Nutrient Cycle of an Isolated Cave

Nutrient Cycle of an Isolated Cave Introduction The caves are simple natural laboratories. The climate of the cave is very stable and easy to define. Cave environment is composed with a twilight part close to the entrance, a middle part of full darkness and unstable temperature, finally a part of full darkness and stable temperature in deeper. The twilight part is the biggest and most diverse fauna container. The middle part contains some common species which can move to the earth. The deeper dark sides, which are the unique aspect of the cave environment and contain obligate (trolobitic) fauna. Green plant can’t live in stable darkness. So, the food reserve here in other forms (Poulson and White, 1969). Animal communities in the caves look remarkable chances for the investigation of community dynamics because of their relative simplicity. A comparatively small number of species is involved in even in most complex cave community but exceptionally large numbers of colonies of bats are present here. In absence of light, prima ry producers are absent or at least limited to chemosynthetic autotrophs. Sulfur and iron bacteria are present in some caves but their quantitative significance as producers has not yet been established (Barr Jr, 1967). The superficial nutritive part of cave clay in the blind amphipods of the genus Niphargus show that juvenile stages burrow widely and probably eat the clay in the bottom of cave pools. Presumably the juveniles utilize the bacterial content of the clay rather than the mineral material itself; and in any case, continued survival of the adults is dependent upon the presence of additional food (Barr Jr, 1967). In addition to absence of light, the physical environment of a cave is characterized by silence, relatively constant temperature which approximates the mean annual temperature of the region where the cave is located, high relative humidity except near entrances, is accompanied by an exceptionally low rate of evaporation (Barr Jr, 1967). Cave Habitats and Ecology Different types of caves contain variety of habitats within them and differ in amount and types of energy level. Cave supports heterotrophic microbial populations in the presence of huge input of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus due to accumulation of guano and dead bats, if a cave has substantial or modest populations of bats (Cheeptham, 2012). Guano is a organic deposit common in cave derived from mainly feces of a variety of animals specially bats that visit or live and provide habitat rich in nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus that’s are nutrients for many insects (Cheeptham, 2012; IUCNSSC, 2014). Ecological classification of cavernicoles was first prepared by (Schiner, 1853)and improved and promoted by (Racovitza, 1907).They splits them into (1) troglobites, which are obligate species to the cave; (2) troglophiles, which live and reproduce not only in caves but also in cool, dark, moist microhabitats outside of caves they termed as facultative species; (3) trogloxenes , species those use caves for shelter throughout the day but feed outdoor at night; and (4) cave accidentals, which Confused with those species that certain small troglobites are also phreatobites (Barr Jr, 1967). Figure-Different zones of a cave The major energy sources of cave ecosystems are (a) organic matter flounced underground by sinking streams, and (b) the feces, eggs, and dead bodies of animals those are persist in the cave for shelter but feed outside (trogloxenes). In temperate region caves flooding and the entering of cold air throughout winter and initial spring interrupt the comparatively constant physical conditions of the cave environment (Barr Jr, 1967). The security of roosting sites is a vital element of any policy for the conservation of bats. Since caves are the foremost roosts for numerous bat species (Dalquest and Walton, 1970; Kunz, 1982). There are various types of bat species and large number of bats found in different cave, Seventeen species of bats roost in the caves of Yucatan, Mexico. The conservation of these types of sites should be of principal attention for the protection of chiropteran species (Arita, 1996). Cave communities Connectivity among communities is continued by the rearrangement of biomass, frequently by mobile animals that eat resources in one habitat and then reproduce, urinate, and/or defecate in other surroundings. This transmission of organic material affects the nutrient budget of a community and effects population and food web dynamics (Emerson and Roark, 2007). Cave-roosting species spent half of their lives inside the caves (Kunz, 1982). The security of cave atmospheres is essential to guarantee their conservation. In a parallel fashion, the presence of bats might be an essential state for the existence of cave environments. In channels with no bats, biomass thickness in a typical North American cave can be as little as 1 g/ha in ponds or 20-30 g/ha in terrestrial zones (Poulson and White, 1969). In contrast, passageways covered with bat guano present an excess of nutrients and provide very diverse groups of arthropods (Barr Jr, 1968; Harris, 1970; Poulson, 1972). For endogenous primar y manufacture by chemosynthetic bacteria is insignificant, cave communities depend completely on exogenous origins of nutrients for their maintenance (Culver, 1982). Figure-Cave communities and feeding cycle Nutrients can be occupied into a cave in the form of detritus and plant material passed by watercourses, as dissolved organic matter infiltrating through minute cracks or exuding from tree roots (Howarth, 1972; Howarth, 1983), otherwise they can be placed inside caves as feces of trogloxenes, for example cave crickets, bats, birds, and other animals (Harris, 1970; Poulson, 1972; Culver, 1982). In various tropical caves, bat guano is by far the most significant source of nutrients. By carrying tons of organic matter to the caves, bats act as transferable links concerning cave environments with the external world (Arita, 1996). Any animal existing in a cave can be said as a cavernicole. Troglobites, which are obligate cavernicoles, are the emphasis of this appraisal. Many troglobites are offspring of troglophiles. Facultative cave populations are able to alive in or outside caves. Trogloxenes are consistent cave inhabitants that return intermittently to the exterior for food; bats and cave-crickets are examples. Main taxonomic collections of animals with various troglobitic species comprise collembolans, turbellarians, millipedes, spiders, pseudoscorpions, gastropods opilionidsisopods, amphipods, diplurans, decapods, beetles (Pselaphidae, Carabidae, Leiodidae), salamanders and fishes.(Barr and Holsinger, 1985) Cave Nutrient Cycle Food contribution into a cave ecosystem is attributable to two chief sources- sinking watercourses, which wash twigs, logs, bacteria, leaves and epigean animals (including zooplankton) into caves; and trogloxenes, which deposit their eggs and feces in caves and frequently die there and donate their bodies to the ecosystem (Barr Jr, 1967). Species from exterior sources include the bulk of the plankton in the Cave (Scott, 1909) and rivers inside Cave (Kofoid, 1899). Smaller individuals of the blind cavefish, Amblyopsis spelaea, feed mainly on copepods in this plankton (Poulson, 1963). Plant fragments are placed along the banks of subterranean streams, where they are gradually decomposed by bacteria and fungi. The decomposers provide food for detritus-feeding animals (e.g., diplurans, milli-pedes, and collembolans) which are then eaten by predators (e.g., opilionids, spiders, carabid beetles, pseudoscorpions). Bats and the eastern cave crickets of the genus Hadenoecus (Park and Barr, 19 61) are important guano manufacturers in caves of the United States. Few troglobites are able to use the guano directly, while guano is usually populated by a characteristic assemblage of troglophiles which may be eaten by predatory troglobites (Jeannel, 1949). Seasonal differences in the physical atmosphere and food supply of temperate zone caves are often unexpectedly drastic. During late winter and spring overflowing of rivers Cave, typically raises the water level 5 or 6 m, and a maximum rise of nearly 15 m has been recorded. Additionally the flood is a drop in temperature of the water and small increases in pH, entire alkalinity, and dissolved oxygen (Barr Jr, 1967). A much longer existence time in a riparian species of cave beetle when the riparian species and another species usually found in drier, higher cave galleries were immersed in water. Many species of Pseudanophthalmus and Ameroduvalius (troglobitic Carabidae) normally feed on little tubificid annelids in the damp sil t along cave streams (Barr Jr and Peck, 1965). The effects of flooding on aquatic cavernicoles, suggesting that spring floods may trigger their reproductive cycles (Poulson, 1964). Winter poses additional hazards for terrestrial troglobites. Food supplies vary seasonally in caves. Guano deposition by bats is limited to summer months, and Hadenoecus spp. feed outside the caves less often throughout winter than in summer, so there is minimum