Survival of the Thinnest :: Health Diet Weight Papers

Survival of the Thinnest It all started with Eve. All she wanted to do was eat an apple and what happens? She gets kicked out of the Garden of Eden. It’s such a shame that the world viewed Eve’s sin as losing grace. To make matters worse, during the Renaissance the word â€Å"grace† described â€Å"beautiful† women.[i] Along came graceful Barbie the â€Å"ideal beautiful† woman. She gave all the little girls (and boys) something to dream about. Fast forward to the present. Images of perfection fill television, magazines, and even advertisements. Images that force average young adults, who make up the majority, to question the way they look. Does this make me look fat? I could spare to loose a few pounds, 50 if I’m lucky? Such thoughts consume the minds of millions. And it’s not just the girls; remember Adam got kicked out too. Plus what little girl didn’t think, Ken’s so dreamy? Ever since the dawn of time, it seems society has punished those who just want to eat. Kudos to society for consequently spawning the emaciation fad. So we need a drastic solution in order to reverse humanity’s negative body image crimes. Studies show there is alarming trend in extreme thinness due to starvation amongst high school to college students. In schools around America, teens are obsessing over perfecting their physical bodies. Students are dropping their books in the hopes of dropping something else- pounds. To be a part of the â€Å"In Crowd† they have to look the part right? In a study done by Denise Sloan, female college student participants from Florida and Pennsylvania completed a series of eating disorder questionnaires. Then the researchers measured and compared the girls’ body masses. The results? Brace yourselves folks, because what we are about to reveal is striking. Girls in warmer climates are at more risk when it comes to developing eating disorders. They also weigh less than girls who live in colder climates. Compare this to animals, where animals who live in colder climate need more body mass to keep warm. Who would have ever thought? The surveys also revealed that Florida girls care more about body image than Pennsylvania girls. So, Sloan concluded that, â€Å"The greater distortion of body image may result from the need to wear more revealing clothing.† In other words, body image anxiety increases during warm weather. Of course, since we all have to fit into that bathing suit.

Green Engineering

Date 11/17/11 | | Name: Manuel Tejada Activity: Sustainable Architectural Design Course: Materials and Processes (CD220) Instructor: Paul Debashis Green engineering is a much-needed approach to transform existing engineering disciplines and practices to those that promote sustainability. The concept of sustainability is to develop and implement technologically and economically viable products, processes, and systems that meet the needs of humanity, while protecting the environment.Green engineering is governed by the following principles: Use the least amount of energy to achieve any given task. Generate as much energy as possible using renewable resources. Generate the least amount of pollutants and by-products during energy generation. Use renewable and biodegradable materials to a maximum extent for building structures and fabricating products. Reduce waste during construction and fabrication. Design structures and products to maximize their life spans and minimize maintenance.De sign for easy deconstruction and facilitate the reuse of components and materials from obsolete structures and products in new construction and fabrication. Make the least impact on the environment. The obvious question is: Why are these principles not followed? The answer is: Because of economics, convenience, ignorance, and affluence, with economics playing the major role. For example, thermal power plants are still a more economical source for electrical energy compared to solar energy.However, the depletion of raw materials and the cost of controlling pollution and by-products are resulting in a steady increase in the cost of electricity produced by thermal power plants. This, in combination with the improved efficiency of solar cells, is making solar cells a viable alternative. In the area of energy production, the fraction of energy produced by renewable resources is still very small. The popular sources are coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear. Hydroelectric power plants are a long-standing renewable source.The growing sources of energy production are solar and wind. Fossil fuels generate carbon dioxide and large amounts of residues, such as fly ash and bottom ash. Philosophically, most of the energy we are using came from the Sun. For example, coal, oil, oil shale, and tar sand were produced over millions of years from forest growth. If we could harness solar radiation, then most of the world's energy needs could be met. To achieve this, the efficiency of solar cells has to be increased considerably.It is estimated that the Sun provides about 120 quadrillion watts of energy daily, while worldwide consumption is about 13. 5 trillion watts per year. In the next paragraph I will present the proposed of solar panels for a small business in Dominican Republic (Karina supermarket), which spends about 2160 kwh every month (0, 35 usd/kwh) $ 756 us monthly. For this project we are going to use solar panel that contains 4 cells, and each of them can produce 0. 45 volts and 100 milliamps, or 45 milliwatts. Each cell measures 2 inches by 0. 5 inches.In other words, with these solar cells you can generate 45 milliwatts in one square inch (6. 45 square cm). For the sake of discussion, let's assume that a panel can generate 70 milliwatts per square inch. To calculate how many square inches of solar panel you need for a Supermarket, I need to know: * How much power the supermarket consumes on average. * Where the supermarket is located (so you can calculate mean solar days, average rainfall, etc. ). This question is possible to answer because I have the specific location in mind.Considering that in the tropics the days are longer and the sun shines more. We'll assume that on an average day the solar panels generate their maximum power for 6 hours. Now we are going to do some calculation of how much solar electricity I need to power this supermarket. This means that what I would be powering with solar electricity are things like the refrigerator, the lights, the computer, the TV, stereo equipment, motors in things like furnace fans and the washer, etc. Let's say that all of those things average out to 3000 watts on average.Over the course of 24 hours, you need 3000 watts * 24 hours = 72,000 watt-hours per day. From our calculations and assumptions above, we know that a solar panel can generate 70 milliwatts per square inch * 5 hours = 350 milliwatt hours per day. Therefore you need about 205,000 square inches of solar panel for the supermarket. That's about 5 solar panel that measures about 285 square feet each one (about 26 square meters). The cost for each unit, including battery bank and installation $16,000-$20,000 us. Now we are going to compare the annual cost of both system solar panel Vs regular energy.Solar Panel Total energy peer year: (2160kwh/m) (12m) = 25,920kwh/y Total installation cost: (5panel) (20,000us) = $100,000us Total cost kwh: Total cost/Total energy peer year = $3. 858 us/kwh Regular energy Total ener gy peer year: (2160kwh/m) (12m) = 25,920kwh/y Total Cost: (25,920 kwh/y) (0, 35 usd/kwh) = $9,072 us Assume no change in the cost of the electricity and base in the calculation, this system will likely pay off in about 11 years. The average lifetime of solar panels is 40 years, so your investment will reap about 3 times the initial cost.

