The Cardiovascular System Essay Example for Free

The Cardiovascular System Essay The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, blood vessels and blood. The heart is a myogenic muscle, meaning that it can contract without any nervous supply. It is composed of cardiac muscle which is built up of cells that are connected by cytoplasmic bridges, allowing electrical impulses to cross. The four major functions of the cardiovascular system are: 1. To transport nutrients, gases and waste products around the body 2. To protect the body from infection and blood loss 3. To help the body maintain a constant body temperature (‘thermoregulation’) 4. To help maintain fluid balance within the body Delivery of Oxygen and Nutrients Removal of Waste Products: The cardiovascular system works as a transport network, linking all of the body parts via a system of Major routes (arteries and veins), Main routes (arterioles and venules) and Minor routes (capillaries). This network allows a non-stop transportation system, the blood, to add or remove different nutrients, gases, waste products and messages to different parts of the body. Important nutrients such as glucose are added from the digestive system to the major muscles and organs that require them for energy in order to execute their functions. Hormones, chemical messengers, are transported by the cardiovascular system to their target organs, and the many waste products of the body are transported to the lungs or urinary tract to be removed from the body. The cardiovascular system works in partnership with the respiratory system to deliver the oxygen needed to the tissues of the body and remove unnecessary and harmful carbon dioxide. To be able to do this efficiently and effectively, the cardiovascular system is comprised of two circuits. These circuits are known as the pulmonary circuit and the systemic circuit. The pulmonary circuit consists of the heart, lungs, pulmonary veins and pulmonary arteries. This circuit is responsible for pumping deoxygenated (blue) blood from the heart to the lungs in order for it to be able to be oxygenated (red) and return to the heart. The Pulmonary  circuit works out of the right side of the heart and feeds blood back into the left side. The systemic circuit consists of the heart and all the other arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins in the body that aren’t part of the pulmonary circuit. This circuit is responsible for pumping oxygenated (red) blood from the left side of the heart to all the tissues, muscles and organs in the body, to be able to provide them with the nutrients and gases they need to be able to execute their specific functions. After it has delivered the oxygen needed, the systemic circuit is then responsible for picking up the waste carbon dioxide and returning this in the now deoxygenated (blue) blood, back to the lungs, where it will enter the pulmonary circuit to become oxygenated again. Maintenance of constant body temperature (thermoregulation): The average core body temperature range for a healthy adult is expected to be between 36.1 °C and 37.8 °C, with 37 °C being known as ‘normal’ body temperature. If the body’s temperature drops anywhere below this essential range it is known as hypothermia and if it rises above this essential range it is known as hyperthermia. As the body’s temperature moves further into hypo or hyperthermia they will become life threatening. Because of this, the body works continuously, with the help of the cardiovascular system, to maintain its core temperature within the normal healthy range. This process of temperature regulation is known as thermoregulation and the cardiovascular system plays an important and essential part. Temperature changes that may occur within the body are detected immediately by sensory receptors called thermoreceptors, which in turn communicate information about these changes to the hypothalamus in the brain. When a substantial change in temperature is recorded, the hypothalamus reacts by initiating certain specific mechanisms in order to return the core temperature back to a safe temperature range. There are four place in the body where these adjustments in temperature can occur, they are: 1. Sweat glands: These glands are instructed to release sweat onto the surface of the skin when either the blood or skin temperature is detected to be well above a normal safe temperature. This allows heat to be lost through evaporation and cools down the skin so that blood that has been sent to the skin can be cooled down. b. Smooth muscle around arterioles: Large increases in temperature will result in the smooth muscle in the walls of arterioles being triggered to relax, causing vasodilation. This then causes an increase in the volume of blood flow to the skin, allowing cooling to occur. If however the thermoreceptors detect a cooling of the blood or skin then the hypothalamus reacts by sending a message to the smooth muscle of the arteriole walls causing the arterioles to vasoconstrict, this means reducing the blood flow to the skin and therefore helping to maintain the core body temperature. c. Skeletal muscle: When a drop in blood temperature is recorded the hypothalamus will also react by causing the skeletal muscles to start shivering. Shivering is caused by lots of very fast, small muscular contractions which then produce heat to help warm the blood d. Endocrine glands: The hypothalamus may trigger the release of hormones such as thyroxin, adrenalin and noradrenalin in response to the drops in blood temperature. These hormones all help to increase the body’s metabolic rate, which increases the production of heat. 2. Protection from infection and blood loss Blood contains three types of cells, these are listed below and shown in the images. 