Fedex Essay Example

Fedex Essay Example Fedex Essay Fedex Essay In 1988, Fed purchased Tiger International, the worlds largest heavy-cargo airline. The purchase price was about $880 million. The action brought both advantages and disadvantages. For the advantage aspect, it catapulted Fed to the forefront of the international cargo market, giving it landing rights in 21 additional countries, nearly three times the size of its newly competitor. Furthermore, it also creates an opportunity for Fed to satisfy the requirement of JET system. For the disadvantage aspect, it brought $2 billion long-term debt and different corporate culture will affect Feeders performance in its business. 2. Aim: The aim of this report is to analyze the case study on Tiger International acquisition by Federal Express and recommend an action plan to solve the merger problems. 3. Analysis the case 3. 1 Major issues: According to the information shown in the case, there are several key problems related to the Federal Express. These issues include environment issues, competitive issues, technology issues and association issues. For the environment issues, firstly, the air facilities present a serious problem to the industry. Lack of airport facilities, ace-up plans, and landing places will be seriously Jeopardize the guarantee of delivery by Fed and this kind of problem had been affect the operations in South American. Secondly, it is a formidable challenge to acquire government-controlled access to crowded international hubs. These are long term environment problems, and all air-cargo companies will meet this problem not Just Fed. Thirdly, under the global environment, with the development of globalization and economies grow more interdependent, how to satisfy customers new demand is also a big problem. : Just-in- mime system becomes more and more popular and this system relies on having the right part at the right place at the right time and it also means large amount of number and fast delivery. So, how to play a reliable role, improve work efficiency, and supply ten name logistical expertise to suppose Jell T art I ramekin wall De a current problem need to be considered. For the competitive issues, how to face to the price wars is the main problem in this factor, especially since UPS entered into the overnight-package market in 1982. This action started a series of price wars and made Feeders average revenue per package declined by 30. Between 1983 and 1988. So, how to face to new competitors, how to make competitive advantage to keep the revenue are very important for Feeders manager to consider. Besides, intra- industry competition and rivalry threaten to the development of the air-cargo industry. For the intra-industry competition, due to overcapacity of the airline companies, t hey also want to reenter the air-cargo market in order to balance their revenue. These new firms increase the competitive in the market and lead current players to consolidate their operations in hope of achieving increased economies of call. Furthermore, continued overcapacity, low switching costs, and high exit barriers will continue to make the air-cargo industry extremely competitive. So, how to reduce overcapacity, keep cost, and decrease exit barriers risk are also important factors for company to survive in this high competitive market. For technology issues, base on the development of the technology, Zamia was quickly made obsolete by fax machines and this made Fed lost $350 million and had to drop its business in this area. So, how to let business to fit the development of technology is also very important. Finally, how to integrate Fed and Tigers business and corporate culture will relate to the whole companys development for the future. Firstly, this kind of huge merger action brought $2 billion debt. It will make shareholders hesitate about whether they can receive their profit in the future. Secondly, capital intensiveness of the heavy-cargo business made the company more vulnerable to economic swings. Base on the economic crises which happened in Asia in 1997 and in the U. S. These years, heavy-cargo business will be easy to be affected and this will affect Fed for a long-term development. Thirdly, Fed still was a newcomer to the heavy-cargo market and will meet many competitors. High pressure from competitors, price wars and other factors will make Fed hard to extend their business in this area. Otherwise, how to integrate corporate culture is also a problem. One of the competitive advantage for Fed is it never employed organized labor. This made Fed having a high performance. However, after merge with Tiger International, Fed had to merge the unionized workforce with its own union-free environment. This union background of Tiger workers will dilute the corporate ultra at Fed. How to keep balance between unionized and non-unionized workforce to keep competitive advantage and high performance will be a big issue to be considered. 3. 2 Feeders Competitive Advantage: According to this case, Federal Express, as one of Americas great success company, keeps several competitive advantages under todays globalization and high competitive environment. It includes: 1. High efficiency and safety delivery service Fed offers a I-hour on-call pickup service, customers Just need to make a call but do not need to send their packages to pickup center by themselves. This can help to save a lot of time and can been seen as a good customer service. During the delivery, Fed approvals COSMOS dataset International system Ana guarantees It can locate any package in it possession within 30 minutes. This can be seen to keep the safety for customers packages. For the delivery, Fed keeps its promises for nationwide overnight delivery service and always have a high efficiency and safety performance. This type of customer service helps it to ensure continued growth. 2. Global expansion Fed began global expansion in 1984; it established a European headquarters in Brussels, Far East headquarters in Honolulu and its business has been covered over South and North America, Europe, Asia, and other 21 countries. This strategy lets Fed build their brand very early and easy to do its business around the world. 