Food Quality Essay Example for Free

Food Quality Essay * Relates to excellent product or services that fulfills or exceeds our expectations Food Quality * Includes all attributes that influence product’s value to the consumers. This includes, Negative attributes (e. g. spoilage, contamination with filth, discoloration, off odors flavors; Positive attributes (e. g. origin, color, flavor, texture and processing method used. -Food Quality is a term which may refer to several things: ¦ the extent to which food contains the nutrients that match the kind and quantity of the nutritional needs of the person consuming the food  ¦ the extent to which the food is attractive in appearance taste  ¦ the extent to which food is free from pathogenic bacteria undesirable materials such as insecticides antibiotic residues, etc FOOD QUALITY 1. Composite of characteristics/ attributes which differs from one unit to another 2. Totality of features/ characteristics of a product that bear on its ability to satisfy a given need: Needs: Safety Usability Availability Economics. Maintainability Environment Reliability 3. Uniformity, consistency and conformity to a given standard or specifications 4. A statement of what the user wants what the manufacturer can provide 5. â€Å"Fitness for use†, â€Å"satisfaction level of costumers† Other Ways of Describing Quality 1. Fast selling brand of a food product might be labeled as â€Å"Extra Special Quality† 2. Products that are sold abroad may be termed as â€Å"Export Quality† 3. Some consumers may gauge quality in terms of brand popularity 4. From the large producer’s point of view, quality may mean product reliability. Small manufacturers – reliability may not be a concern, their concern is more on sell of the products. 5. In a seller’s market situation, product availability means quality Quality of Food is Based on the following: 1. Raw material – the quality of finished product is dependent on the quality of raw material 2. Sensory quality – food quality detectable by our senses can be categorized into 3: appearance texture flavor 3. Microbiological quality raw material and products should be free from toxin-producing microorganism QUALITY CONTROL Is Doing Things Right. THE FIRST TIME AND EVERYTIME Quality Control can also be defined as a. maintenance of specified finished product characteristics every time it is manufactured b. efficient control of raw material and of production process c. object of quality control is to produce a quality which: satisfies the consumers; as cheap as possible; can be delivered in time to meet delivery requirement d. is the function or collection of duties which must be performed throughout an organization in order to achieve its quality objectives Stages of Quality Control 1. Set the specifications. a. Exactly what the customer or market expects b. Price at which product can be sold c. Delivery date d. Capability of equipment/ machines e. Capability of available inspection and test equipment 2. Prepare to manufacture a. Decide how to process the product b. Decide what equipment to use c. Specify the quality of raw materials and possible suppliers d. The in-line personnel e. Plan inspection and in-process quality control 3. Actual Processing/ Manufacture 4. Correction of quality defects 5. Provide long-term quality control planning Defects in Foods Defect. perceptible deviation from product specs that makes product less fit, or unfit for consumption the lack of something essential or required; or an imperfection can occur singly or as a composite of several deviations Sources: 1. Raw material – biological system that deteriorates over time. 2. Personnel – staff’s commitment to their work and their ability to perform their task well. 3. In-process problems quality loss due to poor understanding of processing methods and use of inadequate machines due to lack of staff training Evidences of Defects Prevention Program: 1. Quality raw materials 2. Reduction of processing losses 3. Drop in the volume of rejects What is HACCP? * Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points * Prevention-based food safety system * A systematic approach to the identification, assessment of risk, and severity and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards associated with a particular food production process or practice (US FDA CFSAN, 2000) Two Important Terms * HAZARDS * CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS HAZARDS * Any biological, chemical, or physical property that may cause an unacceptable consumer health risk. * 3 major hazards. * Biological * Chemical * Physical -Biological Hazards * These organisms are commonly associated with humans and with raw products entering the food manufacturing facility. * Bacteria, foodborne viruses, parasites * Examples: * Salmonella, Listeria, Staphylococcus * Hepatitis A and Norwalk Viruses * Trichinella -Chemical Hazards * Chemical contaminants may be naturally occurring or may be added during the processing of the food. * Naturally Occurring Chemicals * Toxins from molds (aflatoxin) * Allergenic Proteins * Added Chemicals * Agricultural chemicals * Industrial chemicals. * Ingredients: Flavors enhancers, colors, preservatives -Physical Hazards * Foreign and extraneous materials * Foreign Materials * Anything that does not naturally occur in the food material * Hair, fingers (fingernails), plastic, metal filings, jewelry, gum etc. * Extraneous Materials * Anything that naturally occurs in the food but should not be there * Pits, seeds, peel, stems Critical Control Points * CCP’s * Process steps in specific food systems in which loss of control