Current Macroeconomic Situation in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current Macroeconomic Situation in the US - Essay Example The government has pumped money into the economy to boost spending which in turn boosts the aggregate demand by increases it. This move aimed at providing citizens with more money to spend. It has also increased its spending to hike confidence about growth. The rescue of insurers and banks also helped to build confidence to public and businesses in the economy (Moore, 2014). On monetary front, FOMC has undertaken buying government securities in an attempt to reduce interest rates and encourage investing. This increases the level of yield and betters confidence level. The government has tried its best to resurrect the U.S economy from the effects of 2008 crisis (Moore, 2014). According to Bureau of Economic Analysis, the GDP increased at an annual rate of 2.6% by fourth quarter of 2013 and in third quarter, it had increased by 4.1% (Pew Research, 2013). Real disposable personal income grew by 0.3 percent in February 2014 with a similar percentage increase recorded in January. As of September 2013, U.S GDP was $15.7trillion-2.2 growth in 2012; Unemployment was at 7.2%, Inflation at 2.1%, and public debt at 106% of GDP (Pew Research, 2014). The GDP has increased overtime as the employment and inflation rates have declined. Unemployment has come down slowly but steadily but creation of more than 300,000 jobs per month is what is required to bring it down with the desired speed (Pew Research, 2014). To ensure a steady growth in U.S economy, political leaders need to ensure that there is no interruption in nominal functioning of government (Moore, 2014). Changes are needed in budgetary procedures to curb such disruptions as government shutdown by abolition of nominal debt ceiling, to allow automatic authorization of resolutions passed by congress and borrowing implied by budgets. To give economic confidence a chance of entering positive territory, positive economic trends must continue. Government should increase money circulation in the

Risky aspects of the economic growth of China Essay

Risky aspects of the economic growth of China - Essay Example The corporate debt in China has increased from 108 per cent to 122 per cent in the one year from 2011 to 2012, and has achieved its highest level in the last 15 years (Roberts). As a result of this, China has become the most debt-laden country in the world. Andrew Batson, the GK Dragonomics Research Director comments on the effect of debt crisis on companies operating in China in these words, â€Å"Companies have seen their business slowing down and revenues were not what they had expected. They have bridged the gap by taking on more debt† (Batson cited in Roberts). A researcher from the State Council’s National Development and Research Center, Li Zuojun made a speech on 17 September 2011. This speech made at the Changsha Alumni Organization of Huazhong University of Science and Technology’s internal meeting spread virally over the Internet. A post over the largest social media website of China Weibo got forwarded over 9000 times (Zitan). Mainland media portals l ike Sina and Sohu also widely reported this information. Li Zuojun noted that banks, local governments, and small and medium-sized companies in China are undergoing bankruptcies that serve as the signs of economic crisis nationwide. In his speech, Li presented four reasons for predicting China as the next stop for financial crisis. Those reasons are economic, hot money, political, and cycles (Zitan). Risky aspects of the economic growth of China Economic The two main causes of the possibility of occurrence of financial crisis in China are the worsening local debt crises and the bursting bubble of real estate. According to Li, the overall economic downturn in China has exposed the small and medium sized companies to financial challenges that have played an important role in reducing the commercial and industrial tax revenues. Local governments in China have suffered from the reduction of revenues because of the depression in the industry of real estate. Local governments in China hav e immense are bearing the pressure of spending more over a whole range of items that include but are not limited to local infrastructure, national defense, social insurance policies, construction of houses, maintaining social stability, and improvement of the hydraulic structures. However, as the local debts are maturing, local governments are facing even more pressure and are being forced into bankruptcy. In the long run, this would cause the banks to declare bankruptcy and eventually, Chinese citizens would have to bear the burden of the debt. Therefore, Li foresees a full-blown economic crisis. Hot money Although China’s economy is slowing down, the US is undergoing an economic recovery at the same time. This is contributing to the flow of large sums of the international hot money out of China. As a result of this, economic implosion is taking place in China. Political New leaders in China have risen as a result of the leadership transition of the year 2013. The priorities of most of the new leaders are not addressing economic woes of China. It takes anywhere between three and five months for a new leader to expose the past problems after taking charge. Li estimated the mid of the year 2013 to be the most probable recognition of the economic collapse of China. â€Å"Following the economic bubble bursting, there will be a subsequent period of suffering. But for the new leaders, this is nothing bad, since they are not to blame for the suffering†¦With the economic bubble bursting, the new leadership can adopt practical approaches. †¦ New political achievements will be gained more easily, since the starting point is comparatively low†

Violent Acts In School Sociology Essay

