Monday, September 30, 2019

What Problems Did Hispanics Blacks Women Face 1940-60

What problems did Hispanics, Native Americans and women face in 1945 and how far had these been overcome by 1968 World War Two has often been described as a turning point in the battle for equality between men and women. From the beginning, women were always struggling to gain status, respect, and rights in their society. Prior to World War Two, a woman's role in society was seen as someone who cooked, cleaned, and gave birth. The years during and following the war marked a turning point in the battle for equality.Women, for once, were being seen as individuals with capabilities outside the kitchen, and we're for the first time given a chance to prove themselves. On December 7, 1942, Pearl Harbour was bombed and FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) declared war. This marked the entry of the US into World War Two, a war which has been going on in Europe for almost 2 years prior. The start of World War II opened a new chapter in the lives of women living in America. From coast to coast, husband s, fathers, sons and brothers were shipped out to fight in Europe.With the entry of the US and the absence of large quantities of men, the demand for supplies increased, and women were called out of the kitchen and into the workforce. Posters, banners, and jingles were all aspects that helped encourage women's entrance into the workforce. Millions marched into factories, offices, and military bases. The demand for labour was so great, that a poll taken that year showed that only 13% of the population opposed females entering the workforce. Women's occupations varied from war nurses and cooking for the army, to making bombs and making weapons.Other occupations flourished, as well. Women photographers, writers, and reports were for once given a chance. The war offered women opportunity never given to them before. The war has given women a chance to show what they can do in the world, and they have done well. Women were given freedom and a chance to live the American dream. However the Allies' final push in the summer of 1945 brought World War II to a close. With the end of the war, came the pressure for females to return to where they belong. All the women who took jobs during the war were now all expected to make room for the returning men.The returning veterans were all unemployed and in need of work. The government's solution to the problem was to force women out of their jobs in order to make room for the men. The same as they were encouraged into the labour force, they were encouraged out of it. Posters, movies, and articles were posted to help push females to leave their jobs and return to their homes. Despite the pressure, women were not so quick to return to the kitchen. They were for the first time, given freedom, and allowed a chance. Women across the nation were less than willing to give it back and return to their old way of life.Women began questioning the role they played in society, and began demanding equal opportunities. The 1960s was a major pe riod of gaining equality for women. Various acts were passed in order to help the woman’s cause. Through various struggles and battles, the Equal Pay Act was passed in 1963, which prohibited wage discrimination based on one’s sex. In addition, the Civil Rights Act was passed the following year, which further extended the laws prohibiting one’s occupation due to sex, by also prohibiting wage discrimination, job classification, promotion, and training.Women’s battle for equality also existed outside the workforce. During the late 1960s, women fought for equal rights anyway they knew how. They wanted to end discrimination not only at work, but at home, and in every part of their society. To accomplish this, women began to take place in marches and spoke out against inequality. Individual women worked hard to achieve their goal. Esther Peterson, director of the Women’s Bureau of the Department of Labor, with the help of President John F. Kennedy, helpe d approve the Equal Rights Amendment.Also, other activities helped the fight for equality. Betty Friedan, the first President of NOW (National Organisation for Women), became one of the most influential activists of her time. She led a highly publicized campaign in order to pass an amendment to guarantee equal rights for both men and women. In addition, Friedan was the author of The Feminine Mystique, a book that spoke of the idea that women could find happiness outside their homes, and within their careers. By the 1970s, women achieved some victories, but the fight was far from over.Today, almost 64 million women, almost 16 and over, and about 46% of the workforce is composed of women. Hispanics came home from World War II to a different struggle. A Medal of Honour for bravery didn’t guarantee service in certain restaurants and a soldier’s body in a coffin with an American flag for his widow didn’t merit admission to some funeral homes. Hispanics weren’t segregated in the service, as African Americans were. The Hispanics earned 13 of the 301 medals of honour awarded. But still Hispanics did face discrimination.Back home in Texas, two of those medal recipients were denied service in restaurants. Returning veterans also found public swimming pools, schools and housing segregated in some communities, especially in the Southwest and California. They did not face as harsh a living as African Americans but still fought substantial racism. Fast-forward to 1965, since the end of the war Hispanic children fail to gain as good an education as your average white boy, many grew up in extreme poverty with parents working in the Californian farming industry.The California farming business was worth over $4 billion at the time. Hispanics working in this field were only able to work around 134 day every year during the harvest period and when they weren’t working they weren’t getting paid. They gained a false reputation for being laz y from white Californians, when the actually worked very hard making the best out of what they had. The problem was farming unions had no legal protection at the time and so their fight against injustice was at a standstill.The National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) was formed in 1962 by Cesar Chavez, this union became very popular and it organise ‘La Huelga;’ this was a mass walk out from the farms that involved 10000 Hispanics. Unfortunately it took 5 years (1970) to achieve anything, but it was a start. Some 44,000 Native Americans served in the United States military during World War II. American Indian veterans encountered varying degrees of success in re-entering civilian life after World War II. Some returned to the reservation, where economic opportunities were bleak. World War II changed both the Indians and the reservation.Following the war, veterans returned unwilling to accept the secondary status assigned to them by the larger society. They faced discrimi nation in housing, employment, education, land rights, water rights, and voting. In many states, it was illegal for Indians to purchase or consume alcohol. Yet many of the veterans had found that while in the military they were able to purchase and consume alcohol with no legal difficulties both on the bases and while on furlough in foreign countries. Many returned home wanting this same freedom as civilians in the United States.Veterans received readjustment checks of $20 a week for 52 weeks while unemployed, and were eligible for G. I. Bill benefits, including free high school and college education, and low-cost mortgages. Veterans moved to cities; the Indian population in urban centers more than doubled (from 24,000 to 56,000) from 1941 to 1950. Some veterans, like Abel in the novel House Made of Dawn, moved to California cities only to experience little success there. More than three thousand Indians each lived in San Francisco and Los Angeles after the war; fewer than five hund red, or a sixth of them, were able to find steady jobs.Tellingly, the median income for urban male Indians was $1,198 a year, in contrast to $3,780 for the white male population. Native Americans joined the United States' call to fight Communism and participated in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Between 10,000 to 15,000 Native Americans served in the Korean War, while approximately 14,500 Native Americans served in the Vietnam War. Once again Native Americans returned from these wars to find discrimination with regards to finding a job and trying to earn a fair wage.In conclusion both Women, Hispanics and Native Americans had made strides towards overcoming their post-war problems by 1968, but some were more successful than others. Women were more common place in the work place by 1968 but nothing like today, they still faced discrimination with regards to wages and opportunity’s. Even though they were helped by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 banning discrimination in the work pl ace, there were loopholes and statistically you were still more likely to get a job if you were male. An act to guarantee equal rights for women was not passed until 1972, it was called ‘The Equal Rights Amendment. The Feminine Mystique is a nonfiction book by Betty Friedan first published in 1963. It is widely credited with sparking the beginning of second-wave feminism in the United States. This phenomenally popular book may have been the inspiration for Women all over America to leave their kitchen and become more independent. Hispanics and Native Americans were helped massively with the civil Rights Act of 1964 which ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the general public.Unfortunately there was still a learned racist attitude towards ethnic groups in America, however it cannot be measured how many years this attitude took to wear off. In 1968 we saw America learning i ts newer more modern stance on different ethnicities and women which we can see today. This was Mainly due to the approval of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 witch was probably the most important act passed in American history with regard to equality.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Management of Financial Resources and Performance Essay

