Can We Stop Erosion From Destroying Our Beaches

Unfortunately for beach lovers and owners of high-priced beach-front homes, coastal erosion in any form is usually a one-way trip. Man-made techniques such as beach nourishment—whereby sand is dredged from offshore sources and deposited along otherwise vanishing beaches—may slow the process, but nothing short of global cooling or some other major geomorphic change will stop it altogether. Beach Erosion Not Simply â€Å"Shifting Sands† According to Stephen Leatherman (â€Å"Dr. Beach†) of the National Healthy Beaches Campaign, beach erosion is defined by the actual removal of sand from a beach to deeper water offshore or alongshore into inlets, tidal shoals and bays. Such erosion can result from any number of factors, including the simple inundation of the land by rising sea levels resulting from the melting of the polar ice caps. Beach Erosion is an Ongoing Problem Leatherman cites  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that between 80 and 90 percent of the sandy beaches along America’s coastlines have been eroding for decades. In many of these cases, individual beaches may be losing only a few inches per year, but in some cases, the problem is much worse. The outer coast of Louisiana, which Leatherman refers to as â€Å"the erosion ‘hot spot’ of the U.S.,† is losing some 50 feet of beach every year. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew was particularly damaging to southeastern US beaches, damaging 42% of South Carolina beaches. According to the USGS, the damage was also widespread in Georgia and Florida, with 30 and 15% of beaches affected, respectively. The beaches across all of Floridas Flagler County were 30 feet narrower after the storm.   Is Global Warming Accelerating Beach Erosion? Of particular concern is the effect climate change has on beach erosion. The issue is not only the  sea level rise  but also increases the severity and the frequency of harsh storms, â€Å"While sea level rise sets the conditions for landward displacement of the shore, coastal storms supply the energy to do the ‘geologic work’ by moving the sand off and along the beach,† writes Leatherman on his DrBeach.org website. â€Å"Therefore, beaches are greatly influenced by the frequency and magnitude of storms along a particular shoreline.†Ã‚   What Can You Do Personally to Stop Beach Erosion? Not Much Besides collectively lowering our greenhouse gas emissions substantially, there is little that individuals—let alone coastal landowners—can do to stop beach erosion. Building a bulkhead or seawall along one or a few coastal properties may protect homes from damaging storm waves for a few years, but could end up doing more harm than good. â€Å"Bulkheads and seawalls may accelerate beach erosion by reflecting wave energy off the facing wall, impacting adjacent property owners as well,† writes Leatherman, adding that such structures along retreating shorelines eventually cause diminished beach width and even loss. Slowing or Stopping Beach Erosion is Possible, but Pricey Other larger scale techniques like beach nourishment may have better track records, at least in terms of slowing or delaying beach erosion but are expensive enough as to necessitate massive taxpayer expenditures. In the early 1980s, the city of Miami spent some $65 million adding sand to a 10-mile stretch of fast-eroding shoreline. Not only did the effort stave off erosion, it helped revitalize the tony South Beach neighborhood and rescue hotels, restaurants and shops there that cater to the rich and famous.

National Innovation Systems in Asian Countries Term Paper

Essays on National Innovation Systems in Asian Countries Term Paper The paper â€Å"National Innovation Systems in Asian Countries† is an impressive example of a term paper on social science. The concept of National Innovation Systems (NIS) has in recent decades been gaining increased intellectual and practical. This was preceded by NIS enjoying robust adoption in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and developed countries. More recent trends have seen it become a focus of heightened attention as a means of addressing some of the more intense issues in the developing countries (Feinson 2002, 14). According to Metcalfe (cited in OECD 1997, 10), NIS can be perceived as that set of distinct institutions which either through individual or joint efforts make robust contributions to the development and diffusion of new technologies which are key in the provision of a framework within which different governments formulate and implement policies to influence the innovation process. Thus, it is a system of interlinked insti tutions to create, store and transfer knowledge, skills, and antefacts which are central in defining new technologies. Despite the fact that there are a number of historical precursors to the NIS concept Lundvall (2002, 215) determined that its major background should be based on the necessities of policymakers and students of innovation, representing an evolutionary process encompassing observation with economic theory. After defining the concept of NIS, this paper will explore the different approaches to the creation of national innovation systems that were taken by various Asian countries.NIS in Asian countriesNIS has been successful in different Asian countries. This is based on the cognition of the fact that the innovation capacity of a country is a primary propeller behind its economic performance. In addition, it provides a measure of the institutional frameworks and support systems that are central in sustaining innovative activities (Hu Mathews, 2005, 1322). This paper wil l focus on several countries namely Japan, Korea, and China.NIS in JapanThe NIS element in the Japanese case was founded on three primary pillars. These are the central government and the role of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), social and educational innovations as well as the firms (keiretsu) (Marinova 1999, 1). In the case of the central government and MITI, these institutions have exhibited a robust commitment to the following issues.Firstly, this has been through long-term strategic goals. Marinova (1999, 1) noted that the economic and industrial transformation of Japan was subjected to careful designing and direction. Economic transformations after the devastating impacts of WWII were achieved and founded on a national consensus where the government played an integral role. The long-term plan was aimed at making Japan a country that is technologically advanced and self-reliant as well as being a leader in some carefully selected technologies. This goal was achieved in the 1980s.Secondly, there was the promotion of generic technologies, most notably communication and IT. In this case, the ‘invisible hand of the MITI’ was vital in molding the long-term economic future of Japan. In addition, it made judgments in regard to which specific technologies were imperative in the coming years (Marinova 1999, 1). Thirdly, there was technological forecasting where again MITI was mandated with the primary role of technology targeting and forecasting. This responsibility was and is still is performed in collaboration with the Science and Technology agency.

