Monday, December 30, 2019

Why Sustainability Is Important Our Worldwide Future...

Introduction Doubtlessly, it is very simple to understand why sustainability is important: our worldwide future depends on it. This concept is established on the following interdependent issues: fossil fuel consumption, climate change due to CO2 emissions, and the rising costs of energy and water (Sustainable Housing Foundation, n.d, para. 1). According to International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d), â€Å"sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† (para. 1). This notion was created in 1992 by Bruntland Report for the World Commission on Environment and Development. There is no universal definition on what sustainable†¦show more content†¦It is one of the Four Asian Tigers, as it is a highly developed country with a free-market, and it is well known as one of the â€Å"world’s most business-friendly regulatory environment† (The World Bank, 2016, para. 1), while having strict local regulations and laws (BBC, 2016, para. 1). Historical Context Singapore is the world’s fastest growing economy, it recently reached a per capita GDP of US $60,000, but only 50 years ago the figures were drastically different and its GDP per capita was only US $320. Its ascension is remarkable, especially when considering its lack of territory and natural resources. Its economic development is a result of Singapore’s open-mind to globalization, free market capitalism, high level of education, and strict policies (Zhou, 2016, para. 1) Singapore’s advances towards globalization started happening in the 1960s with the creation of the Jurong Industrial Estate, an industrial town built in a vast land not far from the Singapore Harbour (Jurong GRC, 2016, para. 3), and the establishment of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) with the purpose to attract international investors to Singapore (Singapore Economic Development Board, 2015, para. 1). These were the mark of a new industrialized Singapore (Singapore Economic Development Board, 2016, para. 3). Many actions took place to connect Singapore to the developed world, in order to attract multinational companies to manufacture there. For the same reason,

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Essay on Incorporation of Technology into Modern Education

Incorporation of Technology into Modern Education Education has long been a part of our society. In order to keep society progressing forward, education must also progress forward. Part of this forward progression is the incorporation of technology into modern education. Technology has always been in schools. The development of things like the overhead projector, typewriter, and blackboards have all played key roles in education. However, the pinnacle of technological advances has been the introduction of the computer into the classroom. Since the computer first entered the classroom in the early 1980?s as more than just a tool for school officials, student?s exposure to the ever-changing world of technology has nearly quadrupled.†¦show more content†¦Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress, Almanac: Writing, 1984 to 1996. 1998 It?s this early exposure to computers that could help students gain the technological understanding that maybe essential in the workplace for future success. In order to understand the revolution that technology is creating within education, first it needs to be understood how we got this far. In just over twenty years, technology has entered every aspect of society, and it all started with the invention of the television. It was television that gave way to the computer. Now data storage and writing could be combined with images and graphics, and is readily available for school, home, and office use So now you ask, how has this development changed the face of education? The public often has two opinions on how technology has changed education. There are those who feel that education has been changed for the better, and those who feel that technology has made no impact and in the long run is worse for education. Those who feel that technology has had no impact on education hold their beliefs based on many reasons. One of the main reasons people feel this way is that there is a large debate over whether or not computer companies are exploiting schools. Companies are not concerned with the interest of the children or the educationalShow MoreRelatedPositive And Negative Effects Of Technology1600 Words   |  7 PagesTechnology is a very controversial topic in our modern day world. Because of the controversy of the inclusion of technology in the education system, the overuse and abuse of technology, and how it is affecting the way we behave and think in the world, various authors and producers over the years have commented about the increasing use and incorporation of technology in today’s world through their work. Many authors have very different views on the topic, some such as Ann Woo and Vannear Bush argueRead MoreUsing A Simple Tool Of Technology Like Blackboard Essay1023 Words    |  5 PagesAbstract Education and technology have been working together in the recent years in the world. Technology does not already apply to education in the Arab world, particularly in rich countries such as Saudi Arabia. After class, students have trouble communicating with teachers to discuss their classes or submit assignments. Therefore, I decided to start a project of how to apply using a simple tool of technology like blackboard in higher education in S.A I am trying to enter this technology (blackboard)Read MoreTechnology As A Way Of Life And Express1297 Words   |  6 Pagesforms of digital technology as they are the first generation of youth to have internet technology easily available at their disposal. This current generation have already been labelled by sociologist as â€Å"‘digital natives’ (Prensky 2001a) and the ‘net generation’ (Tapscott 1998)† (Prensky 2001a; Tapscott 1998 as cited in Murphy 2010). Technology is not something new to these students a s its presence in their life have made them quite comfortable to the idea, as they perceive â€Å"technology as a way of lifeRead MoreUsing Tablets Into The Education System1023 Words   |  5 Pagesissue has arisen as of late in the education world, garnering debate over the more beneficial way to deliver educational materials in the classroom setting. When it comes to the topic of learning, most of us will readily agree that the ‘old-fashioned’ style of teaching by textbooks should not be discredited by modern society; however, the incorporation of tablets into the education system has demonstrated a positive approach by showing a correlation between technology and improved learning in studentsRead MoreProject Classroom Makeover, By Cathy Davidson1310 Words   |  6 Pagestraditional and into the modern. Such a process can take on the identity of many forms but in the end, they all contribute to the advancement of society. Throughout â€Å"Project Classroom Makeov er,† Cathy Davidson explores the need for such change in America’s educational system as it lags