Human sexuality Essay Example for Free

Human sexuality Essay She was barely eight years old when together with seven of her age mates ,she was handed over to a traditional circumciser who took them through the painful process of FGM. it has been many years since ,and she has accomplished so much in life, but the incident remains fresh in her mind. The old woman who took them through the process was going blind, she says, and three of the eight who underwent the procedure died due to excessive bleeding. One of them was her very close friend. Luckily for her, the bleeding was not too much and she had a savior at hand. Her father, who was a policeman, took her to a hospital in Garissa using a police land rover. This was the traumatizing experience that nominated Member of Parliament, Sophia Abdi Noor went through when her mother blessed her to undergo the rite of passage that would cleanse her and make her acceptable for marriage according to tradition. Never before in history of the august house had a member used her own life experience to move debate as Ms.  Sophia did when supporting the bill to outlaw female genital mutilation. Female genital mutilation is the term used for operations or removal of all or just part of the external parts of female genitilia. This practice has for a long time come under increasingly intense international scrutiny from the news media, feminist and human rights organizations. The main reasons for continuation of FGM are firstly, as a rite of passage from girlhood to womanhood; a circumcised woman is considered mature, obedient and aware of her role in the family and society. Secondly, FGM is perpetuated as a means of reducing sexual desire of girls and women, thereby curbing sexual activity before and ensuring fidelity within marriage. Although opposition to female ‘circumcision’ has been articulated throughout the twentieth century, starting with missionaries and colonial administrators, the current resurgence of indignation was ignited in part by activists at conferences honoring the United Nations Decade for women(1975-1985). (Shell-Duncan. B,Hernland-Y;pg 23) The practice of circumcising women has very deep roots that touch all aspects of the cultures that continue to inflict it upon their girls. However,it still remains to be a practice that violates the human rights of affected women in a moral and ethical sense because it generates psychological torture, low self-esteem, tampers with a woman’s sexuality and is a health hazard. Psychological torture The pain inflicted by F. G. M does not stop with the initial procedure, but often continues as an ongoing torture throughout a woman’s life. Intense pain and hemorrhage experienced during the procedure can lead to shock. A 1985 Kenyan study found that nearly 97% of the 269 women interviewed experienced intense pain during and after F. G.  M and more than 13% went into shock. According to WHO, It is self-evident that any form of surgical interference in the highly sensitive genital organs constitutes a serious threat to the woman, and that the painful operation is a source of major physical as well as psychological trauma. The extent and nature of the immediate and long-term mental disturbances will depend on the girl’s inner defences, the prevailing psychological environment, and a host of other factors. The family no doubt does its best to mitigate the painful effects of the operation; nonetheless, they necessarily undergo overwhelming experiences. Even before the operation, the threat of ‘cutting’ and fear provoking situation may disturb the mental state of the child to the degree that it causes worry, anxiety, sleeplessness, nightmares or panic. As anticipating precautions against these anxieties the family commonly uses various forms of traditional magi co-religious practice such as fumigation, or the wearing of amulets. On a religious perspective, the scripture prescribes that special efforts be made to care for those who are most vulnerable. (Deut 10:17-19,Ps 82:3,4; Ps24:11,12;Luke 1:52-54) Jesus taught that children should be loved and protected. Therefore,the genital mutilation of young girls violates the biblical mandate to safeguard children and protect them from harm and abuse Tampers with a woman’s sexuality. Sexual intercourse can only take place after opening the infibulation, through surgery or penetrative sexual intercourse. Consequently, intercourse is frequently painful during the first weeks after initiation. Although it is difficult to verify reports or women’s sexual experiences, physical complications from FGM often impede sexual enjoyment. FGM destroys much or all of the vulva nerve endings, delaying arousal or impairing orgasm. Lacerations loss of skin elasticity, or development of neuron (a tumor or mass growing from a nerve) can lead to painful intercourse. In a 1993 Kenyan study, 5% of women interviewed experienced painful intercourse while 9. 3% of them reported having difficult or impossible penetration, and that many of the married ones only accepted it only as a duty. Scripture celebrates the divinely ordained gift of sexual intimacy within marriage (Eccl9. 9;Prov 5:18,19). The practice of female genital mutilation should be renounced because it threatens the creator’s design for the experience of joyful sexuality by married couples. For married couples, the gift of sexual union may be further blessed by the birth of children (Prov 31:28). The fact that successful childbirth is threatened by FGM is additional grounds for opposition to this practice. Health hazard. In October 1994, as a response to the call to Global Action,UNICEF issued an executive directive declaring that FGM is a health hazard to children and violation of their human rights. FGM in any form should not be practiced by health professionals in any setting including hospitals or other health establishments. Unnecessary oddly mutilation cannot be condoned by health providers. FGM is harmful to the health of women and girls and violates their basic human rights and medicalization of the procedure does not eliminate this harm. On the contrary, it reinforces the continuation of the practice by seeming to legitimize it. Health practitioners should provide all necessary care and counseling for complications that may arise as a result. Group circumcision, where the same unsterilized instrument is used on several girls at a time, repeat cutting and stitching increases risk of HIV infection. The Bible presents the goodness of God’s creation, including the creation of human beings (Gen 1:31; Ps 139:13, 14). God is the source and sustainer of human life (Job 33:4; john 1:3, 4). He calls for preservation of human life and holds humanity accountable for its destruction(Gen 9:5,6;Ex20:13,Jer 7:3-34). The human body is the â€Å"the temple of the Holy Spirit,† and followers of God are urged to care for and preserve their bodies, including the Creator’s gift of sexuality, as a spiritual responsibility (1cor6:15-19). Because FGM is harmful to health, threatening to life, and injurious to sexual function, it is incompatible with the will of God. Having discussed the side effects that FGM pauses to victims, various communities