Report on Usha Martin Essay Example

Report on Usha Martin Essay ON SALES PROCEDURES LOGISTICS PREPARED FOR AND PRESENTED TO (WIRE WIRE ROPE SPECIALITY DIVISION, RANCHI) UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF Mr. ARUN KUMAR DEY (Assistant Manager) (Sales Co-ordination) SUBMITTED BY NIKHIL KIRAN BBA, BIT MESRA, RANCHI. (2008-11) ANKIT KHANDELWAL BBA, BIT MESRA, RANCHI. (2008-11) VIKASH KUMAR DUBEY BBA, BIT MESRA, RANCHI. (2008- 11) DECLARATION CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the work presented in the project entitled â€Å"SALES PROCEDURES AND LOGISTICS OF USHA MARTIN† in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of degree of BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION of Birla Institute Of Technology Mesra,Ranchi is an authentic work carried out under my supervision and guidance . To the best knowledge, The content of this project does not form a basis for the award of any previous degree to any one else. (A. R. SRIVASTAV) Dept Of management Birla Institute Of Technology Lalpur Extension Centre Ranchi CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL The foregoing project entitled â€Å"SALES PROCEDURES LOGISTICS OF USHA MARTIN LTD. † Is hereby approved as a credible study of research topic and has been presented in satisfactory manner to warrant its acceptance as perquisite to the degree for which it has been submitted. It is understood that by this approval, the undersigned do not necessarily endorse any conclusion drawn or opinion expressed therein, but approve the thesis for the purpose for which it is submitted. Intenal Examiner External Examiner Head Of The Department We will write a custom essay sample on Report on Usha Martin specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Report on Usha Martin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Report on Usha Martin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Acknowledgement The satisfaction and euphoria that accompany the successful completion of the work would be incomplete unless I mention the people, as an expression of gratitude, who made it possible and whose constant guidance and encouragement served as a beacon of light and crowned my efforts with success. This report would have been impossible but for the support and guidance that we received from various people at different stages of the project. Our sincere thanks to MR. A. R. SRIVASTAV whose excellent guidance, encouragement and patience has made possible the successful completion of this project. Last but not the least we extend my sincere thanks to the entire team for providing me their time and active co-operation and all who have helped me directly or indirectly in this project. CONTENTS SI. No. | Description| | Industry and Company Profile| | | | a) Vision| | b) A brief History | | c) Other Particulars | | d) Competitors | | The Project Profile| 1| | 2| Sales procedure and System| 3| Sales procedure and form| 4| Quality analysis Testing| 5| Dispatch | | The Project-Background Methodology| 1| Research Topic| 2| Research Objective| | Research design | 4| Information Requirement| 5| Sampling | 6| Limitations| | Analysis and Recommendation| 1| Logistics | 2| Analysis of process involved in loading cycle | 3| Findings / Suggestions| 4| Analysis of Monthly Dispatch of wire and rope | 5| Findings / Suggestions | 6| Swot Analysis for UML| | Conclusion| | BIBLIOGRAPHY| | | VISION In our chosen business, we shall retain market leadership in India and shall be globally competitive through customer orientation and excellence in quality, innovation and technology. Looking Back A Brief History 960 The Company was incorporated as Usha Martin Black (Wire Ropes) limited having its wire rope plant at Ranchi. The name was changed to Usha Martin Black Ltd. in 1979 and further changed to Usha Martin Industries Ltd. (UMIL) in 1983. 1962 –the production was started and the turnover that year was 996 MT and Rs. 22. 34 lakhs respectively. 1965 UMIL promoted Usha Ismal Ltd. (UIL) in collaboration with CCL Systems Ltd of UK for the manufacture of fittings and accessories, equipment for pre-stressed concrete system, wire ropes and wire ropes splicing equipment at Ranchi. UIL merged with UMIL in 1990 and became a division of the company 1969-promoted Usha Brecko Ltd. To design, construct and erect Arial ropeway. 1971 UMIL promoted Usha Alloy Steels Limited (UASL) for the manufacture of billets at Jamshedpur. UASL merged with UMIL in 1988. 1975 UASL acquired an ongoing rolling mill at Agra. 1975 UMIL set up its Machinery Division at Bangalore for the manufacture of Wire Drawing and allied machines in technical collaboration with Marshall Richards Barcro Limited (MRB) of UK. 1979 In order to obtain steady supply of wire rods for its wire rope plant, UASL set up a Wire Rod Rolling Mill at Jamshedpur. 980-Promote Usha Siam steel industry Ltd. in Thailand to manufacturing wire, wire rope , and auto control cables. 1986-Promote Usha Beltrone Ltd. To manufacture Jelly filled. 1987 UMIL, along with Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation, promoted Usha Beltron Ltd. (UBL) in collaboration with AEG KABEL of Germany for the manufacture of Jelly Fill ed Telephone Cables. 1993-Promoted Usha Martin Pvt. Ltd. a joint venture, to provide cellular, paging and Telecom services. 1994-Setup software division to provide IT solutions for communication application. Setup Usha Martin Europe Ltd. a distribution center at Glasgow, U. K. 1996-Promoted summit Usha Martin Finance Ltd. a joint venture to proved financial services. 1997 UMIL merged with UBL i. e. 1st October 1997. 1998-Setup Usha Martin amerces inc. , distribution center in Houston. Setup UMLcor, South Africa, a manufacture unit and distribution center in Johannesburg. 2000 Acquisition of specialty wire rope manufacturing plant in UK â€Å"BruntonShaw†. Commissioning of 25 MW thermal power plants for captive consumption. 2001 – Commissioning of 2nd SMS to enhance capacity and produce quality specialty steel. 2003 Usha Beltron Ltd Changed its name to â€Å"Usha Martin Limited (UML). UML created Fine Cord Plasticated coated Fine wires, household wire, Polymer coated wire, Fine Ropes Bright Bars manufacturing facilities in Tatisilwai- Ranchi. 2004-The company successful commissioned DRI and WHRB power plant at its steel division in Jamshedpur. 2005-The company signs an MOU with Joh. Pengg for manufacturing of the specialty oil tempered spring steel wire. Commences iron ore mines successfully. Railway siding commenced. 2006-Pursuant to B. T. A. the company acquired the business of Usha construction steel ltd. , Rolling mill at Agra w. e. f. 1st-dec- 2006 as a part of the steel segment. 007- Peng Usha Martin collaborates with Jo-Peng, Austria in 2007 for Special Wire. 2008-. In this year Usha Martin Limited has awarded for excellence in consistent TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) in 2008 by Japan Institute of plant maintenance (JIPM), and CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) 2009- In this year company sets some more plants inside the Tatisilwai wire and wire rope plant and the construction and upgradation is continued, like 20MW power plant is under construction which will increase the monthly production of the unit. A 3000 tn capacity LRPC plant was established in this year at Tatisilwai plant. The company acquired Netherland based distribution and Rigging Company De Ruiter Stackable B. V. Successfull commissioning of wire rope plant at Houston, America. Other Particulars IN USHA MARTIN L. T. D Location Chotanagpur Plateau Plant Area112 Acres Nearest TownRanchi (13 Km) Nearest Railway StationTatisilwai (1 Km) Nearest Airport Ranchi (17 Km) Nearest HighwayN H-33 (8 Km) Nearest PortKolkata (412 km) PowerContracted demand 8000 KVA Source-JSEB Water2400-3200 m3/day SourcesSubernekha River . Competitors for Usha Martin Ltd. GLOBAL COMPETITORS IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS COMPANYCOUNTRY Kiss wireKorea British RopeU. K. Haggier randSouth Africa FedgerSwitzerland Austria droughtAustria CasarGermany BridonGermany DietzGermany John ShawU. K. RedaelliItaly SFESpain TeufelbergerAustria PfeifferSwitzerland DOMESTIC COMPETITORS IN INDIA South India wireKerela Bombay Wire RopesMaharashtra Bharat Wires Ropes Maharashtra INTRODUCTION ON SALES PROFILE Sales Co-ordination Department occupies a strategic position in USHA MARTIN LTD. It spreads the organization’s effort to supply customer with ever increasing qualitative of product at profitable price. Good products at competitive price are not enough. Company’s success is affected by the dealings and association of the sales Co-ordination department with customer and public, sales Co-ordination department with other department with other department influence the company’s reputation with public. So each and every department is able to maintain a healthy relationship with sales department. QUALITY OBJECTIVES OF SALES CO-ORDINATION DEPARTMENT VISION: QUALITY WORK WITH LOWEST COST SALES PROCEDURE FLOW CHART ENQUIRY: First of all enquiry is made about the product required i. e. whether the company has required product of required size, length, weight, rate, delivery etc. QUOTATION: In Quotation Company gives detail information on certain matter to the customers. The quotation includes: > Product variance > Rate > Lead time > Delivery > Making time PURCHASE ORDER: Purchase order gives the complete of the product demanded by the customer. Purchase order is packed to the Head office of the company. Along with the covering letter, the Purchase order is forwarded to the planning Department of the company and accordingly sales order is prepared. It contains following information: * Name of the customer with address. * Place, the products are to be delivered (consignee). * Reference no. hich is used as order number by the company. * Name of the product. * Size of the product. * Construction of the product. * Coating and core of the product. * Rate/price of the product. * Quantity of the product. * Remark. SALES ORDER: Sales order is prepared in the planning department with the help the existing system (BAAN). It contains entire information as given in the p urchase order. Sales order is send to branch office, Kolkata marketing, quality assurance, sales co-ordination Department with the help of BAAN. BAAN is an intra organizational network connected with the computer and is automatically updated. SALES ORDER CONTAINS: * Customer address with code. * Order acceptance no. * Customer’s order no. * Quotation. * Order no. * Date. * Branch Name. * Consignee. * Taxes