MGMT338 U3 IP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGMT338 U3 IP - Research Paper Example Performance management of process includes the review and evaluation of processes performance and effectiveness. The use of clear objectives, standards, performance dimensions, and other measures helps to focus companies and also employee’s efforts. This increases productivity as departments within the organization get what needs to be done, and the redundant work is eliminated. This further saves organizational cost and streamlines the entire business operations. There are various tools to choose from which can help in evaluating the performance and developing appraisal systems. (Dinkin, E.,2009) These include ranking systems, three sixty feedback system, forced distribution, management by objectives, competency based performance, graphic rating scale, and behavioural anchored rating scale. There are multiple types of performance management plans that can be used by organizations. These range from strategic plans to the individual operational performance plans. The performanc e management plans that are used in the strategic planning of the firm relate to the long term performance goals and objectives. Hence, performance management plans can be divided into three main categories, the long term performance management plan, short term performance management plan, and micro level or individual level performance management plans. (Gruman, J. A., & Saks, A. M. ,2011) The impact of performance management on employees and the organization is positive in terms of productivity and efficiency. The use of performance management to align the strategic goals and objectives with the employee goals and aims help in streamlining and effectively achieving these strategic goals and objectives. The organizational productivity and performance is enhanced with the use of performance management. It has impacted directly on the company’s gross sales; the performance

Pre Implantation Genetic Testing Philosophy Essay

Pre Implantation Genetic Testing Philosophy Essay Humanity revolves around procreation. We need to reproduce in order to produce future generations. In the past few years, science and medicine has gained an immense amount of knowledge about pregnancy and the underlying developmental stages of how it works. Furthermore, science is progressively improving, resulting in our ability to diagnose, manipulate and sometimes treat genetic abnormalities. Procedures such as the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) were developed as a means to avoid selective abortions by detecting that the embryo is free of terrible lethal genetic diseases such as Huntingtons disease. However, recently PGD has been raising some ethical questions as people began using this technology for medically unrelated and unjustified reasons. Vanity and secondary motives of patients who use PGD for the creation of designer babies and savior siblings violates the fundamental principle of morality. Using PGD for reasons other than justified genetic testing is impermissi ble because it treats the potential baby as a means not as ends in itself; therefore, it violates Kants second categorical imperative. Scientific Background PGD works through a process of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). In this procedure, multiple eggs are produced, retrieved from the ovaries and [manually] fertilized with the husbands sperm in a laboratory, outside of the female body3. As the embryos develop in vitro, embryo biopsy is performed by removing a single cell from each three day old embryo4. These cells are analyzed-by a variety of methods-for particular chromosomal or genetic abnormalities in order to distinguish which embryos are free of genetic disease. Normal, healthy embryos are then transferred into the uterus where they can grow and develop into a healthy child. Arguments Kant Immanuel Kant came up with a moral philosophy that was based on a theory of the Categorical Imperative. These are valid principles based off of the concept of duty that must be obeyed by all and are good in and of themselves. The second categorical imperative states that one should Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means to an end2. In other words, one has perfect duty to not use someone as a means to achieve a personal goal. This principle of rationality formulates the core of moral law and requirements that rational agents must follow. Furthermore, each rational being has autonomy, or a free will to define their own law. However, possession of autonomy by each being implies that all persons should be treated equally, with the same amount of respect and one cannot infringe on the others rational will. The intuitive essence of humanity, therefore, objects to usin g others as a mere tool because it overlooks ones integrity and humanness. So, one cannot assert a moral right to own a person-like a piece of property-because proprietary right over a person denies any existence of a free rational action; furthermore, it denies the person a right to be an end in themselves. But, humans have value and worth; hence, they require to be respected. Each person deserves to be respected for his/her integral being (of who they are). While PGD is performed on fetuses, its use is still unjustified because fetuses are potential persons and therefore, require the same amount of respect as any other person. Furthermore, the use of PGD in creating designer babies and savior siblings violates Kants second categorical imperative. Designer Babies A very compelling argument against PGD arises out of its questionable potential use in creating perfect designer babies. The technology behind PGD would allow parents to select specific and nonessential traits (such as eye color, height, athletic ability, even intelligence) that they want their child to express. Such technology is reminiscent of the Build-a-Bear Workshop but for grown-ups. Using PGD as a means for eugenics is fallacious and unjustified in many ways, such as its violation of the second categorical imperative. Parents have abused PGD use in order to have it cater to their individual conceited expectations of creating a perfect child. They vainly pick and chose the traits they find beneficial and get rid of ones they find unhealthy or unperfect so they could satisfy their goal of not having a financially and socially burdensome child. Not only is this wrong because it discriminates against the disabled but also because it violates the core value of humanity by infringing upon the childs autonomous will by treating him/her as a means to an inappropriate end. The parents social and economic ends are being pursued while the childs ends are being neglected. In designing a child, parents destruct the childs will (in a few different ways) therefore, they fail to treat them as an end in themselves. Physically, parents annihilate certain features their child would naturally possess (not to mention the obliteration of unwanted fetuses). By doing so, parents fail to treat the child humanely. Also, al tering mental abilities of a child is deceptive and confuses their will. Hence, it overlooks the rational ability of a-potential-rational agent and his/her end in himself/herself. Finally, parents restrict their childs will by altering their whole mental and physical being and not allowing them to pursue their individual goals as they see fit4. In order for the mental and physical humanity to be treated as an end, ones will must exist. However, when parents select traits for their child, they overlook their childs dignified and humane right to be how they were naturally meant to be. They use their child as a means to reach some vain, social or economical end, therefore, violating Kants second categorical imperative. Every human being is a rational agent (even the fetus which is a potential person) and has autonomy; therefore, one should not be treated as a means to an end. Because the use of PGD allows parents to use their children as a means to an unjustified end, its use is imperm issible. Savior Siblings Another issue with using PGD rises out of its unjustified creation of savior siblings. A savior sibling is a child created by tissue typing and help of PGD in hope of providing a perfect HLA-match for the seriously sick sibling in order to save his/her life. While the engineered child does not benefit or is harmed, the implications of such procedure are morally unethical. It objectifies the child, viewing him/her as a mere commodity, disregarding the childs humane right to equality. Treating such child as a tool to cure another violates an ethical principle of treating a person as an end in himself/herself (violates the second CI) because it uses the child as a means for which to treat the unhealthy older sibling. Such applications of PGD resemble slavery, where the savior child is a slave and the parent is a slave-owner. The parent would possess a right to own the slave child affirming the child as a commodity. But a child is not an object to have possession over; the child is a per son who requires respect and possesses an autonomous will to be an end in himself/herself. Therefore, creating a slave or savior sibling would violate the categorical imperative due to the demolishment of the childs free rational action. Thus, use of PGD for the creation of savior (slave) siblings is unjustified because it strongly violates Kants second categorical imperative. Furthermore, creation of savior siblings leads to other problems. In addition to being unethical, there is a strong belief that a childs profound identity would be impaired. They would be viewed as a secondary gain, a tool solely designed for the purpose of saving another life. This impaired will of the child would lead to countless psychological problems. The mental aspect of the childs humane nature would be compromised-the child would lack self-esteem and self-rescpect-as he/she would not be praised for his/her individual value but rather as a means to a particular end. Parents, by using PGD for instrumentalization of their children, would violate the childs autonomous will and individual personal value by using them as mere means to parental ends and limit[ing] a childs right to an open future4. In sum, PGD promotes unjustified creation of designer babies and savior siblings. The use of this technology allows parents to use their children (or potential children) as a means to satisfy their parental end; therefore, neglecting the childs autonomous will to be an end in himself/herself. Thus using PGD to create designer babies and savior siblings is impermissible because it violates Kants second categorical imperative. Opposition PGD is argued to be unethical in this paper; however, others view its use acceptable and nothing more than a legitimate autonomous right of parents to produce healthy children. They believe that because parents are the most socially and economically affected by the birth of a child, then they should have the right and freedom to choose the identity of their offspring. Having a healthy child is in the parents interest because it is less socially and financially constraining and burdensome. Besides, being healthy is in the best interest of the child as well. The child would want to live a happy and healthy life, free of disease. If PGD can provide a tool for removing such lethal and stigmatizing disease form society, then it should be perfectly plausible to be able to use it. Parents have a right to choose what it best for their children and family; therefore, using PGD as a means that will allow them to select for traits they see best fit for their child would be perfectly justified. Rebuttal However, while these are plausible reasons for the use of PGD, they are not strong enough to justify its immoral applications. Every single individual-even the potential person and the disabled-has a right to autonomy. No one can or should be able to define what life is worth living; furthermore, no one can impose the quality of life of principle on another. As previously stated, we can not say that the disabled lead a good or a bad life; it is simply not for us to decide. In fact, values of good and bad are of human conception and will vary from person to person. Parents need to take responsibility, financially and mentally for their child regardless of its physical well-being. Good parent do not choose; furthermore, they do not use their child as a means to appease their interest of having a less socially and financially constraining life. Using PGD for vain reasons is never morally justified. Using PGD for medicinal reasons is appropriate; however, using it for designer babies and savior siblings violates the fundamental principle of ethics (Kants second categorical imperative) and therefore, can never be morally justified. Conclusion In conclusion, PGD has revolutionized reproduction. It has granted access into a remote realm by allowing persons to select favorable genetic characteristics of offspring before implantation. However, while its promising view of the world without suffering and disease sounds appealing, moral justifications of PGD and its policy raise many concerns. More specifically, some of the issues with the use of this technology deal with the unjustified creation of designer babies and savior siblings. These are serious issues, the implications of which can have destructive and irreversible consequences on the present and future generations. While some of the applications of PGD may be accepted; nevertheless, as of now, the risks outweigh the benefits. It is not medicines role to make one more socially accepted or be better-off. Those are not the types of standards for us to decide. Intentional destruction of potential human life is never justified. PGD runs on a dangerously thin line of potenti al medicinal benefit and playing God. It also violates Kants second categorical imperative by treating fetuses as a mere means to an end. Therefore, until clear, strictly medicinal and ethical applications of PGD are established, the use of this technology can not be justified.

