Thursday, May 14, 2020

Essay on Forgive But Never Forget - Personal Narrative

Forgive But Never Forget - Personal Narrative There he was standing in the doorway of our house, a stranger to my mother and I, his shadow looming over me. His face, distraught and lonely, faced my mother who sat there crying on her chair as she had done for many nights for many years. In his right hand a black worn suitcase with a RAF badge on it, in his other a briefcase. A black hat was trapped beneath his armpit. He was a well-dressed man with a pitch-black suit without one crease in it, a matching tie and a pearl white shirt underneath. A tear now ran down his face too. I looked from behind my bedroom door, I had opened it just enough to see him, but not enough for him to notice me. I had†¦show more content†¦I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany. My mothers face twisted in anger BASTARD! she shouted, I didnt know who she was saying it to, the radio, Our Prime Minister, Hitler or me? My Mother quickly snatched my hand and led me to our shelter in the garden. My Father soon followed, she was expecting bombs to come rain down on us straight away, we laid there on the damp floor for many hours until we finally realised that there was no threat. The second event that I remember happened one month after. My parents had been arguing for quite some days. Today was worst than ever. The war had put a lot of pressure on my parents relationship. Please dont go! my mum said as she collapsed on the chair crying. He looked at her with a stern look. I have to do this! he replied. He was wearing the same suit that he did ten years later. In his right hand the same suitcase and in his left hand the briefcase and his hat on his head. My father than left disappeared into the night. One week ago. I had long forgotten my father. My mother explained to me that my father had left her for another women but I didnt care that much I wasShow MoreRelatedLoves Path- Personal Narrative Essay662 Words   |  3 PagesLoves Path- Personal Narrative They say it is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all. Those words are not comforting to me. But, I love you Deborah, he says as we sit on the couch in my basement, his voice shaky, and uncertain. He looks into my eyes as if pleading, no, begging for forgiveness. I dont recognize these eyes that once provided me with happiness, security, and comfort. These eyes used to reassure me that indeed he did --used to love me. It hurts to lookRead MoreEssay on Learning the Hard Way- Personal Narrative538 Words   |  3 PagesLearning the Hard Way- Personal Narrative We live our lives working in order to achieve peace within ourselves, a sense of accomplishment and happiness. The experiences and relationships that we develop along the way help to make us who we are. Weather they are good or bad, we like to believe that knowledge is gained from the people we meet and the decisions made. I have heard it said that it is suppose to be the journey that is truly important in our lives, not theRead MoreA Post War Society Through Landscapes Of Memory And Oblivion1646 Words   |  7 Pagesexclusion (Bhabha 1994: 1) This paper tries to understand how a national narrative is construed in a post war society through landscapes of memory and oblivion. The analysis interrogates claims of past, present and future that fashion the landscape and the resulting ambivalences in interpreting identities. RomeshGunasekara’s short story collection Noontide Toll interweaves the story of the war distraught island through the narrative of Vasantha – ‘the van man’. Stories concerning ‘yearnings of teenagersRead MoreThe Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest Hemingway Essay1040 Words   |  5 Pages01) Throughout the story, Wilson is the person we most hear the thoughts of, scattered through the narrative are his opinions and comments, presented mentally, and although minor, lead to important understandings in the story. Wilson, in his experience, has probably learned to keep his own affairs private, and as well, to keep out of others. He does a commendable job of trying to help Francis forget about his blunder against the lion, and remove strain in situations involving both Mr. and Mrs. MacomberRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Spotless Mind Essay1978 Words   |  8 Pagessolution to our misery. We indulge in the idea that ignorance is bliss and that what we don’t remember won’t hurt us. But do we really get the better of our mistakes if we forget about them? Do forgetting and ignorance make us better people? Does oblivion make us happier? Is it worth going out of our way to make sure we forget? These are the kinds of questions Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind addresses. Even though it is one of those movies which grapples with immense philosophical conceptsRead More Personal Narrative – Complications of Becoming a Woman Essay1686 Words   |  7 PagesPersonal Narrative – Complications of Becoming a Woman My mother never told me the complications of becoming a woman in this world. Maybe she thought I was strong enough to figure them out on my own. Or quite possibly, she couldnt tell me, because she never really knew how to face the complications herself. She never told me how to dress a certain way in order to keep up with the latest fashions. She never told me how to wear my hair in a way that the other girls wouldnt make fun of meRead MoreAtonement Theme Love Essay1573 Words   |  7 PagesPart 2 of the novel. The use of letters throughout the story creates a stronger sensation of love and sensual feeling between the characters, and again, offers that insight to who the characters really are, and how they are feeling. The letters are personal and are a glimpse at the truth in the novel. The use of literature is also another technique that McEwan uses to show the love between Cecilia and Robbie- they quote passages from books and poems (which were a typical way to show love during thisRead MoreThe Kite Runner: Forgiveness, Loyalty, and the Quest for Redemption2381 Words   |  10 Pagesafter this event and is racked by a guilty conscience for the rest of his life. Amir isn’t heartless, but a conflicted character who is extr emely cowardly and is raised to believe his friend is a servant of a lower social class. Amir’s actions are never justified, but the reader can see how Amir struggles between the logical and emotional sides of his being. Amir epitomizes the theme of redemption in how after his betrayal, he returns to Afghanistan to rescue Hassan’s son Sohrab just as Hassan hadRead More Romanticism in Tintern Abbey and The Thorn Essay1964 Words   |  8 Pagesalmost taken into Wordsworth’s world of imagination, his feelings, personal feelings, towards Tintern Abbey and the emotional stance it unveils. Tintern Abbey is arguably a journey of self-discovery. A trajectory into adulthood realized by Wordsworth, a change, in an unchanged landscape. The title begins ‘a few miles above†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ this to me signals that the setting is important, as a catalyst of thought, Wordsworth is (forgive the drugs reference) ‘high’ on his imagination, transported from theRead MoreJohn 15 : 1-10 The Genre Of John Essay1876 Words   |  8 PagesJohn 15:1-10 The genre of John is The Gospels. The interpretive principals are: The Gospels are narratives. We should always think about the broader sweep of the narrative when we read, constantly relating the various events and teaching to those that precede and follow them. The Gospels demand some background information regarding history and culture. It is more relevant to understand the culture, values, and worldview of the people on the pages of the Gospels than to know the specific author

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Constitution Holds Great Credit - 1365 Words

The constitution holds great credit even after two hundred and twenty-eight years of existence. Why? This is because of a number of reasons, first due to the fact that this document is the foundations of what this nation stands upon today and what finally brought the country in unison successfully after the revolution. Also because the constitution is the document that protects the citizens of all their liberties and rights still today, not to mention though it was signed in seventy eighty-eight it is still being used in the form it was written in its ratification era, with only twenty-seven changes that have had to be made over the years. That alone can show the significance of this document but the history of how the constitution was†¦show more content†¦Thus creating the document which gave little to no respect and power to the central government to intervene when rebellions and riots began to occur. Under the articles almost all the states in the union were in serious de bts and had currency that were worth nothing. With what we may call a recession today, rebellions began to rise to fight mainly the tax appointment that was putting many citizens in deep debt. One of the famous rebellions, Shays rebellion, was what many see as the last straw before having to reassemble and create a new constitution. With the problems form the articles five states met together in September 1786 to discuss trading problems but slowly transitioning to talk about how to improve the country’s well being. The men at this conference then went about to invite all the states representatives to a conference to discuss the revise the constitution. The invitation to this constitution began to show the divide in the peoples opinion and what further would be seen as political parties. Some of the states saw the constitutional convention as a conspiracy to create a central government with too much power, while other states felt that it was necessary with all the chaos that was occurring without one. With the ratification process finally beginning concerns were voiced; namely how to develop the structure of development, the

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Business Law Definition of Corporate Group

Question: Describe about the Business Law for Definition of Corporate Group. Answer: Definition of corporate group is not provided in corporation laws. In the case Walker v Wimborne (1976), the High Court defines the Corporate Group as a which are associated by common or interlocking shareholdings, allied to unified control or capacity to control. Following are the legal concepts of Corporate Groups: There are number of subsidiary companies under a company which has ownership and control of the subsidiary company. There are number of controlled companies under a parent company. There are various provisions for Corporate Groups in Australia, and lifting of the corporate veil by courts is one of those provisions. Usually, every company in corporate group has a separate legal entity and shareholders of these companies enjoying limited liability, which create obstacles for those who are dealing with such companies. This paper lays down the discussion on following topics: Lifting of corporate veil, so that holding companies can be held liable for their actions in their subsidiary companies. Determine the liability of the parent and holding company as a shadow director. Concept of separate legal entity and limited liability is very important aspects of companys incorporation. Separate legal existence means that company is different from its shareholders, directors, agents, employees, etc. company can exercise following powers as a separate legal entity: Company can sue others and can be sued by others. Property of company is belong to the company. Company has its own right and liabilities. Company access all the powers accessed by an individual, which means company can own and dispose of its assets and other property. Company can enter into contract with other persons. Limited