The Adventures of Ibn Battuta: a Muslim Traveler of the Fourteenth Century

â€Å"The Adventures of Ibn Battuta: A Muslim Traveler of the Fourteenth Century† Translation: Ross E. Dunn Ibn Batutta was a self-proclaimed scholar of the fourteenth century who traveled extensively throughout sub-Saharan Africa under the banner of Islam, and wrote of his travels in an autobiographical book entitled ‘The Travels of Ibn Battuta’. The financing for his ventures was derived from Muslim rulers inhabiting the cities he visited. His text regarding the cities and their occupants provide great insight into the cultural diversity and economic conditions of medieval Africa, Middle East and Asia.Ibn Battuta also exposes intricate details of daily life regarding food, clothing and rituals. His journals relay a precarious existence where food is not always palatable; clothing is optional and indigenous rituals conflict with his own beliefs. Religious studies students may question the need for this intricate detail; however, Ibn Battuta was gathering the cruc ial knowledge to help other Muslims make the journey. His observances also allowed community leaders to learn of the actions of other community leaders.Among his many observations Ibn Battuta describes the terrain where he travels and the manner in which each community receives him. On many occasions, particularly when crossing the desert, advance notice was sent to make provisions for his lodging. This advanced notice also served a vital task, to arrange for a group of people to meet the traveling party several days outside of town with the necessary supplies to complete the journey. The text discloses unfortunate events where couriers were lost, resulting in the death of entire parties because additional supplies were never sent to meet them.Recording this type of information would be an invaluable resource for other Muslims who desire to go on a pilgrimage. The Travels also discuss the danger of storms at sea and seasonal conditions that limited the availability of this mode of t ransportation. The rigorous and perilous nature of distant travel is emphasized in the text and endured often by Ibn Battuta throughout his life. Although he expresses a modicum of regret at his abstinence from a stationary life, his descriptions of events and beautiful places belie his propensity for wanderlust.This seems a rather unexpected attitude for a religious scholar caught in the midst of desert travel. But from the standpoint of the reader, beauty serves as reward for the hardships endured on the journey. Several other passages in the text divulge the author’s valuation of nature and beauty. The Ibn Battuta reflects an almost pantheistic attitude that is simultaneously appreciative and respectful of both the desert and cultivated gardens. It is likely that this expressed reverence toward nature was intended as an enticement or encouragement his audience to travel.Interestingly enough Battuta also expresses knowledge about Plato Although Ibn Battuta seems to be conte nt with all facets of nature, and speaks highly of the morals and purity of many men, discord appears when his beliefs are challenged by the perception of unconventional behavior, such as the wood burning ceremony in Om Obida, Persi, or the burning of widows in Hindustan, â€Å"The woman adorns herself, and is accompanied by cavalcade of the Infidel Hindoos and Brahmans, with drums, trumpets and men following her, both Infidel and Muslim alike† (emphasis mine) He also remarks about his shock regarding the public nudity of women.This is another example of direct contrast with his cultural heritage, which dictates that women are kept completely covered with the exception of their eyes. This reaction comes as no surprise because sexual infidelity, on behalf of women, is contrary to Ibn Battuta’s religious beliefs. As an ulama, Ibn Battuta’s Muslim beliefs were far more conservative than many of the cultures he visited. The text of Ibn Battuta stands as a relevant w ork from and autobiographical standpoint, as well as a study of regional cultural diversity among Islamic communities.It can be said that Ibn Battuta functioned as a type of intelligentsia for the medival Muslim communities, spreading information between the many towns he visited. His journal entries could easily have influenced the attitudes of community leaders by allowing a direct comparison with the practices and habits of other rulers. Through this methodology, Battuta garnered a modicum of individual power.Although community leaders did not fear Ibn Battuta, his critique of their habits could cause other communities to question a particular leaders respect of Muslim charity laws. This would also call into question that leaders religious devotion to Muslim tradition. Students of religious studies can use the text to discern historical information about the size and resources of ancient cities, trade relationships/predominant commodities of value, and similarities and difference s in the cultures of the Fourteenth Century Islamicate.We are also given an idea of the prosperity of cities despite any possible bias the author might have held toward particular regions or rulers. Closer examination reveals, for the most part, Muslim reverence for travelers on pilgrimage and particularly those of the Ulama class. Perhaps most importantly, the author relays information about daily Muslim life in the medieval age that is not readily available from other academic sources.

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter One

â€Å"Damon!† Icy wind whipped Elena's hair around her face, tearing at her light sweater. Oak leaves swirled among the rows of granite headstones, and the trees lashed their branches together in frenzy. Elena's hands were cold, her lips and cheeks were numb, but she stood facing the screaming wind directly, shouting into it. â€Å"Damon!† This weather was a show of his Power, meant to frighten her away. It wouldn't work. The thought of that same Power being turned against Stefan woke a hot fury inside her that burned against the wind. If Damon had done anything to Stefan, if Damon had hurt him†¦ â€Å"Damn you, answer me!† she shouted at the oak trees that bordered the graveyard. A dead oak leaf like a withered brown hand skittered up to her foot, but there was no answer. Above, She turned – and gasped. He was just behind her, so close that her clothes brushed his as she turned. At that distance, she should have sensed another human being standing there, should have felt his body warmth or heard him. But Damon, of course, wasn't human. She reeled back a couple of steps before she could stop herself. Every instinct that had lain quiet while she shouted into the violence of the wind was now begging her to run. She clenched her fists. â€Å"Where's Stefan?† A line appeared between Damon's dark eyebrows. â€Å"Stefan who?† Elena stepped forward and slapped him. She had no thought of doing it before she did it, and afterward she could scarcely believe what she had done. But it was a good hard slap, with the full force of her body behind it, and it snapped Damon's head to one side. Her hand stung. She stood, trying to calm her breath, and watched him. He was dressed as she had first seen him, in black. Soft black boots, black jeans, black sweater, and leather jacket. And he looked like Stefan. She didn't know how she could have missed that before. He had the same dark hair, the same pale skin, the same disturbing good looks. But his hair was straight, not wavy, and his eyes were black as midnight, and his mouth was cruel. He turned his head slowly back to look at her, and she saw blood rising in the cheek she'd slapped. â€Å"Don't lie to me,† she said, her voice shaking. â€Å"I know who you are. I knowwhat you are. You killed Mr. Tanner last night. And now Stefan's disappeared.† â€Å"Has he?† â€Å"You know he has!† Damon smiled and then turned it off instantly. â€Å"I'm warning you; if you've hurt him – â€Å" â€Å"Then, what?† he said. â€Å"What will you do, Elena? Whatcan you do, against me?† Elena fell silent. For the first time, she realized that the wind had died away. The day had gone deadly quiet around them, as if they stood motionless at the center of some great circle of power. It seemed as if everything, the leaden sky, the oaks and purple beeches, the ground itself, was connected to him, as if he drew Power from all of it. He stood with his head tilted back slightly, his eyes fathomless and full of strange lights. â€Å"I don't know,† she whispered, â€Å"but I'll find something. Believe me.† â€Å"I do believe you,† he said, relaxing, looking around the graveyard. Then he turned back and held out a hand to her. â€Å"You're too good for my brother,† he said casually. Elena thought of slapping the hand away, but she didn't want to touch him again. â€Å"Tell me where he is.† â€Å"Later, possibly – for a price.† He withdrew his hand, just as Elena realized that on it he wore a ring like Stefan's: silver and lapis lazuli. Remember that, she thought fiercely. It's important. â€Å"My brother,† he went on, â€Å"is a fool. He thinks that because you look like Katherine you're weak and easily led like her. But he's wrong. I could feel your anger from the other side of town. I can feel it now, a white light like the desert sun. You have strength, Elena, even as you are. But you could be so much stronger†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stared at him, not understanding, not liking the change of subject. â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about. And what has it got to do with Stefan?† â€Å"I'm talking about Power, Elena.† Suddenly, he stepped close to her, his eyes fixed on hers, his voice soft and urgent. â€Å"You've tried everything else, and nothing has satisfied you. You're the girl who has everything, but there's always been something just out of your reach, something you need desperately and can't have. That's what I'm offering you. Power. Eternal life. And feelings you've never felt before.† Shedid understand then, and bile rose in her throat. She choked on horror and repudiation. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Why not?† he whispered. â€Å"Why not try it, Elena? Be honest. Isn't there a part of you that wants to?† His dark eyes were full of a heat and intensity that held her transfixed, unable to look away. â€Å"I can waken things inside you that have been sleeping all your life. You're strong enough to live in the dark, to glory in it. You can become a queen of the shadows. Why not take that Power, Elena? Let me help you take it.† â€Å"No,† she said, wrenching her eyes away from his. She wouldn't look at him, wouldn't let him do this to her. She wouldn't let him make her forget†¦ make her forget†¦ â€Å"It's the ultimate secret, Elena,† he said. His voice was as caressing as the fingertips that touched her throat. â€Å"You'll be happy as never before.† There was something terribly important she must remember. He was using Power to make her forget it, but she wouldn't let him make her forget†¦ â€Å"And we'll be together, you and I.† The cool fingertips stroked the side of her neck, slipping under the collar of her sweater. â€Å"Just the two of us, forever.† There was a sudden twinge of pain as his fingers brushed two tiny wounds in the flesh of her neck, and her mind cleared. Make her forget†¦Stefan. That was what he wanted to drive out of her mind. The memory of Stefan, of his green eyes and his smile that always had sadness lurking behind it. But nothing could force Stefan out of her thoughts now, â€Å"I've already found what I want,† she said brutally. â€Å"And who I want to be with forever.† Blackness welled up in his eyes, a cold rage that swept through the air between them. Looking into those eyes, Elena thought of a cobra about to strike. â€Å"Don't you be as stupid as my brother is,† he said. â€Å"Or I might have to treat you the same way.† She was frightened now. She couldn't help it, not with cold pouring into her, chilling her bones. The wind was picking up again, the branches tossing. â€Å"Tell me where he is, Damon.† â€Å"At this moment? I don't know. Can't you stop thinking about him for an instant?† â€Å"No!† She shuddered, hair lashing about her face again. â€Å"And that's your final answer, today? Be very sure you want to play this game with me, Elena. The consequences are nothing to laugh about.† â€Å"Iam sure.† She had to stop him before he got to her again. â€Å"And you can't intimidate me, Damon, or haven't you noticed? The moment Stefan told me what you were, what you'd done, you lost any power you might have had over me. Ihate you. You disgust me. And there's nothing you can do to me, not any more.† His face altered, the sensuousness twisting and freezing, becoming cruel and bitterly hard. He laughed, but this laugh went on and on. â€Å"Nothing?† he said. â€Å"I can doanything to you, and to the ones you love. You have no idea, Elena, of what I can do. But you'll learn.† He stepped back, and the wind cut through Elena like a knife. Her vision seemed to be blurring; it was as if flecks of brightness filled the air in front of her eyes. â€Å"Winter is coming, Elena,† he said, and his voice was clear and chilling even over the howl of the wind. â€Å"An unforgiving season. Before it comes, you'll have learned what I can and can't do. Before winter is here, you'll have joined me. You'll be mine.† The swirling whiteness was blinding her, and she could no longer see the dark bulk of his figure. Now even his voice was fading. She hugged herself with her arms, head bent down, her whole body shaking. She whispered, â€Å"Stefan – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, and one more thing,† Damon's voice came back. â€Å"You asked earlier about my brother. Don't bother looking for him, Elena. I killed him last night.† Her head jerked up, but there was nothing to see, only the dizzying whiteness, which burned her nose and cheeks and clogged her eyelashes. It was only then, as the fine grains settled on her skin, that she realized what they were: snowflakes. It was snowing on the first of November. Overhead, the sun was gone.

