The Implementation Issues and Strategic Advantages of Lean Systems

The Implementation Issues and Strategic Advantages of Lean Systems Introduction The global manufacturing sector has undergone a notable transformation over the past years as evidenced by the growth in different manufacturing industries. The growth has been spurred by the profitability potential of the sector. Different companies have been established in the services and the industrial manufacturing sectors in the pursuit to exploit the sectors’ profitability. Uniq Limited is a medium sized company that has been established in the manufacturing sector.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Implementation Issues and Strategic Advantages of Lean Systems specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The firm was established in 1998 and it specializes in the manufacture of fast moving apparels and footwear products. A workforce of 120 employees facilitates the company’s operations. Uniq Limited has experienced a positive performance in its profitability since its inception. Mah aevan (2010, p. 5) defines operations management as ‘a systematic approach to addressing issues in the transformation process that converts inputs into useful, revenue-generating outputs’. Operations management further underscores the importance of understanding and addressing problems and issues that arise in the manufacturing process. Thus, it calls for the adoption of effective solutions to operational issues faced. Mahaevan (2010) further affirms that the core aim of operations management is to minimize the cost and maximize revenue through effective planning and operations control. Despite the positive profitability trend, Uniq Limited is not free from challenges. One of the major challenges that the company faces arises from the increase in the intensity of competition. The high rate of globalization coupled with the emergence of e-commerce has led to a remarkable increment in consumer power. Currently, consumers are demanding value for their money, which means th at they are demanding more for less. One of the techniques that Uniq Limited has identified in its quest to achieve competitiveness entails implementation of a lean system. This paper entails a critical discussion on the implementation and strategic advantages associated with the integration of lean systems at Uniq Limited. Operations function at Uniq Limited Uniq Limited is focused on optimizing the level of customer satisfaction by offering customers high-quality apparel and footwear products. Thus, the company considers the operations function as one of the central operations management functions. To achieve maximize on the level of customer satisfaction, the company has integrated a comprehensive set of inputs and transformation process. Uniq Limited considers a set of inputs to meet the customers’ product needs. The inputs include raw materials, labor, time, money, capital equipment, and information. The transformation process enables the company to add value to the inpu ts. The company outsources the raw materials from low-cost countries to minimize the cost of the final product.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Implementation and strategic issues of lean systems The integration of the lean system in the operations function will improve the company’s capacity to satisfy customers and to maximize profitability. The lean concept arises from the need to reduce the amount of duration that elapses between when the customer places an order and the actual delivery of the order. Black (2008, p. 56) argues that lean production involves ‘a new production approach that focuses on different aspects such as time reduction, quality, flexibility, and teamwork’. To benefit from the lean production approach, organizations must entrench lean systems that minimize resource utilization in the production process and that maximize the output. Charron, Harrington, and Voehl (2014) assert that the lean system is demand driven and focuses on ensuring that an organization achieves continuous improvement. Therefore, an organization only produces what the market requires. This aspect underscores the importance of integrating effective lean systems in the pursuit of competitive advantage. In the process of implementing the lean system, Uniq Limited management should take into account the following components as the core building blocks. Product design The first aspect that the organization should take into consideration entails the product design. Under the product design, the company should ensure that the standard parts that workers are required to use in the production process are specified. The organization should establish modular designs, which entails building smaller subsystems that should operate independently. Additionally, the organization should ensure that the lean system integrates a comprehen sive quality system. This aspect will ensure that the final product adheres to the company’s quality specifications. Process design The firm should ensure that the manufacturing process is well designed. To achieve this goal, the firm should consider several aspects. The core issues entail designing small lot sizes, setting up the required time reduction, and developing the manufacturing cells. The manufacturing cells entail establishing specific and efficient production centers. Thus, Uniq Limited should establish manufacturing centers for its footwear and apparel product categories. Establishing the manufacturing cells is critical in the organizations pursuit to maximize equipment utilization. Moreover, the cost of training workers is reduced because of the ease with which the organization can integrate the cross-employee training technique.