Brief Encounters

â€Å"Brief Encounters† is actually an adaptation of Noel Coward’s 1936 one-act play, â€Å"Still Life. † It came out as a film in 1945. Set in the backdrop of World War II in 1945, the story tells of how Laura Jesson, a housewife and Alec Harvey, a married doctor, get to slowly build a forbidden romance. They met at a certain cafe in a railway station and set a rendezvous at the same place on several occasions. With that, a certain friendship based on companionship which eventually grew into love was formed. They arranged to meet at occasional opportune moments hence the title, Brief Encounters.The two kept on with the relationship, stealing brief moments to see each other. Then after, when Alec needed to leave the country for a job in South Africa, they said goodbye to each other and finally put an end to their especially-colored friendship. Alec and Laura met on the same cafe at the train station. (Chadderton 1) Plot When Laura needed to go to Milford town, sh e usually goes for shopping and sees a film at the cinema. It was when she got a grit in her eye on the way home when she met Alec Harvey, a general practitioner who goes to the hospital as a consultant.Both of them are married and have two children. The two arrange another set of rendezvous and suddenly found that their friendship develops into love. This somehow affected Laura’s relationship with her husband Fred. Secretly, they meet, wary of possible chance encounters with common acquaintances, probably with a certain longing to spend more time with each other in private. There was this one time, after a certain number of meetings that they went to Alec’s friend, Valentine Dyall’ apartment.It is upon chance also that this friend of the doctor’s suddenly arrives that our heroine needed to leave the scene through the fire exit. It seemed though that all situations surrounding the lovers did not permit them to achieve the happiness that they wanted to hav e together. Destiny wanted to tell them that they have to face the reality that they are tied to responsibilities in their respective families that the two decided to stop seeing each other. The last meeting that they had was when Alec heads to Johannesburg, South Africa. Laura went to see him off at the same train station in Milford where they first met.At the opportune time that they were seeing each other for the last time, a certain friend of Laura’s named Dolly Messiter appears and gets to sit with them, uninvited. Until the end, the relationship seemed to have stood among rocks and even the last meeting has been only a brief encounter. Meanwhile, in contrast to their love affair, the leads were surrounded by other younger couples who were freer to love, were victorious in their relationship and were able to have the opportunity to experience passion. Myrtle, the station manager and Albert, the guard, started an affair that was more open and passionate.The waitress, Bery l relished the gift of young and first love with cake-seller Stanley. Beryl’s dance scenes has far dimmed out and at the same time placed a brighter spotlight to an unconsummated love affair between Laura and Alec. The story, which is all about having secret love affairs, is quite a common occurrence already during the time when the play was originally released. It might not seem to be a new concept that everyone would die to see but due to the vividness of the emotions of the characters, especially the woman, it appealed to a great number of audiences.Its being told in the woman’s point of view really makes it much of a demonstration of repressed emotions and repressed sexuality, capturing real life human passion from every commoner’s life happenings. The original play has been adapted by various theaters in the United Kingdom such as the Oxford Stage and The Liverpool Playhouse among others. The latest and most talked about adaptation is that of the Kneehigh T heatre, a London-based international theater group, directed by their artistic director, Emma Rice, getting all praises from reviews and critics.Kneehigh Theatre started out small with a teacher giving workshops in Cornwall in 1980, after which they started giving out shows for the common people of Cornwall and up until now, they remained in that place by choice. It is where they believe that they can produce the most possible fruits of creativity. â€Å"†¦we always try to start the creative process at these barns, to be inspired by our environment and where we work. † (Sheperd 2) The theatre is 28 years old now and has gathered quite a number of patron, or more so, devotee audiences.Their creative work usually rested upon the spirit of the eccentricity, sometimes also urbanely surreal and crazy. I’ve known of usual scenes in the city with upbeat and loud music used to be their signature style with added hoisting-in-the-air fantasies that ought to be their normal. For this recent adaptation of Noel Coward’s Brief encounters, there was quite a noted shift in this style – not actually a shift but a different attack. The characters stayed more on the ground and were more real and conventional. We saw characters full of emotions and humanity.This then proves the Kneehigh to be much more flexible and lived up to what they have been for the past 28 years. Upon the entrance to the Haymarket Theater, a foreboding message that this is â€Å"the 1940’s† plays as the blue curtains covers the stage. There was something about the lighting and music that reflect the 1940’s and has given the audience a feel of watching and being in a real 1940’s film. More treat comes way as actors themselves in 1940s costume usher in the audience. The idea of love in a repressed society in that specific time finds a good haven in this setting. The use of this technique has established the setting very well.It did not just show, bu t it would transport any onlooker to the time when the play was set. It was like watching the original film, although with more visual treats, and more elaborateness. It’s surprising though that the play has incorporated cinema in it. Some scenes were live on stage, some were onscreen and at most, they were a combination of both. This combination of theater and cinema provided an aura of a film that is coming to life. The black and white cinematic scenes makes the conveyance of the setting and dramatic situation more effective and made the adaptation of the play more accurate.In the cinema scene, the film used was the original Brief Encounters film with Laura and Alec sitting among the audience. An enigmatic and slightly comical effect was elicited from this manipulation. In the scene where Alec was trying to ask Laura if she feels the same for him, the sudden appearance of Fred (Laura’s husband) on the screen has given this dreamy effect to the play and comes to inten sify the much repressed emotions of Laura. The scene communicates much the idea of the characters waking up from a dream and having to face their responsibilities again.The incorporation of cinema in the show also solved what previous adaptations lacked in: sincerity and real emotions. In the cinema, character’s faces are focused and that would make the audience share the feelings of the characters. In this play, the use of proper stage acting caught what was there in the cinema. The acting of the characters was really effective and the cinematic effects helped a lot. Tristan Sturrock and Naomi Frederick shared a compatibility which made them seem inseparable as Laura and Alec. Since it was the 1930s, much modesty was observed in their relationship.Maybe the scene wherein they were undressing after plummeting down the river can be considered as one of the most erotic scenes. During that time though, it was necessary that simple handshakes and cups of coffee should be enough t o express love for each other. In the said scene scene, both were catching up with their modesty but failed as they ended up kissing. The recurring water waving into the screen intensified the idea of passion in the love affair and probably another attempt at depicting repression. Even so, an emotional connection between the two characters was very much established despite the limitation of romantic contac.The play has actually lived up to the original playwright. Not a lot of characters are needed to craft the play into something that is large, grandiose and festive. The presence of other couples has set love into three categories: a freer love affair for two people among the working class, young love that transcends all classes and a forbidden, unconsummated love. The impact of the fact that most of the audience already knew how it would end all the more made the movie heart-wrenching than ever. Those brief encounters between Alec and Laura made them seem as if they were stealing their chances on temporary happiness.Most wonderful is the use of the props vis-a-vis the use of the film clips and the maximization of the stage space. In Alec’s first departure from Laura, Alec hopped into a small toy train which made an ironic spectacle. Contrast it to how they made the ending: across the front of the stage, they pulled a vast amount of screen material in which a storey-high clip of the train where our Alec rode off shot across the entire stage with Laura attempting to jump with a highly dramatic death. The contrast was quite an impact. A trampoline was utilized for Stanley’s entrance to the cafe, Beryl used a red scooter and rode around it.She threw it away in an angered fit of tantrums. On the other hand, Laura’s children were played by two puppets. Some scenes used the screen as background. The use of the small objects gives a sort of a treat to the heaviness of the feelings of the audience. The use of the big train in contrast to the smal l props will make you cringe with the climax of the story. It magnified the dramatic sad ending of the story. Never could be an adaptation be more effective. It cannot be anymore clever and brilliant. It is a celebration of cinematography, theater and the totality of the elements of the performance.The incorporation of the film clips made it more effective in the sense. If one will refer to reviews of other adaptations of this play, it would seem that the Kneehigh Theatre’s production is the best of after the film. Liverpool Playhouse’s version back to back with another of Coward’s works received the ire of the Catalyst Reviews thus saying: â€Å"The plays could easily have been turned into radio plays – visually seeing them was largely unnecessary – the sound effects, notably of steam trains passing through the station could easily have been transferred to the radio.† (Serjent 12) Another rework shown at Burton Taylor which was directed by Christchurch student Georgie Paget got equally the same criticism although at notch milder. Alison Ireland of BBC made a rundown of the setting and the characters: A table in a station refreshment room is not so prominent on stage and the staff, who provide a comic, lower-class backdrop for the lofty tragic romance, are equals and fundamentally superiors in ‘Still Life' – their robust humour, sensible decision-making, clear view of priorities and no-nonsense view of the world shows the upper class ‘love' affair for the anaemic misery it really is.(2) As for Kneehigh Theatre’s reviews, nothing could be seen but all praises. In Rice's hands Brief Encounter is a clever, gimmicky production that has its fair share of [humor]. Yet there's passion, tenderness and sensitivity in abundance; if you start to think about Johnson and Howard, it probably doesn't last long because the two main characters are exceptional individually and as a couple. (Orme 4) Kneehigh the atre is sure known for its inventiveness and ingenuity. Any piece of playwright given to them is like being put in the hands of a very powerful magician.Even the â€Å"Royal Shakespeare Company entrusted them with Shakespeare's late â€Å"problem† play Cymbeline which Kneehigh took to Stratford as part of the Complete Works Festival. † (Orme2) Coward’s work fell into good hands with Kneehigh Theatre. It became a masterpiece that we only briefly encounter. References Chadderton, David. (2009) Reviews –Brief Encounter. The British Theatre Guide. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from http://www. britishtheatreguide. info/reviews/briefenkneehighDC-rev. htm. Orme, Steve.(2007) Reviews – Brief Encounter. The British Theatre Guide. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from http://www. britishtheatreguide. info/reviews/briefenckneehigh-rev. htm. Serjent, Colin. (n. d. ) Noel Coward's ‘The Astonished Heart’ and ‘Still Life. ’ The Catalyst Reviews. Ret rieved April 17, 2009 from http://www. catalystmedia. org. uk/issues/misc/reviews/Noel_coward. htm Shepherd, Mike. (2008). Introduction to the Kneehigh Theatre. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from http://www. kneehigh. co. uk/about-us/an-introduction. php.

