What Our Homes Tell Us Essays - Thirteen Colonies, Chesapeake

What Our Homes Tell Us What Our Homes Tell Us Our nation was built on ideals of freedom and prosperity for those settlers who wished to journey to a new land. Part of that prosperity was in preparing a home for themselves and their families. Homes tell rich stories about society and the values and principles within that society. The hovel-to-house home patterns that exist in the early stages of our historical development show the regional and social differences between the people settling the Americas. In studying the housing of our ancestors we can discover what types of resources were available at the time, the priorities of the time, family make-ups, permanence of people, and what type of skilled workers were available within a geographic zone. We also can learn about the hardships that may have been endured. When studying the housing differences between colonial New England and the Chesapeake Bay region of our country we discover a sharp contrast in the time frame within which people built and made substantial dwellings for themselves and their families. The Chesapeake Bay region remained largely made up of shanties, lean-tos, and rough simple cabins for nearly one century as opposed to New England where by the 1680s many settlers had built strong dwellings of finished brick and timber. The reason for the differences between these two regions lies in the economics and family structures of the immigrants. In the Chesapeake region the men outnumbered the woman and disease killed many settlers in the area. Families were rendered unstable and stunted. The New England region, however, was rich with intact families that were hearty and healthy. Survival in New England was easier and the family unit was essential in strengthening the Puritans colonies. Also in the Chesapeake regions were the to bacco growers. A large stable dwelling was not the focus of their settlements. The number of slaves one could put to work and the amount of tobacco one could produce determined position in the Chesapeake area. A settler was much more likely to spend any extra money he had on a new slave rather than a more comfortable living environment. Families were a pieced together collage of widows, orphans, and stepchildren. This region was plagued with death and lack of permanence. Some historians argue that the south was also lazy and had not desire to build more permanent housing. It is also true that tobacco only thrived on fresh land so relocating was probably common among the tobacco growers of the Chesapeake area. New Englands puritan population was thriving. The accumulation of wealth and the stability of the family determined social status. The Puritans were after a Utopia in which the intact family played a large role. The goal of the Puritan settlements was a long and carefully thought out plan of purity and permanence. The puritans came with and intent of staying and thriving by any means possible. The Chesapeake Bay people came seeking immediate wealth and riches. The Puritans had many skilled artisans and a very productive work ethic. They believed that by working on their homes, families, town, etc., they were doing Gods work and they were closer to reaching their pure Utopia. The people of the Chesapeake had to economize any wealth toward the purchase of fieldhands. The Puritans were a self-sufficient society, which did not have slaves. The economy was not based on how many people were working the fields. As we analyze the housing in both these regions we see how large an effect the s ocial values and principles of a people can affect the quality of life of those people. Both these groups of people were seeking entirely different things from the Americas. Success came later for the people in the Chesapeake region because they had to emerge from a long period in which men outnumbered women and disease was rampant. Once these factors were under control and eliminated then the Chesapeake colonies began to see more permanence and less suffering. Families were able to grow and people were able to diversify and delve in industries other than tobacco. This region began building more substantial housing and dwellings after about 1720. New Englanders were permanently established and settled by this

Computer outline essays

Computer outline essays I have owned my computer for about two years now and I already want another one. Do not get me wrong I am sure my computer is great but in this day and age everyone wants the newest and coolest toys. I want a super computer that will never crash and will never give me any problems. I am sure that people say this all the time but they just do not get what they want because the technology is not out there yet. The technology is close so I would like a computer that is fast and smart. It would have to have a big screen and a great sound system. I also want a computer that is extremely fast when it comes to the Internet. It also has to be very fast when it comes to downloading. The computer I own now is a Dell. I have been very happy with it up until it crashed. That really made me mad about my computer. The model of my Dell computer is a Dimension 4100. It has a Pentium III Processor. The Pentium III Processor is at 733 MHz. It also has 128 MB of SDRAM at 133 MHz. My computer also has a CD-RW, which has three burning speeds. These burning speeds are 8x/4x/32x. It also has a 12X max variable DVD ROM drive, with a Harmon Kardon HK-595 surround sound speaker system with a nine-inch subwoofer. I also received the 3.5 inch Floppy Drive. I got the 3.5 floppy drive because it is very useful for transferring smaller documents like school papers. I also got the quiet keyboard with the roller ball mouse. The screen I chose to get with my computer was a 17-inch Trinitron flat screen. A tuff decision that I have to make is what kind of computer do I want. Would I rather have a Mac or a PC? There are ups and downs to owning either one. The good thing about a Mac is that they are coming out with a lot of revolutionary things. Since I am very into music I would want to get the iPOD as well. Macs are also extremely good computers to use for editing. The Macs come with very user-friendly programs,...

History events Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History events - Essay Example For instance, regional wars in Afghanistan, Korea, and Vietnam heightened the differences and tensions between the US and the USSR. Consequently, the cold war shaped the foreign policies of the US as the country prepared to protect itself and its citizens against any potential wars. The first major event that occurred during the cold war is the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). FDR had ben pivotal in creating the Axis alliance that emerged victorious during the World War II (Murray, 53). The Axis alliance brought together the US, the USSR, and the United Kingdom with their allies. There was mutual respect between the three leaders; FDR, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill, which helped to promote good working relations during the World War. However, FDR’s death in April 1945 changed the relations between the three countries and might as well have been the course of the cold War. FDR’s successor, President Harry S. Truman, adopted a different approach in his relations with the East, including the USSR. At this time, the anti-communism stances were developing strongly in the West. President Truman continued his public negative statements about the USSR, worsening the relations between the two countries and their allies (Murray, 77). The second major event during the cold war was the formation of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which brought together countries in Europe and the US to form a strong union that would counter the growing influence of the USSR. The original founders of NATO are The US, United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Canada, Iceland, Luxembourg, Holland, and Belgium (Murray, 115). NATO created a unified force under the US, which was able to counter the influence of the USSR in the East. The other prominent event in the cold war was the enactment of the Mutual Security Act in 1951, under President Harry S. Truman. The Act was a declaration by

