Union Structure and Governance

Introduction The purpose of this study will be to analyze the structure and governance of a national or international union that addresses the plight of workers.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Union Structure and Governance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The union that will be focused on in this study will be the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) which is a labor union representing the needs of workers employed in the electrical industry in the United States, Panama and Canada as well as other workers employed in the public utility and electrical manufacturing industry. The union also represents the interests of workers employed in computer, broadcasting and telecommunications sector. The main objective of the IBEW is to promote reasonable working conditions for all electrical workers under the union and also cultivate feelings of brotherhood/friendship among the various employees tha t fall under the union (Hill, 2008). History of the Union The beginning of IBEW can be traced back to the Electrical Wiremen and Linemen’s Union which was founded in 1890 in St. Louis, Missouri. Both wiremen and linemen flocked to St. Louis to demonstrate their trade by wiring the buildings in the city with electricity lines so as to exhibit their trade. During the exhibition, the workers got together to talk about their jobs and also the working conditions of electricians in the electrical industry. There was a general consensus that their jobs were hard and they worked for long hours with little pay (12 hours a day for 15 to 20 cents per hour). The workers did not receive any training or apprenticeship during the first week of their jobs and the safety standards especially for the wiremen were nonexistent which meant that they were exposed to dangerous working conditions. These poor working conditions led to the industry having the highest mortality rates of one out of two hired employees in the whole of America. The Convention and the growing electrical industry were basically the starting points of the Brotherhood (IBEW, 2005). The following year, 1891, saw a growing interest to have a national union that would address the plight of electrical workers in the US. The Convention that took place in St. Louis approached the American Federation of Labor (AFL) to receive a charter that would operationalise the Electrical Wiremen and Linemen’s Union.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Electrical Wiremen and Linemen’s Union under the charter No. 5221 was established in 1981 as a national organization that would address the labor needs of electrical workers within the electrical industry as well as other workers in the telecommunications, telegraph and electrical manufacturing industry. During their first year of operation, the un ion organized a convention in St. Louis where ten delegates representing the 286 members of the electrical industry attended the convention (IBEW, 2005). The ten representatives included Henry Miller, the president of the union, J.T. Kelly, W. Hedden, C.J. Sutter, H. Fisher, F. Heizleman, J. Berlowitz, T.J. Finnell, M. Dorsey and E. Hartung. These ten delegates formed the founders of the union and they adopted a different name for the organization known as the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. They worked for hours drafting a constitution for the union which would stipulate the laws and procedures that would guide the operations of the union. They also came up with the well-known emblem of the union, a fist grasping several lightning bolts, which would be used to distinguish the organization from other unions in the US. During the Convention, the delegates elected Henry Miller as the first Grand President of the union and they also elected T. Kelly as the Grand Secretary T reasurer of the union. In the 1899 Pittsburgh Convention, the union decided to change its name to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The membership during that time had reached 2,000 members with over 43 chartered local unions in the whole of America. The current number of members now stands at 750,000 in the four countries covered by the union (Panama, Canada, US and some parts of the Caribbean’s) (IBEW, 2005). The type of employers the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers bargains with includes the electrical manufacturing industries, public utility companies that offer electricity to consumers, electrical installation companies, wiremen and linemen contracting agencies. The union faced adversity during its first year of operation as it received a lot of criticism and indignation from employers working in the mentioned companies. Many of these employers were trying to drive out trade unions in the country by organizing open shop campaigns in the national level. The union however sought to reduce tensions between employers and employees in the electrical industry by forming the Council on Industrial Relations which would be used to represent the interests of managers and employees (IBEW, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Union Structure and Governance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hierarchical Structure of the Organization The IBEW is made up of three functional bodies which make up the structure of the union and these include the executive body which is made of the International President, the International Secretary-Treasurer, International representatives and the eleven International Vice-Presidents that manage the district level operations of the union. Other offices that fall under the executive body include the local union offices as well as the membership of IBEW. The judicial and legislative bodies of the union are made up of the In ternational Executive Council which is made up of a chairman and eight elected members working in the district offices. The International President is charged with the general administration of the IBEW and the responsibilities that come with the international office are varied and distinct (IBEW, 2005). Some duties of the International President include implementing the laws of the Brotherhood, overseeing any controversial issues that might arise within the organization, acting on any appeals that might arise from decisions made by the International Vice Presidents, deciding on IBEW policies and procedures, chartering and amalgamating various unions that have been established in the local level and suspending or revoking any local union charters that do not serve the interests of IBEW’s members. The International Secretary-Treasurer is primarily charged with the role of handling the financial matters of the IBEW International office such as investments and pension funds. The responsibilities of the treasurer include collecting, disbursing and accounting for all union funds, maintaining records of the organization’s membership and receiving all signed applications for the local union charter. The treasurer is also charged with protecting the seal and emblem of the Brotherhood (IBEW, 2005). The eleven International vice presidents that make up the district office and have been elected by the local unions work under the instructions of the International President of IBEW. The duties of the vice president include supervising the activities of all International Representatives within the district branch offices and also act on appeals that might come from members of the local unions. The internal bodies that exist in the local unions include presidents who are charged with enforcing the constitutional provisions of the union, vice presidents who are charged with assisting the local president with office duties, recording secretary who is charged with the role of keeping the minutes of local union meetings as well as maintaining all meeting records, the financial secretary who is charged with handling all the funds collected by the local union (IBEW Constitution, 2008).Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another member of the local union is the treasurer who receives all collected funds from the financial secretary and deposits them in the bank under the name of the local union and the business manager who is charged with the role of representing the local union in any trade disputes with industry employers. The business manager appoints all stewards within the local unions to effect bylaws that will be needed to effectively manage the functions of the local union. The business manager also conducts training programs for all stewards as well as enforcing all collective bargaining agreements. The International Executive Council (IEC) and the legislative body are charged with managing the judicial and legislative aspects of the union. The IEC is the final authority that is used when granting pensions, disability benefits and also handling the vested interests of the union’s members. The two bodies also act on appeals that are made by the International President and they try mem bers of the local union who have been charged with violating the laws and rules of the IBEW (IBEW Constitution, 2008). The diagram below represents the hierarchical structure of the IBEW and the various offices/bodies that make up the organization. Source: IBEW, 2005 Financial Flow of the Union The financial flow of the union is mostly made of funds collected from union dues, pension benefit funds and the general funds that are used to manage the day-to-day operations of the union. Members of the organization are meant to contribute $10 every month so as to manage the collective bargaining