Outsourcing or Exporting America Essay Example for Free

Outsourcing or Exporting America Essay With the new economic slump, many people are trying to find ways to rebuild the economy and find the cause of the downward spiral that has recently plagued our country. In the quack of high unemployment, and many families losing their homes, many of the economists and researchers are looking to the outsourcing of jobs to other countries as the culprit for the dilemma. Is his belief true or false? The answer lies within each person’s individual belief, because politicians do not give all the information available about this new crises and the reason for it. In a year of presidential elections, one only needs to look at the previous election to see that this same topic was prevalent. In 2004, John Kerry accused George W. Bush of â€Å"exporting† jobs to other countries so big business could save money. In fact, N. Gregory Mankiw stated that the outsourcing of jobs was just another type of trade on an international level. Even at that time, many opponents realized that the government was trying to make excuses for high unemployment and the loss of jobs in this country. With the end of the election, the topic lost steam and lay in the background for years (Drezner, 1; Dobbs, 1). Now, in the smoke filled world of foreclosures, banks going under and financial giants losing their grasp of the world, the issue of outsourcing has again reared its head. Why? Because the majority of the public believe that the exporting of jobs is a major factor in the current slump. While manufacturing jobs have been lost to countries for lower wages, now the middle manager and white collar jobs are being shipped overseas to companies that charge much less then their American counterparts. This leaves the middle class American with few options and young Americans with unfulfilled dreams (Drezner, 1; Dobbs, 1). Both sides of the argument believe that they are in the right. Those that applaud the globalization and outsourcing to other countries, truly or blindly believe that it is the best option for this country. They even believe that it will help to create higher paying jobs for Americans, while the mundane and manufacturing jobs are done elsewhere for less money. They fool themselves with this notion. The truth of the matter is that American companies shut down factories and outsource middle management or call center activities; they are hurting the American worker and the American economy (Dobbs, 1). Look around and see the economy failing, banks losing, real estate stagnant. While the stock market roller coasters from downward spirals to euphoric rises, the economy is more imbalanced than ever. Multinational corporations will continue to layoff workers in the United States to give those jobs to people in other countries for less money. Is destroying our country worth a few dollars per employee? Most American would not agree. They would take up rank and fight, but until they have the correct information, and the government stops skewing the truth, the American people will suffer and the economy will fail.

Global village Essay Example for Free

Global village Essay America was a time of challenging authority and established conventions. It was into this era that a Professor of Media studies at Toronto University rose to media personality status. Marshall Mcluhan is famous for introducing society to catchy aphorisms such as â€Å"the medium is the message†. Although his theories have always been contested, they were popular at the time and are currently enjoying a revival. One such theory is his vision of the â€Å"Global Village† which I will discuss in this essay. To understand the term, a comprehension of some of his other ideas is necessary. Mcluhan was influenced by Harold Adams Innis who suggested that each medium of communication had a time â€Å"bias† which affected the stability of society. In short, he saw that â€Å"time biased† media such as stone carving would endure time and lead to a stable society. â€Å"Space biased† media, such as papyrus, could easily be revised and lead to an unstable culture (Meyrowitz 1985:17). Mcluhan went beyond this to suggest that different media have â€Å"sensory bias† (Postman went beyond this to argue that the medium contains an â€Å"ideological bias†). Mcluhan saw each new media invention as an extension of some human faculty. In The Medium is the Massage he notes, â€Å"All new media are extensions of some human faculty† (Mcluhan and Fiore 1967:26). The book illustrates some examples; the wheel of the foot, the book of the eye, clothing of the skin and electronic circuitry of the central nervous system. In terms of the â€Å"global village† the last extension is the most important. He saw us as breaking our ties with a local society and, through our new electronic extensions, connecting globally to a new world of total involvement. â€Å"We now live in a Global Village†¦a simultaneous happening† (Mcluhan Fiore 1967:63). He refers to the village as a global community, existing with a level of connection associated with small rural settlings. We can see evidence for this in terms of what is sometimes termed an â€Å"always on† culture. News travels instantaneously across the globe, 1 in 6 people own a mobile phone (Guardian 2002) and the Internet smashes old barriers of communication. However, the Internet was in its infancy when Mcluhan used the term, which was first used in response to radio. There is some debate over the origin of the term â€Å"global village†. Eric Mcluhan writes that James Joyce reffered to a similar phrase, as did Wyndham Lewis. His opinion is that his father was probably already developing the concept and found it referenced in Lewis’ work afterwards. Mcluhan’s view of the â€Å"Global Village† was positive. He saw it championing greater social involvement and wrote, â€Å"In an electronic information environment, minority groups can no longer be ignored† This is a technological determinist attitude as it holds the medium as the single key to their involvement. Mcluhan also notes, â€Å"there is absolutely no inevitability as long as there is a willingness to contemplate what is happening† (Mcluhan and Fiore 1967:25). This is rather at odds with some of Mcluhan’s other material. He often makes poetically powerful statements about our helplessness in the face of technology (â€Å"All media work us over completely† (Mcluhan Fiore 1967:26)). Digital TV offers increasing interactivity with Internet functions such as e-mail and online banking available next to greater entertainment choices. It is being put to an alternative use in sheltered housing by allowing residents in difficulty to contact the manager; an example of how new technology is including minority groups. However, with the advent of digital TV the Government has come under pressure to sell the broadcasting spectrum that analogue occupies and is planning to do so before 2010. The effects of this look set to create a greater divide than the one it healed. 50% of homes currently have digital TV but a third of homes are unable to receive digital TV at all. A report by the Department of Trade and Industry found that 6% of the population are likely to object to the switch-off based on the cost of upgrading and the belief that we watch too much TV (The Observer, 2004). If the analogue signal were to be switched off, those who couldn’t (or wouldn’t) receive digital TV would have no access to TV. The gap between rich and poor would accelerate and a greater social divide would exist. Technological Determinists refer to a â€Å"technological revolution† and since the invention of this term there has been concern for those left outside. The issue is more complex than Mcluhan presents it and subject to factors beyond that of just the medium. In Mcluhan’s time the Internet was far from the widespread facility it is today. He died in 1980, but only 5 years later the system to which the phrase â€Å"online community† is most pertinent was operational. Internet forums allow a number of people across the globe to converse in real time. The Internet seems to provide the most convincing argument for the â€Å"global village†. With broadband most actions are instant, allowing the user to converse, transfer