Economic, Social And Political Economy Essay

Introduction In 1920, the independent kingdom of Korea was forcibly annexed to Japan, it lasted until the end of the second World War. After World War II, the United States (US) decided to occupy the southern half of Korea to prevent the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from taking control of the entire peninsula. USSR was helping North Korea’s fight against the Japanese forces. The US divided Korea at the 38th parallel to keep Seoul within the American-occupied area. USSR did not oppose the division. (Korean War, 2006) Both the USSR and the United States started to organize the governments in their half of Korea. When they did so, the political factions that used to be united against Japan started to emerge again. These factions represent the left-wing and right-wing views. The left-wing wanted an overhaul of Korea’s land ownership laws, which unduly favored rich landowners. And the right wing vehemently refused the reform. (Korean War, 2006) From 1945 to1948, the US suppressed the widespread leftist movement and backed Syngman Rhee. Rhee had lived for decades in the United States and has a solid anti-Communist credentials. He was also popular with the right. (Korean War, 2006) The USSR, on the other hand, supported the left and Kim Il Sung. Kim II Sung received support from North Koreans and China. Kim fought with Chinese Communist forces against the Japanese in Manchuria in the 1930s. Kim forced a radical redistribution of land when he first came into power. By the end of 1946 the regimes of both North and South Korea were in place. The division of Korea was formalized until 1948. The South established the Republic of Korea while the North established the People’s Republic of Korea.   (Korean War, 2006) The regime was barely in placed South Korea when it had to contend with a rebellion in the south from the left-wing, particularly in its southernmost province. North Korea supported the rebellion. It was South Korea that first provoked North Korea into a war, but and Kim II Sung was willing to fight the war, too, with the help of USSR and China. In 1949, fighting in the 38th parallel broke out between the North and the South. In 1950, the army of North Korea crossed the dividing line. The Korean War reached its height from 1950 to 1953. In 1953, a cease fire agreement was signed. It ended the fighting but the Korean peninsula remained divided. (Korean War, 2006) The Korean War was considered as one of the most destructive of the 20th century. There was an estimated death of 2.4 to 4 million Korean, mostly civilians. The other countries who supporter either side also experienced casualties. China, who supported the North, lost almost 1 million soldiers. The US, who sided with the South, lost a little more than 36 thousands. The economic and social damage to the Korea Peninsula was incalculable. In the North Korea, the three years of bombing destroyed most of the modern buildings. (Korean War, 2006) Because of the Korean War, the US and Japanese economy received a much needed boost after World War II.   Japan became the source of materials for the war. Meanwhile, defense spending in the US nearly quadrupled in the last half of 1950. (Korean War, 2006) The North Korean Economy after the War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because North Korea endured 3 years of US bombing, a new capital had to be rebuilt after the war in North Korea. By 1960, the discipline and forced-labor policies of the Kim II Sung’s regime resulted in recovery and development. The general standard of living of the people remained low.   There was an emphasis to heavy industrial growth but not production of economic goods. (North Korea, 2006) In 1995, there was a nationwide food crisis. In 1996, it became a widespread famine. USSR and China withdrawal of its food subsidies, the government’s agricultural policies, and a series of floods and droughts are factors that contributed to the food crisis. International humanitarian relief agencies provided food aid and other relief efforts. In 1998, an estimated 1 million people had died of starvation and famine-related illnesses. The food crisis continued into the early 2000s. (North Korea, 2006)   The Juche Idea Juche is the official state ideology of North Korea. It is also the basis for its political system. Juche literally means â€Å"main body† or â€Å"subject†. In North Korean sources, it had been translated as â€Å"independent stand† and the â€Å"spirit of self-reliance†. The core principle of the Juche ideology has been that â€Å"man is the master of everything and decides everything†. (Juche, 2006, para. 1) It was Kim Il-sung which advanced Juche as a slogan in speech titled â€Å"On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and Establishing Juche in Ideological Work†. It was made in rejection of the policy of de-Stalinization in the Soviet Union. It became a systematic ideological doctrine in the 1960s. Kim Il-sung outlined the three fundamental principles which are as follows: (1) independence in politics, (2) self-sustenance in the economy, and (3) self-defense in national defense. (Juche, 2006, para. 2) In 1982, Kim Jong-il authored a document titled â€Å"On the Juche Idea†. An article in Wikipedia said: According to Kim Jong-il’s On the Juche Idea, the application of Juche in state policy entails the following: 1) The people must have independence (chajusong) in thought and politics, economic self-sufficiency, and self-reliance in defense; 2) Policy must reflect the will and aspirations of the masses and employ them fully in revolution and construction; 3) Methods of revolution and construction must be suitable to the situation of the country; and 4) The most important work of revolution and construction is molding people ideologically as communists and mobilizing them to constructive action. (Juche, 2006, para. 3) One of the first application of the Juche idea in North Korea was the Five-Year Plan known as the Chollima Movement. The Five-Year Plan involved rapid economic development, with a focus on heavy industry. This is to ensure independence from the USSR and China. (Juche, 2006, para. 4) But the reality of the Juche Idea is its economic program of â€Å"self-reliance† has resulted in economic dependence. North Korea has been an aid-dependent regime. From 1953 to1976 it depended considerably on Soviet industrial aid. The USSR remained North Korea’s greatest economic benefactor until its 1991 collapse. It experienced a food crisis in the early part of its regime which later developed in to a famine. It has accepted aid from China, South Korea and the international community. In 2005, the country was the second largest recipient of international food aid. In 1998, Juche made pragmatic adaptations to capitalism. (Juche, 2006, para. 5) The state ideology has been an alternative to traditional religion. Juche have incorporated religious ideas into the state ideology. Juche is considered the largest political religion in North Korea. Practice of all other religions is overseen and subject to heavy surveillance by the state. (Juche, 2006, para. 6) Improving Relationship with the South After the Korean War, North Korea developed a hard stance against the South. In the 1960’s, an assassination team nearly succeeded in killing Park Chung Hee, the South Korean president at that time. In 1968, North Korean gun boats seized a US intelligence gathering vessel and subjected its crew to extreme circumstances for a year. In 1969, a US reconnaissance plane was shot down. There were guerrilla raids launched against the South. These attacks made the South even more dedicated in renewing their defense measures and influenced the formation of a harder political order in South Korea. (North Korea, 2006) Through the 1970s and 1980’s, there were efforts to affect the unification of the North and South Korea, but these efforts failed. In June 2000, the leaders of North and South Korea, agreed to promote reconciliation and economic cooperation between the two countries. This was the first face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the two countries since the country was divided. (North Korea, 2006) The meeting of the leaders of these two countries led to the first cross-border visits of family members separated since the Korean War which was officially authorized by both states. The agreement also led to many favorable consequences for both countries. Trade and investment increase. There was a more relaxed military tension. It also partially reopened road and rail links severed by the Korean War. There was also a start of mail service between the two countries. (North Korea, 2006) During the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, the athletes from North Korea and South Korea paraded together under one flag, the neutral flag of the Korea Peninsula. But the athletes still competed separately in the different events. (North Korea, 2006) In October of 2000, Kim Dae Jung was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to bring about reconciliation between the two countries. (North Korea, 2006) South Korea, together with China, is instrumental in bringing almost 1 billion dollars in aid and investment to North Korea. South Korea’s help prevent the collapse of the North Korean economy (Fajola & Fan, 2006). However, recent political developments may trigger old hostilities in the region. The insistence of North Korea to develop and test nuclear weapons may bring war in Northeast Asia again (Fajola & Fan, 2006). South Korea, despite its own pressing need, offered to supply North Korea energy if it would cease the production of nuclear weapons (David 2006). There is still no news whether North Korea has accepted its offer. Politics and International Relations Before the Korean War, The Workers’ Party of Korea was established. Kim Il Sung emerged as the leader of North Korea. He enjoyed the military support of the USSR until the soviet troops withdrew in 1948. Under the Workers’ Party leadership, political and economic changes had been made. The egalitarian land reforms were enforced. There was a radical redistribution of land from the land owners to laborer and tenant farmers. The landless labor and tenant farmers supported these reforms. Because of these reforms, there was massive confiscation of land and wealth from the Japanese or to enemies of the regime. Aside from the reforms, there was also party-directed economic planning and development. (North Korea 2006) Kim II Sung fought against the Japanese and, in 1949, welcome the war against South Korea. When North Korean forces crossed the dividing line to the South, the US joined the fighting with the approval of the UN. There was also a small contingent from Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and Turkey to help with the Americans. USSR, an ally of North Korea refused to vote during the deliberations in the UN. In October 1950, China supported North Korea in the War. When cease fire was finally agreed upon, thousands of lives where lost on both sides. Millions worth of infrastructure were also destroyed, particularly in the North which experienced massive bombing operations from the US. (North Korea 2006). In the political front, North Korean leadership began to veer away from USSR influenced. The intensifying conflict between China and the USSR, allowed North Korea even more independent action. (North Korea, 2006) North Korea actions after the Korean War seemed to be geared towards building of nuclear might. When both North and South Korea joined the UN in 1991, they signed agreements regarding nuclear and conventional arms control and reconciliation. In 1992, North Korea signed an agreement allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect the country’s nuclear facilities. In 1993 the North Korean government refused the inspection of nuclear waste sites which is believed to contain undeclared nuclear material for nuclear weapons. This resistance continued until the first half of 1994. (North Korea, 2006) South Korea suspended its formal acceptance of the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) which it signed in 1985. In 1993, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) suspected North Korea of building at least one atomic weapon from plutonium extracted from fuel rods at a nuclear power plant. (North Korea, 2006) In 1994, the US and North Korea reached an agreement called Agreed Framework. In this agreement, North Korea will suspend the operation of designated nuclear facilities capable of producing and reprocessing weapons-grade plutonium and allow IAEA inspectors to verify the suspension. The agreement called for annual deliveries of heavy fuel oil to North Korea. The U.S. agreed to take steps to end economic sanctions against North Korea, sanctions in placed since the Korean War. (North Korea, 2006) The 1994 Agreed Framework is also a step towards normal diplomatic relations between the US and North Korea. North Korea agreed to suspend operation of the nuclear facilities in return for two new reactors that will be built by US, South Korea and Japan. In 1995, the construction of the two reactors started. In 2002, US abrogated the agreement. It charged North Korea of violating the agreement by initiating a secret weapons-grade uranium-enrichment program. North Korea denied that it had such a program. Because the US abrogated in 2002, North Korea resumed plutonium production. In February 2005, it issued a statement that it was now a â€Å"nuclear weapons state.† (North Korea, 2006) While relations between the two Koreas are improving, the relations between the US and North Korea became even more strained because of the issue of nuclear weapons. The US had placed North Korea on a list of countries supporting terrorism and had characterized North Korea as being part of an â€Å"axis of evil†. China attempted to act as a mediator between North Korea and the US, but the US refused to meet in one-on-one negotiations. To compromise, China fashioned a series of negotiations which would take place among China, Japan, Russia, North Korea, South Korea, and the US. The talks were held in Beijing, China. (North Korea, 2006) Without reaching an agreement, the six-party talks recessed in early August 2005. When the talks resumed in September 2005, North Korea pledged to abandon all nuclear weapons and programs in exchange for economic aid and security guarantees. The talks stalled. Early of July 2006 North Korea launched seven test missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which fell into the Sea of Japan. Even if the test were considered successful, these raised tensions in the area. Concerned international community, through the UN Security Council, called for economic sanctions against North Korea. (North Korea, 2006) The 2006 Nuclear Testing Analysts are saying that North Korea’s gaining bragging rights as a nuclear power may have political and economic fallout. Many fears that the nuclear tests being done by North Korea can trigger instability in Northeast Asia. China, which had been a supporter of North Korea, is reconsidering its support for the Kim Jong II. China, with the help of South Korea, had given billions of dollars in aid and investment to North Korea. Both countries helped prevent the collapse of the economy for fear that such will send refugees pouring into their own borders. An Asia Times Online writer said that South Korea offered to supply North Korea’s energy needs if the latter will abandon its nuclear arms. China’s foreign minister, Li Zhaoxing expressed the Chinese government opposition to the nuclear test. (Fajola and Fan, 2006) Because of the tests, South Korea stopped the delivery of emergency assistance to help the North deal with recent floods. President Roh Moo Hyun said, â€Å"The South Korean government at this point cannot continue to say that this engagement policy [sunshine policy] is effective. Ultimately, it is not something we should give up on, but objectively speaking, the situation has changed. Being patient and accepting whatever North Korea does is no longer acceptable,† (qtd. in Fajola and Fan, 2006, para. 7). Analysts say that the shift in position of China or South Korea is partly based on the possible reaction of Japan, the nation most threatened by North Korea’s ballistic missiles. A nuclear-armed North Korea could lead Japan arm itself more aggressively. A U.S. congressional report may lead Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to develop their own nuclear weapons. It would start an arms race in the region and feed regional disputes. (Fajola and Fan, 2006) Japan has already said that it would impose harder measures against North Korea. The measures can include a ban on the remittances sent home by North Koreans working in Japan. (Fajola and Fan, 2006) Another motivation for China’s position is its failed attempt to mediate between US and North Korea in the series of negotiations in Beijing. To save face and to meet international pressure, China may impose tougher economic sanctions and reduce aid to North Korea to force the latter to stop production and testing of its missiles. (Fajola and Fan, 2006) Seung Joo Baek, an analyst from the Seoul-based Korea Institute for Defense Analyses also said: North Korea’s message is that no matter how hard South Korea, Japan, the United States gang up on them, they won’t budge. They want to be recognized as a nuclear power. They are assuming that it is the only thing that will keep them safe. We will have to wait and see if they are right. â€Å"(qtd. in Fajola & Fan, 2006, conclusion)       References    Korean War. (2006). In Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Retrieved November  30,  2006, from Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9046072. Korean War (2006). In Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2006. Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://encarta.msn.com. North Korea (2006). In Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2006. Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://encarta.msn.com. Nguyen, D. â€Å"South Korea Enters the Great Game.† May 13, 2006.   Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/HJ10Dg02.html. Juche (2006). In Wikipedia 2006. Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juche Fajola, A. & Fan M. â€Å"North Korea’s Political and Economic Gamble.† October 10, 2006. Retrieved November  30,  2006 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/08/AR2006100801169_2.html   