activities of the organization. The amount of pension funds that are collected from individuals within the union amounts to $3.50 per month for each full year of continuous membership that the member has with the union. The fund also pays death benefit to any of the member’s beneficiaries which could be $6,250 if the member dies of natural causes and $12,500 for any accidental deaths (IBEW Union, 2011). Union dues refer to the financial funds that are usually paid by the members of a union every month to support the general operations of the organization and its officers. The union dues structure of the IBEW covers two parts of the union’s structure which include the international and local union offices. The dues that are allocated to the international office are basically used to maintain and support the administrative and legal functions of the office as well as legislative procedures such as court appeals and trials which have been forwarded to the IEC. The bulk of union dues are usually allocated to the local union where the funds are used to manage the expenses of the offices as well as handle collective bargaining, member grievances, arbitrations and contract negotiations with employers. A basic union dues structure is made up of two parts: the local union and the IBEW per capital segment where the local union determines its dues by the operational cost s and expenses incurred by every local union within the various districts of the US (IBEW Union, 2011). Union dues are usually determined by the members of the local union as they are the only people who have the power and ability to change the amount of dues they have to pay ever month. The IBEW Per Capita structure of the union dues involves a monthly payment of $11set by the International Convention and which is meant to be paid by all members of the union. The monthly charge is usually used by the local union to fund the operations of the First District Office and it can only be changed by the elected delegates of the Convention. The diagram below represents the structure of and distribution of union dues in the organization (IBEW Union, 2011). Governing Entities within the organization The International Convention is the highest governing body of the Brotherhood. The union Constitution postulates that the IBEW member delegates meet every five years at a regular interval to dis cuss union matters and any labor issues that might arise in the electrical industry during the five-year duration. The international Convention therefore oversees these meetings during which it elects International Officers such as the president and secretary treasurer if there is need for reappointment or re-election. The International Convention also determines the basic law that will be used by the IBEW through the number of votes that have been cast for proposed resolutions and constitutional amendments to the union Constitution. The international Convention also has the final authority and decision on any appeals that have been made in the international, national and local offices of the union. The various entities that make up the Convention include delegates and member committees (IBEW, 2005). The delegates of the Convention are usually selected through secret ballots garnered from the members of the union. The level of delegate representation is usually based on the number o f members a local union has registered where the maximum number of delegates per local union is 15. The Convention further stipulates that no local union is entitled to representation unless it has been of good standing for the last six months before the International Convention. The committees in the Convention are usually formed by the International President who is authorized by the governing body to establish committees that will perform the basic functions of the Convention such as resolution action, the development of reports and recommendations that will be used to deal with disputes or conflicts between employers and employees. Another governing entity that oversees the functions of the IBEW is the International Executive Council (IEC) which deals with the judicial or financial aspects of the union. The IEC is the final authority when it comes to making decisions on granting pensions, disability benefits and also dealing with the vested interests of the union’s member s (IBEW, 2005). The types of boards exist under the local union and these include the examining board and the executive board. The purpose of the examining board in the local union is to examine and review the various applications for membership forwarded to the union for consideration. The examining board assesses the qualifications of various applicants according to the various sections of the union Constitution to determine if they qualify to be members of IBEW. The executive board on the other hand is involved in hearing all charges that are brought against the members of the union and trying them according to the bylaws and working rules of the local union (IBEW Constitution, 2008). The executive board therefore acts as a trial board as it has to consider all matters properly before making any major decisions with regards to any charges or violations brought against a member of the organization. Apart from the IEC, other councils that exist in the IBEW include the railroad coun cils and system councils which address any union issue within the local union railroad industry. Railroad councils are subject to the rules that govern local councils while the system councils are formed by the International President for collective bargaining purposes under the direction of the president. If the local union is unable to establish a railroad council, they can be able to form a system council to address any disagreements that arise (IBEW, 2005). Appointment of Union Members According to the union Constitution, the various officers of the IBEW are usually nominated and elected by delegates who have been duly selected in the International Convention. The circumstances under which International Officers are chosen for the post of International President and International Secretary-Treasurer in the IBEW is when either of the two officers dies before completing their term, their term contract has expired, they are found to be in violation of the union Constitution or they have committed an offense that is deemed punishable by the International Convention (IBEW Constitution, 2008). The only requirement for a person to be elected to any of the positions is that they should have a five-year standing relationship with the union. This basically means that union members who have not had any violations or charges placed against them can be able to apply for the post of International President or International Secretary-Treasurer. The two International Officers are usually elected by secret ballot or per capita tax votes when there is more than one candidate for the position. Once they are selected, they are expected to assume office in 30 days and they can serve for a term of five years until their successors are nominated and elected (IBEW Constitution, 2008). Other positions that are elected in the IBEW include the eleven positions for vice presidents which are usually elected by the respective vice presidential districts and the delegates that fall unde r the International Convention who are usually elected through a secret ballot election. The positions that are appointed within the IBEW include the Resolutions Committee which is appointed by the International President to document any resolutions to trade disputes that have occurred between employers and employees of the trade union. The positions and offices within the Railroad Councils and the System Councils are also appointed by the International President in the IBEW where the IP follows the bylaws of the Constitution when selecting the various members of these councils (IBEW Constitution, 2008). Culture of the Union The culture that exists in IBEW is that of reform and business unionism where the union is interested in offering its members fair housing and better working conditions as well as attaining a 5% wage increase for all its members under IBEW. The history of IBEW has been one of business unionism and reform where the various officer holders have tried to negotiate for better working and living conditions for the various members under the union. As a result of reformist cultures within IBEW, the wages and working conditions of the union’s members have improved considerably when compared to other industries in the country. Because of the culture of reform and socialist unionism, members of IBEW have been able to enjoy better health care and welfare services as well as improved pension benefits, longer holiday vacations and shorter workdays. These reforms have been able to take place because of the cultivation of intelligent people to manage the affairs of the union (IBEW, 2005). The culture of reform has been instilled in the various office holders to necessitate changes for employees working within the electrical industry so that they can enjoy proper working conditions as well as long-term benefits. The heritage of IBEW is vibrant and strong as the various beliefs and value systems practiced by all previous office holders have been pas sed down the line of successors. The use of local leadership has also enhanced the culture of reform within the union where talented and tenacious leaders have been selected to represent the union in various forums. Proper leadership has ensured that a culture of social reform is established in the union where the