The White Dilemma in South Africa

South Africa is one of the African countries that was for a long time under colonization by the white man. Besides, being colonized, the situation in South Africa was quite bad as there was rampant discrimination of the blacks by the white people which came to be known as apartheid. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The White Dilemma in South Africa specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are restaurants, schools, hospitals, shopping malls and recreational centers in South Africa that were a preserve of the whites only. This meant that black people could not get admission under any circumstances. However, in the year 1994, South Africa got independence and this meant that the black people had freedom to do as they willed in their land. Slowly, most of the white people had to live the country but there are those who opted to remain. This is what presented the dilemma in that how were the white people who remained i n South Africa after the apartheid supposed to be treated by the black people who had been ill treated previously by the whites? Were black people going to punish the white people who remained in this country for the heinous acts of discrimination that were committed by their colleagues? This pertinent question is the focus of this discussion and it is based on The Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee. Looking at the storyline, it is clear that the new South Africa which is free from apartheid is bound to undergo some changes. The black community which was previously oppressed by the white community seems keen to sort of revenge for the actions of discriminations by the white. It may not be fair because the white people in the new South Africa are not necessarily the ones who were responsible for the apartheid era but nevertheless one would understand the bitterness of a people who were deprived for many years their rights in their own country. The story begins when David Lurie who is a profe ssor in a university in Cape Town is engaged in an affair with a student and is later accused of sexual harassment. Instead of taking an opportunity to defend himself against allegations leveled against him, Lurie decides to resign and even move from the city to reside with his daughter in the outskirts of the city. â€Å"It’s always complicated, this harassment business, David, complicated as well as unfortunate, but we believe our procedures are good and fair, so we’ll just take it step by step, play it by the book† ( Coetzee, 2000,p. 45) The area where his daughter resides is one that was considered as belonging to the black community during the apartheid era.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More â€Å"There is tension from both sides as Lurie begins to stay in black community area. He fears that he may be treated unfairly by the black community who are st ill angered by the kind of treatment they faced during the apartheid era† (Coetzee 2000). The black community on the other hand is suspicious of this white man who now wants to reside among the blacks a phenomenon that would have been considered impossible during the era of apartheid. While Lurie is living with his daughter in the province, their neighbor is a black man who has helped Lurie’s daughter on a number of issues. However, Lurie is convinced that the black man has something to do with the rape ordeal which his daughter went through some time back. However, neither Lurie nor his daughter is willing to take any action against the black man. â€Å"As gently as he can, he offers his question again.†Lucy, my dearest, why don’t you want to tell? It was a crime. There is no shame in being the object of a crime. You did not choose to be the object. You are an innocent party.† (Coetzee, 2000, p. 13) It becomes apparent that there is fear among the whites living in the new South Africa of being persecuted by the black people who obviously want to revenge for the many years of discriminations that they endured during the regime of apartheid. There also seems to be fear in that the whites do not have faith and trust in the institutions that have been set up in the new republic. Since most of the occupants of the newly formed institutions are blacks, there seems to be a perception by the whites that they are not likely to face justice. This also explains Lurie’s action in the University when accused of sexual harassment. Instead of taking the earliest opportunity to make a defense against the allegations that have been made against him, Lurie opts to resign. This shows that he may have weighed his options and saw that that since most of the people who will sit in the panel hearing his case are black, he felt that there might be a form of prejudice against him and thus opted out instead. There also seems to be an ironic t wist of events in that the whites seem to be slowly fitting into the shoes of the blacks literary. Due to the intensive level of discrimination that was rife during the era of apartheid in South Africa most people in the black community had sort of resigned to fate and were living in deplorable conditions in the countryside or country districts as they were commonly referred to. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The White Dilemma in South Africa specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More â€Å"Now that the era of apartheid is gone and the new South Africa is here, most of the white people had to live the country and for those who opted to remain, they now have to go and live in places that were previously considered for the blacks whose conditions are deplorable to say the least† (Coetzee 2000). What is coming out very clearly from this discussion is that the white people feel threatened in the new South Africa. The black people might not discriminate the whites as was the case in the apartheid era, but it is without a doubt that the blacks are bound to revenge or at least reclaim what was originally theirs which was taken away from them unjustly. And when that happens, the whites are going to be displaced from their comfort zones which they were used to. J.M. Coetzee has tried his level best to put the scenario in perspective and has tried to show just how much the white dilemma is still so alive in the new South Africa. A serious look at the issues in South Africa actually reveals a situation much worse that what Coetzee has captured in his book. Another hard reality that the white people in the new South Africa have had to contend with is that most of the concepts which they had brought with them from the west may become irrelevant as the black people increasingly keep looking for local solutions. (Coetzee 2000). After very many years under the white man rule where not much development too k place for the black people, there is an urge to want to catch up and account for the lost time (Sacks, 1997, p. 56). Government and newly set up institutions seem to be going for local concepts as opposed to the concepts of the white man. A keen scrutiny of the situation in this country so many years after she got her independence reveals that the wounds of the past appear so fresh and the apparent gap between the whites and black is one that can easily be seen. White dilemma in this African country seems to be deeply rooted among the citizens of this country. References Coetzee, J. (2000). Disgrace. London: Penguin Books.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sacks, B. (1997). South Africa: an imperial dilemma: non-Europeans and the British Nation. Mexico: University of New Mexico Press This essay on The White Dilemma in South Africa was written and submitted by user Kingston U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Comparison of US Supreme Court Decisions

