Welfare State Essays - Federal Assistance In The United States

Welfare State The role of welfare within our society has always been controversial. This problem emphasizes the need to understand the roles of variable factors when pertaining to the subject of welfare within our society. The proposed analysis will address the phenomenon of welfare assistance and several factors which may contribute to the increase or decrease of welfare assistance to the poor in 4 ways: (1) by defining major concepts and any other concepts about which there is likely to be misunderstanding (2) by further examining the past history pertaining to the subject of welfare assistance within the United States; (3) by developing the formulation of a hypothesis which will provide for an explanation of welfare; and finally (4) determining whether or not the benefits of welfare assistance outweigh the cost. Ultimately, the purpose of this research analysis is to investigate variable factors that may contribute to the increase or decrease of welfare assistance. This cost benefit analysis is an attempt to explain the tentative assumptions of others pertaining to the subject of welfare, in order to determine and explain the relationship of welfare to the economic cost and benefits. Cost-Benefit Analysis Before welfare assistance can be analyzed there is a need to define the terms that will be used. Policies like welfare assistance are worthwhile only if the benefits to society are greater than the costs. When choosing among a set of policies, the policy with the greatest net benefit (benefit over cost) should be chosen. Hence, this is where the term cost-benefit analysis comes from. Cost-benefit analysis is a technique for determining the optimal level of an economic activity such as welfare. In general, an activity such as welfare assistance should be expanded as long as it leads to greater benefits than costs. In purely economic terms, does the benefit of welfare assistance justify the costs of welfare assistance? (Mishan 13) Why Use Cost-benefit Analysis? Since 1981, government agencies have been required to perform cost-benefit analyses called Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIA's) for all major regulations within the United States. Many statutes require that cost-benefit analysis be undertaken and the results be reported to Congress (Mishan 2). Cost-benefit analysis can also be a good way to measure how effective a policy such as welfare assistance has been, or to find ways in which a program can be improved. But, regardless of how it is used, the preparation of a cost benefit analysis provides a useful framework for consideration of the possible effects of a proposed policy. Past History of Welfare Assistance One of the first welfare programs to provide income support to the poor was a federally backed plan called the Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) program. This legislation was introduced with the establishment of the Social Security program during the Great Depression. (Rowley, and Peacock 43) The ADC program which had started nearly sixty years ago is now better known as the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, which provided a federal entitlement to economic support for single parents with children younger than 18 who fell below a threshold of assets and income (Rowley, and Peacock 44). Federal guidelines allowed for each state to set its own predetermined needs standards for families of different sizes and living locations. Both the federal government and the states supplied funding for the AFDC program (Rowley, and Peacock 50). In 1996 Congress adopted the Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) program by enacting the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act which ultimately changed the structure of federal financial assistance to the states thereby abolishing the AFDC program. Another social welfare program was the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. Congress established the Supplemental Security Income program in 1972, with payments beginning in January 1974. It replaced the former Federal-State programs of Old-Age Assistance (OAA), Aid to the Blind (AB), and Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled (APTD)( Myles, and Pierson 9). An individual may have qualified for payments on the basis of age, blindness, or disability. Any person aged 65 or older was also eligible. President Richard Nixon enacted the Supplemental Security Income program with the signing of the Supplemental Social Insurance Act. The benefits under this program were originally targeted to the elderly who did not qualify for social security and the blind and disabled whose income and assets fell below the specified thresholds. A third major welfare assistance program is the Medicaid program. The Medicaid program is a health care support program targeted toward the poor. Medicaid was originally suppose to provide the same health care to the poor as privately