Violent Acts In School Sociology Essay School violence is considered as a youth violence that occurs within schools, from the way to and from schools and also even during events that are sponsored by the schools. Violence is of many forms and it affects people in a multitude of perspectives. Some form of violence such as slapping, hitting, bullying can lead to more emotional trauma than physical one. The severity of the form of the harm may be arguable however we can lay a general consensus that both forms are equally harmful. There are many other forms of violence which are more drastic involving weapons, gangs which lead to severe physical damages to the point that it can even lead to death. This paper deals with various types of such violence and their effects. Keywords: school violence, violent students, violent acts in school, stop school violence. Introduction Violence, as defined by the WHO is the use of physical power against another person or group or community resulting in harmful effects such as psychological harm, injury, deprivation or even death. One of the most prominent instances of violence is seen in the form of bullying in schools. Even our elementary school textbooks highlight specific stories regarding bullying and the same is seen in the form of strict rules imposed in our school handbooks. Thus it doesnt come as a surprise that parents, administrators, and students are all familiar with this harmful act of bullying. Children try to avoid the fear of being successively punished by the abuser by not reporting to the people who are concerned the most for their health and well-being. Sometimes the participants do not find any faults in being subjected to violence and view it as a justified act or a necessary punishment. Often, bullying causes a child victim to feel ashamed and guilty and this ultimately ends up as the reason for their silence. The global study recently conducted by the UN secretary general revealed the increase in violence and documenting these acts against children to be the primary reason for cruelty and violence shown against children. Studies reveal that violence exists in every country of the world and it cuts across culture, class, education, income and ethnic origin (Felitti, Anda, Nordenberg, Williamson, Spitz, Edwards, Koss, Marks 1998; Krug,Dahlberg, Mercy, Zwi and Lozano 2002; Reza, Mercy and Krug 2002;Curie, Molcho, Boyce, Holstein, Torsheim and Richter 2004; WHO 2006). As study in Unicef 2007, has shown that, violence among the learners are low, which ranges from 4 percent from violence sexually to 40 percent in the case of physical violence. Most learners will report cases of physical violence to school teachers (45.1%) and also the head teacher (34.5%). Some of the major reasons why learners will not report cases of violence especially for physical and gender based violence were because they felt nothing will be done. Civilizing the quality of education is most important and intricate not addressing towards the violence in schools, because even though how much better the subject or the teachers are, it would always be difficult for students due to violence occurring in schools. The effects of school violence can lead to a range of effects including stress, depression, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) also including severe effects like suicidal tendencies, inclination to spread chaos, and also a tendency to become aggressive or violent. Different acts of violence are considered to be being bullied, being bullied by teachers, cyber bullying, violence, shooting in schools. How School Violence Affects Health Deaths resulting from school violence are only part of the problem. Many young people experience nonfatal injuries. Some of these injuries are relatively minor and include cuts, bruises, and broken bones. Other injuries, like gunshot wounds and head trauma, are more serious and can lead to permanent disability Not all injuries are visible. Exposure to youth violence and school violence can lead to a varied collection of negative health behaviors and outcomes, including alcohol and drug use and suicide. Depression, anxiety, and many other psychological problems, including fear, can result from school violence. What leads to Violent Acts? A lot of factors can add to the risk of a youth engaging in aggressiveness or violence at school level. However, the existence of these factors within a child does not always mean that a he or she will become an offender. Risk factors for youth and school violence includes: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Violence history in the past in childs life à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Using of drugs, tobacco or alcohols à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Association with delinquent peers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Poor family functioning within homes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Poor scores in school or poor performance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Poverty within the community Data analyzed revealed that many things do cause violent behavior in children among which are poor supervision by school authorities (82%), peer influence (82.8%), exposure to violent films(85.2%) and emotional instability (79.8%) just to mention a few. It is said that education begins at home. The same is applicable to the tendency of violence. Studies show us two very disturbing realities. One that children who are subjected to regular violence, physical or verbal at home have a tendency to become introverts and thus are more likely to be bullied in the school which again makes them victims of violence. The second one is even worse. It is shown that children who are subjected to violence at home often start to think of violence as a solution to problems and thus they too become advocators of violence giving rise to a vicious chain or a circle as they again become parents who are abusive to their children and the chain continues. The extended family of the forties (40s) and fifties (50s) are no longer existential in our society today. To satisfy the needs of the nuclear group, generally both the parents work out of the necessity to meet their costs. The consequence of this act results in the negligence of supervision of their children. The parent child relationship is hampered and there is a breakdown in the governance which allows children to make their own decision without the discretion of their parents. The child becomes the dominating factor. Also, sibling violence would later set the path to later violence in school environment. It starts with bullying the siblings and eventually ends at bullying their peers at school. Children at very early age learn violence from television by watching cartoons. These humorous undamaging half-hour scenes, that make us laugh or enjoy, are the first presentation of violence that our children see. These shows tell our children that violence is not a problem. It makes them frozen to the horror of the real violence experiencing around them. Through statistical studies, 86% of the violent acts dont have any unconstructive repercussions, no signs of death, no one goes to jail, 47% of the violent acts on television do not hurt the sufferer, and no ones life is bankrupt. While 73% of all the time the bad guy or the criminal goes without punishment. Media glamorizes violence, thus teaching our children that being violent is not a problem to the society. C:UsersKms HamzaDesktopvio.gif (Source: Psychology in School (2004)) Some facts about child abuse: Approx. Five children die daily because of child abuse and violence.  Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ One-fifth (1 /5) boys and one-third (1 / 3) girls is sexually violated before they reach age 18.