have come up with measures to fight this procedure, an alternative rite of passage in the abandonment of FGM is used. It involves a four-step procedure Preparation Seminars for both parents and initiates are encouraged. The topics will include side effects of female circumcision, and get prepared to attend a residential seminar to elaborate on what the alternative procedure entails. Actual Circumcision In the alternative Rite of passage, actual circumcision should be stopped since we have learnt that it is not necessary to make a woman an adult nor mature. The side effects of F. C both short and long terms are to be avoided if actual circumcision is not performed. Parents can select a teacher and trainer, for their daughter who will accompany her to the residential centre for an alternative rite of passage seminar. Seclusion. For this the girls will attend a residential seminar for one week away from home. The initiate will be accompanied with their teacher and trainer. Women both circumcised and un circumcised from the community will facilitate during the seminar. Additional topics-AIDS, STI’s, simple hygiene and great women in the Bible, in community and in Kenya. Rites and rituals will be optional. Girls of circumcision age are between six and twelve years old. For the purpose of effective learning, the girls will be divided into two groups; girls between six and nine, ten and twelve. Graduation Graduation is expected to be brief and colourful. Songs, drama, plays and poems will be encouraged. Parents, community leaders, politicians and government officials will be invited to attend to witness the graduation of whole girls. Certificates of graduation will be awarded and prayers, blessings conducted. Exchange of gifts for newly graduated girls will be carried out and finally the graduates will be handed over to the community,chief,church elders and clan elders. Since it’s an annual event, committees are to b e established to plan for the following year.

Study of existing Reverse Logistics framework Retail industry

Study of existing Reverse Logistics framework Retail industry Abstract: Reverse Logistics is a very complex and specialized area of any supply chain and it involves handling individual incoming parcels, opening and inspecting products, communicating with internal departments, customers and vendors and then directing products into disposition channels which will provide the highest value. Efficient Reverse Logistics system can transform an increasingly costly and complex returns management process into a competitive advantage. Integration of reverse logistics in specific retail sectors is critical for sustainability. The aim of this project work is to identify and examine the reverse logistics management in the retail industry in order to understand the existing application of reverse logistics and then propose relevant recommendations to improve efficiency in reverse logistics management. After critical analysis of the existing reverse logistics management in the selected retail sectors, potential ways to improve the efficiency of reverse logistics activ ities would be recommended in the selected retail sectors. Chapter 1: Introduction Twenty-years ago, supply chains were busy fine-tuning the logistics of products from raw material to the end customer. Products are obviously still streaming in the direction of the end customer but an increasing flow of products is coming back. This is happening for a whole range of industries, covering electronic goods, pharmaceuticals, beverages and so on. For instance distant sellers like e-tailers have to handle high return rates and many times at no cost for the customer. It is not surprising that the Reverse Logistics Executive Council has announced that US firms have been losing billions of dollars on account of being ill-prepared to deal with reverse flows (Rogers and Tibben-Lembke, 1999). While some actors in the chain have been forced to take products back, others have pro-actively done so, attracted by the value in used products. One way or the other, Reverse Logistics has become a key competence in modern supply chains. Many companies that, previously, did not devote muc h time or energy to the management and understanding of reverse logistics have begun to pay attention. Definition of reverse logistics In 1998 Stock defined reverse logistics as the role of logistics in product returns, source reduction, recycling, materials substitution, reuse of materials, waste disposal and refurbishing, repair, and remanufacturing (1998, p. 20). In a 1998 paper in the Journal of Business Logistics Carter and Ellram adopted a similar definition, calling it the process whereby companies can become more environmentally efficient through recycling, reusing, and reducing the amount of materials used (p. 85). If the focus of logistics is the movement of material from the point of origin toward the point of consumption (Council of Logistics Management 1999), then the focus of reverse logistics should be the movement of material from the point of consumption toward the point of origin. Rogers and Tibben-Lembke in their 1999 article emphasized a clear definition of reverse logistics drawn in essence from the Council of Logistics Managements definition given as follows, The process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost effective flow of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods, and related information from the point of consumption to the point of origin for the purpose of recapturing or creating value or proper disposal (Rogers and Tibben-Lembke 1999, p. 2) This dissertation focuses on the reverse logistics activities in the retail industry with an analysis framework concerning the cost-benefit, visibility-information flow and efficiency. A reverse logistics flow is more reactive with much less visibility. The figure 1 depicts a typical reverse logistics information flow for the retail channel. For instance, when a consumer returns an item to a retail store, the store collects he items to be sent to a centralized sorting facility. At the time, information about the item and its condition may be entered into retailers information system and forwarded to the processing centre. Figure Reverse logistics in Retail: an epitome of information flow Delineation of reverse logistics definition Since Reverse Logistics is a relatively new research and empirical area, there are other literature terms, like reversed logistics, return logistics and retro logistics or reverse distribution, sometimes referring roughly to the same. In fact, the diversity of definitions with respect to recovery practices is a well-recognized source of misunderstandings both in research as in practice (Melissen and De Ron, 1999) In this dissertation I would like to remark that Reverse Logistics is different from waste management as the latter mainly refers to collecting and processing waste (products for which there is no new use) efficiently and effectively. The crux in this matter is the definition of waste. This is a major issue, as the term has severe legal consequences, for instance, it is often forbidden to import waste. Reverse Logistics