Remaining Competetive Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Remaining Competetive - Research Paper Example This requires a critical evaluation of the existing factors and how firm can actually improve them to achieve its cost reduction objectives. Further, it is also critical to consider whether the firm can improve upon its efforts of innovation and become more creative in designing its basic products and delivering them through successful marketing initiatives. Effectively delivering mass customization is also another consideration. (Lihra, Buehlmann, & Beauregard, 2008) In order to remain competitive within this industry, it is important to remain innovative and creative. Since the industry thrives upon how quickly and effectively a firm can actually develop consumer friendly designs therefore are important. Firm can easily compete in this industry because it has a dedicate team of designers which deliver excellent designs. In order to make them more innovative, it is important to impart more knowledge and training to the designers. Further, the firm access to technology which can help it to reduce the cost and improve its total output level. One of the key primary factors is the fact that the firm has been considered as one of the premium suppliers of the furniture in the market. Being featured in top magazines provides it one of the strongest brand images in the market and market acceptability at the global level. Further, it is also important to note that the firm has high quality designers which can continue to provide innovative products in the market. Effective presence in local communities as well as label of premium brand is two important things which are positive factors for the firm. Though the market may be shrinking and dependent on other factors however, the firm’s own position in the market which provides it an edge over others in the market. Community involvement is also the main factor which can improve the overall corporate social responsibility image of

