My Alert Case free essay sample

Was the first to see the business opportunity in the mobile alerts. The idea was already working well in another channel (Internet). The mobile phone market was growing very quickly. They offered a wide range and tailor-made services. Besides as MyAlert will be the first in the market, the technology investment could became a strength and turn it in an entry barrier, thing that actually happened. For these reasons we can assert that MyAlert was a good business idea. Which is the competitive advantage of MyAlert when it is launched? How the competitive advantage and business model evolves? Why? Is it sustainable? The competitive advantage of MyAlert at the begging was its own technological platform (MAGO). The platform was Valuable because was the core of the business also it was Inimitable, Rareness and Original due to they developed it from the scratch and was the first in the market specifically designed for its business model. We will write a custom essay sample on My Alert Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Content Production Design Packaging 1- Corporate Customers Distribution Sales 2- Other Customers Provision of Infrastructure (Mobile Operators) Looking at the value chain of MyAlet we can see highlight in red their core activity, their platform allowed them to distribute the content throw the network to the final customers, the key was that the platform has a great scalability able to distribute data throw different technology enablers (GMS, GPRS†¦) From the beginning they realized that text alerts could be used to provide customized services for corporate partners exploiting new business opportunities and here we can see a new competitive advantage because the company was able to introduce their investors into its own value chain getting content and a solid customer portfolio. This is a win win situation, the investors provide contents and the MyAlert provides them a new innovative service for them increasing the company revenues as well as turn over for the shareholders, this business model provides feedback itself being able to maintain it in the long run. After the merger MyAlert, which started providing data services for the mobile industry, changed its product portfolio and business model providing technology and mobile marketing services. Thanks to MAGO platform MyAlert was far superior technologically than Buongiorno!. On the other hand appeared a new product â€Å"consumer services† (ring tones, logos†¦) the new company had to adapt its business model including consumer services which soon produced benefits. Also they were able to keep creating new business models as â€Å"Digital Marketing Project†. As we have seen MyAlert is a good example of how a company is able to adapt and survive in a really dynamic environment what changes pretty fast, adapting and creating new business models and investing in technology in order to keep its leading position. Is the merge with Buongiorno! a must or just a good idea? Definitely the merge was a MUST, MyAlert had become a world leader and to keep this status they needed to remain this position in every market, soon they realized that it was impossible to achieve through organic growth. The economical environment was unstable due to the dot com crisis, investors become more demanding looking for positives results in the short term, competitors started to appear and revenues from advertising and m-commerce were reduced due to the economic crisis. All this factors push to Mr. Jorge and his team to look for a similar company with the same goal to join forces and survive in the long term, and this is how they found Buongiorno! And merge in order to keep growing in a very competitive dynamic market.

recruit, select and induct staff Essay Example

recruit, select and induct staff Essay Example recruit, select and induct staff Paper recruit, select and induct staff Paper 1 . What is a selection report, how is compiled, what is included in a selection report and why is it an important piece of documentation in the recruitment and selection process? The selection report is the official record of the selection process. The main purpose of the selection report is to convey the panels recommendation, and provide enough information for the delegate to make an informed and fair recruitment decision. The final decision to select an applicant or take other action rests with the delegate. The selection report should also be used when providing eedback to individual candidates who request post-selection feedback. The selection report must demonstrate with rigour how the selection panel used an evidenced base selection process to arrive at its conclusion, and will be used in the case of a review. Documents to be attached to the selection report include: 0 referee checks 0 a copy of the interview questions (interview guide and selection options matrix) 0 the short-listing grid 0 any other evidence gathered which supports the recommendation 2.. Recruitment is one of the functions that HR practitioners are responsible for. What is recruitment nd what does it involve? How does recruitment fit into the HR life cycle? Recruitment refers to the process of attracting, screening, selecting, and onboarding a qualified person for a Job. At the strategic level it may involve the development of an employer brand which includes an employee offering. Human resource management (HRM), also called personnel management, consists of all the activities undertaken by an enterprise to ensure the effective utilization of employees toward the attainment of individual, group, and organizational goals. An organizations HRM function focuses on the people side of management. It consists of practices that help the organization to deal effectively with its people during the various phases of the employment cycle, including pre-hire, staffing, and post-hire. The pre-hire phase involves planning practices. The organization must decide what types of Job openings will exist in the upcoming period and determine the necessary qualifications for performing these Jobs. During the hire phase, the organization selects its employees. Selection practices include recruiting applicants, assessing their qualifications, and ultimately selecting those who are deemed to be the most qualified. How does an interview panel will assess each applicant and select the preferred candidate? After the final interview, panel members should compare their ratings and judgements amongst themselves. It is preferable to review candidates and their performances immediately after the interview process whilst the information is still fresh in the minds of the panel. All discussion should be s upported by assessment evidence not Just personal impression. Candidates should be rated against the agreed and specified criteria and not against each other. Further information from ny additional sources should be included in these discussions. Time to review and discuss should be timetabled into the interview/selection planning. However, it is not essential that recommendation for appointment has to be made on the same day as the interviews. Every appointment is a serious investment and the selection decision considered an option and is preferable to making what could prove to be a poor appointment due to a hasty decision. 4. What is discrimination? What can organisations do to ensure that they comply with anti discrimination and equal opportunity legislation in the recruitment process? Direct or overt discrimination is any action that specifically excludes a person or a group of people from a benefit or opportunity, or significantly reduces chances of obtaining it because a personal characteristics, irrelevant to a situation, is applied as a barrier. National and state laws cover equal employment opportunity and anti- discrimination in the workplace. Youre required by these laws to create a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Its important that as an employer, you understand your rights and responsibilities under human rights and anti- discrimination law.