My aunt Gertrude is a rare gem.

My aunt Gertrude is a rare gem. She remains unmarried till this day, and has no desire to do so even though she is exiting the prime of her life in a few months’ time. I asked her once whether she ever contemplated being alone during her twilight years, without the comforting companionship of a husband or the dutiful doting by her children.She looked straight at me in a gaze that at once appeared as if she was reaching deep into the recesses of her being.She spoke in a barely audible whisper that she once had such a dream as I mentioned, but no longer. I was gripped with a curiosity that was tinged with a certain sadness, as I detected that within her voice and readily embraced it as my own in empathy and identification with this woman whom I love.She started tearing, and continued slowly the sad poetry that had haunted her for the past decade. When she was younger, just out of college, my aunt was engaged to a gentleman from Chicago, by the name of Mollier. He was a dealer in antiques, and had a thriving business by the time he became acquainted with my aunt Gertrude.They were a loving couple, always together, engaged in frequent intimate conversations and shared many common interests and tender moments. He was the man that my aunt was destined to marry, and to love and hold till eternity.Alas, one evening as he was making the trip home from California, he ran into a road accident and was tragically killed. My aunt did not receive the call from the coroners till a day later, after they had verified his identity and checked through their databases. Her life there and then was thrown into disarray.She left her newly-begun job, and hid in her parents’ home for the next five years. She had to learn how to live again. As she conveyed these to me, it was not her who sobbed and cried. It was me, one still young and too tender to know just what it meant and how she must have felt.She told me the pain that she carried within her heart, and how that very m oment she had died to her own ambitions, plans, and sensitivity.Her life as she knew it, was over. She had died with him. I learned from her that day what courage meant, and how with silent purpose and prayer, one can emerge from a forest of lost dreams and darkened hope still intact, at least in person. I also learned just how great love can really be, and what lovers go through each time their love disappears, even for a moment on an errand.Aunt Gertrude will never marry. She will live out the rest of her days as a spinster, having come so close to living her life with the man she truly loved and losing it all at once.She will still go about her days bustling about in a cheery manner, loving her nephews and nieces, tending to their moments of despair and immature concerns. She now lives outside herself; a woman constantly challenging herself to focus her love on others in order not to drown in the despair of her own unfulfilled love. She is a beacon of light and hope to us all in the family, and she is what makes us strong and secure.

Black July and the Fallout Thereafter

Black July and the Fallout Thereafter On July 23, 1983, Tamil separatists, known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), stepped up militant attacks in northern Sri Lanka and killed 13 Sinhalese soldiers who reported for duty only a day earlier in Thirunelvely, Jaffna. The LTTE was fighting for a separate Tamil state in the northern and eastern parts of the country. This day became known as the beginning of Black July, an organized, ethnically-charged massacre of the Tamil people. After the incident in Jaffna, Sri Lankan soldiers killed 51 civilians in Jaffna. The violence in the country lasted for several days and approximately 3,000 Tamils were killed. The death of the 13 soldiers was propaganda used to justify violence against Tamils. Shops that Tamils owned were looted. People were stripped naked. Women were raped. Tamils were even burnt alive. In Colombo and provincial towns, soldiers stood by and even supplied gasoline to help set the cities ablaze. Thousands of Tamils fled to Jaffna, believing that staying in a Sinhalese area was not safe for them. To root out Tamils in the area, many Sinhalese would show suspected Tamils objects and demand to know the Sinhala word for it. There was government complicity and gangs operated at the behest of hardline ministers. On July 27, 1983, the then President JR Jayewardene made his first speech on the events, offering no sympathy to the minority and instead emphasizing Sinhala grievances. More killings followed. By the time the violence dwindled on July 31, 1983, tens of thousands of Tamils had fled to the northern and eastern provinces or abroad. Black July was a recruiting agent for Tamil militants. The incident started a civil war that lasted 26 years between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE. The Sri Lankan military forces finally defeated the LTTE in May 2009. Approximately 700,000 Tamils were sent into exile during these 26 years and at least 100,000 people were killed. Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict remains unresolved. Abductions, arbitrary arrests and sexual violence perpetrated by the military have not decreased. Military involvement in the North and East is still strong. Most military camps have become permanent and Sinhala colonization is on the rise. The idea of a separate Tamil homeland—an illegal as a political platform—became more powerful because so many Tamils fled to the areas of the island where they were the majority. Since 1983, many Tamils have not felt comfortable living in southern Sri Lanka, apart from the capital. Four years after the war victory, the government says there are no minorities and everyone is equal, yet Sinhalese nationalist sentiment and speeches are on the upsurge. There remains nervousness, not only among Tamils but also amongst Muslims who have seen their mosques attacked and their lifestyle under sustained assault from Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists, including monks. With the Tigers crushed i n 2009 and unknown numbers of Tamil civilians killed as the war ended, hardline ministers now advocate reducing devolution for the Tamil areas despite a constitutional clause meant to increase it.

