Impact of Computerized Accounting to Inventory Management

CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Introduction Advances in Information Technology (IT) have enabled companies to use computers to carry out their activities that were previously performed manually. The ongoing revolution in IT has had a significant influence on accounting information system. Today, almost all organizations are using computers in their daily business. As computers become smaller, faster, easier to use, and less expensive, the computerization of account ting work will continue. Accounting activities that were previously performed manually can now be performed with the use of computers. That is, accountants are now able to perform their activities more effectively and efficiently than before. On the other hand, every†¦show more content†¦The profiles of the respondents are being gathered through questionnaires to generate generalization about the impacts of computerized accounting system in inventory management. Input Process Output Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study Statement of the Problem This study seeks to determine the relationship of computerized accounting system and the effectiveness of inventory management of quick serving restaurants in Iba, Zambales. Specifically, it aims to determine the following: 1. The profile of the respondents as to: 1.1 Individual 1.1.1 Name; 1.1.2 Position/Level of management; 1.1.3 Tenure in service; and 1.1.4 Background in IT. 1.2 Organization 1.1.1 Name; 1.1.2 Age of Business; 1.1.3 Size of the Business based on net assets; 1.1.4 Number of employees; 1.1.5 Average Sales; 1.1.6 Average inventory; and 1.1.7 Method of recording inventory. 2. How is the degree of effectiveness of the following computerized processes in inventory management described in terms of: 2.1 Accuracy of records; 2.1.1 Purchase of inventory; 2.1.1.1 Demand forecasting; 2.1.1.2 Replenishment lead time; and 2.1.1.3 Carrying cost? 2.1.2 Receiving of inventory; 2.1.2.1 Available space for inventory; and 2.1.2.2 Purchase returns and allowances? 2.1.3 Point of Sale; 2.1.3.1 Cost of Goods Sold? 2.1.4 Inventory count; 2.1.4.1 Inventory report in accounting system;Show MoreRelatedAssumptions on Accounting Information Systems1575 Words   |  6 PagesAssumptions on Accounting Information Systems: Accounting Information Systems have emerged as very famous components of modern businesses mainly because they offer beneficial and timely information to management in addition to being cost-effective. Generally, these systems are helpful in book account payables, cash transactions, receivables, and every other accounting function in an orderly manner. 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Most organizations are structured along functional lines, and the typical systems are identified as follows: 1. Accounting management information systems: All accounting reports are shared by all levels of accounting managers. The management of the information which at the accounting department is one of the most importantRead MoreResponsibilities Of A Cfo Versus A Controller, Accountant Or Bookkeeper Essay1386 Words   |  6 PagesAdditionally, many business owners do not feel they can afford a CFO, however that is where a part time CFO who participates with the business owner and management is critical. A part time CFO can spend as little as a day or two month with the business and add value to the bottom line. A. CFO Responsibilities: 1. Cash Management Cash management includes understanding your business s operating cycle (i.e. cash to cash cycle). 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The Professional Development Award in Health and Social...

PDA in Health and Social Care Supervision Social health Care Supervision Definition Social Care Supervision refers to the strategies and body of service done within a social care plant in order to improve on the level of performance of the social care workers. Supervision is a critical idea in any social or structured society in which services of high quality and demand are being offered. Many social health care centers in the world are in need of equitable service delivery programs that will oversee a fruitful service reception by the clients. As such, Social Care Supervision refers to this body of knowledge and strategies used to support and instill hard work, quality delivery of products and services, together with a continuum of good delivery of goods and services to the clients (Gray Brown 2010, p. 45-85). The Professional Health and Social Care Supervision Award were offered to social workers who registered to the Scottish Social Services Council. The core aim of this service mechanism was to meet the various requirements among social service workers. These services were derived and directed to all workers in service practices. It also included those who require additional qualifications in order to meet the pending responsibilities and challenges within a social work setup. The workers, whose responsibilities and duties are to meet the needs and wants of other workers, in that, who are in supervision roles, are required to live by the standards held by theShow MoreRelatedProfessional Counseling Focuses on Development, Wellness and Prevention814 Words   |  3 Pages Professional counseling is different from other counseling and psychology related fields. The desire of social work is to help the destitute. Psychology wants to understand the nature of a person. Psychiatry deals wit h medical interventions. 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Managing Business Activities to Achieve Results Free Essays

Table of Contents Understand the importance of business processes in delivering outcomes based upon business goals and objectives 2 Be able to develop plans for own area of responsibility to implement operational plans 3 Be able to monitor appropriate systems to improve organisational performance 4 Be able to manage health and safety in the workplace. 1: 1. 1 evaluate the interrelationship between the different processes and functions of the organisation 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Business Activities to Achieve Results or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2 justify the methodology to be used to map processes to the organisation’s goals and objectives 1. 3 evaluate the output of the process and the quality gateways 2: 2. 1 design plans which promote goals and objectives for own area of responsibility 2. 2 write objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based to align people and other resources in an effective and efficient way2. 3 implement appropriate systems to achieve objectives in the most efficient way, on time, to budget and meeting organisational standards of quality 2. 4 carry out work activities meeting the operational plan through effective monitoring and control 3: 3. 1 design systems to manage and monitor quality standards specified by the organisation 3. demonstrate a quality culture to ensure continuous monitoring, evaluation and development of the process 3. 3 recommend improvements which align with the organisation’s objectives and goals and which result in improvements 3. 4 report on the wider implications of proposed changes within the organisation 4: 4. 1 carry out risk assessments as required by legislation, regulation and organisational requirements ensuring appropriate action is taken 4. 2 demonstrate that health and safety regulations and legislation applicable in specific work situations are correctly and effectively applied 4. carry out a systematic review of organisational health and safety policies and procedures in order to ensure they are effective and compliant 4. 4 carry out practical application of health and safety policies and procedures in the workplace. 1. 1 – The Interrelationship Between the Different Processes and Functions of the organisation Your business’s functions are the things it does — production, sales, marketing, research and billing, for example. The organizational structure defines the relationship and interactions between the parts of your business, and identifies how the chain of command runs through the different levels. You can set up your business structure around your organizational functions, but even if you don’t, function and structure will influence each other. Functional Structure Most businesses adopt a functional organizational structure: Different functions go into separate departments that report to department managers, who then report to someone higher up. If you adopt a functional structure, it has the advantage of clear lines of authority, and allows each employee to concentrate on her particular mission. The drawback is that you can end up with departments that don’t talk to each other or cooperate well. A customer may get bounced from department to department if his problem doesn’t relate to one particular function. Divisional Structure A divisional organizational structure spreads functions across different branches: If you have different product lines, the division for each product line has its own marketing, RD, sales and accounting departments. The advantage of this approach is that each branch has the personnel to carry out all necessary functions. The drawback is that with employees in each division performing identical functions, you could end up with a lot of redundancy and inefficiency. Matrix Structure Using a matrix structure in your business can give you greater flexibility in business functions than a more hierarchical organization. In a matrix structure, each employee works in a function-based department, such as marketing or finance, but they can be assigned to projects under different managers and teamed with employees who have different functions. This structure adapts organizational function to changing organizational needs. The drawback is that the chain of command in a matrix may become cloudy and conflicted. Organizational Charts If you or your staff have trouble visualizing a proposed structure, you can use an organizational chart to see it clearly. The New York and Erie Railroad developed the first organizational charts in the 19th century as a way to improve management efficiency. A chart shows the lines of authority and control running between different departments and levels of management. A well-designed chart will make it easy to see who makes decisions, who reports to whom and how your organization divides up its operating functions. How to cite Managing Business Activities to Achieve Results, Essay examples

