal species, climate, and resources. Air pollution is a byproduct of the manufacturing industry. The Particulate Matter measurement in 2010 was 27.2ug/m3 which contributes to the asthma and cancer rates in the community (Air Quality, 2012). Another environmental concern is the possible conversion of a coal-fired plant into an incinerator of biomass which also threatens to worsen the respiratory issues of the population (Healthy Dubois County, 2014). Invasive animal species of the county include the Emerald Ash Borer and Gypsy moth who could deforest the trees and shrubs thereby threatening our environment (Dubois County Soil and Water Conservation District, 2014). The climate is humid and the annual precipitation is spread throughout the year (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2014). The soil is flat and provides poor drainage thus placing the county at risk for flooding (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2014). Cultural Assessment Tool The primary cultural groups of Dubois County are whites with German ancestry and a growing Latino population. The numbers of females to males of both cultures is approximately 50:50(Dubois County, n.d.) Religious affiliations of the community include Catholics, Lutheran, Methodist and Mormon with Catholics being approximately 71% of the population (Onboard Informatics, 2013). Disaster Assessment Planning Guide Dubois Countys disaster preparedness plans and resources are maintained by the county health department. The four major areas of focus include: acts of nature, such as floods and tornados; disease outbreaks, such as influenza and Hepatitis; accidents, including chemical spills; and terrorist acts (Dubois County Health Department, 2012). With such disasters the most vulnerable populations are the young and old, who are the most likely to be affected by a disaster. Public agencies such as the Red Cross, Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, Dubois County Health Department are a few of the local agencies that can offer resources and aid to those individuals during times of crisis. Ethnicity issues related to disaster are language barriers of those who have recently traveled to the area. Windshield Survey The environment of Dubois County is a mix of urban and rural areas that are rich in history. In Jasper, IN there are eighteen parks located in this county seat of Dubois County. They are well maintained by the Parks and Recreation Department of the town. The homes in Jasper overall are well maintained and landscaping includes a mix of trees, shrubs and flowers. The home lot size ranges from small to large as you progress away from the downtown area. Older homes are more focused in the downtown area and newer homes are being developed in the outer areas of town. Not all of the homes have access to sidewalks or walking trails within walking distance. The Patoka River flows through the town and a recreational railway also passes through the town. Residents take advantage of the river front area with a river walk pathway that passes 2.1 miles along the river. The river walk and pavilion area along the river and parks provide common areas for families and fitness enthusiast. Other gathering places include a number of restaurants and bars in town. These restaurants are fast food, fast-casual and bar/grill type establishments. Transportation includes personal vehicles and public transportation. Schools include five primary education schools, one high school and one community college. There are over 50 dentists, 18 family practice, 5 pediatricians and 38 nursing homes/skilled/assisted living agencies in Jasper. The community business owners work hard to build up the town and county through such organizations as Dubois Strong and Greater Downtown Jasper Business Association. Dubois Strongs focus is to support business growth through marketing to access to capital to help new  and existing business to thrive. Diversity can be seen in the growth of Hispanic churches/mass times, Hispanic food stores, and restaurants. Population Health Scavenger Hunt The Dubois County Health Departments target population is the residents of Dubois County and to support the health of the county. The county website promotes the health department and the health department advertises in the local news media with regards to upcoming events and programs. The Jasper Chamber of Commerce promotes local businesses, new resident information, recreation activities, recycling programs, and more. The director of the chamber is also active in promoting the improvement and activities within the city through news media and working with various committees. Both the fire and police department are housed within the city center of Jasper and both provide programs for children in addition to keeping our city safe. The police department provides schools with the DARE program for drug prevention. The City of Jasper, through the service of various agencies, houses a community food bank, energy assistance program, foreclosure prevention services and health family promotio n program for those who qualify. Description of Selected Community Dubois County is a community built with German ancestry that has diversified over the years to include a Hispanic/Latino population. Individuals within the population are proactive in keeping the community thriving in this ever changing environment. Growth of the various cultures can be seen in the development of Hispanic churches and food stores. Cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of mortality in 2006-2008(Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Dubois County Health Department, 2011). Health disease prevention is provided through programs through the hospital and availably of outside activities found in the river walk and parks in the area. Interpretation of Data When comparing the number of births and deaths in Dubois County to Indiana as a whole, the numbers are even, in comparison. Yet in international migration, the county ranks 23 out of 92 counties (Kelly School of Business, 2014). In examination of the leading causes of death in the county, most young people die due to injury and older people die from either cancer or heart disease. Conclusions could be made from this data. A population who is primarily employed by manufacturing facilities could be the source of the accidents in the young and the environmental agents from these plants may cause death in the elderly after multiple years of exposure. Also, another causative factor to consider is the availability of fast food linked to the increased mortality from heart disease. Problems in the Selected Community When the leading causes of mortality in Dubois County with regards to the Healthy People 2020 goals are examined, the topics of Heart Disease and Stroke, Nutrition and Weight Status and Cancer appear to be the top three problems for this community. Heart disease and stroke are leading causes of mortality in America and therefore lend themselves to an increase in healthcare cost (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). Prevention of these events can start with control of blood pressure, cholesterol, tobacco use, improved diet and increase in physical activity (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). Controlling