Review of Code of the Street Decency, Violence, and the...

For this assignment I decided to read the book Code of the Street: decency, violence, and the moral life of the inner city by Elijah Anderson. This book is about how inner city people live and try and survive by living with the code of the streets. The code of the streets is basically morals and values that these people have. Most of the time it is the way they need to act to survive. Continuing on within this book review I am going to discuss the main points and arguments that Anderson portrays within the book. The main points that the book has, goes along with the chapters. These points consist of Street and decent families, respect, drugs violence, street crime, decent daddy, the mating game, black inner city grandmother. Now within†¦show more content†¦Objects consist of clothes, money, jewelry and almost anything that they can steal from other people. Although having juice is meant to get you respect it can also make the person a target this is shown in the book here, à ¢â‚¬Å"there are no guarantees against challenges, because there are always people around looking to fight to increase their share of respect.† Anderson (1999). Also if you are highly respected and feared someone might think that if they can steal from you or beat you down then they will gain more juice. The next argument that I was seeing in this chapter was about the people needing juice. After reading that people can be subjected to more violence I don’t believe they should really be looking to get juice especially if all they want is respect I’m sure that they can find respect in another form. Continuing on the next chapter is drugs, violence, and street crime. Now this chapter actually gets into the discussion of how the people become involved with drugs and mainly the selling of them. The main theme is youths and their involvement, most of these youths get involved with the drugs because they are a part of a neighborhood peer group. Most of these peer groups potentially started out as groups of friends, or youth groups and then turned into gangs of some sort. Also it discusses that youths from decent families are very resistant, but the ones who are supposed to be bread winners but have very littleShow MoreRelatedAlbert Bandura s Social Learning Theory1737 Words   |  7 Pagesdoes not give the specific conditions that criminality is cultivated among people but explains that most people seek legal ways because of reinforcements such as money and status. However, the theory fails to explain why some people choose a life of violence and crime despite the punishment associ ated such as incarceration and mob justice. Ronald Akers’ idea of social learning theory stemmed from the theory of differential association by Sutherland (Matseuda, 1982). He integrated the foundationsRead MoreWhat Are the Major Issues That Cause Inner City Youth to Join Gangs and Become Delinquent? Discuss Whether the New Labour Government’s Policies Have Been Effective in Solving These Issues?8138 Words   |  33 PagesSOCIAL POLICY PROJECT MODULE: SS3P02N Question: What are the major issues that cause inner city youth to join gangs and become delinquent? Discuss whether the New Labour Government’s policies have been effective in solving these issues? 2010 Project by: Alice Mutumba Student No: 05038460 CONTENTS PAGE 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Summary The perception that gang culture in relation to youth crime is growing in the UK is intensified by the media, it is very rare to read a daily paper these days withoutRead More Bigger Thomas, of Native Son and Tupac Shakur Essay6110 Words   |  25 Pages -- Richard Wright In 1996, famed rapper and entertainer Tupac Shakur[1] was gunned down in Las Vegas. Journalistic sentiment at the time suggested he deserved the brutal death. The New York Times headline, Rap Performer Who Personified Violence, Dies, suggested Shakur, who was twenty five when he died, deserved his untimely death. - (Pareles, 1996) A product of a fatherless home, raised poor in the ghettos of San Francisco, Shakur, notes Ernest Harding of the L.A. Weekly, lived in a societyRead MoreGeorge Orwell23689 Words   |  95 PagesThey do not feel any enmity against me as an individual, nor I against them. They are ‘only doing their duty’, as the saying goes. Most of them, I have no doubt, are kind-hearted lawabiding men who would never dream of committing murder in private life. On the other hand, if one of them succeeds in blowing me to pieces with a well-placed bomb, he will never sleep any the worse for it. He is serving his country, which has the power to absolve him from ev il. One cannot see the modern world as it isRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagesappropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, website www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, (201)748-6011, fax (201)748-6008, website http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. To order books or for customer service please, call 1-800-CALL WILEY (225-5945). DeCenzo, David A, Robbins, Stephen P. Fundamentals of Human ResourceRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pages—San Diego State University Timothy A. Judge —University of Notre Dame i3iEi35Bj! Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo Editorial Director: Sally Yagan Director of Editorial Services: Ashley Santora Acquisitions Editor: Brian Mickelson Editorial Project Manager: Sarah Holle Editorial Assistant: Ashlee Bradbury

Air France essay Free Essays

Describe how you would assess how a row (keyword-engine pair) is performing and how to manage it To figure out how a row (keyword-engine pair) is performing, we need to do cost-benefit analysis first. In other words, since company’s goal is to sell tickets and create value, it would be useful to assess by measuring dollar amount earned from a dollar of cost (= Amount/Total cost). However, the row is already in ascending order of dollar amount relative to total cost. We will write a custom essay sample on Air France essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Also, there are only 368 data out of more than 4,000 data overall. Therefore, looking at the sales figure only is not the best way to assess keyword-engine pair performance. I took out all the numbers that have no conversion rate. That means, it did not generate any sales and these will not be helpful in assessing the performance. Then, among those numbers with conversion rates, I only looked at the numbers of which the amount is bigger than the cost. Otherwise, company is losing money whenever it pays advertising. Then, I multiplied average position with click through rate and conversion rate so that to calculate how people relatively choose to pick up Air France and buy tickets via website. This will tell how its keyword performs with search engine to generate sales over cost. However, to manage well, we also have to consider Ad rank. QS is determined by click thru rate and bid strategy is actually average CPC. If we multiply together, we can get Ad rank. To perform well, we need have higher click thru rate rather than higher CPC. Therefore, we also need to look at relative CPC assuming same position. That’s why I looked at other numbers without conversions rate too. Apply your performance metrics to each of the keyword-engine pairs (i. e to each of the rows) and identify the â€Å"top 10† keyword-engine pairs to pursue   Below are the top 10 results based on performance metrics that I mentioned above. However, we can see that most keywords already contain france . I believe people who typed france will look at Air France site automatically, so the company should not focus highly on the word. I confirmed this logic by looking at numbers without conversion rate. See below. And also, the first one should be an outlier, since only one click generated 900% of sales. So, I calculated again filtering these two words out. Below is the result. As we can see from above, both â€Å"cheap†and â€Å"paris† are a good match with â€Å"Google†. How to cite Air France essay, Essays

