Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Essay Example

Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation Paper Do you think Kappmeyer should sign the proposal, and why? What pushed USS to stay with conventional technology? My recommendation based on analysis of the case and understanding the basic nature of disruptive technologies, and their impact on the general industry is that Kappmeyer should not sign the proposal. The main reason for that is USS is tying itself to an existing, but dying business model and technology. While this plan may make sense in the short-term, it does not have long-term sustainability. The market has already indicated that it is changing, adapting to minimills, and this trend would likely continue. As minimill technology becomes more sophisticated, their quality and other disadvantages would reduce and they would start competing with integrated manufacturing even in the high-end markets. Unfortunately for USS, there is no silver bullet. Since USS is already invested in the market, they will have to go through a difficult, and expensive, change, or they will end up perishing as the industry changes around them. USS current decided to stay with conventional continuous casting technology simply because they were looking at the shorter-term future, and was not willing to take the financial hit and risk associated with a new disruptive technology. Additionally, they were tying themselves to the requirements of the current customers, and ignoring potentially new users for the future. Did the USS team get the right answer to the wrong question? What if, rather than asking whether USS should install CSP in Mon Valley, Kappermeyer has asked whether USS should invest in or participate in this technology? We will write a custom essay sample on Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Continuous Casting Investments at USX Corporation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Would you have answered that question differently than you did when the problem was framed as a Mon Valley issue? My recommendation was that USS should not sign this proposal, and that remains the same whether the issue is addressed with respect to Mon Valley or independently. The main reason for disagreeing with investing in the proven conventional continuous casting process is that it would only commit USS to an older technology going extinct. While it may sense in the short-term foreseeable future, for long term survival USS would need to embrace the disruptive technology. Looking at CSP technology only from the Mon Valley perspective is a mistake – the current plant puts a lot of restrictions on the project. If the technology and market is looked at independently from Mon Valley, then my recommendation would be more concretely recommend investing in a new greenfield plant based on the minimills model. It may also be practical for USS to house the disruptive technology as an independent entity. As the market and industry changes, minimills and CSP would mature to improve quality, and further widen the gap between themselves and integrated producers such as USS. Sooner or later, USS would have to modify its production and business models to survive the industry. If it does not do that right now, there is a good possibility that it will be too late. What are other decision alternatives? What are the reasons of choosing each alternative? What will these reasons look like in five years? The company should follow a combination of the following options to maintain long-term competitiveness: †¢Close Mon Valley: USS already has close to 25% of unused capacity. Currently (1990) they have approximately 14. 4 million tons of capacity. The Mon Valley plant would add another 3MM in capacity which is not necessarily needed. Maybe there is an opportunity to shift some (or most) of the orders from this plant to another plan, and even close this facility. In the worst case scenario, USS would loose $26. 3MM (%75,000 * 3,500 workers) for laying-off unionized workers. This number may be reduced if some of the workers could be relocated to an existing or a new Greenfield plant. Since USS is committed to invest in a continuous casting capacity at Mon Valley, this may be the only way to save $800MM investment, unless USS can renegotiate with the union. This plan would give USS some time and money to invest in one of the other options for CSP technologies. †¢CSP at Mon Valley: USS had investigated the possibility of adding 3MM tons of capacity in CSP at Mon Valley through three or four caster strands. While difficult, maybe more investigation can make this process feasible. CSP technology would bring USS closer to Nucor’s projected low costs, but not all the way there. This would still be a short-term strategy if USS decided to increase capacity, as there are other cost advantages that Nucor’s minimill production model still has. †¢NEW CSP greenfield project: Invest in new greenfield plant operating on similar models as the minimills. While this may not be very financially viable in the short run – given the success already enjoyed by minimills, it is necessary for USS to start shifting its assets in that direction for long term survival in the market. Through research and analysis conclude there may be the possibility to conclude that there will be ample demand and orders to pay back for this investment in conventional casting technology in approximately 10 years. Then they can consider signing this proposal, but keeping in mind that the disruptive technology would be improving at a faster rate. So as long as the disruptive technology does not catch up in 10 years, this may still be feasible. This may be hard unless USS can get customers to commit to long-term orders, and through more technical research conclude that Nucor’s lower product quality would prevent it from competing with USS’s products in the high end markets. oWhile this strategy may seem financially viable, it is not a long term strategy and should only be executed if USS can also follow one of the short-term strategies to pursue CSP technology. The question facing Kappmeyer at the end of the case is, What should USS’s next technological move be? Should USS take another â€Å"long shot† to leapfrog ahead of Nucor? Or should it â€Å"get on the ground† neck-to-neck with Nucor, employing a viable commercial technology as soon as possible incrementally improving CSP? USS would probably need to employ a combination of a long-term and a short-term technology strategy to remain competitive and survive the changing market. Ideally, USS should invest in research to take a leapfrog ahead of Nucor in order to redefine the market with its disruptive technology and set the new standard in its favor. But given the time that may require, it may not be possible. Competing neck-to-neck with Nucor employing a commercial technology may not be the best idea considering the rate of improvement of the disruptive technology is far higher than the rate of improvement of the proven technology. In fact, that’s exactly what the conventional continuous casting technology would have been. It would have given a short term incremental advantage to USS at best for the high end markets, but it would not be sustainable.