Hitler, the Demise of a Demigod

Hitler, the Demise of a Demigod The will of a single man was powerful enough to alter the course of the world; that Is the story of Doll Hitler. Hitler inspired his people to hope for the betterment yet he himself fell into more and more despair the passage of time. As the First World War left Germany not only devastated but also humiliated, a failure of a painter who also happened to fight in the front lines, felt infuriated and betrayed by the surrender, took it upon himself to set things right. He proved himself to be quite an artist, may be not so much on the canvas as with words.Eloquence being his forte, he climbed up the social ladder rather quickly in the midst of all his struggles. With Doll Hitler becoming more and more synonymous to the Nazi Germany, he led his people to an unprecedented era of prosperity but that came at a price, by straining a certain portion of the population, the Jews. In 1938 Hitler annexed Austria into Germany without firing a single shot; he was the man of the year not for nothing. It Is an Irony how Nazism or National Socialism recognized both capitalism and communism as evil but ended up Itself falling from grace.Along with nationalism and racialism, ideas such as irredentism and expansionism dominated the Nazi ideology. Hitler understood the importance of exploitation colonialism. Thus for Germany he wanted Russia to be what colonial India was to the British Empire. His previous victories against the allies intoxicated his mind, dulled his reasoning. He was slowly but surely losing touch with reality. His decisions were raising the stakes higher and higher. It is to be noted that he did not just believe in racial superiority, he intended to prove it as he tried to do so In the 1936 summer Olympics. Nan Germany's' Justifying of socialDarwinism, survival of the fittest in all life that is struggle made certain factions to go wary of their leader. One thing led to another and there were even attempts of assassination. It was n ot Just a war between the allies and the axis; it was a war between the Ideology of a single man and rest of the world. Pride Goethe before a fall. But even so 50 million to over 75 million fatalities has shown us what man is capable of. After all, God did create man In his own Image. Rather than being pessimistic, It shows capability of both great good as well as evil. Humanity can still be saved, all hope Is yet not lost.

The Meeting Technologies In the Copenhagen Accord Essay

The Meeting Technologies In the Copenhagen Accord - Essay Example The primary objective of the accord is to minimize greenhouse gas emitted by human activities that is already affecting climate change. While no specific action plans were agreed to in that session, it has set the stage for a series of conferences and treaties to implement its primary objective. The most recent of conferences related to this global initiative was held last December 2009 at Copenhagen, Denmark (United Nations). It was attended by 15,000 delegates from government and non-government institutions of various countries. Assembling such a huge number of participants to meet and exchange opinions entail technology that will facilitate such meeting into a successful agreement. While there are already 15,000 delegates on site to attend the conference, some countries need more participation. Individuals are able to participate in the conference without travelling to the site by viewing a webcast. A webcast is broadcasting over the internet. It is a medium of distributing a media file, say a digitally recorded video of the proceedings of a conference or the actual live video of the conference, over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers (Webcast). A webcast is such a powerful tool to use to capture a wider audience at virtually anywhere in the globe where the Internet is accessible. Having access to the conference from the home country will help delegates even be effective contributors to the conference by getting essential feedback from their country almost instantaneously while the conference is going on. And how do delegates attending the live conference obtain such feedback from their host countries, which could be thousands of miles from where they are sitting That is the power of the Internet. Today, having connectivity to the Internet is as essential as having a pen and paper in attending a meeting. Of course connectivity is only a piece of the set-up: a personal computer and software is required to effectively be connected. When connected to the Internet, the delegate has access to a wide variety of information: both public and private to the conference. Conference-exclusive information may include documents that are being shared and discussed in the conference will not need to be printed out, instead is shared over the Internet for exclusive viewing of the delegates. The delegates may have access to a chat tool where one can privately contact a co-delegate via short messages while the meeting is going-on (like small chats, but not voicing out but writing) or chat with a small g roup, say delegates from the same region or continent who most-likely share the same concerns. Public information is accessible through search engines that help find articles in the public Internet related to any topic being searched (Search Engine). Lastly, there is the e-mail, short for electronic mail, which instantaneously sends a message to anywhere in the world to elicit an immediate reply into one's message (E-mail). Such electronic connectivity save money in printing and communication costs vs. traditional means. Conclusion With the use of these vital technologies in such a global

Devastation of War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Devastation of War - Research Paper Example The poem â€Å"refugee ship† is more explicit about one being a stranger to her own ethnicity. A mother who did not like the idea of her daughter being a slave to the Spanish culture and as such tried to keep the daughter in the darkness about her ethnicity brought up the girl. The mother did not teach the girl about the culture neither did she teach her about the language. The grandmother of the girl tries to do what the mother did not do by trying very hard to teach her the culture and the language so that she can be conversant with the Spanish lifestyle. Though she tries to learn, she struggles to pronounce the words though that was expected, as she had no up bringing on that matter. The girl feels so confused and hence feels trapped between the kind of personality her mother raised her to be and who she is expected to be by the society. She is conflicted because is a refugee from two different cultures and the "ship...will never dock..." because the ship represents her lif e and she must live that life to become what she is to be. In the poem the â€Å"refugee ship†, a picture is painted of one who is confused because of the two cultures she has to deal with. In fact, she does not know what the meaning of the things mean and misuses some words inappropriately. She voices her frustrations while talking about the ship never docking. In fact, it can be deduced that she is culturally homeless. This poem provides a clear picture of what could have happened as a result of immigration. Learning another culture would be difficult as one would not be aware of what he or she becomes as a result of the confusion that emanates from not being able to comprehend the other culture and master it for the sake of survival. The poem â€Å"refugee ship† is a classical picture that tries to paint a picture of the experience of the Vietnamese while using the boat as a transportation mode (Chmidt and Crockett, 5). An in-depth analysis of the poem would paint a picture of what happened from a different perspective. In the poem, there is a granddaughter and the grandmother trying to get along, but one major challenge is that they are not in agreement as they cannot understand one another because of the language barrier. It seems though that the two are in a different world. This paints a picture of the Vietnamese during the time of fleeing the devastations of war. As an immigrant the first challenge one would face is the problem of communication as one is not a position to talk back because they cannot understand. During the war that turned the Vietnamese as refugees and immigrants, majorities were exceptionally affected. The culture shock was one of such that was a big challenge. At that time, racism was also a major issue and thus, they had no choice, but to face the challenges that came with their new status are immigrants. Canada was one of those countries that hosted a number of immigrants from Vietnam. For instance, if any of the refugees or immigrants looked at the poem refugee ship, then it would remind them who they were in the past and how they acquired their status. As refugees, the Vietnamese lost a lot in terms of cultural preservation and development in life. For example, many children missed some important stages of childhood at the time of war, as some could not enjoy or have the privilege of growing up with their friends a factor that is very important for childhood development. Some could not also attend school and it therefore meant they lagged behind as their ability to read and write were not enhanced. A major devastation of was the traumatic experiences of war. War has the staggering capacity to destabilize a society in a short time. Many individuals who we re aware and unaware of the war have felt the devastation of that combat. A lot of people were forced to flee from their native home because the war had become a serious issue and lose of life had become eminent. Almost 2.5 million people were said to have

The Conspiracies Surrounding the Assassination of John F. Kennedy Research Paper

The Conspiracies Surrounding the Assassination of John F. Kennedy - Research Paper Example It is evident from the opinion poll conducted by ABC News in 2003 wherein 70 percent of the people did not approve of the fact that Oswald planned the assassination by himself, and no outside forces were involved in the plotting. Their argument was that bullets aimed at from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository could not have succeeded in aiming at the President. They felt the presence of another gunman, possibly aiming at from the Grassy knoll of Dealey Plaza. There were still others who felt that President Kennedy was assassinated under a greater conspiracy. Doubt has been expressed over the role of CIA agents who might have shown their anguish over the Bay of Pigs or at the provocation of Vice President Lyndon Johnson. KGB functionaries were also under the scanner besides mobsters who were annoyed at Kennedy's brother for prosecuting organized crime rings. Thus, the assassination of President Kennedy was one of history's most famous political assassinations whose ca use and culprits are still not confirmed. Amid rumors, 32 percent of those polled by ABC think that Oswald acted on his own (Time Specials par. 1-2) Facts There are numerous conspiracy theories doing the rounds around the assassination of President Kennedy. After being arrested, Oswald was shot at and murdered by Jack Ruby not long after being arrested. General opinion was that it was Oswald who assassinated the President but he was not alone. People had doubts over the KGB, the FBI, and the American underworld. Most of the witnesses were not sure as to from which direction the bullets came, strengthening the theory that there were more than one shooter.

Charcter Analysis of the short Story The Enormous Radio Essay

Charcter Analysis of the short Story The Enormous Radio - Essay Example Moreover, the new radio turned out to be too sensitive to electronic devices at first, and when it was repaired, it started to transmit the conversations of other people in the apartment. Irene picked up the habit of listening to these conversations, and got very upset by the evening. Jim repairs it again and gets the radio back to working condition. Irene appears to be a contented housewife, enjoying her day to day chores and the free time in which she listens to the radio. But the peaceful atmosphere gives way to subtle nuances of conflict, as she keeps listening to the conversations of other people. She appears shocked by the evening when Jim arrives. She asks him to go up to 16-C where Mr. Osborn is beating his wife. When Jim tries to chide her, she tells him how terrible the lives of the people in their apartment had. Almost all of them were quarrelling over money matters and leading hypocritical lives. She tries to get the reassurance from Jim that their life had not been like that. She asks him: â€Å"†¦ we have always been good and decent and loving to one another, haven’t we†¦.Our lives aren’t sordid, are they, darling? Are they?† This reveals the inner conflicts Irene had regarding her family life. She is not totally unaware of the scars that remain after hypocritical phases of life, but she tries to overcome that with the good aspects of her life. It is the revelation that all the families around her are going through some sort of self-deception and misery which upsets her. She tries to contrast the relative peace and order in her family and hope against hope that her family life would not end up being a show off. On the day the radio is repaired at last, a bizarre argument is picked up by Jim, which Irene tries to neglect. But in his fury, he accuses Irene of lying to him about paying the clothing bills. He makes his resentment regarding the extra expenses

