Improvement in Operational Efficiency Due free essay sample

IT Investments ply chain integration; and euro conversion. Many IT landmarks have been achieved during this period: more than 4 billion Web pages on the Internet; creation of software to combat cyber worms, viruses, and warfare; millions of distributed databases; and widespread utilization of data warehouses and data mining for decision support systems. To support these IT initiatives and to achieve these landmarks, IT budgets of most companies during this decade Copyright  © 2006, Idea Group Inc. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of Idea Group Inc. is prohibited. Information Resources Management Journal, 19(2), 18-36, April-June 2006 19 increased substantially (Seewald, 2002). There is, however, a growing criticism of escalating IT investments (Mears Dubie, 2002) and their lack of justification (Krochmel, 1999). ERP systems are software systems to support and to automate the business processes, providing timely and accurate enterprise-wide information for decision making. ERP systems have a long history of evolution. The production scheduling, material ordering, and product shipment systems evolved from manual reorder point systems for material procurement to computerized Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) to Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP-II) systems that integrated MRP and capacity requirements planning to Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) that further integrated MRP-II and shop floor and device control systems, and finally to ERP systems. We will write a custom essay sample on Improvement in Operational Efficiency Due or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Much of the streamlining of materials procurement process was achieved by MRP and MRP-II. By the late 1980s, tens of thousands of firms were using MRP-II systems (Rondeau Litteral, 2001). The SAP R/3 modules and submodules consisting of sales and distribution, materials management, warehouse management, quality management, production planning for process industries, financial accounting, controlling, project system, and office communication were expected to reduce inventories, improve cash management, and cut down operating expenses. Kalling (2003) recently provided a theoretical framework in which resource-based views (RBV) are advanced to understand how ERP can provide sustainable competitive advantage. The RBV is not universally accepted as a final explanation of competitive advantage. Some believe that dynamic capabilities, not resources, are the source of competitive advantage. It is possible that ERP provides both unique resources as well as dynamic capabilities in the form of improved information and decision making to improve competitive advantage. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems To avoid struggling with integrating myriad IT applications, many companies implemented ERP systems that required substantial investment of time, internal resources, and capital, resulting in significant organizational change (Dorien Wolf, 2002). Often, ERP system implementation is accompanied by other improvements and enhancements in existing legacy systems. Due to many simultaneous changes that accompany ERP system implementation, it is hard to attribute any performance changes after ERP system installation solely to ERP systems. However, ERP system implementation is, by far, the most criticized aspect of IT investments. ERP systems require outlays ranging from a few million dollars to several hundred million dollars (Mabert et al. , 2001). Despite high expenditures, ERP implementations have resulted in problems. Rushed software installations and inadequate training are blamed for well-publicized troubles with ERP. In 1999, soon after the rollout of its ERP system, Hershey Food Corp. , in the third quarter of that year, lost $60. 4 million due to problems in customer service, warehousing, order processing, and timely shipments to retailers. ERP implementation problems of Whirlpool Corporation and W. L. Gore Associates Inc. also have received considerable attention (Collett, 1999). The bankruptcy of FoxMeyer (a drug distribution company) in 1996 is directly attributed by many to flawed implementation of ERP systems. www. igi-global. com/article/improvement-operational-efficiency-due-erp/1289 www. igi-global. com/chapter/tutor/13373 www. igi-global. com/chapter/object-database-benchmarks/14575

The Veil and Muslim

The Veil and Muslim Introduction Islamic women have worn the veil since time immemorial. The debate on whether the use of the veil does any good to the society has always existed since prehistoric times and it exists even today. This paper discusses how the veil became the symbol of Muslim civilization, what the veil meant to Islamic reformists and the clarity of the authors arguments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Veil and Muslim specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The veil and Muslim civilization It can be argued that the veil was introduced by early Greek priests due to their faulty interpretation of the Islamic law. The earlier perception about women was so negative to the point that some people were quoted claiming that women were without soul. The veil portrayed the Islamic woman as inferior and without much purpose in the society in the old days. Since the civilization of any society is largely dependent on how all members of the society treat each other, then the cruel treatment of Islamic woman by the society as was usual in Egypt was a good measure of the pace of Muslim civilization. Most of the modernists and reformists that campaigned for fair treatment of the woman in the Islam community based most of their arguments on the use of the veil. This was due to the fact that the veil was associated with oppression of women. One of the reformists was quoted arguing that the Muslim woman was poorly mistreated in terms of empowerment through education, important roles in the society, her role in the family and most importantly the veil which was seen as a tool of alienation of the woman from the society. The veil was associated with all the bad things such as dirt, unattractiveness and other negative things. The plight of Islamic women was attributed to Islamic religion which people saw as burying the woman alive behind the veil. The Islamic woman also looked at the other societies of the world especially Christians who treated their women with respect and dignity. They were the only community in the world that covered their women inside a veil. Since the veil was associated with oppression then with time it became the symbol of Muslim civilization (Ahmed 1). What the veil meant to colonial reformists The colonial reformists were looking at liberating the Islamic community from the traditional setting to a more modern society that could fit with the other communities of the world. They saw that the biggest barrier to reforms was the way the Islamic community was treating their women.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The veil was associated with all the degradation to women and as such they saw that the best way to liberate the society was to put pressure on the issue of the veil. The reformists saw the veil as a symbol of oppression. By comparing the veiled Muslim woma n with other liberated societies there was clear evidence to support their argument so that they would be successful in their reforms (Ahmed 1). Clarity of the authors’ arguments I agree with the way the author argues about the issue of the plight of the Muslim woman in the historic times and how the reformists handled the reform agenda by focusing on the treatment given to the Muslim woman. The author was able to clearly link the origin of the veil, the oppression of the Muslim woman and how the reformists handled the reform of the Muslim society by focusing on the veil. Conclusion The veil issue is a very important aspect of the Muslim community for a very long time. The veil was used as a reform tool by early reformists especially in Egypt due to its relationship with oppression of women. The author was able to show clearly the way reformists viewed and argued about the veil and oppression of women and how the Islam community could be reformed by focusing on the issue of t he veil. Work Cited Ahmed, Leila. Women and Gender in Islam. Yale University, 1992. New Haven: Prentice.

Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Management - Essay Example The data provided herewith were taken from sources of good repute. They unanimously illustrate the leadership of DIS in its sector and industry, and they altogether declare that DIS is a strategic buy at its current price range. Prospects for the US economy remains bleak as indicators currently report no improvement since the year 2007 when the downturn first set in. Since 2006, GDP has been decreasing year-on-year and all other economic variables have depicted the same economically bleak scenario. In 2008, the annual averages of the benchmark treasury rates and the federal fund rates have been lowered to 1.37 and 1.92, respectively, while the unemployment rate increased to 7.2%. In March 2009, the benchmark treasury rate and the federal fund rate were as low as 0.21 and 0.18, respectively, while the unemployment rate increased further to 8.5%. It should not be surprising that the series of disasters in the economic arena dealt a heavy blow to the overall investors' confidence in the financial markets. In the year 2008, the market indices took such drastic plunges that badly damaged the market valuation of listed companies - Dow Jones decreased by 35%, S&P 500 decreased by 39%, and NASDAQ decreased by 42%. The first quarter of the year 2009 further lowered Dow Jones to 7,608.92, S&P 500 to 797.87 and NASDAQ to 1528.59. (AOL Website) Despite the turmoil in the economy and in the financial markets, Walt Disney Company (DIS) has managed to do very well in 2008. Next to Time Warner Inc. (TWX), DIS is the second largest multimedia conglomerate in the world in terms of assets. It is into the production of movies, music, and television shows, the publishing of its renowned materials and the operation of its well-frequented theme parks. While shares of its holding company are traded in NYSE, Disneyland Corporation's subsidiaries are variously traded in the Buenos Aires stock market and in European bourses such as XETRA, Berlin, Stuttgart, Paris, Munich, Hanover, London and Paris. (Yahoo! Finance) Since January 2000, Robert A. Iger has been the company's President and Chief Executive Officer. (2008 Walt Disney Co Annual Report) Under his efficient leadership, DIS has come up with sales amounting to $37.8 billion and with a net income of $4.4 billion in 2008 - an impressive feat in the light of the prevailing economic scenario. DIS has over 150,000 employees and has assets worth over $64.9 billion as of the year-end of 2008. As of 01 May 2009, DIS has market capitalization amounting to over $40.73 billion. (Yahoo! Finance) Compared to its competitors, DIS also has done a lot better in the stock market. Comparing their 2008 year-end prices with their 2006 year-end prices, losses were computed at 33% for DIS, 73% for CBS Corporation (CBS), 56% for News Corporation (NWS), and 53% for (TWX). Their respective closing prices as of the end of April 2009 were

Self-awareness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Self-awareness - Essay Example Besides the positive qualities of a leader that were listed by Tichy and Devanna such as the willingness to decide and capacity to do so, persuasiveness, responsibility, intellectual capacity, vitality and endurance (34-38); I would also like to develop other qualities to address organizational needs and objectives that will be present in future organizations. Leadership theory There are two leadership theories that are consistent with my development plan or plan of action, and they can best demonstrate my plans as a future leader, one among them is the functional leadership theory. This theory according to Wren is particularly significant when a leader wants to address some of his or her behaviors that are perceived to contribute to organizational or team effectiveness (27-29). This theory supports my plan since it argues that I should do whatever is necessary for my subordinates in order to ensure that the organizational goal is attained and thus, in a way I will be contributing to the team’s effectiveness and cohesion. ... This theory gives me the opportunity to lead a team and if the team conduct itself in a manner that I prescribed, then it will be considered that the organization has been able to attain its goals, which warrant the team members to be reward for their efforts. Personal strengths and weaknesses This course has exposed me to assignments and learning activities that have informed me of my leadership strengthsand weaknesses all together. However, for this research I entirely relied on two tools that I used to identify different aspects about my leadership style that makes it more effective and those that hinder it from attaining absolute perfection. The tools consist of the transformational leadership questionnaire (TLQ) and the assessments that are in leadership theory and practice (LTP). This assessment is made up of eighteen different questions and these questions vary in nature with the leadership competencies they aim at measuring for example the human skill, technical skill or conc eptual skill (Tichy and Devanna, 89-94). Thou I have never pictured myself as a â€Å"people person† the transformational leadership questionnaire showed that my major strengths as a leader are the ability to imagine and share in other people’s feelings and experience, strong follow through, ambitious, compulsive and articulate. These strengths to me mean that I appreciate others and I care for their needs. These strengths also portray me as an effective leader in offering constructive responses to the efforts of my subordinates and that I also boost the confidence of other people, while still conveying enthusiasm. By the simple fact that I am able to offer constructive responses to the efforts of my subordinates it means that I am good in communication. According to Carter, a leader