Organizational Learning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organizational Learning - Coursework Example The success of strategic management requires the skills and implementation of the academic level or performance of the employees of the organization. According to Phipps and Burbach, the ability of an organization to achieve its goals greatly depends on knowledge management (Phipps and Burbach, 2010, p. 11). Knowledge management in turn engages the monitoring of databases and statistical panels regarding the dealings and operations of the firm (Beer, Voelpel, Leibold and Tekie, 2005, p. 446). For the employees to realize how to use and implement such information, they have to be fully acquainted with the skills regarding such procedures. The ability and skills of the employees of an organization greatly rely on organizational learning for full implementation and prediction of the strategies imposed. B. Purpose of the study The research model of implementing a theoretical framework was adapted by Sekeran and implemented by Chen and Huang. According to Chen and Huang, organizational le arning relates with knowledge management in the sense that the knowledge infrastructure ability of an organization influence the operations that take place in every business unit of the organization (Chen and Huang, 2007, p. 110). Therefore, depriving the discussion from this assumption, the purpose of this study is to recognize the actual relationship between information infrastructure, the knowledge procedure, and organizational effectiveness from the perception of teamwork, before asserting that organizational learning is able to foresee the success of the strategies of an organization (Sekaran and Bougie, 2009, 202). C. Variables identified i. Analysis The success of strategic management can be identified through a... This report approves that the hypothetical structure of the argument is grounded on the importance of organizational learning in the current global community. Organizational learning involves the training and evaluation of the skills and academic standards of the employees in an organization. The success of strategic management requires the skills and implementation of the academic level or performance of the employees of the organization. Knowledge management in turn engages the monitoring of databases and statistical panels regarding the dealings and operations of the firm. This essay makes a conclusion that for effective operation of tactical management policies and plans, organizations are required to fit and side with their organizational learning strategies, abilities and skills. Complete and successful management within a highly competitive and steady changing setting can only be accomplished through organizational learning in fields such as communication, management behavior of profit and non-profit organizations and knowledge management. The capacity of the staff to change in accordance with new surroundings and imposition of management strategies can be determined and improved through organizational learning. The concept derived from this study asserts that managers are supposed to be aware of the leading universal and essential changes made in organizational learning. Therefore, organizational learning is able to predict the success of strategic management, should the managers impose the right changes on staff and data management.

An identification of factors affecting performance and reward Dissertation

An identification of factors affecting performance and reward management during the time of recession (2008) at Nationwide Build - Dissertation Example 9-16, 1994). In particular, performance and reward management is one of such aspects of human resource management that focuses primarily on ensuring effective performance and subsequently, efficient reward management of employees. In addition, experts (Office of Personal Management, 2001) have emphasized greatly on the effectiveness of performance and reward management (PRM) in terms of ensuring success of the organization. However, during the last decade, the whole world has confronted adverse impacts of financial crisis and recession and this has resulted in cutting down of various departments by the organizations (Perry, pp. 1-13, 2009). Still, a majority of organizations is utilizing the tool of PRM to ensure its success, and thus, the proposed research will include efforts on the same aspect of business field. Background & Significance In particular, it is a fact that every business firm comes into existence with a specific objective to attain, and that usually is achievement of profit. For this purpose, employers create jobs to carry out specified tasks and recent studies have indicated that since two decades, business organizations are now focusing principally on the notion of accountability that becomes possible with frequent review of individual performance (Hartman et al., pp. 23-25, 1994). In this respect, attainment of success at employees’ level enables the firm to attain success at organizational level that is the basic relationship of PRM with organization as it facilitates firms in ensuring its success. This indicates the significance of PRM and thus, PRM has always remained a crucial aspect of business organizations, one of the reasons of choosing this aspect of business organizations that will be very beneficial for the global business community. Before carrying out research on performance management, it is very imperative that the researcher ensures its clarified understanding as it is an observation that vague understandings often res ult in unproductive outcomes. For this reason, experts (Shepard, pp. 4-14, 2000) have identified that the basic responsibility of performance management is to ensure integration of organizational mission and aims with that of employees on individual level. For this purpose, performance management includes techniques to create, evaluate, and review organizational mission and aims and integrate them on individual levels. In other words, performance management is an effective tool for employers to create a platform for ongoing communication with the employees. However, performance management is not enough to ensure such an enduring relationship, and thus, reward management plays its role by regulating this connection with the tools of different types and kinds of rewards to ensure interest and loyalty of the employees. Research Statement In this regard, the researcher will focus on the following research statement to fulfill the aims and objectives of the research: â€Å"

The SARA Approach to Gun Violence Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The SARA Approach to Gun Violence - Coursework Example The third steps in SARA model involve generation of solutions to remove the causes of the gun violence problem. The model gives an approach that focuses on both the offender and the places where the gun violence occur (The Center for Problem Oriented Policing, n.d).The offender oriented response is a framework that focuses on preventing gangs and groups from engaging in gang violence by use of deterrence strategy. This involves the delivery of explicit messages to the would-be offenders that warns them against the involvement of in gun violence (The Center for Problem Oriented Policing, n.d).The offender oriented response involves focusing on those involved in gun violence with the intention of reducing or stopping their activities, this, therefore, involves crackdowns, arrests, and prosecution of offenders. However, no community can support indiscriminate, illegitimate and highly aggressive random crackdown. It is therefore important to engage the community and let them know why the offenders are being arrested and the strategies the police will use. The process will become highly effective if it has the support o the community.Place Oriented Response involves focusing on the characteristics that make a place to be a gun violence hot spot. The proactive approach can be done through increased patrols, street searches and enforcement of firearm laws (The Center for Problem Oriented Policing, n.d).The first step in place oriented response is getting the support of the community.

The Second World War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Second World War - Essay Example Woodrow Wilson came up with 14 points and based on them, he formulated a treaty strong enough to spread peace in Europe if implemented. On the other hand, Georges Clemenceau wanted to take revenge from Germany. Lloyd George consented with Wilson but the people of England felt like Clemenceau did, so George tried to find a middle way between Wilson’s and Clemenceau’s approach. ïÆ'Ëœ Hitler’s Actions After becoming the Chancellor of Germany in 1933, Adolf Hitler started to secretly develop weapons and army in Germany. He expanded the German army in 1934, started to make warships, and developed airforce in Germany. Hitler then started confiscating land from the non-Germans. Countries that were demanded land from included Austria and Czechoslovakia. Expecting Poland to be the next country in the list, the governments of Britain and France resolved to take military action against Germany. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. ïÆ'Ëœ Ineffectiveness of the League of Nations The League of Nations was established in the year 1919 as an international organization to sustain peace in the world. All countries were supposedly the members of this League. Disputes would be resolved through dialogue rather than war. If a country showed non-conformance, she would be stopped trade with and if this did not work, war was inevitable. The League of Nations eventually failed for certain reasons.... These and many other factors caused the outbreak of the Second World War. Involvement of the US Foundations of the involvement of the US in the Second World War were laid with the invasion of Manchuria, China by Japan. In 1931, China was suffering from depression, which made it all the more easier for the Japanese to establish themselves in the Southern Manchuria. Russia was not content with the Japanese invasion of China, and so was the US since the US had good terms with Russia. In addition to that, the US had many political and economic reasons to enter the Second World War including the export of weapons to countries. The War in Europe There was a lot of subjectivity created about the country that would dominate Europe after the First World War. â€Å"The tremendous dislocations caused by the war laid the groundwork for the collapse of democratic institutions there and set the stage for a second German attempt at conquest† (â€Å"A Brief History†). The German democr atic regime was destroyed as a result of the spread of the Great Depression. Adolf Hitler strengthened the Nazi Party in 1933 and put an end to the parliamentary government. The Nazi government strengthened the armed forces in Germany and in an attempt to recover the German territories, overturned the Versailles Treaty. Hitler’s policy was directed at the expansion of Germans in the Eastern Europe. â€Å"Soon Germany, Italy, and Japan became allies, facing Western democratic governments that wanted to avoid another war and the Soviet Union whose Communist government was widely distrusted† (â€Å"A Brief History†). The War in the Pacific The timeline of events

Station Nightclub Fire Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Station Nightclub Fire - Research Paper Example Station night club has a by complex layout of the club and the bar section and has small entrances and exits. The complexity of the club’s architectural structures contributed to the loss of substantial lives during the fire incident in 2003. The fire incident happened during the time when the club’s management had scheduled a filming session concerning fire safety in clubs. This session was scheduled to conduct public lessons on fire issues after a crowd management issue that had claimed some lives at another club within the island. In the process of conducting the exercise, the club’s management allowed the use of pyrotechnic devises to demonstrate the practical aspects of the lesson. The pyrotechnic flames ended up igniting the flammable materials at the platform part of the club which eventually caused the spread of the fire the other sections of the club. The incident that led to the ignition of flames to the spread of fire inside the club took approximately 6 minutes. This short period instilled panic to the clubbers who in turn struggled to exit the building. Their efforts to move out of the club were hindered by the stampede that ensued at both the escape routes and the main entrance of the club. Few minutes after the fire, the whole club was covered in flames while the people were still struggling to free themselves. 10 minutes after the fire, the club’s fire management team and the fire rescue team initiated their efforts to put out the fire. However, their efforts to rescue the trapped club members were unsuccessful given the fact that the fire had reached its full blown stage. The aftermath of the incident was characterized by immediate review of the codes applied by the company in fire incidences. This process entailed reviewing of the codes by the NFPA and initiation of a research project to test the efficiencies of the codes that were in existence before the fire (Barry, 2010). Among the codes that were addressed after the fire

