Conflict & Stress Management Essay Example for Free

Conflict Stress Management Essay 1.0 INTRODUCTION Stress and conflict are two major issues any organisation faces. They are inevitable in all facets of life, be individual or organisational. If not handled well they can be a hindrance for the company performance. Conflict and stress both varies according to the organisation and its culture. But both need to be managed well to avoid unnecessary problems. Conflict is a perception. Surveys show that employees spend as much as 42% of their time engaging in or attempting to resolve conflicts and 20% of managers’ time is taken up by conflict related issues (Gupta, Boyd, Kuzmits, 2011). This valuable time can be utilised in making the organisation a more efficient and an effective one. Organisations which fail to address conflict have the risk of losing their competitive advantage. Conflict can be viewed in many ways and there are different management styles which can deal with conflict. The leadership of the organisation must be involved in dealing with conflict as they would have to negotiate and bargain in order to overcome conflict. Stress is a major concern with today’s working people. This is because the world is developing in a faster pace which requires constant adaptation. Stress not only affects ones work-life balance, but also their personal life which creates chaos for individuals. According to some estimation, humankind losses 100 million workdays every year due to the aftermath of stress (Treven Potocan, 2005). Work stress needs to be managed well so it can actually improve the well being of the individuals as well as the organisation. Both of these factors will be viewed in the context of Nippon Lanka and will be analysed thoroughly on how they overcome these issues to maintain a healthy relationship with employees. Improvements and recommendations for the current methods will also be discussed. 2.0 OVERVIEW Nippon Lanka Pvt Ltd (NPLK) is a joint venture (JV) between the Nippon PLC Japan (NPJ) and Silicone Coatings Pvt Ltd (SC) Sri Lanka where the NPJ brought over 60% of Silicones shares. This joint venture is advantageous to both parties where NPJ is able to use this as an entry method and SC as an opportunity to be a part of a global industry. Formation of this JV took almost a year where Nippon Lanka studied SC and the relevant industry as whole to get an idea of the present market conditions. It was found that there was no better time to enter the Sri Lankan market due to the post war era development. Therefore SC was considered due to their strong presence in the market. Today after about three months from successfully forming the JV the company is going through a transition period. There aren’t any major changes to positions in the hierarchy but there are role changes and employees are finding it difficult to adapt to their new roles. Example: The Managing Director (MD) of the company who was the owner of the company still is the MD how ever to day the person is a salaried employee. The General Manager who was reporting directly to MD today has to report to the Board of directors where MD is just one out of the five directors. When examining the company culture towards conflict, the company culture and the value system which has been there for 35 years from the date of the establishment is now being changed. SC was established in 1979, as a small scale manufacture and a distributer of paint related ancillaries. By the time Nippon approached SC it had grown into the largest local player in the market where it was second only to the global giant Akzonobal by a 3% margin. It is evident that SC has been a one man show up to the time of the JV, the full value system and the operational procedures were laid down by the founder himself and not most of the managers found it enticing to be part of. Therefore the HR turnover was such that on average about six key resources left the company. In this back ground let’s see how the conflict and stress management function takes place within the organization. 3.0 CONFLICT AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT 3.1 Conflict Management Styles Conflict can be defined as the process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something the first party cares about (Robbins S., Judge T. Vohra N., 2011:441). It is that point in an ongoing activity when an interaction crosses over to become an interparty conflict. Conflict can be seen as good and bad with corresponding positive and negative outcomes where this would all depend on how one views conflict. There are three basics views of conflict. These are the Traditional view, the Interactionist view and Managed conflict view. The traditional view sees conflict as bad and something that must be eliminated through the use of authority. Poor communication, lack of openness and failure to respond to employee needs could be seen as few of the causes. The interactionist view is that conflict is desirable, necessary for high performance teams and should be encouraged. The contemporary view is that conflict is inevitable and it may be positive or negative but it must be managed to be beneficial. Nippon Lanka follows a more interactionist view where conflict is encouraged and the company is of the view that a perfectly cooperative, harmonious group would hinder dynamism, creativity and innovation where a minimal level of conflict is needed to prevent a lacklustre, uninterested attitude among the group. As mentioned earlier, not all conflicts are good, and this view only supports functional conflict. Functional conflict is a constructive form of conflict that supports the goals of the group and improves performance. The type of conflict at hand would distinguish a functional conflict from a dysfunctional conflict. Although these are distinct types of conflict, the occurrence of one type of conflict can lead to a conflict of another type taking place. For example, the process of costing has been kept confidential, and this has led to the tension between the sales team and the costing team. 3.2TYPES OF CONFLICT PRESENT IN NIPPON LANKA 3.2.1Relationship conflict Conflicts between two people are known as relationship conflicts. These conflicts arise as a result of miscommunication, disagreements or misunderstandings between people. One such situation at Nippon Lanka arose between the Brand Manager and the Marketing Manager. The Brand manager has been with the company for 5 years and has previously worked with two Heads of marketing. Once the new marketing manager was appointed, it was found that the latter was less experienced and was not willing to corporate with the Marketing Head. This triggered huge problems for the new comer. The management was aware of this, but wasn’t able to remove him from the position due to the valuable connections the customers. However, the Marketing Manager understood this inferiority complex of the Brand Manager. Having gone through the initial hardships the new marketing manager somehow managed to win the trust of the Brand manager. Now they are working harmoniously, directing all their efforts towards the benefit of the company. 3.2.2.Data Conflict This occurs when decisions are made without adequate information. At Nippon Lanka, the costing department works in isolation. They do not consult the sales and marketing team when arriving at the costs, so more often than not, the cost of the product is either too high, depriving them of valuable orders and potential growth, or at times its too low depriving the opportunity for the company to charge a premium price on an innovative product or to achieve efficiency through specialisation. 3.2.3Interest Conflict Conflicts of interest mainly deal with psychological issues, where an individual or organisation behaves in a certain manner, with the aim of meeting a particular interest which is not shared by everyone else. The JV with the Japanese company was not disclosed or made public, even though doing so would have been acting in the best interests of the company. The MD did not like the idea of publicising the 60:40 JV that was taking place, as it would be viewed as a takeover. However, the rest of the company felt that some amount of public awareness would have positively impacted the companys future performance. Another example would be when the HR department wanted to minimise the over time cost they imposed a rule where all sales vehicle needs to be back at the HO by 5 pm. As an example what the Sales representatives would do is when they need to deliver goods up to Negombo, covering Wattala, Ja-ela, Seeduwa and Negombo. They would turn back from Seeduwa at 3.30 pm in order to make it back to office by 5 pm, without covering their full distance to Negombo. What followed was a delay in the delivery and travelling additional mileage, having to revisit incomplete routes taking the same path. 3.2.4 Structural Conflict Structural conflict arises from unclear and undefined roles and reporting lines. The RD and the production manger are directly reporting to the MD. The other managers report to the GM, where the GM reports to the MD. Currently when a sales representative needs to develop a sample for a particular customer, the sales representative will not have the adequate support since the request from the sales rep will not be taken seriously from the RD manager and the GM cannot question them for not doing it right. Only 10 out of 1 samples are successful and yet the RD manager has managed to survive, distracting the control and supervisory system of the top management since there is no clear reporting structure. 