Meteors Case Study Essay

Meteorites are rocks from space, which land on Earth, attracted by her gravity. The shooting stars that you see at night, are actually burning meteors that fall on Earth from outer space! This is the first of many interesting facts that are going to follow. Why do meteorites fall? For the same reason why anything falls on Earth – ‘Gravity’. Very few can escape it! Meteorites have their origin in outer space. They are relatively small pieces of dust and debris, usually left behind in the wake of a comet. Meteorites, that are huge in size, have their origin in space, as asteroids. They are left over pieces of matter from formation of the solar system, which could not clump together to form a planet like our Earth. There is a dense belt of such asteroids outside the orbit of the planet Mars, called the ‘Asteroid Belt’. Asteroids are huge in size and their lengths can number to kilometers! Once in a while, small pieces of rock or dust, come into range of Earth’s gravitational pull and fall on Earth as shooting stars. An asteroid dislodged from its trajectory and falling on Earth is also called a meteorite. However, an asteroid being huge in size, causes a cataclysmic explosion on Earth on impact. Origin ‘Meteor’ and ‘Meteorite’ facts are interchangeable terms and we shall see why they are so. When these rocks and pieces of dust are floating in space, they are called ‘Meteoroids’. When they make a blazing entry into Earth’s atmosphere, they are called ‘Meteors’. Finally, if they survive the burning entry into Earth’s atmosphere and fall on Earth, they are called ‘Meteorites’. So a meteorite could originate from comet debris called meteoroids or larger objects called asteroids! Here are some basic facts about meteorites, meteors and meteoroids. Comets leave tons of dust and debris in their trail as they travel along long orbits round the Sun. When Earth, while revolving around the Sun, passes through some patches of this comet debris, it enters the Earth’s atmosphere causing meteor showers. Meteor showers are periodic events. One can see thousands of meteors or shooting stars, as they are called, dur ing such a shower. The most popular meteor showers are ‘Perseids’ (which peak around August 12) and Leonids (which peak around 17 November). During these showers, you can observe a shooting star at the rate of 1 meteor per minute on an average. A falling meteor can travel at speed of as much as 44 miles per second ! One of the facts is that they have some of the oldest rocks in the solar system among them. They could be older than the Earth and date from the period when Sun was forming! Every day, about 4 billion meteoroids fall on Earth! Majority of them are very tiny and therefore do not cause much harm. If a meteorite is observed while falling and recovered from the place of fall, it’s called a ‘fall’ meteorite. If a meteorite is not observed while falling, but found from any location, it’s called a ‘find.’ Till 2006, there have been roughly 1,050 witnessed falls while there are about 30,000 documented ‘Finds’. Falling meteors which are large in size, can create an intense electromagnetic pulse, which temporarily disrupt radio communication in the region of fall! With a properly designed radio antenna, you can actually ‘hear’ meteorites falling as radio noise. Types and Composition Here are some facts about their types and composition, that you should know about. Recovered meteorites are classified into three main categories which are ‘Chondrites’ (Make about 86% of all recovered meteorites), ‘Achondrites’ (8%) and ‘Iron’ meteorites (6 %). The name ‘Chondrites’ comes from features called ‘Chrondules’, which are melted silicate materials from their past. Chondrites are about 4.55 billion years old and are the types of rocks from which our own planet formed! Certain chondrite meteorites fallen from outer space contain traces of amino acids and organic matter, bolstering the theory that life may have been planted on Earth! This is one of the most astounding facts. Achronidtes are relatively younger meteorites of the igneous rock type and are pieces of asteroids, the Moon and Mars! Iron meteorites are composed of iron-nickel alloys and silicate materials. They are also thought to be pieces of asteroid s! Every one of these meteor facts are intriguing. Earth has been pounded by the impact of many meteorites, ranging from the very tiny to gigantic meteorites. The meteorites impact craters that are found on earth are testimony to this. It is time for the last of our facts. One gigantic meteorite impact occurred millions of years ago on Earth which brought on the extinction of dinosaurs! One question that may come to your mind is, ‘Where do meteorites fall?’. They could fall anywhere on Earth. Meteors have been found all over the world. The recent findings have been mostly in Africa and accessible parts of Antarctica. If you could find one, you are bound to be rich as private collectors and museums pay millions of dollars for them! The reason is that they are very rare and are made up of minerals, which are never found on Earth! So keep looking! You may never know, when one might pop out of the sky, making you rich. So it’s actually profitable to know some meteor facts. Originating in the outer space, an object reaches Earth and gets a place in the list of meteorites. There have been many instances of extraterrestrial bo dies impacting the Earth’s surface while some have only passed through the Earth’s atmosphere before they were destroyed. Meteorites have been arousing interest of the masses as there is an element of mystery that surrounds them. Where do they originate? What makes some of them enter the Earth’s atmosphere? How dangerous can they get? Space research and astronomy have revealed some interesting information about some of these questions and researched thoroughly on the different types of meteorites. Most of the meteorites disintegrate before reaching Earth while some reach the planet’s surface. Huge meteorites form craters on Earth while the smaller ones involve less danger. Meteorites containing small round particles are known as chondrites and form about 86% of those falling on Earth. Those similar in appearance to small igneous rocks are called achondrites and believed as being the crustal material of asteroids. Meteorites originating from the core of asteroids are known as iron meteorites and form about 5% of the meteorites, which fall. History has recorded a number of instances of meteorites impacting the Earth. ALH 84001: It was found in the Allan Hills, Antarctica in December 1984. Meteorite hunters of the United States working on ASMNET project discovered this meteorite. When discovered, its mass was 1.93 kilograms and its rock was reportedly one of the oldest forms. This meteorite was supposed to have come from Mars. Later it was believed to consist of some traces of the life on Mars and this made ALH 84001 more famous than ever. Hoba: This meteorite lies on the farm Hoba West in Namibia and has never been moved elsewhere because of its exceptionally greater mass. With a mass of about 60 tons, it is the largest meteorite known to mankind. It is tabloid in shape and composed of metal. It is believed to have landed on Earth about 80,000 years ago. In 1955, it was declared as a national monument and has since then been attracting visitors from different parts of the world. Tunguska Event: The Tunguska explosion took place in June 1908 near Tunguska River, now a part of Russia. Most probably, the air burst of a large meteorite caused this explosion. The energy emitted from this explosion was about 1000 times greater than that of the bomb blast of Hiroshima. According to the eyewitnesses of this explosion, the event started with a flash of bright blue light and a sound originating from east and moving northward. Later the sound was accompanied by shock waves that broke windows miles away. This was one of the famous disintegrating meteorites that remain in the list of world’s most famous meteorites. Willamette Meteorite: This is an iron-nickel meteorite that was discovered in the United States near Oregon. It is the largest of the meteorites found in the United Sates as also the sixth largest in the world. Probably the meteorite had landed in the region, which is now known as Canada. This meteorite weighing about 15.5 tons is one of the very large meteorites of the world. Orgueil: This meteorite fell in France in 1864 and is a relatively older meteorite. The fall of this meteorite consisted of small stones that covered a massive area. This is one of those eight meteorites that belong to the CL chondrite group. A striking feature of this type of meteorite it that its composition is similar to that of the Sun. This meteorite is one of the most researched ones. For purposes of deeper study of the composition of this meteorite, it was split into pieces. Currently, it exists in the form of pieces kept in different museums in Europe and the United States. These were some of the famous meteorites of the world. They have always been a subject of interest for researchers around the world. Meteor showers A meteor shower is a celestial event wherein it is observed that a group of meteors radiate from anyone point in the sky. This phenomenon is also known as ‘Meteor Storm’ or ‘Meteor Outburst’. The meteors that are present in the showers are actually cosmic debris that enter the Earth atmosphere at very high speed and vaporize very quickly due to friction leaving behind a streak of light which is known as the meteor shower. An identified meteor shower is usually an annual affair as the Earth will encounter the same meteors at approximately the same time and same speed every year. Causes Meteor showers are a result of interaction that takes place between the planet Earth and a comet. Comets consist of ice and rocks (often termed dirty ice balls) that orbit around the sun like planets. Every time the comet gets close to the sun, some of the ice present in the comet melts which produces a large amount of debris. This debris moves away from the comet and becomes a part of its tail which is visible part of the comet. The solid parts of the tail are the meteoroids and they spread along the entire orbit of the comet which is termed as a meteoroid stream. As the Earth orbits around the sun, its path may cross the meteoroid stream and a meteor shower follows. When the meteoroid stream is particularly dense, then we get to witness the meteor storm and having witnessed one myself, I can guarantee that the sight is truly spectacular. People Behind the Concept It is believed that Irish astronomer George Johnstone Clooney collaborating with the British astronomer Arthur Matthew Weld Downing and Adolf Berberich belonging to the Royal Astronomical Computation Institute in Berlin, Germany offered the very first idea of the meteoroid stream in the 1890. They were able to calculate as to how the meteoroids once freed from the comet would travel at low speeds when compared to the comet itself would start drifting after completing one orbit. This effect was attributed to simple orbital wherein the materials drift laterally away from the comet as some particles make a wider orbit when compared to other particles. The gravitational pull of the Earth’s atmosphere would decide where the dust trails would pass the Earth’s atmosphere. It is a fair possibility that some years, the dust particles can completely miss the Earth’s orbit. Major Meteor Showers If you want to watch meteor showers then the best time of the year is the night of January 3. The shower has been named Quadrantids and this particular shower can produce over a close to 140 meteors per hour. The source of this shower is not a comet but a minor planet, 2003 EH1 which suffered a catastrophic breakup in 1490. However, the showers are very faint and the peak hours last only for a few hours. Hence, you will have to be in a good spot and at an ideal point to watch the shower in all its glory and the best place to watch this particular shower is from the Northern Hemisphere. But people in Southern Hemisphere need not be disappointed. As a matter of fact, they get to witness a meteor shower termed Eta Aquarids which consists of debris from the famous Halley’s Comet. This shower peaks on the night of May 5 and the rate of meteors is about 30 per hour. The meteor shower ‘Geminids’ is considered to be the best annual shower. It peaks around the night of December 13 and the rate of meteor is around 70 per hour. The source of this shower is also a minor planet, 3200 Phaethon. It is best visible from the Northern Hemisphere and it is believed that due to the extreme cold conditions, the air tends to be more transparent and this is the reason as to why this particular shower is spectacular. Sporadic Meteor Showers When the meteoroids collide with each other and can become a part of the sporadic meteors background. They form isolated meteors and are not a part of any shower. Asteroids Asteroids are considered to be remnants of an early broken planet of the solar system. Asteroids have no fixed shape and are too small to be spherical in shape. They are ellipsoids (two dimensional figure), dumbbell or irregularly shaped. As they have different shapes, they also vary in their size. The first asteroid Ceres, discovered in January 1801 by Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi, is the largest known asteroid and is 940 km in diameter. Some of the smallest asteroids are just 6 meters in diameter. The mass of all the asteroids added together, is believed to lesser than the mass of the Moon. Only 200,000 asteroids have been discovered so far, but billion more undiscovered asteroids still exit in our solar system. Asteroid Belt Most asteroids lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, however there are more belts in the solar system, namely the ones beyond Neptune’s orbit. The belt itself has interesting origination theories. Most astronomers believe that the belt is a broken planet, while some say that the belt is primordial material that never coalesced into a planet because of Jupiter’s gravitational pull. The asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter and contains more than 200 asteroids larger than 100 km in diameter, and more than 750,000 asteroids with diameters larger than 1 km. Most asteroids are found in this belt because of the gravitational interaction between the solar system and the celestial bodies in it. As opposed to the fiction made popular by various depictions of the asteroid belt, it is not at all dense. The region is so vast that asteroids are hundreds of thousands of kilometers away from their closest neighbor. The asteroids are so small and far away from each other that they appear as faint stars, and except for Ceres, are not bright enough to be seen without some telescopic aid. Only the asteroid Vesta, on rare occasions of an extremely clear dark sky can become visible to the naked eye. What are Asteroids Composed Of? Asteroids are made of different minerals and substances. This depends on the planet they broke away from in a collision, as well as the chemical reactions they might have experienced while orbiting in the solar system. The asteroids closest to the Sun are mostly carbonaceous and the ones further away are composed of silicate rock. The metallic asteroids are made of 70-80% iron and the remaining is nickel with many other metals such as iridium mixed in. Some are also made of half silicate