individual needs of members and their beneficiaries/families are addressed to maintain a high standard (IBEW, 2005). The mission and priorities of IBEW include organizing all workers in the US or Canadian electrical industry and other member countries as well as organize workers in the public utility and electrical manufacturing industry. IBEW is also charged with promoting reasonable work conditions for its members as well as reasonable salaries and wages. Another mission of IBEW is to settle any disputes that might occur between the employers and employees of the organization and also assist each of the members and their families through periods of distress, death and si ckness or material loss. The main priority of IBEW is to reduce the number of hours daily laborers such as the wiremen and linesmen work as well as seek higher compensation, improved standards of living and working for its members (Hill, 2008). Union Mergers In 1908 when the union was experiencing a period of success and stability, an internal struggle emerged within the organization that saw the secession of a large percentage of the Brotherhood. This split was mostly caused by a growing dissension amongst the wiremen and linemen of the poor management of the union’s high-ranking offices. At the same time, employers within the electrical industry were bent on destroying the Brotherhood so they fostered the internal struggles that were taking place within the union at that time. The secession that took place IBEW was referred to as the Reid-Murphy split after the two officers who were elected by the seceding factions of the split (IBEW, 2005). While the Reid-Murphy group spli t from the Brotherhood, Frank J. McNulty and Peter W. Collins remained the recognized office holders of the Brotherhood. The result of the secession saw two trade unions being formed to address the concerns of employees in the electrical industry with the Reid-Murphy faction having the majority of members. The structure of the Brotherhood was not affect in a major way as McNulty and Collins were able to remain as the official office holders of the union but their functions were somehow impeded because of the separation of funds and resources between the two factions. These split was however reversed by a court decision in 1912 that saw the 1908 Convention null and void. Union funds that had been taken by both factions were restored to the recognized group under the union Constitution by the court. The seceding group later merged with the Brotherhood in 1914 after they agreed to end their differences and focus on serving the needs of IBEW members (IBEW, 2005). Union Affiliations In 1 982, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers become affiliated with the Canadian Federation of Labor to enhance its activities of safeguarding the welfare of wiremen and linemen in Canada while in 1989, IBEW entered into an affiliation with the committee on political education (COPE). This was meant to improve the involvement of organized labor in the active education and registration of voters during the union election process. Another affiliation that the IBEW had was with the Canadian Labor Congress in 1997 which has been identified as a re-affiliation in the historical records of the Brotherhood. The unions and associations that have allied themselves with IBEW include the Electrical Workers’ Benefit Association, the Canadian Signal and Communications Union and the Pension Investment and Employee Benefits Department (IBEW, 2005). Conclusion The sole purpose of this study has been to analyze the structure and governance of IBEW, a union that deals with the labo r issues of employees working in the electrical industry. The discussion has focused on the structure of the union by looking at the various positions and office holders that make up the union as well as examining the various roles and responsibilities that these members play in the union. The study has also focused on the various governing bodies that govern the operations of IBEW which include the International Convention and the International Executive Council. The study in general has been an analytical analysis of the various faucets and bodies that make up the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Questions Qn.1: Sections 1 up to 21 of Article XX of the AFL-CIO Constitution sets forth the various provisions that will guide the relationships of affiliates within the Federation and how each of the affiliates should relate with other affiliate members within AFL-CIO. For example Section two of the article sets forth that every affiliate member of the organization shall observe the established collective bargaining relationships that exist amongst the affiliate members of the organization which means that no member affiliate will attempt to represent employees who have an established collective bargaining relationship with another affiliate in the federation. Article XX is important for unions such as IBEW as it provides an established work relationship amongst the various unions that fall under AFL-CIO. The article provides a basic framework of how unions representing the interest of employees in one industry should conduct themselves to avoid any union disputes. Article XXI of the AFL-CIO Constitution talks about the organizing of responsibility procedures where the various member affiliates of the federation resolve to organize competition in situations where competition might be detrimental in serving the best interests of workers. This article is important for unions that want to represent the interests of workers from one industry. Section 2 of the article stipulates that any affiliate members of the federation that is actively engaged in representing and organizing employees from a particular industry can be able to seek for authority to enable them be the exclusive representative of these employees within that industry. Article XXI is therefore meant to limit the amount of competition amongst unions willing to represent the interests of workers within one industry (AFL-CIO, 2011). Qn. 2: One constituent group of the AFL-CIO is the coalition of black trade unionists (CBTU) which serves the needs of African American workers in the United States. While CBTU is not a civil rights organization, it provides the black workers in the US with a forum within the union movement to voice their concerns about organized labour in the country. The mission of CBTU is to meet the working needs of African Americans within the US by presenting their concerns to the union movement, AFL-CIO. The main activities of the organization includ e; improving the economic development of black workers by providing suitable employment opportunities, working together with the trade union movement so as to provide a voice for black workers in America, increase the union involvement of black workers by increasing awareness through voter education and voter registration, actively supporting civil rights groups that are trying to improve the working conditions of black people within the country and organizing black or minority group workers who are unorganized (CBTU, 2011). CBTU provides value to its members as it seeks to support programs and initiatives aimed at reducing the level of unemployment amongst black Americans in the United States. The organization collaborates with school systems to ensure that black students are equipped with the necessary skills that will allow them to gain useful employment once they complete their education. CBTU also adds value to its members by looking for ways to deal with the escalating prices in food, housing and medical services. It has established important alliances with various organizations within the American community to ensure that the financial burden is reduced (CBTU, 2011). Qn.3: One campaign under the Change to Win affiliate program is the Warehouse Workers United campaign where the Warehouse Workers United is an organization that seeks to represent the interests of warehouse workers in California’s Inland Empire. The main purpose of the organization is to join all warehouse workers together so as to improve their working conditions and also build a better future for the workers and their families. The Change to Win campaign for the Warehouse Workers United is focused on improving the terms of pay as well as working conditions for all warehouse workers in the Inland Empire. The Change to Win campaign for these workers is meant to build an effective response to the poor assault on worker rights by forming a stronger labour movement that will provide hop e to many minimum wage workers. Change to Win has the ability to affect a response from the various unions in America as it has the voice and the support of stronger affiliate federations such as AFL-CIO in addressing the concerns of workers such as the Warehouse Workers United (Warehouse Workers United, 2011). References AFL-CIO (2011). AFL-CIO Constitution; article XX and XXI. Web. CBTU (2011). About CBTU: mission statement.  Web. Hill, E.D. (2008). Constructing Bright futures. IBEW Journal, 107(2): 1- 52 IBEW (2005). International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: History and  Structure. Web. IBEW Constitution (2008). IBEW Constitution as amended SEP. 2006 at Cleveland,  Ohio. Web. IBEW Union (2011). IBEW union dues structure.  Web. Warehouse Workers United (2011). Why we fight. Web. This term paper on Union Structure and Governance was written and submitted by user Drake Espinoza to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Organic Chemistry Hydrocarbon Nomenclature Prefixes