Duties. * Postal address. * Other expenses. (Insurance, octroi, advance, commission) * Banker. * Payment terms. PRIME STOCK Prime stock is the MIS of finished goods. It is prepared by production department. It provides the clear picture of what products have been produced and their composition and thus it facilitates in analyzing. Prime stock report is sent to sales co-ordination department. It provides the following details: Sales order. * Project lot. * Length of the product. * Weight of the product * Reel used for packing and its weight. * Type, size construction of the product. * Coating lay, tensile. * Lubricant used in the product. * Closing sheet date status of the product. * Rate and value of the products. * Information regarding party code, consignee Destination. * Inspection and age of the product. IMPORTANCE: a) Prime stock assists sales co-ordination department to take the decision in b) What ratio dispatch will be made. c) It helps in making the dispatch advice or rough challan no. ) It helps in knowing the detail specification of the products to be dispatched. PRODUCTION PLAN After the sales order has been made, the company plans about the raw materials to be purchased, the raw materials in stock, container requirement, delivery time etc. It contains the following plan: * Monthly production plan. * Quantity wise production plan. * Order wise production plan. * Raw material wise production plan. * Number of Man power needed. * Nos. of Reels, Bobbins required. * Machine planning. PRODUCTION: After production plan the actual production takes place in the production department. The following production process is followed: Rod Ironing Pickling Denting Wire Mill (rod is drawn to make wire) ROD WIRE STRAND ROPE WIRE * Galvanized (zinc or lead) * Black Rope: Construction: * 6/36 i. e. it contains 6 strands one strand contain 36 wires. There are many Other constructions like 1/7, 6/7 , 6/26, 8/36 , 6/ 19 etc. * It may be G/S (Galvanize Steel) , B/S (Black Steel), G/F (Galvanize Fibre coat) etc. Q A Testing: The product produced is send to the QA department and when QA passes it certificate of test is released and then closing stock is ascertained. DISPATCH: For dispatch of goods following planning is done: * Advance dispatch plan * Container requirement. * Container Fumigation (Methyl bromide). * Loading . . . . . . . . LOGISTICS IN USHA MARTIN LIMITED The major elements of market logistics in UML are: * Order Processing * Ware Housing * Inventory * Transportation * Information Monitoring * GPS (Global Positioning System) . The Transportation System Introducti on The transportation system is the physical link connecting a company customers, raw materials suppliers , pants ,warehouses and channel members the fixed point in a logistics supply chain. The fixed points in the logistic system are where some activity temporarily halts the flow of goods in the logistics pipeline. The Role of Transportation In Logistics. Bridge over buyer-seller gap: Conceptually, a company’s logistics supply chain is a series of fixed points where the goods come to rest and transportation links. The transportation link permits good to flow between the various fixed points and bridges the buyer-seller gap. Value added: Transportation is the physical thread connecting the company’s geographically dispersed operation. More specifically, transportation added value to the company by creating time and place utility; the value added is the physical movement of goods to the place desired and at the time desired. Global impact: As supply chain becomes increasingly in our global economy, the transportation function is connecting buyers and sellers that may be tens of thousands of miles apart. The Transportation Selection Decision The carrier selection decision is a specialized purchasing process whereby a film purchases the service a carrier to provide the necessary link among logistics facilities. It must also consider the other costs associated with how the transport method’s services affected the facility operation. The transit time, the greater the inventory level the company requires to protect against stock outs until the next shipment arrives. Modal choice: Carrier selection is a twofold process. First the firm selects a transportation mode. The choice includes the basic mode of rail, water, trucks, air, and pipeline. In addition, intermodal transportation, which used two or more modes to provide services over a given traffic lane, is available. The most common forms of intermodal transportation include rail-truck (piggyback), truck – air and rail water. Specific carrier choice: the second step in the decision is to select a specific carrier from within the chosen mode or intermodal form. The specific carrier selection requires the firm to choose the legal carrier type: common, regulated, contract, exempt or private. , . MODE OF LOGOSTICS DEPARTMENTS Intermodal Transportation Intermodal transport services refer to the use of two or more carriers of different modes in the through movement of a shipment. Piggyback Piggyback is a specialized from in which rail and motor transport coordinate. In piggyback, the carrier places the motor carrier trailer on a rail flatcar, which moves the trailer by rail for long distance. A motor carrier combines the long- haul, low-cost advantage of rail with the accessibility of motor. Rail Truck Pipeline Water Air . . . TRANSPORTATION IN USHA MARTIN LIMITED The process adopted in UML for transportation under logistics are :- 1. ) Basic Mode Roadways 2. ) Specific type a) By Truck b) By trailer ) By container Specific Type Trailer Container Truck Mainly for Export 10 Wheeler 6 Wheeler Wheeler Diff. trailer with diff. capacity 30 ton 15 ton Open top Close on Fig- Flow chart of specific type of transportation TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT: UML is delivering the outgoing finished goods to the domestic customer through roadways and railways. Roadways cover the maximum delivery to the customers. But for the international customers UML is sending the finished goods through waterways (i. e. shipping). As we know that the water is the one of the cheapest means of transportation. Some times UML is meeting the customer’s need through airways, (the cost is to be paid by customers) when there is a quick delivery needed. Fig. Overall Process of Transportation In Usha Martin Limited (From sales Department) Process involve in Loading Cycle 1. ) Main gate security :- The truck / trailer reports to the main gate. The security officer inspects the vehicle no. , transport name, driver’s name and license no. the owner book and in time of the trucks. 2. ) Weigh bridge :- Here trucks are weighted before loading the material and a slip is given to the driver of tare weight. 3. Transporter reports to the sales officer :- The transporter reports to the department after the arrival of trucks inside the factory premises so as to prepare the loading advice. 4. ) Trucks reports to dispatch area :- After reporting to the main gate security and weight- machine the truck reports to the dispatch area to inform the department of its arrival. 5. ) Sales release the loadi ng advice :- Soon after the transport reports, the department releases the loading advice so that the loading process starts. 6. ) Trucks are loaded as per the loading advice :- The dispatch section segregated material as per loading advice memo. The materials are loaded in such a way that the packing does not damaged during loading and in transit. 7. ) Loaded truck reports to weight bridge :- After loading the trucks again reports to the weight machine. Here again a ship of grand weight and net weight is given to the driver. 8. ) Sales releases the dispatch documents :- The sale department releases the dispatch documents that consist of transporter note or receipt, excise / custom gate pass, packing list, certification of test, road permit that are attached to the invoice before handling over the documents to the transporter 9. ) Main gate security :- The second interactions clears or checks the party name and address, material description, quantity, invoice of the loaded truck and keep record of out time the loaded trucks. Fig. Flow of Transportation within Factory Premises (For Finished Goods) Distribution Network of UML, Ranchi EXPORTS IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS BY UML Works Usha Martin Limited Ranchi Kolkata PortHaldia Port Mumbai Port Usha Martin, AmericaUsha Martin, Scandinavia Mid East Countries Usha Martin, Europe, UKUMLCOR, Africa To Different Customer Fig. Process of Export rope dispatch used by Usha Martin Limited (By sales Department) ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION USHA MARTIN INDUSTRIES assess the logistic function, which help the raw material which is purchased and then it is planned accordingly for the production and when the production is finished good is kept in the stock godown from there it is despatched according to the demand of the customer through the efficient distribution channels to the destination or warehouse accordingly. From Purchase Department:- Purchase department deals with the purchase of raw materials like wire rod and lubricants (from Jamshedpur), chemicals from (Mumbai) like, HCL Borax, etc. Propane gas (from GILO, Zinc lead (from Kolkata. ) In this department relevant information are incorporated in the purchase orders so that product supplied by the sub-contractors, meet desired quality requirements. The product is reviewed and approved by management representative and issued by head of quality system. The responsibility of implementing and maintaining the procedural steps of this procedure rests with in charge of purchase department. From planning Department:- Planning Department deals with the allocation of work according to product Planning Department review the purchase order. After receiving it becomes the sales order. It includes all the necessary details regarding product and also the address of the consignee. On the basis of this a W. P. S. (Work Plan Schedule) is prepared Plan horizon of UML is 15 days W. P. S. includes schedule of each and every day. That is from the day despatching of the product. Something advance planning is made for the products, which are always in, demands (for e. g. fishing rope). From production department:- The main manufacturing plants that U. M. I. contains are wire, strand and rope. Its wires and ropes are used for various purposes. For e. . fishing rope, engineering ropes etc. U. M. I. is specialists of L. C. W. R. ropes, which is mainly used, in mining industries