Structure and Features of CGC’s

Questions: 1. Discuss the criteria to consider in specifying the structure and features of CGCs new system. 2. Identify the data that should be incorporated into CGCs new system to provide adequate planning capability. Explain why each data item it is important and the level of detail needed for the data to be useful. Answers: Introduction Organization Overview Citizens Gas Company (CGC) is a firm that makes available the natural gas service to 200,000 customers. The customer base of the same is as described below: Class Customers Sales in Cubic Feet Revenues Dependency on Weather Residential 160,000 80 billion $160 million High Commercial 38,000 15 billion $ 25 million Partial Industrial 2,000 50 billion $ 65 million Negligible Totals 145 billion $250 million CGC: Customer base CGC has 10 suppliers who are bound in a contract with the company that varies from 5 to 15 years. This supply varies on heating season and is in equal monthly increments in a few cases. Drawbacks in the Current System The company has to pay irrespective of the usage of the gas Gas storage field does not have any streamlined process and restriction apart from the requirement to be filled at the beginning of the year Curtailments and over-supply are not tracked properly Insufficient planning to finalize the supply for all three types of customers Undue curtailment for commercial and industrial customers leading to loss in sales Information Systems for CGC Information Systems are a blend of equipment and programming that is required for the administration of data-sensitive and information driven applications (Systems and Systems, 2016). It would help in the investigation and capacity of the information. The prime motivation behind Information Systems is to change the crude information into important data (Study.com, 2016). An extraordinary type of such frameworks is a Management Information System (MIS), which gives data to dealing with a venture (WhatIs.com, 2016). These frameworks are isolated into two general classifications as: General reason Information Systems Specialized Information Systems The basic requirements of CGC are to decide on the supply for each and every customer at a defined period of time and also to track the same with proper reporting tools. Monitoring of the stock along with the proper planning are basically required out of the information systems for CGC. Information Systems applicable in CGC Transaction Processing System These are the systems which halp in maintaining and managing the transactions related to the project. For instance, in case of CGC it would revolve around the demand received, supply given, order summary and many others. Applicable transaction processing systems for CGC are: Order Processing Systems Stock Control Systems Systems for payments Database Management Systems (Chris-kimble.com, 2016) Order Processing System collects the order related information from all the sources such as the administrator, worker and the sutomers. This information is stored in the database and the request is then sent to the bookkeeping and dispatching departments. It keeps the information around the orders and the stock intact at all times (Smallbusiness.chron.com, 2016). A solid and effective framework for preparing client requests is essential to necessary achievement. Without it, private cabin operations will bobble, front end agents will endure, and clients are more probable go to a contender that gives better administration. A ton of time, cash, and assets can be spared just by building up a legitimate request handling rule (Meneses, 2015). Stock control system, also called inventory control system, would be utilized to manage the stocks of CGS and the measures to monitor the same. It applies to every cycle of the stocks that is from raw materials to the finished products. The system targets all the phases that are involved such as utilization, requesting and re-requesting of the stock. Proficient stock control would permit appropriate measure of stock in the perfect spot at the opportune time. It would likewise guarantee that capital is not tied up pointlessly, and secures generation if issues emerge with the store network (Infoentrepreneurs.org, 2016). Payment Systems for CGC would allow all the financial transactions involved with the three different customers to be in place and also would be easily tracked. Database Management System (DBMS) is a system which is used to categorize, monitor, store and control the data in an effctive manner. It is a combination of tables and schemas which are made up of rows and columns (Techopedia.com, 2016). The data related to CGC such as customer details, supply information, funds information and many more would be easily arranaged with the help of DBMS. Management Information Systems (MIS) It is an electronic database of that primarily revolves around finance related information that is concised in an accurate manner and the customized reports can also be generated on the basis of the same. It is typically likewise conceivable to acquire extraordinary reports from the framework effortlessly. Data showed by the MIS normally indicates "genuine" information over against "arranged" results and results from a year prior to; in this manner it quantifies progress against objectives. The MIS in case of CGC would acquire the required data from the customers and the suppliers (Inc.com, 2016). The suggested information systems under MIS which would be beneficial for CGC are: Budgeting Systems Sales Management Systems CGC would make use budgeting systems to fulfill objectives for development and maintainability with the current funds. The real goals of spending plan frameworks incorporate coordination, distribution of assets and general making arrangements for operations (Smallbusiness.chron.com, 2016). A sales manageemnt framework is an apparatus that aides salespeople get sorted out, deal with their contacts better, track their sales bargains all the more productively and spare them time. In short a system that aides salespeople offer more. It can be a learning database that gives access and data about sales accounts. This can decrease the difficulties and issues confronted while taking care of a huge arrangement of records. CGC will have the capacity to recognize the sales accounts that give the most guarantee and income. What's more, they can sift through the less