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior Essay Example for Free

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior Essay IN THE ARTICLE ‘WHY CHINESE MOTHERS ARE SUPERIOR’ AMY CHUA, WHO IS PROFESSOR AT THE LAW SCHOOL IN YALE, WRITES IN THE ARTICLE ABOUT HOW TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN, AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HOW THE WESTERN AND CHINESE PARENTS RAISES THEIR CHILDREN, BY COMPARING CHINESE AND WESTERN KIDS. THE COMPARISONS GIVE US A VIEW OF WHAT THE GOOD AND BAD CONSEQUENCES ARE, WHEN IT COMES TO HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND STEREOTYPICAL RAISED KIDS. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWS ON WHICH WAY IS THE RIGHT, BUT AMY CHUA IS COMPLETELY SURE, THAT HER METHOD IS THE MOST SECURE WAY TO MAKE HER CHILDREN SUCCESS. AND THAT’S ALSO WHAT SHE IS ARGUING FOR IN THE ARTICLE. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE READ IN THE ARTICLE IS A LIST OF WHAT AMY’S CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO. HER CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THINGS LIKE: SLEEPOVERS, HAVING A PLAY DATE OR WATCHING TV AND PLAY VIDEO GAMES. IN THE WESTERN WORLD IT IS VERY NORMAL THAT KIDS PLAY VIDEO GAMES, SLEEPOVERS AND WATCH TELEVISION, BUT IN CHINA IT IS NOT THE KIDS WHO DECIDE WHAT TALENT THEY WANT TO CULTIVATE, BUT THE PARENTS. FOR AN EXAMPLE AMY TELLS IN THE TEXT THAT WHEN LULU WAS ABOUT 7 SHE COULD PLAY TO INSTRUMENTS WHICH WERE CHOSEN BY HER MOM. SHE COULD PLAY PIANO AND LULU WAS WORKING ON A SONG CALLED ‘THE LITTLE WHITE DONKEY’. IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG PLAYERS TO LEARN BECAUSE THE TWO HANDS HAVE TO KEEP SCHIZOPHRENICALLY DIFFERENT RHYTHMS. LULU COULD NOT DO IT, SO AMY WORKED ON IT NON-STOP FOR A WEEK, DRILLING EACH OF HER HANDS SEPARATELY, OVER AND OVER. BUT LULU COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO PLAY THE SONG. SO SHE GAVE UP AND TOLD HER MOTHER THAT SHE DID NOT WANT TO PLAY ANYMORE. BUT AMY FORCED HER TO PLAY. IT COMES IN THE TEXT â€Å"GET BACK TO THE PIANO NOW, I ORDERED† â€Å"YOU CAN’T MAKE ME. † â€Å"OH YES, I CAN† EVEN THOU LULU CANNOT PLAY THE SONG SHE IS FORCED. AND AFTER MY MEANING I THINK IT IS WRONG AND THAT A WESTERN PARENT WOULD NOT FORCED THEIR KIDS TO DO ANYTHING THEY DO NOT WANT TO WHICH AMY ALSO SAYS IN THE TEXT. AMY ALSO SAYS IN THE TEXT â€Å"EVEN WHEN WESTERN PARENTS THINK THEY’RE BEING STRICT, THEY USUALLY DON’T COME CLOSE TO BEING CHINESE MOTHERS. FOR EXAMPLE, MY WESTERNS FRIENDS WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES STRICT MAKE THEIR CHILDREN PRACTICE THEIR INSTRUMENTS 30 MINUTES EVERY DAY. AN HOUR AT MOST. FOR AN CHINESE MOTHER, THE FIRST HOUR IS THE EASY PART. IT’S HOURS TWO AND THREE THAT GET TOUGH. † IT IS LONG QUOTE BUT IT REALLY TELLS ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WESTERN AND CHINESE MOTHERS. AS AMY SAYS IN THE QUOTE EVEN WHEN WESTERN PARENTS ARE STRICT IT IS NOT CLOSE TO BE AS STRICT AS CHINESE MOTHERS. ANOTHER STATEMENT THAT AMY USES IS: â€Å"CHINESE PARENTS DEMAND PERFECT GRADES BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT THEIR CHILD CAN GET THEMâ€Å" AND LATER SHE ADDS: â€Å"CHINESE PARENTS CAN ORDER Taha Hussain, 3. u Engelsk a? evering Frederiksberg Gymansium THEIR KIDS TO GET STRAIGHT AS. â€Å" â€Å"WESTERN PARENTS CAN ONLY ASK THEIR KIDS TO TRY THEIR BEST†. I THINK THAT INDIRECTLY SHE IS SAYING THAT WESTERN PARENTS ARE WEAKER THAN CHINESE PARENTS. THEY DO NOT REALLY BELIEVE IN THEIR KIDS, LIKE CHINESE PARENTS DO. INSTEAD OF ALWAYS BEING CAREFUL AND LOVING, WESTERN PARENTS SHOULD USE PUNISHMENT AND MAKE THEIR CHILD FEEL ASHAMED INSTEAD OF BEING AFRAID OF THE CHILD’S MENTALITY. THEY SHOULD BE MORE LIKE AMY AND USE THE SAME METHODS AS HER. WESTERN PARENTS HAVE TO MORE STRICT. AMY TELLS IF A THEIR CHILDREN KIDS B, THERE WOULD FIRST BE A SCREAMING, HAIR-TEARING EXPLOSION, THEN THE CHINESE MOTHER WOULD GET DOZENS MAYBE HUNDREDS OF PRACTICE TEST AND WORK THROUGH THEM WITH HER CHILD FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO GET THE GRADE UP TO AN A. SO FROM THESE QUOTES WE CAN COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT CHINESE MOTHERS’ THINKS THAT TO MAKE THEIR CHILDREN ACHIEVE ANYTHING FURTHER IN LIFE, IT’S IMPORTANT TO PUSH THEM FROM THE BEGINNING AND HAVE SOME STRAIGHT AND STRICT RULES. AFTER READING THE ARTICLE I CAN CONCLUDE THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF RAISING YOUR CHILD, SOME BETTER THAN OTHERS, AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT WHICH METHOD IS THE BEST ONE. WHEN IT COMES TO SUCCESS, CHINESE PARENTS WILL ALMOST DO EVERYTHING TO REACH THEIR GOAL. THEY ONLY WISH THE BEST FOR THEIR CHILD, AND THEY ONLY WANT THEM TO HAVE THE BEST FUTURE, BUT THEY MIGHT FORGET THAT THEY ARE NOT DEALING WITH A ROBOT OR A THING THEY CAN BRAINWASH, BUT THEY ARE DEALING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS NO LESS WORTH THAN THE PARENTS, THEMSELVES. I THINK THAT EVERY KID NEED TO NEED SOME SPARE TIME WHERE CAN WATCH TELEVISION, PLAY VIDEOGAMES AND SLEEPOVER. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE KIDS HAVE DISCIPLINE, BUT AS I MENTIONED BEFORE THEY ARE NOT ROBOTS. THE KIDS ALSO HAVE SOME NEEDS, THEY WANT TO PLAY AND HAVE SOME FUN. AND AMY CHUA DOES NOT MENTION HOW THE CHINESE WAY OF PARENTING AFFECTS THE INDIVIDUALS; I DO NOT THINK THAT IT CAN BE POSITIVE, BECAUSE EVERY INDIVIDUAL NEEDS VALUES AS LOVE, FRIENDSHIP AND FREEDOM. SO I WOULD PREFER THE WESTERN PARENTS ABOVE THE CHINESE, BUT I THINK IT IS BECAUSE I LIVE IN DENMARK, IN CHINA IT IS NORMAL, AND THEY WOULD OF COURSE PREFER THEIR OWN METHODS. SO IN A WAY IT IS FAIR ENOUGH, THAT’S THEIR WAY TO LIVE THEIR OWN LIFE. AND AS WE CAN SEE THE CHINESE PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, SO MAYBE THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.

