Sunday, November 24, 2019

Supply Chain Automotive Industry Essay Example

Supply Chain Automotive Industry Essay Example Supply Chain Automotive Industry Paper Supply Chain Automotive Industry Paper Abstract While sometimes characterized as â€Å"stable† the World automotive industry continues to experience dynamic change- change that sweeps across national borders. These changes have struck in particular, the U. S and the Japanese automotive industries. To succeed, auto manufacturers must manage large and complex supply chains, spanning many geographic regions, and pursue opportunities in diverse national markets. While national policies play an important role in shaping the environment for local manufacturing operations and resulting products, cost competition increasingly drives the industry toward global product offerings. This report explores several important dimensions of the forces of change facing the U. S. and the Japanese auto industry. We will present a comparison between the Asian and North American automobile manufacturing practices and in particular, the two companies, Ford and Honda Motors. A comparison will be made between the two markets on how each handles product varieties, their delivery methods from the factory to consumers, as well as the markets channels used. A comprehensive study is made to compare the automobile product varieties in the two regions and explain how customer choices and the effect of competition have led to this diversification in the products. The importance of marketing channels has gone largely unnoticed. For this purpose, marketing channel strategies will be discussed in detail. The relationships among suppliers, customers and logistics service providers will also be analyzed, in other words, the sourcing and the in-bound supply strategies. North America Asian ? Ford Motors â€Å"Ford Taurus† ?Honda Motor â€Å"Honda Accord† Table 1: North American and Asian automakers to be analyzed in this project These two models have been chosen based on the annual report posted at the corporate sites for both companies. Honda Corporate site shows that Honda Accord achieved its highest sales recently. The choice of Ford Taurus comes from the many similarities it has with Honda Accord concerning its size, price and de mands. iii 1. Introduction U. S. Sales of Honda Automobiles (by Model) Worldwide vehicle production ability is growing today more rapidly than it has in the last 20 or 30 years, and this has interesting implications for the world’s auto makers. Clearly most automobile manufacturers are very optimistic about the willingness of consumers to buy up this capacity. While environmental issues exist, they are not being factored into investment decisions about increases in car production capacity. At present, the world has the capability of producing 15 to 20 million more vehicles than it is currently buying. The last four years have been extraordinary for U. S. auto companies, earning them every year between 13 and 14 billion dollars. This is not bad financial performance for an industry that was viewed as dead in 1990, when both GM and Chrysler were on the verge of filing bankruptcy. This year again will be an outstanding year both for Ford and GM. In examining how the Japanese and U. S. auto industries have changed and adjusted to adversity, we find that the turnaround of the Japanese industry has had more to do with the value of the currency than it has had to do with fundamental change for several companies. While Japanese automobile companies have suffered fairly staggering losses over the last few years, both 2001 and 2002 showed improvement because of the stronger dollar. What happened to Japanese manufacturers during the bubble economy? First, all had huge, very unrealistic expectations about where the Japanese market was going. Japan is as saturated with motor vehicles as the United States, and yet during the last few years virtually every Japanese automaker built another factory to expand capacity and maintain market share. Companies rationalized this massive increase in capacity by believing that somehow their company’s market share would grow and another company’s market share would shrink. But that theory works only if there are other companies around willing to give up market share. This, of course, is no longer the case; the world has changed and it has changed very dramatically. ?1 In the case of the U. S. industry, however, substantial fundamental changes have occurred within the automobile companies themselves, allowing them to reduce excess capacity and in the process adjust their break-even points. Over the last decade and a half, for example, Ford has closed enough capacity and start to invade the Japanese markets. In terms of productivity in the factory, Japanese also have benefited from very close relationships with suppliers. In fact, they were able to get new cars on the market every four years, mainly because their suppliers were linked to the automobile company in familial relationships that entrusted the supplier to do a great deal of the engineering work for the manufacturer. In effect, the Japanese shifted a lot of their fixed costs onto their suppliers and became variable cost assemblers. That has been hard to replicate outside Japan because U. S. automobile companies were very highly vertically integrated. But companies such as GM and Ford are no longer as vertically integrated. The company is getting rid of this business, pushing the engineering responsibilities onto their suppliers. In sum, supplier relationships in the United States are firming up and look very much like the structure in Japan. Parts manufacturers now have specific expertise and technical capability to absorb engineering work from the auto companies. As a result, companies are now looking to five-year product cycles. Suddenly what factors things that have distinguished Japanese auto manufacturers in the past and enabled them to gain market share are being matched by U. S. and European companies. So what constitutes competitive advantage? For a long time the Japanese were able to offset their excess capacity at home with higher exports throughout the world but that export potential is no longer there, especially with regard to the developed markets of North America and Western Europe. And in most markets of the developing world, the growth of home auto industries has hampered the ability of Japanese manufacturers to shift surplus capacity away from Japan. Even though exports are up substantially this year because of the weak yen, they are no where near the levels of a few years ago and certainly not high enough to absorb the excess capacity. Another trend influencing the automotive industry is consumer preference for certain features. Consumers are choosing safety (e. g. , airbags, antilock brake systems) with amenities (e. g. air conditioners, powerful engines, power steering, and compact disc players) over vehicles whose primary appeal is size and interior space. Factors influencing customer choices are performance, suitability to personal needs, and family lifestyle, safety, comfort, and appearance. Consumers are showing a taste for the practical, as embodied in the Toyota Camry and the Ford Taurus, both top sellers in the medium price range. Japanese automaker s, however, have 2 increased market share in the United States through new â€Å"luxury† nameplates: Lexus, Infiniti, and Acura. In addition, previously â€Å"compact† models such as Toyota’s Camry and Honda’s Accord have become larger and more luxurious. One of the most critical issues for the automotive industry today is competitiveness in cost, quality, and product offerings. Companies cannot survive in today’s market if they neglect any of these areas. Since that time, differences between the United States and Japan in productivity and quality have shrunk and effectively disappeared in new product development lead time, pointing to a dramatic overall improvement in the competitive position. Trends in the practices of the foreign competitors show an important part of the overall picture. Japanese trends show a strong emphasis on total product quality (e. g. , Honda, Infiniti), perhaps at the expense of lead time and development productivity (total engineering hours per development project). However, in part because of the rise in the value of the yen, the pendulum between â€Å"cost is no object† quality and cost-effectiveness is rapidly swinging toward the latter. Nevertheless, the Japanese demonstrate a strong command of the link between product design and lean production. The automobile is one of the most complex consumer products in existence. The automotive manufacturing process serves as the â€Å"moment of truth† for the entire design, development, supply chain, and manufacturing process. If the parts do not fit when the manufacturer attempts to put them together, the system has a defect that must be tracked down and eliminated. Thus, auto companies focus a great deal of attention on understanding and improving the manufacturing process. Across the world auto industry, the differences in regional averages in quality, productivity, and diversity are declining. Within regions, however, the variance in performance is high, with large gaps between the best and worst plants. Quality performance trends are similar to those for productivity. Much of the quality gap between Japanese companies and their