Terrorism Evolution in Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Terrorism Evolution in Intelligence - Essay Example This evaluation of different US intelligence agencies seemed to be a formidable task for those lawmakers. The lack of motivation to assess the drawbacks of Intelligence departments and organizational framework might highlight the causes of failures of many reforms proposed, which resulted in insignificant and poor changes. The American intelligence units as they stand today need a thorough understanding of past reformation efforts to solve its present confusing state. Those at the helm of the intelligence affairs have drafted several proposals and studies following the Second World War to harmonize the American intelligence system with the changing times. These reports have now been in declassified form and surprisingly they have never been compiled and assiduously applied by the American administration in their true spirit (Best & Boerstling, 1996). The significance of these proposals and studies does not wholly dependent on impacts it produced on the intelligence community. However , a few remarkable studies motivated by a wartime period have produced positive results. On the other hand, many other studies were not as useful (Stimson & Forrestal, 1996). Terrorism Evolution in Intelligence: An Introduction Since the Second World War America got ascendancy in global politics and acquired many world wide tasks to pursue its own interests. Yet the American Congress, the White House and its organizational bodies like Department of Defense were somewhat naive of the American intelligence departments and their operation. There was a lack of coherence amongst different bodies of intelligence regarding the role played by each intelligence departments as well harmony to undertake the various intelligence tasks. The unplanned wartime steps taken by the Roosevelt administration in 1945 needed a drastic and thorough assessment of intelligence bodies to be considered critically. After assuming the US presidency, Harry Truman stated in his address â€Å"that the antiquated defense setup of the United States had to be reorganized quickly† (Best & Boerstling, 1996). Likewise, many American officials highlighted the need of urgent intelligence reforms: ‘Recent developments in the field of new weapons have advanced the question of an efficient intelligence service to a position of importance, vital to the security of the nation in a degree never attained and never contemplated in the past. It is now entirely possible that failure to provide such a system might bring national disaster’ (Harris, 1995). The major issue for the American officials was how to modernize the US intelligence with the contemporary times. The American officials had been divided about the past war time experiences relating with the suitable ways to meet the intelligence needs. Many of their ideas were conflicting and only some officials had clear views and insight to meet those objective needs of American intelligence. Nevertheless, in 1946 the American administrat ion made various critical decisions for American intelligence units after the Second World War. The National Security Act of 1947 set the course of American intelligence for decades to modern pathways. The American admini

Analyzing a Written Essay Essay Example for Free

Analyzing a Written Essay Essay The two essays that I read were â€Å"A Soul as Free as the Air: About Lucy Stone† and, â€Å"How to succeed as an Online Student†. The four types of essay organization discussed in the course readings were; 1. Topic: This development organizes information about the topic in the most logical way. 2. Time order: It is using sequential order to write an essay. It organizes the information from one time period to another. 3. Space order: This deals with location of people, places or things. 4. Informative process: This is written in a step-by-step arrangement in their natural occurring order. The characteristics that make these essays expository, is that it has facts to inform about the topic. It is used in facts form and not biased.  What distinguishes space organization from time organization or informative-process organization in an essay is that Space order deals with location, Time organization refers to placing information in chronological order by date or a specific time, and Informative essay would be one that takes on a step-by-step process. The organization of each essay help the reader understand the subject matter of that essay in the essay â€Å"How to Succeed as Online Student†, it list steps to teach online students what it takes to be successful in an online atmosphere. The reader understands you must follow these steps to succeed. On the essay, â€Å"A Soul as Free as the Air: About Lucy Stone† it helped to learn about Lucy Stone, it showed the order of her achievements. On the essays that I read, the one that has the most effective organi zation was â€Å"A Souls as Free as the Air: About Lucy Stone†. I chose this essay, because it was organized from the beginning to the end, it was in the order of each of her achievements. A different type of organizational style for â€Å"How to Succeed as Online Student† if you change it to a time order or space order, then it would confuse some of the online students. The main part would be lost in the reading. It would definitely have students wanting to go to class instead of online, so the teacher could clarify things. The type of essay organization that is more suitable for my essay topic on â€Å"Warming Global; Drought,† would be Time Order, due to the heat and water levels at the time.

Neil Simon :: essays research papers

As one of North America’s leading playwrights, Neil Simon has definitely been instrumental to the world of theater. He has experienced a somewhat shaky personal life, but he has found that this only adds to the texture of his work. He began his career working on radio and television, and found that writing for stage was significantly different than his previous experiences writing. His first attempts at theater were rough, but it didn’t take him long to achieve excellence. He has also achieved great success with his work in the film industry. He is very fastidious when writing his work, and also quite critical of both the final written product, as well as its resulting production. However, no matter how uncertain he is of his work, it is apparent that audiences worldwide appreciate his writings, and he has been awarded numerous times to prove it. It is quite clear Neil Simon holds a place of importance in the world of dramatic arts. Born and raised in the Bronx NYC, Marvin Neil Simon was the second son of a traveling salesman. His mother Mamie, was largely responsible for the upbringing of the children due to this circumstance. His childhood household was quite unstable due to the absence of his father, and he has not truly escaped from this lifestyle. At age 28, he married Joan Baim, a professional dancer, and the first of three wives. The two had a daughter, Ellen, together. Seemingly happy for 20 years in marriage, Joan died unexpectedly. Shockingly, just over one month after Joan’s death, Neil remarried, causing doubt about the healthiness of the relationship before Joan’s demise. He wed actress Marsha Mason, who later appeared in a number of his works, including film versions of Only When I Laugh and The Goodbye Girl. The marriage lasted 9 years, and ended bitterly due to "undisclosed reasons". Five years after his divorce from Ms Mason, he coupled with Diane Landers, also an actress . He had a second daughter, Nancy, with the actress, as well as adopting a third daughter, Bryn. The two divorced just 2 years after the wedding. However, shortly after that, the couple remarried, and are living together currently as man and wife. His other relationships have been touchy as well. A bond with his brother was broken upon Neil’s sudden decision to end his television writing career and move on to script writing.

College Athletes Essay

College athletes are manipulated every day. Student athletes are working day in and day out to meet academic standards and to keep their level of play competitive. These athletes need to be rewarded and credited for their achievements. Not only are these athletes not being rewarded but they are also living with no money. Because the athletes are living off of no money they are very vulnerable to taking money from boosters and others that are willing to help them out. The problem with this is that the athletes are not only getting themselves in trouble but their athletic departments as well. Recently college athletes have been granted permission to work, from the NCAA. Even with this permission, their jobs are still regulated. One regulation to the athletes working is that they cannot work for alumni of the school. The NCAA has this rule because they feel if athletes work for people with close ties to the school then they will be receiving special benefits while working. These special benefits include, (but are not limited to), athletes being paid while not at work and higher salaries then other workers doing the same job (Anstine 4). Another restraint to college athletes working is a time restraint. College athletes have very busy schedules they follow and when finished with their schedules they are left with very little free time. Student athletes are required to take a minimum of twelve credit hours to start the semester and required to pass at least nine credit hours by the end of the semester. With this standard having to be met, the athletes are spending hours studying and attending class. Besides from studying and attending class the athletes then have to go to practice. Going to practice and participating takes up about four to seven hours of the athlete’s day. After all of this is completed, the athletes are left with only a couple of hours for them to enjoy time with their friends or even to just relax and watch a movie. But, because these athletes are college students and do not receive any money for their commitments they are supposed to squeeze time in for work in. If athletes apply for a job they are limited to only a couple of hours a day to work. Also a large number of jobs request their employees to be available on the weekends. Athletes are not available on weekends because they are traveling with the team to play. Even with all of these limitations, if an athlete is still able to find a job he or she would have to give up time that should be set aside for studying (Bascuas 2). With college athletes not having time to work, money is very scarce. Because money is scarce they are tempted to take money from agents and other boosters. The taking of this money is a problem because it is a violation of the NCAA rules. When student athletes receive money, they are susceptible to being suspended from the team. They also run the risk of getting the school suspended from NCAA play and scholarship money limited. Many college athletics are run as businesses. They are making millions of dollars a year and are not even paying their workers, the athletes. The hard work and dedication not only makes money for the school it also gets the schools name out to the public. When schools athletics are playing well and are nationally televised, more people are aware of the school this will help an increase of applications and other people’s interest in the school (Stanley 1). College athletics need a reform. Student athletes need to start being rewarded monetarily for their hard work and dedication. They have limited time to work, and somehow, they need to make money. If the athletes are allowed to receive money for their commitments, then it will allow them to have spending money to enjoy themselves when they do have free time. Also, by allowing athletes to receive money, schools and athletes will not get suspended for taking money that is so tempting to them. Personal Response. With the new research and information gathered by the author for this paper will help shape his final paper. The information gathered gave him new statistical information that was not used in this paper but will be useful in the final paper. Along with the new information, the writer has learned the results of athletes taking money and the punishments that happen not only to the individuals but what also happens to the universities. Also the author picked up new information about the publicity that the schools receive from their sport programs. When the school’s teams are participating in tournaments and nationally televised games, more and more people are hearing about their school. This is important to the final paper because it allows the author to touch on how the school benefits indirectly from their athletic department. This paper was very helpful to me and will help shape my final paper. With writing this paper with the cause and effect background, it will help the author discuss the results of athletes being poor and not being allowed to receive money from boosters, other associates, and the school itself.

