Thursday, November 28, 2019

Racism in the USA

1. Racism is a social problem based on discriminating people of other races.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racism in the USA specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More 2. Racism as the discriminatory and oppressive attitudes and behaviors against people belonging to different races can be considered as a social problem discussed globally because it depends on the vision of race as a social construction. Thus, racism is observed when people are divided into categories because of their races and definite racial (often physical) characteristics, and the representatives of certain races are perceived as inferior because of social racial stereotypes. 3. Different population categories can be affected by racism all over the world with references to the local visions of this or that race as inferior. In the USA, such minorities as African Americans, Latin Americans, and Asian Americans are affected by racism because of their bi ological differences, for instance skin color, and because of the developed social stereotypes and prejudices in relation to the role of these people in society. Thus, three racial groups comprising the ethnic minorities in the country are affected by racism significantly. According to 2000 US Census, more than 36 million African Americans (13% of the American population), and 47 million Hispanics (15.4% of the American population) live in the USA. Asian Americans present 4% of the American population (2000 US Census, 2012). As a result, more than 32% of the whole American population suffered from direct or indirect discrimination and abuse because of their race in 2000, and this number increases. For instance, 61% of Latin Americans accentuated the problem of racism in 2010, comparing with 47% in 2002 (2000 US Census, 2012; Clarke Thomas, 2006). 4. African Americans and Latin Americans are affected by the issues connected with racism in many spheres of their everyday life. For ins tance, in spite of the fact 58% of African Americans live in metropolitan areas and they are educated, they suffer from racial discrimination in relation to employment and wages paid for their work (Tsuda, 2012). Although racism and racial discrimination is legally prohibited in the USA, there are many forms of the indirect discrimination developed within community (Tsuda, 2012). African Americans, Latin Americans, and Asian Americans are challenged to be discriminated because of race during the everyday interactions at schools and workplaces by the representatives of the American ‘white’ majority.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The issues of developing stereotypes concerning the minorities’ intelligence and role within society, harassments, and abuses are presented in the American society. The problem is in the fact that different programs aimed to reduce r acism (such as Affirmative Action) are perceived by the ‘white’ Americans as discriminating their rights. 5. In the USA, the problem of racism is often discussed as related to the period of slavery. The other people pay attention to the fact that the problem became not urgent in the 1960s, when Jim Crow laws were abolished (Takaki, 1993). In reality, racism is a characteristic feature of the modern American society which negatively affects the representatives of such minority groups as African Americans, Latin Americans, and Asian Americans. Direct racial discrimination is prohibited in the country where more than 32% of the whole American population cannot be discussed as ‘white’. Nevertheless, the issues of indirect social discrimination, reflecting in accentuating inequalities and racial stereotypes, are frequently observed within the society. Thus, racism as a social problem should be addressed because people should not be divided into inferior and supe rior groups because of their biological qualities and races as all humans are born equal. References 2000 US Census. (2012). Web. Clarke, K., Thomas, D. (2006). Globalization and race: Transformations in the cultural production of blackness. Durham: Duke University Press. Takaki, R. T. (1993). A different mirror: A history of multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown Company. Tsuda, T. (2012). Immigration and ethnic relations in the U. S. USA: University Readers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racism in the USA specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on Racism in the USA was written and submitted by user She-Hulk to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Quality Control Measures at Benue Breweries Limited, Makurdi