Free Catch-22 Essays: The Character of Yossarian :: Catch-22

The Character of Yossarian in Catch-22 The main character in Catch-22, which was written by Joseph Heller in 1960, was Captain John Yossarian, a bombardier in the 256th Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Force during WWII. Yossarian's commanding officer, Colonel Cathcart, wanted a promotion so badly that he kept raising the number of missions the men in his squadron were required to fight. Yossarian resented this very much, but he couldn't do anything about it because a bureaucratic trap, known as catch-22, said that the men did not have the right to go home after they completed forty missions (the number of missions the Army demands they fly) because they had to obey their commanding officers. Yossarian was controlled by the higher authority like the doctors restrained Joe. The whole novel was basically about how Yossarian tried to fight catch-22. Yossarian can be seen as an anti-hero. Many of his actions could be considered immoral or cowardly. For example, in the hospital, he forged and tampered with letters he censored. Whenever he was overwhelmed by the horrors of war and by memories of his friends' deaths, he created symptoms that got him admitted to hospitals. He also made repeated attempts to be judged as certifiably insane so that he could be discharged. In the end, Yossarian deserted the Army and fled to Sweden, the only place he knew to be safe and sane. However, Yossarian also possessed traits we would expect to find in a hero. He was intelligent. For example, he knew enough about world literature to identify himself with heroic loners from all kinds of classics. He had few illusions, unlike Pip and Henry. For example, in cadet training, Clevinger thought Lieutenant Scheisskopf really wanted suggestions, but Yossarian knew Scheisskopf didn't mean it. He was respected, admired, and liked by others. For example, Dobbs would not carry out his plot to kill Colonel Cathcart unless Yossarian approved. Milo admired Yossarian and asked him for business advice. The chaplain also liked Yossarian enough no to speak up when he recognized a "Washington Irving" forgery as Yossarian's. In many ways, Yossarian was also a very moral person. For example, he turned down the hero deal (his irritated commanding officers offered to send him home as a hero if he would praise them publicly). He did not sleep with a woman unless he was in love with her, unlike Odysseus who was unfaithful to his wife in order to save him and his men.