liability is other important provision of companys incorporation. As per this provision shareholders of the company are not liable for the debts of the company, they are liable only up to that amount which is unpaid on the shares held by them[1]. Lifting of corporate veil by court to determine the liability of shareholders of the company is always a serious issue, especially in case when shareholder is a company. Lifting of corporate veil is a way through which court can deny the concept of limited liability of the shareholders. Research conducted by Centre for Corporate Law and Securities Regulation show the number of cases in Australia in which request to lift the corporate veil is made to the court. Following table shows the number of cases in which request is made to lift the veil[2]: TIME PERIOD TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES LIFTED NON-LIFTED Before 1960 2 0 2 1960 3 1 2 1970 4 1 3 1980 15 6 9 1990 31 5 26 Total 55 13 42 Limited liability of the shareholders is a default rule, set up by the corporate law. Creditors are ready to enter into contracts with the entity whose shareholders are not liable for its debts. Shareholders with limited liability can easily invest in the projects which have higher risk. There are many reasons because of which default rule of limited liability is set up. Shareholders of the company with unlimited liability are always in fear of losing their assets if company fails to pay the debt. According to the CASACReport there are many benefits of conducting business operations through corporate group. This report also mentions the extent of harm suffered by the creditors of subsidiary companies due to the law of separate legal entity. Courts of Australia lift the corporate veil only in those cases where company is formed for fraudulent reasons or to safe the parent company from legal obligations, or where holding companies can directly liable for the acts of its subsidiary. In US, courts consider more factors than Australia in case of lifting of corporate veil such as cases involves fraud and misrepresentation, in case were subsidiary company is an agent of holding company, and holding and subsidiary company cannot treated separately[3]. In case of corporate groups principle of Solomon case may not help and court can order to lift the veil to check the economic conditions of the group. In case of D.H.N. food products Ltd. V. Tower Hamlets[4], court does not consider the principle of Solomon case. In this case court lifts the corporate veil and treats the three subsidiary companies as a part of the same group and entitled the three companies for compensation. Usually, two things are considered by the court to lift the corporate veil[5]: Shareholding pattern Control Circumstances which show that true facts are not disclosed by the company. The concept of corporate group is carefully used by the companies because company who enjoys the concept of separate legal entity is also liable to accept the limitations of this concept. In case of Adams V. Cape Industries[6] corporate veil is not lifted by the court. In this court, consider each company of the group as a separate legal entity. Court held that one company is not liable for the debts of another company under the same group. Concept of separate legal entity is a two-edge sword. At one side it was a good and on other side it was a bad decision. Both pros and cons are there in this doctrine. There are various disadvantages of this concept such as shareholders of the company who has limited liability, does not take much interest in the functions of the company because they are not liable for any debts of the company. Creditors of the company face high risk because of the concept of limited liability. In case of closely held companies and private companies economic benefit related to limited liability is not there. For example, expenses related to monitoring are reduced because shareholders and directors of the company are usually same. These entities usually take more risk because the directors of closely held companies earn personally and they are ready to take risk[7]. Concept of limited liability and lifting of corporate veil are applicable not only in case of shareholders only but also in case of directors of the company also. Usually, courts lift the veil only when liability in case of shareholders or directors of the company is involved. There are three situations in which court can order to lift the veil: When directors of the company are held liable In case of group companies In case of tort committed by company In case of group companies, if shareholders of the company are also the director of the company then in such case court lift the veil of piercing and impose liability on the shareholders on the company in the directors capacity. There are many reasons because of which court can lift the veil of companies which are closely held such as these companies are work as per the concept of partnership but they are incorporated[8]. Corporate Act 2001 defines various circumstances in which court lift the corporate veil and disregard the concept of separate legal entity: Section 588G [9] in this section directors are held liable for the debts of the company in case of insolvency. This principle is developing to safeguard the interest of creditors of the company and to protect the interest of unsecured creditors. In case of insolvency, creditors of the company can directly take interest in the company and directors are personally liable for debts of the creditors owned by the company. Section 267[10]- some situations in which charges are filed against the officers of the company. Section 292 and 295- in case of group companies related to financial statements. Section 588V to 588X[11]- in case when holding companies are held liable for the debts of subsidiary companies. Section 588FE[12]- any transactions between the company and its officers which are not commercial.