This assessment accounts for 100% of your overall module grade. It is an individually written assignment of about 3000-3500 words (10% -/+) excluding appendices, to be submitted to LSS Business School on the deadline shown in the student portal with the appropriate cover note according to the guidelines given in the student handbook. Your work is expected to be analytical and evaluative, consolidate on relevant theory and indicate a good level of application abilities. In order to complete this assignment you are required to select a company of your choice and identify the various stakeholders and their Interests on the company. You need to briefly explain how they can be managed effectively in the organisation using about 1000 words. Then select another company that is listed in FTSE (or equivalent in your own country), and conduct an audit of the businesses current position, you are required to identify the business planning and current strategy used in the organisation with specific reference to performance analysis and utilisation of resources (Including International considerations) for competitive advantage and assess the financial position using a series of management accounting techniques for decision making. Use about 1500 words in order to complete this. Using about 500-1000 words briefly explain the investment appraisal techniques that could be used by an organisation, and apply the techniques to conduct a investment appraisal for the following scenario 123 LTD is a clothing manufacturer operating in UK for more than 10 yrs, As a strategic decision to expand it’s operations, the company plans to set up a manufacturing unit in another country and produce designer clothing to sell in that country. Current interest rate is 10%, The options available are: USA Running expenses is estimated to be  £210K per annum and expected revenue is USD 700K per Annum An additional approval fee of  £22K needs to be paid in advance to trade in the country annually. France Running expenses is estimated to be  £190K per annum and expected revenue is EURO 450K per Annum. An additional approval fee of  £25K needs to be paid in advance to operate in the every yr. In addition a one off Royalty Fee of  £25K needs to be paid despite of the operational years. Switzerland Running expenses is estimated to be  £200K per annum and expected revenue is Swiss Francs 3800K per Annum, An additional License fee of  £30K needs to be paid in advance to operate in the route for a yr. Given the controls in this country, any factory of this nature will need an inspection by the authorities every 3 yrs amounting to  £70K per inspection. Cost of New machinery for this purpose in any country is  £450K, Life time of the Machinery is 10 yrs and at the end of 5 yrs the machinery will attract, a residual value of  £150K. Any material that you will decide to use as a result of your research would need to be submitted at the back of your assignment in the form of an appendix to ensure that the tutor is also briefed to the same level as you, when assessing your work. Take great care and follow the wording below carefully, to ensure that you have covered all the requirements sufficiently, according to the given tasks below.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Tales from Thousand and One Nights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tales from Thousand and One Nights - Essay Example e King Shahryar an important lesson meant to change his life – that all women are not the same, and the actions of one evil woman cannot be used to judge the virtue and morality of all women. The â€Å"Prologue† to the tales begins with King Shahryar firmly believing that all women are inherently deceptive, evil and immoral. The King’s solution to the misery his once beloved wife had caused him is to marry virgin girls and killing them after the first night. Scheherzade, the heroine of the Arabian Nights, vows to change his mind, and save her life as well as the life other girls of her land. Thus, this â€Å"Prologue† helps to establish the pivotal position of women in the entire series of events. A woman changed the King Shahryar’s life forever, and a woman will set it back to normal. The representation of women in the stories of Scheherzade is well planned and meant to achieve a certain purpose. The portrayal of women in Tales from the Thousand an d One Nights is not restricted to one definite category – they are depicted in characters that range from wise to foolish, from greedy to sacrificing and from highly virtuous to deeply immoral. This arrayed depiction serves to highlight the fact that all women are not alike, and it is fallacious for anyone to form rigid judgments about the character of all women. The order of the stories is significant in the representation of women. In the first few stories, women are depicted as evil and cunning. For instance, in â€Å"The Fisherman and the Jinee†, the destruction of the King of Black Isles is brought about by his wife. She is portrayed as an enchantress who not only has an adulterous affair with an Indian, but also uses her magic powers to perish her husband’s city, converting him into half stone. This character is also shown as the unnatural woman – a magician who defames the true essence of womanhood. A woman that does not love her husband, and fails to perform her duties as wife, thus, is represented as

Friday, September 27, 2019

Strategic Development of Managing Global Talent Essay

Strategic Development of Managing Global Talent - Essay Example The first principle is that, the company should base its management in the decisions based on the long-term philosophy, even at the expense of short-term financial goals. This shows that the company development and training are given a priority to other matters in the organization. Moreover, the company has realized that the standardized processes are the foundation for continuous improvement. This forms their second principle, which is applied to talent development through standardized work and job instruction during training. In addition, the company encourages the growth of leaders who done thoroughly understand their work while at the same time encourage the leaders to teach the philosophy to other employees. This will play a major role in ensuring that the employees are well aware of their job demands and will therefore give favorable to their supervisors. It also encourages in job training, which aims at instilling new skills to the employees to gain quality production.Furtherm ore, Toyota Motor Corporation has a policy to develop exceptional people and teams who will follow the company’s philosophy and policies. This is done through retaining the best talent and training the emerging talent so that they can all achieve a certain objective. This is mainly done in line with the company’s strategic management objectives. The company also respects their suppliers by challenging them and helping them improves. This demonstrates a holistic approach to talent management.... All the above criteria will be used in the relation to the advantage of management capital, human capital, social capital, and the organization capital (Hancock, 2003, p.3). Aims and Objectives The Toyota motor corporation uses some policies and philosophies, which aims at achieving consumer satisfaction in the use of their products. One of their greatest policies and philosophy is that they do not only build cars, but people too. This is realized in the importance of their quality cars, which play a great role in offering transport to the people. However, the corporation faces a challenge in their management that is brought about by the managers. This occurs in that the managers want to play more roles in the management than in teaching. Teaching is the fundamental of all management as it involves instilling new ideas to the people that is the employees of the organization. This led to the company to employ the 14-point model of operations of which 6 points relate to the development of talent. The 14-Point Model The first principle is that, the company should base its management in the decisions based on the long-term philosophy, even at the expense of short-term financial goals. This shows that the company development and training are given a priority to other matters in the organization. Moreover, the company has realized that the standardized processes are the foundation for continuous improvement. This forms their second principle, which is applied to talent development through standardized work and job instruction during training. In addition, the company encourages the growth of leaders who thoroughly understand their work while at the same time encourage the leaders to teach the philosophy to other