money, view information and order products regardless of geography. Mcluhan’s idea of electronic circuitry extending the nervous system is easier to comprehend when you consider someone sitting down at a computer. The physical action of typing becomes the cause, but the effect is realised in an electronic global network. Meyrowitz notes how â€Å"At one time, parents had the ability to discipline a child by sending the child to his or her room-a form of ex-communication from social interaction† (Meyrowitz 1985:Preface). This is no longer the case. The Internet offers the possibility of extending our central nervous system across the globe. It is intrinsic in today’s society and much has been written over its social effects. Wellman and Gulia remark, â€Å"those on either side of this debate assert that the Internet will create either wonderful new forms of community or will destroy communication altogether† (Wellman: â€Å"The Networked Community†). The reality is unlikely to be as clear as this (although Mcluhan’s â€Å"global village† would suggest that it is). Meyrowitz has argued that new media blur the boundaries between public and private behaviour (Meyrowitz 1985:93-114). The same headline in a newspaper and read by a newsreader are two different messages. Print media does not invite the same depth of character analysis that TV does. The public broadcast begins to merge a private situation and invites a personal reading of the presenter. The personal homepage is an explicit example of the blurring between public and private boundaries. People from all walks of life are making available to the connected world their presentation of themselves. Cheung notes how it can be emancipatory as it allows you to rehearse your presentation (Cheung 2000). Unlike face-to-face communication you can refine your presentation until you are content. Mcluhan envisaged the â€Å"global village† as creating a greater level of social involvement and to some extent we can see this happening with the personal homepage. Individuals are reaching out to a global mass audience to say, â€Å"this is me†. Grosswiler notes that Mcluhan â€Å"would have agreed with the idea that electronic media increase the desire for closeness and intimacy in the Global Village† (Grosswiler 1998:118). However there is a problem in defining what we mean by â€Å"closeness and intimacy†. A personal webpage is more personal than the BBC homepage but not as personal as face-to-face communication. Mcluhan would argue that the â€Å"closeness and intimacy† on the personal webpage is the only type that exists as we live in the â€Å"global village†. For Mcluhan there was no other village and intimacy could be with anyone, anywhere. There is a tendency by those who consider the Internet in a technologically determinist way to view it in isolation. The Internet is for most people not the totality of their social interaction, although it is becoming increasing possible to live your life without human contact. It is possible to order almost everything you could need using the Internet, yet town centres still exist. I may talk to friends online but the majority of communication with them will be face-to-face. Mcluhan is often accused of exaggerating his conclusions and this is evident. While the personal webpage is popular it doesn’t provide a substantial system of interaction. It also clear that while a minority of people make friends online, face-to-face interactions comprise the majority. Mcluhan’s famous aphorism â€Å"the medium is the message,† represents the belief that the medium itself has social impact of which the masses are usually considered to be unaware. If the power of the media is so great, how is it that determinists such as Mcluhan can stand outside of it to comment? Furthermore Mcluhan thought that as soon as we are aware of something as environment, a greater process must be in effect (Mcluhan, Eric). However, Mcluhan was considered knowledgeable enough to sit on a board set up to examine â€Å"the totality of communications problems in modern society† (McBride cited in Briggs and Burke 2002:258-260). The outcome of this report would have made interesting reading but unfortunately political conditions halted proceedings. Maybe I would be discussing a different concept if the report had gone ahead. Mcluhan once remarked that the one thing a fish is not aware of is water. The water determines everything the fish does yet the fish is blissfully unaware. The point is that we are the fish and technology our water. However this doesn’t prove the argument, it simply explains it. At first glance the phrase appears clever yet contains no empirical evidence and is typical of Mcluhan’s inventive and persuasive useful of language. Mcluhan’s global village is perceived as optimistic. Yet a Marxist interpretation offered by Ang notes that â€Å"the making of the â€Å"global village† can be rewritten as the transformation, or domestication, of the non-Western Other in the name of capitalist modernity† (Ang 1996:150-180 cited in Grosswiler 1998:142). While the idea of the spread of communication remains constant, it is seen to destroy individual non-western cultures to make way for capitalist exploitation. The sociologist Tom Nairn argues that while Mcluhan’s â€Å"global village† could be reality, it is prevented from being so by the social forms of capitalism† (Nairn 1968:150 cited in Grosswiler 1998:34). He is not denying that it is achievable, but notes, â€Å"The potential of electric media is, in fact, in contradiction with a great deal of the actual social world†. He accuses Mcluhan of creating myths and ignoring the contradictions of his theory. The graphic below compare the distribution of Internet routers and the global population. (Soon-Hyung Yook, Hawoong Jeong, and Albert-Laszlo Barabasi at http://www. cybergeography. org/atlas/geographic. html) It is obvious from the map that the majority of the world is not connected. According to this the â€Å"global village† is made up of a minority of the worlds population. This is a model far from creating greater social involvement and has the potential to create a global divide between the connected and the unconnected. In my introduction I cited a statistic claiming that 1 in 6 people own a mobile phone in support of the â€Å"global village† concept. As with Mcluhan’s aphorisms this initially seems persuasive but closer inspection reveals the truth. The statistic suggests proportionality. As Briggs and Burke explain, â€Å"While there were 600 million telephones in the world in 1982, half the world’s population lived in countries which together had fewer than ten million†. Again this undermines the â€Å"global village† vision and adds empirical weight to Nairn’s criticism that the potential of the media is in contradiction with reality. As with the Internet, the â€Å"global village† is presented here as almost exclusively existing between developed western countries. Mcluhan’s vision dictated that minorities couldn’t fail to be incorporated, yet they have been excluded by virtue of being unconnected. Furthermore the Marxist view upholds that where third-world nations are included, it is only as means of stripping them of identity for capitalist ends. These points considered, it seems that Mcluhan’s vision is not a reality. Much of the world is unconnected and I need cite no evidence that it has not led to world peace. However, it should be noted that Africa is currently leading the way in the realms of mobile phone ownership. It has become the first continent in which the number of mobile phone users exceeds that of landline subscribers. A report â€Å"has estimated that there will be 60 million people using mobile phones by the end of the year more than double the 27 million who have a landline† and mobile phone ownership is growing at an annual rate of 65%, double the global average (Guardian, May 2004). It seems that we may be fast heading toward a â€Å"global village†. However even with Africa’s growth in mobile phone ownership, this still only brings the total to 6% of the population (Guardian, May 2004) and Internet access is considerably lower. While it may be true that a virtual village has been created, it is far from the all-inclusive global vision that Mcluhan prophesised.

