Case Study Write Up

Alin NIRAMORN Case Study Methods Lori Ostlund 09/019/2012 Case Write-Up Summary of Case Situation In the case, Raleigh & Rosse, Simons and Mahoney (2011) report that in the beginning of year 2010, R&R is being sued by its sales associates. The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) states that R&R has continued breaking the state law by encouraging employee to work â€Å"off the clock†. R&R is a U. S. luxury good retailer run by family member.The company mission is to serve their costumers with outstanding service. R&R Sale associates are expected to serve their costumer †off the floor† as a part of â€Å"Ownership Culture†. Linda Watkins, a CEO of R&R who was recruited by Brian Rosse, has admitted that at first Bill Schwartz, a Senior Vice President for Human Resource had been questioning in some aspects of the Ownership Culture and particularly Sales Per Hours (SPH) program. He also suggests Linda to apply different approach instance.However, Rosse believ es that Ownership Culture and SPH is the core of the company to success. Moreover, the economic downturn in years 2008 and 2009 has affected to luxury goods industry. R&R were also impacted by the economic crisis; the revenue continue dropped down rapidly. Central Issue How Raleigh & Rosse need to handle with sales associates who sued the company. Recommended Course of Action Linda should make a decision how to respond to the lawsuit by paying back damages to all employees. Basis for RecommendationR&R should set up an amount for one-time payment system because it can help the company safe money and it is fair for every employee. The case R&R (Simons and Mahoney, 2011) states that the employee who is the plaintiff in the lawsuit is asking the company to pay back twin amount of â€Å"non selling† hourly wages. The count judgment the company to pay in total of $200 million; consequently, this amount will affect the company financial. Therefore, R&R should offer an amount for pay back the claims, and make an agreement with all employees.For example, in the case of Nightmare at Nordstrom (Solmon, 1990), Nordstrom had set up ranged of amount for each claims; and sent out the claim sheet to all employees. The employee has to fill-in the detailed to verify the amount of â€Å"non-selling† hours they worked. As a result, Nordstrom paid less than $3 millions for the claims. In other word, there is high possibility for R&R to lose $200 million for the judgments, thus settlement for payment would be cheaper for the company.Moreover, an Ownership Culture program was introduced in 1992, which means there were a current employee and the old employee. Thus, retroactive compensation is considered as a big factor for the company. Indeed, the amount for pay back claims should be different between the old and new employee. For example, according to Solmon (1990) states that Nordstrom has sent out a letter to sales associates by offering to pay back the damage from $ 250 up to $1,000, depending on how long their worked for the company.To put that differently, it is fair for all employees, which is the current sales associates who is seeking for damage, and the old employee who should be paid for their royalties. In conclusion, the huge amount that R&R need to pay for the court it might affect the company financial statues. Thus, by offering the amount for pay back the claims would help the company safe the money. In additional, the ranged of amount that arranged for pay back the current and claims is reasonable for all employees.

Database Management Systems Essay

While the database management system terminology has become widespread in India, there is a vast space for the adoption of the systems. The market potential still has a significant amount of spread to increase market share. A computer database is a repository of structured data or information and a database management system is a collection of programs that allows storage and retrieval of this data efficiently. Database management systems have undergone significant changes over the last thirty years. Starting with IBM’s IMS, a hierarchical database management system, in the early 1970s to the recent grid computing relational database management system – Oracle, the database technology has undergone a substantial technological change. During the last decade, relational management system or a derivative of it has become a de facto standard of the industry. ANSI SQL has become the standard query language to interact with any DBMS, though each vendor has its own extension to the standard SQL. (The Indian Express Limited) According to Gartner, in 2008, the Indian DBMS market was worth around $194 million and is expected to grow by 20% in 2010 over 2009. It expects the Indian DBMS market size to reach $233 million in 2010. According to a Forrester Research report, the open-source database market stands at $850 million and is expected to grow by more than 40%, to $1. billion, by 2011. Though small in comparison with the $16 billion commercial database market, it is still a significant feat considering most open-source databases bear no licensing costs. (Gartner) The size, growth, and sheer desire to gain a competitive edge lured global DBMS vendors to India. They have opened offices, signed local partners, and translated their software – and they are finding success. Driven by the inherent need for businesses of all kinds to manage their information, Indian database management system (DBMS) software vendors support customers in a large variety of markets. â€Å"From an Indian market perspective, there is still a long way for all vendors to go. The market potential still has a considerable amount of spread to increase market-share,† says Anil Menon, Country Manager, Software Group Channels, IBM India/South Asia.

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 13

Do You Like Foreign Films? Cliff asks about Veronica's dinner party in a way that lets me know my mother has already discussed it with him – probably in an effort to get me to wear the collared shirts she bought me at the Gap, which Mom loves and I do not love. As soon as I sit down in the brown recliner, Cliff broaches the subject, pinching his chin the way he does every time he asks me a question my mother has already answered. Even though I now recognize Cliff's tell, I am excited to let him know he was right about wearing the shirt my brother had given me. Surprisingly, he does not want to talk about what clothes I wore; he wants to talk about Tiffany, and he keeps asking what I thought about her, how she made me feel, and if I enjoyed her company. At first I am polite and answer by saying that Tiffany was nice and well dressed and had a pretty good body, but Cliff keeps pushing for the truth like therapists do, because they all have some sort of psychic ability that allows them to see through your lies, and therefore they know you will eventually tire of the talking game and will offer up the truth. Finally I say, â€Å"Well, the thing is – and I don't like saying this – but Tiffany is kind of slutty.† â€Å"What do you mean?† Cliff asks me. â€Å"I mean she's sort of a whore.† Cliff sits forward a little. He looks surprised, and uncomfortable enough to make me feel uncomfortable. â€Å"On what do you base your observation? Did she dress provocatively?† â€Å"No. I told you already. She wore a nice dress. But as soon as we finished our dessert, she asked me to walk her home.† â€Å"What's wrong with that?† â€Å"Nothing. But at the end of the walk she asked me to have sexual intercourse with her, and not in those words.† Cliff removes his fingers from his chin, sits back, and says, â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"I know. It shocked me too, especially because she knows I'm married.† â€Å"So did you?† â€Å"Did I what?† â€Å"Have sexual intercourse with Tiffany?† At first Cliff's words don't register, but when they do, I become angry. â€Å"No!† â€Å"Why not?† I cannot believe Cliff has actually asked me such a question, especially since he is a happily married man himself, but I dignify the inquiry with an answer anyway. â€Å"Because I love my wife! That's why!† â€Å"That's what I thought,† he says, which makes me feel a little better. He is only testing my morals, which is perfectly understandable, because people outside of mental institutions need to have good morals so that the world will continue to work without any major interruptions – and happy endings will flourish. Then I say, â€Å"I don't even know why Tiffany would ask me to have sex with her anyway. I mean, I'm not even an attractive guy; she's pretty and could do a lot better than me for sure. So I'm thinking now that maybe she's a nymphomaniac. What do you think?† â€Å"I don't know whether she is a nymphomaniac or not,† he says. â€Å"But I do know that sometimes people say and do what they think others want them to. Maybe Tiffany really did not want to have sex with you, but only offered something she thought you would find valuable, so you would value her.† I think about his explanation for a second and then say, â€Å"So you're saying that Tiffany thought I wanted to have sex with her?† â€Å"Not necessarily.† He grabs his chin again. â€Å"Your mother told me you came home with makeup on your shirt. Do you mind if I ask how that happened?† Reluctantly, because I don't like to gossip, I tell him about Tiffany's wearing her wedding ring even after her husband died, and the hugging and the crying we did in front of her parents' house. Cliff nods and says, â€Å"It seems like Tiffany really needs a friend, and that she thought having sex with you would make you want to be her friend. But tell me again how you handled the situation.† So I tell him exactly what led us to the hug and how I let her get makeup on my Hank Baskett jersey and – â€Å"Where did you get a Hank Baskett jersey?† he asks me. â€Å"I told you. My brother gave it to me.† â€Å"That's what you wore to the dinner party?† â€Å"Yeah, just like you told me to.† He smiles and even chuckles, which surprises me. Then he adds, â€Å"What did your friends say?† â€Å"Ronnie said that Hank Baskett is the man.† â€Å"Hank Baskett is the man. I bet he catches at least seven touchdowns this season.† â€Å"Cliff, you're an Eagles fan?† He does the Eagles chant – â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† – which makes me laugh because he is my therapist and I did not know therapists could like NFL football. â€Å"Well, now that I know you too bleed green, we'll have to talk Birds off the clock,† Cliff says. â€Å"So you really let Tiffany cry her makeup onto your brand-new Hank Baskett jersey?† â€Å"Yeah, and it's one with stitched-on numbers, not the cheap iron-ons.† â€Å"Authentic Hank Baskett jersey!† he says. â€Å"That was certainly very kind of you, Pat. It sounds like Tiffany only really needed a hug, which you gave her because you are a nice guy.† I can't help smiling, because I really am trying hard to be a nice guy. â€Å"Yeah, I know, but now she's always following me all over town.† â€Å"What do you mean?† So I tell Cliff that since the dinner party, whenever I put on a trash bag and leave my house for a run, Tiffany is always waiting outside in her little running outfit and pink headband. â€Å"Very politely, I told her that I do not like running with other people and asked her to leave me alone, but she ignored my request and simply jogged five feet behind me for my entire run. The next day, she did the same thing, and she keeps on doing it. Somehow she's figured out my schedule, and she's always there when I leave my house an hour before sunset – ready to shadow me wherever I jog. I run fast, and she stays with me. I run on dangerous streets, and she follows. She never tires out either – and just keeps running down the street when I finally stop in front of my house. She doesn't even say hello or goodbye.† â€Å"Why don't you want her to follow you?† Cliff asks. So I ask him how his wife, Sonja, would feel if some hot woman shadowed him every time he went for a run. He smiles the way guys do when they are alone and talking about women in a sexual way, and then he says, â€Å"So you think Tiffany is hot?† This surprises me because I did not know therapists were allowed to talk like guys do when they are buddies, and I wonder if this means that Cliff thinks of me as his buddy now. â€Å"Sure, she's hot,† I say. â€Å"But I'm married.† He grabs his chin and says, â€Å"How long has it been since you've seen Nikki?† I tell him I don't know. â€Å"Maybe a couple of months,† I say. â€Å"Do you really believe that?† he asks, grabbing his chin again. When I say I do, I hear the yelling in my voice and even allow the f-word to slip out. Immediately I feel bad because Cliff was talking to me like a friend, and sane people should not yell and curse at their buddies. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I say when Cliff starts to look scared. â€Å"It's okay,† he says, and forces a smile. â€Å"I should believe that you really mean what you tell me.† He scratches his head for a second and then says, â€Å"My wife loves foreign films. Do you like foreign films?† â€Å"With subtitles?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I hate those types of films.† â€Å"Me too,† Cliff says. â€Å"Mostly because – â€Å" â€Å"No happy endings.† â€Å"Exactly,† Cliff says, pointing a brown finger at my face. â€Å"So depressing most of the time.† I nod wholeheartedly in agreement, even though I haven't been to see any movies for a long time, and won't until Nikki returns, because I am now watching the movie of my life as I live it. â€Å"My wife used to beg me to take her to see these foreign films with subtitles all the time,† Cliff says. â€Å"It seemed like every day she would ask me if we might go to see a foreign film, until I broke down and started taking her. Every Wednesday night we'd go to the Ritz movie theater and see some depressing movie. And you know what?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"After a year we simply stopped going.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"She stopped asking.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I don't know. But maybe if you take an interest in Tiffany, ask her to run with you and maybe to go out to dinner a few times – maybe after a few weeks, she will grow tired of the chase and leave you alone. Let her get what she wants, and maybe she will not want it anymore. Understand?† I do understand, but cannot help asking, â€Å"Do you think that will really work?† And Cliff shrugs in a way that makes me believe it will.