White Collar Crime essays

White Collar Crime essays In our society in America crimes can be separated into two distinct categories, white collar and blue collar crimes. White collar crimes consist of non-violent offenses that perpetuate cheating dishonesty, and corruption. On the other hand, Blue collar crime consists of refers to the visibly apparent form of crime that takes shape in the form of primarily violent offenses sometimes referred to as "street crimes. The treatment of white collar crimes verses blue collar crimes is unethical and there exists a disparity by the nature of the crimes and the social status of the criminal. White collar crime in our society often goes unnoticed in our society due to an apathetic nature toward crimes that do not physically hurt someone. Many people feel that blue collar crime is a larger threat in our society then white collar crime. In regards to white collar crime, Fraud and abuse costs U.S. organizations more than $400 billion annually (www.diogenesllc.com/whitecollarfraudstats.html). This loss is substantially larger then blue collar crime. Many people in this class have committed a white collar crime and probably do not know it; these crimes could range from borrowing computer software that one did not purchase to downloading copyrighted music off of the internet. To many people it is not a crime, but a way around the system. The nature of white collar crime is generally deemed as a nonviolent and can extend to some of the following areas such as: Bank Fraud, Black Mail, Credit Card Fraud, Forgery, Embezzlement, and Tax Evasion (ckfraud.org/whitecollar.html). The manners in which these crimes are committed are usually behind closed doors, with computers or telephones. By using these methods it is not visibly apparent of the damage that these crimes cause. The damage of white collar crimes affect everyone not just the victims. The victims of white collar crimes extend to everyone through higher retail pric...

Ethic and Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethic and Morality - Essay Example To fully define the anti-nature concept, Nietzsche makes it clear that when one denies his own passion, then he is denying the reality. To him, the greatest and best moralities are those, which accommodate nature while the weakest are those who deny it. Particular, the philosopher state that an individual should have a free will to choose what he or she wants and nothing should control or trigger him to do something. In his concept of morality as anti-nature, Nietzsche stated how the extensiveness of morality and religion alter the human nature. Even though many people believe that religion provides a sense of direction in life, the philosopher strongly disagreed. According to him, following a religion means ignoring the nature of humanity since an individual is forced to act in a certain way that pleases the Maker. I disagree with Nietzsche since his argument opposes the religion and thus, discourages most Christians from reading. This essay supports Irish Murdoch’s philosoph y since he captivates readers’ attention with her adequate knowledge in literature and philosophy. Although both Nietzsche and Murdoch deal with the concept of morality in a similar way, there are differences on how the two present their argument. Nietzsche based his argument on a naturalistic perspective of how religion contradicts how humanity is responsible for controlling their given passions and nature. However, Murdoch includes religion in the equation of morality. He based his argument on morality without and with God thus allowing readers to understand his point of views (Jacobus 55). Unlike Nietzsche, Murdoch engages other people’s philosophies in great depth and further incorporates them in her discussion. Nietzsche uses deists’ intellectuals and gives no or little credibility to their experiences and beliefs. While researchers, scholars, and deists can think about other philosophers’ argument on the subject while reading Murdoch argument, Murdo ch creates a platform where readers can decline or accept her argument at any point. Based on how Murdoch presents her arguments, readers can think that the author has not yet concluded her argument but given her readers a free will to choose what they believe. Nietzsche does not take a psychological path to examine the virtue of duty or responsibility (Friedrich 405). Although both Murdoch and Nietzsche derive their beliefs about morality from nature, Nietzsche quoted that â€Å"each individual has the duty to carry out his passions. Just as modern moral philosophers were rediscovering the virtues, social psychologists were uncovering evidence of the church being hostile to human nature † (Friedrich 404). The moralities of being weak in life are discussed in the religious cloak and in this case, Nietzsche believes that the church is hostile to human nature. From Nietzsche’s argument, one can derive the fact that the greatest moralities are those that embrace nature wh ile the weakest deny it. At this point, Nietzsche provides readers with a system that can benefit human beings in life especially on love and hostility. However, Murdoch takes a psychological path and examines the virtue of responsibility or duty. At this point, Murdoch believes that fulfilling one’s duty towards nations, institutions, and others is virtuous deed outside religion. Murdoch continues to argue that dutifulness is in our human nature. It is crucial