Organic Chemistry Hydrocarbon Nomenclature Prefixes The purpose of organic chemistry nomenclature is to indicate how many carbon atoms are in a chain, how the atoms are bonded together, and the identity and location of any functional groups in the molecule. The root names of hydrocarbon molecules are based on whether they form a chain or ring. A prefix to the name comes before the molecule. The prefix of the molecules name is based on the  number of carbon atoms. For example, a chain of six carbon atoms would be named using the prefix hex-. The suffix to the name is an ending that is applied that describes the types of chemical bonds in the molecule. An IUPAC name also includes the names of substituent groups (aside from hydrogen) that make up the molecular structure. Hydrocarbon Suffixes The suffix or ending of the name of a hydrocarbon depends on the nature of the chemical bonds between the carbon atoms. The suffix is -ane if all of the carbon-carbon bonds are single bonds (formula CnH2n2), -ene if at least one carbon-carbon bond is a double bond (formula CnH2n), and -yne if there is at least one carbon-carbon triple bond (formula CnH2n-2). There are other important organic suffixes: -ol means the molecule is alcohol or contains the -C-OH functional group-al means the molecule is an aldehyde or contains the OC-H functional group-amine means the molecule is an amine with the -C-NH2 functional group-ic acid indicates a carboxylic acid, which has the OC-OH functional group-ether indicates an ether, which has the -C-O-C- functional group-ate is an ester, which has the OC-O-C functional group-one is a ketone, which has the -CO functional group Hydrocarbon Prefixes This table lists the organic chemistry prefixes up to 20 carbons in a simple hydrocarbon chain. It would be a good idea to commit this table to memory early in your organic chemistry studies. Organic Chemistry Prefixes Prefix Number ofCarbon atoms Formula meth- 1 C eth- 2 C2 prop- 3 C3 but- 4 C4 pent- 5 C5 hex- 6 C6 hept- 7 C7 oct- 8 C8 non- 9 C9 dec- 10 C10 undec- 11 C11 dodec- 12 C12 tridec- 13 C13 tetradec- 14 C14 pentadec- 15 C15 hexadec- 16 C16 heptadec- 17 C17 octadec- 18 C18 nonadec- 19 C19 eicosan- 20 C20 Halogen substituents are also indicated using prefixes, such as fluoro (F-), chloro (Cl-), bromo (Br-), and iodo (I-).  Numbers are used to identify the position of the substituent. For example,  (CH3)2CHCH2CH2Br is named 1-bromo-3-methylbutane. Common Names Be aware, hydrocarbons found as rings (aromatic hydrocarbons) are named somewhat differently. For example, C6H6 is named benzene. Because it contains carbon-carbon double bonds, the -ene suffix is present. However, the prefix actually comes from the word gum benzoin, which as an aromatic resin used since the 15th century. When the hydrocarbons are substituents, there are several common names you may encounter: amyl: substituent with 5 carbonsvaleryl: substituent with 6 carbonslauryl: substituent with 12 carbonsmyristyl: substituent with 14 carbonscetyl or palmityl: substituent with 16 carbonsstearyl: substituent with 18 carbonsphenyl: common name for a hydrocarbon with benzene as a substituent

