Foreign Trade In 90s Essays - International Trade,

Foreign Trade In 90s The advances of the technological revolution have molded the evolution of the United States' foreign trade in the 1990's and into the new millennium. Globalization has become the credo for the Clinton administration, and the booming American economy has done nothing but strongly bolster this approach. Globalization's foothold in American policy really began in the much-debated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was finally passed in 1994. NAFTA specifically said one of its goals was to "contribute to the harmonious development and expansion of world trade and provide a catalyst to broader international cooperation". However at the time that was hardly the case. But harmonious was the last word used to describe the conflict that followed, with labor unions fiercely opposed to losing American jobs to a borderless North American economy and right wing Republicans equally opposed to the anti-isolationism this bill offered. The Democratic Clinton administration had to buck its own Democratic stronghold in Labor, to support this agreement. However, it would be one of the chief foreign trade accomplishments of the last decade. It's undoubtedly boosted the economy. Allowing expansion of trade, and decrease of trading and labor costs have made production invariably more profitable. Following the arguable success of the NAFTA the Clinton administration has continued an increase globalization of trade. Somewhat post facto adopting globalization as the chief tool for expanding Democratic ideals and American values worldwide, normalized trade relations have been sought throughout Asia and Africa as well. China specifically has been a focus of the administration's efforts. Blatantly ignoring pernicious Chinese human rights abuses in both Tibet and at home, as well as legitimate threats to national security, when American companies were permitted to sell advanced missile and satellite technology to China, the last decade has grown to become expansion of trade with China at all costs. Yearly Congress debates offering China Most Favored Nation trading status. And yearly Congress, with the strong support from Clinton, has passed it. In very recent years, the Clinton administration has attempted to include China into the World Trade Organization. The World Trade Organization is a recently created body, which serves as an economic parallel to NATO. It is the prime example of the multinational efforts to globalize trade by forming mutualistic alliances that make it easier for members to trade between themselves. The hope is, that eventually, all nations who meet minimum standards will be able to join the W.T.O., and at that time we truly will have a globalized economy. A recently passed bill also extended the global trading hand to Africa. We now allow African nations to trade with us without tariffs, in the hope that increased trade will boost Africa out of its desperate poverty. Africa has long been the last frontier in the globalized trade quest. So to give Africa, a continent rife with war, famine, AIDs, corruption and poverty a door into the global economy was truly a milestone. Obviously, working standards and conditions in Africa cannot keep pace with more developed nations, however giving them the opportunity to compete in the same field as Western nations gives them the decided advantage that this continent so desperately needs. Of course globalization has had its detractors. Chief of which concern human & labor rights and environmental abuses in the countries in which America has expanded its trade. Many complain that giving access to products made by abused workers or by companies that pollute the environment only propagate these terrible international problems. For instance NAFTA specifically stated that expanding free trade throughout North America was only applicable to companies that met acceptable working standards. However, defining "acceptable" is tougher job then just writing it in some legislation. Presently, one American employee for a steering-wheel plant makes approximately $10.46 per hour, compared to his Mexican counterpart, who makes about $0.75 per hour. Working conditions, health and safety standards are also drastically below American standards. And, as labor unions portended approximately 400,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost in the United States, and have been subsequently gained in Mexico. So far, companies like Thompson Consumer Electronics, Jay Garment, Magne Tek, Uniroyal, Goodrich and Breed Technologies have moved at least 107 plants in Indiana alone to Mexican plants. So if we know that labor and environmental rights are being abused in Mexico, is it still in our best interest to expand trade to them? The questions surrounding MFN for China or inclusion into the W.T.O. are even more confusing. Because in Mexico, where the results are quite debatable, and while standards might be below our par, we may

