Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Mauritius

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Mauritius CSR isn't so new throughout the entire existence of Mauritius. A Mauritian companys commitment in CSR activities goes back to 20 years prior, which occurred at different focuses in time. Some 25% of organizations had as of late occupied with CSR exercises since under 4 years in particular, in this manner affirming the conviction that CSR is a rising pattern in Mauritius. Legitimate Requirements for CSR The Minister of Finance has set up a lawful strategy in its 2007 money related spending that every single enlisted organization would need to contribute a specific level of their book benefit towards programs, as affirmed by the Government of Mauritius, that add to the social and natural improvement of the nation. In any case, not all the organizations were completely clinging to receive this great corporate citizenship where one reason for such rebelliousness was that altruistic gifts were not, at this point charge deductible, along these lines, demoralizing generosity by organizations and people. Additionally, there was a generally low degree of refinement of Mauritian culture as far as requesting such great corporate practice. Apparently, perceiving the helpless degree of corporate citizenship in Mauritius, in July 2009, the Ministry of Finance presented the CSR Fund whereby organizations need to obligatorily contribute 2% of their PAT (Profit after Tax) to the referenced reserve. All organizations need essentially report their CSR commitment to the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) at the hour of presenting their Tax Returns. The organizations have one year after the end of their budgetary records to satisfy this legitimate commitment as per Section 50K and 50L of Income Tax Act. Organizations, which neglect to submit to this commitment, are required to transmit any sum unspent to the MRA.  In consistence with winning enactment, the CSR Fund is utilized to back CSR exercises, for example, A dominant part of associations enjoy charity by participating in 3 significant territories, to be specific, wellbeing and security, instruction and network (counting sports) while different organizations want to support instructive and sports exercises. Purposes for CSR The particular destinations for firms to take part in CSR exercises are: Curiously, it is noticed that about half of firms in Mauritius accomplice up with different associations, for example, NGOs in their CSR exercises on a long haul or transient premise while the others enjoy one-off organizations. It is additionally seen that practically all organizations that join forces with NGOs have revealed fulfillment with such associations. At first, commitment in CSR exercises by most associations was basically picture building vis-à -vis their inward and outside network. Progressively, interior and outside partners all anticipate that business associations should accomplish more than making benefit. These days, Society anticipates that associations should go past unimportant consistence with law and guidelines. Business is relied upon to perceive and regard new or developing moral standards being standardized in the public arena (Carroll, 1999). In this way, this is the reason multinationals participate in CSR not exclusively to upgrade their picture yet in addition since they need to comply with their worldwide arrangement. Henceforth, the pastor focused on that the tolls ought not be seen as a duty on proficiency. They are rather a signal of empathy and solidarity with the individuals who can't support themselves and with the individuals who will have no methods for business on the off chance that they lose their positions. CSR and Corporate Governance CSR and Corporate Governance are all things considered forming the character of associations and are in this manner progressively coordinated into the business methodology of effective enterprises. In this way, the field of mindful business methodology and practice is getting one of the most unique and testing subjects corporate pioneers are confronting today and perhaps one of the most significant ones for forming the eventual fate of our reality. Firms in the private area in Mauritius just as over the world do recognize that they need to adjust, if not accommodate, their commitments to investors with express commitments to the outside network. Notwithstanding, the manner in which they contribute can contrast extensively. Various firms uncover their substance of their methodology as indicated by the various phases of attention to and deal with CSR they are. While some may concur on a base fundamental position to CSR inclusion, others may embrace key endeavors into specific territories to demonstrate their commitment to the venture and social networks. To look after consistency, the manner in which the organizations ought to uncover their CSR association and consistence to law is spread out in the codes of morals, sets of principles and codes of corporate administration of the organizations corporate morals. These codes basically and essentially build up and set forward clear standards for corporate conduct to be seen by every executive and representative; set the guidelines for laying out the obligations of or legitimate practices for all in the association; and shape authoritative conduct towards workers and society on the loose. Corporate administration consequently standards social and condition obligation of organizations and brings mindfulness that organizations wobbly sheet ecological and social effects can have unmistakable budgetary results. As indicated by the financial analyst and honorable laureate Milton Friedman, Corporate Governance is to direct the business as per proprietor or investors wants, which for the most part will be to get however much cash-flow as could reasonably be expected, while fitting in with the essential principles of the general public exemplified in law and neighborhood customs. By and by, these days this definition has been reached out to incorporate the interests of the investors as well as of numerous partners. There are numerous administrative endeavors put to recognize and systematize great administration practices to outline the social and natural, non-budgetary limits among the various members in the company itself and different partners. To advance corporate reasonableness, straightforwardness and responsibility, the law of Mauritius has accommodated the Code of Corporate Governance under Section VII of the Integrated Sustainability Reporting to join the interests of people, organizations and society as about as conceivable through keeping up a harmony among monetary and social objectives as sought after by Sir Adrian Cadburys meaning of Corporate Governance. Additionally, Section 75 of the Financial Reporting Act (2004)â [1]â requires recorded organizations to introduce a corporate administration area in the yearly report. While CSR targets expanding the lawful prerequisites advancing morals, altruism and social answering to fulfill partner concerns, Corporate Governance sets the lawful system to ensure a companys investors, the executives, board and different partners; the relative accentuation being reliant on national methodologies. Powerful corporate administration rehearses are fundamental to accomplishing and keeping up elevated levels of open trust and trust in the organization. Late overviews concerning CSR in Mauritius have uncovered that the enormous associations have a reasonable set of principles/morals/corporate administration demonstrating their uplifting disposition and acknowledgment of the current codes of receiving great CSR rehearses. In spite of the fact that a few firms don't hold a conventional way to deal with CSR, they do determine noteworthy advantages here and there by, for example, receiving great individuals the executives rehearses regarding staff assurance, profitability and worker maintenance. As per the report inspecting CSR in Mauritius by Deloitte (2008), regardless of the way that Mauritian associations have been engaged with one way or the other in CSR endeavors, Mauritius despite everything lingers behind the western nations with regards to CSR being incorporated in hierarchical procedure, structure and tasks. Issues like as absence of data on CSR territories, nonappearance of appropriate association, absence of review after execution and absence of coordination are considered to obstruct the associations in their CSR activities. In any case, there is consistently opportunity to get better to settle this training among the nearby and global organizations in Mauritius.