The 2008 Financial Crisis

The 2008 Financial Crisis The housing and monetary policies are the key causes of the 2008 economic crisis. Two main mortgage firms, the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Corporation eased the credit requirements on loans it purchased from lending institutions. In September 2008, the two giant mortgage companies faced the danger of bankruptcy as they had guaranteed close to half of the total mortgages in the US.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The 2008 Financial Crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Clinton administration came up with the idea of making poor citizens and low-income consumers own homes. As a result, banks were under pressure to lend to minorities and low-income consumers who even had no security for the loans (White par. 1). Notably, some of the borrowers who accessed the sub-prime loans had poor credit ratings, did not make down payments for homes, and had no verifiable assets. So misguided were the housing policies that unqua lified borrowers could access mortgages with the support of the federal government.  After the banks and other lending institutions had loaned the low-income earners, the prices of houses peaked and turned down completely. At this point, borrowers who had inadequate capital compared to their debt started to default the repayment of mortgages (FRONTLINE). Notably, these categories of borrowers were propelled to borrow with the hope of increased prices of houses in the future to repay the mortgages or sell their properties at high prices. This was not to be as prices of essential products went down too. The occurrence led to rise in the number of defaulters on nonprime-mortgages. The increased numbers of toxic mortgages made investment banks lose trillion of dollars. The rest of the Wall Street felt the effect with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke making critical moves to salvage the Bear Stearns Investment Bank, which had remained the subject of rumours that it would be fallin g soon. Bear Stearns’s stock had slumped to a low of $57 from $171 thus making it clear that something had to be done to contain the situation. The then Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson had to try out different approaches to rescue the entire financial market from the crisis. At one instance, he persuaded the federal government to provide the Treasury with $700 billion for buying the high-risk mortgage securities. Rumours in the financial market are fears that market players have towards operations of a firm. For instance, market manipulators and short sellers can spread false information about the nature and operations of a company. The financial market deals in monetary issues and some of the institutions include Bear Stearns Bank, AIG Insurance Company, Lehman Brothers and Fannie Mae Corporation.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bear’s chief executi ve, Alan Schwartz blamed falsehood on the loss of liquidity of $10 billion in one working day (â€Å"Bank Chief Blames Rumours for Bears Collapse† par. 4). This happened as customers, trading partners, and investors fled after listening to rumours and market manipulation from competitors. However, JP Morgan Bank salvaged Bear from collapsing after the Federal Reserve accepted to stand behind the institution with $30 billion of public funds. So intense was the crisis that the failure of Bear almost led to the collapse of the entire financial market. Clearly, from the occurrence of the 2008 financial crisis, rumours can be detrimental especially if they are false. Moral hazard is a situation where a party to a deal becomes dishonest as per the terms and conditions of the deal. In the case of assisting Bear not to go out of business, JP Morgan had a deal with Bear to buy the institution at $2 per share; however, mass outrage from shareholders made the firm raise the price to $10 per share. The initial price of $2 per share was meant to avoid scenarios of rewarding investors in a failed business. The principle prevents a situation where firms, which have been responsible for their downfall, receive financial support from the federal government. On the other hand, systematic risk entails the fall of an entire market. The fall of Bear Sterns followed by the collapse of the giant mortgage firms of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Corporation and finally Lehman Brothers Investment Bank, represents a clear example of systematic risk in the entire financial market (Moseley par. 8). Critics argue that moral hazard promotes systematic risk as it can encourage other firms to engage in malpractices with the aim of receiving aid from the Federal Reserve.  The 2008 financial crisis made policy makers alter their opinions on free trade. Firstly, they agreed that the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are inadequate to the current dynamic and global economy. As a re sult, policy makers in both government and private institutions prefer regional free trade agreements as a way of making up for rules that have been missing in the multilateral trade option. With the Doha negotiation in force, multilateral trading system is losing its relevance in the international trade (United Nations). The financial crisis revealed that the state of overdependence on one nation by developing nations is extremely dangerous for the current global, dynamic, and unpredictable economy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The 2008 Financial Crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bank Chief Blames Rumours for Bears Collapse. Mailguardian. Mail Guardian Online, 6 Apr. 2008. Web. Frontline. Inside The Meltdown. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. WGBH Educational Foundation, 8 Feb. 2009. Web. Moseley, Fred. The U.S. economic crisis: Causes and solutions. International Socialist Review ISSUE 81 January-Febr uary 2012. International Socialist Organization, 8 Apr. 2009. Web. United Nations. International Trade After the Economic Crisis: Challenges and New Opportunities. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. UNCTAD, 5 Aug. 2010. Web. White, Lawrence H. Housing Finance and the 2008 Financial Crisis | Downsizing the Federal Government. Downsizing the Federal Government. Cato Institute, 5 Aug. 2009. Web.

The Current Obama Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Current Obama Administration - Essay Example Alinksy believed that the people he was working with had no power in the community, but he sought to make that community heard. [Alinsky] believed that widespread poverty left America open to the influence of demagogues and that the only antidote was active, widespread participation in the political process†¦[he] envisioned an ‘organization of organizations,’ comprised of all sectors of the community...† In fact, many of the people he worked with felt like they had no say in their own lives, and as a result some turned to crime. â€Å"[Alinsky] realize[d] that criminal behavior was a symptom of poverty and powerlessness.† Alinsky believed in empowerment of the people, and the Have-Nots desperately needed someone who would step up to the plate for them and plead their case. â€Å"Alinsky considered himself a realist above all, the ultimate pragmatist†¦[he] had no qualms about assorted versions of morality in the pursuit of worldly power. He didn't coddle his radical acolytes or encourage their bourgeois distinctions between good and evil when it came to transferring power from the Haves to the Have-Nots.† Alinsky claimed that making the opposition live up to their own standards was something that would trip up the opposition every time, because the other could not live up to its promises in a political showdown. Saul Alinsky said, "Make the enemy live up to his/her own book of rules. You can kill them with this. They can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity." The Obama Administration would do well to fight fire with fire, especially on the topic of the health care reform debate. There are about 40 million Americans who have no say when it comes to facing big insurance companies, and therefore are uninsured. If Obama and his Administration held the Republicans' feet to the fire, and really extracted from them that what they did not want was tort reform-but for people to continue going on without health insurance-the dark underbelly of Republican politics would certainly be shown. The Republicans would then be beaten by their own game. The people Saul Alinsky chose to organize were people who had no relative value. "[Alinsky] recruited and guided indigenous leaders who identified common interests that brought together previously hostile ethnic groups of Serbs and Croatians, Czechs and Slovaks, Poles and Lithuanians into a large organization, the Back of The Yards Neighborhood Council."7 The Obama Administration, likewise, has done well to hire a bunch of people from different backgrounds. They should still continue this policy. Saul Alinsky commented, "One of the criteria for picking the target is the target's vulnerability ... the other important point in the choosing of a target is that it must be a personification, not something general and abstract."8 The Obama Administration must focus on the vulnerable points of the Republican Party. If one msut choose the topic of health care, the main sticking points that will keep the Democrats in power-as one is sure this is a factor Obama wants to have a successful presidency-is to expose the Republicans' "can't-do" attitude, obstructionist politics, and misguided, misinformed, and idiotic notions. "An organizer working in and for an open society is in an ideological dilemma to begin with, he does not have a fixed truth -- truth to him is relative