concentrates on those streams where there is some value to be recovered and the outcome enters a (new) supply chain. Reverse Logistics also differs from green logistics as that considers environmental aspects to all logistics activities and it has been focused specifically on forward logistic, i.e. from producer to customer (Rodrigue et al., 2001). The prominent environmental issues in logistics are consumption of non-renewable natural resources, air emissions, congestion and road usage, noise pollution, and both hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal (see Camm, 2 001). Finally, reverse logistics can be seen as part of sustainable development. The latter has been defined by Brundland (1998) in a report to the European Union as to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In fact one could regard reverse logistics as the implementation at the company level by making sure that society uses and re-uses both efficiently and effectively all the value which has been put into the products. The border between forward logistics (from raw materials to end user) and reverse logistics (from end user to recovery or to a new user) is not strictly defined as one can wonder about what raw materials are, or who the end user is, in modern supply chains. For instance, used/recovered glass is a substantial input for new production of glass. A holistic view on supply chains combining both forward and reverse logistics is embraced by the closed-loop supply chain concept (Guide and van Wassenhove, 2003). Recovery practices are framed within the supply chain, and the encircling aspect of the process as a whole is therefore stressed: having either 1) a physical (closed-loop): to the original user (see Fleischmann et al., 1997); or 2) a functional (closed-loop): to the original functionality. Thinking in term of closed-loop supply chains emphasizes the importance of coordinating the forward with the reverse streams. Actually, whenever both forward and reverse flows are involved, co-ordin ation has to be minded (see Debo et al., 2003). This happens, either in closed- or open-loops (the latter refers to when neither the original user nor original functionality are in the reverse logistics process). Aim and objectives of the project Reverse Logistics is a very complex and specialized area of any supply chain and it involves handling individual incoming parcels, opening and inspecting products, communicating with internal departments, customers and vendors and then directing products into disposition channels which will provide the highest value. Efficient Reverse Logistics system can transform an increasingly costly and complex returns management process into a competitive advantage. Integration of reverse logistics in specific retail sectors is critical for sustainability. The aim of this project work is to identify and examine the reverse logistics management in the retail industry in order to understand the existing application of reverse logistics and then propose relevant recommendations to improve efficiency in reverse logistics management. In order to achieve this objective the project work would involve Identifying the key retail sectors in which reverse logistics has and will have potential importance Examine the various reverse logistics activities in the selected retail sectors Analyze the effectiveness of reverse logistics management from the perspective of efficiency, profitability and environmental aspects Propose recommendations to improve the efficiency of reverse logistics management Report organization The dissertation consists of five main chapters which is organized as follows Chapter 1 introduces the research topics as well as the main objective of this study. Moreover, this chapter provides some of the background information about reverse logistics. It also provides a brief detail of the research methodology and the organization of the dissertation. Chapter 2 provides the basic knowledge of reverse logistics process together with key success factors and barriers of effective reverse logistics management are introduced. The previous papers are discussed in the literature review section. Chapter 3 discusses the information about research design and data collection method. The section elucidates the research approach and the relevant frameworks to be included in the research conduct. This section discusses about the methodology of how the reverse logistics management is analyzed to address the research questions. Chapter 4 discusses the analysis related to the reverse logistics trends and the effectiveness of reverse logistics management from the holistic perspective of cost, efficiency and environmental aspects. The key drivers and persistent barriers for reverse logistics management for the selected retail companies are discussed. Lastly, chapter 5 concludes the result of the finding and the analysis. The recommendation and the discussion about the future research are discussed. Chapter 2: Literature review Background Retailers constantly focus on strategies to gain competitive advantage and to improve financial performance. In doing so, emphasis is more frequently being placed on logistics, including tactical initiatives such as automatic replenishment programs, real-time information sharing, and advanced demand management techniques designed to improve internal efficiencies (Li 2002; Daugherty, Myers, Autry 1998; Seideman 2002).However, retailers also compete on the basis of effectiveness, striving for increased customer satisfaction. One competitive tactic used to enhance customer satisfaction includes the implementation of liberalized product returns policies. By taking a more consumer friendly approach in their return policies, retailers communicate a higher level of service to patrons, and thereby increase customer satisfaction with ultimate goals of higher sales and profitability (Coopersmith 1990; Krapfel 1988). As a result of return policy liberalization, acceptance of product returns is now commonplace; returns are reported to be as high as 10-15 percent of sales in some retail industries (Rogers Tibben-Lembke 1999), and are thought to be even higher in catalog and internet retailing, with typical return rates of up to 40 percent (Rogers, Lambert, Croxton, Garcia-Dastague 2002). However, the acceptance of returns places stress on the retailers logistics function. Whereas typical logistics activities are engineered to optimize flows from producer to consumer, reverse logistics activities move product, information, and currency in the opposite direction. While significant efforts have been expended in streamlining and optimizing retail logistics activities, the accomplishments associated with these activities do not always directly apply to the reverse logistics process. The forward movement of goods through the supply chain generally results in large receipts of goods at clearly defined in tervals (such as when inventory levels reach critical safety levels, or at pre-specified and scheduled times), with the ultimate sale executed in smaller quantities to end-users. On the other hand, reversed supply chain flows are less predictable, occurring at various