Thursday, September 26, 2019

ISM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ISM - Essay Example â€Å"There are many ways to define Globalisation. Ruud Lubbets in his article â€Å"Globalisation and Sustainable Development† describes globalisation as â€Å"the phenomenon that the degree of global human interaction increases to such an extent that both its primary effects and the reactions it provokes, give rise to numerous new developments† ( Ali, Winter & May, 2007, p.1). Globalisation is the interaction between economies, technologies and politic A number of companies, increasingly, are looking forward towards breaking the cultural barriers to extend the businesses further in a global environment. This has increased the requirement of the employees to get accustomed to the foreign cultural settings. Apart from that International Marketing training demands a detailed program to make the employees aware of the various theories and practices in the arena of international marketing. The globalisation dreams have presented a new challenge for the firms including the challenge to develop competent managers, able to work in the new environments with more efficiency. With increasing numbers of mergers and acquisitions, the firms are also expected to bring in new employees with different origins, languages and national culture adding more complexities to the different organizational cultures. â€Å"The firms thus need to develop systems and processes not only to train managers for expatriate assignments but also to handle cultural diversity. This task can be achieved by well designed cross-cultural training programs which will help employees in coping up with the stress and cultural shock while dealing with a new culture† (Pande & Krishnan, n.d., p.2). In China, Telmarket would require a culture specific training to make its employees competent enough to deal with the customers with enough respect to Chinese culture and their business environments. After having a review on the respective reviews the following issues have been identified for the cross cultural training. The time factor in the training would require considering two factors including punctuality and relationship dimensions. Some cultures may take more comparatively more time for relationship building while this may not be at all acceptable in others. So, it is of utmost importance to consider Chinese business culture barriers related to time required to be taken care of. In China, there exists a linguistic barrier as Chinese people prefer their language in business contexts (METP, 2008). Adding to it, even the pronunciation is quite different in China, which is required to be taken care of. There are a number of evidences that failing to align the brand name in accordance to the Chinese language made the brands to fail in the Chinese market. So, Telmarket must consider this point with high significance and must train its employees on the linguistic factor. The training program would also include a detailed training regarding the business practices. The b usiness practices may differ in China as they encourage open discussion; although that is required to be done with enough respect to the seniority and old traditions. The training would also require introducing methods and programs to counter stress and to interpret the situations in a positive way. The employees would have to understand the situations on both from their own and from other perspectives. The way to express the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Discuss how the treaties might relate to custom, as well as the Assignment

Discuss how the treaties might relate to custom, as well as the alleged existence of hierarchy among the sources of internationa - Assignment Example International law consists of the rules and principles of general application dealing with the conduct of States and of international organizations in their international relations with one another and with private individuals, minority groups and transnational companies. Since there is no international legislation or parliamentary body that had the mandate of coming up with international law, the generally accepted source of the rule of law has been customary international law. It arises from the concept that these laws arise from what is considered as common practice when countries are dealing with each other. Consequently international law can only be established if there is consent by states and is enforced by means of individual or collective action of individual or collective action of other states. ... Practice alone is not adequate as was the case in the ruling of Case of the SS Lotus (1927).Secondly in has to be ‘opinio juris’ that is a belief in it being a legal obligation in the states. As the International Court of Justice put it â€Å"Not only must the acts concerned be a settled practice but they must also be such, or be carried out in such a way as to be evidence of a belief that this practice is rendered obligatory by the existence of a rule requiring it... The states concerned must feel that they are conforming to what amounts to a legal obligation2. Let’s take for example the duty for countries to give protection to ambassadors from other countries while they are on diplomatic missions within that country. This is an ancient custom which has been accepted as normal practice and a legal obligation expected of the host country. In case an ambassador is attacked in a country it would be considered as a violation of a customary international law. 3New st ates are automatically bound by the existing customary international laws. For a state to not to be bound by a rule of international customary law it must object to it during formation or become a persistent objector to it. Failure to register such an objection may lead to the state being assumed to have accepted the customary rule of law. International Convections International treaties are contracts signed between states that are legally binding to all states that are party to the treaty. The reason for which states that sign a treaty are bond to it is because there is a rule of customary international law – pacta sunt servanda- which requires all states to honour and adhere to the treaties they have signed. A state

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Public shipping Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Public shipping Law - Case Study Example The influence of the judiciary decisions and the various regulatory organizations in the framing of these principles are also considered briefly. For this, the International law is understood and its issues are considered briefly. Further, the sources of the International law framework and the general principles in practice are studied. The integration of the human rights and labor rights into the framework is also understood with particular reference to the employment at sea. Principles governing the law relating to the high seas along with the issues or rights and obligations of the states within the maritime zones relating to territorial sea, internal waters, exclusive economic zones, etc. are explored. As the different states have different practices, the freedom of navigation for merchant as well as naval vessels raised the issue of innocent passage and the principles relating to the same are also considered. Shipping is the largest trade accounting to almost 95% of world trade by weight (Rajadurai, 2004, p 83). This trade is truly international and has importance to any business irrespective of the state of origin or operation. Since, shipping is a necessity by businesses across the world, there is also a need for uniformity in practices to make it safe and accessible. Also, since there are inherent dangers in terms of security in any trade, more so in shipping as it involves maritime transport in dangers waters with almost no monitoring or safety from perils or disasters, there is even more need for a common regulatory framework and enhanced operational safety. As McConville, et al (2005) observe that "regulations in shipping must necessarily be developed at the global level and since it is international and has the potential to offer a uniform platform to maritime players, there is a need for a uniform regulations on matters such as construction standards, navigational rules and stand ards of crew competence" (p 249). There are various conventions, laws, treaties, etc. and the issues relating to the different nation's rights and responsibilities towards each other are laid in the International law and the various states which constitute the shipping industry decide to abide by its rules. The International law's oldest discipline is the law of the sea and it draws from various sources for its regulations. Custom is seen as the most important of sources with tradition as another important source of the law of the sea (Dupuy, Vignes, 1991, p 60). There are also the Hague rules which were consolidated in three conventions and which related to issues like principles of freedom of navigation, the juridical nature of territorial waters and the rights of the coastal states over same the, the defining of baselines, the regulations of innocent passage by ships, with significance of the contiguous zone and the issues of breadth of territorial waters among others (Dupuy, Vignes, 1991, p 68). Since the sea wa ters of the Asian and African continents were being

