Negative Effects of Media on Youth: Causal Effect Analysis

Negative Effects of Media on Youth: Causal Effect Analysis Natasha Nguyen Why is it difficult to show that media causes harm to young people? Introduction The impact of the media on young people has long been an issue, with concern that younger audiences are negatively influenced by media. Effects research has been used to determine whether media causes harm on young people. However, media effects research has its difficulties in generating viable results. This paper will outline why it is difficult to show a direct causal effect from media resulting in negative outcomes and behaviours from young audiences. No media effects researchers believe in direct effects and a cohort of media scholars make valid claims supporting this statement. Barrie Gunter effectively explains the validity problems with media effects research, with Albert Bandura’s famous ‘Bobo Doll’ experiment as an example. David Gauntlett’s views on the flaws of the effects model are also relevant to the discussion and McQuail makes very constructive points on how audiences can choose how they let media affect them. To further justify that it is difficult to show that media causes harm to people, the ideas discussed will be related to the case study of the murder of 2 year old James Bulger. Validity of Effects Research Early media effects experiments, such as the Payne Fund Studies, consisted of children participants being placed in artificial environments (Gunter 2008,p.1085). They were fed dosages of media violence controlled by researchers who then exposed them to environments where they could behave in aggressive ways if they choose to (Gunter 2008,p.1085). However, these studies have been criticized by scholars for lacking validity (Sparks, Sparks Sparks 2009,p.272). The experiments were too far-fetched to produce any feasible results about media effects as they were artificial; taking users out of their natural habitats, feeding them media they would not usually consume and using unrealistic representatives for real-life violence (Ruddock 2013,p.27). Gunter (2008) is especially adequate at explaining the problems with validity in effects studies. He outlines the issues with conducting experiments in artificial settings. Participants are aware of researchers and act accordingly, doing what th ey thought the researcher wanted (Gunter 2008,p.1088). Gunter (2008,p.1102) reports how the selection of media extracts fed to participants were devoid of their original context and could be interpreted differently when embedded in their original source. Media effects research cannot be discussed without referencing Bandura’s (1963) Bobo Doll experiment (Sparks, Sparks Sparks 2009,p.272). The study illustrated that when watching a televised model commit aggressive actions, children were more likely to imitate the actions if the model was rewarded instead of punished (Sparks, Sparks Sparks 2009,p.272). This suggests an association between aggressive media influences on the children to mimic the aggressive acts but Gunter (2008) cautioned against mistaking association for causation. There were many flaws to that experimentation, with even Bandura (2009,p.110) himself discussing the severe constraints tied to controlled experimentation. Flaws in the â€Å"Effects Model† In response to traditional media effects studies, Gauntlett (1998) discusses the flaws of media effects studies, outlining why it cannot be used to prove that media causes direct harm to young people. Firstly, he discredits effects research for coming to social problems backwards. Researchers start with violent media and attempt to find ways to connect it to social problems, such as aggression, instead of beginning with social problems to find their causes (Gauntlett 1998,p.214). Gauntlett (1998,p.216) also criticizes the effects model for treating children as inadequate and more manipulable than adults, being influenced into behavior adults wouldn’t be. He questions the validity of effects research by discussing the use of artificial studies, claiming that they are selective and based on the belief that the subjects will not change their behavior as a result of being observed (Gauntlett 1998,p.219). In examining some of the flaws that Gauntlett presents, it is clear that it i s difficult to research media effects to show a direct causal effect as the methods traditionally used undermine the validity of the results. Audience’s Choices on Effects The influence media has commonly depends on audience motivations, as information conveyed is not what influences audiences but rather people’s self-determined reaction to this information (Petty, Brinol Priester 2009,p.126). Pieslack (2007) delves into this concept through his studies of music and war. He states that people voluntarily expose themselves to the effects of media, citing soldiers at war as an example who become aggressive after listening to rap music because they want to become aggressive (Pieslack 2007,p.134). McQuail (1997,p.205) explains how typical effects models were perceived as a one-way process of causality, from media to consumer, where the audience was viewed as a passive recipient of media content. However, individuals have unique tastes in media, with some more inclined to expose themselves to media violence (McQuail 1997,p.206). This destroys the notion of media messages being forced upon individuals unwillingly, evidencing that young audiences know ingly visit effects upon themselves (Ruddock 2013,p.28). Young people often learn from media because they choose to (Bandura 2009,p.97). This demonstrates the difficulty in showing that media causes harm to young people as there may be a correlation between aggression but there is no proof of direct causation, with certain individuals choosing to let media influence them (Gunter 2008,p.1095). Audiences Backgrounds Media aggression does not have the same effects on everyone and some may be more susceptible than others to effects of media violence (Gunter 2008,p.1095). Individual media audiences have different psychological makeups that influence the way they respond to aggressive media (Gunter 2008,p.1112). The consumption of violence and aggression from media is complex and must account for the audience’s differing psychological profiles (Gunter 2008,p.1097). Media violence can produce aggression when paired with troubled social conditions (Ruddock 2013,p.35). We cannot assume that violence from media consumers is directly linked back to the media as there are many other influences which can cause aggression in individuals. Peer influences, family conflicts and other factors may all influence aggressive behaviour (Sparks, Sparks Sparks 2009,p.273). It has also been reviewed that negative effects of media violence were mostly visible among the poor, less educated and socially disenfranc hised (Ruddock 2013,p.35). This proves that violent media effects are mostly a risk for individuals whom already had difficult lives and as a result, it is difficult to prove a direct causal effect from violent media. The James Bulger Murder In 1993, controversy over media effects on children surfaced following the murder of two-year-old James Bulger by two ten-year-old boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. Bulger’s body was found mutilated on a railway line two days after his murder. Though no evidence of it was brought to trial, violence in videos was considered a possible stimulus. There were many links made by the press between the crime and events in a film called Childs Play 3 (Bignell 2002,p.134). Venable’s father had rented the film however, Venables did not live with his father and had never seen the film (Bignell 2002,p.134). There was no way to connect the crime to the film and direct effects were never proven and authorities concluded that the crime was the case of two disturbed individuals acting on dark impulses, rather than on the influence of violent media. Thompson grew up in a brutal environment, being assaulted by five older brothers and an alcoholic mother. His tough upbringings may ha ve produced aggression when paired with violent media. He could have chosen to let aggressive media influence him voluntarily, wanting to become more aggressive to deal with his surroundings. This underlines Pieslack’s (2007) point about audiences voluntarily exposing themselves to media effects. The boys’ psychological makeup could account for their actions and their responses to aggressive media. Venables came from troubled family conditions, exhibited low self esteem and was temperamentally fragile. His difficult circumstances made him more vulnerable to the effects of media content, as discussed by Gunter (2008). It would be wrong to assume that violent media directly caused the boys to commit the crime as there was no direct proof and a range of other factors clearly had influence on the pair. Concluding Remarks It is difficult to show that media causes harm to young people and that a direct causal effect resulting in negative outcomes exists. The view that media has direct and powerful effects on audiences is more accepted by the general public than media effects scholars (Oliver Krakowiak 2009,p.517). Some researchers acknowledge that media violence can influence viewers but not in all circumstances, all audiences and not directly (Gunter 2008,p.1063). Media effects scholars such as Gunter, Gauntlett, Pieslack and McQuail disagree with direct causal effects. In researching media effects through experimentation, results compiled are questioned for their validity as research conducted in artificial environment can encourage unnatural participant responses. Aggressive behaviour cannot be solely blamed on violent media content as there are many other factors which influence an individual’s motives for being violent. As seen through the James Blumer case study, an individual’s mo tives, psychological makeup and social background can influence the level of power media has over them and disproves the idea of direct effects. Reference List Gauntlett, D 1998, ‘Ten Things Wrong with the Effects Model’, in R Dickinson, R Harindranath O Linne (ed.), Approaches to Audiences: A Reader, Arnold Publishers, London, pp.120-130 Gunter, B 2008, ‘Media Violence: Is There a Case for Causality?’, American Behavioural Scientist, vol. 51, no. 8, pp. 1061-1122 McQuail, Oliver, M Krakowiak, K 2009, ‘Individual Differences in Media Effects’, in J Bryant M Oliver (ed.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research, Routledge, New York, pp. 517-531 Petty, R, Brinol, P Priester, J 2009, ‘Mass Media Attitude Change: Implications of the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion’, in J Bryant M Oliver (ed.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research, Routledge, New York, pp. 517-531 Pieslack, J 2007, ‘Sound Targets: Music and the War in Iraq’, Journal of Musicological Research, vol.26, no. 2, pp. 129-149 Ruddock, A 2013, Youth and Media, SAGE Publications, London Sparks, G, Sparks, C Sparks, E 2009, ‘Media Violence’, in J Bryant M Oliver (ed.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research, Routledge, New York, pp. 269-286