Macbeth Essay Topics

Macbeth Essay TopicsMacbeth has been written in various genres, and there are many Macbeth essay topics. It is important to know what you want to achieve when you submit a Macbeth essay. You must have a personal connection to the play and be able to connect the Macbeth play to your own life. Some topics may help you achieve this.Sometimes you will find the best essay topics that are based on the plot of Macbeth. The plays themes will be written by writers who were close to the playwright. These writers may be the family members, friends, or even the playwright himself. Although you will not find any gossip on the play, these essays can help you to appreciate the play more.One popular topic is Macbeth's character. This essay could focus on the background of his character, and why he is the way he is. It can also help you examine his character's inner mind, and how he developed that character over time. Although the point of the essay is to analyze Macbeth, you may also consider some f un facts about him.A great topic for an essay about Macbeth and the play is the location where the play was performed. You can write about what is special about it, and why it was successful or unsuccessful. There are also places like Macbeth Castle, where the play was produced, and is still used for historical displays.Another one of the Macbeth essay topics is whether the play was performed in front of an audience. For those who did not go to the play, or who did not attend it, there are a number of questions that they ask about the play. If you were at the show, you will be able to answer all of these questions, but if you didnot go to the show and are only familiar with the plot, then this is a good topic for you. It can also be used to compare or contrast the play with others, which you are familiar with.Themes such as the plot, characters, and setting are also great essay topics about Macbeth. Knowing the exact plot and characters can help you to appreciate the play more. You may be surprised to learn that the play contains some interesting characters, and themes.Your Macbeth essay topics should have two goals. The first is to know the general theme of the play, and the second is to know the unique themes of the play. An example of the two would be to answer the question of whether or not Macbeth was right or wrong. You may be able to answer both questions by researching the play.Remember that there are many sources of information for the essays on Macbeth. Many online resources, such as Wikipedia, offer great information on the play. This can also be a good source of information to check up on various internet sites to find out more information. You may also find information about some famous people who were involved in the production of the play.

Second Chances to Make a Sure Thing Essay Example

Renewed opportunities to Make a Sure Thing Essay The imagery of the chime connoting a new beginning, a genuine opportunity to have a fresh start and make your own predetermination, was splendid in my eyes. One of my preferred lines in the play was unquestionably when Bill stated, You need to hit these things at the correct second or its awful (1121). Sure Thing by David Ives The Play Sure Thing from David Ives looks at the unlimited varieties of kid meet young lady and the resulting conversation starters. The focal topic all through the play shows a couple of assortments of a potential discussion that end with a ringing chime that represents a new beginning and another opportunity to establish a decent connection. The quick discussions start in a café with the two fundamental and just characters are Bill and Betty. From the earliest starting point till the finish of the play one can see a progression of conversation starters, from a man to a lady sitting in a café perusing. The lines begin short and quick with a proportionate short reaction from the lady. Like a fight, two individuals out on the town reliably skip around determined composition between one another, attempting to make sense of the adversaries â€Å"weaknesses. This thought shows itself in writing in such fills in as David Ives play Sure Thing, a piece utilizing fast fire lines between a person and a young lady becoming acquainted with one another. Notwithstanding, this topic isn't constantly pervasive in positive exchange, as in Tennessee Williams A Street Car Named Desire, Blanche and Stanley don't go out on the town or appreciate any sentimental discourse, however battle each other for matchless quality of the house and Ste llas fondness. Albeit a boxing beat is being forced on Sure Thing, the diligent battling among Stanley and Blanche in A Street Car Named Desire can be deciphered to have a comparable musicality. We will compose a custom exposition test on Second Chances to Make a Sure Thing explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom paper test on Second Chances to Make a Sure Thing explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom paper test on Second Chances to Make a Sure Thing explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer In spite of the fact that these two writings are apparently inverse in mind-set and plot, the â€Å" boxing rhythm† spans this abyss through the cadence of the exchange between these characters. In Ives’ Sure Thing, a person, Bill, and a young lady, Betty, â€Å"duke it out† trying to become more acquainted with one another and, eventually, succumb to one another. So as to do this, they convey fast jokes between one another, like the convulsive punches of a bout. Obviously, there is no detectable or striking proof of boxing inside the content, however the musicality of the discourse can be induced to emulate the movements of a fight. The exchange is fast, definitive and brief, like the punches and stages a fighter utilizes in a battle. There are a few inquiries rehashed also, as the person or young lady has, basically, halted the beat and said an inappropriate thing. For example, in one vignette Betty gets some information about his affection life and the discourse is punctuated by the sound of a â€Å"bell† which further fortifies the boxing topic: Bill: That’s a pleasant offer, but†¦ Betty: Uh-huh. Sweetheart? Bill: Two, really. One of them’s pregnant, and Stephanie-(Bell). Betty: Girlfriend? Bill: No, I don’t have a sweetheart. Not on the off chance that you mean the maiming bitch I dumped the previous evening. (Chime). (Ives 13) In this portion, the discourse is speedy and brief, similar to the punches tossed in a bout. This couple takes â€Å"jabs† at one another through talk rather than physical punching. Each time a round is finished, the chime rings, representing an impasse for the exchange between the Bill and Betty. Theories â€Å"rounds† are predominant in A Street Car Named Desire among Stanley and Blanche, notwithstanding not being a couple or commonly inspired by one another. With the loft filling in as the scenery for this â€Å"fight†, Stanley and Blanche box it out while the remainder of the characters are some of the time consigned to onlookers all through the story. Like Sure Thing, there is no substantial â€Å"boxing ring† or anything having to do with boxing. Rather, Williams infuses this mood inside the discourse between these characters, making an elaborate antithesis of hostility, savagery and infidelity. Actually, Stanley and Blanche drive the Streetcar Named Desire through the play, dispensing nastiness, desire and doubt at one another. Blanche is a glamorized however frustrated lady. She makes creations and figments of a self important life around her to displace her real conditions. Stanley is the embodiment of machismo, intrigued by just the fundamental delights, which are corresponding to what a basic creature appreciates. Stella, Stanley’s spouse, is the middle person among Blanche and Stanley, however she at last flops in keeping these two from verbal or, later, physical savagery. Basically, Blanche incites the â€Å"fight† by entering the loft and attempting to usurp Stanley’s rule, which is somewhat included Stella’s love and consideration. Without seeing Stanley, Stella promptly evaluates him and buys in to the possibility that the Polish areâ€Å" not really high-brow† (23). There is an exchange among Stanley and Stella about Stanley, expressing: Stella: Stanley is Polish, you know. Blanche: Oh, yes. They’re something like Irish, aren’t they? †¦Only not really highbrow? †¦Is he so-extraordinary? Stella: Yes. An alternate species†¦He’s out and about a decent arrangement. Blanche: Oh. Voyages? Stella: Yes. Blanche: Good. I mean-isn’t it? (Williams 23-25) Blanche as of now tosses a â€Å"low punch† at Stanley’s believability without him in any event, knowing. She is much progressively spurred by the way that he ventures some of the time, which could give her numerous chances to scowl to Stella about her issues and gradually deteriorate Stanley’s control of the condo. All through the play, she keeps on pestering Stanleys characteristics, for example, bringing up that she has not â€Å"noticed the stamp of virtuoso even on Stanleys forehead† (Williams 50). Nonetheless, Blanche has endured lost riches and of poise, even more motivation behind why she would search for comfort in her â€Å"precious little sister†, who is given the undertaking of keeping up harmony between the two. Before Stanley is because of meet Blanche, Stella turns into a â€Å"referee†, asking her better half to â€Å"Try to get her and be pleasant to her†¦and appreciate her dress and advise her she’s looking superb. That’s imperative to Blanche, its her little weakness† (Williams 33). Like any great ref in a bout, Stella can foresee destructive erosion among Stanley and Blanche, so she has arranged a few â€Å"rules† for Stanley to follow. She has just advised Blanche to see Stanley as he is and to not differentiate him to other men. Since the principles have been advised to every contender, what is not yet clear in the play are the genuine punches tossed between these two energetic characters. In the principal coordinate between these two, Stanley goes up against Blanche about the archives of her lost home, Belle Reve. In any case, Stanley begins by seeing the costly hides that are in Blanche’s bag: Stanley: It seems as though you attacked some a la mode shops in Paris†¦What does it cost for a string of hide pieces that way? Blanche: Why, those were a tribute from an admirer of mine! †¦Oh, in my childhood I energized some deference. However, take a gander at me now!.. I was angling for a commendation Stanley. Stanley: I don’t go for that stuff†¦Some men are took in by this Hollywood fabulousness stuff and a few men are definitely not. Blanche: You’re basic, direct and fair, a smidgen on the crude side I should think. (Williams 38-40) Stanley starts to cross examine Blanche about her advantages however Blanche counters with moving the center onto his crude side. She dives into his own life, examining each piece for something to hold against him. Blanche wins this round on the grounds that she abstains from discussing Belle Reve, bypassing the issue by changing the center a few times from Stanley to her lost love. In centering through the forced â€Å"boxing† focal point utilized in Sure Thing, an imaginative viewpoint can be shaped. The boxing cadence is obvious through the exchange, as Blanche and Stanley swing jokes to and fro at one another, which are equivalent to the little punches tossed toward the beginning of a battle. For this situation, the â€Å"bell† that splits up the battle is a mix of the steamy blues piano outside and Stanley spilling out the news that Stella is having a child. The second round, however concise, delineates who overwhelms the loft and Stellas love. While Stanley is playing a card game with his companions, Blanche chooses to turn on a radio. Stanley irately turns it off, yet Blanche has the boldness to walk out on. Like a bout effectively a couple of rounds in, the two contenders go to and fro at one another until one of them can break the dreary chain of â€Å"punches† and adopt an alternate strategy. Stanley tosses the radio out the window, and charges after Stella. Blanche is unprotected as she is stunned at this presentation of â€Å"lunacy†. Stanley massacres Blanche in this round in light of the fact that he directs the beat of the house through controlling the radio. In a similar case, he assumes responsibility for the match among himself and Stella, reminding Blanche who administers the loft. Any joy that Blanche could have delighted in the condo is tossed out the window alongside the â€Å"radio†, the main other bit of proof of an outside world in the loft. Blanche has an affinity for music, so when Stanley disposes of th

