Burger King HR Essay Example for Free

Burger King HR Essay Burger King is a Fast food restaurant first opened on December 4th 1945 in Miami, Florida by two gentlemen James McLamore and David Edgerton. However the first Burger King was not known as we know it today as it was firstly launched as Insta Burger King. Although it started off as a simple fast food service it is now a large international chain of fast food restaurants. To this day there are now more than 11,200 restaurants in 91 countries worldwide. Up until 1989 Burger Kings biggest competition was Wimpy until they were bought out by the largely growing Burger King. At present, Burger King is a major franchise across the world, also owning over two hundred Hungry Jacks restaurants across Australia. With over fifty years of experience Burger has vastly grown in the Fast food Industry and dominates a large market share along with other Fast Food restaurants such as McDonalds and KFC. Roles and Responsibilities In this section I am going to explore the different roles and responsibilities of the different positions available in Burger King. Roles and Responsibilities of a Manager A manager runs the business on a day-to-day basis and is responsible for specific tasks such as organising resources for the business. A Burger King Manager ensures Burger King runs smoothly and that employees are working well through monitoring their work and motivation. There are five key business areas that Burger King believe their managers need to focus on in order for their restaurants to be run efficiently and achieve high standards. These are: * Operations: Delivering top quality products and restaurant cleanliness * Financial Control: Maximising profits, controlling cash * People Management: Driving results through people; providing development training * Sales Building: Maximising sales at every opportunity * Customer Service: Delivering the Customer Promise 1 Burger King looks for people with passion for their work. Some of the key things Burger King looks for in their managers are: * Outstanding customer service * Great communication skills * Energy, enthusiasm and a hands-on approach * Ability to thrive in a team build working relationships * Responsible flexible 2 * The ability to problem solve Roles and Responsibilities of a Supervisor A supervisor has the power to give instructions, administer disciplinaries and is responsible for the work and conduct of other employees For Burger King supervisors this ensures employees are monitored and that Burger King runs smoothly. A supervisor is usually the first step away from management and can be promoted to management easily. However a supervisor does not have the authority to hire fire employees or the authority over budget. The role of supervisors at Burger King is to promote excellent customer service and that all brand standards are reached. They have to have the ability to motivate their workers and encourage team work especially at busy times throughout the day. Also a Burger King supervisor would need to carry out the instructions of managers and ensure that employees are working well and completing all tasks to the highest standards but in the quickest time possible. When talking to a Burger King employee he spoke about the five minute rule. This means that all food order had to be done in the period of five minutes otherwise a refund could be requested. This benefits burger king as it keeps the waiting time down to a minimum of 5 minutes and keeps the customers flowing in and out of the restaurants. Supervisors need to ensure that this rule is being met through motivation of workers so that profits are not lost. Roles and Responsibilities of an Employee An employee tends to complete the main day-to-day tasks of a business. Employees can either be working full time or part time. Full time workers usually work more than 40 hours a week and get certain benefits such as health insurance and a higher wage. Part time workers usually work less than 40 hours a week and get paid less than that of full time workers. Many people who work part time tend to do other activities during the week such as other jobs or higher education. Whether being a full time or part time employee both should receive the same benefits such as receiving same pay per hour and health plan. Burger King employees tend to do a variety of tasks such as serving customers, working in the kitchens and operating the tills. Employees of Burger King who operate the tills and take orders need to ensure they present themselves in a respectable way and are friendly and helpful as they will be interacting with customers on a daily basis. This helps Burger King to uphold their well known brand and business for themselves as they need to ensure that it is portrayed in the right way. Qualities for Burger King For every position in Burger King there are qualities that you will need to suit it. In this section Im going to explore the different qualities needed for the positions at Burger King. Qualities needed for a Manager To be a successful manager at Burger King you need to ensure that you are adaptable in all situations and have initiative needed to deal with tricky situations. Burger King looks for managers who have good communication skills and customer relations as they will be working with customers daily. Managers need to make sure that employees are enthusiastic and have energy as theyll be dealing with main aspects of the fast food restaurant such as cleanliness and the production of top quality products. Qualities needed for a Supervisor Burger King looks for commitment and responsibility in their supervisors. This is because they need to be there to supervise their employees to ensure that they are working well. Also make sure that all resources are available so that employees have the materials they need in order to work. Also a supervisor needs the confidence to be the voice of the employees and voice any worries to the manager so that customers do not bombard Burger King. Also, they need to be respectful and courteous when handling situations and motivating the employees as if not they will not be providing a good role model. Qualities needed for an Employee An employee needs to have a number of qualities in order to succeed at working at Burger King. Some of these qualities consist of: * Common Sense * Urgency * Flexibility * Customer Focus * Respect for others * Teamwork * Honesty * Pride in performance3 Employees will be either working with customers or in the kitchen. They need to ensure that their service is fast but of the best quality to withhold the Burger King fast food name. Employees on the tills have to make sure that they are friendly even when dealing with tricky customers and learn to be patient. Staff in the kitchens needs to be hygienic and be able to work under pressure when complying with the five minute rule. Qualifications needed for Burger King In this section I am going to explain the qualifications needed to fulfil the different job positions available for Burger King. Qualifications for an Employee For a new employee applying for a job at a Burger King fast food restaurant there is not any specific qualifications needed. As there is no true skill to being a till operative or part of their kitchen staff, Burger King focus more on the qualities and personalities of their employees, rather than what qualifications they may or may not have. I dont think it is essential for Burger King to have highly qualified till operatives and kitchen staff, as before they begin working in their specific area, they undergo extensive training. This training will teach all new employees how to get the most from their job and also how best to represent Burger King. Qualifications for a Supervisor For a Supervisor there are also no specific qualifications needed to carry out this position. However, Burger King does look for someone with previous experience of supervising a team. In