3. Advanced system Fed developed Powerless system to attract customer and, thus, enables it to satisfy the firms needs. This system can track shipments, provides pricing information, and prints invoice. Such a device helps Fed and its customers to reduce paper work and improve work efficiency. It also helps Fed to attract high- volume customers. . Special corporate culture A labor union will always negotiates with company for workers salary and working time. However, Fed does not need to worry about these pressures from union because it never employed organized labor. This makes Fed to have an admirable human resource record and high performance. Furthermore, this builds a great advantage to its major competitor, UPS. 3. 2. 5 Acquisition of Tiger International Acquisition of Tiger International made Fed to stand at the forefront of the international cargo market. This successful action brought several advantages to the many. Firstly, it had landing rights in 21 additional countries. This gave Fed more opportunities to extend its national business. Secondly, this action not only let Fed became owner of the worlds largest full-service, all-cargo airline, but also let it had nearly three times the size of its nearest competitor. Thirdly, base on Tiger International has more than 40 years of air-cargo experience; this merge gave Fed a strong entry position into heavy cargo business and has enough experience for future development. Furthermore, Tigers addition created a best opportunity for Fed to cooperate with international manufactures. Their new heavy shipments capability can satisfy the requirement of JET system. So we can see this merge brought an unprecedented advantage and opportunity for Fed. 4. 0 Address the questions 4. 1 Describe the growth strategy of Federal Express. How has this strategy differed from those of its competitors? Growth strategy can be seen as a strategy to manage companys human resource, technology and financial capital in order to let its assets to achieve value-added in the future. Knolled, 1991) For Fed, there are two ways to candle tens aim, TLS Is to Increase ten inclemency AT ten assets (provoke more Ana better services), second is to increase the impact and capability of company. For the first way, Fed began its global expansion in 1984. In order to perfect its delivery service, it purchased other companies and setup branch company around the world. He also lobby the Governm ent to have privileges for some airlines, in this way, they can keep competitive advantages to its competitors. Furthermore, Fed also built COSMOS data base and Powerless to improve its customer service and attract more customers. For the second way, through purchasing Tiger International, Fed can resolve the problems on its decreasing international business and international bottlenecks. This merge not only brings Fed into the business of delivering heavy cargo but also creates a good opportunity for it to cooperate with international manufacture. So we can see, the growth strategy of Fed is very clear, In order to expend its international business, increase revenue, Fed provides more delivery lines, better customer service and through merge action to increase its impact and capability around the world. 2. What risks are involved in the acquisition of Tiger International? There are several risks that involved in this merge. Firstly, it made more than doubled Feeders long- term debt, to approximately $2 billion. In 1988, it had revenues of $3. 9 billion and a net income of $188 million. A $2 billion debt brought a big pressure to Fed. Secondly, Fed was a newcomer to the heavy cargo market and did not have enough experience. Much of the cargo was not sent overnight, which represented a significant departure from Feeders traditional market niche. Otherwise, the pressure from its competitors could not be ignored. Finally, the involvement of labor union would be a risk for Fed to keep its high performance and corporate culture. 3. What problems could be anticipated in accomplishing this acquisition? There are several problems could be anticipated in this merge. Firstly, as we know, the management of airline for many governments in Asia is very strict. How to let Feeders business enter Asian market is a problem. Secondly, after this merge, how to reduce the pressure from labor union and keep its high performance is still a problem. Thirdly, how to reduce long-term debt and increase its net income should be noninsured. . Suggest a plan of action for potential problems. For the problem of how to enter Asian market, Fed can try to cooperate with some companies which is powerful in Asian market, the company should have the right on the usage of airline in Asia and also do business in logistics area. For example, Sinatra(a big logistics company in China) would be a good selection. For the debt probl em, Fed can try to cooperate with prime Flying Tigers customers; they are also the major competitors now, to reduce high competitive pressure in this market. Fed is a new comer and does not have enough market shares to cover its long-term debt, reduce numbers of competitors and pressure, increase market share and revenue are the most important things for the manager to consider. Furthermore, shifting away from document service and focus on the higher-margin box business will be a good sconce. Hymnal, Tort ten employee problem, Fed promises to Tina position Tort all employees, so how to integrate union and non-union workforce is the biggest problem. Manager can build a plan for human resource management such as range some training programs in order to improve employees working skill. It can give them confidence and also can help to improve work efficiency. Otherwise, encourage from manager also can reduce the gap between employee and employer. In this way, it can help to reduce the pressure from labor union and still can keep a high performance on their work. 5. 0 Conclusion: In conclusion, if Federal Express wants to keep its leader position in global market, how to improve customer service to attract more customers, reduce pressures from its competitors and labor unions, and how to resolve a series of problems which effect it merger action are all very important and need to be considered by the manager. By following the proper strategies, the company can once again minimize job losses, maintain a skilled and cheap workforce but most importantly, receive a profit in the first quarter of operations leading to a successful acquisition. Word count: 2366 6. 0 References: Optimizations, J. , Optimizations, M. (2008). Service Management. 6th deed. New York: McGraw-Hill. 358-360, 339-354. J. Knolled. Growth and Strategy. Services PLUS. Bougainvillea, Quebec, Canada: G. Moron publisher Ltd. , 1991, Chap. 8. Up 119-36