American and European competitors has been closed. However, the variation among plants in each regional group is large. The greatest improvement is shown by European plants and by Ford plants in North America. While this improvement closed much of the quality gap with Japanese competitors, Japanese plants improved in Japan and in North America. The North American transplants have eliminated any gap in quality performance with their sister plants in Japan. As far as talking about the flexibility in manufacturing, the strategic advantages (the ability to assemble multiple product lines in a single plant) have been widely discussed over the past 3 decade. Companies that are able to produce a variety of products in their manufacturing plants have a number of advantages. Such plants are an important resource for a company with a product development strategy of high variety. In addition, flexibility enables plants to respond more effectively to changes in their competitive environment. The manufacturing plants with the highest levels of product variety have typically been those that produce many different models for export- Japanese plants in Japan and European plants. Ford plants in North America have typically been dedicated to one or a few models. The Japanese transplants started their operations in North America with low product variety while they established their production system philosophy and have slowly increased variety over time. The Japanese and U. S. utomotive industries operate differently. Japanese manufacturers typically ask suppliers regardless of location or national origin-to assume more responsibility for engineering design. In many cases, the Japanese automakers do not own patent rights to the designs for the parts they use, so that the parts suppliers must be quite specific. By contrast, American automakers usually provide detaile d designs and ask suppliers to bid on a part. We come here to the most important point in our project; the supply chain policies. The world’s automotive manufacturing sector consists primarily of about 20 very large multinational corporations. The automotive supply sector, however, comprises thousands of firms ranging in size from a few employees to more than 100,000. Drawing conclusions about such a large and diverse sector is much more difficult than for the manufacturing sector. Best practice in automotive supply chain management involves close, trusting relationships with long-standing suppliers that are intimately involved with the development and production of the components and subsystems they provide. In the past five years, Chrysler has aggressively incorporated those findings into its modus operandi, GM has largely rejected that hilosophy, and Ford has settled somewhere in between. On the surface, the advice to improve partnerships along the supply chain, drawn largely from Japanese practices, seems to have significantly helped Ford on its return to growth and profitability. At the same time, Honda insists on exerting extreme price pressure on its suppliers and aggressively negotiating division of the returns to innovations in supplied parts and subsystems. Automotive distribution and retailing were once given little attention because they were viewed as adjunct to the core business of engineering and manufacturing vehicles. However, in the past several decades, the pressures on the industry to make its factories and product development processes more efficient have spilled over into the distribution and retailing (post manufacturing) sectors- cutting profit margins and causing significant restructuring in the 4 distribution and retail industry base. This restructuring, although quite significant, has attracted much less attention than the manufacturing sector’s changes because it involves no dramatic dislocation of people, jobs, or economic base. These downstream segments of the supply chain are experiencing a shift from being capital intensive (focused on inventory investment) and people intensive (sales forces) to being more information intensive (having the right vehicle in the right place at the right time). Due to greater flexibility of labor and capital in the post manufacturing markets, this conversion from physical logistics to information logistics is shifting the power and leverage in the supply chain toward economic agents that are highly entrepreneurial and flexible. These economic forces have reduced the number of dealers in the United States (now approximately 22,000) and are expected to continue doing so. More important than the absolute dealer count is the trend toward segmentation of the many industries that make up distribution. Unlike the small group of relatively tightly organized supply chains, the post manufacturing sector is a much looser collection of organizations that are not so centrally focused around the automaker. The combination of high national productivity and the relative decrease in value of the dollar against the yen and the deutsche mark has made the United States a more attractive manufacturing site for foreign automakers. This development has provided a new source of investment, jobs, and training for Americans. Moreover, the transplant assemblers are significantly influencing the U. S. automotive supply base, both by encouraging traditional Japanese and German suppliers to set up transplant operations and by inciting the traditional U. S. suppliers to become more competitive. These improvements to the supply base, driven in part by the Japanese transplants, in turn benefit the American automobile manufacturing companies. The Japanese-transplant assemblers in North America have continued to expand their production and are now approaching a volume of three million cars and light trucks per year. The transplants represent an enormous positive economic impact for the United States, compared with having that many vehicles imported from Japan, for example. These investments have helped the Japanese companies as well, which would be in far deeper trouble had they not diversified their manufacturing base outside the high-priced labor and parts markets in Japan. The displacement of the automobile manufacturing industries employment and production with transplant production is more difficult to assess. In the main, it has decreased the financial and market dominance of the American auto industry, although none are currently threatened with survival concerns. It has also affected the geography of automotive employment within the United States. The combination of high national productivity and the relative decrease in value of the dollar against the yen and the deutsche mark has made the United States a more attractive 5 manufacturing site for foreign automakers. This development has provided a new source of investment, jobs, and training for Americans. Moreover, the transplant assemblers are significantly influencing the U. S. automotive supply base, both by encouraging traditional Japanese and German suppliers to set up transplant operations and by inciting the traditional U. S. suppliers to become more competitive. Japanese companies have constructed manufacturing facilities in many industries in the United States, including the automobile and electronics industries in recent years. However, it is the automobile parts industry that is currently perceived as being under siege. Nearly 50 Japanese automotive parts suppliers have constructed facilities here since 1979, most of them clustered around new Japanese automobile assembly plants in California, Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois. Hundreds more suppliers are reportedly planning American plants in the next few years and local governments throughout the United States are competing vigorously for them. Local government officials view the Japanese plants as a major source of investment, employment, and tax revenues for their communities. However, despite the warm welcome given the Japanese parts manufacturers by local communitiesand especially by the unemployed in those communitiesthey are resented by some of their American competitors. A subgroup of American auto parts manufacturers feels it is being discriminated against by U. S. -based Japanese automakers that prefer to purchase some of their parts from Japanese suppliers. In short, the industry subgroup feels it is being discriminated against because it is American, not because it cannot produce auto parts as well as Japanese companies can. In America, Honda introduced just-in-time parts delivery and rolling-model changes, which allows production of the old model right up until production of the new model begins. This approach continues to put customers first. The truth is that the customers will not just drive Hondas – they will drive Honda with their expectations. Another Honda difference is their flexibility. Honda plants have always been able to build more than one model on the same line. Recently Honda implemented an even more flexible manufacturing system that increases the speed and efficiency when introducing new models. Honda’s New Manufacturing System does this by standardizing production capabilities among its plants worldwide. This makes the shift within a plant to new model production less complex and more cost efficient.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Assess the role of the United States in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Has Essay