Effects On The Environment Essay

The human population is growing rapidly and is expected to continue to grow over the next 50 years, with that being said because of the growing population it means the earth and environment will have to grow/adapt with the ever growing population of humans. One part of adapting to the population will be to try and address the needs of humans such as food, energy and raw materials. It will be hard to keep continuing to get our food, energy and raw materials in the way we do now without possibly damaging the earth’s environment where it cannot be repaired; Pollution, deforestation, farming, over-fishing, and global warming will be the cause of the environment being damaged. Environmental Issues Recycling: recycling is not only about waste control; it is also part of the possible conservation of resources to repairing damage on the environment. Over the last few years there has been much talk about recycling and its impact however there is still a number of individuals who still do not know how recycling can help the environment. The earth has to work hard to produce and meet the needs of the growing population; people will need to work to preserve the resources the earth has in order to ensure that the environment as we know will still be around for future populations. One problem of recycling practices is the limited emphasis put on practicing concepts of salvage and reuse. This is a society that is actively progressive and without certain information or statistics to grab the attention of society then all the concepts and information provided will fall on deaf ears. It is important for the population to start embracing these concepts otherwise Earth will be uninhabitable in the future. The emphasis of recycling is not being talked about enough, and neither is an  alternative that is why earth’s ability for growth is being challenged by what many humans do on a daily basis. There are many ways in which humans can try to address many of the environmental issues. Forestry: stop cutting down trees or less of them, and those that have been cut down should be replaced with new planted ones. Fishing: ensuring that there is a limit of how much one can fish and catch this way the fish do not become extinct. Economic issues: there needs to be an improvement of human’s standards of living by trying to reduce carbon dioxide and any type of greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture: Start producing high yielding crop of good quality without the use of chemicals and fertilizers. Energy: Try replacing non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuel with renewable sources like solar, water and wind generation for use of energy instead. Fossil fuels affect the environment in ways that many are not aware of because many do not know what fossil fuels are; Fossil fuels are- gasoline, oil, coal, or natural gas. Whenever these forms of fuel are used or burned the environment is polluted with gases that are emitted into the earth’s atmosphere which causes harm to it. These fuels are used to run cars, trucks, heat homes, business and power factories. The majority of air pollutants are usually results of fossil fuel either in the home, or from industries which use internal combustion engines, what happens when they are in use is the smoke releases tiny particles of carbon in the air, it sits suspended in the air and can reduce the light at ground level and deposits of smoke particles, soot and ash can float preventing light, because of the effects of these gases have it is important to try and find other ways to obtain fuel. Many humans believe that there is much that can be done and many are not doing, those who are trying to spread the word will confront the problem of sustainability and will try to propose ideas to do it. The idea of sustainability is the main topic with regards to the future of the environment and earth.

A Review of The Dream Society Essay

It is not easy to talk about businesses and make them appeal not only to a niche market but to all people. Most often, a book that talks about business, marketing strategies, and corporate culture is believed to be complex and even boring at some point. This I believe makes Rolf Jensen’s creatively written book entitled The Dream Society: How the Coming Shift from Information to Imagination Will Transform Your Business a deviation from the complex and difficult-to-understand image of business books. The book is about the noticeable reality emerging in today’s business cycle of how the tales and stories behind the products become essential factors that help the product sell. Jensen managed, in his insightful book, to produce an enlightening analysis of today’s business culture and predict a futuristic direction for companies without losing his readers in hard-to-understand concepts and difficult-to-memorize theories. The book revolves around the idea that more than information, imagination will be the biggest selling point of the products in the future. As time progresses and as competitions among companies become tighter and more profound, people become more and more interested on the stories behind the product than just the product itself. A book that intends to explain the flow of the market is often deemed an instructional book that offers tips and suggestions. The Dream Society is very different because it focuses on the trends and phenomena that are observable in the market but are easily missed or not looked upon twice. The book has promising value because it laid down facts along with interesting trivia and anecdotes that would not normally appear in boring business books. Jensen’s work is definitely able to capture the attention of his readers as he talks about how markets today target the consumers’ emotional needs and how some successful companies like Disney, Nike, and Rolex supply these needs by utilizing whatever tales they have that appeal to people’s hearts. Jensen, a talented and knowledgeable scholar, notices how this trend had slowly become the root of huge demands from these companies and he discusses how this marketing strategy will adamantly shape the future of business and corporate culture. Classified under the â€Å"classic Dream Society logic†, these companies are just among those who are able to understand that what the market wants are stories and appeals on their emotional side (Jensen, 2001, p. 3). Companies known as the Dream Society are predictably the ones who will be able to dominate the business world in the future because they could deliver what the consumers want. The Dream Society is actually a vital piece of work that would relate to academic, sociological, and corporate issues. It revolves around the question of what really sells today. Based on the careful research of the author, it is evident that society will give more attention to the stories behind the products and would direct its consumption towards things or objects that appeal to the heart. I felt that the author wants the book to focus more on providing its readers an outward perspective of the market because it narrates in a futuristic sense, providing all the facts of today that are in line with a potential market. The author iss able to achieve this through subtle narrations of personal experiences, analysis on how markets transform and direct attributions to organizations that make use of the consumers’ needs for emotional satisfaction. I noticed that even when the author is speaking in the first person perspective, he never lose credibility of the facts he is stating. Also, despite tackling a very sensitive topic, the book is actually written in a simple manner, organized thoroughly, and given a unique spark by the thought-provoking writing style of Jensen. These characteristics definitely set out the book differently from the others. Jensen’s work appeals to readers because of its insightful and interesting attack of useful topics. It tackles not just facts about huge businesses, but also realities about the people who work behind them. According to the book, more than IQ, EQ is also equally, if not at times, more important in making a person successful. The ability to build good relationships often brings people to the top. What makes the book more appealing is that it addresses a reality that is already being enjoyed by half of the huge organizations while the other half remains ignorant or in denial of it. Jensen’s work offers a fresher and more honest perspective of the transformation of businesses that should not be overlooked. In corporate culture, businesses that focus on being closer to the emotional weaknesses of people guarantee more support from these consumers. The Dream Society also highlights how success stories of companies surpassing adversities and odds become essential tools in dominating the corporate culture. The Dream Society highlights the value of storytelling and the treatment of emotions as commodity as a part of the future of businesses. Products that are packaged in a more imaginative way have the ability to tap the emotions and support of the consumers. The author’s concrete example in the early parts of the book about consumers wanting to buy eggs that are naturally made even if they cost higher emphasize the argument that Jensen wants to present in this book that consumers buy with their hearts and it is bound to be this way for a very long time. Jensen’s work is an understandable prediction for business transformations in the coming decades but it neither offers guarantees nor detailed specific steps of what business owners and corporate leaders should do to make their make their businesses more successful. It only narrates the facts and what influences the market but it could not be considered a guide or directional book. It is an easy, unconventional, very informative, and enjoyable book to read that addresses realities about the market and the corporate world, but it could still not be classified as a guide book on business and how businesses should be run. One of the book’s most creative lines in describing how a business is run is that â€Å"managing a company means staging a drama, daily† (Jensen, 2001, p. 134). And this drama, the strategy of commercializing emotions, and storytelling to appeal to the hearts of the people makes product sell. The Dream Society is definitely different from other business books I have encountered. The author is obviously very talented not only in writing but also in making careful analysis about the future direction of the world’s market. Understanding the needs of the consumers is one of the most basic rules in marketing strategies. Despite being unconventional, Jensen’s book should still be considered a business book because it offers insightful and important facts about the probable future of the market. Even if it is written with simplicity, this does not limit the valuable lessons and realities it shares to its readers and makes it invaluable to the world of business and corporate culture. Reference Jensen, R. (2001). The Dream Society: How the Coming Shift from Information to Imagination will Transform Your Business. McGraw-Hill: New York

How race, gender and sexual orientation appeal to some underlying Essay

How race, gender and sexual orientation appeal to some underlying biological influences - Essay Example 2211). In other words, the assumption that race and ethnicity are merely biological traits is utterly mistaken. Human categories such as gender and sexual orientation are oftentimes subjected to intense debates, especially gender orientation, as to whether they are nature or nurtured; and if there is a correlation between genes and gender orientation; the environment and gender orientation. Later on, an elaborative analysis shall be taken in order to explain whether, if indeed, race, sex, and gender orientation appeal to some biological influences. Also, this paper shall attempt to provide consequential and pertinent corroborations that should clarify some mistaken understandings in so far as the issues on biological influences in race, sex, and gender orientation are concerned. [Student’s Last Name] 2 Race Race â€Å"was a presumably biological feature that an individual had, but was composed of disparate elements that might contradict one another within a single body† (Marks 108). ... Race has been conventionally considered to classify population according to communal biological traits like genes, hair, eyes, and other apparent physical features (Drewnowski et al. 2211). While race expresses a common characteristic among a number of people, it is used profoundly to emphasize cultural and social characteristics and not biological influences (Drewnowski et al. 2211). Therefore, the attempts to study the biological influences in race are something that is not feasible. In fact, â€Å"if races are discrete groups of populations, the continuous nature of human variation undermines the utility of race as a basic way to study the species† (Marks 108). This is particularly true in that while it is â€Å"something relatively stable† (108) as it is part of human physiological composition, the evolution of man through its years of existence must have transpired significant modifications on its genetic composition with every succeeding generation that passes. Th us, obviously, there is no avenue through which one can scrutinize biological influences to race as there is no consistent representation of the genetic detail that could be considered coherent or uniform regardless of human variations. â€Å"Race is [Student’s Last Name] 3 largely a social category† (Marks 109). It â€Å"correlates to some extent with genetics but is principally derived from a non-scientific or folk concept of heredity† (109). This is partly due to the fact that while genetics affect race to some degree, there is no guaranteed uniformity or coherence on this biological influences due to the genetic changes that take place with respect to every generation that passes; thus, there can be no effective approach to completely scrutinize the organic

Primer of Biostatistics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Primer of Biostatistics - Term Paper Example During data analysis, quite often, either of descriptive statistics or inferential statistics methodologies is employed. Descriptive statistics (which unlike inferential statistics is not developed on the basis of probability theory) basically refers to the discipline of quantitatively describing the main features of a collection of data while inferential statistics on the other hand denotes the process of arriving at conclusions from data open to random or sampling variations (such as observational errors) (Graham, pg.40). Statistics is a wide field of study, probably one of the broadest disciplines available, with a plethora of applications too. The topic of ‘Fields of Application of Statistics’ is a rich topic in itself and one that sparks a lot of interest both to scholars and professions globally. Some of the sub-topics herein include actuarial science, astro-statistics, business analytics, chemo-metrics, demography, econometrics, environmental statistics, epidemiology, geo statistics, operations research, population ecology, statistical thermodynamics, and biostatistics and so on (Graham, pg.82). This paper deals with the biostatistics aspect of statistics. Biostatistics, commonly referred to as biometry, is the use of statistics in a wide range of topics in biology. Biostatistics deals with the design of biological experiments (such as in medicine, agriculture, pharmacy, fishery, etc), the collection, summarization and analysis of collected information from the experiments, followed by the interpretation of, and interference from, the results. Biostatistics is a combination of mathematics and reasoning, it considers how research questions are generated, studies are designed, data are collected and results interpreted. If the samples one takes are representative of the population of interest, they will provide good estimates concerning the overall population (Hubert).