Project 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Project 2 - Essay Example The adverts attract a large population of women. However, there must be deodorant differentiation in order for the women to have a variety of deodorant product. The variety of sweet flagrances provides the ladies with the assurance of comfort. Conversely, the men suit advertisement target means. In this regard, Men are fond of grooming and the commercial concentrates on the scale, color and the suit designs (Smith, Alan and Chris 34). The factors dictate the age bracket of the suit sales. The young generation is usually obsessed with grooming. Therefore, the men suit adverts target the majority of potential men suit customers. The advertising team has prior knowledge concerning the tastes and preferences of the mens suits. The information can be obtained from past experience of men suit sales, fashion show magazines, newspapers and literal observations. The factors help the advertising team to objectively pursue their target audience. The product adverts never targets the general population given that the old generation category of people is never concerned with grooming. There is something around a man in a suit that enables him look amazing. A man in a suit says; he is working, he is getting things going, and he is fruitful. That may not be the truth, yet it gives that recognition. At the point when individuals see young people sag their jeans, that announcement says much to the world. That look says they are not living up to expectations; they are not being certain and are not being effective. Despite the fact that that may not be genuine, that is the picture it depicts. A great deal of time men dress that way in light of the fact that they have not been taught better or they do not have the intends to learn (Smith, Alan and Chris 47). They are meant to be a piece of changing the society, look, dress and impression of men everywhere. They are needed to be a piece of instructing men to dress better. They are ne eded in order to have the

Cross Cultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Cross Cultural Management - Essay Example Organizations all differ in their culture. There are no too organizations with the exact culture. Cultural forms function as the linking mechanism by which networks of understanding develop among employees. The cultural forms shown in the table on pages 293-94 act as a medium for communicating ideologies, values, and norms. Cultural forms enable leaders to transmit messages about desirable culture to influence thinking and ways of behaving. Cultural forms also address the emotional aspects of organizations that are commonly referred to as cohesion or camaraderie. Organizational scholars Janice Beyer and Harrison Trice elaborate on this point: Cultural forms not only aid sense making through the meanings they convey; they also aid the sense making process through the emotional reassurances they provide that help people persist in their coping efforts. Forms provide a concrete anchoring point, even if the meaning they carry are vague and only imperfectly transmitted....Also many cultural forms involve the expression of emotion and, by this venting of emotions, help people to cope with stress.( http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt4ch16.html) Organizational diversity is the mixture of different individuals. Differences such as race, age, gender, religion, and ethnics. Diversity is very important in the attractiveness of an organization. ... Technology is increasing at a rapid pace. The world's technology is set to double in the next seven years. An organization must be technology advanced to be able to keep a competitive advantage over its competition. Many times when upgrades are made in a company employee training is necessary. Communication in an organization is very important for its success. Managers must be able to communicate with their subordinates quickly and effectively. Communication channels need to be a too ways lane. Employee feedback allows management to measure their own success. Employees should feel free to constructively comment and offer creative ideas to managers. Communication can take place in person, over the phone, or electronically. An organization's culture is a very complex and sensitive issue. Companies must develop a culture that appeals both to its employees and customers. The culture of an organization is a resemblance of its personality. Employee and managers will be working together on a daily bases and must get along. Human resource management is somewhat different in the global environment that in the domestic environment. Several factors contribute to this. One factor is the differences in worldwide labor markets. Each country has a different min of workers, labor costs, and companies. Companies can choose the mix of human resources that is best for them. Another factor is differences in worker mobility. Various obstacles make it difficult or impossible to move workers form one country to another. These include physical, economic, legal, and cultural barriers. Still another factor is managerial practices. Different business subcultures choose to manage their resources, including people, in different ways. The more countries in which a company operates, the greater

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010 Term Paper

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010 - Term Paper Example The last fifty years saw seen the enactment of serious health reforms including Medicare and Medicaid. The two have improved access to healthcare for the entire country’s citizens. The success of these reform policies serves as a benchmark for all future health reforms. However, as mentioned earlier not all reform policies have succeeded to this date despite the tireless self-dedication of many people. The (NHI) National Health Insurance is one of these policies. Discussions by historians help to point out why some policies have proven to be successful whereas others have not (Harry, 2010). The policy formulation stage is the first stage in the public policy making process. Analysis of problems and solutions occurs during this stage in the agenda setting process (Mark, 2012). Also, discussed are the reasons that could have led to the dire need for a reform to be implemented (Copeland, 2011). In this case, successful Medicare and Medicaid reforms; the need arose from the increa sed suffering of many citizens who had limited success to healthcare. Access to proper medical care is extremely expensive and not most low income earners can afford it. The responsibility of provision of adequate healthcare to the citizens lies with the government. One of the defining aspects of a successful government is its ability to cater for its people especially in the health department. This is because a healthy population directly translates into a healthy workforce. The economic success of the entire nation depends on its citizens (Harry, 2010). There also existed an international outcry from the international community. Organizations like (WHO) World Health Organization and the (UN) United Nations have a list of expectations for all its member states. Provision of adequate healthcare is one of these requirements. USA, just like all other countries had to ensure their policies were in line with these expectations (Lambert, 2010). The need for NHI arose from the countryâ₠¬â„¢s need to equip all its citizens with health insurance. This meant that even the poor could afford such a service. The American constitution considers all men equal and from this perspective all citizens are rightful owners of the country’s resources. NHI is more complex than the other two successful reform policies making it hard to implement. Trials for its implementation have failed time and again because of these problems. Ideological differences are one of the key milestones yet to be conquered (House, 2008). Karl Marx, a prominent sociologist, explained such behaviors in his conflict theory. He advanced in it that conflict when people of the ruled or subordinate class seek to improve their economic status and move up to the ruling class (Foster, 2010). Naturally those in the ruling class would view this as a threat and conflict would ensue. In the case of the NHI, the two groups would have opposed ideologies. The affluent would advocate for the national resources to be directed to other ventures that would benefit them. On the other hand, the under privileged would demand for the resources to be directed towards ventures that would ease their economic hardships (Lambert, 2010). Bureaucracy comes with increased levels of development within a country. The strength of interest groups has to be solicited (Vivar, 2011). These groups prove most influential especially in the enactment phase of the reform policy. They can

1984 by George Orwell Essay Example for Free

1984 by George Orwell Essay The theme of power is prominent in the dystopian novel 1984 by George Orwell and throughout this book he develops two different types of power. This is collective power and individual power, which will both be addressed separately. Firstly, the notion of power through the collective is characterised through the totalitarian Party in Airstrip One, Oceania, one of the three super-states. In chapter 3 Part 3, Winston claims that, â€Å"The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake†, and that power comes from the oppression of sensual experience and basic human instincts and through the manipulation of history. In regards to the oppression of sensual experience and basic human instincts, the novel opens with a characterisation of Winston’s apartment block. It are described as smelling of â€Å"boiled cabbages and old rugs†. Through olfactory imagery, the reader is able to understand the conditions of the Outer Party member’s life as being dank and foetid, coupled with the ironic naming of the apartments as ‘victory mansion’ seems to suggest that whilst there is that pretense of both nationalism and grandeur, the reality is different. This says two things, ? rstly it shows a denial of the living conditions by the Party and secondly it expresses the societal division between the Outer Party and the Inner Party when contrasted with the vibrant living quarters of OBriens home in chapter 8 part 3. In this chapter, the visual imagry is overwhelming for both Winston and Julia through the use of synesthesia and accumulation. The effect of such a comparison epitomises the division between the two classes whereas the Inner Party, and the collective institute that makes up the Party has access to richer sensual perception in olfactory, kinesetic and gustatory senses and they can control the senses of the lesser classes. This oppression of basis human senses deprives the human body to which the Party utilises in keeping the people in a constant state of angst, which unables them to be easily manipulated into believing the Party ideology and accepting the stardard of living that is applied to the people. This is also seen with the example of the prole. The proles are just given enough to get by and due to this they do not need to become revoltuionary or question authority. In regards to the manipulation of history, the denial of past events and the establishment of falsities is a way in which the Party has control over the people. The changing of history is ? rst established in the in the ? rst chapter where Winstons work at the Ministry of Truth is discussed. Those that control the present control the past. Those that control the past control the future. This is due to two reasons. Firstly, with the control of the past, the society in the novel is without a ? rm grasp in reality and experiences are nulli? ed in the their own version of reality. Secondly, everyones experiences are institutionalised under the conformity of the past controlling independent thought and indiviuality. Winston tries to break loose from these con? nes and in his very ? rst diary entry he simply writes the date. The effect of writing his thoughts down provides an impetus for further counter-party ideology which is articulated further in the book. This brings me on to the second type of power that is addressed in George Orwells ovel. That is the power of the individual and throughout the book it is characterised through the characters of both Winston and Julia through both crimethink and rediscovering what it means to be human. One of the ? rst instances of Winstons individual power comes through the writing in his diary. Much of his writing in the ? rst chapter of part one holds little structure and contains little use of grammar devices. The effect of such writing is the demonstration of out foriegn it is for Winston in his paradigm to express his personal feelings even if, at this early stage in the novel, all his commentary have a political stance. The capitalisation of down with big brother   adds to the effect of Winstons individual power as it is a radical step away the acceptence of total party power. Julia may well be the symbol for hope that Orwell inserts into the novel to allude to the continuing resistence to totalitarianism inherent in humanity. Julia is perhaps the greatest hope for change, as her relationship with Winston is representitive of the need for the worker to form an alliance with the middle class. Julia can be seen as the ? rst person to being to change Winstons individual power through their relationship spawning in part 2. During the relationship, the reader can note an increase in sensual imagery such as the gustatory imagry of the jams and sugar, the auditory imagery of the singing from the proles and the bird in the woods, and the olfactory imagery of the roasted coffee. The effect of the introduction of this imagery creates a mood of comfort and relaxation, which appeals to the reader and their experiences. This gaining of the basic human insticts and experiences can be seen in colloralation with the Partys want to remove these instinct highlighting the importance that senseual perception plays in percieved or real power one has.