Summary of Economics free essay sample

From the household the employee goes to firm to work and then he uses the finished resources for his personal use and this is how the cycle works. In Figure B. we should realize that not all the income is spent. Some income is saved and recycled to investment through the financial markets and that we can see in fig. B. As we cannot consider an economy as isolated from the rest of the world since countries have a great impact on each other owing to transactions such as imports, exports, and foreign borrowing. Therefore we should incorporate both the foreign and government sector in the flow charts as we can see in the Figure. C. In this the government sector makes payments to households and firms, collect taxes, borrows saving and consumes both goods and labor. The foreign sector buys and sells goods and services and borrows and saves it in the domestic financial market. We will write a custom essay sample on Summary of Economics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Now to understand the concept of supply and demand we should first know the meaning of those terms. Supply means the goods and services which we try to make it available to the customers on time and demand means to fulfill the needs of the buyer by providing him/her the services at the right place on right time. In Figure D. the supply curve is in the upward direction because the price is high as the producer is willing to produce the given quantity. The reason for price high is because of the need in order to compensate a producer for the higher cost of obtaining the additional resources needed to produce the larger output. Similarly, in figure E. the demand curve slopes downward because buyers as a group respond to lower prices by purchasing more. Now in Figure F, in the freely operating market the market price and the quantity are determined simultaneously . And one does not determine the other. There is only one actual market price and one actual quantity transacted. And so this means that some buyers and sellers were not able to make a transaction or additional transactions because they could not buy or sell at the going market price. So Buyers who were willing and able to pay the market price or more are indicated by the proportion of the demand curve. Now in figure G, as we can see that the marker prices and the quantities are at the equilibrium , new forces can causes either or both the supply and demand curves to shift. Such forces create a new equilibrium point towards which price and quantity will adjust. As we have even studied about the market failures and the role of the government in which the strength of the market is that all resources and outputs with efficiently be allocated to their most productive, beneficial uses by the law of supply and demand. On these grounds, there appears to be no rule for government in the economy other than maintaining the rules of the marketplace, since the market is performing optimally. However market failures which justify government interventions in the economy are as follows that is a) inequity (unfairness), b) failure of competition, c) underutilized resources, d) externalities, e) public goods. Now I would like to explain each of the failures one by one. a) Inequity: It is the distribution of resources and outputs resulting from a perfectly functioning market system will be efficient, but it may not be equitable. If the market’s distribution of benefit does not meet society’s criterion of equity, government can intervene to redistribute the ncome or wealth. b) Failure of competition: As we all know that there are some circumstances which lead to natural monopolies for example the economics of producing electricity may justify only one large power plant which exploits economies of scale to supply the entire community. c) Underutilized resources: It is when the national economy exhibits the high level of unemployment, idle factories, huge balance of payments deficits or surpluses, and unanticipated inflation; it is difficult even for economists to argue that all resources are being efficiently utilized by the market system. ) Externalities: Externalities are actions of one actor which affect another, but not directly through the market system. The actions of the polluter, for example, affect others by the reduced quality of the air and water they must consume, but the price of the polluter’s products does not reflect their cost of pollution. Thus government often provide regulatory incentives not to pollute or introduce market incentives through taxes or subsidies. e) Public goods: Some items have peculiar characteristics that when one person consumes the benefits, it does not detract others from also consuming the same benefits. Example of public goods is national defense and public parks. Thus the market system fails to produce an optimal amount and quality of these goods. Aggregate supply and aggregate demand: Generally I would like to explain this by an example but first I would like to clear some concepts that are one would expect that market mechanisms will efficiently allocate resources and output throughout the economy. As only under special conditions would another actor intervene in the operation of a particular market? All of this analysis forms the basis of microeconomic. Aggregate supply is the schedule relating the total supply of all the goods and the services in an economy to the general price level. While there is broad agreement among economists about the slope of the aggregate demand curve, a consensus view is almost impossible to identify. Aggregate demand is the result of the interactions of the nonfinancial and financial markets. The non-financial markets are divided into four types of expenditure. The financial market includes money and all other financial assets. This is why I have understood from the case study.