Friday, April 10, 2020

General Motors Case Study Essay Essay Example

General Motors Case Study Essay Essay Recently there have been doubts concerning the survival of General Motors. These doubts stem in part from the firm’s unawareness of the automotive industry’s external business environment. This includes the consumer’s view of current events and economic trends. There are also key issues such as the emergence of technology that are related to the automobile industry that are covered by trade publications. [i] Doubts also stem from problems associated with G. M. s internal business environment. These problems likely arose from the firm following the wrong generic strategy. For many years G. M. ’s position of dominance was built by designing cars for different customers by separate divisions. This gave them an extensive brand lineup which it used as its primary weapon in beating back both foreign and domestic rivals. [ii] However, in the 1980s Japanese Korean automobile manufacturers posed a significant problem to G. M. by their successful entry into the ind ustry which eroded their profits. It was at this time that consumers threatened G. M. ’s market share by forcing down prices when these foreign automakers successfully introduced their brands into the U. S. market. [iii] Automobile manufacturing has not been an attractive industry for G. M. in recent years. For a long time G. M. executives had decided to carry many different brands which required them to offer over 60 different models of cars and trucks. There were high productions costs associated with manufacturing and testing these automobiles these costs were passed onto the consumer. One analyst has suggested that G. M. hould have begun planning cutting back on its car divisions in the 1980s, but instead it actually added more brands. When G. M. ’s market share began to decline, it became difficult to continue to design and market cars under several brands. [iv] This left G. M. open to the threat of new entrants in the automobile industry. Another way automobile manufacturing has not been an attractive industry for G. M. in recent years is its l oss in profitability. In 2005 it announced a $10. 6 billion loss, the first in 12 years. In 2006 its net losses decreased to $1. 978 million. In 2007 they increased to $38. 32 million in 2008 they decreased to $30. 86 million. [v] These fluctuations may be due to Wagoner trying to deal with G. M. ’s problems as production capacity is balanced with profitability. There are emerging trends that are changing the entire automobile industry such as globalization;[vi] however, G. M. has been late in jumping on this bandwagon. Another trend is shorter product development cycles which give automobile manufacturers a shorter time to market. [vii] This gave Japanese automobile manufacturers a low entry barrier into the automobile industry in the 1980s. We will write a custom essay sample on General Motors Case Study Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on General Motors Case Study Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on General Motors Case Study Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There are also shifting roles responsibilities away from original equipment manufacturers to integrators/suppliers. [viii] This may have been another trend that G. M. was not sufficiently aware of causing it to lose market share. By looking at product line positions on strategic group maps, G. M. offers the same breadth of product line at an equivalent price as some of its closest rivals including Toyota, Honda, Nissan. All of these firms compete at both the lower and higher ends of the market along with G. M. [ix] Yet production costs per unit were significantly higher at G. M. ompared to these other automobile manufacturing firms that didn’t carry as many different brands. It was difficult for G. M. to achieve economies of scale because it had to spread these high costs of production over the number of automobiles it produced. [x] Consequently, this left G. M. open to the threat of new entrants in the automobile industry. Since Wagoner took over the firm in 2000, he has tr ied to implement and carry out a series of restructuring plans. The firm has undertaken its most serious efforts of restructuring but it has been very difficult to successfully complete them. Apparently problems grew as a result of mistakes made by G. M. ’s management over the last 30 years and it has taken time for Wagoner to deal with them. One way he has attempted to do this is by cutting back G. M. ’s production capacity[xi] which may have been prevalent in the auto industry at the time. [xii] Moreover, excess capacity often leads to escalating price cutting further eroding the automobile industry’s profits. [xiii] Wagoner’s restructuring plans provided for the four different geographic units to collaborate on designing, manufacturing, and marketing. Key decisions about product development began to be shifted to G. M. ’s headquarters. Efficiencies have been created which are likely to reduce its overall cost structure in the next few years. Through greater integration, G. M. has been able to reorganize product development making it speedier, cheaper, and more effective. Moreover, it has adopted practices perfected by the Japanese to improve the process. There has also been an increase in percentage of parts reused from one generation of G. M. cars to the next. xiv] There are conditions in the internal environment of G. M. that have contributed to its problems. A useful framework for gaining insight into any organization is to view it as a sequential process of value-creating activities. This is useful for understanding the building blocks of competitive advantage. The value of G. M. ’s automobiles is the amount that consumers are willing to pay for them and is measured by its total revenue. Its total revenue is a re flection of the price its automobiles command the quantity it can sell. xv] The firm has not been profitable because its costs of creating and manufacturing automobiles have exceeded its total revenue. One measure that is helpful in understanding a firm’s profitability is its profit margin. It is intended to measure how efficiently it uses its assets and manages its operations. G. M. ’s profit margin from 2006 to 2008 was -0. 