War of 1812 - Causes

War of 1812 - Causes Having won its independence in 1783, the United States soon found itself a minor power without the protection of the British flag. With the security of the Royal Navy removed, American shipping soon began falling prey to privateers from Revolutionary France and the Barbary pirates. These threats were met during the undeclared Quasi-War with France (1798-1800) and First Barbary War (1801-1805). Despite success in these minor conflicts, American merchant ships continued to be harassed by both the British and the French. Engaged in a life-or-death struggle in Europe the two nations actively sought to prevent the Americans from trading with their enemy. In addition, as it depended upon the Royal Navy for military success, the British followed a policy of impressment to meet its growing manpower needs. This saw British warships stop American merchant vessels at sea and remove American sailors from their ships for service in the fleet. Though angered by the actions of Britain and France, t he United States lacked the military power to halt these transgressions. The Royal Navy Impressment The largest navy in the world, the Royal Navy was actively campaigning in Europe by blockading French ports as well as maintaining a military presence across the vast British Empire. This saw the size of the fleet grow to over 170 ships of the line and required in excess of 140,000 men. While volunteer enlistments generally met the services manpower needs during peacetime, the expansion of the fleet during times of conflict required the employment of other methods to sufficiently crew its vessels. To provide enough sailors, the Royal Navy was permitted a follow a policy of impressment which allowed it to draft into immediate service any able-bodied, male British subject. Often captains would send press gangs to round up recruits from pubs and brothels in British ports or from British merchant ships. The long arm of impressment also reached onto the decks of neutral commercial vessels, including those of the United States. British warships made a frequent habit of stopping neutral shi pping to inspect crew lists and remove British sailors for military service. Though the law required impressed recruits to be British citizens, this status was loosely interpreted. Many American sailors had been born in Britain and became naturalized American citizens. Despite possession of citizenship certificates, this naturalized status was often not recognized by the British and many American sailors were seized under the simple criterion of Once an Englishman, always an Englishman. Between 1803 and 1812, approximately 5,000-9,000 American sailors were forced into the Royal Navy with as many as three-quarters being legitimate American citizens. Heightening the tensions  was the practice of the Royal Navy stationing vessels off American ports with orders to search ships for contraband and men who could be impressed. These searches frequently took place in American territorial waters. Though the American government repeatedly protested the practice, British Foreign Secretary Lord Harrowby contemptuously wrote in 1804, The pretention advanced by Mr. [Secre tary of State James] Madison that the American flag should protect every individual on board of a merchant ship is too extravagant to require any serious refutation. The Chesapeake-Leopard Affair Three years later, the impressment issue resulted in a serious incident between the two nations. In the spring of 1807, several sailors deserted from HMS Melampus (36 guns) while the ship was at Norfolk, VA. Three of the deserters then enlisted aboard the frigate USS Chesapeake (38) which was then fitting out for a patrol in the Mediterranean. Upon learning of this, the British consul at Norfolk demanded that Captain Stephen Decatur, commanding the navy yard at Gosport, return the men. This was refused as was a request to Madison who believed the three men to be Americans. Subsequent affidavits later confirmed this, and the men claimed they had been impressed. The tensions were heightened when rumors circulated that other British deserters were part of Chesapeakes crew. Learning of this, Vice Admiral George C. Berkeley, commanding the North American station, instructed any British warship that encountered Chesapeake to stop it and search for deserters from HMS  Belleisle (74), HMSà ‚  Bellona (74), HMS  Triumph (74), HMS  Chichester (70), HMS  Halifax (24), and HMS  Zenobia (10). On June 21, 1807, HMS Leopard (50) hailed Chesapeake shortly after it cleared the Virginia Capes. Sending a Lieutenant John Meade as messenger to the American ship, Captain Salusbury Humphreys demanded that the frigate be searched for deserters. This request was flatly refused by Commodore James Barron who ordered the to ship be prepared for battle. As the ship possessed a green crew and the decks were cluttered with supplies for an extended cruise, this procedure moved slowly. After several minutes of shouted conversation between Humphreys and Barron, Leopard fired a warning shot, then a full broadside into the unready American ship. Unable to return fire, Barron struck his colors with three men dead and eighteen wounded. Refusing the surrender, Humphreys sent across a boarding party which removed the three men as well as Jenkin Ratford who had deserted from Halifax. Taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Ratford was later hung on August 31 while the other three were sentenced to 500 lashes each (this was later commuted). In the wake of the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair an outraged American public called for war and President Thomas Jefferson to defend the nations honor. Pursuing a diplomatic course instead, Jefferson closed American waters to British warships, secured the release of the three seamen, and demanded an end to impressment. While the British did pay compensation for the incident, the practice of impressment continued unabated. On May 16, 1811, USS President (58) engaged HMS Little Belt (20) in what is sometimes considered a retaliatory attack for the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair.  