Truman Doctrine and Potsdam conference free essay sample

Both the Truman Doctrine and Potsdam Conference were rhetorical confrontations between communism and capitalism. The Truman Doctrine was an American foreign policy and the Potsdam conference was hostile meeting between the leaders of Britain, USA, and Russia. I think that the Truman Doctrine was the more important reason for the development of the Cold War. The Potsdam conference was held in July 1945 and was the second allied conference after the defeat of Germany. Roosevelt had died and had been replaced by Truman, who was aggressively anti-communist and Churchill had lost the 1945 election, Stalin being the only leader remaining the same. Harry Truman, the president of USA was much more suspicious of Stalin than his predecessor, Roosevelt. So, at Potsdam, the tensions below the surface at Yalta – about Eastern Europe and reparations came out into open disagreement as Truman and Atlee had different ideologies to the previous leaders. America had recently developed the atomic bomb and wanted to impose authority over the USSR, but Truman did not inform Stalin about this, leading Stalin to become furious as he had believed he had been tricked. We will write a custom essay sample on Truman Doctrine and Potsdam conference or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Britain and France were also not happy with the amount of reparation – they believed that a prosperous Germany was less likely to want another war than a weak one. Stalin had replaced the mixed communist and non-communist Polish government so that it was entirely communist. Truman was most angered by the fact that Stalin had replaced the mixed communist and non-communist Polish government so that it was entirely communist. As a result, this meeting was effectively where the problems started because Truman saw this act as posing a threat to capitalism towards the western side and the development of the atomic bomb angered Stalin as USA was effectively the superpower. However, the Truman Doctrine was more important because it was an indirect conflict between capitalism and communism during 1947. Communism had now spread into more countries in Eastern Europe and as a result it seems more important in that the Cold War had now developed into a competition between influencing countries with communism or capitalism. The USSR was expanding quickly – much to Britain and America’s distaste. The Truman Doctrine showed that America were committed to containment and that it was deeply keen to play the leading world role highlighting the role America was willing to play in global affairs, marking a reversal of the USA’s traditional policy of ‘isolationism’. It showed that that Truman was aggressively anti-communist; much more than the Potsdam conference. The aim of it was for USA to support any nation threatened by a communist takeover. For example the USA gave $400 million of aid to Turkey and Greece to try to stop communism spreading. A civil war had started in Greece in 1946 between the Western government and communists – Truman wanted to give the government all the help he could. The Truman doctrine showed the world that communism wasn’t the only option in order to regain a stable economic position and that democratic freedom had benefits too. At this point it became clear that the cold war had started. The two sides believed in totally different political ideas and each side feared the spread of the others idea. When one tried to expand it was seen as a threat to the other side. Essentially the Truman Doctrine was a more important reason for the development of the Cold War than the Potsdam conference because it increased further awareness of both superpowers (USSR and USA) different ideologies and showed Stalin that the spread of communism was not going to be an easy task.

The Economic Analysis of the United States

The Economic Analysis of the United States The national income of a country describes the total factor earnings from a country’s current production of goods and services. Statistically, the U.S average national income amounted to 4.7% in January 2012 as compared to 3.7% in December 2011. On the other hand, the U.S average national disposable income amounted to 3.4% in January 2012 compared to 3.6% in December 2011.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Economic Analysis of the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The average national consumer expenditure was estimated at 4.7% in January 2012 compared with 3.6% in December 2011 (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2012). In summary, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the average national income increased by $61.3 billion, or 0.6%, and the disposable average national income increased by 47.1 billion or 0.4% in January 2012. In December 2011, the average national consumption expenditu re increased by $7.4 billion or 0.1%; average national disposable income decreased by $4.1 billion, or less than 0.1%; and average national consumption expenditure increased by $11.4 billion, or 0.1%, as reflected on revised estimates (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2012). Factors Affecting the Average National Income One of the significant factors affecting the current average income is- factors of production. According to Mishkin (2010), the richer and efficient the resources of a country is, the higher the average national income level or Gross National Product. Some of the major factors of production that affects average national income includes, land, capital, entrepreneur, and labor. Land combine resources like iron, coal, and timber which are very essential for heavy industries. The geographical location of these natural resources influences the gross national product which is used for the calculation of average notational income. Capital is highly determined by level of invest ment which in turn may increase or reduce the level of average national income. Labor and entrepreneur affect the productivity or quality of human resources. As such, education and manpower planning often influence the productivity and production capacity of a country’s economic income (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2012). Other important factors affecting average national income are: technology, government, and political stability. Usually, technological development affects the level of innovation and invention on production and may lead to an increase in average national income of a country (Mishkin, 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Government can also help in creating a business environment that is favorable for investment. This will boost trade and other economic activities hence increasing average national income. Similarly, favorable or s table political and economic system enables allocation of resources, encourage investment, and business activities which in turn boosts a country’s average national income (Mishkin, 2010). U.S Current Unemployment Rate According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the preliminary estimates released showed that the current seasonally unemployment rate adjustment for January 2012 went down to 8.3% from 9.1% in January, 2010 (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012). Generally, the seasonal unemployment adjustment numbers appeared to be steadily decreasing from September, 2011 when the figure was 9% to 8.3% in January 2012, with the actual number of people who had jobs in January standing at 130.263 million people compared to 133.746 million people in September, 2011. This implies that about 1.5 million people were unemployed in January than in September, and almost 2.5 million less people were working in January than in November 2011 (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012). Generally, from each year’s November to January of the subsequent year, the US unemployment rates drops since seasonal employees are picked by stores for Christmas season and inventory year-end. As expected, the number of unemployed individuals decreased to 12.8 million in January, 2012 and the number of those who lost jobs as well as the number of people who completed temporary jobs declined to 12.8 million(U.S. Department of Labor, 2012). The number of persons with long-term unemployment record was charged at 5.5 million, accounting for 42.8% of the unemployed persons. Nevertheless, January, 2012 saw significant change in the government employment rates as compared to the last 12 months. About 277,000 jobs were lost due to the decline in state government, local government, education, and the postal service jobs (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012). Factors Affecting Unemployment Rate Factors that affect unemployment rates can be categorized into three major categories: frictional, cyclical, and str uctural unemployment. Frictional unemployment is a type of unemployment which happens as a result of mobility of labor, especially when workers wait to start new jobs or change job (Mishkin, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Economic Analysis of the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Because jobs searches by employees and respective correspondence by employers often take time on any particular day in the market economy, a gap between people who are looking for jobs and those waiting to begin jobs is created. This may affect a country’s unemployment rate. Cyclical unemployment occurs when an economy is experiencing recession. The major causes of this type of unemployment are decline in level of investment, consumption, government expenditure in the economy, or decrease in demand of services and goods exported to other countries. As a result of reduction in national production and spending level falls, some employees are laid off by their respective employers (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012). In fact, some of the highest unemployment rates experienced in US economy have been as a result of economic rescission. On the other hand, structural unemployment occurs when people are seeking for jobs yet they have no skills or education to fill the jobs that may be currently available. The policies developed to deal with structural unemployment only provide training programs for the workers, or subsidized education, and training programs available to only universities and colleges, businesses, or technical schools. Such trends may often give a bigger figure of unemployment rate in a country (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012). Inflation Rate Inflation is the general rise in commodity prices measured against the purchasing power standard level or increase of money supply in the economy (Mishkin, 2010). In US, the consumer price index over the last 12 months in all urban c onsumers amplified to 3.0% before the seasonal adjustment (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Generally, the energy index indicated a decrease in December, 2011, counterbalancing increases in other indexes. For instance, the index for gasoline as well as household goods declined for three months in a row. However, the general food index increased in December, 2011 after a considerable decline in the previous months. With the exemption of energy and food, indices for different items increased by 0.1% in January 2012 after rising by 0.2 in December 2011 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Medical care, tobacco shelter, and recreation indices all indicated an increase, with trucks and cars, apparel, and new vehicles indices registering significant decline (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Generally, in the previous months (from December 2010), consumer index changes in various items with exception of energy and food, were estimated at 2.3 percent, while change in food index over the last s edged up to 4.7 percent from 4.6 percent. Therefore, based on the US bureau of labor statistics reported on January, 2012, the current US inflation rate stands at 3.0% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Factors Affecting Inflation Demand of the commodities is one of the significant that affects inflation. High demand of goods often results into inflation especially in the situation where the there is aggregate increase in demand for resources either from households or entrepreneurs or government (Mishkin, 2010). This may result into pressure of demand that may not be met by the current aggregate supply available in the economy hence generating inflationary pressure in the economy. Another significant factor that may affect inflation is the cost of products. This occurs in a situation wher e even if there is no aggregate increase in demand, there may be a rise in prices, due to increase in costs especially wage cost (Mishkin, 2010). Structural change in the economy may also contribute to inflation: change in the structure of economy my give rise to price increases thus generating pressure of inflation (Mishkin, 2010). References Mishkin, F. S. (2010). The economics of money, banking financial markets. Boston: Addison-Wesley. U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). The 2012 Statistical Abstract. Web. U.S. Department of Labor. (2012). Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/news.release/mslo.nr0.htm U.S. Department of Commerce. (2012). Bureau of Economic Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.bea.gov/

