Current issues in dissability studies activity 6 Essay

Current issues in dissability studies activity 6 - Essay Example uests for help has often result in increased parental stress due to the fact that their needs and their children’s needs may not always be in agreement with professionals about what constitutes actions that are helpful (Prezant, & Marshak 2006). A number of disability-related literature proposed that problems with the provision or absence of help are often reported by respondents in these categories. For example, a study of 120 parents conducted by Prezant, & Marshak (2006) that narrated the parents’ actual experiences over the kind of help that they got from their collaboration with professionals suggest that not all the help they got from these professionals are perceived as truly appropriate. Parents reported that although some are perceived as helpful collaboration, still they desire a relationship with professionals that focus on respect, collaboration, communication, and information-sharing. Relate any experiences that you may have had in working with people/families from a different cultural background from your own. What did these experiences teach you, or if you have had no such experiences yet, what are your thoughts on working with families from diverse cultural backgrounds? Post your thoughts on FLO. There are quite a number of experiences that I can relate to based on the readings. Teaching children with autism in Saudi Arabia has been quite an experience such that the cultural background and approaches differ from that of my strategies and their expectations. It has been quite a challenge at first since in order to help the children, I also have to make the parents understand why such action or strategy is important because sometimes, it contradicts with what they believe. The challenge mainly was that sometimes, the consistency of the strategies applied for children with autism ends in school as the parents have different views and approaches very unique to their culture. But despite of this, I find parents in Saudi Arabia cooperative in

African American Immigration Essay Example for Free

African American Immigration Essay There has always been a lot of discussion about the perception of African Americans in the media and how it affects their self-identity. It is easy to find examples of bias in portraying African Americans in the media. So what exactly is it that the media does to bring out these stereotypes, biases, and images that tend to stick with a lot of African Americans? The goal of this paper is to explore the different perceptions African Americans have gone through, how it has given them a sense of double consciousness on life, where the media image of African Americans that has stuck with them for so long can, and will go from here. According to the United States Census Bureau (2001), 12. 3% of all people reporting as one race reported they were â€Å"Black or African American†. This ethnic identity is now the second biggest minority group in the United States. It also refers to a group of people that has been in the United States for as long as it has existed. However, through the persecution of slavery, the austerity of segregation, and the continuing underlying prejudice, African Americans are still searching for their true identity. Just as children that were adopted tend to long for a true identity most of their lives, so are the circumstances of the African American. Stolen from their homeland and forced into slavery in a new country, African Americans were basically victims of identity theft. Although a lot of progress has been made in the way of an American identity for African Americans, a true identity has not yet been found. According to W. E. B DuBois (1903) â€Å"The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife—this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self† (p.68). Many African Americans feel the same as W. E. B. Du Bois when he says, â€Å"After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world – a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. † He also states, â€Å"One ever feels his twoness – an American, a Negro, two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled arrives; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. † A quick look at American history makes it easy to understand where this split identity stems from because Du Bois claims that African Americans were always forced to see things through â€Å"white† eyes only and not have a vision of their own. In an effort to rephrase Du Bois’ comment above, the terminology of â€Å"twoness† is really him trying to define double consciousness as a few different things: 1 the power that white stereotypes have on African American’s lives and also having that internal conflict between labeling themselves as African and American simultaneously. 2 it is a sense of awareness of one’s self along with the awareness of how others may perceive one. This in turn leads to conforming based on level of power, which is basically what occurred. PBS’ African American World Timeline (2004) says that there is a large history of not granting African Americans an identity. Before 1787, of course, African Americans were slaves and only thought of as property. In 1787 the U. S. Constitution was approved. It allowed for the continuation of the slave trade for another 20 years and claimed that a slave counted as three-fifths of a man for representation by the government. In 1865 some progress was gained when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, outlawing slavery and creating a Freedmen’s Bureau to help out former slaves. Also in 1865 Union General, William Sherman issued a field order setting up 40-acre plots of land in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida for African Americans to settle. But, in 1866, some all-white legislatures in the former Confederate states passed what were known as, â€Å"Black Codes† harshly cutting the freedom of African Americans and practically re-enslaving them. Since that time there has been some progression and also some difficulty for African Americans. Based on the history of the United States’ treatment of African Americans, it is easy to understand how they could struggle for their true identity. James Jones (1991) might say it best when he states, â€Å"Black personality is in part an adaptation to the political contours of racism. The conflict between the freedoms and rights of United States citizens is connected to the denial of freedom and rights that is the history of the African American presence in this country. If we view personality as the resultant of coping pattern and socialization directives, then black personality is, in part, the cumulative representation of the effects of racism over four centuries. It reflects over time, the effects of the form and structure racism takes, and comes to signal the nature of race relations at any point in time (p. 305). † This would lead to accepting of the fact that African Americans do, of course, have an identity, but a lot of the time it is dependent on the identity of White race at that time. Alain Locke (1925) explains the upward moving and upbeat side of African American identity: â€Å"In the last decade something beyond the watch and guard of statistics has happened in the life of the American Negro and the three norms who have traditionally presided over the Negro problem have a changeling in their laps. The Sociologist, The Philanthropist, the Race-leader are not unaware of the New Negro but they are at a loss to account for him. He simply cannot be swathed in their formulae. For the younger generation is vibrant with a new psychology; the new spirit is awake in the masses, and under the very eyes of the professional observers is transforming what has been a perennial problem into the progressive phases of contemporary Negro life. Could such a metamorphosis have taken place as suddenly as it has appeared to? The answer is no, not because the New Negro is not here, but because the Old Negro had long become more of a myth than a man. The Old Negro, we must remember, was a creature of moral debate and historical controversy. His has been a stock figure perpetuated as a historical fiction partly in innocent sentimentalism, partly in deliberate reactions. The Negro himself has contributed his share to this through a sort of protective social mimicry forced upon him by the adverse circumstances of dependence. So for generations in the mind of America, the Negro has been more of a formula than a human being a something to be argued about, condemned or defended, to be kept down, or in his place, or helped up, to be worried with or worried over, harassed or patronized, a social bogey or a social burden. The thinking Negro even has been induced to share this same general attitude, to focus his attention on controversial issues, to see himself, in the distorted perspective of a social problem. His shadow, so to speak, has been more real to him than his personality. Through having had to appeal from the unjust stereotypes of his oppressors and Traducers to those of his liberators, friends and benefactors he has subscribed to the traditional positions from which his case has been viewed. Little true social or self-understanding has or could come from such a situation†¦ †¦Until recently, lacking self-understanding, we have been almost as much of a problem to ourselves as we still are to others. But the decade that found us with a problem has left us with only a task. The multitude perhaps feels as yet only a strange relief and a new vague urge, but the thinking few know that in the reaction the vital inner grip of prejudice has been broken. It does not follow that if the Negro were better known he would be better liked or better treated. But mutual understanding is basic for any subsequent cooperation and adjustment. The effort toward this will at least have the effect of remedying in large part what has been the most unsatisfactory feature of our present stage of race relationships in America, namely the fact that the more intelligent and representative elements of the two race groups have at so many points got quite out of vital touch with one another (p. 631). † Even in the premier times of African American identity there were still questions to be answered. Now those questions lead to progressive thinking like Locke’s, â€Å"middle of the road† thinking and â€Å"extremist† thinking. An example of the term â€Å"middle-of-the-road† thinking can be seen in a post by Malcolm Frierson (2004) to a discussion board using the topic of what label to give African Americans. He says: â€Å"It is the right of the individual to be self-defining. Black is a color, not a term for a race of people in this millennium. The word was made beautiful and strong in the 60s and beyond for obvious reasons. That effort was admirable and effective, but now fairly done. It is time to move forward. † The term African American linguistically puts the race on more comfortable ground. It doesn’t seem right or fair to look at four men and call one Italian, one Native American, one Chinese, and the other black. â€Å"Whites† dont seem to have this concern obviously because they sit at the top of this name issue. The whole system was constructed to glorify the â€Å"whites† (the imperialists) and belittle the â€Å"blacks (the subjects). † Also, many whites and blacks together, beg for an end to this issue because they claim, were all Americans. But if we are actually honest with each other, nobody while in contemporary American society, when asked for their race or ethnicity, will never be able to simply label them self as simply â€Å"American. † There will always have to be a distinguishing label put upon everyone. Why is it that blacks have to go through this labeling issue more than any other American subgroup? Asian Americans, Italian Americans, and Filipino Americans often become Asians, Italians, and simply Filipino without ridicule or persecution (Asians further become Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, and others). A possible answer to this would be that we all identify with our most dominant ancestral line or native country – German, Spanish, Portuguese, Jamaican, what have you. It should come before the understood American part. But again, we should respect an individuals rights to be self-defining. One black problem could be that a lot of people really havent been to Africa and are in a sense kind of ashamed about or tend to disregard that fact possibly feeling a sense of ignorance in that area. The term African should be proudly used along with the term American just as other foreign groups use their places of origin along with their American status. Unfortunately this viewpoint is just a common middle-ground between the two poles. The other pole is a belief best supported by the All African People’s Revolutionary Party. They say, â€Å"African People born and living in over 113 countries around the world are [one group of] people, with one identity, one history, one culture, one nation and one destiny. We have one common enemy. We suffer from disunity, disorganization and ideological confusion. And we have only one scientific and correct solution, Pan-Africanism: the total liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism. They feel that African people that have been born or are living outside of Africa are intentionally kept from the knowledge of Africa and her achievements through European capitalism. They also feel that people inside of Africa are tricked into living in separate countries because of the â€Å"divide and rule† tactic used by Europeans which basically means it forces large concentrations of power (people) into smaller units of power to constrain them from gaining more power as the larger unit. It is this pole that receives the most voice in the media and also probably this pole which leads to the bias media outlets against African Americans. Perhaps the earliest example of media bias against African Americans, whether intentional or not, came from 19th Century naturalists that divided mankind into Caucasians, Mongolians, Malayans, Ethiopians and (native) American races. The Caucasians were defined as wise, the Mongolians crafty, and the Ethiopians/negro unintelligent. This bias is blunt and disrespectful, but possibly not hateful in intent back in the day. Today our media comes from less than ten gigantic media conglomerates in the United States. Salim Muwakkil (1999) mentions that, â€Å"Virtually all of our information, our cultural narratives, and our global images derive from institutions whose major goal is to pay handsome dividends to stockholders (p. 2). † Which in other words the media doesn’t really care what they say even if it sounds hateful. If it sells and gets publicity, it’s a hit. He also points out that black-owned media operations are becoming increasingly rare as much larger corporations continue to buy out more places and more property. Muwakkil’s fear is that the mainstream will continue to alter the image of African Americans without challenge to the point that their â€Å"anti-black† tendencies will be encouraged and sustained. Muwakkil makes a very strong point when he states the Kerner Commission’s findings: â€Å"The Kerner Commission (formally known as the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders), which was charged with finding the reasons for the long-hot-summer rebellions, had concluded that the United States was headed dangerously toward ‘two societies, one black, and one white, separate and unequal. ’ It blamed the urban unrest on persistent racial discrimination and a historical legacy of disadvantage, but it also singled out the nations news media for censure. The media treated African Americans as invisible, the commission concluded, and failed to communicate to white audiences a feeling for the difficulties and frustrations of being a Negro in the United States (p. 1). † In the book, The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America, Robert Entman and Andrew Rojecki (2000) point out some surprising statistics from studies done on American television. While Black actors are now more frequently appearing in films, its a debatable question as to how well theyre being represented. In the top movies of 1996 representation of African American Females and Caucasian females was drastically different where statistics from differences in using profanity, to physical violence were very often a difference of 70% or more between the 2 races with African Americans being in the higher percentage of the two for those certain areas. Television ads now show, hidden patterns of differentiation and distance pertaining to African Americans. Not surprisingly, for instance, Blacks do not touch Whites in the majority of television ads, but as opposed to Whites, they rarely even touch each other, expressing a slight message assuming that Black skin would be taboo. A ranking of racial preference is implanted within the casting of commercials. Network news also tends to place a â€Å"ghetto† label or more urban image on African Americans. Increasingly, African Americans appear mostly in crime, sports and entertainment stories. Rarely are Blacks shown making an important contribution to the serious business of the nation. The exception of blacks rarely being shown in a positive fashion contributing to the nation would be President Obama, which will hopefully turn the stage for this image stereotype. Unfortunately however, that negative image is not the only blunt indication of a media stereotype. It is noticed by a lot of different people that African American athletes tend to receive a bad representation by the media, pointing out that when they get into any level of trouble, it is reported significantly more and also perceived in a much different way than when White athletes behave in the same manner or worse. It also is sometimes apparent that sportscasters tend to point out solely the athletic abilities of African American athletes in contrast to their tendency to point out the intelligence and savvy of White athletes. It is a known stereotype for quarterbacks on football teams for example, people perceive this position to demand a much more mental capacity and take a much more conscious effort as opposed to other positions on the team. Therefore the stereotype has often been viewed as teams primarily consisting of white quarterbacks. This tends to lead people to believe that black athletes achieve greatness by some coincidence or by simply their natural physical makeup instead of just assuming they are talented and hard working. There are several more examples of media bias against African Americans and there are far too many to speak on individually. Ultimately the point that is trying to be made is that there is a high level of publicity and strong case for media bias against African Americans. Any actor or famous person for that matter will almost always tell you that no publicity means bad publicity. It is logical then, to see the media (whether its biased or not) as a great tool for providing a voice to the African American community. It is also logical to say that a more biased media representation gives African Americans more publicity as Americans simply love bad press because â€Å"dirt† on other people sells, and the media has never cared about ones feelings if it means for them to make money. Ultimately, where I see this issue going from here has everything to do with President Obama. With the world-wide publicity he received for his changing of history for our country, I really feel this will open up many doors into the media for African Americans to have their voice, and create and defend a sense of identity that is much more positive than any other that has been labeled upon them. Obama is the best thing that has happened to African American media and just them as humans because he is what America needs to not only fix the economic and other issues in this country but most importantly bring the people of different colors together even closer than ever before to becoming one country where everyone is separate in color, but equal in representation and voice. Works Cited Du Bois, W. E. B. The Souls of Black Folk. Chicago: A. C. McClurg Co. ; [Cambridge]:University Press John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U. S. A. , 1903; Bartleby. com,1999. P. 68. Entman, R. M. and Andrew R.. (2000). The Black Image in the White Mind: Media andRace in America. University of Chicago Press. Frierson, M. (2004) Black, black, or African American? Feedback Poynter OnlineRetrieved May 10, 2009 from http://www. poynter. org/article_feedback/article_feedback_list. asp? id=51320 Fudjud, D. (2003) Black, black, or African American? Feedback Poynter OnlineRetrieved May 11, 2009 fromhttp://www. poynter. org/article_feedback/article_feedback_list. asp? id=51320 Jones, J. (1991). The Politics of Personality: Being Black in America. In ReginaldJones (ed. ) Black Psychology 3rd Edition, 305-318. Locke, A. (1925) Enter the New Negro. A hypermedia edition of the March 1925 SurveyGraphic Harlem Number Retrieved May 12, 2009 fromhttp://etext. lib. virginia. edu/harlem/LocEnteF. html Muwakkil, S. (1999). Corporate Media, Alternative Press, and African Americans Media Alliance, Retrieved May 11, 2009 fromhttp://mediaalliance2. live. radicaldesigns. org/article. php? id=535 PBS. (2002) African American World Timeline. Retrieved May 11, 2009 fromhttp://www. pbs. org/wnet/aaworld/timeline/early_01. html U. S. Census Bureau (2001) Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin. Census 2000Website Retrieved May 11, 2009 from http://factfinder. census. gov/servlet/ThematicMapFramesetServlet? _bm=y-geo_id=01000US-tm_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_M00628-ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_-_MapEvent=displayBy-_dBy=040. Woods, K. M. (1995) An Essay on a Wickedly Powerful Word Poynter Online RetrievedMay 11, 2009 from http://www. poynter. org/content/content_view. asp? id=5603.