Quality Control Measures at Benue Breweries Limited, Makurdi Free Online Research Papers A PROJECT WORK SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, MAKURDI, BENUE STATE, NIGERIA. IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE AWARD OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN INDUSTRIAL PHYSICS APRIL, 2010? DECLARATION I declare that this project work is my original work and has not been previously submitted for any degree to any university or similar institution. . EGWUATU FELIX IKECHUKWU DATE CERTIFICATION This to certify that this project is an original work carried out by EGWUATU FELIX IKECHUKWU, with the registration number UE/9400/06 under the supervision of Prof, E.H. AGBA in the Department of Physics, University of Agriculture, Makurdi and meets the requirement for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Science Honors in Industrial Physics .. Prof. E.H. AGBA DATE PROJECT SUPERVISOR . Dr. A.N. AMAH DATE HEAD OF DEPARTMENT .. . EXTERNAL EXAMINER DATE DEDICATION This project work is dedicated to the Almighty God the giver of all good things, who has given me the inspiration and zeal that saw me through this programme and also to my uncle Late Mr. Ejike Callistus Okwegba who is no longer here to witness how mighty the little seed he sow has turned out to be. ACKNOWLEGEMENT I wish to express my immense gratitude to the Almighty God, the giver of all knowledge and the protector who has guided me throughout the period of my programme and has made it possible for me to successfully carry out this project. Also my profound gratitude goes to my parents Sir. Felix .N. Egwuatu and Lady Bridget Egwuatu for their fervent prayers, good parental upbringing, supports and above all for all the love they shower upon me all my life. I am also indebted to my siblings Mrs. Ogochukwu Okogba, Mrs. Chinyere Ekeh, Kenechukwu, Somtochukwu, Chukwuebuka, and Nzubechukwu Egwuatu and to my uncles and aunts Mrs. Benedette Oforah, Miss Maria Egwuatu, Mr Mrs. Richard Egwuatu, Mr Mrs. Jerome Egwuatu, late Mr Ejike Okwegba, Rev. Sr. Pat Okwegba, and to my in-law Lt. M.C. Okogba, to my nieces Uzoma and Chinwe Okogba and Omasilichukwu Ekeh and to my cousins, Ijeoma Ikala, Ekenedilichukwu, Chioma ,Chika, Chukwuma and Onyebuchi Oforah and to my best friend Jane Onwunumagha for their pra yers, care and supports. Many thanks to my H.O.D Dr. A.N. Amah, my project supervisor Prof. E.H Agba and all the lecturers in the department who with their individual efforts have helped me to achieve my goals. My appreciation goes to my mentors Late Eng. J.L.C. Ifem, Late Mr. Ephraim Akwuaka, Mrs. Akwuaka, Mrs. L.N. Tse (Ag. Registrar Uni-Agric, Makurdi) and Mrs. Asoh ( Quality control manager, bbl, Makurdi) for their efforts and supports towards my education and to my coursemates most especially Cosmas Agbo, Ejegwoya Peter Ogah (Odinga), Amuzie Chimex Tsev Terkimbi, Olusegun Ishola, Udeh Inalegwu, Davis Onojason, and Lawal Joseph. I pray that the Almighty God will reward you all accordingly. ABSTRACT The importance of quality has been long recognized in the manufacturing environment in order to obtain or manufacture higher quality products. In manufacturing environment, quality improves reliability, increases productivity and customer satisfaction. Quality in manufacturing requires the practices of quality control. This research work addresses the study on quality control in Benue Brewery Limited (bbl) makers of more lager beer. The case study involves measurement of some randomly selected finished products (more lager beer). This work focuses on result of the physical measurement of the products (volume content) from the company which were analyzed using some Statistical Quality Control tools. Included are Descriptive statistics (mean and range), Acceptance sampling and Control chart for variables (mean chart and range chart).Based on the findings of the work none of the plotted values in fig.4.1 and fig.4.2 went out of the control limits (upper and lower) rather clustered round the centre lines which shows that the production is under control and it can be said that the machines are functioning properly. ? TABLE OF CONTENT Content Page Title Page: i Declaration: ii Certification: iii Dedication; iv Acknowledgement v Abstract: vi Table of Contents: vii List of Figures: x List of Tables: xi CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background of Study: 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem: 6 1.3 Objective of the Study: 6 1.4 Significance of the Study: 7 1.5 Scope of Study: 8 CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 9 2.1 Review: 9 2.2 Overview: 9 2.3 History of Quality Control: 14 2.4 Quality Assurance: 15 2.5 Statistical Quality Control: 17 2.6 Components of Quality Control: 18 2.7. Implementation of Quality Control: 20 CHAPTER THREE 3.0 METHODOLOGY 22 3.1 Method of Data Collection: 22 3.2 Method of Data Analysis: 23 3.3 Measurement of the volume content of the bottles: 28 3.4 Problems and Limitation of Data Collection: 29 CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 DATA PRESENTATION, CALCULATION AND DISCUSION 31 4.1 Data Presentation and Calculation. 31 4.2 Discussion: 47 CHAPTER FIVE 5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 49 5.1 Conclusion 49 5.2 Recommendation 50 REFERENCES: 52 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 2.1 Typical steps of quality control: 16 2.2 Typical steps of quality assurance 16 4.1. The Mean Control Chart: 45 4.2 The Range Chart 47 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 4.1: Raw data distribution table: 32 4.2: Mean-Range distribution table 42 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of study Quality control (QC) being one of the prominent activities employed to ensure a certain level of quality in a product or service, has emerged as a prime engine and an important factor for any successful industry operating in today’s highly competitive business environment. However, the industries in the developing countries that are problem oriented in terms of competition in the market are also adopting the concepts and techniques of quality control in their various business strategies. Interestingly, businesses in Nigeria are beginning to realize the importance and adopting the concepts of quality control to achieve excellence and effectiveness in their products and services. Manufacturing industries for example are taking the lead in adopting and implementing the contemporary quality control to optimum advantage. Quality control is a topic pioneered by manufacturing sectors. Nowadays the field has developed tremendously and its techniques, tools, concepts and methodologies can be applied widely in both sides service and manufacturing sectors. There are wide available techniques to control product or process quality. Among them are statistical process control (SPC) tools, acceptance sampling, fail mode and effects analysis (FMEA), six sigma, design of experiments (DoE). Quality has become a decisive factor in attracting customers. Quality can be defined as fulfilling specification or customer’s requirement, without any defect. A product is said to be high in quality if it is functioning as expected and reliable. Quality control is an activity to ensure that items are fulfilling these criteria. Most of tools and techniques to control quality are statistical techniques. Quality control techniques can be classified into basic, intermediate and advance level, but there is no consensus among researchers in the classification. For example, Xie and Goh (1999) regard DoE as an intermediate level technique whereas Antony et al (1998) classified the techniques as advanced. Nevertheless, the content is more important than classification. Among, the basic techniques are Statistical Process Control (SPC). SPC is a statistical approach for assisting operators, supervisors and managers to manage quality and eliminate special cases of variability in a process (Oakland 2003). The initial role of SPC is to prevent product or process deterioration rather identifying product or process deterioration, but Xie and Goh (1999) suggest for its new role to actively identifying opportunity for improvement. Fail Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a powerful method to detect where exactly problems can occur and prioritize possible problems in order of their severity (Dale et al, 2003). The tool is useful to identify problems in product, i.e. design FMEA as well as to troubleshoot problems in process, i.e. process FMEA (Xie and Goh 1999). Six-sigma is also a statistical tool for ensuring defect free products through process continuous improvement (CI). The term Six-Sigma originated at Motorola and many organizations have set goal towards a six sigma level of performance (Breyfogle and Cupello 2001). The application of six-sigma has been mainly used in manufacturing industry. An example of the use of six-sigma in non manufacturing industry is in software development (Mahanti and Antony 2005) Process Capability study is an efficient method to examine the capability of a process to produce items that meet specifications. The method gains rapid growing interest due to increased use of quality system QS9000, where use of process capability studies is requested (Deleryd et al, 2009). The findings from capability study might need adjustment of process using other statistical techniques such as SPC or DoE. Capability studies conducted Motorcu and Gullu (2004) and Srikaeo et al (2005) show that the machine tool and process capability and production stability was evaluated and necessary steps to reduce poor quality production was carried out using other statistical techniques. Acceptance Sampling is another statistical technique to make a decision whether to accept or reject a lot based on the information from the sample. The application of acceptance sampling allows industries to minimize product destruction during inspection and testing and to increase inspection quality and effectiveness. The application of acceptance has been mainly used in manufacturing industry. Similarly, its application in non manufacturing industry is widely reported such as. Quality control is the activity we use to manage our businesses. It is based on integrating quality principles into everything we do, it has the power to direct and process our efforts and ensure that we meet the needs of our customers, employees and communities at large. Thus the philosophy underlying the implementation of quality control strategy is for the company or organization to see customers and clients as the vital key to their company’s success. It means that companies with quality control concepts see their (corporate performance and productivity) through the eyes of their customers and clients and then measure them against customer/client expectations. Such company will serve the customers best by providing quality goods and services. The predominant notion of such company is not how to make initial profit, but to give quality service to their customer. It should, however, be borne in mind that implementing quality control concept and techniques require substantial measurement and considerable survey and research. In other words, it implies that to improve quality, company or organization must regularly carry-out research or survey to evaluate products and services. The concept of quality as we think of it now first emerged out of industrial revolution. Decades, have witnessed rapid development of some concepts and principles along this line. The history of quality control is undoubtedly as old as industry. During the middle ages, quality was to large extent controlled by the long period of training and development required by the guilds. This training instilled pride in workers for quality of a product. When the concept of specialization was introduced during the industrial revolution, workers found that they no longer made their entire product only a portion and this change brought about decline in workmanship because most products manufactured during the period were not complicated. But as products became more complicated and jobs more specialized, it became necessary to inspect products after manufacturing. In 1924, Schewhart of Bell Telephone Laboratories developed a statistical chart for control of product variables and this was considered to be the beginning of statistical quality control (SQC). Later in the same decade, H.F Dodge and H.G Roming, both of Bell Telephone Laboratories, developed the area of acceptance sampling a substitute for 100% inspection. In 1946, the American Society for Quality was formed. This organization through its publications, conferences and training sessions prompted the use of quality for all types of productions and services. In 1950, Edwards Deming, who learned statistical control from Schwart, gave a series of lectures on statistical methods to Japanese engineers and on quality responsibility to Chief Executive Officers of the largest organizations in Japan. Also in 1954, Joseph Juran made his first trip to Japan and further emphasized management’s responsibility to achieve quality. Using these concepts Japanese set the quality standards for the rest of the world to follow. This resulted in the formation of the first quality control circle in Japan by 1960 for the purpose of quality improvement using simple statistical techniques. By late 1970s and early 1980s US managers were making frequent trips to Japan to learn about the Japanese miracle. Here in Nigeria, Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) is one of the public agencies established by the government whose aim is for the welfare of the consumers. It is formed for the purpose of ensuring that products and services conform to certain specified standard. It stipulates quality, weights and measures that must be conformed by business. 1.2 Statement of the problem. This research work is carried with main aim of evaluating quality control measures on productivity in Benue Brewery Limited (bbl). An appropriate quality control measure is not just to identify or flags those factors that could directly affect the quality of goods and services but also to maintain an environment in which all employees are empowered to participate as a team in determining, assuring, measuring and improving the quality of the organization. It includes the use of facts and data gathered from the research survey to implement quality control philosophy with overall aim of increasing customers’ satisfaction and profitability. Thus, the basic philosophy of quality control will be examined in detailed and their interplay in having total quality. Upon examination of these problems, suggestions and recommendations will be made based on result of findings emerging from tested steps. 1.3 Objectives of study. Since, there are a lot of competitions in the brewery industries here in Nigeria and in order to stay in the struggle, they have no other option other than to adopt and implement quality control measures in all the activities of their industries which will also give rise to the amount of profits they make. The objective of the study includes: Evaluation of impact of quality control measures on production at bbl. Evaluation of process of production at bbl and make recommendation on how best to implement quality control in order to enhance productivity and also recommend which measures to be taken. 1.4. Significance of the study. The significance of this research work stems from impact and importance of quality control on productivity. Since most industries in Nigeria are being limited as a result of management techniques and skills from the large reservoir of potentials and existing materials that would aid success in the industry. This research is very significant as proper and adequate applications of sound measures will yield high corporate performance and productivity. This research will therefore reveal most important information about quality control, its techniques and concepts and also proffer some useful information to industries or individuals etc. that would like to implement it. It is also hoped that this research will stimulate industries to re-examine its management policies, techniques and measures by embracing quality control towards improving their corporate performance and productivity. 1.5. Scopes and limitations of the study. In this research, the scope is limited to evaluating the impact of quality control on the process of production in manufacturing industry. This research shall focus on the volume content of the products produce in Benue Brewery Limited (bbl) as a case study. It is a company that engaged in the production beer (more lager beer) CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW. 2.1 Review. The world economy has undergone rapid changes during the past two decades with the advent of global competition to an extent that almost every company (large or small) is touched by it in some ways. As creativity and innovation are necessary for bringing forth the change required to obtain competitive advantage, quality is the most effective factor a company or organization can use in the battle for customers/ clients. To be competitive, the customers must be satisfied and to satisfy the customers we must focus on quality. Quality control provides the philosophy and driving force for designing quality in order to delight the customers by focusing on best value of a company’s products and services. 2.2 Overview of quality control. Quality control is those activities and techniques used to achieve and maintain a high standard of quality in a transformation process. They may include systematic inspection of inputs and outputs, or a sample of input and output at various stages in their transformation to ensure that acceptable tolerances are not being exceeded. They may also involve a statistical analysis of data produced by the sampling (particularly in line production), benchmarking, continuous improvement (CI) and supplier partnering. In this case, in traditional organizations, management has to balance the costs incurred against the customers’ goodwill. Quality control is also concerned with finding and eliminating the causes of quality problems. Since quality control deals with quality of products and services, it seems important that the first step towards understanding the meaning of the phrase would require an understanding of the word quality. The word quality is often used to describe goods and services. Quality can be defined as a measure of the degree to which a particular product or service satisfies customers expectations with respect to tangible and intangible features of the product or service. However, Andrew .J. Marlow (2006) view quality as integral part of all products including services. It is an important consumer decision criterion in selecting among competitive products. Deming (1986) saw quality as aiming at the needs of the customers (present and future). Robert Kotler (1994) view a product’s quality as the ability to perform its functions. It includes the product’s overall durability, reliability, precision, ease of operation and repairs and other valued attributes. Although, some of these attributes can be measured objectively from marketing point of view, but quality should be measured in terms of buyers’ perception. Sullivan (1986) showed evidence on this issue when he defined seven stages of quality in Japan in order of increasing level of quality to include: product oriented, process oriented, system oriented, humanistic, society, cost oriented and quality function deployment (QFD). Juran defined quality as fitness for purpose. While Cro sby (1979) saw quality primarily as conformance to requirement. Broh (1982) defined quality as the degree of excellence at an acceptable price and control of variability at an acceptable cost. However, quality improvement has become the key factor for the success and growth of any business organization. Investment on quality improvement gives rich returns. Japan is the best example. There are many different ways in which quality can be approached, so one might wonder which one is the best for technical documentation. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer because quality is relative. It depends not only on the subject matter, but also on perceptions of quality from different view point. A company’s executive board might approach quality in terms of valve for money. They want technical documentation that can be produced quickly and cheaply. An engineer’s approach to quality might be one expressed in terms of technical accuracy and completeness. All approaches to quality can be combined to create a system from whichever angle you choose to implement a quality control system. You should start with the following plan: Have a clear definition of what is to be achieved and when (typically identified in the content of specification and project plan) Be clear about the activities and functions that are needed to be performed (which can be documented as codes of practice) Implement a control system in which activities, functions and outcomes can be monitored and, if necessary revised Unfortunately, like as said earlier, most of these definitions are subjective. Although the manufacturing-base and product-base approaches are objective, quality has to be defined by the company or organization concerned. Having agreed that quality is a necessary prerequisite for any company operating in today’s highly competitive business environment, it is therefore, implied that as quality varies from one company to another, it also dependent on their mission, policy and other elements that guide the company in the realization of its corporate goals. It is therefore, a common knowledge that in the manufacturing sector, quality is everything essentially, it is the product. From an institutional point of view, quality control can cover not just products, services and processes, but also people. It also maintains environment in which all employees are empowered to participate as a team in determining, measuring and improving quality of a company. It involves the examination of a product, service or process for certain minimum levels of quality. The main aim is to identify products or services that do not meet a company’s specified standard of quality and also to use facts and data to implement measure with the overall aim of increasing customers’ satisfaction, profitability and job satisfaction. According, to ISO 9000(International Organization for Standard), quality control is the operational techniques and activities that are used to fulfill requirements for quality. Adsit, D. (2007) defined quality control as the most necessary inspection control of all in cases where, despite statistical control techniques or quality improvements implemented, sales decrease. He further opined that if the original specification does not reflect the correct quality requirements quality control be inspected or manufactured into the product. Deming (1950), fourteen points that inspecting product for quality after they were manufactured was unacceptable. Instead, he proposed a process known as statistical quality control (SQC) that would use closely monitored performance measures to gauge quality as a product was being manufactured. Quality control may include whatever actions a business deems necessary to provide for control and verification of certain characteristics of a product or service. The basic goal of quality control is to ensure that the products, services or processes provided meet specific requirements and are dependable, satisfactory and fiscally sound. Essentially, quality control involves the examination of a product, service or process for certain minimum levels of quality. The goal of quality team is to identify products or services that not meet the company’s specified standards of quality. If a problem is identified, the job of a quality control team or professional may involve stopping production temporarily depending on the particular service or product, as well as the type of problem identified, production or implementation may not cease entirely. Usually, it is not just the job of a quality control team or professional to correct quality issues, typically, other individuals are involved in the process of discovering the cause of quality issues and fixing them. Once such problems are overcome, the product, service or process continues production or implementation as usual. As stated earlier, quality control can cover not just products, services or processes but also employees, because employees are an important part of any company/organization. If a company has employees that don’t have adequate skills, training, have trouble understanding directions or are misinformed, quality may severely diminished. When quality control is considered in terms of human beings, it concerns correctable issues. However, it should not be confused with human resources issues 2.3 The history of quality control. The Japanese were the first to adopt Deming’s fourteen points with great success. As an example, Deming learned of one Japanese factory that doubled production in just one year and was expecting to gain an additional twenty percent improvement the following year, with no increase in the amount of hours worked. All this occurred as a result of simply improving quality. What is most significant about this achievement is the year it happened 1951 many American and European companies chose to ignore these dramatic results and nearly perished as a result. Critics contend that the time American manufacturing plants realized that quality control was a significant issue, it was in late 1970s and Japanese firms such as Honda and Sony were taking over large portion of the American consumer market. In 1990s, most American firms have embraced quality control practices. Analysts indicate that when firms first began adopting these principles, many went too far, becoming bogged down in quality control charts and measurements of inconsequential operating factors. In too many cases, American industries went from ignoring statistical quality control (SQC) to applying it to every single facet of a business, no matter how small. This overemphasis quickly disappeared, however and has been replaced by a commitment to overall quality control that is unprecedented. Because Japan has been practicing quality management since 1950s, they are the leader in producing quality products in a number of industries and are still the role for American companies to emulate. For example, a study of â€Å"air conditioning industry in the early 1990s found that the worst Japanese air conditioning plant had an error rate that was less than one half of the best American company. And this drastic difference is largely due to the Japanese adherence to one of Deming’s most important idea that quality should be, â€Å"designed into† a product instead of â€Å"inspected out†. Japanese firms treat suppliers as equal, sharing information with them as if the suppliers were an internal department of the company. This ensured that quality is already a part of the product before it is even manufactured. 