Police Interrogation And False Confessions - 802 Words

Police Interrogation and false confessions can damage an adolescent life if they are innocent. There are several things that the police should always keep in mind when integrating a juvenile, understanding a juvenile brain, make sure parents are present when talking to them, don t let them confess to crimes they did not commit, and make sure they understand about waiving and Attorney. Hypothesis, this paper will cover the high pressure of interrogations and false confessions from the police, and how adolescents are exposed to various interrogations tactics. Example, if an juvenile have confessed to a crime because of being pressured to do so by the police are said to have a higher percentage of being found guilty of the crime. This story will support the hypotheses. Police Interrogations and False Confessions 3 In research regarding juvenile ages 13-17 behavior scientific studies of the brain regions associated with emotional impulses and impulse control conclude that adolescent brains are more active than adults brains in regions controlling aggression and fear, and less active than adult brains in area controlling risk assessment and impulse control regions. (1 ) underdeveloped sense of responsibility, which leads to impulsive and reckless decisions, (2) inability to remove himself from negative influences and vulnerability to such negative influences and pressures, and (3) underdeveloped moralShow MoreRelatedPolice Interrogation And False Confessions1697 Words   |  7 Pages Police Interrogations and False Confessions Introduction Police interrogation is a technique that police have used to gather information from anyone involved with a crime for hundreds of years. Police interrogations can last a few minutes to several hours. The police have a right to continue questioning the suspect until they ask for a lawyer (Kassin, 2013). The suspects’ call for a lawyer is a right under the Miranda Rights. In the process of interrogation, the police are not allowed to use cruelRead MorePolice Tactics And False Confessions1432 Words   |  6 PagesPolice Tactics and False Confessions In recent years, there have been multiple high-profile cases of people being exonerated, often by DNA testing, after giving a false confession to a crime they did not commit. People who often fall into this trap are juveniles or those with a diminished mental capacity (Redlich, 2009). DNA testing has helped many innocent people that gave false confessions be free again. This trend brings up the question of how were they able to give a false confession. UsingRead MoreFalse Confession And Justice Miscarriage : Perspectives And The Truth1678 Words   |  7 PagesFalse Confession to Justice Miscarriage: Perspectives and the Truth For a society that is greatly influenced by Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Minds and Bones, a confession of the offender is seen as an ultimate checkmate of a case. A confession, especially the ones with detailed account and perfect representation of emotions (Leo, 2008), implies the guilt of the confessor, outweighs the evidences of innocence and stirs the case against the accused (Kassin Wrightsman, 1985). However, notRead MoreFalse Confession : Criminal Minds And Bones1715 Words   |  7 PagesInvestigation, Criminal Minds and Bones, a confession of the offender is seen as an ultimate checkmate of the case because it implies the guilt of the confessor. Thus, a confession, especially the ones with detailed account and perfect representation of emotions (Leo, 2008), outweighs the evidences of innocence and stirs the case against the accused (Kassin Wrightsman, 1985). People believe that they are open-minded about the possibility of false confession but in reality, the public , law enforcersRead MoreTrue Crimes False Confessions1566 Words   |  6 PagesHispanic-American boys were arrested and charged with the crime based solely on the confessions obtained by the police. There was no physical evidence tying any of the boys to the crime. Four of the confessions were videotaped and were later used in court to incriminate the boys. The boys described the crime in gruesome detail and the role that each of them played in the crime. After the arrests, the boys all recanted their confessions, and said that the reason that they felt compelled to confess was becauseRead MoreConfessions By Saul M. Kassin1471 Words   |  6 Pages1.False Confessions by Saul M. Kassin Within the criminal forensic field, there has been a shift in research dealing with DNA exoneration and placing guilt of a crime on the legitimate perpetrator. This scholarly article outlines the implications of DNA exoneration and false confessions, specifically the methods that are used to coerce an individual into confessing falsely. The risk factors for a false confession that are discussed include; interrogation technique such as lengthy sessions, presentationsRead MoreA Case About A Female Jogger1386 Words   |  6 Pageswho was raped, horrendously beaten, and left abandoned in the park. The female jogger survived, but lost her memory regarding the event. Police found five boys who were apparently being wild in the park. They were convicted of the crime, even though there was no physical evidence of them committing the crime. Four of the boys were videotaped for the interrogation. All of them confessed to committing the crime in shocking detail and were sentenced to prison. Thirteen years later, a man named MatiasRead MoreThere are several reasons to why people falsely confess to crimes. This will include different1500 Words   |  6 Pagesoverzealous prosecutor who refuses to accept that the confession does not march the facts of the case and many reasons. Through history we understand that a confession was treated as a conviction. The use of physical torture was very rampant and was used as a means to extract confessions, and at that time all confessions were routinely admitted into evidence without question. However, gradually over the centuries, the status of confessions in the legal system shifted from the courts’ limiting theRead MoreAn Article About A Murder Trial1097 Words   |  5 PagesImagine Sergeant John Hopkins of the Ontario Provincial Police has just called you in for an interrogation. Knowing that you did not commit a crime, you enter the isolated and boring interrogation room. Now stuck in a room being completely bombarded by questions and accusations, thinking that hopefully someone could see what was happening to you inside this room. They keep you their for six hours, tired both physically and mentally exhausted. All you can think of, to get out of this situation, isRead MoreIs The Reid Technique The Best So lution?1710 Words   |  7 PagesA confession is one of the strongest forms of evidence that can be brought into a court of law. In the United States criminal justice system, prosecutors quickly and swiftly seek confessions as they are the most persuasive evidence to win cases. Interrogations are conducted by law enforcement officials in an effort to seek confessions and develop details about crimes.Communication is key to the art of interrogation. Detectives sometimes end up with false confessions from innocent suspects by using

Night World The Chosen Chapter 9 Free Essays