Suffering from Dementia in a Tertiary Care Hospital - 275 Words

Suffering from Dementia in a Tertiary Care Hospital (Essay Sample) Content: A Performance Improvement Plan to Ensure Safety and Patient Satisfaction in IndividualsSuffering from Dementia in a Tertiary Care HospitalBackgroundEffective Performance Improvement is a Vision of Organizational Leaders, who through a proper goal organized mission, tries to encroach upon. They do so by clearly defining their mission statements to each and every member in that organization and ensure that best practices must be implemented for organizational success. Thus performance improvement is not just a task, a skill or a program, but it is an orientation of all members in that organization towards a common vision which can be achieved by sharing best practices and improving knowledge levels (Kinlaw, 1992) (LaRossa, 2008).Performance Improvement Plan is intended to communicate and instil a philosophy amongst the members of an organization which aims to implement cost-effective, robust and constructive operational plan that improves performance and benefits an org anization as a whole. Performance Improvement encompasses the earlier phrases like Total Quality Management, Quality control, and Quality improvement (Kinlaw, 1992) (LaRossa, 2008).With regard to health care settings, performance improvement aims to identify and implement such opportunities that increase quality of life of patients through effective care, and ensures safety of patients at all times. Resident care improvements are those, which decrease the episodes of accidental falls and medication errors, leading to minimum casualties. Performance Improvement aims to inculcate better processes, proper screening and orientation of employees towards the direction of institutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s mission. This includes adapting to modern and new technologies, enhancing capital improvements and more importantly the skills to accept and manage change amongst their employees (Kinlaw, 1992) (LaRossa, 2008).Dementia care has been one of the key issues not only in our organization but in differen t health care settings. The incidence of fall related accidents in this condition, limits optimal care giving, and is associated with high levels of dissatisfaction amongst patients and their families. Our performance improvement plan will focus, upon improving care in these individuals. We would be guided by our vision statement, mission statement and value added statement in this endeavour. The statements are briefed as below:Vision Statement: To be amongst the top 2 organizations in the territory with regard to terminal care of patients suffering from Dementia.Mission Statement: To develop requisite skills and knowledge amongst concerned personnel associated with dementia care, along with the development of "State-Of-Art" infrastructure, which will cater to these patients for leading a quality life.Value Added Statement: The patients and their families will carry peace of mind, and will develop a high degree of trust, and confidence in our care giving process.Literature Support f or the proposed Performance Improvement PlanDementia represents a broad category of brain diseases, where an individual fails to retrieve either short term or long term memory or both. This condition affects daily functioning in the life of an individual. The symptoms that are commonly associated with dementia are impaired cognitive, and communication skills that leads to episodes of forgetfulness. Dementia or the act of chronic forgetfulness can occur due to various reasons, and the most common causes are the neurodegenerative changes associated with ageing. Dementia often occurs as a concurrence to Alzheimerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s disease, which represents the patho-physiological basis associated with the condition (Cunningham, 2006).The hippocampus and its associated structures of limbic system, play a significant role in the development of emotion, and the formation of memory. Whenever any neuronal pathways to these structures are damaged or become redundant, memory formation and retrieval of old memories becomes compromised. In Alzheimerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s, there is a significant functional loss of cholinergic neurons, in the Nucleus Basalis of Meynert, due to the development of neurofibrillary entangles around these neurons. As a result, acetylcholine is not formed and cannot carry information to the hippocampus for the development of new memory. Since these neurons are a component of the Papetz circuit, retrieval of memory becomes difficult, which forms the basis of forgetfulness (Cunningham, 2006).Dementia is a global issue and affects around 36 million individuals worldwide. The problem of dementia increases with age and it has been reported that 3% of individuals in the age group of 65-74 years, 19% individuals in the age group of 75-84 years and 50% individuals in the age group more than 85 years suffer from Dementia. During 2013, approximately 1.7 million deaths occurred globally, as a consequence of Dementia (Larson, Yaffe Langa, 2013).Managing patients with Demen tia impose certain challenges on care providers, especially on the nursing the staff. The challenges are related to communication skills and person centric care which has been well recognized through various guidelines. Inadequacy in communication and person centric care delays health outcomes in these individuals. Moreover, these individuals become prone to accidents and suffer from episodes of anorexia, which prolongs their hospital stay. Hence, inculcation of proper skills and knowledge related to communication and person centric care are of crucial importance, for care providers, in managing individuals with dementia (Larson, Yaffe Langa, 2013).Evidence from literature search indicates communication skills and person centric care are very important factors for care providers, in ensuring patient satisfaction and health outcomes in individuals suffering from dementia. Patients all across the globe are usually satisfied with the care approach as per the therapeutic context; howev er satisfaction with supportive care is not uniform across the dimensions of care giving. These issues are related to ambience of the hospital environment including wards, operation theatres, and communication with physician and support staff. Satisfaction is also related to the perception of nursing care and the billing/discharge processes (Melnyk, 2011).The definition of patient satisfaction has changed over the years and encompasses a positive evaluation of specific dimensions of health care system. Approach of nursing care is one of the important dimensions, that influences overall patient satisfaction, during their stay or admission in the hospital. Evidenced Based Nursing is witnessing radical changes to ensure patient satisfaction and especially in the care of individuals suffering from dementia. The objective of Evidenced Based Nursing is to collect appropriate data, and analyse the same to formulate action plans, that enhances patient satisfaction and improves health outco mes (Melnyk, 2011).A systemic review indicated that development of proper skills related to communication and non verbal gestures, through education and training, in care providers associated with managing patients with Alzheimerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s disease, improved health outcomes in them. The review further suggested, that caregiver training was strongly associated with improved ability of conversation with patients and improved active listening skills in care providers. The reflection of such improvement was translated in enhanced spoken ability of patients, improved self-expressivity and improved quality of daily living for those affected individuals. Further, the review also indicated that increased intervention of education and skill development, led to either an increase or decrease in the professional burden on care providers (Zientz Rackley, 2007).Even the Commission for Social care Inspection (CSCI, 2008) did recognize the inadequacies in communication, and person centric approa ch in care providers associated with the management of Dementia. The commission recommended ensuring high quality care through skilled communication and person centric approach, for individuals suffering from Dementia. NICE guidelines (2006) also recommended that person centric approach must be given due importance, in all patients suffering from Dementia irrespective of cultural or ethnic diversity (Larson, Yaffe, Langa, 2013).It was observed that effective communication by care providers, ensured happiness in patients with dementia, and was associated to their relaxed state of mind. Further it was noted, that such improvement in happiness increases cognitive ability, in those compromised individuals. Studies suggested that although care giving follows a professional approach, but due to professional pressures, often care providers tend to miss out the sensitive needs of the patients (Cunningham, 2006). Cunningham (2006) suggested that practicing and implementation of non verbal s kills and gestures, by care providers induced an inclusive environment, which expedited cognitive behavior and well being of patients. He concluded that ensuring effective communication, maintenance of privacy and confidentiality of individual patients, improved patient-care provider relations increased treatment compliance and reduced their stay in the Hospital.As literature survey indicates, there is no doubt that effective communication and person centric approach should be a priority for care givers while managing patients suffering from dementia. However, the set of communication and non-verbal skills that are required remains vague and no study concretely concludes as to which aspect of communication or gestures that should be practiced to ensure quality of life for the individuals suffering from Dementia.This is important because nursing staff are burdened with various stressors like catering to the need of di...

Arguments of Supporters for the Use of Plastic Bags and Why They Need to Be Banned in California Free Essay Example, 3500 words

Plastic bags are a killer of marine life as well as other ecological species live forms. For instance, in California alone, about 123,000 tones of plastic bags each year make its way to the ocean making the weight of trash to about 100 million tons over the years and this has outweighed planktons (Environment California). These bags are very dangerous to organisms living in water bodies more especially mammalian animals. These animals will tend to see plastic bags as a meal due to their texture, size, and shape. Once ingested, these bags can cause either suffocation or even indigestion by blocking the digestive tract of these animals, which will lead to eventual death. A good instance is the situation of 2010 in Seattle where a near-adult gray whale died on the beach but it was previously in good health. Scientists assigned to examine the body found about 20 plastic bags in its digestive tract. This was the fifth one of its kind to die (Hibbard). It is very rare for an animal to sur vive after ingesting plastic bags. It can either suffocate and die instantly or stay longer and die slowly due to toxic accumulation caused by blockage of intestines. We will write a custom essay sample on Arguments of Supporters for the Use of Plastic Bags and Why They Need to Be Banned in California or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