2.4 Quality assurance (QA). Quality assurance is all those planned and systematic activities implement to provide adequate confidence that an entity will fulfill requirements for quality. Often, quality control is confused with quality assurance. Though the two are very similar, there are some basic differences. Quality control is concerned with the product while quality assurance is process- oriented. Even with such a clear cut difference defined, identifying the difference between the two can be hard. Basically, quality control involves evaluating a product, activity, process or service. By contrast quality assurance is designed to make sure processes are sufficient to meet objectives. Simply put, quality assurance ensures a product or service is manufactured, created or produced in the right way while quality control evaluates whether or not the end result is satisfactory. The objective of quality assurance is not just to reject defective products, but to systematically investigate the causes of defects so that they can be eliminated. The figures below show the systematic diagrams of steps utilized by quality control and quality assurance in solving problems and how the two relates with each other. Fig.2.1 Typical quality control steps Fig.2.2 Typical quality assurance steps Difference between quality control and quality assurance Quality control Quality assurance Product Process Reactive Proactive Line function Staff function Find defects Prevent defects 2.5 Statistical quality control (SQC). Statistical quality control is use to describe the set of statistical tools used by quality professionals to tackle quality issues. Descriptive statistics. They are used to describe quality characteristics and relationship. Included are statistics such as: the mean, standard deviation, the range and a measure of the distribution data. Statistical process control (SPC). This involves inspecting a random sample of the output from a process and deciding whether the process is producing products with characteristics that fall within a predetermined range. SPC answers the question of whether the process is functioning properly or not. Acceptance sampling. This is the process of randomly inspecting a sample of goods and deciding whether to accept the entire lot based on the results. Acceptance sampling determines whether a batch of goods should be accepted or rejected. All three of these statistical quality control categories are helpful in measuring and evaluating the quality of products or services. 2.6 Components of quality control. These are the key components of quality control that were preached by Deming and practiced by the Japanese. a. Benchmarking It is a continuous process of measuring products, services and practices against your strongest competitors. It means using the best companies as the yardstick against which your company measures itself. If your company comes up short, then improvements must be made to ensure that your products are just as high in quality as those of your competitor. To successful benchmark, a company must first look closely at its own practices and conduct a rigorous self assessment once that self assessment is completed, the company has a good idea of where it stands on quality issues and can successfully compare itself to other companies. The self assessment must be honest and thorough. It should identify weaknesses, but should also highlight the strengths. Improving weaknesses that are identified should be tied to state company strategic aims. b Supplier Partnering. This is an increasingly common practice in the United States. Simply put, it means that manufacturers work directly with their parts and component suppliers to improve quality at the supplier’s location. This can involve direct participation in the supplier’s operations. That is, staff from the manufacturers might work on site at the supplier’s office or provide technical assistance and equipment or simply a very close working relationship rather than a simple business transaction between two unrelated companies. c Continuous Improvement (CI). This is a method for improving every facet of a company’s operations and increasing competitiveness by developing a company’s resources. The improvement can involve many goals producing products zero defects or achieving 100 percent customer satisfaction but CI has the same basic principles no matter what the goal Involve the entire company at all levels Find savings by improving existing processes, not by investing more money Gather data about company operations and quantify that data, which becomes the baseline against which improvements will be measured Do not forget that common sense is perhaps the most important component of CI Do not just give lip service to improvement-implement or practice ideas. d Quality Circle. It originates from Japan in 1962, and was introduced in United States in the early1970s. By the mid 1970s thousands of manufacturing plants, banks, hospitals and government agencies had implemented it. A circle consists of 3-12 employees from a given department and a representative of management. They meet on regular basis on company time to examine a limited range of issues related to department, identify and analyze problems and propose solutions. The focus of the circles is on improving of both the quality of the product and the product process. The members may consist of operators, supervisors, managers and so on. A good quality circle tries to overcome barriers that may exist within the prevailing organizational structure so as to foster an open exchange of ideas. The group members feels a sense of insolvent in the decision making process and develop a positive attitude towards creating a better product or service. 2.7 Implementation of Quality Control The expected stumbling blocks in implementing quality control come from the technical aspects of the tools (Grigg and Walls 1999). Therefore, the applications of quality control techniques require knowledge and training. Sufficient exposure to quality concepts and technical ability need to be considered to ensure that quality control activities are really efficient. This is particularly important if the industry intends to try new quality control or implement a quite complex and tedious quality control. The training does not only give important information and knowledge to workers but also build confidence and acceptance from them. ? CHAPTER THREE 3.0 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Method of Data Collection. In the course of this project work, due to time and financial problems, the population of the study is limited to Benue Breweries Limited (bbl), Makurdi Benue State, makers of more lager beer. Data collection method used is Random sampling method. Random sampling method which is the purest form of probability sampling, probability in the sense that each member of the population has a known non-zero probability of being selected. The reason for choosing this method is to allow each member of the population equal and known chance of being selected. Data were collected on daily basis for four consecutive days, with each day twenty-five bottles were selected. The main aim of using this procedure is to allow the products and production process to be well monitored in order to make good decision, because a situation whereby on ‘Day 1’ production process could be excellent while the following day may encounter some shortcomings which may be due to mal-functioning of the machines or faults, that is to say any decision taken based on the ‘Day1’ will continue to affect the quality of production process in this company until proper inspection is carried out. And also the choice of this procedure is to help reduce the cost incurred. After each day collection, each sample is measured and recorded for the four consecutive days after which they will be analyzed. 3.2 Method of Data Analysis. The data analysis was based on the data collected from bbl for the four consecutive days which were represented in a distribution table in chapter four of this work. The data collected were processed and interpreted using some Statistical Quality Control (SQC). They are: Descriptive Statistics. They are use to describe quality characteristics. They will be used to compute the data collected which will also be used to compute both the Upper Control Limited (UCL) and the Lower Control Limit (LCL) and also the Centre line used in both mean and range control charts. The descriptive statistics that will be used in chapter four in analyzing the data collected are mean and range. The Mean. It measures the central tendency of a set of data. It is defined as the sum of all observation divided by the total number of observations. It is given by: X = ?_(i=1)^n?X i 3.1a n X = the mean of the sample. Xi = observation i, i = 1, 2, 3†¦n. n= the number of observation. In the course of this research work, in chapter four, the mean of each sample number was first calculated after which the average of the mean of the samples was calculated which was used as the centre line of the mean control chart. The average of the sample means is given by, W/E=E/RT X = ?_(i=1)^nX/n ? 3.1b n X = the average of the sample means. X = the mean of the samples. n = the number of observation. The Range. It measures the difference between the largest and the smallest observation. In the course of this research work, in chapter four, the mean of the sample range was used to compute both the Upper Control Limited (UCL) and the Lower Control Limit (LCL) of both the mean and range control charts. While the mean of the total sample ranges gives the Centre Line (CL) used in range control chart. The range is given by. R = XL XS 3.2a R = the range of a sample XL = the largest observation of a sample. XS = the smallest observation of a sample. The mean of the sample ranges is given by R = ?_(i=1)^n?R 3.2b n R = the mean of the total sample range. R = the range of a sample. n = the total of the sample. a Acceptance Sampling. It is a method used to make a decision as to whether to accept or to reject lots based on inspection of samples. The objective is not to control or estimate the quality of lots, only to pass a judgment on lots. It is adopted in order to reduce the cost incurred due to product destruction during inspection and testing. b Control Chart. A control chart (also called process chart or quality control chart) is a graph that shows whether a sample of data falls within the common or normal range of variation. It has upper and lower control limits that separate common from assignable causes of variation. We say that a process is out of control when a plot of data reveals that one or more samples fall outside the control limits. The x axis represents samples (#1, #2, #3, and #4) taken from the process over time while the y axis represents the quality characteristic that is being monitored (milliliter of liquid). The center line (CL) of the control chart is the mean, or average, of the quality characteristic that is being measured. The upper control limit (UCL) is the maximum acceptable variation from the mean for a process that is in a state of control. Similarly, the lower control limit (LCL) is the minimum acceptable variation from the mean for a process that is in a state of control. In the course of this research work control charts for variables (mean and range charts) are used because they are use to monitor characteristics that can be measured and have a continuous scale (such as weight or volume), in which volume content of the bottles is the major concern of this research work. In the mean chart(X-bar chart), the sample means are plotted in order to control the mean of a variable (volume) and also to detect any shift in the mean of product, while in the range (R-chart), the sample ranges are plotted in order to control variability of a variable and also to detect any shift in the dispersion. The reason for using both of the charts together were both the mean and the variation (spread) has to be under control. For computing both the upper and lower limit of mean chart is given by the below equations: Lower Control Limit (LCL) = X – A2 R 3.3a Upper Control Limit (UCL) = X +A2 R 3.3b X = the average of the sample means. R = the mean of the sample ranges. A2 = factor for control limit and has value equal to 0.73 for sample size n = 4. The Center Line (CL) is given by the average of the sample means= X For computing both the upper and lower limit of range chart is given by the below equations: Lower Control Limit (LCL) = D3 R 3.3a Upper Control Limit (UCL) = D4 R 3.3b R = the mean of the sample ranges. D3 and D4 = factors for control limit and have values equal to 0 and 2.282 respectively. 3.3 Measurement of the volume content of the bottles. In order to understand the whole processes involved, some certain quality terminologies have to be defined in terms of this research work. They are: Product Specification. It is often called tolerance .it is a preset range of acceptable quality characteristics, such as product dimensions. For a product to be considered acceptable, its characteristics must fall within this preset range. In this work the product specification used in bbl ranging from 600ml to 630ml. Defect. It can be defined as a departure of a quality characteristic from its intended level that occurs with a severity sufficient to cause to cause an associated product or service not to satisfy the intended requirement. In this work anything below 600ml or above 630ml is considered as a defect, because that is the product specification used in bbl. Materials. These are the materials used in this research work. They are: 1000ml measuring cylinder, a bottle crown opener, octanol (an organic solution), empty crates and a basin. Procedure of Measuring the Volume Content of the Bottles. Firstly, samples were randomly selected from the population. 1000ml measuring cylinder was provided which I ensured that it was not wet inside. The opener was used to remove the corks of the selected bottles. Then two drops of octanol were put into the bottles and was allowed for few minutes to dissolve the foams, after which the content of the bottle was turned into the cylinder. Readings were taken and it was recorded. These steps were repeated for all the samples collected. 3.4 Problems and Limitation of Data Collection. One of the steps in empirical research is to determine the most important obstacles to the research. A research is a process of discovering the unknown through the known, and in achieving this, input such as time, energy and costs are used for the benefits or value in terms of contribution to knowledge. In spite of these efforts put in place, it is important to mention that some extraneous circumstance could have created some imperfection in the methodology adopted. Apart from personal sacrifices, energy and money, a lot of time is required in the search of information, data collection and conducting of random sampling. Another problem that limits the quality of the research work was the non-availability of Nigerian Textbooks that could fully describe the situation of quality control in Nigeria. Thus, this research had rely largely on foreign textbooks, journals and periodic. In the next chapter the values of the measured volume of the samples gathered were regarded as the data and were presented on a data distribution table for analysis and interpretation. CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 DATA PRESENTATION, CALCULATION AND DISCUSION. 4.1 Data Presentation and Calculation. Having concluded investigations to collect the necessary data, the focus of this chapter therefore is to present and analyze them in a form that will make the important features of the subject to be easily grasped and interpreted. This will enable the researcher evaluate the effect of quality control on productivity in bbl. It is expected that the results presented would be used as a guide in forming an opinion and recommendations on strategies and techniques for improving productivity. The results of the practical analysis were based on the data collected from one hundred bottles properly selected, measured and recorded collected from Benue Breweries Limited. This section involves presentation of data and calculation of the following: the samples mean, the sample ranges, the average of the sample mean and the mean of the sample ranges. Table 4.1 represents the raw data (unprocessed data) from the case study, while Table 4.2, represent the mean and range table which presents both the calculated means and ranges of the samples presented on the Table 4.1 Table. 4.1: Raw data distribution table Sample Number Observations (bottle volume in ml) 1 2 3 4 1 616 617 619 616 2 617 620 618 621 3 619 618 619 619 4 616 622 620 617 5 618 618 618 616 6 620 620 619 617 7 618 618 622 616 8 618 619 615 616 9 618 619 620 620 10 619 618 620 617 11 616 620 619 616 12 616 621 620 616 13 618 618 617 618 14 619 620 618 620 15 618 620 616 621 16 617 620 616 618 17 618 619 621 618 18 620 620 618 619 19 620 618 618 616 20 618 620 622 616 21 616 621 617 617 22 617 621 617 617 23 617 618 616 617 24 619 620 619 621 25 618 618 620 620 Calculation I. This involves the calculation of both the means of the samples and ranges of the samples using equations presented in the chapter three. Using the equation 3.1a the mean of the samples can be calculated X = ?_(i=1)^n?X i n Sample no.1: X1= 616+617+619+616 4 X1= 617.0ml. Sample no.2 X2 ¬ = 617+620+618+621 4 X2 = 619.0ml. Sample no.3 X3 = 619+618+619+619 4 X3 = 618.5ml. Sample no.4 X4 = 616+622+620+617 4 X4 = 618.8ml. Sample no.5 X5 = 618+618+618+616 4 X5 = 617.5ml. Sample no.6 X6 = 620+620+619+617 4 X6 = 619.0ml. Sample no.7 X7 = 618+618+622+616 4 X7 = 618.5ml. Sample no.8 X8 = 618+619+615+616 4 X8 = 617.0ml. Sample no.9 X9 = 618+619+620+620 4 Sample no.10 X10 = 619+618+620+617 4 X10 = 618.5ml. Sample no.11 X11 = 616+620+619+616 4 X11 = 617.8ml. Sample no.12 X12 ¬ = 616+621+620+616 4 X12 = 618.3ml. Sample no.13 X13 = 618+618+617+618 4 X13 = 617.8ml. Sample no.14 X14 = 619+620+618+620 4 X14 = 619.3ml. Sample no.15 X15 = 618+620+616+621 4 X15 = 618.8ml. Sample no.16 X16 = 617+620+616+618 4 X16 = 617.8ml. Sample no.17 X17 = 618+619+621+618 4 X17 = 619.0ml. Sample no.18 X18 = 620+620+618+619 4 X18 = 619.3ml. Sample no.19 X19 = 620+618+618+616 4 X19 = 618.0ml. Sample no.20 X20 = 618+620+622+616 4 X20 = 619.0ml. Sample no.21 X21 = 616+621+617+617 4 X21 = 617.8ml. Sample no.22 X22 = 617+621+617+617 4 X22 = 618.0ml. Sample no.23 X23 = 617+618+616+617 4 X23 = 617.0ml. Sample no.24 X24 = 619+620+619+621 4 X24 = 619.8ml. Sample no.25 X25 = 618+618+620+620 4 X25 = 619.0ml For the Range of the samples. Using the equation 3.2a the range of each sample can be calculated. R = XL-XS Sample no.1 R1 = 619–616 R1 = 3 Sample no.2 R2 = 621–617 R2 = 4 Sample no.3 R3 = 619–618 R3 = 1 Sample no.4 R4 = 622–616 R4 = 6 Sample no.5 R5 = 618–616 R5 = 2 Sample no.6 R6 = 620–617 R6 = 3 Sample no.7 R7 = 622–616 R7 = 6 Sample no.8 R8 = 619–615 R8 = 4 Sample no.9 R9 = 620–618 R9 = 2 Sample no.10 R10 = 620–617 R10 = 3 Sample no.11 R11 = 620–616 R11 = 4 Sample no.12 R12 = 621–616 R12 = 5 Sample no.13 R13 = 618–617 R13 = 1 Sample no.14 R14 = 620–618 R14 = 2 Sample no.15 R15 = 621–616 R15 = 5 Sample no.16 R16 = 620–616 R16 = 4 Sample no.17 R17 = 621–618 R17 = 3 Sample no.18 R18 = 620–618 R18 = 2 Sample no.19 R19 = 620–616 R19 = 4 Sample no.20 R20 = 622–616 R20 = 6 Sample no.21 R21 = 621–616 R21 = 5 Sample no.22 R22 = 621–617 R22 = 4 Sample no.23 R23 = 618–616 R23 = 2 Sample no.24 R24 = 621–619 R24 = 2 Sample no.25 R25 = 620–618 R25 = 2 Table. 4.2: Mean-Range distribution table. Sample Number Observations (bottle volume in ml) Mean(ml) Range 1 2 3 4 X R 1 616 617 619 616 617.0 3 2 617 620 618 621 619.0 4 3 619 618 619 619 618.5 1 4 616 622 620 617 618.8 6 5 618 618 618 616 617.5 2 6 620 620 619 617 619.0 3 7 618 618 622 616 618.5 6 8 618 619 615 616 617.0 4 9 618 619 620 620 619.3 2 10 619 618 620 617 618.5 3 11 616 620 619 616 617.8 4 12 616 621 620 616 618.3 5 13 618 618 617 618 617.8 1 14 619 620 618 620 619.3 2 15 618 620 616 621 618.8 5 16 617 620 616 618 617.8 4 17 618 619 621 618 619.0 3 18 620 620 618 619 619.3 2 19 620 618 618 616 618.0 4 20 618 620 622 616 619.0 6 21 616 621 617 617 617.8 5 22 617 621 617 617 618.0 4 23 617 618 616 617 617.0 2 24 619 620 619 621 619.8 2 25 618 618 620 620 619.0 2 Total 15459.8 85 Calculation II. This involves the calculation of the average of the samples means and the mean of the sample ranges using equations presented in chapter three. Using the equation 3.1b the average of the sample means can be calculated. X = ?_(i=1)^n?X n X = 15459.8 25 X = 618.4ml Using the equation 3.2b the mean of the sample ranges can be calculated. R = ?_(i=1)^n?R n R = 85 25 R = 3.4 Calculation for the Lower and Upper control Limit for the Mean (X- bar) chart. The lower and the upper control limit for the mean chart can be calculated using equations 3.3a and 3.3b respectively. Lower Control Limit (LCL) = X –A2 R Upper Control Limit (UCL) = X + A2 R X = 618.4ml R = 3.4 A2 = 0.73 LCL = 618.4 – 0.73(3.4) LCL = 615.9ml UCL = 618.4 + 0.73(3.4) UCL = 620.9ml The centre line for the mean chart (CL) is give by the average of the sample mean = 618.4ml Fig. 4.1the Mean Control Chart Calculation for the Lower and Upper control Limit for the Range chart (R- chart). The lower and the upper control limit for the range chart can be calculated using equations 3.4a and 3.4b respectively. Lower Control Limit (LCL) = D3 R Upper Control Limit (UCL) = D4 R R = 3.4 D3 = 0 D4 =2.282 LCL = 0 x 3.4 LCL = 0 UCL = 2.282 x 3.4 UCL = 7.8 The centre line for the mean chart (CL) is give by the mean of the sample ranges = 3.4 Fig.4.2 the Range Chart 4.2 Discussion. In evaluation of the quality control on the product produced in bbl Makurdi, Benue State. The means and ranges of the data collected were calculated and used to plot the mean chart (fig.4.1) and the range chart (fig.4.2). The mean chart (fig.4.1) is used to measure the central tendency of the product while the range chart measured the dispersion of variance of the product. Since, it is possible to have a shift in the mean of the product but not a change in the dispersion. This shift could be detected by the mean chart. On the other hand, it is possible to have a shift in the dispersion of the product without a change in the mean and this could be detected by a range chart. Since, a shift can be either in mean or range, in order to monitor the process effectively both the mean and the range charts can be used. That is main reason that prompted the use of both charts in this work. From the plotted points on the mean chart (fig.4.1), it could be seen clearly that none of the plotted points is above the UCL or below the LCL rather cluster round the centre line (CL), this shows that the process of production in this company is under control. Also from the plotted points on the range chart (fig.4.2), it could also be seen clearly that none of the plotted points is above the UCL or below LCL, rather cluster round the centre line. This shows that the process of production in this company is under control. Generally, the essence of the upper and lower control limit is to help detect when a process is out of control (i.e. when any plotted value is above the upper limit or below lower limit). CHAPTER FIVE 5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 5.1 Conclusion. In evaluating and analyzing of data gathered in the course of this research work regarding quality control on productivity in the brewery sectors in Nigeria, the following can be drawn: There are sign that quality control concepts improve the performance of an organization in terms of cost reduction, increase in productivity, competitiveness and customer satisfaction. The concept of quality control has been highly welcomed in this company as a way of life for customer satisfaction making the customer delighted as well as staff and in achieving corporate goals and objectives Finally, the importance of quality control in achieving success in business can hardly be denied. Peters and Waterman (1982) found quality to be an important element in the pursuit of excellence. Quality is therefore the best assurance of customer allegiance, strongest defense against competition and the only path to sustained company growth and earnings. Involvement of all the members of the company in the system is crucial if improvement in the performance and productivity is ever to be achieved with the adoption of quality control. Though, this is not easy to achieve but it must come from personal example and commitment. In addition, there must be consistency in the system as this can help change the entire process and maintain the competitive edge which the company seeks to attain. From the findings of this research work, it can be concluded that the machines and processes use in production in this company are effectively functioning well. 5.2 Recommendations. In view of the findings, the following recommendations are made. The practice of quality control should be regarded as an ongoing activity. As long as there are new ideas, innovations, developments, there should be no end to quality control process, so as to be able to cope with the dynamism of the modern world. There is need for top management to be more committed to quality control, as well as providing an enabling environment to incorporate all within the system in the quality control process. Similarly, there should be quality control awareness campaign a well as quality control meetings where programmes/ideas can always be discussed. The company should intensify efforts on cost reduction exercise. This can be done by providing regular staff training programmes for the staffs as this will help increase their knowledge, skills and prepare them for future challenges. Regular routine maintenance should be conducted on the machines to ensure steady efficiency of the machines. Inspections should always be conducted, data collected and analyzed in order to detect when the production is going out of control. Determine where current and potential quality problems lie. Take corrective actions, using established formal systems to remove the root causes of the problem. Encourage individuals and groups to set quality improvement goals. Encourage employees to communicate to management any obstacles they face in attaining their quality improvement goal. Train all employees in quality improvement. REFERENCE Antony, J., M. Kaye, and A. Frangou (1998): A Strategic Methodology to The Use Of Advanced Statistical Quality Improvement Techniques.The TQM Magazine, 10(3), pp.169-176. Breyfogle, F.W and J.M Cupello(2001): Managing Six Sigma: A Practical Guide to Understanding, Assesing and Implementing the Strategy that Yield Bottom-Line Success. JohnWiley and Sons, New York. Dale, B.G., H.S. Bunney, and P. Shaw (2003): Quality Management Tools and Techniques: An Overview. In Dale, B. G. (ed): Managing Quality,(4th Edition), Blackwell, Oxford. Deleryd, M., R. Garvare, and B. Klefsjo (1999): Experiences of Implementing Statistical Methods in Small Enterprises. The TQM Magazine, 11(5), pp.341-350. Grigg, N. P. and L. Walls (1999): The Use Of Statistical Process Control in Food Packing: Preliminary Findings And Future Research Agenda. British Food Journal, 101(10), pp. 763-784. Mahanti, R. and J. Antony (2005): Confluence of six sigma, simulation and software development. Managerial Auditing Journal, 20(8), pp. 739-762. Motorcu, A. R. and A.K. Gullu (2004): Statistical Process Control in Machining, A Case Study for Machine Tool Capability And Process Capability. Materials and Design, 27, pp. 364-372. Oakland, J.S. (2003): Statistical Process Control, 5th ed., Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Peters, T. and R. Waterman, (1994): In Search of Excellence in TQM, Macdonald Evans Inc. New York. Srikaeo, K., J. E., Furst, and J. ssAshton (2005): Characterization of Wheat Based Biscuit Cooking Process by Statistical Process Control Techniques. Food Control, 16, pp. 309-317. Xie, M. and T.N. Goh, (1999): Statistical Techniques for Quality. The TQM Magazine, 11(4), pp. 238-241. se Research Papers on Quality Control Measures at Benue Breweries Limited, MakurdiThe Project Managment Office SystemResearch Process Part OneAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Trade Relationship between Hong Kong and United States Essay