1. Red blood cells 2. White blood cells 3. Platelets Red blood cells: are solely responsible for transporting oxygen around the body to the important tissues and organs that require it. As oxygen enters the blood stream through the alveoli of the lungs, it binds to a necessary protein in the red blood cells called haemoglobin. white blood cells: A white blood cells job in the body is to detect foreign bodies or infections and envelop and kill them. When they detect and kill an infection they create antibodies for that particular infection which allows the immune system to act more quickly and efficiently against foreign bodies or infections it has come into contact with previously. Platelets: are cells which are responsible for clotting the blood, they stick to foreign particles or objects such as the edges of a cut. Platelets become connected with the help of fibrinogen, causing a clump to form which acts like a plug, blocking the hole in the broken blood vessel. On an external wound this would become a scab. If the body has a low level of platelets then blood clotting may not occur and bleeding can continue for long periods of time. Excessive blood loss can be fatal – this is why people with a condition known as haemophilia need medication else even minor cuts can become fatal as the bleeding will continue without a scab being formed. Alternatively, if platelet levels are excessively high then clotting within blood vessels can occur, leading to a stroke and/or heart attack. This is why many people with a history of cardiac problems are often prescribed medication to keep their blood thin to minimise the risk of clotting within their blood vessels. This medication will be blood thinners such as warfarin. 4. Maintaining fluid balance within the body The cardiovascular system works in connection with other body systems (nervous and endocrine) to maintain the balance of the body’s fluid levels. Fluid balance is essential in order to make sure that there is sufficient and efficient movement of electrolytes, nutrients and gases through the body’s cells. When the fluid levels in the body do not balance a state of dehydration or hyperhydration can occur, both of which effect normal body function and if left unchecked can become dangerous or even fatal. Dehydration is the excessive loss of body fluid, usually accompanied by an excessive loss of electrolytes. The symptoms of dehydration include; headaches, cramps, dizziness, fainting and raised blood pressure, the blood becomes thicker as its volume decreases requiring more force to pump it around the body. Hyperhydration on the other hand results from an excessive intake of water which pushes the normal balance of electrolytes outside of their safe limits. This can occur through long bouts of intensive exercise where  electrolytes are not replenished and excessive amounts of water are consumed. This can lead to internal drowning. This can also result in the recently consumed fluid rushing into the body’s cells, causing tissues to swell. If this swelling occurs in the brain it can put excessive pressure on the brain stem that may result in seizures, brain damage, coma or even death. Dehydration or a substantial loss of body fluid results in an increase in the concentration of substances within the blood (blood tonicity) and a decrease in blood volume. Where as hyperhydration or a gain in body fluid (intake of water) usually results in a reduction of blood tonicity and an increase in blood volume. Any change in blood tonicity and volume is detected by the kidneys and osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus. Osmoreceptors are specialist receptors that detect changes in the dilution of the blood. Basically they detect if we are hydrated (diluted blood) or dehydrated (less diluted blood). In response they release hormones which are transported by the cardiovascular system, through the blood, to act on main tissues such as the kidneys to increase or decrease urine production. Another way the cardiovascular system maintains fluid balance is by either dilating or constricting the blood vessels to increase or decrease the amount of fluid that can be lost through sweat. Blood Vessels: Arteries: Arteries are the main blood vessel in the body for carrying oxygenated blood. These vessels have thick walls to be able to withstand the high pressures of the oxygenated blood that they carry. Veins: Veins are the main vessel for carrying deoxygenated blood. These vessels have a large lumen and thinner walls as the blood they carry is not as high pressure. Veins can be categorized into four main types: pulmonary, systemic, superficial, and deep veins. Arterioles: A small branch of an artery that leads to a capillary. The oxygenated hemoglobin (oxyhemoglobin) makes the blood in arterioles (and arteries) look bright red. Arterioles are smaller in diameter to arteries and are located further away from the heart where blood pressure is lower. Venules: Smaller branches of veins that lead to a capillary. These transport deoxygenated blood like veins but are smaller in size. Capillaries: Capillaries are extremely small vessels located within  the tissues of the body that transport blood from the arteries to the veins. Fluid exchange between capillaries and body tissues takes place at capillary beds. . The Respiratory System Respiratory System: Oxygen Delivery System The main function of the respiratory system is to supply the blood with oxygen so that the blood can deliver oxygen to all parts of the body. The respiratory system does this through breathing. When we breathe, we inhale oxygen (O2) and exhale carbon dioxide (CO2). This exchange of gases is the respiratory systems way of transporting oxygen to the blood. Respiration is achieved through the mouth, nose, trachea, lungs, and diaphragm. Oxygen enters the system through the mouth and the nose and then passes through the larynx and the trachea, which is a tube that enters the chest. In the chest, the trachea splits into two slightly smaller tubes called the bronchi. Each bronchus is then divided again, forming the bronchioles.The end of the bronchioles are tiny sacs called alveoli. The average adult will have about 600 million of these spongy, air-filled sacs in their lungs. These sacs are surrounded by capillaries for efficient gas exchange. This oxygen that has been inhaled passes into the alveoli and then diffuses through the cell walls of the alveoli into the capillaries and thus into the arterial blood. At the same time, the waste-rich blood from the veins releases carbon dioxide into the alveoli. The carbon dioxide follows the same path out of the lungs when you exhale. The diaphragms job is to help pump the carbon dioxide out of the lungs and pull the oxygen into the lungs. The diaphragm is a sheet of muscles that lies across the bottom of the chest cavity. As the diaphragm contracts and relaxes, breathing takes place. When the diaphragm contracts, oxygen is pulled into the lungs. When the diaphragm relaxes, carbon dioxide is pumped out of the lungs. The