Alternative strategies for Ducati Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alternative strategies for Ducati - Essay Example Though Ducati products were well accomplished with technical excellence, as Professor Gavetti (2001) points out, the decision of the major shareholders to refocus on products other than motorcycles led way to the turn down of the company. The acquisition of Ducati by Cagiva improved the Ducati’s status in the market but eventually resulted in liquidity crisis which deprived the working capital funding of Ducati. As a result there was much delay in the payment as well as production. Ducati instead of widening its market to the production of variety of other products, it must utilize the technical excellence of its product lines for the manufacture of motor cycles. It must think of bringing up innovativeness in the design of motorcycles to attract and fascinate the customers. Women were found to contribute a major part of the customers for other motorcycle manufacturers like Harley. Hence, Ducati must pay attention to the choices of women and try to retain them as main customers . One of the key reasons for the under utilization of the Ducati’s potential and excellence was the lack of effective management strategies. Effective and well organized managerial strategies are recommendable for the development of any company and its trade. Thus Ducati must be directed by a dynamic and committed management in order to implement effective managerial strategies. The presence of a vibrant manger would eradicate the chaos and internal problems which were found to be significant barriers for the creative decision making. Identifying the real passion of people and implementing those in the production can be highly advantageous for Ducati in drawing the attention of customers and persuading them to buy the products. It is inevitable to focus on creating a good stature in the international market in order to grab the attention of customers because customer satisfaction is the ultimate objective of the modern market. As the competition is rising, Ducati must concent rate on building broader spectrum of customers by conducting effective market researches and thereby upgrading innovativeness in the production processes. According to Gavetti (11), Ducati adopted firm selection procedures and other control measures which resulted in the reduction of the number of suppliers; they hardly had any long term suppliers. Though this enhanced the quality and reliability of their products, it resulted in the increased maintenance costs. It is required to focus on the quality of products and at the same it’s important to maintain adequate number of suppliers. The choices of the sources of suppliers can be increased only by maintaining adequate number of suppliers. It is possible to choose the potential supply at affordable prices through the option of selection from a wide range of suppliers which would assist the company to increase the effectiveness of its operations. To conclude, Ducati should be up-to-date with the varying tastes and preferences o f the consumers and try to bring the identified needs to the product line. The major suggestions are listed below 1. In the given case, exhibit 5 represents that Ducati does not produce cruiser, touring or off-road bikes; instead, they mainly concentrate on bikes over 400 cc. It would only satisfy the interests of youngsters, and the majority public has been ignored. So, it is advisable that Ducati should enter the market of general types of motor cycles also. 2. Similarly, exhibit 8 indicates that sales of super-sport bikes do not show a noticeable upward trend. Hence, it is suggestible to make adequate modifications in this model after surveying consumers’

Wal-Mart and Union Membership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wal-Mart and Union Membership - Research Paper Example The only advantage of having a union is that Wal-Mart will have to consult only the union when implementing its human resource policies rather than to consult the individual workers separately. It will also ease the government’s regulations in the industry as the government would know that the trade union is there to represent the interest of workers. Another advantage of Trade Unions for Wal-Mart is that it will make sure that all the grievances and resentment of workers are heard before they become an issue and hence it will result in better employee-employer relationship which will lead to smooth functioning of the organization.Hence, we can see that although Wal-Mart enjoys certain advantages when working with unions, but these are greatly outnumbered by the disadvantages of working with unions. 2) Employee gains a lot of advantages if they have union membership. The greatest advantage that it renders to the workers is strength in numbers. The bigger a group of workers demanding certain right, the more pressure it can put on the management and hence there are more chances that the management would give in to their demands. This encourages more and more employees to join the union and enjoy the benefits of being strong and more vocal. Another advantage for union membership is the Trade Union fund which is given in the form of allowances to its members in case they need them. It is disbursed to members who are going through a period of illness, trauma or any other kind of problem that requires them to use these funds of part of these funds. Similarly, Union membership allows the employees to communicate more actively with the government and press them to legislate for acts that promote workers’ rights and also increase job security. However, there are certain disadvanta ges of a union member also. Employees have to pay certain amount annually to the union as a membership fee. This puts an additional burden on employees. Individual employees cannot press for their demand and they lose their voice at the expense of what the large majority wants. Hence, one can say that although the union membership is beneficial for workers, it can also bring disharmony and conflict of interest among workers which can lead to other organization-wide problems. (Daft, 1996) 3) There can economics, social and ethical consequences of Wal-Mart trying to stop allowing its workers to hold a union membership. Many pressure groups will turn against Wal-Mart. They will declare Wal-Mart as an organization that does not support workers’ rights. This will lead to loss of goodwill and bad reputation for the company. Many customers might turn away from buying from Wal-Mart which will lead to loss of revenue for the company. It will also discourage workers joining Wal-Mart as they would see it as an organization that does not respect their rights and they are being treated not so well. This will lead to a decrease in supply of workers who want to join Wal-Mart and it will have to pay the workers who want to join Wal-Mart higher wages (Bamford, 2003). This can again lead to less of profitability in the income