Comparison of US Supreme Court Decisions Introduction The purpose of this essay is to compare the various court decisions made by the Supreme Court before and after 1937. The United States Supreme Court is the highest federal court in the United States and it is charged with the mandate of deciding cases based on a majority vote by the various judiciaries who make up the court. The Supreme Court faced a re-organization in 1937 with the introduction of the Judiciary Reorganization Bill by President Franklin Roosevelt to add more court justices to the US Supreme Court and to also obtain more favourable rulings in court cases and decisions (Mckenna 413). As part of his election campaign, President Roosevelt launched his New Deal initiative that was meant to promote economic recovery within the United States following the Wall Street Crash in 1929 as well as the Great Depression in 1932. President Roosevelt introduced the Reorganization Bill to deal with discrepancies in court rulings that existed in the US Supreme Court (Epste in Thomas 451).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison of US Supreme Court Decisions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Case 1 In the analysis of court decisions made by the Supreme Court before 1937, a case that stands out is the Panama Refining Co. Vs Ryan which took place in 1935. The major contention in this case was the National Industrial Recovery Act where the US Congress gave authority to the President of the United States to prohibit the transportation of petroleum within and outside the country in the event the petrol was produced from storage and also to regulate the oil industry within the United States. However Panama Refining and Amazon Petroleum filed a law suit that was meant to stop the enforcement of the National industrial Recovery Act after it was passed by the US Congress granting the president the overall authority in the oil industry (Findlaw par.1). The case was taken to the Supreme Court who ruled in favour of Amazon Petroleum and Panama Refining. The court based its ruling on the fact that the US Congress had delegated a lot of authority and power to the President without providing any clear guidelines or statements as to how they reached their decision. Congress also failed to provide clearly established standards that would be used to empower the President under the NIRA act. This court ruling was seen to be a major blow to President Roosevelt’s New Deal initiative and he contested the Supreme Court’s decision by stating that the ruling had been made based on the narrowness of the court’s opinion as it did not deny Congress the authority to regulate the oil industry (Findlaw par.5). Case 2 In the case of Employers Reinsurance Corporation vs. Bryant-1937, a citizen of Texas had sued a corporate citizen in Missouri for the recovery of a sum of $3,000 that was meant for workmen’s compensation insurance. The defendant of the case caused th e suit to be removed because of the diverse citizenship of the various parties involved in law suit. The process was issued out of the Gregg County court and served upon an agent of the defendant on the Western District of Texas. The defendant challenged this move by stating that it was outside of the court’s territorial jurisdiction to move the law suit to another state. The plaintiff moved that the law suit should be remanded to the state court as the federal court was unable to obtain the personal jurisdiction of the defendant (Justia par.11).Advertising Looking for essay on common law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The defendant of the case petitioned the Supreme Court begging them to vacate the order of the state court for the case to remain there. The Supreme Court took in the petition by ordering the state judge to show just cause why the requested writs of the case could not be issued. After an analy sis of the various facts of the case, the ruling of the Supreme Court was to deny the defendant a petition based on the grounds that the service of process against the defendant to remove cause to the federal court was invalid as the defendant declined to appear voluntarily before the court. The court also based its ruling on the fact that the defendant did not have an agent on which service could have been had with the Western Texas District where the law suit was pending (Justia par.17). Comparison of the Supreme Court’s Decision The ruling of the Supreme Court in the Employer’s Reinsurance Corporation vs Bryant demonstrates that the Supreme Court expanded its judicial reviews of court cases when compared to the first case. The court rejected the defendant’s appeal because the order made by the state court was done with the proper exercise of lawful authority which was suitable for the situation in which the decision was made. This court ruling demonstrated th at the Supreme Court exercised its rulings based on the various circumstances that existed in the court case. In the first case, the court’s ruling was based on US Congress acts and legislation which stipulated that the US Congress had supreme authority over the interstate oil commerce in the United States and the President therefore did not have the authority to regulate the oil industry. While this ruling was made in accordance with Congress legislation, it affected the new Deal initiative established by President Roosevelt to spur economic growth in the country (Brown 1942). The courts power based on the two cases has expanded as the US Congress continued to grant the Supreme Court more powers and authority that would ensure appropriate rulings in both the state and federal courts. The general view that has been held by the Supreme Court is in ensuring that there is an equitable distribution of justice and management of the country’s legal system through the three b ranches of government that include the President, the US Congress and judicial bodies which include the state and federal courts. The implementation of justice within the court is based on set out legislation and laws that are meant to govern the justice and legal system in the United States (Brown 1942).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison of US Supreme Court Decisions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Brown, Claude H. Some problems concerning motions under federal rule 12(b). Minnesota Law Review, 27(5), 1942-1943, 1943. Epstein, Lee, and Thomas, Walker. Constitutional Law for a Changing America: Institutional Powers and Constraints (6th Ed.). Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2007. Print. Findlaw. US Supreme Court: Panama Refining Co. Vs Ryan, 293 U.S. 388 (135). N.d. Web. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/293/388.html Justia. Employers reinsurance corporation vs. Bryant, 299, US 374(1937). N.d. Web. https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/299/374/ McKenna, Marian. Franklin Roosevelt and the Great Constitutional War: The Court-packing Crisis of 1937. New York: Fordham University Press, 2002. Print.

