Phaedra vs Hippolytus

Euripides vs. Dassin The classic Greek legend of Phaedra probes the tragic consequences that occur when a woman becomes sexually obsessed with her stepson. In Phaedra (1962) director Jules Dassin presents Phaedra as a woman overwhelmed by passions she cannot control. This follows the interpretation of Phaedra developed by Euripides, who broke with older versions in which Phaedra was an evil sensualist seeking to corrupt her innocent stepson. Dassin adds political punch to the film by exploring the luxurious lives enjoyed by elite shipping families. Where as Hippolytus takes place in Troezen, a city in the northeastern Peloponnese.In the Hippolytus, Phaedras husband is serving a year of voluntary exile for murdering the Pallantids. Where as in Phaedra, he is a very wealthy and free man. A majority of Hippolytus revolves around the goddess Aphrodite. Where as in Phaedra there is no gods or goddess’s. Euripides’ play Hippolytus was written in 428 B. C. , and ever since it has been regarded as one of the great classical works. In his treatment of the Phaedra myth, Euripides presents Phaedra in a state of mental anguish and exhaustion brought about by her love for Hippolytus, which she strives to conceal.Euripides frames the events of the human characters with the presence of the gods Aphrodite and Artemis. Euripides’ Athenian audience was therefore provided with prior knowledge about Phaedra’s guilty secret, for her ‘passion’ is described as being imposed by the god Aphrodite. Euripides portrays Aphrodite as a terrifying and vindictive deity, unlike the voluptuous woman often depicted in visual art. Her opening monologue conveys an imperious attitude, and she sees the world and its people as her domain.Because Aphrodite is the goddess of love, her perception of the world seems reasonable, since her power extends to the everyday lives of the mortals over whom she rules. This is not, however, the benign emotion that today we m ight associate with the word â€Å"love. † Rather, Euripides depicts erotic love as a consuming and destructive force. As Aphrodite states, those who fail to accord the proper respect to her will face obliteration. The terrifying power of love is essential to understanding Aphrodite’s anger at Hippolytus and the development of the play.Aphrodite directs her fury at Hippolytus because he refuses to worship her. He is, as he explains in Scene I, not interested in erotic love and consequently reveres the goddess of love â€Å"from a long way off. † He instead remains chaste and worships Artemis exclusively. This, of course, infuriates Aphrodite who vows to punish him for his blasphemy. Because he will not honor erotic love, she decides that its power will destroy him, thereby proving her supremacy over humanity to all those who hear of Hippolytus’ destruction.Her vehicle for punishing him is Phaedra, his stepmother, who thus becomes a victim of love. Phaedra ’s position in the play as the agent through whom Aphrodite exacts her revenge creates an ethical problem. According to Aphrodite’s scheme, Phaedra must die, but unlike Hippolytus, she has not committed any offenses against the goddess of love. Phaedra therefore becomes a victim of love’s power, a pawn bewitched into loving her stepson who then commits suicide out of shame. Yet as Aphrodite explains, â€Å"Her suffering does not weight in the scale so much that I should let my enemies go untouched. Reconciling Aphrodite’s need for revenge and Phaedra’s innocence is an interpretive challenge of the play, and Euripides does not provide an easy answer. Out of this tension arises a central conflict of the play, specifically concerning the relationship between men and gods during the period in which Euripides wrote. This relationship seems tenuous at best and bears little resemblance to modern perspectives on religion. As such, an essential question to consider is what responsibilities gods had to people and people to gods.Euripides’s tragedy offers a few insights into this relationship. As evidenced by Aphrodite’s reaction to Hippolytus’ exclusive devotion to Artemis, humans were to worship all of the gods. This relationship, however, does not seem reciprocal. Rather, Aphrodite’s manipulation of Phaedra indicates that the gods had few obligations to humans. Free from the burdens of protecting men, the gods used men as their playthings while humans had to worship the gods to placate them and avoid incurring their wrath.Dassin’s Phaedra is the forty-something, second wife of shipping magnate Thanos Kyrilis, who wishes to reconcile with his estranged son Alexis, an art student living in London. The athletic and handsome Thanos is a cunning businessman involved in international commerce, but he is likable and adores his wife. He gives Phaedra expensive gifts and names his new prize ship in her hono r. Phaedra is not ignored or abused by an unattractive or deceitful husband. Dassin adds political punch to the film by exploring the luxurious lives enjoyed by elite shipping families.This is not done in a heavy-handed manner. The lavish villas, yachts, and fashionable attire of the super rich are simply allowed to speak for themselves without any editorial grumbling by Greek commoners. Dassin takes a further jab at the Greek shippers by setting up marital relationships between his characters that parallel real-life marriages involving the Onassis and Niarchos shipping clans. The tragedy takes form when Thanos cajoles a reluctant Phaedra to deliver a message to Alexis in London that his father wants his twenty-four-year-old son to be at his side.From their first encounter, Phaedra and Alexis engage in a playful flirtation inappropriate to their relationship. Alexis invites Phaedra to meet his â€Å"girl,† which turns out to be a pricey sports car in a dealership window. Thei r empathy, however, leads to Alexis meeting with his father in Paris. When business needs require Thanos to leave for New York City, Phaedra, persuades Alexis to remain. The supposedly mounting passion between Mercouri and Perkins lacks chemistry. All the sexual energy comes from the sultry Phaedra and her attraction to the bland Alexis is inexplicable.Nor is Dassin’s camera effective in addressing this sexual void. The film’s big sex scene is an unimaginative sequence of blurred shots of the embracing couple punctuated by shots of a rain storm at the window, a blazing fireplace, and glowing candles. After living together in Paris for more than a week, Alexis asks Phaedra to declare her love openly and return with him to London. Phaedra, however, feels compelled to rejoin her husband on the island of Hydra. Fearful of her lack of self control, she tells Alexis, â€Å"Don’t come. † Greece brings no respite to Phaedra’s emotions.Although still yearni ng for Alexis, she is tormented by her sense of shame and deceit. Her only confidant is Anna (Olympia Papoudaka), her aging personal maid, who is distraught by Phaedra’s anguish. Anna’s emotions have homoerotic aspects that feel far more genuine than the emotions Alexis has projected. The women take siestas together, but their sexual intimacy remains limited to the adoring Anna’s caresses. Thanos informs Alexis that the car he so admires is waiting for him in Hydra. Alexis demands to know what Phaedra desires him to do.The increasingly unstable Phaedra reverses what she had said earlier and implores Alexis to come as soon as possible, but her plans go awry when Alexis hews ever closer to his father while becoming ever more wary of her. The sexual dynamics intensify when Ercy, Alexis’s beautiful second cousin, a woman his own age, falls in love with him. Thanos and his circle are delighted at the prospect of a marriage that would further unite the shipping families. A now sullen and possessive Phaedra stands between Alexis and all that is â€Å"normal. Alexis reacts by playing the role of a carefree party boy at the local seaside tavern. He goes off with the first available woman, an act designed to cool Ercy’s ardor and belittle Phaedra. The film reaches its climax when the luxury ship named Phaedra, seen launched in the film’s opening scenes, sinks, killing most of its crew. Phaedra, obsessed by her own agenda, arrives at Thanos’s offices in the midst of the crisis. Ironically clad in white, she pushes her way through black-clad women anxious to know the fate of their men. Oblivious to the grief around her, Phaedra-in-white reveals her secret love to Thanos.An enraged Thanos manages to restrain himself from striking her, but beats Alexis viciously, ordering him, as he did Phaedra, to leave his sight forever. The blood-soaked Alexis returns to the family villa for a last embrace of his â€Å"girl. † Phae dra appears at the garage door and tells him they can now live openly as lovers; he replies that he wishes Phaedra dead. The rejected Phaedra returns to the main house where she takes an overdose of sleeping pills while the now frenzied Alexis, listening to music by Bach, drives his â€Å"girl† over a cliff.