Patient Hourly Rounding Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Patient Hourly Rounding - Term Paper Example This understanding only reinforces the need for changes in the delivery of nursing care and health care services, towards excellence in ensuring patient safety and patient satisfaction. To satisfy this objective, however, the best means to changes that provide it have to be uncovered (Grove, 2008). Patient Hourly Rounding The concept of patient hourly rounding originated in England, where it was termed patient comfort rounds. Patient hourly rounding is built on predetermined definite protocols. The norm for protocols in patient hourly rounding is founded on four P’s, which stand for pain, personal needs, positioning, and placement. Other issues that could be a part of the protocol for hourly rounding include changing of dressings, administration of medications, and patient education. The concept of hourly rounding is based on compassionate care, and the strengthening of interpersonal relationship between the patient and the nurse, with the essential ingredient of anticipation of the needs of patients and meeting these needs (Charmel, Frameton, & Plantree, 2009). Patient hourly rounding are, thus a systematic nursing function that consists of nurses undertaking bedside rounds of patients, with a specific set of actions, and conducted over specific intervals. Thought the ultimate goal in patient hourly rounding is patient safety and patient satisfaction, the immediate objective is prevention of potential patient problems or to inhibit exacerbation of actual problems (McCartney, 2009). Recommended Change Patient hourly rounding is the recommended change in nursing care practice. The specific actions included in the patient hourly rounding are: Greet the patient Inquire if the patient needs toileting, pain control, repositioning, and blanket Place call light, telephone, tissue box, bed table, and TV control within convenient reach of the patient Provide mouth care, if required Give oral fluid, if required Provide any clarifications sought by the patient Inqu ire if the patient requires any other assistance Inform the patient when the next round will be performed (Adapted from Gardner et al, 2009, & Olrich, Kalman & Nigolian, 2012). The specific time interval will be hourly rounding. Evidence suggests that hourly rounding is superior to bi-hourly rounding in delivering patient safety and patient satisfaction (Meade, Bursell & Ketelsen, 2006). Theoretical Framework Lewin’s Change Model is an early model for planned change. The concept in this model is that a static state of behaviors in an organization occurs when the forces pushing for change and the forces striving to maintain status quo are almost equal. In other words, change is possible only when the forces pushing for change is increased, and the forces striving to maintain status quo is decreased. Lewin’s change model recommends a three step process towards attaining this objective in planned change. The first step is unfreezing, which consists of reducing the forces striving to maintain status quo. In this case, the first step is reducing the support among nurses for opposition to patient hourly ro

A short Proposal document Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A short Proposal document - Essay Example By attending the conference, my colleagues and I will have ample time to interact with business leaders from all over the world and create a platform through which our company can increase its customer base through these links. We will use socialization aspect of the conference to sell our company to the present global business leaders. Also, the conference will focus on discussing issues that are pertinent to the industry, which I believe will be beneficial to everyday operation of KW-Connect. The presentations will offer me a chance to know industry-related issues and how to tackle emerging challenges. This would help me and my colleagues drive our company to the top of the market. Most importantly, the conference will have a hall filled up with stands for regional and global business leaders and it would be very crucial for KW-Connect to also have a company stand at the conference. By having a stand at a conference that host global business leaders, the image of KW-Connect will be sold not only to the regional market, but also the global market. Having a company stand will also give us the opportunity to sell to the audience the services that we offer to our customers. The required registration charge for attending the conference is $700 per person, which comes to $2,100 for the three of us. However, registering before September will reduce registration cost by $ 100 per person, which means we will pay $ 1,800. In addition, our flight will cost $440 per person to and fro, while accommodation and meals will cost $ 1,000 per person for the two days. We will also need $3,000 for miscellaneous expenses, including travel cost from the airport to the conference venue. The total cost of attendance for the three of us will be $9,420. This conference offers the best opportunity for me and my colleagues to establish better contacts with industry business leaders and gain critical knowledge in product development. Therefore, my

How much data should companies have Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How much data should companies have - Essay Example The essay "How much data should companies have?" talks about the data that is needed in business organizations. The paper also analyses what type of data is more useful and if the size of stored data is something you should worry about. Most of the internal data of a business organization is credible in that it has been derived from the past experiences in running and managing various business activities. Therefore the data is credible. This data irrespective of the volume and imperfections that may be present is a valuable asset from the perspective of the insights it can provide in the running and managing of several business activities. The imperfections do not matter much as in business intelligence applications the focus is on reading patterns and signs in the available data, and so the data does not have to be precise as may be required in the case of accounting or auditing. Let us take the case of insurance companies. Several years of data with regards to policies, claims, premium bill payments, agent/producer sales, and so on are available with the insurance company. This may be considered as too much data by some companies. Yet, irrespective of the volume of the data, intelligent use of the data will help the company to be better at precision pricing, customer retention, claims fraud detection, product cross-selling and similar activities to overcome competition and prosper in a competitive environment. Therefore, it is not too much data that is need be the worry of the organization.