95%, -21. 4%, -20. 7% respectively. This tells us that, in an accounting sense, in 2006 it lost about $0. 01 in profit for every dollar in sales it generated. In 2007 2008 it lost about $0. 1 in profit for every dollar in sales it generated. Return on assets from 2006 to 2008 was -3. 07%, -64. 1%, -74. 7% respectively. [xvi] These figures all show that G. M. has been an unhealthy firm. To further show G. M. ’s unhealthiness, its competitive position is strong if it can create value for consumers that exceed the costs of production. One way it can do this is to improve its inbound logistics. This is one of the primary activities of an organization that uses value-creating activities and it contributes to the physical creation of G. M. ’s automobiles. There is an efficient inbound logistics value-creating activity known as just-in-time inventory systems. However, this activity has been epitomized by Toyota—one of G. M. ’s major competitors. This is a system in which parts deliveries arrive at the assembly plant only hours before they are needed. It plays a vital role in fulfilling Toyota’s commitment to fill a buyer’s new car order in just five days. This is in sharp contrast to most competitors in the automobile industry. It is even three times faster than Honda Motors which is considered to be the industry’s most efficient in order follow-through. Toyota achieves such a fast turnaround because all of its suppliers are linked to the company by way of a computer on a virtual assembly line, parts are loaded on trucks in the order in which they will be installed, parts are stacked on trucks in the same place each time to help workers unload them quickly, and deliveries are required to meet a rigid schedule. [xvii] In evaluating how G. M. is performing it is important to take into account its performance from a historical perspective and how it compares with industry norms and key competitors. Short-term solvency, or liquidity, measures provide information about G. M. ’s liquidity. The primary concern is its ability to pay its bills over the short-run without undue stress. The book values and market values of current assets current liabilities are likely to be similar; however, sometimes they can change fairly rapidly, so they may not be a reliable guide to the future. The current ratio for G. M. for 2006, 2007, 2008 is 0. 93, 0. 86, 0. 56 respectively. Since current assets current liabilities are converted to cash over the following 12 months in any given period, the current ratio is a measure of short-term liquidity. From 2006 to 2008, G. M. had $0. 93, $0. 6, $0. 56 in current assets for every $1 in current liabilities respectively. A current ratio less than one would mean that net working capital is negative. This is one indication that G. M. is an unhealthy firm. An apparent low current ratio normally may not be a bad sign for a firm if it had large reserve of untapped borrowing power;[xviii] however, G. M. needed to borrow mone y from the government because it didn’t this reserve. Inventory is often the least liquid current asset. Moreover, book values are also the least reliable as measures of market value of inventory because quality isn’t considered. Some inventory may later turn out to be damaged, obsolete, or lost. To further evaluate liquidity, the quick ratio is computed just like the current ratio, except inventory is omitted. G. M. ’s quick ratio for 2006 to 2008 was 0. 64, 0. 57, 0. 34 respectively. As these years have progressed, inventory has accounted for more and more of G. M. ’s current assets which is often a sign of short-term trouble. The firm may have overestimated sales and overbought or overproduced as a result. This would mean that it may have a substantial portion of its liquidity tied up in slow-moving inventory. [xix] G. M. s long-term solvency ratios are intended to address its long-run ability to meet its obligations. This is also known as its financial leverage. The total debt ratio takes into account all debts of all maturities to all creditors. G. M. ’s total debt ratio for 2006 to 2008 was 1. 03, 1. 25, 1. 95 respectively. This means that it had $1. 03, $1. 25, $1. 95 in debt for every $1 in assets for 2006, 2007, 2008 respectively. Therefore, from 2006 to 2008 for every $1 in debt G. M. was short $0. 03, $0. 25, $0. 95 in equity respectively. G. M. ’s debt-equity ratio from 2006 to 2008 was -4. 45, -5. 00, -2. 05 respectively. Its equity multiplier for these years was -3. 45, -4. 00, -1. 05 respectively. Another measure shows how well G. M. has interest obligations covered. In 2006, for every $1 G. M. owed in interest it could only pay $0. 71. In 2007, for every $1 it owed in interest it was short $2. 15. In 2008 there was no interest reported as paid by G. M. [xx] Asset management, or turnover, measures show the efficiency with which G. M. uses its assets. They describe how efficiently of intensively G. M. uses its assets to generate sales. Its inventory turnover from 2006 to 2008 was 8. 23, 8. 36, 9. 