HP Case Study †Strategy Essay

Hewlett-Packard’s personal computer (PC) division operates in a hyper-competitive, highly-commoditized industry subject to dynamic shifts. The PC industry is driven by technological advancements requiring continuing commitment to research and development to capture the ever-changing PC market. For most of the past five years, Hewlett-Packard led the PC industry in terms of market share. However, Hewlett-Packard’s market share is currently declining and recent industry reports indicate that a Chinese low cost PC manufacturer, Lenovo, is now the market share leader. Over four primary sections, we performed an analysis of Hewlett-Packard’s strategy in the PC industry. First, we performed an external industry examination to obtain information on the current conditions of the market, including industry trends, buyer and supplier marketplace power, and emerging market concerns, such as the threat of PC substitutes. Second, we conducted an internal analysis to determine Hewlett-Packard’s top resources, assets and liabilities, and potential capabilities from its value chain. Third, we documented Hewlett-Packard’s current strategic position within the PC industry. Fourth, we examined and scrutinize Hewlett-Packard’s current industry strategy of returning to its core competencies while consolidating aspects of its PC manufacturing and sales. From the information in these sections, we conclude that if Hewlett-Packard is to sustain (or regain) its place as the market leader in the PC industry, it must leverage its brand recognition, economies of scale advantages, and product integration features to capture market value while producing technologically competitive products. Introduction This analysis is focused on the personal computer (PC) segment of Hewlett-Packard (HP). For clarification, HP’s PCs segment includes desktop, laptop, and notebook / netbook computers. Hardware devices falling outside of the PC category are mobile personal computing devices, such as tablets and cellular phones. HP’s PC sales for fiscal year 2012 were $41. 5 billion, which represents 26. 5% of HP’s $120 billion total revenue from all products and services. HP’s PC sales captured a 16% share of the total PC market (Trefis, 2012). From an analytical standpoint, HP has made many significant moves over the past three to four years, including numerous changes in company leadership and distinct shifts in business strategy. As a result, the ultimate effectiveness and success of HP’s strategies discussed has yet to be seen. Therefore, some of the conclusions we draw regarding HP’s forward strategy will be measured by whether HP’s strategic decisions align with its competitive advantages and obligations to stakeholders. External Analysis The global PC industry is led by a small number of large scale manufacturers who are homogenizing products and looking to capitalize on low cost labor resources. Industry demand is driven by technological developments, disposable consumer spending, and corporate spending cycles (First Research, 2012). Although global demand for PCs has increased, profit margins are decreasing, creating an industry focused on price rivalry and little differentiation (MarketLine, 2012). In addition, PC substitutes are a major threat to the PC industry (Indigo, 2012). The traditional PC industry, with its focus on desktops and laptops, is in the mature or declining stage of its life cycle. Our external analysis examines the significant factors influencing the current PC environment, including potential market threats and opportunities during the next five years, and how HP is performing relative to its industry competitors. Exhibit One illustrates the forces currently affecting the PC industry. Threat of New Entrants Overall, the threat of new entrants is low because any new entrants face numerous competitive obstacles in order to obtain industry relevance. The PC industry has significant fixed entry costs and the challenges to compete with the economies of scale of major companies would be exceedingly difficult for potential entrants to overcome. Brand recognition creates another distinct entry barrier because PC consumers have high brand awareness (MarketLine, 2012). With that mentioned, Microsoft and Intel are powerful industry suppliers so the threat for forward integration is reasonable. In addition, the oversaturation of basic PC component suppliers in Southeast Asia poses an additional concern for potential entrants to the industry. New firms could originate in Southeast Asia by leveraging the low cost labor force and avoiding expensive supply chain expenditures. Buyer Power Differentiation: The industry trend is to move manufacturing abroad in order to capture low cost labor efficiencies. There also has been a trend to homogenize products across the industry (Krabeepetcharat, 2012). In order to drive manufacturing costs down, most basic components used in the PC industry are standardized and lack significant differentiation (MarketLine, 2012). The exception differentiators are memory size, processor speed, and product form features (Bradley, 2012). Overall the industry has moved toward commoditization, which strengthens buyer power. Network Effect / Brand Recognition: Regardless of particular PC brand, consumer brand awareness is high in this focal industry. Apple has carved out a unique and loyal customer following largely because its users have higher switching costs than other PC users due to Apple’s specific computer operating system. If Apple consumers were to change to a non-Apple computer, they would be required to learn a new operating system. Apart from Apple computers, the majority of the other PCs run on Microsoft Windows-based operating systems. Consumers of PCs operating on Windows have lower switching costs overall, allowing more independence in switching brands. Despite this, brand awareness is still high among consumers of Windows-based PCs, thus contributing to an overall moderate buyer power rating. Supplier Power Microsoft and Intel are two powerful suppliers to the PC industry. Intel is the leading manufacturer of the processors inside all PCs. Intel’s brand name carries significant brand recognition to end-level consumers providing Intel with a powerful industry position. Similarly, Microsoft’s widely-used Windows operating system provides Microsoft a powerful industry position as well. As mentioned earlier, the manufacture of most basic component PC parts is being outsourced to Southeast Asia to capitalize on low cost labor. Since Southeast Asia is replete with component suppliers competing with one another, major PC manufacturers face low switching costs when deciding on basic component suppliers. Therefore, supplier power in the PC industry is divided between powerful suppliers, such as Microsoft and Intel, and basic component suppliers with relatively little power. However, any examination of supplier power must acknowledge a growing socio-cultural concern regarding working conditions in low-cost labor regions that may factor into business decisions. Substitutes The PC industry has been significantly impacted by the threat of substitutes in recent years. Emerging mobile technologies, such as smart phones and tablets, now account for 61% of total PC market volume (MarketLine, 2012). While smart phones and tablets are strong substitutes for consumer PC purchasers, up to this point mobile devices have not had the same impact on business-end users, who generally chose the robust functionality of traditional PCs over less powerful smart phones and tablets. It is important for PC manufacturers to leverage these capabilities to diminish the functionality gap between PCs and PC substitutes. Degree of Rivalry Market Value Forecast: Future PC sales are projected to generate slimmer profit margins than the current 3. 8% industry average (Krabeepetcharat, 2012). As major manufacturers leverage manufacturing efficiencies abroad, product costs are lowering, creating a degree of rivalry and a focus on end-level costs. Manufacturers are essentially looking to cut costs and offer cheaper products to gain market share (First Research, 2012). Since products within the industry lack differentiation, price competition becomes the default battleground, resulting in ever-shrinking profit margins (Porter, 2007). This is very apparent in the PC industry market forecast (exhibit two), which projects a 10% decrease between 2011 and 2016 (MarketLine, 2012). Apple’s position in this analysis is noteworthy. Apple is the only pure hardware/software integrator, which has allowed Apple to create an incredibly strong position that is unique to the PC industry. Apple’s five-year rolling profit margin average is approximately 23%, significantly higher than the PC industry (exhibit two) at large (YCharts, 2012). Large Scale Manufacturers: Computer manufacturing is labor intensive. Major industry participants have moved manufacturing abroad to take advantage of low cost labor and geographic proximity to electronic component manufacturers (ECMs) in Southeast Asia. This close proximity to ECMs contributes to low switching costs for PC manufacturers (Krabeepetcharat, 2012). Shifting production of PC manufacturing to low cost labor regions and having access to numerous component suppliers creates economies of scale advantages for these large PC manufacturers. HP’s Performance Relative to PC Manufacturing Competitors Since 2007, Hewlett-Packard held the market share leader position (MarketLine, 2012). However, in the fourth quarter 2012, Lenovo, Chinese PC manufacturing firm (formerly IBM’s PC division), overtook the market share leader position (Gaudin, 2012). HP’s brand still carries superior brand integrity in the PC industry. The integration of multiple HP products, such as laptops seamlessly linking to HP printers, help differentiate an HP consumer’s experience. Additionally, HP’s ancillary products and services are still a strong differentiator (Bradley, 2012), and HP was able to capture a 5. 6% profit margin in 2011 (Hughes, 2011), a margin higher than the industry average of 3. 8% (MarketLine, 2012). Exhibit two captures HP’s competitive advantage over top rivals in regards to profit margins. In the United States, HP remains the largest domestic PC manufacturer (MarketLine, 2012). With the high degree of rivalry in the industry, the maturing/declining PC industry is shifting manufacturing to low cost regions abroad. Since the United States is the second-largest PC consuming country in the world, HP must continue to delicately balance its outsourcing activities (Krabeepetcharat, 2012). Once considered a technological leader in the PC industry, HP now struggles with competition from PC substitutes such as tablets and phones. Looking forward, it is critical that HP retains market share and re-establishes profitable growth in the PC industry by being first-to-market with new technologies or higher performing capabilities (First Research, 2012). Internal Analysis As a whole, the PC industry is currently in the mature or declining stage of its life cycle. During the six-year period spanning 2005 to 2011, HP’s unfavorable strategic decisions caused a refocusing and restructuring of its PC division. Listed below are HP’s top resources from its VRIST and top capabilities from its value chain. Comparing these resources and capabilities against HP’s past and current weaknesses allows an analysis of whether HP is propitiously positioned to regain its former status as the world’s leading PC manufacturer. HP’s PC Resources and Capabilities R&D / Intellectual Property Trusted Brand / Profit Margin Interoperability Market Share HP’s PC Weaknesses Acquisitions Substitutions Market Share Trends PC Revenue Trend Value Chain In the Technology section of HP’s Value Chain, HP is returning to one of its long standing core competencies by increasing investments in its Research & Development department (R&D). According to exhibit three, prior to 2004, HP’s R&D budget was more than $3. 7 billion. But after Mark Hurd became CEO in 2005, the R&D budget was reduced to as little as $2. 8 billion in 2009 (Y-charts, 2012). As shown in the lag metrics for new products over the past two years, this significant decrease in R&D correlates directly to the middling success of HP’s recent product launches. HP’s initial launch into the smart phone and tablet market offers tangible evidence of mediocre product development as both the Palm webOS and touchpad were subsequently discontinued. In 2010, HP started to increase its R&D budget again and the reporting for calendar year 2012 shows the R&D budget is over $3. 4 billion through November. This increased financing and refocus into technology development is a promising indicator, but any resulting intellectual property will take time to build back up. VRIST Analysis HP continues to be a trusted PC brand name (FTSE, 2012). Next to its intellectual property, HP’s brand name is its most valuable extraordinary resource. HP manages to earn higher profit margins than the rest of the leading hardware PC manufacturers based in part on this brand awareness (MarketLine, 2012). HP’s trusted brand image is a competitive advantage that it must sustain. Through brand recognition and interoperability with other products across its platform, HP is able to charge consumers a slightly higher premium over other leading PC manufacturers. Interoperability HP expects the interoperability of its Ultrabooks, ElitePad, and smart phones with other HP products and solutions, such as ePrint Cloud Services, to be its distinguishing competitive advantage (video link). HP’s next generation Ultrabooks boast stylish form features, low power consumption, world-class security features, and preserve mainstream price points. HP and its partners anticipate that these features will differentiate its PCs from its competitors (Bradley, 2012) and could one day be an extraordinary resource much like it is for the Apple brand. Since the PC market is facing continued encroachment from tablets and other PC substitutes, HP is marketing its enterprise tablet (ElitePad 900) in early 2013. Additionally, HP’s managers feel its enterprise tablet has the opportunity to differentiate with other products HP offers by providing interplay between the physical and digital worlds (Bradley, 2012). Overall, the size, scale, and connection that HP products have will enable customers to create, store, consume, and share information safer than before (Bradley, 2012). Market Share Since 2007, HP was the leading global PC manufacturer (MarketLine, 2007). But in the fourth quarter of 2012, Lenovo, a Chinese PC manufacturing firm overtook HP and now leads all manufacturers in global PC sales (Gaudin, 2012). Furthermore, China is now the largest global PC consumer market (Dauod, 12). HP faces substantial difficulty regaining its prior spot as market leader because Lenovo’s is a Chinese company with greater access to the China’s PC market; the largest and quickest growing PC market in the world. HP currently manufactures 16% of all PCs shipped worldwide, however that market share has declined since 2010 (MarketLine, 2012). Once a technological leader, HP is now an industry laggard and must develop new marketable technology to maintain its market share position in this hyper-competitive market. Acquisitions HP recently made some costly acquisitions with the goal of reaching product segments with higher profit margins (Krabeepetcharat 2012). Autonomy, a British software firm which specializes in â€Å"unstructured data† or human information, was purchased for nearly $11 billion dollars. HP is now accusing Autonomy of overvaluing its financial records and has taken an $8. 8 billion write-off against its balance sheet for this acquisition (Rushe, 2012). HP also purchased Palm in 2010 for $1. 2 billion with the hope of capitalizing on the emerging tablet market. But consumer sales of HP’s new tablet, the TouchPad, failed to support the product line, and the TouchPad was discontinued less than a year after product launch (Panzarino, 2012). Beyond these noted questionable acquisitions, HP made numerous other eyebrow-raising acquisitions under past CEOs that were not in line with HP’s core competencies. Internal Analysis Conclusion In August 2011, HP’s last CEO announced that HP planned to divest of its PC division (Krabeepetcharat, 2012). However, HP’s current CEO, Meg Whitman, has stated a renewed commitment to the PC segment. Part of HP’s internal strategy is to rebuild the balance sheet through the newly formed Printer and Personal Services (PPS) division in order to accommodate acquisition-related charges (Thacker, 2012). This is part of the CEO’s five-year plan to rebuild HP (Whitman, 2012). While multi-billion dollar write-offs are staggering hurdles for any company to survive, if HP can return to its core competencies and re-brand itself as the company of innovation (as it was once known), then HP can remain a dominant participant in the PC industry. Current HP Strategic Position Our strategy diamond analysis, shown in Exhibit five, determines that HP plans on implementing the following five strategies in the PC industry: (1) Focus on R&D (vehicles) (2) Pursue emerging markets (staging) (3) Reduce SKU’s offered (arenas) (4) Integrated products & services (differentiators) (5) Economies of scale & Consolidation (Economic Logic) Vehicles HP’s primary strategy vehicle is a commitment to R&D in order to re-establish HP as a technologically focused hardware company (Times, 2012). Exhibit 2 illustrates HP’s changing strategy regarding R&D investment. Starting in 2005, HP’s investments in R&D steadily decreased. After reaching its lowest figure in 2010, the R&D budget was increased. In 2011, HP invested $3. 25 billion on R&D, a significant improvement from 2009, when HP invested just $2. 77 billion in R&D (Yarrow, 2012). Interestingly, the bottom chart on Exhibit 2 shows that Apple spent less on R&D than HP but delivered technologically superior products. This exemplifies how R&D spending does not always equate cleanly with results. R&D is critical to generating a pipeline of intellectual property. Intellectual property is critical to HP’s growth because it is one of HP’s extraordinary resources. Strong R&D investments are often a good leading indicator of well-received future products. On the other hand, the lag metrics arising from HP’s previous R&D slashing indicate numerous problems. Of most concern is the failed WebOS that affected both HP’s initial smart phone and tablet touch pad releases (Davis, 2011). After the poor reception of HP’s WebOS, it became open-source software available to the general public to freely use and modify. HP is currently working on developing its own WebOS but is opening the system to the free market to encourage outside development of mobile applications. Staging Pursuing emerging markets such as China will enable HP to produce and distribute PCs more cost effectively. In fact, China is the future hub of both HP’s manufacturing and distribution plan (Bradley, China, 2012). HP’s executive team is aware of China’s increasingly vital role in consumer PC sales. China currently accounts for 20% of the market and is expected to double the United States’ PC consumption by 2016 (Bradley, Shanghi summit, 2012). HP is acting early by building PC manufacturing facilities in China, both to act as a distribution hub for other Asian suppliers and to distribute PCs directly to the Chinese market. Since HP began this strategy two years ago, HP seems to have been correctly following leading indicators and should see a beneficial pay-off over the coming years as China’s market surpasses the United States’ PC market. Arenas HP intends to reduce the number of its PC and printer stock-keeping units (SKUs) by 25% and 30% respectively by 2015 (Bradley, Newsroom, 2012). The maintenance cost of servicing over 2,100 types of laser printers is neither sustainable nor conducive to continued growth and profitability. Instead of divesting the PC division, as considered in 2011, HP now intends to re-invent its existing product line by focusing on quality innovation over quantity of product offerings. Geographically, HP will also be building a Chinese-based manufacturing facility which will help them operate more cost effectively in that emerging market. Differentiators HP expects to differentiate itself from other PC manufacturers by integrating products with services solutions, a process HP has already begun. In March 2012, HP combined its Personal Systems Group (PSG) with its Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) to form a new segment named Printing & Personal Systems (PPS) (Bradley, 2012). According to a HP director, merging the two groups into PPS â€Å"was a key strategy to provide consumers and business customers with better products and solutions that are seamlessly integrated with each other. † For example, upon purchasing a HP laptop, a consumer can expect his or her new laptop to wirelessly find and automatically connect with any of the consumer’s HP printers or other products. In addition, by integrating internal supply chain processes between the old PSG and IPG, and having a single HP sales person selling both PCs and printers, HP can keep the prices of its products and services competitive. It is business strategies such as these that show HP is still forward-thinking and seeking innovative or cost effective technologies. Refer to Exhibit 3 to view one of HP’s marketing videos (HP marketing, 2012). Another example of how the newly-formed PPS group integrates products can be seen in their â€Å"Exstream† product, which has been put to use by Humana and saved millions Humana millions by integrating static and dynamic content for easier communication with clients (HP marketing, Humana, 2012). Economic Logic Economies of Scale: As HP seeks to differentiate its PPS group to drive product innovation, there will be significant cost-saving effects due to increased economies of scale. Essentially, HP will save money by manufacturing more products directly in emerging markets like China. With China’s consumer PC market expected to double that of the United States, HP is ideally situated to take advantageous benefit of China’s emerging market through manufacturing plants and distribution channels located within China. Consolidation: By consolidating its PC and Printing groups, HP strengthened its position in many ways, including lowering costs in the supply chain. In addition to consolidating its supply chain functions, HP is also streamlining its sales teams and reducing its functional support organizations (Bradley, 2012). HP’s current PC strategy of consolidation is a direct byproduct of both a planned decrease in SKUs and the PC manufacturing and consumer sales reaching the ending stage of their lifecycles. If HP can successfully set new standards for PC and printing synergies through consolidation, then HP can create a viable path to maintaining its history of premium pricing via product features. HP Strategic Implementation Based on our analysis, the facets of HP’s strategy diamond are internally consistent. HP’s analyzed strategies are both interconnected and overlapping. For example, being focused on China provides HP with a strong arena given China’s anticipated growth in the consumer PC market. But a presence in China also validates HP’s economic logic by producing lowered costs. Overall, HP’s PC strategy is sound because HP is returning to its core competencies, such as hardware innovation. On a larger scale, HP’s renewed focus on R&D coupled with the creation of the PSG division supports HP’s current desire to grow organically rather than through mergers and acquisitions. One weakness that continues to hamper HP is operating with over $20 billion in debt derived almost entirely from acquisition costs related to fruitless assets. Looking back, HP could have benefited from smarter business plans, including a balanced scorecard, prior to some of these acquisitions. With such information, HP would have had a more realistic chance to make each acquisition profitable, or perhaps it would have had enough qualitative metrics to realize that the acquisition may not integrate with its core processes. Since change in the PC industry is highly iterative, HP must continually adjust the implementation of its forward strategy. Fortunately, HP appears to be taking the necessary steps to address its past failures and to capitalize on future opportunities. Since HP still has industry-wide brand name recognition, its return to market dominance is entirely feasible. But as technology progresses and markets shift, HP’s ability to maintain sustainable growth will depend largely on whether HP’s new PC business strategy can capture value while simultaneously producing competitive, cutting edge products.

