The External Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The External Analysis - Essay Example The cell phone industry is very competitive because same products and services are being offered with different features, giving multiple options to buyers to choose from. Customers want better services at low costs, bundled up features in just one cell phone such as text messaging, camera, internet browsing etc. The cell phone industry’s growth and profitability entirely depends upon innovative technology, providing improved and better services to customers. Many companies claim that their customers are completely satisfied with the services being offered, whereas the reality is much different. Consumers frequently complain about network error, irresponsive customer services or ridiculous penalties from exiting a contract. Like any other industry, cell phone industry was also hit by the recent recession but the good news is that it is finally reviving now. According to Tina Teng (2010), senior analyst for iSuppli Corp cell phones ended 2009 with shipments of 1.15 billion units. While this number is lower than what it was in 2008 but it has been noted that sales picked up mainly in the fourth quarter of 2009. The Top 5 players accounted for 77% share of the total handset market. The global market continues to thrive on consumers replacing old sets with new ones. Nokia Corp. undoubtedly remained the market leader, shipping 126.9 M handsets, capturing a 37.9% market share. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd was a runner-up, which introduced its own smart phone operating system and captured 20.6% market share. The remainder of the Top 5 is rounded out by LG Electronics, in third place with 10.1 percent share; Sony Ericsson in fourth, with 4.4 percent share; and Chinese giant ZTE, whose impressive 77 percent growth from the earlier quarter vaulted it into fifth place, with a 4.0 percent share. 1. Rivalry: The competition between cell phone companies is quite tough since all of them are fighting an intense price war. Most of them have chosen ‘low price’ strategy

Psychological Contract in the Contemporary Organisation Essay Example for Free

Psychological Contract in the Contemporary Organisation Essay Every human being is an unique individual. This is an undeniable fact, thus organisations have to explore the various antecedences of the psychological contracts between employees and the organisation. Employees have different perceptions and thinking over the concept of psychological contracts. Generation Y is slowly filling up the positions in contemporary organisations. Therefore, what are the influencers revolve around this power craving group of people? Research has concluded that employees and employers have different perceptions on job support and resources (Attridge 2009, 392; Kahn 1990, 708) and even job satisfaction (McShane and Travaglione 2007, 180). Employee disengagement has been occurring more and more often nowadays (Bates 2004, 44). Employee engagement is closely linked with the result of the organisation (Medlin and Green 2009, 948; Harter, Schmidt and Killham 2003, 27), where employee disengagement may cause unsatisfactory employee achievement; leading to undesirable organisational advancement and financial development. Because of these, organisations should examine the psychological contracts between them and the employees, especially that of the Generation Y. Psychological Contracts Ppsychological contract is defined as ones beliefs about shared responsibilities and commitments in the framework of the relationship between employees and the organization (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). Cyril (2004, 1) mentioned that psychological contracts are the employees’ mindset about what they look forward to from the organization and what they feel they should commit to the organization. The psychological contracts emphasize more on the relationship between an employee and employer as a whole rather than traditional compensation issues (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). The concepts of the psychological contract are commitments particularly based on perceived obligations by the others (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). Whether well expressed or not, the perceived obligations create commitment and responsibility that must be executed for the contract to be affirmed (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). For instance, the organization making use of a relational psychological contract is responsible to account for the individual fairly, provide hazard free working conditions, allow employees justifiable personal time, and provide adequate materials to accomplish their job. On the contrary, the employee is responsible to accomplish given tasks, display a positive attitude, boost the reputation of the company, and abide corporate policy (Robert, Kristie and Kathryn 2010, 220). Given so, these obligations do not only encompass on the quantity of work is to be carried out for a certain amount of pay, but also draw in the whole pattern of rights, privileges, and obligations between employee and organisation (Mario Pepur, Sandra Pepur, and Dr. Ljiljana Viducic 2010, 231). For instance, after serving the company for a number of years, the employee may expect the company not to fire him and similarly, the company may expect that the worker not to tarnish company’s reputation or leak out confidential secrets to rival companies(Mario Pepur, Sandra Pepur, and Dr.  