encouraging records. This empowers sales supervisors to disseminate and organize accounts successfully. The sales group can pitch one of a kind advancements and bundles to every record to improve the odds of getting it done (sales management, 2016). Decision Support Systems These are the systems that aid in the decision making and decision support associated with an organization. These are the learning based frameworks which are utilized for demonstrating and systematic purposes. There are certain distinguishing advantages of these systems in terms of cost-effectiveness, increased efficiency and managed system as whole. The time investment funds that have been archived from utilizing modernized choice backing are regularly generous. DSS can enhance correspondence and cooperation among leaders. (decision-making-confidence.com, 2016). Executive Information System (EIS) This is a system that is a specialized form of a decision support system and is used by the top executives associated with the company. These executive intergrate and aggregate the data from all of the sources and come up with the strategies to form mangement and executive decisions. It is a system that is coputer-based in nature and hence, is a combination of several components such as hardware, software and many more. It also provides rapid access to the information and alos provides mechanism for automation of data (Mbaofficial.com, 2014). Easy navigation and user-friendly are features that come easy with these systems which makes them simple to use by the employees of the company including top-level executives. The final information presented in this syetms is represented in an arranged form and clear patterns. It would help CGC to form a well-defined business strategy to keep all the processes and the team members integrated in a system that is executed with complete perfection. Project Plan and necessary phases A task can't run effectively on the premise of chance or a plausibility. Regardless of how enormous or little a task is, it must be upheld by solid and all around arranged administration systems as tremendous number of assets, for example, labor, machine and cash are included in a venture. If there should arise an occurrence of the business, it is significantly more critical to take after an organized system to have an effective venture administration set up, concerning the likelihood of a ton numerous dangers and the odds of disappointment also. There can never be a zero-deformity programming or one hundred percent assurance of achievement yet by the by, a successful arranging and control does no mischief. The first and the preeminent stride in the strategy to be followed in the anticipate administration ought to be to picture the objective. It would evaluate the circumstance better, as well as, would likewise be useful in posting down the progressions to follow keeping in mind the end goal to accomplish the objective. A very much explored and outlined undertaking arrange additionally should be readied which ought to cover the target of the venture, scope, suspicions, potential dangers, mistake approach, breakthroughs and requirements. The task arrangement would help so as to comprehend the prerequisites better and would likewise be important to track the advancement. There must be a pioneer or a gathering of pioneer to oversee and co-ordinate the task alongside doling out employments to the general population, observing the ir work and taking care of the reporting. A fallback position is likewise critical if there should be an occurrence of a blunder situation. There ought to be apparatuses and exertion accurately placed in, keeping in mind the end goal to deal with the desires. Time-to-time reporting is likewise greatly required keeping in mind the end goal to get a thought of what is going on and to impart the same to the group. It would track the advancement and escape clauses, assuming any. The project plan would comprise the following: Project Scope The undertaking extension articulation would drill down the reason and legitimization of the task and would serve as a standard record for CGC. It would define the in-scope and out of scope activities. Purpose The reason behind the venture would be to plan a versatile strategy and detailed approach for CGC to manage the supplies at all times and also to fulfil the demands of each customer without any loss or over-supply. Project Strategies The task would be created with a staged methodology. The underlying stage would incorporate the arranging took after by planning of the essential phases. Phases would then be altered by favored subject and style. High Level Requirements The project would target the three main entities that is CGC, its customers and the suppliers. Requirements of the customers in terms of demand would be covered with the supply from each of the supplier. Acceptance Criteria All the acceptance criteria ought to be met before the arrival of the application in this present reality. The criteria for the portable application of CGC would be: All the task deliverables ought to be met There ought to be no open basic, high or medium need imperfections Project ought to meet the objective timetable Project ought to be secured under the arranged spending plan Conclusions CGC is a company that provides natural gas services to its three lines of customers. The current shortcoming of the present system are improper track of the supply, loss of sales, undue curtailment and dissatisfied customers to name a few. The suggested information systems which are primarily categorized in four categories will help CGC to overcome all of these drawbacks and also gain a reputation of trust and relaible company in the market. A well defined project plan is also necessary for the company and an outline of the same specifies the project scope, purpose, acceptance criteria and high level requirements. References Chris-kimble.com. (2016). Different Types of Information System and the Pyramid Model. decision-making-confidence.com. (2016). Decision support systems - applications and advantages. Inc.com. (2016). Management Information Systems (MIS). Infoentrepreneurs.org. (2016). Stock control and inventory. Mbaofficial.com. (2014). What is Executive Information System? Explain its Characteristics, Capabilities and Benefits | Total MBA Guide. Meneses, A. (2015). 6 Steps To An Effective Order Processing System | Infinit Contact.

