Planning a Performance Improvement Strategy in a Small Manufacturing Company Essay Example Essay Example

Planning a Performance Improvement Strategy in a Small Manufacturing Company Essay Example Paper Planning a Performance Improvement Strategy in a Small Manufacturing Company Essay Introduction The object of this assignment is to produce a two year plan to implement a programme of integrated performance improvement activities in a small manufacturing company that employs about 30 people. Metal components are manufactured, and the factory is arranged around five machines in three cells according to small, medium and large components. Heat treatment and grinding and the other major operations, as well as secondary operations. The following text describes the situation on the factory prior to the implementation of a performance improvement programme. . Company History and Structure In 2000 the long-standing co-director and manager of the Company resigned, leaving the position open for one of the present staff. There were several contenders for the position, including the two office staff both of whom had worked closely with him for years and had been given management titles. Two senior and experienced shop floor staff were also contenders. The Chairman of the company was unsur e that anyone of these individuals possessed the skills required for the position, and consequently established a team of managers to run the factory. The management team consisted of the two office staff and one member of the shop floor who was elevated to ‘Works Manager’ to liase between the office and the factory. No hierarchy or line accountability was introduced. However, the Works Manager believed he was now the most senior member of staff. The office staff refused to accept this and consequently a power struggle developed. The company Chairman appeared to champion the Works Manager, however the Works Manager’s seniority was never formally acknowledged. Prior to 2000, the structure of the company was centred round the co-director. Without any production teams or team leaders, every member of staff was directly accountable to the co-director. The lack of any intermediate line management resulted in the co-director communicating directly with every member of staff. After his departure, the company structure remained the same, however with the new management team there were now three managers who could communicate directly with any of the shop floor staff and consequently all shop floor staff were directly accountable to all three managers! 2. Production Planning The following describes the production process and the associated problems. Planning a Performance Improvement Strategy in a Small Manufacturing Company Essay Body Paragraphs The production process began when a customer faxed / phoned an order to the office. The details of the order were placed on the computer system and a print out was produced with all of the order details, called a ‘works order’. If there was no raw material in stock then material was ordered and the ‘works order’ was placed in the ‘Awaiting Material’ tray in the office. When the material was delivered, or if there was material in stock, the ‘works order’ was taken from the office straight to the appropriate machine setter, where it was added to his pile of other works orders waiting to be made. The works order stayed with the product throughout the factory. 2. 1 Prioritising Jobs The Company is a jobbing shop, and manufactures thousands of varieties of products at relatively low volumes and consequently set up times for each job take up a significant proportion, typically 50%, of production time. The sequence in which orders are manu factured greatly affects the efficiency of production. When manufacturing the Company’s products, the set up times are reduced if orders of similar sizes are produced together. Other parameters requiring consideration include customer delivery date, secondary operations and customer importance. Unfortunately, there appeared to be little evidence that these parameters were being considered. The machine setters were prioritising their workload based on which orders would be easiest to manufacture. 2. 2 Prioritising Jobs -Effects of Customers The office staff would complete a ‘progress sheet’, providing details of the order, which was then passed to the machine setter for a delivery date. If the order had already been made then the setter would have to search the factory for the product, with no information concerning its location. Once the order had been located then a dispatch date would be obtained from who ever was working on it at that stage. This date would th en be conveyed back to the customer via the office. If the order was yet to be made then the setter would be asked to give the best date possible for that order and be obliged to put the order up next on the machine. In other words the customer was dictating the priority. . 