Writting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Writting - Essay Example Every intercultural conflict should be resolved accordingly in order to avoid bad consequences. Here the differences in beliefs should be taken into account and each belief should be respected. In some cases if the person came to another country and his/her beliefs contradict the beliefs of the citizens of this country, the conflict can occur. A person also may appear in the group of people with the religious beliefs different from his own. In these cases the majority is usually recognized as right if conflict occurs. However, the cases can be different and every case should be considered separately. In the situation under consideration, a teacher wants to make his student kill frogs saying that it is necessary to pass the course. First, no course may have a task to kill animals and frogs are animals. There are people who are responsible for these and the teacher can’t and should not make his students kill animals to pass the course, especially if the person has religious beliefs that do not allow him to kill animals. In this case it is necessary the student should apply to college administration with the complaint and the request to resolve the

How was picture production affected by the rise of the city of Edo Essay

How was picture production affected by the rise of the city of Edo - Essay Example Edo culture saw the living side by side of both the rich and poor in Japanese society. This gave rise to a different point view in interpreting nature which with the combination of the principles taught in Zen Buddhism gave rise to the aesthetic values which characterized Japanese art. These values of suggestion, irregularity, simplicity and perishability, as Donald Keene identified them. Suggestion or yugen is the characteristic wherein the artist suggests a hint of nature. There is no idealization of the subject but connotes a suggestion of what it is in relation to what it truly is. The artwork gives an indication of reality and does not capture the subject in its real form. Zen Buddhism influence is reflected in Japanese aesthetics through austerity and simplicity in presentation. Perishability captures the very essence of life and nature, showing the impermanence and sadness that pervades its reality. All these elements are brought to together to constitute the Japanese measure of aesthetics in all its art forms, from painting, literature, architecture, pottery, to wood block prints. Even the tea ceremony as a Buddhist ritual is influenced by the tenets of these aesthetic building blocks which form Japanese culture. Edo culture had a great influence in the development and adoption of these aesthetic cornerstones. A great fire suffered by the city brought about the popularity of wood print blocks or ukiyo-e. Ukiyo-e in general is the stylized school in Japanese painting especially prints using colored wood blocks. Ukiyo-e gained popularity as an affordable means of acquiring art, especially among the middle class population of Edo. The Ukiyo-e style was described as a â€Å"floating world† because it describes the instability of common people’s lives. It often portrayed ordinary people, actors, courtesans, vendors, and the like. A woodblock print by Kuryosai Isoda depict a â€Å"kamuro† or courtesan in the middle of two other

Project Planning and Management for Fire Company Essay

Project Planning and Management for Fire Company - Essay Example Formulation of the business strategies involves strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation. Various evaluation techniques include SWOT, STEEL PEST, and PISTEL. PISTEL helps in simple evaluation and is easy to use and understand. Fire is one of the most important facilities in our daily lives; it provides energy for transformation of goods to more usable and sellable products. It is also used for generation of electrical energy and other forms of energy that help in the manufacturer of goods and services. The great saying that fire is a useful servant but a bad master holds. Uncontrolled fire leads to destruction of property, loss of lives as well as causing major and minor injuries on the victims. To counter the negative effects of fire, various methods have been adapted by man, first is the insurance against the effects of fire. This insurance policy guarantees compensations if such losses occur. The insured person is compensated for loss of life, loss of property and any other loss that he may experience during the fire outbreak provided it is stipulated in the policy. Secondly, the company or individual may also install protective mechanism that helps suppressing the fire when it occurs. ... If the fire fighting company does not have enough facilities to fight with the fire, or if the staff are not well organized, or if other circumstance delay their response. Their services might be affected and this may lead cancellation of the contract and loses by the fire company. The fire firm must be well managed for it to be successful in its operations (Ash & Burn, 2002). The development of a strategic plan is very important in the overall success of the fire company. Careful evaluation need to be done by the firm to ensure that it offers very good services to its clients and also stimulate its employees to perform well. For the company to perform well, it must first develop it mission, vision and objectives clearly. The firm then must work towards fulfilling these goals. To archive these goals the firm must develop plans and policies which will aid it to archive the set goals. STRATEGY FORMULATION This is the first step is the formulation of the strategy, to formulate this strategy the following are necessary. Situation analysis This is the evaluation of the nature of the situation around the geographical area where the company wishes to establish the business. For the fire company the is need to evaluate if there are companies or individuals which need fire protection services, the events of previous fire outbreaks are also necessary as they help during the marketing stage of the service and fire fighting equipment. For example selling of fire fighting equipment and offering fire protection services in a town with numerous fire outbreaks is very profiting. The company management needs to carry out this situational analysis's in order to evaluate the feasibility of the project. The size of the market is also paramount during situational

Managing change and team working in a hospital Essay

Managing change and team working in a hospital - Essay Example Therefore, to lead changes successfully, leaders are supposed to be able to describe the process of change within the organization and how it can affect individuals within the firm. Thus, this paper will have a report on managing change and team working in the medical assessment unit. The change that I would like implement in my area, medical assessment unit, is to introduce a wall mounted that shows date, day, time and location. The TV will also display seasonal slideshows that are visual cues as to the time of the year, and they give enjoyable outside pictorial view that is often not available and can also enhance conversations. I want to carry out the implementation since it will help the confused patients and those with dementia with their surroundings and to make them be aware of date and time. Thus, my objective is to minimize confusion and prevent healthcare team answering repeated questions. To successfully implement the changes, I am required to analyze the policy drivers, internal barriers and drivers, anticipated benefits, the strategies work team engagement and measuring success methods following the changes in the unit. The policy drivers refer to the principle adopted by the organization or team management (Bellman, 2003). It is heavily influenced public opinion, objective information, and the media. In this case, the medical assessment unit has diverse policies that drive to the need for change. Firstly, the unit is expected to implement standing protocols or orders that facilitate prompt, accurate patient treatment and assessment. Mounting a TV that contain the time and date will help in having accurate patient treatment and assessment. For instance, the patient is able to take their medicine on time as instructed by the doctor. Secondly, the medical assessment unit requires the application of an estimated time and date of discharge on admission to improve timely discharge and care coordination (Boshoff, & Bone, 2005).

A partnership agreement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A partnership agreement - Essay Example While such procedure will be effective in prevention of future conflicts, it has been found that conflicts are inevitable due to changes in laws and circumstances. It is also impossible to document every aspect of the partnership and as such, the document needs to be flexible enough to allow the inclusion of changing needs and circumstances of the partnership. Partnership agreements may need to be modified in the instance of divorce settlements, which may lead to the family members of a partner receiving shares, bankruptcy, death, retirement, disability, translocation of a partner, a partner intending to sell after getting a nice offer, debts taken out on the partnership. All of these reasons make strong the argument for the partnership agreement to be made flexible.Divorce Settlements  At the time of getting into marriage, many partners overlook many of the provisions of a partnership agreement. In most instances, it is assumed that divorce or separation will not occur.. However, it has to be acknowledged that divorce and separation are an inevitable occurrence of modern life. It is thus important that since the marital circumstances of the partners may change in the future the partnership agreement be flexible enough to allow the inclusion for the changing circumstances. It s estimated that about a million of the businesses in the US are co owned by wife and husbands in a partnership. That being said it is inevitable that conflicts will arise in instances of divorce or separation of the couple.... All of these reasons make strong the argument for the partnership agreement to be made flexible. Divorce Settlements At the time of getting into marriage, many partners overlook many of the provisions of a partnership agreement. In most instances, it is assumed that divorce or separation will not occur.. However, it has to be acknowledged that divorce and separation are an inevitable occurrence of modern life. It is thus important that since the marital circumstances of the partners may change in the future the partnership agreement be flexible enough to allow the inclusion for the changing circumstances. It s estimated that about a million of the businesses in the US are co owned by wife and husbands in a partnership. That being said it is inevitable that conflicts will arise in instances of divorce or separation of the couple. To add on to that many of the people who enter into business partnerships with other people other than their spouses are usually married. The resources broug ht into the business may thus be considered to belong to the family. Upon divorce, the couple may be required by law to divide the shares in the business in the interests of justice. A partnership agreement that does not take into account such things as divorce may thus need to be amended in order to accommodate the new dispensation. This is best exemplified in Estate of Cohen v. Booth Computers in which Cohen was suing her husband over shares held jointly by both of them. The judge ruled that Cohen was entitled to a share in the company by virtue of marriage since there was no express provision in the partnership agreement that was against such as scenario (Mahler, 2011). Bankruptcy Bankruptcy is the inability of a person to pay

Hitler's Rise to Power and Fascism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hitler's Rise to Power and Fascism - Essay Example Rather, he wanted to become the dictator of a Nazi Germany. This paper seeks to examine and analyze the events that took place between 1929 and 1934 that contributed to the rise of power of Hitler and evaluate how these events define fascism. The paper also tries to examine fascism and its nature from a Marxist viewpoint1. The late 1920s and early 1930s market the most unstable period in Germany socially, politically, and economically. Most of the government administrations were is a state of disarray, the populace scared and disillusioned, and the Great Depression of 1929 market the crumble of the economy before the eyes of the population. The events combined to create a precarious stature in the nation, a country looking for a saviour. However, the saviour came in form of fascism, an ideology whereby the all-power state dominates the individuals under the rule of one supreme leader. The hand â€Å"designated† to lead the Germany people out of the deceptions and problems was Adolf Hitler, the fascist dominator2. The challenges and difficulties of this period gave the Nazi party and Hitler an opportunity to employ their schemes and propaganda to gain favour with the disenchanted nation and win their trust, but importantly, manipulate their minds. By mid-1920s, Hitler was an established leader of the Nazi Party. Hitler’s success in his pilgrimage to higher power as a politician was due to his dominating and powerful personality. Hitler was not only a master orator and a charismatic speaker, but also his public speeches were so dynamic and passionate that he drove the crowds wild with enthusiasm. His devoted oratory prowess enabled him to make vague promises while avoiding details, by using simple catchy phrases and repeating them repeatedly3. Hitler’s authoritarian and dominance nature was the exact change that people of Germany were looking for after subjection to unsuccessful and indecisive muddling of Weimar government and other predecess ors. Another most significant factor that led t the rise of power of Hitler was the Treaty of Versailles, in five basic ways. First, the people of Germany believed that they had been betrayed because the Armistice was signed before the arrival of allied troops into German soil. Second, the treaty angered the people of Germany and caused economic and political disabilities. Third, the Weimar republic was moderate and weak, thus allowed things to get out of hand. Fourth, the German economy was over-dependent on American loans, which led to significant devastation after the Great Depression of 1929. Last, the Stock Market Crash and the subsequent increment of tariffs created tense international relations4. All these created the right condition for Hitler to seize power. After the Great Depression, the economy of Germany was in ruins, and the inflation rate was staggering. For majority of its citizens, the hyperinflation resulted to more suffering than the war5. This led to festering re sentment and anger among the people, not laying the blame on Kaiser’s war government that had initiated the borrowing trend. Instead, the blame was on Weimar government, which had signed the Versailles treaty to pay reparations. This meant that Germans were more willing to listen to extremists who advocated for the overthrow of the government. Among the most successful extremists was the Nazi Party, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. The famous Wall Street Crash and the resultant Great Depression of 1929 plunged the world into an economic slide. Most people fell