Informative Essay Sample on World Trade Organization

Informative Essay Sample on World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization is founded on the principle of comparative advantage, well recognized by the Modern economists, that different countries enjoy absolute advantage in the production of different goods, since they are differently gifted by the nature: it may be expensive to produce certain goods and cheaper to import. A country may have greater comparative advantage in the production of certain goods over the others. This classical theory of economics took its practical shape in the manifesto of W.T.O which transcends all barriers imposed by the nations and emphasizes the functioning of free trade amongst the nations. Then why the feeling of unease and protests against the W.T.O which are not based on unfounded fears, but some facts of the underdeveloped nations manifest the circumstances apparent in the economic scene of their lives. The disagreements do not arise by the global trade but by the resultant affects of the globalization and the very rule of the body governing the W.T.O. if we understand the arguments of the both sides we can solve maladies believed to be caused by the W.T.O. W.T.O is very powerful; it can compel sovereign states to change their laws if it feels that laws are hindrance with the agreements made. It is by the rich for the rich. It does not give the proper weight to the problems of the developing world, in practice, if not in theory. It is indifferent to the negative fallout of free trade; its commercial interests take over every thing from child labor to workers rights, and environment to health. It lacks democratic accountability. Its trade disputes hearings are closed to public and the media, while free trade concept presupposes open debates and transparency. The W.T.O has clauses to protect the environment, but they do not contain minimum standard to protect the environment, labor rights, social programs and cultural diversity. what makes it so powerful is that it can intervene in the everyday administration, of any member country and force it to change its laws if the W.T.O feels that they are detrimental to free trade because the membe r countries have given both legislative and judiciary authority to W.T.O to challenge laws, policies and programs of countries which do not conform to its rules. The member countries are required to bring its laws in conformity with W.T.O’s laws. Some of the realistic concerns of the developing nations on crucial issues on subsidies granted by the USA and European Union on their agricultural farming are still unresolved. The developed countries comprehensive intensive negotiations carried out so far could not bear any result, which indicated that USA and Europe are unwilling to accept their stand or they have political compulsions barring them to reach any conclusion. Conversely the demand of poor countries to accept their mounting labor force as one of the products of export by the developed nations is also not heeded by the rich countries which transpires the view point to cause serious setback to weak economies, giving rise to an impression that every thing was falling in the laps of prosperous countries. So far as protection to local industries is concerned W.T.O has provided safeguards to grow , in case of surge of imports. The agreement on safeguards authorizes importing member countries to restrict imports for temporary period, if after investigations carried out by the competent authorities it is established that: Imports are taking in such increased quantities as to cause serious injury to domestic industry that produces like or directly competitive products and, The increased imports should be the result of unforeseen developments. It provides the impositions of quantitative restrictions on such imports and increase on import tariffs. The advent of China amongst the developing nations seems to baffle entire economic scenario, which caused to rethink the philosophy of comparative advantage for both developing and developed economies. The inflow of cheap products in the world markets has eroded the zeal of West and USA to finalize the outstanding issues, while the indigenous cottage and textile industries of the poor countries have almost been collapsed. What we believe that W.T.O must be a forum of ironing out economic inequalities and a source of fostering peace and harmony amongst the nations of the world. If you need a custom essay, research paper, dissertation, thesis, term paper on Economics, Business or other discipline feel free to contact our professional custom writing service.

Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Gender - Essay Example From this paper, it is clear that interpretations are irrefutable since improving men and women’s status has been a pledge by the lawmakers and supported by governments as a beginning of tasks on gender. It is evident that women have suffered considerable biases since gender issues are concerned, through policies, media, literature, folk songs, and customs. However, religious teachings and mythology have played an essential role in promoting gender awareness and equity. Favoritism, double standards, and attitudes in the society are the regular reminders of inequalities experienced in the modern world (Marshall, 2000).Gender as social phenomena aroused by the differences in our biological makeup has taken by storm the public domain on major issues politicized (Hobson,2002). Nevertheless, citizens of upright religious practices consider gender as not being critical since they cherish their differences. Contrary to my opinion, gender issue has become a concern, since my childhood girls were treated more respectively compared to boys Gender has been taken lightly to some extent whereas in other cases exaggerated. Documentation of male and female in records such as the birth certificates should not be a cause for any alarm for the sake of peace. Our dressing and genetic makeup always been a problem in that ladies have always been perceived as putting on attire that is meant for men, thus a form of disrespect.To some societies like ancient Greece and Rome, cross-dressing was rampant as the norm. There is a slight difference on perceiving gender through expressing ourselves. Despite our biological differences as human beings, we have similarities that profits all (Marshall, 2000). Normally our bodies’ change as we grow towards maturity is when the difference is noticed clearly. Civilization has brought with it complications in the freedom of choice whereby people are altering their gender (Fenster & Lees, 2002). This practice has received mixed reactions from both parties involved.