Global Car Industry Facing Recession

The Global Car Industry Facing Recession and a Credit Crisis Case study Reference no 309-032-1 This case was written by Nick S Potter, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham. It is intended to be used as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation. The case was compiled from published sources.  © 2009, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham. No part of this publication may be copied, stored, transmitted, reproduced or distributed in any form or medium whatsoever without the permission of the copyright owner. cch the case for learning Distributed by ecch, UK and USA www. ecch. com All rights reserved Printed in UK and USA North America t +1 781 239 5884 f +1 781 239 5885 e [email  protected] com Rest of the world t +44 (0)1234 750903 f +44 (0)1234 751125 e [email  protected] com 309-032-1 ___________________________________________________ The Global Car Industry: Facing R ecession and a Credit Crisis N. S. Potter â€Å"The change that has hit the world economy is of a critical scale that comes once in a hundred years† said Katsuaki Watanabe, announcing Toyota’s first annual loss in its 71 year history.The firm said it expected a loss of 150 billion Yen (? 1. 1 billion) in yearly operating profits and confirmed that vehicle sales in the U. S. had fallen 37% in December 2008 and that production would halt for a total of 14 days from January to March 2009 in an effort to reduce inventories. Meanwhile, in America, outgoing President George W. Bush threw the struggling car makers a $17. 4 billion lifeline to stave off immediate bankruptcy and Canada became the second G8 economy to bail out its car industry. In the UK, Tata approached the government for up to ? billion to help save Jaguar and Land Rover and announced at the same time that it was sponsoring the Ferrari F1 team in 2009. The Global Car Industry in 2009 – An Overview. Car manufacturing has been described as â€Å"the industry of all industries†. Strong inter dependence therefore exists between the economies of many countries and industry performance. Governments rely on the sector as well as related suppliers and services to a greater or lesser extent in terms of employment, taxation, GDP and balance of payments. Car makers equally, require growing economies with rising levels of disposable income and consumer confidence.The events of 2008 also demonstrated the industry’s reliance on freely available credit to finance the purchase of its products. â€Å"Credit availability has been the biggest issue in our industry this year†, according to Mike Jackson, Chief Executive of Auto Nation, the largest car dealer in America. This case was prepared by N. S. Potter of Birmingham Business School and is intended as a basis for classroom discussion rather than to illustrate correct or incorrect handling of any administrative situations â₠¬â€œ N. S. Potter, 2009. 2 309-032-1The credit crisis has affected economies globally and reduced activity in a wide range of industries, notably housing and the fall in property values, coupled with the fear of unemployment has reduced consumer confidence around the world. Many analysts now think that car sales will not recover until 2010 and may take until 2013 to return to 2007 levels of 16. 1 million vehicles, (CSM Worldwide, Detroit). Governments must balance these economic considerations with environmental issues, as well as the aspirations of consumers in terms of mobility and materialism.Politicians need to find a compromise between these opposing forces and the ways in which they impact on the voting intentions of different groups in their respective electorates. The effects of oil price volatility, the credit crisis and subsequent recession on the environment appear to be mixed. Some environmentalists are concerned that economic issues will dominate the political agenda, w hile others point out that people are flying and driving less and that the car industry in particular, will be forced to spend heavily on developing more eco friendly products.Core industries base strategic decisions on the car industry as seen in the move by steel makers to site manufacturing facilities in developing countries where car making is starting to take place and demand for commodities was rising rapidly until mid 2008. The car industry may experience only low growth going into the second decade of the 21st century. However, this will be spread unevenly, both between countries and individual companies. One of the key elements driving dynamics in the car industry is ever increasing globalisation.Rapid change is taking place, continually altering industry structure and attractiveness as well as the key success factors necessary for both survival and growth. Japanese companies were forced to manufacture overseas for much of the 1990s due to the continuous appreciation of the Yen and with its currency at a thirteen year high against the dollar in early 2009, Japan has seen exports to America fall by 33. 8% and to the E. U by 30. 8%, (BBC News). 40% of all cars sold by Toyota in the U. S. re currently manufactured in Japan. China and India, with combined populations of two billion, clearly have enormous potential, but appear to be equally vulnerable to world events. Chinese car sales fell by 14. 8% in the year to November 2008, (FT) and sales in India fell by 19. 4%, (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) due to credit problems and high interest rates, beginning to call into question some existing joint ventures as foreign partners scale back investment and concentrate on problems in their own markets. 309-032-1 South America as a whole is set to become a significant market with Brazil now the 6th largest producer in the world, however annual sales fell 16. 9% in the year to December 2008, (Reuters). A new manufacturing facility planned by Honda in Argentina has now been postponed until at least 2010, (Associated Press). Europe has also seen sales plummet during 2008 but has still overtaken the USA to become the largest volume market in the world and East Asian competition has become ever more significant.Tightly defined product segmentation has taken place as traditional markets mature, while the rapid growth of emerging economies has provided opportunities to extend product life cycles on a geographical basis. The pace of globalisation has varied considerably within the triad. Most European car manufacturers have significant positions only within Europe. U. S. companies tend to have major shares domestically and in Europe, while only two major Japanese companies can claim to be truly global.Although the industry is concentrating, no single company is close to dominating the market and in fact seven companies have between 10% and 15% market share. The level of acquisition activity has been reasonably intense but the other ma jor feature of the industry has been the degree of collaborative activity. A variety of alliances and joint ventures have been utilised as a means of growth, as isolating mechanisms and even to circumvent national political issues. In 1980, there were 30 independent car anufacturers, by 2000 this had fallen to 13 and it is predicted that by 2015 the number will have fallen to 10, a situation which could be exacerbated by the global economic situation. The industry value chain is also altering and becoming capability led, as companies focus downstream towards the customer interface where the most explicit value is increasingly being added. The Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (OEM’s) share of total value creation stood at 36% in 2002 and this will fall to 23% by 2015.Despite this, the component manufacturers face similar consolidation pressures with 8000 suppliers in 1998 expected to fall to 2800 by 2015. Technology is changing the upstream supply chain as component su ppliers split into tiers and become total solution providers, often diversifying from previously unrelated industries such as electronics, computer software and aerospace. Companies such as Delphi, Bosch, Continental, Lear, Siemens, Thyssen Krupp and Visteon will become dominant. 4 309-032-1 Summary of main conclusions †¢Demand will fall in Europe and America in 2009 and will be flat in China, although the second half of the year may see a partial recovery. Supply will continue to exceed demand as production capacity currently stands at 90 million units. †¢ Europe and China have become the primary battlegrounds for car manufacturers, with Germany currently the biggest single market. †¢ Eastern Europe and South America offer limited growth as well as high risk but will become significant markets by 2015 †¢ Apart from China and India, the ASEAN countries represent the greatest opportunity and challenge to Japanese, U.S and European manufacturers, as long as structu ral and governance reforms continue. †¢ Significant demand fluctuations will exist between country markets. †¢ Toyota, Honda and Nissan are truly global competitors and this trend will continue, with around seven companies or collaborative groupings eventually dominating the world market, each making between 5-7 million vehicles annually. †¢ The industry is driven by cost and technology with political and ecological issues as a significant underlying factor and this holds for product and process development. †¢Manufacturers will integrate forward vertically into their distribution channels, diversify and out source traditional activities. †¢ Collaboration between manufacturers, suppliers governments will become increasingly prevalent. †¢ Marketing strategies will focus on creating lifetime customer relationships, but in the short term, availability of finance will be a critical issue. 5 and even national 309-032-1 †¢ Time to market for new models w ill continue to reduce from 3. 4 years in 1995 to 2. 2 years currently and this may become a critical issue as companies respond to rapid changes in consumer preferences.Global Car Industry – Major Forces and Impacts It is clearly difficult to generalise due to the enormous variation between countries in the various stages of their development. It is however reasonable to conclude, that the car industry within any given country is subject to opposing political forces. †¢ As a primary industry, it is a major contributor to GNP, balance of payments and employment. Component suppliers and service providers represent important secondary industries. Total global industry employment was predicted to reach 11. million by 2015, prior to the 2008 crash, with 78% of those jobs generated by suppliers. This will heavily influence government policy during 2009/10 with governments across the world expected to support the car industry. †¢ Taxation of purchase and use represents si gnificant government revenue. It is estimated that global industry revenue will have reached 903 billion Euros by 2015. †¢ Transport is a major part of any countries infrastructure and is necessary to the process of wealth creation. †¢ Congestion and safety are becoming increasingly important issues. †¢Pollution and sustainable energy policies could dominate the industry in future. Targets to reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption are making alternative fuels, such as natural gas and electricity more attractive. †¢ The issues surrounding inward and outward direct investment affect strategies adopted by companies as they seek to invest and grow in new markets. Cost of labour as a factor of mobility is increasingly debated but government’s attempt to attract investment with a range of grant aid as well as subsidising domestic companies for a variety of reasons, including national prestige. 