Johnsonville Sausage Essays

Johnsonville Sausage Essays Johnsonville Sausage Essay Johnsonville Sausage Essay Johnsonville Sausage – Quality Improvement through Change Situation Post 1980, Ralph Stayer began to observe decline in quality due to inattention of the workers as well as ill-maintenance of the equipment in the production unit. With the help of Mr. Lee Thayer, Stayer has planned to implement a major change in the company’s philosophy. Transition from old philosophy purged Stayer’s responsibilities of decision making by decentralizing the power of decision making. The new philosophy was implemented to bring out changes in various departments of the company viz. management structure, personnel, compensation, manufacturing and also systems and controls. According to Thayer’s new philosophy, performance of the personnel and requirement of guidance to personnel to achieve their objectives were the key elements. Management structure was broken down by hiring experienced personnel for the new superior level management to oversee finance, marketing and operation s functions. Stayer emphasized people development as the core element of the new philosophy. Changes in personnel include development of list of responsibilities by the workers themselves and eliminating the performance review process. These changes in personnel function led changes in compensation with the implementation of â€Å"company performance share† program which increased individual responsibility of workers. However this transition was not in agreement among workers while some are excited about it. In terms of manufacturing changes, lead persons were installed at various departments, eliminating supervisors, to seek information and provide necessary measures to train and improve capacities of workers under designated group. Responsibilities of lead person also include development of budget planning and production requirement planning. Job switching and alternating works were practiced to enrich workers’ capabilities and enhance performance and also job satisfaction. System and controls changes included individuals to develop and be accountable for their own budgets and forecasts and also allow them to analyze performance data. In addition, subordinates were needed to self-evaluate their performance to respective managers. Problem The main issue of the case is the resistance shown by the personnel towards the company’s philosophy transition. According to Stayer, upon implementation of new philosophy, workers at all level were expected to embrace the change. Instead, the company faced issues related to the final goal of the implementation, unsuccessful organization structural changes, clash of responsibilities among the workers, participation of less number of employees in the company decision making process and finally lack of high job satisfaction. However, these issues were expected to expire once the transition is complete. Palmer Sausage offered its consolidated business to Johnsonville but the issue here was whether Stayer could handle an expanded Palmer contract. Stayer examined the situation by understanding that in order to run the contract the company would require to recruit and train a big set of people along with existing people acquiring new skills and retain high quality on both the in-house and Palmer products. In order to achieve this, Johnsonville needs to run the production six or seven days a week for more than a year until its new plant was ready. On the other hand, the company may need to run the business at risk i. e. , if Palmer canceled the contract with 30-day prior notice leaves Johnsonville not only with massive layoffs and but also huge inventory with no market for it. Analysis As the year 1980 folded, Stayer recognizes to restructure his management structure for the growing company. Stayer also realized that there was decline in the quality of the products and employees were also demotivated to work. Later on, in collaboration with Thayer Lee, Stayer has planned to implement new philosophy which is focused on performance and helps people accomplish their objectives through well-defined job descriptions, clear understanding on performance standards, and providing the required resources. Johnsonville’s new values are based on deep moral commitment to the individual. The main aim of the transition is to augment people capacities, rather than the business. Stayer changed view of his autocratic leadership to a role as a leader delegating his subordinates rather than directing them. Furthermore, the new philosophy also motivated each worker to commit to the company’s betterment. Upon full transition, Stayer expects to create an atmosphere of constant learning and development. The transition also supports creativity, encourages responsibility, and empowers employees to develop solutions rather than simply follow orders. Over the period of time, the company’s organizational structure was transformed in support to the new culture of worker empowerment. Autocratic management was decentralized in order to become more democratic. Conventional management position were replaced by lead persons and their teams who controlled their own compensation, hiring, firing, quality control, and near-and long-term company goals. Several ground-breaking solutions were instigated and evaluated and each member of the company was involved for the company’s success. Moreover, a rewarding compensation system was implemented to retain employees and hone their skills and performance. Over-the-time, Stayer had achieved a complete organizational transformation successfully. In terms of Palmer’s offer, Stayer has two recommendations – either he can accept or decline to take over the Palmer’s business. If Stayer had taken over the business, they might have the advantages of the opportunity for growth and additional revenue. On this regard, private label business offers a 25% return on assets. Contrariwise, the deal clashes with Johnsonville’s recent business strategy which prevents the company to push private label business over 15%. The company could compete for capital with the rest of the business once it crosses 15%. In addition to this, the company, while in contract with Palmer, is producing at huge capacity utilization. If the deal is on then the company might need to execute two long shifts for six or seven days a week in order to process the new business. Recommendation At this stand-off point, Johnsonville could be advised to accept Palmer’s deal which help the former to tap the revenue and growth opportunities. Stayer’s Johnsonville should continue to implement its new philosophy in a way that it does not affect the previous work-culture. During the agreement, Stayer should continue to involve employees in the decision making process to accept the private label business and planning to handle the additional workload as well. Apart from this, Stayer is required to motivate his teams to meet for evaluating staffing requirements, production and quality goals. With the involvement of workers and assigning responsibility for the important decisions, Stayer will help secure their buy-in for tackling the challenges ahead.