Demand Forecasting and Production Planning

ScienceAsia 27 (2001) : 271-278 Demand Forecasting and Production Planning for Highly Seasonal Demand Situations: Case Study of a Pressure Container Factory Pisal Yenradeea,*, Anulark Pinnoib and Amnaj Charoenthavornyingb a Industrial Engineering Program, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, Patumtani 12121, Thailand. b Industrial Systems Engineering Program, School of Advanced Technologies, Asian Institute of Technology, P. O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Patumtani 12120, Thailand. * Corresponding author, E-mail: [email  protected] tu. ac. th Received 24 May 2001 Accepted 27 Jul 2001 ABSTRACT This paper addresses demand forecasting and production planning for a pressure container factory in Thailand, where the demand patterns of individual product groups are highly seasonal. Three forecasting models, namely, Winter’s, decomposition, and Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), are applied to forecast the product demands. The results are compared with those obtained by subjective and intuitive judgements (which is the current practice). It is found that the decomposition and ARIMA models provide lower forecast errors in all product groups. As a result, the safety stock calculated based on the errors of these two models is considerably less than that of the current practice. The forecasted demand and safety stock are subsequently used as inputs to determine the production plan that minimizes the total overtime and inventory holding costs based on a fixed workforce level and an available overtime. The production planning problem is formulated as a linear programming model whose decision variables include production quantities, inventory levels, and overtime requirements. The results reveal that the total costs could be reduced by 13. % when appropriate forecasting models are applied in place of the current practice. KEYWORDS: demand forecasting, highly seasonal demand, ARIMA method, production planning, linear programming, pressure container factory. INTRODUCTION Most manufacturing companies in developing countries determine product demand forecasts and production plans using subjective and intuitive judgments. This may be one factor that leads to production inefficiency. An accuracy of the demand forecast significantly affects safety stock and inventory levels, inventory holding costs, and customer service levels. When the demand is highly seasonal, it is unlikely that an accurate forecast can be obtained without the use of an appropriate forecasting model. The demand forecast is one among several critical inputs of a production planning process. When the forecast is inaccurate, the obtained production plan will be unreliable, and may result in over- or understock problems. To avoid them, a suitable amount of safety stock must be provided, which requires additional investment in inventory and results in an increased inventory holding costs. In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, systematic demand forecasting and production planning methods are proposed in this paper. A case study of a pressure container factory in Thailand is presented to demonstrate how the methods can be developed and implemented. This study illustrates that an improvement of demand forecasts and a reduction of total production costs can be achieved when the systematic demand forecasting and production planning methods are applied. The demand forecasting and production planning methods are proposed in the next section. The background of the case study, including, products, production process, and the forecasting and production planning procedures being used in the factory, are briefly described in Section 3. The detailed analyses of the forecasting methods and the production planning method are explained in Section 4 and Section 5, respectively. Finally, the discussion and conclusion are presented in Section 6. 272 ScienceAsia 27 (2001) P ROPOSED D EMAND F ORECASTING PRODUCTION PLANNING METHODS AND The proposed demand forecasting and production planning methods are depicted in a step-by-step fashion in Fig. . Most factories produce a variety of products that can be categorized into product groups or families. Individual products in the same product group generally have some common characteristics. For example, they may have the same demand pattern and a relatively stable product mix. As a result, it is possible to forecast the aggregate demand of the product group first, and then disaggregate it in to the demand of individual products. Since the forecast of the aggregate demand is more accurate than that of the individual demand1, it is initially determined in Step 1. Then the demands of individual products are determined in Step 2 by multiplying the aggregate demand with the corresponding product mix that is normally known and quite constant. Since the demand forecasts are always subject to forecast errors, safety stocks are provided to avoid stock-out problems. Based on the standard deviation of the forecast errors and the required service level, the safety stocks for individual products are determined in Step 3. Production planning decisions are so complicated and important that they should not be subjectively and intuitively made. Consequently, an appropriate production planning model should be formulated to determine the optimal decisions. With this model, its parameters, eg, demand forecasts, safety stocks, holding cost, overtime cost, machine capacity, inventory capacity, and available regular time and overtime, are entered or updated (Step 4). In step 5, the optimal decisions regarding the production quantities, inventory levels, and regular production time and overtime for each product in each production stage are obtained by solving the production planning model. Step 6 indicates that only the optimal production plan of the current month will be implemented. After one month has elapsed, the demand forecasts and the production plan will be revised (by repeating Steps 1 to 5) according to a rolling horizon concept. BACKGROUND OF THE CASE STUDY The pressure container factory manufactures 15 products, ranging from 1. 25 to 50 kg of the capacity of pressurized gas. The products are divided into eight product groups, namely, Group 1 to Group 8. The first six groups have only two components, â€Å"head† and â€Å"bottom†, while the last two groups have three components, â€Å"head†, â€Å"bottom†, and â€Å"body†. The production process can be divided into five stages as shown in Fig. 2. Stage 3 is only required to produce the products having three components (ie, those in Groups 7 and 8). Stage 4, the circumference welding, is found to be a bottleneck stage due to its long processing time. Presently monthly demand forecasts are subjectively determined by the Marketing Department based on past sales and expected future market conditions. No systematic method is used in forecasting. Using these forecasts and other constraints, such as availability of raw materials, equipment, and production capacity, the monthly production plan for a three-month period is intuitively determined without considering any cost factor. This results in inaccurate demand forecasts and, subsequently, an inefficient production plan. Stage 1 Blanking 1) Forecast the monthly demands of each product group throughout the planning horizon of 12 months 2) Determine the demand for each individual product 3) Determine the safety stock for each individual product Stage 2 Forming of bottom and head Stage 3 Forming of body 4) Update the parameters in the production planning model Stage 4 Circumference welding 5) Run the planning model to obtain the optimal planning dicisions ) Roll the plan by repeating Steps 1 to 5 after one month has elapsed Stage 5 Finishing Fig 1. Proposed forecasting and planning steps. Fig 2. The production process to manufacture a pressure container. ScienceAsia 27 (2001) 273 FORECASTING METHODS Steps 1, 2, and 3 of the proposed forecasting and planning process are discussed in detail in this section. Firstly, the aggregate demand forecasts of eight product groups throughout the planning horizon of 12 mont hs will be determined. Secondly, the demand forecasts of the product groups will be disaggregated into those of individual product. Thirdly, the safety stocks of individual product will be calculated based on the forecast error. Aggregate Demand Forecasts of Product Groups The typical demand pattern of each product group is seasonal. As an example, Fig. 3 shows the demand pattern of Product Group 3. Thus, three forecasting models that are suitable for making seasonal demand forecasts are considered. They are Winter’s, decomposition and Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models. 2-5 Because of their simplicity, the Winter’s and decomposition models are initially used to forecast the aggregate demand of each product group. If the Winter’s and decomposition models are inadequate (ie, the forecast errors are not random), the ARIMA model which is more complicated and perhaps more efficient will be applied. The Winter’s model has three smoothing parameters that significantly affect the accuracy of the forecasts. These parameters are varied at many levels using a computer program to determine a set of parameters that give the least forecast errors. There are two types of the decomposition model, namely, multiplicative and additive types. The former is selected since the demand pattern shows that the trend and seasonal components are dependent. The forecast errors of the Winter’s and decomposition models are presented in Table 1. Based on the calculated mean square error (MSE) and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), it is seen that the decomposition model has lower Original Series (x 1000) 16 forecast errors in all product groups than the Winter’s model. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that the decomposition model provides better demand forecasts than the other. One way to check whether the forecasting model is adequate is to evaluate the randomness of the forecast errors. The auto-correlation coefficient functions (ACFs) of the errors from the decomposition model for several time lags at the significant level of 0. 05 of each product group are determined. The ACFs of Groups 1 and 3 are presented as examples in Fig. 4 and 5, respectively. The ACFs of Groups 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are similar to those of Group 1 in Table 1. Forecast errors of the Winter’s and decomposition models. MSE Products MAPE (%) Winter’s Decomposition Winter’s Decomposition 9,879,330 4,363,290 2,227,592 4,507,990 10,039,690 574,108 636,755 883,811 36. 14 48. 94 24. 25 30. 08 18. 80 53. 86 61. 99 46. 52 26. 97 31. 86 15. 97 23. 4 13. 14 34. 80 34. 45 28. 76 Group 1 16,855,149 Group 2 8,485,892 Group 3 5,433,666 Group 4 6,035,466 Group 5 23,030,657 Group 6 1,690,763 Group 7 2,034,917 Group 8 1,884,353 Estimated Autocorrelations 1 0. 5 coefficient 0 -0. 5 -1 0 4 8 lag 12 16 20 Fig 4. ACFs of the residuals from the decomposition model for Group 1. Estimated Autocorrel ations 1 0. 5 16 demand 3 coefficient 0 8 -0. 5 4 -1 0 0 10 20 30 time index 40 50 60 0 4 8 lag 12 16 20 Fig 3. Actual demand of Group 3. Fig 5. ACFs of the residuals from the decomposition model for Group 3. 274 ScienceAsia 27 (2001) Fig 4, while those of Groups 2 and 3 are similar. It can be seen from Fig. 4 that the ACFs of all lags are within the upper and lower limits, meaning that the errors are random. However, the ACF of lag 1 in Fig. 5 exceeds the upper limit. This indicates that auto-correlations do exist in the errors and that the errors are not random. From the ACFs, we can conclude that the decomposition model is adequate for forecasting the demands of Groups 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, but inadequate for forecasting those of Groups 2 and 3. Therefore, the ARIMA model is applied to Groups 2 and 3. From the original time series of the demand of Group 3 (in Fig. 3), and the ACFs of its original series (in Fig. ), it can be interpreted that the original series has a trend, and a high value of ACF of lag 12 indicates the existence of seasonality. 2 Hence, a non-seasonal first-difference to remove the trend and a seasonal first-difference to remove the strong seasonal spikes in the ACFs are tested. Fig. 7 shows the ACFs of the ARIMA (p,1,q)(P,1,Q) 12 model afte r applying the first difference. The nonseasonal plot indicates that there is an exponential decay and one significant ACF of lag 2. Thus, the AR(1) and MA(1) process denoted by ARIMA (1,1,1)(0,1,0)12 is identified. The ACFs of the residuals after applying this ARIMA model shown in Fig. reveals that there is a high value of ACF of lag 12. Therefore, the AR(1) and MA(1) process for the seasonal part or ARIMA (1,1,1)(1,1,1)12 can be identified. The ACFs of the residuals generated from this model are shown in Fig. 9. Since all ACFs are within the two significant limits, the ARIMA (1,1,1)(1,1,1)12 model is adequate. Using the Statgraphic program, the model coefficients can be determined. The demand forecast for Group 3 is presented in Eq. 1. Ft = 1. 197 X t ? 1 ? 0. 197 X t ? 2 + 0. 54408 X t ? 12 ? 0. 65126 X t ? 13 + 0. 10718 X t ? 14 + 0. 45592 X t ? 24 ? 0. 54574 X t ? 25 + 0. 08982 X t ? 26 ? 1. 6699et ? 1 ? 0. 7154et ? 12 + 0. 76332et ? 13 + 29. 34781 (1) where Ft is the demand fo recast for period t Xt is the actual demand for period t et is the forecast error for period t Similarly, the forecasting model for Group 2 is ARIMA (3,0,0)(3,0,0). 12 The demand forecast of Group 2 is presented in Eq. 2. Estimated Autocorrelations for Original Series 1 Estimated Residual ACF 1 0. 