3 Prioritising Jobs -Effects of Office Staff A machine setter was typically receiving 1 to 5 ‘progress sheets’ in a day. If a search was required to locate the order, this proved to be a very time consuming process. If the order was yet to be made he had to prioritise his work accordingly. He would receive ‘progress sheets’ from all three office staff, each saying the order in question was of top priority. The office staff may even request the machine setter cease his present manufacturing batch to commence the order in question. The promised dates provided by the machine setters were unrealistic and unachievable. The machine setters tended to tell the customer what they wanted to hear r ather than what was realistic. The machine setter received a confused and contradicting message from the office staff. His order priorities were based in this case on the demands of the office staff, each of whom reflected the level of hostility given by the customers. Typically 60% of all orders in the factory were consistently late, creating huge customer pressure and a permanent backlog. Lines Of Communication The many lines of communication between the office and the factory, and the on-going power struggle between the office staff, resulted in three independent managers passing instructions to shop floor staff without prior discussion. Each manager was unaware of instructions given by their colleagues and consequently none of the managers were aware of every activity being sanctioned. The resulting confusion on the shop floor created low morale, dissidence and very low confidence in management. The shop floor staff instinctively wanted strong leadership and direction, without w hich they felt disorganised and insecure, resulting in low morale and a lack of discipline. No formal communication forum existed at the time of the co-director’s resignation. The shop floor staff were aware that important company developments were taking place, but they were not given any information and were left to make their own conclusions. These feelings of isolation and insecurity resulted in further distrust in management. 3. 1 Communication Between Shopfloor and the Office Communication between the office and the factory was chaotic. The lack of intermediate line management, such as team leaders, resulted in every shop floor problem, however minor, being highlighted directly to one of the management team. This proved to be very time-consuming for the management team and often resulted in problems being passed from one manager to the next. 3. 2 Communication on the Shopfloor A further problem was the lack of willingness from shop floor staff to contribute to problem s olving. Not only was this a direct reflection of their low morale but was also a result of there being no formal communication forums to encourage their participation in problem solving and supplying feedback to management. 4 Product Flow and Bottlenecks The flow of products through the factory was very poor with major bottlenecks at the heat treatment department and the grinding department. The unacceptable amounts of work in progress at the heat treatment and grinding departments had both a negative and positive psychological effect throughout the factory. The machine setters felt discouraged by the work in progress ahead of them in the production line, knowing that however quickly or slowly they worked, and however urgent the order, there would still be a lengthy delay before the order was dispatched. This produced the feeling that failure to deliver products on time was inevitable and uncontrollable, and severely reduced morale amongst the machine setters. Ultimately, this resul ted in the machine setters working slower with less regard for the customer. The large amounts of work in progress also lowered morale in the heat treatment and grinding departments. Whereas the machine setters had a pile of works orders to manufacture, the heat treatment and grinding departments had large quantities of boxes waiting for completion, creating a very visible pressure. This stress was amplified in the grinding department by the fact that the majority of the work in progress was already late. The work in progress created stress amongst many staff but also gave them a sense of job security. They all believed that with plenty of work to be done, there would always be a place for them in the factory. The notion that the was and the economic climate was very concerning. This demonstrated a real lack of awareness among operators of the cause of outstanding work; operators viewed work in progress as a reflection of customer demand 5 Teams There was inevitably little or no tea mwork displayed by the shop floor personnel. In addition, there appeared to be a negative working culture where the etiquette was to work as little as possible and no harder than your colleagues. Nobody was prepared to assist a colleague outside of the boundaries they considered to be their job description. Those who openly wasted time without rebuke were seen as setting the benchmark for acceptable behaviour. Although there were no formal communication forums, to encourage their participation in problem solving, shop floor staff occasionally made improvement suggestions to their managers. However, the staff felt that it was not their responsibility to carry out the improvements and the managers did not have sufficient time to address the suggestions. The shop floor staff believed their suggestions were being ignored and their managers were arrogant and foolish. As a result relationships and morale declined. 