Electronic Document Preparation And Management Essay

An Operating System (OS) is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is a vital component of the system software in a computer system. Application programs require an operating system to function. An Application Software, also known as an application or an app, is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with documents. WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON OPERATING SYSTEM AND THE MOST COMMON APPLICATION SOFTWARE? Operating System The two most commonly used operating systems are Windows XP and Windows Vista. If you consider all versions of Windows to be the same product, then the most know about operating systems are windows and mac OS X but Linux is used more than mac.So the two most used operating systems are windows and mac. Microsoft even said that Linux is more of a threat than mac. Application Software Microsoft Office suite, in particular Word is very widely used. Other common applications on personal computers are Adobe Photoshop, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Sahara. Increasingly, software is being run on remote servers – there are network version of some of Microsoft Office, but services such as Facebook, Twitter and so on are application programs that run, largely, on remote servers. WHAT IS THE DIFFRENCE BETWEEN COMMUNICATION DEVICES AND COMMUNICATION MEDIA? Communication Media and Communication Devices deliver messages to a receiver or audience. Communication media can be referred to as â€Å"media† because a common definition for media inherently includes its purpose in communication. Media is â€Å"the means of communication, such as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely,† according to Dictionary, an online reference site. Communication devices are the tools used by senders and receivers to deliver and receive message. More specifically, â€Å"Communication devices route and transmit information to various devices, including radio and telephone systems,† according to GlobalSpec. Common examples of communication devices noted by GlobalSpec include telephones, cellular phones, wireless and GPS technology systems, radios and transmitters. Specific applications used in conjunction with physical and hardware devices also are noted as â€Å"communication devices.† These tools include various communication software applications, magnetic receivers, transmitters, and switchboards. BIBLIOGRAPHY * Ceruzzi, Paul E. (2000). A History of Modern Computing. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Link: http://en.wikipedia.org. * Bic, Lubomur F.; Shaw, Alan C. (2003). Operating Systems. Pearson: Prentice Hall. Link: http://en.wikipedia.org. Print Screen 1 Fig 1. The first print screen showing that the file was attached in my yahoo e-mail account Print Screen 2 Fig 2. Print screen showing when the document was sent

Ap World History Chapter 12-14 Vocabulary

Tarek Sahyoun AP World History Unit 3 Vocabulary * Bedouins are pretty much the stereotypical Arabs because of their culture based on herding camels and goats * I would have liked to be a Shaykh if I lived in a Bedouin society because they usually possessed large herds. * It is a Muslim practice to pray toward the city of Mecca. * I was surprised to hear that Muhammad's flight to Medina began the Muslim calendar. * The Umayyad clan dominated Mecca, and later became a Muslim dynasty. * Muhammad is the prophet that started the religion of Islam, which even today is a major religion. My grandmother reads the Qur'an in her free time. * If one is Muslim, one must always have faith in the Umma. * Muslims must pay zakat to the mosques to allow them to keep functioning. * The Five Pillars are the set of rules that all Muslims must follow. * Caliphs were doubted by many because they took the place of Muhammad although there were no official procedures to have someone follow the prophet. * Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad. * Abu Bakr had the privilege of succeeding Muhammad as the first caliph. * The Ridda Wars following Muhammad's death restored the unity of Islam. Jihad was the Islamic holy war. * Mu'awiya was the first Umayyad caliph and had a capital was Damascus * Today, Sunnis make up most of the Muslim population. * Today, Shia’s make up the minority of the Muslim population * Mawali people had many restrictions, although they were granted the right convert to Islam. * Dhimmis were known as â€Å"the people of the book† who originally included the Jews and the Christians. * The Abbasids dynasty succeeded the Umayyads after a long rivalry had ended. * Hadiths are â€Å"traditions† of the prophet Muhammad Wazir was the chief administrative official under the Abbasids * Dhows were used by Arab merchants, and helped them be very successful in quick trade. * The Ayan was the wealthy landed elite that emerged under the Abbasids * Al-Mah di failed to reconcile Shi'a moderates to his dynasty and to resolve the succession problem. * Harun al-Rashid was the most famous of the Abbasid caliphs * Buyids were Persian invaders of the 10th century that captured Baghdad * The Seljuk Turks were nomadic invaders from central Asia * There have been several accounts of Crusades in history of the world. Salah-ud-Din reconquered most of the crusader kingdoms. * Ibn Khaldun was a great Muslim historian * Al-Razi was a scientist who was incorrect, and classified all matter as animal, vegetable, and mineral. * Al-Biruni –was an advanced scientist who calculated the specific weight of major minerals. * The Ulama was made up of Islamic religious scholars. * Al-Ghazali was a brilliant Islamic theologian * Sufis were Islamic mystics, and spread Islam to many Afro-Asian regions. * Mongols were central Asian nomadic peoples, and later had one of the largest empires in the world. Chinggis Khan was a Mongol ruler, who would later play a large role in the history of the Mongols. * Mamluks were rulers of Egypt who descended from Turkish slaves * Muhammad ibn Qasim is respected because he was once the Arab general who conquered Sind and made it part of the Umayyad Empire * Although they are Arabic numerals, they are actually Indian. * Mahmud of Ghazni was ruler of an Afghan dynasty. * Muhammad of Ghur was a Persian ruler of a small Afghan kingdom. * Sati was a very cruel way of dying, for widowed women had to be burned with their deceased husbands. Bhaktic cults were Hindu religious groups who stressed the importance of strong emotional bonds between devotees and the gods or goddesses. * Kabir was Muslim mystic who played down the differences between Hinduism and Islam * Shrivijaya was the trading empire based on the Malacca straits * Malacca was a flourishing trading city in Malaya that was established a trading empire after the fall of Shrivijaya. * Demak was most powerful of the trading states on the north Java c oast. Stateless societies -societies of varying sizes organized through kingship and lacking the concentration of power found in centralized states * Maghrib is the Arabic term for northwestern Africa * The Almoravids built an empire reaching from the African savanna into Spain * The Almohadis built an empire reaching from the African savanna into Spain * Ethiopia is a Christian kingdom in the highlands of eastern Africa * Sahel is the term for the extensive grassland belt at the southern edge of the Sahara. Sudanic states are states trading with north Africa and mixing Islamic and indigenous ways * Mali is a state of the Malinke people centered between the Senegal and Niger rivers * Juula were Malinke merchants who traded throughout the Mali Empire and west Africa * Mansa was title of the ruler of Mali * Ibn Batuta was an Arab traveler throughout the Muslim world * Kankan Musa was legendary because of the wealth distributed along the way on a pilgrimage to Mecca. * Sundiata created a unified state that became the Mali Empire. * Songhay was the successor state to Mali. * Hausa states combined Islamic and indigenous beliefs. East African trading ports were urbanized commercial centers mixing African and Arab cultures. * Demographic transition is the term for the change from slow to rapid population growth. * Nok was the central Nigerian culture with a highly developed art style. * Yoruba was a highly urbanized Nigerian agriculturists organized into small city-states. * Luba peoples created a form of divine kingship where the ruler had powers ensuring fertility of people and crops. * Great Zimbabwe incorporated the greatest early buildings in sub-Saharan Africa * Justinian was a Byzantine emperor who failed to reconquer the western portions of the empire. The Body of Civil Law was the emperor Justinian's codification