Assess the role of the United States in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Has it been a blessing A curse A mixed-bag What, if anything, should change - Essay Example This was supposed to build on the positive steps towards peace of the earlier 1978 Camp David Accords where President Jimmy Carter was able to broker a peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. The Oslo Accords of 1993 between the later assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat had provided that agreement should be reached on all outstanding issues between the Palestinians and Israeli sides within five years of the implementation of Palestinian autonomy. However, the interim process put in place under Oslo had fulfilled neither Israeli nor Palestinian expectations, and Arafat argued that the summit was premature. But the Americans decided to strongly involve themselves in this process. On July 11, the Camp David 2000 Summit convened, but it ended without an agreement. Everyone said they would continue negotiating, but the impetus was lost. The second intifada changed things, and made the Americans less wary of engaging. President Busy was a lot less interested in the Arab-Israeli conflict that President Clinton. This is more evidence of the sometimes fickle nature of the American government actions in the region. What this conflict needs is sustained attention; it has not received this. Clinton, who promised Arafat that no one would be blamed if the talks failed, did, in fact, blame Arafat after the failure of the talks, stating, "I regret that in 2000 Arafat missed the opportunity to bring that nation into being and pray for the day when the dreams of the Palestinian people for a state and a better life will be realized in a just and lasting peace." The failure to come to an agreement was widely attributed to Yasser Arafat, as he walked away from the table without making a concrete counter-offer and because Arafat did little to quell the series of

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Should the government intervene in the OTC markets, pros and cons and Research Paper

Should the government intervene in the OTC markets, pros and cons and US versus Canada - Research Paper Example Securities traded in this market are not listed on the organized stock exchanges such as the Nasdaq Stock market. Some securities that are traded in the over the counter markets include common stocks, bonds, and derivatives such as forward contracts and interest rate swaps. OTC market is conducted through brokers and dealers thus is a negotiated market where trading is carried out through computer systems and telephone conversations (Poitras 61). The securities traded on OTC market are usually small since the issuers have not met the listing requirements. Though Nasdaq trades through a network of dealers, it is not an OTC market but an organized stock exchange market where trading is carried out on the floor (Poitras 73). Each year, billions of dollars are exchanged in the OTC market. OTC market mainly consists of derivative financial assets such as the forward contracts, interest rate swaps and options. The derivative market has experienced a phenomenal growth since 2000. Derivative instruments were designed for the agricultural industry to hedge the farmers against crop failure, or expected price movements. Derivative contracts have been extended to the main sectors of the economy including oil industry, gold markets and financial sector. Derivatives have the potential of hedging against unforeseen risks and price moments but are subject to abuse by greedy investors (Wood 67). The Commodity Future Trading commission has the mandate of regulating the derivatives market including derivatives traded in the stock exchanges. The derivatives traded in the exchange markets account for $ 334 trillion each year meaning the value of the underlying assets involved is also $ 334 trillion. The main derivatives in the exchange markets are options and future contracts. However, most of the derivative instruments do not trade on the exchange markets, but are transacted in the OTC market. Each year, $ 684 trillion of underlying assets are traded in the OTC market where most of the derivative assets traded include the interest rate swaps, currency swaps, credit default swaps, commodity indexes and exchange rate swaps (Madura 90). Derivative contracts have one similar feature since their value depends on the price movements of the underlying asset (Wood 87). The underlying asset may be a physical commodity or a stock market index or the rate of interest prevailing in the mar ket. Derivative instruments such as options, swaps and future or forward contracts lose or gain value as the underlying asset changes in value even though the holder of the derivative may not be the owner of the underlying asset (Madura 117). Millions of business firms use the derivative instruments to manage foreign exchange risks. Firms protect their profitability against the raw material price increase by entering in to a derivative contract that automatically increases in value when price of the raw material increase. For instance, Southwest Airlines managed to purchase jet fuel at lower prices in 2008 when the energy prices were soaring since it had entered in to a derivative position (Madura 198). Generally, there are two categories of derivative contracts. The first is the option contract that providers the option holder the choice of buying or selling the underlying asset over a certain period of time. The other is the future contract, this contract obligates the holder to b uy or sell the underlying asset on the expiry of the contract period. All other derivatives such as options and swaps have evolved from the above two derivative contrac