The Bronze Horseman free essay sample

An analysis of this famous poem by Alexander Pushkin. This paper studies the work of poet Alexander Pushkin. The author examines the poem The Bronze Horseman, its themes of reform and terror, the symbolism of the poem, the characters of the poem, style and figures of speech used by the poet. The author looks at how this poem relates to the poets life and other works. From the very beginning of his poem, Pushkin apparently wishes to demonstrate to the reader that his poem is about a real event and a real subject, why this is so important remains unclear. Pushkin cites his sources, much as a college student today is required to list his or her own consulted sources on a Works Cited page. The poem The Bronze Horseman is about a real event, a flood that occurred in St. Petersburg. It is also about a real statue located in St. We will write a custom essay sample on The Bronze Horseman or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Petersburg but Pushkin does not make any claims about the real nature of the statue, only about the reality of the flood.

James Joyces View on Sin free essay sample

A study of the battle with sin in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. This paper examines the main character Stephen Dedalus, in James Joyces `A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man`, struggle with sin and society. The paper describes the main characters childhood and religious upbringing, and later his emergence into independent adulthood. The author writes that after a battle with sin followed by a religious rebirth that he can find a level of peace within himself. Stephen Dedalus, in the book A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce is forced throughout his life to deal with the issue of sin. Early in his childhood he is taught the basics of right and wrong by his parents. This matter becomes complicated and fearsome under the influence of the Catholic Church, and Stephen, despite his desire to be pious, begins to question it. We will write a custom essay sample on James Joyces View on Sin or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

How To Attack SAT Essay Prompts and Raise Your Score

How To Attack SAT Essay Prompts and Raise Your Score SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT essay is very different from any essay you’ll be asked to write in school. One key part of mastering the SAT Writing section is understanding how SAT essay prompts are structured. Join me as I (figuratively) dissect an SAT Writing essay prompt!

Reporting Verbs for English Language Learners

Reporting Verbs for English Language Learners Reporting verbs are verbs that serve to report what someone else has said. Reporting verbs are different than the reported speech in that they are used to paraphrase what someone has said. Reported speech is used when reporting exactly what someone has said. To do this, use  say and tell. John told me he was going to stay late at work.Jennifer told Peter she had lived in Berlin for ten years. Peter said he wanted to visit his parents that weekend.My friend said he would finish his work soon. Other verbs used with reported speech include mention and comment. Here are some examples: Tom mentioned he enjoyed playing tennis.Alice mentioned she could take care of the kids this weekend. The teacher commented the students werent getting their homework done on time.The man commented he felt tired after such a long journey. When using reported speech, change the verb used by the original speaker to match your usage. In other words, if you report using said, you need to move everything back one step into the past. There are also pronoun changes and time cue changes that need to be made as appropriate in reported speech.   I like playing tennis. - Tom mentioned he liked playing tennis.  I have lived in Berlin for ten years. - Jennifer told Peter she had lived in Berlin for ten years.   Say and tell are the most common reporting verbs used to report what others have said. However, there are a number of other reporting verbs which can more accurately describe what someone has said. These verbs take a variety of structures that differ from reported speech. For example: Original Statement I will come to your party. I promise. Reported Speech He said he would come to my party. Reporting Verb He promised to come to my party. In this example, reported speech changes the original verb to would as well as changing the possessive pronoun your to my. In contrast, the reporting verb promise is simply followed by the infinitive. There are a number of formulas used with reporting verbs. Use the chart below to identify the structure required.   The following list gives you reporting verbs in various categories based on sentence structure. Note that a number of verbs can take more than one form. verb object infinitive verb infinitive verb (that) verb gerund verb object preposition gerund verb preposition gerund adviseencourageinviteremindwarn agreedecideofferpromiserefusethreaten admitagreedecidedenyexplaininsistpromiserecommendsuggest denyrecommendsuggest accuseblamecongratulate apologizeinsist Examples:Jack encouraged me to look for a new job.They invited all their friends to attend the presentation.Bob warned his friend not to open the can of worms.I advised the students to study carefully for the test. Examples:She offered to give him a lift to work.My brother refused to take no for an answer.Mary decided to attend university.He threatened to sue the company. Examples:Tom admitted (that) he had tried to leave early.She agreed (that) we needed to reconsider our plans.The teacher insisted that he didnt give enough homework.Our manager suggested we take some time off work. Examples:He denied having anything to do with her.Ken suggested studying early in the morning.Alice recommends playing golf in Bend, Oregon. Examples:They accused the boys of cheating on the exam.She blamed her husband for missing the train.The mother congratulated her daughter on graduating from college. Examples:He apologized for being late.She insisted on doing the washing up.Peter apologized for interrupting the meeting. For more information on reported speech, this overview of  reported speech  provides a guide on which transformations are required to use the form. Practice using this form with the  reported speech worksheet   that provides a quick review and exercise. Theres also a  reported speech quiz  which provides immediate feedback on correct or incorrect answers. Teachers can use this guide on  how to teach reported speech  for help introducing the reported speech, as well as a  reported speech lesson plan  and other resources.