The Impacts of the American Revolution in US Societies Essay

The Impacts of the American Revolution in US Societies - Essay Example With the emergence of mid-level families in certain cities within the US in the aftermath of the American Revolution, there was a need to review if not the need to prioritize the opportunity for global investments. There had also existed societal and cultural issues in the US that have been the talk of the world after the American Revolution. These involved: (a) the undeniable emergence of the American citizens; (b) the emergence of the American citizens can be associated accurately to a tri-polar framework of political structure; (c) the improvement in the responsibilities of the talented and skilled American people; and (d) the start of an age of critical thinking (Bailyn 5). Because the Thirteen Colonies became free at the conclusion of the American Revolution, it would be fair to say that the US benefited the most out of the American Revolution. In investigating and analyzing the war between the US and the British colonizers, it is easy to deduce that there is a connection between the war and the greed for power of Great Britain that was rampant during those times (Bliven 6). Therefore, it is easy to identify that the war between the US and Great Britain gives an accurate and logical outline that includes independent wars in various areas of the world. The war between the US and Great Britain gives capability and the valid explanation to regimes that handles wars based on territorial disputes

Rolling Over the Native Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rolling Over the Native Culture - Essay Example From this paper it is clear  being able to hunt and make war are only two aspects that any culture faces in their day to day life. Art was an area that had a proud European tradition and it was also celebrated by the Indian tribes of North America. However, there were vast differences in the intent of the art and its use. European art was, for the most part, reserved for the elite. Music was seldom heard outside of aristocratic circles or in formal settings. It had little if any relevance to the average European and performances were routinely commissioned by the wealthy. However, Native American music was offered at tribal ceremonies and was a part of their traditional activities. This was due in part because of the difference in the instrumentation involved. While Europeans used complex and highly engineered instruments and compositions, Natives would use simpler forms.  This discussion highlights that the visual arts also had stark differences. Once again, the Europeans looked on art as the property of the elite. Works were commissioned and the practice and appreciation for art was left to those considered worthy. The subject matter generally had no real relationship to the average man. Often the works would become the property of a church or monarch. Here they were kept from view for many that resided in the countryside, or were that barred due to status.  The Natives, in contrast, had a rich tradition in art with a more meaningful use.  ... This gave the Indians the ability not only to hunt, but also to garner respect from their neighboring tribes. In fact, the Montana Historical Society Museum has over 1000 firearms from this period, one of which is Sitting Bull's 1866 Henry repeating rifle ("Museum Collections"). This is evidence of the high desire for European weapon technology and its great importance to both sides. Another important item that was provided by the Europeans was the horse. The Spanish introduced the horse to North America in the 16th century. The horse was a superior tool for the Native Americans as it provided them with much greater mobility, allowing the Indians to travel greater distances and expand their territory. It provided them with a more effective way to pursue their prey on a hunt and greatly increased their opportunity for survival. Horses were also desirable in waging war. The horses brought from Europe would serve the mounted cavalries of the U.S. Army as they pushed the Indians westward. The repeating rifle and the horse, though often misused, were indeed icons of European superiority. The Arts Being able to hunt and make war are only two aspects that any culture faces in their day to day life. Art was an area that had a proud European tradition and it was also celebrated by the Indian tribes of North America. However, there were vast differences in the intent of the art and its use. European art was, for the most part, reserved for the elite. Music was seldom heard outside of aristocratic circles or in formal settings. It had little if any relevance to the average European and performances were routinely commissioned by the wealthy. However, Native American music was offered at tribal ceremonies and was a part of their traditional

The Village Essay Example for Free

The Village Essay Describe the opening scenes or sections of the text. Explain how the opening scenes or section helped you to understand what the texts were going to be about, using examples of visual and/or oral language features to support your ideas. The Village is an isolated community foundered in order to evade the corruption of the present day world. In an attempt to prohibit people from leaving, a cunning scheme to generate fear is put in place. Behind this pernicious act, is an innocent intention. These two ideas, of evil and innocence, can be depicted from the opening credits. The director, M.  Night Shyamalan cleverly intertwines intriguing camera angles, chilling images, and eerie, yet pure music to convey these themes. Composers often convey emotion through their music in the form of different instruments. Particular instruments are more suited to portraying certain emotions, and audiences can decipher what emotion is being portrayed depending on the instrument used. At the beginning of the opening credits, a flute, conveying innocence and naivety is used. The mellow, calming sound of the flute is later contrasted by a steady menacing drum beat that enters the piece of music as the title, â€Å"The Village† materialises. Slowly, the tempo of the piece accelerates causing a sense of uneasiness and tension within the audience. Gradually, the double bass is introduced into the music adding greater mystery, and apprehension. This music sequence highlights the idea that the content of â€Å"The Village† is supposedly meant to be pure and innocent but somehow encompasses a form of evil and hostility. The looming images of stark trees in dark lighting foreshadow the events that will follow. The dark images in the foreground of every shot are lit by the space in the background creating shadows and a spooky feel. The images are of lifeless trees. This is unsettling, and it makes the viewer feel intimidated, and insignificant. The austere branches are dappled in moonlight telling the viewer that it is night-time. The significance of this is that all strange and mysterious things seem to occur at night, reinforcing the suspicion that a dark theme will be involved in the film. Camera angles are used for a similar effect to music, in that they can help in portraying emotions. In â€Å"The Village†, the camera encircles the tree from a low angle engendering two effects. When the camera circles the trees, it creates the illusion that everything within the forest is haunted and live. This effect is complimented by the low angle shot as the low angle shot enables the tree branches to seem threatening and overwhelming. The camera also only reveals snippets of trees, and will not display a shot for very long. This makes the viewer feel uncomfortable and confused as they don’t quite understand what is happening, and they feel as if they can not control the situation. The feelings these techniques give the audience point towards something foreboding in the film, and really brace the audience for what they are about to watch.

Academic dishonesty Essay Example for Free

Academic dishonesty Essay You are expected to demonstrate professionalism throughout your graduate education program. Professionalism includes the ways you participate in the university classroom and in teaching experiences in school. Your professional disposition is reviewed by advisors, professors, and the Professional Standards Committee. Exhibiting professionalism in the university classroom and the schools is a necessary requirement for continuing in the program. |Areas of | |Professional Dispositions | | | |Dependability and Reliability – Candidate demonstrates behaviors that are characteristic of the professional teacher such as | |punctuality, attendance and organization. Lessons are very well-planned and presented. | |Respect -Candidate demonstrates respect for supervisors and colleagues, students and other educational stakeholders, and is held in| |esteem by peers and supervisors. | |Commitment and Initiative – Candidate demonstrates commitment to learning and students; creates different learning strategies for | |students; and shares new and unusual professional resources with colleagues. | |Responsiveness – Candidate seeks and values constructive feedback from peers, instructors, and mentors; and goes beyond the call of| |duty to utilized feedback in teaching and planning. | |Collaboration Candidate creates positives relationships within the university classroom and with stakeholders in the school | |community as well as suggests tips for sustaining positive relationships. See more:Â  First Poem for You Essay | |Open-Mindedness Candidate demonstrates willingness that is characteristic of professionals in terms of willingness to examine | |both traditional and innovative practices, and demonstrates flexibility when dealing with uncertainty and complex educational | |issues through personal extensive inquiry and consultation. | |Knowledgeable – Candidate demonstrates awareness of current educational issues and demonstrates the ability to illustrate and apply| |subject matter concepts consistently and sequentially in lessons. | |Communication Candidate demonstrates the ability to effectively write and speak, how to assist students in successfully utilizing| |applicable concepts of the language arts in terms of mastery as indicated by students’ work and grades. | |Confidentiality Candidate demonstrates characteristics of the professional teachers such as sharing information about students | |and specific classroom anecdotes in confidential and respectful ways. Candidate shares information only with those who need to | |know. | |Academic Honesty Candidate demonstrates academic honesty, a behavior that is characteristic of a professional teacher by | |producing independent, original work. | |Appearance Candidate consistently wears appropriate professional attire while teaching. | |Teaching Effectiveness Candidate demonstrates the ability to plan and to engage students in productive learning events that | |feature critical and insightful thinking, and demonstrates effective management skills by using a variety of strategies to foster | |appropriate student behavior according to individual and situational needs. | |Fairness Candidate engages in practices that recognize all students, and all students received constructive feedback and | |encouragement. Student progress is recognized as well as mastery. All students believe that they can improve. | |Bias Candidate engages in practices that recognize all students and encourage active student participation in activities and | |discussion that highlight the value of diversity and the richness of student’s experience. | I have read and understood this statement of my professional responsibilities. Student Name (print)_______________________________________ Date __________________ Revised 7/1/2011 IV. Go to this link http://www. lib. usm. edu/legacy/plag/plagiarismtutorial. php and go through the plagiarism tutorial. Remember that using a paper, article review, etc. from another course is also considered plagiarism. Send the posttest scores to my email address. V. Please read the Academic Integrity Policy (located under content) before signing the documents below. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY Student Signature Form Academic Honor Pledge I promise or affirm that I will not at any time be involved in cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or any other acts of academic dishonesty as defined by university policy which explains the disciplinary procedure resulting from violations of academic integrity. I understand that violation of this code will result in penalties, which could include suspension or dismissal from the university. (Student Handbook AKA The Red Book) Initial each below that is applicable. __________I have read and understand the Academic Honor Pledge above. __________I have read and understand the Academic Integrity Policy provided in the Student Handbook AKA The Red Book. __________The instructor, _____________________________, covered the Academic Integrity Policy in class, EDU _____________ for the _________________ term. __________I have gone over one or both of the tutorials (links provided in the syllabus) on plagiarism. ____________________________________________________________ Print Name Date VI. Read Chapter 1 in your TestBook and the Introduction Powerpoint located under Module I before completing the questions below. Classify each by research type: descriptive/survey, correlational, causal-comparative, experimental, or qualitative. If causal-comparative or experimental, identify the independent and dependent variables. If correlational, identify predictor and criterion variables if there are any. 1. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between creativity and achievement. 2. The purpose of this research is to examine prediction of success in physics based on a physics aptitude test. 3. The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of birth order on academic achievement. 4. The purpose of this research is to examine self-esteem of males versus females 5. The purpose of this research is to examine the attitudes of parents toward lowering the mandatory school attendance age from 16 to 14 years of age. 6. The purpose of this research is to examine the ethnography of teacher-parent conferences. 7. The purpose of this research is to examine opinions of principals regarding decentralization of decision-making. 8. The purpose of this research is to examine effects of assertive discipline on the behavior of children with hyperactivity. 9. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between the time it takes to run the 100-yard dash and high jumping performance. 10. The purpose of this research is to examine the effectiveness of daily homework with respect to achievement in Algebra I. 11. The purpose of this research is to examine the attitudes of teachers toward school-based management. 12. The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of superintendents via observations and conversations. 13. The purpose of this research is to examine comparative effectiveness of the whole-language method versus the basal method of reading instruction. 14. The purpose of this research is to examine trends in reading methods from 1950 to 1990. 15. The purpose of this research is to examine if children’s social adjustment in Grade 1 is enhanced by increased dramatic play in kindergarten. 16. The purpose of this research is to examine if there is a negative relationship between amount of assigned homework and student attitude toward school. 17. The purpose of this research is to examine if longer school days produce a decrease in student participation in extra-curricular activities. The purpose of this research is to examine if students will achieve better in mathematics if they use Saxon Textbooks rather than if they use Merrill Textbooks.

