International Business - Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International Business - - Essay Example This paper is a business report that explores the issue of complicating stakeholder responsibility for expanding companies. The paper explores expansion in terms of factors involved and how this exposes companies to increased population and different types of stakeholders. The paper also explores the linkage between stakeholders’ responsibility and the foreign direct investment. Expansion of business has become a normal concept today. The emergence of the multinational corporations and the internationalization of existing companies is viewed as an indication of growth. As businesses expand, the revenue is expected to increase and so is the reputation and the customer coverage (Branco & Rodrigues 2006). Further, such an internationalization also affects the responsibility of the business to the community and the people. This means that the more a company expands internationally, its stakeholder responsibility becomes more complex (Melà © 2008). This can be viewed to happen for two main reasons. First, the stakeholders’ environment, socially and economically drastically change as the company secures a stakeholder base in the new country. Secondly, the number of people that the company or business has a responsibility towards increases and their demographic characteristics change (Hooijberg & Schneider 2001). Corporate social responsibility (CSR) are t he basic strategies that companies conduct their business in a way that is socially friendly, ethical and responsive to the community needs in development and safety. The companies are required to go an extra mile and put up measures to benefit the community that literary accommodate them (Winch 2004). Theories such as utilitarian, managerial and relational theories of CSR supported by works of other scholars in the area could be used to suggest that CSR becomes an international concern due to globalized nature of business that knows no border. CSR

Surprise Under the Carpet at Northern Sigma Essay Example for Free

Surprise Under the Carpet at Northern Sigma Essay Based on the information generated by the interviews with the two different groups, what have you learnt about this plant? What I have learnt about this particular plant is the fact that the workers are not in harmony with each other. They also tend to assume things as per the behaviors of the other groups for instance the white male groups tend to think that or rather assume that these women and disadvantaged groups feel that not only were they left out of important task forces but were required to be ten times better than their white counterparts in order to be promoted (Robbins, et al. 2011). Midrand plant employees have no communication channels whatsoever with their senior management and this is rather obvious by the reaction seen on Peter Barnes once the results of the interview have been given. 2. What may have led to these problems? There are a number of factors that may have led to the problems currently being experienced in this plant for instance lack of motivation and training especially for women and disadvantaged groups, lack of proper communication channels and directions from the top management to the workers and vice versa as well as lack of conflict management skills (Robbins, et al. 011). It is clear that conflict exists between the workers thus resulting in poor performance. And despite the fact that majority of employers are highly educated there are no programs offered for enhancement of skills for these employees which makes them stagnant in a business world that is forever changing and in need of new and unique business skills (Robbins, et al. 2011). 3. What consequences are likely to emanate from these problems? Such problems as experienced by this plant result in a number of consequences for instance not being able to keep and maintain workers. Those already experiencing conflict within this plant are pressured into quitting as revealed from the interview results with the case of women and disadvantaged groups by the white male groups (Robbins, et al. 2011). Such companies also tend not to attract potential workers and this may be harmful for the company’s future success in as far as meeting its objectives is concerned. Organizational conflicts also result in low morale amongst the workers, reduced ollaboration, reduced productivity, passive or aggressive behavior and distrust (Robbins, et al. 2011). 4. Do you agree that Barnes should be responsible for these problems? Explain. I agree that Barnes should be responsible for these problems since he is the general manager having the responsibilities of not only hiring and recruiting of staff but also training process managers under him. A general manager is expected to encourage team members in their work as a way of getting the best output from them (Robbins, et al. 20 11). In this particular case, Barnes left the workers to do carry out the tasks without any particular supervision and expected results by the end of the day. He is not seen as having followed up any of his workers’ performance progress and that is why he is shocked at the results of the interview. An effective general manager must have leadership qualities to be able to lead and direct his workers (Robbins, et al. 2011). 5. What specific recommendations would you offer to Barnes to improve the management of diversity at the plant? As a way of improving the management of diversity at the plant, Barnes should first and foremost consider establishing a conducive working environment where all workers can work in harmony with each other without feeling discriminated or overworked (Robbins, et al. 2011). He should also create equal opportunities for both groups of workers where women and the disadvantaged groups can feel that their contributions are taken seriously in group projects. Clear communication channels should also be established in order for the workers to feel comfortable enough to open up and share their opinions, doubts or ideas regarding projects or the management of the company. This is especially so in the case of the Asian group whose members were considered difficult to understand and very secretive (Robbins, et al. 2011). In this way, Barnes will better manage this diverse workforce and experience better results the next time such an interview is conducted.

Effectiveness of Social Model of Health

Effectiveness of Social Model of Health Anna Wei Models of Health Health is one of the most vital and valuable aspects of human life, as without one’s health we are unable to enjoy our day-to-day activities and have the energy to pursue physical activities. There are two well-known models of Health and Illness that focus on different aspects of health; they are the Biomedical model and the Social model. This essay will discuss the relevance of the Social model in today’s society as opposed to the Biomedical model and the effectiveness of this model in clarifying the obesity epidemic, a medical condition that is dominating the globe and bringing with it many other illnesses that today, are some of the leading causes of death. The Biomedical model believes that biological factors are the main cause of disease (Browne, 2005). It has been the main model for health care in the past century, due to its assistance in the discovery of countless medical advancements as it was able to decrease the amount of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (Borrell-Carrio, Suchman Epstein, 2004). This framework is based on the concept of health as being without disease and focuses on finding cures that will successfully eliminate the biological factors that caused the illness (Cleland Cotton, 2011). Although the Biomedical model has been valuable in the discovery of many techniques to successfully treat numerous diseases, it is no longer the dominating model of health in today’s society. This model has been scrutinised for being too narrow-minded resulting in its inability to analyse different forms of sickness (Borrell-Carrio et al., 2004; Cockerham, 2007). Over the years, there have been massive health reforms, from infectious diseases such as puerperal fever, gonorrhoea, malaria and scurvy to the dominating chronic illnesses that affect society today such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes (Tulchinsky Varavikova, 2000). The transition from infectious to chronic illnesses indicates that as time changes, strategies that have previously worked may not be as effective as they had once been. Hence, the social models were introduced. A psychiatrist named George Engel first proposed the Social model, as he wanted to put a stop to the dehumanisation of the practice of medicine, and to give patients the power over their own health (Borrell-Carrio et al., 2004). Engel believed, that the social and physiological aspects of an individual played an important role in relation to the illness procedure and hence, this model acts as an aid, to guide us through the numerous levels of organisation that affect diseases, ranging from the social aspects to factors at the molecular level (Alonso, 2004; Borrell-Carrio et al., 2004). Since Engel first proposed this model, there have been many variations of this model created such as the Dahlgren and Whitehead’s model of health and the WHO social determinants of health framework. Social models place a strong emphasis on not only the biological aspects of disease but also the social and the psychological aspects of sickness, whereas, the Biomedical model is built around the evidence and the symptoms of the disease of interest (Brown, 2005; Cleland Cotton, 2011). Hence, Social models of health have become more relevant over the last 150 years because of the changing society. As time passed, infectious diseases were no longer the major problem, with the problem now lying within the degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease present in today’s society (Cleland Cotton, 2011). Therefore, the Biomedical model is no longer relevant as the development of these non-communicable diseases is multi-factorial and hence is not due to straightforward biological causes, nor can they be cured easily (Cleland Cotton, 2011). For people in society today, the experience of suffering from a disease is not just about the biochemical processes behind it, but als o about how the patients identify with this disease in terms of the things they are able to or unable to do, their emotions and the unmet requirements as a result of this disease (Jackson, Antonucci Brown, 2003). Hence, Social models are more widely accepted and relevant in society, as it recognises the multi-factorial causes associated with diseases such as obesity. Obesity is defined as the extreme build-up of fat due to energy input being greater than energy expenditure, in technical terms, a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or over means that the individual will be considered obese (World Health Organization [WHO], 2014). The rates of obesity have been rapidly increasing since the 1980s and not only the prevalence of obesity has been increasing but the incidence of diseases associated with obesity has also been increasing (Finkelstein, Ruhm Kosa, 2005). Health consequences associated with obesity are non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and other musculoskeletal diseases (WHO, 2014). The obesity epidemic is a major issue in society today and in 2008, of the 1.4 billion adults considered overweight, over 200 million males and nearly 300 million females were considered obese (WHO, 2014). In the early twentieth century, obesity was only thought to be present in developing countries such as China, Thailand and Mexico and only affected those with higher socioeconomic positions in the population; however, this disease has shifted to affect those of lower socioeconomic position and globally, there is now more than 10% of the world’s population of adults considered obese (Callabero, 2007; WHO, 2014). The improvement in people’s living and working conditions has resulted in society having longer life spans due to the eradication of infectious diseases (Cockerham, 2007). However, the major issue facing society today is non-communicable diseases such as strokes, heart disease and cancer which all stem off obesity (Cockerham, 2007). Non-communicable diseases were originally thought to affect only the rich, but there is now an increasing trend in developing countries. If this trend continues to increase at the same pace, it is estimated by the year 2020, for every ten deaths, seven will be due to non-communicable diseases (Boutayeb, 2006). This transition from infectious diseases to chronic illnesses meant that the use of medicine became increasingly important in order to tackle these health issues and therefore, there has been little success in tackling these non-communicable diseases as the approaches they took in the past via the Biomedical model proves to be unfitting for t he current situation (Cockerham, 2007). Social models have been effective in preventing this problem, as it takes into account not only the biological causes of these health conditions associated with obesity, but also social factors such as dietary intake and physical activity. An individual’s lifestyle is vital towards their health as it is a relevant social mechanism that needs to be considered when approaching these diseases (Cockerham, 2007). Over the years, the dietary intake of individuals has increased, with people consuming more sweetened beverages and processed meals and consuming less healthy wholesome foods such as fruits and vegetables (Callabero, 2007). Research reveals an inversely proportional relationship exists between the availability of fast food outlets and the socioeconomic status of the individual, with individuals in lower socioeconomic areas being 2.5 times more exposed to fast food chains compared to those in higher socioeconomic areas, and this social gradient indicates that a decreasing s ocioeconomic status results in an increased chance of obesity (Reidpath, Burns, Garrard, Mahoney Townsend, 2002). This brings about inequality between those of low socioeconomic status and those with high socioeconomic status, further reiterating that there must be other factors apart from biological components, which bring about diseases. Physical activity has also decreased with people opting for more sedentary lifestyles, for example, it was predicted that less than 30 percent of the US population had a suitable level of exercise, another 30 percent were involved in physical activity but not enough, while the remainder had adapted to sedentary lifestyles (Callabero, 2007). It is habits such as these that has attributed to the individual’s susceptibility or resistance to these illnesses (Cockerham, 2007). Only Social models of health can take into consideration of these habits as well as the social gradients shown to help us to understand their influences towards these ill nesses that stem off obesity. Many complex factors are interacting with one another, causing the increase in prevalence of health conditions associated with obesity (Candib, 2007). Therefore, Social models are effective in explaining this phenomenon as it recognises the importance of social factors and how they contribute to health conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Social factors such as the individual’s surrounding environment can either reverse or increase the biological risk of diseases making the Biomedical model inadequate as it does not consider anything but the biological cause (Cockerham, 2007). An environment that has contributed hugely to this increasing prevalence is an obesogenic environment; this is essentially a setting that encourages sedentary lifestyles; promoting food consumption and discouraging exercise, which eventually leads to an increased risk of obesity (Reidpath et al., 2002). Social models are therefore efficient as it considers how we can eliminate such influences in or der to reduce the multi-factorial effects associated with the obesity epidemic by combining the formerly separated characteristics of illness (Cleland Cotton, 2011; Jackson et al., 2003). It helps us to efficiently comprehend the significant contributions of multiple factors outside the biological sense that drives the increasing prevalence of health conditions associated with obesity. To conclude, health is one of the most important aspects of human life and can be affected by factors that are not always biological components. As a result, the multidimensional Social models were created to allow a better understanding of the diseases, such as obesity, that affect our society (Borrell-Cario et al., 2004). However, because society is constantly changing – there is no perfect model for health that exists and therefore we must seek new ideas that we can incorporate in our models with the hopes that it will be applicable to the changing society. Reference List Alonso, Y. (2004). The biopsychosocial model in medical research: the evolution of the health concept over the last two decades.Patient education and counseling,53(2), 239-244. doi: 10.1016/S0738-3991(03)00146-0 Browne, K. (2005). Health and Illness. An introduction to sociology, 3, 397-415. Retrieved from http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/ereserves/2144315b.pdf Borrell-Carrio, F., Suchman, A. L., Epstein, R. M. (2004). The Biopsychosocial Model 25 Years Later: Principles, Practice, and Scientific Inquiry. Annals of Family Medicine, 2(6), 576-582. Retrieved from http://www.annfammed.org.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/content/2/6/576.full.pdf Boutayeb, A. (2006). The double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases in developing countries.Transactions of the Royal society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,100(3), 191-199. Retrieved from http://trstmh.oxfordjournals.org.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/content/100/3/191.full Callabero, B. (2007). The Global Epidemic of Obesity: An Overview. Epidemiological Review, 29, 1-5. doi: 10.1093/epirev/mxm012 Cleland, J., Cotton, P. (Eds.). (2011).Health, Behaviour and Society: Clinical Medicine in Context. SAGE. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=enlr=id=BuZpuJSlNRMCoi=fndpg=PP2dq=Jennifer+Cleland,+Philip+Cotton.+(2011).+Health,+Behaviour+and+Society:+Clinical+Medicine+in+Context.+ots=CSbguqMTZlsig=TvNhB4GJdQnp8m-enuFPer6J2Qg#v=onepageq=modelf=false Cockerham, W.C. (2007). The social causation of health and disease. Social causes of health and disease, 1-24. Retrieved from http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/ereserves/2130941b.pdf Finkelstein, E. A., Ruhm, C. J., Kosa, K. M. (2005). Economic causes and consequences of obesity.Annu. Rev. Public Health,26, 239-257. doi: 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144628 Jackson, J. J., Antonucci, T. C., Brown, E. (2003). A cultural lens on biopsychosocial models of aging.Advances in cell aging and gerontology,15, 221-241. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=enlr=id=kBXLPaaXPKcCoi=fndpg=PA221dq=%22biopsychosocial+models+of+health%22ots=ToNciaJ7sosig=fZmma3Fai9VhqZm5xhCPS1oEy_w#v=onepageq=%22biopsychosocial%20models%20of%20health%22f=false James, P. T., Leach, R., Kalamara, E., Shayeghi, M. (2001). The worldwide obesity epidemic.Obesity research,9(S11), 228S-233S. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/doi/10.1038/oby.2001.123/full Reidpath, D., Burns C., Garrard J., Mahoney, M., Townsend, M. (2002). An ecological study of the relationship between social and environmental determinants of obesity. Health and Place, 8, 141-145. doi: 10.1016/S1353-8292(01)00028-4 Tulchinsky, T. H., Varavikova, E. A. (2000). The New Public Health: an introduction for the 21st Century. San Diego: Academic Press. World Health Organization. (2014). Obesity and Overweight. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ 1