Monday, September 23, 2019

Case Analysis on Human Resources at Hewlett Packard Essay

Case Analysis on Human Resources at Hewlett Packard - Essay Example HP Way in conducting its business is based on a set of ethical principles. Honesty and integrity form the very core of this approach. Its customers must be sure of the deals that they make with the company. For this it’s necessary to inculcate ethical principles in HR personnel. Teamwork at HP is emphasized since stakeholders, particularly the shareholders, depend on company’s policy in generating value for all concerned. Thus a sharing responsibility for organizational outcomes among HR personnel would be desirable. The company encourages flexibility and innovation among its employees. Their primary goal should be the development of innovative and flexible ways to carry out daily tasks so that functional processes become smooth. Teamwork enables horizontal communication function to be carried out with a singular focus on organizational goals. While communication structures have been overhauled to support a more democratic and less centralized vertical functional network within the organization there is also a well planned strategy to achieve results. There are both advantages and disadvantages associated with working for a company like HP. In the first place advantages include such benefits like good future prospects, career development, performance related pay, a positive and independent work environment and opportunities for innovation and meaningful contribution. Future prospects lie with the diversity and expansion of the organization (Becker, Andrew & Dave, 2001). A fast growing organization with ever rising net revenues must be any employee’s dream because the future of the company and its employees is basically determined by the current pace of positive progress that the company is making. Career development at HP is possible depending on the scope of the job. High tech companies like HP with a fair degree of diversification into other fields through merger and acquisition (M&A) are more likely to produce positive synergies that would

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Exploring Cultural anthropology Essay Example for Free

Exploring Cultural anthropology Essay Cultural difference(s) is one of the research topics that best suits for a cultural anthropologist to study. In my own perspective as a cultural anthropologist, cultural difference in the United States of America is one of the topics I might propose to research. In the United States where the issue of racism is of most major concern among other races, the history of racial discrimination has passed down until today. Many races including Asians are discriminated with regards to services, priorities, socialization, and its laws. Although there are sufficient laws that suspend racial discrimination among other races, this issue will still be in existence because of each cultural differences. This study may help in understanding better cultural differences/racism where it is in existence in the whole and is at most importance to international relations. Why would you choose this culture and topic for research? I chose the culture of United States since it has been the model of every other culture in the world. Many countries are instigated to pattern their country to the United States political system, diversity in religion, economy, and culture and traditions. As a world’s sole superpower, its culture plays an important role in maintaining its political and economic power to the world. American sports in example, military tradition, and advancement in science, arts and in entertainment (Hollywood); these are the things that draws political and economic power to the United States. Its culture is of most interest by other countries in the world. With regards to racism, I chose this topic for the reason that, until today, the United States struggles in eliminating or otherwise minimized racial discrimination domestically. It is a human nature to treat other races superior or inferior among them. It is of our interest the better ways if eliminate, prevent racial discrimination among others. The study of United States culture will give better understanding what it takes to be a charismatic country and a representation to the world. The study of racism will give better understanding how will we become accustomed to other races (The Journal of American Culture, 2009). What do you hope to discover, accomplish, or address by studying this culture? How could you prepare for culture shock? The culture of the United States through careful study would lay the foundation how a developing will and/or a poor country rise to power, elevate their political and economic influence to developed countries, and improved their standard of living via instigating American culture. I’m hoping to give details on different cultures, and address the needs of other people towards information dissemination. With regards to culture shock, studying culture may help in adjusting and/or adapt to culture differences. References â€Å"The Journal of American Culture. † American Family Traditions, (2009). American Family Traditions. Retrieved June 11, 2009 from americanfamilytraditions database.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Management and Steel Industry Essay Example for Free

Management and Steel Industry Essay 1. List and elaborate some strategic issues facing NUCOR. Key strategic issues challenging NUCOR include legislation related to climate change, fluctuating cost and supply of iron ore and scrap steel, increasing amount of steel imports, production technology improvements and economic weakness. Changes in legislation could have severe impacts on the firm’s numerous production facilities and could be costly to become compliant. The fluctuations in both the cost and supply of iron ore and scrap steel directly impact the firm’s profitability because it is difficult to pass those costs on to the customers due to the price-driven level of competition in the steel industry. The rise of low cost steel imports increases the domestic U.S. supply which puts pressure on NUCOR. The firm must stay at the front of technological advances for the production and processing of steel in order to stay competitive. Common for many firms and industries, economic weakness is an issue that challenges NUCOR’s strategy because it can impact the demand for its reputable high quality steel products. 2. What are the key elements of NUCOR’s low cost strategy? What factors have helped NUCOR achieve a low cost position? Key strategy elements for NUCOR: Conservative financial strength Team-based culture and decentralized operations Vertical integration Diversification Innovation – information technology, speed of design process Close proximity to important customers Financially stable employees – higher than average wages and non-discretionary incentive programs Employee empowerment Honesty and openness within the company No employee lay-offs Factors that have contributed to NUCOR’s low cost position: Strong, long-term relationships with outside parties for services such as research and development, purchasing recommendations, advertising, public relations, and  legal or environmental regulation compliance Stepping away from the steel industry’s tradition of equalized freight and offering all customers the sales terms of price plus actual shipping costs Not offering customers volume discounts Fleet of nearly 150 trucks for product delivery Vertical integration from joist manufacturing into steel production Steel production utilizing mini-mill technology Holding workstations responsible for identifying bottlenecks to increase efficiency Sophisticated computer program is used to compute accurate bids Improvements in the melting and casting processes for steel production including â€Å"continuous casters† Flat organizational hierarchy 3. Please apply Porter’s Five Forces model to the steel industry. While doing so, clearly identify who is behind each force and what the impact is of each force on the profitability of the industry (high/medium/low). At the end, also provide a summary of all the five forces and propose whether you think the steel industry is attractive or not. The bargaining power of buyers is high due to minimal product differentiation, low switching costs, excess capacity of steel production and large volume purchases. The threat of substitutes is medium because substitutes such as aluminum and plastic would not provide equivalent strength and durability but could still serve the same purpose as steel. The bargaining power of suppliers is low primarily due to the product being a commodity, high ratio of imported raw materials, and low switching costs. The threat of new entrants is low due to the trend toward consolidation and high amount of capital required to establish production/processing facilities capable of achieving economies of scale. Rivalry is intense because the steel industry is mature with little differentiation among products and mergers both in the U.S. and across the globe creating giant companies with deep pockets. Generally speaking, I think the steel industry is unattractive primarily due to its maturity, significant capital requirements and intense price-based competition that ultimately lead to low profitability. 4. What are NUCOR’s resources and capabilities? Resources: Team-based organizational culture Alliances with outside parties for support services Joint ventures with Physical locations of plants in proximity to key customers Loyal employees comprised of production workers, department heads, support and administrative staff, and senior management Innovative mini-mill technology Own fleet of nearly 150 trucks for distribution Computer program to generate bids Plants, mills, equipment, and machinery Reputation Financial capital Capabilities: Management’s philosophy and leadership skills Successful quality control process Flat organizational hierarchy and incentive program that keeps the workforce cooperative and productive Acquisition management Multidivisional coordination Speed of design process 5. Elaborate on some of the key lessons you have learnt from the case analysis. The most significant lesson I learned from this case analysis is that management style and culture can be key to being competitive. These really are the two things that will give NUCOR sustainable competitive advantage  because they are the most difficult to find and imitate. Building such an impressive employee loyalty takes time and cannot be replicated easily. In addition, the minimization of the corporate bureaucracy is something that makes employees at all levels feel comfortable and as if they are part of a family. I think there are many companies, including the one I work for that could really benefit from adopting this management style.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Object Oriented Programming