The Management of a Student whose Standard of Practice is Cause for Essay

The Management of a Student whose Standard of Practice is Cause for Concern - Essay Example Although the standards of practice have been set by the academic setting, nurse educators and mentors can however find it difficult to fail students who are actually failing. Some of them often pass these students, sometimes, encouraging them to persist in their studies. This practice can however lead to various issues in nursing where incompetent nurses may be allowed to test their skills in the clinical setting. This paper shall critically explore the management of a student/learner whose standard of practice are cause for concern. This analysis shall include how the individual should be managed in terms of fitness for practice accountability, responsibility of the mentor and how this event would be documented. The implications of failing to fail learners who do not meet with the required standards to practice both personally and professionally will also be discussed. This study shall also consider when an action plan would be developed, whether or not I would get involved, and the assessment strategies which would be considered. This paper is being undertaken in order to establish ways by which the nursing profession can be whittled down academically and objectively in order to ensure that only competent nurses are to be allowed to practice. Body Undoubtedly, failing students can be a difficult and stressful experience for students and mentors. However, a nurse’s knowledge of one’s accountability as a mentor and supervisor and the complex process of crafting failing students imply that these decisions can still be made with utmost confidence (NHS, 2010). Mentors are considered gatekeepers because they guarantee that students who cannot comply with the standards of the practice are not allowed to enter the practice. The crucial stage of the assessment process seeks to protect the general public and the patients from incompetent nurses (NHS, 2010). Various concerns on how effective the gate keeping role is being carried out have been expressed by various practitioners. Failing to fail can have dire consequences to the general public (NHS, 2010). A 2004-2005 survey established that out of about 1400 issues of misconduct, poor practice was cited in majority of these incidents. Incidents of poor practice included errors in drug administration, inadequate record keeping, unsafe clinical practice, and failure to care for basic needs (NMC, 2005). According to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN, 2007), the mentor’s role is to generally offer support and guidance to the student and to help the patient understand the practice and to help him apply theory. The mentor’s role is also to assess, evaluate and provide feedback to the student; and to supervise reflective practice (RCN, 2007). These mentors are also tasked with ensuring that the students: are fit for the purpose of the practice, can fulfil the needs of registration, and have the depth of learning in order to be granted a diploma or a higher degree (RCN, 2007). These mentors are also considered positive role models and are there to assist students in gaining confidence; to promote professional relations with students; to assist appropriate supervision; and to offer honest, yet constructive feedback (RCN, 2007). The registered nurses’ role as a mentor is crucial because it ensures the protection of public health and interest (RCN, 2007). It is the responsibility of mentors to

Critically examine the abolition of doli incapax Essay

Critically examine the abolition of doli incapax - Essay Example however, this law was abolished in 1988 when the rebuttable presumption of Doli Incapax for minors between the ages of 10 and 14 was nullified by section 34 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (CDA 1988). The presumption of Doli Incapax was that children below a certain age are incapable of guilt since they do not understand he implications and consequences of their actions, even if criminal in nature. After the abolition of Doli Incapax, there have been calls for England to increase the age of criminal responsibility for children. The abolition of the presumption of Doli Incapax effectively means that children between the ages of 10 and 14 can be taken to court, charged and found to have criminal responsibility (Gavadino, 1997). More recently, there have been hopes that CDA 98 abolished only the presumption of Doli Incapax but not the whole doctrine of the law. This came up in DPP v P (2007), where the question whether CDA abolished the underlying doctrine of Doli Incapax or the pres umption. However, this hope was later reduced by the Court of Appeal, who, in R v T (2008), held that CDA 1998 abolished the whole doctrine of Doli Incapax. It should be noted that England lags behind all other European countries at the age set for acceptance of criminal responsibility. In other European countries, despite the lack of a common age for criminal responsibility, all the other countries still have a higher age than in England. According to the Council of Europe’s Commission for human Rights, most of the European countries have a criminal responsibility age of between twelve years and sixteen of fifteen years. The low age of criminal responsibility in England does not also prevent the welfare approach to children over the age of 10 years. In this case, there have been myriad concerns that the abolition of the minimum age for Doli Incapax in England has given rise to more children being detained for small crimes and for longer periods than before the presumption wa s abolished. The Council of Europe for Human Rights also notes that if the presumption or defense of Doli Incapax were recognized in England, there would be more protection of children from small criminal actions and aligns the law in England with the laws in other countries. The efforts of the decision in DPP v P (2007) in trying to uphold the presumption of Doli Incapax were not enough to prove the existence of the presumption (Stone, 2010). Therefore, the subsequent decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of R v T was expected to a certain extent. Because of the defense of Doli Incapax being effectively removed, this analysis will focus on whether the presumption or defense of Doli Incapax should have been abolished initially, and if the government should be pressured by other groups to reinstate the law. This is done by tracing the concept of Doli Incapax, and the events that led to its abolition. The special treatment of children under law is not a new concept. In England, this defense can be traced as far back as the reign of King Ine in 688 AD through to the reign of other Kings between then and 925 Ad. For example, in 925 Ad and thereabouts, only children over the age of 12 would be prosecuted if the value of the stolen items were more than 8 pence. This indicates that the presumption of Doli Incapax existed from this period and lasted to the current abolition of the defense and presumption. However, it should be noted that in England at this time, there were distinct age levels at which the presumption could be upheld. Even though these age level structures could not be defined, it should be noted that there was a minimum age at which a child could absolutely not be prosecuted for crimes, where the defense was that the