To maintain a commitment to professionalism Essay Example for Free

To maintain a commitment to professionalism Essay As a teacher of young children I am aware of my disposition at all times. Being professional is very important in a child care setting. One of my roles is to serve as a positive role model to the children in my child care. I dress appropriately to work effectively with young children. My co-worker and I wear scrub tops, except in summer when hot out. The scrub tops we wear have Disney characters on them, and the kids love them. I am knowledgeable of my profession, and I respect the children, parents and my co-workers. These attributes show my competence in meeting Standard VI. Professionalism- I truly enjoy working with young children in a group setting, and demonstrate a positive attitude in my role. I always come to work with a smile on my face and a bounce in my step. I talk to children, and play with them every day. Children are the light of my life, and it sure shines brightly when they are around. I also take advantage of opportunities to grow professionally by attending workshops, in-service trainings offered by The Child Resource Network to gain knowledge that will help me to become a better teacher of young children. This professional development training also keeps me up-to-date with the latest knowledge and trends in the child care field. I also follow regulations set forth by the state of Indiana to ensure that I am providing the best quality service to children and their families. CS VI a- I decided to work with children when my granddaughter Marley was a year old. At the time I was working for a company CDC for mentally disabled adults. I worked for the company for six years. I dedicated my life to that company. I got blamed for another Susan’s abuse of a consumer. I was told that my job was on line. When they found out it wasn’t me, I was told it would still be in my file. I gave them a 3-4 weeks’ notice and quit. I decided I would not have anyone tell me I abused a consumer when I loved them all like they was my family. I have a handicapped nephew and a niece with cerbal palsy. I thought this is the perfect time to start a daycare, and get to spend all the time in the world with my granddaughter. I couldn’t have choose a better job. I love children, and I was only allowed to have one child. My doctor wanted me to abort with my pregnancy, because I had epilepsy. CS VI b- Keeping a clean center and maintaining equipment. Keeping paper work organized and in the appropriate  places is very important. Positive attitude and positive role model to the children.

The Most Important Theme of The Joy Luck Club Essay Example for Free

The Most Important Theme of The Joy Luck Club Essay Throughout The Joy Luck Club, one of the most frequently displayed themes is that concepts from one culture can be misconstrued to mean something different in other cultures, leading to misunderstanding and lack of communication between the native born Chinese mothers and their fully Americanized daughters. This is the most important theme because disagreements and differences between the mothers and daughters in this story often take place because they are unable to communicate with each other. Differences in culture cause the daughters to think that their mothers are unintelligent because of their of incorrect English, while the mothers grow impatient with their daughters who fail to understand Chinese subtleties. To an American, these subtleties are nearly impossible to understand due to the perspectives and ways of thinking of an American person, which are different to those of a Chinese person. Also, actions in China are often taken differently than in America. For example, when Waverly’s mother Lindo bragged about her daughter’s success, kids in China would accept this, while kids in America usually become annoyed because American children like Waverly, they want to have the glory all to themselves. Also in China, children are encouraged and sometimes even forced to pursue one area and be exceptional at it while in America, kids are encouraged to have multiple skills and to be good in many areas. In June’s situation, her mother wanted her to become the best in one area instead of allowing June to discover her own interests and to have a more balanced lifestyle.