6 Pay and Rewards Throughout its history the company had carried out an ann ual pay review for all staff. Along with many other companies, the pay reviews were initially in place to maintain pay in line with inflation. As interest rates and inflation fell to record lows the shop floor staff strongly defended their entitlement to an annual pay review. The pay reviews continued, however equal percentage increases across the company also continued as the norm. Although there was some evidence of management intervention for the pay review of certain personnel this appeared to relate more to favouritism than performance. Across the shop floor this created the perception that not only was performance not measured, it was also not important. As a result, the shop floor staff felt powerless and unimportant resulting in very low morale. The factory was significantly under performing, creating huge pressure on the three managers. The shop floor lacked confidence in the management team and the management team believed the shop floor staff should take more responsibili ty for the factory’s failures. We will write a custom essay sample on Planning a Performance Improvement Strategy in a Small Manufacturing Company Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Planning a Performance Improvement Strategy in a Small Manufacturing Company Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Planning a Performance Improvement Strategy in a Small Manufacturing Company Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Issues in US Foreign Policy Essay Example

Issues in US Foreign Policy Essay Example Issues in US Foreign Policy Essay Issues in US Foreign Policy Essay Current Issues in US Foreign Policy Within the term of each and every presidency, both the President and his staff make several crucial decisions regarding the the United States and its relationship with other nations. On the surface, such decisions may seem simple to make. However, this is not so. Many variables must be taken into account before each accord. Currently, several conflicts exist, ultimately which will need to be dealt with by President Obama and his administration in the coming months. Some notable ssues include Afghan security talks, Iranian negotiations, and drone use. While many Americans believe that the war in Afghanistan will soon cease, the United States will continue to be maintaining military outposts in Afghanistan. With the intention to fght al-Qaeda, the twenty five page document Security and Defense Cooperation Agreement Between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will be debated in Kabul. The text itself is a working draft, having been revised several times since its conception in July 2013. Since its creation n July, the document has most notably adopted a restriction on US forces, stating that they [cannot] search any homes or other real estate properties and additionally may not make any detention or arrest (Engel). Most recently, President Hamid Karzai has stated that an exception can be made for extraordinary circumstances if President Obama agrees to issue an apology and acknowledgement of past mistakes in Afghanistan, with a promise not to repeat such actions (Nordland). The agreement must pass by the Loya Jurgi, a grand Jury, before being instated (Engel). Elsewhere in the Middle East, the US is currently undergoing negotiations with Iran. Currently the US and its allies are attempting to convince Iran to give up its significant nuclear activities in exchange for relief on sanctions. Under such a negotiation, Tehran would be subjected to more vigorous inspections. If the agreement is violated, the sanctions relief would be subject to reinstatement. Currently, the exact sum which would be given for relief is unknown (Madhani). Next week, the US, Britain, France, China, Russia, and Germany will meet with Iranian fficials in Geneva (A1 Jazeera). However, Iran has expressed wariness due to the recent attacks on their embassy in Beirut. The series of bombings led to the deaths of two Iranians, one of them a diplomat. Currently, Iran has accused Israel of launching the attacks (Yahoo! News). These events will certainly factor into the US relationship with both Israel and Iran. Another controversial issue with US foreign policy is its use of unmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly known as drones. Currently the drones are being used in Pakistan and Yemen in order to confront al-Qaeda leadership. It is estimated that 349 drone strikes have been carried out in Pakistan, with 61 in Yemen. The effectiveness of drones and drone strikes has been challenged as only 2% of the strikes have killed high level targets, according to The New America Foundation (Levs). However, the US is not the only country employing the use of drones. France, Germany, and other European nations recently formed a drone users club to rival the use of drones by the US and Israel (Breitbart). Useful but debatable in effectiveness, the issue of ith the new drone club. The Obama administration will certainly have its challenges to face in the coming months with these issues at hand. A1 Jazeera. Iran Minister Optimistic over Nuclear Deal. A1 Jazeera. A1 Jazeera, 19 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Breitbart. Europeans Form Drone Club, Want to Compete. Breitbart News Network. Breitbart News Network, 19 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Engel, Richard. Endless Afghanistan? Us-Afghan Agreement Would Keep Troops in Pla ce and Funds Flowing, Perhaps Indefinitely. NBC News. NBC News, 2013. eb. 19 NOV. 2013. Levs, josh. CNN Explains: U. S. Drones. CNN. cable News Network, 08 Feb. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Madhani, Aamer. Obama Asks Senators to Give Iran Negotiations a Chance. USA Today. Gannett, 19 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Nordland, Rod. Key Issue Said to Be Resolved in U. S. -Afghan Security Talks. The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Yahoo! News. Iran Accuses Israel of Being behind Beirut Bombings. Yahoo! News. Yahoo! , 19 NOV. 2013. web. 19 NOV. 2013.