Risk vs Hagiography Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Risk vs Hagiography - Research Paper Example Plutarch’s account of the â€Å"War of Spartacus† as it was also called is contained within his Life of Crassus, a biography of the noted Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus. Crassus was the one primarily responsible for the defeat of Spartacus’s uprising, and Plutarch’s account is primarily concerned with fitting the episode into the context of Crassus’s life and career. There are some minor differences on matters of fact between the two accounts, but on the whole they represent two very different readings of the same events.Appian’s account begins with an impartiality that might well be taken as sympathy for Spartacus and his cause. He speaks of the desire for freedom that initially motivated Spartacus and seventy fellow slaves to rebel against the gladiatorial school at which they were kept, and adds that Spartacus’s habit of dividing plunder equally among his followers led to him having a great many followers (Appian 217). Much o f the focus is on the official response, which Appian criticizes. He states that the government of Rome did not consider this a war in any real sense, but something more akin to robbery or public disruption (Appian 218). The implication seems to be that this was a short-sighted and ill-considered attitude.Plutarch also offers something resembling sympathy to Spartacus, placing the blame for the uprising on Lentulus Batiatus, the owner of the gladiatorial school, implying that his inhumane management of the school and poor treatment of the gladiators was responsible for the uprising.... Much of the focus is on the official response, which Appian criticizes. He states that the government of Rome did not consider this a war in any real sense, but something more akin to robbery or public disruption (Appian 218). The implication seems to be that this was a short-sighted and ill-considered attitude. Plutarch also offers something resembling sympathy to Spartacus, placing the blame for the uprising on Lentulus Batiatus, the owner of the gladiatorial school, implying that his inhumane management of the school and poor treatment of the gladiators was responsible for the uprising (Plutarch 337). Plutarch’s account, being specifically a military biography, concerns itself with the weapons and tactics employed by the slaves, and how the initial Roman forays against them, led by Clodius and Publius Varinus, were emphatically repulsed (Plutarch 340). Both accounts agree that Spartacus was attempting to reach and cross the Alps, so that he and the other foreign slaves coul d disperse to their countries of origin, escaping the Roman yoke. The fear, however, was that he might change his mind and march on Rome with an army that, at its peak, numbered 70,000. Plutarch’s account focuses much more on Crassus’s maneuvering and decisions regarding the war, including his decimation of a legion that had, in his estimation, shown cowardice (Plutarch 343). Appian deals in broader strokes during this middle portion of the war, and keeps more of the focus on Spartacus’s army and their defensive positioning. The two authors also differ in which parts of Spartacus’s campaign they emphasize. Appian mentions the town of Thurii, which Spartacus took and held (Appian 220), but Plutarch glosses over that part, focusing more on the

Gambling on Our Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Gambling on Our Future - Essay Example The increased revenue motivated other states to adopt gambling. The acceptance was possible through implementation of laws that allow gambling. The increased activities are observed in the impoverished areas as people struggle to overcome poverty. Moreover, gambling is shown to have spread to other areas. Such areas include groceries, convenience stores, and gas stations in the form of lotteries. Traditionally, gambling was concentrated in casinos. There has always been the rise of online gambling with the rise of the internet. The effect has been shown to be a change of nations view on gambling. The change has occurred through increased acceptance of state lotteries and internet. Hence, many states have adopted gambling as a way of increasing revenue. Moreover, the percentage of those that participate in gambling is shown to be on the rise. The habit has been shown to have an adverse effect on people. The effect is seen through the rise of habitual gamblers. For example, the habit makes an individual fail to manage time and money. The ultimate effect is shown as being bankrupt, loss of job, alcoholism, drug addiction, and welfare. The effects are shown to be costly to the states and people