Automotive Industry: General Motors

Automotive Industry: General Motors General motors Introduction Since, from the industrial revolution the automotive industry has been playing an important role in the growth of economies throughout the world. In the 21st century, greater challenges were face by the industry. During this time, the industry undergoes fundamental changes. GM is one of the largest automotive corporations operating in over 70 countries with a presence in more than 200 countries, they have more than 260 major subsidiaries, and they have 395,000 employees working with them in worldwide that translate in to global opportunities that span the planet. On 1908, General motors was founded since then 1931 it has been the global automotive sales leader. Its founder was William c. Durant, James whiting promoted his automobile in 1904. In the present time, GM is having its manufacturing operations in 32 countries and their vehicles are selling in more than 190 countries. General Motors, is also involved in telecommunication, Aerospace, financial and insurance service, Defence, locomotives, automotive systems and Heavy Duty Automotive Transmissions. Here are some of the popular brands of GM such as Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER, Opel and some more. The vision of Generals Motors is to be the world leader in transportation products and related services. In addition, to earn customers enthusiasm through continuous improvement driven by integrity, teamwork and the innovation of GM people. The General Motors company officially became general motors corporation on October 13, 1916. During the Second World War, for helping the allies to victory GM manufacture trucks, tanks, aircrafts and a variety of other military supplies. GM became a dominant force, in the post-war period, a position it would maintain for decades. The post -second war was the golden period for the GM, with a variety of innovations that continually boosted sales. During the 1950s, Chevrolet and Pontiac introduces V8 engine. The CHEV small block V8, it has become one of the longest-lived engine designs in automotive history. By the year 2015, GM is deciding to launch near about nine Hybrid models for sale in the U.S. The Automobile industry has to cope with many unpredictable changes over the next coming years and they can only survived by appropriate strategic planning and implementing them in most suitable way. Analysing the micro economic factors in GM General Motor is an American multinational corporation and is one of the worlds largest automobile companies. According to the NADA, GM total revenue in 2006 was 207.349 billion and in 2008, 182.347 billion and currently employs 284,000 people and their average sales per dealership is 31.9 billion. Key macroeconomic factors that affect GM and the automobile industry are as following Gross domestic products (GDP), Automobile manufacturers policies and prices, Weather peaks Recessions, and Telecommunications and technology Gross domestic product Thegross domestic product(GDP) orgross domestic income(GDI) is a basic measure of a countrys overall economic output. It is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a country in a year. The automobile manufacturing industry is one of the largest industries within the U.S., and is a vital engine for the U.S. economy contributing greatly to employment and productivity. Reports indicate that motor vehicle production represents over 5 % of the U.S. private sector GDP.The U.S. is the worlds largest producer and consumer of motor vehicles with production reaching 12.2 million units in 2002.The U.S. automotive industry continues to experience on-going organizational and technological change, and have taken steps to increase its global presence by expanding global alliances and seeking greater collaboration with other U.S. automakers. The Big Three U.S. automakers makeup approximately 76 % of U.S. passenger vehicle production, while Japanese automakers, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu represents 18 %, and European automakers, BMW and Mercedes (division of Daimler-Chrysler) make up nearly 2 %. If they stay off the job to the end of the month, then automotive output, instead of adding 0.1% to third quarter GDP, will subtract 0.2%. If automakers stick to their previously planned reduction in assemblies for the fourth quarter, that quarters GDP will be reduced by 0.5% (at an annual rate). If the UAW stays out through the first week of October, that drag becomes 0.8%. If theyre out for all of October, that drag becomes 1.7%. If UAW members at Ford and Chrysler also walk out and stay out through all of October, fourth quarter GDP would probably shrink. (Economists currently project GDP to grow 2.2% in the current quarter and 1.9% in the fourth, according to a survey by WSJ.com.) According to a Reuters report over 3-thousand U.S. car dealerships could fail this fall and into 2009. All this because of weak sales and customers unable to get the credit they need. However, on a local level one car dealer says things are different. Gross domestic product includes all goods and services produced by either citizen-supplied or foreign-supplied resources employed within the country. The automobile manufacturing industry is one of the largest industries within the U.S. and is a vital engine for the U.S. economy contributing greatly to employment and productivity. Reports indicate that motor vehicle production represents over 5% of the U.S. private sector GDP. Automotive dealerships like GM are required to make profits in order to support their operations. Automobile manufacturers policies and prices The policies and pricing strategy help automobile dealers to create the operating environment for their business. From the 2008 to 2010 we have seen a lot of fluctuation in policies and price due to global financial downturn. The crises have mostly affected the American automobile manufacturing industry. Energy crises from 2003 have lead to the higher price for the automotive fuels discouraging customers to buy sport utility vehicle (SUV) and pickup trucks, which have low fuel economy. As SUV and pickup trucks was the main focus of big American automobile companies like General Motors which have few fuel efficient models to offer to customs due to which sales began to slide and with the beginning of 2008 situation had turned critical as thecredit crunchplaced pressure on the prices ofraw materials. Most of the American turned to Japanese car more fuel-efficient creating competition and prices war making huge loss for the GM. GMs most of the production line had SUVs and large pickup truck which were more profitable than smaller cars, they would have 15% to 20% profit margin on SUVs and pickup trucks , compared to 3% or less on small fuel efficient cars. Gasoline price rose above $4 per gallon in 2008 most of the Americans stop buying big vehicles that collapse the sales and profitability of the GM.Robert Samuelsonhas advocated a more consistent energy policy, arguing, Wild swings between low and high fuel prices have crippled the U.S. industry by erratically shifting buyer preferences to and from SUVs. In 2008, financial crisis was playing its role stock prices were fallowing down and people were less interested in buying new cars, GM shares fell below 1946 levels creating a panic situation for all the major car manufactures. There was a ray of hope when oil prices fall to $33.87 per barrel on December 19, 2008, but that could help them recover as financial crisis continues even after that. The graph below is showing gasoline prices from January/ 03/ 2003 to November/03/ 2008. We can see how it was steadily going upwards from Jan 2008 when it was $ 28 per barrel until it reached $135 per barrel on July 2008 then going steeply down to$33.87 per barrel on December 2008. Oil prices has a invertible effect on the car sales if oil price is cheaper then sales of big cars will go up and if oil gets expensive sales of cars goes down, though there are also other factors responsible for that but oil prices is definitely one of the major factor. Polices Pension and Health Care Issues A report issued on behalf of the GM stated that an average cost of per car would increase by $1200 per vehicle because of their aging work forces, increase number of retirees and old age benefits and healthcare. This will indirectly affect the sales and prices of the vehicles. Currency Exchange Rates Exchange rate highly affects the automobile industry as many automobile suppliers are from china or any other country. GM have complained to Automotive Trade Policy Council that exchange market intervention by Japanese monetary authorities has frequently prevented market forces from appreciating the yen and thus make difficult for GM to compete against Imports from Japan. Fuel Economy and Emission Standards U.S government has develop higher fuel economy standards and emission standard for carbon dioxide and other green house gases that has highly effected the GM as it mostly produces SUV and other light trucks as it needs to change the design and to introduces new technology which is more clean and reliable. Broader Issues of Automotive Trade Policy As most of the foreign government has trade restrictions and polices that prevent the GM to enter in those country effecting its growth and expansition.GM with the help of the U.S government they are being trying to be active in WTO aimed in removing trade restrictions and policies. Such countries are Brazil, India, Indonesia and the Philippines as they have discriminatory policies so that they are able to promote domestic vehicle and develop national automotive development strategies. Weather peaks The highest selling seasons for automobile dealers are spring and summer. During the spring and summer, the optimism index rises 141% from the downfall incurred during the fall and winter months Recessions From the begin of the 2008 automobile industry was hit hard by the credit crunch specifically U.S market. There was a panic situation people were losing jobs, stocks were going down and customers would not prefer to buy cars on credit or loans even if would buy car that would be more of fuel efficient rather than the GM pickup trucks. According to the John Fleming, president and chief executive of Ford Europe Sales are going down and markets are softening. Means that they are not able to control the market and they cannot predict where it will lead them. SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE GENERAL MOTOR SWOT analysis will help to analysis market positioning and identifying the internal and external factors that are favourable and unfavourable for the GM to achieving its objective. Strengths Large market share The market share of GM in the US is plummeting, rather than shrink; it has expected that global car industry will grow radically in the end. Sales growth is expected to come from Middle East, Russia, China and India. While in US and Europe, manufacturing is currently strong. After what happen with the GM, China gave them a good market. The year of 2009 was very successful in China for GM. Plant and equipment The GM has its plants almost all over the world; some of them are US, China, India, Russia, Europe and so many. The US plant was the one of the largest vehicle seller in the world until 2008. They adapt change according to the market and situation, they uses some latest technologies to give the people what they want. One of the technologies that they are using now days for their plants is 3D laser scanning, it can commonly seen in construction sites, GM use it to reduce the development plant layout and design. 3D laser helps them to scan the whole facility, from the roof trusses down to the plant floor. It gives us a complete 3D image, which can be viewed by the automakers throughout the world. According to Bill Campbell, they have scanned an average of 2million ft.2 per facility. The most recent projects was in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. They also believes that using of layout data derived from 3D scanning reduced travel cost and less time wasted. Innovative According to the BCG- business week 2008 survey, GM was ranked in top 20 Innovations Company in the world. Onstar satellite technology, was developed in 1996 it have 3 million subscribers and is standard on all GM vehicles. This is the technology, which helps us while in emergency and theft. Weakness Behind on Alternative Energy Movement This is GMs one of the biggest weakness. Because, in the market GM was one-step behind from the competition of alternative energy/hybrid vehicles. This create many problems for GM, includes loss of market share and the companies profit was affected by this also. Organisational structure In GM, there was a lack of information between employees from top to bottom, and this was one of the causes of falling behind of the alternative energy movement. There was a communication problem between the employees and employer. Stagnant profitability As we know GM is struggling now a days to get back in to the position where the GM was. The ROE has significantly decreased over the recent years it is now 10% and the margin of the company is 1.5%. This is also one of the falling point of GM , because the shareholders was thinking about their shares so they were not pleased with this situation. US market dependent GM became too dependent on US market. This was one of the causes of the failure. GM has been ignoring the competition in 1960s GM controlled half of the North American vehicle market and the latest figure shows its only now 19%. Poor credit The US auto industry is in a big slump. GM bank account is shrinking by $1 billion a month. The issue is can general motor will be their where it was. Since from 1992, the market share has fallen from 34% that year to 19%. The company wasted around $2 billion on an investment of Fiat and many billions on the Delphi. The management also