Object Oriented Programming There are many definitions in different sources. Some of them are like: Object-oriented programming is a method of programming based on hierarchy of classes, and well-defined and cooperating objects (Oracle, 2010a) Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is different from procedural programming languages in several ways. Everything in OOP is grouped as objects. OOP, defined in the purest sense, is implemented by sending messages to objects (IBM, 1995a) Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is a programming language model organized around objects rather than actions and data rather than logic (TechTarget, 2008) So in other words, OOPs is a type of programming in which the programmers have to define not only the data type of a data structure but also the functions or operations to be applied to the data structure. By doing this, the data structure converts to an object including both data and functions. Java, Python, Visual Basic .NET, Ruby, Smalltalk and C++ are among the popular OOP languages. The OOP starts with first step as identification of all the objects to be manipulated and how they identify each other. This is often called as data modelling. Once the object has been identified, we have to label it as objects class and also have to define the type of data contained in it and any logical sequences that can manipulate it. A distinct logic sequence is known as method. An instance of class is called as an object. The object runs in machine (computer). Computer instructions are provided by methods and the data is provided by the object characteristics. OOPs Principles OOP deals with objects, and to define it, w should know the types of objects which are described in class. Objects are instances of class. A class contains methods and attributes. Attributes are used to represent an object by using a dot, like: anObject.someAttribute; the attribute can be any type even same as an object type. Methods are used to represent the working of an object like: anObject.someMethod(parameters); The difference between attribute and method is that an attribute can only contain a value or a state but a method can also do some functioning. In the programming world, there is not any definition of OOP which can be accepted by all at same time but certain principles have been formed to help in understanding OOPs (Filimon, 2007a): Modularity it means to break the program code into different parts which can then easily be interlinked to make a well organized program. Figure 1: Modularity (Filimon, 2007b) Encapsulation it is linked to modularity. According to this, everything except the interface of an object should be hidden and precisely located, so the actual implementation can easily be changed, with an improvement to the program security (Filimon 2007a). Figure 2: Encapsulation (IBM, 1995b) Inheritance this is the main reason in the fine working of OOP. It allows a class to have the same behaviour as another class and extend or remove that behaviour to provide special action for specific needs (IBM, 1995a) Figure 3: Inheritance (Oracle, 2010b) This diagram shows the class hierarchy as it descends from java.lang.Object for the classes in the user interface. Benefits of OOP With the help of inheritance, a programmer can eliminate the redundant code and extends the use of available code. Classes Programs can be built from the working modules which interact with one another, rather than starting the code again from scratch. Due to this, lots of development time is saved and production is higher. Because of data hiding, the programs are designed not be touched by the codes in other parts of the program and this provides greater system security and avoids unintended corruption. Multiple instances of an object can coexist without any interference. Easy to break the work in parts based on objects. Easily small to large systems upgradation of OO systems. With the help of the concept of data classes, a programmer can create any new data type which is not already defined in the language. Code reuse; polymorphism. Errors are caught when compiling rather than at runtime. Works like the way real world works. Easily to map a real world problem to a solution in OO code. Disadvantages of OOP OOP takes more time to execute as it is a high level concept and many routines run at back at the time of execution. Artificial class relations. We can easily make break the program making it more suitable according to us but if the programming is based on real world problem then the modified structure is not similar to what exist in real. Unnecessary complications. Wastage of time in case of small coding programs. Due to inheritance, it is hard to read the code. If u have classes inheriting other classes, then you might end up with code again and again to figure out which method is called. How OOP is used in Software Development? In any complexity of software development, OOP is the best to solve the issue. These are the areas where OOP is used (Buyya et al, 2009): Image processing Pattern recognition Computer assisted concurrent engineering Computer aided design and manufacturing Computer aided teaching Intelligent systems Database management systems Web based applications Distributed computing and applications Component based applications Business process reengineering Enterprise resource planning Data security and management Mobile computing Data warehousing and data mining Parallel computing OOP just helps us to load the real world problem into software which can be modified in different ways depending on the needs. Once a code generated for any software can be used again and again to serve other applications with same functions. This helps in saving lots of time for the programmers and also helps in making the program flexible so that it can be easily modified when there is need. I think OOP is not a successful approach to a beginner in programming because programming is not easy until the programmer does not know what objects or classes are. OOP have many advantages but they will work for the programmers having good knowledge in the concepts of programming. Despite all the advantages, a beginner cannot distinguish between the classes, objects or any other things which makes it difficult to understand. So I think a beginner should start with low level programs to learn the basic concepts and then move to OOP. References Buyya, R., Somasundaram, SS. and Chu, X. (2009) Object Oriented Programming with Java: Essentials and Applications. New Delhi, India: McGraw-Hill. Filimon, T. (2007a) Object Oriented Programming [online]. Available from: http://teodorfilimon.com/articles/OOP/Object-Oriented-Programming.htm. [Accessed 14th January 2011]. Filimon, T. (2007b) Object Oriented Programming [online image]. Available from: http://teodorfilimon.com/articles/OOP/Object-Oriented-Programming.htm. [Accessed 14th January 2011]. IBM. (1995a) Introduction: What is Object-Oriented Programming? [online]. Available from: http://www.inf.ufsc.br/poo/smalltalk/ibm/tutorial/oop.html#oop. [Accessed 12th January 2011]. IBM. (1995b) Introduction: What is Object-Oriented Programming? [online image]. Available from: http://www.inf.ufsc.br/poo/smalltalk/ibm/tutorial/oop.html#oop. [Accessed 14th January 2011]. Oracle. (2010a) essentials of the Java Programming Language: A Hands-On Guide part 2 [online]. Available from: http://java.sun.com/developer/onlineTraining/Programming/BasicJava2/oo.html. [Accessed 12th January 2011]. Oracle. (2010b) essentials of the Java Programming Language: A Hands-On Guide part 2 [online]. Available from: http://java.sun.com/developer/onlineTraining/Programming/BasicJava2/oo.html. [Accessed 14th January 2011]. TechTarget. (2008) Object Oriented Programming [online]. Available from: http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/definition/object-oriented-programming. [Accessed 12th January 2011].