guano supply in winter. Conversely, deposition of organic detritus by watercourses is improved in winter because of flooding, but decomposition of the fragments takes place gradually over the time of several months or years. A great plankton count in Echo River of Mammoth Cave occurs only throughout late spring or summer floods, when plankton manufacture in Green River, which provides the flood waters, is great (Barr Jr, 1967). The genus Pseudanophthalmus covers about 175 species (many of them not yet described) and is known from Indiana, Kentucky , Illinois and Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio (Barr Jr and Peck, 1965). Ameroduvalius, limited to south- east Kentucky, has only three species; Nelsonites, from the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee and Kentucky, has two; and Neaphaenops and Darlingtonea, from many parts of Kentucky, are monobasic. All of these beetles are predatory troglobites and are supposed to be remnants of a well-known soil-and-moss-dwelling periglacial fauna (Barr Jr, 1965). Figure- The cave food pyramid Guano Bat guano supports an accumulation of organisms that differs depending on the species of bat manufacturing it. Alterations in guano composition propose that guano from bats in unlike feeding guilds can affect ecosystem configuration and dynamics differently (Emerson and Roark, 2007). Allochthonous effort of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which are found in comparatively high concentrations in bird guano, increases primary productivity in terrestrial ecosystems by improving the quality and quantity of vegetation (Polis et al., 1997). Nutrient input through guano deposition by seabirds has also been shown to increase the abundance of organisms such as detritivorous beetles on islands used by roosting seabirds (Sà ¡nchez-Pià ±ero and Polis, 2000). In addition to its effects on primary and secondary productivity, allochthonous nutrient input can also influence community structure the presence of birds and nutrient-rich guano significantly alters the structure of intertidal communities by enhancing algal growth and settlement of invertebrates in dense algalmats (Bosman and Hockey, 1986). Such consumer-driven nutrient recycling via fecal deposition by bats also affects community structure in guano-based ecosystems. Bat guano forms the basis of a food web consisting of bacteria, fungi, protozoans, nematodes, and arthropods (Harris, 1970). Cave salamanders consume guano of grey bats (Myotis grisescens) and incorporate the nutrients they obtain through coprophagy into body tissues (Fenolio et al., 2006). The diversity of organisms associated with guano has been shown to vary depending on the diet of the bat producing it, with guano of sanguivorous, insectivorous, and frugivorous bats supporting different assemblages of invertebrates (Ferreira and Martins, 1998). Differences in guano composition (C, N,P, and mass ratios) most likely resulted from dissimilarities in nutrient composition of the diets of each bat species (Studier et al., 1994). Variation in nu trients and stoichiometric nutrient ratios of guano from bats in different feeding guilds could have considerable effects on producers, consumers, and decomposers living on or in guano. Figure- Collection of guano from cave As highlighted by (Sterner and Elser, 2002) and subsequently in reviews by (Vrede et al., 2004) and (Moe et al., 2005), relationships among elemental nutrients have the potential to regulate processes at many ecological levels, including production, individual and population growth, coexistence of species, rates of decomposition of organic matter, and nutrient cycling. Primary production in terrestrial ecosystems (as in marine systems) is thought to be limited by the availability of N and P (Vitousek and Howarth, 1991), and the input of these nutrients by fecal deposition can have considerable bottom-up influences in detritus-based ecosystems. Ecosystem-level effects of different nutrient contents could also result from differences in rates of conversion of nutrients in guano from biologically unavailable to available forms (Vitousek et al., 1988). Differences in guano nutrient profiles could have considerable ecological consequences ranging from effects on the growth or productivity of individual residents of guano piles to effects on ecosystem-level processes like decomposition and nutrient cycling (Emerson and Roark, 2007). REFERENCE ARITA, H. T. 1996. The conservation of cave-roosting bats in Yucatan, Mexico. Biological Conservation, 76, 177-185. BARR JR, T. C. 1965. The Pseudanophthalmus of the Appalachian Valley (Coleoptera: Carabidae). American Midland Naturalist, 41-72. BARR JR, T. C. 1967. Observations on the ecology of caves. American Naturalist, 475-491. BARR JR, T. C. 1968. Cave ecology and the evolution of troglobites. Evolutionary biology. Springer. BARR JR, T. C. PECK, S. B. 1965. Occurrence of a troglobitic Pseudanophthalmus outside a cave (Coleoptera: Carabidae). American Midland Naturalist, 73-74. BARR, T. C. HOLSINGER, J. R. 1985. Speciation in cave faunas. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 313-337. BOSMAN, A. HOCKEY, P. 1986. Seabird guano as a determinant of rocky intertidal community structure. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 32, 247-257. CHEEPTHAM, N. 2012. Cave Microbiomes: A Novel Resource for Drug Discovery: A Novel Resource for Drug Discovery. Springer New York. Available: https://books.google.com.bd/books?id=QQuk4rk-OCgC. CULVER, D. C. 1982. Cave life: evolution and ecology. HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, MA(USA). 1982. DALQUEST, W. WALTON, D. 1970. Diurnal retreats of bats. Southern Methodist Univ. Press, vii. EMERSON, J. K. ROARK, A. M. 2007. Composition of guano produced by frugivorous, sanguivorous, and insectivorous bats. Acta Chiropterologica, 9, 261-267. FENOLIO, D. B., GRAENING, G., COLLIER, B. A. STOUT, J. F. 2006. Coprophagy in a cave-adapted salamander; the importance of bat guano examined through nutritional and stable isotope analyses. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 273, 439-443. FERREIRA, R. L. MARTINS, R. P. 1998. Diversity and distribution of spiders associated with bat guano piles in Morrinho cave (Bahia State, Brazil). Diversity and distributions, 235-241. HARRIS, J. 1970. Bat-guano cave environment. Science, 169, 1342-1343. HOWARTH, F. G. 1972. Cavernicoles in lava tubes on the island of Hawaii. Science, 175, 325-326. HOWARTH, F. G. 1983. Ecology of cave arthropods. Annual Review of Entomology, 28, 365-389. IUCNSSC. 2014. IUCN SSC Guidelines for Minimizing the Negative Impact to Bats and Other Cave Organisms from Guano Harvesting. IUCN, Gland. Available: http://www.batcon.org/pdfs/GuanoGuidelinesVersion1.pdf#page=1zoom=auto,-82,842 JEANNEL, R. 1949. Les fossiles vivants des cavernes. Gallimard. KOFOID, C. A. 1899. Plankton Studies III. On Platydorina, A New Genus of the Family Volvocidae, from the Plankton of the Illinois River. KUNZ, T. H. 1982. Roosting ecology of bats. Ecology of bats. Springer. MOE, S. J., STELZER, R. S., FORMAN, M. R., HARPOLE, W. S., DAUFRESNE, T. YOSHIDA, T. 2005. Recent advances in ecological stoichiometry: insights for population and community ecology. Oikos, 109, 29-39. PARK, O. BARR, T. 1961. Some observations on a cave cricket (Abstr.). Bulletin of the Entomological Society of America, 7, 144. POLIS, G. A., ANDERSON, W. B. HOLT, R. D. 1997. Toward an integration of landscape and food web ecology: the dynamics of spatially subsidized food webs. Annual review of ecology and systematics, 289-316. POULSON, T. L. 1963. Cave adaptation in amblyopsid fishes. American Midland Naturalist, 257-290. POULSON, T. L. 1964. Animals in aquatic environments: animals in caves. Handbook of Physiology, 749-771. POULSON, T. L. 1972. Bat guano ecosystems. Bulletin of the National Speleological Society, 34, 55-59. POULSON, T. L. WHITE, W. B. 1969. The cave environment. Science, 165, 971-981. RACOVITZA, E. G. 1907. Biospà ©ologica: Essai sur les problà ¨mes biospà ©ologiques. I. Schleicher frà ¨res. Sà NCHEZ-PIÑERO, F. POLIS, G. A. 2000. Bottom-up dynamics of allochthonous input: direct and indirect effects of seabirds on islands. Ecology, 81, 3117-3132. SCHINER, I. R. 1853. Fauna der Adelsberger-Lueger-und Magdalenen-Grotte. SCOTT, A. 1909. The Copepoda of the Soboga Expedition. Late EJ Brill. STERNER, R. W. ELSER, J. J. 2002. Ecological stoichiometry: the biology of elements from molecules to the biosphere. Princeton University Press. STUDIER, E. H., SEVICK, S. H., RIDLEY, D. M. WILSON, D. E. 1994. Mineral and nitrogen concentrations in feces of some neotropical bats. Journal of Mammalogy, 75, 674-680. VITOUSEK, P. M., FAHEY, T., JOHNSON, D. W. SWIFT, M. J. 1988. Element interactions in forest ecosystems: succession, allometry and input-output budgets. Biogeochemistry, 5, 7-34. VITOUSEK, P. M. HOWARTH, R. W. 1991. Nitrogen limitation on land and in the sea: how can it occur? Biogeochemistry, 13, 87-115. VREDE, T., DOBBERFUHL, D. R., KOOIJMAN, S. ELSER, J. J. 2004. Fundamental connections among organism C: N: P stoichiometry, macromolecular composition, and growth. Ecology, 85, 1217-1229.

The Motivational Issues Of Dominos Pizza