Brief Of Company Of United Parcel Service Commerce Essay

Brief Of Company Of United Parcel Service Commerce Essay United Parcel Service, Inc. also known as UPS is a courier organisation which is the worlds largest package delivery service provider today. It was founded in 1907 by Jim Casey and their headquarters are based in Georgia, United States. The organisations operating activities include logistics, freight forwarding, mail packages and supply chain services. It delivers packages to more than 200 countries and domains worldwide. Reasons for selecting The organisations revenue escalated from US$36.6 billion (2004) to US$51.5 billion (2008). Therefore, they have been scaling a tremendous growth rate for several years. A comprehensive analytical study of UPS operations and its corporate strategic implications would enable me to have a firm grasp of globalisation initiatives. With an applied oriented approach, I would garner a more in-depth perspective of strategic management. Main strategic issues facing the company Regarding the integration of information technology, infrastructure and its package delivery operations. To adopt a holistic perspective in tackling information systems with implications at a National and International level. To leverage on its profit-margins by aggressive pricing to rivals and counter escalating overheads in its infrastructure and operating costs, UPS has had to axe 1800 employees. Companys contribution to the National Economy UPS achieved approximately US$38.63 billion in revenue from the U.S. market share (75%) in 2008. UPS contributed 0.36% to the United States GDP of US$14.2 trillion in 2008. The organisation holds a 61% (US$31.28 billion) market share in the U.S. domestic delivery package service. Companys contribution to the Regional Economy The organisation has achieved an award on environmental excellence for the conservation of energy and dealing with global warming issues emphasising on corporate social responsibilities. The organisation recently invested in its corporate branding by sponsoring the Beijing Olympic Games 2008 to gain a foothold in the Chinese market. Recent strategic dilemma The recent U.S. economic recession has sent fuel prices increasing therefore incurring high operating costs. Recent strategic choice The recent opening of a new air hub in Shanghai that provides the organisation with more value added capacities and greater efficiencies in developing business opportunities. UPS partnership with DHL by consenting to its rival to outsource their businesses to them generating revenue of US$1 billion annually across 10 years. Source of Information on Company http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/UPS http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile http://www.ups.com/content/sg/en/about/index.html (349 words) Executive Summary United Parcel Service, Inc is an American-based organisation that is a freight and logistics provider globally across 200 countries and domains employing approximately 426,000 employees. The courier service industry which deals with parcel deliveries is currently in the mid-maturity stage of the Industry life cycle. Critical success factors such as service reliability, efficiency and technological integration into its massive infrastructure are key aspects for a package company to achieve its successful reputation. A substantial amount of initial capital investment is essential for a courier organisation to operate its activities due to purchases and leasing fees of aircrafts, ships and vehicles. Rivalry among existing firms is high, due to a large number of competitors offering competitive low cost pricing strategies. Stakeholders such as governmental regulations and international legislative authorities in various countries have imposed stringent laws and policies in conducting its operating process and procedures. UPS attributes its success and sustainability in developing a robust technological infrastructure and consistently abiding to corporate social responsibility practices. However, the steep increased in volatile fuel prices and substantial operating costs have led to the organisations recent restructuring. The substantial allocation of the firms resources diverted into the Chinese and Indian market would elevate the brand equity and turnovers of UPS. Therefore, it could geographically expand and further capitalise future growth out of the U.S. market dependency. Although UPS needs to address its short duration challenges by monitoring its cash flow activities, it has not compromised its spending in constructing new hub expansions globally in China, America and England primarily. The firms long term perspective has also focused on rectifying issues such as the improvement of delivery services to leverage on maintaining customer loyalty initiatives. The organizations ROI was 6.04% for 2008 which demonstrates that the firm was efficient in their management effectiveness. (298 words) Industry Life Cycle Courier Service Industry Industry Output Introduction Growth Maturity Decline o Time The courier industry has played a major role to facilitate the evolution of globalisation today. This sector has achieved tremendous growth revenues from the 1960s till 2003, before entering into the early maturity stage of the industry life cycle. The industry is looking at expansion opportunities, for example, setting up of new air hubs in other countries to leverage on its international branding. Some organisations have also gone onto diversification of its resources, for example additional services like warehousing and supply chain management solutions. With the implications of global market uncertainty thats happening throughout the world, it has made an impact on slow sales growths. In addition, escalating fuel prices and high operating costs like leasing fees have resulted on a decline or flat profit margin. Currently, I believe that this industry is at its mid- maturity stage of the life cycle. This industry has also experienced peak sales and their revenue is maintained or goes up slightly yearly. Large players in this industry have experienced low cost per customer due to economies of scale, for e.g. expanding their infrastructure and delivery operations on a wider scale in order to achieve lower costs and increased in output. The courier