SIM #4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SIM #4 - Essay Example Unfortunately, the destiny of the unproductive branches is fire. Thus, I will consider myself unproductive if I fail to convey the message about God to those who do not know Him. As a result of this, I will also be in a position to incur the punishment that will be imposed on me by God by proving unproductive. A church has also a role to play in enhancing the growth of productive souls. It does this by informing its audience on what they are obliged to do by God. A church also provides its audience with spiritual words as well motivational words as portrayed in the Bible in order to develop their faith. A church that enhances spiritual development and observance of God’s will correlates to the fruitful vine. However, some churches portray different pictures to the society. For instance, the dressing code, songs sung, and the mode of dancing in some churches show how believers have gone astray. Other churches are known also of using their services to generate money. In connection to the passage, churches that contribute to ungodliness among believers correlate to unfruitful vines and need to be

Personality traits Essay Example for Free

Personality traits Essay Personality traits, cultural background, religion, geography and other demographic features are distinguishing factors among human beings. As we grow old all these variables shape our personalities, likes and dislikes, goals, ambitions and our life styles at large. Goals and ambitions that we set for ourselves in life are determined largely by factors such as our peers, early childhood experiences, upbringing, people we look up to as role models, and other life experiences. Hence it makes all the more sense for individuals to pursue their aspirations in life from which they derive satisfaction and contentment. However there are times when due to various external factors an individual is compelled to compromise and sacrifice his or her personal goals and interests. In a country like Pakistan which is faced with several economic setbacks, professions such as engineering, banking, etc are looked at with respect and considered to be appropriate as they ensure a secure source of income. However art, which unlike in western societies, has a stigma associated with it and is not encouraged to be pursued as a career. Therefore many fine young artists quit their work in the early stage and enter into other professions in order to earn a fixed stream of income to survive and support the family. Moreover there are students with interest in the field of astronomy and astrophysics who look forward to pursue a career in the respective fields. However the lack of good institutions offering degrees in such fields and nonexistent scope for such professionals in the local scenario only compounds difficulties for them. Hence these individuals are left with little option but to pursue a career in a separate field which will at least ensure them a decent living once they graduate. There are also times when children are pressurized by their parents to pursue the family profession and take over the responsibility. As young adults they are expected to honor the traditions of the family. Thus they eventually concede to such immense pressures and join the family business or profession. There are times when as a part of a group an individual might be required to perform and carry out activities which he or she doesn’t enjoy doing. However considering the overall benefit of the group every individual is expected and required to conform in order to achieve the goals for the group. Having discussed some of the situations where an individual might have to do things which he or she would not, if left to one’s discretion, it is very important to stress the fact that real motivation and drive for most of the people comes from doing things which inspires them. People work hard towards the attainment of certain goals because they value them and it will give them a sense of satisfaction. Moreover to be able to grow and progress in life people seek new challenges and get themselves involved in tasks which they enjoy doing. Nevertheless sometimes a compromise is the only resort left to people to avoid conflict and they are compelled to do things which they normally don’t enjoy doing. Works Cited Fowler, James Manktelow and Kellie. Personal Goal Setting. 30 December 2008 http://www. quintcareers. com/personal_goal_setting. html. Keirsey, Dr. David M. Personality Traits Personal Growth Understand Your Temperament to Accomplish Life Goals. 30 December 2008 http://www. articlesnatch. com/Article/Personality-TraitsPersonal-GrowthUnderstand-Your-Temperament-to-Accomplish-Life-Goals/397215. Pakistan Teaching Profession. 30 December 2008 http://education. stateuniversity. com/pages/1149/Pakistan-TEACHING-PROFESSION. html.