Compare and contrast two Management Theories Term Paper

Compare and contrast two Management Theories - Term Paper Example Theory X This theory is based on traditional conception of control and direction. The theory makes assumptions that average human beings do not like working. Because of this dislike, most people must be punished in order to put forth adequate effort towards the realization of the organization’s goals. Furthermore, theory X assumes that average people prefer to be directed, wish to avoid responsibility, have relatively little ambitions and want securities (Sapru, 2006). Traditionally, this theory was referred to as the carrot and the stick theory and was practically based on mechanistic approach to human relations. Rewards and punishments may be used to induce desired behavior, and this came from the donkey story whereby the best way to make a donkey move was to "put a carrot in front of the donkey or jab him with a stick from behind" (Sapru, 2006). Rewards and punishments are still strong motivators in many organizations. The use of theory X works well under certain circumstances; however, this does not work at all once an employee has attained the highest level and is motivated by higher needs. In other words, this theory does not explain human nature. McGregor states that as long as theory X continues to influence managerial strategy, human potentialities cannot be discovered. Theory Y The inadequacies in theory X led to development of theory Y as integration to replace traditional concepts of direction and control. The human motivations in theory Y may be characterized by the expenditure of physical and mental effort in work. Here, an ordinary person does not dislike work (Miner, 2007).

Conformity and Obedience Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conformity and Obedience - Assignment Example administering the drug, the nurse would have broken health care rules such as; accepting the instructions through phone which is not allowed, administering double of the maximum limit of the drug. Despite the fact that the nurse understands the dose that is supposed to be administered to the patient, the nurse changed in order to respond to the request or rather order from the doctor. Obedient in nursing practice should not be blind obedient but rather a professional interaction between a nurse and a doctor (Quinn, 1998). The responsibilities in health care settings are channelled as well as enforced, whereby some people such as physicians have power over others. In regards to this, the nurses in health care settings have to perform the activities since it comes from an authority figure. The nurse has to comply with the given orders from the physician. In this case, nurses are regarded as the helpmeets of physicians whereby they should not be the arrogant equal of men. Therefore, the nurse complies with physicians’ instruction since they get orders from them, despite breaking the rules of the hospital and risking the health and well being of the

Porsche company changes and breakdown

Porsche company changes and breakdown Much has changed for Porsche over the past few years. Negative market forces combined with questionable strategic moves have the iconic sport car company fighting for its life. Markets forces such as escalating fuel prices during the summer of 2008 followed by the global financial crisis have significantly suppressed demand for gas-guzzling, high-end specialty vehicles. In concert, Porsche has overstretched itself with new product introductions and an attempted takeover of rival Volkswagen. Porsche has left itself with limited strategic options. This case describes the market conditions affecting the global auto industry, presents Porsches resources and poses options for the future. As of early 2008, Porsche was celebrating a JD Powers highest quality rating for the second year in a row and 7 years of strong financial performance after near-bankruptcy in the late 1990s (see Exhibit 1)  [1]  . Porsche was again seen as a leading, high-end car company. The rest of the industry had been consolidating into fewer than 10 large, multi-brand conglomerates. Against this backdrop, Porsche was defiant about not losing its independence. However, the road forward has been full of hazards. The global economy turned downward during the second half of 2008 and the slump has continued into 2010. Porsche almost went out of business the last time the US economy lagged for an extended period in the early 1990s. Porsche must formulate its strategy carefully. Their expansions into the sport utility and sports sedan segments and attempt to take over Volkswagen have been risky, even careless moves. What should be Porsches next move in light of the rapidly changing global auto industry and Porsches current internal challenges? Should Porsche hold pat and try to ride out the market downturn and industry shakeout with its current lineup of vehicles? Should Porsche continue to expand its product range in order to further leverage its brand and become a broader player to rival German competitor, BWM? Or, should Porsche retreat from expansion, return to its core product, the 911, and focus on its engineering expertise? The global auto industry has suffered greatly from the worst US financial downturn since the 1930s. Two US auto giants, General Motors (GM) and Chrysler, have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and there has been a new wave of mergers and acquisitions. Industry growth and leadership are shifting to China and India, and environmental technologies are leading innovation in the global auto industry. Excess car making capacity worldwide has increased sharply in the past few years. Amid weak demand, Japanese automakers have frozen or delayed new capital