Trade Relationship between Hong Kong and United States - Essay Example The US removed the quotas on the on textile and apparel imports and besides that an agreement was signed in the year 2007 with the US, which were the Trade and Investment Agreement. The above agreements resulted in the United States becoming one of the major exporting countries for Vietnam and hence, any recessionary activity experienced in the US would have a great affect on Vietnam. The present recession has had a huge impact on Vietnam not only in terms of the fall in FDI levels but also due to the fall in exports and increased competition from the domestic producers of the United States. The trade relationship between Hong Kong and United States has been quite strong as the US has strong economic ties with this country. It has a number of bilateral trade agreements and the US exports to Hong Kong totaled 20. 7 billion while it is also one of the largest investors. Therefore, any recessionary activity would have a great impact on the Hong Kong trade activity and its exports particularly. b) The Hong Kong currency has been pegged to the United States dollar in the year 1939 and since then the currency has been pegged in this manner. It was done so in order to maintain a policy-defined relationship between the domestic currency and the foreign currency. However, the current recession has affected the Hong Kong currency in a deep manner due to this pegged currency as the country has had to sell a total of 7.8 billion Hong Kong dollars in order to maintain the peg. As a result, the monetary authorities have been seeking ways in order to remove this pegged relationship as it has been undermining the domestic currency. Even the recent rise in the Hong Kong's dollar has been due to the speculators betting on the revaluation. The Hong Kong government has had to intervene quite a lot in the recent pas tin order to maintain the peg by injecting huge amounts of the Hong Kong dollar. The pressure has been felt by the local economy in terms of the local inflation and the asset inflation which has created problems for the domestic economy. Therefore, the constant maintenance of the pegged rate is only worsening the situation for the domestic economy and hence, it would be beneficial to remove this method of maintaining a relationship between two nations. c) There are a number of measures which would have to be adopted by Vietnam in the near future for the betterment of its economy. It needs to control the inflation level while at the same time tackling the downward pressure on the currency. The GDP forecasted is amounted to be 6.9 percent which is actually down from the previous value of 7.3 percent of last year. The reasons for this have been the smaller levels of credit expansion and the lower level of consumption growth. Inflation is estimated to be around 23.3 percent while the dong is expected to depreciate slightly in 2008. The current account deficient will be expected to remain negative as well which shows an overall bleak picture of the forecasted economy.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Communication difference between men and women Essay