E Marketing Essay

Background of the Study Marketing plays a vital role in economic growth in the present global world. It ensures the planned economic growth in the developing economy where the scarcity of goods, services, ideas and excessive unemployment, thereby marketing efforts are needed for mobilization of economic resources for additional production of ideas, goods and services resulting in greater employment. Marketing stimulates the aggregate demand thereby enlarges the size of market. Marketing in basic industries, agriculture, mining and plantation industries helps in distribution of output without which there is no possibility of mobilization of goods and services which is the key point for economic growth. These industries are the back bone of economic growth. It also accelerates the process of monetizing the economy which in turn facilitates the transfer of investible resources. It helps in discovery of entrepreneurial talent. Intermediate industrial goods and Semi-industrial products etc. ssentially marketed for industrial purpose in order to develop the industrial sector with a view to economic growth. Today the trend of ICT development is gaining larger influence over countries’ development and growth. It would not be surprising to see the elements that evolved from the developments of ICT (such as e-commerce, e-marketing, e-business, and e-learning) have increasingly provided support toward enhancing countries’ growth and development, especia lly in highly sophisticated abstract. As the trend of ICT development is gaining larger influence over countries’ development and growth, e-commerce plays an important role in enhancing the growth of several developed and developing economies over the 21st century. This chapter aims to build the analytical base to support the importance of the development of e-commerce by investigating the role and contribution of e-commerce to economic growth and development. The chapter first investigates past contributions of e-commerce to economic growth in developed countries. Second, past research findings and frameworks are utilized to investigate the contribution of e-commerce toward economic growth, focusing on the case of e-commerce in Tanzania. The study found that e-commerce plays an important role in enhancing the economic growth of Tanzania. Two important findings supported the growth of e-commerce. First is the increase in sales generated by the use of e-commerce. Second, e-commerce induces the productivity development of firms through higher competition and innovation. E-Commerce Contribution to Economic Growth: The Case of Tanzania industries. The introduction of e-commerce and e-business seems to create a tremendous contribution to the growth of many developed nations and is continuing its increasing impact on the developments of many developing economies over the 21st century. Some recent literature pointed out the increasing contribution of e-commerce toward economic development in several developed countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom (Adam, Mulye,Deans &Palihawadana,2002).

Lord of the Flies Comparison Between Raplh and Jack Essays

Lord of the Flies Comparison Between Raplh and Jack Essays Lord of the Flies Comparison Between Raplh and Jack Paper Lord of the Flies Comparison Between Raplh and Jack Paper like his father, takes on a leadership role. Last but not least, a strong reason why they are different Is because Ralph shows dervish skills and Is admired by majority of the boys that are on the Island with him.. He maintains order and Intents on getting out; whereas Tom Is bombarded with responsibility that seems to be too overwhelming for his personality, he does all the duties intents. Seas to Tu I out en does teen anal nee artery walkout ten relent SECOND BODY : The difference between the two can also be seen in their personalities; Tom is selfish and cares only about himself while Ralph consistently considers his friends before he thinks of himself * Both texts have a different style of portraying the character in question . Ralph is seen helping and considering the future of everyone on the island while not caring about him. He shows selfless love towards each and every character in the story, one incident that occurred in the story is when a boy asked Ralph if they were ever going to get saved, one of the boys proclaimed of course not, but Ralph reassured the little boy and gave him the hope that if they follow his orders and procedures they will be saved and returned back to civilization. (peg 20)(peg 21 bottom)(peg 34-35 bottom) (37 fire) Using peg 34-35 **insert Quote** * In this quote, it shows that Rallys is tauter and reassuring by giving everyone some hope and comfort regarding their fears. On the other hand, Tom only cares for himself, he is not considerate of others, and shows almost no love towards his family. **Quote** this quote shows the reader how different tom acts then Ralph, even when considering their age difference. * (peg 53 bottoms) it also shows that the mother wants Tom to understand the situation by explaining to him that daughters welfare is more important than even herself. The mother tries to convince Tom to believe that it is important to care for Laura. This shows that Tom is running away from responsibility while Ralph happily accepts the role of being the leader and comforts the group. THIRD PARAGRAPH * a strong evidence of their contrasting characteristics come apparent with their way of reflecting on their father figure as the main source of guidance; for Tom, the missing father figure is apparent as he also tries to escape from his situation meanwhile Ralph ,like his father, takes on a leadership role. As soon as Ralph and the others were stranded on the island he was subjected to his responsibilities, some may say that these qualities could have been passed down through his father. This was evident when the first thing he thought was to create a system of order and prevent things from going into chaos. **Quote** the quote reconfirms the claim that Rallys father was a responsible Navy officer and throughout Rallys childhood, he may have influenced the shaping of Rallys character. When Ralph reassured the group, its showed that the group still had confidence in what he had to say and instructed to do. (peg 36 bottom) Tom: (peg 80) Toms upbringing was clearly different than Rallys which reflected on his attitude and overall behavior towards his father.

Learn About the Birth Place of William Shakespeare

Learn About the Birth Place of William Shakespeare Its no secret that William Shakespeare was from England, but many of his fans would be hard pressed to name exactly where in the country the writer was born. With this overview, discover where and when the bard was born, and why his birthplace remains a tourist attraction today. Where Was Shakespeare Born? Shakespeare was born in 1564  into a prosperous family in Stratford-upon-Avon in  Warwickshire, England. The town is about 100 miles northwest of London. Although there is no record of his birth, it is presumed that he  was born on April 23 because he was entered into the baptism register of  Holy Trinity Church  shortly after. Shakespeares  father, John, owned a large family house in the town center that is thought to be the bards  birthplace. The public can still visit the very room in which it is believed Shakespeare was born. The house sits on Henley Street - the main road that runs through the middle of this small market town. It is well preserved and is open to the public via the visitor center. Inside, you can see how small the living space was for the young Shakespeare and how the family would have lived, cooked and slept. One room would have been John Shakespeares workroom, where he would have tailored gloves to sell. Shakespeare was expected to take over his fathers business one day himself.   Shakespeare Pilgrimage For centuries, Shakespeare’s birthplace has been a place of pilgrimage for the literary-minded. The tradition started in 1769 when David Garrick, a famous Shakespearean actor, organized the first Shakespeare festival in Stratford-upon-Avon. Since then, the house has been visited by scores of famous writers including: John Keats (1817)Sir Walter Scott (1821)Charles Dickens (1838)Mark Twain (1873)Thomas Hardy (1896) They used diamond rings to scratch their names into the glass window of the birth room. The window has since been replaced, but the original glass panes are still on display. Thousands of people every year continue to follow this tradition and visit Shakespeare’s birthplace, so the house remains one of Stratford-upon-Avon’s busiest attractions. Indeed, the house marks the starting point of the annual parade walked by local officials, celebrities, and community groups each year as part of the Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations. This symbolic walk starts in Henley Street  and ends at Holy Trinity Church, his burial place.  There is no specific recorded date of his death, but the date of the burial indicates  he died April 23. Yes, Shakespeare was born and died on the same day of the year! Participants of the  parade pin a sprig of the herb rosemary to their outfits to commemorate his life. This is a reference to  Ophelias line in Hamlet: Theres rosemary, thats for remembrance. Preserving the Birthplace as a National Memorial When the birthplace’s last private occupant died, money was raised by committee to buy the house at auction and preserve it as a national memorial. The campaign gained momentum when a rumor spread that P. T. Barnum, the American circus owner wanted to buy the house and ship it to New York! The money was raised successfully and the house is in the  hands of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The trust subsequently bought other Shakespeare-related properties in and around Stratford-upon-Avon, including his mothers farm house, his daughters town house and his wifes family home in nearby Shottery. They also own the land where Shakespeares final home in the town once stood. Today, the Shakespeare Birthplace House has been preserved and converted into a museum as part of a larger visitor center complex. It is open to the public all year.

Howard Aiken, Grace Hopper and the Mark I Computer

Howard Aiken, Grace Hopper and the Mark I Computer Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper designed the MARK series of computers at Harvard University beginning in 1944.   The Mark I   The MARK computers began with the Mark I. Imagine a giant room full of noisy, clicking metal parts, 55 feet long and eight feet high. The five-ton device contained almost 760,000 separate pieces. Used by the U.S. Navy for gunnery and ballistic calculations, the Mark I was in operation until 1959. The computer was controlled by pre-punched paper tape, and it could carry out addition, subtraction, multiplication and division functions. It could refer to previous results and had special subroutines for logarithms and trigonometric functions. It used 23 decimal place numbers. Data was stored and counted mechanically using 3,000 decimal storage wheels, 1,400 rotary dial switches and 500 miles of wire. Its electromagnetic relays classified the machine as a relay computer. All output was displayed on an electric typewriter. By todays standards, the Mark I was slow, requiring three to five seconds to accomplish a multiplication operation. Howard Aiken   Howard Aiken was born in Hoboken, New Jersey in March 1900. He was an electrical engineer and physicist who first conceived of an electro-mechanical device like the Mark I in 1937. After completing his doctorate at Harvard in 1939, Aiken stayed on to continue the computers development. IBM funded his research. Aiken headed a team of three engineers, including Grace Hopper. The Mark I was completed in 1944. Aiken completed the Mark II, an electronic computer, in 1947. He founded the Harvard Computation Laboratory that same year. He published numerous articles on electronics and switching theories and ultimately launched Aiken Industries.   Aiken loved computers, but even he had no idea of their eventual widespread appeal. Only six electronic digital computers would be required to satisfy the computing needs of the entire United States, he said in 1947. Aiken died in 1973 in St, Louis, Missouri.   Grace Hopper   Born in December 1906 in New York, Grace Hopper studied at Vassar College and Yale before she joined the Naval Reserve in 1943. In 1944, she started working with Aiken on the Harvard Mark I computer. One of Hoppers lesser-known claims to fame is that she was responsible for coining the term bug  to describe a computer fault. The original bug was a moth that caused a hardware fault in the Mark I. Hopper got rid of it and fixed the problem and was the first person to debug a computer.   She began research for the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation in 1949  where she designed an improved compiler and was part of the team which developed Flow-Matic, the first English-language data processing compiler. She invented the language APT and verified the language COBOL.   Hopper was the first computer science Man of the Year in 1969, and she received the National Medal of Technology in 1991. She died a year later, in 1992, in Arlington, Virginia.