Jose Parla and His Works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Jose Parla and His Works - Essay Example Parla began experimenting as early as 1983 when he used canvas in order to translate his wall paintings and personal memories into a permanent mode. At this time, Parla used to illustrate the derelict landscape of urban settings, hence he wanted to transfer this into a medium that was more permanent than the walls that he used. This formed the basis of his contemporary paintings that he describes himself as being ‘’contemporary palimpsests’’ implying that his artistic works are a form of memory documents or segmented realities. Parla has a noteworthy collection of artwork that is presently displayed in various art locations around America and Europe. Parla’s collection has been driven by history and his own inspiration. Parla apart from doing his paintings collects works by other people who are part of his life history or contemporaries and friends whose artworks are in tandem with his art. Parla is dedicated to ensuring that his artworks go an extra level in proficiency and appeal to many. Parla has continued to read art history and he constantly visits various art galleries so that he improves on his artwork. Paintings by Parla characterize how cities of the world function as palimpsests. Parla creates visual tales of his experiences in various cities that he has visited. In these paintings, he illustrates urban landscapes of these cities. His works are calligraphic, multilayered and psycho-geographical, and he has incorporates these concepts into his paintings thereby enabling the viewer to find out about his perspective of the environment.

Analysis of Barack Obamas Inaugural Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Analysis of Barack Obamas Inaugural - Essay Example The result is an incredibly effective speech which I find very stirring emotionally, focusing on a communal struggle rather than his own abilities, so much so that it is difficult to fault it on a lack of logical proposals.   His uses ethos and pathos to emphasize communal struggle as the central aspect of his presidency while filling in the hole with logos to reassure the more critical of the audience, which combines to make an incredibly stirring speech. Barack Obama’s inauguration took place on January 20th, 2009 on the steps of the American Capital building. Much of the context surrounding this speech was entirely traditional to a presidential inauguration – the date in cold late January, the same location as every other inauguration since the capital buildings were built. But the context also had important aspects to it that were unique to this particular event. First, the event was historic, even for an inauguration address. Barack Obama was the first black person ever elected as president of the United States, which in and of itself was important (Tufankjian). He also had by far the most grass-roots campaign that had ever elected a president in recent memory, with the most amount of small donors (Tufankjian). This leads to his rhetoric focusing highly on ideas of communal struggle while eschewing his independent role. Furthermore, America was in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the great depression, s o a tone of hope was important for his speech. Probably the least overplayed part of Obama’s speech was his ethos. Rather than build himself up as a toweringly powerful candidate, or focusing on his position as one of the preeminent constitutional law scholars in America, Obama focused on his humble beginning to try to make himself an everyman, position himself as an outsider who understood the common people’s needs.     Ã‚  

See work below in description Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

See work below in description - Case Study Example Achieving a 20% price decrement is a challenge that can lead to closure of a firm if not well planned for. Givaudan management ought to come up with various strategies that focus on reducing its overheads in the production line. For instance, adopting automation in its production system may assist the firm in achieving this objective. Both automated handling and inventory systems are effective ways of reducing labor overheads. They allow a faster and a shorter production line as they eliminate much of human involvement in the production line. Second, ERP system in the line of production is an essential aspect that allows easy, faster and less costly tracking of a firms resources and its production capacity. It also allows the firm process and communicate its information with all stakeholders at the minimum cost. A third strategy is to eliminate any brokerage aspect in the supply channel between Givaudan and Tastyco to reduce the cost of supply (Rukstad, 2014). Merging deal with the competitor is another key alternative that can deliver Givaudan from the dilemma. This entails approaching the competitor in the same business line and sign an agreement to merge the two firms to a new firms based on common securities. The deal must be a friendly, horizontal and mutual one that benefits both firms. This eliminates the competition between Givaudan and Nan Ya. In any consideration of the strategic supplier, the new merged firm will scope the position. All the benefits accrued to one firm will be mutually benefiting the two firms (Rukstad, 2014). The reduction of the overhead costs has highlighted various strategies that can help Givaudan realize the objective. An automated system in both manufacturing and handling activities requires fewer workers to operate the system. This eliminates a substantial number of workers hence reducing labor costs (Rukstad, 2014). ERP system eliminates the cost of

Ways Of Knowing More Likely To Lead Truth Philosophy Essay

Ways Of Knowing More Likely To Lead Truth Philosophy Essay Truth is a term that is multifaceted, and has been a popular topic of discussion by scholars and philosophers for thousands of years. Yet some fundamental basics for something to considered true have arisen after all the discussions and theories: it must be a fact, is justified in a way that that it corresponds to a fact that exists in the world, matches with ones overall sets of belief and/or it is useful and works in practice. A justified true belief is what is knowledge is composed of. Sense perception, reason, language and emotions are the four Ways of Knowing, each one a powerful tool that enables us to reach closer the truth. Sense perception is the active selective and interpretative process of recording or becoming conscious of the external world; reasoning is using logical, critical thinking to establish knowledge; emotion is the experience of a bodily reaction to an event where we are aware and involved; lastly, language is a tool for communication and a system of persuasio n and implication through the use of conventionalized signs, sound gestures or marks having understood meaning. However these four ways of approaching the truth vary in that one may help yield more precise answers and is more reliable than others, depending on the their strengths and weaknesses. I believe that sense perception and reason creates a dominant combination, carrying a high degree of certainty, in discovering global truths, compared to emotion and language, which are also vital but have greater limitations that provide challenges in finding the truth. Buddha once said, Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by manyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ But after observation and analysis, when you find anything that agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it. This quote claims that perception, which is then supported by reason, is the ways most likely to lead to the truth, and I definitely agree. We experience the world and obtain direct, immediate, constant data through our senses: sight, hear, smell, touch, taste, movement, balance and huger/thirst etc. The brain then processes these stimuli to create meaning to them and organize these sense data into schemas in our brain, reassembling reality to become organized, meaningful patterns, so that most of the time our world will be rational, steady and predictable. Hence we rely heavily on sense perception as our primary source of data collection of our surroundings. In biology, for example, I did a lab testing the effects of caffeine and adrenaline on the heart rate of transparent water fleas, called Daphnia. After exposing a daphnia in an adrenalin or caffeine solution, I relied solely on my sight to observe the thumping action of their heart beat and then count it. The heart beat dramatically increased from a 25 beats per second in controlled water fleas to around 44 in adrenaline and caffeine solution. By direct observation, my brain then gives meaning to this data input; resulting in me, knowing the immediate effects of what consuming these chemicals does to a Daphnias heart. However sensory perception has a handful of limitations, the major ones including our biological and physiological limitation such a incapability of seeing wavelengths outside the visible light spectrum; our cognitive apparatus and processes cant distinguish perception from illusion; who we are as a knower, our built-in assumptions and prejudices alters the expectations and interpretations of situations- causing bia s, subjective views; sensory input is relative, hence data from is s not always valid alone; sensory input is also discontinuous and outdated. Conversely the invention of digital video, computer technology and modern technology helps fix these problems or even eliminate it all altogether. For instance, when watching the figure skating world championships on TV, both Mao Asada and Kim-Yuna skated perfectly, executing all their elements. My individuality- the fact that I favor and adore Maos skating style over Yunas, and my pity towards Mao for always winning silver- contributed to my perception of the competition as being unfair when Yuna won gold. But when clips of the performances were previewed side by side, it illustrates how Mao did not fully finish her rotations on her triple jumps and thus was deducted points- ultimately justifying that Kim Yuna did deserve gold and performed a cleaner program than Mao. This example proves technology can overcome major limitations such as filt ers and seeing what we want opposed to the reality, by justifying what we see with more scrutiny through technology since technology can record the world around us, provide instant replay and allow unbiased evaluation. On the other hand reason, is most advantageous due to its outcome of valid and coherent information- information with such a high degree of certainty that no other ways of knowing can reach. Reason assesses arguments, and provides support for claims and statements established through all the different experiments, studies etc. It is especially vital for areas with an empirical basis like science, history and math; these areas have been so developed and consist of such reliable, coherent and corresponding theories due to reason. Judgments and errors plague the certainty of truth for other ways of knowing; such as sense perception can be distorted; language is too vague and ambiguous leading to multiple interpretations, and emotion is the least reason-based due to its unpredictable, instinctive nature. Logic controls the outcome of rigid conclusions with evidence. Yet reason has its flaws as well such as the range of informal fallacies and when premises that construct the arguments mig ht be valid the truthfulness is still questionable, hence other ways of knowing is required to justify it such as the case of euthanasia where the argument Taking a life is morally wrong, euthanasia is the act of taking away a life, hence euthanasia is wrong. Is perfectly valid but the truthfulness must be enhanced through the use scientific observations like using technology to see if the persons brain is responding to stimuli. The use of sense perception and reason together complements each other to provide even sturdier, valid, reasoned-based knowledge with sufficient verification. The fact that global warming is occurring is derived from both reason and perception. According to NASA 80% of ice field have been lost in the last century as see through satellite pictures, hence we can use deductive reasoning to conclude that if Drastic climate change and melting ice caps indicate global warming, NASA claims that 80% of ice field have melted , and United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850, hence global warming is occurring Emotions and Language has principal problems that override its benefits, and hence is less likely to lead to the truth. Although language is central in communication; performing many functions such as conveying emotions (expressive), express creativity, used for social and representational purposes, it is deceptive and treacherous due to its vagueness and ambiguity.( Not so much for math and science, since language is controlled, neutral and rigid in these areas but in the other AOKs. Take Stalin for example, he used language as propaganda to establish a personal dictatorship, attack enemies and disguise the reign of terror and purges as well. Putting up slogans like Peasants can live like human beings filled with emotionally-arousing words, appealing connotations and glittering generalities manipulated the peasants into believing Stalin will bring back the glory days in Russia just like before World War I. Similarly emotion reinforces problems such as blurring reason, bias our perce ptions and color our language; humans are helpless in controlling emotions- it is irrational and occurs at fluctuating, urgent impulses. For example when my friend and I watched Valentines Day, she had just broken up with her boyfriend so was feeling distressed and gloomy, whereas I was joyous and excited to see Ashton Kutcher in it. By the end of the movie, her emotions has shaped a negative perception of the movie, thinking it was cheesy and gay, and divert from rational thinking to blame me for wasting her time watching it. On the contrary sometimes our reasoning is based on emotion; for example during a mandarin test, I had a cheat sheet ready in my pocket, but I decided not to cheat because of the guilt and fear I will feel. Suggesting that emotion mustnt be totally ignored since without emotion, the world will be dull, cause the uniformity of values and everything will pass unnoticed. So emotions can help humans acquire knowledge and enhance the search for knowledge, but the voice of reason is more rational. All the areas of knowledge are interconnected, one fails to work alone, and one effects the other, whether it is to enhance or limit the quest for truth. The advantageous combination of sense perception and reasoning creating highly valid, justified truths, with solvable limitations, whereas others, like emotions and language are overshadowed by its limitations. Citations: Buddha Buddhism Reality. On Truth and Reality. Web. Apr. 2010. . Mount Kilimanjaro Vanishing Icecaps. Scientific Visualizing Studio. 02 June 2002. Web. 30 Apr. 2010. . Global Warming Fast Facts. Daily Nature and Science News and Headlines | National Geographic News. Web. 03 May 2010. . Alchin, Nicholas. The Theory of Knowledge. Heinemann, blue book Powerpoints up on Moodle