Communication difference between men and women - Essay Example A person’s particular upbringing, environment, ethnicity and personality type affect the way they communicate. A person’s communication style will be tempered by the gender expectations placed on them from within and by others and by the environment in which they find themselves, whether it is business or more informal. Examining the communication patterns of men and women in both of these scenarios reveals that there is indeed a distinct different between male and female communication primarily due to cultural gender expectations which is important to understand in order to be a good communicator. Persons of any race, personality, background or gender utilize an assortment of speech and conversational skills in an attempt to communicate appropriately in a specific situation. Generally speaking, a talkative person is seen as controlling and domineering. In the workplace, these personality types are more likely to be looked to as leaders, but they only keep this reputation is they have other leadership qualities like intelligence and strong problem solving skills. In most cases, these individuals are well-liked and respected †¦ if they are male. For a talkative, intelligent and well-organized woman to be well-liked, respected and seen as a leader, she must also display more stereotypically feminine behavior. She has to adopt more feminine forms of communication, take a nurturing attitude toward those around her and demonstrate herself to be warm-hearted if she wants to gain the same respect as her male equal. However, she may still not be seen as a leader. The reason for this is possibly because leaders must be understood to be competent, trustworthy and intelligent, traits that are strongly linked to a person’s communication patterns. All of these ideas of a leader are conveyed by the ‘powerful language’ that is

