Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Effects of Greenhouse Gases on the Environment

Effects of Greenhouse Gases on the Environment What are the three human affected sources of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. 75words 704-705 Krogh (2011), states that the three human affected sources of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are from the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and the amount of cattle we raise. These three affects either put in too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or doesn’t produce enough. The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, gives off a great deal of carbon dioxide gases into our atmosphere. Deforestation is the cutting sown of trees, which eliminates the carbon dioxide needed for photosynthesis among other plant life. It also has the effect of putting too much CO2 into the atmosphere because trees are known to take up CO2 and make oxygen for the atmosphere instead. Another greenhouse effect produced by humans is in the amount of cattle and rice we need to grow. Since we have to mass produce crops and cattle for the alarming number of human growth, this ultimately allows high amounts of gases into our atmosphere. You are hiking with a friend and reach the peak of a mountain after a long climb. On your climb upward, you had a clear trail with a little grass and small shrubs along the way. But looking down the other side, you see lush vegetation and many broadleaf trees farther down the slope. Your friend wonders why there is such a big difference. What explanation can you offer your friend? 75 words I would let my friend know that he/she is seeing the effects of the rain shadow. Krogh (2011), says that mountain ranges force air to rise, and drops its moisture on the windward side (pg.711). As a result, when the air travels over to the other side of the mountain it no longer as any moisture to drop. This obviously leaves no more rain to fall to nourish plant life and animal life, leaving it dry and inhabitable to much animal life. Compare and contrast ecological dominants with keystone species and give examples. 200 words 671-672,G5,G8 Krogh (2011), defines ecological dominants as a species that is abundant and obvious in a given community (pg.G5). He goes on to define keystone species as a species whose absence of a community would bring significant change in that community (Krogh, pg.G8). In an ecological dominant community it is usually always seen as a community of plants and shrubs. In the keystone species, its community is usually always seen in animal life such as the sea star. Although they are known to be of small numbers they produce a huge impact on our ecosystem when disturbed. For example, in the keystone species once a predatory animal is removed from its habitat the others in the â€Å"community† face the dangers of other predators. This can result in the elimination of a species. While in the ecological dominants community, they are always so largely populated that they take over others for survival. Krogh (2011), gives an example of the Kansas prairie fields that are dominated by tallgrass f or the ecological dominants, and the predatory sea star Pisaster ochraceus for the keystone species (pg.672). As stated above, they are different in the way they affect the ecosystem, but they are similar in the way that they are both a type of species. Give an example of why keystone species play a large role in community despite the fact that they may be present in relatively small numbers. 200 words 671-673 Keystone species are relatively smaller in numbers but have a huge impact on the ecosystem when disturbed. Keystone species are known as predators that can control a single community and without them the other species within the community may not be able to survive. This can be seen through the example that Krogh (2011) gives with the predatory sea star Pisaster ochraceus (pg.672). This is a good example because even though they live in moderately small quantities, once you remove it from its community the results can be catastrophic for the rest of the community. Removing the predatory sea star would leave the rest of them vulnerable to other predators, and may end in the extinction of them if the predatory sea star does not return. In other words, once the sea star has been removed it starts a trickling down effect on other sea animals among its biomass. More and more species that live in or near the sea star ecosystem will start to disappear due to lack of food or the overpowering of other predators in the sea. Another result of the of removal of a keystone species is now newer species are able to come in and take over the habitat they once lived in so they can flourish and live in that ecosystem. Explain the four types of biological community interaction and give examples. 500 words The four types of biological community interactions are: competition, predation and parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism. The competition interaction is a competition between two or more species (Krogh, pg. 674). This is a competition among species for resources in order to survive. These species do not compete by fighting, but rather by gathering enough resources to outlive the next species. This competition can be between species of the same or a different community. This competition can result in the extinction of a species because of lack of resources to survive. Krogh (2011), give the example of competition between the P. aurelia and the P. caudatum (Krogh, pg.674). In this experiment, both organisms were grown in the same test tube. It was documented that instead of either one trying to attack the other, the P. aurelia just outgrew the P. caudatum. This ultimately resulted in the P. caudatum to die out due to lack of room and resources (Krogh, pg.674). This type of biologica l interaction can be seen in many different types of species. It can also be seen in resource partitioning. This is where two species don’t attack