When Different Kinds Of Organisms Interact

When Different Kinds Of Organisms Interact Microorganisms, as the name suggests, are extremely minute organisms which are impossible to be observed by the naked eyes. Due to their size, they are mostly interpreted as being single-celled organisms and include different types of organisms in their classification bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea and protists. Also, there are some animals which are so small that they need to be visualised under microscope for their structure to be determined, hence are termed as microscopic animals. While most of the microorganisms, due to their ability to interrupt with the normal cellular activities of other living organisms, are considered mostly as being pathogenic, they are also advantageous in a huge number of ways and their role in nature makes them crucial for the balance of the ecosystem. When different kinds of organisms interact with each other for living, the process of symbiosis occurs. The symbiosis can occur through the fusion of one organism into the other known as endosymbiosis or just through the extracellular communication of the organisms known as ectosymbiosis. The interaction among these organisms can occur in different forms such as mutualism where both of the organisms associate to benefit from each other, commensalism where one organism is in an advantageous stage while the other remains neutral with no gain or loss and parasitism where an organism takes the benefits for its survival by harming the other organism it is attached with (Prescott, 1999). The symbiotic behaviour of the microorganisms which helps them in forming different kind of relationships such as mutualism and commensalism with different kinds of animals has proved to be very beneficial for them. One of the significant benefits has been the aid provided by the microorganisms during the digestion of food in the intestinal tract of the animals. For example the presence of the microbial ecology inside the body of ruminant animals has played a huge role in the food digestion process within their rumen. Ruminant animals, which depend mainly on grasses and other fibre-rich plants, gain cellulose after food consumption to supply their high demand for energy. However, the lack of natural enzyme within their bodies can be counter effective during the cellular activities of these animals. This problem is overcome by different microorganisms found inside the rumen of the ruminants such as ciliated protozoa, anaerobic fungi and many bacterial species such as Fibrobacter succi nogenes and Ruminococcus albus which provide enzymes for breaking down cellulose to various carbon products such as glucose for energy. These organisms which create carbon cycle within the body of ruminants are important in providing organic compounds, proteins and vitamins to the animals (Wallace, 2008). Also, there are other organisms such as leaf-cutting insects which heavily rely on different types of bacteria for their nutrition. These bacteria belonging to different families such as Enterobacteriacaea and different genera such as Prevotella, Ruminococcus, Klebsiella, etc., which together form a fungal population, acquire the capability of degrading the fibres that constitute the cell walls of the plant. These polymers are hydrolysed into smaller monomers due to the fungal activities and are very useful for these leaf-cutting insects such as ants to achieve energy for survival. The relationship of the fungus and the leaf-cutting insects is mutual as the insects which cultivate the fungus help the microorganisms by sheltering them in a safe and facilitated environment within the leaves (Suen et.al. 2010). Not only animals, but microorganisms, with their efficiency in creating symbiosis with different living creatures, have been very helpful for the growth and maintenance of huge variety of plants in many numbers of ways. The roots are the main pathways for the absorption of different nutritional components needed for the plants to survive and grow. To do so, they come in contact with the soil hence fixing the plants into stationary position. This area of the interaction of the plant roots and the soil is called the rhizosphere. The rhizosphere contains a number of microorganisms which form mutualistic relationship with the plants, therefore allowing both of the plants and the microorganisms to exist and function normally. Different types of microorganisms such as the fungal strain, Trichoderma viride, are very important in protecting the soil against pathogens by producing antibiotics. This is crucial for the plants as it helps them to avoid different diseases. Besides this, plants ab sorb different molecules synthesised by different microorganisms present in the region to support their development. Some of the molecules include plant hormones such as gibberellic acid produced by the fungus, Gibberella fujikuro, cytokinins, auxins, etc., along with various other components such as amino acids, sugars and vitamins which help the plants to grow and maintain their structure (Starkey, 1958). Along with different organic molecules, several inorganic factors are also needed for ensuring the growth of plants. Among these, nitrogen is considered to be a vital aspect for the plant development. Nitrogen gases, which dominate the earthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s atmosphere, cannot be used directly by the plant materials and so need to be converted into various nitrogen containing compounds. During this process of nitrogen fixing, different microorganisms come into play making it possible for the plants to absorb the compounds. Among different types of plants, leguminous plants use different bacteria such as Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium for the fixing of nitrogen. These bacteria enter into the plants by piercing through the walls and the epidermis of the root cells and ultimately giving rise to the nodules. After the entry, the microorganisms become active for nitrogen fixation at the site called bacteroids present within the nodule. The nodules also contain leghemoglobin which have features similar to that of haemoglobin in human beings. The ability of these molecules to provide oxygen is very important for the bacteroids to maintain their ATP level and also for the nodules to give their red colour. The darkness of the nodule helps in determining the degree of N2 fixation. Besides the symbiotic relation of Rhizobium and leguminous plants, the interaction between the bacteria and other non-leguminous plants such as Parasponia andersonii also occurs to fix the nitrogen. Apart from Rhizobium, several other ba cteria such as Frankia form symbiotic relationship with various dicotyledonous plants for the formation of the nodules. These nodules, in presence of sufficient oxygen, increase their nitrogenous activity and help in fixing nitrogen required for the growth and development of plants (Burris et.al. 1992). Likewise, different microorganisms also play huge role in the area of biotechnology. The use of the biotechnology which has great impact in different fields such as medicine, agriculture, engineering, etc. make use of biological organisms and are involved in some sort of industrial processes. This also includes food technology which has been hugely influenced by the use of microorganisms during the process. One of the important aspects of the food technology where microorganisms are utilised includes fermentation. Fermentation is the process of oxidising the sugar molecules such as carbohydrates for the formation of smaller molecules such as alcohol and carbon dioxide which are simultaneously reduced in an oxygen deprived environment. So, the fermentation process has been used for the production of different kinds of alcohol such as wine where different strains of yeast such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomyces ellipsoideus are used to extract the alcoholic content from the c arbohydrates as well as beer which are produced by the fermentation of starch obtained from cereals using other strains of yeast such as Saccharomyces carlsbergensis (Prescott, 1999). Besides producing alcohol, milk can also be fermented to produce lactic acid which is useful in dairy products such as yogurt, cream, cheese, butter, etc. To synthesise these products, different lactic acid bacteria belonging to various genera such as Lactococcus, Lactobacilli, Enterococci, Streptococci, etc. are used during the fermentation process. Different strains of these bacteria are used in different ways to achieve the desired product such as the bacteria Lactobacilli bulagricus and Streptococcus thermophilus provide the milk with good texture and flavour giving yogurt as the end product. However, the inability of some other bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus to provide texture leaves the milk only with considerable acidity (Acidophilus milk). This is one of the useful products of milk fermentation (Vuyst 2000). Also, the process of bread making is highly affected by the bacterial strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae which ferment different saccharides such as glucose and fructose present naturally in the dough, sucrose added by the baker and maltose produced through the breakdown of starch into acids. The fermentation converts the sugars into acids such as CO2, hence providing the bread with the needed texture, taste and odour (Attfield et.al. 2001). In addition to these, fermentation industry has been proved to be very advantageous to meet the high demand of antibiotics whilst maintaining the economy during their production. These antibiotics are generated from the growth of microorganisms such as different strains of fungus Penicillium and are known as secondary metabolites. This rapid production of antibiotics is useful in different areas ranging from human bodies to soil to combat different pathogens and other harmful microbes (Wilkinson, 1975). Along with the use of the microorganisms in different fields of biotechnology, rapid development has been observed in the genetic engineering where the DNA of an organism is modified using several means such as enzymes and vectors and recombinant DNA is obtained that is used to for benefits. Microorganisms have been modified for different medical purposes. The proteins that have the potential of treating certain diseases or illness have been extracted through the genetically modified microorganisms. The alternation of genes in an organism to treat diseases known as gene therapy makes great use of different strains of bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria as well as Escherichia coli and certain types of yeast (Vassaux et.al. 2005). Among these, there has been significant achievement in the cancer treatment through the use of modified microorganisms. Various microorganisms such belonging to the strains of Clostridium, Bifidobacterium, Salmonella, Mycobacterium, Bacillus and L isteria, which are either obligate anaerobic or facultative anaerobic, have the ability of supressing the tumour growth by acting as anticancer agents and hence targeting the overgrowing cells (Bernades et.al. 2010). Similarly, the use of vaccines has been very important to treat different diseases such as small pox, measles, mumps, polio, etc. These vaccines which are inserted into organismsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ bodies carry several antigens and so induce the immune response within the body systems. The production of these useful antigens is possible through the different microbial strains of bacteria and viruses such as Staphylococcus  carnosus, Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, etc. which are weakened and are used as carriers for the antigens. This causes the antibodies against certain pathogens to be produced inside the living body of the organisms (Schoen et al. 2007). The technique of genetically modifying microorganisms has been of great use in the field of agriculture. Different bacteria such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens are used to produce recombinant DNA with desired gene and are transferred into the plants in order to produce different plant growth hormones and hence increase crop productivity. Also, the genes from other bacteria such as Bacillus thuringiensis have been transformed using recombinant DNA technology and inserted into the plant cells of different types such as tomato and tobacco enabling them to resist against diseases caused by the pests. Besides different pests, fungi and insects, the frost formation can also disturb the normal functioning of cells in many agricultural crops. There are several biological agents that can induce in the nucleation of ice layer in the leaf surfaces. To reduce the effects of these agents, several microorganisms such as ice-minus strain of Pseudomonas syringae bacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Erwi nia herbicola, etc. are used to protect the plants against ice formation (Atlas, 1998). With so many benefits and many more such as in treatment of sewages and wastes, energy recovery through large production of biomass that are brought through the use of microorganisms, they can hardly be considered as disease causing agents. All the advantages are very necessary to maintain the equilibrium of the environment and to benefit human beings during daily survivals. While the pathogenic organisms that carry diseases need to be controlled from growth, attempt of eradicating the microorganisms completely from the ecosystem needs to be avoided as this can counter balance the positive effects carried by them and can induce a serious threat to the survival of some other organisms in the living system.