Ljiljana Viducic 2010, 231). Expectations as such are not transcribed into contractual agreement between employees and organisation, yet they work as power determinants of behaviour (Mario Pepur, Sandra Pepur, and Dr. Ljiljana Viducic 2010, 231). Literature Review No doubt, the theory on psychological was established in the 1960 by Argyris (Cyril 2004, 1), it is still highly applicable in today’s context. Rothbard’s (2001, 656) empirical study shows that there is a relationship between psychological contracts and employee engagement. Rothbard (2001, 656) mentioned that attention is the psychological presence and the time spent by the employee contemplating about his responsibilities at work, while absorption is concerned with the affection of employee to put emphasis on the responsibilities on duties. It is believed that the psychological contract is generally an appropriate and impactful construct that can aid explain, and inform effective management of, contemporary academic work performance and workplace relations (Grant, Branka and David 2010, 6). The psychological contract can help both employee and employer to gain awareness on contemporary employment relationships; indeed, it has been debated that perceived obligations within the psychological contract are usually more vital to work related attitudes and behaviour than are the official and explicit elements of contractual acknowledgement (Grant, Branka and David 2010, 6-7). Employees trust that the employer has the obligations to facilitate them the following: career advancement, incremental salary, alary based on the current working efficiency, upgrading, safe long-term employment, opportunities to build their career as well as support in case personal problems occur (Mario, Sandra and Dr. Ljiljana 2010, 233). On the other hand, the employees believe that they have the following obligations towards their employer: working overtime, staying loyal, taking initiative to take up new responsibilities at work, providing a beforehand notice when taking another position, be ready for transfer, rejecting support to rivalry, protecting confidential company information, spending a minimum of two years doing the routine (Mario, Sandra and Dr.  Ljiljana 2010, 233). Many studies indicated that personal and psychological factors have significant influence on employees, including biological factors and the work attitudes of employees (Hung-Wen 2010, 92). Hung-Wen (2010, 92) mentioned that Yu suggested work attitude is the level of organizational identification, the levels of involvements in current jobs and overall job satisfaction. Therefore, this research explains job satisfaction and work involvement as its two variables (Hung-Wen 2010, 92). Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction is an assessment of the work and job context by employees (McShane and Travaglione 2007, 116; Spector 1997, 2). Little and Little (2006, 115) deemed job satisfaction as an enjoyable experience or positive emotional condition . They agreed with the research done by Kreitner Kinicki in 2004 that job satisfaction is associated with job involvement, organizational behaviours and commitment (Little and Little 2006, 115). In an adverse effect, it is also associated with turnover and stress. Similarly, experimental studies on 7,939 business units in 36 organizations find out that job satisfaction concludes employee engagement, and are forecasting organisation progression (Harter, Schmidt and Hayes 2002, 268). The extended studies by Harter, Schmidt and Hayes (2002, 268) states that it is crucial to constantly stress on the degree of employee engagement and contented and happy employees would be very much motivated in the organisation (McShane and Travaglione 2007, 180). Poornima (2009, 35) has given a hypothesis that statistically, there is a strong relationship between age and difference between expectation and fulfillment levels of employees with regard to monetary and non-monetary compensation practices followed by the organizations (Poornima 2009, 35). The result shown that those aged between 25to28 are not responding positively to monetary motivation. Research shown 85% of the young people want progressive management to inspire them and 52% of them think that the managers are not helping in their development (Robin 2007, 34). Kim (2007, 154) agrees with (Henry 2006, 11) that Generation Y is motivated by the chances to grow and develop, thus they welcome comments and feedback. Therefore, Generation Y would expect organisation to enrol them with training and development program, as well as providing them with feedback for improvement. Failing to do so, goal is not achieved, thus motivation of Generation Y decrease. With that, these create job dissatisfaction in Generation Y. Taking consideration of Poomima and Kim’s studies, Generation Y is a group of people who are more intrinsically driven rather than monetarily motivated. Work Involvement In today’s context, organisation should anticipate expectations of their employees through their psychological contracts if they want to gain their loyalty (Mario, Sandra and Dr. Ljiljana 2010, 236). Mario, Sandra and Dr. Ljiljana (2010, 236) agrees to Rousseau that the main difference between new and old psychological contracts lies in