U. M. I. ropes have to go through a tensile strength test before DESPATCHING. Research Topic Before we start our research, it is necessary to have at least some idea of what to do? This is probably the most difficult and yet the most important component of the research project. Without being clear about what we are going to research it is difficult to plan how to research? Therefore formulating and clarifying the research topic is the starting point of any research project. Taking into account the above matter, the research topic is formulated as such: â€Å"SALES PROCEDURES LOGOSTICS† Research Objective The research may begin with a general focus as a base from which to right a set of research objective. Objective is more generally acceptable as evidence of the researcher’s clear sense of purpose and direction. A research objective requires more rigorous thinking which derives from the use of more formal language. Therefore the broad objective of the study is : * To analyses the dispatch of wire rope. * Control of loading cycle time. To obtain the required knowledge of the subject. * To study the existing Sales procedures Logistics of UML. * To find out the related problem in its system and recommend solution as per the findings. * To analyse the working function of the sales dept. or systems to know how well the manpower is utilized. * To study the distribution network. * To find out the lacunae in the functioning of the logistic dep artment. * To find out whether the present distribution network need some changes. * To study the consumers behaviour ; to find out which area needs improvement. To suggest corrective measures to tighten the loose threads in the area of study Sub-objective: These would be related to Sales Procedure and Logistics which contains the study of transportation. It would reveal: * Whether the sales procedure and Logistics are properly followed by UML or not. * If not, then where the improvement is required. * Is the existing system sufficient with some modifications and improvement or does it need’s to be changed to do the products well in the market and to increase the sales volume. Altogether the hypothesis / sub-objectives developed are: To analyze the performance of the approved transporter. * To reduce the loading cycle time. * To find out the fluctuation of transportation rates. * To find out the time in documentation while releasing the loaded truck. * To upgrade the existing system concerning flow of material related to the transportation. * To analyze the activity of dispatch section insuring loading and dispatch of correct material so that these are delivered at customer’s end in good condition. Research design: A research design is simply a frame work or plan for a study that guides the collection and analysis of data. It is a blue print that is followed in completing study the main purpose of the study is to maintain flexibility and to discover ideas and insights not previously recognized therefore the study has been conducted in two phases. * Exploratory study * Conclusive study Exploratory study: This research is often conducted because the problem has not been clearly defined as yet. It allows the researcher to familiarize himself with the problem or concept to be studied. It helps to determine the best research design, data collection method and selection of subjects. It has been aimed to study the basic know how about the Usha Martine Ltd. This has been done through making an introductory visit to all the functioning department of the company specially the sales co-ordination department. Conclusive study: This research is meant to provide information that is useful in reaching conclusions or decision making. The research relies on both the secondary data and the primary data. It has been conducted through interacting with various people of sales co-ordination, expertise, interviews, observations, data collection, office record, questionnaires etc. Information Requirement In a broader sense we can say that the two types of data available to a research are Primary data and Secondary data. Primary data are generated when a particular problem at hand is investigated by the researcher employing mail, questionnaire, telephone surveys, personal interview, observation, experiment. The primary data which were required for the research and to get the information, done through the help of survey. The survey thus conducted, applying the various tools, to get the information . These are done though I. Observation. II. Questionnaire. III. Interview. The process by which the trucks are loaded and in accordance the data which were collected, is done through the help of observation, questionnaire, and personal interview let the researcher to know about the loading cycle time, fluctuation in transportation rate, loading and dispatch of correct material, documentation process, transporter view , employee ideas etc. Secondary data includes those data which are collected for some earlier research work and are applicable in the study, the researcher has presently undertaken. Secondary data include both quantitative and qualitative data, and they can be used in both exploratory research and conclusive research . There are variety of classification for secondary data. It may be documentary data, survey based data and those compiled from multiple sources. Documentary secondary data include written document of the organization. These records or the document include:- 1. Operating procedure of sales coordination department that are: a) Dispatch of wire. b) Packing of wire. c) Marking of wire. d) Dispatch of rope. e) Packing of rope or reel for Domestic / Export ) Packing of rope in coil for Domestic / Export. g) Calculation of the sub Contractor / Transporter performance rating. h) Approval of transporter. i) Handling storage and disposal of customer returned material. 2. Monthly dispatch figure of finished product. 3. Daily dispatch figure of each product. 4. Organization websites. 5. Reports of committees. 6. Annual reports of the company. 7. Book. 8. Inter net. 9. Domestic wise transportation rate per metric ton. 10. Dispatch documents consisting Invoice, Rough challan, Transporter consignment note, Guarantee certificate, Certificate for test, Road permit etc. 1. Placement and dispatch of containers and trucks. Sampling Generally when field studies are undertaken in practical life , consideration of time and cost need to a selection for the researcher and that is selection of few items. Sample Technique The items which are selected is called sample and the process which involves in selecting the sample is called sample technique. In this research, technique which is used for the collection of data is judgmental sampling. Before starting rational judgment is taken and the sample should be the representative of the entire transportation under logistics. Sample Size This refers to the no. of items to be selected. It should be neither excessively large nor too small, it should be optimum. The optimum sample is one which fulfills the requirement of efficiency, representatives, reliability and flexibility. The samples which are selected for the information collection are:- a) Monthly dispatch figure of last three years. b) Times taken by each truck for loading and also for the container were in number of five. c) Single truck / container each day for 5 days. d) Destination wise rates of transport for last three years. e) Performance rating of last quarter, ending of financial year 07 . Limitations The primary limitation of the project was the duration of one months that was set to complete the assignment. Lost of data had to be collected and analyzed for collecting the data regarding transportation. Many existing transporter could not interviewed. The secondary limitation was regarding to the secondary data collected from the internal sources of the company about the approved transporters, their products, loading cycle etc. because there was huge work pressure on managers as well as on supervisor Self visiting was not allowed by the company for collecting data. The company guide does have less time to spend with us because of busy schedule of sales-coordination department. Chart of time taken by each truck Findings From the entire study on total loading cycle time, it is observed that the total time taken by the trailer (including taking the empty container) and truck exceed the normal time frame. The normal time taken is more than 5 to 6 hrs. this variation ranges from 5 hrs to 22 hrs. There are more areas that have taken in to consideration which create delay in delivery. These are as follows:- * Late dispatch of documents led to late delivery of loaded trucks. The dispatch documents generally release after 4’o clock in the second half of the day and therefore even the trucks are fully loaded it waits for the document to get, before living the factory. * As per late preparation of’ certificate of test ‘by Quality assurance department the entire documentation process moves slow ; make delay. * The sample size taken to calculate the total loading cycle time of fine trucks / container shows that not a single vehicle is loaded , within a time period of five to six hrs. Delay in arrival or in time placement of trucks or trailers. * The way which involves the loading cycle is so complicated that even the transporter wants to arrive quickly, it takes enough time. * The trucks generally wait in queues because the trucks which have arrived earlier are there for loading the material / goods at loading point. * As soon as the truck reports to the factory the two way process starts, the one by the transporter and the other by truck driver. Transporter reports to the sales office and the truck to security then weigh bridge and so on. UML uses only a single mode of transportation and that is the road ways. * Trucks are loaded as per loading advice memo. Time varies in loading different types of material. For domestic supply the loading of material takes less time but for the export it takes enough time. Time also varies in loading the material which generally are product wise, size wise, and order wise. * On few occasion printing and painting of reels is done after placement of lorry. The loading cycle time in the whole process is greater and it is a lengthy procedure this time needs to be reduced. Suggestion / Recommendation While undergoing the study various flaws regarding documentation process, loading point, dispatch area, transportation was observed. During this period of our study various pit falls and problems in existing system we found ,so to provide UML a be