Google and Yahoo †Detailed Business Comparison

Google and Yahoo – Detailed Business Comparison During the drastic change in the United States economy, Google began to nose ahead of its prime competitor Yahoo. In 2007, Yahoo changed it processes, from its strategy to its mission statement. Historically Yahoo was the grandfather of search engines until 1998, when Google stepped in with simplistic focus and changed the path for technology.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Google and Yahoo – Detailed Business Comparison specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although Google and Yahoo have the same audience, it can be argued that they have taken completely different directions in the last 5 years. This paper will detail the current mission, vision, social responsibility and strategic planning of both companies. It will also compare the direction of the companies and indicate the suggested need of improvement. Lastly, the paper will conduct a SWOT analysis for Yahoo! Yahoo! Yahoo!’s mission is to be the most essential global internet services company for consumers and businesses. The mission statement clearly defines the goals and objectives of the company. According to the company’s investor relations website, its vision resonates around being the premier digital media company which is focused on creating deeply personal digital experiences that keep its customers and users connected to what matters most to them, across systems and around the world (Yahoo Investor Relations, 2011). The company’s vision is customer-centered, concerned with delivering the digital experiences the customer way. This statement has been changed multiple times, since the company entered business in 1994. As technology continuously evolves, Yahoo! continues to rethink and reformulate its strategies, as well as update its objectives and strategic decisions. In recent times, the company has announced the laying off of over 2000 employees with the aim to restructure its business into 3 core com ponents. Yahoo! recently announced a new business direction with the view to intensify its effort in its core businesses and redeploy critical resources to its most urgent priorities in line with current competition trends. The ultimate goal of this alignment was prioritize the needs of users and customers (Carlson, 2012). In this regard, Yahoo has attempted to join social media services and the company is working hard to maintain its presence in online advertising business (Deka Lahkar, 2010). To compete favorably with Google and other competitors, however, Yahoo! not only need to focus on tightening up its products and services but also to move forward with speed and lay much focus on the customer as the centre of its empire and revenue stream (Hof, 2008).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Social Responsibility is a great focus of Yahoo. In December 2010, Yah oo! started their campaign of â€Å"How Good Grows† to encourage people to do random acts of kindness and pass them on in attempts aimed at causing a ripple effect of good deeds. The campaign was truly a way to keep the company’s idea of spreading good actions, and about their first priority of keeping customers first as a way to create positive placement. Currently Yahoo! is fighting to keep afloat due to stiff competition from competitors such as Google and MSN (Hof, 2008). Historically the organization has made choices that have triggered its fall relative to other companies such as Google. The decision to place a new CEO with the company is largely seen as a new dawn for Yahoo. The new CEO aims to focus on what Yahoo has always been good – media – with the underlying focus to assist the company reposition itself in technology (Deka Lahkar, 2010). Having the advantage of being the first internet search media and being the originator of ideas will stra tegically place Yahoo back into perspective in terms of facing and weathering stiff competition. Google Google’s mission statement revolves around organizing global information and making it universally available and valuable to all. Not only is this a simplistic mission statement but it is also in complete alignment with the strategic initiatives of the organization. Google, founded in 1998, began and continues with an unsophisticated focus. The company highlights 10 guiding principles to success, which include: Focusing on the user and all else will follow Its the best to do one thing really, really well Fast is better than slow Democracy on the web works You dont need to be at your desk to need an answer You can make money without doing evil Theres always more information out there The need for information crosses all borders You can be serious without a suit, and Great just isnt good enough (Google Company, n.d.). Google has a vision of not only keeping their customers happy, but also their employees. The company’s desired to succeed assist it to focus on the strategic direction of the company as well as what its core company values have been since entering business. The company has indeed made each office comfortable for employees, from creating creative workspace to flexibility. Google also has created a strong representation for them socially. On the social responsibility front, Google is actively involved in assisting populations across the world access renewable energy, environmental conservation and crisis response (Richardson, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Google and Yahoo – Detailed Business Comparison specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although challenging, Google continues to strike the right chords in as far as maintaining the lead in technology is concerned. Google also strives to overcome the challenge of maintaining the lead in innovation an d creativity by continuously creating new tools and applications for their customers and users. The company focuses on one product or application at a time, perfects it and then move on to create the next. For instance, Google recently launched the Google Project Glass to demonstrate their innovative approach in pushing technology to the next frontier. (LaMonica, 2012) SWOT Analysis for Yahoo! The SWOT analysis is a fundamentally important component of strategic business planning and should always be implemented in concurrence with the preliminary creation of an organization’s business plan, mission and vision statement (Coman Ronen, 2009). This section evaluates the SWOT analysis for Yahoo! Strenghts: Yahoo! is arguably one of the strongest brands in internet advertising business. Online advertising business is tremendously profitable, implying that the company has a steady flow of income to keep its vital operations running and to maximize shareholders’ value (Deka Lahkar, 2010). The shareholder value is also maximized by the fact that Yahoo! has a huge customer base of over 350 million users spread across the globe (Hof, 2008). The company has not only managed to maintain an international business presence but has being at the forefront in designing personalized applications such as the Yahoo! Directory and My Yahoo! These applications have enabled the company to remain competitive as they provide customers with the latest information on the specific items of interest (Manber et al, 2000). Weaknesses: Yahoo! has been slow to react to competitive threats from other search engines, predominantly Google and MSN. Second, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Yahoo! to differentiate its products and services due to stiff competition. For instance, its search facilities are readily available on Google and MSN, and its news programming can be streamed free from CNN or BBC (Manber et al, 2000). Lastly, it can be argued that the future is uncerta in for online advertising business as it is a new form of business with no agreeable performance benchmarks (Deka Lahkar, 2010).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Opportunities: Yahoo’s biggest opportunity lies in penetrating the international market to boost revenues and increase shareholder value. Google, Yahoo’s main competitor, is busy carving markets and taking over businesses globally to solidify and maintain its competitive advantage. Yahoo! has a real opportunity to penetrate highly populated countries such as China and India and maintain a solid presence there as these countries offer tremendous growth potential (Deka Lahkar, 2010). The development of the Yahoo! Directory and other applications also provide the company with a window of opportunity for new business and income streams as organizations increasingly realize the need to advertise online (Hof, 2008). Threats: Stiff competition from other service providers such as Google still remains the main threat for Yahoo. Owing to the stiff competition, the company has not only suffered from declining online advertising revenues but has failed to make a break through in popular social networking services (Deka Lahkar, 2010). Cultural specific variations could also affect Yahoo! in the future as developers and users from other nations become increasingly disjointed with USA based companies. Indeed, some countries such as China and India have developed their own search engines (Manber et al, 2000; Hof, 2008). Reference List Carlson, N. (2012). Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson lays out his guiding principles for the turnaround. Retrieved from http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-01-24/tech/30658271_1_alibaba-carol-bartz-yahoo-layoffs Deka, S.K., Lahkar, N. (2010). Performance evaluation and comparison of the five most used search engines in retrieving web resources. Online Information Review, 34(5), 757-771. Google Company. (n.d.). Ten things we know to be true. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/about/company/philosophy/ Hof, R.D. (2008). Back to the future at Yahoo. Strategic Decision, 24(1), 24-32. LaMonica, M (2012). Google’s Project Glas s: You aint seen nothing yet. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57410443-76/googles-project-glass-you-aint-seen-nothin-yet/ Manber, U., Patel, A., Robinson, J. (2000). Experience with personalization on Yahoo! Communications of the ACM, 43(8), 35-39. Richardson, J. (2011). Google: The renewable energy giant. Retrieved from organicsoul.com/google-the-renewable-energy-giant/ Yahoo Investor Relations. (2011). Investor FAQs. Retrieved from http://investor.yahoo.net/faq.cfm