How to Use Focus Groups in Marketing Research

How to Use Focus Groups in Marketing Research Focus groups are a form of qualitative research that is commonly used in product marketing and marketing research, but it is a popular method within sociology as well. During a focus group, a group of individuals- usually 6-12 people- is brought together in a room to engage in a guided discussion of a topic. Lets say youre beginning a research project on the popularity of Apple products. Perhaps you want to conduct in-depth interviews with Apple consumers, but before doing that, you want to get a feel for what kinds of questions and topics will work in an interview, and also see if consumers might bring up topics that you wouldnt think to include in your list of questions. A focus group would be a great option for you to talk casually with Apple consumers about what they like and dont like about the companys products, and how they use the products in their lives. The participants of a focus group are selected based on their relevance and relationship to the topic under study. They are not typically chosen through rigorous, probability sampling methods, which means that they do not statistically represent any meaningful population. Rather, participants are chosen through word-of-mouth, advertising, or  snowball sampling, depending on the type of person and characteristics the researcher is looking to include. Advantages of Focus Groups There are many advantages of a focus group: As a socially oriented research method, it captures real-life data in a social setting.It is flexible.It has high face validity, meaning that it measures what it is intended to measure.It generates quick results.It costs little to conduct.Group dynamics often bring out aspects of the topic or reveal information about the subject that may not have been anticipated by the researcher or emerged from individual interviews. Disadvantages of Focus Groups On the downside: The researcher has less control over the session than he or she does in individual interviews.Data can sometimes be difficult to analyze.Moderators require certain skills.Differences between groups can be troublesome.Groups can often be difficult to pull together.The discussion must be conducted in a conducive environment. Basic Steps In Conducting a Focus Group Some basic steps should be involved when conducting a focus group, from preparation to data analysis. Preparing For the Focus Group: Identify the main objective of the focus group.Carefully develop your focus group questions. Your focus group should generally last 1 to 1 1/2  hours, which is usually enough time to cover 5 or 6 questions.Call potential participants to invite them to the meeting. Focus groups generally consist of six to 12 participants who have some similar characteristic (e.g., age group, status in a program, etc.). Select participants who are likely to participate in discussions and who don’t all know each other.Send a follow-up invitation with a proposed agenda, questions up for discussion, and time/location details.Three days before the focus group, call each participant to remind them of the meeting. Planning the Session: Schedule a time that is convenient for most people. Plan the focus group to take between 1 and 1 1/2 hours. Lunchtime or dinnertime is usually a good time for people, and if you serve food, they are more likely to attend.Find a good setting, such as a conference room, with good airflow and lighting. Configure the room so that all members can see each other. Provide nametags as well as refreshments. If your focus group is at lunch or dinnertime, be sure to provide food as well.Set some ground rules for the participants that help foster participation and keep the session moving along appropriately. For example- 1. Stay focused on the subject/question, 2. Keep the momentum of the conversation going, and 3. Get closure on each question.Make an agenda for the focus group. Consider the following: Welcome, review of agenda, review of the goal of the meeting, review of ground rules, introductions, questions and answers, and wrap up.Don’t count on your memory for information shared at the focus group. Plan to record the session with either an audio or video recorder. If this isn’t possible, involve a co-facilitator who takes good notes. Facilitating the Session: Introduce yourself and your co-facilitator, if you have one.Explain your need and reason for recording the focus group discussion.Carry out the agenda.Carefully word each question to the group. Before a group discussion, allow everyone a few minutes to carefully record his or her responses or answers. Then, facilitate discussion around the answers to each question, one at a time.After the discussion of each question, reflect back to the group a summary of what you just heard. If you have a note-taker/co-facilitator, he or she may do this.Ensure even participation among the group. If a few people are dominating the conversation, then call on others. Also, consider a round-table approach in which you go in one direction around the table, giving each person a chance to answer the question.Close the session by thanking the participants and telling them that they will receive a copy of the report generated as a result of the discussion. Immediately After the Session: Verify that the audio or video recorder worked throughout the entire session (if one was used).Make any additional notes on your written notes that you need.Write down any observations you made during the session, such as the nature of participation in the group, any surprises of the session, where and when the session was held, etc. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