times and for various reasons, and thus, the costs of returns handling can be high (Rogers et al. 2002; Stock 1998). One area of concern related to reverse logistics that has been largely ignored by academic research and practicing retailers is the financial implications of reverse logistics activities, especially as related to firm liquidity. When products reverse directions in a supply chain, it can happen quickly and without notice. While effective reverse logistics activities generally result in value reclamation and increased cash inflows, there can be periods where significant unexpected cash outflows occur. This is often due to the time lag between the moment the firm recovers the value from the returned product and the assumption of costs incurred in the reverse logistics process. Therefore, financial management of the reverse logistics process becomes salient, and needs to be a retailer focus on an ongoing basis. Reverse logistics process: A typical reverse chain process is shown in Figure 2. But a distinction should be made between different categories of returns: Commercial Returns Returns for which there is an immediate demand at another market location or segment. Possible causes: customer dissatisfaction, catalogue sales, overstocks etc. Commercial returns occur in the sales phase or shortly after. Repairable Returns Defects and suspect components (modules/parts) from field (exchange) repair activities or products under warranty. Customer is entitled to a replacement product. End-of-use Returns Returned products/components which are not of longer use to the original owner, but for which new customers can be found. Reasons: end-of-season, end-of-lease, trade-in, product replacements etc. End-of-life Returns Items of no remaining use, which are processed due to contractual or legislative obligations. These returns are often collected and processed according to legislative obligations. Recalls Products recalled by the manufacturer due to a condition or defect that could affect its safe operation. Work on a recall is completed at no cost to the product owner. Other types of returns, such as refillable units and reusable carriers, are not included in this study. Figure Reverse logistics process Returned goods often go through the following activities depending on the return type: Product Acquisition Retrieval of the product back from the market. The timing, quantity, quality and composition of returned product need to be managed in close cooperation with other supply chain parties. Collection Logistical activities (such as transportation, consolidation, transhipment and storage) to obtain the products back from the market and transport them to facilities involved in the other stages. Sorting, Testing Disposition The classification (according to quality and composition) of returns and determination stage of the route the product will take in the reverse chain. Market and strategic conditions are taken into account in the disposition decision. Recovery The process of recovering value from the returned product by re-use, repair, refurbishment, recycling or other types of recovery. Redistribution Sales Basically, no value recovery has materialised until the recovered products, component or materials are brought back into a forward supply chain. Review of Past research works: Financial aspects of RL: Raimer (1997) indicated that returns are, and always have been, a fundamental part of retailing. His estimate was that reverse logistics account for between 5 and 6% of total logistics costs in the retail and manufacturing sectors. Daugherty et al. (2001), in a survey of US catalogue companies, reported reverse logistics costs on average to be 9.49% of total logistics costs. Rogers and Tibben-Lembke (1998) identified returns for different industries, with figures being recorded of 50% (magazine publishing), 20-30% (book publishers), 18-35% (catalogue retailers) and 10-12% (electronic distributors). Returns of merchandise bought over the Internet are expected to escalate as online sales grow. Consequently, companies in many sectors are facing a change of customer interface possibilities and subsequent supply chain dynamics (Rowley 2000). Returns are high because customers purchase online items on trial until they can handle them physically. Moreover, in mail order, especially ladies f ashion, return rates of 60% are common (Wheatley 2002). Given this level of returns, it is important to recognise that reverse logistics can have a significant bottom line impact on a company, and the ability to address opportunities may depend ultimately on management perceptions of reverse logistics (Stock 1998, Mason 2002). Autry (2005) argued that managers need to realise that effective handling of reverse logistics transactions can result in economic and strategic benefits. In practice, some companies seem to ignore the significance of reverse logistics to their supply chain, some companies have gradually recognized its importance, whilst others review reverse logistics as a strategic variable. It has been suggested that innovator firms that develop an expertise in reverse logistics activities and recognize them as a set of business processes that add value can potentially generate revenue, improve customer satisfaction, achieve significant cost savings and deliver a competitive edge in their various markets (Stock 1998, Carter and E llram 1998). Given such potential benefits from developing reverse logistics processes, it is important to recognize the existence of barriers that may hinder the implementation of reverse logistics processes. Ravi and Shankar (2005), in a study of the automobile industry, identified 11 barriers to the application of reverse logistics. These include resistance to change, lack of appropriate performance measures, lack of training related to reverse logistics, lack of commitment by top management and lack of strategic planning. Dowlatshahi, S. (2008) in his cost-benefit analysis for reverse logistics management considered and analysed the relevant literature in RL and identified the present state of theory in RL regarding cost-benefit. The research methodology used is exploratory case study approach. The cost-benefit is analysed and evaluated in terms of specific sub-factors associated with it by use of two in-depth case studies. Two companies from different industries engaged in RL operations are considered. The analysis of these case studies resulted in propositions and insights regarding RL operations. Based on these insights, the cost-benefit sub-factors, propositions, and a framework for effective design and implementation of RL operations are provided. This framework determines the appropriate sub-factors and how the return process of products/parts with respect to cost-benefit works. In conclusion, the managerial implications and future research directions were provided. There are several parties involved in the management of the reverse logistics process and the way in which such interfaces are managed is crucial in both environmental and economic terms. As returns management becomes increasingly recognised as an area of supply chain importance, retailers are