these risk factors is therefore one of the goals of Healthy People 2020 as they attempt to ameliorate the health of the nation through health promotion and prevention. Not only does improving ones nutrition and weight decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke, but it will also aid in the prevention of other diseases including cancer. The Healthy People 2020 goal of Nutrition and Weight Status not only looks at an individuals diet, but increasing household food security and eliminating hunger (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). With the accessibility of fast food, increased physical inactivity and environmental safety concerns over the past few years, these goals for health promotion and prevention are applicable to this community. The resources in the community along with the communitys desire to care for its members should help this community thrive. Problem in Relation to Goals Healthy People 2020 are science based goals for â€Å"improving the health of all Americans† (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). It â€Å"established benchmarks and monitored progress over time in order to encourage collaboration across communities and sectors, empower individuals toward making informed health decisions, and measure the impact of prevention activities† over a ten year period( U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Through the identification of a community’s health needs, a community can determine the health priorities and opportunities for improvement† (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). This process helps the community to live â€Å"longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury and premature death† (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Therefore looking at the Dubois County community’s health concerns for heart disease and stroke, the goal of nutrition and weight status is a great starting point for improving the health of the community. As the individual lives of the community members improve so will the county. A healthy community is a thriving community. Poor nutrition has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Not only is nutrition an individuals choice, but resources must be accessible for proper nutrition and exercise. Fresh produce through Farmers Markets, health promotion through work, and accessible healthy activities for the public are a few solutions to support the community as they strive to ameliorate their lives. Availability of Community Resources A variety of organizations throughout the community provide services to improve the nutrition and health of those it serves. The Greater Downtown Business Association hosts a Farmers Market every Saturday morning from May through October. Not only does this provide locally grown produce to the community, but it also offers a positive social gathering for families and those interested in improving their nutrition. Many of the local churches and organizations offer 5K run/walk opportunities throughout the county as well. Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center offers fitness and nutrition classes for the community as part of their mission to Be for others. Primary Prevention Topic My primary prevention topic is the prevention of overweight and obesity by means of healthy nutrition and physical activity. Amelioration of health will reduce the disease risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer in our community. A successful community starts with healthy individuals. Use of Questions The largest contributor to morbidity and mortality in Dubois County is poor nutrition either through lack of education or resources. The businesses and organizations are trying to improve the nutrition/physical fitness of the community by offering classes, walk/runs and other means of health promotions through media promotion. The local physicians have discussed services on local radio programs, through seminars at the hospital and in articles in the local papers. There is also a community food bank and farmers market. The most recent controversial community health concern published by the news media is that of the proposed biomass plant to be initiated in the old power plant location. There has been community involvement by community leaders and individuals to keep this from happening due to the concern of air quality. As it stands, the company that was going to initiate the transition to biomass has recently revoked their commitment to the project. Most people in the community are concerned about staying healthy for a better quality of life, but they may just not realize all the free or low cost resources available to them. Local news media advertise the hospital programs available and promote the local fitness activities available. Education needs to remain a constant to inform the community of the opportunities available to them. As mentioned previously, most of the emergency room visits are due to injuries/accidents, but cardiology issues is the top hospital inpatient discharge diagnosis (Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Dubois County Health Department, 2011). Therefore focus on prevention and treatment of heart disease is of paramount importance. Focusing on prevention will improve the longevity of this community. Quality of life in the community is reduced by the prevalence of multiple factories in the area. As previously mentioned, the air quality has impacted the community’s rate of asthma and cancer. Imp roving quality of life needs to include improving air quality. References 2011 Dubois County Health Needs Assessment (Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Dubois County Health Department, 2011) Retrieved from www.duboiscountyin.org/stories/2011dchealthassess.pdf Air Quality. (2012). Indiana County of Dubois Government Website. Retrieved from www.duboiscountyin.org City Data: Dubois County, Indiana. (Onboard Informatics, 2013). Retrieved April 22, 2014 from www.city-data.com/county/Dubois_County-IN.html Dubois County. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved April 22, 2014 from http://enwikipedia.org/wiki/DuboisCounty,Indiana Dubois County Health Department (2012). Indiana County of Dubois Government Website. Retrieved from www.duboiscountyin.org Dubois County Indiana Profile (Kelly School of Business, 2014). Retrieved from www.stats.indiana.edu Flood Insurance Study: Dubois County, Indiana and Incorporated Areas (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2014). Retrieved from in.gov Healthy Dubois County (Healthy Dubois County, 2014). Retrieved from www.healthyduboiscounty.org Invasive Animal Species Information (Dubois County Soil and Water Conservation District, 2014). Retrieved from www.duboisswcd.org State County Quick Facts: Dubois County, Indiana (United States Census Bureau, 2014). Retrieved from www.quickfacts.census.gov. U.S . Department of Health and Human Services. (2012). About Healthy People. HealthyPeople.gov. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Nutrition and Weight Status. HealthyPeople.gov. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=29 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Heart Disease and Stroke. HealthyPeople.gov. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=21