The incident followed an encounter between HMS Guerriere (38) and USS Spitfire (3) off Sandy Hook that resulted in an American sailor being impressed. Encountering Little Belt near the Virginia Capes, Commodore John Rodgers gave chase in belief the British vessel was Guerriere. After an extended pursuit, the two vessels exchanged fire around 10:15 PM. Following the engagement, both sides repeatedly argued that the ot her had fired first. Issues of Neutral Trade While the impressment issue caused problems, tensions were further heightened due to Britain and Frances behavior regarding neutral trade. Having effectively conquered Europe but lacking the naval strength to invade Britain, Napoleon sought to cripple the island nation economically. To this end he issued the Berlin Decree in November 1806 and instituted the Continental System which made all trade, neutral or otherwise, with Britain illegal. In response, London issued the Orders in Council on November 11, 1807, which closed European ports to trade and barred foreign ships from entering them unless they first called at a British port and paid customs duties. To enforce this, the Royal Navy tightened its blockade of the Continent. Not to be outdone, Napoleon responded with his Milan Decree a month later which stipulated that any ship that followed the British rules would be considered British property and seized. As a result, American shipping became prey for both sides. Riding the wave of outrage that followed the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, Jefferson implemented the Embargo Act of 1807 on December 25. This act effectively ended American foreign trade by prohibiting American ships from calling at overseas ports. Though drastic, Jefferson hoped to end the threat to American vessels by removing them from the oceans while depriving Britain and France of American goods. The act failed to achieve his goal of pressuring the European superpowers and instead severely crippled the American economy. By December 1809, it was replaced with the Non-Intercourse Act which allowed overseas trade, but not with Britain and France. This still failed to change their policies. A final revision was issued in 1810 which removed all embargoes, but stated that if one nation stopped attacks on American ships, the United States would begin an embargo against the other. Accepting this offer, Napoleon promised Madison, now president, that neutral rights would honored. This agreement further angered the British despite the fact that the French reneged and continued seizing neutral ships. War Hawks Expansion in the West In the years following the American Revolution, settlers pushed west across the Appalachians to form new settlements. With the creation of the Northwest Territory in 1787, increasing numbers moved to the present-day states of Ohio and Indiana pressuring the Native Americans in those areas to move. Early resistance to white settlement led to conflicts and in 1794 an American army defeated the Western Confederacy at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. Over the next fifteen years, government agents such Governor William Henry Harrison negotiated various treaties and land deals to push the Native Americans farther west. These actions were opposed by several Native American leaders, including the Shawnee chief Tecumseh. Working to build a confederacy to oppose the Americans, he accepted aid from the British in Canada and promised an alliance should war occur. Seeking to break the confederacy before it could fully form, Harrison defeated Tecumsehs brother, Tenskwatawa, at the Battle of Tippecano e on November 7, 1811. During this period, settlement on the frontier faced a constant threat of Native American raids. Many believed these were encouraged and supplied by the British in Canada. The actions of the Native Americans worked to advance British goals in the region which called for the creation of a neutral Native American state that would serve as a buffer between Canada and the United States. As a result, resentment and dislike of the British, further fueled by events at sea, burned brightly in the west where a new group of politicians known as the War Hawks began to emerge. Nationalistic in spirit, they desired war with Britain to end the attacks, restore the nations honor, and possibly to expel the British from Canada. The leading light of the War Hawks was Henry Clay of Kentucky, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 1810. Having already served two brief terms in the Senate, he was immediately elected Speaker of the House and transformed the position into one of power. In Congr ess, Clay and the War Hawk agenda were supported by individuals such as John C. Calhoun (South Carolina), Richard Mentor Johnson (Kentucky), Felix Grundy (Tennessee), and George Troup (Georgia). With Clay guiding debate, he ensured that Congress moved down the road to war. Too Little, Too Late Seizing upon the issues of impressment, Native American attacks, and the seizure of American ships, Clay and his cohorts clamored for war in early 1812, despite the countrys lack of military preparedness. Though believing that the capture of Canada would be simple task, efforts were made to expand the army but without great success. In London, the government of King George III was largely preoccupied with Napoleons invasion of Russia. Though the American military was weak, the British did not wish to fight a war in North America in addition to the larger conflict in Europe. As a result, Parliament began debating repealing the Orders in Council and normalizing trade relations with the United States. This culminated in their suspension on June 16 and removal on June 23. Unaware of developments in London due to the slowness of communication, Clay led the debate for war in Washington. It was a reluctant action and the nation failed to unite in a single call for war. In some places, people even debated who to fight: Britain or France. On June 1, Madison submitted his war message, which focused on maritime grievances, to Congress. Three days later, the House voted for war, 79 to 49. Debate in the Senate was more extensive with efforts made to limit the scope of the conflict or delay a decision. These failed and on June 17, the Senate reluctantly voted 19 to 13 for war. The closest war vote in the history of country, Madison signed the declaration the next day. Summing up the debate seventy-five years later, Henry Adams wrote, Many nations go to war in pure gayety of heart, but perhaps the United States were the first to force themselves into a war they dreaded, in hope that the war itself might create the spirit they lacked.