How long since he’d identified with humans? That had all stopped the day he stopped being human himself. Not at the moment he’d stopped being human, though. At first all his anger had been for Hunter Redfern†¦. We will write a custom essay sample on Night World : The Chosen Chapter 9 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Waking up from the dead was an experience you don’t forget. For Quinn, it happened in the Redfern cabin on a husk mattress in front of the fire. He opened his eyes to see three beautiful girls leaning over him. Garnet, with her wine-colored hair shining in the ruby light, Lily with her black hair and her eyes like topaz, and Dove, his own Dove, brown-haired and gentle, with anxious love in her face. That was when Hunter informed him that he’d been dead for three days. â€Å"I told your father you’d gone to Plymouth; don’t tell him otherwise. And don’t try to move yet; you’re too weak. We’ll bring in something soon and you can feed.† He stood behind his daughters, his arms around them, all of them looking down at Quinn. â€Å"Be happy. You’re one of us now.† But all Quinn felt was horror-and pain. When he put his thumbs to his teeth, he found the source of the pain. His canine teeth were as long as a wildcat’s and they throbbed at the slightest touch. He was a monster. An unholy creature who needed blood to survive. Hunter Redfern had been telling the truth about his family, and he’d changed Quinn into one of them. Insane with fury, Quinn jumped up and tried to get his hands around Hunter’s throat. And Hunter just laughed, fending off the attack easily. The next thing Quinn knew, he was running down the blazed trail in the forest, heading for his father’s house. Staggering and stumbling down the trail, rather. He was almost too weak to walk. Then suddenly Dove was beside him. Little Dove who looked as if she couldn’t outrun a flower. She steadied him, held him up, and tried to convince him to go back. But Quinn could only think of one thing: getting to his father. His father was a minister; his father would know what to do. His father would help. And Dove, at last, agreed to go with him. Later Quinn would realize that of course he should have known better. They reached Quinn’s home. At that point, if Quinn was afraid of anything, it was that his father wouldn’t believe this wild story of bloodthirst and death. But one look at Quinn’s new teeth convinced his father of everything. He could recognize a devil when he saw one, he said. And he knew his duty. Like every Puritan’s, it was to cast out sin and evil wherever he found it. With that, his father picked up a brand from the fire-a good piece of seasoned pine-and then grabbed Dove by the hair. It was around this time that the screaming started, the screaming Quinn would be able to hear forever after if he listened. Dove was too gentle to put up much of a fight. And Quinn himself was too weak to save her. He tried. He threw himself on top of Dove to shield her from the stake. He would always have the scar on his side to prove it. But the wood that nicked him pierced Dove to the heart. She died looking up at him, the light in her brown eyes going out. Then everything was confusion, with his father chasing him, crying, brandishing the bloody stake pulled from Dove’s body. It ended when Hunter Red-fern appeared at the door with Lily and Garnet. They took Quinn and Dove home with them, while Quinn’s father went running to the neighbors for help. He wanted help burning the Redfern cabin down. That was when Hunter said it, the thing that severed Quinn’s ties with his old world. He looked down at his dead daughter and said, â€Å"She was too gentle to live in a world full of humans. Do you think you can do any better?† And Quinn, dazed and starving, so frightened and full of horror that he couldn’t talk, decided then that he would. Humans were the enemy. No matter what he did, they would never accept him. He had become something they could only hate-so he might as well become it thoroughly. â€Å"You see, you don’t have a family anymore,† Hunter mused. â€Å"Unless it’s the Redferns.† Since then, Quinn had thought of himself only as a vampire. He shook his head, feeling clearer than he had for days. The girl had disturbed him. The girl in the cellar, the girl whose face he had never seen. For two days after that night, all he could think of was somehow finding her. What had happened between them†¦ well, he still didn’t understand that. If she had been a witch, he’d have thought she bewitched him. But she was human. And she’d made him doubt everything he knew about humans. She’d awakened feelings that had been sleeping since Dove died in his arms. But now†¦ now he thought it was just as well he hadn’t been able to find her. Because the cellar girl wasn’t just human, she was a vampire hunter. Like his father. His father, who, wild-eyed and sobbing, had driven the stake through Dove’s heart. As always, Quinn felt himself losing his grip on sanity as he remembered it. What a pity that he’d have to kill the cellar girl the next time he saw her. But there was no help for it. Vampire hunters were worse than the ordinary human vermin, who were just stupid. Vampire hunters were the sin and the evil that had to be cast out. The Night World was the only world. And I haven’t been to the dub in a week, Quinn thought, showing his teeth. He laughed out loud, a strange and brittle sound. Well, I guess I’d better go tonight. It’s all part of the great dance, you see, he thought to the cellar girl, who of course couldn’t hear him. The dance of life and death. The dance that’s going on right this minute all over the world, in African savannas and Arctic snowfields and the bushes in Boston Common. Killing and eating. Hunting and dying. A spider snags a bluebottle fly; a polar bear grabs a seal. A coyote springs on a rabbit. It’s the way the world has always been. Humans were part of it, too, except that they let slaughterhouses do the killing for them and received their prey in the form of McDonald’s hamburgers. There was an order to things. The dance required that someone be the hunter and someone else be the hunted. With all those young girls longing to offer themselves to the darkness, it would be cruel of Quinn not to provide a darkness to oblige them. They were all only playing their parts. Quinn headed for the club, laughing in a way that scared even him. The club was only a few streets away from the warehouse, Rashel noted. Made sense. Everything about this operation had the stamp of efficiency, and she sensed Quinn’s hand in that. I wonder what he’s getting paid to provide the girls for sale? she thought. She’d heard that Quinn liked money. â€Å"Remember, once we get inside, you don’t know me,† she said to Daphne. â€Å"It’s safer for both of us that way. They might suspect something if they knew that first you escaped and now you’re turning up with a stranger.† â€Å"Got it.