may result in an unacceptable health risk 7 Principles of HACCP: 1. Identify hazards in the system 2. Determine critical control points 3. Establish critical limits 4. Establish monitoring procedures 5. Establish corrective actions 6. Establish verification procedure 7. Establish record keeping and documentation procedures Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) set of sanitary guidelines and control for compliance to assure safety and wholesomeness of foods. Concerns: 1. Personnel 2. Plant and grounds 3. Sanitary operation 4. Sanitary facilities and control 5. Equipment and utensils 6. Process and control Cleaning and Sanitization Cleaning – an operation that will remove at least 90% of the soil or dirt. Sanitization – application of sanitizers Sanitation – over-all cleanliness of the surroundings or anything that surrounds the food Steps: a. remove the debris b. pre-rinse c. application of cleaning aids d. post rinse e. sanitizing rinse FOOD SPOILAGE / DETERIORATION Food Spoilage/Deterioration -Includes losses in organoleptic desirability, nutritional value, safety and aesthetic appeal of the food -Food is subject to physical, chemical and biological deterioration, which go hand in hand Causal Factors: -Temperature (heat and cold) * Oxygen * Moisture * Light radiation * Time. * Natural food enzymes * Micro- and macro- organisms * Industrial contaminants * Some foods in the presence of other foods In general, deterioration is slowed down when the food is low in moisture, high in salt/sugar or acid Shelf-life and Dating of Foods Shelf-life is the time it takes a product to decline to an acceptable level time a product remains saleable MAQ minimum acceptable quality for the product must be defined by the manufacturers or retailers Actual length of shelf-life is dependent on a number of factors : 1. processing methods 2. packaging. 3. storage conditions Dating provides consumers some indication of the shelf-life or freshness of the products they buy Type of code dates include: * date of manufacture (â€Å"pack date†) * date the product was displayed (â€Å"display date†) * date by which the product should be sold (â€Å"sell by date†) * last date of maximal quality (â€Å"best used date†) * date beyond which the product is no longer acceptable (â€Å"use by date† or â€Å"expiration date†) Major Causes of Food Deterioration -often the following factors do not operate in isolation -as such, effective preservation must eliminate or minimize all of these factors in a given food to prevent/minimize deterioration 1. Growth activities and activities of microorganisms Bacteria, yeasts, molds Microbial growth curve * Conditions necessary for microorganisms to grow: * Source * Food residue * Moisture * Time * Temperature * Invasion of microorganisms is due to contamination which can be avoided by sanitary practices and proper processing procedures and packaging * Not all microorganisms can cause disease or food spoilage, others are useful for food processing * Food borne diseases special kind of deterioration that may or may not alter a food’s organoleptic properties 2. Infestation by insects, parasites and rodents. * Insects destroy 5-10% annual grain crops (US), in other countries (50%) * Parasites Examples of Parasites: * Trichinella spirallis, enters hogs eating uncooked food wastes; nematodes, penetrates hog intestines and find way into the pork Entamoeba histolytica, parasite associated to raw human excrement and can infect crops when raw human excrement is used as fertilizer -can cause amoebic dysentery * Rodents can consume large quantities of foods and they can contaminate food by filth they carry can spread diseases like: Salmonellosis Leptospirosis Typhoid fever Plague 3. Activities of food enzymes and other chemical reactions within food itself * food enzymes are natural in healthy, uninfected foods * activity is intensified right after harvest * activity is sometimes desirable * can be inactivated by heat, chemicals and irradiation, etc. 4. Inappropriate temperatures (heat and cold) for a given food * heat and cold – can cause deterioration if not controlled; 10-38 °C (normal working temperature) * excessive heat: denatures protein, breaks emulsion, dries out food by evaporation and destroys vitamins * uncontrolled cold: FAV are frozen – discoloration, changes in texture. can break emulsion such as in milk denatures milk protein chill injury 5. Either the gain or loss of moisture Aw and Moisture Content (needed by microorganisms for growth and by different chemical reactions) 6. Reaction with oxygen * can cause chemical oxidation of nutrients, colors, flavors * required for growth of some microorganisms * can be excluded by vacuum packaging, addition of oxygen scavengers 7. Light * can destroy some vitamins (riboflavin, A and C); deteriorates many food colors * in milk – can cause â€Å"sunlight flavors† (induced fat oxidation and changes in CHON) * Can be minimized by opaque packaging 8. Time * quality decreases with time * object is to maintain and capture freshness of foods * to prolong shelf life – adequate processing, packaging and storage Spoilage of Different Kinds of Foods 1. Bread Mold: results in discoloration of the bread Ropiness: soft and sticky to touch, caused by sporeforming bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis 2. Honey * high sugar(70-80%) and acidic (pH= 3. 2-4. 