the lack of job security. She proves this by quoting an employee of a telecommunication company who says that: It used to be that working for the company meant being part of a family (Mario, Sandra and Dr. Ljiljana 2010, 236). As organisation moves towards the modern era, the younger generations are beginning to fill up most of the positions. Tulgan (2009, 3) shared that Generation Y is so far the hardest generation to manage. While organisation expects employee to stay loyal to the company, Generation Y, a group with high expectation and believe in their capability tends to switch jobs to satisfy their hunger for fast career advancement (Tulgan 2009, 3). Another contributing factor to the frequent job switch is the Generation Y’s expectation; they are constantly looking out for jobs that provide training (Sue and David 2008, 368). Sara and Ans (2010, 256) have come up with two hypothesizes. â€Å"The level of careerism will be emphatically related with psychological contract expectations in account of job description, employment development, training, and monetary rewards. The level of careerism will be cynically related with psychological contract expectations in account of social environment, work-life balance, and employment assurance† (Sara and Ans 2010, 256). The first hypothesis does make sense as the three factors mentioned act as a motivator to increase the level of careerism. However, the second hypothesis is countered by the research of Sue and David (2008, 368) which points out that â€Å"although Generation Y has a desire for defined goals and managerial reinforcement in what is to be done, they also crave for autonomy and flexibility in decision making process. Furthermore, despite being autonomous, they are viewed as being emotionally needy and consequently, continuously looking for acknowledgement and commendation. In terms of work, they are power thirst. However, they do look upon work life balance and if given a choice will choose family and friends rather than work†. Evaluation Given the unique characteristics of Generation Y, it is difficult for the organization to determine their psychological contract with the organization, thus making it a challenge for the organization to come up with strategies to motivate and retain these â€Å"potential job switchers†. Demanding for power in workplace, yet craving for work life balances; organizations have to come up with plan to satisfy these employees before they can be aligned and work towards the same goal. Event such as Bring Your Child to Work promotes work life balance yet not disrupting the normal working procedure. Organizations can consider such event to strike a balance for the employees. Employee disengagement is one of the crucial explanations for organization turnover. With this getting more and more common in the organization (Pech and Slade 2006, 22), management should seek to understand the reasons behind the dissatisfaction and explore the psychological contract between them and the employees to reduce the possible unhappiness, thus creating a conducive work environment. Conclusion The concept of psychological contracts is characterised by dynamic features. They are continuously adjusted to new trends in the working environment. A triumphant resolution to the productive handling of employee engagement kicks off with recognition of the uniqueness of each employee. Accessing the factors influencing their needs and perception after presuming that employees are engaged is an fallacious way and is not very much encouraged. Psychological contracts can encompass various areas such as work involvement and job satisfaction. However, psychological contracts involve many other factors. For instance, human resource practices such as employees’ relation and welfare, training and development, and compensation and benefits (Saks 2006, 613). Therefore, effective understanding of psychological contracts would require organisations to contemplate the perception of individual employees towards the influencing variables. Franking speaking, how many organisations are prepared to go for the extra mile for the employees? Even though the organizations may acknowledge the significance of psychological contracts, it is intricate to get to a mutual understanding for both the organisation and employee. Organisations may only see the link between the understandings of psychological contracts in both aspects with beneficiary outcomes as a theoretical model, thus are not convinced that their employees can make it happen. Every employee is unique. They have different needs and perceptions in terms of psychological contracts with the organisation, which may also change over time. This would also mean that the organizations have to take into consideration of the incalculable factors catering to the different employees. Is this cost and time efficient? Management would rather spend the time on the operations and focus on the visible and instant results. Nevertheless, there are organizations that are still prepared to spend their effort working on psychological aspect in employees. Personally, I feel that understanding of psychological contract is essential to organization success. However, it is very much reliant on the distribution of time, effort and loyalty of the organizations to form a successful understanding and alignment of the psychological contracts between themselves and their employees.