The Motivational Issues Of Dominos Pizza This project proposal is been undertaken to investigate the motivational issues of Dominos Pizza which is located on Queen Street, Auckland, New Zealand. This branch was made in the year of 2009. This research is tremendously valuable as it will provide an in depth detail of the source of the problem which is affecting Domino`s Pizza. This research will exactly pin point the root of the problem and according to the problem measurable decisions can be taken to resolve it. The research process I have used to gather primary data is a combination of both qualitative and quantitative research. Where firstly is questionnaires which I distributed a set of questions to all the low level management employees of the company. Secondly I conduced an interview with Ishwar Chawla who is positioned as a Shift Manger. Then I did a literature review by browsing the internet and gathering information from the company`s official website. Then finally while they were working I was observing them on how they work and perform. After identifying the problem I distributed the questionnaires to the staff members to get it filled where there are total 21 employees but only 10 forms came back to me from the 12 I sent. After gathering the crucial information such as the culture and how things work in Domino`s Pizza; which would help me in my research through literature review. Then I used Maslows Hierarchy of Needs as every person has different needs and they go from physiological or basics needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization. From the total number of workers which is 21 the most workers in the business are still on the physiological or safety needs as maximum number of employees are part-time workers from which only 3 of them are full time employees in that branch of Domino` Pizza. Which creates a factor of job security because if there had to be any redundancy the first employees to be layoff will be part-time workers which could be a major demotivating factor to the employees. Then there is a list of strengths and limitation explained about the study or research which I conducted. I have explained the methodology and the relevance using a management theory and I have used four instruments such as interview, questionnaires, literature and observation. The theory I have used is Douglas McGregors theory and I have also drawn up a fishbone diagram for lack of motivation (figure 3). The Primary research results summary is showing signs of motivational issues. There is a communication problem between employees. Then I analyze the data based on the questionnaire results the employees are concerned about the communication pattern that it should be done directly which means face to face rather than putting it on the notice board. Listed down possible solution and their possible consequences. Then I related Herzberg The Two Factor Theory with the findings which motivation and hygiene factors. In the conclusion and recommendation I suggested the possible solution to the problem such as being more democratic and let the employees put some input into the decision making process. To get rid of delays and shortage of resources I suggest to adopt the Just-In-Time concept. Which will avoid overstocking and will have fresh stocks and it will making the production process quicker and efficient. Introduction: Setting Of Project: This is a project proposal and is been carried out to investigate the motivational issues of Domino`s Pizza which is located on Queen Street, Auckland, New Zealand. This is a multinational company which is a fast food restaurant and this branch was established in the year 2009. Domino`s Pizza produces pizza and has an image of fast delivery of the pizza and has a variety of pizza. This company is established worldwide and has many branches in New Zealand. This particular branch is a franchise and it has a multi-divisional structure. It has a decentralized and they have bureaucratic decision-making. The structure will evolve over time with the changes in strategy, degree of diversification, geographic scope and the nature of competition. Research Problem: The major problem identified is Motivation. This is the factor that keeps the employees work efficiently and effectively. Motivation affects the operations or tasks carried out in the company. The company`s only way to be successful is by having a healthy staff which is well motivated and enthusiastic with their roles in the company. Motivation keeps employees active and be productive in the task they perform. I also have my personal interest to doing this assignment on my company. The Importance of this Research: This research is extremely valuable as it will give an in depth detail of the cause of the problem and find out the source of the demotivation which is affecting Domino`s Pizza. This research will exactly pin point the root of the problem and according to the problem measurable decisions can be taken to resolve it. Domino`s Pizza is linked with suppliers where they purchase the ingredients (raw materials) such as pizza base, chicken, pork and much more. Use it to makeup the pizza`s. The absence of motivation impedes the performance of the workforce and therefore they dont accomplish successfully in order to meet their goals to make as much as profit as possible.in this situation administration principles of management functions can be kept in place. These functions are as follows: Controlling Organizing Planning Coordination Commanding The above functions could be the solutions of the problem as they may bring in some positive results to the company in terms of performance and the motivational level of the crew. There can be certain reconstructive changes to gradually eliminate these problems which effects and accurate motivation for team to grow in the correct course. These minor problems need to be solved right now they become enormous and go out of control and lead to a destruction of the company if not taken immediate action. The Aim and Purpose of the Study: The aim of this research is to identify the common business problems which in this case is the motivational issues as it is affecting the company negatively. To keep the crew or workforce highly motivated and keep on training them with new skills which will improve productivity. Also motivate them on an individual level to help them accomplish their personal and company goals or aims. To apply and relate motivation theories to the staff or employees and make production efficient. The aim of this research is to identify the problem, solve it and improve on it. To find out the reasons behind the problem which is causing it. Methodology: Research Process Used to Gather Primary Data: The methods I used to collect information is by four methods and I have combination of both combination of qualitative and quantitative research which means there is both numerical values and statistics and depth understanding of behavior and why they tend to behave in that manner? Firstly was the questionnaires where I kept 10 set of questions and distributed between the 12 employees but I received back only 10 questionnaires filled. This was to see the satisfaction level of the employees with various aspects of the company affecting their work and life. This will show if the company is following the rules and regulations such a minimum wage and maximum number of hours the employees are lead to work. Secondly is the interview which was conducted with the Shift Manager of the Domino`s Pizza Branch on 5/205 Queen Street. The name of the manager is Ishwar Chawla and he is working in Domino`s Pizza since last 4 years. I asked him a different questions but these questions where no completely fixed as it was an interview. They would change according to the answer of the manager. Thirdly is that I used secondary data or literature review which was using the internet to get some details of the company`s goals, missions and values. Such as going to the official website of the company which is (http://www.dominospizza.co.nz/) to have some information about the company. Lastly is through observation. I watched how the employees working coordinating and looking at tasks which they were performing. I agree this method is not that accurate compare to others as the employees make act differently if someone is observing. I did ask a few questions face to face to the workers (unpretentious questions). SWOT Analysis: Domino`s Pizza Strength: Location: it is located in the CBD which attracts maximum number of customers. Brand Name/ Image: it is a multinational company therefore it is well known and well established and does not to get established. Financial: as they are well established and have high revenue they do not have to borrow money to invest in its company for expansion. It will insource and does not require outsourcing to be done. Technology: they have new technology and equipment to make pizza quicker and of better quality. Offers: new offers or innovative various pizza flavors are being launched to maintain their sales. Weakness: Customer Service: they sometimes do not deliver the pizza in time as specified. Demotivation: the staff is not motivated so they are not working efficiently. Allocation of Resources: resources are not allocated or not put together properly. They run out of resources or toppings which delays the delivery time. Opportunities: New types of pizza or flavors are being launched. Low price compared to the competitors prices. Bringing in new products such as Lava cake and muffins. Threats: Competition: competitors of Domino`s Pizza such as Pizza Hut Hells Pizza. Environment: the working environment is not satisfying. The kitchen is not well managed. Information about the Size of the Sample Population and Its Adequacy: After identifying the problem I distributed the questionnaires to the staff members to get it filled where there are total 21 employees but only 10 forms came back to me from the 12 I sent. This means 83.33% of adequacy sampling size was received of the employees received and the rest 2 forms were not given back. This took a lot of time due to tight schedules. Figure Pie Chart What do the employees feel about the working conditionStatistical Techniques: According to the questionnaires it shows that most of the staff voted for the number 4. Which means that they feel it is good which is 60% in percentage.no one kept 1 nor 5 as their rating. 