Understanding Native Americans in the Film, Dances with Wolves Essays

Understanding Native Americans in the Film, Dances with Wolves To dance with someone is to become one with him. When you dance, you lay selves aside and you try to move as one person. Every step flows cautiously into the next. You never want to step on the toes of the other person and with your hands you guide each other in various directions, but always together. The dance is a journey; one that brings two often very different people together. For that brief time that the two are dancing they act as one person, laying all differences aside. The film, Dances with wolves, accomplishes this feat. For one hundred and eighty-one minutes it allows us to get caught up in the dance of the white man and the Indians. Dances with wolves, disregards cultural barriers and only focuses on people for who they are as individuals. At the beginning of any dance, people are cautious. They must first "feel-out" the other person. They must get a sense of who the other person is, and what is meaningful to them. In the film, Dances with Wolves," John Dunbar approaches the Indians with this same apprehension. He is a white America who is alone on the frontier. He may be scared of the supposed "savages," but he never lets on. The stereotypical Indian is a brutal savage-like beast who kills for the sake of killing and ravages the countryside. In the first scene of the movie, this is the image that I received. It seemed hard to imagine any sense of brotherhood that could be found in the hearts of the Indians as we watched them scalp an innocent American named Timmons. My initial reactions, however, were disregarded as I continued to watch. I observed the first confrontation between Dunbar and the Indians. It was an encounter much like th... ...ried to a terrorist with a scientifically gifted sneaky child. What I want to say, and I ask you to take this back: We must look at racism as a disease. It is a cancer. It is very good and noble that the President has started this initiative. But you cannot put a band-aid on to treat cancer." Throughout the film and through the powerful testimonies mentioned above we realize the need for us to put stereotypes aside and truly desire to understand the Native American culture. It is only after we have "danced with them" that we can truly know them. Works Cited Dances with Wolves. Dir.Kevin Costner. Perf. Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, and Rodney A. Grant. 1990. videocassette. American Indian Studies. www.jupiter.lang.osaka~v.ac.jp/~krkvls/FinalMovie PBS News Forum. March 1998. www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/race_relations/jan- june98/denver   