wrecked GMAC its car loan subsidiary, by lending money to people who could not pay it back. Opportunity Globally expanding GM is the strong company with high quality production and has a range of new exciting products, which they can represent internationally. They need to inflate into the new markets and expand internationally. Many new countries have started free trade policies GM needs to explore these countries such as India and china, as its been assumed that within coming years Asia will be the biggest market for the car industries. Along the way, they need to continue to focus on there on home market. Available Governmental support GM has an immense support from the government. U.S government has supportive and encouraging polices for the American companies .GM can use government policies support to promote its growth outside the American continent. Development of the new models GM had worlds one of the first RD centre .They have scientific skills and expertise to develop new technological vehicle which are more fuel efficient and uses green technology. It is necessary for them to develop hybrid cars to protect them from enormous competition from japans car industry .the new government regulations tough and against high consumption cars which is the expertise of GM so they need to change the table round and change weakness into opportunity. They have the resources as well as technical skills all they need is the motivation and ability to do it. Threats Competition from foreign markets The slow death of GM, in the 1970 it had nearly 60% of automobile market and foreign share was only 10% that time in the US. Now the foreign brands dominate the GM market in the US and the GM shares little more than 20%. Reasons for GMs decline: GM major cost disadvantages was their production sites, which were in the U.S making their labour costly, then there competitor. Then strike threat came from sites around the country. They were threatened walkouts at plants in Parma, OH; Mansfield, OH; Grand Rapids, MI; Kansas City, KS; Flint MI and Arlington. Due to which they agreed to the demands of United Auto Workers (UAW) union that lead to increase in costs leaving GM to suffer higher loses.0 Financial slowdown From the year 2003 it has been a difficult times for GM firstly increased prices of the oil made it difficult for them to increase their sale and it decrease their profit margin, and years after they were hit by recession in 2008 that tumbled there whole industrial structure. The reason they were not able to cope up with the recession was there high cost of operation and over expansion that lead to disintegration leaving higher losses than ever. Secondly, high competition from japans companies made it difficult for the GM survival. GM and organisational development Organisational development is a soft methodology intended for use in complex situations to provide intervention strategy for the change management. GM has developed organisational strategy so that they have the ability to deal with organisational problems, cultural diversity, stability and political bargaining. Methodology for the OD was to develop unified system for the employees. However, one of the reasons it was introduce as employees of GM are quite inflexible and they could not cope with such pressure from the change. Change is never easy, especially in a vast, global organization like GM, which has been struggling with a change agenda for years and they have to change as shares are going down as last year it weathered an 18% dip in its U.S. market. GM finally understands that keeping its leadership position in the worldwide auto business demands deep-seated change. GM wants to develop the change management so that they are able to- Create a care work place in professional practice environment that promotes a high quality service, equality of opportunity, and political and public accountability. Making best use of money, people and other resources for and with the users of services to achieve the agreed objectives; Supporting best qualities direct and public services; Given clear messages to everybody about everything we do GM needs to diagnose the issue by theOrganisational Design Wheel that they are able to build momentum for change. Organisational tool gives us insight that for any organisational success its focus should be Mission and vision, which need to be align with organisation, process, people and direction setting and it should be backed up by the its organisational structure ,strategy,leadership,processes,culture and performances. This is the kind of the structure, which GM needs to develops but to reach here they need to go through a lot change management. For the development of the OD and change management, GM needs to Connect OD initiatives to strategic business models and Use the action research process to diagnose opportunities for improving the organisation. Define critical success factors and target specific interventions for hard-hitting, bottom-line OD. Articulate their role as an internal OD consultant. Leave with practical tools and advice that are immediately applicable to the companys OD initiatives. Organisational Analysis and Design The design of an organisation can affect everything as for the GM has gone through over expansion creating disintegration in controlling the organisation effectively. They will need to change the structure from the top to bottom so that they are able to develop proper workflow that will lead to ultimate success at the bottom line. GM needs to develop a change management program that targets GM employees that will help them to learn the dynamics, processes, and challenges inherent in analysing and designing an organisation to achieve business results. These applications of a systematic approach for guiding an organisational design effort, from problem identification, and planning the transformation, will ensure these efforts are align with the organisations mission and values. Organisational Culture and Change In todays worlds, Organisations today experience change in faster cycles than ever before. This is due to the mergers and acquisitions, turnaround situations, and organisational restructuring place pressure on strategy and performance. General motor has over expanded through merger and acquisition making them difficult to restructure their organisation. If they want to be able to deliver positive business results they need to competent internal change agents and access them, test their reliability. During the change management employees are most affected by it so GM needs to change in most appropriate way so that they are able to adopt it. According to the Bennis in his early work Organizational Development: nature, origins prospects defines OD as: a response to change, a complex educational strategy intended to change the beliefs, attitudes, values and structure of organizations so that they can better adapt to new technologies, markets and challenges. According to the change, curve employees go through five stages shock and denial, anger, depression and detachment, dialogue and bargaining and acceptances. Shock and denial- when organisation implements change management in the company employees at first avoid and as well, as get confused with it. Anger with the new regulation and rules make employees frustrated and irritated against the change, which for any organisation is difficult, and they need to overcome from it very quickly. Depression and dialogue are interrelated stage, which lead to the acceptances. Acceptances is when employees are able to understand and explore new system how is it more efficient and beneficial for employees and organisation. Best Practices in Succession Management Succession management is a critical determinant of marketplace longevity for organisations. To develop best practices that will help to sustain competitive edge. For the GM employees and HR managers have to develop skills of succession management such as- Select options for assessing the core talent pool, and identifying and supporting high potentials Set up and execute effective succession planning review meetings Integrate succession management within the broader human resource system Utilise techniques for knowledge transfer of critical intellectual property Implement new models for both technical and management succession planning Drill down into succession management beyond the top management layer Design and Implement Leadership Development Systems When it comes to developing the leaders within an organisation, the stakes are high and the potential payoff is enormous. How to create a rationale for developing leaders in the organisation Identifying the leadership capabilities required in the near future, and assess talent gaps Determine the most efficient and effective means of developing the talent to meet the organisations needs Incorporate action learning into leadership development initiatives Understand how to create a system that aligns the organisational leadership programs with elements of strategy, culture, and business initiatives Model for Change Management There are numerous well-organized models that can help in change management in the organisation and for the GM will be The McKinsey 7S Framework. Some of the approaches have been around for many years. For example, many organizations undertake strategic planning. The implementation of strategic planning, when done in a systematic, cyclical and explicit approach, is strategic management. Strategic management is also one model for ensuring the success of change efforts. The McKinsey 7S Framework There are many models for the analysis of the organisations position and its objects some of them will analysis internal factors, others will analysis external ones, some of them combines these perspectives, and others look for congruence between various aspects of the organization. At the end it comes down to which factors that will affect the organisation. Tom Peters and Robert Waterman developed the McKinsey 7S framework in the early 1980s while working at the McKinsey Company consulting firm, the basic premise of the model is that there are seven internal aspects of an organization that need to be aligned if it is to be successful. The 7S model has a ability to be used in variety of situations where an alignment perspective is useful. It will help the company to develop better strategic planning process. It is used to analysis four basic things- Improve the performance of a company. Examine the likely effects of future changes within a company. Align departments and processes during a merger or acquisition. Determine how best to implement a proposed strategy. The McKinsey 7S model involves seven either interdependent factors, which are categorized as hard, or soft elements: Hard elements are easier to identify and it directly influences management. These processes are strategy statements; organization charts and reporting lines; and formal processes and IT systems. On the other hand, soft elements are much more difficult to describe, as they are less tangible and more influenced by culture of the organisation. However, these soft elements are as important as the hard elements if the organization is going to be successful. Figure 1 below the model is representing in a way that change in one element will create a change in other .in this way it shows how these are linked other. If these new model is added in the GM organisational structure it will give them the stability they need to regain their number one marketing position. Each element represent an organisational structure and it is very important to understand how it will affect the organisation as a whole. Strategy:the plan devised to maintain and build competitive advantage over the competition. Structure:the way the organization is structured and who reports to whom. Systems:the daily activities and procedures that staff members engage in to get the job done. Shared Values:called super ordinate goals when the model was first developed, these are the core values of the company that are evidenced in the corporate culture and the general work ethic. Style:the style of leadership adopted. Staff:the employees and their general capabilities. Skills:the actual skills and competencies of the employees working for the company. This model will help and analysis GM performances. The model is based on the theory that, for an organization to perform well, these seven elements need to be aligned and mutually reinforcing. So, the model can be used to help identify what needs to be realigned to improve performance, or to maintain alignment (and performance) during other types of change. Whatever the type of change restructuring, new processes, organizational merger, new systems, change of leadership, and so on the model can be used to understand how the organizational elements are interrelated, and so ensure that the wider impact of changes made in one area is taken into consideration. You can use the 7S model to help analyze the current situation (Point A), a proposed future situation (Point B) and to identify gaps and inconsistencies between them. Its then a question of adjusting and tuning the elements of the 7S model to ensure that your organization works effectively and well once you reach the desired endpoint. Sounds simple? Well, of course not: Changing your organization probably will not be simple at all! Whole books and methodologies are dedicated to analyzing organizational strategy, improving performance and managing change. The 7S model is a good framework to help you ask the right questions but it wont give you all the answers. For that youll need to bring together the right knowledge, skills and experience. When it comes to asking the right questions, weve developed a Mind Tools checklist and a matrix to keep track of how the seven elements align with each other. Supplement these with your own questions, based on your organizations specific circumstances and accumulated wisdom.

