External Factor Analysis of Accounting Firm Essay

It is a part of the external analysis when conducting a strategic analysis or doing market research and gives a certain overview of the different macroenvironmental factors that the company has to take into consideration. Political factors, or how and to what degree a government intervenes in the economy. Specifically, political factors include areas such as tax policy, labour law, environmental law, trade restrictions, tariffs, and political stability. Political factors may also include goods and services which the government wants to provide or be provided (merit goods) and those that the government does not want to be provided (demerit goods or merit bads). Furthermore, governments have great influence on the health, education, and infrastructure of a nation. Economic factors  include economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and the inflation rate. These factors have major impacts on how businesses operate and make decisions. For example, interest rates affect a firm’s cost of capital and therefore to what extent a business grows and expands. Exchange rates affect the costs of exporting goods and the supply and price of imported goods in an economy Social factors  include the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Trends in social factors affect the demand for a company’s products and how that company operates. For example, an ageing population may imply a smaller and less-willing workforce (thus increasing the cost of labor). Furthermore, companies may change various management strategies to adapt to these social trends (such as recruiting older workers). Technological factors  include ecological and environmental aspects, such as R&D activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to innovation. Environmental factors  include weather, climate, and climate change, which may especially affect industries such as tourism, farming, and insurance. Furthermore, growing awareness to climate change is affecting how companies operate and the products they offer–it is both creating new markets and diminishing or destroying existing ones. Legal factors  include discrimination law, consumer law, antitrust law, employment law, and health and safety law. These factors can affect how a company operates, its costs, and the demand for its products.

My Relationship

Brittany English 101-B35 9/28/2012 A relationship between two people can have very different meanings. In some relationships such as two lovers, they can also be best friends because they share good communication. A relationship between a parent and child has a special bond because they share love, and affection for each other. However, there are times when a relationship can go bad because there is no understanding, lack of communication, and a feeling of distance in the relationship.Relationships in all parts of our lives contribute to our well-being. Through our relationships, we are sustained in our personal growth and development. Our relationships provide us with the support we need to grow and to handle challenges we can face. In relationships, people like, respect, and trust each other. These are paramount foundations to a healthy relationship. We can accept each other for who we are, including the ways people grow and change over time.For an example I’ve been with my boyfriend Michael for almost three years now and although we’ve gone a lot of problems he has always been there for me. I’ve been able to over a lot of things in my life with him by my side, he’s helped me build confidence and made me realize that everyone as an opinion that doesn’t mean I have to take to heart. I really have no idea what I would without him by my side.The toughest thing that we’ve had to overcome in our relationship is when I was pregnant earlier this year and my dad wasn’t very happy about it so he kicked me out. I moved in with Michael and things got really tough that we decided to part ways, so I moved in with my mother but he said he was going to do all that he could to make things right even if we weren’t together he was going to be there for our child and be the dad he never had, three months down the road we lost our child.After our loss I moved back in with my father and things went back to normal. Since then Michael and I got back together and so many things have changed with our relationship all the problems have seemed to disappear and we’ve become closer despite my parents not wanting me with him. He truly is the perfect guy for me. As for his looks go he’s crazy tall, 6’5† which makes me happy because I love a guy much taller than me being that I’m 5’6† myself. He has big brown eyes that when the light hits them they like look a dark green.He’s a little over weight but it something he’s working on. He has four tattoos, two on right shoulder and one on his left and on the left side of his chest my favorite out of them all would be the tree that has he has on his right shoulder, I don’t know why I just have a fascination with nature and trees. As for his personality He’s Kind, compassionate, and sympathetic. Has a great sense of humor and is loyal. He’s Strong enough to lean on when I need to but comfor table enough to cry if things get bad.He has an easy going temperament and not afraid to say sorry when he is wrong. He even goes out of his way to cheer me up when I am blue. He is completely trust worthy and I can’t talk to him about everything, he’s truly are amazing. He truly has showed me what love really is and I wouldn’t want it any other way For as long as I have been with him people have asked me â€Å"why are you with him†? During our difficult times I seriously had to sit and think about the reasons why I was with him, for the longest time I didn’t really see what we had in common.I mean we don’t have the same taste in music; I am rather organized where he is rather sloppy, we don’t like the same types of food, our childhood upbringing and family could not be any dis similar. So as I reviewed these different aspects of what I expect most people to have in common I started to realize that we didn’t have anything in co mmon, It wasn’t until I got so frustrated and angry that I actually confronted him telling him we had nothing in common, that he showed me a different way to look at it.He said with a smile on his face â€Å" of course we don’t have any of those things in common, but that’s not why I love you† after he said those words I realized I didn’t love him for any of those reasons either , but it was all the intangible things about him that I loved some much, and after I saw that, I realized we did in fact have some things in common that I never even thought about, like each of us has an appreciation for art, beauty, and nature.We both love animals and the ocean, but I don’t think I would have ever actually seen all the things we do have in common until I stretched my brain a little to look outside the normal view of what most of my peers have in common with their significant others, and it made me smile to think that even though we both together mig ht act like silly little children and laugh about the stupidest things most times, we really have a loving and mature relationship (most of the time).I would say the song that describes our relationship the best would be the perfect to by auburn. The song displays the true love between these two people and how they go hand and hand, that they wouldn’t be anything without one another. To me a romantic relationship is a commitment, compromise, acceptance, and love.You must commit yourself to work on improving the relationship, you must often compromise to come to an agreement on many issues, and you must accept the other person for who they are and not try to change them, as change can only come from within. You must love yourself before you can love someone else, and you must love the other person enough to put their needs before your own. Auburn. â€Å"Where the Perfect Two. † Perfect Two. Beluga Heights , 2011.

Co-ordinate implementation of customer service strategie Essay

Brief Background McDonalds is a well admired, large organization of approximately 5,500 locally owned and operated businesses all around the world. Food quality is the key at McDonald’s as is has implemented rigorous food safety standards for almost 50 years, and the fast food restaurant has been recognized for its popular and well known meals, ranging from delicious burgers, well known French fries, healthy salads, rolls, fruits, deserts, and also breakfast foods such as bacon and eggs, cereals and pancakes. The restaurant also has Ronald McDonald House Charities and its global network of independent local Chapters, which help find, create, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. There are many employees in each McDonald’s restaurant which are well trained to help serve the more than 47 million customers, in 119 countries from more than 30,000 different restaurant locations. The specific department on which is being focused on this report revolves around working on the front counter; this includes customer service, preparation of the meals, dealing with cash, cleaning and stocking. Organisation’s internal and external customers Working on the front counter at McDonalds deals with the external customers, these are the people who pay for the product/food that the business has to offer. The employees, who work on the front counter, act as internal customers towards the employees at McDonalds who work in the back. People working on the front counter next-handle the jobs that have been completed from out the back where the food is made. When an external customer walks into a McDonald restaurant, straight away their main needs and expectations is to firstly walk into an attractive well maintained and clean environment, to have a fresh tasting meal delivered to them politely from a well organized employee, who should prepare the meal quickly but carefully, making sure no mistakes are made. Each and every employee has the resources they need to serve the customers so they can be prepared as each customer approaches. Restaurants are adequately staffed to allow for a good customer experience as well as to provide schedule flexibility, work-life balance and time for training. When serving the customers, employees should act in ways which make the customers feel as though they are happy with the service and would continue to do business with the organisation. Therefore the employees are trained to use appropriate communication techniques to make the customer feel comfortable, welcome and satisfied with the service. This means that every customer should receive respect, patience, friendliness, and good quality products. On behave of McDonalds (2004), claims that â€Å"At McDonald’s, we know that people are our most valuable resource. We aim to be the best employer in each community around the world where we do business.† Read more:  Customer Service Essay How the organisation recognizes its customer’s requirement McDonalds is well known as a fast food restaurant, therefore the meals are expected to be delivered to each customer in a fast, efficient way, but in the same time, the meals need to be prepared cautiously to make sure no mistakes are made and to also make sure that the meal is fresh and of great quality. Another issue concerned with the service is the ‘customer rush’ this is when many customers all approach at once. This usually occurs during lunch time, straight after school hours, and around dinner time. When there is a ‘customer rush’, the store should be adequately staffed to allow employees to be prepared and deal with the large group of people as quick as they can. The organisation becomes aware of the requirements from previous circumstances when customers complain that their food is not fresh, or if they have been waiting a long time for their meal to be prepared. All McDonald’s restaurants have possession of a particular McDonalds owned clock which works as a timer and helps in the process to distinguish how long the burgers have been sitting for. This process prevents the burgers from going past the stage where they are not fresh anymore. The fry station in which the fries are made also has a separate timer which goes of when the fries are no longer fresh. From time to time, accidents may happen and the timers may not be used efficiently. This is when the food gets cold, and customers begin to complain. When a customer complains of their food being cold or not fresh, they should be treated with extra consideration, get an apology and then have their meal replaced. The only way this problem can be resolved is for workers to make sure they keep an eye on the timers, and if there are no fresh burgers when a customer is served, they should be seated and have they’re meal taken to them within a few minutes. If a customer feels that they repeatedly receive food which is not fresh enough, and they do not mind waiting a few extra minutes, they can ask for a fresh burger. Then, they will be asked to be seated while their meal is being made. Another circumstance may be if a customer is allergic to something in a meal, or don’t want a particular ingredient in their food such as pickles in their burgers or salt on their fries. All they need to do is make the person who is serving them aware of this. This is called a grill, and their meal will be freshly made as of above. All the staff of McDonalds are trained to deal with the customers in a pleasant manner. Any suggestions from customers on how the service, environment, etc. can be improved would be taken positively and the matter would be discussed with the management because McDonalds wants all customers to be happy. Some McDonalds restaurants have suggestion boxes where customers can give their thoughts of any improvement which can be made for customer service delivery. The suggestions from customers are a great help to the management, as the customers are the ones who the store is trying to impress. Within time, business technology can assist with the service at McDonalds by creating higher technology cash register, which may help with interpreting the order and assistance with the cash. The quicker the meal is ordered the quicker the meal can be delivered. Business technology could also assist with serving the customers on drive through. â€Å"Our People Promise is more than words. McDonald’s and its independent owner/operators have made a commitment to our employees that we strive to achieve with our actions every day† McDonalds.com (2004). To deliver the People Promise, there are in place, five people principles which promote customer service strategies. They include Respect and recognition, Values and Leadership Behaviors, Competitive Pay and Benefits, Learning Developing and Personal Growth and Resourced to get the job done. The delivery of a quality service is essential to a successful business. â€Å"For McDonald’s to achieve our goal of being the world’s best quick service restaurant experience, we must have the best experience for all McDonald’s employees.† This quotes that the quality of the McDonalds business revolves around the employees actions. Another main issue is that there is always a clean surrounding of each restaurant, to make everyone feel comfortable to dine in. The main customer objective is when food is not fresh. To fulfill this objective, budget recourses which may help with the solution could include a buzzer or alarm to indicate that the food is off. Stronger heat may help so that the burgers, and fries stay hot, but this brings danger to the employees with the high risks of burns. The company can look further towards these issues to come to a resolution to the complaints. Conclusion The company of McDonalds is a largely known and popular business. The reoccurrence of so many customers indicates that it is successful. But there can never be enough of pleasing customers, because the more pleased customers become, the more business the store will get, this is from word of mouth. Therefore if a customer has a bad experience, the company’s earnings may slightly drop. McDonalds is cautious of the way they handle customers, the environment, and the quality of their food. They are also aware of customer complaints or suggestions of improving the service, food, etc. This helps a lot to improve the business which is becoming more and more popular everyday. Bibliography * http//:www.Mcdonalds.com.au * Burbury E, 2003, Deliver and Monitor a Service to Customers, Software publication Pty. Ltd., Sydney. * McDonalds Pty Ltd, 2001, Crew Member Handbook. * http//:www.Mcdonalds.com (world wide)   