Fanconi Anemia (FA) Bone Marrow Failure - 802 Words

Fanconi anemia (fan-KO-nee uh-NEE-me-uh), or FA, is a rare, inherited blood disorder that generally leads to bone marrow failure. While it is rare, only effecting less than 2% of the worlds population is more commonly seen in South Africa. It is named after the Swiss pediatrician who first published information after clinical observations in 1927. FA is the result of a genetic defect in a cluster of proteins responsible for the DNA repair. As a result, the majority of FA patients develop cancer, most often acute myelogenous leukemia and around 90% develop bone marrow failure by the age of 40. About 60–75% of FA patients are plagued with congenital defects, commonly short stature, abnormalities of the skin, arms, head, eyes, kidneys, and ears, and developmental disabilities. Also around 75% of FA patients have some form of endocrine problem, with varying degrees of severity. Life expectancy for someone with Fanconis Anemia is approximately 22 years. Fanconi anemia is thought to originate from a colony in South Africa. FA is primarily an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, which means that two mutated alleles (one from each parent) are required to cause the disease . There is a 25% risk that each subsequent child will have FA. About 2% of FA cases are X-linked recessive, which means that if the mother carries one mutated Fanconi anemia allele there is a 50% chance that male offspring will present with Fanconi anemia. Fanconi anemia was first described by Guido Fanconi.Show MoreRelatedA Study On Alyscia And Devon Essay1131 Words   |  5 Pagesof moderate to heavy physical exertion. Upon physical examination the boy presented with an enlarged spleen. Pre-screening indicates signs of sickle cell anemia (SCA). Patient’s mother reports no family history; however, paternal aunt passed away at an early age. Ask What are the screen types for SCA, as well as, the other types of genetic anemias and how to differentiate between them? Access This article covers the insights into HbF gene regulation. HbF appears to benefit some complications of

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Lean Six Sigma Example For Students

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Lean Six Sigma While concerns seek for ways to last and besides to stay competitory in a altering planetary environment, they either choose following concern excellence theoretical accounts or uninterrupted betterment doctrines to steer them in the journey of organizational excellence. Thin Six Sigma is a new comprehensiveness in the country of uninterrupted betterment, which constitutes strengths and cardinal focal points of Lean and Six Sigma approaches.The intent of this paperaˆÂ ¦.. Will be addressed in this paper. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows: subdivision 2 provides an penetration on the constructs Lean, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma. Then relevant illustrations of Lean Six Sigma in fabrication and service sector will be presented in subdivision 3.The advantages and disadvantages of Lean Six Sigma will be discussed in subdivision 4. Last, an overall review on the topic is done. Outline1 2.Literature reappraisal2 2.1 Thin Approach3 Principles4 Criticism5 2.2 Six Sigma Approach6 Principles7 Criticism8 2.3 Similarities and Differences between Lean and Six Sigma: The point of intersection -overlapping countries ( kume AYekli )9 The intersection point: Similarities-The country of convergence10 Thin Six Sigma11 Principles12 Criticism13 3. Findingss14 4. Discussion15 5. Decision 2.Literature reappraisal The aim of this subdivision is to supply an penetration of the Lean Six Sigma by briefly sketching the constructs behind Thin and Six Sigma, the two ingredients of this blend, along with their strengths and unfavorable judgments. 2.1 Thin Approach Thin fabrication, developed by Toyota Motor Corporation in 1950s, has been adopted and adapted by many companies ( Finch,2006 ) . It so extended into a construct of Lean believing that was introduced by Womack and Jones.The current province of Lean is called Lean endeavor that reaches beyond the store floor and encompasses assorted sections within the administration as a whole ( Papadopoulou and Ozbayrak,2005 ) . Dale ( 2007 ) defines Lean as a manner of thought, dwelling of a set of methods and runing rules to place and extinguish waste in concern procedures ( Dale,2007, p.565 ) . While for Ferguson ( 2007 ) Lean is a alteration that takes an administration from where it presently stands and travel to a coveted province. Briefly, the aim of Lean is to extinguish all types of unneeded waste by pull offing resources depending on clients demands and at the lowest possible costs ( Andersson et al. 2006 ) . In other words, making more with less ( Thomas,2009 ) . Principles There are 5 rules of Lean ; supplying right merchandise or service for the right monetary value and clip to client, designation of value watercourse, smooth flow of procedures, merely client s demand trigger the action and in conclusion continuously better to value watercourse in chase of flawlessness ( Dale,2007 ) . The first measure when implementing Lean is to place value-added and non-value added procedures ( Pepper and Spedding, 2009 ) by Value watercourse function ( VMS ) which is a qualitative analysis tool. Other tools and techniques from the Lean Toolkit such as Single Minute Exchange of Die, 5S, TPM etc. are used in order to accomplish above-named rules. Whereas, it should be noted that utilizing these tools and techniques merely, does non vouch a Lean administration ( Bendell,2006 ) . Criticism In the literature, there are many unfavorable judgment subjects on Lean where the most popular 1s are about its catholicity and societal facets. It has long been argued that Lean is non flexible ( Andersson et al.,2006 ) and non applicable to all environments but merely to high volume-low assortment ( HVLV ) operations. Writers like Arnheiter and Maleyeff ( 2005 ) specify this position as one of the cardinal misconceptions whereas Pepper and Spedding ( 2010 ) refer it as a limited success of Lean in their work. There is a common misconception caused by the misinterpretation of the construct that Thin means laying-off people ( Arnheiter and Maleyeff,2005 ) . However, Flinchbaugh ( 2001 ) , Arnheiter and Maleyeff ( 2005 ) emphasis that Lean does non intend less people but utilizing people in a smarter manner. David Meier ( 2001 ) who is a Senior Lean Manufacturing Consultant, argues that Lean creates a nerve-racking, uncomfortable environment due to sense of urgency while guaranting an immediate response to clients. On the other manus, Papadopoulou and Ozbayrak ( 2005 ) , and Williams et Al. ( 1992 ) take the opposite position. 