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Implementation Issues and Strategic Advantages of Lean System s specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Employing the cross training technique is critical is essential in ensuring that the organization maximizes its human capital. For example, in the event of employee absenteeism, the firm can be able to conduct the production employee by implementing cross-departmental task delegation. The design process component should further be comprised of a quality improvement process. The reason for integrating a quality improvement process is to improve the ease with which the organization identifies quality defects in the production process. Subsequently, Uniq Limited will be able to improve the overall quality of the final product continuously. To improve the contribution of the lean system to the firm, Uniq Limited should ensure that the production process is flexible. This move will provide the firm with an opportunity to make the necessary adjustments easily to cater for market changes (Cudney, Furterer, Dietri ch 2013). The Process design component should further entrench a balanced system. The balanced system should take into account two main aspects. First, the organization should ensure that the production cycle time is aligned with the customers demand. Secondly, the production process should be based on an effectively designed work shift system. Thus, the production workload should be equitably distributed amongst the various workstations. Equitable distribution of workload is fundamental to ensuring that employees in some workstations are not overworked. Thus, the likelihood of an error occurring in the production process due to fatigue is minimized. Moreover, balancing the workload is critical in promoting employee productivity. Huthwaite (2007) asserts that a balanced working system promotes employee productivity. In the process of developing the process design, Uniq Limited should take into account inventory storage. The firm should ensure that the production process does not req uire long inventory storage duration. On the contrary, the inventory storage duration should be reduced as much as possible. Slack, Alistair, and Betts (2012) argue that minimizing the inventory storage duration enables an origination to limit the inventory carrying or holding duration. Nevertheless, the firm should maintain inventory buffers to eliminate delays in the production process due to resource shortage.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Personnel and organizational components Despite the incorporation of effective product and process designs, the contribution of the lean system to an organization’s performance is subject to the level of employee commitment. Thus, Uniq Limited should consider its workforce as its most critical asset in implementing the lean system. To make the lean system functional, the firm should ensure that the employees are adequately trained and motivated. The training process should not only be limited to operations function. On the contrary, the training should be broad by focusing on areas such as problem-solving, statistical process control and quality improvement. Furthermore, the firm should consider integrating the cross-training approach to promote flexibility and line balancing in the production process. The rationale for training employees is to eradicate the talent gap that might hinder the efficiency with which the firm responds to the customers’ demands. Slack, Alist air, and Betts (2012, p, 87) assert that lean manufacturing systems ‘require highly skilled and educated employees to inspect, repair, and design the layout of the automated production technology’. This approach will enable the firm to minimize the duration that employees require to undertake the assigned production activities. In addition to training, the organization should ensure that the employees are motivated. This goal can be attained by giving employees an opportunity to make decisions related to the firms’ production process. In this case, Uniq Limited should give its workforce an opportunity to develop product designs to be considered for production purposes. This aspect will play a fundamental role in making employees develop the perception of being valued in the organization’s continuous improvement process. In line with its commitment to satisfy the customers’ demand, Uniq Limited has integrated the project approach. Thus, the firm†™s production activities are project based. The firm adopted the project-based approach because it specializes in the production of fast fashion. Thus, a specific production process must be completed within the set timeframe. Successful employee development will further be subject to the level of employee interaction. Thus, the firm should consider integrating the two-way communication approach. However, to promote two-way communication, the company should ensure that an effective leadership style is adopted. Mahaevan (2010) asserts that the leadership style has a direct influence on the employees’ commitment to job tasks. Manufacturing planning and