Challenges Facing Facilities Management Departments Construction Essay

Challenges Facing Facilities Management Departments Construction Essay Within the coming years Facilities Management Departments (FMD) are going to be faced with a number of challenges and they will be expected to do a lot more with so much less. These challenges are mainly due, to the ever expanding business sector; this expansion has seen the emergence of new buildings taking place at much faster rate, than the refurbishment or demolition of other predated structures. But this is just the tip of the ice burger, as there are other pertinent issues facing the FMD such as: The rapid pace of change, changing technology, building automation, security issues, sustainability, aging buildings, geographic barriers, cultural differences and Environmental factors such as changing regulatory environments, rapid population growth and continued limitation of energy resources (IMFA 2007). So the need for the FMD to incorporate new technology, that utilizes Renewable Energy Sources to produce energy, and reduce the impact that aged buildings in particular are having on the environment is a high priority. The majority of these issues currently facing the FMD are not new, in fact they have been around for a long time, but have escalated over time, due to increased human activities. This is an exciting time to be a facility management professional. Although facility management professionals will face more challenges than ever before, they have greater opportunity to add value for their customers through efficient management and improved technology.'(IFMA 2007) INTRODUCTION Time present and time past are both perhaps contained in time future and time future contained in time past (T.S. Eliot, Burnt Norton, The Four Quartets) The aim of our FMD is to continue to provide a safe, comfortable and a well maintained working environment, for both staff and clients. By providing a full range of services which incorporates all of the latest technology currently available, these services are then executed by a an experience and well trained group of people who, are both loyal and committed to achieving all the goals set out by the financial institution. The practice of co-ordinating the physical workplace with people and work of the organization, integrating the principles of business administration, architecture and the behavioural and engineering science (Becker 1990) There are a number of new legislations and technological advancements that have emerged over the last decade, which has caused the role of the FMD to constantly evolve, thus requiring the development of both tactical and strategic methods, so that our goals can be achieved, so that we can have continued success in this technological developing world. The FMD is presently performing a number of services throughout this multi-national financial institution, such as but not limited to, maintenance, energy conservation, repairs, maintenance, security, information technology (IT), renovations, capital renewal, training, cleaning, customer services, workplace comfort, occupancy planning, business continuity planning (BCP) etc. So to properly prepare this years budget the FMD is suggesting that careful consideration be given to the following critical service areas: New legislations Energy conservation Capital renewal Workplace comfort Training Energy Conservation Climate change legislations There is a growing concern about global warming and the lasting impact its having on humanity and the environment. Due to this crisis the Global community has implemented a number of legislations geared towards the reduction of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions, two (2) of which are the Kyoto Protocol See Appendix 1 and Copenhagen Accord See Appendix 2. Older building especially consumes a lot more energy than those that were recently built; due to this they are having a significant impact on the environment. So the need to reduce our CO2 emissions by reducing our dependency on Fossil Fuels by using technology that uses Renewable Energy Sources to produce clean energy. Add a little more Buildings have a significant impact on energy use and the environment. Commercial and residential buildings use almost 40% of the primary energy and approximately 70% of the electricity in the United States (EIA 2005) Capital Renewal Replacement of outdated equipment, buildings etc. This is an important process which the FMD have already begun to implement, mainly because the buildings that we presently occupy are in excess of ten (10) years old, making both the HVAC and lighting systems inefficient and obsolete. Because of this they are the two (2) of the largest consumers of energy, simply because they are both required building components and are essential mechanisms for occupants comfort. These technological upgrades off all outdated equipment, coupled with the installation of Energy Management Control Systems (EMCS) and electrical meters, throughout our institutions, are all geared towards reducing our energy demands. This will enable us to reduce our CO2 emissions and conform to all Climate Change Legislations, with the eventual aim of reducing our overall electrical bills. Workplace Comfort Customer Services No employers would like to be on the wrong side of the law, and because of this they are obligated to ensure that the health, safety and welfare of their all employees are adhered to under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSW which states that employers should: Providing safe equipment and working practices Ensuring safe handling, storage and transportation of goods and substances Providing information, training and supervision Providing a safe place of work with safe access and egress Providing a safe working environment and facilities So