investments and have stepped up such efforts as lifting productivity at factories, with the goal of boosting their profitability. Toyota Motor Corp. is struggling to remain profitable as its sales have fallen by around 20% from 2007s record tally of 9 million units. Honda Motor Co. has decided to delay new plant construction until 2012 or later from the originally planned 2010. These moves are also driven by anticipation that GM and Chrysler will emerge from their bankruptcies as meaner, leaner competitors. GM has announced plans to bolster its profitability by consolidating production to support global sales of around 6 million vehicles a year, a roughly 30% decline from its worldwide sales in 2008  [2]  . New rivals have appeared with Fiat, an Italian automaker that ranked 10th in global sales rankings in 2008, taking a stake in Chrysler. In addition, the Canadian auto parts maker Magna International Inc. entering into car manufacturing through its agreement to acquire Opel, a German unit of GM. In addition, as Americas auto companies lose market share due to declining demand, Chinese auto sales have increased steadily, China is likely to pass Japan soon as the worlds largest car maker. Chinese companies have focused on acquiring production expertise as well as brand cache by bidding on Fords Volvo and General Motors Saab and Hummer. China has a reputation as a copycat manufacturer. Therefore, acquisitions offer reputation to some of Chinas 100 car companies which unknown to most people outside of China  [3]  . For example, Ford sold Jaguar and Land Rover Indias Tata Motors Ltd. in 2008 for $1.7 billion. This positions an Asian company as a potential world leader at the low-end with the $2,500 Nano and at the high-end with two global icons in Jaguar and Rover, positioning it to compete with BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi  [4]  . 2008 was the worst year in a decade for the US auto industry as demand slowed because of tightening credit, higher gasoline prices, and rising unemployment. Continuing declines in sales are likely for the foreseeable future in North America and Europe, while growth is projected in India, China, and Brazil. The global auto industry has been consolidating because on high costs and low demand and profitability. There were 42 independent, global car companies in 1960, and this shrunk to only 17 by the year 2000. In the medium to long term, environmental technologies will likely be instrumental in carmakers success. Germanys Daimler AG has taken a stake in Tesla Motors Inc., a U.S. electric car venture firm. Another German company, Volkswagen, has tied up with Chinese battery maker BYD Co. to bolster its ability to develop electric vehicles. BYD announced in late 2008 that it had succeeded in developing a commercial model plug-in hybrid vehicle. The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf are due to hit the market in 2011  [5]  . Porsches Resources Porsche, with over 12,000 employees in 2008, is the smallest German automobile builder, but the largest sports car specialist in the world. Sales in the 2007/2008 reached nearly 99,000, including approximately 45,000 Cayennes and 31,000 911s. Net income climbed over $6.3 billion in 2007/2008  [6]  (See Exhibit 1). The company was founded in December 1930, when Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, with 12 close associates, established an office in Stuttgart for design and consultation on engines and vehicles. By 1932, Porsches design office had developed the torsion bar suspension element that is still in use in automobiles around the world. In 1934, the Porsche Company was commissioned by the manufacturers association to design a utilitarian car of normal dimensions but relatively low weight, to be achieved by new basic measures. Prototypes of this car were on the road by the end of 1935 but World War II postponed mass production of the vehicle. After the war, Volkswagen started production of the car, which came to be known as the VW Beetle. In 1972, when the 15,007,034th unit left the VW Wolfsburg assembly line, this Porsche-designed vehicle had displaced the Model T Ford as the all-time automobile production leader  [7]  . After World War II, Dr. Porsche was commissioned to build the most modern formula race car in the world. This car started to win international road races by 1948, and based on this car design, Porsche started building the 356 sports car (see Exhibit 2) in rented production space in Stuttgart for sales through Volkswagens international network of dealers and importers. While the original plan called for only a modest production of 500 cars, sales of the 356 Porsche eventually reached an overall total of 78,000 vehicles. The success of the 356 model was followed by design of the Porsche 911 (also shown in Exhibit 2) that initially went into production in 1964. The 911 had sales, through 2008, in excess of 600,000 vehicles and was the most successful rear-engine sports car in history  [8]  . In the 1970s internal car developments included the Porsche 928, with the first all-aluminum V-8 engine, that started production in 1977, and the Porsche 924, targeted as an introductory model below the 911 model. The 924 was originally developed for the Volkswagen, but they lost interest after the 1973 energy crisis. Porsche sold the car under its own name and, with sales of 100,000 units in only five years; it became the most successful Porsche of all time. Porsche continued its tradition of active involvement in racing competition. Dr. Ferry Porsche, chairman and son of the companys founder, claimed, competition entries in racing and rallying aided technology for our production cars. Designers felt that after only a few months, and often after only weeks or even days, racing