† Daphne looked excited and a little scared. Under her coat, she was wearing a slinky black top and a brief skirt, and her black-stockinged legs twinkled as she ran toward the club door. Under Rashel’s coat, hidden in the lining, was a knife. Like her sword, it was made of lignum vitae, the hardest wood on earth. The sheath had several interesting secret compartments. It was the knife of a ninja, and Sensei, who had taught Rashel the martial arts, wouldn’t have approved at all. He wouldn’t have approved of Rashel made it in, too, her story must have passed inspection. That was a relief. Inside, the place looked like hell. Not a shambles. It literally looked like Hell. Hades. The Underworld. The lights turned it into a place of infernal fire and twisting purple shadows. The music was weird and dissonant and sounded to Rashel as if it were being played backward. She caught scraps of conversation as she walked across the floor. â€Å"†¦ going out Dumpster diving later†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ no money. So I gotta jack somebody†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ told Mummy I’d be at the key-dub meeting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  You get a real cross section here, she thought dryly. Everybody had one thing in common, though; they were young. Kids. The oldest looked about eighteen. The youngest-well, there were a few girls Rashel would put at twelve. She had an impulse to go back and insert something wooden into Ivan. A slow fire that had started in her chest when she first heard about the Crypt was burning hotter and hotter with everything she saw here. This entire place is a snare, a gigantic Venus’ flytrap, she thought as she took off her coat and added it to a pile on the floor. But if she wanted to shut it down, she had to stay cool, stick to her plan. Standing by a cast-iron column, she scanned the room for vampires. And there, standing with a little group that in-duded Daphne, was Quinn. It gave Rashel an odd shock to see him, and she wanted to look away. She couldn’t. He was laughing, and somehow that caught hold of her like a fishhook. For a moment the morbid lighting of the room seemed rainbow-colored in the radiance shed by that laughter. Appalled, Rashel realized that her face had flushed and her heart was beating fast. I hate him, she thought, and this was true. She did hate him for what he was doing to her. He made her feel unmoored and adrift. Confused. Helpless. She understood why those girls were clustered around him, longing to fling themselves into his darkness like a bunch of virgin sacrifices jumping into a volcano. I mean, what else do you do with a guy like that? she thought. Kill him. It would be the only solution even if he weren’t a vampire, she decided with sudden insane cheer. Because prolonged contact with that smile was obviously going to annihilate her. Rashel blinked rapidly, getting a grip on herself. All right. Concentrate on that, on the job to be done. She was going to have to kill him, but not now; right now she had to get herself chosen. Walking carefully on her heels, she went over to join Quinn’s group. He didn’t see her at first. He was facing Daphne and a couple of other girls, laughing frequently- too frequently. He looked wild and a little feverish to Rashel. A sort of devilish Mad Hatter at an insane tea party. â€Å"†¦ and I just felt so totally awful that I didn’t get to meet you,† Daphne was saying, â€Å"and I just wish I knew what happened, because it was just so seriously weird†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She was telling her story, Rashel realized. At least none of the people listening seemed openly suspicious. â€Å"I haven’t seen you here before,† came a voice behind her. It belonged to a striking girl with dark hair, very pale skin, and eyes like amber or topaz†¦ or a hawk’s. Rashel froze, every muscle tensing, trying to keep her face expressionless. Another vampire. She was sure of it. The camellia-petal skin, the light in the eyes†¦ this must be the girl vampire who’d brought Daphne food in the warehouse. â€Å"No, this is my first time,† Rashel said, making her voice light and eager. â€Å"My name’s Shelly.† It was close enough to her own name that she would turn automatically if anyone said it. â€Å"I’m Lily.† The girl said it without warmth, and those hawklike eyes continued to bore straight into Rashel’s. Rashel had to struggle to stay on her feet. It’s Lily Redfern, she thought, working desperately to keep an idiot smile plastered on her face. I know it is. How many Lily’s can there be who’d be working with Quinn? I’ve got a Redfern right here in front of me. I’ve got Hunter Redfern’s daughter here. For an instant she was tempted to simply make a dash for her knife. Killing a celebrity like Lily seemed almost worth giving up the enclave. But on the other hand, Hunter Redfern was a moderate sort of vampire, with a lot of influence on the Night World Council. He helped keep other vampires in line. Striking at him through his daughter would just make him mad, and then he might start listening to the Councilors who wanted to slaughter humans in droves. And Rashel would lose any hope of getting at the heart of the slave trade, where the real scum were. I hate politics, Rashel thought. But she was already beaming at Lily, prattling for all she was worth. â€Å"It was my friend Marnie who told me about this place, and I’m really glad I came because it’s even better than I thought, and I’ve got this poem I wrote-â€Å" â€Å"Really. Well, I’m dying not to hear it,† Lily said. Her hawklike eyes had lost interest. Her face was filled with open contempt-she’d dismissed Rashel as a hopeless fawning idiot. She walked away without glancing back. Two tests passed. One to go. â€Å"That’s what I like about Lily. She’s just so absolutely cold,† a girl beside Rashel said. She had wavy bronze hair and bee-stung lips. â€Å"Hi, I’m Juanita,† she added. And she’s serious, Rashel thought as she introduced herself. Quinn’s group had noticed her at last, and they all seemed to agree with Juanita. They were fascinated by Lily’s cold personality, her lack of feeling. They saw it as strength. Yeah, because feeling hurts. Maybe I should worship her, too, Rashel thought. She was finding too many things in common with these girls. â€Å"Lily the ice princess,† another girl murmured. â€Å"It’s like she’s not even really from earth at all. It’s like she’s from another planet.† â€Å"Hold that thought,† a new voice said, a crisp, laughing, slightly insane voice. The effect it had on Rashel was remarkable. It made her back stiffen and sent tingles up her palms. It closed her throat. Okay, test number three, she thought, drawing on every ounce of discipline she’d learned in the martial arts. Don’t lose zanshin. Stay loose, stay frosty, and go with it. You can do this. She turned to meet Quinn’s eyes. How to cite Night World : The Chosen Chapter 9, Essay examples

Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan Essay Example

Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan Paper . Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan University of Phoenix Strategic Management MGT/498 Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan A world renowned plastics manufacturer employing nearly 550 workers worldwide, Riordan Manufacturing Co. a leader in the industry of plastic injection molding, has more than $1 billion in revenue. With operations based in California, Michigan, Georgia, and China, review of current resources within Riordan’s business structure reveal numerous areas in need of redefining to improve operational efficiency company-wide. Implementation of this proposed strategic plan will address issues areas of improvement including †¢ Ethical and social responsibility considerations †¢ Competitive advantages, strategies, improved innovation, and sustainability in domestic and international markets †¢ Strategy effectiveness measurement guidelines to be used †¢ Internal dynamics, cultural, and structural leadership †¢ Business continuity †¢ Assessment, feedback, and alternative directions as needed Since the founding of the company in 1991, Riordan manufacturing enjoys status as Fortune 1000 company and shares a number of competitive advantages with many other companies in various lines of business. Riordan shares the competitive advantages of direct selling along with customer, employee, and shareholder commitment with global Internet retailer Amazon. com and juvenile product and toy retailer Toys†R† Us. Riordan provides revenue and profitability growth as they provide products at the lowest cost along with a commitment to the communities Riordan serves. We will write a custom essay sample on Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Riordan also shares the advantage of strong brand recognition in their industry just as Nike, Ford Motor Co. , Homes. com, and Federal Express have in their markets. Riordan is also known for their strength of quality in engineering on par with the Ford Motor Co. Strategic Plan Riordan was founded by Dr. Riordan, a professor in chemistry in 1991 (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). Over the years Riordan has expanded the business from development, to manufacturing and, to production. Riordan was able to accomplish this expansion by acquiring a manufacturing plant in Pontiac, Michigan, and an additional plant for production in Albany, Georgia. In 2000 Riordan took their operation global and opened a manufacturing plant in China. Riordan has been able to manage three locations successfully to date. However, Riordan recognizes the need to develop a strategic plan to increase profitability by establishing new accounting and marketing systems. A strategic plan must be realistic and attainable. Riordan’s strategic plan should serve as the framework for future decisions, it should inform, motivate, and involve their stakeholders. The strategic plan should include benchmarking and performance monitoring. The plan should stimulate change and become the building block to future plans within Riordan Manufacturing. Riordan’s strategic plan should address the finance and accounting department’s inability to obtain seamless data reporting within the three locations that cause delays in month end reporting (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). The ability to provide timely month end reporting to the board of directors is essential to recognizing potential financial threats and trends in the business. In addition the strategic plan should address the antiquated marketing system. Riordan has achieved several accolades over the years. However, most of this data is filed away and not easily accessible to the marketing department. The development of a marketing information system will give research and development the ability to use historical data for tracking units, volumes, and products sold for developing new marketing strategies (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). The Role of Ethical and Social Responsibility Ethical and social responsibility will have an intricate role in Riordan strategic management plan. Ethics involves knowing right from wrong and simply doing the right thing. Riordan must ensure they are reporting true and accurate financial records to all stakeholders. Today Riordan uses three separate accounting systems to compile financial data. This data is often re-entered by the headquarters office in San Jose. Manual entry of information is subject to reporting inaccuracies that may question Riordan’s ethics. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 mandated a number of reforms to enhance corporate responsibility, enhance financial disclosures and combat corporate and accounting fraud. Riordan has a social responsibility to ensure the manufacturing plants are producing quality materials. Riordan must ensure they establish an effective quality control program consisting of design reviews, engineering analysis, adequate recordkeeping of raw materials and finished goods, inspection of incoming materials, testing during the manufacturing process and finished part inspections. These records should be of sufficient detail to document the steps that were performed in manufacturing the product. Such records should include results of design reviews; supplier information, product testing and inspection; equipment calibrations; and product tracing information (AM Trust North America, 2010, p. 4). The records will assist in timely detection of safety hazards and trends within Riordan Manufacturing. Environmental Scan To better understand what Riordan’s competitive advantages are and which competitive strategies Riordan should use to improve innovation and sustainability, members of Team A must first perform an environmental scan. The simplest and most effective way of con ducting the scan is by performing a SWOT analysis on Riordan (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Riordan possesses manyuch strength’s as the team observeds fromin the internal environmental scan. The corporation’s brand is widely recognized in the automotive parts, aircraft, and appliance manufacturing industries as well as with the Department of Defense, beverage makers, and bottlers. The company manufactures its products on two different continents, so it can reach an international market and reduce some costs by manufacturing in a more underdeveloped country, China. This adds to Riordan’s ability to offer their products at lower prices while maintaining revenue and profitability growth. The manufacturing firm also boasts high standards of quality as it exceeds ISO 9000 standards (Apollo Group, Inc. 2008). Riordan has several weaknesses. The first is their costs of goods are directly related to the rising cost of oil. Because Riordan’s products are made from polymer and derived completely from oil, profit margins are greatly affected when oil prices rise. Riordan’s finance and accounting systems in each of their manufacturing branches are not com patible with one another. This has resulted in higher labor costs, costly monthly auditing, slow reaction time to financial dilemmas, compliance to government regulation strains, and high inventory costs (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). The external environmental scan shows some opportunities for Riordan. Consumer demand and capital spending remain steady in the midst of a global economic downturn. Globalization is also allowing manufacturing companies to lower operating costs by producing their products in underdeveloped countries where labor costs are much lower. Finally, Brazil is becoming the leading producer of bioplastics and recently has discovered technology to compete with current oil derived plastics prices (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). Threats to Riordan could be devastating to the company if not approached correctly. The downturn in the economy is affecting every industry and thus the supplier of polymer parts. Oil prices are rising each year and increasing the costs of producing plastic materials and parts. Finally, more consumers are pushing for environmental practices and products from large corporations (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). Competitive Advantages From this SWOT analysis, Team A observes Riordan’s competitive advantages. Like Toys R US and Amazon, Riordan provides low prices to its customers and maintains revenue and profit growth. The firm has strong brand awareness and provides the highest quality in manufacturing (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). Competitive Strategies and Measurement Guidelines To improve innovation and sustainability in both domestic and international applications, Riordan must approve and implement a few competitive strategies. Riordan managers must reduce inventory costs by 30% and lower labor costs in its existing plants and headquarters by 10%. This strategy can be accomplished by seamlessly integrating each Finance and Accounting department of each branch manufacturing plant and the corporate headquarters. By implementing a state-of-the-art ERP manufacturing, distribution, and financial software application software, Riordan can reach the above stated strategic goals (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). The cost of the integrated system is $1,350,000. Riordan’s CFO will need to make two payments of $250,000 over the next year, and the remaining will be financed through the bank with 8% interest, which will be paid over 60 months. The investment will include manager training and additional licensing for expansion. The system implementation and training will take one year. The second year will be used to observe opportunities to minimize labor and inventory costs. By year three, audits should be reduced by half, labor costs by 15%. Inventory cost will also drop to 30% by year three because invoices and accounting information will be delivered in real-time, which will allow the company to ship products quickly after they have been produced (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). Measurement guidelines must be in place to ensure these strategies effectiveness. By the end of the second year of deployment, labor costs should be minimized by 5% with the remaining 10% reduced by the end of the third year. Inventory costs should drop by 10% by the end of the second year and the remaining 20% by the end of the third year of implementation. These percentages will be monitored quarterly by the executive management with the current budgets, income statements, and balance sheets. The next proposed competitive strategy is to expand to new markets and increase the company customer base and revenue by 25% in five years. This will be accomplished by moving to a joint venture with Braskem, the world’s leading producer of bioplastics. Based in Brazil, this venture would allow the corporation to broaden its customer base by manufacturing products for the medical device, cosmetic, food packaging, and personal-hygiene industries. The move would also protect Riordan from fluctuating oil prices by diversifying its resources with plastics made from renewable resources, which are now competitively priced with oil-derived polymers. Providing products out of renewable resources or green products would allow the company to reach more environmentally conscious customers (Morales, Pulido, Ticas, 2009). The venture would cost $15 million dollars, which would be funded by Riordan Industries and would surpass the 12% hurdle rate. The investment includes infrastructure, logistics, labor, marketing, and additional machinery and supplies (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). The measurement guidelines to ensure the strategy’s effectiveness are based on a percentage of yearly growth added to the company’s current revenue growth from established locations. By the end of the second year of implementation, 2% growth must be recorded, 7% at the end of year three, 15% at the end of year four, and 25% by the end of year five. These benchmarks will be monitored by the executive management against current revenues. Metrics for new clients, life of existing clients, and lost clients will be monitored monthly to ensure strategy effectiveness. Cultural and Structural Leadership Cultural and structural leadership strategies need to be implemented at Riordan Manufacturing, â€Å"Strategy implementation is a process by which strategies and policies are put into action through the development of programs, budgets, and procedures. This process involves changes within the overall culture, structure, and management system of the entire organization† (Wheelen Hunger,  2008,  p. 1). The culture and structure of the organization must be compatible with the new strategy. The strategy implementation is reviewed by the top management team and is conducted by middle and lower lever managers of the organization. Leadership in an organization is vital at all levels of the organization. Ongoing communication is nec essary at all levels of the organization as Riordan moves forward to implement the strategic changes (Wheelen Hunger,  2008). The mission of an organization is the purpose for the company’s existence. The mission tells what the company does. The vision of an organization describes what the organization would like to become. The mission and vision should capture the culture of the organization (Wheelen Hunger,  2008). The current mission of Riordan consists of four parts: focus, customer relationship, employees, and future of the company. The focus of Riordan is Six Sigma, having the leading edge of research and development (RD), and exceeding ISO 9000 standards. Their focus also includes continuing to be the industry leaders in using polymer materials and identifying industry trends. The mission of their customer relationships is to strive to be a solution provider for their customers and not be part of customer challenges. The focuses of the long-term relationships are to maintain quality control, a responsive business, innovative solutions, and reasonable pricing. The mission for their employees is to maintain an innovative and team oriented working environment. The focus of their future is to achieve and maintain reasonable profitability to ensure that the financial and human capital of Riordan is available for sustained growth (Apollo Group, Inc. , 2008). Corporate culture should be considered when implementing the business strategy for Riordan, †Corporate culture is the collection of beliefs, expectations, and values learned and shared by a corporation’s members and transmitted from one generation of employees to another† (Wheelen Hunger,  2008,  p. 149). Intensity and integration are two attributes of corporate culture. The cultural intensity consists of the degree to which members of a unit accept the values and norms associated with the organization. The cultural integration is the extent to which the units throughout the organization share a common culture. The corporate culture on an organization reflects the mission and the values of the founder. The culture also reflects the organization’s values (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Divisional structure, functional structure, strategic business unit structure, and matrix structure are types of the organizational structures that could be considered by Riordan to implement their business strategy. Divisional and functional structures are examples of the basic organizational structures. In the divisional structure the employees tend to be functional specialist organized according to the product/market distinctions. The divisional structure is used in large corporations with many products lines in several related industries. In the functional structure the employees tend to be specialists in the business functions vital to that industry. The business functions include manufacturing, marketing, finance, and human resources. Functional structure