SUMMARY South African Opposition Picks New Voice Essay

SUMMARY South African Opposition Picks New Voice - Essay Example To entice black voters, the party will have to strive for new policies that address the needs of low income young blacks. Because the next national vote is not until 2014, Ms. Mazibuko must try to place pressure on the government through parliamentary sessions. The previous leader of the party, Athol Trollip, did not appeal to the wider voting public because he is a 47 year old white farmer. In choosing a new type of leader, the Democratic Alliance is attempting to turn over a new page in politics and offer themselves as a viable alternative to the ruling African National Congress. Although the party will focus specifically on blacks’ issues, it is a party that will stand for South Africans are all races. Historically, the Democratic Alliance has been thought of as a white-dominated party. This decision to appoint a black leader is a step into the future and will hopefully result in the Democratic Alliance making more of a difference on the South African political

America's involvement in international affairs in the late 19th Term Paper

America's involvement in international affairs in the late 19th century - Term Paper Example These goals were sought after industrial revolution brought in new set of challenges for the economy and general social and political attitude for the nation as a whole. The America hence figured a well of potentials at seeking to expand and acquire further internal progress with international relations in order to address the increasing necessity for the means to produce goods that directly varied with the demand growth of the period which consequently implied the inevitable requirement for greater number of resources or raw materials most of which are normally found in abundance beyond the country. At a point, American investments focused on mining and sugar operations in Cuba and for several grounds, American interventions were evident in providing aid for Cuban rebellion at the aim of obtaining independence especially when the U.S. saw how such event drastically affected its economic conditions when campaigns to support demolition of American road structures and milling companies became intense. Similarly, though without much success, the United States expressed an intent to settle dispute of 1895 between Venezuela and British Guiana.