The Immensity Of The Collision Between Cultures Essay

The Immensity Of The Collision Between Cultures - Essay Example The sages say that the past is not really real, that it is just all in the mind, thoughts, that have no reality in and of itself. From experience, I can say that I am more a product of my choices and my own personal history rather than my cultural heritage. I have always been my own person, distinct from another, in the same way, that even my closest friends are different from me, and defined by their own choices, even though we grew up together and share many things in common. Growing up, there was no question that I can be my own person and that I can even make decisions on who to befriend and what I did with my free time, within limits. I was even free to choose what I wanted to study and what career I would pursue. My tastes in clothes and in music have always been my own. Even my choice of friends is something that was, is up to me. All of these are encapsulated in my present, and my present circumstances alone shape all of these choices and decisions, unhampered by any past or cultural tradition or heritage. This seems so contrary to what Kingston’s family in China, and the young unmarried people in their community, were used to. Their restriction and bowing to tradition seemed to be the norm, and going against the dictates of the community meant becoming ostracized and forgotten. Yet in another sense, we human beings need some kind of grounding in the past. If there is no past then a man in a way is also a kind of ungrounded animal with no social dimension at all. The past roots us to social history, and cultural history as well. In this social aspect and cultural aspect of our lives, we relate to others, and others relate to us, in the categories that they also define themselves in. In the context of American society, this is clear.

Managed Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Managed Care - Essay Example Accreditation is the significant process that Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) need to pass in order to prove their credibility and quality. Both, service providers and customers consider the certification as highly important because it indicates that an organization has attained the standard of quality defined by the accrediting agency. The major Accrediting Agencies in the United States are ABQAURP, NCQA & HEDIS, The Joint Commission, AAAHC & AAAASF and URAC. Although the criteria for accreditation vary depending on the type of Managed Care Organizations and the accrediting agency, there are certain common factors that are applicable in the review. The Agencies usually consider the â€Å"MCO’s quality management program and its impact on operations, at utilization management and how it is carried out, at the MCO’s treatment of members and so forth.† (Kongstvedt., 2003 p. 239). TRICARE is a managed care option of Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) initiated by Department of Defense (DOD). The service has been delivered through its worldwide Military Health Service System (MHSS). DOD provides Tricare civilian health benefits for military personnel, military retirees, and their dependents through its 11 health service regions. It has also established a new administrative structure to supervise the delivery of health care. (Kongstvedt, 2003 p.1131). Tricare Standard (Fee for Service Program), Tricare Extra (Preferred Provider Option), Tricare Prime (HMO Option), US Family Health Plan, and Tricare Reserve Select (TRS) are some of the major plans of Tricare. As compared to other managed care services in the United States, Tricare offers more steady high quality health care benefits and reduced costs. Tricare service is accessible according to the priority of the beneficiaries as follows; active duty members, family members o f the active prime members, retirees and their family members, family

Week 5 response papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 5 response papers - Essay Example Taking this into account, it would not be logical to ask the developing countries to bear an equal burden in solving a problem that has hugely been caused by their developed counterparts. By making their positions clear, the developing countries are in no way trying to manufacture their way to development status. Regarding voluntary governance, I strongly agree with the student. Citizens across the world are learning how important the environmental conservation and sustainability is and will definitely opt for products that are produced by self governing organization (Soederbaum, 2008). However, this move may be hampered if cost is a major issue as poor people will prefer to buy cheaper products even if their producers did not care about the environment. Considering the above fact, compulsory governance of the environment is appropriate as its effects equally far reaching considering that organizations will prefer to do the right thing than to face the law and have heft fines imposed upon them for non-compliance. While my view regarding the application of similar emission standards to developing and developed counties does not tally with the student, it is held that both types of countries contribute harmful emissions in the environment. The student has effectively introduced the notion that various alternatives can be applied in resolving the dilemma. Jia’s (2009) suggestion that the deployment of clean technology be used as a measure seems realistic and is worth consideration in my view considering that developing countries will be more motivated to embrace new technologies as opposed to paying when forced to incur high costs associated with the popular suggestion of introducing caps. It is common knowledge that acts done voluntarily often draw a lot of attention and reaction. Voluntary sustainability actions, in agreement with the student, can have far reaching effects as stakeholders such as consumers are given the opportunity to

Strategic analysis of a company and its competitive environment Essay - 4

Strategic analysis of a company and its competitive environment - Essay Example External Business Environment Analysis Macro Environment PESTLE analysis of UK can be used in order to understand the macro-environment of UK that is influencing the dimension of food retailing industry of UK. Political In recent years, UK government has decreased spending on retail industry in terms of cut in subsidy and putting addition fair price burden on food retailers. On the other hand, UK governments’ decision of reducing corporate tax to 22% has helped food and other retailers to save additional amount of money from operation (Verdict Research, 2013). Economic Consideration of research report of Nicholson (2011) and Verdict Research (2013) reveals the GDP growth of UK was less than 0.1% while unemployment rate was close to 8% in recent years and due to ongoing economic crisis, consumer spending on retail food items has also been decreased by close to 3%. From economic perspective, food retailers are facing inflationary pressure which is decreasing their scope to avoid rising price of food retail merchandises. Social According to Verdict Research (2013), UK customers are showing the demand for healthy and more nutritional food choices in recent years due to increased health awareness and change in life style. On the other hand, demand for online retailing has also been increased among youth and teenagers and working professionals. Therefore, food retail chains have the option to invest resources in developing online distribution channel in order to cater demand of young customer segments. Technology Nicholson (2011) reported that most of food retailers are banking on latest technologies such as RFID, electronic data exchange, ERP, Big Data analytics in order to not only speed up the value chain process but also understand customer purchasing behaviour. Environment UK government has already advised large scale retailers (including food, grocery, clothing etc) to reduce carbon emission by 20% in the value chain within 2015 and due to such regulator y pressure, food retailing companies are also adopting the concept of green supply chain model to reduce carbon emission in the value chain (Verdict Research, 2013). Legal In UK, European Union labour law are being followed food retailers in order to handle human resource and labour related issues while Food Safety Act, 1990 is being used in the country to ensure control of quality in offered food items (Food Law Practice Guidance, 2012). . Business Trend Consideration of the report of Nicholson (2011) reveals the fact that UK food and drink retailing segment has been under consistent pressure for last three years due to intertwined factors like the banking crisis which decreases access to funds for retailers, decrease in household food retail expenditure due to ongoing economic crisis, marginalization of consumer spending on food retail items, rise of unemployment rate in the country etc. Due to conjoint negative impact of the mentioned factors, growth of UK food retail segment has been slumped for last few years. Such downturn can be depicted in the following manner; Figure 1: UK Food Retailing Expenditure Growth Trend (Source: Verdict Research, 2013) It is evident from the above diagram that consumer spending on retail food items has been decreased or remained flat for last three years in UK. Verdict Research (2013) reported that volume growth for food & grocery retailing was only 0.1% in UK and

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 19

Report - Essay Example ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Citizen Watchdog Coordinator  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   InterNews  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Eipalei@INTERNEWS.ORG The report’s contents include; table of content, executive summary, report text, introduction, project statement, and methods used findings, analysis, conclusion and agenda (reference, appendices) remember to look at the recommendations so that you take the necessary steps as we agreed during our last focus group discussion. Inter-news’  liberated and Fair Media program focuses on election related issues not only in Kenya but the entire continent of Africa by analyzing its media coverage of emerging and sensitive issues (Stifftung , 2012). The program is aimed at monitoring various radio stations in the country to ascertain their coverage of the electioneering period that is; Pre-election period, Election Campaign period, Polling Day and the Results announcing day. This monitoring project involves monitoring dangerous speech in the media and the role of the media in promoting peace and conflict mitigation. There are different media topics being covered including, including gender, dangerous speech, issue based coverage, fairness and balance. The report looks into the challenges that the radio station faced and recommendations that when implemented could improve the situation. The report also documents the findings by the media monitors in the period 1st January – 9th March 2013. All cases of hate speech that were reported were independently verified. The geographical scope of the content covered was primarily national. This survey indicates that in most of the programs monitored, it is male