Bush Sr & Clinton East Asian Security Approaches Essay Example for Free

Bush Sr Clinton East Asian Security Approaches Essay President Bush via a main strategic reappraisal as well as continuing below president Clinton together with the U. S Secretaries of Defense Aspin and Perry. The previous administration tried and it is still trying to come into good terms with domestic pressures. It wants a calm dividend as well to adapt what the U. S has been always doing strategically to post cold war circumstances in a safe plus cautious way. All of this assists in helping to keep alive the rationales behind a United States bilateral security relationship with its Northeast Asian allies. Regardless of these echoes of the cold war, there is no one who can escape the truth that the cold war is presently over and that the Soviet Union does no longer exist. Furthermore, in Northeast Asia, also, the need has emerged to restructure U. S post Cold War alliances in order to make them fit the moments. A revision of the bilateral alliance relations goes on; there has been mounting interest in applying multilateral approaches towards the region’s issues. The Clinton administration did not have a well developed vision for what it intended to do in the Asia Pacific region during the time it entered the office. This seems to exactly know how it intended to deal with Asia by putting greater emphasis relatively within diplomacy as well security on a multilateral means over bilateral venues. During the first Clinton administration, inspiration regarding this approach appears to stalk from a bit reluctant admiration for the ways Southeast Asian states have tried to utilize multilateral techniques. The successes enjoyed by hatchling economic organizations in Asia such like the Pacific Basin Economic Council, the APEC forum and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council. In any case, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia together with the Pacific Affairs Winston Lord signaled the administration of Clinton. They signaled because Clinton had an intention of relaxing past United States objections towards multilateralism. He intended to do this by stating the goal the administration had towards Asia Pacific region. The goal was just to develop the multilateral forums for safety consultations while maintaining the sold foundation of the alliances. President Clinton has put more emphasis on the multilateral theme when he emphasized the phrase which was â€Å"a new Pacific community†. Winston used this expression earlier on although President Clinton placed it at the center stage internationally. Tokyo gets preoccupied by domestic political turmoil. It got preoccupied because the Japanese seemed to be reluctant to let the well known aspects of their bilateral security go. During the President Clinton administration, was somehow captivated because of the repayments multilateralism tent to give. The major disparagement of the United States governmental enthusiasm came from PRC. Despite the fact that Chinese suspected the idea, there was no any sign that what the Clinton administration was carrying on amounted to a closet form of unilateralism. The prospect for Northeast Asian multilateralism is so challenging. President Clinton, tent to give support concerning multilateral approaches in dealing with the problems of East Asia’s security. In the earlier administration, multilateralism was refused in support of reliance entirely on the existing bilateral alliances. The good security framework for the region consisted of a fan together with its base in Northern America and radiating west across the Pacific. The administration of Clinton reaffirmed the existing security alliances. It called for new equipments multilateral in character which was to supplement the U. S bilateral arrangements in dealing with the present emerging security problems. Washington did not advocate developing new comprehensive agencies, for example the conference on security and cooperation in Asia or the Northeast Asia Treaty Organization within this context. The multilateral agencies are going to be constructed for specific problems and they will differ in membership and the structure as required due to the administration of Clinton. The emphasis on a return towards a more traditional approach to a foreign policy in Asia is actually a prominence on bilateral and unilateral initiatives against multilateral ones. A larger focus on narrow military security issues over economic together with the marginalization of newer issues such as health and environment. However, there was tension and twist in the bush’s administration. The tension was concerning the conflict among the open trade wing of the Republican Party. The tension really emphasizes admission to the markets in promotion of U. S corporate interests. It again emphasized on the more security oriented folks who recognized military threats as the overriding concern of United States policy in the region. As a result, the tension was well-defined in assembly than in the executive branch. Pressure was far above the ground in White House depending on Bush’s arrangements to the key economic posts. The pressure was on the treasury, the United States Trade Representatives together with the description of the National Economic Council. Interweave was not similar with traditional realists. Some members of Bush’s Asia overseas policy squad saw a responsibility for advancing electoral democracy abroad. They saw it as a way of enhancing the economic welfare along with the safety of the United States within the area. During the Clinton’s administration, he tried to position rhetorically more emphasis on the two Asia Pacific forums. He again put more emphasis on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Post Ministerial Conference plus the new ASEAN Regional Forum. As far as multilateralism is concerned, the Clinton administration expressed a readiness to pay attention in letting nations of the region decide on the regional problems instead of dictating them from Washington. Even if the Clinton administration acted in agreement with these promises they are still not clear. The idea of the President Clinton’s administration did not become a reality with reference to multilateral agencies in supplementing United States bilateral associations. It intended to give a framework for security dialogue as well as the cooperation. It wanted to do this by offering the potential to redress the most stressing aspects of the present approaches to achieving security objectives in East Asia. Bush has foreign policy advisers who had a significant experience about Asia. These advisers really shaped the Bush administration policy towards Asia; from the time Bush signified that he had a big personal interest in associations with Latin America and Europe. Relating to the economic issues, there is a slight difference linking the Clinton administration as well as the Bush administration. Bush seems to be more of an unconditional free trader. That means that even the present modest efforts at integrating environmental and labor matters into bilateral trade agreements will not be present from the Bush outline. This fact will be greeted with sighs of relief between the business leaders together with the region’s political leaders. The biggest change under Bush’s administration was a greater emphasis on intensifying the alliances. He wanted to intensify alliances on matters concerning bilateral with Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand. That created the establishment of the cold war-era security structural design in Asia. Bush noted that people must show the American powers and purpose in supporting Asian people. That meant that they must keep their promise to discourage violent behavior against the Republic of Korea as well as strengthening security ties with Japan. That was through expanding theater missile defenses between their allies. The main motivation for USG participation in East Asia has always been right of entry to the markets of Asia. In one way or the other the Bush administration determined to strengthen the United States and Japan alliance. He intended to strengthen them by encouraging Japan to play a significant role concerning security matters within the region. That includes the redefining assignment of Japan’s self-protection armed forces as well as paying more of the bills. It is not clear at all that there is support either in the area as a whole or within Japan for Japan to assume a better security task. From China’s opinion, Bush’s success raises the view of stronger White House assistance for theatre in addition to nationwide missile protection systems. His success again raises the advanced levels of United States arms supplies to Taiwan of which Beijing stubbornly opposes. Gore administration gave greater scope to organized labor than Bush White House. The AFL-CIO did not manage to prevent the Clinton administration against pursuing trade at no cost with China. Alternatively Japan has been far less pleased with the next term of the Clinton administration compared to China. Japan resented the downgrading of the United States associations as the keystone in Asia. Clinton’s administration gave acknowledgment on a regular basis to bilateral. He emphasized on U. S and South Korean initiatives within the current cautious steps in the direction of finishing the isolation of North Korea. It is said that President Clinton passed over Japan during his visit to Beijing which was done in the year 1998. There are some issues whereby the Bush administration differs drastically with the Clinton administration. It is said that the Clinton’s administration, there were actually some few foreign policy conquest stories. That was the negotiation of the established structure in the year 1994. North Korea arranged to chill its nuclear plan in trade for the structure of two nuclear reactors as well as fuel oil shipments. During the time when the United States had to follow the guide of South Korean President together with the North, connection eased and pressures on the neck of land were at their depths of despair in memory. During the administration of Bush it really threatened to demoralize the significant development which was made within this area. Congregational republicans over-involved time after time the implementation of the framework. It did this by preserving appropriations, even if South Korea and Japan provided the enormous bulk of the funds beneath the agreement. There are a good number of very essential continuities among the Clinton as well as the Bush administration concerning East Asian security policy. This should not surprise as much as the Clinton administration embraced a lot of bedrocks of post cold war East Asian. They inherited this from the first Bush administration which was actually based on long time United States interests. It might be surprising if at all there were not permanence across administration for the reason that the basics of the US security policy within East Asia really transcend administrations. It is very necessary to recall the aforesaid fundamentals of continuity since the Bush foreign policy team came to office. The Clinton administration had already a bad work with virtually every aspect of the East Asian security policy. It might be astonishing if at all there was no permanence within administrations for the reason that the basics of US security policy in East Asia go beyond administrations (Martin, 112). It is very essential to recall the aforementioned elements of continuity since the Bush foreign policy team appeared to the office. The Clinton administration did not do a good job with virtually every aspect of East Asia security policy. The only way to distinguish the Bush administration with the one for Clinton is that there was a lot of reticent to insist that the core of gravity of United States security policy within East Asia is the coalition with Japan. The Clinton administration was not sure whether China or Japan was significant. it was too preventive in connections with Taiwan even if in fairness, as far as security matters is concerned. The Clinton Defense Department started inquiring very seriously into the state of Taiwan’s defenses and it also started pressing Taiwan to recover the software characteristic of their defense attitude. Bush administration was too captivated with multilateralism that was unsuitable for the region or had the potential to deteriorate bi-lateral alliances. The administration of Bush had a more customary approach meaning that it is not likely to involve Asia effectively on two wide areas of growing concern. That is global environmental matters for example the climate change, ozone, invasive species and global health matters such like communicable diseases. Bush did not propose the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. He did not consider China’s proposal that greenhouse gas discharge be restricted on a per capita basis instead of a per country basis. The very poor records that were kept by Bush concerning the environment in Texas didn’t bode very well in engaging Asia on essential environmental issues. However, the first Bush administration is more likely to be fragmented, incoherent as well as contradictory. It suffered from the vision thing for so many reasons. In the first place, the Bush administration lacked a clear mandate. When he was campaigning, the new president did not offer sound foreign policy plan as a package, Asia countries included. Last but not least, East Asia has really undergone a considerable transformation since the time President Bush started ruling. Nevertheless, the coverage of this revolution in the western press is over and over again restricted to articles on China’s environmental problems or North Korea’ nuclear ambitions. Most of the East Asia’s leaders believe that for United States policy toward East Asia which has always remained essentially bilateral as well as ad hoc for decades to go on to be valuable, it must be updated to reflect more accurately contemporary realities in the region. Finally, Multilateral as well as unilateral sanctions have always been imposed on Iran in order to increase the pressure on its regime. The United States puts more prominence on its wide range of unilateral sanctions. Works Cited Glen, S. Axis of Evil and Rogue States: The Bush Administration. Washington: Glen Segell Publishers, 2006. Martin, G. International Relations Theory for the Twenty-First Century. Routledge, 2007. Seung, H. North Koreas Second Nuclear Crisis and Northeast Asian Security. New York: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2007.

Case Analysis: Tescos Steering Wheel

Case Analysis: Tescos Steering Wheel In early 90s Tesco faced a stiff competition from various other retailers in the industry and thus its revenues showed a downfall. At that point Tesco could not differentiate itself from the other  competitors. Later under the leadership of then CEO Ian Mac Laurin it went through an image makeover, and acquired other retailing outlets like William Low; with which it reached just up to the sustenance mark. Later Terry took over as the CEO of the Company and aimed to make the company value driven Tesco in early 70s had acquired a lot of other  retailer companies but faced a problem of integrating them, more over Tesco stores were small and ill equipped. The company only focused on price where as  the goods available at the stores were perceived to be of mediocre quality, but with rising income customers looked forward to expensive and luxury merchandise.  Answering to this change Tesco closed some of its outlets to concentrate to give stores a better  facility. It also started off the revamp of its a product portfolio. It launched a price reduction campaigns so as to counter the threat from competitors. Also it centralized its distribution system and its own label  for food products.  Tesco developed its own brand labels targeted at different target sector. Tesco value for low income customers, Tesco brand for medium range products and Tesco finest for high end products. It also came up with special ranges like Tesco organics, Tesco whole foods and Tesco kids. The Tesco Way Tesco doesnt want one leader. We want thousands of leaders who take initiative to execute the strategy. ´ This is the statement made by Sir Terry Leahy, CEO of Tesco Tesco came up with the concept of The Tesco Way ´. They aimed at improving its competitive position in the market by becoming more customer focused and concentrated on differentiating itself from other retailers through the services it provided. Tesco had principles like  Better for Customers, Simpler for  Staff and Cheaper for  Operations. To make this goal a reality, in the early 1990s, Tesco went through a process to clarify its mission, values, and strategy. Tesco communicated its new strategy to its employees via a steering wheel, ´ a simple symbol and metaphor for a tool intended to drive performance and help employees navigate into the future. The Tesco steering wheel has four 90 degree arcs, representing the four BSC areas of focus: financial, customer, operations, and employee performance. With the community arc added recently. Every store gets a monthly steering wheel update, a summary of its metrics within each of the four arcs, so that all employees in Tescos mu ltiple regions and formats get feedback on their performance. Tesco supplements its steering wheel report with shopping lists ´ that capture key elements of the strategy in simple forms that employees can follow in their everyday activities. The steering wheel has helped the company stay focused on its strategy even as it experienced rapid growth over the past two decades. Balanced scorecard or in Tescos case the steering wheel provides the perfect base to the company for designing future strategies. It gives the current data and becomes the ideal predictors which is  important for  predicting future trends and thus formulate  strategies. It communicates strategy-aligned goals and manages strategic performance. It monitors progress and measures success. The organizations core purpose to create value for our  customers and to earn their lifetime loyalty ´ has been delivered on a clear and simple strategy of long-term growth. Tescos values and priorities (concerning customers, staff, business, and compliance issues) are embedded in the steering wheel through appropriate KPIs. These values pervade operations and are instrumental in securing staff commitment to the steering wheel. It is arguable that by embedding its values in the steering wheel, Tesco transformed its balanced scorecard from a management framework to a cohesive living strategy. The Tesco Steering Wheel evolves from, and is the route to fulfilling, the retailers core purpose to create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty and long-term goals. It organizes and defines the four core elements of Tescos business, those that together define the business. If faithfully adhered to, the  Tesco thinking goes, these elements will inevitably lead to the realization of the companys long-term goals and, through them, its core purpose. So it is that in each Tesco store, department and support facility is posted a corporate steering wheel, out of sight of the customers but in plain view of each staffer. Alongside each of the 15directions and admonitions within the circle  is a  coloured dot green for  acceptable performance, yellow for borderline performance, red for unacceptable performance which is updated, and can change, weekly. The scorecard is for the store, the job, and the individual. It gives one the ability, simply by  looking, to measure the performance of that  particular entity-and what aspects of that performance need to be improved. Some ways of calculating these basic factors are: Operations We try to get it right the first time- The difference between Predicted inventory and actual inventory. No excess stocks. We delivery  constantly  everyday- Regular deliveries and no miss. The stores receiving adequate and right stock in right condition. We always save time and money- Reduced wastage No repetition of steps in a process. People An interesting job- Retention (lowering of attrition) Absenteeism Audit and surveys focusing on indirect questions to know the employees interest levels.(using a 4 or 6  point scale to avoid average marking).   An opportunity to get on- Training levels achieved by the employees. Percentage of employees trained. No. of employees working loyally for how many years Customers I can get what I want- Regular customer surveys. Complain cells. Surprise checks. The prices are good- Competitor analysis Customer feedback Finance Maximization of profits- Calculating operating profit ratio, return on total assets, net profit ratio and return of capital employed and compare them with last year. Benefits of the balanced scorecard used at Tesco: Add to the Balanced Scorecards priority areas to reflect your organizations core aims and values. Converts strategy into an effective governance mechanism. Ensures alignment of all employees to the companys strategic vision. Provides holistic and balanced view of the health and performance of the organization.   Increased transparency and better communication   Simplify strategic aims by creating a visual summary and a shopping list of daily strategic to-dos. Make them applicable to peoples everyday work. Promotion from within then you have a deep understanding of strategy throughout the organization   Helps keep check on strategic aims against customer needs and preferences. Challenges:   Co ordination across multiple functions.