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Ã‚   Ninety percent (90%) of child sexual abuse or violence, victims knows the perpetrator in some way. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Ã‚   Most of the children happen to be victims of child abuse. In 2010, 1,537 children died of violence or overlook. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 79.4 % were under the age of  4. 3.6 million Cases of child violence has been reported in each year only in U.S. and it is also found that out of them over 6 million children are involved. About 80 % of 21-yr-olds who were violated as a child were found that they suffered from at least one kind of disorder that is psychologically related. Children who were violated sexually were found that they put themselves towards practice of safe sex which puts them at a more risk of being affected with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). And it is even found that 25% of them are experience teen pregnancy. Risk Factors 1. The individual child externalizing and internalizing behaviors Between the externalizing behavior and internalizing behavior, a proper distinction is made. The kinds of internalizing behavior are anxiety, inhibition, withdrawal or depression. In youth violence, this kind of internalizing behavior is found but in youth substance or drug abuse causes depression. Students with these internalizing problems rarely express their feeling and thus are often neglected or overlooked by school personals. While externalizing behavior is considered to be people who bully or harass others, and enjoy doing so. These people pose as risk to such violence that occurs in school level. 2. Other individual factors A lot of individuals are also related with aggressiveness or violence of higher levels. Children whose antisocial behavior or actions begins late, early starts have even worse effect than these children. Even people with lower intelligence are considered to have higher level of aggressiveness. Other facts indicate that boys early attention difficulties, reading problems and motor skills predict that it persists to antisocial conduct. 3. Home environment Home environment is also considered to be an important part in school violence. Latest study has shown that if a child is exposed too much towards domestic violence, any kind of physical molestation, parents involved in alcoholism, children being bullied or ragged or any kind of gun violence or abuse done sexually on children makes them feel that these kind violence or molestation or criminal activities are proper to them. If parental discipline are harsh, then it also leads to higher level of violence in youth. Even scientific studies have stated that children exposed to television violence like cartoons where violence are shown and is considered to be okay, and also games which are violent also leads to more fierceness among children. 4. Other Reasons Other reasons range from violent shootings and other acts of violence where mental illness, psychological disorders contributes. In some instances, a drug deal gone badly, an issue between a girlfriend and boyfriend, a disagreement among friends or a gang-related argument may also lead to violence in schools. Efforts to stop violent acts committed in school (1) When parents and teachers are more involved in students life, then it might result to less school violence in his life. Teachers can see problems before they occur and they are in the suitable situation to see the problems occurring and help students when they are in potentially volatile situations. So teachers can take steps to prevent these violent acts of these potentially volatile aggressors. Parents are close to their children and so they are more capable of providing a moral structure and also help to solve the problem when their children face more challenging or difficult situations. Both teachers and parents could work as a team to prevent such kind of violent acts that occur in schools. Drawback: But the drawback that occurs in normal life situation is that teachers and parents dont have enough time to manage or monitor their children as needed to stop this violence. Due to urbanization parents tend to move away from their children and with high rate of divorce and schools being overcrowded, it is a real tough job to manage each and every childrens life discreetly. The television acts as the babysitter for the children which in this case with latchkey children. Parents, who work hard, bring their work with them to their homes while they are trying to cook or clean or in any household activities so that they can keep their job as well as monitor their children closely. (2) Another kind of solution that would prevent this kind of violence would be to educate their children about the effect of being bullied and harassed and how it affects their physiological behavior. We all know that these bullies or harassed students who feel that they have no other recourse results to gun violence. If we educate these bullies about the effect of harassment on physiological level, then they might stop bullying smaller children and thus reduce such violence. Majority of public school principals (about 78%) have reported that they have conducted a formal school violence reduction and (School Violence) prevention programs. With this bully prevention and reduction program, the violence against these children could reduce a lot though much difference in results has not been seen, but violence has been drastically reduced. Drawback: But this solution might not be achievable if children enjoy bullying or harassing others. If they enjoy what they are doing then education or reduction program will have no effect on these children. It might be possible that their parent have suffered though bullies and harassment and possibly transferring their legacy to their children themselves and feeling that they have no other outlet. With education and reduction program, there is very less chance of change in their act of violence and so the solution would be to treat them properly by psychiatrists who are trained to solve such physiological behaviors thus reducing violence to a certain level. Even with these sensitive classes, it wont affect the minds of potential aggressors to stop bullying. (3) And so the best of all solution to prevent school violence is considered to be having more and more adults involving the childs life. This would also include in promotion of childs pride and also having more involvement in life of teachers and parents. There should also be more school programs to prevent such activities of violence and also a peer group therapy would effect in serious reduction of such activities. Schools like Stephens consider bullying to be serious offence and takes serious steps to prevent such acts. This kind of programs and rules would considerably reduce school violence significantly.

