Saturday, January 25, 2020

The Welfare State and Moral Irresponsibility :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

The Welfare State and Moral Irresponsibility    President Bush has declared the fourth week of April to be National Volunteer Week. This is a follow-up to his call for all Americans to do two years of community service during their lifetimes, and his creation of the new federal USA Freedom program to pay volunteers and to encourage service. But should we all really rush out to man the ladles at the nearest soup kitchen? Is such service really good for America?    Let's start by clarifying some moral confusion. The measure of our moral worth is not how much we give to others but rather to what extent we hold our own lives as our highest value and take the responsibility for our lives. That standard requires us to set goals that will contribute most to our survival and well being, and to create the means to attain those goals. It requires honesty, integrity, self-discipline, and fortitude in the face of self-destructive indulgences that distract us from our long-term happiness.    If more people lived by this standard, there would be little need for volunteers to help others. Each of us would earn our own way, support our own families, take pleasure from our own friends, and take care of our own needs. We owe our fellow citizens respect for their rights and freedom. We do not owe them a living.    Of course, there are good self-interested reasons for helping others in such a society. In the case of the September 11th terrorist attacks that murdered 3000 innocent people, we as individuals took it upon ourselves to make right an injustice, generously contributing a billion dollars to help the victims with whom we rightly sympathized. It's also in our self-interest to live in a society with other independent, productive, and creative citizens, so we can exchange material goods and ideas with one another, share challenges and experiences, rejoice in the achievement of others, and have our own achievements recognized. To that end we as individuals might help a poor but worthy student pay for college, or we might help others who suffer through unforeseen emergencies or circumstances, such as a serious illness. We might even help those who suffer through some fault of their own, for example, through the use of drugs or other irresponsible choices, if we judge that those individuals a re trying to mend their ways.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Quality Compliance Manager