industry has existed for more than a century ago and there are many competitors in the market but some are recently exiting from this industry. The industry targets the mass market for e.g. household consumers, corporations and government agencies whereby all these segments require package deliveries for industrial growth. Price cuts policies are used to encourage customers to switch brand to cement its consistent revenues. There is low research and development needed because the industry has stabilised and systems and policies are already in place. Moreover, firms may result to cost reductions, e.g. axing of employees to reduce expenditure. Major firms might need to consider dropping a few subsidiaries and harvest the more profitable strategies and resources in order to sustain the business. Key Factors of Success Key Success Factors Weight United Parcel Service FedEx Deutsche Post DHL Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score 1 Corporate Branding 0.02 5.00 0.10 5.00 0.10 4.50 0.09 2 Technological Integration 0.10 5.00 0.50 4.50 0.45 4.50 0.45 3 Location Accessibility 0.14 5.00 0.70 4.50 0.63 4.00 0.56 4 Service Reliability 0.20 4.00 0.80 4.50 0.90 5.00 1.00 5 Low Operating Costs 0.15 4.50 0.68 4.00 0.60 3.50 0.53 6 Skills Expertise 0.17 5.00 0.85 4.50 0.77 4.50 0.77 7 Low Pricing Policies 0.03 4.50 0.14 4.50 0.14 5.00 0.15 8 Speed Efficiency 0.19 4.00 0.76 5.00 0.95 5.00 0.95 Total Scores 1.00 4.53 4.54 4.50 Trust, commitment, speed and efficiency are the most important factors to consider in this industry. Thats because customers using the service must rest assured that their packages arrive to their desired destinations on time and accurately to the appropriate address. Firms must deliver a high level of accountability and responsibility to their customers to uphold its reputation. That is why courier insurance policies offered to customers must be affordable and deliver value to ensure firms offers quality assurances. Pilots, drivers and shipmen have to acquire the appropriate expertise to be relied upon for safe deliveries to avoid damages and losses. Training and development programmes for operating aircrafts and vehicles are essential for smooth transit of packages and to ensure an accident-free dispatch. Hub location must also be conveniently and accessibly situated so that firms can deliver a faster and more responsive delivery at lower transportation time and costs. In this way, firms will achieve just-in-time (JIT) delivery system principle for storage costs to be kept at the lowest possible level. The advancement of information management systems integration leads to efficient operations to transact or track the progress of packages for customers and a more systematic process in handling business activities. Firms must also deliver low cost operations to achieve economies of scale by expansion for e.g. bulk purchases for their raw materials like cart boxes, papers, bubble bags and envelopes to attain a lower overall unit cost reduction. In addition, firms must also strategise affordable pricing policies to entice customers to use their services. Branding and advertising is crucial for a firm to defend its market share as this leads to awareness and quality emphasis for customers to develop brand positioning perceptions of various organisations. UPS has performed well by aggressively advertising its brand for e.g. sponsorship for the recent Beijing Olympics 2008 to leverage its recognition in the flourishing Chinese market. In addition, in terms of net income, UPS is the strongest in its financial stability (US$3 billion in 2008) but has to better its reliability, speed and customer service quality compared to its competitors. Porters Five Forces Potential Entrants High Initial Capital Outlay Loyal Customer Relationships Strong Brand Recognition International Legislations Economies of Scale Other Stakeholders Governmental Intervention Environmental Laws Labour Unions Shareholders Wealth Employee Demands Community Pressure (e.g. Terrorism Threats) Rivalry among Existing Firms Large Number of Competitors Pricing Competition Service Differentiation High Exit Barriers Mergers Acquisitions Substitutes E-mail Fax Services Customer Satisfaction Complex Unreliable Technologies Important Documents Secure Facility Suppliers Aircrafts (e.g. Boeing Airbus) Leasing Contractual Fees Logistic Vehicles Cargo Ships Manufacturers Fuel Prices Increments Airport Authorities Buyers Consumer Preferences Backward Integration (e.g. Vehicles) Service Reliability On-time Deliveries Low Switching Cost Discounts Incentives Rivalry among Existing Firms: (High) Theres a high rivalry among firms to compete in low pricing for players as the industry is very saturated. Firms globally offer similar courier services, but have to innovate and offer differentiation to provide an array of services for variety at low costs. Theres a high fixed costs because firms need to purchase vehicles, aircrafts, ships and infrastructure to facilitate its delivery operations. Therefore, theres high exit barrier as players who enter the business needs to purchase or lease fixed assets and employ workers in order to conduct their activities. Threat of New Entrants: (Low) Theres high barrier on entry to new entrants as competitors are aggressively protected of their market share. Furthermore, besides a high initial investment required, established major players have already developed multiple distribution channels. In addition, customers have already committed to their preferred firms for repetitive services due to branding and reliability. Stringent trade barriers, heightened tariffs and governmental regulations to obtaining courier licensing are difficult. Overcoming these factors takes a long time. Bargaining Power of Buyers: (High) The bargaining power of buyers is high because competitors provide undifferentiated services and large commercial firms may use courier providers to transport a massive volume of deliveries. Customers are spoilt for choices as they could conveniently compare various prices firms offer. Buyers may also choose to practice backward integration, for e.g. producing their own supply chain activities and delivery vehicles. In addition, firms offer discounts for high volume freight forwarding and which focuses on high customer retention. Threat of Substitutes: (Low) It is not possible to find a substitute for freight services to deliver packages as this is the only source. However, in terms of mail deliveries, substitution such as emailing and fax pose a threat as alternatives. While these technologies weaken revenues, they wont overwrite it entirely, as customers prefer manual deliveries for a safer medium. In addition, the complexity and substantial costs for its extensive network communication systems will not be able to replace the human element of guaranteed deliveries. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: (High) The bargaining power of vehicles, ships and aircraft manufacturers is high because courier providers require large fleet of vehicles and periodic maintenance. Manufacturers still has power to exercise their preferred choice of buyers from various industries or decide to raise their fees and prices for vehicles. Furthermore, the supplier for aircrafts affects the operating costs for the companies in terms of fuel consumption. Secondly, supplier dependency on vehicles (e.g. Ford) is vital as the organisation needs an extensive medium for an effective mode of logistics distribution. Relative Power of Other Stakeholders: (High) Environmental laws and regulations are enforced in the U.S. under the environmental protection agency (EPA) act whereby the absolute compliance of legislations regarding air pollution and waste materials must be minimised to protect its green environment. Secondly, employees who join unions add pressure to the industry whereby organisations may be prone to strikes and work stoppages because of a large workforce. In addition, shareholders have added pressure for the company to reduce its operating costs by forcing to lay off employees just to maintain its share prices. Internal Factor Analysis Summary (IFAS) Internal Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Comments Strengths S1 Reputable Branding 0.10 4.80 0.48 Market Dominance S2 Broad Service Variety 0.05 4.50 0.23 Diversified Resources S3 Technology Expertise 0.10 4.70 0.47 E-commerce Competencies S4 Financial Growth 0.15 4.20 0.63 High Profit Margins Success S5 Merger Acquisition 0.08 4.00 0.32 Reduce Competitors Weaknesses W1 Low Employee Output 0.05 3.00 0.15 Low Productivity Revenue Per Employee W2 Domestic Market Dependency 0.12 3.50 0.42 High Reliance on U.S. Market W3 High Operating Costs 0.15 3.20 0.48 Increased in Fuel Prices Labour Costs W4 Poor Delivery Service 0.10 2.00 0.20 Slow Delivery Missing Parcels W5 High Reliance on Information Systems 0.10 2.50 0.25 Massive Database Information Processing Vulnerability Total Scores 1.00 3.63 Strengths: In 2008, the firm was listed in the top prong for the worlds most admired companies by the Reputation Institute. In terms of service variety, the firm offers customised denouements (e.g. UPS CampusShip) to enable employees across other countries to ship documents and parcels from any computer with internet access. UPS was the first company to allow delivery transactions online and provide technological tracking services. In 2008, UPS had an operating and net profit margin of 10.4% and 5.8% respectively, higher than its rivals. Lastly, UPS has made 52 acquisitions to date, and the most recent includes the acquiring of Korea Express (KEC) which accords UPS full authority of its partners operations. Weaknesses: In 2008, UPS revenue per personnel stood approximately at US$120,859.1 which was much lower than its rival FedEx at US$130,872.4. UPS is also highly dependent on the U.S. market for revenue and is susceptible to volatility of the economic and governmental unstable situations domestically. Thirdly, the rapid increase of fuel prices, (average fuel surcharge in 2008 on U.S air deliveries was 25.17% compared to 12.17% in 2007) has increased its operating costs forcing UPS to cut jobs at the same time heightening their packaging rates. UPS also needs to improve on its delivery service as it fairs below average compared to its rivals. In addition, the high reliance on its database information systems processing has made the firm susceptible to data omissions. External Factor Analysis Summary (EFAS) External Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Comments Opportunities O1 Geographical Expansions 0.15 4.20 0.63 Booming Chinese Market O2 Joint Ventures 0.12 4.30 0.52 Oil Gas Market O3 Online Retailing 0.08 4.00 0.32 E-commerce Trends O4 Growth in Globalisation 0.10 4.50 0.45 Import Export Sectors O5 Strategic Alliances 0.12 3.50 0.42 Booming Indian Market Threats T1 Governmental Regulations 0.06 3.90 0.23 Government Intervention T2 Labour Union Pressure 0.05 4.00 0.20 Strikes Work Stoppage T3 Foreign Currency Fluctuations 0.05 3.80 0.19 International Markets T4 Volatile Oil Prices 0.15 2.30 0.35 Increased Transport Cost T5 Terrorism Natural Disasters 0.12 1.90 0.23 Operations are Disrupted Total Scores 1.00 3.54 Opportunities: UPS formed a joint venture in Dubai to tap into growth opportunities in the oil and gas industry. The firm therefore acquired Unsped Paket Servisi San ve Ticaret A.S., in 2009. UPS has also penetrated the Chinese market by opening new air hubs in Shenzhen and Shanghai to focus on the air speed cargo sectors which is expected to grow at an average of 11.2% per year till 2020. UPS has been a main facilitator for online shopping, for e.g. Nike, Amazon.com and E-bay. The emphasis of international trade in todays world economy has impacted UPS to be a leading global courier provider. UPS has also formed strategic alliance with AFL Pte Ltd, India to leverage on the Indian market. Threats: The unions would affect UPS to provide undisrupted service to its customers if the firm does not satisfy demands of their employees. The transportation, aviation, security and environmental authorities have enforced stringent governmental laws and regulations for UPS to comply in the course of their operations to ensure systematic work ethics are practiced. In addition, currency exchange rates which fluctuate seasonally will implicate the organisations revenue. Furthermore, due to the oil embargo in 2008, it has led to the increase for oil prices. Finally, due to terrorism and natural disasters, its daily flight operations would be greatly affected. Strategic Factor Analysis Summary (SFAS) Duration I N T E R M E S D H I L O A O