years behind the modern standards. Technology serves as an impetus to change and reform this antiquated system through facilitating new means of learning not previously available. While technology does have its benefitsRead MoreThe And Non Proliferation Education1667 Words   |  7 Pagesregional and international stage in the promotion of DNPE has solidified. Second, the incorporation of training courses and outreach activities at a local level reinforces the interest of educating the decision makers and raising awareness within the society. Which ultimately contributes to the regional advocacy for peace by becoming a point of reference in the region where new generations can receive education in the field. It is important to highlight that Mexico has brought in to the debate NPDERead MoreThe Quality And Safety Education For Nurses1405 Words   |  6 Pageshealth institutions were cautious to change, better effective technologies and innovation have caused a shift from this notion. Modern health institutions are more open to change and are ready to try out new technology. This factor has placed nurses in a difficult position as their tools of trade are constantly changing and increasing in complexity. This problem of nurses is what the QSEN tries to address. The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) develops curriculum for nurses. The curriculumRead MoreTraditional Vs. Alternative Medicine902 Words   |  4 Pagesalternative medicine is better and different from traditional medicine in its definitions, approaches, and technological advantages. Many health professionals prefer the use of modern medicine over traditional medicine. Traditional medicine can be defined as conventional or contemporary health science, medical technology, surgery, and related practices. It is based on the scientific study of diagnosing, treating, or preventing a disease. Alternative medicine had some of its roots in Africa and AsiaRead MoreRelationship between Art and Technology in 1960s1670 Words   |  7 Pagesindustry sponsorship and education programmes, the artists of the 1960s began to grapple with the space age. The launch of Sputnik in 1957 prompted a new interest in the world of the machine, yet the artistic approach to technology differed from the Futurist and Constructivist precedent. Technology did not hold utopian potential; rather the artists of the 1960s adopted varied approaches, ranging from sheer admiration to fearful pessimism. However, by the end of the 1960s technology became closely associatedRead MoreKiryl Slizheuski. Student Number Here. Class Section Here.1675 Words   |  7 PagesICTs Improve Work Produ ctivity? Introduction Technology is at the core of modern society. Accordingly, information and communication technologies (ICTs) now have a significant presence in the workplace. Yet, this integration has left many wondering whether ICTs actually improve work productivity. Corporations, governments, as well as non-government organizations have been pursuing this pressing question (Boeri 107). Some claim that these technologies are created and used within an unequal society

Friday, December 13, 2019

The Twilight Saga 3 Eclipse Chapter 5. IMPRINT Free Essays

string(20) " was looking at me\." â€Å"ARE YOU OKAY, JAKE? CHARLIE SAID YOU WERE HAVING a hard time. . . We will write a custom essay sample on The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 5. IMPRINT or any similar topic only for you Order Now . Isn’t it getting any better?† His warm hand curled around mine. â€Å"‘S not so bad,† he said, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes. He walked slowly back to the driftwood bench, staring at the rainbow-colored pebbles, and pulling me along at his side. I sat back down on our tree, but he sat on the wet, rocky ground rather than next to me. I wondered if it was so that he could hide his face more easily. He kept my hand. I started babbling to fillthe silence. â€Å"It’s been so long since I was here. I’ve probably missed a ton of things. How are Sam and Emily? And Embry? Did Quil -?† I broke off mid-sentence, remembering that Jacob’s friend Quil had been a sensitive subject. â€Å"Ah, Quil,† Jacob sighed. So then it must have happened – Quil must have joined the pack. â€Å"I’m sorry,† I mumbled. To my surprise, Jacob snorted. â€Å"Don’t say that to him.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Quil’s not looking for pity. Just the opposite – he’s jazzed. Totally thrilled.† This made no sense to me. All the other wolves had been so depressed at the idea of their friend sharing their fate. â€Å"Huh?† Jacob tilted his head back to look at me. He smiled and rolled his eyes. â€Å"Quil thinks it’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to him. Part of it is finally knowing what’s going on. And he’s excited to have his friends back – to be part of the ‘in crowd.'† Jacob snorted again. â€Å"Shouldn’t be surprised, I guess. It’s so Quil.† â€Å"He likes it?† â€Å"Honestly . . . most of them do,† Jacob admitted slowly. â€Å"There are definitely good sides to this – the speed, the freedom, the strength . . . the sense of – of family. . . . Sam and I are the only ones who ever felt really bitter. And Sam got past that a long time ago. So I’m the crybaby now.† Jacob laughed at himself. There were so many things I wanted to know. â€Å"Why are you and Sam different? What happened to Sam anyway? What’s his problem?† The questions tumbled out without room to answer them, and Jacob laughed again. â€Å"That’s a long story.† â€Å"I told you a long story. Besides, I’m not in any hurry to get back,† I said, and then I grimaced as I thought of the trouble I would be in. He looked up at me swiftly, hearing the double edge in my words. â€Å"Will he be mad at you?† â€Å"Yes,† I admitted. â€Å"He really hates it when I do things he considers . . . risky.† â€Å"Like hanging out with werewolves.† â€Å"Yeah.† Jacob shrugged. â€Å"So don’t go back. I’ll sleep on the couch.† â€Å"That’s a great idea,† I grumbled. â€Å"Because then he would come looking for me.† Jacob stiffened, and then smiled bleakly. â€Å"Would he?† â€Å"If he was afraid I was hurt or something – probably.† â€Å"My idea’s sounding better all the time.† â€Å"Please, Jake. That really bugs me.† â€Å"What does?† â€Å"That you two are so ready to kill each other!† I complained. â€Å"It makes me crazy. Why can’t you both just be civilized?† â€Å"Is he ready to kill me?† Jacob asked with a grim smile, unconcerned by my anger. â€Å"Not like you seem to be!† I realized I was yelling. â€Å"At least he can be a grown-up about this. He knows that hurting you would hurt me – and so he never would. You don’t seem to care about that at all!† â€Å"Yeah, right,† Jacob muttered. â€Å"I’m sure he’s quite the pacifist.† â€Å"Ugh!† I ripped my hand out of his and shoved his head away. Then I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms tightly around them. I glared out toward the horizon, fuming. Jacob was quiet for a few minutes. Finally, he got up off the ground and sat beside me, putting his arm around my shoulders. I shook it off. â€Å"Sorry,† he said quietly. â€Å"I’ll try to behave myself.