Womens Rights Versus Gods Will Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research

Women's Rights Versus God's Will It seems these days that everyone is concerned with their rights. People feel that there are certain rights that they should have regardless of their race, religion, sex, and so forth. And rightfully so – everyone is entitled to basic human rights. Many belonging to specific groups – such as women, and homosexuals - feel that these basic rights aren't enough and that they need more. They feel that their group should be granted special "rights," which aren't really rights at all. The early advocates of women's rights started out with good intentions – they were fighting for the abolition of slavery, suffrage for women and equal pay for men and women, among other similar rights. The first major turning point in the advocates' battle was on July 19th and 20th of 1848. On those dates, the Seneca Falls Convention was held in New York. The men and women at the convention created a document called the Declaration of Sentiments, which they based on the Declaration of Independence. This document created a foundation, a source of where to go, how to go about getting the government to recognize the rights to which they were entitled. As time went on, woman suffrage advocates like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed organizations, such as the NWSA (National Woman Suffrage Association) and the AWSA (American Woman Suffrage Association). Eventually, after the formation of other organizations and after lots of support raising within states, women were granted the right to vote on August 26, 1920. Women's groups didn't stop at getting the right to vote. They worked toward receiving equal pay, equal educational opportunities, and equal job opportunities. In 1963, Congress passed a law req... ...ww.family.org/fofmag/sl/a0010612.html, February 13, 2002. "Ms. Herstory." (Online). Available http://64.29.220.68/msherstory.asp, February 12, 2002. "National Organization for Women (NOW)". Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com (12 Feb. 2002) "Roe v. Wade". Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com (12 Feb. 2002) Wheeler, Marjorie Spruill. "The History of the Suffrage Movement." (Online). Available http://www.pbs.org/onewoman/suffrage.html, February 12, 2002. "The Path of the Women's Rights Movement." (Online). Available http://www.nwhp.org/legacy98/timeline.html, February 19, 2002. "Women's Rights". Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com (12 Feb. 2002) "Woman's Suffrage". Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com (12 Feb. 2002) Women's Rights Versus God's Will Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Women's Rights Versus God's Will It seems these days that everyone is concerned with their rights. People feel that there are certain rights that they should have regardless of their race, religion, sex, and so forth. And rightfully so – everyone is entitled to basic human rights. Many belonging to specific groups – such as women, and homosexuals - feel that these basic rights aren't enough and that they need more. They feel that their group should be granted special "rights," which aren't really rights at all. The early advocates of women's rights started out with good intentions – they were fighting for the abolition of slavery, suffrage for women and equal pay for men and women, among other similar rights. The first major turning point in the advocates' battle was on July 19th and 20th of 1848. On those dates, the Seneca Falls Convention was held in New York. The men and women at the convention created a document called the Declaration of Sentiments, which they based on the Declaration of Independence. This document created a foundation, a source of where to go, how to go about getting the government to recognize the rights to which they were entitled. As time went on, woman suffrage advocates like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed organizations, such as the NWSA (National Woman Suffrage Association) and the AWSA (American Woman Suffrage Association). Eventually, after the formation of other organizations and after lots of support raising within states, women were granted the right to vote on August 26, 1920. Women's groups didn't stop at getting the right to vote. They worked toward receiving equal pay, equal educational opportunities, and equal job opportunities. In 1963, Congress passed a law req... ...ww.family.org/fofmag/sl/a0010612.html, February 13, 2002. "Ms. Herstory." (Online). Available http://64.29.220.68/msherstory.asp, February 12, 2002. "National Organization for Women (NOW)". Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com (12 Feb. 2002) "Roe v. Wade". Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com (12 Feb. 2002) Wheeler, Marjorie Spruill. "The History of the Suffrage Movement." (Online). Available http://www.pbs.org/onewoman/suffrage.html, February 12, 2002. "The Path of the Women's Rights Movement." (Online). Available http://www.nwhp.org/legacy98/timeline.html, February 19, 2002. "Women's Rights". Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com (12 Feb. 2002) "Woman's Suffrage". Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com (12 Feb. 2002)

Analysis of Ford Motor Company’s Essay