control The last element that Uniq Limited should focus on in the implementation of the lean system entails manufacturing planning and control. Successful implementation of this building block depends on how effective the management team is committed to implementing different elements. The first element involves level loading, w hich entails the determination of the most appropriate sequence to adopt in the production process. The apparel and footwear production process at Uniq Limited is interdependent and moves from across different stages. Thus, the firm should consider the firm should integrate the push manufacturing system. This system is critical in eliminating errors. In its quest to ensure that the lean system contributes to improvement in the effectiveness of the project-based approach, Uniq Limited should foster the development of two-way communication within the firm. The two-way communication should not only be limited to workers. On the contrary, it should exist between the organization’s managers and lower level employees. The significance of establishing effective communication in the lean system is to promote efficient workflow between the various workstations. Subsequently, workers in the respective workstations appreciate the importance of collaborating in the production process. Th us, the likelihood of successful production is increased. Implementation of technology To integrate the lean system in its operation successfully, Uniq Limited should consider automating some of its operation functions. The implementation of technology is critical in minimizing the cost of operation. For example, the firms should consider automating the inventory management and employee training process. This aspect will minimize the amount of time and resources required to develop employees. On the other hand, automating the inventory management process will aid in reducing the cycle time. Alternatively, the product designing and quality control process should be automated to minimize errors in the final product. Strategic advantages of lean systems Uniq Limited is likely to benefit considerably by implementing the lean system. Some of the strategic benefits that the firm might acquire are expounded herein. Increased productivity Effective implementation of the lean system requires an organization to develop a well skilled and knowledgeable workforce. To achieve this goal, organizations intending to integrate the lean systems have an obligation to design and implement a comprehensive employees’ training program (Slack, Alistair, Betts 2012). By developing a competent and skilled workforce, Uniq Limited will benefit from increased employee productivity. For example, the firm’s employees will be promoting the firm’s ability to undertake continuous product improvement. High product quality Implementation of the lean system will increase the company’s competitiveness in the changing business environment. The integration of the lean system in the production process underscores the importance of teamwork in executing different operations functions. Through teamwork, the firm’s employees will have an opportunity to brainstorm and share ideas on how to undertake the assigned production tasks effectively and efficiently. Thus, the c hance of the team members developing feasible solutions on matters associated with product quality will be improved remarkably. Therefore, the firm will deliver high-quality products to the target customers. Reduced costs Lean systems are based on minimal utilization of resources and maximization of output. For example, the lean system underscores the importance of operating using a lean workforce. Thus, the cost of operation arising from a large salaries and wage budget is reduced. Moreover, optimizing the resources available will enable the firm to minimize the occurrence of wastage in the production process. The reduction of operations and manufacturing costs increases the likelihood of an organization maximizing its profitability. A lean system further leads to the reduction in the overall cost of operation by limiting the inventory levels and the carrying cost (Slack, Alistair, Betts 2012). Conclusion Uniq Limited decision to implement the lean system in its operations functio n can contribute to remarkable improvement in the firm’s performance. The improvement in the firm’s competitiveness will arise from the strategic benefits associated with the lean systems. Some of the core benefits include increased productivity, reduced cost of operation, and production of high-quality products. However, the firm must ensure that the lean system is implemented effectively by taking into account the fundamental building blocks. Reference List Black, J 2008, Lean production; implementing a world-class system, Industrial Press, New York. Charron, R, Harrington, J Voehl, F 2014, The lean management systems Handbook, CRC Press, New Jersey. Cudney, E, Furterer, S Dietrich, D 2013, Lean systems; applications and case studies in manufacturing, service and health care, CRC Press, New York. Huthwaite, B 2007, The lean design solution; a practical guide to streamlining product  design and development, Institute for Lean Design, Mackinac Island. Mahaevan, B 2 010, Operations management; theory and practice, Pearson, Upper Saddle River. Slack, N, Alistair, B Betts, J 2012, Operations and process management, principles and practices for strategic impact, Pearson, Harlow.

