Hiring Trends Show Older Workers in Demand

Hiring Trends Show Older Workers in Demand According to U.S. News and World Report, 70 percent of human resource experts believe older workers have a strong work ethic. Based on the number of adults over the age of 50 who are part of the workforce, this assessment seems accurate. For older Americans seeking employment, the need many companies have for their skills and experience makes finding a job easier. How Have Workforce Age Dynamics Changed?Companies are hiring more workers age 50 and older, and this trend is growing. Even before the Great Recession, mature workers age 65 and older were working than in the past. However, with fluctuations in the economy came a decrease in pension plans and other forms of worker security. This evolution opened the floodgates to older workers since it helped to level hiring practices. The number of older workers increased, and replacing them with workers who have the same level of skill and experience is difficult. A shortage of qualified workers is continuing to grow, and estimates indica te this will continue in the years ahead.Why Older Works Are SoughtAccording to the Society for Human Resource Management, workers over 50 show greater job engagement than younger workers. This is a key ingredient in a company’s growth. Other factors favoring older workers are their experience and skill subset, according to 77 percent of employers questioned. Assembly line workers between the ages of 50 and 65 have increased productivity due to a decrease in errors. Seventy-one percent of employers also said that older workers exhibit greater professionalism, a trait that is highly valued. An AARP study, done in 2015, showed that older workers have lower turnover rates and that company cost to train new workers is decreased.Baby Boomers Are Part of the WorkforceSome older workers are unable to retire due to economic considerations, while some have grown children to support. In addition, some want to stay engaged and feel working is a means to that end. This need has resulted in many workers seeking employment. Getting a job with the growing number of companies who seek older employees means setting up a plan to accomplish that. Since older Americans are computer literate, according to the Pew Research Center, the search for full-time or part-time jobs for seniors is done online. Searching job sites can be time consuming, and developing a job search strategy is important.TheJobNetwork Can HelpOlder workers who wish to search job sites online might be interested in TheJobNetwork’s platform. By setting up a profile listing skills, experience and job preferences, searching is consolidated and takes less time. This job search site lets you look for jobs in your field, and jobs are constantly updated, ensuring that a listed opportunities are available and new jobs are posted on a 24-hour basis. In addition, you can post your resume, listing your education, training and skills, and the platform will search for jobs as they become available that match yo ur qualifications.Matches are ranked according to how closely they match what you want.Searching TheJobNetwork may help the older worker find the type of job he or she is looking for online. Using this platform may help you bring your skills and experience to a company that would benefit from your presence.

10 Great Jobs for People Who Love to Travel

10 Great Jobs for People Who Love to Travel If you’re the type that doesn’t get antsy about travel, and wouldn’t prefer to stay within a 10-mile radius of home, then a career on the road might be for you. You might, of course, be thinking that a career not spent in one spot would require being an airline pilot or a traveling salesman, but you would be wrong. Here are 10Â  great jobs for people who love to travel.1. Travel NurseIf you don’t mind being flexible, or shipped off at a moment’s notice to wherever you might be needed most, then working as a travel nurse might just be for you. You’ll have a variety of duties across a wide swatch of places, and you’ll be well-paid and in demand.2. Athletic Talent ScoutEver wonder how professional sports players make it from the minor to the major leagues? If you love sports and know enough to spot an ace when you see one, consider working for a franchise or team to bring in the new talent. You’ll want to know your chosen sport in side and out, and also be comfortable with the pressure of choosing the next big hope.3. RoadieLove music? Ever wish you could go out on tour with your favorite artist? It might just be possible. Work doing electrics or rigging or sound or stage-handing for one of your favorite local musicians, and you could up doing the same for the biggest stars.4. Tour GuideWant to move somewhere specific? Know a lot about that place and want to geek out even more? Tour guiding might just be for you. Learn your spot inside and out, then make everyone love it as much as you do, and you’ll be sure to succeed.5. Civil ServiceConsider applying to the U.S. State Department. See a different part of the world, get really in-depth in the issues, and still feel like you have something interesting to say at a dinner party. Almost regardless of your background, there might be a job in civil service for you. As long as you can pass the security clearance, you should be all right.6. International AidWo rk for an independent aid organization and really help people around the globe. It’s important to want to help others- and to make a difference, but this can be an incredibly willing career. You’ll be paid well, but you still should love what you do.7. ArchaeologistYou’ll need a bit of schooling, and you’ll never quite be Indiana Jones, but you’ll get to dig up all sorts of extremely unique artifacts and feel like you’re unearthing history. If you like science and working outdoors and solving intricate, tedious mysteries, then this could be for you.8. English TeacherYou probably imagine your high school English teacher standing in front of the same old class year after year. But imagine teaching ESL in various places all over the world. You’ll need a Bachelor’s degree, perhaps even a Master’s, but then the world is your oyster.9. Field Service TechIf you feel qualified to be a doctor of technology, but don’t want to have to get an advanced degree, you could consider working as a field service technician fixing broken mobile technology, cranes, elevators, trains, etc. You can work independently, for a company, or even for the government. And you can get most of your training directly on the job.10. Yacht CrewIf you love the water and you don’t mind doing a bit of manual labor, you can absolutely see the world by crewing yachts. Live on a superyacht and stay in some of the most exciting ports in the world. You’ll hobknob with some of the biggest names in the business, and in the world, and you’ll spend a great deal of time outside in the most beautiful surroundings.

Changes in Political Economy of Development Essay

Changes in Political Economy of Development - Essay Example This essay stresses that in the 20th century there have been many scholars who have done extensive research on the different policies adopted. However, each researcher has been advocating for their own framework and it has been the responsibility of leaders to adopt the best for their countries. Since the dawn of communism and capitalism in the world where the two were seen to be at war with each other there have been massive changes in the systems all over the world. The conventional communism and capitalism have been overtaken by liberalism and eventually neo-liberalism. One can only ask if there are changes that will be seen in future with massive economic and political changes shaping the world. Capitalism is one of the oldest models that were used at the dawn of the 20th century and its failure was culminated by the great depression that hit the United States massively. This paper makes a conclusion that a huge gap still exists between the developed countries and the developing countries. Instituting similar paradigms and economic policies will not be helpful to the developing countries since they do not have similar levels of resources. There is a need to ensure independent a factor that should not be applied only at individual level. However, the world is braced for major transformations due to the changes in the political and economic arena and therefore leaders have a responsibility to get the best out of their economies. The changes have helped the world economy but there is more to be done to ensure the same is felt by individuals all over the world.

Analysing research literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysing research literature - Essay Example It is also identified to be associated with different issues which include health problems, obesity and hearing problems among others. In this regard, the research study conducted in this journal is conducted with the objective of ascertaining the importance of physical activity (PA) for the children along with young people having DS. The journal implies that PA is an essential element for the management and for the prevention of chronic diseases in children. Moreover, PA aids in reviving health conditions of individuals so that children and young people have better physical fitness and body mass. Consequently, the children and young people will be facilitated with the opportunity of having an independent life. In this respect, the study in the journal article has provided adequate knowledge to different researchers about the importance of PA in children and young people about the influence of DS. Respectively, the study in the journal has provided important information in relation t o research methodologies along with intervention design that are appropriate for the people suffering from DS. Thus, the study has been effective in briefing the importance of PA in the early life of children and young people affected with DS for its better intervention along with assisting them to develop with a better health and body growth (Downs & et. al., 2013). There is a procedure on the basis of which journals are to be critically reviewed which includes introduction, literature review, discussion and conclusion (Shon, 2012). Consequently, a mixed response can be depicted for the article. Critical Analysis PA is an important element assisting children and young people to grow and develop with greater independence as it can be recognised from the study of various researchers. Additionally, it is critically argued that children and young people with DS should be provided with adequate knowledge in relation to PA so that they are able to develop physically along with in terms o f body mass (Kasser, 2005). PA which includes swimming, walking along with other exercises have assisted people with DS by a significant extent to retain healthy body and to prevent illness. PA has been an efficient measure for minimising health issues associated with DS which include obesity and cardiorespiratory problems. In this regard, it has been identified that deficiency of PA is one the major causes of DS. Additionally, a lack of PA amid individuals with DS tends to enhance the risks in relation to health problems (Urbano, 2010). The study has also been effective in ascertaining the facilitators and the barriers in relation to PA. Contextually, the article has provided adequate information about the various aspects of DS and the importance of PA in minimising risks associated with DS. In a similar context, Stanish & Frey (2007) have stated that there are several facilitators and barriers to PA. In this context, the most important facilitator is the parents and on the other h and, the barriers comprise transportation cost and social interaction among others (Stanish & Frey, 2007). These are the several strengths that can be derived from the research study in this journal (Downs & et. al., 2013). According to Jobling (1994), PA plays an effective role in the life of people having DS. PA assists them to grow and develop independent skills so that they are able to retain a healthy life in future (Shields & et. al., 2009; Jobling, 1994). Similarly, Buckley (2007) has stated that PA