Monday, November 18, 2019

Capital Punishment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Capital Punishment - Research Paper Example The final results were seven votes for Georgia Supreme Court and two votes against. The court in a seven to two decision stated that a death penalty did not violate the Eight and the Fourteenth Amendment under all circumstances. In extreme cases, when the defendant has been convicted of killing another person in a deliberate fashion, the appropriateness of death penalty is robust, provided it is carefully employed. There was an assurance of death penalty statute in Georgia’s Supreme Court by several jury findings as associated with the severity of the crime and the nature of the defendant as well as a comparison with each of the circumstances of the capital sentences. The court stated that capital punishment imposition with careful scrutiny acted as a useful deterrent to future capital crimes and that it was a proper means of the social retribution against the most serious offenders (Gregg v. Georgia, 1975). If the main concept behind death penalty is to put the dead person to justice, then no form of genteel behavior should be shown to the condemned person. â€Å"If our motive in executions is revenge or even instant punishment, let's let the bastards suffer as much as possible. â€Å"Let them fry," as some proponents of capital punishment say. Why bother to put them to sleep?† (R.E.B., 1996, p.2) It is also stated in the article that Americans favor capital punishment even if by a small margin. It must also be mentioned that there were some instances where seven innocent men were awarded the sentence but were set free after spending considerable time in prison (R.E.B., 1996, p.2). In a separate case of McCleskey v. Kemp (1987), McClesky was a black man who was convicted of killing... This essay describes the controversial issue of the capital punishment that is present in modern society today. The researcher describes the history of the capital punishment in different countries and cultures as well as debates on the necessity of such possibility. The researcher states that death sentence is an arguable phenomenon in our times, but it can become the only form of imparting justice in some rarest of the events. Though it may appear immoral and uncivilized in the high tech society of today, it helps in sending a strong message to the society. In some cases, the capital punishment also helps in relieving the inmate of the agony to wait for years deciding his fate. The essay presents that there are instances where people had begged to be executed as a form of moral liberation for their sins, and in of the cases discussed in this essay by the researcher, there is an instance of pure discrimination. As it is also mentioned in the essay as the highest form of all punishme nts, the jury needs to be extremely careful in awarding its sentences. It is important that no innocent must be killed for the sake of protecting the law. Justice must be done fairly at all times, considering both the defendant and the prosecution sides. It is also concluded by the researcher that death sentences are awarded to cleanse the society of social evils. It is also important to remember that the jury needs to ensure that it does not send a wrong signal to the society by building a silent anger amongst the people.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Wit by Margaret Edson Analysis