3.2.5 Value Conflict A value conflict comes about when two people or groups have dissenting views on moralitythat basic understanding of what is naturally right or wrong. As mentioned earlier, the cost manager considered himself and his department superior than the other departments, with the notion that the information handled need not be disclosed to anyone else. At present, the cost manager is in prison, facing charges of fraud. Although the environment helped the person to carry out fraud, this is a clear example of conflicting values. 3.3 THE CONFLICT PROCESS Figure 1: The Conflict Process (Source: Robbins S., Judge T. Vohra N., 2005:444) 3.3.1Stage I: Potential opposition or incompatibility The first stage talks about the conditions that are needed for conflict to arise. They may not directly lead to conflict, but they need to be present for conflict to surface. They can be referred to as the causes of conflict and can be condensed into three general categories, namely communications, structure and personal variables. Communication, either too much or too little information passed between members can result in potential opportunities for conflict to arise. At Nippon Lanka, the manner in which the costing of the products is carried out is not communicated to the members in the other dept and this has been the initiating factor for conflict to set in. Structure includes several variables such as size, degree of specialization in the tasks assigned to the group members, role clarity, member-goal compatibility, leadership styles, reward systems, and the degree of dependence among groups. The sales and promotions manager at Nippon Paints follow an aggressive, predator style of leadership where excuses were not tolerated and was only interested in the achievement of results and targets. An example would be, the samples taken from the production team that is used for sales and promotion does not meet the required standards of quality where 9 out of 10 samples would fail. Same time, the Sales and promotions manager would also be very demanding of the sales representatives in terms of getting the desired targets. In some cases, employees have resigned due this demanding nature. Personal variables are mainly due to differences in personal traits of individuals. Diverse issues such as prejudice and disagreements over ones contribution to the group, as well as the rewards one deserves. For example, at Nippon Paints, the General Manager is prepared to hire new trainees at Rs. 15,000/=, whereas the Sales and Promotions Manager feels that the market rate of Rs. 30,000/= should be paid to them. The low salaries have deterred attracting the talented individuals and therefore not achieving the fullest potential. 3.3.2Stage II: Cognition and Personalization If the conditions mentioned in stage I negatively affect something one party cares about, then the potential for opposition or incompatibility surfaces in the second stage. One or both parties must be aware and perceive that these conditions exist. However, just because it is perceived does not make the conflict personalized. It may not have an effect on either or both parties. The conflict has to be felt, for individuals become emotionally involved, leading to anxiety, tension, frustration or hostility. 3.3.3Stage III: Intentions Intentions get in the way of peoples perceptions and emotions and act as decisions for them to react the way they do to the situation at hand. They are important, as one has to make inferences of the other partys intentions to know and understand the reason behind that partys behavior and to respond accordingly. Conflicts tend to escalate at this point merely because of the wrong inferences being made. Sometimes a behavior might erroneously reflect the persons intentions. Two dimensions are used, namely cooperativeness (the degree to which one party attempts to satisfy the other partys concerns) and assertiveness (the degree to which one party attempt to satisfy his or her own concerns) to identify five conflict handling intentions. This has been attached to Appendix 1 with the styles explained. 3.3.4Stage IV: Behavior This stage includes actions, statements and reactions made by the conflicting parties. Intentions of each party are implemented through these behaviors and can be seen as a dynamic process of interaction. Conflicts usually start slow; characterized by indirect rather subtle forms of tension and escalate as the tension builds. At this latter stage things could become highly destructive where such conflicts are almost always dysfunctional. 3.3.5Stage V: Outcomes Behavior would lead to outcomes, where some are functional in that the conflict results in an improvement in the groups performance or it may also be dysfunctional in that it hinders group performance. Functional conflict can be beneficial for the company as it provides a medium through which problems can be aired and tensions released. This improves the quality of decisions, stimulates creativity and innovation, encourages interest and curiosity among group members and it forces and environment of self-evaluation and change. Some companies discourage conflict as they prefer yes-men, loyal to the higher ups to the point of never questioning company actions. As for dysfunctional conflict it would reduce group effectiveness and group cohesiveness. At the extreme, conflict can bring group functioning to a halt and potentially threaten the groups survival. Refer Appendix II for the example of a conflict Process at Nippon paints. 3.3 NEGOTIATING AND BARGAINING Before the organisation starts negotiating they should be aware of the nature of the conflict. There is a certain process that needs to be followed in negotiation. Negotiation is by definition the management of crossed demands, where each one of us expresses requests hoping the other will try to fulfil them (Lempereur, A. 2012). As it is said â€Å"Everything is negotiation in life†, so every party involved in the process would like to take the best out of it. 3.3.1 Bargaining Strategies There are two bargaining strategies that could be discussed. Distributive bargaining and integrative bargaining. In the current context what is more obvious is integrative bargaining which makes both the parties involved satisfied creating a win-win situation. An example for this was when a sales representative requests for a personal vehicle they need to achieve a certain level of sales targets. If they maintain the sales targets for a sustainable period they will be given a personal vehicle. But by any chance if they do not keep up to the said targets their salaries will be reduced in accordance with the cost of maintaining the vehicle by the company. Through a situation like this, what is created is a long term positive relationship for the company. As a company, they increase the sales levels and the employees will also be satisfied as their needs are also met. 3.3.2 Negotiation Process Negotiation can happen in 5 steps; these are preparation and planning, definition and ground rules, clarification and justification, bargaining and problem solving and closure and implementation. Some do not have a positive ending or a closure. But negotiations that have an effect for the organisation will go through a process. An example of this would be when the company needs to host certain function in hotels they would negotiate with them for the best bargain. As they have cost constraints, there are certain limitations and getting the best bargain with the best outcome would be the perfect scenario. Before the start of the negotiation with the relevant hoteliers the in-charge person will prepare the list of things that need to be discussed. These would be the pricing, menu items, additional services that are required and assess what the other party goals and prepare well for them. In this instance a budget per person would be Rs. 3,000. But the relevant hotels cost was higher. Then the menus for these relevant amounts will be compared. In the Sri Lankan context rather than a 4 or 5 course meal, action stations with koththu and hoppers have a vibrant feeling and also cost less. So in the negotiation table the other alternatives will be put across. Since information is all gathered, the representative will develop a strategy. The person will also determine the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA). So here the BATNA will be to get cost per person at Rs. 3,000 having action stations with cocktail menu. The person will determine when and where to have the appointment. The ideal place would be at hotel premises because then the ambiance where service capacity can also be viewed. The meeting would be planned in the best time where both parties are not strained with other commitments and can concentrate for a best outcome. Once the initial stance is made then there will be further clarifications and explanations. Then both parties will try to come up with concessions in order to make a decision. Once both parties are satisfied they will formalize the agreement. In this process Nippon Lanka representatives will stress on the fact that if one event is made a success; then the hotel is winning a long term corporate client. This enhances their business. 