The City Government of West Haven, Connecticut

The City Government of West Haven, Connecticut An Introduction to the City Government The City of West Haven is found in the New Haven County, which is only 65 miles from the New York City. It has a population of about 55,046, with a majority of its population being white Americans.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The City Government of West Haven, Connecticut specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The proportion of the whites is about 65.7%, while the population of the black Americans and Asians is 19.6% and 3.7% respectively. Initially, this city was a European-settlement area, whose occupation dates back to 1648. It started with dissociating itself with the formerly British colony known as the New Haven and acquiring a new name, which was the Parish of West Haven in 1719. It was not until 1822 when it officially detached itself from New Haven. In 1784, this city tried to be incorporated into a city without much success. This prompted it to unite with the New Mi lford, and was then incorporated in 1822 as Orange. It again separated itself from Orange in 1721. The successful recognition of West Haven as a city happened in 1961. The City Council government of West Haven was constituted in November 1961, where the following positions were created: the Mayor, City Council Members, a City Treasurer, a Town Clerk, a Treasurer, a City Clerk, a Tax Collector, and Tax Review Board Members. The current Mayor, City Clerk, and Tax Collector of West Haven are Edward M. O’Brien, Deborah Collins, and Marianne E. Gambardella respectively. The City Council of West Haven has 13 Council Members, each representing a district.Advertising Looking for term paper on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The current members are Nicholas A. Pascale, Nicholas W. Ruickoldt, Ralph A. Eberle, Mitchell L. Gallignano, Brent Watt, James P. O’Brien, Nancy R. Rossi, Tracy A. Mor rissey, Michael P. Last, Gail S. Burns, Ronald M. Quagliani, David Riccio, Sean P. Ronan, and Charles A. Marino, who is a non-voting member. The Budgetary Process for the West Haven’s City Government The budgetary process of West Haven is initiated by the Director of Finance, who prepares a draft budget for the Mayor. The draft from the Director of Finance contains the financial estimates for that particular fiscal year that the budget will address. The heads of each department or office in the city’s government files with the Mayor the relevant forms that detail their annual estimates and the anticipated sources of revenue, as well as tax collections for that year. This presentation is done on the first Thursday of February every calendar year. The Mayor then presents the draft budget and other departmental estimates as a proposal to the council members, who deliberate on the presented budget proposal. If approved, a final ‘approved operating budget’ for the particular fiscal year is prepared, with amendments that were proposed in the deliberation stage included in the final approved budget. Typically, a budget for West Haven would include details of expenditure, operating charges, contingency expenses, capital expenditures, fund revenues, and allocation of tax collection, among other details. All details of government spending are given under the expenditure clause, including the costs of the City Council, Mayor’s Office, the City Clerk, the Probate Court, corporation counsel, and telephone administration. In addition, expenditures on public works, planning and development, human resources, library, and public safety are included in the total cost.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The City Government of West Haven, Connecticut specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The budget for West Haven for the fiscal year 2014-2015 was a grand total of $560,994,311, with a collection rate of 98%. The total expenses amounted to $5,599, 626, while non-tax revenue, back taxes, debt reduction, and tax collections amounted to $654,036, $200,000, $150,000, and $4,745,590 respectively. Operating and Capital Budgets The operating budget of West Haven has to be approved by the Council Members before being put into use. Taking, for example, the operating budget for the fiscal year 2014-2015, the first part of the operating budget is a breakdown of the general fund revenues. This section encompasses the current property tax levy, non-current taxes, interest, and lien fees. It also entails licenses and permits, fines and penalties, use of money, property, charges for current services, and revenues from other sources. All the fund revenues amounted to $151,784,760 for the fiscal year 2014-2015. The distribution of the income from the current property, grants, another revenue, prior year property, and licenses was 56.8%, 36.9%, 3.8%, 1.8%, and 0.7% respectively. The capital budget for the fiscal year 2014-2015 for the government of West Haven City is $976,000, which is generated at a mill rate of $0.35. Its non-recurring capital budget is divided into general government, which accounts for $125,000, public safety, accounting for $396, 000, public works with $400,000, and information technology, which is allocated $55,000. All these amount to a non-recurring capital budget of $976,000. Operating and Capital Expenses The costs that West Haven incurs are broken down into personnel spending, maintenance and equipment expenses, administration expenses, and field expenses. Personnel expenses include the costs that are associated with the management salaries, employees’ uniforms, firefighters’ salaries, life insurances, holiday pays, medical expenses, education incentive, and pension plans.Advertising Looking for term paper on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Costs due to maintenance and equipment are the expenses incurred in maintenance, purchase of equipment, capital improvement fund, radio expenses, purchase of new vehicles, and repayment of the new tower loan. Administrative costs include the expenses incurred in conducting trainings and the expenditure on the commissioners. The operating and capital expenses emanating from personnel costs, maintenance and equipment, administration, and field expenses for the fiscal year 2014-2015 are $4,675,702, $137,404, $44,800, and $741,720 respectively. In total, the expenses amount to $5,599,626. Revenue Sources The City Council of West Haven has numerous sources of income, which help it in mapping its annual financial budget. The primary sources of income for the city are the current property and grants, which account for 56.8% and 36.9% respectively of the total revenue. Other sources of income include the non-current taxes, interest fees, licenses and permits fees, fines and penalties, and c harges on the current suits. Revenue from licenses and other revenues account for 0.7% and 3.8% of the total revenue respectively. Revenue from licenses and permits includes the licenses for animals, marriages, sports, building permits, electrical permits, excavation permits, zoning permits, plumbing permits, and licenses for alcoholic beverages. Other sources of revenue that West Haven relies on include telephone access fees, fees from the sale of properties, taxes collected from sewer collection, and fees from the recycling of compost, among other sources. In the 2014 to 2015 fiscal year, the amounts of revenue emanating from noncurrent taxes, licenses and permits, and charges for the current services are $2,075, 000, $1,122,900, and $1.019,800 respectively. The total revenue for the 2014 to 2015 budget is $151, 784, 7609. Shortcomings of the budget development, approval, and implementation There are several shortcomings that the government of the West Haven City faces during the development and implementation of its annual budget. One of the challenges is the delay in the submission of the draft budget and the estimates of the various departments. Although the deadline is given as the first Thursday of the month of February each year, there are sections that fail to make submissions within the stipulated time. Another challenge occurs in the deliberation of the proposed budget. Each Council Member has his preference; thus, they do not submit to the other members’ choices as easy as the members would require. Finally, the government faces shortcomings in the collection of taxes. There is the expected amount of revenue that the government anticipates collecting at the beginning of each financial year. However, challenges arise in the collection of the revenue if some businesses avoid paying taxes and others give false financial accounts. Recommendations on how to Improve Budget-Implementation of the Government of the City of West Haven The implementati on of the yearly budget for the city of West Haven can be enhanced by addressing the various shortcomings that are facing the current implementation. All the departmental heads should be penalized if they fail to submit their estimates and revenue projections in time. Each Council Member should be provided with the draft budget proposal 2 months prior to the date of deliberating it in order to avoid many disagreements among the members. Each member should then go through the proposal and present their views one month before the actual deliberation date. That way, the Mayor will be able to identify the contentious clauses and address them in good time.