10 respectively. This means that it sold off, or turned over, the entire inventory this many times during each of these years. Moreover, on average, inventory sat 44 days in each of 2006 2007 and 40 days in 2008. [xxi] Part of G. M. ’s restructuring plan is to get its four different geographic units to collaborate with one another on designing, manufacturing, and marketing. Key decisions concerning product development gradually began being made at G. M. ’s headquarters rather that at the various divisions. These changes have created efficiencies which are likely to reduce its overall cost structure in the future. These efforts at greater integration have enabled G. M. to reorganize the product development process and make it speedier, cheaper, and more effective. [xxii] Moreover, as G. M. began to share designs and parts across divisions in order to cut costs, it led to a loss of distinctiveness between the different brands. Moreover, since it offered so many different brands, it was limited in the number of new models it offered in any given year. G. M. ’s image was tarnished because many of its cars looked older. It was also difficult for the firm to make adequate investments to build any of its brands. xxiii] A framework for analyzing G. M. ’s internal and external environment is a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. This approach considers both external and internal factors simultaneously. G. M. ’s Strengths and Weaknesses refer to the internal conditions of the firm—where it excels and where it may be lacking relative to competitors . Its Opportunities and Threats are environmental conditions external to the firm. [xxiv] A strength of G. M. is its early shift in emphasis to bigger sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in the 1980s. This was caused by a change in the automobile industry in which the firm lost smaller-car customers to more nimble and inventive Japanese competitors. The bigger SUVs provided G. M. with ample profits in spite of its inflated cost structure. By the mid-1990s it became the biggest producer of full-size SUVs. It was at this time that G. M. ’s North American operations were very profitable only because of these big vehicles. However, the firm lost a great deal of money on most of its passenger cars. [xxv] One of G. M. ’s weaknesses has been its loss of profitability. This is probably due to the problems that arose over the last 30 years. During this time G. M. was using its resources and capabilities to design cars for different customers by separate divisions. The firms operations had been partnerships of somewhat independent geographic divisions that rarely worked with one another. This focus on an extensive brand lineup prevented G. M. from being more aware of globalization in a timely manner. Consequently, its overseas operations have failed to generate sufficient profits because it has had to respond to stronger competitors that have competed on a more global basis. xxvi] This correlates with its failure to adequately survey it external environment to predict environmental changes and detect changes underway. If G. M. had done this it would have been made aware of critical trends and events before changes developed a discernable pattern. Armed with this knowledge it would have been able to act proactively rather than being forced into reacti ve mode when Japanese automobile manufacturers stole its market share. There have also been product and manufacturing innovations the availability of substitute products. G. M. has been struggling with its response to emerging alternate technologies. It was the first to introduce an electric car in 1998 but it ended up scrapping the model a year later. Then the firm shifted its efforts to developing a new fuel-cell car. In 2008, G. M. began once again to further develop an electric car which it plans to introduce this year. [xxvii] G. M. had been facing threats from the external environment because of the low entry barrier it unwittingly gave to Japanese automobile manufacturers. If the firm had become better knowledgeable about the external business environment it would have been more responsive to it. This would have allowed it to predict environmental changes and detect changes already underway. One way it could have done this is to ask its customers questions about its products and services. This would have given G. M. knowledge of what consumers were looking for next. It would also have alerted G. M. to critical trends and events. Moreover, if executives at G. M. had read trade publications related to the auto industry it would have help them identify key issues. [xxviii] For example, it may have been aware of Japan’s shorter product development cycle giving their manufacturers a shorter time to market. By offering its extensive brand lineup, G. M. had been following a differentiation strategy which does not fit with this SWOT analysis. It is not appropriate because it needed to concentrate its efforts in developing a low-cost strategy. A competitive advantage based on low cost would have appealed to the industry-wide market. This would have included the construction of efficient scale facilities, cost reductions overhead control, avoidance of marginal customer accounts, and cost minimization in the value chain such as R D. [xxix] There are three plausible strategic alternatives that G. M. ’s Board of Directors may consider. The first is to further restructure the four different geographic regions in order to get them to collaborate more closely with one another on designing, manufacturing, and marketing. The firm would become more globalized yet essentially continue to offer an extensive brand