Gene Therapy for Haemophiliacs

Gene Therapy for Haemophiliacs Introduction The main goal of gene therapy is to replace a mutating gene that causes disease, with a healthy copy of the gene or inserting a new gene into the body to help fight the particular disease. In addition, gene therapy is a promising treatment option for a number of diseases such as inherited disorders, different types of cancer and viral diseases. (Samuel Murphy, 2008) Nonetheless, the technique is still under tests, for the reason that it stays risky. According to Professor Nathwani, there is no confirmation of any side effects in patients who already have been treated with gene therapy, still, long-term-follow-up for the adults patients is required before the therapy can be approved for children. Gene therapy is currently only being tested for untreatable diseases. The most challenging one for the gene therapy is Haemophilia. It is yet not accomplished, however there is a significant progress of improvement. (National Library of Medicine, 2016). Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder resulted from low functional blood levels which slow down the blood thickening (clotting). Individuals with this condition experience prolonged bleeding during surgery, after a bad injury or even after they had a tooth pulled out. In very few cases of Haemophilia, prolonged bleeding occurs after minor trauma or in absence of any. In situations like this, bleeding into the brain, joints, or other internal organs could cause serious complications (National Library of Medicine, 2012). Haemophilia overview, diagnosis and treatment options There are two principle types of Haemophilia A and B. Haemophilia A, additionally called, factor VIII, is a hereditary disorder caused by the absent or defective factor VIII (clotting protein). (National Haemophilia Foundation, no date). Haemophilia B, likewise, called factor IX (Christmas disease) is a hereditary disorder caused by the absent or defective factor IX (also a clotting protein), approximately 1/3 of the cases, in both types, are caused by a spontaneous change in a gene. The X and Y chromosomes are called sex chromosomes. The haemophilia gene is carried in the X chromosome. Males have XY chromosomes, X from their mother and Y from their father. Females have two X chromosomes, one from their mother and one from their father. In this case, if a boy has haemophilia gene in his X chromosome from his mother, he will have haemophilia. However, fathers cannot pass haemophilia to their sons. At the point when a female has haemophilia gene on only one of her X chromosomes, impli es as a carrier and can only pass the disease to her children. (National Haemophilia Foundation, no date). Haemophilia is more common in males than females. Nowadays, 1 in 5000 males worldwide are born each year with Haemophilia A and approximately 1 in 20 000 with Haemophilia B.(National Library of Medicine, 2012). The most convenient way to diagnose Haemophilia is to find out if the disease is in the family history, then it would be very possible for the new-born to be infected as well. The other ways to diagnose the disease is to do blood tests to determine any missing clotting factors or low levels, and which ones are causing the problem, and DNA test, which is looking for mutations who cause the haemophilia and eventually compare it to the carrier (parents). The main treatment for haemophilia is called replacement therapy (gene therapy), involves injecting missing clotting factor proteins into the affected persons bloodstream. These proteins help to repair normal blood clotting but often the therapy must be repeated frequently (Hemophilia Federation of America, no date). Gene therapys future Over the past 15 years an empowering data from successful trials on animals and humans have finally resulted incredible accomplishment in patients with severe Haemophilia A and B. Researches from the University College London and St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital organised a team to investigate a potential gene therapy improvement. The investigation was focused on 6 males with severe Haemophilia B. All patients received one-time intravenous infusions of the gene vector at different doses. As indicated by the review, the men were producing clotting factor IX at less than 1% of normal levels. After the gene therapy each patient was tested and the result showed a significant improvement factor IX at between 2% and 11% of normal levels. According to the scientists, gene therapy would enhance the outcomes significantly more after proceeded regular therapy. (National Institutes of Health, 2011). Most recently in 2016 another experiment took place, made by BioMarin. The case included 8 patients with severe form of Haemophilia A. The released information was demonstrated that 2 high dose patients had an increased levels of Factor VIII above 50 percent. Every one of the patients received a single dose of BMN 270 (new investigational drug), 6 of whom have been treated at the highest dose of 61013 vg/kg. The full treatment lasted up to four