Analysis and design of concrete pavements Research Paper

Analysis and design of concrete pavements - Research Paper Example Concrete pavements are durable surfaces that are laid down on roads and walkways primarily to sustain vehicular or foot traffic. Throughout the history, Concrete has always been as one of the most durable, cheap and reliable materials for conventional pavements found in the highways, streets, airports as well as residential and business parking areas. This is particularly attributed to the various properties of Concrete such as workability, strength and durability. For example, apart from offering the best riding surface, concrete is also widely believed to be economical, durable and sustainable solution for most surfaces (Shackel, 2008) Generally, there are currently two main methods of making concrete pavements namely the slip form and the fixed form paving. In the slipform paving method, machine usually rides on the treads over a particular area to be paved before fresh concrete is deposited on the paved surface. Next, a paving machine is then used to spread, screed and consolidate the concrete into a continuous operation. On the other hand, fixed-form paving involves setting and aligning stationary metal forms on solid foundation and then rigidly staking them. Concrete is then spread using a mechanical spreader before it is consolidated, finished and cured. After putting the finish to the concrete pavements, joints are should be created in order to help control cracking as well as to provide a system of relief for the potential concrete expansion due to moisture or temperature changes. In most cases, joints are usually created by sawing. Lastly, the surface is then textured before the concrete is completely dry in order to provide some form of skid resistance. Thickness of concrete pavements should be designed such that the stress and strains developed is less than allow able measurements gotten from prior performance information. The design of the pavement must keep moisture out of the sub base, capping, and subgrade

Process Performance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Process Performance - Research Paper Example The store being in operation for the last six decades have a tremendous experience in the pizza market. The business has an advantage since they have unique food enjoyed by the customers. With the current trends and technological change, there is need to adopt the advanced ways of increasing efficiency in processing since the people are used to faster services in other disciplines. Therefore, the pizza store has to follow suit and offer real time services in order for it to retain its customers. The Pizza Store Layout Simulation which has been introduced has helped the business manage the service delivery to customers. This is though management of queues so that customers do not wait for long before they are served. An important point to consider from the present system is that and in general is that customers must be satisfied. The system ties to balance the demand for a certain service and the ability of the system to offer the service. The concepts from the learning curve are very important since it determines and shows the achievement of the process to meet its requirements. As from the design of the process, it has a control line mean drawn within a lower tolerance limit and upper tolerance limit in the learning curve. This shows the range at which the management wants the production and service delivery to range in order to have a customer satisfactory service and profitable business. This is the main aim of any business as pointed out by Chase et el (2006) that such learning curves are used in corporate strategy planning that involves decisions on pricing, capital investments and cost of operation (Chase, Jacobs, & Aquilano, 2006). In summary the system helps in determining the changes that need to be made and the magnitude of these changes since it will show how a change in one metric alters the others. A new design will basically base itself on the current system. It will be an improvement of the current design by

Issues - politics Essay Example for Free

Issues politics Essay Boeing is one of the worlds best known manufactures of aircrafts and so is Northrop Grumman who are the manufacturers of the airbus (Online News Hour, 2008). These are two top brands who are obviously competing in other areas of business and therefore any decision that involve them is bound to raise considerable heat. It should b noted that both are American companies though Northrop Grumman is partly owned by a French company. The nature of the contract which involves the security of America as a nation is a matter of national concern as it involves the development of structures that could ensure the growth of security systems. Boeing and Grumman being business structures, such a big contract will obviously attract the interest of stakeholders from both sides. There are a number of key issues that have been brought out by the airforce contracts which include: Military contracts are a matter of public concern since it is in place to protect the public, the resources used in the military contracts are derived from taxpayers and therefore the failure of such projects will be a waste of taxpayers money (Meyer, 2007). When McCain questioned the cost effectiveness in leasing planes that would otherwise have no values when their lease period was over his motive as the senator of Alabama was to ensure that the taxpayers money is channeled to useful projects. Furthermore, it is quite clear that the politicians have the ability to shoot down potentially useful deals due to what Northrop Grumman executives refer to as expensive lobbying. Politics is not always objective for there are situations where the stakes involved are shielded from the public and though the politics and viewpoints will be developed to suit the public, the real reasons are often personal (Meyer, 2007). The inclusion of politics in such cases therefore has both advantages and disadvantages and should be weighed carefully. Military procurement just like any other public procurement scheme is prone to corruption, this was the case in the original contract that was brought to an end by Rumsfeld in 2006. Moreover, the big money involved in military procurement processes act as a natural catalysts for corruption, therefore there is need to come up with a robust self regulated systems that will ensure that such unethical practices are not in anyway included in the procurement process, the congress thus comes into the picture (Meyer, 2007). However, the political system is not known for its objectivity. In the cases, some of the reasons brought out against Northrop Grumman are flimsy and lack in objectivity. The fact that there will be lobbying is a clear sign that there will be loss in objectivity thus the decision will tend to favor groups that are be able to garner enough political support in the congress. Furthermore, the political system is one of the most corrupt system there is and the rationale in placing such a system to guard against corruption is questionable. i.Security Military procurement is a security critical matter (Meyer, 2007). The military is in place to ensure that the US is protected against its external enemies (Meyer, 2007). The seriousness with which the equipment tendering process is treated and the keen eye that the media watches the unfolding of such events relay the importance placed on the military by the American people. The US is traditionally a fighting nation and the effectiveness of its military and equipments is one of the factors that has cemented its place as a world power. Military activities require high levels of secrecy (Meyer, 2007). There is need to come up with effective equipments that can be used in varied situations. It should be noted that the arguments brought forward by the executives from both sides are centered around the superiority of their products or the weaknesses of their opposite. The need for accuracy and well developed products that have the required reputation are some of the considerations that led to the two big companies making it to the final stage. The two companies are multinationals that have developed their brands all over the globe. It is noteworthy that when the US defense secretary cancels Boeings leases other nations still seek their products and are continues seeking the products that have been labeled cost ineffective due to the reputation associated with their brand name. The importance of the security system is seen in the number of avenues and legislative systems that have been put in place to ensure that the process is done in a just manner (Krishnan, 2008). When the airforce declares that Northrop Grumman had won the bid for the airforce tankers, Boeing seeks redress through a different avenue: Public accountability office. The office looks at their complaints and decides to freeze the process. It should be noted that it was the same office that had early in the decades frozen a billion dollar Boeing contract due to corruption charges. Even though there are systems put in place to ensure proper procedures in procurement of services and services, they can be outdone easily (Krishnan, 2008). The corruption allegations made in the initial Boeing contracts are a clear case where the protocols were overridden and it only came to realization a couple of months after the contracts had been signed. Furthermore, the fact that is was later found out that a different design could meet the specifications made by the airforce with reduced costs clearly show that even though the guidelines are put in place they are rarely followed thus the need for a system or authority that will follow up on the recommendations and processes to ensure that they conform to the laid out guidelines. Some politicians have argued that the French affiliation of the airbus manufacturer is in itself a security risk and therefore a purely American company should be contracted. However, such a contracting systems will obviously lock out other capable companies and therefore bring about questions on the integrity of the bidding process. America has prided itself as being a liberalized nation, putting up measures that will lock out other qualified members on the basis of the compositions of its investors is contrary to the spirit of liberalization. Furthermore, being involved with a company that has partnered with a success story in Europe shields the tanker project from American economic downtimes though it effectively ensures that the project is affected by the happening in Europe. It is unrealistic to lobby for Boeing on the basis of confidentiality; a company that has already shown traces of corruption cannot be trusted and neither can a company that is yet to prove its worth in the military sector. Therefore, system should be put in place to ensure that the projects are monitored and compared to some given standards if either is to be awarded the contract. ii. Stability The US is the father of capitalism and is therefore a country that is characterized by intense competition between industry players who will always be on the look for additional finances that will ensure their development into the future (Verkuil, 2007). On the day it was reported that Northrop Grumman had won the military contracts its share prices rose by over 20 cents and Boeings shares fell by a couple of cents (CBS News, 2008). Note, the development in the contract procurement were being watched by investors who will then make their decisions on which company to invest in. Even though the large money involved in the transactions may be enough to lure investors into channeling their resources to a particular company, the reputation involved in being a company contracted with one of the worlds best airforce to develop its aircraft tankers is enough to cause significant changes in the companys share index. Being a capitalistic economy where entities gain at the expense of others, Boeing is bound to feel the pinch. The situation is made worse by the consideration that Boeing has a well developed reputation and therefore failure to win a contract from a partner that it has associated with for a long time may be taken by the investors and its consumers in the wrong light. It may imply that the partner does not trust its capacity to develop superiors products or has doubts on its potential to remain productive. To bring the idea of reputation into perspective, many are of the notion that the corruptions charges brought against Boeing may have affected its chances of successfully bidding for the contract (Verkuil, 2007). This holds considerable weight in that the military is not all about facilities but also reputation. The American people and its enemies will always keep a keen eye on the military and any transactions conducted with a partner who is proved to be corrupt will dent on its integrity thus its reputation. Conclusion Awarding a contract to a company to deliver services that are of public interest is a complex process and will always involve the media and many other systems that have been put in place to ensure the safety of the public. Individual good and interest will always be central in the arguments brought forward by most people, this is more pronounced if the contract will significantly affect many people. It is therefore upon the government and the social systems to ensure that the systems put in place to ensure effectiveness of the bidding process are functioning properly and are robust enough to deal with the dynamism associated with such processes. If need be, changes must be instituted to ensure that the system are functioning. The products delivered must measure up to some predetermined standards to ensure quality and accountability. These measures and other quality management measures if well integrated into the bidding and implementation of contracts that are of public interest will ensure that the public benefits in the best possible way. Word Count: 3271 ,Reference List CBS News (2008). Boeing Spurned On Huge Air Force Contract. Retrieved 13 October 2008 from http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2008/02/29/business/main3894669. shtml? source=RSSattr=Business_3894669 Krishnan, A. (2008). War as Business: Technological Change and Military Service Contracting. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Meyer, J. (2007). Working in a War Zone: Military Contractors. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. Online News Hour (2008). Boeing, Northrop Grumman Clash Over Tanker Contract. Retrieved 13 October 2008 from http://www. pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/jan-june08/tanker_05-06. html. United States Government Accountability Office (2008). Statement Regarding the Bid Protest Decision Resolving the Aerial Refueling Tanker Protest by The Boeing Company. Retrieved 13 October 2008 from http://www. governmentexecutive. com/pdfs/061808cd1. pdf Verkuil, R. (2007). Outsourcing Sovereignty: Why Privatization of Government Functions Threatens Democracy and what We Can Do about it. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Korean Comfort Women Essays -- History Korea Japan War Essays