of Roman law. * The Byzantine weapon consisting of mixture of chemicals that ignited when exposed to water was known as Greek fire. * Icons are ima ges of religious figures venerated by Byzantine Christians. * Iconoclasm was the action of breaking of icons. * Manzikert was the Seljuk Turk victory which resulted in loss of the empire's rich Anatolian territory * Cyril and Methodius were Byzantine missionaries sent to convert eastern Europe and Balkans. * Kiev was a commercial city in Ukraine established by Scandinavians. Rurik is regarded as founder of Kievan Rus' in 855. * Vladmir I was a ruler of Kiev that converted kingdom to Orthodox Christianity. * Russian Orthodoxy was a Russian form of Christianity brought from Byzantine Empire. * Yaroslav was the last great Kievan monarch. * Boyars were Russian land-holding aristocrats. * Tatars were Mongols who conquered Russian cities. * The Middle Ages is known as the period in western European history between the fall of Roman Empire and the 15th century. * Gothic architecture is an architectural style developed in Western Europe. Vikings were seagoing Scandinavian raiders who disrup ted coastal areas of Europe. * Manorialism was a rural system of reciprocal relations between landlords and their peasant laborers during the Middle Ages. * Serfs were peasant agricultural laborers within the manorial system. * The three-field system was the practice of dividing land into thirds, rotating between two different crops and pasturage. * Clovis was a king of the Franks. * The Carolingians was royal house of Franks. * Charles Martel was the first Carolingian king of the Franks. * Charlemagne was a Carolingian monarch who established large empire in France and Germany. Holy Roman emperors were political heirs to Charlemagne's empire in northern Italy and Germany. * Feudalism was a personal relationship during the Middle Ages by which greater lords provided land to lesser lords in return for military service. * Vassals were members of the military elite who received land or a benefice from a lord in return for military service and loyalty. * The Capetians were a French dyna sty. * William the Conqueror invaded England from Normandy. * The Magna Carta represented principle of mutual limits and obligations between rulers and feudal aristocracy, and the supremacy of law. Parliaments are bodies representing privileged groups. * The Hundred Years War was a major conflict between England and France. * Pope Urban II organized the first Crusade in 1095. * Investiture is the practice of appointment of bishops * St. Clare of Assisi is the founder of a woman's monastic order * Gregory VII is a pope who attempted to free church from secular control; quarreled with Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV over practice of lay investiture of bishops * Thomas Aquinas was a creator of one of the great syntheses of medieval learning. Scholasticism is a dominant medieval philosophical approach. * Troubadours gave a new value to the emotion of love in Western tradition. * The Hanseatic League was an organization of north German and Scandinavian cities for the purpose of establishing a commercial alliance * Jacques Coeur’s career as banker to the French monarchy demonstrates new course of medieval commerce * Guilds stressed security and mutual control; limited membership, regulated apprenticeships, guaranteed good workmanship; held a privileged place in cities * The Black Death significantly reduced Europe's population. Columbus referred to the Native Americans as Indians. * Toltecs established capital at Tula following migration into central Mesoamerican plateau; strongly militaristic ethic, including cult of human sacrifice. * Aztecs also known as the Mexica established a large empire. * Tenochtitlan became center of Aztec power. * Calpulli were clans in Aztec society. * I think it would be pretty cool to work on a Chinampa. * Pochteca specialized in long-distance trade in luxury items. Inca socialism was an interpretation describing Inca society as a type of utopia * The Inca was a group of clans centered at Cuzco. * Pachacuti began the military campai gn that marked the creation of an Inca empire * Huayna Capac brought the empire to its greatest extent * Split inheritance is an Inca practice of ruler descent * Curacas were local rulers who the Inca left in office in return for loyalty. * Tambos were supply centers for Inca armies Quipu -system of knotted strings utilized by the Incas in place of a writing system; could contain numerical and other types of information for censuses and financial records * Period of the Six Dynasties -era of continuous warfare (220-589) among the many kingdoms that followed the fall of the Han * Wendi -member of prominent northern Chinese family during the era of Six Dynasties; established Sui dynasty in 589, with support from northern nomadic peoples * Li Yuan -Duke of Tang; minister for Yangdi; took over the empire after the assassination of Yangdi; 1st Tang ruler * Ministry of Public Rites -administered the examinations for state office during the Tang dynasty * Jinshi -title given students who p assed the most difficult examinations; became eligible for high office * Chan Buddhism -call Zen in Japan; stressed meditation and appreciation of natural and artistic beauty; popular among the elite * Mahayana (Pure Land) Buddhism -emphasized salvationist aspects of Chinese Buddhism; popular among the masses * Wuzong -Tang emperor (841-847); persecuted Buddhist monasteries and reduced influence of Buddhism in favor of Confucianism * Khitan nomads -founded Liao dynasty of Manchuria in 907; remained a threat to Song; very much influenced by Chinese culture * Zhao Kuangyin -general who founded Song dynasty; took royal name of Taizu * Zhu Xi -most prominent Neo-Confucian scholar during the Song dynasty; stressed importance of applying philosophical principles to everyday life * Wang Anshi -Confucian scholar and chief minister of a Song ruler in 1070s; introduced sweeping reforms based on Legalism; advocated greater state intervention in society * Southern Song -smaller surviving dynast y (1127-1279); presided over one of the greatest cultural reigns in world history * Jurchens -founders of Jin kingdom that succeeded the Liao in northern China; annexed most of Yellow River basin and forces Song to flee south * Grand Canal -great canal system begun by Yangdi; joined Yellow River region to the Yangtze basin * Junks -Chinese ships equipped with watertight bulkheads, stern-post rudders, compasses, and bamboo fenders; dominant force in Asian seas east of the Malayan peninsula * Flying money -Chinese credit instrument that provided vouchers to merchants to be redeemed at the end of a venture; reduced danger of robbery; an early form of currency * Footbinding -male imposed practice to mutilate women's feet in order to educe size; produced pain and restricted movement; helped to confine women to the household * Bi Sheng -11th c artisan; devised technique of printing with movable type; made it possible for China to be the most contemporary literate civilziation * Taika refo rms -attempt to remake Japanese monarch into an absolutist Chinese-style emperor; included attempts to create professional bureaucracy and peasant conscript army * Fujiwara -mid-9th c Japanese aristocratic family; exercised exceptional influence over imperial affairs; aided in decline of imperial power * Bushi -regional warrior leaders in Japan; ruled small kingdoms from fortresses; administered the law, supervised public works projects, and collected revenues; built up private armies * Samurai -mounted troops of the bushi; loyal to local lords, not the emperor * Seppuku -ritual suicide in Japan; also known as hari-kiri; demonstrated courage and was a means to restore family honor * Gumpei wars -waged for five years from 1180 on Honshu between the Taira and Minamoto families; ended in destruction of Taira * Bakufu -military government established by the Minamoto following Gumpei wars; centered at Kamakura; retained emperor, but real power resided in military government and samurai * Shoguns -military leaders of the bakufu Hojo -a warrior family closely allied with the Minamoto; dominated Kamakura regime and manipulated Minamoto rulers; ruled in name of emperor * Ashikaga Takuaji -member of Minamoto family; overthrew KamaKura regime and established Ashikaga shogunate (1336-1573); drove emperor from Kyoto to Yoshino * Daimyos -warlord rulers of small states following Onin war and disruption of Ashikaga shogunate; holding consolidated into unified and bounded mini-states * Choson -earliest Korean kingdom; conquered by Han in 109 BCE * Koguryo -tribal people of northern Korea; established