provided answers to whether new technical measures were the right ones. Porsches RD work flowed into its production cars, and was the basis for extensive sales of engineering capabilities to outside customers  [9]  . German counterparts such as Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen dwarf Porsches production volume of about 95,000 cars per year. In 2007/2008, Mercedes and BMW sold over 1,000,000 units and Volkswagen in excess of 1,500,000 cars  [10]  . Porsches small production volumes, however, still have to accommodate great diversity. Each car is built to a customers order, and has to conform to different national and state regulations. Choices included right-hand and left-hand steering, automatic and manual transmissions, and many other options. Porsche customers frequently traveled to the Zuffenhausen plant in the northern district of Stuttgart to watch their car actually being built. Since 1972, the companys technical development has been located in a large RD center outside of Weissach, a small town about 20 kilometers from Stuttgart. To maintain its technology leadership, Porsche has invested, at Weissach, in a minimum scale of expensive capacity, including a test track, crash center, wind tunnel, motor engine test facility, and pollution test equipment. A large number of designers, engineers, technicians, and mechanics are employed to support continual innovation. With its extensive commitment to advanced technology development and its small production base, Porsche spent 15 percent of its car sales revenue on RD, a much higher figure than the 4-6 percent typically spent by other car companies. The large investment in technology development capabilities required that Porsche sell some of its equipment, design, and engineering capabilities to other car companies  [11]  . Porsche still assembles a large proportion of its cars by hand on the same site where company patriarch Ferdinand Porsche built and delivered the Volkswagen Beetle in 1937. There have been modifications, of course, especially since 1991 when Wiedeking was hired to oversee production and materials management. One shocker: He forced the company to choke down nationalist and institutional pride and bring in Japanese consultants to teach Porsche not only how to build cars better, but also how to build better cars. In the upholstery shop, craft workers soften leather with heat guns and use hand tools of their own making to caress the hide smoothly onto curving dashboards and door panels. They get the leather from workers at sewing tables. In a nearby building, a technician uses a hand wrench to apply what he suspects his power wrench or a robot might not just the right amount of force on bolts that will hold an exotic, six-cylinder Porsche engine together when some over-enthusiastic driver revs it into the danger zone. When the wrench wielder and co-workers complete the engine, it gets hauled off to one of a dozen dynamometer chambers. There, testers run it through a demanding routine for approximately 20 minutes. Charming and eccentric as Porsches factory is, it is perhaps no more than a curiosity next to less-visible enterprises that the automaker relies on for independence: Weissach, restructuring, and partnerships. Porsches Weissach RD center is responsible not only for Porsches own auto technology and innovation, but also additional profits from work it does for others. Weissach developed, for instance, a cockpit for the Airbus jetliner, a minivan for General Motors, the guttural sound of modern Harley-Davidson motorcycle engines and their low-emission performance. Porsche does not report Weissach earnings separately. Some industry analysts suppose they account for most of what the financial reports call other operating income about 12 percent of total operating income. But Weissachs biggest contribution is not on the financial statement. Weissach is staffed by 2,200 engineers and technicians, meaning that highly paid professionals are one-quarter of Porsches total head count. Too expensive for us alone, says Anton Hunger, Porsche spokesman. Yet other automakers are comfortable renting Porsches engineering brains because the tiny sports-car maker is unlikely to be a rival. Restructuring in the late 1990s was painful as Porsche has cut 25 percent of its workers. And though much handwork remains, Porsche has halved the worker-hours necessary to build the 911 Carrera, and relies more on Japanese-style, just-in-time parts delivery. About one-third to total parts is the same on Boxster and 911 Carrera. And the Boxster S gets its upgraded handling and performance from 911 Carrera parts. In 1992, Porsche was selling three dramatically dissimilar models: rear-engine, six-cylinder, air-cooled 911; front-engine, V-8, water-cooled 928; front-engine, water-cooled, V-6 968. Literally not one common part. Incredible. Not even the lock system, says Manfred Ayasse, financial spokesman  [12]  . As of 2009, Porsche sold only 5 vehicles, Boxster, 911 Carrera, Cayenne, Cayman, and Panamera. The 4 automobiles are six-cylinder, high-performance, high-priced sports cars. In an industry bent on more and more segments, this is an anomalous approach. However, Porsche is an expert at bringing out ever-more-desirable iterations, raising prices for the upgraded versions and earning much higher profits. The enhanced models do not cost much more to manufacture than the base models. Boxster made its debut late in 1996, its $41,000 price putting a new Porsche within reach of more buyers than can afford a $66,000 Carrera. The Boxster S joined the lineup in 1999, starting at around $49,000. Its appeal is chiefly a bigger engine. At the same time, the standard 2000 Boxster received enhancements that could support a price increase. Its engine grows to 