6 309-032-1Demand for cars is very closely linked to a given count ry's economic performance and this can be viewed in two separate contexts :1 – The wider process of the economic development of a country which results first in selective ownership, leading gradually to mass market volumes. 2 – Short term life cycle fluctuations within mass volume markets leading to delayed purchases or customers changing segments. Consumer confidence is a key factor in the purchase decision as the product price is significant in relation to most people's income. For every 1% increase in average earnings, car ownership rises by 2%. 7 309-032-1Table 1 – World Economic Outlook 2009 – IMF 2006 2007 2008 2009 Original World output 5. 1 5. 0 3. 7 2. 2 Advanced economies 3. 0 2. 6 1. 4 United States 2. 8 2. 0 Euro area 2. 8 Germany 2008 2009 2007 2008 2009 Revised Current forecast -0. 2 -0. 8 4. 8 2. 5 2. 4 -0. 3 -0. 1 -0. 8 2. 6 0. 3 0. 3 1. 4 -0. 7 -0. 1 -0. 8 2. 3 0. 4 -0. 5 2. 6 1. 2 -0. 5 -0. 1 -0. 7 2. 1 0. 1 — 3. 0 2. 5 1. 7 -0. 8 -0. 2 -0. 8 1. 7 0. 3 -0. 3 France 2. 2 2. 2 0. 8 -0. 5 -0. 1 -0. 6 2. 2 -0. 4 0. 2 Italy 1. 8 1. 5 -0. 2 -0. 6 -0. 1 -0. 4 0. 1 -0. 4 -0. 1 Spain 3. 9 3. 7 1. 4 -0. 7 — -0. 5 3. 2 0. 2 -0. 6 Japan 2. 4 2. 1 0. 5 -0. 2 -0. 2 -0. 7 1. 4 -0. 3 0. 4United Kingdom 2. 8 3. 0 0. 8 -1. 3 -0. 2 -1. 2 2. 9 -0. 9 -0. 5 Canada 3. 1 2. 7 0. 6 0. 3 -0. 1 -0. 9 2. 8 — 1. 0 Other advanced economies 4. 5 4. 7 2. 9 1. 5 -0. 2 -1. 0 5. 0 1. 8 3. 0 5. 6 5. 6 3. 9 2. 1 -0. 1 -1. 1 6. 1 2. 2 4. 4 -0. 1 -0. 8 9. 0 8. 3 Newly industrialized Asian economies China 11. 6 11. 9 9. 7 8. 5 11. 3 7. 9 8. 0 6. 6 5. 1 -0. 3 -1. 0 8. 5 5. 9 5. 7 Africa 6. 1 6. 1 5. 2 4. 7 -0. 7 -1. 3 †¦ †¦ †¦ Brazil 3. 8 5. 4 5. 2 3. 0 — -0. 5 6. 2 3. 9 3. 2 Central and eastern Europe 6. 7 5. 7 4. 2 2. 5 -0. 3 -0. 9 †¦ †¦ †¦ Commonwealth of Independent States 8. 2 8. 6 6. 9 3. 2 -0. 3 -2. 5 †¦ †¦ †¦ 7. 4 8. 1 6. 8 3. 5 0. 2 -2. 0 9. 5 5. 9 5. 8 9. 8 9. 3 7. 8 6. 3 8 . 9 6. 6 6. 0 Emerging and developing economies2 Russia India 8 0. 1 0. 6 309-032-1 The important variable is private consumption. Growth and wage levels are expected to be slower in real terms in the immediate future. Fiscal policies may eventfully result in higher taxation, particularly to service government borrowing, some of which will be indirect and therefore industry specific. Interest and exchange rates are also important as they affect disposable income. Interest rates have been slashed by the majority of central banks in developed countries and at the beginning of 2009 ranged from 0. % in Japan to 2. 5% across the Euro zone. Currency markets will probably continue to be volatile during 2009 as analysts assess which governments are following policies aimed at coming out of recession earlier than other nations without driving borrowing to unsustainable levels. It is likely that persistently high levels of unemployment and reduced job security will keep consumer confidence lo w and lead to an increase in the savings ratio. This could impact in several ways on the replacement patterns of high value consumer durables. Replacement may be delayed, satisfied in the second hand market or by trading down when buying new.Global growth is expected to continue to moderate from the peak in 2004 but the speed of the decline in output will vary from region to region as seen in table 1. World trade will slow down, from growth of 10. 1% in 2004, to 5. 0% in 2007 and a forecast of 2. 4% in 2009. Labour productivity and commodity prices are also key issues. Global demand for oil has exceeded supply for much of 2008 with prices peaking at $147 per barrel before plummeting to $5 in early 2009 and in the longer term, China has gone from being a net exporter of oil in 1995 to a position where it is predicted that 55% of its demand will be imported by 2030.There are clear linkages with economic factors as wealth generally leads to raised expectations. In less developed market s, the consumer's initial aspiration is simply for a convenient means of transport over longer distances and in this respect, the Nano from Tata may provide particular advantage. Increasing levels of wealth and confidence bring demands for more sophisticated equipment, greater choice of versions, niche products, passenger safety and consideration of the environment. 9 309-032-1 The degree of nationalism within country markets can also be significant and clear example of this is the German market where buyers display a clear preference for German cars. It is forecast that subsequent generations of buyers will think less along national lines as education, travel and integration all increase. This process will also be accelerated by local production, as demonstrated by Toyota, Nissan and Honda in the UK and VW in China. The need for transport is almost infinitely flexible in relation to its ease and cost. Governments have the task of balancing this need against the economic and ecologi cal considerations as well as the prospect of increased leisure time for many people.There are currently 500 million cars on the road throughout the world and by 2030 this figure is expected to rise to 1 billion with a further 500 million lorries and motorcycles. Road transport accounts for 20% of the global CO2 output and this figure could rise as traffic increases in developing countries. Technology represents another significant industry specific driver and can be considered under process cost, ecological pressure and increased consumer demands for new products increasing choice, comfort, performance and safety.Smart cards implanted in engine management systems will be capable of measuring the quantity of polluting emissions with the results used to prepare individual tax bills. Road side sensors or global positioning satellites will charge heavily for road use during congested periods with reduced or waived charges at other times of the day. The use of robots for assembly is inc reasing and it is estimated that 40% of the world's 610,000 robot population are used in the car industry. This is already affecting the propensity of companies to relocate in areas of low labour cost, as the cost advantage is being eroded.Product development issues will include fuel source, the balance between design and aerodynamics, automation of driver systems, satellite positioning and matching vehicles or versions to individual lifestyles. Process development will be concerned with flexibility, quality and cost issues. Supplier relationships and internal value chains will change in two significant respects due to these factors :1 – Car manufacturers increasingly lack capabilities in relation to new technologies and are out sourcing total solution provision to first tier suppliers, who are in 10 309-032-1 urn responsible for relationships with second and third tier companies. 2 – Process technology is becoming so specialised that manufacturers are having to develo p in house capabilities in order to supply their exact requirements. It is also forecast that differentiation and the complexity of technology will tie customers to authorised service dealers throughout the life of the vehicle. This will alter the relationship between margins made on the sale of a car and those subsequently derived from servicing and the sale of replacement parts. Outlook for the Global IndustryThe production and supply of cars has been concentrated in the three zones of the triad until recently, however there will be a degree of fragmentation over the next ten years as Eastern Europe, South America, China and India develop both in terms of consumption and production. The Chinese government welcomes foreign direct investment and has relaxed rules for setting up businesses and realises that foreign capital and 21st century technology can help the country to industrialise more quickly. There are five major indigenous car manufacturers in China as well as many smaller companies.Their main problem is a lack of both brands and designs. Shanghai Auto is number one in the domestic market and ranked at 373 in the 2008 Fortune Global 500, but still only produces 800,000 cars a year through joint ventures with GM and VW and this provided the rationale for the purchase of MG Rover assets and the 2007 merger with the Nanjing Automobile Company . Table 2 – 2009 vehicle sales forecasts – 2007 versus 2009 (millions of cars) Country New 2009 forecast Original 2007 forecast % Decrease USA 14. 3 18. 6 23. 0% Western Europe 14. 0 16. 9 17. 0% China 8. 0 7. 9 unchanged Japan 4. 8 6. 0 20. 0%Eastern Europe 5. 8 3. 6 India 1. 8 2. 1 14. 0% South Korea 1. 6 2. 1 24% (61% increase) Sources: Ernst and Young, Fortune, SMMT, Business Mirror, FT & Reuters 11 309-032-1 It can clearly be seen that the short term growth opportunities are in Eastern Europe and possibly China. The big European and North American producers face massive structural problems, pensio n deficits, overcapacity, mature markets and falling prices. Emerging markets offer some relief but competition will be at least as fierce and may require a move to smaller, lighter cars and this will favour some manufacturers more than others.Dongfeng Nissan and Geely Automobile in China are both forecasting sales increases during 2009, based on their range of small, inexpensive models. The motor car will increasingly be a target for environmentally motivated taxation and legislation. Industry rationalisation is long overdue, but government and unions in some countries will resist any attempt by manufacturers to cut large numbers of jobs and this tension will be a feature of 2009/10 as governments attempt to counter rising unemployment and balance public finances.Much of the cost pressure being felt by OEMs is being passed onto suppliers or eased by relocating manufacturing and sourcing to Eastern Europe and China. Currently, 33% of all suppliers have manufacturing facilities in Ea stern Europe and 17% in China and this trend will continue with Western Europe and the U. S. adding value through marketing, engineering and design, though this raises the issue of technology theft and intellectual property rights. Russia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic are the most important sales markets in Eastern Europe and also represent important manufacturing locations along with Slovakia and Slovenia.China is now VW’s second largest sales market after Germany and General Motors generated 44% of global earnings from the same country, both companies plan a series of new vehicle launches during 2009. Russia is also a potentially large market with 144 million people and car ownership only one third of the level in Germany. Sales have doubled to over 3. 