Analysis of Bruce Springsteens Song Devils & Dust Essay -- Song Music

Analysis of Bruce Springsteen's Song "Devils & Dust" In times of war it is quite common for people to start questioning their values and their actions and be unsure of the path they are taking. This is common because to protect our values we often are told that we have to take actions that conflict with those values. One example would be how to protect our liberties we must sometimes restrain those liberties during treacherous times. However, the ultimate question is whether or not going against the very values we stand for is a hypocritical and wrongful action plan. Bruce Springsteen approaches this very issue in his song â€Å"Devils & Dust†, from the CD with the same title, and he subtly criticizes how the United States is betraying its values. Springsteen wrote â€Å"Devils & Dust† during the Iraq War. He has been openly against the war and has been quoted saying to Rolling Stone, â€Å"As the saying goes, "The first casualty of war is truth." I felt that the Bush doctrine of pre-emption was dangerous foreign policy. I don't think it has made America safer.† The song itself could be interpreted as a soldier’s point of view about the war but overall it stands as a critique on our society betraying its own principles. The first couple of verses in the song already evoke the image of a soldier stuck in a war. â€Å"I got my finger on the trigger / But I don’t know who to trust† could be understood as a soldier’s experience in war but it could also have a deeper meaning. It could also signify that our society has to make these important choices that will end up affecting people’s lives but it is all too ambiguous, there just isn’t any certainty. We are left w ith the desperate feeling of not knowing what to do, not knowing wh... ...ty and privacy are essential for it. Also, I am a dual citizen and in my other country, which is Brazil, we are still somewhat haunted by the shadow of a dictatorship that just ended in 1987. So I know people who have suffered the consequences of lack of liberty. Even so sometimes I am doubtful of my opinion, even though I try not to express it often and defend liberty as much as I can. Whenever I see some terrible act, whether terrorist or governments do it, I think if there would be a way to stop that with restrictions on certain liberties and more surveillance. However, if we do that, if we overreact, we destroy our values, destroy a part of ourselves and fill our soul with devils and dust. Works Cited Springsteen, Bruce. â€Å"Devils & Dust.† Devils & Dust. Columbia Records, 2005. Springsteen, Bruce. â€Å"We’ve Been Misled.† Rolling Stone 22 Sep. 2005

Distribution Channel of Banas Dairy Essay

The present study is conducted in the Banas Dairy sales area Genesis of Banas Dairy Late ShriGalbhabhai Patel established Banas Dairy with the dream of uplifting socio economic status of village farmers. This dream was fulfilled through the creation of a co-operative milk union for Banaskantha district, on the footprint of â€Å"Amul Dairy† of Kaira district, the ideal model of a Co-operative. Consequently eight village level co-operative milk societies in Vadgam and Palanpur taluk Ire registered and started collecting and pouring milk at DudhSagar Dairy, Mehsana from 3rd October 1966. The milk union got registered under Co-operative act on 31st January 1969 as Banaskantha District Co-operative milk producers’ Union Limited, popularly known as Banas Dairy. The foundation stone was laid by Late Galbabhai Nanjibhai Patel on 14th January 1971 at 122 acres land acquired near Jagana village in order to set up a dairy plant under the operation flood program launched by national Dairy development Board. On 7th May 1971’ the dairy started functioning at the same place with a capacity of 1. 5 lakh liters of milk per day. This has now been increased to 24. 3 lakh liters per day. The dairy has three automated plants with a wide 8-9 product lines. The small dream of Shri Galbabhai has now taken the shape of a co-operative of 1350 societies with around 15000 members. With the relentless efforts of dedicated and committed leadership, the dairy has won the trust of milk producers of Banaskantha district and has brought about a happy change in the lives of all its members. It has come up as a major revolution in the upliftment of the residents of the district. Mission and Vision Banas District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd. was established with the prime objective of eliminating the monopoly of private traders and providing the poor farmers the due that they deserve. Along with this it also ensures that the farmers are benefited the maximum out of their operations and activities. The mission of the organization is to provide sustainable means of livelihood to socio-economically downtrodden rural mass, while treading on the path of progress. The organization renews its vision every ten years. It strives to be a successful world class co-operative dairy. The objectives of the organization are clearly expressed through the quality policy, which states that: â€Å"I, the Banas Dairy, commit and aspire to fulfil the needs and expectations of our internal as Ill as external customers and delight them through our quality products and services. I shall achieve the goal through the followings: a). Applying principles of Quality Management Systems and Food Safety Management for continuous enrichment of our management processes. ). Providing remunerating returns, quality input services, introducing innovative and appropriate schemes and services to our milk producers. c). Motivating and providing and encouraging appropriate training for skill up-gradation of our employees. d). Protecting our value system and the environment by judicious use of all natural resources. † India is an agri- oriented country of the world. 70% people are living in rural area so I can say Indian peo ple are living in village the majority of population. The dream of late Galbabhai Patel, founder chairman and the selfless sage to uplift socio- economical status of village farmers came true after creation of a co- operative milk union for banaskantha district, on the foot print of â€Å"Amul Dairy†of kaira presently Anand) district on the model of true co operative milk societies in Vadgam and palanpur taluzka of district Ire registered and started collecting and pouring milk at Dudh Sagar dairy, Mahesana from 10th march 1969.