Response to Comments on DQ1 C and DQ2 KSmith,Wk3 Essay

Response to Comments on DQ1 C and DQ2 KSmith,Wk3 - Essay Example You mentioned that the annual report is the most important report prepared by corporations for the shareholders and other stakeholders. I agree that the annual report is the most informative corporate statement since it provides valuable information about the business, its finances, and the strategic goals of the enterprise. Learning the basics about financial statements can help investors make better investing decisions. DQ2 The use of a classification system in the balance sheet is very useful because it creates consistency between statements. Investors can utilize the information contained in the classified balance sheet to perform quantitative financial analysis such as ratio analysis, variance analysis, or sensitivity analysis. The list of assets included in the classified balance sheet is ordered from top to bottom with the top accounts representing the most liquid ones. The most liquid financial asset is cash (Investopedia, 2011). When I answered this question originally I als o could not think of any additional classification that could add value to the classified balance sheet. The balance sheet internal structure follows the logic of the basic accounting equation which states that assets equals liabilities plus stockholder’s equity. The format used in the classified balance sheet is very easy to understand which makes it easier for teachers to teach accounting students.

Mayor Bloombergs Dedication to Arts in Education For New York Citys Essay

Mayor Bloombergs Dedication to Arts in Education For New York Citys Schools - Essay Example The 1970's were a time of fiscal crisis in New York City's public schools. Among the first items to be lopped from the education budgets were classes in the fine arts (Mandell, 2005). While the money would later return, the attitude at the top toward the arts did not change much - Mayor Giuliani even established a "decency commission" to determine what art would and would not be acceptable for public support, and even for public display (Steinhauer, 2005). Mayor Bloomberg, in stark contrast, has demonstrated a serious commitment to the arts in New York City. He has established Percent for Art, a policy that requires the consultation of the arts commission for any significant public-works project. Additionally, he has borrowed sculptures and paintings from galleries and museums across the city and placed them in public areas. He has donated more than $40 million to the Carnegie Corporation, for distribution to 162 cultural organizations in New York City (Steinhauer, 2005). ... Sharon Dunn, the new head of Arts Education for New York City schools, has said that "One of the areas identified as most in need of development is the need to acquaint school administrators with the benefits and elements of arts education." (Mandell, 2005). Under Mayor Bloomberg's leadership, the Department of Education secured a $1 million grant from the Bank of America, aimed at educating the leaders of New York City schools about the importance of culture in learning. Over 400 principals and local superintendents benefited from the Cultural Pass Program, which gave them free admission to 25 cultural institutions in New York City, as well as discounted admission to performances and concerts. According to Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, this program will "better acquaint principals with the many cultural and arts institutions available to their teacher and students across the City" and promote the idea of cultural organizations as "instructional resources" (NYC Department, 2004). Other objections to Mayor Bloomberg's education policy have included the following: an instruction plan that does not cover enough of the arts; insufficient and inequitable distribution of resources, and insufficient facilities and supplies; a shortage of qualified art instructors; and a "variation" in the quality of partnerships between schools and cultural organizations (NYC Council Report, 2003). A lot of these concerns boil down to one issue: money. While the current education budget includes $70 million for Project Arts, and while Mayor Bloomberg is committed to "focus on arts education to ensure that students learn about the arts and fully experience" the cultural life of New York City (Bloomberg, 2005), the City has a mammoth lawsuit to

Analysis of the integrated marketing communications mix strategies of Essay

Analysis of the integrated marketing communications mix strategies of your chosen smartphone brand - Essay Example With the help of analysis it is noted that Apple Inc. delivered attractive and best quality product designed for a finest price. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) mix is a process, designed for managing the consumer relationships that drive product value. More exclusively, it is defined as cross functional practice for generating and nourishing beneficial relationship with the customers and stakeholders (Koekemoer, 2004). Now the environment of marketing communication is changing: mass markets have been fragmented, thereby, causing marketers to move from mass selling to segment marketing; and shifting from mass media towards focused media. Integrated marketing communication activities entail a forward flow of communications. Producers communicate to the wholesaler, the retailer, and the end consumer. Resellers correspond to customers. Backward communication flow also exists but is crucial to understand markets and customers (Anderson and Vincze, 2006). The main aim of this report is to analyse the integrated marketing communication mix strategies of Apple Inc. The main elements of communication procedure are the sender, encoding message, receiver, medium, decoding, and feedback. A clear understanding of all these elements helps to design an effective communication programs (Jacobson, 1999). Sender: Sender is a person who starts the communication process by thinking about the idea to have a conversation with the receiver. During the communication, the body language, vocabulary and the voice tone of the speaker influence how the receiver accepts the message (Jacobson, 1999). Encoding: It is an act of creating an idea reachable to the entire mass. Before the message or an idea could be conveyed to receiver or the people, the sender requires encoding the message in a suitable code (Cleary, 2004). Medium: Once the idea of sender are translated or encoded, they are conveyed in the structure of message. Messages could

ENGINEERING ECONOMY & GEO-RESOURCE EVALUATION AND INVESTMENT ANALYSIS Term Paper

ENGINEERING ECONOMY & GEO-RESOURCE EVALUATION AND INVESTMENT ANALYSIS - Term Paper Example Highlight of the events in the stock vs. commodity graph 8.4. Explanation of each of the 10 key events 9. Summary 10. Conclusions 1. Abstract (summary of the report) This project is about reporting the performance of a company’s events versus its variation in stock value. It studies ten key events in Exxon Mobil, which is the company of choice. This study is done through the history of Exxon Mobil, highlighting the ten events and then narrowing down into five of the events (Coll, 2012). The events are about the important management of the Economy of the company and the behavior of the company stock in the stock market. The report will culminate into data analysis in which it will show the values of the stock found during the semester. It will have the inclusion of the discussion supporting this pattern of behavior of the stock price during the same period and in the previous year. 3. Introduction Exxon Mobil Oil Company is the largest among the major oil companies vertically i ntegrated in the New York Stock Exchange. Its stock is the second best in the global domain and hence it is the second largest revenue contributor in the region. In the year 2010, Exxon Mobil generated total revenue of 30.50 billion US Dollars, growing by 57 percent from the previous year 2009 (Okada & Adelman, 2012). Its Stock Exchange name is XOM. ExxonMobil is a collection of six global major oil-trading organizations, which does oil exploration, production, refinery and sales of gas and oil. The six companies in the group include ChevronTexaco, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips and Total. ExxonMobil has been consistent in its production of the largest revenue returns on invested capital and income. In 2009, it produced return on investment of 63% (Russell and Angel, 2011). It diversifies its revenues and continues to expand by introducing its natural gas capacity. It does this through the acquisition of shale deposits, exploration of oil sands increasing its geographical cov erage. Even though ExxonMobil has all these strengths, its performance is highly determined by the market performance and the decisions by Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OPEC controls the oil prices of all oil trading countries by keeping the base (40%) of oil crude oil stock in the whole world (Okada & Adelman, 2012). It is also affected by the environmental factors affecting the production of natural gas and oil. Its geographical coverage is also very expensive to create and maintain. The other factors include threats from alternative energy supply including bio-fuels. 3.1. History and Background of the company In 2010, ExxonMobil generated revenue of 30.5 billion US Dollars, which was an increase of 57% from the previous year 2009. The dramatic increase was because of the massive crude oil supply and the realization of natural gas. Additionally, ExxonMobil recorded a capital of 32.2 billion US Dollars including exploration costs. It distributed more than 19 billion US Dollars to its shareholders in form of dividends and buy back of shares. At the end of the year 2010, ExxonMobil had a reserve base of oil of 24.8 billion barrels. It had upstream revenue of 75.1 percent. This segment was involved in the E and P program (Exploration and Production). The total revenue from gas and oil in 2010 was 24.1 billion US Dollars (Coll, 2012). In the same year, it had a downstream earning of 11.1 percent. The downstream segment was used in the refinery and marketing of natural gas as well as oil. It earned a total of 3.6 billion US

Unplanned Pregnancy and Abortion Laws Research Paper

Unplanned Pregnancy and Abortion Laws - Research Paper Example This is majorly because of lack of knowledge on the different methods of protection from pregnancy. Lack of finance also probes them to abort because they are afraid that they may not be able to give the child the basic needs. The contraceptives have become very costly for most of the American women who live under the poverty line. Normally, many women who abort are usually in the teen years. This is when peer influence is highest and many women try to fit in the society ending up getting pregnant and seeking abortion1. Abortion was legalized in America in 1973 by the Supreme Court. However, it became a very controversial issue. This is mainly because of the different ways that people look at abortion. Many are influenced by their religious beliefs, public health issues and ethics. Others believe that one should not suffer because of a pregnancy they had not even planned for in the first place. Before contraceptives became popular, may women in the United States had unplanned pregnancy. This was especially for young mothers who could not space out their children and thus had many maternal health problems. Later on, in the late twentieth century, the use of contraceptives reduces significantly, as the family planning methods became popular2. However, lately, due to politics interfering negatively with the use of contraceptives, unplanned pregnancies have drastically augmented. This is because the negative views of some politicians made some stakeholders to withdraw their financial support for family planning companies. In the recent past, the American lawmakers who belonged to the Republican Party were against abortions. Therefore, in the sittings that happened in 2011, they tried to make sure that the cost of having an abortion was very costly for women.