How Music Changed In The 20th Century Music Essay

How Music Changed In The 20th Century Music Essay The Romantic Period (1800-1910) saw music evolve from the formats, genres and musical ideas established in preceding periods such and went further in expressing different forms of art with music. However, the 20th century saw the rise of great composers such as Arnold Schoenberg, Charles Ives and Igor Stravinsky whose contributions to the world of music brought dynamic changes. In the twentieth century music was no longer constrained to opera-houses, clubs, and concerts and this freedom brought experimentation with new styles of music that went against the conventional music practices. Discussed below are the contributions of the aforementioned composers and their influence on 20th century music. Arnold Schoenberg Schoenberg, an Austrian born composer is widely celebrated for the developments that he brought into the musical arena. His music from his early years was filled with rich harmonies that evolved from the innovative style of Richard Wagners operas. He is also credited with extending the works of Brahms. By 1913, Schoenberg was exploring a new musical language. This had started in 1908, with his string quartet whose first two movements were written in a complex tonal style -the central organizing principle of western music in that period. However, with the third and fourth movements Schoenberg bid goodbye the world of tonality. As such, he pioneered an innovation in atonality which became the most polemical characteristic of twentieth century art music. In the 1920s, he developed the twelve tone technique (dodecaphony) which is a widely influential compositional method of manipulating an ordered series of all twelve notes in the chromatic scale. He also coined the term developing varia tion and was the first composer to discover new ways of developing motifs without resorting to tonality. With this discovery, he worked at enabling the texture of his music become simpler and much clearer. The twelve-tone technique in effect provided control over the melodic and harmonic aspects of a composition. Schoenbergs dodecaphony eventually became one of the integral and polemical issues among European and American musicians until late twentieth century. To date, composers have been extending his legacy in increasingly radical directions. Charles Ives Ives, one of the first American composers of international renown combined the American church music with European art music and was among the first composers to engage in a systematic program of experimental music with musical techniques like polytonality, polyrhythm, and tone clusters among others. He was an accomplished pianist and many of his publications had piano parts that were similar to modern movements in Europe, including bitonality and pantonality. He is best known for his orchestral music and he composed two string quartets and other works of chamber music. Ives music possessed a number of unique features. He applied unconventional approaches to rhythm and harmony away from the salon styles of the nineteenth century that were dependent on European models. He wanted a music that reflected his view of America: rugged, individualistic, and unafraid to experiment. His music contains a mixture of hard-hedged dissonance and quotations from his favorite hymn tunes. Ives composi tional career came to an end in 1918 when he succumbed to health complications. Over the duration of time that he had been actively composing, he managed to create a body of work that was unique and ahead of his time. His works were not celebrated as much during his early days but later on in his life his music began to be taken seriously. In 1947, he received the Pulitzer Prize for his Third Symphony and since then, his works became an integral part of the classical repertoire and he has been recognized for being a fine composer. Igor Stravinsky This Russian-born composer, pianist and conductor is widely acclaimed as one of the most important and influential composers of 20th century music. Stravinskys compositional career was notable for its stylistic diversity. Unlike Arnold Schoenberg who abandoned the world of tonality, he sought to retain tonality by advancing it to its very limits. Stravinsky first achieved international renown with three ballets: The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring. The Rite was based upon harsh dissonance, motor rhythms and ambiguous harmonies that drove tonality to its brink. It transformed the way in which subsequent composers thought about rhythmic structure, and was responsible for his enduring reputation as a musical revolutionary, extending the boundaries of musical design. After this Russian phase, Stravinsky joined the Orthodox Church in 1926 and turned to neoclassicism. During this period, his works made use of traditional music forms (concerto grosso, fugue, and symphony) and wer e all striking in their austerity and experimental tonality. For this neoclassical style, he abandoned the large orchestras required by the ballets and only used wind instruments, the piano and choral and chamber works. In 1952, Stravinsky began using serial compositional styles, including dodecaphony, the twelve-tone technique originally designed by Schoenberg. Stravinsky earned the title of one of musics truly epochal innovators because of his technical innovations and the changing face of his compositional style while still maintaining identity. He drew his inspiration from different cultures, languages and literatures therefore his influence on composers to date is considerable. Apart from his distinctive use of rhythm, he continued to compose pieces which elaborated on individual pieces by earlier composers. He was also a wonderful conductor of his own and other peoples music and led hundreds of concerts worldwide. In different ways, Igor Stravinsky rewrote music history. His brilliant, demanding orchestral scores carved the path for the superstar conductor. Years later, his works continue to play a dominant role in the programming of symphony orchestras, ballet companies and increasingly, major opera houses. Conclusion Each of the composers discussed above have in their own way greatly influenced the musical circles. Their works and innovation continue to inspire new talent and form the basis of research and expansion of the breath of knowledge as pertains to composition