2.2 Six Sigma Approach Six Sigma, which is developed by Motorola and popularised after the acceptance of General Electric ( Finch,2006 ) aims at value creative activity and bettering the procedure through fluctuation decrease ( Dale et al,2007 ) .Six Sigma inherits rules from TQM ( Arnheiter and Maleyeff, 2005 ) while puting focal point on client satisfaction. In statistical footings, the end is to accomplish a defect rate of 3.4 per million ( Pepper and Spedding,2010 ) . This structured, top-down attack has a positive impact on concern in pecuniary footings since it reduces hazard and costs ( Slack et al. , 2006 ) particularly related with bit and rework. Due to realised benefits, many administrations have adopted Six Sigma today. Principles DMAIC ( Design, Measure, Analysis, Improve and Control ) is the most normally used 5-stage methodological analysis which is employed to accomplish minimal defects and to cut down the fluctuation throughout the procedures in an administration ( Bhuiyan and Baghel,2005 ) . The attack is on project footing and these undertakings are carried out by trained supervisors called Black belts and Green belts ( Bendell,2006 ) . Criticism Six Sigma has long been seen as a statistics-heavy, proficient attack to treat control ( Pepper, Spedding, 2009, p.145 ) . Bendell ( 2006 ) supports this position and criticises Six Sigma due to its inclination towards being a complex attack. The preparation of Black Belts and Green Belts is required in order to be able to utilize statistical tools and manage the undertakings efficaciously. Senapati ( 2004 ) references that these preparations and solutions to jobs can be dearly-won for many concerns. Bendell ( 2006 ) states that there is no formal nexus to policy deployment in Six Sigma. Since Six Sigma undertakings are chosen depending on their cost-effectiveness, it is possible for this cost-down attack dominates the primary client driven focal point. and may switch it to cost-down possible to be dominated by immediate cost down driver ( Bendell,2006 ) . Health And Insurance System EssayThe chief ground to implement LSS attack in Caterpillar Inc. was to derive competitory advantage by discovery betterments. As a consequence of advanced merchandises, their grosss had grown by 80 per centum ( Byrne et al.2007 ) . Another noteworthy illustration would be Xerox Corp. , which was holding jobs with its long filing clip for patents so foremost of all the root causes of holds were identified. To extinguish these non-value added stairss, Xerox Lean Six Sigma squad carried out DMAIC, and came up with a solution which reduced the rhythm clip of 64 yearss and saved $ 400,000 in overall clip ( Xerox Corp. Brochure,2009 ) . National Grid, who is a client of GE Fleet Services in the UK listened to the voice of its clients and applied Lean Six Sigma to cut down the clip spent running ( publishing and pull offing ) order prompts ( Fraser and Fraser,2008 ) .This undertaking is an illustration of a well-applied Lean Six Sigma method in a service sector in footings of accomplishing expected consequences in a timely manner ( Fraser and Fraser,2008 ) . In the work of Kumar et Al. ( 2006 ) , the execution of LSS in a die casting maker is resulted in a important lessening in the figure of defects occurred in the concluding merchandise and an overall nest eggs of around $ 140 000 per twelvemonth. Apart from the success narratives, National Health Service Modernisation Agency ( MA ) in UK, is a well-known failure instance of LSS. In 2004, Six Sigma together with Lean implemented in NHS to better procedures and quality ( Proudlove and Moxham et al. , 2008 ) . Whereas, due to miss of well-designed procedures, deficiency of support and ill-defined nexus between concern scheme, it resulted in failure ( Montero,2010 ) . 4. Discussion In visible radiation of the findings and reappraisal of literature, the advantages and disadvantages of LSS will be discussed in this subdivision. It is believed that this integrated attack will convey better consequences when the structured and systematic attack of Six Sigma came together with the legerity of Lean with a focal point of client in the Centre ( Antony et al,2003 ) . Despite some positions reasoning its effectivity, in theory, by incorporating the best of Lean and Six Sigma, the result would be satisfactory or even delicious both from the administration s and the client s point of position that creates a win-win state of affairs. Harmonizing to Arnheiter and Maleyeff ( 2005 ) , if Thin houses adopt Six Sigma rules, costs incurred by faulty merchandises such as rework or bit costs and the related operating expense costs can be reduced. Likewise, when Six Sigma companies adopt Thin rules, faster lead times and bringings can be achieved. Antony et Al. ( 2003 ) outlines four major benefits of implementing LSS as ; going faster and more antiphonal to clients, endeavoring for Six Sigma capableness degree, runing at lowest costs of hapless quality, accomplishing greater flexibleness throughout the concern ( Antony et al.,2003, p.41 ) . Companies that have successfully implemented Lean Six Sigma have gained considerable benefits in footings of increased stockholder value and market portion. Based on the illustrations of several companies given in the Findings subdivision, these benefits are provided in dollars. On the other manus, a recent Bain A ; Co.survey of 184 companies, shows that 80 per centum is dissatisfied with the consequences they got from their Liter attempts because they have non achieved their ends in both pecuniary footings and degree of betterment ( Neuhaus and Guarraia,2007 ) . Because it brought many advantages to prima houses, it does non connote that every effort will be success or that every house is ready for this enterprise. Basu ( 2001 ) outlines the trouble of prolonging a procedure betterment plan even it may be successful in the beginning. Therefore, this state of affairs causes employee layoffs and a lessening in employee morale ( Basu,2001 ) . Despite being a powerful engine for concerns, the necessity of high accomplishments to be able to utilize relevant tools and techniques is seen as one of the failings of LSS ( Montero,2010 ) . This factor is seen as a critical requirement for the successful execution of LSS. Though, the preparation and necessary investing can be dearly-won to some companies. Therefore, this state of affairs may restrict its pertinence. Unless a necessary alteration within the concern is done including cultural facets, mentality of employees together with the full committedness of top direction, the consequence will be a failure. 5. Decision Many concerns in assorted sectors have late started to follow LSS either as a consequence of an external force per unit area or due to unequal consequences achieved with their current methodological analysis applied ( internal demand ) . Benchmarking plays a important function in making a voguish environment in the market where companies follow the giants and seeking to follow the best pattern in order non to be obsolete . Although, this integrating is seen as a craze by some writers and practicians The construct was emerged as a response to market demand. This merge between enterprises Regardless of the uninterrupted betterment scheme that is chosen to follow, there is a common land that no positive consequences can be gained without an equal support, and attending across the concern. There are still some exposed countries of LSS for farther research or no 1 knows what is following.