The Second Amendment - The Right To Bear Arms Essay -- Gun Bear Arms C

The Second Amendment And The Right To Bear Arms Throughout the years there has been an ongoing debate over the Second Amendment and how it should be interpreted. The issue that is being debated is whether our government has the right to regulate guns. The answer of who has which rights lies within how one interprets the Second Amendment. With this being the case, one must also think about what circumstances the Framers were under when this Amendment was written. There are two major sides to this debate, one being the collective side, which feels that the right was given for collective purposes only. This side is in favor of having stricter gun control laws, as they feel that by having stricter laws the number of crimes that are being committed with guns will be reduced and thus save lives. However while gun control laws may decrease criminals’ access to guns, the same laws restricts gun owning citizens who abide by the law; these citizens make up a great majority of the opposing side of this argument. These people argue tha t the law was made with the individual citizens in mind. This group believes that the Amendment should be interpreted to guarantee citizens free access to firearms. One major group that is in strong opposition of stricter gun control laws is the National Rifle Association (NRA). The NRA argues that having stricter gun control laws will only hinder law-abiding citizens. The final outcome on this debate will mainly depend on how this Amendment is going to be interpreted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights states: A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. (Amendment II 1791) This debate has produced two familiar interpretations of the Second Amendment. Advocates of stricter gun control laws have tended to stress that the amendment’s militia clause guarantees nothing to the individual and that it only protects the states’ rights to be able to maintain organized military units. These people argue that the Second Amendment was merely used to place the states’ organized military forces beyond the federal government’s power to be able to disarm them. This would guarantee that the states would always have sufficient force at their command to abolish federal restraints on their rights and to resist by arms if necessary. T... ... stricter gun control, the states are moving in a different direction. The reason behind this action is that the constitutionality of tighter gun control laws is becoming a question. Once the Supreme Court of the United States answers this question on the legality of infringing on the right to bear arms we will know what our exact right is. Works Cited [1] Cottrol, Robert, ed. Gun Control and the Constitution: Sources and Explorations on the Second Amendment. New York: Garland Publishing Inc., 1994 [2] Dowlut, Robert. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms in State Bills of Rights and Judicial Interpretation. SAF 1993 [3] Freedman, Warren. The Privilege to Keep and Bear Arms. Connecticut: Quorum Books, 1989 [4] Hickok, Eugene Jr., ed. The Bill of Rights: Original Meaning and Current Understanding. Virginia: University Press of Virginia, 1991 [5] Kruschke, Earl PHD. Gun Control: A Reference Handbook. California: ABC-CLIO Inc., 1995 [6] Image on the cover page taken from TIME. Photographer unknown. [7] Prune Yard Shopping Center v. Robins, 447 U.S. 74, 81 (1980) [8] Zimring, Franklin E., Gun Control. Encyclopedia Encarta: 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation.

cordless tech :: essays research papers fc

A Cordless Future Wireless technology, from cell phones to business networks is revolutionizing the world we live in. Now we can access the Internet while in our cars, on the beach, and even at dinner. This wave of technology will soon be felt in full force as we begin to travel with the assistance of a computer, run businesses with high quality networks, and check last nights game on our digital phones and personal digital assistants (PDA). Advancements made by wireless technology are allowing us greater degrees of freedom, security, and efficiency. Cars are feeling the wave of wireless technology as we speak. â€Å"General Motors Corp.’s navigation systems subsidiary, OnStar Communications, will provide drivers voice access to the Internet, starting with 30 of its 2001 models. The OnStar service provides airbag deployment notification, remote door unlocking, location services, stolen-vehicle tracking, and remote diagnostics† (Wallace). It is easy to see why this techn ology is sought after, authorities will arrive on the seen faster, thieves will be detoured, and locking one’s keys in the car wont incorporate the vandalistic approach once used. Also it is figured that 50-80% of all cellular phone calls are made from vehicles, with this new technology voice activated technology, users can expect to have both hands free while talking. â€Å"With the new services, drivers will set up profiles from their desktop PC that are then kept on servers in OnStar’s service centers. With a hands free, voice-activated interface, OnStar subscribers will use voice prompts, such as â€Å"Start my E-mail† or â€Å"Start my stock quotes† to receive information via the Internet. The service will convert Internet text to speech and read the information via synthesizes voice† (Wallace). And if that isn’t enough, the price ranges from $199 to $399 a year, a great buy, as it will cut one’s insurance bill down to size. Truc king companies are also using wireless connections to the Internet. â€Å"Wireless Internet access is just fine with ePaccar, a division of truck maker Paccar Inc. in Mt Vernon, Wash. The unit is building a package that will let truck driver’s access more than weather and directions using a wireless Windows CE device in their cabs. The commercial transportation industry is working on razor-thin profit margins and is fiercely competitive, so the ability to provide the fastest and most fuel-efficient route saves truckers time and money. And providing them with wireless access to load-brokering sites lets them pick up more cargo and make more money without deviating much from their original route† (Wallace, â€Å"Wireless Everything†).