2.7 liters from 2.5, and horsepower rises to 214 from 204  [13]  . The 911 Carrera is a case study in Porsches genius. The current generation was launched in late 1997, as a coupe. A pricier convertible came in early 1998. Even more-expensive all-wheel-drive versions, called Carrera 4, were added in late 1998. In 2000, Porsche offered a turbo-charged 911 Carrera. Turbo Porsche models have the brilliant high-performance credentials and legacy to command six-figure prices. Also possible is a targa-top 911, which would have a removable, hard-roof panel for those who like the breeze but dislike folding convertible tops. Porsche has recently added an S version to the 911 Carrera line-up, just as it did with Boxster. Even though Porsche says it will never merge, its not above partnerships. For example, it co-owns, with Daimler-Chrysler, Car Top Systems, the company responsible for the folding tops on Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Saab convertibles. And Audi manufactured the now-discontinued 924 and 944 sports cars for Porsche. The automaker has decided to outsource more manufacturing so it can boost sales, and enjoy the extra earnings that it should bring, without investing in expensive expansion. Porsche calls it the virtual factory approach. The factory in Stuttgart can manufacture only 30,000 cars a year. It is surrounded tightly by the city, limiting sprawl room. But Porsche considers the original brick factory historic and could not bring itself to replace it with a modern facility. Thus, playing well with others becomes a survival tactic. Since late 1997, most Boxster sports cars sold in the US have been made at Valmet Automotive, a car factory in Finland that also builds Saabs. The automaker helped Valmet modify its tooling and production system to accommodate the Boxster, and Porsche has quality auditors there to ensure Valmet Boxsters match Stuttgart Boxsters. The logic is impressive, says Deutsche Banks research report on Porsche: It is the design, the technology, and the brand that make a Porsche stand out. These are core competencies for Porsche. The production itself, which is more or less a commodity competency, may as well be outsourced to Valmet or VW at a lower cost than Porsche could achieve with its highly paid workforce.  [14]   In 2002, Porsche began selling Cayenne, which it developed in collaboration with Volkswagen. Porsche sells the Cayenne for around $60,000, and VW sells its version, the Touareg, for around $35,000. The two companies shared the development costs and VW manufactures both vehicles. This allows Porsche to get some of the development costs paid by VW, and Porsche does not have to invest in more factory capacity to build the vehicle (See Exhibit 3). In 2005, Porsche added the Cayman to its roster positioned between the Boxster and the 911 and priced at around $60,000 (Exhibit 4). The Cayman matches the weight and styling of the Boxster with nearly the power of the 911. This makes the Cayman lightning fast, with a 0-to-60 time around 4.5 seconds. This performance and price has made the Cayman the most sought after vehicle in Porsches lineup in 2005. In September of 2005, Porsche acquired 18.5 percent stake in Volkswagen. Porsche claimed it was attempting to secure its supply chain as Volkswagen makes much of the Cayenne, the Porsche sport utility vehicle  [15]  . Volkswagen has not performed recently and has been seen as a potential takeover target. Porsche increased its ownership of Volkswagen to 31 per cent and majority ownership in 2008. Porsche introduced its first four-door sedan in 2009 when it offered the Panamera (Exhibit 5). BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Maserati are the Panameras primary rivals catering to the high-performance, four-door sports sedan market, and the Porsche hopes to take some of this market share. The companys association with Volkswagen is leveraged as the Panamera uses the Volkswagen Phaeton platform. The Panamera is powered by the same engines that are currently available in the Cayenne, the Porsche SUV. Porsches financial situation represents its biggest challenge. Porsche and Volkwagen reached an agreement in 2009 to call off Porsches efforts to take over Volkswagen. The final shape of the two companies has yet to be fixed, but Porsche is now likely to be fully integrated into the Volkswagen Group, joining its seven other car brands-VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti. Porsche got into this challenging situation when it took on à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬9 billion ($12.2 billion) of debt acquiring its 50.8% in Volkswagen with its sights on taking over Volkswagen. Three things prevented Porsche from this goal. First, acquiring 50.8% of Volkwagen tripled Porsches debt. Second, the credit crisis beginning in 2007 made it more difficult and expensive to borrow money. Third, Porsche was blocked by the German government from acquiring a larger share of Volkwagen so it could access its cash reserves  [16]  . The most challenging aspect for Porsche is its debt, which Porsche wants to reduce by at least à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5 billion. Qatar and Abu Dhabi were seen as top candidates to loan the money. However, Mr. Pià «ch, who owns 10% of Porsche, says he opposes selling a stake in Porsche to an outside investor. Instead, Volkswagen is likely to buy Porsches car business. The Future of Porsche Based on the current conditions in the global auto industry, the economy and the natural environment, what should be Porsches strategy for 2010 and beyond? Should Porsche hold pat and try to ride out the market downturn and industry shakeout with its current lineup of vehicles? Should Porsche continue to expand its product range in order to further leverage its brand and rival German competitor, BWM? Or, should Porsche retreat from expansion, return to its core product the 911 and focus on its engineering expertise? These options are influenced by and could influence Porsches current financial challenges. Porsches strategic moves are critical to its future success and existence. Exhibit 1 Porsche Financials Exhibit 2 Exhibit 3 Cayenne Exhibit 4 Cayman Exhibit 5 Panamera