Analysis of Articles Opposing American Aid to Columbia :: Government

Analysis of Articles Opposing American Aid to Columbia In â€Å"Are We ‘Salvadorizing’ Colombia?†, Garry M. Leech claims that the current situation in Colombia is a replicate description of Salvador in the 1980’s. He explains how the Clinton Administration imitated Ronal Regan’s Administration during the 1980s. â€Å"Plan Colombia: A Closer Look†, also by Garry M. Leech, claims that the aid given to Colombia by the US government will not â€Å"end Colombia’s civil war, retrieve the nation’s economy nor put the narco-traffickers out of business†. The $1.3 billion aid package is divide, not to benefit the Colombian people but rather benefit the Colombian’s political and economic elite. In this essay, I will analyze this two academic articles relative to the current political situation in Colombia and its direct relation with the United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID). Garry M. Leech is very detailed when pointing out evidence to support his claims. He points out, in â€Å"Are We ‘Salvadorizing’ Colombia?†, that during the 1980s the Regan Administration used the Cold War to justify its support to the Salvadoran government; while, the Clinton Administration used cocaine to justify its support to the Colombian government. According to this article, the threat of drug trade in the US should not be confused with the current civil war in Colombia. He supports these arguments with historical evidence by stating that this civil war began as a fight for the repressive Colombian Government during the 1950s; meanwhile, the drug war began with the boom of cocaine in the 1970s. This evidence is again used in â€Å"Plan Colombia: A Closer Look† to support Leech’s claim that â€Å"eliminating the violence related to drug trade will do little to solve the underlying political, social, and economical problems that have been the real cause of all the violence that has occurred throughout Colombian history.† Leech assumes that the modern reader is aware of the misconceptions caused by the fear of communism during the Cold War. He relates this with the Colombian case, trying to sympathize with the reader, and making them believe that it is wrong approach to fight the drug war. Another important claim mentioned is the relation between the Colombian military and the paramilitaries; therefore, the indirect relation with drug trade and human rights violation. In â€Å"Plan Colombia: A Closer Look†, he states that 80% of the USAID package is going to the Colombian military and police force.

Reflection Paper About the Movie “Every Child Is Special” Essay

REFLECTION PAPER FOR THE MOVIE â€Å"EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL† Ishaan Awasthi an eight-year old whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate and who were always getting in trouble at school for being so misbehaving and out of focus from his lessons. Too often, he would be caught by his teacher daydreaming and getting low grades. He even cannot read nor write, for him letters and numbers are his enemy. For the people around him, Ishaan is a naughty and lazy boy because of this, his father sent him to boarding school, all alone and homesick with the hope of disciplining him, but the academic status of Ishaan did not still improve. Instead, he became withdrawn and lonely, far from the Ishaan who was active and fun-loving. Then came a new art teacher Ram Shankar Nikumbh who infects the students with joy and optimism. He breaks all the rules of â€Å"how things are done† by asking them to think, dream and imagine, and all the children respond with enthusiasm, all except Ishaan. But with Ram Shankar Nikumbh’s time, patience, care, and some awesome motivation he ultimately helps Ishaan find himself and change the way Ishaan would act towards school and learn to appreciate himself even more. Ishaan Awasthi is not an ordinary student. He has a very wild and creative imagination that brings him to different worlds, to worlds unknown to his classmates, teachers and family. He usually plays and does things on his own, he has his own special perception on things. Though his talent in painting and creativity is exceptional, he is just like every other kid, he loves to play and goof around. But the problem was, he cannot not cope with school the way other kids does. He has repeated the third grade, and still he did not show any improvement. He fails to read and write properly that’s why he was unable to pass his subjects. At the same time, he cannot attend to himself; buttoning his shirt or tying his shoe lace. A kid at the age of 9 is capable of all th ose things, unfortunately for Ishaan he is not, because he suffered from dyslexia. The teacher-student relationship here is just so heartwarming. In fact, it’s more touching than Ishaan’s relationship with his parents. On his first day of school, Ishaan’s teachers were upset by his poor performance in class. His Art;s teacher even whacked his knuckles five times. Ishaan was overwhelming and traumatized at the same time because of  how strict the teacher. He became depressed and sad. There is also a scene where Ishaan runs away from school and loiters on the road for the whole day – for the fear of being punished for not having done his homework. I never did anything like that in school. The comparison might not be warranted but this is just one of those scenes which made me relate to Ishaan’s plight in the movie. The incidents involving the teacher-student interactions depicted in this movie are so relevant in today’s times when you get to see and hear on television at regular intervals innovative punishments like whipping and punching done to students. He once complained that â€Å"The letters are dancing!† when he was asked to read. Teacher threw him out of the class and the student who passes by the hall mocked him for being punished. Moreover, Ishaan rev ersed letters when he wrote and demonstrated a poor understanding of mathematical concepts. Sometimes if he commits mistakes everybody laughs at him or will shout on him. A scenario that was related to me during my elementary year that was related to Ishaan, is being bullied and put to shame by my teacher. Everyone is challenged by obstacles in his or her life – serious problems to deal with. Some people are defeated by the obstacles in their lives, while others find way to overcome them. I believe that everyone has problems or challenges to overcome. Even people who think that they are perfect have problems or challenges to overcome. Life is beautiful but not always easy, it has problems, too, and the challenge lies in facing them with courage, letting the beauty of life act like a balm, which makes the pain bearable, during trying times, by providing hope. As a student, who burns mid night oil, makes sacrifice and resists temptations so that I can perform well. Similarly, a successful executive has to face the ups and downs of life, not forgetting the life is a mix of success and failure, joy and sorrow. I overcome my problem by means of self-steam and through the help of other people I meet in this world. Ishaan overcome his problem through the help of Ram Shankar Nikumbh. Difficulties test the courage, patience, perseverance and true character of a human being. Adversity and hardships make a person strong and ready to face the challenge of life with equanimity. There is no doubt that there can be no gain without pain. It is only when one toils and sweats it out that success is nourished and sustained. Thus, life is and should not be just a bed of roses; thorns are also a part of it and should be accepted by us just as we accept the  beautiful side of life. And those, who think that good times last forever, succumb to pressure during difficulties. They do not put in required hard work and efforts because they break down easily.