5 0. 5 coefficient coefficient 0 0 -0. 5 -0. 5 -1 0 5 10 lag 15 20 25 -1 0 5 10 lag 15 20 25 Fig 6. ACFs of the actual demand for Group 3. Fig 8. ACFs of the residuals of ARIMA (1,1,1)(0,1,0)12 model for Group 3. Estimated Residual ACF 1 Estimated Autocorrelations for 1 Nonseasonal Differences 1 Seasonal Differences 1 0. 5 0. 5 coefficient coefficient 0 0 -0. 5 -0. 5 -1 0 5 10 lag 15 20 25 -1 0 5 10 lag 15 20 25 Fig 7. ACFs after first differencing for Group 3. Fig 9. ACFs of the residuals of ARIMA (1,1,1)(1,1,1)12 model for Group 3. ScienceAsia 27 (2001) 275 Ft = 0. 36951X t? 1 + 0. 30695X t? 2 – 0. 18213X t? 3 + 0. 20132 X t? 12 ? 0. 07439 X t? 13 ? 0. 06180 X 14 + 0. 03667 X t? 15 ? 0. 03325X t? 24 + 0. 01228 X t? 25 + 0. 01021X t? 26 ? 0. 00606 X t? 27 + 0. 68660 X t? 36 ? 0. 25371X t? 37 ? 0. 21075X t? 38 + 0. 12505X t? 39 + 354. 4515 2) The forecast errors of the decomposition and ARIMA models for Groups 2 and 3 are presented in Table 2. It reveals that the ARIMA model has lower Table 2. Forecast errors of the decomposition and ARIMA models. MSE Products Group 2 Group 3 Decomposition ARIMA 4,363,290 2,227,592 3,112,974 1,235,788 MAPE (%) Decomposition ARIMA 31. 86 15. 97 29. 05 13. 18 MSE and MAPE than t he decomposition model. Therefore, the ARIMA model should be used to forecast the aggregate demands of Groups 2 and 3. For other product groups, however, the decomposition model should be used because it is more simple yet still adequate. The comparison of the demand forecast errors obtained from the forecasting models and those from the current practice of the marketing department (as presented in Table 3) indicates that the errors of the forecasting models are substantially lower than those of the current practice. Demand Forecasts of Individual Products The demand forecast of product i for period t, dit, is obtained by multiplying the aggregate demand forecast of the product group (obtained from the previous steps) by the corresponding product mix (as presented in Table 4). Table 3. Forecast errors of the current practice, decomposition, and ARIMA models. MSE Product Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7 Group 8 Current practice Decomposition 16,672,342 4,394,693 4,988,962 4,754,572 19,787,102 795,621 849,420 1,060,301 9,879,330 4,507,990 10,039,690 574,108 636,755 883,811 ARIMA 3,112,974 1,235,788 MAPE (%) Current practice Decomposition 30. 58 34. 68 23. 50 25. 73 17. 54 42. 70 38. 36 37. 93 26. 97 23. 24 13. 14 34. 80 34. 45 28. 76 ARIMA 29. 05 13. 18 – Table 4. Product mix. Product group Product 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 0. 17 0. 20 0. 26 0. 23 0. 14 1. 0 0. 53 0. 47 0. 65 0. 35 1. 0 1. 0 1. 0. 3 0. 7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 276 ScienceAsia 27 (2001) Calculation of Safety Stock The safety stocks of finished products must be provided to protect against stock-out problems due to inaccurate demand forecasts. Based on the forecast errors obtained from the demand forecasting models, the amount of the safety stock is calculated using the following formula. 12 SSit = sf * ? j * ? ij (3) PRODUCTION PLANNING METHO D The production planning model is developed by initially defining decision variables and parameters, and then mathematically formulating the production planning model. Step 4 of the method requires that the model parameters be estimated and entered into the model. The model is solved for the optimal solution (Step 5). Step 6 recommends that the model parameters are updated, and the model is solved again after one planning period has passed. The production planning problem of the factory under consideration belongs to the class of multistage, multi-item, capacitated production planning model. The models in this class have been discussed extensively in. 6-11 They differ in assumptions, objectives, constraints, and solution methods. Our production planning model is a modification of the multi-stage, multi-product model discussed in Johnson and Montgomery. 6 Its objective is to minimize the total overtime and inventory holding costs. Costs of laying off and rehiring are not considered because laying off and rehiring are not allowed according to the labor union regulation. Since the production cost is time-invariant and all demands must be satisfied, the regular time production cost is thus not included in the objective function. Relevant parameters and decision variables are defined as follows: Parameters : hik = Holding cost per unit of product i at stage k (baht/unit/period) co = Cost per man-hour of overtime labor (baht/man-hour) dit = Demand forecast of product i for period t (units) aik = Processing time for one unit of product i at stage k (hours/unit) (rm)kt = Total available regular time excluding preventive maintenance and festival days at stage k for period t (man-hours) (om)kt = Total available overtime excluding preventive maintenance and festival days at stage k for period t (man-hours) W = Warehouse capacity (units) SSit = Safety stock of product i for period t (units) Iik0 = Initial inventory of product i at stage k (units) N = Total number of products (15 products) T = Total number of periods in the planning horizon (12 periods) K = Total number of stages (5 stages) where SSit = Required safety stock level of product i for period t sf = Safety factor = 1. 64 for a required service level of 95 % of the standard normal distribution ? j = Standard deviation of forecast errors of Group j. ?ij = Product mix of Product i in Group j. Since the errors of the recommended demand forecasting models are lower than those of the current practice, it is clear that SSit based on the use of the models must be lower than that determined from the current practice (assuming that the service levels of both cases are the same). Table 5 presents the required safety stocks of the current practice and the recommended forecasting models at 95 % service level. Table 5. Required safety stock of current practice and of recommended forecasting models. Safety stock (units) Product 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Current practice 1,138 1,339 1,741 1,540 937 3,438 1,941 1,722 2,324 1,252 7,295 1,463 1,511 507 1,182 Recommended forecasting models 887 1,043 1,356 1,200 730 2,905 979 868 2,274 1,224 5,258 1,245 1,323 460 1,072 ScienceAsia 27 (2001) 277 Decision variables: Xikt = Quantity of product i to be produced at stage k in period t (units) Iikt = Inventory of product i at stage k at the end of period t (units) Rkt = Regular time used at stage k during period t (man-hours) Okt = Overtime used at stage k during period t (man-hours) LP model: Minimize Z = ? ? ? hik Iikt + ? ? co Okt , (4) i =1 k =1 t =1 k =1 t =1 N K T K T Eq. 7 represents the material balance constraint in Stage 3, which produces the body of threecomponent products, for Products 13, 14, and 15. Constraint (13) must be included since the finished products are very bulky and require significant warehouse space that is quite limited. Work-inprocess inventory does not require significant storage space because it can be stacked. The non-negativity constraint (16) ensures that shortages of work-inprocess inventory do not occur. Input Parameters The initial inventory of product i at stage k, Iik0, is collected from real data of work-in-process or finished good inventories on the factory floor at the beginning of the planning horizon. The inventory holding cost of product i at stage k, hik, is estimated by assuming that the annual inventory holding cost is 25% of the cost per unit of the product at the respective production stage. Since the cost per unit is constant over the planning horizon, the annual inventory holding cost is time-invariant. The factory has enough space in the warehouse to store not more than 40,000 units of finished products. The total available regular time, (rm)kt, is estimated based on the fact that the factory is normally operated 16 hours a day and six days a week, and the total available overtime, (om)kt, is calculated by assuming that the overtime could not be more than six hours a day. The overtime cost, co, is assumed to be constant throughout the planning horizon, and is estimated to be 60 Baht per man-hour. After all related parameters have been estimated and entered into the planning model, the optimal values of all decision variables are calculated using the LINGO software. The computation time takes less than one minute on a Pentium PC. Results of the Production Planning Models with Different Levels of Safety Stock In this section, two production planning models with different safety stock levels (as shown in Table 5) are solved to determine the total cost savings when the recommended forecasting models are applied in place of the current practice. The inventory holding, overtime, and total costs of both models are presented in Table 6. Based on the optimal total cost of the current practice (4,078,746 Baht per year) and the optimal total cost of the recommended forecasting models (3,541,772 Baht per year), the total cost saving is 536,974 Baht per year, or 13. 2 %. It can be also seen Subject to – Finished product requirement constraints I i 5,t? 1 + X i 5t ? I i 5t = dit – ? i, t ; k = 5, (5) Material balance between stages constraints ? i, t ; k = 4, (6) (7) ? i, t ; k = 2, (8) ? i, t ; k = 1, (9) I i 4 ,t? 1 + X i 4 t ? I i 4 t = X i 5t I i 3,t? 1 + X i 3t ? I i 3t = X i 4 t ?t ; i = 13, 14, 15; k = 3, I i 2,t? 1 + X i 2t ? I i 2t = X i 4 t I i1,t? 1 + X i1t ? I i1t = X i 2t Capacity constraints ? aik X ikt ? Rkt + Okt i= 1 N ?k , t , (10) – Available regular and overtime constraints. Rkt ? (rm) kt Okt ? ( om) kt ?k , t , ? k , t , (11) (12) – Inventory capacity of finished product constraints. ? I ikt ? W i= 1 N ?t ; k = 5, (13) – Safety stock of finished product constraints. I ikt ? SS it ?i, t ; k = 5, (14) – Non-negativity conditions X ikt ? 0 I ikt ? 0 ?i, k , t , ? i, t ; k = 1, 2, 3, 4 (15) (16) 278 ScienceAsia 27 (2001) Table 6. Comparison of the optimal costs of production planning models. Optimal costs (Baht/year) Model based on the current practice Inventory holding cost Overtime cost Total cost 2,117,051 1,961,695 4,078,746 Model based on recommended forecasting models 1,775,552 1,766,220 3,541,772 REFERENCES 1. Nahmias S (1993) Production and Operations Analysis, 2nd ed, Irwin, New York. 2. Vandaele W (1983) Applied Time Series and Box-Jenkins Models, Academic Press, New York. 3. Winters PR (1960) Forecasting Sales by Exponentially Weighted Moving Average. Management Science 6(4), 324-42. 4. Box GE and Jenkins GM (1970) Time Series Analysis, Forecasting, and Control, Holden-Day, San Francisco. 5. Makridakis S Wheelwright SC and McGee VE (1983) Forecasting Methods and Applications, 2nd ed, John Wiley & Sons, New York. 6. Johnson LA and Montgomery DC (1974) Operations Research in Production Planning, Scheduling, and Inventory Control, John Wiley & Sons, New York. 7. Bullington P McClain J and Thomas J (1983) Mathematical Programming Approaches to Capacity Constrained MRP Systems: Review, Formulation, and Problem Reduction. Management Science 29(10). 8. Gabbay H (1979) Multi-Stage Production Planning. Management Science 25(11), 1138-48. 9. Zahorik A Thomas J and Trigeiro W (1984) Network Programming Models for Production Scheduling in MultiStage, Multi-Item Capacitated Systems. Management Science 30(3), 308-25. 10. Lanzanuer V (1970) Production and Employment Scheduling in Multi-Stage Production Systems. Naval Research Logistics Quarterly 17(2), 193-8. 11. Schwarz LB (ed) (1981) Multi-level Production and Inventory Control Systems: Theory and Practice, North-Holland, New York. 12. Tersine RJ (1994) Principles of Inventory and Materials Management, 4th ed, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. that the optimal inventory holding cost and overtime cost in the production planning model based on the recommended forecasting models are almost equal which indicates that the model can efficiently achieve a tradeoff between both costs. Normally, the optimal decisions in the first planning period will be implemented. After the first period has passed, the new forecasts will be determined, and the model parameters will be updated. The updated model is solved again to determine the optimal decisions in the current period. This is called a rolling horizon concept. However, the details and results of this step are not shown in this paper. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The ARIMA model provides more reliable demand forecasts but it is more complicated to apply than the decomposition model. Therefore the ARIMA model should be used only when the decomposition model is inadequate. When compared against those of the current practice of the company, the errors of our selected models are considerably lower. This situation can lead to substantial reductions in safety stocks. Consequently, the lower safety stocks result in decreased inventory holding and overtime costs. The results of the production planning model are of great value to the company since the model can determine the optimal overtime work, production quantities, and inventory levels that yield the optimal total overtime and holding costs. The production planning method is more suitable than the existing one that does not consider any cost factors. Moreover, it has been proven that an application of appropriate forecasting techniques can reduce total inventory holding and overtime costs significantly. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that an improvement in demand forecasting and production planning can be achieved by replacing subjective and intuitive judgments by the systematic methods.

