Developing countries in the Asia Essay

An important trend occurring in the world economy is the process of globalization. Globalization is the progressive integration between national economies and the breaking down of barriers between trade and financial flows around the world, which will eventually lead to the emergence of a single world market. Globalization has affected many different nations in different ways, depending on their degree of development and extent to which they are open to the flows of the world economy. China, which is one of the developing countries, is said to be the next economic super power. Many guru economists such as Lawrence Summers predict that in the opening decades of the 21st century, china will match the US and Japanese economies. China currently ranks seventh strongest economy on a global scale. China’s economic success has not been confined to raw economic growth, especially with a huge trade surplus of over 40 billion according to world guide from 1998. China has an annual per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $750. Today China would have to be the most alluring country. Globalisation has many impacts on developing countries; these include growth, employment, poverty, women and finance. These will be assessed below. It is striking that global GDP growth has been slower than in previous decades since 1990, the period in which globalization has been most pronounced. This contrasts with predictions of the growth-enhancing impact of globalization. Growth is unevenly distributed among developing countries in the Asia – pacific region. In terms of per capita income growth, only 16 developing countries grew at more than 3 per cent per annum between 1985 and 2000. Some 55 developing countries grew at less than 2 per cent per annum, including 23 that suffered negative growth. The income gap between the richest and poorest countries increased significantly. This uneven pattern of growth is shaping a new global economic geography The most striking change is the rapid economic growth in China over the last two decades, together with a more gradual but significant improvement in the  economic growth performance of India. These two countries together account for more than one-  third of the world’s population. The surges in growth means more consumers that need goods and services. These needs appear because of the increase in per capita income of developing countries. Basically, globalization in developing countries makes the need for more globalization. ILO estimates that the unemployment has been increasing substantially over the last decade in the Asia – pacific region. Unemployment rates increased since 1990 in the developing countries of South-East Asia and East Asia. Causes include the financial crisis (due to globalization) at the end of the 1990s. In some major countries, unemployment rates declined after the crisis but not to pre-crisis levels. Self-employment, which indicates the informal economy, increased in all developing regions, except for East and South-East Asia. Employment performance was mixed in industrialized countries. Over the last decade unemployment increased in Japan but sharply declined in some European economies and UK. Income inequality increased in some industrialized countries, while decreasing in developing countries. Earnings increased sharply of the top 1 per cent of income earners in the US, UK and Canada. In the United States, the share of this group reached 17 per cent of gross income in 2000, a level last seen in the 1920s. Causes include high compensation paid by MNEs, the development of new businesses with a global reach. It is an error to attribute all positive or negative outcomes to globalization. Domestic structural factors are also critical, including  inequality in the income distribution and the quality of governance. The impact of globalization on poverty is difficult to assess. Most developing countries have seen greater income inequality but how far globalization can be blamed remains an open question. The number of people living in absolute poverty worldwide has declined significantly from 1,237 million in 1990 to 1,100 million in 2000 but most of the improvement was in China and India, which house 38 per cent of the world’s population. In China alone the number of people living in poverty declined from 361 million to 204 million. In the developing countries of Central Asia, poverty has increased by 8 million; globalization and regional factors were key factors. While reduction is world poverty deserves celebration, it is of little consolation to those outside the few beneficiary countries. Real social costs may occur even if aggregate indicators of unemployment and poverty do not deteriorate. Those indicators may mask the increased† churning† in labor markets and movements in and out of poverty. Perceptions of the social impacts of globalization are colored by direct experience of job or income losses, regardless of the overall picture. The mixed pictures of economic performance, employment, inequality and poverty make it extremely difficult to generalize about the impacts of globalization. Observed outcomes reflect the combined results of a complex of factors of which globalization, however broadly defined, is but one. In the developing countries, the social cost of globalization has fallen disproportionately on women. Many have been adversely affected both absolutely and in relation to men. For instance, trade liberalization has allowed the import of subsidized agricultural products and consumer goods that have wiped out the livelihoods of women producers. The increased entry of foreign firms often displaces farming women from their land or out-competes them for raw materials essential to their productive activities. Women producers also face formidable barriers to entry into new economic activities generated by globalization. This is often because of biases, either against women directly or against the micro- and small enterprise sector in which they predominate. For instance, women own less than 2 per cent of land worldwide and receive less than 10  per cent of credit. Women have also been more adversely affected than men during the  increasing number of financial crises generated by globalization and more disadvantaged  by cuts in social protection.  For many other women with some education and skills, globalization has resulted in an  improvement in their economic and social status. They include the millions of women  workers absorbed into the global production system.  This wage employment gave them higher incomes than in their previous situations, which  were either poorness and unstableness in the existence of an informal economy. Wage employment also gave these women greater potential economic independence and often raised their social status within oppressive societies. On capital account liberalization, agreement is emerging that growth benefits  are small. The potential benefits of access to financial markets are often reduced or negated by instability in countries with poorly regulated financial systems. The prominence of short-term speculative capital flows is a basic structural flaw in the system. Such flows do not contribute to productive investment and place constraints to development policy. In some cases, financial openness has led to misallocation of resources and increased the real cost of capital. The misallocation arises when information failures lead foreign lenders to finance unsound investments. The real cost of capital increases when governments raise interest rates to maintain exchange rate stability. Financial openness limits counter cyclical macro-economic policy because countries have to surrender independence over either exchange rate or economic policy. Maintaining a fixed exchange rate implies forgoing the freedom to fix domestic interest rates, while control over the latter can only be regained by allowing the exchange rate to float. Globalization also affects public finances. In both developing and industrialized countries the average level of corporate tax fell. The top marginal tax rate on personal income declined in the vast majority of countries as well, both high- and low-income, often substantially. So basically, globalization affects finances. Changes in tax rates do not necessarily reduce tax revenues since lower tax rates can also help to reduce tax evasion and increase production incentives. But tax systems may become less progressive and place more burden on labor, which is not mobile like companies and rich individuals. General Motors Asia Pacific has assembly facilities and sales operations in 15 countries in the Asia Pacific region. Manufacturing and assembly operations are in Australia, China, Indonesia, India, Korea and Thailand. China, Thailand and India are few of the developing countries with General  motors manufacturing factories within them. These factories offer substantial work opportunities to unemployed people, so it benefits unemployment rates. Examples of other transnational corporations are Nike and McDonald’s; corporations like these contribute greatly to globalization in developing countries. McDonald’s is one of the most criticized companies by antiglobalists who reproach corporation’s low wages, advertising practices, involvement in deforestation, harvesting of animals, and promotion of junk food and an unhealthy diet. Nike is another company that is getting globalize and is also often the target of antiglobalists’ demonstrations. According to human rights activists, Nike factory workers in developing countries as in China are paid $1.25 a day while working eight to fifteen hours a day. Human rights activists argue that, Nike is undermining human dignity for a profit. You may survive on $1.25 a day, but you cannot live and maintain your dignity. All of there criticisms contribute to globalization. Developing countries have imposed a few ways to reduce/increase the impacts of globalisation. In a positive view, to increase the impacts, lets look at China, has a very large and growing population, and not all the people who live there are employed, so a TNC like General Motors will be urged by the country to build more factories as it fixes the problem of unemployment. Countries who are against globalisation have got laws and regulations, human rights against TNC’s – so people don’t be used as cheap labour like Nike and McDonalds have done, which was also mentioned above. As seen above, there are negative and positive impacts of globalisation on developing countries. Transnational corporations also contribute to globalisation in both negative and positive ways. Countries do things in their power to increase the positive impacts and to decrease the negative  impacts.