and half metallic. The asteroid Ceres is composed of a rocky core covered by an icy mantle, whereas Vesta has a nickel-iron core, basaltic crust and a covering of magnesium iron silicate (olivine mantle). Asteroids composition has been classified as the following: C class asteroids: They are found in the Earth’s outer belt and are darker and more carbonaceous than the ones found in the S class. D class asteroids: They are also known as Trojan asteroids of Jupiter and are dark and carbonaceous in composition. S class asteroids: They are found in the Earth’s inner belt, closer to Mars and are composed of mostly stone and iron. V class asteroids: They are a far-out group of asteroids that follow a path between the orbits of Jupiter and Uranus, and are made of igneous, eruptive materials. A near-Earth asteroid collided with the Earth about 65 million years ago, which triggered environmental changes, leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs. This asteroid created a huge circular depression called the Chicxulub Basin and is centered in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, a major tourist attraction. Though the chances of asteroid collision with the Earth is very rare, they do come very close to our planet due to collisions and gravitational tugs on the highly elliptical Sun’s orbit. Most asteroids burn up in the atmosphere and never reach the Earth. NASA projects, such as the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) and the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) main objectives are to detect and intercept asteroids or other celestial bodies coming close to the Earth before they cause untold damage to our planet. Asteroids are small celestial bodies composed of rock and metal, that revolve around the Sun. Their size can vary: some asteroids are large and roughly spherical in shape, due to which they appear like miniature planets; while the others are small and irregularly shaped. The matter of these celestial bodies also differs. The asteroid ‘Vesta’, is believed to have a nickel-iron core, olivine mantle and basaltic crust, while the asteroid ’10 Hygiea’ is composed of carbonaceous chondrite. Most of the small asteroids are piles of rubble held together by gravity. Some asteroids supposedly have traces of amino-acids and other organic compounds, and it is assumed that the impact of asteroids on the Earth could have initiated life on the planet by seeding it with the necessary chemical substances. Although, it is believed that the asteroids may have planted life on the Earth, they are capable of having catastrophic effect on the planet as well. Asteroids with a diameter of 5 to 10 meters, and energy equal to 15 kilotons of TNT, enter into the Earth’s atmosphere approximately once every year; while, those with a diameter of over 50 meters enter the Earth’s atmosphere approximately once in a thousand years. Their impact can be devastating if they hit the Earth, but they disintegrate in the upper atmosphere and most of the particles are vaporized, thus rendering them harmless. In the distant past, our planet has experienced a massive climate change and large-scale extinction of animal and plant species, ascribed to the impact of some large asteroids on the planet. The exogenesis theory suggests that origin of life on the Earth must have been triggered by the impact of some asteroid, carrying organic chemicals needed to initiate life form. The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event, which led to the end of dinosaurs and the Permian-Triassic extinction event that led to the end of the Permian period finishing off 90% of the species on the planet, are believed to be the result of an asteroid impact on the Earth. The craters on the solid bodies in the solar system, which were attributed to volcanic activities till 1960s, were actually formed due to the impact of celestial bodies. Researchers have determined that in the last 600 million years, 60 objects with a diameter of five km or more, have struck the Earth. Even the smallest of these object possessed energy of ten million megatons of TNT, and would have formed a crater, approximately 95 km in diameter, on the surface of our planet. The Rio Cuarto craters in Argentina are believed to have formed due to the impact of asteroids that struck this area around 10,000 years ago. In 1490, ten thousand people reportedly lost their lives due to a hail of stones from the sky. This hail of stones is assumed to be result of the disintegration of a large asteroid, after it entered the Earth’s atmosphere. In 1908, a mid-air explosion of an asteroid destroyed 80 million trees, within an area of 830 miles, near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River, in Si beria. In many cases, the sighting of a foreign body, such as an asteroid or a meteoroids is reported as a fireball in the sky. Millions of asteroids will pass by the Earth in the years to come. Though, they are unknown now, they are detectable as they come closer to the planet. The Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) and the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) are projects initiated by NASA to detect asteroids or other such foreign bodies coming close to the Earth. The need of the hour is to develop an intercept system in space, to destroy or deflect foreign objects heading towards our planet, before they prove catastrophic. Asteroids are celestial bodies consisting of rocks and metals. They are mainly concentrated in the region known as the asteroid belt which lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Asteroids can be as big as Ceres, which is close to 1000 kilometers in diameter, or can be just a few feet in diameter. Whatever the size, asteroids are neither big enough to be called planets nor are they as small as comets. They are classified as minor planets that include the Kuiper Belt Objects. Discovery On January 1, 1801, Giuseppe Piazzi discovered the first asteroid which he initially thought to be a comet. He named this asteroid Ceres, after the Sicilian Goddess of grain. Ceres is also the largest asteroid to have been discovered so far. Soon, other large asteroids like Pallas, Juno and Vista were discovered. By the end of the 19th century, several hundred asteroids were discovered. Formation of Asteroids It was once believed that asteroids were formed by the explosion of a planet orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. However, according to present day astronomers, asteroids are debris left behind by the Big Bang that could not come together to form a tenth planet because of the effect of Jupiter’s gravitational pull. Asteroid Hits Asteroids have been hitting the Earth since millions of years. However, due to the friction with Earth’s atmosphere most of the asteroids get burnt. The asteroids that enter the Earth’ s atmosphere are called meteors while the ones that get burnt and appear as shooting stars are called meteorites. According to the Giant Impact Theory, the Moon was created when Theia, an asteroid of the size of Mars, collided with the Earth in the early days of the solar system. However, some consider Theia to be more of a planetoid than an asteroid. The largest crater caused by an asteroid hit is the Chicxulub Crater in Mexico that is 180 km in diameter. The asteroid that formed the crater had a diameter of 10 km. This collision is supposed to be responsible for the extinction of a large number of flora and fauna including the dinosaur. However, the evidence of the largest asteroid hit is in the Vredefort crater in South Africa that is 300 km in diameter. Impacts of Asteroid Hits The damage that an asteroid’s impact can cause depends mainly upon its mass and velocity, as these are the two factors that determine the energy that is released when an asteroid hits the Earth. While some asteroids are capable of sending thermal waves that can incinerate most flora and fauna within a few hundred kilometers, some larger asteroids can create huge impacts causing magma to cover areas as big as continents. The worst effect of an asteroid hit is the blocking out of sunlight for months together due to formation of dust clouds and soot in the upper atmosphere. This would hamper the green plants’ ability to prepare food through the process of photosynthesis and the food chain would be disrupted. Near-Earth Asteroids Near-Earth asteroids are those that have moved closer to the Earth’s orbit as they have been knocked out of the asteroid belt due to collision with other asteroids or comets, or due to the gravitational forces of Jupiter. They are classified into the following three groups: The Amors: These are near-Earth asteroids that cross the orbit of Mars but do not go out of the Earth’s orbit. The Apollos: The orbits of these near-Earth asteroids cross the Earth’s orbit but have an orbital period of greater than one year. The Atens: These near-Earth asteroids have orbits that cross the Earth’s orbit but have an orbital period of less than one year. Asteroids are currently being monitored for their probability of colliding with the Earth. Such studies have predicted that asteroids may hit the Earth on February 1, 2019 and March 16, 2880. The probability of the 2880 collision is as high as 1 in 300. A number of projects in the field of astronomy, like Spacewatch, Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking and Catalina Sky Survey are being carried out to detect any threat of such catastrophes. Comets A comet is a small body in space. It was matter of great interest to astronomers like Sir Edmond Halley. Many decades later, comets still remain a challenging mystery for the field of astronomy. Space research institutes around the world have reported the existence of 3628 comets that are known and studied. Annually, an average of one comet is sighted by the naked eye from the surface of the Earth. According to the definitions given by the various space research organizations, a comet can be defined as a space body that travels in an elliptical orbit around the sun. Most of the comets travel in elliptical orbits. When the comet comes in the vicinity of the star it is orbiting around, its comma-like tail gets illuminated. A majority of comets are visible only through telescopes and other aids. There are however, some comets which are also visible to the naked eye. What is a Comet Made Up of? A comet is principally made up of ice, dust and different forms of gases. The nature of the components differs from comet to comet. The central part of a comet that looks like a ball is termed as the nucleus. The nucleus is principally made up of ice and frozen gases. The frozen components also include many other compounds like ammonia, methane and carbon dioxide. Rocks are another component of the nucleus. Due to such composition, the nucleus of the comet often resembles a huge ball of dirt and snow. It is also believed by some astronomers, that the nucleus of a comet is rather fragile because several comets have split into parts without any explainable reason except immense velocity. The huge elliptical orbit takes the comet in the range of heat of the star around which it is orbiting. When the comet enters the inner parts of the solar system, the frozen content of the nucleus starts melting. The gases and water within the nucleus vaporize as a result of radiation from the star and the solar wind. The immense velocity of the comet and the solar wind, push the vaporized matter away from the nucleus. This gives the comet it’s distinct tail and the comma-like appearance. The high amount of heat and the ions (charged particles that are formed due to the heat of the sun) cause the tail of the comet to glow. How are Comets Formed? According to their formation or birth, the comets can be classified into two types. The first type is short-term comets which originate in the Kuiper belt as space bodies beyond the orbit of Pluto. The gravitational pull of the planets in the solar system, causes the origin of short term comets. These comets enter the solar system and take the form of active and glowing comets. Long term comets originate as traveling bodies in the Oort cloud (located around 50,000 light years away from the sun). The gravitational attraction of the planets in the solar system and other gravitational forces cause these comets to form elliptical orbits. Death of a Comet The study of comets has revealed that they have a fragile structure. Sometimes, comets split into parts due to sheer velocity. The entry and exit of comets in the solar system in course of its orbit, reduces the amount of matter (ice and frozen gases) in it. Due to this reduction in matter, the comets break-up and disperse into clouds. A dead comet is nothing but an asteroid or a similar form of a space body. Sometimes the comets also crash in other planets when their orbits cross each other. The most famous example of such a comet is the Shoemaker Levy 9, that crashed into Jupiter. For astronomers who have spent their lives studying comets, it a very heart-breaking moment to gaze at a dying comet. The Halley’s Comet is said to be one of the most beautiful comets. Another very beautiful comet is the Hale-Bopp, that was discovered in the year 1995, on 23rd July. It was predicted by astronomers that the Halley’s Comet would be sighted in the November of 1835. Mark Twain, the famous writer, was born just two weeks after the sighting. He developed a very special liking towards the Halley’s Comet. In his biography he comments,†I came in with the Halley’s Comet, and expect to go with it. The Almighty has said no doubt, Now here are two unaccountable freaks; they came in together; they must go out together.