Laws Regulating Federal Lobbyists

Laws Regulating Federal Lobbyists In public opinion polls, lobbyists rank somewhere between pond scum and nuclear waste. In every election, politicians vow never to be â€Å"bought out† by lobbyists, but often do. Briefly, lobbyists get paid by businesses or special interest groups to win the votes and support of members of the U.S. Congress and state legislatures.   Indeed, to many people, lobbyists and what they do represent the main cause of corruption in federal government. But while lobbyists and their influence in Congress sometimes seem to be out of control, they really do have to follow laws. In fact, lots of them.   Background: The Laws of Lobbying While each state legislature has created its own set of laws regulating lobbyists, there are two specific federal laws regulating the actions of lobbyists targeting the U.S. Congress.   Recognizing the need to make the lobbying process more transparent and accountable to the American people, Congress enacted the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) of 1995. Under this law, all lobbyists dealing with the U.S. Congress are required to register with both the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate. Within 45 days of becoming employed or retained to lobby on behalf of a new client, the lobbyist must register his or her agreement with that client with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House. As of 2015, more than 16,000 federal lobbyists were registered under the LDA. However, merely registering with Congress was not enough to prevent some lobbyists from abusing the system to the point of triggering total disgust for their profession. Jack Abramoff Lobbying Scandal Spurred New, Tougher Law Public hatred for lobbyists and lobbying reached its peak in 2006 when Jack Abramoff, working as a lobbyist for the rapidly growing Indian casino industry, pleaded guilty to charges of bribing members of Congress, some of whom also ended up in prison as a result of the scandal. In the aftermath of the Abramoff scandal, Congress in 2007 passed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) fundamentally changing the ways in which lobbyists were allowed to interact with members of Congress. As a result of HLOGA, lobbyists are prohibited from â€Å"treating† Congress members or their staff to things like meals, travel, or entertainment events. Under HLOGA, lobbyists must file Lobbying Disclosure (LD) reports during each year revealing all contributions they made to campaign events for members of Congress or other expenditures of efforts they make that might in any way personally benefit a member of Congress. Specifically, the required reports are: The LD-2 report showing all lobbying activities for each organization they are registered to represent must be filed quarterly; andThe LD-203 report disclosing certain political â€Å"contributions† to politicians must be filed twice a year. What Can Lobbyists ‘Contribute’ to Politicians? Lobbyists are allowed to contribute money to federal politicians under the same campaign contribution limits placed on individuals. During the current (2016) federal election cycle, lobbyists cannot give more than $2,700 to any candidate and $5,000 to any Political Action Committees (PAC) in each election. Of course, the most coveted â€Å"contributions† lobbyists make to politicians are the money and votes of the members of the industries and organizations they work for. In 2015 for example, the nearly 5 million members of the National Rifle Association gave a combined $3.6 million to federal politicians opposed to tighter gun control policy. In addition, lobbyist must file quarterly reports listing their clients, the fees they received from each client and the issues on which they lobbied for each client. Lobbyists who fail to comply with these laws face could face both civil and criminal penalties as determined by the Office of the U.S. Attorney. Penalties for Violation of the Lobbying Laws The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House, along with U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) are responsible for ensuring that lobbyists comply with the LDA activity disclosure law. Should they detect a failure to comply, the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House notifies the lobbyist in writing. Should the lobbyist fail to provide an adequate response, the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House refers the case to the USAO. The USAO researches these referrals and sends additional noncompliance notices to the lobbyist, requesting that they file reports or terminate their registration. If USAO does not receive a response after 60 days, it decides whether to pursue a civil or criminal case against the lobbyist. A civil judgment could lead to penalties up to $200,000 for each violation, while a criminal conviction - usually pursued when a lobbyist’s noncompliance is found to be knowing and corrupt- could lead to a maximum of 5 years in prison. So yes, there are laws for lobbyists, but how many of those lobbyists are really doing the â€Å"right thing† by complying with the disclosure laws? GAO Reports on Lobbyists’ Compliance with the Law In an audit released on March 24, 2016, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that during 2015, â€Å"most† registered federal lobbyists did file disclosure reports that included key data required by the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA). According to the GAO’s audit, 88% of lobbyists properly filed initial LD-2 reports as required by the LDA. Of those properly filed reports, 93% included adequate documentation on income and expenses. About 85% of lobbyists properly filed their required year-end LD-203 reports disclosing campaign contributions. During 2015, federal lobbyists filed 45,565 LD-2 disclosure reports with $5,000 or more in lobbying activity, and 29,189 LD-203 reports of federal political campaign contributions. The GAO did find that, as in years past, some lobbyists continued to properly disclose payments for certain â€Å"covered positions,† as paid congressional internships or certain executive agency positions provided as part of the lobbyists’ â€Å"contributions† to lawmakers. GAO’s audit estimated that about 21% of all LD-2 reports filed by lobbyists in 2015 failed to disclose payments for at least one such covered position, despite the fact that most lobbyists told the GAO that they found the rules regarding reporting covered positions as being â€Å"very easy† or   Ã¢â‚¬Å"somewhat easy† to understand.