Corrections and Rehabilitation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corrections and Rehabilitation - Research Paper Example In the early days these were the unwritten rules of those particular societies but all of them had a few characteristics in common like stealing, cheating, murder, embezzlement etc. were considered bad in all the societies. Today, almost all the nations have their own sets of rules that are termed as ‘laws’. Not abiding by the written or given laws is considered a deviance and termed as crime. Looking through history, we find that imprisoning was not a punishment in itself but it is a relatively new idea. Prisons were first used to keep criminals until the time of their execution. It was also used to detain debtors until they made their payments. The modern prison system was born in London in the 1860`s that prisons as known today become commonplace. Imprisoning the criminals is not the ultimate solution. They will eventually be released from prisons and will have to rehabilitate in the society. The important factor is how to re-establish them into the normal stream of t he society. It is not in the nature of humans to commit crimes but they due to different circumstances are forced to commit crimes. There is no unlimited resource of confining the criminals in penitentiaries for an unlimited period and it is against the basic human rights. Therefore, correcting and rehabilitating the criminals is of the same, if not more, importance than imprisoning them. (History, 2012) This concept is evolving to make our society a better and safe place. It is of extreme importance to the government as running prisons has a great cost. If the prisoners can be managed and rehabilitated in the society smoothly, the tax payer`s money can be put to better use. Realizing the significance of this issue the government has established many state run rehabilitation and correction centers like the Florida Department of Corrections (Florida Department of Corrections, 2012). Reducing recidivism also has a direct impact on society as a whole as the criminals are a part of the society. According to a research, religious activities, religious talks, vocational talks and strong family bondages have a positive effect on reducing recidivism (Che Din). LITERARTURE RIVIEW Since the evolution of the modern criminal justice system, there has been a debate as to how to convert the law breakers into law abiding citizens. That is in effect a discussion as to how to rehabilitate them into the society. It has been argued that there is a cost of ignoring rehabilitation to the effect that there is no concrete evidence that correctional programs either decrease recidivism or generate any other optimistic gains for offenders. However, in contrast to this an argument has been raised that rehabilitation programs have remedial effect on the criminals and has helped many in settling back into the society. A survey carried out has demonstrated that the public supports a correctional system that is both punitive and rehabilitating. To conclude rehabilitation in a wider perspect ive is a better course to follow (Cullen, 2000). The Florida Department of Corrections (Florida DC) is the third largest state prison system in the USA. In its mission statement, it is stated that Florida DC exists to protect public safety and to provide proper care and supervision of all the offenders under its jurisdiction providing them with all the assistance to help them re-enter into the society.

IKEA Inc. United Kingdom (UK) operation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

IKEA Inc. United Kingdom (UK) operation - Essay Example IKEA was founded in Sweden in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. The company’s name represents the initials of its founding father. Since the begging Mr. Kamprad had the vision of creating furniture products of good quality in which he applied low cost solutions to lower the prices. IKEA has grown tremendously over the years to become a global enterprise. Currently the company has 220 stores in 33 countries. In the United Kingdom the company has 15 stores. The product offering consist of over 11,000 articles. The great variety, innovative designs, and low prices are some of the reasons customers keep coming back to IKEA for their furniture needs. Exhibit A shows a graph of IKEA worldwide sales. In 2005 IKEA sales were 14.8 billion euros. IKEA utilizes low cost, green furniture and e-retailing strategies to grow its business. The United Kingdom is a country with a strong economy that the company has targeted as a location to expand its business. Designing products to meet the needs of the customers and constant market research will allow the company to expand its global empire. Political and Economic Forces The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is one the world’s most powerful nations. It is a member of the Group of Eight (G8), whose inclusion means the country is one of the top eight industrialized countries in the world. ... Managerial Implications IKEA is a company with a proven long-term strategy. The company’s great product variety, low prices and logistics has helped them become a global player in the furniture business. They have focused in the European market, which generates 81% of their corporate revenues. A glaring weakness is the fact the company has not entered the South American market. In South America there are many developing economies such as Brazil and Chile should be targeted in future expansion plans. The US market is another region which has a lot of potential for growth. Currently only 11% of their sales are generated in the United States. The company should study what has worked in their US stores and apply that knowledge to increase their market share. Multiply viability studies must be underway to scout new locations for establishments in this region. IKEA has utilized catalogs and the internet as marketing tools to generate sales. The United Kingdom is a great place to test new technologies and realize market research. The business e-commerce strategy would be enhanced if the company developed or acquire a technology to identify the entry of new users into the internet. The company’s corporate website utilizes a lot flash technology and animations which require users to have a high-speed internet connection. Refinements and web site optimization techniques could help the company increase its online traffic.