3.3.3 Third Party Negotiation This is crucial for Nippon Lanka as they deal with lot of suppliers and customers. Advertising is a crucial part for this organisation and dealing with media is important to get a good advertising deal. Earlier they were dealing with the television and radio stations by themselves and it was quite strenuous. Getting a good deal that is worth their money was tough and time consuming, having deal with different organisations, so they decided to obtain third party involvement. The outcome was to get a consultant to act on media buying for the organisation. A consultant is a skilled and impartial third party who attempts to facilitate problem solving through communication and analysis (Robbins S., Judge T. Vohra N., 2011:457). They are there to improve the current status and to get a win-win solution for both parties. When Nippon started using a third party advertising firm to do media buying, they were able to get good deals from media as they have a high bargaining power. 4.0 WORK STRESS STRESS MANAGEMENT Stress is a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, demand, or resource related to what the individual desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important (Robbins, Judge Vohrs, 554). Most of the time stress is discussed in the negative contest but this is not true at all times. Stress can be taken into the system as an advantage. In the current organisation stress factor is not talked openly even though people are put under stress levels it is not considered as value adding option for the organisation. In the organisation currently what is seen is the challenge stresses but sometimes these same factors do become hindrance stressors for the employees. 4.1 Sources of stress The main sources of stress in the organisation comes from environmental and organisation factors. When it comes to environmental factors; the three types of uncertainties are economic, political and technological. These play a minimal role compared to organisational and personal factors. In considering environment factors; the workers are stressed on the technological aspect. Research and development team is always under pressure in getting a new product development before their competitors. Organisation heads are concerned about the Political uncertainty. Whenever a new rule or regulation is passed by government with regard to the consumer protection or protecting environment this takes a toll in the organisation activities. They must be aware of the new laws and how to tackle them, this adds a lot of strain in the management as they need to alter or change certain decisions according to political scenarios. Change in economic policies and recessions or booms in the economic cycle create stress on the organisation. Current economic down turn have made a toll in the sales teams as consumers are spending less and government projects have considerably reduced. At the same time government is not paying their debt and collections have become harder. Organisational factors are the ones that are created by the organisation which creates stress on employees. Task demands such as collecting debts in 90 days have a strain on the employee. This increases the job pressure. Role demands relate to pressure that occurs due to the job role. Managers and above have high role related pressures compared to subordinates due to the heavy work load which needs to be performed in less time. Most employees complain that they are given more work than they can handle and it stresses them out a lot. At the same time many complain the targets given are not practical. There is a minimal level of interpersonal demands where other employees are not supportive. Personal factors which increase stress are different to every individual. But this does create a hindrance in the organisation performance. All or some of these factors create a high turnover or absenteeism, reduction in productivity and decrease in job satisfaction. Sadly Nippon Lanka has not recognised the importance of stress management in order to curb it or cure it. The main organisational stress come comes from the current management change, this is because the task and role demands have changed and employees need to adjust to the new roles. Personal factors too trigger stress level of the employees. 4.2 Managing Stress at Nippon Lanka Pvt Ltd Based on the study, it is visible that Nippon Lanka uses stress as a positive motivator, but at some points it goes out of hand where it depletes the collaboration and coordination amongst the teams and also inter department. Based on the job roles, the department heads can think of the stress levels which can be imposed on the team members to get results and to meet targets. However the stress levels should be correctly managed so that it motivates results and not deplete and impede the team building and performance drive within the teams. As it is observed, some amount of stress comes from the non-alignment of the reporting lines. Therefore the suggestion is to relook at the reporting lines so that stress does not occur due to incorrect alignment of the business structure which has a negative impact and which creates unnecessary types of stress within teams. Together with the Job role enrichment, reporting lines should also be re-aligned so that the company will only be left with stress which causes the company to perform and not to impede. 5.0 CONCLUSION In conclusion conflict, negotiation and stress are all visible in Nippon Paint. Conflict is unavoidable at the organisation due to the dealings they have among the departments and the third parties. To overcome conflict certain understanding among employees and stakeholders must be implemented. It can be seen that conflict, negotiation and stress are interlinked with each other on some level. Organisational conflict styles may shape an organisations social environment, affecting the level of ongoing conflict and thus the level of stress among employees. Nippon Lanka to a great extent follows an integrative style of conflict management which leads to lower task conflict, reducing relationship conflict, which reduces stress. However, there are many instances where the management has not come up with a solution to the conflict at hand, where they are not willing to step in and the employees are left to resolve the matter, which at most times remains unresolved. The recommended improvements with regard to this has been discussed in Section 3.4. It is important that with the JV taking place, the new management plays an active role in resolving these long running issues so that the organisation and its performance does not get affected. The current JV could also trigger new conflicts and stress levels within the organisation where it is crucial that these issues are identified and resolved. The new management must take this opportunity to place greater prominence of recognizing the on-going stress levels within the organisation and deal with them appropriately. Improved management of conflict, negotiations and stress would benefit the individuals and the organisation in terms of high performing, content, dedicated employees who deliver results.

Effectiveness Of Information Technology On Supply Chain Management