2) * chief cause of spoilage : Zygosaccharomyces mellis 3. Candy * not subject to microbial spoilage (high sugar and low MC) * except chocolate with soft centers (burst and may explode), cause by Clostridium spp. 4. Fruits and Vegetables * spoilage due to physical factors, action of their enzymes, microbial action or combination of these agents * microbial spoilage may be due to plant pathogen and/or saprophytic microorganisms * general type of spoilage: * bacterial soft rot (Erwinia caratova) * gray mold rot (Botrytis cinerea) * rhizopus rot (Rhizopus nigricans) * anthracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) * blue mold rot (Penicillium) * black mold rot (Aspergillus niger) 5. Fruit Juices * acidic (pH 2. 4-4. 7), all contain sugars (2-17%) * molds. * alcohol fermentation 6. Sauerkraut * inferior quality due to abnormal fermentation: high temp; low temp; too long fermentation * surface spoilage (destroy the acidity, permit other microorganisms to grow, softening, darkening and bad flavors) 7. Fresh Eggs * Defects: cracks, leaks, dirty spots on the exterior (will favor spoilage on storage) * Changes caused by microorganisms during storage: * green rot (Pseudomonas fluorescens) giving green color of the egg white * colorless rot (various microorganisms): yolk is affected 8. Meat and Meat Products. * raw meat: enzyme, microorganisms, oxidation of fats * beef: moderate amount of autolysis is desired to tenderize it, excessive autolysis (souring) * general principles: * Factors influencing invasion of tissues by microorganisms: * load in the gut of the animal * physiological condition of the animal before slaughter * method of killing and bleeding Factors affecting the growth of microorganisms in meat * kind and amount of microorganisms * physical properties of meat (exposed area, grinding) * chemical properties of the meat (MC, protein, CHO, pH). * availability of oxygen * temperature General types of spoilage in meat * aerobic condition: * surface slime (Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, Bacillus, Micrococcus) * surface discoloration (Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus/Flavobacterium) * oxidation of fats * stickiness (molds) * whiskers (Thamnidium elegans, Mucor mucedo) * anaerobic condition: * putrefaction, souring Cured meats: addition of nitrates inhibit growth of microorganisms, spoilage same with fresh if stored improperly 9. Fish and Other Seafoods. * spoiled by autolysis, oxidation or bacterial activity * factors influencing spoilage: * kind of fish: flat fish vs. round fish, fatty fish deteriorates faster * condition of fish when caught: exhausted spoil rapidly * kind and extent of contamination of the fish flesh with bacteria * temperature * use of an antibiotic ice or dip evidences of spoilage: * brightness fades and dirty, yellow discoloration appears * slime on the fish increases * eyes gradually sink * gills: light pink to grayish yellow * softening of the flesh. * development of off-colors 10. Poultry * chief source of spoilage: bacteria * bacterial growth takes place on the surface and any cut surfaces and the decomposition products diffuse slowly into the meat * off-odor is noted when the bacterial count is at 2. 5 x 106 cfu/cm2 * Psuedomonas and Achromobacter * Micrococcus, Flavobacterium and Achromobacter * Surface of skin becomes slime, acid/sour odor 11. Milk Chief type of spoilage : * Souring or acid formation * Gas production * Proteolysis * Ropiness * Surface or throughout the milk.

A Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich :: essays research papers

The novel, A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, is a very detailed and graphic description of one man’s life struggle in a Stalinist work camp. It is the story of Ivan Denisovich’s, most often going by the name of Shukhov, determination and strength to endure the hardships of imprisonment and dehumanization. The most memorable scene shows Shukhov’s determination to survive and adapt to his life. The meal scenes of the novel are where he demonstrates that he has learned to adjust in order to survive. â€Å"When you worked for the knowing you gave them quality; when you worked for a fool you simply gave him eyewash† (page 26). This is the most important quote in the novel because it is the law of which Shukhov lives and survives by. This novel is an account of one day of a man’s struggle with the life that has been dealt to him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ivan Denisovich Shukhov is a man that has learned to deal with a life that is an endless struggle for survival. For example, Shukhov has learned to prioritize the necessities of his life. One being a decent amount of food daily. Shukhov has been able to learn the ropes of the camp and know what he has to do and who he has to interact with in order to get them. He also knows that he should not take lightly what he has and because of that, more than once saved pieces of bread, from an already small meal, for times when he knows he will need them more. Furthermore, Shukhov knows that he is not the only one with a life like his and treats his fellow â€Å"zets† with the help and compassion they deserve. He has helped out many of the other zets learn to survive in the work camp and in turn is given more respect than others. In addition, Shukhov, although dehumanized at almost every time of the day, is still able to keep values of his own. Values of respect, to t hose who have earned it; self pride, so not to be pushed around by just anyone; and even after eight years of facing the bitter cold he will not eat with his hat on. It is Shukhov’s character that kept him alive and sane after eight years in the harsh Stalinist Work Camp.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the novel the meal times are pointed out as being very important to Shukhov.