The Market for Borrowing Corporate Bonds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Market for Borrowing Corporate Bonds - Essay Example An efficient corporate bond market will lead to the efficient allocation of investment funds. An efficient market will also lead to investments in riskier assets. The types of securities which can be issued in the corporate bond market are debentures, unsecured notes and subordinated debt. One of the major reasons for developing a corporate bond markets is that the bond market provide an alternative solution or source for operational funds for the private sector other than borrowing from the equity markets and banks. This helps in improving the financial stability and allocation of credit. Companies running successfully can decide to expand their activities and commence new projects. To raise capital the company can decide on raising the funds from the corporate bond market as it can be beneficial for the company in the long run. The following sections give a detail understanding of corporate bonds. These sections describe the types of securities that can be issued in the corporate bond market, the types of companies that can issue it, the benefits of issuing bonds over other sources of finance, the providers of debt and their requirements. This information will certainly help the Board of Directors to reach a decision regarding the use of corporate bonds for raising capital to finance the new project. Types of securities that can be issued in the corporate bond market A company can issue three types of securities in the corporate bond market. These three types are explained below. 1. Debentures A debenture is secured by a fixed or floating charge over the issuing company’s unpledged assets. There are two types of debentures: fixed charge and floating charge. Both the types are explained below. a. Fixed Charge debenture: A fixed charge is placed over the permanent assets of the company such as fixed as sets. These assets cannot be sold until the bondholder has been repaid in the event of default. These bondholders have the first claim on the assets of the company. b. Floating charge debenture: A floating charge is issued over those assets which the company will sell in the normal course of the business to generate income such as finished good. These assets can be sold so the company issues a floating charge over these assets. Once the company defaults the floating charge becomes fixed charge. The bondholders will then take possession of the assets. Once the claims of the fixed charge bondholders have been satisfied, these bondholders can claim on the remaining assets. For example, if all the fixed assets have been used to pay off the fixed charge debenture holders, then the assets that the company sells to generate income will be used to pay off the floating charge debenture holders. 2. Unsecured Notes It is a corporate bond with no form of underlying security attached. These bond holders have no claim over the assets until the claims of the fixed-and floating charge bondholders have been satisfied. For example if a company defaults, the fixed charge debenture holders will be paid first, then the floating charge will be paid and finally the unsecured notes holders will be paid. 3. Subordinated Debt Subordinated debt is a long-term debt issue that ranks behind all other creditors. The subordinated debt also pays a specific interest stream. In the event of a default, the holders of subordinated debt receive nothing until the claims of all other creditors are satisfied. The debt issue may also include an agreement which states that the debt will not be presented for

Fiscal and Monetary Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fiscal and Monetary Policy - Essay Example From the study it is clear that  in the United States, moreover, the existing mandate to the Federal Reserve Board emanating from Congress is for the former to promulgate fiscal policy decisions that will push employment numbers to the maximum as well as achieve stability in prices of goods and services.As the paper highlights  separate from this general two-component mandate, however, the US Central Bank has autonomy with regard to the operational aspects of achieving those mandates, and that means that the US Federal Reserve Board has the independence to chart monetary policy without intervention from the US Congress. In contrast, when one talks about fiscal policy, one talks about things that relate to the way government raises revenues through taxation, in order to finance its activities in terms of government expenditures.  As the name implies monetary policy refers to the policy, as controlled bank, pertaining to the amount of money in circulation in the economy. The mech anisms of control of the monetary supply, or the effecting of monetary policy include tweaking interest rates for loans, as well as tweaking monetary reserve requirements for banks. The end result is that the central bank can calibrate the amount of money n circulation by controlling these monetary policy levers.  In times of recession, mostly, the central bank will try to lower interest rates to spur borrowing and also relax controls on money to increase the overall supply of money in the economy.

Systematic Comparison between Traditional and Agile Methods Essay

Systematic Comparison between Traditional and Agile Methods - Essay Example Some do not go through all the stages while others may pass through one stage more than once. The Traditional approach involves designing a detailed plan before the start of the project and strictly adhering to it. Therefore, the whole project is clear to the developers before it is started. Agile project management is a collaborative approach in which all the team members are involved in the project. It involves an iterative process in which managers facilitate the working of the team and it requires regular adaptation to changing situations. The project plan is flexible and is not developed at the beginning of the project. Instead, it is developed throughout the project. The end result of the project is not predictable. This discussion explores the comparison between traditional and agile project management approaches. Traditional Project Management Approaches The traditional approach to project management consists of five components namely initiation, planning, execution, monitori ng and control, closure. Some traditional project management methods include linear and incremental project management lifecycle. Linear project management lifecycle does not allow any changes in the project plan. ... Scheduling the whole project before starting it gives the team a clear picture of what is expected to be done and who is responsible for each task. Moreover, details about the resources necessary for the completion of the project are known from the beginning. This approach does not require people with a lot of skills and supervision is not necessary as all the project details are written down. Co-location of team members is not necessary as each person has details of the part he/she is expected to play. It also has disadvantages. This model does not allow for changes. It is also very costly. It does not produce deliverables until in the late stages of the project. In addition, preparing a complete plan beforehand is time wasting. The process is rigid and there is no going back to make changes. This model is focused on the timely completion of the project within the available budget but not on client value (Wysocki 2011). Incremental project management life cycle consists of several d ependent increments, each with the lifecycle components of execution, monitoring, and project closure. These increments are accomplished in a prearranged sequence. The characteristics of the incremental project management lifecycle method are similar to those of the linear approach. The deliverables in this model are released against a schedule that is more aggressive. Advantages include the following: The business value is produced early and not at the end of the project like in linear approach. This model can allow for some changes in the scope of the project. It focuses on the client value more than the linear approach. It also facilitates the scheduling of few resources better. Some disadvantages include the following: Team members can be lost in between increments. It