† I didn’t answer. â€Å"Do you still want to hear about Sam?† he offered. I shrugged. â€Å"Like I said, it’s a long story. And very . . . strange. There’re so many strange things about this new life. I haven’t had time to tell you the half of it. And this thing with Sam – well, I don’t know if I’ll even be able to explain it right.† His words pricked my curiosity in spite of my irritation. â€Å"I’m listening,† I said stiffly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the side of his face pull up in a smile. â€Å"Sam had it so much harder than the rest of us. Because he was the first, and he was alone, and he didn’t have anyone to tell him what was happening. Sam’s grandfather died before he was born, and his father has never been around. There was no one there to recognize the signs. The first time it happened – the first time he phased – he thought he’d gone insane. It took him two weeks to calm down enough to change back. â€Å"This was before you came to Forks, so you wouldn’t remember. Sam’s mother and Leah Clearwater had the forest rangers searching for him, the police. People thought there had been an accident or something. . . .† â€Å"Leah?† I asked, surprised. Leah was Harry’s daughter. Hearing her name sent an automatic surge of pity through me. Harry Clearwater, Charlie’s life-long friend, had died of a heart attack this past spring. His voice changed, became heavier. â€Å"Yeah. Leah and Sam were high school sweethearts. They started dating when she was just a freshman. She was frantic when he disappeared.† â€Å"But he and Emily -â€Å" â€Å"I’ll get to that – it’s part of the story,† he said. He inhaled slowly, and then exhaled in a gust. I supposed it was silly for me to imagine that Sam had never loved anyone before Emily. Most people fall in and out of love many times in their lives. It was just that I’d seen Sam with Emily, and I couldn’t imagine him with someone else. The way he looked at her . . . well, it reminded me of a look I’d seen sometimes in Edward’s eyes – when he was looking at me. You read "The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 5. IMPRINT" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Sam came back,† Jacob said, â€Å"but he wouldn’t talk to anyone about where he’d been. Rumors flew – that he was up to no good, mostly. And then Sam happened to run in to Quil’s grandfather one afternoon when Old Quil Ateara came to visit Mrs. Uley. Sam shook his hand. Old Quil just about had a stroke.† Jacob paused to laugh. â€Å"Why?† Jacob put his hand on my cheek and pulled my face around to look at him – he was leaning toward me, his face was just a few inches away. His palm burned my skin, like he had a fever. â€Å"Oh, right,† I said. It was uncomfortable, having my face so close to his with his hand hot against my skin. â€Å"Sam was running a temperature.† Jacob laughed again. â€Å"Sam’s hand felt like he’d left it sitting on a hot stovetop.† He was so close, I could feel his warm breath. I reached up casually, to take his hand away and free my face, but wound my fingers through his so that I wouldn’t hurt his feelings. He smiled and leaned back, undeceived by my attempt at nonchalance. â€Å"So Mr. Ateara went straight to the other elders,† Jacob went on. â€Å"They were the only ones left who still knew, who remembered. Mr. Ateara, Billy, and Harry had actually seen their grandfathers make the change. When Old Quil told them, they met with Sam secretly and explained. â€Å"It was easier when he understood – when he wasn’t alone anymore. They knew he wouldn’t be the only one affected by the Cullens’ return† – he pronounced the name with unconscious bitterness – â€Å"but no one else was old enough. So Sam waited for the rest of us to join him. . . .† â€Å"The Cullens had no idea,† I said in a whisper. â€Å"They didn’t think that werewolves still existed here. They didn’t know that coming here would change you.† â€Å"It doesn’t change the fact that it did.† â€Å"Remind me not to get on your bad side.† â€Å"You think I should be as forgiving as you are? We can’t all be saints and martyrs.† â€Å"Grow up, Jacob.† â€Å"I wish I could,† he murmured quietly. I stared at him, trying to make sense of his response. â€Å"What?† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"One of those many strange things I mentioned.† â€Å"You . . . can’t . . . grow up?† I said blankly. â€Å"You’re what? Not . . . aging? Is that a joke?† â€Å"Nope.† He popped his lips on the P. I felt blood flood my face. Tears – tears of rage – filled my eyes. My teeth mashed together with an audible grinding sound. â€Å"Bella? What did I say?† I was on my feet again, my hands balled up into fists, my whole frame shaking. â€Å"You. Are. Not. Aging,† I growled through my teeth. Jacob tugged my arm gently, trying to make me sit. â€Å"None of us are. What’s wrong with you?† â€Å"Am I the only one who has to get old? I get older every stinking day!† I nearly shrieked, throwing my hands in the air. Some little part of me recognized that I was throwing a Charlie-esque fit, but that rational part was greatly overshadowed by the irrational part. â€Å"Damn it! What kind of world is this? Where’s the justice?† â€Å"Take it easy, Bella.† â€Å"Shut up, Jacob. Just shut up! This is so unfair!† â€Å"Did you seriously just stamp your foot? I thought girls only did that on TV.† I growled unimpressively. â€Å"It’s not as bad as you seem to think it is. Sit down and I’ll explain.† â€Å"I’ll stand.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Okay. Whatever you want. But listen, I will get older . . . someday.† â€Å"Explain.† He patted the tree. I glowered for a second, but then sat; my temper had burned out as suddenly as it had flared and I’d calmed down enough to realize that I was making a fool of myself. â€Å"When we get enough control to quit . . . ,† Jacob said. â€Å"When we stop phasing for a solid length of time, we age again. It’s not easy.† He shook his head, abruptly doubtful. â€Å"It’s gonna take a really long time to learn that kind of restraint, I think. Even Sam’s not there yet. ‘Course it doesn’t help that there’s a huge coven of vampires right down the road. We can’t even think about quitting when the tribe needs protectors. But you shouldn’t get all bent out of shape about it, anyway, because I’m already older than you, physically at least.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"Look at me, Bells. Do I look sixteen?† I glanced up and down his mammoth frame, trying to be unbiased. â€Å"Not exactly, I guess.† â€Å"Not at all. Because we reach full growth inside of a few months when the werewolf gene gets triggered. It’s one hell of a growth spurt.† He made a face. â€Å"Physically, I’m probably twenty-five or something. So there’s no need for you to freak out about being too old for me for at least another seven years.† Twenty-five or something. The idea messed with my head. But I remembered that growth spurt – I remembered watching him shoot up and fill out right before my eyes. I remembered how he would look different from one day to the next. . . . I shook my head, feeling dizzy. â€Å"So, did you want to hear about Sam, or did you want to scream at me some more for things that are out of my control?