Mine Disasters Essay Example

Mine Disasters Essay Mining disaster in the past have been referred to mining accidents claiming five or more lives. Mine disasters once were really common. In the single year of 1907 there were 18 coal mine disasters.. Among the disasters in 1907 was historys worst the Monongah coal mine explosion, which claimed 362 lives and impelled Congress to create the Bureau of Mines. I will discuss this disaster more later in this paper. Mine accidents have declined dramatically in number and severity through years of research, technology, and preventive programs. Today mine accidents resulting in five or more deaths are no longer common. However preventing recurrence of disasters like those of the past remains a top priority requiring constant attention by management, labor, and government. Thus, it happened in 1907 when the Fairmont Coal Companys mine at Monongah, West Virginia exploded killing 362 men and boys. Congress reacted to the disaster at Monongah by passing and toughening mining laws. Through disasters such as this one and many others it has forced laws and regulations, technology,and training which has brought us into mining as we know it. In 1910, following a decade in which the number of coal mine fatalities exceeded 2,000 annually, Congress established the Bureau of Mines as a new agency in the Department of the Interior. The Bureau was charged with the responsibility to conduct research and to reduce accidents in the coal mining industry. In 1968 less than five miles from Monongah another explosion had happened and the fire which resulted after killed 78 men at the Consol No 9 mines at Farmington, West Virginia. The Farmington explosion resulted in the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 a far reaching document that promised a new day for the men in an industry that had claimed more than 100,000 lives since 1900. We will write a custom essay sample on Mine Disasters specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Mine Disasters specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Mine Disasters specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Even before the Farmington mine had exploded in 1968, there were a push going on for a better mine safety law. The Johnson Administration introduced a measure in the fall of 1968 that would dramatically strengthen the governments enforcement tools. It went to Congress too late and didnt hold up. Then came the explosion at Farmington and there were new converts to the cause of mine safety. That is when the Nixon Administration expanded upon the Johnson Administration proposals of 1968 and addressed the potential for mine explosions in proposed legislation. President Nixon went on to sign the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 on December 30, 1969. Enforcement powers in coal mines increased greatly, at that time the Act required four annual inspections for each underground coal mine and two inspections for each surface mine. The Act for the first time established mandatory fines for all violations and criminal penalties for knowing and willful violations which was a big step in the right direction in my opinion. The act eliminated non gassy mines from special legal exemptions. All mines were considered gassy and additional inspections were required. The powers of the inspectors were expanded and the nspectors were given the power to close a mine for imminent danger. Miners were given the right to request a Federal inspection. Safety standards for all coal mines were strengthened under the 1969 Act and health standards were also adopted. The Act also provided benefits to miners disabled by black lung disease. The legacy of the Sunshine Mine disaster is reflect ed in greatly enhanced miner training programs and fire protection measures in metal and nonmetal mines across the country. In 1973 the (MESA) Mine Enforcement and Safety Administration was created out of the Bureau of Mines as the first Federal agency with the sole purpose of assuring miners of a safe, healthful working environment. Standards requiring mine emergency and self rescuer training, regular evacuation drills, and two mine rescue teams at underground metal and nonmetal operations were known by April of 1973. On March 9, 1977, the Agency was transferred from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Labor and was renamed the better known Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The legislation which was signed by President Jimmy Carter, repealed the Federal Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety Act and amended the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 to combine protection of coal and metal and nonmetal miners under a single law, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the Act). Following passage of the Act, additional required miner training, increased MSHA enforcement activities, and upgraded fire prevention standards continued to teach the hard learned lessons from fires at mines such as Cargill Salt Mine, Belle Isle, Louisiana and the Sunshine Mine at Kellogg, Idaho. The new Act of 1977 required at least four complete inspections of all coal and non coal underground mines and two f all surface mines each year. Among other important changes the new law provided for procedures to speed up the regulation making process and stronger ways force compliance with Federal health and safety standards. This included increased capability of dealing with the most dangerous mine hazards, increased emphasis on protection of miners healt h, greater involvement of miners or their representatives in processes affecting worker health and safety, and improved procedures for assessing and collecting civil penalties imposed for violating mine health or safety requirements. Mine accidents have declined greatly in both number and severity as a result of years of research, technology, education, and preventive programs. During my career mine accidents resulting in five or more deaths are no longer common. One thing remains the same preventing the recurrence of disasters like those of the past remains a top priority requiring constant attention by management, labor, and government. The Sago Mine disaster was a coal mine explosion that had occurred on January 2, 2006, the Sago Mine was located in West Virginia. The explosion had trapped 13 men for nearly two ays with only one miner surviving. It was the worst mining disaster in the West Virginia since the 1968 Farmington Mine disaster that killed 78 people. The previous year the mine had been cited by the MSHA 208 times for violating regulations, and had a history of roof falls. Violations had included failure to follow the approved roof control and mine ventilation plans and problems concerning emergency e scape ways and required pre-shift safety examinations. The explosion occurred at approximately 6:30 a. m. at the beginning of the first shift after the mine reopened after New years holiday weekend. An examination conducted at 5:50 am by a mine fire boss had cleared the mine for use. Two man buses of miners were making their way into the mine to begin work. Early reports noted that there was a thunderstorm in the area at the time and suggested a lightening strike near the mine entrance may have ignited methane but no one reported seeing such a strike. Sensors from the U. S. National Lightning Detection Network indicated at least two lightning strikes near the mine. Another early theory was that lightning struck a methane well that had previously been drilled from the surface to an area behind the seals. Methane wells are used to extract methane from coal seams and sometimes from sealed areas when methane levels are high. Fourteen men on the second man bus escaped the initial explosion. The 12 trapped miners were on the first man bus which apparently passed the point where the explosion occurred. The foreman on the second trip whose brother was among those trapped the mine superintendent and three others entered the mine to rescue the trapped miners. They into the mine until gas detectors indicated there was too much carbon monoxide to continue. Although they were false reports of he 12 miners found alive there were only 1 Randal Mcloy jr. Randal McCloy Jr. wrote a letter to the families of the victims. McCloy wrote that three weeks before the explosion he and Junior Toler while drilling a bolt hole a gas pocket which detectors confirmed the presence of methane. He said they immediately shut down the roof bolter and the incident was reported up the line to our superiors. He stated he noticed the following day that the gas leak had been plugged with glue normally used to secure the bolts. On the day of the explosion just after exiting the man trip the mine filled quickly with umes and thick smoke and that breathing conditions were nearly unbearable and that at least four of the emergency oxygen packs were not functioning. He shared his rescuer with Jerry Groves, while Toler, Jesse Jones and Tom Anderson sought help from others. He said they were not enough rescuers to go around. Because of the bad air they had to abandon their escape attempt and return to the coal rib where we hung a curtain to try to protect ourselves. The curtain created an enclosed area of about 35 feet. They attempted to signal their location to the surface by beating on the mine bolts and plates. That effort caused them to breathe much harder and use more oxygen. After becoming exhausted they stopped trying to signal. The air behind the curtain grew worse so he tried to lie as low as possible and take shallow breaths he said he could tell that it was gassy. According to McCloy, Toler and Anderson tried to find a way out. The heavy smoke and fumes caused them to quickly return. There was just so much gas. At that point the miners began to accept their fate. Toler led them all in the Sinners prayer. They prayed a little longer then someone suggested that they each write letters to their loved ones. He said he became very dizzy and lightheaded and that some drifted off into what appeared to be a deep sleep and one person sitting near him collapsed and fell off his bucket not moving. It was clear that there was nothing he could do to help him. The last person he remember speaking to was Jackie Weaver who reassured him that if it were their time to go then God’s will would be fulfilled. As my trapped coworkers lost consciousness one by one the room grew still and he continued to sit and wait unable to do much else. He have no idea how much time went by before he also passed out from the gas and smoke, awaiting escue. There we many investigation which came up with possible theorys as followed:Lightning strike and seismic activity, Use of foam rather than concrete seals, Proximity with active gas and oil wells, Sparks from restarting machinery after holiday. After the disaster there were many provision that would, mandate equipment to communicate with miners, locate miners, a nd provide sufficient caches of air, Rescue teams must be staffed and on site, Operators must notify the MSHA immediately when there is an accident, Any coal operator who fails to do so will be ubject to a $100,000 fine and/or 12 to 15 years imprisonment, The bill would mandate a rapid notification and response system, The bill would create a new mandatory minimum penalty of $10,000 for coal operators that show negligence or reckless disregard for the safety standards of the Mine Act,The bill would nullify an MSHA rule issued in 2004 that authorizes the use of belt entries for ventilation, which may have caused fire in another accident at Alma, The bill would create a science and technology transfer office in MSHA to pull research and development ideas rom other federal agencies for use in the mines,The bill would create an ombudsman in the Labor Department’s Inspector General office for miners to report safety violations. Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) A ct after the Sago and Darby Mine explosions in 2005 and 2006 I have read many notes left to the families of the miners trapped in disaster not only this one and we keep one posted on our mine rescue station door to remind us why we are doing what we do he is the letter: Ellen, darling, goodbye for us both. Elbert said the Lord has saved him. Do the best you can with the children. We are all praying for air to support us, but it is getting so bad without any air. Horace, Elbert said for you to wear his shoes and clothing. It is now 1/2 past 1:00. Powell Harmon’s watch is in Andy Woods’ hand. Ellen, I want you to live right and come to heaven. Little Elbert said he trusted in the Lord. The bad air is closing in on us fast. Dear Ellen, I leave you in bad condition, but set your trust in the Lord to help you raise my little children. Elbert said for you all to meet him in heaven, for all of the children to meet us both. Raise the children the best you can. Oh how I wish to be with you. Goodbye, all of you, Goodbye. Bury me and Elbert in the same grave by little Eddie. Goodbye Ellen, Goodbye Lillie, Goodbye Jimmie, Goodbye Minnie, Goodbye Horace. Oh God, for one more breath. Ellen, remember me as long as you live. Goodbye darling. It is 25 minutes after 2:00. There are few of us alive yet. Jake and Elbert. The Aracoma Mine accident had happened when a conveyor belt in the Aracoma Mine No. 1 at Logan WV caught fire. The conveyor belt ignited on the morning of January 19, 2006, pouring smoke through the gaps in the Stopping line and into the intake that the miners were supposed to se for their escape, obscuring their vision and ultimately leading to the death of two of them. If the stoppings had been in place they would have prevented any smoke from the conveyor belt to the intake the primary source of air for workers inside the mine. Instead investigators now believe, smoke flooded into the air intake, which also serves as an escape route, disorienting two of the min ers, who became lost and died in the fire. The two men, Ellery Hatfield, 47 and Don Bragg, 33, died of carbon monoxide poisoning when they became separated from 10 other members of their crew. The others held hands and edged through the air intake amid dense smoke. As the federal agency that conducts research to advance mine safety and personal protective technologies, moves the results of research to workplace practice, and tests and certifies respirators for workplace use, NIOSH is working with diverse partners to plan, support, and carry out research that addresses those needs. Areas of focus include:Innovative designs for SCSRs that will provide air to users for longer durations. NIOSH is interested in new technologies for training that simulates actual respirator use. Realistic training that can be done frequently and efficiently will improve miners’ ability to escape. Changes in requirements for evaluating and testing SCSRs . Collaboration with the Mine Safety and Health Administration to update current training modules for donning SCSRs. Updates will incorporate guidance on the donning of multiple SCSRs during an emergency escape, reflecting new requirements under the MINER Act of 2006. Those provisions require mine operators to provide individual miners with immediate access to at least two SCSRs, and to store extra units along escape ways. Aracoma brought about more of training and provision to strengthen their ability to inspect better and enforce laws and regulations in place such as:better tools for cracking down on companies with patterns of violations, stronger protections for whistle blowers, stiffer criminal penalties and quick fix injunctive relief that would let the Department of Labor act decisively against an operator when it identifies an immediate threat The Upper Big Branch Mine disaster occurred on April 5, 2010 underground at Massey Energys Upper Big Branch mine at in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Twenty nine out of thirty one miners at the site were killed. The explosion occurred at 3:27 pm. The accident was the worst in the U. S. since 1970. High methane levels were detected and subsequently an explosion from an unknown source occurred. Twenty five men were initially killed. Four days later the four missing men were found dead for a total of 29 deaths. While investigations is still ongoing, officials have speculated that it may have been caused by a spark from a mantrip. Due to the large area and concentration of toxic gases mine rescue teams were able to enter and kept getting ulled out delaying rescue and recovery efforts until holes were drilled for ventilation. They were many problems in the past with violations as with many mine who have had disasters miners were scared some even left notes before the explosion and due to the size of the explosion there had to be large amounts of dust as well as methane of course Massey is denying their responsibility they have already prosecuted some officials I would write more on this disaster that we all have heard many reports and are familiar with this disaster but I do not wish to speculate ore until the investigations are complete and I am stating facts instead of opinions I would not like to speculate on something that has effected so many lives of my fellow miners and their families. Although they have not really been any changes in laws and since the Upper Big Branch explosion other than the non-combustible material has raised to 80% or better in returns instead of 60%. Since the April 2010 explosion the safety agency has also ramped up enforcement created new mine safety screening procedures and conducting 228 impact inspections at mines with poor safety records or other warning signs of problems. The agencys new screening procedures were put in place after officials discovered that a computer error had allowed Upper Big Branch to evade heightened scrutiny. The agency has also proposed new safety rules that would result in speedier enforcement for mines that have shown a pattern of serious violations. The Monongah Mine disaster of Monongah, West Virginia occurred on December 6, 1907 and is labeled as the worst mining disaster in American History. The explosion was said to be caused by the ignition of methane which ignited the coal dust in mines number 6 and 8, killing hundreds of workers. Rescue workers could only work in the mines for 15 minutes due to the lack of breathing equipment. Some of those workers also perished due to suffocation caused by methane oxidation. The lives of 362 or more workers including children were lost in the underground explosion, leaving 250 widows and more than 1000 children fatherless. The exact death toll remains unknown. The worst of the explosion occurred in the No. 8 mine and so great was its force that the concrete roof of the engine house was torn into fragments and one piece weighing more than 100 pounds was blown more than 500 yards. The victims came to their deaths suddenly. Many were found sitting upright in the positions they were in when the explosion came with its spread of deadly gases. The scenes at the mines during the work of rescue were pitiful in the extreme. For several days frantic women grouped about the opening of the mines and their shrieks of agony were enough to move the hardest heart to pity. Grief stricken mothers, wives, sweethearts and sisters waited and watched and cried and prayed. Although the village of Monongah was unprepared for the disaster relief work was quick nd effective. Relief parties were rapidly formed and additional forces were hurried from Fairmont and adjacent cities and towns. But with a few exceptions there was no need for the physician and the rescuer -death to those in the mines came fully and suddenly and without suffering. The mine officials as well as the officials of the B. O. Railroad Company took an active part in the relief and many acts of bravery were performe d by the volunteers who entered the mines in search of the victims. Appeal for funds with which to carry on the relief work mong the families of those who perished met with a quick response. The sole survivor of the blast was Peter Urban. He found a small foxhole to climb out before the toxic gases reached him. Some believe that several other men escaped with him but there is little evidence to validate that. Although they are some difference in these explosions they are similarities between them. Most of them the true cause may never be known. Many of them had also been repeat offenders of violations. From all mining disasters they have been new laws or regulations with stiffer compliance, improved training and technology. If you couldnt tell from the Upper Big Branch you can see that when a disaster happens in the mines West Virginia supports each other all miners are familys and close and we support each other. Although the mining industry remains dangerous we have took great strides for improved safety and will continue to pursue that goal, not only have we made great strides in the mining but also in Mine Rescue from training and equipment improvements and hopefully many more will come in to be better prepared to save the lives of fellow miners if such a disaster was to happen again.