Changes in brand image of Toyota

Changes in brand image of Toyota Toyota is one of the top car brands from Japan. They have been one of the biggest automakers in the world. They have been producing automobile for the past 60 years. They have put their brand in the spotlight and they have achieved the consumers trust on their products and brand. Toyota has been profitable from their first creation. Their brand has been well known and used by consumers worldwide. Their quality of product has never disappointed their customers. Their brand image has been built on the safety and reliability of their cars. 2.0 Brakes Malfunction and Sticky Pedal Accelerators In the previous years, Toyota has encountered issues that are similar to year 2009 but in year 2009 they have to announce to their stakeholders that they are calling a major call back on their new hybrid cars Toyota Prius. It is a fully hybrid electric medium build car that has good qualities as it is environmental friendly but it has a big problem. The problems are that the car brakes failed to work the accelerator pedals got stuck. Toyotas taking a huge hit at the moment in terms of their brand image, Mr. Champion said. In January, the problems of sticky accelerator pedals reached almost to 4.5 million vehicles and in November, as many as 5.5 million vehicles with accelerator pedals that could become trapped by the floor mat were called back. Toyota Prius have started been sold in the year 2004 throughout year 2009. These model years are affected by these problems of brake malfunction and the sticky accelerator issue. Toyota has also made a mistake to their stakeholders by not responding to the issue soon enough before the news spreads out to the public. Their Board of Directors should have take action before more complaints are filed. 2.1 Employees The employees that are affected by this issue are the one responsible for assembling and installing the brakes to the vehicle. Their quality check department employees are to be blamed in this matter due to their careless checking. The repairing works begin as soon as the shipments of the parts reached the dealerships. Employees will take at least 25 minutes to completing each repair work. One of the service managers Dave Davis says that Its going to be chaotic, but were doing the best we can. If I have customers until 9 oclock at night, thats how late Ill stay open. This statement proves that employees have to work long hours to finish up the repair works. For the employees that are working in the assembly line, they are under pressured by having to come up with a more dependable fix as soon as possible because the longer they take to find a dependable fix, the longer the assembly line will be idle, the higher the cost of Toyota will be. When the assembly line is idle means that other processes are put on hold, there will be no new car sales probably until Toyota fixes the damaged they have caused to their own company. 2.2 Customers The customers are the people that affected the most due to this mishap. They are at risk of losing their lives when the breaks of their vehicle fail to function as they should. Toyota was aware of the complaints in Japan about the braking problems on their Prius. In the United States, the complaints on the Prius brakes are building up as well. An accident was reported in Japan, suspected to be linked to the brakes not functioning. According to the Japanese Transport Ministry, the accident injured two people as the Prius they were driving crashed into another car head on. (CBSNews Business) 2.4 Shareholders Their shareholders are affected by this issue because they have invested in Toyota for the project of the Prius. When this problem arises their stock prices will fall. Their dividends are automatically affected by this issue. Toyota stocks falls drastically in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, falling 5 percent to 3,230 yen ($35) after dropping 5.7 percent the previous day. When the U.S. call backs were announced in the media, 22 percent of their stocks are lost. 3.0 Importance of Dilemmas After this issue is out in the public, Toyota has admitted to the press that their hybrid car has problems. They have made a major call back of the vehicle globally. As many as 4.5 million units were called back. Toyota is making a decision what any other auto manufacturer would do in this kind of situation. They send out letters to the affected car owners that need to send their vehicle for the call backs. The Toyotas technicians are working hard and working long hours to deal with the high volume repair jobs that are occurring. If the Toyota does not realize how important this issue will affect their company, they will have to suspend the sales of the new car of the affected models that are still at their dealers lots and the new car production will also be temporarily stopped. They must know that this issue is big. 3.1 Employees The production plant in Alabama is shutting down for three months in order to cut the inventory levels but no full time workers were let go. Instead, the part time workers were let go and their overtime were cut. During the three months shut down, Toyota came up with a training, cost cutting and improvement plan for their employees. Jim Bolte the President of a plant in Alabama, United States says that When we made our initial announcement about our non-production time and told our team members that they would not lose their jobs, we could see that many of them maybe didnt believe usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. He also added Now they know that when we say things we really mean them. (Reuters) 3.2 Customers After the occurrence issue, Toyota provides free transportation for their customers in the United States to the dealers for repairs that involved in the call backs. They provide this free transportation to those who refuse to drive their call back vehicle to the dealership and also reimbursement for the Toyota owners. At the dealer, they provide a rental car or a pickup and return car at the dealership. They provide a fast service on the repair works and they also give reimbursement to their dealers for the cost of compliance. (Bloomberg Business Week) 3.3 Shareholders The Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda bowed and apologized to Toyotas shareholders for causing the biggest global call backs of their vehicles. It was the first time the president of Toyota faces the shareholders since the companys reputation was damaged due to the call backs issue. He says that the company is doing their best to improve their quality control and he is thankful to the shareholders for their support. He adds We believe our most important task is to regain customers trust. (Autos on msnbc.com) 3.4 Theory Toyota should know look into the utilitarianism theory. This theory has been used since the eighteenth and nineteenth century philosophy but the idea of this theory is still applicable in the twenty-first century. This theory explains that we should make a decision by considering the consequences of our actions. It means that we should act in ways that produce better out come than the alternative we are considering. In principle it is also known as maximizing the overall good or the greatest good for the greatest number (Hartman P. L. and DesJardins J. 2008). A decision that fulfils all these terms is the right decision to be made ethically. Therefore, Toyota has to figure out what is the best thing to do for the sake of their stakeholders. Thus, by making the right decision they are able to regain their stakeholders trust towards their company. Toyota can use this theory not just to make decision for their current issues but also they can refer it if there is any issue occurred in t he future because it balanced the good over bad for those who are affected (Shaw H. W. and Barry V. 1998). 4.0 Our Principe Toyota believe that theres no best only better. They will keep on getting better for the future. That is why they put their brand message Moving Forward. This message proves how passionate they are for innovation and discovering new ideas and technology. They know that no matter how successful they may get, there will always be new challenges that awaits them in the future. They are focused on the future of the company and their brand. They will not stop pursuing for excellence as they are dedicated to Kaizen which means continuous improvement. By implementing this in their hearts, they are able to give what their customer values the most out of them which are their quality, durability and reliability of the vehicle that they have produced. Even though, currently Toyota is facing some issues on their quality and reliability, they still hold strong on what they believe in which is Kaizen. They are trying their best to regain what they have almost lost from their stakeholders. (Toyota Corporate info) 5.0 Recommendation