Marriage in China and Japan

Marriage in China and Japan Confucian thoughts had tremendous influence in both China and Japan, and these thoughts provided the principles of roles each person must play in daily life. Men and women play different roles in marriages in both Chinese and Japanese cultures. In both countries, marriage, in all social classes, was first and foremost a union of family rather than individual. In upper classes, marriages were political and economic relationships arranged by the prospective families. Womens roles in marriages are essentially the same in China and Japan; however, marriage practices are diverse across the culture, and they follow different traditions. In traditional times, both Chinese and Japanese societies were clearly not egalitarian and highly stratified by the interests of different social classes. Marriage practices reflected this hierarchy. Weddings were a ceremony of change of residence and social recognition. The ceremonies were most of the time simple and modest, and there was usually a feast involved. In China, marriage united not just individuals and the families but also extended family networks in the society. Marriages provide the two families to unite as well as to maintain or advance their social status in society. In numerous cultures, the suitability of an individual as a potential husband or wife was judged based on characteristics likely to make the person a valuable and productive mate and an agreeable companion. Japanese parents looked for a daughter-in-law who was healthy, skilled in housework and farming, good-natured, and obedient and a son-in-law who was healthy hard-working, and most likely to be succes sful as a provider (Rosaldo, 17, 159-161). Because of the expectation of the society, arranged marriages were widely practiced in both China and Japan. In traditional societies, parents controlled the selection of spouse and arranged the marriage between a bride and groom who had never met. They will meet for the first time on the actual wedding day. In stratified societies, the control over the selection of spouse and the arrangement of marriage served to support the continuity of the proper hierarchy within the family. Child betrothal can also be seen for consolidating relationships between families (Boude, 48-49). In China, if one family is particularly close to another, the parents will betroth their children so that they will maintain this relationship with each other. However, in the modern society, either prospective spouse can refuse to go through with a marriage arranged by their parents. This arranged marriage tradition remained in some cases; however, it is very different. The modern system of arranged marriages resembled traits from blind dating in the Western societies. When a young woman reaches the appropriate age, she and her parents put together a packet of information about her, including a photograph of her in nice clothes and information about her family background, education, hobbies, accomplishments, and interests. Her parents then inquire among their friends and acquaintances to see if anyone knows a man who would be a suitable husband for her. The matchmaker shows the packet to the potential bridegroom and, if both parties are interested, arranges a meeting between them. (The man provides a photograph and information as well.) Such meetings often take place in a restaurant. This meeting is attended usually along with representatives from both families. If the young couple feels that they are interested, they will begin dating, and marriage might occur b etween the two. It is not uncommon for a woman to have 10 or more such introductions before she finds the man whom she wants to marry to (Rosaldo, 42-45). The young man and woman usually make the final decision about marriage between themselves, though the advice and approval of their parents are highly encouraged. In cultures where marriages are arranged, traditions can serve to soften the attitude of potential spouses toward marrying the other who are not their own choices. For instance, the Chinese say that a husband and wife are linked together by fate. One man is made for one particular woman, and the two are tied to each other by an invisible red string in the wedding (red represents celebration). When a marriage is arranged by parents, their choice is guided by fate (Edwards, 61). In Asia, in the 1950s, about 70 percent of all marriages were arranged. In 1973, the figure was only 37 percent. Today only around 20 percent are (Edwards, 3). Some Japanese feel that the most important element in the marriage is not necessarily the love between the two, and maybe because of this the divorce right in Japan is generally lower than in the Western Societies, such as the U.S. The divorce rate for arranged marriages in Japan is lower than for love marriages (Morley, 93). In a Japanese marriage, once the woman has a baby, her husband refers her as a mother, not a woman anymore, which usually means their sexual life comes to an end. The new mother is said to take more interest in the child instead of the man. In most families, children sleep with the parents or just the mother. In the latter case, the father has his own room so that he will not wake his wife and children up when he goes to or comes back from work. In the Japanese culture, women usually stop working if they get pregnant. Men prefer that their wife stay at home once married, and women almost always want to spend as much time as possible with their children. While, in most Western countries, nurseries and kindergartens are free, which allows women to work, nursery schools are few and expensive in Japan, because women are expected to educate the children when they were young. Paternity leaves do not exist in Japan, and paid maternity leaves are not encouraged; therefore, wives usually stay home if they get pregnant in Japan. In most Japanese families the husband hands over his paycheck to his wife who then gives him an allowance for pocket money and generally takes charge of the day-to-day management of the households activities and expenses. The home and domestic responsibilities have been the center of Japanese womens activities since the 1890s (Morley, 40-43, 71). Women in China had a moral duty in marriages: to produce a son to continue the descent line of the husband. In Confucian thought, sons were particularly important because they were the ones who took care of their parents as they aged, arranged a proper funeral, and then performed the ritual sacrifices to honor their deceased parents and other ancestors (Edwards, 70). A wifes only way to gain power in the family is to give birth to a son. As the son grows up, the mothers power increases, particularly after he marries and brings a wife to the family. In traditional times, a man whose wife did not bear a son can bring secondary wives or concubines into the house if he could afford it (Broude, 50). Wealthy men often had several concubines and Chinese emperors had large harems of concubines to ensure numerous children for the royal family. By the early 1970s, Chinese government regarded fertility control as a key national development responsibility (Edwards, 74). Throughout the 1970s contraception was free, work units were instructed to give paid leave for women who had undergone sterilization or abortion procedures. Although the government could enforce the One Child Family Policy with some degree of success they could not easily change the cultural preference for boys. The relationship between husband and wife in Chinese marriages was an unequal one. A wife was subordinate to her husband, whom she was obligated to serve and to whom she owned respect. Traditional Chinese people always say raising a girl is like raising for some other family, because once she is marriage, she is the property of the other family. In her husbands home, the wife was also obliged to do housework. Women from rich families bind their feet so they will not be able to work. In-law relationships play a big role in a marriage as well. A Chinese bride traditionally has been expected to be submissive to her in-laws, and her husbands mother supervises her household work. Chinese wives are required to show deference to their mother-in-laws. If she disobeys, her husband can beat her on behalf of his mother and a man will take his mothers side in any disagreement between her and his wife (Broude, 312). While much has improved in the status of women in China the continued practice of female infanticide demonstrates that women are valued less than men. As Chinas economic development brings women greater independence, women tend to ask for changes within a household. United Nations sponsorship of the International Womens Year in 1975 forced the Japanese government to initiate policies to end sex discrimination (Edwards, 221). These changes create conflicts between the husband and wife. In China, where rapid economic growth is creating new hopes and fears and where government interference in personal lives is receding daily, many Chinese people say one of the most profound changes in the society is the increase in divorce. The divorce rate in Chinas capital city, Beijing, leapt to 24.4 percent in 1994, more than double the 12 percent rate just four years ago (Faison). Classes and status in the societies are reflected through the lives of women in both China and Japan. Clearly, men and women were not equal in traditional Chinese and Japanese societies, and women were the subordinate roles in a household. However, these traditions are changing constantly as the societies grow. While some traditions are still practiced in modern times, womens role in marriages and societies are improving tremendously. Work Cited Broude, Gwen J. Marriage, Family, and Relationships: a Cross-cultural Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 1994. Print. Edwards, Louise P., and Mina Roces. Women in Asia: Tradition, Modernity, and Globalisation. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 2000. Print. Faison, Seth. Divorce in Modern China. New York Times [N.Y.] 22 Aug. 1994. Print. Morley, Patricia A. The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese Womens Lives. New York: New York UP, 1999. Print. Rosaldo, Michelle Zimbalist., Louise Lamphere, and Joan Bamberger. Woman, Culture, and Society. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford UP, 1974. Print.