respiratory system is divided into two main components: Upper respiratory tract: Composed of the nose, the pharynx, and the larynx, the organs of the upper respiratory tract are located outside the chest  cavity. Nasal cavity: Inside the nose, the sticky mucous membrane lining the nasal cavity traps dust particles, and tiny hairs called cilia help move them to the nose to be sneezed or blown out. Sinuses: These air-filled spaces along side the nose help make the skull lighter. Pharynx: Both food and air pass through the pharynx before reaching their appropriate destinations. The pharynx also plays a role in speech. Larynx: The larynx is essential to human speech. Lower respiratory tract: Composed of the trachea, the lungs, and all segments of the bronchial tree (including the alveoli), the organs of the lower respiratory tract are located inside the chest cavity. Trachea: Located just below the larynx, the trachea is the main airway to the lungs. Lungs: Together the lungs form one of the body’s largest organs. They’re responsible for providing oxygen to capillaries and exhaling carbon dioxide. Bronchi: The bronchi branch from the trachea into each lung and create the network of intricate passages that supply the lungs with air. Diaphragm: The diaphragm is the main respiratory muscle that contracts and relaxes to allow air into the lungs. Gas Exchange Gas exchange is the diffusion of Oxygen from the alveoli into the blood flow and the waste Carbon Dioxide (CO2) that is situated in the blood flow passing back into the alveoli to be breathed out. Each tiny alveoli is covered in a network of capillaries which make this process easier. †¢We breathe in air, containing 21% Oxygen †¢The air reaches the alveoli. Here the Oxygen passes through the alveoli walls and into the surrounding capillaries †¢The oxygen then enters the red blood cells where it combines with haemoglobin to form oxyhaemoglobin †¢It will now travel around the body to where it is needed, such as our important organs and muscles †¢At the same time, Carbon Dioxide, a waste product, is collected from the muscles and organs, into the blood stream †¢When back at the lungs the CO2 diffuses out of the blood, into the alveoli to be breathed out †¢The cycle continues as more Oxygen is received into the blood flow. The body uses Oxygen and creates waste Carbon Dioxide because of the volumes  of both gases in the air we breath in and out: Air breathed in Air breathed out Oxygen 21% 17% Carbon Dioxide 0.04% 4% This table shows that we use some of the Oxygen we breathe in, as less is breathed out. This is because some oxygen is retained in the lungs as residual volume so that it can be used as an emergency store. It also shows that we produce CO2 as there is more in the air we breathe out. Breathing Breathing in is known as inspiration Breathing out is known as expiration The intercostal muscles are positioned inbetween our ribs The Diaphragm is a sheet of muscle which sits under the ribs and lungs Inspiration To be able to draw air into our lungs, the volume of the chest, or thoracic cavity must increase. This happens because the Intercostal muscles and the diaphragm contract. The rib cage moves up and out and the diaphragm flattens to increase the space in the thoratic cavity. This decreases the air pressure within our lungs, causing air to rush in from outside. Expiration At the end of a breath, the intercostal muscles and diaphragm will relax, returning to their starting position, which will decrease the size of the thoracic cavity. The decreased space and increased air pressure in the lungs forces air out Lung Capacity Human lungs will hold varying amount of air, depending on how deeply and quickly we breathe. They are also never empty, even if you breathe out as far as you can. Different terms describe the different volumes of the lungs: Tidal volume The amount of air you breathe in or out with each breath Inspiratory capacity The maximum amount you can breathe in (after a normal breath out) Expiratory reserve volume After breathing our normally, this is the extra amount you can breathe out Vital capacity The maximum amount of air you could possibly breathe in or out in one breath Residual volume The amount of air left in your lungs after you have breathed out as much as possible The more exercise that we undergo, the more our need for Oxygen increases. This means that the amount we breathe in and pump around our bodies in the blood must change to keep up. To do this, we breathe faster and our heart pumps faster. This increased oxygen uptake, is measure by your VO2, or the amount of oxygen your body uses in a minute. This can be used as a prediction of your fitness level. The maximum VO2 is called VO2 Max and the fitter you are the higher this is because your body is more effective at taking in and using oxygen. Control of Breathing (Neural and Chemical): There are two ways in which the body controls the ability to breath, Neural and chemical control. These are explained below: Neural Breathing Neural breathing control contains two ways of controlling the breathing; voluntary breathing along with automatic breathing also. Mechanoreceptors send messages to the brain when they sense a different movement of joints they access movement and metabolic status. Chemical Breathing Chemical mechanisms are those of which detect how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is within the body, if there is too much gases the chemical reactions control this is order for our brain to tell us to breathe faster and quicker. If there is too much carbon dioxide and a shortage of oxygen then this is suited in order for our respiration to speed up. The Heart: ATRIUM- There are two atria in the heart. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the vena cava and pumps it through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood  from the pulmonary vein and pumps it through the bicuspid valve into the left ventricle. VENTRICLES- There are two ventricles in the heart. The right ventricle receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium and pumps it through the pulmonary valve into the pulmonary artery and off to the lungs to be oxygenated. The left ventricle receives oxygenated blood from the left atria and pumps it through the aortic valve into the aorta and off to the body. The left ventricle is slightly thicker walled that the right ventricle as it is required to pump the blood further. AORTA- The aorta is the main artery of the body which feeds the major organs and muscles of the body with oxygenated blood from the left side of the heart. PULMONARY ARTERY- Another main artery of the body, th e pulmonary artery transports deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs for it to be oxygenated. This is the only artery in the body to carry deoxygenated blood. SUPERIOR INFERIOR VENA CAVA- The superior and inferior vena cava are the two main veins of the body which bring deoxygenated blood from around the body back into the right side of the heart. PULMONARY VEIN- Another main vein of the body, the pulmonary vein transports oxygenated blood from the lungs back into the left side of the heart. This is the only vein in the body to carry oxygenated blood. CHORDAE TENDINAE- The chordae tendinae keep blood from flowing back into the atria after passing into the ventricles. SEPTUM- The septum separates the left and the right sides of the heart and contains the important SA node, used to make the heart beat. BICUSPID VALVE- The bicuspid valve, also known as the atrio-ventricular valve is situated in the left side of the heart between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve opens when prompted to allow blood to be pumped from the atrium into the ventricle and closes after this process to stop the blood from flowing back on itself. TRICUSPID VALVE- The Tricuspid valve, also known as the atrio-ventricular valve is situated in the right side of the heart between the right atrium and right ventricle. This valve opens when prompted to allow blood to be pumped from the atrium into the ventricle and closes after this process to stop the blood from flowing back on itself. PULMONARY VALVE- Also known as the semi-lunar valve. Situated between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery this valve allows blood to be pumped into the artery whilst stopping it from flowing back on itself back into the right ventricle. AORTIC VALVE- Also known as the semi-lunar valve.  Situated between the left ventricle and the aorta this valve allows blood to be pumped into the artery whilst stopping it from flowing back on itself back into the left ventricle. The Lungs: LARYNX- The larynx (voice box) is part of the respiratory system that holds the vocal cords. It is responsible for producing voice, helping us swallow and breathe. TRACHEA- The trachea (or windpipe) is a wide, hollow tube that connects the larynx (or voice box) to the bronchi of the lungs. It is an integral part of the body’s airway and has the vital function of providing air flow to and from the lungs for respiration. CARTILAGE RINGS- The function of the cartilaginous rings of the trachea is to stabilize the trachea and keep it rigid while allowing the trachea to expand and lengthen when the person breathes. If the trachea was not supported in this way, it would simply collapse because of the pressure of the chest. There are between 16 and 20 cartilaginous rings in an average trachea. The first and last tracheal rings are broader and deeper than the others. The first ring is just beneath the larynx and the thyroid gland. The last one is just above where the trachea branches off into the bronchi, the two tubes that lead to the lungs. MAIN STEM BRONCHUS- either of the two main branches of the trachea, which contain cartilage within their walls BRINCHI- Smaller branches of the mainstem bronchi which lead to and carry air to the bronchioles. BRONCHIOLES- Smaller branches of the bronchi which lead air to the alveoli for diffusion. LOBES- Lobes are the flaps of tissue that make up each lung. Ach lung is made up of 3 lobes. PLEURA- A thin serous membrane that envelops each lung and folds back to make a lining for the chest cavity. PLEURAL FLUID- The pleura produces a fluid that acts as a lubricant that helps you to breathe easily, allowing the lungs to move in and out smoothly. This is called pleural fluid. ALVEOLI- The alveoli are tiny air sacs within the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. DIAPHRAGM- The diaphragm is the dome-shaped sheet of muscle and tendon that serves as the main muscle of respiration and plays a vital role in the breathing process. PLEURAL MEMBRANE- The pleural membranes enclose a fluid-filled space surrounding the lungs.

The Virgin Group An insight into the organizational structure and culture

The Virgin Group An insight into the organizational structure and culture Introduction The Virgin Group of companies is one of the largest business organizations in the world. Founded by Richard Branson, the Virgin Group has established itself into many diverse facets of the business industry. This paper analyzes the organizational structure and culture of the Virgin Group and how it has helped this organization attain such success in many diverse industries. Much of the culture of the Virgin Group is influenced by the personal beliefs and philosophies of its founder, Richard Branson, and is one of the reasons for the organizations success. Branson highly values all of his employees and takes personal responsibility to ensure that his beliefs are instilled among all of them. Branson has created a decentralized structure in the organization by giving his employees the authority to take decisions thereby reducing bureaucracy. Employees are encouraged to not always follow rational procedures and instead think on their own. This paper will first briefly give an overview of the Virgin Group of companies and its history and development. The organizational structure and culture of the Virgin Group will help the reader understand the organizations processes and business practices and how the values and belief system of its founder has shaped its structure and culture. In addition, the reader will learn how the Virgin Group has established itself as a successful organization based on its structure and culture. The paper will apply some of the theories and concepts from the course textbook to the Virgin Group which will help to understand the working of this organization better. In conclusion, this paper hopes to emphasize the Virgin Groups overall journey through the years and the role that its structure and culture has played in its success. About the Virgin Group The Virgin Group is one of the most successful business empires today. This organization has established itself in diverse industries