Business accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business accounting - Essay Example Financial ratio analysis enables decision makers to uncover trends in business performance and compare different business organizations (Keown, et. al 2005). It should be noted that these ratios are classified according to the aspects that they measure including profitability, liquidity, efficiency, solvency, and investor ratios. Considering that the business organization under consideration is considered small and medium business organization, this report will focus only on profitability, liquidity, and efficiency. In terms of liquidity, the current ratio and the acid-test ratio will be utilized. At first look, the Northern Branch displays a slightly higher level of liquidity with its current ratio of 1.060. Should all of its current liabilities become due immediately, The Southern Branch will only be able to pay off 99.6% with its current assets. However, the acid test ratio shows that most of the Northern Branch's most current assets are tied up in inventories. In fact, when inventory is deducted from the current assets, it will only yield an acid-test ratio of 0.34. On the other hand, the Southern Branch has much more liquid assets indicated by its acid test ratio of 0.54. In terms of efficiency, the following ratios will be considered: debtor's turnover; debtor days; creditor's turnover; creditor days; and stock turnovers which will be divided according to the main inventories namely, food and beverages. The Northern Branch has a lower debtor's turnover leading to higher debtor days which indicates the collection period of account receivables. During the fiscal year, the branch reports debtor's turnover of 9.30 and debtor days of 39.21. On the other hand, the Southern Branch appears to be more efficient in collecting its receivables with its debtor's turnover of 12.13 and debtor days of 30.08 days. It is also apparent that the Southern Branch is relatively better in servicing its short term creditors as indicated by its higher creditor turnover and lower creditor days. The branch's creditor's turnover reported is 6.09, far better than Northern Branch's 1.74. This is translated to creditor days of 59.85 (Southern Branch) which is very much faster than Northern Branch's payment period of 208.63 days. In terms of inventory management, the Northern Branch still lags behind the Southern Branch both in food and beverages. The Southern Branch's stock of food turns at an average of 17.24 annually and stays in the company's warehouse in a period of 21.17 days. On the other hand, the Northern Branch's turnover averages 5.66 times a year while stock days is 64.39. The same is true with beverages. While the Southern Branch has a turnover of 3.05 and stock days of 119.54, the Northern Branch is not able to sell its beverage stocks for the fiscal year. It stays in the company's warehouse for more than a year (593.39 days) before it is finally sold. To measure profitability, this report will look at the return of capital employed (ROCE), gross profits, and net profit. The Southern Branch reports higher ratios in all these categories. The branch has an ROCE 0.36 compared to the Northern Branch's 0.26. In terms of profit margins, the Southern Bra

Faisal -business development of small-scale businesses in saudi arabia Dissertation

Faisal -business development of small-scale businesses in saudi arabia - Dissertation Example A brief scan of the important theories and the challenges to them are as follows: Firm size: According to Schiffer and Weder, the prevailing assumption is that SMEs have more problems than large firms because of their size. The reasons favoring large firms include economies of scale and entry costs; political influence; and greater visibility. Life Cycle vs Age: Masurel & Montfort (2006) analysed the stages in the life cycle of small and medium scale enterprises, in particular in the professional services sector, and distinguishing one stage from the other. Four stages were distinguished – starting; growth; maturity; and decline. First three stages show a diversification in sales, increase in differentiation of labor force, and increase in labor productivity. In the last stage, all these measures decrease. These stages, rather than the firm’s age, are what determine its growth. ... As to innovativeness as a factor in itself, Masurel, et al (2003), Nijkamp (2000) found that the element of leadership fosters creativity in the management of SMEs are determinative of innovative behaviour. Structure: Laforet and Tann (2006) and Tidd, et al. (2001) state that there is a highly significant difference between structure and innovation. This indicates that innovation does not develop well under hierarchical structures, mainly because of high levels of bureaucracy, and flatter SME structures tend to lead to more successful innovative efforts. On the other hand, Wei Xiuli and Juan Zhao (2009) qualifies this, stating that the optimum line structure of SMEs should take into consideration the typical organizational structure of the industry, the maturity of the firm, the specific stage it is in, and other factors that impact on the firm’s performance. Strategic Alliances: Booz, Allen & Hamilton, (n.d.) showed in their studies that SMEs will benefit through the establis hment of cooperative arrangements with other organizations and businesses. Joining forces helps ease expenses by sharing expertise, assets, expenses, and risk without the need for cash, debt or trading equity. In many instances, cooperating groups resort to bartering. Research objectives It is understandable that small and medium scale industries are seldom made the topic of academic research, because of the many factors that are perceived to influence this segment of the business, the studies appear to be fragmented in that so many assumptions are made as to the type of industry and the specifications of the company (high-tech or low-tech, service or manufacture, start-up or mature, mass production or custom designed, and so forth). This study therefore