ENGINEERING ECONOMY & GEO-RESOURCE EVALUATION AND INVESTMENT ANALYSIS Term Paper

ENGINEERING ECONOMY & GEO-RESOURCE EVALUATION AND INVESTMENT ANALYSIS - Term Paper Example Highlight of the events in the stock vs. commodity graph 8.4. Explanation of each of the 10 key events 9. Summary 10. Conclusions 1. Abstract (summary of the report) This project is about reporting the performance of a company’s events versus its variation in stock value. It studies ten key events in Exxon Mobil, which is the company of choice. This study is done through the history of Exxon Mobil, highlighting the ten events and then narrowing down into five of the events (Coll, 2012). The events are about the important management of the Economy of the company and the behavior of the company stock in the stock market. The report will culminate into data analysis in which it will show the values of the stock found during the semester. It will have the inclusion of the discussion supporting this pattern of behavior of the stock price during the same period and in the previous year. 3. Introduction Exxon Mobil Oil Company is the largest among the major oil companies vertically i ntegrated in the New York Stock Exchange. Its stock is the second best in the global domain and hence it is the second largest revenue contributor in the region. In the year 2010, Exxon Mobil generated total revenue of 30.50 billion US Dollars, growing by 57 percent from the previous year 2009 (Okada & Adelman, 2012). Its Stock Exchange name is XOM. ExxonMobil is a collection of six global major oil-trading organizations, which does oil exploration, production, refinery and sales of gas and oil. The six companies in the group include ChevronTexaco, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips and Total. ExxonMobil has been consistent in its production of the largest revenue returns on invested capital and income. In 2009, it produced return on investment of 63% (Russell and Angel, 2011). It diversifies its revenues and continues to expand by introducing its natural gas capacity. It does this through the acquisition of shale deposits, exploration of oil sands increasing its geographical cov erage. Even though ExxonMobil has all these strengths, its performance is highly determined by the market performance and the decisions by Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OPEC controls the oil prices of all oil trading countries by keeping the base (40%) of oil crude oil stock in the whole world (Okada & Adelman, 2012). It is also affected by the environmental factors affecting the production of natural gas and oil. Its geographical coverage is also very expensive to create and maintain. The other factors include threats from alternative energy supply including bio-fuels. 3.1. History and Background of the company In 2010, ExxonMobil generated revenue of 30.5 billion US Dollars, which was an increase of 57% from the previous year 2009. The dramatic increase was because of the massive crude oil supply and the realization of natural gas. Additionally, ExxonMobil recorded a capital of 32.2 billion US Dollars including exploration costs. It distributed more than 19 billion US Dollars to its shareholders in form of dividends and buy back of shares. At the end of the year 2010, ExxonMobil had a reserve base of oil of 24.8 billion barrels. It had upstream revenue of 75.1 percent. This segment was involved in the E and P program (Exploration and Production). The total revenue from gas and oil in 2010 was 24.1 billion US Dollars (Coll, 2012). In the same year, it had a downstream earning of 11.1 percent. The downstream segment was used in the refinery and marketing of natural gas as well as oil. It earned a total of 3.6 billion US

Fingerprints history Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fingerprints history - Coursework Example Factors that are contributing to the fingerprint occurrence are skin pliability, pressure, slippage, texture of the surface of materials, and the likes. Types of fingerprints are exemplar that is use in instances like enrollment, latent that is being used in forensic investigation, patent that is the mark made by flour and the likes, plastic by holding the very material, and electronic recording that is assisted with technology to identify the fingerprints purposely (Manchester Evening News 2010). Three historical people have contributed to the science of fingerprints. They are Marcello Malpighi (1628 – 1694), Edward Henry (1850 – 1931), and Henry Faulds (1843 – 1930). Although there were also numerous historical people who have contributed to the science of fingerprints, the selection of the three are due to their distinctive contribution to one another as the rest tend to overlap with their works. It is also a selection based on chronological discoveries. Marce llo Malpighi. Marcello Malpighi was an Italian physicist whose famous contribution was the â€Å"Malpighian Tubule System.† Marcello had studied anatomical studies and published books on anatomy. In one of his books, he illustrated the detailed ridge structure of the fingers.

Analysis of E-Tailing Service Quality Essay Example for Free

Analysis of E-Tailing Service Quality Essay Their study focused on the consumers’ purchase and delivery (PD) choices, as part of a broader e ort to understand consumers’ shopping behavior. The present article begins by criticizing the content validity of E-S-QUAL (Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Malhotra 2005), the principal academic measure of e-retailer service quality, which is probably the most important construct in contemporary services research. Joel E. Collier et al. , (2006) in their article extended the work on e-service quality to encompass not only Web site interactivity or process quality but also outcome quality and recovery quality. A conceptual framework of e-service quality is proposed and empirically tested that combines process, outcome, and recovery dimensions. Contrary to previous service quality studies, formative instead of reflective indicators are used to conceptualize e-service quality. Their study found empirical support for the use of formative indicators and the three-dimensional approach to conceptualizing e-service quality. Liao. C, et al. , (2006) evaluated using structural equation modeling. Results show that consumers’ behavioral intentions to continue using a B2C web site are determined by all three key drivers: perceived usefulness, trust, and habit. Furthermore, not all dimensions of web quality have a significant effect on perceived usefulness and trust. Hao-erl Yang,s (2007), study stated that e-quality metric needs continued development and validation when measuring customer’s satisfaction and loyalty in e-shopping environment. Jamie Carlson Aron O’Cass (2009), study examined that impact of e-service quality attributes on the development of flow, and further investigates the impact flow has on consumers’ Website loyalty and word-of-mouth behavior. Most companies try their best to continually satisfy their customers because customer satisfaction seems to be an important barometer of customer’s behavioral intentions and has been regarded as an important antecedent of loyalty. Eduard Cristobal Fransi and Frederic Marimon Viadiu, paper analyzed various elements that influence the purchasing behaviour of online consumers. These elements include the aesthetic aspects of a website and the interactive processes that take place at the time of purchase. The study analyses the expectations and perceptions of a sample of Spanish online customers. On the basis of these attitudes, the sample of respondents is segmented. In addition, the main factors that determine online service satisfaction are identified. The analysis thus allows differentiation of both customers and service quality. The paper concludes with recommendations for online retailers who wish to operate a successful ‘virtual’ retail outlet. Noor et al. , (2007), study explored the internet service quality in service industry particularly in e-ticketing for transportation services. The primary data for this study was collected through web observation. Result shows that appearance and linkages are among the two most important determinants that should be used when measuring the quality of internet services. Through the findings, a guideline of the transportation websites regarding the important features could be developed. The findings show that e-ticketing websites would be an advantage to have all these features in order to increase user satisfaction in doing online transactions. Nittana Sukasame focused on the e-service quality dimensions in successfully establishing ecommerce ventures. Consequently, success is measured in terms of growth rate. The following factors selected from previous studies on e-service quality linked to successful e-commerce entrepreneurs are proposed: content, accessibility, ease of use, reliability, responsiveness, and security. Additionally, the factor linked specifically to e-service domain enhancing automatic tasks such as self-service technology is examined. His study could generate different views on the e-service quality paradigms associating with the competitive success of the e-commerce entrepreneurs.