including mobile telephony, retail, music, financial services, travel, and many more. Virgin has ruled the British market and has expanded worldwide into other regions like North America, Asia, Africa and Australia. Starting out as a simple mail-order record retailer in 1970, Virgin has grown into one of the most successful business empires in the world. The Virgin Group has established more than 300 companies, employing around 50000 people in 30 countries. Its global revenues in 2009 exceeded US$18 billion. (Virgin, n.d.) The majority of the Virgin Groups success has been credited to the founder and CEO of Virgin, Richard Branson. Bransons beliefs and philosophies are deeply rooted in the corporate culture of the Virgin Group. This has helped the Virgin Group to flourish in todays competitive business world. History and Development Richard Branson is the founder of the Virgin Group of companies. When he was a student at Stowe, he published a magazine called Student. The magazine was a success and it encouraged Branson to leave school and try his hand at new business ventures. His first target was mail-order records. He found that by putting a single advertisement in an issue of Student magazine, he was able to establish a thriving business with almost no up-front investment and no working capital. The name Virgin was suggested by one of his associates who saw the name as proclaiming their commercial innocence, while possessing some novelty and modest shock-value. In 1971 Branson opened his first retail store on Londons Oxford Street. Virgin then expanded into the recording industry and the result was the Virgin record label. By 1983, the Virgin Group was earning profits of 2 million pounds on total revenues of just under 50 million pounds. (Grant, 2008) Gradually Branson expanded into other ventures. The Organizational Structure Many assume the Virgin Group to be a multinational, but such is not the case. Each of the 300 odd companies of the Virgin Group operates separately and Branson serves as shareholder, chairman, and public relations supremo. Most of them are operating companies that own assets, employ people, and offer goods and services. These operating companies are owned and controlled by about 20 holding companies. The Virgin Group has a very complex structure. It has been termed both as a brand franchising operation as well as a keiretsu. (Grant, 2008) However, based on its structure, the Virgin Group can be safely termed as an organization with a keiretsu structure. A keiretsu is a group of organizations, each of which owns shares in the other organizations in the group, and all of which work together to further the groups interests. (Jones, Mills, Weatherbee, Mills, 2006) Furthermore, such a large organization with a complex structure needs to be organic in order to be able to adapt to changes in its environment. An organic structure promotes flexibility, so people initiate change and can adapt quickly to changing conditions. ( Jones et al., 2006) Considering each of the individual companies as a department providing a unique product or service, it is evident that they exhibit product departmentalization. Product departmentalization is the division of the departments of an organization based on the type of product or service offered. (Jones et al., 2006) For example, Virgin Mobile offers cellular services while Virgin Records is a music label. However, the structure of the Virgin Group is so complex that it is necessary for it to not just have one type of departmentalization. For instance, Virgin Mobile has operations in many different countries like the UK, India and Australia. As such, the type of service varies in each of these countries. This shows that Virgin Mobile also exhibits geographic departmentalization. Geographic departmentalization is the division of an organization based on the geographic location. (Jones et al., 2006) In addition, type of service and products also varies depending on the customer base hence ex hibiting customer departmentalization. Customer departmentalization is the division of an organization based on the kind of customers it serves. (Jones et al., 2006) Since the Virgin Group of companies exhibit so many types of departmentalisations, the organization as a whole is said to have a hybrid structure, which is a mixture of two or more kinds of departmentalisations. This multi-divisional approach helps the Virgin Group to easily adapt to the cultural, technological and other forces in the region it expands to. The division of labour and the hierarchy is also an important aspect of an organizations structure. The number of levels of authority, the control, and the amount of communication are key factors in the proper working of an organization. As mentioned, the Virgin Groups companies operate as separate organizations. The companies are part of a family rather than a hierarchy. They are empowered to run their own affairs, yet the companies help one another, and solutions to problems often come from within the Group somewhere. In a sense, Virgin is a commonwealth, with shared ideas, values, interests and goals. (Virgin, n.d.) In fact, Branson himself has provided all his employees with the authority to make unsupervised decisions based on their intuition rather than following a chain of command. This leads to the employees having more confidence in them and in the management. Since interaction among all the levels of the hierarchy is promoted, it increases effective communication. This is e vident from the fact that Branson personally interacts with employees on a regular basis discussing ideas and receiving feedback. The Virgin Group expresses self-sufficiency and effective communication. Virgin has a flat hierarchical structure and this enables quick and efficient decision making. The flat structure is one of the reasons that the Virgin Group has been able to expand into new ventures. In addition, a flat structure allows a wider span of control, and decentralization. Span of control is the number of subordinates a manager manages directly. (Jones et al., 2006) The decentralized structure of the Virgin Group gives more power in the hands of its employees when it comes to decision making. Decentralization is the delegation of authority to all levels of the hierarchy. (Jones et al.,2006) Branson believes that the employees are the backbone of the company and hence it is important that