Literature Review on Lime Essay Example for Free

Literature Review on Lime Essay LIME Grenada Ltd is a well established company that has been in operation since 1989 on the island of Grenada. Currently, LIME Grenada serves a customer base of over 109,000 residents, excluding the large number of visitors to its shores. This company has a significant role to play in bringing the telecommunication services to the nationals of Grenada. They are referred to as the market leader in fixed-line services and broadband services in the state of Grenada. As a result, this company has the competitive advantage of offering the widest range of broadband and fixed-line services. With one competitor namely DIGICEL, LIME Grenada operates as one of the leading providers of mobile technology and as such, facilitates an important aspect on the path towards globalisation. â€Å"Mobile communications have fundamentally changed the way in which we are able to live our lives. The way we work, the way we play, the very way in which we communicate have all changed since the advent of the mobile phone† (Cable Wireless Communications Plc. 010). This company, competing strongly with its market challenger DIGICEL, offers a wide choice of quality, leading-edge mobile devices including the latest blackberry, Samsung galaxy and much more of the latest gadgets used in data and voice services to ensure that nationals of Grenada is on the same level with the rest of world. In terms of fixed-line services, LIME Grenada stands strong since they are the sole provider of this service which facilitates the quick and easy communication amongst nationals themselves and the rest of the world. With the provision of broadband services via fibre-optic submarine cable and satellite system, LIME Grenada proves be very valuable in the transformation of various means of conducting activities. In the education sector, LIME Grenada facilitates E-learning through the provision of internet or broadband services. Students are no longer confined to the walls of a classroom since LIME Grenada makes it possible for persons to pursue education through distant learning via the internet. Individuals are now able to access, interact and share information without the physical classroom. Importantly, this company allows easy access to a wide choice of sources of information for educational purposes to enhance learning and teaching. Added to this, is the implementation of videoconference connectivity to link campuses on the island and thus, allow access to a wider range of programmes to all individuals. This was not possible many years ago, however, with the assistance of LIME Grenada this has become a reality. The education sector is therefore transforming in this rapidly evolving digital society as Grenadians are now privileged to capture and utilize various educational opportunities. In Grenada’s domestic business sector, there is an increasing use of the internet, a key factor propelling ICT use, for conducting business transactions. In the banking sector, LIME Grenada makes available the opportunity for banking institutions to provide 24-hour online services to their customers. Persons can visit the various websites and access their accounts to conduct and view transactions. Among the many companies are Grenada Cooperative Bank, Republic Bank Grenada Ltd and First Caribbean International Bank. Furthermore, individuals and businesses can also conduct electronic commerce (e-commerce) via the internet. One such example of this is Carriasoap. com where numerous electronic, household, office and even party supplies are sold over the internet. Besides the aforementioned, LIME Grenada also provides employment opportunities in the business sector as the company endeavour to meet the needs of its market. In the not too distant future, there is high anticipation for the potential use of the broadband services provided by LIME Grenada to include E-taxation services through the Electronic Governance Regional Infrastructure Project (E-GRIP) within the country. This would comprise persons registering online and obtaining a tax identification number, taxpayers filing their monthly and annual returns online and taxpayers paying their taxes online thereby avoiding long lines. With the introduction of this system, the Inland Revenue Division will provide 24 hour online services to all taxpayers (Mitchell, Keith C. 2013). There is also the potential for development of an ICT knowledge park, the provision of WI-FI service in public buildings such as Government offices, schools, hospitals and police stations, which has already begun as stipulated by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell in his budget presentation in March of this year. With this, the importance of the telecommunication