Health Issues In Gender, Age and Ethnicity Essay

Health Issues In Gender, Age and Ethnicity - Essay Example makes the individuals have an inaccurate discernment of their appearance and have an intense feeling and need to lose weight even when they are thin, posing an harm to their health status. Anorexia is a common disorder among women in United Kingdom. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2015), 95% of people suffering from anorexia in United Kingdom are women. Though the actual numbers of people suffering from anorexia is not known since most cases go undiagnosed, it is estimated that 5% of women aged between 15 and 30 in United Kingdom suffer from anorexia. The Royal College of Psychiatrists (2015) also suggests that women between the age of 15 and 30 have a high probability than men of suffering from anorexia. This makes women ten times more likely to suffer from anorexia. It is estimated that 10% of women in United Kingdom suffering from anorexia succumb to it every year. Anorexia is a common disorder among the age bracket of 15 to 30 years and may become severe leading to

Surrealism and psychoanalysis in modernist poetry Essay

Surrealism and psychoanalysis in modernist poetry - Essay Example The essay "Surrealism and psychoanalysis in modernist poetry" states the surrealism and psychoanalysis. duration, and finally modern periods through literary advancements. Psychoanalysis involves a network of psychotherapeutic and psychological theories, originally explained by Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has continuously expanded, revised and developed in many different directions. In psychoanalysis; there are many theoretical dimensions explaining the mental development of humans, hence this leads to many psychoanalysis treatments. Psychoanalysis is also used to refer to the study method of child development. Surrealism refers to cultural movement which began in the beginning of 1920s; the movement is best identified with its unique writings and artworks. Surrealism developed through the activities of Dada in the course of World War One, and Paris was the major venue for the movement. After the 1920s the cultural movement went global, and further affected countries’ litera ture, visual arts, music, language and social theory. Psychoanalysis has certain tenets: development of a person is through early childhood events in addition to inherited aspects of personality; irrational motivations influence human experience, attitude and mannerisms; irrational motivations are unconscious; psychological resistance is a defense mechanism, which develops when motivations or drives are turned into awareness; conflicts involving the conscious and the unconscious manifests through emotional disturbance.

Global Culture and New Culture Essay Example for Free

Global Culture and New Culture Essay The concept of Global Culture is defined as the idea of a â€Å"one world culture† wherein the â€Å"earth’s inhabitants will lose their cultural diversity and one culture will be experienced by all people† (Oregon State University, 2008). At present, this kind of phenomenon is one of the most controversial issues that is being discusses and debated by numerous scholars especially in its relation to the changes that is currently happening in the world. However, the idea of a global culture is not a new subject matter, as it had been perceived by previous notable personalities. This is greatly exemplified by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel as they discussed the concept of global culture in the Communist Manifesto. The Communist Manifesto is considered as one of the world’s most influential political manuscripts in which the purposes and program of the Communist League is written. Nevertheless, this document also tackled the Communist League’s criticism of the Bourgeois In order to so, they also gave their perception of global culture and how this phenomenon affects the society. Marx and Engel began the Communist Manifesto by stating that the foundation all existing societies is the history of class struggle. They pointed out that early epochs up to the time that the manifesto was created the society is always composed of competing classes that are most appropriately described as the oppressor and the oppressed. The development and revolutions in history paved the way for two great classes that are directly facing against each other namely: the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. The formation of the modern Bourgeoisie is the product of a long course of development as well as the series of revolutions with regards to production and exchange (Marx and Engel, 1848). The Bourgeoisie is largely responsible in the changes of the mode of production, which give way to various modifications that greatly exemplified the idea of a global culture. The existence of the Bourgeoisie is dependent upon the continuous revolutionizing of the instruments of production and eventually the relations of productions. This includes expanding the market over the entire surface of the globe for the consumption of its products. Marx and Engel clearly explained the Bourgeoisie’s desire for globalization when they stated, â€Å"It must nestle everywhere, settle everywhere, establish connections everywhere† (Marx and Engel, 1848). In relation to the idea of market expansion, the Communist Manifesto also give due account of the concept of free trade, which is an important feature in achieving a global culture. The Communist League strongly believes that Free Trade is the main culprit in most people’s perception that personal worth is measured by the exchange of value that is most observable in the importance they give to material things. In order for the Bourgeoisie to pursue their objective of profitability by increasing production, they have to exploit other people by changing the way they think about themselves and modifying the values that they uphold (Marx and Engel, 1848). The Bourgeoisie’s exploitation of the world market is creating a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption of every country. Due to this, it is destroying the old-established national industries that are important in the national identity of a country. Industries do not merely utilized indigenous raw materials but they acquire it from the remotest parts of the world and their products are not merely consumed at their respective countries but also in every quarter of the globe. The globalization of trade also affects other factors such as communication. As such, the very way of life of the people is also influence wherein they adhere to the ideologies of the Bourgeoisie like being consumerists, which heightens the pursuance of this class’ interests (Marx and Engel, 1848). In this sense, Communists support the sentiments of the proletariat that they believed is being exploited by the Bourgeoisie. The league represents the common interests of all proletariats around the world regardless of their nationalities. They represent the proletariats in the different stages of development of the Bourgeoisie wherein there is an observable struggle of the working class. The primary aim of the Communist is similar with all other proletarian parties, which are: â€Å"the formation of the proletariat into a class, overthrow of the bourgeoisie supremacy, conquest of political power by the proletariat† (Marx and Engel, 1848). Nevertheless, the Communist Manifesto clarifies that it is not after the abolition of property