Business Letter And Literature Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business Letter And Literature Summary - Essay Example Finally, on all your future travels with us, kindly expect the best kind of service that only Virgin Atlantic could offer. Once again, we sincerely apologize for the inconveniences that we have caused you on board our flight from Mumbai to Heathrow. Also, we would like to thank you once again for your continued patronage to Virgin Atlantic and for helping us point out the problems with respect to our services so that we can ensure the betterment thereof, to provide only the best service to our loyal customers like you. Thank you very much and Good Day! Sincerely Yours, _________________________ Marketing Manager Virgin Atlantic Introduction Studies conducted with respect to customer retention have focused on the manner by which the customers respond once the issue of service failures has become an important aspect thereof (Zemke 1995). Parenthetically, researches that have been conducted in relation to this topic have highlighted the importance of the so-called â€Å"mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises (Yockel 1997; Zemke 1995).† Evidently, the latter is considered as the primary basis that underscores service relationships. Service recovery is thus deemed necessary most especially when the manner by which a corporation delivers a particular service tends to go wrong (Nguyen 2006). In a nutshell, service recovery has been referred to as that effort of the company aimed towards providing the customers and the clients with the outcome they desire even though the latter has already experienced a failure in the previous delivery (Young and Burgess 2010; Yockel 1997). Service recovery is also concerned with the adoption of pertinent steps and measures to prevent the commission of the same mistake (Nguyen 2006;... Studies conducted with respect to customer retention have focused on the manner by which the customers respond once the issue of service failures has become an important aspect thereof (Zemke 1995). Parenthetically, researches that have been conducted in relation to this topic have highlighted the importance of the so-called â€Å"mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises (Yockel 1997; Zemke 1995).† Evidently, the latter is considered as the primary basis that underscores service relationships. Service recovery is thus deemed necessary most especially when the manner by which a corporation delivers a particular service tends to go wrong (Nguyen 2006). In a nutshell, service recovery has been referred to as that effort of the company aimed towards providing the customers and the clients with the outcome they desire even though the latter has already experienced a failure in the previous delivery (Young and Burgess 2010; Yockel 1997). Service recovery is also concerned with th e adoption of pertinent steps and measures to prevent the commission of the same mistake (Nguyen 2006; Osborne 2004; Tschohl 2005). It is then because of this that the importance of service recovery has been underscored in the field of service management and service marketing. Without a doubt, service recovery strategies are deemed of paramount importance in view of its ability to positively affect customer loyalty as the former somehow prevents the turnover of those who have been previously dissatisfied with the service provided

The impact of culture on entrepreneurial management Essay

The impact of culture on entrepreneurial management - Essay Example Hofstede defines culture as â€Å"the collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes the members of one human group from another†¦. Culture, in this sense, includes systems of values; and values are among the building blocks of culture† (Hofstede & Hofstede, 2005). Culture is learned and not inherited. Individuals are born into and shaped by that culture which has been existing. This culture influences the way we think, behave and act. Culture can be referred as the acquired knowledge that people use to interpret experience and to generate social behaviour (Rugman & Hodgetts, 2002). Cultural differences can be found at the regional, national, ethnic, and organizational levels. Hence, Hofstede (1991) suggested that cultural influences on organizations "are most clearly recognizable at the national level" (cited by Justin, 2002). This has been the most widely accepted definition of culture and this essay will determine the impact of culture on indigenous entreprene urs, immigrant entrepreneurs and women entrepreneurs. Culture influences attitudes and behavior, varies within and across nations and within and across ethnicities, and is strongly embedded in indigenous communities. (Lindsay, 2005). Culture influences the motives, values, and beliefs of individuals (Hayton, George, & Zahra, 2002) that reflects on their attitudes. In term of business, people would view and conduct their business differently according to their attitude, which is derived from their own culture. â€Å"If we learn anything from the history of economic development, it is culture makes all difference† (Landes, 1998). Maznevski et al., (2002) state that culture is a group-level phenomenon, but it influences individuals’ perception, values and behaviour, especially with respect to social interaction. It is thus evident that culture is an important factor of economic success. Culture is a big influence

An analysis of attempts deal with the problem of smuggling of human beings Essay Example for Free