30% of the employees rated 3 and 10% rated 2. This means only small percentage of the employees are demotivated from the factor of working condition. The mode is 4 as it appeared the most. Literature Review: After having a detailed view of the website of Domino`s Pizza (http://www.dominospizza.co.nz/corporate/inside/InsideDominos.aspx). I found out about their vision, mission, food safety and many more crucial information about it which would help me in my research. It explains its culture and how things work in Domino`s Pizza. Figure Maslows Hierarchy of NeedsI will be using Maslows Hierarchy of Needs as every person has different needs and they go from physiological or basics needs going upwards towards self-actualization. Most employees in the company are still on the physiological or safety needs as most these employees are part-time workers. Only 3 employees are full time employees in that branch of Domino` Pizza. Therefore job security is not really there because if there was cost cutting to take place then the part-time employees will be the first ones to be layoff. Which implies that the employees are not motivated and they are always looking for another job and they are sticking to this job just to satisfy their basic needs.C:Usersishant1000DownloadsMaslow_Needs_Hierarchy.jpg Once the employees have satisfied their basic needs which is food, shelter then they would make sure that their job is secured. If they are assured that their jobs will not be lost and the company needs them then they will move towards social needs. Which means making new friends getting along with colleagues and working as a team together which will solve the problem of delayed producing and delivering to the customer. Working together to meet the target faster than expected and receive incentives from the hard work deployed into the work through team work. Then they go for esteem needs which is recognition, reputation and attention any many more. Then finally is self-actualization where he or she wants more responsibilities and wants everyone to trust him or her. Strengths and Limitations of the Study: Strengths: The people who are working are very cooperative and are taking out time to fill up the questionnaires I handed them. The manager had given me access for a week and I could come at any time for doing my research which gives enough time to finish my research easily. As some of my friends work in this company it is easier for me to take crucial and detailed information for the research. As the company is not huge so the information collection section is done very quickly. This means less time wasted. Limitations: Not all the employees are available at the same time as they all have different shifts and different times they come to work for. Which makes data collection more time usual. The manager is not always available. During observation people where acting differently as they knew that they are being watched. Which may have given misleading results. Not all information was exposed or shown to me and was kept close. Methodology and its Relevance Using Management Theory: I have used four instruments such as interview, questionnaires, literature and observation. I gave the questionnaires to the 12 employees working in the small branch of the Domino`s Pizza on Queens Street in which I received 10 questionnaires out of 12 back. Then I did a personal interview with Ishwar Chawla and before doing these two I did an internet research over Domino`s Pizza product range and offers. Then while they were working I was observing them of how they were performing their tasks and I would ask some simple and quick queries or questions while they were working. Figure Fishbone DiagramFigure 3: Fishbone Diagram for lack of Motivation I will be using Douglas McGregors theory according to my research Theory X matches or fits in well. The managers of Domino`s pizza leans towards more upon theory X then Y. This means there less participation of employees and more authorization. Where the workers would try to avoid work and be very lazy and do not want any responsibilities thus they have to be pushed to work for them to work or perform efficiently. This shows that the employees are highly demotivated. The manager is of a Theory X. Figure McGregor Theory X and YFigure 4: McGregor Theory X and Y:C:Usersishant1000Downloadstheory_x_y.gif According to the plan I reviewed the information from the internet and the surveys and according to the plan I had to take at least 5 questionnaires and I have done total 10 and I performed the interview as well and even the observation process. I had a time period of only a week and the plan was of 5 weeks. I managed to undertake all the tasks in 6 days as they were very cooperative and helpful with my research. This boosted my data collection for my research as I did it 4 weeks earlier which gave me more time to analysis the problem in hand and figuring out how to solve it. The relevance of the business problem which maybe lack of motivation could be solved through this research. This could also increase the productivity of the company and become more efficiently. If they have any time management issues; then that issue could be amended by my research result. This could also give solutions of keeping the organizations employees efficient and this means less resources wasted and all the resources will be allocated. The organization will get an idea of how to motivate the employees. This means they will find out the motivation factor. This will help to improve your output and that will increase your profit as the expenses reduced. This research will help the managers to better understand their employees and makes it easy for managing the workers more efficiently. Results and Discussion: Primary Research Results Summary: The study is showing signs of motivational issues. There is a communication problem between employees and there is more of autocratic leadership taking place which means no interaction and contribution in the decision making process. They simply just have to follow orders which could be a problem. They have recently renovated the place and they have made it smaller then before which is making the work place small and uncomfortable. Keeping the employees demotivated as the working environment is unpleasant. Some employees are really working hard but they are not being recognized as they are supposed to. The employees are not told or informed about the long term plans; they are only told about the short-term. The employees are not being recognized for their job well done and the manager is not satisfied with the performance of the workers. There is only one way communication which means no contribution of the employees to the businesses decision making process. This will make them feel invaluable and unwanted by the company which can lead serious demotivation and reduce productivity and quality of the production. This would keep the labor turnover high. Analysis of Data: Based on the questionnaire results the employees are concerned about the communication pattern that it should be done directly which means face to face rather than putting it on the notice board. They also prefer to have a bigger work place so that they can freely move. They also complained about the cleaning procedure as the work place gets very dirty. They clean every 2 hours. They want the company to Introduce some new vegetarian pizza`s for the vegetarian customers. The employees should be given more staff discount as they are working for the company. This will make them feel that they belong somewhere and they will motivated and become more productive which may improve the performance and sales of the branch. Possible Solution: There are particular things which motivates them such as good aptitude and a larger and comfortable place to work at. The management ways must be modified at ground level. A lot of importance is required for smooth communication process. They should get a bigger working place. There