in general but rather the eradication of bourgeois property. In doing so, they can be able to uphold the freedom, independence, and equality of an individual that is taken away from him or her due to exploitative wage labor (Marx and Engel, 1848). Communists clearly saw the creation of a global culture through the revolution of production that the Bourgeoisie are responsible for as the cause of most of the world’s evil. Some of the detrimental effects that it gives are the exploitation of people especially the proletariat, the destruction of old established institution like the family, and the very self-value of an individual. On the other hand, some notable scholars like Henry Jenkins and Rob Walker perceive the new culture of globalization in a different light. Their works show the effects of the technological advancement that Marx and Engels noted in the Communist Manifesto. Henry Jenkins main argument was on the concept of Media Convergence. He asserted that the perspective that merely focused on technology is shortsighted. Jenkins emphasized that the real important factor is the understanding of the way by which individuals in the contemporary culture could participate and combine numerous media sources. Comprehending the relationship among various media forms can be done in a more in depth manner if the participation of individuals will be given due consideration. In relation to this, Jenkins suggested that convergence should be seen as a cultural process that is evolving and developing rather than a mere technological end. Moreover, he also elaborated that there are different sited wherein the negotiations between consumers and producers take place. These sites are â€Å"modifying audience measurement, redirecting globalization, re-engaging citizens, renegotiating relations between producers and consumers, redesigning the digital economy, rethinking media aesthetics, regulating media content, redefining intellectual property rights, and restricting media ownership† (Jenkins, 2006). Jenkins’ was able to seriously and extensively study the effects of audience participation in media culture. He was able to highlight the influence of digital popular culture on the behavior of individuals especially in terms of their participation in the field of politics. Rob Walker is also one of the contemporary personalities that has its own perspective with the modern state of production and consumption that exists in the world today. His arguments are centered on the concept of money culture and means of technology like advertising, music, and sequential art. The focus of Walker study is in examining the consumer behavior of an individual from the lens of business and anthropology. He discussed various products and the corresponding consumer trend that is was able to create. Walker attempts to understand the reasons behind consumers’ response to a certain product, which ranges from toothpaste to alcoholic drinks up to television programs. In doing so, he tend to critical analyze the a particular product by trying to understand the underlying concept of its brand name, target consumer, and even its effect on those who patronize it. Furthermore, he also tries to establish a connection between the product and the consumer by explaining how the characteristic or attitude of a consumer is reflected in the products that he or she buys (Walker, 2008). Marx and Engels’ Communist Manifesto calls the people especially the proletariat to take action in abolishing the concept of private property of the Bourgeoisie class that tends to exploit other people and destroy the very culture of nations. On the other hand, Jenkins and Walker also give emphasis in the participation of people in the convergence of media but they pointed out that this aids in the formation of identity rather than a mere way for exploitative labor. National identities are formed because of the existence of mass media that allows its audience to create their own texts and introduce their own identities that allows other people in the globe to see and understand other cultures. The existence of mass media in terms of the concept of convergence is already regarded as a cultural process in itself that allows people to develop their identities. In this modern age, mass media is not merely a technological advancement but rather it is a tool that allows people to participate and interact in the international community. References Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: New York University Press. Marx, K. , Engels, F. (1848). Manifesto of the Communist Party. Retrieved December 8, 2008, from http://www. marxists. org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/ch01. htm. Oregon University States. (2008). Definitions of Anthropological Terms. Retrieved December 8, 2008, from http://oregonstate. edu/instruct/anth370/gloss. html. Walker, R. (2008). Buyingin: The Secret Dialogue between What We Buy and Who We Are. New York: Random House.

Hyundai Motors: An Evaluation

Hyundai Motors: An Evaluation Around the world, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road in 2007. The numbers were increasing rapidly, especially in China. In 2008, with rapidly rising oil prices, however, industries such as the automotive industry are experiencing a combination of pricing pressure from raw material costs and changes in consumer buying habits. The industry is also facing increasing external competition from the public transport sector, as consumers re-evaluate their private vehicle usage. We have discussed how Hyundai Motor would expand business in global automotive environment which has been changed and exceeded demands. Company overview Hyundai Motor Company, a division of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, is the worlds largest automaker by profit, the worlds fourth largest automaker by units sold and the worlds fastest growing automaker. Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Hyundai operates the worlds largest integrated automobile manufacturing facility in Ulsan, which is capable of producing 1.6 million units annually. Chung Ju-Yung founded the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company in 1947. Hyundai Motor Company was later established in 1967. The companys first model, the Cortina, was released in cooperation with Ford Motor Company in 1968. In 1975, the Pony, the first Korean car, was released, with styling by Giorgio Giugiaro of ItalDesign and powertrain technology provided by Japans Mitsubishi Motors. Exports began in the following year to Ecuador and soon thereafter to the Benelux countries. In 1991, the company succeeded in developing its first proprietary gasoline engine, the four-cylinder Alpha, and transmission, thus paving the way for technological independence. In 1983, Hyundai exported the Pony to Canada, but not to the United States because the Pony didnt pass emissions standards there. Canadian sales greatly exceeded expectations, and it was at one point the top-selling car on the Canadian market. The Pony afforded a much higher degree of quality and refinement in the lowest pric e auto segment than the Eastern-bloc imports of the period then available. In 1986, Hyundai began to sell cars in the United States, and the Excel was nominated as Best Product #10 by Fortune magazine, largely because of its affordability. The company began to produce models with its own technology in 1988, beginning with the midsize Sonata. In 1996, Hyundai Motors India Limited was established with a