ensuring that all our staffs needs are met and taken care in a timely manner is of utmost importance. Due to the fact that our staff can be considered like a persons heart in that, they are a vital part of the institution and without them we will cease to exist. Add a little more Training This is an integral part of any institution given that technology changes on a daily basis, so every effort should be to insure that each member of staff is kept update with all of the latest technology. As is customary with all recessionary periods it does not last forever, so by keeping abreast of all advance technology, we will not only be gaining an advantage over all of our competitors, but also the advance knowledge needed for our continued sustenance when this period of economic down turn comes to an end. Add a little more Future Challenges So what does the future hold for us as a FMD will apart from being constantly referred to as the Jack of All Trades? what and where we are most liking heading in the future is best summed up by in the following: The future workplace will bring with it a number of distinct priorities. More attempts to make flexible working a reality are likely, requiring improved IT and communications infrastructures. The expansion of a 24/7 work culture will necessitate non-stop support facilities, with consequent outsourcing, contract and health and safety considerations needing to be taken into account. Public Private Partnership (PPP) and private Finance Initiative (PFI) deals and economic pressures will push facilities professionals towards more benchmarking, more cost-benefit analysis and more performance measurement. The tightening of building regulations and particularly the introduction of Part L [the manifestation of the European Unions Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)] is having enormous ramifications for energy efficiency and the built environment. Buildings account for an estimated 40 per cent of all world resource consumption and over 40 per cent of all waste, including greenhouse gas emissions. EPBD is designed to increase the energy efficiency of all buildings by more than 20 per cent. A key point is whether anyone will want to rent or own an F-rated building instead of an A or B one. All these developments should give facilities managers a fresh impetus to making their voices heard by senior management in the times ahead. Facilities for businesses in the future will have to be more flexible and more streamlined than ever before. Managers will need to exploit growing communication opportunities and facilitate an ever-widening range of support services. Facilities managers need to become more professional and business oriented. They must develop a performance profile that is committed to the needs of their organization. Facilities managers need a variety of skills, as all organizations are different, but all should aim to gain the attention of the board and not just be visible when something goes wrong. It is one of the most challenging professions to conquer. The key point to be made, touching on an earlier comment, is that facilities managers are indeed the stewards of the built environment. (Frank Booty) Recommendations The present economic climate dictates that once this recession period is over, the FMD would more than likely take a lot longer to recover, already having to survive throughout this time by implementing both tactical and strategic methods and now having to deal with budget cuts all in the same time is quite a lot for any FMD. So before any FMD budget reductions should take place, there are a number of options open for us to consider before any final decision is made on the budget, some of which are: Why dont we look at saving instead of cutting, for instance upon completion of all the capital renewal projects which are presently on stream, a major reduction would be seen throughout all off the institutions electrical bills, but for this to happen all ongoing projects needs to be completed in as timely a manner a feasible possible. Given that most of our noncore service labour is outsourced, we should consider coming up with some sort of partnership agreement, with if not all most of our service provides so as to generate new and innovative ways of reducing our over head expenditure. So taking into consideration all of the pertinent point discussed trimming of the FMD at this time would be unwise, given that heavy fines would be imposed upon any organization / institution not conforming to the new legislations for CO2 emission reduction. Given the current economic climate we are presently facing, and having to deal with all the challenges that comes accompany an economic slowdown, and at the same time, maintaining our vision as being the premier financial choice to both our employees and prospected clients should be of concern. For this reason the following should be noted: Addressing the trends presented here-through consideration, education and preparation-will arm facility management professionals with the necessary tools required to face the challenges ahead. In stable conditions managers can plan with greater certainty and are able to identify significant and longer term issues for which they can easily prepare. However, in a prevailing climate of uncertainty and change, and with the need to respond quickly to unforeseen circumstances, managers need to develop approaches that enable them to foresee future challenges, envisage the impact on the organisations and communities in which they work and develop the strategies and competencies needed to retain an advantage. This is an opportunity for the FMD to utilize whatever little resources they currently have at their disposal, to provide their staff and customers with as wide a service range as possible so as to fulfill all their present needs.