Discuss The Marketing Strategies Employed By Apple Essays

Discuss The Marketing Strategies Employed By Apple Essays Discuss The Marketing Strategies Employed By Apple Essay Discuss The Marketing Strategies Employed By Apple Essay Essay Topic: The Birth Mark Apples Management strategies 6) Conclusion ? 5 7) Recommendation 6 8) References . 7 1 . Abstract Business management and marketing is a huge topic to discuss, to study this topic, its necessary to analyses a lot of facts and cases. Therefore, this report introduced several successful marketing strategies Apple company used to sale their product consumer electron company and gain so much of market share. Moreover, this report also analyses a few management techniques that Apple employed to manage its staffs and how these techniques drive Apple to maximize its profits. . Justification I hope to be a successful businessman in the future and have thus applied to study Business Management and Marketing at the University of Newcastle. There are many ways to learn how to run a business well, and many a times, experience is important. While I myself have no experience to boast of, I can however look to the experiences of other successful businessman or to the history of companies that have done well, and learn much from them I can learn and apply what other companies have done well, and also to avoid the mistakes they have made. For this reason, I have chosen to kook in detail Apple Inchs management and its wildly successful marketing strategies that have gained Apple products mainstream popularity. Through a deep analysis of the Apple case study, I hope to have a better understanding of how to run a business well. Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Woozier and Ronald Wayne (WISPED, 2008). The first Apple product was actually not the Mac which many people mistakenly believe it to be. Instead, Apple was founded to sell the Apple 1 personal computer kit. This was Just an assembled circuit keyboard and did not have NY of the features that we associate with our computers today, such as a keyboard and monitor (WISPED, 2008). One of Apples most famous products, the Macintosh, was only launched in 1984. While it gained success initially, it soon became evident that the success of the Macintosh was a flash in the pan. With a plot as dramatic as that of a soap opera, Steve Jobs, the face of Apple, was kicked out of the company a year later in 1985. Apple continued to decline after Jobs left the company. Though there were a few hits, Apple mostly scored when expensive misses. When Jobs finally name back as an interim CEO in 1997, he inherited a company which was facing a 3 year record low stock price and crippling financial losses (WISPED, 2008). Yet, with astute management and marketing strategies, Jobs started to build the company up, scoring first mild success with the computer geek crowd with the release of the Macintosh KICK: the Imax, in 1998 and later strike gold with the release of the pod in 2001 (WISPED, 2008). The phenomenal success of the pod saw the sale of 100 million units in a mere 6 years and catapulted Apple into mainstream success. Apple as continued to score many successes since then with both its hardware and software and set the bar high for other electronics companies. 4. Apples Marketing Strategies 4. 1 Definition of Marketing Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large (American Marketing Association Board of Directors, 2007). Simple. This is the best word to both describe Apple products and its marketing strategies. This is perhaps best seen through the product that propelled Apple into mainstream success the pod. Even up till this day, it remains the most successful and is now the market leader in portable music players by a significant margin, with more than 350 million units shipped as of September 2012 (Sloan, 2012). When MPH players were first released, many MPH makers peppered their advertisements with tech specifications that a large majority of the public could not understand. However, Apple did the total opposite. Jobs marketed the pod with the now famous tagging, 1000 songs in your pocket. The lesson to be learnt here was that Jobs recognized a gap in the market. While everyone focused on selling MPH players to people who knew what they were and how to use them, Apple instead chose to focus on the masses and develop a MPH player that they could understand and use. For this reason, Apple has placed a large focus on the aesthetically appeal of the pod as well, designing it such that people would not only be proud to use it, but also would want to flaunt the fact that they are the proud owner of an pod. According to David Tuber While everyone else was making an MPH player that was better/cheaper/faster, Apple was making electronic Jewelry that also played Amps. Never focusing on price, they brought to market more value, more style, and new ways of interacting with digital media (Waistline, 2008). One of the most famous pod advertisements simply features the silhouettes of both men and women dancing on a colored background. While many advertisements choose to feature famous celebrities, Apple chose instead to go incognito. This advertisement is ingenious for many reasons. For one, you dont know where these people are. They could be anywhere in the world. Secondly, you dont know who they are or what they do for a living. They can be anyone. All you know is that they are enjoying the music and rocking out. This is what makes that commercial so great and such an excellent idea. It allows anyone in the world to be that person (Wesson, 2008). In other words, by choosing to buy the pod, you can buy into the identity that Apple has constructed being the cool kid dancing to the music. This campaign was highly successful, with many people forking out the money to buy the new identity that Apple created. Apple was also smart in providing its users a seamless music playing experience. 2 years after the launch of the pod, Apples tunes store was introduced. Apple also ensured that its products were integrated. Many features were available to users who have both the Mac and the pod as compared to pod users who used an ordinary PC. Hey made it work better on the Mac than on a PC for obvious reasons to get people to buy more Apple computers, both pod and Mac sales benefited from is strategy (Wesson, 2008). 4. 3 Marketing Strategies Used in the Sales of the Mac Mac is a line of personal computers designed, developed, marketed by Apple Inc. It is targeted mainly at the home, education, and creative professional markets (WISPED, 2013). As mentioned above, Apple has made sleek its middle name. The design of the Mac is no exception. It immediately captures peoples upscale fee l. Apple has added a twist to the skimming strategy. Rather than introducing their products at a high price and then lowering their prices later, Apple stakes out a price and then maintains and defends that price by significantly increasing the value of their products in future iterations (Kirk, 2013) Apple used the skimming strategy for Macs marketing strategy as they wanted to sell a quality product and let their customers know that the computers they get are worth very dollar they spend even if the Mac seems more expensive than other computers on the market with similar specifications. Nevertheless, this marketing strategy was a huge success because this meant that more money could be devoted to research and development (RD) which would in turn allow Apple to continue to develop quality products to give them an edge over competitors in the same market. As with the marketing of the pod, Apple always aims to provide their customers with a seamless experience when using their products. For the Mac, Apple came up with the Life Suite, which includes a video editing program (movie for consumers and Final Cut Pro for professionals) and a music creation program (Greenland) 4. Marketing Strategies used in the promotion of the phone Even with new players in the smartened market, Apple continues to widen its lead and control the market with the phone at 40% domination (Campbell, 2013). This is a huge number every 4 in 10 smartened owner uses an phone. Even though Apple has a reputation for quality hardware and software, without clever marketing strategies it would have been impossible to control such a large market share. After Apples success with the Mac and the pod, Apple continue to ride on the success of its previous two products and launched the phone which too had a sleek packaging that was soon becoming its trademark and with the interface that many Mac/pod users have fallen in love with. By convincing consumers that not only their products were the best but the only ones in the market, the sales of the phone only saw an upward trajectory. The actual pod device had been extremely popular up to this time, and also the apple phone had been said to be the actual next-generation pod device, Oh yea, also its the telephone (Apple Pirate, 2011). Mobile phones were already available in the market when the phone was launched, with brands such as Monika dominating the market. Instead of being contented with merely differentiating themselves in this market overeducated with competitors, Apple instead created a whole new market of their own the smartened market. The phone has an all-in-one. Not only did it have the usual phone functions, it allowed consumers to play games that were more complex than the iconic snake, read their emails and surf the net on a much larger screen than what many Blackberry users were using and even camera/picture applications (APS) that allowed for editing of photographs. All additional APS were available through the Apple owned and designed App store and like before, phone users could download music into their phone from the App store. As seen once more, a seamless user experience that its users fall for hook, line and sinker. Another marketing tactic that Apple utilizes was the secrecy it adopted before the launch of its products. This was particularly evident in the marketing for the phone where each new upgrade of its products might see many significant changes. By rodents, Apple ensured that the hype for its products would be high and this would in turn help to generate publicity especially on social media platforms. This leaves Apple fans especially hungry for each new release of their products and eagerly snap up the products once they hits the shelves. When shoppers sleep outside of stores just to be one of the first to buy an phone its obvious that Apple Inc. Is a company that enjoys fanatical brand loyalty (INCIDENCE, 2009) On the eve of the release of phone, the company releases photos of the lengths that people would go to get their ands on the new products the long queues outside various stores across and the world, and release this photos on the internet, further hyping up the release of their phone. 5. Management 5. Definition of Management As defined by the (Business Dictionary), business management is The organization and coordination of the activities of a business in order to achieve defined objectives. Again in laymans terms, business management can be simply said to be how a company manages its employees. 5. 2 Apples Management Strategies The management of Apple is outstanding as seen from the success Apple has achieved in slightly more than a decade. Of course, this was only possible from adopting a management style different from most large organizations. While most companies, from food to manufacturing is run by the business people (the managers and section heads), Apple is instead run by its engineers and its designers, the people who understand what they are creating and this in turn helps them create the products that millions all over the world love. At Apple, if an employee was using a product and found an issue that bothered them, they had the freedom to o in and fix it without having to deal with layers of bureaucracy to get approval (Male, 2010). A lot of freedom is given to Apples employees and this allows creative to flourish. This helps the employees to own the products they create and this give births to products that the masses like simply because the engineer and designers who work on them love them too. By the standards of retailing, Apple offers above average pay ? well above the minimum wage of $7. 25 and better than the Gap, though slightly less than Luncheon, the yoga and athletic apparel chain, where sales staff earn about $12 an hour. The company also offers very good benefits for a retailer, including health care, contributions and the chance to buy company stock, as well as Apple products, at a discount (Denying, 2012). Providing an incentive for ones employees may not be anything new or groundbreaking. However, Apple has recognized a good business strategy and put it into practice, and also tailored it so that it would be in line with the companys visions and beliefs. For example, keeping in mind that they are marketing to the masses, they allow their employees to buy their products at a discounted price to serve as walking advertisements. A company hat cares for its employees would always benefit when the employees treat the 6. Conclusion: In conclusion, it can been seen that a companys marketing and management strategies are essential not only for its success but its existence itself. As the case study of Apple has shown, a product can be good in its own right, but great marketing would make the product phenomenal. Similarly, while talented people can boost a companys performance, a combination of talented people and astute management tactics would bring a company to much greater heights. 7. Recommendation The marketing strategies and management techniques that Apple used are very mart and successful, it really help Apple to increase its profits and revenue.

Modern Brazil The Narrative of Race and Inequality

Modern Brazil The Narrative of Race and Inequality Robin Sheriff’s book Dreaming Equality can give readers deep insights into the problem of interracial relations in the contemporary Brazil. The first two chapters of this work are aimed at describing the experiences of people living in favelas or shanty towns. These examples that the author provides can tell much about the challenges faced by the residents of these settlements.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Brazil: The Narrative of Race and Inequality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main strength of this book is that the author relies not only on the statistical data, but also on the interviews given by people living in favelas. This approach makes his arguments more informative and convincing. This is why this source is worth reading. According to Peter Sheriff, Brazilian academicians avoid mentioning that nearly 75 percent of people living in slums are non-white (Sheriff 18). Furthermore, one c an speak about the existence of residential as well racial segregation. The ancestors of these people were enslaved and brought to the colonies (Sheriff 18). To a great extent, this economic inequality can be regarded as a legacy of slavery in Brazil. It seems that such a trend can be observed in other countries in which slave labor was extensively used, for example, one mention the so-called inner cities in the United States. Certainly, Peter Sheriff’s arguments cannot be generalized, but he is able to show that modern societies are still affected by the discourse of race. For instance, one can mention that some governmental officials in Brazil have a rather biased attitude toward the residents of favelas. Very often, they believe that they are rude and uncultured (Sheriff 19). Certainly, I am not directly familiar with this form of discrimination, but it seems that it is widespread in modern communities. Another aspect of this reading is that Peter Sheriff tries to give voi ce to favela residents. Judging from their responses, in Brazil the language of race is still vital for describing the identity of a person (Sheriff 39). Moreover, there is a distinct correlation between the race of an individual and his/her socio-economic status in the community. Furthermore, one should remember that in the public opinion, the word negro is often associated with ugliness, marginality, and darkness (Sheriff 39). In my opinion, by focusing on people’s experience, Robin Sheriff is able to throw a new light on the challenges that they encounter.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nevertheless, the author’s discussion leaves many questions unanswered. Certainly, it is vital to know how people perceive race. However, one still has to determine ways of overcoming the legacies of slavery in Brazil. This issue is particularly relevant to the residen ts of favelas who struggle with poverty and crime. This is the main limitation of the writer’s analysis. However, one can argue that Robin Sheriff has successfully demonstrated that despite the emphasis on diversity and tolerance, racial rhetoric still plays an important part in the modern world. Such a country as Brazil is only one example of state in which there is a distinct relationship between race and social status. This is why this work should not be overlooked. On the whole, Peter Sheriff’s analysis is useful for understanding how colonial past and slavery can shape the development of the country. It can help people better understand various academic works examining such concepts as race and racism. Finally, by reading this book, one can get a better idea of contemporary Brazil. Sheriff, Robin. Dreaming Equality: Color, Race, and Racism in Urban Brazil, New York: Rutgers University Press, 2001. Print.