the hierarchy of jobs in Burger King we can see that supervisors are only just above employees. This means that is only a small step to be promoted from an employee to a supervisor, or which their skills would already be from working in Burger King previously. I believe that Burger King should look for at least five A-C grades at GCSE level when recruiting a supervisor, as this shows that not only are the candidates good in these specific areas, but also have the drive to succeed and achieve highly. Burger King needs to have an enthusiastic supervisor who would be able to motivate a team to work well, not just someone looking for higher pay than a lower employee in the hierarchy. Qualifications for a Manager Like the employee and supervisor roles, managers also are not required to have any specific qualifications. However, similar to the supervisor position Burger King looks for previous experience of managerial work. This is essential as they need someone who would be able to deal with tricky customers and also a leader to motivate their team. Without experience, candidates may not be able to cope under pressure or realise the initiative theyd need to use in complicated areas. I think that it is essential for a manager to withhold at least five A-C grade GCSEs as it shows dedication and enthusiasm for their work. It may also benefit Burger King to advertise for people with a specific qualification in a managerial subject, such as Business Studies. This could only improve the running of the largely expanding fast food chain, as with more knowledge on businesses, more improvements can be made. Training Employee training is a necessity as it is a way in which your skills can be developed and motivation to be increased. Training relates to employees gaining specific skills and abilities to perform well in their jobs. Training at Burger King can vary depending on the position that is being fulfilled. For each member of the management team the fast food restaurant expect a minimum of 12 weeks on-job and off-job training. The usual on the job training programme for a manager during this period is shown below: Weeks 1-3 * Gaining Product Knowledge * Leaning the job of a crew member * Counter Service * How to make a whopper * Equipment Knowledge * Supervisory Skills Weeks 4-5 * Basic Food Hygiene * Supervisory Skills Course * Supervisor Evaluation (observation on the job) Weeks 6-8 * Shift Control Skills * Loss Control * Shadowing Manager * Daily Administration * People Management Week 9 * Food Safety and Product Quality * Basic Management Training Course * Roles and Responsibilities * Team Work * Customer Service Weeks 10-12 * Shift Running (Under Supervision) * Feedback on management Skills All employees who undergo training at Burger King are not charged however they are expected to fund for the normal living expenses such as commuting and accommodation costs. For new employees such as till staff and kitchen staff Burger King has a Right Track Training Programme to ensure they have the best start to Burger King. This training programme is a comprehensive induction and training programme covering everything from Health Safety and Food safety through to working in the dining area, front counter or kitchen and how to make each product. Through providing an induction to all new staff it allows new staff to see how theyll be working, where theyll be working and who their fellow employees are. Also how things are done to help them fit in. Burger King believes that all their employees will learn what they need to know by shadowing which is when they work alongside others as well as using their new interactive DVD Programmes. It would be beneficial for Burger King to carry out an appraisal system but instead of annually it may be more favourable for them to be carried out every few months. This would then help employees to see what they are working well at and what things to improve on; these could then be made into targets which success could result in promotion or pay rise. The quicker employees feel wanted, the quicker they are earning money for Burger King. From reviewing staff progress more frequently it may give employees more motivation to stay working at Burger King for a longer period as they now have aims and goals which could improve their career. This would mean less training costs for Burger King and also in the long run a low staff turnover. At present I believe the techniques that Burger King is using to train their employees and managers, such as shadowing and induction programmes are effective in what they are doing. However, if Burger King want to ensure that employees stay in the job for a longer period it may be beneficial for them to do other training techniques such as training weekends away. This will build team skills and also allow employees to interact with staff from other sectors in which they work in. Motivation in Burger King In this section I am going to explore the different motivational theorists and see how their theories affect Burger King. Motivation is having the desire and willingness to do something. A motivated person can be reaching for either a long-term goal or a short term goal. Motivation is important as if employees are motivated to work; it increases the quality of products and therefore the reputation of a business. This is a major factor within Burger King as they are known for a high staff turnover. However, if their staff were more motivated and saw the long term opportunities for working for Burger King, they may be more willing to stay on and try for promotion. Abraham Maslow- Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Maslows theory mainly revolved around psychology and stated that, As humans meet basic needs, they seek to satisfy successively higher needs that occupy a set hierarchy. This is Maslows hierarchy of needs: Maslow believes that when the first stage is completely fulfilled only then will an employee be motivated enough to step up to the next level and complete it. For example only when an employee has basic needs such as food drink and sleep will they then be able to progress onto their safety needs such as security, limits and protection. In terms of Burger King Maslows theory wouldnt largely affect them. However for all people to work well certain needs need to be fulfilled such as sleep, food and drink. For Burger King Employees I believe that they only really need to concentrate on the first two stages as many employees do not stay long and are only there for the short term. Burger King does provide good hygiene conditions and security. Belonging and Love needs arent really met as although they work in teams Burger King do not provide team building activities such as weekends or any social events. This theory mainly addresses the needs of employees. Frederick Winslow Taylor Taylors primary idea was that workers are mainly motivated by pay. Therefore his theory was that if you break down production into a set of small tasks and only pay for the amount of product each employee produces, this would motivate staff and increase productivity. At the beginning this seemed like a good idea as productivity increased and workers were only paid for how hard they worked. They began to build specialised skill for the specific area and businesses were more efficient as less staff were needed. However, employees soon became to dislike Taylors approach to motivation as they were given boring, repetitive tasks and were being treated no better than human machines. Certain aspects of this theory do apply to Burger King. Burger King pays their employees hourly, not piece rate, and has set areas in which people work- these can either be tills or kitchen staff. This provides competition between the two areas which can build motivation as to which area can work the best. However Burger King wouldnt realistically be able to pay employees on their productivity as each area has different tasks, some of