production plant in Irrungattukotai near Chennai, India. In 1998, Hyundai began to overhaul its image in an attempt to establish itself as a world-class brand. Chung Ju Yung transferred leadership of Hyundai Motor to his son, Chung Mong Koo, in 1999. Hyundais parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, invested heavily in the quality, design, manufacturing, and long-term research of its vehicles. It added a 10-year or 100,000-mile (160,000 km) warranty to cars sold in the United States and launched an aggressive marketing campaign. In 2004, Hyundai was ranked second in initial quality in a su rvey/study by J.D. Power and Associates. Hyundai is now one of the top 100 most valuable brands worldwide. Since 2002, Hyundai has also been one of the worldwide official sponsors of the FIFA World Cup. In 2006, the South Korean government initiated an investigation of Chung Mong Koos practices as head of Hyundai, suspecting him of corruption. On April 28, 2006, Chung was arrested, and charged for embezzlement of 100 billion South Korean won (US$106 million). As a result, Hyundai Vice Chairman and CEO, Kim Dong-jin, replaced him as head of the company. After a shake-up in the Korean auto industry caused by overambitious expansion and the Asian financial crisis, Hyundai acquired rival Kia Motors In 1998. In 2000, the company established a strategic alliance with DaimlerChrysler and severed its partnership with the Hyundai Group. In 2001, the Daimler-Hyundai Truck Corporation was formed. In 2004, however, DaimlerChrysler divested its interest in the company by selling its 10.5% stake for $900 million. Hyundai Motor has been expanding globally, starting with its plant in Turkey in 1997, India in 1998, China in 2002, and in 2005, it built a plant in the U.S., the worlds biggest auto market. In 2007, a decade after it began building plants overseas, Hyundai Motor began construction for plants in the Czech Republic and Russia, creating a strategic network of production facilities spanning over six countries. With its 12 CKD plants, Hyundai Motor is boosting sales every year and cementing its position as a global automaker. The company pl ans to raise the ratio of overseas production to 50 percent by 2010, to produce 3 million units outside Korea. Hyundai Motor is present in 196 countries and has 6,000 dealerships all over the world. It is maintaining a strong position in developed regions such as the U.S. and Europe. Furthermore, it has been successfully winning orders for taxis and government vehicles in emerging markets such as Central Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, boosting sales and the companys brand image. After reaching the 2 million unit sales mark in 2006, Hyundai Motor sold 2.6 million units worldwide in 2009. Through its strategy of local production and sales, the company is contributing to the local economies.(Exhibit1) [Exhibit1] Annual Unit Sales 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Sales in unit 1,611,991 1,668,745 1,700,297 1,611,062 1,700,843 Domestic 701,469 570,116 624,227 580,288 569,721 Export excluding CDK 910,522 1,098,629 1,076,070 1,030,774 1,131,122 Hyundai Motor Companys brand power continues to rise as it was ranked 72nd in the 2007 Best Global Brands by Interbrand and Business Week survey. brand value estimated at $4.5 billion. Public perception of the Hyundai brand has been transformed as a result of dramatic improvements in the quality of Hyundai vehicles. The Company produces and markets passenger cars under the brand names of Equus, Genesis, Genesis Coupe, Azera, Sonata, Elantra, Accent, Getz, i30, i30cw, i20 and i10; recreational vehicles under the brand names of Veracruz, Santa Fe, Tucson, Matrix and H-1, and commercial vehicles, which include medium and heavy duty trucks, and buses. Analysis of Global Automobile Market Environment Current Automotive industry Market In 2007, a total of 79.9 million new automobiles were sold worldwide: 22.9 million in Europe, 21.4 million in Asia-Pacific, 19.4 million in USA and Canada, 4.4 million in Latin America, 2.4 million in the Middle East and 1.4 million in Africa. The markets in North America and Japan were stagnant, while those in South America and other parts of Asia grew strongly. Of the major markets, China, Russia, Brazil and India saw the most rapid growth, and China became both the largest automobile producer and market in the world after experiencing massive growth in 2009. In the first 4 months of 2010, the total sales of automobile were 6.17 millions in China (3.52 millions in US), and the total sales were expected to be around 17 millions (13.65 millions in 2009) for the year of 2010, nearly twice as much as USA. [Exhibit 2] International Car Sales by Global Auto Report The automotive industry crisis of 2008-2010 was a part of a global financial downturn. The crisis affected European and Asian automobile manufacturers, but it was primarily felt in the American automobile manufacturing industry. The automotive industry was weakened by a substantial increase in the prices of automotive fuels linked to the 2003-2008 energy crisis which discouraged purchases of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks which have low fuel economy. The popularity and relatively high profit margins of these vehicles had encouraged the American Big Three automakers, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler to make them their primary focus. With fewer fuel-efficient models to offer to consumers, sales began to slide. By 2008, the situation had turned critical as the credit crunch placed pressure on the prices of raw materials. Car companies from Asia, Europe, North America, and elsewhere have implemented creative marketing strategies to entice reluctant consumers as most experienced double-digit percentage declines in sales. Major manufacturers, including the Big Three and Toyota offered substantial discounts across their lineups. The Big Three faced criticism for their lineups, which were seen to be irresponsible in light of rising fuel prices. North American consumers turned to higher-quality and more fuel-efficient product of Japanese and European automakers. However, many of the vehicles perceived to be foreign were actually transplants, foreign cars manufactured or assembled in the United States, at lower cost than true imports. [Exhibit 3] Major global automotive company analysis Competitors Globalization Strategy Toyota Toyota Motor Corporation, commonly known simply as Toyota, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Japan. At its peak, Toyota employed approximately 320,000 people worldwide. It is the worlds largest automobile maker by sales. The company was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937 as a spinoff from his fathers company Toyota Industries to create automobiles. Three years earlier, in 1934, while still a department of Toyota Industries, it created its first product, the Type A engine, and, in 1936, its first passenger car, the Toyota AA. Toyota also owns and operates Lexus and Scion brands and has a majority shareholding stake in Daihatsu and Hino Motors, and minority shareholdings in Fuji Heavy Industries, Isuzu Motors, Yamaha Motors, and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation. The company includes 522 subsidiaries. Toyota is headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi and in Tokyo. In addition to manufacturing automobiles, Toyota provides financial services through its Toyota Financial Services