IHRM Case Study 1 1. Consider the three candidates in Exhibit A below. It forced to make a decision tomorrow, which candidate should Alistair choose for the job? What major factors should determinate his choice? Trianon is an Anglo-French avionics company, headquarter is in Marseille. Alistair was hire as Director of Personnel Development European Division, and he has to recruit a Quality Compliance Manager for the site in Hungary. In fact, decision was making for a ten-year joint venture with a Hungarian government-backed firm.The new manager needs to be available soon and has to be familiar with the joint venture’s objectives and targets. The way I see best to be able to choose between the given candidates for Alistair, is to start by list the strengths and weakness for the fitting job. A more refined way to approach this task is taking in consideration the three proposed candidates and reviews the job description accordingly to the strengths and weakness. Reaching out to po ssible close regions such as Hungary would help in giving a clearer view the abilities of the best fitting candidate.Having said that there is no perfect candidate among the three. From the short list given by Alistair each of the three have their strengths and weakness balanced out. Maria: Mrs, Erten-Loiseau is the best-fit choice for the job. As she was educated in France and Germany, it’s to the advantage of starting up joint venture to hire a candidate that fluently speaks in French and German. In addition to have worked for Trianon for 13 years insures that she can handle a high level of responsibility and already has insight of processes and procedures.Already proven her abilities in the success of the two projects in Lodz, Poland and Czech Republic. Having said all that the two possible weaknesses to keep in mind is her marriage to a semi-retired husband with a child in university therefore might not be able for the shift to Hungary. As well as Mrs. , Maria would be ne w to the production of the cathode ray tube, no previous experience. Janos Gabor: Mr Janos was born, raised and educated in Hungary so for that reason he is fluent in Hungarian. Jones is single with no responsibilities and independent on taking decisions unlike Mrs.Maria and for these two reasons he wouldn’t have issues in working in hungary and possible trips to Germany and France . In addition an advantage of his, that he has experience in the production of the cathode ray tube as he is the Senior Engineer of the production and is familiar with maintain a facility. As well his family has strong connections with national government officials. Having this relation would be a bonus asset to expanding contacts for the long term of Trianon. Having said all this he is a great risk knowing he his short time frame with Trainon would create a conflict between local contracts and Trainon.Sinead Marrinan McGuire: Mrs. Sinead resume has impressive technical potentials in particular in the field of joint ventures. Mrs. McGuire on the other has many weaknesses that wouldn’t be fit as a candidate for the position. Beginning with she has been more drawn to the Western Europe regions, therefore has constraints in languages and communication abilities. She is married and her wife is well culture submerged and has a stable career in Ireland along with three children. Taking her into consideration as a potential candidate one should take into consideration what chapter 4 talks about  « family friendly policies  » . We are told nothing of the process that Trianon uses to recruit candidates for this level of final selection. Given what you know about the firm from the case, outline a general recruitment and selection process for Trianon. Describe how your proposed process fits with best selection practices as well as the strategic needs of this company? The first and forth most step in recruitment and selection process for Trianon HR team would be to create a jo b description for the role required for Quality Compliance Manager of the joint venture in Hungary.The role of job analysis is to provide information about what duties the job entails and what human characteristics are required to perform these activities as said by Dressler (2011) . Having that in mind would help the Trainon HR team to conclude a job description, role and responsibility, and job specification to make the decision for the three years contract based in Hungry. The advantage to start off this way would help in eliminating candidates leaving the best fit for the job and parallel stating it making it clear from the start.To the typical job identification details it should include the following: client relationships, responsibilities and duties, solve any optical that comes along and the goals to be achieved. Before staffing the criteria must be defined. The criteria aren’t the same for each expatriation. The most frequent criteria are: – Technical Ability: Maintains and demonstrates appropriate and necessary technical knowledge related to a discipline or Agency function and continues to refine relevant analytical/technical skills as well as professional judgment. Cross-cultural suitability: will the candidate be able to function in the new environment, how adaptable is a person. – Family Requirements: When the department of IHRM is recruiting for a position abroad they also must take into account the family factor. -MNE Requirements: The MNE must make the right choice of their strategies of expatriates; HCN, PCN, TCN -Language: The expatriate should have some good language skills. It is important to have a basis of the mother tong of the country. Country / Cultural Requirements: The employee must be well informed about the culture