Wit by Margaret Edson Analysis In the play Wit by Margaret Edson, the relationships between the doctors are in need of examination. Dr. Harvey Kelekian, and Jason Posner, is morally viewed characters because of their discussions with the patient. Furthermore, the death of Vivian Bearing in the play Wit by Margaret Edson plays a role by teaching Vivian how to use compassion. In which, she could than die in more of a peaceful manner. The doctors help Vivian fight the battle against ovarian cancer and ultimately revealing that kindness is a simple reward of action (Edson, 2012). However, the lack of compassion that Vivian receives from the doctors reveals that she is like all humans, who long for kindness. Dr. Jason forgot his bedside manners in a clinical manner showing how he feels for Vivian (Edson, 2012). Dr. Jason would not properly greet Vivian during her examination process for the treatment of ovarian cancer and left her stomach uncovered, she was not properly diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which left her unstablized. Vivian felt that there is no respect for her, she is sarcastic towards Dr. Jason and makes comments towards Dr. Jason because he does not show some consideration for her. Vivian rejects Susie the nurse, who is kind to her and eventually becomes appreciative of the kindness that the nurse shows her during her stay in the hospital for chemotherapy; the nurse cares for Vivians wellbeing and cares for her physically. Furthermore, the nurse does whatever she can to make Vivians stay in the hospital comfortable. Vivians nurse has every intent to be straightforward with her and her disapproval of her doctors choices. Due to honesty and respect, Vivian befriended Susie and the only person in the entire play she let close to her. With phrases such as I wanted her to come and see me (Edson, p. 64). The play takes place during the final hours of Dr. Vivian Bearing, a university professor of English, dying of ovarian cancer. Vivian recalls the initial diagnosis of stage 1V metastatic ovarian cancer from her oncologist Dr. Harvey Kelekian. The doctor than proposes an experimental chemotherapeutic treatment regimen consisting of eight rounds at full dosage (Edson, 2012). Over the course of the play, Vivian reflects on her life through the intricacies of the english language, especially the use of Wit in the metaphysical poetry of John Donne. Throughout the play, she recites Donnes Holy Sonnet X, Death be not proud, while reflecting upon her condition (Wilson, 2004). Vivian has lived her life alone, is unmarried and without children, her parents are deceased and she has no emergency contacts (Edson, 2012). Margaret Edson is about a woman dealing with her lifes issues with an uncommon approach. Edson got the idea for the plot after many hours of volunteering at a hospital (Wilson, 2009). Instead of being gloomy and negative which lead Vivians remains witty and tough during her struggle with different stages of ovarian cancer. Throughout her life, Vivian and those around her have been an active part of student mentor relationships with someone retaining to Vivians condition. Whether it was personality or behavioral changes, a change in life direction, at least one person involved in each relationship underwent a transformation (Wilson, 2009). The power and result of these relationships, serving as fundamental themes in playwrights formed one or both participants and their future goals at the times the relationships were occurring. Vivian also tried to thoroughly illustrate her point and eventually gave up trying to understand, but unconsciously comprehended her viewpoints. The important information she utilized throughout her life because of this conversation and relationship was how to better understand John Donnes pieces, allowing her to expertly teach his work (Cite). She was also able to discover the differences between different effects on his sonnets and even herself. A valuable relationship not experienced with her treatment was between Dr. Jason Posner. Vivians primary doctor Dr. Harvey Kelekian, Jason worked directly under him and always listened to his mentor and showed off what he learned in front of him. Addressing Kelekian the quizzes than regarding Vivians medicine options with the question ok, problem areas with Hex and Vin (Edson, 2012). Dr. Kelekian had pushed Jason to learn as much as he can, while also doing something beneficial to medicine. Dr. Jason was working on a research project and constructed on Vivian and the dedication to Dr. Kelekian, which his job was so strong that Jason did not realize how impersonal he was to his patient. Both doctors want to keep Vivian alive and didnt always take their individual desires and feelings into account when directly interacting with them. The play gives a visual context in comparison to the book, in which describes her as intellectual and challenged person. Thus, Vivian becomes emotional during the chemotherapy treatment. Additionally, Vivian has a Ph.D., and is a renowned professor of English who has spent years studying and teaching the brilliant, yet difficult metaphysical sonnets of John Donne. When Vivian was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer, her approach to the study has been aggressively getting worse. Comparison, of the book illustrates how the course of her illness could make a change in her life. In addition, her time at the hospital is as a prize patient at a major teaching hospital, Vivian comes to review her life and her work with a profound humor that are transformative both for her and for the audience. Thus, Vivian Bearing walks on the empty stage during the play, pushing her IV pole. She is fifty, tall and very thin, bare foot, and completely bald (Edson. p.7). Vivian describes herself in detail that she is dying and her ovarian cancer is progressively getting worse. Furthermore, she speaks with Dr. Kelekian and explains that the doctors are developing an experimental combination of drugs to help cure Vivians ovarian cancer, which is also a stage three that is moving into stage four. Thus, Dr. Kelekian then describes to Vivian that she must be very tough (Edson, p.12). Furthermore, the doctor stated that there are side effects and the treatment of chemotherapy would be good for her. The doctor than stated that she also has stage three and four metastatic ovarian cancers and there is no stage five. Furthermore, it appears to be a matter as the saying goes of life and death (Edson, p.13). Thus, Death be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for, thou art not so (Edson, p. 13). Vivian than explains that she is in isolation because she is being treated for cancer and her treatment imperils her health (Edson, p.39). Vivian also states that John Donne would revel in it, if he wrote a poem about it. She also stated that her students would flounder in it, because paradox is too difficult to understand (Edson, p.39). Every ambiguity, every shifting awareness could draw so much from the play. Now at the height of her powers, she grandly disconnects herself from the IV (Edson, p.40). Technicians remove the bed and hand her a pointer; The poetry of the early seventeenth century. What has been called the metaphysical school, considers an intractable mental puzzle by exercising the outstanding human faculty of the era, namely wit (Edson, p.40). The greatest Wit, the greatest English poet, some would say was John Donne. In the Holy Sonnets, Donne applied his capacious, agile Wit to the larger aspects of the human experience: life, death, and God (Edson, p.40). Susie than explains that the doctors like to save lives. Therefore, anything is okay, as long as life continues. It does not matter if you are hooked up to a million machines. Kelekian is a great researcher and everything like Jason has honor and wants to know more things. Susie than states that she can be full code, which means that if your heart stops, theyll call a Code Blue and the code team will come and resuscitate you and take you to Intensive Care until you stabilize again (Edson, 2012). Alternatively, you can be Do Not Resuscitate, so if your heart stops we will just let it; you will be DNR. You can think about it, but I wanted to present both choices before Kelekian and Jason talk to you (Edson, p.54). E.M. Ashford stated to Miss Bearing that you take this to lightly. Moreover, this is a metaphysical poetry, not the modern novel. In addition, The standards of scholarship and critical reading, which would apply to any other text, are simply enough for Vivian (Edson, 2012). Thus, the effort will total the results in a meaningful way of the sonnet, begins with a valiant struggle with death calling on all the forces of intellect, and vanquish the enemy (Edson, 2012). Additionally, it is ultimately about overcoming the seemingly in separable barriers separating life, death, and eternal life. At that moment, Vivian explains her death as a metaphysical conceit. Furthermore, Vivians former undergraduate student, Jason is trying casually to understand Vivian undergoing chemotherapy. Therefore, Vivian Bearing, the main character from Margaret Edsons play Wit is not like those other teachers. She is tough and nonetheless does not care about her students and their many struggles (Wilson, 2004).Thus, Her only passion is for 17th century poetry, particularly the complex sonnets of John Donne (Edson, 2012). In some parts of the play, Dr. Kelekian seems sympathetic towards Vivian leading readers to believe that he is a morally sound character. However, at some points in the play Dr. Kelekian seems to discuss Vivian as a parent asking their child to handle an adult issue (Edson, 2012). Furthermore, the doctor knows how much pain she is going through, which Vivian will be in pain during the Hex and Vin treatments. Making sure that Vivian is trying to recognize the side effects of the treatment. In question, Dr. Kelekian invites knowledge to Vivian making her feel important, although the two doctors are completely different in subjects of doctorates, while Dr. Kelekian units himself as well as Vivian as educators showing his humanity towards her (Wilson, 2009). He is steadfast about Vivians chemotherapy treatment and does not consider Vivians opinions creating a wall between them. Moreover, as Vivian goes through series of tests and ways to treat her ovarian cancer, Vivian undergoes a series of tests and then knows the prognosis is not good. However, Vivian tries to overcome her fear of hospitalization to get better. Additionally she expresses her thoughts as being a teacher and scholar specializing in the holy sonnets of John Donne. Furthermore, Vivian tries to illuminate her achievements in the world of scholarship and show what happens to her as she receives treatment of aggressive chemotherapy for eight months. What Vivian is trying to perceive is the reality of her lifes experiences about how she will overcome the aggressive chemotherapy treatment. Thus, Vivian recalls her child hood with her father and takes a look back from her past of an counter with her graduate school professor, E.M. Ashford, after she decides that nothing will stop her from becoming a top-notch scholar (Edson, 2012). Furthermore, Jason tries to save Vivians life; in treating her cancer, Vivians chemotherapy weakens, the cancer starts to take full control of her body. The doctor is taking less and less notice of her, which she than relies on her nurse, who sees her suffering from the pain of her treatments. Furthermore, the nurse is kind to her and helps her decide, if she wants a DNR, which is do not resuscitate. Vivians enjoyment of Susies care and company, and affection were shown. Susies kindness also allowed Vivian to feel comfortable enough to finally open up about her real feelings of fear and confusion as she sorrowfully confided in her and said, I am scared (Edson, 2012). She than says how she do not feel sure of herself anymore, Vivian rests in peace with herself, as she dies. Thus, through the morally ambiguous character of Dr. Harvey Kelekian and Jason Posner, who tried to help Vivian to recognize the mistakes of the past and see that kindness is simple, nevertheless a powerful gesture (Edson, 2012). Vivian has strength and weaknesses that are exposed because of Susies own qualities, which helped her, emphasize how people are only capable of being who they are because of their experiences through their life. Vivian had educated, Susie had showed her some sense of weakness and she has been educated to the level it takes to be a nurse whereas, Vivian has gone beyond her own expectations. This shows that she has strength in knowledge of English literature and reveals the weakness of Susie being illiterate. Vivian than comes to terms and finally learns how to be compassionate on her last few months on earth due to her deathly illness and the way one person can affect another person. Though Vivian meets an unfortunate end in her life she than decides that the only resolution is peace. She exhibits her life and her final days to drive home a message of kindness and compassion, turning a sad ending to a happy conclusion. Margaret Edson utilizes Vivians flash backs not only to provide back ground of her life, but also provide evidence to her past actions and former passions. Leading to the audiences and understanding of her strive for knowledge and the lack of success without the human interaction to accompany her Wit. Vivian has viewpoints that the strength and the pride in her prestigious position, which maintained and would garner a fixed sense of fulfillment. She found that the simplicity of human kindness could have an impact greater than the answer she thought she had acquired from years of study. Life and death had beginnings and endings and people come in terms with the end of life, people make life more enjoyable and how they present their life. Work Cited: About.com Search Find it now!. About.com Search Find it now!. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. Givhan, Jennifer. Crossing The Language Barrier: Coalescing The Mind / Body Split And Embracing Kristevas Semiotic In Margaret Edsons Wit. Women Language 32.1 (2009): 77. Biography Keaveney, Madeline M. Death Be Not Proud: An Analysis of Margaret Edsons Wit. Women Language 27.1 (2004): 40. Biography Reference Bank (H.W. Wilson). Web. 13 Dec. 2012 Kristevas Semiotic In Margaret Edsons Wit. Women Language 32.1 (2009): 77. Biography Reference Bank (H.W. Wilson). Web. 13 Dec. 2012 What are fundamental themes found in Margaret Edsons short-drama, Wit. YoExpert.com | Education | Theater. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.Education | Theater. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec.  2012. What are fundamental themes found in Margaret Edsons short-drama, Wit. YoExpert.com | Education | Theater. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. What are fundamental themes found in Margaret Edsons short-drama, Wit.  YoExpert.com | Education | Theater. N.p., n.d. Web. 12  Dec.  2012.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre: A reconsideration Essays -- Literary Ana