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Boris Yeltsin Essay -- Russia Russian Politicians Biography Biographie

Boris Yeltsin "We don't appreciate what we have until it's gone. Freedom is like that. It's like air. When you have it you don't notice." Boris Yeltsin Yeltsin, Boris Nikolayevich, president of Russia, elected shortly before the breakup of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1991. Yeltsin, who was elected to a second term 1996, is a central figure in the transition away from communism in the former USSR and has dominated Russian politics in the last decade. Early Life In 1930, Ignaty Yeltsin, a well-off peasant of Butka village was declared "kulak". His mill and other valuables were seized by the state. Rumors have it that Ignaty either fled the village, or was sent to internal northern exile. 1931, Ignaty's grandson, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin, was born in Butka. Soon afterwards Boris's family moved to the city of Kazan, where his father, Nikola, worked at a construction site of a machine-building factory. On May 23, 1934, Nikola Yeltsin was convicted of anti-socialist agitation. He served three years in Stalin' infamous labor camps of GULAG. After his release, Nikolai Yeltsin remained unemployed for awhile, then worked in construction, and Boris's mother Klavdiya Vasilyevna Yeltsina was a seamstress. In his youth Boris blew off two fingers trying to disarm a hand grenade (he was most likely playing with it not disarming it). Boris graduated from Pushkin High School in Berezniki where his parents lived from the late 1930's to the early 1970's. After graduation, Boris went to Ural Polytechnic Institute in Sverdlovsk. While in college, Boris played pro volleyball for Sverdlovsk in the USSR first division. In 1955 he graduated with a major in construction. In 1955 he got his first job, he worked for Uraltiazhtrubstroy. Boris mastered twelve construction skills (stonemason, carpenter, etc.) and became foreman. In 1956 Boris married Naina Ioifovna Grina, a student he knew in college. They have two daughter, Yelena and Tatiana, Born in 1957 and 1959. Yeltsin's engineering career advanced rapidly, he held jobs as chief engineer. In 1961, Boris joined the Communist party, by 1963 he became chief of a housing construction integrated plant, where he had thousands of people under his com mand. Yeltsin the Communist Boris Yeltsin's career in the Communist party administrative part began in 1969, when he became Chief of t... ...th are the poverty and crime levels of Russia that have grown exponentially. Boris Yeltsin did as much as any individual to bring about the demise of the USSR. The jury is still out on his contribution to the establishment of a post-Soviet order in Russia. Much will depend on whether his economic policies bear fruit and whether the political institutions he has shaped acquire solidity and more effective checks and balances then they presently contain. Bibliography 1.Microsoft Encarta 1994, published by Microsoft Multimedia 1994 2.Websters concise encyclopedia, published by Softscore inc. 1996 3.Confesions on the Assigned topics, by Boris Yeltsin, originally published by Russian books inc. 1990, re-published by Barron's international 1993, translated by Thomas Jenkins 4.Notes of the President, by. Boris Yeltsin, published by Baron's international 1992 5.Boris Yeltsin, by Vladimir Solovyov & Yelena Klepikova, published by London books 1995 6.Boris Yeltsin, by David Sheldon, published by Arrow 1996 7. Time Magazine, on microfilm Los Angeles county public libraries 1991-1999 8. New York Times, on microfilm Los Angeles county public libraries 1991-1999

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Korean wave Essay -- Business, Consumption, Globalization

One Strand of the cultural homogenization argument emphasizes the global reach of consumerism, for which possession of something is a most powerful trait in most human beings. From the perspective of what food preferences are, how people dress, to what music people listen to, how it can pattern every aspect of out lives in contemporary society. In consumerism, this essay will analyze the various theories on consumerism and weight up their pros and cons for offering Ð ° logical conclusion. The consumer products, commodities, enable people to share a sense of pleasure, feeling, taste, feel, and excitement creating the personal expression and satisfaction. This is based on set of beliefs, the first being the idea that consuming goods is natural, and bÐ µnÐ µfÃ'â€"cÃ'â€"Ð °l for Ã'â€"ndÃ'â€"vÃ'â€"duÐ °ls and societies, the second being the idea that everything can be sold or bought for Ð ° monetary value. These two attitudes were historically new and began around the 1750's in the most economically advanced countries such as Holland and BrÃ'â€"tÐ °Ã'â€"n. (Alan J. Kidd and David Nicholls, 1999) Taking it for granted, what would be consumption then? Firstly, consumption was not new. It began with the ‘lÐ µÃ'â€"surÐ µ classes’. They were aristocracies, who had Ð ° monopoly on wealthy and whose main way of life was one of continual consumption. These ‘leisure classes’ displayed what is known as conspicuous consumption. In other words, they displayed thÐ µÃ'â€"r consumption tests and values to others. This is still going on in modern societies; take for instance, current wealthy people who will buy expensive and luxury vehicles to display thÐ µÃ'â€"r economic capital stages. In the development of consumption into modern scale consumerism, as seen, consumption was predominantly restricted to the wealt... ...f studies done into the effects of the introduction of fast shops in the developing world. This leaves people with the final question. Does consumerism affect every aspect of everyday lives? Consequently, people are apparently living in Ð ° society, which function through efficiency, predictability, calculation, and control. It seems every aspect of people's lives from watching television, to driving or catching the taxi into work is now standardized. Whatever goods wÐ µ now buy has already been processed. In a broad sense, it is obvious that progress of reverse flow, hybridization, and fragmentation is quite as strong as the push towards mass homogenization in globalized consumer societies. This begs the last questions, will there ever be Ð ° limit to consumerism? Will there ever come Ð ° point where it is too much?