Prohibition :: essays research papers

Prohibition was a period in which the sale, manufacture, or transport of alcoholic beverages became illegal. It started January 16, 1919 and continued to December 5, 193. Although it was formed to stop drinking completely, it did not even come close. It created a large number of bootleggers who were able to supply the public with illegal alcohol. Many of these bootleggers became very rich and influential through selling alcohol and using other methods. They started the practices of organized crime that are still used today. Thus, Prohibition led to the rapid growth of organized crime.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The introduction of prohibition in 1919 created numerous opinions and issues in American society. Prohibition has been a long-standing issue in America, with groups promoting it since the late eighteenth century. The movement grew tremendously during the nineteenth century. When the United States entered World War 1 in 1914, there was a shortage of grain due to the long demands to feed the soldiers. Since grain is one of the major components in alcohol, the temperance movement now had the war to fuel their fight. Thus, the war played a large part in the introduction of Prohibition. During the net five years many states enacted their own prohibition laws, and finally, on December 16,1919, Amendment 18 went into effect. It states that, â€Å"†¦the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors†¦. For beverage purpose is hereby prohibited.†(Constitution)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The public reaction to the introduction of Prohibition was largely mixed. The temperance organizations were rejoiced. Over a century of work had finally paid off for them. The rest of the country, however, was less than pleased. Many saw it as a violation of their freedom, and others wanted to keep drinking. It did no take a long time before people began to protest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The public demand for alcohol led to a soaring business for bootleggers. When prohibition began, people immediately wanted a way to drink. Therefore, the profitable bootlegging business was born. Before Prohibition gangs existed, but had little influence. Now, they had gained tremendous power almost overnight. Bootlegging was easy; some gangs even paid hundreds of poor immigrants to maintain stills in their apartments. Common citizens, once law abiding, now became criminals by making their own alcohol. However, this forced risks for those who made their own. The less fortunate Americans consumed homemade alcoholic beverages that were sometimes made with wood alcohol. In return, many died due to alcohol poisoning.

The Continental Congress :: History

The Continental Congress The Continental Congress met in one of the most conservative of the seaport towns from which the revolutionary movement stemmed. Philadelphia patriots complained that there was more Toryism in Pennsylvania than in all the colonies combined; certainly the Quakers who dominated the province were more concerned in putting down radicalism at home than resisting tyranny from abroad. The character of the delegates who assembled in Philadelphia in September 1774 was likewise a good augury to the conservatives. The Continental Congress was composed of "the ablest and wealthiest men in America"; Chatham pronounced it to be "the most honourable Assembly of Statesmen since those of the ancient Greeks and Romans, in the most virtuous Times". John Adams calculated that they were "one third Tories, another Whigs, and the rest mongrels"; and he found "Trimmers & Timeservers" upon every side. Fifth columnism was at work, as the patriots soon learned; despite the best efforts of Congress to preserve secrecy, the British government was informed of all its proceedings (Stephen Sayre to Samuel Adams). The work of the Continental Congress soon demonstrated that the American aristocracy was divided against itself and that this division worked in favor of the triumph of radicalism. In May 1775, Congress resolved that "these colonies be immediately put into a state of defense"; the Massachusetts militia was taken over by Congress; an army of twenty thousand men was ordered to be raised; and George Washington was appointed to command. Congress directed that paper money be printed and in July 1775 Benjamin Franklin drew up "Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union," which, although too bold to be entered upon the journals of Congress, were openly discussed by the members. The liberties enjoyed by the colonists prior to 1763, which before Lexington seemed fully ample for American prosperity and happiness, now appeared to many Americans little better than slavery. "Good God," exclaimed a Virginian, "were we not abject slaves (in 1763)? We wanted but the name. . . . It was not till 1763 that we were openly insulted, and treated as slaves" (Virginia Gazette, Purdie) By returning to 1763 fundamental grievances would be untouched: American trade and manufactures would be cramped by British restrictions; colonial laws would have to be approved by the British government; and Americans would "always be peeled and pillaged" for the benefit of English pensioners and courtiers. Moreover, the sacrifices already made for American liberty would have been in vain if such a poor palliative were accepted as the terms of peace (Principles and Acts of the Revolution).

Ethics of Affirmative Action Essay -- Ethics Morals

Affirmative Action: Staying on the Road to Equality â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness† (Declaration of Independence, 1776). Who would imagine that in a country under the blanket such a brilliant, ethical and proud statement of equality, there could be so much dissention about equality? Our nation has interpreted this statement differently since it was written, and still, more than two hundred years later, we are on the road to a truly equal society. This is because racism has its seeds deeply sown into the history of America. Uprooting perceptions of peoples who are dominant and peoples who are inferior has been a long process, from the Emancipation Proclamation to affirmative action. It is important that we stay on this road to equality for all, and keep affirmative action up and running.Affirmative action has its roots in racism as a remedy to it , and racism has its roots all the way back in the colonial and imperial era. Europeans began discovering other continents in the fifteenth century, and with new continents came new ways of making money. Different European countries began to scramble to acquire colonies where they could sell goods, exploit labor, and export slaves and raw materials for cheap prices. Almost all of Africa became colonialized, with different European powers claiming control over sections of Africa, and soon colonialism spread to many new places that were discovered: the Americas, the Middle East, and later Asia and the Pacific Islands. In the process of colonialism, the Europeans were taking advantage of the resour... ...hat happens when we level the playing field? â€Å"No school that has scrapped its affirmative action program has seen minority enrollment return fully to affirmative action levels† (Kranz 26). The ultimate goal is to see minorities represent their population in education and in the work force, and at this point, to attain that goal, it is more ethical to retain the policy of affirmative action than to eliminate it. In the words of Peter Singer, â€Å"In the absence of more promising alternatives it seems worth a try† (51). Works Cited * Kranz, Rachel. â€Å"Affirmative Action.† Facts on File, Inc., 2002. * Murray, Charles. â€Å"Affirmative Racism.† The New Republic, 1984. * Rachels, James. â€Å"The Elements of Moral Philosophy,† Fourth Edition. McGraw Hill, New York, 2003. Singer, Peter. â€Å"Practical Ethics,† Second Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1993.