Ford Motor Company (FMC) manufactures and sells vehicles worldwide. The company has two business segments that include automotive segment and financial services. Ford carries out operations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Hence, the company has to ensure that its operations are working effectively to meet its organizational objectives. The company also has to ensure that its operations management strategies are adequate to provide maximum benefits to the company. Domestic car manufacturers are facing intense competition from foreign vehicle manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mercedes Benz, BMW and Audi just to name a few. There is thus the need to manage operations so as to improve efficiency, reduce costs and in the process achieve competitive advantage. Heizer and Render (2011), noted that operations management is a transformation process that occurs in companies producing goods and also in service organizations. Transformation process involves daily activities that focus on creating value for the organization. Operation processes are determined in terms of effectiveness (whether the process is able to attain company objectives) and efficiency (is the process using resources adequately). According to Davis and Heineke (2005), different types of transformation could be physical as in manufacturing, location as in transportation, storage as in warehousing, health care which is physiological, and informational which is telecommunication. Ford has numerous activities involving several areas that can lead to cost saving and translate into increased profitability for the company. By effectively implementing and executing operations management strategies, the company is able to deliver value to customers and generate more revenues and profits. Ford employs a wide range of operations strategies and one of these is product strategies. Product strategies employed by Ford includes having many vehicle platforms, brands, and models. As a result of their product strategy, the company is able to produce vehicles that are tailored to different customer requirements. The company’s manufacturing processes and product development carried out in one target region is different fro m another region (Kassab, 2011). Another strategy used by Ford is product pricing whereby its products are priced relatively low thus ensuring that as many people as possible can afford its products. Through this strategy the company is able to attract and retain customers which in turn lead to  increased sales. Ford has a wide range of product offering and is thus able to attract large number of customers. The wide range of products offered by the company allows it to maintain a balanced revenue stream Its product strategy is also an effective method in increasing market share as its numerous brands and models is able to attract a large number of diverse customers. Ford has shifted its product strategy towards new vehicle segments and this has proved to be profitable for the company (Automotives, 2011). Ford uses numerous production or manufacturing strategies that aims at promoting efficiency and effectiveness. Ford focuses on reducing time and material waste in production, increasing quality and reducing cycle times. All these strategies contribute to cost reduction by the company. In order for an organization to sustain growth in such a competitive market, it must be able to eliminate processes that waste resources, improve on product quality and achieve customer satisfaction. These factors enhance the company’s competitive advantage and its ability to remain in business. Ford previously utilized a total quality management (TQM) production strategy, however the company is currently shifting towards a six sigma approach. TQM was introduced in the company in the 1980’s to improve product quality resulting from intense competition from foreign manufacturers. TQM emphasizes on processes driven by quality and aim at achieving customer satisfaction. Implementing total quality management meant that processes within the company had to be adhered to strictly and continuously improved in order to meet customer satisfaction. TQM philosophy looks at developing a corporate culture that is customer focused, empowers employees and seeks continuous improvement. By focusing on the customer, Ford was able to provide value customers with product value and quality that ensured customer satisfaction. This in turn translated into revenue for the company due to repeat sales and first time customers. Essential components of effectively implementing TQM include a commitment from all stakeholders and a change in work culture. Managers at Ford demonstrate such commitment to quality by clearly initiating strategies and policies that aim at promoting quality enhancing activities. Ford’s workers at all levels are informed on steps that should be followed in order to achieve improved quality (Dahlgaard & Dahlgaard-Park, 2006). Total quality management reduces wastage in the production process and eliminates defects. The reductions in defects and  wastages assist in lowering production costs which can subsequently l ead to an increase in contribution margin. Lower costs can also facilitate the company’s lower pricing strategy to attract customers and gain competitive advantage. By implementing total quality management Ford was able to reduce amount of waste from production process and also improve on efficiency thus improving performance (Dahlgaard & Dahlgaard-Park, 2006). Ford has shifted towards a Six Sigma approach which aims to sustain company’s ability to manufacture quality products. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers magazine in 2011 noted that Ford’s reputation as a company that offers quality products was being tarnished as a result of a number of setbacks including recalls affecting several models and delays in introducing new ones to market. Customer surveys showed that customer satisfaction and quality of Ford cars had reduced and was behind competition thus the need for the company to shift to a new approach in order to improve on quality concerns. Six Sigma is more structured and profit oriented compared to total quality management. Ford shifted to this new approach in an attempt to improve on its processes and increase cost savings. The company also aims at establishing a consistent approach that can be used to solve quality related problems by improving organizational learning. Smith, (2003) in his article, â€Å"Six Sigma at Ford Revisited† noted that Ford saved $1.0 billion from elimination of waste 5 years after implementing Six Sigma and that internal customer satisfaction survey showed that customer satisfaction increased by 5%. This provides ample evidence that the company’s strategy has been effective in lowering costs and that customer satisfaction regarding the company’s products was heading in the right direction. One of the strategies being utilized in Ford’s production process is a â€Å"Global Product Development System† whereby the company has established a single template for designing, engineering and manufacturing its vehicles worldwide. One of Ford’s global product development systems is aimed at enabling the company to develop vehicles faster, improve its competitive ability and provide profitable growth. The system aligns the company’s technology and global product plans and car programs on characteristics that differentiate Ford vehicles in the market. The global product strategy establishes a standard that all Ford vehicles should conform to which leads to consistency in Ford products and also improves on brand recognition since products will have attributes that  differentiate Ford products from its competitors (Kassab, 2011). Since Ford manufacturing points are located across different regions, the global product strategy enables various production regions to produce products that have similar attributes. According to Kassab (2011), every time production centers are reinventing production processes the company losses time that could be utilized in developing new vehicles. Therefore one Ford global product development system is used in the production process to reduce time wastage and ensure consistency in production. Another strategy used in the Ford production process i s JIT in an effort to improve on the time it takes to produce a product. Ford decided to adopt this strategy due to inadequacies in material handling and inbound logistics. Using a just in time system enables the company to connect with suppliers and also assists in reducing production lead times and enhances the company’s capability to manage inventory, cost of transportation and storage costs. Just in time system involves delivering required production component when they are needed in the production process. In relation to logistics, Ford has established different solutions to ensure that supply and distribution is achieved. Ford has numerous â€Å"Order Dispatch Centers† where products are transported to and from the company (Penske, 2013). Order centers assist the company in centralizing its logistics network and reducing inventory levels. The company has uniform procedures, carrier requirements and technologies that streamlines supply, improve on performance and accountability (Penske, 2013). Ford utilizes logistics management technologies maintains and tracks information on delivery status and schedules applicable to routing. Through these technologies, the company is able to monitor its supply chain and ensure that all operations aspects of production are functioning appropriately. Ford also has in place capacity strategies where the company practices efficien t use of facilities and expansion facilities projects when required. By increasing capacity the company is able to increase output and generate more revenue. The company also has in places processes and systems to ensure efficient use of facilities. These processes involve being highly automated and strategically placing production points to ensure maximum achievement of efficiency. Ford has work design strategies whereby the company practices job enrichment and institutes motivation systems. Ford has a competency center that assists employees in planning their career,  enrolling in training and development programs, and assisting employees on how to balance professional and personal lifestyles (Hines et al, 2004). The company aims at developing an individual who in turn improves on overall organizational capability. By developing its employees, Ford is able to maintain high levels of motivation and morale which eventually leads to improved productivity. The American Psychological Association (2003) in an article â€Å"Occupational Stress and Employee Control† noted that Ford Motor Company has shifted virtually all of its manufacturing operations to a team-based approach in which employees have far greater control over their work. Instead of simply follow directions from supervisors, employees can talk directly to suppliers about parts quality, research better ways to run equipment, and take independent action to eliminate product defects. A pilot program, which began at Ford’s Romeo, Michigan engine plant in the early 1990s, raised productivity and quality along with job satisfaction so successfully that Ford expanded the approach, giving virtually all employees targets and allowing them to find ways to reach them. Ford encourages a self-management environment to boost and maintain employee morale. Employees are involved in problem solving groups and have a say on operational matters related to their jobs. Employees also participate in decision making processes within the organization. As a result of increased employee motivation, employees perform their job activities well which subsequently leads to increased productivity. By maintaining high motivation levels the company is able to retain high performing employees which benefit the organization in the long term. As a multinational company, a comprehensive location strategy is critical to a successful operations management execution. Ford has presence in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa where the company is involved in the production and sale of Ford vehicles. These markets are strategically