Riordan Manufacturing Supply Chain Design Essay Example for Free

Riordan Manufacturing Supply Chain Design Essay A supply chain is the process of moving information and material to and from the manufacturing and service processes of a firm (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Two components encompass the focus of the supply chain: the production, planning, and inventory control process and the distribution process. The supply chain is part of daily business operations and directly affects productivity, efficiency, and financial profitability. Proper management of the supply chain ensures a business delivers quality, cost-efficient products to customers while remaining competitive in today’s global market. Team B provides a review of Riordan Manufacturing’s (RM) production strategy and describes supplier relationships and how they affect the supply chain. Finally, Team B explores how lean production principles and inventory requirements can be used to determine appropriate supply chain processes. Electric Fan Manufacturing Strategy RM uses the level production planning strategy of maintaining a stable workforce to produce electric fans at a constant output rate (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Shortages and surpluses are absorbed with inventory levels, order backlogs, and potential lost sales (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Employees benefit from stable work hours at the cost of increased inventory levels, increased potential of lost sales, risk of obsolete products, and decreased customer service (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Electric Fan Supply Chain RM’s supply chain process flow in Figure 1 provides raw materials to the manufacturing plant and warehouse at the input end and the supply of  completed plastic fans to the customer on the output end of the supply chain (Jacobs Chase, 2011). The supply chain for the individual manufacturing processes is detailed in Figure 2. Figure 1 Riordan Manufacturing Supply Chain Figure 2 Manufacturing Department Supply Chain Process Supplier Relationships and the Supply Chain RM uses vertical integration as the framework for structuring supplier relationships. A vertically integrated process allows RM to control supply chain activities. Strategic activities are a key source of competitive advantage. Instead of outsourcing non-core activities and maintaining only core competencies under management control, RM evaluates each activity using required coordination (the difficulty of ensuring how well activities integrate with the process), strategic control (degree of loss that would result if supplier relationship were severed), and intellectual property techniques (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Other types of losses important to consider include specialized facilities, knowledge of major customer relationships, and investment in research and development (Jacobs Chase, 2011). RM does not outsource activities requiring frequent information exchange but instead outsource highly standardized, well understood, and easily transferrable activities to specialized business partners. Such strategic planning led to RM offshoring their entire fan operation from Pontiac, Michigan, to Hangzhou, China in 2000. This decision allowed RM to operate in a more feasible location, expand exponentially, and maintain financial stability (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Electric Fan Supply Chain Metrics A performance measurement system is vital for businesses to operate efficiently and effectively. According to Jacobs and Chase (2011), â€Å"process performance metrics give the operations manager a gauge on how productively a process currently is operating and how productivity is changing over time† (p. 116). Two metrics used to evaluate the performance of the RM’s electric  fan supply chain are utilization and productivity. Utilization measures the rate at which resources are used compared to time available for use by calculating time activated divided by time available (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Productivity metrics determine the amount of output per unit of time by calculating output divided by input (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Metrics used by consumers to measure supplier performance are also the strategies suppliers use to improve their services. Examples of metrics include improved quality through lower product defects, cost-efficiency, timely delivery, and shorter order fill time. Globalized businesses must not only have capable supply chain partners that support global market initiatives but also have the capability to lower supply chain costs (Handfield, 2012). Lean Production Principles RM can adopt Toyota’s lean principles by using the just-in-time inventory approach that emphasizes elimination of waste (Jacobs Chase, 2011). The lean process is essential for inventory management to reduce manufacturing cost and increase productivity. Inventory is controlled using the lean principles by eliminating extra processes and ordering supplies just-in-time based on value streaming. Value streaming involves understanding â€Å"the value-adding and non-value-adding activities required to design, order, and provide a product or service from concept to launch, order to delivery, and raw materials to customers† (Jacobs Chase, 2011, p. 421). RM’s electric fan production system uses a push system for input from a number of specialized departments such as receiving, molding, trimming, and assembly. Implementing a pull system for its production process helps master the lean production principles through more efficient inventory management and shorter lead time by focusing on building what customers want, when they want it versus producing too many goods that sit in inventory or become obsolete (Turner, 2013). Sales Forecast Forecasting sales provides necessary information to determine inventory needs, production plans, and resource needs to create customer value. Sophisticated statistical analysis, cyclical and seasonal factors, and historical data are important factors in creating a sales forecast for RM. Forecasting Technique Forecasting techniques can be subdivided into two major groups: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative techniques use subjective data that is difficult to represent numerically. It is based on the opinion and judgment of key persons, specialists in products and markets. Quantitative techniques involve numerical analysis of past data unbiased by personal opinions or judgment. This technique employs mathematical models to project future demand. Quantitative forecasting is subdivided into two major groups: time series techniques and causal techniques. RM forecasts future sales based on an average of the previous three years production with the idea that history repeats itself. A quantitative forecasting using the time series technique results in the forecast in table 1. This demand forecast provides information management needs to make decisions on production planning, inventory, and marketing activities. Electric Fan Production Planning Aggregate Production Plan RM’s electric fan aggregate production plan in Table 2 specifies the optimal combination of fan production rate, workforce level, and inventory on hand to minimize the total production-related costs over the planning horizon (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Because RM uses the level production planning strategy, inventory is a cost of business that RM accepts. RM will continue to employ a stable workforce at the cost of inventory. This results in level production of 96K units per month. Fluctuations in demand shown in Figure 3 are absorbed by inventory levels, order backlogs, and potentially lost business (Jacobs Chase, 2011). Figure 3 Riordan Manufacturing Electric Fan Demand and Production Master Production Schedule RM’s master production schedule in Table 3 is the time-phased plan specifying how many and when RM plans to build each electric fan model. Materials Requirements Plan Materials requirements planning (MRP) is essential to manufacturing organizations for calculating and maintaining optimum inventory levels to meet production requirements. Material requirements planning (MRP) is a computer-based inventory management system designed to assist production managers in scheduling and placing orders for dependent demand items. Dependent demand items are components of finished goods—such as raw materials, component parts, and subassemblies—for which the amount of inventory needed depends on the level of production of the final product (Reference for Business, 2nd ed., 2013). A proper MRP puts the organization in a proactive position rather than reactive. MRP assists in reducing inventory levels and component shortages and ensures the right materials are in the right place at the right time, which increases productivity. Other benefits include improved plant efficiency, reduced overtime, higher production quality, and less scrap and rework. RM uses MRP to optimize production based on forecasted sales. Table 4 provides a forecast of finished goods inventory based on the forecasted demand. With this data the  organization can forecast and plan for future production requirements and use materials requirement planning to coordinate accurately inventory, shipping, and production. Riordan Manufacturing uses a fixed order system or meeting its materials requirement needs. They procure the assembled motors for the fans from local manufacturers in quantities adequate to meet its order requirements. They also purchase the plants plastic polymer requirements from local suppliers. To assure consistent operations and quality control, Riordan manufacturing has a set of procedures developed for the management of receiving raw materials, tracking products during manufacturing, accounting for the finished goods inv entories. Conclusion The supply chain is an integral part of an organization’s manufacturing process. A successful supply chain is able manage production costs, increase efficiency and effectiveness, and control inventory flow while averting financial impacts from unexpected supply chain disruptions. Last, an effective supply chain is easily integrated into a business’s production planning, scheduling, and forecasting strategies to achieve maximum results. Reference Handfield, R. (2012). Supplier Development Strategies and Outcomes. Retrieved from http://scm.ncsu.edu/scm-articles/article/supplier-development-strategies-and-outcomes Jacobs, F. R., Chase, R. B. (2011). Operations and Supply Chain Management (13th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Reference for Business, Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. (2013). Materials Requirement Planning. Retrieved from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/Mail-Op/Material-Requirements-Planning-MRP.html Turner, C. (2013). Pull System. Retrieved from http://leanmanufacturingcoach.com/pullsystem.htm