Maid of Honor Speech

For those of you who don’t know, my name is Christina and I am the bride's younger sister and maid of honor. I feel both titles made me the luckiest person in the world. First of all I want to thank everyone who made this night possible. No word in the dictionary could explain my relationship with my sister. Paige, not only are you my sister, you were my first friend. We have been through a lot together, and through it all you have become my best friend. There's no one in the world quite like her.But as her sister, I see her a little differently. Most people see her as sweet Paige, but I know her true colors. As most of you know, my sister is going to be graduating college in December. She's probably one of the most intelligent people you would ever meet. But like I said, as her sister, I see her differently. Like the time she failed to realize she left an oven mitt in the oven while cooking a pizza. Or when she would always bring home stray cats and hide them in our closet be cause she knew mom would disapprove.That's the Paige I know. I didn't know Scotty before he met Paige, so unfortunately I don't have any embarrassing stories from when he was younger. When I first met Scotty, I wasn’t sure what to think of him, he was quiet, something completely different from my sister. I wasn’t sure that he could handle her outgoing personality. But after seeing the way these two acted towards each other, I knew it was true love. I never thought anyone in this world was good enough to marry my sister, but she found the one that proved my thought wrong.Not only is he going to be my sister’s husband, he will be the father to their child. I can’t picture anyone else more perfect to be part of our family. I used to believe that Scotty was the lucky one to have my sister, but I've learned over time that they are lucky to have each other. What they have is so precious and special and anyone can see that if you've ever seen them look at each o ther. I love you two so much. Congratulations!!

My personal brand Essay

My personal brand is that I am super energetic in my job. When I was working as a sale assistance in a large retail store, I would always keep my mind that I need to be cheerful and energetic in doing my job, so the customers could feel my passion and caring. This can be help me to avoid those negative emotion and things, makes me to be more productive in work. I would think that is one of the most important strengths of my personal brand. Another strength is that I am willing to learn and communicate with others. Although I am not a fast learner, I will put more effort in order to achieve the result. Also, a good relationship with colleague would make all the things much easier. Therefore, I am energetic in communicating with others and having a connection with them. My weakness is that I am not a fast learner, but I am willing to learn. In order to strengthen my personal brand, there are several actions I could do. First of all, in order to have a good communication with others, language is the most important thing. Improving my English level could help me to have a better connection with others. Also, understand the history of Australia can help me to overcome the barriers of culture difference. Secondly, attending the networking events could help me to build a relationship with different employers. Thirdly, build a personal brand in ‘linked in’ website can help me to connect with others. Also, it can let others to understand who I am.