and traditions of the country in which it will work. It must also be informed about the management habits. -The use of selection tests. There are 4 strategies of international Staffing (Heenan &Perlm utter): Ethnocentric, Geocentric, Polycentric, and Geocentric. In our case with Trianon, it would be wiser to choose the ethnocentric staffing strategy. This strategy is fine for businesses that are at the beginning of their internationalization.We know that it’s Trianon’s first joint – venture with an Easter European company. Ethnocentric is a staffing policy that is used in companies that has primarily international strategic orientation. Headquarters generally adopts this policy by sending employees from the home or parent countries to the host country. This approach is used best in some situations such as, a team is sent from the home country to help setting up a new plant as well as train subsidiary personnel to use new system.The benefit of having staffs from home country abroad is that employees may gain experiences worldwide in order to become higher level in management of their headquarters because international managers require broad perspective and in ternational exposure. In this recruitment strategy the key positions are occupied by PCN’s. PCN’s are going from the headquarters to the subsidiaries, in our case to the new firm. The reasons why we use PCN’s are quit clear. Several advantages result from employing PCNs who have experience in the organization rather than headquarters as being familiar ith the organizations goals, products, services, technology, policies, and procedures usually considers HCNs or TCNs. PCNs. This familiarity may help facilitate coordination, control, and development of organizational strategy. I think it is important because this joint venture is a new project that has been decided very quickly. Having a PCN on place will permit Trianon to keep an eye on all activities. After have finished with step one, advertising will play the next role meaning to spread the word around job opening opportunity, example through internal market as Trianon website and external markets.The applican t’s resumes would have to be sifted by a assigned person that has the speed /intelligence if possible engineer or project management skills to narrow down the applicants for an interview(s). The interview can be conducted the following methods: work samples, virtual presentations, contacting previous references of applicant (supervisors or managers), cognitive ability and lastly a personal interview. Issues to be discussed during the interviews by the interviewer should consist of family status (if flexible in travelling multiple times and surely to live in Hungry) and cross-cultural aptitude.Reference: (2011) Dressler, G. 2011, Human Resource Management, 12th edn, Pearson Education /Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NY, p. 117. 3. Should RH staff be involved in strategic decisions relating to international business operations such as finalizing a joint venture agreement? A joint venture is a contractual business undertaking between two or more parties. It is similar to a bu siness partnership, with one key difference: a partnership generally involves an ongoing, long-term business relationship, whereas a joint venture is based on a single business transaction.Individuals or companies choose to enter joint ventures in order to share strengths, minimize risks, and increase competitive advantages in the marketplace. Frayne and Geringer (1990) show that out of control mechanisms and coordination of formal and traditional, such as the majority position in providing capital or having representatives in the Board of Directors, practices of human resource management are also potentially valuable mechanisms to exercise control and coordination in international joint ventures.Compared to the final structure of the system of coordination in a joint venture international coordination mechanisms based on the human resources are often the key factors in determining the effectiveness of the system. Without the growth of human resources now considered a strategic reso urce within a company, it would be difficult to ensure the future strategic long-term business, even if financial resources are crucial.In international joint ventures, the role of human resources is essential to achieve the desired outcomes (Frayne & Geringer, 1990, Cyr & Schneider, 1996). A set of policies and practices of human resource management developed carefully can contribute significantly to the success of international joint venture. It can help the adjustment of cultures and practices among business partners in the joint venture, as a mechanism for coordination, organizational learning, strengthen the selection and leadership development to be able to work in international cooperation.On the other hand, human resource management can help increase the productivity of the joint venture, as well as the capacity of partner companies to reap the benefits (Child & Faulkner, 1998) There are four main dimensions among the practices of human resource management that are likely to be used as coordination mechanisms: recruitment and how to fill key positions, training and development, performance appraisal, strategies remuneration and reward.Practices of human resource management can help to achieve the strategic objectives of firm’s relatives. One example is in the number of executives from parent firms, the latter may well coordinate and directs the activities of the joint venture. In addition, the use of training and the use of flexibility can also help overcome differences in strategic and national cultures between parent firms (Chapter 3).