Hamlet 10 :: essays research papers

The Real Tragedy Of Hamlet In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the death or murder of a character becomes very freuquent. Although many people die. It is a result of their own wrong-doing. You could almost say they deserved what they got. But there were deaths of people, that were due to the manipulation from the royalty. A good example can be found in the family of Polonius’. The real tragedy of Hamlet is not that of Hamlet or his family but of Polonius’ family because their deaths were not caused by their own, sinful actions, but rather by their small instigation of Claudius and Hamlet’s battle. The first character to die in the play is Polonius. Eventhough Polonius often acted in a deceitful manner when dealing with Hamlet, it is only because he was carrying out plans devised, and ordered by the King and/or Queen, in order to discover the nature of Hamlet’s madness. Being the King’s right hand, it was his duty to obey the King and Queen’s wishes, and it was indeed his loyalty that eventually proved to be fatal for him. An example of how Polonius’ innocent involvement with the royal family resulting to his death can be found at the beginning of Act III, scene iv, when Hamlet stabs him while he is hiding behind the Curtained Wall in Gertrude’s chamber. This is a great example of how Polonius, a man unknowing of the true nature of the situation that he was in, is killed by a member of the royalty during the execution of one (Hamlet) of their schemes. This makes Polonius’ death a tragedy. But he was asking for it, come on. The next member of the Polonius clan to die is his daughter Ophelia. Ophelia’s death is also tragic, because of her complete innocence in the situation. You can argue that Polonius deserved his fate because of his handling with Hamlet while he was mad. But Ophelia was entirely manipulated, and used by Hamlet and the king for their own selfish reasons, and games. An example of how Ophelia is used by Hamlet is seen in Act II, scene i, when Hamlet uses her to convince his family that he is truely mad. Ophelia explains to her father, how Hamlet has scared her, causing Polonius to draw the conclusion that Hamlet has an "antic disposition"(He is quickly losing his mind).

How Far Did the Position of Black Americans Improve in the Years 1945-1955?

The US military involvement in WW2 was to have a lasting effect on civil rights and racist attitudes. The conflict brought on many changes that would highlight African American civil rights, for example it created many jobs for black people, not only in the defence industry but also to meet growing labour demand. Although between 1945-1955 there was indefinitely progress made for the position of black Americans, there were also limitations to that progress. The population of cities in the north such as Detroit grew dramatically as black people migrated during the war. Although there was a lot more availability of employment for African American’s, they would often find they were discriminated against, for instance not receiving equal pay to white workers. Employers would usually use the principle ‘Last to be hired, first to be fired. ’ It was a rarity for African Americans to be promoted as when they it would follow with walk outs and riots from white workers. In order to prevent the march on Washington movement, President Roosevelt agreed to set up the Fair Employment Practices Commission in order to accommodate equal opportunities for black people in defence industry jobs. This also led to increase in labour jobs, there was a 25% increase in African Americans working in the iron and steel industry. The numbers employed in government service increased from 50,000 to 200,000. However it had its limitations, railroads usually refused to hire black people and in the Deep South prejudice remained on employment issues. The NAACP campaigned to challenge the ‘Plessy v. Ferguson’ doctrine. Inequality was easily spotted in education. For example research showed that the pupil-teacher ratio was 20% better in white schools than in back, in addition to this white teachers generally receiveda much larger salary in comparison to a black teacher. The NAACP proceeded to sue on behalf of black students, which eventually resulting in the ‘Brown v. Board of Education’ legal case. Following the Brown case, Earl Warren who was the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, agreed that not only was segregation in education demoralising for African Americans, but segregation in general too. However this stirred up protest in the south. The White Citizens council formed the ‘Southern Manifesto’ in order to fight the brown case. There was also slow progress to the integration of public schools as The Supreme Court had not set a time limit, instead it had stated progression to e done with ‘deliberate speed. ’ There was also no action enforced by President Eisenhower who was reluctant to avoid stirring further opposition. Altogether, there was progress in economic status for African Americans. Due to the creation of trade unions and activist groups, something was finally being done about inequality for Blacks. However this gentle action was often faced with forceful opposition, or simply not enough being done, therefore hindering progress.