President FDR’s New Deal Essay -- The New Deal Franklin Delano Rooseve

The 1930’s were one of the most difficult times in American history. It was the time of the Great Depression. Millions of Americans suffered hardships as the economy was in a free fall. Many Americans were unemployed and lost almost everything they had owned. In 1932, America realized it was time for a change, and elected Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a landslide vote. Roosevelt promised to help end the depression and with his New Deal. The New Deal was Roosevelt’s plan to end the Great Depression. Through increased government spending, FDR enacted numerous public works programs in an effort to simulate the economy. The New Deal’s â€Å"alphabet soup† (this was the nickname for the numerous programs FDR enacted) was FDR’s plan to people out of the depression. The New Deal affected different industries and groups of Americans in unique ways and helped save the nation. One of the groups hardest hit by the Great Depression were the farmers. Due to overproduction and under consumption after World War I and during the 1920’s, the prices of crops fell dramatically. Because of the low prices, Farmers’ incomes fell. The farmer was in a crisis as the Great Depression hit. The farmers were crucial to the American economy and FDR and the New Deal intended to help them. In the first one hundred days of the New Deal, Roosevelt attempted to help the farmers by establishing the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA). The AAA was intended to help restore purchasing power of farmers. It restored the price takeoff that helped farmers make all that money during the war. Its’ main plan was to reduce the size of crops by paying farmers to plow their crops under. This, in theory, would shoot the price of the crops. There were a few problems with the AAA though. It seemed as cruel because the government was destroying crops that could be used to feed all the starving people. The AAA also didn’t do much to help tenant farmers and sharecroppers. This was because the money that the government was paying the owners of the farm to plow the fields under was never shared with the tenant farmers and sharecroppers. Even though the farmer owners were told to give some of the money to the people who worked their land they never did. The New Deal also set up other agencies to help farmers. FDR set up the Farm Resettlement Administration, the Rural Electrification Administ... ...al aid for the elderly, but it was not meant to be the main source of retirement. It also provided unemployment insurance, aid for persons who were blind or crippled, and aid to dependent children. Roosevelt would pay for this act with a tax on corporations and rich people. This act gave the people comfort because they now believed that the government would help them financially when they needed it. It also gave unions more initiative to strike because the government has security for them. FDR’s New Deal gave American hope during a time when there was little optimism. It gave Americans jobs; it put food on the table, and started to restored confidence in the economy. FDR’s New Deal might not have ended the Great Depression, but it left a legacy. A legacy that you can see in the unions, in the numerous public works projects, in the big government we have today, in the acts like Social Security, and most importantly in the people whose lives it changed forever. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1) Encarta ® Concise Encyclopedia Article. (http://encarta.msn.com) 2) Encyclopedia.com (http://www.encyclopedia.com) 3) Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal (http://www.geocities.com)