† Halley’s Comet was next sighted on 20th April, 1910. Twain ended the journey of his life the very next day. The journey of any comet is indeed like that of Mark Twain. It is remarkably long, fast, adventurous as it streaks across the dark sky. Haley’s comet Historical Spottings British scientist, Edmond Halley who observed the comet in 1682, was the first person to establish its periodic reappearance after every 75-76 years. He studied the comet and quite accurately predicted that it had earlier appeared in 1531 and in 1607. It was named ‘Halley’ in his honor and was observed again in 1758 as stated by him. It was last seen in February 1986. However, this was not the first time the comet was in focus. The first sighting recorded, was way back in 240 BC, by the Chinese and was mentioned in a chronicle, ‘Records of the Great Historian’. The comet also finds a mention in a Babylonian clay inscription of 164 BC. It has always been a subject of great interest, since it was believed to have an influence on the contemporary events. Armenian king Tigranes II, had its image printed on the coins issued in his regime after it was sighted in 87 BC. Therefore, even though the recurrence of the comet was an unknown fact, people were fascinated b y its appearance. The bright star that appeared in the night sky in 12 BC, coinciding with the birth of Jesus, is widely believed to be the Halley’s comet. Giotto Di Bondone, the famous Italian painter, who lived before the renaissance era, painted it in his work ‘The Star of Bethlehem’ in the Nativity, in 1305. He had seen the comet appear in 1301 and was impressed by the spectacle. In the middle ages, the appearance of a comet was considered to be a warning sign of a forthcoming danger. The most famous incident of spotting a comet during this period, was in 1066, before the Battle of Hastings. King Harold who had lost the battle, was believed to have seen the comet due to which he was cursed. In fact, the Bayeux Tapestry in Normandy, France, signifies the Norman victory in this battle with an image of King Harold looking at the comet in the sky. In 1456, Pope Calixtus III had condemned its appearance considering it to be an evil omen. Three years prior to this, Europe was defeated by the Ottoman Empire. Human beings have always blamed celestial phenomena, whenever they have not been able to explain the causes of certain unfavorable events. Historically, the presence of a comet in the night sky was commonly cited as the reason behind difficult situations that were beyond the reasoning of common man. A French physician, Ambroise, had described the pitiful conditions of middle ages, when a comet was seen just before the spread of a big epidemic. According to him, some people were scared to death while others fell sick on seeing the comet. It was believed to be some ‘evil form’ leaving behind a trail of blood, believed to be a sign of misery. Recent Spottings In the 16th and the 17th century, scientists learned to calculate the speed and distance at which comets travel around the Sun. Once, Edmond Halley had established the year of its reappearance, Halley’s comet became a matter of great interest. Although, he didn’t live to see his prediction coming true, his observation had a significant impact on the way society perceived comets. The sighting of a comet, especially Halley’s comet became less of a concern and more of a curiosity among people. Once people realized that comets are orbiting bodies just like planets, they became less apprehensive on the arrival of a comet in the Earth’s visibility zone. The change in the attitude of the people was seen in the depiction of the comet in the contemporary pictures. Halley’s comet was a subject of scientific study and was depicted as a beautiful heavenly body in the sky. Famous American writer Mark Twain was born in 1835, the year when Halley’s comet ha d appeared. He predicted in 1909 that since he had ‘come’ with the comet he will ‘go out’ with it. Sure enough, he passed away a year after the comet reappeared in 1910. In the 1900s, it had appeared twice; once in 1910 and then in 1986. Further studies gave us a deep insight into the structure, composition and orbital journey of many different comets. Halley’s comet has one of the shortest orbital paths. It is classified as a short period comet, i.e. comets having an orbit period of 200 years or less. Once upon a time, it belonged to the long period class, but due to the gravitational force of planets, its orbit shortened over a period of time. Today, it is known that comets like ‘Hale Bopp’ which appeared in 1997, will reappear after 4200 years! Thus, Halley’s comet is the most frequently spotted one. Recently, it was seen in February 1986. During this visit, it was subjected to its biggest scrutiny ever. Five spacecrafts from The European Space Agency, Japan and the USSR were launched to study its surface. Structure and Composition of Halley’s Comet Halley’s comet is a big mass of ice and dust, having an elliptical orbit and shaped like a peanut. It has a highly elongated orbit, taking it very close to the Sun. It flings off far in the outer solar system, similar to a slingshot motion. The composition is mainly of water, sodium monoxide, methane, ammonia, hydrocarbons, iron and sodium. Its closest distance from the Sun was found to be just 0.6 AU (astronomical unit) and the farthest distance was calculated to be 35 AU, roughly the same distance as that of Pluto. It orbits the Sun in a retrograde or in the direction opposite to that of the planets’ revolution. The speed with respect to the Earth is quite high, since it is highly eccentric and inclined. The day time is relatively more on its surface and its maximum temperature rises up to 77 degrees celsius. Due to its large size and a well-defined and regular orbit, it was easy for the probe missions photograph it closely and study its surface. The mass of the comet is 1.7Ãâ€"1015 kilograms and the size of the nucleus has been estimated to be 15 km Ãâ€" 7 km Ãâ€" 7 km. Winds blowing near its surface are so strong that 1 gram particle of dust which hit the Giotto space probe, briefly destabilized it. Halley’s comet will next appear in 2062. Comets have always been a fascination for human beings and will continue to mesmerize generations to come, as we discover more interesting facts about these spectacular fireballs, the comets. Comet lullin Comet Lulin was discovered on July 11, 2007, by the duo of Ye Quanzhi and Lin Chi-Sheng. A non-periodic comet, Lulin appears to be greenish in color. This green color is attributed to the presence of gases such as cyanogen and diatomic carbon, which produce a green glow when illuminated by sunlight in the vacuum of the space. Officially designated as C/2007 N3 (Lulin), it is also known as the ‘Comet of Cooperation’ in China and Taiwan, as the two individuals involved in its discovery, were from these two countries. This comet was first photographed by Taiwanese astronomer Lin Chi-Sheng on July 11, 2007, while he was working on the Lulin Sky Survey Project (LUSS) at the Lulin observatory in Nantou, Taiwan. The Lulin Sky Survey Project aims to identify the numerous small objects in the solar system, particularly those that pose possible hazards to our planet. Lin used a 16-inch telescope to photograph this comet, which was initially assumed to be an asteroid. A few days later, Ye Quanzhi, a 19-year old student of meteorology from Sun Yat-Sen University, China, recognized this comet while going through Lin’s photographs. Its status of being a comet was confirmed after the presence of coma, the nebulous envelope around the nucleus of the comet, was noticed. Both, Lin and Quanzhi were accredited with the discovery of this new comet. As it was first noticed from the Lulin Observatory, it was named as Comet Lulin. Comet Lulin was seen in the Libra constellation from January to March 2009. In January, it was getting brighter and could be seen just before dawn; while in February, the brightness reached its peak. Eventually, in March, it started to fade as it went farther away from the Earth. While it was approaching the Earth, it had a typical tail pointing away from the Sun, as well as an ‘anti-tail’ which was directly pointing towards the sun. Although, it was assumed that this anti-tail was observed only in photographs, so me observers reported that it was visible even from a telescope in February 2009. According to Brian Marsden, an astronomer at Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Massachusetts, this comet’s closest approach to the sun was on January 10, 2009 when it reached a distance of 113 million miles from the sun. He noticed that the comet was moving in a retrograde orbit that is near-parabolic. On February 24, Comet Lulin came the closest to the Earth, at a distance of 0.41 AU or 38 million miles to be precise. On February 4, 2009, a team of Italian astronomers, under the leadership of Ernesto Guido, witnessed a strange phenomenon taking place in comet Lulin. While photographing the comet with a remotely controlled telescope in New Mexico, they saw that its tail suddenly disconnected. Ernesto attributed this odd phenomenon to magnetic disturbance of the solar wind hitting the comet. Earlier, this had been observed with Comet Encke too, when coronal mass ejection occurred, due to such magnetic storms. Photographs taken by NASA’s Swift Gamma-ray Explorer satellite in ultra-violet and X-rays show that Lulin is shedding 800 gallons of water every second. Observations by NASA also revealed that the surface material of the comet was burning away due to sun’s heat. This sighting of Comet Lulin was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the whole world, as there is no possibility of this comet returning to the inner solar system, at least not for the next thousand years. Human kind has always looked to the heavens in awe and wonder, and sometimes in fear. Perhaps no other astronomical phenomenon except a total solar eclipse has historically evoked as much fear as comets. When the specter of fear is removed, however, they emerge as strikingly beautiful objects in the sky. It was once believed that if earth passed through a tail of a comet, its inhabitants would die; this theory has been discredited. Comets are messengers from a time long past. Most are chunks of dirty ice, locked away in the Oort cloud for billions of years. (Oort cloud: – It is the source for long period comets, with orbital periods of greater than two hundred years.) Comets are familiar to nearly everyone as striking star like objects with long tails stretching across a wide band of the sky. The most famous comet, Halley’s comet makes its return to the skies every seventy-five years. The word â€Å"comet† is derived from a Greek word meaning â€Å"long haired† Comets were greatly feared before the twentieth century as bad omens. Since then, they have been identified and cataloged as objects that come from deep space. Most of them occupy orbits that carry them far outside the solar system. Many of them make only a single approach to the sun and never return again, while others exist in stable, but highly elliptical orbits that allow them to return after an extended period of time, su ch as the Halley’s comet. In 1986, the European space probe Giotto passed about 600 kilometers from the Comet Halley as it made its close approach to the sun. The probe verified existing theories that comets are made up of ices covered by black dust or soil. The spacecraft confirmed a theory that had been advanced prior to the reconnaissance that described comets as â€Å"dirty snowballs.† Using data taken by the spacecraft, scientists determined that the dust is composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Other metals have also been discovered in comets, such as iron, calcium, nickel, potassium, copper and silicon. Halley’s comet was one of the darkest objects ever seen in the solar system; it was basically flat black. Comets are composed of a mixture of ices and dust. As a comet approaches the sun, it absorbs the suns energy and warms up. The main body of the comet is called the nucleus. As the nucleus warms, the ice beneath the comets soil evaporates. Because the comet has no atmosphere, the evaporated substance (also called a volatile) escapes into the vacuum of space as a gaseous envelope that surrounds the comet called â€Å"coma.† As the coma grows, it forms a plume of vapor that carries away some of the comets surface as well. This mixture of evaporated volatile particles and dust is carried away from the comet by solar wind, is ionized by high-energy particles, and creates the spectacular tail of the comet. The comet’s tail, glowing in the solar wind, can stream behind the comet for millions of kilometers. The nucleus of the comet consists of mostly volatile ices and dust. The ice is nearly all water ice, but there is also evidence of ices composed of carbon dioxide and methane. More elementary compounds of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon monoxide may exist as volatile ices. Comets are typically small bodies (comparatively!!). Halley’s comet is a potato shaped object, 14 by 17 kilometers. The largest known comet is Chiron, which is estimated to be approximately 200 kilometers in diameter. Comets are thought to have formed as the solar system evolved. The material of which comets are composed was constructed by accretion at the outer edge of the disk of material that ultimately became the sun and planets. Because the comet material was fashioned at the outer edge of the solar system, the sun did not evaporate the volatiles in the cometary material. At the same time, the giant planets of the solar system formed at what would become the outer orbits of the solar system. These massive planets encountered the newly formed comets, and the ones that were not engulfed by the giant planets were, over the first billion years, catapulted into interstellar space by the planets massive gravitational fields. Not all comets met that fate, however. Some were gently nudged into stable orbits closer to the sun. Others were flung into the inner solar system and impacted the inner planets. Relevance: – The study of comets involves detailed knowledge of its composition of the outer regions of the solar system and the space between the last planet and 100,000 astronomical units onwards. Cometary study also seeks to understand complex gravitational interactions between bodies separated by wide distances and even gravitational interactions between tiny comets, their behavior when approaching the sun, and something of the makeup and evolution of the early solar system. New comets approaching the sun for the first time have been held in deep freeze in the Oort cloud and are thought to be composed of primordial material of the newly forming solar system. They have been tied up in the Oort cloud for billions of years at temperatures slightly above absolute zero. As they approach the sun, their internal gases begin to steam away. A detailed study of an approaching comet may tell cosmologists about the composition of the early solar systems. Comets and their approach have also hinted at the existence of the elusive brown dwarf, thought to be one of the most common bodies of interstellar space. Because they are so dim, they are all but invisible from Earth. On the other hand, because brown dwarfs are thought to be so plentiful, the study of comets and their orbits may give the first real clues to the former’s reality and abundance. In the early 1980s the existence of the galactic tidal action was merely speculation. Since then, careful study of cometary orbits and approaches has favorable supported the theory of galactic tides. In the close approach of Halley’s comet by an unmanned spacecraft in 1986, a wealth of information was recovered on the shape, behavior, and composition of comets. The existence of the Oort cloud and the concept gravitational interactions by passing objects in space have led to the theory of periodic comet showers. Such comet showers, separated by periods of tens of millions of years, may be responsible for the mass extinction on Earth. There is a wide speculation that Earth was struck by one or more comets 70 million years ago, which wiped out the dinosaurs. Some scientists have speculated that this extinction was the result of a shower of comets from the Oort cloud, sent on their close approach to the sun by a passing star or brown dwarf through the Oort cloud. Comets have been used to judge vast distances, evaluate the composition of the solar system as it was being born, and even test the idea that the gravity of the entire galaxy can make a difference to the smallest objects in space. Comets have been used as yardsticks to evaluate what may be the most type of star in the galaxy-the brown dwarf-which ironically is one that may never be seen. They have also been called dirty snowballs. Halley’s comet was so black that it was the darkest object ever seen in space. Yet, from these dirty specks of ice, cosmologists have witnessed some of the most spectacular light shows. Ultimately comets may also generate clues to some of the most fundamental secrets about the solar system and planets. From these tiny messengers, cosmologists may unlock and examine pristine elements from creation itself.