5 million units a year, (P. W. C. ) but the forecast for 2009 is a 15% reduction as the effect of lower oil prices affects the economy.German and Japanese cars are in high demand, though the government has decreed t hat 80% of officials should drive Volgas with the remaining 20% being supplied with BMWs built in Kalingrad and Fords made near St Petersburg. The Russian OEMs such as Moskvitch, Gaz and Ural tend to focus on the largest part of the market which is for cars costing less than $4000. Other manufacturers with plants already there, include Renault, GM and VW, with Nissan, Hyundai, Peugeot and Mitsubishi currently constructing new facilities, (Business Week). Renault has become partners with Avtvaz, paying $1 billion for a 12 309-032-1 5% stake in early 2008 and the next phase, according to PWC will be the emergence of a powerful components industry to supply as foreign brand cars manufactured in Russia are forecast to rise to 2 million by 2012. Ford, VW and Renault have all announced extended plant shutdowns during the early part of 2009, (New York Times), however PWC still forecasts that despite these short term difficulties, sales will continue to rise to six million units by 2014 and analysts at Russian agency Avtostat, predict that Russia will be the third largest car market in the world by 2012, behind only the US and China.Eastern Europe is improving in terms of productivity and competitiveness, is close to major EU markets and combines low wages with a skilled work force. Political pressure will focus on the production of cars suitable for export markets in order to earn currency, but government attitudes to foreign direct investment may improve if Russia joins the WTO. Collaboration between Eastern and Western European companies is growing rapidly, based on the mutual benefits of technology/skills transfer and market entry.Ironically, economic measures aimed at strengthening local currencies in order to reduce inflation, are making it more difficult for exporters to remain competitive. GM and Ford have invested in low volume production but many of the other OEMs have adopted a more cautious approach, although Toyota, Daewoo, Mitsubishi and Renault are succ essfully importing cars. The level of global sales and therefore production in 2009 is very difficult to forecast as it depends largely on how quickly financial institutions make credit available at somewhere close to previous levels. 0. 2 million cars were manufactured in 2007, falling to 67. 9 million in 2008, (J. D. Powers). Honda forecasts that European production will fall by over 12. 0%, but increase by 5% in China during 2009. VW expects the whole year to be difficult, particularly the first two quarters. PWC is forecasting a 17% fall in sales in the US, 12% across Europe and 5% in Asia Pacific. The firm remains upbeat about 2010, predicting a recovery in global sales of up to 15%. 13 309-032-1 Table 3 – Preferred Manufacturing Locations Country Very attractive Attractive Total Czech Republic 0% 44% 94% China 71% 18% 89% Hungary 40% 45% 85% Poland 36% 46% 82% USA 36% 33% 69% Slovakia 40% 28% 68% South Korea 16% 48% 64% Mexico 21% 39% 60% Western Europe 18% 23% 41% Indi a 15% 23% 38% Brazil 14% 21% 35% Ukraine 15% 18% 33% Romania 10% 23% 33% Slovenia 16% 14% 30% Bulgaria 5% 19% 24% 11% 10% 21% Argentina 5% 11% 16% Thailand 5% 8% 13% Vietnam 0% 10% 10% Russia 4% 4% 8% Australia 1% 3% 4% Croatia 1% 1% 2% Yugoslavia 1% 0% 1% Japan Source: Ernst and Young Competitive Analysis The global market leader during 2007 in terms of volume was GM which produced 9. 5 million vehicles compared with Toyota at 8. 5 million, however adding Daihatsu, (a wholly owned subsidiary) brings Toyota’s total production level with GM and as can be seen in the table overleaf, Toyota now produces more cars than GM when commercial vehicle sales are discounted. It is also worth noting that if the production figures for Renault with Nissan are combined, they climb to fifth place ahead of Honda. 14 309-032-1 Table 4 – World Ranking of Manufacturers 2007 Rank Group Total (Millions) Cars Total Vehicle Production 72. 18 56. 30 1GM 9. 34 6. 26 2 Toyota 8. 53 7. 21 3 VW 6. 27 5. 96 4 Ford 6. 25 3. 56 5 Honda 3. 91 3. 87 6 PSA 3. 46 3. 02 7 Nissan 3. 43 2. 65 8 Fiat 2. 68 1. 99 9 Renault 2. 67 2. 28 10 Hyundai 2. 62 2. 29 11 Suzuki 2. 60 2. 28 12 Chrysler 2. 54 0. 75 13 Daimler 2. 10 1. 33 14 BMW 1. 54 1. 54 15 Mitsubishi 1. 41 1. 10 16 Kia 1. 37 1. 29 17 Mazda 1. 28 1. 16 18 Daihatsu 0. 86 0. 71 19 Avtovaz 0. 73 0. 73 20 FAW 0. 69 0. 69 21 Tata 0. 59 0. 24 22 Fuji 0. 58 0. 51 23 Chana Automobile 0. 54 0. 54 24 Beijing Automotive 0. 45 0. 45 25 Dongfeng Motor 0. 44 0. 44Source: International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) It is notable that four firms in the top 50 produce fewer than 100,000 cars a year and fifteen make fewer than 250,000 cars and the top ten Chinese companies only produce around 3 million cars between them, while Tata has a long way to go before it becomes a volume player. 15 309-032-1 Table 5 – World Vehicle Production by Country in 2007 Country Total Vehicle Production (Millions) Japan 11. 60 USA 10. 80 PR China 8. 90 Germany 6. 20 South Korea 4. 10 France 3. 00 Brazil 2. 95 Spain 2. 90 Canada 2. 60 India 2. 30 Mexico . 10 UK 1. 75 Russia 1. 65 Italy 1. 30 Thailand 1. 25 Turkey 1. 10 Iran 1. 00 Czech Republic 0. 95 Belgium 0. 85 Poland 0. 80 Source: International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) Corporate Strategies Diversification is still common within the automotive industry, however the most prevalent strategy is forward integration. Most of the added value is now derived from finance, servicing and the sale of spare parts. Growth by acquisition has been used by G. M. , Fiat, Tata and VW to overcome mobility barriers and gain presence in the upper luxury segments, although G.M. in particular is more focused on the U. S. market in this respect. Toyota and Honda conversely, chose organic growth by establishing the Lexus and Acura brands organically. BMW now has its own range in the important four wheel drive market 16 309-032-1 and it’s acquisition of Rolls -Royce leaves them with a more sustainable portfolio, including Mini, which it retained when it sold MG Rover. Mercedes on the other hand, is relying on brand extension and the rebirth of the Maybach brand to increase volume since the end of its ill fated merger with Chrysler.The successful merger between Renault and Nissan raises question about the two remaining European independents, PSA and Fiat. Collaboration As markets mature, manufacturers are being forced to cut costs and increase scale. The manufacturing process has had most of the possible cost squeezed out in the last ten years. Companies already buy components from each other or share development costs, for example the alliance between PSA and Renault to supply gearboxes. Collaboration is based on mutual need and can either be used to spread costs or as a market entry strategy.There appears to be a shift of emphasis from the interchange of resources towards combining, as well as a more open attitude by Western companies t o close co-operation. It is becoming multi dimensional as manufacturers analyse their value chains, not only with a view to outsourcing, but on a geographical basis. Relocation, rationalisation and new bases for supplier relationships will dramatically alter the profile of the entire industry by 2010 There are a number of parallel developments occurring:†¢ The component supply industry has tiered, with Tier 1 suppliers becoming solution providers.They develop and supply whole vehicle systems such as brakes, engine management, steering and suspension. †¢ These suppliers have becoming knowledge partners and have taken on the role of managing relationships with tiers 2 and 3, who have found themselves isolated from the car manufacturers. †¢ Technology is increasingly complex and from outside the traditional automotive industry. Electronics, currently constitute around 23% of the value of a car, this will rise to 40% by 2010. †¢ As technology becomes more intelligent , components can be tailored to a wider range of applications.Software can now be used to alter the power and 17 309-032-1 torque profiles of diesel engines using inbuilt codes, offering the opportunity to use one engine across a wide range of model sizes. It could also be combined with GPS to automatically limit speed to the legal maximum. †¢ For this reason, specialist suppliers are achieving greater economies of scale than even the largest OEMs can hope to achieve in house. †¢ Car makers are reducing the number of varying components even at platform level, but increasing consumer choice by offering more variants in terms of trim and accessories. They are recognising the concept of â€Å"needlessly unique† components, where the cost of developing many alternatives does not raise customer perceptions of value. †¢ Components which the customer perceives to be invisible will be standardised. These will include chassis, steering, driveline and braking systems. Ot hers will be made common where possible, including instruments, controls and airbags. Only variants required to be different by the customer will be specific to models and examples of these include paintwork, exterior trim, fascia and glass. †¢Component suppliers are being forced to grow, in order to stay within cost targets set by their customers. Suzuki insists that all main suppliers with fewer than 100 employees must merge with other suppliers. Global car makers logically require global component suppliers. †¢ Car companies will increasingly become assemblers as they turn their main strategic attention towards, design, marketing and their distribution channels. Technology and Research and Development It is becoming more difficult to sustain competitive advantage through product differentiation.OEMs however, are continuing to invest heavily in research and development in an attempt to attract customers and no detail is seen as insignificant. Audi claims that its new V10 R8 is the first car in the world with all LED headlamps and rear-view mirrors have become high tech, with power folding, photo chromic glass and vision cameras aimed at pedestrian or occupant detection. It is likely 18 309-032-1 however that the technology focus will increasingly be on new fuel sources and lower pollution levels as firms attempt to anticipate future customer demands.Pollution and Resource Consumption Pollution has evolved from a series of localised problems into a global issue. The range of pollutants is also increasing and now includes CO2, CO, NOx, SO2, CFC, Methane and Nitrates. Automobiles currently have 80% of the global personal transport market and 55% of goods transportation. Their effect on the natural environment is therefore significant and ranges from 5% of total SO2 emissions up to 70% of all CO2 emissions. Noise and waste products also contribute to environmental deterioration.More than 500 kg of every car produced ends up in land fill sites, accounti ng for 4% of total rubbish weight. Companies are beginning to take these issues seriously as it is probable that eventually they will bear responsibility for disassembly and total recycling. Renault for example spends 30% of total R & D budget and employs 1000 people on environment related issues. This is shared between compliance with future regulation and attempting to gain advantage over competing companies.The Euro 96 norms mean much tighter controls over emission levels and these are mirrored by U. S. legislation. No detail is too small to escape attention in this constant search for technological advantage. In Europe for example, 180,000 tonnes of fuel evaporates every year during the refuelling process and fuel tanks are being redesigned to eliminate the problem. Reduction in fuel consumption is a major research area and engines are being developed with reduced friction, more efficient combustion and better ignition.Diesel cars remain an alternative and work also continues on small electric cars. Engines capable of using renewable fuels such as Soya oil have been in existence since the 1970s, but unless governments deliberately favour these alternatives via changes in taxation policy, they will only slowly gain acceptance. There are encouraging signs however, in Sweden 66% of orders for the new Saab 95 are for the version that runs on 85% bio ethanol derived from sugar cane and British Sugar is considering building a bio ethanol plant in the U.K. Hybrid vehicles running on oil 19 309-032-1 based fuel and electricity are gaining in popularity and fuel cell cars will be on the road by 2020 Table 6 – World Commodity Prices – 2000 to 2010 Commodity prices, 2000-2010 Percent change Forecast Commodity 2000-2005 -26. 4 1. 8 33. 9 1. 0 57. 2 -10. 8 -4. 2 3. 1 33. 9 97. 8 -23. 1 -10. 0 29. 1 17. 0 22. 4 -19. 1 -4. 3 12. 7 20. 0 28. 4 -21. 5 -1. 3 10. 0 25. 6 35. 2 -23. 3 -0. 3 18. 4 26. 1 50. 9 -28. 9 2. 6 22. 7