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Biochemical Methods Of A Microorganism s Function

To test the capability of a microorganism’s function, microbiologists have designed many different biochemical methods/tests. There were seven biochemical tests that were used to determine the identification of a gram negative unknown. The seven biochemical tests that were tested for in this experiment were: Sulfur Indole Motility (SIM), Gelatin, Methyl Red (MR), Voges-Proskauer (VP), Citrate, Triple Sugar Iron Agar (TSIA), and Urease. These tests were inoculated and put inside a hot room of 37ââ€" ¦ C for different lengths of times; 24 hours, 48 hours, or eight days. Using these tests, allowed for determining whether the unknown bacterium had the ability to produce H2S, gas, ferment alcohol or acids, the ability to be motile, and the ability†¦show more content†¦The two categories are gram positive and gram negative. The cell walls of gram positive bacteria are composed of several layers of peptidoglycan; within these peptidoglycan sheets, lays the teichoic acids. I n comparison to the Gram positives, the Gram negatives possess a thin peptidoglycan layer with a porous lipopolysaccharide outer membrane. To determine whether a bacterium is gram negative or positive, microbiologists can stain them. The majority of bacteria have no pigment. In the beginning of the process, they are almost all clear. If a bacterium is stained with crystal violet, it will turn a dark purple color. Once the ethanol is added, the gram positive bacterium will retain the purple color, due to its thicker peptidoglycan layer, which can capture this dye in the teichoic acids. However, the Gram negative bacterium will ultimately lose the color and in the end turn a pink hue, once the safranin is added. The makes the very porous lipopolysaccharide layer in the Gram negative bacterium, even more porous, causing it to lose the purple color. (Madigan et al, 25-27). The Sulfur Indole Motility (SIM) is used to test for sulfur reduction, motility, and indole production. The casein and animal tissue that SIM has, functions as the amino acids, wheras the thiosulfate that acts as the iron and sulfur component. When the enzyme cysteine desulfurase catabolizes, Sulfur

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Essay about College Expense - 1215 Words