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The growing role of on-line learning courses - Essay Example They have immense potential of serving business & educational purposes whereby the primary use has been witnessed widely in training, education, knowledge management, research, design, conceptualization, and communication. In the modern business and educational world, multimedia is used in two forms - (1) Traditional multimedia systems - systems comprising of all multimedia components assembled together on a single computer deployed as standalone or accessible over high speed LAN systems which can then be presented using direct connectivity to presentation systems like LCD displays, projectors, high resolution monitors, etc.) (2) On-line multimedia systems - systems comprising of all multimedia components assembled together and deployed on multiple computers that are integrated through a presentation system which allows access to the multimedia content through Internet browser interfaces over Internet or Intranet. The traditional multimedia systems use files in their original format whereas the on-line multimedia systems use files in transformed f... (2) On-line multimedia systems - systems comprising of all multimedia components assembled together and deployed on multiple computers that are integrated through a presentation system which allows access to the multimedia content through Internet browser interfaces over Internet or Intranet. The traditional multimedia systems use files in their original format whereas the on-line multimedia systems use files in transformed form (includes format change, compression, size reduction, etc.) to make them suitable to be run through web enabled presentation technologies. Both multimedia systems offer interactive experience to users specifically in trainings and education programs with the help of the creativity of teachers presenting & controlling the content. However, on-line multimedia systems have exploded heavily on the Cyberspace thus significantly losing structure, knowledge connections, individualizations, human touch, learning effectiveness, etc. as compared to the traditional multimedia systems. This paper critically examines the weaknesses & limiting factors of on-line multimedia systems in education, training, learning, knowledge transfer, and presentation as compared with traditional multimedia systems. The next section presents literature review on multimedia syste ms that presents comparison between traditional & on-line multimedia systems, the subsequent section presents critical discussions & the final section presents conclusions on the subject. [Gibbs, Simon. 1995] Literature Review - On-Line Multi-Media Systems compared with Traditional Multi-Media Systems Multimedia comprises of object oriented software development forming a framework comprising of

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Paediatric Radiography - Essay Example From the diagram, it will be noted that at different ages, there are different anatomical proportions that people possess. This means that the body proportion of an adult is different from a child. In paediatric radiography, this understanding is very important in ensuring that the wrong body parts will not be captured while engaging in radiographic procedures. The differences in anatomical proportion are also necessary when giving protection to various parts of the body. For example, the size of a blockade to be used on the chest of the child cannot be the same for an adult. This is because the differences in proportion imply that it will not be possible to cover out relatively the same areas when using the same dimensions for both. There are a lot of radiographic exposure parameters that must be considered in paediatric radiography. One of these is focal spot size. For paediatric radiography, the advice is that â€Å"the ability of the focal spot to provide the most appropriate exposure time and radiographic voltage selection at a stated focus-to-film distance† should be preferred (Hardy and Boynes, 2003, p. 25). There is also the issue of tube filtration, where the use of high kV techniques is recommended in order to get the shortest exposure times possible. Rooks, Sisler and Burton (1998) also mentioned voltage as another exposure factor, indicating that high voltage can enhance short exposure times, which are needed for paediatric radiographic examinations. Currently, such short exposure times are achieved with the use of high frequency generators (Hardy and Boynes, 2005). It is common knowledge that paediatric radiography requires more radiation protection, even though all forms of radiation protection are necessary in adult radiography. In paediatric protection, the tenderness of body tissues and possibility of cells not being mature enough is the major