one another for resources, but they take up two different sides of the resource in order to survive, thus leaving one another alone for the time being. The second biological community interaction can be viewed between predation and parasitism. This is where one species benefits while a different species is affected. Predators will obtain their resources through eating their prey, while parasites will live on other species and obtain its food through them. A big difference between the two is that they predator doesn’t live on its prey like the parasite. Also, the predator kills for its food, and the parasite won’t always kill its host for resources. Krogh (2011), give an example of the predator interaction with the common house cat and the rat (Krogh, pg.676-677). The cat preys on the rat as a vital food resource. He a lso gives the example of the strangler fig tree for the parasitism interaction. This tree will wrap its roots around a host tree to obtain nutrients and eventually killing it (pg.676). The third biological interaction is mutualism. Mutualism is an interaction between different species that does not end up in the harming of either one of them. Instead is a helpful interaction among the two different species. Krogh (2011), shows the interactions between the rhinoceros and the oxpecker birds as a good example of this mutualism interaction (pg.680). In this example, the oxpecker bird will sit on the back of the rhino eating any foreign objects off of it, and the rhino in return will provide a safe place for the bird to reside. The fourth type of interaction within communities can be seen through commensalism. This interaction is also among different species, but it results in one of the species flourishing while the other is left unaffected. An example of this type of interaction is exp lained with a bird and a tree (Krogh, 2011). Birds tend to make nest within the branches of a tree to have a place to live and flourish while leaving the tree unaffected of its existence.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Knowledge M Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today’s economy, corporations are constantly seeking was to achieve faster decision making, higher levels of product, better service, and process innovation to gain competitive advantage over other corporations. Various information technologies have been adapted in to corporation’s business plans in order to optimize competitive advantage. However, with the increase in competition, information technology’s applications in business no longer serve as a great advantage. The need for new business strategies arises along with the emergence of the knowledge society (Styhre, 2003) having information is no longer a source of competitive advantage. In today’s business environment, organizational knowledge is recognized as a significant source of competitive advantage, how quickly organizations determines knowledge and creates value out of it determines its competitiveness. (Shukla) In an economy where the only certainty is uncertainty, the one sure source of competitive advantage is knowledge. When markets shift, technologies proliferate, competitors multiply, and products become obsolete almost overnight, successful companies are those that consistently create new knowledge, disseminate it widely throughout the organization, and quickly embody it in new technologies and products. -Harvard Business Review (1998) Knowledge management is a business strategy that identifies, organizes and shares information essential to the company so it can be applied to optimize business performance. The content of this paper provides the fundamental concepts to the practice of Knowledge Management and how it should be applied. Explanation of the technology, its application in business, benefits, and the essentials of designing a knowledge management program are introduced and explained in further details. Knowledge Management: Technology and Trends   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The practice of knowledge management is often confused with information management. So what is knowledge management? And exactly how should it work? B. Begeron (2003) defines knowledge management as â€Å"the ability to selectively capture, archive, and access the best practices of work-related knowledge and decision making from employees and managers for both individual and group behaviors.† Knowledge management is still a relatively new practice in business organi... ...pplications. (Santosus, 2002) Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowledge management, being a relevantly new practice in business organizations, requires a great deal of planning and setting systematic knowledge management program according to the organization’s business goals. Several factors must be applied to building a successful knowledge management program: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership is essential. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Training and reeducating of knowledge workers is the key to increasing the organization’s assets 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business goal must be set and expectations must be managed. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowledge management depends on information technology. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowledge management is a constantly evolving process. If a knowledge management program is designed and applied accordingly, beneficial results would occur. We can conclude that knowledge management, instead of being applied as a technology based concept, it should be applied as a daily business practice of sharing information among employees and departments in order to properly import knowledge in to use when it is needed

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Drug Addiction and Time Essay