Success of High School Musical in the Global Market free essay sample

Why is HSM so successful in global markets? The soundtrack of the Disney original movie â€Å"High School Musical† was released in January 2006, debuting near the bottom of the Top 200 in the United States. Seven weeks later, after the Disney Channel premiere of the movie, it hit #1. Disney knew that the movie was going to be big, but no one could expect that this musical, with a cast of six unknown actors would become a worldwide phenomenon. The promotion of the movie started on New Year’s Eve in Disney Channel, introducing the cast and playing some musical segments of the movie as music videos advertising the movie premiere in January. It continued with free downloads of the #1 single â€Å"Breaking free†, 4 singles on heavy rotation in the 56 Radio Disney stations and making the lyrics of all the songs available on disneychannel. com. The story, described as a modern â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† via â€Å"Grease† it’s a true musical set in a High School, and there hasn’t been anything like that since Grease. We will write a custom essay sample on Success of High School Musical in the Global Market or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Furthermore, the targeted age for the movie (8-14) was living in a generation extremely connected to the internet, and the movie came out exactly in the right time, just after Christmas when so many iPods and iTunes gift cards were sold and this age group was hungry for content for their iPods. The international release came months later following the same strategy, but in a â€Å"think global, act local† way. The movie was translated to 30 languages, adapting to the 290 million viewers in the 100 countries were it was shown, there were adaptations of the lead singles by local bands and singing in the local language, and in some countries like India even the soundtrack was dubbed, making it 100% Hindi.