Effectiveness Of Information Technology On Supply Chain Management Supply Chain Management is the concept known as the management of the materials and the information across all the partners within an industry including customers customers and suppliers suppliers. Supply Chain Management introduces the initiatives for competitive advantages to companies and it reinforces the use of technology for more accurate and faster communication among supply chain partners. The field of supply chain management has become tremendously important to companies in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. The term supply chain refers to the entire network of companies that work together to design, produce, deliver, and service products ( Hausman, 2001) Generally speaking, the supply chain is the sequence of enterprises from suppliers to end customers. The National Research Council refers to it is an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..association of customers and suppliers who, working together yet in their own best interest, buy, convert, distribute and sell goods and services among themselves resulting in the creation of a specific end product ( National Resource Council, 2000) According to the Mentzer Supply chain management is defined as the systemic, strategic coordination of the traditional business functions within a particular company and across businesses within the supply chain, for the purposes of improving the long-term performance of the individual companies and the supply chain as a whole. (Mentzer et al.,2001 in www.emeraldinsight.com) Companies cannot work for themselves and are hence automatically part of at least one supply chain. The key participants are the manufacturers and their respective suppliers that collaborate to create and support the end-product as well as the customers that purchase the latter. A typical supply chain comprises the following layers.( Werner, 2002) Primary producer Multiple tiers suppliers Ones own company Intermediary trade in the form of wholesale and retail End-users A supply chain is the process of moving goods from the customer order through the raw materials stage, supply, production, and distribution of products to the customer. All organisation have supply chains of varying degrees, depending upon the size of the organisation and the type of product manufactured. These networks obtain supplies and components, change these materials into finished products and then distribute them to the customer. Managing the chain of events in this process is what is known as supply chain management. ( Ligus, 1999) The bullwhip effect is a major cause of supply chains problems. It describes how small fluctuations in demand at the customer level are amplified as orders pass up the supply chain through distributors, manufacturer, and suppliers. As an example consider disposable diapers. Babies generally consume diapers at a more or less consistent rate when aggregated over a large group of customers. Nevertheless, order fluctuations invariably become considerably larger as one moves upstream in this supply chain. Consequences of the bullwhip effect can be severe, including excess and fluctuating inventories, shortages and stock outs, longer lead times, higher transportation and manufacturing costs, and mistrust between supply chain partners.(Fisher, 1997) The Supply Chain Operation Model (SCOR) was designed to enable companies to communicate, compare and learn from competitors both within and outside of their industry. It only measures supply chain performance but also effectiveness of supply chain reengineering. Further it has the ability to test and plan future process improvements. The SCOR is a process reference model. Process reference models integrate the well-known concepts of business process reengineering, benchmarking, and process measurement into a cross functional framework( SCC,2001) The evaluation of supply chain management information technology enables companies to integrate activities and organisations that were previously separate. Inside a larger organisation the key element for forging new efficient processes is sharing data between functions in real time. The objective is to eliminate administrative tasks that were develop when information could only be shared by sending documents between these areas. ( Eloranta, E Holmstrom, J et al., 2001) Information technologies are no longer considered as nice to have instead it is believed that is a must. Whoever uses the information technologies effectively in managing his business will have more chance to succeed in todays world. Capturing the necessary data is one part of the race but filtering and changing the data into information effectively is the most important concept. Companies produce vast amounts of data everyday but they require advance tools to manipulate the data to reach the informative data which helps to manage their business. The purpose of this research is to introduce the supply chain management concept and initiatives; and point the information technologies used in this area to achieve the expected benefits from the management of a supply chain. It emphasis how information technologies effect supply chain management and how can it be used to manage the supply chain more effectively. In this piece of work, the basics of Supply chain management and the initiatives of the supply chain management are being described. The effects of information technologies, as the inevitable backbone of the supply chain management, will be explained in detail. 3. Rationale for Chosen Topic: Companies strive to improve market share, grow corporate profit, and gain strategic advantage. In order to achieve these goals, supply chain competency must be placed at the heart of a companys business model. Firms realize that the competition is driven by customer demand. Effective supply chain management can offer customers high quality products and services with low prices. Effective SCM can help lower production and distribution costs through seamless cooperation between business partners in their supply chain. The big retail chains have fought to a standstill in price wars over the last decade. Now they are realising that the lending edge IT is an invaluable weapon in the battle for market share ( Masters) 4. Research Questions: Formulating a series of questions adds clarity to the research process. Therefore, the fundamental questions for the proposed research topic are: What are the benefits of IT on management of supply chain? What are the effects of IT system on supply chain management? What are the benefits of vendor managed inventory in supply chain management? 5. Research Objectives: The research objectives explain the purpose of the research and define standards for what the researcher is going to do. The objectives specify the information needed to accomplish the research process. The aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of supply chain management and how affect IT on management of Supply Chain by analyzing the vendor managed inventory (VMI). This VMI concept will be introduced and its benefits to supply chain management 6. Literature Review: Information is crucial to supply chain performance because it provides the foundation on which supply chain processes execute transactions and managers make decisions. Without information, a manager will not know what customer want, how much inventory in stock, and when more products should be produced and shipped. In short, without information a manager can only make a decision blindly. Therefore, information makes the supply chain visible to a manager. Given the role of information in a supply chains success, managers must understand how information is gathered and analysed. This is where IT comes into play. IT consists of the hardware and software throughout a supply chain that gathers, analyses, and acts on information. It serves as the eyes and ears of management in a supply chain, capturing and analysing the information necessary to make a good decision. Using IT systems to capture and analyse information can have a significant impact on a firms performance. For example, a major manufacturer of computer work-stations and serves found that much of the information on customer demand was not being used to set production schedules and inventory levels. The manufacturing group lacked this demand information, which forced them to make inventory and production decisions blindly. By installing a supply chain software system, the company was able to gather and analyse data to produce recommended stocking levels. Using the IT system enabled the company to cut its inventory in half because managers could now make decisions based on information rather than educated guesses. Large impacts like this underscore the importance of IT as a driver of supply chain performance. (Chopra, S. and Meindl, P., 2001) An efficient way to improve the effectiveness of SCM is to use Information Technology (IT). IT-solutions improve the integration with other actors in the supply chain and make the business processes more effective. This is done by reorganizing the processes and automating the information-flow between the businesses involved (Wu et al., 2004). Information technology has developed in a very fast pace in the area of supply chain management. This has generated new tools and solutions to handle the information sharing between different actors in supply networks. These types of supply chain technologies are of great current interest which is indicated by a research made by AMR Research Inc. The research indicates that nearly $15 billion been spent on SCM software since 1999 in the US alone (Ruppel, 2004). The most typical role of IT in SCM is reducing the friction in transaction between supply chains partners through cost-effective information flow. Conversely, IT is more importantly viewed to have a role in supporting the collaboration and coordination of supply chains through information sharing. Present IT as one of the key cures for bullwhip effect in supply chains. IT can be used for decision support. In this instance the analytical power of computers is used to provide assistance to managerial decisions. (www.emeraldinsight.com) Supply chain management is a vital part of the search for competitive advantage, today there is a wide range of software technologies that help to provide lean and efficient supply chains. All of which