either developing in-house capabilities or outsourcing the operation to third-party logistics (3PL) providers (Krumwiede and Sheu 2002, Meade and Sarkis 2002, Hughes 2003). These supply chain interfaces occur in a number of different ways. For example, interfaces occur between retailers and manufacturers, between retailers and 3PLs and between end customers and retailers. There are many tensions occurring between these different players in the process. Currently, some companies prefer to build a separate infrastructure in order to facilitate the operation of the reverse logistics process. Other companies want to optimize the utility of their physical network by combining the reverse operation w ith the forward operation. In addition, centralized returns are a related possibility when companies are considering the construction of their physical network. Environmental aspects of RL: Environmentally friendly practices and the need to maintain sustainable development are important aspects in the debate surrounding reverse logistics. By not embracing sustainability, organizations face consequences in terms of increased economic and social liability (Savits 2002). Sustainable development embraces the triple bottom line philosophy of not compromising the future needs of society, the economy and the environment. In many reports on corporate social responsibility, sustainable transport is a significant feature with attempts to cut harmful emissions whilst maintaining economic operations. A driving force behind the search for improvements in sustainable distribution was the document published by the Department of Transport (1998) entitled A new deal for transport: better for everyone. Efficient integration of forward and reverse logistics has a significant part to play in this process. In this drive for sustainable distribution, it is important to recognize that account ing has a role to play. Mention has already been made of Corporate Social Responsibility Reports. There is a danger that traditional models of accounting and finance are actively supporting and encouraging unsustainable organizations and institutions (Gray 2002). Accountants need to be engaged in debates about environmental strategy, the institutional framework (government incentives) needs to support environmentally sound behaviour, and the change agents (such as environmental accounting) need to be embedded within the organization (Larrinaga-Gonzalez and Bebbington 2001). Reverse logistics management: Many tools exist to support the management of the reverse logistics process. The literature identifies mathematical models to support supply and transportation decisions (Du and Hall 1997). Also, the management of inventory can be supported through a range of mathematical models and enterprise resource planning (ERP) information systems (Boykin 2001, Teunter 2002). Hu et al. (2002) put forward a cost-minimisation model for minimising the total operating costs of a multi-time-step, multi-type hazardous waste reverse logistics system. Keeping with the theme of green supply chain management, Sheu et al. (2005) presented an integrated logistics operational model to co-ordinate the cross-functional product logistic flows and used-product reverse logistics flows in a green supply chain. Information communication technology (ICT) plays a significantly growing role in supporting reverse logistics operations and Daugherty et al. (2005) called for resources to be focused on developing informat ion technology. In recent years there have been a number of developments and improvements in dedicated reverse logistics software (De Brito et al. 2002). Developments in satellite tracking systems have also enabled vehicles to navigate better their way through congestion and to monitor and improve fuel consumption. The continuing development of ICT offers opportunities for significant economic and environmental benefits in the reverse logistics process. Drivers of reverse logistics: There are a number of drivers of reverse logistics and many of these actually occur as a result of product and service decisions taken at the design and planning stage of product and service provision. Interestingly, Sciarrotta (2003) illustrates how Philips Consumer Electronics place great emphasis on trying to prevent returns rather than dealing with them later. In the retail sector, however, strategic decisions concerning on-shelf availability together with a liberal returns policy amongst retailers are significant factors in the level of returns. Legislative factors (e.g. WEEE Directive to be implemented June 2006) are also becoming increasingly important, with new legislation focusing on the need to dispose of and recycle products in an environmentally friendly manner. In summary, the literature review has provided an overview of the issues that need to be considered when reflecting upon the management of reverse logistics processes. The significance of reverse logistics processes, in terms of both bottom line performance and environmental impact, has been highlighted in the literature. Also, the need to recognise the drivers of reverse logistics is highlighted together with the requirement to manage the interfaces between different members of the supply chain. Finally, the literature has identified numerous tools that can be used to support the reverse logistics process, and opened up the possibilities for using accounting information in this context to facilitate improved economic performance, supply chain efficiency and sustainability. Determinants of reverse logistics (Ravi et.al, 2005) Economic factors both directly and indirectly (de Brito Dekker, 2003), legislation (de Brito Dekker, 2003), corporate citizenship (de Brito Dekker, 2003; Rogers Tibben-Lembke, 1998) and environmental and green issues (Rogers Tibben-Lembke, 1998) are the four determinants of reverse logistics taken into account in this research. These are briefly described below. Economic factors Economics is seen as the driving force to reverse logistics relating to all the recovery options, where the company receives both direct as well as indirect economic benefits. It is seen that companies continually strive for achieving cost savings in their production processes. If a firm does reverse logistics well, it will make money (Stock, 1998). The recovery of the products for remanufacturing, repair, reconfiguration, and recycling can lead to profitable business opportunities (Andel, 1997). Reverse logistics is now perceived by the organizations as an investment recovery as opposed to simply minimizing the cost of waste management (Saccomano, 1997). A reverse logistics program can bring cost benefits to the companies by emphasizing on resource reduction, adding value from the recovery of products or from reducing the disposal costs. Guide and Wassenhove (2003) give an example of the US firm named ReCellular, which by refurbishing the cell phones, had gained economic advantage. Thus, the economic drivers of reverse logistics lead to direct gains in input materials, cost reduction, value added recovery and also in indirect gains by impeding legislation, market protection by companies, green image for