B.F. Skinners Positive Reinforcement theory Research Paper

B.F. Skinners Positive Reinforcement theory - Research Paper Example This paper provides a detailed exploration of the theory of reinforcement while highlighting the facets of the theory as well as its organizational application. B.F. Skinner’s Positive Reinforcement Theory Background and Development of the Theory Many behavioral theories of motivation and learning have their main emphasis on the consequence of previous behavior on future behavior. In contrast, classical conditioning emphasizes on the responses automatically elicited by stimuli. The reinforcement theory argues that individuals will choose the response they exhibit to a given stimulus, and based on the outcome they will repeat the same choice in cases of similar stimulus in the future (Skinner, 1970). To further develop the theory’s suggestion, Thorndike (1911) developed what is now known as the Law of Effect which states that, with other factors remaining constant, positive responses to stimuli will be strengthened as opposed to the weakening of the responses to stimuli associated with discomfort (Michael, 2005). ... Positive reinforcement is as a result of the occurrence of a behavioral consequence of immense value that has a strengthening effect on the probability of the repeated occurrence of the behavior. This behavioral consequence is referred to as a reinforcer (Michael, 2005). A suitable example of this case is where a sales person trying a sales quota (behavior) exerts additional effort towards this goal, and the end result is a bonus reward (positive reinforcer). Administering the positive reinforcer makes it more likely that the salesperson will not stop exerting the required effort in the future (Montana and Charnov, 2008). Negative Reinforcement Negative reinforcement is as a result of undesirable behavioral consequences being withheld while at the same time strengthening the effect on the probability of a repeat of the behavior. Few people mistake negative reinforcement for punishment, but the two are different (Montana and Charnov, 2008). While negative reinforcement attempts to inc rease the desired behavior punishment strives to reduce the probability of occurrence of the behavior. Thus, Montana and Charnov (2008) believe that both negative and positive reinforcement have a trend of increasing the probability of the learning and repeated occurrence of a particular behavior. A suitable example in this case comes with the salesperson too. This time, the sales person exerts an effort with an aim of increasing the sales in their point of sale (behavior). Consequently, the decision that follows is not to reassign the successful salesperson to another sales point that is undesirable (negative reinforcer). Administration of this type of reinforcement ensures that the salesperson is able to exert more effort in the

Marketing Research in Theory and Practice Essay

Marketing Research in Theory and Practice - Essay Example Marketing Research in Theory and Practice Before embarking upon discussing the research report on the given topic, it would be appropriate to define some concepts and terms used in the present study. â€Å"Marketing research†, according to the American Marketing Association, â€Å"is the function that links the consumer, customer and the public to the marketer through information-information is used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, evaluate and refine marketing actions; monitor market performance; and improve understanding of marketing as a process.† In other words, marketing research refers to the systematic procedure for the collection and analysis of data regarding some specific market product. It enables the manufacturers, industries and companies to have a comprehensive and analytical assessment in respect of the views, preferences, requirements as well as prospects and perils of the consumers, retailers and stakeholders involved in sales and purchase of their product. The data gathered and interpreted during marketing research significantly supports the organizations draw out future plans according to the changing trends a nd scenario of the market. It is considerably helpful in enhancing the organizations’ volume of production and sales. â€Å"Marketing research† Zaidi & Javed opine, â€Å"concentrates on data collection related to market product while interacting with the consumers, gathering information from them and interpreting results about various aspects of a market product.†

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 20