Comfort women, or ianfu as they are called in Korean, are females who were forced sex slaves for the Japanese Imperial Army (Chunghee). Some of the women were dragged off with physical force as their families wept, while others were actually sold to the army by their destitute families (Watanabe). Still other were officially drafted by the Japanese Imperial Army and believed they would be factory workers or nurses (Hwang in Schellstede 4). Some Korean village leaders were ordered to send young women to participate in "important business for the Imperial Army" (Watanabe). Many Japanese soldiers referred to comfort women as teishintai, which means â€Å"volunteer corps,† so those women who thought they would be working in a factory would not understand what the army really intended to do with them (Kim in Schallstede 25). Jungshindae was the women’s labor corps in which the women would work at a military factory and receive wages. Many women believed this was what th ey would be doing when they were recruited by the army (anonymous in Schellstede 103). The horrific practice of using comfort women for the army carried over from World War II to the Korean War. Many feel that the practice of comfort women lies in discrimination on the part of the Japanese in terms of gender, ethnicity, and race. â€Å"Created through legalized prostitution based on patriarchy, colonialism, and imperialism, the system of comfort women clearly demonstrates that capitalism, sexism, and racism are linked and perpetuated both in the colonial and postcolonial eras† (Watanabe). Estimates as to how many comfort women there were range anywhere from 80,000 to 200,000, and it is believed that approximately 80% of them were Korean. Others came from the Philippi... ...on and a decent apology. As for whether they will receive what they seek, only time and the Japanese government will tell. Works Cited â€Å"Album: Comfort Women History.† 2003. Brown University Korean American Students Association. 1 Dec. 2002. Horn, Dottie. â€Å"Comfort Women.† 1997. Endeavors. Jan. 1997. Schellstede, Sangmie Choi, ed. Comfort Women Speak: Testimony of Sex Slaves of the Japanese Military. New York: Holmes & Meier, 2000. Soh, Chunghee Sarah. â€Å"The Comfort Women Project.† 1997. San Francisco State University. 3 Mar. 2002. Watanabe, Kazuko. "Militarism, Colonialism, and the Trafficking of Women: ‘Comfort Women’ Forced into Sexual Labor for Japanese Soldiers". 1994. Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars. Oct. 1994. Kim, Huun Jin. â€Å"Comfort Women.† 2003. Voices. Hicks, George. The Comfort Women. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1994