The Impact Of Ethics On The Enron Corporation Essay -- Business Ethics

Ethics is something that is very important to have especially in the business world. Ethics is the unwritten laws or rules defined by human nature; ethics is something people encounter as a child learning the differences between right and wrong. In 2001, Enron was the fifth largest company on the Fortune 500. Enron was also the market leader in energy production, distribution, and trading. However, Enron's unethical accounting practices have left the company in joint chapter 11 bankruptcy. This bankruptcy has caused many problems among many individuals. Enron's employees and retirees are suffering because of the bankruptcy. Wall Street and investors have taken a major downturn do to the company's unethical practices. Enron's competitors and the industry have also both been affected by the bankruptcy. The U.S. economy took a sudden downturn for the worse, do to just this one company's unethical behavior. Employees Ethical decisions are guided by the underlying values of the individual. "Values are principles of conduct such as caring, honesty, keeping of promises, pursuit of excellence, loyalty, fairness, integrity, respect for others, and responsible citizenship" (Bateman, 2004). Numerous employees lost their jobs and retirement funds because of Enron's bankruptcy situation. While top executives were cashing in their stock options, knowing the company was going to fall, employees and shareholders were the ones who would take the biggest hit. One of Enron's principles was to offer their employees fair compensation through wages and other benefits; yet that did not end up being the case. While executives were selling their stock options, employees were going to be losing the money in their 401K policies since most of the emplo... ...volume (9), p. 29. Retrieved September 20, 2005, from Proquest database. Enron's Missed Opportunity. Retrieved September 19, 2005 from, http://brie.berkeley.edu/~briewww/publications/WP152.pdf Flood, M. (2005, April 26). The Fall of Enron. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 19, 2005 from http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/special/enron/broadband/3153199 Kadlec, Daniel. (2002, January 13) Enron: Who's Accountable? Retrieved on September 23, 2005, from http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,193520,00.html Lashinsky, A. (2001, July 13) Enron's Own Dot-Com Bubble Finally Popped. The Street. Retrieved September 19, 2005 from http://www.thestreet.com/comment/siliconstreet/1489696.html Malveaux, J., (2002). Enron serves as wake-up call. Retrieved on September 20, 2005 from http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/2002/01/25/ncguest1.htm

Panasonic and Japan’s Changing Culture

Case #2; Panasonic and Japan’s Changing Culture 1. Some of the drivers of the cultural changes in the 1990’s with Panasonic were that Japan’s generation of workers, starting with the generation born in the 1960’s, did not wholly believe in being a â€Å"salaryman† and working for a company from when they start until when they retire. After many years, in the 1990’s Japan entered an economic slump that lasted the majority of the 1990’s.Only a few companies at first started to lay off employees and go back on their promises of employment until retirement because the older their workers, although they worked hard, also were less efficient than younger workers were. As the younger generations saw this happening they concluded that loyalty to both the company and workers would not be reciprocated anymore and became less harder working than previous. This undermined the traditional culture in Japan of the central bargains of housing and reti rement packages for an employees hard work and loyalty. 2.Japan’s businesses in the future have to operate with more than one plan when they hire workers to effectively. In 1999 Panasonic gave recruits three different choices when they were signed on in employment. They could continue with being given housing, go free to company social events, and buy cheaper services from banks, while also receiving a two year salary bonus when they retired. They could choose to forgo the retirement bonus, while keeping the company housing and be given a higher salary, or they could forgo the retirement bonus and any subsidized services but would be given an even higher salary.In addition to the changes in hiring, companies needed employees to be more risk taking and needed to encourage individuality which is something that was not very prevalent in Japan. Without employees taking risks, companies would suffer and that is what happened to Panasonic as they were forced to close thirty factori es, and cut 13,000 jobs while selling â€Å"huge amounts of assets†. 3. Japanese culture in the 1950’s-1980’s benefited Panasonic greatly because of how after the World War II defeat, Japan was humiliated and it seemed fair that they would be taken care of if they worked hard for their company.For Panasonic this was a great thing because employees worked extremely hard for the greater good of Panasonic and Panasonic responded by giving the employees â€Å"blessings† of company housing, and free social events. 4. With Panasonic cutting 15,000 employees and closing another additional 27 plants, Panasonic is trying to achieve a lower overhead cost in operation and also is trying to find out who their best workers are so that they are not kept down when they should be promoted.By quickly responding to the recession, it showed a change in Panasonic’s company policies and shows that they might be moving even further away from company subsidized housing a nd to make employees become harder workers not because they know that they cannot be fired, but that they can be fired, at any time. If Panasonic implements these changes quickly, they will receive a lot of backlash from all those displaced employees and if they did it like this it would truly symbolize how Panasonic has changed into a company that is becoming westernized and is only concerned with how the company does and not their employees.If the changes take years to implement, although it would greatly affect the profitability of the company, it would give employees chances to adapt to changes of no longer being employed and give them chances to be hired in another company. By making changes slowly, Panasonic would be able to claim that it still wished to use the old way of never cutting jobs but it could not do it in this economy and had to do so to survive. 5.The Panasonic case teaches me that there is a fine line between societal culture and business success and sometimes yo u have to be able to choose between the two to realize which is more important to you. To some companies, such as Panasonic, trying hard to keep with the societal culture becomes too much of a strain for a company to bear so they are forced to adapt and realize that business success is more important that having all your workers love you. It may not be the type of business practice that gives you the best reputation but it will give you the greatest profit margins.