Strategic Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score R T N Comments T E G S1 Reputable Branding 0.12 4.80 0.58 X Market Dominance S4 Financial Growth 0.10 4.20 0.42 X X Escalated Revenues W2 Domestic Market Dependency 0.07 3.50 0.25 X X High Reliance on U.S. Market W3 High Operating Costs 0.10 3.20 0.32 X X High Fuel Prices Labour Costs O1 Geographical Expansions 0.16 4.20 0.67 X X Booming Chinese Market O2 Joint Ventures 0.15 4.30 0.65 X X Oil Gas Market T4 Volatile Oil Prices 0.12 2.30 0.28 X X High Transport Costs T5 Terrorism Natural Disasters 0.18 1.90 0.34 X Operations are Disrupted Total Scores 1.00 3.51 Short Term: UPS has to ensure that they can maintain financial stability and has done this by achieving an increase of 3.6% in revenue for 2008. UPS has to address issues on achieving yearly financial growth because it affects their annual reports and share prices. Secondly, UPS needs to address high oil prices and has cut labour costs by employing more part time contract workers to manage volume capacities on an ad hoc basis. In addition, UPS recently purchased hydraulic hybrid vehicles which emphasises on fuel reduction expenses. They have also discontinued its night sorting operations in Columbia, shutting down smaller facilities and froze management salaries. Intermediate Term: UPS and its union-Independent Pilots Association (IPA) have came up with a mutual agreement on cost reduction measures totaling up to approximately $131 million over the next 3 years. Secondly, UPS was awarded a 3 year partnership contract with the U.S. Postal Service by agreeing to transport mail nationally in U.S. cities. UPS would have to undertake an environmental scanning analysis in order to embark on geographical expansions and joint ventures. Furthermore, UPS needs to address the issue on human resource planning, demand forecasting that are useful in sales planning, production planning, capacity planning, budgeting and analysing various operating plans. Long Term: UPS has to address its branding strategy to build their reputation for public awareness. Therefore, it has done this by changing its 4th logo in 2003 to a more robust and distinctive image. UPS has also been moving out of the U.S. market by geographically expanding in China, India and the Middle East. The recent failed Nigerian terrorism plane attack has led to the U.S. authorities to impose heightened stringent checks and changing security procedures. In addition, the recent Haiti earthquake has led to disruptions in services and operations. UPS needs to address these factors which implicate the financial health of the organisation. TOWS Matrix Internal Factors (IFAS) External Factors (EFAS) WT Strategies Forward integrate a training college in-house Reduce more overnight flight operations across countries Petrol bulk discounts ST Strategies Seismic monitoring efficiencies to track down potential earthquakes Divest from unpredictable fuel market Financial stability and branding to combat rivals Threats (T) T1 Governmental Regulations T2 Labour Union Pressure T3 Foreign Currency Fluctuations T4 Volatile Oil Prices T5 Terrorism and Natural Disasters Opportunities (O) O1 Geographic Expansions O2 Joint Ventures O3 Online Retailing O4 Growth in Globalisation O5 Strategic Alliances SO Strategies Diversify by tie ups with 3M Faber-Castell Telco postal concessions (e.g. Singtel) Strategic alliance with the Chinese market to boost regional branding WO Strategies Geographically expand UPS by focusing on its resources capabilities Leveraging on E-commerce growth Joint venture with Oracle Corporation Weaknesses (W) W1 Low Employee Output W2 Domestic Market Dependency W3 High Operating Costs W4 Poor Delivery Service W5 High Reliance on Information Systems Strengths (S) S1 Reputable Branding S2 Broad Service Variety S3 Technology Expertise S4 Financial Growth S5 Merger Acquisition SO Strategies: UPS could diversify its resources and collaborate with reputable stationary companies like 3M and Faber-Castell to manufacture stationary that would embody the UPS brand. The firm could also move into a joint venture to offer postal concessions to Singtel and attain guaranteed high volume businesses in a long-termed contract. In addition, UPS could penetrate deeper into the Chinese market, by a strategic alliance with Air China Cargo Co., Limited to share valuable resources and boost its regional standing. Finally, they should advertise aggressively by sponsoring more global events to gain a higher level of presence recognition especially from the Asian market. ST Strategies: UPS could work closely with the seismic monitoring governmental department agency (USGS) for vigilant signals and warnings for earthquakes. The firm could also divest more from the fuel segment and use solar energy panels instilled into vehicles during the day to reduce fuel prices. In addition, they could invest extensively in research and development to enhance fuel efficiency alternatives for its current fleet of vehicles. Finally, the firm could utlise its reputable branding to propose to EPA in implementing harsher fines to new competitors that does not comply environmental legislations. WO Strategies: UPS could add more and deeper distribution channels into several regions to cement its efficient operations. It could also utilise its telematics expertise on other countries, to leverage on its core competencies. In addition, collaborate with Amazon.com and E-bay to acquire delivery orders on a long-termed basis. Oracle and UPS could have a joint venture to provide database management systems solutions towards its supple chain management operations. At the same time, UPS could be designated as the sole distributor for Oracles packaging and hardware components delivery interdependently. WT Strategies: UPS could invest by forward integrating a training arm subsidiary to offer aeronautical, logistics, supply chain and automotive courses to groom outstanding performing employees by bonding them and fully sponsoring their educational fees to encourage them to stay in the organisation for a long-termed basis. This would avoid labour issues, improve customer service and reduce hiring costs. UPS could also reduce significantly its overnight flights in different countries to reduce expenditure. Lastly, the firm could source for a wider range of