Nikola Tesla Essays -- Tesla Coil Science Electricity Electron

"Nikola Tesla is the world's greatest inventor, not only at present but in all history...His basic as well as revolutionary discoveries, for sheer audacity, have no equal in the annals of the intellectual world." (Hugo Gernsback, science editor and publisher.) Father of Alternating Current and AC induction motors, Nikola Tesla is known best for the high voltage generator that bears his name- the Tesla Coil. But this limited recognition hardly does justice to his legacy as an inventor. His name should be placed besides Thomas Edison, perhaps his biggest rival, for his contributions to electronics. But while electromagnetism was Tesla's primary focus during his life, the scope of his work and ideas were not so limited. He had many strange inventions and discoveries, many of which where not realized because of his opponents or for personal reasons. Others, as we will see, were simply too far-fetched or ambitious. But much of that story's been told before, just as it has been for countless other great scientists and inventors. Here I hope to focus more on the nature of the man that gives birth to the idea of a global night-light or a mail tube beneath the Atlantic, and the other radical ideas that such a mind could create. It's difficult to say why some of the more abnormal, and perhaps more interesting, details of history are forgotten or conveniently left out. Perhaps for simplicity, or perhaps to make history look more noble and admirable. Personally, I believe it's similar to people trying to forget their mistakes and the times they were "less than bright," in order to create an exaggerated image of themselves. Similarly, history tries to forget its more embarrassing moments, so that it may create a more more noble... ...If she needed me, nothing else mattered. As long as I had her, there was a purpose in my life. Then one night as I was lying in my bed in the dark, solving problems, as usual, she flew in through the open window and stood on my desk. I knew she wanted me; she wanted to tell me something important so I got up and went to her. As I looked at her I knew she wanted to tell me- she was dying. And then, as I got her message, there came a light from her eyes- powerful beams of light...Yes, it was a real light, a powerful, dazzling, blinding light, a light more intense than I had ever produced by the most powerful lamps in my laboratory. When that pigeon died, something went out of my life.Up to that time I knew with a certainty that I would complete my work, no matter how ambitious my program, but when that something went out of my life I knew my life's work was finished."