Law Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Law - Term Paper Example The author will also try to explain why Canada has the highest rate of illegal MP3 downloads in the world. The author will analyze the legislative acts that regulate the copyright protection in Canada and will point out their weak points, those that make illegal music downloading possible and, to some extent, legal. Examples of law cases based on illegal MP3 download will be produced and analyzed. The research paper will be concluded with several suggestions on how this situation might be improved in such a way that Canada is no longer the â€Å"winner† among the top countries with the highest level of piracy in music downloads. The USA Digital Millennium Copyright Act has certainly gained its â€Å"fans† among the people who not so long ago were downloading mp3s without any restriction and who now must check twice before accepting a download or a file-sharing. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act has outlawed many online activities, among which it is easy to find the mp3 downloading. So, unless you are a librarian who desperately believes that music is important for the library (and you can even prove it) or a researcher, there is no other legal way which would allow you to download or share music files in USA. The DMCA and the United States Copyright Law also outlaw making copies of copyrighted music, unless it is for personal use. The infringements include penalties of thousands of dollars and jail sentence is also possible. In the USA the copyright belongs to the composer and it is created from the moment that the composition is â€Å"fixed in any tangible medium of expression†1. So if one wishes to download that composition, it is recommended under the provisions of the US Copyright Law and the DMCA that he does it from an authorised legal site, by purchasing it from the provider. Furthermore, peer-to-peer sharing is also prohibited under the law regulations. In Canada, on the other hand, music downloading

Tommy Hilfiger The Struggles of an American Fashion Icon Case Study

Tommy Hilfiger The Struggles of an American Fashion Icon - Case Study Example The paper "Tommy Hilfiger The Struggles of an American Fashion Icon" discovers the American Fashion Icon, Tommy Hilfiger. Fashion companies remain relevant as long as they innovate and come up with new designs for their customers. People get easily bored when they simply get the variants of the same thing. For starting, Tommy Hilfiger was innovative and came out with brands that people coveted. However, nearing the end of the 1990s, the company slowed down its rate of innovation, instead focused on distribution, and opening more stores for the existing brands. Other brands came up and overtook the company in terms of both innovation and distribution. The turn of the century has witnessed many new fashion brands coming up to offer customers better clothes at cheaper prices. To survive such a landscape, Tommy Hilfiger needs to seek ways of covering all the loopholes available to its design, supply chain, and pricing models. In design, it should focus on a few brands that are still prof itable in its line of offers. This aspect would allow the company to eliminate wasting time and resources on unprofitable ventures. For the supply chain, the company can seek other ways of taking the clothes to the customers such as using companies specialized in supply chain management. The prices should be reduced a bit to match that of competitors but not to be too low that they cheapen the brand. Furthermore, increasing of influence sphere can also affect the sales, increase the overall company’s performance.

Communist Revolution and Confucianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Communist Revolution and Confucianism - Essay Example In fact, culture is so compact in China that instead of considering China as a political State, a lot of reviewers regards China as a cultural State. In this regard, two major cultural eras (political regimes) can be identified with China. There could be more than two eras but for the sake of this essay, the Confucian and Communist eras are discussed. In the Confucian era, China was to possess the dynastic system, which was overturned in 1911 to make way for the second era, which was the communist era after a supposedly a weak republican form of government existed until 1949 and through the civil war. The communist era continues to exist in China it started. The coming of the communist government was actually informed by a number of factors against the Confucian era. However though, it is evident in present day communist rule in China that traces of fundamental Confucian ideas exist. This essay seeks to explore why the communist revolution originally sought to quell Confucianism and why it has recently changed its tack and encouraged the renewal of Confucian ideas. Why the Communist Revolution originally sought to quell Confucianism One kingdom overthrows the other with a mentality to the citizenry that the latter has better options in terms of political rule. In contemporary world, overthrow of governments come commonly with democratic elections. In the case of the communist rule in China however, it all started with a revolution. Political revolution is said to be â€Å"a complete overthrow of the established government of a country or state by those who were previously subject to it; a forcible substitution of a new ruler or form of government† (Calvert in, 1970 in Pleuger, 2009). Because political revolutions are accompanied with forcible substitutions, it has always been expected that the overthrowing government has convincing reasons as to why it is the best and most pressing option. With the communist revolution, two major reasons why it wanted to originally quell Confucianism can be discussed. Debate over classification and identity In the first place, there was a great debate and outcry over the classification, identity or otherwise, mandate of Confucianism. Right from the onset, Confucianism was thought by many as not having a clear-cut and straight forward mission of existence. Even in some circles, it was said that Confucianism was thought to be of a heavenly mandate instead of a political one (Hays, 2008). This is to say that Confucianism was not well placed either as a religion, political party or a social club. Because of this, communists argued that Confucian rule had no political authorization to rule China. Because of the seemingly unclear mandate of Confucianism, it was argued that they were not able to rule with clearly defined political system, program and agenda. The communist revolution therefore criticized several fundamental political ideas of the Confucianism including the following documented by Hays (200 8). "Govern for the benefit of the people, reduce taxes, and recruit 'superior men' of any origin† â€Å"Promote the straight and throw out the twisted and people will keep order.† â€Å"The powerful must be benevolent in treating the weak: the weak must be wise in dealing with the powerful† (Hays, 2008). The communist therefore had a general perception that Confucianism

The Islamic Conquests Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Islamic Conquests - Essay Example In Empire to Commonwealth (12-19), historian Garth Fowden has delineated three separate geographical, cultural, and political spheres in Eurasia: China, India, and the Near East (the Fertile Crescent and the adjacent Mediterranean coast). These areas were all ancient centers of civilization and because of the distances and geographical barriers involved, had little interaction with each other. This is why China, India, and the Near East/Mediterranean can be thought of as continuous discrete civilizations even though throughout much of their history they lacked the political unity to provide full national identity. Although Islam eventually spread to all three areas, it origin and center lay in the Near East and it was only there that it became fully dominant. The Near East is unique among the three in having close interaction with a wide variety of surrounding areas. The Fertile Crescent is "a vortex that pulls inward and fuses what lies around it. So not only can the Fertile Crescent never enjoy long-term autonomy, but its unity can only be realized on a secure bases as part of a wider unification of the Iranian Plateau with the Mediterranean" (Fowden, 18). This unity was only achieved twice, in the first instance by the Achaemenid Empire (Alexander's fleeting unification of an even larger territory was based on Achaemenid Iran) in the sixth to fourth centuries BC, and in the seventh century by the Umayyad Caliphate. The initial Arab conquests unified the entire Fertile Crescent region with Iran for the first time in centuries, providing a secure economic, political, and geographical base fo r further conquests, for instance by allowing the Islamic state to compete on an even footing with the Byzantine navy (Fowden, 140). It may well be that the impetus to sustain large scale conquests into the eighth century came from the Islamic practice of providing for the army from the income of conquered lands collectively, rather than distributing the lands. This tended to keep the army in being (Karsh, 24). How did the initial Arab conquest succeed so well The Arabs' opponents in the area, the Byzantine and Sassanian Empires, were exhausted after a generation of fruitless war with each other over the Fertile Crescent and were in internal states of near collapse. In Iran, ultimately the loosing party in this conflict, on which the pressure was increased by Turkish invasions from the north (Christian, 260-285), the aftermath of defeat had led to assassination, civil war, and by 633 a state of anarchy in the empire (Nafziger and Walton, 18). Rome was also riven with internal dissensions (see below). So, to a large degree from a military perspective, the rapid Arab conquest of the Iranian state and of nearly half the territory of the Byzantine state, is to be attributed to the internal weakness of the defeated Empires rather to any special qualities of Islam. Other possible purely military factors to explain the Islamic conquests have been proposed, though with less plausibility. In Islam at War, Nafziger and Walton suggest a 'great man' solution to the problem of the Arab conquest, arguing that Khalid ibn al Waleed was "one of the great [sic] natural military leaders in all of human history" (16-17). But this hardly seems plausible. However remarkable Khalid's successes were on an operation level, and as astounding as his victories were, the were (as above) due more to the

Women and Work Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Women and Work - Annotated Bibliography Example This article demonstrates the implementation of a successful Quality Management System (QMS) by written and controlled procedures. A QMS prevents failures involving the supply chain, the brand, and customers, since it forms a basis for major company audits. The authors discuss four main steps involved in development of an effective QMS. First, statistical tools, and preferably a flow chart or a process map, is vital as it provides information on the path a product follows from the manufacturing stage. This becomes a control plan after its approval by quality assurance department. Secondly, a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FEMEA), is an advanced stage of product quality planning, which helps in identifying possible failures, and a FEMEA team may oversee the process. Systems validation protocols work to eliminate defects and lower the level of variation in the process of manufacturing. Finally, current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) is necessary for manufacturing companies to ensure their products meet the market requirements, as this will develop their product identity and quality. Therefore, companies must be develop and sustain a cGMP. Nonetheless, an effective QMS may fail or succeed, depending on the level of commitment of employees and management of a company.  This article demonstrates the implementation of a successful Quality Management System (QMS) by written and controlled procedures. A QMS prevents failures involving the supply chain, the brand, and customers, since it forms a basis for major company audits.

Writing and Communication Essay Example for Free

Writing and Communication Essay * What is the most common form of written communication in your workplace or in a workplace with which you are familiar? Is expository writing or technical writing the most common form of written communication in this workplace? Who is responsible for most of the technical writing in this workplace? I am working at an IT related firm. The most common form of communication in our organization is Mail and technical writing. Most of the time associates have to inform the managers for their updates, requirements, suggestions and grievances in form of Mail. Technical writing is also dominant in our organization as the products are technical. The technical writing responsibility is not shouldered by some individual. It depends upon the modules and team. Every team has someone to take care of technical writing as they work on different products and only the team members know better about that product. * What are some common issues you have seen with written communication in the workplace? One of the most difficult issues faced daily in our organization because of written communication is doubt clearance. It happens when we write a mail to some client or our team at different locations. If any doubt comes up, then it becomes very hard to solve it as further writing only adds to trouble. At last we have to go for voice communication which is costly. * How can an organization benefit from well-written communication? An organization can benefit very well if the written communication is effective. On of the biggest advantage of written communication is record of communication. In long term it benefits the organization. Because of written communication an organization can defend itself in case of any legal issue or problem. It also helps in having policies, rules and principles lay down properly and effectively. Also, in form of task assignment written communication appears to be handy. * How do written communication skills differ from verbal communication skills? What are the challenges a skilled verbal communicator might encounter when performing technical writing? Written communication skill differs very well from verbal skills. Written communication has to be more precise and to the point as it does not have any verbal expression to show the meaning hidden. In written communication one cannot come again to repeat or correct the sentence written in case it is perceived wrong by audiences, what we have in verbal communication. For a verbal communicator almost all its leverages become trouble in written communication. He has got to be precise and accurate. He/she will not be allowed to correct himself with facial expression. He cannot emphasize the sentence or dilute the meaning of a sentence with change in tone. In summary he has got to be precise and to the point.