Company Q and Social Responsibility Essay

Evaluation Company Q’s attitude toward social responsibility reflects a negative reputation on them as a corporation in their current community. The geographical location in a major metropolitan area should sustain the business with a solid consumer base and maintain reliance of current investors. However, they closed two stores in high crime areas for consistently losing profits, waning investor trust and damaging employee faith. The decision to close the stores limits their ability to be socially responsible to its stakeholders and potentially contributes to the areas crime level. Customers requested health-conscience and organic products for years before it was finally stocked in limited amounts. Company Q ignored earlier requests from their customers and created a deficiency in establishing long-term relationships. The company needs to demonstrate a better approach for customer satisfaction by building long-term relationships and reflect a more socially responsible corporation to not only customers but all stakeholders. Donating to the local food bank would also demonstrate a better attitude towards social responsibility, yet Company Q’s management rejects donation requests claiming potential fraud and theft from employees. The company deteriorates employee commitment and trust in the corporation by insinuating that employees might steal if they handle donations. If Company Q maintains the existing attitude toward social responsibility they may find themselves closing every store in the future. Recommendations Action 1 Company Q can upgrade their current attitude toward social responsibility by addressing their ethical culture and ability to be a profitable company. Company Q will need to develop a financial plan, set financial goals, and identify areas of unreliable returns that will capitalize on investor  wealth. If action is taken to address poor financial returns, the company will not have make decisions to close stores because of consistently losing profits. Next Company Q needs to integrate an ethics program throughout the corporation that will lay the necessary ground of promoting an ethical culture. This ethics program should be designed by the company’s management to guide employee conduct, generate better-quality decision making and discourage potential theft from company employees. Management should then launch training courses with quarterly workshops and incentive packages which motivate employees to exercise guidelines. Employee trust is critical and laying an ethical foundation for employees to follow Company Q needs to begin at the upper management level. To be an effective program the company needs to educate upper management so that they initiate the standards and lead by example. Management of Company Q will have a stronger impact if they practice the ethical standards and set the standard to employees. The combination of executing an ethics program and improving the financial condition of Company Q is a major stride in social responsibility. As the company’s ethical culture develops and investor confidence and wealth returns, Company Q‘s overall integrity grows, thereby demonstrating a more socially responsible image. Action 2 Company Q took years to respond to multiple requests by customers for providing health-conscious and organic products. A current trend in society has increased awareness to be more health conscious. Customers are asking for these high margin products because they want them to be available for purchase. Company Q needs to listen to the desires of their customers and supply a broader selection of the higher margin items. By doing so Company Q forms stronger relationships with customers and increases their commitment to make purchases at the store. Customer relationships improve as more sales of the requested products increase and profit margins will begin to rise. Company Q needs to also set up a request station where customers can write down requests of products they would like to see available for purchase. The company can use these requests to poll which products that  the customers would most likely want to purchase. This way Company Q can zero in on satisfying their customers and eliminate products that have the least amount of demand. A second opportunity that presents itself is establishing new supplier relationships within the local community by generating partnerships between Company Q and organic producers. By the company forming new relationships with local producers the local economy is strengthened and new development encouraged in the community. The purchase of organic products from local vendors will also keep transportation expenses down and Company Q can then forward that savings to customers by offering lower prices. Company Q would benefit greatly from this action by offering a broader range of health conscience products and partnering with local suppliers. These relationships will supplement Company Q in changing their approach to being socially responsible. Action 3 A third recommendation is to revisit the decision of donating day-old products to the area’s local food banks. By denying the request all together and opting to toss out the day-old products is damaging to Company Q’s image. The company needs to exhibit accountability to society by supporting their local food bank illustrating community support by offering day-old products to their local food bank. Company Q should then monitor donations with a checks and balances system which would allow management to track the process of donations and reduce concerns of employee theft. The company will reveal positive decision making by donating instead of tossing the day-old products in the trash. The decision to be charitable through regular contributions will demonstrate to employees, investors and other stakeholders that Company Q is changing their attitude toward social responsibility. Conclusion Company Q should implement the above recommendations to become a more socially responsible corporation. Taking action of their profitability, promoting an ethical work place environment, and giving back to the community are the strategic actions necessary to attest Company Q’s changing  attitude towards social responsibility. The company will continue to suffer consequences for failing social responsibility if changes in their approach are not taken.

The naked truth Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The naked truth - Term Paper Example It is innocent, being the most natural form of human existence or it could be sinful, drawing the viewer into thoughts of lust or temptation. The nude is naked, it is ornate, it is weak, it is powerful, it is simple, yet incredibly complex; in short, it encompasses almost any contradictory pairing one could imagine. We hope you enjoy this examination of five artists’ use of nudity to play with the themes of confidence, power, objectification, complexity, gaze, morality and sexuality. This work, a pencil on paper by the French Henri Matesse, is possibly the most classical of all the works chosen for this exhibition. It is a classical life drawing, a rought sketch of a woman on a pedestal clearly posing for the drawing session, and is done in a rough, sketch like fashion with simple shading and a sense of constant movement throughout. This piece can almost serve as a foil for the rest of the exhibition, by giving a very classically imagined life drawing for other pieces to work with or against. Just because this piece is classical, however, does not mean that it is simple. It demonstrates one of the most innate tensions to depicting the nude in art, the balance between objectification and personification; the struggle between the subject being a beautiful object of art while simultaneously a human. This work relates that tension to the audience by putting the subject on a pedestal, a pedestal that almost looks like a serving platter for food. This invokes the idea of the subject simply existing for one’s viewing pleasure, an impression further reinforced by the ornament worn around the subject’s neck. How different is this person on a wall from a jewel on a neck? Is it there simply for one to view and enjoy or does it have value in and of itself? Furthermore, Matesse’s shyness about depicting classic Western private parts, nipples and vulva, give this person a mannequin appearance, putting a final weight to offset the human/object bala nce. The next piece, a wash by the British artist Henry Moore, works with Matesse’s piece to form a backdrop to the rest of the works in the exhibit. Whereas Matesse’s works as a classical foil, this almost serves as an overview, visually illustrating and giving an overview of many of the tensions that other works will play with in more depth. Viewers will almost be able to slot other pieces by other artists mentally into the spectrum Moore creates. This work outlines some of the vast number of tensions inherent in work with nude figures. The first and probably most obvious is the weakness/power tension displayed by the top left and bottom right figure, respectively. The top left figure, feebly attempting to hide her nakedness from the viewer, demonstrates the feeling of utter powerlessness and shame that can be associated with nudity, while the bottom right figure proudly displays itself with a disdainful eye towards the viewer. Countering both points is the bottom fi gure second from right, choosing to hide private parts she does not wish the world to see while defiantly and powerfully gazing outwards. This work also plays with the personification/objectification dynamic inherently integrated into nude works though facial details. These details range from the assortment of dots, almost alien, on the bottom left figure, implying heavy objectification, through the

MEASURING pH Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MEASURING pH - Lab Report Example The addition of Rolaid solution was carried out in increments of 10 mL to a maximum of 30 mL of Rolaid solution in soda. pH of the resulting solution was measured at each addition of the Rolaid solution using a pH meter. For the second titration run, the diluted lemon juice solution was gradually added to the milk. The addition of lemon juice solution was carried out in increments of 10 mL to a maximum of 30 mL of lemon juice solution in milk. pH of the resulting solution was measured at each addition of the lemon juice solution using a pH meter. Q 1. As more and more antacid is added to the soda, the pH tends to increase. The relationship between antacid and soda shows an increasing trend. The increase in pH is greater at the beginning but tends to taper off to approach a plateau. Q 2. As more and more lemon juice solution is added to the milk, the pH tends to decrease. The relationship between lemon juice solution and milk shows a decreasing trend. The decrease in pH is nearly constant overall leading to the conclusion that the relationship is linear. Q 3. As more and more lemon juice solution is added to the milk, the milk tends to curdle more and more. The constant decrease in pH indicates that the lemon juice is causing curdling and a net decrease in the amount of hydrogen ions in solution. Q 6. A buffer contains both hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions though in weak concentrations. When an acid is added, the buffer solution consumes the hydrogen ions to keep the pH constant. When an alkali is added, the buffer solution consumes the hydroxyl ions to keep the pH

Quantitative Reasoning About Duggan's Article Essay

Quantitative Reasoning About Duggan's Article - Essay Example   Duggan et al do not comprehensively describe study design they adopted to test the stated hypothesis. The researchers do not also describe sampling method they adopted in the study. According to Lohr (2009), the success of a research in achieving study objectives depend on research design adopted. Findings of Duggan et al are, therefore, questionable. In other words, the study possibly had certain prejudices. Research biases, also known as systematic errors, distort reproducibility of a study. In particular, the study of Duggan et al was associated with selection biases and measurement biases. Selection biases occur when an unrepresentative sample is used in a study. Because sampling method is not clearly explained in the study, there is a high likelihood that a no randomized sample was used. There is a possibility of measurement bias because no clear model is used to gun-related crimes and location and time of a gun show. In addition, statistical testing procedures are not clear ly discussed.Data Analysis procedures and Ethical ConcernsTo test the hypothesis, Duggan et al computed the correlation coefficient between the rate of guns and magazines sale and gun shows. The procedure yielded a perfect strong correlation. The researchers, however, assumed a linear and direct relationship between the sale of guns or magazines and gun-related crimes. As a statistical procedure, Duggan et al arrived at a conclusion based on the outcome of correlation computations.

Reflective Practice - Practitioner Incident Essay

Reflective Practice - Practitioner Incident - Essay Example The first reason, according to Somerville and Keeling (2004), is that in their busy work, nurses come across various deep-seated human needs and anxieties; and as a result, such events put a lot of emotional pressure on the lives of the nurses. Secondly, according to Taylor (2006), nurses are change agents. In other words, they should have the ability to influence other people to make positive changes. In such a situation, reflective practice enables nurses to look into how their own personality and approach influenced the outcome and to make necessary changes accordingly (ibid.). One can find the theoretical basis of this reflective practice in the adult learning theory of Kolb (1984). Admittedly, Kolb’s learning model consists of four elements: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation, and active experimentation. This model gave birth to Honey and Mumford’s model. This model proposes four stages. The first stage is having an experience. It is followed by reviewing the experience, concluding from the experience, and planning the next step (Peter Honey and Alan Mumford’s learning styles, n.d.). ... As a nurse, it is usual for me to consider my past experiences for critical reflection. The following incident and the related reflection made me realise that I should have more belief in my own abilities and decisions in order to become an effective professional. That was a normal duty day and it was nearly 1 AM when a middle-aged person came with chest pain. As it was common, I started helping the person to undress and at the same time, I started recording various observations. As I talked to him, I understood that he came because he had severe central chest pain that night, which extended from the chest to the neck and left arm. Also, I noticed that he used to feel the same chest pain on his walk to his workplace and that this pain used to subside at rest. Though he had ECGs and investigations in the past, they revealed nothing. Based on the observation, I performed one more ECG, but there was nothing and the pain had subsided. Though I could find nothing wrong, I gave particular attention to his various features and background. The person was a regular smoker, overweight, and most importantly, he had a very stressful work life. It was learnt from the chat that he was a judge. It was at that time that the intern on duty came. I communicated all my observations including the patient’s history and background to the intern. However, to my dismay, I noticed that the intern was in no mood to listen to what I said and that she was not planning to give any particular attention to the patient. So, I moved to the duty medical registrar and reported the matter. However, to my utter surprise, the registrar, too, decided that there was nothing significant in my observation as the ECG had revealed that