Nature of Morality Essay

A Russian born American science-fiction writer and biochemist once quoted, â€Å"Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right. † This statement generates a series of controversial questions. What is right? How do morals affect people and society in which we live? Does everyone have specific morals by which they try to live their life? How does someone realize what their morals are? What are morals? These questions cannot be truthfully answered because everyone has their own definition of what is right and what is wrong and how one should live their life. My definition of morality is the concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong, which can be seen through someone’s actions based on their ethical principles. That is, if someone lives their life based on their morals. Morality plays an important role in your life and the lives of others whether or not you live with it or not. Philosophers John Stuart Mill and Immanuel Kant have two very different views when it comes to the nature of morality. Kantianism and Utilitarianism are two theories that attempt to answer the moral nature of human beings. Immanuel Kant’s moral system is based on a belief that reason is the final authority for morality. John Stuart Mill’s moral system is based on the theory known as utilitarianism, which is based upon utility, or doing what produces the greatest happiness. Perhaps most importantly, they are looking for morality in completely different places. For Kant, an action is good or not based on intentions. If you shoot at someone with a gun and try to kill them, but miss and instead the bullet grazes off a piece of skin that was about to host a malignant and lethal tumor, you are still a villain and not a hero. Though this sounds like a ridiculous example, the point is that no person can completely control all the variables that are around him; Kant thought that nobody should be blamed for randomness. Mill, on the other hand, was of a much more experimental bent. None of us can ever know what another person’s intentions are, so he thought that the only practical place to look for morality is in results. To him, a well-intentioned bumbler who ruined anything he came in contact with was no better than a malicious individual who caused the exact same chaos. It’s the results that matter. Another emphasis of utilitarian philosophy is another major difference between them. To a utilitarian like Mills, the natural objective that people should shoot for was their own happiness. Happiness, he argued, was something every person understands†¦ a goal that he can see and work toward, unlike the many other things that some philosophies pursue. Kant’s categorical imperative hardly seems to be concerned with happiness at all. To him, ethics was a universal thing – each act is good or it is not; who does it is as irrelevant and whether it is enjoyable. Instead of pleasure, the metrics for Kant are the greater good and universality. One statement of his categorical imperative might be, â€Å"is the world a better place (greater good) if everybody did this all the time (universality)†. You can see that from these two differences alone we can very easily end up in completely different places. With Mill, we have to think around our actions†¦ since the outcome is what’s important, it is often better not to try if we might fail. With Kant, we have to think about everyone else†¦ since universality is important, no exceptions to the moral code are generally permitted in any circumstance. Let’s look at an example testing both arguments. The deontologist position is somewhat a little more complicated than the consequentionalist position. Kant believes in a theory of categorical imperatives. A categorical imperative would denote an absolute, unconditional requirement that exerts its authority in all circumstances, and is both required and justified as an end in itself. Kant bases his decision making on a universal maxim, something that does not qualify as an end in itself. The act itself must have moral content if it is carried out solely with regard to a sense of moral duty. Imagine Nazi Germany for a moment. Imagine the Gustapo searching German quarters for violations against the protecting Jews, in a time when they were banished to concentration camps. Imagine the Gustapo coming to a house where Jews were living and questioned the Jews if they were in fact Jews or German citizens. Kant would argue that it is wrong to rob yourself of the moral duty of the universal maxim and pretend that you are in fact German. Basically, the result of the decision, by Kantian logic would be that these people are to be whisked away to concentration camps. But it is of no dilemma for Kant. You have maintained a sense of moral obligation to adhere to the categorical imperative of truth and reason. Kant concluded that the expected consequences of an act are themselves morally neutral, and therefore irrelevant to moral deliberation. The only objective basis for moral value would be the rationality of the Good Will, expressed in recognition of moral duty. The consequentionalist position is in fact very simple. Its maxim, under the doctrine of utilitarianism, is to achieve the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people. To Mill, no matter how cruel of the actual act that is involved, no matter what extent of grotesque and dirty nature of the act, that as long as the end result is better for more people than the act is inherently justified. To Mill, the universal maxim was happiness. He believed the intrinsic moral value of life was for everyone to attain happiness and pleasure. In the same exact situation described above, Mill would have no problem lying to the Gustapo for a greater amount of happiness for humankind (i. e the Jews). It doesn’t matter that they abandoned a sense of â€Å"moral duty†, the bottom line to Mill is that they achieved what human nature should always be in search of: the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people. By using this example, many people see that they would never adhere to Kantian logic; it seems ridiculous and in fact morally obtrusive itself. However let’s take another example where one may completely agree with Kant, based on the same principles. Imagine the entire city of Chicago has received word that the water system is completely diluted with bacteria and soon a plague develops amongst the entire city†¦as it spreads through airborne. Now imagine if you will, for sake of the hypothetical point, that the government was able to contain Chicago in a large dome so to stop the spread of the immediate effects of the epidemic to other parts of the world. Yet, many people are talking about revolting against the government dome and roaming outside, because they are in fact not â€Å"infected† yet. Let’s also pretend that the only way to stop the spread of the disease is to eliminate all citizens in Chicago by means of smart missiles. The question then becomes†¦ Is it morally right to kill every citizen in Chicago for the benefit of the world? In Mill’s eyes, yes, more happiness for the entire world is better than more suffering for the entire world. Hence, he would bomb Chicago so the world is â€Å"saved. † Yet in Kant’s eyes, the act itself is so repulsive that it goes against the moral duty and maxim of society to actually destroy massive amounts of human life to save more people. The ends to Kant are of no regard. It is the act in which is against his categorical imperatives. Comparing these two philosophers, it is hard to choose who I agree with more. When it comes down to it, it becomes a question of the ends or the means. A Utilitarian aspect could be more appropriate for one situation; while a Kantian perspective might be better for another. In the system of Utilitarianism, the ends justify the means, and actions are judged on the results, not on the intentions or motives. For Kant, the end results were not important in determining whether an action was just or not. Motive was everything to him, and he had very strict views on how to judge the morality of an action. In society these days, Utilitarianism is the name of the game. The basic philosophy of Utilitarianism, the idea of the greatest good for the greatest amount, is one of the basic building blocks of the democratic system. If a person lives on the principles of Utilitarianism, they disregard the motives involved in an action. Utilitarian’s try to separate the action from the actor, and look at the bigger picture over the individual. Followers of Kant (among others) disagree with this approach, and claim that in this system, minorities and individuals are often overlooked and brushed aside. Kant argues that any action cannot be moral unless the motives are moral. For each of these philosophies, the question of living the â€Å"good life† is an intricate part of the belief system. For the Utilitarian’s, living a life that benefited as many people as possible, in essence, a life that caused the greatest widespread good results would be considered a life of virtue. For Kant, the only moral action is one that is done entirely because of obligation. After researching both of these views, I would have to say I agree more with the Mill’s utilitarianism theory. I am a people pleaser, I like to see the happiness in people. I like doing things that will result in the greatest happiness. Here are a couple reasons why I agree. First, it links happiness with morality, instead of possibly pitting happiness against morality (such as Kant’s view). We think it makes sense with common beliefs about morality. For instance, in general, it backs up murder’s being wrong, lying, rights. So Utilitarianism gives us a system to our intuitions. Second, everyone agrees that pain is bad and pleasure is good. Everything being equal, though people have many different and conflicting moral beliefs, people agree that pain is bad, and pleasure is good. Third, Utilitarianism requires us to balance our interests with those of others. Fourth, Utilitarianism doesn’t rely on vague intuitions or abstract principles. It allows psychologists and sociologists to determine what makes people happy and which policies promote the social good. And lastly, utilitarianism does not rigidly label actions as absolutely right or wrong and it allows flexibility and sensitivity to the circumstances surrounding an action. This makes it practical. Act Utilitarianism is sensitive to the situation, but Rule Utilitarianism can be as well, as long as one can provide a rule that maximizes happiness in general, which also applies to this situation.