months. After the last observation, according to the researchers, the highest dose levels of experienced increasing Factor VIII ranged between 4 and 60 percent. All high dose patients had a significant improvement. Also, according to the World Federation of Haemophilia, factor levels were variating in the normal ranges. However, there was a slight problem with some of the patients. BioMarin noticed that some patients had expanded liver enzyme levels (because of the long period of the therapy), prophylactic corticosteroid therapy was given and according to the company, the enzyme levels dropped back to normal. (Ben Adams, 2016). Third significant test included clinical trials managed by Professor Amit Nathwani of University College London and demonstrated an actual hope for haemophilia B patients. In this experiment, each patient received one of three doses of a gene therapy vector to deliver the genetic material for making Factor IX. Factor IX levels increased in all individuals with severe haemophilia B, the following gene therapy remained stable and lasted for more than 4 years. Amazing results and incredible improvement. Moreover, the six patients who received the highest gene therapy dose, remained high blood-clotting protein levels from less than one percent of normal to five or more, which reduced the spontaneous bleeding to 90 percent. According to Professor Nathwani, the unimaginable outcomes permitted the patients to live ordinary life and eventually practice their favourite sport without the need for Factor IX replacement therapy or any daily medication. (New England Journal of Medicine, 2011). Th e following graphs are showing the gained results from the experiment: Figure 1. Factor IX activity after gene transfer (The New England Journal of Medicine, 2014) Figure 2. Number of annual bleeding episodes (The New England Journal of Medicine, 2014)         Ã‚   Both of the graphs are demonstrating the improvement in each patient. Scientists do numerous trials, experiments and researches each day to develop the gene therapy technique. Many evidences of clinical efficacy are currently observed, more work is accomplished and more researches are made. Gene therapy has guaranteed the advantage to those who suffer from Haemophilia, however, this advantage has not been acknowledged yet due to the fact that this field is still young. Although, the majority of the taken experiments and their results are quite encouraging and for the past twenty years numerous trials demonstrated significant improvement in the patients (Christopher Doeing, 2009). Besides, the possibility of gene therapy treatment holds great hopes and has been successfully used to cure some diseases, however, the technique is still under research to make sure it will be safe and effective in the future with no life threatening side effects. It is believed that the gene therapy will l ead to patients having rare bleeding episodes or even begin producing their own clotting factor. Therefore, more experiments have to be done and researches should take care for future side effects or inherited disorders (Mark Derewicz, 2015). All the recent examples of severe haemophilia and the incredible improved process toward a cure showed how much potential this technique has. Is it going to be the next treatment of choice? In my opinion, yes. The ability to insert a foreign gene into the body, and make it possible to approach a new treatment or the ability to control one of the most dangerous human diseases, is one of the first steps to complete success. According to Jack McCain, in 1990 Dr. Anderson carried the first gene therapy trial and cured a hereditary disease of the immune system in a 4-year-old-girl. Today, the patient is still alive and doing very well. This medical case along with the analyses stated above, prove that gene therapy one day can become a staple of 21st century medicine (Jack McCain, 2005). Conclusion According to Graham Templeton, gene therapy researchers have invested decades to develop this amazing technique. Nowadays, gene therapy can be life-changing for many people around the world. For the past 50 years new technologies have been used to control bleeding disorders, however gene therapy offers the possibility of a cure. As stated, gene therapy might be the next sensational discovery for a treatment not only for haemophilia but cancer, other inherited disorders or even HIV (Graham Templeton, 2016). For the past few decades scientists had some successful developments such as: discovering new treatments, inventing new techniques to investigate particular diseases, however the most important one is to be able to treat untreatable diseases, and according to all the experiments stated above, gene therapy is a promising technique, not only for correcting defects, but also for treating cancer and other harmful diseases. More work needs to be done before gene therapy can become a tre atment of choice and this may take another decade until scientists are completely sure that there will be no harmful effects by choosing this technique as a possible cure of Haemophilia.