The Weighted Average Cost of Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Weighted Average Cost of Capital - Essay Example (Gallagher and Andrew, 2008) However, this point is only hypothetical, in reality this point is impossible to be obtained. What managers can do is get as much cheap debts as possible and avoid expensive equities. How do you get cheap debts A corporation should do whatever it can to reduce the value of its beta. The beta is a tool for decreasing the cost of capital.A stock with stable returns is less risky than a stock with fluctuating returns. A beta defines the amount by which a stock's returns are fluctuating. The value of returns fluctuates because of changes in present profitability and future expectations. So actions should be taken to keep them stable. (Steven M. Bragg, 2008) The costs and benefits of debts and equities must be evaluated properly. Other than this, the optimal level of capital varies from company to company and industry to industry. For example, a monopoly with very strong demand for a product can invest in capital to a higher extent than a company which is in a competitive market with lim ited resources and limited future prospects. (Gallagher and Andrew, 2008) Describe how uncertainty is calculated into cash flows. ... (Gallagher and Andrew, 2008) Describe how uncertainty is calculated into cash flows. Why should two projects with equal cash flows but unequal risks produce different financial results Would you prefer a low-risk, low-return project or a high-risk, high-return project, and why When cash flows are created, it is assumed that all cash flow will be exactly like you expected, but in real life the cash flow is different, for this reason we calculate uncertainty. (Johnathan Mun, 2005) One way to calculate uncertainty in cash flows is to use a discount rate that reflects the riskiness of cash flows. How do you choose the risk associated with cash flows By risk we are referring to uncertainties of future cash flows. (Gil Fried, Steven J. Shapiro, Timothy D. DeSchriver, 2007) A certain Discount rate (risk rate) is set that accounts for a percentage of cash flow that might not be there. Therefore, (1-Discount rate) is the proportion which will be there. The formula to calculate the discounted cash flow is as following: Discounted Cash Flow = Nominal Cash Flow * (1-Discount Rate) ^ Number of years Now suppose that Ben and Joe expect to have $1000 at the end of 5 years. Ben feels that the inflation would be high in the coming years so he keeps the discount rate (or risk rate) as 6 percent per annum while Joe keeps the discount rate as 4 percent. Financial results for Ben after 5 years would be $734 while the financial results for Joe would be $815. Therefore, this is how their financial results will differ. (12manage, 2008) All investors prefer less risk to more. They are also called risk averse and this is a law of finance. But being a risk averse does not mean that investors would not take risks. It just means that an investor is able to

Battle of Thermopylae (c. 480BC) Research Paper

Battle of Thermopylae (c. 480BC) - Research Paper Example King Leonidas was held out with mere 300 hoplites and was against thousands of best Great King’s troops. The battle of Thermopylae was during the invasion of Persian between 480-479 BC. The battle was first and between the Greeks and Persians. The force of Greek was very minute and was very much determined to fight and stand against thousands of Persian army. In central Greece, association of Greek-states at the pass of Thermopylae fought with the invading Persians. Greeks were outnumbered but they fought and held back Persians for three days and is known as history’s one of the most famous last stands. King of Sparta Leonidas blocked the road which was the only road to pass by the massive force of Xerxes I of Persia. The 300 Spartans fought till the end but were all killed and they would have known in advance that they would be killed. The courage shown by the Sparta provided a sense of belief and inspiration to the Greeks1. Spartans were never afraid of enemies and th eir numbers. Opposing forces According to Herodotus, Greek city-states consisted of around more than 6,200 men who fought with Persian army and were totally outnumbered. Persian army was about 2,242,000+. Greek army included 300 Spartans, 1000 Phocians, 500 Tegeans, other Arcadians 1000 and others. But comparing with the Persian army it is very minimal and very small army force. Persian army included 500,000 fleet crew, 1,500,000 infantry, 320,000 Greek allied troops, etc. numbers are very large indeed. 300 Spartans who fought for Greek city were an elite group of Spartan hoplites2. Each man of 300 Spartans had a living son. And it is said that each of the 300 Spartans had someone to fight for. 300 elite Spartans were led by the king Leonidas. Strategic and tactical considerations of the Opposing forces The Spartans didn’t have many options. But the king of Sparta Leonidas decided to place scorched earth policy. Policy was placed so that Greeks went out and destroy all buildi ngs, livestock and grain and polluted the main water supply. And all the work was done before the arrival of Persians. When Persians arrived with their huge force at Thermopylae they had to rely on food which is being sent to them. They also found that they could not leave the land and that is not the situation to be in. The Greeks decided that they would make a stand at Thermopylae which is a narrow pass where northwest of Athens met at the sea. From the strategic point, Greeks have used best possible way to stop huge army of patricians. The Greek style of warfare was tactically suited in the pass at Thermopylae3. Leonidas used forces in a narrow pass so that Persians could not attack from flanks. The Greeks deployed in a phalanx. And this basically means Greeks stood in firm lines and used large shields to protect them. They stood firmly in lines and locked their shields together. They locked their shields so tight and close that there isn’t any gap between the shields for enemy to attack. Battle of Thermopylae First day The Phocians built a large ancient wall to stop raids from Thessaly. But it was destroyed and fallen apart. Leonidas went on to rebuild the wall and also send some local Greeks to protect the people who are rebuilding the wall. The Persians saw that rebuilding of the wall but were not concerned by the small force of Greeks. Persians

Descartes Views on God Essay Example for Free

Descartes Views on God Essay From reading some of his works, one might assume that Rene Descartes does not believe in the existence of a heavenly being, a God that presides over humans and gives us faith. I do not believe this to be the case. I believe that Descartes is simply trying to destroy all of the uncertainties that have come about do to inadequate explanations of such a supreme being. For Rene Descartes and all of the other believers in the world, the existence of God provides a convenient answer to unexplained questions, while never providing answers to the questions about God himself. This is evidenced a great deal in the circular argument made by Descartes in the Meditations on First Philosophy. What follows is a brief account of the third and fifth meditations, which provide Descartes response to the masked question, What is God? Can one perceive or confirm the existence of an idea that is external to him, an idea such as God? In order to determine the answer we must start by understanding the ways in which we can conclude an objects existence. Descartes explains three ways in which a person might come to such a conclusion ?the first, through nature; the second, through feeling a value that is independent of the will of the object; and the third, the objective reality of an idea, or the cause and effect profile. Descartes drills us with the idea that an object will have an effect when it stems from a legitimate cause, or an initial idea that precedes with equal or superior properties in ones intellect. In other words, the mind generates thoughts and ideas about a physical form, and develops a reality for this form, through previous schema and beliefs. And although an idea may give rise to another idea, this regress cannot, nevertheless, be infinite; we must in the end reach a first idea, the cause of which is, as it were, the archetype in which all the reality that is found objectively in these ideas is contained formally. The only problem with Descartes argument is when the existence of God arises as a notion, for there is no sustenance or idea for the notion of God to originate from. Is it possible, then, to create the idea of a finite being from an infinite existence, outside of the physical and mental, in a state all of its own? Descartes quickly answers that the response would be that a finite being cannot completely, if at all, comprehend the ideas that would cause God to exist, and therefore the basis for doubt is lost in an intangible proof. Additionally, the mere fact that he believes that there is a God provides yet another piece of proof towards His existence. This must be true, according to Descartes, with the provision that the idea and belief must have been placed in his consciousness by an outside factor. The final factor that convinces Descartes that there is a God is the fact of his own existence, along with the fact that he, himself, is not a God. This belief stems from the theory that if a man is independent from all other existence and ideas about forms and matter, then he has the ability to become infinite. Descartes says that if he himself were the author of his own being and independent of all existence, then he would attain a Godly level of existence. Ultimately, it is his own dependence on another being that proves to him that there is a God. Many people are bred into religion, or borne into a set of ideas about a particular infinite being. The interesting problem with most types of faith in this manner is that the scripture that has been deemed to come from your god is also the proof that God exists. This is the type of circular definition that Descartes is trying to avoid at all costs. Basically, its like using a word in its own definition, or ? the definition of an apple is an apple. The argument begins to get a little bit ambiguous when he begins discussing the uncertainty of his beliefs. He is, as he claims, as certain of the idea of the sun, the moon, the earth, even his own rational thought, as he is certain of Gods existence.