which cant be measured, such as working on the tills. This theory addresses mainly the performance of employees. Frederick Herzberg Herzberg believed in a two-factor theory of motivation. Job Enlargement- Workers would be given a greater range of tasks to perform (not essentially more challenging) which should make the work more interesting. Job Enrichment- Involvement of workers being given a wider variety of more intricate, interesting and demanding tasks surrounding a complete unit of work. This should then give a greater sense of achievement. Herzberg used a survey to investigate what people liked and disliked about their jobs and with these results he put them into two categories; motivators and Hygiene Factors. His two factor theorem is shown below: Motivators Hygiene Factors Achievement Company Policy Recognition of achievement Supervision Meaningful and interesting work Pay Responsibility Interpersonal Relations Advancement Working Conditions For Burger King they need to ensure that all hygiene factors are covered so that workers feel safe and happy to be working in a clean environment. For example clean work surfaces and floors. Burger King does already achieve highly good hygiene factors however theyre not providing the best motivation. With this they dont have any achievement within their working days and simply work for pay. This lacks fun and could mean that employees would work better if they had something to look forward to. This theory addresses both the needs and performance of employees. PEST In this section I am going to explain how PEST affects the recruitment process in Burger King. From identification of a role to managing change inside the company PEST influences how Burger King plans and responds to these influences as it effects the entire recruitment cycle. Pest analysis is concerned with the environmental influences on a business. PEST is an acronym which stands for: P- Political E- Economy S- Social T- Technology When referring to pest you need to think about the following: POLITICAL Local Authorities Central Government Parliament Minimum Wage Base Rates Privatisations ECONOMIC/ LEGAL Laws Health and Safety Dismissals Monopolies Mergers and Takeovers Consumer Protection SOCIAL Trends Laws Habits TECHNICAL ICT Telecommunications Production Human Resources Marketing PEST can be used by businesses to review a strategy or position, direction of a company, a marketing proposition, or idea. Many businesses use PEST analysis for business and strategic planning, marketing planning, business and product development and research reports. PEST analysis is most helpful before completing a SWOT analysis (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). PEST can essentially be useful when a business is expanding into new countries and markets as it helps guide a company from making costly mistakes, unfounded assumptions, and help effectively adapt well into a new environment, when considering recruitment and selection. Pest in terms of Burger King Political Minimum Wage- At present Burger King do comply with the national minimum wage, however if they were to expand into new countries the minimum wage may be different. If it were increased it would mean that Burger King would be paying more for staff and may have fewer funds for other factors of the business such as new technology. If the minimum wage was decreased then this would mean more funds for other factors of the business. Laws- Burger King needs to take into consideration different laws in different countries. In some countries the consequences of breaking these laws could be ominous especially in China where they use capital punishment. Also laws that in force who can be employed by Burger King, for example women and children. Economic Health Safety- Burger King need to ensure that their health and safety is of the highest standards. If Burger King were to expand into less developed countries it may mean that they need to improve their health safety aspects. Therefore they would need to consider training within their recruitment process. Monopolies Mergers Takeovers- If Burger King where to expand into other countries they need to ensure that there arent other fast food restaurants who dominate the fast food market as they are less likely to build there own customer base. Also less people would be willing to work for them compared to competing restaurants, which would mean Burger Kings recruitment levels would fall. However, if other countries have fast food restaurants that are not well known, Burger King may be able to takeover these smaller restaurants and expand the Burger King brand. Social Trends- Burger King needs to take into account what the favourite foods are in certain countries. For example the Whooper Burger may be favourable in certain countries but in others it may be the Cheese Burger. Habits- As Burger King operate in a number of countries they need to be aware of the language barriers which will occur. To ensure these are fulfilled Burger King needs to employee staff who speak the language of the country they are operating in. Therefore training aids would have to be converted into the chosen language. Technical ICT- As technology is always changing and more developed in certain countries, Burger King needs to ensure that they are up-to-date if they want to be the best fast food restaurant. For instance they need the best till operations so that transactions are fast and comply with the five minute rule. Also as technology changes it will affect the job training that Burger King offers employees. Production- If Burger King used advanced technology it may mean that they could produce their products in bulk and therefore save time and reduce the costs of their production. With production being affected Burger King would have to look at how to ensure consistency in training and staff development. Through using PEST Burger King can evaluate what areas they need to consider when expanding into new countries. It would be beneficial to use PEST as it would be easier for Burger King to adapt to new surroundings if they knew the trends and laws they need to abide to. This means that in the future they could expand into new countries with less difficulty. Recruitment Documents In this section I have created my own personal specification and Job description and will evaluate individually. Job Description Post Title: Manager Responsible to: Director External Contexts: Members of public and other stakeholders Internal Contexts: Other managers and all general staff Salary: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12,600 Job Purpose To take responsibility for your section by making key decisions, ordering goods and leading, motivating and training your team. To enthusiastically lead and motivate the restaurant team to achieve the highest standards levels of customer service satisfaction. Main Duties and Responsibilities * Manages all daily operations of Burger King to maximise sales and a positive customer experience. * Motivating and training your team to ensure the very highest standards are maintained. * Ensures great food is promptly delivered in a clean and inviting environment. * Take full responsibility for your section to ensure that all transactions run smoothly. * Ensures that each visit by a customer results in a friendly and personalised service. Rewards In return for your dedication and hard work we offer a competitive salary as well as the following benefits: * Medical and Dental insurance * Paid holidays * Vision Care * Life insurance * Bonus Program * Career Advancement Opportunities Analysis of Job Description A job description is a written statement of what a job holder does how it is done, why it is done and the skills needed to perform the job. These include the purpose, duties, equipment used, qualifications, training, physical and metal demands and working conditions. I have created a job description for a managerial position at Burger