Novartis in Bolivia Expansion Project Essay

Understanding the political structure of a country is very important when trying to do business internationally. When multinational corporations plan to invest in a new country they must understand the political system and culture. Bolivia has faced political instability for over the past century. Since Evo Morales was elected as president, many changes have been made to protect some of the natural resources and mandate foreign investment. Morales’ political influence has played a large roll in the regulation of foreign investment and business. Since his inauguration, Morales has nationalized the hydrocarbon industry and the telecommunication industry. This has caused many companies to negotiate new contracts. Although Bolivia’s legal framework is open to foreign investment, many foreign companies and investors are affected by many of the inconsistent regulatory decisions. These issues often cause uncertainty with investors when deciding to invest. In addition the easily corrupted judicial system also causes a threat to many investors that decided to invest in Bolivia. Several problems that come up when investing in Bolivia result from the weak judicial system. Many of the property and contractual rights might be enforced, but the process can take a lot of time due to corruption and political influence. This also could be a potential threat to companies that want to expand into Bolivia. Political protests against the government are another issue that might affect foreign investors when attempting to do business in Bolivia. Many of these protest cause disruption to the transportation of goods. Overall the political environment of Bolivia could potentially cause issues when doing business; we might put ourselves at risk of losing major profits or even expropriation by the socialist form of government currently established in Bolivia. Economic Analysis Bolivia has struggled economically in the past thirty years but has reached stability. This is partially due to low population growth that has kept the labor supply limited. Another key factor to the economic struggle in Bolivia is due to the political and social conflicts within Bolivian society. Many changes have been implemented after the economic crisis in 1984-1985, where they suffered from extreme hyperinflation. The main focus of the government after the period of hyperinflation was to maintain price stability, create conditions for sustained growth, and alleviate poverty across the country. Currently Bolivia relies heavily on foreign assistance to finance developmental projects. Direct foreign investment has contributed much of the growth experienced in private investment in Bolivia. Bolivia’s primary sectors, Agriculture/Forestry and Mining, have created economical opportunities for Bolivia. Agriculture contributes to almost ten percent of Bolivia’s gross domestic product and almost half of their work force is employed in this industry. One of their most profitable products is coca in which they are currently the third largest cultivator. Mining has played a big part in Bolivia economic growth as well. Many local miners are employed by small-scaled operations throughout the country. Although Bolivia is known to have over 5. 4 million tons of lithium, much of the lithium deposits are not mined due to the disturbance of the country salt flats, which are a big feature of tourism. Currently the United States is one of Bolivia’s largest trading partners, importing $707 million dollars in 2010. There are no laws directly regulating competition but the government does have some regulation on the activities companies have. Bolivia has struggled economically but are now more efficient Social Analysis Many of the issues arising socially are result of the living conditions and political reform. Although much of the population is living in poverty, two-thirds of Bolivia’s population is active within the economy, either working for corporations or on a non-contractual basis. One issue that the majority of the population is dealing with is working qualifications. Many people growing up in Bolivia may only attend one year of schooling. Some of the difficult living conditions and political influences can create a hostile environment throughout the country. Protests against the government are a common issue that might affect foreign investors when attempting to do business in Bolivia. Many of these protest cause disruption to the transportation of goods and can effect business decisions. Violent and disruptive social protests occur often in some of the major cities that have affected companies. There have been cases where the major airports have been shut down for over twenty days due to protesting and social unrest. The government is attempting to increase citizen involvement in politics in order to help decrease some of the protest. Through many political and economical reformations, Bolivia has stabilized many of the past issues they were facing but is still a difficult place to do business, and through time it has deterred many international companies from entering the market. Country Risk Analysis and Globalization As mentioned before, Bolivia constitutes one of the least developed and poorest countries in Latin America and one of the most isolated countries in South America. Bolivia’s socialist leader, Evo Morales, was elected because of his involvement with the anti-globalization movement. He has reduced poverty within the country, redistributed wealth, and has nationalized a significant amount of the energy sector. He has promised to favor domestic consumption of natural gas over export. He has supported mainly by the poor majority who mostly reside in the western highlands. The population residing in the eastern areas and voters from the middle and high class who have most of the wealth, are concerned about his policies. Those in higher social classes are concerned with the neo-liberal global economy while many in the mestizo class support the opportunities that come from participating in the global economy. When it comes to the country’s globalization, Bolivians have a deep love for the natural richness of their country and are fighting to protect it. Bolivia is rich in nature and has many natural resources to offer. The nature’s conservation of the country is under pressure because of global interests, but it’s an opportunity for Bolivia that can be beneficial to them and help create more stability and less inequality among the country. Bolivia has the second largest reserves after Venezuela and looks like the perfect supplier for natural gas. But in 2005, a hydrocarbons law was passed by the government that imposed higher royalties and required foreign firms who were operating under risk-sharing contracts at the time, to surrender all production to the state energy company in exchange for a predetermined fee. The hydrocarbons sector has raised question as to whether Bolivia has the sector’s capacity or not to grow. Bolivia will continue to supply Brazil and Argentina with their natural gas but their long-term market potential is at risk. There are a number of factors that may reduce the growth of the industry; increased political risk, delays in infrastructure projects, and insufficient funds for production. The country needs private investment to increase production, but if they continue to pressure investors this is going to be very difficult. Bolivia has had problems with political instability in the past years, which has affected investments in the sector. They had a large fall in investments in exploration and production of about $63 million in 2006. It has had a downfall on the amounts of gas delivered to Argentina since the volume of production decreased in 2007. They had initially agreed that Bolivia would deliver 7. 7 million cubic meters per day per year to Argentina, but Bolivia was only delivering about half of that. Bolivia’s supply to Brazil was almost quadruple of the7. 7 mcm/d per year to Argentina, in turn, Bolivia asked Brazil for help. They are currently working on balancing and maintaining the gas deliveries to Argentina. Political instability in Bolivia has caused them to hinder the opportunity of exporting gas to Chile, to Mexico through liquefied natural gas facilities, and to the U. S. through a Peruvian or Chilean port. Even though Bolivia has faced political instability, they have never stopped its gas supplies to Argentina or Brazil. In consequence to the political instability, the lack of investment in the country has reduced much of the production volumes. The Bolivian government has improved its relationships with other governments regarding negotiations; they also have improved their relationship with Brazil after the gas industry nationalization. Contracts of new investments have been made to initiate more production giving a positive signal for the future gas supplies in the region promising the security of supply for Argentina and Brazil. Although government relations have improved, there is still a risk of markets not developing because of Bolivia’s internal political problems. But if the government avoids these political problems and a more consistent policy framework is made, the future looks promising for Bolivia. Bolivia, being an underdeveloped country, poses economic risks to other countries entering their market. Future growth of the country will be constrained by declining foreign investment and the country’s high debt. Bolivia has such high poverty rates, that growth probably won’t reach levels to sufficiently relieve the rates. President Morales opposes free market economic policies and instead supports state involvement in policy making and more government spending on health, education, and infrastructure. The government continues to negotiate for further debt relief of the country. According to the Natural Hot Spot study by the World Bank, Bolivia has the 32nd highest economic risk exposure to three or more hazards. It’s exposed to detrimental hazards due to the country’s geographic location as well as the vulnerability of its population and infrastructure. In the past, the country has experienced a series of emergencies caused by many natural disasters such as floods; hail storms, landslides, and mudslides. The levels of vulnerability in Bolivia have increased due to poverty factors and repeated natural disasters in the same regions. Industries and the general population are affected by these events since 49 percent of the population works in the service sector, 40 percent work in agriculture, and 12 percent in industry. Bolivia’s legal framework remains generally open to foreign investment. However, foreign firms may be affected by inconsistent regulatory decisions, unfavorable interpretations of laws, and a corrupted judicial system. The Investment Law provides for national treatment of foreign firms and guarantees the foreign firms their profits, the free exchange of currency, and the right to international arbitration in all sectors. Laws that govern activities having to do in the mining and hydrocarbon sectors authorize joint ventures, and association of services to state-owned corporations. The Hydrocarbon Laws, which was issued in May of 2005, required investors to adapt to new contracts within 180 days, forced production of hydrocarbons to release all hydrocarbons to the state, and forced an additional tax of 32 percent on revenues. The law also required that before exporting, companies sell their hydrocarbons and satisfy the domestic market at factitious prices set by the hydrocarbons regulator. Bolivia’s currency is freely convertible at Bolivian banks or exchange institutions. The official exchange rate is determined by the Central Bank who auction’s dollars daily; the bank offers a set amount of dollars and offers a minimum price. The Banking Law establishes regulations for foreign currency hedging and allows banks to have accounts in foreign currencies. There are no restrictions of any sort on transfers of currency. In 2007, the Central Bank established a one percent fee for any money transfer that is larger than one thousand U. S. dollars. Any hard-currency cash larger than ten thousand U. S. dollars must be authorized by the Central Bank and Ministry of Finance if it’s leaving or entering the country. Bolivia’s past has hindered the investment of foreign firms is their country. Through their political and economic instability the country has yet to fully flourish in the agricultural sector. Some low population growth as well as low life expectancy and a high rate of disease has constrained the labor supply and prevented industries from flourishing. Overall the country has been not too open to globalization due to the current political regime but we believe that they are going to start shifting in the future to more open market and less rigorous import policies to improve their economy. Novartis Overview of the Company  In 1996 Novartis was created, one of the biggest healthcare companies in the world. This multinational pharmaceutical company was formed after the merger of Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy. Novartis is not only a worldwide leader in pharmaceuticals but as well in vaccines and diagnostics, Sandoz, Alcon, animal health, and over the counter. Sandoz is the generic pharmaceutical division of Novartis. It is the second in net sales in 2010 with $8. 5 billion USD, behind pharmaceuticals at $30. 5 billion dollars. Sandoz offers affordable and high quality medicines to everyone. The Alcon division is the eye care division of Novartis. These products are to improve and protect eye vision. OTC or also know as over the counter, are products that Novartis makes that do not require prescription. These products are designed to prevent medical illness as well as treatment from the comfort of your home. Not only is Novartis for the benefit of human health but as well for animal health. With animal health products, Novartis helps treat and prevent diseases in pets around the world. Novartis global headquarters are located in Basel, Switzerland. Even though their headquarters are located in Basel they operate in over 140 countries. They don’t only make and provide products to both humans and animals but also have research facilities. The pharmaceutical research facilities headquarters aren’t located in Basel. The Novartis institute for biomedical researches is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. These research facilities over the world are to innovate and improve medicines that will treat diseases and improve the health of humans and animals. With its research facilities all over the world Novartis is determined to finding vacancies and treatments for diseases in developing nations. Like every MNC Novartis has a mission statement. Discover new medicine and products for all of their patients is a crucial mission in all of Novartis. They don’t only want to discover new things to improve the life of patients but they want to expand their innovations. This MNC wants to improve human and animal life as much as possible. Novartis official statement states: â€Å"We want to discover, develop and successfully market innovative products to prevent and cure diseases, to ease suffering and to enhance the quality of life. (www. Novartis. com) In 2000 Novartis listed its shares in the New York Stock Exchange market at 37. 24 a share. With it’s highest in 11 years being 64. 52. Novartis doesn’t only have shares in NYSE but also has shares in the SIX Swiss Exchange. In 1996 Novartis opened their shares in the Swiss market at 35. 06 a share. In 15 years in the Swiss exchange market Novartis shares were the highest 76. 80 a share in 2006. You can say Novartis has double their market value since they went public.