sector in Grenada is certainly visible. With proper measures in place the telecommunications sector is bound to encourage technology transfer across the globe which results in improved productivity in all sectors and increased standard of living. On the contrary, there are many hurdles that may be faced by LIME Grenada Ltd in the telecommunication sector. With globalisation, competition among mobile operators is inevitable. In Grenada, this is evident with the establishment of DIGICEL, a company offering mobile services to nationals of the country. This has ended LIME Grenada’s monopoly in that aspect and increased the potential for the penetration of other mobile service providers. Although competition amongst companies results in low costs and continuity in bridging the digital divide, LIME Grenada has to critically improve services in order to effectively compete with its rivals. This company has to look critically at the services they can offer and at the pricing strategies they can use so as to counteract the hindrances or threats that new competitors present. They have to effectively monitor their competitor’s strategies and develop many ways to counteract their plans and tactics to gain customers. Another hurdle that LIME Grenada may be faced with is the ability to speedily obtain updated technological and communication infrastructure and to modify operations. As with many other developing countries in the Caribbean region, lack of resources, particularly financial and qualified human resources, may also significantly hamper their development process. The telecommunication sector in Grenada is not alone in facing challenges on the path towards rapid growth and expansion via the globalisation process. According to Hylton, Shallon (2012), in Jamaica the challenges encountered with the provisions of telecommunication services vary in nature. Despite the many employment opportunities, there still remains a shortage of trained and highly qualified workers in the field. There is also the problem of cybercrime ranging from software conspiracy, the spreading of software viruses, software hacking and phishing. In Barbados, the high cost of the underlying transport network is creating a drag on the economy. Service firms are keen on liberalization of telecommunications services. Hotels, tour operators and travel services recognize the need for a state-of-the-art network infrastructure for local and international clients. Banks, insurance firms and retailers are heavy data users that require economically priced telecommunications services to be competitive.. Service companies are already at a disadvantage in the lending market due to regional loan practices that fail to recognize intellectual property and soft assets as a basis for working capital. Barbadian service firms advocate telecommunications reform to lower the cost of communications (Schmid, Linda. 2013). Overall, in previous years, people could not communicate across the world or interact without barriers, delays or difficulty (Hylton, Shallon. 012. p. 3). Currently, the new digital and mobile technologies along with the internet services offered by LIME Grenada allow persons to operate as if the world has no boundaries. Grenada in undertaking the liberalisation of its telecommunication market enhances its competitive position and economic growth and improvements in many sectors. Though there are challenges, the benefits outweigh them signif icantly. The literature exploring the significance and impact of telecommunication in this globalising world is quite extensive. Jeniffer Mohammed in Caribbean Studies– An Interdisciplinary Approach (2007) provides a critical insight into information on globalisation and information and communication technologies (ICT’s) which has guided this research thus far. Mohammed stated, â€Å"What a truly globalized world is about is one where there is a ‘level playing field’, where, for instance, everybody can benefit from the trade in technology. This has been happening with cell phones. From the nomadic people of the Sahara to Caribbean people in shanty towns to fishermen going about their trade, almost everyone uses cell phones to communicate. This is an example of something that has been truly globalized and gives us a good understanding about what globalization as a process is really about. It is not that those groups of people are necessarily communicating globally, but the use of the cell phones is a global phenomenon touching all income groups†. (p. 270). â€Å"Digital technologies, the internet and cell phones truly operate as if the world has no border†¦This is the logical meaning of – globalisation – whether applied to trade, finance flows or communication- for some commodity to be equally available to all, anywhere, as if the