suppliers internationally to achieve greater fuel bulk discounts. Assessment of Performance of Company Efficiency: Chinas export business has commercially grown by 10% in the export business. Shanghais air cargo hub operates at a 24/7 customs inspection capacity to deliver services from China connecting into international markets like U.S. and Europe faster. UPS also collaborated with the Shanghai customs to implement a risk management system to allow lower level of redundant packaging checks and an efficient clearance to recipients. DHL outsourcing would be an advantage for UPS as this move reduces competitors. Furthermore, UPS has an extensive excess flight capacity to accommodate more package volume to achieve a higher capacity utilisation level. Effectiveness: With the growth of e-commerce and export initiatives from the booming Chinese market, UPSs new air hub expansion in Shanghai would facilitate the Yangtze River Delta area international trade revenue driver as it contributes approximately 40% of total countrys business

Breaking the Bonds of Oppression in Susan Glaspells A Jury of Her Peer

Breaking the Bonds of Oppression in A Jury of Her Peers  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Susan Glaspell’s "A Jury of Her Peers" is a view into the lives of farmer’s wives in the Midwest at the turn of the century. These women live in a male dominated world, where the men consider them incompetent and frivolous. The only identity they have is that associated with their husbands. They stay at the farmhouse to complete their repetitive and exhausting chores. The wives have little or no contact with the other people because of the distances between farms. Glaspell uses her female characters to rebel against the inequalities that women face and to prove that women are competent and when pushed too far --strike back. The male dominant society that is condescending, controlling, denies individuality, demands submission, and is abusive toward women, is a society that punishes and deprives itself. It is a society that is harmful and hurtful, not only to the women, but to the men as well. Typical of the male dominant frame of mind, the men’s view of the women in "A Jury of Her Peers" is condescending from start to finish. Putting a slight twist on Shakespeare’s famous metaphor, "The world is a stage", the men are the puppeteers, and the women "merely" puppets, evidences the men’s beliefs (Act II, scene 7, lines 143-144). The men believe they are superior and more intelligent than the women are. The feeling of superiority is evident in Mr. Hale’s comment, "women are used to worrying over trifles" (Glaspell 186). Similarly, these feelings of superiority are shown in the county attorney’s musings over whether the women would "know a clue if they came upon it" (Glaspell 187). Glaspell uses this emotion to create the irony in the story. She shows how ... ...~journals~S~hyp.html&querydocid=1096142 @library_a&dtype=0~0&dinst=0> Sherman, Beth. "The Dirt on Men despite Liberation, Education, Maturation and Good Old Nagging, Women still can’t get their Men to Clean the House. Is it a Lost Cause or is there Some Way to Make Men Come Clean?" 26 Sept. 1992. SI., Newsday. 17 Feb. 1999. <http://www.elibrary.com/s/edumark/getdoc.cgi?id=125920539x0y20939w1& OIDS=0Q002D000&Form=RL&pubname=Newsday&puburl=http~C~~S~~S~ www.newsday.com&querydocid=213927@library_g&dtype=0~0&dinst=0> Walradth, Ellie. "Historian Says Farm Wives a Happy Lot." 21 Feb. 1997. University of Wisconsin. 17 Feb. 1999. <http://www.elibrary.com/s/edumark/getdoc.cgi?id=125920539x0y20939w1& OIDS=0Q002D000&Form=RL&pubname=Newsday&puburl=http~C~~S~~S~ www.newsday.com&querydocid=213927@library_g&dtype=0~0&dinst=0>     

A New Breed of Students :: Essays Paper

A New Breed of Students The American public school system does not prioritize the moral education of its students. As a result the majority of so-called "well educated society" is ethically challenged and morally desensitized. In Jonathan Kozol's book The Night Is Dark And I am Far From Home, Kozol develops a series of virtual indictments against the American public school system. According to Kozol students emerge both brainwashed and without a sense of purpose. In essence, many students do not understand the full potential of their intellectuality: "public education, for most children, is a twelve-year exercise of ethical emaciation" (Kozol 169). In the course of twelve years students have been sculpted to accommodate the needs of society; they have been conditioned to repress their own ethics and morality. In order to rectify this situation, schools should make the necessary adjustments to their philosophy. Instead of merely churning out "good citizens", public schools should take the time to educate "et hical human beings" for the benefit of humanity. It seems as if the typical middle class citizen is practiced in the custom of ignoring the root cause of any educational issue today. The question of integrating moral and ethical components into the school structure is virtually taboo. The national standard is to escape all topics surrounding morality (i.e. religion, racial issues, and homosexuality etc†¦). As American citizens attempt to be politically correct all the time. It would be too risquà © to start incorporating personal concepts into public institutions. Many would argue that as a country America has come incredibly far in terms of open mindedness in the past several decades. It is true that since Kozol's book was published, there have been tremendous advances in many aspects of social issues. However, resulting from this progress is the overall hesitancy to delve into any aspects of morality on an educational level. This hesitancy directly hinders the educated person from truly thinking as an individual. Throughout this essay I will refer to the terms morality and ethics on several occasions. For clarity's sake I will explain what I think they represent. Morality is a learned characteristic. Society tends to equate moralism with the church. However, morality and ethics have less to do with religion than they do with a general philosophy on living. People can be without a religion and still be looked upon as moral beings. Morality simply has to do with being able to identify the difference between right judgements and wrong judgements.