Kyocera Case Study

B CASE ANALYSIS Kyocera Corporation Preface According to the footnotes on the initial page of this case study, it was written by Nancy Rothbard of the Harvard Business School for the purpose of discussion rather than for analyzing the handling of an administrative problem. The format is generalized and it gives a broad spectrum of information from which a student can extract pieces relevant to his or her area of study for a specific class. Since this case analysis is for a class in Strategic Cost Management, the main area of interest for this paper will be in the area of â€Å"cost management†.However, given the broad spectrum of information, the analysis is not limited only to cost management facts and issues, but also includes information that that is relative to other management topics. Rather than looking for a group of existing administrative problems, the focus is strategic in nature and addresses issues that could be problems in the future based on the status of the com pany at the time the case was written. The analysis includes information for the time period covered in the case study with a few references to Kyocera in the period of time after this case was written and up to the present.Introduction Kyocera Corporation was founded in Japan in 1959 as the Kyoto Ceramic Company. , Ltd. by Dr. Kazuo Inamori and seven colleagues. With Dr. Inamori providing strategic direction, the company grew from a small niche market player to an international conglomerate in a relatively short period of time. Within 30 years Kyocera was a world-class leader in their core product (electronics packaging) market. In addition, through mergers and creation of new business units Kyocera was able to successfully diversify into other areas of technical expertise.Seven product groups accounted for ninety-nine percent of Kyocera Corporation’s sales of approximately $2. 7 billion in 1990. (The additional 1% of sales was simply labeled â€Å"other† in the case study documentation. ) The products are divided among 80 companies in different geographical locations. The firm differentiated itself from competitors by providing world-class customer service. After establishing itself in a core product line and market, the firm was in a position to take the risk of entering additional markets, with additional products added to the mix. You can read also Thin Film Solar CellKyocera had a unique management system based on work cells called â€Å"amoebas† and a somewhat unique corporate philosophy and culture based on Dr. Inamori’s personal beliefs. The leaders of the company were very dedicated to the corporate philosophy and placed high value on making sure all newcomers were indoctrinated and accepted the corporate culture as well. The management philosophy, international business parameters, diversified product lines, corporate culture, and continued growth all have their challenges for the company. Some of these challenges are in the area of costing.Close examination reveals that there are both strengths and weaknesses in the way these business characteristics are handled by Kyocera. Corporate Profile/Background Key Personnel: †¢ Dr. Kazuo Inamori – Founder and architect of the firm’s business strategy. Dr. Inamori was a powerful force in the development and growth of the corporat ion. Without his leadership the company would likely not have grown as fast or been as diversified as it became by its thirtieth (30th) year in existence. †¢ Seven unnamed colleagues of Dr. Inamori who founded the company with him. They provided upfront capital, labor, and personal sacrifice to get the company started and on solid ground. Although these men had vision, they were no match for Dr. Inamori’s foresight, enthusiasm, and philosophical predisposition for success. †¢ Kinju Anjo (Vice Chairman) and Kensuke Itoh (Kyocera President) who stood in for Dr. Inamori when he could not be present at meetings. Kyocera’s Product Groups: Kyocera’s management referred to themselves as a high-tech solutions provider. This was because of the company’s focus on meeting the customer’s needs for specialized components.The list of products below is a testament to that high-tech solutions label. †¢ Electronic Components – The electronic c omponents product group provided discreet electronic components to industries that manufacture consumer electronics and to manufacturers who provided specialized products with stringent specifications to governments and industry. Chip capacitors, chip resistors, Hybrid IC’s, and quartz oscillators. In addition, thermal print-heads were included within the electronics components group. Most of these items are low-price, high-volume products. Semiconductor Parts – The semiconductor parts product group provided the substrates and components typically used in the more expensive integrated circuit packaging. These are used in expensive machinery that is used in industrial, military or other heavy duty applications where stringent specifications are desired. †¢ Electronic Equipment – The Electronic Equipment group manufactured and distributed communications and I/T (information technology) equipment in the form of computer peripherals, video conferencing systems, and memory for sale to manufacturers of computers and consumer electronics. Optical Instruments – The Optical Instruments product group made single-lens reflex cameras, 8 mm video camcorders, and compact cameras. †¢ Consumer Related Products – The Consumer Related Products group manufactured and sold jewelry, cutting tools, solar cells, dental and orthopedic implants, and ceramic knives. †¢ Industrial Ceramics – The Industrial Ceramics products group made pump and valve parts, semiconductor fabrications, Fiber-optic and optical communications equipment, and automotive parts. Ceramics Materials for Electronics – The Ceramic Materials for Electronics product group manufactured very specialized components for electronic systems. Glass for color TV’s, precision resistors, and thermal print-heads. Also ceramic substrates for specialized IC components were a product in this group. Management System: The management system at the Kyocera Corpora tion is very unique. It’s uniqueness is a result of the management ignoring standard management structure in other companies and developing a system to address problems that have been witnessed at other companies. i. e. runaway corporate bureaucracy. ) There were some inherent problems in the Kyocera management systems that manifested themselves as the company grew. (These are listed in the analysis section of this report. ) However, it is not likely that these problems would have merited scrapping the whole corporate structure, but implementation of minor changes could help improve profitability. The components of the management system are as follows: †¢ Amoebas – These components are profit centers with and average of 30 members.One official leader/motivator and very little or no other formal structure. The amoebas rated performance on a basis of hourly efficiency per month. This was calculate by dividing net profit before labor and taxes by the total labor hour s. †¢ Hans – These are smaller working groups that are under the Amoebas and do not have responsibilities as a profit center. †¢ Upper Management Reporting Structure – The upper management in each company or division would attend a series of meetings designed to update from the top down and provide status information from the bottom up. Company or Division Level Reporting Structure – The very top managers from each company or division would go to Kyoto or later Tokyo to update the headquarters level management personnel on the status of projects in their respective organizations. Corporate Philosophy/Culture †¢ Dr. Inamori’s Beliefs – The beliefs that are important in this analysis are the ones that were imported into the corporate philosophy and had the potential to affect the profitability or effectiveness of the company. For example, Dr.Inamori’s belief that a person should never give up when pursuing answers to technical p roblems is certainly admirable. However, when a project becomes unprofitable, it is sometimes wise to make a decision to cut the losses. Wisdom is the key to knowing when to give up. Dr. Inamori’s belief in Respect for the Divine and Love People serves as a motivational backdrop to the culture at Kyocera and has helped to make the company a success. (There is much more to cover on Inamori’s influence and it will be covered in the sections to follow. †¢ Centralized Management – Kyocera’s management system was very centralized in 1990 and the company was outgrowing the usefulness of such a system. With 80 companies and countless divisions, the old way of management meetings for reporting purposes was becoming unproductive and unmanageable. †¢ Problem Resolution – Problem resolution for transfer pricing and other issues was handled through the management system. No â€Å"final decisions† were forced on any organization, but the organi zations were expected to negotiated and solve problems among themselves.The problem was escalated up the chain of command until it reached Inamori himself. The information presented above and additional information in the the case study itself provide enough background for a person to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the corporation. Using this information one can do an analysis and make recommendations for improvement. Important Characteristics of the Kyocera Corporation The characteristics of the Kyocera Corporation listed below are important to the analysis of possible issues facing the company now and