enable data, which might previously have been seen half way around the world by mail, to be delivered almost instantly with little cost or effort. (Johannson, M., 2003) A fast development of information technology has given the information flow within the supply chain a more central role than before. IT is a very important component within supply chain management and the development of IT has created many new opportunities for managing the supply chain. (Paulsson, U., Nilsson, C-H., Tryggestad, K., 2000) The internet is seen as the next big supply chain opportunity as it has gained increased reliability and security over recent years. As businesses have gained experience of this technology they are now able to take full advantage of sales automation through the internet. (Johannson, M., 2003) The supply chain absorbs as much as 60 to 80 percent of a sales dollar. Therefore it is of great importance to evaluate and analyze how the supply chain activities can be done more efficiently. This thesis focuses towards these types of activities, when a real-time IT-Logistics solution is implemented within the supply chain. This is done by many companies and the supply chain is becoming more and more essential to the firms competitive strategy. (Ballou, R. H., 2004) Information Technology (IT) is playing an increasingly critical role in the success or failure of the supply chain. IT ranks highly as the essential ingredient and backbone for the success of supply chain integration.(Barut, M., Faisst, W., and Kanet, J.J., 2002). IT has become one of the keys to operating success. It is impossible to achieve an effective supply chain without IT. Since suppliers are located all over the world, it is essential to integrate the activities both inside and outside of an organization. This requires an integrated information system (IS) for sharing information on various value-adding activities along the supply chain. (Gunasekaran, A. and Ngai, E.W.T., 2004) As customer demand steadily increases the importance of the application of information technology became clear, However success is not guaranteed by the technology itself, but by its application. (Eloranta, E Holmstrom, J., 2001) Over time, there have been numerous initiatives that have attempted to create efficiency and effectiveness through integration of supply chain activities and process. They have been identified by names such as quick response, electronic data interchange ( EDI), short cycle manufacturing, vendor-manage inventory (VMI), continuous-replenishment planning ( CRP), and efficient consumer response (ECR). (Coyle, J.J, Bardi, E.J., Langley, C.J., 2003) Electronic Data interchange ( EDI) allows companies to place instantaneous, paperless purchase orders with suppliers. EDI is not only efficient, but it also decreases the time needed to get products to customers as transaction can occur more quickly and accurately than when they are paper based. (Chopra, S. and Meindl, P., 2001) Prior to installing EDI many retail outlets would place orders for goods during stock out situations. For manufacturers this meant unpredictable peaks and falls in the order process, therefore making it difficult to establish a manufacturing cycle for their products. Retailers would stock up at the beginning of the season and face increasing stockholding costs plus the risk of having to mark down products at the end of the season to make way for new products. (Stafford, J., 1997) Continuous Replenishment Program (CRP) is an efficient replenishment concept within the Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) arena. It focuses on improving the flow of products in the supply chain, both forward to the customer and eventually the end customer, and backward to the supplier.(Ahlerup, T., 2001) Vendor manage inventory process can be defined as A mechanism where the supplier creates the purchase orders based on the demand information exchanged by the retailer/ customer To say this is a simple terms, VMI is a backward replenishment model where the supplier does the demand creation and demand fulfilment. In this model, instead of the customer managing his inventory and deciding how much to fulfil and when, the supplier does. The Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) concept is one type of joint chain scheduling which takes care of the customers demand. This leads to increased flexibility for the supplier and efficient replenishment for the customer. (Vollmann, T. E., et al 2005) In order to make this work, it is necessary to have compatible systems that can support several standards of information flows from different actors. According to Vollmann this can be done through an open IT-architecture with a common platform for all actors within the network. VMI also helps by conveying customer demand data to the manufacturer, who can then plan production accordingly. This helps improve manufacturer forecasts and better match manufacturer production with customer demand. (Chopra, S. and Meindl, P., 2001) Vendor managed inventory (VMI) is a technique that allows suppliers to be empowered by managing inventories of agreed-upon items. VMI is now a widely practiced initiative in the retail industry. For example, Procter and Gamble (PG) and Wal-Mart have developed well-functioned VMI systems. A Web-based VMI system, in which the suppliers monitor inventory information via the Internet and replenish the items according to a predetermined contract, will improve customer service, reduce inventory buffers, reduce administrative costs, and reduce uncertainty for the supplier. The literature review identifies that IT is expected to have a pivotal role in managing supply chains, now and in the future. In fact it seems that the use of IT is crucial, especially in fast-moving industries, and particularly for managing contemporary supply networks. Moreover, the close relationship of the concept of SCM and IT sometimes makes it hard to assess which one contributes benefits. For example implementing a VMI model with EDI information transmission can lead to substantial reduction of inventories and at the same time increase material availability. 7. Research Methodology: The research design phase starts with the election of research methodology for the proposed study. The objectives of the study, the availability of information, cost of obtaining data, and appropriateness of the topic determines the research methodology used for the study. As the research is exploratory in nature, Qualitative research will be deemed more appropriate by choosing a case study, exploration of question of what the benefits of IT in SCM are. For the purpose of this investigation many different forms of primary research will be gathered by doing email and telephone interview. The goal is to understand the current state of IT implementations in SCM and what practical benefit they have recognised in SCM. Through the gathering of this primary research the information is mainly qualitative, this type of research does not involve numbers and figures or analysis of part performance but rather finding out peoples opinions and feelings, this type research also becomes increasingly important as a way of trying to predict further into the future. ( Dooley, D. Dransfield, et.al.1999) I will also use secondary data from the previous researcher, surveys and some contemporary issues. Secondary information will be used as a starting point for the further primary research, therefore it will be used in a majority of the research, this is due to the limitation of primary research and there is also a great deal of valuable information available through secondary research that the researcher fell need to be included, as it provides a good foundation for which to compare primary information and will therefore ensure validity. 8. Data Collection Methods: The data collection or gathering process is the stage in which the researcher collects data about the proposed topic. In this study, primary and secondary data collection method will be used to identify the nature of the problem. The articles from the business journals, the business books and other publicized material will be investigated to present the ideas of different academics on the issue of managing strategic change. Their findings on the issue will be included and research process and the comparison of opposite ideas will be based on the ideas of these academics. Athens Online Journals, University Libraries, Barnet Libraries, City Business Library , and British Library will be used to collect the required articles and books for the investigation. 9. Data Analysis: This is the stage where the researcher accomplishes several procedures to transform the data into useful information which helps answering the management problem and phenomenon. The proposed data analysis approach is qualitative data analysis method for this research. Data obtained through email surveys and telephone interview, various text books, journals and articles will be critically analysed by using a structured and systematic approach. The first aim here is to approach to the concept systematically and rigorously by doing so. The second aim is to establish a relationship between different ideas and structure them to reach to a conclusion. 10. Resource Requirements: The library facilities will be helpful to find sources such as published copies, course books, journals and samples. Internet is the most powerful source to gather information about companies, published copies, journals, samples, literature and secondary data. The other researches about the same subjects will be obtained through Internet websites and library.