Why do you think American film dominance the world Assignment

Why do you think American film dominance the world - Assignment Example The success can also be attributed to good governance in the United States with policies favorable for movie development. Also, American films have relatively higher presence in foreign markets while films of other countries have low presence in the United States. This can be attributed to the fact that Americans have higher preference for American movies to foreign ones, which consolidates the home market for the benefit of domestic movie producers. As such, the high volume of American movies in foreign markets gives them the power to command the global film industry. Also reduced trade barriers in countries like China during 1990s helped American movies to invade and increase their presence in foreign markets. Further, adequate presentation of American movies on video relative to foreign movies has also resulted into their global dominance. Increased availability of American movies to global television industry has also reinforced their dominance. Despite the fact that many film producing countries like China have achieved milestones in the movie industries; the global prevalence of American films has enabled American movies to grab significant portions of their domestic

Reclassification of marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reclassification of marijuana - Essay Example Just so, considering the fact of a great number of painful diseases, marijuana has the cure for this problem, that is, â€Å"†¦cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive component that has been shown to have a number of therapeutic benefits, including those that limit seizure activity† (Drugs.com). In a condition of single application a person feels relieved condition, relaxing effect, improving of appetite and general well-being. Moreover, the most efficient cannabinoid in cannabis is Tetrahydrocannabinol, known in medicine as a contributing component in the treatment of cancer for relieving of symptoms (nausea, vomiting) while anticancer chemotherapy. In fact, marijuana has a benefit for treatment of mental illnesses, such as prolonged depression or panic disorders. One way or another, different forms of cannabis (extracts, oils) help to heal or ease numerous health problems, so positive effect of marijuana is of no doubt, and, surely, it must be reclassified. Talking about general mends as a result of occasional use of marijuana, â€Å"†¦there is evidence pointing to slight increases in lung air flow rates as well as enhancements in lung volume †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Barrett). So, it is obvious that its equating to tobacco use in harmful scales is senseless. Naturally, the aspect of lasting period is of a great importance. Still, knowing the results of even somewhile smoking, it goes without question that cannabis is useful. Notably, it becomes evident from the last researches, which were aimed to investigate particular healing results of cannabis use for medical purposes. So, among vivid positive effects are: decrease of arthritis painful feelings, pain relief of multiple sclerosis and other muscle spasms, treatment of glaucoma, reversion of tobacco use impact and gain in lung health, control over epileptic seizers, decrease of symptoms of Dravet Syndrome, stop of cancer spreading, recession of Alzheimer disease,

What factors affect the rate of transport of molecules across cell Essay

What factors affect the rate of transport of molecules across cell membrane - Essay Example Diffusion is the movement of particles from an area of high to low concentration. It allows transportation of substances into and out of the cell (Wright 2000, p 12). Active transport is the movement of substances against a concentration gradient. It requires energy because it takes place against a concentration gradient. It explains why mitochondria are usually present when active transport takes place (Wright 2000, p 12). Osmosis is a special type of diffusion that takes place in solutions only (Wright 2000, p.12). Phagocytosis the process through which some cells such as the white blood cells take in substances (Wright 2000, p 12). The cell membrane is described as semi permeable or selectively permeable because it lets some substances to pass through but not all (Wright 2000, p 12). Four major factors determine the rate at which molecules pass through a cell membrane (Kent 1998, p3).The first one is the size of the molecule (Kent 1998, p. 3). Large sized molecules cannot enter or leave the cell. An example of a large molecule is proteins that are too large to squeeze through the molecules that make up the cell membrane. The smaller the size of the molecule the faster it will pass through (Lippincott 2002, p 11). The epithelial cells that cover the villus have carriers that absorb specific nutrients (Sherwood 2012, p. 467). The second factor is the solubility of the molecule in fats or lipids. As seen in Fig 2, the cell membrane is made up of thin layers of phospholipids. The molecules that can dissolve in them will be able to pass quickly. A good example is the fast absorption of ethanol by the stomach and intestinal walls (Kent 1998, p38).When the cell membrane contains more unsaturated fatty acids, it makes it fluid like. This increases the rate of active transport. The third factor is the electrical charge of ions and molecules (Kent 1998, p.38). The cell membrane through which the substances are expected to pass