Access Control Essay Example for Free

Access Control Essay In this scenario, the fitness club was hacked from an unknown source. The fitness club has contracted Malcom Testing Solutions to do penetration tests and find any vulnerabilities along with make some security changes to prevent this issue from happening again. The security policies need to be changed as far as account management. For starters, the security policies for account management need to be updated. The user’s password needs to changed every 90 days. Any employee that has remote access should have a token key on a USB drive that provides the user’s credentials. When an employee retires, quits, or gets fired, they accounts should be locked until IT administrators can go through the account. If the employee had a USB token for remote access, it should be taken back by the IT personnel to prevent unauthorized remote access. Penetration testing should be done to test the network for vulnerabilities. There are several types of penetration testing. â€Å"An automated port based scan is generally one of the first steps in a traditional penetration test because it helps obtain a basic overview of what may be available on the target network or host. Port based scanners check to determine whether a port on a remote host is able to receive a connection. See more:  First Poem for You Essay Generally, this will involve the protocols which utilize IP (such as TCP, UDP, ICMP, etc.), However, ports on other network protocols could be present as well dependent on the environment (for example, it’s quite common in large mainframe environments for SNA to be in use). Typically, a port can have one of two possible states: open – the port is able to receive data and closed – the port is not able to receive data. A service based vulnerability scanner is one which utilizes specific protocols to communicate with open ports on a remote host, to determine more  about the service that is running on that port. This is more precise than a port scan, because it does not rely on the port alone to determine what service is running. For example, a port scan may be able to identify that TCP port 8000 is open on a host, but it will not know based on that information alone what service is running there. A service scanner would attempt to communicate with the port using d ifferent protocols. If the service running on port 8000 is able to correctly communicate using HTTP, then it will be identified as a web server. Lastly, banner grabbing is the process of connecting to a specific port and examining data returned from the remote host to identify the service/application bound to that port. Often in the connection process, software will provide an identification string which may include information such as the name of the application, or information about which specific version of the software is running.† (Vulnerability Analysis, 2014) After the penetration testing, the system can be updated to mitigate any vulnerabilities that were found. Firewall changes, IP addresses can be allowed or denied, and software updates are some simple changes that can be made to make a network system more secure. References Vulnerability Analysis. (2014, August 16). http://www.pentest-standard.org/. Retrieved from http://www.pentest-standard.org/index.php/Vulnerability_Analysis

Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers: An Analysis

Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers: An Analysis This dissertation will look at the recruitment and retention of volunteers within St Lukes Hospice Charity Shops, based in London. Whilst some aspects will be similar to the recruitment and retention of paid employees, it is essential to understand the differences between the two groups of staff. The recruitment and retention of volunteers raises many of the same challenges as those involving paid workers, but the solutions may differ (Suff, 2008). However, Olga Aikin points out that the legal status of volunteers and the duties owed to them by employers are not necessarily clear. She believes that the ambiguity is caused by the term volunteer having no universal meaning. Aiken (2009) explains that at common law level the status is relatively simple. The status can be determined by asking the question did the parties have a binding contract? For an agreement to become a binding contract there has to be mutuality of obligations and an intention for the agreement to be legally binding. At common law the parties can agree that the agreement will not be legally binding (a so-called gentlemans agreement) (Aikin, 2009) Aiken goes on to clarify that it if often wrongly thought that a contract relating to employment must include monetary benefit, however this is not the case. For there to be a contract there must be mutuality of obligation, meaning that each party must receive some benefit, and be under some obligation. The individual must receive some consideration for his or her work. This consideration does not have to be money; it could include other benefits such as training or accommodation, however, mandatory training, or training to allow a volunteer to carry out their role is not excluded (Aikin, 2009). Due to this it is essential that volunteers do not receive benefits for their role. Whilst the paying of expenses is acceptable, St Lukes would be restricted in offering volunteers other benefits which fall outside of this. It is important to establish from the outset that the person is working in a voluntary capacity, to avoid the organisation facing problems further down the line, including possible claims for payment and other benefits related to employment. Formal volunteering is defined as unpaid voluntary work carried out with, or under the auspices of, an organisation., whilst informal volunteering is defined as unpaid or voluntary work carried out outside organisations, often at neighbourhood level, but outside the immediate family (Volunteer Development Agency, 2007). Phil Hope from the Cabinet Office (Association of Volunteer Managers, 2007) defines volunteering as: any non-compulsory activity which involves spending time, unpaid, doing something which is of benefit to others (excluding relatives), society or the environment The Volunteer Development Agency (2005) defines volunteering as The commitment of time and energy for the benefit of society and the community, the environment or individuals outside ones immediate family. It is undertaken freely and by choice, without concern for financial gain. The difference between paid staff and volunteers is often not clear. Kate Engles (Volunteering England, 2006) says that: Although both permanent staff and volunteers can be motivated by the cause of the organisation, for the former there is always the additional motivation of remuneration. So it is very important that volunteer managers are aware of the wider motivations that volunteers have, because that is why they are there. A paid employee will have a contract of employment and have clear workplace rights. A volunteer does not, so the relationship is based on reasonable expectations. It is important that the terminology in a volunteering agreement refers to role, and not job, description, for example, so that it is not inferred that the volunteer is a paid employee. Similarly, volunteers should only be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses, as any subsistence or payment could be construed as a wage. One of the other major differences between volunteers and paid staff is in the recruitment process. When recruiting paid staff the process results in the most suitable person for the job being appointed. With volunteers however, the approach is often different, with the process being a lot more flexible, allowing the organisation to tailor roles to suit the individual. If an individual if unsuitable for the role for which they have applied, it is often possible to point them in the direction of an alternative department or role, for which the organisation would be able to use them. This is a tactic that St Lukes use, predominantly when individuals under the age of 18 apply to volunteer within the hospice setting. Engles continues to say that there are some requirements which help to differentiate between the two groups. These include the organisation having a volunteering policy which sets out how the volunteering arrangement should work in practice, covering recruitment, supervision, training and development and reimbursement of expenses. WRVS also recommends having good-practice policies in place to manage the volunteer workforce, mirroring the approach of policies which are in place for permanent staff. This should include documentation which clearly sets out expectations for both volunteers and the organisation about what can be expected from volunteering. (Volunteering England, 2006) This was something that was implemented in 2008 at St Lukes Hospice, called a Statement of Mutual Expectation. The Statement of Mutual Expectation is a document which clearly states what is expected of volunteers whilst working at St Lukes, and what volunteers can expect from St Lukes whilst working for the organisation. It was drawn up in agreement with a volunteer focus group, to ensure that volunteers were in agreement and that the expectations were realistic from both parties. Suff (2008) believes that having the right person, in the right place, at the right time, is central to organisational performance. Recruitment is an essential activity for organisations as a whole, not just for the HR team, but also for line managers who have become increasingly involved in the selection process (CIPD, 2009). This principal does not just relate to the recruitment of paid employees, but to volunteers too. The volunteer recruitment process should reflect that of paid staff. Prior to recruiting for a position the CIPD recommends investing time to gather information relating to the role, including the roles purpose, the outputs required by the role holder and how it fits into the organisations structure. When considering the role it is also important to take in to account the skills and personal attributes needed to perform the role effectively (CIPD, 2009). This should be the first step in the recruitment process. This should also include looking at how volunteers will be supported and managed whilst working with the organisation. By including both paid staff and current volunteers in the planning process, it ensures that everyone has an input and understands the volunteers involvement. By involving senior management and board members in any planning, this ensures that the organisation has commitment at strategic level. The National Centre for Volunteering agrees that successful recruitment is heavily dependent upon organisations identifying what is needed from potential volunteers by understanding the specific roles, and recruiting to them (McCurley and Lynch, 1998). McCurley and Lynch (1998) found that there is evidence that shows potential volunteers are attracted to the type of tasks or the nature of the role when being recruited to an organisation. It is therefore important that these are in place before the recruitment process starts. As well as being attracted to the roles offered, each volunteer has a reason for wanting to give their time for free. By identifying these motivations, the organisation will be able to match the needs of the volunteer with the needs of the organisation. Motivation factors include a commitment to the organisation. Within a local Hospice this may be that a friend or relative has received care, meeting people and socialising, gaining skills, or utilising existing skills (Volunteering England, 2006). The 2008 Institute for Volunteering Research paper Young people help out: Volunteering and giving among young people explain that the volunteering agenda believes young people volunteering has a positive impact, including increasing skills and employability, enhancing social cohesion, integrating young people in to society and reducing crime and anti social behaviour. Once the role has been planned for, the organisation needs to generate interest from external individuals. This can be done by advertisements in newspapers, on commercial job boards and on websites, including the organisations (CIPD, 2009). Regional newspapers often offer free advertisement space to charities, which can benefit both the organisation and the publisher. CIPD believes that as the use of technology in recruitment increases, organisations are adapting, and creating databases or pools of ready candidates, who can be kept in reserve, for as and when positions in the organisation arise, without the need to re-advertise (CIPD, 2009). This is not an area that St Lukes have attempted, due to lack of technology within the organisation. Also, with so many voluntary positions in the organisation, the majority of people can be placed immediately. As well as the recruitment process identifying suitable individuals, it can also be used to allow candidates to find out more about the organisation. It is also used for the individual to assess the organisation, and decide whether it is the right environment for them to work. As the experience of all applicants impacts on their view of the organisation, it is vital that each stage of the recruitment process is managed effectively and to the best of the organisations ability (CIPD, 2009). This is particularly important in an organisation such as St Lukes Hospice, who are community based, and rely heavily on word of mouth for recruitment and support. WRVS uses a variety of methods to attract potential volunteers. These include local media, attendance at events, local recruitment campaigns and word of mouth. One consideration with word-of-mouth approaches is that there could be an impact on diversity if people of similar backgrounds are coming forward, so we balance that method with other promotional activities, head of people volunteering at WRVS Chris Dobson says The CIPD Recruitment, Retention and Turnover Annual Survey 2009 found that the number of voluntary, community and not-for-profit organisations experiencing difficulty in recruiting for one or more category of vacancy in 2009 has decreased, compared to the 2008 figure, from 82% to 79%. However, the same report found that organisations with fewer than 250 employees are increasingly finding difficulty in recruiting for one or more category of vacancy in 2009 at 83%, up from 80%. The previous year CIPD also believe that effective recruitment is crucial to organisations for successful day to day running, and that it should not only be carried out to fulfil current needs, but should consider future needs, which will impact on the organisations resourcing (CIPD, 2009). However, in such a small organisation, the luxury of future planning is not always possible. With so many volunteer roles needing filling, planning for the future is not a priority. For recruitment to be effective, it is essential that there needs to be some understanding on where potential volunteers would look for current opportunities. Volunteer Development Scotland (VDS) research (2006) shows that 69% of existing volunteers became involved in volunteering through being asked to help. VDS however found that from the group of people asked, comprising of existing volunteers and non volunteers that the most popular places people believed they would look include the library, internet, direct to the organisation which they are interested in, a volunteer centre, or by speaking to their family and friends. These findings differ from the reality. Organisations can use a variety of methods to recruit volunteers. One of these is promoting itself to potential volunteers. Ways of doing this include informal methods, such as word of mouth by existing volunteers, as well as more formal methods, such as advertising. Word of mouth should not be under estimated. In a community charity it is a very powerful tool. Danson (2003) found that those who did not have access to these networks would become excluded from volunteering. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“However, the socially excludedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are the least well informed about volunteering and the least networked into existing volunteers (Danson, 2003). For young people, aged 16 24 years, word of mouth was the most popular route in to volunteering (Institute for Volunteering Research, 2008). Institute for Volunteering Research (Gaskin, 2003) conducted research, using volunteers and non volunteers, and found that recruitment messages can be targeted to particular groups of people through advertising. What Gaskin was demonstrating, was that for a modern image of volunteering, organisations should use innovative media, emphasising the benefits of volunteering. For an outreach approach, organisations should be using talks, road shows and presence at public events, which could be incorporated with fundraising events. Lastly, for maximising word of mouth recruitment organisations should be encouraging current volunteers to act as ambassadors for volunteering within the organisation. Baird (2005) has found that often, non-volunteers have little knowledge of the activities undertaken by volunteers, or the number of hours and commitment which would be required of them to join an organisation. Baird also found that potential volunteers like to know how their time can make a difference to others, the organisation, or the environment and what they themselves could gain from volunteering. Whilst some volunteers like to know what they gain personally, this would also depend on their motivation for volunteering, as mentioned by Volunteering England. It is therefore important when planning and designing the volunteer role, to include information such as amount of time involved and any ongoing commitment requirements. It is vital to remember that volunteers are an important, if not invaluable resource for many organisations, and their recruitment and retention needs to be treated with as much care and detail as that of paid employees. Whilst motivational factors may differ between paid employees and volunteers, many aspects of people management remain the same. Volunteering is a major activity in the UK, with the  governments citizenship survey (2007) identifying that three-quarters (73%) of all adults in England and Wales undertook some form of volunteering in the previous 12 months, with almost half (48%) of adults surveyed claiming to do voluntary work on a regular basis, at least once a month (Suff, 2008). However, the extent to which volunteers are used within organisations varies considerably, ranging from organisations who solely depend on unpaid staff, to organisations who have minimal volunteer involvement. The Institute for volunteering Research (2008) found that in the previous year, 59% of organisations surveyed had experienced some problems with recruiting enough volunteers, with a similar proportion (57%) reporting difficulties in recruiting volunteers with the skills their organisation required. Kate Engles, Policy and Information Officer at Volunteering England, says that there is a range of support available for charities trying to attract volunteers, including volunteer centres, who offer advice to organisations on working with volunteers. They also advertise organisations volunteering opportunities to