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - Questions

'The Invention of Wings' by Sue Monk Kidd - Questions The Invention of Wings is Sue Monk Kidds third novel. Her first, The Secret Life of Bees, was a book club favorite that gave groups a chance to discuss race issues in the South in the 1960s. In The Invention of Wings, Kidd returns to issues of race and a Southern setting, this time tackling slavery in the early nineteenth century. Kidds novel is fiction, but historical fiction where one of the main characters is based on a true historical figure Sarah Grimke. These questions seek to get at the heart of the novel and help book clubs discuss the many facets of The Invention of Wings. Spoiler Warning: These questions contain details from throughout the novel, including the end. Finish the book before reading on. The novel is presented as a story about two characters, Sarah and Handful. Do you think their relationship with each other is central to how they developed? Or was the chance to read two perspectives more important than the actual relationship?This is also a novel about family relationships and history, particularly as seen through the women in the story. Discuss Sarahs relationship with her mother and sisters and Handfuls with her mother and sister. In what ways did these other women define who Sarah and Handful became?Charlottes story quilt is her greatest treasure. Why do you think that is? How does the ability to tell ones own story shape ones identity?Sarahs familys story relies on slavery. Why was it necessary for Sarah to leave all the things dear to her mother and family Charleston society, beautiful ornamentation, reputation and even place in order to live with her personal convictions? What was the hardest for her to break with?Religion is important throughout the novel, and Kidd gives readers the chance to see many sides of the early nineteenth century church: the white high church in the South, which defended slavery; the black church in the South with its liberation theology; and the Quaker church, with its progressive ideas about women and slaves along with its denial of beautiful clothes and celebrations. Slavery is one of the keys to understanding the complex history of the church in America. Discuss how the novel brings that to light? What did the book make you think about the role of the church? Were you surprised to learn that even among abolitionists the idea of racial equality was radical?Were you surprised by the reactions in the North to the Grimke sisters speaking tour? Were you aware of how strongly women were limited?Even the Grimkes allies suggested they hold back on their feminist views because they thought it would hurt the cause of abolition. Indeed, it did split the movement. Do you think this compromise was justified? Did you think the sisters were justified in not making it?Were you surprised to hear about any of the punishments that were common for slaves, such as the Work House or the one legged punishment? Were any other parts of the history of slavery new to you, such as the information about Denmark Vessey and the planned revolt? Did this novel give you any new perspectives on slavery?If you have read Sue Monk Kidds previous novels, how did this one compare? Rate The Invention of Wings on a scale of 1 to 5. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd was published in January 2014It was chosen for Oprahs Book Club before publicationPublisher: Viking Adult384 pages

Coca-Cola Company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words

Coca-Cola Company - Assignment Example The company produces ready to drink juices and teas in over 100 flavors. There has been a visible decline in the consumption of carbonated drinks as a result of the rising health concerns. Carbonated drinks make up a significant portion of Coca-Cola's sales. This is a good opportunity to increase sales of the non-carbonated drinks by entering into newer untapped markets. This document serves as a marketing plan for Minute Maid healthy beverages for the subsequent 12 month period. 2. Situation Analysis 2.1 SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis is used to determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of an organization and the external opportunities and threats. The SWOT Analysis for Minute Maid is as follows: Strengths Weaknesses Strong brand with world wide recognition Strong supply chain Established distribution channels Excellent financial performance Quick response to market need Partnerships and licenses with other brands Standing out against competition in the saturated market More customer loyalty to the core the Coca-cola products Dormant market demand for soft drinks Opportunities Threats Changing consumer trends towards soft drinks Entering new market segments Developing further partnerships with other brands Competition Health concerns Risk of cannibalization Table 2.1 SWOT Analysis 2.2 FEPSOS Analysis Marketing Functions Marketing functions for Minute Maid include its strong branded high quality products which are designed around customer needs. The products are priced to deliver value and quality to the customers in monetary and non- monetary terms. The products are backed by and effective, extensive and result oriented marketing mix. Minute Maid also has a... Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest manufacturer, marketer and distributor of carbonated soft drinks and other beverages. The company was established in 1886 and has been successfully operating business over a span 123 years. Coca-Cola has established its presence in more than 200 countries and has 92,400 employees across the globe. The company boasts a product portfolio of over 3000 beverages and has a world wide market share of 47.2% with sales of 4107.1 million cases (1). There has been a visible decline in the consumption of carbonated drinks as a result of the rising health concerns. Carbonated drinks make up a significant portion of Coca-Cola's sales. This is a good opportunity to increase sales of the non-carbonated drinks by entering into newer untapped markets. Marketing functions for Minute Maid include its strong branded high quality products which are designed around customer needs. The products are priced to deliver value and quality to the customers in monetary and non- monetary terms. The products are backed by and effective, extensive and result oriented marketing mix. Minute Maid also has a strong distribution network which delivers its goods to the customers where and when they are needed. Porter's Five Forces Model can be used to analyze th

The Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Law - Essay Example When Arthur is discharged from hospital he discovers that the landlord of his flat, which he was occupying before the accident, has let the flat to another tenant. Arthur applies to the Local Authority for alternative accommodation but is told that he fails to come within the statutory definition of homlessness. In the above there are several issues that need to be discussed on order to be able to discuss the legal actions that might result from the scenario. The issues that require examination are unfair dismissal with regard to the dismissal from work and dangerous driving on the part of Barry. With regard to the injuries of Arthur caused in the accident there needs to be a discussion on the chain of causation to determine whether Barry should be held liable for the suffering caused or whether Arthur has a claim against the doctor for the negligent treatment. In respect of the flat there needs to be a discussion on breach of contract and unlawful eviction as the landlord has let the flat to someone else in breach of the tenancy agreement. In respect of the homelessness there needs to be an examination of the Housing Act 1996 to determine why Arthur is not regarded as legally homeless. Unfair dismissal as is suggested is when an employer dismisses an employee without good reason. In some instances unfair dismissal can be regarded as automatically unfair. This might be the case in situations where the employer has not followed a proper dismissal procedure before dismissing the employee1. In some claims for unfair dismissal the employee has to have worked for the employer for at least a year whereas in other case the year rule does not apply. In recent times the law has been changed by placing statutory requirements on the employer before the employee can be dismissed. Previous legislation used to regard the employee more as a servant to the employer than a contributing member of the workforce2. Section 94 of the Employment Rights Act