King. I believe that my job description is effective as the main purpose of it is to describe the roles and duties that the job position undertakes. These need to be in a job description so that the potential employee knows what duties they will be carrying out if they apply for the job. Also in my job description I have added in the rewards of working as a manager in Burger King so that new recruits can see what they will get in return for their dedication to the job. This is effective because it could persuade them to take the job as there are many benefits. I have chosen to layout my job description with headings and sub-headings for each section as it brakes down the information and provides a well ordered recruitment document. Also I researched into the types of job descriptions that Burger King use and used this as a template. Also, I have used the Burger King logo at the top of my document so that all candidates can see what the job is for, before actually reading it. By creating a job description it ensures that only people who believe they can complete the duties of a manager apply to the job and therefore do not waste the time of Burger King. Personal Specification Job Title: Burger King Manager Responsible to: Director Salary: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12,600 There are a number of qualities that we look for in our manager. These consist of: * Adaptable in all situations * Initiative to deal with tricky situations * Good communication skills * Good Customer Relations * Enthusiastic and energised * Flexibility * Team work * Respect for others * Pride in performance Burger King takes pride in being one of the leading fast food retailers. Our managers need to have the skills to motivate their team and the assertiveness to ensure all work is done smoothly. Also both written and communication skills will be required as you will be working with people daily and also need to write reports on your employees, to ensure that their progression is recorded. The relevant work experience that we look for is four or more years in a management or supervisory capacity in a restaurant or in the retail/ hospitality industry. Qualifications The qualifications we require for our managers are: * High school diploma or equivalent, with two years of college or equivalent preferred * Strong math and Windows-based computer literacy * Reliable Transportation * Open/Flexible Schedule Analysis of Personal Specification A personal specification is drawn up from the job description and describes the knowledge, skills and attributes that are essential to perform jobs. The criteria must be specific, measurable, and justifiable in relation to the job requirements. I have created a personal specification for a managerial position at Burger King. I have created my personal specification so that it relates to my job description and reflects the skills required for competency in the role, as directed in the job description. I believe that this is effective so that the skills on my personal specification relate to the job in hand. My personal specification is successful as is it contains both the skills and qualifications needed to comply with the job. These are needed in a personal specification so that potential employees know what they need to have a chance with getting the job. Without these, Burger King would get too many people applying for the job who are not suitable. I have chosen to layout my job specification with headings, sub-headings and bullet points for key information as this brakes down the information and provides a well ordered recruitment document. Also I researched into the types of job descriptions that Burger King use and used this as a template. Also, I have used the Burger King logo at the top of my document so that all candidates can see what the job is for, before actually reading it. By creating a personal specification it ensures that only people with the given qualities and qualifications apply to the job and therefore do not waste the time of Burger King. Interview Process In this section I am going to explain the preparation of an interview, what a good interview consists of and analyse an interview that was carried out. An interview is a conversation between two or more people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee. Interviews can be divided into two rough types, interviews of assessment and interviews for information. Preparation for an Interview Before an interview can take place there are a number of factors that need to be considered. Firstly, a business needs to have already produced a job description and personal specification, to which they can compare the candidates qualities and previous work experience to. Not only can these documents help identify a candidates personality traits but also a guide to base the interviewers questions around. Before an interview can take place it is essential you know you are going to ask the candidate. These questions need to relate to all recruitment documents including the personal specification, job description and job advert as they focus on the type of employee needed for their company. The questions need to test the candidate on whether their skills are the best suited for the job in hand and to see how they compare to other potential employees. Questions for Interview It is vital that the right sorts of questions are asked during an interview as these will determine whether the candidate suits the job or not. To get the most potential from a candidate it is in the best interest of the business to ask both open and closed questions. A closed question limits responses to a set number of options, such as yes and no, however these could be used at the beginning of an interview to create a more welcoming atmosphere, for example, How are you? Open questions require the person answering to provide a response in their own words, for example, How would you motivate a team? These questions are essential to find out the most about a person including key areas such as skills, qualities and personality. The key to any good interview is to develop on the answers given by the candidate and extend the knowledge of that area, i.e. What examples could you give me of when you have carries that out? The questions asked need to be relevant to the position advertised which is why relating them to the recruitment documents are so important. If you are interviewing for a managerial position you wouldnt ask, How would you deal with difficult customers? as it is unlikely for a manager to spend much time communicating with customers. The Interview Task For this task we were put into groups and carried out a panel interview for a managerial post at Burger King. Before we carried our interview out for a managerial position at Burger King there were a number of factors we needed to consider: * What questions would be suitable and relate to the recruitment documents. * What were the main skills we were looking for to fulfil the position. * How did their personality reflect their interest in working for Burger King. * How were we going to judge their: Appearance Attitude Body language As the interviewers we decided that it was a necessity for us to dress smart as we would be representing Burger King. On our panel we had three people, all carrying out the same role of asking the candidate questions in turn. We used three people as we were interviewing for a managerial position, which we believe would require more than one opinion on the candidates. This way the interview is less biased towards the potential employee as there is more than one opinion. The type of questions we decided we were going to ask was: * Did you find us ok? This helped to create a welcoming atmosphere, to calm any nerves of the candidate. * How have leadership skills benefited you in your previous job? This helps the interviewer get a greater understanding of a candidates previous work experience. This could