Industrial Relations Essay Example for Free

Industrial Relations Essay Industrial relations has three faces: science building, problem solving, and ethical. [9] In the science building phase, industrial relations is part of the social sciences, and it seeks to understand the employment relationship and its institutions through high-quality, rigorous research. In this vein, industrial relations scholarship intersects with scholarship in labor economics, industrial sociology, labor and social history, human resource management, political science, law, and other areas. Industrial relations scholarship assumes that labor markets are not perfectly competitive and thus, in contrast to mainstream economic theory, employers typically have greater bargaining power than employees. Industrial relations scholarship also assumes that there are at least some inherent conflicts of interest between employers and employees (for example, higher wages versus higher profits) and thus, in contrast to scholarship in human resource management and organizational behavior, conflict is seen as a natural part of the employment relationship. Industrial relations scholars therefore frequently study the diverse institutional arrangements that characterize and shape the employment relationship—from norms and power structures on the shop floor, to employee voice mechanisms in the workplace, to collective bargaining arrangements at company, regional, or national level, to various levels of public policy and labor law regimes, to varieties of capitalism (such as corporatism, social democracy, and neoliberalism). When labor markets are seen as imperfect, and when the employment relationship includes conflicts of interest, then one cannot rely on markets or managers to always serve workers’ interests, and in extreme cases to prevent worker exploitation. Industrial relations scholars and practitioners therefore support institutional interventions to improve the workings of the employment relationship and to protect workers’ rights. The nature of these institutional interventions, however, differ between two camps within industrial relations. 10] The pluralist camp sees the employment relationship as a mixture of shared interests and conflicts of interests that are largely limited to the employment relationship. In the workplace, pluralists therefore champion grievance procedures, employee voice mechanisms such as works councils and labor unions, collective bargaining, and labor-management partnerships. In the policy arena, pluralists advocate for minimum wage laws, occupational health and safety standards, international labor standards, and other employment and labor laws and public policies. 11] These institutional interventions are all seen as methods for balancing the employment relationship to generate not only economic efficiency, but also employee equity and voice. [12] In contrast, the Marxist-inspired critical camp sees employer-employee conflicts of interest as sharply antagonistic and deeply embedded in the socio-political-economic system. From this perspective, the pursuit of a balanced employment relationship gives too much weight to employers’ interests, and instead deep-seated structural reforms are needed to change the sharply antagonistic employment relationship that is inherent within capitalism. Militant trade unions are thus frequently supported. History Industrial relations has its roots in the industrial revolution which created the modern employment relationship by spawning free labor markets and large-scale industrial organizations with thousands of wage workers. [9] As society wrestled with these massive economic and social changes, labor problems arose. Low wages, long working hours, monotonous and dangerous work, and abusive supervisory practices led to high employee turnover, violent strikes, and the threat of social instability. Intellectually, industrial relations was formed at the end of the 19th century as a middle ground between classical economics and Marxism, with Sidney Webb and Beatrice Webb’s Industrial Democracy (1897) being the key intellectual work. Industrial relations thus rejected the classical econ. Institutionally, industrial relations was founded by John R. Commons when he created the first academic industrial relations program at the University of Wisconsin in 1920. Early financial support for the field came from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. ho supported progressive labor-management relations in the aftermath of the bloody strike at a Rockefeller-owned coal mine in Colorado. In Britain, another progressive industrialist, Montague Burton, endowed chairs in industrial relations at Leeds, Cardiff and Cambridge in 1930, and the discipline was formalized in the 1950s with the formation of the Oxford School by Allan Flanders and Hugh Clegg. [13] Industrial relations was formed with a strong p roblem-solving orientation that rejected both the classical economists’ laissez faire solutions to labor problems and the Marxist solution of class revolution. It is this approach that underlies the New Deal legislation in the United States, such as the National Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Industrial relations scholars have described three major theoretical perspectives or frameworks, that contrast in their understanding and analysis of workplace relations. The three views are generally known as unitarism, pluralist and radical. Each offers a particular perception of workplace relations and will therefore interpret such events as workplace conflict, the role of unions and job regulation differently. The radical perspective is sometimes referred to as the conflict model, although this is somewhat ambiguous, as pluralism also tends to see conflict as inherent in workplaces. Radical theories are strongly identified with Marxist theories, although they are not limited to these. Pluralist perspective In pluralism, the organization is perceived as being made up of powerful and divergent sub-groups, each with its own legitimate loyalties and with their own set of objectives and leaders. In particular, the two predominant sub-groups in the pluralist perspective are the management and trade unions. Consequently, the role of management would lean less towards enforcing and controlling and more toward persuasion and co-ordination. Trade unions are deemed as legitimate representatives of employees, conflict is dealt by collective bargaining and is viewed not necessarily as a bad thing and, if managed, could in fact be channeled towards evolution and positive change. Unitarist perspective In unitarism, the organization is perceived as an integrated and harmonious whole with the ideal of one happy family, where management and other members of the staff all share a common purpose, emphasizing mutual cooperation. Furthermore, unitarism has a paternalistic approach where it demands loyalty of all employees, being predominantly managerial in its emphasis and application. Consequently, trade unions are deemed as unnecessary since the loyalty between employees and organizations are considered mutually exclusive, where there cant be two sides of industry. Conflict is perceived as disruptive and the pathological result of agitators, interpersonal friction and communication breakdown. Marxist/Radical perspective This view of industrial relations looks at the nature of the capitalist society, where there is a fundamental division of interest between capital and labour, and sees workplace relations against this background. This perspective sees inequalities of power and economic wealth as having their roots in the nature of the capitalist economic system. Conflict is therefore seen as inevitable and trade unions are a natural response of workers to their exploitation by capital. Whilst there may be periods of acquiescence, the Marxist view would be that institutions of joint regulation would enhance rather than limit managements position as they presume the continuation of capitalism rather than challenge it Industrial relations today By many accounts, industrial relations today is in crisis. 14][15][16] In academia, its traditional positions are threatened on one side by the dominance of mainstream economics and organizational behavior, and on the other by postmodernism. In policy-making circles, the industrial relations emphasis on institutional intervention is trumped by a neoliberal emphasis on the laissez faire promotion of free markets. In practice, labor unions are declining and fewer companies have industrial relations functions. The number of academic programs in industrial relations is therefore shrinking, and scholars are leaving the field for other areas, especially human resource management and organizational behavior. The importance of work, however, is stronger than ever, and the lessons of industrial relations remain vital. The challenge for industrial relations is to re-establish these connections with the broader academic, policy, and business worlds.

A Violent Message in the Art of Popular Culture Essay -- Pop Culture R

A â€Å"Violent† Message in the Art of Popular Culture Many people believe that present-day music cause division, tension, and sometimes violence. However, it is acknowledged as art in popular culture. Art in popular culture revolves around action movies, television sitcoms, and provocative song lyrics, which have themes centered on explicit sexuality. Art in popular culture is embodied in music, dance, photography, and other artwork that embraces the ills of the world and acknowledges that they are appealing to the senses of people who live in a not so perfect world. Many critics say that popular culture is a product of generation X. A messed up group of people. What is wrong with popular culture? Why do the baby boomers regale this era of popular culture an era of madness? The answer is blatantly clear. Popular culture accepts the flaws of all its admirers and participants. For example, music in popular culture is generally deemed as negative. However, a positive consequence is that it has an international language and every one around the world can relate to what it communicates. Art in popular culture encompasses a common language, especially the art of music. This language rejects the sophisticated, civilized, intellectuals. For instance, popular culture inhibits the old, boring, classical music that operated out of the same musical dictionary and responded to the same chords. Whereas, music in popular culture rejects harmony as being important and values improvisation that breathes life-giving rhythm in non-structural chords. Music in popular culture is a genre distinct from both folk and classical music genres. According to The New Harvard Dictionary, it differed from the former being composed and notat... ...lent in this country. Some examples of Manson’s music, which can influence youth of today or could have taken the life of the young teenager previously mentioned are Dried Up, Tied Up and Dead to the World; Get Your Gun; Cake and Sodomy; Organ Grinder; Snake Eyes and Sissies; and etc. It is funny how rap and hip hop is essentially the only thing deemed violent, but popular culture stems from chaotic and violent factors. The two examples above can vouch for the previous statement. When looking at other outcomes of popular culture such as slasher movies with explicit sex scenes; talk shows that depicts American women as housewives or whores; or people like Monica Lewinsky who shows her bloomers to married men, popular culture music genres are just artistic expressions that mirror societal values in popular culture. Sometimes people do not like the reflection.