Operation Strategy

OPERATIONS STRATEGY Strategy: The Concept of Strategy The word strategy is derived from the Greek term â€Å"strategos† (plural strategoi; Greek: [ , ], literally meaning â€Å"army leader†) is used in Greek to mean â€Å"general†. However, the term is also used to describe a military governor which command, plan and conduct of a war.When strategy applied to business wars, the strategy refers to the establishment of objectives, the setting of direction, and the development and implementation of plans, with the goal (in place of military â€Å"victory†) of achieving ascendancy over one’s adversaries according to Andrews (1971), Ghemawat (2002) and Porter (1980). In order to have the desired competitive impact, a strategy has to operate over an extended time horizon and embrace a broad spectrum of activities, ranging from resource allocation processes to day-to-day operations.It must integrate decisions affecting these different sets of activities in to a coherent pattern, both over time and across groups that often compete for the same resources. An effective strategy also usually involves concentrating a company’s efforts and resources on a limited range of directions. Focusing resources on certain directions reduces available for others, nonetheless, so a coherent strategy usually required that a company make trade-offs among various â€Å"expected outcomes†.TYPE OF STRATEGY The word strategy is used in many contexts that is useful to identify and contrast three different types of management-related strategies. At the highest level, corporate strategy identifies the industries and markets in which a company will operate. Corporate strategists make decisions that implement these choices, including investment in and divestment of businesses together with allocation of resources among existing businesses.Business strategy, the second level of company strategy, is focused at the level of the individual business or b usiness unit within the company, and is concerned with where the business positions itself within a particular industry or market as well as with how and with what capabilities the business will win customers, cooperatively and in competition with other parties in its industries.In other word, the business strategy is also concerned with strategic business units (SBUs) as each SBU might have its own business strategy, which specifies (1) the scope of that business and its relation to the corporation as a whole, and (2) how it proposes to position itself within its particular industry to achieve competitive advantage in various ways according to Hayes et al (1988). To be effective, elaborated further from Porter (1980), this advantage must meet important customer needs, take into account competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, and be sustainable given the SBU’s capabilities.Empirical evidence from a study over 100 companies by Sterman (2000) found that those companies th at engaged in system level thinking about their business strategies significantly outperformed those that focused at the product level. To be more specific, Hax and Wilde 2001 differentiated three views a company might consider in developing a strategy. For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D. 1. Best Product- this view emerges from the classic competitive strategy.It focuses on competing by positioning the company’s products or services as low cost, having a unique set of features, or targeting a focused or niche segment in the market. 2. Total Customer Solution- the customer is at the center and the earliest to satisfy. It argues that very good understanding of customer and developing close relationships with those customers to support them in creating their own economic value.Company competing with this view will focus on supply chains to response to provide family of products or services that closely match customer requirement. 3. System Lock-In- this view com prehends the enterprise, the customers, the suppliers, and the most important those company whose product and services enhance the strategy-making company’s own product and service portfolio. The key to success in this view is to identify, attract and nurture those companies whose products and services are complementary, engaging them in a collective effort to please the customer.In this study, companies engaged in â€Å"system lock-in† far outperformed those employing â€Å"total customer solutions† or â€Å"best product† strategies on both Market Value Added (MVA) and Market-to-Book Value (MBV) as in Exhibit 1: Exhibit 1 Relative Performance of Three Positioning Strategies Strategy Best Product Total customer solutions System lock-in Number of companies in the study Relative Market Value Added Performance Relative Market-to-Book Value Performance 74 67 16 1. 0 1. 6 4. 0 1. 0 1. 2 2. 0 Source: Hax and Wilde, The Delta Project: Discovering New Sources of Profitability in a Network Economy, Pelgrave, 2001.Thus, to develop business strategy, the company must think about its positioning not only to its competitors but also its customers, suppliers and potential complementary product or service producers. Understanding the system-level view, the company will be able to provide better solutions from integration of value chain with attention to company produce the products or services that complement its products and services or any other solutions. However, the understanding customer is more critical to strategy development and execution.Hayes and Wheelwright (1984) and Fine and Hax (1985) had proposed five dimensions to use as the framework which are Cost, Quality, Availability, Features/ innovativeness and Environmental/ performance. Cost The cost has been defined as the cost of the product or service to the customer. Cost this includes not only purchase price of the product or service, but the cost of ownership as well. The aspects of cost to customer will be vary on the industry or category of the product such as the cost customer consumer product will be only on its selling price.While industrial product, like machine and equipment, will be more likely For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D. to extend its concern on installation, maintain and others cost related not only to the equipment alone. Quality The quality defined by Garvin (1988) and King (1987) is broken down into two aspects, the tangible and intangible. The tangible aspects of quality include the aesthetics of the product, or output of the service, how reliable it is over period of time, whether or not it is safe, and how convenience to fix and etc.While the intangible aspects include the competence, courtesy, and credibility of the people involved in the process, as well as the degree to which those people understand the customer’s needs and communicate well with the customers. They also include assessments of the environment s urrounding the purchase process or service, including considerations such as accessibility and security. In addition, to examine the quality, it may be important to differentiate assessments of the actual quality delivered from the quality perceived by the customer.Availability The availability dimension is increasingly important and demanding by customers. Availability requirements clearly vary by business. Grocery store customers expect products to be available on the shelf when they go shopping. An out-of-stock item is a lost of sale for a particular brand or product and also may be lost of sale for the store itself. Airlines buying airplanes, on the other end of the spectrum, do not expect to buy their products off the shelf, but they do expect delivery when promised.Plans are made months ahead, or in some cases years ahead, of projected delivery to put the new aircraft into service immediately upon delivery, possibly retiring and replacing another aircraft. Late deliveries can cause great disruption to an airline’s entire schedule. Availability applies to new product introductions as well. Some industries such as consumer electronics focus on fast time-to-market for new products. Others have longer product development and introduction cycles but must delivery new products when promised. Moreover, availability refers to the variety of the products a company offers.There is a wide range of ways in which companies offer customized products or services to their customers. Hence, availability describes the firm’s ability to deliver the variety of products or services its customers want when they want them. Features and Innovativeness The inherent characteristics of the product or service is Features such as the featured services from the first or business class fares on full service airlines like Japan Airline, Thai Airways or less featured services, such as passage on Southwest Airlines’, and Airasia’s â€Å"no frills† fligh t.Innovativeness is closely related to features due to the fact that advanced technologies are developed to be new featured of the product. For instance, global positioning systems (GPS), as innovative technology, is equipped with hi-end car and represent as additional feature. Environmental Performance It may apply to the product (or tangible output of a service) itself, or to the process by which that product was made or service delivered. Environmental management systems, for example, focus on processes and aim to reduce For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D. the environmental impact (e. . hazardous waste generation) of the processes used to make the products or deliver the services. ISO 14000 and the European Eco-Management & Audit Scheme (EMAS, www. quality. co. uk/emas. htm) are but two of several frameworks for companies to follow to improve environmental performance. The third level is composed of the functional strategies that support the type of competitive a dvantage to be pursued. A typical functional strategy is the sets of decisions made in each of the functional areas of an organization that determine how it will use in the overall business strategy of the company.Research and development managers make decisions about technology use, engineering resource allocation, product development process, research and development skills and organization, product prototyping and testing approaches, and involvement of customers in product development. Marketing managers make decisions about product and service positioning, advertising and promotion, and customer relationship management. Finance and Accounting managers make decisions about sources of funds, resource allocation, and currency hedging.The decisions make in these various functions make up the overall business strategy of the organization. Synergistic decision making among the functional support of an overall business strategy and leverage cross-functional capabilities to create and s upport business strategy direction is allowing the company to be successful. Beckman and Rosenfield (2008) have integrated these strategy into framework illustrated in Exhibit X. X. Each individual functional area may develop its own capabilities that in turn serve business strategy, or the functional areas may work in concert with another to create overarching capabilities.Business strategy is best supported, when the activities undertaken by the functional areas and/or the capabilities they develop complement one another and work together to achieve the goal of business (Fine and Hax 1985). They refer to this requirement as crossfunctional integration or fit. OPERATIONS STRATEGY An operations strategy is a set of goals, policies, and self-imposed restrictions that together describe how the organization proposes to direct and develop all the resources invested in operations so as to best fulfill (and possibly redefine) its mission (Hayes et al 1998).In the case of business organiza tion, the mission usually is expressed terms of survival, profitability, and growth, and is pursued by trying to differentiate itself from its competitors in some desirable way. A company’s operation strategy, then, has to begin by specifying how it proposes to support that chosen form of competitive differentiation. By integrating resources invested in the operations function into a cohesive, purposeful whole, such a strategy can enable operations to become a powerful source of competitive advantage. For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph.D. Operations Strategy Goal As described earlier, five dimensions of customer requirements which are cost, quality, availability, feature/innovativeness, and environmental performance has been mapped with operations performance measures by Fine and Hax (1985). In each case, operations can affect some, but not all, of the company’s performance along that dimension. Cost Operations directly affects the cost of the product or service and thus its purchase price (assuming that products are priced to achieve some profit) through its direct or indirect control of the supply chain.It can also affect the product’s cost of ownership through joint efforts with engineering (research and development) and/or marketing in the design of the product or service. Quality Operations also directly controls the quality of the product or service, again through its direct or indirect control of the supply chain. This is often thought of as a â€Å"conformance to specifications† task as operations strives to have all products and services delivered meet the specification set forth by the developers on behalf of the customers.Operations can also influence the design of a product or service so that it can be produced or delivered with higher quality. It does so, again, in joint efforts with research and development and marketing. Availability Operations is primarily responsible for the availability of products or services already in the market and often determines make-to-order versus make-to-stock strategies. Operations’ flexibility and process knowledge are critical in determining both the variety of features and the availability an organization can offer.The ability of operations to control the supply chain and the timeliness with which products or services can be delivered directly affects availability. The determination of how much flexibility operations can offer is a joint decision with marketing and research and development. Features/Innovativeness Generally, features are the purview of the marketing and research and development organizations, although the operations function is influential in determining the range of products, services, or features the firm will be able to provide based on its won ability to deliver them.Process knowledge and innovation are key to the organization’s ability to customize output to specific customer needs, to embed new innovations, and to allow research and development to create novel products and services. For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D. Exhibit 2: Business and Operations Strategy Performance Dimensions Dimension Cost Customer Concerns Purchase price Cost of ownership Operations Influence Costs of: Materials Production Delivery Distribution Capital Productivity Inventory turnover Design for cost Cost Objectives are measured using labor, materials, and capacity productivity; inventory turnover; unit cost.Quality of: Materials Production Delivery Distribution Design for quality Quality measures include percent defective or rejected, frequency of failure in the field, cost of quality, and mean time between failures. Availability Timeliness of delivery of product or service Ability to respond to volume fluctuations Timeliness of new product introductions Delivery performance is measured by percentage of on-time shipments, average delay, expediting response time. Flexibility is measured by product mix range, volume, and lead time for new products.Process capability Capabilities for more