Cendant Corporation

Cendant Corporation [1] (a) Related parties make decisions based on information provided through financial statements. It is the auditor’s responsibility to plan and perform audit engagement to offer reasonable assurance that the financial statements are correct and fair. (b) The two main categories of fraud that affect financial reporting include misstatements arising from fraudulent financial reporting and misstatements arising from misappropriation of assets. c) Factors that auditor’s should consider when assessing the likelihood of material misstatements due to fraud include: whether or not the company has a reason to make something seem consistent (rationalization), whether or not the company or individuals have an incentive or pressure on them, and whether or not the company has the opportunity to commit fraud. (d) Many factors existed during the 1995 to 1997 audits of CUC that created an environment conductive for fraud. For example, CUC’s top management w as aggressive to increase their market share due to the pressure put on them to meet analyst expectations.CUC had been committing the same type of fraud for many years before 1995, so it was rational for them to maintain their consistency. One person even stated that he thought he was only doing his job. The adjustments that were made at the end of each year brought about the opportunity for CUC to also commit fraud. [3] (a) In the Cendant fraud management override occurred when the CUC management recognized deferred revenue as revenue immediately, or delaying recognition of membership cancelations. (b) To further address the risk of management override of internal controls auditors must remain skeptical that management override exists.Auditors should also become familiar with the company and it’s internal controls upon acceptance. [5] (a) A company may want to hire a member of its external audit team because the auditor is familiar with the company, or management has develop ed a strong working relationship with the auditor from working on the audit together. (b) If the client has hired former auditors it might affect the independence of the existing external auditors in fact and appearance. Current auditors may rely on the representation made by former co-workers.

Biography of John Adams, 2nd United States President

Biography of John Adams, 2nd United States President John Adams (October 30, 1735–July 4, 1826) served as Americas second president and was one of the founding fathers of the American republic. While his time as president was rife with opposition, he was able to keep the new country out of a war with France. Fast Facts: John Adams Known For: Founding father of the American Revolution and United States; second U.S. President, after George WashingtonBorn: October 30, 1735 in the Massachusetts Bay ColonyParents: John and Susanna Boylston AdamsDied:  July 4, 1826 in Quincy, MassachusettsEducation: Harvard CollegePublished Works: The Autobiography of John AdamsSpouse: Abigail Smith (m. October 25, 1764)Children: Abigail, John Quincy (the sixth president), Charles, and Thomas Boylston Early Life John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony to John Adams and his wife Susanna Boylston. The Adams family had been in Massachusetts for five generations, and the elder John was a farmer who had been educated at Harvard and was a deacon at Braintree’s First Congregational Church and a selectman for the town of Braintree. The younger John was the oldest of three children: his brothers were named  Peter Boylston and Elihu. Johns father taught his son to read before sending him to a local school run by their neighbor Mrs. Belcher. John next attended Joseph Cleverlys Latin school and then studied under Joseph Marsh before becoming a student at Harvard College in 1751 at the age of 15, graduating in four years. After leaving Harvard, Adams worked as a teacher but decided instead to take up the law. He trained under Judge James Putnam (1725–1789), another Harvard man, who would eventually serve as attorney general of Massachusetts. Adams was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1758. Marriage and Family On  October 25, 1764, John Adams married  Abigail Smith, the high-spirited daughter of a Brookline minister. She was nine  years younger than Adams, loved reading, and built an abiding and tender relationship with her husband, evidenced by their surviving letters. Together they had six children, four of whom lived to adulthood: Abigail (called Nabby), John Quincy (the sixth president), Charles, and Thomas Boylston. Career Before the Presidency Two of Adams most influential cases were the successful defense of the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre (1770). He defended both the commanding officer, Captain Preston, winning a complete acquittal for him, and his eight soldiers, six of whom were acquitted. The remaining two were found guilty but were able to escape execution by praying the benefit of clergy, a medieval loophole. Never a fan of the British- Adams took the case in the cause of justice- his experiences with the Boston Massacre trials would begin Adams journey towards accepting that the colonies would need to separate from Britain.   