Coffee preparation Essay

1. Introduction 1. 1 fig Coffee  is a  brewed  beverage  with a distinct aroma and flavor, prepared from the roasted seeds of the  Coffea  plant. The seeds are found in coffee â€Å"cherries†, which grow on trees cultivated in  over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial  America, Southeast,  South Asia  and  Africa. Green (unroasted) coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Coffee is slightly acidic (pH 5. 0–5. 1) and can have a stimulating effect on humans because of its  caffeine  content. It is one of the most consumed drinks in the world. Wild coffee’s energizing effect was likely first discovered in the northeast region of Ethiopia. Coffee cultivation first took place in southern Arabia;[4]  the earliest credible evidence of coffee-drinking appears in the middle of the 15th century in the Sufi  shrines of  Yemen. In East Africa and Yemen, coffee was used in native religious ceremonies that were in competition with the Christian Church. As a result, the  Ethiopian Church  banned its secular consumption until the reign of Emperor  Menelik II of Ethiopia. The beverage was also banned in  Ottoman  Turkey during the 17th century for political reasons  and was associated with rebellious political activities in Europe. Coffee berries, which contain the coffee seeds, are produced by several species of small  evergreen  bush of the  genus  Coffea. The two most commonly grown are also the most highly regarded  Coffea arabica, and the â€Å"robusta† form of the hardier Coffea canephora. The latter is resistant to the devastating coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix). Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. The seeds are then roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor, before being ground and brewed to create coffee. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways. An important export commodity, coffee was the top agricultural export for  twelve countries  in 2004,  and it was the world’s seventh-largest legal agricultural export by value in 2005. Some controversy is associated with coffee cultivation and its impact on the environment. Consequently,  organic coffee  is an expanding market. Many studies have examined the  health effects of coffee, and whether the overall effects of coffee consumption are positive or negative has been widely disputed. The method of brewing coffee has been found to be important in relation to its effects on health. For instance, preparing coffee in a  French press  leaves more oils in the drink compared with coffee prepared with a paper  coffee filter. This might raise the drinker’s level of â€Å"bad cholesterol. † Etymology The first reference to â€Å"coffee† in the English language is in the form  chaoua  and dates to 1598. In English and other European languages,  coffee  derives from the  Ottoman Turkish  kahve, via the Italian  caffe. The Turkish word in turn was borrowed from the  Arabic: ,  qahwah. Arab  lexicographers  maintain that  qahwah  originally referred to a type of  wine, and gave its  etymology, in turn, to the verb qaha, signifying â€Å"to have no appetite†,  since this beverage was thought to dull one’s hunger. Several alternative etymologies exist that hold that the Arab form may disguise a  loanword  from an Ethiopian or African source, suggesting  Kaffa, the highland in south western  Ethiopia  as one, since the plant is indigenous to that area. However, the term used in that region for the berry and plant is  bunn, the native name in  Shoa  being  bun. History Ethiopian ancestors of today’s  Oromo people  were believed to have been the first to recognize the energizing effect of the coffee plant,  though no direct evidence has been found indicating where in Africa coffee grew or who among the natives might have used it as a stimulant or even known about it, earlier than the 17th century. The story of  Kaldi, the 9th-century Ethiopian goatherder who discovered coffee, did not appear in writing until 1671 and is probably  apocryphal. Other accounts attribute the discovery of coffee to Sheik Omar. According to the ancient chronicle (preserved in the Abd-Al-Kadir manuscript), Omar, who was known for his ability to cure the sick through prayer, was once exiled from Mocha, Yemen to a desert cave near Ousab. Starving, Omar chewed berries from nearby shrubbery, but found them to be bitter. He tried roasting the seeds to improve the flavor, but they became hard. He then tried boiling them to soften the seed, which resulted in a fragrant brown liquid. Upon drinking the liquid Omar was revitalized and sustained for days. As stories of this â€Å"miracle drug† reached Mocha, Omar was asked to return and was made a saint. From Ethiopia, the beverage was introduced into the Arab world through Egypt and Yemen. The earliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the 15th century, in the Sufi  monasteries around  Mokha  in Yemen. It was here in  Arabia  that coffee seeds were first roasted and brewed, in a similar way to how it is now prepared. By the 16th century, it had reached the rest of the Middle East,  Persia,  Turkey, and  northern Africa. Coffee seeds were first exported from Ethiopia to Yemen. Yemeni traders brought coffee back to their homeland and began to cultivate the seed. The first coffee smuggled out of the Middle East was by  Sufi  Baba Budan  from  Yemen  to India in 1670. Before then, all exported coffee was boiled or otherwise sterilised. Portraits of Baba Budan depict him as having smuggled seven coffee seeds by strapping them to his chest. The first plants grown from these smuggled seeds were planted in  Mysore. Coffee then spread to Italy, and to the rest of Europe, to  Indonesia, and to the Americas. In 1583,  Leonhard Rauwolf, a German physician, gave this description of coffee after returning from a ten-year trip to the  Near East: A beverage as black as ink, useful against numerous  illnesses, particularly those of the stomach. Its consumers take it in the morning, quite frankly, in a porcelain cup that is passed around and from which each one drinks a cupful. It is composed of water and the fruit from a bush called bunnu. —Leonard Rauwolf,  Reise in die Morgenlander  (in German). From the  Middle East, coffee spread to Italy. The thriving trade between  Venice  and North Africa, Egypt, and the Middle East brought many goods, including coffee, to the Venetian port. From Venice, it was introduced to the rest of Europe. Coffee became more widely accepted after it was deemed a Christian beverage by  Pope Clement VIII  in 1600, despite appeals to ban the â€Å"Muslim drink. † The first European coffee house opened in Italy in 1645. The  Dutch East India Company  was the first to import coffee on a large scale. The Dutch later grew the crop in  Java  and  Ceylon. The first exports of  Indonesian coffee  from  Java  to the Netherlands occurred in 1711. Through the efforts of the  British East India Company, coffee became popular in England as well. Oxford’s  Queen’s Lane Coffee House, established in 1654, is still in existence today. Coffee was introduced in France in 1657 and in Austria and Poland after the 1683  Battle of Vienna, when coffee was captured from supplies of the defeated  Turks. When coffee reached North America during the Colonial period, it was initially not as successful as it had been in Europe as alcoholic beverages remained more popular. During the  Revolutionary War, the demand for coffee increased so much that dealers had to hoard their scarce supplies and raise prices dramatically; this was also due to the reduced availability of tea from British merchants. After the  War of 1812, during which Britain temporarily cut off access to  tea  imports, the Americans’ taste for coffee grew, and high demand during the  American Civil War  together with advances in brewing technology secured the position of coffee as an everyday commodity in the United States. Coffee consumption declined in England, giving way to tea during the 18th century. The latter beverage was simpler to make, and had become cheaper with the British conquest of India and the tea industry there. During the  Age of Sail,  seamen  aboard ships of the British  Royal Navy  made substitute coffee by dissolving burnt bread in hot water. The Frenchman  Gabriel de Clieu  brought a coffee plant to the French territory of  Martinique  in the Caribbean, from which much of the world’s cultivated Arabica coffee is descended. Coffee thrived in the climate and was conveyed across the Americas. The territory of San Domingo (now  Haiti) saw coffee cultivated from 1734, and by 1788 it supplied half the world’s coffee. The conditions that the slaves worked in on coffee plantations were a factor in the soon to follow  Haitian Revolution. The coffee industry never fully recovered there. Meanwhile, coffee had been  introduced to Brazil  in 1727, although its cultivation did not gather momentum until independence in 1822. After this time, massive tracts of rainforest were cleared first from the vicinity of Rio and later Sao Paulo for coffee plantations. Cultivation was taken up by many countries in Central America in the latter half of the 19th century, and almost all involved the large-scale displacement and exploitation of the indigenous people. Harsh conditions led to many uprisings, coups and bloody suppression of peasants. The notable exception was  Costa Rica, where lack of ready labor prevented the formation of large farms. Smaller farms and more egalitarian conditions ameliorated unrest over the 19th and 20th centuries. Coffee has become a vital  cash crop  for many  developing  countries. Over one hundred million people in  developing countries  have become dependent on coffee as their primary source of income. It has become the primary export and backbone for African countries like Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and Ethiopia,  as well as many Central American countries. World production In 2011  Brazil  was the world leader in production of green coffee, followed by  Vietnam,  Indonesia  and  Colombia. Arabica coffee seeds are cultivated in  Latin America,  eastern Africa, Arabia, or Asia. Robusta coffee seeds are grown in western and  central Africa, throughout  Southeast Asia, and to some extent in Brazil. Seeds from different countries or regions can usually be distinguished by differences in flavor, aroma,  body, and acidity. These taste characteristics are dependent not only on the coffee’s growing region, but also on genetic subspecies (varietals) and processing. Varietals are generally known by the region in which they are grown, such as  Colombian,  Java and  Kona. 2011 Top twenty green coffee producers| Rank| Country| Tonnes| Bags x1000| 1|   Brazil| 2,609,040| 43,484| 2|   Vietnam| 1,200,000| 20,000| 3|   Indonesia| 495,000| 8,250| 4|   Colombia| 468,000| 7,800| 5|   Ethiopia| 390,000| 6,500|. 