Report - Essay Example on and agenda (reference, appendices) remember to look at the recommendations so that you take the necessary steps as we agreed during our last focus group discussion. Internews’ Free and Fair Media program focuses on election related issues. The program aims to monitor a number of radio stations in the state to asses their coverage of the electioneering period that is; Pre-election period, Election Campaign period, Polling Day and the day the Results were announced. This monitoring project involves monitoring dangerous speech in the media and the role of the media in promoting peace and conflict mitigation. There are different media topics being covered including, including gender, dangerous speech, issue based coverage, fairness and balance. The report looks into the challenges that the radio station faced and recommendations that when implemented could improve the situation. The report also documents the findings by the media monitors in the period 1st January – 9th March 2013. All cases of reported speech were independently verified. The geographical scope of the content covered was primarily national. This survey indicates that in most of the programs monitored, it is male voices that were dominant as both journalists and sources of information. In terms of political party coverage, Cord Coalition received much airtime compared to other political parties with campaigns and rallies emerging as the popular source of coverage. This report aims to finding out if KBC Swahili Radio station management and journalist’s adherence to the professional code of conduct, that is the journalism code of conduct and the electoral body’s guidelines pertaining coverage of its activities as stipulated in the constitution. The free and fair media program supports a group of media institutions and mainstream media outlets to report fairly and responsibly in matters relating to electoral process. By doing so, these institutions will be playing a positive role of

Causes and effects of childhood obesity

Causes and effects of childhood obesity Childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, and the condition is now obvious much earlier in life. Thirty years ago, less than five percent of children were considered obese. Todays figures put the number of obese American children somewhere between 12 percent and 15 percent! That translates into millions of children, preteens, and teens suffering from very adult conditions like diabetes and depression related to weight gain (Tessmer, Beecher, Hagen, 2006). Overweight and obesity in childhood are recognized to have significant impact on physical and psychological health. There are several causes that lead children to become obese. Childhood obesity is now considered a disease and is diagnosed by doctors. Not all children that watch television several hours a day or are inactive or just eat mal-nutritious foods develop obesity, many children get obese because of genes inherited from their parents. Some children become obese because of their lifestyle. For example, late-day or night eating, snacking and other behavioral behaviors have influence on the progress of obesity. Moreover, social and economic conditions are shown to have a significant relationship to nutrition and dietary intake. In addition, there are certain effects resulted from childhood obesity such as physical, mental, emotional, and social effects. Obesity in childhood is responsible of early development in girls and delayed development in boys. Its also found to be associated with numerous medical problems related to physiological, metabolic, and structural changes. What is more is that obese children are more likely to develop psychological problems. Physical, social, and mental well-being is considered health related quality of life. Low self-esteem and social discrimination can be noted in obese children due to physical limitations, feelings of isolation or loneliness, and teasing from class mates. Causes and Effects of Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, and the condition is now obvious much earlier in life. Thirty years ago, less than five percent of children were considered obese. Todays figures put the number of obese American children somewhere between 12 percent and 15 percent! That translates into millions of children, preteens, and teens suffering from very adult conditions like diabetes and depression related to weight gain (Tessmer, Beecher, Hagen, 2006). Obesity is defined as a disproportionate buildup of stored fat tissue when compared to other tissues. Childhood obesity is now considered a disease and is diagnosed by doctors. Children become overweight for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors. Moreover, socio-economic factors have influence on children, which may cause a child to become obese. In addition, there are certain effects resulted from childhood obesity such as physical, mental, emotional, and social effects. Diagnosis of Childhood Obesity Only a doctor can diagnose children for obesity by evaluating adiposity, or how much fat a person has. Adiposity can be assessed using different ways, for example, by using an underwater scale, or by an MRI, but these methods are considered excessive and expensive. Another way of evaluating children for obesity is by measuring the distribution of body fat. Also, a chart called the body mass index (BMI) is used to optimally measure the amount of fat person carries most frequently to differentiate between just an overweight child and the one who is really obese. In addition to BMI and charting weight on the growth charts, the doctor also evaluates the familys history of obesity and weight-related health problems, such as diabetes, the childs eating habits and calorie intake, the childs activity level, and any other health conditions the child may have. Causes of Childhood Obesity After the child gets diagnosed as obese, the doctor will start investigating the causes that lead this child to become overweight. To begin with, there are several causes that lead children to become obese. First of all, many