Congrats! You’ve been accepted to the college of your choice; now all that’s left to figure out is how you’ll pay for college. Unfortunately, college costs don’t end at tuition and room and board you’ll also have to pay for textbooks, meals, transportation, and a computer with working internet. We have been told that we live in a free country, but if our country is so called â€Å"free,† how come paying for an education isn’t? The most important in my case and many low income students is trying to attend college and being able to pay without going into debt. I find myself, since 2010, hearing the same stories of previous college graduate, who have gone into debt by the time they reached their sophomore year of college. Excited to venture out†¦show more content†¦The student loan debt has reached up to $1.2 trillion in federal debt; student loans are the second highest consumer debt. A quick economics lesson, the national deb t causes many consequences when our economy isn’t functioning in the level it should be, it causes our economic growth to slow down and therefore less jobs are available and it causes interest rates to rise. According to Chris Denhart, it’s safer to receive federal loans rather than private loans. Federal student loans are easier to pay and much rather safer, because federal loans are based on the income of the student, they have fixed interest rates, and don’t have to start paying until nine months later, â€Å"making them a much safer loan for students to take.† (1) On the contrary, with private loans that isn’t the case. â€Å"Private loans have done away with late fees, and in fine print have redefined the right to claim default on the loan after missing a single payment,† (1) what does that mean? Simple, you can’t afford to miss a payment and if you do prepare to have a bad credit. A result of bad credit would lead to negative ef fects in the future as well. By having bad credit students in the long run won’t be able to invest in a house, a car, a business, etc., which would leave the economy without any money coming in. As a nation, we need more college graduates in order to stay competitive in the global economy,†Show MoreRelatedCollege Is Worth The Expense946 Words   |  4 Pages College is worth the expense. You have a higher earning potential. When you finish school, you have the necessary skills to land that good paying job. Many people have aspirations of owning things, such as owning cars or homes. Ownership is an expense not many can afford, but so many wish to achieve. Well paying jobs tend to take care of their employees. For example, higher paying jobs give their employees more benefits and vacation time: to stay healthy and well-rested. So they perform betterRead MoreIs College Still Worth The Expense?921 Words   |  4 Pagesthemselves asking is college still worth the expense? With tuition continuing to sky rocket each year. Textbooks with their outrageous sales tax. It adds up, that I am sure of. So again is it really worth it? I say, yes. College changes and shapes individuals in ways unimaginable. Whether you attend college or go immediately into the workforce, many recognize the amazing opportunities college has to offer its students. In high school, high school opens doors for college. In college, college unlocks opportunitiesRead MoreIs College Worth the Expense? Essay examples1193 Words   |  5 Pageshas helped the US rise economically and industrially. Today, the US is in the middle of the same debate- this time, over college. Some, like David Leonhardt, a columnist for the business section of The New York Times, think a college education creates success in any job. Others, such as Christopher Beha, an author and assistant editor of Harper’s Magazine, believe that some college â€Å"education† (like that of for-profit schools) is a waste of time, and can even be harmful to students. Each stance on thisRead MoreAmerica Needs High School Incentive Programs To Help Students Pay College Expenses2284 Words   |  10 Pagesthe most money. Most of these jobs ne ed to make it so a higher education like college is needed to be able to even make it in the field. College is not by any means cheap, depending on what college is chosen, yes it can be less money but it is still thousands of dollars by the time the degree is earned. Many people that want to go to college cannot afford it, therefore cannot reach the dream job. In order to make college accessible to those who are truly deserving, incentive programs such as offeringRead MoreCollege Expenses : The True Nightmare1669 Words   |  7 Pages College Expenses: The True Nightmare As a child, the road to adulthood seems like a beautiful dream. They could not wait to be adults and earn the pride and respect they rightfully deserved as children. As we grew older, we became more frightful of being adult. There was no joy to having to pay taxes. We couldn’t find happiness in our debts. Growing up meant having an education forced onto them, but after the mandatory years were done, we had to pay for an education society deemed as necessary.Read MoreQuestions On Financial Expenses For College Students1102 Words   |  5 Pagesthat impending students should consider, they are: 1. NCLEX: Successful passing rates. Scores are granted from 0 to 100% passing. A rate of 90 % or more is a good indicator of the success of the graduating students. 2. Tuition Costs: Financial expenses can steer you in one direction over another. 3. Length of program: Length of the program can realize one’s goals according to one’s timetable. 4. Class size: Whether you like a lecture type of classes or smaller more personal, this decision isRead MoreSchool Social Workers Should Be Paid For Their College Expenses1694 Words   |  7 Pagesthem to apply (Perez, 2010). Scholarships are the main resource that undocumented students use to pay for their college expenses (Educators for Fair Consideration, 2011). Many organizations, such as the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, have organized extensive lists of scholarships specifically for undocumented students (Perez, 2010). There are also private colleges that offer undocumented students full scholarships (Perez, 2010). School social workers should discuss with careerRead MoreFinancial Analysis of Lee College1527 Words   |  7 PagesFinancial Analysis of Lee College Not-for-profit organizations are required to produce financial statements that provide information about their financial position and performance. Lee College is a private, not-for-profit college that prepares its financial statements in accordance to the accounting standards of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). I will prepare a Statement of Activities, a Statement of Unrestricted Revenues, Expenses, and Other Changes inRead MoreSample Resume : Sports Program1000 Words   |  4 Pagesorganize participants, programs, costs of equipment and merchandise etc. as well as calculate the over all expenses within the year of the program. Per those requirements, all revenues, expenses and capitalized expenditures on behalf of this men and woman track and field program, including those by outside supplies, are reported on annually. We hope to break even after calculating all our expenses. Recreation or Sport Program My program is in the Public council sector and it is organized by the governmentRead MoreThe Warehouse Group And The Salvation Army And Waikato Tainui1206 Words   |  5 PagesWaikato stretch as far as the Waikato River. They want to enhance the local iwi and tribe to bring the locals closer together. They are split up into 4 entities and they focus on the iwi’s land, river, property and research for the local Waikato-Tainui College (Waikato Tainui, n.d.). Types of Info Most of the Information that the Warehouse group shares in their report is financial. A vast majority is made up of their statements. This would be because they would have thousands of transactions going through