6|   Peru| 326,580| 5,443| 7|   India| 319,980| 5,333| 8|   Honduras| 270,000| 4,500| 9|   Mexico| 258,000| 4,300| 10|   Guatemala| 225,000| 3,750| 11|   Uganda| 192,720| 3,212| 12|   Nicaragua| 126,000| 2,100| 13|   Costa Rica| 107,940| 1,799| 14|   Ivory Coast| 96,000| 1,600| 15|   Papua New Guinea| 84,900| 1,415| 16|   El Salvador| 70,500| 1,175| 17|   Cambodia| 64,980| 1,083| 18|   Ecuador| 64,500| 1,075| 19|   Democratic Republic of the Congo| 63,360| 1,056| 20|   Venezuela| 60,000| 1,000| Total|   Ã‚  World| 7,875,180| 131,253| 1. 1 (table) Biology 1. 2 fig (Illustration of  Coffea arabica  plant and seeds). Several species of shrub of the genus  Coffea  produce the berries from which coffee is extracted. The two main species commercially cultivated are  Coffea canephora  (predominantly a form known as ‘robusta’) andC. arabica. C. arabica, the most highly regarded species, is native to the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia and the  Boma Plateau  in southeastern Sudan and possibly  Mount Marsabit  in northern  Kenya. C. canephora  is native to western and central Subsaharan Africa, from  Guinea  to the  Uganda  and southern Sudan. Less popular species are  C. liberica,  excelsa,  stenophylla,  mauritiana, and  racemosa. All coffee plants are classified in the large family  Rubiaceae. They are  evergreen  shrubs or small trees that may grow 5  m (15  ft) tall when unpruned. The leaves are dark green and glossy, usually 10–15  cm (4–6  in) long and 6  cm (2. 4  in) wide. The flowers are axillary, and clusters of fragrant white flowers bloom simultaneously and are followed by oval berries of about 1. 5  cm (0. 6  in). Green when immature, they ripen to yellow, then crimson, before turning black on drying. Each berry usually contains two seeds, but 5–10% of the berries  have only one; these are called  peaberries. Berries ripen in seven to nine months. Coffea arabica  is predominantly self-pollinating, and as a result the seedlings are generally uniform and vary little from their parents. In contrast,  Coffea canephora,  C. excelsa, and  C. liberica  are self-incompatible and require  outcrossing. This means that useful forms and hybrids must be propagated vegetatively. Cuttings, grafting, and budding are the usual methods of vegetative propagation. On the other hand, there is great scope for experimentation in search of potential new strains. 2. Coffee Production Processing Coffee berries and their seeds undergo several processes before they become the familiar roasted coffee. Berries have been traditionally selectively picked by hand; a labor intensive method, it involves the selection of only the berries at the peak of ripeness. More commonly, crops are strip picked, where all berries are harvested simultaneously regardless of ripeness by person or machine. After picking, green coffee is processed by one of two methods—the dry process method, simpler and less labor intensive as the berries can be strip picked, and the wet process method, which incorporates fermentation into the process and yields a mild coffee. 2. 1 fig -Coffee sorting in Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). 2. 2 fig – Coffee berries from Kerala, India Then they are sorted by ripeness and color and most often the flesh of the berry is removed, usually by machine, and the seeds are fermented to remove the slimy layer of mucilage still present on the seed. When the fermentation is finished, the seeds are washed with large quantities of fresh water to remove the fermentation residue, which generates massive amounts of coffee wastewater. Finally, the seeds are dried. The best (but least used) method of drying coffee is using drying tables. In this method, the pulped and fermented coffee is spread thinly on raised beds, which allows the air to pass on all sides of the coffee, and then the coffee is mixed by hand. In this method the drying that takes place is more uniform, and fermentation is less likely. Most African coffee is dried in this manner and certain coffee farms around the world are starting to use this traditional method. Next, the coffee is sorted, and labeled as green coffee. Another way to let the coffee seeds dry is to let them sit on a concrete patio and rake over them in the sunlight. Some companies use cylinders to pump in heated air to dry the coffee seeds, though this is generally in places where the humidity is very high. Some coffee undergoes a peculiar process, such as kopi luwak. It is made from the seeds of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, passing through its digestive tract. This process resulted in coffee seeds with much less bitterness, widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world with prices reaching $160 per pound. Roasting 2. 3 fig – Roasted coffee seeds The next step in the process is the roasting of the green coffee. Coffee is usually sold in a roasted state, and with rare exceptions all coffee is roasted before it is consumed. It can be sold roasted by the supplier, or it can be home roasted. The roasting process influences the taste of the beverage by changing the coffee seed both physically and chemically. The seed decreases in weight as moisture is lost and increases in volume, causing it to become less dense. The density of the seed also influences the strength of the coffee and requirements for packaging. The actual roasting begins when the temperature inside the seed reaches approximately 200  °C (392  °F), though different varieties of seeds differ in moisture and density and therefore roast at different rates. During roasting, caramelization occurs as intense heat breaks down starches, changing them to simple sugars that begin to brown, which alters the color of the seed. 2. 4 fig – The appearance of unroasted, green coffee seeds. Sucrose is rapidly lost during the roasting process and may disappear entirely in darker roasts. During roasting, aromatic oils and acids weaken, changing the flavor; at 205  °C (401  °F), other oils start to develop. One of these oils, caffeol, is created at about 200  °C (392  °F), which is largely responsible for coffee’s aroma and flavor. Grading the roasted seeds. Depending on the color of the roasted seeds as perceived by the human eye, they will be labeled as light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark, or very dark. A more accurate method of discerning the degree of roast involves measuring the reflected light from roasted seeds illuminated with a light source in the near infrared spectrum. This elaborate light meter uses a process known as spectroscopy to return a number that consistently indicates the roasted coffee’s relative degree of roast or flavor development. Roast characteristics The degree of roast has an effect upon coffee flavor and body. Darker roasts are generally bolder because they have less fiber content and a more sugary flavor. Lighter roasts have a more complex and therefore perceived stronger flavor from aromatic oils and acids otherwise destroyed by longer roasting times. A small amount of chaff is produced during roasting from the skin left on the seed after processing. Chaff is usually removed from the seeds by air movement, though a small amount is added to dark roast coffees to soak up oils on the seeds. Decaffeination Decaffeination may also be part of the processing that coffee seeds undergo. Seeds are decaffeinated when they are still green. Many methods can remove caffeine from coffee, but all involve soaking the green seeds in hot water (often called the â€Å"Swiss water process†) or steaming them, then using a solvent to dissolve caffeine-containing oils. Decaffeination is often done by processing companies, and the extracted caffeine is usually sold to the pharmaceutical industry. Storage Once roasted, coffee seeds must be stored properly to preserve the fresh taste of the seed. Ideally, the container must be airtight and kept in a cool, dry and dark place. In order of importance: air, moisture, heat, and light are the environmental factors responsible for deteriorating flavor in coffee seeds. Folded-over bags, a common way consumers often purchase coffee, are generally not ideal for long-term storage because they allow air to enter. A better package contains a one-way valve, which prevents air from entering. In 1931, a method of vacuum packed cans of coffee was introduced, in which the roasted coffee was packed, 99% of the air was removed and the coffee in the can could be stored indefinitely until the can was opened. Today this method is in mass use for coffee in a large part of the world. Brewing 2. 5 fig – Espresso brewing, showing desirable dark reddish-brown crema Coffee seeds must be ground and brewed to create a beverage. The criteria for choosing a method include flavor and economy. Almost all methods of preparing coffee require the seeds to be ground and mixed with hot water long enough to extract the flavor, but without over extraction that draws out bitter compounds. The spent grounds are removed and the liquid is consumed. There are many brewing variations such as the fineness of grind, the ways in which the water extracts the flavor, additional flavorings (sugar, milk, spices), and spent ground separation techniques. The ideal holding temperature is 79 to 85  °C (174 to 185  °F) and the ideal serving temperature is 68 to 79  °C (154 to 174  °F). The roasted coffee seeds may be ground at a roastery, in a grocery store, or in the home. Most coffee is roasted and ground at a roastery and sold in packaged form, though roasted coffee seeds can be ground at home immediately before consumption. It is also possible, though uncommon; to roast raw seeds at home. Coffee seeds may be ground in several ways. A burr grinder uses revolving elements to shear the seed; a blade grinder cuts the seeds with blades moving at high speed; and a mortar and pestle crushes the seeds. For most brewing methods, a burr grinder is deemed superior because the grind is more even and the grind size can be adjusted. 2. 