The External Triggers For Change In Toyota

The External Triggers For Change In Toyota In today dynamic marketplace, change management has become a very vital element of the organisation development. Change doesnt not always imply innovation, thus, change is defined as a part of organisation invariably influence people and process of the organisation (Cole, 2008). The pace of global, economic and technological development makes change an inevitable feature of organisational life. Change can be classified into planned change and unplanned change. Unplanned change is a piecemeal reaction to circumstances as they occur. Whereas, planned change is change that is designed and implemented in an orderly and timely fashion in anticipation of future events (Hayes, 2002). For instance, the implementation of Just-In-Time (JIT) operation in the Toyota Production System (TPS) is considered as a planned change. It is because the adaption of JIT is gone through a planned and well-managed change process. Change is crucial to strategy and vision generation when organisation is preparing for the strategic planning process (Burnes, 2004). Change is an alternation of organisations environment structure, technology or people. Organisation often view change as a continuous process that they need to capture the learning and pass it on. The forces of change can be divided into internal and external forces. External forces include economic factors, and new market opportunity. By contrast, the internal forces inside an organisation can lead to a change (Griffin, 2003). Organisation need to clearly clarify the factors, which have triggered the changes. After that, a change management approach should be undertaken, which comprises of change management process, approaches adopted to minimise the resistance to change and an overall performance evaluation program of the change. History of Toyota Toyota Manufacturing Corporation (TMC) story starts, when Sakichi invented the wooden Toyoda handloom, which was to revolutionize the countrys textile industry. Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, which is now known as Toyota Manufacturing Corporation (TMC), was founded in 1918 by Sakichi Toyoda and Kiichiro Toyoda. Kiichiro Toyoda had travelled to Europe and the US in 1929 to research automobile production and begun researching gasoline powered engines in 1930. The 1st A1 prototype passenger car was completed in year 1935 (http: //www.toyota.co.uk). Toyota began its operation in Europe since the early 1960s. They attempted to design the car based on Europe market needs and wants. Further, Toyota had established a manufacturing plant operation in UK in year 1989 because of the strong tradition of vehicle manufacturing in UK and the large domestic market for their product (http://www.toyotauk.com). In year 2004, Toyota has become the one of the top three car manufacturer, alongside General Motor (GM) and Ford. Globalisation has forced Toyota to improve their business process to be more competitive in the global market. Toyota has established a clear vision 2010 Global Vision Strategy. The mission of Toyota is to create a more prosperous society through automatic manufacturing. Therefore, Toyota has to always focus on the future of the automobile industry when deciding the position of the company. The vision of Toyota aims to achieve long term, stable growth in harmony with the environment, the global economy, the local communities it serves and its stakesholder (http://www.toyota.co.jp). Forces for Change The external and internal forces have resulted in the need of change. The external triggers for change are derived from outside the organisation. The external triggers for change in Toyota: Globalisation The declination of barriers to the free flow of products and services had driven the trend of globalisation. Globalisation has opened up new market and created opportunity for business to expand their market share (http://news.bbc.co.uk). Increased Competition The increased the competition in the market has forced companies to improve their business operation to be more competitive in the market. For example, as a global player Toyota, frequently confront each other as competitors in nation after nation. Ford, for instance, has 5 car-design centres scattered around the world, each focus on specific market segment (Terpstra and Sarathy, 2000). As a result, change may occur. In this assignment, case regarding to the impact of change on TPS had changed the company policy, process, and decision making. Tough rivalry There are many aggressive competitors, such as Nissan, GM, Ford and so on. Most of them have established their own competitive advantages in the global market, thus, this may constraints Toyota to gain more market share in the global market (Hill and Jones, 1998). Thus, there a need of change for Toyota to create their competitive advantages. Low Demand The demand of consumers is low so Toyota needed to turn out low volume of different models using assembly line instead of supporting the dedicated assembly lines for one vehicle. Finally, Ohno developed the TPS, by adapting the Ford production system to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of production lines. This idea was derived from the trip to Ford factory and designed to achieve three main objectives: costs reduction, quality improvement and zero inventory (Lynch 2006). The internal triggers for a change in Toyota: The introduction of JIT The new management philosophy Just-in-time system had been applied by Ford companies in 1910. They arranged all the elements of a manufacturing system people, machines, tooling, and products in a continuous system for manufacturing the Model T automobiles designed to make huge quantities of limited number of models (Lynch, 2006). As a result, Ford became the largest car company in Japan with GM as the second largest manufacturer, together manufacturing over 90% of the vehicles manufactured in Japan. New product innovation There is a need of new product innovation because the increased fuel price has influenced the consumer buying behaviours. Therefore, there is a need for Toyota to develop fuel-efficient vehicles and hybrid vehicles (Lynch, 2004). Management and Marketing The poor management of Toyota in India has led to a lockout in India plant. The falling demand of car in Philippines has led to the Toyota plant close down because of the poor marketing expertise to help the Toyota to increase their product awareness (http://news.bbc.co.uk). Operation problem Based on the mass production paradigm of the day, economies of scale alone should have made this an impossible for the tiny Toyota. The new discovery of the technology that used by Ford in production line became a threat for Toyotas position in the market. The only way that it could survive was by finding new and flexible production methods that could help them to create more value on car manufacturing process (Lynch, 2006). Production Lines There are numerous problems with Toyota (without using the technology in its TPS) (Turban, 2008): Problem in its supply chain and its operations, and its car keeping costs mounted. Customer dissatisfaction increased due to Toyota inability to deliver cars to dealers on time. Management used computer that generated useless reports and data. Thus, management faced the problem in using the data strategically. Internal department often failed in file sharing and information exchange. Thus, it had slow down the speed of reporting. Report system that used in TPS always provides inaccurate information and information overlaps. Management failed in making decision in a given time due to the inaccurate information. Types of Change Change is the transition from one state to another. There are three types of changes which may undertake by the organisation to response to the change in external and internal environment: Incremental Change According to Hayes (2002), incremental change is a continuous adaption and modification of organisation existing strategic, process, policies and system. It is risk for an organisation adapts incremental change if the external forces of change are great because the opportunity of organisation development and expansion may be constrained by the existing systems and operations. Strategic Change Strategic change is the proactive management of change in organisation to achieve strategic objectives, which involves establish new systems, policies or procedures (Lynch, 2003). Transformational Change Transformational change may involve both strategic and incremental change because the intervention leads to alignment among the organisations strategies, design element, and culture (Johnson and Scholes, 1999). The revolutionary of Toyota is considered transformational change. The transformational change of Toyota occurs in response to external and internal disruptions, which consist of tough rivalry, internal company dynamics and