Strategy and Operations Revision

Introduction to Strategy and Operations Management| Operations Strategy| Product Design| Process Design| Supply Networks| Layout and Flow| Scientific Management and Job Design| Introduction to Quality – A Choice Paradigm| Operationalizing Strategy| Review and Examination Preparation| Operations Strategy Strategic decisions Widespread in their effect, define the position of the organisation relative to its environment and move the organisation closer to its long term goals * A strategy has content and process Operations is not the same as operational * Operations – resources that create products and services * Operational – opposite of strategic. Day-to-day and detailed Content and Process * Content – specific decisions and actions * Process – method that is used to make the specific ‘content’ decisions 4 Perspectives Top Down – the influence of the corporate or business strategy on operations decisions * Bottom-up – the in fluence of operational experience on operations decisions * Market requirements – the performance objectives that reflect the market position of an operations products or service, also a perspective on operations strategy * Operations resource capabilities – the inherent ability of operations processes and resources; also a perspective on operations strategy. Products * Tangible Are used after purchase Services * Intangible * Used at the time of delivery TOP DOWN PERSPECTIVE Views strategic decisions at a number of levels Corporate strategy – the strategic positioning of a corporation and the businesses with it Business strategy – the strategic positioning of a business in relation to its customers, markets and competitors, a subset of corporate strategy Functional strategy – the overall direction and role of a function within the business; a subset of business strategy BOTTOM UP PRESPECTIVE Sees overall strategy as emerging from day-to-day operational experience Emergent strategy – a strategy that is gradually shaped over time and based on experience rather than theoretical positioning MARKET REQUIREMENTS PERSPECTIVE -Satisfy the requirements of the market Competitive factors – the factors such as delivery time, product or service specification, price etc. hat define customers’ requirements Order-winning factors – the arrangement of resources that are devoted to the production and delivery of products and services Qualifying factors – aspects of competitiveness where the operation’s performance has to be above a particular level to be considered by the customer Less important factors – competitive factors that are neither order winning nor qualifying, performance in them does not significantly affect the competitive position of an operation Product/service life cycle – a generalized model of t he behaviour of both customers and competitors during the life of a product or service; it is generally held to have four stages, introduction, growth, maturity and decline. OPERATIONS RESOURCES PERSPECTIVE Resource-based view (RBS) – the perspective on strategy that stresses the importance of capabilities (sometimes known as core competences) in determining sustainable competitive advantage. Intangible resources – the resources within an operation that are not immediately evident or tangible, such as relationships with suppliers and customers, process knowledge, new product and service development. PROCESS OF OPERATIONS STRATEGY Process – procedures which are, or can be, used to formulate those operations strategies which the org. should adopt. IMPLEMENTATION 5 P’s of operations strategy formulation * Purpose * Point of entry * Process * Project management * Participation TRADE-OFFS The extent to which improvements in one performance objective can be achieved by sacrificing performance in others. PROCESS OF OPERATIONS STRATEGY GUIDES THE TRADE OFFS B/W PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES Operations strategy – Should address the relative priority of the operation’s performance objectives * Influences the trade-offs b/w an operation’s performance EFFICIENT FRONTIER Like in economics – convex line. Useful approach to articulating trade-of fs and distinguishes b/w repositioning performance on the efficient frontier and improving performance by overcoming trade-offs. FOCUS AND TRADE-OFFS Operations focus – dedicating each operation to a limited, concise, manageable set of objectives, products, technologies or markets, then structuring policies and support services so they focus on one explicit task rather than on a variety of inconsistent or conflicting tasks. Operation-within-an-operation – allows an org. to accrue the benefits of focus without the considerable expensive of setting up independent operations. Design DESIGN ACTIVITY To conceive looks, arrangement and workings of something before it is constructed. Happens before construction. PROCESS DESIGN AND PRODUCT/SERVICE DESIGN ARE INTERREALTED Treated separately but are interrelated. Process design and product/service design should be considered together PROCESS DESIGN OBJECTIVES Point of process design is to make sure that the performance of the process is appropriate for whatever it is trying to achieve. Process design should reflect process objectives Micro’ performance flow objectives are used to describe flow performance: * Throughput rate – rate which units emerge from the process * Throughput time – the time for a unit to move through a process * Work in process – number of units in the process is an average over a period of time * Utilizatio n- the ratio of the actual output from a process or facility to its design capacity ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE DESIGN Life cycle analysis – a technique that analyses all the production inputs, life cycle use of a product and its final disposal in terms of total energy used and wastes emitted. PROCESS TYPES – THE VOLUME VARIETY EFFECT ON PROCESS DESIGN High volume = food canning factory Low volume = major project consulting engineers Low variety = electricity utility High variety = architects practice Low volume – high variety and vice versa Volume variety positions PROCESS TYPES Process types – terms that are used to describe a particular general approach to managing processes In manufacturing these are generally held to be project, jobbing, batch, mass and continuous processes, In services they are held to be professional services, service shops and mass services PROJECT PROCESSES – processes that deal with discrete, usually highly customized, products. JOBBING PROCESSES – processes that deal with high variety and low volumes, although there may be some repetition of flow and activities. BATCH PROCESSES – processes that treat batches of products together, and where each batch has its own process route. MASS PROCESSES – processes that produce goods in high volume and relatively low variety CONTINUOUS PROCESSES – processes that are high volume and low variety; usually products made on continuous process are produced in an endless flow, such as petrochemicals or electricity. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES – service processes that are devoted to producing knowledge-based or advice-based services, usually involving high customer contact and high customisation, examples include management consultants, lawyers, architects etc. SERVICE SHOPS – service processes that are positioned between professional services and mass services, usually with medium levels of volume and customization. MASS SERVICES – service processes that have a high number of transactions, often involving limited customization, for example mass transportation services, call centres etc. PRODUCT-PROCESS MATRIX A model derived by Hayes and Wheelwright that demonstrates that natural fit between volume and variety of products and services produced by an operation on one hand, and the process type used to produce products and services on the other. Natural diagonal – most operations stick to this. PROCESS MAPPING Describing the processes in terms of how the activities within the process relate to each other (aka process blueprinting or process analysis) PROCESS MAPPING SYMBOLS PMS – The symbols that are used to classify different types of activity; they usually derive either from scientific management or information systems flow charting High-level process mapping – an aggregated process map that shows broad activities rather than detailed activities THROUGHOUT, CYCLE TIME AND WORK IN PROCESS Work content – the total amount of work required to produce a unit of output, usually measured in standard times Throughput time – the time for a unit to move through a process Cycle time – average time b/w units of output emerging from a process Work-in-process – number of units within a process waiting to be process further LITTLES LAW Throughput time = work-in process x cycle time THROUGHPUT EFFICIENCY % Throughput efficiency = (work content/throughput time) x 100 PRODUCT AND SERVICE DESIGN WHY IS DESIGN IMPORTANT? -Enhances profitability WHAT IS DESIGNED? * Concept – outline specification including nature, use and value of p/s * Package – Core p/s – fundamental to the purchase and could not be removed without destroying nature of the package * Supporting p/s – Enhance the core * Process – designing a way in which the ‘ingredients’ will be created and delivered to customer DESIGN ACTIVITY IS ITSELF A PROCE SS -The design activity is one of the most important operations processes -Producing designs for products is itself a process STAGES OF DESIGN 1. Concept generation – a stage in the product and service design process that formalizes the underlying idea behind a product or service 2. Screening – to see if they will be a sensible addition to its p/s portfolio 3. Evaluation and improvement – can it be served better, more cheaply, more easily? 4. Prototyping and final design CONCEPT GENERATION IDEAS FOR CUSTOMERS -Marketing – focus groups etc. LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS -Complaints –suggestions IDEAS FROM COMPETITORS Reverse engineering – the deconstruction of a p/s in order to understand how it has been produced IDEAS FROM STAFF Know what customers like etc. IDEAS FROM RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT R&D – the function in the org. that develops new knowledge and ideas and operationalizes the ideas to form the underlying knowledge on which p/s and process design are based. CONCEPT SCREENING Assessing the worth or value of each design option, so a choice can be made. * Design criteria – 3 broad categories of design criteria† 1. Feasibility – the ability of an operation to produce a process, product or service 2. Acceptability – the attractiveness to the operation of a p/s 3. Vulnerability – the risks taken by the operation in adopting a process, p or s THE DESIGN ‘FUNNEL’ A model that depicts the design process as the progressive reduction of design options from many alternatives down to the final design. PRELIMINARY DESIGN SPECIFYING THE COMPONENTS OF THE PACKAGE Component structure – diagram that shows the constituent component parts of a product or service package and the order in which the component parts are brought together (aka components structure) REDUCING DESIGN COMPLEXITY Simplicity is a virtue STANDARDIZATION The degree to which processes, products or services are prevented from varying over time COMMONALITY The degree to which a range of p/s incorporate identical components (aka parts commonality) If multiple p/s are based on common components, the less complex it is to produce them MODULARIZATION The use of standardized sub-components of a p/s that can be put together in different ways to create a high degree of variety. I. e. Art attack. Many languages, 60% scenes the same DEFINING THE PROCESS TO CREATE THE PACKAGE Examine how a process could put together the various components to create the final p/s. DESIGN EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT See if preliminary design can be improved before the p/s is tested in the market. Many techniques (3 main ones): 1. QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT A technique used to ensure that the eventual design of a p/s actually meets the needs of its customers. QFD matrix – how company sees relationship b/w requirements of customer and the design characteristics of p/s 2. VALUE ENGINEERING An approach to cost reduction in product design that examines the purpose of a p/s, its basic functions and its secondary functions. 3. TAGUCHI METHODS A design technique that uses design combinations to test the robustness of a design I. e. Telephone – should still work when has been knocked over. Pizza shop – cope with rush of customers PROTOTYPING AND FINAL DESIGN Prototype can be clay model, simulations etc. Virtual prototype –a computer based model of a p/p/s that can be tested for its characteristics before the actual p/p/s is produced Computer-aided design (CAD) – a system that provides the computer ability to create and modify p/p/s drawings BENEFITS OF INTERACTIVE DESIGN Interactive design – the idea that the design of p/s on one hand, and the processes that create them on the other, should be integrated Can shorten time to market SIMULTANEOUS DEVELOPMENT Sequential approach to design – one stage completed before another is started * Easy to manage and control * Time consuming and costly Simultaneous/concurrent approach to design – overlapping these stages in the design process so that one stage in the design activity can start before the preceding stage is finished, the intention being to shorten time to market and save design cost PROJECT-BASED ORGANIZATION STRUCTURES Functional design organization Product design organization Range of org. structures = Pure functional to pure project forms. Task force Matrix organization LAYOUT AND FLOW WHAT IS LAYOUT? -How its transforming resources are positioned relative to each other and how its various tasks are allocated to these transforming resources. – Layout decision is relatively infrequent but important What makes a good layout? – Inherent safety – Length of flow – Clarity of flow – Staff conditions – Management coordination – Accessibility – Use of space – Long-term flexibility – Layout is influenced by process types BASIC LAYOUT TYPES 4 basic layout types: FIXED-POSITION LAYOUT -Locating the position of a product or service such that it remains largely stationary, while transforming resources are moved to and from it I. e. Motorway construction, open-heart surgery (patients too delicate to be moved). FUNCTIONAL LAYOUT * Conforms to the needs and convenience of the functions performed by the transforming resources which constitute the processes. Similar resources or processes are located together * I. e. Hospitals, supermarket CELL LAYOUT * Transformed resources entering the operation are pre-selected to move to one part of the operation in which all the transforming resources, to meet their immediate processing needs, are located. * I. e. Maternity unit in a hospital, lunch products in a supermarket * Shop-within-a-shop – display area selling specific thing. I. e. sports shop – sports books, sports shoes, etc. PRODUCT LAYOUT Line layout – a more descriptive term for what is technically product layou t Involves locating the transforming resources entirely for the convenience of the transformed resources. I. e. Automobile assembly Self-service cafeteria – sequence of customer requirements (starter, main, dessert, drink) is common to all customers, but layout also helps control flow of customers. MIXED LAYOUTS Combination of layouts I. e. 1 kitchen serving 3 restaurants (cafeteria, buffet and sit down) VOLUME-VARIETY AND LAYOUT TYPE -The volume and variety characteristics of an operation will influence its layout – When volume is low and variety high, flow is not a problem SELECTING A LAYOUT TYPE -Volume-variety characteristics narrow down choice -Influenced by understanding advantages and disadvantages (see p198) – Cost implications DETAILED DESIGN OF THE LAYOUT DETAILED DESIGN IN FIXED POSITION LAYOUT Location of resources based on the convenience of transforming resources themselves. DETAILED DESIGN IN FUNCTIONAL LAYOUT Combinatorial complexity – the idea that many different ways of processing products and services at many different locations or points in time combine to result in an exceptionally large number of feasible options; the term is often used in facilities layout and scheduling to justify non-optimal solutions Flow record chart – a diagram used in layout to record the flow of products or services between facilities Relationship chart – a diagram used in layout to summarize the relative desirability of facilities to be close to each other.