featured and innovative products and services Process knowledge and ability to extend it Design and development capabilities Measures of process capability assess the types of products or services that can be delivered. Environmental performance Managing environmental performance of suppliers or other partners in the supply chain Managing the environmental performance of internal production or service delivery operations Environmental performance measures include both emissions measures (water, air, and solid waste) as well as measures of product reuse and recyclability.Quality Tangible characteristics Aesthetics Reliability, durability, and safety Serviceability Intangible characteristics Competence, courtesy, understanding, and communication Access and security For purchase: Off-the-shell or make-toorder Of new products: Rapid cycle or planned evolution Variety of range of products availabl e: Degree of customization Availability Features/ innovativeness Inherent characteristics of a product or service Degree of innovation Environmental performanceDegree to which process that produces and delivers the product or service is environmentally sound Degree to which the product or service itself is environmentally sound and reusable or recyclable For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D. Source: Fine and Hax. (1985), â€Å"Manufacturing Strategy: A Methodology and an Illustration,† Interfaces 15, no. 6 (November-December) cited in Beckman, Sara L. , Rosenfield, Donald B. (2008). Operations Strategy: Competing in the 21st Century, U. S. : McGraw-Hill International Edition. Environmental Performance Finally, operations own the environmental erformance of both internal and external operations throughout the supply chain. It either works with suppliers to achieve adequate environmental performance in their facilities or works to achieve it in internal Operation s or both. Operations may also influence research and development to design products that are more environmentally sound (e. g. , easier to disassemble and recycle). Operations Goals in Practice Researchers have identified many alternative categorizations of these operations performance dimensions over the years (Dangayach and Deshmukh 2001).Some identify many categories such as the following 11: low cost, design flexibility, volume flexibility, quality conformance, product performance, speed of delivery, dependability of deliveries, after sales service, advertising, broad distributions, and broad product line (Miller and Roth 1994). Others summarize the characteristics in fewer categories defined as follows (Spring and Biadeb 1997): Cost: produce and distribute product (or service) at low cost. Quality: manufacture or deliver product or service with high quality or performance standards.Delivery dependability: meet delivery schedules. Flexibility: react to changes in product, chang es in product mix, modifications to design, fluctuations in materials, and changes in sequence. Yet others link clusters of operations performance characteristics into stylized business strategies such as those of caretaker, marketer, and innovator (miller and Roth 1994). Some researchers have examined similarities and differences in emphasis on these performance categories by industry, by geography, and over time.One study, for example, found that computer and electronics companies rate high product quality as their most important competitive factor, but computer companies rate innovative features and designs more highly than do electronics companies, while electronics companies place more emphasis on short lead times than do computer companies (Lau 2002). Others have found important differences among various countries or geographies in the emphasis they place on these characteristics. After achieving a high level of quality, for example, Japanese manufacturers turned their focus t o time-based competition and innovative products, while the U.S. and Europe continued to rank quality as a critical objective (Kenney and Florida 1993). The Manufacturing Futures Survey, which collected longitudinal data over many years, found that lasting improvements in manufacturing can only be achieved by first building quality, followed by delivery reliability, then flexibility and responsiveness, and then technological leadership. At each For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D. step of the progression, cost efficiency is pursued for the given capability set, culminating with an overall focus on cost leadership (Roth et al. 989, Miller et al. 1989). Operations Decision Categories Creating an operations strategy essentially entails making a set of decisions about the structure and infrastructure of operations (Skinner 1969, Hayes and Wheelwright 1984). Structural decisions deal with the vertical integration of the operations, its facilities, capacity, and process te chnology, whereas infrastructure decisions focus on organizational and human resource policies, sourcing and supply chain management practices, quality management systems, planning and control systems, and information technology.Infrastructure is developed over time through persistent day-to-day practice, top management commitment, and cross-functional efforts to create capabilities that support and leverage the firm’s structure. Infrastructure decisions usually deal with less tangible outcomes than do structural decisions, but it is the effective integration and synthesis of structural and infrastructural decisions that create long-term operations excellence (Dangayach and Deshmukh 2001).In making decisions in each of these categories, operations managers strive to ensure that the decisions are mutually supportive and consistent with one another. Further, they aim to have the collection of decisions support or facilitate the overall business strategy. The decision categories are briefly discussed hereunder. Structural Decisions Vertical Integration. Vertical integration decisions answer questions about how much of the Value chain a firm should own. Should they own more or less of the value chain reaching back to their suppliers?Should they own more or less of the value chain reaching forward to their customers? Issues considered include cost of the business to be acquired or entered; degree of supplier reliability; the proprietary or nonproprietary nature of the product or process to be brought in house; transaction costs of contracting through market versus non-market mechanisms; and impact on risk, product quality, cost structure, and degree of focus. Process Technology. Process technology decisions relate to the firm’s investment in the technology it uses to transform materials and/or nformation into products and/or services. Evaluation of this investment requires a firm to address several questions: Should its process be more labor intensive or more automated? Should it purchase technology or develop it in house, or use some combination there of? Should it be a follower or a leader in process technology investment? How does its process technology investment fit with its product technology development strategy? Capacity Capacity decisions establish how much capacity the firm will carry in order to manage both short-term fluctuations in demand and longer-term growth opportunities.Capacity For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D. may be added gradually or in large chunks. How should the firm deal with cyclical demand? Different types of capacity may be added at different times. How should the firm use capacity to influence its competitors’ decisions or actions? Facilities Facilities decisions are often closely related to capacity decisions, as firms may add or close facilities in response to a need for more or less capacity, but are often longer-term.In thinking through its facilities decisions, a firm will answer questions about how many facilities it should have, where they should be located, and what they should do. Facilities issues become even more crucial in a global environment as firms decide whether to locate facilities near the local market to increase share in that market, to access local technologies, to reduce costs, or to leverage local talent. Infrastructural Decisions Sourcing. Sourcing decisions follow closely from vertical integration decisions.Once a firm has decided not to own certain parts of its value chain, it must determine what types of relationships it should have with the entities outside the boundaries of the firm. Should the suppliers be managed with the five forces competitive-strategy framework suggested by Porter in this chapter, or with the more cooperative approach modeled by the Japanese keiretsu? Business processes, such as product and service Business Processes and Policies. generation, order fulfillment, and service and support, cut across fun ctional boundaries in an organization and are critical in serving the customer.Business process decisions include determining and defining critical processes, setting performance goals for each, and then choosing an appropriate organizational design to met those goals. Some of the organizational design questions include: How should the operations organization be structured? What are the roles of the line and staff organizations? What skills are required in operations? How should those skills be developed and retained? How should Those skills be developed and retained? How should operations personnel be rewarded? Supply Chain Coordination.While business process management focuses inside the organization, operations management today often requires management of multiple sources, markets, and flows outside the firm as well. Thus, operations managers face strategic decisions about the structure of the supply chains. Should they co-locate their own operations with those of their supplier s? How many layers should they have in their distribution networks? What modes of transportation are appropriate for which links in the supply chain? How should flows of goods among the various entities in the supply chain be monitored?Information Technology. Information technology and process technology decision are closely related, but process technology decisions relate to the physical equipment with which products and services are made and delivered, while information technology refers to the system that moves information around the operations function, between operations and the other functional areas in the firm, and among the players in the broader supply For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D. chain. There are a number of decisions operations managers make about their information technology.How automated should information processing be? Should information systems be purchased or developed internally? Should the firm be a follower or a leader in the development and/or use of state-of-the-art-technology? How does the information technology investment fit with other investments the firm is making? Operations Capabilities Development. There is some evidence that traditional operations improvement programs such as lean manufacturing, just-in-time, total quality management, focused factories, and the like are misused by managers.Often hastily adopted as an industry best practice or in emulation of a competitor, these programs can yield poor results, wasted effort, and missed opportunities for an organization. When thoughtfully and fully implemented, however, they can be enormously successful. In developing operations strategy, managers must examine such programs and consider the capabilities required to develop and implement them. REFERENCES Andrews, K. (1971). The Concept of Corporate Strategy, Dow Jones-Irwin: Homewood, IL. Beckman, S. L. , D. B. Rosenfield. (2008). Operations Strategy: Competing in the 21st Century, U.S. : McGraw-Hill Intern ational Edition. Dangayach, G. S. and S. G. Deshmukh. (2001) â€Å"Manufacturing Strategy: Literature Review and Some Issues. † International Journal of Operations & Production Management 21, no. 7 (July), pp. 949-964. Fine and Hax. (1985), â€Å"Manufacturing Strategy: A Methodology and an Illustration,† Interfaces 15, no. 6 (November-December) pp. 28-46. Garvin, D. A. (1988). Managing Quality: The Strategic and Competitive Edge. New York: The Free Press. Ghemawat, P. (2002). â€Å"Competition and Business Strategy in Historical Perspective. Business History Review 76 (spring): 37-74. Ghemawat, P. (1991). Commitment: The Dynamic of Strategy. New York: Free Press. Grant, R. M. (1998). Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Concepts, Techniques, Applications. 3rd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Inc. Hax, A. C. and D. L. Wilde II. (2001). The Delta Project: Discovering New Sources of Profitability in a Network Economy, Pelgrave. Hayes, R. H. and G. P. Pisano. (1996). â€Å"M anufacturing Strategy: At the Intersection of Two Paradigm Shifts. † Production and Operations Management 5, no. 1 (Spring), pp. 25-41.Hayes, R. H. and S. C. Wheelright (1984). Restoring Our Competitive Edge: Competing through Manufacturing. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Hayes, R. H. and S. C. Wheelright and K. Clark. (1988). Dynamic Manufacturing: Creating the learning organization, New York: Free Press. Hayes, R. H. , and D. M. Upton. (1998). â€Å"Operations-Based Strategy. † California Management Review 40, no. 4 (Summer), pp. 8-25. Kenney, M. and R. Florida (1993). Beyond Mass Production: The Japanese System and its Transfer to the United States. New York: Oxford University Press. Kim, W. C. nd R. Mauborgne (2005). â€Å"Blue Ocean Strategy: From Theory to Practice. † California Management Review 47, no. 3 (Spring), pp. 105-121. King, C. A. (1987). â€Å"A Framework for a Service Quality Assurance System. † Quality Progress 20, no. 9 (September), pp. 27-32. Lau, R. S. M. (2002). â€Å"Competitive Factors and Their Relative Importance in the U. S. Electronics and Computer Industries. † International Journal of Operations & Production Management 22, no. 1, (January), pp. 125-135. For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D. Miller, J. G. , and A. V. Roth. 1994) â€Å"A Taxonomy of Manufacturing Strategy. † Management Science 40, no. 3, pp. 285-304. Mintzberg, H. (1987). â€Å"Five P’s for Strategy. † California Management Review 30, no. 1, pp. 11-24. Mintzberg, H. (1994). â€Å"The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning. † Harvard Business Review (JanuaryFebruary), pp. 107-114. Mintzberg, H. , and A. McHugh. (1985). â€Å"Strategy Formation in an Adhocracy. † Administrative Science Quarterly 30, pp. 160-197. Mintzberg, H. , B. Ahlstrand, and J. Lampel. (1998). Strategy Safari: A Guided Tour through the Wilds of Strategic Management.New York: The Free Press. Ohmae, K. (1982). The Mind of Strategist: The Art of Japanese Business. New York:McGraw-Hill Book Company. Porter, M. E. (1996). â€Å"What is Strategy? † Harvard Business Review 74, no. 6 (November-December), pp. 61-78. Prahalad, C. K. , and G. Hamel. (1990). â€Å"The Core Competence of the Corporation,† Harvard Business Review 68, no. 3 (May-June), pp. 79-93. Prahalad, C. K. , and G. Hamel. (1994). Competing for the Future. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Roth, A. , A. De Meyer, and A. Amano (1989). Global Manufacturing Strategies: An International Comparison,† In Managing International Manufacturing, ed. K. Ferdows. Amsterdam North Holland: Elsevier Science Publishers B. V. , 1989. Skinner, W. (1974). â€Å"The Focused Factory. † Harvard Business Review 52, no. 3 (May-June), pp. 113-121. Sterman, J. D. (2000). Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World. New York: Irwin McGraw-Hill. Tzu, S. (2003). The Art of War. Philadelphia, PA: Running Pr ess Book. Von Clausewitz, C. (1993). On War. London: Everyman’s Library. For IBM4710 Inter OM Chayakrit Asvathitanont, Ph. D.