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Solar charger

As an experienced company specializing in designing, engineering, manufacturing and selling various kinds of products, such as accessories of computer and mobile phone, fashionable electronic product, electric gifts, novelty lights & lighting, promotional gifts & crafts and other various kinds of promotional items.Slinya owns not only the advanced production equipments and strong development strength, but also a group of technicians and veteran workers with rich skill and good rainings which are the backbone of the fast and convenient delivery and best service for customers. Customer's satisfication has always been main goal, Slinya has an professional quality team and many precision testing equipments to ensure that all products have the best quality control.They also have gotten the official certificates of IS09001 : 2000 ; IS014001 : 2004 from third party organization, and all products are internationally recognized with RoHS compliance. Slinya Group always hold on to technology c reation and marketing development, continuously promote our competition, and do the best to satisfy market's equirements with company's flexibility, so as to provide best service and best products to their customers. The products have been distributed and exported to many countries all around the world, such as the United States, Europe, South Asia, Middle East and other areas.They have won the high reputation and long term cooperation from customer both at home and overseas. Products and Services 10000mAh Power Bank Portable Solar Charger Rechargeable Solar Battery Product Features: product price RM105 per 1; 200 Pieces RM60 This product is a multi-function solar emergency charger. Meet an emergency: When you go to outside or power cuts, you also can use your mobile phone with solar energy. Convenience: Whenever and wherever you are, you can charge your mobile phone in time, and you could talk with others when charging.Environment protect, save resource: You can use solar energy to charge your mobile phone wherever and whenever. Exquisite workmanship, high-capacity Solar efficient charging Multi – voltage mode, extensive support for laptop and mobile digital devices Multiple intelligent security protection: over current, overvoltage, overload and short circuit rotection LED remaining power smart tips Capacity Input: DC 1 . OA (max) output: DC 5. OV 2. 1A (max) Solar panel: 1. W The battery indicator: 4-LED indicate (charging, full of bright blue light) Connectors for mobile phone: for iPhone 5, for iPhone, Micro USB adaptor, for Mini USB, For Nokia N70 Size: 132 x 14t-nrn weight: 226g Color: Black, Silvery, Hot Pink, Blue Package Included: 1 x 10000mAh Solar Battery Charger lx Charger Cable Charger Adapters lx Retail Package Shenzhen LETSOLAR Technology Co. , Ltd Shenzhen LETSOLAR Technology Co. , Ltd was established in 2005, the headquarter nd R;D department is located in Nanshan, Shenzhen city.We integrate research, development ; manufacture and spec ialize in solar charger as well as portable charger field. With strong R;D capacity, LETSOLAR not only continuously improve main products solar charger ; portable charger, but also develop solar lighting system, solar pack, solar torch, solar DIY kit, etc. They emphasize on products R;D and build a 7 people R;D team of electronic, structure, shape. All the products have China appearance patent. LETSOLAR also pay attention to products environmental property. All the products re under CE ; RoHS certificate and correspond with EIJ REACH regulations.Also some products are USA FCC approved. In 2012, LETSOLAR has moved to a new manufacturing base, the building area is more than 2,500 square meters. New factory including mold-tooling design, product development, plastic injection and manufacture process. In this way it will improve our R;D, manufacture and quality control capacity, and they can give you quick response and better service. Products ; Services Tiger senes Of LETSOLAR Big powe r solar Charger 6000mAh Product Detail Product Price RM 170 per 1 Brand name: Letsolar Type: Solar output: 5V/2. A ; 5V/1A Solar Panel: high efficiency solar panel Power display: LCD Place of Origin: Guangdong. China Input: 5V/1A Weight' 195g Use; Charger for all phones Battery: Li-Polymer Capacity: 6000mAh output port: 2 USB & Micro USB Size: 92mm x 152mm x 20mm Packaging & Delivery Packaging Detail: neutral package Delivery detail: 15 – 20 days after reiceve the paymenbt Specification 6000mAh Li-polymer battery, can charge iPhone 300% High efficiency solar panel Three output Inbuilt cable Self-charging time: 12 hours by laptop, 7 hours by 5WIA travel charger NingboYinzhou Guanya Optoelectronics Co. , Ltd. Ningbo Yinzhou Guanya Optoelectronics Co. , Ltd company was established on 2008, its professional in exporting solar products and portable chargers, aiming at global market. their goal is to supply green products to our customers with good quality and prices. The products include solar charger, foldable solar charger set, solar LED flashlight, solar keychain, outdoor solar light, portable charger, phone charger, power bank and so on.They are widely used in daily life, camping, travel, exploration, searching and for emergency use. They strictly execute IS09001 :2000 production standard to meet customer requirements. Most of the products are certified by CE, RoHS and EN-71. Our engineers could customize personalized design and packing to ensure their customers acquire the competitive products. They could also offer customers with OEM service to fit the distribution.Since 2012, we have issued a very important plan for opening oversea markets. We can supply DIA 30-120 DAYS services for our good customer to open their local market. We believe that in this way we can grow up together in the future.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Self-Managing Teams at General Electric Aircraft