children get obese because of heredity. Because of some genes inherited from parents, those children have higher risk of becoming overweight. For example, not all children that watch television several hours a day or are inactive or just eat mal-nutritious foods develop obesity. Therefore, heredity has been found to have effect on fatness, distribution of fat on body, and response to overfeeding. It has also been suggested that heredity does not only concern the genes but also resulting dietary habits, food intake, and lifestyle, including physical activity level and spontaneous interest in exercise (Paˆ¡rà ­zkovà ¡ Hills, 2004). Moreover, mothers whom are overweight are found to born neonates that are less active and gain more weight compared to ne onates born of normal weight mothers, which suggest a preserving energy inborn drive. The information taken from genes can suggest that genetic factors can take role to determine the susceptibility of adding or losing fat in response to physical activity and diet. The life style of some children also plays a role in being obese. Some behaviors, present in certain children (late-day or night eating, snacking, etc.) ease the progress or persistence of obesity. Children spend several hours each day watching television, and eating lot of snacks that is high in calorie. Food is nothing more than easy to cook energy. The potential energy is measured by the calories that are contained in specific amount and type of food. A body needs a minimum amount of calories in order to perform its basic functions, and the recommended caloric intake for this purpose varies according to age, body frame, and activity level (Tessmer, Beecher, Hagen, 2006). Obese children do not show excessive appetite fo r sweet foods. Children and adults simply enjoy foods high in fat. Ice cream, cakes, and biscuits are all examples of high fat foods which are very popular among obese and non-obese people alike. Physical activity is important for achieving proper energy balance, which is needed to prevent or reverse obesity (Flamenbaum, 2006). Moreover, distribution of body fat is affected independently by physical activity which affects body weight. Last but not least, social and economic conditions have a significant relationship to nutrition and dietary intake. For example, as income increases, the type of the diet is going more likely to change in a persistent manner. In particular, the sugar, protein and animal fat intake increases, while the intake of vegetable fat, complex carbohydrates and protein decreases. Also, if the family has a higher income, there might be an increase in take away readymade foods intake which is high in fat content or an increase in intake of meat. The lower social s upport in low social class is associated with a high food intake and higher weight of children. Another study showed that children from low-income families who were exposed to less cognitive stimulation and who had an obese mother showed an increased risk of obesity independent of other demographic factors (Paˆ¡rà ­zkovà ¡ Hills, 2004). However, the general effect of these changes in consumption behavior with the high intake of total fat is the increase in the occurrence of obesity. Effects of Childhood Obesity As a result of the above, there are certain effects that might result in children from being obese. To start with, the physical effects in childhood obesity include, for example, the increase adult morbidity in men for gout, and in women for arthritis. Obese children are usually above average height for age (Dietz, 1993). Obesity in childhood is responsible of early development in girls and delayed development in boys. For women, menstrual problems in middle age are found to be associated with childhood. Men whom are overweight during adolescence have three times more possibility to develop gout when compared with men whom where normal weight. Furthermore, Obesity in childhood is associated with numerous medical problems related to physiological, metabolic, and structural changes. Its suggested that adult obesity developed from childhood may be more problematic than adult-onset obesity due to an increased risk of the metabolic syndrome (Vanhala, 1998). Obese children have a higher ri sk for developing hypertension, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Research shows that obesity in children, particularly during adolescence, persists into adulthood and is associated with an increased risk of many diseases including atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, cancers, respiratory disorders, gall bladder disease, infertility and several non-fatal but debilitating conditions (Flamenbaum, 2006). Obese children have approximately a threefold increased risk for hypertension compared to their normal-weight peers. The prevalence of obesity in children affected by diabetes was on average twofold from the age of 2 years onward compared to control children (Paˆ¡rà ­zkovà ¡ Hills, 2004). What is more is that obese children are more likely to develop psychological problems. Severely obese children recorded their quality of life with scores as low as children undergoing chemotherapy for cancer (Walker, 2005). Physical, social, and mental well-be ing is considered health related quality of life. Low self-esteem and social discrimination can be