Acid Rain :: Free Essay Writer

Acid Rain is caused by pollution containing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and ozone ( SOÃ ½, NOx, and OÃ ½ ) is released into the air. These chemicals are absorbed into clouds and results in Acid Presipitation ( Acid Rain, Acid Snow, Acid Hail, Acid Sleet ). When the chemicals aren’t absorbed into clouds, they can drift for miles and fall to the ground, resulting in Acid Deposition, or dry deposition. When Acid Rain falls into water it is mixed in with the normal water and causes the pH of the entire body to be raised. Measurments on the pH (potential Hydrogen ) scale, rise exponentialy, thus, a lake with a pH of 4 is ten times as acidic as a lake with a pH of 5, and a lake with a pH of 3 is 100 times as acidic, After many rain falls of Acid rain, the pH of a normal lake ( 5.8 ) to 4. Acid Rain has been known to reach the acidicy of pH 2, ( battery acid has a pH if 1 ) this is a drastic change, as normal rain is average pH 5.2. Acid Rain can dissolve limestone and chalk, and corrodes outdoor structures. Statues and monuments that are left unprotected can fall victim to the unpredjudiced destruction of acid rain. Acid Rain reacts to different types of soil and rocks in two ways. 1) Acid rain will dissolve alkaline rocks and soil, or will neutralize the alkalinity. 2) Acid rain will increase the acidicy of already acidic rocks and soil, such as granite, or the soil which results from corroded granite. Acidic chemicals, and alkaline chemicals react to each other by reducing the alkalinity or acidicy of each other. Which ever has the strongest pH level, usually will neutralize or reduce the pH of the other, but after the reaction is complete, both substances have undoubtably changed, their pH moved closer to neutral ( pH 7 ).