Service Marketing-Pizza Hut Essay Example for Free

Service Marketing-Pizza Hut Essay A subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc. , the company oversees more than 11,000 pizza restaurants and delivery outlets in 90 countries worldwide. In October 1997, the company expected to become a subsidiary of Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc. , formed from the spin-off of PepsiCos restaurant holdings. Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 by brothers Dan and Frank Carney in their hometown of Wichita, Kansas. When a friend suggested opening a pizza parlorthen a raritythey agreed that the idea could prove successful, and they borrowed $600 from their mother to start a business with partner John Bender. Renting a small building at 503 South Bluff in downtown Wichita and purchasing secondhand equipment to make pizzas, the Carneys and Bender opened the first Pizza Hut restaurant; on opening night, they gave pizza away to encourage community interest. A year later, in 1959, Pizza Hut was incorporated in Kansas, and Dick Hassur opened the first franchise unit in Topeka, Kansas. In the early 1960s Pizza Hut grew on the strength of aggressive marketing of the pizza restaurant idea. In 1962, the Carney brothers bought out the interest held by Bender, and Robert Chisholm joined the company as treasurer. In 1966, when the number of Pizza Hut franchise units had grown to 145, a home office was established to coordinate the businesses from Wichita. Two years later, the first Pizza Hut franchise was opened in Canada. This was followed by the establishment of the International Pizza Hut Franchise Holders Association (IPHFHA). It aimed at acquiring 40 percent of the companys franchise operations, or 120 stores, and adding them to the six outlets wholly owned by Pizza Hut. The acquisitions, however, brought turmoil to the chain. Varied accounting systems used by the previous franchise owners had to be merged into one operating system, a process that took eight months to complete. In the meantime, sales flattened and profits tumbled. In early 1970 Frank Carney decided that the company practice of relying on statistics from its annual report to inform its business strategy was inadequate, and that a more developed, long-term business plan was necessary. The turning point occurred when Pizza Hut went public and began growing at an unprecedented pace. Pizza Huts corporate strategy, arrived at after much consultation and boardroom debate, emerged in 1972. The corporate strategys first priority was increasing sales and profits for the chain. Continuing to build a strong financial base for the company to provide adequate financing for growth was the second priority. The strategy also called for adding new restaurants to the chain in emerging and growing markets. In 1970 Pizza Hut opened units in Munich, Germany, and Sydney, Australia. That same year, the chains 500th restaurant opened, in Nashville, Tennessee. Further acquisitions that year included an 80 percent stake in Ready Italy, a frozen crust maker, and a joint venture, Sunflower Food Processors, formed with Sunflower Beef, Inc. The same year, the menus for all restaurants added sandwiches to the staple Thin n Crispy pizza offering. In 1971 Pizza Hut became the worlds largest pizza chain, according to sales and number of restaurantsthen just more than 1,000 in all. A year later the chain gained a listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Pizza Hut also achieved, for the first time, a one million dollar sales week in the U. S. market. At the end of 1972 Pizza Hut made its long-anticipated offer of 410,000 shares of common stock to the public. The company expanded by purchasing three restaurant divisions: Taco Kid, Next Door, and the Flaming Steer. In addition, Pizza Hut acquired Franchise Services, Inc. , a restaurant supply company, and J G Food Company, Inc. , a food and supplies distributor. The company also added a second distribution center in Peoria, Illinois. In 1973 Pizza Hut expanded further by opening outlets in Japan and Great Britain. Three years later the chain had more than 100 restaurants outside the United States and two thousand units in its franchise network. The companys 2,000th restaurant was opened in Independence, Missouri.

Atwoods Attention to Words in The Handmaids Tale Essay -- Margaret A

Atwood's Attention to Words in The Handmaid's Tale The Handmaids Tale illustrates that dictatorship can be established by creating a state of fear once language controls are instituted. As a tradition to dystopian novels, Atwood has drawn much attention to the meaning of words and the significance of names, as well as the prohibition for women to read or write, in order to portray Gilead as a successful totalitarian state. Atwood is trying to make the point that in a dystopian world, language can be the power. The meaning of names is a central focus of the novel, because names define people. Their worth and functions are summarized by the names. To some extent, the names also discourage originality. This occurs especially to the Handmaids, whose names all begin with the prefix â€Å"Of†, plus their commanders names, forming names such as Offred, Ofglen, and Ofwarren. This act taken by the Gileadian state totally objectifies the Handmaids. They no longer have a status in the society, and instead they become possessive items of the commanders. In the case of Offred, she does not mention her real name throughout the entire novel. In fact, Offred is probably numbed by the reality that she doesn’t even want to mention her real name, as she once said, â€Å"I must forget about my secret name and all ways back. My name is Offred now, and here is where I live.† (p.185) As a result, she is often perceived as an imaginary figure. In a way, she has already lost her original identity, that we are unable to trace her in the future. Here, Atwood is trying to draw the attention that stripping people’s names may as well result in stripping their individuality. Furthermore, she has created a system of titles to oppress wome... ... has tried to warn the readers that there would be a genuine consequence if language is exploited. What Atwood is trying to promote to the readers is that words aren’t just words. Language is incredibly powerful for getting people to not look at the reality of things, or for making things to be more emotional than they need to be. Renaming can certainly be used to create a state of fear through distinctive classification. More importantly, it can significantly dehumanize people and take away their identities. Other than that, religious influences also allow the government to control the society psychologically. After all, language is an extremely important device in The Handmaids Tale. A good understanding of how language functions in the novel allows us to become aware of how a totalitarian regime can maintain its power through the control of language.