Free Essays on Abortion--Freedom of Choice

Freedom of Choice Abortion has been one of the most heated topics being debated in the United States and Canada. Abortion is a discussion of human interaction where ethics, emotions, and law come together. There are people that have different views of abortion but no matter what their view is they fall under a thin line. There is the pro-choice and the pro-life. These are the only two categories that people’s views fall into. A pro-choice person would feel that the decision to abort a pregnancy is that of the mothers and the government has no right to interfere. A pro-life person would believe that from the moment of conception, the embryo or fetus is alive. Since this embryo or fetus is alive and is a person, you have no moral right to abort a life. If you aborted the life (person) you would be committing murder. The word â€Å"murder† is mainly used by pro-lifers to describe what happens when you abort an embryo/fetus. Murder means intentional and for no reason killing of another person. Pro-choicers wonder how anyone can tell a woman that she can’t abort an embryo/fetus to interrupt a pregnancy if it is a result of rape or incest? A women cannot bear the thought of having a child that would be a constant reminder of what happened on a particular day, so many years ago. My personal belief is that each woman has the right to decide whether she wants to abort an unwanted pregnancy. The termination of the pregnancy might have to do with the health of the mother herself, maybe the mother is unable to attend to the child’s needs after its born, resulting in child abuse and mental disease. In these situations abortion is a must in my opinion. Most abortions occur because contraception fails, because of a rape or because of a serious medical condition of the mother, which could lead to her death. In these situations abortion is often the only way that prevents the birth of an unwanted child or sa... Free Essays on Abortion--Freedom of Choice Free Essays on AbortionFreedom of Choice Freedom of Choice Abortion has been one of the most heated topics being debated in the United States and Canada. Abortion is a discussion of human interaction where ethics, emotions, and law come together. There are people that have different views of abortion but no matter what their view is they fall under a thin line. There is the pro-choice and the pro-life. These are the only two categories that people’s views fall into. A pro-choice person would feel that the decision to abort a pregnancy is that of the mothers and the government has no right to interfere. A pro-life person would believe that from the moment of conception, the embryo or fetus is alive. Since this embryo or fetus is alive and is a person, you have no moral right to abort a life. If you aborted the life (person) you would be committing murder. The word â€Å"murder† is mainly used by pro-lifers to describe what happens when you abort an embryo/fetus. Murder means intentional and for no reason killing of another person. Pro-choicers wonder how anyone can tell a woman that she can’t abort an embryo/fetus to interrupt a pregnancy if it is a result of rape or incest? A women cannot bear the thought of having a child that would be a constant reminder of what happened on a particular day, so many years ago. My personal belief is that each woman has the right to decide whether she wants to abort an unwanted pregnancy. The termination of the pregnancy might have to do with the health of the mother herself, maybe the mother is unable to attend to the child’s needs after its born, resulting in child abuse and mental disease. In these situations abortion is a must in my opinion. Most abortions occur because contraception fails, because of a rape or because of a serious medical condition of the mother, which could lead to her death. In these situations abortion is often the only way that prevents the birth of an unwanted child or sa...

Morale in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Morale in the Workplace - Essay Example In the workplace, employee morale can best be defined as the emotional state of a person or group as exhibited by confidence, cheerfulness, and overall willingness to perform assigned tasks. In today's business world, managerial professionals must come to recognize the psychological principles guiding human behavior. Oftentimes, the emotional needs of an employee are substantial drivers for motivation and commitment. If these needs are not sufficiently acknowledged, diminished commitment to long-term employment and decreased productivity are often the end result. Thus, the implication is for modern business leadership to recognize the employee as more than simply a paid laborer, but as a vital resource to securing business performance. As such, corporate management must consistently work toward mutually-beneficial peer/subordinate relationships and formulate methods to increase employee morale for the sake of preserving a harmonious, productive work environment. High employee morale can be linked to higher levels of corporate profitability as well as creating an effective, cohesive team of internal professionals who find adequate satisfaction with their job functions. Low employee morale can lead to substantially decreased motivation to perform as well as costing an organization substantial financial resources to combat high employee turnover rates. Esteem needs and self-esteem are universal human requirements, suggesting that every individual desire to feel important, needed, useful and respected.

The Problem of Consumer Skepticism Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Problem of Consumer Skepticism - Case Study Example However, there are many factors inhibiting development towards greener practices. One might think that any effort made by a company to be eco friendly is well received by those who are concerned about the environment. For example, Coca Cola’s effort towards greener practices has been faced by numerous setbacks. The bottles are still made of plastic and even though it is recyclable most consumers through them away leading to environmental pollution. Secondly, the green idea is no exception as it has been faced by a huge controversy inhibiting its progress. Although, the idea would have positive impacts on the environment, such as reducing rainwater runoff by 38 percent and minimize heat island impact by 26 percent, there are those who are against the idea. Critics state that the new by law behind the idea of green rooftops may dampen the efforts of the green movement, as it will limit developers’ options in constructing, as they will be concerned towards making the building eco-friendly thus increase the building costs. Consumer attitudes towards eco-friendly products limit greener practices since most of them are skeptical about paying a high price for these products.

I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King - Essay Example By focusing on the spirit that the civil rights movement portrayed, King made a speech that managed to resonate not only in America, but in other parts of the world as well. Though the speech was regarded as being very powerful, various historians ask whether the speech is the greatest in history (McFarnon). This paper will discuss the impact that Martin Luther King’s speech I Have a Dream has towards portraying an era of racism, discrimination and injustice that perpetrated against African American in the US. Discussion Any historian may judge the King’s address as being the greatest in history, though it is classified as among several epochal speeches in the history of America. The speech reveals some of the greatest gifts that King possessed where he was able to address different groups of people with a single voice. He managed to revive the souls of crusaders and awaken the consciences of the general public. King was capable of speaking in an eloquent manner about the experiences that African Americans went through and awaken the American spirit in a simultaneous manner (McFarnon).

Archaeologys Scientific Exposition of Pompeii Essay

Archaeologys Scientific Exposition of Pompeii - Essay Example Furthermore, as Professor Milner writes in a second article, the location of Pompeii was confirmed in 1595 when excavations for a new aqueduct unexpectedly led to the discovery of Pompeian coins and artifacts (263-4). However, further excavation was rendered impossible due to the fact that the ancient city was buried deep in molten lava, ash and mud which had hardened into over sixty feet of rock. Over the centuries, the gradual evolution of science and technology enabled not only the excavation of Pompeii but an accurate reading of the volcanic eruption and the history of this ancient people.13 While historical journals have popularly set the date of Vesuvius' eruption and the subsequent destruction of Pompeii at 79 AD, geological and scientific data has not been able to establish this as fact. As the geologists and archeologists, Sigurdsson et al. (1985) explain, the dating of the eruption is ascribed to Pliny the Younger who, as an eyewitness to the event, recorded its occurrence as having taken place on 24th August 79 AD. Science, however, has been incapable of conclusively proving the stated since carbon dating technologies, while relatively precise, provide readings within an acceptable margin of error (89). Hence, while carbon dating of the debris proved the eruption to be at least 2000 years old, it has been unable to conclusively establish it at 79 AD (90). Consequently, for the sake of scientific accuracy, the research shall refer to the eruption as having approximately occurred around 79 AD. The evolution of excavation tools led to the resumption of efforts to uncover Pompeii in 1755. However, as explicated by the archeologist, Prof. Wilhelmina Jashemski, the excavation soon stalled and was really unable to cover much, both due to the fact that Pompeii was buried deep in hardened lava and mud and because archaeological tools and know-how were, at that time, underdeveloped and incapable of fulfilling the defined task. A second excavation in 1814 had, due to the evolution of archaeological tools, greater success. It was, at least, able to uncover the southern wall of the Pompeii amphitheater (69-70). However, it is necessary to point out that despite the fact that, within the context of the time, the excavation was considered a success, its results were critically limited. As important as the uncovering of the southern section of the wall was, it was hardly capable of allowing archaeologists to uncover the city's culture and history or recreate the eruption. It was not until the twentieth century that archaeological tools and scientific technology had sufficiently evolved to enable the excavation of this ancient city. By the mid-twentieth century, excavation projects aimed at uncovering the remainder of the amphitheater successfully concluded. Between December 1954 and May 1955, the entirety of the amphitheater was uncovered and the structure that lay beneath the tonnes of hardened mud and lava, held a wealth of information about the city and its culture (Jashemski 69). The

Writing for Criminal Justice Administrators Essay - 1

Writing for Criminal Justice Administrators - Essay Example It generally extends the normal working days to beyond eight hours. However, it minimizes the number of consecutive days a person works to less than five, for instance, in a schedule of around three days of 12 hours or four days of ten hours. In this instance, it will be a schedule of three days of 12 hours. Compressed workweek is advantageous, for the employers it is for their advantage because it permits the extension of working hours and; thus, it also results in the reduction of expenses linked with start-up costs (starting operations). For the employees, it gives them fewer working days. These are among the many advantages that compressed workweeks offer both to the employer and to employee. It will be imperative if the 12-hour day work shift is adopted. This is concerning the meeting held on Thursday 14 February 2013 about the adoption of a 12-hour day work shift. Enough research has been done on the viability of the changes, and it is in our view that the changes be adopted. After consultation with various stakeholders in the company, we have found that the 12-hour work shift will work for the benefit of all of us. Therefore, it is our expectation that the management team will give us the necessary support and attention. We have gathered all the resources needed for the realization of the changes. Compressed workweek has become popular in most organizations because of its flexibility and other benefits. The 12-hour work shift schedule is the preferred choice by most employees. The schedule offers extraordinary coverage during the peak times. The popularity of the 12-hour work shift is attributed to the fact that it tends to provide more off-days and compress the workweek. The schedule also stimulates greater effort and increases the motivation of the workers. It is essential that the population characteristics of the worker be considered during the selection of the work schedules. The way

Microboilogy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Microboilogy - Essay Example 5. a.) Melted agar should be cooled to 45-47 degree Celsius before pouring to the agar plate since pouring it in a higher temperature might kill the organisms and thus falsely decrease the microbial count. c.) Aseptic technique should always be employed in order to prevent other microorganism from contaminating the set-up. Any contamination would lead to difficulty, if not, production of erroneous microbial count. 6.) Used media may contain harmful and infectious organisms; moreover it should always be treated as biologically hazardous waste. Required waste disposal can be costly; nevertheless used media can never be disposed directly into the waste basket. To date, autoclaving serves as a cheap but effective way to sterilized waste materials in microbiology laboratory. The fact that most microorganisms can not withstand autoclaving, this simple technique would conveniently address the issue on the proper disposal of used media. An autoclave must be available for the laboratory and must be operated by properly trained personnel. On a regular basis, biological indicators or spore strips should be included in autoclave loads as to verify its functionality and efficiency of sterilization. Temperature-sensitive tape, thermograph, or other biological indicators should also be used to monitor each autoclave. Scientist have investivated microbial behavior in area such as Clostridium botulinum in modified atmospheric processing, Escherichia coli in apple processing, Salmonella and E. coli in vegetable seed sprouting etc. Some studies shows that bacteria converts food