An analysis of attempts deal with the problem of smuggling of human beings Essay 1. Introduction There are many factors that entice some people to use illegal means to reach the United States, the member states of the European Union and other countries. One of the illegal means is through human smuggling. Two of the main reasons are pegged on social as well as economic ties. Other reasons could be   the political instability, armed conflict, rapid population growth, environmental degradation, widening economic disparities between countries, and a worsening unemployment crisis in the Asia Pacific region are only a few of the reasons that have sparked several waves of human smuggling activities. Human smuggling always entails people leaving their home country where their loved ones are waiting for them to send back home money to pay for their family’s daily expenses. For, humans exhort to violating the immigration laws of their decision countries by entering through the smuggling channels because in order to acquire that elusive bag of gold offered in the destination country. In Congo, humans are smuggled to Europe by passing them off as musicians and dancers (Bafalikike 2003, 65).   This bag of gold includes protection from dangers to their life back home, employment, higher wages and a better life. Thus, these people are forced to leave their country of origin either voluntarily or   even involuntarily to improve their life to secure their lives, to secure their families and friends and their properties back home (Hampson, and Hay 2004). 2. Smuggling Operation-The Organisation Human Smuggling   from China to the United States has a long history. This started with the United States interpretation of the term refugee in 1996. Consequently, the last ten years saw the human smuggling of Chinese citizens   has increased   from a small –scale regional movement to a major global enterprise (Kung 2000, 1271). The Chinese smuggling network is run by big snakeheads that have institutionalized networks of small snakeheads, debt collectors and enforcers. With the good relationship with local Chinese government officials, many snakeheads   present themselves as philanthropists for they donate large sums of corruption money to improve their chosen home villages (Smith 2002). The smuggled humans do not ever meet these snakeheads but are only in communication with the snakeheads’ representatives or employees. Some of the smaller snakeheads are local Chinese residents who entice customers and collect down payments. In addition, droves of middlemen   tour the human smuggles from one transit point to the next until they reach their destination – United States. Upon arrival on the United States shores, these human smuggles are then imprisoned by the tour guides until they pay their fees. The big snakeheads normally hire gang members to collect the human smuggles’ debts. However, there is no flagrant evidence that organized crime holds the strings in the Chinese human smuggling business (Ruddock 2001). Evidently, the Chinese human smuggling business is controlled by so -called enterpreneurs who are involved in several criminal activities(Jandl, 2004). The tour guides and entrepreneurs juicily talk to their hapless victims that they have to pay only a small monetary price in exchange for a richer life in the United States. Thus, the willing Chinese victims endure the dangerous travel by sea, air and land in inhuman conditions that are worsened by the violent abuses of the enforcers (Chu 2000, 111). The entrepreneurs or Chinese smugglers   charges very exorbitant fees ranging from $30,000 to $60,000 for each person for their human smuggling services. To ensure success, the human smuggles pay   the smugglers lots of money in exchange for   passage through the high seas. The Chinese smuggles then are not forced to as indentured servants in American food services establishments or sweatshops to pay their smugglers. In fact, human smuggling has increased in alarming rate more (ORourke 2002, p1). For, the smugglers immediately collect the human smuggles’ debts from the friends and relatives of the newly arrived Chinese human smuggles in full upon arrival in the United States. Consequently, the smugglers will torture the human smuggles and inform the relatives that further harm will continue thus forcing their relatives and friends to pay the human smuggles’ debts if payment has not been made generally in one week’s time (Jandl, 2004). Usually, the Chinese human smuggles come from the Chinese province of Fujian. The smuggling networks starting the 1980s have already smuggled more than ten thousand Fujians into the United States. Fujian lies along the coastal Mainland side of China which is the main Chinese shipping route for export and import of goods.   In fact, Fujian is the birthplace of the founder of the Chinese Triad, San Lian Hui, which is the center of Chinese Smuggling. Human smuggling here was ignited when the war brought about by the Qing dynasty in the 19th century where thousands of Fujians fled the island to escape the war   and financial hardships then. The main source of the Fujian human smuggles are people living around Fuzhou City in the northern part of Fujian province. Here, several villages are housed many Chinese whose relatives are in the United States. The residents here are dependent on the money sent from their relatives in the United States. Unquestionably, money is the push factor that has forced many Chinese to illegally enter the United States. Along this line, many Chinese officials are being corrupted to allow a smooth transfer of the Chinese smuggles outside of China which weakens most levels of the Chinese society (Jandl, 2004). Further, one expert clarified that corruption of Chinese government officials plus the decentralization of the Chinese economy erupted into a massive unrest in the Chinese Society. Thus, this unrest increased the number of Chinese smuggled outside of China. The Chinese government could not stop the human smuggling because the Chinese officials in the smuggling areas were corrupt and cared more about the money they will receive through bribes than implementing the Chinese government’s efforts to curtail human smuggling in China. The ordinary Chinese citizen finds it an uphill climb in terms of procuring travel documents to enter the United States. On the other hand, the rich, educated and professional Chinese residents can easily travel abroad including the United States and members of the European Union States. For, the Chinese government are very strict in giving out passports to Chinese people applying for permission to go abroad. Normally, the legal way to go the United States includes applying for a passport from their local village officials. Then, the visa and passport applicant will apply at the United States Embassy in Beijing or the Consulate in Guangzhou.   After, the Chinese applicant must   apply with the Public Security Bureau for the final document needed to leave China. The final paper is the exit permit. However, there are many bureaucratic obstacles hounding the application in every step of the application process (Lubbers 2002). The human smugglers ply their trade by giving their clients fake documents   and passage to the United States.   Also, the lax immigration checkpoints in China and the transit countries until the United States have made human smuggling a very profitable and happy encounter. For, the smugglers make lots of money in return for a happy arrival into the United States. In addition, other authorities offer high prices to give their passports to clients. In addition, Chinese government officials themselves pay the human smugglers to smuggle their families and friends into the United States at an obviously discounted price.   The human smuggling travel passes through several transit points. There are dangers along bend of the way. The trip takes from a few weeks to even a year. The ride passes through Southeast Asian countries, Europe and South or Central America The human smuggles are at the mercy of the snakeheads and the enforcers. Not all human smuggling was successful. On June, 1993, the freighter Golden Venture ran aground in New York. It was discovered that more than three hundred Chinese smuggles were packed in 800 square feet of cargo space and had been at sea for more than three months with little food and water, no lifer preservers and only one ladder as escape route in case of danger. Upon discovery, an estimated two hundred Chinese smuggles jumped ship and swim across the literally ice –cold New York waters ashore where more than ten people died from froze bite   swimming in the freezing water. Ten of the migrants died while trying to reach the shore(Schneider, Steiner, and Romaine 2003). In addition, the early nineties saw thirty two ships carrying a total of more than five thousand Chinese migrants traveling towards the United States that were caught   many stop –over points in Asia, South America and Europe. After the Golden Venture Crackdown, still continued to brave the odds that were heavily stocked in miniscule fashion in the Chinese smuggles’ favour in fishing boats. In fact, one United States INS   officer   stated that at any given point in time, thirty thousand Chinese are   literary packed in sardine like safe houses around the world waiting for that rare and opportune time to enter the United States through the discreet smuggle entry points. Importantly, any clear and fast distinction between human smuggling and human trafficking seems spurious (Skeldon 2003 p.1). In 1998, the United States INS service uncovered a criminal syndicate that focused on smuggling up to one hundred fifty Chinese people per month into the United States through the Canadian border (Smart, 994, p 98). The criminal syndicate’s network encompassed five continents because they earn lots of money in this illegal activity. The method was to smuggle the Chinese through Canada by giving them fake passports. The Chinese smuggles then   were sent to New York City passing through the Saint Regis Mohawk Territory at Akwesasne. This was an American Indian Reserve the lies between the boundary of the United States and Canada.   This smuggling was busted and thirty seven members of the smuggling ring were jailed.   After the Canada bust, the smugglers focused their entry point through Mexico City (Cholewinski 1997, 4). Smuggling humans through Mexico had declined during the Great Depression of 1929 (Hansen 2006; Spener and Staudt 1998, null5). Recently, the Chinese smuggling ring is using Guam as its stop –over point (Jandl, 2004). Furthermore, many human smugglers use commercial airplanes to deliver their human smuggles so that the coast guard and the border patrol could not find them. Flying the human smuggles through the air lanes was more successful and comfortable as compared to the overly tight border patrols. The Chinese smuggles would wait an average of two months for their fake travel documents to arrives so they could fly to the United States passing through Asia, Europe and other transit points. It is difficult to estimate the magnitude of the human smuggles because of their discreet operations (Guiraudon and Joppke 2001, 107). When caught by the INS people, the Snake heads instruct their Chinese smuggles to say that they are applying for political asylum because they are escaping China’s one child policy (Newman and Van Selm 2003, 9). Then, the snake heads hire lawyers to get the smuggles on parole and out of jail. After leaving jail, the Chinese Smuggles then disappear in the Chinese communities hide from detection. In reality though, the United States benefits from the cheap labor that these Chinese smuggles offer (Jandl, 2004). 3. Protocols The United States INS detention centers could not keep the overbulging Chinese human smuggles who come in droves and in regularly smuggled fashion.   The current US jails could not keep the surge of Chinese human smuggles arriving.   And, a Chinese woman was jailed by the United States INS in October 24, 1999 who gave birth in a United States Jail. The jail guards rushed the pregnant mother to the nearest hospital. Naturally, many human rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union have complained that jailing the human smuggles are a violation of their human rights. For, the jail was a harsh environment taking into consideration the hardships these Chinese had to face for three or more months inside inhuman ocean going containers. Despite the eighteen arrests of Chinese Stowaways in another ship in Seattle and the detention of more then two hundred Chinese human smuggles found in container vans bound for the United States and Canada, there are still more that have not be caught. The series of successful detection of the Chinese smuggles that were smuggled as part of cargo in ships is used by the United States INS as proof that they are successful in their endeavor to decrease or even stop the rampant human smuggling into the United States passing through the European Union countries, Asia, Canada, Mexico and the like. The difficulty in detecting the Chinese smuggles is because there are too many cargoes loaded in a Cargo ship. In addition, many of the shipping companies and their crew do not know if their ship is carrying human smuggles. In response, the United States INS are holding responsible the shipping lines if human smuggles are discovered hiding in their ships. To stave off the proliferation of human smuggling, the United States makes it a criminal offense for anyone to bring or to aid in bringing human smuggles into the United States.   Likewise, it is considered a violation of the United States law if a person aids in the smuggling of persons into the United States. In addition, any person who entices another to enter the United States illegally will be punished with the full strength of the United States law. The penalty for human smuggling could reach up to five years. In addition, the enticing human smuggler will pay dearly if his human smuggle dies on board. However, if the human smuggling is done on a large scale or business –like basis, the penalty would be fifty dollars. However, these sentences will not stop the Chinese smuggles from entering the United States through sheer luck.   The United States Congress in 1996 placed human smuggling and immigration related visa fraud as RICO predicate offense. The RICO approach focuses on the leaders of the smuggling rings and not on the smuggling middle men. The violation of the RICO protocol will give out a fine that may include imprisonment of up to twenty years (Jandl, 2004). The United States had partnered with the United States address human smuggling. However, the focus on the United Nations is on the human trafficking of women and children and also white slavery. Combating human smuggling is a combined world –wide effort. However, corruption of local governments officials in China and other countries had made the curtailment of human smuggling next to nothing.     Ã‚  In reality, the detection of Chinese human smuggles are generally successful if someone secretly tips the border patrols on possible hideouts of the jail escapees   (Kyle, 2003). Developed countries are trying to find ways to curtail human smuggling. However, they   are against any policy that would reduce the demand for illegal workers. Evidently, the more there are strict immigration policies, the more will be the smuggler’s will to smuggle people because of the money involved (Kyle, 2003).

Great Pacific Garbage Patch Essay Example for Free

Great Pacific Garbage Patch Essay Everything that we throw into the environment as waste will always come back to haunt us in a larger form than we ever expected. With the level of consumerism that the society today have enjoyed because of the goods available in the market today, wastes also abound and without proper disposal mechanisms, it has led to the degradation of the environment. More so, the convenience of producing commodities in the form of plastic has led more and more wastes to be sent out in the environment. A great number of which has found their way into the oceans to become what is now termed as â€Å"The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. † It is noted for its relatively large size, the contents it has, and the area it has occupied. The Great Garbage Patch is an accumulation of plastic non-biodegradable wastes which have been dumped in the ocean or found its way to the sea from the land. The bottom line is that there is a great amount of garbage found in the ocean that is brought about by human activities. It affects marine life and will later on impact on the health of human beings. Interestingly, it has been noted that the ratio of plastic wastes in the water to that of sea life is 6 is to 1 (â€Å"The Great Garbage Patch,† n. d. ). In light of this information, it is no longer a surprising fact that there are indeed a significant volume of plastics that have been accumulated in the ocean because of the amount of materials dumped in it. The area which this garbage occupies is around 500 nautical miles from the coast of California up to Japan (Jacquot, 2008). The impact it has over the quality of life in the ocean is devastating as it grew more than the zooplankton and affects life within it (Kostigen, 2008). It is indeed proven that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has taken over a large area of the ocean. Knowledge of this term leads people to an informed judgment next time plastics are used and results to a heightened consciousness in terms of their behavior. Moreover, private organizations should adhere to the use of biodegradable plastic or a similar technology in order to help the environment. In the future, the efforts of the individuals and organizations will greatly help in saving the environment. References Jacquote, J. (2008). The Great Pacific Garbage Patch: â€Å"Out of sight, of out of mind. † Retrieved March 9, 2009, from http://www. treehugger.com/files/2008/02/great_pacific_garbage_patch. php. This site provides scientific and factual information regarding the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Kostigen, T. (2008). The world’s largest dump: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Retrieved March 9, 2009, from http://discovermagazine. com/2008/jul/10-the-worlds-largest-dump. It is an account of the author’s experience in relation to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The great garbage patch. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 9, 2009 from http://www. greatgarbagepatch. org/. It basically provides information in order to persuade the readers to take action.