so on. There disruption severely jolt organisation and push them to alter business strategy, and in turn, their mission, values, structure, systems, and procedures (Cummings and Worley, 2001): Transformational change involves altering most of the featuring of the organisation and achieving a fit among them and with the firms strategy. Today, the demand of better quality has been on the increase for the past two decades or more. Toyota has change process in production, business operation and retail system. The culture of Toyota has changed as they attempt to develop a lean organisation. Previously, the culture of Toyota is problems of production are corrected later and quality of controlled by additional inspection and containment. Now, they build a culture that stops to fix problems with the core philosophy of eliminating waste (Liker and Meier, 2006). Transformational change happens in situation experiencing huge change and uncertainty, thus, changing never finished as new structures and process will continually have to be altered to fit the changing condition. The adaption of JIT approach in TPS enable Toyota to produce different types of cars in one production line, thus, it has increase the ability to Toyota in response to the different types of customer preferences (Hino, 2006). Transformational change requires innovation and continuous learning. Toyota is considered as a learning organisation because their culture is stopping the problem and fixing the problem at that time. This typically is a continuous learning process and trying new behaviours, assessing their consequences, and modifying them. Learning occurs at all levels of the organisation from top level management to low level management (Liker and Meier, 2006). Change Management Of Toyota Change is a critical part to be managed when Toyotas globalization had started exporting the Crown to the United States. Thus, a well-organised change management process (Appendix 1: Change Management Process, p 20) needs to be carried out to avoid the problem of inefficiency works due to the lack of concentration on specific aspect (http://blogs.iht.com). According to Hayes (2002), there are several steps involved in the process of change management: 1. Recognition: Organisation has to be clearly aware of the external and internal factors (Refer to force for change above) that lead to a need of change take place within the organisation. In year 1940, Ohno Taiichi, chief engineering of Toyota found that it is difficult for tiny Toyota to compete with Ford and General Motors (GM) (the world largest car manufacturing company) in a global market. The only way that it could survive was by looking for new and flexible production method that could help them to establish their position in the global market (Lynch, 2006). Other than that, the demand of better quality of the market has indicated the problem of traditional TPS focuses on reducing per unit costs generates a mind-set of never stopping the line because higher production number theoretically equal lower cost per unit (Refer to the internal and external factors, which trigger the need of change). 2. Start of Change Process: In this stage, it involves the translating the need for change into an aspiration of change among the people, deciding who will manage the change and building a workable and effective change relationship. In order to start the change process, Ohno had visited the Ford factory because of the belief that Ford factory can provide him a way to modify the TPS. However, Ohno found that the Ford production was flawed. In response, he looked for a way to make mass production efficiency with small production volumes and at lowest costs Just-In-Time (JIT) approach (Stevenson, 2007). Thus, forces of change have encouraged Toyota to develop lean system for TPS by adopting JIT approach (Appendix 2: Attributes of Lean Organisation, p21) (Appendix 3: Traditional unit-cost-focused manufacturing, p22) (Appendix 3 (a): Lean Waste Reduction Result in Lower Total Cost, Improved Delivery, p23) (Hill, 2007). 3. Diagnosis: Then, diagnosis of reviewing the present and identifying the future for better change management is taken place. Reviewing the present state can help organisation to the need of change through diagnosis the causes of problems, current deficiencies and opportunities. Organisation may able to clearly identify what is changing and the future direction through reviewing the current state. Organisation have to imagine how and what future that business likely to achieve and then establishing objectives to accomplish it. The present state of Toyota is unable to produce the types of cars, which can meet the market needs and wants, mass production lead to high waste, and so forth. Therefore, in order to a well-entranced global company, Toyota had established the major objective of revolutionary TPS is to build up competitive advantages- affordable price and high quality and eliminate the problems of current TPS, so that Toyota can compete with other larger car manufacturer although their market share is smaller (Krajewski and et al., 2007) (Appendix 4: Toyota Production System, pg 24). 3. Prepare and plan for implementation: Subsequently, organisation need to make choices such as which method should adopt for the change and whether full or trial implementation should be run. Toyota had established 14 management principles (Appendix 5, pg 25) in its new TPS to guide its operation in various countries including UK (Liker and Meier, 2006). The 14 management principles have developed Toyotas supplier throughout the value stream. Furthermore, Toyota has established four underlying principles to TPS (Stevenson, 2007): Work should be finished specified as to content, sequence, timing and outcome. Every customer-supplier connection, both internal and external, has to be direct and specify. The people who involved in the connection, the forms and quantity of the services and goods and so forth need to clearly indicated, The flow of products and services must be simple and direct goods and services are directed and specific person or machine. Any improvement in the system must be made in accordance with the scientific method, at the lowest possible level in the organisation. 4. Implementation change: The implementation of change need to be carried out in an appropriate time. Further, organisation needs to be focused on monitoring and controlling actions to ensure everything flow smoothly. The implementation of lean system has affected the Toyotas internal linkages between its core and supporting process and its external linkages with its customers and suppliers. In the human resource department, they had emphasised on the right incentive systems that reward team work. Toyota has provided training and education for employees regarding the responsiveness of system to problems that makes the seemingly rigid system so flexible and adaptable to changing circumstance (Hino, 2006). As a consequence, Toyota developed a new HRM system inserted new program such as assimilation (process of bringing people into their new TPS culture) and training (On-the-job Training-OJT) into the recruitment system. They are adopting the OJT to encourage employees to learn their own jobs well to be able to train others (http://www.toyotauk.com). Furthermore, they exert tremendous efforts to develop people who live in their system through the kaizen program (continuous improvement) such as suggestion program, quality circles, leadership development and the like (Liker and Meier, 2006) (Appendix 6: HRM Framework TMUK, pg 27). 5. Review and consolidate: Feedback of the change process is needed for review and consolidation. Consolidation primarily refers to the unfreezing concept of Lewins model. After implementing the new TPS, Toyota had announced there is a huge reduction of costs in production process. Further, Toyota can better response to the customers needs and wants. To sum up, organisation may not able to sustain in the market if they dont manage the change process properly. Thus, managing change and the ability of perceive the change is crucial to future success. The resistance of Change However, there are some circumstances faced by Toyota when implementing the change in their operation. According to Mr. Stevenson, the employees of Toyota fear that they will be unable to implement the JIT approach in production with reach the cost-efficiency objectives, and therefore develop negative attitude toward the change or behave poorly if required to use them. Besides that, the staff of Toyota has used to the traditional production. Every day, they are doing the same job, thus, they rely on habits in doing the job. The habit of the employees has become a source of resistance to change. Furthermore, the implementations of changes require high capability workers and high skills workers. Some employees are fear of losing status, jobs, authority and other economic benefits has refused to change. It is because the changes lead to some change in the organisational structure of Toyota. Some low level workers have been promoted to become high skills workers to participate in the production lines. Some older workers are not able to cope with the changes, thus they tend to resist change. Techniques for Reducing Resistance There are various methods can be used to overcome the resistance to change: education and communication, participation, facilitation and support, negotiation, manipulation and co-optation and coercion. Among those techniques, Toyota has applied the education and communication techniques. They discuss the change with the employees to help them to see the logic of change. They try to understand the problems that faced by employees during the change process and attempt to solve it out. Apart from that, participation is undertaken by Toyota to work out the problem of resistance to change. Toyota has involved all the employees in the implementation of lean system in business operation. Toyota also provides supportive efforts such as training and development, which