† I took a deep breath. â€Å"Sorry. Age is a touchy subject for me. That hit a nerve.† Jacob’s eyes tightened, and he looked as if he were trying to decide how to word something. Since I didn’t want to talk about the truly touchy stuff – my plans for the future, or treaties that might be broken by said plans, I prompted him. â€Å"So once Sam understood what was going on, once he had Billy and Harry and Mr. Ateara, you said it wasn’t so hard anymore. And, like you also said, there are the cool parts. . . .† I hesitated briefly. â€Å"Why does Sam hate them so much? Why does he wish I would hate them?† Jacob sighed. â€Å"This is the really weird part.† â€Å"I’m a pro at weird.† â€Å"Yeah, I know.† He grinned before he continued. â€Å"So, you’re right. Sam knew what was going on, and everything was almost okay. In most ways, his life was back to, well, not normal. But better.† Then Jacob’s expression tightened, like something painful was coming. â€Å"Sam couldn’t tell Leah. We aren’t supposed to tell anyone who doesn’t have to know. And it wasn’t really safe for him to be around her – but he cheated, just like I did with you. Leah was furious that he wouldn’t tell her what was going on – where he’d been, where he went at night, why he was always so exhausted – but they were working it out. They were trying. They really loved each other.† â€Å"Did she find out? Is that what happened?† He shook his head. â€Å"No, that wasn’t the problem. Her cousin, Emily Young, came down from the Makah reservation to visit her one weekend.† I gasped. â€Å"Emily is Leah’s cousin?† â€Å"Second cousins. They’re close, though. They were like sisters when they were kids.† â€Å"That’s . . . horrible. How could Sam . . . ?† I trailed off, shaking my head. â€Å"Don’t judge him just yet. Did anyone ever tell you . . . Have you ever heard of imprinting?† â€Å"Imprinting?† I repeated the unfamiliar word. â€Å"No. What’s that mean?† â€Å"It’s one of those bizarre things we have to deal with. It doesn’t happen to everyone. In fact, it’s the rare exception, not the rule. Sam had heard all the stories by then, the stories we all used to think were legends. He’d heard of imprinting, but he never dreamed . . .† â€Å"What is it?† I prodded. Jacob’s eyes strayed to the ocean. â€Å"Sam did love Leah. But when he saw Emily, that didn’t matter anymore. Sometimes . . . we don’t exactly know why . . . we find our mates that way.† His eyes flashed back to me, his face reddening. â€Å"I mean . . . our soul mates.† â€Å"What way? Love at first sight?† I snickered. Jacob wasn’t smiling. His dark eyes were critical of my reaction. â€Å"It’s a little bit more powerful than that. More absolute.† â€Å"Sorry,† I muttered. â€Å"You’re serious, aren’t you?† â€Å"Yeah, I am.† â€Å"Love at first sight? But more powerful?† My voice still sounded dubious, and he could hear that. â€Å"It’s not easy to explain. It doesn’t matter, anyway.† He shrugged indifferently. â€Å"You wanted to know what happened to Sam to make him hate the vampires for changing him, to make him hate himself. And that’s what happened. He broke Leah’s heart. He went back on every promise he’d ever made her. Every day he has to see the accusation in her eyes, and know that she’s right.† He stopped talking abruptly, as if he’d said something he hadn’t meant to. â€Å"How did Emily deal with this? If she was so close to Leah . . . ?† Sam and Emily were utterly right together, two puzzle pieces, shaped for each other exactly. Still . . . how had Emily gotten past the fact that he’d belonged to someone else? Her sister, almost. â€Å"She was real angry, in the beginning. But it’s hard to resist that level of commitment and adoration.† Jacob sighed. â€Å"And then, Sam could tell her everything. There are no rules that can bind you when you find your other half. You know how she got hurt?† â€Å"Yeah.† The story in Forks was that she was mauled by a bear, but I was in on the secret. Werewolves are unstable, Edward had said. The people near them get hurt. â€Å"Well, weirdly enough, that was sort of how they resolved things. Sam was so horrified, so sickened by himself, so full of hate for what he’d done. . . . He would have thrown himself under a bus if it would have made her feel better. He might have anyway, just to escape what he’d done. He was shattered. . . . Then, somehow, she was the one comforting him, and after that. . . .† Jacob didn’t finish his thought, and I sensed the story had gotten too personal to share. â€Å"Poor Emily,† I whispered. â€Å"Poor Sam. Poor Leah. . . .† â€Å"Yeah, Leah got the worst end of the stick,† he agreed. â€Å"She puts on a brave face. She’s going to be a bridesmaid.† I gazed away, toward the jagged rocks that rose from the ocean like stubby broken-off fingers on the south rim of the harbor, while I tried to make sense of it all. I could feel his eyes on my face, waiting for me to say something. â€Å"Did it happen to you?† I finally asked, still looking away. â€Å"This love-at-first-sight thing?† â€Å"No,† he answered briskly. â€Å"Sam and Jared are the only ones.† â€Å"Hmm,† I said, trying to sound only politely interested. I was relieved, and I tried to explain my reaction to myself. I decided I was just glad he didn’t claim there was some mystical, wolfy connection between the two of us. Our relationship was confusing enough as it was. I didn’t need any more of the supernatural than I already had to deal with. He was quiet, too, and the silence felt a little awkward. My intuition told me that I didn’t want to hear what he was thinking. â€Å"How did that work out for Jared?† I asked to break the silence. â€Å"No drama there. It was just a girl he’d sat next to in school every day for a year and never looked at twice. And then, after he changed, he saw her again and never looked away. Kim was thrilled. She’d had a huge crush on him. She’d had his last name tacked on to the end of hers all over in her diary.† He laughed mockingly. I frowned. â€Å"Did Jared tell you that? He shouldn’t have.† Jacob bit his lip. â€Å"I guess I shouldn’t laugh. It was funny, though.† â€Å"Some soul mate.† He sighed. â€Å"Jared didn’t tell us anything on purpose. I already told you this part, remember?† â€Å"Oh, yeah. You can hear each other’s thoughts, but only when you’re wolves, right?† â€Å"Right. Just like your bloodsucker.† He glowered. â€Å"Edward,† I corrected. â€Å"Sure, sure. That’s how come I know so much about how Sam felt. It’s not like he would have told us all that if he’d had a choice. Actually, that’s something we all hate.† The bitterness was abruptly harsh in his voice. â€Å"It’s awful. No privacy, no secrets. Everything you’re ashamed of, laid out for everyone to see.† He shuddered. â€Å"It sounds horrible,† I whispered. â€Å"It is sometimes helpful when we need to coordinate,† he said grudgingly. â€Å"Once in a blue moon, when some bloodsucker crosses into our territory. Laurent was fun. And if the Cullens hadn’t gotten in our way last Saturday . . . ugh!† he groaned. â€Å"We could have had her!