6 fig – (An Ethiopian woman preparing coffee at a traditional ceremony. She roasts, crushes and brews the coffee on the spot. ) The type of grind is often named after the brewing method for which it is generally used. Turkish grind is the finest grind, while coffee percolator or French press are the coarsest grinds. The most common grinds are between the extremes; a medium grind is used in most common home coffee-brewing machines. Coffee may be brewed by several methods: boiled, steeped, or pressurized. Brewing coffee by boiling was the earliest method, and Turkish coffee is an example of this method. It is prepared by grinding or pounding the seeds to a fine powder, then adding it to water and bringing it to the boil for no more than an instant in a pot called a cezve or, in Greek, a briki. This produces a strong coffee with a layer of foam on the surface and sediment (which is not meant for drinking) settling on the bottom of the cup. Coffee percolators and automatic coffeemakers brew coffee using gravity. In an automatic coffeemaker hot water drips onto coffee grounds held in a coffee filter made of paper, plastic, or perforated metal, allowing the water to seep through the ground coffee while extracting its oils and essences. The liquid drips through the coffee and the filter into a carafe or pot, and the spent grounds are retained in the filter. In a percolator, boiling water is forced into a chamber above a filter by steam pressure created by boiling. The water then seeps through the grounds, and the process is repeated until terminated by removing from the heat, by an internal timer, or by a thermostat that turns off the heater when the entire pot reaches a certain temperature. Coffee may be brewed by steeping in a device such as a French press (also known as a cafetiere, coffee press or coffee plunger). Ground coffee and hot water are combined in a cylindrical vessel and left to brew for a few minutes. A circular filter which fits tightly in the cylinder fixed to a plunger is then pushed down from the top to force the grounds to the bottom. Because the coffee grounds are in direct contact with the water, all the coffee oils remain in the beverage, making it stronger and leaving more sediment than in coffee made by an automatic coffee machine. The coffee is poured from the container; the filter retains the grounds at the bottom. 95% of the caffeine is released from the coffee seeds within the first minute of brewing. The espresso method forces hot pressurized and vaporized water through ground coffee. As a result of brewing under high pressure (ideally between 9–10 atm), the espresso beverage is more concentrated (as much as 10 to 15 times the quantity of coffee to water as gravity-brewing methods can produce) and has a more complex physical and chemical constitution. A well-prepared espresso has reddish-brown foam called crema that floats on the surface. Other pressurized water methods include the moka pot and vacuum coffee maker. Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coarsely ground seeds in cold water for several hours, then filtering them. [85] This results in a brew lower in acidity than most hot-brewing methods. Serving 2. 7 fig Presentation can be an integral part of coffeehouse service, as illustrated by the common rosetta design layered into this latte. Once brewed, coffee may be served in a variety of ways. Drip-brewed, percolated, or French-pressed/cafetiere coffee may be served as white coffee with a dairy product such as milk or cream, or dairy substitute, or as black coffee with no such addition. It may be sweetened with sugar or artificial sweetener. When served cold, it is called iced coffee. Espresso-based coffee has a wide variety of possible presentations. In its most basic form, espresso is served alone as a shot or with hot water added, known as Caffe Americano. Reversely, long black is made by pouring espresso in water, which retains the crema compared to Caffe Americano. Milk is added in various forms to espresso: steamed milk makes a caffe latte, equal parts steamed milk and milk froth make a cappuccino,[86] and a dollop of hot foamed milk on top creates a caffe macchiato. The use of steamed milk to form patterns such as hearts or maple leaves is referred to as latte art. Coffee can also be incorporated with alcohol in beverages—it is combined with whiskey in Irish coffee, and forms the base of alcoholic coffee liqueurs such as Kahlua, and Tia Maria. Coffee is also sometimes used in the brewing process of darker beers, such as a stout or porter. Instant coffee A number of products are sold for the convenience of consumers who do not want to prepare their own coffee. Instant coffee is dried into soluble powder or freeze-dried into granules that can be quickly dissolved in hot water. Originally invented in 1907, it rapidly gained in popularity in many countries in the post-war period, with Nescafe being the most popular product. Many consumers determined that the convenience in preparing a cup of instant coffee more than made up for a perceived inferior taste. Paralleling (and complementing) the rapid rise of instant coffee was the coffee vending machine, invented in 1947 and multiplying rapidly through the 1950s. Canned coffee has been popular in Asian countries for many years, particularly in China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Vending machines typically sell varieties of flavored canned coffee, much like brewed or percolated coffee, available both hot and cold. Japanese convenience stores and groceries also have a wide availability of bottled coffee drinks, which are typically lightly sweetened and pre-blended with milk. Bottled coffee drinks are also consumed in the United States. Liquid coffee concentrates are sometimes used in large institutional situations where coffee needs to be produced for thousands of people at the same time. It is described as having a flavor about as good as low-grade robusta coffee, and costs about 10? a cup to produce. The machines can process up to 500 cups an hour or 1,000 if the water is preheated. 3. Coffee beans A coffee bean is a seed of the coffee plant. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a cherry. Even though they are seeds, they are incorrectly referred to as ‘beans’ because of their resemblance to true beans. The fruits – coffee cherries or coffee berries – most commonly contain two stones with their flat sides together. A small percentage of cherries contain a single seed, instead of the usual two. This is called a peaberry. Like Brazil nuts (a seed) and white rice, coffee seeds consist mostly of endosperm. The two most economically important varieties of coffee plant are the Arabica and the Robusta; 75-80% of the coffee produced worldwide is Arabica and 20% is Robusta. Arabica seeds consist of 0. 8-1. 4% caffeine and Robusta seeds consist of 1. 7-4% caffeine. As coffee is one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages, coffee seeds are a major cash crop, and an important export product, counting for over 50% of some developing nations’ foreign exchange earnings. The United States imports more coffee than any other nation. In 2009 the average person in the United States consumed 4. 09 kg (9 lbs) of coffee. Cultivation of the coffee seed originated in Ethiopia, in approximately 850 C. E. Farming of the coffee plant then spread to the rest of Arabia, where it was first mentioned in writing around 900 C. E. The Yemenites guarded it carefully, but some plants were eventually smuggled out to the Dutch, who kept a few plants for gardens in the Netherlands. The Americas were first introduced to the plants around 1723. South America is now responsible for approximately 45% of the world’s total coffee exports. Most of this coffee is made in Brazil. Significant dates * First cultivation in Europe (also first cultivation outside of east Africa/Arabia) – 1616 * First cultivation in India (Malabar) – late 1600s * First cultivation in Java – 1699 * First cultivation in Caribbean (Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico) – 1715–1730 * First cultivation in South America – 1730. * First cultivation in Dutch East Indies – 1720 * Roasted seeds first sold on retail market (Pittsburgh) – 1865 * Important spray-drying techniques developed in 1950s Coffee plant The coffee tree averages from 5–10 m (16–33 ft) in height. As the tree gets older, it branches less and less and bears more leaves and fruit. The tree typically begins to bear fruit 3–4 years after being planted, and continues to produce for 10–20 more years, depending on the type of plant and the area. Coffee plants are grown in rows several feet apart. Some farmers plant fruit trees around them or plant the coffee on the sides of hills, because they need specific conditions to flourish. Ideally, Arabica coffee seeds are grown at temperatures between 15–24  °C (59–75  °F) and Robusta at 24–30  °C (75–86  °F) and receive between 15–30 cm (5. 9–12 in) of rainfall per year. Heavy rain is needed in the beginning of the season when the fruit is developing, and less late in the season as it ripens. The harvesting period can be anywhere from three weeks to three months, and in some places the harvesting period continues all year round. Content of green coffee seeds The term â€Å"green coffee seed† refers to unroasted mature or immature coffee seeds. These have been processed by wet or dry methods for removing the outer pulp and mucilage, and have an intact wax layer on the outer surface. When immature, they are green. When mature, they have a brown to yellow or reddish color, and typically weigh 300 to 330 mg per dried coffee seed. Nonvolatile and volatile compounds in green coffee seeds, such as caffeine, deter many insects and animals from eating them. Further, both nonvolatile and volatile compounds contribute to the flavor of the coffee seed when it is roasted. Nonvolatile nitrogenous compounds (including alkaloids, trigonelline, proteins and free amino acids) and carbohydrates are of major importance in producing the full aroma of roasted coffee, and for its biological action. * Nonvolatile alkaloids 3. 1 fig – Coffea canephora green seeds on a tree in Goa, India. Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethyl-xanthine) is the alkaloid most present in green and roasted coffee seeds. The content of caffeine is between 1. 0% and 2. 5% by weight of dry green coffee seeds. The content of caffeine does not change during maturation of green coffee seeds. Lower concentrations of theophylline, theobromine, paraxanthine, liberine, and methylliberine can be found. The concentration of theophylline, an alkaloid noted for its presence in green tea, is reduced during the roasting process, usually about 15 minutes at 230  °C (446  °F), whereas the concentration of most other alkaloids are not changed. The solubility of caffeine in water increases with temperature and with the addition of chlorogenic acids, citric acid, or tartaric acid, all of which are present in green coffee seeds. For example, 1 g (0. 035 oz) caffeine dissolves in 46 ml (1. 6 US fl oz) of water at room temperature, and 5. 5 ml (0. 19 US fl oz) at 80  °C (176  °F). The xanthine alkaloids are odorless, but have a bitter taste in water, which is masked by organic acids present in green coffee, however. Trigonelline (N-methyl-nicotinate) is a derivative of vitamin B6 that is not as bitter as caffeine. In green coffee seeds, the content is between 0. 6% and 1. 0%. At a roasting temperature of 230  °C (446  °F), 85% of the trigonelline is degraded to nicotinic acid, leaving small amounts of the unchanged molecule in the roasted seeds. In green coffee seeds, trigonelline is synthesized from nicotinic acid (pyridinium-3-carboxylic acid) by methylation from methionine, a sulfur-containing amino acid. Mutagenic activity of trigonelline has been reported.