Fly Guys Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fly Guys - Research Paper Example The author of the research paper "Fly Guys" analyses the operations of Fly Guys that fit excel and access operations. Both spreadsheets and databases are essential in the daily functions of many businesses including Aircraft operations. While it is not necessarily essential to select between databases and spreadsheets, they are frequently suited to diverse types of tasks. Comprehending the key diversities between excels and access is fundamental if one want to make the optimal use of either or both. Spreadsheets and databases share a number of features, but they comprise of different technologies (Smith 2015). Databases commonly involve an elevated level of the technical procedure. Both spreadsheets and databases provide a range of processing capabilities. Using these, an individual or organization can manipulate, arrange and filter statistics. Databases provide a greater variety of complexity in considering data exploitation, but this must be provided in SQL code or scripting format (Smith 2015). However, for fundamental data applications, spreadsheets offer users with a variety of automated capabilities, which are available to users who do not have a great deal technical experience. A number of data organization needs are only potential using databases, but wherever this is not the scenario; a worksheet may offer a more usable alternative. Access to a spreadsheet is at times imperfect to one individual at a time. With database organization systems, however, many people can acquire the same statistics set.

APPLIED INTEGRATED BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

APPLIED INTEGRATED BUSINESS - Essay Example From the above, various companies use various methods to ensure their success through both employee and customer satisfaction. This is because employee and customer satisfaction are the keys to business success. The video shows a manager who does not put customer needs at the core. The lady at the reception informs him of the dissatisfied customer but he reluctantly comes without the feel of urgency required. When dealing with customers, their needs should be given priority for them to have a sense of importance (Roche & Self 2012, p. 67). Moreover, the manager should ensure customer needs are met at all costs. The customer at the reception is urgently in need of a room but the manager downplays this urgency and seems to be interested in having an affair with her. Managers should draw boundaries between their social and professional lives. More so, the managers should not involve their customers in their social life at all costs (Roche & Self 2012, p. 141). The welfare and the needs of all categories of customers should be catered for, and in the event that a mishap occurs, remedy measures should be taken within the shortest time possible. This does not seem to be the case with the manager who fails to courteously assist the person on the wheelchair who is locked out of a reception due to inaccessibility of the venue. Furthermore, managers should use polite language whenever dealing with their clients as well as their employees (Roche & Self 2012, p. 101). This is paramount in ensuring good customer relations and the employees transfer it to the customers. The manager fails to courteously address the receptionist upon being told of the customer who wants to speak to him. Though he says he is busy, he clearly is not as he is taking coffee while checking the local daily. Good customer and employee etiquette requires the manager to listen carefully to

Why People Consider Malala Yusafzai To Be A Heroine Essay

Why People Consider Malala Yusafzai To Be A Heroine - Essay Example Malala's courage and her strong opinion towards girls' education have won her awards, medals, and fame. So far, Malala is the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize by The KidsRights Foundation and she was awarded National Peace Award by the Pakistani government. Magazines and Medias also followed closely Malala’s campaigns, and her profile was published in Vanity Fair Magazine. The Times Magazine also published her profile stating she was one among the most influential people at the time. Her inclusion in the media, being recognized by the government as well as magazines publishing about her passion for the girl's education contributed to Malala's heroisms. And as Merriam states, success comes because of hard work, skillful and creative political analysis. Being noted by the media gave Malala the enthusiasm to follow her instincts, which led to increased vocals on the subject of girls’ education. Encouragement from her father motivated her, especially after her recovery. Malala confronted anyone who could do something to ensure this dream comes true. For example, the US convoy at the valley was not left out. Even though her campaigns increased the threat to herself and family, Malala never gave up, she even went further to take her campaigns around the world. Malala has been to Nigeria where she personally met President Goodluck Jonathan and requested him to press for action to free the 200 girls held by Boko Haram, Islamist militants.

Metaphysical implications of forgiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Metaphysical implications of forgiveness - Essay Example Zaibert argues against Kolnai’s explanation.2 Although the author does not argue against Derrida’s explanation, Zaibert does agree with what Derrida supposedly had in mind. Thus, he goes beyond and argues that â€Å"to forgive is to deliberately refuse to punish† (Zaibert 368). We merely choose or decide whether or nor to forgive on the basis of deliberating on a guilty person’s punishment. If we choose to forgive the person, we thus avoid punishment. It is in this regard that Zaibert contends that forgiveness is a purely mental phenomenon.3 Given this mode of analysis, he contends that the paradox of forgiveness is not so much of a paradox after all. Or is it? In this essay, I shall provide a critique of Zaibert’s solution to the paradox in the light of the philosophy of action. In doing so, I shall focus on his definition of forgiveness as a pure mental act, in relation to his defense that to forgive a person is to intentionally refuse to punish that person. I will argue that his solution to the paradox begs the question and thus, fails to provide a sufficient analysis of the nature of forgiveness from a metaphysical point of view. In what follows, I will provide a summary of Zaibert’s views as discussed in his article. Zaibert presents two competing views that attempt to solve the paradoxical nature of forgiveness, i.e. Kolnai and Derrida’s solution. His motivation for contrasting these two views is to emphasize that â€Å"the opposition between these two views of forgiveness shall prove important for my purposes† (Zaibert 367). Indeed, his purpose was to develop his own position, which he thought was what Derrida had in mind when he associated forgiveness to the unforgivable. What was Zaibert’s position then? Zaibert’s position defends the view that to forgive a person is to intentionally refuse to punish that person. â€Å"There is, then, a purely analytic connection between punishment and forgiveness

Motivating Learners from Low-Income Households Case Study - 1

Motivating Learners from Low-Income Households - Case Study Example An empirical approach has been suggested by the research cited on attribution, self-concept, and praise and questioning. At the close of our session, I would give a prescription for the thing to do so as to improve the condition in the classroom. I would recommend for the teacher always developing an anticipatory set so as to cause the students to keep focused. Telling the students the objectives and the purpose of the lesson too would be a recommendable thing to do. The teacher ought to input knowledge, whatsoever, into the pupils. It is also advisable for the teacher to be a role model for the learners and show them what is supposed to be mastered. Another strategy that would work for the teacher is seeking to understand the learner’s side. Providing a guided practice of skill is a motivating activity to integrate with the classroom situation (Wiles & Bondi, 2004). The teacher should as well allow for independent practice by the learners. When dealing with the teacher situat ion, I would research widely on the ability of a teacher to demonstrate to utilize appropriate classroom management with a focus on discipline. The research reveals that there is a direct and negative association between poverty and academic performance. Poverty is a chief factor underwriting poor academic performance by learners. Revelation from studies shows that most students from low socioeconomic background fare poorly in academics at school. This is caused by substantially little parental involvement especially that of mothers. Consequently, there is insufficient nurturing, time spent with children is less, and warm emotions are very rare. These factors cause depression, low self-esteem, sense of powerlessness, and an inability to cope up with various situations that are the behavior and personalities that a teacher ought to shape for the better. Exceptions to these appalling conditions are, however, existent.