Johnson And Johnson Strategic Plans

Johnson And Johnson Strategic Plans Introduction is formed as the brief background of Johnson Johnson. The focus of this report will be placed on JJs subsidiary Johnson Johnson, Group of Consumer Companies, Inc. Johnson Johnson. We will be focusing and relating this report on the baby product line of Johnson Johnson. The strategic initiatives of Johnson Johnson `s skills, strategy, staff, structure, system, staff and shared value will be discussed and examine in this report. We looked into their company functions so as to better understand them to enable effective decision makings. A political economic analysis is conducted to provide global risk insights for Johnson Johnson that is beneficial to JJ manage those risks as potential and risk. In relation to Johnson Johnson `s baby care products, Porter`s forces model is used to analyze the competitive advantage of the firm. One of the key understandings is that the middle-high rivalry is present with less number of competitors on Baby Care product line from competitor like California Baby, Simple. SWOT analysis show that Johnson Johnson holds strong competitive advantages after comparing its pros and cons despite of a few disadvantages of global standardization strategy. The growth strategy of Johnson Johnson will be selected based on both int ernal and external environment factor for the three years plan. These diagnoses are in reference to the SWOT analysis based on the company resources assets, intellectual property, and people. Lastly, the modes of entry will be affected by the several internal factors in this report. It comprises of internal requirement, technology know-how, management know-how as well as pressure for cost reduction. The recommendation part would provide several suggestions for the improvement of Johnson Johnson through the organization structure and Human Resource Management. Introduction We have chosen to work on Johnson and Johnson (JJ) for our strategic global business solutions project report for it is a global American pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. With more than 250 subsidiary companies located in 57 countries around the world and having its products sold in over 175 countries, JJ is a listed company evident with its listing among Fortune 500 and registering its stock with NASDAQ (NYSE: JNJ). With a diverse range of products sold in global markets, JJ adopted the business strategy of global standardization whereby there is limited customization needed for its products for focus is placed on having customers recognise and identify JJ as a household brand. Focus of this report will be placed on JJs subsidiary Johnson Johnson, Group of Consumer Companies, Inc. Strategic Initiative of Johnson Johnson Skills As Johnson Johnson is a global manufacturer with many subsidiaries on a global scale, JJ would hire its employees through a stringent process of selection and focus on ones performance. This implies that JJ recruits people of experience and ability with a global mindset hires third-country national (TCN), indicating that recruitment of people is mainly dependent on being consistent with JJs organizational structure. Strategy With the objective of market growth and maximizing profits in order to be responsible to their stockholders, JJ adopted the business strategy of global standardization. Choice of global standardization strategy is because JJs focus is placed on lowering costs and that there is limited need for customization of products for it generally the same other than slight changes in the products packaging. Staff The employees of JJ can be said to be well motivated to work for JJ has provided their staff with many incentives ranging from personal to performance benefits (i.e. annual incentive bonus, long-term incentive awards, and severance benefits). As JJ have high expectations on their employees, JJ sends their staff on regular employee training that clocks an average of 8 hours or more yearly (i.e. leadership development and management education in fields like finance and marketing). JJ also makes sure that their employees are motivated by giving them the right to voice ones opinion on company issues through JJs Credo survey. Structure JJs organizational structure is dictated by its corporate strategy. JJ initially adopted a decentralized approach to management but in the early 1900s, changed it to a more standardized approach for JJs top executives noticed that their subsidiaries are not well-positioned on a global platform to serve customers directly. The change in corporate management allowed JJ to mitigate limitations posed by the decentralization approach. One instance would be JJ having categorized all subsidiaries into three categories namely, consumer, pharmaceutical and professional. The chairman of each category is given the responsibility of identifying opportunities for leveraging services and expertise across companies in every market and the franchise managers assigned the responsibility of coordinating cross-company sales of a family of products (e.g. baby care products in US, France, Australia). The centralized management approach benefits JJ for it gives JJs top management a better view of its glob al operations and are able to effectively manage and integrate its global operations. This led to the success of JJ in being globally effective in terms of operations for cost of production is lowered in terms of reducing redundancies and duplications during the processing and manufacturing process. Systems In the business of health care, Johnson Johnson is inspired and united by a common purpose: to care for the health and well-being of the people they serve around the world. Caring drives the people of Johnson Johnson in their aim to make the world a better and healthier place through everything that they do. It is core to their business strategy and initiatives, the programs and partnerships which they build, the positions that they take on public policy issues, and their care for the environment. As the company moves forward, it continues to push the innovation envelope as coordinated activities under the centralized control, infusing superior technology and ingenuity into every product they make and every project which the company undertakes. The procedure of the JJ functions as a system in which build from within organization, as 95% of their people start at entry level and then progress and prosper throughout the organization. This not only creates many wonderful opportunities to grow and advance, it creates a special camaraderie among fellow JJers, many of whom came up through the ranks together. Johnson Johnson came up with this credo which speaks about their mission statements, views and their pledges to the customers and society. Robert Wood Johnson, former chairman from 1932 to 1963 and a member of the Companys founding family, crafted Our Credo himself in 1943, just before Johnson Johnson became a publicly traded company. This was long before anyone ever heard the term corporate social responsibility. WILLIAMC.WELDON is the chairman, Board of Directors, and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson Johnson. He takes pride in the organization work procedures and describe their operation of their day-to-day work is about their response to the unmet needs of their patients and customers and also their response to the needs of their colleagues; their response to supporting the global communities in which they live and work; finally, their response to the call for research and innovation in health care. Style The parent company of Johnson Johnson which is Procter Gamble (PG) has been pioneering products in nearly 50 different categories and their baby product line will be the function in which this report will be focusing on. As the company moves forward, it continues to push the innovation envelope every day, infusing superior technology and ingenuity into every product they make and every project which the company undertakes. The procedure of the JJ functions as a system in which build from within organization, as 95% of their people start at entry level and then progress and prosper throughout the organization. This not only creates many wonderful opportunities to grow and advance, it creates a special camaraderie among fellow JJers, many of whom came up through the ranks together. This also explains why their hiring process is so rigorous. JJ `s system is as such that they are not just offering a job, they expect you to grow into one of their future leaders. From day one youll help develop or support exciting brands you know while working on projects that have a direct impact on their global, $61.9 billion sales in 2009. Shared Values Johnson Johnson`s management style of helping to shape and define what health and well-being means in everyday lives. Their products, services, ideas and giving now touch the lives of at least one billion people every day. They credit their strength and endurance to a consistent approach to managing their business, and to the character of their people. They are guided in everything they do by their Credo, a management document authored more than 60 years ago by Robert Wood Johnson, former chairman from 1932 to 1963, and by four strategic principles. Their company style is deeply rooted in their Credo and deeply in filtered into their employees and leaders. Johnson Johnson `s system is such that their overarching philosophy which guides their business is their Credo, a deeply held set of values that have served as the strategic and moral compass for generations of Johnson Johnson leaders and employees. Above all, their Credo challenges them to put the needs and well-being of the people they serve first. It also speaks to the responsibilities they have to their employees, to the communities in which we live and work and the world community, and to our shareholders. They believe their Credo is a blueprint for long-term growth and sustainability thats as relevant today as when it was written. The company behavioral style is that their values embodied in their Credo guide the actions of the people of the Johnson Johnson Family of Companies at all levels and in all parts of the world. They have done