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Fetishism and the Surrealist Object - Essay Example The essay "Fetishism and the Surrealist Object" states Fetishism and Surrealism. Invoking ideas of personal sexual fantasies outsides the realm of polite society, fetishism primarily exists in the world behind the world, and its public expression in the form of art can be a brazen and shocking thing. Contemporary artists such as Mona Hatoum, Rebecca Horn and Nobuyoshi Araki have created significant art that falls into the space of fetishism. However, considering the concurrent societal norms, earlier, less accepting epochs demanding conformity have produced some of the most provocative pieces touching on this taboo, primarily the Surrealists. Indeed, few movements invoke the overall inner landscape of dreams, desires and unconscious more determinedly. Primarily functioning between the two world Wars, Surrealism was a movement motivated by the writings of Andre Breton and dedicated to exposing the desires of the subconscious and fighting the bourgeois society surrounding them in many different avenues of expression. In addition to writing, Surrealist artists utilized painting, collage, photography and sculpture to advance various Freudian driven concepts. Among these was the idea of the object. Although Breton had called for the creation of Surrealist objects earlier, it was only during the 1930’s did the debate and production of these objects truly gain momentum within the group. Distinct from the contemporary concept of sculpture, these homemade montages of distinct yet everyday elements. transferred these works from the utilitarian to the realm of dreams. In this manner, 'the object created therefore constitutes the intrusion into daily life of a desire that moulds and transforms matter according to its requirements, meticulously creating the synthesis of extreme intimacy and the outside world'.4 For this essay I have chosen two famous yet utterly distinct surrealist objects to demonstrate the breadth of fetishism in this movement. Although the "furry teacup" of Meret Oppenheim might seem completely unrelated to Hans Bellmer's notorious doll, they are both objects emerging from the Surrealist school that revolve around fetishism. Object (Le Djeuner en fourrure)5 Introduced to the Surrealist group when she was only eighteen, Meret Oppenheim began as a model for photographer Man Ray before embarking on her Oppenheim, Meret (1936). Object (Le Djeuner en fourrure). Fur-covered cup, saucer and spoon. 7.3 cm tall. On display at The Museum of Modern Art, New York. own artistic endeavours.6 Apparently, the concept for the work emerged from a conversation in a Parisian caf with Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar in 1936:7 he happened to be wearing one of the bracelets she had been making for Schiaparelli out of lengths of fur-lined, polished metal tubing. Talking and joking about the bracelet, Picasso quipped that one could actually cover anything with fur, to which Meret replied, "Even this cup and saucer" Shortly afterwards, When Andr Breton invited her to contribute to an Exhibition of Surrealist objects at the Galerie Charles Ratton, she recalled the conversation and, without further ado, bought a large cup and saucer with spoon at the Parisian department store, Uniprix, and lined the three objects with the fur of a Chinese gazelle. It was Andre Breton who named the work.8 Somehow, this simple concept erupted into the canons of twentieth century art, and what

The Importance of the class-system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Importance of the class-system - Essay Example on class in comparison to quality of character, the novels create intelligently woven tales that are rich in story and plot, while maintaining a relevant editorial on the socioeconomic relationships within their culture. In Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, the main character, Pip, experiences the many levels of the class system in nineteenth century England. Although such a rise would be near impossible, the use of one character to experience the many levels of the system allows the reader to create a structure and relativity between the lowest place where he starts his journey, to the higher end where he ends as an English gentleman. Although Dickens allows his character to have this journey, â€Å"The atmosphere and smell Havesham’s employ, or partaking of gentlemanly delights in London.† [1]. The reader remains aware of the rise that Pip has experienced and, when read during the time period, a personal impact was undoubtedly felt by this commentary. In exploring the class system in Great Expectations, Dickens is able to establish the importance of the system to the social culture, while making clear commentary on the true equality of the classes. As he develops his characters, we see that true worth is not measured in wealth or distinction, but rather in the quality of the character of an individual. Miss Havesham, a woman of means, is a twisted character who seeks to avenge herself on a boy and influence the growth and ability to form a good relationship by twisting the mind of a girl. In the bitterness of her ruined life, she seeks revenge through those who should have hope by virtue of their youth. Dickens displays an immense fascination with the prison system in his work. The character of Magwitch is quietly central to the theme of class distinction within the work. â€Å"As a returned convict who was been forcibly expelled, Magwitch in Great Expectations occupies a more complex position than mere ‘out sidedness’ and becomes a tool for a

Research literature related to the health needs of this client Essay

Research literature related to the health needs of this client - Essay Example To this end, the reported struggling history of infections is justified by the health profile to compel a strict treatment regime. His reservations leading up to discontinuation of ART cannot facilitate success in the treatment. Such positions will occasion hepatitis liver deterioration that will affect other drug metabolism requirements. The end-stage status of Mr. X’s liver infection compounds the complexity of therapy requirements needed for the presenting challenges. Assuming that the treatment regime prescribed to Mr. X has both elements for HIV and HBV treatment, the patient must continue with the prescription. The impacts of discontinuation can occasion severe coinfection to the already weakened health status and cause death. According to Carosi et al. (2008), current regimes targeted for HBV reduce progression of related liver complications significantly. The authors held that most coinfections from poor countries progress to mortality due to lack of parallel treatment of both infections and lack of efficient care. The high probability of progression of HBV among HIV patients requires strict treatment regimes that can prevent liver failure and related immunity complications. Appropriate treatment regimes must be continued to prevent the development of drug resistant strains of the virus causing the coinfection (Reiberger et al. 2012). Apparently, discontinuation of drugs before completion of the prescribed dosage presents grounds for the dev elopment of resistance. Since viral susceptibility to drugs remains elusive, patients must be assisted to follow their prescriptions. The healthcare attendant serving Mr. X must help cultivate positivity to support adherence to drug administration. According to Benhamou (2004), the appropriate medical regime to handle Mr. X’s condition must contain Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). Aware of the vulnerability of the HIV positive patients to HBV, treatment options contain the

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Romeo and Juliet’s Love Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet’s Love Essay Romeo and Juliet’s love is not true love. Although they have sworn their love and gotten married, they do not truly love each other. They are too young to know if they really love someone. Although Lady Capulet was already a mother at Juliet’s age, Juliet is not old enough to know what love feels like. Capulet even says to Paris that Juliet is too young to get married. â€Å"My child is yet a stranger in the world. She hath not seen the change of fourteen years. Let two more summers wither in their pride ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.† Capulet says here that not until she is sixteen will Juliet be ready to get married. But Juliet thinks she has fallen in love and married Romeo before she is even fourteen. Next, Romeo is also too young. Romeo is not really in love with Juliet, he is in love with being in love. Before the party in act 1 scene 5, Romeo seems to be in love with Rosaline. However he immediately forgets about Rosaline when he talks with Juliet. This shows that he is not old enough to love someone. He has not matured enough, which is yet another reason why Romeo and Juliet are not truly in love. Juliet has not matured enough to get married because she has never been in any kind of a relationship. You cannot love someone if do not know what it feels like. So, if you married the first person you had a relationship with then you could not know if there was someone else who would love even more. Capulet wants Juliet to, somewhat, see who else is out there before marrying Paris. On the other hand, it seems as if Romeo has been in a relationship before. But the problem with Romeo is that he has been in too many relationships. Romeo is in love with being in love, and loves to feel like â€Å"woe is me.† When Romeo gets turned down by Rosaline, he says that he could never love someone as much as he loved her. â€Å"Thou canst not teach me to forget.† Romeo is saying that he cannot forget his love for Rosaline. This tells us that he did not truly love Rosaline, and that he probably does not truly love Juliet. Lastly, Romeo and Juliet do not truly love each other because they have not known each other long enough. They have only known each other for one day and they have already gotten married. That is not nearly enough time for someone to get to know and love another person. Just an hour after the party they had sworn their love to each other. They are not in love, they simply like each other. They were not ready to get married at the time that they did and they still are not in love even after they got married. So, Romeo and Juliet are not really in love. They are too young and immature to be in love with each other. Also, they have not known each other long enough to be in love, they moved too quickly. In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet’s love is not true love.