also be checked up on through references. * How do you think your managerial skills can help our business? This helps the interviewee voice the skills and qualities they could potentially bring to Burger King. This is an open question which candidates could go into depth with and best promote themselves. * What do you know about the history of the company? This allows the interviewer to see how much a candidate actually knows about the business of whom they may be soon working for. The more they know about the business suggests the more interested they of having a long-term career there. * If one of the workers was not working to the full of there potential, how would you motivate them? This is an essential question to be asked for a managerial position as they would be in charge of a team, or which they will need to motivate to work well. * If there was an unsatisfied customer, how would you deal with them? This can help the employer get a fuller understanding of how the candidate would work on the spot and in tricky situations. * If one of your employees were late more than once, how would you deal with this? This is a good indication of how the potential employee would discipline their staff. Analysis of my Interview During our five minute interview we were able to ask a variety of questions relating to the role of manager as Burger King. For this position, we were looking for a candidate with previous managerial experience, who had a keen interest in the history of Burger King and presented themselves well. Whilst carrying out the interview there were a number of things that our group did well: * Asked questions relating to the position of manager. * Asked both open and closed questions. * Kept eye contact with candidates whilst answering and asking questions. * Showed a keen interest in what the candidate had to say. * Had an open body posture, i.e. Arms on the desk not crossed. 1 http://www.burgerking.co.uk/CompanyInfo/careers/index.aspx 2 http://www.burgerking.co.uk/CompanyInfo/careers/index.aspx 3 http://teenzone.monster.co.uk/articles/fastfood/page4/

Examining The Blood Disorder Of Haemophilia Biology Essay

Examining The Blood Disorder Of Haemophilia Biology Essay Haemophilia, or hemophilia is a group of inherited blood disorders in which the blood does not clot properly. Known as a rare disease to individuals, Haemophilia has two main inheritable types, Haemophilia and Haemophilia B. Haemophilia is due in part to defective blood vessels, coagulation mechanisms or blood platelets. An affected individual may bleed spontaneously or for longer than a healthy person after injury or surgery. The paper will discuss in detail and in parts what exactly these diseases are, who suffers from them, what causes them, characteristic traits, statistics, locations , what are symptoms and treatments , research on the subject as well the social impact of these diseases. Many of those who suffer from these diseases have many changes and things they must do so they will not die from the complications of their diseases. The paper uses much information from many distinguished sources and cites them at the end of the paper. The paper also uses diagrams to help show how the genetics of passing down the defective genes. What is Haemophilia ? Hemophilia is a group of inherited blood disorders in which the blood does not clot properly. Known as a rare disease Bleeding disorders are due in part to defectsive blood vessels, coagulation mechanisms or blood platelets. An affected individual may bleed spontaneously or for longer than a healthy person after injury or surgery. The blood coagulation mechanism is a process which transforms the blood from a liquid into a solid, and involves several different clotting factors. The mechanism generates fibrin when it is activated, which together with the platelet plug, stops the bleeding. When coagulation factors are missing or deficient the blood does not clot properly and bleeding continues. Hemophilia can be divided into two major types: hemophilia A or hemophilia B. 9 out of 10 people who have hemophilia will have type A hemophilia which means the body is missing or has low levels of clotting factor 8. If the person has type B, then they are missing or have low levels of clotting f actor 9. In addition, hemophilia is usually genetically acquired but some can develop hemophilia during their lifetime. This can happen if the body forms to the clotting factors in your bloodstream. The antibodies can prevent the clotting factors from working. What causes haemophilia ? Haemophilia is caused by a malfunction in the X chromosome. To most recessive sex-linked, X chromosome disorders, haemophilia is more likely to occur in males rather than females. This is because females have two X chromosomes while males have only one, lacking a back up copy for the defective gene; meaning, the defective gene is guaranteed to manifest in any male who carries it. Because females have two X chromosomes and because haemophilia is rare, the chance of a female having two defective copies of the gene is very low, thus females are almost exclusively asymptomatic carriers of the disorder. Female carriers may inherit the defective gene from either their mother, father, or it may be a new mutation. Only under rare circumstances do females actually have haemophilia. (Center for Disease Control) Who suffers from Haemophilia Females possess two X-chromosomes, males have one X and one Y chromosome. Since the mutations causing the disease are recessive, a woman carrying the defect on one of her X-chromosomes may not be affected by it, as the equivalent allele on her other chromosome should express itself to produce the necessary clotting factors. However, the Y-chromosome in men has no gene for factors VIII or IX. If the genes responsible for production of factor VIII or factor IX present on a males X-chromosome are deficient there is no equivalent on the Y-chromosome, so the deficient gene is not masked by the dominant allele and he will develop the illness. Since a male receives his single X-chromosome from his mother, the son of a healthy female silently carrying the deficient gene will have a 50% chance of inheriting that gene from her and with it the disease; and if his mother is affected with haemophilia, he will have a 100% chance of being a haemophiliac. While, for a female to inherit the disease, she must receive two deficient X-chromosomes, one from her mother and the other from her father (who must therefore be a haemophiliac himself). Hence haemophilia is far more common among males than females. However, it is possible for female carriers to become mild haemophiliacs due to inactivation of the X chromosomes. Haemophiliac daughters are more common than they once were, as improved treatments for the disease have allowed more haemophiliac males to survive to adulthood and become parents. Adult females may experience heavy periods due to the bleeding tendency. The pattern of inheritance is criss-cross type. This type of pattern i s also seen in colour blindness. A mother who is a carrier has a 50% chance of passing the faulty X chromosome to her daughter, while an affected father will always pass on the affected gene to his daughters. A son cannot inherit the defective gene from his father. As with all genetic disorders, it is of course also possible for a human to acquire it spontaneously through mutation, rather than inheriting it, because of a new mutation in one of their parents gametes. Spontaneous mutations account for about 33% of all cases of haemophilia A. About 30% of cases of haemophilia B are the result of a spontaneous gene mutation. Demographics/Location Haemophiliacsa re primarily male although there are a rare instances of femleas having it too. The disease it self does have any numbers to any particular ethnicity but Haemophilia was featured prominently in European royalty and thus is sometimes known as the royal disease. Queen Victoria