Religion, Poverty and Wealth

All Christians believe that the world and everything in it have been created by God. They believe that the world is holy, special, divine, worthy of respect and honour. ‘The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. ‘ Psalm 24:1-2 Because ‘the earth is the Lord's', Christians believe they are stewards or caretakers. They should be committed to the proper management of the world and its resources.Since the earth has been delegated to people by God they have to manage it esponsibly and productively for the sake of both their own and subsequent generations. The following bible quotes tell us that everything belongs to God. God made the mountains, the sea, dry land and the skies. They also show that God's creation reveals his greatness: ‘For the Lord is the great God ¤Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬: In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. T he sea is his, for he made it, and his hands form the dry land' Psalm 95:3-6 Christianity teaches us that God is the God of nature, as well as of religion.God made the physical universe, sustains it, and still pronounces it good. God is interested in, nd looks after his creation. ‘God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. ‘ Genesis 1 Christians believe that God made human beings to be like himself. ‘So God created man in his own image ¤Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬: male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Genesis 1:27-28 Human beings are godlike beings made in Gods likeness and possessing capacities which distinguish them from the animal creation. Since God is interested in the arth, so should the Christian want to care for all that God has made. God tells man to look after the earth and Christians believe they have a responsible task in God's plan for creation. God tells man they should care for the world and Christians believe that they should look atter it because ne nas given it to them. Theretore they should respect it and protect it.As well as caring for the earth, Jesus taught his followers to love God with all their heart, and to love their neighbours as themselves. In Matthew 19:16-21 Jesus told a rich, young man that if he wanted eternal life he should love his neighbour as imself, which included selling his processions and giving to the poor. Love of God cannot be separated from love for humanity. Christians try to live their lives by this rule. Christians believe they should take what they say and sing in church, in to their everyday lives, so that it affects all of their life, at home, work, school etc. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. ‘ Jame s 1:27 Christians should truly love their neighbours and should be concerned for their total welfare: the well being of their soul, their body, and their community. Christians look to Jesus for an example for their lives. Jesus humbled himself and became weak and vulnerable to serve people. He healed the sick, feed the hungry and was a friend to the dropouts. He said he did not come to be served but to serve.Therefore if the Christian models his or her life on Jesus, it will involve entering into other people's worlds. Jesus was moved with compassion by the sight of needy human beings and Christians follow this example. Faith and love go together for Christians: ‘Faith by itself if it is not accompanied by action is dead ¤Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬:l will show you my faith by what I do. ‘ James 2:17-18 This implies that the Christian should show their faith by loving and serving others. ‘If anyone has material possessions and seize his brother in need but has no pity on him, ho w can the love of God be in him. 1 John 3:17 These verses give an example of how Christians should lay down their lives for others – to help those in need. When Jesus was asked to define what he meant by ‘neighbour', he told the well known parable of the good Samaritan which is found in Luke chapter 10. Jesus paints the scene of a man lying mugged by the side of a road. Two kind of religious leaders, a priest and a Levite pass him without stopping. The audience expect a third person to come by and help the victim who will be an ordinary layman, a fellow Jew. But Jesus surprises them. The third man is a Samaritan, an enemy.Jesus shows that loving your neighbour means acting when you meet a person in need, even it it is an enemy or an inconvenience to you. Jesus tells the people not to sit about debating who counts as your neighbour but to go out and be a good neighbour as the need arises. Christians believe that their neighbour is not Just the person who looks like them, but people of all races throughout the world who are all bound together in the human family. Jesus bases this love for enemies on the example of God. As the creator God, involved with every detail of the universe, he does not discriminate between deserving and undeserving human beings.

Study Tour Report to Germany on the Theme Industrial Relations, Labour Productivity and National Development The WritePass Journal