Homeless o Harvard

Homeless to Harvard This movie is about a little girl,Liz Murray who transformed her life. She became homeless by the times she was 1 5. Her parents were both drug-addicted,and her mother was also an alcoholic. But she became the top of her school and finally got in to Harvard,one of the greatest universities in the world. As for me,my family is a typical middle-class family I have every reason to fight ,to be someone great,but yet I have every reason to not to I can still live comfortable anyway .But everyday I aka up in the morning and I feel like I am struggling in a way that not everybody can see. I feel like I have so many visions for my future and I want to accomplish them so badly,but there's always a noise in my head that keeps telling me that the things I need to do can wait till later. Everyone knows that we can't keep telling ourselves later,but we Just kept doing it. I had many great experiences,l know what it feels like being far beyond excellent ,and being top of the cl ass.I know how It feels of trying my aridest,but in the same time I know how it feels being like a loser,l know how it feels like,when everyone In the room is Judging you. With all the experiences I had,there are far more than Just two sides of me what are fighting. I can't divide myself Into simply two sides,the good side of me and the bad side of me. The choices I make are not always Just alternative. After seeing this movie I know that I can't keep talking to myself about past and spend all my days regretting. I have myself and I have to look forward. ‘ can't keep pushing away taking, stepping Into my life In the biggest sense.People say that look Into your failure so that the next time you won't do the same,but we can't always look for blames and keep asking ourselves why didn't It work out. We should step forward and move on,tell ourselves that nothing happened In the past counts. We should ask ourselves what next and be up for It,we are only responsible for what will hap pen and what Is happening. I realized that I don't have to be stuck In this situation I'm In. I am going to figure out what's holding me back,and unblock let. That's what this movie taught me, my life Isn't later. It Is now.

NeanderthalHomo Sapiens Hybrid essays

NeanderthalHomo Sapiens Hybrid essays Implications of Neanderthal-Homo Sapiens Hybrid from the Abrigo do Lagar Velho (Portugal) In a recent excavation at Abrigo do Lagar Velho in Portugal, Duarte et al (1999) unearthed what was later to be recognized as early human skeletal remains which pointed to interbreeding between Neanderthal and Modern Humans during the mid - upper Palaeolithic transition. The morphology of the remains, belonging to a child of approximately 3-4 years old, indicates a Neanderthal typology in post-cranial features, and more modern cranial features. The find has been cited as evidence of hybridization between the two traditionally separate human lines, and offers an explanation to the question of Neanderthal extinction. (Trinkaus 1999) Anthropologists are now offered a line of evidence pointing to the contemopranity of Moderns and Neanderthals in parts of Europe and assumptions can be made about their contact: "The discoverers...are making a ground-breaking claim, that the skeleton shows traces of both Neanderthal and modern human ancestry, evidence that modern humans did not simply extinguish the Neanderthals, as many researchers had come to think. Instead the two kinds of human were so alike that in Portugal, at least, they intermingled...for thousands of years." (Kunzig, 1999) By examining the theories of human evolution, and looking at the cultural evolution of tool technology as well as the biological transitions and differences between the two types of humans, we can see that this hybridization just might be the answer. Perhaps this find will be able to tell us what exactly did happen to the Neanderthals. Firstly, it is useful to have an overview of the different theories of human evolution, or I should say the two most widely accepted views as accepted by palaeo-anthropologists in the field. For some years now it has been the contention that the origins of modern humans stem from either a continuous evolution from archaic to modern human...

or Taboo essay

buy custom Experiment on Folkways, Morality and/or Taboo essay Folkways are unwritten rules and regulations that govern social human behavior in Christian life. Folkways vary on bases of gender from one generation to the other or from society to society. In this regard, Folkways are established standards of behavior which is maintained and observed by a society. As a matter of fact, Folkways are important to the society since they help to maintain the required standards in the society. Thus norms are standard and values for any group which is organized socially. Folkways which defines what expectations and what behavior thoughts or feelings are appropriate within a given group within a given context is more common (Deborah 2000).This research paper seeks to explore what are Folkways, violation of Folkways across gender, culture and its effect. Further, it focuses on the experiences that are associated with violation folkways. Literature review Deborah (2000) argues that Folkways are the agreed expectations and rules which guide the behavior of its members of certain society in all aspect of life. For this reason, Folkways differ widely across cultural societies. For instance, Americans are expected to maintain consistent direct eye contact when talking with other people. In contrast Asians, avert away their eyes contact as a sign of being polite and respectful. Moreover, folkways are referred to as conventions and they are accepted standards of behavior that are socially approved and are morally very important to the society .on the other hand , they differ from Mores which are define as norms of morality while certain behaviors are regarded as taboo, meaning that the culture does not allow them completely. Cynthia (2001) puts the matter under discussion to light by pointing out that Folkways are regarded as a formal set of rules that are governed and enacted by the state. For this reason, Members of a certain culture are needed to abide to its Folkways so as to promote its existence and function. Folkways are often influenced by factors such as religion, the environment they live in, the kind of government people abide by. Anticipation According to Deborah (2000) Folkways are prospects that determine how people reason, think, make judgments and behave. For this reason, our daily lives are guided and directed by Folkways so we are bound to take social norms for conducting ourselves in a modest way. Violation of Folkways I will use my primary school as an example of violation of Folkways experiment. I once undertook the task of breaking some Folkways rules in my school. One day, I waited in class until every body went for lunch. I collected all the pens and any other valuable necessity which pleased me from the other students which were lying on the bench. I packed them self and left for home. In the following day, every body in my class was furious with me since some of the lost items were recovered from me. The matter was reported to my class teacher who latter gave me some punishment. Latter on, after the teacher guided me on how to make right decision and evade away from wrong doing whille in school I learned that it was wrong to take away other students belonging without their knowledge of consent. I learned that different students have different reaction if they were crossed. In addition it came to my knowledge that students have different understanding in regard to Folkways since most of them came from different, races. The matter was forwarded to my parents; my mother enquired why I did it. She sounded so offended and disgusted at me. At one time she showed clearly her negative attitude. I told her that it came to my knowledge that I had done wrong. For that reason I apologize to my mother, so I did not feel like l was an outcast. In addition I learned that, the school is an essential place where students can be modeled the student can be led to decide what is normal and abnormal, It came to my knowledge that stealing for whatever reason is not socially accepted and it does not match to school Folkways . Judgment From that day it comes to my knowledge that every single thing we do in school is jud governed by Folkways. We are taught by our parents and teachers of what to do and what not to do. In this regard, school I understood that folkways are ideals for better living in school. In conclusion school students should develop a culture of good Folkways where student are given guidance in making logical decision based on Folkways values. When Folkways are broken we should learn to correct the offender by condemning the offender without humor, panic, anger or emotions. Buy custom Experiment on Folkways, Morality and/or Taboo essay

Answering questions from the article Questions number 5 and 6 only

Answering questions from the Questions number 5 and 6 only - Article Example Therefore, every worker entered the details of his or her completed order, making them responsible for their actions. Mark distributed a detailed activity sheet specifying how tasks should be structured throughout the day. In addition, he indicated and how much time each task should task. He felt that this would provide more control over the workers and improve their productivity as well as efficiency. In addition, he announced that all future calls from the customers were to be forwarded directly. Specifically, this is because he felt it was inappropriate for employees to take up this role. In turn, this would increase his control over the workers. Mark posted a goal sheet on the break room door listing each employees name and the goal mark for each day to motivate them. He would then display the number of orders completed and compare it to the pre-set goal to gauge their performance against their co-workers. He felt that this would improve their efficiency through competition and predictability of their performance. He ensured the orders were provided, on time, to improve reliability as he often arrives late. He gave new directions that he would enter the shipping data and, therefore, ordered all workers to place their completed shipping orders in the bin provided outside his office. The lack of adequate information about the workers influenced his decision. Therefore, he felt that the employee would take advantage of the situation and use the computer for â€Å"inappropriate† things. Notably, this would reduce their efficiency and company

Letter To A Congressman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Letter To A Congressman - Essay Example America spends approximately 86% in addressing the chronic diseases (CDC, 2015). By designating the current position of the Chief Nurse Officer as the National Nurse for Public Health, the bill facilitates the nurses to focus their education in educating the public on the methods of making notable improvements in their health status. Olsen et al (2009) underscores the significance of education in healthcare. The bill supports outreach and education programs (Congress.Gov, 2015). The position of national nurse officer will augment the advocacy efforts that seek to address the changing needs of the dynamic health care systems in the United States. Many citizens require excellent care for the terminal and chronic diseases, and the bill will strengthen the role of nurses to offer timely and quality care. Once again, I fully support the National Nurse Act of 2015, and will do everything to ensure the bill achieves its objectives once approved and passed into a law. I am confident that the approval of the bill will model a truly collaborative health care in the United

Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay

Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail - Essay Example The main techniques selected for analysis are emotional appeal, logic and reasoning. Reasoning is one of the main tools used by speechwriters and essayists for ages. In the Letter, King makes his point and persuades readers to agree with him that all people have a right to be free. King states: "The purpose of our direct-action program is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation" (King). King expects that his letter helps many people to "awake" from long sleeping and start fighting, because the new social order and ideas, and no doubt that in his society the main role is featured to democracy and freedom. He appeals to such human values as tolerance and morals. Idiom and metaphors create sense of reality. For instance, he writes: "the United States Negro is moving with a sense of great urgency toward the promised land of racial justice" (King). The notion of interdependency and connection among individuals in King's conception of freedom anticipates visions of freedom and solidarity that I explore in the second half of this book. According to King, true freedom requires that people be able to exercise choice and judgment. Segregation removes this ability and therefore makes individuals victims to the decisions of others. King deals with his personal sufferings and expresses the effects of the segregation on his fellow friends on a scale of universal significance. His language is logic and accurate, concise and creative. King's rhetoric has strength, depth and delicacy of feeling. The main feature of this essay is that King uses historical information based on reason and expiations of the events which attract attention of the audience. "If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity"' (King). Control of powerful feeling intensifies emotional appeal and adds dramatic effects. To give dramatic descriptions with intensity, to make the imagined picture of reality glow with more than a dim light, requires the author's finest compositional powers. He addresses listeners stating: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (King). In the Letter, King creates a vivid image of racial segregation as "a burden" with deprives many racial minorities a chance to be free from oppression and humiliation. There is intensity of illusion because the author is present, constantly reminding readers of his unnatural wisdom. The moral quality depends not on the validity of doctrines, but on the moral sense and arguments presented in the work. In both books, a certain amount of plot is based on emotional response. For instance, "oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for fre edom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro" (King). Exclamation marks, rhetorical question and parallel structure of sentences add emotional coloring. Personal tone is also an important element of his rhetoric, because it creates a certain vision of segregation and inequality from the author's point of view. Logic is another technique used by King to appeal to the audience and their mind. In the Letter, every argument forestalls the next one. Vivid arguments and personal examples are logically connected which helps the audience to

Partnership Working is Easier in Theory than in Practice Research Proposal

Partnership Working is Easier in Theory than in Practice - Research Proposal Example Organizations and practitioners involved in new programs must understand the goals and objectives and information concerning referral processes and qualification criteria. The extent of this understanding is critical to the success of any working partnership. An effective way of nurturing common understanding is to involve all stakeholders in the development of protocols, policies, and procedures that define the partnership (Clarke, 2014:24). Moreover, practitioners, who are not part of the main partnership, must understand the qualification criteria if the partnership is to succeed. The leaders of the partnerships should develop induction and continuous training, which is a constructive way of ensuring the existence of shared goals in the initiative. A history of sound and support joint working is an important element in the success of partnerships. For instance, in the UK, a past history of collaboration between doctors, mental health professionals, and mental health administrators created a new initiative to capitalize on existing informal communication processes and exploit the goodwill that that past experiences had nurtured (Elder, Evans, and Nizette, 2012:19). In many countries, positive strategic cooperation in the past, that may have occurred between various entities (e.g., welfare and private health agencies), have also been identified as supportive of working partnerships. Effective information sharing systems, including shared records and shared or common IT systems are factors that have been identified as enhancing working partnerships by facilitating faster and timelier evaluations of need. Effective communication has also been identified as supportive of priority management (Francis, 2014:12). Many types of research have demonstrated the importance of having enough finances to support working partnerships.  

CT scans to detect lung cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CT scans to detect lung cancer - Essay Example In this research, the researchers have concluded that 80 percent of lung cancers can be detected in early stages through CT screening and what they are trying to tell is lung cancer is not all that bad, which is actually beneficial for a tobacco company because, the worst health problem projected against smoking is lung cancer. Funding by any other company other than a tobacco company could have avoided this conflict of interest. 2. CT screening is fraught with risk of radiation. It is also an expensive procedure and can contribute to unnecessary biopsies and surgeries in those with cancers that actually do not progress. Because of this, critics have raised ethical issues about routine screening of individuals at risk of cancer, i.e., those with history of smoking. The better way to prevent lung cancer is to educate people about the risks associated with smoking a nd various measures to prevent smoking. 3. The researchers, Dr. Henschke and Dr. Yankelevitz did not disclose one patent and 10 pending patents concerned to screening of lung cancer with CT scan. The patent was issued to general Electric, one of the prominent makers of CT scanners.

Market Analysis for BzzAgent Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Market Analysis for BzzAgent - Case Study Example The following discussion aims to discuss the market situation in which BzzAgent operates using some widely established models and theories of organizational studies. BzzAgent operates in a crowded marketplace and had to adopt some innovative strategies to enter and succeed in the industry. The attractiveness of the marketplace in terms of competitiveness is analyzed below using the Five Competitive Force model presented by Michael Porter in 1980. The tools of the analysis presented in the model provide a structure that can be used to conclude the competitive strength of an industry. These tools are simple but allow having the clear and strong understanding of the importance of power within a business circumstance and help in gaining the understanding about the strength of any organization within a competitive situation. The threat of entry depends upon the extent to which there are barriers to entry in the market. The environment where BzzAgent operates is an easy to access marketpla ce. There are little barriers to entry in the field of WOM marketing and the agencies generally have the wide range of options to start their operations depending upon their financial base and workforce. The failure of the traditional means of marketing has already opened up the doors for innovative marketing ideas. Moreover, the rapidly increasing trend of online, telephonic and text messages’ interactions have broadened the prospects for new ways of WOM marketing. The companies operating in different industries and sectors fervently look towards the different and unique ideas to promote their brands and the WOM strategy seems attractive to many of them due to the growing importance of the internet, email and SMS as a marketing tool. It implies that there are the greater scope and little entry barriers in the field of WOM marketing.

Partnership Working is Easier in Theory than in Practice Research Proposal

Partnership Working is Easier in Theory than in Practice - Research Proposal Example Organizations and practitioners involved in new programs must understand the goals and objectives and information concerning referral processes and qualification criteria. The extent of this understanding is critical to the success of any working partnership. An effective way of nurturing common understanding is to involve all stakeholders in the development of protocols, policies, and procedures that define the partnership (Clarke, 2014:24). Moreover, practitioners, who are not part of the main partnership, must understand the qualification criteria if the partnership is to succeed. The leaders of the partnerships should develop induction and continuous training, which is a constructive way of ensuring the existence of shared goals in the initiative. A history of sound and support joint working is an important element in the success of partnerships. For instance, in the UK, a past history of collaboration between doctors, mental health professionals, and mental health administrators created a new initiative to capitalize on existing informal communication processes and exploit the goodwill that that past experiences had nurtured (Elder, Evans, and Nizette, 2012:19). In many countries, positive strategic cooperation in the past, that may have occurred between various entities (e.g., welfare and private health agencies), have also been identified as supportive of working partnerships. Effective information sharing systems, including shared records and shared or common IT systems are factors that have been identified as enhancing working partnerships by facilitating faster and timelier evaluations of need. Effective communication has also been identified as supportive of priority management (Francis, 2014:12). Many types of research have demonstrated the importance of having enough finances to support working partnerships.  

Market Analysis for BzzAgent Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Market Analysis for BzzAgent - Case Study Example The following discussion aims to discuss the market situation in which BzzAgent operates using some widely established models and theories of organizational studies. BzzAgent operates in a crowded marketplace and had to adopt some innovative strategies to enter and succeed in the industry. The attractiveness of the marketplace in terms of competitiveness is analyzed below using the Five Competitive Force model presented by Michael Porter in 1980. The tools of the analysis presented in the model provide a structure that can be used to conclude the competitive strength of an industry. These tools are simple but allow having the clear and strong understanding of the importance of power within a business circumstance and help in gaining the understanding about the strength of any organization within a competitive situation. The threat of entry depends upon the extent to which there are barriers to entry in the market. The environment where BzzAgent operates is an easy to access marketpla ce. There are little barriers to entry in the field of WOM marketing and the agencies generally have the wide range of options to start their operations depending upon their financial base and workforce. The failure of the traditional means of marketing has already opened up the doors for innovative marketing ideas. Moreover, the rapidly increasing trend of online, telephonic and text messages’ interactions have broadened the prospects for new ways of WOM marketing. The companies operating in different industries and sectors fervently look towards the different and unique ideas to promote their brands and the WOM strategy seems attractive to many of them due to the growing importance of the internet, email and SMS as a marketing tool. It implies that there are the greater scope and little entry barriers in the field of WOM marketing.