Popular Approaches to Educational Planning in Developing Countries Essay

Educational planning is a worldwide practice found in both developing and developed countries. The developing countries and indeed all countries have placed a premium on education because of the persistent belief that formal education holds the key to national development and economic growth. In the light of this, the modern conception of educational planning has attracted specialists from many disciplines with each of them tending to see educational planning differently. In view of this attraction, the traditional approach to educational planning could no longer hold sway. In an attempt to find a most suitable approach to educational planning, different models have been developed by scholars. These include the social demand approach, the manpower approach, the cost-benefit approach and other remerging models. The choice of model to adopt is usually predicated on the peculiarities and other prevailing factors in a country. Generally however, scholars have tried to classify approaches to educational planning based on the level of development of a country. And this probably explains why some are called developing countries and others are developed countries. A thorough understanding of these approaches however requires some background information or knowledge. In doing, this we shall adopt the definition of the concept of educational planning as provided by Coombs (1970), identify key planning questions, trace the history of modern approaches to educational planning, and bring out most important planning issues in developing countries with example and illustrations. Educational Planning Because of the ubiquitous nature of education and educational planning, several scholars have offered different definitions. For example, Coombs (1970) in a UNESCO Publication titled â€Å"What is Educational Planning â€Å". says that: â€Å"Educational Planning, in its broadest generic sense, is the application of rational systematic analysis to the process of educational development with the aim of making education more effective and efficient in responding to the needs and goals of its students and society â€Å". Arising from this concept of educational planning are a succession of interdependent actions namely: i. Clarification of educational objectives  ii. Diagnosis of present conditions and recent trends iii. Identification and assessment of alternatives iv. Translation of plans into action and v. Evaluation and adjustment. This analytical process to educational planning entails preparing and subsequently evaluating a set of decisions or future actions aimed at achieving specific set of goals. Educational planning therefore is a fundamentally technical activity related to decision making process. Its purpose in the context of national educational programme and overall developmental objectives is to assess the implications of alternative sets of policy and thereby help decision makers choose that set which is most appropriate to the specified objectives. Events in the recent years have witnessed an increasing emphasis on the need to design educational policy in relation to overall set of objectives for economic and social development. Thus in addition to being a fundamental end in itself, education is now also viewed as an important means or instrument for increasing a nation’s economic and social welfare. This relationship makes it necessary to consider a variety of factors that previously may ha ve appeared irrelevant. The most important of this is to evaluate whether the size of structure of the educational system is appropriate from the perspective of national development objectives – or conversely to determine the educational capacity that will be required to permit a nation to reach its development targets. The second important characteristic of a new interest in educational planning is that it has focused attention on the structural interdependence and efficiency of the educational system. History of Modern Educational Planning A background history of the modern educational planning will greatly enhance our understanding of the emergence of the different approaches to educational planning in the developed and the developing countries. Prior to the Second World War (1939 – 1945), educational system everywhere was simple, less complex in structure and content, smaller in size and less intricately tied to the total life of nations. The only exception is probably the Soviet Union which in 1923 made an attempt to use educational planning to help realise a ‘new society’ through what is commonly referred to as the First Five Year Plan of the young Soviet Union. Before the war, the typical kind of educational planning had the following features a. It was short range in outlook (i.e. plan period was short, usually a year, rarely spreading beyond) b. It was fragmentary in its coverage of the educational system, the parts of the system were planned independently of one another. c. It was non-integrated in the sense that educational institutions were planned autonomously without explicit ties to the evolving needs and trends of the society and the economy at large; and d. It was non-dynamic kind of plannin g which assumed an essentially static educational model that would retain its main features intact year in and year out. However shortly after the world war (especially from 1945 to 1970), educational system and their environment all over the world were subjected to a barrage of scientific and technological, economical, demographic, political and cultural changes that shook everything in sight. The next twenty five years subsequently took Europe (industrialised nations) through four phases of development namely: i. The reconstruction phase  ii. The manpower shortage phase iii. Rampant expansion phase and iv. The innovation phase. Europe and indeed the entire world including the developing countries emerged from the Second World War with their educational system seriously disrupted and facing a heavy backlog of educational needs. Nations everywhere quickly settled for reconstruction and in the process it soon became evident that the conventional pre-war educational planning would not suffice for these reconstruction tasks. This arose because the recovery process was fast (partly on account of Marshall Plan assistance from the United States) and by the early 1950s these rebuilt economies had fully absorbed the available supply of skilled human resources; hence, manpower bottlenecks began to loom as the major obstacle to further growth. This led western economies to become more power minded and to look at educational planning through new eyes. No longer was education seen merely as a non-productive sector of the economy which absorbed consumption expenditure. It was now viewed as an essential ‘investment expenditure’ for economic growth. But as obviously important as manpower needs were finally conceded to be, they paled before another force that soon began to dominate the educational scene and gives sleepless nights to the political authorities and educational planners throughout Europe and North America. This other force was the explosive increase in popular demand for education which led to the rampant expansion phase. Virtually everywhere, the dominant thrust of strategy was to expand the pre-war educational needs as rapidly as possible – curriculum, methods, examinations and all with a view to accommodating a larger number and proportion of the youth population. These eruptions forced the educational system of industrialised nations into yet a fourth post-war phase called the innovation phase. This phase prompted the formulation and adoption of new planning concepts and tools which are now in use and taking shape. Educational Planning in Developing Countries Much of what was said above applies with even greater force to developing countries shortly after the European experience. There educational needs were even larger and more urgent but their educational systems unfortunately were less relevant and less adequate to their needs. It will be recalled that most of the developing nations of Africa were colonies during this period and were gradually fighting for political independence. During this period, the missionaries that introduced western type of education were not focused on rapid expansion of education. The colonial masters too had other pre-occupation. Formal western education was therefore at low ebb. At the same time, the armies and the soldiers including a few educated nationals of these countries have had exposure to Europe and North America and were therefore fairly acquainted with educational system in Europe and North America. Given this background, and starting from the 1950s, the developing countries responded similarly to their new circumstances with an educational strategy of linear expansion. Support was also received from global organisations like United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), International Institute of Educational Planning in this direction. At a series of UNESCO conferences early in the 1960s education ministers of Asia, Africa and Latin America set ambitious regional targets for educational expansion in their respective regions. These targets were widely adopted by individual nations. They called for 100% percent participation in primary education by the end of the target period and sharply increase participation in secondary and higher education. This expansion strategy manifests the adoption of the social demand approach to educational planning in some of the developing countries. A good example of this is the free education policy adopted by the Western and Eastern regions of Nigeria in the 1950s. Same goes for Nkrumah’s Ghana which introduced education for all policy in 1952. We shall examine this in greater detail later. In the view of Coombs (1970) the case for a manpower approach was particularly strong in developing nations because their overall development was conspicuously handicapped by shortages of all kinds of specialised or skilled manpower. Thus, it made sense to give initial priority to educating the most needed types of manpower for economic growth, for without such growth the desired long run expansion in education and other major social objectives would simply not be possible. Unfortunately, the developing countries were not equipped to do the kind of educational and manpower planning that the situation required and worse still, the rest of the world could not do much for them because the global supply of basic knowledge and experts for this kind of planning was acutely scarce. It is noteworthy however that UNESCO and other agencies played active and supportive role to assist.