The armys professional culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The armys professional culture - Essay Example Artifacts are visible paraphernalia in their diverse camps, which seek to remind soldiers of the hierarchy that they ought to obey (Hearn 2006). Consequently, a value system has seven values that are specific to the defense force. This facilitates cohesion in the camps which soldiers converge to perform their duties. The mission of the army is as follows; first, it seeks to offers soldiers who are ready to fight and already armed with the necessary artillery (Bonn 2005). Further, the army aims to produce soldiers that are fit to fight everywhere in the globe. In addition, the army has to fulfill a threshold (global requirements) in a bid to accomplish its assignment. It is notable to reveal that indeed the army is well adapted to its current missions because of the following; the proficient uniqueness in the army enables the soldiers to put their duty of protecting a country first. This is an adaptability, which reminds each soldier to work hard, in turn; the army achieves some of its goals. Secondly, there is creation of bonds among the soldiers, which enables them to create functional bonds. In addition, the establishment of a professional family aims to encourage soldiers to fight even when there is detachment from their families (Bonn 2005). Thirdly, the next adaptability is the involvement of hierarchy in the operation of the army. In particular, the clarity in the division of authority enables a further discipline in the soldiers. Consequently, the impact of this discipline on the soldiers heightens their good conduct when at war. Moreover, the army, is able to sustain the fulfillment of its mission because of the tailor made code of ethic of the army. There is a demand of all soldiers to ensure his or her nation has credit because of the uniqueness of the army. In addition, the policy dictates that the soldiers be of strict moral upbringing in order to understand

The Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Art History - Essay Example Michael Heizer was in fact the original mind behind the idea of the double negative sculpture that attracted significant attention from the public and other players in the field of art. His creation of the complex 1 was another contribution to an idea that already existed and set into practice in the history of Native America. The work on the complex 1 typically reflected the method of house construction in the traditional Native American society and the structure of the cities historical cities found in the Central and Northern America. The double negative and the complex 1 city created by Michel have played great role in expanding the understanding of art. Michael’s works and creation demonstrate the possible interrelationship existing between architectural works and the simple art. It then becomes apparent that architectural work also constitutes art as it involves creation of new and unique structures ever thought about in the world. Double negative and complex 1 sculpture purposefully encourage and persuade artists concerning limitless creativity and the practicality of perform art in the external environment outside the museums (Russel). The double negative and the complex 1 city are furnished with beautiful colorations that have increasingly created the perception and understanding of the structures as artistic works rather than plain architect. The interior of parts of the complex 1 has well formed projections and partitions that just depict the powerful artistic mind behind their creation. The walls of the double negative valley are systematically and stylistically cropped to create very attractive images. The double negative sculpture in its own identity and form is very symbolic of the mass of soil removed from the earth to create space bordered by two standing cliffs. The symbolism created by double negative could also mean going back. From the perspectives of American history, many societies that lived in the 18th through to 19th century wer e unanimous with discrimination and prejudice that somehow reduced towards the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the mid 20th century, the initial elements of discrimination and prejudice begun to spread once again in the American society. Double negative could perhaps been created to message the American society about the negative steps they made by being sensitive to an ill and unethical aspects of discriminati