Psychological Impact of Socio-Political Factors Essay Example for Free

Psychological Impact of Socio-Political Factors Essay A society is composed of distinct cultures which identifies itself from others. The cultures of societies are distinct and peoples lives are usually patterned from prevalent traditions, practices and beliefs within that culture. Culture could be held responsible in the upbringing of an individual. People continuously conform on the dynamic culture of the society as they adhere on the norms, practices and values. Culture is an ever-changing feature of a society and incessantly develops and redefines attributes based on lifestyles and conditions. It is influenced by various factors that create sustained tight cultures. This will further result on the variations in cultures of a global society. We attribute cultural differences in its historical and ecological context. Socio- political factors also influenced our culture. These factors influence psychological appendages of an individual. As world trade and globalization are greatly emphasized, interaction across culture is increased and cultural diversity becomes a hindrance to fully achieve its objectives. Socio-political factors are in many forms and are inherently embedded in culture. These factors play significant role in molding the identity of a particular society. Socio-political factors are founded based on our beliefs and values and our behavioral tendencies and they were accustomed in our daily lives (Schneider, 2004). Stereotyping There were so many social groups in every country and it makes that particular nation a diverse geographic area. We could easily picture a collage of the various social groups but we could fail to include the real identities and configurations of these social groups (Stangor Schaller, 1996). We may generate a statement on the perception of the characteristics and utilized it to describe the whole group. For example, Germans are hot-tempered and African Americans are rowdy. This process of thought depicts the conventional definition of stereotypes in social psychology, in which stereotypes are regarded as the main picture portraying the totality or the representation of a particular group of individuals. Stereotyping could also exist in the minds of the persons who are being stereotyped (Stangor Schaller, 1996). Stereotyping is a type of socio-political factor where we categorized people based on our beliefs. Perception plays a large part in the social context. Stereotyping is how we perceive people as established by a particular circumstance. In the course of time, stereotypes are considered synonymous to certain constructs that is ordained in the study of stereotypes. Stereotypes are considered as products of categorization, labels, schemas- these constructs tend to overlap each other for they were closely related (Schneider, 2004). Stereotypes is a result of our behavior towards others, it also affect our behavioral patterns toward different kinds of people. There is a substantial participation of group members in fostering stereotyping in people. Shared experiences suggested that stereotypes grew impliedly when members of a particular group perceived a certain category on the other group of individuals (Schneider, 2004). We think in-groups and out-groups as natural phenomena and we perceive them differently. Categorization of groups evolved into stereotyping. Stereotyping could render negative implications, this includes depriving opportunities to the persons being stereotyped based solely on the biased belief of the one assessing them. Stereotyping could be an individual problem and shall consider that it is not a shared knowledge, but when the perception was common in all members of the community; its effects become more noxious because it affects the whole society in the same way (Stangor Schaller, 1996). Stereotyping, therefore, could be looked at two perspectives. It could exist in the persons mind, as representations of a persons beliefs and values. It could also be viewed as a piece of societys social fabric, a part of a larger scale of commonly shared perception of social groups (Stangor Schaller, 1996). It becomes a question if the existence of social reality is individualized or dwell as a shared understanding. The particular distinction between the two lies mainly in the assumed relevance of this common knowledge and its importance and impacts on the lives of each individual within the social group (Stangor Schaller, 1996). Racism Stereotyping could evolve into other socio-political factors that may render detrimental effects. Racism can be widely utilized in everyday life. The concept of racism is negatively burdened, injected with political and moral descriptions. Therefore, claiming someone to be a racist is considered as inappropriate and even immoral. The definition is inclined for connoting political abuse. The definition also offers significance in the field of academics and raise political and moral argumentation (Miles Brown, 2003). Racism is the generalized body of information, real or imaginary, pertaining to a person or group of individual that render benefits or gain on the racist and expense on the one being judged (Memmi et al. , 1999). Racism is the mistreatment of people based on their race. We all belong in a particular race, human race. This resulted from the inequality in the social structures and configurations. It is also a product of inequitable and unequal stratification of economic, political and social means (Sherover-Marcuse, 2000). Racism is defined improperly. There is no established definition for racism, if we would think philosophically, if racism is defined as morally and politically undesirable. There must be a shared understanding on why it is unacceptable. the definition could not established a concrete criteria on whether an account is racist or not. Utilizing the existing definition, we could be all racists. If the broad definition will be adhered, then it impliedly says that American people are all racists (Miles Brown, 2003). Sometimes the description on the person being discriminated is inaccurate and they were being judged based on their color and cultural identity. Thus, it result to social empowerment of the racists and the judgments were passed into concurrent society that affects everyone (Sherover-Marcuse, 2000). Sexism Another socio-political factor that becomes a major dilemma in the society is the concept of sexism. Sexism directs us in the delving into gender studies, but it is a critical issue for it deals with a lot of aspects of gender inequality. Sexism is the inherent belief of the superiority of a particular sex over the other and therefore claims the right to be dominant in society (Curry, 1995). This will lead us in perceiving that in conventional society male is dominant over the female specie. This is evident in our history books and even in the holy scriptures of religions. Most of the messages were addressed to males. The dominance of males connotes the inferiority of females and the deprivation of prerogatives and rights enjoyed by the other sex. Many uprisings of the women sectors have been accounted in history in attempt in obtaining liberation and equality in treatment and opportunities. For example, the acquisition of suffrage is a pivotal event in womens history and the ability to participate in major economic and political activity was celebrated by women in the society. Although there are claims that sexism no longer exists in our society. We could say that it is impliedly manifested through various of means. There were still claims in mistreatment in the workplace and females were not given equal opportunities. Mass media greatly contributes in reinforcing the concept of sexism through the portrayals of women in ads and programs depicting the traditional concept of women as inferior, weak, dependent and as home providers. There is a lack of portrayal of the emerging female specie- dynamic, strong and nurturing. Psychological Impact These socio-political factors have an undeniable psychological impact to a culturally diverse individual. Each person was raised in a society with inherent culture established that distinguished the group of individuals to other group of individuals. Every one of us is composed of layers of cultural learning ascribed or acquired that make up the totality of our individuality. These layers of cultural teachings were acquired through various influences. Every individual was shaped ethnicity, race, religion, education, profession, organization and parents. These attributes are the primary factors that affect the formation of the individuality of a person. Ones gender, peers, family and origin are also vital in redefining the ones cultural identity (Gardenswartz Rowe, 1998). Because we acquired our cultural teachings in different sources we are programmed differently and were reared heterogeneously. Therefore our individual differences make us culturally diverse. The socio-political factors aforementioned could be well-explained and examined under the specific branch of psychology- Evolutionary Psychology. This new branch of psychology is focused on establishing explanations on mental and psychological traits of individuals. There is a growing symbiotic and significant relationship between environmental and social psychology. Evolutionary theory is slowly infiltrate social psychology researchers. Evolutionary psychology examines new frontiers with specialty, like the socio-political factors mentioned above (Perilloux Webster, 2008). It was argued that these factors shaped a persons psychological mechanisms. It was stated that the concept of self do not exist but it was layers of psychological mechanisms (Perilloux Webster, 2008). These socio-political factors discussed above are somehow interconnected with each other. Stereotyping could render significant psychological impacts in the upbringing of an individual. They may obtain wrong information about persons they stereotyped. For stereotypical roles, though shared by a lot of people could not be regarded as true. Stereotyping will reflect implicit behavioral comments like that there are roles more appropriate for men and women. This will create a general perception that some roles are only intended for a particular sex and that the other could not offer strong decisions and capabilities in participating in these certain fields (Swim et al. , 2001). This also indicates that men are better in male-dominated fields (Swim et al. , 2001). Due to the stereotypical roles and attributes being tagged to persons, they were undermined of their capabilities and capacities. It will also say that women are inferior and passive (Swim et al. , 2001), which is untrue about women nowadays. More women are participating in the fields dominated by male before and show exemplary performance in doing tasks. But the greatest implication would be an animosity for women (Swim et al. , 2001). Because of stereotyping, people will create an attitude towards the stereotyped individual.