Our Hike up Poly Canyon :: Descriptive Essays Observation

Our Hike up Poly Canyon If I had known what lay before me Monday morning on our hike up Poly Canyon, I would not have been so hesitant. After many attempts, my alarm finally woke me up at 6:30 am. As I stumbled into the shower and got ready, I was dreading our impending hike. I struggled to put on my shoes as my feet still ached with blisters from my last ascent of a local mountain. Less than two weeks earlier my WOW group traveled up Bishop’s Peak; an unpleasant adventure I was not eager to repeat. An hour later, still fighting to keep my eyes open, I met my class in the lobby and together we ascended to the gate of Poly Canyon to greet our Professor. By the time we stopped for our first rest, I had experienced a whirlwind of impressions. The cold, bitter air snapped at my skin. The sounds of campus life faded as we made our way to the back side of the mountain. In their place was the chirping of birds, crackling of leaves falling off trees and the bellows of nearby cows. In place of the redbrick dorms and Cerro Vista apartments of campus stood the shabby sheds and arenas of the Campus Farm. We passed dry, fruitless Serpentine rock on our way, and cactus grew opposite a barren river. Soon after passing an ancient oak tree, we discovered a group of deer staring back at us. We stopped to gaze at the assembly on a nearby hill, and once they scurried to the top we continued on our way. The novel sights, sounds and smells we experienced in the first twenty minutes of our adventure elevated my spirits and increased my anticipation for what was to come. After our break, we crossed a narrow bridge, passed through a grove of sweet-smelling trees, and began our ascent up the back side of the mountain. My sentiments quickly shifted back to ones of pain and regret. The wounds on my feet reopened and I was bleeding through my socks. My breath grew shorter and my face became redder from exhaustion. The views were just as disheartening, given that the dense fog hid the beauty of the hills. The only natural features visible were small, sharp rocks which further made my feet ache more, and yucca bushes, slightly more pleasant to the eye, but painful to the touch. Our Hike up Poly Canyon :: Descriptive Essays Observation Our Hike up Poly Canyon If I had known what lay before me Monday morning on our hike up Poly Canyon, I would not have been so hesitant. After many attempts, my alarm finally woke me up at 6:30 am. As I stumbled into the shower and got ready, I was dreading our impending hike. I struggled to put on my shoes as my feet still ached with blisters from my last ascent of a local mountain. Less than two weeks earlier my WOW group traveled up Bishop’s Peak; an unpleasant adventure I was not eager to repeat. An hour later, still fighting to keep my eyes open, I met my class in the lobby and together we ascended to the gate of Poly Canyon to greet our Professor. By the time we stopped for our first rest, I had experienced a whirlwind of impressions. The cold, bitter air snapped at my skin. The sounds of campus life faded as we made our way to the back side of the mountain. In their place was the chirping of birds, crackling of leaves falling off trees and the bellows of nearby cows. In place of the redbrick dorms and Cerro Vista apartments of campus stood the shabby sheds and arenas of the Campus Farm. We passed dry, fruitless Serpentine rock on our way, and cactus grew opposite a barren river. Soon after passing an ancient oak tree, we discovered a group of deer staring back at us. We stopped to gaze at the assembly on a nearby hill, and once they scurried to the top we continued on our way. The novel sights, sounds and smells we experienced in the first twenty minutes of our adventure elevated my spirits and increased my anticipation for what was to come. After our break, we crossed a narrow bridge, passed through a grove of sweet-smelling trees, and began our ascent up the back side of the mountain. My sentiments quickly shifted back to ones of pain and regret. The wounds on my feet reopened and I was bleeding through my socks. My breath grew shorter and my face became redder from exhaustion. The views were just as disheartening, given that the dense fog hid the beauty of the hills. The only natural features visible were small, sharp rocks which further made my feet ache more, and yucca bushes, slightly more pleasant to the eye, but painful to the touch.

Data Link Control (internet) :: essays research papers

Society has become based solely on the ability to move large amounts of information across vast distances quickly. The natural evolution of computers and this need for ultra-fast communications has caused a global network of interconnected computers to develop. This global network allows a person to send E-mail across the world in mere fractions of a second, and enables even the common person to access information world-wide. With the new advancements in technology there must be a set of â€Å"rules† or better known as protocols that must be established and utilized at all times. In this short ten page paper I will be demonstrating the advancements in these protocols and there uses today. To properly show the significant advancement, it will be best to show why Data Link Control was established. In the early 1970’s, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) started a research program interlinking computer to share information. While sending information from one site to the other many problems arose with loosing data (Society). To decrease the amount of corrupted data being transmitted, protocols were established. These protocols were a drawn out process that was very slow but was able to transfer data all across the world. By 1986, the US National Science Foundation Started the NSFNET which today provides one of the biggest backbones for the internet. This supercomputer was able to send packets on its 45 MBps trunk to different locations. Once this was in place the internet was born with TCP/IP Protocols of TCP/IP protocol suite became available in the 1980's. . By 1991-93 Home computers were starting to take advantage of the vast amount of information that is available. By this time the OSI protocol was created and by the end of 1991 the internet has grown to include 5,000 networks in three countries, serving over 700,000 host computers used by over 4,000,000 people. This was all possible due to strict sets of protocols that were followed (Society). By the mid to late 1990’s society was using 56K modems in the residential areas and companies were purchasing faster dedicated connections. At this period of time flow control, error control, and High-level Data link Control (HDLC) were being implem ented. The control of the data being processed is referred to as flow control. Flow control was needed to be established to regulate the speed of data being transmitted. Regulating the speed of the transmission evens out the data so that very little errors will occur.