Archaeologys Scientific Exposition of Pompeii Essay

Archaeologys Scientific Exposition of Pompeii - Essay Example Furthermore, as Professor Milner writes in a second article, the location of Pompeii was confirmed in 1595 when excavations for a new aqueduct unexpectedly led to the discovery of Pompeian coins and artifacts (263-4). However, further excavation was rendered impossible due to the fact that the ancient city was buried deep in molten lava, ash and mud which had hardened into over sixty feet of rock. Over the centuries, the gradual evolution of science and technology enabled not only the excavation of Pompeii but an accurate reading of the volcanic eruption and the history of this ancient people.13 While historical journals have popularly set the date of Vesuvius' eruption and the subsequent destruction of Pompeii at 79 AD, geological and scientific data has not been able to establish this as fact. As the geologists and archeologists, Sigurdsson et al. (1985) explain, the dating of the eruption is ascribed to Pliny the Younger who, as an eyewitness to the event, recorded its occurrence as having taken place on 24th August 79 AD. Science, however, has been incapable of conclusively proving the stated since carbon dating technologies, while relatively precise, provide readings within an acceptable margin of error (89). Hence, while carbon dating of the debris proved the eruption to be at least 2000 years old, it has been unable to conclusively establish it at 79 AD (90). Consequently, for the sake of scientific accuracy, the research shall refer to the eruption as having approximately occurred around 79 AD. The evolution of excavation tools led to the resumption of efforts to uncover Pompeii in 1755. However, as explicated by the archeologist, Prof. Wilhelmina Jashemski, the excavation soon stalled and was really unable to cover much, both due to the fact that Pompeii was buried deep in hardened lava and mud and because archaeological tools and know-how were, at that time, underdeveloped and incapable of fulfilling the defined task. A second excavation in 1814 had, due to the evolution of archaeological tools, greater success. It was, at least, able to uncover the southern wall of the Pompeii amphitheater (69-70). However, it is necessary to point out that despite the fact that, within the context of the time, the excavation was considered a success, its results were critically limited. As important as the uncovering of the southern section of the wall was, it was hardly capable of allowing archaeologists to uncover the city's culture and history or recreate the eruption. It was not until the twentieth century that archaeological tools and scientific technology had sufficiently evolved to enable the excavation of this ancient city. By the mid-twentieth century, excavation projects aimed at uncovering the remainder of the amphitheater successfully concluded. Between December 1954 and May 1955, the entirety of the amphitheater was uncovered and the structure that lay beneath the tonnes of hardened mud and lava, held a wealth of information about the city and its culture (Jashemski 69). The

Microboilogy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Microboilogy - Essay Example 5. a.) Melted agar should be cooled to 45-47 degree Celsius before pouring to the agar plate since pouring it in a higher temperature might kill the organisms and thus falsely decrease the microbial count. c.) Aseptic technique should always be employed in order to prevent other microorganism from contaminating the set-up. Any contamination would lead to difficulty, if not, production of erroneous microbial count. 6.) Used media may contain harmful and infectious organisms; moreover it should always be treated as biologically hazardous waste. Required waste disposal can be costly; nevertheless used media can never be disposed directly into the waste basket. To date, autoclaving serves as a cheap but effective way to sterilized waste materials in microbiology laboratory. The fact that most microorganisms can not withstand autoclaving, this simple technique would conveniently address the issue on the proper disposal of used media. An autoclave must be available for the laboratory and must be operated by properly trained personnel. On a regular basis, biological indicators or spore strips should be included in autoclave loads as to verify its functionality and efficiency of sterilization. Temperature-sensitive tape, thermograph, or other biological indicators should also be used to monitor each autoclave. Scientist have investivated microbial behavior in area such as Clostridium botulinum in modified atmospheric processing, Escherichia coli in apple processing, Salmonella and E. coli in vegetable seed sprouting etc. Some studies shows that bacteria converts food

Journal Entry African American Essay Example for Free

Journal Entry African American Essay Hello my precious unborn child. I am not really sure where to begin. The doctor is saying that I might not make it through this pregnancy but they will make sure you live to see this crazy world that we live in. I want to make sure that you understand your history and where you come from! What a journey our family has been through. They just don’t make it easy for an African American Family. Here we are and we have struggled just to make it here to the Deep South. We settled here in Ole Miss just like lots of other black folks and you would think that after they freed us from slavery they could just leave us be. I guess I should tell you a little about who we are and what we have been through so you have a clearer understanding. Well it started when we got here. Brought over on ships, our family was slaves to the white folk right here in Mississippi. There have always been stories told. Why, I remember when I was a little girl my grandma telling us the story of Nat Turner. (1998) He went on a rebellion right here in the South. He was on a mission fighting for what he believed in. He may not have gone about it the right way but he fought until his death on October 30, 1831. After that it seemed to be one person after the next until finally Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This was issued in 1863. (1998)This was a valiant attempt at freeing the slaves here in the United States but it technically only freed slaves in the states that were under the jurisdiction of the Confederacy. You would think that would make things better. Nope! There was a 12 year period after that that they worked hard on trying to make things fair for us. Your great-great-grandma was around through the reconciliation period. She said that we were finally awarded citizenship and in 1870 an amendment went in that stated you could not deny us the right to vote because of our race. (1998) My great-Grandma told us that just when things started looking up†¦It got worse. The Democrats came in and changed everything. They started doing every thing that they could to put us back to having no rights. But we as a race stayed as strong as we could. What you have to remember is that making our way in this world has been and remains a consistent struggle. We made leeway though! A young lady buy the name of Sophia Packard and Harriet Giles were able to establish a college for the â€Å"Negros† as the white folk like to call us. This was the first college for African American females. Spelman College’s goal at the time was merely to teach black women to read and write. And that they have done. But here I sit in 1963. A 33 year old female who isn’t sure what is going to be in her future. They call us free. I have to ask myself daily though, â€Å"Am I really free? † I mean we have separate schools. We eat in separate restaurants. (2010) They give us totally different bathrooms to use and all this is because of the color of my skin. I look at this world and I think to myself, â€Å"I put my clothes on the exact same way as everyone else. † Should the color of our skin really make things so much different for us? Every single day we have leaders out there fighting for what is fair and what is right. Take Martin Luther King for instance. (2007) He is on a mission. He is part of a group called the SCLC. (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) He has made major strides. I mean in Montgomery Alabama the black folks get to ride on the same buses with the same rights as the white folks. I can only hope that by the time that you grow up and are able to read and understand all this that you look at all this and have a hard time believing it. As I sit here and write to you and I look across the street of this tiny little home I live in I see the neighbors and in their front yard is a cross that someone has lit on fire. Why, because today he walked a white girl to school. Rumors started and now everyone knows that this little girl likes him. Yet he is being punished for it. It shouldn’t matter. If there is one thing that you need to know and one thing that I can teach you through this letter it is to be you. Know yourself. Never let anyone tell you that you can not do something. Most importantly, remember that loves has no boundaries. It sees no color. It does not understand hate. It does not segregate nor does it discriminate. I hope that you never have to endure the hardships that we have to endure during these trying times. Always remember to live with no regrets and never look back! I love you with all my heart-. Momma Works Citied Page African American Slavery (1998) Long Island University Retrieved from http://www. liu. edu/cwis/CWP/library/aaslavry. htm#turner Timeline Search for African American History (2010) Google Search Engine http://www. google. com/search? q=african+american+historyhl=ensa=Xtbo=ptbs=tl:1,tll:1850,tlh:1899ei=lrPUS9avLoK78gbfpL3qDwoi=timeline_histogram_navct=timeline-histogramcd=8ved=0CIcBEMkBKAg History of African Americans Information Please Database. (2007) Pearson Education, Inc. Retrieved from http://www. infoplease. com/spot/bhmtimeline. html.