help the employees to adopt the change easily. (Source: Interview from Sales Executive Mr. Stevenson, R.) The Impact of Change on Toyotas Operation Production Process The external and internal factors had encouraged Toyota to build lean system in TPS a philosophy of continuous improvement and forced problem solving that drives out waste, which can help create a lean organisation. By implementing the new production system, all the stages in production must be carried out by establishing the quality and continually improving quality standard; therefore, it can meet total quality standards and delight customers. The revolutionary of the TPS has completely changed the manufacturing process in term of inventory, scheduling, quality control and so forth (Taylor and Brunt, 2002) (Appendix 7: JIT contributes competitive advantages, p 28). The revolutionary of TPS had encouraged Toyota create one-piece flow within the organisation because it helped Toyota to eliminate waste, force problem to surface, create interdependency, make problem uncomfortable and identify weak links in the flow and strengthen them (Appendix 8: Waste Reduction Model, pg 29). Thus, it can save their resources and uses it in other areas (Liker and Meier, 2006). The new TPS helped Toyota in establishing standardised process and procedures to create consistent performance and better manage their operation around the world. The revolutionary of the TPS is focusing on flexibility by basing production on demand rather than simply on capacity. According to Mr. Stevenson, Toyota has developed a flexibility and responsiveness that continues to set the standard for the industry by concentrating on small quantity and manufacturing on what customers want. With the continuous improvement, TPS has become the ideal system in todays rapidly changing global environment. TPS increases the production flexibility able to produce different models on one assembly line (http://news.bbc.co.uk). Marketing and Customer Services The old TPS is focusing on economic of scale rather than the customers needs and wants. Therefore, demand of products is low as the new competitors such as Ford and General Motors has introduced the new vehicles. The use of new TPS has changed from supporting dedicated assembly lines for one vehicle with high volume to low volume of different models of vehicles by using the same assembly line. Furthermore, the revolutionary of TPS had enabled the Toyota served all the segment of passenger car vehicle market by offering an extensive range of innovative, high quality vehicles and engines. The vehicles are designed to satisfy the varied demand of Toyotas customers, while delivering superior quality and reliability (Hino, 2006). Customer satisfaction is a top priority in today competitive market environment. Mr .Stevenson cited that the implementation of revolutionary of TPS has impacted on the business operation of Toyota Lean Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Toyota built lean CRM in response to the growing volume of customer information collected at the many touch-points during the customer lifecycle. Therefore, Toyota can capture the change in customers behaviour easily. The Customer First concept is generated from the TPS. Toyota realise that no matter how good the final product might be, it is worthless if the products dont meet customers demands and needs. Thus, Toyota Retail System (TRS) are developed to define the Toyota Way in retailing. The concept of Customer First is about putting the customer in the drivers seat before the car has even been designed. The concept has separated throughout the whole organisation. The creation of 14 principles of Toyota Way has applied to the TPS Plan Do Check Act to retail environment. The objectives of TRS are to reach efficiency in retailing and delivering best purchase and ownership experience for customers (http://www.toyota.co.jp). Technology The continuous improvement in TPS had developed the use of technology in production. The expensive fuel price had encouraged Toyota to develop hybrid engines (Lynch, 2006). Other than that, the issues of global warning has increasingly concerned by stakeholders. The development of hybrid technology enables Toyota to more emphasis on promoting environmental friendly vehicles, which can more commit to corporate social responsibilities. Traditionally, Toyota was using digital print to print large areas of solid colour without areas of banding appearing and ruining the piece. The development of new technology DocuColor enables Toyota to produce with exceptional print quality (www.xerox.com). Culture In the past, the culture of the Toyota has increased the costs of production; it is because employees keep producing the products without stopping and correcting the problem of the products. Therefore, Toyota has the intention to build up an organisation culture, where employees need to detect a problem, stop the problem immediately and solve the problem at that time (Krajewski, and et al., 2007). The improvement is made at the lowest level of the organisation so that the employees who are actually doing the work are actively involved in doing the improvement (Appendix 9: The contrastive between traditional method of correcting problem and the Toyota method of stopping to fix model, p30 ). Other than that, the implementation of lean system has fostered the culture of continuous improvement, which placed high value on performance and result. Mr. Stevenson cited that Toyota has also build up a close relationship with its suppliers, thus, Toyota only order the materials, which is needed and there is no extra storage for unused materials. Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Change In the past, Toyota is considered as a low cost producer. But, the low cost strategy unable to help Toyota to establish s strong position in the global and compete with its competitors. Therefore, the implementation of lean system in TPS with JIT approach enables Toyota to pursue both cost leadership and differentiation strategy (Morrison, 2006). Differentiation strategy can be developed through the total quality control and continuous improvement in the stages of TPS. Furthermore, the new TPS provides an opportunity for Toyota to pursue its global niche strategy Lexus, which tend to target high income level people and to increase its presence in the global market (Lynch, 2006). Other than that, new technology that invented into the TPS had lowered the cost of production through eliminating waste and making it more efficient for Toyota to change model quickly in response to changing customer taste. With the revolutionary of TPS, Toyota has dominated the top ranking for reliability and manufacturing excellence in the third party quality survey since year 2006. Based on a Consumer Report, there are 47 most reliable car models in today market. Surprisingly, 21 Toyotas models are ranking in the survey of evaluating around 1.3 million vehicles. Toyota had been voted the global most admired motor vehicles by Fortune 500 global executives in 2005 and 2006, ranking first in the industry for quality, and social responsibility (http://www.toyotauk.com). Today, Toyota has replaced GM as the worlds largest car manufacturer. The successful of Toyota is the global market is because of its sophisticated lean system in business operation: production, customer services and marketing areas. Traditionally, it takes 3 days to build up a car. With the implementation of JIT approach in TPS, it only takes 24 hours to build the car from a roll of steel to finished vehicle. In average, the construction of engine is done every 54 seconds (http://www.toyotauk.com). The whole concept of Toyota is customer first, which has result in the increasingly growth of sales in Europe in 2006. Toyota had announced its record sales in Europe for 10th year in a row the achievement of an annual sales growth of 13% and a market share of 5.8%. The development of hybrid technology was voted as the Best Eco-Friendly Engine in 1999 and 2000 (www.issolutions.co.uk). According to Mr. Stevenson, Toyota has maintained its competitive advantages without making any loss, while other large car manufacturers are making loss during the economic downturn. This has prove that the lean system in the Toyota is efficiency and effective and able to react to the external change. Conclusion The implementation of lean system in business operation in Toyota is focuses on elimination waste, zero inventories, respond to customers behaviour quickly, quality management, and continuous improvement. However, no process can ever be perfect, thus, continuous improvement is needed. The element of continuous improvement can be a competitive advantages for Toyota to sustain competitive in the global market. TPS enables Toyota to produce vehicles at low costs, but low costs in production only reduce the selling price (short-term benefit). Therefore, Toyota can endeavour to produce vehicles which contribute the long term benefits for customer fuel-efficient engines. Fuel efficient engines not only offer the customers with long-term benefit, but also cultivate the environmental protection policy. Furthermore, Toyota can research on every aspect of the vehicles and find out the way to save the customer long-term costs with the basic requirement of security and safety policy. Nowadays, global warming is becoming an issue that concerned by public. Although, Toyota had developed the new technology hybrid engines, which is a combination of petrol and electric. However, this technology is not widely developed by the Toyota because not all the vehicles are manufactured by using hybrid engine. In order to contribute to the society, this is an opportunity for Toyota to strive in research and development by using hybrid engines in producing all the vehicles. Technological changes can make well-establish product obsolete, while technology can be used as a value-added function to achieve organisational competitive (Terpstra and Sarathy, 2000) (Hill and Jones, 1998). In order to avoid