an independent kingdom in the northern half of the peninsula; adopted cultural Sinification * Sinification -extensive adaptation of Chinese culture in other regions * Yi -dynasty (1392-1910); succeeded Koryo dynasty after Mongol invasions; restored aristocratic dominance and Chinese influence * Trung Sisters -leaders of a rebellion in Vietnam against Chinese rule in 39 CE; demons trates importance of women in Vietnamese society * Khmers and Chams -Indianized Vietnamese peoples defeated by northern government at Hanoi * Nguyen -southern Vietnamese dynasty with capital at Hue that hallenged northern Trinh dynasty with center at Hanoi * Chinggis Khan -born in 1170s; elected supreme Mongol ruler (khagan) in 1206; began the Mongols rise to world power; died 1227 * Tumens -basic fighting units of Mongol forces; made up of 10,000 cavalrymen divided into smaller units * Tangut -rulers of Xi-Xia kingdom of northwest China; during the southern Song period; conquered by Mongols in 1226 * Shamanistic religion -Mongol beliefs focused on nature spirits * Batu -grandson of Chinggis Khan and ruler of Golden Horde; invaded Russian in 1236 * Golden Horde -one of four regional subdivisions of the Mongol Empire after death of Chinggis Khan; conquered and ruled Russua during the 13th and 14th c * Prester John -a mythical Christian monarch whose kingdom supposedly had been cut of f from Europe by the Muslim conquests; some thought he was Chinggis Khan * Ilkhan khanate -one of four regional subdivisions of the Mongol empire after the death of Chinggis Khan; eventually included much of Abbasid empire * Hulegu -grandson of Chinggis Khan and rule of Ilkhan khanate; captured and destroyed Abbasid Baghdad * Mamluks -Muslim slave warriors; established dynasty in Egypt; led by Baibars defeated Mongols in 1260 * Kubilai Khan -grandson of Chinggis Khan; conquered China; established Yuan dynasty in 1271 * Chabi -influential wife of Kubilai Khan; demonstrated refusal of Mongol women to adopt restrictive social conventions of Confucian China * Nestorians -Asian Christian sect; cut off from Europe by Muslim invasions * White Lotus Society -secret religious society dedicated to overthrow of Yuan dynasty * Ju Yuanzhang -Chinese peasant who led successful revolt against Yuan; founded Ming dynasty * Timur-i-Lang -last major nomad leader; 14th c, known to the West as Tamerlane ; Turkic ruler of Samarkand; launched attacks in Persia, Fertile Crescent, India, southern Russia; empire disintegrated after his death in 1405 * Ottoman Empire -Turkish empire established in Asia Minor and eventually extending through the Middle East and the Balkans; conquered Constantinople in 1453 and ended Byzantine Empire * Ming Dynasty -replaced Mongal Yuan dynasty in China in 1368; lasted until 1644; initially mounted large trade expeditions to southern Asia and Africa; later concentrated on internal development within China * Zheng He -Muslim Chinese seaman; commanded expeditions throughout the Indian Ocean * Renaissance -cultural and political elite movement beginning in Italy circa 1400; rested on urban vitality and expanding commerce; produced iterature and art with distinctly more secular priorities than those of the European Middle Ages * Portugal, Castile, and Aragon -regional Iberian kingdoms; participated in reconquest of peninsula from Muslims; developed a vigorous military and religious agenda * Vivaldi brothers -Genoese explorers who attempted to find a western route to the â€Å"Indies†; precursors of European thrust into southern Atlantic * Henry the Navigator -Portuguese prince; sponsored Atlantic voyages; reflected the forces present in last postclassical Europe * Ethnocentrism -judging foreigners by the standards of one's own group; leads to problems in interpreting world history

Evaluation of Leadership Development Plan of Maersk Oil in Qatar

1.0 Introduction One of the biggest challenges of the modern business era is the retention of a talented and skilled workforce for business organizations, and the development of future leaders within a company. Business organizations are required to employ a dynamic strategy to respond to the needs and aspirations of their workforce. A smart, well-designed employee development program can benefit a business organization to great extent in this regard and shape the future of the company by individually shaping the leaders of the future. Prior research indicates that employee development program is linked to higher levels of performance and output. It can create a reservoir of knowledge that can enable business organizations to do better than their competitors. The most important development aspect of any employee is training them in leadership skills which can benefit the business as a whole. Transformational Leadership is a framework which, according to Barling, Christie and Hoption, promotes the qua lities of â€Å"idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration† (reference). By displaying motivational qualities and attitudes a leader can improve the efficiency, proficiency and well-being of employees. The aim of the proposed dissertation would be to investigate employees’ leadership development plan at ‘Maersk Oil’, particularly in reference to transformational leadership training. Maersk Oil has been operating in Qatar since the 1990s as a major oil company. It works on the Al-Shaheen Field which produces significant amount of petroleum. The company’s current production level stands at 300,000 barrels of oil per day. As a result of that, Al-Shaheen Field is predicted to be the biggest contributor to oil production in Qatar, making the company significant for the Oil industry and the overall economy of the country. Maersk Oil is a multinational company which is part of A.P. Moller â€⠀œ Maersk Group, operating in various parts of the world. Like any major multinational firm, Maersk Oil Qatar has a diverse workforce belonging to various nationalities (Maersk Oil, 2012). The diverse workforce present in the organization needs to be managed in an efficient and effective manner. The dissertation will try to identify the importance of a leadership development plan, investigate the current practices of the company, evaluate its effectiveness, and identify common obstacles for employee’s leadership development plan at the company. The dissertation will also propose some recommendations based on its findings for creating a viable improvement to the leadership development program. The dissertation will be divided into five chapters. The first chapter will be comprised of the introduction, overview of the research, background, and research objectives. The second chapter will detail the research methodology. The third chapter will present a literature review and the oretical background of the research. Fourth chapter will present the findings and analyze the data. Finally, chapter five will present the results and conclusions of the research. 1.1 Research Objectives Investigate to what extent does the company care for its employees through its leadership development plan Identify the significance of employees leadership development plan Investigate practices of employees leadership development plan Evaluate the effectiveness of employees leadership development Identify most common barriers for employees leadership development plan 1.2 Research Questions What is the employees’ attitude towards the company regarding its transformational leadership development program? Is transformational leadership more efficient than other forms of leadership? How does the transformational leadership benefit the objectives and goals of the company? What is the significance of the transformational leadership development plan for both the company and its employees? To what extent do the employees consider the development plan at the company efficient? What are the common barriers associated with the transformational leadership development plan at the company ? 