in the future. Continuous Growth – As Kyocera continues to grow issues will surface that are a result of the size and complexity of the corporation. The entire organization will no longer be able to report progress in management meeting the same way it has been done for the last 60 or so years. The reporting matrix will need to be re-vamped to allow more responsibilit y at the division or company management level with ultimate accountability for quarterly profits at that level as well. Also, costing and transfer pricing issues need to be handled as a team between organizations.Too much autonomy can be as detrimental to the organization as too little. A balance of power and decision making needs to be tempered with a team approach to making each company or division as profitable as possible. †¢ Diversification – One characteristic that is a result of Dr. Inamori’s risk taking philosophy is the diversification in the product line. The products are high-tech enough to be a good fit in the company, but different enough that the different divisions and companies that make up Kyocera don’t end up competing against one another in a way that is detrimental to the company as a whole. Kyocera is an International Corporation – Cost is a good reason why this is an important characteristic of the company. Being international a llows Kyocera to take advantage of labor savings associated with manufacturing in some countries, while selling products in countries that will bring in the most profit. Being international also gives Kyocera access to markets in differing countries without as many distribution headaches as other manufacturers. †¢ Minimization of Corporate Bureaucracy – Kyocera focuses on minimizing bureaucracy.This eliminates costs associated with red and gives the Amoebas the flexibility to manufacture at the lowest cost. †¢ Measurement System – The measurement system is good in some respects and bad in others. Production targets are set internally by the same group that is attempting to make its goal a reality. This is a concern due to the lack of standardization and potential for poor targeting. †¢ Never Give Up Mentality – Dr. Inamori’s â€Å"never give up† philosophy is both a strength and a weakness.It is good for sharpening the focus of work groups, but at the same time could encourage unwise decision-making. Strategic Cost Concerns – Early in it’s existence, Kyocera was focused on keeping sales, general, and administrative expenses below industry standards. However, the management reporting practice and philosophy, as well as lack of standardization of costing methods within divisions or companies may work against the company in the area of cost. – Retraining costs with the frequent break-up of Amoebas is a concern. Purchasing parts at market prices on the open market that are also made by Kyocera-owned companies is a problem. – The cost of monthly reporting meetings is minor, but may be a growing expense across the board (for all divisions and companies) as the organization grows. Kyocera’s Inherent Strengths Quality of Leadership: Kyocera had strong leader in Dr. Inamori. His philosophical outlook and decision making abilities set the tone for success at the company.This type of lea dership cannot be taught, but is inherent in an individual. Technical Expertise: The company’s technical expertise is due to their focus on individuality and specialization. This helps the company in the area of new product development. Diversified Product Line: The products are high-tech enough to be a good fit in the company, but different enough that the different divisions and companies that make up Kyocera don’t end up competing against one another in a way that is detrimental to the company as a whole.Reputation: Kyocera’s reputation for quality and getting the job done will help them retain earned market share. Tenacity: Tenacious competitors in business always fair better than those who give up easily. The spirit of tenacity at Kyocera earns them the respect of their customers Working Environment Positive Attitudes: The positive environment at Kyocera helps retain expertise with employee retention and it fosters a non-threatening creative environment. Au tonomy: The autonomy of the Amoebas fosters creativity and lack of bureaucracy costs.International Status: Being international allows Kyocera to take advantage of labor savings associated with manufacturing in some countries, while selling products in countries that will bring in the most profit. Being international also gives Kyocera access to markets in differing countries without as many distribution headaches as other manufacturers. Areas of Weakness Some Elements of the Corporate Structure Centralized Management: The corporation is getting too large to maintain the current management reporting structure.The complexity will slow decision-making and be costly. Autonomy: Retraining costs with the frequent break-up of Amoebas is a concern. Product Overlap among Companies or Divisions: Repetitiveness in product lines is costly due to the repetitive support structures. Measurement System: Top-down setting of goals for Amoebas would be more appropriate. This would ensure some standard ization among expectations placed on workers. Transfer-pricing: Kyocera to Kyocera pricing should be lower than open market-prices.This would help sister organizations be more competitive. Additional Analysis Threats from New Competitors: Kyocera will have to be aware of new competitors at all times in the high-tech marketplace. Each division or company in the corporation must be aware of who the players are in their market. It would hard for any one niche player to become threat to Kyocera as a whole since they are very diversified. Rivalry among competitors: Kyocera must be careful to make sure this does not take place within its own corporate umbrella.There is no immediate rivalry of outside competitors that is obvious in this case. Substitute Products: Kyocera does a good job of battling this by taking on tasks that nobody else wants or has the tenacity to tackle. Suppliers Power: In many cases this firm is their own supplier. It is unfortunate that sister divisions or companies do not work closer together and become a powerhouse together. Buyer or Customer Power: Ditto the comments above. Also the buyers from outside have their purchasing power/threat to Kyocera limited by Kyocera’s diversification.Value Creation: Inbound and outbound logistics are strengths in Kyocera due to their international presence. They provide their own marketing channel through salaried sales professionals and have the product base to support using outside channels when possible. Advertising, pricing, etc. are handled by the individual divisions and companies. Service activities fall in the other column that makes up 1% of sales on the product organization list. This column does provide value to the customers and the company to the tune of $27 million. Current and Future OpportunitiesRe-alignment of the reporting structure: By re-aligning the reporting structure Kyocera can save cost and improve communications in the corporation. High-Tech changes in the Macroenvironment: New opportunities to be first in the area of communications are coming available with the internet, cable, and wireless communications areas. Transfer-pricing changes: Kyocera to Kyocera pricing should be lower than open market-prices. This would help sister organizations be more competitive. Expense Reduction: Administrative costs could be reduced by realigning the reporting structure.Product Overlap among Companies or Divisions: By combining operations for overlapping product lines Kyocera can save support costs. Potential Threats Current High-Tech changes in the Macroenvironment: Technological change does not stand still. New communications products and technologies make old ones obsolete every day. Corporate Growth: Communications and repetitive costs may become issues. Repetitive organizations as a result of mergers and acquisitions should be analyzed and handled appropriately. This may mean dismantling some organizations to save money.Action Items to be considered Change the M anagement Reporting Structure: The management reporting structure change could improve communications and help reduce administrative expenses Combine Support Operations for Different Companies in the Same Product Group: Repetitive support structures cost money. By combining support operations expenses could be reduced. Establish new corporate transfer-pricing guidelines. Corporate Guidelines for transfer-pricing could help make some of the business units more competitive.Reduce the autonomy of the Amoebas: Amoebas do not need to be doing their own costing and profit or production target setting. Recommendations Establish new corporate transfer-pricing guidelines base on sound judgement and principles: Focus on competitiveness and provide special pricing to sister business units to help make them more competitive. Focus on cost reduction in the administrative expense area: Implement conference calling, eliminate as much travel as possible, and combine support operations for multiple units to produce cost savings.Reduce the autonomy of the Amoebas: The amoeba level is too low on the management structure to make decisions on production targets and profitability. Move costing up to a higher level and allow input on production and profit targets from the amoebas, but put accountability at the next level of management up. Bibliography Kyocera Corporation, Nancy Rothbard, Harvard Business School, Publishing Division. 1991. Document #9-491-078,. Revisioned July 1993.