targeted in an attempt to increase company growth. By having a global presence the company is able to penetrate into new markets and increase market share in the global arena. Ford is a well-known brand globally and its name recognition has assisted the company to penetrate new markets. An international presence assists the company in terms of product development, differentiation and distribution as vehicles are developed to meet customer requirements in specific regions and reduce distribution costs to various geographic regions. Operations management at  Ford Motor is influenced by factors such as competition. Competition plays a part in determining how a company does business. Ford therefore has to plan its operations to ensure it is able to gain competitive advantage and maximize revenues. Ford faces domestic and international competition from General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda and Nissan. In today’s environment, a car company does not have a great future unless they have a plan for increasing their sales globally. If an auto company is not a global automaker, it is not doing the job that it should. Ford therefore has to position itself to ensure that its operations are efficient, effective and are able to differentiate company products on a global scale. Another factor influencing operations management is customer requirements since this impact whether a company is profitable or not. Ford should ensure that its operations meet customer requirements in terms of quality, design, prices and spe ed of distribution. Success factors The first success factor in determining Ford’s successful achievement of its business objectives regarding its operations management strategies is financial. Operations management strategies employed in the company aim at ensuring efficient use of resources and reducing cost in the process. The main tools utilized by Ford to achieve success include Six Sigma, just in time inventory management, location and distribution strategies. Ford has successfully utilized the strategies to achieve its cost reduction strategy and this is evidenced by $1.0 billion cost saving after implementing Six Sigma. A just in time system contributes to the success by reducing costs incurred in transporting and storing raw materials and work in process inventory. The company’s distribution strategies include the use of order centers that improve on efficiency by reducing cost incurred in transporting final products to dealerships. Ford Media (2011) stated that the company’s sales increas ed by 19% in 2010 to $1.935 million compared to the previous year which is the largest increase of any full-line automaker. This achievement is indicative of the success of the operations management strategies implemented by the company. Another success factor in relation to operations management strategies in the organization is the social condition that exists within the company. Ford has different motivation methods that ensure that employees are highly motivated in their professional duties.  This is achieved by training and developing employees and also by ensuring that employees have control over their job activities. The American Psychological Association (2003) noted that increased employee control in job activities is an effective strategy in reducing occupational stress. Ford Motor position and market share in the industry provides measurable evidence on whether the company strategies have been successful. The company recorded mixed fortunes in its target market. Whereas the company increased market share in 2011 to 16.5% compared to 16,4% in 2010 and 15.3% in 2009, market share in Europe decreased to 8.3% compared to 8.4% in 2010 and 9.1% in 2009 (Sustainability Report, 2011/2012). This shows that the co mpany’s strategies were successful in its domestic market but unsuccessful in the European market. Despite these unflattering results, the company still maintains a strong international presence in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. For 2012, Ford’s total U.S. market share was down 1.2 percentage points to 15.3%, while Ford’s U.S. retail share of the retail industry declined seven tenths of a percentage point. The declines largely came from the discontinuation of the Crown Victoria and Ranger, capacity constraints, and reduced availability associated with our Fusion and Escape changeovers. In Europe, market share declined 0.4 percentage points to 7.9% (Sustainability Report, 2012/2013). Quality is important to Ford in improving customer satisfaction and overall company performance. According to the 2012/2013 Sustainability Report, the results are mixed. In the U.S. first time buyers increased 0.5 percentage points to 10.6% in 2012 while customer loyalty decreased 0.9 percentage points to 47.7% in 2012. In Europe, first time buyers decreased 2.0 percentage points to 7% in 2012 while customer loyalty increased 1.0 percentage points to 52% in 2012. Ford has decentralized its operations to ensure that the company manufactures products that meet customer requirements by producing high quality vehicles. Ford Motor Company’s mission is one team, one plan and one goal. The mission is for the company to work together as a lean global enterprise measured by customer, employees, investor, supplier, dealer and union satisfaction. The company’s mission statement influenced its operations management strategies since the company’s one team and implemented strategies aim at achieving lean production where wastes are eliminated to reduce cost. The strategies also aim at improving customer satisfaction by providing quality products.  