Free Essays on Effectiveness Of Drug Testing In The Workplace

The Effectiveness of Drug Testing In The Work Place Drug testing at work is the single and most effective weapon we have against drug abuse. The goals of drug testing would include: Improvement in productivity A more safe work environment A decrease in absenteeism According to the American Council for Drug Education, substance abusers incur 300% higher medical costs than non-using employers do, and 25% of substance abusers steal from their employer. Also drug abusers are 33% less productive. Drug testing is required among public sector workers, such as police, firefighters, and other federal workers. In the private sector, airline pilots, bus drivers, train engineers, and others hold the lives of many people in their hands. Drug related accidents also encourage people to accept drug testing. More and more corporations require drug tests of their employees for safety reasons. When the State of Ohio introduced drug testing, they found absenteeism dropped 91%; there were 88% fewer problems with supervisors and 97% decease in on-the-job injuries. The most effective programs are those where the work force approves a humane, compassionate, and anti-drug policy. Many corporations have treatment programs for their employees in the case that they test positive for drug use. By treating these workers, employees not only promote a drug free environment, but also act to change situations of individuals. On thing is clear; drug testing will continue to spread fast regardless of government support, as the most practical and cost effective way to strengthen existing drug policies at work.... Free Essays on Effectiveness Of Drug Testing In The Workplace Free Essays on Effectiveness Of Drug Testing In The Workplace The Effectiveness of Drug Testing In The Work Place Drug testing at work is the single and most effective weapon we have against drug abuse. The goals of drug testing would include: Improvement in productivity A more safe work environment A decrease in absenteeism According to the American Council for Drug Education, substance abusers incur 300% higher medical costs than non-using employers do, and 25% of substance abusers steal from their employer. Also drug abusers are 33% less productive. Drug testing is required among public sector workers, such as police, firefighters, and other federal workers. In the private sector, airline pilots, bus drivers, train engineers, and others hold the lives of many people in their hands. Drug related accidents also encourage people to accept drug testing. More and more corporations require drug tests of their employees for safety reasons. When the State of Ohio introduced drug testing, they found absenteeism dropped 91%; there were 88% fewer problems with supervisors and 97% decease in on-the-job injuries. The most effective programs are those where the work force approves a humane, compassionate, and anti-drug policy. Many corporations have treatment programs for their employees in the case that they test positive for drug use. By treating these workers, employees not only promote a drug free environment, but also act to change situations of individuals. On thing is clear; drug testing will continue to spread fast regardless of government support, as the most practical and cost effective way to strengthen existing drug policies at work....

Smokey Restaurants essays

Smokey Restaurants essays According to an article in Public Health News titled "Number of Smoke-Free' Restaurants Soars", and published March 9, 1999, cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals and exposure to environmental smoke or secondhand smoke is responsible for 1,000 non-smoker deaths in Washington state each year. Listed below are some ideas that will help eliminate the problem of cigarette smoke ruining many meals in restaurants. In the past few years some public places have established their facilities as non-smoking out of respect of the customers health and enjoyment. Some examples are public transportation and public federal buildings. The customer respect issue regarding smoking needs to be adopted by all restaurants to avoid the nuisance of stale tobacco smells and tastes. Once solution to eliminate this problem is to create all restaurants as non-smoking. A second idea is to require all restaurants to install air purifier/cleaners. Non- smoking restaurants, enclosed smoking sections and required air purifier/cleaners offer different ways to eliminate dining in a smokey restaurant. Creating restaurants as non-smoking would avoid the problem of nicotine odors ruining many meals. The Onion, located in downtown Spokane, requires that all smoking be done in the bar area. The bar is separated from the main restaurant by a gate. I ate lunch at this restaurant, and while I was there smoke from the bar drifted to my table and spoiled my lunch. The non- smoking policy is catching on in various public places and restaurants taking on the same policy would solve this problem of spoiled meals caused by cigarette smoke. Enclosed smoking sections is also a solution to smokey restaurants. Enclosed smoking areas have solved the cigarette odor problem for public Bing halls and I believe that it could also work for restaurants. Denny's restaurant has a ...