I believe that I am an addict, I made a lot of bad decisions in my life. But the worst was my decision to start using drugs. From the day that I started using to now I have loved it. And at times I would do just about anything to get it, I have done just about everything except sell my body. I stole from the people I love to get what I needed. Using drugs went from only on the weekends, to a couple times a week, to everyday. The worst part is, is I didn’t see that it was consuming so much of my life. There came a point where just smoking weed wasn’t enough anymore, and that’s when i should have walked away. I was 16 when I did heroin the first time. But it wasn’t until a year later when I started shooting up. My best friend and I did everything together and this was no different. We were hooked, she more than I, our lives revolved around getting high. I remember the days we couldn’t get it, she would shake and cry because her body ached for it so bad. I hated seeing her sick, all I could do nothing to help her. It was the worst thing that I have ever seen. When I could I would get her what she needed. We spent our summer days inside. Most of the time we were so high that we couldn’t move, but to us that was the best part of the day. At that moment we could finally just close our eyes and breathe. Looking back now the worst part for me is that I helped my best friend kill herself. I provided her with the drug that was sucking her dry. At that point in time I thought I was helping her. We have always depended on each other but this time we depended on something else. We both are not using heroin anymore, and have come out on the other side of that addiction. We both know that if it were placed in front of us we could not say no. Addiction has taken a lot from me. I have lost the trust of my Parents and my freedom I ounce had. My best friend and I can not hangout outside of school, were just not good for each other to be around. But most of all I lost respect for myself.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Sample Informative Essay on Ethics in Operations Management

Operations management is a business management branch in charge of controlling and designing the production process, as well as redesigning business operations when producing services or goods. In this domain, ethics matter a lot because they satisfy basic human needs while boosting credibility. Generally defined as environmental, social and communal responsibilities of business pros, ethics in the business environmental, particularly in operations management, requires managers to think outside the box when making decisions. Companies of all sizes and shapes have incorporated and developed a lot of codes of conduct and systems to help them cope with ethical issues and be able to make more reasonable decisions. When it comes to making decisions, operations management is crucial because we’re talking about an activity with flowing resources within a properly defined system. These resources are combined and transformed in a way that they can add value. Operations managers make use of their knowledge, materials available (resources) and capabilities to maneuver materials properly in order to attain an output of a desired product quantity and quality. This is where ethics come in. Sadly, not all managers are responsible individuals, and some don’t have a problem with consuming drugs or alcohol at work. This often leads to poor judgment, thus affecting the whole production, including the employees handling that production. Operations managers deal with all kinds of ethic matters when making decisions. Their decision making are based on several very important factors such as magnitude of consequence, social agreement, effect probability, time interval, concentration of effect, and proximity. For example, founder of RTI (Rumarson Technology Inc), Paul Baum, makes computer recycling a company mission. RTI acquires, refurbishes and distributes computer equipment from inventory buyout programs or trade ins. Basically, the company buys used computers and reinstates them; then it sells them as â€Å"nused† PCs with a 25-40% warrantee. RTI donates computers that are not bought by anybody and recycles them, thus helping the environment. They’re well-aware that computers have more toxins than oil spills, which basically says that they’re acting ethical and that they care for their customers. But what happens when a company acts unethical? In operations management, it can be devastating. For example, Sanyo Electric Corporation shipped over 200,000 defective laptop batteries. Designed together with the giant Lenovo (but solely tested by Lenovo), customers complained that the batteries overheat; some even sparked and one laptop in particular caught fire. Following this incident, the company had to recall the batteries, costing Sanyo a fortune. But then again, money is not everything in business. Sanyo also lost its reputation and the company’s stocks dropped significantly. If the manufacturers had admitted to the error from the very beginning, none of this would have happened. Due to the unethical behavior of the operations management department, the entire company had to suffer. Many companies today adhere to environmentally-friendly strategies in order to minimize negative outcomes and help the environment. This approach is the perfect proof of good ethics in operations management. For a business to be included in the sustainable branch – and feel that it’s making a difference it must be transparent from all points of view. Believe it or not, a sustainable set of business practices has a great impact on the relationship of an organization with its employees, investors and customers. References Kaplan, K. The cutting edge: computing/technology/innovation.1995. latimes.com Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. cfainstitute.org Rudnika. EA. Ethics in operations management course. 2005. nih.org Dellinger AJ. Toshiba recalls 200,000 laptop batteries. 2016. dailydot.com Bradley J. Challenges that face operations managers. chron.com What is operations management? mitsloan.edu The Open University. Understanding operations management course. 2016. open.edu