should introduce some tangible incentives and appreciation for the work will done of the employee. Possible Consequences: More services will rise costs but as they will get motivated and work more efficiently which will increase profits. This means in the long-term it will be beneficial. They should provide some training to the workers so that they can become more effective. This means it will reduce the time consumption and become specialized in their work. Herzberg The Two Factor Theory: Where there is a motivation factor and hygiene factors. Motivation factors such as achievement should be recognized so that the employee is willing to perform again as he will be recognized for his work well done. They should provide responsibilities to the employees so that they feel valuable and let them give some input in the decision making process. Some employees are working very hard and not being recognized so they should award him or her by giving incentives or give promotion and this will provide personal and position growth. The hygiene factors are factors which have a big role in motivating the staff as it links the business and the employees together. The manager should have interpersonal skills so that they have good interpersonal relationship with the employees. If the employees are supervised they tend to work harder that is why collecting information through observation is not always accurate. The positive factor with Domino`s Pizza according to the employees is that the salary or pay rate per hour is good but many complaint that they work extra hours when you have to close the restaurant and they do not get any extra pay for the hours worked which can lead to demotivated staff. But the staff who closes the restaurant can take the extra pizza`s left. Conclusion Recommendation: After the methodology, the results discussion the problem has been identified and in his I will provide the possible solutions to overcome the problem. These problems have been identified and confirmed by the interview, questionnaire and observation. The manager does not provide the long term plans which they should provide. They should provide both short-term and long-term plans so that the employees know what is going on in the company. The employees need to be motivated so that the use their full potential as the managers want. The manager does not give any tangible awards or incentives. He should give a gift even if it is small but that gift will be valuable for the employee as it will be an appreciation token. The manager should not only see the performance, he should also see the effort he or she is putting in her work and appraise the employee foe the employee. There is no much contribution of staff because the orders come from top level management and those instructions need to be followed; in this case they have to bring in some involvement as they may provide very good ideas to the company and they we fell wanted by the company which will increase their confidence the way they work. Training should be provide regularly so that the employees are productive all the time and resources are not wasted. This will be beneficial as they employees will become multi-tasking. The purpose of this research is to overcome the problems which are affecting the performance and this research is mainly based on the motivational factors which is one of the major part of productivity. If the employees are not motivated then they will not put any effort in their work and this can lead to low quality production. Where quality control is concerned new equipment are needed and this will reduce wastage and utilize resources efficiently. Staff should be provided with annual bonus and appraise them for their work well done. The manager should have a good relationship with the employees to know the employees needs and keep constant communication between the manager and the low level management. The manager should constantly give targets to his subordinates and give some responsibilities so that they would work for it as if it is their own business. They should be trained constantly to inherit them with new techniques and tactics to perform the tasks and try to keep rotation on the tasks so that they do not get bored of doing the same task again and again. They should throw an annual party for the staff as an appreciation of the effort put into their work. This will keep them happy and maintain positive environment around the working place. The problems should be prioritize; the ones which require instant or immediate attention should be solved such as paying extra pay for the extra hours they work for when closing the restaurant and get bigger kitchen and place for the customers sit and have their pizza`s. the employees should be recognized for their hard work. They should adopt the Just-in-time. Is a production strategy that attempts to develop a business return on investment by reducing in-process inventory and associated carrying costs. To meet JIT objectives, the process relies on signals between diverse points in the process, which tell production when to make the following part. They should apply just in time as this will increase the speed of production of pizza`s and the problem of running out of toppings or resources on pit time will be solved because just before the resources finish the next batch will come in. This will reduce the time wasted in waiting for the resources. This will improve the delivery time and keep the customers satisfied. This will reduce congestion which is created at lunch time and weekends. They should expand the work place and get more employees because when there is a lot of customers it becomes very difficult to make the pizza as they are understaff. They should employee more full time workers so that they can supply the demand completely. References ^ Herzberg, F.I. 1987, one more time: How do you motivate employees? Harvard Business Review, Sep/Oct87, Vol. 65 Issue 5, p109-120 (note: the reference to sales numbers is in the abstract written by the editors.) ^ Feder, B.J. 2000, F.I. Herzberg, 76, Professor and Management Consultant, New York Times, Feb 1, 2000, pg. C26. Available from: ProQuest Historical Newspapers the New York Times (1851 2003). [October 28, 2006]. ^ Herzberg, Frederick (1959), The Motivation to Work, New York: John Wiley and Sons, ISBN 978-1-56000-634-3 Domino`s Pizza referred from http://www.dominospizza.co.nz/corporate/inside/InsideDominos.aspx Just In Time JIT. (n.d). Retrieved from Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/j/jit.asp#axzz25LU9aWVZ

Terrorists :: essays research papers

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The federal government has asked the National Academy of Sciences not to publish a research paper that feds describe as a "road map for terrorists" on how to contaminate the nation's milk supply. The research paper on biological terrorism, by Stanford University professor Lawrence M. Wein and graduate student Yifan Liu, provides details on how terrorists might attack the milk supply and offers suggestions on how to safeguard it. The paper appeared briefly May 30 on a password-protected area of the National Academy of Science's Web site. Journalists use that area of the Web site to get advance copies of articles slated for publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. People who downloaded the Wein-Liu paper called the Food and Drug Administration for comment, and the FDA notified the Department of Health and Human Services, which asked the academy to stop the article's publication. The paper "is a road map for terrorists and publication is not in the interests of the United States," HHS Assistant Secretary Stewart Simonson wrote in a letter to the science academy chief Dr. Bruce Alberts. The paper gives "very detailed information on vulnerability nodes" in the milk supply chain and "includes ... very precise information on the dosage of botulinum toxin needed to contaminate the milk supply to kill or injure large numbers of people," Simonson wrote. "It seems clear on its face that publication of this manuscript could have very serious public health and national security consequences." Simonson wrote that acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Lester Crawford was joining him in the request to halt publication. Officials of HHS and the academy said they are to meet Tuesday to discuss the article. "The academy has been dealing with the issue of scientific openness versus national security since 9/11," said academy spokesman Bill Kearney. "The academy [members] are strong advocates of scientific openness while ensuring that nothing is done to aid terrorists." Kearney said the NAS routinely vets papers for security concerns before publishing them and had vetted the Wein-Liu paper. After HHS raised concerns, the NAS decided to "take a step back and make sure that we weren't putting out anything that we're uncomfortable with," he said. NAS is a private, nonprofit society of scientists and engineers chartered by Congress to advise the government on science and technology. HHS spokesman Marc Wolfson said Wein showed a draft of his paper last fall to HHS staffers, who expressed concern about the level of detail in the paper.