is commonly used in medium-sized organizations with several product lines in one industry. The strategic business unit structure is groups or divisions composed of independent product/market segments. These groups are given the primary authority and responsibility for the management of their own functional areas of the organization. In the matrix structure the functional and product forms are combined at the same level of the organization. The matrix structure the employees have a functional manager and a product manager (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Team A has determined that the best organizational structure for Riordan to implement their business strategy would be the divisional organizational structure. Riordan products include plastic bottles, fans, heart valves, medical stents, and custom plastic parts. Riordan must manage a diverse product line in different industries. The divisional organizational structure will allow Riordan to decentralize the decision-making authority. Implementing the divisional organizational structure will allow Riordan to maintain their functional specialization in each division. Evaluation and Control Once the company’s strategies have been integrated into its operation, the final stage of strategic management is utilizing applications that will properly and accurately assess the performance outcome within a corporate, a divisional, and a functional viewpoint. Employing measures that will evaluate and control the implemented strategy by Riordan will enable the firm to ensure that the company is in the direction of reaching its goals by simply comparing its actual performance outcome with the expected results consisting of its performance data and its activity reports, which will provide the compulsory feedback for management to evaluate results and to take corrective action, as necessary (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Evaluation and Control Process The evaluation and control process will provide Riordan with a general outlook of the firm’s productivity. Primarily, it is usually initiated when a gap appears between a company’s financial objectives and the expected results of current activities (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Evaluation and control consist of a five step process that assesses and establish guidelines that will address the efficiency and the effectiveness of Riordan’s integrated plan. The five steps are 1) Determine what to measure, 2) Establish standards of performance, 3) Measure actual performance, 4) Compare actual performance with the standard, and 5) Take corrective action. In summary, the process evaluates and establishes a level of standards on the elements of concern of any new stratagem and then comparing its actual outcome with its level of standards. Should the outcome fall below the set standards, only then remedial actions would be necessary. Figure. 1 depicts the evaluation and control process:   [pic]Figure. 1 Measuring Performance Measuring productivity following Riordan’s integrated plan is done by evaluating the firm’s performance level. Utilizing the numeric values extracted from its activity and financial reports can calculate the effectiveness or lack of the company’s performance, in an effort to expose any unwanted flaws or unexpected discrepancies. There are specific tools that Riordan can use to measure performance in order to analyze its results within the present time or to foresee possible outcomes. Return on Investment (ROI), Earnings per Share (EPS), and Return on Equity (ROE) are tools typically used to evaluate the corporation’s or division’s ability to achieve the firm’s profitability objective (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Each tool can only calculate earnings during the present time and does not foresee likely profitability; however, ROI, EPS, and ROE are done only when all the accounted figures from the company’s financial and activity reports have been documented. In contrast, these feats would not be ideal when evaluating social responsibility or employee development (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). A more appropriate tool to better evaluate Riordan’s overall performance level is by utilizing a method known as steering control, which will research variables that will manipulate prospect profitability. Steering control is categorized into three subcategories, which are input controls, output controls, and behavior controls. Input controls oversee the company’s resources such as knowledge, skills, abilities, values, and motives of the employees. This will help assess of Riordan’s internal infrastructure. Behavior controls are company protocols based on the firm’s policies, rules, operating procedures, and orders from its management. Output controls focuses on areas of the business that are done in a specific way based on the effect of the behaviors through the use of objectives and performance targets (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Shareholder value is a present-day application that most companies employ to evaluate its performance. To help asses Riordan’s operation, this will be a valuable tool in order to estimate economic value, likely profitability, and strategic management effectiveness. Shareholder value is the present value of the anticipated future stream of cash flows from the business plus the value of the company if liquidated (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Cash flow is the element that is measured to determine the financial strength and stability of a company. In turn, to label a company financially sound, profits are weighed against the cost of capital. If Riordan’s profits outweigh the money invested as capital, the company will appear financially strong to its shareholders. There are two methods to measure shareholder value, which are, 1) economic value added (EVA), which assesses the dissimilarity between the pre-strategy and post-strategy values of a firm, and 2) market value added (MVA), which is the difference between the market value of a business and the capital provided by shareholders and lenders (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). In combination with the shareholder value method, Riordan will also employ a balanced scorecard. A balance scorecard is a combination of financial and operational measures that will entail data outlining the results of business actions that have occurred along with detailed information documenting customer satisfaction, internal processes, and the corporation’s innovation and improvement activities. These components are the drivers of future financial performance (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). There are four elements that make up a balanced scorecard, which are 1) Financial: How do we appear to shareholders 2) Customer: How do customers view us 3) Internal business perspective: What must we excel at, and 4) Innovation and learning: Can we continue to improve and create value (Wheelen Hunger, 2010)? Business Continuity Riordan struggles in the continuity of its finance and accounting systems in three locations, San Jose, Michigan, and Georgia, with the three locations running separate accounting systems. Although each system is effective separately running the core functions of general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, order entry, procurement, sales and purchasing history, invoicing and