The Implication Of Nigerian Democracy History Essay

The Implication Of Nigerian Democracy History Essay Abraham Lincoln in his immortal Gettysburg address may have defined democracy as government of the people, by the people and for the people, but anybody with eyes on either side of the nose of course knows that the late great president of the United States did not have the Nigerian brand of democracy in mind when he formulated that definition. What passes for democracy in Nigeria has nothing at all to do with people. It is quite simply government of ghosts, by ghosts, and for ghosts. A situation where 150 million Nigerians cannot set eyes on their so-called president for 100 days and counting sums up the vast ghost town that the land has been turned into via the grossly abused name of democracy. A secret society is what democratic practice in Nigeria has been turned into. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is quite adept at using the word people to deceive people. But some Nigerians are effectively wising up to the fact. For instance, in the recent re-run gubernatorial election in the rebel state of Anambra, when the PDP cried Power to the people! the real people ran away to Peter Obis All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) leaving only ghosts to vote for the PDP! Not even Professor Maurice Iwus Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could account for the fingerprints of the secret ghosts that massively voted for the PDP in that election!   It is in the character of this spooky practice of democracy that Nigeria now boasts of two half-presidents. In the abracadabra sense of the more you look the less you see there is the invisible president that nobody sees and the acting president who as his title implies merely acts, an ordinary actor just like that funny man Mr. Ibu of Nollywood! Not even the best writers of magical realism or science fiction can configure the phenomenon of Nigerias two half-presidents. It is against this phantasmagoric background that a body that calls itself the Isekiri, Urhobo and Isoko Democratic Union issued a release that runs thus: The chaotic melodramatic farce enacted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by military personnel on Wednesday, during the reurn of our ailing President Umaru Musa YarAdua from his 90-day absence without leave (AWOL) can best be described as a dance macabre. That a whole President sneaked into his own country in an ambulance and was hurriedly transferred into another ambulance and taken straight to Aso Rock, without informing the Acting President, speaks volumes about the relentless nefarious activities of the infamous cabal that has held the nation to ransom since the President took ill and was flown to Saudi Arabia. The open and naked show of brute force exhibited by military personnel, who chased and horse-whipped innocent Nigerians from the vicinity is another testament that our nascent democracy is being held ca ptive by a tiny but powerful cabal.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     As is the case in the mafia, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan has just been remotely controlled to administer the oath of secrecy, aka Omerta, on his ministers. It is now a democracy of speechlessness, just like in any other secret cult. Minister of Information and Communication Professor Dora Akunyili who had been quite communicating on the incommunicado of the sitting president that necessitated the acting president caper has thus been silenced, much to the applause of the cabal on the jugular of Nigeria. The feudal juggernauts claiming to represent the North are not entirely pacified as they are insisting that the Nigerian cosmos must come apart if poor Dora does not resign her post and apologize to the feudal lords. Shout Up North! ye brethren!   Dora who defers to the Blessed Sacrament as a Catholic in doing her beat will soon understand that nothing is sacred or blessed in the cultic inferno of the PDP, the quintessential secret society. It all amounts to a family affai r of man-eat-man-or-woman! As it is written in the Bible and put to song, How can we sing the Lords song in a strange land? The PDP is to all intents and purposes a strange land to personages like Dora and Jonathan. They have been told in no uncertain terms that they do not belong. What with the coffle of the PDP telling Jonathan to his face that he should not dream of contesting the 2011 presidential election! The hoary witches and wizards of the coven of the PDP have spoken! This nonsense has lasted for far too long. If there were to be a proper national election in Nigeria I daresay that the PDP can only place a poor third as happened in Anambra State. It is only the secret society code that the goons of the PDP are using to hoodwink Nigerians with their idle talk of the largest party in Africa. With the current situation of two half-presidents superintending over the affairs of the hapless nation, the time is nigh to strike at the very portals of their secrecy and open up the Nigerian society for good. The initiative of marching on Aso Rock as enunciated by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) is a great first step. Lets all join the crusade. The presence of a distinct civilian police force, militia, or other paramilitary group everywhere may mitigate to an extent that it could intimidate this democracy. Opponents of gun-controlled regime have cited the need for a balance of power in order to enforce the civilian control of the military. Politicians who personally lack military training and experience but who seek to engage the nation in military action may risk resistance of being labeled chicken-hawks by those who disagree with their political goals. The consolidation of democracy is not simply a problem of more or lesser military prerogatives; the high level of military prerogatives there is a moral quest to reduce such privileges. For all these, members of the professional ex-military chiefs, their serving colleagues  Ã‚   and their non-uniformed supporters were participating in Nigerias nascent democracy. They stage bureaucratic bargaining process of the states policy-making apparatus; engaging in regulatory support and at the same time, attempt to restrict the policy options of elected officials when it comes to military matters. Since Nigerias 1999 recovery from authoritarian rule, members of the police and military were not constitutionally prohibited from voting. Other significant law did not bar organizations advocating the overthrow of the government from participating in the political process .These measures, however, were implemented too late to prevent the militarys multiple incursions into Nigerian politics. History shows that the main reasons why democratic systems of government are overthrown are military: conquest or military coup. Strong defense is required to prevent or deter conquest, but a strong military can increase the threat of military coup, so a delicate balancing act is required. Consequently alliances with other democratic countries seem to play a crucial role as well as internal constitutional checks on the military. This paper analyses the evolution and maintenance of democracy from the perspective of the impact of military considerations. Insurgency arguably has been the greatest threat to Nigerias fledgling democracy. The activities of the JTF and the Niger Delta militants produced domestic anarchy, which directly challenged the govern ­ments legitimacy. This in turn led to the national state of emergency and the draconian governmental countermeasures cited earlier in the human rights portion of this work.   Opponents of the movement for democracy in Nigeria have sought to undermine it by on the one hand casting aspersions on the competence of the people to judge what was best for the nation and on the other condemning the basic tenets of democracy as un-Nigerian. There is nothing new in Third World governments seeking to justify and perpetuate authoritarian rule by denouncing liberal democratic principles as alien. By implication they claim for themselves the official and sole right to decide what does or does not conform to indigenous cultural norms. Such conventional propaganda aimed at consolidating the powers of the establishment has been studied, analyzed and disproved by political scientists, jurists and sociologists. But in Nigeria, distanced by several decades of isolationism from political and intellectual developments in the outside world, the people have had to draw on their own resources to explode the twin myths of their unfitness for political responsibility and the unsuitability of democracy for their society. As soon as the movement for democracy spread out across Nigeria, there was a surge of intense interest in the meaning of the word democracy, in its history and its practical implications. More than a quarter-century of narrow authoritarianism under which they had been fed pabulum of shallow, negative dogma had not blunted the perceptiveness or political alertness of the Nigerian. On the contrary, perhaps not all that surprisingly, their appetite for discussion and debate, for uncensored information and objective analysis, seemed to have been sharpened. Not only was there an eagerness to study and to absorb standard theories on modern politics and political institutions, there was also widespread and intelligent speculation on the nature of democracy as a social system of which they had had little experience but which appealed to their common-sense notions of what was due to a civilized society. There was a spontaneous interpretative response to such basic ideas as representative government, human rights and the rule of law. The privileges and freedoms which would be guaranteed by democratic institutions were contemplated with understandable enthusiasm. But the duties of those who would bear responsibility for the maintenance of a stable democracy also provoked much thoughtful consideration. It is natural that a people who have suffered much from the consequences of bad government should be preoccupied with theories of good government. But the conscious effort to make traditional knowledge relevant to contemporary needs was not confined to any particular circle it went right through Nigerian society from urban intellectuals and small shopkeepers to doughty village grandmothers. Why has Nigerian with its abundant natural and human resources failed to live up to its early promise as one of the most energetic and fastest-developing nations in Africa? International scholars have provided detailed answers supported by careful analyses of historical, cultural, political and economic factors. The Nigerian people, who have had no access to sophisticated academic material, got to the heart of the matter by turning to the words Zik spoke on the four causes of decline. In the process, the interim government could be able to concentrate on reviving the economy as well as restoring fundamental rights and liberties of the Nigerian people including the restoration of democracy through general elections. To that end, the international community must continue to apply both economic and diplomatic pressure on Nigerias military junta. This is to ensure that the junta does not end up doing what juntas are wont to do: make grand promises about restoring democracy without the slightest intention of relinquishing power to the democratically elected representatives of the people. A Historical and Qualitative Perspective Nigerias armed forces have undermined the democratic processes by either leading or directly supporting every Nigerian coup dà ©tat except one-the coup of 1995, in which civilians overthrew a military dictatorship . Surprisingly, it is not democratic elections, but the coup dà ©tat that has proven to be the most prevalent means of Nigerian transfer of government For instance, during the 1999 military to civilian rule elections, some Nigerian police officers with their Army counterparts seized polling stations, threw out candidates polling agents and stamped the ballots themselves. Critics also pointed to a lack of impartiality shown by the INEC and a failure to curb the widespread misuse of state funds by pro-military parties. There was limited time allotted for electioneering, and election rallies by anti-militarized parties were frequently banned or disrupted. The state owned media blatantly promoted the views of the military government view, and some opposition party activists were even gunned down. Complaints made to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were ignored. At several polling stations in Port Harcourt and Lagos supporters of the military-backed candidates took control of proceedings, threatened the local observers with violence and prevented their entry into polling booths, as they tampered with the ballots. Ballots were stolen, fake ID cards were in circulation, and many postal ballots were found in unauthorized hands. At some polling stations in Wuse inside Abuja (FCT), indelible ink was missing, allowing some voters to cast more than one vote. At other locations, polling stations were changed at the last minute, or valid electoral lists were missing thus preventing legitimate voters from casting their votes. Many voters complained that their names had been omitted from the electoral lists even though they had voted in the previous elections and had not changed residence. Others complained that when they arrived at polling stations they were told that their votes had already been cast. In Abeokuta and Minna no responsible authority knew where a particular polling station was. The reforms now being championed by the Obasanjo Presidency touch the military services as vitally as they affect civil society. Among the civil populace the reforms are meant to benefit those who prefer to work for a living and not live on government patronage. By the same token, the new order is also designed to favour soldiers who would rather face their profession and define their career path in terms of excellent military service rather than political adventurism. The present dispensation affords us an opportunity to reflect on issues that are germane to the institutional coherence and operational readiness of the nations fighting forces. As Nigeria continues to undergo challenging transitions in various facets of life, key national institutions are required to build up their internal structures, capacities and processes towards defending the young democracy with courage and patriotism. The Nigerian military remains a vital national institution in this regard. It must be helped to restore those core values of cohesion, hierarchy, discipline, esprit de corps and respect for constitutional order that are the hub of professionalism. An investment in military professionalism is an investment in democracy. Under rogue military regimes, Nigeria literally missed out on opportunities for the professional development of its armed forces. It is time once again to build up our military into a formidable fighting force. The death squads, linked to state structures either through active participation or tolerance, reached such a level of control that they went beyond the level of an isolated or marginal phenomenon to become an instrument of terror, which systematically practiced the physical elimination of political opponents. Many of the civilian and military authorities in power during the 1990s participated in, promoted and tolerated these groups activities. In spite of the fact that these still latent clandestine structures have not recently made their presence known, they could be reactivated at any time that those in high levels of power were to apprise that a dirty war could be resumed in Nigeria. Since these death squads constituted the element that destroyed any remaining vestige of a state of law during the armed conflict, Nigerian government should not only assume an alert and resolved attitude to prevent their resurgence, but also solicit international aid for their total and absolute era dication. In this process, two factors have become clear: first, some political parties accept and defend the ideal of a protected democracy, in which the armed forces have a significant role in the political system. Second, a characteristic of civil-military relations in the Nigerian democracy has been the generation of informal mechanisms to resolve central issues related to the military autonomy. The second way to analyze preferences is to focus on the level of elite unity about the role of the armed forces. Unified elite that rejects military intervention in politics may inhibit military intervention in politics, while a fragmented elite may permit the creation of anti-democratic coalitions between the armed forces and some sectors of civil society.   The Nigerian political transition began in 1998 when the principal parties opposing the dictatorship (Christian democrats, Activists, Radicals, and sundry agreed to participate in a constitutionally mandated plebiscite in which people had to decide whether Abachas government should continue for another eight years. Since that time, the political discourse of the transition has been dominated by some political principles that all actors have accepted, including the military actors. These principles are basic ideas that served as guidelines during the period of transition and later, during the establishment of democracy. Respect of the institutional framework. Although opposition parties rejected the Constitution that was imposed in 1993 by the military dictatorship, they accepted the framework it established. Therefore, the new democratic government had to apply norms that it had rejected in its program. For instance, IBBs government did not agree to the constitutional provision that permitted the commander-in-chief of the armed forces to remain in charge for eight additional years, but democratic authorities had to accept this constraint because it was part of the Constitution they swore to respect in 1993.Political leaders knew that citizens wanted a peaceful transition. Stability was (and still is) a central goal in the first and second democratic governments. As we will see later, the principle of stability often has been more important than other objectives such as justice, accountability, or responsibility. In conclusion Nigerian commanders in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in Liberia and Sudan have been linked to corruption. Their activities have ranged from black marketeering and running prostitution rings to actively abate it. Continuation of these practices within the ECOMOG peacekeeping mission worries this government, who fear that such behaviour could jeopardize the success of such mission in future. Clearly, the battle for democracy in Nigeria has not been won. It will take all the resourcefulness of the Nigerian people to overcome the crafty machinations of Nigerians military and sections of the clerical elite who have thrown their weight behind insurgency. For real democracy to take hold in Nigeria not only will the people of Nigeria have to fight the internal enemies of democracy, they will also have to overcome the crushing power of the military godfathers, who cynically subvert or stymie moves towards genuine democracy in Nigeria. REFERENCE: L.Chinedu Arizona-Ogwu Founder; Nigeria4betterrule, Writes from Oyigbo; Rivers State Nigerias democracy still fragile, US insists By Agency reporter, Published: Wednesday, 7 Apr 2010.