Strategic Plan-Hertz

Strategic Plan for the Hertz Corporation February 18, 2011 Table of Contents Introduction of Team and Assignment4 Company Profile6 Mission Statement6 Vision and Values7 Economic conditions7 Strategic Analysis9 SWOC Analysis: Strengths10 SWOC Analysis: Weaknesses13 SWOC Analysis: Opportunities17 Internal Actions17 Opportunities18 SWOC Analysis: Challenges20 Dependence on the United States Automobile Industry20 Technological Changes and Advances20 Competitive Pressures21 Maintaining customer satisfaction and employee morale22 Merger Transitions22 Pressures to Go â€Å"Green†22 Expanding the â€Å"Global Footprint†23 STRATEGIC ISSUES25 Market Share Vehicle Rental25 Car Manufacturers25 Debt and Interest payments26 Technology26 Focus on Green27 Off Airport Rental27 People27 Equipment Business28 Summary29 Foundations of goals and strategic plan30 Increased Market Share30 Movement toward sustainable inventory30 Improve customer satisfaction by training and technology31 Dedication to Employees31 Drastically decrease debt owed32 Hertz Strategic Plan Implementation33 Mission33 Vision33 Strategies33 REFERENCES36 Introduction of Team and Assignment In recent years, leaders of American organizations have faced a multitude of challenges. The numerous trends and events that have occurred in the past two decades have affected both American society and business practices. Think of the influences the following events and trends have had on our government, communities, and public agencies: an aging and diversifying population; changes in the nature of families; dramatic shifts in federal and state responsibilities and funding priorities; the emergence of the poor as the largest group of poor Americans; fears about terrorism; the emergence of obesity as an important health concern; and a recent crippling recession (Bryson, 2004). Now think how American society would suffer if our government did not institute policies, programs, and plans in response to these conditions and crises. The same holds true for business organizations around the world. Organizations that want to survive, prosper, do good and important work must respond to the challenges the world presents (Bryson, 2004). In this environment, strategic plans are required to combat current challenges and provide future direction for business practices. Organizations that embark on strategic planning drastically increase their chances to endure current and future crises and are inherently closer to creating a sustainable organization that has public value. Students enrolled in the HR504 Strategic Planning class offered at the University of Scranton, were given the daunting assignment of creating a strategic plan for an organization of their choice. The strategic plan outlined in this paper was developed by the following students; Elisa Cosner, Patricia Dungan, Jacqueline Lombardo, and Mark Trautman (Team 3). These four students represent current and aspiring human resource professionals in pursuit of their Master’s degree in the field of Human Resources. The unique challenge of this assignment was to find a medium that could bring this geographically dispersed group of students together on a regular basis so they could collaborate and execute assignment responsibilities. The chosen medium was a chat forum called Meebo. Students met on Meebo for a minimum of thirty minutes every week, for a period of six weeks, to formulate, direct, and assign task responsibilities for their strategic planning efforts. When it came time to choose an organization for this assignment, Team 3 opted to conduct studies on struggling America business organizations that were experiencing financial difficulties and extreme pressures from both internal and external threats, ultimately choosing an organization that would unequivocally benefit from these strategic planning efforts. After much deliberation, Team 3 decided to formulate a strategic plan for the Hertz Corporation. The Hertz Corporation is the largest car rental brand in the world, with approximately 3,500 locations in the United States and 7,500 worldwide. Recent economic threats have caused double digit declines in car and rental equipment volumes, forced Hertz to drastically downsize its workforce and have seen the corporation experience hundreds of millions of dollars in net losses over the past three years. The strategic plan outlined hereafter, is an attempt by Team 3 to secure a strategic advantage for Hertz in the car rental marketplace, by mitigating the effects of environmental threats and severe economic influences, while at the same time utilizing the existing strengths of the organization and manipulating growth opportunities. Before we embark on this endeavor, we find it beneficial to provide a brief history of the Hertz Corporation. Company Profile Hertz Global Holdings (Hertz) operates vehicle and equipment rental businesses in the United States and Europe as well as global services for industries like construction, automobile manufacturing, railroad, power generation, and shipbuilding. The company employs 24,900 people and has company headquarters in Park Ridge, New Jersey. Hertz’s businesses are separated into two divisions. The Car Rental division, Hertz, which operates ental facilities near airports, central business districts, and suburban areas of cities, and also retails and leases, used cars in the United States and France where associates accept reservations for car rentals at approximately 8,000 locations in approximately 145 countries. The Equipment Rental division, Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation (HERC), rents earthmoving equipment, material handling equipment, aerial equipment, el ectric equipment, compressors and generators, and construction-related vehicles and tools. The Equipment Rental division also offers claim management services for both divisions investigating and negotiating various claims including bodily injury, property damage, and general and product liability for its customers. Mission Statement The mission at Hertz is to be the most customer focused, cost efficient vehicle and equipment rental/leasing company in every market we serve. We will strengthen our leading worldwide positions through a shared-value culture of employee and partner involvement by making strategic investments in our brand, people and products. The focus of everything we do will be on continuously improving shareholder value. Vision and Values Hertz has a vision to be the first choice brand for vehicle and equipment rental/leasing and total mobility solutions. In order to achieve this vision, Hertz, its employees and subsidiaries will adhere to the values of Integrity, Transparency, Continuous Improvement, Diversity, Passion, Commitment, Teamwork and Accountability. Economic conditions The current recession in the United States has adversely affected almost all domestic organizations, with Hertz being no exception. The uncertainty of current economic conditions has lead to serious revenue instability for Hertz. In 2009, Hertz experienced the most difficult macro-economic conditions in its 91 year history. Revenues were down 1. 4 billion from the previous year, and overall Hertz experienced a net loss of $126 million. A great portion of these conditions can be attributable to Americans traveling less. In should be of no surprise that car and equipment rental companies are significantly influenced by general economic conditions. One of the many economic challenges facing Hertz is the organizations dependence on drastically reducing operating costs. Hertz has been successful at doing this, but this success could have potential consequences. By drastically reducing its workforce, Hertz jeopardizes customer satisfaction levels and employee morale. In addition, Hertz’s current indebtedness has presented the following challenges to its operations: the organization is now increasingly vulnerable to adverse economic and industry conditions, they are at a competitive disadvantage to any competitors with significantly less debt, inflexibility in planning for and reacting to changing conditions in their business and industry, limited ability to react to competitive pressures, and it is increasing difficult to carry out capital spending that is necessary and important to Hertz’ growth strategy to improve operating margins. According to the Hertz 2009 Annual Report, the company recorded revenues of $8,525. 1 million during FY2008 which was 1. 8% decrease from 2007. The operating profit in FY2008 was $631. 2 million, a decrease of 50% compared to 2007. The net loss was $1,206. 7 million in FY2008, compared to the net profit of $265 million in 2007. Despite this, Hertz emerged from the 2009 recession a more efficient, customer focused company that is poised for strong revenue growth. Costs were reduced by over $1. billion since 2007, strategic plans to further improve service have been implemented, and in 2009, new business opportunities were developed. As a result, over $170 million of incremental revenues have been generated, the consolidated operating margin for 2009 was equal to 2008, and the margin for worldwide car rental increased to 7. 8%. Going forward Hertz will focus on costs, service and revenues combined with improving conditions in our car and equipment rental businesses. Hertz is expecting significant margin expansion and increased shareholder value. Strategic Analysis Subjects Employees Equipment dealers (Ford, John Deere) Players Board of Directors Senior Management Shareholders Customers Lenders Crowd Government Authorities (Airports to environmental matters) Franchises Context Setters Subordinated debt holders Subjects Employees Equipment dealers (Ford, John Deere) Players Board of Directors Senior Management Shareholders Customers Lenders Crowd Government Authorities (Airports to environmental matters) Franchises Context Setters Subordinated debt holders Subjects: have interest but little power Context setters: have power but little direct interest Crowd: Stakeholders with little interest or power Players: have interest and power Power versus Interest Grid, used to array stakeholders in the organization and the stakeholder’s power to affect the organizations future. In Hertz case, as a largely leveraged organization this analysis can prove telling as those with power may be more self-interested than in the game for the long term health of the organization. SWOC Analysis: Strengths * Strong Market Presence Strong Name Recognition * Strong Global Presence * Strong Diversification * Effective Cost Containment * Good Business Partnerships * Entrepreneurial culture * Recent Acquisitions * Agile * Our Employees * Novel Services * Variety Offered Hertz Global strengths include the company’s strong presence in the rental car and equipment market and strong name recognition as they remain the number one airport car rental provider in the United States. The company also has a strong global presence with outlets in Europe, North America, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Hertz’s strong diversification of businesses, products, and market protects the company offering a long-term competitive advantage through difficult times. Hertz is poised to serve every type of customer in the market including business accounts, hourly renters, budget travelers, and multi-month rental customers. Hertz continues to lead the industry in cost management and containment through lean strategic plans like fleet management, back-office reengineering, and organizational redesign. A good example of the company’s ongoing success recovering its financial performance is the refinancing $3. 2 billion of the U. S. fleet debt one year ahead of schedule with pricing comparable to 2005 rates. In addition, $990 million of capital was raised through a successful convertible debt and equity transaction. Efforts helped the company emerge from a difficult year in 2009 as leaner and more focused and Hertz is expecting higher returns throughout 2010. Good business partnerships and the company’s entrepreneurial culture helped Hertz to better effectively manage changing market conditions and take advantage of growth opportunities. For example, Hertz made the following important recent acquisitions: * The Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, which not only strengthened Hertz financially it also expanded Hertz's share in the business travel off-airport market, * The purchase of Eileo SA, a car-sharing service and provider of technology for Connect by Hertz. This investment in technology will help advance Hertz’s leadership by taking the customer experience to the next level, * The addition of the Advantage value brand giving them an even greater share of the growing Leisure segment, the acquisition already has resulted in gaining a full point of U. S. airport market share, * Several smaller acquisitions further expanding their Equipment Rental market. The company’s agility is demonstrated by its ability to quickly adjust labor and fleets to match sudden changes in demand. For example, company transaction days in 2009 were down 8% while worldwide was down 9. 7%. The company can and has, through strategic fleet management, successfully held its fleet and aged it a little further, while adjusting the fleet rotation planning to ensure the fleet remains aligned with demand. Our employees are highly skilled and able to handle difficult situations. During the economic downturn, they were quick, analytical, strategic, and acted with an absolute sense of urgency. All departments work together toward the same goal. Everyone took action by developing a plan and maintaining strong communication. Company strength’s also include Hertz’s novel and innovative services like Hertz #1 Club Gold, NeverLost navigation systems, rental coupons, and Sirius Satellite Radio. To set itself apart from its competitors, Hertz also offers members guaranteed satisfaction, increased discounts, free use of one child, infant or booster seat, free unlimited mileage on most rentals, no Saturday night keep required, and no airline ticket required to qualify for low weekly rates. Finally, Hertz’s strength includes the variety of rentals offered to customers like SUVs, vans and specialty rentals. In an effort to further increase its variety, Hertz introduced the Corvette ZHZ to their rental line-up. The new addition is part of their â€Å"Fun Collection† the purpose of which is to serve those clients wishing to rent a sporty car or a specialty vehicle as the Corvette ZHZ comes with a powerful V-8 engine or 436 horsepower. The company expects this limited edition car will be an asset during the summer vacation rental season and ordered 500 of them in 2008. SWOC Analysis: Weaknesses Over the past 18 months, the United States and international markets have experienced a significant decline in economic activity that has affected the car rental market, including a tightening of the credit markets, reduced business and leisure travel, reduced consumer spending and volatile fuel prices. In the equipment rental business, the decline in economic activity has resulted in a decline in activity in construction and other businesses in which our equipment rental customers operate. Accordingly, the car and equipment rental industries have both experienced unprecedented declines in volume and demand. Hertz is not unlike any other organization in this economic climate in that they have aspirations of seeing the upside of this downward spiral. Unfortunately, most of what Hertz is dependent upon to make it through is outside of their realm of control. The car and equipment rental industry is significantly affected by general economic conditions, and any further decreases in general economic activity could materially and adversely affect their financial condition and results of operations. The results of operations are affected by many economic factors, including the level of economic activity in the markets in which they operate. The car rental business, which provides the majority of the