The organizational behavior issues that I addressed in this paper pertain to self-managing teams at General Electric†s aircraft engine assembly facility in Durham, North Carolina (hereafter referred to as â€Å"GE†). The article â€Å"Engines of Democracy† from Fast Company magazine is particularly interesting because the self-managed teams at General Electric fit the definition from our class text, Organizational Behavior (1998), almost perfectly. According to this book, â€Å"Among the management responsibilities allotted each self-managing team is that of continually assessing the work of the team and redesigning the jobs of the team†s members† (p. 152). Throughout the article, examples of job and process changes made at GE were noted. The majority of these changes were made to existing company processes prior to the opening of the plant, while the quest for continuous improvement has driven other changes since the facility opened. You will find various examples of these changes throughout this paper. Although our course text Organizational Behavior (1998) just touches on self-managing teams, the situation at GE seems to be a hybrid of not only self-managing teams (p. 152), but of quality circles (p. 151), and TQM (p. 150). I chose the article â€Å"Engines of Democracy† because I believe that self-directed work teams can be successful in many situations. Unfortunately, they do not formally exist at Commonwealth Edison (my employer), which is a traditional hierarchical company. I also chose this article because jets fascinate me. Simply stated, I am amazed by the fact that something that is so heavy is able to fly so high and so fast. In the article, Charles Fishman (1999) sums up my feelings when he states â€Å"That someone who lives in Topeka can decide on a whim to go to Tokyo, and be there in less than a day, is truly miraculous† (p.180). In this paper, I have highlighted several success factors at GE, and examples are included where it is appropriate. The success factors included are: (a) Team Dynamics and Job Satisfaction, (b) Employee Selection and Skill Level, (c) Work Methods, (d) Employee Pride and Motivation, and (e) Telling Remarks about Commitment. The research methods used to create the GE organization are most similar to the Explicit Theory. Robert Henderson and his managers were responsible for opening the GE plant in Durham, North Carolina. Mr. Henderson decided that the assembly work would be done in the most radical fashion possible. In researching how this would be done, Henderson and his team researched â€Å"best practices†, by visiting other factories looking for ideas and methods that would empower his employees with authority and independence (Fishman, 1999, p. 188). The GE organization also has a hint of the Action Research Method, although it does not appear that it was intentionally used in the development of the organization, nor do all of the stages of the Action Research Model apply to GE. The GE plant has a staff of 170 employees, and 1 plant manager. Teams are responsible for the production of engines from start to finish, and they are told only 1 thing – the date the engine needs to be on a truck. Team members handle all other facets of management. In the empowered atmosphere, decisions are made by consensus. The concept of teamwork is obvious, and a remark of employee by Keith McKee, who stated â€Å"I have 15 bosses – all of my teammates are my bosses† (Fishman, 1999, p. 192) is indicative of the work environment. In addition, the former plant manager, Paula Sims stated that â€Å"We call this the feedback capital of the world† (Fishman, 1999, p. 192). No one is exempt from feedback. Early in Ms. Sim†s assignment, an employee told her that there was no need for her to micromanage the employees, because when she told them to do something, it would get done. I find this refreshing. In Organizational Management (1998), job satisfaction is defined as â€Å"a pleasurable feeling that results from the perception that one†s job fulfills or allows for the fulfillment of one†s important job values† (p.107). Since the article makes no mention of the measurement of job satisfaction, I believe we can measure employee satisfaction by the turn over rate, which is less than five-percent annually. The article also includes some individual remarks relating to job satisfaction. For example, employee Pat Miller commented on previous jobs that he held, â€Å"†¦ I had not input at all-none. I†m much happier here. I [italics added] can change what goes on† (Fishman, 1999, p. 184). With members of the plant conducting interviews of potential co-workers, GE uses extensive interviews that encompass eleven skill areas to evaluate candidates. Interviews have been known to last 8 hours, and they include interactive exercises. It was also decided that all employees should be FAA-certified mechanics. This is the only GE facility that has such a requirement. The rationale behind this thinking is that candidates will already possess valuable training if they are hired. As stated by Robert Henderson, who was in charge of opening the facility, â€Å"That would mean that we†d start with a better caliber of employee †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Fishman, 1999, p. 188). This remark fits the same line of thinking of another successful businessman, Ron Wolf, General Manager of the Green Bay Packers. Mr. Wolf stated in his book The Packer Way – Nine Stepping Stones to Building a Winning Organization, that the first of the nine keys to winning is to â€Å"hire the best†(Attner, Wolf, 1998). The GE workers strive to keep it simple. For example, the floor in an assembly building is painted blue, so when parts are dropped, they can be easily seen. To hold certain parts in place before they are permanently installed, technicians began using beeswax. Also, all tools have foam cutout areas so that they are not left out of place. This addresses both productivity and safety issues. The plant utilizes what GE employees call â€Å"multiskilling†, which means that all employees know all of the jobs. Derrick McCoy, a GE employee, stated â€Å"Multiskilling is how the place is kept together†(Fishman, 1999, p. 186). As Mr. Fishman (1999) mentions in the article, money alone can not motivate people to perform as well as GE employees have (p. 182). The book Organizational Behavior (1998) shows that Abraham Maslow would agree, as evidenced by his â€Å"Needs Hierarchy† (p. 83). Based on Maslow†s model, money would satisfy physiological and safety needs at best. Pride and satisfaction fuel motivation at the GE plant, as there are no performance incentives. GE team members are so proud that they sweep out trucks so that no damage occurs to their finished product while they are being shipped via truck. Mr. Fishman (1999) reports that GE employees believe that their job is not to make jet engines, but to make jet engines better (p. 202). Commitment and the drive for perfection is taken very seriously by GE employees. This is evidenced by comments like those of employee Bill Lane, who said â€Å"I†ve got a 3-year old daughter, and I figure that every plane we build engines for has someone with a 3-year old daughter riding on it† (Fishman, 1999, p. 180). Employee Duane Williams, referring to problems that workers normally complain about, said â€Å"†¦ well, we have a chance to do something about them. I can†t say, â€Å"They† don†t know what†s going on, or, â€Å"They† made a bad decision. I [italics added] am â€Å"they†Ã¢â‚¬  (Fishman, 1999, p. 186). Certainly commitment comes from self-esteem and being appreciated. Again, Duane Williams remarked that â€Å"I was never valued that much as an employee in my life.† â€Å"†¦ But here, I couldn†t wait to get to work every day. That†s no BS!† (Fishman, 1999, p.184). So how effective is this self-directed plant? The GE plant has not missed a delivery date on their CF6 engine in 38 straight months. The cost of producing the CF6 engine has been reduced by 30 percent since 1995, which is even more astonishing since this engine has been in production for twenty years. When faced with the challenge of reducing plant costs by $1.2 million, the â€Å"expense council† that was assigned to address this issue provided a proposal within 3 weeks. This plan ultimately superceded the plant manager†s plan that had been submitted earlier. Perhaps the greatest achievement of the team occurred when the plant was given the opportunity to build a new style of engine, the CFM56. From the time of the announcement that GE would build this engine, the team produced its first engine 9 weeks later. This was done at a cost that was 12% to 13% less than the Ohio plant, which had been manufacturing this engine style for years. Finally, the best tribute to the employees came from Robert Henderson, who even with the goal of making the plant as radical as possible, stated â€Å"I was just constantly amazed by what was accomplished here† (Fishman, 1999, p. 188).