Building Management System Bms Server Software Computer Science Essay

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Data including point values, parameters, messages, instructions, databases access statements, master clock synchronization and other forms of computers data exchange may originates from or be destined for other sub-system and computers and database which may form pat of TAMS. It is responsibility of the BMS Sub-System Contractor to develop, test, document and debug software interface routines and supporting hardware to accomplish the interface requirement of BMS to TAMS and any other system or sub-system with which the BMS is required to communicate. The BMS Sub-System Contractor will provide software for the BMS Sub-System, which is proven in actual field installation of a similar size and scope. The BMS Sub-System Contractor will provide complete information and responses with tenders including reference sites, name, and telephone number of reference site contracts. Software Licensing KLIAB respects the propriety nature of certain software. Commercially available software purchased from a third party such as Microsoft Windows, UNIX, OS/2 and similar software packages are provided. Licenses are bound with the operation and maintenance manuals for BMS system. BMS manufacturers proprietary software is provided fully licensed. All BMS manufacturers proprietary software will have complete sources codes, programs listings and supporting information deposited in an escrow account at the BMS Sub-System Contractors expense. BMS Server Software Operating System The BMS server computers will utilize a multi-user, multi tasking operating system designed for client server operations. The operating system will support all the required software functions and application described in the BMS specifications. Standard services supported by Operating System on serves will include the following: Multi- tasking Multi- user support POSIX 1003, 1 compliance TCP/IP, SLIP Network Support Network File System (NFS) C language complier The BMS Sub-System Contractor will provide to the SMC one complete set of operating system user manuals and programmers references manuals bound as part of each BMS Operation and Maintenance Manual. BMS Software Executive The BMS Sub-System Contractor shall provide a complete BMS software executive module which provides at minimum: Workstation communication sport Printer quering and tasking I/O Channel support for up to 99 communication channel Disk optimization routines On-line database backup and restoration Memory management functions Software watchdog functions Networking functions Housekeeping functions Diagnostic routines Server Redundancy Software The BMS Sub-System Contractor will provide six complete server computers arranged as three sets of redundant hot standby server system. Each server computer are equipped with all hardware and software with complete capability to support the designated BMS tasks. Each server will coexist on the BMS network and are able to automatically assume full operation of BMS without any loss of data, alarm, or status information. The redundancy software provides full databases charges made to the primary server are propagated to the backup server without any operator intervention. Changeovers from primary to backup server are accomplished within 10seconds, whether manually initialed or automatically initialed. Detection of any server software execution failure will cause the automatic transfer of all server functions to the backup server and will initiate a primary server failure alarm. These alarm are distributed a BMS Alarm Handling Software specifications. These sewer failure alarms are classified at the highest priority level. The BMS Sub-System Contractor will provide a hardware or software switch to allow the user selection of which server computer is the primary server, and which is the backup server. Such selections are made freely and at any time during the normal operations of the BMS Server System. It is possible at any time to completely remove one of the server computers for repair, maintenance or other need without disrupting normal BMS operations. BMS workstations will automatically switch the user interface and TCP/IP address to the server in control of the BMS, without operator intervention. Alarm Handling Software Complete Alarm Handling Software modules are provided in the BMS server software package. The alarm handling software will provide comprehensive alarm detection and management facilities to allow fast and accurate notification to the BMS of abnormal point values or conditions. Alarm Attribute Table Each and every BMS point capable of alarm will have alarm attribute assigned in an alarm attribute table. The alarm attribute table will govern the way and means by which the point alarm is reported by the BMS. The alarm attribute table are on-line definable and changeable by an authorized BMS user. Each point defined in the Alarm Attribute Table will, upon change of state, read the table and be acted upon accordingly. For each point the following attribute are definable: Print alarm/ inhibit printing Printers assigned to print point alarm Print alarm only Print all point events Workstation assigned to display alarm Alarm class 1-4 (normal, urgent, low, journal) Alarm priority 1-9 (9 priorities within each class) Unanswered Alarm Software If dedicated BMS workstation is been assigned to receive an alarm, each incoming alarm will start a software timer who starts upon alarm generations and ends upon alarm acknowledgement. If an alarm is not acknowledge within a user defined number of seconds, an unanswered alarm are automatically generates and displayed at the EOC monitoring room BMS workstations, whether or not the EOC monitoring room workstation were assigned to receive the original acknowledge alarm. The unanswered alarm events are recorded as a transaction in the historical transaction database file. Conclusion These software were helped the facilities management functioning within the building by utilizing Building Management System to fulfill the building operation and maintenance. It is also helped to ease of information availability problem diagnostics and helped computerized maintenance scheduling. However, this software was maintained effective use of maintenance staff and it is give more satisfied an occupants.

Kiwi Ultra Fruit Juice Strategy Analysis

Kiwi Ultra Fruit Juice Strategy Analysis Prabhjot Singh Cheema Ques1 (a): Strategic planning: It deals with the big image of the organisation. It is considered as an organisational activity which is used to set predominance along with focus on energy and resources and strengthening operations. It also ensures that whether the employees and stakeholders are working together for a common goal with the establishment of agreements which intend to show outcomes/results. The most important thing for this plan is it is not a monument, but at end it is way for a firm to achieve its purpose. The main purpose of this plan is setting overall or long term goals for business and achieves those goals. Such a long term plan looks into four or five years in to the future. It also involves stepping back from every day operations and review where business is headed and what its next priorities should. It includes business, its vision, firms identity and the direction in which firm is heading. (b): Operational planning: the operational planning refers to the steps which are to be considered and followed to carry out the organisations goals. Moreover, it is the planning in which strategic goals are broken into small activities and aims which are planned to reach out to vision and goals. This plan is to represents high detail information to direct people in performing everyday tasks. This plan provides who, when, what and how much is required to complete the task. That mean, the strategies which are to be considered with the persons who will be responsible for specific tasks and timelines when the tasks are to be completed with the financial resources available for those strategies. The main purpose of this plan is to provide firm with a clear image of their tasks and responsibilities with referring to common goals and objectives contained in strategic plan. Ques2: (a): considering myself as the CEO of kiwi ultra fruit juice I would make a complete strategic plan by setting goals visions. Three strategic goals in my strategic plan will be: Making a vision to expand the business into other areas of NZ so that company can earn more in slow economy as well. Another mission will be to favourably price the products by reviewing with that of other competitors. The last goal of the company will be to move the brand into some other foreign lands with a complete strategic plan. (b): In order to expand the business the company need to take actions such as the very first action will be to clearly define the market. This seems to be a very simple step. Kiwi ultra juice need to consider the demographics and locations and interest or needs of  customers of that specific location. In this way the company can bring out products which are more preferred by specific located people. Moreover, company can perform market analysis. It will involve more market research targeting customers. Secondly, in order to develop the business internationally, the company should increase their sales in the existing markets as well as they should develop more products than only orange juice. This will bring their company to next level. They should launch products which completely differentiate them from their competitors and develop a new image. Ques3: (A): control process: It is a continuous process. The four steps involved in control process are: 1. Setting up of control standards: every company plan their activities in advance. On the basis of these plans, goals and objectives are fixed for every department and branch. 2. Measurement of performance (Actual): this is the second step in controlling process. Its actual performance is measured against the standard sets. This step will let the management know whether they are working according to the plans or not. 3. Compare measured performance against established standards: this step in the control process is for making comparisons of actual performance with the standards sets. The main purpose of this step is to (a) find out the deviations if in case (b) and know the reasons for such deviations. 4. Take corrective actions: last and most important step in this process is taking corrective actions. Efforts are needed to be made if performance is out or less than the standards (B) Types of control: Feed Forward: in this type of control, deviations are predicted and measured and actions are taken before the occurrence of such errors. If such errors are not measured then the systems will not get output as the firm has desired. Concurrent: this type of control takes place whilst activity is in progress. This process involves regulation of activities which are being carried out ensuring that they conform to the standards of the organisation. It is designed to make sure that employee working activities are bringing the correct outputs and results. Feedback control: this types of control focuses mainly on the output of the organisation after the completion of whole transformation. It is also called as output control or post action. It is also important to note that this step is mostly preferred when other two seems to be more costly or not feasible. (c) Two examples of feed forward control that kiwi ultra juice might use to ensure that its products are of highest quality: 1. In case of kiwi ultra juice organisation should have checked the prices before charging premium charges and also produce more varieties of juice in the market. 2. The company should also have checked the image of its competitors and then they have taken such actions through which they can present their company and products in a better way ensuring the quality of the brand. (d) Using concurrent control to achieve its objective: concurrent control is an ongoing process step in which measures can be taken when the process is working. In case of kiwi ultra juice, company should have changed its premium prices when they realise the charges are high as comparative to other brands. And this will help them to increase their sale and achieve companies objectives. While, in case of feedback control, the company can use the advices of marketing experts researchers and can plan to expand the brand in other foreign lands and can earn good revenue. But in this case company need to make good plans and launch product in a more productive way. Ques4: SIMPLE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART FOR TUCKERS COMPANY:-       Mr. Harnett, president of Tucker Company explained board of directors regarding his reorganisation of company. The company is divided into three divisions as: commercial, military jet engines utility turbines (lab operating) with a VP for every division and individual manager. Each division has their own departments. Ques 5: Mr. Hodge, Head of the laboratory operation and Mr. Franklin, departmental manager of Engineering department, Utility Turbine division had conflicts over the work of tests that were to be carried out for engineering dept. of utility divisions. The main issue was the involvement of Mr. Hodge in the experiments and its design and selection of materials and evaluation process of the experiments. He felt that laboratory should be involved in all department experiments and divisions as well. On the other side, Mr. Franklin did not liked the idea of Mr. Hodge and did not want laboratory to get involved in all such cases. Hence there is a clear conflict between both department managers and over their roles. Moreover, there is also interpersonal kind of conflict. Some of the conflict between both the managers is also due to the organisational structure in past and also due to the personalities of both the heads of the department. Looking on to the organisation, the reason for the rising of the conflicts is extension of facilities of departments to all other departments and divisions. Illustrating this, the laboratory was under Military jet engine division and they have to provide facilities to all departments. The laboratory has more work towards military so it should not inclined more towards other experiments and tests from other divisions. Hence, the work load gets high and then conflicts start between interdepartmental and interdivisions. Because lab manager has to report to military jet engines vice president, it was not separate on its own. Ques6 : New organisational structure for TUCKERS COMPANY: Such a design ensures that department which provides help to other departments of all divisions would not only limit to single division. So, the common department will be able to provide and extend their services to all other divisions and departments. The laboratory will be directly under the control of president and can be named as shared services division department. This can be termed as matrix structure of organisation. The advantage of such a chart would be that this new shared department would be accessible to all departments for all their tasks and can be performed without any bias. The disadvantage of such a division will be that new division formed will be autonomous and even if it had manager like Mr. Hodge who always think of its own rather than company will act in irresponsible manner. Ques7: Centralization versus Decentralization: Centralisation refers to the process in which activities of an organisation are mostly controlled by the top managers. Here, top managers make key decisions with little or no input. They make planning on the basis of decision making and becoming more concentrated within a specific group or location. The environment is more stable as well decisions are significant. Whereas, Decentralisation refers to the process where decisions are mostly made by or delegated to the lower levels of the firm. Managers are mostly close to the action so more of the responsibility is sent towards to them. Companies mostly decentralise for managers to get more of the work done. It helps to motivate them more as well as helps to develop lower level personnel. Mechanistic vs. Organic : Mechanistic refers to clear chain of control an is more formal. This structure runs like a machine and individuals and functions behave more in a predictable way. This structure mostly works well when the environment is certain and even there is little change. People are more willing to obey and corporate and the work is repeating. Production is more. On the other hand Organic structure refers to flat structure. In this the firm uses cross-hierarchical and cross-functional teams. The company has low formalisation and has a comprehensive information network. The company works like a creature. Communication is more horizontal. Ques8: (a): Ans: The tuckers company should be more centralised and mechanistic. The authority of decision making should be handed to the president of the company because most of the managers working in the firm are inclined towards their personal status rather than the companys status. In such a way organisation top level make the decisions and work is carried by lower employees in a more orderly manner. Another reason for the company to be more centralised is the environment is more certain and stable. Mangers like Mr. Hodge and Mr. Franklin had created more conflicts because the decision was in their hands. Such an environment affected the output of the laboratory results. In a centralised and mechanistic structure, organisation runs like a machine. Decisions are more significant. All managers have their clear tasks and roles and divisions which will not make confusion or raise a conflict. (b): Ans: The type of span that would be suitable for the tucker company is wide span of control. The reason behind the wide span of control is there will be fewer managers in the organisation. More the managers, more is the conflict as it can be clearly seen in the tuckers company. Another reason for this is with one or two managers, the employees will be on same level and they can work with each other. All the employees will be delegated clear duties and tasks . Such kind of supervision and control can create more positive friendly environment among all members. So in such a case conflicts would be less among managers and output will be more. REFERENCES:- Management, F., Managment, S., Management, I., Management, P., Marketing, P., Management, M. et al. (2017). BusinessStudyNotes. BusinessStudyNotes. Retrieved 18 January 2017, from http://www.businessstudynotes.com/ Operational planning: the Purpose of an Operational Plan. (2017). Leoisaac.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017, from http://www.leoisaac.com/operations/top025.htm 5-Step Primer to Entering New Markets. (2017). Inc.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017, from http://www.inc.com/karl-and-bill/5-step-primer-to-entering-new-markets.html Steps Involved in Control Process. (2017). YourArticleLibrary.com: The Next Generation Library. Retrieved 18 January 2017, from http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/management/controlling/steps-involved-in-control-process/53348/ Strategic Management :: Concurrent Control. (2017). Strategic-control.24xls.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017, from http://www.strategic-control.24xls.com/en106