From 1770–1774, Adams served in the Massachusetts legislature and was then elected a member of the Continental Congress. He nominated George Washington to be Commander-in-Chief of the army and was part of the committee that worked to draft the Declaration of Independence. Diplomatic Efforts In 1778 during the early days of the war for independence, Adams served as a diplomat to France alongside Benjamin Franklin and Arthur Lee but found himself out of place. He returned to the U.S. and served in the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention before being sent to the Netherlands on another diplomatic mission negotiating trade agreements from 1780 to 1782. From there, he returned to France and with Franklin and John Jay created the Treaty of Paris (1783) officially ending the American Revolution. From 1785–1788 he was the first American minister to visit Great Britain. He later served as vice president to Washington, the nations first president, from 1789 to 1797. Election of 1796 As Washingtons vice president, Adams was the next logical Federalist candidate for the presidency. He was opposed by Thomas Jefferson in a fierce campaign, causing a political rift between the old friends that lasted the rest of their lives. Adams was in favor of a strong national government and felt France was a greater concern to national security than Britain, while Jefferson felt the opposite. At that time, whoever received the most votes became president, and whoever came in second became Vice President. John Adams received 71 electoral votes and Jefferson 68. France and the XYZ Affair One of Adams major accomplishments during his presidency was to keep America out of a war with France and normalize relations between the two countries. When he became president, relations were strained between the United States and France mainly because the French were conducting raids on American ships. In 1797, Adams sent three ministers to try to work things out. The French would not accept them and instead, French Minister Talleyrand sent three men to ask for $250,000 in order to resolve their differences. This event became known as the  XYZ Affair, causing a great public uproar in the United States against France. Adams acted quickly, sending another group of ministers to France to try to preserve the peace. This time they were able to meet and come to an agreement that allowed the U.S. to be protected on the seas in exchange for granting France special trading privileges. During the ramp-up to a possible war, Congress passed the  repressive Alien and Sedition Acts, which consisted of four measures designed to limit immigration and  free speech. Adams used them to censor and repress criticisms against the government- specifically the Federalist Party. Marbury vs. Madison John Adams spent the last few months of his term in office in the new, unfinished mansion in Washington, D.C. that would eventually be called the White House. He did not attend Jeffersons inauguration and instead spent his last hours in office appointing numerous Federalist judges and other officeholders based on the Judiciary Act of 1801. These would be known as the midnight appointments. Jefferson removed many of them, and the  Supreme Court  case  Marbury vs. Madison  (1803) ruled the Judiciary Act was unconstitutional, resulting in the right of  judicial review. Adams was unsuccessful in his bid for reelection, opposed not only by the Democratic-Republicans under Jefferson but also by  Alexander Hamilton. A Federalist, Hamilton actively campaigned against Adams in hopes that vice presidential nominee Thomas Pinckney would win. However, Jefferson won the presidency and Adams retired from politics. Death and Legacy After losing the presidency, John Adams returned home to Quincy, Massachusetts. He spent his time learning, writing his autobiography, and corresponding with old friends. That included mending fences with Thomas Jefferson and beginning a vibrant letter friendship. He lived to see his son John Quincy Adams become president. He died at his home in Quincy on July 4, 1826, within a few hours of the death of Thomas Jefferson. John Adams was an important figure throughout the revolution and the early years of the United States. He and Jefferson were the only two presidents who had been members of the founding fathers and signed the Declaration of Independence. The crisis with France dominated most of his time in office, as he was faced with opposition to actions he took concerning France from both parties. However, his perseverance allowed the fledgling United States to avoid war, giving it more time to build and grow. Sources Adams, John. 1807. The Autobiography of John Adams. Massachusetts Historical Society.Grant, James. John Adams: Party of One. Farrar, New York: Straus and Giroux, 2005.McCullough, David. John Adams. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2001.Farrell, James M., and John Adams. John Adamss Autobiography: The Ciceronian Paradigm and the Quest for Fame. The New England Quarterly 62.4 (1989): 505-28.Smith, Page. John Adams, Volume I 1735-1784; Volume II 1784-1826. New York: Doubleday, 1962.John Adams: Biography. John Adams Historical Society 2013.