the local community. However, this is an approach that St Lukes have previously tried, using volunteer centres in Harrow and Brent, with little success. Chris Dobson, head of people volunteering at WRVS explains the demographic changes since the formation of WRVS 70 years ago (Volunteering England, 2009): Since WRVS was formed 70 years ago, peoples lifestyles have changed significantly. For example, at first there was a big group of women who did not work, but today most women do work and so do not necessarily have the free time to volunteer. This means we have to work a bit harder and be a bit more creative in how we attract potential volunteers. St Mungos, a homeless charity based in London, use a range of approaches to promote volunteering opportunities, including free advertising in London newspapers. This is an approach that St Lukes have tried in the past; however this was not very successful in terms of recruiting volunteers but did provide free press coverage to a large reader group. (Volunteering England, 2009) St Mungos is also registered with several national volunteering databases, as well as having forged links with University College London and London Metropolitan University, due to the universities course provision relating to the work done by St Mungos. St Lukes work closely with Thames Valley University, by providing accredited modules in Palliative Care as part of their degree programme. However, students who spend time at St Lukes as part of the module do not volunteer for the charity whilst training to become specialist palliative care nurses. They carry out supervised placements within the hospice, but no students have so far extended their time to volunteering outside of the module. When recruiting volunteers for the organisation it is important to understand diversity and the role which it should play. Diversity includes physical and non physical differences, with a number of personal characteristics covered by discrimination law. These give people protection against being treated unfairly, with the protected characteristics including age, race, disability, sex, religion and belief and sexual orientation. Diversity in volunteering should mean that people from diverse backgrounds, with diverse skills, can volunteer, regardless of any of these characteristics (CIPD, 2010). There are many compelling reasons to attract a diverse mix of volunteers, such as reflecting the community or client group, encouraging inclusion and encouraging new skills and backgrounds into the organisation, because there is greater flexibility in the recruitment process for volunteers, there is greater scope to encourage greater diversity. Kate Engles (Volunteering England, 2009) observes. The Institute for volunteering Researchs 2008 study found that more than half of participating organisations (56%) had experienced problems recruiting volunteers from a wide range of social and community backgrounds. Volunteer Development Agency (2005) states that when talking about a diverse organisation, it is one that represents the community that it is in. In an area as diverse as Harrow and Brent, this is a particularly relevant challenge, and one that needs to be overcome to ensure the future of volunteers within the hospice. Over the past 5 years WRVS has worked to implement a diversity strategy. This is in an attempt to enhance its reputation and image, resulting in widening its potential recruitment pool. The reason for WRVS implementing this was that it views volunteers as the public face of the organisation, and believes that if they reflect todays diverse society, then individuals will more easily identify with it (Volunteering England, 2009). For St Lukes, this is also an influencing factor, along with the need to diversify to continue to attract volunteers from the local community. The CIPD give several examples of why an organisation would want to become more diverse. To be competitive, everyone within the organisation needs to make their best contribution. By employing a diverse workforce, this allows for a more diverse skills mix. A diverse workforce can help in market competitiveness, opening up new market opportunities, increasing market share or expanding an organisations customer base. It can benefit the organisation by brining fresh ideas and perspectives from people with different experiences and backgrounds. It can also help to ensure that the services the organisation offers are relevant to the community (Volunteer Development Agency, 2005). To implement a diversity strategy within an organisation, it needs to start with buy in from senior management, and include changes in workplace behaviour, communication and training (CIPD, 2010). CIPD Recruitment, Retention and Turnover Annual Survey 2009 found that 94% of voluntary, community or not for profit organisations surveyed monitored recruitment to gain information on gender, ethnic origin, age and disability and 70% train interviewers to understand what diversity is and the impact on stereotypes. The benefits of having a diverse workforce are also highlighted in the Institute for Volunteering research paper Regular and occasional volunteers: How and why they help out (2008). The report found that although there are no significant differences between regular and occasional volunteers when it comes to gender or ethnicity, the age of the volunteer can make a difference. Volunteers aged 25 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 44 years old and more likely to be occasional volunteers, whilst those aged over 65 are more likely to commit to regular volunteering opportunities. Retention is the process in which employees are encouraged, through various means, to remain working for the organisation. This can be ongoing, or until the completion of the project. Employee retention is beneficial for both the organisation and the individual, and it is seen as the responsibility of the employer to ensure that the employee stays working for the organisation by using compensation, environment, support, growth and relationship. (CIPD, 2010) Retention of volunteers is just as important as the recruitment. Previous literature has cited negative experiences within organisations as well as personal factors, as reasons why people leave volunteering. Examples include lack of relevant training, poor supervision within the role and uninteresting duties (Alexander, 2000). Other factors include feelings of being overburdened and undervalued (Locke, Ellis Davis-Smith, 2003). Whilst it is not a fail safe way of ensuring high retention figures, there are many processes in place within the Shops Company which work towards addressing these issues. All volunteers are issued with a manual when commencing their role, which needs completing in agreement with the shop manager. Volunteers have set roles within the shops, and have regular parties to show appreciation for their hard work and commitment, along with birthday cards set as a sign of thanks. A thorough induction programme is also thought to be essential, to make volunteers feel comfortable, welcome and able to carry out their role with confidence. It should include an introduction to the organisation, including the organisations ethos and how they can personally contribute as a member of the volunteer team, an introduction to staff and volunteers with whom they will be working, an introduction to their new role, and also cover legislation, including health and safety (Help the Hospices, 2004). Beugen (in Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers, 2007) found that it is important to recognise that the needs and motivations of volunteers change over their time volunteering for an organisation. He believes that volunteers progress through a motivation life cycle, much the same as paid employees in any organisation. The first stage of Beugens life cycle of volunteers is the exploratory stage. This is when the new volunteers are still exploring the possibilities of being a volunteer, and trying out their new role within the organisation. At this stage Beugen believes that it is important to give reassurance to the volunteer, to find out their expectations and to discuss any uncertainties that they may have. The second stage of the life cycle is the period where volunteers are developing themselves and their role. They do this by analysing what they are doing and improving on their performance. Support for the volunteer doesnt need to be as intensive as the first stage during stage two, however it is still important to maintain contact with and encourage the volunteer. (Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers, 2007) Ongoing training is important during the second stage to allow for continual development. Beugen believes that this helps to create a sense of commitment to the organisation, resulting in higher retention rates. He also thinks that it is also important to recognise volunteers achievements and to acknowledge the value of their contribution to the organisation. Recognition can be formal (e.g. certificates, long service awards) or informal (e.g. birthday cards, cakes). The final stage of Beugens life cycle is maturity. This is where the volunteer is ready to share their skills and knowledge, and to support and lead other volunteers. In an organisation with a lot of volunteers, this stage of the life cycle is important, as it allows established volunteers to share their experiences and knowledge to newer volunteers, and to possibly give a different perspective on the role than that of a paid member of staff. By involving existing volunteers in this knowledge sharing it is preventing them from losing interest and motivation. Beugen points out that it is important to recognise that total retention isnt necessarily a good thing. He believes that once a volunteer has gained new skills and interests they may be ready to move on to another organisation. This may not be necessary if the organisation is large enough to have a range of roles to keep the volunteer motivated and interested. Holmes (in Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers, 2007) comments that the recruitment and retention procedures advised by many organisations are over-formal and similar to the personnel practices for paid staff. Despite this formal approach having advantages to both managers and volunteers in its structured approach research has found that volunteers often find this approach off-putting (Gaskin, 2003; Holmes, 2004). The Institute for volunteering Research (2003) asked volunteers what factors contribute to a satisfying and enduring volunteering experience in order to help organisations recruit and retain. IVR found that what puts volunteers off is feeling used, not appreciated, not consulted and not accommodated. They found that volunteers want to feel welcome, secure, respected, informed, well used and well managed. Since they do not have the incentive of financial gain, rewards must be supplied in other ways. Kate Engles (Volunteering England, 2009) comments: Many volunteer-involving organisations use volunteers Week in June to give awards or celebrate their volunteers by an outing or picnic, for example. Saying thank you costs nothing and goes a long way. Birthday cards or small gifts can also have a lot of meaning for the recipient. Birthday cards for all volunteers are sent annually, with tea parties held during volunteers week in June as recognition of the volunteer teams extensive work at St Lukes. At St Mungos, the belief if that if volunteers can see that they are making a difference within the charity, and that they are working for a professional organisation then this will  help boost retention. This is done by integrating volunteers in to the Mungos family, by making them feel like a part of the permanent workforce (Volunteering England, 2009). Similarly to the integration of volunteers at St Mungos, St Lukes have invested time in altering its culture. Historically, within St Lukes, volunteers and paid staff have been treated very differently, with separate inductions, handbooks, social events etc. However, since 2007 work has been carried out at St Lukes, to establish a less them and us culture. This work started with the setting up of several focus groups, to enable volunteers to have more input in to the organisation. Yet, since this work in 2007, retention rates have not improved. Approximately half of the organisations surveyed in the Volunteer Development Agency 2009 survey said that during the first quarter of 2009 the number of people applying to volunteering within their organisation had stayed the same, with 39% or organisations seeing an increase. The most common reason for an increase in applicants was that people wanted to increase their employability skills to aid finding paid work. The most common reason for decreases in volunteer applications because people had less time to come forward for volunteering. The organisations who stated that they saw an increase in volunteer application in the first quarter of 2009 were asked to clarify the % increase that they had seen compared to the same period in 2008. 59% said that they had seen an increase of 1-25% and 27% had seen a 26-50% increase. Looking towards the future, the organisations surveyed predicted that the major challenges facing them over the coming 6 months were related to funding / limited resources and the need to adapt to changing motivations / expectations of volunteers. 90% of the organisations who responded to this survey were from the Voluntary and Community sector. The remaining 10% were split between organisations with a remit in church / faith, sports and social enterprise. The largest had 1080 volunteers. Although extremely difficult the quantity, the perceived monetary worth of one hour of volunteers time to the organisations surveyed average out at  £9.24, which ranged from  £0- £30. With over 700 volunteers, it is estimated that St Lukes saves in excess of over  £1,000,000 per annum. Participating organisations are quoted as saying à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Volunteers at present are needing greater flexibility, this is ok to a point but does cause our organisation problems. Volunteers are not committing themselves for long periods any more, in the past the average duration for volunteers was 2-3 years, now that is down to 6-12 months (Volunteer Development Agency, 2009). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The majority of our volunteers are women and to date a few of them were unavailable to volunteer because they have had to look for paid work when their husbands became unemployed. This trend may increase (Volunteer Development Agency, 2009). In the report Volunteering in UK Hospices: looking to the future Smith, J (2004) estimates that each Hospice volunteer contributes approximately  £1,500 a year worth of work, using nearly  £200 of management time. Using this calculation it becomes clear how invaluable Hospice volunteers are, as the Shops operation would not be able to operate to such an extensive profit without them. With plans for the Hospice to continue expanding, and the opening of more shops in the local area, it is essential that the Hospice has a strategy in place to ensure that there is a constant supply of volunteers joining the workforce to allow this to happen. As well as looking at new ways of recruiting volunteers, it is vital that the Hospice acknowledges the need to retain the volunteers is currently utilises, as they have a wealth of knowledge. As well as knowledge, Smith, J (2004) identified that volunteer commitment increases with length of service. Statistics released by Volunteering England (2009) show that demand for volunteer placements in the 6 months prior to the report (March à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" September 2009) increased in 86% of volunteer placement centres. A recent survey by Howard Lake (2009) for Institute of Fundraising found that Hospices were bucking the economic gloom. Lake found that people in the South East of England were still volunteering, and believes this to