from vehicles obsolete, Toyota has to always keep updating the latest technology that used in manufacturing. By using the latest technology, Toyota can be more innovative in creating and manufacturing the vehicles. The revolutionary of TPS has developed Toyota as a learning organisation learning continuously from the problem solving. Furthermore, globalisation had influenced the way Toyota conduct its business in term of marketing and customer services, production, human resource management, strategy, use of technology and its business process. The changed of company policies had led Toyota successfully passed its competitive competitors GM and Ford. The implementation of TPS enables Toyota to uses both cost leadership and differentiation strategy to compete in the global market. As a consequence, Toyota has become one of the world largest car manufacturer companies in term of low price and high quality. In conclusion, their lean system made them an innovative leader in the auto industry and served as an important cornerstone of their success. Appendix 1: Change Management Process Start of change process Diagnosis review the present and identify the future state Review and consolidate Implement change Plan and prepare for implementation Recognition of the need for change External change, problem opportunities. (Source: Hayes, J. (2002) The Theory and Practice of Change Management, 1st Edition, Palgrave Macmillan, New York) Appendix 2: Attributes of Lean Organisation Apply JIT techniques to reduce virtually all inventories. Establish system that assist employees produce a perfect part every time. Reduce space requirements by minimising the distance a part travels. Build close relationship with supplier, helping them to understand their needs and their customers needs. Educate supplier about the responsibility of helping meet customer needs. Eliminate all but value-added activities. Material handling, inspection and rework jobs are the likely target because these do not add value to product. Build the workforce by constantly improving job design, training, employee participation and commitment, and teamwor

Essay --

Learning objectives To provide exercise professionals with an overview of resistance training benefits, safety issues, and programming guidelines for patients who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or at risk of getting it. Key words Osteoporosis, Bone Mineral Density, Resistance Exercise, Quality of life, Postmenopausal Women, Strength Training, Osteoporosis is a major public health problem that will likely escalate as the population ages. Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by a significant decrease in bone mass, which can lead to an increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. Women are three times more likely than men to be diagnosed with osteoporosis during their lifespan. 2,6,9,17,21,24,33,50 Bone is a dynamic tissue that continually adapts to its functional demands to produce a structure that is strong enough to prevent fractures during typical activities. 3,14,23,29,32,33, Studies have clearly shown the importance of regular physical activity for optimal skeletal growth during development and maintenance of mineral mass and density in adulthood. Because this disease is characterized by a progressive decline in bone density, resistance training is often recommended as a complementary treatment. This article will review both the current body of knowledge with respect to the effects of resista nce training on osteoporosis symptoms as well as the current recommendations for a resistance-training program. Disease Background Osteoporosis is a manifestation of bone atrophy that leads to great susceptibility to fractures, which occur even as a result of small trauma. The most common fractures occur in the spine, wrist and hip and are not uncommon in the ribs, humerus and pelvis.3, 18,20,26,3... ...ng is preferable to lower intensities and is generally safe because the load is relative to individual capacity. In middle-aged and older persons, especially postmenopausal women and patients treated with medications that may cause bone loss should be given an exercise prescription. Resistance exercise targeting major muscle groups is recommended 2 to 3 days per week at ~70% to 80% of 1 RM, 2 to 3 sets, and 6 to 8 repetitions per set. They should begin with lighter loads, adding weight in small increments until desired loads are achieved. Proper posture and lifting technique are crucial concerns, so that they do not injure themselves during exercises. Exercise programs for elderly women and men should include not only weight-bearing endurance and resistance activities aimed at preserving bone mass, but also activities designed to improve balance and prevent falls.

Essay --

The key question of the survey was to answer if the public of the United States of America believe that obesity is a serious problem or not. The population of interest was the whole U.S citizens. The survey was done by a telephone interview, conducted on October 30-November 6, 2013, among a national sample of 2003 adults, 18 years of age or older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The respondents were interviewed on a landline telephone, as well as on a cell phone. The combination of landline and cell phone random digit dial samples were used; both samples were provided by Survey Sampling International. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. Respondents in the landline sample were selected by randomly asking for the youngest adult male or female who is now at home. Interviews in the cell sample were conducted with person who answered the phone, if that person was an adult 19 years of age or older. The combined landline and cell phone sample are wei ghted using an interactive technique that matches gender, age, education, race, Hispanic origin, and nativity and region to parameters from the 2011 Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and population density to parameters from the Decennial Census. The sample also weighted to match current patterns of telephone status and relative usage of landline and cell phones. The weighting procedure also accounts for the fact that respondents with both landline and cell phones have a greater probability of being included in the combined sample and adjusts for household size among respondents with a landline phone. The sampling frame only includes those who are United States citizens and have registered their contact number into the directory. The sampling... ...response between male and female: women are slightly more likely than men to say that obesity is a serious public health problem (72% vs. 66%). In addition, those who describe themselves as overweight are as likely as others to say that obesity is a very serious public health problem (70% vs. 69%). The conclusions stated by The Pew Research Center are somewhat agreeable for the statistics clearly supports the argument. Just looking at the statistics provided, it is simple to conclude that no matter what situation a person is in, the citizens of America believe that obesity is a serious medical issue. However, I believe the survey cannot be generalized to the population of interest due to the fact that the number of individuals interviewed are to small compared to the whole population of the United States, thus, enabling wide variety of opinions across the country. Essay -- The key question of the survey was to answer if the public of the United States of America believe that obesity is a serious problem or not. The population of interest was the whole U.S citizens. The survey was done by a telephone interview, conducted on October 30-November 6, 2013, among a national sample of 2003 adults, 18 years of age or older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The respondents were interviewed on a landline telephone, as well as on a cell phone. The combination of landline and cell phone random digit dial samples were used; both samples were provided by Survey Sampling International. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. Respondents in the landline sample were selected by randomly asking for the youngest adult male or female who is now at home. Interviews in the cell sample were conducted with person who answered the phone, if that person was an adult 19 years of age or older. The combined landline and cell phone sample are wei ghted using an interactive technique that matches gender, age, education, race, Hispanic origin, and nativity and region to parameters from the 2011 Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and population density to parameters from the Decennial Census. The sample also weighted to match current patterns of telephone status and relative usage of landline and cell phones. The weighting procedure also accounts for the fact that respondents with both landline and cell phones have a greater probability of being included in the combined sample and adjusts for household size among respondents with a landline phone. The sampling frame only includes those who are United States citizens and have registered their contact number into the directory. The sampling... ...response between male and female: women are slightly more likely than men to say that obesity is a serious public health problem (72% vs. 66%). In addition, those who describe themselves as overweight are as likely as others to say that obesity is a very serious public health problem (70% vs. 69%). The conclusions stated by The Pew Research Center are somewhat agreeable for the statistics clearly supports the argument. Just looking at the statistics provided, it is simple to conclude that no matter what situation a person is in, the citizens of America believe that obesity is a serious medical issue. However, I believe the survey cannot be generalized to the population of interest due to the fact that the number of individuals interviewed are to small compared to the whole population of the United States, thus, enabling wide variety of opinions across the country.