Apple Inc Case Study Essays

Apple Inc Case Study Essays Apple Inc Case Study Paper Apple Inc Case Study Paper Operational Balanced Scorecard: Apple, Inc. Increasing customer expectations and a rapidly changing market are continually putting pressure on Apple to maintain a balanced scorecard. From the information reviewed, it is evident both financial and non-financial measures of Apple operations constitute the management of their strategic decisions and evaluations of the cost of quality measures. Using the balanced scorecard approach to define the financial positioning of Apple creates a clear picture as to what they can and should measure to balance the financials accordingly. It is a management system that enables them to illuminate their corporate strategy, mission, and vision- and put them into action, while providing current feedback for improving performance and results. The Learning and Growth Perspective In today’s fast-paced world of swift technological change, the level of knowledge and training held by Apple’s employees is imperative to their ability to remain a key competitor in a highly competitive market. Yahoo! Finance Investor Relations illustrates some qualities of the non-financial measures of Apple’s balanced scorecard in respect to the Learning and Growth perspective. It is necessary for employees to be in a continuous learning mode, and it is evident through Apple’s recent investments in training their rapidly growing number of employees. As of 2010, Apple Inc. employed 49,400 employees on a full time basis. That number has risen 34. 2% from 2009, a clear reflection of company efforts to foster formidable growth through innovations, development, and market ability. Employee satisfaction is also relatively high at Apple. Their â€Å"Think Different† philosophy is evident through all levels of operations, from product development and marketing, to the corporate culture amongst employees. According to PC Mag, â€Å"Steve Jobs has passed away, but Apple employees will remember him fondly. When Jobs left Apple in August, he had one of the highest approval ratings for a chief executive by his employees, as documented by Glassdoor. com. Employee empowerment at Apple creates an opportunity for Apple employees to express their creativity through innovative design and foster continual improvements on a business process, customer, and financial measures perspective. Apple’s success is heavily reliant on the intelligence and abilities of their employees. It is imperative Apple continue to promote employee empowerment, boast low employee turnover, and generate high employee satisfaction, as the Learning and Growth perspective establishes the foundation of a balanced scorecard. Continually improving performance in the Learning and Growth perspective will enable Apple to improve its Internal Processes, and therefore increase customer satisfaction, and generate better financial performance. The Business Process Perspective Internal business processes are imperious in Apple’s ability to evaluate their business and understand whether they are meeting and exceeding their customer expectations. In July, 2011 Steve Jobs said â€Å"We’re thrilled to deliver our best quarter ever, with revenue up 82 percent and profits up 125 percent†. Considerable growth and record profits are a clear indication that internal processes at Apple are working effectively. Apple’s ability to conform to customer requirements at an internal level are illustrated through their success and double-digit revenue growth. The Customer Perspective Apple operates in different market segments with their multiple personal computing products, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players. The customers are at the heart of Microsoft’s operations. From reviewing Apple’s 2011 third quarter results, it is clear from increased revenues in three out of four of their market segments are reporting growth in revenues. Although revenue growth is not the sole indicator of customer satisfaction, it is clear their good financial performance is directly related to their decision to target specific customer segments, while distinguishing their customer needs and wants throughout each segment, thus creating future value. According to NY Times, â€Å"In the last decade, Apple has redefined the music business through the iPod, the cellphone business through the iPhone and the entertainment and media world through the iPad. Again and again, Mr. Jobs gambled that he knew what the customer would want, and again and again he was right. † Exponential growth in each of these market segments illustrates a high level of customer satisfaction. Consistent improvement of design qualities have led to increased revenue growth. To Steve Jobs, â€Å"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. † Financial Perspective The financial perspective demonstrates the customary need for financial data to be manipulated through metrics in a way that illustrates the fitness of Apple’s core businesses. This information is imperative for Apple to publish to their shareholders and potential investors. As Apple Inc. is a publically traded company, their financial data is available online. Investors can look for potential risks facing the company, which may or may not deter potential investors. The following is an excerpt from Investor Relations, Earnings and Financials; Third quarter results for 2011 illustrate Apple’s ability to create increasing shareholder value. We’re thrilled to deliver our best quarter ever, with revenue up 82 percent and profits up 125 percent†¦We are extremely pleased with our performance which drove quarterly cash flow from operations of $11. 1 billion, an increase of 131 percent year-over-year,† said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. Looking ahead to the fourth fiscal quarter of 2011, we expect revenue of about $25 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $5. 