Social Stigmas and Gender Roles Essay Example for Free

Social Stigmas and Gender Roles Essay Social stigmas accompany every one of life’s categories – especially male and female. Gender-based stereotypes – existent since the beginning of time – help in both the advancement and hindrance of the sexes and of society. Gender roles helped create society. They generated a world in which the man went out into the world in order to work and provide monetarily for his family while the woman stayed in the home, working hardly to accomplish the couple’s domestic responsibilities and to raise the couple’s children. This traditional notion of the roles of genders enabled families to function in history; however, in the modern-day era, this notion only thwarts progress. As women travel out into the work place, they are not treated as the equals of men. The societal perception of the weak, lesser woman still remains, preventing women to become truly equal. On the contrary, gender stereotypes also inhibit the growth of men, causing them to feel compelled to follow the traditional definition of masculinity. Gender should be seen as fluid (with personality characteristics and preferred hobbies that can be demonstrated and admired by both sexes), rather than as a rigid set of characteristics needed to be met. Societal expectations of gender differences should not be forced upon people. Gender roles played a big role in the formation of history. In prehistoric times, women gathered food near their home while their male counterparts hunted for game. While searching for food, the women took responsibility over the children and the cleaning of the house. These roles followed men and women into modern times. The man – venturing out into the world – was always considered to be stronger and worldlier, while the woman was considered to be innocent and naive. During the nineteenth century, women were denied the right to vote because it was seen as something that would tarnish their innocence and disrupt the so-called Cult of Domesticity. Women were also denied the right to vote because it was assumed that they would vote for the same candidates as did their husbands and brothers, thus essentially doubling the vote of the male population (Cayton). Roles that once were beneficial to culture – as during the prehistoric times when necessary labor could be unquestioningly divided between the sexes – now hinder from expansion the very society they created. The same gender ideations that existed in the times of the prehistoric human still determine a lot of today’s social and cultural characteristics. These roles and preconceptions are dramatically outdated and obsolete. In a world where a woman can be the breadwinner of her family, she should not be looked down upon simply because her cells code for XY chromosome sex characteristics. Vice versa, men should not be expected to be perpetually tough and strong. Men who do not fit the mold are immediately ostracized and ousted from society, mocked for their â€Å"feminine† traits. However, personality characteristics should not be assigned to different genders. The association of certain inherent qualities with one gender over the other causes a schism in humankind, separating people into two groups of male and female. The mere grouping of people based on common characteristics leads to the assumption that all people in the category must abide by the decided upon characteristics, or said person will be seen as an anomaly and ousted. The necessity to conform places an undue pressure upon the citizens of the world. This stress manifests itself in a myriad of different (sometimes harmful) ways: a person may become depressed or even suicidal. Many people, in response to intense societal pressure break laws and attack others (such as when people rape or murder others, based on their gender or sexual preferences). Societal perceptions of man and woman should be eradicated; they are much too outdated, specific and assuming for a self-proclaimed â€Å"progressive† society. Although it is clear that current gender roles are extremely outdated and inapplicable, many people still enforce them. Why does this coercion to conform occur? People from all walks of life buy into the theory that men should do certain tasks and women should do others. Why does a world so partisan about most issues suddenly join together in a crusade to maintain the tradition of the separation of genders? Many people enforce gender roles simply because they are accustomed to such notions. People generally fear the idea of change rather than the aspect that should be changed. Meaning, people fear more the act of change rather than the results of change. The masses usually do not like learning how to accept the new. Fear also fosters intolerance, which then leads to the alienation of the people who have the undesirable trait or traits. Some religions also heavily discourage the expression of traits that deviate from the social normal. Not only are expectations of each gender detrimental to society in an economic sense (as women are often not treated equals in the work force and thus not offered the same occupational and pay opportunities), but they also greatly harm society’s social integrity. Women are often victimized for their gender, through crimes as heinous as rape and murder. These cr imes are most often committed because women are seen as weak and sinful creatures, according to old notions. In the Bible is the story of Adam and Eve – the first humans ever to grace the Earth. One day in the Garden of Eden – the cradle of civilization – Eve was seduced by a snake to eat the red apple, the very fruit she was instructed by God to avoid. Eve then coerced Adam to eat the apple as well, and both were punished by God’s wrath accordingly. Whether the Bible tells the truth is up for debate; however, the influence of this book is irrefutable. Religions all over the world follow the word of Genesis as if it were law, reaffirming the belief that women are lesser, irresponsible beings due to the supposed actions of Eve (The Bible). Due to the belief that women are sinful creatures, an excuse – a duty – arises for the mistreatment of women. Men, usually those who have a mental illness, rape and otherwise attack women because they see something inherently wrong with all women, and see it as their duty to correct it. Society pressures men to be macho, thus giving them the twisted idea that they need to victimize women to be so. America’s notion of manhood is â€Å"pitiful,† convincing men that they must be violent and oppressive to be considered men (Theroux). Many women fall victim to female genital mutilation (otherwise known as FGM). Many governments of the world turn a blind eye to this awful human rights violation. One hundred to one hundred and forty girls worldwide are victims of female genital mutilation (WHO). Female genital mutilation occurs usually because women are not respected in society. According to traditional values, males are stronger and more powerful than are females. This notion contributes to why, in some cultures, the genital region of a female is sewn shut. This way the male has to forcible penetrate the female during sexual intercourse, asserting his dominance as a man. Yet in other cultures, the clitoris is removed from the female anatomy before she reaches puberty. This atrocity is committed because the people of these cultures want to preserve the innocence of women. Society expects women to be innocent, pleasant creatures, contributing to some extremes like female genital mutilation. In a gain for the equal rights movement, women can fight in the armed forces (in America, at least). However, this win did not solve all of the problems of women: although they can enlist in and fight for the armed services, they are most often not treated as legitimate soldiers. Not only to they not receive the respect they have earned, but they are also victimized by their fellow soldiers. In 2009, over 2,900 women in the armed forces reported being raped. Out of the 2,974 women who reported a rape or sexual assault, only 292 women even got their day in court, and even fewer got justice. In addition to these shocking statistics, it is estimated that another 80% of women in the military endure a sexual assault but are too scared to report it (Couric). In addition to the rampant nature of rape in the military, officers make it extremely hard for women to report the abuse. The attacker is usually a person of a higher rank so when a victim speaks out, she is disbelieved more than would be for a civilian. These rapes occur for the same reasons civilian rapes occur: men see themselves as of high statuses than those of women. That notion goes back to the prehistoric notions of man and women, and the presumed societal differences between men and women. Women are not taken seriously because of their gender, and thus men try to put them back where the men think they should be through rape and other suck attacks. Although most people see women as getting the short end of the stick as far as societal pressures are concerned, men lose some of their individualism through expectations enforced by society. Males are seen as inhuman, almost, expected to be emotionally stoic and stolid regardless of their situation. Men are traditionally deprived of the privilege of spending time with their children. They are forced out into the cutthroat world of business and finance, giving them little time to spend with their families and forcing them to become the macho, stoic men they are supposed to be. All men do not fit these characteristics; each person has their own personal characteristics that create their being. Personality characteristics should not be associated with a specific gender; the way a person acts is not determined by his or her sex. Men are pressured to be very macho, which leads to them attempting to overpower women and commit many different crimes against them. Also, men portrayed in advertisements are not the average man and the two specimens do not have the same characteristics (Ehrlich). The societal pressure to conform to a specific gender makes many people feel very isolated and alienated from their communities. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people suffer a lot of backlash from society for expressing their true selves. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people (LGBT) discover – from early childhood – that the world is not sympathetic to their plight. LGBT teens are bullied, in schools all across the country and all across the world, to the point of suicide. Many feel forced to keep their sexual orientation a secret. Transgendered people especially are tormented for expressing their true character. A transgendered person is someone who feels that they were born in the wrong body; a male feels like a female and a female feels like a male. Recently, more and more studies have been discovered that say that gender is more fluid than it is rigid: for instance, a boy can still want to be a boy anatomically, but he may want to partake it traditionally more feminine activities (Gash). These people feel extremely alienated because of they believe gender is a personal decision. Some transgendered people can feel like a woman one day, and a man the next (Gash). LGBT people further show why society should not push its expectations upon its citizens. Because of the blind hate and fear society projects, LGBT people are ridiculed and tortured all over the world. This form of bullying is one of the most ruthless forms in existence. Researchers show that LGBT teenagers are at greater risks of suicide and depression than are any other category of people (Soulforce). This country was founded on the soul principle of freedom. If even one person doesn’t have the freedom to express him or herself, can the nation ever be truly free? The Constitution of the United States of America was founded to promote and ensure equality amongst its itizens and amongst the citizens of the world. The preamble states that there are certain inalienable rights that cannot be taken away from the people by their government: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If the pursuit of happiness of some citizens is halted because of the pressures and preconceived notions about gender and sexuality, how can Americans claim to live up to the promises of the Constitution (Attendees of the Constitutional Convention). In the Gettysburg Address, late President Lincoln made a speech dedicating a cemetery to fallen soldiers. In the speech, the President referred to a government that was â€Å"of the people, by the people and for the people. † This quotation refers to the fact that the government of the United States of America was founded in order to help the people of the United States of America, and the people first (Lincoln). However, with a government that increases intolerance by throwing around old notions of what a man is and of what a woman is, how can the youth change the future? Gender roles – although previously useful – should not be implemented in today’s modern society, because they only lead to havoc and inequality.