Six Sigma Question Paper Free Essays

MGT 561 – Operations Management Exam B Student Name: ____________________________Date: _________ Operations and Productivity (each question is worth 1 point) 1) Manufacturing and service organizations differ chiefly because manufacturing is goods-oriented and service is act-oriented. TrueFalse 2) Operations, marketing, and finance need to function independently of each other in most organizations if they are to be truly effective as an organization. TrueFalse 3) â€Å"How much inventory of this item should we have? † is within the critical decision area of quality management? TrueFalse 4) Customer interaction is often high for manufacturing processes, but low for services. We will write a custom essay sample on Six Sigma Question Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now TrueFalse 5) Productivity is the total value of outputs produced divided by the total value of all inputs to the transformation process. TrueFalse The operations function includes which of the following activities. a) forecasting b) capacity planning c) scheduling d) managing inventories e) all of the above Manufacturing-related jobs are decreasing in America for which of the following reasons. a) global competition b) technology advances ) because manufacturing workers in California earn $25K/yr less than service workers d) a and b e) b and c Which of the following is not a typical service attribute? a) easy to store b) intangible product c) customer interaction is high d) simultaneous production and consumption e) difficult to resell Operations Strategy in a Global Environment (each question is worth 1 point) One reason to globalize is to learn to improve operations. TrueFalse 10) Decisions that involve what is to be made and what is to be purchased fall under the heading of suppl y chain management. TrueFalse The use of a SWOT analysis is only applicable to manufacturing organizations? TrueFalse The product life cycle phases include introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. TrueFalse Which of the following is true about business strategies? a) an organization should maintain its strategy for the life of the business b) all firms within an industry will adopt the same strategy c) well defined missions make strategy development much easier d) strategies are formulated independently of SWOT analysis e) organizational strategies depend on operations strategies The ability of an organization to produce services that, by utilizing the consumer’s five senses, have some uniqueness in their characteristics is a) mass production b) time-based competition c) differentiation d) flexible response e) experience differentiation Which of the following is the best example of competing on low-cost leadership? a) a firm produces its product with less raw material waste than its competitors b) a firm offers more reliable products than its competitors c) a firm’s products are introduced into the market faster than its competitors d) a firm advertises less than its competitors Which of these is not one of the characteristics of high return on investment organizations? a) high product quality b) high capacity utilization c) low investment intensity d) low direct cost per unit e) global location Design of Goods and Services (each question is worth 1 point) Studies confirm that firms considered to be industry leaders typically generate 15-20 percent of their overall sales from new products released over the last 5 years. True False 18) QFD stands for quality for development. True False Value analysis focuses on design improvement during production. True False 20) The analysis tool that helps determine what products to develop, and by what strategy, by listing products in descending order of their individual dollar contribution to the firm is a) decision tree analysis b) pareto analysis c) breakeven analysis d) product-by-value analysis e) product life cycle analysis 21) Quality function deployment a) determines what will satisfy the customer b) translates customer desires into the target design c) is used early in the design process d) is used to determine where to deploy quality efforts e) all of the above 2) Which of the following is true concerning CAD? a) accurate information flows to other departments b) most product costs are determined at the design stage c) design options are easier to review before final commitments are made d) virtually all products have their development cycle shortened e) all of the above are true The dimensions, tolerances, materials, and finishes of a component are typically shown on a (an) a) eng ineering drawing b) bill of material c) statement of work d) work order e) none of the above Managing Quality (each question is worth 1 point) 4) An international quality standard developed to establish commonly accepted procedures to manage product quality is ISO 9000. True False 25) Statistical process control, one of the tools of total quality management, uses statistics and control charts to evaluate processes. True False 26) The concept of selecting best practices to use as a standard for performance is referred to as a quality circle. True False 27) Generally speaking, the cost of quality represents the cost of doing things wrong, that is, the price of nonconformance. True False 8) Which of the following is not one of the major categories of costs associated with quality? a) prevention costs b) appraisal costs c) internal failures d) external failures e) none of the above, they are all major categories of costs 29) A successful total quality management (TQM) program incorporat es all of the following except: a) continuous improvement b) employee involvement c) benchmarking d) centralized decision-making authority e) none of the above 30) The â€Å"four M’s† of cause-and-effect diagrams are a) material/machinery/manpower/methods b) material/methods/men/mental attitude ) material/management/manpower/motivation d) none of the above Supply Chain Management (each question is worth 1 point) 31) The objective of the make-or-buy decision is to help identify the products and services that should be purchased externally or made internally. TrueFalse Because service firms do not acquire goods and services externally, their supply chain management issues are insignificant. TrueFalse Blanket orders are a long-term purchase commitment to a supplier for items that are to be delivered against short-term releases to ship. TrueFalse 34) One of the keys to effective supply chain management includes developing â€Å"long-term partnerships† with key suppliers. TrueFalse 35) Standardization is the process of increasing the number of variations in materials and components to assist in supply chain’s efforts to enlarge their supplier base. TrueFalse In supply chain management, ethical issues a) are particularly important because of the enormous opportunities for abuse b) may be guided by company rules and codes of conduct ) become more complex with the increasing trend toward global suppliers d) may be guided by the standards of the Institute for Supply Management e) all of the above are true An approach that seeks efficiency of operations through the integration of all material acquisitions, movement, and storage activities is a) integration b) logistics management c) line balancing d) product design e) none of the above Inventory Management (each question is worth 1 point) 38) One function of inventory is take advantage of quantity discounts TrueFalse 9) ABC analysis is based on the presumption that carefully controlling all items is necessary to produce important inventory savings. TrueFalse 40) In cycle counting, the frequency of item counting and stock verification usually varies from item to item depending upon the item’s ABC classification. TrueFalse 41) Insurance and taxes on inventory are part of the costs known as setup or ordering costs. TrueFalse 42) Most inventory models attempt to minimize a) total inventory based costs b) the number of orders placed c) the safety stock ) the likelihood of a stockout e) the number of items ordered 43) The major purpose of safety stock is to a) replace failed units with good ones b) eliminate the possibility of a stockout c) eliminate the likelihood of a stockout due to erroneous inventory tally d) control the likelihood of a stockout due to the variability of demand during lead time e) protect the firm from a sudden d ecrease in demand 44) The following are inventory models for independent demand a) basic economic order quantity (EOQ) b) production order quantity c) quantity discount model ) a and b only e) a, b, and c JIT and Lean Production Systems (each question is worth 1 point) 45) In a JIT system, product inspection adds value by identifying defective items. True False 46) Because most services cannot be inventoried, there is little place for JIT to help service organizations achieve competitive advantage. True False Kanban is the Japanese word for card that has come to mean â€Å"signal† in JIT terminology. TrueFalse Setup time reductions are not a key aspect of an effective lean production system. True False 9) If the goals of JIT partnerships are met, which of the following is a result? a) for incoming goods, receiving activity and inspection are outsourced b) in-transit inventory falls as suppliers are located closer to facilities c) the number of suppliers increases d) in-plant inventory replaces in-transit inventory e) all of the above are consequences of meeting the JIT partnership goals 50) Which of the following is not a layout tactic in a JIT environment? a) work cells for families of products b) fixed equipment c) minimizing distance d) little space for inventory e) poka-yoke devices How to cite Six Sigma Question Paper, Papers