they have enough involvement and authority in decision making. Since the Virgin Group comprises of so many companies, along with a decentralized structure, it should show some signs of organizational bureaucracy. However, Branson has ensured since the beginning to minimize bureaucracy as much as possible since he strives to flatten the hierarchy. Bureaucracy is a structure in which people are held accountable for their actions because they are required to act in accordance with rules and standard operating procedures. (Jones et al., 2006) The efficiency of the employees is enhanced under Bransons leadership who emphasises a wide span of control and self management. Bransons scepticism of organizational hierarchy and a formal structure has contributed to organizational cohesiveness to a great extent. His adoption of this unorthodox strategy rather than traditional business practices and non-traditional structuring of the organization may be the reason for the Groups success. The Organizational Culture Much of the Virgin Groups culture is influenced by its founder Richard Bransons personal philosophies. Just as his employees are important to him, so are the customers the Virgin Group serves. The ability of the Virgin Group to operate effectively with almost a non-formal structure is because of its unique organizational culture. The culture of the Virgin Group reflects Bransons casual nature, his disrespect for hierarchy and formal authority, commitment to employees and consumers and his belief in hard work and responsibility. (Grant, 2008) This influences all of the companies in the Virgin Group and its organizational culture. This in turn, enables the Virgin Group to provide an environment in which talented, ambitious people are motivated to do their best and strive for a higher level of performance. However, even in an informal environment, a high level of commitment, acceptance of personal responsibility and long hours of work when needed is expected. Performance incentives at V irgin for most employees are diffident but Virgin provides benefits like social activities, company sponsored weekend getaways and impromptu parties. (Grant, 2008) Such an environment promotes better relations among the employer and the employees. Virgins unique culture has gradually progressed to where it is today. Virgin describes itself as a family emphasizing its informal but strong belief system and values. Possessing such a culture enables the Virgin Group to have effective coordination among its various departments. Working as a community rather than a corporation, instils the ability to communicate effectively among the many companies in the Group. The Group as a whole works together based on these shared set of values which are continuously strengthened. This is important considering the vast size and complexity of the organization. Following in the footsteps of its founder, Virgin has always maintained the belief that the employees are the biggest force of the organization and as such, should be treated with respect. (Virgin, n.d.) The management cares for the welfare of the employees and allows them to work in a free environment. Because of these primary beliefs and values, Virgin has been able to compete, thrive, a nd challenge new business opportunities. As mentioned before, Richard Branson has influenced the culture of the organization the most. He has managed to instil his belief system into all of his employees and this has motivated them to strive to perform better. One of the many strong points in Virgins favour is the fact that it is non-traditional; revolutionary even; in the manner it does business. Virgin believes in grasping opportunities. Contrary to what many people may think, Virgins constantly expanding and eclectic empire is neither random nor reckless. Each successive venture demonstrates their devotion to picking the right market and the right opportunity. This has proved beneficial to the organization and is one of the many reasons for its success. (Virgin, n.d.) Conclusion Based on the analysis of the corporate culture and structure of the Virgin Group, it is evident that it is a highly successful organization most of whichs credit goes to the founder and his values and beliefs. Even though the industry considers much of his methods to be unorthodox, these methods have proved highly beneficial to him and the Virgin Group and have been deemed to be effective. Not many today can dream of venturing into so many diverse industries starting from scratch. If Virgin continues to strengthen its culture and structure, it has the potential to become one of the most successful companies ever.

Confocal Microscopy Lab Essay -- Ovarian Ring Canal Medical Technology

Confocal Microscopy Lab Confocal microscopy uses a laser that produces excitation light. This laser light reflects off of a dichroic mirror and then the laser light hits two mirrors that are mounted on motors. The mirrors then scan the laser light across the sample. Dye that is found in the sample then fluoresces (Weeks, 2003). Filamin was labeled with a red fluorescent label rhodamine (TRITC) and actin was labeled with the green fluorescent label fluoroscein (FITC) which was conjugated to the actin-binding fungal toxin phalloidin. The emitted light from the dyes passes back through the mirrors and passes through the dichroic mirror and is focuses into a pinhole. With confocal microscopy, a complete image of the sample is never seen. Only one point of the sample can be observed at a time. The amount of light that passes back through is detected by the microscope (Ladic, 1995). The intensity of the red light seen is proportional to the amount of filamin present and the intensity of the green ligh t seen is proportional to the amount of actin present in the sample of Drosophila melanogaster ovaries. Confocal microscopy is able to produce images that are very free from interference. The confocal pinhole allows the microscope to reject out of focus fluorescent light (Weeks, 2003). This means that the image comes from a thin section of the ovary sample. Many thin sections will be scanned through the sample; this allows a clean three dimensional image to be made. A confocal microscope has a few advantages over regular optical microscopes. Confocal microscopes have controllable depth of field, the elimination of image degrading information that is out of focus, and the ability to collect series of data from s... .../ladic/overview.html. Accessed 6 December 2004. Robinson, D.N., K. Cant and L. Cooley. 