50. † Increases in operating income from productivity gain, operating income from growth and revenue growth allow Apple Inc. o manage their costs and unused capacity and build strong customer relationships, resulting in increased shareholder value. Costs of Controlling Quality vs. Costs of not Controlling Quality According to the text from class, â€Å"The American Society for Quality defines quality as the total features and characteristics of a product or service made or performed according to specifications to satisfy customers at the time of purchase and during use. † There is no doubt that Apple is a successful company. From reviewing the Apples’ financial statements, it is clear Apple has cornered the market on â€Å"cool†. Apple has bravely marketed themselves as a company that makes products that â€Å"just work. † However, this success does come at a cost. Costs of Controlling Quality Prevention Cost: Apple, Inc. According to AppleMatters. com, â€Å"In terms of hardware, Apples success is overloading its own Quality Control. With manufacturers that need to produce a record number of Macs, iPods, iPhones, and accessories, it is without a doubt that some testers overlook several tests in order to ship out as many Apple products as possible to the world. By appealing to business, education and the general consumer, Apples products reach a larger target audience than other computer manufacturers, requiring more units to be produced and shipped as soon as possible. † Maintaining consistency in quality in regards to Apple suppliers, design engineering, and testing of new materials is imperative to the future success of Apple. Investments in research and development and quality control are an example of one of Apple Inc. prevention Costs. From the material reviewed, it is evident that Apple has invested considerable amounts of their time and money into RD. The calculated estimate is that these investment costs will create future revenue growth through the reduction of internal and external failure costs incurred by re-work and spoilage, and customer support, while increasing value in their value chain. Appraisal Cost Apple Inc. is well known for their high quality products, and quality control is imperative to their success. The costs of quality (COQ) Apple incurs to prevent the production of low quality products is high, as they differentiate themselves from their competitors. Jobs  obsesses about competitors and forces his employees to do the same, to make sure Apple doesn’t grow complacent  he pushes all products to have leading edge components. Mr. Jobs  embraces Disruption, doesn’t fear seeing it in his company, doesn’t mind it amongst his people, and works to create it in his markets. And he makes sure Apple constantly keeps White Space projects open and working to see what works with customers – testing and trying new things all the time  in the marketplace. Just as investments in testing and RD are an example of controlling the cost of quality (COQ), Apple’s process of inspecting the goods before sale is an example of a COQ and can be referenced as an appraisal cost. The continual process of managing Apple’s COQ, such as the inspection of finished goods will ensure decreases in the costs of not conforming to quality standards, in respect to external failure costs, including warranty repair and customer support, maintaining their high levels of current customer satisfaction and fostering further growth opportunities. With the amazing success of Apple Inc. ver the last decade and rumors of new products on the way, Apples Quality Control will need to grow and continue to expand to maintain Apples standards of products that just work. Apple Inc. in the Context of the Theory of Constraints In context to the Theory of Constraints, and according to material reviewed regarding Apple Inc. , it is clear the company strives to maximize their â€Å"throughput† while minimizing their operating expenses for labor, sales, and administration, while simultaneously decreasing investment costs incurred from inventories, plant and equipment. In the market for technology, Apple faces the biggest bottleneck, created by the increasingly demanding market for new technology and innovations. Early adopters of technology want the products Apple Inc. produces yesterday, respectfully. There is tremendous pressure for Apple to continue to produce the most innovative products in a time-sensitive matter in order to meet the needs and wants of their customers, foster future growth and capitalize over competitors. When there is a delay, such as in the production level incurred by a potential supplier shortage for a component part, or lack of quality from a particular supplier, Apple’s system performs at a lower rate than the rest of the production system, and the system fails to operate at maximum capacity. Internal inspection of supplier products must be inspected prior to being used by Apple to produce their products, and because the delay would translate into a low production level, and increase costs everywhere else, the point of limited production becomes the source of the bottleneck. The bottleneck in this example for Apple could be solved by ensuring there is more than one supplier, or increasing the level of quality control for internal inspection, as to reduce the risks of experiencing a bottleneck in production because of the supplier shortages or lack of quality control from the component parts, while being able to react swiftly to potential risk factors and maintaining their production system efficiently and effectively. Critical Success Factors: Apple, Inc. Cost and efficiency, quality, time, and innovation are the critical success factors that can make or break a company. Customers expect companies to exploit the benefits of maximizing their critical success factors through the value chain. The competition in the software market and in the rapidly changing technological market is fierce, and it is clear Apple Inc. stands strong throughout their decision making process concerning their cost and efficiency, quality, time, and innovation. Cost and Efficiency From analyzing Apple Inc. SEC findings, it is evident they intend on creating value in the value chain to customers through ability to produce highly differentiated products at a low cost in regards to RD, while simultaneously producing products at a relatively low cost to consumers. The figure below illustrates Apple’s level of RD investment in respect to other key competitors. RD expenditures at Apple are merely 2% of overall