Growth And Change Management In Hyundai

Growth And Change Management In Hyundai One of South Koreas largest conglomerates Hyundai group displayed extraordinary growth ever since it was founded in 1947. The area of growth covered car manufacturing, ship building, construction work, electronics and finance related services. The growth pattern of Hyundai was directly linked to the reconstruction programs of South Korea after World War II and the Korean War and also the state led capitalism whose effect could be seen in the polarization of the corporate culture in the country and the increase in many more conglomerates. One of the major companys of Hyundai is the Hyundai Motor Company and is the fifth largest auto maker as per the latest survey. Its headquarters are in Seoul, South Korea (Kirk, 1994, pp213).Hyundai operates the worlds largest integrated automobile manufacturing facility in Ulsan and it is capable of producing 1.6 million units annually. The number of company employees is about 75,000 persons around the world. Hyundai vehicles are sold in 193 countries through around 6,000 dealerships and showrooms all over the world. The Hyundai logo, which is a slanted and stylized H, symbolizes the company shaking hands with its customer. The word Hyundai translates from the word modernity, and is pronounced as Hyon-dae in Korean. The Hyundai Motor Company was founded by Chung Ju Yung. The company vision Our team provides value for your future The company mission To pursue excellence and deliver cars that inspire, so you can live your life In 1947 Chung Ju Yung founded the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company. The year 1967 was the year in which the Hyundai Motor Company was established. The first model of the company was the Cortina, and it was released jointly with Ford Motor Company in 1968. In 1975, the first Korean car Pony was released. Its styling was by Giorgio Giugiaro of ItalDesign and possessed the powertrain technology provided by Japans Mitsubishi Motors. Exports started the following year to Ecuador and soon thereafter to the Benelux countries. The year 1991 saw the company succeed in developing its first proprietary gasoline engine, the four-cylinder Alpha, and transmission. This led to paving the way for technological independence.In 1983, Hyundai exported the Pony to Canada. This was not done in the United States as it didnt pass emissions standards there. The Canadian sales figures exceeded expectations completely. This was clearly seen when it was at one point the top selling car in the Canad ian market. The Pony afforded a much higher degree of quality and refinement in the lowest price auto segment when compared to the Eastern-bloc imports of the period which were available at that point of time. In 1986, Hyundai began to sell cars in the United States, and the Excel was nominated as Best Product 10à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ³ by the Fortune magazine. This was largely because of its affordability. The company began to produce models with its own technology in 1988. The beginning was with the midsize Sonata.In 1996, Hyundai Motors India Limited was started with a production plant in Irrungattukotai near Chennai in India.The year 1998 saw major changes happening in Hyundai as started to change its image in an attempt to establish itself as a world class brand. Chung Ju Yung transferred the reigns of Hyundai Motor to his son, Chung Mong Koo, this was in 1999. Hyundais parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, invested heavily. This investment was in quality, design, manufacturing, and future research of its vehicles. The addition of the 10-year or 100,000-mile warranty for cars sold in the United States showed an aggressive marketing related campaign.In 2004 a survey by JD Power and Associates Hy undai was ranked second in terms of initial quality. Currently, Hyundai is one of the top 100 most valuable brands worldwide. Hyundai has also been one of the official sponsors of the FIFA World Cup ever since 2002. Organization Culture and Structure The Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) was established under the leadership of Ju Young Chung backed by a unified and centralized management structure. He exercised the authoritarian style of leadership. The decision making process was carried out by the Chung family. The positive out of this was that such an ownership and structure gave Hyundai Motor Company the power to pursue the external agents and develop long term relationship with them. This was seen when Hyundai Motor Company entered into an alliance with Ford. The chairman refused to transfer his authority to Ford in any way (Russell, 2007, pp.57). The entire financial and personnel support was from HMCs mother company, the Hyundai Engineering Construction Company. This gave him the edge as it was also owned and managed by Ju Young Chung, and thus he could steer HMC in any way. An employee who worked with HMC from the year 1985 to 1996 said that not all executives are affiliated with the Chung family. He stated that they had a few talented professional managers. But the only this was that they never objected to any directions given by the chairman. To be more precise it was next to impossible to present any opinions with regard to anything different from that of Chungs. Anyone who disagreed or even said a word against Chungs decisions would and should be ready to be fired the very next day. He even went on to say that Hyundais entry to U.S. market was Chairman Chungs personal ambition leading the way. But in retrospect he also agreed that without Chungs drive, Hyundais entry into the U.S. market would have been delayed until and unless its technology was comparable to the Japanese or European automakers. Chungs mode of bulldozer leadership was effective and was clearly seen also with Hyundais success. After successfully leading Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) in order to gain entry in the North American market, Ju Young Chung handed over the reigns of the Hyundai group and Hyundai Motor Company to his younger brother, Se Young Chung. This was in the year 1987. The new leadership of HMC followed a very different organizational culture if compared to Ju Young Chungs time. The chairman made attempts to inspire HMC with the new thought process. This was harmonious human relations, autonomous management, responsibility management, and equal opportunity. Thus it drove out the previous emperor leadership concept by the delegation of responsibility as well as authority to the various professionals employed by the organization. This change led to a change in focus with regard to strategy. 1987-1988 Se Young Chung redesigned the HMC and the main aim was to improve the production efficiency which was done by shuffling or merging the various job related functions. The most noticed change in the o rganization chart was the conversion from a functional organization to a divisional organization. This aimed at providing efficient control and evaluation, developed motivation of the management, improved the ability to cope with market diversification and reduction of the cost. The democratization of Hyundai was affected by the political democratization movements in Korean society in the late 80s. This led to a series of labor versus management disputes. HMC was definitely not an exception. In 1996, Se Young Chung passed on his leadership to his son, Mong Kyu Chung. He inherited not only got the title but inherited the leadership style of his father. This allowed HMC to have a smooth transition with very little turmoil. He had a broader vision. He set up a brand new vision which was aimed at a position in the world top-10 automaker ranking in the 21st century and this was possible by occupying four percent of the world auto market. Thus, the primary strategic focus was placed on im proving of image of the brand and consumer satisfaction. This would be carried out via more intense product quality movement, value management, and market globalization. Mong Kyu Chung was also responsible for introducing the team system into the organization, along with more importance to compensation which was performance based. The 1997 East Asian crisis dealt a heavy blow to all the Korean conglomerates. In 1997 and 1998 half of the top 30 of them, including Daewoo, went into bankrupt. This crisis was faced by the Hyundai Group too. This moved the Hyundai group into restructuring its businesses. Almost 70 of the Hyundai affiliates were spun off between 1999 and 2000. The Hyundai group got a lot of public criticism because its restructuring plan was mainly focusing on dividing the property among the family members and followed no management related rationale. HMC was also the main money source of the Hyundai group and was given to MongKoo Chung who was the chairman from 1999 and was also the first living son of JuYoung Chung. This opinion was that he was the image of his father and had led HMC to a more hierarchical decision-making structure and h e also revived the bulldozer type of leadership. However, his strategic direction and organizational structure were not entirely different from the previous ones. While pursuing the global top-five position in 2010, he continued to emphasize on the improvement of product quality, management transparency, and brand value. One emerging challenge to the new leadership was how to cope with the warlike labor-management disputes. The current organization chart is shown below External and internal environment Hyundai is very dedicated towards providing great quality of service, support system and product. This is their policy be it their employees, dealers or customers. Starting from the top all members of the organization is driven by quality and also they strive for the continuous improvement process all across the board. This is mainly true in the area of cost, technological advancement, and efficient operations. Their management is very strongly into conducting business practices which are ethical and lead to creating long term partnerships be it with suppliers, customers or employees. They are the people who are the support system for achieving as well maintaining their competitive advantage, cost savingpurpose and also maintain the technological edge. All this is done while they remain sensitive and receptiveto the diverse communities they operate in. The price review of the stocks and also the brand new and old customers leads them to believe that they are doing a great job with th eir current business strategies. Their stability, efficiency, and profitabilitygoes a long way inestablishing and holding true their credibility to their shareholders and stakeholders. If they can continue to be so responsive to their customer ´s needs, innovative in their processes, services, and products they should have no foreseeable problems. Clearly, Hyundai has become a leader and innovator of quality affordable automobiles for a number of years. They have achieved this because they were nimble and flexible enough to respond to changes in their marketplace and because they have kept their eye on quality, cost, and customer service. Since Hyundai is a worldwide organization they have also had to make the most of their diverse work force, as well as, overcome many regulatory, socio-cultural, and environmental variables of doing business in a multicultural and multi-ethical environment. The first Step would be to outline the Porters five forces (William, 2003, pp.126)which are mentioned in the diagram below Competitive Rivalry within an industry Bargaining power of Customers Threat of new Entrants Threat of substitute Products Bargaining power of Suppliers There is a new entrant threat which exists from countries like China as well as Japan. They might work in such a manner that they grab majority share in the market. The buyers can bargain for much more. Price dissatisfaction is one of the main reasons why the shift would happen on the part of the buyers. Substitution threat is not too high as not many substitutes exist in the market. The only threat would be from modes of transport which are for public use. The level of competition is very high as many believe in growth through gaining on the competitions market share. The power of the supplier to bargain is low even though everything is not manufactured some of the parts are sourced too. The manufactures have the freedom to move to other suppliers also. The environment should be constantly studied. The environment may be internal or could be external as well. The analysis of the situation also needs to be carried out so that everything is in accordance with the policy, strategy and the goals set by the management for the organization. The same way the analysis of Hyundai is conducted which will help to understand the opportunity, strengths, threats and weaknesses which are internal and external. Technically what we are talking about is SWOT of Hyundai. The competency which the company possesses which forms the core of its operation is assessed with the help of this and the decision related to results and performance can be taken. All analysis techniques would be aimed at only one thing which is improvement of the quality of the service as well the product offered by the organization. The basic steps for the process would similar always only the application sequence would be organization sensitive. The procedure would help the organi zation come up with improvement related opportunities. The process which is followed in the present time has to be documented so that future reference is available (Goetsch, 2003, pp.422). The process related to improvement needs a vision and this helps. The improvement effort in this way is more channelized; the goals are clear and easily achieved. The leaders which would be the owners or the management need to support the process. The top to down approach should be followed. The main agenda should be that all people involved be it top management or the lowest ranks should have clarity relate to aims and objectives as it will affect all. The level of confidence as well as communication ability is critical for this process to be successful. The final outcome would also be high quality. The SWOT analysis for Hyundai Motor Company is as follows Strengths: Pricing Quality Warranties Availability/distribution channels Weaknesses: Questionable branding Depreciation/trade in value Lack of consumer information: especially on their web site Opportunities: Green alternatives and hybrid cars Technological innovations/research/development of same Better integration of web site for customer product information and company profile information Threats: Political Trade Socio-economical Other regulatory constraints: especially those linked with environmental issuesand manufacturing. Change Management Change stands at the heart of any leadership. Organizational culture is one of many situational variables that have emerged as being pivotal while understanding the success of any leaders efforts with regard to implementing any change initiatives. In this sternly shark eat shark business world, the main aim of most of the firms is to establish distinctive and unique capabilities towards gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace while utilizing the most of their core competencies. So it is important to understand what competencies are. Competencies refer to the fundamental knowledge owned by the firm i.e., knowledge, know-how, experience, innovation and unique information, and to be specific they are not confined to functional domains only but cut across the firm and its organizational boundaries (Lowson, 2002). In todays world, being it is only the degree of dissimilarity from the beaten path that provides one with the cutting edge. If the aim is to deliver a unique mix of t he values, a gamut of activities need to adopted keeping in mind the present market situation. Thus, one gets the