Beta Golf Example

Beta Golf Example Beta Golf – Book Report/Review Example September 20th Beta Review a. Why does Beta Group exist? What is the business model for Beta? What does this tell us about translating innovation into value? According to Katz, Sahlman & Roberts (2005), â€Å"The Beta Group was founded to develop and apply a systematic, multidisciplinary approach to innovation† (2). The Beta Group focuses on improving business engineering. Business engineering in this concept refers to the development and strategic of the various markets and technologies available through a multi-disciplinary team. Beta employed this concept through the usage of funding search and management search. Both of these concepts focus on creating opportunities based upon the market’s needs and demands. Further, the concept of business engineering helps to provide investors with financial security by increasing the successes of the investments and limiting the failures. Thus increasing the amount of capital investors will invest. b. What is a sensible develop ment plan for the HXL technology? Of the various choices for exploiting the technology, which would you choose? Why? In what order? The Beta Group utilized a sensible development in HXL technology. HXL technology is a branch of the Beta Group developed in order â€Å"to commercialize Beta’s new technology† (4). Based upon the various choices presented in the article in terms of exploiting technology I also agree to advance the golf clubs. Golf is a game played by numerous people. People are always attempting to improve their golf game. With the technology employed HXL allows the individual to advance their game at a reasonable price. My second choice would to be advance the tennis racket. However, I believe that this would investment would not produce the same revenues as the advancement of the golf clubs. c. What would happen to this project if it were developed inside an existing industry competitor? What would a venture capitalist do with Beta Golf? If this projec t were developed inside of a competitors market, the Beta industry both the Beta Group and the product manufactured may not have been as successful. The Beta Group focused on a particular product, specifically sporting equipment. However, the Beta Group conducted research and employed strategic business decisions that allowed investors to what to invest larger quantities of money into the project. If a competitor had developed this product it may or may not have been successful depending upon the company’s present and previous business and financial investments. A venture capitalist would invest in Beta Golf. This is because this company employs a strong strategic background and demonstrates the potential for financial growth. Venture capitalists focus on companies that demonstrate a strong potential for financial growth. In determining these company venture capitalists invest fiancà ©s in order to profit on the returns. Similarly if this product had not been developed by the Beta Group investors may or may not have invested in this product. ReferencesKatz Laurence E., Sahlman William A., Roberts Michael J., â€Å"Beta Golf† Harvard Business School. December 14th 2005., Website., September 20, 2010.

Virtual Team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Virtual Team - Essay Example 1)." As a group, they have complementary skills and are committed to a common purpose, have interdependent performance goals, and share an approach to work for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. The emergence of virtual teams has undoubtedly brought a huge impact in business organizations. According to IBM (2006), virtual team brings together various expertises in company disciplines such as product design, manufacturing, supply chain management and logistics. As GDT works together they can share ideas, experience and technical information to create better solutions which leads to the improvement of the organization's internal operations. Taking the aforementioned information into consideration, this paper will look at the positive effects of having a virtual team in the operation of a warehouse distribution center. This will be done by utilizing Michael Porters famous business tools-value chain and competitive forces. In the value chain model, Michael Porter classified business activities as either primary or support activities. Primary activities include: inbound logistics, production, outbound logistics, sales and marketing, maintenance. Meanwhile administrative infrastructure management, human resources management, R&D, and procurement comprise the support activities. Appendix 1 shows the primary and support activiti... All these activities in the value chain are designed to add value that the customer derived from the company's products or services (Value Based Management 2006). Virtual teaming in the value chain of a warehouse distribution center can bring about more efficiency in the functioning of the entire firm. Locating the warehouse distribution center in the value chain, we can see that it is after the production and before marketing and sales. Establishing a virtual team within the company can integrate the processes within the company. Due to technological innovation, communication within the value chain is more capable of transmitting information to different departments. For instance, the warehouse distribution center can closely collaborate with the other team members in the other departments through the company's intranet. Thus, from the procurement of inputs to the after-sales service, a virtual team can be organized to regulate each process in the value chain. The presence of virtual team makes it easy to monitor the inventory level in the warehouse distribution center and regulate production. It also becomes relatively easier to track inventory levels and replenish stocks to maintain them at the optimum level. Also, delivery from the warehouse distribution center to the customers can be best facilitated if there is a virtual team which oversees the transaction from the warehouse to the customers' doorstep. Of course, some of the functions mentioned above can be carried out by a physical team. However, it should be noted that the presence of virtual team is not hampered by geographic boundaries. It is most important for warehouse distribution centers which are located in two different continents. As information can now be

THE GLOBAL ECONOMY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

THE GLOBAL ECONOMY - Essay Example This sort of anticipation has led to the further fall in oil prices. Another issue that the researcher discusses is that of the fluctuating exchange rates that has in turn caused variability in interest rates. The main aim of the research is to analyse the various issues faced by the global economy and how has the economy dealt with the challenges. The research allows the researcher to study the various economic issues across the globe and the main reasons behind such issues and derive a solution to overcome these issues. The crude oil prices in the economy have experienced a recent decline which had serious impacts on the economy. The global demand and supply conditions for the crude oil has led to the possible decline in crude oil prices (Fornari, et al., 2002). Prices are expected to change rapidly based on the anticipation of the researchers before the actual change. Expectation for the global oil demands have been anticipated downwards in the economy and the growth in oil prices was expected to be much lower in the economy (Jimenez-Rodriguez and Sanchez, 2005). Further, the intensity of the rise in oil prices have become half of what it was during the previous years. It had resulted in declining oil intensity and the energy efficiency of the oil prices. The researcher has found that Saudi Arabia has reduced OPEC’s oil supply and the prices were stabilized (Jimenez-Rodriguez and Sanchez, 2005). The oil price fluctuations and the inflation rates have a positive correlation in the economy (Kim and Roubini, 2000). High inflation led to high rise in oil prices within the economy and it had an impact on the oil producing companies as there was a very low demand for crude oil. The low demand was due to rise in price for crude oil. As a result, there was excess supply of crude oil in the economy and gradually the prices fell in the later years. Rise in oil prices has led to lower output production in the