General Motors Corporation Change Management Business Essay

General Motors Corporation Change Management Business Essay Background of change The ever lasting truth of the universe is change. People, organizations, markets change every second. This change is stimulated by the environment. On individual level people manage change by changing there routines and habits, which is relatively simple. Change in an organization is complex but follows the same rules, organizations like an individual have to change there habits and routines. The organizations who have failed to cope with the change have crumbled under the feet of time either disappearing or being acquired by other companies. For example skybird, tucker corporation, wirgin, tohatsu, clover, British satellite broadcasting, world champion wrestling, archandor, and most recently general which filled chapter 11 bankruptcy. These organizations were unable to recognize the change in the environment and were rejected by the environment. The organizations that have been proactive and managed change have been success stories .i.e. Microsoft, 3com and us robotics, Cadbury and Kraft etc. these organizations have changed there strategies at the right time, they were the leaders of market change. Introduction to General Motors General Motors Corporation (GM) is the worlds largest full-line vehicle manufacturer and marketer. Its arsenal of brands includes Chevrolet, Pontiac, GMC, Buick, Cadillac, Saturn, Hummer, and Saab. Opel, Vauxhall, and Holden comprise GMs international nameplates. Through its system of global alliances, GM holds stakes in Isuzu Motors Ltd., Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., Suzuki Motor Corporation, Fiat Auto, and GM Daewoo Auto Technology. Other principal businesses include General Motors Acceptance Corporation and its subsidiaries, providers of financing and insurance to GM customers and dealers. In the early 2000s, struggling under the weight of escalating healthcare and pension costs, GM sought to shed some of its less profitable activities. Toward that end, among other moves, the company sold its stake in Hughes Electronics, phased out production of the Oldsmobile, and discontinued the Chevrolet Camero and Pontiac Firebird. Facing a tough economic climate, GM has nevertheless retained its position as the worlds leading automaker. Models of change management Now companies have realized the need for change and change management. That is the reason many scholars came up with different models of change management. There are some simple models of change and then there are some complex models. simple models are helpful but do not identify the needs of current economy Simple models which follow the approach that one size fits all Lewins model Unfreeze the current paradigm of the organization. This involves understanding the need for change. Then communicating that need to the people. People should be open to change in structure, behavior and thinking. Change the organization paradigm by introducing new theories in the organization. This is a lengthy process as the new method will take time to sink in. people will question the new method thus it is important that there is a strong channel for feedback. Refreeze the changed paradigm. This is the stage where the change is inculcated into the organization and people followed the changed methods as a part and parcel of the organization. Kotters 8 steps creating a vibe of change into the members gather supporters to guide change create a vision explain the vision to the supporters empower people to follow and spread the vision create shot objective or milestones improvements and feedback Inculcation of change by making it a part of structure and system. Complex model which recognize the need of individual organizations. Johnson Scholes and Whittingtons model identifies the variables that the organization faces. Time is how quickly change is needed. This can be identified by the Balogun and Hailys model. Scope is the degree of change that is necessary. Continuity what is the incremental factor History is the past experience of change Skills what capabilities are required and what do we have. Resources which are available for change management. Readiness is the willingness of people to accept change. Power is where the of the organization lies i.e. with management employees, stakeholders etc. McKinsey 7S framework identifies the areas that management need to focus on in order to manage change effectively Structure is the hierarchy and the departmentalization of the organization before and after the change. Strategy is the plans that organization makes i.e. when to compete? Where to compete? And when to compete? System is the alignment of the strategy with the business objective and at what level evolutionary stage the organization stands. Shared values is what type of culture prevails in the organization Style is the leadership style of the management. How are decisions made? Staff is the human resource of the organization. How trained they are and what staff is needed? Skill is the organizations ability to use its resources. Thus measure of the efficiency of the organization. Need for strategic change in General motors General motor is a fallen giant. Glory of the past from being a great market leader to bankrupt company General motors has come a long way. In 1980s GM was the top car manufacturer in the USA until the arrival of the Japanese cars. The Japanese sold cheap and better cars. GM failed to realize the change in the industry and technology and constantly lost market share to the Japanese companies. Even with government support the company filled chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009. The strategies of the Japanese and GM can be compared with each other and get to what GM needs to do in order to get its former glory. The strategies that have been used by GM are heavy discounting to capture or retain market share. Strategic intervention techniques The purpose of intervention techniques is to improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of the organization. Strategic intervention techniques focus on improving the processes through which ideas are generated and then gain feedback on the ideas. These techniques make some thing happen and also focus on what is happening French Bell Jr (1994). The reasons for interventions can be To gain feedback To educate people To invoke rapid change in the organization. Rapid and sudden change in the external environment Intense competition Driving forces for change in GM Driving forces are the reason that GM requires to change its strategy and align itself with the environment. Few of the forces that pressure Gm to change are as follows Low economic growth in the car manufacturing business has stumped most of the manufacturers. Car manufacturers on government support are making cars at a loss but yet there cars are in the market and cutting the market share of other companies. Japanese car manufacturers are making better cars at low price which is the main competition for GM. Change in technology in the industry has been an issue. Honda and Toyota have advanced in technology at a higher rate than GM. Rising oil prices have also caused the industry to rethink there strategy. Resource implications for GM GM CEO Rick Wagoner has put in a lot of effort to turn around GM since 1992.but his response to change in the environment was too slow. The resources of GM can be evaluated using 5 Ms model Money has been the problem for GM for sometime now but government is ready to help them but they do not have a turn around strategy. Manpower of GM has not been able to generate new ideas which show dulled motivation, and poor creativity skills by the management and other employees. Also GM is stuck in contacts with employees with huge pensions. Minutes time frame for adaptation has always been short for GM and it has always lagged behind the need of time. Material has very special item oil which has