The Pact Analysis Essay -- Essays Papers

The Pact Analysis Friendship is the support for most great inspiration. Friendship creates peer pressure, both positive and negative, and it is nearly unavoidable in everyday life. The author’s of The Pact were raised in the streets of Newark, New Jersey. They were faced with many dangerous decisions. Despite many tremendous distractions, they were able to apply knowledge gained from friendship and experience to help them through their lives to propel them to where they are today. As a child, I felt that having friends was the most significant cause in who I am today. Throughout my life I have had many friends who have influenced me in numerous ways, but now most of them have become distant acquaintances. Although the majority of these people have very little communication with me now, only a few childhood friends continue to still be a part of my life now. The most frequent is my first and best friend, Matt. Somehow this name creates a pattern that continues to show up all over my life. It seems that all of the closest friends that I have had in my life have this name. The communication between Matt and I was amazing and our connection was extraordinary. Matt and I were ten years old and we spoke to each other in a language that only we knew. The language was created out of personal words or phrases that we created to describe situations. Our understanding of life was endorsed by rare bonds, and close family relationships. The two of us became undividable when we first met in kindergarten. Matt’s parents were older in age than my parents. I thought his father to be a strict family figure, because of his experience as a retired PA State Policemen, and his hat that he wore proudly all the time displaying in large words â€Å"Vietnam Veteran†. His mom was very opposite in comparison with his father. She was pleasant and she seemed to take on situations with ease. Matt was a full year older than me, he was the last child in a family of four. His siblings were twofold his age, and I feel this significantly impacted the two of us. Much like Sam, Rameck, and George, the authors of The Pact, I was able to see and understand at a young age much of what could become of me by observing and learning what much of what my family, Matt’s family, and many of the neighbors around me had to teach. George, one of the authors of The Pact, tells how h... ... my old school that had now been taken away from me in my new school. Students wore more fashionable clothes, and their attitude was different from what I was used to. They were more arrogant and I didn’t know why. This new atmosphere was challenging, and because I hadn’t grown up in the area, I became lost. I remained alone, only talking to Matt over the internet, but after a couple years we simply grew distant. I was without a stable friendship, and because of this I was almost easily manipulated. George, one of the authors of The Pact, explains this situation by stating â€Å"[i]n my experience, friends have more influence on one another’s lives than most anyone else does especially in those teenage years when kids are trying to discover who they really are† (107). I, like the author’s of The Pact, gave in to peer pressure and in time learned many lessons. In order to be successful in life, you need to have positive influences, whether it is friends, nature, or family. Everyone at some point in time will suffer from not having these influences. The reality is that no matter what the circumstances, with the right attitude and determination, you can succeed and be successful. The Pact Analysis Essay -- Essays Papers The Pact Analysis Friendship is the support for most great inspiration. Friendship creates peer pressure, both positive and negative, and it is nearly unavoidable in everyday life. The author’s of The Pact were raised in the streets of Newark, New Jersey. They were faced with many dangerous decisions. Despite many tremendous distractions, they were able to apply knowledge gained from friendship and experience to help them through their lives to propel them to where they are today. As a child, I felt that having friends was the most significant cause in who I am today. Throughout my life I have had many friends who have influenced me in numerous ways, but now most of them have become distant acquaintances. Although the majority of these people have very little communication with me now, only a few childhood friends continue to still be a part of my life now. The most frequent is my first and best friend, Matt. Somehow this name creates a pattern that continues to show up all over my life. It seems that all of the closest friends that I have had in my life have this name. The communication between Matt and I was amazing and our connection was extraordinary. Matt and I were ten years old and we spoke to each other in a language that only we knew. The language was created out of personal words or phrases that we created to describe situations. Our understanding of life was endorsed by rare bonds, and close family relationships. The two of us became undividable when we first met in kindergarten. Matt’s parents were older in age than my parents. I thought his father to be a strict family figure, because of his experience as a retired PA State Policemen, and his hat that he wore proudly all the time displaying in large words â€Å"Vietnam Veteran†. His mom was very opposite in comparison with his father. She was pleasant and she seemed to take on situations with ease. Matt was a full year older than me, he was the last child in a family of four. His siblings were twofold his age, and I feel this significantly impacted the two of us. Much like Sam, Rameck, and George, the authors of The Pact, I was able to see and understand at a young age much of what could become of me by observing and learning what much of what my family, Matt’s family, and many of the neighbors around me had to teach. George, one of the authors of The Pact, tells how h... ... my old school that had now been taken away from me in my new school. Students wore more fashionable clothes, and their attitude was different from what I was used to. They were more arrogant and I didn’t know why. This new atmosphere was challenging, and because I hadn’t grown up in the area, I became lost. I remained alone, only talking to Matt over the internet, but after a couple years we simply grew distant. I was without a stable friendship, and because of this I was almost easily manipulated. George, one of the authors of The Pact, explains this situation by stating â€Å"[i]n my experience, friends have more influence on one another’s lives than most anyone else does especially in those teenage years when kids are trying to discover who they really are† (107). I, like the author’s of The Pact, gave in to peer pressure and in time learned many lessons. In order to be successful in life, you need to have positive influences, whether it is friends, nature, or family. Everyone at some point in time will suffer from not having these influences. The reality is that no matter what the circumstances, with the right attitude and determination, you can succeed and be successful.