Revenue. This is five times lower than Google and six times lower than Microsoft. Figure 1. It is clear Apple has made considerable investments towards the level of their cost and efficiency, a low cost in respect to performing the activity in the value chain function. It is clear the benefits in sales revenues and customer relationship acquisition and management at Apple Inc. are complimented through their low levels of investment in their RD, separating them from their key competitors, and thus giving them a competitive advantage in the market. Quality â€Å"Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. † Steve Jobs. Quality is what has separated Apple from the competition year after year. Record breaking revenues are an indication that Apple’s customers keep coming back for more. Apple’s success can be seen through their unprecedented levels of quality at a cost affordable to the mass consumer market. According to the text used in class, Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis, quality as a key success factor is defined as the philosophy behind total quality management (TQM), in which â€Å"†¦management improves operations throughout the value chain to deliver products and services that exceed expectations. TQM encompasses designing the product or service to meet the needs and wants of customers, as well as making products with zero (or minimal) defects and waste and with low inventories. † Time The time it takes to develop user friendly hi-tech products is imperative to Apple’s success in the fast paced market of hi-tech products and software development. The speed in which Apple produces products is what has defined and created their image thus far. Short product life cycles are communal throughout the market, and Apple Inc. is constantly being pressured to be first in industry in the market year over year. Innovation Steve Jobs on Apple, Inc. â€Å"A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets. † Innovation is the final key success factor. Without innovation, Apple would be worthless. â€Å"A constant flow of innovative products or services is the basis for ongoing company success. The management accountant helps managers evaluate alternative investment decisions and RD decisions. As cited above from the text used in class, innovation breeds success. Apple’s success is largely due to their ability to be very calculated in decision making pertaining to investments of time and money in their RD. In the many examples of innovation Apple has demonstrated through their products, it is evident Apple Inc. is aware of the market needs and wants and is consistently capable on capitalizing on the opportunities that come from being a market leader with the newest and â€Å"coolest† products. To Steve Jobs, â€Å"Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works. Over the past decade, Apple has launched five legitimately groundbreaking innovations: The iPod. The elegant MP3 player that started Apples decade of disruption. iTunes. Beautiful software with a powerful business model that showed that people would, in fact, pay for music if the price was right and the interface was simple enough. The iPhone. Dubbed the Jesus Phone by supporters, a smartphone that three years later still hasnt been matched by rivals. The AppExchange. Sure, no one needs 98 percent of the apps that Apple offers, but wow, what a selection. The Apple Store. The quietest part of Apples revolution, today close to $2 billion worth of goods move through Apple revolutionary stores. It is very evident through the success over the last decade that Apple consistently exceeds the mark on innovation again and again, even in a market that is highly competitive and dominated by other very strong competitors. References: http://biz. yahoo. com/ic/12/12644. html pcmag. com/article2/0,2817,2391785,00. asp#fbid=-03YEURba_U apple. com/pr/library/2011/07/19Apple-Reports-Third-Quarter-Results. html http://files. shareholder. com/downloads/AAPL/1432412872x0xS1193125-10-238044/320193/filing. pdf apple. com/pr/library/2011/07/19Apple-Reports-Third-Quarter-Results. html http://topics. nytimes. com/top/news/business/companies/apple_computer_inc/index. html hobo-web. co. uk/the-best-steve-jobs-quotes-putting-a-ding-in-the-universe/ apple. com/pr/library/2011/07/19Apple-Reports-Third-Quarter-Results. html Horngren, C. T. , Datar, S. M. , and Rajan, M. (2012). Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Fourteenth Edition. applematters. com/article/apples-quality-control-is-overloaded/ applematters. com/article/apples-quality-control-is-overloaded/ quora. com/Apple-Inc-2/Why-is-Apples-R-D-budget-so-low-relative-to-competitors quora. com/Apple-Inc-2/Why-is-Apples-R-D-budget-so-low-relative-to-competitors Horngren, C. T. , Datar, S. M. , and Rajan, M. (2012). Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Fourteenth Edition. ISBN: 978-0-13-210917 Horngren, C. T. , Datar, S. M. , and

Biological Weapons - Description and Potential List

Biological Weapons - Description and Potential List Biological Weapons Biological weapons are toxic materials produced from pathogenic organisms (usually microbes) or artificially manufactured toxic substances that are used to intentionally interfere with the biological processes of a host. These substances work to kill or incapacitate the host. Biological weapons may be used to target living organisms including humans, animals, or vegetation. They may also be used to contaminate nonliving substances such as air, water and soil. Microscopic Weapons There are a variety of microorganisms that can be used as biological weapons. Agents are commonly chosen because they are highly toxic, easily obtainable and inexpensive to produce, easily transferable from person to person, can be dispersed in aerosol form, or have no known vaccine. Common microbes used as biological weapons include: Bacteria -  these prokaryotic organisms  are capable of infecting cells and causing disease. Bacteria cause diseases such as anthrax and botulism. Viruses - are  about 1,000 times smaller than bacteria and require a host to replicate. They are responsible for disease including smallpox,  flesh-eating disease, Ebloa disease, and Zika disease. Fungi - some of these  eukaryotic