Frances Perkins and the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

Frances Perkins and the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire A wealthy Bostonian who had come to New York for a Columbia University graduate degree, Frances Perkins (April 10, 1882 - May 14, 1965) was having tea nearby on March 25 when she heard the fire engines. She arrived at the scene of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in time to see workers jumping from the windows above. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire   This scene motivated Perkins to work for reform in working conditions, especially for women and children. She served on the Committee on Safety of the City of New York as executive secretary, working to improve factory conditions. Frances Perkins met Franklin D. Roosevelt in this capacity, while he was New York governor, and in 1932, he appointed her as Secretary of Labor, the first woman to be appointed to a cabinet position. Frances Perkins called the day of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire the day the New Deal began.

Substance abuse among the older adult Research Paper

Substance abuse among the older adult - Research Paper Example Drugs prescription is one of the commonly abused substances, and led to the death of most elderly persons. Older adults who are affected by this abuse are seen with negative effects. Some of them were not given treatment and remained untreated until they die. Thus, this paper seeks to investigate how services and facilities--designed to at least save the patients from death--are delivered. Further, this paper identifies commonly abused substances and their effects. Commonly Abused Substances 1.1 Alcohol Alcohol use among older adults is not rare as it is one of the causes of severe diseases to them. In the United States, there is an approximately 2.5 million older adults that have been found out to be alcohol drinkers, and 21 percent of hospitalized adults aged of over 40 have been diagnosed of alcoholism (Blow, 1999). Not only older men have been found to be alcohol drinkers but also women, and became more dependent to alcohol. Myers et al. (1984 as cited in Blow, 1999) stated that older men are more inclined to alcohol drinking than older women. Dependency on alcohol becomes a serious problem but is not given proper attention and treatment. Older adults, who drink alcohol whether in a binge or heavy manner, have seen to have negative psychological and emotional experiences. Alcohol drinkers can be of two classifications, binge drinkers and heavy drinkers as far as the frequency of alcohol intake is concerned. Blow (1999) further stated that binge drinkers are those people who drink alcohol occasionally like once per week while heavy drinkers consume alcohol as often as daily or five drinks per week (p. 22). However, no matter what the frequency is, the problem still lies on the alcohol dependency among older adults. Alcohol, as a substance, is being abused by elder men and women and strikingly became leading causes of fatal diseases like cancer, diabetes, and liver illnesses. 1.2 Cigarette and Tobacco Cigarette and tobacco are widespread in the whole world an d have been taking its rank to the top place of most deadly substances. These substances are known to be the leading cause of lung cancer. Not only younger people are likely to get deadly diseases but most especially the older ones, as their body are not that strong in terms of immunity. Most deaths in the United States were driven by tobacco smoking and are increasing every year. One out of every five Americans died because of their excessive tobacco use. In addition, survey indicates that the number of older adults who use tobacco or cigarette have declined after reaching the age of 65 and over (Blow, 1999, p. 25). Although the number has sharply decreased, actually this does not mean that the problem with smoking was eradicated. 1.3 Drugs Older adults in their dawning age are likely to intake drugs which are intended to cure their sickness, but a large number of them have been found out to use drugs not prescribed by physicians. This contributes to the aggravating cases of substa nce abuse, and must be brought to a greater concern. In addition, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment found out that in the year 2000, 25-28 percent of older adults used a psychoactive medication, and 20 percent took a tranquilizer on a daily basis (Blow, 2002 as cited in Yoshida, 2006). Further, illicit drugs are also widespread anywhere in the globe. According to Jinks and Raschko (1990 as cited in Yoshida, 2006) prescription drug abuse has reached an average percentage ranging from 30 percent to

Management Final Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Management Final Report - Essay Example This report focuses on the presentation of all stages related with the organization of a musical event in Albert park (Australia). In order for the promoters of this project to have a clear view on the processes, the cost, the time frame and the resources required for the realization of this project it is required that a thorough analysis of all parts of this project is presented to them. In this context, specific elements (parts) of this project are particularly analyzed taking into account their importance for the development and the success of the project. Apart from that, general issues related with the music industry are also presented in order to explain the sequence of issues throughout the paper. Generally, it is suggested that the specific musical event is expected to have a significant success not only because of the region and the time chosen for its realization but mostly because no other similar event has been organized in the specific region for quite a long. On the oth er hand, specific efforts (as analyzed in the report below) have been made in order to keep the price of the tickets at low levels offering the chance to people of all financial status to participate in the event. Appropriate solutions are also offered for the effective handling of specific problems (like the quality of the programme, the monitoring of the event and the resolution of potential disputes throughout the particular event). One of the most challenging tasks for the people that organize these events is to arrange the appropriate distribution of resources available (for the realization of the relevant project) referring to supply chain management for all the stages of a particular musical event. Focusing on the necessity of supply chain management in modern business activities, Krishnan et al. (2001, 259) noticed that ‘supply chain management has become an important part of strategic planning in both large and