Whitness - White trash, white people Assignment

Whitness - White trash, white people - Assignment Example modern structure and reconstitutions of the white identity and its implications to various regional and national contexts where the white privilege is in effect and what this entails. The essay also attempts to understand the multiplicity of whiteness and its connections with other social structures more so for the social classes (Dwyer and Jones 209). Pay attention to the intertwining connection of racial categories and the power granting certain privileges to certain social categories and how it eventually affects attitudes towards certain racial classes (McCann 2). According to Ignatiev, â€Å"Whiteness is not a culture...Whiteness has nothing to do with culture and everything to do with social position. It is nothing but a reflection of privilege, and exists for no reason other than to defend it† (par. 3). For many years whiteness has generally gone under the radar remaining untouched and deactivated, mainly taken for granted in the social and popular discussions involving race. Many studies and works have shown on occasion that white is always an available and open choice when talking about race and more often than not whites have had the opportunity to glance at world through a sieve of racial responsiveness (Ramos-Zayas 76) but as such remains to be an invisible race. In films it is sometimes difficult to see whiteness depicted in the film as an ethnic class as it is difficult to perceive it in a sense that white power is secure in its hold on its position of authority (Dryer 126). Although upon closer inspection it comes up as empty, absent even dead or at the point of death, but one might realize that it is important to try to make some development in seeing whiteness as a cultural or ethnic category. Studies have often portrayed various groups as oppressed, marginal or subordinate including women, the working class, ethnic and other minorities like gay and lesbians, the disabled and the elderly. The urge to do such lies in the logic on how these social

The Monopoly Of Wonks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Monopoly Of Wonks - Essay Example This will enable the firm to fund high cost capital investment spending. Successful research may be used to improve on products and lower cost in the long-term. The government will have a chance to regulate different varieties of products at the same time to prevent exploitation of the consumers by the firm. This will save the government spending on check-ups. The government will also be able to tax the company easily. The government gets much tax revenue in the monopoly companies than in monopolistic competition. In the monopolistic market are free to enter and leave at any time since there are no legal barriers. Lack of restrictions demolishes government effort to collect tax revenue from all the stakeholders. Consumers are likely to buy chips in lower prices since Wonks will be enjoying economics of scale, its production cost will lower transferring this to consumers by charging less cost per unit of potatoes sold. Wonks Company will be a price-maker, since it makes its own pricing and output decisions. In the end, the price of a product will be determined by its cost function, demand, its objectives and certain government regulations. The main objective, which leads Wonks to merge as one firm, is to maximize profit. i.e. T.C. It is expected that in long run, Wonks chips company will increase its output since there are no other players in the market. If it does so, it has to lowers the price. As a result, marginal revenue will be below its price. Perloff, Jeffrey M. (2004). If marginal revenue is greater than marginal cost, i.e. M.R>MC, the firm will increase profit by increasing output. If marginal revenue is less than marginal cost (M.R

Medications in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Medications in Nursing - Essay Example 228). As a nondepolarizing agent, this drug causes skeletal muscle paralysis by blocking the myoneural junction, interfering acetylcholine’s bid for cholinergic receptor sites and then binding with the nicotinic cholinergic receptor at the postjunctional membrane (Stoelting and Miller, 2007). Unlike other depolarizing agents however, vecuronium does not have much agonist activity and has no depolarizing impact at the motor endplate (McEvoy, et.al., 2009). As a muscle relaxant, this drug acts first on the eyelids and the jaw, then acts on the limbs, the abdomen, and then the diaphragm and the intercostals (Bledsoe, Clayden, and Papa, 2005). Adverse reactions of the drug may include skeletal muscle weakness and prolonged respiratory insufficiency or apnea (NDH, 2006). The intubating dose of 0.1mg/kg is sufficient to create intubating conditions within 3 minutes with effects lasting up to 45 minutes (Kovacs and Law, 2008). Co-administration with antibiotics can enhance neuromuscu lar blockade, thereby also causing increased muscle relaxation and increasing the potency of the drug (NDH, 2006). Using the drug with opioid analgesics can also increase neuromuscular blockade, thereby also causing increased skeletal muscle relaxation. ... This drug also acts on the CNS to improve the vagal tone, thereby, slowing the conduction through the nodes and thereby ensuring antiarrhythmic effect (NDH, 2006). Digoxin has a significant role in reducing ventricular rate in supraventricular arrhythmias in atrial fibrillations; hence it is the better drug choice for Mr. Jian. It can however cause fatigue, muscle weakness, agitation, headache, anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea (NDH, 2006). In relation to other drugs, co-administration with verapamil and quinidine can increase the blood digoxin levels and provoke atrioventricular block; administering it with diuretics can cause hypokalemia which can increase the risk of ventricular arrhythmias (Berger, 2010). This drug is not advised for those with hypersensitivity to digoxin, for those with digitalis-induced toxicity, ventricular fibrillation, or ventricular tachycardia (NDH, 2006). For the nurse, there are various nursing precautions which should be considered in the administration of digoxin. After administration of the drug, the nurse needs to monitor Mr. Jian’s pulse rate because extreme slowing of the pulse may indicate digitalis toxicity (NDH, 2006). The nurse also needs to monitor the patient’s potassium levels carefully and take appropriate action before hypokalemia occurs. Before the drug is administered, the nurse needs to take the apical-radial pulse for 1 minute. She then needs to notify the prescriber for any changes (any significant increase or decrease in pulse). If such increase of decrease is seen, the patient’s BP needs to be checked and for an ECG to be performed (NDH, 2006). Question 3: Flecainide and Dofetilide Flecainide is a Class Ic