Few have looked into the different shades of "visibility" and "invisibility" and the "power of the gaze" in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. A brief look at some of the critical literature on Jane Eyre shows that there has been more focus on the personal than on the textual aspect of the novel. Moreover, "visibility," and "invisibility" as well as "the power gaze" have rarely been the target of rigorous academic research. A number of earlier studies used "The Brontes" as a part of their titles.1 Others have busied themselves with matters of "plot," "too much melodrama" and "coarseness of language."2 In this study I propose to focus on some textual aspects that have been less at the center of critical attention. However, this is not the only vantage point that characterizes this research work. Indeed, the very selection of these textual aspects may shed some new light on the possibilities of future critical reception of Bronte's text. This study makes use of certain terms that draw the reader's attention to a new way of reading Bronte's Jane Eyre. The three key terms are "visibility," "invisibility," and "gaze." While "visibility" here stands for notions such as the "presence," "ability to see or to be seen, felt or noticed," "invisibility" stands just for the absence/lack of "visibility." By "the power of the gaze" I mean how most of the characters in this text fashion the world around them and are themselves fashioned by different ways of looking at things (i.e. in both the literal as well as the metaphorical senses of the word "looking": A more brilliant example here is Brocklehurst's accusations against Jane at Lowood). Indeed, the term "gaze" as I use it here is meant to subsume all senses of gazing, glancing, looking at,... ...slave or victim, and imparted strength in the transit (Ch. 7, p. 63) Despite her claim to have "mastered the rising hysteria," Jane's pain, to borrow her own words, "no language can describe." This girl's particular "gaze" seems to have surpassed all other gazes. The most pivotal incident in Bronte's text where the title of this study is evidenced is what Jane experiences in the red-room introduced as early as Chapter Two of the text. This is more likely an indication of the significance of the relationship between the power of the gaze and the question of visibility of petrifying scenes for such a young child like Jane. Of this experience, Jane tells us that she "never forgot the †¦ frightful episode of the red-room." For it was in this room her aunt locked her in the dark and even Jane's "wild supplications for pardon" were not listened to (Ch. 8, p. 67).

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Being Unemployed Can Cause People

Being unemployed can cause people to lose their self-respectPopulation in Indonesia each year increases, also it is increasing the number of working-age, but it is not offset by the icrease in job vacancy. Large population of productive-age amount is not comparable with the extent job vacancy of unemployment, it also gave rise to social ills such as: robber, begger, pickpockets, vagrant, etc. Based on Psychological aspect, unemployment relative don’t have confidence in theirselves, it can be described on several examples : People who have a higher education but have not got a job, unemployment that caused by laid-off-employment (PHK), and people who don’t have any skills and low education. People who have a higher education but have not got a job, it because of some reasons: first they haven’t got a chance, second the job vacancy is not match with their education and the expertise that they had. It may not be a problem for a while but longer this causes Psychological insecurity for them, especially when dealing with friends who are already successful. Unemployment that caused by laid-off-employment (PHK) also trigger them to lose their self-respect. It causes Psychological burden that is shame because dischanged then they hard to get job again. It made them feel supressed by any condition. People who don’t have any skills and low education. This is a kind of people are relatively difficult to get a job either they want or deserve, it because they hard to adapt with the environment and lack of relation. In this case , skill and relation are important. From the examples above: People who have a higher education but have not got a job, Unemployment that caused by laid-off-employment (PHK), and People who don’t have any skills and low education, those are causes unemployment loses their self-respect. As you know that skills, education, relation and environment are the main capital in getting a job. Those not only who don’t have the skill or education as needed but also don’t have any relations or education will not have an opportunity to get a job. So, if we don’t want to be unemployment, from now on we should study hard, make a good relation as much as we can, and handle our emotion to avoid self-respect become our personality. Then, if we have been being unemployment, we should believe our skill, don’t ever give up with our condition, and learn from anyone or anything around us.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Manager Roles and Skills Essays