How Ecotricity has obtained considerable business achievements within Essay

How Ecotricity has obtained considerable business achievements within a short period of time - Essay Example The paper tells that globalisation and the associated changes in the business environment greatly encouraged both cross border trade and small business enterprises. A small business represents a privately owned and operated business venture having small number of employees and comparatively low sales volume. Small business is fondly termed as ‘mom and pop store’ in the United States. In the view of Fay, generation definition of an SME can be stated as â€Å"a small firm is one that has only a small share of its market, is managed in a personalised way by its owner or part-owner and not through the medium of an elaborate management structure†. Hence, a small firm does not have access to capital market for the issuance of public securities because of its insufficiency in size. As Macgregor and Vrazalic point out that the UK Companies Act 1989 does not allow a small business enterprise to be the subsidiary of any other company. The legal definition of a small busines s enterprise varies from country to country mainly in terms of annual turnover and number of people employed. The emergence of the concept ‘small business’ greatly stimulated entrepreneurs to commence their venture with minimum investment and labour. Low and MacMillan have defined entrepreneurship simply as the formation of new enterprises. Ecotricity was founded by Dale Vince in 1995 using a single wind turbine. Within 15 years, the venture grew into notable heights. As Loveless (2011) reports, Ecotricity was selected as one of the twenty five British small business firms in the first phase of the European Business Awards in 2011. Dale Vince is an innovative entrepreneur who is very different from other contemporary entrepreneurs including James Caan and Steve Jobs. The Telegraph reports that Dale Vince â€Å"is a professional hippy of the kind the establishment used to deride† (Telegraph). He was a former new age traveller and had protested against cruise missi les before he arrived at Gloucester. He always had his own interests and views but never paid attention to external suggestions. Although this trait irritated the credit lending institutions and other concerned parties, his strong decisions were evidently the keys to his success. Vince was never willing to accept failure and this attitude assisted him to overcome threatening troubles with equanimity. Start-ups The push and pull theory clearly describes the concept of entrepreneurship. This theory claims that people are motivated to create innovative ventures by external factors. However, the external factors can be either positive or negative. As Dana (2004, p.134) opines, newly arising opportunities and potential elements of the industry are some of the positive factors that would inspire individuals to create new ventures. In contrast, an individual may also be motivated by negative factors to start a new business (ibid). For instance, unemployment is a negative motivational facto r. The push-pull theory also contends that an individual’s family background can be a strong motive for starting a new business. Experiences show that poor and troubled family relations persuade people to be independent and this need leads them to innovations. The first wind farm established in Cornwall was the major inspiration for Dale Vince, the founder of the Ecotricity to create his own venture. Referring to the push-pull theory, Vince was attracted to

Potential Disadvantages Associated With Refurbishment

Potential Disadvantages Associated With Refurbishment Introduction From reading the chapter on the advantages of refurbishment, you could be thinking that refurbishment is the way to go because of all the positives surrounding it like, the social advantages, shorter time scale, environmental considerations, less money etc. But as we all know, for every argument, there is an up side and a down side. This chapter highlights the potential disadvantages, risks and problems that can occur on refurbishment projects so you can see the other side of the coin. To Refurbish or not to Refurbish ?. A fixed price contract to be constructed by a certain date involves alot of risks. These risks include whether the work can be performed at the agreed price, future price increases, weather conditions during the course of construction, competency of the contractors management, supervisors and workers. (Taggart, 2010) All of these risks and potential problems are taken into account on new build and refurbishment projects. But I will only be looking into the whole area of the potential problems and disadvantages that are associated with refurbishment projects, such as: Problems at tender stage. Added Health And Safety Considerations. Difficulty of locating data which requires investigations Added workload required to upgrade to meet existing regulations Problems involved with old/existing components and practices Extremely difficult to define accurate scope of works and accurate programme. 2.1 Problems at tender stage One of the disadvantages that come with refurbishment projects is the difficulty that can arise at tender stage. New build construction holds an advantage in this area as there are more procurement options available on a new build project than on a refurbishment project. This means that the principal disadvantage that refurbishment projects have at tender stage, is that the clients choice of tender options is limited for a number of reasons which will be stated below. An example of a procurement option that realistically would not be viable on a refurbishment project, would be Traditional Lump Sum Tendering. Some of the reasons as to why this would be an inappropriate method of procurement is as follows: It requires the work to be accurately foreseen and detailed (This is difficult on a refurbishment project as scope of work could prove difficult to predict). It fosters confrontation between employer and contractor (This is an important point as flexibility and good working relations are vital on a refurbishment contract). (Murphy, 2007) Another procurement option, which is not viable on a refurbishment project, is Open Tendering. Even though this option ensures maximum competition, there is the disadvantage that tenders may be received from firms who have neither the necessary financial resources nor the adequate technical knowledge and experience involved. Also other disadvantages associated with this type of tendering are that: There is a lack of control by the client over the competency of the builder he is employing. There is a waste of resources when many firms tender for the same job. (Seeley,1976) Even though there are a few options left for tendering on refurbishment projects, there are 2 main types which principally are better (typically on housing projects), which are (1) Selective tendering and (2) Negotiation with a selected contractor (1) Selective Tendering: This option is mainly referred on projects that are of great magnitude and complexity. But if selective tendering is chosen on a basic housing refurbishment scheme then the number of firms invited to tender should be 3 or 4. (2) Negotiation: This should be the principal option on a housing project because there is less time wasting involved. It also offers advantages as it allows for an early start to be made as less time is wasted at tender stage and also where the contractor chosen has exceptional experience of the scope of work covered by the type of work in question. (Seeley,1976)) This section should adequately describe how the limitation of procurement options at tender stage, is a disadvantage associated with the option of refurbishment. 2.2 Added Health and Safety Considerations Another one of the main disadvantages with Refurbishment is the added Health and Safety aspects, which have to be taken into consideration. The reason as to why the area of health and safety is so important is because, on a refurbishment project there are all of the considerations, which occur on a new build site, for example: Scaffolding Working at heights Danger of electrocution Working with dangerous instruments/ machines Danger of falling objects. Etc But also there are many more considerations, which have to be taken into account on a refurbishment project, which will not occur on a new build project, such as: Removal of asbestos Shoring (although this may be needed on rare occasions on new build contracts to support surrounding buildings). Danger of collapsing of old unstable houses Supporting decaying structural members so as to provide a safe place of work Danger of existing services All of these considerations are added to the general considerations, which means that the health and safety risk is almost doubled on refurbishment projects. I will address these health and safety considerations in much more detail in a separate chapter later on in this dissertation. 2.3 Difficulty of locating data, which requires investigations Another Disadvantage of refurbishing buildings is, the fact that when it comes to refurbishing older houses and buildings it is very difficult to locate data on the existing building which means that many different inspections and surveys must be carried out on the building before any type of works can commence which causes a loss in time and also these investigations and surveys can cost a lot of money to carry out, as the reports of these surveys can determine the scope and nature of the works to be carried out. There are many reasons as to why a survey is required, when a house or building is being refurbished such as: To prepare a measured drawing of the building to enable a scheme for alterations, improvements or extensions to be prepared. To advise on the repair and preservation of a building (including listed buildings). Work to be carried out to satisfy the requirements of the local or other authority, i.e. dangerous structure notices or public health notices. To prepare plans in connection with party wall agreements. This is usually required where alterations to a party wall are contemplated. (Noy, 1997) As you can see from above these surveys require great detail and could take a long time to carry out and also for the results to be drawn up which proves to be a large disadvantage. The procedure, which is involved in a typical survey of a house, is described below. Here is an example of a typical investigation procedure, which would be carried out on a typical 2-storey dwelling house. A preliminary inspection of the whole property to familiarise the surveyor with the type and layout. A detailed inspection of the main roof space and any subsidiary roof voids which are accessible. A room-by-room inspection at each floor level starting from the topmost floor. Inspection of accessible basements, cellars and sub floor areas. An examination of the elevations, including structure and finishes. Inspection of the site boundaries, outbuildings and surroundings. An examination of the elevations, including structure and finishes. Examination and testing of drainage and services. (Glover, 2001) You can see from above that these procedures must be carried out by a very competent and qualified person with an acquired knowledge of old properties and refurbishment techniques. Invariably it could cost you a large amount of money as well as time, depending on the complexity and size of the dwelling house in question. 2.4 Added workload required to upgrade to meet existing regulations. This is another potentially large disadvantage, as there can be a large possibility that the problem of the amount of work that is required to upgrade to meet regulations could cause you a lot of hardship and difficulties on refurbishment projects as there are so many regulations and requirements to comply with, that it could end up costing the client a lot of extra time and money depending on the age and condition of the building. Here, is a list of the main parts of the building regulations, which the building that is being refurbished will have to conform with: Part A- Structure Part B- Fire Safety Part C- Resistance to Moisture Part E- Sound Part F- Ventilation Part L- Conservation of Fuel and Energy Part M- Access for the Disabled Because there are so many parts to comply with, it could prove to be more beneficial to demolish and rebuild a house rather than refurbish the existing building as the costs involved in upgrading the building may result in the refurbishment project spending way over budget, and the client wishing that he had demolished and rebuilt the house rather than refurbishing it. This is why this particular section can prove to be a disadvantage of the refurbishment option. Because of the importance of this section I will be describing the whole area of upgrading buildings to meet regulations in a later chapter in this dissertation. 2.5 Problems involved with old/ existing practices. A large advantage that new build construction has over refurbishment is, because you are totally building a new structure from scratch, there are no problems associated with interaction between old building, temporary works, services and new work as well as having to match existing components with new components. (Murphy, 2007) This may not be a problem when refurbishing newer properties, but for example if you were refurbishing an old house with architectural details such as: old craft processes and old style antique details that are intended to be maintained and restored as well as repeated by the client in the refurbishment project that is to be undertaken, then this will cause many hold ups and time lost on the overall programme as well as much more money being spent because of the following reasons: Old processes such as specialist plastering and antique joinery are very time consuming and costly to reproduce because of the specialist nature of these processes. There are not many contractors around which carry out these types of old crafts which means that you could be a long time waiting. Because of the hold ups in these areas the rest of the project will suffer as a result, so therefore the project could drastically fall behind in time and could also go way over budget. This whole area could prove to be a big disadvantage if you are refurbishing a project under similar restrictions and restraints but these types of refurbishment are very rare unless you are refurbishing a listed building, but I will not be going into detail in the whole area of listed buildings in this dissertation. 2.6 Extremely difficult to define accurate scope of works and accurate programme. In my opinion, this problem is probably one of the biggest disadvantages associated with refurbishment as it affects the project in a lot of different fields. Firstly, when the scope of works and the programme cannot be specifically defined or finalised, then it means that there could be difficulties with regards to tendering and also planning as the contractor does not know for definite, what type of project that he is getting himself into. Secondly, if a particular detail occurs that is different from the planning specifications, then an investigation by the planning authorities may occur, which would directly affect the project. The statement Extremely difficult to define accurate scope of works and accurate programme can be proved by looking at the situations, which affect this problem that are: Late discovery of new circumstances: this is a feature that can occur on any size or type of refurbishment project. For example if you are refurbishing a house and you discover late into the project that you find that some aspect of the project does not comply with standards or regulations, which in turn means that alterations to the scope of works and maybe changes to plans will have to be carried out. Something like this could totally change the programme of the job and also the final accounts. Discovery of unforeseen conditions possible for almost entire project: This problem is another factor that proves the difficulty involved with trying to draw up an exact scope of works and programme. Even though a general site investigation may have been carried out at the start of the project, it is still entirely possible that unforeseen conditions may appear throughout the project. Some of these conditions may include: late discovery of decaying structural members, late discovery of absence of wall insulation,, dpc etc. Late discoveries similar to these are a constant feature of refurbishment work, that add to the problem of producing an accurate scope of works and programme for the project. After reading this section the reasons are apparent as to why an accurate scope of works and accurate programmes are very hard to predict due to the reasons stated above. You can also see how these areas in turn, affect other aspects of the project such as tendering, procurement and the adequate selection of a contractor for a refurbishment project.