Medicine In America Essay -- essays research papers

James Cassedy’s Medicine in America, A Short History takes a comprehensive look at medical progress in America from its colonial days to the present time. The book takes on five different themes in discussing medicine. First, it discusses the medical establishment, and how it develops over time. Second, it looks at the alternative to established medicine. Alternatives consist of any kind of medical practice outside the orthodox practice of the time. Third, Cassedy explores the science of medicine, taking time to recognize individuals who make significant discoveries in the field of medicine. The role of government in science is the fourth theme studied by Cassedy. The government makes considerable efforts into the regulation of medical practice in America. The final theme is the role of the environment in the health of Americans. In covering these themes, Cassedy breaks American history into four different time periods. The book will best be reviewed by looking at each of thes e time periods, and how they cover the aforementioned themes. Logically, the book begins by discussing the period of time that America is under the control of Britain. The first inhabitants of the continent took a beating from diseases carried by Europeans. Native Americans did not have the immunities instilled in Europeans. Disease is accredited to wiping out nearly 90 percent of Native Americans. The colonies, however, also had to deal with diseases. Very few physicians lived in the colonies due to the fact that Britain was still the mother country. With the medical establishment being as small as it was, the women of the household often took care of the day to day healing. Midwives handled childbirths, and basically anyone with any knowledge of medical literature was considered capable of healing. Some of the common treatments included steam baths, religious rights, and herbal remedies. Surgical methods were basically limited to that of setting bones and pulling teeth. Realizing that sanitation was a problem, larger towns eventually began to pass regulations on the removal of garbage and dead animals. Health related science was circulated by means of periodicals. Along with being a contributor to medicine as a scientist, Benjamin Franklin often published medical information in his newspapers. A strong supporter of inoculation, the Reverend Cotton Mather frequently wrote about medic... ...lear weapons and the affects of radiation. The AIDS epidemic is an example of a modern day disease that prompts massive government funded research and public awareness. The medical establishment now is maintained by such organizations as the American Medical Association (A.M.A). The emergence of effective medicine gave way to more success and trust in the American medical institution. Current advancement in medicine, however, tends to be tainted by the glory of discovery. While orthodox medicine continues to flourish, people still tend to seek unorthodox methods of healing, such as acupuncture. All things considered, medicine in America has made dramatic improvements since its colonial days. James Cassedy has made an excellent overview of the history of medicine in America. Granted that this book will not win any literary awards in the near future, it is still a well-written tool in beginning one’s research of medicine. He presents his topics in a manner that makes them in teresting, and causes readers to question the past of their medical culture. His choice of themes leaves little to be desired, and he thoroughly discusses each of them in relation to his specified time intervals.

Evaluating a Health Promotion Website Essay -- Health Care, Nursing

Introduction This assignment intends to review the concept of nursing shift handover. Nursing handover can be defined as an important time to exchange information pertinent to the continued care of their patients (Pothier, Monteiro, Nooktlar et al. 2005). Methods of handover are varied, ranging from taped, verbal, by the bedside or with typed sheets. In 2010 there were 352,104 registered nurses, midwives and health visitors working in the NHS (RCN, 2011). All of these will partake in a handover of information on a regular basis, in hospitals this handover takes place at least twice day. In 2009/2010 there was 16,806,200 hospital stays in NHS hospitals (IC NHS, 2011). Information about their care would have been exchanged at shift changes, with the quality of each handover ensuring relevant care. Consequently, we can see that handovers effects thousands of nursing staff together with the thousands of patients in the hospital setting. The Health & Safety Executive (1996) stated that handover has several requisites, in particularly that communication between shifts should be accurate and without misunderstandings. The need to improve handovers is international recognized along with the obstacles that need to be overcome. Solutions need to address the healthcare professionals resistance to change, while understanding their time pressures. Additionally, issues relating to staffing levels, language differences and lack of research (WHO, 2007)need to be taken into account. According to Prouse (1995 cited by Carayon,) the cost of a handover in an UK hospice was approximately  £80, (with inflation  £125 (This is Money, 2011)). Additionally, Burke (1999) suggested using taped handovers saves a ward  £16,000 per annum, which may... ...400 results when refined with quantitative or qualitative keywords. Lastly, CINAHL produced best results when using a basic search with 'nursing handover' used, resulting in 23 articles. Each database requires different techniques, sometimes narrowing or opening the search parameters. Parameter of date and location were employed. Consequently, papers needed form 2001 onwards, original research and from the UK, thus avoiding cultural discrepancies and ensuring applicable to practice. Additionally, they needed to be hospital based and preferably in a ward setting. The qualitative paper selected was 'A qualitative study of shift handover practice and function' (Kerr, 2001) and the quantitative paper was 'A Pilot study to show the loss of important data in nursing handover'(Pothier D., Monteiro P., Nooktlar M. et al., 2005). These will now be critiqued in turn.