Completing a threat assessment of ANSAR DINE. This entity poses a Essay

Completing a threat assessment of ANSAR DINE. This entity poses a threat to the United States in some way - Essay Example It is advisable that the US government should take this matter into serious consideration due to the fact that being an integrated part of ‘al-Qaeda’ it might raise threat against the interest of the US in the long run. One of such instances regarding this context includes the destruction of the ‘United Nations declared Heritage Sites’ in the area of Timbuktu, by Ansar Dine. This incident has raised severe levels of concerns for both the US as well as the security interests of the world along with bringing forward certain cases of humanitarian crisis2. Furthermore, the killing of ‘Osama bin laden’ (the leader of al-Qaeda) has further intensified the quest of this terrorist organization in the context of jeopardizing the western interests. Before the attack on the ‘World Trade Centre’ also known as (the attack of 9/11), the US government took the activities of this Islamic fundamentalist group in a casual manner. However, the attack of 9/11 completely changed the attitude of the US government towards this terrorist affiliate organization. The current fear of the US government is regarding the driving of the Ansar Dine militants into the ungoverned areas of the Sahara desert by the French army. The reason being, those ungoverned desert areas within Northern Mali can act as a settlement area for the al-Qaeda affiliates such as Ansar Dine3 This in turn has further increased the intensity of threat from this group both from the domestic as well as international perspective. This is due to the fact that Norther n Mali is a deserted border location within West Africa. Due to the geographical location of Mali, it will be easy for this Islamic fundamentalist group to easily smuggle funds, illegal machineries along with weapons from not only other states but also from the neighboring nations thereby increasing the threat intensity of the terrorist

Teaching Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Teaching Styles - Essay Example The teachers should indicate where the progress of every student is being made. Praise, when earned makes the student aware and feels his success. Constructive criticism may be needed where persistent errors are being made. 4. Independence. The learner's gradual independence from adults and their increasing sense of responsibility are positive indicators of good teaching. The degree of independence gained in a given period should eventually measure up with the maturity level of the student. 5. Remedial teaching. Good teaching is both diagnostic and remedial in many subjects. There are various standardized achievement and diagnostic tests to help teachers to identify specific errors and weaknesses of students. Teacher-made tests made on content of the subject matter also indicate where remedial teaching may be required. 7. Integration. Building upon previous knowledge and experiences acquired, new learning experiences will undoubtedly contribute to an integration of what has been completed into the new learning experiences. 8. Lesson planning. Learning units, lessons and activities for the day and even house-keeping must be well-planned. Daily activity should be thoughtfully planned indicating the detailed procedure and the time frame for each topic. The common strategies and techniques used in teaching are the following: 1.) lecture 2.) discussion 3.) question-and-answer 4.) lecture-demonstration 5.) problem strategy 6.) project method 7.) laboratory 8.) field trip 9.) group or team teaching and 10.) drill strategy or practice. Lecture Strategy. This is classified as an authoritative teaching procedure wherein the teacher teaches largely through exposition, either oral or written. While other authorities view the lecture strategy as traditional procedure, lecture is the most natural and practical way of imparting information. Its efficacy, however, depends upon who does the lecturing, what new information he has to impart, and how he presents it. Lecturing is most often considered as a suitable technique for large groups of listeners, although it may also be used with the small groups. If not properly delivered, lectures may be time-consuming. Even a good lecture may fail as a teaching procedure if the recipient-- the listeners-are not able to follow or to understand the facts presented. As used in higher education, lecture strategy is a teaching procedure which involves clarification, exposition, and description of some major ideas that have been cast into the form of questions. The fundamental aim of lecture is to develop the act of listening and to develop creative thinking and reasoning. It is therefore, recommended that, for the lecture to be effective and productive, it must be interesting, well-expresses, concise, well-organized and adapted to the abilities and experiences of the listeners. Lecture fits into the classroom activities where it is needed to supplement the textbook, classroom discussion, student report, and individual study. A lecture may be either formal or