The Phenomenology of Fodor or the Modularity of Merleau-Ponty :: Psychology Psychological Papers

The Phenomenology of Fodor or the Modularity of Merleau-Ponty ABSTRACT: In 1983, Fodor’s Modularity of Mind popularized faculty psychology. His theory employs a trichotomous functional architecture to explain cognitive processes, which is very similar to Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of perception. Each theory postulates that perception is a mid-level procedure that operates on transduced information and that perception is independent of our cognitive experience. The two theories differ on whether perception is informationally impenetrable. This difference is essentially an empirical matter. However, I suggest that Merleau-Ponty’s allowance of cross-modal communication within perception explains our ability to identify features in noisy backgrounds better because his theory offers a more definitive ontology that matches human substantive behavior. Likewise, evidence within cognitive science suggests that Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology is a more accurate depiction of human cognitive processes. Introduction (1) Fodor’s modularity thesis popularized faculty approaches to cognitive psychology. This theory bears a striking resemblance to the phenomenological theory that Merleau-Ponty proposed two decades earlier. Both theories employ a trichotomous functional architecture to explain cognition and view perception as a mid-level processing of information that lies between the world and consciousness. The key feature that differentiates the views is whether that middle level of processing is completely impenetrable by consciousness. If Fodor was to relax his strong position of the impenetrability of information in modules, modules could both be somewhat encapsulated and maintain a general independence from consciousness. Then only the degree of perception’s independance from consciousness would distinguish his theory from Merleau-Ponty’s. Currently, both theories can account for the substantive, outward, behavior of humans. Only the procedural behavior, the internal process, differentiates the theories. The conundrum of deciding between the theories is resolvable by an empirical critical experiment. While this will require more knowledge of cognitive psychology, current evidence suggests that Merleau-Ponty was correct and the mind is less encapsulated than Fodor's original claim. The Two Theories and Their Resemblance Merleau-Ponty distinguishes three aspects of the psychological process; basic sensations, perception, and the associations of memory (Merleau-Ponty, 1994). Basic sensations receive raw information from the world and transduce them for our perceptual processes. Perception unifies the infinite amount of information about our environment, from our environment, into a meaningful structure. Perception is interpretive, but its presentation of the world is as distal and objective. There are three central features of perception for Merleau-Ponty. First, perception is synthesized independently by the body and not by the mind (consciousness).