sky rocketed. So the price of car manufacturing is rising as well as the price of maintaining a car. Machinery has been the major issue for GM as its competitors have acquired new machinery and processes which are better than that of GM. Due to these factors GM has not been able to change. These are the forces that create resistance for change. Change and stakeholders Stakeholders are an integral part of the organizational paradigm. To bring change in the organization, stakeholders should own the change. The process of change should start from within the stakeholders. To change the culture stakeholders should realize that there is a need for change. Then they should be directed into the right direction. In Kotters 8 steps model for change the role of stakeholders can be incorporated. The model pushes the organization to make its own decision and define its process of change. Kotters model for change for GM Kotter gives a model of change in the organization in which the stakeholders are empowered to make change for themselves. I shall use this model to explain how GM can bring about change in the organization with the help of its stakeholders. Step 1: Create urgency For change to occur it is necessary the whole organization realizes the need for change and puts its effort in making the change. For this purpose managers can paint a grim picture of the future if continued on the same path. Explain to the shareholders the increase in ability of the organization to exploit its resources. There should be feed back from the stakeholders and there ideas should be incorporated in the change process. In case of GM it is not very difficult to paint a grim picture because the next step to bankruptcy is liquidation. The decline in the performance of the company has been a question mark for a long time now. So in GM people are ready for change and stakeholders support the management. Now there is need for discussions so that the ideas and the wills of the stakeholders can be incorporated in the change process. Step 2: Coalitions This is the point where the leadership emerges; people among the stakeholder should take charge of the groups. It is necessary that to identify the key leadership and make them commit to the change in the organization. This is necessary that people who are selected for the leadership believe in the change. In case of General Motors they have to find leaders in order to bring change. Recognition of the people who will help GM to evolve and to accept the changed processes is necessary, if it wishes to make any type of change in its strategy. Step 3: Vision for change When the process of change starts there are many idea of floating. All these ideals need to be linked together if in order to form a vision. This vision needs to be simple and understandable. The vision gives people a sense of direction; they understand the purpose of the change. For change to be successful you need to know the main idea behind the change. For this purpose prepare a summary of the future endeavors of the company. Knowing about the future helps people to support the organization. In case of General Motors the mission statement is quite clear G.M. is a multinational corporation engaged in socially responsible operations, worldwide. It is dedicated to provide products and services of such quality that our customers will receive superior value while our employees and business partners will share in our success and our stock-holders will receive a sustained superior return on their investment. But unfortunately General Motors has not been able to deliver. The vision of the General Motors needs to be communicated effectively through the organization. Every stakeholder needs to believe in the mission statement of General Motors. Step 4: Communication of vision Every person in the organization needs to know the objective of the change. The previous paradigm of the company will produce resistance against the new method. The New Mission statement needs to overcome the resistance and unite the organization on a single path to success. For this the management needs to address all the doubts and problems of the people. Divide the vision into smaller objectives and tie the performance of individual with the achievement of these objectives. In General Motors the management should take responsibility of communicating process of change through the organization. A process of change developed from the input of stakeholders is easier to communicate back. Step 5: Remove obstacles In the process of change, there will always be resistance. The objective of the management is to minimize this resistance and bring the stakeholders to a common platform on which everybody can express their opinion. As the process of change moves forward, there should be constant checks for any barriers to change. In General Motors the inner management has failed to provide change in the organization. The change in GM can be induced from the outside; perhaps a change agent will help GM over come change barriers. Another good way to bring about change is to award the people who embrace the change. Step 6: Create short term objectives For the process of change to work people need to know that it is working. For this management can divide the main objective in to simpler objectives. The management should thoroughly analyze the short term objectives such that they are achievable and motivation. For the achievement of every objective the employees should be rewarded. In General Motors that management need to step up and divide their long-term objectives into the short term goals. The management should make the stakeholders believe that they are capable of changing the business for the better. The most important stakeholder of GM is the government. The government needs to know that that GM can stand on its feet, for it to bail out the company. Step 7: Build on the change The process of change is not complete he unless and until the change culture has inculcated into the organization. Changes in many organizations fail because they do not fully implement the changed processes. The changed processes should become part and parcel of life in the organization. The people of the organization need to build on the changed processes and achieve even more success. The management of General Motors should not stop at making the government believed that they deserve a bailout, but should make efforts to build on the changed processes. Step 8: Change in corporate culture The most difficult thing to do in bringing about change into the organization is to change the culture of the organization. In history many of the mergers in companies have failed because they unable to merge the culture of the companies. Changing the culture of the company is a very long and hard process. General motors will need to change the culture and introduce a fresh method to succeed in an unattractive industry. At this point the employees of General Motor will not be motivated; the management needs to bring faith back into the employees. Monitoring progress and conclusion The final step in the management of change would be to monitor the performance of the company. For this purpose appraisal of each of the activities of the company will be performed. The justification of activity will provide grounds by which the productivity of the activity will be measured. The idea of kaizen should become a part of the activities of the business. The process of change is very lengthy; it takes years for change process to become part of the culture. The management of the organization needs to be very patient and need to prioritize their objectives. In General Motors it is necessary that people accept the change and once the changed processes have settled in there should be continuous evaluation and revaluation. The U.S market has become very saturated thus not allowing the companies to grow as fast as they would like. For the companies to survive they need to use there resources with utmost efficiency.