companies and for improvement in customer/supplier relations. Legislation Another important driver for the reverse logistics is legislation. Legislation refers to any jurisdiction that makes it mandatory for the companies to recover its products or accept these back after the end of life of the product. These may include collection and reuse of products at the end of the product life cycle, shift waste management costs to producers, reduce volume of waste generated, and the use of increased recycled materials. For example, the Waste Electrical Electronics Equipment directive encourages a set of criteria for collection, treatment and recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipment and makes producers responsible for financing these activities (WEEE, 2003). There has also been a restriction on the use of hazardous substances in the production processes, which facilitates the dismantling, and recycling of waste electronics. A reverse logistics decision for the EOL computers should ensure that the end-of-life products are retired in a way that is compli ant with existing legislation. Corporate citizenship Another driver for the reverse logistics is the corporate citizenship that concerns a set of values or principles that impels a company or an organization to become responsibly engaged with reverse logistics activities. Reverse logistics activities can lead to increase of corporate image (Carter Ellram, 1998). A good example in this context would be of Paul Farrow, the founder of Walden Paddlers, Inc., whose concern of the velocity at which consumer products travel through the market to the landfill, pushed him to an innovative project of a 100-percent-recyclable kayak (Farrow, Johnson, Larson, 2000). In 1996, Hanna Andersson, a million direct retailer of infants and toddlers clothes developed a program called Hannadowns in which they distributed the childrens gently worn returned clothes to schools, homeless shelters, and other charities (Spence, 1998). Nike, the shoe manufacturer encourages consumers to bring their used shoes to the store where they had purchased them after their usage. They ship these back to Nike plant where these are shredded and made into basketball courts and running tracks. Nike also donates the material to the basketball courts and donates fund for building and maintaining these courts, thus enhancing the value of brand (Rogers Tibben-Lembke, 1998). It is seen from the last two examples that few firms are acting as good corporate citizens by contributing to the good of the community and assisting the people who are probably less fortunate than their typical customers. Environment and green issues Concern for the environment and green issues is also one of the drivers of reverse logistics. The reverse logistics lead to benefits of environment (Byrne Deeb, 1993; Carter Ellram, 1998; Wu Dunn, 1995). Hart (1997) proposes that the principle of the ecological footprint indicates the relevance of greening initiatives for countries. Reverse logistics has led to competitive advantage to companies which proactively incorporate environmental goals into their business practices and strategic plans (Newman Hanna, 1996). Managers are giving increasing importance to the environmental issues (McIntyre, Smith, Henham, Pretlove, 1998). The environmental management has gained increasing interest in the field of supply chain management. Handfield and Nichols (1999) mention greening as a critical future avenue in this area. Murphy, Poist, and Braunschweig (1995) have found that 60% in a group of 133 managers surveyed considered the issue of the environment to be a very important factor and 8 2% of them expected that the importance would increase in the years to come. A green image of producing environmentally friendly products has become an important marketing element, which has stimulated a number of companies to explore options for take-back and recovery of their products (Thierry, 1997). A reverse logistics operations for EOL computers should ensure that the environmental and green issues are taken into account. Summary of literature review: This brief overview of the literature provides a framework for addressing the research questions identified in the study. The literature covers the definition of reverse logistics, the scale of the problem, the bottom line impact and potential barriers, the drivers of reverse logistics, supply chain interfaces, methods suggested in improving the reverse logistics process management and importance of sustainability issues. Chapter 3 Methodology: Research objective: The aim of this project work is to identify and examine the reverse logistics management in the retail industry in order to understand the existing application of reverse logistics and then propose relevant recommendations to improve efficiency

Sanitation and Medicine Changes in the Nineteenth Century :: Essays Papers

Sanitation and Medicine Changes in the Nineteenth Century The revolution in sanitation and medicine in the nineteenth century was a huge step forward in the public health movement. It brought about a major shift in the ideas of how individuals fell ill with a particular disease. While people used to think that diseases were sent by gods, they came to realize that illnesses were the result of germs, and could be controlled. There were new ideas about disease, and new discoveries in medicine and surgery that were a benefit to all people. What resulted was a much healthier population overall, from the working class to the upper class. Society used to think that people got sick because of religious reasons. They thought that people would become ill because they had somehow displeased the gods that ruled the earth. In order to restore health, people brought offerings to temples and prayed to the gods. Any "medical" procedures, or procedures that society later considered to be medical, were done not by any rational means, but done because they were parts of superstitious rituals. For example, when a person got a massage, or underwent bloodletting, a spell was said while the procedure was taking place, and the spell was what was considered to be the most essential part, and able to restore the person’s health (Sigerist, pg.132). Although the practice of healing through rituals took place much earlier in history (it began in ancient times), most of society still had not caught on to the idea that dirt and health were related by the beginning of the nineteenth century, and they certainly had not thought of germs yet. People bathed once a week, at most. If skin was covered by an article of clothing, there was no reason for it to be clean. Of this view, Henry E. Sigerist writes, "A woman’s leg clad in silk was attractive, even if it was filthy underneath," (pg. 26). In addition, doctors and other early health professionals had not yet come to realize that their clothes could be a transport for germs from one patient to another. Ann F. la Berge, who wrote about the public health movement in France, pointed out that society, once it began to figure out how germs could be spread, failed to realize that germs could simply be airborne, causing anyone to get sick.