HR Work Life Balance

Question: Discuss about the HR Work Life Balance. Answer: Work life balance helps the employees to maintain their physical, mental and social life. It is a concept that helps the employees to understand the priorities of their work life and personal life. According to Robert, (2007), in a health care system if the work life balance is not maintained properly, then the leaders will not able to connect with the employees. Moreover, the work life balance translates into job satisfaction. In a healthcare unit, the employees get the facilities like mediclaim, emergency support and many more. These facilities give the employees a feeling of security and leaders can be assured that their employees will produce best for the organisation. If the physicians do not feel comfortable in their personal and professional life, the unmanageable situation will reflect in their poor performance (amednews.com. 2016). If the physicians lose the balance in their regular life then they cannot work properly. Leaders are responsible for implementing new ideas for balancing the employees work life therefore; the system has a direct impact on the leadership of the healthcare in future. This balance can be achieved by implementing the Total Reward Program. As opined by Tuna and Lublin, (2009), there is no such work life balance in the working sectors rather there is work life choices. Additionally, it is said that the system of taking leave from work for maternity purposes helps the women to move to success. Therefore, it is clear that if there is no work life balance, then the employees cannot attain the security of works as well as do not give the full production. References Amednews.com. (2016). Amednews.com. Retrieved 3 August 2016, from https://www.amednews.com/APPS/PBCS.DLL/PERSONALIA?ID Robert L. Heneman, (2007), Implementing Total Rewards Strategies, Society for Human Resource Management Tuna, C. A. R. I., Lublin, J. S. (2009). Welch: No such thing as work-life balance..The Wall Street Journal.