Free Merchant of Venice Essays: The Villainous Shylock :: Merchant Venice Essays

Many people are villainous in the way they act, and their villainous acts may be rooted in the desire to destroy others, or in the hopes of elevating themselves. Many people may only act "villainous" in reaction to the way they have been treated in the past. Shylock the Jew is the villain or antagonist in the play The Merchant of Venice. Shylock mistreats Antonio the Christian, his daughter, Jessica and Launcelot.    The first person Shylock mistreats, is Launcelot. He mistreats this servant by complaining behind Launcelot's back of his laziness. Shylock says,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  More than the wildcat. Drones hive not with me..   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ..His borrowed purse." 1 Shylock also acts villainous towards Launcelot by acting belligerent towards him."Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call." 2 Shylock mistreats this man because of his poverty, and because Launcelot is socially beneath him. You also start to wonder about how fair Shylock is, when Launcelot is deciding whether or not to leave him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shylock also mistreats his own daughter, Jessica. He mistreats her by keeping her as a captive in her own house, not letting her out, and not letting her hear the Christian music around her. He orders her to:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum...   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ..But stop my house's ears-I mean casements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Let not the sound of shallow fopp'ry enter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My sober house." 3 Jessica considers her home to be hell, and she calls Launcelot, a "merry little devil". She even states that her father is Satan. Shylock also mistreats his own daughter, by not loving her enough, even to the point where he complains about all of the money he's spending in a search to find her. "Why, there, there, there, there! A diamond gone cost me two thousand ducats in Frankford! The curse..   ..ill luck stirring but what lights o' my shoulders; no sighs but o' my breathing; no tears but o' my shedding."4 Salerio makes the audience wonder about Shylock, when he raves about when Shylock was calling out, "Oh my ducats, my daughter, my ducats, my daughter.

Process and Content Theories of Motivation Essay

There are several process theories of motivation: The Vroom Expectancy Theory, the Adams’ Equity Theory, the Needs-Goal-Setting Theory, and the Reinforcement Theory of Motivation. Here our centre of attention is on helping you make a clear-cut distinction between process and content. Basically, process theories of motivation focus on how workers needs influence their own behaviour. Here our attention goes beyond motivation, our focal point is on giving you a key conceptual tool to help you manage both the performance of your direct reports (management) and the performance of your entire organization (leadership). â€Å"Process† is how employees work together, as opposed to the what – the â€Å"content,† the task, the issue – they are working on. An example of â€Å"process† is the way in which people interact with each other during a meeting; on the contrary, an example of â€Å"content† is the decision they make in that meeting. Process is hiring (the hiring processes that a company practices); content is the selected candidate that becomes the new employee. Process is the nature in which day-to-day performance conversations take place between the manager and her direct reports; content is what gets talked about, agreed upon, and actually understood. Process is the way in which people interact with each other in order to solve a problem; content is the actual solution to the problem. Most executives have the unconscious tendency to focus on content – which is great, that’s what they get paid for – but unfortunately most executives also have the unconscious tendency to forget about the process they are using. However, the quality of the â€Å"process† that is used (the type of meeting that is used to make a decision for example), has an impact on the quality of the resulting â€Å"content† (if the meeting is poorly designed, the quality of the resulting decision is likely to be poorer, but if the meeting is well designed, the quality of the resulting decision is likely to be better). Again, the better the process used, the better the resulting content, and vice versa: The poorer the process used, the poorer the resulting content. Do the people in your company hate meetings because they spend too much time in them? The problem is not in the meetings themselves, but in the way your company runs those meetings. Does your company have several low performers? The problem is not in those poor people who perform below standards, but in your company’s management practices. Is your company lagging behind its competition? The problem is not in those high performing organizations, but in the leadership skills of your company’s leaders. The process by which a company is led and managed determines its long-term success.heori of Motivation A great company is successful in the long run not because of its great products or services, but because of the nature of its leadership and management processes. You can have the greatest product or service, but if you don’t have the appropriate management and leadership processes, your company won’t get too far. It’s that simple. The next time something doesn’t go as you wanted it to go, stop for a second, step back, get your focus off the content, and take a closer look at the process you are using. How can you improve the process that you are using?