Comments and Opinions While News Reporting Essay Example for Free

Comments and Opinions While News Reporting Essay

Computers in Life :: Essays Papers

Computers in Life A man wakes up in the morning to the sound of his digital alarm clock and immediately checks his e-mail. He turns on the television, which has a V-chip to keep his children from watching what may be violent. He gets dressed, gets in his car, and drives to work where he works as the network administrator at a local steel company. It is amazing all of the things this man uses in the morning alone that would not be possible if it were not for computer technology. From his alarm clock to his e-mail even to the job that pays his bills it has all been made possible by computer related technologies. This is the same situation with many people in American society today. Everything has to do with computers. The very first things that we consider "computers" were nothing more than adding machines. "Perhaps the first example of this is the abacus, known in the Orient at least as early as 600 B.C."(Nunz 517). The abacus consists of a frame with rods that hold beads which depending on their posit ion represent a different number. It is usually made of wood and the rods that were thought to one time have been made of bamboo. Users can add, subtract, multiply, and divide just like modern calculator (Fernandes). It all started with calculating machines and has advanced to the fast microprocessors we have today. People use computers everyday in many forms from the computer that's in a car to a home PC. Computers have changed everyday life in the way society drives, communicates, and relaxes. Society has changed because of computer technology and it will probably never go back. One thing that is very important to most people, especially in this area, which in most cases involves a computer, is the car. This is due mostly to the lack of effective public transportation in the area. Cars get people where they need to go from the mall to work and back home again. For those fortunate enough to have year 2000 model cars there are some pretty amazing almost futuristic features. One of t hese is "adaptive cruise control" which monitors the car in front of the driver and brakes accordingly. This feature is in more expensive BMWs and the Mercedes-Benz S class (Car Go to the Store... 8). This should make it a little easier for those people who have to commute a great distance to and from work everyday.

Things I’ve learned

I've learned One of the first things that I have learned since Eve been In this class was how to be better at communication. Often at times we as people seem to only think about ourselves, It's not a good thing but we are human. In the world of business I am my own brand but I'm not the most important piece in the puzzle.Teamwork is the key because the same people that I see going up the ladder will most likely be he same people I see coming down. With that being said, I will try my best not to burn any bridges because you never know who or what that you might need In life. The second thing that I have learned since being in this class is emotional Intelligence. A lot of people claim to have emotional intelligence but lack the confidence within themselves to properly express it and in this line of business find It crucial.With limited knowledge of self and emotional intelligence one can ender their success. With emotional intelligence a person can communicate effectively because with out communication you can't be an effective player in this game of life. The third thing I've learned was the Dry. Phil test. It was important because it was Like looking In the mirror and being critical of myself to put things In 1 OFF learned since being in this class is trust and how to effectively complete proposals.

Japanese Writing for Beginners

Writing might be one of the most difficult, but also fun, parts of learning Japanese. The Japanese dont use an alphabet. Instead, there are three types of scripts in Japanese: kanji, hiragana and katakana. The combination of all three is used for writing. Kanji Roughly speaking, kanji represents blocks of meaning (nouns, stems of adjectives and verbs). Kanji was brought over from China around 500 C.E. and thus are based on the style of written Chinese characters at that time. The pronunciation of kanji became a mixture of Japanese readings and Chinese readings. Some words are pronounced like the original Chinese reading. For those more familiar with Japanese, you might realize that kanji characters do not sound like their modern-day Chinese counterparts. This is because kanji pronunciation is not based on modern-day Chinese language, but the ancient Chinese spoken around 500 C.E.   In terms of pronouncing kanji, ththere are two different methods:  on-reading  and  kun-reading. On-reading (On-yomi) is the Chinese reading of a kanji character. It is based on the sound of the kanji character as pronounced by the Chinese at the time the character was introduced, and also from the  area  it was imported. Kun-reading (Kun-yomi) is the native Japanese reading associated with the meaning of the word. For a clearer distinction and an explanation of how to decide between on-reading and  kun-reading,  read what  is  On-reading and Kun-reading? Learning kanji can be intimidating as there are thousands of unique characters. Start building your vocabulary by learning the top 100 most common kanji characters used in Japanese newspapers. Being able to recognize frequently used characters in newspapers is a good introduction to practical words used every day.   Hiragana The other two scripts, hiragana and katakana, are both kana systems in Japanese. Kana system is a syllabic phonetic system similar to the alphabet. For both scripts, each character typically corresponds with one syllable. This is unlike kanji script, in which one character can be pronounced with more than one syllable.   Hiragana characters are used to express the grammatical relationship between words. Thus, hiragana is used as sentence  particles  and to inflect adjectives and verbs. Hiragana is also used to convey native Japanese words that do not have a kanji counterpart, or it is used as a simplified version of a complex kanji character. In order to emphasize style and tone in literature, hiragana can take the place of kanji in order to convey a more casual tone. Additionally, hiragana is used as a pronunciation guide to kanji characters. This reading aid system is called furigana. There are 46 characters in hiragana syllabary, consisting of 5 singular vowels, 40 consonant-vowel unions and 1 singular consonant. The curvy script of hiragana comes from the cursive style of Chinese calligraphy popular at the time when hiragana was first introduced to Japan. At first, hiragana was looked down upon by educated elites in Japan who continued to used only kanji. Consequently, hiragana first became popular in Japan among women as women were not granted the high levels of education available to men. Because of this history, hiragana is also referred to as onnade, or womens writing.   For tips on how to properly write hiragana, follow these stroke-by-stroke guides.   Katakana Like hiragana, katakana is a form of Japanese syllabary. Developed in 800 C.E. during the Heian period, katakana consists of 48 characters including 5 nucleus vowels, 42 core  syllabograms  and 1 coda consonant. Katakana is used transliterate foreign names, the names of foreign places and loan words of foreign origin. While kanji are borrowed words from ancient Chinese, katakana is used to transliterate modern-day Chinese words. This Japanese script is also used for onomatopoeia, the technical scientific name of animals and plants. Like italics or boldface in Western languages, katakana is used to create emphasis in a sentence.   In literature, katakana script can replace kanji or hiragana in order to emphasize a characters accent. For instance, if a foreigner or, like in manga, a robot is speaking in Japanese, their speech is often written in katakana. Now that you know what katakana is used for, you can learn how to write katakana script with these numbered stroke guides. General Tips If you want to learn Japanese writing, start with hiragana and katakana. Once you are comfortable with those two scripts, then you can begin to learn kanji. Hiragana and katakana are simpler than  kanji,  and have only 46 characters each. It is possible to write an entire Japanese sentence in hiragana. Many childrens books are written in hiragana only, and Japanese children start to read and write in hiragana before making an attempt to learn some of the two thousand kanji commonly used. Like most Asian languages, Japanese can be written vertically or horizontally. Read more about when one should write vertically versus horizontally.