Toyotas Innovation Management and Success Factors

Toyotas Innovation Management and Success Factors   Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Background The primary reason for choosing this research topic is my genuine interest in cars and my intention to work in the automobile industry. And there could not be a better topic than to study the most significant change at the top which is the emergence of Toyota as the global leader. Although a lot has been written about Toyota, but this dissertation will study it from a different perspective, i.e. innovation management and critical success factors. Toyota Motors Corporation (TMC) has become one of the biggest car manufacturers of the world from a humble start seventy years ago (Toyota, 2008). Toyotas has been one of the most phenomenal success stories in the ultra-competitive automobile industry and can be a great benchmark for any company. The company has posted record annual earnings for almost a decade and has become the most profitable car manufacturer on the planet. And in the market that matters the most, the USA, its unbroken sequence of record sales stretches back even further. Fifty years ago, the Big 3 US carmakers (GM, Ford, Chrysler) dominated the industry, both in the US and worldwide. Now Toyota is set to overtake GM as the worlds largest carmaker, ending 70 years of dominance (BBC, 2007). Toyotas success is even more remarkable given the problems elsewhere in the industry (see Appendix 1). GM and Ford are cutting thousands of jobs and closing plants, while Toyota is building one new plant each year. Ford in parti cular has found the going tough and a $12.7 billion deficit in 2006 coupled with significant losses among its subsidiaries signals the most miserable year of the companys existence. As GM and Ford have racked up huge losses in the past few years, their financial ratings have shrunk. Toyota is now worth 10 times as much as GM on the stock market. So how has Toyota managed to buck the trend so dramatically? (Strategic Direction, 2007) Toyotas success with U.S. customers begins with the appeal of its cars and trucks, which are prized for their quality and durability, ease of operation, and thoughtful features such as controls that are intuitive to operate. Since demand is high and inventories typically low, Toyota, unlike Detroit, sells cars with skimpy marketing incentives, which protects its margins and boosts resale prices (Taylor, 2003). Moreover, Toyota does its homework thoroughly. For instance, the company closely monitors economic and demographic developments and regularly sends its researchers out in the field to interview those who matter most people who buy the cars. Keeping its ear to the ground ensures that the automaker remains best positioned to anticipate evolving customer preferences and future trends. Others carry out similar functions, so what makes Toyota different? How can a Japanese company be best at knowing what does the American car buyer want? This dissertation attempts to find out these factors from a different perspective; innovation. The competitive advantage that many Japanese firms had gained in their respective industries came not from advantages in â€Å"hard† technology †¦ but from the way they manned the same technology †¦ Toyota attained holistic integration of technology with people, organization, product and strategy †¦ the difference lay in their socio-technical system (Liker and Meier, 2006). 1.2 Aims and objectives of research The aim of this dissertation is to establish the factors leading to Toyotas success over GM in the US automobile market. In order to achieve this aim, the following objectives have been set:- To review critically the body of literature of innovation theory in explaining Toyotas success. To identify the changing critical success factors where Toyota gained the advantage. To study other factors and theories (like national competitive advantage) which led to Toyotas success. In order to achieve these aims and objectives, literature review is carried out in the next chapter which critically evaluates the theory surrounding this topic and then refined research questions are developed which will be answered by collecting secondary data. 1.3 Structure of dissertation This dissertation has been divided into five chapters. They are organised as follows: The first chapter describes the background of this research, a brief introduction about Toyota and this dissertations structure. It also mentions the aims and objectives of this dissertation which are broad but get refined at the end of chapter two. The second chapter critically evaluates the literature studied for this dissertation including innovation theory, critical success factors and other factors. It forms five propositions at the end of that chapter which are more refined research questions. Chapter three describes the methodology and discusses how the research is conducted to achieve the objectives set earlier. This chapter reviews the various factors of research design like research philosophy, paradigm, strategy and approach. It evaluates the options available and justifies the options chosen by the author. After methodology, research findings and discussion are presented in chapter four. Here secondary data is presented and used to test the propositions formed at the end of chapter two. Chapter five finishes this dissertation with conclusions and recommendations. And finally, the author shares his learning experience in the reflections section. Chapter 2: Literature Review This part of the dissertation will start with reviewing critically the body of literature in innovation theory and changing critical success factors in context to the automobile industry in general, and Toyota and GM in particular, to help explain the formers success over latter in US market. Besides these two theories; some other theories like national competitive advantage, lean etc are discussed in the third section. This chapter will end in forming research propositions based on the theories reviewed. Although this chapter is primarily designed to review general theory concerning automobile industry, the author has cited particular examples about Toyota and GM in some places as seen relevant to stress the point. 2.1 Innovation Innovation is defined in Oxford dictionary as ‘†¦ something established by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. In todays competitive world, innovation essentially can provide companies new ways to beat the competition. â€Å"Innovation process involves the exploration and exploitation of opportunities for new or improved products, processes or services, based either on an advance in technical practise, or a change in market demand, or a combination of the two. Innovation is therefore essentially a matching process† (Fagerberg et al, 2006). ‘†¦ not to innovate is to die wrote Christopher Freeman (1982) in his famous study of the economics of innovation. Certainly companies that have established themselves as technical and market leaders have shown an ability to develop successful new products. Innovation is defined by Myers and Marquis (1969; cited by Trott 2005) as not a single action but a total process of interrelated sub processes. It is not just the conception of a new idea, nor the invention of a new device, nor the development of a new market. The process is a combination of all these things acting in an integrated fashion. A new idea is normally the starting point for innovation. It is neither innovation nor invention; it is merely a concept or thought. The process of converting these ideas into a new product or service is invention. To convert that to a successful profit generating offering in a market is exploitation. And this complete process is innovation. Innovation has long been argued the engine of growth. Schumpeter (1934, 1939 and 1942; cited by Trott 2005) was among the first economist to emphasise the importance of new products as stimuli to economic growth. He argued that the competition posed by new products was far more important than marginal changes in the prices of existing products. For example, a car manufacturer can achieve far more growth by introducing new, efficient cars or new features than just slicing down prices. Fane et al. (2003) studied the Schumpeters view in detail. Schumpeter employed innovation to explain Kondratievs â€Å"long waves† in business cycle theory, those of 54 to 60 years duration, and the nature of the economic growth processes. The Kondratiev/Schumpeterian view gained increased popularity at the end of the 20th century. Innovation, for Schumpeter, was not the same thing as invention innovations may be copied and may not be protected by â€Å"intellectual property rights†, or IPRs, (with the exception, perhaps, of trade secrets) while inventions are protected for a specified period of time by IPRs such as patents and copyrights. Innovations for Schumpeter reflect: the introduction of â€Å"new methods of production† or a change in current production functions; the creation of â€Å"new forms of organisation†; the discovery of â€Å"new sources of supply†; or the opening of â€Å"new trade routes and markets†. Further, he identifie d the source of innovation as the consequences of the actions within a capitalist system of the entrepreneur seeking competitive advantage in the quest for profit. Another theory argues that sustained economic growth arises from competition among firms. Firms try to increase their profits by devoting resources to creating new products and developing new ways of making existing products. There have been many economists supporting the argument that innovations could be associated with waves of economic growth as mentioned earlier. Albernathy and Utterback (1978) contended that at the birth of any industrial sector there is radical product innovation which is then followed by radical innovation in production process, followed, in turn, by wide-spread incremental innovation. Some firms develop a reputation for innovation and it helps propagate a virtuous circle that reinforces a companys abilities. Trott (2005) views this concept as a specific example of Porters (1985) notion of competitive advantage. Porter argued that those companies who are able to achieve competitive advantage that is, above-average performance in an industry sector are able to reinvest this additional profit into the activities that created the advantage in the first place, thus creating a virtuous circle of improvement, or competitive advantage. The success or failure of a firm depends on a strategic competitive advantage. Competitive advantage can be achieved by delivering the product at lower cost or by offering unique benefits to the buyer. It can take many years for a company to build a reputation for being innovative, but once it has done so, it attracts further creative people leading to further leaps in innovation. But the company also has to provide the right atmosphere f or that by encouraging creativity and willingness to accept new ideas like Toyota does. Marketing also plays a very important role in the innovation process as it helps in finding out what customers want. This is crucial as success in the future will lie in the ability to acquire and utilize knowledge and apply this to the development of new products which meets and exceed the target customers expectations. But recent studies by Hamel Prahalad (1994) and Christensen (2003) suggest that listening to your customer may actually stifle technological innovation and be detrimental to long term business success. While sustaining or incremental innovation may appeal to existing customers as they provide improvements to established products; disruptive innovations tend to create new markets which eventually capture the existing markets. For example, the launches of video CDs have made the VHS cassettes obsolete. 2.1.1 Models of innovation There are two schools of thought over what drives innovation; market-based view and resource-based view. The market-based view argues that market conditions provide the context which facilitate or constrain the extent of innovation activity. This of course depends on the firms ability to recognise opportunities in the market place. The resource based view of innovation considers that a market-driven orientation does not provide a secure foundation for formulating innovation strategies for markets which are dynamic and volatile; rather a firms own resources provide a much more stable context in which to develop its innovation activity and shape its markets in accordance to its own views (Wernerfelt, 1995). 2.1.2 Types of Innovation Innovation can be divided into following types (adapted from Trott, 2005): Product Innovation: The development of a new product. E.g. A new car model. Process innovation: The development of a new manufacturing process. E.g. lean manufacturing, flexible platform sharing. Organizational innovation: A new venture division; a new communication system; introduction of new procedures. Management innovation: TQM systems; Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) which are explained in details later. Production innovation: Quality circles; Just In Time (JIT) Environmental Innovation: These are the authors views (see section 2.1.6). Among the various types of innovations mentioned, the author will discuss some crucial management and environmental innovations which will help in tracing down the factors behind Toyotas success. 2.1.3 Management Innovation 1: Total Quality Management (TQM) TQM can be defined as: An effective system for integrating the quality development, quality maintenance and quality improvement efforts of the various groups in an organization so to enable production and service at the most economical levels which allows for full customer satisfaction (Feigenbaum, 1986). An effective TQM approach demands all the employees in an organization to be involved. It regards quality as the responsibility of everyone and not limited to a manager or a particular department. Quality and employee improvements are therefore inextricably linked and should be part of a continuous cycle. TQM is an ongoing process of continuous improvements and incremental innovations. The impact of small, relatively easy to achieve improvements can be very positive. Much of the improvement in the reliability of cars over the past twenty years has been attributed to a very large number of improvements initiated by thousands of employees in all the manufacturing companies involved (Trott, 2005). Toyotas commitment to quality can be appreciated by this example. If there is even a small defect like a seatbelt not fitted properly, the workers can pull a cord and stop the production line until the problem is resolved. Workers at the Toyota plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, pull the cord 2,000 times a week and their care is what makes Toyota one of the most reliable, and most desired, brands in the US. In contrast, workers at Fords brand-new truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan, pull the cord only twice a week indicating the legacy of generations of mistrust between shop-floor workers and managers (Schifferes, 2007). Toyotas relentless cost engineering creates efficiencies that Detroit can chase but not match. Its philosophy of continuous improvementrethinking the thousands of steps that go into building each modelallows Toyota to constantly trim material costs and production time. For example, the company lowered the base price of its 1997 Camry by 4%, after taking steps that included streamlining the front-bumper assembly from 20 parts to 13 and reducing the number of steel body fasteners from 53 to 15. Such improvements enable Toyota to assemble a car in 21 hours, vs. 25 for Ford, 27 for Chrysler and 29 for GM (Greenwald et al., 1996). (See also appendix 4) However, in pursuit of continuous improvement, there could be some stages where a radical change may involve complete withdrawal of a procedure leading to potential job losses for the employees. So the employees would be reluctant to pursue that idea. The very feeling of process ownership by the employees may obstruct radical change, i.e. TQM may not support major innovation (Giaver, 1998). 