African American Essay

Created in 1975, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf, focuses on the struggles of black women not only from that era, but issues still pertaining to black women 35 years later. Shange’s powerful choreopoem is comprised of seven women trying to â€Å"sing a black girl’s song†¦. Sing a song of life, she’s been dead so long†(Shange 18), creating a voice for every woman. None of these women possess a name, only a color, to show that they represent all women of color. Shange includes themes of love, abandonment, sexuality, abortion, and domestic violence to emphasize what women in her community were and still are subjugated to. Through dance, poetry, and music these women slowly but surely find their true identity. Ntozake uses her work as a tool to empower all â€Å"colored girls† by creating these seven strong women that form a bond when they are able to find their identity as black women, and essentially in their journey make it to the end of their rainbows without committing suicide. When looking into Shange’s life there’s no question that situations, which she had observed day-to-day or experienced herself, were imposed on her writings. Born as Paulette Williams she was raised in a middle class family, which was not a childhood common for blacks. Her family moved to St. Louis and she attended a non-segregated school where she had to endure blatant racism at the mere age of eight years old. She rebelled against her family’s satisfaction with being a part of the middle class when she still had to deal with the hardships of being black and a woman. Realizing that in the real world there were limitations being set on blacks and women in society, produced her anger: the catalyst to her decision to write to not only empower women, but to empower and teach young girls about social issues as well. Paulette showed that women could be successful when she entered Barnard College, but during this time her happiness that stemmed from her success turned into melancholy when her husband left her and she attempted suicide many times. She overcame this and let her voice come alive through her works. Her experience shows why the theme that runs rampant throughout her writings is for black women to rely on themselves, and to not allow themselves to become dependent on a man, for this is the only way they will become whole and attain their true identity. The girls in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf, like Paulette all overcome their issues when their voice is no longer silenced, and do not commit suicide. Williams later took the African name Ntozake Shange meaning, â€Å"she who brings her own things,† and â€Å"one who walks with lions. † She explained to Allan Wallach in Newsday that it was necessary for her to embrace a new name because she felt she was â€Å"living a lie:† â€Å"[I was] living in a world that defied reality as most black people, or most white people, understood it – in other words, feeling that there was something that I could do, and then realizing that nobody was expecting me to do anything because I was colored and I was also female, which was not very easy to deal with†(qttd. in Wainwright). She did this to show that she was no longer Paulette Williams who society believed was a black woman who wasn’t suppose to amount to anything, and didn’t want other women to believe that black women being successful should be deemed unusual. In her essay, â€Å"is not gd to be born a girl†, she wants all women to understand that †we pay for being born girls/ but we owe no one anything / not our labia, not our clitoris, not our lives. we are born girls & live to be women who live our own lives/ to live our lives/ to have/ our lives/ to live†(Rothenberg 132). Her theme in this essay, that women will gain a self satisfaction only when they are able specify their own dreams without allowing society to hinder their destiny from becoming reality, is the same philosophy that is within for colored girls, and seems to be what Ntozake Shange followed in her own life. The significance of Shange’s title for this choreopoem should not be overlooked. The title’s rich meanings gives readers an insight on what the author’s views are, and also allows the reader to imagine their own possible meanings. Shange uses the word â€Å"Colored† which calls attention to when it was once used as a derogatory term used by white oppressors. Although â€Å"Colored† was used as a derogatory term, it was also used within the black culture to bring them together. For colored girls, was used in the title to specifically target young â€Å"colored girls. † In the beginning of the journey of the seven women they all sing, Mama’s little baby likes shortnin, shortnin, Mama’s little baby likes shortnin bread Mama’s little baby likes shortnin, shortnin, Mama’s little baby likes shortnin bread (Shange 20). From this childhood song to lady in yellow talking about her â€Å"graduation nite† where she â€Å"was the only virgin in the crowd†(Shange 21), Shange used these poems to show her readers the journey from girlhood to womanhood. She wanted the dangers that black woman struggle to overcome, information that most parents will withhold, to be heard by these young girls: The reason that For Colored Girls is entitled For Colored Girls is that’s who it was for†¦I want a twelve year-old girl to reach out for and get information that isn’t just contraceptive information but emotional information†¦if there is an audience for whom I write, it’s the little girls who are coming of age. I want them to know that they are not alone and that we adult women thought and continue to think about them (Hamilton 79-80). Even though Shange’s work is intended for children it is still considered inspirational for both women and girls. In addition to the word â€Å"colored† within the title, the image of the â€Å"rainbow† also holds important meanings. The rainbow symbolizes the emotional aspect, which Shange discusses. All these women go through emotional pains caused by either men or themselves, but at the end of their storm or distress they all eventually make it to the end of the rainbow that is â€Å"enuf† for them to go on without committing suicide. The rainbow has a human form, and comes alive through the seven women that give a voice to all women. Even though there are statements from different women, Shange writes in such a way where you read each statement as a whole entity putting this rainbow of women together. The rainbow also refers to how unique each â€Å"colored girl† is, each having their own attributes that allow them to amount to something in society no matter what is believed by others.