Study Tour Report to Germany on the Theme Industrial Relations, Labour Productivity and National Development Historical and theoretical perspectives on industrial relations, labour productivity and national development Study Tour Report to Germany on the Theme Industrial Relations, Labour Productivity and National Development Historical and theoretical perspectives on industrial relations, labour productivity and national developmentThe political economy of industrial relations, labour productivity and national developmentGlobalisation and corporate governance: the dynamics of industrial relations and labour productivity in national developmentIndustrial relations and labour productivity: challenges and opportunities for defence and national securityConclusionReferencesRelated Historical and theoretical perspectives on industrial relations, labour productivity and national development Industrial relations grew out of the need for workers to join forces and present their grievances to the employers as a unified force. Kuhn (2006, p.23) suggests that everyone who earns income through work or is involved in the management of workers is immersed in the practice of industrial relations. Changes in industrial relations and the quality of employment relationships have an effect on the productivity of an organisation. In addition to this, the terms and conditions of employment have a direct effect on the workers’ quality of life both in and out of the organisational premises. If the quality of life lead by the workers is poor, then this will be transferred to their productivity at work as they will not be able to perform at the highest level regardless of the mechanisms that the employer puts in place to maximise production (Kuznetsov, Dahlman, World Bank Institute 2008, p.31). Generally most people get to know the meaning of the term industrial relations long before they even get into employment. This knowledge partly comes from its daily use by friends, family and the media both of which try to present industrial relations as events that involve trade unions and conflict incidents. However this meaning is not the right one because it makes people perceive industrial relations as a rebellious movement which is not actually the case. This is why it is necessary to first ascertain a clear and useful definition of industrial relations before considering the debate in more depth. . Korres (2008, p. 21) defines industrial relations as the interaction of people and organisations in the work place. Industrial relations is concerned with how people, groups, institutions and organisations make decisions that regulate or shape the relationships between employees and employees, employees and employers, and trade unions and employers. Therefore industrial relations ar e concerned with the working life, society and the national economy. The main purpose of industrial relations is to provide a conceptual framework for ensuring that the different relationships at the organisational level run smoothly. Welfe (2009, p.56) asserts that industrial relations can be analysed using three major theoretical perspectives namely unitary, pluralist and Marxist. All of these perspectives interpret workplace conflicts, role of trade unions and variations in job regulations uniquely in order to generate solutions. The unitary theory perceives organisations as an integrated unit with all the members working towards the achievement of common objectives. There is only one source of authority which is the management, trade unions are perceived as being unnecessary (Kuznetsov, Dahlman, World Bank Institute 2008, p. 88). The pluralist theory regards organisations as being comprised of powerful and divergent groups which are the trade unions and the management. These two groups have their own legitimate loyalties and objectives. The pluralists consider the conflict of interest and disagreement between the two groups as inevitable. Trade unions are therefore regarded as legitimate representatives of workers charged with the responsibility of bargaining for their interests. The Marxist theory sees fundamental divisions of interest between labour and capital in organisations. The inequalities of economic wealth and power are products of the capitalist system (Kattel Kalvet, 2006, p. 38). The Marxist perspective stresses that organisational conflict is necessary and it arises from the inequitable distribution of resources. The political economy of industrial relations, labour productivity and national development Leydesdorff (2006, p. 99) says that trade unions have had inextricable links with political parties and movements in different countries. Although some states have over time managed to decentralise trade unions from national politics, others are still struggling to do so. Even in countries like India where labour movements and politics have had intricate associations in the past, independent unions are now increasingly emerging (International Conference on Computer Processing of Oriental Languages, Li MollaÃŒ -Aliod 2009, p. 95). Owing to the historical relationship between politics and trade unionism, labour strikes seem to increase during periods of political instability. During these periods, the unions often have a tendency of displaying increased militancy as a way of offering assurance to the members that their demands will be met using all possible means. Such an assurance acts as an added incentive for the employers to join the unions. The trade unions however, in most cases distance themselves away from any acts of militarism terming it as a media ploy to negatively present their motives. Most trade unions hold the view that the media should clearly differentiate individual criminal acts from the violence that is sponsored by the unions (Llerena, Matt, Avadikyan 2005, p. 121). Regarding the opinions held by the employers that the trade unions are heavily politicised, the trade unions believe that their employers use their political connections as leverage against workers with dissenting opinions. The unions believe that even before the employers sit down with the unions to listen to their grievances, they always have a tendency of finding out the political inclination of the dissenting workers and then hold talks with the relevant political heads. Such tendencies make it difficult for the negotiation process because collective bargaining is often compromised. Menkhoff (2011, p.77) asserts that politics and unioni sm have always gone together but the effects of the association are gross in unstable political environments as they in most cases lead to industrial disputes. Regulatory and institutional frameworks for labour and national productivity Industrial relations still has a very significant role to play in the social protection of workers in the 21st century. The adoption of protection tariffs along with restrictions on immigration plays a major role towards the establishment of legal systems for regulating labour in order to help the workers. For instance regulations that are explicitly connected to industrial policies like tariff protection with standards of labour in the form of determining the minimum wage for workers have a direct effect on industrial relations (Weiss Schmidt 2008, p. 63). The proponents of such mechanisms are in most cases concerned with investment and social protection of workers as well as the profits of the businesses being protected. Therefore this confirms the argument that regulation of labour has both social and economic justifications. Protection regulations can stimulate labour demands in a country through policy formulation and successful implementation. Policies that increase the demand for labour also influence the type and pattern of jobs available within a country (Blanpain Baker 2010, p. 44). Countries like Germany, Japan and Australia pursued protectionist industrial policies in the form of active tariff and non-tariff during their key phases of industrialisation in order to facilitate development (Thornley, Jefferys, Appay, 2010, p. 55). In addition to this, most industrialised states maintained their tariff protections until the 1980’s to help them in maintain social protection systems that include traditional labour laws. Lipsey (2006, p. 54) says that industrialised countries also use extensive procurement systems as another form of industrial policy for regulating labour standards of employees of organisations that benefit from government contracts. Therefore in such countries industrial polic ies have an influence on labour laws and labour market developments. However such interventions are not limited to the developed countries only because even the developing countries use industrial policies as means of fostering economic development and job growth. Bamber (2010, p. 33) asserts that industrial regulations have been curtailed by the Washington consensus since the 1980’s. This consensus holds that all nation states should pursue industrial development and alleviation of poverty through strategies of trade liberalisation and deregulation of the labour market. This implies that the developing nations should implement free trade and laissez faire industrial policies, introduce greater flexibility in regulating employment to lower the costs of hiring and firing employees to attain economic growth (Moreau Blas-LoÃŒ pez 2008, p. 96). Some people criticise this method as a slower way of attaining economic development in preference for industrial regulation where states pursue development through stimulating economic growth by creating quality jobs in sustainable industry. The proponents of free trade perceive industrialisation strategies that involve active state involvement in promoting economic activities as being detrimental to economic growth. The opponents on the other hand think that active industrial policies are important in attaining economic development and high living standards of the industrialised countries (Blyton, Sage Publications., Sage eReference 2008, p. 85). Indeed the dominance of trade liberalisation as a strategy for industrialisation is unfair to the developing countries as it denies them the chance to enjoy the benefits that come with cushioning their states against the adverse effects of market exposure as was done by the developed countries in the past. The industrialised countries achi eved development under different conditions from those of free trade and without industrial policy. Srivastava (2007, p. 86) suggests that trade liberation is only one among the many industrialisation strategies that the developing countries might opt to pursue. Most developed and developing countries pursue economic policies that involve active promotion of innovation as a means of attaining industrialisation. However, at this level it is critical to note that the practice and analysis of industrial policy is increasingly becoming very sophisticated. In terms of promoting industrial development, the current industrial policies are less focused on picking winners and tariff protection i.e. the government selection of specific industries that it considers as being more sustainable and in line with the local conditions of the labour market and business expertise over others . Although this is still prevalent in some countries most current industrial policies are directed through horizontal measures that promote innovation and competitiveness across certain regions or economies rather than being confined to certain specific preferred sectors. Much of debates on the role of industrial policy in both the developing and industrialised countries are concerned with the selection of an appropriate path to economic development. According to Singh (2008, p. 62), there is a strong correlation between industrialisation strategy, industrial policy and traditional labour laws in the new protection policies of most developing countries. Comparative studies of labour market in southern Africa and East Asia reveal that countries will endeavour to structure their regulations on industrial relations to be in line with the industrialisation strategies that they are pursuing (Dowling, Festing, Engle, 2008, p. 12). For instance in East Asia most of the states have been able to progress through the industrialisation stages from import substitution to export oriented and finally higher value oriented exports. This implies that the strategies for industrial relations in these countries reflect the different strategies being pursued by the stat e. Trade liberalisation strategies that are export oriented often have different effects for labour regulation and practices of industrial relations compared to the more protective import replacement strategies. Therefore states rely on export oriented strategies when selling products that are labour oriented where low costs of labour and production are the main sources of competitive advantage (Thornley, Jefferys, Appay, 2010, p. 87). For instance the export oriented industrialisation strategy of Singapore compelled it to promote workplace flexibility by placing restrictions on aspects like enterprise bargaining and containing industrial disputes by restricting the employees’ right to strike. Bhatia (2008, p. 71) notes that the states that have pursued more inward oriented industrialisation strategies often have tolerance for stronger labour protections. However it should be noted that many variations of these simplified categories exist and as such it is not possible to make the conclusion that export oriented strategies are associated with low labour standards and downward pressure on labour protections than the policies that are inward oriented. However, one thing that remains certain is that there are connections between industrial policy of a country and the labour law settings. In the context of labour management regulation, industrial policy contributes to both the constitution and regulation of labour market through its effects on labour supply and demand as well as the industrial working conditions. Additionally, from a normative perspective the settings of industrial policy have a