The American Health Care System is Most Expensive but not the Best in the World

No doubt, the United States has gained enough attention on the amount it spends on health care every year. Ten years ago, it was documented that America spends $4,178 per capita per year on health care (Chua 5) with the second greatest spender spending almost just half of what this country spends. Switzerland, which then held second place in health care spending, spent only $2,794 per capita per year on health care. Up to the present, 15% of this country’s GDP goes to health care while most of developed countries spend only an average of 8.6% of their GDP on health care (Chua 5). By far, the United States is the greatest health care spender among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. In spite of the whopping amount that goes to health care each year, it could be argued that Americans spend a lot on health care without providing the best possible health services to Americans. This is the position that shall be defended in this paper. To be able to show that the American Health Care System lags behind in spite of spending, it will be best to first establish certain standards.For this paper, the standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO) should be used. In 2001, WHO pegged the goals of world health care into three: good health, responsiveness, and fairness in financing (WHO in Bureau of Labor Education of the University of Maine 1). By good health, WHO simply refers to having desirable health for the citizens within the expected life cycle. This would mean the availability of health services that could aid the citizens live a flourishing life from birth until death.Responsiveness, on the other hand, refers to â€Å"the extent to which caregivers are responsive to the client/patient expectations with regard to non-health areas such as being treated with dignity and respect† (Bureau of Labor and Education o the University of Maine 6). Fairness in financing refers to a health care system that makes the less privilege also spend less. This means probably having payment caps or similar services that relieves the less privileged of health expenses. Given such, we could now look at how the American Health Care System measures up to such a standard.In spite of America’s big spending on health care, more than 50% of spending is still done by private entities: 35. 8% are paid for by private insurance (American Hospital Association 6). Consumers’ out-of-pocket spending on health care account for 13. 7% of the 2003 health care expenditure, while other private expenditure account for 4. 8% of the expenditure (American Hospital Association 6). In spite of the very large per capita spending of the state on health care, out-of-pocket spending and other private expenditure are still big.This probably may not be a very bad thing, but in spite of all the money going to health care, a large 15% of non-elderly adults do not have access to health care since this population is uninsured (Ch ua 1). Converted to numbers, this amounts of millions of non-elderly American adults who through some reason were unable to get either a publicly or privately funded insurance. This puts this population at risk, millions of potentially or actually productive Americans whose health is at risk because of some faulty health care system.If millions of non-elderly adults are at a health risk due to lack of access to health care, the elderly also have their own share of problems in health care. It is true that the elderly aged 65 and above have access to Medicare. This means that the seniors have access to hospital services, physician services, as well as prescription drug services (Chua 2). This sounds all good but there are geriatric needs that are not covered by Medicare. This forces the elderly to avail of premiums that would make their Medicare account more useful for geriatric needs.The premium account would make the senior citizen have access to nursing facilities; preventive care coverage; and coverage for dental, hearing, or vision care. As such, the elderly would have to spend a total of 22% of their income for the cost of health care (Chua 2). It could be noticed that the premium account covers services that should be basic for the elderly. These services may be optional for younger populations but these become real needs for people aged 65 and above.As such, it becomes a source of wonder why an insurance card that is designed for the elderly and the disabled requires an account upgrade for services like nursing facilities, dental, hearing, and vision care. The United States ranks poorly in infant mortality rate compared to other OECD countries: it ranked 26th in infant mortality rate among the industrialized countries (Bureau of Labor Education in the University of Maine 5). This speaks of a big problem somewhere in the health care system that fails to save infants in instances that ought to be curable.America also ranked 24th among the OECD countries on disability-adjusted life expectancy rate. This means that many Americans are expecting to live a part of their lives as disabled. This should not come as a surprise since millions of Americans do not have good access to health care. Given the above reasons, America spends too much but inefficiently. We may have the biggest spending rate on health care but America is far from being the best health care service provider in the world. Works Cited American Hospital Association. 2005.Overview of the US health care system. Database online. http://www. aha. org/aha/issues/CBHCS/index. html. Bureau of Labor Education of the University of Maine. 2001. â€Å"The US healthcare system: best in the world or just most expensive? † Chua, Kao-Ping. 2006. â€Å"Overview of the US Health Care System† under the AMSA Jack Routledge Fellowship. http://www. amsa. org/uhc/CaseForUHC. ppt. 2007. â€Å"Health Care in the United States. † http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Health_care_in _the_United_States.