† His fists clenched into angry balls. I flinched. As much as I worried about Jasper or Emmett getting hurt, it was nothing like the panic I felt at the idea of Jacob going up against Victoria. Emmett and Jasper were the closest thing to indestructible I could imagine. Jacob was still warm, still comparatively human. Mortal. I thought of Jacob facing Victoria, her brilliant hair blowing around her oddly feline face . . . and shuddered. Jacob looked up at me with a curious expression. â€Å"But isn’t it like that for you all the time? Having him in your head?† â€Å"Oh, no. Edward’s never in my head. He only wishes.† Jacob’s expression became confused. â€Å"He can’t hear me,† I explained, my voice a tiny bit smug from old habit. â€Å"I’m the only one like that, for him. We don’t know why he can’t.† â€Å"Weird,† Jacob said. â€Å"Yeah.† The smugness faded. â€Å"It probably means there’s something wrong with my brain,† I admitted. â€Å"I already knew there was something wrong with your brain,† Jacob muttered. â€Å"Thanks.† The sun broke through the clouds suddenly, a surprise I hadn’t been expecting, and I had to narrow my eyes against the glare off the water. Everything changed color – the waves turned from gray to blue, the trees from dull olive to brilliant jade, and the rainbow-hued pebbles glittered like jewels. We squinted for a moment, letting our eyes adjust. There were no sounds besides the hollow roar of the waves that echoed from every side of the sheltered harbor, the soft grinding of the stones against each other under the water’s movement, and the cry of gulls high overhead. It was very peaceful. Jacob settled closer to me, so that he was leaning against my arm. He was so warm. After a minute of this, I shrugged out of my rain jacket. He made a little sound of contentment in the back of his throat, and rested his cheek on the top of my head. I could feel the sun heat my skin – thought it was not quite as warm as Jacob – and I wondered idly how long it would take me to burn. Absentmindedly, I twisted my right hand to the side, and watched the sunlight glitter subtly off the scar James had left there. â€Å"What are you thinking about?† he murmured. â€Å"The sun.† â€Å"Mmm. It’s nice.† â€Å"What are you thinking about?† I asked. He chuckled to himself. â€Å"I was remembering that moronic movie you took me to. And Mike Newton puking all over everything.† I laughed, too, surprised by how time had changed the memory. It used to be one of stress, of confusion. So much had changed that night. . . . And now I could laugh. It was the last night Jacob and I had had before he’d learned the truth about his heritage. The last human memory. An oddly pleasant memory now. â€Å"I miss that,† Jacob said. â€Å"The way it used to be so easy . . . uncomplicated. I’m glad I’ve got a good memory.† He sighed. He felt the sudden tension in my body as his words triggered a memory of my own. â€Å"What is it?† he asked. â€Å"About that good memory of yours . . .† I pulled away from him so that I could read his face. At the moment, it was confused. â€Å"Do you mind telling me what you were doing Monday morning? You were thinking something that bothered Edward.† Bothered wasn’t quite the word for it, but I wanted an answer, so I thought it was best not to start out too severely. Jacob’s face brightened with understanding, and he laughed. â€Å"I was just thinking about you. Didn’t like that much, did he?† â€Å"Me? What about me?† Jacob laughed, with a harder edge this time. â€Å"I was remembering the way you looked that night Sam found you – I’ve seen it in his head, and it’s like I was there; that memory has always haunted Sam, you know. And then I remembered how you looked the first time you came to my place. I bet you don’t even realize what a mess you were then, Bella. It was weeks before you started to look human again. And I remembered how you always used to have your arms wrapped around yourself, trying to hold yourself together. . . .† Jacob winced, and then shook his head. â€Å"It’s hard for me to remember how sad you were, and it wasn’t my fault. So I figured it would be harder for him. And I thought he ought to get a look at what he’d done.† I smacked his shoulder. It hurt my hand. â€Å"Jacob Black, don’t you ever do that again! Promise me you won’t.† â€Å"No way. I haven’t had that much fun in months.† â€Å"So help me, Jake -â€Å" â€Å"Oh, get a grip, Bella. When am I ever going to see him again? Don’t worry about it.† I got to my feet, and he caught my hand as I started to walk away. I tried to tug free. â€Å"I’m leaving, Jacob.† â€Å"No, don’t go yet,† he protested, his hand tightening around mine. â€Å"I’m sorry. And . . . okay, I won’t do it again. Promise.† I sighed. â€Å"Thanks, Jake.† â€Å"Come on, we’ll go back to my house,† he said eagerly. â€Å"Actually, I think I really do need to go. Angela Weber is expecting me, and I know Alice is worried. I don’t want to upset her too much.† â€Å"But you just got here!† â€Å"It feels that way,† I agreed. I glared up at the sun, somehow already directly overhead. How had the time passed so quickly? His eyebrows pulled down over his eyes. â€Å"I don’t know when I’ll see you again,† he said in a hurt voice. â€Å"I’ll come back the next time he’s away,† I promised impulsively. â€Å"Away?† Jacob rolled his eyes. â€Å"That’s a nice way to describe what he’s doing. Disgusting parasites.† â€Å"If you can’t be nice, I won’t come back at all!† I threatened, trying to pull my hand free. He refused to let go. â€Å"Aw, don’t be mad,† he said, grinning. â€Å"Knee-jerk reaction.† â€Å"If I’m going to try to come back again, you’re going to have to get something straight, okay?† He waited. â€Å"See,† I explained. â€Å"I don’t care who’s a vampire and who’s a werewolf. That’s irrelevant. You are Jacob, and he is Edward, and I am Bella. And nothing else matters.† His eyes narrowed slightly. â€Å"But I am a werewolf,† he said unwillingly. â€Å"And he is a vampire,† he added with obvious revulsion. â€Å"And I’m a Virgo!† I shouted, exasperated. He raised his eyebrows, measuring my expression with curious eyes. Finally, he shrugged. â€Å"If you can really see it that way . . .† â€Å"I can. I do.† â€Å"Okay. Just Bella and Jacob. None of those freaky Virgos here.† He smiled at me, the warm, familiar smile that I had missed so much. I felt the answering smile spread across my face. â€Å"I’ve really missed you, Jake,† I admitted impulsively. â€Å"Me, too,† his smile widened. His eyes were happy and clear, free for once of the angry bitterness. â€Å"More than you know. Will you come back soon?