Monday, November 18, 2019

Childhood events about helping others Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Childhood events about helping others - Essay Example ly happy., the good feeling that a person can have from doing good things, the good deed that you do, and these thing can be passed on from generation to generation, teaching your children the good thing that they can do for other and how they can benefit form it also in return the good feeling they have. This essay is about parent who tech their children good thing to do in their life. What I learned from all this now is I teach my children to do the same thing I did "give, love and share" At that time, this may not have been understood, but as we grew, we found out how important these actions were and willingly, gave our belongings to others. Every year before Christmas, it was customary for my parents to ask us to give some of our toys, clothes, and anything that we wanted to give away to the homeless and poor children who did not have the lives that other children were privileged to. They taught us to love people no matter how poor, rich, greedy, big, and/or small they were. Sharing and giving was a great event in our family. We learned what giving meant, when we shared and gave away those items that we might have cared for or simply had no use for, but others could care for and/or treasure. There is a saying that what is junk for someone, is a treasure for someone else. More importantly, was to give away some of the items we dearly wanted to keep, since this meant more than those we did not want to stay with. This was a more meaningful action, according to our parents. It meant that we were not giving away the leftovers. I grew to learn and understand the importance of living with people of different walks of life, appreciate the similarities and differences, and learn to help humankind. I learned that although some people may lack material things, they are as important as those that are fortunate to have more. My parents taught us about brotherhood and sisterhood, to be able to live in peace within the community, and to cherish and appreciate that which we