organisms  contain deadly toxins that are harmful to plants, animals, and humans. They cause diseases such as  rice blast, wheat  stem rust,  aspergillosis (caused by inhaling fungal  spores), and bovine foot rot. Toxins - poisonous substances that can be extracted from plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. Toxic substances that can be used as biological weapons include ricin and venom from animals such as snakes and spiders. Distribution Methods While it is possible to develop biological weapons from microbes,  finding a means of distributing the substances is difficult. One possible way is through aerosols. This can be ineffective as the materials often get clogged when spraying. Biological agents distributed by air may also be destroyed by UV light or rain may wash them away. Another method of distribution may be to attach the toxins to a bomb so that they may be released upon explosion. The problem with this is that the microbes will most likely be destroyed by the explosion as well. Toxins could be used to contaminate food and water supplies. This method would require extremely large amounts of toxin for a large scale attack. Protective Measures A number of measures can be taken to protect individuals against biological attacks. Should an aerosol attack occur, removing your clothing and showering are good methods for removing toxins. Biological weapons dont typically adhere to clothing or skin, but can be dangerous should they enter cuts or lesions on the skin. Protective clothing, such as masks and gloves, can provide protection against airborne particles. Other types of protective measures include administering  antibiotics and vaccines. Potential Biological Weapons Below is a list of a few biological organisms that may potentially be used as biological weapons. Microbe Natural Environment Target Host Mode of Contraction Diseases/Symptoms Anthrax Bacillus anthracis Soil Humans, Domestic Animals Open Wounds, Inhalation Pulmonary Anthrax Septicemia, Flu-like symptoms Clostridium botulinum Soil Humans Contaminated Food or Water, Inhalation Clostridium perfringens Intestines of humans and other animals, Soil Humans, Domestic Animals Open Wounds Gas gangrene, Severe Abdominal Cramps, Diarrhea RICIN Protein Toxin Extracted from Castor Bean Plants Humans Contaminated Food or Water, Inhalation, Injection Severe Abdominal Pain, Watery and Bloody Diarrhea, Vomiting, Weakness, Fever, Cough, and Pulmonary Edema Smallpox Eradicated from Nature, Now Obtained from Laboratory Stockpiles Humans Direct Contact with Bodily Fluids or Contaminated Objects, Inhalation Persistent Fever, Vomiting, Rash on Tongue and in Mouth, Rash and Bumps on Skin

Leaders are born and not made critically discuss Essay

Leaders are born and not made critically discuss - Essay Example Today's dynamic environment requires leaders to be flexible enough to drive change in the organization. The paper elaborates and critically discusses the different leadership approaches and theories. It critically analyzes the statement that "leaders are born not made" in the light of the views of different authors on various theories. In the early twenty century, it was considered that the leaders are born and cannot be made. It was assumed that there must be three qualities in every leader and on the basis of these qualities the leaders can be judged. Personality, physicality and mentality were the elements that were found mandatory to be a leader. It was also thought that the organizations having an ability to recognize great leaders would touch the pinnacle of success (Horner 1997). According to this view, the leaders are born and these qualities cannot be developed. Without the natural capabilities and abilities no one could become a leader. These leadership qualities are the gift of nature that can be given to any one regardless of sex, nationality and origin. Horner suggests that a number of researches have been carried out to distinguish the qualities of a leader but so far no great output has been achieved. The author says that there may be several situational and environmental factors that add up to a leader's effectiveness (1997). According to a famous Michigan and Ohio State leadership study in the context of an organization, consideration and initiation as two most important factors. The same was proved with the research carried out at other several colleges and universities. In the presence of this research, it can be said that leadership qualities are not necessarily inborn but it can also be grown in the employees (Horner 1997). Leadership is something keenly related to the behaviors that can be taught to the employees. The employees are not necessarily born with leadership qualities but these are the qualities that can rise up in the employees. If the employees are motivated and trained in the manner there is no reason why the maximum output is not achieved and they will surely be proved themselves as the great prospective leaders. Some researchers have moved forward with their research to discover what leadership behaviours are and how the behaviours of leader can be distinguished from their subordinates. In the light of those behaviours the art of leadership could be taught. Such researches focus on both people oriented and task oriented actions of behaviour. (Horner 1997). This behaviour can be learned instead of considering that these are inborn factors. There are several leadership theories that elaborate leadership behaviours, traits and qualities. These theories explain the different aspect of leadership and qualities of a good leader or weather these can only be the inborn qualities or they can be taught as well. The first theory is the great man theory that says that the "leaders are born and not made". According to the theory, the great leadership abilities are inherited and can not be taught to any one. Further only the great man can lead and the subordinates are made to obey these great men (Roberts 1994). The great leaders show up when there is a great need of them. The main idea of the Great man theory was the recognition of the great people as natural born leaders. The theory further says that the history has been formed by great leaders. Mostly the people of