Southport Minerals essays

Southport Minerals essays Southport Minerals, Inc. is the largest sulphur producer in the United States. Due to a shortening of supply over the past few years Southport has enjoyed enormous profits and is extremely liquid with a debt/equity ratio of .02. Currently sulphur production accounts for 90% of Southports revenue. The company is searching for non-acquisition diversification opportunities. Southport has been presented with the opportunity to develop a copper mine in Indonesia. Increased uses of copper and rising copper prices have led Southport to consider this opportunity. However, the location of the copper mine, and the political environment in Indonesia are risks that must be considered. The company has acquired the proper financing to proceed with the project. However, they must decide how to discount the cash flows to determine if the project is acceptable. Southport has decided to proceed with the project under a subsidiary (Southport Indonesia). Several reasons support the choice of creating a subsidiary rather than doing business as the current corporation. First, the translation of foreign currency must be considered. If operating under one corporate entity each transaction must be translated. This would lead to a degree of discrepancies, creating confusion. Also, differences in tax and accounting regulations are a consideration. Foreign countries have different accounting systems and tax plans. Therefore, two sets of book would be needed to reconcile foreign and domestic statements. Third a separate entity, creates shelter against political risk. The parent company is protected from political turmoil inside the foreign country. Southport has already had property expropriated in Cuba. The board is very wary of any future foreign risks. Any protection that Southport can guarantee the board will help sell the position. In order to avoid potential distortions caused by foreign currency conversion, Southport should co...

How to Dress as Someone of Another Race for Halloween

How to Dress as Someone of Another Race for Halloween With people of color more prominent in pop culture than ever before, some costume lovers face a dilemma: Is it alright to dress up as someone of a different race for Halloween? The answer to that question depends on the costume you’ve chosen and your presentation of it, not to mention the person you’ve decided to duplicate for the occasion. If you insist on doing it, follow the tips below. Itll lower  the odds that you’ll make a racial gaffe if you dress up as a person of another race for Halloween. Go as a Particular Person Under no circumstances is it alright to dress up as a Mexican, African or an Asian for Halloween. A racial group does not make for an appropriate costume, and any desire to dress up as a generic minority for Halloween is a pretty good indicator that you’ve bought into stereotypes about the group in question. To raise awareness about this issue, Ohio University group Students Teaching About Racism in Society  launched a campaign called Were a culture, not a costume. Instead of dressing up as a generic racial group for Halloween, choose a particular individual to dress up as, preferably one who’s known for suiting up in certain ensembles. Golfer Tiger Woods often wears red polo shirts and black pants while competing. Throw on such an outfit and walk around with a golf club in hand, and many people will pick up on the fact that you’re Mr. Woods for Halloween. Suiting up as an athlete who wears a jersey is one way to be easily identifiable. Most basketball fans know that Steph  Curry  is No. 30. Of course, your costume needn’t be relegated to the sports world. With his trademark sequined glove and red leather jacket, Michael Jackson is an instantly recognizable costume. No Blackface Avoid blackface like the plague when dressing up as a person of a different race for Halloween. Recognize that many African  Americans consider blackface to be as offensive as the N-word. If you’re choosing to go as a minority celebrity who wears attire that’s recognizable to the masses, there’s no need to darken your skin.   The same goes for taping your eyes back to appear Asian. Instead, choose to go as a highly recognizable Asian figure for Halloween, such as buddy team Harold and Kumar in their orange jumpsuits from the â€Å"Guantanamo Bay† film or the Japanese schoolgirl Gogo Yubari,  who handled a meteor hammer in â€Å"Kill Bill.† On Halloween, you should also reconsider throwing on an Afro wig. While natural hair has made a comeback in the black community, most African Americans today don’t sport 1970s style Afros, so unless you’re dressing up as Dolemite or another blaxploitation hero from that era, you should question the need to rock a faux Afro for Halloween. On the other hand, if your costume for Halloween is Bob Marley, you’re a lot less likely to offend people by donning a dreadlock wig, as locks were a staple of his look. But even in this case, its wise to exercise caution. Some people may still view such wigs as a mockery of natural black hairstyles. Wear a Mask You can avoid making many of the racial gaffes that befall Halloween celebrants by merely wearing a mask. A mask will remove any temptation to use blackface, tape back your eyes or make similar racially offensive moves. A variety of manufacturers offer masks of President Barack Obama, Michael Jackson and other famous people of color. Avoid Stereotypical Costumes Some costumes are just asking for trouble. Avoid politically incorrect costumes that fuel racial stereotypes. People of color aren’t likely to appreciate a white person dressing up like Aunt Jemima, a Muslim terrorist or an  illegal alien. Question your motivation for wanting to wear a Halloween costume that’s likely to be regarded as racist. It may seem like a funny idea to you but will feel like a slap in the face to the communities mocked by the costume.