Effects of Cocaine and Crack Cocaine

Effects of Cocaine and Crack Cocaine Cocaine versus Crack Cocaine Lindsay Janzen Introduction Drugs play a major role on the streets and in the medical field. Some drugs are seen as less serious as others. Stimulants are a wide category of drugs that is an upper. Stimulants generally make you feel happy and energetic. Cocaine and crack cocaine do exactly that. These are two drugs that are very similar, yet very different. Crack cocaine comes from cocaine, but is mixed with baking soda and water to create a lower purity form of free-base cocaine. This creates a hard, brittle unstructured material known as a piece of rock, which is crack cocaine. When it is smoked, it creates a cracking sound, which gives crack cocaine its’ name. Cocaine in its purest form is a white powder, whereas the colour of crack cocaine varies based upon the origin of the cocaine and how the baking soda is added. Crack cocaine can range from white to yellowish to a light brown. Crack cocaine in its purest form is an off-white solid with jagged edges. This paper is going to compare the history, adm inistration, effects, and legal aspects of cocaine and crack cocaine. History Cocaine originated from South America, from coca leaves. Originally, the coca leaves were chewed by workers to decrease fatigue, improve endurance and have a greater resistance to the cold. This was to benefit the workers so they could work longer hours and be more productive. In 1855 the active ingredient in cocaine was isolated from the leaves, and in 1880 it was used as a local anesthetic (Nunes,2006). It was also used in coca cola. In 1855, coca cola was a soda beverage that contained sixty milligrams of cocaine for every eight ounces of the beverage. The idea behind this was to give people energy and a sense of well being (Nunes, 2006). By the late 1880s Sigmund Freud was using cocaine regularly and was even recommending it to others. This only lasted for less than twenty years, until he started discouraging it to others. Then by 1914 cocaine was banned for medical use and in beverages. This caused the use of cocaine and by the 1930s, the use had drastically decreased. It then b ecame popular for recreational use in the 1980s (Nunes, 2006). It was often used and shown in movies such as Scarface, and is famous for the amount of cocaine that Al Pacino uses in one of the final scenes of the movie. Now it is still used recreationally and used by a ‘party crowd’. Although this is the primary category of people who use cocaine, people of all demographics use cocaine recreationally. Cocaine started to be first cut with baking soda in the early 1880s. This was done because of the price drop that drug dealers were facing. They decided to mix it with baking soda and make a hard piece of rock, and sell it in smaller quantities. This made crack cocaine, easily manufactured, cheap which made it highly profitable for drug dealers to develop (Kornbluh, 1997). Crack first started to become largely used in 1984. The worst impact that crack cocaine had was on the Northeastern states of the United States. This was believed to be because the CIA knew about the large amounts of cocaine that was being brought into the United States, to fund some of their operations (Kornbluh, 1997). This was alleged in the Dark Alliances article by a journalist. Today crack cocaine is still used recreationally but by heave drug users and abusers. It is seen as a more serious and more addictive drug than cocaine. Administration Cocaine can be administered in multiple ways, whereas crack cocaine only has one administration method. Cocaine has four main routes of administration. They are orally, injection, intranasal and inhalation. When cocaine is taken orally the person is swallowing the powder or liquid; it then dissolves in the stomach and large intestine and then through passive diffusion it is distributed to get the desired effect. This process takes approximately thirty minutes to enter the blood stream (Volkow, 2013). The next method of administration is injection. There are four different ways that cocaine can be injected into the body. The first method is subcutaneous, which is under the skin. Another method to inject cocaine is intramuscular, which is in the muscle. The third method is intraperitoneal which is in the stomach. Lastly, there is intravenous which is into the veins. Intravenous injection results in intense affects within 30 seconds of the injection (Volkow, 2013). This method is though t to be most common when thinking of heavy drug users because of the fast results. The next route of administration for cocaine is intranasal. This is where cocaine is snorted or sniffed up the nose. This is the most common way that cocaine is administered. Intranasal routes require ten to fifteen minutes for the desired effect of cocaine to begin. The last method is inhalation. This is where cocaine is smoked. The effect of inhaling cocaine is felt almost immediately; however, the effects do not last more than five to fifteen minutes (Volkow, 2013). This method is less likely with cocaine since it is the only way for crack to be administered. Cocaine is readily absorbed after oral and intranasal administration, but the onset of drug action is slower and the peak effect is takes longer period of time to be reached than with other routes of administration. Cocaine is processed rapidly with most of its effects vanishing twenty to eighty minutes after administration (Volkow, 2013). Coc aine and crack