division and also builds robots. Toyota Motor Corporation (including Toyota Financial Services) and Toyota Industries form the bulk of the Toyota Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the world. Toyotas marketing efforts have focused on emphasizing the positive experiences of ownership and vehicle quality. The ownership experience has been targeted in slogans such as Oh, what a feeling! (1978-1985, in the U.S.), Who could ask for anything more (1986-1989), I love what you do for me, Toyota! (1990-1997), Everyday (1997-2000), Get the feeling! (2001-2004), and Moving Forward (2004-present). Toyota introduced a new worldwide logo in 1989 in conjunction with and to differentiate it from the newly released luxury Lexus brand. There are three ovals in the new logo that combine to for the letter T, which stands for Toyota. The overlapping of the two perpendicular ovals inside the larger oval represent the mutually beneficial relationship and trust that is placed between the customer and the company while the larger oval that surrounds both of these inner ovals represent the global expansion of Toyotas technology and unlimited potential for the future.[30] Toyota has factories in most parts of the world, manufacturing or assembling vehicles for local markets. Toyota has manufacturing or assembly plants in Japan, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Canada, Indonesia, Poland, South Africa, Turkey, Colombia, the United Kingdom, the United States, UAE, France, Brazil, Portugal, and more recently, Argentina, Czech Republic, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan, Egypt, China, Vietnam, Venezuela, the Philippines, and Russia. Recently, Toyota announced it was recalling up to 1.8 million cars across Europe, including about 220,000 in the UK, following problems with defective accelerator pedals. Many Toyota models were involved, covering the 2007-2010 model years. Toyota subsequently recalled the Prius model for reprogramming of its ABS system. The U.S. Sales Chief, James Lentz, was questioned by the United States Congress committees on Oversight and Investigations on February 23, 2010, as a result of recent recalls. On 26 March Toyota said it would halt production in France and Britain for 12 days because of poor sales following the recalls. On 6 April 2010, The US government sought a record penalty of US$16.375 million from Toyota for its delayed response in notifying the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the defective accelerator pedals, and on 19 April Toyota said that it would pay the fine. The company said the recalls could cost the company up to US$2 billion (GBÂ £1.25 billion ) in lost output and sales. General Motors General Motors Company, also known as GM, is a United States-based automaker with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. GM manufactures cars and a truck in 34 countries, recently employed 244,500 people around the world, and sells and services vehicles in some 140 countries. By sales, GM ranked as the largest US automaker and the worlds second largest for 2008, having the third highest 2008 global revenues among automakers on the Fortune Global 500. On June 1, 2009, General Motors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, which were completed on July 10 of the same year, and it was thereafter reorganized once a new entity acquired the most valuable assets. GM is now temporarily majority owned by the United States Treasury and, to a smaller extent, the Canada Development Investment Corporation a Canadian Crown corporation and the Ontario government, with the US government investing a total of US$57.6 billion under the Troubled Asset Relief Program. On April 21, 2010, GM CEO Ed Whitacre Jr. announced that the company had paid back the entire amount of the US and Canadian government loans, with interest, a total of $8.1 billion. The company expects to repurchase a sizable portion of the remaining equity stake with funds earned via a public stock offering. While no GM shares are currently available to the public, the companys plans as of 2009 were to initiate an initial public stock offering (IPO) in 2010. GM plans to focus its business on its four core North American brands: Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac. In Europe, following a period of negotiation to sell a majority stake in its Opel and Vauxhall brands, the company decided to retain full ownership of these operations. However, on February 23, 2010, GM sold Saab Automobile to Spyker Cars NV and is winding down its Hummer, Pontiac, and Saturn brands, the latter two remaining under the old GM, now known as Motors Liquidation Company In 2009, General Motors employs approximately 244,500 people around the world. The Renaissance Center located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, is the global headquarters of General Motors. In 2008, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally. GM is the majority shareholder in GM Daewoo Auto Technology Co. of South Korea and has collaborations with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China, AvtoVAZ of Russia, and most recently, UzAvtoSanoat of Uzbekistan. GM has had collaborations with various automakers including Fiat and Ford Motor Company.GM retains various stakes in different automakers. General Motors best success internationally has unquestionably been its performance in China, GM sales rose 66.9% in 2009, selling 1,830,000 vehicles and accounting for 13.4% of the market. Volkswagen Group Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturing group; and according to figures published by economic research firm Global Insight in November 2009, is the largest automobile maker in the world by vehicle production.[7] Its parent company Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, develops vehicles and components for all marques of the whole Group, and also manufactures complete vehicles for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles marques. Volkswagen Group is divided into two primary divisions: the Automotive Division, and the Financial Services Division. The Group consists of 342 Group companies, which are involved in either vehicle production or other related automotive services. Although it operates worldwide, Volkswagen Groups core market is primarily Europe. Of its automobile brands, Volkswagen Passenger Cars is its mainstream marque, and the Groups major subsidiaries also include well-known car marques like SEAT, Ã…Â  koda, and the prestige marques of Audi, Lam borghini, Bentley, and Bugatti. The Group also has operations in commercial vehicles, owning Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, along with a controlling stake in Swedish truck and diesel engine maker Scania AB, and a 29.9% stake in MAN SE. Volkswagens second-largest market is China, where its subsidiary, Volkswagen Group China, is the largest joint venture automaker, selling more than one million vehicles in 2008. The Volkswagen Golf is the third bestselling automobile in the world, selling over 26 million units through 2008. In 2009, Volkswagen Group sold 6.31 million vehicles, claiming over 11% of the world passenger car market. Volkswagen AG is heavily involved in sports sponsorship, with investments having included the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2014 Winter Games, as well as the David Beckham Academy. The company also wholly owns the Bundesliga football side VfL Wolfsburg. The company is also the shirt sponsor of Major League Soccer club, D.C. United. In August 2009, Porsche SE and Volkswagen Group reached an agreement that Volkswagen AG and Porsche AG would merge in 2011. Ford Motor Company The Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars in Sweden, and a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK. Fords former UK subsidiaries Jaguar and Land Rover were sold to Tata Motors of India in March 2008. Ford has agreed to sell Volvo to Geely Automobile in a deal expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2010. Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of an industrial workforce using elaborately engineered manufacturing sequences typified by moving assembly lines. Henry Fords methods came to be known around the world as Fordism by 1914. Ford is currently the second largest automaker in the U.S. and the fourth-largest in the world based on number of vehicles sold annually, directly behind Volkswagen. In 2007, Ford fell from second to third in US annual vehicle sales for the first time in 56 years, behind only General Motors and Toyota. However, Ford occasionally outsells Toyota in shorter periods (most recently, during the summer months of 2009). By the end of 2009, Ford was the third largest automaker in Europe (behind Volkswagen and PSA). Ford is the seventh-ranked overall American-based company in the 2008 Fortune 500 list, based on global revenues in 2008 of $146.3 billion. In 2008, Ford produced 5.532 million automobiles and employed about 213,000 employees at around 90 plants and facilities worldwide. Starting in 2007, Ford received more initial quality survey awards from J. D. Power and Associates than any other automaker. Five of Fords vehicles ranked at the top of their categories and fourteen vehicles ranke d in the top three. During the mid to late 1990s, Ford sold large numbers of vehicles, in a booming American economy with soaring stock market and low fuel prices. With the dawn of the new century, legacy healthcare costs, higher fuel prices, and a faltering economy led to falling market shares, declining sales, and sliding profit margins. Most of the corporate profits came from financing consumer automobile loans through Ford Motor Credit Company. In the face of demand for higher fuel efficiency and falling sales of minivans, Ford moved to introduce a range of new vehicles, including Crossover SUVs built on unibody car platforms, rather than more body-on-frame chassis. In developing the hybrid electric power train technologies for the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV, Ford licensed similar Toyota hybrid technologies to avoid patent infringements. Ford announced that it will team up with electricity supply company Southern California Edison to examine the future of plug-in hybrids in terms of how home and vehicle energy systems will work with the electrical grid. Under the multi-million-dollar, multi-year project, Ford will convert a demonstration fleet of Ford Escape Hybrids into plug-in hybrids, and SCE will evaluate how the vehicles might interact with the home and the utilitys electrical grid. Some of the vehicles will be evaluated in typical customer settings, according to Ford. In 2006, the company raised its borrowing capacity to about $25 billion, placing substantially all corporate assets as collateral to secure the line of credit. Chairman Bill Ford has stated that bankruptcy is not an option. In order to control its skyrocketing labor costs (the most expensive in the world), the company and the United Auto Workers, representing approximately 46,000 hourly workers in North America, agreed to a historic contract settlement in November 2007 giving the company a substantial break in terms of its ongoing retiree health care costs and other economic issues. The agreement includes the establishment of a company-funded, independently-run Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (more commonly known as a VEBA) trust to shift the burden of retiree health care from the companys books, thereby improving its balance sheet. This arrangement took effect on January 1, 2010. As a sign of its currently strong cash position, Ford contributed its entire current liabilit y (estimated at approximately USD$5.5 Billion as of December 31, 2009) to the VEBA in cash, and also pre-paid USD$500 Million of its future liabilities to the fund. The agreement also gives hourly workers the job security they were seeking by having the company commits to substantial investments in most of its factories. During November 2008, Ford, together with Chrysler and General Motors, sought financial aid at Congressional hearings in Washington D.C. in the face of worsening conditions caused by the automotive industry crisis. The three companies presented action plans for the sustainability of the industry. The Detroit based automakers were unsuccessful at obtaining assistance through Congressional legislation. GM and Chrysler later received assistance through the Executive Branch from the T.A.R.P. funding provisions. On December 19, the cost of credit default swaps to insure the debt of Ford was 68 percent the sum insured for five years in addition to annual payments of 5 percent. That means it costs $6.8 million paid upfront to insure $10 million in debt, in addition to payments of $500,000 per year. In January 2009, Ford announced a $14.6 billion loss in the preceding year, making 2008 its worst year in history. Still, the company claimed to have sufficient liquidity to fund its business pla ns and thus, did not ask for government aid. Through April 2009, Fords strategy of debt for equity exchanges, erased $9.9 B in liabilities (28% of its total), in order to leverage its cash position. These actions yielded Ford a $2.7 billion profit in fiscal year 2009, the companys first full-year profit in four years. Honda Honda Motor Company, Ltd., Honda Technology Research Institute Company, Limiteds a Japanese multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. Honda is the worlds largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the worlds largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year. Honda surpassed Nissan in 2001 to become the second-largest Japanese automobile manufacturer. As of August 2008[update], Honda surpassed Chrysler as the fourth largest automobile manufacturer in the United States. Honda is the sixth largest automobile manufacturer in the world. Honda was the first Japanese automobile manufacturer to release a dedicated luxury brand, Acura in 1986. Aside from their core automobile and motorcycle businesses, Honda also manufactures garden equipment, marine engines, personal watercraft and power generators, amongst others. Since 1986, Honda has been involved with artificial intelligence/robotics research and released their ASIMO robot in 2000. They have also ventured into aerospace with the establishment of GE Honda Aero Engines in 2004 and the Honda HA-420 HondaJet, scheduled to be released in 2011. Honda spends about 5% of its revenues into RD. Nissan Motor Nissan Motor Company, Ltd., shortened to Nissan, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was formerly a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn (CEO). It formerly marketed vehicles under the Datsun brand name and is one of the largest car manufacturers. As of August 2009, the companys global headquarters are located in Nishi-ku, Yokohama. In 1999, Nissan entered a two way alliance with Renault S.A. of France, which owns 44.4% of Nissan while Nissan holds 15% of