Foundations Of Organization Structure

Foundations Of Organization Structure (b; Easy; p. 452-453) 4. The degree to which tasks are subdivided into separate jobs is termed: a. departmentalization.b. decentralization. c. work specialization. d. structure.(c; Moderate; p. 452-453) 5. In the late 1940s, most manufacturing jobs in industrialized countries were being done with high: a. departmentalization. b. decentralization. c. work specialization. d. structuralization. (c; Moderate; p. 453) 6. For much of the first half of the 20th century, managers viewed _____ as an unending source of increased productivity. a. departmentalization b. formalization c. work specialization d. automation (c; Moderate; p. 454) 7. Which one of the following components of organizational structure specifically defines where decisions are made? a. complexity/simplicity b. formalization/informalization c. centralization/decentralization d. specialization/enlargement (c; Moderate; Exh 15-1; p. 453) 8. The basis by which jobs are grouped together is termed: a. departmentalization. b. bureaucracy. c. specialization. d. centralization. (a; Easy; Exh. 15-1; p. 453) 9. Grouping jobs on the basis of function, product, geography, process, or customer is a form of: a. departmentalization. b. specialization. c. centralization. d. bureaucracy. (a; Moderate; p. 454) 10. One of the most popular ways to group activities is by: a. product. b. function. c. geography. d. process. (b; Challenging; p. 454) 11. Proctor Gamble departmentalizes by Tide, Pampers, Charmin, and Pringles. This is an example of departmentalization by: a. function. b. process. c. geography. d. product. (d; Easy; p. 455) 12. A plant manager who organizes the plant by separating engineering, accounting, manufacturing, personnel, and purchasing into departments is practicing _____ departmentalization. a. target customer b. product c. functional d. geographic (c; Moderate; p. 454) 13. _____ departmentalization achieves economies of scale by placing people with common skills and orientations into common units. a. Functional b. Process c. Product d. Geographic (a; Moderate; p. 454) 14. At an Alcoa aluminum tubing plant in New York, production is organized into five departments: casting; press; tubing; finishing; and inspecting; packing; and shipping. This is a. functional departmentalization. b. process departmentalization. c. product departmentalization. d. none of the above. (b; Moderate; p. 455) 15. The unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports to whom is termed: a. chain of command. b. authority. c. span of control. d. unity of command. (a; Moderate; p. 456) 16. The right inherent in a managerial position to give orders and expect orders to be obeyed is termed: a. chain of command. b. authority. c. power. d. unity of command. (b; Moderate; p. 456) 17. The _____ principle helps preserve the concept of an unbroken line of authority. a. span of control b. chain of command c. unity of command d. centralization (c; Moderate; p. 456) 18. The _____ principle states that a person should have one and only one superior to whom he or she is directly responsible. a. span of control b. chain of command c. unity of command d. authority (c; Moderate; p. 456) 19. The _____ refers to the number of subordinates a manager can efficiently and effectively direct. a. span of control b. unity of command c. chain of command d. decentralization principle (a; Moderate; p. 456) 20. Which of the following is a drawback of a narrow span of control? a. It reduces effectiveness. b. It is more efficient. c. It encourages overly tight supervision and discourages employee autonomy. d. It empowers employees. (c; Challenging; p. 457) 21. Which of the following is not a drawback of a narrow span of control? It is expensive. It makes vertical communication in the organization more complex. Supervisors may loose control of their employees. It encourages overly tight supervision. (c; Challenging; p. 457) 22. The trend in recent years has been toward: narrower spans of control. wider spans of control. a span of control of four. an ideal span of control of six to eight. (b; Moderate; p. 457) 23. If you have a narrow span of control, you have a(n) _____ organization. efficient short tall matrix (c; Moderate; p. 457) 24. _____ are consistent with recent efforts by companies to reduce costs, cut overhead, speed up decision making, increase flexibility, get closer to customers, and empower employees. Wider spans of control Narrower spans of control Matrix structures Simple structures (a; Moderate; p. 457) 25. The best definition for centralization is: decision making is pushed down to lower level employees. decision making is concentrated at a single point in the organization. decision making depends on the situation. decision making is done in each department and then sent to the president for the final decision. (b; Moderate; p. 458) 26. In an organization that has high centralization: a. the corporate headquarters is located centrally to branch offices. b. all top level officials are located within the same geographic area. c. top managers make all the decisions and lower level managers merely carry out directions. d. action can be taken more quickly to solve problems. (c; Moderate; p. 457-458) 27. The more that lower-level personnel provide input or are actually given the discretion to make decisions, the more _____ there is. a. centralization b. decentralization c. work specialization d. departmentalization (b; Moderate; p. 458) 28. If a job is highly formalized, it would not include which of the following? a. clearly defined procedures on work processes b. explicit job description c. high employee job discretion d. a large number of organizational rules (c; Moderate; p. 458) 29. Explicit job descriptions, lots of rules, and clearly defined procedures concerning work processes are consistent with: a. high formalization. b. high specialization. c. high centralization. d. bureaucracy. (a; Moderate; p. 458) 30. Employee discretion is inversely related to: a. complexity. b. standardization. c. specialization. d. departmentalization. (b; Challenging; p. 458-459) Common Organizational Designs 31. Which of the following is not a common organizational design? simple structure bureaucracy centralized structure matrix structure (c; Moderate; p. 459) 32. The _____ is characterized by a low degree of departmentalization, wide spans of control, authority centralized in a single person, and little formalization. a. bureaucracy b. matrix organization c. simple structure d. team structure (c; Moderate; p. 460) 33. Which one of the following is consistent with a simple structure? a. high centralization b. high horizontal differentiation c. high employee discretion d. standardization (a; Moderate; p. 460) 34. The ____ is a flat organization. bureaucracy centralized structure matrix structure none of the above (d; Moderate; p. 460) 35. Simple structures are characterized by: a. shared authority. b. a narrow span of control. c. standardization. d. a low degree of departmentalization. (d; Moderate; p. 460) 36. This is most widely practiced in small businesses. simple structure standardization centralized structure span of control (a; Easy; p. 460) 37. The bureaucracy is characterized by all of the following except: a. highly routine operating tasks. b. formalized rules and regulations. c. tasks that are grouped into functional departments. d. decentralized decision making. (d; Moderate; p. 461) 38. The key underlying all bureaucracies is: a. flexibility. b. standardization. c. dual lines of authority. d. wide span of control. (b; Easy; p. 460) 39. The ____ is characterized by highly routine operating tasks achieved through specialization. simple structure bureaucracy centralized structure matrix structure (b; Moderate; p. 461) 40. The strength of the simple structure lies in its: efficiency. simplicity. centralization. span of control. (b; Easy; p. 460) 41. Which of the following is not a weakness of the simple structure? It is risky. information overload There is little unity of command. slower decision making (c; Moderate; p. 460) 42. The structure that creates dual lines of authority and combines functional and product departmentalization is the: a. organizational structure. b. bureaucracy. c. matrix structure. d. virtual organization. (c; Moderate; p. 462) 43. The matrix structure combines which two forms of departmentalization? a. process and functional b. functional and product c. product and process d. none of the above (b; Challenging; p. 462) 44. The _____ violates the unity of command concept. a. simple structure b. virtual structure c. matrix structure d. team structure (c; Challenging; p. 462) 45. Which one of the following problems is most likely to occur in a matrix structure? a. decreased response to environmental change b. decreased employee motivation c. loss of economies of scale d. employees receiving conflicting directives (d; Moderate; p. 463) 46. The strength of the matrix structure is its: a. ability to facilitate coordination. b. economies of scale. c. adherence to chain of command. d. standardization. (a; Moderate; p. 463) 47. The major disadvantage of the matrix structure is: a. the confusion it creates. b. its propensity to foster power struggles. c. the stress it places on individuals. d. all of the above (d; Challenging; p. 463) New Design Options 48. The primary characteristics of the _____ structure are that it breaks down departmental barriers and decentralizes decision making to the level of the work team. a. virtual b. team c. boundaryless d. organizational (b; Moderate; p. 463-464) 49. In larger organizations, the team structure complements what is typically a: virtual organization. bureaucracy. formal structure. boundaryless organization. (b; Challenging; p. 464) 50. A small, core organization that outsources major business functions is the _____ organization. a. team b. virtual c. boundaryless d. matrix (b; Moderate; p. 464) 51. The ____ is also called the network or modular organization. virtual organization team structure pyramid boundaryless organization (a; Moderate; p. 464) 52. The prototype of the virtual structure is todays: appliance manufacturers. movie-making organizations. fast-food restaurants. software companies. (b; Challenging; p. 464) 53. The major advantage of the virtual organization is its: a. control. b. predictability. c. flexibility. d. empowerment. (c; Moderate; p. 465) 54. The _____ organization stands in sharp contrast to the typical bureaucracy that has many vertical levels of management and where control is sought through ownership. a. virtual b. team c. limitless d. matrix (a; Moderate; p. 465) 55. The boundaryless organization relies heavily on: information technology. functional and product departmentalization. the simple structure. none of the above. (a; Moderate; p. 466) 56. An organization that seeks to eliminate the chain of command, have limitless spans of control, and replace departments with empowered teams is the: a. virtual organization. b. boundaryless organization. c. matrix organization. d. team structure. (b; Moderate; p. 466) 57. The one common technological thread that makes the boundaryless organization possible is: a. reengineering. b. MBAs. c. networked computers. d. mainframes. (c; Moderate; p. 468) Why Do Structures Differ? 58. The _____ is a structure characterized by extensive departmentalization, high formalization, a limited information network, and centralization. a. mechanistic model b. organic model c. traditional model d. bureaucracy organization (a; Moderate; p. 468) 59. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a mechanistic structure? a. extensive departmentalization b. high formalization c. limited information network d. flexibility (d; Easy; p. 468) 60. If there is low formalization, a comprehensive information network, and high participation in decision making, one would expect a(n): a. simple structure. b. mechanistic structure. c. organic structure. d. stable structure. (c; Challenging; p. 468-469) 61. All of the following are characteristics of the organic model except: a. cross-functional teams. b. cross-departmentalization. c. cross-hierarchical teams. d. high participation. (b; Moderate; p. 468-469) 62. Which of the following is not a determinant of an organizations structure? strategy organization size innovation technology (c; Moderate; p. 469-472) 63. Changes in corporate strategy precede and lead to: a. changes in the environment. b. better communication. c. increased productivity. d. changes in an organizations structure. (d; Challenging; p. 469) 64. A strategy that emphasizes the introduction of major new products and services is a(n) _____ strategy. a. innovation b. enhancement c. progressive d. organic (a; Moderate; p. 469) 65. The innovation strategy is characterized by: a. unorthodox structures. b. a mixture of loose with tight properties. c. low specialization and low formalization. d. high technology. (c; Moderate; p. 469) 66. _____ refers to how an organization transfers its inputs into outputs. Production Technology Operations Process (b; Challenging; p. 470) 67. Which of the following is not part of the organizations environment? public pressure groups customers technology competitors (c; Moderate; p. 471) 68. The _____ of an environment refers to the degree to which it can support growth. a. capacity b. qualifications c. potential d. capability (a; Moderate; p. 472) 69. _____ refers to the degree of instability of an environment. a. Instability b. Volatility c. Irregularity d. Unpredictability (b; Moderate; p. 472) 70. Three key dimensions to any organizations environment have been found. Which of the following is not one of these key dimensions? a. volatility b. capability c. complexity d. capacity (b; Moderate; p. 472) 71. The _____ of an environment refers to the degree of heterogeneity and concentration among environmental elements. a. density b. simplicity c. complexity d. intricacy (c; Moderate; p. 472) Organization Designs and Employee Behavior 72. Which of the following generalizations about organizational structures and employee performance and satisfaction is most true? a. There is fairly strong evidence linking decentralization and job satisfaction. b. It is probably safe to say that no evidence supports a relationship between span of control and employee performance. c. The evidence generally indicates that work specialization contributes to lower employee productivity. d. No one wants work that makes minimal intellectual demands and is routine. (b; Challenging; p. 474) 73. There is research evidence to suggest that: a. employees with high self-esteem are more satisfied with decentralized organizations. b. a managers job satisfaction increases along with the number of employees he or she supervises c. centralized organizations tend to have more satisfied employees. d. a managers job satisfaction is inversely related to the number of employees he or she supervises (b; Challenging; p. 474) TRUE/FALSE 74. Organizations have different structures, but the structure has little bearing on employee attitudes and behavior. (False; Easy; p. 452) What is Organizational Structure? 75. Specialization defines how job tasks are formally defined, grouped, and coordinated. (False; Moderate; p. 452) 76. Managers need to address six key elements when they design their organizations structure: work specialization, departmentalization, chain of command, chain of control, centralization and decentralization, and formalization. (False; Challenging; p. 452) 77. The degree to which tasks in the organization are subdivided into separate jobs is termed departmentalization. (False; Moderate; p. 452-453) 78. Work specialization and division of labor are the same thing. (True; Easy; p. 452-453) 79. Work specialization may result in employee boredom, stress, and absenteeism. (True; Easy; p. 454) 80. For much of the first half of this century, managers viewed departmentalization as an unending source of increased productivity. (False; Moderate; p. 454) 81. The strength of functional departmentalization is putting similar specialists together. (True; Moderate; p. 454) 82. Only one form of departmentalization can effectively be implemented in an organization at a time. (False; Moderate; p. 455) 83. The inherent right in a managerial position to give orders and expect the orders to be obeyed is termed power. (False; Moderate; p. 456) 84. Departmentalization answers questions for employee such as To whom do I go if I have a problem? (False; Moderate; p. 456) 85. The unbroken line of authority that extends from the top of the organization to the lowest echelon is termed the command line of authority. (False; Easy; p. 456) 86. The principle of unity of command suggests that managers should support one another. (False; Easy; p. 456) 87. The trend in recent years has been toward wider spans of control. (True; Easy; p. 457) 88. Span of command determines the number of levels and managers an organization has. (False; Moderate; p. 456) 89. All things being equal, the wider or larger the span, the more profitable the organization. (False; Challenging; p. 456) 90. Flat organizational structures result from narrow spans of control. (False; Challenging; Exh. 15-3; p. 457) 91. Narrow spans of control can result in lack of supervision, causing performance to suffer. (False; Moderate; p. 457) 92. Having too many people report to you can undermine your effectiveness. (True; Easy; p. 457) 93. The more that lower-level personnel provide input or are actually given the discretion to make decisions, the more decentralized the organization. (True; Moderate; p. 458) 94. A decentralized organization is more likely to result in a feeling of alienation by employees than a centralized organization. (False; Challenging; p. 458) 95. There has been a marked trend toward centralized decision making. (False; Moderate; p. 458) 96. Increase in the number of rules and regulations results in increased formalization. (True; Easy; p. 458-459) 97. The greater the formalization, the more input an employee has into how his or her work is done. (False; Challenging; p. 458) 98. Autonomy and formalization are positively related. (False; Moderate; p. 458) Common Organizational Designs 99. The simple structure is flexible and inexpensive to maintain, but the chain of command is often ambiguous. (False; Moderate; p. 460) 100. The strength of the bureaucracy lies in its ability to perform standardized activities. (True; Challenging; p. 461) 101. A major strength of the simple structure is that it easily adapts to any size organization. (False; Challenging; p. 460) 102. The simple structure is risky. (True; Challenging; p. 460) 103. Standardization is the key that underlies the simple structure. (False; Easy; p. 460) 104. The matrix structure is characterized by highly routine operating tasks achieved through specialization. (False; Challenging; p. 461) 105. A major weakness of the bureaucracy is that it creates sub-unit conflicts. (False; Moderate; p. 462) 106. The bureaucracy is efficient only as long as employees confront problems that they have previously encountered. (True; Easy; p. 462) 107. A structure that creates dual lines of authority and combines functional and product departmentalization is the matrix structure. (True; Easy; p. 462) 108. The strength of the bureaucracy is its ability to facilitate coordination when the organization has complex and interdependent activities. (False; Moderate; p. 462) 109. The matrix structure facilitates the allocation of specialists. (True; Challenging; p. 462) 110. The major disadvantages of the matrix lie is that it creates sub-unit conflicts and that functional unit goals can override the organizational goals. (False; Challenging; p. 463) New Design Options 111. The team structure breaks down department barriers and decentralizes decision making. (True; Moderate; p. 463-464) 112. Often the team structure complements what is typically a bureaucracy. (True; Moderate; p. 464) 113. The primary characteristics of the virtual organization are that it breaks down department barriers and decentralizes decision. (False; Moderate; p. 463-464) 114. You have decided to hire a small shop to do all your duplicating and printing. This is an example of outsourcing. (True; Moderate; p. 465) 115. The matrix organization is also called the network or modular organization. (False; Challenging; p. 464) 116. The major advantage to the virtual organization is its flexibility. (True; Easy; p. 466) 117. The virtual organization is effective in obtaining organizational stability. (False; Moderate; p. 465-466) 118. Jack Welch coined the term virtual organization. (False; Easy; p. 466) 119. An organization that seeks to eliminate the chain of command is a boundaryless organization. (True; Easy; p. 466) 120. Status and rank are minimized in the borderless organization. (False; Challenging; p. 466) 121. Globalization is easier in a borderless organization. (False; Challenging; p. 466) 122. The technological thread that makes the boundaryless organization possible is networked computers. (True; Moderate; p. 468) Why Do Structures Differ? 123. The organic structure is characterized by extensive departmentalization, high formalization, a limited information network, and centralization. (False; Easy; p. 468) 124. The boundaryless organization is an example of the organic model of organizational design. (True; Easy; p. 468) 125. Mechanistic structures are high in formalization. (True; Easy; p. 468) 126. Mechanistic structures have high participation in decision making. (False; Moderate; p. 468) 127. Strategy does not impact an organizations structure. (False; Easy; p. 469) 128. An innovation strategy works well only for the simple structure. (False; Moderate; p. 469) 129. An organization that controls costs, refrains from incurring unnecessary innovation or marketing expenses, and cuts prices in selling a basic product pursues a price-minimization strategy. (False; Moderate; p. 469) 130. An innovation strategy seeks to quickly move into new products or new markets after their viability has been proven. (False; Moderate; p. 469) 131. Size affects structure at a decreasing rate. (True; Challenging; p. 470) 132. Adding 500 employees to an organization that has only 300 members is likely to result in a shift toward a more organic structure. (False; Challenging; p. 470) 133. Technology refers to how an organization transfers its inputs into outputs. (True; Moderate; p. 470) 134. The three key dimensions to an organizations environment have been found to be: capacity, complexity, and technology. (False; Challenging; p. 472) 135. The environment of an organization needs to be assessed in terms of capacity, which is the degree of heterogeneity and concentration among environmental elements. (False; Challenging; p. 472) 136. The more scarce, dynamic, and complex the environment, the more organic a structure should be. (True; Challenging; p. 472) Organizational Designs and Employee Behavior 137. Research supports the notion that employees prefer an organic structure. (False; Moderate; p. 474) 138. The evidence generally indicates that work specialization contributes positively to productivity. (True; Easy; p. 473) 139. A review of the research indicates that there is no evidence to support a relationship between span of control and employee performance. (True; Moderate; p. 474) 140. Organizations that are less centralized have a greater amount of participative decision making. (True; Easy; p. 474) SCENARIO-BASED QUESTIONS Application of: What is Organizational Structure? Consultants Exceptional has hired you to develop training materials for their consultants. Your first assignment is to develop a training program that helps their consultants to analyze and understand the organizational structure of the company that they are assisting. They believe that in order to adequately evaluate and understand the company, they need to understand the basic organizational structure. Then they will be able to recommend actions and changes based on that structure. 141. One of the questions you tell the trainees to ask is To what degree are tasks subdivided into separate jobs? This question addresses the issue of: a. formalization. b. work specialization. c. span of control. d. chain of command. (b; Moderate; Exh. 15-1; p. 453) 142. _____ is addressed by asking the question On what basis are jobs grouped together? a. Departmentalization b. Work specialization c. Centralization and decentralization d. Formalization (a; Challenging; Exh. 15-1; p. 453) 143. You instruct the trainees to ask about the degree of rules and regulations that direct employees and managers. You want to help them understand the: a. chain of command. b. degree of formalization. c. span of control. d. degree of departmentalization. (b; Moderate; Exh. 15-1; p. 453) Application of Departmentalization You have divided the jobs done by your department through work specialization and are now trying to decide how to best group them for efficiency and service to the customer. You are considering whether to group activities by function, product, process, geography, or customer. 144. You have decided that since you are a