Gas metal arc welding

Gas metal arc welding Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) 1 Introduction Welding is the fabrication process of joining two metal pieces permanently by applying heat or pressure or both. Joining takes place by melting and fusing: melting the base metals and applying the filler metal. This is achieved by melting workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material (weld pool) that cools to become a strong joint. (Wikipedia) Some advantages of welding are that it produces a strong and tight joining between two pieces, is cost effective, simple and can be mechanized and automated. However welding results in internal stresses, distortions and changes in microstructure in the weld region. GMAW is currently one of the most popular welding methods, especially in industrial environments because it has lead to simplification of the welding process. GMAW is said to be one of the easiest welding processes to learn and perform. This is because in the process, the power source virtually does all the work by adjusting welding parameters to handle differing conditions. GMAW is extensively used in sheet metal industry and automobile industry. It has replaced riveting and resistance spot welding. It has also found applications in robot welding, where robots handle the workpieces and the welding gun to increase the consistency and the manufacturing process rate. The change in welding trends from SMAW to GMAW in the small and medium fabrications, mainly in the automotive industry. The reason is the attempt of manufacturers to maintain quality and decreasing cost.Lateron it was noted that GMAW was not preferred previously because of the limitation of incomplete fusion, which was not preferred for bridge and structural fabrications. However, with increase in the technology in GMAW, such as advancement in pulsed spray mode of transfer of metal, applications of the welding process has increased. Then there were some advancement in pulse metal arc welding by producing spray transfer at low mean currents. In a GMAW, process good thermal and electrical conductivities act as a drawback because such properties lead to excessive heating of base metals. Hence, limiting the use of the gas metal arc welding process. Pulsed gas metal arc welding (GMAW-P) addresses such problems. Another advancement in GMAW is the use of double electrode in the welding proc ess to increase the manufacturing speed. The DE-GMAW allows increasing the melting current while controlling the base metal current at a desired level. They also developed a model to correlate the change in resistance in the base metal required to achieve the desired base metal current. Then came upon the process of laser hybrid welding, which is popular in automotive industry today. They describe the interaction of laser with GMAW during welding and discuss various variables involved during the process. Later on engineers reviewed the droplet transfer models of solid wire. They described the simulation models: SFBT (static force balance theory), PIT (pinch instability theory) and VOF theory. They concluded that results produced by VOF were in confirmation with the experimental results. With advancement in technology of GMAW, its applications have touched new horizon. Therefore, it is important to study about this process in detail. The purpose of this report is to present the process variables, effect of process variables and equipment on the welding process, and sensing and control systems. Advantages, disadvantages and applications of GMAW process are briefly discussed. This report is expected to help future researchers in their research endeavors by acting as a literature review and a guide to the gas metal arc welding process. 2 Methodology This section will briefly describe the types of welding processes and then concentrate on the GMAW process. Different methods of GMAW process, the modes of metal transfer are introduced in this section. Emphasis is laid on the process variables in the GMAW process, equipment used, and the sensing and control systems. In designing a welding process, the effect of different process variables must be considered. Each application has its unique requirements and limitations. These will be in relation to the parameters that can be controlled or not. Also, the equipment used is of great concern in terms of its simple operation and control and uses. It is important to know the process variables that will have affect on the welding process and their relationship with other parameters. The emerging necessity of the welding processes is its automation. With the use of robots in welding, it has become necessary to automate the whole process and monitor and control the operation and quality of weld. Different sensing and control systems under research and recently introduced in the industry are discussed. 2.1 Welding processes Various welding processes have been developed and used in the welding industry depending upon their application, energy source, such as mechanical, electrical, chemical or optical, metals to be welded, location of metals, cost, etc. The three broad classes are: Solid state welding Fusion welding Soldering and Brazing 2.1.1 Solid state welding Solid state weldingis a welding process, in which two work pieces are joined under a pressure providing an intimate contact between them and at a temperature essentially below the melting point of the parent material (Kopeliovich). Two materials bind by diffusion of the interface atoms. The processes that come under this class are: Forge Welding (FOW) Cold Welding (CW) Friction Welding (FRW) Explosive Welding (EXW) Diffusion Welding (DFW) Ultrasonic Welding (USW) Although these processes have advantages, they require thorough surface preparation like degreasing, oxide removal and brushing or sanding. In addition, these processes are expensive. 2.1.2 Soldering and brazin. Soldering and brazing involve melting the filler metal, which then flows into the space between the closely fitted base metals and solidifies. In soldering, the melting point of the filler metal is below 800Â °F while in brazing it is above this temperature. In both these processes, the melting point of the filler metal is below that of base metals. The filler metal is distributed between the properly fitted parts by capillary attraction. Some disadvantages are removal of flux residuals to prevent corrosion, no gas shielding may cause porosity of the joint, large sections cannot be joined, filler materials may contain toxic components and expensive filler materials. 2.1.3 Fusion welding Fusion welding involves the partial melting of two members welded by a heat source and amalgamated into one piece. The thermal energy required for fusion is usually supplied by chemical or electrical means. It may use a filler material like a consumable electrode or a wire. Fusion welding uses a protective layer like gas shielding or flux, which melts and forms a viscous slag on the weld metal that solidifies and removed later. 2.2. Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) or metal inert gas (MIG) welding or metal active gas (MAG) welding is a semi-automatic or automatic arc welding process, which joins metals by heating them to their melting point with an electric arc. A continuous, consumable electrode wire and a shielding gas are fed through a welding gun. MIG involves use of an inert gas while MAG uses active gas like oxygen or carbon dioxide. 2.2.1 GMAW process Gas metal arc welding process usually comprise of a constant voltage, direct current (constant current or alternating current systems can also be used) arc burning between a thin bare metal wire electrode and the work piece. The arc and weld area are encased in a protective gas shield, fed through the welding gun. A continuous, consumable wire electrode is fed from a spool, through the welding torch/gun, which is connected to the positive terminal into the weld zone. 2.2.1.1 Parameters. The parameters of GMAW process are: Shielding gas Electrode size Electric parameter: voltage and current (continuous current is used) Feed rate (of electrode) Travel speed The shielding gas like carbon dioxide or a mixture of carbon dioxide and argon helps protect the molten metal from reacting with the atmosphere. Molten metal when exposed reacts with oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen in the environment. Shielding gas flows through the gun and cable assembly and out of the gun nozzle with the welding wire to shield and protect the molten weld pool. The risk of reacting of metal with atmosphere limits the use of GMAW indoors because outdoors wind can blow the shielding gas away from the work piece and result in reaction. The consumable wire commonly is copper colored mild steel, which has been electroplated with a thin layer of copper to protect it from rusting, improve electrical conductivity, increase contact tip life, and improve arc performance. 2.2.2 GMAW methods. GMAW can be performed in three different ways: Semiautomatic Welding wire feeding is controlled by the equipment and the movement of welding gun is by hand. Also called hand-held welding. Machine Welding a gun is connected to a manipulator (not hand-held). Manipulator controls are adjusted constantly by an operator. Automatic Welding welds without the constant adjusting of controls by a welder or operator. 2.2.3 Mode of metal transfer in GMAW. GMAW use four different modes to transfer metal from the electrode to the work piece. These are: Globular mode of transfer Short-circuit transfer Globular transfer Spray transfer Pulse-spray transfer 2.2.3.1 Short-circuit transfer Short circuit transfer refers to the welding achieved by short-circuiting (touching) welding wire with the base metal between 90 200 times per second. The wire feed speeds, voltages, and deposition rates are usually lower than with other types of metal transfer such as spray transfer. This facilitates welding thin or thick metals in any position. A typical Short Circuit Cycle can be summarized in following steps: Electrode is short-circuited to base metal. No arc and current is flowing through electrode wire and base metal. Resistance in electrode wire increases causing it to heat, melt and neck down. Electrode wire separates from weld puddle, creating an arc. Small portion of electrode wire is deposited, which forms a weld puddle. Arc length and load voltage are at maximum. Heat of arc flattens the puddle and increases the diameter tip of electrode. Wire feed speed overcomes heat of arc and wire approaches base metal again. Short circuit cycle starts again. 2.2.3.2 Globular Transfer Globular transfer refers to the state of transfer between short-circuiting and spray arc transfer. Large globs of wire are expelled from the end of the electrode wire and allowed to enter the weld puddle. This type of mode of transfer results when welding parameters such as voltage, amperage and wire feed speed is somewhat higher than the settings for short circuit transfer. 2.2.3.3 Spray Arc Transfer Spray arc transfer refers to spraying a stream of tiny molten droplets across the arc, from the electrode wire to the base metal. Spray arc transfer uses relatively high voltage, wire feed speed and amperage values, compared to short circuit transfer. Inert argon rich shielding gas is used for best results. 2.2.3.4 Pulse-spray Transfer In the pulse-spray transfer mode, the power supply is made to cycle between a high spray transfer current and a low background current. It is different from the spray transfer in that it allows the super cooling of the weld pool during background cycle. In each cycle one droplet transfers from the electrode to the weld pool. The low background current allows pulse-spray mode of transfer to weld out of position on thick sections with higher energy than the short-circuit transfer, thus producing a higher average current and improved sidewall fusion. It can be used to lower heat input and reduce distortion when high travel speeds are not needed or cannot be achieved because of equipment or throughput limitations. 2.2.4 Process Variables The process variables of the GMAW affect the welding efficiency and weld quality. These variables either act alone by affecting the final product or they interact with each other and affect weld penetration, bead geometry. It is important to study these variables and have their set limits for a desired welding process and good overall weld quality. The enough penetration, high heating rate and rightwelding profile make the quality of welding joint. These are affected by welding current, arc voltage,welding speed and protective gas parameters. Table 1 shows the effect of different process variables on penetration depth, deposition rate, bead size and bead width. Table 1: Effect of process variables on penetration, deposition rate, bead size and bead width. Welding variables Desired changes to change Penetration Deposition rate Bead size Bead width Increase Decrease Increase Decrease Increase Decrease Increase Decrease Current and wire feed speed Increase Decrease Increase Decrease Increase Decrease Little effect Little effect Voltage No effect No effect Little effect Little effect Little effect Little effect Increase Decrease Travel speed No effect No effect Little effect Little effect Decrease Increase Decrease Increase Electrode extension Decrease Increase Increasea Decreasea Increase Decrease Decrease Increase Wire diameter Decrease Increase Decrease Increase Little effect Little effect Little effect Little effect Shield gas % Increase Decrease Little effect Little effect Little effect Little effect Increase Decrease Gun angle Drag Push Little effect Little effect Little effect Little effect Push Drag a change will occur if current is maintained by wire feed speed. http://products.asminternational.org/hbk/index.jsp The process variables are listed and discussed below: Welding current (electrode feed speed) Polarity Arc voltage (arc length) Travel speed Electrode extension Electrode orientation (gun angle) Electrode diameter 2.2.4.1 Welding current Welding current is the electrical amperage in the power system as the weld is being made. In GMAW constant voltage power sources (voltage) are used, therefore, amperage is thought to be controlled by wire feed speed. Welding current is read from the power source meter or a separate ammeter is often used. The total welding amperage or current supplied to the arc is determined by the wire feed rate, open circuit voltage setting and the slope setting on the welding power source (Figure 1 and Figure 2). The faster the wire feed speed, higher is the welding amperage. However, the wire feed speed only determines the balance between the welding current and the load voltage at the arc. When all other variables are held constant, an increase in welding current results in an increase in the depth and width of penetration, deposition rate, and weld bead size. This makes GMAW arc was made self-regulating. i.e. if the welder pulls the torch away from the workpiece—raising the arc length and arc voltage—the power supply drops the arc current to burn off wire at a slower rate until the preset arc voltage was re-established. If the welder pushed the torch toward the work—shortening the arc and reducing the arc voltage—the power supply quickly raised the welding current to burn off more wire until the preset arc voltage was re-established. 2.2.4.2 Polarity Polarity describes the electrical connection of the electrode (welding gun) with the terminal of a power source. When the gun power lead is connected to the positive terminal, the polarity is designated as direct current electrode positive (DCEP). When the electrode or the gun power is connected to the negative terminal, the polarity is designated as direct current electrode negative (DCEN). When alternating current (AC) is used, the polarity changes every half cycle of 50 or 60 Hz. In GMAW usually DCEP is used because it yields a stable arc, smooth metal transfer, relatively low spatter, good weld bead characteristics and deep penetration for a wide range of welding currents. On the other hand, DCEN results in the molten droplet size tends to increase and the droplet transfer becomes irregular (Figure 3). This increases large grain spatter. Some wires with unique chemical composition have been developed for DCEN, which give excellent results on galvanized sheets. Variable polarity gas metal arc welding (VP-GMAW) is the current trend in the welding industry. Inverter pulse power supplies allow to combine DCEP and DCEN polarities in varying amounts (Figure 4). In their research, Harwig et al. (2000) showed that VP-GMAW could be used for welding thin gage aluminium sheets. They noted that during DCEN polarity, droplet formation takes place and it is transferred across the arc by DCEP polarity. They said that DCEN could be added up to 60 % to the current, beyond that the arc becomes unstable. 2.2.4.3. Arc Voltage Arc voltage is the amount of voltage present between the electrode and workpiece. Arc voltage and arc length are used interchangeably. Arc voltage is an approximate means of defining the physical arc length in electrical terms. However, one physical arc length could yield different arc voltage readings, depending on factors such as shielding gas, current, and electrode extension. If all these variables are kept constant, arc voltage and arc length can be correlated i.e. with increase in voltage setting, arc length increases. The welders are interested in arc length, but arc voltage is easy to monitor and must be specified in welding procedures. Therefore, its the arc voltage that is most commonly used term than the arc length. Arc voltage controls the height and width of the weld. Any increase in arc voltage from specific value, flattens the bead and increase the width of the fusion zone. Very high voltage results in porosity, spatter (unstable arc), and undercut. However, a voltage less than required will result in narrower weld bead with higher crown i.e. wire stubs on the work. Therefore, voltage must be set midway between high/low voltages. 2.2.4.4. Travel speed is the speed at which a welder moves the electrode along the joint to make a weld. Technically its the linear rate at which the arc is moved along the weld joint. Weld penetration is always maximum at intermediate travel speed, when all other conditions are constant. If low travel speed is used, the arc will impinge on the molten weld pool than working on the base metal and hence affect penetration efficiency. Large increase in travel speed will result in less thermal energy on the base metal. At high speed, the rate of melting of base metal is increased first and then decreased. If travel speed is increased any further, undercutting along the edges of weld bead may occur because of insufficient deposition of filler metal in the path melted by the arc. High speed GMAW as signifies uses high travel speeds. Rapid Arc Company uses pulsed GMAW for faster travel speeds, low spatter, out of position operation and lower heat input. They achieve high travel speeds by using lower arc voltage i.e. shorter arc length, this reduces spatter and washed out bead profile, allowing high torch travel speed. They divided rapid waveform into four parts (Figure 5): Pulse: A sudden increase in current increases arc energy, and forms and squeezes a molten droplet extending from the end of the electrode. Puddle Rise: The ramp down of current relaxes the plasma force, depressing the puddle, allowing it to rise up towards the droplet. Short : The arc collapses, and the droplet contacts the weld puddle. Puddle Repulsion: immediately following a short breaking into an arc, a gentle plasma boost pushes the puddle away and conditions the electrode tip. This ensures reliable separation of the wire tip and the puddle resulting in a stable rhythm of the cycle. 2.2.4.5 Electrode orientation Electrode orientation is the angle of the electrode axis with respect to the travel direction. This is called the travel angle. On the other hand, it could be the angle of the electrode axis with the work surface. This is called the work angle. When the electrode points in a direction opposite to the travel direction, it results in a trail angle and is called the backhand welding technique. When the electrode points in the direction of travel, it results in a lead angle and is called the forehand welding technique. The maximum penetration is achieved for trailing travel angle between 5 to 15Â ° (from perpendicular). This also provides a narrow, convex surface configuration and shielding of the molten weld pool. However, the leading travel angle provides the welder better visibility and a flatter weld surface. This is more commonly used technique. For materials such as aluminum, a leading angle is preferred, because it provides a cleaning action ahead of the molten weld metal, which promotes wetting and reduces base-material oxidation. This is because the leading angle of the electrode pushes the molten metal and slag ahead of the weld. When producing fillet welds in the horizontal position, the work angle should be about 45Â ° to the vertical member. 2.2.4.6. The electrode extension The distance between the last point of electrical contact (usually the gun contact tip or tube) and the end of the electrode. An increase in the amount of this extension causes an increase in electrical resistance. This, in turn, generates additional heat in the electrode, which contributes to greater electrode melting rates. Without an increase in arc voltage, the additional metal will be deposited as a narrow, high-crowned weld bead. The optimum electrode extension generally ranges from 6.4 to 13 mm for short-circuiting transfer and from 13 to 25 mm for spray and globular transfers. 2.2.4.7. The electrode diameter Influences the weld bead configuration. A larger electrode requires a higher minimum current than a smaller electrode does to achieve the same metal transfer characteristics.Higher currents, in turn, produce additional electrode melting and larger, more-fluid weld deposits. Higher currents also result in higher deposition rates and greater penetration, but may prevent the use of some electrodes in the vertical and overhead positions. 2.2.5 Equipment The basic assembly of GMAW containing the components of equipment can be seen in Figure 6. It is important to study each part of the equipment to reach the required quality of the weld. Each application of GMAW will have a specific requirement for each part. Therefore, these can be controlled or modified to change the welding process to achieve good welding efficiency and quality. The fundamental equipment for a typical GMAW installation includes: Welding gun Electrode feed unit Welding control mechanism Power source Electrode source Regulated Shielding gas For automatic welding equipment the wire feed unit and the current contact and gas barrel are combined in a single welding head (Figure 7). For Semi automatic welding flexibility is generally achieved by separating the wire feed unit from the torch and passing wire, gas, current and cooling water through the flexible conduit. Wire-feeding complexities must be considered using these systems. High powered motors are required to push wire for several yards. Ferrous metal wires can be fed through smooth, flexible and rigid spiral steel wire-feed tubes. But, aluminium and non-ferrous metals are difficult to feed through tubes until they are nylon lined. The wire feed difficulties increase with decreasing wire diameter. Welding current in GMAW equipment is introduced to the wire by passing it to a copper tube. A variation in point of current pick up can alter the resistance between contact and arc and cause variations in burn-off rate because of its effect on overall circuit resistance. With high currents or high resistance metals the current contact tube is shortened or fitted with small tip diameter tip to reduce variation. Water cooking is required for equipments that have automatic welding heads and those that work at about 250 A. Water cooling and chromium-plated surface make removal of fume and spatter from the nozzle easier. POWER CABLE (NEGATIVE) POWER CABLE (POSITIVE) WELDING VOLTAGE CURRENT DETECTION 115 VAC IN TO PRIMARY POWER 230/460/575 V COOLING WATER IN SHIELDING GAS IN TO CARRIAGE DRIVE MOTOR 115 VAC IN TRAVEL START/STOP WIRE FEED MOTOR SHIELDING GAS IN COOLING WATER IN COOLING WATER OUT The parts of GMAW are discussed below in detail. 2.2.5.1Welding gun Responsible for delivering the electrical current to the electrode, and directs it to the work piece and allows the flow of shielding gas to the weld area. The choice of welding gun is critical, but often ignored over power source, wire feeder, and shielding gas, which are most costly. Proper choice can give good welds and productivity. Different types of guns are used for different applications: heavy duty guns for high current and high volume production, and light guns for low current and out of position welding. Figure 8 shows the most commonly used gun, which is air cooled. Water cooled gun is used for high current requirement. Welding guns are rated on their current-carrying capacity. If inert gas is used, the gun rating is reduced to a much lower extent. A welding gun can be equipped with its own electrode feed unit. Parts of welding gun Back end is the power pin that connects the gun and power cable to the wire feeder. This connection must be tight. A loose connection between the gun and the feeder can cause electrical resistance throughout the entire system. This will result in overheating, which may damage the gun or the wire feeder. This may also cause gas leakage and poor conductivity that can lead to an erratic arc and poor weld quality. Usually a supportive strain relief is provided at the connection between the power cable and wire feeder. This helps in good wire feeding, which results in a stable arc and quality welds. There is another option of selecting a gun with multiple feeders for various GMAW applications reducing overall cost. Contact tube: is used to transmit welding current to the electrode and to direct the electrode towards the work. It is usually made of copper or a copper alloy and connected electrically by power cable to the power source. The tube hole for wire input is of 0.13 to 0.25 mm larger than the wire being use, larger for aluminium and non ferrous metals. Nylon lining is used for non ferrous metals and aluminium electrodes. This inner surface of the tube has to be changed in case of excessive wear, which may result in poor electrical contact. Consumables (nozzles and tips): The nozzle in the welding gun directs the shielding gas into the welding area. An even flow must be maintained to protect molten weld from the environmental gases. Larger nozzles are used for high current work with large weld pool and small nozzles used for low current work. Consumables are selected based on longevity instead of price. This reduces costs of replacement parts and changeover time. Non-threaded, large-base contact tips that fit securely to the diffuser provide good electrical conductivity and heat transfer. It is important to use heavy-duty tips and nozzles that provide good gas coverage to help ensure good arc starts, less spatter, and less rework and cleanup. Electrode conduit and liner support: protect and direct the electrode from the feed rolls to the gun and contact tube. They are connected to a bracket adjacent to the feed rolls on the electrode feed motor. It is necessary to maintain uninterrupted electrode feeding for good arc stability. The liner is the most critical component of the GMAW gun because of the problems that can arise from it. A steel liner is used for steel and copper electrodes, whereas nylo