Gambling addiction in today`s society Essay

Have you ever gambled in your life? We live in a world where some form of gambling is within our grasp. It can be fun, exciting, and life changing. Some gamblers may say they have control of their gambling behavior; however, a lot of gamblers do not! Most of them lose so much. They lose their jobs, money, family, and friends. Since gambling has so much potential for abuse, external measurements must be put in place to prevent abusive gambling. Did you know Hawaii and Utah are the only 2 states that prohibit all forms of gambling? Gambling is betting money on any game or event. It takes a variety of forms, from nickel-and-dime poker to state-sponsored lotteries and casinos. Different forms of gambling are legal in different parts of the United States. In the early 1900s, most forms of gambling were illegal in the United States. However, legalized gambling has been on the rise since the 1950s. Casinos are establishments where people can place bets on games. They normally offer a variety of card games, dice games, and games of chance. In 1931, Nevada became the first state to allow casino gambling. New Jersey followed in 1978, making casinos legal in Atlantic City. In 2009, legal casinos were operating in forty seven states. Today, different states have different regulations on casinos. In some states, they are still prohibited entirely. In others, casinos may only be run on the water, like riverboat casinos. Casinos also exist on Indian reservations throughout the country. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, passed in 1988, declared that Native American tribes have the right to run gaming establishments on their reservations, as long as they are in a state that permits some form of gambling. By 1998, nearly three hundred Indian-operated casinos existed in thirty one states. Casinos have generated wealth and increased employment rates among Native Americans. However, many Native Americans, especially older people, consider the casinos a threat to their traditional values and way of life. The newest form of casino gambling is the online casino, which allows players to place bets over the Internet. Online casinos raise complicated legal issues. For example, if casinos are only legal in certain parts of a state, is it legal to make online casinos available in other parts of the state? If players are placing bets on the outcome of a game in a real, legal casino in another country, does that mean they are actually gambling in that country and not in their homes? Because of these legal problems, American companies have been reluctant to invest in online casinos. Nonetheless, consumers spent about 3 billion dollars in online casinos in 2000. Further restriction on internet gambling came when Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. The purpose of the law is to prevent the use of certain kinds of payment, credit cards, and fund transfers for unlawful internet gambling. Another common form of legal gambling is the state lottery. A lottery is a drawing in which people purchase tickets. A ticket number is selected at random and anyone holding a ticket with that number wins a cash prize. The first state lottery opened in New Hampshire in 1964. By 2009, lotteries were operating in forty one states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

1989 Detroit Free Press Profits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

1989 Detroit Free Press Profits - Essay Example After the merger, the two daily newspapers should result in making huge amounts of profits since the level of competition will greatly reduce. This will be achieved when the two companies share the previous sales data and put more emphasis on the particular variables that previously had contributed to either company’s’ downfall. In addition, the geographical coverage of two companies will increase since the areas covered by one of the dailies will also be covered by the area. Moreover, the number of people who subscribe to the dailies will increase since one company will now share the previous market that had been divided into two. However, the unavailability of competition will lead to a new high price of advertising from companies since the demand for advertising will remain constant and the supply of advertising institutions will reduce. Moreover, the sellers of the newspaper will increase the price despite the printing cost and operating expense reducing due to adva ntages brought about by greater economies of scale. This means that the now big company can bid for larger orders that save money. Bidding larger orders also advances purchasing power, since there is a greater possibility for negotiating with advertisers (Samuelson & Marks, 2012). The two companies cut the advertising rates substantially before the merger since they no longer had to spend a lot of money to achieve a high market share. The high level of competition between the two companies drove them to incur a lot of cost in a move to achieve a high-end market and try to attract high-level business that would advertise in their newspapers. Moreover, a higher customer base will increase the value of the company and thus scoop a bigger value during the merger. After the merger, the two companies now own the entire market share and no longer require incurring huge costs to achieve the

Assessment of stroke. annotated bibliography Essay

Assessment of stroke. annotated bibliography - Essay Example There are grammatical and referencing errors through out and the structure is not clear at all times. 3/10 Description & analysis of each individual annotation Explanation, analysis and understanding of the main points of each selected article, e.g. purpose or hypothesis for study, the point of view/perspective from which the work was written, type and appropriateness of study methodology, comments on usefulness of the work & consideration of authority of authors. Relevant links to related sources are briefly identified (this may appear in more detail in the next two sections). Comments: You have selected a number of papers to discuss you the purpose of your study. Some of the papers linked better and some others not as well. For example, the FAST tool could be a topic on its own. The final paper could be used to support some of the arguments made in the earlier papers. You have given a description and the purpose of the studies in some papers and some others this was not as clear (i .e. first two ones). You have used a great deal of evidence in some of the papers although at times not in a coherent manner. You have also made some good comments and pointed to a number of issues that are important and you could discuss/explore further). 13/30 Analysis (from your chosen literature as a whole) Key issues/important factors appropriate to the topic are critically analysed. Connections between the selected articles, coherence (or lack of) between studies, referenced linkage to other related sources. Analysis & comparison of argument/s & opposing views appropriate to the topic area. Comments: This section follows on some of my comments above about the coherence of the papers and topics that each of them negotiate. It was a challenging topic and a very interesting one. Your comments here are clearer and you also bring most of the papers together. I would also expect here to bring some of the ideas explored in the papers. Critical analysis and evaluation was also carried out in the previous section. 12/35 Overall conclusions and recommendations Your main conclusions. Make focused recommendations for practice which demonstrate an integration of previous and new learning (synthesis). Propose recommendations for further research that can address the gaps identified through this annotated bibliography. Comments: You have made some good suggestions although some of them are not as well related to the annotated bibliography. These suggestions are the reflection of your overall clinical role with some relevant aspects to this essay. It should be more focused and tailored to the topic of this essay. You tend to discuss a number of ideas and that does not allow to explore a specific topic in depth. You have not made any recommendations for further research. 8/25 Diagnosis and Assessment Annotated Bibliography C7059609 The role of the Stroke Nurse in Assessment of Stroke Survivor Stroke is used to refer to a clinical syndrome of presumed vascular origin, typ ified by rapidly developing signs of focal or global

See instructions below in description Case Study

See instructions below in description - Case Study Example This translates to 75 cents as the per unit variable goods leading to profits of per pack profit of $ 5.50. Despite the high fixed costs the alternative is anticipated to sell the product to increase both market share and improved sales. In addition to this, the firm considers to use coupons and free gifts to promote the cigarette in order to achieve the price cut decision. However, decision is not the best since it is prone to unlikelihood of meeting the targeted price in the market. Variable costs in production may be a challenge in attaining price cuts. It may even make the firm operate at a loss (Nagle, Hogan & Zale, 2014). Philip Morris may consider rebranding its Marlboro cigarettes and market it as a new brand. This may involve changing the brand name, design, flavor and other attributes of the cigarettes to bring a differentiated appeal to the customers and competitors. Changes in the logo, name and flavors of the cigarettes are the key attributes that the firm ought to consider. In addition, its packaging may integrate a colorful wrappings and packets that bring a more attracting appeal to the users. Different flavors may be used to lure different customers to different flavors of choice. On another hand, the firm may consider rebranding its corporate name to shed its name against its rival firms. Price cuts are effective in attracting more users of a commodity. It is a marketing strategy that offers a better chance to a firm that is operating under a large scale. Reducing its prices as compared to its competitors enables the firm selling more and reaching a bigger number of its compelling customers (Clow & Baack, 2012). In such a case, the firm benefits from economies of scale and long-run profits. This technique may be disadvantageous to competing firms as they may be locked out of the market. In addition, it may induce monopoly in an industry that may be not beneficial to

Environmental Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Case Analysis - Essay Example The individuals in effect make up the society and hence have to decide what they want to do with their resources but the ultimate decision maker is the government who has to look after the environmental as well as economical side of each decision. The society's concern is to increase their welfare from the amount of resources that they have and the government has to take the decision with economic viability in mind, the case points out that the only way to strike a balance between the two is to have a free market economic system in place which will balance the amount of resources that need to be put in to reduce pollution and those that need to be employed else where. The major economic concepts in the case are of opportunity costs and cost benefit analysis, these concepts are the binding factors for the environmental and economic side of the argument. The analysis can be divided into two portions: the scientific point of view and the ethical point of view, talking of the scientific point of view the first thing that is to be understood is that all things that are achievable in a laboratory are not achievable in the world outside it for example clean water only exists in laboratories and not outside them. But who is to decide what clean is What is clean for some one is not clean for some one else and hence there is no agreement. ... extent does it have to be curbed Should it be cut off from its roots Should it be allowed to remain at a level These are the questions that have to be answered by the scientific side of the issue. When we speak of science, inevitably we have to speak of economics because it is economics that shows us the way to have a cost effective method of curbing pollution. Such methods and processes should be introduced, which tend to minimize maximum amount of pollution using the minimum amount of resources available. The first thing to understand is that there are a limited number of resources that every community has on its disposal and it has to decide how and where to use these resources, hence not all the resources can be used to curb pollution because then the community will have nothing to eat, wear and will have no shelter over their heads. On the other hand if none of the resources are used to curb pollution then pollution would become a major issue for that community. Hence this shows that we have to strike the right balance, that is, the right decision in the right area at the right time. As stated in the case, the right balance can only be achieved if there is a free market economy in place. A free market economy is one where every individual seeks to attain his or her goals in any suitable way he or she wants without any specific restriction or restraints and hence increase his or her satisfaction. By doing this they increase the over all utility of the community and hence in a free market economic system there is a negligible role of the government. Adam smith, the father of economics, said the free market economy operates as if an invisible hand guides each and every individual to attain their goals, and keeps on shifting the economy to the right equilibrium