capability which enables him to execute specific activities, at the same instance being able to work meaningfully between the activities and therefore extending the cutting edge).The all-important exercise now, would remain the development of a unique path ahead, utilizing all resources at ones service, yet mindful of the environmental realities. It would be through the above mentioned unique capabilities that the outfit would better its chances of maintaining the competitive advantage. The concept of competition everywhere, including the domestic as well as international scenario has crossed into another realm of its own. The emphasis on performance and the quality of product has surpassed the impediments that once existed to control the price of the product. Hence, vigorous product management during the development process itself forms the backbone of the competitive e dge accrued. Organizational culture governs the degree of success that can be brought about by any attempt to effect organizational behaviour.The very Conceptual model of change as well as the inherent process models adopted for organizational change have undergone a change thereby highlighting the importance of culture in enabling entrepreneurs/ leaders in their attempts to transform the norms, attitudes, and general disposition of the employees emulating them in their outfits. Gagliardis model of 1986 (Tim, 2003, pp.53)for cultural change explains the varying effects of change which are incremental, apparent and path breaking when compared with the prevailing norms of culture. Attempts to effect change, when exercised, keeping in mind the abovementioned strategic outlook effectively extend, reinforce or even at times, weaken existing presumptions and standards caught up by the steps to initiate the change. The bulwark of methodologies and market tactics are always the cultural aspects. It is these aspects that decide if leaders are to anticipate cultural adaptation, struggle or maybe even alterations as a consequence of their authority. Gagliardis Model also brings to ones notice the overbearing importance for any leader to bear in mind, the intense cultural effects stemming out of the techniques utilized by them to bring about change initiatives thereby effecting the organizational surroundings. Hyundai Motor Company enjoys the status of the largest auto-manufacturing set up in South Korea as well as the distinction of being considered the fifth largest industry on the globe. It boasts of a capacity to manufacture 1.6 million units per annum. The strength of the Hyundai fraternity lies in their ability to lay stress at every level of its production management system, thereby catapulting them to their present day status as also enabling the coveted competitive edge that forms any mediocre companys yearning (Worldwide Hyundai, 2008). The production house has grown to spread its branches the world over, particularly Europe, Asia the US. Wecan thus safely assume that the key ingredients which enable a worldwide leader the cutting edge are as follows:- Explain, all that the company achieved which would lead to the attrition, gradual dissipation and at a later stage even complete failure of the competitive advantage that it enjoyed? Explain, all that the company needs to undertake in order to enable it to sustain role in providing it the competitive advantage? In any company, it is the management which is solely accountable for ensuring that the former stays ahead of its competitors in the arena. Had it not been the competent and effective, the company would probably have lost its competitive edge advantage (the companys standing in the market environment relative to other (competitor) companies. In keeping with all other leading industries, Hyundai too enjoys a huge competitive advantage when compared to its rival auto-manufacturing companies the world over. Also, Hyundai even risks suffering the erosion or eventual loss of its competitive advantage and position if the management will not be able to adapt to the changing market and customer need, specifically in car industries. The society also needs to be looked at and their needs to be met. This would pave the road for the organization to become a market leader. The pricing factor also needs to be constantly kept in mind as the consumers are very price sensitive. This would work to their advantage as the cars would become more affordable as well as quality cars. The models related to the industrial growth in order to be consistent as well as have the advantage over the competition need to be flexible and innovative so that it can deal with the risks which the internal and the external environment would make the organization face. Hyundai as a company also needs to do that by making its set up strong internally as well as externally so that it has an edge over the competition and their growth is steady and consistent. This is also affected by the fact that Hyundai has a global presence and also needs to grow through establishment of its manufacturing facilities all over the world. The departments which nee d to look into the development of the company needs to follow tiered research and utilize innovative ways and plans so that the high as well lower management is motivated for success as well as to give Hyundai the competitive edge over the competition. The growth in the present economy and market demands products which are new and improved and the costs as well as the market price is low. The Hyundai management and mangers need to be open to change as well as need to be creative in the process so that it can be turned for the benefit of the company. Hyundai has identified the sources for gaining the edge over the competition by making their core competencies strong and cutting edge so that no one can touch them. The position which the company enjoys as being the market leader needs to be sustained and consistent so that the long term goals are achieved and profitability grows. This is so at all levels in the organization. The merger which happened between two companies Hyundai and K ia is a very clear example of this (Orcullo, 2007, pp.48). The growth in the Korean automobile industry was consistent in terms of sales up to 1996 but the next year saw a major slump in the economy which had a very negative impact on the company and its growth. They managed and tackled this slump by expanding their facilities for production. During this time Kia went bankrupt. Kia as well as Asia Motors was merged with Hyundai. This also resulted in major reshuffling happening within the top management and was in accordance with the plan made by the owners for its success. Majority of the auto companies were restructuring their units as well as letting go a lot of their employees to reduce costs and handle this down turn. Many companies which were multinationals were acquiring the manufacturers for auto parts while this was going on. This process related to the auto industry in Korea led to the market becoming very confrontational. This was the case as the parties involved were affected by all the decisions which were taken. They were the labour related unions, government and its agencies as well as the company management. The merger in question had a very synergizing effect on the performance of the business of the automobile manufacturers. The group on the whole managed to save costs as all operations were integrated which was important for success. As the auto parts which had to be used were being shared it led to synergy happening on the front of the suppliers too. The design and development as well as Research departments also showed an effect on the costs as the platforms on which each operation was being carried out was integrated as a result of the merger. The power train development and the sharing of parts helped both the companies in getting down their costs and for their profitability to go up. Alignm ent of all the business functions was required as smooth integration was very important for future smooth operations. The group which would be formed as a result of this merger would possess specializations which were coordinated and would work towards cost saving and profitability improvement. The style of management at Hyundai was aggressive and the employee involvement practice for working followed by Kia was creative. Both of these coming together resulted in an organization culture which is competitive as well as successful be it while the economic slow down had happened or even later after recovery. The upturn which happened 1999 to 2000 helped in the recovery process of the two automobile manufacturers. Kia as a result of the merger came back from the dead and its revival was drastic and dramatic. Some of Hyundais strengths helped in this recovery process for Kia. These strengths were the auto part sharing as well as the utilization of the facilities for production as well as the technology. Kia with the help from Hyundai increased their sales as well as the share in the market and started to make steady performance in terms of finance and started following Hyundais trends. All these positives from the Kia Hyundai merger released them from the clutches of the courts in 2000. Now it was time to look at the long term growth plans and policies. The labour unions in the automobile industry serve as a major threat for them. They can resist any efforts related to integration of business and specialization of techniques. It is not that the labour unions have been sitting quietly. They have been working towards greatly affecting the procedure and plans for the restructuring of the business as well as employee management. The unions of Hyundai and Kia have taken this configuration of the business very positively and have not posed any opposition on the resource sourcing, research and development which is needed to be carried out keeping the uncertain future in m ind. In this merger group the main concern is how to keep the union positive and cooperative so that they are less resistant to any change or decision which is critical for business. In 2001 the group made public their plans world towards becoming the 5th automobile group which is global. This was to be done by 210. The auto group which is Korean came into the industry late and thus it still has to work towards improving the image of the brand. In the domestic market both companies have only complimented each other and the only thing is that the growth is intense. In the mid of 1999 the market in Korea related to automobiles opened their gates to foreign makers too. This led to major competition increased and the boundaries were broken making the auto industry one. Now it was survival of the fittest. Hyundai a company in order to survive had to enhance their ability technologically with the help of their research and development department and also their process for manufacturing. T he products needed to better quality than the competition as well more reliable. There is a dire need to constantly to make the brand seem superior and this can be done only with products that appeal to majority customers an they are chosen over the competitions products. The two companies need to work towards improving the parts supplied and the finance related abilities which is at this point of time quite low as compared to other advanced countries of the world. The positioning strategy is the next agenda which should be in the mind of the companies Kia and Hyundai. There needs to some kind of plan of how all the products from both the companies would be placed in the market as well pricing procedure needs to be clear. The strategy which they have been following is to position duplicates of each others car models. The management which is at a senior level is insistent on retaining their business related composition as on date and not have it changes courtesy the merger. This cove rs all car models. The long term agenda is not the same. The plan would be that the sectors related to various aspects of business be divided and the both the automobile manufacturers would work towards positioning their products in various demand markets. This is the way of working followed by auto giants like General Motors. Rather than working towards coming up with a new framework for business with respect to sales as well as manufacturing the managements concern shifted to the fact that how would they get over the vested interest of the senior management in the current business policies and practices of their two organizations separately rather than working as one entity. Recommendations for Growth The economy needs to be more balanced as well needs to have a direction (Gaten, 2002, pp.1). This would be true in many areas like distribution of health care products, standards which are set with regard to environment and labour as well as trade. The Global Reporting Initiative of 1997 worked towards a system for accounting which would help to calculate the level of sustenance with the data which is social, economic and environmental. This would make the measurement system one for all aspects. The risks which are taken need to be more educated ones and the importance of the same has been understood. The vision, mission as well as the plan to achieve the companies objectives needs to be in sync with the objectives which have been set up in the long term agenda of the organization. The strategy needs to be absolutely clear and values needs to be clearly defined. The values of the organization should be aligned with that of the stakeholders. The alignment would happen by integration o f the process, procedures as well as policies and with that success is inevitable. The objectives which are long term would be better achieved if they match the vision and the purpose of the individuals involved. The decision making process needs to be consistent and would also work towards achievement of personal ambitions too along with the organizations. Talks should always be there between the management and the employees of Hyundai so that every concern and want is out in the open and the learning is collaborated and systems are there so that information sharing happens. The requirement for Hyundai was to give some power to the employees in terms of the decisions that are made. The change management would be successful as the management would give the direction as well as provide the vision and also to top that have the authority to implement the change. Management would have to provide the push factor for the change process and this would also have an effect on the goals which are short term in Hyundai which would be aspects like building of teams, sharing of visions and defining the responsibilities amongst the employees. The work of Hyundai would be to stick to the objectives of the management and the leadership and would move in the right direction for a very positive future. The strategies which would be set up to achieved the goals which are long term as well as short terms would be based on the factors which have been discussed above. As per Ashkenas if there was a want on the part of the management to get improvement in the performance of the people of the organization the best way would be to make and plan the procedures for attainment of their goals which were to be achieved in less than an year i.e. short term goals. So the goals of Hyundai falling in this category are- Each employees being responsible enough to be answerable for their own actions. This would be empowering for the individuals and would also push them to work as team. The labour which they hire would be the best in the industry by being the most learned in terms of technology and specialization in their field. Fight to produce products which are the best in the market as well as made following the best procedure but the cost of production being as low as possible. The feedback which is received form the short term objectives would help the organization to come up with the objectives which are long