1994. "Morphogenesis of Drosophila ovarian ring canals." Development. 120, 2015-2025. Robinson, D.N, T.A. Smith-Leiker, N.S. Sokol, A.M. Hudson and L. Cooley. 1997. â€Å"Formation of the Drosophila ovarian ring canal inner rim depends on cheerio.† Genetics. 145, 1063-1072 Shilling, Kristen (David S. Richard). â€Å"Ovarian nurse cell ring canal formation in wild- type and insulin signaling mutant female Drosophila melanogaster.† Tilney, L.G., M.S. Tilney, and G.M. Guild. 1996. â€Å"Formation of actin filament bundles in the ring canals of developing Drosophila follicles.† The Journal of Cell Biology. 133, 61-74. Weeks, Eric. 2003. â€Å"How does a confocal microscope work?† Physics Department, Emory University. http://www.physics.emory.edu/~weeks/confocal/. Accessed 3 December 2004 Confocal Microscopy Lab Essay -- Ovarian Ring Canal Medical Technology Confocal Microscopy Lab Confocal microscopy uses a laser that produces excitation light. This laser light reflects off of a dichroic mirror and then the laser light hits two mirrors that are mounted on motors. The mirrors then scan the laser light across the sample. Dye that is found in the sample then fluoresces (Weeks, 2003). Filamin was labeled with a red fluorescent label rhodamine (TRITC) and actin was labeled with the green fluorescent label fluoroscein (FITC) which was conjugated to the actin-binding fungal toxin phalloidin. The emitted light from the dyes passes back through the mirrors and passes through the dichroic mirror and is focuses into a pinhole. With confocal microscopy, a complete image of the sample is never seen. Only one point of the sample can be observed at a time. The amount of light that passes back through is detected by the microscope (Ladic, 1995). The intensity of the red light seen is proportional to the amount of filamin present and the intensity of the green ligh t seen is proportional to the amount of actin present in the sample of Drosophila melanogaster ovaries. Confocal microscopy is able to produce images that are very free from interference. The confocal pinhole allows the microscope to reject out of focus fluorescent light (Weeks, 2003). This means that the image comes from a thin section of the ovary sample. Many thin sections will be scanned through the sample; this allows a clean three dimensional image to be made. A confocal microscope has a few advantages over regular optical microscopes. Confocal microscopes have controllable depth of field, the elimination of image degrading information that is out of focus, and the ability to collect series of data from s... .../ladic/overview.html. Accessed 6 December 2004. Robinson, D.N., K. Cant and L. Cooley. 1994. "Morphogenesis of Drosophila ovarian ring canals." Development. 120, 2015-2025. Robinson, D.N, T.A. Smith-Leiker, N.S. Sokol, A.M. Hudson and L. Cooley. 1997. â€Å"Formation of the Drosophila ovarian ring canal inner rim depends on cheerio.† Genetics. 145, 1063-1072 Shilling, Kristen (David S. Richard). â€Å"Ovarian nurse cell ring canal formation in wild- type and insulin signaling mutant female Drosophila melanogaster.† Tilney, L.G., M.S. Tilney, and G.M. Guild. 1996. â€Å"Formation of actin filament bundles in the ring canals of developing Drosophila follicles.† The Journal of Cell Biology. 133, 61-74. Weeks, Eric. 2003. â€Å"How does a confocal microscope work?† Physics Department, Emory University. http://www.physics.emory.edu/~weeks/confocal/. Accessed 3 December 2004

Business Plan for Internet Site - Crowdz.com Essays -- essays research

Business Plan for Internet Site - Crowdz.com 1. 0 Executive Summary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are 3 major elements that helped incubate the idea behind Crowdz.comâ„ ¢Ã¢â€ž ¢. The first element would be individuals, the average Joe on the street. The second, organizations that cater solely to entertainment more specifically, Clubs. Third the banning of cigarette companies from advertising direct nor indirectly in Malaysia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crowdz.comâ„ ¢Ã¢â€ž ¢ has its total idea, image, and vision to thank for by the presences of individuals, specific age group 18 – 35 years old, with no idea as to where to party for the weekend or any other day for that matter. A group of four guys were sitting down at a cafà © down town at Bangsar. Then the question came, â€Å"Where shall we party tonight?† There were silence for the next 10 minutes, serious brainstorming was at work. However none had a clue as to where to go. Hence ending up in a lousy joint where they had partied last week. Spending at a place, which cannot really give the satisfaction that, they were really looking for.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now, this is a true story. Clubbers, partygoers in general don’t really know where to go for a good night out. It’s boring to be venturing the same old place. There is not much advertisement for new and up coming clubs, even if there is, it doesn’t really hit the market that well, as due to lack of funds to be splurged on advertising. The advertising would be minimal and hence not create a big BANG so to speak to the masses. A few questions had been thrown in for the idea behind Crowdz.comâ„ ¢Ã¢â€ž ¢. Questions pertaining to Clubs: 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In what ways can small middle and even large scale clubs able to adve... ... Office Fixtures and Portal Designing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cost / Month is RM 28,500 inclusive of Salaries. Actual initial 3 months is projected not to have any Sales.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A sponsored cigarette company will gain from indirect advertising via the internet, which complies to the banning of advertisments by cigarette companies, under the Malaysia Law. Hence providing the Sponsored Capital of RM 2 Million.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Projected Balance Sheet and Income statements are based on a tax projection of 28%   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A projected assumption of how many members and club that will sign up with Crowdz.comâ„ ¢ is provided. This is vital to comprehend as it will give a basic understanding of the Projected Income Statement and Balance Sheet that is provided.