machiavelli :: essays research papers fc

Philip Habib  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nov.1, 2003 Block D Machiavelli Bibliography James Burnham The Machiavellians : Defenders of Freedom Gateway Editions, Washington D.C., 1987   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A political theorist named James Burnham states that in order to be scientific, its method and goals must not be transcendentally based, and its outcome must be realistic. Dante de Monarchia and Machiavelli were considered two of the best political theorists in the time of the renaissance; however, they both had a different way in writing and stating their political theories. For Machiavelli’s way of writing consisted of stating the truth of what was going around, the reality and the exact description of politics, unlike Dante, who was using imagination in writing his political theories, and for that he was criticized by Machiavelli, where Machiavelli stated that a true political theorist should not be transcendentally based, and his methods, goals, and overall should be based on reality. One of Machiavelli’s was to unify Italy. He did not accomplish his goal, although he tried to in his writings, specifically in one of his books called â€Å"The Pr ince†. In this book, Machiavelli tried to call for a hero who could save Italy and unify it. But Italy, back then, was facing problems. Italy had to do a wise decision, whether to unify or to remain in the political structure it was in. If Italy remained in the same political structure then it would suffer from a huge economic and cultural loss, but if Italy decided to unify and become a whole country, then it would become the most important country in the modern world. Machiavelli was surely aware of the situation, and gave Italy his ideas for the unification, but Italy refused it. Later on, Italy regretted not accepting Machiavelli’s ideas, but by then it was too late, and Italy paid the consequences of being ignorant to a wise idea that could have changed history. Machiavelli’s writings were so important and wise during the renaissance. He was the first person who separated politics from ethics, as well as, science from ethics, considering that politics and sc ience are based on facts and reality. Machiavelli always had a way to look for the truth, and this influenced many people, and in fact, looking for the truth is moral that he taught to every person who knew him, not even personally. In conclusion, Machiavelli was considered the best political theorist during the renaissance times, as important as he is today, and his way of writing was way much better than Dante’s.

Comparing the Impact of Colonization in A Small Place, A Passage to Ind

Impact of British Colonization Exposed in A Small Place, A Passage to India, and Robinson Crusoe British colonialism began in the early fifteen hundreds and even continues today with the British rule of the British Virgin Islands.   For centuries, literature has served as a type of historical documentation of colonization as many authors wrote about colonization from both a colonized and a colonizer's point of view. During colonization, and post-colonization, the physical environment of each colony was changed. Using references to A Small Place, A Passage to India, and Robinson Crusoe, I will provide examples of the physical changes to the colonized societies made by England and discuss the reactions of the colonized people. Jamaica Kincade is quoted as saying "The English loved England so much they built it everywhere they went."   Kincaid writes about the feelings of the colonized society in A Small Place. While she expresses the feeling of the colonized, contrarily, she explains the ideas of the English colonizer. In this excerpt, she is describing Antigua, the place she grew up, and how the British changed it. She begins by explaining the English love England so much, whenever they went they turned it into England. She supports this idea in several ways. First, she gives examples of the street names in Antigua. On a tropical island in the Caribbean Sea, the streets have names such as Rodney, Hood, Hawkins and Drake Street all names of "English maritime criminals". Secondly, Kincaid continues with her description of High Street. This was the street where all of the colonial government buildings were located. The English had built an entire portion of the city that did not exist before their arrival. High Street consiste... ...his journey. For as long as he has ink he will write and after that, he will be forced to leave off (Defoe 72). Defoe did not give Friday much of a voice. However, I can draw an inference that Friday must have liked Crusoe's "English" house or he would not have stayed. We can make comparisons to Crusoe being the Colonizer and Friday was the colonized. Therefore, we can conclude, that the colonized people did like some aspects of the British colonization. In conclusion, "The English loved England so much they built it everywhere." As shown in A Small Place, A Passage to India, and Robinson Crusoe, the effects that the British had on each of their colonies will certainly last a long time. Colonies will embrace schools, libraries, Governmental buildings, banks, airports and even churches that will remain there for generations after the expiration of British rule.

The Inspirational Jane Eyre :: Jane Eyre Essays

The Inspirational Jane Eyre      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jane Eyre is the main character in the novel named Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. She is but a fictional character, and in our hearts she will stay. This incredible lady in her beloved story has carried on through the centuries to inspire all its readers. Jane is a cherished woman with whom everyone can find a bit of themselves in.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The captivating character of Jane Eyre was created in the mid 1800's by an awe-inspiring writer by the name of Charlotte Bronte. This enchanting woman was nothing short of amazing. She was one of the first ever female writers, and she wrote a story about a strong lady. This bit of history allows us to look at Jane Eyre as a liberator. She was a very strong woman in the days that women were not allowed to be self-reliant. Jane had a way about her that demanded attention. She was very shy and introspective, yet her sheer presence was enough to demand attention for all men. Jane captivated the hearts of many older men. She began with her uncle, Mr. Reed. He was a gentleman who cared for his own children, but when Jane lost both of her parents he was quick to take her in as his own. Mrs. Reed only would say that he pitied her, but we all know there was more. She enchanted the lives of Mr. Rochester and St. John. Both men, in or near there thirties, proposed her twice. She accepted both of Mr. Rochester 's proposals. She also did something remarkable; she refused St. John's proposals of marriage. Jane Eyre was a very special woman of her time.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jane's life story is greatly admired by women around the world due to the nature of her character. She searches for love and acceptance and she finds it in every place she is. Even though Mrs. Reed did not accept her in the time she went back she made a friend of Mrs. Eyre's daughter, Elise. Jane also found acceptance in the harsh Mr. Rochester, and the unwilling household of St. John. She was always taken in her lowest hour and raised up to a great triumph later. While at St. John's she found the family in whom she had searched.