lineup. This alternative suggests that more product development decisions be made at G. M. ’s headquarters rather than at the various subsidiaries. An advantage of this alternative is that it is somewhat of a low-cost strategy. Moreover, moving the product development process to the firm’s headquarters may help to continue to make it more efficient, affordable, and effective. A disadvantage of this strategy is that G. M. won’t have the costs savings associated with focusing on a narrower segment of consumers. The second alternative is similar to the first, but the brand lineup would be significantly reduced. An advantage of this strategy is the costs savings associated with focusing on a narrower segment. A disadvantage of this strategy is G. M. would lose some of its customers to other competitors who focus on different segments. The third alternative is for G. M. to move toward greater globalization yet limit the amount of collaboration the various divisions have with one another. The advantage of this strategy is the various divisions can remain somewhat autonomous allowing them to provide for the wants of consumers in its particular region or within its shipping jurisdiction. A disadvantage of this strategy is it will be once again difficult for G. M. to achieve economies of scale. The advantage of all three strategies is the move toward greater globalization. Whatever strategy G. M. decides to implement, it must work toward greater globalization since it has been caught unaware of this trend. By concentrating on globalization it should be able to distribute automobiles to more and more consumers. Beyond that, I believe that the best strategic alternative for G. M. based on its circumstances is the second one. I am recommending this strategy because, in order to compete successfully in the automobile industry, it is important that G. M. reduce its brand lineup. By focusing on a narrower segment of consumers, the firm should be able to eventually experience cost savings. Although it may lose customers to other competitors in the industry, it may eventually make up lost profits by making an effort to develop a focus strategy. In order to implement this strategic alternative, G. M. ’s four different geographic regions must have better access to collaboration. This may include videoconferencing and other forms of electronic communication. This would enable the sharing of ideas concerning, among other things, which brands and models need to be reduced or eliminated and which ones need to be retained. Moreover, all areas of product development would have to be moved to G. M. ’s headquarters. This may also require that the firm expand its capacity in Detroit, MI to accommodate designing, manufacturing, and marketing. This would have to occur after G. M. ’s extensive brand lineup is reduced to those brands believed to be the most profitable. The firm must understand that the plausibility of this recommendation is based on the viability of the brands it decides to retain. It is also based on G. M. ’s continued surveillance of the both the external and internal business environments. Problems may occur if there are significant changes in the industry that it has not been made aware of such as economic instability in a nation that imports G. M. automobiles.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Free Essays on To an Athlete Dying Young

AE Housman Reading this poem I had several different impressions. First reading it in a literal aspect I saw a child who ran races and perhaps won. Even if he didn’t win he was made to feel like a winner. â€Å"And home we bought you shoulder high† (line 4) this says they bought him home proudly but not necessarily that he won. Next something happens to the runner that makes him unable to run, perhaps old age but I think death because of the following lines: Will flock to gaze the strength less dead†(line26) I also think there were key statements throughout to somewhat changed my thought pattern. In line 20 he says, â€Å"and the name died before the man.† This is saying that often as we grow older and began to change people forget all of the things that made us who we are. An example of this would be some older sports figures. Though the man lives own his life may be forgotten by many. I guess you could also compare this to life. We are young and boisterous one day (such as the runner in the beginning) and as time goes on we began to somewhat fall apart as we continue further through the... Free Essays on To an Athlete Dying Young Free Essays on To an Athlete Dying Young AE Housman Reading this poem I had several different impressions. First reading it in a literal aspect I saw a child who ran races and perhaps won. Even if he didn’t win he was made to feel like a winner. â€Å"And home we bought you shoulder high† (line 4) this says they bought him home proudly but not necessarily that he won. Next something happens to the runner that makes him unable to run, perhaps old age but I think death because of the following lines: Will flock to gaze the strength less dead†(line26) I also think there were key statements throughout to somewhat changed my thought pattern. In line 20 he says, â€Å"and the name died before the man.† This is saying that often as we grow older and began to change people forget all of the things that made us who we are. An example of this would be some older sports figures. Though the man lives own his life may be forgotten by many. I guess you could also compare this to life. We are young and boisterous one day (such as the runner in the beginning) and as time goes on we began to somewhat fall apart as we continue further through the...