1.3 Rationale for the Current Research Although there is a large array of literature on human resource development, practitioners often come under criticism for doing very little to evaluate the learning and development solutions that have been designed to deliver whereby significant and often scarce resources are allocated blindly in development plans that are considered to be effective (Harisson, 2005). When undergoing financial stress, organizations often downsize human resource development budgets. Human resource development personnel undergo tight scrutiny in justifying their expenditures and are required to prove the effectiveness of their employee development plans. Thus evaluation of employee leadership development plan is a viable solution. The importance of evaluation in further signified as the learning and development theory and practices in the modern day is undergoing a considerable change in order to keep up with new circumstantial requirements. In fact, one of the major changes occurring nowadays and in th e upcoming years is the organizational changes driven by ‘higher integration between coaching, organisational development (OD) and performance management’ (CIPD survey, 2010: pg.6). Similarly Sloman (2007) made several important propositions regarding the ongoing change in the employee development practices and approaches (see appendix 1). The shift in the learning and development approach and employee development practices signifies the importance of evaluating the current practices of an organization to see whether they are abreast with the prevailing best practices. Additionally, employee development approaches and practices of the oil and gas rich Middle Eastern countries and the Gulf Nations is an under-researched area in HRM literature. Moreover, the available literature regarding employee development practices generalizes the Middle East and the Arab World rather than addressing individual countries or companies (Harry, 2007). The existing gap in the literature p ays way for the current proposed study to evaluate the leadership development plan at Maesrk Oil in Qatar. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Definition of employee leadership development Employee development plans have been defined as a set of planned efforts by an organization which facilitates the learning and acquaintance of knowledge, specific skills and behaviors for its employees; all of which are essential for them to be successful in their current jobs (Goldstein, 1993). Dotta (2009) defines it as a â€Å"sequence of concurrent activities, initiatives and programs that an organization is involved with to maintain, improve and enhance the skills, capabilities and performance levels of its workforce and other staff members†. Employee development plan encapsulates various individual development plans. A leadership development plan goes one step further than this: as well as providing all of the support listed above the employee is also being trained for a management role through the subtle development of the most desirable qualities. According to Department of Defense of USA (2006), an individual employee development plan is â€Å"a tailored written plan developed by the supervisor and employee outlining the employee’s developmental objectives and the developmental activity for achieving these objectives. The purpose of an employee development plan is to increase the current proficiency, development, and progression of the employee through a systematic development plan†. The personal progression of an employee can only be realized if they have been instructed in the transformational leadership qualities which will optimize the business as a whole. Based on aforementioned definitions, several important points can be stated: Employees’ development plan is aimed at enhancing the capabilities and competencies of an organization’s workforce. Employees’ development plan is also crucial for the progression of a career path. Through leadership development it is common for organizations to train and develop their employees to occupy critical positions in future. A transformational leadership development pro gram helps employees to understand the key roles of leadership and develop qualities which will make them an inspirational motivator to their workforce. 2.2 Significance of transformational leadership development In today’s business environment, which is characterized as multi-faced, highly complex, extremely competitive, and dynamic, organizations are required to be very flexible and adaptable in order to survive and succeed. Employee development, a practice that seeks to assist organizations in meeting their business goals through continuous learning and development (Harisson, 2009) is a critical element for achieving that flexibility and adaptability. So much that often human resource development personnel are qualified as ‘agents of change’ (Harisson, 2009). It is only through continuous, effective learning and development of employees that modern day organizations can acquire the essential competencies to adapt to a new conjuncture. Transformational leadership is significant as it not only benefits the leader in question, but also the morale of the employees. Candidates for the development program will be taught the traditional methods of leadership, such as how to ta ke responsibility and effectively manage a team, while also being taught to be motivational, inspirational and influential among their colleagues (Barling, Christie and Hoption). 2.3 Best Practices in Employee Development Plan Numerous studies have recommended several successful approaches towards employee development programs. There is a general consensus among researchers regarding the foremost need for an organization to conduct an analysis of its existing needs and requirements (Jacobs and Jones, 1995; Clegg et al, 2005). According to Jacobs, (1995) an employee development can be rendered meaningless if it does not respond to the organizational needs. Existing needs and requirements can be identified through an effective market analysis, analysis of existing and future labor trends. (Clegg et al, 2005). Since every organization needs to secure its’ future in the business industry it stands to reason that leadership is a high priority in the organizations needs, and transformational leadership can arguably give the best opportunity for employees to grow and develop along with the requirements of the company. Apart from the needs’ assessment, several best practices have been identified by h uman resource practitioners and researchers. A survey of best practices of 71 companies practicing employee development activities identified three underlying factors important for an effective employee development plan. These are: (1) individual development plans should be developed for key and high potential employees with the ability to become future leaders (2) the individual development plans and practices should be strictly aligned with organizational strategies and goals, with the future of the company in mind and (3) the entire workforce should be facilitated for its progression through the developmental process (Reynolds, 2005). 3.0 Research Methods and Approach 3.1 Research Philosophy Identifying a research philosophy is imperative for designing a viable research method as it determines the manner in which information regarding a research problem/question is collected, evaluated and applied. Researcher have identified mainly three research philosophies namely positivist and interpretivist and realist (Galliers, 1991). A positivist research philosophy perceives reality as a constant phenomenon; something that can be perceived objectively (Levin, 1988). It is a stance of a natural scientist. According to Hirschheim (1985 p.33), â€Å"positivism has a long and rich historical tradition. It is so embedded in our society that knowledge claims not grounded in positivist thoughts are simply dismissed as ascientific and therefore invalid†. Interpretivism, on the other hand, seeks to understand reality from a subjective perception in order to make sense of motives, actions and intentions of those that they study. They emphasize the social construct of the reality (H usserl, 1965). Interpretivists contend that reality and its perceptions can be better understood by placing people in their social contexts (Hussey and Hussey, 1997). Realists believe that the existence of reality is independent of human thoughts, emotions and beliefs. The research philosophy underpinning the proposed research is interpretivism. The research aims to evaluate the employee leadership development plan of Maersk Oil through the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of its employees, managers, and executives; thus it aims to gain subjective insights for evaluation. 3.2 Research Approach and Strategy A research approach can be either deductive or inductive. The premise of a deductive approach is to test a hypothesis, explain casual relationships and enable generalization of a theory. On the other hand, inductive approach focuses upon building a theory by understanding a phenomenon seeking an answer for a question. The approach adopted for the proposed research is inductive, as this study will look to identify the weaknesses or strengths or the current employee development plan at Maersk Oil Qatar, and answer several proposed questions pertaining to its evaluation. The research strategy for this study will be exploratory as it will aim at providing insights and understanding of the nature of the phenomenon under study in new light. Within the exploratory approach, this study will utilize both qualitative and quantitative data. On one hand, statistical analysis will carried out for the survey responses which will be distributed among the employees of a company, whilst interviews wi ll be conducted with some senior officials and employees in order to gain insights regarding the evaluation of the employee development program. It will complement the understanding gained through the data analysis results. 