noted in obese children due to physical limitations, feelings of isolation or loneliness, and teasing from class mates, in example, which is frequent in young people who are obese. The age of onset of obesity, presence of emotional instability, and negative evaluation of obesity by others may predispose an obese person to a disturbed body image. These include during the formative years. Disturbances in adulthood are often commonplace in those who became obese during childhood or adolescence Depressed obese children are more likely to stay depressed all over adulthood. Prevention of Childhood Obesity The technique used to prevent childhood obesity is by keeping the weight from coming back. Such technique requires great effort as overweight is not just a hit-and-run problem, where the child can simply drop the weight and be free from obesity the rest of his life. Its always easy to get overweight than to lose weight. A child who lived a sedentary lifestyle with bad eating habits is at higher risk of getting back to such habits because such habits are just easy to follow. Its so a lot easier for children to sit at home and watch TV rather than going outside with others or alone to play. This is why parents, physicians, and nutritionists should sit together and set a plan for the child. The plan should include the restriction of fast food and soft drinks, limitation of time allocated for watching television or computer, and promotion of physical activity. However, this plan must be monitored and supervised by parents and a physician to ensure the elimination of any side effects that might occur from the prevention plan. Conclusion To summarize, childhood obesity is now considered a global epidemic. There are multiple causes that lead certain children to become obese. Genetic factors and environmental conditions play a great role in the early development of childhood obesity, but the condition varies in different countries. In addition, it appears that there are dangerous effects that result from being obese which can continue till adulthood. Therefore, parents should be aware of their children life style and the food they consume to avoid such health problems in their later adulthood. Moreover, the picture of the obese child as unhealthy, unfriendly and fat is best to prevent as early as possible. As for prevention of childhood obesity, it is also recommended that parents, physicians and nutritionists set together to set the proper plan. Nevertheless, there must be raising in alertness, consideration, and public understanding for the matter of childhood obesity

History Of The Social Security Program :: American History

In 1935, after bank failures and a stock market crash had wiped out the savings of millions of Americans, the nation turned to their president to guarantee the elderly a decent income. In those days, only a handful of workers had access to pensions from their employers or through State governmental pension programs. Over half of America's elderly lacked sufficient income to be self-supporting. The Social Security Act was enacted at the urging of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to create a social insurance program that ensures workers would have a source of income after they retired. In the decades that have followed, Social Security has become one of the federal government's most popular and essential programs. Despite all our efforts to encourage savings and investment, the private retirement picture has not changed much in recent decades. Even today, barely half of all workers have access to retirement plans at work, and millions reach retirement age without enough private savings to provide an adequate living in retirement. Social Security is still the foundation for most seniors' retirement. Without this critical safety-net program, over half of all older Americans would fall into poverty. Social Security does exactly what it was designed to do. It gives retired people a secure, basic income for as long as they live. At the end of 2005, more than 48 million people were receiving Social Security benefits: 33 million retired workers and their dependents, 7 million survivors of deceased workers, and 8 million disabled workers and their families. Over time, the Democratic Party has implemented changes to the Social Security program in order to adjust to changing times. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson proposed and later signed the legislation to create Medicare. The Medicare program was added to provide universal, affordable health care benefits to retirees. Medicare is the largest health insurance program in the United States. At the end of 1966, Medicare served approximately 3.9 million individuals. As of 2003, it serves about 41 million people. There are 5.6 million Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in managed care programs. Medicare is an entitlement program similar to Social Security and is not based on financial need. Medicare benefits are available to all American citizens over the age of 65 because they or their spouses have paid Social Security taxes through their working years. Since Medicare is a federal program, the rules for eligibility remain constant throughout the nation and coverage remains continuous regardless of where an individual receives treatment in the United States.