Renault shares, as of 2008. Nissan is among the top three Asian (also known as the Japanese Big 3 Automakers) rivals of the Big Three in the U.S. Currently it is the third largest Japanese car manufacturer. It also manufactures the Infiniti luxury brand. The Nissan VQ engines, of V6 configuration, have featured among Wards 10 Best Engines for 14 straight years, since the awards inception. III. Analysis of Hyundai Motors Hyundai Motors Globalization Strategy Process of Growth Since the companys foundation in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company became the first automaker producing manufacture facilities itself. The first model Pony, manufactured and started to export, was very favorable not only into Korean market but also into global market, which elevating Hyundai Motor into one of the global automobile companies. In 1976, Hyundai had started the first export business with Africa, North America and middle Asia and expanded into European market. In overseas market, especially in North America, Hyundai achieved the big success and had an opportunity to become into the global automaker in worldwide. Possessing 10 manufacturing plants, 11 research centers, and more than 6,000 sales networks throughout the world, Hyundai Motor also helps to keep sales growth across the world and maintain to the top leading global company. Furthermore, Now, Hyundai as Global corporate citizen makes every effort to fulfill its economic responsibility, most principal in corporate activities throughout the world. (http://www.hyundai.com) The Hyundai Motors Global Business Strategy In the process of globalization, the major global strategy for Hyundai Motor can be focusing on exporting in the global market which was very successful. From the inception of the foundation, the Hyundai management team always recognized the importance of exporting to overseas which the key factor to growth global business and manufactured most exports from single Ulsan plants. In other words, Hyundai has been involved in independent management strategy. In addition, striving to face with country specific regulation and rapid market changes, Hyundai has been implemented transnational strategy like the joint-venture strategy in China, Turkey and Malaysia in order to expand global market share. Hyundai Motor Company further strengthened its presence as a global automaker by promoting sustainable development worldwide, accelerating global management initiatives and creating the second construction of manufacturing plants in China and India, thereby increasing its production capacity all the more. At the same time, it also achieved qualitative growth by successfully generating sales of its strategic model targeting the European market. In 2007, a decade after it began building plants overseas, Hyundai Motor began construction for plants in the Czech Republic and USA, creating a strategic network of production facilities spanning over six countries. (http://www.hyundai.com) [Exhibit 4] Hyundai Motor Companys International Entry Mode (sourced by http://www.hyundai.com) Country Partner Hyundais Share Start Yr To produce Entry Mode India HMI 100 98. 9 Ownership USA HMMA 100 05. 5 Ownership Czech HMMC 100 06. 7 Ownership China BHMC 50 02. 1 Joint Venture WuHan Qi Che 21 96. 7 Joint Venture Turkey HAOS 85 97. 7 Joint Venture Malaysia INOCOM 15 99. 9 Joint Venture The organizational structure of international business for Hyundai Motor Company is International Division Structure which is like many Korean companies fit well with Korean culture and lean toward centralization. That is, it has risk of demotivating local manager in host countries. By that, the Hyundai Motor Company has struggled to recruit local manager who can manage, coordinate and control worldwide regional operations underutilized allowing diversity as strategic task. US subsidiaries show [Exhibit 5] Example of International Division Structure The Hyundai Motors Global Business Efforts International Site Selection The Site Selection implies that the company does spell out all possible locations to decide which site/market to be targeted and determined by content and goal with its limited human resource, technology, and capital. (Sourced by Professor Lee, JR, Shin, MS / International Business) Market Size and infrastructure: consider for purchasing power and production Market attractiveness: competitors and market structure Important to consider potential international market expansion which cover all countries/regions in the world for the further The major variable factor for site selection is market attractiveness, competitors, and the strategic goal for a company. The good example for International Site Selection in Hyundai Motor Company can be expanding the global business to Canada region. With the success of exporting Excel, Hyundai Motor Company had made decision to expand the international business into Canada as below factors as detour entrance strategy to USA. Of course, Hyundai Motor Company cannot overlook the competitors such as Toyota, Honda. etc. Market accessibility: to avoid Trade barrier by NAFTA, Market proximity , Cost Reduction and Price competiveness by Local Manufacture Government Aid: tax, financing support by construction of manufacture plant Regional Advantage : close to locate associated company Political Risk Avoid: to avoid lack of exports by Korean labor strike in 1988 Likewise, the variable factors to expand the Hyundais global business to other countries can be considered as reduction of transportation cost risk, avoid currency exchange risk, cost reduction by hiring local resources, government aid and etc, International Entry Mode Prior to change into the globalization, the process of growt

The Character Of Henry Perowne In Saturday English Literature Essay

The Character Of Henry Perowne In Saturday English Literature Essay Ian McEwans Saturday is a novel that introduces the present-day world to readers through the perspective of its protagonist, Henry Perowne. Throughout this novel, readers are exposed to an impressive evaluation of what makes up life in this modern century, in which the future appears unpredictable for anyone. By reading every detail about this particular Saturday in the life of Perowne, readers begin to appreciate elements of life that may go unnoticed, the aspects that make each day unique. Perowne ends up interacting with all his family members on his one day off from work. His day is filled with thoughtful reflections and evaluations of the fine points of human behaviour in the modern life. McEwans portrayal of Perowne and his thoughts and actions are what drives this novel from beginning to end. Perowne is a model of a comfortable, contemporary man who lives in a present-day age of uncertainty. All he longs for are possession, belonging, and repition (McEwan 40). However, this un certainty of the future causes even content men such as Perowne to be thrown off into a world of chaotic events and brings out their strengths and weaknesses. The entire novel takes place in London on February 15, 2003. As Perowne, a man in his late forties, gets out of his bed at four oclock in the morning to look out his window, readers begin to sense some foreshadowing of the uncertainty that is waiting ahead of him. He watches a plane on fire fly over London during a post-9/11 time when words like catastrophe and mass fatalities, chemical and biological warfare and major attack have recently become bland through repetition (McEwan 