Book Review of Fiddling for Norway: Revival and Identity, by Chris Goer

Missing Figures Book Review of Fiddling for Norway: Revival and Identity, by Chris Goertzen. After extensive field research in Norway, Chris Goertzen explores and sorts a folk genre, which by nature resists tidy taxonomy. Fiddling for Norway: Revival and Identity is a successful ethnographic documentation of a musical tradition that is learned primarily by insiders through oral/aural channels and by customary example. Implicitly he asks: how can a book culture audience understand a tradition that does not depend on notation for maintenance or transmission? Likewise, how might we classify a collection of such music? He begins by describing in detail how the revival of Norwegian fiddling took place in the later nineteenth century and what its dimensions and scope have been up to the present. Goertzen’s field methods include participant-observation of local and national fiddle contests in Norway, starting with a year-long stay, while teaching at the University of Trondheim in 1988-1989. He attended the District Fiddle Contest in 1988, the largest national fiddle contest for the normal fiddle, in Rà ¸ros. There he was able to hear and record players from around the country play two contrasting tunes each, which gave Goertzen a large collection to consider. He later returned to Norway during the summers of 1991 and 1993 and conducted interviews, made more field recordings, and mined the largest archive of music for the fiddle, Rà ¥det for Folkemusikk og Folkdans (the Council for Folk Music and Folk Dance), at the University of Trondheim for past interviews and field collections. Goertzen points out that the archival holdings privilege the oldest of musicians and repertories, indicating a belief of Norwegian scholars that â€Å"the pres... ...luable book with appeal for ethnomusicologists, scholars of Scandinavian and European culture, historians, and lay audiences. As Goertzen says, these fiddlers, their large repertoires, and the holdings in archives comprise a diachronic living museum of enormous size. Chris Goertzen has done the English-reading public a great service by producing such a splendid study of this lively folk institution. Works Cited Cowdery, James R. 1990. The Melodic Tradition of Ireland. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press. Geertz, Clifford. 1988. Works and Lives: The Anthropologist as Author, pp. 1-24. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Fiddling for Norway: Revival and Identity, by Chris Goertzen. University of Chicago Press, 1997. ISBN 0-226-30049-8 (cloth), 0-226-30050-1 (paper), notation, bibliography, index, 16 figures, 17 plates, xv, 347 pp. Cloth $57, paper $22.50

1968 :: American America History

1968 "An Indignant Generation." With all its disruptions and rage, the idea of black revolution was something many white Americans could at least comprehend, if not agree with. When rebellion seized their own children, however they were almost completely at a loss. A product of the posts war "Baby Boom," nurtured in affluence and concentrated in increasing numbers on college and university campuses. It was a generation marked by an unusual degree of political awareness and cultural alienation. Some shared with the beat writers and poets of the late fifties, a deep disillusionment with this status quo, a restless yearning for something more than a "realistic" conformity. Others had been aroused by the southern sit-in movement, "The first hint," wore a contemporary, "That there was a world beyond the campus that demanded some kind of personal response. "Not so much ideological as moral, in Jessica Mitford's words, "An Indignant Generation." Although an image of arrogance, even ruthlessness, had followed him from his early days as counsel to a Senate committee investigating labor racketeering, Robert Kennedy had shown a remarkable capacity to understand the suffering of others. More than this, he had demonstrated an untiring commitment to the welfare of those who had gotten little more than the crumbs of the Great American Banquet. In fact, Kennedy Appealed most strongly to precisely those groups most disaffected with American society in nineteen sixty-eight, they believed in him with a passion unmatched for any other national political figure, in part for what he had done, but also for the kind of man he was. The collapse of communications made it impossible to determine the fate of the pacification program, but most assessments were pessimistic. When the communists launched their attacks, the government pulled nearly half of the five hundred and fifty revolutionary development teams out of the hamlets to help defend the cities, along with eighteen of the fifty-one army battalions assigned to protect the pacification teams. In so doing, Saigon abandoned the countryside and dealt the pacification program what many felt was a considerable setback. "There always was a semi vacuum in the countryside," said one United States pacification worker. "Now there's a complete vacuum." By the end of the February, orders have gone out for pacification teams and some troops to return to the hamlets, but progress was slow. Although ninety-five percent of the five thousand RD workers in the Saigon

How College Students Use Wikipedia for Course-Related Essay

Why then are academics so wary about the use of Wikipedia within universities? There are a number of related reasons. Before outlining them we should acknowledge that there may be differences according to academic discipline in attitudes towards Wikipedia. Speaking to academics from the natural and medical sciences over the last year, it seems that those subjects are less concerned with issues of originality of source than the arts and social sciences. It also may be [pic] and this is genuine speculation [pic] that academics in the English speaking world, where most of the academic controversy over Wikipedia use has been, are more sensitive to the source than in other parts of the world. These qualifications aside, there are definite reasons why Wikipedia use is, at the very least, contentious in universities. First, it is the product of anonymous individuals rather than known authorities, Wales is quite explicit on this: One of the fastest things we’re beginning to lose is the view of the world that there are a handful of thoughtful, intelligent people that should be broadcasting their views to everyone. And then the public is some sort of crazed rabble, easily swayed by rhetoric and so forth. Now we have to have a more nuanced understanding. Wikipedia is not necessarily anti-academic but it is anti-elitist as evidenced by the short shrift given to eminent academics in debates when they expected deference (see Keen 2007, 