The Judgment by Fraz Kafka Essays

The Judgment by Fraz Kafka Essays The Judgment by Fraz Kafka Paper The Judgment by Fraz Kafka Paper The story The Judgment, written by Franz Kafka was said to be one of his breakthrough stories that sparked his story writing career. While most of Kafka’s stories were thought to be closely related to certain aspects of his life, The Judgment is thought to closely represent the conflicting relationship between Kafka and his father and the turmoil that Kafka experienced growing up as a result of his crude-minded father. This relationship that Kafka had with his own father is reflected in The Judgment, a story between a young man named Georg Bendemann and his father Bendemann senior. Bendemann senior appears to be a very controlling and business orientated person who has spent most of his life working to build his business and taking care of his wife and son. After the death of his wife, Bendemann senior admits that things are not the same as they use to be. His health is deteriorating and he has left his business, which he was highly devoted to before to his son Georg Bendemann. George is a young middle aged man who is in the midsts of taking over his father’s business and has taken to watching over his father because of his deteriorating health. While Georg has plenty to look forward to; a booming business, a new fiance and moving into a new home, a strange feeling comes over him when he is writing to announce his engagement to a long time friend who has moved to St. Petersburg Russia. This uncanny feeling that presides over him is one that he is unsure of how to go about, thus he goes to his father for advice on what to say to his friend who has not been doing as well as Georg has. The scene that occurs in Bendemann’s senior’s room on a random Sunday morning is reflective of the relationship that Georg and his father have created since childhood . Depending how interpreted- either from the father’s side or the son’s side- can help understand what influenced Georg’s actions after his father condemns him to death. The reactions from both the father and son and the conflict between the two is a result of an inferiority complex Georg has attained as a result of the way Bendemann senior has treated Georg from a young age. The ultimate affect that this father and son have on each other are exposed on that day, which ends in George committing suicide The specific instances that occur when Georg goes to see his father in his dark room can be seen as a power struggle between father and son. When Georg first enters his father’s room he tells his father that he has written a letter to announce his engagement to his friend in St. Petersburg but is unsure of whether or not he will send it to his friend in consideration for his feelings. Bendemann senior becomes frustrated and tells Georg that since his mother’s death things have not been the same, and then goes on to criticize Georg in many aspects of his life. From his choice in bride to how he been a coward towards his friend in Russia and not kept him updated about what is going on in his life, admitting that he has been writing to his friend to keep him updated. From Bendmanns seniors point of view Georg has never fully be able to grow up and make decisions on his own, hence why he comes to his father for his approval before he sends the letter. Further supporting Bendmann senior’s perception of his son is the fact that he has been keeping in touch with his friend from Russia. Writing him letters and keeping him up to date about matters at home, knowing or rather believing that his son is incapable of doing so. Throughout this whole scene Georg is trying his best to comply and deal with his aging father. When Georg tries to tuck his father into bed he resists and says that he is trying to smother him. When looking at this situation from Bendemanns senior’s point of view it is as if he believes his son has not grown into an adult and has escaped from the reality of growing up, claiming that â€Å"How long you hesitated before your time was ripe. Mother has to die; she couldn’t love until that happy day! † (Pg 9). He believes his son is incapable of taking over his business that he worked so hard to build, further criticizing his choice in his fiance calling her a floozy. An explanation for Bendmenns senior’s reactions could be one of two things. Either Georg’s father is having a hard time accepting the fact that his son is growing up and essentially taking over his business and the position that he once had. Or that he has always been resentful towards Georg since childhood, treating him poorly and when his wife passes it is even more apparent. Either explanation would do justice when understanding how Bendemenn senior has affected Georg’s development and how his treatment of his son throughout his how life has manifested into a negative, almost weak aspect of Georg’s personality when he is an adult. The relationship that Georg and his father have is an interesting relationship because of the affect that the two have on each other. While Georg highly aggravates his father, because of his belief that his son being incapable of doing the right thing, this in turn creates a sense of guilt in Georg. A sense of guilt which surfaces later in his life when he is trying to become a man, get married, and have business. Georg’s feelings manifest later in life though suffering, insecurity, and eventually death. What Georg should do is grow up and stand firm to his father that he is taking over the business and that he needs to stay out of his relationship with his friend in Russia and keeps his opinions about his wife to himself. Unfortunately certain aspects of this father son relationship have developed into Georg’s feelings of inferiority, which have been this way for a while make it difficult for Georg to stand up to his father let alone talk to him. Those who experience feelings of inferiority are believe that it can sometimes start from childhood, weather they were not loved enough or were always degraded from their parental figures growing up. As a result Georg feels the need to seek his father’s approval in menial matters such as whether or not he should send this letter. It is interesting how Georg reacts to his father who constantly believes he is incapable of making his own decisions. From Georg’s point of view he believes that he must help his aging father, take over the business and have a wife because that is what is expected from him. Georg is kind to his father, tucks him in, asks for his opinion on matters he sees important and was even willing to let him move in with them after his marriage. Although his actions are subconscious to Georg himself, these actions are coming from a place where Georg feels the need to gain approval from his father. These feelings of approval steam from his father’s treatment of him as a child. Another result of this complex would be the need to overcompensate which he is doing so by taking care of his sick father and putting up with his aggressive and hurtful words. Georg is even going as far as letting his father live with him and his fiance so he is not alone. The fact that Georg has taken to not being honest with his â€Å"good friend† in St. Petersburg further supports how his feelings of inadequacy have caused him to retreat from reality and display almost anti social behaviors. Although the Judgment is a short story a lot can be implied from this psychological mind-twister. The relationship between Georg and Bendemann senior is a complex one which reaches its peak on that Sunday afternoon in his father’s room. When interpreting the story from Georg’s side he is trying to spare the feelings of his friend in Russia, which is why he doesn’t keep him completely up to date. He appears to care for his father and take care of him and over the business in a time of his ailing health. Looking at this story from the father’s side, he believes his son to be immature and incapable of growing up and making the right choices. He believes that Georg just wants to take over the business and is around just because he is still alive. Interestingly how these two act towards each other is a result of the relationship that they have developed since Georg’s youth. Bendemenns senior’s treatment of his son; harsh criticism and constantly degrading his worth have manifested into Georg’s personality and certain motivations in life. His feelings of insecurity and his constant struggle to gain approval from his father has resulted in him feeling inferior to his father, thus taking everything he says literal. When Georg’s father condemns him to death, he utters â€Å"I have always loved you† before jumping off the bridge. As a result of his feelings of inferiority and never being able to satisfy or prove his father right, he says I have always loved you because even though it did not appear that way because his father made it difficult for him to prove it, he still loved his father. The extent of power that this father and son have on each other is displayed through Bendemann senior’s aggressiveness and belief that his son is inadequate. In turn this has had a negative effect on the development of Georg’s personality and his life as an adult. Georg finally takes his father’s words literally and kills himself as a result of the suffering and torment his father has instilled in him throughout the years. References Franz Kafka: The Metamorphosis and other stories. (Mineola, N. Y. Dover Publications. 1996)