Survivors: Conquering the Antarctica Rage

Organizations are in a constant need for a good leader – one who can stand out to deliver the desired ends and goals and in the process create leaders among its ranks as well. This is particularly true in our society today: driven by the increasing stress of competitiveness, material needs and wants as well as technological changes, an organization ceases to persist if it cannot develop and train a leader or a manager in every employee. The same is true in the health care industry where nurses and other health care providers have expanded responsibilities and now manages their own subordinates in order to deliver the best possible care that can be given to patients. Hence, within the framework of developing leaders and managers in every individual and surviving through challenges successfully, the story of Ernest Shackleton in Shackleton's Way and his conquest of the wrath of Antartica presents a valuable lesson in leadership, motivation and management. Consequently, his saga and heroism is not only contained in the literary and science journals but also in management, leadership, sociology and psychology as well. For one, his leadership style and the manner by which he managed his crew of 27 in a two-year ordeal, with every one going home safe is a classic and a remarkable display of character and organizational skills. This paper evaluates Shackleton’s Way written by Morell and Capparell (2002) in lieu with his leadership and management style particularly in choosing the right people for the job, creating camaraderie among the group, developing the strengths and overcoming the weaknesses of the individuals and forming groups to overcome obstacles and creating leaders in the process. Particularly, an analysis of Shackleton's leadership style, communication strategy, use of team management, conflict resolution and change innovation are explored in lieu with the ability of the whole crew to survive through the challenges of their Antarctica trip. This paper argues that meeting the desired goals/objectives of a group entails the commitment, the knowledge, skills and the positive attitude of individuals as directed by a good leader. Shackleton’s Way: Summary and Analysis Morrell and Capparell (2002) presented the dilemma of Shackleton's Way in this scenario: captured by the ice of Antarctica for two years with twenty (27) men in tow and very limited resources including gas, food, medicine and other resources, how can one man bargain to save their lives when negotiation with their captor is impossible? Morell and Capparell (2002) trace how the great Ernest Shackleton had turned this tragedy into a voyage that became a legend. In the first parts of the book, the authors traced the character and leadership style of Shackleton: amidst the rat race in the corporate world, he worked with respectful competitiveness and turned his bad experiences and weaknesses into lessons to make him a better person. Morrell and Capparell (2002) presented that the character that Shackleton would show in his voyage was shaped through his childhood years and were learned from his family. For instance, his exposure to different cultures made him realize the diversity of people and in learning different attitudes, behaviors and priorities. In succeeding chapters, we see Shackleton knowing the value of hiring the right people for the job. With his eye for optimism and talent, he gave the best renumeration possible to people he thought are the best in the job among those whom he interviewed. Knowing fully well that his people are competent, he abolished the traditional vertical hierarchy in organizations and instead created team management in order to make the crew realize their value in the whole expedition and the organization. This allowed him to get the best work done by each individual- making them realize their value and giving them importance through one-on-one talks. Through optimism and confidence, Shackleton was able to guide his people to the goal that he had laid down to achieve and resolving conflicts with justice and impartiality. More importantly, his team management and implementation of group dynamics- assigning teams, balancing them and ensuring that their tasks are proportional with their capabilities had been critical in their success. Furthermore, Shackleton in the process created leaders among his crew. After the expedition, he provided an invaluable insight to the group and how society can improve through his ways can still be applied today. As indicated, the primary strength of the book is how it provided the reader with a step-by-step account of how Shackleton's leadership was developed- including his personal history and extending into his business ventures and the Antarctic voyage. While several books have already provided us an account of Shackleton, no book has explored it using the leadership and management literature as much as how Morrell and Capparell (2002) traced and retraced the steps undertaken by Shackleton in succeeding Antarctica. For instance, in terms of Shackleton's leadership style, the authors started from his innate capacities as a leader and how he valued the process of recruitment using unique methods to determine character and in creating a group dynamics that allows for his talented crew members to provide their output. His leadership style is therefore democratic and he can be considered as a charismatic leader. Morrell and Capparell (2002) devoted a lengthy and informative showcase of how Shackleton can be considered as such- with confidence and optimism, he was able to facilitate and regroup his crew to attain the maximum possible output that he wants to attain. This was done first by showing them the overall picture and locating each crew from that plan. By doing so, Shackleton and the authors motivated the crew and showed how their plan will not work without one member. How could he have created such group coherence in the middle of so much conflict? The primary tool as aptly shown by the book is the manner by which Shackleton communicates with each crew member. He opted to resolve conflict through one-on-one discussions and through constructive conflict resolution. By trying to look for solutions instead of blaming, he was shown by the authors to be a good conflict negotiator. On this note, the authors have succeeded in showing the readers how communication can be done. In terms of team management, his group dynamics were clearly illlustrated by Morrell and Capparell (2002) when they examined how Shackleton divided his group into two- leaving 22 of his men in an island and bringing the others to find food. Choosing the ones who would be left behind due to illness and bringing the ones who can best deliver the goods showed how Shackleton maximizes their resources as well as in knowing who can best do the job. As a change innovator, Morrell and Capparell (2002) in the latter part of the book had showcased how the crew members became leaders in their own right after learning from Shackleton. Primarily, the strength of the book is that it can serve as an informative as well as an academic resource for all organizations. Second, the manner by which the narratives were sewn together to fit how leadership is through Shackleton's way makes the readers appreciate the value of leadership and of the organization. Finally, the book is entertaining enough to be read and understoob by a wide range of audience. On the other hand, the book's primary weakness is its inability to provide comparisons with other legendary leaders. This could have given the readers the chance to compare the leadership style of Shackleton with others. Consequently, in today's modern organization, the lack of connection and the attempt to apply it amidst workers of today seems to be missing. Implication and Application to Nursing and Health Care Practice Leadership is universal in nature- regardless of the organization and its needs, leaders have common characteristics that make them effective. In the healthcare organization, leadership is no longer the strictly vertical hierarchy- more and more independence is given to nurses and other practitioners. For one, the emergence of positions such as Licensed Vocational Nursing, Licensed Practical Nursing, Nursing Assistants, etc. ompels nurses to develop their own leadership styles. For instance, as a provider of care to patients, the nurse delegates’ tasks, supervises their subordinates, reports to their superiors as well as plan the care of the patient to reach the goals of care. Therefore, gone are the days when nurses are dependent on their physicians for their actions. Simil ar to the experiences of Shackleton, nurses and health care practitioners can gain important insights on how team management can be organized in order to provide continuous patient care. In nursing for instance, nurses works in functional system where each shift would have a nurse and allied professionals, the ability to coordinate, collaborate, negotiate with the team, allocate resources to ensure that all patients are given care, and pursue both short-term and long-term goals are now the roles of nurses. Consequently, nurses are considered to be the primary caretaker among health care professionals because they are the ones who are with the patients most of time. Therefore, nurses’ serve as advocates to physicians and other health care professionals. In doing so, the lack of leadership of nurses can lead to inadequate provision of care. Accordingly, Shackleton provided a valuable lesson on how nurses can rise up to the ranks to be head nurses, supervisors and even administrators in the same way that Shackleton's crew became successful managers and leaders. For one, as shown in the book, a leader becomes a follower first. Leading without knowing how to follow is disastrous. This is because the value of respect as shown through good communication and motivation can only be shown by someone who had been through the process of following. Thus, while there are innate qualities for leadership, it is highly developed. Consequently, strength of character particularly confidence, optimism and willpower which were essential qualities in the success of Shackleton are important qualities for nurses- not only in direct patient care but also in managing other staff nurses. Essentially, Shackleton's Way provides an insightful manner by which leadership is connected to character and how it can be honed in an organization. For health care practitioners and nurses, this book provides a vivid and comprehensive display on how leaders are made and how they handle people. Ethical, Political and Social Consequences of Shackleton’s Way While far from being the best leader in the literature, Shackleton's Way was able to impart the simplicity of how leadership can be done: that is showing compassion to your people and your goals, as well as respecting the rights of each individual. In doing so, one becomes an ethical leader and in the process, gains the respect of their members. For one, it could have been easy for Shackleton to abandon his crew and save himself or just bring the strongest ones to help him escape Antarctica. However, he worked in a way that would bring the best in every individual and in the process save them all. In present organizations, we see leaders and managers using people for their own advancement. It is common that those in the top positions use politics to get ahead. This is also true in our society- whether the government or in private sectors. It is almost impossible to say that one got ahead without stepping on another's shoe. However, the ethics and politics of leadership in Shackleton's Way believed and showed otherwise. For one, we see the purpose of Shackleton- it is ethically and morally sound: for all of them to survive regardless if he risks his own life in doing so. Even in the healthcare industry and particularly in politics, turn coating and saving one's own face has been very common- to a point where the youth regards it as the status quo. However, Shackleton's Way proved that leaders in any organization can choose the harder and more complicated way but one that is just, humane and effective.