The Complex Alceste of Molieres Misanthrope Essay -- Moliere Misanthr

The Complex Alceste of The Misanthrope "I cannot improve on it, and assuredly never shall," said Molià ¨re of his satire The Misanthrope, {1} and the critic Nicholas Boileau-Desprà ©aux concurred by accounting it one of Molià ¨re's best plays.{2} But the French public did not like it much, preferring the dramatist's more farcical The Doctor in Spite of Himself--a play that, according to tradition, was written two months after The Misanthrope's premiere to make up for the latter's lack of success.{3} In fact, The Misanthrope horrified Rousseau, who thought that its aim was, in Donald Frame's words, "to make virtue ridiculous by pandering to the shallow and vicious tastes of the man of the world."{4} Both he and Goethe after him regarded Alceste, the protagonist, as a tragic figure rather than a comic one.{5} It is evident from such a diversity of sentiments that the work before us is complex enough to provoke a variety of reactions. On the one hand, Molià ¨re made The Misanthrope a comedy, not a tragedy. Alceste, despite his bold railings against the hypocrisy of society, often finds it impossible to set a heroic example in front of his all-too-"civilized" circle. He is no lone upholder of a noble creed forced to martyrdom for his beliefs; in fact, his announcement, at the end of the play, of the martyrdom he is imposing upon himself--exile to "some solitary place on earth/Where one is free to be a man of worth"{6}--makes him look less heroic than ridiculous. And yet, if we do not place our sympathies with Alceste, we search this play in vain for another character worthy of them. The silly marquises do not command much respect. Arsinoà © is conniving, spiteful, and a critic of everyone else's morals. Oronte is not only as vain a... ...f which is given in Brown and Kimmey, pp. 121-72), this is marked as V.viii, ll. 21-2. {7} Cf. John Dover Wilson, "Introduction," in William Shakespeare, Hamlet, ed. Wilson (Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1936), p. xlviii. {8} II.v, ll. 711-30 (ll. 153-72 in Wilbur). {9} I.i, line 118 (so also Wilbur). {10} Frame, "Introduction to The Misanthrope," op. cit., p. 21. {11} Richard Wilbur, "Introduction to The Misanthrope," in Brown & Kimmey, p. 360. {12} Ibid., p. 361. {13} V.iv, line 1782 (V.viii, line 50 in Wilbur). {14} I do not include Arsinoà © in this, since in a sense she receives some sort of punishment when in the last scene (V.iv [V.vi in Wilbur]) she is put to shame by Alceste's implication that he is fully aware of her true motives. Her discomfiture should be enough to satisfy a sense that poetic justice has been served in her case.

Eagle Machine Company Essay

EAGLE MACHINE COMPANY The Eagle Machine Company has fallen on bad times. Eagle, a maker of specialty restaurant equipment, has sales totaling $72 million, but sales are declining while costs continue to increase. If things continue in this direction, Eagle soon may have to close its doors. At a special management meeting, the president lays it on the line! He demands that the firm break even in the remaining quarter of the year. For next year, he calls for profits of 5 percent, a 20 percent increase in sales, and deeper cuts in labor, material, and overhead. Later in the day, the president calls Sally Stone, director of supply management, in for a discussion. â€Å"Sally, I want your supply management people to carry the ball at the start of the game. We can’t get sales moving for six months. But you can improve your housekeeping—and Eagle’s profits—right away. Just think what you can do to that chart! Every penny you save is profit! So take a close look at what you buy. I don’t care how you make your savings—by negotiations, inventories, imports, anything. But put the screws on tight—right away! â€Å"Start with inventories, they’re sky-high. So get together with manufacturing on a 10 percent cut! We’ve got $12 million worth of materials stashed away around here, and a 10 percent cut would save at least $300,000 a year in carrying charges. At the same time, get your payroll and operating expenses down 10 percent. That is in line with our companywide cutback. I know this hurts, Sally, because you’ve got some mighty fine people here in supply management, but we can’t be sentimental these days. Our overhead has got to come down—or we’re dead! â€Å"I’m having an executive committee meeting in one week. Have your plans ready by that time! We’re betting on you, Sally. Sally reports to the president, as do other department heads. Sally learns from inventory control that raw stock inventory is $12. 2 million. The marketing manager controls finished goods stocks. Sally wonders how she can deliver the cost reduction and still keep her department and supplier relations in shape for the long pull. 1. What actions should Sally take to reduce inventories by 10 percent? 2. What dangers, if any, are there in reducing inventories? 3. In what ways could the cost of goods purchased be reduced? 4. What position should Sally take on the president’s plan to reduce the supply management payroll by 10 percent?

Pollution: Global Warming and Personal Hygiene Products

POLLUTION Pollution happens absolutely everywhere, every single second of the day, everywhere on earth. It happens in many city, many town, or many state. You can find pollution in cars, home electronics, personal hygiene products, natural disasters, and even your own home. Pollution is poison for anything that lives and breathes; it poisons water, air, land, humans, and animals, so it cannot to be taken lightly. As a law people should take more care of their surroundings and try harder to preserve the world we live in, even if it is inconvenient to us. Because if we don’t save ourselves, who will?The things we could do to save our planet from pollution could reduce further destruction . Everyone is benefited when we have clean water, air, land, etc. . For example, we never hear any news about a person dying because of clean air but instead we hear news like, man died from pollution, family living in home pollution, water tests show pollution particles, the list goes on foreve r. By identifying the problem at an early stage, we can start to reverse the pollution process. Thus making our mother Earth cleaner. The  funny thing of all this is that though the earth is getting  polluted man is least bothered about it . e doesn’t know that he himself is digging his own  grave  because pollution not only spoils his own health but also  worsens his  quality of life. People in cities who are exposed to various kinds of pollution suffer from several ailments like high blood pressure, asthma and skin diseases. Garbage thrown around leads to break out of epidemics like cholera, malaria, chikungunya etc. Poisonous chemicals from the  air  as well as our water bodies have recently caused an exponential rise in cancer cases. Scientists say that it is still not late to act, and governments all over the world have started acting.Countries are trying their best to control pollution by adopting measures like control of   CO2 emissions, using clean fuels, proper waste management  practices, and planting trees on a large scale. However no efforts would be complete unless each one us does our bit to protect our environment. We all can contribute in our small way by  saving  fuel, water and electricity, disposing garbage responsibly and living simple lives. It is the responsibility of each one of us to safeguard the environment so that future generations can enjoy the  beauty  and bounty of Mother nature.