Social Theories and Concepts in Forrest Gump

Social Theories and Concepts in Forrest Gump â€Å"Forrest Gump† is a movie that narrates the story of a man from the time he is a child up to the time he is a grown up working in a shrimp boat. The movie presents the audience with a chronological sequence of events that begin from 1960s to date. Therefore, the movie has several sociological ties with this period and the main character’s life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Theories and Concepts in Forrest Gump specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main character in the movie is Forrest Gump. The movie focuses on Gump’s experiences with government, racism, poverty, mass media, and politics among other things. The film’s unfolding events are revealed through Gump’s first person narration. The film’s main themes include child abuse, racism, poverty, gender roles, culture, and family violence. This essay explores some of the themes and characters in â€Å"Forrest G ump† and how they relate to social psychology. One of the most prominent social theories that can be related to this film is symbolic interactionism. The main argument behind this theoretical concept is that the actions of people can only be well understood through meaningful communication. The main character in this movie goes through a hard time in his formative years. He faces discrimination from both teachers and students in his first school. This discrimination is centered on the fact that Gump has low IQ and suffers from a disability, conditions that make him misunderstood by the rest of the community. The fact that he cannot express himself to his detractors makes the situation worse for Gump. The only time there is an attempt to initiate direct communication on Gump’s behalf is when his mother confronts the school principal and insists that there is nothing that makes Gump unfit to attend Greenbow County Central School. According to symbolic interactionism theor y, only direct communication makes people’s actions understandable. When Gump grows up the discrimination against him subsides because he can now be able to communicate with those who misunderstood him earlier. In the movie, it is clear that the torment and isolation that Forrest Gump had experienced as a child reduces as he grows older. Moreover, the only way Gump is able to make a solid and sincere friend in Jenny is by being able to communicate with her directly. According to role theory, our behavior as human beings is determined by our own expectations and those of other people in the society. This theory is both exemplified and contradicted in â€Å"Forrest Gump†. As a child, other people do not expect Forrest Gump to achieve much.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, Gump is able to focus on his own expectations and those of the American society. In the end, Gump is an accomplished athlete, military man, spiritual leader, and entrepreneur. However, Gump contradicts several expectations from his own society by decrying racism and rising above discrimination and isolation. The role theory also asserts that people spend a considerable amount of their lifetime being part of groups. Jenny spends most of her time as part of the ‘hippie’ movement. According to the movie, Jenny is also a member of an illegal organization known as the Black Panther Party. Moreover, role theory specifies that people always assume different roles and occupy various positions in these groups. Gump is involved in the activities of various groups and organizations where he assumes different roles. For instance, he assumes the leadership of his military group and he is eventually granted a medal of honor. The social constructionism concept holds that individuals and groups form their own reality. This concept explores the dynamics of institution s and actions without necessarily analyzing their cause and effect. The reality that is formed by the film’s main character falls under this concept. In one scene, Gump and his friend Jenny are being chased by bullies. Suddenly, the braces in Gump’s legs fall off and this is when he realizes he is better off without the braces. Before this occurrence, Gump’s reality was that he could not perform well without the braces. However, this reality is challenged by the actual reality. The same concept applies to Gump’s relationship with Jenny. Gump believes that their love is eternal but this reality keeps being challenged by several other realities including Jenny’s drug abuse and emotional imbalance. According to social constructionism theorists, socially constructed notions are not always true. For instance, the union between Jenny and Gump is a reality that only exists during certain periods. The same case applies to Gump’s friend Dan who is co nvinced that Gump erred by saving his life. In the beginning, Dan is convinced that it would have been better if he had died in the war front. However, later on in the movie, another reality occurs to him and he thanks Gump for saving his life. Another social psychological notion that is paraded in â€Å"Forrest Gump† is deviance. According to social psychology, deviance is a behavior that contradicts the accepted social norms. In this movie, deviance can be exemplified through the actions of various characters. For instance, Jenny’s involvement in the hippie movement and her subsequent drug abuse can be interpreted as deviant behaviors. Social psychology scholars explain the source of deviance using several theories. In Jenny’s case, her deviant behavior would best be explained using strain theory. This means that Jenny picked up her deviance because of her social environment. Unlike Gump, Jenny came from a poor and abusive background. However, she was still ex pected to achieve the same goals as other kids from wealthy backgrounds. The strain involved in achieving her goals might have caused her to rebel.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Theories and Concepts in Forrest Gump specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The self-concept is also well explored in this film. Self-concept is the result of self process. It is through self-process that individuals are able to identify themselves. The narrator in this movie uses first person narration and is able to reveal several self-concepts. For instance, in the beginning of the movie he is shown narrating his life to strangers who are seated in a park bench. In this narration, he arrives at various conclusions about his identity. In essence, this narration offers a ‘snap-shot’ of Forrest Gump. The effectiveness of Gump’s narration is aided by the fact that human beings can be able to talk about themselves as th ey would about an inanimate object such as a chair. This is according to self-concept. In addition, it is through this concept that Gump is able to delve into his self-identity and conduct self-evaluations. Although â€Å"Forrest Gump† was supposed to be a film about the life of one man, the movie managed to delve into various social theories and concepts. By exploring the film’s plot and characters, one is able to unearth several social theories and concepts. Some of the theories contained in this film aid in character and theme development. The film’s maker is also able to present wholesome characters by borrowing on several social concepts.