Biography of Colonel Chivington

Biography of Colonel Chivington Free Online Research Papers Colonel Chivington was a broad and beastly man. He was tall, yet not. He was kind, yet horrible. He loved his people, but hated the indians, those poor indians. COlonel Chivngton felt that the sioux tribe was especially annoying becasue they loved nature. They loved trees. They loved rocks. They loved each other. They mounted trees, rocks, and each other. On a daily basis of course. Women were pregnant non stop so they had to get large needles from nearby party store to perform their own abortions. They simply jabbed a large needle into they womens womb and killed the many children that lie ahead. One day Colonel Chivington was taking his normal walk with his sluty mistress, and before they decided to unclothe each other, they saw this horrible ritual of the Sioux. Ever since that day, COlonel Chivington has hated them for their sluttiness and childlessness. he decided to brutally murder all of them. I am sure you are wondering, how can there be a sioux tribe when they kill all their children? Well they are all old and wrinkly indians. Their sex involves paper cliping their wrinkly fat up, and the women have to use extra paper clips for their boobs which at any moment could touch the ground. Anyway, Colonel chvington snuck up on the tribe on night, carrying a box of paperclips to bang a couple of the old hags. Then, he scalped the poor poor tribe, and snuck off with one of the younger more attractive women. She was the only child, eight years old, and was perfect for his next mistress. They ran off to the hills and had hippie love sex everyday. Then Shouidhfbc (the mistress of eight) found out she was pregnant. becoming the horrible man he was Colonel Chivington threw Shouidhfbc down a hill, climbed down to her and scalped her. He mounted her scalp on his wall at home and when asked by his wife what the F*^ that was, he said it was a animal who he F(*^%$ out of pity. He said it was a monkey. His wife was disturbed but just left well enough alone. So this story changes from Colonel CHivington into the spread of hiv/aids. Research Papers on Biography of Colonel ChivingtonPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyCapital PunishmentThe Spring and AutumnThe Fifth HorsemanCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBringing Democracy to AfricaWhere Wild and West MeetMind Travel

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 76

Essay Example The ordinary citizens were not happy about the act which led to writings that were aimed at reminding the leaders that it was time they rose on their feet and advocate for better ways of governance (kovaly 59). Winston Churchill, after being awarded an honorary degree he read his speech which targeted at enlightening the people on the impact of the Soviet Union; division of countries were realised (Churchill 1). Songs were sung urging the leaders to feel the cry of the people. Bob Dylan in his song, â€Å"Blowing in the wind† which was released in 1963 was seen as a protest song against the cold war which the United States and the Russia countries were constantly involved in. He reminded the leaders of the cries of the citizens. The song â€Å"Surfin USA† released by Beach Boys in 1963 signified the amount of suffering the people had undergone, they feeling of taking summer holiday out of America by surfing through the ocean was the message being passed. The movie â€Å"Europa Europa† was based on a boy who survived attacks when his family was battle which led to his sister’s death. The movie was aimed at passing the message on the way the people were suffering. To make citizens understand why united States of America forces were taking part in the war, a film was produced (United States War Department). Modernisation was fought for by many women who were not allowed to be like their male counterparts. During the first world war when their men had to defend their country’s territory, women were left at home, they took care of the kids, did all the domestic duties and other odd jobs so that they could be in a position to support their families. Women learnt to be independent which led to the need for glamour. The youthful women were seen venturing into music and other bold activities which were prohibited, their boldness earned them the name flapper. Artistic expressions were

Strategic Plan for Abercrombie & Fitch Case Study

Strategic Plan for Abercrombie & Fitch - Case Study Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) operates under three offshoot brands namely Gilly Hicks, Hollister Company and Abercrombie Kids. The mission of the company is to develop innovative and high-quality merchandise that has the ability to satisfy customers and style them appropriately. They also aim at discovering new styles so that they can distinguish themselves from the competitors. The sales of personal care and apparel through the stores are extremely competitive as there are numerous participants in the retail industry. However, the company has diversified its products by innovating new trends in clothing and has adopted the changing demands of the consumers better than their competitors. It has developed and maintained a strong brand image in the United States by marketing its products to the different parts of the diversified demographic markets. A&F undertakes aggressive promotional activities without harming the inspirational nature of th e brand equity. The sales objective of the company is to create string direct-to-consumer sales channels so as to facilitate growth. A&F believes in increasing sales by innovating and creating new casual wears are preferred by the younger generation. Though the changing taste and preferences of the individuals have affected the company sales to a great extent, the company has tried its best to meet the demand of the market. A&F positions itself as a premium brand, which focuses on its styles. Its main objective is centered on revenue and growth, which is achieved through sales. The brand name enables the company to grow and create endless opportunities for growth. It also employs the most talented youths around the globe. It permits higher profit margins and encounters lesser risk for entering into new business concepts. It encourages innovation and ensures profitability through it. A&F prides in creating classic, casual and â€Å"All-American lifestyle brand of clothing†. Th e company employs a proactive approach in order to combat the challenges. The customers praise our brand as it not only gives them comfort but also satisfy them by fulfilling their demands.