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Viewpoint of Leopold and Schweitzer about Artificial Destruction of Assignment - 3

Viewpoint of Leopold and Schweitzer about Artificial Destruction of Ecosystem Centers - Assignment Example Various ideas about artificial destruction of ecosystem centers on ethics as a tool of human conscience. The moral obligation of man towards the non-living objects and other living organisms has been proposed by two environmental thinkers in a divergent perspective but convergent basis. Leopold is a proponent of land ethic as a critical moral instrument that should guide human actions towards nature. His claim emphasizes the overriding perception of man that land is a property. His analogy of Odysseus killing his maid servants is a comparative scenario of how man treats land. He argues against the human notion that land should be treated as personal property that can be exposed to destruction at will. Instead Leopold explains that man should consider land as part of ecology in which man is also a member (KohaÃŒ k 88). The point is that land serves as the habitat of several other organisms besides man. In that respect, man’s effort to destroy land interferes with the otherwise complex biotic and abiotic system that constitutes nature.Land ethics is used by Leopold to emphasize the need for a moral conscience of man in his relationship with soil. The description of land in this case encompasses water, soil, wildlife and all living and non-living organisms that make up ecosystem. The relationship that exists between man and land is more of symbiotic and property aspect should not be upheld. The land is considered the source of energy through food chain that ends up sustaining man. Leopold argues that the working of the ecosystem is complex and limited knowledge of man which prompt violent attack on nature is not fair. Man is the only organism with conscience and has the obligation to exercise morality in his treatment of nature. In this respect, Leopold champion for responsibility on the side of man in his desires to satisfy societal needs through nature. Other animals and plants may not have the conscience but it is evident that they always pose limited r isk to the same ecosystem that supports them. The history of evolution and biblical assertions of human superiority over nature assigns moral obligation to do the right thing for sustainable existence.

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Persuasive Speech-Problem & Solution Design Essay

Persuasive Speech-Problem & Solution Design - Essay Example Marriage is typically defined as the uniting of two people of the age of majority of their own free will and volition. In this way, regardless of culture contractual unions (often referred to as marriage) are recognized by the law of the state in every nation on the face of the planet. Child marriage is a situation where children are subjected to matrimony before they have achieved the legal marriage age. In the Middle East nearly half of Yemeni girls are married before they reach eighteen years of age. In some instances, marriages occur even before the tender age of 8. The law in Yemen set the minimum age at one that is approved for marriage to be 15 years; however, traditional customs more often than not continuously flout this law. 1. This is due in part to the fact that the law was continually interpreted differently by different individuals, the laws was changed in 1999 to allow marriage only after the point in time in which a girl reached the age of puberty. However, the issue with the change in the law meant that many tribal elders interpreted puberty to be as early as the age of 9. In the actual practice, it can be said that the law in Yemen allows women of any age to be able to wed, but it is forbidden to practice sex with them until they achieve the age where it is now considered suitable to do so. 2. The law was later to be raised from the minimum age of marriage to be 18 years after a girl, Nujood Ali, 10 years of age, in April 2008 was able to be granted divorce successfully after being raped under the set circumstances. Much later in 2008, a council for maternal care and childhood established a proposal for the minimum age to be defined at 18 years and was passed as law in April 2009. However, this law was to be dropped the very next day after maneuvers by parliamentarians opposed to it, and negotiations are still ongoing for the legislation to be