General Electric Strategic Position – 1981

General Electric (â€Å"GE†), similar to many major corporations in the 1980s and 1990s, underwent a restructuring phase in line with the McKinsey Restructuring Pentagon. Through this restructuring, General Electric implemented a portfolio-planning model to manage the ever-increasing demands of a company involved in over 190 businesses. Ultimately, this model allowed GE to formally? GE set lofty goals of increasing earnings per share 25% faster than the growth of GNP. In order to achieve this the company needed to address productivity and possible realms of expansion, but the systems in place often led to a lack of focus. Reginald Jones attempted to create value and compete in the market by implementing strategic planning and then integrated strategic planning to address productivity. Through GE’s engagement of McKinsey & Co. they devised a structure of Strategic Business Units along with Portfolio Planning. The development of strategic business units allowed the company to stay competitive in their respective industries by acting somewhat autonomously from GE Corporate. In the restructured GE, the SBUs were responsible for identifying crossovers to expand their competitive position by utilizing the entire GE network. The Portfolio Planning Model allowed GE to allocate resources to each SBU based on Industry Attractiveness and Business Unit Strength. The allocation of resources focused development on specific projects instead of â€Å"sprinkling money across a variety of businesses. † This matrix later would be called the GE matrix, which allowed GE Corporate to quickly analyze a business plan by highlighting the potential industry growth (using a Five Forces-style analysis) and looking at the relative knowledge within GE to capitalize on the industries market share. After the allocation of resources, GE identified business unit strategy. This strategic planning was ahead of its time in terms of management theory. Strategic Planners were required at each business unit to assess the strategic positioning of opportunities (including potential divestment) and to identify portfolio balance. This portfolio assessment identified the overall business unit balance in terms of cash-flow generation and growth prospects. After these metrics were defined, performance targets were set based on the business strategy and perceived competitive position. When combined with the BCG Matrix, GE was capable of making allocation decisions readily, addressing the productivity issue while maintaining its competitive advantage in industries viewed with positive growth potential. One can say the creation of value at GE in the 1981 depended on its use of metrics to focus on specific industries and growth opportunities. This created value by allocating resources more effectively in order to predict market trends and anticipate demand within markets before customers were able to clearly identify what was needed. In addition, this created value in terms of the shareholder value maximization model as GE innovated in order to outpace growth in GNP. Returning to the McKinsey Restructuring Program, it stands that GE created additional value and became an even greater competitive force across their broad industry footprint by capitalizing on the linkages between their SBUs. Part of Reginald Jones’ theory on implementing Sector level managers exemplified this value creation through corporate linkages. In order to stay away from a Holding Company status, GE Corporate realized it needed to add-value from the top-down. The end results was a structure whereby SBUs developed new business opportunities by ‘extending into contiguous product-markets;’ Sectors ‘developed new SBUs by diversifying within their macroindustry scopes;’ and Corporate developed ‘new sectors by diversifying into unserved macroindustries. ’ This renewed focus allowed GE to add value across its hierarchy, competing quicker and more efficiently than competitors while leveraging the full breadth of resources available to a truly diversified company. Additionally, due to GE’s restructure hierarchy; corporate was able to focus on what Jones called â€Å"arenas. † These arenas extended into nontraditional management, integrating new developments in techniques, motivation, and measurement, but were designed to create a vision for the future, which then linked back to the portfolio planning model in order to more appropriately allocate resources. As a result, GE decided to focus on the following arenas – Energy, Communications, Energy Applications-productivity, Materials and Resources, Transportation & Propulsion, and Pervasive Services. These arenas drew direct linkages between organizations within GE, further leveraging the company’s resources to compete more efficiently while creating shareholder value. Additionally, GE said that planning helps a company focus, but implementation and execution is the key to success. To this end, they developed their people internally at a faster rate then competitors, often shifting managers to completely new organizations in order to provide a fresh perspective on innovation and market potential. Planning became a way of life, but implementation and execution were the breath of the company, even as they faced a dynamic and continually changing organizational structure. General Electric in 1981 created value and became more competitive due to their focus. GE executives realized the shifting dynamics within a diversified company and provided a formal framework to identify opportunities and to put money to work in those arenas. Additionally, their ability to capture leverage from linkages, both with products and human resources, helped the company remain competitive and quicker then each industry player within their respective units. The overall restructuring and portfolio planning provided a framework for their growth and value creation, which Jack Welch capitalized on after the departure of Reggie Jones. We believe that the strategic planning approach implemented by Reginald Jones, CEO of GE was revolutionary and necessary for the time but the methodology remained unchanged and ineffective as the company grew through the 1970s. Jones was a person who had a clear vision for corporate growth and effective performance during recessionary times in the United States. He believed in creating a change, recognizing the problems the company was facing and implementing strategies to reshape the decision-making process in the corporation. The focus of the corporation was to impose the creation of business strategic units in order to gain a broader view on corporate management strategies. The main goal was to implement the company’s vision across all business units across various industries. GE introduced a strategic planning system where management was expected to take strategic decisions and be involved pro-actively in the decision-making process. The corporate approach was to introduce clarity of the job functions in order to avoid ambiguity and miscommunication between the business units. Management was encouraged to strengthen their relationships with the team to integrate communication between the departments. Through the strategic planning system, the company recognized certain sectors that were less profitable than others and decided to prune the business units that did not grow rapidly or remain static. GE focused on further developing growing business units in new sectors by diversifying in unexplored industries. Overall, the corporation showed an average growth of 16% annually on their income statement for the decade between 1970 and 1980. GE delivered 26 consecutive quarters of improved earnings through two recessions; however, it faced some structural problems. The internal audit showed that strategic planning was slow and inefficient. Integration and cooperation between the business units was non-existent, which deprived innovation and opportunism within the corporation. The decentralized management led to the proliferation of 150 strategic business units. Additionally, financial analysis and control was rigid and did not promote cooperation between the business units. The strategic planning processes were heavily infringed by paperwork creating bureaucracy. In order to control the information, new management layers were created which resulted in expanding the staff of the organization. The paper-driven processes, in combination with the large staff at the business unit level, increased the costs and reduced the efficiency of personnel, reflecting the overall performance of the corporation. The large amount of paper reports slowed the decision-making process by the corporate management team that was inefficient to take action in search of further market growth. Due to these issues, the financial performance of GE was moderate and it matched the GNP index but did not outperform it. The corporate management focused on increasing growth while fighting inflation when the company was growing in size in both personnel and business units. We propose a different approach to confront the issues that GE was facing in their initial proposition for corporate strategic management. The company should focus on reducing the bureaucracy and improving the efficiency of the strategy decision-making process. This may be achieved by implementing regular face-to-face meetings with the corporate strategy management unit. GE could introduce more flexible financial controls to promote innovation and intrapreneurship while providing more integration across the business-level managers. A major problem to resolve was the excess cost of duplication and uncoordinated actions. GE’s focus should be on pruning less efficient business units that are not profitable and strengthening the SBUs that will provide the highest ROI. As mentioned above, the company was increasing its labor size while the SBUs remained inefficient. There are still some departments that are not as profitable as others but remained in operation. GE should concentrate in its comparative advantage in the industry to retrieve new rivals. Therefore, looking for new opportunities, along with undiscovered sectors, will provide the corporation with a greater competitive advantage in those industries.