Metacognition Student Achievement Essay

Metacognition has generally been described as thinking about one’s own thoughts. The realization that a human being cannot exist in isolation of his inner self, that he is constantly probing that dam of his very essence to evaluate situations and resolve the never-ending puzzles that daily confront him. Kornell (2009), has described metacognition as self-reflection and conscious awareness. An even more elaborate definition is that given by Serendip (2009). He defines it as â€Å"a reflective practice that helps one discern general patterns in one’s own views and abilities†. Whichever definition one feels comfortable with, it cannot be said to be superior to the other, because metacognition deals with the intangible and cannot be weighed on a scale. It has, however, been the subject of widespread research all over the world. Psychologists are now asking themselves, what causes that tip of the tongue experience, when you are sure you know someone’s name but cannot recall it? Or what is at play when one conveys a feeling of uncertainty? Why is it that humans are able to have certain cognitive abilities that animals apparently do not have? For example, if asked what year America gained independence, one may readily recall with certainty, or one may say with complete uncertainty that he does not know. The answer may also lie in between, showing a certain degree of uncertainty by replying, for example, I think it was 1776. Whatever answer one gives, it demonstrates an ability to question one’s memory and experience. According to studies that have been done, this ability can be improved. Thus, the science of metacognition is now rampant, with studies being carried out on the cognitive abilities of monkeys, children, students, and ways in which they can be improved. Metacognition 2 One study which was carried out to test the cognitive abilities of rhesus monkeys, was that conducted by Kornell, Son & Terrace (2007). In this trial, the monkeys were initially trained to select a given picture from a sample of six pictures by touching the image on a touch-screen monitor. After this training period, they were shown six sample pictures which were then simultaneously removed and replaced with nine, one of the previous six being among them. As soon as they selected the sample they thought was among the previous six, they were required to bet on their choice by depressing an icon on the screen for certainty, with a reward of redeemable food tokens, or loss of tokens, if wrong. A further icon for a low risk bet was also there. After carrying out this experiment for a suitable period of time, they concluded that the monkeys would invariably only bet when they were sure that they knew the correct answer. The researchers were therefore of the opinion that the monkeys were guided by a cognitive ability. They also tested two monkeys on metacognitive control. This is the ability to use metacognitive ability to influence behavior. An example would be requesting for a hint when one is unsure of an answer, a common trait with humans. In this trial, two monkeys were presented with a few sample pictures to place in a certain order. They were also availed of onscreen visual hints if they needed. The penalty for using the hints was a less appetizing banana flavored pellet, instead of the more attractive M&M candy. As the test progressed, it became apparent that the monkeys were using the hints less and less, and would only resort to them when they were sure that they did not know the right answer. This ability to have control over one’s metacognitive ability had been tested on humans for many years, and it was only now that it was becoming clear that it was also present in animals. However, how prevalent this is among them, cannot be clear and it cannot be generalized from this study that only involved rhesus monkeys. Metacognition 3 Smith & Washbum (2005) have taken animal research a notch higher and carried out trials that probe the memory, referred to as monitoring the memory. In the test, animals which were given various tasks to do based on what they had done before, declined to engage in the more difficult tasks, a result that was the same as similar tests carried out on humans. The animals were selective and seemed to have the same analogous capacity as human. There was no doubt that they were using their metacognitive abilities to seek in their memories, and when they remembered that the task was arduous, they declined to take the test. Kornell & Terrace (2007) also carried out some trials seeking to find out if monkeys benefited from learning. They did this with two rhesus monkeys which were given two problem sets to solve. In one difficult set, they were given hints to assist them after a suitable training period. In the other set, they were given no hints. The number of hints they used to solve the problem set steadily declined over time, the performance, however, did not change, it stayed the same. The monkeys were solving the problem with skills they had acquired from the hints and were using them less and less because they had â€Å"learned†. This is fascinating and opens up very interesting questions about the training of animals. There are other areas of animal metacognitive behavior which have been studied. Hampton, R (2009), carried out studies on rhesus monkeys to determine if they made decisions when they had information, or sought information when ignorant and immediately made a decision. The results were quite revealing. They carried out two sets of tests. In one test, the monkeys witnessed food being inserted into some opaque test tubes. These tests were referred to as the seen trials. In the other test, the food was inserted into test tubes without their knowledge. Metacognition 4 The monkeys were then required to identify the tubes which had food in them. In trial after trial, they would first look down the tubes to ascertain if the food was there and if it was, they selected the tube. What was evident from these tests is that the monkeys sought information first, by peering down the tubes, when ignorant, and only immediately selected the correct tubes without investigating, when they knew the food was there. That means they knew when they knew and only sought information when they knew that they did not know. This is a characteristic which is prevalent among human children, orangutans and rhesus monkeys. It is, however, not clear with capuchin monkeys when they were exposed to a similar trial about a decade before. There is room for more research on animals. According to Smith & Washbum, a lot needs to be investigated regarding the gifts different animals have. For example, monkeys and dolphins seem to exhibit more cognitive abilities than pigeons, whose reactions appear to be more stimulus based. Further research in this area can yield very important information which may stimulate a whole spectrum of research into cognitive abilities of different animal specie. Additionally, there is a lot of room into studies on the ability or lack of ability of animals to make quantitative judgements, for example, their mood. Metacognitive abilities is also a subject of importance in developing learning capabilities for children. Loh, A (2009), has made suggestions on methods to use to improve metacognition learning for children as young as two year olds. Since parents spend the most amount time with children of this age, they are best placed to practice the techniques recommended by Loh. He says that children should be encouraged to think about their thinking process in order to develop their intellect and intelligence. Children should be engaged, soon after an activity, to gauge their Metacognition 5 thinking process and the techniques they used for a task. Immediately after this activity, they should be asked certain questions, for example : 1. They should be asked about the process they used to achieve the result. This way, they will recall the steps and learn the process. 2. What strategies did they use? This will engage them actively in the thinking process by beginning to adopt strategic thinking of alternative techniques they can use to achieve better results. 3. What do they think about the end result? Is it good or bad? This will help them to evaluate their work. 4. Offer them puzzling tasks that have more than one solution. This exposes them to cognitive conflicts 5. Engage them in debates and discussions with other children 6. Allow them to practice reciprocal teaching where they form groups and one child teaches members of his group. 7. Once they engage on a task, allow them to continue undisturbed. Help them with clues if they get stuck. Further, they can be assisted with questions that will incline them to probe their mind even more, for example, what they learned from the task and what they found difficult. Additionally, they can be probed to find out if they have a next goal and what will help them to achieve it. Metacognition 6 There has been more research in the field of metacognitive abilities of children. Young children’s understanding of mental life, or â€Å"theory of mind†, is an area that is currently being explored by various scientists. According to science daily (2008), a new study had made a link between theory of mind as assessed in kindergarten children and their metacognitive abilities in elementary school. Early theory of mind competencies positively influenced metacognitive abilities acquired later. 174 children between the ages of three and four were used as study subjects to investigate this relationship. Wolfgang Schneider, P. H. D. , of the University of Wurzburg, who carried out the trial, said that knowledge from this research can be used to develop training programs for young children. For all the progress that has been done on metacognition in animals and children, none can rival that of learners. The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (2009), says that students with metacognitive needs have difficulties in setting priorities and planning their tasks. Additionally: 1. They are poor at strategizing in order to accomplish a task methodically 2. They procrastinate and are unable to start their work. 3. They are inattentive and make careless mistakes. 4. They are not able to identify their faults or know how to seek help. With these type of students they recommend the following teaching strategies : 1. Teachers should tutor them on how to plan and show them the scoring rubric for the assignment. 