Urinary Excretion and Paracetamol

Urinary Excretion and Paracetamol Investigateurinary excretion of paracetamol in man. Paracetamol, known as acetaminophen in the USA, is one of the most commonly used analgesic and antipyretic drugs available over-the-counter. Its common name derives from the full chemical name: para-acetyl-amino-phenol, with the chemical formula C8H9NO2 and amolecular weight of 151.17. Paracetamol does not have anysignificant anti-inflammatory action and therefore cannot be accuratelydescribed as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), as was oncethought. Its mechanism of action is still poorly understood but some studieshave suggested that it inhibits a variant of the cyclo-oxygenase enzyme COX-1, which has been designated COX-3 (Swierkosz et al. 2002). Paracetamol actsmainly in the central nervous system and endothelial cells, rather than inplatelets and immune cells. Boutaud and colleagues (2002) hypothesised thatthis may be explained by the high levels of peroxides found in the latter cell types, which inhibit the action of paracetamol. There has been some debate on thesubject, with other researchers proposing an inhibitory action against COX-2(Graham Scott 2005). Further research is required to fully elucidate the mechanism of action at the molecular level. Metabolism and excretion Following oral administration and absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, paracetamol enters the blood and is distributed throughout the body. It is metabolised by enzymes in the hepatocytes of the liver and the majority is converted to inactive metabolites by conjugation with sulphate or glucuronide. This is then filtered out of theblood by the kidneys and into the urine, via active renal tubular secretion. Asmall portion of paracetamol remains unaltered and passes into the urine viaglomerular filtration and passive absorption (Morris Levy 1984). Thereis also a small proportion of the paracetamol that is metabolised by the thecytochrome P450 system, which results in the formation of cysteine or glutathioneconjugates and mercapturic acid conjugates (figure 2). These products ofoxidative metabolism are also excreted renally (Andrews et al. 1976). Paracetamol has a low therapeuticindex, so the therapeutic dose is very close to the toxic dose. Toxicity canoccur following a single large dose (>10g) or with chronic lower doses(4-5g/d) and is usually seen as hepatotoxicity, which can result in deathwithin several days (Wikipedia). Toxicity occurs when the enzymesresponsible for catalysing sulphate and glucuronide conjugation becomesaturated, forcing metabolism to be increasingly dependent upon the cytochromeP450 system. This results in formation of a toxic metabolite,N-acetyl-p-benzo-quinone imine (NAPQI), which is normally mopped up by bindingto the sulphydryl group of glutathione to form inactive conjugates andmercapturic acid. Toxicity occurs when the glutathione supply becomes exhaustedand NAPQI binds indiscriminately to molecules within the cell, such asmembranes, to cause cell damage and death, seen as acute hepatic necrosis. 1)Major pathway for normal metabolism 2)Minor pathway via cytochrome P450 system produces toxic metabolite (NAPQI),shown in red. Normally this is detoxified by binding to glutathione. 3) Toxicity occurs when pathways 1 and 2 are overloadedand NAPQI binds to molecules of the cell, causing damage. Modifiedfrom Rang et al. 1995. Aim of experiment The aim of this experiment is toinvestigate the renal excretion of paracetamol, by measuring the levels ofparacetamol metabolites in human urine over 6 hours following an oral dose of500mg. The total excretion will be assessed using the spectrophotometricmethod. From this data the elimination rate constant (KE) and thehalf-life (T1/2) will be calculated. Qualitative analysis of thevarious metabolites will be conducted using appropriate chemical identificationtechniques. METHOD A standard stock solution ofparacetamol was prepared at 1mg/cm3 and dilutions were made to givea range of known concentrations. 1 cm3 of the paracetamol solutionwas added to 1 cm3 blank urine and 4 cm3 4M HCl, andmixed thoroughly. A blank duplicate was also prepared, using water instead ofurine. After an hour in a boiling water bath the tubes were cooled and wateradded, up to 10 cm3. 1 cm3 of this hydrolysed urinesolution was added to 10 cm3  of colour forming solution, mixed and allowed to stand for40 minutes. The absorbance of each solution was measured, using thespectrophotometer, zeroing the instrument using the drug free urine sample inbetween solutions. This produced the readings for the calibration curve. Thecollected timed urine samples were then processed in the same way, adding 1 cm3water instead of paracetamol solution. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Known concentrations of paracetamolunderwent spectrophotometry to measure the absorbance at 620nm. These resultswere used to produce a calibration curve (figure 3). The timed urine sampleswere then analysed following the same protocol and the absorbance at 620nm wasused, in conjunction with the calibration curve to ascertain the concentrationof paracetamol in the urine. Unfortunately, half of the samples producedabsorbances outside the range of the calibration curve. Because this curve isnon-linear, extrapolation and dilution cannot be used to accurately deduce theconcentration of paracetamol in the urine. For the purposes of this report theconcentration for these samples has been declared as greater than 800ug/cm3.This is not very satisfactory and further experiments must be done to extendthe range of the calibration curve to the maximum absorbancy of the timedsamples. The values of KE and T1/2 have been calculatedto demonstrate the procedure, but are inaccurate and will need revisi ng onceaccurate concentrations have been established form the calibration curve. Table 1: Timed urine sample Mean absorbance 620nm Conc. ug/cm3 Vol. Urine (ml) Total drug (ug of paracetamol) Excretion rate mg/h 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 hour 0.256 192 245 47040 47 2 hours 1.918 >800 50 40000 40 3 hours 1.769 >800 38 30400 30.4 4 hours 1.028 >800 55 44000 44 5 hours 0.349 246 135 33210 33.2 6 hours 0.255 192 160 30720 30.7 Table 1 contains the absorbanceresults of the timed urine samples and the deduced concentration of paracetamolin the urine, as well as the hourly excretion rate. The total amount ofparacetamol excreted over the 6 hour period was 225.3mg, which is 45% of theorally administered dose. Due to problems discussed above, this is anunderestimate of the true percentage of dose excreted renally, which has beenfound to be 55-70% by other studies (Steventon et al. 1996). When log of the excretion rate(equivalent to total drug excreted per hour) is plotted against time, a linearplot should be achieved, from which KE can be estimated. The slope of this straight lineequates to : KE /2.303, which gives a value for KE of0.094. Using the formula: T1/2 =0.692/ KE , the valueof T1/2 = 7.36 hours. This states that it takes the body7.36 hours to excrete half of the drug administered. This is longer than the1-4 hours usually quoted for paracetamol (Rang et al. 1995), and is notsurprising given the underestimation of the paracetamol urine concentration.With proper calibration, this would be expected to decrease to nearer thepreviously found results. There were no results for thequalitative studies for metabolite composition, but it would be expected thatsulphate and glucuronide conjugates would constitute the majority of the sample,with a smaller quantity of unchanged paracetamol, cysteine/glutathione andmercapturic acid metabolites. These results only represent oneindividual on one day and replications of this experiment are crucial.Nutritional status, recent alcohol consumption, ethnic background, concurrentdrug usage and illness must all be taken into account as factors that mayaffect paracetamol metabolism and excretion (Riordan Williams 2002, Patel Tang 1992). Further analysis of paracetamolexcretion .  