† â€Å"As soon as I can,† I promised. How to cite The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 5. IMPRINT, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Futura Foods Ltd for Buying Goods and Inventory - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theFutura Foods Ltd for Buying Goods and Inventory Goods. Answer: Introduction If a company is not managing its procurements efficiently, there's no doubt that that business will be losing a lot of money on its projects. A project management plan must be identified and necessary steps taken from the beginning of the project to the end. These steps include; the items to be procured, the risk associated and its mitigation, type of contract and its approval process, vendor management, project scope and its budget and performance metrics for procurement activities. Procurement is the process of acquiring something. In this case it is obtaining goods or services that the business needs to fulfill its purpose (Spina, Caniato, and Ronchi, 2013). These tasks include; financing purchases, negotiating prices, buying goods, inventory controls and disposal of waste products. This process ends once the company is in possession of the goods and for the process to be profitable the cost of procuring should be less than the selling cost of the product plus other cost incurred. The procurement department helps a company achieve sustainable growth and ensure the sourced supply creates value. The procurement process generally has three objectives i.e. to support requirements of the operation, mange the procurement process and the effectiveness of supply base and finally develop purchasing strategies that support the firms goals and objectives. A procurement manager manages all the procurement activities under this project. First, they review the procurement list before submitting it to the procurement department and settling on a contract to determine whether to make or buy the item and later begin in vendor selection, contracting and purchasing process. The supply chain is made of, manufacturers, and logistics of sourcing products to the customers and a network of suppliers (Janvier-James, 2012). Supply management is, however, the process of governing supplies chain to make sure that both the manufacturers and the supplier's operations is effective and efficient and the products are of the desired quality (Christopher, 2016). To achieve this, the company partners with commercial teams to ensure responsibly sourcing of material and also to develop a demand forecast. It is also responsible in balancing inventory in order to make certainty of the right supply of goods and services. It helps a company to gain a competitive edge by making sure the products are available in the best condition and at the right time. Sourcing is finding and locating raw materials, goods and services that a certain project need. It involves finding the best suppliers for the least expensive goods and services and it involve scouting, quality testing, negotiating and market research. This step happens before a company makes its first sales and hence it relies heavily on getting the best sources. Global sourcing is the process of acquiring goods and services such as raw materials across global boundaries. Its main aim is to exploit efficiencies such as lower cost of raw materials, low trade traffics and low cost of skilled labor (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson, 2012). Modern transportation and communication technologies have eased this strategy and make it profitable despite the challenges involved in doing business across borders. It involves sourcing from countries with a low minimum wage and low manufacturing costs. Literature review Wanscoor (2010) suggests that supply chain management is more sustainable and goes beyond integration logistics involving planning in a sequence of execution of operations. Ethics is indeed one of the most popular competencies among buyers. Richard Calvi (2010) stated that procurement practices are geared towards reducing costs and that companies are responsible for their supplies actions and they must ensure compliance with the standards. The supply chain in this content appears as a significant factor in protecting companies from unethical behavior and accused of irresponsibility (Stadtler, 2015). Halldorsson (2007) argues that practices of procurement and supply chain management are understood better by initiating multiple perspectives from economics, i.e., cost analyses, strategic management and sociology, i.e., resource dependency theory. Shook (2006) supports the same case as he used a well-established theoretical perspective resulting to a better understanding and explained activities like outsourcing, buyer- selection and supplier- selection relationship management. Integration of supply chain process involves the collaboration of work between the conventional system, suppliers, buyers and the shared information. Larson and Halldorsson (2004) works, proposed an essential model on for perspectives of supply chain verses the logistics. Unionist' view that supply chain consumes logistics while traditionalist' is just one of a small part of logistics and intersectionist treat supply chain management as a primary strategy with logistics. Strategic procurement representation is described by the activities that take place in supply link and terms of environment and structure. Supply performance indicators that measure efficiency and effectiveness are in terms of essence of quality, cost, time, and flexibility (Arzu, Akyuz, and Erman, 2010). It is everyones responsibility to maximize utilization of resources since the resources are scares. The effectiveness of supply link shows broadly how well objectives are achieved. A company has other functions like finance and human resource which has their performance measured but this is not the same case in procurement hence failure to establish procurement function performance leads to biased and irregular decisions with costly consequences. Companies need to have coherent methods of performance measures put in place (Colicchia, and Strozzi, 2012). A performance system can measure both financial and non-financial actions while industries that do not have a good system, their procedures and processes are of low performance, they face employee turnover, and their customers are dissatisfied. Li (2016) concluded that supply chain practices lead to better competition and improved organization performance Strategic management has three main approaches namely; management and development of key suppliers, purchasing coordination and procurement internal operations (Touboulic, and Walker, 2015). It is seen as vital functions of the organization with the potential to access to suppliers, improve the quality of products, and improve the efficiency of operations among others. Buying firms get their value for money through a competitive procurement process from available suppliers range. Strategic procurement purchases start with what is needed hence eliminating wastage in the process. Case study Futura Foods UK Ltd is a UK based company that deals with dairy products such as goat and cow cheese, milk, additives and is specialized in white cheese such as feta and halloumi. The company supplies more than 50 countries with these products and has production facilities in Romania, Denmark, and Austria. These facilities have different practices, and routines for procurement meaning purchasing is done at each site, and the full strength possibility to purchase has been made impossible. To change this situation, Futura Foods Ltd has decided to change the situation by moving from a decentralized procurement industry to a centralized one. It is one of the largest dairy products producers in Northern Europe with more than 250 employees and a production of