War in Central America Essay Example for Free

War in Central America Essay Central America is the southernmost part of the North American continent. It lies south south of Mexico and form the land connection with South America. Central America is commonly defined as including Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. The total land area is roughly 200,000 square miles (518, 000 km2), about three-fourths that of Texas. Central America is long and narrow, tapering to a width of barely 30 miles (48km) in parts of Panama. On the east is the Caribbean Sea, on the west, the Pacific Ocean. Both coasts are deeply indented in places, and offshore islands are numerous, especially in the Caribbean. The land is mostly mountainous, with scattered active volcanoes. Except for the coastal plains, which are narrow in most places, there is little flat land (Woodward, 1999). In the early 1900’s, there was unrest in several Central American countries. The United States intervened militarily in the region several times to restore order and protect its interests. After World War II, most Central American countries had dictatorial governments. In 1951, the Organization of Central American States was formed to promote economic and cultural cooperation among the countries. One of its achievements was the creation of the Central American Market in 1960. Cooperation began to break down, however, when national antagonists started to resurface in the late 1960’s. Many of the countries experienced violence between the left- and right- wing political factions, as well as guerrilla insurgencies, inflation, and foreign debt (Woodward, 1999). Political turmoil increased in the 1980’s. Nicaragua’s government was controlled by a leftist group called the Sandinistas, which restricted political freedom in Nicaragua and was accused of supporting a strong Communist insurgency in El Salvador. The United States began giving aids to rebels called contras, who were trying to overthrow the Sandinista regime. There were also abuses of human rights and restrictions of political freedom in other countries in the region. In 1987, the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica signed an agreement designed to end the region’s civil wars and foster democracy. The author of the agreement, Costa Rican president Oscar Arias, received the Nobel Peace Prize (Woodward, 1999). This paper discusses and compares two countries of Central America, Guatemala and Panama, focusing on the challenges for democratic consolidation and economic development. II. Background A. Guatemala Guatemala or republic of Guatemala is an independent country of Central America. Its borders Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador and lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Guatemala has an area of 42, 042 square miles. Maximum distances are roughly 280 miles north-south and 250 miles east-west. Narrow lowlands run along the pacific and Atlantic coasts. Between them lie the highlands, covering about half of the country. Dominant features are mountains, volcanoes, high plateaus, broad basins, and many valleys. Forests are one of Guatemala’s richest resources. The Atlantic lowland and the Peten are largely covered by tropical rain forests. Savannas predominate along the drier pacific coast. The highlands are covered by grasslands and forests that are deciduous at low elevations and coniferous higher up. B. Panama Panama or Panama City or Republic of Panama is a city and the capital of the republic. It is on the bay of Panama at the Pacific end of the Panama Canal, 38 miles southeast of Colon on the Atlantic. The city’s economy is largely supported by the canal and by tourists. Products include furniture, beer, handicrafts, and clothing. Panama is a hilly country crossed by several mountain ranges, the highest of which are in the west. Near the Costa Rican border is Volcan Baru, an extinct volcano rising 11, 401 feet above sea level. III. Discussion A. Guatemala †¢ Government Under the constitution of 1985, which went into effect in 1986, Guatemala is a republic governed by a president and one-chamber Congress, both elected for four years popular vote. A council of ministers is appointed by the president. The judiciary is headed by a nine-member into 23 administrative departments. Voting is mandatory for all literate citizens age is 18 or over (Grandin, 2000). †¢ History The Maya Indians inhabited Guatemala as early as 2400 B. C. They developed an advanced civilization and flourished there, but declined after 900 A. D. In the 16th century, the Mayas were subdued by Spaniards under Pedro de Alvarado. He governed the captaincy general of Guatemala, which included all Central America except Panama. For nearly three centuries the region was under Spanish rule (Lovell, 2002). In 1821, the five provinces making up captaincy general of Guatemala declared their independence, but the next year they became part of the New Mexico Empire under Agustin de Iturbide. When Iturbide was driven from power in 1823, the province gained independence as a confederation called the united provinces of Central America. During 1838-39, the confederation collapsed. Guatemala became an independent state in 1839 (Grandin, 2000). Rafael Carrera, leader of the conservative forces that helped to bring about dissolution of the confederation, made himself president of Guatemala in 1844 ands became the dominant political figure in Central America. In 1854, he was made president for life. He died in 1865. Vicente Cerna, one of Carrera’s generals, succeeded him as president but was overthrown in 1871. General Justo Rufino Barrios, a liberal, came to power in 1873, and the nation made economic progress under his rule. He was killed in 1885 in a war with El Salvador, while attempting to set up a union of Central American states. In 1898, Manuel Estrada Cabrera became president. In 20th century, Estrada Cabrera ruled as a despot for 22 years. He favored the wealthy classes and encouraged industrial development. He was overthrown in 1920. Relative order prevailed until 1930, when economic depression led to another uprising. In 1931, General Jorge Ubico came to power. Under his dictatorship, order was maintained and economic stability restored. In 1944 an alliance of students, liberals, and dissident members of the army forced Ubico out of office and seized control of the country. Many social and economic reforms were introduced by presidents Juan Jose Arevalo and Jacobo Arbenz Guzman. During their presidencies, Communist influence in the government began to grow. When Arbenz instituted land reforms and encouraged the growth of labor unions, his opponents claimed that he was under Communist control. The army, with covert aid from the United States, overthrew Arbenz in 1954 and outlawed the Communist party. Two corrupt and largely ineffective military dictatorships followed (Grandin, 2000). In 1963, Colonel Enrique Peralta Azurdia led a successful revolt. He governed by decree, but promised to hold elections after a new constitution was enacted. The constitution took effect in 1965 and a civilian government was elected. In attempted economic and social reforms, but its programs were blocked by resistance from conservative businessmen and wealthy landowners. Reform was also delayed by a civil war that raged for several years between Communist guerrillas and the army. Both sides used terrorism, including assassinations and kidnappings. In the 1970’s a series of conservative military governments held power and suppressed the insurgents. A presidential election was held in 1982. Soon after, the government was overthrown by the army, whose leaders promised a return to democracy. A new constitution was approved in 1985, and later that year Marco Vinicio Cerezo was elected president. †¢ Economy Guatemala’s economy is still in an early stage of development. Private enterprise prevails; government regulation is negligible. A small group controls most of the nation’s wealth, while the vast majority of the people, especially the Indians, live in extreme poverty. Guatemala is largely an agricultural country, one favored by a diverse climate and rich soils, especially the volcanic soils of the highlands. Peasant landholdings are usually small and crudely worked, but provide a livelihood, at the subsistence level, for most of the people. Corn and beans are the main crops. In contrast, commercial plantations specialize in export crops and are generally large, modern, and owned. Coffee is the leading export; cotton ranks second. Bananas, sugar, and meat are also significant exports. Livestock consists mainly of beef cattle, sheep, and pigs (Grandin, 2000). B. Panama †¢ Government Under the constitution of 1972, and later amendments, Panama is a republic. The president, assisted by a cabinet, exercises executive power. He is elected by popular vote to a five-year term and may not serve consecutive terms. The legislature consists of the National Legislative Council (the upper house). Members of both houses are popularly elected. Assembly members serve four-year terms; Council members serve for six years. The judiciary is headed by a supreme court of nine justices, appointed by the president for 10-year terms. Each of the nine provinces is headed by an appointed governor and is divided into municipal districts. Panama has a military force known as the National Defense Force (Hedrick, 2000). †¢ History The Caribbean coast of Panama was explored by a Spanish expedition under Rodrigo de Bastidas about 1500. The region was inhabited by several tribes of Indians, the Cuna being the largest. In 1502, Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast to the central part of the isthmus and claimed the area for Spain. The northern coast of Panama was the location of the first Spanish settlement on the mainland. In 1509, the Spanish government issued licenses to Alonso de Ojeda and Diego de Nicuesa to settle the regions explored by Bastidas and Columbus. The first colonies were established in 1510 at San Sebastian (on what is now the northern coast of Colombia) and Nombre de Dios. They did not flourish, however, because of disease, famine, and conflicts with the Indians. The first successful settlement, Santa Maria, was founded in 1510, when Vasco Nunez de Balboa convinced the settlers at San Sebastian to move to a new location on the west shore of the Gulf of Darien. The Indians at the new site were quickly subdued and Balboa became governor of the new colony. In 1513, balboa made his way across the isthmus and discovered the Pacific (Hedrick, 2000).