How does John Steinbeck use animals in ‘Of Mice And Men’? Essay

For the duration of Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck makes references to animals and animal behaviour in portraying the characteristics of the characters. Not only does he do this, but also uses actual animals as a medium in which to show emotions and symbolisms. It is this theme which I plan to explore in this short essay. In the title of the book, Steinbeck chose to mention mice, taken from part of a poem by Robbie Burns, who wrote: ‘The best laid plans of mice and men Gang aft aglee and leave us naught But grief and pain for promised joy’. This is quite apt considering what happens in the book and it could be said that the book revolves around the poem. Steinbeck lets the reader know that the story will contain animal references from the beginning of the book. On the first page, rabbits are mentioned coming â€Å"out of the brush to sit on the sand in the evening.† Later in the chapter, Lennie says to George, â€Å"I remember about the rabbits, George†, to which George responds, â€Å"The hell with the rabbits. That’s all you ever can remember is them rabbits.† It is strange that rabbits are mentioned both in nature and in converse dialogue in the same section. However, it is not so much the rabbits that Lennie is looking forward to, but the dream of something better, his ideal world. George takes it upon himself to ground Lennie, bringing him back to reality. Their relationship is complex and we only get glimpses of their history together. This technique is used by the author so that the reader can come up with their own interpretations. Lennie is described further on â€Å"dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws†, creating imagery that Lennie is like a bear. When the majority of people hear the word ‘bear’, they immediately think ‘vicious’, ‘ferocious’, or even ‘wild’. Steinbeck makes it clear that Lennie is none of these things but is in fact a gentle giant who is unaware of the impression he makes upon others. The imagery of a bear is contradicted later on when Lennie is again described to have animal characteristics, those of a terrier. When he is slowly coming towards George, he approaches, draws back, and approaches again. When the pair arrive at the ranch, a whole batch of characters are introduced, including Candy and his dog. This is not the only dog on the ranch, as Slim also owns one, one which is pregnant. Candy’s dog symbolises old age and the past while Slim’s represents life and things to come. When Candy is bullied into having his dog shot due to it’s annoyance of others on the farm, it is the separation of a connection to the past, a tie that has been severed. Around the same time, Slim’s dog gives birth and puppies are introduced into the world. The killing of Candy’s dog is a determined action to begin to erase the old and to celebrate for the future. It could be said that this is reflected in the American Dream that happened during the Great Depression. The characters in Of Mice And Men are all working towards a goal or aspiration. George and Lennie realize this when they arrive at the ranch and they see that what they have now is a fresh start. A chance to clear their past and work towards the future. The theme of life being reflected in nature is not uncommon for the rest of the book, and John Steinbeck makes several other references to death and how life continues to move on despite it, as though death is an integral part of life, how it is unavoidable and should be honoured, not mourned. This theme plays an important role in the scene where Curley’s Wife meets Lennie in the barn. Before she even enters, George has already killed one of Slim’s puppies by stroking it too hard. This is reinforcing the image of him being bear-like, how he doesn’t know his own strength. When the naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve character of Curley’s Wife begins to ‘flirt’ with him, he says that he likes to stroke soft things and so begins stroking her hair. When she begins to struggle, Lennie gets scared and doesn’t realize that he breaks her neck. In the book, it says that her â€Å"body flopped like a fish†. The reader is now left with the image of a bear with a flailing fish in it’s paws, not in a malignant way, but in one that is trying to calm it down. When Lennie rushes off to the brush where George told him to hide if anything goes wrong at the start of the book, he is met by two apparitions, one of his aunt Clara, and one of a giant rabbit. The rabbit is a connection to the dream that Lennie held at the start. Steinbeck is trying to convey to the reader that the dream that these people in the Great Depression held was too unrealistic, how a series of unfortunate events leads to the compete destruction of the dream.