Concert Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Concert Review - Essay Example W. J. Duthoit), Hans Christian Andersen Suite Soren Hyldgaard arr. Johan de Meij and Mother Hubbard (John Phillip Sousa). It was an evening meant for the soul to wander into the world of melody and unfettered musical imagination. The performance of this composition has heavy usage of brass and wind instruments. The sound moulded and shaped by the different wind instruments covering different frequency ranges in terms of tonal quality and also covering the musical octave. The performance at a glance was brass instrument orchestration with trumpets, saxophones, clarinets, flutes etc forming the instrumentation of the performance. The performance of the composition was predominantly of Duple Meter, in certain parts varying slightly to a double duple or triple meter (Hal Leonard Corporation 1). A multi instrumental and multi layered composition the performance showcased the dextrous application of a wide variety of brass instruments to create a resonant, soothing and rich output much like a full-fledged orchestra with a complete range of instruments. The flutes and clarinets served as the sustained background of tone supporting the trumpets playing the solo line of the composition. The heavy and simultaneous usage of multiple brass sections, percussion, xylophones and drums make the composition belong to Polyphonic texture. Multiple instruments can be clearly distinguished. The melody of the song is wavelike in nature. The performance reflects the majestic elements of thought put into the composition for example a feeling of heightened excitement and anticipation. A musical work of Rossano Galante brings a feeling of happiness, joy, celebration and mirth. Through the varying intensities of tenor saxophones and baritone trumpets the effect is unparalleled. It introduces a feeling of independence and unrestrained through the legato type application of the brass instruments. The overall composition as

The coming of the American Revolution Research Paper

The coming of the American Revolution - Research Paper Example Great Britain was expected to be victorious because of its huge armed and naval power. Comparatively, American side was much more lacking in terms of armed and naval forces, size of army and previous experience at fighting against any huge state. Americans were interested to fight for independence while British fought for the continuity of their control over the American colonies considering their fighting spirit as a mutiny. Benedict Arnold was a part of Patriots belonging to the American side, but after being neglected and not sufficiently appreciated for his efforts in the wars, he became a turncoat and joined British army. Both sides have different advantages and disadvantages regarding their skills and experience. However, America has an upper hand in the war followed by its independence. The turning point for the Patriots was the battle of Saratoga. This paper discusses about the role of Benedict Arnold in the American Revolution, the advantages and disadvantages of the two sid es of the Revolution and the turning point for the patriots. Benedict Arnold, an Important Figure in the American Revolution Benedict Arnold participated in the American Revolution and was responsible for many victories during the revolution. Initially, he appeared as a heroic figure as he worked very hard for the independence of America colonies. Arnold became a part of the Continental Army as a patriot in 1775. Arnold joined Allen and his Green Mountain Boys on 10 May in order to take hold of the credulous British fort located at Ticonderoga in New York1. Arnold took part in another mission, which was planned to assemble Canadian dwellers as members of American army and take hold of the northern base that was held by Britain at that time so that the striking rate of the American side gets improved. This mission was very troublesome as the troops were required to march to Quebec from Maine. Arnold managed to attack the well guarded Quebec along with other patriots through a snowsto rm on 31st December knowing about the death and severe condition of many of his troops. He was left with no other opportunity, but to assault against the force. Arnold was severely injured and the attackers failed to have any victory. They had to face severe loss at the hands of British and Canada remained a British colony2. After being in good health again, Arnold joined in a significant mission that was to obstruct British incursion in New York in autumn of 1776. Arnold’s role in constructing an American naval force was appreciative as he managed to provide hastily prepared armada on Lake Champlain where a British invasion under the command of General Carleton was expected. British fleet was flabbergasted at finding American fleet waiting for them beforehand3. The British fleet pushed back the American fleet, but the action took a long time, which made the British army return to Canada after reaching New York as the war season was over. Arnold’s effort was approving and admirable as the Patriots were able to shun a major destructive step from the British side4. Arnold was unable to get the appreciation and recognition that he deserved instead of all his efforts towards supporting the independence cause. Arnold had no promotion while five junior officers of American army were endorsed to higher ranks. Considering this step as disapproving, he resigned from the army, but after

Successful security management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Successful security management - Research Paper Example The various area of security that needs attention include: Dalton (2003) traces the roots of contemporary corporate security back to the role of the night watchman prior to the 1960s. In this guise the job of security personnel within businesses entailed little more than acting as a lookout with a primary role of early warning in case of incidents such as fire. Throughout the 1960s and into the latter half of the 20th century this limited early role began to expand and fire watches began to take on more classical security duties including controlling access and egress from properties, patrolling and maintaining perimeter fences and general guarding duties (Gill, 2006). Dalton terms this the ‘Green Shack Era’ as activities were typically based out of such shacks located by the main gate (Gill, 2006). While security management progressed at varying speeds within industries different and between individual organizations a growing role for security departments within the corporate world was apparent. For the most part it moved out of the so-called green shacks and into offices embarking on what Dalton describes as the ‘Physical Security Era’ (Gill, 2006). With the arrival of the physical security era corporate security continued to perform duties such as security patrols but in addition took on responsibilities for responding to medical emergencies, controlling traffic, monitoring equipment, escorting employees and staffing front desks (Gill, 2006). This entirely defensive approach to corporate security could be considered the trademark of the physical security era and to an extent it remains the ethos behind security departments in many large businesses today (Gill, 2006). One of the effects of globalization has been a proliferation in the number of threats which face large organizations with exposure to operational risks all over the world. This in turn has made the job of protecting businesses much more complicated and means the

Globalization; International Manufacturing, Outsourcing and Logistics Essay

Globalization; International Manufacturing, Outsourcing and Logistics - Essay Example Domestic manufacturing companies are facing numerous confrontations; they are finding it hard to survive in the existing market and are seeking manufacturing strategies for competing in the global market. (International Manufacturing strategy) International Marketing Strategy Survey (IMSS) set up in 1992 is a cooperative network of more than 600 manufacturing companies and 20 business schools that provides a database for the study of management strategies, direct information on trends on manufacturing market and practices on a global scale. IMSS aims at identifying the manufacturing management strategies and collectively achieve the strategic objective. (WheelWright & Hayes,1975) This also helps the companies to make a comparative analysis using the international benchmarks. IMSS encourages communication and interaction between different companies and management schools which helps in sharing best practices. (What is the IMSS?) Every country and state has different manufacturing regulations, economic factors, historical position, market size, product manufactured and strategies are tailored accordingly. (Per & Christopher, 1998) Before creating a strategy, understanding the practice and performance of the manufacturing company is essential. Managers need to make decisions on the investments, organization form, system to be used, technological factors, location and product factors. In order to understand and study the various issues in the manufacturing industry and help companies in making good decisions a research study was conducted by London Business School which aimed at investigating the industry’s practices, manufacturing strategies around the world which would help in making the best decisions.(Per & Christopher,1998) Manufacturing strategy refers to exploiting some properties and using them as a competitive weapon. There are different factors that are critical for deciding the strategy of a manufacturing company. A

Intercultural communicaton analysis Essay Example for Free

Intercultural communicaton analysis Essay The life of every personality is deeply affected by a myriad of intercultural affiliations that affect a person’s ability to interact with other people and be seen by them from a specific viewpoint. Intercultural communication is likely to be particularly affected by cultural stereotypes. Therefore, each person’s life is shaped to a great degree by cross-cultural perceptions and co-cultural affiliations. In my personal case, I have a variety of cultural affiliations that have a direct influence on my life. In the first place, a lot of facets of my experience depend on my physical characteristics, such as my female gender. Being of that gender, I have a different kind of experience with other people, as it seems easier to bond with girls than with boys on certain subjects, and some aspects of physical work and sports are naturally harder for me because of my weaker constitution. In addition to gender, my life is also impacted by my ethnic origin and religious tradition. Being Turkish and Muslim, I tend to follow the rules and norms prescribed by our faith. Thus, I pray five times a day, observe the Ramadan, and attend meetings in the local mosque. As a result, my lifestyle puts me in contact with a lot of Muslims who constitute my immediate circle of communication. In communication with other cultural and religious groups, I have to recognize that my principles and habits are different from most people. Many of my peers, for instance, find it strange that I do not eat or drink by daylight for the entire month of Ramadan. This makes me pause and explain to them the significance of the fast and what it means to me as a Muslim. Being Muslim does not in itself give an exhaustive description of my cultural identity since I have also been exposed to a number of other cultural influences. I am Turkish, and our culture differs in many ways from that of Arabic countries or that of Iran. In addition, I speak English as a second language and went to a French high school. Thus, for me, as for many of my younger countrymen, European cultural influences proved a great impact. I have been watching European movies and read European books since childhood. Knowing English, I was also exposed to the US cultural influence, watching Hollywood blockbusters and interacting with American peers. Belonging to a certain category, one is always an easy target for stereotypes. Thus, it so happened that I am an only child, so many believe that I am spoiled. In a talk with a classmate at school, I had to give examples of household chores that I do at home to dispel his notion of my being utterly â€Å"spoiled†. He only believed me after I told him how I could cook myself the whole dinner for the family at the age of 10. On the other hand, communicating with older people, I have to correct their understanding of college students as spoiled, rough, and careless. Sometimes, I feel as if these qualities are attributed to me by default simply because young people are portrayed in this way in a variety of movies. I try to combat this stereotype by taking time to talk to them at length about my studies and future career plans. I think it gives them an idea that I am serious about college as a way to a better life, not just a socializing event. In this way, my life has been infused with a variety of cultural influences that made me the person I am. At times, it can be difficult to balance many of them, such commitment to my faith with realities of college life here in the US. However, I do my best to try and find a sound approach that will dispel stereotypes and allow me to retain my unique identity. Reference Neuliep, J. W. (2000). Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach. Houghton Mifflin.