The Military Sealift Command

The Military Sealift Command Executive Summary The Military Sealift Command or MSC was designed to aid in the logistical and transportation needs of the United States Military, and specifically handles the transportation, supply, and personnel needs of the U.S. Navy and other seafaring vessels in the U.S. military.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Military Sealift Command specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Today, the MSC has three main divisions, including the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force, the Special Missions Program, and the Prepositioning Program. Each subdivision operates under the jurisdiction of the federal government and employees a variable mixture of civilian mariners and enlisted officers. The purpose of this strategic plan is to further describe the current configuration of MSC, its operational nature, the overall vision and value system, and the foreseeable risks and opportunities in the future. Also, this plan will detail the implem entation of the most effective business strategy for the plan future endeavors as well as briefly outline a basic risk management plan. Based on available information, and a clear assessment of the foreseeable risks and responsibilities into the future, this strategic plan will suggest that the best operational framework in which MSC can operate is within an entrepreneurial system, where certain, logistical and routine needs are meet through the contracting of private entities who meet all the criteria for federal employment and contracting. Through this delegation of responsibility, MSC can more easily handle the more immediate needs of coordinating the logistical and transportation support needed by the U.S. Military and associated research and development vessels. Company Background Prior to 1949, marine transportation was controlled by four separate governmental agencies. However, after the end of World War II, it was determined that a singular entity would be better prepared to handle and supervise the multi-faceted arena of sea transportation and logistical support for the United States Department of Defense. Thus, the Military Sealift Command (MSC) was formed. The MSC has always assumed the responsibility for ocean transportation for the military and other governmental entities.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In modern times, MSC is utilized by the U.S. military and their civilian counterparts for the logistics and transportation of such things as fuel, humanitarian aid, research vessels, and military and civilian maritime personnel around the world. In addition, MSC vessels have also played a vital role in the nation’s fight against terrorism.Nearly 16 billion gallons of fuel as well as 110 million tons of supplies and equipment were delivered by MSC in 2008. In addition, medical vessels operated by MSC have been able to treat thousands of patients worldwide. Organizational Mission The organizational mission of the Military Sealift Command is fivefold: provide quality services to our clients, regardless of their needs, provide quality assistance to help them achieve their short and long term goals, to provide support to the Global War on Terrorism, to develop and maintain a support system for all staff and employees, ensure that our resources, including maritime and personnel are always able to meet the needs of our clients, now and in the future. In order to meet these goals and the changing demands of the maritime environment, the MSC is divided into three main subgroups. These subgroups include the Naval Fleet Auxiliary, the Special Mission Program, and the Prepositioning Program. The organizational structure of each of these sub-groups is described in the following paragraphs. Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force This subdivision of MSC contains more than 40 ships which are used for organizing the supply to the US Navy vessels by sea. The ships deliver such things as food, fuel, ordnance, replacement parts, mail service, and other necessary supplies. This resource allows naval vessels to remain at sea, and to have the ability to respond quickly during times of military or humanitarian need. Moreover, the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force is also responsible for towing and salvage operations along with medical and rescue services. Individual ships are manned by a crew of civil service mariners, and may contain a small group of naval personnel aboard for operational support. The vessels are also operated under governmental ownership. Special Missions Program This section of MSC operates a total of 25 vessels which provide operational platforms and command vessels for both research and military ventures. Routine missions may include such things as oceanographic surveys, underwater surveillance, as well as hydrological and acoustic surveys, and various other missions involved in wartime support . These services are supplied to such entities as the U.S.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Military Sealift Command specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Fleet Forces Command, the Oceanographer of the Navy, the U.S. Air Force, the Strategic Systems Programs Office of the U.S. Navy, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to name a few. The majority of ships within this section of MSC are operated by civilian mariners that work for private companies contracted by MSC. Also, some ships are operated by a hybrid crew, consisting of both civilian and military personnel that work under the supervision of a U.S. Navy captain. Prepositioning Program This portion of the MSC aids in the readiness strategy of the United States Military. Prepositioning is the act of placing military equipment and key supplies on designated vessels located in significant locations at sea. This ensures the availability of resources d uring times of increased conflict, war, a humanitarian operation, or other contingency. A total of 32 pre-positioning ships are in use by MSC to support all branches of the U.S. military and coalition allies. The Prepositioning fleet includes vessels owned by the U.S. government, chartered vessels, and ones that have been activated from the Maritime Administration Ready Reserve Force. The private contractors employed by the federal government are responsible for selecting the candidates for the crew of the ships which consist mainly of civilian mariners. Vision The overall vision of the Military Sealift Command is to deliver the most innovative and efficient delivery of resources and solutions within the maritime community (Military Sealift Command organization). Value Statements Above all else, Military Sealift Command values the people that make the realization of its vision and mission a reality. These include the employees, the clients, both military and civilian, and those who are affected by what we do for the military community, here and abroad. MSC also places a high value on maintaining a transparent and quantitative decision making process that is highlighted by professionalism, efficiency, and innovation.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Environmental Scan In order to assess and create an effective strategic plan, it is necessary to conduct an assessment of the external, internal and economic factors that will affect the Military Sealift Command. The following subsections will provide a summation of those factors. External Factors The following factors have been designated as external factors that would have a significant influence on MSC: access to global ports and sea-lanes, poor or inadequate infrastructure development, type of information and communication technology utilized, government regulations and fiscal restraints, and investment in new technology. Access to Global Ports and Sea-Lanes In the changing world of global dynamics, the transportation of materials and personnel to international ports and through international sea-lanes is becoming more crucial. Perceived opponents to the successful transportation of goods and services would undoubtedly try to prevent access to certain global ports and sea-lanes, critically affecting the ability of MSC to provide quality resources and personal to our clients. The freedom of access is crucial to the global economy as it facilitates the movement of both resources, and the natural growth and expansion of free trade. The inability of MSC to travel effectively would mean that that the supported presence of the United States Navy has the potential to be adversely effected in a number of established locations. Infrastructure Development Another significant external factor facing the MSC is the challenge of poorly developed or inadequate infrastructure in areas that the U.S. has shown future interests. The areas in question often lack the transportation and logistical necessities found in most developed areas, including airports, seaports, and established road networks. In addition, many of these areas have poor or inadequate water resources, poor sewer or electricity services. These shortcomings will most likely become a direct hindrance to the de ployment of military personnel and their support personnel by the United States and allied countries in a response to humanitarian necessity. Information Technology and Communications While current information technology and communication systems are important to the success of any military operation, the advancement of technology in this area also has the potential to cause problems for the military as well. Perceived opponents also have the opportunity to gain significant technological advances, including the technology currently being used by the United States military forces. These acquired technologies can then be utilized to attack, disrupt, or even degrade the ability of the U.S. military to communicate effectively. Governmental Regulations and Fiscal Restraints Since the military, and indirectly MSC operate under the supervision and guidance of the United States government, they must adhere to any and all regulations, budgetary restraints, and laws that could directly or ind irectly affect them. Currently, the United States government is having to manage a significant budget deficit which has affected many military operations, and therefore the ability to utilized support companies such as MSC. Investment in New Technology Based on the growing determination of the perceived enemies of the United States to utilize new and innovative technology to win the war on terrorism, it is essential that the United States government in new and remodeled programs, improved platforms. This will ensure the continued dominance of the United States military and their allies on the global stage. Internal Factors In addition to numerous external factors that influence the strategic planning of MSC, there are also a number of internal factors that must be accounted for. These include various strengths and weaknesses that have been revealed by a detailed analysis of the internal environment. A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis was conducted for Military Sealift Command. It focused on four main areas, including resources, funding, naval-maritime relationships, and workforce. MSC Resources At the current time, MSC operates approximately one hundred and eleven non-combatant civilian-crewed ships worldwide. The MSC also operates approximately fifty military ships that are currently on standby, ready for military use. The headquarters of MSC is located in Washington D.C., and auxiliary branches are located throughout the county. MSC employs approximately 8,000 employees that are comprised of both military and civilian personnel. In addition, another 4,000 civil servants derived from both the United States Marines and federal governments are utilized to strengthen its non-combatant naval auxiliary and special mission ships. Funding There are two major sources of fiscal resourcesfor MSC. These include the transportation working capital and the navy working capital fund. Each funding source is designated for a set of unique purpo ses. The purpose of the Transportation working capital is to finance the operation of sealift services, while the main purpose of the navy working capital fund is to support the naval taskforce, operations, and other military entities. It should be noted that MSC does not obtain funding through its command operations. Operational funding is provided through either a working funds capital, or from invoicing of MSC clients. These are the financial resources utilized by MSC to finance its command operations. MSC is a non-profit making entity, and therefore no profits are built into the budget. Naval-Maritime Relationship According to the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA) of the 1990s, an agreement was reached between the US government and the maritime industry. The purpose is to provide joint planning and assured access for the commercial ships at rates agreed upon in cases of national emergency. VISA allows the United States military to use the offshore transport equipment as well as private ships during emergencies, and in times of war. The treaty also allows the government to provide the maritime industry subsidies, and or contracts that involve the transportation of military equipment in times of peace. This enables the establishment of a relationship between the private firms and military, which can later be used during times of conflict. Workforce MSC’s workforce consists of approximately 9,000 employees worldwide. Approximately 80% of those employees are working at sea. The majority are mariners who are employed through a civil service in their respective federal governmental agencies. Other portions of MSC employees work for private firms as commercial mariners, civil servants, or as members of the reserve military. All MSC ships are operated by civilians, as opposed to naval vessels which are operated by military personnel. While operated by civilians, MSC vessels still may be involved in military operations during times of war or conf lict through the transport of military supplies, and communication equipment. This is accomplished through the use of small military compartments and departments that are specifically designed to facilitate these operations. Strength Analysis Based on the information provided above, MSC strengths include a highly trained workforce and a management system that is focused on both quality and safety considerations. Weakness Analysis Despite its apparent strengths, there are a number of weaknesses that have become apparent in the analysis of MSC. One such weakness is the relatively slow hiring process for new shoreline employees. Another weakness is the scarcity of available resources for use by MSC to support military operations in the forms of force sustainment, delivery of combat equipment, fuel, vehicles, ammunition in times of war and peace. This apparent shortfall of supplies has, unfortunately led to misappropriate use of funding in the past. This misuse is due in part to decisio ns made during mission implementation, where the priorities are not financial, but rather logistical. Another weakness, specific to military personnel is the added performance pressure that is experienced due to high turnover rate and the expectation of high performance and promotions. Often these personnel face the dilemma of choosing between careers and professional interests when they are involved in the decision making process (MSC, 2010). Economic Factors In addition to internal and external factors that the MSC strategic plan has identified, there are also a number of economic constraints that can be considered to have both internal and external components. One such economic influence is the changing use and need for energy resources. Since a larger percentage of fossil fuels are being utilized by emerging countries, these limited resources will most likely become unavailable in the foreseeable future. Therefore, alternative energy sources must be found and developed for use b y the U.S. military and their associated civilian operations (MSC 2010). Strategy Organization The primary objective of strategic planning is to understand how a particular business will be implemented, operated in the future, and how the entity will manage expected risks and new developments. There are a number of available strategies that the MSC could undertake, and one of the best alternatives will be discussed in the following paragraphs. Based on information obtained, the most beneficial strategic organizational structure is that of an entrepreneurial company (Pearce, Robinson, 2004, p 34). This assessment is based on a number of criteria, including the expected enhancement of the effectiveness and efficiency in MSC operations. The extensive amount of business management knowledge that has been made available to entrepreneurial systems will allow for a more seamless operation of administrative functions. In addition to operating under an entrepreneurial model, it is also impor tant for MSC to adopt the use of external resources such as outsourcing services that are designed to meet specific criteria and functional uses. By outsourcing certain routine aspects of their operations, some financial resources may be made available for additional employee benefits, additional research and development, or to provide a more stable financial foundation for future endeavors. Another possibility is to utilize more of the civilian workforce than is currently. In most cases, military personnel demand a higher wage, and more benefits than their comparable civilian counterpart. By using more of the civilian resources available, MSC could potentially reduce its overall cost of doing business. Implementation Plan While developing this implementation plan, one should first identify the major objectives that have to be attained by Military Sealift Command. These objectives are as follows: Establish more productive partnerships with private suppliers; Improve HR management i n the organization, especially when we are speaking about slow hiring process and high turnover of military personnel. Increase the speed of internal operations within the agency; Develop better control mechanisms over the resources. The achievement of these objectives is crucial for the effective functioning of the MSC. However, in order to reach these goals one has to single out a set of specific tasks. They can be presented in this way: Make a call for tender in order to attract private contractors. The private contractors of MSC have to be assessed in terms of their reliability, pricing policies, experience in the field, and ability to collaborate with military agencies. Set more stringent accountability standards for private contractors. One of the key issues, faced by MSC is the inability of this organization to control contractor-operated ships. The thing is that in many cases, MSC has to be twice for the same job (GAO, 1995, p 2). They need to make sure that the prices of contractors are reasonable and that overhaul work is done properly. Purchase or design an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) application that would enable the administration to gain a better control over such areas as human resources, financial reporting, supply chain, etc. Establish a department that would be occupied solely with the recruitment of the civil personnel. As a rule, Military Sealift Command often has to deal with numerous employment agencies, acting as mediators between the employer and the candidate and a result the process of hiring is usually very slow. Therefore, it is advisable to incorporate this agency into the structure of MSC. Review and modify remuneration policies of MSC. It has been mentioned before, the turnover rate in MSC is very high. In part, it can be explained by the fact that the employees are not content with the compensation that they receive for their work or they may be dissatisfied with the way their performance is assessed. It is possible to single out several milestones in this plan: the beginning of tenders and their ending; the design and installation of ERP system; the adoption of new accountability standards. The efficiency of this plan should be measured according to such parameters as the speed of operations, organizational costs, and turnover rate within the company. The administration of MSC has to establish at least workgroups, which would do the following tasks: organization of tenders and assessment of the offerings, made by various private entities; the evaluation of reporting practices within organization and development of new accountability policies; the design of ERP system; recruitment of the civil personnel. Such allocation of human resources seems to be the most appropriate for the needs of MSC. When speaking about the budget estimations, we need to say that it is too early to make them now because at first it is necessary to assess IT needs of the organization. Only on the basis of this assessm ent one would be able to determine what kind of software and hardware is needed by MSC. Besides, one would have to determine the costs of tenders and the costs of creating a new HR department in the organization. Without these data, it is rather difficult to carry out break-even analysis. At this point is rather difficult to set some specific deadline for the implementation of plan. However, we may argue that it will take MSC at least a year and a half to put the plan into execution because tendering process and the development of ERP system are very time-consuming. Overall, the implementation of this plan depends on several success factors: the availability of funding and the willingness of the employees to collaborate with the administration. Risk Management Risk management and contingency planning is defined as the recognition of foreseeable risk, the development of plans to manage those risks, as well as the specific steps that will be taken to minimize the impact from currently unrecognized future risk and problems. The goals of such planning and implementation is to increase the overall prosperity of the company, assess and effectively manage current and future risks, increase the ability of the company personnel to make effective and timely decisions, and to become proactive in managing new situations. Conclusions Based on the current information, and the foreseeable risks and responsibilities in the future, it is believed that the best strategic plan of operation for the MSC is to create a system modeled after entrepreneurial businesses, where coordination is handled by a more centralized administration, and certain routine or other logistical needs of the clients are met through subcontracting qualified private companies. Through this division of labor, it is believed that MSC will be more able to handle the changing risks and operational needs of its clients. Reference List Barney, J. B. (2007). Gaining and sustaining competitive advantage. Upper Sad dle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Government Accountability Office. (1995). Weak Control and Management of Contractor-operated Ships. Government Accountability Office. Web. Military Sealift Command organization. (n.d.) n.a. Web. Pearce, J., A., Robinson B. (2004) Strategic management: Formulation,  implementation and control. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Of Marriage and Single Life, by Francis Bacon