A Funeral Eulogy for a Roman Wife

The primary source is a funeral eulogy written in the 1st century B.C. by the husband of a woman who had just passed away. The eulogy is intended to praise the character and actions of the wife in front of those that had gathered at her funeral, who would most likely be people belonging to the same upper class of Roman society. The eulogy both reveals the type of person Turia was when she was alive and provides insight into the standard behavior expected of women by men, particularly among men and women that were wealthy. Perhaps there existed different expectations of poor women since they did not perform the same duties. Though, there are certainly some basic standards that all women were held to as revealed by the primary source. While Turia's qualities certainly match those possessed by other women of that time, some of her actions break from tradition entirely. Since the eulogy is written by the husband, someone who would have been one of the closest people to Turia, the document can certainly be believed, to an extent. There may have been some slight exaggerations seeing as how the woman had just passed away and the purpose of the eulogy was to highlight her admirable qualities. Turia, the Roman wife, is described as possessing the virtues of â€Å"loyalty, obedience†¦reasonableness†¦religion without superstition†¦[and] modesty of appearance† (LT 30). The virtue â€Å"religion without superstition† in particular may perhaps be praising her knowledge and understanding since she is able to differentiate between what is real and what is not. These virtues she possessed are a testament to her great character, however they are not unlike the virtues held by other women at the time. The husband states she shares many other similar commendable qualities â€Å"with all married women who care for their good name† (LT 34), thus implying that she is like any other wealthy Roman wife who cares a great deal about maintaining a good reputation and standing in society. The husband twice states that Turia's sister is just as worthy of praise as she is and that they are â€Å"equal† (LT 43), which further emphasizes the point that the traits Turia possessed were not unique, but rather the standard among elite women. The husband does, however, state that she is different in that she has faced difficult and rare circumstances that have allowed her to showcase her praiseworthy qualities. Such circumstances include having to fight against those who claimed her father's will was invalid. Turia had a â€Å"firm resolution† that aided her in ultimately resolving the issue in a way that favored her and thus allowing her to fulfill â€Å"[her] duty to [her] father, [her] devotion to [her] sister, and [her] faithfulness† towards her husband (LT 25-26). I believe this to be her most commendable quality. Clearly, the woman cared a great deal about family. Turia did not leave her parents' murder â€Å"unavenged† and was determined to carry out her father's last wishes by upholding his will (LT 5). She cared for her mother-in-law just as she would her own parents and also secured good marriages for her female relations through dowries in what her husband called â€Å"a spirit of generous family affection† (LT 42). Turia's devotion to family can be further shown by her distress at not being able to give birth. She was even willing for her husband to marry another so that he could have a child. She was entirely selfless and dutiful all throughout her life and it is clearly shown by her actions. The information revealed through the eulogy about Turia both coincides and differs from traditional views. Turia was devoted to protecting her family in any way she could, which concurs with the view of women being caretakers. However, Turia's way of taking care of her family breaks with the norm in that she did not simply stay at home and act after the damage had been done. For example, when a man named Milo and his troops attempted to seize the home of Turia and her husband, she â€Å"beat them back successfully† (LT 11a). The fact that Turia was entirely willing to divorce her husband so that he could have an heir coincides with the traditional idea of marriage being for sole purpose of lineage. However, both Turia and her husband break tradition by choosing to stay together despite the fact that they had no children. Their marriage, as stated by the husband, is also rare in that it lasted for 40 years and only ended because of death, not divorce (LT 27). Turia had a great character and that is undoubtedly shown by the deeds she performed and by the great amount of praise that her husband has towards her. She is both a leading example of an elite Roman woman and an exception to the norms of that time.

How to Write a Cause Effect Essay on “Living Downstream” by Sandra Steingraber

How to Write a Cause Effect Essay on â€Å"Living Downstream† by Sandra Steingraber Cause and effect essays are typically written from one perspective or the other, meaning you would write about a cause or an effect. The reason you are not often asked to write about both is that your space may be limited, and the topic may be broad. However, there are some cases where a teacher might grant you permission to write about both, or it is fitting to your topic to cover both in one essay. Organization If you are writing about both, the obvious organizational choice is to cover the causes of your topic in the first half of your paper, followed by the effects of your topic in the second (for the suitable topic check out our list of ideas on â€Å"Living Downstream†). For example: if you want to focus on how leather factories in Bangladesh have influenced cancer rates of those who drink the runoff water down river, then the topic might be â€Å"increased cancer rates† for a specific cancer of your choosing. The causes would be presented as the chemicals used in the leather refining process which are dumped into the river which are then consumed by the local villages down the river. The effects would be the increased cancer ratios and other sicknesses newly introduced into the village. Of course, using the example above you can also focus on just one or the other: you can focus on high rates of cancer in the villages, or you can focus on the harmful chemicals poured into local water sources. In any case, when you set out to cover your topic, you want to make sure you do the following: Review the instructions before starting anything else. It is here that students often make critical errors. The instructions your teacher provides will likely tell you whether you are to write about causes, effects, or both. If your teacher instructs you to write about causes and you forget to review the instructions carefully and instead write about effects, no matter how well written your essay is your grade will likely suffer. You can avoid this by reviewing the instructions and highlighting keywords contained therein. As you review your instructions, look out too for information regarding the page length, spacing, and format. You don’t want to mistakenly write a 5 page double spaced paper if your teacher asked for single spaced, or to use MLA references when you were required to use APA. Take note of how many sources are required of you as well. Once you have reviewed your requirements, pick your topic. If possible, tie your topic back to something that is of interest to you. If your class reviewed a book on health impacts of manufacturing plants, you can look for a specific area that is of interest to you such as cancer, clothing manufacturing, or a part of the world. Many production companies work around the world and if you, for example, are particular interested in Africa or India, pick that as your focal point. Conduct research. Take notes including relevant bibliographic information for the most important facts, data, or quotes you want to include in support of your work (for more information you can use the facts on â€Å"Living Downstream† by S. Steingraber that will help to make your essay complete). These are the main points of cause and effect essay writing and you should always remember them while diving into the process of performing an academic assignment.