Electrical Fire Causes Half Million in Damages to Calistoga Inn

Electrical Fire Causes Half Million in Damages to Calistoga Inn Introduction Fires are real and a constant threat in places of every kind. They not only cause costly damage to facilities and equipment but also cause numerous injuries and deaths. The Calistoga Inn located at 1250 Lincoln Avenue suffered a blaze on August 28 2012.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Electrical Fire Causes Half Million in Damages to Calistoga Inn specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The fire began at 3:13 am and it took fire fighter nearly twenty minutes to bring the fire under control. Although the cause of the fire is still under investigation, evidence has it that the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction in one of the bathroom appliances. Eric Goose, a guest at the hotel that night, reported that he had seen a glow from the bathroom that triggered him to go to all the guest rooms alerting the other guests of the looming danger (Scully, 2012, p. 4). This paper explores the Calistoga Inn fire highlighting the specific sections of the 29 CFR 1910.164 and 29 CFR 1910. 165 that were neglected by the Calistoga Inn administration, the specific hazards that were faced by the employees and quests at the Inn as well as the corrective actions that the administration needs to consider in preventing a similar occurrence in the future. General fire prevention and control Fire prevention entails avoiding it completely. The four main requirements for a fire to occur are heat, oxygen, fuel, and a self-sustaining chemical reaction (Jones, 2008, p. 6). The self-sustaining chemical reaction propagates the action of the three components. According to Schroll, â€Å"fuel is anything that will burn† and â€Å"heat comes in the form of an ignition† (2001, p.26). Almost all places have not only fuel but also heat sources. Therefore, the essence of fire prevention is to keep all types of fuel separated from heat and heat separated from fuels. Fire control can be achieved by using either automatic systems or the manual efforts of the people within the affected area e.g. employees or the fire department of a facility. For a long period, automatic systems have proved to be the best in controlling as well as extinguishing fires. If properly installed, automatic fire control systems are able to control the fire during its early stages-while the fire is still small. It is noteworthy that to achieve such efficiency, they must be properly designed, installed and maintained. Research has shown that they provide the best defense against fires (Schroll, 2001, p. 27). On the other hand, manual fire control is risky to the people involved. Careful consideration is essential in determining the involvement of the facility’s personnel in manual fire fighting. Additionally, the use of portable fire extinguishers may pose a great threat to the lives of the personnel. There are three main types of defense against fire. The most effective and safe involves the use of eng ineering controls. These do not require human intervention for their functionality when required.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They are the most reliable not only in handling but also in prevention and protection issues. However, they are not a perfect method since there are certain aspects that may interfere with their functionality either accidentally or intentionally. The second type of fire controls is the administrative controls. They require human involvement thus tend to be less reliable. They include policies, procedures, work practices and rules. They also include all forms of training geared towards equipping people with the knowledge on how to control fires. It is advisable that institutions and recreational facilities embrace administrative controls. Personal protective equipment is also essential in one’s defense against fire. They preve nt injury during fire incidences. It is the least effective as far as the methods for handling hazards are concerned. OSHA has set up regulations that require all employers to control and extinguish fires that break out in their premises. They have the responsibility of planning for the safe evacuation of the premises in the event of a fire. The fire safety requirements are contained in two subparts of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards-29 CFR Subparts L and E (Anonymous, 2004, p. 7). Subpart L outlines the equipment that one must have in place as far as dealing with fires is concerned. They include fire detection systems, fire alarm systems and in-house fire brigades. Additionally, the premises must have fire suppression equipment such as fixed extinguishment systems, portable fire extinguishers, as well as standpipe and hose systems. Subpart E focuses on the emergency exit routes. It deals with emergency action plans and fire prevention plans. The preparedness of the Inn to fire incidences as evidenced by the blaze The management of the Inn had not taken proper measures as far as electrical fire break out is concerned. As aforementioned, one of the guests in the Inn during the time when the fire broke out took the responsibility of informing the others about the looming danger. It is evident that the efforts of Mr. Gose prevented all the tragic outcomes that the fire would have had to all the guests as well as the employees who were present in the Inn at that night. The report also asserted that the Inn was only equipped with smoke alarms, which are not designed to alert people on the break out of electrical fires. This was a violation of the OSHA requirements according to 29 CFR 1910. 