3.3 Data Collection According to Yin (1994), there are five ways of collecting data; these are â€Å"experimental, surveys, archival analysis, history, and case studies†. This research will utilize a survey strategy. According to Kelley et. al, (2003) â€Å"the survey strategy refers to the selection of a relatively large sample of people from a pre-determined population, followed by the collection of data from those individuals. The researcher therefore uses information from a sample of individuals to make some inference about the wider population†. For the purpose of evaluating the employee leadership development plan, a questionnaire will be prepared, reviewed, and distributed to a random sample of Maersk Oil Qatar employees and people in leadership roles. Survey strategy will allow the researcher to collect a large amount of data within in short time with minimum costs and efforts (Naresh et.al, 2003). Interviews, the qualitative form of collecting data within survey method will be use d concurrently. Semi-structured interviews will be designed and conducted of several senior officials at the company. References CIPD (2010), ‘Annual Survey Report : Learning and Talent Development’, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, {online} http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/BC060DD1-EEA7-4929-9142-1AD7333F95E7/0/5215_Learning_talent_development_survey_report.pdf (cited on 13th September, 2012) Clegg ,S. et all, 2005: Managing Organizations: An introduction to Theory and Practice. Sage Cohen N., 2002?Pressure on AP Moller to Be Open,† Australasian Business Intelligence, April 23, Department of Defense of USA (2006) The individual development. {online} http://www.usuhs.mil/chr/idp.pdf (cited on 13th September, 2012) Dotta, P.(2009) ‘What Is an Employee Development Plan?’ {online}: http://www.ehow.com/about_5161579_employee-development-plan.html (cited on 13th September, 2012) Goldstein I. L., 1993 â€Å"Training in Organizations† (3rd Ed.) Pacific Grove, California: Books Cole Harrison, R. (2005) Learning and development. 4th ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Harrison, R. (2009) Learning and development. 5th ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development . Harry. W (2007) Employment Creation and Localization. The crucial human resource issue for GCC. Int Journal of Human Resource Management. Vol. 18, no.1, pp 132-146. Husserl, E. (1965), Phenomenology and the crisis of philosophy, New York: Harper Torchbooks. Hussey, J. & Hussey, R. (1997), Business Research: A practical guide for undergraduate and post-graduate students, London: MacMillan Press Ltd Jacob, R L and Jones, M J. (1995) Structures on Job Training- Unleashing Expertise in the Work Place. San Francisco. Berrett Koehler. Kelley, K., Clark, B., Brown, V., and Sitzia, J (2003) Good practice in the conduct and reporting of survey research. Int. Journal for Quality in Health Care. Volume 15, Issue 3 Pp. 261-266. Levin, D. M. (1988). The opening of vision: Nihilism and the postmodern situation. London: Routledge. LSA Global (2008) ‘Top 10 training best practices for effective learning and development programs’. {online} http://jobfunctions.bnet.com/abstract.aspx?do cid=375846 (cited on 13th September, 2012) Maersk Oil (2012) ‘About Us’ {online} http://www.maerskoil.com/ABOUTUS/Pages/AboutUs.aspx (cited on 13th September, 2012) Naresh,M. et.al.,(2003) Methodological issues in cross-cultural marketing research. International Marketing Review. 13 (5) 7-43 Reynolds, S.(2005) Training and development managers share best practices and courseware through LearnShare. Toledo Business Journal. 5(2) 155-163. Sloman, M. (2007) ‘The changing world of the trainer: emerging good practice’, Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Yin, R. K. (1994) Case Study Research. Design and Methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.

Homicide Crime Scene Investigation Essay

Criminal Investigation Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On November 3, 2000, the dead body of a female was spotted along Old Annapolis road, Columbia. The body, which was later identified as that of Ashley Smith, was first spotted by two truck drivers, who immediately notified police officers. The first police officers arrived at the scene at 1051 hours, checked the victim, and concluded that she was dead. A crime scene perimeter was then established to allow for further investigations and collection of evidence before the body was moved. According to studies, the first action that police officers need to take once they reach a crime scene is to ensure that the scene is secured (Howell, 1999). This is usually in an effort to prevent any tampering of evidence, as well as to create room for further investigation. According to the case study, D/CPL Case was assigned the role of the primary investigator. Hence, it was his responsibility to ensure that all the persons responsible were brought to boo k. Crime scene investigators are persons in charge of the entire CSI operation. Apart from establishing identities of victims as well as suspects of a crime scene, it is also the responsibility of the CSI investigator to acquire witness testimonies, link suspects to crime scenes, and exonerate the innocent (Byrd, 2000). The case study intends to analyze the manner in which the homicide investigation was conducted in addition to lessons learned from it. Reflection on Case Study   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In my opinion, the homicide investigation was conducted in a fair manner. This is because all processes were followed sequentially and in the right manner — that is, in accordance with the crime scene investigation procedures. For instance, police officers swung into action the moment they received news about a body spotted along the Old Annapolis road. According to studies, the first action that police officers ought to take once they reach a crime scene is to set up a perimeter to prevent vital evidence from being tampered with. One of the reasons why the investigation was conducted smoothly was due to the proper organization of the police officers in charge. After receiving the report about a dead body that had been located, an investigation panel was established in which D/CPL Case was to act as the primary investigator. Through this organization, no conflicts were witnessed among the police officers since all of the officers we re aware of their roles in the investigation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the investigation, D/CPL Case was of great importance; this is because all his ideas were successful, and it was through him that the investigation was successful. For instance, during the early days of the investigation, progress was quite slow since all leads were hitting a dead end. D/CPL Case increased the pace of the investigation after he announced a reward of $8,000 to anybody who would come forward with information regarding the killing of Ashley Smith. By announcing an award, D/CPL Case knew that somebody withholding information regarding the homicide would eventually come out, which was true. Although the homicide was announced in the media, not all information was aired; instead, some vital information was withheld. For instance, the media did not mention the sections where the victim was stabbed or the number of wounds inflicted on the victim’s body. Apart from the stabbings, nothing was said about strangulati on of the victim. This was a good move by D/CPL Case since these omissions were used as traps during the interrogation process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In my opinion, the interrogations were conducted in the right manner; this is because D/CPL Case ensured that he interrogated all the people whose names were mentioned during the interviews. In order to ensure that the interrogations went smoothly, D/CPL Case used a number of items. For instance, apart from photos and sketches of the crime scene, D/CPL Case also relied on forensic analysts, as well as pathologists, who aided in reconstructing the crime scene, hence, easing the