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hepatotoxicity and drug interactions Table 2 shows how concurrent use of phenobarbital, ananti-epileptic drug, can increase the severity of liver damage caused byparacetamol administration and its subsequent metabolism. Table 2: Effect of Phenobarbital onparacetamol induced hepatotoxicity TreatmentDose of Paracetamol (mg/kg) Severity of liver necrosis None 375 1-2+ Phenobarbital 375 2-4+_________ This occurs due to metabolism ofphenobarbital by enzymes of the P450 cytochrome system, which results inupregulation of their production. As explained in the introduction (see fig.2), P450 enzymes also metabolise paracetamol, to form the toxic metaboliteNAPQI. This is normally a minor pathway but as the amount of P450 enzymesavailable increases, the activity of this pathway also increases. This resultsin a larger than normal amount of NAPQI, which is mopped up and inactivated byglutathione. Glutathione supplies will eventually run out, which occurs soonerif the person is malnourished. When this happens the toxic metabolite binds tocell components, causing necrosis. To prevent this occurring, such as in casesof overdose, N-acetylcysteine can be given (Routledge et al. 1998), which isrequired for glutathione synthesis and helps to boost it. This allows agreater amount of the toxic metabolite to be mopped up and reduces cell damage. .  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paracetamol metabolism following hepatotoxicity Table 3: Plasmaparacetamol concentrations(ug/cm3) Patients Plasma paracetamol 4 hrs after 12hrsafter Half life (h) ingestion ingestion _______________________________________________________________ noliver damage (18) 2.9 +/= 0.3 163 +/=20 29.5 +/=6 liverdamage (23) 7.2+/= 0.7 296 +/= 26 124 +/=22___ Table 3 shows that, in a study, theability of patients with liver damage to eliminate paracetamol from the bloodis much decreased, compared to healthy people. This is seen by the prolongedhalf-life and the high levels of paracetamol in the plasma. The plasma leveldoes come down by 12 hrs, which indicates that there is enough functional liverreserve to metabolise some of the drug, but the level is still very high. Toascertain whether it is just conjugation that is affected, or whether all thepathways are affected equally it would be necessary to quantify the levels ofdifferent metabolites in the blood and urine. As conjugation is responsiblefor the majority of metabolism, damage to all systems will still show up asaffecting conjugation the most. In theory reduced clearance of asubstance is useful for monitoring the severity of liver damage, but in thecase of paracetamol it would be unwise as it could potentiate the hepatotoxiceffects and worsen the liver condition. It is also unnecessary as there arealready a number of reliable blood tests for liver function and damage. REFERENCES Andrews, R. S., Bond, C. C., Burnett, J., Saunders, A. Watson, K. 1976 Isolation and identification of paracetamol metabolites. J Int Med Res 4,34-9. Boutaud, O., Aronoff, D. M., Richardson, J. H., Marnett, L. J. Oates, J. A. 2002 Determinants of the cellular specificity of acetaminophen as an inhibitor of prostaglandin H(2) synthases. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99,7130-5. Graham, G. G. Scott, K. F. 2005 Mechanism of action of paracetamol. Am J Ther 12, 46-55. Morris, M. E. Levy, G. 1984 Renal clearance and serum protein binding of acetaminophen and its major conjugates in humans. J Pharm Sci 73, 1038-41. Patel, M., Tang, B. K. Kalow, W. 1992 Variability of acetaminophen metabolism in Caucasians and Orientals. Pharmacogenetics 2, 38-45. Rang, H. P., Dale, M.M., Ritter, J.M. 1995 Pharmacology: Churchill Livingstone. Riordan, S. M. Williams, R. 2002 Alcohol exposure and paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity. Addict Biol 7, 191-206. Routledge, P., Vale, J. A., Bateman, D. N., Johnston, G. D., Jones, A., Judd, A., Thomas, S., Volans, G., Prescott, L. F. Proudfoot, A. 1998 Paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning. No need to change current guidelines to accident departments. Bmj 317, 1609-10. Steventon, G. B., Mitchell, S. C. Waring, R. H. 1996 Human metabolism of paracetamol (acetaminophen) at different dose levels. Drug Metabol Drug Interact 13, 111-7. Swierkosz, T. A., Jordan, L., McBride, M., McGough, K., Devlin, J. Botting, R. M. 2002 Actions of paracetamol on cyclooxygenases in tissue and cell homogenates of mouse and rabbit. Med Sci Monit 8, BR496-503. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol.

National Identity in Julian Barnes England, England Essay -- Julian B

National Identity in Julian Barnes' England, England â€Å"The finest tax-deductible minds were brought in to address the Project’s Co-ordinating Committee. The French intellectual was a slight, neat figure in an English tweed jacket half a size too big for him; with it he wore a pale blue button-down shirt of American cotton, an Italian tie of flamboyant restraint, international charcoal wool trousers, and a pair of tasselled French loafers† (54). Julian Barnes uses his postimperial novel, England, England, to critique what England, under Tony Blair’s administration, is moving towards – a recreated Britain, an all-inclusive nation with no appreciation of its history, except that which has been distorted in order be politically correct or somehow profit the country. Through this quote, it becomes evident that Barnes sees England grasping to be defined, not by its rich past, but by other nations – possible tourists, possible residents that may add diversity and, thus, a shift towards breaking old stereotypes and becoming a modernized nation. When Sir Jack Pitman, England’s scheming tycoon, recruits the best of the best to assist him in creating his theme park of re-created English history, England, England, he calls in a Frenchman to do the job. Barnes juxtaposes this man’s nationality to the idea of the theme park: a Frenchman is assisting in the development of a project whose end entails complete Englishness. Barnes is showing the ridiculousness of Britain looking toward a new national identity but achieving it by becoming a â€Å"melting pot† of nations. Barnes is pointing out that while a nation should embrace all nationalities, it cannot simply erase its history to achieve that. Otherwise, it becomes like... ..., Britain will lose a sense of her past, just as the Frenchman only retains minimal signs of his true nationality. Barnes is using the Frenchman to help show the British that it must be decided where to draw the line. A nation must evolve and adapt but never forget or lay aside its identity as its own nation. Barnes subtly asks the British where that line will be drawn. They must not allow themselves to take things quite as far as the Frenchman. They must still retain heritage, because, after all, where would they be without it? A nation is not a nation without its own culture, its own past, its own people. A trade-off must be made in order for Britain to modernize, and England must find the middle ground. Through his book, England, England, Julian Barnes reminds the British that while searching for a new national identity, they must not become non-national.

Richard M. Nixon :: essays research papers fc

Early Life Richard Milhous Nixon grew up in Yorba, California the son of Quakers Frank and Hannah Nixon. During Nixon’s childhood in Yorba, the family was always on the edge of poverty. The lemon grove was unfruitful, and there was little money for anything beyond food and clothing for the growing family. The Nixons never ate in a restaurant or took even a brief vacation. Nixon’s early life was one of boyish stubbornness. He swam in the dangerous Anaheim Canal in spite of repeated warnings from his father, and he insisted upon standing up to ride in the family wagon, although once a fall gave him a serious head injury. He displayed a competitive streak at an early age and would never turn down a challenge or a dare. He also loved to be read to, and after age five he could read on his own. National Geographic was his favorite magazine. Education Nixon graduated form high school in 1930. He possessed extraordinary intelligence and ambition, but his ambitious nature receiv ed a serious setback that year. He graduated first in his class and won his high school’s Harvard Club award as "best all-around student." The award was a scholarship to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition, he seemed likely to win a scholarship to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Nixon had dreamed for years of going to a famous college in the East, but his dreams were shattered when he had to turn down both opportunities. Because his older brother Harold’s long battle with tuberculous had drained the family’s funds there was no money to pay for the cost of traveling to the East Coast and living there. Nixon swallowed his disappointment and enrolled at nearby Whittier College. Nixon majored in history, and one of his history professors had a profound influence on his career. This was Dr. Paul Smith, whom Nixon called "the greatest intellectual inspiration of my early years." Smith was a Republican who urged hi s students to think about the importance of leadership in government. He encouraged them to consider entering public office, and he certainly helped turn Nixon’s thoughts in that direction. In 1934 Nixon graduated from Whittier College after four years on the honor roll. He applied for a scholarship to a new law school, at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and asked several of his professors to write to Duke, recommending him for a scholarship.