over 20,000 tons per annum. Futura Foods was established in 2001 but was later acquired by Nordex Foods in 2013 which is a privately owned Danish company, and the acquisition was a result of the benefits that Futura Foods would benefit from the group and the enthusiasm of investors to quicken the brand's development. Futura Foods produces continental cheese, and its total market contributes to a 418.8 million Euros which is approximately 7% of the entire market. To supply this large population requires a significant amount of milk raw material which in most cases is insufficient. This is because most of the residents in the UK rely on white collar jobs and disregard farming. Food industries impose enormous challenges to the producers. Local suppliers in the UK have been performing ineffectively mainly because of high competition, are more expensive and harder to acquire in high quantities; as a result, the company relies on international suppliers where they import 50% of the daily products mostly from Greece. Futura Foods use internet based application software called e-procurement. It is an effective and less expensive procurement software that represent important procurement consideration, i.e., ability to transfer data and hence to enable current pricing. This system has advantages such as lower transaction costs, enhanced productivity, leveraged purchasing, customization and more strategic sourcing (Stadtler, 2015). The e- procurements methods used by Futura Foods are such as e-MRO solutions which are a system of processing/ acquisition purchasing requisition, and placing purchasing orders using a software system using internet technology. The company also uses web-based ERP which enables purchasing from the preferred supplied catalog (Magal, and Word, 2011). The core problem in this system is that the suppliers are unwilling to adopt this system due to the high training cost and a higher risk of data compromise. This system has a problem of rapidly growing multiple standards and is unsure whether the service provider will be obsolete or if it will survive (Kwak, Park, and Ghosh, 2012). The integration required may not deliver the right data to the right system to allow actions to be taken in time. The system provides for error processing, and incorrect data leads to the incorrect load being ordered (Mishra, Devaraj, and Vaidyanathan, 2013). It also faces the risk of network problems when transmitting data especially from the UK to Greece or vice versa The system harbors too much room for error. The whole system is interdependent meaning one element affect another. The issues in the procurement include; The software needs to be updated over time Misunderstanding of what the system could deliver (Zhu, Dou, and Sarkis, 2010). Processing error Liquidity risk as there are insufficient cash flow controls Inability to initiate change if new metrics are not understandable/ actionable. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is very expensive to maintain and implement (Colicchia, and Strozzi, 2012). Futura Foods is subjected to increase competition from domestic and international markets such as Dairy UK Ltd, Acorn dairy and Wells farm dairy that compete with the intense to limit the market share that other food industries acquire. These incentives force Futura Foods to continually shape their strategy and value proposition by differentiating themselves from other food industry Dairy products are in demand both locally (UK) and around the world. Futura Foods is one of the biggest companies that deal in the food industry. The company supplies dairy products to residents in the UK and globally too. The company is a global leader who specializes in quality and differentiated products, and it focuses on growing export market (Galizzi, and Venturini, 2012). The company supplies its products to a large part of northern Europe, America and also parts of Africa. Strong competition and globalization manifest have led Futura Foods to develop international purchasing strategies of their dairy products, especially from Greece. These strategies involve dramatic price reduction, increased responsive to customers, quality milk products, and better financial conditions. The global purchasing has however raised public awareness of regulation for food safety with the Greece sourcing companies. The suppliers sometimes are unable to comply with the social responsibility, environmental, quality and safety standards hence affecting companys relationship with its customers (Momoh, Roy, and Shehab, 2010). The scarcity of dairy raw material in the UK is another factor that causes Futura Foods to source its raw material from Greece. Most residents of UK are not farmers and dairy farming is done by only a few organizations, but it is still insufficient to serve the whole country. Global sourcing transport is also another challenge that Futura Foods is facing, refrigerated transport of frozen dairy products requires a temperature ranging from -10celcius to -25Celcius as these extremely low temperatures inhibit the growth of the microorganism (Ismail, and Nielsen, 2010). Most global sourcing lacks the cold rooms with the right temperatures required for the transport resulting to products perishability. Futura Foods is facing some challenges doing international business with the Greece companies. These problems include; Global pricing strategies used in the UK and Greece. Choosing the right global shipment strategies. Different foreign laws and regulations used in the two countries The use of different currency and their fluctuations over time Communications and cultural differences Political risks Environmental and health issues, i.e., the health regulations in the dairy industries are different in both countries hence creating conflicts. The power of supply in Futura Foods is seen as low because there are a wide variety of products within the UK who are willing to enter the market by gaining a market share and gaining exposure. The company uses different categories of suppliers such as wholesalers and distributors, independent suppliers and importers (Srivastava, Franklin, and Martinette, 2013). To cater for the greedy suppliers, Futura Foods are using several ways to mitigate supplier power, i.e., building a two-way relationship to work together to achieve low production cost and rewarding honesty of the loyal suppliers (Nair, Narasimhan, and Bendoly, 2011). Due to the scarcity of raw materials, most suppliers from the UK sell their products at a high price resulting to customers not buying the product at all. This is a threat to the company, and it effects to low profits or even sometimes loses (Sarac, and Dauzre-Prs, 2010). Futura Foods are faced with the problem of choosing the right local supplier that they can manage. In the recent past, they have had challenges managing disloyal suppliers which sometimes resulted in a high price in their products. The buyer power that customers have over Futura Foods is seen as extremely high. This is because the products produced by the company are of very high quality and they also give their customers very favorable