Socially Responsible Literature: Reflections on “Silence”

Both Tadeusz Borowski’s chapter â€Å"Silence† and Bertold Brecht’s poem â€Å"A Worker Reads History† are socially responsible pieces of literature and poetry, respectively, as the authors seem to capture the untold aspects of history that need to be understood. Both works are intended to educate the audience by countering propaganda type pieces that portray a common hero or victim. As it has been said, life does imitate art and life is not common nor filled with characters of complete morality.It should be said, as well, that many literary works do pose questions in themes of morality, public issues, or private problems endemic to society, however these themes and questions are usually answered. Common art is filled with dissonance and consonance while extraordinary art is only dissonant, as is life. There are only questions in this type of art and for this reason, the writers chosen do entertain their audiences by compelling them to think beyond the lit erature and look at life in a different way.Bertold Brecht’s poem â€Å"A Worker Reads History† is filled with questions and is meant to cause the audience to contemplate the unsung and ordinary heroes of history that do not receive attention. He asks â€Å"Phillip of Spain wept as his fleet was sunk and destroyed. Were there no other tears? Frederick the Greek triumphed in the Seven Years War. Who triumphed with him? † This social criticism in the form of questions is socially responsible to audiences in that the myth of the fallen or triumphant hero is merely a nationalistic and propaganda type tool used to glorify and glamorize war and political progress.Brecht, also wonders about Caesar’s victory and â€Å"was there not even a cook in his armyâ€Å"? Of course, tales of cooks and other workers would not be so romantic and patriotic. The title is very telling then of the point of view of the poem and the intention of the regular person or regular aud ience to comprehend their lack of place in history as unacceptable or, at the very least, questionable.Similarly, Tadeusz Borowski’s â€Å"Silence† is very telling in the title as to the intention of his story and the socially irresponsible action of being silent to the truth. Here again, we do not see characters portrayed in heroic terms, we see, as an audience, gritty reality. As Holocaust survivors, having been silent, these men had pent up rage against their oppressors and just as they suffered in silence for so many years, they murdered one oppressor, who was gagged in silence and then trampled to death.The importance of noting that the American officer, who promised justice, and was ignored is important, as well. He was not viewed as a hero and the oppressed men were not meant to be portrayed as victims. The theme to note is the importance of actions versus words, as the American’s promise was not as satisfying as the silent, secret murder. But, as sociall y responsible art the action taken was written and, therefore taken out of the darkness of secrecy to it’s own action.In closing, both works attempt to persuade audiences to think differently about the portrayal of history and the grittiness of the real silent heroes and victims. There is no simple dichotomies in these pieces nor is there a resolving conflict. The beauty is in the questions posed. Therefore, in this way these works do serve as entertainment that prompts the audience to question themselves, their world, the works they have read, and the responsibility of knowing the truth.

Symbolism in Kiss of the Spiderwoman and No One Writes

â€Å"It’s a sin to take the food out of our mouths to give it to a rooster† (Garcia Marquez 31). This essay portrays the different types of symbolism throughout the novels Kiss of the Spiderwoman by Manuel Puig and No One Writes to the Colonel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The fighting cock is the dominant symbol in the former, representing both positive and negative matters; such is the case of hope in bringing some improvement to the Colonel’s living conditions while for his wife, being a reminder of their son’s death along with the repression they live in due to political corruption. In the novel Kiss of the Spider Woman, symbols such as the films, the food and most importantly, the Spider Woman, represent the characters’ peculiar relationship transitioning from a neutral one to a sexual and affectionate one. Both these novels are linked by the political corruption in their environment while the emotional atmosphere revealed by the symbols make them complementary to each other. In No One Writes to the Colonel, the linking of symbols and images represent the inner tensions of the characters throughout the novel. The main symbol, the fighting cock, is an interesting one in its ability to depict contrasting sentiments as one being. The first one is the hope the Colonel attains from it because of the value it possesses for the town. If the cock wins in the cock fights, the poverty they find themselves struggling with would have a chance to improve. This gives the cock a special treatment where ironically, it will be put first than them. â€Å"When the corn is gone we’ll have to feed him on our own livers. (Garcia Marquez 11) Evidently, the Colonel and his wife are eating insufficiently, unable to afford more corn for the cock, let alone food for themselves. The Colonel however maintains a positive attitude towards the cock, faithful that it will in the end lead to helping their harsh conditions. Not only for him but for the people of the town too, the rooster will come to hold a great value representing collective hope for the town as a whole. We can see this when the Colonel talks to a group of young men who were his son Agustin’s friends and after his death, always helped maintain the cock healthy not only with hope, but with the belief that it will win all of the bets and as a result, win a lot of money for them. The Colonel asks about how much he owes them for repairing his clock and they assure him the cock will reward it. â€Å"Don’t worry about it, Colonel. In January, the rooster will pay for it† (Garcia Marquez 34). It seems that there is an assurance of what the symbol of the rooster signifies and is valued for in the town. This is where the main conflict comes in between him and his wife, in which the cock’s symbolism of hope will turn into one of hatred and resentment. â€Å"It’s because the situation we’re in,† she said. â€Å"It’s a sin to take the food out of our mouths to give it to a rooster† (Garcia Marquez 31). For her, the rooster will represent something quite the contrary; where rather than it symbolizing hope for an improvement to their living conditions, it will symbolize the misery they are in, especially by being the source of their son’s death. She cannot relate with neither her husband’s wish to maintain Agustin’s aspirations for the cock alive nor the town’s value and belief for it as a symbol of opposition continuing even after the death of its owner. The cock, as a legacy of Agustin, is a symbol of collective hope for the town symbolizing resistance for opposition to authority. He and his rooster were the part of the family who possessed the highest appreciation and value from the people of the town. When he is killed, the survival of the cock is what gives his parents any respect from the people. Later on, the Colonel considers selling it since his wife constantly puts pressure on him to do so because she believes that it is only putting their own lives at risk. â€Å"Get rid of that rooster right now† (Garcia Marquez 30). However, he finally realizes as he sees and lives through the excitement of a cock fight that the cock is more meaningful than just the money it can bring. He thinks that by selling the cock, it would not only mean a glimpse of help to their situation but also a betrayal to the people of the town, â€Å"They said the rooster didn’t belong to us but to the whole town† (Garcia Marquez 56); and the problem of hunger they find themselves struggling with would still not be solved. The political standpoint in which this symbol stands is conflictive no matter what decision he makes. There is always a constant shift in which the symbolism of the cock varies from a positive tone of hope and value to a more negative one of misery and death. The rooster in itself is not suggested just as a representation of the repression the couple lived in but is truly signified as Agustin, the son who was killed as a form of punishment for selling clandestine information that the political figures of authority did not want for the public, in other words, not allowing freedom of expression. For Kiss of the Spider Woman, the symbols are portrayed by a more consistent representation of love and care between Molina and Valentino, a peculiar relationship where a homosexual man, Molina, will trap the heterosexual man, Valentino, into a â€Å"trap of webs† through seduction and a much needed care for him in times of sickness. First of all, the symbol of the films that Molina shares with him as a way of entertainment in the jail cell have stories that represent how he is feeling along with his fantasies about love. An essential film Molina told Valentino about was the last one he told before he was held free from jail, the story of a romantic tragedy. â€Å"And then suddenly you see a giant giant close-up of just her face, with her eyes flooded with tears, but with a smile on her lips†¦ And well†¦ that’s all†¦ folks†¦ -†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Puig 259) The telling of this film represented the setting of a melancholic atmosphere since after growing such a strong bond, it was now time for them to part. What these films as symbols also emphasize is the entirely different points of views that these two men attain. – It’s a question of learning to accept things as they come, and to appreciate the good that happens to you, even if it doesn’t last. Because nothing is forever. –Yes, it’s easy to say. But feeling it is something else. † (Puig 259) Molina sees himself as a female figure rather than a male one with the fantasy of finding love wi th a wonderful man, with this; he is more led by his emotions rather than reason. Valentin, on the other hand, thinks in the opposite way being led more by reason. He rejects Molina’s idea of a forever lasting love and sees personal relationships as secondary to the cause of justice. These films are constantly triggering their discussions about their opposite points of views. Valentin criticizes Molina for his desire to escape into a world of fantasy but ironically, he denies that his own expectancy for a revolution is also virtually a fantasy. We can then call upon the symbols of food in the novel representing the love, care and affection that in the end Molina has won from Valentin, a man who tends to avoid this sort of attachment with someone else. When Valentin is sick from food poisoning in the cell, Molina finds a way to treat him with delicious food that makes him feel much better after being sick from poisonous food from the jail. As their time to depart arrives, Valentin makes reference to some of the food as his way of telling him he loves him and will actually miss him, â€Å"Every time I see a piece of glazed fruit, I’m going to remember you† (Par. 5, Pg. 259). The glazed fruit will be a symbol of caring and nurturing that Molina gave to Valentin. He also mentions the chicken spit, one of the other foods he brought him that will remind him of Molina. And every time I see a chicken on a spit, turning in a deli oven† (Puig Pg. 260). The symbol of the chicken spit turning in an oven will represent two vital things: one being the foreshadowing of Valentino and the burns he will suffer later as punishment from the authority for not giving out information they asked of him and the other is how along with this physical pain, he will also live with the pain of knowing that Molina died not long before he got parole because he got involved in Valentino’s political affairs as a favor to him. And finally most importantly, we see the symbol of the spider woman representing Molina’s character, the consuming female who relishes her predator after a sexual encounter yet also the mother who nurtures. â€Å"- You, you’re the spider woman, that traps men in her web. † (Par. 5, Pg. 260). Molina is symbolized as the spider woman since in his relationship with Valentin; he was not a man but a feminine figure who won Valentin’s trust and affection through his profound care of him. In conclusion, the role of symbolism in these two pieces of literature will play a significant role in representing important aspects of the themes, the atmosphere, the social relationships, the emotions, etc. In No One Writes to the Colonel, we see that the cock will be a symbol of two main different things: the optimism in the hope for the town and the Colonel and a more negative note for the Colonel’s wife who sees it as the repression and death of their son. In Kiss of the Spider Woman, the symbols of the film stories, the food and the spider woman will also reveal how the relationship between Molina and Valentin is grandly valued despite their sexuality differences. For both of these novels, we are able to see the symbols all of hope, love, affection and misery; all vital in expressing what is needed and putting together two classical pieces of literature.