20 Controversial Essay Topics Hot Issues on Human Rights as a Form of Imperialism

20 Controversial Essay Topics Hot Issues on Human Rights as a Form of Imperialism If you are looking for a potential topic for your controversial essay on Human Rights as a Form of Imperialism, then look no further. Below are some sample essay topics that might be suitable for your next writing assignment. Remember that these are only meant to guide you and in some cases they may not be the most suitable selections depending on the guidelines of your assignment: Natural Law and Human Rights Violations Which Governments Use Human Rights as a Form of Imperialism How China Restricts Modern Internet Access to Control Tibet French Imperialistic Traces in Former Colonial Governments How North Korea Uses Limited Teaching, Talking About Threats to the Government, Helping Foreigners and Possessing Books Deemed Wrong as Imperialist Control Methods Portuguese Imperialistic Traces in Former Colonial Governments Governments Surveying Nations and Peoples They Deem as Threat: Human Rights as a Form of Imperialism Comprehensive Surveillance Used as Imperialistic Human Rights Control Measures Dutch Imperialistic Traces in Former Colonial Human Rights as a Form of Imperialism The Use of Continual Communications Monitoring in Businesses as Imperialistic Human Rights Control Measures Corporate Contributions to Western Politicians as Imperialistic Human Rights Control Measures British Imperialistic Traces in Former Colonial States: Human Rights as a Form of Imperialism Companies Using Advertisements to Control News as Imperialistic Human Rights Control Measures Asian Communities and Regimes Using Imperialistic Human Rights as Control Measures Japanese Imperialistic Traces in Former Colonial Governments Prominent Displays of Imperialistic Human Rights Control Measures in Modern Countries Complete International Media Control as Imperialistic Human Rights Control Measure Limited Information Availability as Imperialistic Human Rights Control Measure Belgian Imperialistic Traces in Former Colonial Governments Prevalence of Communication Monitoring as an Imperialistic Human Rights Control Measure These topics are specially designed for you to use together with   our 10 facts on human rights as a form of imperialism with a complete guide on this rare kind of academic work. Below is a sample essay on one of those topics to help give you a better idea of what your controversial essay should really be focused on: Sample Controversial Essay on Natural Law and Human Rights Violations Natural law is a theory of ethics, a theory of politics, religious morality, and civil law. The theory of natural law in terms of ethics can be applied to law, religion, and politics. In essence, natural law is determined by the universe, or human nature. It is most often referred to as the rules which guide moral behavior. Positive law is considered man made while natural law is that which is determined by nature. As such, natural law is a major component of critiquing positive law. Positive cannot be created or known without the foundation of natural law. As such, natural law can be used to determine legal statutes under natural rights or natural justice. Natural law states that certain rights are universally recognized by human nature. English common law, for example, has been greatly affected by natural law thanks to philosophers of the time including Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Natural law plays a large role within natural rights and is a major component of the Declaration of Independence as well as the United States Constitution. Aristotle emphasizes the difference between nature and law. Law can vary in its command from place to place while nature remains the same in all places. As such, the law of nature was posed as a form of natural justice. Aristotle was said to be the father of natural law (Shellens, 1959, p. 77). Aristotle posits that natural justice is a subsidiary of political justice which should be established within a political community. Socrates argued that law is merely a matter of contract which binds those states men to their duty and to justice. Machiavelli argued that virtu’, even whilst occupying the role of a statesman, is circumstantial; that the best or just action might be considered unjust but is still serving the best interests. Machiavelli was a Western philosopher who was influenced by Greek philosophers such as Plato. Nonetheless, Machiavelli often argues against the philosophy of Plato. Plato believed in rulers who would rule based in moral virtue, which is defined by natural law or rather, guided by natural law. Machiavelli, conversely, believes in what he deemed â€Å"virtu† and suggested that what should be done is whatever was in the best interest of this, natural law aside. Plato speaks of the orderly universe in which we live. In The Republic, Plato suggested that ethics and politics overlapped in terms of their essential features and were, more or less, the same. He did not distinguish between public life and private life, as we do today. No private life was ever kept from the public during his time. During the time of Machiavelli, the reason for the state was to serve the people, not for the people to serve the state. Machiavelli believed that a ruler’s only purpose was making war and protecting citizens from other states’ attacks. This would mean only protecting the natural rights of the citizens of the country, even if it came at the cost of violating the natural rights of other citizens from another country. As such, a ruler was justified in acting in whatever fashion was necessary to maintain the country, even if said act was unjust. Plato argued that a ruler could never be unjust and could never violate natural law. Plato is against the ruler who rules based only on might, as seen in The Republic, and supportive of the idea of natural law or natural human rights. Socrates remained bound by an interest in ethics and natural law. He stated that knowledge gained by an individual is what makes for a good life. Knowledge is strongly identified as virtue. Thereby, if a person can obtain knowledge he or she can also obtain virtue and as such, one can teach virtue, particularly one who is in a position of authority as a leader. Knowledge of natural law would lead to an understanding that certain rights and justices are as natural as human nature and the universe and a continued education in such theory would show leaders and individuals involved in government that these were to remain as such. This creates a foundation for any political and economic system. Since the notion of private and public life being separate entities was not a popular one, Socrates stated that a person must seek knowledge prior t o seeking private interests because knowledge served as the only path to making decisions concurrent with natural law. References: Al-Jubouri, Firas A. J.  Milestones On The Road To Dystopia. Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2014. Print. Bergman, Edward F, and William H Renwick.  Introduction To Geography. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1999. Print. Cortina Orts, Adela.  Covenant And Contract. LLeuven, Belgium: Peeters, 2003. Print. Larkin, Emma.  Finding George Orwell In Burma. New York: Penguin Press, 2005. Print. Larkin, Emma.  Secret Histories. London: John Murray, 2004. Print. Saccarelli, Emanuele, and Latha Varadarajan.  Imperialism Past And Present. Print. Spring, Joel H.  The American School : A Global Context. Print. Zhu, Qian et al.  The Politics Of Everyday Life: Non-Party Leftists In Republican China, 1919-1937. 2011. Print.