Supernatural in Shakespeares Macbeth - Witches as Heroines :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Witches as the Heroines of Macbeth Traditionally, the witches of Shakespeare's Macbeth have been treated as symbolic manifestations of the potential for evil. Many students and critics of Macbeth enjoy blaming the witches, along with Lady Macbeth, for Macbeth's downfall. Regardless, it may be argued that the witches are the heroines of the play. One eminent modern literary critic, Terry Eagleton, has addressed the issue of the witches as heroines directly: To any unprejudiced reader--which would seem to exclude Shakespeare himself, his contemporary audiences and almost all literary critics--it is surely clear that positive value in Macbeth lies with the three witches. The witches are the heroines of the piece, however little the play itself recognizes the fact, and however much the critics may have set out to defame them. (William Shakespeare, p. 2) For Eagleton, the social reality of the witches matters. They are outcasts, much like feminists they live on the fringe of society in a female community, at odds with the male world of "civilization," which values military butchery. The fact that they are female and associated with the natural world beyond the aristocratic oppression in the castles indicates that they are excluded others. Their equality in a female community declares their opposition to the masculine power of the militaristic society. They have no direct power, but they have become expert at manipulating or appealing to the self-destructive contradictions of their military oppressors. They can see Macbeth's destruction as a victory of a sort: one more viciously individualistic, aggressive male oppressor has gone under. This suggestion is not entirely serious (Eagleton observes that the play does not recognize the issue he is calling attention to), but it underscores a key point in the tragic experience of Macbeth, its connection to a willed repudiation of the deep mysterious heart of life, the place where sexuality and the unconscious hold sway. This aspect of life is commonly associated with and hence symbolized by women, for complex reasons which there is not time to go into here (but which would seem to be intimately bound up with women's sexuality and fertility, contacts with the irrational centres of life which men do not understand and commonly fear). In seeking to stamp his own willed vision of the future onto life, the tragic hero rejects a more direct acquaintance with or acceptance of life's mystery.