Employment Legislation Affecting Recruitment

ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET Name:| Pancho Pablo Fernandes| Address:| PO Box, 491, Doha, Qatar| Post code / Zip:| 491| Telephone No:| 00974 55485261| Email Address:| [email  protected] com| Date:| 1 September 2012| Course Name:| Diploma in Human Resources| Tutor Name:| Ms. Kirsty Cousins| Assignment Name:| Recruitment and Selection| Assignment Title:Recruitment and Selection Unit Title:Examine employment legislation with regard to recruitment Course Title: Name:Pancho Pablo Fernandes Date:01 September 2012Introduction In this assignment I will discuss the employment legislation in force that ensure fair manpower hiring protocol thereby safeguarding candidates from being discriminated on different grounds. The assignment task is: * Evaluate current employment legislation as it affects recruitment and selection of personnel Background Employers during the pre-industrialization era were more focused on having the most suitable manpower in terms of strength, color, ethnic background, gender, religion etc.Child labor was well practiced by employers with intention of saving on overheads. There was no concern for safety & suitable working conditions due to inequality of bargaining power between employer & worker. It was through rise and fall of Governments that created various acts outlawing discriminations most of which pertained to employment. Discriminations related acts have come into force mostly during the second half of the 19th century and till date undergo revisions / modifications thereby ensuring fair employment protocol.This assignment will share light on some important legislation concerning recruitment & selection of workers. Analysis Most countries have a set up legal authority / body which monitors company’s recruitment practices. Employment discriminations can be direct or indirect. Direct discrimination is when a group of candidates are treated less favorably in comparison to another group. Indirect discrimination is when certain criteria is impos ed which limits particular group/s of candidates from applying or being appointed for a job, such as built, height, weight.The Equality Act of 2010 (UK) protects discrimination of people under protected characteristics that include age, disability, gender, race, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sex & sexual orientation. The evolvement of following acts defines legislations prohibiting discrimination while promoting equal opportunity and diversity to all; a. Gender – Gender discrimination is controlled by; i. Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 (UK): This act protected both men & women from being discriminated on fronts of sex or marriage. ii.Employment Equality Regulation of 2003 – Sexual Orientation (UK): This act prohibited the employer to discriminate employees on sexual orientation. iii. Equality Act of 2010: Part of this act enables an employer to appoint / promote a candidate although he/she has equal merit that the other but is classified under the protected char acteristics or is thought to suffer a disadvantage of being in such category. A positive action example would be a lady being offered a General Manager role in our organization instead of a male candidate, since the organization mostly awarded such roles to males. . Race / Religion – This discrimination is controlled by; i. Race Relations Act of 1963 (UK): This act prohibited discrimination on grounds of race, color, ethnical background / national origin. ii. Equality Act of 2010 – Part of this legislation defines the â€Å"Positive Action† clause that can be used by an employer to recruit. As an example, a Sri Lankan Muslim candidate could be recruited instead of a Filipino or Indian candidate since the company had most of its workforce from India (Hindus mostly) & Philippines (Christians) c.Age – Age discrimination is controlled by; i. Employment Equality Regulation of 2006 – Age (UK): In addition to gender & race discrimination; employers could not discriminate employees on grounds of age. However the Equality Act of 2010 has superseded this act. ii. Equality Act of 2010 – Part of this legislation defines the â€Å"Positive Discrimination† clause that can be used by an employer to recruit within certain age groups. Example: Since majority of our company’s office level workforce aged below 40, the next recruitment phase could set age criteria as + 40 years. d.Disability – The Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 (UK) was replaced by the Equality Act of 2010. One of its clauses describes that an employer cannot use discriminative questions to asses a candidate’s disability unless the candidate has to complete an exercise as part of the selection process. However, an employer can lawfully question the candidate, asking if he/she needed any reasonable adjustment to enable them perform at an exercise. Conclusion Employment legislations define guidelines for non-discrimination on basis of vari ous factors such as ethnic background, disabilities, gender, age & race.Most developed countries have its own employment legislation defined in a way that it covers most of its population. In the modern world, employers violating employment regulations can be penalized by the law. Sources of Information Internet Research 1. Wikipedia a) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Employment_Equality_Regulations b) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Employment_Non-Discrimination_Act c) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Equal_Pay_Act_of_1963 d) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Sex_Discrimination_Act_1975 e) http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Race_Relations_Act_1976 2. http://www. homeoffice. gov. uk/publications/equalities/equality-act-publications/equality-act-guidance/employment-health-questions? view=Binary 3. http://www. homeoffice. gov. uk/publications/equalities/equality-act-publications/equality-act-guidance/positive-action-recruitment? view=Binary 4. http://www. homeoffice. gov. uk/publications/equaliti es/equality-act-publications/equality-act-guidance/positive-action-practical-guide? view=Binary 5. http://www. equalrightstrust. org/ertdocumentbank/bob%20hepple. pdf