The Mercury Symbol Essay -- Sex Gender Crossdresser Transsexual Essays

The Mercury Symbol My mom’s former boyfriend Rick, now known as Andrea, became a woman over a decade ago. Andrea is a transgender person whom the Mercury symbol represents. For transgender people, the Mercury symbol stands for their personal inner striving to become the gender they feel they were meant to be, equality, and pride. Happily, Andrea and my mom have remained friends since she became a woman. For many people who cross the gender line, acceptance does not always come so easily. Transgender is defined as appearing, wishing to be considered as, or having undergone surgery to become a member the opposite sex. There are many terms for or associated with transgender people, which people may also link to the Mercury symbol, such as transvestite, transsexual, crossdresser, intersexed (Wellesley College). The symbol is meant to express the balance of feminine and masculine traits within an individual. Some transgender people are open about their feelings while others, for fear of societal rejection, hide their pain for years and sometimes forever. The Mercury symbol dates back to ancient Greek mythology. Hermes (Mercury) and Aphrodite (Venus) had a child that possessed both male and female sexual organs. They named the child Hermaphroditus, which is where the term hermaphrodite originally came from. The Mercury symbol is made up of three parts: the crescent moon, the cross, and the ring. The crescent moon represents masculinity, while the cross represents the feminine and the ring stands for the individual surrounded by the struggle with gender. (forPLU) In today’s society, it is not easy to be an openly transgendered person and wear this symbol on your sleeve. Most people fear what is different... ... strength they show by changing their gender and way of life. Bibliography â€Å"I wonder what that means.† Wellesley College’s Queer Resource Handbook. 2000. Wellesley College. 28 Sept. 2004 < http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/wlbtf/qrhandbook/definitions.html > â€Å"Normal.† Movie Tome. 2003. Movie Tome. 29 Sept. 2004 < http://www.movietome.com/movietome/servlet/MovieMain/movieid-77789/Normal/ > Stone, Sandy. â€Å"Transgender.† 1999. Sandy Stone. 29 Sept. 2004 < http://sandystone.com/trans.html > â€Å"Symbols of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Movements.† Lambda Community Services. 2001. Lambda. 27 Sept. 2004 < http://www.lambda.org/symbols.htm > â€Å"Symbolic signatures.† 2000. forPLU.com. 27 Sept. 2004 < http://www.forplu.com/community/life&style/symbols/symbols_meanings.htm >

Office Equipment Written Answers Essay

KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING QUESTIONS Unit 221 Use Office Equipment Learner:Signature: AssessorSignatureDate Outcome 1: Know about different types of office equipment and its uses 1.1 Identify the different types of equipment and their uses  phones & e-mail allow people to contact you. Computers allow you to process business data, send pictures, pdf files and other files to customers, and vendors. Computers to design ads, budgets, as well as tracking and paying employees. printers and copiers to bulk create documents in the least expensive way possible. Hole punches to allow paperwork to be placed in binders or small folders easily. Answering machines to pick up missed calls. Post it notes to add importance to voice mail. Servers to allow multiple computers to access the same data. 1.2 Describe their different features and what they can be used for? Computers: Email, Word processing, internet, databases, file storage – Computers can be used for contact and also researching things on the internet. Computers can also be used to type professional letters or emails to customers. Files made can also be saved onto the computers memory and then can be edited or used again. Computers are also good for designing ads, look at budgets and can be used to track the payment of employees. Answering machines: Answering machines are used to pick up messages that people may have left you; it is normally used to ring customers back if you have missed their call. A good form of positive customer service. Photocopier & Printer: The printer is used to print off any work you have done on the computer or any files you have been sent or downloaded. Most regularly used for printing letters to customers and vendors. Photo copiers can are used to  copy hard copies of files. You get small copiers which only copy files, or you can get a copier that can also print and scan documents to your computer. 1.3 Explain why different types of equipment are chosen for tasks and what they are used for (e.g. to produce booklets) 1) Computers are used to write letters and communicate because letters look more professional when typed out, and by communicating online via email, it prevents the use of more paper. 2) Printers and Photocopiers: These are used because not all things can be done electronically, for example if a letter needed sending to lots of people, a hardcopy could be photocopied lots of times. Or if you have the letter template already on your computer, you can print lots of copies Outcome 2: Understand the purpose of the following instructions and health and safety procedures 2.1 Why is it important to follow manufacturer’s instructions when operating equipment? Manufacturers instructions are usually in place to not only protect the equipment from being damaged, but to also stop you getting injured using the equipment. Instructions are there to make sure you know how to use the equipment properly and how to use it without faults. 