During, and after World War Two Essay

In the era preceding, during, and after World War Two, documentaries and real-life depictions about the war, veterans, patriotism, post-war trauma†¦etc., exploded on the home front. John Huston’s â€Å"Let There Be Light† and Frank Capra’s â€Å"Prelude To War† are both documentary films about World War Two, however filmed for very divergent purposes and in very different angles. This paper will attempt to explore and compare the differences of both wartime documentaries, and evaluate the effectiveness of their balance between artifice and authenticity. Huston’s 1946 film â€Å"Let There Be Light† was filmed with the intent to document the treatment and rehabilitation of psychologically damaged World War Two veterans. However, due to the explicit images of stumbling, shell-shocked soldiers, the United States War Department forbade civilian circulation on grounds that the film was demoralizing and detrimental to military participants. While Huston battled US officials for permission to release â€Å"Let There Be Light,† Capra’s film â€Å"Prelude To War† was paid for by the government. This 1942 documentary was a powerful propaganda piece which chronicled the events leading up to World War Two, including the rise of fascism in Germany and Italy, and the Japanese attack on China. The film was intended to stir up support for the war effort. â€Å"Let There Be Light† conveys a range of viewpoints and purposes: 1) To create a sympathetic documentary on the recovery of the psycho-neurotic soldier which would educate civilians to accommodate and accept them into society. 2) To depict post-war conditions which were more horrific than the battlefield. 3) To demonstrate that neurotic problems could be successfully treated, but at the same time the audience is left to ponder the fate of those patients who did not recover. Huston brought his cameras to Mason General mental hospital in Long Island, where the patients’ interactions with the psychiatrists were recorded and filmed. Huge 35 mm cameras and sound recording equipment were permanently set up accompanied by a large crew of technicians. Opening statements make  clear of Huston’s intention of being a storyteller: â€Å"No scenes were staged. The only direction was tactical. Where do you put your cameras? Then how to tell the story? Or how to let the story tell itself? I didn’t impose anything. The stories were sufficient.† A ship branded by a large Red Cross streams into the opening scene of the film. Narrating the film is Walter Huston, John’s father. Curious men glance out toward the hopes of the shores. Nurses and male attendants fill the decks, and as patients struggle to disembark, they watch their heavy shadows move across the side of the ship. The cameras track their anguished souls, their fearful hearts, and some lost faith in humanity. `Here are men who tremble; men who cannot sleep; men with pains that are nonetheless real because they are of a mental origin. Men who cannot remember; paralyzed men, whose paralysis is dictated by the mind. . . The psychiatrists listen to the stories of the men, who tell them as best they can. Through all the stories runs one thread – death, and the fear of death.’ These fears were evident in the men’s testimonies and in their eyes. One man was even paralyzed by fear, literally, which impaired his ability to walk. The treatment was an injection of sodium amytol to stimulate a state similar to hypnosis which allowed the patient to explore his fears on free terrains. In a captivating scene, the doctor told him to â€Å"walk over to the nurse, all by yourself. That’s a boy. You’re just a little woozy, but that’s the medicine. Now come back to me. Open your eyes. That’s a boy. Now isn’t that wonderful?† The young man, amazed and overjoyed, walked. Huston used flashbacks at the end of the film to bare a shark contrast between the weak, battered faces and the same men who looked happy and healthy. An extraordinary transformation took place and â€Å"they were put back on their legs again- which was a wonder and a miracle.† In comparison to the sensitive filming production and the soft glow of peaceful sentiment from Huston’s â€Å"Let There Be Light,† Capra’s â€Å"Prelude to War† was distinctly more dynamic, aggressive, and propaganda-like, in which the purpose was noticeably clear: 1) To depict Japan, Germany, and Italy as nations taken over by evil political leadership. 2) To depict Americans as a  people leading the world to justice and infuse a sense of patriotism. 3) To drum up war effort support. Through stirring music, forceful editing, and scenes of the Japanese, Germans, Italians ignorantly cheering for their respective political and military leaders, the film left one feeling immense patriotic pride. The film featured some women sewing silently but voluntarily, and other women assisting in other areas of work. These scenes were empowering, and they make the statement that it is everybody’s war, not just the soldiers. Benito Mussolini gesticulating on a balcony in Rome, Hitler hailing hate and racial divide, and the Japanese military taking over political power†¦these sequences were compelling because they were a foreign concept to the American people who abhor dictatorship, adore freedom, and enjoy peace. This film also allowed the concept of â€Å"fighting for world peace† to prevail, even though pacifism was a popular ideology at the time. The documentary also featured a street poll of whether Americans should enter war. The woman at the window who cold-heartedly screamed â€Å"no,† and shut her windows was juxtaposed against warm, patriotic people who explained the need to fight for justice. Comparing both World War Two films and its balance between artifice and authenticity, â€Å"Let There Be Light† is conspicuously more authentic than artificial, while â€Å"Prelude To War† leave some skeptics doubtful with government war propaganda. To put them in distinctive categories, Huston’s film exudes a â€Å"feminine† glow which radiates post-war genuine realism, a soft sense of rehabilitation, and a maternal sense of nursing. Capra’s documentary is in contrast much more â€Å"masculine† with its strong messages and forceful sequences. It emits a warrior-like attitude that exhibits qualities of invincible strength, responsibility, and an unassailable fighting spirit. Although â€Å"Prelude To War† features many authentic scenes, there is very little room for those to expand its impact due to its propaganda nature. â€Å"Let There Be Light† is in comparison very real as all angles–the battered,  the recovered, the fear, and the brave–are all shown.

Accidents, Illness and Emergencies in the Early Years Setting

Describe the policies and procedures for dealing with accidents, injuries, illnesses and other emergencies that are in place within the school setting (P3). These policies and procedures of accident, injury, illness and other emergencies are in place within the school setting to govern working practices and provide quality and an agreed framework for action. The management within the school setting is responsible for creating the policies and for checking that they are being followed, and the staffs are responsible for implementing the policies.As all staff and parents must be aware of these policies, you will often find them on a notice board, or in the settings brochure. It is also important that new staff are informed of these policies and procedures during their induction.The school policy states, â€Å"†¦Our paramount importance is to regard the health and safety of all employees, pupils and other visitors to Windwhistle Primary School†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The following statement s, dealing with accidents, injuries, illnesses and other emergencies is issued in pursuance of the Health and Safety at Work Act. 1974 and the policy of the County Council.Accidents and Injuries Policy and Procedures†¢All accidents must be reported to the Head Teacher and entered into the accident book which is found in Health and Safety Rep's first aid folder.†¢Fatal or Major Injuries must be reported immediately by telephone to Health and Safety Office and also to the Chair of Governors. This must be followed up by the completion of an accident report form and sent to the Education Health and Safety Officer.†¢Dangerous Occurrences must also be reported immediately by telephone to Health and Safety Officer as above.First Aid – Dealing with Accidents, Injuries, Illnessess and Other Emergencies.The appointed person(s) by the head are qualified to administer first aid to casualties. The responsibilities of the appointed person(s) are: †¢To take charge in the situation where personal injury or illness has occurred and where further medical help is needed.