Limit Of Human Rights In Africa

Limit Of Human Rights In Africa Culture, Gender, and Religion at the Limit of Human Rights in Africa.   The essay will focus on how culture, gender and religion limits human rights in Africa and how the three come into conflict which leads to discursively construct each other via cultural. It will also cover the potential and limitations of the womens rights as human rights in which, attension will be paid to Islamic law-sharia and some of it cases in Nigeria. The essay will also relate international human rights documents like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, African Charter on human and peoples rights, protocol to the African Charter on Human and peoples Rights of women in Africa, and Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam(sharia law) and conclusion. Legal Pluralism in Human Rights Law: The plurality of norms and values that exist in different African cultues and societies is also reflected within the human rights system itself. The human rights system embodies both individual and communal rights. The tension relationship between the principle of a groups right to self determination and cultural identity, asembodied in the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and Article 16.1 of the Womens convention, which puts an obligation on the states parties to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relationg to marriage and family relation. In the African context is whether the protection of group rights such as culture and religious identity of ethnic group, constitutes a justifiable reason for differential treatment of women and men in African. There has always been great arguement when interpreting the convention in relationa to African States parties, it should be born in mind that African and Western cultures apply different values and norm(Grannes 1994:28) This is because the implementation of Womens convention has proved to be particularly problematic in the area of personal and family law, where it comes into conflict with religious and customary laws and practices. Human Rights in African Over decades now, Africa have been ranked by international Human Rights organizationas like Human Right Watch, Ammesty International and International Crimenial Court as a continent where human rights violations are at it apex especially islamic countries, the violation of womens basic human rights are mostly done in the name of culture and religion.  [1]  After the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 in which pursuit of equal rights for women through international law has been fair from reach. The principle says that everyone is free and equal in diginity and eveveryone is entitled to rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex was started in Articles 1 and 2 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights  [2]  , African Charter by the Organization of African Unity (now African Unity) in 1986, Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Cairo Declaration o n Human Rights in Islam by the Organization of the Islamic Conference in 1993. Anthropology as an academic discipline has embraced a predominantly ethical relativist stance toward the idea of human rights as a legitimate universal concern for all cultures. In the past years the rising prominence of womens rights as human rights has challenged this point of view. Within the context of the global womens human rights movement, feminist anthropologists are in the forefront of this challenge, striving to uphold anthropologys important focus on cultural context, while at the same time paying deep concern for harmful pracetics against women, with female genital mutilation in African no exception, which may be argued to be morally objectionable outside of any given culture. Human Rights is a very difficult phrase to define. Ones idea of humanity varies in every culture especially in African societies; discrepancies are often found even within a singular culture. Gender,Culture, Religion and social Causes a Barrie to Human Rights in Africa: Violence continues to affect lives of millions of women in African in all socio- legal, economic and educational classes. This is cuting across cultural and religious barriers, which impeding women from taking full participation in societies. One of the greatest barriers to womens economic advancement is violence they face on daily routine. Not only does such violence impede womens ability to live full and productive lives, it also hampers their contributions to family, society and economic development. Violance aganist women is one of the most visible consequences of economic, social, political, legal and cultural inequalities that exist between men and women in Africa, as a result the continent is laging behind the rest of the world  [3]  . Given the subordinate status of women in Africa, women are most exposed to ill treatments, physiological abuse, and physical violence, such gender violence is considered normal and enjoys social sanction. African continent is rich in cultural relativity(culture of discrimination) and norms, as a result it has showed a vital barrier to the implementation of the universal human rights act. A universal agreement among certain human rights provisions is not likely to occur, specifically when dealing with islamic countries in African where transition to more equal rights is most problematic, where elements of Sharia law governing the behaviour of women remain active. In extreme examples in Northern Nigeria, these ancient laws still declaims that adultery is a crime when only carried out by women, and makes it impossible for a man to be convicted of rape. In certain circumstances, conforming to human rights would signify a fundamental change in societies that the elite is not willing to undertake, fearing a potential change in the balance of power while the cultural norms remains unchanged. Violence against women in Africa comes in several forms discrimination, rape and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), which the World Health Orgnazation (WHO) defines as comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play other central roles in communities, such as attending childbirths. Increasingly, however, FGM is being performed by health care providers and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. The practice also violates a persons rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death. Despirte global efforts by World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to combat the wild spred of FGM, it still remains donominant in Africa as a cultureal partices, which lives about 92 million girls age 10 years and above are estimated to have undergone FGM and three million girls are at risk annually  [4]  . The reasons behind female genital mutilation in Africa include a mix of cultural, religious and social factors within families and communities.In most African countries where FGM is a social convention, the social pressure to conform to what others do and have been doing is a strong motivation to perpetuate the practice. Traditions in African believes that FGM is often considered a necessary part of raising up process for girl(s), and a way to prepare them for adulthood and marriage life, it often motivated by beliefs about what is considered proper sexual behaviour, linking procedures to premarital virginity and marital fidelity and is also associated with cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are clean and beautiful after removal of body parts that are considered male or unclean. The Africa Traditional Reglions (ATRs) is the only religion that fully support to the practice, practitioners often believe the practice has religious support, othe r religious leaders take active positions with regard to FGM: some still promote it, some consider it unimportant to religion, and others are still kicking against the idea. Potential and Limitations of Womens Rights as Human Rights Social and economic indicators for African countries consistently show that women bear the greatest brunt of hardship because of disciminatory lwas against them, efforts to modernise this discriminatory laws have been frustrated by deep-rooted cultural barriers that runs in opposite direction with developments . Women in Africa contribute in numerous ways to the national development of every country. They are responsible for nearly all household duties , starting from food productions and processing exercises. Often, women tend to be viewed not as individuals, but as part of the male-headed household with some unique needs of their own related to their preceived roles, if given the rigts they can be at the front line of major global issues. Women organizations in Africa and around world such as Formum for African Women Educationalist (FAWE) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) have been actively involve in using different approaches in seeing the the rights of women as stated in various international human rights docuents be met,their efforts are far from reach in Africa. Sharai Law: The word sharia means the path to a watering hole. It denotes an Islamic way of life that is more than a system of criminal justice. Sharia is a religious code for living, in the same way that the Bible offers a moral system for Christians. It is adopted by most Muslims to a greater or lesser degree as a matter of personal conscience, but it can also be formally instituted as law by certain states and enforced by the courts. Many Islamic countries have adopted elements of sharia law, governing areas such as inheritance, banking and contract law. Sharai Law in Nigeria -Case One: Safiya Hussaini, age 35, was sentenced to death by stoning in October 2002 for allegedly having a child with a married neighbour. She had the child after her divorce, but maintained the father was her former husband and that they were married when the child was conceived. The court convicted her, but Hussaini won an appeal, this time alleging that she had sex out of wedlock before sharia law took effect. Sharai Law in Nigeria Case Two: In 2001, a teenage single mother was given 100 lashes for adultery, even though she argued she was raped by three men. The court said Bariya Ibrahim Magazu could not prove that the men forced her to have sex. Sexual discrimenation is transparent in this case, The Sharai law failed to bring the three men to book for raping, insisted all the blame was put on the woman alone. Sharai Law in Nigeria -Case Three: In 2002, Adama Unusua, who was 19 and pregnant, was recently sentenced to 100 lashes in public for having sex with her fiance.  [5]   International Human Rights Documents and Sharia Law in Africa: The African continent ratified international and regional human rights protection instruments, human rights violations such as discrimination against women persists widely both in law and practice.The international commettee remains particularly concerned by the currently violations of human rights in Africa especially the ones currently going on in North Africa andWest Africa(Ivory Coast). The persistence of discriminatory laws; lack of perfect harmonisation between statutory and customary laws and the application of Sharia laws constantly increase violence against women, including widowhood rites; and obstacles to access top employment opportunities leades tonor right in decision-making that even affects them.The Shariagoes in oppsite direction with all international and regional human rights documents, expect in the Cariro Declaration on Human Rights in Islam by the Organization of the Islam Conferencce in may 1993, which made provision in Article 2  [6]   Conclusion: Increase in the violation of huma rights in Africa is at it apex point, both the international and regional commeteer need to pay much attension to this issues, especially the violation of fundamental rights which are clearly speelts in all human rights documents with execption to Articule 2(c) p 4 of the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights.Womens rights must be respected by eliminating all form of discrimination against them, so that they can see themselves as partners in development in African.