What Effects the Bounce of a Dropped Ball

Aim The aim of this experiment is to investigate the efficiency of a bouncing ball, and the factors which affect its efficiency. Hypothesis If I increase the height from which a ball is dropped, then the bounce height will increase because it will increase the speed and create a larger impact, causing the ball to bounce higher then dropping it from a lower height. Materials 1. High bounce ball 2. Measuring tape 3. Tape 4. Wall Risk AssessmentH- Cutting yourself with the measuring tape C- Handle with care and ensure that it is locked Method 1. Hold the measuring tape with the 0 centimeter end on the floor. Then tape the measuring tape to a wall. 2. Hold the bottom of the high bounce ball in place with the 100 centimeter mark on the measuring tape. 3. Drop the ball and determine the total bounce height of the ball, which would be the distance from the surface to the bottom of the ball at the top of its bounce. . Continue till you have data for 3 tests. 5. Repeat steps 2-5 for drop heig hts 80 cm 60 cm 40 cm 6. Average all the data. Variables Independent variable = drop height Dependent variable = bounce height Controlled variables = ball, surface, measuring tool Data Table Height a Ball Bounced From Different Drop Heights DROP HEIGHT (CM) TEST 1TEST 2TEST 3AVERAGE 10050495150 8038394039 6031293030 4022202120 Graph

denmark essays

denmark essays Denmark is a constitutional monarchy in northwestern Europe. It is the southern most of the Scandinavian countries. Copenhagen is Denmarks capital. The country is administratively the country is divided 14 counties and 275 local authorities. Margaret II, who became queen in 1972, currently heads the country. The revised constitution of 1953 provides for succession to the throne in the female line and for a unicameral legislature, called the Folketing. I pick up in history where this class roughly starts in the 1400s. Waldemar IVs (1340-75) daughter Margaret I (1387-1412) was in power and she created the Kalmar union, which included Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Faeroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, and part of Finland. In 1520 Sweden and Finland revolted, seceding 1523. In 1448 the house of Oldenburg was established on the throne in the person Christian I and has continued to rule Denmark up to the present day. In 1523 Christian II was driven from the Danish throne, then followed a period of unrest. Unrest was settled when Christian III consolidated his power as king of Denmark. Also in 1523 the Kalmar union was dissolved, but Denmark and Norway remain united. During his reign Denmark was involved in a reformation and Denmark becomes Lutheran. 1618-48, Christian IV intervened in the thirty years war as a champion of Protestantism. Territorial losses were endured as a result of the wars with Sweden. In the 18th century it was a peri od of internal reform, which included the abolition if serfdom and land reforms. In the 19th century Denmark economically prospered despite the many military defeats the country was involved in. In 1849, King Frederick VII authorized a new constitution instituting a representative form of government and a wide range of social and educational reforms took place. In 1866 the Danish constitution was revised, making the upper chamber (Landsting) more powerful than the lower house (Fo ...

ZARA IT for Fast Fashion Essays

ZARA IT for Fast Fashion Essays ZARA IT for Fast Fashion Paper ZARA IT for Fast Fashion Paper ZARA IT for Fast Fashion ( Case Analysis) 1) Please describe three most important competitive advantages of ZARA (Inditex) over its main competitor. How sustainable is this advantage? 2) Assume that ZARA is considering to enter the US market. Please recommend actions for ZARA. Please make clear assumptions when necessary. After reading and analyzing the Zara case we came several conclusions when it comes to Zaras competitive advantage over its competitors. We understood that Zara is using totally distinctive business model compared to other more traditional fashion etailers. In our opinion there are three most important advantages that Zara has over its competitors. These are : IT Software/internal information flow, Factory locations/Geographic placement, Just in Time approach. We believe that these three factor are the main determinants when it comes to Zaras strong current position on the market. Below I will go more in detail and explain every single factor individually. Software/internal information flow First factor which gives Zara competitive advantage according to me is their software. The fact that all the software (PDA) used currently by Zara is developed by them gives them huge competitive advantage. Having the software developed internally makes it much more efficient and user friendly because it is compatible with the companies daily operations. Everything starting from the operational procedures, performance measures, and even office and store layouts are designed to make information flow simple. Making the internal information flow faster and more efficient is one of the key success factors for Inditex. The fact that all the stores are directly connected to the main system which in ollects all the data is a great way for analyzing things that are going on in different stores. But all in all we would say that this factor is not a sustainable advantage. Everyone can copy the system or even create their own. The issue might be cost of RD connected to development of such a system. But if we are talking about Zaras main competitors it is fully possible. Manufacturing and Distribution (Factory locations/Geographic placement) The firm has built its highly developed strategy around consumer trends and embracing the fast-changing tastes of its customers. The fashion industry is a fast changing industry with new trends appearing on daily basis. Zara produces their clothing to have a short wear span (10 wears) forcing consumers to need to purchase more designs sooner. This ensures a high competitive edge for Zara in product respond to this fast changing trends Zara has developed a highly responsive supply chain based mainly on internal communication. They have a fast production and distribution strategy that allows them to offer the latest fashions in less than two weeks. It is very important to mention that Zara manufactures its products on all the ontinents. The manufacturing is divided between Spain where around 50% of Zaras products are manufactured, rest of Europe where 26% are manufactured and the remaining 24% is outsourced to the Asian and African countries. So what is so special about this division of manufacturing ? Well firstly we have to look at the costs of production. The cost of production in Northwest Spain (wages are relatively low/ unemployment high 17%) or northern Portugal are significantly lower than in other countries around Europe. The products which have longer shelf life like sweatpants, inglets or t-shirts are outsourced to Asia, while the fashionable product with constantly changing trends are produces in Portuguese and Spanish factories. Because of the strategic location of the factories in Europe Zara is able to produce and transport much bigger amounts of products to their stores in much shorter amount of time. Zaras new designs can get into stores in as little as two weeks. Compared to Zaras competitors who need to wait for their new inventory for around two months. Also when it comes to designs Zara outclass its competitors by roducing up to 11,000 distinct items annually while key competitors produce between 2,000 and 4,000. We also have to keep in mind that Zara is Just a fashion imitator. This makes it less time consuming when it comes to creating new trends and designs. Zara Just copies whatever is out there on the market and sells it for much lower cost. We believe that Manufacturing and Distribution is Zaras main competitive advantage which can remain sustainable. Why ? I believe that because of the economics of scale and companys current passion on the market. Even if any of Inditexs big competitors would try to copy this system, they would lose significant part of the market share because it would be very expensive and time consuming transitional process. On the other hand the barriers to entry for the newcomers are just way to high to even compete on any level with companies like Zara. Just in Time Approach There is little inventory anywhere in the Zaras supply chain because Zara uses the JIT approach. Zara has pioneered its operations, which enables the constant introduction of new items in short lead times. A little bit about Just in Time01T) roduction used by Zara. JIT is a production method that strives to increase return on investment, reducing inventory and associated carrying costs. The JIT process relies on signals, also called Kanban. It tells production when to make the next part for the production process. Usually Kanban is placed as tickets but it can also be a simple visual signals. E. g. presence or absence of a part on a shelf. Kanban is a system to control the logistical chain from a production point of view, and is not an inventory control system. When JIT is Implemented correctly like in the case of Zara it focuses n continuous improvement and it can improve a businesses return on investment, quality, and eliminating non-value added activities. In order to achieve continuous and employee involvement. Inventory is seen as incurring costs, or waste, which do not create any value added. Just-in-time encourages businesses to eliminate non- value added activities that does not compensate for manufacturing process issues, and it helps to constantly work towards improving those processes to achieve less inventory. In short, the Just-in-Time inventory system focus is having the right aterial, at the right time, at the right place, and in the exact amount, without the safety net of inventory. Strategic decisions for a company (Zara) that are supported based on JIT: Increase profit margin by skipping retailers (online sales) Create price premium product based on JIT Eliminate non-value added activities (cut costs) Zara entering the US market If Zara was planning to enter the US Market they would have to do a lot of strategic preparation. The system which they have In Europe would not work in US because of the geographic location of the United States. The supply system would not be efficient enough since the products would have to be shipped all the way from Europe or Asia. As the result of that Zara would not be able to switch their inventory each two weeks. The lead times would change. We believe that the best solution would be to copy the European business model. What do we mean by that? Part of Zaras success is the geographic position of its factories. The Spanish and Portuguese manufacturing plants are able to produce and ship an item in a very short time. The position of the factories is strategic, the fact that the factories are in Europe. Resolution for that could be establishment of the manufacturing plant in Mexico. The country is relatively cheaper than the US but it is Just by the border. By establishing production plants in Mexico Zara would have the opportunity to create similar situation as they have in Europe at the time. One more thing which definitely should get more attention in the US is advertising. Zara spends only 0. 3% of its revenue on advertising while their competitors spend between 3% and 4%. We believe that this strategy may work on the European market but in the US the advertising budget hould be raised. In the US the advertising is much more aggressive so in order to become noticed Zara needs to leave their old ways behind and compete as equal with the big companies on the American market. Zara should also somehow test the US market before entering. We believe that by offering the online store first they would get much greater understanding of the market as a whole. The company would be able to see the different trends within a market and how it is divided. All the information from the online sales could be then used as a part of the strategy hen it comes to placement of the retail stores and overall general info about customer needs in given parts of the country. Benchmarking of their biggest competitors on the American market would be highly recommended. Before entering a new market you need to know what are the best practices of your competitors. Ohno, Taiichi Oune 1988). Toyota Production System beyond large-scale production. Productivity Press http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Zara_(retailer)#cite_note-10 forbes. com/sites/gregpetro/2012/10/25/the-future-of-fashion-retailing- the-zara-approach-part-2-of-3/