cocaine is eliminated through the urine and is detectible up to two to three days after administration. The route of administration is chosen by the user, and is addictive from whichever route is chosen. They become addictive because of the effect cocaine and crack cocaine has on the body. Effects Cocaine is a stimulant drug that has physiological effects that are seen outside of the brain, through how a person acts. Common effects of cocaine that can be detected by others are increased talkativeness, sociability, alertness and insomnia. Cocaine is a stimulant that stimulates the central nervous system. When an individual administers cocaine into body, three neurotransmitters are released into the brain; they are norepinepherine, dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are normally reabsorbed; however, cocaine works by blocking the reuptake for these neurotransmitters, which allows for these chemicals to build up in the brain (Holman, 1994). Cocaine binds to the transporters that normally remove the excess of these neurotransmitters from the synaptic gap which prevents them from being reabsorbed by the neurons that released them (Depression: Cocaine, 2014). This results in a natural effect of dopamine on the post-synaptic neurons, which is amplified and gives the pleas urable effects or feelings of the drug (Holman, 1994). These feelings are happiness, confidence, and energy. Each of these feelings are stimulated from a different neurotransmitter. Happiness comes from excess dopamine, confidence comes from serotonin and energy comes from excess norepinepherine. Along with the pleasurable effects of cocaine, it also has negative effects. Cocaine can cause nasal damage, loss of appetite, hallucinations, strokes, increased blood pressure, and increased pulse and heart rate. Recent studies have found that five to sex percent of people who use cocaine become dependent on it (O’Brien Anthony, 2005). There is no safe way to use cocaine to avoid becoming dependent; but once dependence is established, withdrawal occurs when not on the drug. This is the same for crack cocaine. Crack cocaine has a high that is extremely pleasurable and produces feelings of euphoria. The initial high is what crack cocaine users constantly keep trying to achieve. This creates the addictive behaviours associated with the abuse of crack cocaine. This desirable euphoric effect only lasts for a few minutes. Once this effect is done, the negative side effects begin and last longer than the pleasurable effects. The negative side effects include, paranoia, depressed and extreme itchiness. Long term effects of crack cocaine use are crack lips from the hot glass smoking pipe that is used to smoke crack cocaine. Other long term effects are respiratory and heart problems, teeth damage, loss of appetite, malnutrition, insomnia and liver and kidney damage. Crack cocaine abuse has been found to be associated with homelessness, unemployment and the sex trade (Edwards, Halpern Wechsberg, 2006). This is due to the paranoia and the need to support their drug use. Legal Legally, cocaine and crack cocaine are both classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Drug and Substance Act. The classification means that there are no legal rights to use cocaine and crack cocaine for medical use. Punishment is different for cocaine and crack cocaine, but it is based upon the amount of the drug that is found, and the purpose for having the drug. They are each treated as an indictable or summary conviction. If you are convicted of possession of cocaine or crack cocaine, with an amount over one kilogram it is an indictable offence and has a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. If it is less than one kilogram, it is a summary conviction. The punishment depends on the person’s criminal history. There is a mmaximum fine of 1000 dollars for first offence and/or six months imprisonment or a maximum fine of 2000 dollars for subsequent offences and/or maximum one year imprisonment. If you are convicted of trafficking or possession with the intent of trafficking, the punishment has a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory one year of imprisonment if amount is less than one kilogram and two years if amount exceeds two kilograms (Controlled drug and, 2013). The starting point for trafficking in cocaine in small quantities is three years for most provinces, whereas the range of sentence for trafficking of cocaine in the amounts of one kilogram or more will typically see sentences in the range of five years. Larger amounts upward of three kilograms will have a range of six to eight years. In comparison, in Ontario, the range of sentencing for trafficking in small amounts of crack cocaine is six months to two years (Controlled drug and, 2013). This shows that although cocaine and crack cocaine are different drugs, they are classified under the same legal category. The only difference is the sentencing, which is based upon the amount you are convicted of having. Crack cocaine has a longer jail sentence with smaller amou nts than cocaine has of the same amount. Conclusion Cocaine and crack cocaine have similar long term effects. They both create insomnia and kidney and liver problems. They differ in the short term effects. Cocaine gives you increased feelings, of energy and happiness, whereas crack cocaine has a short high of euphoria and then negative effects of depression and paranoia. Crack cocaine is seen as a more serious drug than cocaine. This is shown by the legal sentencing of trafficking. A lesser amount of crack cocaine, gives a longer jail sentence than cocaine does. â€Å"Crack has been widely believed to be cheaper than powder cocaine, and this fact has been used to help explain why drug problems worsened in the 1980s† (Caulkins, 1997).