so for more than 60 years. These Credo values extend to their accounting and financial reporting responsibilities. Their management is responsible for timely, accurate, reliable and objective financial statements and related information. As such: They maintain a well-designed system of internal accounting controls. They encourage strong and effective corporate governance from their Board of Directors. They continuously review their business results and strategic choices. They focus on financial stewardship. Synergistic teams All of the above of Johnson Johnson `s skills, strategy, staff, structure, system, staff and shared value formed together and worked in cohesively to form a synergistic team of workforce that oversee the entire operation from sourcing materials ,production lines ,manufacturing to research and development (RD). It is seen as that a synergy is the energy or force created by the working together of various parts or processes. In Johnson Johnson, the baby care products are the result of synergy and quality reassurance as promise by the company. External Environment Environment cannot be controlled; therefore we should analyze the environment first then indicate the strategy that also reflects the organization structure subsequently. Political Economy Analysis The political economy of a nation defines the forms of interdependence amongst the political, economic, and legal systems, and also reflects they interact and influence each other. Political systems The system of government in a nation defined as political system which divided the 200 plus world entities into 2 dimensions that include the degree of collectivism versus individualism and the degree of democracy versus totalitarianism. More practically, individuals would be tied together to achieve the common or collective goals in the high context country, like South Korea, Japan, those people focus on the benefits of society and long-term relationship; individualism means democratic political systems and free market economies like Americans have free rights to vote in election. Myanmar, North Korea act as the totalitarianism that government absolutely controlled by one person or political party. Whereas, China exist the grey area that it has been a move toward greater individual free market economies, but the government is still a totalitarian dictatorship. If the political systems are high stable, the company would be decentralized; otherwise, the company would concentrate in the low stable situation. Although the political systems in say Japan (i.e. change in 3 prime ministers since 2007) is relatively unstable as compared to that of other Asian countries like Singapore, the Japanese government is more open in terms of local market entrance of multinational companies. Economic systems In market economy, production is determined by the interaction of demand and supply; besides, the government encourages free and fair competition between private producers, the representatives of governments like the Great Britain, US and France. The objective of command economy is the good of society; all businesses are state owned in command economy, such as Thailand, South Korea, and Indonesia. India is the typical example of mixed economy in which certain sectors of the economy are left to private ownership and free market mechanisms while other sectors have state significant ownership and government planning. The company would decentralize in the consistent economy system or concentrate in the inconsistent economy system. Legal systems For a business that operates globally, understanding the different legal systems play an important role of the process. Legal aspects help to facilitate business operations so therefore it is very crucial and a necessity for international business operators to have an understanding of the different legal systems around the world. Companies must take into consideration the legal structures of the country in which they operate in. Globalization breaks down barriers between nations and bring nation together in a global platform. But increasing investment among nations also makes it more difficult for those in different cultures to understand the rules of other countries. It is important to follow the legal system of the country in which business is conducted or the government has the right to have legal actions taken should laws be not comply. International Business Laws Businesses operate in a world in which the laws of different governments and judicial systems might conflict as they originated from different cultures. It is therefore necessary to have a basic knowledge of the legal system and also understand how does business law impacts commerce in the companys own country and overseas. The impacts of international business on business law facilitate the inclusion of standards in their company regulations or operations that address these tricky and complex issues. Social cultural environment According to Geert Hofstede Cultural Theory, the global social culture roughly classify as 4 dimensions which considered as costs. Individualism versus Collectivism The individualism and individual achievement is common in the Western Countries, both positive and negative implementation in individualism. The positive side is showed in competition between individuals rather than collective groups and the person get pay-for-performance motivation to compete within organization especially in the dynamism of US economy that encouraged person to take chances and tried new things with unique ideas (i.e. Steve Jobs). However, the individualists just focus task-based, they cannot develop a strong and long-term relationship with others which is the advantage of collectivism. US, Canada Australia is the classical individualist representatives that are different from Asia (i.e. South Korea, China) act as collectivists. Power Distance The degree of acceptance of hierarchy or inequality exists among the organization, the higher power distance (i.e. Japan, Vietnam) reflect in the decision making by the seniorities and reward as the status, position and experiences; in contrast, the decision making and authority took by the task representative and pay-for-performance reward represented in low power distance culture like Denmark and UK. Uncertainty Avoidance The degree of tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguous situation, the low uncertainty avoidance reflects the high risk taker and adaptability of new things (i.e. Australia, Singapore); the high uncertainty displayed the low tolerance for uncertainty issues like France and Italy, those countries need the structured organization or rules to obey so that French and Italians are difficult to overcome the culture shock when they sent as expatriate managers. Masculinity versus Femininity Whether the differences of work in gender roles accepted in society, Japan and China should be masculine society; the jobs of gender are distinct and form a male dominant society and person more focus on financial and material possessions. On the other hand, gender roles are overlapping in the femininity country, such as Thailand and Finland, people in those countries focus more on quality of life. Therefore, in the femininity countries, the purchasing power of lifestyle is relatively high which point out an appealing way to Johnson Johnson develop. Overall analysis Those external environments provide global risk insights for Johnson Johnson that is beneficial to JJ manage those risks as potential and risk to take advantage of the relative international business strategy to form and adapt organization structure in the long-term. Competitive Advantages Posters Five Forces Degree of Rivalry The middle-high rivalry is present with less number of competitors on Baby Care product line, like California Baby, Simple; but Johnson Johnson is dominant in the Baby Care industry and the economies of scale so that the firm reflects less intense competition. The cost of competitive advantage and promotions are relatively high, like the advertising and discounts; additionally, JJ has over hundreds history and good image of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) result them remain competitive rather than leave the industry. Next, the high rate of growth display the middle-high competitive situation overall in the industry. Threat of new entrants The threats of new entrants should be low despite of low barriers of entry in the lights of low costs of set-up. The brand equity of JJ is relatively high and it has great impacts in the industry so that a large number of suppliers prefer to sign contracts with it rather than the new entrants that benefit for enhancing suppliers brand and engaging more profits, Lafes Body Care is an example of new entrant who launch a new baby care product line in recent years. In addition to the switching costs for customers, customers are keen on the brand with quality guarantee using for baby or not the less discrepancy of prices. Threat of substitutes Some baby care products from say Pigeon Corporation and Drapolene are suggested by doctors (i.e. responsible to babies), but lack in brand awareness recognized by customers as renowned brands and those products are not easier to buy or package of those products are not portable for customers to bring; compared with them, Johnson Johnson baby care products differ from they could be bought in almost of all supermarkets under the world-wide distribution channels and be convenient to carry about. Hence, threats of substitutes should be low. Power of Buyers There are a lot of alternatives for customers contribute to the high bargaining power of customers, especially for the price-sensitive customers, who are prefer to the high-quality products with the lower costs in the traditional theory research. However, JJs Baby Care products are considered as the essential healthy pharmacy products for baby by an amount of loyal customers. All in all, the bargaining power of customers should be low-to-middle as its healthy baby brand image formed in customers mind around the world, even the adult females prefer to but baby products to care their skins. Power of Suppliers There are thousands of suppliers to provide the materials, goods