101 Responding and Structure Professor Ramos Blog

101 Responding and Structure Quick Write Quick Write In academia we use the word argument when referring to writing. What do you think we mean by argument? What is the difference between an argument and a fight? Responding Chapter four details the three major forms of response: agree, disagree, and agree but with a difference. You can argue anything. Remember, not everything has to be an argument.  For this class, we will focus on responding to arguments/conversations. Responding Templates The book includes many templates. Including to  Disagree p. 60,  Agreeing p. 62, and  Agreeing and Disagreeing Simultaneously p. 64. Write a response using the templates to one of the articles we have read. You have to write three responses, One agreeing, one disagreeing, and one both agreeing and disagreeing simultaneously. Why did we do this exercise? Show, Don’t Tell The writing you do at this level should do the work, instead of you having to tell us. No more lines like: In this essay†¦ My narrative is about†¦ Building Structure Focus on events in your story. What events help you to tell your story? First Event Next Event Next Event Final Event Do tell us what you went through. Show us what happened. Place us there with you. Four Frames You have four frames to tell us the story. What scenes will you include? What details will you want to draw into each scene? Details are important when telling a story. It helps your readers see what it is you are telling them. Why Diversity Matters Why Diversity Matters

Segmentation of industrial markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Segmentation of industrial markets - Essay Example SIX typical criteria for consideration of choice of Research Company for the firm.SIX typical criteria for consideration of choice of Research Company for the firm.It’s is important to pick the right company for a research company, i.e. before launching a new product, it’s important to know the market and thus a good research company helps in accessing the level of demand. Criteria for consideration of choice of Research Company are 1. The reputation of the company, is good? Check for references and ask for or is recommended by business colleagues.2. Establish the company’s success in conducting business research especially in your area of business. This can be done by asking the company for the successful projects similar to your own.3. Create a harmonious relationship with the company; you can invite the company for a meeting or assessment. See if their representatives can listen to what you say. Identify the person you will deal with throughout depending on th e responses to your needs.4. Check if the price is competitive. Get a number of proposals to compare especially if you have met with several companies. Quality is of course very important. Choose an offer that offers most for your money.5. Evaluate the Research Company’s responsiveness.  6. Consider the Company’s approach to market research. The company should be willing to understand my needs and help me achieve my goals. They should adhere to market research standards i.e. professional data collection. The Company must be focused on giving practical and actionable results.

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Strategic Management - Essay Example Instagram on the other hand also got the opportunity to add its name with a market leader. Facebook acquired Instagram also because they want to hedge the rising popularity of Pinterest, which was a competitor of Instagram (Instagram, 2013). Mark Zuckerburg, the CEO of Facebook considered their decision to acquire Instagram at an inflated price to be correct because they had the target to firstly acquire it before Google did so, and secondly they also stated that this acquisition would have been costlier in future, so the price that they paid was appropriate. This study would be evaluating different facet of such an acquisition, with special focus towards other rising players in photograph sharing segment. The objective of this report would be to analyse the strategic threats and opportunity that Facebook is facing, the framework that they have developed for growth and also assessing the decision of acquiring Instagram. ... However, the opportunities and threats that Facebook is facing or might face can be identified through evaluation of the strategies. Facebook has the opportunity to expand its operations to other international destinations and take the advantage of the popularity in order to introduce new features which will also generate good revenue for the company, such as web advertising, etc (Ansoff, 1987). With the help of technological know-how, and innovative culture, Facebook would be able to diversify and also look forward towards other dedicated segments such as photography sharing segment because now it has already acquired Instagram, web advertising segment, professional platform for job hunters, etc (Eldon, 2010.). However, the company also faces various threats that should be considered before taking strategic decisions. Firstly, the spending of Facebook are more than it is bringing in. Apart from this, Mark Zuckerburg as a CEO also does not have a good reputation, which might hinder s uccessful partnerships (Porter, 1985). Another threat is related to issues of privacy and safety of public information and photos online. The security infrastructure of Facebook is not up to the mark and in this scenario the acquisition of Instagram might be of unproductive for the company because if the privacy and security norms are not strong people will not upload photos. The company has also allowed the third party developers to assist them in their business functions, and also do not prove any button to alert cyber police if someone what to report unethical activity or spam content (Edwards, 2013). Instagram which Facebook acquired was valued to be around $20 million