Overview of Flight of the Iguana by David Quammen :: essays research papers

Chapter Analysis- Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This chapter, or in this case the introduction, is exactly what it is labeled as; an introduction. The main ideas of this introduction are more or less used to explain the goals of this book and also used to familiarize the reader with what is to come. Throughout the introduction, the author, David Quammen refers to a wide variety of unique and unheard of organisms that exist in nature. Not only do these organisms sound weird, but many often behave in unordinary ways. The okapi, the Xylocaris, the chambered nautilus, and the plant that eats frogs are just examples of the many different organisms Quammen talks about. The reason for Quammen’s use of such organisms is not to scare readers away from nature, but to actually lure them in. The main idea of Quammen’s whole introduction is basically to show readers that nature is not a freak show, but to show simply nature itself. At first this whole idea may seem a little cloudy and vague, but as you read on , one will start to understand what Quammen is really striving for. Quammen uses animals and plants as examples to show the very intricacies of nature and the natural world. One example that he uses that has helped my understanding of this idea was the black widow spider. Quammen tells us of his strong fear of spiders and he goes on telling us how the black widow is very poisonous and menacing, yet possesses an undeniable beauty. He also states the black widow as being dangerous but not malicious, and gorgeous or hideous depending upon how we see it. Quammen’s point is that no matter how you see the spider, it is still part of nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adding to this idea that nature and all of its ugliness and abnormalities is still in fact nature, Quammen goes on further by addressing the human attitude towards nature’s intricacies. By this, Quammen refers to the human attitude towards nature as a whole based solely upon his/her opinion of one organism. As textual evidence for this idea, the example of the spider can be used again. Most people associate the black widow as being venomous and deadly, and so they unfairly associate the same characteristics with harmless beneficial house and garden spiders as well. This attitude toward the spiders can also be applied to nature as a whole. Since humans posses this attitude towards nature, a lot of nature’s beauty is often overlooked.