Drug Testing And Corporate Responsibility Essays - Drug Control Law

Drug Testing And Corporate Responsibility Essays - Drug Control Law Drug Testing And Corporate Responsibility Drug Testing and Corporate Responsibility: The Ought Implies Can Argument Drug testing has become a hot topic under the microscope recently. The problem is the question whether or not it is morally wrong to test employees for illegal drug use. In order to justify drug testing in the work place one must look to rights, among other things, to determine what sorts of controls are morally permissible. In order to really determine whether or not drug testing is needed one must evaluate the connection between drug testing and the prevention of drug related harm. One theory that that many people use to justify the morality of Drug testing in the work place is a theory that is called Ought Implies Can. Showing that a person was incapable of doing something otherwise blocks the normal moves of praise or blame and therefore absolves the agent of responsibility for a given act. Basically, we believe that persons can not be obligated to do things that they are not capable of doing. If they fail to do those things then they can not be held accountable. To imply the argument to drug testing is not as broad as the previous example. If corporations are responsible for harms caused by employees under the influence of drugs, they must have the ability to prevent these harms. They must therefore, have the ability to test for drug use. This argument is vague to say the least. In the argument there are four distinct senses of Responsible that appear with some regularity in the argument. They are being legally liable, culpable or guilty, answerable or accountable, or bound by an obligation. The first argument is legal liability. If the employee causes harm to a third party while preforming on behalf of the company, the company has to compensate the third party. This is because the firm was acting through the employee thus, the company is held accountable. This is often called Respondeat superior. This doctrine is grounded not in fault, but in concerns of public policy and utility. Because it does not imply fault, legal liability can not be used successfully as an Ought Implies Can argument. Another words, holding corporations legally liable for harms committed by intoxicated employees while at the same time forbidding drug testing is not inconsistent. It can be viewed as another instance of liability without fault. We must be able to attribute more than legal liability to corporations if the Ought Implies Can principle is to be applied. Corporations must be held accountable in one of the other three arguments in order for the argument to work. The culpable or guilty argument takes a different approach. This argument states that an agent, in this case the corporation, should be held morally responsible if the act can be imputed to the corporation. This requirement could be satisfied if it could be shown that the firm intended the resulting harms, ordered their employees to work under the influence of drugs, or ignored the fact that there were employees that were working under the influence of drugs. However, this argument tends to be a little drastic and really can not apply to make the Ought Implies Can theory work either. Clearly in most cases drug use would not simply be ignored. In fact, drug use is quite likely to be prohibited by company policy. Therefore this argument does not justify drug testing. In this third argument corporations could actually be held accountable for the harmful acts of there employees. Through a series of agreements, the corporation delegates its employees to act on its behalf. For these reasons it could be argued that corporations could be held responsible for their employees negligence. If this is the case then corporations should have the right to test their employees for drugs. This last argument which is called bound by an obligation supports drug testing as well under the Ought Implies Can theory. If corporations have an obligation to prevent danger to all of its employees and consumers then they should be able to do what ever is needed to prevent drugs and overall prevent danger. Another words, if corporations have obligations they must be capable of