2.1.4 Management Innovation 2: Quality Function Deployment (QFD) QFD is another important management innovation. Making design decisions concurrently rather than sequentially requires superior coordination among the parties involved marketing, engineering, operations and most importantly, the customer. Quality function deployment is a structured approach to this problem that relates the voice of the customer to every stage of the design and delivering process. It promotes better understanding of customer demands and design interactions. For a company to achieve its own quality goals it must include and consider the quality programmes of its suppliers and customers. Identifying the causes of uncertainty, determining how this affects other activities in the supply chain and formulating ways of reducing or eliminating the uncertainty is essential to the management of all the processes involved. Here is an example to illustrate this. McDonalds built a restaurant in Moscow. To achieve its required and expected level of quality and service, the company set up an entire supply chain for growing, processing and distributing the food. McDonalds made sure that all parties along the whole chain understood its expectations of performance and closely monitored performance (Upton, 1998). The QFD approach requires trust between all parties. As in the modern world, the competition between organizations effectively becomes competition between supply chains. Only by innovating within the organizations supply chain, in terms of product and service, will the organization survive. 2.1.5 Management Innovation 3: Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) This is a completely opposite approach to that of incremental innovation preached in TQM. Slack et al. (2004) defines BPR as ‘The fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed. This approach is quite similar to that of Peters (1997) who suggests total destruction of company systems, hierarchy and procedures and replacing them with a multitude of single-person business units working as professionals. He argues that small modest improvement enshrined in TQM detracts effort from the real need to reinvent the business, i.e. ‘Incrementalism is an enemy of innovation. He argues that a radical approach is the only way organizations can be sufficiently innovative to survive in the twenty-first century. But BPR is criticised as one of the major downsizing tools common in 1980s and 1990s. The combination of radical downsizing and redesign can mean the loss of core experience from the operation. If taken too far (e.g. if the short term improvement was achieved at the expense of support for RD expenditure) the resulting organization could become hollow and die. Also, the core business has to be sound otherwise BPR is akin to ‘flogging a dead horse (Trott, 2005). So, an organization has to take care that their core knowledge is passed on and they do not suffer due to BPR. 2.1.6 Environmental Innovation The author has found a gap in literature in the form of environment innovation. It is not limited to any product or process innovation, but it is the holistic process companies have to follow to keep pace with the changing environment (also see section 2.2.1). Companies round the world are making more fuel efficient cars and alternative fuels to reduce the burden on fossil fuels. GM has realized this a little late and now their full attention is towards environmental innovation. This is because fancy designs and add-ons are not sufficient to compete in the environment-conscious market. Auto makers are under pressure to produce more efficient cars that use less fuel and thus pollute less, in part because petrol prices have soared in recent years in the US, but also because they will soon be required to do so by law. In December 2007, US President George W Bush signed an energy bill that will force the industry to cut average emissions from all vehicles. By 2020, the average must have been slashed by 40% to 35 miles per gallon, and the industry is convinced they will be able to deliver though it will not come cheaply (Madslien, 2008). Today, a fuel called biodiesel, which is derived from vegetable oil, is used throughout Europe. While it has been used in the United States in fleet vehicles for decades, only recently has it become more widely available to the general public. With the worlds oil supply declining and the increasing effect of greenhouse gases on global warming, the push for alternative-fuel vehicles will only continue to grow. In addition to increased production of the types of vehicles discussed here, the next step in alternative-fuel vehicles is fuel cells. A fuel cell vehicle is essentially a hybrid vehicle that is powered by an electric motor, which gets its power from a fuel cell stack rather than an internal combustion engine. There are only a handful of fuel cell vehicles in use today because the technology is still being developed. In addition, there are relatively few fueling stations with hydrogen, the fuel used to power the fuel cell stack. The U.S. Department of Energy, the agency that oversees a federally funded program to pursue fuel cell development, will decide by 2015 whether fuel cell technology is viable. Even if the decision is made to move forward, hybrid vehicles and gasoline-powered vehicles—as well as those powered by diesel and ethanol—will most likely remain in use for many years (JDPower, 2008). 2.2 Critical Success Factors Critical success factors are those product features that are particularly valued by a group of customers and, therefore, where the organization must excel to outperform competition (Johnson et al., 2006). A firm needs to have the threshold capabilities and core competencies to meet the critical success factors. Threshold capabilities are the bare minimum required for an organization to be able to compete in a market without which, an organization cannot survive. The threshold levels rise over time as critical success factors change and as new competitors enter the market. So a company has to keep on reviewing and improving its threshold capabilities just to stay in the market. But this is not sufficient to create competitive advantage. That can only be achieved by unique resources and core competencies which the competitors cannot imitate. Whereas unique resources are those resources that critically underpin competitive advantage and core competencies are the activities and processes through which resources are deployed to achieve competitive advantage. So, even if a company has unique resources, without having the requisite core competencies, it cannot achieve competitive advantage. Lynch (2003) refers to CSFs as KFS or Key Factors for Success. Lynch states that KFS are those resources, skills and attributes of the organisations in the industry that are essential to deliver success in the market place. There are endless issues that can be explored by an organization, but due to limited time and resources, it is better to narrow them down to KFSs and focus the resources on the most important matters. KFS are common to all organizations in an industry but they do vary from industry to industry. They are dependent on customers expectations, quality of competition and corporations own resources and skills. The author agrees with Lynchs view of the need to concentrate the organizations resources to KSFs. But the author also feels that they are not easy to pin-point and measure. Moreover, an organization should also create new CSFs through innovation and invention. For example, the creation of digital cameras completely changed the CSFs in that industry. Another point of view is provided by Sousa et al. (1989), who call it shared experience view. The shared experiences school maintains that the area of business strategies is amenable to research aimed at finding nomological statements. It is believed to be possible to find out how different strategy types are linked to business success under various conditions. This school can be called the shared experience school, because it builds on the expectation that, if experience on business strategies is shared, it becomes possible to build up general, empirically based theoretical knowledge, which then can guide the selection of business strategy. For this school, business success is governed by causal relationships, which exist as an objective truth, and which gradually can be uncovered by research. 2.2.1 Strategic Drift and Scenario Planning. Johnson et al. (2006) describes strategic drift as the stage where strategies progressively fail to address the strategic position of the organisation and performance deteriorates (see figure 2 below). For example, GM find themselves far behind in the environment innovation sector. Therefore, the organization needs to understand and address the contemporary issues that are challenging them. The figure shows environmental change and strategic change. An organization has to keep pace with the changing environment via incremental changes and when required, transformational changes. If it fails to do so, the organization is at the risk of completely failing. Johnson et al. (2006) provides a possible solution to prevent these risks through scenario planning. Scenarios are detailed and plausible views of how the business environment of an organization might develop in the future based on groupings of key environmental influences and drivers of change about which there is a high level of uncertainty. While it is not possible to correctly predict the future, but it is valuable to have different views of possible futures. Managers should form multiple, equally plausible futures and develop contingency plans for each scenario. They have to do so by limiting the number of assumptions and uncertainties to minimum by focussing on factors that are uncertain but can have a high impact. Such scenario planning will no doubt consume some resources currently, but it can prevent huge losses in the future by limiting the number of shocks and surprises and help create a pro-active organization which moves with the changing environment. 2.3 Other Factors 2.3.1 National competitive advantage: Porters Diamond It is argued that some nations provide better environment to foster innovation than others. Porter (1990) devised a diamond to explain the four main factors helping a country build and maintain competitive advantage These are: Porters Single diamond framework 1. Factor conditions: These include the human resources; physical resources such as land, water mineral deposits, infrastructure etc; nations stock of knowledge resources such as scientific, technical and market knowledge which can affect the quantity and quality of goods and services and finally, the cost of capital and availability. Although Japan was low on natural resources, they more than made that up with their excellent human resources. Morita (1992; cited by Trott 2005) argues that ‘you will notice that almost every major manufacturer in Japan is run by an engineer or technologist. However in the UK, some manufacturing companies are run by CEOs who do not understand the technology that goes into their own products. Indeed, many UK corporations are headed by chartered accountants whose major concern is statistics and figures of past performance. How can an accountant reach out and grab the future if he or she is always looking at last quarters results? Therefore, it is i mportant for an innovative firm to have the right leadership at the top who can guide the firm into the future. 2. Demand conditions: These include the composition of demand in the home market, size and growth rate of home demand, ways through which domestic demand is internationalized and pulls a nations products and services abroad. The demand for cars in Japan was low, so Toyota ventured into US shores to feed their ever-growing ambitions. 3. Related and supporting industries: These include the presence of internationally competitive supplier industries which can create advantage through speed and efficiency. Also related industries which are internationally competitive can create value when competing or by complementary products. Toyota was competing in Japan with the likes of Honda and Nissan who themselves, were very effective in their production methods. Moreover, Toyotas JIT was successful due to efficiency of their suppliers and their ability to keep up to Toyotas high standards. 4. Firm strategy, structure and rivalry: This includes the way in which firms are managed and choose to compete; companys goals and their employees motivation and the amount of domestic rivalry and the creation of value in the respective industry. Apart from the above four main factors, two other variable play an important role. 1. The role of chance: Some unexpected, odd events can sometimes nullify the advantage of competitors and change the entire competitive position of a market. These could be new inventions, political decisions, wars, drastic changes in economy, oil price surges and major technological breakthroughs. Toyotas innovations like JIT, lean manufacturing, TPS and hybrids were all responsible for its meteoric rise among soaring oil prices and environmental concerns in the USA. 2. The role of government: Government can influence all four of the major determinants through actions like subsidies, policies, regulation of market, product regulations, tax laws and antitrust regulations. While some countries like Japan, provided extensive support and subsidies to promote industrial innovation, others such as United States, have aimed to create positive effects in the economy by letting the market achieve the most efficient allocation of resources with minimal possible intervention. The so-called Chicago school paradigm for promoting competitiveness and innovation, which created a belief in the free market to maximise innovation and productivity has, for more than two decades, been the dominant perspective in the United States (Rosenthal, 1993). Critique of Porters Diamond Although Porter diamond provides us a useful tool to study national factors in competitive advantage, it has some shortcomings according to Rugman et al. (2003). First, it was constructed on the basis of aggregated data on export shares for ten countries: Denmark, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA and West Germany. And it took only case studies from four industries. Therefore, it cannot be applied in every case without modification. Second, it fails to accept the notion that sometimes governments action can end up protecting a domestic industry excessively and in turn, make it less competitive internationally. Third, it considers chance as an important factor but it fails to acknowledge that it very hard to predict any such events and therefore not possible to include in an organizations strategy. Although a solution to this problem is scenario planning. (See page 14) 2.3.2 Lean and Multiple-project approach Michael Porter, could encapsulate the lean manufacturing strategy as being one which comprised (amongst other things) â€Å"a wide line of models offering multiple features†, based on â€Å"standard products† with a â€Å"wide range of options† (Porter et al., 2000).