2.2. Why is it important to follow organisational instructions when using equipment? Organisational instructions are instructions that organisations put in place, they may have policies on how much you print or who can use the equipment for safety reasons. They may only have a photocopier in reception area so they know exactly who is using it and when. It is important to follow instructions of an organisation because they are normally put in place to help things run more smoothly and also for the safety of the staff. 2.3 What are the health and safety procedures for using different types of equipment? There should always be a risk assessment in place for possible accidents in the office, health and safety procedures in the office may be as simple as putting your bag under your desk to stop slips and trips. The most common injury is caused by manual handling; moving heavy equipment in the wrong way can cause strains and pulled muscles. Another procedure that may be in place is, no fluids at your desk. If you were to spill fluids, it may cause an electrocution hazard 2.4 Why is it important to follow health and safety procedures when using equipment? Health and safety procedures are in place to protect anyone from injury or harm, they’re there to prevent any hazards that may come into play in the office. In order to keep yourself and your colleagues safe, the procedures should be followed. 2.5 Why is it important to keep equipment clean and hygienic? You may not be the only person having to use the equipment and it is only courtesy to keep the equipment as you found it. Equipment should be kept clean and hygienic to prevent picking up illnesses such as cold and flu, and also to keep it pleasant. A sticky desk or keyboard and a crumby desk isn’t the nicest mess to tidy up when it isn’t your own. Outcome 3: Understand how to use equipment in a way that minimises waste 3.1 Give examples of waste when using equipment] The biggest source of waste is paper, every time a letter is opened, the envelope is thrown away, and when printing goes wrong the paper is thrown away. Ink cartridges from printers and photocopiers are thrown away when empty, as are multiple pens when they run out of ink. 3.2 Give examples of ways to reduce waste There are multiple ways to reduce waste, one of them being electronically. If people have email accounts, then letters can be sent this way rather than via post. Another way is to recycle waste, although maybe this may cause the same amount of waste, it will be used to make another batch of usable paper or other supplies. 3.3 Explain why you should minimise waste Reducing waste saves money and also is eco friendly. By printing on both sides of paper, the cost of paper is decreased by half. It can also maximise space in the office, by having less paper supplies around the office, more space becomes available in its place. Outcome 4: Know about the different types of problems that may occur when using equipment and how to deal with them 4.1 Give examples of equipment problems Technical faults can happen regularly in an office where lots of equipment is used in one place. Faults can include power shortages, phone line faults and technical faults on computers. Other faults can include issues with the printers or copiers and also issues with shortages of stationary. In order to prevent these issues, regular checks should be carried out on stocks and also the electrical equipment. 4.2 Explain why you should follow manufacturer’s instruction and organisation procedures when dealing with problems Manufacturer’s instructions ensure you are using the equipment in the right way and so reduces the chances or breakages via using the equipment wrongly. Organisations procedures make sure that the equipment is being used appropriately and so only the things that need to be printed or copied should be. Both of these should help prevent problems, but should also help  you deal with problems when they arise. 4.3 Give examples of how to deal with problems A technical issue should always be reported to the technician who knows how to deal with the problem. But the ideal way to deal with these problems is regular checks on the equipment to make sure no issues are arising. Outcome 5: Understand the purpose of meeting work standards and deadlines 5.1 Explain the purpose of meeting work standards and deadlines when using equipment If there are standards and deadlines in place for using equipment, it’s probably for a good reason. For example, you may get a task to type, print and send out a number of letters before a certain time. You should follow these deadlines as there is a possibility that the letter is of high importance and may contain valuble information which they will need for a certain time. This is the same for any deadline, there will be an importance behind the deadline which will be the reason you have to have the task done for a certain time. Outcome 6: Understand the purpose of leaving equipment and the work area ready for the next user 6.1 Explain the purpose of leaving equipment and the work area ready for the next user Leaving the equipment ready for the next user is manners, maybe the next people who use your work area wont need the stationery you’ve been using and won’t be using the same equipment you’ve been using. To have your area ready for the next person, make sure you leave it exactly how you found it when you started the day. Make sure it’s left how you would want to find it when you start work