Allogeneic MCSs to make Cartilage for Knee Function

Allogeneic MCSs to make Cartilage for Knee Function INTRODUCTION: 1.1 What is Osteoarthritis? Articular cartilage is a highly resilient hyaline tissue composed of chondrocytes and surrounded by extracellular matrix present in a joint which act as shock absorber, protects the bones from the friction and wear and helps in smooth movement of the joint (Bhumiratana et al. 2014). Osteoarthritis is a disease of joint where lack of cartilage causes musculoskeletal pain and restriction of the movement or disability of the joint for the patient. (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010) (Duthey, 2015). Reasons for cartilage damage are: The impact / blow caused during sport activities or accident Wear and tear because of overuse of a joint (Observed in elderly people) Lack of movement (Medical News Today, 2017) Figure No.1. Osteoarthritis Affected Region Image Source: www.osteoosteoOsteoarthritisresearchuk.org Osteoarthritis can affect any joint present in the body. As the knee-joint Osteoarthritis is the most common type of Osteoarthritis, in this report, we will discuss about knee-joint Osteoarthritis only. Tibiofemoral and patellofemoral are the two articular surfaces that the knee consists of. As it can be seen in the below image, the damaged cartilage, reduces the gap between joint and friction is generated between the bones which ultimately results in bone erosion and causes muscle pain or inflammation or restriction to the movement. Figure No.2. Osteoarthritis affected Knee Image Source: http://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/directory/o/Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is estimated to affect 250 million people worldwide. Osteoarthritis sufferers include men and women, children and adults. And according to World Health Organization, 30% of men and women over the age of 65 have Osteoarthritis (Woolf and Pfleger, 2003). Worldwide, 9.6% of men and 18.0% of women over the age of 60 years have symptomatic Osteoarthritis. Approximately 80% of those with Osteoarthritis will have limitations in movement, and 25% cannot perform their major activities of daily life (Duthey, 2015). Figure No.3. Prevalence of Osteoarthritis of Knee Image Source: Burden of major musculoskeletal conditions, Bulletin of the WHO 2003 1.2 Treatments available for Osteoarthritis: There are various ways to cure Osteoarthritis when it is at the initial level, such as: Exercise and weight loss Bracing Medication Viscosupplementation Nutritional supplements (Duthey, 2015). But when it becomes incurable by exercise and medication, surgical operations must be performed. Surgical procedures include: Debridement i.e. Smoothening of the cartilage using surgical instruments Marrow Stimulation, a treatment which helps in regrowth of cartilage in the joint (but this process is less reliable) (Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis in the Knee, 2017). Mosaicplasty, a process where the cartilage from some other joint of body is used. But this process has size limitations (Medical News Today, 2017). Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, a treatment in which a small part of no-load bearing cartilage is removed from the joint of the patient by Arthroscopy, regrown and multiplied in the laboratory and then implanted back in the body by a procedure called arthrotomy. (Cartilage Repair, 2017) (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010) (Duthey, 2015). Even though the Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation seems effective and easy, it has many disadvantages such as: The patients cartilage sample must be removed by a medical procedure, marked/tagged and treated separately just like blood sample. This treatment requires big Logistics and Supply Chain. It requires a lot of time (approximately 6 weeks) for cells to multiply. Hence, till then the patient will suffer from pain (Peretti et al. 2000). 1.3 Proposed Treatment for Osteoarthritis: All these problems can be solved by Allogeneic Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell. For autologous transplant donor and receiver are same, whereas for allogeneic transplant, the donor and the receiver are different. The selection of the donor must be done carefully cause if the tissue type, i.e. HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigens) doesnt match, the patients body will treat the transplanted organ or tissue as a foreign body. It might result in GVHD i.e. Graft Vs Host Disease. It is a fatal immune system response against stem cell transplant (Si et al. 2011). Selection of donor for allogeneic transplant: Syngeneic (i.e. Twins) It is the perfect HLA match, but very few people have a twin. HLA- matched relative (sibling) It is the second preferred option as HLA will be closely matched. HLA-matched unrelated donor, it can be possible to find a donor whose HLA matches to the patient. HLA-mismatched family member, even though the HLA doesnt match, it has great chance that patients body may accept it. Umbilical cord blood, stem cells retrieved during birth of the patient and preserved in a cell bank. It will be safest of all but stem cells must be available (Flomenberg et al. 2004). Hence, allogeneic implant will make sure that the patient wont have to undergo two medical procedures, as seen in autologous chondrocyte implantation. 1.4 What are HMSCs? HMSC means Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells. They are multipotent cells, which have the ability to transform into bone, muscle, fat or cartilage, etc. upon the proper simulation of providing environmental conditions in the laboratory. They have potential for regeneration (Si et al. 2011) (Li, LHeureux and Elisseeff, 2011) (Wei, 2013). Figure No.4. Potential of MSCs Image Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241215.php Figure No.5. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Image Source: http://www.cytopeutics.com/IntroductionOfStemCells.html For knee restoration, cartilage cells are needed. Hence, the MSCs will be simulated for cartilage development. MSCs exists in almost all tissues. These cells can be easily obtained from bone marrow, adipose tissue, cord cells and molar cells, fetal liver, muscle, and lung (Ahmed and Hincke, 2014) (Si et al. 2011). 1.5 Product delivery to the Patient: For blood transfusion, the blood group and presence of Rh factor is checked and the matching blood is introduced into the body. Similarly, after checking the tissue (HLA) match, the best matching cells are chosen and regrown exponentially in the controlled environment of a laboratory. When the required number of cells, shape, and size is achieved, the cartilage is implanted into the patient via an open joint surgery named arthrotomy. This implanted cartilage will function exactly as that of the original cartilage. This cartilage will function properly for approximately 10 years (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010). 1.7 Functioning of the product in the patients body: Since, the HLA was matched, and the cartilage is manufactured using MSCs which has the same functional properties and characteristics that of the original cartilage, the function of the joint will return to normal. There wont be any complication after the treatment and that graft will be accepted by the body as a part of it, it wont be treated as a foreign body. MANUFACTURING FEASIBILITY REVIEW: 2.1 Current Manufacturing Technology and Scope for Future: Currently, the knee restoration is done via other surgical procedures. But because of those procedures have many limitations and they give only temporary relief, allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cell therapy will replace them in the coming time. Mesenchymal Stem Cell therapy is currently under development. Various tests are being performed on them in the laboratory (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010). First, the bone marrow or adipose tissue or cord sample is collected from the donor. Then the mesenchymal stem cells are separated out from other cells, such as fat or muscle by centrifugation or apheresis. These two density separation processes are feasible only for liquid. For the extraction from solid tissues, the slices of tissue are digested by the enzymes such as trypsin or collagenase. It breaks the bonding of cells i.e. the extracellular matrix (ECM) that holds the cells. Hence, the cell line is found (Li, LHeureux and Elisseeff, 2011). Then the cells are harvested. During the cell culture process, there are various parameters that need to be monitored, little inconsistency will result in subnormal product or it might be just a waste of product. Temperature, humidity, oxygen, pH level of the cell culture reagent, nutrient supply and waste removal are the physical parameters and cell count and cell viability are the biological parameters that need to be monitored (Schwamb, Puskeiler and Wiedemann, 2015). Once the desired number of cells is achieved, boundary for CMB (Condensed Mesenchymal Cell Bodies) is set. Then the cells are condensed to increase the seeding density as the cartilage requires higher seeding density. Then the fusion of the CMB happens. Now this fused CMB is pressurized against a porous decellularized bone matrix to create dense cellular region i.e. cartilage (Bhumiratana et al. 2014). As the knee joint is a mechanical tissue, physical stimulation is needed for its development. However, excessive stimulation can lead to cartilage damage (Ahmed and Hincke, 2010). Cartilage then sticks to the surface of that bone matrix and takes its shape while growing around it. Then it is removed from the bone matrix to implant into the knee joint of the patient (Bhumiratana et al. 2014). Figure No.6. Condensed Mesenchymal Cell Bodies Fusion Image Source: http://www.pnas.org/content/111/19/6940.abstract Currently, only culture plates and culture flasks are being used for allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells as it is still in testing phase (Schwamb, Puskeiler, and Wiedemann, 2015). Figure No.7. Culture flasks and plates Image Source: https://www.shutterstock.com But monitoring all these parameters becomes very hard when using flasks and plates. And the cells need to be shifted into bigger containers frequently. Also, flasks and plates are not useful for mass production because of size limitation and economic consideration. Hence, a device named bioreactor can replace them and still perform all those tasks efficiently. Figure No.8. Bioreactor for mass Cell Culture Image Source: http://www.bioc.rice.edu/bios576/nih_bioreactor/NDL_Bioreactor%20Page.html It is a container which is feasible for both aerobic and anaerobic cell culture and can be used for suspended as well as immobilized cells (Sandhya Anand, 2017). It can be operated in batch, fed batch and continuous mode. As MSCs are surface anchorage dependent, the extra agitation or stirring might result in damage to the tissue. And the MSCs require oxygen to grow, so it will be an aerobic, immobilized, batch production bioreactor. (Martin, Wendt and Heberer, 2004) (Oragui, Nannaparaju and Khan, 2011). 2.2 Challenges in mass production of MSCs: Large scale in vitro expansion of MSCs is very complex because maintaining cells quality attributes such as identity, potency, purity and safety is extremely hard. It is hard to monitor that the cells are not undergoing any quality changes while expansion and harvesting. Another challenge is obtaining required no of cells and their recovery. MSCs are not suspension type, but anchorage dependent therefore the surface area for anchorage and proliferation must be taken into account. As allogeneic treatments are supposed to be for a lot of people, hence the required no of cells must be extremely large. There are 3 major and 3 minor types of HLAs in MHC Class I and 3 major and 2 minor types of HLAs in MHC Class II. So, there are lots of variants to manufacture and maintain for the cartilage manufacturer. 2.3 Clinical Demand for Dosage: Even though there are 250 million people suffering from Osteoarthritis and 3.6% of them are suffering from knee Osteoarthritis i.e. 9 million people. More than 600,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the United States alone (A Nation in Motion, 2017). In UK 160,000 knee replacement surgeries are performed every year (Joint replacement statistics, 2017). As the cartilage manufactured in the laboratory exhibit almost similar properties that to the natural cartilage, it is expected to last approximately 50-60 years (i.e. Average human life) if there are no unexpected tragedies. Hence, once treated properly, the patient wont have to worry about the joint in his life again. 2.4 Supply Chain for Product: Figure No.9. Formation of Master Cell Bank First the cell line is chosen for culturing, it can be a well-known cell line or a newly found cell line. After certain passages, when the desired number of cells is achieved, the Master Cell Bank will be established. In this case, many Master Cell Banks are needed as there are many types of tissues. Then one portion of master cell bank will be used for research purpose, i.e. the working cell bank and the rest will be cryopreserved for future use. Good manufacturing practice protocol should be followed during cell culturing. Figure No.10. Clinical Process for Cell Culturing The working cell bank will be used for manufacturing of cells for mass production after testing is performed. Several production runs (i.e. Passages) will be performed to obtain the required number of cells. Then the cells will be cryopreserved in central storage and distributed via local channels until there is a patient who needs them. 2.5 Risk Assessment: The main aim of risk assessment is to prevent transmission of diseases, and avoid harm to individuals and the environment. In many countries, the performance of risk assessment is a legal requirement. (University of Manitoba) Risk Impact Probability of Occurrence Mitigation Strategy Tissue/cell origin Rejection of Cells Low Thorough testing of cell line Lack of Donor History Transmission of Disease Low Choosing a donor carefully Mismatch of HLA Graft vs Host Disease Intermediate Careful matching of HLA Environmental Changes Change in cell Quality High Close monitoring of environmental conditions Plasma Derived Material Cell line contamination with unwanted cells High Proper filtration of MSCs (Herberts, Kwa and Hermsen, 2011) 2.6 Biosafety Measure: Depending upon the as the product is human derived, Biosafety Level 2 practices, equipment and facilities are chosen. It is most suitable for clinical, diagnostic and teaching purposes. Laboratory personnel must maintain hygiene while entering and exiting the lab. Decontaminated of potentially infectious material must be done before disposal, either by a disinfectant, or by autoclaving. Personal protective equipment is only required when there is a possibility of exposure to hazardous material. The laboratory must be isolated from the general building. Laboratory personnel must be trained in handling pathogenic agents. Access to the laboratory should be limited during the work. Certain procedures in which infectious aerosols or splashes may be created biological safety cabinets or other physical containment equipment should be used and the rest can be performedÂÂ   on the open bench. Biosafety level 2 is suitable for indigenous moderate-risk agents. This includes various microbes that cause mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, human derived blood, body fluid, tissues, or primary cell lines (Inc, 2017). PROCESS MAP AND CELL GROWTH ANALYSIS: 3.1 Process Map: Figure No.11. Process Map for HMSC Therapy Process Description: Cell lines are created/chosen for each type of tissue (HLA). Shipping of the tissue sample to cell therapy processing facility. HMSC isolation and culturing in culture chambers (manual production using culture flask or culture plate) or bioreactor is performed. Fresh HMSCs are then tested for various parameters such as identity, potency, purity and safety, the modifications are done. Aliquoting of HMSC samples (i.e. Master Cell Bank) is done. Freezing and storage at -196 ÂÂ °C in Vapor Liquid Nitrogen (i.e. Cryopreservation) for future reference and use is done (Inc, 2017). Cells are thawed i.e. their temperature is brought up to normal room temperature and further increased to 37 ÂÂ °C (Normal Body Temperature) for best cell growth result (Inc, 2017). Cell characterization per release Criteria for Thawed HMSCs Expansion of thawed HMSCs using an incubator and/or bioreactor for production. Activation of HMSCs into final cell therapy product. Shipping of final product to medical treatment centre. Implantation of the cartilage into the patient by open joint surgery, i.e. arthrotomy (Harel, 2013). Cell Growth Analysis: As there are many types of tissues (HLA), testing for all of them must be performed and validated. Hence, the whole process will be repeated several times for each type of cells. Input Data: Desired seeding density= 1 million/ml Duration of Passage= 72 hours Doubling Time= 36 hours Efficiency= 80% (Average efficiency) Input Vial contains= 1.00E+09 cells Dose per Patient= 1.00E+09 cells =1 vial of dose Growth Rate= Ln (2) /Doubling Time= 0.019254 Seeding Density 1,000,000 Passage Duration 72 Doubling Time 36 Efficiency 0.8 Input Vial 1.00E+09 Growth Rate 0.019254 Phase 1 15 Patients Flask Dose Per Patient 1.00E+09 T25 MCB Creation Real SA Input Ideal SA Output Note T75 Thaw 1.00E+09 800.00 8.00E+08 All Flask of Same Size T175 Passage 1 700 6.40E+08 2560.00 2.56E+09 4*T175 T500 Passage 2 2500 2.05E+09 8192.00 8.19E+09 5*T500 T650 Passage 3 7800 6.55E+09 26214.40 2.62E+10 6*T1300 T1300 Passage 4 26000 2.10E+10 83886.08 8.39E+10 1*T26000 T3250 T6500 T26000 MCBs Created 21.51 Equivalent Vials 83.89 Cells Per 5-Layer flask 3.90E+09 Phase 1 Real SA Input Ideal SA Output Note Thaw 3.99E+09 3195.66 3.20E+09 Passage 1 3000 2.56E+09 10226.11 1.02E+10 6*T500 Passage 2 9100 8.18E+09 32723.56 3.27E+10 7*T1300 Dosages 3.27E+01 2.62E+01 For Phase 1 Testing 21 Master Cell Banks will be created in a 5-layer flask (T3250). It would be equivalent to the size of 83.89 input vials after 4 passages. From those 21 cell banks, 1 will be thawed and the rest will be cryopreserved. That 1 cell bank will be chosen as working cell bank and will be harvested for production. During Phase 1, treating 30 patients will be the target. Hence, 30 vials of doses should be manufactured during phase one. Every time 20% loss of cells is considered while changing the flask. And During passages, exponential growth will take place. Formula for Exponential Growth is: The Ideal surface area is calculated by: Flask size was kept uniform during every passage. And Actual Surface Area was always chosen less than Ideal Surface Area to maintain the desired density and environment. Flask of capacity 5-Layer was chosen for MCB creation. Calculations for MCB, Number of doses, After successful testing of phase 1, phase 2 will begin where 300 patients will be treated. So, 300 vials of cells will be required. PHASE 2 Real SA Input Ideal SA Output Note Thaw 3.99E+09 3195.66 3.20E+09 Passage 1 3000 2.56E+09 10226.11 1.02E+10 6*T500 Passage 2 9100 8.18E+09 32723.56 3.27E+10 7*T1300 Passage 3 32500 2.62E+10 104715.39 1.05E+11 5*T6500 Passage 4 104000 8.38E+10 335089.26 3.35E+11 4*T26000 Dosages 3.35E+02 For Phase 2 Testing After successful testing of phase 1 and phase 2, phase 3 will begin when mass production will start and 100s of 1000s of people will be treated with allogeneic HMSC derived cartilage. PHASE 3 Real SA Input Ideal SA Output Note Thaw 3.99E+09 3195.66 3.20E+09 Passage 1 3000 2.56E+09 10226.11 1.02E+10 6*T500 Passage 2 9100 8.18E+09 32723.56 3.27E+10 7*T1300 Passage 3 32500 2.62E+10 104715.39 1.05E+11 5*T6500 Passage 4 104000 8.38E+10 335089.26 3.35E+11 4*T26000 Passage 5 312000 2.68E+11 1072285.63 1.07E+12 12*T26000 Passage 6 1066000 8.58E+11 3431314.00 3.43E+12 41*T26000 Passage 7 3406000 2.75E+12 10980204.81 1.10E+13 131*T26000 Dosages 1.10E+04 For Phase 3 Since, there are 7 passages the process to manufacture 11000 vials will require approximately 25 (considered an extra time for changing flask) days. And at that rate 15 batches will be produced per year and approximately 165000 patients can be treated per year. As there are 6 types of tissues (HLA) total number of patients treated will be 990000 approximately. It will be equivalent to 11% of global demand. Using Bioreactor for Phase 3: Instead of using Culture flasks or plates, a bioreactor can be used for cell culturing. To check which of these two techniques will be more efficient, all the parameters are kept same. And total time of 7 passages will be considered as one passage time for bioreactor. Passage Duration 504 Doubling Time 36 PHASE