revenues, is particularly sensitive to reductions in the levels of airline passenger travel, and any further reduction in air travel could materially adversely impact their financial condition and results of operations. The car rental industry is particularly affected by reductions in business and leisure travel, especially with respect to levels of airline passenger traffic. Approximately 84% of our worldwide revenues during 2009 were provided by the car rental segment, and they estimate that approximately 67% of the car rental revenues were generated at their airport rental locations. Further reductions in levels of air travel, whether caused by general economic conditions, airfare increases (e. g. , due to capacity reductions or increases in fuel costs borne by commercial airlines) or other events such as work stoppages, military conflicts, terrorist incidents, natural disasters, epidemic diseases, or the response of governments to any of these events, could materially and adversely affect Hertz. Other factors that could adversely affect Hertz include: * Intense competition that may lead to downward pricing, or an inability to increase prices. If Hertz tries to increase their pricing, their competitors, some of who may have greater resources and better access to capital than them, may seek to compete aggressively on the basis of pricing. In addition, their competitors may reduce prices in order to attempt to gain a competitive advantage or to compensate for declines in rental activity associated with reductions in economic activity. Slow economic periods could constrain their liquidity and adversely affect our results of operations. Certain significant components of their expenses are fixed in the short-run, including minimum concession fees, real estate taxes, rent, insurance, utilities, maintenance and other facility-related expenses, the costs of operating their information technology systems and minimum staffing costs. * They may not be successful in the business strategy to expand into the off-airport rental market. They have been increasing their presence in the off-airport car rental market in the United States and intend to continue to pursue profitable growth opportunities through a combination of selected new location openings, a disciplined evaluation of and strategic changes with respect to existing locations, and the pursuit of same-store sales growth. * A downsizing of their rental car fleet could require them to make additional cash payments for tax liabilities, which could be material. An inability to purchase adequate supplies of competitively priced cars or equipment and the cost of the cars or equipment purchased increases, their financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. * Declines in the value of the non-program cars in their fleet due to decreases in residual values could adversely impact the financial condition and results of operations. For the year ended December 31, 2009, approximately 53% of the cars purchased in the combined U. S. n d international car rental fleet were subject to repurchase by car manufacturers under contractual repurchase or guaranteed depreciation programs. * The failure of a manufacturer of cars that Hertz owns to fulfill their obligations under a repurchase or guaranteed depreciation program could expose them to loss on those cars and adversely impact the outstanding asset-backed financing facilities, which could in turn adversely affect the liquidity and results of operations. For the year ended December 31, 2009, the highest outstanding month-end receivable balance for cars sold to a single manufacturer was $95. million owed by Hyundai Motor Company in January 2009, which was subsequently paid. Although there is no guarantee that Hertz will be paid these amounts by any car manufacturer that files for bankruptcy protection in the future and/or otherwise ceases operations, any failure by a manufacturer to pay such amounts due could, among other things, cause a credit enhancement deficiency with respect to the asset-backed financing, in which case the collateral requirements for such facilities could be increased. * Significant increases in fuel costs or reduced supplies of fuel could harm our business. Fuel prices have been volatile recently, and could fluctuate severely and/or increase overall in 2010. According to the U. S. Energy Information Administration, from 2008 to 2009, the average retail cost of a gallon of gasoline in the United States decreased 27. 9%; however it was projected that over the course of 2010 fuel prices would increase 20. 8%. * Heavy reliance upon communications networks and centralized information technology systems to accept reservations, process rental and sales transactions, manage our fleets of cars and equipment, account for activities and otherwise conduct business. This reliance exposes them to various risks that could cause a loss of reservations, interfere with their ability to manage the fleet, slow rental and sales processes. * Risks related to liabilities and insurance since their businesses exposes them to claims for personal injury, death and property damage resulting from the use of the cars and equipment rented or sold by Hertz, and for workers’ compensation claims and other employment-related claims by our employees. SWOC Analysis: Opportunities Hertz has weathered the economic storm of 2008, the worst economic conditions in their 91 year history by looking ahead for growth opportunities and ways to improve service levels. A review of external and internal actions that have prepared Hertz to capitalize on opportunities: External Actions * Improved conditions in car and equipment rental business * Successfully developing business in key emerging markets: Brazil, China and India; * Experiencing improvement in the US Car rental, the largest share of the Hertz business Internal Actions * Reduced costs by 1. billion dollars; headcount reduction (4,000 employees) taken in non strategic locations (with a bit of help from the economy Hertz should be poised for solid growth). * Refinanced 3. 3 billion dollar debt one year ahead of schedule on favorable terms. * Hertz has stayed the course intentionally focusing on three key business emphasis areas: asset management, employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. * Lighthouse projec t that utilizes employee input in the development of customer features has improved employee engagement and customer satisfaction. Opportunities Hertz is â€Å"leading the way with High-Tech, High-Touch innovations†; Hertz. om, self service kiosks at 36 major airports, including 11 in Europe (which have successfully completed 500,000 transactions), portable rental devices, enabling roving customer service agents to address customer needs; integrated car sharing technology including online booking, applications for iPhone and Blackberry smartphones; GPS navigation upgrades with touch point screens. Hertz has more than 700 locations in Europe, along with franchise partners which rivals its airport locations – European local rentals continues to grow for business people as it is the most efficient means of travel in Europe. They possess the most diverse car fleet in the rental industry, enabling service to all customer segments; vacationers, business people and local residents. This is a key area of expansion as Hertz looks to 2010 to open 150 new locations. Looking to expand their leisure â€Å"driving for fun† market, Hertz introduced a pre-paid program that is used primarily by the 21-25 year old market, a market segment that was and in many cases is not allowed to even rent before this program. In addition they introduced three new programs for vacation travelers; i. Prestige collection – high end SUVs’ and luxury car models (Volvo, Lincoln, Cadillac, BMS, Audi and Land Rover. ) ii. Green collection – Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion, Toyota Corolla, Camry hybrids. iii. Fun collection – Ford Mustang, Chevy Corvette, Jeep Wrangler. To further diversify, Hertz purchased Advantage Rent –A-Car a very reasonably priced car rental popular with those who do the Priceline on line booking. Hertz has combined their fleet with Advantage in order to offer a variety of peak and off peak vehicles to meet a variety of renter needs. They’ve begun looking at renting electric cars, a zero carbon, and rechargeable vehicle, introduced in late 2010 in North American and European markets. The target market for the electric cars is a university setting where the charging stations make sense for car sharing experiences. In addition, car sharing, Connect by Hertz, a total mobility solution offering high tech, high touch rental option for urban, university and corporate travelers. To further expand their offerings, Hertz purchased Paris based Eileo in 2009, the pioneer of integrated car sharing technology, a concept that has been launched in London, Paris and NYC. This offering reduces the number of cars on the road which also reduces pollution, creating an economic benefit for crowded urban areas. In their global markets, Hertz has expanded their equipment rental revenue into China and the Middle East with entertainment services, power generation and industrial equipment. This expansion of global footprint gives Hertz the ability to offer first class rental experiences through corporate owned or franchised partners. Special attention was given to China (Beijing and Shanghai) and China’s new 48 airports, Saudi Arabia/Middle east with equipment where construction is booming currently. SWOC Analysis: Challenges Dependence on the United States Automobile Industry The financial instability of U. S. car manufactures has presented significant challenges to the Hertz Corporation. Hertz depends on its business partnerships with these organizations. The bankruptcy of many American auto manufacturers has led to double digit declines in car and equipment rental volumes. The majority of Hertz’s rental cars are purchased from Ford and General motors. In the event that these companies would cease manufacturing and selling vehicles, Hertz would have to increase purchasing vehicles from other manufactures. However, there is no guarantee that Hertz will be able to purchase vehicles at their current purchasing price. Technological Changes and Advances Many futurist and economists see technological innovation as one of the major forces driving industrial change (Schwartz, 2003 as cited in Bryson, 2004). As technology becomes increasing dominant in American organizations, Hertz employees will need to develop new skills to use and the organization will need to adopt these processes, structures, and resource allocations. Hertz will need to continually improve the way in which technology â€Å"drives† its business. These could represent challenges for them to improve the operation and effectiveness of their website, self-serving kiosks at airports, the GPS systems in their vehicles, and also includes the advancing their smart phone applications. Information technology is currently driving major changes likely to have dramatic impacts on organizational performance, accountability, and issues related to data and privacy (Bryson, 2004). Hertz reliance on technology exposes risk that could cause loss of a reservation; interfere with their ability to manage fleets, privacy issues, and the slow operation of the car rental and sales process. Hertz needs to protect against these risks because they could adversely affect customer relations, operating results, and financial conditions. Competitive Pressures Hertz operates in a highly competitive market. They currently posses a 25. 7% share of the rental car market (AVIS/Budget- 28. 9%, Enterprise- 31. 4%, Dollar/Thrifty- 12. 0%) Enterprise brands currently dominate off-airport rentals and the insurance replacement markets respectively. One of Hertz’s priorities is to present a bigger challenge to Enterprise in these particular arenas. In order to do so, Hertz needs to remain cognizant of the business strategies of their biggest competitors. Significant changes in the competitive market will affect Hertz’s business strategies and policies, not excluding pricing practices and incentive programs. For example, most consumers have become more cost conscientious since the recent recession. If Hertz were to increase costs, their competition, some of which has greater resources and better access to capital, may seek to compete aggressively on the basis of pricing. In essence, Hertz competition could gain strategic advantages by reducing their prices. Hertz may also be presented with additional challenges from future competition. Worldwide equipment rentals, an area in which Hertz does especially well in, is currently highly fragmented with few national competitors. It is reasonably foreseeable for new competition to develop and penetrate that particular market. Maintaining customer satisfaction and employee morale The present economy has made maintaining customer satisfaction and employee morale particularly challenging. The recession has caused Hertz to focus intensely on reducing operating costs. This means they had to drastically reduce staff and close many under-performing locations. In order for Hertz to maintain customer satisfaction with fewer employees and locations, they must develop more efficient practices and policies. This would also require Hertz to- consistently monitor the need for additional staffing at improving locations, constantly assess environmental trends, and introduce customer-centered technologies. Hertz must also be prepared to combat a potential decline in employee morale. With lay-offs perpetually looming, it is reasonable to expect employee morale to waver. If this happens, it could present deficiencies in operations which would directly affect customer satisfaction levels. Merger Transitions Hertz recently acquired Eileo, a France based company that specializes in car-sharing programs. They also acquired the Advantage Rent-A-Car company in April of 2009. One of the challenges of these major acquisitions for Hertz is for them to be able to effectively integrate these associated offices, without diluting the Hertz brand. In essence, they must realize operational synergies. Doing this does involve numerous risks including: potential disruptions of ongoing business, distractions of management, difficulties integrating different business practices, and exposure of unknown liabilities. Pressures to Go â€Å"Green† â€Å"Green† policies and practices are becoming preferred by the majority of the American population. Consumers are increasingly concerned with the longevity of the planet. Hertz business policies need to accept America’s vision of â€Å"greener† practices. In order to do this, Hertz most take on a moral responsibility to utilize vehicles with higher MPG and better fuel emission standards that are safer for the environment. This could also include the challenges of effectively developing electric car initiates and car sharing programs. Expanding the â€Å"Global Footprint† Approximately one-third of Hertz’s revenue is generated outside the U. S. market. They currently have franchise partners in over 136 countries. One of the biggest challenges Hertz faces is to minimize the economic effects in their international market, particularly in Europe. This is especially challenging, considering the fact that global recession has caused most companies to eliminate market expansion plans. And yet, Hertz still has ambitions to add locations worldwide, including establishing a higher concentration in the Chinese market. China happens to be the world’s fastest growing car and equipment rental market. ) Other Challenges Facing the Hertz Corporation include; * Fossils fuels- rising fuel costs and/or shortages in fuel directly impact rental acquisition, leaving consumers to find it too expensive to travel. * External threats affecting travel- war, terrorist attacks, epidemic disease, natural disasters, etc * Risk management- the liability of Hertz being responsible for equipment