Our Decisions Determine Our Destiny

Our whole life is based on the decisions we make, whether it is big decisions like if we choose to go to college, get married, or have kids, or even smaller decisions such as If we decide to turn left or right on a walk. All of these decisions that we make In life can change our future, and of course we all want to make the right decisions so that we have a good future. God is so wonderful that he equipped us with moral law, which provides ways to tell the difference between a good act and a bad act.Through our conscience, God is speaking to us from the core of our being, indicating acts that are good and warns us of acts that are evil. An amazing poem by an anonymous author highlights the importance of keeping a good Catholic morality: Watch your thoughts, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, It becomes your destiny. The first line of the p oem states â€Å"Watch your thoughts, they become your words. â€Å"Every thing that comes out of our mouths comes from a thought- whether consciously or unconsciously. If we never think of anything, then we wont do anything. Usually, a kind, happy thought precedes kind, happy words. It can also go the other way in terms of kind thoughts. The poem reminds us to â€Å"watch† our thoughts because part of having goods morals means being kind. We don't want to say anything that we will regret saying or that makes us seem like a bad person. The next line adds on to the poem by stating â€Å"Watch your words, they become your actions.Our bodies instinctively follow the words we are saying- whether they are sour or sweet. If we say things enough, then we will actually do them. For example, someone can think that they don't like their unrecognized room and want to clean It. That person then tells their mother that they are going to clean It. Over time and countless comments regard ing them cleaning their room, they finally do clean their room. Another example could be If someone wants to show off to his or her friends.Thinking that throwing water balloons at a stranger's car would make them cooler,† they say that they will, and eventually they do. The third line of the poems continues this trend by stating â€Å"Watch your actions, they become your habits. Believe it or not, it only takes 21 times for the mind to recognize something as a habit. If we continue to do something, over and over, it becomes a habit to us. For example, every morning for school I wake up at 6:00. This becomes a routine, or habit for me. Sometimes we can develop bad habits that deflect from our true beings.We need to remember to make good actions so that hey become good habits. â€Å"Watch your habits, they become your character. † This Is a very strong statement and Is true. The decisions we make can depend greatly on the values and Inclinations that we have Internalize d over the years. Character refers to those features and attributes that make up our individuality. Good character results when we cultivate good qualities, habits, and patterns of behavior- that incline us to make good moral decisions. Catholicism identifies essential virtues- faith, hope, and love, known as the theological virtues.They are gifts from God that help us develop a better relationship with God. By living faithfully, hopefully, and lovingly, we cooperate with God's gifts of faith, hope, and love. God also gives us the cardinal virtues of prudence, Justice, fortitude, and temperance. We strive to have these personal character strengths that direct us toward Christ-like behavior and provide discipline for our passions and emotions. The final line of the poem states â€Å"Watch your character, it becomes your destiny. † Our destiny is our lot in life, the future or our fate.However you're perceived, the way n which your behavior toward others is received will become the shape and rhythm of your days. We as humans have the power to changer our destiny, Just by what we think, say, and do. Everything revolves around the choices we make, using our conscience. God has given us many gifts, but one of the most wonderful gifts of all is our conscience because it directs us to use all our gifts for the good of the community, the common good. The decisions we make decide who we are and our destiny. Used correctly, our conscience can lead us to ultimate happiness with God.