43[pic]4). Second, the non-proprietary nature of Wikipedia cuts against academic culture which valorises the rights of the author and publisher. Third, the anonymity of Wikipedia articles is alien to the cache of the named writer of the journal article or book. Fourth, the collaborative process challenges the norm of individual creation, prevalent in the arts and social sciences. Fifth, as intimated, Wikipedia departs from the standard mode of vetting by peer review. It is not true that articles are not reviewed. On the contrary, they are scrutinised by far more editors than for any journal. However, as the contributor is generally not an academic expert, so the reviewer is not generally an academic expert. So Wikipedia rejects academic custom in the compilation of knowledge. In addition, there are a number of what might be termed ‘learning and teaching’ issues pertaining to its use within universities. First, there is the issue of the accuracy of Teaching in Higher Education 651 Downloaded by [University of Glasgow] at 05:27 12 December 2012 Wikipedia entries, something that relates to the lack of formal expertise and peer review. Reviews of the accuracy of Wikipedia entries by formal expert(s) have actually been generally positive (for natural sciences see Giles 2005; American history Meier 2008). Despite this, the suspicion still surrounds Wikipedia that it cannot be trusted. O’Sullivan’s (2009, 119) assertion that ‘most people probably have an ambivalent attitude toward Wikipedia, thankful for its existence, using it frequently, but with reservations about its total reliability’ seems valid. Some academics would no doubt sympathise with the sardonic observation of comedian Frankie Boyle that Wikipedia entries should begin with ‘I reckon’. Second, some have questioned whether Wikipedia’s determination for studied neutrality is convincing. O’Sullivan (2010) complains that as Wikipedia only displays one voice, diversity is not incorporated and therefore articles become bland. Wales’s response is unapologetic: ‘Guilty as charged, we’re an encyclopedia’ (in Read 2006). Not that his approach to knowledge is without theory, it derives rather from his admiration for the convoluted ‘objectivist philosophy’ of Aryan Rand, the Russian e?migre? philosopher and novelist (Younkins 2007). A third learning and teaching concern is that, regardless of the reliability of Wikipedia, it is in itself an illegitimate form of research. Here the thinking would be that a student who culls Wikipedia for assignments does not understand scholarship. This consists of the consideration of various sources: a judicious sifting and ordering of knowledge, rather than lifting bite sized chunks of text that purport to capture a subject. On this Wales concurs, telling students: ‘For God sake, you’re in college; don’t cite the encyclopedia’ (in Young 2006). Some universities in the US have banned Wikipedia use, whilst others recommend a more discriminating approach (Jaschik 2007; Murley 2008). The latter is what Wales and others within Wikipedia advise: it should be used only as a starting place in academic research, a references source and a revision aid. What, however, is the evidence on Wikipedia use by students and academics at universities?

Strategy and Serendipity: A Billion †Dollar Bonanza management case study

Mini Case 2: Strategy and Serendipity: A Billion – Dollar Bonanza Key Issue / Problem – Serendipity on how two modern drugs were discovered. – Realising a strategy turnout from a serendipity.Analysis – Researcher develop a new drug for the heart disease, as the drug were a cure for MED, the manager in Pfizer strategise this and make a this unintended results to into a blockbuster drug.Alternatives – Smart planning of changing a failure of a research into an alternative of curing another disease.Key decision to make – Although a drug discovered to treat drug disease became a failure, and turn out to solve MED problem, thus a new strategy to utilise it have to be made Capabilities – An unintended strategy, which were to cure the heart disease, turn out as s serendipity of curing a another dysfunction, and able to generate income of $3 billion dollar per year. Decision Criteria– The strategy of the unintended plan turn out to be a huge sum of turnover. Stakeholders – The investors, researchers, patients.Resources – The managers of Pfizer, reseachers, Implementation plan – To always have a alternative for a strategy which is still under testing. Vision / Mission / Objectives – To create a drug to overcome heart disease – To overcome a mistake, and make a seredipity out of it.Assumption – The smart team on how they able to strategise the need to the new drug for the MED and generate cash flow stream out of it. Discussion QuestionQuestion 1Serendipity is random from my point of view. Occurrence of this is not predicted or there might be not any proven statistic of the occurrence figure. Serendipity means a â€Å"happy accident† or â€Å"pleasant surprise†; a fortunate mistake. Specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful while not specifically searching for it.Question 2Strategic initiative is any activity a pursues to explore and develop a new product and process into new markets. In this case, it has been said to be an unrealised strategy for both Viagra and Cialis. The management initiated their new venture into a drug to overcome a heart disease, and it turn to be a cure for ME, where they have the same market, which is the medical drug supply, but for a different purpose. With its huge demand around the globe, these occurrences have become a serendipity for them.Question 3The model that explains Viagra/Cialis story is scenario planning. In this model, the managers envisions different what if scenario. In the analysis stage, they will be able to brainstorm and identify the possible future scenarios to anticipate plausible futures. This is what shows in the case study above, as the turnout from a strategy of marketing a heart disease drug was a failure, they turned it into a alternative for MED cure disease. The serendipity there is because the drug was able to use for MED. IF, the drug was a failure, then they ha ve must have already planned or strategize something to overcome the losses.Question 4No, the story of Viagra/Cialis will not inspire me to design a strategic management process. I will not be hoping for serendipity happens if my strategy fails, and the utilising the failure as an alternative. I will only plan for a strategy which is practical on that moment and prepare for possible future scenario using different simulations. If something happens as this case, then I would use this opportunity to make use of it and cover the loss for my failure, in a simple way saying it to hedge my position.