Excellence in Engineering Education :: Education Engineer Educating Essays

How should we describe the excellent engineer and what kind of education is demanded by such a person? Several issues are involved. One of these is the character of our times; that is, the best engineer out of the "science engineering" model of the 1950s may have little value in the early 21st Century. Another issue is the concept of education. How do education and training differ and how is excellence achieved? Finally, clearly, there is the issue of what we would expect of an engineer who is truly excellent. Fortunately for us, ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) seeks to define the excellent engineer and the excellent engineering program by outlining a number of criteria that should be met by any accredited program in engineering education. It is important to note, at the outset, that ABET begins with an overarching criterion that "engineering programs must prepare graduates for the practice of engineering at a professional level." (My emphasis) This must mean something more than mere vocational training. As a professional, the engineer must exercise considerable autonomy and use intelligent individual judgment. The professional engineer can be no mere employee; he/she must become a partner in the development of technology. By its very nature a professional partnership involves certain viewpoints, methods, and standards developed by the community of professionals, who have common interests and objectives, and these must stand independent of those who would employ o r otherwise seek the service of these professionals. Three of the five criteria developed by ABET recognize aspects of the educational institution that, I suspect, all will agree with without much hesitation. Students of high quality must be attracted and served well. Faculty of high quality must be attracted and retained. Educational objectives must be stated clearly and publicly; some form of evaluation must be in place to assure that these objectives are achieved. The one worrisome aspect of the new ABET criteria is what appears to be an overwhelming emphasis on quantitative assessment, phrased in terms of outcomes. While it is one thing to plan for and hope for significant outcomes, it is another to expect that genuinely desirable outcomes will always be so "objective" that quantitative assessment is remotely possible. At the very least, there should be some allowance for the obvious fact that certain outcomes take longer than others to be realized. It is true, of course, that the longer an outcome takes, the more complex are the f actors that contribute to it.

Did Attitude Shape Catharine Parr Traill and Susanna Moodie Success as

Back in the 1830’s when it was unimaginable to journey for months to a foreign country so uncultivated; two naà ¯ve sisters did just that. The Backwoods of Canada is a straightforward, realistic account complied of letters written back home of Catharine Parr Traill’s first years in Canada. Roughing It in the Bush is a witty, autobiographical memoir written by her younger sister, Susanna Moodie. Their attitude to becoming pioneers was shaped by their temperaments and circumstance. Catharine’s attitude is one quiet acceptance and is reflected in her no-nonsense writing, whereas Susanna’s attitude first appears to have an edgier, less optimistic outlook on her new homeland, but she covers it up with a dry sense of humour in style and dialogue when reflecting on her Canadian experience. Upon examination, we first must look at the sisters’ temperament and attitude towards life. Their attitude on life comes out in their writing and we can sense how they would perceive their new homeland, Canada in the 1832. Catharine, the elder by 23 months was considered to be the â€Å"sweet-tempered and placid, was her father’s favourite child,† and Susanna, the youngest, â€Å"was the impulsive and defiant [one], with a wicked sense of humour† (Gray, 17, 18). Both sisters’ traits are clearly exposed in their approach to starting a new life in Canada. Even before moving to Canada, it was Susanna’s passion for life and her new baby that energized Catharine and Thomas to ‘get involved’, get married and to emigrate with Susanna and her family, but it was Catharine’s methodical calmness that got Susanna through the valleys and peaks in actually moving to Canada ( 48). Catharine and her husband were at an advantage over her sister when they first arrived in Canad... ...arine wrote with a no-nonsense positive style to assist women embarking on immigrating to Canada. Susanna wrote with humour and frankness to cover up her disgust and disappointment and to warn genteel women of the hardships of becoming pioneers. After researching these two sisters’ biographies, I realize that they both had fortitude beyond what I would be able to endure if I were in either of their shoes. Works Cited Parr Traill, Catharine. â€Å"The Backwoods of Canada.† An Anthology of Canadian Literature in English. 3rd ed. Ed.Donna Bennett, and Russell Brown. Don Mills, ON:Oxford, 2010, 102-108, Print. Moodie, Susanna. â€Å"Roughing It in the Bush.† An Anthology of Canadian Literature in English. 3rd ed. Ed.Donna Bennett, and Russell Brown. Don Mills, ON:Oxford, 2010, 102-108, Print. Gray, Charlotte. Sisters In The Wilderness. Toronto: Penguin, 1999. Print