MORTGAGE Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MORTGAGE - Statistics Project Example Investment may be altered for the life of the advance or variable, and change at certain predefined periods; the premium rate can additionally, obviously, be higher or more level. All the more thus, Mortgage advances for the most part have a greatest term, that is, the amount of years after which an amortizing credit will be reimbursed. Some contract credits may have no amortization, or oblige full reimbursement of any remaining offset at a certain date, or even negative amortization (Katz, 2013). Reflecting on the capacity of the company, it needs to raise $ 1,000,000 through selling a portfolio of mortgages currently held by the company. However, the company is under tight budget indicating that the mortgage sold should expect to bring back the interest of between 4%- 6%. Going by the computational above, it is clearly recommended that if the company requires achieving high interest by selling its mortgage, then it should consider placing a bid of an original loan amounting to $ 224,000 loan. From the computational figures in regards to prevailed 7th package, the company is going to release its mortgage at a rate of 5.3 %. This package totals to 1,230.01 payment rate with an addition of 254 on the remaining amount. This however indicates that after a year, the company will receive a total of $ 6,035 as an interest rate. The recommendation therefore justifies the results to be taken into account. In addition, amortization period is the length of time it will take you to pay off your entire mortgage. The company therefore is required to choose a shorter amortization period as it disposes its mortgage, by offering least a 20% down payment since the longer the amortization, the lower your monthly mortgage payments, but the more it will pay in interest ov er the life of the

Macroeconomics. The Solow model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macroeconomics. The Solow model - Essay Example The steady state condition is now that s*f(k) = (+n) * k:" (Introducing Population Growth). The Golden rule of Capital maximized the consumption at a steady state. This implies that the marginal product of capital net of depreciation must be equal to the technological progress and population hence growing for ever isn't possible without population and technological progress. The steady state is "c" and this is what is required. The values of steady state are substituted for both output. "(f(k*)) and investment which equals depreciation in steady state (k*) giving usc*=f(k*) - k*" (The Solow Model) 5. The Solow model is very simple and it creates a link between capital-output ratio and in addition to this it also it also creates a link between investment-depreciation ratio. All this is done in a dynamic model. "The main test for any model is how well it holds up against the data. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that despite its simplicity the Solow growth model can be applied to economic data. The results have been mixed though as Acemoglu writes in an extensive review of the literature. This is not necessarily bad news, for it points at some of the other factors that contribute to economic growth and differences across countries. One conclusion that can be drawn from the empirical literature is that cross-country differences in income per capita cannot be understood on the basis of differences in physical and human capital alone." (Solow growth Model) The economic growth is studied with this model and it has laid down a general basis for studying economic growth of an economy. The rate of capital accumulation and the rate of technological progress are two things that this model does not throw light upon and many models have been derived from the Solow model. The world is divided into capital and labour under this model and this is how the model progresses. The firms and households are treated as constants by this and the neoclassical growth model and this is rather considered a very odd feature of this model. "Now the question some may ask is to what extent economic growth is predicated on the use of non-renewable natural resources and thereby ultimately finite. Economic growth and capitalism rely on profit and not so much on production. Therefore both capitalism and economic growth are, in theory at least, reconcilable with sustainability. Differentiating between models of sustainable and unsustainable economic growth may be one of the greatest modelling challenges of the future." (Solow Growth Model) 6. In countries like Australia and Netherlands, the growth dynamics were determined predominantly by European integration. A broader study on the effect of convergence will