Free Essays on Y2K Bugged

Y2K Bugged - What Happened? Were Y2K remediation efforts a big waste of time and money for corporate America? The answer looks to be a resounding no. Network professionals have reported a host of benefits they will enjoy in 2000 and beyond because of IT inventories, business analysis and system testing completed under the umbrella of Y2K preparedness. Overall, the U.S. spent more than $100 billion fixing the Y2K problem since 1995, according to John Koskinen, the federal government's Y2K czar. He estimates that the rest of the world spent an additional $100 billion to repair and replace computer systems and networks in preparation for the millennium date change. The investments appear to have been wise. While many government agencies and companies experienced minor Y2K-related glitches, no significant system outages occurred over New Year's weekend. And although it is still early to declare absolute victory over Y2K, date-change problems expected during the next few weeks and months will likely be nuisances rather than business-crippling matters. The lesson we have learned. As IT executives close up their command centers, they are putting together the lessons they have learned from the Y2K drill. They say one of the biggest advantages is Y2K forced them to thoroughly inventory and document IT systems and networks. "We were able to conduct a very intensive inventory of all our systems," says Lyn McDermid, chief information officer of Virginia Power in Richmond, Va. "As a result of that, we have eliminated quite a few redundant applications, and we eliminated systems that were obsolete. That should reduce our support costs. "We were also able to introduce some new technology and jump-start our Web development. We feel that we really did get ancillary benefits from Y2K." Similarly, Prudential Insurance created strategic inventories of its software, hardware and business partners. Irene Dec, Prudential's Y2K program ma... Free Essays on Y2K Bugged Free Essays on Y2K Bugged Y2K Bugged - What Happened? Were Y2K remediation efforts a big waste of time and money for corporate America? The answer looks to be a resounding no. Network professionals have reported a host of benefits they will enjoy in 2000 and beyond because of IT inventories, business analysis and system testing completed under the umbrella of Y2K preparedness. Overall, the U.S. spent more than $100 billion fixing the Y2K problem since 1995, according to John Koskinen, the federal government's Y2K czar. He estimates that the rest of the world spent an additional $100 billion to repair and replace computer systems and networks in preparation for the millennium date change. The investments appear to have been wise. While many government agencies and companies experienced minor Y2K-related glitches, no significant system outages occurred over New Year's weekend. And although it is still early to declare absolute victory over Y2K, date-change problems expected during the next few weeks and months will likely be nuisances rather than business-crippling matters. The lesson we have learned. As IT executives close up their command centers, they are putting together the lessons they have learned from the Y2K drill. They say one of the biggest advantages is Y2K forced them to thoroughly inventory and document IT systems and networks. "We were able to conduct a very intensive inventory of all our systems," says Lyn McDermid, chief information officer of Virginia Power in Richmond, Va. "As a result of that, we have eliminated quite a few redundant applications, and we eliminated systems that were obsolete. That should reduce our support costs. "We were also able to introduce some new technology and jump-start our Web development. We feel that we really did get ancillary benefits from Y2K." Similarly, Prudential Insurance created strategic inventories of its software, hardware and business partners. Irene Dec, Prudential's Y2K program ma...

Grammar Tips Using the Present Tense - Get Proofed!