nation- state did not exist†(p. 70). Moretti, Marco (n. d), in his writing in Globalisation of Mobile and Wireless Communication: Today and in 2020 (2010) stated â€Å"what is happening to the mobile communication market is a good example of positive globalization: in few years mobile phones have spread all around the world becoming a low-cost tool capable of providing wireless connectivity almost everywhere†(p. 19). â€Å"Mobile communications, thanks to the effect of a globalized process of development, are probably one of the most effective means to close the digital divide†. p. 23). The World Bank in their June 2012 publication stated â€Å"Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have great promise to reduce poverty, increase productivity, boost economic growth, and improve accountability and governance. That promise only grew when ICTs underwent a revolution in the 2000s. Nearly 5 billion people in developing countries now use mobile phones, up from 200 million at the last decade‘s st art, and the number of Internet users has risen 10-fold. People across the globe do much more than chat and play games. They learn where best to fish and what market to sell their produce in. They trace cattle from pastures to supermarkets. They report illegal logging and misuses of local budget. They pay bills, send money back home, and receive cash transfers. They do business on mobile phones. They use ICTs to prevent violence against women—and community radio to empower them. They get state-of-the-art schooling online. Governments can use ICTs to transform public service delivery across sectors—health, education, social protection, justice, agriculture, water, energy, and transport—both central and local. ICTs offer an opportunity to revolutionize public service management by capturing information efficiently in shared databases accessible to all government agencies (such as a national database of electronic identification of citizens). ICTs help governments to simplify administrative procedures and share services (such as citizen authentication and payment systems). And governments can pool resources, reduce costs, adopt common standards for information exchanges, and perform government functions more efficiently (with faster response time and fewer errors)† (The World Bank. 2012).

Essay on Common Threads in Yellow Wallpaper and Story of an Hour

Common Threads in The Yellow Wallpaper and The Story of an Hour      Ã‚  Ã‚   In her article "Why I Wrote 'The Yellow Wallpaper,'" as it appeared in The Forerunner (1913), Charlotte Perkins Gilman candidly reveals her personal story of mental illness and her subsequent journey to wellness after she rejected the "expert" advice of her physician. She retells the story, with some embellishments, in her short story "The Yellow Wallpaper." Her own nervous breakdown and prescribed "rest cure," popular at the time, brought her close to "utter mental ruin." With some help from a friend, and using what resources were left to her, she began to write again, intending to use this story as a means of saving others from being driven crazy. "The Yellow Wallpaper" was published in May 1892, amid a flurry of rejections and protestations. Nevertheless, her story has been told, and I think there are many women who can relate to what she has experienced, to varying degrees.    Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar, in "A Feminist Reading of Gilman's 'The Yellow Wallpaper'" (818), identify the specialist as S. Weir Mitchell, a famous "nerve specialist" at that time. Gilman was forbidden to write until she was well, which, of course, was worse for her than her postpartum depression. The comparison in the story of "rings and things" in the nursery parallel feelings of being "locked away from creativity," and the gate at the top of the stairs in her upper story bedroom may be symbolic of her imprisonment.    In her short story, the enforced confinement prescribed by her physician husband brought her to a realization that she was imprisoned not only physically, but also in her mind and in her will. Ultimately he would not dominate her, and she ref... ... of dramatic irony. No one but the reader knew what heights Louise soared to and what depths of despair she plummeted to. That this story made such a big impact on me in only two pages shows how great a writer Kate Chopin really is. Works Cited and Consulted Bender, Bert.   Short Story Criticism.   Vol. 8.   Ed. Thomas Votteler.   Detroit:   Gale Research Inc., 1991. 64-65. Chopin, Kate.   â€Å"The Story of an Hour.†Ã‚   Literature:   Reading, Reacting, Writing. 3rd Ed.   Ed.   Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell.   Fort Worth:   Harcourt Brace, 1997. 70-72. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins.   â€Å"The Yellow Wall-paper.†Ã‚   Literature: Reading, Reacting,Writing.   3rd Ed.   Ed. Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell.   Fort Worth:   Harcourt Brace, 1997. 160-172. Shumaker, Conrad.   Short Story Criticism.   Vol. 13.   Ed.   David Segal.   Detroit:   Gale Research Inc., 1993.   164-170