and services that allow JJ Family of Companies to manufacture products, supply offices and other facilities to service customers around the world. JJ committed to working with small and diverse suppliers in terms of their abilities to support its long-run growth objectives and add value to its business through providing the innovative solutions to their marketing, manufacturing and RD efforts. Even though the various inputs from the suppliers, the competitive situations also exist among suppliers and large amount of substitute inputs contribute to the low power of suppliers. Financial environment Analysis on JJs operation results is essential for it allows its stakeholders to gain an insight on how JJ is performing on the global platform and whether the management strategy employed needs to be consistent or changed according to future market projections. Looking at JJs net sales figures in the last 5 years (Appendix 1), gathered from JJs 2009 annual report, we see a generally consistent growth in its net sales. Though there is a dip in worldwide sales figure of 2.9% ($61.9 billion) from 2008, this can be accounted with JJs spending on research and development ($7 billion) as well as acquisitions and collaborations. Although this will cause a reduction in JJs sales margin, it will benefit the organization in the long-run whereby profits will be reaped upon returns on investment. Currently, JJ is expanding its operations in the BRIC countries (i.e. Brazil, Russia, India, and China) as well as other fast-developing markets. This should be a continued project of JJ for at least the next 3 years to maximize its profits and increase its global market share. This is inline with JJs organizational vision drive superior business results and sustainable competitive advantage. Internal Environment Value Chain JJs corporate vision, to maximise the global power of diversity and inclusion to drive superior business results and sustainable competitive advantage is in line with its corporate objective of profit and growth. Both JJs vision and focus has direct implication on its corporate structure. This is reflected upon the process within JJs value-chain. In terms of JJs organizational structure, Human resource management (HRM) plays a vital role in the direct success of JJ as an organization for it is the people, most valued asset, that contribute to achieving the goals and objectives of JJ. At present, JJ hires experienced and capable leaders to bring the organization to greater heights and JJ does not stop there. JJ provides all top executives in training which include leadership development and management education in fields like finance and marketing. JJ prioritizes on the professional development of every employee for JJ believe that they are capable in developing leaders within the organization by exposing them to diverse fields and giving employees heavier responsibilities to assess their ability. As mentioned above where staff motivation is important, we as consultants believe that JJ should continue to train their employees and appraise the performance of employees in the next three years. This is so that JJ would be able to make better use of their employees capabilities and talents and this will benefit the organization in the long-run when employees are loyal to JJ. Focusing on JJs consumer goods of baby products, the in-bound logistics ties in with operations before linking with outbound logistics, sales marketing and finally, providing businesses and consumers with service. JJs in-bound logistics would include the purchasing of raw materials needed for the manufacturing of baby products and storing the raw materials in various designated warehouses. Operations will then occur whereby factory employees would have to work along a production belt with the help of machines and maintain quality checks as well as bottling of baby products. JJ would then distribute the ready products into containers for shipment, in allocated warehouses or directly to retailers and distributors. To aid JJs employees in convenient dispersal of information to sales staff, they have made use of MultiAid to resolve all marketing resource management needs. This increases JJs operational efficiency and gives the organization a head start on asset management for product ima ge, captured data and distribution to retail trade communities is readily accessible to employees with one click on the computer system. With regards to sales and marketing, JJ advertises by relating consumers with real-life scenario whereby a mother bathes her baby with JJs baby products and having the statement of products for the ones you love. There are two types of service provided by JJ business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C). JJ provides its business partners and suppliers with business opportunities. This means that the degree of success experienced by JJ has direct impact and will benefit companies that do business with JJ. Consumers of JJ are exposed to gathering useful and relevant information when having purchased JJ baby products for JJ has formed a website (i.e.BabyCentre.com) and a online Baby Care Library to increase the closeness in customer interaction. SWOT Analysis Strengths (Internal) Weaknesses (Internal) Abundant financial resources Strong brand name Proprietary technology Respected brand image Wide product lines Economies of scale Committed employees Superior product quality Better marketing skills Good distribution skills Low customization Lack of flexibility Opportunities (External) Threats (External) Opening of foreign markets Rapid market growth Brand switching Demographic shifts Low barriers to entry Economic downturn Introduction of new substitutes products Rival firms adopting new strategies Strengths Johnson Johnson is a well-known healthcare brand which ranks No. 1 within the industry under one decade of its historical development with a wide variety of skincare products and superior product quality. Abundant financial resources are exploited by the RD department to employ the committed staff for creating and even innovating the hygiene products through proprietary technology and build up the respected brand image. Besides, it focus on product leadership excel at product development and professional skills so that it can offer customers the best products in the industry. As the facts show that, JJ expanded internationally around the world, like Asia (Singapore, China) that triggered by the better marketing skills. Additionally, the good world-wide distribution skills due to its global standardization strategy that allow JJ to generate great market shares by cost reduction that come from economies of scale and fast product development what based on stable relationship with local distribution agents and its respected brand image as well as superior product like baby care mainly. Weaknesses Global standardization is the main international business strategy to control cost but this also is its drawback that results in the low customization. In addition to the world-wide product structure, the managers lack of flexibility to face the challenge of changes in local markets. Opportunities In order to bring along the development of local economy, most of countries welcomes the international companies introduce their products to diversify the local economy. The increasing attentions of baby nurturance and its brand image prompt customers to purchase its products and grow rapidly in the global new markets. There is an opportunity to generate more market shares and enhance its brand image in the long-term in the lights of the rise in global demographic population reach to 7 billion that data collected from statistics of 2011, China and India act as the representatives; moreover, the superior product quality of JJ is the critical to attract customers switching from other brands. Threats JJ faces the threats of the low barriers to entry due to the low cost of set-up, and the proprietary product differences will be difficult to protect when the barriers are reduced so that the customers would switch to other brands more possibly. Another threat reflected by the economic downturn, JJ is difficult to manage the exchange rate risk under the global standardization strategy. Most important, JJ would be forced to stay at the passive threat that the customers would be attracted by its competitors and sales would be declined if rivalries adopting the new strategies. Outcome of SWOT Matrix Generally, Johnson Johnson holds strong competitive advantages after compare its pros and cons despite of few disadvantages of global standardization strategy. In another angle, JJ is able to switch the threats to opportunities in the lights of its calculus-based capability and resources. Growth Strategies adopted by Johnson Johnson There are both internal and external environments to be carefully evaluated when planning for a three years growth strategy plan for Johnson Johnson as what happen externally and internally will affect the company. These diagnoses are in reference to the SWOT analysis based on the company resources assets, intellectual property, and people. With careful consideration and by selecting market penetration growth strategy for a three year period, it will help them to gain more market shares through promotion and advertising from their strong marketing teams. Before planned the growth strategies, the firm should generate a lot of information about if the company is selling new, existing or emerging products in a new or existing market. From the diagnosis of the Porter`s model, understanding that the threats of new entrants are low and also credited to the high brand equity of Johnson Johnson, market penetration growth strategy defined by Ansoff is selected in the lights of situation that involves neither new markets nor new products, are forced to grow through this growth strategy. It is a strategy that is designed to give the business a greater percentage of market shares. Market penetration occurs when a company enters/penetrates a market with current products. This type of strategy usually seeks to gain a competitive edge through competitive pricing strategies, advertising, sales promotion, marketing or other strategic initia