Grammar Tips Using the Present Tense - Get Proofed! Grammar Tips: Using the Present Tense â€Å"Carpe diem† is a Latin phrase often translated as â€Å"seize the day.† It’s used to urge people to appreciate the present moment instead of thinking about the past or future too much. And in that spirit, we’ve written this blog post about using the present tense. Carp diem, meanwhile, means Be a fish for the day. After all, you certainly won’t be â€Å"seizing the day† if you spend all your time worrying about errors in your writing. So, do yourself a favor and seize this grammatical advice instead. Simple Present The simplest form of the present tense is, appropriately, called the â€Å"simple present† tense. This is possibly the most common grammatical tense in English, as we use it to describe: Current facts (e.g., I live in Chicago.) General truths (e.g., Many people live in Chicago.) Things that happen regularly (e.g., The bus arrives in Chicago at 8am.) Things due to happen at a fixed time in the future (e.g., The festival begins in July.) The base verb form is usually correct in the simple present tense. However, the verb form changes slightly in when writing in the singular third person. For example: First Person: I live in Chicago. Second Person: You live in Chicago. Third Person: He/she lives in Chicago. As above, when using the third-person singular, an extra â€Å"s† is added to the base verb. Present Continuous The present continuous tense is used to describe an ongoing or incomplete action. It is formed by combining â€Å"am,† â€Å"is,† or â€Å"are† with a present participle. For example: I am learning Latin. They are going to the beach. She is dancing on the ceiling. All of these examples emphasize an ongoing or incomplete process. But they’re also things that have an endpoint or where progress can be made, not steady states of affairs (e.g., I live in Chicago) or general truths (e.g., Rain is wet) that don’t change over time. Present Perfect The present perfect tense is used for actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past: We have visited New York twice. It can also be used to describe actions that began in the past and continue into the present (or that happened in the past and continue to be true in the present): She has lived here since she was young. In both cases, the present perfect tense combines â€Å"has† or â€Å"have† with a past participle.   Most past participles, including â€Å"visited† and â€Å"lived† above, are formed by adding â€Å"-ed† to the end of a base verb. However, keep an eye out for irregular verbs that don’t follow this pattern. For instance: The leaves have fallen from the trees. In this case, since â€Å"fall† is an irregular verb, we use the past participle â€Å"fallen† (not â€Å"falled†). Present Perfect Continuous Finally, we have the present perfect continuous tense, which combines elements of the present perfect and present continuous tenses. As such, it’s used to describe ongoing actions that began in the past. We indicate this by combining â€Å"has been† or â€Å"have been† with a present participle: I have been waiting for the last half hour. Here, for example, â€Å"have been waiting† describes an ongoing process of waiting, but with an emphasis on how long the speaker has been there. This makes it distinct from the present perfect â€Å"I am waiting.† Hopefully that clears up how different present tense forms are used. If you want to make sure your writing is error free, though, embrace the spirit of â€Å"carpe diem† and have your work proofread today.

Outsourcing jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Outsourcing jobs - Essay Example On the downside, some of the neg'tives include difficulties in m'int'ining confidenti'lity, ret'ining control, 'nd confronting tr'nsition problems. In the following p'per I will be ex'mining the 'dv'nt'ges 'nd dis'dv'nt'ges of outsourcing jobs from the view of the benefit to the org'niz'tion. Assigning various functions, such as accounting production, security, maintenance, and legal work to outside organizations. (Nickels, McHugh, McHugh, 257). Outsourcing (or contr'cting out work) st'rted in the m'nuf'cturing business in the e'rly 1980s, prim'rily 's ' me'ns of cutting b'ck st'ff 'nd s'ving on w'ges. Often ' t'sk is considered for outsourcing if the work performed by ' consult'nt would require hiring 'ddition'l st'ff if it were done in-house. In 'ddition, work h'ndled by ' former employee who m'y perform ' specific service is 'lso considered 's outsourcing. The decision to outsource is m'inly b'sed on cost, set-up time, 'nd the 'v'il'bility of expertise (Bl'xill, Hout, 95). Two prim'ry f'ctors h've c'used the job m'rket to tr'il the gener'l economy: we'kness in m'nuf'cturing 'nd stell'r productivity perform'nce 'cross 'll m'jor sectors. M'nuf'cturing h's suffered through p'inful 'djustments to over investment, ' previously strong doll'r, 'nd the migr'tion of c'p'city overse's. Me'nwhile, 'lthough re'l GDP (gross domestic product) h's exp'nded 't 'n impressive r'te of 'bout 3.5% over the p'st two ye'rs, he'lthy productivity g'ins--including sizzling r'tes during the second 'nd third qu'rters of 2004--me'nt th't m'ny comp'nies s'w little need to 'dd to their workforces (Minoli, 54). Estim'tes of the 'ctu'l number of jobs outsourced overse's 're sketchy. G'rtner Inc. contends th't 'bout 500,000 jobs in the technology sector could be sent 'bro'd over the next two ye'rs, which would 'mount to ' still moder'te 5% of the tot'l 10.3 million workers believed to work in the technology sector. Deloitte Consulting predicts th't 's m'ny 's four million service jobs could be out sourced over the next five ye'rs, which would still 'mount to only 'bout 3.5% to 4.0% of the tot'l U.S. service sector. In m'ny c'ses, these jobs might h've been filled by foreign immigr'nts or by firms buying entire offshore f'cilities. The free flow of l'bor 'nd c'pit'l is vit'l to ' he'lthy glob'l economy. 't the s'me time, p'rt of 'ny incre'se in foreign incomes should come b'ck to the United St'tes in the form of either new purch'ses or investment (Minoli, 56). M'ny jobs c'nnot be exported overse's. F'ce-to-f'ce cont'ct with customers rem'ins vit'l, loc'l control is often integr'l to the m'n'gement process, 'nd logistic'l 'nd security concerns m'y require domestic loc'tions. Indeed, fin'nci'l institutions need to exercise speci'l c're to insure 'g'inst identity theft for their customers. 'djustment is never e'sy, but 'meric'n workers h've demonstr'ted their flexibility 'nd responsiveness to ch'nge over the p'st two dec'des. Our competitive 'dv'nt'ge will continue in fields requiring higher skills 'nd knowledge. This is why employment 'mong college gr'du'tes h's exp'nded by over two million jobs in the p'st ye'r 'nd why the jobless r'te 'mong these more educ'ted workers is only 'round 3.0% (G'ntz, 41). 's the recovery m'tures, look for job growth to show further improvement over the next sever'l months. ' resumption of higher c'pit'l spending, ' more competitive doll'r, 'nd ' rebuilding