great significance on economic development of a state and consequently the social protection and quality of life. Therefore the impact of regulation of labour on industrial relations is dependent on the nature of policies chosen by the nation states. For instance states that opt to pursue government delivery of goods and services whether through monopolies or as competitor with the private sector will offer the workers more secure jobs than those of the private sector (Thornley, Jefferys, Appay, 2010, p.74). However, a large amount of these public jobs often have negative impacts on the working conditions across the economy. It is therefore recommended that states should use regulations that will maintain the existing structures or facilitate structural adjustments through assisting the industries that will open up new opportunities by attracting new investments and innovation. Impact of science, technology and innovation on industrial relations, labour productivity and national development The industrial relations system pursued by a state has a direct effect on all the four elements of innovation which are: motive, content, process and outcome. The intentions behind innovation may include reduction of costs of production through decreasing the amount or quality of labour, promoting more flexible and creative use of labour and encouraging management control over labour. Dinius (2010, p. 66) claims that the contents of the innovation process itself may call for changes in the level of skills and need to accommodate the prevailing structures of industrial relations. The innovation process needs to consider the social organisation, trade unions, work groups and the physical form of the production process. In essence the outcomes of innovation are functions of industrial relations at both the individual and collective levels. Innovation on the other hand affects all the five features of industrial relations which are: work, tasks, pay, work organisation, employment levels and union organisation (Dowling, Festing, Engle, 2008, p.38). Innovation leads to an increase in the level of skills required for completing tasks more than it reduces it. Innovation may also result to an increased responsibility especially if the increased value is closely monitored by equipment and is meant to increase organisational competitive advantage. Innovation may require the employees to widen their level of skills in order to be able to adapt to the new tasks. In most cases it calls for expansion of intellectual skills and manual skill reduction due to automation of most of the processes. The overall effect of innovation on industrial relations is that it mostly leads to an increase in the proportion of skilled workers in the labour force especially in private manufacturing. Globalisation and corporate governance: the dynamics of industrial relations and labour productivity in national development Howell (2005, p. 75) asserts that globalisation leads to the liberalisation of world economies. The liberalisation of economies has made many organisations to make structural adjustments for improving operational efficiency. The increased pressure from the public has forced business enterprises to operate within higher ethical standards and take more social responsibility. The organisations from the developed economies are in most cases required by law to observe non-discriminatory policies in hiring, treatment and paying of all workers (Kattel Kalvet, 2006, p. 33). However as far as recruitment is concerned, globalisation is pushing organisations into recruiting managers and workers with high skills conforming to the international standards in their host countries. Globalisation and corporate governance have led to certain structural adjustments in terms of diversifications and restructuring both of which have resulted into cutting off of some jobs and recession in the job industry. The trade unions then started to raise concerns about job losses and the adverse effects on work dynamics and their rights in some countries like India (Blyton, Sage Publications., Sage eReference 2008, p.52). The same wave was echoed in countries like Japan and South Korea where workers formed industrial unions to counter the impacts of globalisation on their economies. These unions managed to negotiate for employment terms and working conditions as well as the payment rates. Generally, globalisation and corporate governance came into existence at a time when trade unionism was fading off in most countries. However globalisation has contributed to the deterioration of labour standards and strengthened the capital bargaining power while reducing the bargaining powe r of labour. Industrial relations and labour productivity: challenges and opportunities for defence and national security Industrial relations often affect the labour productivity because it contains the attitudes of the management and workers towards each other and the work itself. As such, industrial relations affect organisational productivity both directly and indirectly through variables like motivation of workers, managerial competence and institutional backup. The concept of industrial relations encompasses the interactions that occur between the employees and the employers in an organisation. The nature of this relationship has an effect on the production process because poorly motivated workers for instance have an increased tendency of not performing at their optimal levels (Kuznetsov, Dahlman, World Bank Institute 2008, p. 61). McCallum (2008, p. 72) claims that organisational productivity is a function of the morale of the workers. For this productivity to remain on the higher side, it is important that the morale of the workers be kept at the highest possible level. Failure to motivate the morale of the workers will result in a drop in both quality and quantity of organisational productivity. In fact Hardy (2011, p. 13) supports this position by suggesting that employee morale and productivity always go together. Therefore industrial relations as a factor that affects organisational productivity influences the production process in many ways. For example during times of industrial disputes or when the employees are on a go slow, productivity will not be affected in terms of loss of labour alone because there are other incessant work stoppages, machines and other variable and fixed capitals will not be fully utilised and this will result in low level of output and raise the average cost. The refusal to wor k in overtime by the trade unions also results in loss of revenue because overtime is meant to increase organisational production capacity. Strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of Germany The SWOT analysis is a strategic management tool used for identifying and categorising the significant internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external (opportunities and threats) factors that face an organisation, territory, city or even a country (Bhatia 2008, p. 55). The analysis provides strategic data that can be used in matching organisational resources with the competitive environment in which it is operating. This matching is of importance in making strategic decisions for optimising organisational performance. Struck (2011, p. 31) suggests that the SWOT analysis is important in helping the organisations to direct their actions to match the strengths with opportunities presented by the environment and ward off the threats as well as seek ways of overcoming the weaknesses. Then analysis id not a foresight approach but just a good starting point for strategic decision making which organisations can use in designing and positioning products and services . The following section analyses the SWOT of Germany. The findings reveal that despite its strength in areas like ability to innovate, great willingness to engage in self-directed training and good infrastructure, the country still has some serious weaknesses to overcome. These problems arise mainly from the education sector such as schools adoption and use of new information and communication technology tools and high levels of unemployment. Germany has its own strong areas especially regarding the implementation of knowledge in the society. The country has a flexible, well trained and innovative workface. In addition to this the society has very little income disparities and good quality of life. However because of the aforementioned weaknesses, the country runs the risk of having a poorly educated workforce in the future which could negatively impact its innovation ability and economic strength. Furthermore, the high rates of unemployment will continue to prevent economic growth. Strengths Ability to innovate Good access to broadband Flexible terms of work which is acceptable to many Weaknesses A weak education system that is lagging behind in terms of adapting and using new information technology tools Rising rates of unemployment Opportunities Good quality of life Flexible and well trained workforce Little income disparities Threats High rates of unemployment is limiting economic growth The new generation workforce is poorly educated Conclusion This paper has discussed the importance of industrial relations and its effects on the production process and the economy of a country. The findings reveal that good industrial relations are a prerequisite for industrial development because in its absence, the workers will lack the necessary motivation and the morale that they require to be able to produce at the optimal levels. Globalisation and corporate governance are changing industrial relations across the globe and as such it is wise for countries to invest in education and innovation so that their employees can meet the demands of the international labour standards. Recommendation and implementation strategies With the continued advancement of the effects of globalisation, past mechanisms like labour regulations are increasingly being rendered irrelevant. Therefore countries need to invest in empowering their workforce with the appropriate skills required for innovation and productivity through their education systems. The school system should be well integrated with information and communication tools so that the students engage actively with technology and in the process be able to innovate and bring forward ways of improving the production process. References Bamber, G. (2010). Regulating Employment Industrial Relations and Labour Law International Co. Kluwer Law Intl. Bhatia, S. K. (2008). Strategic industrial relations and labour laws. New Delhi: Deep Deep Publications. Blanpain, R., Baker, J. (2010). Comparative labour law and industrial relations in industrialized market economies. Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands: Kluwer Law International. Blyton, P., Sage Publications., Sage eReference (2008). The SAGE handbook of industrial relations. London: SAGE Publications. Dinius, O. (2010). Brazils steel city: Developmentalism, strategic power, and industrial relations in Volta Redonda, 1941-1964. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press. Dowling, P., Festing, M., Engle, A. D. (2008). International human resource management: Managing people in a multinational context. London: Thomson Learning. Hardy, S. T. (2011). Labour law in Great Britain. Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands: Kluwer Law International. Howell, C. (2005). Trade unions and the state: The construction of industrial relations institutions in Britain, 1890-2000. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press. International Conference on Computer Processing of Oriental Languages, Li, W., MollaÃŒ -Aliod, D. (2009). Computer processing of oriental languages: Language technology for the knowledge-based economy : 22nd international conference, ICCPOL 2009, Hong Kong, March 26-27, 2009 : proceedings. Berlin: Springer. Kattel, R., Kalvet, T. (2006). Knowledge-based economy and ICT-related education in Estonia: Overview of the current situation and challenges for the educational system. Tallinn: PRAXIS Center for Policy Studies. Korres, G. M. (2008). Technical change and economic growth: Inside the knowledge based economy. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate. Kuhn, M. (2006). Towards a knowledge based economy?: Knowledge and learning in European educational research. New York: Lang. Kuznetsov, Y., Dahlman, C. J., World Bank Institute. (2008). Mexicos transition to a knowledge-based economy: Challenges and opportunities. Washington, D.C: World Bank. Leydesdorff, L. (2006). The knowledge-based economy: Modeled, measured, simulated. Boca Raton, Fla: Universal Publishers. Lipsey, R. G. (2006). Services industries and the knowledge-based economy. Calgary: Univ. of Calgary Press. Llerena, P., Matt, M., Avadikyan, A. (2005). Innovation policy in a knowledge-based economy: Theory and practice. Berlin [etc.: Springer. McCallum, R. C. (2008). McCallums top workplace relations cases: Labour law and the employment relationship as defined by case law. Sydney, N.S.W: CCH Australia. Menkhoff, T. (2011). Beyond the knowledge trap: Developing Asias knowledge-based economies. Singapore: World Scientific. Moreau, M.-A., Blas-LoÃŒ pez, M. E. (2008). Restructuring in the new EU member states: Social dialogue, firms relocation, and social treatment of restructuring. New York: P.I.E. Peter Lang. Singh, B. D. (2008). Industrial relations and labour laws. New Delhi: Excel Books. Srivastava, S. C. (2007). Industrial relations and labour laws. New Delhi: Vikas. Struck, O. (2011). Industrial relations and social standards in an internationalized economy. München: Hampp. Thornley, C., Jefferys, S., Appay, B. (2010). Globalization and Precarious Forms of Production and Employment: Challenges for Workers and Unions. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Pub. Weiss, M., Schmidt, M. (2008). Labour law and industrial relations in Germany. Alphen aan den Rijn: Kluwer Law International. Welfe, W. (2009). Knowledge-based economies: Models and methods. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.