Monday, December 23, 2019

Debating Sex and Gender and After Identity - 1479 Words

Name: Professor: Course: Date: In Debating Sex and Gender and After Identity, Dr. Warnke presents various arguments that demonstrate how sex, gender, and race are all social constructs. Do you agree or disagree with her argument, and why? Concepts of sex, gender and race in English language have undergone uncountable naturalization and universalities, to a point that they are now considered to have always been present. There are numerous arguments that revolve around the three concepts of human diversity. Dr. Warnke for example argues that the three concepts above are social constructs (Warnke 153). This paper is in the light of Dr Warnke’s argument but rather disagrees with her argument about sex, gender and race as†¦show more content†¦Social organization of people into identifiable groups is more likely than terming sex a social construct. The society’s role of creating sex as Dr. Warnke claims therefore becomes sidelined by this fact. Borrowing evidence from literacy and entertainment works can help establish what or what is not constructed by the society in relation to race, sex and gender. A book by the title â€Å"Black Like Me† and the famous story of Billy Tipton depicts that fact. Billy Tipton was a famous musician who was all along thought to be a male (Warnke 162). Upon dying, it was established that this musician was actually female. The interesting bit of it is that Billy Tipton got married twice to women. This secret was discovered only after death. If it was the role of the society to construct sex and gender, then the case of this musician could have been identified earlier and no secrets would be underlying. Since sex and gender are not social constructs as claimed by Dr. Warnke, it follows suit that it would be hard for similar cases as that of Billy Tipton to be identified. However, race or ethnicity as a social construction is evidenced by the fact that this musician actually identifi ed with a given race or ethnic group although the sex and gender aspect of the same person was comprised,Show MoreRelatedDebating Sex and Gender and After Identity1486 Words   |  6 PagesName: Professor: Course: Date: In Debating Sex and Gender and After Identity, Dr. Warnke presents various arguments that demonstrate how sex, gender, and race are all social constructs. Do you agree or disagree with her argument, and why? Concepts of sex, gender and race in English language have undergone uncountable naturalization and universalities, to a point that they are now considered to have always been present. There are numerous arguments that revolve around the three conceptsRead MoreThe Effects of Hormones and Behavior on Gender Identity1598 Words   |  7 PagesThe effects of hormones and behavior on gender identity PSY 340 February 14, 2010 The effects of hormones and behavior on gender identity The formation of gender identity is not completely understood as it is much more complex than just getting a sperm and egg cell to join; an XX or an XY genotype is only the first part in gender identity. There are many biological, psychological and sociological factors involved. The biological includes chromosomes, gonads, prenatal hormones, internal accessoryRead MorePersuasive Speech: Gay Adoption800 Words   |  4 Pagesas well as un-married couples to adopt. On the surface, this seems like solely a gay rights issue, and though it most definitely is, there is also an underlying issue that many people tend to overlook. That issue is the children themselves. People debating this hot topic tend to overlook that because they are so against homosexuals, they are actually harming hundreds of children all over the United States. 2. MAIN POINTS AND SUBPOINTS (15): Stated in full sentences I. As a rapidly changingRead MoreMedia s Influence On Media1543 Words   |  7 PagesSocial media publicizes a substantial amount of messages about identity and acceptable ways to express gender, sexuality and ones lifestyle, but at the same time, the viewers have their own differing feelings about the issues. The media may suggest certain feelings and actions, but the audiences feelings can never overpower self-expression completely. The media portrays certain things because it is what is being accepted. Neither parties, these being the media and its audience, have full power overRead More Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberties: Essay1558 Words   |  7 PagesIn the United States, legalization of same-sex marriage has a long-standing history of opposition from religious circles. Some argue against the legalization of same-sex marriage based on their interpretation of the Bible’s stance against homosexuality (Dobson, O’Brien). Other opponents argue against the pra ctice based on universal tenets of moral behavior, fundamental beliefs that are said to underpin our country’s existing laws and should not be eroded (George, Finnis, Friedman). IncreasinglyRead MoreSocial Learning Theory And Cognitive Developmental Theory2898 Words   |  12 PagesAbstract Gender roles are the socially characteristic activities that men and women engage in with different constancy. It can be challenging for either a male or female being trapped in a body they are no longer comfortable with. Negative attitudes toward transgender persons may result in transphobia as well as discriminatory treatment of transgender individuals. This gender identity disorder can be due to social influences as well as within one’s household. At younger ages it is believed that kidsRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol And Drugs On Children3325 Words   |  14 Pagesdue to their unpredictability and risk taking behaviors. Many studies focus on their behaviors in regards to sex and alcohol. In this study, we will be looking at the effect of alcohol and drugs on a person’s ability to deny sexual advances as well as the gender differences between these abilities. Unlike other studies, we will be focusing on the actual ability to deny sex as well as the gender difference s, which, to the best of our knowledge, has not been studied yet. This study is important becauseRead MoreWomen Of Hip Hop Culture Essay1723 Words   |  7 Pageshave decided to consume hip hop regardless of the sexism and machismo of their rap artist spouses. Historically, black women who have sex with other women haven’t been recognized in the Black community. Also, the expectations are the same in hip hop culture because men reject lesbians. An example is the murder in 2003 of Sakia Gunn after she declared her lesbian identity to a group of males. We all know that in hip hop culture men predominate and precisely masculine. Women can achieve a higher professionalRead MoreMusic and Race Essay1522 Words   |  7 Pagesspiritual depth of society, make sure to mark its music.† Generally performer collaborate songs to represent the popular pop culture, and social issues, and wish for their society as well as their current era. For instance, controversial issues such as sex, violence, racism and discrimination has been represented through many musical genres including the blues, RB, Disco/Funk, and Hip hop. When comparing previous historical periods to our current era, one can see tremendous differences in how they areRead MoreEssay The Catholic Church and Its Views on Homosexuality3784 Words   |  16 PagesClemens, who is close to seventy, retired from the Kingston, Ontario diocese after 33 years of service and moved to Toronto to advocate for the city’s gay village. Clemens stated that he was as prepared to handle the inevitable backlash from the Church and some of its followers as he was when he declared his sexual orientation in 2005, and strongly believes that homosexuals deserve to exercise their right to enter into same-sex marriage. (Weese) It is currently estimated that 1 to 3% of the population