shipping, payroll, financial reporting, three other critical functions, EDI, bar code reading, and EDSS exist only in the San Jose office, where all data is summarized. This lack of continuity causes time-consuming internal audits and re-entry of data once received in the San Jose location. As San Jose is running a licensed ERP accounting and finance system, additional licenses need to be acquired for the Michigan and Georgia locations. This license purchase will eliminate the costly deciphering of data in San Jose and increase the value of the allotted budget allowance. Cost effectiveness is attained in a year three break-even point and cost savings from that point forward. Another area of continuity concern is the Riordan Human Resources (HR) function in two areas, job requirements and payroll. Numerous positions need a review in terms of job requirements to ensure qualified employees are in place to significantly reduce reporting errors. Additionally, performance appraisals (Riordan Employee Handbook, 2011) need to be moved to an employee’s anniversary date as opposed to the Riordan fiscal year, thereby staggering budget allocation along with increasing the pay period length to every two weeks to reduce time spent on payroll by 47%. Conclusion Riordan Manufacturing needs strategic plan implementation to strengthen competitive advantages which increase market and shareholder value. Implementation will reduce inventory cost by 30% in operational plants globally resulting in an addition 10% cost reduction in finance and accounting in the San Jose location. The long term goals of the strategy must be totally supported by Riordan’s executive management team and communicated strongly to the entire organization. It must be measured and controlled and adjustments must be made in light of any unforeseen occurrences. Installation and training in new systems and procedures must be timed to occur over two quarters with quarter three as a backup plan. Failure to implement a strategic as suggested places Riordan at risk for reduced profits, cost overruns, decreased market share, customer and employee dissatisfaction as well as that of shareholders. As a leader in the plastic injection molding industry, Riordan Manufacturing cannot afford anything less than full implementation of this strategic plan. References Wheelen, T. L. , Hunger, J. D. (2010). Concepts in strategic management and business policy (12th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Apollo Group, Inc. (2008). Virtual Organizations [Multimedia]. Retrieved from Apollo Group, Inc. , MGT498 website Morales, R. , Pulido, D. , Ticas, S. (2009,  April). The Brazilian Bioplastics Revolution. [emailprotected], (), 1-5. Apollo Group, Inc. (2008). Virtual Organizations [Multimedia]. Retrieved from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/business/Riordan/HR/Riordan%20Manufacturing%20Employee%20Handbook. pdf

Baker has a point when he comments on the things

Baker has a point when he comments on the things Baker has a point when he comments on the things that television teaches. Shows such as Jackass that are made with a personal recording camera, especially influence children and young adolescents. They try to imitate what they see people getting paid extraordinary amounts of money on television to do. There is a warning before every Jackass show that the public shouldn't try any of the stunts seen on the show. You hear countless stories of people getting hurt that disregard these warnings and attempt, mostly unsuccessfully; to do the same crazy things they see on television. There is the story about the kid who tried to jump over a car that was going straight at him at 40 mph. This is definitely not a safe thing to do. Luckily he survived the ordeal having (I hope) learned his lesson.People need to learn that what they see on television isn't what really happens in the world.Another game board found in the Jiroft civilizatio...

SAT Math - PrepScholar 2016 Students Encyclopedia

SAT Math - PrepScholar 2016 Students' Encyclopedia SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The Mathematics section of the SAT asks students to solve problems with pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, probability, and data analysis from charts and graphs.The SAT does not testadvanced math like trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus. Students who have taken ahigh school level algebra class and geometry class likelyhave sufficient familiarity with the testedconcepts to sit for the SAT.Those who have less familiarity withthese concepts in their general education will likelybenefit from self-teaching with SAT preparation materials. Note: this article is a series in the PrepScholar2016 Students' Encyclopedia, a free students' and parents' SAT / ACT guide that provides encyclopedic knowledge. Read all the articles here! While the SAT Mathematics section does not test advanced concepts or require complex calculations, it challenges students to apply logic and problem-solving skills under strict time limits. SAT mathquestions may not resemble typical classroom math problems, and they call forcareful reading and attention to detail. Questions often requiremultiple steps to solve, as well as the combined applicationof concepts from multiple fields. SAT preparation has been shown to lead to score improvements in the math section, as it gives students insight into SAT question types and the testing of relatively basic mathematical concepts in non-traditional ways. Rather than one long section, SAT Mathematics is divided intothree sections. Two of these sectionsare 25minutes in length and one is 20minutes. Altogether, the Mathematics section adds up to atotal of 70 minutes. The number of scored Mathematics questions on the SAT remains consistent across tests at 54 questions. Since each SAT has an unmarked experimental section, students may encounter an additional 25-minute math section. If this is the case, then that experimental section will not be factored into theoverall Mathematics score. Of these 54 questions, 44 are multiple choice and 10 are student-produced, commonly known as "grid-in" questions. Students answer the multiple choice questions by filling in the corresponding choices on their answer sheet. Student-produced responses are written in a specially designatedsection at the bottom of the answer sheet. These grids have spaces for up to four digits, along with the option of adding a decimal point or fraction bar. Unlike for multiple choice questions, there are no point deductions for incorrect responses to grid-in questions. The above instructions for answering grid-in questions appear on the SAT answer sheet. Besides maintaining the number of mathematics questions on each test at 54, the SAT also remains consistent in the format of each section. One 25-minute section always has 20 multiple choice questions. The other 25-minute section has 8 multiple choice and 10 grid-ins. Finally, the 20 minute section returns to multiple choice with 16 questions. Onestrategic approach to the Mathematics section involves the order of difficulty of the questions. Typicallyquestions in the mathsections get progressively harder, moving from easy to medium to difficult. Since all questions have equal scoring weight regardless of difficulty level, students may benefit from focusing on the easy and medium questions that they have a greater likelihood ofanswering correctly. Studentsmayalso