The Disney Difference Strategy

The Disney Difference Strategy Disney difference refers to a high class innovative strategy that aims at optimizing the value of contents in markets and other business platforms. It is backed by the relevant strategies that will see the Disney Company reap high profits from selling its literature.  The whole business strategy employs great ideas that are profit oriented.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Disney Difference Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Disney Company uses the Disney difference to ensure that its products are unique and of a high quality. The videos and books produced and introduced to the market by Disney Company are highly valued by the buyers due to the employment of the Disney difference. This way the corporate image is enhanced in the market and almost the whole market remains glued to the Disney products. Thus, Disney Company ends up having the largest market share.  The company can charge higher prices on th eir products and their customers will not complain but they will even be willing to purchase more of those items as they are the best in the market. The growth of Disney as a corporate body will be at a high rate due to the huge profits generated from the large market share associated with the company. The uniqueness of the arts brought about by the Disney difference puts them at the top of a very competitive market. Most of their competitors tend to produce normal entertainment items that have nothing new and unique while Disney does all that it can to produce unique items. This ensures that Disney Company does not suffer from the strong competitive forces in the market. Disney remains highly regarded in the market.  The Disney difference strategy is one of the best strategies that if guarded well by the management will see the company rise to greater heights of success. The language barrier is one of the major problems that Disney Company is likely to face as a result of introdu cing the business in China and Russia. As a matter of fact, most of the inhabitants of China and Russia do not speak English while Disney Company produces and sells most of the entertainment items in English language. It will be difficult to convince non English speakers to buy English literature. To counter this challenge, Disney can engage its personnel and some few inhabitants of the two places in translating the videos and books to the native languages of the two places. This way most of the occupants of the two places will understand the literature and purchase it, otherwise the business will hit a snag.  Management is another major challenge that the company is likely to face as a result of introducing business in China and Russia.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The business will have expanded and the managerial team will have to do more work. Hence, the c ompany will be forced to employ more managers to curb this problem. The new managers should be vetted to ensure they are highly skilled and should then be distributed to the new business places with at least an old manager to be their supervisor. It means that Iger views himself as the person who introduced the Disney difference policy that led to a major comeback of the Disney Company to the entertainment sector. Yes, it is part of being a strategic leader as it sets precedence for the junior managers and those to come after him. They will always try to match his shoe and that way they will formulate better policies, evaluate the effectiveness of those policies and see them implemented to the letter. This way the Disney Company will always remain at the top.