Purpose and Efforts to Bridge the skills Gap

Purpose and Efforts to Bridge the skills Gap The Management Graduates today are deemed by industry as not being job ready and lacking the skills required successfully applying disciplinary knowledge and adding value to our globalised, knowledge economy. In this examination of postgraduate management education, the limited empirical evidence and research literature in comparison to that for postgraduate programs, particularly the MBA, is overwhelming. In a bid to satisfy industry demands, the most common response among business schools are the development of employability skills and enhanced involvement of industry professionals in curricula content and design, both subject to potential failings and criticism. This review of business school efforts to bridge the skills gap also examines the role, function and impact of management education, a research area significantly overlooked in recent years. The present research has discussed the viewpoint on the Management Graduates skills gap and the assignment of responsibility for its resolution. Few research questions which have been raised are, Is management education for enhancing higher-order intellectual and moral skills, such as criticism and inquiry, or to facilitate the development of job ready Management Graduates through industry-relevant education and research? This exploration of functional role leads us to reflect on the impact of management education on industry and society at large and their reciprocal influence on management education. The current research paper looks in to deep the various other issues responsible for the deep gap between the demand and supply of skills. Management Education in 21st Century Purpose Efforts to Bridge the skills Gap Vipin Agrawal Assistant Dean Research Integrated Academy of Management and Technology, Ghaziabad, India Dr. Vidhi Agrawal Assistant Professor Ajay Kumar Garg Institute of Management, Ghaziabad, India Introduction: Business and industry need highly educated and skilled employees. Employers are looking for graduates who have skills in three major areas: strong academic and thinking skills; strong technical skills in the field in which they work; and employability skills such as the ability to work in teams and communicate effectively. Numerous challenges in the twenty-first century will confront corporations worldwide. On a macro- level, these challenges will include globalization (Church, 2000; Friga, Bettis, Sullivan, 2003; Weisman, 2000), increasing competition, limited resources, deregulation, enormous scientific and social change (Barrett Beeson, 2002), rapid advances in technology (Greater Expectations, 2002), and growing diversity among the workforce, customers, and others (Allen, Bordas, Hickman, Matusak, Sorenson, Whitmire, 1998; Business-Higher Education Forum, 1997; Weisman, 2000). At the organizational level, corporations will evolve into smaller, more flexible corpo rate structures characterized by a reduction in hierarchical management layers, decentralized functions (Rabuzzi, 2001), and a focus on high performance, autonomous teams to address issues of quality and customer satisfaction (Business-Higher Education Forum). Industry analysts report that for success in the workplace, employees need to possess entry-level employability skills. These essential skills are often viewed as a companys most important raw material. Perry (2003) states as the information age turns the nature and type of work we do on its head, our traditional views of work, professions, and specialist skills are continually challenged and reshaped. Employers have stated that they prize worker flexibility and people who can think outside the square in finding new and better ways of completing job tasks. Employers will seek people who can think, conduct research, and adapt to change. To succeed in this complex environment, organizations will require individuals who possess a wide and complementary array of knowledge, skills, and attributes that allow them to confront successfully the complex issues facing firms on a global scale (Weisman, 2000). The next generation of MBA graduates will require specific skills to confront challenges to their organizations that include: a) strategic and integrative thinking, particularly with regard to global competition and the application of technology (Allen et al, 1998; Weisman, 2000); b) analytical capability to sort through large amounts of information to focus on the most relevant aspects (Graduate Management Admission Council [GMAC], 2005); c) a capacity for quantitative reasoning (Greater Expectations, 2002); d) the ability to influence and persuade highly diverse groups of employees, customers, strategic partners, investors, and other stakeholders (Friga et al, 2003; Greater Expectations); e) the ability to lead in an environment that spans global cultures (Barrett Beeson, 2002); f) decision-making in an environment of ambiguity and complexity (Mumford et al, 2000;Weisman, 2000); g) creative problem solving (Barrett Beeson; Martin Butler, 2000); h) adaptability to change (GMAC, 2 006); and i) a high degree of self-knowledge and social judgment (Mumford et al, 2000; Nesteruk, 1999). Research literature suggests, however, that there has been ongoing concern within the business community since the late 1980s that higher education does not adequately prepare graduates in these skills (Fugate Jefferson, 2001; Lundstrom, White, Schuster, 1999; Pearce, 1999; Porter McKibbin, 1989). Many corporations urge academia to place a greater focus on a real world orientation of how business operates (Chew McInnis-Bowers, 1996; Hersh, 1997) by emphasizing these skills in their curricula to a greater degree. Chonko and Roberts (1996) specifically report on dissatisfaction among corporate leaders over the lack of business graduates communication and interpersonal skills, intolerance for ambiguity and diversity, inability to think critically and to recognize common themes, and the students adherence to a single, narrow perspective of the world. The authors continue that corporate leaders perceive business curricula as falling behind in global strategies, and sacrifice qualitative thinking for a tools orientation. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business [AACSB] (2003) responded to these concerns by revising its guidelines for business curricula on several occasions between 1990 and 2000 (Fugate Jefferson, 2001). The AACSB revisions, written by a committee of representatives from industry, labor, academia, and government, warned that a large percentage of post-secondary business degree programs were not keeping pace with rapidly changing demands in the marketplace. The AAC SB reports stressed the need to include in curriculum revisions a greater emphasis on ethical and global issues, demographic diversity, and awareness of macro-economic considerations. However, there are encouraging indications that the pessimism over a perceived lack of relevance in MBA programs may be unfounded. For example, several premier universities, including the Stanford University, University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School, Columbia University, and the University of California, Berkeley, have begun experimenting with innovative approaches to MBA education to respond to industrys concern. One such approach involves a required core curriculum that builds a basic framework in quantitative, analytical, strategic, and problem-solving skills drawn from scientific disciplines across the university, such as economics, mathematics, social sciences, and other areas. Moreover, there are indications that industry and academia increasingly are working together to identify critical issues facing MBA programs (Austin, 2002; Business-Higher Education Forum, 1997; Friga, Bettis, Sullivan, 2003) and to develop and implement curriculum changes that offer MBA students greater real world experience through internships, case studies, simulations, and other experiential learning approaches (Cudd King, 1995; Mintzberg Gosling, 2002; Rabuzzi, 2001). Curriculum Issues: Changing demands are requiring educators to use innovative teaching techniques to integrate employability standards into the curriculum. Education curricula must provide specific and appropriate preparation for students who choose enter the workforce immediately. By using innovative teaching methods, students are provided an opportunity to apply essential skills to real-world situations in both classroom and work-based learning activities. Industry partners should be included in the curriculum design phase to enable planners to better understand and incorporate real-world procedures and systems in instructional strategies.

Origin and Fate of the Empire of Mali :: World History

Origin and Fate of the Empire of Mali Introduction In its peak, the people of Mali occupied land as far west as the Atlantic Ocean. They also traveled as far east as Gao, the capital of the Songhai, as far south as the Niger bend, and as far north as the Sahara desert. They built a great empire between 1240 and 1337 that underwent a course of slow decline until the seventeenth century. History The empire of Mali originated from a small country known as Kangaba. Its people where known as the Mandingo (they have also been called the Malinke and the Mandinka). After the breakup of Ghana, the Sosso, who had caused the breakup, were still in power. Apparently Sundiata, an heir to the Mandingo throne raised an army and defeated the Sosso in the battle of Kirina. Afterward, Sundiata established the empire of Mali. He converted to Islam for support of the Muslim peoples. When Mansa Musa came into power, in the early 1300s, the empire reached its height. Mansa Musa traveled through Cairo on his pilgrimage to Mecca. It is said that he gave away so much gold that it dropped in value in Cairo for 12 years. Afterward the empire slowly declined, until, in the 1600s it was no more than it had been originally when it originated: the small kingdom of Kangaba. Government The government of Mali was a dictatorship. The dictator, who had the title of Mansa, was the sole secular and religious leader of his people, though not he did not enjoy the same power as Egyptian Pharaohs did. The base of government was located in the capital, known as Niani. It was once written by a traveler that a person could travel safely without fear of harm, and that the people of Mali hated injustice and the Mansa did not tolerate injustice at all. The military branch of government was constant. There was a standing army of professional soldiers, so that Mali was ready for a battle without having to raise an army every time. Religion The religion in Mali was divided between two groups. The merchants, traders, and government officials, including the Mansa, were Islam, though, apparently, they did not adhere to it very well. Women were allowed freedom and even the Mansa still believed in the "spirit of the land." The basic peasant farmer believed in a "spirit of the land" to whom he prayed so that