2. They should be taught on estimation of time needed to complete a task. 3. They should be assisted with think-aloud strategies. Metacognition 7 4. They should be cajoled to get engaged actively in their work by asking them how they are doing the work and how they will remember to solve the problem. 5. Teachers should be specific in their assignments to students by providing scoring rubrics for each question and how they have been calculated. However, Pierce (2004), dealt even deeper in metacognition for students. He was of the opinion that study strategies were generalized and teachers did not teach them in class. They assumed that students had already learned them. When they taught a strategy, students used the same strategy taught for all subjects. According to him, students needed to acquire three types of knowledge in order to improve their metacognitive abilities. These are : 1. Declarative knowledge which is having at their grasp factual information, for example, speed is distance divided by time taken. 2. Procedural knowledge which is knowing how to do something. Using the previous example of speed, they should know the formula for speed and the steps required in its calculation. 3. Conditional knowledge – This is knowing when to use a certain procedure and why one strategy is better than another. In applying the three types of knowledge for study strategies for example, students need declarative knowledge to know that a high school history textbook is different from an article analyzing the same textbook. They need procedural knowledge to take notes from such a textbook and conditional knowledge to know when such notes should be taken. According to Pierce, study techniques improve learning but are hardly ever taught. Additionally, many students do not internalize success as caused by ability and effort. Metacognition 8 Lippman, Danielsson & Linder (2005), differed slightly with some researchers of metacognition. They claimed that most studies taught metacognitive skills and then measured the effects of training. Instead, they should quantify the use of metacognition. In a study that they carried out at an American university, their aim was to find out how much metacognition is used in a laboratory and how the setup encourages the use of metacognition. Three groups of students were used and their proceedings videotaped and their verbal comments recorded. In one group, students were given a set of instructions to follow. The same was done for the second group and in addition, they were expected to explain their reason. The third group was given a question to answer and expected to explain, in a presentation, the method they had used to get results. In analyzing the results, Lippman et al (2005) saw no difference in the amount of metacognition in the different groups. However, the most important finding was that there was a difference in how metacognition made students change their behavior in tackling the lab assignments. For example, in the third group, the verbal exchanges revealed that the use of metacognition made the students more creative. This was a different approach as was the one used by Mevarech & Kramarski (2003). In this study, 100 eighth graders, studying algebra in four classrooms, were divided into two groups. One group was exposed to cooperative learning and also given metacognitive training. The other group was given cooperative learning but without metacognitive training. At issue was mathematical modeling and problem solving skills. After tasks to perform were given, the results showed that the group which had been given metacognitive training did outperformed the other that only had a cooperative setting. There was significant difference with the two groups with regard to planning, processing and reflection. They concluded that the cooperative Metacognition 9 setting is not enough to enhance modeling skills. Metacognitive skills are important in how to approach a problem, how to control and monitor the solution and how to reflect on the final answer. As a result of such studies, Mevarech & Kramarski (2003) designed the learning tool called IMPROVE, whose letters stand for : Introducing the new material Metacognitive questioning Practicing Reviewing Obtaining mastery on higher and lower cognitive processes Verification Enrichment and remedial The important thing in IMPROVE is the approach in problem solving. Students are able to approach a scenario with a systematic method which first and foremost addresses the question of what is the issue at hand. They then investigate to find out how different the problem is from others and what the best strategies are to solve it. As can be seen from all the studies mentioned, metacognition is an area of development that has a lot of room for growth. Animals which have been shown to have metacognitive abilities can be researched further in order to discover if this is something widespread within the animal kingdom, and if not, then what actually determines metacognition of a species. With children too, the theory of the mind is interesting and further studies should be carried out to determine if there are other areas of their lives that can benefit from improved research on Metacognition 10 metacognition. For example, are high levels of metacognition genetic? Does diet affect levels of metacognition? What role does disease play in metacognition? It would also be interesting to see new research in the study techniques of students. More than anyone else, their place in society is critical because they take over reins in business, government and the civil society within only a few years after leaving college. Their overall performance in school is therefore a top priority. Of serious concern should be when study techniques should begin to be taught and how they would be standardized. Additionally, quantifying the use of metacognition as advocated for by Lippman (2005), needs to generate more study. If his research is anything to go by, then the approach to metacognition training must also address, not just the amount of metacognition ability gained, but also how it is channeled to productive use. This is an area that can prove very challenging and rewarding because teaching metacognition techniques is one thing, but being able to teach the type of techniques that can produce quantifiable measures cannot be easy. However, it is possible that the same metacognition graduates will discover new methods and strategies to impart more abilities in metacognition. Metacognition 11 References Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (2009). Metacognitive Skills. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. etfo. ca/Multimedia/Webcasts/SpecialEducation/Pages/Metacognitive%20Skills. aspx Hampton, R (2009). Multiple demonstrations of metacognition in nonhumans: Converging evidence or multiple mechanisms? Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://psyc. queensu. ca/ccbr/Vol4/Hampton.pdf. Kornell, Nate (2009, February). Metacognition in Humans and Animals. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122212734/HTMLSTART Lippmann, K. , Danielsson, A. & Linder, C. (2005, August). Metacognition in the student Laboratory : Is increased metacognition necessarily better? Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. anst. uu. se/rekun676/meta. pdf Loh, A (2009, July). Using Metacognition Learning to Make Children Smarter. Retrieved on July 29, 209 from http://www. brainy-child. com/articles/metacognition-learning.shtml Mevarech Z. & Kramarski, B. ( 2003). Mathematical Modeling and Meta-cognitive Instruction. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. icme-organisers. dk/tsg18/S32MevarechKramarski. pdf Metacognition 12 Mevarech, Z. & Kramarski, B. (2003). Metacognitive Questioning and the use of Worked Examples. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. memory-key. com/StudySkills/IMPROVE. htm Peirce, W (2004, November). METACOGNITION: Study Strategies, Monitoring, and Motivation. Retrieved on July 29, 2009, from http://academic. pgcc. edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/metacognition.htm ScienceDaily (2008, August). Young Children’s ‘Theory Of Mind’ Linked To Subsequent Metacognitive Development In Adolescence. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2008/08/080814154429. htm Serendip (2009). Metacognition. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/exchange/wfrankli/ii09/metacognition Smith, D & Washbum, D. (2005, February). Uncertainty Monitoring and Metacognition by Animals. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118706297/HTMLSTART

Panera Bread Essay

What are the Panera Bread’s primary sources of competitive advantage? In your judgment, are these sources of advantages sustainable? Why or why not? Panera’s primary sources of competitive advantage are: (1) the distinctive nature of its bakery products, (2) its brand strength, (3) the atmosphere of its restaurants, and (4). its position in the restaurant industry Yes,Panera Bread Co. (NASDAQ: PNRA) operates the signature restaurant chain Panera Bread, selling hand-crafted breads, sandwiches, salads, and drinks. Panera Bread bakery-cafes are often associated with the concept of â€Å"fast casual†, a mixture between fast food and more upscale casual dining. Customers still pay for their food at the counter, like a traditional fast food restaurant, but Panera arranges tables and chairs to be conducive to group meetings. Most Panera Bread restaurants are located in suburban strip malls and regional malls. As of December 29, 2009, Panera had 1,380 bakery-cafes, spanning 38 states, as well as some locations in Canada. Traditionally, companies like Panera have suffered in recessions, which decrease the frequency with which consumers eat out at restaurants. 1] However, Panera’s strategy during the recession has been â€Å"to stay consistent and not to react to the recession†, keeping costs constant and offering new salads and sandwiches. [2] As a result, Panera’s â€Å"fast casual† niche (between casual dining and fast food) contributes to its relative success; this positioning allowed it to avoid discounting wars and maintain its margins by attracting customers with a higher quality product perceived to be a good value for the money. Panera bread has a great meal of Bacon Turkey Bravo with 28G of fat per meal.