Impact of Computer Technology on Modern Society and Culture

Impact of Computer Technology on Modern Society and Culture Establishing the Foundations of Modern Computer Systems In 1812, mathematics professor Charles Babbage laid the foundations of modern computing when he recognised the relation between machines and mathematics, machines performed tasks repeatedly without making mistakes, while mathematics often requires the repetition of particular tasks or steps. Ten years after making his discovery Babbage began the development of a machine that would have been the first general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. The construction of the Analytical Engine was never finalised during Babbage’s lifetime, but a century later to determine if the machine worked and it did. None the less the concept was a breakthrough in technology at the time as it outlined the required elements of the modern computer system; perforated cards containing operating instructions that acted as input devices, a memory that could store up to a thousand numbers, a control unit that could process the instructions in any sequence and an output device that would produce printed results, the essential elements of the modern day computerised system. The Modern Era The past fifth-teen years have seen major changes to many aspects of modern society and how we carry out our everyday activities and tasks, all through the means of computer technology. Many new innovative technologies have been developed that have altered of our daily life. We are now considered to be living through the Information Age, and the decisive technology of this age would have to be the Internet. It would be rare to find an organisation or household that does not experience the use of the Internet. The Internet can be used at home, at work or on the move depending on what device you are using. The New Speed of Information Knowledge Consider the speed at which we can now access almost any piece of information as computers and the Internet have made the dissemination of information and knowledge easier and much faster. The Internet provides this by connecting a computer to networks and using applications such as web browsers and search engines to access information, the Internet stores this information in the form of databases and webpages. Previous to the availability of the Internet people would have to request information by sending a letter, ask someone who knows the answer, read literature or make a telephone call. Digital Communities The Internet has created new forms of communication that are cost-free and much faster methods of gaining that sought after piece of information. Online community forums or message boards enable members to communicate with each other by exchanging tips or discussing topics. They can save information posted about a particular topic for other people to view at any time, therefore creating a discussion environment where everything that gets posted can be read numerous times. These virtual communities differ from traditional conversation as the interaction between members does not happen in real-time, forum members will often consider their comments before making a reply, helping to ensure that high-quality information is shared. A popular forum will have valuable members who are knowledgeable about many topics and will usually try to show this in their posts, this creates knowledge and useful tips for other members of the website. Forums can establish online communities, since people often return to the website on a regular basis to check previous posts or catch up on what has been happening since the last time they logged in. Building relationships with other members of forums is easy, if you regularly post and discuss topics then other forum members will get to know you and in turn you will get to know other members. Online virtual communities are rapidly replacing the physical community in society, an attraction of the online community is that members interact with other members of similar interests. Many people believe that there are negative effects from activity participating with online communities. They believe that members of these services often have reduced ability when interacting with their traditional community, this is due to the fact that members do not need to reveal their true identity. Members often remain anonymous as they can contribute thoughts and ideas under an online identity or avatar. Anonymous members can change their name, gender, appearance, occupation, sexual orientation and many other aspects of their personal details. For many shy people this can be a positive reason for becoming members of online communities, but if a person does have difficultly integrating with the traditional community then surely continuing to participate with online communities will not resolv e this issue. Social Networking Media The past five years or so have seen the introduction of social networking websites which allow users to connect with each other and share information in various formats. The emphasis in social networking is on two-way communication, not only can you publish information but your readers can comment on that information. Although the original users of social networking were computer-literate people who were publishing information for a small audience, this has changed dramatically. The creation of social networking and social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Instagram and YouTube have attracted massive audiences. These websites can allow you to find and connect with fellow workers, a relative located at the other side of the globe or a school colleague from many years ago. There are millions of people sharing information in the form of blogs, millions of videos uploaded to YouTube and billions of images shared on Flickr and Instagram. Participating with these new electronic environments can make you feel like you are part of a large community, but they also have downsides. Today’s youth have perhaps been particularly affected by social networking and computers as an entertainment source in general. As music, video, games, images and all forms of media can now be stored and viewed on home computers and devices, many modern teenagers are now sitting in their bedrooms playing video games, talking on message services or updating their social networking webpages. This is believed to be leading to a form of isolation that could affect their ability to interact with others later in life. Social networking and media has proved advantageous in times of disaster and emergency, by providing on-the-ground information in a disaster area or providing community support. This medium has become a vital part of disaster response, filling a void in areas where mobile phone technology has lost service. For example as Dina Fine Maron states in her article, How Social Media Is Changing Disaster Response, on scientificamerican.com: â€Å"Hurricane Sandy slammed the eastern seaboard last year, social media had become an integral part of disaster response, filling the void in areas where cell phone service was lost while millions of Americans looked to resources including Twitter and Facebook to keep informed, locate loved ones, notify authorities and express support. Gone are the days of one-way communication where only official sources provide bulletins on disaster news.† Cyberbullying Cyberbullying can also take place in the electronic environment of these social networking websites. This involves predators posting messages of an intimidating or threatening nature, either anonymously or posing as a person the victim trusts. Children are often vulnerable to cyberbullying attacks, which can have devastating effects and leave deep mental scars. Many of these attacks have been documented in recent news and media articles, unfortunately many of the victims have been driven to suicide. Cyberbullying has spread vastly among the youth of today, a 2010 CBS News report suggested that 42% reported being victims (As stated by whoever it was on whatever website this was). Social networking and media has become a matter of concern for employers, managers and business owners now use the tactic of monitoring employee’s social networking and media webpages. Some job terminations have been the result of unsuitable content being contained on employee’s webpages or posting comments that speak unfavourably about the business they work for. It is considered that some companies are over restrictive about their policies regarding blogging, posts on social networking websites and the uploading of various media. New Shopping Methods Business Methods The rapid advances of the Internet has revolutionised the shopping behaviours of consumers and the way many companies now conduct business activities. Shopping in the business to customer environment is becoming increasingly popular for many people, this is due to the numerous benefits and the convenience that the Internet offers. If you are a modern business owner, your business needs to have an Internet presence as the Internet provides access to a potentially global customer base. The Internet has help create many entrepreneurs who have entered the online market with a good business idea and benefited from the low start-up costs. Many barriers and obstacles involved with starting a traditional physical store have been removed, in fact many people than run an Internet business from home while holding down a full-time position. Unlike high-street shopping, consumers are not restricted to the traditional model of shopping within store opening hours as they can make purchases 24 hours-per-day, seven day-per-week. Store location is no longer a concern for consumers, as enquiries or transactions regarding any product or service provided by a company can be made any time, from almost any location across the globe. They no longer need to wait in queues for long periods of time waiting to purchase a popular item on sale or push a shopping cart around aisles trying to locate a desired item. The Internet and websites allow consumers to click through navigation menus or use a search box to narrow down their search. Consumers can make purchases from the comfort of their home or on the move with the use of smartphones and other mobile devices. As Peter J. Bentley writes on page 11 of his book Digitized: â€Å"You switch on your computer and launch the Internet browser. A one-word search for ‘pizza’ finds a list of pizza restaurants in your area. One click with the mouse and you are typing in your address to see if the restaurant delivers. They do! And they also allow you to order online. You choose the type of pizza you feel like, adding your favourite toppings. The restaurant even allows you to pay online, so you type in your credit card number, your address, and the time you’d like the delivery. You choose ‘as soon as possible’ and click ‘pay’. Just thirty-five minutes later there is a knock on your door. The pizza is here, smelling delicious. You tip the delivery guy and take your pizza to your table to eat.† I believe Peter has described perfectly in this extract from his book, how the Internet has changed shopping habits for millions of people across the world. The disadvantage of this new convenience is that many local high-street shops are disappearing from the high-street and many large businesses are going out of business. This of course has a negative effect on local communities as they are indirect stakeholders connected with many of these local businesses. Local businesses experiencing success provide a good-feel factor and more importantly jobs for local communities. The Labour Force The continued evolution of computing suggests that they will be programmed to provide more convenience for us in the future, and hence society will continue to be deskilled in many different aspects. For example, even with the invention of the simple calculator we have deskilled our mathematical abilities. This deskilling due to the advancements in technology have an impact on the labour force and market, technological change that requires the skills of highly educated workers increases the demand for these workers, whereas innovative change in technology can reduce the demand for workers with skills based on redundant technology. This situation has been repeated throughout history and was a direct effect of the industrial revolution. During the 18th and 19th centuries rapid advancements in technology changed the way people lived and worked, mass production techniques meant the construction of many large factories with large workforces. This did create new forms of employment, but it also deskilled much of society as these new jobs involved repetitive monotonous tasks, hence reducing the demand for skilled workers. The industrial revolution resulted in work being more regimented and less skilled, many consider this a comparison against today’s current information revolution. Computer technology is moving at a pace that is outrunning the ethical issues that surround its use in the workplace. Employers have been seen to establish ethical boundaries that infringe on employee privacy rights and restricting communication abilities. Accessibility of the Internet allows employees to access personal email and talk to family and friends in various different ways. Employers believe this effects the employees focus on tasks at work and has led to many employers observing employee communications during working hours. An ethical dilemma has developed from employers viewing employee’s personal data that has led to courtroom action being taken against employers, employee job termination and many complaints being filed. The innovation of new devices like portable laptops and smartphones has meant that working from almost any location on the globe is possible with the use of a Wi-Fi connection. For many employees this has shifted the traditional eight-hour working day, again another issue of ethics. As computer technology now provides employers with the ability to make requests of employees at any time of the day, does it mean that it is correct ethical thing to do? The modern working day is transforming into a 24 hour experience. Another issue of ethics that arises in the modern workplace is the ownership of company equipment. Problems arise when employees decide to make use of equipment for non-work related purposes, which could possibly include searching for a new job or accepting personal communication. Employers must define clear policies when using company equipment in the workplace and when loaned to an employee, therefore creating an ethical standard when using equipment. Pervasive Computing The terms â€Å"pervasive computing† and â€Å"ubiquitous computing† refer to the embedment of microprocessors in all everyday objects from household appliances, to a pair of glasses, to clothing, and so on so that information can be communicated. This new method of data collection will involve the combination of wireless technologies (such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth), electronics and the Internet. The objective of pervasive computing is to create smart products that will communicate information continuously without interruption, while being connected to the Internet where the collection of data is easily available. Ethical debates have arisen from the purposed development of pervasive computing, privacy issues as personal information could be viewed and the effect this new technology may have on the labour workforce. For example, the replacement of electric meters with smart meters (which record electric usage to the Internet) have resulted in the deskilling of workers who would have manually read and recorded the electric meter figures. Another example of how modern technology has replaced employees with a more convenient method of performing an everyday task, after-all we no longer need to answer the door to the worker who would have inspected your meter, the process is now automated. Privacy stands as the main barrier for the long-term success of pervasive computing. The computer technology is now trying to understand if the current privacy principles that exist in the industry are a true reflection of the ordinary member of society. What are users concerns and preferences about the management of private information and what procedures should be installed that will ensure satisfactory implementation. The main advantage of pervasive computing is that it will improve efficiency from a practical standing. Cloud Computing: Technology of the Future From the knowledge gathered while conducting this research project, I have decided to conclude the report by discussing Cloud Computing, the computer technology I believe will have the most dramatic affect society and culture.