165. OSHA requires employers to establish effective alarming systems to alert all the occupants of their facility in case of an emergency. The most common type of standard electrical alarm system is audible alarms. As far as the Calistoga blaze is concerned, one can also conclude that if the Inn had installed fire alarms, then they were either not sensitive enough or they were not properly functioning. OSHA requires that fire alarm systems must be maintained in good working conditions at all times.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Electrical Fire Causes Half Million in Damages to Calistoga Inn specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It also requires that incase the alarm system is out of service, the employer must have alternative or rather backup systems such as employee runners. The Inn did not have fire detection systems. As provided in the OSHA requirements in 29 CFR 1910. 164, all employers should not only install but also properly maintain automatic fire detection systems in all their facilities. The lack of fire detection systems in the Inn is evidenced by the fact that only one guest noted the electrical fault in one of the bathrooms. Hazards faced by the employees Althoug h no one was injured during the Calistoga Inn fire, the employees faced some consequences. The facility was closed for the facility to be repaired. During that period, almost all the employees remained at home-a drastic change of one’s routine and they may not be comfortable with it. Additionally, not all of the Inn’s seventy employees will be compensated during the time they are forced to be out of work. The insurance company stated that it would only cover the salaries of the ‘key employees’ but they have not yet established who is a ‘key’ employee (Scully, 2012, p.18). Most of the employees also panicked during the incidence an aspect that presents serious health issues to them such as a heart attack. The corrective actions that the Inn should adopt It should provide adequate number of fire detectors and space the around the restaurant as well as the brewery. This will serve effectively in warning the employees and guests in the facility of any incipient fires. The management body of the Inn must ensure that all the installed fire detectors are functional at all times. The only time that they may not be expected to be operational is during repairs and maintenance. Additionally, they should test and adjust all the fire detectors in the facility to maintain reliability and the systems proper operational condition. Detectors also need to be prevented from corrosion especially when installed in areas that are prone to high humidity that promotes corrosion. Research has shown that some of the components may be destroyed during an alarm or test. This requires that the employer should have spare components to ensure that the systems are operational at all times. The Inn also requires an effective set of alarm systems. It must be a distinctive as well as recognizable to all the employees. Just like the fire detection systems, it should be properly maintained to ensure that it is operational at all times. As far as the employe es are concerned, the Inn’s management body should define who their ‘key employees’. This will prevent any confusion between the Inn and the insurance body in compensating the employees.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The employer needs to come up with a fire prevention plan. It requires them to have procedures for regular inspection as well as the maintenance of safeguards installed on heat producing equipment. This helps in preventing the accidental ignition of combustible materials. An effective and reliable fire prevention plan must start by zeroing in on the particular fire hazards of the work place. This calls for employees to look closely at the different parts of the facility in question and examine each of the specific work areas, fixtures, processes and operations to uncover all the hazards (Jones, 2008, p. 38). The management body must also look into the possible electrical hazards. Electrical hazards are usually overlooked as a prime source of fires yet they are the most dangerous sources of fire. Some of the electrical aspects that can lead to fires include overloaded circuits, damaged wiring, defective switches and outlets among others. Inadequate machine and equipment maintenance p resent a threat as far as the break out of electrical fires is concerned. This is due to the inability to detect any electrical problems and system defects, which can lead to fires. Conclusion This paper had discussed in detail the Calistoga Inn fire highlighting the specific sections of the 29 CFR 1910.164 and 29 CFR 1910. 165 that were neglected by the Calistoga Inn administration, the specific hazards that were faced by the employees and guests at the Inn as well as the corrective actions that the administration needs to consider in preventing a similar occurrence in the future. The Inn did not have any fire detection system in place since one of the guests alerted all the people in the facility of a fire break out. Owing to this, the Inn’s management body should strongly consider the installation of fire detection and alarm systems. References Anonymous. (2004). Fire Prevention: Good planning Saves Lives and Property. Safety  Compliance Letter, 2446, 7. Jones, A. M. (20 08). Fire Protection Systems. NY: Cengage Learning. Schroll, C. (2001). Fire Safety Essentials. Occupational Health and Safety, 70(11), 26-32. Scully, S. (2012). Electrical Malfunction Blamed for Calistoga Inn Blaze. Web.