Hucks letter to Miss Watson essays

Hucks letter to Miss Watson essays At this point in the novel Huck finds himself with the biggest inner conflict he had has to deal with in his whole life. He has two life altering choices; one is to send the letter he had wrote to Miss Watson telling the location of Jim, or tearing it up and concealing the location of them and preserving their newly found friendship theyve established. Huck chooses to disregard societys principles and goes with what feels right, and that is fighting for Jims freedom. One of the reasons he does this is because Jim has been his only true companion throughout his adventure and they have developed a special bond. This can be seen in Chapter fifteen when Jim and Huck are separated in the fog. After a while, Huck finds Jim and he asks, Where have you been? Instead of telling him the truth, he tries to play a trick on Jim by telling him he was sleeping and it was all a dream (84). When Jim realizes that there is branches and leaves on the raft he gets very mad at Huck for not telling him the truth and says this Trick is trash; and trash is what people are that put dirt on the head of theyre friends and makes them ashamed(84). This makes Huck feel bad about the joke he played on him and promises that he will never do it again. Also, in Chapter sixteen, Huck once again chooses his friend over what society thinks is right to do. He had secretly planed to give Jim up but as he leaves the raft Jim tells him that he is his only friend and the only one to keep a promise to him (87). He later encounters two men who want to check his raft for runaway slaves. He lies to them by saying that his family has small pox and no one is willing to help him. The two men give him money and tell him to go farther downstream for help. At this point in the novel the reader knows that Huck is compassionate and is soft hearted. Huck says he would of felt bad if he had given Jim up and he also would of felt bad...

Abolitionist Movement after the 1930s

Anti-slavery movement before the 1930s was humble, partly slow, not well supported. Anti-slavery movement before the 1930s was a spark that led to abolitionism in the 1930s. Due to the abolishment of the 1930s, big movements were born in America. White divisions of the country come and the whites who caused various riots when they released their slaves killed each other. Conquered Negros fought for the true status of American society in the hands of various abolitionist leaders who fully supported African Americans. On the other hand, the tension between the northern abolition movement and the slave owner continues to rise. After many years anti - slavery rhetoric was poured in the south (especially through the southern postal system) the abolishment movement eventually gained an important footing in the attack of slavery in 1835. A strong reaction was caused in Charleston, South Carolina. Anti-slavery pamphlets and pamphlets have created it, and the abolitionists are hurting the rep utation of the South and getting sympathy for the movement in the north. These behaviors by the abolitionists will only weaken the relations between the North and the North, eventually leading to tensions that have reached the culprits in the past 30 years. Roy Efenkenbin, a professor of history at the University of Detroit, in a national debate on the gradual escalation of slavery to the civil war, said that the fundamental abolition movement was largely endorsed primarily by the Northern people for the South explained. Slavery fights. . He said that when these previous slaves told their story in lectures and printmaking it was dissatisfied with the concept that the audience and readers would satisfy or treat slaves well. They said to be crowded in front of the audience and to stop them, and the unmodified story was equally effective at mobilizing the audience to slavery. Abolitionism (or abolishment movement) is an exercise to end slavery. This term can be used officially or info rmally. In Western Europe and the Americas, the abolishmentism is a historical move aimed at terminating the slave trade between Africa and India and releasing slaves. As an example of the abolition of slavery in France by Louis XIII of France in 1315, there was Spain's King Charles I called Charles V Emperor. He passed the law which would abolish colonial slavery in 1542, but the law did not go through the largest colonial state and was not enforced. In the late 17th century, the Roman Catholic Church accepted the request of Lourenà §oda Silvade Mendouà §a to formally condemn slave trade strongly approved by Pope Gregory XVI in 1839. However, the abolition campaign began in the late eighteenth century when British and American Quaker began to question the morality of slavery.

Exploiting Competitive Advantages Using Business Strategy Essay

Exploiting Competitive Advantages Using Business Strategy - Essay Example â€Å"Companies with significant market share create a problem for competitors because these competitors will have to rely on "stealing" market share away from the competition; they can't just create a business out of thin air† (Teenanalyst, 2009). A strategy that the company uses to capitalize on its low-cost strategy is aggressively targeting customers through smart marketing campaigns. The use of marketing has helped the company get the word out about the good prices the company offers. On many occasions, the company offers outstanding value through special sales of products. The best evidence that the strategies used by the managerial staff of the organization are effective is the fact that Wal-Mart is the industry leader in the retail industry. The profitability of the company is further evidence of the dominance of the company. The net margin which is a financial metric that illustrates the absolute profitability of an organization is 4% (Walmartstores, 2012). A few year s ago I worked at a company that utilized the niche generic strategy to market its products. â€Å"A business that focuses on a niche market is addressing a need for a product or service that is not being addressed by mainstream providers† (Ward, 2012). ... Most people in this hobby lose several planes each year to crashes. The best proof that the niche strategy used by the company was effective was that during the beta test trials the product received outstanding reviews from the clients. Despite the fact that the company had a good niche strategy and an excellent product WRM failed as a business venture due to the fact that the ownership team did not have sufficient operating capital to move into the commercialization stage of the product. A company that is currently using the generic strategy of differentiation is the automobile maker BMW. BMW sells cars that are different than most cars in the marketplace due to the super quality, performance, suspension, design, and luxury. The differentiation strategy has helped this company build a great reputation and brand value Evidence that the strategy the company uses is effective is the fact that BMW charges a premium price for its products.