Friday, November 15, 2019

A Compact Description And Critical Analysis Education Essay

A Compact Description And Critical Analysis Education Essay The first part of the assignment will accommodate description of management and the importance of leadership within management. According to Daly et al, (2009), stated a manager is an individual who is responsible for his/her workforce; a manager is someone who is in charge of all the decision making of a workforce; a manager is a person that everyone goes to with their problems, and a person that passes on information that is given by higher authority to the workforce. Rodd (2004), define management as a reasonable working pattern of support, inspiration and reasoning, including systems and administrations. Whereas, Mondy (1992) constitute that the role of management involves; working with human, financial, and physical resources in order to achieve organisational objectives. Mondy (1992) also stated that planning, organising, leading and controlling were the four general functions of managements; and that all of these four functions were equally important, as the coordination of these provision enables management to operate as a whole. In addition an effective management skills, it is also crucial for a manager to have effective leadership skills; Burns (2004) assert that management skills can be defined as ones ability to administer a group of individuals in a way that will approve them to work together timidly and in a harmonised way, as this will result in the attainment of setting goals and aspirations. Mullins (2005) build that effective leadership is one of the many fundamental influences in the development of quality service for children; both effective leadership and management should be amalgamate together in bringing affirmation service for young children. Quote states:- by Mullins (2003, P291); Leadership style is the way in which the functions of leadership are carried out, the way in which the manager typically behaves towards members of the group. A manager that used a democratic type of management style within their setting; they are established that they have open door policy within the setting which approve their staffs to communicate with the manager whenever they required; it can a articulate that the manager leads their staff into feeling a part of a team by including them in all of the decision making process of the setting through staff meetings. Respecting Each Other; ensuring staff act as good role models; Use of positive language; Establish good relationships between practitioners and parents; updated with Policies and procedures; Open door policy; Encourage turn taking and sharing; Supervision and staff appraisals. The manager can demonstrate by having an open door policy and involving the staff in all the decision making of the setting draws and influenced the staffs to work harder; this could be associated, quote suggests, Sadek (1996)s argument which stated that staff encouragement is a considerable task for managers as it is foremost for the action of the crew. The next part of the assignment will contribute enlightenment in relation to the role and responsibilities of the early years manager. A manager who is established will believe one of their main duties at the setting ensuring that the children are safeguarded and happy; this is a positive attitude for an early years manager to have as according to a research carried out, quote stated, by Lunn (1998), most of the nursery managers that were found to be successful leaders in the research were managers who were involved in the children before their speciality. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of all individuals in the education system to make sure their surrounding is as safe as possible for their pupils (Directgov 2012). Furthermore, it is the manager position to ensure they have health and safety rules and regulations; and implement within the setting by all staffs by regularly involving and motivating all staffs in all matters concerning health and safety issues through training. Free choice to inform own learning;- Support and plan for childrens interests; Opportunity for children to explore and the Key person enables the child to feel safe and secure; Provide a safe and secure environment; Regular observations are carried out and children are provided with indoor and outdoor activities, Quote states:-, Watson (1998) that the financial needs of provisions should be taken vigorously and planned precisely as the maintenance provided to the children. A manager needs to handle the financial matters of the setting; budget is the key factors that can be threat to the quality of service being provided to the children. Therefore the manager must ensure that the nurserys budget is being managed correctly as miscalculations of the budget can have a negative impact on the function of the setting as it could result in the nursery not being able to meet some of its goals and objectives. Furthermore, According to Megginson (1992), employees doing what is required from them establishes the effectiveness of the managers management skills. This indicates that the manager must take fully responsibility to ensure that all of the staffs doing what were expected of them; a good way is by regularly monitoring the staffs. Preferably, have fitted cameras in every room of the setting and that the images from all of the cameras reflected back to the camera located in the managers office. This strategy can be positive effects on the function of the setting as the manager have faith for the staffs carried out their duties effectively and accordingly to the fact that they knew they were under continual surveillance. A excellent principle for a manager to adhere is to keep a constant revise of the policies and procedures of their settings; these will enables their employees to understand their roles and responsibilities; policies and procedures also grant management to inspire acts without constant management interferences. (Mondy1992). Besides Mullins (2005), suggests that a critical part of the process of management comprehends given a competent attention to the adequate use of resources, in human resources; human resources have an important role to play in the success of an organisation. In dispute by, Curtis and OHagen (2003) that it is essential for a manager to ensure that staffs are trained and are appropriately qualified to a standard that will enable them to provide the establishment with the best possible services. The manager must take a full responsibility to employ individuals that are appropriately qualified to work with children; He/she must be articulate that when employing staffs; they looked for two considerable aspects: the first is the person likes children and had some experience working with children; and secondly they have the appropriate qualifications. To addition, The Childrens Act 1989 states that it is legally the responsibility of professionals to work in partnership with parents (Tassoni 2000). The manager must also ensure and have a good on-going relationship between the parents of the children attending the setting and the staff. As a factor this can be devoted to the quality of service being provided to the children as according to the Livestrong article (2010), both teachers and parents have passion for the same thing which is the best learning experience and allows a good accessible learning for the children; effective communication between the professionals and parents can help to attain this as important information such as; childrens likes and dislikes can be shared through the communication; and this will be beneficial for the function of the setting as the information will help the staffs gain knowledge of how to handle each individual child. The role and responsibilities of a manager are not only affected by factors within the workforce; external factors such as societys attitude, beliefs and values and government policies cam also have an impact on the role and responsibilities of a manager. Quote states: according to Turner (2003); societys attitude, beliefs and valued has gradually changed throughout the period; issues concerning young children and families have been high on public agendas. The diminish role in society has provided women with better liberty; and this is resulted in more mothers going into education and back to work. This involves a positive impact because the role and responsibilities of an early years manager will have more pupils attending nurseries balancing great more responsibilities for early years managers due to increase of children under their care. The manager also has responsibility to ensure that equal opportunity practices are being carried out within the setting. This can be of various reasons, as an example a provision can be located in a multicultural area and the children attending the nursery are from a variety of backgrounds. The EYFSs Statutory Framework (2010) demonstrates that early years practitioners has fully responsibility to promote positive attitudes to diversity and difference and that practitioners also have a duty to focus on each individual childs learning, development and needs. The manager will be required to provide equal opportunity for all children regardless of their race, culture, religion, language or ability and that the centre also positively encouraged all the children to participate in all activities. A well established manager can also strive to help all children feel inclusive and that the provision must be able to promoting positive recognition, understanding, knowledge and celebration of di fferent culture celebrations. Equal opportunities; Cultural and ethnic diversity; Parents are involved as partners; Open door policy for parents to have they say; Support from other professionals (agency) when necessary; All children and their families are included and valued from different backgrounds. The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2011), OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education) is an official government body ensures the responsibility is to inspect schools in England and to produce inspection reports which are meant to be used to improve standards of achievement and quality in education. The manager needs to be knowledge that all of OFSTEDs health and safety policies and procedures are implemented in the provision; otherwise as failure of the implementation of these policies and procedures could result in the closure of the provision. In addition the OFSTEDs safeguarding policies are maintained and carried out by the member of the staffs within the setting by constantly emphasising the importance of the rules and regulations of OFSTEDs safeguarding policies; this can be maintained through staff meetings; regularly endure watching the staff within the setting; raising any awareness of any health and safety issues that comes across with all staffs. Nonetheless, OFSTEDs policy in relation to safeguarding in early years education; there are some concerns regarding the extent in which childrens safety are met in early years settings; quote states:- Pugh (2003) argued that there are still concerns over the neglect of childrens health and welfare at the expense of their education. Although Pughs argument suggests that there are early years settings that might believe that childrens education is more important than childrens health and safety as overall. A good manager who has a good established for the setting can have a good impact through influence of their provision and their role as manager is from learning and developments requirements of the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage). Through daily safety checklists carried out for Health and safety policy; Regular fire drills are implemented; Safeguarding children policy should be updated on regular basis; Designated member of staff responsible for child protection issues or immediate manager; Safeguarding children training for staff must be provided; Behaviour policy; Adult : child ratio observed; Accident / incident forms Rules displayed and adhered in the setting. In accordance to the Department for Education (2012), it is stated that the EYFS is a central part of the governments 10 years child care strategy; the EYFS is in charge of placing the curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The Statutory Framework for the EYFS sets standards for the learning, developments and care for children from birth to five; nursery managers, school governors and nursery directors; are all legally responsible for ensuring that the provisions of their settings meets the learning and developments requirements of the EYFS, that their provisions meets the regulations of the EYFS, and that notes of new and additional requirements in the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework are taken down and implemented within their settings. Moreover, according to the Statutory Framework for the EYFS (2011); it is interpreted there are seven areas of learning and developments that are required to shape educational programmed in early years setting, as follows: personal, social and emotional developments; physical developments; and communication and language; these three areas are described as maturity areas in the Framework as they are believed to be the areas that are particularly important for extinguish childrens curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and also for building childrens capacity to learn and thrive. The Framework also exhibit that early years education providers must also support children in the following four specific areas: literacy; mathematics; understanding the world; and expressive arts and design. The media concept on the BBC News (2000), the National Childcare Strategy was introduced in the UK in 1998; the aim of the Strategy was to create more childcare places and helping parents to go back to work by giving them more support. Beaver (2001) established that the aim of the National Childcare Strategy was to ensure good quality, accessible and affordable childcare for children in the UK. The introduction of the National Childcare Strategy has a negative bond impact on the finances of day private settings can have a negative effect on the role of an early years manager in the following case; suppose if there can made deductions to be made from the cost of the private settings as a result of less children attending day care centres; it would be the managers role and responsibility to figure out a way of cutting down the costs of the provision in a way that will not affect the quality of service being provided to the children. Quote taken : Adirondack (1998) cited in Curtis and OHagen (2003) stated no good can be good at every aspects of management; an early years setting manager has a variety of duties to carry out; therefore it would be impossible for a manager to be perfect at every activity their may conduct out. A good provision manager will express and show a good use of their own knowledge and management skills, which can be a good advantage enabling her to be the accomplished manager, however, other managers will experience difficulty at times. To conclude, it can be formed in many of the convincing and vital elements of management issues that has been identified in the essay indicating that there are many factors that needs to be considered when managing a provision. In an early years setting, the primary role of the manager is to be responsible for the organisation of the staff; and the resources that will be used to translate the settings vision to providing a high quality service to the children that will be attending the setting. Parent questionnaire are in place; Suggestion box; Settling in policies and procedures is should been implemented and staff are made fully aware; providing advice and support when necessary, an good example will be a Drop in session and finally meeting the cultural requirements. A well established good manager in early settings needs to be multitasking as this factor is very important. He/she also requires an excellent knowledge of different policy on their provision should be updated regularly. Staff should be trained at all times as required. A manager should be able to solve problem and is able to be a good decision maker and build a strong team. Finally, the managers need to be aware of most government policy; Every Child Matters; safeguarding; Child Protection rules and regulations. Quote suggests: Educating a child takes cooperation and involvement from educators, parents, families, and the community. Everyone has heard the saying It takes a village to raise a child. Research has shown the greater the family and community involvement in schools, the greater the students achievement (Niemiec, R., Sikorski, M., Walberg, 1999). Words: 2693

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Links in Virtual Space Essay -- Internet Web Cyberspace Papers

Links in Virtual Space Imagine a virtual community of more than 2.7 million residents. Individuals are almost always up-to-date on what their friends are up to and often converse with them on a daily basis, even if they live halfway across the world. They often meet others through mutual acquaintances or shared interests and can develop fast friendships. Communication is quick and easy; within minutes, one can publicize an event, engage in a debate, or publish a piece of writing, all without leaving the house. The community is LiveJournal, an online network of individual journals. A new user creates an identity (also known as a username), selects a journal layout and color scheme, and fills the journal with entries just as one would with a paper journal - except these entries are typed, allowing the user to add font styles, hyperlinks, and even graphics. LiveJournal (LJ) users are allowed to submit any number of entries, any time, any length. They will recount recent events, rant about their day, or spill out whatever it is they're thinking at the time - all things typical of a generic paper diary. However, what users may or may not be aware of is the possibility that the versatile online atmosphere of LiveJournal causes them to be less concerned with privacy and to write more for an audience than for themselves. Although each user ultimately determines the purpose of his or her journal, LJ developers immediately push the site's social aspects. Its frequently asked questions section answers the most generic query, "What is LiveJournal?", with the following paragraph: "LiveJournal is not just an online journal; it's an interactive community! You can meet new friends, read and comment in other journals, and interact wi... ...nabox/179565.html. "LiveJournal.com Statistics." LiveJournal. Accessed 4 April 2004. http://www.livejournal.com/stats.bml. "Niel." "I hope this helps." [Weblog comment.] 17 March 2004. "LiveJournal Survey." Lauren LaLonde. LiveJournal. 16 March 2004. http://www.livejournal.com/users/mooinabox/179565.html. "Rhi." "One of my friends†¦" [Weblog comment.] 16 March 2004. "LiveJournal Survey." Lauren LaLonde. LiveJournal. 16 March 2004. http://www.livejournal.com/users/mooinabox/179565.html. "Sarah." "from ann arbor/ypsi group†¦" [Weblog comment.] 17 March 2004. "LiveJournal Survey." Lauren LaLonde. LiveJournal. 16 March 2004. http://www.livejournal.com/users/mooinabox/179565.html. "Shawn." "Came here via†¦" [Weblog comment.] 18 March 2004. "LiveJournal Survey." Lauren LaLonde. LiveJournal. 16 March 2004. http://www.livejournal.com/users/mooinabox/179565.html.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