International Change and the Social World Essay

In meeting the demands of a global economy, technological advancements especially in the field of telecommunications and information technology are key factors in making possible various transactions faster, cheaper, more reliable and convenient. Needless to say, these technological advances are important tools if companies and other business ventures are to survive in the digital economy. These technological advancements however, are evolving far too fast which consequently generate pressing problems that ought to be considered. On a preliminary note, the aforementioned rapid technological evolutions pose serious questions if our societal structures can rapidly adapt to these changes and more importantly, if we, ourselves can rapidly adapt and be able to integrate for ourselves these changes. In line with this, what follows is a discussion of how such changes affect the global economy. Within this context, the task of this paper is to discuss the effects of work transformation in society with a particular emphasis on how it affects the people management systems around the world. Weick and Quinn (1999) contend that changes in the organization of work within societies may either be characterized as â€Å"discontinuous and episodic† or â€Å"continuous and emergent† (p.361). The difference between the two lies in the emphasis on intentionality, planning, management control, and specific outcomes in the former and the emphasis on improvisation, spontaneity, and ongoing action in the latter. The two perspectives stated above have a direct effect in the formation of an organizational framework. This is another way of saying that the manner in which organizational change is perceived supports an appreciation of the multidimensional nature of organizational phenomena. The organization of phenomena stems from the human need to conceptually order reality. Such a process is ensured through the creation or adoption of a language that may account for the reality perceived by the individual or by the social group. The importance of such a process stems from its issuance of a fixed and thereby more manageable reality. Such a reality, however, is continuously distorted due to the steady input of new forms of conceptualizations that also opt to enable the manageability of reality. Such a process is apparent within the business sector in the gradual shift from an information-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. The later form of economy recognizes that knowledge occupies a focal point in relation to the function of society. As a result of this, organizations became increasingly aware of the need for a ‘knowledge focus’ in their organizational strategies as they respond to changes in their environment. ‘Knowledge focus’ refers to the deobjectifcation of knowledge in favour of the codification of knowledge into systems (Bell, 1999, p.x). Within such an economy, organizational actors and the complex social interactions that take place amongst them recreate organizations through the continuous process of change. According to Tsoukas and Vladimirou (2001), what makes knowledge organizational is it codification in the form of propositional statements set within a group’s collective understanding (p.974). It is important to note that such a process of knowledge codification requires the existence of local knowledge. Within an organization, such forms of local knowledge are evident in the company’s culture; the development of such is dependent upon the existing organizational framework. Such a point brings to focus one of the main elements of the labour market that determines the existing workforce’s productivity and performance within a particular society. The reason for such a focus is evident if one considers that the current shift in economy [from an information based economy to a knowledge-based economy] gives precedence on the role of the members of the workforce in the maintenance of an organizations overall knowledge based culture. In line with this, Davinport (1999) contends that such a culture necessitates a new mode of framing the human capital. According to Davinport, it is time to conceive of workers â€Å"not as human capital but as human capital owners and investors† (1999, p.7). Davinport argues that such a conception is not entirely new since it echoes the conception of the employee as an asset. The difference of such a view stems from the conception of the worker as the owner of the capital since workers are the ones who decide in which field they will contribute the specific talents and expertise they possess within the current market. The organization’s role thereby is fixed to the extent that its main role lies in utilizing and developing the skills offered by the member’s of their workforce. Organizations must thereby adopt new working practices or upgrade workplace skills. An example of this is evident in the content of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) of the United Kingdom which states that â€Å"in a mass customisation environment, where systems of production and distribution are readily imitated and leapfrogged, organisations must therefore continually invest in physical and human capital to keep ‘ahead of the game’†(2001, p.10). As a result of the above stated paradigmatic shift from an information-based economy to a knowledge based economy certain developments occurred within the economic, political, and technological fields. Such developments are evident in the increase in business competition and the advent of information technologies (Weatherly, 2003, p.2). Political and economic developments are evident in the increase in business competition which is a result of the globalization of trade and key economic sectors [e.g. telecommunication, electricity, transportation, financial services]. Technological developments, on the other hand, are evident in the advent of information technology which can best be seen through the continuous popularity and easy accessibility of the internet. According to Lev (2001), such developments within the above stated fields have dramatically changed the structure of organizations to the extent that intangibles [human capital] became the major value drivers of business within developed economies (p.8-14). The reason for this is evident if one considers that from a strategic perspective it has been noted that â€Å"fully one-third of the information used to justify the investment decision is non-financial† (Ernst & Young, 1997, p.10). Examples of such factors are â€Å"quality of management, effectiveness of new product development, strength of market position, strength of corporation culture, and effectiveness of compensations policies† (Weatherly, 2003, p.4). Such factors have an overall link to business systems since they are partially if not fully determined by the company’s culture maintained by its overall organizational framework. Furthermore, since the above stated factors are considered in the determination of investment decisions, it also follows that they have a direct effect in terms of the economic conditions of a business organizations and hence the economic side of society as a whole. As was stated above, one of the defining factors of the current paradigm shift within the market can be traced from the shift of importance from the tangible assets to the intangible assets. Tangible assets consists of financial assets [financial capital] and physical assets [e.g. property, equipment, and other furnishing] whereas intangible assets consists of intellectual capital [e.g. patent formulas and product designs] and human capital. The focus of this paper from the onset has been to lay down the current transformations of work in the period of globalization. What follows is the specification of how these changes have affected society at large. In Work, Self, and Society, Catherine Casey specifies the manner in which changes in work have affected society. Casey (1995) argues that the current conception of work which is defined by the effects of industrialization has turned the worker into a product or a commodity of the market. She states, The convergence of work and virtue (through methodical adherence to one’s ‘calling’)†¦set in place a type of citizen-worker that would subsequently come to typify modern forms of social organization. In modern society people have defined themselves and in turn have been socially defined, by the type of work that they do in the public sphere. (1995, p.28) In other words, the results of industrialization have led to the commodification of the individual as the individual derives his value from his work. The manner in which this is enabled is further evident in the current shift from an information based economy to a knowledge based economy as the value of the worker is considered to be dependent upon his knowledge. This shows how the nature of work within a post-industrial society has changed to the extent that the market has become dependent upon the mental labour and the mental knowledge of the worker [mental labour is considered to be the core of industrial activity] (Lawson, Jones, & Moores, 2000, p.99).   To a certain extent, one might note that this may prove to be beneficial for individual societies since the aforementioned paradigm shift has enabled the development of regional specialties and economies. Sabel (1999) states that the changes in the work paradigm within the post-industrial society has led to the development and growth of â€Å"twentieth century variants of industrial districts in Italy, West Germany, Japan, Denmark, Austria, France, and the United States† (p. 243). Such an assumption however may be considered as the result of a form of hasty generalization since although such developments have enabled organizations around to world to place greater focus upon the members of the workforce as well as upon the development of industrial districts around the world [the development of such is expected to pave the way for the industrialization of all countries and hence the development of these countries] such developments still place the worker in a disadvantaged position as he remains to be a commodity within the market whose value is dependent upon what the work system prescribes. References Bell, D. (1999).   The Axial Age of Technology, Foreword. The Coming of the Postindustrial Society.   New York: Basil Book. Casey, C. (1995). Work, Self, and Society: After Industrialism. London: Routledge. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2001.   Raising U.K. Productivity: Why People Management Matters. Davenport, T. (1999).   Human Capital: What It Is and Why People Invest.   San Francisco: Doubleday. Ernst & Young LLP. (1997). Measures that matter. Retrieved March 22, 2009 from www.cbi.cgey.com. Lawson, T., M. Jones, & R. Moores. (2000). Advanced Sociology Through Diagrams. Oxford: Oxford U.P. Lev, B. (2001). Intangibles: Management, measurement and reporting. Washington, DC: Brookings Inst. P. Sabel, C. (1999). Flexible Specialisation and the Re-emergence of Regional Economies. Modernity: Critical Concepts Ed. M. Waters. London: Taylor & Francis. Tsoukas, H. & Vladimirou, E. (2001). What is organizational knowledge? Journal of Management Studies, vol. 38, no.7. 973-93 Weatherly, L. (2003). Human capital-the elusive asset: Measuring and managing human capital: A strategic imperative for HR. Research Quarterly, Society for Human Resource Management. Weick, C. & Quinn, R. (1999). Organizational change and development.   Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 50: 361-386.