Business Strategy of Associated British Foods Assignment

Business Strategy of Associated British Foods - Assignment Example In relation to the study the company which has been selected is Associated British Foods, an international public limited company that has its headquarters in London. The company was established in 1935 and is the leading British supermarket chain as far as production of sugar and baker’s yeast is concerned. The company has five strategic business units: Sugar, Agriculture, Retail, Grocery and Ingredients. The grocery division stocks both branded and own label products. Brands that fall under its grocery division include Mazola, Ovaltine, Ryvita, Jordans and Twinings, Silver Spoon, Tip Top and Kingsmill. The company’s retail division (called Primark in UK and Penneys in Ireland) has a global presence with over 215 stores covering a total area of 6.9 million square feet. The retail division’s outlets are located in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the UK. In 1963, the company acquired the British supermarket giant, Fine Fare which it sold later in 1986 in order to acquire British sugar. As of 2009, British Sugar fulfills the sugar requirements of more than half of UK. Finally, in 2007 ABF acquired an Indian food business. The company provides employment to more than 97,000 people and operates in more than 44 countries. UK contributes to around half of the company’s sales and profits. ABF has been rigorously diversifying into other markets than Sugar since early 2000s which is a crucial aspect of its strategy. ABF acquired ‘Twinings’ in 1964 to broaden the range of national and international marketing resources available. (Whittington, R. and Mayer, M., 2002). To date Twinings has been an asset in the company’s portfolio as it enjoys strong brand loyalty and has had a pull effect which has increased sales of other brands within ABF’s portfolio (Whittington, R. and Mayer, M., 2002).ABF further diversified into the food business with the intention of providing one-stop convenience shopping to customers; the company had realized that customer buying habits and trends were changing (Whittington, R. and Mayer, M., 2002). One of the most important reasons however was the instability of earnings from sugar sector due to its seasonal nature, coupled with the anticipated EU reform (Bertin, O., 2002). Another crucial aspect of ABF’s strategy has been its diversification and growth strategy. The company has, over the years, expanded to sectors beyond sugar which is a conscious and well-thought out strategy based on strong reasoning. Firstly, the highly debated EU sugar reform intended to cut surplus in sugar beet production by slashing prices by an exorbitant 43% which would adversely affect the company’s earnings (Bertin, O., 2002). Secondly, sales from the sugar business were subject to seasonal fluctuations which had to be recovered from non-seasonal businesses so the diversification to other lines such as retail, ingredient and grocery was well just ified for ABF. (Bertin, O., 2002).Thirdly, world markets had become very unstable especially in the years following 2000 because of which its sugar line was capable of being harshly affected (Cherney and Elena, 2001). Furthermore, its sugar industry was highly dependent on the local UK economy for raw materials and output which made it undesirable for the company due to the country’s history of slow recovery from economic recessions so its diversification was justified. (Cherney and Elena, 2001). Therefore, it is evident from the reasons mentioned above that the company was formally employed in the sugar industry; however, it spread its operations to other unrelated sectors such as grocery, retail and ingredients (Austen and Ian, 2007). A key aspect of ABF’s diversification strategy has been its geographic diversification. In 2006, it got hold of Illovo; a South Africa based company which it has used as a means of penetrating deeper into the South African sugar market and could

Case study - Franchising Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

- Franchising - Case Study Example The description will seek to apprehend four business ventures that John indulged in, and how they were substantial in building his career. The discussion will provide the merits and demerits of each particular venture; as well as, providing substantive recommendation that John could have opted at each business venture. Background One: Radiator Repair Based on the information presented in this extract, it is good to acknowledge that the radiator business has significant impact on John life. Firstly, John through the business got accustomed to running a service business. On this account, it is good to understand that the radiator business has significant challenges. The knowledge that the business has multi-customers with diverse needs hardens John, equipping him with the ability to handle different customer needs differently. Again, the knowledge that John conducted a family business has significant impact on how he could handle future business. Primarily, family businesses are challe nged by a plethora of factors, the concept of trust and authenticity often dominates different segments of the business. John was hardened to understand the essentiality having a manly figure in the business. This will later be reflected in his future business indulgence alongside different companies. However, there are categorical limitations of this business venture. Firstly, the consideration that radiator repair is a technical job which in any case have limited compensation is not a great idea for an employee. Again, his step-father never encouraged John to take over the franchise and in this case, John was relegated to the concept of a mere employee. In fact, the decision to leave the franchise is whole bestowed on the knowledge that his salary at the radiator business was not sufficient enough to manage his life. John had a family along the way and the radiator venture was not a substantive investment opportunity. In my opinion, John Leaving the radiator repair business owned by his father was a resounding move since it would enable him to look into a broader concept in learning new challenges of building a business from scratch. Background Two: Automotive paint touch-up A prominent character in John is his will to learn new things and his optimism. The idea to enter the automotive paint touch-up business was a bold step considered between John and Joan. The family reallocation to Colorado to build up the franchise was a realistic concept. According to the extract John and Joan did build the business for several years. The advantages of this business are the reallocation and consequently, building the business from scratch in an area which John and Joan lacked market. This was a logical step since it hardened John business concept making John understand the ideal reality of operating a business in a foreign environment. However, this strategy attracts criticism in some sense. Firstly, the knowledge that John and Joan left a prevailing market, in this cas e, John has start-up customers in the automotive industry is a dominion factor of consideration. John and Joan could have done successfully better if they continued with this alternative in Texas. Again, the consideration that this business was a blue-collar type of technical investment was not advisable venture considering John had deep dreams in