passed the mutation to her son Leopold and, through several of her daughters, to various royals across the continent, including the royal families of Spain, Germany, and Russia. In Russia, Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, son of Nicholas II, was a descendant of Queen Victoria through his mother Empress Alexandra and suffered from haemophilia. Statistics Annual incidence of haemophilia is estimated at 1/5,000 male births and the prevalence is estimated at 1/12,000. About 400 babies are born with hemophilia each year. The exact number of people living with hemophilia in the United States is not knownbut the current estimate is about 20,000. In the United States, most people with hemophilia are diagnosed at a very young age. What Symptoms are shown? The major signs and symptoms of hemophilia are excessive bleeding and easy bruising. Bleeding can occur on externally or internally. Signs of excessive external bleeding include: bleeding in the mouth from a cut or bite or from cutting or losing a tooth, nosebleeds, heavy bleeding from a minor cut, bleeding from a cut that resumes after stopping for a short time. Signs of internal bleeding include blood in the urine (from bleeding in the kidneys or bladder) and blood in the stool (from bleeding in the intestines or stomach). Internal bleeding in the brain is a very serious complication of hemophilia that can happen after a simple bump on the head or a more serious injury. Many serious complications can also arise from bleeding into various body systems. Hemarthrosis is a bleeding into joint spaces and may be prevalent to those with a more serius from of the disease. How is it Diagnosed? Genetic testing and genetic counselling is recommended for families with haemophilia. Prenatal testing, such as amniocentesis, is available to pregnant women who may be carriers of the condition. Based on CDC data, the median age at diagnosis is 36 months for people with mild hemophilia, 8 months for those with moderate hemophilia, and 1 month for those with severe hemophilia. In about two thirds of cases, there is a family history of hemophilia. The diagnosis of hemophilia is made using a special blood test and most babies can be tested soon after birth. Sometimes prenatal genetic testing is done to diagnose hemophilia before birth. Research With the severe problems that arise with Haemophilia, numerous doctors are currently working to find a cure to treat this disease. One research study that may help to understand and find a cure dealt with Inhibitors in mild/moderate haemophilia A. Haemophilia A is caused by a deficiency of factor (F) VIII. Therapy is based on the replacement of FVIII to haemostatically adequate levels for the prevention or treatment of bleeds. Inhibitors neutralising the haemostatic effects of FVIII have been recognised as a complication of haemophilia since the introduction of replacement therapy. In MMHA, they occur later in life than in severe haemophilia and are generally associated with a change in bleeding pattern. Many of these patients experience severe spontaneous bleeding in joints and muscles Two cases were studied , patient 1 and patient 2. In the first , the patient was given drugs that prevented the formation of inhibitors and allowed the factor to prevail. In patient 2 , the patient re ceived a different treatment and still getting that treatment ot prevent inhibitors from forming. In the second the patient did not get the same type of treatment and thus still suffered from bleeding. A range of therapeutic options to eradicate the inhibitor is currently available and a variety of treatments can also be used to treat the bleeding episodes. However, the optimal treatment regimen for the eradication of inhibitors in MMHA and for the treatment of bleeding episodes have yet to be established. Social Impact Many think people with hemophilia cannot live a normal life, which is not true. In order for people with hemophilia to live normal lives, they must take steps to prevent bleeding problems. The first step they do is to get in contact with the federal government about finding a hemophilia treatment center. This center will provide resources for families and people affected by hemophilia. Precautions one can take to avoid complications is to follow your treatment plan exactly, get regular checkups and vaccinations, and tell all of your health care providers that you have hemophilia, get regular dental care, and know the signs and symptoms of bleeding in joints and other parts of the body. People who have mild hemophilia can take part in a variety of activities. Those who have severe hemophilia should avoid contact sports and other activities that are likely to lead to injuries that could cause bleeding. Physical therapists at Hemophilia Treatment Centers can develop exercise programs tailored to your needs and teach you how to exercise safely. Its usually not safe for people who have bleeding problems to participate in contact sports, such as football, hockey, and wrestling and thus they should exercise extreme caution.. To prevent bleeding, one may be able to take clotting factors prior to exercise or a sporting event. Patients with hemophilia should avoid medicines that increase the risk of bleeding like aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines and should go to a doctort if there is bruising or tingling in their joints as this may cause them to bleed internally.

Literature Supports Trigger-Dispersion Theory :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Literature Supports Trigger-Dispersion Theory Having seen epileptic seizures and talking qualitatively about the experience with people who have epilepsy, I made five basic hypotheses about epilepsy. I collectively call these hypotheses my trigger dispersion theory of epilepsy. My five hypotheses are: 1 There is an area in the brain where abnormal firing associated with seizures begins. I will call this area the trigger area. From the trigger area, abnormal firing spreads to other areas of the brain compromising the function of the affected area. 2 There is a stimulus either external or internal which excites the trigger area. I will call this stimulus the trigger. The trigger can be very specific. 3 The first area affected after the trigger area is sensory. 4 The abnormal firing spreads from the sensory area to an area for motor control. In this paper, I will go through the hypotheses of the trigger-dispersion theory and discuss literature that supports each hypothesis. Hypothesis 1- There is an area in the brain where abnormal firing associated with seizures begins. I will call this area the trigger area. From the trigger area, abnormal firing spreads to other areas of the brain compromising the function of the affected area. During a seizure, certain cells (a seizure focus) begin to fire rapidly. In fact, nerve cells in the brain fire electrical impulses at a rate of up to four times higher than normal during a seizure (5) . This abnormal firing is spread this to other neighboring cells. In the brain of an epileptic, there is not enough inhibitory neurotransmitters to stop the spread of the abnormal firing (2) . In the 1800s, it was noted by Jackson that epileptic seizures begin in isolated parts of the body such as the thumb and from there spread to neighboring regions perhaps the arm and then to the rest of the body. He hypothesized that there were areas in cerebral cortex that controlled isolated movements and that the areas that were adjacent in the brain were anatomically adjacent as well. Therefore, a seizure began in one area and spread to the rest of the cortex. His hypothesis was later substantiated by Fritsch and Hittig's excitation experiments on motor cortex or area 4. It is a band of neural tissue on the cerebral cortex lying on precentral fissure. The body's movements are mapped out on this band giving rise to the spreading fashion that Jackson described during seizures (6) .