Personality Theory

Learning is defined as Any relatively permanent change in behavior that can be attributed to experience (Coon). It is not, however, a temporary change caused by outside forces. Therefore, things such as motivation, disease and injury cannot be considered to be a form of learning. This is because once the disease, injury, etc. has been removed, behavior will return to it s state before the influence. There are 2 main keys to every learning process: the reinforcement, which is anything that increases the chances that the desired response will take place, and the response, which is the behavior that takes place as a reaction to the reinforcement. An antecedent is the event which takes place before a response, and is the basis for Classical Conditioning. A consequence is something that follows a response, and is the foundation for what psychologists call Operant Conditioning. Classical Conditioning is based on what takes place before a response. It begins with some action that will inevitably produce a response. That action is then associated with another that does not induce a response, or a Neutral Stimulus. After enough repetition, the neutral stimulus which did not previously produce a response will now, on its own, produce the response of the action it was coupled with. It is now what is called a Conditioned Stimulus, or a stimulus that produces a response because it has been paired with another. A good example of Classical Conditioning is presented by Ivan Pavlov, a Russian Physiologist. Pavlov noticed that his dogs would drool when he put food in their mouths. After some time passed, he noticed that the dogs would begin to drool upon seeing the food. Then, the dogs began drooling at the sight of Pavlov. It was then that Pavlov noticed that learning had taken place. The dogs had associated the food with the appearance of Pavlov. The dog s drooling did not have to be learned: it was what is called a reflex, or an automatic response. The reflex is a type of Unconditioned Response, a response that happens on its own. That reflex to drool was finally paired with seeing Pavlov and expecting to be fed. Eventually, the sight of Pavlov was enough to make the dog drool, without ever presenting food. The dog s drooling had then become a Conditioned Response, or a response that has been conditioned by stimuli. This is a prime example of Classical Conditioning. Operant Conditioning focuses on consequences, or what follows a response. In this type of conditioning, a response is followed by some type of reinforcement. This reinforcement can be something good, something bad, or nothing at all. If an action results in a punishment, the action is less likely to take place. However, if the action is followed by reinforcement, such as praise, food, or other rewards, the action is more likely to be repeated. An example of Operant Conditioning is found in the works of B. F. Skinner. Although he rejected the ideas of theories of learning, (Skinner), he is well known for one of his creations, dubbed the Skinner Box. A skinner box is a small, barren chamber into which a hungry rat is placed. The box is featureless, except for a lever on one wall. As the rat explores, it accidentally presses this lever, and a pellet of food or a drop of water is released. Eventually, the rat will learn to correspond the lever to receiving a food pellet. He will then move the lever when he is hungry. This is called the Law of Effect: responses that have desirable effects are repeated, while negative effects will lessen the tendency for the response to take place. What has happened is a good example of Operant Conditioning. The rat is hungry. The rat, then, has had reinforcement (the food pellet) to perform a response (the lever press). In this situation, the food pellet acts as an Operant Reinforcer, or something that encourages the event which it follows. In both of these instances, Acquisition has occurred. Acquisition is the training in which learning occurs. Once it has taken place, Expectancy comes into view. Expectancy is the anticipation that the learned conditioning will continue to produce the same response. However, if the reinforcement is taken away from conditioning, we can expect that the conditioned response will begin to fade. This is called Extinction. This occurs when a response is weakened by the removal of it s reinforcement. However, occasionally, a response may resurface after it is believed to be extinct. This is known as Spontaneous Recovery. Once a response has been conditioned, the response will continue to take place unless the reinforcement is removed. In many cases, however, a reinforcement that is similar to the original will still bring about the desired response. This is called Stimulus Generalization. An example of this would be if someone who looked like Pavlov walked into the view of the dogs. They may begin drooling because of their conditioning to do so at the appearance of Pavlov. After some time, though, the dogs will learn to distinguish between Pavlov and the imposter. After that point, the dogs would respond differently to the 2 men. This learning is known as Stimulus Discrimination. Conditioning has been very useful to psychologists and social workers who want to effect behavior. However, these laws of conditioning can have negative repercussions. For instance, phobias stem from conditioning, usually in early childhood. For instance, a child could have a negative experience with a kitten, or other house pet. This negative experience, previously a Neutral Stimulus, has now been linked with fear, anxiety, and other negative emotional responses. This process is called Conditioned emotional response. This creates a phobia, or an unrealistic fear of a thing or situation. There are different ways to treat and cure phobias. The first is called Desensitization. This would be used, for example, with a person with a fear of heights. The person would gradually be taken higher off the ground, perhaps over days, weeks, or longer. This would gradually introduce them to the fear and eventually allow them to be free of the phobia. In more extreme cases, a conditioning called Vicarious Classical Conditioning is used. If someone had an extreme phobia of snakes, the person might be exposed to a video tape of someone holding a snake. Through small steps such as these, the person could eventually recover from the phobia.

Management Information Systems 12th Edition

1. What are reasons behind Collection services in your library (Pl. put ‘ ‘ on appropriate number) 1. Book Acquisition/ Collection Development 6. 1. 1. Quick response from suppliers [pic] 6. 1. 2. To save money and time of library [pic] 6. 1. 3. To reduce procedure and workflow to get books [pic] 4. To achieve greater efficiency [pic] 5. To get much discount [pic] 4% says yes for the quack response from the supplier and 64% says that it is save the time and money of the library and 71% says that it is also reduce the workflow of the gets books to the library and get more discount for the purchases the book for the library and 86% says the achieve greater efficiency for the book acquisition or collection development. 1. Books Processing Related Function 6. 2. 1.To get books in Ready-To-Shelf position [pic] 6. 2. 2. To reduce time in book processing tasks [pic] 6. 2. 3. TO concentrate on core services/function(Core means LIS education is required to understand the service/f unction) of library [pic] 4. Lack of staff with library [pic] 5. Lack of time with Library staff [pic] 6. To allow users to get book issued from library within sort span of time [pic]Book processing related function means To get books in Ready-To-Shelf position is 57% yes and other says no, To reduce time in book processing tasks is 64% says yes , TO concentrate on core services/function(Core means LIS education is required to understand the service/function) of library is says 43% yes and other 57% says no, Lack of staff with library is 43% yes and, Lack of time with Library staff is says 79% yes, To allow users to get book issued from library within sort span of time is says 71% yes and remain no. 2. Books arrangement and maintenance 6. 3. 1. Lack of Library staff [pic] 6. 3. 2.Concentration on core services/ function of library [pic] Book arrangement and maintenance have to problems one is lace of library staff and other is concentration on core services79% library staff says tha t the library staff is required more for the arrangement and 79% says no for the concentrate on the core services of the library. In the library the staff is not available for the arrangement of books and other core services . 3. Book Preservation and Conservation 6. 4. 1. No expertise with library staff in preservation and conservation tasks [pic] 6. 4. 2. Rare materials needed special care to preserve [pic] 6. 4. 3.Photocopying, digitization, binding, deacidification etc are considered technical jobs [pic] The book Preservation and Conservation is consider 79% yes for No expertise with library staff in preservation and conservation tasks, 71% yes Rare materials needed special care to preserve and 71% no for Photocopying, digitization, binding, deacidification etc are considered technical jobs. 4. Circulation 6. 5. 1. Lack of library staff to performed this task [pic] 6. 5. 2. To run library for late hours [pic] 6. 5. 3. To concentrate on core services/function [pic] Circulation is most important function of the library it is says that 71. 9% says yes for the lack of the staff perform the task of the circulation, 71% no for the run library for the long period of the time means late time and 50% for the concentrate the core services of the library. 5. Classification/Re-classification 6. 6. 1. Reclassification from one classification system to another [pic] 6. 6. 2. To complete the backlog [pic] 6. 6. 3. For completing the classification task within stipulated time [pic] 4. Lack of staff [pic] 5. Lack of time [pic] 6. Cateloguing /Re-cataloguing 6. 7. 1. For Completing of backlog [pic] 6. 7. 2. For completing the cataloging within stipulated time [pic] 6. 7. 3.For cataloging of foreign language materials [pic] 4. Lack of staff [pic] 5. Lack of time [pic] 6. Reducing cost in cataloging [pic] 7. Periodical subscription 6. 8. 1. Lack of time with library staff [pic] 6. 8. 2. To reduce burden on periodical subscription and follow-ups tasks [pic] 6. 8. 3. To concent rate on core services/functions [pic] 8. Reference/e-reference Services 6. 9. 1. Due to increasing of inquiries from users of library [pic] 6. 9. 2. Due to opening Distance education centres [pic] 6. 9. 3. TO increase number of working hours (late evening and early morning) [pic] 4. Lack of professional staff in library [pic] 5.Due to increasing research projects in institute [pic] 6. 10. Indexing 1. Lack of staff to perform the task [pic] 2. To complete backlog of periodical articles indexing within stipulated time [pic] 3. TO uses standard terminology while indexing of periodical articles. [pic] 4. TO concentrate on core services/functions of library [pic] 10. Translation Service 1. Lack of translator in library [pic] 2. Due to increasing demand of translation among library user [pic] 3. Lack of translating skilled and subject’s knowledge in library staff [pic] 4. Translation job is non-library activity and it should be performed by translator pic] 11. Photocopying 1. Due t o increasing price of photocopier machine [pic] 2. To reduce burden of maintenance [pic] 3. To reduce risk of technology that becomes obsolete [pic] 4. Lack of quality if it performed in-house by library staff [pic] 5. To reduce operational and capital cost [pic] 12. Stock verification 1. It is labourious and non-routine (once a year)job. [pic] 2. Library does not want to use its staff in this job [pic] 3. TO avoid burden of staff recruitment for this job [pic] 13. Computer Desktop related functions 1. Lack of skill or knowledge of computing functions [pic] 2.Lack of computers, equipments, softwares and hardware in library [pic] 3. To concentrate on core areas of library [pic] 4. Lack of staff [pic] 14. Automation 1. Lack of expertise on this area in library staff [pic] 2. Lack of time [pic] 3. Lack of library staff [pic] 4. Lack of resources, equipments and technology in library [pic] 5. Concentration on core services/functions of library [pic] 6. Increasing efficiency in library s taff [pic] 15. Digitization 1. To get good qualities in digitized work [pic] 2. Lack of knowledge/expertise in digitization work [pic] 3. To complete digitization in stipulate time pic] 4. To complete the backlog [pic] 5. Lack of knowledge of standard of digitization [pic] 6. Lack of software, Hardware and other equipments with library [pic] 7. To concentrate on core services/functions of library [pic] 16. Retrospective Conversion of Records 1. To convert the data (backlog) from one system to another (e. g. Libsys to KOHA) [pic] 2. Lack of manpower [pic] 3. Lack of knowledge of concern software/system [pic] 4. Lack time with library staff to convert data form one system to another [pic] 17. OPAC/Bar Coding/RFID 1. To resolve trouble shooting in library software [pic] . Barcoding, labeling etc are laborious jobs [pic] 3. Library staff has not enough knowledge to maintain RFID [pic] 4. To make stock verification (automatic) process fast [pic] 18. Webpage Designing/Library Portal Creat ion 1. Lack of knowledge in webpage designing with library staff [pic] 2. To give professional touch to the library portal [pic] 3. To concentrate on core service services/functions of library [pic] 19. Data Server/Data Storage 1. To reduce risk of the software, hardware that become obsolescence [pic] 2. Lack of skilled or expert persons in Library [pic] 3.To gain benefits of resources, investment and expertise of agency [pic] 20. Digital Archival Management/Institutional Repository 1. Lack of knowledge of software among library staff [pic] 2. Lack of time to create digital library [pic] 3. To reduce risk of media, hardware, software become obsolescence [pic] 4. Lack of knowledge of international standards to create metadata [pic] 21. Entire Library/Library Management 1. To reduce responsibility of administration works [pic] 2. To concentrate on core services/functions of library [pic] 3. To reduce burden of employee related issues [pic]