Heroines and Subservience in Ancient Athens :: Free Essays Online

Heroines and Subservience in Ancient Athens Women throughout history have played a subordinate role to men; this holds true in even ancient Athens. Though obvious through the writing of ancient poets, playwrights, and historians this subordinate role dominates religion and its practices. Through an examination of modern and ancient sources it will become apparent that women, even goddesses, played certain roles and they did not have the freedom to step outside these roles. Despite this subordinate stature, women could still receive recognition as heroic figures by achieve the status of heroine. Shrines dedicated to women who exemplify a certain trait, usually self-sacrifice, still exist, even on the Acropolis. The dual role of honored and subservient female is a complicated issue, and deserves further examination. Greek religion permeated every pore of society. Each level of society, from the Boule to the family had its own "separate center for its religious activity" (Mikalson, 83). Tribes worshipped together at the sanctuaries of the heroes for which they were named, each deme had a patron god, and families often performed the rites of the dead at their loved ones' tombs (83). With religion and supplication of the gods as a part of daily life, it not unusual that the gods led lives similar to their human worshippers. Gods married, gave birth, had fights and fits of temper, and human desires for love and sex. For these reasons Greeks were able to turn to religion so often; Gods had experiences similar to those encountered in everyday life, and were therefore capable of offering guidance. By turning to the gods the Greeks justified many of their actions, including wars, colonization, and the subjugating of women. Athenian women tended the oikos, or household. An aristocratic woman made clothes, kept the household accounts, oversaw the slaves, and made sure everything ran smoothly so her husband could concentrate on the running of the polis. "The world of the classical polis was a man's world. Only men could attend the Assembly, vote, hold office, serve on juries, appear in court in their own right, or even own property" (Demand 1996: 228). Women were allowed in public only to fetch water from the fountain houses, and during religious processions. Women functioned only as "prostitutes for the sake of pleasure, concubines for daily care of the body, and wives for the begetting of legitimate children and [as] a reliable guardian of the contents of the house" ([Dem.

Critical Review of the Andromeda Strain Essay -- Novels War Violence E

Critical Review of the Andromeda Strain Imagine walking into a town that normally populates 48 vivacious residents, and discovering 46 non-moving non-living bodies. There are no guns, no bombs, and no visible pre-manufactured weapons of any sort. A few minutes later death strikes, observations can no longer be made, and a black curtain falls. This is what happened to two Army recovery personnel in the town of Piedmont, Arizona (population 48). They set off to retrieve SCOOP VII, a military satellite sent to bring back alien microorganisms. The satellite did its’ job, it brought back a microorganism; something its six predecessors were not able to do. The microorganism SCOOP VII brought back was lethal, killing almost everybody in its’ path, except an old anemic man and a crying infant. Four specialized scientists: Jeremy Stone, Charles Burton, Mark Hall, and Peter Leavitt; are plucked from their everyday lives and placed in the secret building of Project Wildfire, located in Nevada. The five-floored facility was built entirely underground, with each floor more sterile than the one above. Here the four scientists work with the microorganism, now code named â€Å"Andromeda strain.† They try to discover how the agent kills, what it is composed of, where it came from, and why those two civilians survived. The scientists conclude their work on the fifth floor, when disaster strikes. A seal is broken which sets off an automatic nuclear explosio...

Career as a Forensic Specialist Essay

My future career as a Forensic Specialist Everest University Online Strategies for success My future career as a Forensic Specialist When I look into the future, after finishing college, I see myself as a Forensic Specialist. Why do I see myself as a Forensic Specialist you may ask? Well I will tell you why, Forensics has been something I have found astonishing and amazing since I was a kid because it can be fascinating on some of the things they find and inspect. The things a Forensic Specialist does is hard work but it is science so it is fun to learn, and I myself can’t wait to get my hands involved with some of the things they do. Another reason why I choose to go into Forensics is because it is good money, and I am able to help solve crimes and maybe hopefully one day put an end to some of the stuff that goes on in the world. In the next few paragraphs I will go on to explain some of these and much more. Due to the advances in scientific technology in examining, crime scenes have turned the Forensic Specialist/Forensic Science jobs into very high demand. One of the very vast growing career fields in the world today is Forensic Specialist/Science field. To add to its popularity, Forensic Specialist jobs also include TV shows like CSI, or Crime Scene Investigators. The Forensic Specialist job field also has many subcategories which consist of forensic science consultants, fingerprint technicians and examiners, evidence technicians and forensic investigators. When it comes to schooling, In order to become a Forensic Specialist, several factors come into play. So just because you or someone else you may know, have a 4 year bachelors degree doesn’t always get you the job. Other factors that come into the play of this matter are training programs one may have taken, and or certificates or other degrees that a person may have obtained. The schooling usually only takes 2 years for an associates degree and 4 years for a bachelors. The pay of all science technicians, forensic specialist/scientists currently earn the second highest annual salary. In 2002 that pay was about $19. 73 an hour or approximately $41,000 but that isn’t the highest nor the lowest pay of a specialist. Depending on your rank, you could make as much as $31. 49 an hour or $65,000 annually and as low as $12. 06 an hour and $25,100 annually. The pay of a Forensic Specialist is determined on factors like the type of specialist you are, the rank in which you uphold, years of experience and the type of employment and its location. In 2012 the pay for a Forensic Specialist field will increase its pay by 19% with 360 job positions opening up each year. In conclusion to my research of becoming a Forensic specialist, I have came to make a choice to be one myself. For one I love investigating crime scenes, the pay sounds very good, and being as how I won’t graduate until 2013 or 2014 the pay that is suppose in 2012 will be even more once I start looking for a job in the field. Schooling to become such an expert isn’t all that bad, I mean 2 to 4 years isn’t a bad time limit for taking classes to get the degree I need to become a Forensic Specialist and to me will be well worth the money. Being as how the demand is so high for Forensic Specialist/Scientist I am sure there will be so many job openings when it comes time for me to go to work.