damage, property damage, personal injury, death, and the litigation expenses that could result from these occurrences. * Seasonality- a decrease in travel uring the winter and increase during the spring and summer month’s present challenges to efficiently manage fleet operations. * Government laws, mandates, and controls- Hertz is subjected to many governmental regulations in relation to pricing/advertising, privacy and data collection, currency controls, labor relations, charge card operations, insurance policies, environmental protection, and used car sales and licensing procedures. Changes in any governmental policy, or the adoption of new laws, could result in significant changes in Hertz procedures, which may increase cost of operations and applicable tax rates. Marketing- Hertz will be continually challenged to conduct active sales and marketing programs that attract and retain customers. STRATEGIC ISSUES Hertz is a front runner in the rental vehicle business, number two only to AVIS in the current markets Hertz serves. In order to maintain and grow a competitive edge there are some strategic issues that Hertz must address directly. Market Share Vehicle Rental Hertz is at the top with Avis edging them out for the top spot, however staying at top means keeping the â€Å"Brand† in front of the audience. In the SG ; A discussion of the 2009 Annual Report Hertz trimmed their advertising expense by almost 30%. They did not mention a new structure for media buying to be facilitated by a new agency to save costs. I am left to think they simply decreased advertising. In recent travels and paying closer attention to media in travel magazines: Delta Airlines and US Airway’s flight magazine AVIS – big red versus big yellow was the dominant vehicle rental advertiser. Should you look at any other established, well known brand, Coke and Pepsi as an obvious example; they spend millions keeping that logo â€Å"front of mind†. Advertising is seen anywhere you could potentially think about drinking a soft drink. In order to continue to branch out with new technology in an effort to capitalize on the brand, Hertz must continue a very aggressive media campaign to be present anywhere people may think of rental car need. Car Manufacturers Hertz suffered greatly when the US car manufacturer’s financial challenges. Hertz has depended on the partnerships with manufacturers who were not able to meet the obligations of their agreements with Hertz which left Hertz scrambling to develop new avenues for fleet vehicle programs. Ford who Hertz relies on in the US must stay solvent in order to Hertz to enjoy the ability to purchase fleet and program vehicles and the tax incentives they enjoy because of their inventory management of fleet. Debt and Interest payments For the next two to five years in order to survive Hertz must meet obligations for all interest payments and as a sign of financial stability should look to significant debt reduction. The 2009 annual report indicates 126 million in losses, interest expense of 680 million which are material amounts. The debt is held by two primary lenders: Deuschte Bank and Bank of Scotland. If either organization called their notes requiring payment in full, Hertz would not succeed. Hertz is not the low cost leader and needs to maintain that position in a positive way to ensure financial trends are positive. Technology Hertz must focus on the ability execute operationally any technology introduced. It is one thing to advertise iPhone applications, internet and wifi connections; the ability to produce what the customer has reserved using the wireless technologies has to be present in order to build customer confidence. If one reserves, arrives and has no vehicle – does the technology really matter if you did not save time or feel that you had received value or convenience. To that traveler at that moment Hertz must be able to execute. The ability to distribute their assets to the right place, at the right time to support demand from these new technologies is critical. Focus on Green Hertz is committed to what they refer to as the â€Å"electric car revolution†. This is a vehicle with a zero carbon footprint. At the present time, lack of recharging stations will temper the demand for the electric cars. The hope is that in the next few years university settings and very urban markets will take the lead for the establishment of charging stations will then provide a structure for this next generation of green transportation. In the short term availability of hybrid models such as the Toyota Prius, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry are Hertz’ response to those who require a greener model. Off Airport Rental Hertz is beginning to enter new location space with their fleet:  off airport rental. Hertz is going face to face with the established leader, Enterprise system. Is this an appropriate move for the next 2 – 5 years in the US market? Europe where Hertz has a presence and daily/weekly rentals are a â€Å"way of life† is one thing (add to that most of those markets are franchised so you can terminate an arrangement). Hertz will be risking additional asset costs in fleet, leased property, staffing in hope to gain ground in an area held firmly by Enterprise. People Hertz North America has reduced headcount to a bare minimum deploying human assets on an admitted â€Å"as needed† basis to strategic hubs. This is a very short term view of growth. The ability to grow infrastructure must include a committed front line, operational management team. The Annual Report stated an increase in employee satisfaction. The hope is then that Hertz continues to communicate and reach out to those dedicated to customer service second to none in spite of financial challenges. That part of the human touch with customers leasing employees where customer contact is needed; airport leasing, returns with checkout is necessary in order to build repeat business. Equipment Business Hertz’ equipment business does not report a leadership presence in any one market, in any one geographic area. By Hertz’ own admission the competitive landscape in this business segment is â€Å"intense. Can Hertz realistically, financially maintain a healthy presence in both industries? EBITDA results were maintained for the equipment portion of the business through cost cutting measures as revenues dropped dramatically. US new construction continues to struggle and from the readings the European market is no better. China is bustling, but are we confident based on current locations that we can enter then stay competitive those new and emerging markets? The equipment is expensive in multiple ways: assets are expensive to purchase, maintain, and insure. Is the return versus other similarly situated usinesses sound? Hertz is in a business where receivables can become problematic. Credit is extended, and during financially challenging times generally extended past healthy limits. There was a surprisingly low 1. 1% bad debt due to non-payment, and the receivable turnaround time was not addressed. The fact is you generally do not immediately receive your payment as you would in a fleet rental transaction. The current uncertainty of the future global construction market begs  Hertz to question whether they can appropriately focus on two different business rental segments given their current financial condition. Summary Hertz has significant brand recognition, good ideas to generate revenue for the future. However they are in a precarious situation; two distinctly different business segments that have experienced huge revenue declines, specifically, construction and the vacation and leisure vehicle rental declines of 2008 and 2009 that have left Hertz with extraordinary debt to consider in order to remain a going concern. Foundations of goals and strategic plan We have successfully completed both external and internal analyses of the rental car and equipment markets as it pertains to the Hertz Corporation. The goals and future direction of the corporation must unequivocally elicit actions, that when taken, establish and maintain strategic advantages for Hertz in this extremely competitive market. We believe the goals established herein educe such responses. The subsequent section of this strategic plan will outline the strategies and approaches to be taken by Hertz to facilitate obtainment of their principal goals. The following goals have been established for the Hertz Corporation: Increased Market Share In the last 5 years, Hertz has consistently relinquished percentages of their car-rental market share to their principal competitors. Currently, it is estimated that Hertz’s market share is at 25. 7%. The goal over the next 3 years is for Hertz to secure one-third of the share in this market. In doing so, Hertz will also maintain its dominance in the equipment rental market and begin to compete with Enterprise in the off-airport rental market. Hertz will also aggressively pursue its international markets, including significantly extending operations in China, the worlds’ fastest growing car and equipment rental market. Movement toward sustainable inventory Hertz will significantly extend its social responsibility programs. The goal is for Hertz to drastically increase eco-friendly vehicles to its operating fleet (a 30% increase by 2014). Hertz believes it has a moral obligation to do so and will diligently pursue business directives that are safer for the environment. This includes introducing â€Å"smart car† initiatives, increasing electric car fleet additions, and contracting more fuel efficient vehicles that emit lower carbon-dioxide into the atmosphere. Improve customer satisfaction by training and technology Hertz has always recognized its required allegiance to the customers of their brand. Hertz will continue to pursue business objectives that improve customer’s experience with the product. This will include increasing customer relationship trainings for all our employees. The company will also set aggressive goals over the next 3 years to be the most technologically advanced rental car and equipment company in the world. Essentially, the technology goals were established to make the customer’s experience more rewarding. At Hertz, we believe that the consequences of improving our technology will result in a better brand image and improved customer satisfaction. The satisfaction/technology goals rely on the principle of the â€Å"four mores†: 1) more safe and responsible 2) more simplistic 3) more reliable 4) more comfortable Dedication to Employees Over the next 3 years, it will be increasingly evident that Hertz feels morally responsible to the environment, their customers, and shareholders. However, our company would like to further acknowledge its commitment to the employees of Hertz. We understand that the current economic crisis has forced the company into making tough decisions, decisions that ultimately left thousands of Hertz employees jobless. Hertz also understands that no goal outlined in this strategic plan will be attainable without the commitment and dedication of all its employees. Therefore, Hertz is introducing its M. O. R. A. L. E program (Movement of Recognizing All Leadership Employees). This movement will provide the following benefits for Hertz employees: incentives for excellent job performance, lucrative rewards for obtaining organizational goals, commission plans added to employee’s base salary- purposefully designed to improve performance, monthly employee recognition meetings, and an aggressive career advancement campaign. The goal here is for Hertz to improve the morale of all its employees and be recognized as the number one employer in the car and equipment rental industry. Drastically decrease debt owed Hertz currently owes a substantial monetary amount to two primary lenders: Deuschte Bank and Bank of Scotland. Operating under such debt has caused strategic limitations and will undoubtedly effect the attainment of the goals laid herein. Hertz is also subjected to the arbitrary decisions of the aforementioned lenders. The corporation may struggle to sustain itself if either lender requires payment in full or radically increases payment contingencies. Therefore, over the next 3 years, Hertz will industriously contribute to paying off debt owed. It is believed that Hertz’s ability to do so will be promoted by obtaining all of the other goals outlined in this strategic plan. Hertz Strategic Plan Implementation Hertz Global Holdings (Hertz) operates vehicle and equipment rental businesses in the United States and Europe as well as global services for industries like construction, automobile manufacturing, railroad, power generation, and shipbuilding. Hertz vehicle rental business is the largest worldwide. Headquartered in Park Ridge, New Jersey, the company employs 24,900 people in approximately 8,200 locations in 146 countries worldwide. Mission It is the mission of Hertz to be the most customer focused, cost efficient vehicle and equipment rental/leasing company in every market we serve. We will strengthen our leading worldwide positions through a shared value culture of employee and partner involvement by making strategic investments in our brand, people, and products. The focus of everything we do will be on improved shareholder value. Vision Hertz will be the first choice brand for vehicle and equipment rental/leasing and total mobility solutions. Strategies * Ensure that the Hertz Brand is in front of the target audience through aggressive and consistent media campaigns to further increase vehicle rental market share. * Hertz will increase marketing expenditures by 15% over the next three years. The company will frontline its new marketing campaign epitomized by its new slogan. â€Å"Hertz, driving you towards the future. The focus of this campaign will be to characterize Hertz’s image as an enviro-friendly car rental company that has embraced technological advancements. * Expand partnerships to avoid conflicts and retain an ability to purchase fleet and program vehicles. * Meet and exceed obligations for all interest payments to secure financial stability in an additional effort to significantly reduce debt. * Focus on, plan for, and in vest in new and useful technologies and facilities to meet and match customer expectations in order to build customer confidence and to distribute Hertz products to the right place at the right time to support demand. Continue to embrace the principles of environmental sustainability that serve the evolving needs of our employees and customers. Remain committed to vehicles with the lowest carbon footprint. Waiting for and accessing infrastructure as the demand for electric cars increases. In the short term, hybrid models such as the Toyota Prius, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry will be used in response to customer demand. * Continue to find and use new location space off the airport rental market challenging the competition. Challenge, empower and engage employees seeking to increase satisfaction through affirming communication to improve morale and decrease turnover. Hertz will strive to increase the diversity of the workforce as a contribution to the overall success, and to recruit and retain talented employees. * Increased use of ‘the human touch’ instead of technology where needed, and will respect and care for each customer through each transaction in order to build repeat business. * Consider the equipment rental/leasing portion of the business for cost utting measures as revenues dropped dramatically, U. S. new construction continues to struggle and China is competitive. REFERENCES Hertz Annual Report: http://phx. corporate-ir. net/External. File? item=UGFyZW50SUQ9Mzc2NTI0fENoaWxkSUQ9Mzc1MTMxfFR5cGU9MQ==;t=1 Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. Q4 2009 Earnings Call Transcript http://seekingalpha. com/article/190491-hertz-global-holdings-inc-q4-2009-earnings-call-transcript Hertz Mission Statement, Vision and Values: https://images. hertz. com/pdfs/VMVWeb. pdf