The Human Genome Project essays

The Human Genome Project essays At the beginning of the project, the Human Genome Project was compared to the Manhattan Project or the mission to put men on the moon. It was considered so broad and so complex that the funding could only come from the government. The Human Genome project is now in the hands of private labs. Those labs have forced the Human Genome Project into a rush to finish first. The Human Genome Project is a task that wishes to document all of the genes (over 100,000 of them) in the human body. From these genes, scientists want to find out specifically what their function is and they want to find out what malfunctions in the genes may trigger diseases such as cancer or heart disease. Scientists began the project about 10 years ago and they hope to finish around 2003 with a rough draft around 2001 instead of the 2005 predication several years ago. The reason for moving up the date is the rapid competition of the private labs. The problem with the competition is that these labs want to patent the genes that they have discovered. It is not as if they want to patent the process to sift flour, they want to patent the flour! Did the guy who first found the gallbladder in a human, patent the gallbladder? No, he did not! No one person should be able to have ownership over some information that every single human being has, nor should he/she be able to make money by selling it. If a lab were to own part of a gene, no independent scientist could use the information if he did not have sufficient funds to buy the information. All future control in anything dealing with genes would go to large research teams at labs. Until recently, most scientists were independent and they contributed to the whole, bringing in different ideas and theories from everyone. If only a few laboratories could control the information in genes, the basis of science as we know it will be gone. When the Human Genome Project gets to a point where every person c...