How Does Atticus Creates an Impact Essay

This was greatly influenced by their father, Atticus and the case of Tom Robinson in which Atticus was defending Tom. Atticus was a proud and dignified person in Maycomb. Everyone in Maycomb respects him and he also respects himself. When Atticus was given the case of Tom Robinson, because he always wants to do what he sees as being right, he has to take Tom’s case because he sees this as his duty. Although he knows this case was a lost one because of the racial society he lives in where a white person’s words always triumph over a black person’s words, he still tries his utmost best to defend Tom Robinson. I’ve got to live with myself† is how he explains his determination to Scout. If he didn’t defend Tom, he â€Å"couldn’t hold up his head in town. † Because his would have proved that he was as just as racial as the Maycomb folks. Atticus was â€Å"the deadest shot in Maycomb County† and he was nicknamed â€Å"One-Shot Finch† but he never boasted about his talent and he certainly disapproves of Scout boasting on his behalf. Despite his many talents, Atticus was a modest man. He never looks down on others despite his achievements, career and education status. He respected people of colour. A perfect example of this was that he lets Calpurnia run his entire household. Atticus was constantly criticized and attacked by members of the community of Maycomb before and during the trial but he does not take advantage of his social standing to retaliate or rebuke them. He remains clam when he was provoked directly. When Bob Ewell spits in Atticus’ face and Bob Ewell said â€Å"Too proud to fight? † Atticus simply replied â€Å"No, too old. He just wipes his face after Bob Ewell was finished swearing at him and walked off calmly. This showed that Atticus has more character than Bob Ewell. After that scenario, Atticus thought that Bob Ewell let all his anger out but this was one of Atticus’ few mistakes of judgement of character where this shows that he was not perfect, he was human. Atticus treats his children as intelligent individuals, where if they ask him a question, he answers in a clear matter – of –fact wa y and he answers his questions directly. A good example of this was where Scout does not want to go to school because she cannot read in school; he clearly explains what it actually is. â€Å"Do you know what a compromise is? † he asked. â€Å"No, an agreement reached by mutual concessions. It works this way,† he said. â€Å"If you’ll concede the necessity of going to school, we’ll go on reading every night just as we always have. † That compromise also shows that Atticus has good parenting skills. Atticus was a very fair person, so in instances of an argument, he listens to both sides of the story and then concludes a verdict. This was told to the reader when Scout was explaining to Uncle Jack why he wasn’t fair in dealing with the situation with Scout and Francis â€Å"Well, in the first place you never stopped to gimme a chance to tell you my side of it—you just lit right into me. When Jem an’ I fuss Atticus doesn’t ever just listen to Jem’s side of it, he hears mine too† Atticus has never beaten his children but he firmly scolds them in certain situations. For example when he makes Jem go and read for Mrs Dubose â€Å"Atticus, she wants me to read to her. Yes sir. She wants me to come every afternoon after school and Saturdays and read to her out loud for two hours. Atticus, do I have to? † â€Å"Certainly,† said Atticus. In conclusion, we all, as readers, see that Atticus has an impact in some way on every person living in Maycomb county either directly or indirectly. Also, we see that Atticus tries his best to grow up his children in the best way possible and answer all their questions when asked instead of just delving into another topic.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Criminal Justice and Your Constitutional Rights

Criminal Justice and Your Constitutional Rights Sometimes, life can take a bad turn. You’ve been arrested, arraigned, and are now set to stand trial. Fortunately, whether you are guilty or not, the U.S. criminal justice system offers you several constitutional protections. Of course, the overriding protection assured to all criminal defendants in America is that their guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. But thanks to the Due Process Clause of the Constitution, criminal defendants have other important rights, including the rights to: Remain silentConfront witnesses against themBe tried by a juryProtected from paying excessive bailGet a public trialGet a speedy trialBe represented by an attorneyNot be tried twice for the same crime (double jeopardy)Not to be subjected to cruel or unusual punishment Most of these rights come from the Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments to the Constitution, while others have come from the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court in examples of the five â€Å"other† ways the Constitution can be amended. Right to Remain Silent Typically associated with well-recognized Miranda rights that must be read to persons detained by the police prior to questioning, the right to remain silent, also known as the privilege against â€Å"self-incrimination,† comes from a clause in the Fifth Amendment which says that a defendant cannot â€Å"be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.† In other words, a criminal defendant cannot be forced to speak at any time during the detention, arrest and trial process. If a defendant chooses to remain silent during the trial, he or she cannot be forced to testify by the prosecution, the defense, or the judge. However, defendants in civil lawsuits can be forced to testify. Right to Confront Witnesses Criminal defendants have the right to question or â€Å"cross-examine† witnesses who testify against them in court. This right comes from the Sixth Amendment, which gives every criminal defendant the right to â€Å"be confronted by the witnesses against him.†Ã‚  The so-called â€Å"Confrontation Clause† has also been interpreted by the courts as prohibiting prosecutors from presenting as evidence oral or written â€Å"hearsay† statements from witnesses who do not appear in court. Judges do have the option of allowing non-testimonial hearsay statements, such as calls to 911 from people reporting a crime in progress. However, statements given to police during the investigation of a crime are considered to be testimonial and are not allowed as evidence unless the person making the statement appears in court to testify as a witness. As part of the pre-trial process called the â€Å"discovery phase,† both lawyers are required to inform each other and the judge of the identity and expected testimony of the witnesses they intend to call during the trial. In cases involving the abuse or sexual molestation of minor children, the victims are often afraid to testify in court with the defendant present. To deal with this, several states have adopted laws allowing children to testify via closed-circuit television. In such instances, the defendant can see the child on the television monitor, but the child cannot see the defendant. Defense attorneys can cross-examine the child via the closed circuit television system, thus protecting the defendant’s right to confront witnesses. Right to Trial by Jury Except in cases involving minor crimes with maximum sentences of no more than six months in jail, the Sixth Amendment assures criminal defendants the right to have their guilt or innocence decided by a jury in a trial to be held in the same â€Å"State and district† in which the crime was committed. While juries typically consist of 12 people, six-person juries are allowed. In trials heard by six-person juries, the defendant can only be convicted by a unanimous vote of guilty by the jurors. Typically a unanimous vote of guilt is required to convict a defendant. In most states, a non-unanimous verdict results in a â€Å"hung jury,† allowing the defendant to go free unless the prosecutor’s office decides to retry the case. However, the Supreme Court has upheld state laws in Oregon and Louisiana allowing juries to convict or acquit defendants on ten-to-two verdicts by 12-person juries in cases where a guilty verdict cannot result in the death penalty.   The pool of potential jurors must be chosen randomly from the local area where the trial is to be held. The final jury panel is selected through a process known as â€Å"voir dire,† in which lawyers and judges question potential jurors to determine if they might be biased or for any other reason unable to deal fairly with the issues involved in the case. For example, personal knowledge of the facts; acquaintanceship with parties, witnesses or attorneys occupation which might lead to bias; prejudice against the death penalty; or previous experiences with the legal system. In addition attorneys for both sides are allowed to eliminate a set number of potential jurors simply because they do not feel the jurors would be sympathetic to their case. However, these juror eliminations, called â€Å"peremptory challenges,† cannot be based on the race, sex, religion, national origin or other personal characteristics of the juror. Right to a Public Trial The Sixth Amendment also provides that criminal trials must be held in public. Public trials allow the defendant’s acquaintances, regular citizens, and the press to be present in the courtroom, thus helping to ensure that the government honors the defendant’s rights. In some cases, judges can close the courtroom to the public. For example, a judge might bar the public from trials dealing with the sexual assault of a child. Judges can also exclude witnesses from the courtroom to prevent them from being influenced by the testimony of other witnesses. In addition, judges can order the public to leave the courtroom temporarily while discussing points of law and trial procedure with the lawyers. Freedom from Excessive Bail The Eighth Amendment states, â€Å"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.† This means that any bail amount set by the court must be reasonable and appropriate for the severity of the crime involved and to the actual risk that the accused person will flee to avoid standing trial. While the courts are free to deny bail, they cannot set bail amounts so high that they effectively do so.   Right to a Speedy Trial While the Sixth Amendment ensures criminal defendants a right to a â€Å"speedy trial,† it does not define â€Å"speedy.† Instead, judges are left to decide whether a trial has been so unduly delayed that the case against the defendant should be thrown out. Judges must consider the length of the delay and the reasons for it, and whether or not the delay had harmed the defendant’s chances of being acquitted. Judges often allow more time for trials involving serious charges. The Supreme Court has ruled that longer delays can be allowed for a â€Å"serious, complex conspiracy charge† than for â€Å"an ordinary street crime.† For example, in the 1972 case of Barker v. Wingo, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a delay of over five years between arrest and trial in a murder case did not violate the defendant’s rights to a speedy trial. Each judicial jurisdiction has statutory limits for the time between the filing of charges and the start of a trial. While these statutes are strictly worded, history has shown that convictions are rarely overturned due to claims of a delayed trial. Right to Be Represented by an Attorney The Sixth Amendment also ensures that all defendants in criminal trials have the right â€Å"†¦ to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.† If a defendant cannot afford an attorney, a judge must appoint one who will be paid by the government. Judges typically appoint attorneys for indigent defendants in all cases which could result in a prison sentence. Right Not to Be Tried Twice for the Same Crime The Fifth Amendment provides: â€Å"[N]or shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb.† This well-known â€Å"Double Jeopardy Clause† protects defendants from facing trial more than once for the same offense. However, the protection of the Double Jeopardy Clause does not necessarily apply to defendants who might face charges in both federal and state courts for the same offense if some aspects of the act violated federal laws while other aspects of the act violated state laws. In addition, the Double Jeopardy Clause does not protect defendants from facing trial in both criminal and civil courts for the same offense. For example, while O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of the 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in criminal court, he was later found to be legally â€Å"responsible† for the killings in civil court after being sued by the Brown and Goldman families. Right to Not be Punished  Cruelly Finally, the Eighth Amendment states that for criminal defendants, â€Å"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.† The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the amendments â€Å"Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause† also applies to the states. While the U.S. Supreme Court has held that the Eighth Amendment forbids some punishments entirely, it also forbids some other punishments that are excessive when compared to the crime  or compared to the defendant’s mental or physical competence. The principles the Supreme Court uses to decide whether or not a particular punishment is â€Å"cruel and unusual† were solidified by Justice William Brennan in his majority opinion in the landmark 1972 case of Furman v. Georgia. In his decision, Justice Brennan wrote, â€Å"There are, then, four principles by which we may determine whether a particular punishment is cruel and unusual.† The essential factor is â€Å"that the punishment must not by its severity be degrading to human dignity.† For example, torture or an unnecessarily long and painful death.â€Å"A severe punishment that is obviously inflicted in wholly arbitrary fashion.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"A severe punishment that is clearly and totally rejected throughout society.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"A severe punishment that is patently unnecessary.† Justice Brennan added, â€Å"The function of these principles, after all, is simply to provide means by which a court can determine whether a challenged punishment comports with human dignity.†