and the best possible prices to maintain the market share (Mann, 2012). If Futura tries to increase the prices, they will lose the customers to the competitors, and hence they try to keep the customers happy to gain a good market share in the industry. The biggest threat that Futura Foods faces is the threat of substitution especially substituting the packaging style that the company uses. If these malicious people can sell their products with the packaging style belonging to Futura Foods Company, then the company loses sales and faces a threat of losing customers as this directly impact the basis of value of the products UK dairy market was initially seen as an attractive market for new entrants to jump in the industry. With the stronger implementation of the law and forced changes in business practices competition has now increased in the market. Large-scale industries such as Futura are however trying to mitigate this problem by maintaining a low price for their products and therefore hindering potential competitors from entering the market (Wilkinson, 2013). Recommendations There are varieties of issue that has been addressed with Futura Foods procurement process such as room for error across a variety of areas. Futura Foods should have well-thought-out strategies for implementation for e-procurement, this include; They should focus on ease of its so as to improve the end user acceptance of its system. Make sure of the efficiency of the processes before they apply automated solutions. Ensure sufficient funding and resources are made available and support from the top management. Define the metrics for measuring process efficiency, cost and e-procurement technologies and link incentives for the business units and procurement to these incentives. Other recommendations include; Futura Foods should ensure that their suppliers should have cold room during transportation of the products to avoid perishability of the dairy products. Future Foods should start its dairy farming to cater for the scarcity of raw material They should spend time on researching for loyal and manageable suppliers. Conclusions Globalization has led to the fast improvement of quality products resulting in high level of market pressure (Margalit, 2012). Supply chain networks have increased resulting in difficulty in quality management, and for this reason, companies have experienced more significant uncertainties and delayed points, and hence greater monitoring, coordination, and communication are required in the firms and the biggest challenge is that even the small and minor challenge in the supply chain have dangerous effects on other parts of the supply chain network (Colicchia, and Strozzi, 2012). The dairy food is a risk business to deal with, and the uncertainties can't be ruled out from this industry, and since they are unavoidable, a proper risk redresses mechanism could minuses the impact (Ismail, and Nielsen, 2010). Dairy industries priorities like Futura Foods are to ensure that the products are suitable for consumption. Efficient supply chain management provides for hygienic measures throughout the process by adhering to proper food value requirements References Janvier-James, A.M., 2012. A new introduction to supply chains and supply chain management: Definitions and theories perspective.International Business Research,5(1), p.194. Christopher, M., 2016.Logistics supply chain management. Pearson UK. Stadtler, H., 2015. Supply chain management: An overview. InSupply chain management and advanced planning(pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Stadtler, H., 2015. The performance impact of implementing web-based e-procurement systems.International Journal of Production Research,48(18), pp.5397-5414. Magal, S.R. and Word, J., 2011.Integrated business processes with ERP systems. Wiley Publishing. Mishra, A.N., Devaraj, S. and Vaidyanathan, G., 2013. Capability hierarchy in electronic procurement and procurement process performance: An empirical analysis.Journal of Operations Management,31(6), pp.376-390. Spina, G., Caniato, F., Luzzini, D. and Ronchi, S., 2013. Past, present and future trends of purchasing and supply management: An extensive literature review.Industrial Marketing Management,42(8), pp.1202-1212. Touboulic, A. and Walker, H., 2015. Theories in sustainable supply chain management: a structured literature review.International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management,45(1/2), pp.16-42. Arzu Akyuz, G. and Erman Erkan, T., 2010. Supply chain performance measurement: a literature review.International Journal of Production Research,48(17), pp.5137-5155. Colicchia, C. and Strozzi, F., 2012. Supply chain risk management: a new methodology for a systematic literature review.Supply Chain Management: An International Journal,17(4), pp.403-418. Colicchia, C. and Strozzi, F., 2012. Supply chain risk management: a new methodology for a systematic literature review.Supply Chain Management: An International Journal,17(4), pp.403-418. Kwak, Y.H., Park, J., Chung, B.Y. and Ghosh, S., 2012. Understanding end-users acceptance of enterprise resource planning (ERP) system in project-based sectors.IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management,59(2), pp.266-277. Momoh, A., Roy, R. and Shehab, E., 2010. Challenges in enterprise resource planning implementation: state-of-the-art.Business Process Management Journal,16(4), pp.537-565. Morris, M.G. and Venkatesh, V., 2010. Job characteristics and job satisfaction: understanding the role of enterprise resource planning system implementation.Mis Quarterly, pp.143-161. Ismail, B. and Nielsen, S.S., 2010.Food politics: How the food industry influences nutrition and health(Vol. 3). Univ of California Press. Galizzi, G. and Venturini, L. eds., 2012.Economics of innovation: the case of food industry. Springer Science Business Media. Srivastava, M., Franklin, A. and Martinette, L., 2013. Building a sustainable competitive advantage.Journal of technology management innovation,8(2), pp.47-60. Wilkinson, J., 2013. Threat of New Entrants (one of Porters Five Forces).Strateg. CFO. Margalit, Y., 2012. Lost in globalization: International economic integration and the sources of popular discontent.International Studies Quarterly,56(3), pp.484-500. Mann, M., 2012.The sources of social power: Volume 3, global empires and revolution, 1890-1945(Vol. 3). Cambridge University Press. Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D. and Hoskisson, R.E., 2012.Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Ismail, B. and Nielsen, S.S., 2010. Invited review: plasmin protease in milk: current knowledge and relevance to dairy industry.Journal of dairy science,93(11), pp.4999-5009. Nair, A., Narasimhan, R. and Bendoly, E., 2011. Coopetitive buyersupplier relationship: an investigation of bargaining power, relational context, and investment strategies.Decision Sciences,42(1), pp.93-127. Zhu, Q., Dou, Y. and Sarkis, J., 2010. A portfolio-based analysis for green supplier management using the analytical network process.Supply Chain Management: An International Journal,15(4), pp.306-319.