What Is Mitosis A Complete Guide to Mitotic Cell Division

What Is Mitosis A Complete Guide to Mitotic Cell Division SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re studying biology, the concept of mitosis is pretty unavoidable. Mitosis is part of the cell cycle, and studying how cells work makes up a huge portion of any biology class. It’s safe to say you’re going to need some working knowledge of mitosis if you’re looking to breeze through any biology-related course or exam. Here’s what we’re going to cover in this article so you’re up to speed on the purpose of mitosis, how the process of mitosis works, and why mitosis is important to know about. We will: Answer the question, â€Å"What is the purpose of mitosis?† (definition and explanation of the importance of mitosis included) Description of the 4 phases of mitosis Review the similarities and differences between mitosis and meiosis Our top three tips for studying and memorizing the stages of mitosis, and Three resources for further learning about mitosis! And, now, let our journey through the world of mitosis begin! Mitosis Definition The first thing we need to do is answer the question, â€Å"What is mitosis?† In cell biology, mitosis is a part of what is called the cell cycle. The cell cycle, sometimes called the cell-division cycle, is the series of events that occur in a cell that lead to duplication of that cell’s DNA and, ultimately, the creation of new cells. During mitosis, the cell division part of the cell cycle, a single parent cell’s replicated genetic material- called chromosomes- divides to produce two new, genetically-identical daughter cells. In the cell cycle, the cell’s DNA is replicated in interphase, the phase that precedes mitosis. Mitosis alternates with interphase to make up the cell cycle in its entirety. In fact, a cell cannot begin mitosis until interphase is successfully completed. So we’ve explained that mitosis is the part of the cell cycle when cell division occurs, but let’s get a little more detailed than that. During mitosis, one cell divides one time, and the cell that’s being divided is always called the â€Å"parent cell.† When the process of dividing the parent cell is complete, the result is two â€Å"daughter cells.† These cells are called daughter cells because, during mitosis, the genetic material of the parent cell is passed on to each new daughter cell. But it’s important to note that, in the type of cells that undergo mitosis, the genetic material of the cell is contained within the cell’s nucleus. So, while mitosis is often referred to as â€Å"cell division,† mitosis is technically the division of a cell’s nucleus into two new, identical nuclei. What Types of Cells Undergo Mitosis? You may have heard about two types of cells: eukaryotic (animal) cells, and prokaryotic (plant) cells. Both types of cells undergo cell division, but only eukaryotic cells experience cell division through mitosis. In fact, all eukaryotic cells can engage in mitosis. Mitosis happens exclusively in eukaryotic cells because this type of cell has a nucleus. The nucleus of a cell contains its genetic matter, and this is what is passed to the new â€Å"daughter† cells in the process of mitosis, or cell division. In order to replicate the genetic material, mitosis has to occur in cells that have a nucleus. 2 Reasons Why Cells Divide (and Why Cell Division Is so Important) Answering the question, â€Å"Why do cells divide?† pretty much also answers the question, â€Å"Why is mitosis important?† The process of mitotic cell division in eukaryotic cells is important for two main reasons: because cell division creates new cells that keep eukaryotic organisms thriving, and because cell division passes a consistent genetic identity to a new generation of cells. First, the division part of the cell cycle- mitosis- is so important because the parent cell passes its genetic information to its offspring cells (sometimes called â€Å"daughter† cells) during this type of cell division. If cell division doesn’t occur, new cells can’t be created. And it’s important for new cells to be created in eukaryotic organisms because . . . cells get worn out and die! The dead cells need to be replaced with new cells so the organism can continue growing. Second, the process of mitosis is so important because parent and daughter cells in certain types of organisms must be identical in order for the organism to survive. When mitosis occurs successfully, two new cells with the same genetic composition and an identical chromosome set to the previous generation are created. If there’s an error during mitosis, harmful conditions can develop, like cancer or hemophilia. When Does Mitosis Occur in the Cell Cycle? Mitosis is really important, but it’s actually only one part of the cell cycle. A period called interphase precedes mitosis in the cell cycle, and interphase and mitosis alternate as the cell cycle occurs over and over. So, mitosis is the second or concluding part of the cell cycle, and mitosis cannot start until interphase has been successfully completed. During interphase, the cell grows and develops the proteins needed for cell division. In the middle of the interphase period, the cell duplicates its chromosomes. Once the chromosomes have been duplicated and all other conditions are ideal in the cell, the first phase of mitosis can begin! The 4 Phases of Mitosis, Explained We have a much longer article that covers the four phases of mitosis in more detail, but we do want to give you an overview of what the four phases of mitosis are and what happens during each phase here. If you’re looking for a deep dive into the four phases of mitosis, take a look at our article, â€Å"A Detailed Breakdown of the 4 Phases of Mitosis†! Mitosis is a process that happens in phases that always occur in the same order and accomplish the same tasks (unless something goes wrong!). The four phases of mitosis are prophase (P), metaphase (M), anaphase (A), and telophase (T). Each of these phases helps achieve the purpose of mitosis by moving the process of cell division and reproduction along. Without the proper completion of each of the four phases, cell division wouldn’t happen the way it’s supposed to. We’ll quickly breakdown each phase of mitosis for you next! Phase 1: Prophase and Prometaphase During prophase, the first phase of mitosis, the chromatins inside the cell’s nucleus begin condensing into chromosomes. The protective membrane surrounding the cell’s nucleus, called the nuclear envelope or membrane, also begins to break down. As the chromosomes condense inside the nucleus and the nuclear membrane disintegrates, centrioles outside of the nucleus start moving toward opposite sides of the cell and form the mitotic spindle, which is made up of fibers called microtubules. The mitotic spindle stretches from one side of the cell to the other, suspended between those centrioles that moved away from each other. Phase 2: Metaphase Metaphase is the second phase of mitosis. During metaphase, spindle fibers attach to the centromere of each pair of sister chromatids. The sister chromatids also move into the middle of the cell and line up along an invisible line, called the metaphase plate. These spindle fibers prepare the sister chromatids to separate properly in the next phase of mitosis. Phase 3: Anaphase Anaphase is the third phase of mitosis, and this is when cell division really begins. During anaphase, the spindle fibers attached to the sister chromatids start shortening, which pulls the sister chromatids apart down the middle toward opposite sides of the cell. By the end of anaphase, each side of the cell has a complete, identical set of chromosomes. Phase 4: Telophase Finally, we have telophase: the fourth and final phase of mitosis. In telophase, the separated chromosomes start to unfold and form chromatin. The spindle also disintegrates, and a new nuclear envelope forms around the two new sets of chromosomes. These two new sets of chromosomes make up two nuclei, which have received genetic information from their parent cell. iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zrKdz93WlVk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen/iframe Mitosis Versus Meiosis: The Similarities and Differences Mitosis, meiosis. You probably know that both of these processes have something to do with cells. But what’s the difference between the function of mitosis and the function of meiosis, and why do you need to know the difference? - To understand how mitosis and meiosis are related, the first thing you need to know is that mitosis isn’t the only type of cell division that can occur. Meiosis is also a form of cell division and reproduction! But while mitosis results in two identical daughter cells, meiosis results in four sex cells. That’s right- meiosis is the process of cell division and reproduction that occurs in organisms that reproduce sexually. Here are the key differences between mitosis and meiosis as processes of cell division and reproduction: Mitosis Meiosis Where it occurs Occurs in all organisms, except viruses Only occurs in animals, plants, and fungi Cells it produces Creates body/somatic cells Creates germ/sex cells Number of cell divisions One cell division ( 4 stages total) Two cell divisions (8 stages total) Prophase length Prophase is short Prophase I is longer Recombination/crossing over No recombination/crossing over in prophase Recombination/crossing over of chromosomes during prophase I Metaphase During metaphase, individual chromosomes line up on cell’s equator During metaphase I, pairs of chromosomes line up on cell’s equator Anaphase During anaphase, sister chromatids move to opposite ends of the cell During anaphase I, sister chromatids move together to the same cell poll During anaphase II, sister chromatids are separated to opposite ends of the cell Number of cells created End result: two daughter cells End result: four daughter cells Ploidy Diploid daughter cells Haploid daughter cells Genetics Daughter cells are genetically identical Daughter cells are genetically different That’s a lot of differences, right? But there are also several similarities between the processes of mitosis and meiosis. Here they are: Both mitosis and meiosis begin with a diploid parent cell, or a parent cell with two sets of chromosomes Mitosis and meiosis go through the same phases, in the same order- prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase- but the phases occur only once during mitosis and twice during meiosis Both mitosis and meiosis end with cytokinesis, the cytoplasmic division of a eukaryotic cell into two daughter cells In general, you want to try to remember the two main differences between mitosis and meiosis: meiosis involves two cell divisions, while mitosis only involves one, and meiosis gives rise to the production of germ cells, while mitosis gives rise to the production of somatic cells. Now you should be able to come up with answers to the questions, â€Å"What is the purpose of mitosis?† and, â€Å"What is the purpose of meiosis?† all on your own! Next, we’ll tell you about our top three tips for studying and memorizing the details of mitosis. Our Top 3 Tips for Studying and Memorizing the Details of Mitosis Now, learning cell biology is essentially a gargantuan effort to remember a lot of stuff about a lot of things, so maybe you’re wondering how you’re going to remember what the stages of mitosis are, the order of the phases, what happens in each phase . . . the list could probably go on! Fear not: we’ve come up with some strategies that can help you remember some of the most important details about mitosis. Check out our top three tips for studying and memorizing the key details about mitosis below. Mnemonic Devices Mnemonic devices are techniques that people can use to help them remember something. If you need to remember the 4 stages of mitosis in order, try memorizing one of these mnemonic devices: I Picked My Apples Today I Prefer Tea And Milk IPMAT Get it? The first letter of each word in the mnemonic devices above corresponds with the first letter of each of the phases of mitosis, plus interphase: I = Interphase Picked = Prophase My = Metaphase Apples = Anaphase Today = Telophase Adding one of these easy-to-remember phrases to your study arsenal can make remembering the phases of mitosis much easier in a high-pressure situation! Use the Letters In â€Å"Mitosis† and â€Å"Meiosis† to Remember the Difference If you thought those mnemonic devices were a cheesy way to remember key details about mitosis, just wait: we’ve also got a couple of ways to differentiate between mitosis and meiosis just by using the letters in the words mitosis and meiosis. Here’s an example: Mitosis has a â€Å"t† in it, so mitosis is going to result in two cells. Here’s a visual: The â€Å"T† in mitosis = two cells. Just remember that â€Å"t,† which should help you remember that mitosis results in two genetically identical daughter cells. Now for meiosis- and this one is easier. Ready? Meiosis doesn’t have a â€Å"T† in it, so it isn’t going to make two cells. â€Å"T† in mitosis = two cells. No â€Å"T† in meiosis = not two cells. A Different Kind of Mnemonic and A Hand Trick Maybe you need a trick to remember what happens during each phase of mitosis in addition to remembering what order they go in. Here’s one more trick that takes the first letter of each phase of mitosis and associates it with a word starting with that same letter to describe what happens in the corresponding phase of mitosis: Prophase = Prepare Metaphase = Middle Anaphase = Apart Telophase = Tear Prepare - middle - apart - tear. The idea with this one is to use one word that sort of sums up what happens in each phase of mitosis to trigger your memory about the other details of what happens in that phase. So, for example, if you can remember prophase = prepare, that should set you up to explain how prophase prepares the genetic material in the cell’s nucleus for division by condensing it tightly together. If a visual representation of what happens during each phase of mitosis is more helpful to you than another mnemonic device, try memorizing the quick hand trick demonstrated in this YouTube video! You could also combine the descriptive words from the mnemonic above with the hand trick for a double whammy. 3 Resources for Further Learning About Mitosis If you need some extra help answering the question, â€Å"What is mitosis?† on your own or want to build on your current mitosis definition, check out the three resources below that provide more information about mitosis! Nature Journal Maybe you’re feeling pretty ambitious and you want to dive into peer-reviewed, academic research articles on mitosis. One of the best places you can turn for that is Nature, an international science journal, and one of the most reputable in its field. If you need to do research on mitosis that’s going to be up to, say, a college professor’s expectations, any search you do in Nature’s archives will get you the kind of sources you need. The big drawback of most academic research journals is that the subscription fees are hefty. A one-year subscription to Nature for students is $119. Don’t lose heart, though. A lot of times, schools and universities buy subscriptions to reputable journals, so it’s likely you could access articles or issues on mitosis through your school library’s online databases. If you’re in doubt, just ask a research librarian! Scitable by Nature Education If a full-fledged, peer-reviewed scientific journal is a bit much for you at this point, Nature Education provides a tapered down resource for students looking for credible overviews of science-related topics, called Scitable. Scitable focuses specifically on key genetic concepts, so they definitely provide content that covers mitosis. When you search a concept on Scitable, the results pop up conveniently categorized based on type of content. So, if you search â€Å"mitosis† from the Scitable homepage, you’ll get results categorized as â€Å"articles,† â€Å"concept pages,† â€Å"definitions,† â€Å"images,† and â€Å"blog posts.† We recommend exploring Scitable on your own, but we’ve also linked to a few resources on mitosis that Scitable provides below: Mitosis definition page Concept page explaining replication and distribution of DNA during mitosis Video showing a timelapse of mitosis occurring under a light microscope If you’re looking for a variety of scientist-authored educational resources on mitosis in one place, Scitable is a great place to go. iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f-ldPgEfAHI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen/iframe The Amoeba Sisters’ YouTube Videos on Mitosis If some jazzy music and creative visuals help you get focused to learn something new, try checking out the Amoeba Sisters’ set of YouTube videos on mitosis. Their content is lively, accessible, and relatable, which is always a welcome way to learn more about (or frantically review) science-y things! The Amoeba Sisters have several videos that will help you answer the question, â€Å"What is mitosis?†, but we especially recommend â€Å"Mitosis: The Amazing Cell Process that Uses Division to Multiply!† and â€Å"Mitosis vs. Meiosis: Side by Side Comparison.† And they don’t just provide video content: if you look right under all of their videos on YouTube, you’ll find that they provide a link to a page with tons of handouts that you can use to study and review what you’ve learned from their videos about mitosis. If you’re still asking yourself, â€Å"What is mitosis?†, these videos and handouts can help you answer that question. One more cool thing about their videos: they update them periodically to ensure their content stays up-to-date with scientific research and what’s being taught in formal education settings pertaining to mitosis, so you know you’re getting credible information. What’s Next? Are you still a little confused about what happens during mitosis? Or do you need a more in-depth resource to help you study? Here’s a step-by-step guide to mitosis that breaks every phrase down in detail (coming soon). Once you read this article, you’ll be on the way to becoming a mitosis expert! If you think biology is amazing, you might be a good candidate for taking AP Biology classes in high school. Here’s a guide to help you decide if an AP Bio class is right for you. (You can also take a sneak peek at the AP Biology syllabus to give you an inside look at what taking the class would be like!) Maybe you’re already taking AP or IB Biology and are looking for more study resources. We’ve got you covered there, too. Here’s a complete AP Biology review and a comprehensive list of the best online IB Biology SL/HL study notes, too.

Improving Decision Making, DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Improving Decision Making, DB - Essay Example efuted that the reason why people often answer not-so-confidently on these questions was the fact that nations or states are all capable of conducting such actions. That is, since the choice of states to be answered are limited only to the Soviet Union and the US, the questions cannot really accurately determine that indeed, people cannot determine the difference between Soviet and American political actions. It is also possible that respondents may have thought of another state or nation which can be applied in the context or scenarios given. Thus, the first activity demonstrated how reasoning and decision-making are multi-faceted. While there are specific answers to challenges or problems, there are different ways in the manner by which the individual arrived at the answer. That is, the individual may have guessed correctly that for both scenarios, s/he identified the correct nation/state. However, his/her assessment in arriving at the answer may have been contributed by the fact that the facts of both scenarios are unique or somewhat identified to a single country only. For example, the use of the term â€Å"party† in the first scenario signified the Communist party Soviet Union was popularly known for in the late 20th century. Similarly, the 1960s was a period of invasion and active political expansion and military movement for the US. Thus, responses for both scenarios were not motivated by the actions of the countries alone, but on the facts of the scenarios—the association of the facts of each scenari o to a particular country. This finding from the first activity is reflected in the second activity, which discussed the issue of â€Å"calibration.† From the first activity, it was shown how decision-making cannot be done solely on the basis of one criterion alone; instead, decision-making is composed of different facets that influence the individual’s decision to choose one solution over another one. In the second activity, the exercise