MBA leadership and organisational behaviour at W L Gore

Abstract This paper provides an exploration of leadership and organisational behavioural issues at W L Gore Company, which is the UK branch of a renowned US company. The introduction section of the paper includes details about the company’s performance and context industry setting. Moreover, the paper focuses on three major paradigms that are discussed in the literature review, such as management and leadership, motivation, groups and teams, and group leadership. Once these concepts are presented, the researcher moves onto a critical analysis of how these paradigms are applied in the organisational context of Gore. The paper concludes with a summary of major conclusions drawn from the case study of Gore and recommendations to improve the situation in the company. Introduction and Context Setting W L Gore has emerged as a company which succeeded to maintain high performance in the service industry regarding the manufacturing of Gore-Tex. The unique form of work organisation is designed to support employee creativity and contribution (Gore Official Website, 2014). As a result of the transformation of traditional management principles, Gore’s managers and leaders have developed a quite innovative platform for the company. Delivering continuous innovation within the organisation has become the primary principle of operating and communicating (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). Moreover, it has been emphasised that the company has implemented rules of transparency and fairness (Gore Official Website, 2014). It is apparent that teams are changing constantly, which means that the organisation adequately implements a vision of change. The operating teams are kept small because this is considered an appropriate strategy to address the individual needs of each stakeholder (Gore Official Website, 2014). Team members at Gore are free to determine their objectives that are aligned with the organisation’s core values and mission. Therefore, leadership and organisational behaviour is properly developed at this company. The innovative work organisation of Gore implies that leaders are constantly working to embrace a culture of highly innovative and flexible principles of operation (Luthans and Youssef, 2007). Each employee in the organisation has a clear perspective of assigned roles and responsibilities, and this contributes to better organisational performance. The concepts that are used to analyse the case study of Gore refer to management and leadership, motivation, groups and teams, and group leadership. These paradigms are found useful in the discussion of leadership and organisational behaviour issues within the selected organisation (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of how the paradigms of management and leadership, motivation and group leadership can be applied in the context of Gore (Lian and Tui, 2012). A section of literature review is included in order to expand individual perspectives into essential leadership and organisational behavioural issues identified in the company. In addition, the paper critically discusses the application of these three main theories to the case of the company. In an attempt to set the context of the case study, it is important to clarify that Gore is the UK branch of a US multi-national company that specialises in the manufacturing of the Gore-Tex textile. This is the product for which the company is widely known around the world (Rehman and Afsar, 2012). Moreover, Gore indicates a commitment to developing various products for next-generation electronics, for medical implants and for innovative fabrics (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). The unique business strategy adopted by the company illustrates its dedication to innovation which is obvious in all organisational processes. Literature ReviewManagement and LeadershipIn the leadership development world, substantial confusion exists regarding the relationship between management and leadership. Many individuals tend to use these concepts in an interchangeable manner, while others consider them as separate categories in the business field (Lian and Tui, 2012). Researchers have emphasised the necessity that management and leadership should be balanced in contemporary organisations (Sharma and Jain, 2013). Although the two concepts do not imply the same thing, they are closely linked. While managers are more likely to focus on systems and structures as well as administer specific rules and procedures, leaders are focused on innovation and change within the organisational context. Leaders also consider the importance of people and the development of their skills in a proper direction (Northouse, 2007). In the modern business environment, employees do not simply expect that their managers should assign them spec ific tasks but they also seek a purpose pertaining to those tasks. Managers try to organise employees in order to expand organisational efficiency along with the idea to develop talent and inspire achievement (Sharma and Jain, 2013). The emergence of the ‘knowledge worker’ is a significant tendency in most organisations. Such change requires that employees should not be managed. It becomes apparent that the main objective of combining management and leadership in companies is to lead individuals, with the utmost goal to expand the strengths and knowledge of each employee (Rowe, 2007). Management and leadership are fundamental for the delivery of high quality products and services. A common rule has been identified in terms of expecting that good managers should possess adequate leadership skills, while good leaders are recognised as those professionals who need an array of management skills to increase their effectiveness (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). Leadership is mostly based on the concept of creating a strong sense of mission and vision, while management refers to the idea of getting things done. One of the conditions for good management practices is that both managers and team members should be selected on the basis of merit (Sharma and Jain, 2013). The balanced involvement of individuals is an important element of management and leadership concepts that are applied in modern organisations. It has been argued that management is mostly about making decisions (Rowe, 2007). Planning is an essential tool for both management and leadership, as professionals in these fields are expected to anticipate unplanned events in a relevant manner by considering the needs and interests of all stakeholders in business (Moynihan and Pandey, 2007).MotivationDemonstrating adequate knowledge of how to motivate employees in the global business world is a fundamental managerial and leadership skill. Motivation is referred to as a set of factors tha t cause individuals to select specific behavioural patterns from other alternatives (Burton, 2012). In organisations, employee performance is affected by motivation and the precise work environment. It can be suggested that motivation is a significant determinant of performance. There are different historical views of motivation as presented in the management literature (Moynihan and Pandey, 2007). The premise of scientific management is that work normally emerges with inherently unpleasant characteristics for the majority of employees. As a result, their income is more important than the specificity and nature of their job. Furthermore, the human relations movement stressed the impact of social processes that occur in organisations (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). For instance, this management philosophy illustrates the principle that the individual need for contribution, importance and usefulness is more relevant than income in motivating employees (Mizuno et al., 2006). In line with the ideology of the human resource approach, individuals are determined to contribute to team effectiveness. Yet, organisations are required to establish a solid work environment that properly utilises all available human resources (Mizuno et al., 2006). The human resource approach is the most relevant approaches used by contemporary organisations regarding motivation. However, there are certain integrative approaches that provide a better conceptualised view of employee motivation, such as need-based, process-based and reinforcement-based models (Burton, 2012). Need-based approaches to motivation mostly focus on the aspects that motivate employees to select specific behaviours among others. Initially, a certain need or deprivation is identified in the organisational context, followed by drives to fulfil that particular need, actions and satisfaction (Morris, 2009). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is the most widely used need-based approach, according to which people’s motivation is driven by their willingness to satisfy five distinct levels of needs. These are physiological needs, sense of security, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualisation as the highest need in the hierarchy to be satisfied (Mizuno et al., 2006). Individuals usually progress in terms of determining specific objectives and thus needs to meet in the process of such hierarchical organisation. Process-based approaches to motivation focus on how exactly motivation occurs in organisations. It is important to determine the way in which employees evaluate their own satisfaction once they have achieved their goals (Moynihan and Pandey, 2007). A common process-based approach to motivation is expectancy theory which was introduced by Victor Vroom. Expectancy theory indicates that motivation along with effort leads to performance which is directly linked to outcomes (University of Cambridge, n. d.). As a result, high performance may lead to high satisfaction of employees. Another process-based approach to motivation is identified as equity theory which was developed by J. Stacy Adams (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). The main assumption of equity theory is that upon the selection of particular actions to satisfy employee needs, individuals tend to evaluate the equity of the expected outcome. The equity element is important to maintain principles of accountability and transparency in t he workplace. Equity emerges as the firm belief that employees are treated in a fair and transparent manner which is relative to the treatment of other individuals in the workplace (Burton, 2012). Reinforcement-based approaches to motivation emphasise the impact of rewards on causing certain changes in individuals’ behaviour. For instance, such approaches are based around understanding that behaviour which arises from rewarding factors or consequences is more likely to be repeated in the future (Mizuno et al., 2006). Reinforcement contingencies reflect the emergence of possible outcomes that individuals may experience due to their specific choice of behaviour. Employees tend to select behaviour that can bring them immediate satisfaction and motivation to work in order to meet their personal and professional goals. Moreover, there are different approaches that have been implemented to provide reinforcement which is closely associated with motivation (Morris, 2009). A fixed-interval schedule has been found useful to reinforce employees at fixed intervals of time, irrespective of behaviour. A variable-interval schedule provides reinforcement at various times (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). Regardless of the specific way of providing reinforcement, it may be indicated that this technique is considered a valuable method to increase employee motivation.Groups and Teams, Group LeadershipResearch shows that effective leaders are expected to manage their responsibilities of being leaders and members of a team (Wu et al., 2010). It is important to ensure throughout the process that goals are realistic and measurable. It has been indicated that when groups and teams properly integrate their actions, the final result is improved performance. They have distinct roles in organisations, as the fulfilment of each role corresponds to collective goals and success (Val and Kemp, 2012). Team processes emerge as an adequate aspect of team performance. The formation of teams is necessary to facilitate the work of the entire organisation. Groups and teams are expected to perform in dynamic business environments. Therefore, group leadership appears an essential characteris tic of effective team performance. Group leadership emphasises the necessity for leaders to define a proper team direction (Wu et al., 2010). The organisation of