Hemophilia Essay -- essays research papers

Hemophilia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hemophilia is the oldest know, lifelong bleeding disorder(â€Å"Hemophilia†2004). It is named for two inherited diseases in which the blood does not clot normally. Several different plasma proteins must be present for blood to clot property. If one of the plasma proteins is missing, or present at low levels, blood clots very slowly(â€Å"Hemophilia† The Marshall Cavendish). The two most common types of hemophilia are: Hemophilia A or FactorVIII(8) deficiency and Hemophilia B of FactorIX(9) deficiency(â€Å"Hemophilia† 2002). People with Hemophilia A have low levels of one kind of blood clotting protein and people with Hemophilia B have low levels of another kind(â€Å"Hemophilia† The new book).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hemophilia primarily affects males, and is present from birth. It is estimated that 20,000 cases have been identified in the United States. In most cases, hemophilia is usually passed down from the mother to son (â€Å"hemophilia† and the new book). A women who is carrying the hemophilia is usually referred as a â€Å"carrier†. For instance; If a women who is a carrier of the hemophilia gene has a daughter, that daughter has a 50% chance of being a carrier. If women who is a carrier of the hemophilia gene has a son, the son has a 50% chance of having hemophilia. A very daughter of a man with hemophilia will be a carrier (Obliogate carrier). If a man with hemophilia has a son, they will not be affected and will not have hemophilia. However, approximately 30% of those families affected by hemophilia have no previous family history of hemophilia and is considered a â€Å"spontaneous mutation† (â€Å"Hemophilia†2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are degrees of severity to the amount of specific protein in the blood. Normal levels of the factor proteins measured in the lab range approximately 50%-150%. Severe Hemophiliacs have 1%-5% of the specific protein. Mild Hemophiliacs have >5%-49% of the specific protein. As expected, those with the severe hemophilia may have spontaneous bleeding as a well as bleeding with minor injuries and trauma. Those with moderate hemophilia will have bleeding with injuries or trauma but not likely to have spontaneous bleeding. Those with mild hemophilia may only experience bleeding after trauma or surgery (â€Å"Hemeophilia† 2002)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most common sites for the person with hem... ...ed before treatment can be offered to patients, there has been however a number of studies done in animals such as mice and dogs in which a factor VII or IX gene has been inserted and produced th eproper blood product for periods that exceed one year. Major issues that remain to be resolved include the low level of production of the clotting factor, reduction of immune reactions that stop the reproduction after a period, and development of ways to insert the gene directly into th ebody without manipulating cells outside the body (â€Å"Hemophilia†13 May 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The expense, danger of indwelling catheters, and inconvenience of the treatment regimen are all negative factors. All of these issues will become less important, even irrelevant, if the disease can be cured. At the present time, there are sufficient indications that gene therapy will ultimately be this cure. The technology for gene therapy’s not as simple as was first thought. Yet because of tis special characteristics, hemophilia will likely be among the first genetic diseases to be successfully treated (â€Å"Hemophilia† 13 May 1996). Citation â€Å"Blood clot in vessey.† Adam. nrd. 26 Feb. 2004

Muted Group Theory and the Little Mermaid

Muted Group Theory This topic is to basically analyze the theory of Muted Group and to see how it correlates with Walt Disney’s The Litter Mermaid. What is Muted Group Theory? Muted Group Theory was first proposed by Edwin Ardner and the theory is an attempt to explain why certain groups in society are muted which means they are either silent or just not heard. Edwin Ardener was an anthropologist who discovered that a group becomes mute due to the lack of power that is experienced of a group with a low status. Ardener then realized that this particular theory might form more of a gender perspective. Females are seen as being constructed differently and it is these specific differences that cause females to act in a different way as opposed to males. It is these reasons that women and minorities are to be considered muted groups because they are considered to be of a lower status than the dominant groups. Ardener called the theory the muted group because these muted groups are liken to black holes since they are muffled, overlooked and invisible (Griffin. 003: Prentice. 2005: Rogers 1978). It is not necessarily always seen that women are automatically muted or feel like a muted group but women believe that have no choice in order to â€Å"fit in† other than to change the way they act and talk. Women still live in a world that is dominated by men and women have taken the backseat to a man for centuries and depending on some cultures, the status of women and how they are viewed is not likely to change any time soon. There is quite a bit of power play being executed in environments where a specific group because of gender, race, or cultural background cannot be heard for who they are, but rather only by acting in ways they are reflective of who is â€Å"listening†, the dominant group. It would not be until Cheris Kramarae offered a different perspective to the Muted Group Theory. According to Cheris Kramarae, language is something that was constructed by man. The words and thoughts of women are ignored in our society. Because of this, it is difficult for women to express their experiences as opposed to men. Kramarae further stated that language does not serve all its speakers in an equal manner regardless of the culture because women are not as free as men to say what they want, when they want, and where they want. Men have a dominant control of society and how the members of society should express themselves. As such, different terms are used to describe tasks done by both males and females even when they are doing the exact same thing. It is also because of this that most sexual suggestions that are considered degrading are usually referring to women than to men (Anderson & Haddad 2005; Eckert & McConnel-Ginet, 1992; Epstein, 1986; Griffin, 2003; Prentice. 2005: West. 1983). In Order for women to express themselves to others, they must do so as how males express themselves (Epstein, 1986; Griffin, 2003; Rogers. 1978; Stets & Burke. 1996) One of Kramarae’s first published articles explains why women are perceived differently in the world and how they are not only less powerful but a group that does not speak a similar language as men. Men and women speak a different language. According to popular belief, at least, the speech of women is weaker and less effective than the speech of men. Our culture has many jokes about the quality of women’s speech . . .. Compared to male speech, the female form is supposed to be emotional, vague, euphemistic, sweetly proper, mindless, endless, high-pitches, and silly† (p. 82). The Muted Group Theory does not necessarily explain all the possible ways woman can interact to obtain their desired goals within an organization or something along those lines. Some women use certain techniques and tactics in which they are inherently strong and it is these particular women who can overcome the male power. One prime example of a women overcoming male power is the classic Disney Movie â€Å"the Little Mermaid†. When Walt Disney released its adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s â€Å"The Little Mermaid,† it had become a box-office hit. Yet, the movie captured the attention not just of young girls back in the late 1980’s but sociologists and anthropologists as well since the movie became a perfect example of whey they had termed as the â€Å"muted group theory. References Griffin, E. M. (1991). A first look at communication theory (3rd Ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. ISU Communication Studies. (n. d. ). Context of communication. Muted Group Theory Information Page. (1998, April 8). Kramarae, C. (1996). Classified information: Race, class, and (always) gender. In J. Wood (Ed. ), Gendered relationship s (pp. 20-38). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield. Kramarae, C. (1981). Women and men speaking: Frameworks for analysis. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.