Food Systems and the Environment Essay

The status of food security in any community across the globe can be considered as the major principal outcome of food systems when these systems are defined generically and broadly. Increase in the productivity and efficiency of food systems have shown much success across the globe in improving nutrition and reducing the prevalence of hunger. However the efficiency and productivity of food systems have raised concerns as they pose serious threats to economic, environmental and social goals and hence they have undermined food security. On the other hand environmental changes around the world in the context of political, economic and social changes may result to unprecedented stresses to bear on food security and food systems. Food systems are conceived as set of activities that range from production through to consumption. In production process of raw materials for food the major trends have been intensification of agriculture which is accompanied by concentration in the agricultural inputs and the trend to larger agricultural lands sizes with hired labor. This trend is accompanied by increased fragmentation of land among the marginalized small holders. As a consequence there is increased demand of water for irrigation, increased pollution, soil loss and increased energy demands in the production sectors. (i. ) Environmental pollution resulting from food processing industries In the current economic systems farming is no longer the dominant economic activity in the overall food systems. This is because people are more concerned in adding value in the overall food product in the area of processing and packing of raw materials into food products. Due to increase of these activities many factories and industries have concentrated up and down the food production and supply chain. The expansion of industries has resulted to more toxic effluents being emitted from factories into water and air. The number of processing industries in both urban and rural areas has grown tremendously which have resulted to pollution of water bodies, air and soil (Richardson, pp 7). In some cases ground water quality has also been affected due to increasing production and use of pesticides and fertilizers aimed at promoting more intensive cropping and self sufficiency in food. Expansion of factories and food processing plants has also created major problems of waste disposal. Low lying fields are generally used for waste disposals without the benefits of using sanitary methods have resulted to major pollution problems. (ii) Over killing of animals species leading endangered species. Endangered animal species face the dander of becoming extinct since they are low in number and therefore need protection in order to survive. Human activities such as killing animals for food and commercial trade are rendering many animals to continue suffering high rates of exploitation. A species that is being overexploited become endangered or may become extinct due to the rate at which is being consumed. An example of over exploitation that has been experienced was the unrestricted whaling. The whaling industry during this time over exploited whales and resulted to low population sizes of whales. Due to the decreased number of whales and nearly some of them were nearly extinct several governments agreed to abide by international moratorium on whaling. Over exploitation of animals species harms livelihood since high proportion of world’s population depends on wildlife for their meat protein and their components provided traditional medicines. Over exploitation of plant and animal species does not only affects the following community and threatens the particular species but also it causes imbalance in the whole ecosystem (Guynup, para 4). (iii) Genetically modified foods ecological balance Genetically modified foods are produced from animals and plants which their genes are changed by scientists in the laboratory. Genes are written on the DNA and are the chemical instruction for building and maintaining life. Scientists modify these genes and alter the characteristics of an organism. In so doing yields and resistance to diseases can be improved in both plants and animals. However there are fears some of the genes which have been introduced into some crops can escape and be transferred to other plant species where they can have adverse effects. Some critiques believes that leakage of these genes will result to emergence of super weeds and extinctions of ordinary species of birds and insects and the food chain will became damaged (Eiswasser, Gan & Alia, pp 9). (b) Influence of environment to food systems (i) Effects of global warming and environmental pollution. The overall climate changes including global warming and the increased climate variability will result to variety of impacts on agriculture. Some of he effects of climate change are ecological, biophysical and some are economic. These factors include the following; first there will be shift in agricultural zone and climate towards the poles. Second, the production patterns would be changed due to higher temperatures. Third, agricultural productivity in some regions would be increased due to increased levels of carbon dioxide, fourth the precipitation patterns will be changed and finally most people will be vulnerable of becoming landless. In addition changes of weather patterns may lead to increased crop infestation by pests and chocking weed. In most of the low lying climate change will result to decreased crop yields and therefore in most regions net import of crops will increase. Higher prices of food will render most people to become at risk of hunger (Natural Resources Defense Council, para 8). (ii) Greenhouse production Greenhouse method of food production makes use of controlled environment in modern terms it is also referred to as controlled environmental agricultures. Those methods enables farmers to cultivate food or fruit producing plants in areas and at times when weather conditions would prevent them from growing or adversely affects them green house also prevents the crops from adverse weather conditions which due to the ever increasing population and more agricultural land being lost to urban development. Intensive food production in greenhouse will play a significant role in food production (Peet, para 11). (iii) Location and food prices Provision of food system impacts on what people choose to eat and evidently people can only choose foods that are accessible, affordable and available to them. Food availability is related to the prices and this is determined on the process that the food gets to the consumers and what is on offer. Development and changes of food distribution and supply may be parallel but there may remain strong cultural differences between regions in the way food is produced, distributed and made available to consumers. The cost of distribution of food also affects the food prices due to higher transport costs over long distances (Iton, pp 14). 2. Relationship between food and society. (a) Influence of food systems to the society. Alongside global environmental changes globalization of consumers’ preferences is another change that is taking place. In food systems the spread of fast food is considered synonymous with globalization. There has also been expansion of Asian Latin American and African and other international cuisines into national food cultures (Food and Fuel America. com, para 8). (ii) Food cultures bring people together. There are several areas which can help to bring cultures together. These include talent shows, style shows, and food court. These areas are more effective especially when they are organized for international cultural festivals. When people are eating from the same table they can speak and ask each other questions about their culture directly. Food cultures and style show displays expressions from different countries and therefore people can learn the cultures through hearing, feeling and experiencing the show. In addition people learn about each other when they start taking about food (Weickgenant, para 5). (iii)Treads in food production in the global economy In the year 1999 economic recovery had manifested itself globally after the global slow down which was cause by financial crisis in 1997 and 1998 in Asia. In the year 2000 there was further strengthening and the world GDP was expected to rise by not less than 3 percent which would reflect stronger economic activities. GDP in the developing countries is expected to rise by 4 to 5 percent. At this rate the growth of agricultural GDP in developing countries would not grow strongly than overall GDP in developed countries which is expected to grow at the rate of 5 to 6 percent (Rosegrant, Paisner & Witcover, pp 4). Emerging food safety technologies Due to the needs of the societies to keep food for longer, government agencies and departments of homeland security set targets on bulky food contamination as the focus of attention for food security. Tampering of food or contamination of bulky food poses a serious threat to society. New technologies on the other hand provide mean of monitoring food systems and modifies people behavior. The surveillance technology that has been developed influences individual behaviors and altitudes by introducing additional procedural arrangement (Hendrickx, para 10). Government enacts laws and policies in order to offer remedies of harms which might have been created in the past for example enacting new seed law. Government also aims at protecting safety, quality and health of its citizens (Niskanen, pp 13). Changing in demand and supply When the demand and of a particular product of food increases production and supply of that product increases. As a result there will be much of that product in the market leading to fall in demand and price of the product leading to reduced production and supply (Lee, pp 6). Work Cited Eiswasser E, Gan K & Alia K. Genetically modified foods raise new legal issues, 2001.Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from; http://www. cov. com/files/Publication/e435e641-b00a-4e20-92f3-0a8639b8f9bb/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/7cd905a2-fe8e-4a25-8709-1096d7ce6aef/oid6070. pdf. Food and Fuel America. com. Food and Fuel America, 2007. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from; http://www. foodandfuelamerica. com/2007/06/find-alternative-fuel-location. html. Guynup S. Killing the Endangered Species Act, 2008. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from; http://www. blueridgepress. com/Forms/brp_columns/*ws4d-db-query-Show. ws4d? *ws4d-db-query-Show***EBK-EB-089090098094094090-1377***-Database***-***brp_columns(directory)***. ws4d? brp_columns/detail. html. Hendrickx D. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, 2008. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from; http://www. elsevier. com/locate/ifset. Iton A. Tackling the Root Causes of Health Disparities through Community Capacity Building. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from; http://www. chc. ucsf. edu/pdf/Iton-Tackling%20The%20Root%20Causes%20of%20Health%20Disparities. pdf. Lee D. Demand and Supply the Freeman: Ideas on Liberty, 1998. Retrieved on 1st October 2008 from; http://www. commonsenseeconomics. com/Readings/Demand%20and%20Supply. CSE. pdf Natural Resources Defense Council. Issues: Global Warming, 2008. R

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GRAND CANYON Ani DiFranco essays

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