groups and teams should be done with the objective to optimise progress at all organisational levels. Researchers have stressed the substantial amount of interdependence which exists among team members. Constant collaboration is required in the process of achieving specific team goals (Li et al., 2012). For instance, groups and teams devote their efforts and time to exchange important information and resources in companies. The adaptation of team interaction is usually flexible considering the specific conditions that are present in organisations. Highly efficient groups and teams are identified as individuals whose aim is to demonstrate dynamic collective performance (Boos et al., 2014). Promoting individual and collective flexibility is a main driver of team effectiveness. As a result, group leadership is noted for its impact on team effectiveness. This type of leadership provides a realistic framework to team members of how they can complete their collective tasks in an efficient manner (Wu et al., 2010). Leaders usually emphasise the necessity of collaboration and active communication among team members. Leader planning and coordination activities represent part of the overall concept of group leadership. Group leadership suggests a solid element of facilitating the actions of groups and teams. The group efforts mostly matter in this process in terms of shared responsibility and accountability. The laissez-faire style is a relevant approach to group leadership, as emphasised by some researchers. It is commonly described as a ‘hands-off’ method, in which the group is provided with the resources which are necessary for the completion of a particular project (Li et al., 2012). However, group members are free to complete the outlined tasks with virtually no direct involvement by the group leader. In this case, the group leader serves a major facilitating function in the sense of being available to answer appropriate questions and motivate team members (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). Another approach to group leadership is identified as the abdacratic style, in which the group leader has no authority over team members. Even though this model of group leadership enhances individual and group creativity in organisations, it has been considered insufficient to perform major corporate tasks (Morris, 2009). The autocratic approach to group leadership places importance on a central process for making decisions in companies. The main leadership responsibility in this approach is usually given to a group of managers (Wu et al., 2010). They are held accountable for the decisions they make. Employees are free to discuss any suggestions or recommendations for improvement with their managers as part of this flexible approach to group leadership. Another style associated with team performance and group leadership is the democratic approach to leadership (Mizuno et al., 2006). This approach refers to extensive freedom and flexibility granted to employees who feel empowered to initiate certain activities in the workplace. The most proper utilisation of this method is in situations where different individuals indicate a high level of group shared responsibility for the actions of team members. The key decision-maker within the group tends to act as a facilitator of team goals and effectiveness. Critical Evaluation of Leadership and Organisational Behavioural Issues at Gore The fact that Gore is extensively focused on innovation at all organisational levels is indicative of the presence of strong leadership skills in the company, which along with good management practices have contributed to its success over the years (Gore Official Website, 2014). Considering that leaders replace managers to deliver high levels of innovation shows a strong commitment to an innovative corporate culture which aims at expanding the potential of employees and increasing the organisation’s capacities to differentiate the products and services it provides. This is important in achieving a substantial competitive advantage (Mizuno et al., 2006). The model of blending management and leadership can help individuals clarify specific categories or practices that help businesses prosper with time. At Gore, all employees communicate in a free and open manner which is an essential requirement to maintain a flexible, innovative corporate climate. In turn, employees are empower ed to expand their knowledge and responsibility (Boos et al., 2014). They clearly know that their opinion and practical contribution to the company is highly valued, and as a result, they devote their time and resources to demonstrate their capabilities in practice. Gore’s managers and leaders work together to improve organisational efficiency and productivity which would not have been possible without adopting an integrated and holistic approach to management and leadership (Gore Official Website, 2014). The company provides adequate examples of the role played by the ‘knowledge worker’ in the organisation’s procedures, plans and activities. Such type of employees is known for being able to boost productivity in organisations. Engaging the right people at Gore is crucial for its optimal performance throughout the years (Cicero et al., 2010). The ability to make commitments and keep them is a strong differentiating factor that has helped the company maintains a solid market presence. In addition, it has been indicated that the levels of employee motivation at Gore are high considering their constant engagement in different organisational activities, with the purpose to contribute to organisational excellence and success (Li et al., 2012). The specificity of work at Gore as well as the present relationships between the company and employees shows that employee motivation cannot be identified with the principles of scientific management (Cicero et al., 2010). The impact of human relations movement is quite strong at this organisation because all employees are motivated not by monetary rewards but by the necessity to be recognised for their contribution. Based on the performance of employees at Gore, it can be concluded that process-based approaches to motivation are mostly applicable. Motivation at this company is perceived as process oriented in the sense that employees are extensively focused on how they can participate in various processes to expand their knowledge and competencies (Gore Official Website, 2014). Gore’s employees act upon certain expectations in terms of motivation. This means that they clearly know that their actions will produce important results for the company, and thus their motivation is outcome based (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). In addition, the company’s employees try their best to ensure that they remain flexible and open to new suggestions for improvement within the organisation. It can be suggested that Gore has succeeded in building trust through the consistent engagement of teams. Therefore, the model of teams and group leadership corresponds to the specific business environment in this organisation (Li et al., 20120. The core activities of the team are important for achieving initially set goals for organisational performance. Gore has adopted a promising philosophical paradigm because it has persistently relied on prospects of developing the people (Wu et al., 2010). The lack of strict rules in the company implies that managers and leaders are oriented to ensuring a flexible culture in which employees have an opportunity to develop and share their voice in the company’s policies and procedures (Gore Official Website, 2014). It has been recognised that the company can function better without written rules. It can be more effective when all team members are enabled to participate actively in changing certain practices within the organisation. Gore’s philosophy of sharing values has been properly developed to reflect the company’s focus on introducing successful initiatives. Trust is one of these shared values making employees function as one whole (Morris, 2009). Innovation has become the norm, and the exploitation of new information technology has led to a better understanding of the dynamic relationship among all stakeholders. Teams set specific targets themselves, and this serves as a basis for their motivation to perform better in the long term (Mizuno et al., 2006). The sense of engagement of all team members in the projects introduced by leaders is evident throughout the organisation which has maintained a competitive position in the industry. Gore has been devoted to maintaining such culture of shared values. An important norm adopted by the organisation refers to the structure of a culture that energises associates. The expected outcome is the formation of effective teams, implying that the concept of group leadership is mostly relevant to the specific circumstances in which the organisation functions (Cicero et al., 2010). Sustained business success has become achievable because the company has placed importance on developing and enhancing its culture in a flexible way. The implementation of high performance practices shows that the company is results oriented in the sense that leaders introduce a framework of change and innovation with the presumption to achieve adequate results (Gilbreath and Karimi, 2012). As mentioned, traditional management practices are not valued at Gore because of its innovative direction presented by leaders. The pursuit of group objectives indicates high levels of motivation in the company whi ch employees accept as an opportunity to prove they are capable to fulfil their responsibilities. The replacement of management directives and rules with forms of constant, open communication has become one of the determining factors for Gore’s success. Research indicates that organisational communication is interrelated to better organisational efficiency and productivity (Morris, 2009). Regular communication also facilitates associates to share their ideas and insights into the performance of the organisation. The result is the formation of a flexible corporate culture that motivates employees to grow and develop in their area of expertise (Gore Official Website, 2014). When providing employees with freedom, they tend to demonstrate an intrinsic belief that they should deserve the trust of their managers and leaders. The company is constantly seeking new improvements in order to defend its prestigious image as an innovator in the field. The valuable contribution that employees make to the company is an indicator of the successful strategies implemented by leaders (Mizuno et al., 2006). Continuous innovation and success are the two main drivers of the organisation’s performance. Conclusion and Recommendations This paper focused on the exploration of major leadership and organisational behavioural issues in the context of Gore Company. The main conclusion drawn from the case study of this organisation is that it has a unique form of organisation when it comes to work responsibilities and employee relations (Gore Official Website, 2014). Gore has emphasised that constant communication and employee participation in work processes are fundamental for the success of the company. The paper also illustrated that leaders have been continuously introducing a culture of innovation which contributed to the substantial success of the organisation (Li et al., 2012). Therefore, another important conclusion that was derived from the critical evaluation of Gore’s case study is that the model of group leadership has proven efficient and reliable to improve employee productivity and motivation. However, it is important to provide specific recommendations to improve the situation in the company in terms of enhancing the group leadership model. The company should analyse its strengths and weaknesses in order to explore all relevant parameters of leadership (Wu et al., 2010). Being natural and humane in practice is an important condition to improve the performance of all stakeholders within the organisation. Humanity serves as an inspiring element as well as allows individuals to base their decisions on organisational reality (Cicero et al., 2010). Understanding of corporate unwritten rules is also fundamental for the future growth of the organisation. Team discussion should be encouraged along with training opportunities that can expand individual performance. Consistency and integrity of leaders’ actions are expected in the process of improving the company’s rules and principles which are applied in practice (Li et al., 2012). 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