Quintessential Techniques of Effective Management Essay

Goal oriented performance, combined with productivity and employee satisfaction to achieve a positive cash flow is the key to a healthy and lucrative business in today’s world. The success of employee performance is due in large part to the management of employee time and proper training. It is the duty of a supervisor to direct the employees towards satisfactory accomplishments in these areas and orient them towards the goals of the parent organization.   In order to lead with positive results a manager must not only lead the team, but be an effective part of it. The development of work team identity, performance goals, skill development, and a satisfactory rapport between management and employees falls on the supervisor. A good supervisor will understand that management is only as effective as the partnership he or she sustains with the employees.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There has been a great deal of time and energy devoted to the research of effective management skills in the workplace. According to Joseph Wholey, the â€Å"theory of management is being able to develop a reasonable level of agreement on agency and program goals and strategies† (Wholey, 288.) A solidly founded program will ensure both fairness and objectivity. In order to do both, and effectively manage the time and skills of employees, a supervisor must assure that performance is be both carefully measured and documented. This begins with the establishment of a performance plan, agreed upon by both the supervisor and the employee. The plan should set both short-term and long-term employee goals. The team should review these goals quarterly. One of the most effective techniques for this type of a system is a monthly scorecard kept for each employee by the supervisor. During a performance review, the manager would examine the records produced during the previous quarter and records and evaluate the employee’s performance during that quarter as well as against past quarters. This performance rating should include ratings for individual goals, team goals, and open-ended comments, as well as an overall rating. After accessing the past information and reaching an agreement on the current rating, the supervisor and the employee should work together to develop new goals with higher team and individual expectations. The implementation of priorities for the upcoming year should also be written at this time. It is during these performance reviews, and not during the normal working shifts, that supervisors are able to get important information and feedback from their employees.   There is little productive about interrupting the scheduled work in order to ask how it is progressing. In order to maintain smooth supervisor and employee relations there must be respect for the job as well as the individuals. The responsibility of a supervisor during the normal course of the working day is to encouragement the successful maintenance of the work schedule rather than to bond with the employees.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On occasion, there will be rough patches at work that are unaccounted for during these goal-setting meetings. Supervisors must support their teams through these difficult times.   It is imperative that the supervisor understands the development stages of teams in order to aide the team in getting through the trouble spots.   Fusion Associates discusses how performance goals are tied directly to team development. Developing performance goals and standards show participants how to establish SMART-based performance standards. It is one that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, and Time-framed. The SMART approach enables team members to better understand organizational performance requirements and their own role in moving the business forward. Because SMART is a collaborative way to develop goals and standards, team members intuitively agree to the process and give their full commitment to its success. By using SMART with their team members, managers demonstrate their commitment to an open and consistent performance improvement process. (Fusion) In many cases the industry of the organization has a major effect on the way in which teams are organized, and supervision is handled. For example, in today’s telecommunication industry, sales figures drive the perception of company success. In this case, the effective supervisor must encourage employees to believe every call is a sale opportunity, rather than allow then to focus on the failed calls. An instance of this problem and solution can be found in the following case. Connect Wide is one of the leading local cable companies. The quarterly performance goals, based on sales, have been increased in regular increments without discussion with the employees. This has led to low moral amongst the employees.   The employees in turn complain that they can not sell, or up-sell, to customers who feel that the pricing is too high, or already run past due on their billing accounts. Once the problems have been defined, the management needs to implement a program to reverse the low morale and increase sales. A good supervisor would begin with designing a successful operating plan to present to the employees. This plan should include the encouragement, empowerment, and support of the employees during the change. Despite the poor beginning conditions, change is almost always considered with both reluctance and suspicion in the workplace. The implementation of changes for the betterment of both the working conditions and the sales driven goals would be well served by a mini-training course on transitional selling. Following this with a good marketing campaign should ease the burden of making hard sales for the employees. These implementations would both increase the revenue and therefore make goals easier to reach. When the individual, team, and department goals are met the supervisor is often rewarded. By passing these types of rewards down to the employees, it will sustain the motivation in the workplace. When a manager administers a plan successfully, what results is a motivated work force, which maintains productivity and reaches set goals. This type of direct intervention is often called management coaching.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Understanding the concept of management coaching and how the employee and company can all benefit is an important hallmark of a good supervisor.   One of the key components to successful coaching is observation of the employee’s performance in order to grant feedback. There two types of feedback the supervisor must be aware of, both which are valuable to employee development. The appropriate type of feedback needs to be given to the employee, depending on the developmental needs witnessed by the supervisor. Motivational feedback is the first type. This feedback focuses on positive actions which the supervisor wishes to see the employee continue.   This type of feedback most often elicits future performance gains from the employee. The other type of feedback is developmental.   Developmental feedback allows the supervisor to offer the employee ways in which to improve their performance. Clear, concise suggestions for what needs improvement must be balanced with an effort not to make the employee feel berated, especially in front of other employees.   This type of feedback is far more dependant on good communication skills. To reach the best performance standards employee coaching must be conducted with a conscientious approach to customer service.   Fleischer describes this as an   approach to retention seems like an efficient way to sustain revenue from existing customers.   But in practice, this attempt to prevent churn backfires because it creates a conflict between customers’ expectations of service and the company’s willingness to fulfill them. (Fleisher. 40) The coaching is a process does not require a great deal of time; however it is a great benefit to the company. The secret to successful coaching is to create and seize coaching opportunities, which present themselves everyday in the work place. This small investment of a supervisor’s time with his or her employees often results in large pay-backs of more motivated worker and larger profits. In conclusion, good management must be successfully implemented by a supervisor who leads his or her team towards redefined goals.   The must use encouragement, motivation, and listening skills in order to connect with their employees and help their employees connect with each other. These skills can be honed under various development paradigms. One of the most successful of these is coaching, the delivery of feedback to the employees, and listening for feedback from them in order to improve both sides. Works Cited   Human Resource Management International Digest 14.7 (2006):   ABI/INFORM Global.   ProQuest.   1 Nov. 2006 http://www.proquest.com Holiday Extras is flying high:   Found monitoring calls knock a minute off the average call, while improving quality to the customers.   Monthly staff turnover fell from 7.95 to 4.2 percent versus a year before.   Sales increase by 6 percent using transition keeping in mind each call could be a sell opportunity. Fleischer, Joe. Call Center Magazine 1 OCT. 2006: 40. ABI/INFORM Global.   ProQuest.   1Nov. 2006 http://www.proquest.com/ Don’t Just Say No — Is approach to retention seems like an efficient way to sustain revenue from existing customers.   But in practice, this attempt to prevent churn backfires because it creates a conflict between customers’ expectations of service and the company’s willingness to fulfill them. Fusion Associates.   Forging High Performance Teams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2005 7 Nov. 2006 http://www.fusionassociates.com/index.html Developing performance goals and standards show participants how to establish SMART-based performance standards. It is one that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, and Time-framed. The SMART approach enables team members to better understand organizational performance requirements and their own role in moving the business forward. Webster, Richard .   Call Center Magazine 1 Nov. 2006: 42.   ABI/INFORM Global.   ProQuest.   1 Nov. 2006 http://www.proquest.com Beverly Stryker, Starbucks Coffee Company — Starbucks hired Stryker in 2003 to oversee and build upon a virtually non-existent quality assurance and training program.   Stryker took pains to convince her staff that the aim of the quality assurance program was not to spy on employees, but to improve customer interactions. Wholey, Joseph S.   â€Å"Performance-Based Management Responding to the Challenges.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   March 1999.   Vol. 22.   Univeristy of Southern California and U.S. General Accounting Office.   Pg. 288.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Theory of management is being able to develop a reasonable level of agreement on agency and program goals and strategies.