Ford strives to be a lean global enterprise by implementing strategies such as Six Sigma to achieve its objectives. The ultimate goal of all strategies implemented in the company is to increase profitable growth through increased customer and employee satisfaction and by reducing costs. References American Psychological Association. (2003). Occupational Stress and Employee Control. Retrieved On September 15, 2013 from http://www.Apa.Org/Research/Action/Control.Aspx Automotives Insight. (2011). New Product Strategy Pays Off For Ford. Retrieved On September 28, 2013 from http://www.Autosinsight.Com/File/96519/New-Product-Strategy-Pays-Off-For-Ford.Html Dahlgaard, J. J., & Dahlgaard-Park, S. M. (2006) Lean production, six sigma quality, TQM and company culture. The TQM Magazine, 18 (3), 263 – 281. Retrieved from EBSCO Host Database on September 21, 2013. Davis, M.M., & Heineke, J. (2005). Operations Management: Integrating Manufacturing and Services. (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw – Hill Irwin. Ford Media. (2011). Ford’s 2010 Sales Up 19 Percent – Largest Increase of Any Full Line Automaker: Foundation Set for Growth In 2011. Retrieved On September 28, 2013 from https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2011/01/04/ford_s-2010-sales-up-19-percent–largest-increase-of-any-full-li.html Heizer, J. & Render, B. (2001). Operations Management (10th ed.).Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Hines, P., Holweg, M., & Rich, N. (2004). Learning to evolve: A review of contemporary lean thinking. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 24 (10), 994 – 1011. Retrieved from EBSCO Host Database on September 29, 2013. Kassab, C.R. (2011). Speedy Delivery – Global Product Development System Defines Ford. Ford Magazine. Ford Motors. Retrieved On September 28, 2013 from http:// corporate.ford.com/innovation/innovation-detail/fs-global-vehicle-product-development Penske. (2013). Ford Motor Company. Six Sigma Initiatives streamline operations. Retrieved On October 5, 2013 from http://www.penskelogistics.com/casestudies/ford2.html Smith, K. (2003). Six Sigma At Ford Revisited. Quality Digest, 23 (6), 28-32. Retrieved from EBSCO Host Database on October 2, 2013. Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

Honor Killing

I believe that the murder of Desdemona was an honor killing. Othello thought that Desdemona brought him dishonor and gave him a bad reputation. While Othello was manipulated into murdering Desdemona, he was the one that had the physical choice. Iago constantly agreed with Othello, saying that Othello should kill Desdemona. This influenced Othello’s decision, but it was ultimately Othello that chose why he should or shouldn’t kill Desdemona. His choice was based off of his own reputation. He loved Desdemona, but after one rumor he decided to murder her because of what others would think.He believes â€Å"she must die, else she’ll betray more men† [V, ii, 6] and he later admits that he is â€Å"almost persuade[d] justice to break her sword† [V, ii, 16-17]. He tells Desdemona to â€Å"think on [her] sins†, trying to get her to realize that he would kill her for having an affair [V, ii, 43]. When he thought to kill Cassio, however, he was seeking revenge. He asked Iago, â€Å"how shall I murder him† [IV, i, 136]. It is more contemplated and decided than Desdemona. The contrasts between his thoughts on the two were considerable. Othello’s immediate thought about Cassio was â€Å"kill him† but he was more torn up about Desdemona.When explaining why he killed her to Emilia, he said â€Å"she turn'd to folly, and she was a whore† [V, iii, 146]. He didn’t care to listen to Desdemona. Othello killed her because he thought there was no other way to repair his reputation. He couldn’t live with the shame of an unfaithful wife. It was his honor versus his love, and he chose honor. This turns out to be the main theme of the story. If reputation were not a factor, Desdemona would not be dead. In the end of Othello, reputation trumps all else. Othello killed Desdemona out of shame, making the murder an honor killing.

Majority Rule Guarantee of Democracy1 essays

Majority Rule Guarantee of Democracy1 essays Swiss Bank Controversy: Whos Money Is It? It is hard to imagine having everything you ever owned taken away in a split second. Many Jews experienced this after the years of oppression by the Nazi regime. The Jews had everything stripped away: their families, their possessions, their futures, and their dignity. I would give that money away for anybody. I should have had some relatives survive. I mean most of my friends, they had sisters, or cousins, or aunts or somebody to belong to. I had nobody, said Gizella Weisshaus (Jones 1996). It has been about fifty years now since the end of the Holocaust. Up until recent times, the survivors of the Holocaust have decided that they deserve their money that they put into the neutral Swiss bank accounts before the war. They did this to protect their assets from the Nazis. This then provides the controversy, fifty years later, do the Holocaust survivors and their families deserve the money back from the Swiss banks, or are the Swiss banks even responsible for paying back the money? The controversy first arose with Gizella Weisshaus, when she could not receive her fathers money after the war ended because she did not know her fathers bank account number. When she was a young girl, her father had been taken away to the concentration camps. As he was being taken away, he mentioned to her that he had put money away in a Swiss Bank account and that she should go and claim it when the war ended. Years after the war she went back to claim the money, and the teller told her that with out an account number she could not do this. They then told her it would take five years to research the dormant account; therefore she would have to wait. Her response was, It made me angry that even now they claim they need five years to find these dormant accounts, as if fifty years wasnt enough (Jones, 1996). Weisshaus was the first one to raise the re...