Why I Want to Be a Teacher

Why I Like To Be a Teacher Teaching is a unique profession. It takes a lot of commitment, dedication, patience and above all, love for the act of helping others learn. Being a teacher is one of the noblest and most gratifying professions , no matter how difficult the road is. Undoubtedly, it is hard to deal with students, their behaviors, personal problems, difficult ages and even with their parents that sometimes do not support the teachers, and last but not least, the educational system itself. No matter how complicated your life can turn when you are a teacher, from a personal standpoint, I can say teaching pays off. I love to teach and I used to be a math teacher for many years. This subject is hardly ever the students’ favorite. Math is really tough, needs some logical reasoning, students’ focus in class and some study hours after class. Do all the students love all this? I bet. On the other hand, when a teacher teaches a not very likeable subject like math, you are not very likeable either. I personally think teaching Math is always a challenge but I have faced it with enormous pleasure. Being a teacher is gratifying. It feeds your spirit and fills your soul. It’s great to have the recognition of your students and a warm hug when you run into them after many years. You will not probably remember their names and pretend you do, but they will for sure remember yours. When you hear they are engineers, doctors, nurses, mechanics; whatever profession or occupation they mention, you feel very proud to know that you have contributed to build their futures. Your eyes shine with emotion. It is absolutely uplifting to be a teacher. Many teachers have had professional crises in which they get exhausted, bored, anxious or think teaching is a waste of time and thoughts of abandoning their classrooms invade them at times. I have not met a single teacher who has not been through these emotional feelings. Some reconsider and overcome this, others leave for good and regret it eventually. Even those who leave the teaching profession treasure very pleasant memories of heir times at school with their students and talk about it with love and enthusiasm. Fact is that teaching is tough, it is a rose full of thorns, but it is, without a doubt, a wonderful profession. Teaching is a profession that makes you always feel young at heart, no matter how old you are. The students’ energy, enthusiasm, their young spirit is as contagious as the worst of the viruses. When you are a teacher you become a friend, a counselor, a parent, an extraordinary human being. I know it is painstaking to be a teacher, it gives you no spare time to watch TV when you have to mark students’ essays. You go home with a pile of books to read for next class. Teaching is sometimes regarded as a way of living and not a profession. It is overlooked and underestimated. Despite all this, I consider being a teacher is a very honorable profession. I can say teaching is worthwhile. Bibliography> just personal experience Why I Want to be a Teacher I believe that everyone, one way or another, has progressed to where they are in life because they had a teacher. A teacher by definition is someone who provides educational instruction and communicates lifelong lessons. However, I see teachers beyond that common definition. Teachers have the opportunity to shed light on topics not commonly found in text books, to teach skills that students can use in real life, and to inspire students to overcome their adversities.But why become a teacher when you can become a doctor? Or a lawyer? I asked myself these same questions prior to joining the education program at the University of Guam. I found great intrinsic value of teaching by being able to inspire students to help others and to provide equal opportunities for those children who are considered â€Å"at risk†. I also found great extrinsic value in teaching because it provides a great work schedule and I am able to travel the world because education is rooted in every country. I did not want to become a teacher my first semester of college atThe University of Guam. I had my mind set on becoming a therapist because I felt that the main reasons why people kill other people or why kids end up in juvenile prison is due to the fact that they have an underlying stressor that causes them to act up. I wanted to help rid the world of angry and depressed people and help them begin their healing process so that they can become contributing members to the society. However, after two semesters I realized that all these problems could be solved if people were well educated and knowledgeable of the opportunities around them.I saw that schools were the perfect institution to influence children on becoming positive and active members of society. I want to be able to inspire students to engage in solidarity so that they can help those around them. I want to teach my students that they are more alike than different and to be able to recognize the problems that stem from our s ociety’s culture. There are also those students who are plagued by racial or financial setbacks regardless of how hard they try to succeed. I want to be able to reach out to those students and help them continue their education. I have seen so many classmates of mine who were overlooked because they were not the smartest in the class and those students ended up dropping out or getting into drugs.I want to be able to put more emphasis on the students who are  falling behind so that students feel more comfortable with being at school and prevent students from dropping out. Being a teacher requires that you give up a lot of your time and patience in hopes that your students succeed in life. Seeing your students become doctors, lawyers, or maybe even the president of the United States can be very rewarding even though teachers rarely gain recognition for their students’ accomplishments. However, teachers are rewarded not just intrinsically but extrinsically. One extrinsi c reason for why I want to become a teacher is because I get a great work schedule.Teachers get the weekends off, not to mention the summer and winter breaks as well. Being a student I was accustomed to having a summer break to recuperate and to prepare for the next semester and becoming a teacher I was able to keep the same lifestyle and still able to go back to my job when the school year started. Becoming a teacher was very appealing to me because I had a desire to join the Peace Corps upon graduating college and there are opportunities for teachers to travel around the world and teach in different countries, especially the third world countries. I loved to travel and help others and becoming a teacher gave me the means necessary to do both. In conclusion, I know becoming a teacher will be difficult but the rewards are more abundant than the costs.I hope to inspire students to reach out to others and to be able to recognize the problems that stem from our society’s culture . I would also love to see those students who are â€Å"at risk† succeeding to their fullest potential. I would love give back those privileges to those who are not as fortunate and travel the world spreading the love of learning in all parts of the world.