Deaf Culture and Alcoholism essays

Deaf Culture and Alcoholism essays Why is it so hard for the deaf to deal with admitting they are alcoholics or drug addicts which is an impediment for recovery? Why is it so hard for them to stay sober once they have achieved it for a few weeks or months? What do you think the main reasons are? Having worked with the deaf for over 30 years I will try to answer these questions and research other aspects of the deaf culture, their mode of communication and alcoholism. Although it may seem that communication is an aspect of every culture, two of the unique features are that there is not always a common language between parents and child, and there is no written form of the language. Thus, the deaf culture becomes unique, and through this uniqueness, they become isolated both from their peers and the hearing population. According to Marie Egert Rendon in her article, Deaf and Alcohol and Substance Abuse Substance abuse is a sensitive issue about which the deaf community does not yet feel comfortable talking. For many with in the community, it remains a moral issue; the denial of pathological drinking is very strong. (Rendon, 1992) Isolation is a well-known stressor and the denial of alcohol use in the family unit has long existed in the deaf community. The family structures and the cohesiveness of the family in their form of communications is a factor that must be considered. The deaf have had limited or strained access to their own cultural rights. They have been denied the right to their own language, their own community groups, and even have limited access to the majority culture because of communication barriers. Because of the sense of oppression, isolation has perpetuated the denial process. In addition, language, family, friendships, and services available to the deaf culture and native language have many innuendoes. Since the deaf culture is built around the language that the deaf p ...

Breaking Down The CompTIA Security+

Breaking Down The CompTIA Security+ Over the last decade or so, IT security has exploded as a field, both in terms of the complexity and breadth of the subject matter, and the opportunities available to security-focused IT professionals. Security has become an inherent part of everything in IT, from network management to web, application and database development. But even with the increased focus on security, there is still much work to be done in the field, and opportunities for security-minded IT professionals aren’t likely to decrease any time soon. The Importance of Certifications For those who are already in the IT security field, or are looking to enhance their career, there is a range of certifications and training options available for those who want to learn about IT security and demonstrate that knowledge to current and potential employers. However, a lot of the more advanced IT security certifications require a level of knowledge, experience, and commitment that might be outside of the range of many newer IT professionals. A good certification to demonstrate basic security knowledge is the CompTIA Security certification. Unlike other certifications, such as the CISSP  or the CISM, the Security doesn’t have any mandatory experience or prerequisites, though CompTIA does recommend that candidates have at least two years of experience with networking in general  and security in particular. CompTIA also suggests that Security candidates obtain the CompTIA Network certification, but they don’t require it. Even though the Security is more of an entry-level certification than others, it’s still a valuable certification in its own right. In fact, the Security is a mandated certification for the US Department of Defense  and is accredited by both the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Another benefit of the Security is that it’s vendor-neutral, instead choosing to focus on security topics and technologies in general, without limiting its focus to any one vendor and their approach. Topics Covered by the Security Examination The Security is basically a generalist certification – meaning that it evaluates a candidate’s knowledge across a range of knowledge domains, as opposed to focusing on any one area of IT. So, instead of maintaining a focus on application security only, say, the questions on the Security will cover a broader range of topics, aligned according to the six primary knowledge domain defined by CompTIA (the percentages next to each indicate the representation of that domain on the exam): Network Security (21%)Compliance and operational security (18%)Threats and vulnerabilities (21%)Application, Data, and Host Security (16%)Access control and identity management (13%)Cryptography (11%) The exam provides questions from all of the domains above, although it is somewhat weighted to give more emphasis on some areas. For example, you can expect more questions on network security as opposed to cryptography, for example. That said, you shouldn’t necessarily focus your studying on any one area, especially if it leads you to exclude any of the others. A good, broad knowledge of all the domains listed above remains the best way to be prepared for the test. The Exam There is only one exam required to earn the Security certification. That exam (exam SY0-301) is comprised of 100 questions and is provided over a 90-minute period. The grading scale is from 100 to 900, with a passing score of 750, or roughly 83% (although that’s just an estimate  because the scale changes somewhat over time). Next Steps In addition to the Security, CompTIA offers a more advanced certification, the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP), providing a progressive certification path for those who want to continue their security career and studies. Like the Security, the CASP covers security knowledge across a number of knowledge domains, but the depth and complexity of the questions asked on the CASP exam exceed those of the Security.​ CompTIA also offers numerous certifications in other areas of IT as well, including networking, project management and systems administration. And, if security is your chosen field, you might consider other certifications such as the CISSP, CEH, or a vendor-based certification such as the Cisco CCNA Security  or Check Point Certified Security Administrator (CCSA), to extend and deepen your knowledge of security.

Real World Negotiation 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Real World Negotiation 2 - Assignment Example The pair, Sofia and Echo, remained on silent terms for about a week until when Echo approached me and asked me to facilitate their reconciliation. Echo and I had a lengthy discussion and he expressed his desire to resolve his conflict with Sofia. So we arranged for a special dinner whereby I could meet both of them and try to resolve the conflict. I called Sofia and asked her to accompany me for dinner on that due date. I requested to surprise her by inviting a third person, Echo. To keep Sofia calm, I reminded her of how she had made out with a stranger at a party and never mentioned the same to Echo. I indirectly threatened to discuss the same with Echo and see if she was fair enough in her reaction. She eventually agreed to my proposal out of guilt. Thereafter, I rang my favorite hotel and made a reservation for a table for three. When the three of us met at the hotel, I asked Echo to apologize to Sofia after talking to them deeply in turns. I deliberately told Echo numerous and long stories of how wrong cheating was to compel him to issue an apology. He asked for forgiveness without complaining. I requested Sofia to accept the apology and as a reward I promised to do her laundry for the next two weeks. Sofia smiled as she embraced Echo in a show of forgiveness. I used the tactic successfully to compel Echo to issue an apology to Sofia. The very long stories about the negative aspect of cheating left him no chance of arguing. Next time I am negotiating using the tactic, I would give stories with both positive and negative aspects. That would ensure the other party does not discover my intention in advance. I successfully employed the tactic on Sofia at the instance that I reminded her of how she had made out with a stranger. The reminder sparked emotions of guilt in her conscience. Through arousing guilt inside Sofia, I had used intimidation to make her accept my dinner proposal. The tactic worked because I