Implementation of an effective system of environmental management Essay

The process of defining targets has enabled WELBECK to identify different means for measuring the resources consumed in mining, processing and refining its products, through measuring performance in terms of the quantity of ore milled and in terms of the amount of product produced. That is, the process of defining targets has enabled the organisation to measure its performance in a manner that contributes to the WELBECK’s understanding of both its business outcomes and its environmental impacts. UK COAL developed a management plan for achieving the defined objectives and targets. An essential part of the process of developing objectives and targets is the definition of resources and responsibilities for achieving the objectives and targets. Management plans include the resources, means and timeframe by which the company’s objectives and targets are to be achieved. However, the truth is that many potential improvements fail to be implemented. Frequently, this is not because of a lack of funds for external resources (such as consultants or contractors) but because the personnel of the company simply do not have the time to use these projects and guarantee they are implemented effectively. Therefore, when allocating resources and developing management plans, it is important to ensure that the nominated employees have the time, resources and capability to address these issues efficaciously. Implementation of an effective system of environmental management UK COAL operates an effective environmental policy and a company-wide environmental management system (Figure 3). The specific issues considered are responsibilities and authorities, operational control, documentation, emergency response systems, records management and communications. At the first stage in implementing a system of environmental management UK COAL defined responsibilities, accountabilities and authorities for environmental management across the company. These the company defined for those aspects of the WELBECK’s activities, products or services that affect or potentially affect the environment as well as for the development and implementation of the system. The main starting point for this was that all employees had environmental responsibilities, not just those whose functions are solely environmental in nature (Blair 90). Job descriptions and performance appraisals explicitly addressed environmental responsibilities. Considering a system of environmental management of the company, the specific responsibilities include responsibility for implementation and maintenance of the management system. This includes the management of documentation and records. Managers are reporting on the performance of the system, identify environmental aspects and impacts. Managers also identify, implement and verify corrective actions, implement and monitor management controls such as training, environmental procedures and emergency response procedures. The definition of responsibilities, accountabilities and authorities is considered at three main levels within WELBECK. At first, at senior management and board level, then at middle manager level and at employee level. Besides, the environmental manager (or system manager) have specific responsibilities allocated as part of this process. In UK COAL, senior management (for example, the board, CEO and general managers) is responsible for defining the strategic approach for the company and for ensuring that this approach is implemented. Considering environmental management, this starts with the definition of the environmental policy and the objectives and targets. Senior management is responsible for the supply of suitable resources. It also ensures that the system of environmental management is effectively implemented. This comprises the allocation of resources for system maintenance and improvement as well as for achieving the defined objectives and targets. Besides, senior management needs to review the performance of the company in achieving the environmental policy and environmental objectives and targets. The second issue to be important is the risk when the environmental manager becomes the ‘doer’ as well as the manager. In UK COAL, the environmental manager becomes responsible for issues that really should be the responsibility of line managers or other individuals within the company. This is because meeting environmental requirements is often not considered an integral part of other managers’ responsibilities. That is, environmental management is considered as a low priority, to be addressed once all other issues have been addressed. As a result, line managers do not accept full responsibility for environmental management within their activities. As a result the environmental manager is taking on additional work in order to ensure the system continues to work. Therefore the overall performance of the system is dependent on the performance of a single individual. In this case the system can fail when this responsible individual leaves the position.

Logistics department Essay

1. What interactions and discussion need to take place among the marketing, manufacturing, logistics, and finance departments? Explain the logistics department`s role in the introduction of the new product. The functional areas of marketing, logistics, manufacturing and finance should hold weekly sales and operations planning (S&OP) meetings to address the following: Identify firm planned orders which may be delayed to the customer. Notify key account managers and focused operations planning team(s) to expedite orders in jeopardy Address any resource constraints to meet firm planned orders for the current month and planned orders for the following three months (manufacturing capacity, labor) The focused operations planning team(s) which consists of production, procurement, manufacturing and master production scheduling (logistics) must meet daily to ensure the requirements identified in the S&OP meeting are carried out. Logistics ensures the following: – ensure that raw material inputs to peanuts arrive on time without freight damage – ensure that finished goods inventory from the manufacturing facility to the warehouse, distribution center and eventually the customer arrive on time- in full without freight damage – minimize transportation costs by utilizing full truck load (FTL shipments) and in certain instances, intermodal (rail) shipments for cross country transport 2. Why is it necessary for the logistics department to be cognizant of all the details (quality, timing) of the new product introduction? Discuss the issues that might arise (e.g. the drop in demand after the Final Four) and what responsibilities the logistics department would have as a result of these changes. This necessity comes out of the need to have the right quantity at the right time in the right place to meet customer demand. Without this close  coordination between timing and quantity, deliveries would be delayed, inventory carrying costs would increase and as a result profits would be negatively impacted. In situations where the demand drops after the Final Four, the production planning and scheduling aspect comes into play. By utilizing a master production schedule which is closely aligned with S&OP meetings, the master production scheduler can adjust the production amounts to meet decreasing demand. This ensures that product produced is delivered to the customer and does not sit in the warehouse of Pete’s. To summarize, the logistics department is responsible for reacting to market/demand changes to maintain profit margins for the business.