Manager Roles and Skills Essays Manager Roles and Skills Essay Manager Roles and Skills Essay Describe three different roles of a manager; what skills are essential to perform these roles? Ans: Many people say, that â€Å"management is what managers do† While that’s true, it doesn’t tell us much unfortunately. So in order to understand the concept of management, you have to understand what managers do. There are three specific categorization schemes to explain what managers do, result of many years of research and study: Roles (Henry Mintzberg) Skills (Robert L. Katz) There are three different management roles, which can be subdivided in ten more categories, which I am going to discuss here. Management Roles: Henry Mintzberg is a well know researcher, and the results of his studies about the work of managers were published in The Nature of Managerial Work (New York: Harper Row, 1973). The term management roles refers to specific categories of managerial behavior, and Mintzberg concluded that what managers do, can be described by studying ten different and interrelated roles, grouped around interpersonal relationships, transfer of information, and last, but not least, decision making. Interpersonal Roles The ones that, like the name suggests, involve people and other ceremonial duties.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leader – Responsible for staffing, training, and associated duties.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Figurehead – The symbolic head of the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Liaison – Maintains the communication between all contacts and informers that compose the organizational network. Informational Roles Related to collecting, receiving, and disseminating information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Monitor – Personally seek and receive information, to be able to understand the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Disseminator – Transmits all import information received from outsiders to the members of the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Spokesperson – On the contrary to the above role, here the manager transmits the organization’s plans, policies and actions to outsiders. Decisiona l Roles Roles that revolve around making choices.   Ã‚           Entrepreneur – Seeks opportunities. Basically they search for change, respond to it, and exploit it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Negotiator – Represents the organization at major negotiations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Resource Allocator – Makes or approves all significant decisions related to the allocation of resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Disturbance Handler – Responsible for corrective action when the organization faces disturbances. It’s worth to mention that Mintzberg also considered that as managers perform the roles described above, their activities include reflection and action. Reflection (also called thoughtful thinking) because managers think, ponders and contemplates about their decisions. Action (or practical doing) because every time they act, they are doing something, they are applying their decisions. Mintzberg’s approach is debatable, but several studies that tested the Management Roles categories in different types of organizations support the idea that managers do perform similar roles. What does change is the emphasis given to each role that may vary depending on the organizational level. Management Skills: A managers job is varied and complex. Managers need certain skills to perform the duties and activities associated with being a manager. What type of skills does a manager need? Research by Robert L. Katz found that managers needed three essential skills. These are technical skills, human skills and conceptual skills. Technical skills include knowledge of and proficiency in a certain specialized field, such as engineering, computers, financial and managerial accounting, or manufacturing. These skills are more important at lower levels of management since these managers are dealing directly with employees doing the organizations work. Human skills involve the ability to work well with other people both individually and in a group. Because managers deal directly with people, this skill is crucial! Managers with good human skills are able to get the best out of their people. They know how to communicate, motivate, lead, and inspire enthusiasm and trust. These skills are equally important at all levels of management. Finally conceptual skills are the skills managers must have to think and conceptualize about abstract and complex situations. Using these skills managers must be able to see the organization as a whole, understand the relationship among various subunits, and visualize how the organization fits into its broader environment. These skills are most important at top level anagement. A professional association of practicing managers, the American Management Association, has identified important skills for managers that encompass conceptual, communication, effectiveness, and interpersonal aspects. These are briefly described below: Conceptual Skills: Ability to use information to solve business problems, identification of opportunities for innovation, recognizing problem a reas and implementing solutions, selecting critical information from masses of data, understanding the business uses of technology, understanding the organizations business model. Communication Skills: Ability to transform ideas into words and actions, credibility among colleagues, peers, and subordinates, listening and asking questions, presentation skills and spoken format, presentation skills; written and graphic formats Effectiveness Skills: Contributing to corporate mission/departmental objectives, customer focus, multitasking; working at multiple tasks at parallel, negotiating skills, project management, reviewing operations and implementing improvements, setting and maintaining performance standards internally and externally, setting priorities for attention and activity, time management. Interpersonal Skills: Coaching and mentoring skills, diversity skills; working with diverse people and culture, networking within the organization, networking outside the organization, working in teams; cooperation and commitment. Conclusion: In todays demanding and dynamic workplace, employees who are invaluable to an organization must be willing to constantly upgrade their skills and take on extra work outside their own specific job areas. There is no doubt that skills will continue to be an important way of describing what a manager does. Q # 2: Contrast between Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning theories of learning. Give suitable example for each. Ans: 1. Classical Conditioning: If a stimulus that results in an emotional response is repeated alongside another stimulus which does not cause an emotional response, eventually the second stimulus will result in the same emotional response. Classical Conditioning is thus ‘learning by association’. In more detail, we are pre-conditioned to unconditionally respond in certain ways to stimuli. For example a sudden noise (an unconditional stimulus, US) makes us flinch (the unconditional response, UR). If a movement is made at the same time as, or just before the noise, such as moving hands to clap loudly (conditional stimulus, CS), then the person will learn to flinch when the movement is made without the noise necessarily being there (the conditional response, CR). Thus the association is made between the US and CS, with either stimulating the same response. Classical Conditioning  does not work in all circumstances. In particular it is more effective where the conditioning may be of evolutionary benefit. Experiment: Pavlov did famous experiments with dogs, ringing a bell and then feeding them. After a while, he could ring the bell and their mouths would salivate. Garcia and Koelling (1966) showed that rats soon learned to avoid a sweet: I liked my aunt, she always made me feel warm and wanted. She always wore a particular perfume. When I smell the perfume now, I immediately feel warm and wanted. So what? Using it If you want to persuade someone to do something, get them to do it at the same time as doing something they like doing. Do something specific every time they do something you want (like touching them somewhere or making a specific sound). Then do that specific thing and theyll think of doing the desired behavior. Defending Watch out for people repeatedly touching you or having strange behaviors. Check that theyre not trying to program you. 2. Operant Conditioning: A behavior will increase if it is followed by positive reinforcement. It will decrease if it is followed by punishment. Operant Conditioning is thus ‘learning by consequences’. Whereas Classical Conditioning involves automatic, pre-programmed responses, Operant Conditioning involves learned behaviors. Also, whilst Classical Conditioning associates two stimuli, Operant Conditioning associates a stimulus and a response. Favorable circumstances are generally known as reinforcing stimuli or reinforces, whilst unfavorable circumstances are known as punishing stimuli or punishers. Operant Conditioning is also known as Instrumental Conditioning. Experiment: Skinner put rats and pigeons in a box where pressing a lever resulted in food being dispensed. From accidental knocking of the lever, they quickly learned to deliberately press it to get food. Example: Parents often try to balance praise and punishment. To be effective, they should punish only behaviors they wish to extinguishthey should not punish for not doing what should be done. So what? Using it: If you want someone to work harder, do not punish them when they do not work- reward them when they do. If you want them to stop smoking, make it unpleasant when they do rather than pleasant when they refrain. men