Physical Education in Schools Essay examples -- Education, Teaching, P

Historical Context The purpose and approach to teaching and classroom management has considerably changed due to a variety of factors including government policies, developing research and scientific explanations for its benefits to children during their education (Lance et al, 2007). Mackenzie (2004) recalls on how in the Havoverian Period (1714-1790) play and sport, particularly in the education environment was largely ignored by the government. This lead to minimised use of it and Physical Education (PE) was a very irregular activity in schools. (Lance et al, 2007; Mackenzie, 2004). However, progressively school sport and activities within the teaching environment were developing (Mackenzie, 2004 [online]). Public schools became highly involved in competitive sporting events, and by 1940 school sport was being used as exercise with ‘creative physical training’ known for its multiple physical and mental benefits for the participant. Statutory expectations and overviews began to arise in the early 1900’s with a strong emphasis on the relationship between sporting skills, exercise and health benefits. The 1909 Syllabus of Physical Exercises (Board of Education, 1909) suggested that the educational benefits of Physical Education and School Sport were primarily moral and mental. Bailey et al (2006) states that this is the first indication of sport and exercise supporting the children in holistic ways. The 1909 syllabus explains that the moral benefits of exercise were improved behaviour and social skills, and the mental benefits being the development of the learning processes and opening opportunities for the child to learn. (Bailey et al, 2006) In 1944 physical education was established for its â€Å"educational value† (Mackenzie, ... ...es an increase in heart rate for a sustained amount of time is therefore the most beneficial towards children’s learning, however Dwyer et al (2001) found that although boys did benefit from this higher impact vigorous activity, girls benefited the most from calming, lower impact activities that involved stretching and cross-body co-ordination such as yoga. Smith (2001) backs this in the exercise programme ‘Move It Brain Breaks’ where some of the exercises do not require an increased heart rate, but activities such as ‘stretchers’ and ‘lateralizers’ which involve the use of brain and body functions which are not naturally used together; as in Brain Gym () exercises. Smith (2001) suggests that particularly ‘lateralizers’ should be part of the everyday teaching repertoire to balance children, and co-ordinate their brain and body before learning. (Smith, 2001:11).

Hamlet from a Feminist Perspective Essay -- Literary Analysis, Shakesp

Shakespeare’s Hamlet, shows strong prejudice against woman especially with such characters of Ophelia and Gertrude. Shakespeare created an interesting character with Gertrude; he created a character that sits in the middle of all the conflict and appears to not partake in much of it. However Gertrude does seem intent in defusing it at every possible chance she receives. Gertrude is a central figure in the play. She appears a great deal but doesn’t say much – implying mystery and creating an interesting uncertainty in the audience. Hamlet spends a lot of time dwelling on her marriage to Claudius and Shakespeare leaves many questions unanswered with Gertrude such as did she have an affair with Claudius behind old hamlets back? Why does she drink the poisoned wine that is intended for her son? Does she know it is poisoned? Gertrude is the mother of Hamlet and although they do not have a typical mother son relationship she does love him. Queen Gertrude is often inte rpreted by many as an adulterate, incestuous woman. Catherine Belsey states that typical interpretations of Hamlet maintain: ‘Gertrude a slut; and Shakespeare a patriarchal bard’ (Belsey,1997:34). Gertrude’s actions throughout the play could be read to show her to be a very passive character, far from a strong independent woman. This is shown with her obedience to Claudius, three times during the play, Gertrude is told to leave and each times she complies without hesitation. In Act 1, scene 2 Claudius says to Gertrude, ‘Madam, come’ (122). Then again, Act 3, scene 1, Claudius says to her, ‘Sweet Gertrude, leave us .’ (28), she complies with ; ‘I shall obey you’ (37). And finally, in Act 4, scene 1, Claudius say, ‘O Gertrude, come away!’ (28). This obedience that Gertrude ... ...anchester: Manchester University Press. 116-133. Belsey, Catherine. Feminism and Beyond. Shakespeare Studies 25 (1997): 32 - 41 Ekici, Sara (2009). Feminist Criticism: Female Characters in Shakespeare's Plays Othello and Hamlet. Munich: GRIN Publishing. Heilbrun, Carolyn G. (2002). Hamlet's Mother and Other Women. 2nd ed. West Sussex: Columbia University Press. Loberg, Harmonie. â€Å"Queen Gertrude: Monarch, Mother, Murderer.† Atenea 24.1 (June 2004): 59-71 Ouditt, Sharon. "Explaining Woman's Frailty: Feminist Readings of Gertrude." Hamlet. Ed. Peter J. Smith and Nigel Wood. Theory in Practice. Buckingham: Open UP, 1996. 83-107. Pearson, Patricia. When She Was Bad: Violent Women and the Myth of Innocence. New York: Viking, 1997 Uà ©no, Yoshiko. â€Å"Three Gertrude’s: Text and Subtext.† Hamlet and Japan. Ed. Yoshiko Uà ©no. Hamlet Collection 2. New York: AMS, 1995. 155-68

Food Irradiation Essay -- essays research papers

Food Irradiation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Food irradiation has the longest history, more than 40 years, of scientific research and testing of any food technology before approval. Research has been comprehensive, and has included wholesomeness, toxicological, and microbiological evaluation. Worldwide, 38 countries permit irradiation of food, and more than 28 billion lb of food is irradiated annually in Europe. It is important to note that food irradiation has a pretty remarkable list of national and international endorsements: ADA, American Council on Science and Health, American Medical Association, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, International Atomic Energy Agency, Institute of Food Technologists, Scientific Committee of the European Union, United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), and the World Health Organization (WHO).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the US food supply has achieved a high level of safety, microbiological hazards exist. Because foods may contain pathogens, mishandling, including improper cooking, can result in food-born illness. Irradiation has been identified as one solution that enhances food safety through the reduction of potential pathogens and has been recommended as part of a comprehensive program to enhance food safety. However, food irradiation does not replace proper food handling. So the handling of foods processed by irradiation should be governed by the same food safety precautions as all...

The ways in which urban area rapid population growth has led to economic, social and environmental problems

Cairo, in Egypt, is an urban area that has the problem of a rapid population causing for its economic, social and environmental systems. Cairo's population has grown by 10 million people in 30 years, causing multiple problems because of its rapid ness, due to rural-urban migration and natural increase. Because of large numbers of migrants entering the city from the countryside, housing became a large problem, as these people are too poor to afford housing on the outskirts. Instead, most move into the medieval parts of the city where blocks of cramped two-roomed apartments provide cheap housing. However, this is often too expensive, especially for those that have only just become economically independent, therefore, extra storeys have been created on the flat roof tops in slums. It is because of this high-density housing, as well as pollution and sewerage systems and many other problems that have cause health hazards. With such a large city already, disease is prone to everyone and is likely to be airborne in most areas, with few doctors and a lack of medicines. Because there are so many people in the city there are few job vacancies, especially for those lacking in simple skills other than farming. As a result, 35% of the population only work full-time, most working informally. Especially in the medieval areas, the streets are full of market stalls and informal businesses, for example, washing pots and selling jewellery. This could lead many of the people into a vicious cycle as in this line of work they may receive little work, therefore they could not afford anywhere to live, by they are not skilled enough to get a higher paid job. Also read this  Cheating in a Bottom Line Economy The problem with the jobs are that they are very labour intensive and in return you get a low and irregular wage because you may sell lots of products on one day and non on the other. However, the population is growing so rapidly that there is simple not enough housing and a job for everyone, and no one wants to live outside the city in the new developments. The environmental problems caused by the rapid growth of the city are that a large amount of the pollution is created, whether it be industrial, caused by the waste from things dropped in the streets and the refuse tips used to burn anything that is not recyclable, whereby they are being overused because there is too much waste, or noise from the many motor cars that are not designed to fir in the narrow, unplanned streets. Another environmental problem is that there is a poor sewerage system. There was a very small sewerage network built in the 20th Century which cannot cope with such a large amount of people now, therefore what systems there are, are breaking down, causing the streets to flood in dirty water, causing more disease. There is also a poor water system, with both poor quality and quantity. As the demand for water grows, the amount of it decreases, as it cannot be supplied as fast as it is needed. Many problems have been caused by such a rapid population growth within Cairo, however, there are some solutions to help slow this down, for example, stopping rural-urban migration by providing better facilities in rural areas, like a clean water supply.