Pro Death Penalty Essay -- Capital Punishment essays research papers

Capital punishment and the practice of the death penalty is an issue that is passionately debated in the United States. Opponents of the death penalty claim that capital punishment is unnecessary since a life sentence accomplishes the same objective. What death penalty opponents neglect to tell you is that convicted murders and child rapists escape from prison every year(List of prison escapes, 2015). As I write this essay, police are searching for two convicted murders who escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York on June 6th, 2015. The ONLY punishment from which one cannot escape is the death penalty. Opponents of the death penalty believe capital punishment is unnecessary and inappropriate in our modern society. In their minds, such an act by the government serves no positive social purpose and only denigrates life (Death Penalty Focus, 2015). On the other hand, those in favor of capital punishment, including the US Supreme Court, see the death penalty as the proper punishment for certain criminals who have committed specific crimes. Supporters also argue that the death penalty is a necessary deterrent to saving innocent lives (Pro-Death Penalty, 2014). Based on my research of this issue I tend to agree with the death penalty advocates and believe that execution is the appropriate sentence and punishment for capital offenses. There are six main rationales for abolishing the practice of capital punishment that are commonly heard. One reason is that capital punishment does not deter crime. Anti-death penalty advocates contend that scientific studies consistently fail to demonstrate that executions discourage people from committing crime (Death Penalty Focus, 2015). Another reason for stopping the death penalty is because it can and has been inflicted on innocent people. In addition, abolitionists suggest that the US is unable to prevent such occurrences (Death Penalty Focus, 2015). A third rationale is that the death penalty discriminates against certain ethnic and racial groups. According to Justice Department figures, nearly 80 percent of inmates on death row are Black, Hispanic or from another minority group (Eddlem, 2002). Yet another reason for abolishing capital punishment is that the death penalty is often applied at random. â€Å"Politics, quality of legal counsel and the jurisdiction where a crime is committed are more... ... it achieves justice. In my opinion, people who commit heinous crimes against humanity should be executed. Regardless of cost or how long it takes I believe that putting these people to death is the correct sentence, not only because I feel that they deserve to die but because the death penalty is a deterrent and society is better off without these criminals. Therefore I agree with supporters of capital punishment and that the death penalty should remain in existence. My research further solidified my position because I felt that the arguments in favor of capital punishment clearly debunked many of the reasons for abolishment by the anti-death penalty movement. References Death Penalty Focus (2015). Facts. Web. 8 June 2015. http://www.deathpenalty.org/index.php?pid=facts Eddlem, T. R. (2004). Ten Anti-Death Penalty Fallacies.The New American. 2002. Web. 10 June 2015. http://www.thenewamerican.com/tna/2002/06-03-2002/vo18no11_fallacies.htm Pro-Death Penalty (2014). Death Penalty Paper. Web. 8 June 2015. http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/DP.html "List of prison escapes" Wikipedia 2015. Web. 8 June 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_prison_escapes

Heart Of Darkness :: essays research papers

The infinite battle between good and evil can destroy, refine, or rebuild the human soul by means of choice. However, good is stronger than evil and someday, the power of good will dominate. In the novel Heart of Darkness, Conrad illustrates pure evil and its capability to consume one’s soul. The title Heart of Darkness symbolizes the true evil in man, the improper use of knowledge and the downfall of civilization. “I’ve seen the devil of violence, and the devil of greed, and the devil of hot desire; but by all stars! These were strong, lusty, red-eyed devils, that swayed and drove men—men, I tell you.'; (Conrad, 81). Violence, greed and passionate desires are elements that help unleash the evil that lurks in man, which symbolizes the Heart of Darkness. The character change of Kurtz is an example of this evil. Kurtz is first describe as “a very remarkable person'; by the accountant. "Mr. Kurtz was at present in charge of a trading post, a very important one, in the ivory-country,… Sends in as much ivory as all the others put together." (Conrad, 84) However, when Kurtz experience power, greed overcomes him and he uses his intelligence and violence to accomplish his passionate desire. “ He is an emissary of pity and science and progress; and devil knows what else.'; (Conrad, 92). It is believed that there is evil in everyone and it can be triggered by mere stupidity of man. The evil in Kurtz is unleashed because he choose his deep desires for ivory and did not look ahead in the future of what will become of him. Consequently, his soul is consumed for eternal damnation. "The improper use of knowledge is another example that symbolizes the Heart of Darkness. One of Kurtz’s advantages is his deep voice and his ability to speak. That man could talk. He electrified large meetings. He had faith-don’t you see? –he had the faith. He could get himself to believe anything-anything. He would have been a splendid leader of an extreme party." (Conrad, 151) Kurtz used his knowledge about the weather and his power of speech to manipulate the natives into believing that he was a god. "He was not afraid of the natives; they would not stir till Mr. Kurtz gave the word. His ascendancy was extraordinary. The camps of these people surrounded the place, and the chiefs came everyday and they would crawl… ‘I don’t want to know anything of the ceremonies used when approaching Mr.

Empirical Analysis of Internet User in Dhaka City

Empirical analysis of internet user in Dhaka city BY Md. Faisal BBA (Studying) 4th year Major in International Business Faculty of Business Studies University of Dhaka Email:faisal. [email  protected] com Customer Analysis A questionnaire survey method has been used to analyze the customer of internet services in Dhaka city. We basically tried to find the percentage of internet user, using pattern, nature of expenditure, satisfaction level, and the opportunity for a new business to enter into the market. The percentage of internet user in Dhaka City Among all respondents of our survey, 78% people use internet and the rest 22% do not use internet. This is given in the following graph: Figure1. 1: The percentage of internet user in Dhaka City From the above figure, we can easily understand the percentage of internet user in Dhaka City. Among all 78%user, majority are students, businessman, and private employee. On the other hand among all 22%non user, majority are government employee, small and medium (SME) business owner. Using pattern There are many internet services provider in Dhaka City that provide different internet package. As a result the using pattern of people is different. Using pattern can be divided into the following categories: A) Forms of internet used by the people B) Brand preferences C) Package preference A) Forms of internet used by the people Internet can be divided into different forms. These are: (A1) Broadband internet (A2) Wireless Modem (A3) Mobile Internet (A4) Wi-Fi In Dhaka city, people use different forms of internet. The graphical figure of different forms used by the people is given below: Figure: 1. 2 Forms of internet used by the people (%) The figure (1. 2) shows that 74% people use wireless modem, 17% use broadband internet, 7%use mobile internet and 2% use Wi-Fi. This figure clearly mentions that people prefer wireless modem over broadband internet. The reasons are the following: (1)Wireless modem internet provides better speed than broadband. (2)Low connection Cost (3)Prepaid package (4)Suitable for both Desktop computer and the Laptop The people specially the university student have the facility to use Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi coverage area is very limited in Dhaka City. Some people also use mobile interne B) Brand preferences Many companies in Dhaka city provide internet services. These are the followings: A)Broadband Services provider B)Banglalion Wimax C)Qubee D)Citycell E)Airtel F)Robi G)Banglalink H)GP People use Different Brand. Brand preferences are shown in the following graph: Figure: 1. 