What Influenced Joseph Haydn’s Music

Joseph Franz Haydn was an amazing man. He was a very ambitious, hard working, a never give up type of guy. From what Louis Nohl said, Haydn started singing by age six and he was part of church choir. With all the fame and greatness, he would still achieve success coming from a poor family living in a peasant cottage. What really grabbed my attention was how Haydn loved practicing music and though with his many struggles Haydn always kept positive and a strong attitude. He would go against his family’s wishes along with starving himself throughout his youth to be part of music.Haydn taught me that do what you love to do and you will be great at doing what you love. Haydn’s organization and neatness in his music comes from his childhood, where he was taught from an early age very strictly to have a habit of organization and cleanliness (Nohl 8). His family would also sing together at the end of each day and Haydn loved music so much that he would practice the violin with a little stick who a neighbor noticed he had precise time and tone during the age of only 5 at the time (Nohl). I believe he is very organized from the music I listen to from him, an example is his movement 2 in his symphony #22 where you can hear the order of the melodies he performs. Haydn’s influences also came when he was in Vienna starting in 1750. (Nohl, Hadden). Haydn would receive nothing but music into his life; from books, to people he lived with, and to places he went. One of the people he studied under, according to Nohl, was a teacher of Italian opera named Nicolo Porpora. The Italian opera dominated Europe during that time. Fluid melodies along with clear and simple harmonic structure were the main points of the school. There were many works of the Italian opera made for the Prince at that time. Haydn had to compose operas for special events including marriages for the prince’s neice and later for his son in 1777. With the new development in music that Haydn made, Nohl also states that Haydn improved in his singing, compositions, and his Italian. Accordingly, Haydn developed a more refined melody and clearer harmonies in his works. Hadden shows that Haydn received many different types of musical influences; one being a poet by the name of Metastasio. Haydn had a lot of teaching and that strengthened his music skills and one of the students being taught the Harpsichord by him (Hadden). Haydn devoted himself to taking care of him self righteously, the Vienna Hofcappellmeister were his textbooks and he put them aside for weeks while continuingly reviewing them until he mastered them (Nohl 44). Haydn also played for Von Furnberg, the councilor at the time had Haydn compose him string quartets and gave him wonderful music for his chamber music. I think I learned a lot from Haydn not just from his music. It seems his success comes from his love for music and also his dedication to his work. I think anyone looking to become successful from a standpoint of low or middle class need to work very hard as Haydn did. Haydn was very interested in making money. In their sources, Haydn looked to play for weddings, churches, teach music, and more. Therefore, money had a large influence on Haydn and his music; another instance was his position with the count in 1759 where he was positioned as the Director. The symphony at the time consisted of an allegro, adagio, and a second allegro, which is three movements. According to Nohl, part of the reason Haydn became symbolized as â€Å"The Father of Symphony† was because he transferred three movements to the quartet and added the minuet, which became the fourth movement. Unfortunately, Haydn married a woman who was bad for his health, it was the count’s eldest daughter and she continually complained, asked for purchases that were more than Haydn can afford, and in many instances offended Haydn (Nohl 51). Haydn finally left her and found boarding for her but not after long years of toil and hearing her distress constantly, surprisingly for the most part Haydn kept his cool and still made wonderful music. Due to certain circumstances with the count, Haydn had lost his position there but shortly after Prince Esterhazy hired him, this was an important impact because Nohl said this secured Haydn as a composer for the rest of his life. Here, there were music of all types and Haydn was able to practice in peace and quiet (Nohl). Based on these circumstances, I believe that this gave a huge influence to Haydn with him surrounded by a versatility of music and the ability to focus composing because the lack of distraction. This is where Haydn had more than enough influence and his music life (or you can just say his life) took a turn in an immensely positive direction because Elaine Schneider writes that in Prince Esterhazy’s house he had to do administrative work for the musicians along with making compositions for the orchestra, chamber music, and opera performances. Prince Esterhazy knew Haydn after he performed his first symphony that he also composed and the Prince was impressed. Robbins/Landon 25) While working under Prince Esterhazy, had 11-12 string players, a flautist, two oboists, two bassoonists, two horn players, and a timpanist in the orchestra. There were also two violinists, a cellist, trumpeters and drummers. Sometimes all these instruments would come together for a special occasion. Haydn had a great sense of humor and that also influenced his music, you can hear his â€Å"surprise symphony† where it was very goofy and lazy melody to it. (Robbins/Landon 25) He would like to also have sudden outbursts of dazzle and high spirits in his music. His neatness and orderliness helped him get the most out of different types of music. With symphonies, he realized that instrumentals were more stronger and intellectual, as for serenades it was more suited for slow and sensuous instrumentals. Haydn was the first to invent inborn, free expressive, natural art to music and this is what Beethoven admired about him. You can hear in his music the emotions, characteristics, and expressions involved in almost all of them. Sadness, happiness, anger, humor, is some of the examples he puts up when he makes music. Nohl 79) Haydn executed works of art by expressing his ideas, thoughts, and feelings. This was particularly rare in that time; which was shortly after the Baroque era and the famous Bach along with other composers of the time mainly making church music. This attributed to his fame and success along with his constant love and perseverance throughout life. For this element of music he created, it aroused many including Beethoven and Mo zart. An example of his love and perseverance is when the musicians and singers sabotaged Haydn’s Italian operas in 1776 when he composed for the king’s court. Nevertheless, he still performed his works back at the house of the prince but not much because the prince’s house became on fire. After it took fire, Haydn already had copies made back in his house. This also helped me learn to have back up documents for my work at all times. Another large reason for Haydn’s musical excellence is due to his love of music. With this strong emotion, he was able to stand out from other musicians by being able to hold and develop an idea or feeling in his works. Many other composers would jump too fast and did not make an impact the human feeling. Many of his works comprise of human nature and characteristic to it. No. 5 is of complete buoyant human health and clearness. No. 7 gives a dark and strange twist and gives the feeling of an uneasy person. No. 8 has a beautifully melody along with a creative and intellectually composed harmony. His masterpieces would go to deeper depth, which included the operas; he was exceptional at bringing about problems and then solving them through intelligence without losing the feelings involved in the opera. A great influence on his music was Prince Nicolaus who during 1775 to 1785, who had Haydn compose so many Italian operas that Haydn barely had time to make other works (Robbins/Landon 53). The works he did compose outside of Italian operas, were very minimal and were less popular than most others. Though there were benefits with composing many opera works, it had enriched his technique and left him with new ideas that could be worked out in other forms, this way all his music benefitted from his concentration on music for the theatre. Haydn stated the works for his string quartets were made in a new and special way. Haydn stated that Mozart was the person who had an effect on him the most in his musical compositions and his rise to stardom (Nohl 93). The feeling was mutual; from Mozart’s letters he admired Haydn since he was a child. Around 1782, when many of Haydn’s works reached Italy it was all kept with joy and love, which influenced Haydn to make the same. Also, Mozart made six quartets for Haydn for his admiration along with writing a letter to him. Though Haydn never missed an opportunity to listen to Mozart’s works. At the end of 1790, the Price of Esterhaz had died and thus Haydn finally was able to leave Esterhaz and went to London. In his new location, Haydn now broadened his intellectual horizon and expanded on his development. Haydn later recognized some of Beethoven works and uniquely distinguished that his music had more developed and patterned symphonies, sonatas, along with quartets (Nohl 112). Haydn had done a lot of influencing to musicians and composers as well. Though Beethoven eventually became a more popular composer than Haydn, Beethoven was first a scholar of Haydn (Nohl 179). Haydn became a wealthy, famous person, known and visited from many high rank noblemen. He was asked by many kings and queens across Europe to perform music or work for them. The even greater aspect of all of this is that Haydn came from a small cottage house in lower Austria with not very much money and his father just a wheelwright. He is recognized in Europe as one of the best musicians who ever lived, even ranked close to Beethoven. What made Haydn’s music so amazing and wonderful was that it contained natural life and expression through them. He had a connection with nature in his music and he was a constant worker. He once stated in his old age how he is humble and grateful of all the luxuries he receives because of his success, but no one really know strenuous and the toil he has dealt with due to his hard work. Haydn’s musical success came from many different influences, the main factor being the love of music. It all started when he was a young boy when the family had everyone sing together, to studying in different schools, being taught by many including the famous poet Mestasio, and the constant work at Esterhaz.