Erythropoietin and Athletes

Erythropoietin and Athletes Steven D. Jackson Student, American Military University Abstract Erythropoietin (EPO) use as a performance enhancing agent in sport carries both significant and detrimental risks to go along with its suggested benefits. As such, it was banned by the International Olympic Committee in 1990. Shortly thereafter, successful and reliable testing methods have been developed to test athletes for its potential use.Despite widespread knowledge of its potential adverse effects and the testing for its attempted use, EPO use remains substantial amongst endurance athletes of nearly all ages and disciplines, both professional and amateur. This paper will provide a history of EPO as a performance enhancing substance, explain its associated risks and perceived and actual benefits, attempt to analyze why athletes feel compelled to use it, and examine the sanctions, regulations, and weighty repercussions associated with its use. Erythropoietin and AthletesIn sport, there ar e a virtually limitless number of ways in which one can influence or positively impact physical or mental performance. These methods can come in the form of mechanical aids, pharmacological aids, physiological aids, nutritional aids, and psychological aids. Regardless of its source, any means by which one seeks to improve performance by enhancing the physiological capacity of a particular system of the body, removing psychological constraints which adversely affect performance, or by accelerating recovery from training or competition is called an ergogenic aid (MacKenzie, 2001).These may include something as simple and innocuous as a healthy meal consumed the night prior to a competition, but seemingly, the ergogenic aids which athletes are turning to more increasingly are those that have been banned by organizations such as the World Anti-Doping Agency, the International Olympic Committee, and the like. Often, these substances have been banned because they not only represent perver se and unethical behavior, but also, as is the case for a substance like recombinant erythropoietin, because they can have serious adverse health effects for heir users. Over time, these substances have changed, but the desire to gain an unfair competitive advantage remains. Hematopoiesis is the process which involves the production of mature cells in the blood and in lymphoid organs. Mature erythrocytes, or red blood cells, have no nucleus, so they cannot reproduce in the traditional fashion as other cells can. Erythropoiesis, then, is the process by which erythrocytes are produced. Erythropoietin is a naturally occurring hormone found within the human body which controls this red blood cell production.It is released by the kidneys, and to a lesser extent the liver, and in very little quantities in the brain in response to a negative feedback. The physiological stimulus of erythropoietin production is hypoxia, or prolonged oxygen deficiency in body tissue, and in the majority of in stances is related to the number of circulating erythrocytes within the kidneys. At high altitudes, for example, where the pressure oxygen in the air is reduced, oxygen delivery to the body’s tissues initially decreases.This drop in oxygen triggers the release of erythropoietin, which travels via the blood to the red bone marrow and stimulates red blood cell production (Shier, Butler, & Lewis, 2011). This is important to note, as this negative feedback of loss in oxygen is essentially no different than the body observing a loss in blood, which also necessitates the release of erythropoietin. In cases of hemolysis or hemorrhage, erythrocyte production will also increase rapidly and substantially for the body to attempt to accommodate for the amount of blood lost.However, overproduction of erythrocytes does not occur, both in extreme hypoxic environments and even after the most severe loss of erythrocytes (Robinson, et al. , 2006). This balance is very important, because adequa te oxygen delivery to tissues depends on having a sufficient number of red blood cells to transport oxygen. Decreases in their number or function can hinder oxygen delivery and thus affect exercise performance. Red blood cells serve a primary function of facilitating this transport of oxygen, which is bound to the hemoglobin found in red blood cells.Hemoglobin contains iron, which binds oxygen. As such, the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood is determined by its hemoglobin content. Accordingly, when hemoglobin levels fall, exercise performance is subsequently impaired. Being familiar with this, athletes, trainers, and coaches often practice iron supplementation in an effort to prevent anemia and attempt to boost hemoglobin levels. However, this supplementation cannot boost the blood’s oxygen carrying capacity beyond that which is normal.Consequently, doctors, trainers, and athletes have come up with various alternative means to try to boost blood’s oxygen-carrying capac ity, and in turn boost performance (Mottram, 2011). In traditional medical settings, the need for a means to raise red blood cell counts in patients suffering from kidney failure in order to alleviate their extreme anemia, as they have so few red blood cells that they typically experience near-permanent exhaustion. The demand for a way to treat these kidney patients precipitated the development of synthesized erythropoietin.There was no question that they needed red blood cells, and the proposition of providing them via erythropoietin seemed logically safer than the more natural and traditional repeated transfusions and dialysis. The same logic applied to the much larger number of people whose kidneys were weak or damaged, but not yet failing. Raising their red blood cell count, and subsequently their hemoglobin levels, up to a normal amount like the more attractive option, and it was only a matter of time before it could be discovered (Burch, 2011).In 1985, the gene responsible for the synthesis of erythropoietin was successfully cloned for the first time. This synthesized erythropoietin is known as recombinant erythropoietin, and first became available in Europe in 1987 and was later patented by Amgen in 1989 (Mottram). With this development, it quickly became evident that recombinant erythropoietin would be used illegally as a performance enhancer in endurance sports. As such, the International Olympic Committee elected to ban this drug in 1990, even though all forms of blood doping had been officially banned since 1984 (Robinson, et al. ).In its earliest clinical trials, recombinant erythropoietin proved very successful, and it was quickly put to use with patients requiring their hemoglobin be raised to normal levels. The trials showed the drug’s benefits outweighed its risks, but not by much. In 2005, researchers and kidney specialists concluded their trials ahead of schedule when they were stunned by what they found. After years of raising red blo od cell counts in patients to normal healthy levels, which also raised their hematocrit—the proportion of red blood cells to total blood volume—doctors were not seeing decreased occurrences of troke, heart complications, and even death. These rates were actually increasing. Therein laid the problem with EPO use, especially in uncontrolled environments and when used by athletes (Burch). Before EPO’s adverse effects were widely known, and to a great extent even today, its proposed benefits led to its immediate abuse by endurance athletes. The first cases were reported in several newspapers within the four years after recombinant EPO appeared in Europe. These articles claimed a link between rumored EPO abuse and the deaths of 18 Belgian and Dutch cyclists.This unfortunate wave seemed to roll on for some time, seemingly striking hardest amongst in the sport of cycling, and often resulting in death. For some time, cyclists publicly denied using EPO, but at the 1998 T our de France, a masseuse for the Festina team was caught with EPO and several other banned drugs. The entire team and its staff were ejected from the Tour, and eventually seven of the nine Festina riders admitted to doping. Even the winner that year, Marco Pantani, was ejected the following year for signs of EPO use in an earlier drug test (Eichner, 2007).Though the bulk of EPO use reported in the media comes from cycling, other sports are not free from it. Chinese runners, swimmers, and rowers, Russia’s top female cross-country skiers, Finland’s tops skiers, and Germany’s top runners all have been caught for suspected EPO use of some kind or another. Russian and American runners and sprinters, including American sprinter Kelli White, have been stripped of medals and handed bans for their admitted EPO use after failing drug tests.Even Lance Armstrong—who has always denied any EPO use—has been suspected of illegal EPO use brought about by claims of his former teammates (Eichner). Perhaps the greatest contributing factor for the prevalence of continued illegal EPO use is in its difficulty of detection. While some athletes may think that they are using a drug for which there is no means of detection, which is not the case, others may simply know that EPO can be a very elusive drug to detect.Early detection strategies for EPO use as a drug were limited to blood testing only. Though blood tests could confirm inconsistent hematocrit levels and other blood markers compared to base samples in athletes who may have been using EPO supplementation up to, and sometimes over, a week prior, or those that had been using EPO when they originally provided a base sample and had discontinued its use, a direct method for detection in urine had yet to be established.Furthermore, early attempts at developing a urine test proved to be expensive, overly sensitive, and unreliable. Since blood doping had been common practice in some endurance sports for decades due to its clear performance advantages, it regrettably became even more attractive once recombinant EPO became available. Athletes have exploited these limitations of testing, particularly in sports that relied solely on urine specimen testing (Robinson, et al. . Successful urine testing had finally been developed and came into the picture in 2000. Serving as the only direct method of recombinant erythropoietin detection approved by the Court of Arbitration for sport, this method utilized electrophoretic techniques to separate the isoform profiles of recombinant and endogenous erythropoietin found in urine according to their isoelectric points (Diamanti-Kandarakis, et al. , 2005).Not only could this newly approved testing mathematically and scientifically identify EPO use—or discontinuation of its use—but it could also isolate the various forms of forms of EPO, including erythropoietin alpha, beta, omega, and delta, as well as newer generations of EPO anal ogues like darbepoetin and mimetic peptides. The disadvantage of such an effective urine testing method, however, was that it discouraged athletes from recombinant EPO use. Athletes now fearful of getting caught moved back to using—or rather misusing—blood doping and transfusions in an attempt to raise hematocrit and hemoglobin levels.For that reason, some international sports federations elected to limit their testing to either blood or urine. However, more recently the trend has been to attempt to keep their current testing procedures randomized (Robinson, et al. ). The risks of illegal EPO use remain high. Some athletes choose to supplement with EPO in smaller doses with the intent of limiting their potential exposure in drug tests, and, just as likely, with the expectation that this practice would be â€Å"safer. Regardless, the results of EPO use are largely unpredictable, and tests have revealed that hematocrit values in EPO users can greatly exceed what is cons idered the healthy or normal upper limit of 50 percent. Once the hormone has been put in the body, the athlete is at great risk for substantial increases in blood viscosity. This places the individual in danger of thrombosis, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, hypertension, stroke, and pulmonary embolism. However, with the ever-increasing pressures to excel in competition, and the draw of larger rizes, purses, sponsorships, and notoriety in sport today it is not beyond reason as to why teams, athletes, trainers, and coaches would feel compelled to explore an option which may offer athletes a clinically documented six to eight percent increase in their VO2max and 13 to 17 percent increased time to exhaustion (Kenney, Wilmore, & Costill, 2012). Athletes who use banned EPO also risk disqualification from a particular competition, with the risk apparently greater if the athlete’s result is good, as the top-placing finishers in competitions almost certainly are subje ct to testing more and more frequently.They can also be banned from their sport, typically for a minimum of a year, but potentially for life. In their quest for enhanced performance, athletes can easily get caught up in the hype surrounding these sorts of substances and the purported benefits they might bestow. Unfortunately, too many athletes are blinded by ambition and do not consider the consequences of their actions until their careers have become jeopardized or their health has been seriously affected.Considering recent reports of even amateur athletes being dealt bans and imposed fines after testing positive for EPO use in events that are considered recreational, the need is definitely present for the likes of the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Olympic Committee to take more aggressive and decisive action in the battle against doping and illegal drug use. The misuse of medical and biotechnological advancements to enhance athletic performance is an issue that wi ll clearly not go away on its own.It is imperative for sports federations to be able to collect blood samples from their competitors and institute a continuity system which keeps track of appropriate individual values. The appropriate way to fight blood doping and EPO use is to markers for each individual athlete to have a record of each marker and measure of their blood. In this way it will not be necessary to take into account complicating factors during testing and analysis such as sex, ethnic origin, and the kind of sport in which the athlete is participating.With a system such as this, it would be possible to identify which athletes are manipulating their bodies based on their own set reference values and markers over time. This, combined random, unannounced testing is the only way currently possible to effectively mitigate doping. Even still, it is supremely difficult for sports organizations and control agencies in sport to stay ahead of the always sophisticated doping method s. Summary Erythropoietin and all of its forms were developed with the intent of rehabilitating and alleviating the extreme symptoms of kidney patients.Their appeal is strong to competitive athletes, especially with more and more on the line each year. Despite their undeniable ability to enhance performance, EPO can cause serious negative health effects. In an era where performance-enhancing drug abuse is rampant across nearly all disciplines of sports despite rigorous legislation and testing throughout the world, it is necessary to understand the harmful effects of all substances when considering their use.The undesirable effects of EPO use are virtually countless, but—and perhaps worse yet—the potential long-term effects of chronic use are not well known. References Burch, D. (2011). Blood sports. Natural History 119(6), 14-16. Diamanti-Kandarakis, E. , Konstantinopoulos, P. , Papiliou, J. , Kandarakis, S. , Andreopoulos, A. , Sykiotis, G. (2005). Erythropoietin abus e and erythropoietin gene doping. Sports Medicine, 35(10), 831-840. Eichner, E. (2007). Blood doping. Sports Medicine, 37(4/5), 389-391. Kenney, L. W. , Wilmore, J. H. , & Costill, D. L. (2012).Physiology of sport and exercise (5th ed. ). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Mackenzie, B (2001). Ergogenic aids. Retrieved from http://www. brianmac. co. uk/ergoaids. htm Mottram, D. R. (2011) Drugs in sport (5th ed. ). New York: Routledge. Robinson, N. N. , Giraud, S. S. , Saudan, C. C, Baume, N. N. , Avois, L. L, Mangin, P. P. , & Saugy, M. M. (2006). Erythropoietin and blood doping. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40, i30- i34. Shier, D. , Butler, J. , & Lewis, R. (2012). Hole’s essentials of human anatomy & physiology (11th ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

Defenders; Prospectors; Analyzers; and, Reactors Essay

Defenders; Prospectors; Analyzers; and, Reactors - Essay Example Unequivocally, GM is a prospector as it has adopted a proactive approach in the industry. It focuses heavily on R&D function to create premium quality, authentic, reliable and safe want-satisfying automobiles (MSN report, 2010). GM’s strategy and approach is absolutely correct because of cutthroat competition among corporations such as Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Fiat, Daimler, VW etc in the global automobile industry. The intense competition among producers increases rivalry; therefore, each company focuses heavily on technological development, adaptability, value-addition, brand recognition and product differentiation to grab maximum market share. Hence, GM has to continue its marketing approach to ensure business growth and sustainability in future. The bargaining power of suppliers (raw material providers, machinery, spare parts etc) is medium because of recent improvements in global economy. The automobile demand is stronger in 2010 compared to extremely low demand in 2009. GM successfully posted profits in first two quarters, which has also improved suppliers bargaining power. The world has still not completely come out of recession; therefore, the threat of new entrants and investors is low. Also, this is an oligopolistic industry dominated by well-established giants with colossal financial, technological, human resources and managerial expertise. In addition, there are various barriers to entry such as huge investments, registration, licensing and advertising budgets etc., which reduce this threat. Chances of rivalry among competitors, in the form of price-wars, introduction of new products and after sales services, are very high because of oligopolistic nature as it corporation seeks to increase its market share. General Motors and its renowned global competitors would continue focusing on innovation, product and market development, quality maintenance and improvement, fuel-efficiency, differentiation, advertising