Exploring the Issues behind Patient-Assisted Suicide Essay Example for Free

Exploring the Issues behind Patient-Assisted Suicide Essay Death is as much a part of human existence, of human growth and development, like birth. All humans need to undergo all these processes as they journey through life. However, death sets a limit on our time in this world, and life culminates in death. However, when we intervene with some of these natural processes, problems arise because it intrudes in life’s natural processes. This is why, suicide is not just perceived as a medical problem because it also involves legal, ethical, social, personal, and financial considerations. It is not just morally reprehensible for a physician, or any medical practitioner, to assist the patient to conduct this procedure because it negates their responsibility to preserve life, suicide also devalues the life of the patient as its fate is put entirely in the hands of a human being to intrude with the natural process of things. For this reason, the debate over euthanasia (or patient-assisted suicide) involves many professionals, as well as the patients and their families. The arguments now have to do with the dignity of the patients, the quality of their lives, their mental state, and sometimes their usefulness to society. For example, the patient who is in a vegetative state is considered dead by some but not by others, and this case presents substantial ethical and logistical problems. The Oxford Dictionary of English (2005) defines euthanasia as â€Å"the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma†. However, euthanasia means much more than a â€Å"painless death†, or the means of procuring it, or the action of inducing it. The definition specifies only the manner of death, and if this were all that was implied a murderer, careful to drug his victim, could claim that his act was an act of euthanasia. We find this ridiculous because we take it for granted that in euthanasia it is death itself, not just the manner of death. How can someone administer a medical â€Å"procedure† to the one who dies in the end? If a person requests the termination of his or her life, the action is called voluntary euthanasia (and often also assisted suicide). If the person is not mentally competent to make an informed request, the action is called non-voluntary euthanasia. Both forms should be distinguished from involuntary euthanasia, which involves a person capable of making an informed request, but who has not done so. Involuntary euthanasia is universally condemned and plays no role in current moral controversies. A final set of distinctions appeals to the active–passive distinction: passive euthanasia involves letting someone die from a disease or injury, whereas active euthanasia involves taking active steps to end a person’s life. All of these distinctions suffer from borderline cases and various forms of ambiguity. The focus of recent public and philosophical controversy has been over voluntary active euthanasia (VAE), especially physician-assisted suicide. Supporters of VAE argue that there are cases in which relief from suffering supersedes all other consequences and that respect for autonomy obligates society to respect the decisions of those who elect euthanasia. If competent patients have a legal and moral right to refuse treatment that brings about their deaths, there is a similar right to enlist the assistance of physicians or others to help patients cause their deaths by an active means. Usually, supporters of VAE primarily look to circumstances in which (1) a condition has become overwhelmingly burdensome for a patient, (2) pain management for the patient is inadequate, and (3) only a physician seems capable of bringing relief (Dworkin, Frey Bok, 1998). One well-known incident that VAE came into the headlines was when it was provided by the bizarre activities of Dr.  Jack Kevorkian in early 1990s (or â€Å"Dr Death† as the media have dubbed him) in the USA. Dr. Kevorkian, a retired pathologist, assisted over forty people to commit suicide in recent years in circumstances which were somewhat removed from regular medical practice. These people travelled to Kevorkian from all over the USA to seek his assistance in suicide. He assisted them, sometimes by attaching them, in the back of his rusting Volkswagen van, to his suicide machine, which injected them with lethal drugs when they activated it. Despite being prosecuted for assisted suicide on several occasions, Kevorkian escaped conviction and continued his personal campaign for relaxation of the law in his peculiar way. It was only when he moved from assistance in suicide to euthanasia that he was finally convicted. He filmed himself administering a lethal injection, and the film helped secure his conviction for murder (Keown 2002, p. 31). Of course, his actions provoked discussion of the thin line separating passive euthanasia, which is legal in this country, and active euthanasia. Opponents of Kevorkian’s actions state that he is practicing assisted suicide, which is illegal. Proponents of Kevorkian’s actions argue that the patient’s right to control his or her medical treatment is sufficient justification for assisted suicide. Euthanasia is Not Ethical According to Somerville (2006), there are two major reasons why people should not allow euthanasia to be legalized. One is based on principle: it is wrong for one human to intentionally kill another (except in justified self-defense, or in the defense of others). The other reason is utilitarian: the harms and risks of legalizing euthanasia, to individuals in general and to society, far outweigh any benefits. While Mak, Elwyn Finlay (2006) reasoned that â€Å"most studies of euthanasia have been quantitative, focusing primarily on attitudes of healthcare professionals, relatives, and the public†. Pain is usually identified as a major reason for requesting euthanasia; other influences included functional impairment, dependency, burden, social isolation, depression, hopelessness, and issues of control and autonomy. This is why, Mak, Elwyn Finlay (2006) thought that legalizing euthanasia is a â€Å"premature† move when research evidence from the perspectives of those who desire euthanasia is not yet proven to be necessary. They said â€Å"more qualitative patient based studies are needed to broaden our understanding of patients†. What needs to be done, they deemed, should be the â€Å"inclusion of medical humanities, experiential learning, and reflective practice into medical education should help ensure doctors have better communication skills and attitudes†. By examining ways to improve care at all levels, healthcare professionals can eliminate the side effects of poor end of life care, then euthanasia would not be needed anymore. In 1988, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a statement on its take about patient-assisted suicide when a gynecology resident agreed to conduct assisted suicide to a young woman, dying of cancer, whom he has never seen before. Horrified by her severe distress, and proceeding alone without consultation with anyone, the doctor gives her a lethal injection of morphine. The publishing of this gynecology resident’s letter caused media hype and was featured in the previous issue in JAMA, where it was titled as â€Å"It’s Over Debbie† (1988). This is how the JAMA took its position regarding the matter: 1. ) On his own admission, the resident appears to have committed a felony: premeditated murder. Direct intentional homicide is a felony in all American jurisdictions, for which the plea of merciful motive is no excuse. That the homicide was clearly intentional is confirmed by the residents act of unrepentant publication. Law aside, the physician behaved altogether in a scandalously unprofessional and unethical manner. He did not know the patient: he had never seen her before, he did not study her chart, he did not converse with her or her family. He never spoke to her physician. He took as an unambiguous command her only words to him, Lets get this over with: he did not bother finding out what precisely she meant or whether she meant it wholeheartedly. He did not consider alternative ways of bringing her relief or comfort; instead of comfort, he gave her death. This is no humane and thoughtful physician succumbing with fear and trembling to the pressures and well-considered wishes of a patient well known to him, for whom there was truly no other recourse. This is, by his own account, an impulsive yet cold technician, arrogantly masquerading as a knight of compassion and humanity. (Indeed, so cavalier is the report and so cold-blooded the behavior, it strains our credulity to think that the story is true. ) Law and professional manner both aside, the resident violated one of the first and most hallowed canons of the medical ethic: doctors must not kill. Generations of physicians and commentators on medical ethics have underscored and held fast to the distinction between ceasing useless treatments (or allowing to die) and active, willful taking of life; at least since the Oath of Hippocrates, Western medicine has regarded the killing of patients, even on request, as a profound violation of the deepest meaning of the medical vocation. The Judicial Council of the American Medical Association in 1986, in an opinion regarding treatment of dying patients, affirmed the principle that a physician â€Å"should not intentionally cause death. † Neither legal tolerance nor the best bedside manner can ever make medical killing medically ethical (Baird Rosenbaum 1989, p. 26). Indeed, the laws of most nations and the codes of medical and research ethics from the Hippocratic Oath to today’s major professional codes strictly prohibit VAE (and all forms of merciful hastened death), even if a patient has a good reason for wanting to die. Although courts have often defended the rights of patients in cases of passive euthanasia, courts have rarely allowed any form of what they judged to be VAE. Those who defend laws and medical traditions opposed to VAE often appeal to either (1) professional-role obligations that prohibit killing or (2) the social consequences that would result from changing these traditions. The first argument is straightforward: killing patients is inconsistent with the roles of nursing, care-giving, and healing. The second argument is more complex and has been at the center of many discussions. This argument is referred to as the wedge argument or the slippery slope argument, and proceeds roughly as follows: although particular acts of active termination of life are sometimes morally justified, the social consequences of sanctioning such practices of killing would run serious risks of abuse and misuse and, on balance, would cause more harm than benefit. The argument is not that these negative consequences will occur immediately, but that they will grow incrementally over time, with an ever-increasing risk of unjustified termination (Dworkin, Frey Bok, 1998). Refusal of Treatment When a patient refuses treatment, the physician is faced with a great dilemma. Doctors maintain that if the patient does not want treatment, physicians do not have a duty to start it. Once treatment is started, however, physicians have a duty to continue it if discontinuing it would lead to the patients death. They are not required to force a patient to go on a respirator if the patient refuses, but once the patient has gone on the respirator, doctors have a duty to keep him on it, even contrary to the patients wishes, if taking him off would result in his death. Suffice it here to point out one important limit: a doctor is not ethically bound to assist a refusal of treatment which is suicidal, that is, made not because the treatment is futile or excessively burdensome but in order to hasten death (Keown, 2002, p. 253). Actual suicide has been a felony in England in the past but today, suicide has been decriminalized in most part of the world. Attempting to take ones own life, however, remains criminal in some jurisdictions. In these as well as in those states where it is not a crime, the state has intervened in some cases to order life-sustaining treatment in the face of objection by a competent adult. The most widely cited case in which this was done is John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital v. Heston (1971), where a twenty-two-year-old unmarried woman refused a blood transfusion because she was a Jehovah’s Witness. She was forced to have one anyway on the theory that there is no difference between passively submitting to death and actively seeking it. The state regards both as attempts at self-destruction and may prevent them. Since this case, however, the trend of cases has been away from this reasoning and toward subordinating the states interest in the prevention of suicide to the rights of patients to forgo or have withdrawn life-sustaining treatment (Berger 1995, p. 20). However, when the patient is terminal and death is imminent, no treatment is medically indicated, and the competent patient’s rightful refusal of treatment does not conflict with the health provider’s form of beneficence. There may be an emotional problem in admitting defeat, but there should be no ethical problem. It should be noted that, although the patient may not be competent at the end, refusal of treatment may be accomplished through a living will or a surrogate, especially through a surrogate who has durable power of attorney for health matters. In the case when the patient is terminal but death is not imminent, for example when the disease or injury progresses slowly, and granted the consent of the patient or surrogate, it appears ethical to omit treatment on the ground that nothing can be accomplished in thwarting the progress of the disease. But it is not ethical to omit care, since human dignity is to be respected. To solve this dilemma, the AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (1996) takes a clear stand on the issue: E-2. 20 Even if the patient is not terminally ill or permanently unconscious, it is not unethical to discontinue all means of life-sustaining medical treatment in accordance with a proper substituted judgment or best interests analysis. The treatments include artificially supplied respiration, nutrition, or hydration. In its recent opposition to physician-assisted suicide, the AMA has strongly endorsed a program to educate physicians to the appropriateness of switching from therapeutic treatment to palliative care. The group has gone from a tentative, negative position (â€Å"not unethical†) to a much stronger positive stand (AMA, 1996). On the other hand, we should also consider the reasoning behind the ethical correctness of not beginning or of stopping treatment in the case of the consenting patient who is terminally ill. First, the health care provider has no obligation to prolong dying merely for the sake of prolonging it. That is, it makes no sense to prolong life when the true result is the prolongation of the dying process. Furthermore, when treatment is only prolonging the agony of the patient, its continuation is unethical as an insult to human dignity (Cahill, 1977). In such cases, the health care provider would be ethically justified in discontinuing treatment, except when the patient insists on treatment. Even in this case, however, there can be exceptions. When there is a severe shortage of medical resources, the physician might be justified in stopping nonindicated treatment even over the protests of the patient. We say â€Å"might be justified,† since justification would depend, among other things, on a new social consensus about the duties of health care professionals and on a reasonable certainty that a shortage exists. There are also problems in discontinuing treatment when the patient’s surrogate(s) objects. It should be noted that cessation of life-sustaining treatment does not always bring about a swift and painless death, even though it may speed up the process of dying. For example, if kidney dialysis is discontinued, the person remains conscious and suffers vomiting, internal hemorrhage, and convulsions. The removal of a respirator does not lead to death immediately, and the patient suffers the pain and panic of suffocation. The obligation to care for the patient demands that every ethical effort be made to alleviate these sufferings with drugs and other methods that will not prolong life. Much recent research suggests that physicians are particularly deficient in their willingness and ability to provide adequate pain palliation for dying patients (SUPPORT, 1995). This could be one of the main concerns that drive the interest in physician-assisted suicide. Beyond this, when such pain relief is not possible for the patient, or when the harm is not the pain, but the insult to dignity, there arises the difficult problem of actively cooperating in the suicide of the patient. Religious Issues Several religions have a negative take on any form of suicide. Those who oppose active euthanasia on religious grounds, the basic concern seems to be the view that our lives are not ours but gifts from God. In this view, humans hold their lives as a trust. If this is true, then we are bound to hold not only the lives of others inviolate but also our own, since to take our life is to destroy what belongs to God. For Christians, in Exodus 34:7 and Daniel 13:53, scriptures taken from the Old Testament, the doctrine of the sanctity of life principle is upheld, except in rare instances of self defense. Judeo-Christian precepts generally condemn active euthanasia in any form, but allow some forms of passive euthanasia. The difference is that of omission and commission: While the Judeo-Christian philosophy might tolerate the allowance of death, acts that permit death, it draws the line in regard to acts that cause death. For Buddhists, they perceive it as an involvement of the intentional taking of life. This is why euthanasia is contrary to basic Buddhist ethical teachings because it violates the first of the Five Precepts. It is also contrary to the more general moral principle of ahimsa. This conclusion applies to both the active and passive forms of the practice, even when accompanied by a compassionate motivation with the end of avoiding suffering. The term ‘euthanasia’ has no direct equivalent in canonical Buddhist languages. Euthanasia as an ethical issue is not explicitly discussed in canonical or commentarial sources, and no clear cases of euthanasia are reported. However, there are canonical cases of suicide and attempted suicide which have a bearing on the issue. One concerns the monastic precept against taking life, the third of the four parajika-dharmas, which was introduced by the Buddha when a group of monks became disenchanted with life and began to kill themselves, some dying by their own hand and others with the aid of an intermediary. The Buddha intervened to prevent this, thus apparently introducing a prohibition on voluntary euthanasia. In other situations where monks in great pain contemplated suicide they are encouraged to turn their thoughts away from this and to use their experience as a means to developing insight into the nature of suffering and impermanence (anitya) (Dictionary of Buddhism, 2003). Nonreligious arguments against active euthanasia usually follow a slippery slope or wedge line of reasoning. In some ways the arguments recall the parable of the camel who pleaded with his owner to be allowed to put his nose into the tent to keep it warm against the cold desert night. Once the nose was allowed, other adjustments were requested, and the owner found himself sleeping with his camel. Is there something so persuasive about putting others to death that, if allowed, would become gross and commonplace? The Nazi â€Å"final solution,† which brought about the death of millions of Jews, gypsies, and other eastern Europeans, could be traced to compulsory euthanasia legislation that, at the time of its enactment, included only mental cases, monstrosities, and incurables who were a burden of the state. Using the Nazi experience as a guide, critics of active euthanasia do see some seductiveness to killing that humans do not seem able to handle. Perhaps Sigmund Freud (1925) was right as he wrote: What no human soul desires there is no need to prohibit; it is automatically excluded. The very emphasis of the commandment â€Å"Thou shalt not kill† makes it certain that we spring from an endless ancestry of murderers, with whom the lust for killing was in the blood, as possibly it is to this day with ourselves. The religious take on euthanasia often focus on the sanctity/inviolability of life. In Western thought, the development of the principle has owed much to the Judaeo-Christian tradition. That tradition’s doctrine of the sanctity of life holds that human life is created in the image of God and is, therefore, possessed of an intrinsic dignity which entitles it to protection from unjust attack. With or without this theological underpinning, the doctrine that human life possesses an intrinsic dignity grounds the principle that one must never intentionally kill an innocent human being. The right to life is essentially a right not to be intentionally killed (Keown, 2002, p. 40).