†¢To ensure that the first aid boxes/cupboards are fully stocked with designated items only. In the case of serious injury (other emergency), responsibility of the appointed person ends when the patient is handed over to medical care or parent/guardian.The first aid boxes/cupboards in Windwhistle Primary School are located in: †¢The Main Office †¢The Staff Room †¢Class Year 4D †¢And Class Year 1J All outside class rooms hold basis first aid equipment. Notices giving details of whereabouts of first aid facilities will be displayed at appropriate sites.The Head Teacher will assume responsibilities of the appointed person in the absence of the appointed person. However, these instances should be very few and far between as planned cover should be achieved and only in the case of unplanned absence will this situation occur. All teaching staff act in loco parentis du ring the time that the school is open for children.All injuries, whether to staff, pupils or visitors, must be recorded via the school accident book or for more serious injuries, on the accident report forms. North Somerset's guidance for accident reporting should be followed at all times (covered later on). Any serious injuries or illness should be transported to hospital by ambulance as the patient's condition could worsen. Accidents or illnesses of this type should be reported by telephone or fax in the first instance to the Health and Safety Officer and then followed by a written report/investigation using appropriate North Somerset paperwork.No attempt to move an injured person should be made until a proper  examination and assessment has been completed. There is clear evidence that premature handling of the casualty has worsened injuries.Minor injuries and may be treated on a self-help basis or by any members of staff in loco parentis.THE CARE OF SICK CHILDREN (DEALING WITH ILLNESSESS)Windwhistle Primary School recognises its responsibility to promote a learning environment that is safe for all. In order to maintain a clean and healthy environment this policy provides guidance for staff and parents as to when children should or should not be in school if showing signs of illness. The health and wellbeing of all children is of paramount importance to enable them to be successful learners and to be the best that they can be.Guidance†¢Children should not be brought to school if they are displaying signs of illness. If parents do bring children to school and staff feel that they are unfit for school, parents / carers / emergency contact will be contacted and requested to come and collect their child and requested not to return their child to school until symptom free.†¢If a child is thought to be unwell while at school they will be seen by a qualified first aider as the condition of the child needs to be assessed. This should be done in a kind an d caring manner. The Head Teacher of should be informed of any sick children.†¢Should a child become ill whilst at school, a member of staff will contact the parent / carer / emergency contact. While awaiting the arrival of parents, the staff will ensure the comfort of the child in the school office, taking appropriate action, which would include seeking medical advice if necessary. If the child is in danger, the staff will seek medical advice immediately. Should a member of staff consider an illness / situation to warrant immediate medical attention, they will report to a First Aider and Head Teacher who will contact emergency services or take the child directly to Hospital and the parent / carer notified accordingly.†¢Staff will report any worries about a child's health to the parents / carers immediately. Parents are responsible for keeping the school informed about their child's health.†¢Children with infectious or contagious diseases will be excluded for certain periods. If staff suspect that a child has an infectious or contagious disease, they will request that parents / carers consult a doctor before returning the child to school and the school will seek advice from the Health Protection Agency.†¢We recommend that children do not attend school while suffering from one of the communicable diseases and they should be excluded for the minimum periods recommended by their Doctor. Although exposure of children to a communicable disease in itself is not sufficient reason to require their absence from school, any child who becomes a home contact of diphtheria, poliomyelitis, typhoid and paratyphoid fevers will be requested to remain absent from school for the recommended time. The school will take advice from the Health Protection Agency.†¢Coughs and colds do not normally require the child to be absent from school but this depends on the severity and how the child is able to cope with the school routine. A child who is, or who appears to be unwell may be asked to return home.†¢A child who has sickness or diarrhoea whilst at school should be collected immediately and kept absent from school for 48 hours following the last bout of sickness or diarrhoea.†¢Parents will always be contacted and informed if their child has a high temperature of 101F / 38C or above.†¢To prevent the spread of conjunctivitis, suspected cases will be reported immediately to parents who will be requested to take their child from school  to seek medical advice. When treatment commences, the child may return to school.†¢Chicken Pox – children need to be absent from school for a minimum of 5 days from the onset of the rash. After this time, if all spots have dried and scabbed over, the child can return to School. Parents / carers will also be contacted if their child develops a rash or suspected thrush. This will need to be checked by a Doctor whose advice should be followed.†¢If your child has not been his/he r normal self at home but is not showing signs of illness when brought to school, parents should mention this to staff and ensure that contact details are correct and that they are obtainable.†¢The school understands the needs of working parents and do not aim to exclude children from school unnecessarily. However the decision of school is final when requesting the exclusion of a child for illness or infection. Decisions will take into account the needs of the child and those of the other children and staff in school.OTHER EMERGENCIES – FIRE DRILLSFire and Emergency Procedures†¢Each week the alarm will be tested to ensure that it is effective. Points from different zones should be used to trigger the alarm to ensure that all break glass or other points are in working order. Details should be recorded in the Fire Log Book.†¢Fire drills must be carried out at least once per term to enable everyone to become familiar with the evacuation procedure. Details should b e recorded in the Fire Log Book.†¢In each room there should be a diagram showing exit and line up points.†¢The location explosive substances such as gas and paint should be known and the Senior Fire Officer informed upon arrival.†¢At present gas cylinders are stored in locked safety cages outside the classrooms†¢Temporary heaters are located in the storage area at the foot of the stairs.†¢Other highly flammable/explosive substances are not held on this site.†¢Fire exits and fire exit routes should be free from obstruction. At all times all exit doors must be unlocked whilst there are people in the building.†¢All fire exits must be clearly labelled and comply with legislation e.g. should be pictorial rather than just writing.†¢The use of display materials must be controlled in fire exit corridors. Display/notice boards should be covered in Perspex to limit combustible materials in fire corridors.†¢All visitors spending any length of time i n the school should be made aware of arrangements in case of fire.†¢The fire log book is kept in the Care Takers cupboard. Full and detailed records are kept of evacuations, call point testing, alarm system servicing, fire fighting equipment checks etc.On Discovery of A Fire†¢Operate the nearest alarm call point †¢Go to the nearest telephone and dial 999 †¢Carry out any previously arranged duties to be done in the event of fire or go to the nearest line up point.†¢On sounding the alarm, the fire brigade will be summoned if necessary by senior management. All staff, pupils and visitors must leave the building immediately, closing doors behind them as necessary.†¢Line up points have been designated and a diagram displaying where they are is placed in each room.†¢Only if there is no risk to personal injury should attempts be made to tackle a fire using a suitable fire extinguisher. In addition, if there is no risk of injury, mains services such as gas and electricity should be turned off.†¢The mains isolator for gas can be found †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..N/A†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. and the mains isolator for electricity can be found in the downstairs stock cupboard.Action on Hearing a Fire Alarm†¢Teacher or responsible adult will supervise children leaving the building by appropriate exit, closing the door when the last person is out. (Diagrams located in each room).†¢Proceed to line up point in the allocated playground.†¢Walk quickly. Do NOT run.†¢Keep calm.†¢Do not stop to collect any personal belongings or books.†¢Registers will be taken to the line up points by the secretary and distributed to teachers for roll call.†¢If the fire brigade has been called there must be clear access to the site by emergency services.Explain how the school should ensure that the policies and procedures are followed effectively (M2).To ensure that the policies and procedures are followed effectively the s chool should: †¢Ensure that all staff are aware of the policies and have a duty to co-operate with them.†¢Ensure that all policies and procedures are easily accessible for reference.†¢Provide adequate training and instruction to enable all employees and pupils to perform their duties safely and efficiently.†¢The Head Teacher, Senior Members of staff and School Governors should make regular reviews on the policies and procedures to make sure they are in a good working order.†¢Teaching staff could try to incorporate the health, wellbeing and safety procedures into activities for pupils. For example, role modelling activities in what to do in case of a fire or what to do if a peer falls ill.†¢Routines as stated by policy and procedure, for example fire drills, should be practiced on a regular basis. This is to ensure on real occurrences, the routines can be followed effectively.