interrogation operations. According to the case study, it is evident that D/CPL Case remained calm throughout the interrogation process since he was never in a hurry. For instance, whenever he was not satisfied with the information obtained during an interrogation, D/CPL Case would set up another interrogation with the same witness and attempt to acquire more information. It is through this tactic that D/CPL Case managed to acquire more information from Scott Jones. Although most of the interrogations were conducted in an appropriate manner, the same cannot be said when it comes to Fredrick Johnson. Although Scott admitted that he was with Johnson during the night of the murder, D/CPL Case interviewed Johnson only once before accusing him of first-degree murder. In my opinion, D/CPL Case was not just in the manner in which he interrogated Johnson. Although the case was solved successfully, the case study does not talk about what happened to the $8,000 award that had been advertised in the media. In my opinion, since nothing is mentioned about this award, the award was just a set-up that lured possible suspects to come forward. Crime Scene Investigation and Evidence Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Investigation of the homicide started on 11/3/00 when two truck drivers spotted the body and reported it to the police. After setting up a perimeter, thorough investigation of the crime scene commenced. Investigation at the crime scene was thorough since several professionals were present. For instance, apart from police officers, there were also photographers, forensic scientists, and pathologists. According to Assi (2010), the reason all investigation specialists need to be present is to replicate the crime scene before launching an investigation. For instance, whereas the role of police officers is to search the entire crime scene and take notes, photographing and sketching the crime scene is also of great importance. Taking photographs and sketching the scene makes it easy to review the crime scene in case something arises during the investigation (Howell, 1999). When taking photographs of a homicide investigation, several factors need to be considered. The face of the victim ought to be photographed for the purpose of identification when official investigations commence. Apart from the face, photographs should be taken of all wounds inflicted on the victim, all unusual marks appearing on the victim’s body, and the particularities of the victim’s clothing (Assi, 2010). In the case study, it is evident that crime scene investigators adhered to these requirements. This is because there are photographs depicting the victim’s face, all wounds inflicted on her, and the manner in which the victim was dressed. According to the photographs taken at the crime scene, it is evident that apart from being stabbed in the neck and abdominal area, the victim was also strangled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While still at the crime scene, a number of evidence materials were collected. For instance, apart from the two neoprene skullcaps located at the scene, the forensic scientists and crime scene technicians collected more evidence for further research in the lab. Other items collected included the victim’s blood sample, the victim’s clothes, and DNA swabbings from the victim’s ankles, mouth, vagina, and anus. After analyzing the evidence collected at the crime scene, the fact emerged that the victim had consumed alcohol prior to her death. Additionally, the victim had also engaged in a sexual activity moments before her death. This was discovered by the samples of sperms detected in her pants, vagina, and anus. According to the notes taken at the crime scene, the wounds inflicted on the victim were caused by knife stabbings. The murder weapon, which was later discovered by Richard Myers, was also forwarded to the laborat ory for further forensic investigation. After the media announcement, the investigators took note of two names, Scott Jones and Fredrick Johnson, which had been mentioned in three of the calls received. After setting up surveillance on the two primary suspects, investigators managed to get the suspects’ fingerprints from the cigarette butts they had discarded. These butts were used by the analysts to identify whether the two suspects had any links to the homicide. By the cigarette butts obtained, the investigators realized that the suspects’ DNA matched with the DNA acquired at the crime scene, as well as the murder weapon found. This critical information prompted police officers to apprehend the two suspects for further interrogations. Investigative Steps and Strategies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After successfully identifying the victim as Ashley Smith, the next step was to launch an investigation into the homicide, which would result in the arrest of the perpetrators. For the investigation to be successful, the investigating team used a number of steps and strategies. The first step was to get the full profile of the victim. Since she was still underage, her records were not available in the computer system; hence, it was D/CPL Case’s task to acquire this information from Mrs. Smith. After holding an interview with Mrs. Smith, D/CPL Case learned that, before her demise, Ashley had been a student at Grand Senior high school and had a female friend known as Heather Thomas. According to Mrs. Smith, Heather was the last person to see Ashley. Apart from Heather, Mrs. Smith also mentioned Jason Phelps, who had been Ashley’s boyfriend. The information marked the beginning of the investigation since more names were mentione d by Heather and Jason. Since most of the information acquired was not solid, the next step was to announce the homicide in the media and issue an award for anybody that would come forward with substantial information regarding the crime. According to the case study, this strategy was successful since more concrete evidence was obtained. Apart from the mentioning of names such as Scott and Johnson, this strategy also resulted in the identification of the murder weapon, which was a small knife. Richard Myers, the citizen who spotted the knife, presented the knife to a police officer after seeing the homicide report on television.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Assi (2010), when an investigation is still in the process, some information needs to be confidential. D/CPL Case applied this strategy by not releasing all information about the homicide to the media. Apart from D/CPL Case and the investigating team present at the crime scene, nobody else was aware of the number of wounds inflicted on the victim. Apart from the number of wounds, the media were also not told about the choking. D/CPL Case received many calls, but one call that caught his attention was the one he received on 11/30/00. On this particular day, a female caller claimed that, before her demise, Ashley had been in the company of three men, one of whom was Fredrick Johnson. The caller went on to state that Ashley had been raped by the three men before being killed by Johnson in a move to prevent her from reporting the incident. What made this call unique from the rest was that the caller claimed Ashley had been stabbed in the head and neck. The caller further said that two of the suspects were scratched by the victim during the process. It was this information that prompted D/CPL Case to establish a surveillance on the two main suspects. Although the investigating officers had pictures of the suspects, they were unable to verify the suspects accurately. Hence, with the help of P.O. Gummo, a traffic police officer, they were able to verify that, indeed, the suspects under surveillance were Scott Jones and Fredrick Johnson. Interview of Witnesses and Interrogation of Suspects   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Howell (1999), interviews and interrogations are part of the investigation process since more information is acquired during the process. Apart from interrogating witnesses, investigators also need interrogate all suspects whose names are mentioned. According to the case study, the first person to be interviewed was Mrs. Smith, the victim’s mother. Through this interview, it was noted that the victim had been fond of sneaking out of the house at night. Apart from sneaking out, the victim had also been in a number of love relationships, and her last boyfriend was known as Jason Phelps. During the interview, Mrs. Smith claimed that Ashley had had a close friend known as Heather Thomas. Apart from Mrs. Smith, D/CPL Case also interrogated Heather Thomas. During the interview, D/CPL Case noted that Heather was not telling