12). But Perowne is not fully shaken by the event he witnesses. He comprehends that this obligation to the news adds to the unease of people in the contemporary world: Its a condition of the times, this compulsion to hear how it stands with the world, and be joined to the generality, to a community of anxiety. The habits grown stronger these past two years; a different scale of news value has been set by monstrous and spectacular scenes. The possibility of their recurrence is one thread that binds the days. The governments counsel that an attack in a European or American city is an inevitability isnt only a disclaimer of responsibility, its a heady promise. Everyone fears it, but theres also a darker longing in the collective mind, a sickening for self-punishment and a blasphemous curiosity. Just as the hospitals have their crisis plans, so the television networks stand ready to deliver, and their audiences wait. Bigger, grosser next time. Please dont let it happen. But let me see it all the same, as its happening and from every angle, and let me be among the first to know. (McEwan 176) However this 21st-century apprehension of a catastrophe about to happen fails to let people see the casual details that affect lives at a deeper and personal level. Perowne is surrounded by people that need his help. His mother is a dementia patient who cannot identify any of her friends or family. His patients at work come to him to rescue them from a sickness or mishap that they couldnt evade or control.He is determined to use science and his skills to better others lives, as well as his own since God chooses to afflict people with these tragedies. He never held a belief in destiny or providence, or in creationism. In its place, he believes that at every instant, a trillion possible futures are possible. To him, the unpredictability of possibility is more real than a God who is in control of the universe and everyones life outcomes. Perowne is introduced in the novel as a man who is happy and satisfied with his life. He lives in an enormous house in London, and leads a prosperous, upper-middle class life. He is content with his work as a respected neurosurgeon, his family of four, and particularly his successful wife: What a stroke of luck, that the woman he loves is also his wife (McEwan 38-9). Readers are then introduced to Perownes unease as a man. He observes the adventures that his married friends have with younger women and begins to think he may be lacking an element of the masculine life force, and a bold and healthy appetite for experience (McEwan 40). Perowne is very self-aware and is a habitual observer of his own moods (McEwan 5). He is a dreamer sometimes and lets a shadowy mental narrativebreak in, urgent and unbidden, even during a consultation (McEwan 20). He mocks at known postmodern suspicions: If the present dispensation is wiped out now, the future will look back on us as gods, certainly in this city, lucky gods blessed by supermarket cornucopias, torrents of accessible information, warm clothes that weigh nothing, extended lifespans, wondrous machines (McEwan 77). Perowne is so aware of the present that he even continues his amusing evaluation of contemporary life in the shower. The more time the reader spends with Perowne, the more one can see a man who is dedicated to doing the correct thing instead of doing the practical thing. McEwan portrays Perowne as a man who in some ways has got it all: happiness and success. However, in the end Perowne sees something in Baxters character that he himself has not got. He realizes through encountering the random yet chaotic events with Baxter that there has to be more to life than merely saving lives (McEwan 28). Baxter is gifted in something that Perowne is not-appreciating the meaning of poetry. It may have been love that changed and touched Baxter, not the scientific activity occurring in his brain. Perownes frame of mind changes throughout the course of the novel, and therefore throughout his Saturday. He goes from being cheerful to cross to optimistic. Schrodingers cat could either be alive or dead in a box, the war could either happen or not happened. Whatever the case may be, the world continues to go on anyway. As this particular Saturday in the life of Perowne unfolds itself, he demonstrates to readers that uncertainty of the future will always exist. It is something that cannot be predicted but can only be responded to.

Pikionis Architect (Spanish) :: Spanish Language Essays

1- BIOGRAFIA 1887 Nace en El Pireo. Hijo de Petros Pikionis y Maria Syriotis. 1908 Se gradà ºa en la Universidad Tecnica Nacional, con el tà ­tulo de Ingieniero Civil. En Munich, estudia dibujo a mano alzada y escultura. Cezanne lo conduce a Paris. 1909/ Vive en Parà ­s 1912 Vuelve a Grecia. Pinta y completa su educacià ³n en Arquitectura. Realiza dibujos de la Arquitectura popular de Aegina. 1921 Construye su primera casa, intentando implementar as ideas que ha formulado en ese tiempo. Casa F.Moraitis, en –tzitzifies, Neo Faliro (posteriormente demolida). 1925 Construye su segunda casa. Casa Karamanos, en la calle Irakleiou 1 (posteriormente demolida). 1929 Pasa tres meses en el estudio sobre el terreno de la Arquitectura popular en Chios, con el proposito de producir un ensayo en francà ©s sobre la Arquitectura urbana de la isla. 1932 Obra: Escuela Primaria de Pefkakia, el Licabetto. 1935 Despuà ©s de este momento, ocurre un cambio en sus conceptos està ©ticos: piensa en las maneras de combinar un espà ­ritu universal con uno nacional. Todos sus proyectos arquitectà ³nicos estarà ¡n basados en este concepto. Obras: Escuela Experimental de Tesalà ³nica. Bloque de Apartamentos en la calle Heyden. 1935/ Publica el perià ³dico â€Å"El tercer ojo†, con Hatzikyriakaos-Ghikas. 1941 Nacimiento de su quinta hija, Agni, la menor. 1943 Es elegido como Profesor Titular de la Universidad Tà ©cnica nacional. 1949 Participa, junto a estudiantes de la Universidad, en un viaje educativo por Egipto. Obras: Casa y Estudio para la escultora F.Efthymiadou (calle Grypari 10, Patisia). 1950/ Participa, junto a estudiantes de la Universidad, en un viaje educativo por Constantinopla, Paris, Italia y Alemania. 1957 Aixioni: dibujos para un modelo de asentamiento griego de casas. Obras: Hotel Xenia Delfos. Residencia C. Potamianos, Filothei. Tratamiento del paisaje de à ¡rea arqueologica alrededor de la Acrà ³polis y de las colinas de Philopappus. Pabellà ³n del Turista, en San Demetrius Loumbardiaris. 1958 Se retira, despà ©s de haber eseà ±ado durante treinta y cinco aà ±os en la Universidad Tà ©cnica Nacional. 1961 Es elegido, por unanimidad, miembro de la Academia de Bella Artes de Munich. Obras: Casa A. Garis, Psychiko. Supervisià ³n de planos y de la Construccià ³n del Jardin de Juegos para nià ±os, Filothei. 1966 Pasa ocho meses en Estados Unidos, debido al estado de salud de su esposa. Reside en Boston y visita Nueva York. 1968 Muere en Atenas, 28 de Agosto. 2- TEORIA Y PENSAMIENTO La arquitectura de Pikionis esta determinada por el lugar y la historia. Pikionis entiende la arquitectura como la modificacià ³n de la naturaleza que el hombre produce al asentarse en esta, no pretende naturalizar las formas de la arquitectura sino una vinculacià ³n entre la arquitectura, pasado y paisaje. - PASADO E HISTORIA: frente a la ideologà ­a del movimiento moderno dominante de su à ©poca, Pikionis fue un arquitecto innovador que fue capaz de relacionar historia y tradicià ³n y ponerlas en valor en su à ©poca.