be strategic aboutthe number of seconds they spend answering each question,prioritizing questions from which they have the greatest chance of earning points. Top scorers generally leave themselves a larger proportion of time to dedicate todifficult questions. Depending on eachtest's grading curve, students are allowed only one, if any, incorrect answers to achieve a full score of 800. The Mathematics questions cover four main areas of content: numbers and operations, algebra and functions, geometry and measurement, and data analysis, statistics, and probability. According to the test developer College Board, the majority of questions cover algebra or geometry. Number and operations are tested by 11 to 13 questions. Algebra and functions are tested by 19 to 21 questions. Geometry and measurement are tested by 14 to 16 questions. Data analysis, satistics, and probability are tested by 6 to 7 questions. College Board further breaks down each of these areas of content into subtopics. Following each list of subtopics is an example of an official SAT sample question. Number and Operations Arithmetic word problems (including percent, ratio, and proportion) Properties of integers (even, odd, prime numbers, divisibility, and so forth) Rational numbers (numbers that be written as a ratio) Sets (union, intersection, elements) Counting techniques Sequences and series (including exponential growth) Elementary number theory (using arithmetic, geometry, or algebra to solve equations with integer or rational solutions) Sample SAT Question Algebra and Functions Substitution and simplifying algebraic expressions Properties of exponents Algebraic word problems Solutions of linear equations and inequalities Systems of equations and inequalities Quadratic equations Equations of lines Absolute value Direct and inverse variation Concepts of algebraic functions Sample SAT Question Geometry and Measurement Area and perimeter of a polygon Area and circumference of a circle Volume of a box, cube, and cylinder Pythagorean theorem and special properties of isosceles, equilateral, and right triangles Properties of parallel and perpendicular lines Coordinate geometry Slope Similarity Transformations Sample SAT Question Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability Data interpretation (tables and graphs) Descriptive statistics (mean, median, and mode) Probability Sample SAT Question Each Mathematics section on the SAT beginswith a collection of facts, figures, and formulas for students to consult as reference. This reference sheet includes properties of special right triangles, the formulas for finding area, volume, and circumference, and the measure of degrees in a circle and a triangle. While this information is accessible during the test, students are likely to perform better byentering the test with a working knowledge ofthese facts and formulas. Students receive the above facts, formulas, and figures at the beginning of each SAT math section. Students may use calculators on the Mathematics section, though most questions can be solved without the use of a calculator. Most graphing calculators, all scientific calculators, and all four function calculators are allowed. Cell phones, tablets, personal organizers, and calculators with QWERTY keyboards are strictly prohibited.The use of unacceptable technology may result in dismissal from the testing room and score cancellation. Students who have familiarity with their calculator, especially from withintheirmath classrooms, tend toderive greater benefit from its use. Writing out equations and calculations in the test booklet is also highly recommended for solving problems inthe Mathematics section. Read more from the SAT Encyclopedia! Further Reading The 21 Critical Math Formulas You MUST Know How to Stop Running Out of Time on SAT Math Calculators on the SAT: Tips from Experts

Cleveland East Ohio Gas Explosion Research Paper

Cleveland East Ohio Gas Explosion - Research Paper Example After the accident, the above-ground storage policy was questioned and utility companies began to store natural gas below the ground to improve their safety rather than in tanks. The disaster was a valuable lesson that underlined the importance of ensuring optimum pressure in gas storage tanks and ensuring that leaks can be detected. This report recommends using tanks that store gas within them at a lower pressure and this would be invaluable even for transporting gas through pipelines to its various locations, because maintaining the pressure at a reasonable low would help to avoid the accidents that could result from leaks and over -pressurized pipelines. On the 20th of October 1944, a natural gas storage tank above the ground which was full of liquefied natural gas exploded (www.ohiohistorycentral.org). Although investigators into the disaster were unable to discover the causes for the explosion, it is widely believed that a leak developed in the seam of the side of the tank that dipped down into the city sewers. Vapour began to escape from this seam, mixing with air and sewer gas, which in turn produced explosions (www.waymarking.com). Since the tank was located near a lake, winds blowing from the lake pushed the gas towards the town where it slipped into the sewer lines through the catch basins that were located in the street gutters. The gas travelled rapidly through the underground pipes linking the sewer lines causing explosions that were so violent that they lifted manhole covers and sent them flying away. This was not however, the end of the disaster. The fire department was called out and tackled the explosions and fires, but even as they were working and the explosions were believed to have been contained, another above ground tank exploded, causing more fires, so that entire homes suddenly caught fire and burnt out with the

Gilbert and George Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Gilbert and George - Research Paper Example In understanding and using pictures, I would like to argue that Gilbert and George explore various aspects of the society in explaining the structure and basic tenets of the society, the current living styles and the methods people should use to lead comfortable lives, away from the influence of societal judgments. One perfect part that Gilbert and George arts do well is explaining the various parts of human development in the society, as the classify and explains each part use. There is a clear explanation of how the parts work in the society and how art is an expression of the self. The basic point in understanding art is first to learn the structures and how the structures are interconnected to form a complex system of images, figures, sculptures and pictures that make up art. Gilbert and George understand the needs of art lovers and from the pictures’ content, it is definite that the artists carried out a study on identifying the specific needs of art lovers especially in collaboration of the integrated systems of the society and other life formation tactics. In my own view, the manner in which an artist approaches a piece of art or sculpture determines the rate of understanding and clarity from the viewers, which is definite to arouse a liking towards a specific piece of artwork. Gilbert and George exploit their talent in showing these aspects. One picture that Gilbert and George use is We. In the picture, Gilbert and George draw images of themselves standing asymmetrically .