Essay --

This paper takes a case analysis approach to considering the ethical and legal implications of the â€Å"right† to health care in contemporary America. The case scenario assumes that the government has enacted a new national health care policy. All citizens are guaranteed an annual income of $20,000 and the right to purchase (at an annual cost of $1,500) a comprehensive health insurance policy covering all routine medical and hospital costs. People who fail to purchase this insurance plan must pay cash for all health services. If non-insured individuals do not have the money to pay for services, the hospital and/or physician will deny treatment. This â€Å"comprehensive† insurance package is not without certain important limitations and exclusions. Notably, no coverage is provided for illness or disability arising directly from the individual’s own unhealthy behaviors (e.g., smoking, overeating, drinking, etc.). This paper examines the legal and ethical implications of this health care system (for individual patients, hospital administrators, health care providers, and the society at large) by looking at the situation facing two hypothetical patients. The first patient, â€Å"Mr. Puffer† purchased the $1,500 plan but finds that costs related to the treatment of his lung cancer are not covered (because Mr. Puffer is a long-time smoker). The second patient, â€Å"Mr. Spender† has failed to purchase the insurance plan and is now being denied admission and treatment for his acute appendicitis since he has neither insurance coverage nor the cash to pay for the treatment. Both Mr. Puffer and Mr. Spender contend that the hospital has violated their right to health care. Health Care as a â€Å"Moral Duty† versus a â€Å"Moral Right† The two patients’ claim... ...only solution to the dilemmas posed in this case is to completely re-design the health care system. It must have as its starting point a system of distributing health care benefits based on moral values, not marketplace values. A good beginning would be adherence to the moral principle that health care is (as both Mr. Puffer and Mr. Spender asserted) a basic right not a privilege based on income level or â€Å"good behavior.† If health care is indeed a right and not a privilege, an ethical system should provide for universal access to health care. Having established these basic guiding principles, the system designers would then have to grapple with the logistics of rationing existing health care resources (as necessarily limited by technology, funding, etc.) in a manner which takes into account principles of distributive justice and the underlying values of the society.

How to shear a sheep

As the time wore on, though, I became more and more worried about one bullet point- under â€Å"Items to Bring,† was listed â€Å"A body with the strength and willingness to learn to shear sheep. Willingness, I could handle, but I wasn't so sure about strength. Our classmates, whether farmers or not, would all be bigger and stronger than me- most people are, statistically speaking. Erin had been working out with hearing specifically in mind. I'd spent the three months since January Joking about needing to start, but, of course, never did. In the morning, when Erin and I walked up to the pre-class circle of would-be- shearers, our instructor was saying something about how, used to be, they advised you take the class only If you could bench-press 120 lbs.I assuaged my horrible sense of dread by thinking of when Emily learned to shear (never mind that she was 1 5 then, and I'm 23), thinking of everyone's encouraging tweets and emails, and swearing that, If I made It through with out serious embarrassment (cutting off an ear, very day (which, of course, has yet to happen). After a few shearing demonstrations and a rehearsal of the 5 positions of shearing, there really was nothing left to do but try it ourselves. â€Å"It's Just like learning to swim,† they told us, movie goat Jump in! â€Å".We all split up into groups of four, grabbed a sheep and a pair of clippers, and got to work. To begin with, you sit the sheep up in front of you- this is first position. Starting at the breastbone (we called it the brisket! ), start shearing off the belly wool. Since this is the wool that's dirtiest, it helps to go ahead and get it out of the way. It's important to shear wide enough to make sure that you're well-set-up for farther down the road. After you take off the belly wool, you lean over further and take the wool off the legs and crotch, sort of scooping the clippers up the right leg, across, and down the left leg.The big danger here is accidentally sheari ng off a ewe's teats, so you're supposed to cover them up with your left hand (â€Å"you sure won't shear ‘me off now! â€Å"). Emily helps me navigate a tricky spot. Once the belly, crotch, and legs are clean, you rotate about 90 degrees, change into second position, and start shearing her left hind leg (I'm using the feminine pronoun cause, well, most sheep are ewes). It's also in this second step that you clear the wool off from the tail area, and, since her head is easily accessible, shear off the topknot of fleece from the top of her head. I love how much Rein's smiling in this picture. Shearing is fun!After than, you swing your legs around your sheep and into third position. You're going to move your clippers up from the brisket along the neck, and end your stroke (or â€Å"blow,† as they're called) under the left side of her chin. This is, in my opinion, the most thrilling- I mean that in both senses- part of shearing. You're â€Å"unzipping† the elect a long the underside of the neck, and it definitely looks and feels the coolest, Because (obviously) the sheep is covered in wool, you can't tell where the wool ends and the sheep begins unless you have a very exact knowledge of her specific anatomy and musculature (more on this later).It's pretty terrifying to move a pair of clippers into the unknown- rather, unknown, except for the knowledge that, if you make a mistake, you could cut your sheep's neck pretty badly. If one end of the error spectrum are nicks and cuts, then the other end of the spectrum is second cuts, which are short pieces of fleece that weren't taken off with he first pass of the clippers. Second cuts cause all sorts of problems- if incorporated into yarn, they make it weaker, and cause it to pill more quickly- and so it's important to keep them to a minimum.In fact, our instructors told us that we must not be so afraid of cutting the sheep, because, otherwise, all we'd do is make second cuts. I wasn't so good at n ot being afraid (but, still, I nicked a few sheep). After you've opened up the fleece along the neck, you keep making parallel passes with your shears- up from the chest, along the left side of the neck, ending right under the eye; up the chest, along the neck, end under the ear.This is the part when it's easiest to take off an ear, so, Just like with the teats, you're supposed to find it, get hold of it, and make sure to keep it out of harm's way. Once the left side of the neck is clear, you start working on the left shoulder. Emily showed Erin and I a bit of weight-shifting footwork that helps get the sheep's shoulder in a better position to shear. The more you know about your sheep, the easier she'll be for you to shear- and since she's covered in wool, it can sometimes be hard to tell. If you know she's fat, it'll be, as Emily says, â€Å"Easy, like shearing a beach ball.If she's skinny, you're going to have to work a little harder to navigate around the bony hips, shoulders, a nd spinal processes. Does she have two teats, or are there four (ewes sometimes have an extra vestigial set) to watch out for? If she's a pinewood sheep with Merino heritage (hello, Corm), she's going to be covered in the wrinkles and extra skin that those breeds were bred to have (more skin = more hair follicles = more wool per sheep), and you're going to have to make sure not to nick those. If she's in good health, she should shear easily.If she's doing poorly, though, the lanolin (which usually melts a bit, and helps o lubricate the clippers) won't flow so freely, and instead stays thick, like wax, and gums up your clippers. I was continually amazed at the intimacy of it, and humbled by the amount of strength and knowledge required- I don't think Vive experienced anything like it in my every single inch of every single sheep, and then use that knowledge to navigate a potentially dangerous situation (those clippers are sharp), and end up with a valuable product (7 or 8 lbs of wool per sheep).That said, it's also hot, sweaty, greasy, difficult, dirty, exhausting, poppy, smelly, frustrating, and sometimes bloody. Dragging ourselves back to the hotel after the first day, I told Erin, â€Å"If anyone ever tells me shearing like a beautiful, graceful, athletic dance between the shearer and the sheep, I'm goanna punch ‘me in the face,† and there were plenty of Jokes about, â€Å"Any Job where your read end's goat be higher than your head- that's not a good Job! † So, back to business. Once the whole left side is clear, you slide the sheep down your shin and into fourth position.A big part of learning the positions is making sure the sheep is comfortable- the more comfortable she is, the less she'll struggle and fight, and the easier it is for he both of you. It's time for what's called the long blows, which are some of the easiest parts of shearing to learn (but hardest to master). They also look really cool. You move your clippers right across the body, tail to head. You keep making blows along the back, making sure to keep the comb of your clippers right along the curve of her back, until you're one blow past her spine.After that comes fifth position: swing your right leg around, pick up your sheep, and, holding her nose between your knees, start shearing down the right side- head, neck, and shoulder- rolling the sheep up towards you as you move down her body. Once you're past the shoulder, you start making diagonal passes down the right side- you're almost done! After making those diagonal passes down the sheep's right side, all there is left to do is clear off the right leg and hindquarter. See how Erin is using her left hand to put all her weight into the sheep's right flank?That serves two purposes- 1) it straightens out the right leg, so that it's easier to shear, and 2) it tightens up the skin, so that there's less risk of it getting caught in the clippers. Honestly, there's so much skin-tightening, head-holding, ear-grabbing, leg- threatening, and teat-saving done with the non-clipper-holding-hand, you might as well say that it did all the work! Nevertheless, both Erin and I had pretty sore right 1) vibrate and 2) are dripping with motor oil and lanolin. It's not easy. But, once you've cleaned off that last leg, you're done!Emily actually took videos of both Erin and me finishing our sheep- they're up on Faceable, if you'd like to see more. And so, here I am after my first-ever sheep, grinning like a goofball. She looks like a carpet after it's been vacuumed! But the Job's not over once the sheep's shorn! In their varying levels of wholeness- nagging from the gorgeous waterfalls of wool produced by some of the experienced shearers to the utterly destroyed scragglier produced by all of us beginners- the fleeces were taken to the skirting table and sorted.As someone who erred on the side of second cuts, I felt a little guilty! Erin and I came away from the weekend physically exhausted, but ot herwise wildly enthused about shearing- not only are we planning on tagging along with Emily when she's in Virginia next, but we're also thinking of going up to Maryland for the wool pool (can you imagine seeing a whole state worth of wool, all in one place!? ), and e definitely want to go to Maryland Sheep & Wool, too (anyone have a couch or a spare bedroom for us? ).