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Five Forces Model U.S. Automobile Industry Free Essays

Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model is a model used to analyze a particular environment of an industry. An industry is a group of firms that market products which are close substitutes for each other, such as the automobile industry. According to Porter, there are five forces that determine an industry’s long-run profitability and attractiveness. We will write a custom essay sample on Five Forces Model: U.S. Automobile Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now These five competitive forces are the threat of entry of new competitors, or new entrants; the threat of substitutes; the bargaining power of buyers; the bargaining power of suppliers, and the degree of rivalry between existing competitors. In the auto manufacturing industry, the threat of new entrants is generally very low. For this threat, factors to examine include all barriers to entry such as upfront capital requirements since it costs a lot to set up a car manufacturing facility. They also need to look at brand equity since a new firm may have none. Also, legislation and government policy are considered and this includes safety, EPA, and emissions. Finally, they’ll look at the ability to distribute the product. The emergence of foreign competitors with the capital, management skills, and required technologies began to undermine the market share of North American companies. The bargaining power of suppliers must be examined. Historically, the bargaining power of automakers went unchallenged. The American consumer, however, became undeceived with many of the products being offered by some auto companies and began looking for alternatives, particularly foreign cars. On the other hand, while consumers can be very price sensitive, they do not hold much buying power since they never purchase a large volume of cars. If buyers can look at the competition or other comparable products, and switch easily, there may be a high threat competitive rivalry. The switching cost is high with new cars because you can’t sell a brand new car for the same price you paid for it. You also need to look at public transportation and the likelihood of people taking the bus, train or airplane to get around. The higher the cost of operating a vehicle, the more likely people will look for alternative transportation options. The price of gasoline has a big impact on consumers’ decisions to buy vehicles as well. SUV’s and trucks have higher profit margins, but they also consume more gas compared to smaller sedans and light trucks. Product differentiation is important too since there are usually many cars that are similar. The automobile supply business tends to have many firms. Many suppliers rely on one or two automakers to buy a majority of their products. If an automaker decided to switch suppliers, it could be devastating to the previous supplier’s business. So, suppliers are extremely susceptible to the demands and requirements of the automobile manufacturer and hold very little power. But some suppliers are small firms who rely on the carmakers, and may only have one carmaker as a client. So this can be a tricky force to evaluate. In most countries, all auto makers are engaged in fierce competition. Price slashes, product developments, and ad campaigns keep them on the edge of innovation and profitability. Margins are low and pressure between rivals is high. Highly competitive industries generally earn low returns because the cost of competition is high. The automobile industry is considered to be an oligopoly, which helps to minimize the effects of price-based competition. The automakers understand that price-based competition does not necessarily lead to increases in the size of the marketplace. In the past, they have tried to avoid price-based competition, but more recently the competition has intensified – rebates, preferred financing and long-term warranties have helped attract customers, but they also put pressure on the profit margins for vehicle sales. Works Cited CarFreaks. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis of the Automobile Industry. 24 January 2010. 13 October 2011 http://www. carfreaks. info/content/porters-five-forces-analysis-automobile-industry. Hitt, Michael A. , Duane Ireland and Robert E. Hoskisson. Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization: Concepts, Ninth Edition. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2011. Investopedia. The Industry Handbook: Automobiles. 2011. 13 October 2011 http://www. investopedia. com/features/industryhandbook/automobile. asp# How to cite Five Forces Model: U.S. Automobile Industry, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Cultural Imperialism in Ake free essay sample

In the advancement of European empires, the widespread approach to colonizing foreign lands was through violence. The Europeans would arrive in new territories with their sophisticated weapons and ideals, and would forcibly subjugate the indigenous people. However, in the instance of the English colonization of Nigeria’s town Ake, the English colonists implemented colonization through cultural imperialism. The English began implementing their process of cultural imperialism through converting the people of Ake into their religion, Christianity. The English, like most colonizing countries, understood that influencing the Nigerian people would come much easier once they were under religious control. The English utilized the brilliant ploy of employing Nigerians to spread Christianity to their own people. The Nigerians who compromised and promoted English concepts were rewarded for their deeds. For example Wole Soyinka’s family was rewarded by being given the security of a parsonage. However, this was actually given as a result of Essay’s contribution to the spread of English education, through his position as headmaster of the school. We will write a custom essay sample on Cultural Imperialism in Ake or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Education, therefore, became another aspect of English culture used to promote cultural imperialism in Ake. The Nigerians were made to assimilate many English ideals through the education process, which commenced at a young age. The English also required the Nigerians to study their language. By teaching the people of Ake English, the English colonists were able to engrave their ideals into them. The education system furthermore was able to be used to keep a watchful eye on the students, and to control the mindsets of the best and brightest of them. This use of cultural imperialism helped prevent Nigerian intellectuals from becoming political opponents. The English accomplished this by having a government school for advanced students. Although the English didn’t openly colonize the Nigerians through violence, there was a subtle form of violence often used to inscribe English beliefs through education and religion. For example Wole Soyinka had Christian beliefs beat into him by the frequent use of â€Å"the rod† at home, and English manners impressed upon him by principal Daodu’s use of â€Å"the rod† at school. Additionally, the English colonists imparted the technological cultural luxuries of electricity and the radio on Wole’s family. This made them even more dependent on English ways. The installation of the radio into the Soyinka household played an important role of cultural imperialism by introducing the English culture directly into their home. The media can have an incredible influence on a society. As mentioned in the The Years of Childhood, Essay and his friends became obsessed with listening to the news on the radio. Thus the English were now capable of distorting daily events by controlling the news. An important incentive for Europeans to colonize in Africa was taxation, so it too was used to implement cultural imperialism. The wealth accumulated through taxation was a main factor in the economic success of European nations. Taxation was particularly harsh on Ake’s women. This was so much so that the Nigerians started an uprising to abolish taxes on women. As the English knew, to keep the men of a country under control, they first had to satisfy the country’s women and ultimately agreed to abolish the taxation on women.