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

American Way essays

American Way essays There's nothing more ingrained in the American value system than work ethic that involves the notion that hard work will lead to the fulfillment of the American dream, economic success. According to the New York Times (Schmitt, 2001), there's ample evidence to suggest that American hard work is paying off as evidenced by a sharp increase in living standards shown by census data for the 1990s.[1] The proof provided by the article includes: An increase in high school and college graduates An increase in people owning cars, with eighteen percent owning three bigger homes, with an increase in the number of houses with seven growing family incomes However, books such as Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal (Schlosser, 2001)[2] and Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America (Ehrenreich, 2002)[3] dispute the claims of The New York Times. These works argue that working class people are now working longer, harder hours than ever before with little reward or hope for a better future. These books claim that hard work may be the American way, but it is certainly not to key to the American dream. Schlosser describes the "deskilling" of fast food jobs and the grueling labor involved. Fast food jobs have their origins in the assembly line systems adopted by American manufacturers in the early twentieth century (Schlosser, p. 68). In a restaurant assembly line, tasks are broken up into small, repetitive bits requiring little or no skill, while machines and operating systems do the things that require timing and training (Schlosser, p. 69). In the chapter called Behind the Counter, Elisa, is a sixteen year old fast food worker who must get up at 5:15 in the morning to arrive at work on time. She and her manager open the restaurant by turning on the ovens and grills and getting the food and ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Critique of Professional Article - Education Essay

Critique of Professional Article - Education - Essay Example each students is different from the other. These differences should be studied and then they must be taught accordingly. If this is not taken into account it can create bias in the classroom. So it is imperative to interact with each student in the class to have a positive environment and all students should be given same care and respect then only the environment of a classroom can be respectful and in accordance with the principles. This interaction among teachers and students will not only facilitate the classrooms climate but this will also help in learning by sharing each other’s ideas and perceptions and will also help in development of student. 1.3 Environment of Learning and Excellence It is also important to identify that a classroom environment provides learning to the student and to do so it essential that teachers should communicate with the students the benefits of learning, making them understand what kind of work the educational institutions are expecting from t hem. So that students can become familiar of the learning procedures and will do all work in accordance to the set principles. It is necessary to communicate what teachers expects from the students because it helps them to know that educational institutions have high expectations from them in relation to institutions goals, activities, assessment procedures and related forms off classroom environment for the benefit of students learning. 1.4 Classroom procedures Procedures of classroom play a significant role in managing its environment. If procedures are not managed or followed accordingly then it can create hurdle in having a positive environment in class. Procedures or routine in class also affects learning of students. Therefore, teachers should create such routines in class which helps in organizing the learning of students and should follow these routines strictly and promptly. In order to facilitate efficiency and cooperation among students, they should be made to work in gro ups rather than on individual basis. Learning will be more beneficial if it is done in groups rather than on individual basis. In order to have effective classroom functions in relation to its procedures and routine time management is very important. Teachers should manage the class timings and all the activities accordingly in a way that it should be assistance in students learning. If there would be lack in time management, then things will not happen in accordance with the set procedures and routines and will affect the environment of class. Therefore all things should be managed in classroom according to the time and procedures as scheduled. 1.5 Students Behavior Classroom environment is positive only if students behave nicely in class. If the behavior of students is bad in class it may create disturbance in the daily activities. Teachers should use systematic techniques in order to manage student’s behavior in class. They should set behavior standards in the institutions and should communicate with the students their expectations in relations to student behavior i.e. making them clear about the difference in good and bad behavior. Students should be punished on misbehavior so that they are not inclined with same action again. Strict policies and regulation should be established and managed in classrooms in order to control student’s behavior. These policies should be revised on continuous

Friday, November 1, 2019

Not working 40hr work week Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Not working 40hr work week - Research Paper Example The union is clearly correct that the company did not provide notice of offenses, as the August 2001 letter was not labeled as warning. Also, in July 2001 his shift changed and management did not explain these changes to the grievant. The grievant could easily misunderstand the hours of work change, as it stated â€Å"from 3 pm to 12 pm† not from 3 pm to 12 am. This can easily be confusing, as one portion states a 40 hour week, but the times add up to a 105 hour week. Also, the company stated that the CBA was â€Å"clear and unambiguous† which it was not. Also, the company claimed that the grievant had a history of not working the required number of hours per day (8) and he would be suspended if this continued. The grievant had not worked a full 8 hour shift since he started as a doorman. He worked from 3 pm to 11 pm with an unpaid hour for dinner. That is, again, only 7 hours. 2. The CBA provisions dictate this award because of the inaccurate times laid out in the regi stered letter. Also, the grievant was told that he â€Å"will work an 8-hour day and a 40-hour work week.† If this does not happen, he will be suspended. The letter was not a warning and could easily be perceived as a simple letter of the change of his hours of work. There was no explanation of the CBA to the grievant, leaving him to his own devices to understand the readings. 3.