the whole truth. D/CPL Case wished to apply a polygraph examination on Heather, but her parents were aga inst this idea. Hence, D/CPL Case only asked random questions, which Heather answered. D/CPL Case took the record of the interview to Det. Shelly Madison, who later claimed that out of the nine answers given by Heather Thomas, four were wrong. This was enough evidence to show that that Heather Thomas had not been truthful. It was not until the fourth interrogation that Heather Thomas confessed to knowing Fredrick Johnson. D/CPL Case also interrogated Scott Jones and Fredrick Johnson, who was the primary suspect of the homicide investigation. According to the case study, Scott was interrogated more thoroughly than Fredrick. This is because Fredrick requested an attorney. Hence, he was never questioned. At first, Scott denied taking part in the homicide. However, after numerous interrogations by D/CPL Case, Scott finally confessed to taking part in the killing. Constitutional Challenges   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the investigation, there were a number of motions aimed at suppressing some of the evidences. For instance, there was a motion filed to suppress the murder weapon located in the crime scene. The murder weapon, a knife, was brought in by Richard Myers, an American citizen. In my opinion, this item was legally obtained since it was brought in after an advertisement was placed in the media. Apart from the knife, another motion filed was that of illegal surveillance. According to studies, one is in violation of the fourth Amendment if he or she interferes with the privacy of a person by either watching or listening to the Person (Couenhoven, n.d). In my opinion, D/CPL Case and the investigation team went against the fourth amendment after they illegally placed surveillance on Scott and Fredrick. There was also a motion filed on some of the confessions made. It is against the fourth amendment for a witness to be interrogated for a long p eriod (NCIDS, 2002). Due to this, it is therefore evident that Scott was coerced to make confessions during the interrogation, hence, there is high chance that not all the information provided by the suspect was accurate. In my opinion, the information provided by Scott was not legally obtained. It is also against the law for enforcers to acquire information from witnesses and suspects without a warrant (Find Law, 2014). In the case study, D/CPL Case and the investigation team acquired the DNA of Scott and Fredrick after illegally acquiring the suspects’ cigarette butts that they had discarded without the suspects’ consent. Due to this, it is therefore evident that the law enforcers did not acquire the item legally. Lesson Learnt and the Applications   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The case study has been quite beneficial since through it, I have been able to comprehend most of the lessons I acquired in class concerning the investigation strategies and procedures of a homicide. First, a crime scene needs to be secured by the first police officers to arrive at the scene. In the case study, PFC. Malcolm was the first police officer to arrive at the scene. After confirming that the victim was dead, he established a perimeter around the crime scene. Secondly, after securing the crime scene, investigators need to take photographs of the scene as well as the victim. Apart from taking photographs, they also need to produce sketches of the entire scene. In the case study, apart from sketches, there are also photographs of the victim as well as the crime scene. These photos showed the wounds inflicted on the victim, the posture in which the victim was found, and the manner in which she was clothed when she was first identifie d. After taking photographs, investigators need to ensure that they collect all the evidence required. In the case study, apart from the victim’s blood samples, other evidence collected included her clothes as well as swabs from her mouth, vagina, and anus. Finally, crime scene investigators need to interview all witnesses as well as suspects whose names are mentioned. These interviews are of great importance to the investigation since they enable investigators in identifying the main suspects. In the case study, it was through numerous investigations that D/CPL Case and his investigating team were able to identify the main suspects of the homicide. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On 11/3/00, a female body was found in Columbia along the Old Annapolis road. The body was later identified as that of Ashley Smith. During the investigation, it was noted that the victim was not only stabbed, but was also choked. According to tests conducted in the laboratory, prior to her death, the victim had engaged in sexual activities. This was due to the detection of sperms in her pants, vagina, and anus. After collection of evidence, an investigation was launched to identify perpetrators of the homicide. Apart from the victim’s mother, interrogations were also conducted on Heather Thomas, Jason Phelps, Ronnie Emden, Scott Jones, Fredrick Johnson, Michael Stewart, and Janet Jones and Crystal Jones. It was through the interrogations that the investigation team was able to identify Scott and Johnson as the main perpetrators of the homicide. In my opinion, the information addressed in the case study has been quite beneficial. Th is is because, through the case study, I have been able to fully comprehend the information learned in the classroom. References Assi, H. (2010). Homicide Crime Scene Investigation. Retrieved on 10 December 2014 from www.justiceacademy.org/iShare/Library-Training/Homicide-Scene-Manual.pdf Byrd, M. (2000). â€Å"Duty Description for the Crime Scene Investigator.† Crime Scene Investigator Network. Retrieved on 9 December 2014 from http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/dutydescription.html Couenhoven,P. (n.d). Suppressing Confessions: Involuntariness and Miranda. Retrieved on 12 December 2014 from www.sdap.org/downloads/research/criminal/confessions.pdf Find Law. (2014). The Fourth Amendment and the â€Å"Exclusionary Rule†. Retrieved on 12 December 2014 from http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-rights/the-fourth-amendment-and-the-exclusionary-rule.html Howell, J. (1999). Homicide Investigation Standard Operating Procedures. Retrieved on 9 December 2014 from www.policeforum.org/assets/docs/Free_Online_Documents/Homicide/homicide%20investigation%20standard%20operating%20procedures%201999.pdf NCIDS. (2002). Chapter 14: Suppression Motions. Retrieved on 12 December 2014 from www.ncids.org/Defender%20Training/Drug%20Case%20Training/Supp_Motions.pdf Source document

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 9

Strategic Management - Essay Example Ryanair is an affordable air travel service provider that gives customers the option of using a high quality air flight service for medium and short-haul across many locations across European destinations. It commenced service as a normal airliner operating out of Ireland competing with Aer Lingus in 1985.However by 1990, having suffered heavy losses and changing five chief executives. The sixth and the current incumbent Michael O’Leary decided to follow the pattern for low cost flyers set by Southwest Airlines of USA. He was right in his assessment of the market and diagnosed correctly that this was the way to survive and succeed. Ever since its inception in 1971 Southwest Airlines has been a star. It has never suffered a loss, even during the turbulent years when almost 40% of the US Airlines either applied for bankruptcy for survival or became defunct. It is a low cost/low fare carrier that depends on its low fares, short hauls and the shortest turnaround times. The fares are at least 30% below its competition, maximum flight time is 60-90 minutes between two points, and shortest ground time that is routinely 24-27 minutes between landings and takes off of an aircraft. Fundamentally the change brought about by O’Leary has transformed the company and put it in an aggressive mode. It has not only made the competition sit up but to emulate its practices. Ryanair successfully applied all the criteria that were innovatively designed and adopted by Southwest and O’Leary has no hesitation in stating that they are his ideals too. However, Ryanair has fallen short on imitating Southwest specially in the Human Relations department where they still face some issues now and then unlike Southwest where this department is handled in an exemplary manner and where the employee is King. Ryanair appears to have a confrontist attitude and is in always some conflict or the other be it with authorities;