Causes of the Great Depression :: American History Economics Economy Essays

Causes of the Great Depression The Great Depression was the worst economic slump ever in U.S. history, and one which spread to virtually the entire industrialized world. The depression began in late 1929 and lasted for about a decade. Many factors played a role in bringing about the depression. The main cause for the Great Depression was the combination of the greatly unequal distribution of wealth throughout the 1920's, and the extensive stock market speculation that took place during the latter part that same decade. The misdistribution of wealth in the 1920's existed on many levels. Money was distributed disparately between the rich and the middle-class, between industry and agriculture within the United States, and between the U.S. and Europe. This imbalance of wealth created an unstable economy. The excessive speculation in the late 1920's kept the stock market artificially high, but eventually lead to large market crashes. These market crashes, combined with the misdistribution of wealth, caused the American economy to capsize. The "roaring twenties" was an era when our country prospered tremendously. The nation's total income rose from $74.3 billion in 1923 to $89 billion in 1929(end note 1). However, the rewards of the "Coolidge Prosperity" of the 1920's were not shared evenly among all Americans. According to a study done by the Brookings Institute, in 1929 the top 0.1% of Americans had a combined income equal to the bottom 42% (end note 2). That same top 0.1% of Americans in 1929 controlled 34% of all savings, while 80% of Americans had no savings at all (end note 3). Automotive industry mogul Henry Ford provides a striking example of the unequal distribution of wealth between the rich and the middle-class. Henry Ford reported a personal income of $14 million (end note 4) in the same year that the average personal income was $750(end note 5). By present day standards, where the average yearly income in the U.S. is around $18,500(end note 6), Mr. Ford would be earning over $345 million a year! This misdi stribution of income between the rich and the middle class grew throughout the 1920's. While the disposable income per capita rose 9% from 1920 to 1929, those with income within the top 1% enjoyed a stupendous 75% increase in per capita disposable income(end note 7). A major reason for this large and growing gap between the rich and the working-class people was the increased manufacturing output throughout this period.

Shark: Blood and Dr. Ramos

Eight-year-old Jim Morris, wading in the warm current off Florida's Gulf Coast, swam easily toward his sister Amy and his uncle Robert. But the kids' fun in the shoulder-deep water was cut short by Jim's shouts of â€Å"Get it off me! Get it off me! † Amy's screams sliced through the peacefully rolling breakers like a knife, â€Å"Help! A shark has bitten off my brother's arm! Call 911! † Nearby swimmers heard the cries as Uncle Robert yelled, â€Å"Help us get the shark. It swallowed the arm! † The swimmers converged on the spot, grabbing the six-and-a-half-foot bull shark by the tail and holding on for dear life. The twitching shark was hauled ashore barehanded by the group of men and shot. They pried open the shark's mouth while Robert pulled Jim's right arm out from between its jaws. As the boy's blood soaked into the white sand, lifeguards began CPR and applied a tourniquet. Paramedics arrived to stabilize Jim for transport to nearby Coastal Hospital. His arm was packed in ice and taken along. In the emergency room, Dr. Elaine Rogers, the physician on duty, quickly ordered multiple transfusions to restore the boy's blood supply as the ER team began stabilizing his vital signs. Dr. Rogers began assembling the operating room team that would attempt to reattach Jim's arm. She called Ronan McBane, a microvascular surgeon, at his home. â€Å"Ronan, we have a cleanly severed arm due to a shark bite. It looks like it was just chopped off, with not much shredding of the tissue. The sharp-edged teeth of the shark bit through the boy's arm so cleanly it almost seems to have been severed by a cleaver. The boy is eight years old and, although he is still in pretty bad shape, we think that since the arm was recovered and is in reasonably good condition, we have a good chance at success. Further conversation convinced Ronan that reattachment was possible. By the time Dr. McBane arrived, the other members of his medical team had started scrubbing for the 12 hours of surgery that would be needed to reconnect Jim's muscles, bone, and nerves. Dr. McBane announced to the watching interns: â€Å"This arm was severed about four inches above the elbow. I want first to identify the muscles, blood vessels, and nerves in both the arm and the stump. We'll mark each of these with sutures so that once Dr. Ramos has trimmed the wound and put in the supporting plate, we'll be able to come back and hoo k everything up. † Once the sutures were in place, orthopedic surgeon Juliet Ramos explained her role: â€Å"I'm going to trim bone on each side of the cut so that we can put in a plate that will keep the two parts of his arm together. This procedure will make the right arm a little shorter than the left one, but the one-inch difference shouldn't be too noticeable. † After the plate was screwed in, Dr. Ronan said: â€Å"Jim's arm is now intact from the shoulder to the hand, but the hard part is just beginning. We must now reattach each of the muscles and nerves on either side of this gap between the shoulder portion and the severed arm. We will also need to harvest the saphenous vein in order to reconnect some of these vessels. † Several hours later all of the blood vessels and nerves were connected. Dr. Ronan removed the clamps from the brachial and other arteries and blood started flowing once more through Jim's arm, bringing it to life again. As Jim was sent into the recovery room, Dr. Ramos and Dr. McBane looked at each other with relief. The two surgeons then left the operating room to explain the operation to Jim's parents. Although the prognosis for their son's recovery was good, one sentence spoken by Dr. Ramos stood out to Mr. and Mrs. Morris: â€Å"It is unlikely Jim will ever regain complete use of his arm and hand. † Note: These events are based on the real-life case of Jessie Arbogast, whose arm was bitten off by a bull shark near Pensacola, Florida, on July 6, 2001. Study Questions Look up information in your notes, text, atlas, the library, and the web about the arm and reattachment. List the additional resources you use to answer the following questions: 1. Identify at least five organ systems in this region of the arm that the surgeon would have marked for reattachment. 2. List the names of the specific structures that had to be reattached. 3. What organ system was most likely not reattached? Explain. 4. Why was a clean bite so important? 5. Why was the bone shortened? 6. Identify the movements associated with the arm, forearm, wrist, and fingers. 7. Explain how the movements of the reattached arm might be altered after the reattachment. 8. Define collateral circulation and identify the regions of collateral circulation that would be found in the upper extremity. 9. Identify the specific vessels that provide the collateral circulation to the elbow. 10. Identify specific types of activities that might cause Jim problems after recovery. 11. Why would full use of his arm be unlikely? 12. Assume the role of the surgeons as they explain the procedure to Jim's parents. Write a one- to two-page explanation about the surgery, paying particular attention to what you would say about regaining use of his arm, forearm, and hand. 13. Assume the surgery to reconnect blood vessels was successful and blood flow was re-established immediately throughout the arm. Would the nerves of the arm recover as quickly and completely as the muscles? Explain why or why not. 14. How might this situation have been different if Jim had been 80 instead of 8 years old? Image Credit: Photograph of bull shark by John Bantin. Copyright 2000. Used with permission. Date Posted: 05/24/02 nas. Revised 08/20/02. Copyright  © 2003 by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. Please see our usage guidelines, which outline our policy concerning permissible reproduction of this work.

Overpopulation Issue

On July 11th, 1987, a baby girl born in Beijing hospital at midnight was what the government of China called â€Å"baby five billion†. Whether or not the infant actually brought the total world population to five billion at that time, no on is certain. What is certain however, is that statistics continue to indicate that the number of people on this earth is increasing at phenomenal speeds. A quarter of a million a day to be exact! The issue of overpopulation is one that is not new to the ears of environmentalist. The dangers, caused by our over indulgence of earth finite resources to satisfy our exponential population growth, are indeed very real. Experts have postulated that at the present rate of growth, the amount of food needed to feed the world†s population will soon outstrip production, resulting to global starvation. Tied closely to overpopulation is the phenomenon of species degeneration. The most successful members of the race are the ones having fewest children. The vast majority of the species population growth is in areas where newly arrive children have a fairly poor chance of having a successful life. ( ‘successful† denoting safety, food, comfort and education) In view of this dilemma the pragmatic Chinese have adopted what is known as the ‘one child policy†, permitting no more than one child per couple. Their intentions were economics and political: to reduce population, raise the average standard of living and thus achieve political stability. The policy has meant 300 million less mouths to feed and has enable China to open up both economically and socially. China is an excellent example of the benefits which are possible in the implementation of the one child policy. Although many pro-life and pro-choice activists may hastily rise to the occasion to argue that the one child policy is a violation of human rights, their arguments are dwarfed by the great advantages the policy can bring to its upholders and their country. Our shamefully blase attitudes towards reproduction dominates our society. This policy however will promote safer sex reducing incidents of, unwanted or teenage pregnancies and cases of sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. What will the policy mean for people who desire a son due to ethical background though? Revolutionary genetic technology has enable these couples to choose the sex of their baby making sure it is born free of any detrimental diseases. One healthy child per family, who is extremely loved and wanted and who receives the best food and education will mean that our species can continue to evolve stronger and live on. Time though, is fast running out for our civilisation. Our fragile institutions of hard won freedoms, our legacy from all those who in the past have fought for progress, our freedom of speech, of movement, our systems of welfare and education, our right to form unions and so on, won't survive once the food supply is outstripped by population growth. Hungry billions will be tempted to take drastic action in order to survive, anything may happen in such an unstable future. If any policy can help prevent such a catastrophe it is one policy certainly worth implementing.