Workplace for Disabled Employees Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research

Workplace for Disabled Employees      Ã‚  Ã‚   A person with a disability, or handicap, can be defined as someone with a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial or long-term adverse affect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities (Employment 2). Handicap workers face many challenges in the work place that the average person overlooks. Also, many special arrangements and alterations have been made to the workplace for people with handicaps. Accessibility, transportation, workload, and salary are just some of the many issues that must be considered with the prospect of employing the handicap.    In some ways, most every individual is disabled to some degree. People who wear corrective lenses are visually disabled. People without a college degree are often considered educationally disabled. Any physical or mental trait that prevents a person from performing to the same level as an unimpaired person could be considered a handicap. However, wearing glasses and not having a college degree are not usually considered to be traits that get in the way of every day life. Most disabilities that affect a person by societal standards are mild to extreme physical limitations and/or mental retardation.    Often the focus of comedic routines, people with speech impairment face ridicule and embarrassment with he simple act of trying to communicate with others. Stuttering, foreign accents, and difficulty with vowel pronunciation all affect the meaning behind the spoken language. For example, a statement made quickly with a harsh tone could be perceived as anger. The same statement made with a slower and softer voice could be considered as sadness. Considered these inflections w... ...fectively allow these individuals to become part of the nation's labor force (Vocational 1).    Works Cited    "Employment Opportunities for People With Disabilities". http://www.opportunities.org.uk/aboutthecharity/. com. December 4, 2001. Garcia, Linda J.; Barrette Jacques; Laroche, Chantal. "Perceptions of the Obstacles to Work Reintegration for Persons with Aphasia". Aphasiology Mar2000, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p269, 22p. http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/vii.htmlz. December 10, 2001 Inge, Katherine J.; Strobel, Wendy; Wehman, Paul; Todd, Jennifer; and Pam Targett. "Vocational Outcomes for Persons With Severe Physical Disabilities: Design and Implementation of Workplace Supports". NeuroRehabilitation, 2000, Vol. 15 Issue 3, p175, 13p Stark, Pete. "Stark Introduces Disabled Workers Opportunity Act". FDCH Press Releases, 02/06/2001.       Workplace for Disabled Employees Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Workplace for Disabled Employees      Ã‚  Ã‚   A person with a disability, or handicap, can be defined as someone with a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial or long-term adverse affect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities (Employment 2). Handicap workers face many challenges in the work place that the average person overlooks. Also, many special arrangements and alterations have been made to the workplace for people with handicaps. Accessibility, transportation, workload, and salary are just some of the many issues that must be considered with the prospect of employing the handicap.    In some ways, most every individual is disabled to some degree. People who wear corrective lenses are visually disabled. People without a college degree are often considered educationally disabled. Any physical or mental trait that prevents a person from performing to the same level as an unimpaired person could be considered a handicap. However, wearing glasses and not having a college degree are not usually considered to be traits that get in the way of every day life. Most disabilities that affect a person by societal standards are mild to extreme physical limitations and/or mental retardation.    Often the focus of comedic routines, people with speech impairment face ridicule and embarrassment with he simple act of trying to communicate with others. Stuttering, foreign accents, and difficulty with vowel pronunciation all affect the meaning behind the spoken language. For example, a statement made quickly with a harsh tone could be perceived as anger. The same statement made with a slower and softer voice could be considered as sadness. Considered these inflections w... ...fectively allow these individuals to become part of the nation's labor force (Vocational 1).    Works Cited    "Employment Opportunities for People With Disabilities". http://www.opportunities.org.uk/aboutthecharity/. com. December 4, 2001. Garcia, Linda J.; Barrette Jacques; Laroche, Chantal. "Perceptions of the Obstacles to Work Reintegration for Persons with Aphasia". Aphasiology Mar2000, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p269, 22p. http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/vii.htmlz. December 10, 2001 Inge, Katherine J.; Strobel, Wendy; Wehman, Paul; Todd, Jennifer; and Pam Targett. "Vocational Outcomes for Persons With Severe Physical Disabilities: Design and Implementation of Workplace Supports". NeuroRehabilitation, 2000, Vol. 15 Issue 3, p175, 13p Stark, Pete. "Stark Introduces Disabled Workers Opportunity Act". FDCH Press Releases, 02/06/2001.