3 Brand Preferences The above figure shows that 17% people use broadband internet,30%use banglalion wimax,23%use qubee,7. 5%use citycell ,2. 5%use airtel,and20. 51%use Grameenphone (GP) internet. We can say from our survey that top two brands are banglalion and qubee. Others are the broadbandservics provider, GP, citycell and the airtel. C) Package preference There are many types of internet packages are available . People use different package based on their demand, cost structure, and brand preferences. The following graph shows the different packages used by the people: Figure: 1. 3 package preferences According to the figure 1. 3, it is clear that 43. 5%people use unlimited package, 7. 39%people use internet minipac, 5. 51%people use a package that has limitations of more than 800MB. 35. 56% people use 800MB-1GB package, 7. 69% use 1-2. 5GB package. And 2. 56% use other package. Basically business man and rich people prefer unlimited package. On the other hand students and low income group normally prefer the rest of the package. So 56. 5% do not prefer unlimited package. So the internet services provider of Dhaka city must be careful about this issues while developing new packages. 3. 3: Nature of Expenditure Expenditure for using internet services can be divided into two parts. These are: 1. Initial Connection Charge 2. Monthly using charge 1. Initial connection Charge: If anyone wants to use internet services, first they have to pay for their connection. Connection charge varies from company to company. In Dhaka city the range of connection charge is BDT 1000-3500. 2. Monthly using Charge: Monthly using charge depends on the internet packages which are used by the internet user in Dhaka city. The following table shows the monthly for different packages: Packages Monthly Payment UnlimitedMore than 1000 taka Minipac internetLess than 250 taka 450MB-800MB250-300 taka 800MB-1GB300-350 taka 1GB-2. 5GB350-600taka 2. 5-5GB600-750taka Table 1. 1: Monthly using charge From table 1. 1 we have found that there is a correlation between the internet packages and monthly payment. When the using volume increases the monthly expenditure also increases. 3. 4: Satisfaction level When the people were asked whether they satisfied or not about their internet services, majority replied that they are not satisfied. The following figure shows the satisfaction level of the internet user in Dhaka city: Figure 1. 4: Satisfaction level of the Internet User in Dhaka City The above figure shows that 71. 79% internet users are dissatisfied with their current package. The rest 30. 76% are satisfied. The main reasons of Dissatisfaction are the slow browsing and download speed. From our survey, we found that 96% people get browsing speed less than 256kbps. Only 4% people get browsing speed more than 256kbps. In case of download speed, 30%people get speed less than 20kbps. 35. 89% people get the speed which range is 20-50kbps. 30. 6% people get the speed which range is 50-80kbps. And 5. 12% people get speed more than 100kbps. Because of these slow speeds the internet user has to spend long time to download anything from internet. It also increases their opportunity cost. So they are dissatisfied. Opportunity for a new business to enter into the market: â€Å"Is there any opportunity for a new business to enter into the market? † the answer is yes. The following arguments support this answer: Among all respondents of our survey, 78% people use internet and the rest 22% do not use internet. The user rate is very high. So we can say that the market is potential. Demand is there. Through analysis this demand, a new firm can enter into the market. When the people were asked whether they satisfied or not about their internet services, 71. 79% replied that they are not satisfied. But still they are using internet services. They want to get better. All will prefer high speed internet services. About 67. 85% people suggested to have unlimited packages and they are ready to pay on an average 750 taka per month for their packages. About 32. 15% people suggested having minimum 3GB internet packages and they are ready to pay on an average 350 taka per month for their packages. They are ready to switch their services if any company can satisfy their demand. If a new firm can think that they will satisfy the needs of the customer, they can easily enter into the market. The market is really potential. Many people do not use internet because of their low income level. The price of desktop computer or a laptop is high. But recently Bangladesh has produced its own laptop and notebook at more reasonable prices. The brand name is DOEL. Still now it is not available in the local market. Recently our government has said these laptop and notebook will be available in the market as early as possible. When these will be available in the market, the computer user will be increased. As a result the internet user will also be increased. So it will become an opportunity for a new business to enter into the market. The need of information is increasing rapidly. Internet is the major sources of information. Increasing information needs can be a major opportunity for a new business to enter into the market. The use of internet to market, sells, promote, or buy a product or services are increasing rapidly. This may be another opportunity for a new business to enter into the market.

Genetic Diversity

Mutations are various forms of changes in ones DNA’s structure or makeup. This abnormality can happen for various reasons such as chemical misuse, harmful viruses or environment factors. When a mutation occurs in ones genetic structure, there is often a push to find out what went wrong and if it was a onetime occurrence or a genetic abnormality that no one in the family knew about until the recent discovery. This genetic abnormality occurs when there is a dominant gene which comes from a parent.This dominant gene attaches itself to a recessive gene and sparks a change in the genetic sequence of the offspring. This is most relevant as I was observing my nephew last weekend. My brother is â€Å"dark skinned†, tall and slim. My sister-in law is of French decent and full bodied while looking at my nephew, I ascertained that he is heading towards his mother’s side of the family he has the â€Å"fair skin, â€Å"finer grain of hair†, and the full body of his mo ther, thus his physical appearance is a mixture of both his mother’s and father’s genes along with a mutation of their DNA.Sexual Reproduction ensures life will continue no matter what happens. As genes are exchanged between two potential parents, the resulting offspring ends up with a combination of genes from both parents which then in turn gives them their own genetic makeup. This can lead to an expansion in various parts of the world where there is a diverse genetic makeup of people. This is due to various factors such as economics, upward mobility and educational opportunities.When this occurs new communities develop, form and branch out spawning a growth in population and migration. As the various traits from one’s genetic makeup mixes with others of another makeup, this helps to further expand the world’s unique makeup among its various populations and cultures. As these factors come into play over and over again, this helps to ensure the possibili ty of cloning one’s self or someone else will never happen.This also ensures the population will continue to grow change and the diversity of it all helps to make the world we live in today all the more unique and complicated. As I reflect on my nephew’s own unique genetic makeup, I can’t help but wonder what his future will hold in regards to his own children, where he will migrate to and what he will contribute to leave his mark on the world. One can only hope that the traits and genes he has inherited from his mother and father will help him to reach his full potential.