Intrercultural communication - group case study Research Paper

Intrercultural communication - group case study - Research Paper Example The behaviors and communication of people are largely determined by the culture they have learnt or have grown accustomed to and which they derive their world views from. When cultures are facing challenges as the ones being faced by the Chinese and Americans in terms of culture, barriers to communication such as stereotypes, discrimination, ethnocentrism and prejudice are likely to take place and these may cause conflict (Martin & Nakayama 55). In this case therefore, Americans with their outspoken nature are likely to regard the Chinese as weak because they tend to lean towards humility side and this stereotype may lead to discrimination and especially in regards to leadership positions (Crossan 3). The Americans using this stereotype and because they regard their culture as being the superior one to all the other cultures, take over the power and tend to want to make all the decisions which in turn affect communication patterns in the organization. If this is taking place in China where the majority of the American businesses have moved to, then the Chinese are likely to retaliate negatively and this in turn only affects the business and its objectives of seeking profits. Humility and outspokenness are all about language, its components, the perception it creates, the attitudes it leads to when it comes to communication as well as its variation in communication styles (Martin & Nakayama 140). The Americans apply their outspokenness when making business deals. They use humor more often than the Chinese do and also tend to use slang and other informal language especially in internal communication. This normally tends to create an attitude and perception of openness and employees being much more relaxed in the workplace. When the employees are however used to humility with all its quietness and formalities, they may find the openness disturbing and this may even affect their work performance. They believe in

Small scale soda bottle rocket launcher capable of shooting a two Research Paper

Small scale soda bottle rocket launcher capable of shooting a two liter soda bottle repetitively and at different angles - Research Paper Example Movable joints are utilized to rotate the launcher at different angles. A thin coat of cement is applied to prevent any leak. It helps to understand the laws of physics that are related to the motion of the rocket. Introduction Newton’s Laws of motion play an important role in our life. Laws of motion depict a scientific explanation for the different type of works we do in our daily routine with respect to locomotion and actions related to motion. In vehicular motion, laws of motion play an important role in determining the distance, time and velocity of the moving object. On the other hand, the motion of rocket and similar types of propulsion engines, laws of motion are also utilized to depict the relation between the force, acceleration and mass of the object and the force to carry and move the mass. Rockets works by utilizing second and third law of motion, where the ignited fuel acts as the force to continue the motion of the rocket. ... The small Soda bottle rocket launcher is much effective in understanding the procedure and the process which makes a rocket accelerate at such high speed. Research and Literature Review Soda bottle rockets make utilization of used soda bottle, which are capable to high pressure due to the strength of the plastic is uniquely selected to bear the immense pressure of soda inside the bottle. Such types of bottle can be used for a normal pressure application. Soda bottles are considered best for the soda bottle rockets due to the capacity and incredible design and light weight of the bottle. In colleges and homes many people build the launching pads for launching the water soda bottle rockets to clear the concepts of real rockets and in homes, it is considered as the fun to launch the empty soda bottle water rocket. Most soda bottles are soft drink bottles, which hold cola or other soda based flavors (Kagan, Louis & Lynda, 150). Soda water rockets can reach as much as 100 meters on the ve rtical axis and more than 100 meters on the horizontal axis provided that the projectile is carefully selected to be 45 degrees (Gurstelle, 34-45). The soda bottles are partly filled with water and then the water is pressurized by pumping air into the bottle by utilizing a hand pump or an electric or mechanical compressor. Any other fluid can also be utilized instead of water, but water presents the best qualities as compared to all other fluids. The most significant feature is the least cost and massive availability of water (Kagan, Louis & Lynda, 150). Water rockets mostly rely on the pressurized air. The more the amount of pressurized air,