Advise the UK government on which primary energy resources would be best to develop over the next 20 years

Energy is a fundamental part of our lives; however, can we continue to rely on fossil fuels? By 2030 global energy demand will be 40% higher and there are also growing concerns over increased greenhouse gas emissions and the resultant warming of our planet which causes us to ask questions about whether our current energy supply is truly sustainable. The UK is running out of energy, without massive investment in new power plants there will be regular black outs in 10 years. There are several factors to consider when evaluating different primary energy resources; these include economic, environmental, political and social implications. However, the most important factors to consider would be economic viability (which is particularly significant due to the UK’s current economic situation) and environmental sustainability. In this essay I will be looking at these factors in order to try and come up with the most sensible solution to the growing energy problem in our country and therefore what primary energy resource should be developed to solve it.Government Regulation on Media in America Natural Gas Natural gas is a major source of electricity generation through the use of gas turbines and steam turbines. It burns more cleanly than other hydrocarbon fuels, such as oil and coal, and it also produces less carbon dioxide. For an equivalent amount of heat, burning natural gas produces about 30% less carbon dioxide than burning petroleum and about 45% less than burning coal. Gas from the North Sea has provided Britain with a regular supply since the mid 1960s when the first discoveries were made. However, UK supplies from the North peaked in 1999, since when production has fallen by around half (see graph to the right). The trade secretary says that the UK is now a net importer of gas – this growing dependence on imports means increasing vulnerability to rising prices and instability in gas-producing regions. Also the CO2 emissions are still significant so you can’t consider this energy resource as completely ‘clean’. Gas fracking in the UK is a very contro versial issue, especially after the recent earthquakes at test drilling sites near Blackpool. Coal 33% of our current energy sources come from coal; it is well established, cheap and reliable. However economically viable UK coal will run out in 10-15 years and is already expensive to mine. Half the coal used in the UK is now imported. The huge environmental implications involved with coal also remain to be a concern – there are high emissions of CO2 and SO2 (which causes acid rain.) Earlier this year the government invested  £1 billion in cleaner technologies, in particular carbon capture technologies which prevent CO2 from escaping into the atmosphere. â€Å"The potential rewards from carbon capture and storage are immense: a technology that can de-carbonise coal and gas-fired power stations and large industrial emitters, allowing them to play a crucial part in the UK's low carbon future† says Ed Davey, Energy and Climate Change Secretary. However this still remains to be a controversial strategy as some say that carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is in i ts infancy and does not work yet. Nuclear Power Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity – it provides about 20% of the UK’s energy, utilising 16 operational nuclear reactors at nine plants. Nuclear power is the primary source of electric power in France; 76% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power, the highest percentage in the world. France's nuclear power industry has been called â€Å"a success story† that has put the nation â€Å"ahead of the world† in terms of providing cheap, CO2-free energy. The main positive environmental implication is that it creates minimal CO2 emissions after construction and therefore it isn’t contributing to global warming however this shouldn’t indicate that it is environmentally friendly; there are high levels of radioactive waste involved and the Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011) incidents raise concern over nuclear disasters. After the 2011 Fukushima incident, the head of France's nuclear safety agency said that France needs to upgrade the protection of vital functions in all its nuclear reactors to avoid a disaster in the event of a natural calamity, which will inevitably increase the cost of electricity. There are further negative economic implications as there are high costs of building and decommissioning reactors. Planning and building a power station takes at least 10 years so this will not help meet Kyoto agreements. However a positive economic implication is that Nuclear energy is not as vulnerable to fuel prices fluctuations as oil and gas. There are several pros and cons to nuclear power which makes it a controversial matter; all of the above points would have to be considered if this resource would be developed over the next 20 years. Hydropower This is the most widely used form of renewable energy, accounting for 16 percent of global electricity consumption but just over 2% of the UK’s current consumption. Natural flow hydro is reliant on rainfall and vulnerable to drought which is ideal for the UK. There are no CO2 emissions involved and no vulnerability to fuel prices or political instability and is very cheap once the dam has been built. In theory this sounds like the ideal option for the UK to develop over the next 20 years however in practice there are several negative implications involved. For instance, hydropower projects on mega dams in China have caused species extinction and serious water pollution issues. The three gorges dam in China has had many negative impacts; huge areas of land has been flooded resulting in a large scale relocation of people, villages etc. This case study indicates that a large scale hydropower system within the UK would not be completely sustainable. The Three Gorges Dam Oil Oil only accounts for 1.2% of the UK’s energy consumption and although it is a reliable technology and well established it has many negative implications with it. It is a finite stock resource – many oilfields are depleting; meaning production has peaked and prices will rise (price instability). This has also led to searching for unconventional reserves of oil e.g. in the Arctic. There could be 16 billion barrels of oil in Alaska and big oil TNCs are keen to extract it from this fragile wilderness which causes many harsh environmental impacts. The oil industry has a large dependence on politically unstable regions which causes many problems; the recent Arab spring conflict in Libya meant there were no exports of oil from this major producer. As well as creating a lot of CO2 emissions which contributes to global warming a major environmental implication is oil spills; the deep water horizon oil spill disaster caused extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats and to the Gulfs fishing and tourism industry. Biofuels Biofuels are crops or organic matter such as agricultural wastes which can be used as fuels. They are defined as renewable because they are based upon plants which have trapped the sun’s energy during photosynthesis and converted it into chemical energy. In the UK it accounts for 0.6% of energy consumption – there are only a few facilities burning Biofuels such as waste wood products and straw that are already operating. Energy crops could be grown in the UK, but some will not be cost effective unless yields improve. These energy costs are considered to be carbon neutral because carbon released when crops are burned is balanced by carbon absorbed from the atmosphere during growth. One of the main issues concerned with Biofuels is that it uses up a lot of land which could be used for other things such as growing crops – there is a link between the spread of Biofuels across the world and rising food prices. Brazil is considered to have the world's first sustainable Biofuels economy and is the Biofuel industry leader; the UK could learn a lot from Brazil’s 37-year-old ethanol fuel program which is based on the most efficient agricultural technology for sugarcane cultivation in the world. This program has led to there no longer being any light vehicles in Brazil running on pure gasoline which has huge environmental benefits. However, again Biofuels cannot be considered completely environmentally friendly as you need to take into account the direct and indirect effect of land use changes; Brazil and other developing countries convert land in undisturbed ecosystems, such as rainforests, savannas, or grasslands to Biofuel production. Some experts call bioethanol â€Å"deforestation diesel†. Wind Wind is a key renewable resource that is not vulnerable to fuel price fluctuations. Turbines are emission free and quick to build, with the costs of building them decreasing. The UK is very suited to wind farms – some say that the UK has the best wind resources in Europe. The UK is ranked as the world’s eighth largest producer of wind power; at the beginning of March 2012 the installed capacity of wind power in the United Kingdom was 6,580 megawatts with 333 operational wind farms and 3,506 wind turbines. However, even though it is a leading producer, wind power only accounts for 0.5% of our energy consumption therefore there is a large amount of room for development. There are several issues with this source of energy to be considered; it uses up a lot of land which inevitably leads to NIMBYISM issues – there is local opposition and concerns about the noise pollution and the impact on the landscape. This energy source is also intermittent as wind levels fluctuat e. Solar Solar is also a key free and renewable energy source. It can generate electricity from photovoltaic cells, be used to heat water directly, or be maximised by good building design. Spain is one of the most advanced countries in the development of solar energy however it is one of the European countries with the most hours of sunshine. This suggests that this source of energy would not be right for the UK as the UK sunshine is unreliable and limited. Solar power is also confined to daylight hours unless photovoltaic cells are used to store power in batteries. The solar power industry within the UK is developing however the potential may not be big enough for it to be developed further in the UK in my opinion. Wave and Tidal This has large potential in some parts of the UK and is a key renewable resource. However there are large development costs and it is still in the research stage with technology not being completely developed yet. There are also environmental issues involved with wave and tidal power; the barrier will act as a physical barrier to fish movements to spawning grounds etc. The wave and tidal barriers will also detract from the visual beauty of the coastline. Conclusion In this essay I have evaluated the pros and cons of several forms of primary energy which have the potential to be developed within the UK over the next 20 years. I have considered the environmental, political, social and economic implications of each in order to try and come up with the most sustainable option for the UK’s future. Forms of renewable energy seem to be the most obvious choice to be developed in the UK with the ever increasing concerns over global warming and climate change. The environmental impacts involved with using natural gas, coal, nuclear energy and oil all seem to be too big for them to be considered. The political impacts concerned with oil in particular is a strong indication of an energy resource that should be avoided by the UK; oil is already making a small and declining contribution to electricity generation in our country. With the focus being, in my opinion, on renewable energy it leaves the controversial decision over what particular primary energy source should be developed. At first glance, maximising the potential of hydropower seems to be the most sensible option as this is already having the largest contribution to our energy consumption out of all the renewables. However, much of the UK’s hydropower potential has already been exploited with large scale future development unlikely. I also believe that solar power isn’t the right renewable energy to go for as the UK’s climate is simply not suitable enough for it to have a large impact on our growing energy consumption. Wave and tidal energy does however have large potential in the UK however I am worried that due to its early stage in development it would need massive investment for it to reach its potential; this I believe would not be economically viable in the UK considering our current economic climate. This leaves me with wind power. I believe that this should be the energy resource that should be further developed over the next 20 years for several reasons; it is currently the fastest growing renewable in the UK and there is already heavy government backing to support it. There are little environmental impacts to be considered and with costs falling it is also economically viable. NIMBYISM objections can also be solved with the development of off-shore wind farms further out to sea, for example the world's biggest offshore wind farm off Kent with the 100 turbines being expected to generate enough electricity to power 200,000 homes. The success of this particular development will in my opinion become a catalyst for further development of more wind farms in the UK and will hopefully help solve the growing energy problem in our country.