Element Symbols in Element Names

Element Symbols in Element Names Heres a list of the element names that can be broken down into element symbols. For example, the letters in the element neon are the symbols for Ne, O, N (neon, oxygen, and nitrogen). None of the element names ending in -ium work, so that eliminates many of the element names. ActiniumAluminumAmericiumAntimonyArgonArsenic - Ar Se Ni C, Ar Se N I CAstatine - As Ta Ti NeBariumBerkeliumBerylliumBismuthBohriumBoronBromineCadmiumCalciumCaliforniumCarbon - C Ar B O N, Ca Rb O NCeriumCesiumChlorineChromiumCobaltCoperniciumCopper - Co P P Er, C O P P ErCuriumDarmstadtiumDubniumDysprosiumEinsteiniumErbiumEuropiumFermiumFluorineFranciumGadoliniumGalliumGermaniumGoldHafniumHassiumHeliumHolmiumHydrogenIndiumIodineIridiumIron - Ir O NKrypton - Kr Y Pt O NLanthanumLawrenciumLeadLithiumLutetiumMagnesiumManganeseMeitneriumMendeleviumMercuryMolybdenumNeodymiumNeon - Ne O NNeptuniumNickelNiobiumNitrogenNobeliumOsmiumOxygenPalladiumPhosphorus - P H O S P H O Ru SPlatinumPlutoniumPoloniumPotassiumPraseodymiumPromethiumProtactiniumRadiumRadonRheniumRhodiumRubidiumRutheniumRutherfordiumSamariumScandiumSeaborgiumSeleniumSilicon - Si Li C O N, Si Li Co NSilverSodiumStrontiumSulfurTantalumTechnetiumTelluriumTerbiumThalliumThoriumThuliumTin - Ti NTitaniumTungstenUnunbiumUnunniliumU nunumiumUraniumVanadiumXenon - Xe N O N, Xe No NYtterbiumYttriumZincZirconium

Historical Analysis of the Role of the Dollar in International Finance Research Paper

Historical Analysis of the Role of the Dollar in International Finance - Research Paper Example Dollars are illegitimate world money. But there is no international agreement that would constitute dollar in this capacity. This means that the U.S. does not carry the world community no responsibility for their actions in respect of its national currency, which is reflected directly on the world financial system. Similarly, the global community has no obligation with respect to the dollar. The world depends on the U.S. dollar and the management of monetary system, but in turn depends on the United States and the international community and on its relation to the dollar. All these relations are not regulated in any way, not legalized, not codified. It is impossible to build the global financial system in such a shaky foundation and it will be understood by the international community will sooner or later. This paper is one attempt to thinking about the dollar's role in the economy of the past and present. In the history of the 20th century, in the format of the financial and economi c transformation of areas of greatest interest is the process of becoming the world's reserve currency. In the early 21st century, the world's reserve currency is the dollar. The history of the dollar until 1913 is not a history of world currency. Until December 23, 1913 dollar is a common national currency. We distinguish the following dates transforming the U.S. dollar: -23 December 1913 - the creation of the Federal Reserve, now known as the Federal Reserve; -5 March 1933 - the third default of the U.S. economy; -1-22 July 1944 - Conference at Bretton Woods, which laid the perspective transformation dollar in the world's reserve currency - December 27, 1945 - the creation of the IMF, the supranational institution, designed to fully support the world's reserve currency - the dollar - August 15, 1971 - the fourth default of the U.S. economy. Refusal to convert dollars located abroad, in gold. Unilateral revision of international agreements, including the Bretton Woods;-90-years of the twentieth century - the emergence of "financial engineering" and global dominance of the "Washington consensus"; -23 March 2006 - the refusal of U.S. authorities to provide information on M3. This indicator shows the amount of dollars in circulation worldwide, 12 December 2008 - Fed refusal to provide information to Bloomberg about the recipients of more than $ 2 trillion in loans from the crisis of American taxpayers. Dollar decides the fate of the global financial system. But whether he has a legitimate and guaranteed execution of whether the United States of any obligations to the global economy? Consider the situation step by step transformation of the dollar in world currency, and the consequences of the situation. Perhaps the first place in the institutional framework regulating international monetary relations belonged and belongs to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is an intergovernmental multilateral monetary and credit organization with a specialized agency of the United Nations. International Monetary Fund established by the United Nations Conference on Monetary Affairs on 1 July 22, 1944 in the United States. Conference participants from 44 countries adopted the Final Act, which included the so-called Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund, which act as its statutes. December 27, 1945 agreement on the establishment of the IMF

Why the Bonfire of the Vanities Flopped Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why the Bonfire of the Vanities Flopped - Essay Example The researcher states that with all of the positive factors that the film had going for it, like an excellent cast in securing Bruce Willis and Tom Hanks, and a screenplay based on a bestselling novel, as well as Christmas day opening, it is undeniable that the film had garnered the necessary anticipation. The only real explanation for the film’s outcome is the unsatisfactory direction of Brian De Palma, and it’s the most believable considering his track record in Hollywood. The only way to truly narrow down all of the possibilities of why this film was such a flop at the Box office is to rationally view all of the contributing factors and then make a sound judgment as to which one is most likely the cause of the film’s failure. In most cases, because the entertainment industry is so fickle, it could be argued that any number of possibilities could have contributed to the cause and that it couldn’t have just been one. In sum, the researcher concluds that D e Palma’s flop at the box office with The Bonfire of the Vanities is entirely due to his own unsatisfactory directing. The director has never been nominated for an Academy Award, or for a Golden Globe, despite the fact that he has had unprecedented studio support, in that they allow for all of his failures. In assessing what made The Bonfire of the Vanities flop at the box office, it must be recognized that all of the necessary tools were available, the actors, storyline, studio support, even anticipation, but Brian De Palma just didn’t deliver.