Immanual Kant Ethical Contribution Essay

Born in Konigsberg, East Prussia in 1724, Immanuel Kant began school at the early age of eight years. He studied at the Collegium Fridiricianum, a Latin school that focused on classicism. Later he attended the University of Konigsberg and his major studies were physics, mathematics and philosophy. After receiving his doctorate, Kant became a teacher at the University and focused on philosophy. He was well known for his unorthodox approaches to religion and religious text that many students admired. However his radical teachings caught the eye of King Frederich William II, who barred him from any further writings. Kant obeyed the king until after the king’s death, Kant continued to write and publish his views on religion. He is famous for his deontic philosophical approach which believed actions were morally right or wrong, without the regard to consequences. Kant argued being moral was also being rational. Kant wrote the book Critique of Pure Reason in 1781 in which he investigated the limits of human knowledge and the ability to reason. Kant argued that we act morally because that is what reason demands and he analyzed the nature of reason and what it means to be rational. In 1797 Kant furthered his writings in the Metaphysics of Ethics, where he writes that reason is the fundamental authority for morality. The European Graduate School dictates â€Å"Metaphysics describes a science concerned with this inquiry, a solution to unsolvable problems set by pure reason itself, namely the concepts of God, freedom and Immortality. † Kant believed that our sense of duty, approved by reason and rationality, is considered moral. Kant believed that consequences were not important, but the processes in which people think when they make their choices. Kant argued only one thing was inherently good, and that was good will. Good will is also doing the right thing, doing one’s duty and respecting moral law. (LaFave 2006) This good will is found only in humans, not material, gives us human’s dignity and is our power of rational moral choice. (Garrett 2006) According to Kant, when we respect moral law we are doing something because it makes us feel good and we are doing it out of duty, not inclinations. Kant argues we know what the moral law is by using Categorical Imperative. The Categorical Imperative states â€Å"Act only on those maxims (or rules of action) that you could, at the same time, will to be universal law. † (Garrett 2006) Three tests must pass to for an act to be considered moral, 1) it must be amenable to being made consistently universal, 2) it must respect rational beings as ends in themselves; and 3) it must stem from and respect the autonomy of rational beings. (DeGeorge p. 64) Immanuel Kant unknowingly created what is now called Kantian philosophy with his works and studies. Not only did he have a major impact on literature and the fine arts, his biggest contribution was to modern philosophy. Kant died in 1804. Works Cited DeGeorge, Richard. Business Ethics. 7th Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2010. Print. Garret, Jan. â€Å"Kant’s Duty Ethics. † Wku. edu. Western Kentucky University, 2 October 2006. Web. 12 June 2012. â€Å"Immanuel Kant – Biography. † Eds. edu, European Graduate School, n. d. Web. 12 June 2012. LaFave, Sandra, â€Å"Kant’s Ethics. † Instruct. westvalley. edu. West Valley College, 16 August 2006. Web. 12 June 2012.

The Power Of Solar Power - 1466 Words

Introduction The South African power crisis needs little introduction as most of us spend our nights in the shadows singing â€Å"Hello Darkness My Old Friend† and ‘’I’ve Got the Power ’’ in the hope that at some point the glorious rays of light will return. This energy crisis sees little end in sight and leaves the people of our country with a need and responsibility to find alternative sources of energy - solar power is one of these solutions. Solar power is a brilliant idea as it harnesses the power of the sun and converts it into electricity, however it is very costly and it is inefficient because only 11 - 15% of the energy harnessed is converted into electricity. Solar panels are generally fixed at one position, usually at the angle that one’s roof slopes or at some other predetermined fixed position. According to research, by moving the panel with the sun there will be a marked increase in the efficiency and power output of the solar panel. 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