Battle of Kwajalein in World War II

Battle of Kwajalein in World War II The Battle of Kwajalein occurred January 31 to February 3, 1944 in the Pacific Theater of World War II (1939-1945). Moving forward from victories in the Solomons and Gilbert Islands in 1943, Allied forces sought to penetrate the next ring of Japanese defenses in the central Pacific. Attacking into the Marshall Islands, the Allies occupied Majuro and then commenced operations against Kwajalein. Striking at both ends of the atoll, they succeeded in eliminating the Japanese opposition after brief but fierce battles. The triumph opened the way for the subsequent capture of Eniwetok and a campaign against the Marianas.   Background In the wake of the American victories at Tarawa and Makin in November 1943, Allied forces continued their island-hopping campaign by moving against Japanese positions in Marshall Islands. Part of the Eastern Mandates, the Marshalls were originally a German possession and were awarded to Japan after World War I. Considered part of the outer ring of Japanese territory, planners in Tokyo decided after the loss of the Solomons and New Guinea that the islands were expendable. With this in mind, what troops were available were shifted to the area to make the islands capture as costly as possible. Japanese Preparations Led by Rear Admiral Monzo Akiyama, Japanese forces in the Marshalls consisted of the 6th Base Force which initially numbered approximately 8,100 men and 110 aircraft. While a sizable force, Akiyamas strength was diluted by the need to spread his command over the entirety of the Marshalls. In addition, many of Akiyamas troops were labor/construction details or naval forces with little ground combat training. As a result, Akiyama could only muster around 4,000 effectives. Believing the assault would strike one of the outlying islands first, he positioned the bulk of his men on Jaluit, Mili, Maloelap, and Wotje. In November 1943, American airstrikes began whittling down Akiyamas air power, destroying 71 aircraft. These were partially replaced over the next several weeks by reinforcements flown in from Truk. On the Allied side, Admiral Chester Nimitz originally planned a series of assaults on the outer islands of the Marshalls, but upon learning of Japanese troop dispositions through ULTRA radio intercepts altered his approach. Rather than strike where Akiyamas defenses were strongest, Nimitz directed his forces to move against Kwajalein Atoll in the central Marshalls. Armies Commanders Allies Rear Admiral Richmond K. TurnerMajor General Holland M. Smithapprox. 42,000 men (2 divisions) Japanese Rear Admiral Monzo Akiyamaapprox. 8,100 men Allied Plans Designated Operation Flintlock, the Allied plan called for Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turners 5th Amphibious Force to deliver Major General Holland M. Smiths V Amphibious Corps to the atoll where Major General Harry Schmidts 4th Marine Division would assault the linked islands of Roi-Namur while Major General Charles Corletts 7th Infantry Division attacked Kwajalein Island. To prepare for the operation, Allied aircraft repeatedly struck Japanese airbases in the Marshalls through December. This saw B-24 Liberators stage through Baker Island to bomb a variety of strategic targets including the airfield on Mili. Subsequent strikes saw A-24 Banshees and B-25 Mitchells mount several raids across the Marshalls. Moving into position, US carriers began a concerted air offensive against Kwajalein on January 29, 1944. Two days later, US troops captured the small island of Majuro, 220 miles to the southeast, without a fight. This operation was conducted by the V Amphibious Corps Marine Reconnaissance Company and 2nd Battalion, 106th Infantry.    Coming Ashore That same day, members of the 7th Infantry Division landed on small islands, dubbed Carlos, Carter, Cecil, and Carlson, near Kwajalein to establish artillery positions for the assault on the island. The next day, the artillery, with additional fire from US warships, including USS Tennessee (BB-43), opened fire on Kwajalein Island. Pummeling the island, the bombardment allowed the 7th Infantry to land and easily overcome the Japanese resistance. The attack was also aided by the weak nature of the Japanese defenses which could not be built in depth due to the islands narrowness.   Fighting continued for four day with the Japanese mounting nightly counterattacks. On February 3, Kwajalein Island was declared secure. Roi-Namur At the north end of the atoll, elements of the 4th Marines followed a similar strategy and established fire bases on islands dubbed Ivan, Jacob, Albert, Allen, and Abraham. Attacking Roi-Namur on February 1, they succeeded in securing the airfield on Roi that day and eliminated Japanese resistance on Namur the next day. The largest single loss of life in the battle occurred when a Marine threw a satchel charge into a bunker containing torpedo warheads. The resulting blast killed 20 Marines and wounded several others. Aftermath The victory at Kwajalein broke a hole through the Japanese outer defenses and was a key step in the Allies island-hopping campaign. Allied losses in the battle numbered 372 killed and 1,592 wounded. Japanese casualties are estimated at 7,870 killed/wounded and 105 captured. In assessing the outcome at Kwajalein, Allied planners were pleased to find that the tactical changes made after the bloody assault on Tarawa had bore fruit and plans were made to attack Eniwetok Atoll on February 17. For the Japanese, the battle demonstrated that beachline defenses were too vulnerable to attack and that defense in-depth was necessary if they hoped to stop Allied assaults.

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Management - Essay Example An anchor company can supply ships to marine wholesalers, they can supply anchors to marine wholesalers. In addition to this they can also supply steel plates, metal fabrications, plastic injection modeling so on and so forth. Structural steel frames and bases are also included in these services. As far as the case study is concerned, it is known that Albatross only supplies hooks and snags to its clients. Breaking Even: â€Å"Break-even analysis is a technique widely used by production management and management accountants. It is based on categorizing production costs between those which are "variable" (costs that change when the production output changes) and those that are "fixed" (costs not directly related to the volume of production).† (Break-Even) The sales volume required by a business to make profits is called a breakeven point; the following answer will present the breakeven point of Albatross. Breakeven point comes into the picture when a pricing strategy is being d eveloped. This pricing strategy can be a part of either the marketing plan or the business plan. The best option between A and B would be selected giving a just explanation. Fixed Cost per unit= Total fixed cost/ Volume of Production In this case it is x=$500,000/5000 X=$10 (Fixed cost per unit in process A) Case B= $12 Anchor and Process Process A Process B a Fixed Cost per Anchor $10 $12 b Total no of Anchors to Attain Break-Even 50000 Units 62500 Units I would recommend process A because the break-even would require only 50000 units whereas in process B it would require 62500 Units. The sooner the break-even is reached the better. So process A is recommended considering that it would take much lesser time to sell 50000 units than 62500 units. One very important long term change would to invest heavily in latest technology, the second long term change would be to buy more land to effectively manage the needs of the company. One short term change would be to access more shipping op tions; the second option would be to choose the most effective shipping option. The technology that is being used in the company is without a doubt obsolete, they have to invest in new machines. They can never expect growth should they keep using the same obsolete machinery. The company needs to invest in technology; the use of outdated technology can never facilitate growth. New machines will produce better products and at a good speed, this will make the company much better than ever. This will also bring down the cost of production, the old machines require much maintenance, and this would be much different in the case of new machines. Ergonomics: Ergonomics aims at two most important things, they are health and productivity. When an employee is unwell, he will never be able to produce what is expected of him and the organization will suffer because of his lack of productivity. Easy to use machines should be bought by an organization so that the employees never get affected and t heir productivity is never hampered. The organization must not buy anything that will affect the health of the employees. In this particular case Albatross

Modern China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Modern China - Essay Example Oftentimes, the economic model of development propagated by China today is described as â€Å"authoritarian capitalism† (Gat, 2007, 33). China has recently taken cautious steps towards the embrace of market-oriented principles and while capitalism and entrepreneurship remain relatively new concepts, these concepts are starting to take hold. How has China developed over the past century? What is the recent history of China and how does this history explain the model of development which it has decided to pursue? How has the Chinese economy grown under globalization and has the ideological underpinnings of socialism in China evolved or simply withered away? These questions, and many more, will be addressed in this exploration of China and its cautious embrace of capitalism and entrepreneurship today. An ancient civilization with an extensive tradition of dynastic and centralized rulers, China was been ruled by the Communist Party of China (CCP) since the successful overthrow of the Nationalist government in 1949. Establishing a socialist form of government through the creation of the People’s Republic of China, the Communist Party of China is avowedly socialist and sought to impart communist teachings throughout this vast country. Accordingly, the communist leaders initially saw capitalism through a skeptic’s lens and implemented profound overhauls of the economic structure of Chinese society. Thus, the implementation of a series of top-down economic initiatives such as a series of Five Year Plans, the Great Leap Forward and the often-times violent Cultural revolution, all paved the way for the establishment of a socialist society in which economic matters were dictated by the state and implemented accordingly. Significantly, socialism provided the ideological impe tus for the Communist Party of China to govern. Thus, while implementing an economic overhaul of the country, the socialist credentials of