The Strength in Challenges

The Strength in Challenges My ability to overcome difficulties throughout my life is by far my greatest strength. I have gone through more hardships than the average teen. Each time has forced me to look inside myself, and find the strength to rise up again. I’ve never resented anything that has come my way because each hardship has placed a brick on what is the base of my character today. Back in fifth grade my house had caught fire. It was one of the scariest things in my life.As a fifth grader, dolls and going outside to play soccer were the things I held most sacred. This one event changed my entire outlook on life and showed me what was truly important in my life: my family. When I moved into a hotel for months it made me realize, trivial things like clothes and toys aren’t what makes a home your home it’s the people that are with you through it all. Also, the enormous support we got from the community helped me understand the true meaning of giving. Althoug h this happened to me at a young age, the lessons still ring true today.I never wanted anyone to feel like they were alone and helpless, so every time an opportunity presents itself I feel the need to help. Whenever faced with a difficult decision or see someone in need I look back on this and it reminds me to place myself in their shoes and do whatever I can to help. Being pelted with a ball and getting the wind knocked out of you could be compared to the feeling I got when my mom told me she had terminal cancer. I knew the air was touching my lips, but I couldn’t suck it in.The pain in my chest was so great I had to crouch. Drops from my eyes pooled on the ground and my ears only heard buzzing rather than words. After a while the tears stopped, and I was left in my mom’s arms trying to process all of it. It’s been a year and I am still processing all of it. Each day I wake up not knowing how long my mom has left, and yet each day my mom wakes up fighting for a nother day which keeps me going. I’ve never had an obstacle as great as this, but it doesn’t stop me from reaching for my dreams.I am part of the first generation in my family to attend a four-year college, and my mom inspires me everyday. Although things may seem almost impossible, if you work hard enough and put forth your best effort, impossible is possible. Throughout my life I’ve been presented with many challenges; however, I never let them control my destiny. I now embrace each one as it comes because I’ve found that the harder I’ve worked to overcome something, it has always left me a better person than before. And with each new challenge, I become better at conquering the next.

The Real Facts About Abortions

Abortion Abortion is quite a controversial issue in today's government. Many of us refrain from even getting into a discussion over abortion, because it is such a sensitive topic. It is very unfortunate that so many women around the world have to make decisions involving abortion, period. â€Å"One in three women will have at least one abortion by the time she is 45, and these run the gamut of ages, races, backgrounds and beliefs. † (Welch) In one's eye abortion is simply immoral and unacceptable, while in another it is a typical procedure. Often, pro-abortionists are portrayed â€Å"†¦ s merciful and anti-abortionists as close-minded† (Olasky). As an outsider I interpret each group as one extreme to the other, and the purpose of this paper is to inform myself and the reader of both, pro-life and pro-choice sides and perspectives of abortion in the U. S. Somebody that claims to be in favor of the Pro-Life policy is opposed to wrongful death and in favor of life-enh ancing actions. The main argument of a pro-lifer is religious based beliefs. They argue that an abortion is immoral because, â€Å"†¦ all life was created by God and belongs to Him, no one has the right to murder another human being. (Cain) A person in favor of Pro-Life policy believes that having an abortion is a sin, but so is sex before marriage and half of the woman getting pregnant nowadays are not even out of high school. Does that mean that just because they decided to attempt to raise a baby at 15 that they have been forgiven for their original sin? No, either way they will be judged by those in favor of what is acceptable according to their religion. They even disagree on early abortions because they claim â€Å" life begins at conception†¦ † (Lowen). Anti-choice people â€Å"†¦ ant to outlaw abortion, regardless of the woman's situation† (The Problem). They don't see any exception for committing murder. Anti- Abortionists often compare abortio ns to Hitler and the concentration camps, â€Å"One out of every three children conceived in America since 1972 has died a brutal death through abortion—more than six times the number of Jews that Adolf Hitler put to death in his Nazi concentration camps. † (Roe) The cost of abortion is another issue for pro-lifer's, they think that the government shouldn't have to spend so much money to undermine future growth. â€Å"The inistry of health claimed that the 45,000 women treated in public hospitals for incomplete abortions each year is costing the state R19 million† (Cain). They believe tax dollars should not be used to provide women with this type of birth control, it is unfair to those who do not support the pro-choice policy and it is unacceptable. Being Pro-Choice means being in favor of safe and legal abortions, but also in reducing the need for abortions. Their religious beliefs are not a base for their opinions on abortion. Those who are in favor of the Pro -Choice policy argue that person-hood at conception is â€Å"†¦ ot a provable biological fact,† it is simply a religious belief (Choice Matters). Pro-choice supporters give women the benefit of the doubt allow for a logical explanation for an abortion. Abortions are medically necessary for some women, â€Å"Teen girls, whose bodies are not yet ready for childbirth, are five times more likely to die† (Health). In a case like that would it be fair to pass judgment? The same goes for woman who are raped. Pro-choice people argue that instead of trying to prohibit abortion altogether, we should try alternate methods like; safe, affordable contraceptives and comprehensive sex education. Laws against abortion do not stop abortion; they simply make it less safe†¦ the only thing that changes is more women die† (Health). Outlawing it would lead women to turn to unsafe abortions, not conducted in clinics. For some families abortion â€Å"†¦ helps parents lim it their families to number of children they want and can afford, both financially and emotionally† (Choice Matters). Taking away the civil rights of women and/or families by making it illegal to have abortions, will only lead to more poverty in the United States and lead to increasing government spending on welfare.According to the First Amendment, we all have our right to privacy. I am a woman myself and I honestly wouldn't appreciate strangers making decisions for me. What happens in the privacy of one woman's body doesn't belong out in the open for everyone else to critique. I am fully aware that if a woman feels she is mature enough to have sexual intercourse, then she should be prepared to face the possible consequences, but this is the real world and we are only human. Mistakes do happen. I do not support women getting abortions just because they are promiscuous and lazy.Of course the abstinence policy is the best policy, but as long as we are living on planet Earth, th at just won't cut it. Just like Hillary Clinton, I believe that, â€Å"†¦ whatever side you're on in the pro-choice vs. pro-life debate,†¦ we can all agree on a third principle: we would be better off with fewer of them† (Sullivan). I personally think that providing all sexually active women with contraceptives is the smartest thing to do in order to decrease high rates of abortion. In the United states, â€Å"†¦ 74% say having a baby would interfere with work, school, or other responsibilities† (United States).Some women may have to go through with an abortion simply because she has severe health risks that may possibly kill her if she went into labor. She may want a child just as bad as many other women except her body cant support a pregnancy. Or, if a women is raped she shouldn't have to relive the agony of such an event every single day for 9 months. What if she didn't even want kids? Just because she got pregnant from a rapist, doesn't mean she has to raise his child. Some â€Å"†¦ people say an aborted child might have grown up to be President.There's a better chance he would have grown up to be the one who shot the President† (Olasky). It would all really depend on the mother of that child, if she kept the kid and ended up to resent him/her then, that would most likely effect the child in a negative manner; it would make that child have a negative outlook on life. He/she would hate everything and everyone. In that situation in my eyes, the mother would be doing the kid and herself a favor. I'm not saying I would be the one to have an abortion, because in the end I most likely wouldn't have the heart to get rid of something that I partially created.I would think, what if he/she is the only chance I have at ever being a mother? What if I only had one shot and I blew it? On the other hand, I would recap on all the things I could potentially loose out on because I decided to have a child that I wasn't capable of rai sing yet. At the end of the day, deciding to abort a baby depends on the situation a women may be in at that point of her life; it doesn't depend on all of the outsiders who think they have the right to decide for her. Every women has a life and has a choice, and the reasoning behind her decision is completely personal.After conducting all of my research, I noticed that there are strong points on each side of abortion. No matter what position a person takes on this issue, there will always be others critiquing it. I think it is important to accept some woman's reasons for abortion, but at the same time support the fight on lowering the needs for abortion. We need to educate women about their choices and consequences. Birth control methods need to be expressed and easily obtained. Until the Pro-Choice v. Pro-Life fight gets settled, the United States will only get more and more divided as a nation.