Of Marriage and Single Life, by Francis Bacon The first master of the essay form in English, Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was confident that of all his works in The Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall (1625) would last as long as books last. One of the best-known essays from that enduring collection is Of Marriage and Single Life. In his analysis of the essay, contemporary rhetorician Richard Lanham describes Bacons style as clipped, curt, compressed, and pointed: No climax at the end; no sign the whole chain of reasoning had been thought out beforehand; somewhat abrupt transitions (Some there are, Nay, there are, Nay, more), several antithetical contrasts, the whole built on a single, pointed and condensed moral reflection. It is from this last characteristic that the name pointed style comes. The point is the condensed, pithy, often proverbial and always memorable statement of a general truth.​​(Analyzing Prose, 2nd ed. Continuum, 2003) You may find it worthwhile to compare Bacons aphoristic observations with the lengthier reflections in Joseph Addisons Defence and Happiness of Married Life. Of Marriage and Single Life   by Francis Bacon He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune, for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief. Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men, which both in affection and means have married and endowed the public. Yet it were great reason that those that have children should have greatest care of future times, unto which they know they must transmit their dearest pledges. Some there are who, though they lead a single life, yet their thoughts do end with themselves, and account future times impertinences. Nay, there are some others that account wife and children but as bills of charges. Nay more, there are some foolish, rich, covetous men, that take a pride in having no children, because they may be thought so much the richer. For perhaps they have heard some talk, Such an one is a great rich man; and another except to it, Yea, but he hath a great charge of children, as if it were an abatement to his riches. But the most ordinary cause of a single life is liberty, especially in certain self-pleasing and humorous minds, which are so sensible of every restraint as they will go near to think their girdles and garters to be bonds and shackles. Unmarried men are best friends, best masters, best servants, but not always best subjects, for they are light to run away, and almost all fugitives are of that condition. A single life doth well with churchmen, for charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool. It is indifferent for judges and magistrates, for if they be facile and corrupt, you shall have a servant five times worse than a wife. For soldiers, I find the generals commonly in their hortatives put men in mind of their wives and children; and I think the despising of marriage amongst the Turks maketh the vulgar soldier more base. Certainly wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity; and single men, though they may be many times more charitable, because th eir means are less exhaust, yet on the other side they are more cruel and hard-hearted (good to make severe inquisitors), because their tenderness is not so often called upon. Grave natures, led by custom, and therefore constant, are commonly loving husbands; as was said of Ulysses, Vetulam suam praetulit immortalitati.* Chaste women are often proud and forward, as presuming upon the merit of their chastity. It is one of the best bonds both of chastity and obedience in the wife if she think her husband wise, which she will never do if she find him jealous. Wives are young mens mistresses, companions for middle age, and old mens nurses; so as a man may have a quarrel to marry when he will. But yet he was reputed one of the wise men that made answer to the question, when a man should marry: A young man not yet, an elder man not at all. It is often seen that bad husbands have very good wives, whether it be that it raiseth the price of their hushands kindness when it comes, or that the wives take a pride in their patience. But this never fails if the bad husbands were of their own choosing, against their friends consent, for then they will be sure to make goo d their own folly. * He preferred his old woman to immortality.

Information System Outsourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information System Outsourcing - Essay Example It is easier so outsource the development of information technology and systems and workers do not require complex infrastructure to begin their work. As the outsourcing market is highly competitive internationally and has a high level of mobility, it poses a certain degree of threat that major operations might be to other countries that are better able to provide a stable supply of skilled workforce. China has replicated the Indian model, is taking a more sustainable approach towards creating a stable flow of skilled workers and seems determined to grab a substantial market share in the outsourcing business. IBM is one successful business that has been able to retain a large pool of highly skilled labor in India. Its labor force has increased substantially from thirty-five thousand employees to well around sixty thousand headcounts. Its success is deeply rooted based on its ability to pay premium wages to its employees based on its international standing and its ability to charge its clients a premium based on its brand image. British Petroleum similarly outsourced its entire information technology system development program without enough geographical diversification and found after a year that none of the information technology firms in India was able to provide any satisfactory program for implementation. In conclusion, it is clear that outsourcing has its benefits for both parties but also adds significantly to the risks. A better strategy for outsourcing is the use of multi-sourcing to avoid risks related to non-performance and delays.

The Air Pollution Problems in Beijing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The Air Pollution Problems in Beijing - Essay Example Most of the sulfur dioxide emitted into the air resulted from coal combustion, which formed a fundamental part of the energy suppliers in China. In the 1990s, the problem worsened because of the increase in the number of vehicles on Chinese roads. Beijing recorded a massive rise from 0.5 million in 1990 to over 5 million cars in 2012. Chinese cars emit more pollutants than most cars in other developed countries because the low standards of automobile emissions in the country. It is worthwhile mentioning that the current state of air pollution in Beijing and many other Chinese cities is a result of rapid industrialization and increase in the numbers of automobiles on the road. In the previous ten years, Beijing has been trying to put in efforts to improve the quality of its air. The efforts have been able to bring out some positive impacts though at a minimal rate. The rapid developments in the economy, advancements in motorization and increasing industrialization have contributed immensely to the air pollution. In the previous decades, Beijing has suffered from various sources of air pollution. Among these sources are; coal combustion, exhaust from vehicles, and fugitive dust. The pollution is distinctively characterized by the enormous levels of pollutants from coal burning. These pollutants are the sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM), and the photochemical products like ozone (Leitte, Schlink and Franck 125). Beijing, Chinas capital city is an international metropolis with a current population estimate of million. Air pollution is an important and mutual concern for all urban residents in many big cities worldwide. Particulate matter (PM) remains to be the air pollutant with the greatest adverse health effects on people. PM10 and PM2.5 are the primary particulate matter pollutants. Particulate matter consists of particles with aerodynamic diameters