Economic Globalization: an Unstoppable Force Essay

Economic globalization has been occurring since the Hellenistic Age (323 BC) but it is since the industrial revolution, particularly from the mid 1800s, that trade between countries has had a notable increase. Today, however, there appears to be a parabolic rise due to the advent of information technology which enables the transmission of shared knowledge, foreign ownership, and business transactions to be performed with exponential speed between businesses, citizens, denizens, and governments. Not only is mass globalization inevitable but it is already occurring with the increased use of new computer and telecommunications tools, and the sharing of knowledge between organized groups and regular citizens who now have instant ‘access’ to each other worldwide. There are several indicators as to why information technology and society’s thirst for information will increase economic globalization. 1. It is because of information technology and how society uses them that businesses themselves are beginning to find success by moving away from a proprietary culture to an open-source or mass collaboration system. This is a major shift from the closed-door policies and hierarchical systems that ensured their livelihood in the pre: social media era where information was kept secret. Business models that open them to new ideas shared by an online knowledge base can often offer them access to a larger share in the global market. Society has been changing the way business is done by demanding transparency and inclusion in the process and by providing greater payoffs for the business as a result. An example is the company Goldcorp (TSE:G). Don Tapscott (author of Macro Wikinomics) writes that Goldcorp, an obscure small-cap company in trouble with debt and unable to spend developing a new mining site, did the unimaginable in the mining industry. It disclosed its new digging location on its website and then invited ideas as to where would be the ideal place to dig within the large property. †The ‘Goldcorp Challenge’ made $575,000 in prize money available. There were entries from graduate students, management consultants, mathematicians, military officers, and a virtual army of geologists. More than 1,000 virtual prospectors from 50 countries got busy†. source: 1 â€Å"More than 80 percent of ideas yielded substantial quantities of gold. This catapulted [an] underperforming $100 million company into a $9 billion juggernaut†. source: 1 Not only did online mass collaboration help them reduce expensive exploration costs but it would have given the small-cap company visibility to a worldwide global investor base. 2. Developing countries are now major world players on the stage of economic globalization, and it is possible they may succeed developed countries in future in terms of world trade. In order for developed nations to be competitive they will need to understand, utilize, and know how to collaborate using the knowledge available to them through information technology and society. CNBC journalist Albert Bozzo has written an article on developing countries and their impact. â€Å"Emerging markets now account for about 40% of world trade, almost double what they did in 1995, according to the IMF, and more and more are entering the world stage. † Source: 2 3. The stats speak for themselves. International trade figures provide a look at the growth of economic globalization from a time when information technology first took hold (about 1980) up until 2007. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) economic globalization has grown substantially. â€Å"Between 1980 and 2007, the ratio of goods and services trade to global GDP has risen from about 42 to 62 percent† Source: 3 Foreign ownership by individual and institutional investors clearly shows the impact that an information society has had on individuals who seek knowledge outside their country. It is a clear indicator that economic globalization is on the rise. â€Å"Foreign direct investment has risen from some six to 32 percent [between 1980 – 2007]†. Source: 3 An argument against globalization is the global financial meltdown that began with the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy in 2008 that became a contagion to all financial institutions and countries that had dealings with these institutions. It has rippled down to protests throughout Europe. And this leads me to the 2nd question of whether social capital will increase or decrease given our society of sharing information. ‘SOCIAL CAPITAL’ WILL ONLY INCREASE If mass economic globalization is likely to continue then ‘social capital’ will certainly rise in our ‘information society’ as a result of the surge in numbers of large groups of people who can effectively use the internet to ‘gather’ together to protest, strategically rally, and disseminate information to the world. An advantage to IT is the speed within which ‘the message’ can be carried. These large group of gatherers can affect and may very well define a corporation’s or government’s future ethical policies because their voices makes corporations transparent whether they want to be or not. This is especially true in South America, the Middle East, north Africa, and North America where there is a high proportion of young unemployed people. In North America the echo boomers (1982-1995) are even larger (representing 33 percent of the population) than the baby boomers. Source 4 Collectively they will become the digital generation where their voices will be heard on mass, on-line, and immediately. According to Don Tapscott employment has been a key issue for youth. â€Å"In the UK young people aged 16 to 24 account for about 40% of all unemployed. In Spain more than 40% of young people are unemployed. We said that if they worked hard, stayed out of trouble, and attended school, they would have a prosperous and fulfilling life. And then we rub salt in the wound by saying we’re in a â€Å"jobless recovery†.† Source 5 A high proportion of unemployed youth are well educated and when you consider that they can be heard simultaneously via portable devices and computers using cloud platforms like facebook, youtube, twitter, and blogs you get a glimpse as to the impact they will have on how business may be conducted in the future and how employment for their generation will likely change. In Egypt and Tunisia the lack of employment for young people was a key issue as was the corruption of their governments, and it was transmitted by them using information technology. This is only the beginning of change to the world’s social capital as globalization increases.

Homework Should Be Banned Essay

Homework has been given to students because teachers believe it helps them remember what they learn at school, and helps them learn the material better. â€Å"Homework is super helpful in learning and processing the material learned in class.† Said no kid ever. Too much homework is not helpful, and can be unhealthy. Excessive amounts of time spent on homework can take away from kids social lives, family time, and sports or other activities. Homework should be outlawed. Critically acclaimed author Tami Ansary says, that since 1981, the amount of homework given to sixth graders has increased by more than fifty percent. In 1957, the Russians launched Sputnik into outer space. The new competition made schools try to increase the difficulty of the curriculum. With harder classes came more homework. Homework takes away from time that kids could be spending with their families. Rather than spending time bonding and building strong family relationships, parents and children argue over homework. Time is taken away from important elements of daily life. This time is particularly precious in families with two working parents whose time with their children is limited. This time could be better spent going out to dinner, or doing other activities that most families are not able to do because the kids have too much homework. My opposition might say that lots of homework prepares them for the â€Å"real world† and lots of homework helps them learn the material better. When difficult work assignments are given frequently, it causes students to lose interest in the subject. Negative results can also occur when someone is not able to finish his homework. Usually they will resort to copying homework, having others do their assignments, or cheating on tests. Bad habits like these are likely to follow them through their lives. With no consequences to these actions students will almost always take the easy way out when it comes to homework. The use of homework is effective when used by the rule†¦

Assessment of overhead costs Essay

If a decision was made to outsource the manifold manufacturing, then the overheads of the Bridgestone Industries will show significant difference and even reductions in the level of overhead costs. The overhead pertaining to the wages and benefits for the non skilled personnel would decrease as the outsourcing of the product line would reduce the need for the non skilled personnel in the capacities of trucks and janitors by a small percentage level. The overhead associated with the salaried personnel, including the benefits would also decrease as there would be no need to hire or pay personnel to work on the manifold line. The production supplies overhead which includes production gadgets, tools and equipment like gloves, safety goggles and packing material etc would also reduce as the manifold line would not require such production supplies if outsourced. The overheads associated with the small technical tools would also reduce as the need for such tools would no longer be presented by the manifold line, if the line is to be outsourced to a third party. The usage of the utilities like coal, gas and electricity used to drive the manufacturing process of manifold would also be eliminated as an expense. Therefore the overhead associated with this expense would also be significantly reduced. On the other hand the wages of the no production employees and the benefits provided to them might not decrease. Any decrease in this overhead would be minimal as the non production employees are not greatly impacted by the outsourcing of a production line as opposed to the production associated employees and personnel. Similarly the deprecation conducted on the property and the taxes would not reduce and can remain stable as the property is shared by all product lines and as long as the other two product lines are operating, the depreciation overhead would still occur at the same rate. The expenses related to constant personnel for the training, travel, and union representation would also considerably reduce as the number of personnel employed will decrease with the outsourcing of the manifold product line. The project expense of the setup and arrangement of new equipment and machinery would not be a reducing overhead as this expense is effect by purchase of new equipment and not by the operation of a product line. The overhead associated with the benefits provided to employees in terms of overtime payment, on an hourly basis, state unemployment and the pension provided to employees and labor at the company would not reduce by a significant amount. Instead this expense can increase as more people are laid off or provided early retirement if the manifold line is outsources. Similarly the benefits of this kind provided to the skilled hourly workers specifically those associated with production will also reduce in the long term due to the outsourcing of the manifold producing. The reduction of this overhead would be due to the reduction in the employee/ labor strength in the production department which would reduce the expenses of benefits for the labor. Estimated Proposed Budget. In order to effectively budget for the year 1991, considering the manifold line is outsourced to a third party for manufacture, substantial assumptions had to be made. These assumptions pertained included adjusting the estimates of the active production lines at Bridgestone Industries with the incremental growth trend for their respective costs. The costs increase form year to year due to inflation and the changes in the CPI index. As a result it is important to adjust any forecasted figures for the respective growth trend of the costs and revenues. It has also been assumed that by outsourcing the manifold production line, the company is able to eliminate the costs associated with manifold production line labor, the direct materials used by the manifold production line and the overheads that were contributed to by the manifold production online. Another assumption that is made in the proposed budget is that even though the company has outsourced its operations for the manifold production line. The company is still selling the products by purchasing them from the outsourcing company and providing them to the automobile manufacturers in the United States. As a result the sales revenue is forecasted even though the costs associated are eliminated and not considered. Moreover the costs associated with outsourcing are not incorporated in the budget as they are no longer part of the manufacturing/ productions department. The following is the proposed budget for the year 1991 which considers the manifold production line to be outsourced while no additional production line is dropped by the Bridgestone Industries. Proposed Budget for the year 1991 USD (‘000) 1991 Sales Fuel Tanks 87,378. Manifolds 97,031 Doors 52,681 Mufflers/Exhausts – Oil Pans – 237,089 Direct Material Fuel Tanks 17,693 Manifolds – Doors 17,414 Mufflers/Exhausts – Oil Pans – 35,107 Direct Labor Fuel Tanks 4,788 Manifolds – Doors 3,084 Mufflers/Exhausts – Oil Pans – 7,872 Overheads 1000 3,093 1500 3,229 2000 1,152 3000 768 4000 4,049. 5000 11,043 8000 2,039 9000 3,261 11000 1,650 12000 8,543 14000 4,418 43,246 The proposed budget that has been drawn up significantly depicts that if the company opts to outsource the manifolds production line in the year 1991, then the company is able to observe significance reductions in its operating costs and overheads. Therefore it can be mentioned that by outsourcing the manifold production line the company can experience cost savings and better revenue levels. The proposed budget for the year 1991 indicates that the Sales forecast increased to $237 million while the direct material based costs are forecasted to be at $35 million. The forecast of the direct labor employed for the active production lines would be at $7 million only while the total overheads for the operation would be equivalent to 2 million only. The overhead burden rate in the year 1991 as a result is reduced to 307 percent with the allocated overhead for the fuel tank’s production line at $26 million while the production line for manufacturing the rear and front doors would be at approximately $17 million.